War And Peace
Chapter 10
Noin closed her eyes as she knocked on his door. It had been several days since the battle and they hadn’t had a minute alone since. She had been relieved to see that he had been unscathed during the battle and had read the relief in his grim stare when he had realized the same. It was a dangerous game they played but Noin knew that neither of them wanted to quit at the moment, hence her decision to come to his quarters tonight. She smiled when she heard his rough voice bark at her through the door, “Come in.” She opened the door slowly and was surprised to see him sitting on the couch, mounds of paperwork surrounding him. She met his gaze, smiling faintly at the brief look of surprise on his face. “Have you come to offer me a moment of distraction from this paperwork?” He asked softly when she sat down at his side and moved his paperwork to the floor. “I had hoped that it would be more than a moment Lt. Zechs,” she answered and pulled the bottle of Wild Turkey from behind her back. While she preferred wine and champagne to the bitter taste of whiskey, Noin had decided that she could endure a few glasses with him if that’s what it took to relax him. She wasn’t entirely sure she wanted to seduce him tonight but if that’s what happened she would gladly accept her fate and enjoy it as much as possible. Noin smiled when she saw him raise his hand to his mask and pull it off. She watched as his long platinum bangs fell loosely around his face and reached over to brush them back out of his eyes. She smiled at the look on his normally emotionless face and handed him the bottle.
Zechs lifted an eyebrow at her and sat the bottle onto the table unopened. “Thank you Noin,” he whispered gently as he pulled her close to him and buried his face in her soft fragrant hair. It had been far to long since they had been alone like this. Zechs smiled at the absurdity of his thoughts; it had only been a few days, not even a week. He knew that he was being weak where she was concerned but couldn’t bring himself to harden his heart towards her. He sighed as she leaned her body against his and stroked his hand down her back. Reluctantly he pulled away and stood to go get some glasses for the whiskey. Zechs was surprised that Noin had brought it with her and for a moment had wondered how she knew it was his favorite. It had taken a while for him to recall the night that they had spent together after studying and remembered it as being the first time she had ever gotten drunk. He also recalled it as being the first night she had touched him as a woman and not a friend and that it had taken everything in his power not to act on his instincts then and there. Zechs returned to her side and handed her a glass. He was silent as he picked up the bottle of whiskey, opened it and poured them each a glass. He watched as Noin tipped her head back and drowned down the bitter liquid. He swallowed hard as he watched the cords in her neck flex as the whiskey made it’s way down her throat, a pang of longing settling low in his stomach. Zechs tossed back his glass as well, wincing as the fiery liquid burned a path down his throat to his stomach. He looked over at her and saw the fire in her eyes. He didn’t know which of them made the first move but within seconds their lips were sealed together and their hands were everywhere. Zechs groaned loudly as Noin pinned him back against the couch and ripped at his uniform. Her hands were everywhere and he could feel himself drowning in the heat of her kisses and touch. He let her do as she wished as he fought to rid her of her clothes as well.
Noin let out a load moan as their positions were switched and she bit back the scream that threatened to escape her lips. She laughed softly when she felt herself being lifted into his strong arms and carried towards his bedroom. Noin pulled him on top of her when he lowered her to the bed and cried out as he covered both her body and her lips with his. Within moments he was inside her, stroking her, pushing her over the edge with his gentle ministrations. Noin gasped as she fell over the edge again and again. She sought his lips and felt, as well as heard, the load groan that accompanied his release. She stroked her fingers through the long, damp hair that fell over his shoulder and covered her. Noin heard him sigh contently and smiled as he brushed his lips across her jaw and then her mouth as he turned them to the side. She nuzzled her face against his chest and listened as his breathing returned to normal, the familiar sound lulling her to sleep.
Zechs woke and pulled the soft warmth of her body closer to him. He looked over at the clock and sighed. He leaned over and kissed her gently before slipping out of the bed. Zechs grabbed his discarded boxers from the floor of the living room and pulled them on. His eyes traveled to the mess on the couch and sighed at the mess he found there. All of a sudden he felt a pair of arms wrap around his waist pulling him back against a warm body. “Noin,” he breathed and turned to face her, “I didn’t mean to wake you up.” He watched as a small smiled curved her full lips, “It’s all right, I’ve had more than enough time to catch up on that these past few days.” Zechs laced his fingers with hers and pulled her towards the couch. He released her hand to bend down and pick up a small sheet of paper. “You know how my homeland was destroyed and taken over by the Alliance,” he said softly and watched as she nodded in silence. He smiled grimly and handed her the sheet of paper, “I found the bastard who ordered it done Noin.” Zechs gazed down at her and let her see the burning hate behind his eyes. He watched as her beautiful eyes widened and she gripped his arm, “What are you going to do Zechs?” He closed his eyes and whispered raggedly, “I’m going to return the favor. He will pay for his sins.” Zechs opened his eyes and looked down at her; her eyes were closed and he knew that she was trying to find the words to stop him. “Noin,” he began softly, “I know it is wrong but he stole my life, my family, my home from me and I can’t sit still knowing that a murderer walks while my father lies cold in his grave.” He watched as she lifted her eyes to meet his and was surprised by the anger in them, “You aren’t doing this for your father, you can’t. You told me yourself that he abhorred violence. Admit it Zechs you are doing this for yourself, to fulfill your desire for revenge.” Zechs sighed, she was right of course and it hurt him to know that his father would hate what his son had become, but it was something that had to be done in his eyes. He reached over and gripped Noin’s hand in his, “Come with me, please?” She was silent and he held his breath in silent anticipation of her answer. He needed to have her there, he needed to have someone to pull him from the dark abyss of regret he knew he would find himself in. He hated that it had to be her, that he was so selfish to stain her with his transgressions. Zechs bent his head to look into her face and his heart broke at the expression on it. She would come with him but she didn’t want to. He pulled her against him, “Thank you Noin.” She was still silent and Zechs was surprised when she looked up at him suddenly and cupped his face in her hands. “Only for you my love,” she whispered against his lips and pressed forward.
Noin shuddered and wrapped her arms tighter around his muscular form as the motorcycle seemed to gain speed. The wind cut into her like ice and she was grateful for the warmth of his body. They had been silent for the entire trip, not that they could have had much of a conversation over the roar of the wind. Noin winced as they turned a corner and the silver gun that Zechs had carried with him dug into her hip. She closed her eyes and leaned into his back, praying that this would be the last tie he would feel the need to take his revenge. She didn’t know how long they had been stopped but Noin opened her eyes to the feel of the warm sun and a pair of even warmer lips on her face. “I’ll just be a minute Noin,” he whispered against her brow and Noin nodded silently. She felt his hand on hr thigh and looked up at him. “Don’t hate me for this Lucrezia,” he pleaded and she placed her hand over his, answering him without words. Noin raised her head and kissed him gently and watched as he walked towards the Luxemburg Base.
Zechs crept in the shadows, his heart pounding with a strange combination of elation and fear. He kept his hand on the hilt of the gun, letting the coolness of the metal burn into his gloved hand. He held his breath as he inched closer to the commander’s door, stopping when he heard voices. Zechs flattened his body against the wall as a group of soldiers exited the office and breathed a sigh of relief when they failed to notice him. He crept inside the office noting, with disgust, the lavish furnishings. The heavyset commander was looking out f the window muttering something about Oz and how he would never allow one of its soldiers inside his base. Zechs stifled the low chuckle that threatened to escape his lips and instead said, “Indeed, the defense of this fortress is almost perfect. But if even one person inside lets down his guard, the whole fortress will eventually fall.” He watched with a measure of satisfaction when the man turned around a surprised and fearful expression on his face and whispered his name. Zechs pointed his gun at the man and smiled coldly at him, “So you did know. I wondered if you did when you were so cautious around me.” The man’s eyes widened and backed up against the huge windows as he tried to lay the blame on the Federation. Zechs felt a surge of anger at the unfairness of the situation, that such a coward could have destroyed such a brave man, “The Kingdom of Sank had no intention of confronting the Federation, but you attacked it anyway and destroyed our peaceful monarchy. At that time, there were many nations opposing the growing military presence of the World Federation. The Kingdom of Sank was one of them. I remember that it was you who said that you could suppress the opposing nations by destroying one influential royal monarchy as a lesson. And you did what you said.” Zechs leveled his gaze on the trembling man and saw the moment that the man realized who he was. He fired off a shot as the man whispered his name and went for his gun. He watched with cold satisfaction as the man fell to the ground, his blood forming a pool around him. He had finally fulfilled the vow he had made so long ago. “Rest in peace Milliardo Peacecraft,” he whispered softly as he holstered his weapon and silently made his way out of the heavily guarded base and back to where Noin waited for him. She was straddling the military bike her head down. Behind him he could hear the alarms of the base going off. Silently he climbed on behind her and kissed her neck. She sighed sadly and started the engine. Zechs wrapped his arms around her slim waist and buried his face in her soft fragrant hair. He could feel the cold pleasure he had felt, at watching the murderer of his family die, fade and closed his eyes as it was replaced with self-loathing. Zechs closed his eyes and pulled Noin closer. He needed her and winced when she yelped and tried to pull away. “I’m so sorry Noin,” he whispered and he was, not only for squeezing her too tightly, but also for involving her in his revenge. Zechs sighed again and remained silent for the entire trip back to the base.
Noin elbowed him gently as she approached the base. It wouldn’t do for them to be seen together as they were; his head against hers, her body wedged tightly against his, oh how the rumors would fly. She smiled when he pulled her closer and groaned, “Not yet, I don’t want this to end.” Noin slowed down the machine and pulled to a stop on the side of the road. She pulled his head to her shoulder and stroked the soft hair that poked out from beneath his mask. She knew he hated what he had done and respected that in spite of that he had followed through with the horrid task. Noin kissed him gently on the lips and stood up, groaning when he buried his face against her naval. “Zechs we need to get back to the base, nobody knows where we are and frankly I don’t want them to come looking for us.” He was silent and Noin struggled to pull him to his feet. “Not yet Lucrezia, I can’t face them yet,” he whispered as he hugged her against him. She pulled away, “Face who Zechs?” She looked up into his ice blue eyes, her heart aching when she saw the deep pain in them. She wrapped her arms around him, she didn’t require an answer; she knew whom it was he referred to. It was several minutes before he straightened up and pulled away from her. Noin could tell he was embarrassed and smiled as she brushed the wrinkles out of his uniform. They climbed back onto the bike in silence, this time with him in front, and made their way back to the base.
Zechs mind raced when he saw the looks the soldiers gave them as they returned. They had good reason to be suspicious; they had been gone for hours and had returned looking disheveled and tired to say the least. He growled at the young man who walked up to him and tapped him on the shoulder, “Sir his Excellency has been looking all over for you.” Zechs paled beneath his mask, “Colonel Treize is here?” The soldier gave him a strange look and shook his head no, “Forgive me Lt. Zechs, I only meant that he has been trying to get in touch with you.” Zechs nodded sharply, dismissing the young soldier with a wave of his hand. He quickly made his way back to his rooms and retrieved his COM unit from where it lay on the couch and punched in Treize’s number. He was annoyed when Lady Une’s face appeared in place of Treize’s. Zechs hid the disgust on his face when she informed him that Treize was busy at the moment and wasn’t to be disturbed. He bit back his anger and coldly informed the lady colonel to tell Treize to call him as soon as possible. With that said Zechs cut the connection and fell back against the couch. At least this way he would have some time to think. He leaned his head back against the couch and sighed. He straightened up and looked down at his gloved hands. He tore at the white regulation gloves and freed his hands from them. Zechs looked down at them and in his mind’s eye he could see the rivulets of blood that ran through his fingers and stained his skin. For a moment he was terrified but the feeling soon passed and was replaced by one of cold acceptance. He blinked and looked back at his hands and was surprised to find them clean. He smiled and wondered if perhaps he was going insane, as Macbeth had done so long ago. Zechs was shaken from his dark morbid thoughts by a loud knock on his door. He smiled and got up. He knew it was Noin and he was grateful for her presence. He smiled at her and invited her into the room.
Noin smiled and cautiously stepped into the room. She made her way to the couch and sat down silently. She wanted to ask him what had happened at the base. She had hoped that the man he had just murdered deserved his fate and had worried when she saw the pain in his eyes. Noin looked up when she felt the couch sink beneath his weight and covered his bare hand with hers. She was startled when he jerked his hand away and pulled his regulation gloves back on. “What’s wrong Zechs,” she asked, wincing at the anger in her voice. Noin had to strain to hear his whispered answer, “I can’t touch you Noin. I refuse to stain you with my sins.” Noin felt the anger in her flare and she placed her hands on either side of his face and pulled his head down to hers. As she stared into his pale blue eyes she said, “Zechs stop saying that. My hands are stained with innocent blood too.” She gasped as she felt her hands gripped tightly in his, “No Noin, you killed because you had to. You killed because someone ordered you to. I killed because I desired to and that is what makes me unworthy to touch you,” he whispered huskily and Noin rested her forehead against his, “Please don’t do this to yourself Zechs; killing a person is killing a person, the motive is moot.” She felt his loud sigh against her cheek a he sat up and she did the same. The silence between them grew and Noin decided to try and lighten the mood. Leaning against his shoulder she sighed and whispered, “Does this mean that you’re going to wear those when we make love Zechs?” She could feel the muscles beneath her tighten as he struggled to contain his deep chuckle. He failed and Noin smiled happily as his deep laugh filled the room and looked up as he kissed her brow. His eyes were still raw with emotion but the lines of worry and regret were gone from his face. “Want to try it,” he asked as he smiled down at her. She leaned up and brushed her lips across his, “Yes.” Noin kissed him deeply as he lifted her into his arms and carried her into his room… As night turned to day and the sun crept through the blinds of the room’s window, two figures lay tangled in the sheets of a small bed, a pair of white regulation gloves lying beside them.
