I happen to love 6x9 stories, and when I wrote my other 6x9 fic, I got Une and Noin confused. So, after watching Endless Waltz so many times I have Noin's and Quatre's and some of Zechs' lines down to a T, I decided to write another one. ^_^ They are so cute!! *sniffle* Also, hints of Spx5
R&R, good or bad, a review is a review. BTW, this is SHORT, don't worry. No 100K+ story here. Maybe only 30.... hopefully 30.... 30 sounds nice.... hey! I'm home alone and can write without interruptions!
****
Former Major Sally Po, now just 'Sally Po' (if you happened to be Wufie), sat in the cockpit of the ship she and her partner Noin flew together. She had her feet up on the dashboard, and was staring out the window at the vast amount of stars. Sally had just sent a message to Earth telling them that the new mobile suit troops Serpents were still on their way to Earth. Now all she had to do was wait for the answer with their assignment.
She liked the silence of space and the empty cockpit. It gave her a chance to think. Sure, Noin was also a very quiet person when she wasn't fed lots of sugar, but when someone was all alone, their thoughts seemed to grow much deeper. Sally thought of Chang Wufei, wondering where he was. Unbeknownst to many, they sent each other e-mails quite frequently, but since a literally explosive incident involving a colony, she hadn't heard anything. She hoped the younger boy was doing well. (See the comics Blind Target, set right before Endless Waltz)
A light beeped sending yellow flashes all over her world. Sally sat up and pressed the button, popping the vid-screen up on the screen. "All channels secure." she said. Sally found herself staring at Lady's Une's stern looking face. Sally had found Une a lot scarier before the war ended, so she looked a lot more kinder now.
"Hello Sally." Une said, speaking in real time. The connection was a bit fuzzy, but it was great considering the distance between them. "How are things over there? And how's Noin, she's not there in the cockpit with you."
"Noin's catching up on some paperwork and taken a shower. She left quite abruptly after the party you two attended, and hasn't slept in a while so I told her to go rest before I called in to HQ saying she wasn't fit to work." Sally answered. She smiled and leaned back in the chair, relaxing and enjoying the last few moments she would have before she had to get moving again.
Lady Une smiled slightly, knowing business came before pleasure. But oh, this was going to be good. She just wished that she could see Noin's reaction. "Well, Sally, we've gotten word that there are hostages on Colony 18x999 (an: Is that the write one? I don't know. The first 15 minutes of the movie are all screwy.). Your mission will be to save them."
"Great. As Heero would say. 'Mission Accepted', Lady Une." Sally said, standing up and getting ready to salute. "Noin and I will get ready at once!"
"Hold on a moment Sally. I said it was *your* mission. Noin has a different mission. Heero and Duo are also on that colony, and you'll be able to get a ride back to Earth with them. There's enough room on their shuttle for one more person."
"But where's Noin going?" Po asked her superior as she sat back down.
"To recover a mobile suit for us." Une began to let more of her smile show through.
"A mobile suit? Are you referring to the Gundams?" Sally shook her head slowly. "We've gotten a message from Duo that Quatre Raberba Winner is picking up the Gundams that were set to the Sun. Surely he and the Maguanac Corp can take care of recovering them without backup. I've met the Maguanac Corp Lady Une, they're great warriors!"
Lady Une leaned against her desk, brown hair spilling over her shoulder. "Sally Po, you've been spending too much time with that Chang Wufei boy! No, it's not to help in the recovery of Sandrock, Deathscythe or Heaveyarms. It's our newest member, Codename Wind. He was in charge of destroying MO3, and has unfortunately run out of fuel. Noin will have to take your shuttle and pick him up. Once that is completed she is to return to Earth."
"Codename Wind? Him?" Sally leaned closer to the screen on the sheild. She raised an eyebrow at the intrigue she was hearing. "So, the Preventeers have their first true male worker, ne? Instead of those so called males who work in the mail room?"
"Yes." Une replied, smiling softly. She knew the people Sally was referring to. They were only teenage boys working in the mail room for a part time job. The top people were composed of mostly females, other then the head boss, whom Une had just finished talking to before Wind had entered her office.
"So who is it? Do we know him?" Sally was hoping that it was somebody she'd fought in the war with, like Noin. Perhaps it was that Rashid fellow. Could he leave the Maguanac Corp for the Preventeers? Perhaps it was one of the boys who used to work with her, in the building where she'd first met the pilot of Wing Zero. Sally hoped it was Wufei. That would explain why his e-mails had stopped coming.
"Actually, I don't quite know if you've met him or not. But Noin and him were quite.... close."
Sally stared at the screen a moment, studying Une's face. She was smiling slyly, and had the most teasing look in her eyes that Sally had ever seen. Sally sat straight up and cocked her head. "Une... Are you telling me that... he's finally back?"
"Our newest member of the Preventeers is Zechs Marquise, Codename Wind." They both smiled at each other, laughing at the imagined look Noin would soon be wearing. Lady Une continued business talk between laughing. "I hope that you will pass on Noin's mission to her considering she's not here."
"Damn straight I will!" Sally said before recalling that she was talking to her boss. She blushed and ducked her head, her light brown braids falling by the sides of her face. "Ah, sorry Lady Une...."
"No problem Sally." She dismissed it with a wave of her hand. "This is Lady Une, signing off." Sally stood back up, standing at polite attention. She didn't press the off button until after Une had told her: "Sally, I want every single detail."
"Will do. Sally off." she paused a moment to recollect herself before heading back to Noin's quarters and knocking on the doors.
"Come on in Sally." Noin sat on her bed, wrapped in her fuzzy white and warm bathrobe, drying her hair with equally fuzzy towel. A shower always made her feel refreshed and as active as she was, Noin had gotten into a very cleanly habit of using showers to calm her down. "So, what's our orders?" she asked when she saw that Sally had opened the mechanical sliding door.
"Lady Une has different missions for us." Sally told her, sitting in a chair across from her.
The rooms aboard their ship were very small, and consisted of a coffee table, two chairs, a dresser and bookstand combination and a bed. But that was really all they needed. Preventeers didn't live all day in their ships, contrary to popular belief.
"Really." Noin stopped drying her blue-black hair with a bit of shock. Lady Une had never done that before. Well, except for that one time when Sally had to work and Noin had to go to a Christmas party with her superior. But Noin would have preferred being out in space with Sally then stuck in some stuffy part with narrow-minded people. Sally was one of the few people who had been a friend since the first day they met. And the only one who hadn't left her for personal reasons. "So, what is it?" she asked picking up a hairbrush.
"Well, I've been assigned to rescue some of Dekim Barton's hostages."
"He has hostages? Of all the no good, lousy, sneaky, god-damned, pig-rapists, bastardly fools... " she continued mumbling about Dekim's personality while she worked out a large knot. Noin put the hairbrush down, and looked at her equally odd-hairstyled friend. "Be careful, Sally. I don't want to see you get hurt."
"Don't worry about me, Lucretzia. I can take care of myself." Noin narrowed her eyes at Sally for being called by her first name. "If you don't like you calling me that, then stop acting like my mother." Although Sally could never remember her mother swearing so blatantly. Noin had the tendency to swear like a drunken sailor, which she then accredited to leaving most her life in an environment of 95% males.
"So what's my mission?" Noin ignored the comment.
"Recall."
"Recall? What the hell am I supposed to recall?" She was slightly irritated at the secrecy and lack of information she was being told. Noin hoped this wasn't going to be one of those "need to know" missions she sometimes got assigned. The last one had been a joke so that she could get out of the HQ while the others put up streamers and balloons for a party. Noin had been touched, but she'd also bene pissed beyond belief for being sent on a wild goosechase.
"A mobile suit."
"Has my white Taurus suit been repaired?" she asked hopefully. Her old white Taurus suit (Old meaning almost two years) needed a couple of tune ups, and she felt odd without having her Taurus suit on board.
"Nope, even better."
She sighed and gave Sally a bored look. "Now what the hell could be better than having my Taurus suit back? I got that suit almost two years ago and it hasn't failed me once. There are lots of good memories attached to that suit." she let her gaze wonder over to the collage of photographs in a frame. The showed a man in a red suit, with long blonde hair and a silver mask. Beside that was the same man without his mask on. He had long bangs that were very attractive, and eyes the colour of molten silver, though Noin knew they often appeared darker whenever he wasn't happy.
Sally picked up one of the pictures and studied it. She glanced between the photo and her best friend. "If you don't mind my asking Noin, just how close were you two?"
"I don't mind." Noin slowly smiled, her eyes looking very far away, lost in memories. "We were a couple since my second year at the Victoria Academy. Before that, we were the best of friends. After the war, though our relationship dwindled apart -we were not together enough, and both very dedicated to our jobs- we still remained close friends. We continued to talk through e-mail, and flirt constantly. I'm glad that were strong enough to have such a good relationship."
"Would you change that? Would you, say, go back in time and change your relationship with Zechs?"
"God no. The memories I have from the Academy years are worth more to me than gold. Besides," Noin turned to look out at the stars from her small window and motioned to them. "I have the future to look forward too. I still believe that Zechs survived Libra's explosion, and one day he will come back to me. He has to. I told him that I would never leave his side, and I'm not going to break my promise."
"Huh. That's nice." Sally put the picture back by Noin's bed. "Back to business, care for me to tell you what's better than your Taurus suit?"
"Kindly. You're acting so secretive about it, it better be pretty damn good."
"Okay. Well, take your mobile suit and turn it into the Tallgeese III."
"The Tallgeese?" Noin slammed her hands down on the coffee table, suddenly standing up. "Someone is piloting the Tallgeese? Is it one of the Gundam Pilots?"
Sally rubbed her chin thoughtfully, choosing her words carefully. She couldn't help but smile. "Well, he piloted Wing for a little while..."
Noin's eyes widened, and she felt her knees go weak. She paled and sat back down. "Are you... Are you trying to tell me that..."
"Your boyfriends back in town." Sally watched Noin's reaction carefully. Colour suddenly rose to her cheeks making her blush seem to be painted on since she was so pale. Her blue eyes suddenly started to brighten up and shine with hope and love. Lastly, Noin started to smile, the first genuine smile she'd worn for a long time. The last time was when Duo had accidentally gotten his braid stuck in her pencil sharpener on one of his regular visits to the Preventeer HQ from the L3 Colony.
This was not what Sally was expecting. She thought she was going to see Noin yell and scream, jump up and down excitedly, hell, maybe even faint! Instead, there she was now laying down on her bed, laughing, and saying how she knew all along that he was alive. Sally could see her laughing so hard there were tears in her eyes. Though maybe they weren't from laughing.
Sally shook her head. She picked up the pillow stuffed into the chair's corner, and through it at Noin.
*****
Noin was quickly approaching her pick up point. Earlier she had been quite calm at the idea of seeing Zechs again, but now that she was close to it, she couldn't handle the pressure anymore. Her feet were tapping so quickly she sounded like some insane drummer, and she was sure that her heart would burst at any moment from over exhaustion. She had the flight path set in, so she wasn't bothering to steer, and instead looked to the left of her to Sally's now empty chair.
"I wish you were here with me, Sally Po..." she whispered, a small smile tugging at her lips. "Having a friend with me through this would be nice. God I miss him." She leaned back in her chair, looking up at the sea of tiny suns. Noin didn't even register that she was talking outloud. "I wonder which one he went to. What he saw. Wether or not he stayed healthy." her stomach rumbled, and Noin rubbed it. "Me want food." she knew that she was suing terribly bad grammar, but Noin really didn't care.
Leaving the cockpit, she headed straight to the kitchen, from there going in a beeline to the last cupboard and reaching in straight to the very back. She pulled out a box of herbal tea that Sally thought she didn't know about and began to make herself a cup. While it's water was boiling, Noin visited Sally's room and deposited a dollar in Sally's change bucket to pay for the tea she stole.
Noin made sure that the tea had lots of honey it in to sweeten it up, and headed back to the cockpit. The tea was so good to her parched throat and nearly empty stomach, that it was long gone by the time the red light started flashing, indicating that she was arriving the pick up point. The drink had also started to work on Noin. The camomile made her feel nice and relaxed, though it had been slightly upset by the tea, because she felt calm, but energetic as well. What could Noin say? She was one screwed up female.
She rapidly pressed the buttons, slowing the ship down while opening a channel to the Talgeese III. Noin could fly her ship with her eyes closed, and she almost wish she was blindfolded at the pint she was at. "Ah, Zechs..."
Face to face with Zechs? But what if he changed during the time he was away? What if he had been in some fight and became all scared? What if he'd been in some horrible accident and had been disfigured? What if he'd been forced to cut off that waist-long hair that Noin found so incredibly sexy on him?
Smiling, Noin gave a slight shake of her head. What did it matter if he had changed his looks over the year? Inside, he was still the same man she had fallen in love with during her school days. It didn't matter if he changed his looks, his clothes, what side he fought on in wars, or his name, because his heart and soul was always the same.
The screen popped up, and she saw Zechs' face....
More or less. He was holding a book, relaxing in the pilot's chair reading. She couldn't see his, but she could see the beginning's of those long bangs that hung in front of his eyes, and those hands that looked to graceful to have ever held a gun. She didn't say anything at all, her throat was suddenly to choked up to be able to speak, and she sat motionless. Her throat began to work though, as soon as he spoke she felt all her worries melt away at the sound of his voice. She'd only heard that voice in her memories and dreams.
"Is that you, Noin?" he flipped the page in the book, drawing Noin's attention to it. War and Peace. Zechs always did have a fabulous taste in literature.
Noin blushed slightly and ducked her head, letting out a small sigh. "I've come to pick you up, Zechs."
He put down War and Peace and looked at the vid screen. Long silver-blonde bangs hanging as far down as his nose, hiding eyes that could look anywhere from green-blue, to a dark silver. They looked directly into Noin's own, as he took in seeing her face again. Still, his remained stoic while she remained almost shy in appearance. "Thanks." He paused a moment, checking her face over once again, so that he'd know if she lied. Her hair was bluer and darker than ever, she looked slightly taller but she was sitting down she he couldn't sure, and her eyes were as blue as ever. She looked perfectly fine to him. "So, Noin, how have you been doing?"
Noin blushed again and smiled. She never really could understand how one little question could make her have such a reaction. She believed it was because that in all the guys she'd met in her life, Zechs was the one she cared the most about, and the one who had cared the most about her. Nobody else in her life had ever done things like left flowers for her on Valentine's day, or had sent her poetry -Zechs was actually quite good with it- or even just watched tv with her, never touching, never speaking, but feeling totally at ease. Knowing he cared so much about her made her feel singled out, and was the cause of all the blushing she did when he asked her how she was or worried about her. "Good." Noin looked back up at the vid-screen. "Zechs, it's been one year and two days."
He paused, and burst into smile, chuckling softly. "It always astounds me how you can keep track of the days, Noin. Time just seems to run together for me." Zechs leaned forward on the cntrol panel, careful not to hit any buttons. "I really missed that about you, you know."
"That's great Zechs," Noin smiled back at him, and pressed to buttons on her own control board. She heard the doors to the cargo bay opening, and she carefully directed the hip towards the mobile suit. "Why don't you get on board and we can talk together? I didn't wait all this time just to talk to you through a vid-screen."
******
She put two more dollars in Sally's bank while the water whistled in the kettle. Noin knew that Zechs liked his orange pekoe tea, and since this was the first time they'd seen each other in over a year, Noin thought she'd indulge with him.
Letting the water finish up and the bags steep, Noin headed down to the cargo bay. She stood at the top of the railings as a familiar hiss pushed her hair aside. The door in the Tallgeese opened and Zechs hoped lightly out. He was still wearing his atmospheric suit, and Noin wondered if he had any other clothes with him. She knew those suits could be quite uncomfortable sometimes. His hair followed behind him like a cape as he climbed up the ladder to the railings where Noin stood, smiling. "I made some orange pekoe."
"For me? I know you don't care for it that much..." she nodded and his face softened, touched by her thoughts. "I'm glad you remembered, Noin. Tell me, how have things been around Earth?"
"Quiet, up until now." they slowly began walking down the halls. "Actually, Zechs, tea has grown on me a lot. Quatre has gotten most of his friends liking it, even if it is only now and then." she paused, looking towards the ceiling. "If you don't mind my asking, where have you been this entire year?"
"I don't mind Noin. But I'd rather not tell you right now. Later, I promise I'll tell you everything."
"That sounds good to me, Zechs." she smiled up at him, and didn't let anything show when he gently began to hold her hand. Still, the small touch began to stir questions in her mind. Zechs was back, where did they stand? They were still friends of course, but could they once again be something more after the war was over? That had been the plan long ago, before Zechs had become the leader of the White Fang. Would the same plan still be in motion after a year of seperation?
Noin blinked slowly, and tightened their grip. He was warm, he was real, he was unhurt and alive. All other questions could be put off until later as long as everything else was alright.
******
Zechs sipped his tea and put down the cup. He opened his eyes and looked across the table to Noin. "You seem more quiet then usual, Noin, what's troubling you?" she didn't answer and he leaned back in his chair, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. His blue eyes danced with mischief, as he tried to get her to smile. He loved her smile. "You've been in as many battles as me, so it can't be that you are really scared by the prospect of another fight, are you?"
She looked up, glaring at her old friend. She knew he was just trying to get her to talk, and she slowly softened her look. "I'm always scared when I have to fight. I don't like the idea that I may have to kill people that are being practically brain washed into fighting to protect the people I love, and especially not when their mobile suits are stronger than ours." she paused, swirling her untouched tea with a finger.
He raised an eyebrow, and leaned on the table. "That's not all, is it Noin?" his mischievous smile faded, and he looked at her with a look she could only describe as 'forlorn'. "What is it truly, Noin? Have we grown so far apart that you can no longer tell me the truth?"
Noin kept her eyes lowered, and thought carefully. She really didn't know if it was a good time to bring her feelings up, with an advancing war and Zechs' sister having been kidnapped, so she told Zechs just thought. When he just kept looking at her and didn't seem to want to stop her at all, Noin continued. "Zechs, where do we stand? I mean, I promised you a year ago that I wouldn't leave you, and that is most definitely true, but I also know that being close to you and not knowing your feelings towards me are making me feel so cold I'm like ice. I care about you a lot Zechs, and when we get through this battle, what are we going to do about it? Are we going to continue to be the best of friends who hold hands or occasionally kiss, or are we going to be like we were before the Gundams came and before we were true soldiers of Oz, when we were only students?"
"Both?" Zechs answered without even thinking about it. He silently moved over to Noin's side, and tilted her face up to his. "I want to be both. I want to be the best of friends, and I also know that if I didn't want you by my side then I would have said so. But I didn't, did I?"
Noin felt like crying tears of joy when Zechs spoke to her. She opened her mouth to speak, but Zechs beat her to it.
"I promise I'll never leave your side." Closing the gap between their faces, Zechs gave Noin her first kiss...
...In one year, and two days.