Disclaimer: Yes, yes, we all know that Xtine doesn't own Gundam Wing or any of its characters... why don't you just rub it in a little more, hmmmm??? wink
April 8 2004 (12:00 – 1:42 am)
June....
Treize looked up with a smile as I entered the room, arching an eyebrow, and elegantly gesturing for me to sit down. The pieces were already set; he was going to play black, as usual.
"I didn't think you were going to show up," he said, obviously amused, "not after what happened last ti---"
"I don't want to talk about it Treize." I snapped irritably. "Lady Une gave me such hell...."
He chuckled. "Oh yes, I remember."
I glared at him. "It was sadistic. I didn't think even you could sink so low." I moved a pawn forward, barely even glancing at the board.
A slight grin crossed his face, only a quick flicker of interest to distract him from the concentration of the game. "Just wait until you see what the penalty is this time." His voice was mildly mocking, but distant, concentrating more on the pieces than on the jibe. Eventually he moved, a knight as usual, his favourite piece. Reclining in his chair with the grace of a cat, he watched my reaction in silence.
"You favour that piece far too much." I muttered underneath my breath.
"Do I?" he asked lazily. "Then why is it that I always win, I wonder?"
My glare was completely useless against that impassive countenance. "I'm not going to lose, Treize." I snarled, bringing the bishop into play.
Another three moves and he'd captured it.
"Really, you're not going to?" he asked in mock innocence. "Didn't you say that last time, Zechs? And the time before that?"
"It's not funny." I couldn't help but smile, however, he was too damn charming.
".... Or that other time, when you had to---"
"You're being childish now."
The comment didn't faze him at all; in fact, he took it as a compliment, impudent joy lighting up his cobalt eyes. It was the side of him that no one at work was ever allowed to see, what happens when the esteemed general, Treize Khushrenada, has too much time on his hands. Mischievous pranks, sly comments about boring speakers at important meetings, a sidelong look that says much more than words, making it very very hard not to burst out laughing in the middle of peace discussions or similar. He would sit in the highest seat of the auditorium, making a 'gun' out of his fingers, and 'shooting' every person that he didn't like, all the while muttering darkly. I tended to add the quiet sound effects for emphasis, which he would mull over and repeat solemnly, as though we had reached some momentous decision. Lady Une, on his other side, would be praying desperately, her questions to the Almighty frequently along the lines of "What did I ever do to deserve this??" Of course, I was always the one getting blamed for our behavior....
It was a good thing that he had been in my office at the time...
Lady Une burst through the door in a palpable cloud of fury, ignoring the excruciating bang of the door connecting with the wall.
"Oh God.... Here it comes...." I muttered, collapsing into the chair behind my desk.
"Colonel Merquise." He voice was dripping with cold, calculated anger, the tone of voice that makes you want to double-check that your genitals are still attached. She was a very scary woman when mad.
I could see Treize smirking in the corner; she had blown right past him in her rage at me. He deliberately chose not to understand the mute look of appeal I cast his way, shrugging as if to say, 'You got yourself into this...'
"Colonel Merquise." She repeated quietly, leaning on my desk, as though she was one second away from wringing my neck. "I don't know what in the HELL you were thinking! I hope to God you're drunk...."
"I wish I was...."I replied, already feeling a pounding headache building behind my temples. With a groan, I covered my face with one hand, willing her to disappear.
She didn't.
"...Because, in a few minutes, I'm going to have to deal with some very unhappy foreign ministers, who are, to a man, completely appalled at your behavior this evening!"
"I would be too..." I murmured, but she ignored the comment.
"And dealing with those ministers is not going to make me very happy, because I'm going to have to come up with some plausible excuse for the...the...." She stuttered, her face flushed with wrath. "I will personally see to it that you are fired, banned from Oz for eternity... I will make your life a living hell, do you understand me? His Excellency would never tolerate such...." I began to tune her out; dazed by the sheer amount of emotion she was letting show, a good sign that she was inordinately pissed. I noticed with detachment that wisps of her hair had come loose form their tightly coiled and pinned arrangement. It was a definite indication that my life was about to come to an end.
"...Unless you could give me some elucidation?"
I smiled then, for her words, crisp and precise as a guillotine blade had actually given me a way out.
"Actually, Lady, I can."
"Pray, enlighten me." Sarcasm dripped from every syllable.
"Ask him." I responded succinctly, taking a perverse delight in the way Treize glowered at me as I gestured towards him. I had to give him credit for recovering his composure swiftly, changing that heart-stopping glare into a look of polite and reserved interest in a split second.
"Your Excellency?" her voice cracked an octave. It made me smile.
"Lady..." he began, but she cut him off.
"Do you know? What he...? What he did?" You--- you..."
He smiled at her, his most winning smile. I think Torque Mada himself would have let Treize off the hook after being on the receiving end of that smile. Even if Treize had performed some arcane ritual in the middle of their Inquisition, yelling that everyone should bow down and worship the Great God of Hamsters or something equally ridiculous, they would have thought it was a simple mistake. It was a smile I needed to master.
"Lady, it was a joke... a bet, that's all." He said soothingly, escorting her to a chair. "I didn't honestly think Zechs would go through with it... shhh... I'll talk to the ministers personally, and sort everything out."
He would too, I thought sourly. They'd let him get away with it, after he blamed it as a lapse of sanity on my part.
"A joke?" She was hyperventilating now, staring at Treize as if he had told her that he was thinking of converting Oz into a Society for Flower Appreciation. "Oh God...." She buried her head in her hands, sobbing something unintelligible.
Treize looked at me. I shrugged helplessly. "You're the knight, remember? Damsels in distress are your specialty, not mine." I reminded him tersely.
"Hmmm.... you're right, of course." He said, standing and beginning to walk towards the door. "But I think, in this instance, some time alone would probably be the best remedy." That wicked light was dancing in his eyes again as he opened the door, motioning for me to precede him.
"Oh yes, definitely." I swiftly agreed, pausing only in my hurry to exit the room to hand Une a box of tissues. She looked like she would need them.
"I take it that it went well...?" Treize inquired, looking for all the world as if he was asking about a recent mission against the Gundam pilots.
"All things considered, yes." I replied, shooting him a grin. "Some of them actually thought it was funny."
"Poor Noin, having to follow you on stage."
"She's in worse shape than Une."
He looked almost pleased at the prospect. "That which does not kill us...." He quoted solemnly.
"They must be very strong by now sir." I replied, straight-faced.
"Life's little trials... it builds character."
"Indeed."
"They should thank us, really."
"Quite."
"So... eight o'clock as usual?"
"You're on." And this time, I'm not going to lose. This is what high-ranking military officers do when they're bored....
"You aren't paying attention." Treize noted quietly.
"I'm sorry?" I glanced up, startled. "Oh... I was just wondering whether Une's gone through that entire box of tissues yet."
He smirked, steepling his fingers and considering. "Second box by now..."
"Third." I countered.
"Are you going to move?"
"Ahhh, getting impatient, are we?" I teased him, delighting in this crack in his unruffled demeanor. Looking over the pieces carefully, I saw the opening I'd been searching for. "Check."
"Not for long."
He moved his precious black knight again, snatching up my remaining bishop. "And I conquer religion again!" He announced arrogantly.
"You really like that knight, though it's hardly the strongest piece."
"Black knight conquers all," He replied, watching intently as I moved my queen, "being the bad guy."
I frowned. "There's something flawed in your logic there..." He eyed me lazily, an expression that always made me shiver. It was considering, calculating, and utterly feline. There was something about it that spoke of imminent triumph, the studious way in which he didn't at the board, as though he no longer needed to. As though his victory was already assured. Now was the time that he would either deliberately draw out the end, allowing me one more glimmer of hope, or destroy what pieces I had left, crushing my defense utterly.
Languidly, he moved a bishop into place. "Check."
Aha! I snatched up his knight, his favourite piece.
He blinked, having obviously missed that danger in all of his careful planning. Slowly, a smile crept across his face, replacing the momentary sulk. "Well… that's interesting." He said after a moment's deliberation.
"I told you, I refuse to lose this game." No, this time I have too much riding on it.
"Perhaps." He conceded, pausing with his hand poised over a rook, debating. "Perhaps…."
It took me another fifteen minutes to finally beat him. I had almost thought I was defeated many times, especially after falling into a stupid trap he set for me, where I captured his queen, sacrificed so a pawn could break through my defenses to bring back the Black Knight.
"Check mate." I said with quiet finality.
He peered at the board for a long moment, shaking his head. "Why so it is."
"I can't believe you gave up your queen…."
He shrugged, with a slight pout. "You captured my knight." He sounded almost petulant. I decided to rub it in.
"I beat you!" Ah, such bliss in that moment. I didn't think my evening could improve at all…
He sighed, collapsing back into his chair, admitting defeat. "You beat me. However did you do it?"
"Oh… I just had a lot riding on the game, that's all." I replied with false innocence, giving him my best sweet smile.
He eyed me warily, as I walked over and sat on the arm of his chair. "What are you plotting?" he demanded, sounding almost resigned. "Tell me Zechs, what's my penalty to be?"
Time to risk it all….
I leaned in, cupping his cheek in one hand, drawing him into a deep kiss. He tensed instinctively, automatically pulling away.
'Damn damndamn!' I cursed, pissed off at myself…I had ruined it utterly, typical of my life. But as I stood to walk away, humiliated, he grabbed my wrist quickly. As I turned back to face him he chuckled softly, a seductive purr that made me tremble, pulling me back down into another kiss.
When we broke apart the second time, I felt dizzy, as if the Earth had spun one to many times beneath my feet, leaving me behind to catch up. He watched my reaction with amusement, his face close to mine, before moving to whisper oh-so-softly in my ear those three little words…
"Best of three?"
END!
Zechs: Are you done with us now? Arms around Treize's neck
Zechs: reading above line WHAT? My arms are NOT around his neck!!
Xtine: ok, ok, I'll admit, that was me… but you two are sooooo kawaii together!
Treize: arches eyebrow elegantly I'm not getting involved…
OPinions pleez!!! Be gentle!! Or I'll sic Zechs-chan on you!!! Grrrr!!!
Xtine the Pirate