A.N.: wow, I actually got good reviews. Weird. And I got a review from
Sonflour, one of my favorites. Thank you! Ok, this chapter is rather long,
has a slight lime at the end and we are gonna let Noin tell the story now.
Let the angst fest begin!
The Death of Lucrezia Noin, the Birth of
Luca Firoin Pt. 4
11:40p.m. February 9, 200
A raven-haired woman stared out the window of an airplane's cockpit. with sad, deep bluish-purple eyes. She absent-mindedly traced a raindrop's pathway down the smooth pane of glass with her forefinger. 'I've seen so many of these trails lately, mostly running down my own cheeks.' Her purple orbs focused for a moment on the building in the distance, of which she could only see an occasional light through the darkness and pouring rain. 'Zechs.'
"Hey, Noin, are you all right?" Asked her friend and companion, Sally Po. Her strawberry-blonde hair in its usual twists, she looked at Noin with concerned gray-blue eyes that held pain of their own as well as some for her. Sally said this knowing the answer already, whether it was denied or not. She sat down in the unoccupied pilot's chair and looked at Noin expectantly, who merely turned back to the window.
"No." Noin replied simply. The plane was scheduled to start take off procedures in five minutes and it was all she could do to keep in more tears. She had thought that she had cried herself into dehydration but the burning sensation behind her eyes proved her wrong.
She didn't want to leave, oh, God only knew how much she didn't want to leave him. She had to. She had no choice, if she wanted her love to be truly happy. He didn't love her back, as he used to, when they were in school together. They would always be best friends, though. At the Lake Victoria Military Academy they had had an immediate attraction. The relationship had started as a beautiful friendship but it eventually led to more. They had fooled around together in school all the time, and when they were working on the terra-forming project on Mars together, they'd just picked up where they left off. No, Zechs had never told Noin that he loved her, not since he graduated from Victoria and went to serve OZ under Trieze. She had stayed behind to train new recruits at the school. Even before that he never said it to her face, only late at night, when he thought she was asleep.
She didn't know what she had done wrong. It hadn't really bothered her on Mars, but when they returned to headquarters and Zechs met Marina, she began to wonder if she had been used. It was true that there weren't many women working on the terra-forming project, but surely that couldn't have been the only reason he shared her bed?
Marina had attached herself to the former prince, who didn't do much to thwart her attentions. He had called her annoying but allowed her to follow him around. It kind of reminded Noin of Heero and Relena's relationship without the mutual admiration and maybe even fascination.
He stopped sleeping with her after Marina announced that they were going steady. Noin had been crushed at that statement but hid it well when Marina gave her a triumphant look with her fake blue eyes. Noin didn't know what her best friend saw in her. She was an envious airhead.
It was none of her business anymore though. She remembered how she couldn't look Zechs in the eye for weeks after that. But she could have and would have stayed no matter what, until the day he told her to go, if only.
If only so many things hadn't happened. If only so many other things had happened. Noin's hand wandered instinctively to her abdomen as lost herself in her reverie. If only.
* * * * *
-flashback-
1.1.1.1 11:53p.m. January 19,200
Noin strolled along the halls of Preventer HQ aimlessly. She couldn't sleep, again. She came to the miniature bar that was supposed to encourage employees to stay there to get drunk so no one had to get out of bed to drive them home. It didn't often work but was good for the occasional glass of wine that was needed sometimes to clear the head. It was a dark, smoky room with cheep music playing in the background and mirrors on the walls to make the place look bigger. At one of the tables, some of the guys were playing drinking poker (I don't know if such a game exists so bear with me) and many were already on the verge of being stoned. She looked around the game with little interest until she noticed that Zechs was playing and, apparently, losing.
Noin stepped into the smelly room with the intention of just watching, and leaned back against the first high-stool at the bar.
"What can I get for ya?" asked Nick, the tired bartender.
"A beer, anything you have." She shot him a grin as he handed her the drink.
"Damn, I fold." Zechs exclaimed, throwing his cards down in front of him.
Curious as to how Zechs was managing to lose all his chips, she quietly moved behind him. She guessed that he wasn't too familiar with the game, which was odd considering the limited activities soldiers could do while off duty at the academy. 'He was probably training even off duty,' she smirked with that thought in mind. At the next deal, she pointed out to him how to use what he had to his advantage. Startled, he whipped around to face her. She gave him an easy grin and shrugged her shoulders. The other players eyed her suspiciously but continued as if nothing had happened. That is, until, using her advice, Zechs won that round. Then everyone was protesting and claiming cheat.
"HOLD IT!" Noin yelled above the din, using her training voice. She had seen situations like this and knew it was best to get the upper hand in these matters. She thought for a moment. " Okay, so here's how we'll do things. If I play this round and beat all of you loud mouth men, Zechs keeps what he won. If you win then you all get your money back with interest. And no calling cheat. Deal?" She thought that up on the spot. 'Holy shit, what did I just get myself into?'
The men looked at each other and smirked. "Sure, Fire, it's a deal." Sneered 'Talon'.
She sat down as gracefully as possible next to Zechs. He leaned over and whispered in her ear, "And just where do you plan on getting this 'interest' you so calmly promised?"
"Relax," she murmured back, her eyes never leaving the dealer's hands. "I'm pretty lucky at this and I always have some back up money if nothing else." Relaxing was the last thing on her mind though. He was just too close for comfort considering where they currently stood with each other. She shifted slightly away from his hot breath on her ear that was sending shivers down her spine.
" I can't let you pay for this, it's my debt." He insisted, not seeming to notice her movement. Noin just rolled her eyes.
The cards were dealt. Zechs watched Noin out of the corner of his eye, praying that she knew what she was doing. He found her glaring suspiciously at her opponents over the top of her cards. 'She's been watching too much TV' he mused, permitting himself a chuckle. That only earned him a mischievous, if irritated, glance from her and some squirming from the more nervous players. Finally, Fire and Talon locked eyes and put down their cards in unison. The rest followed.
"Well, Talon, I believe I won. You owe my friend here some cash and drink." Noin nonchalantly commented. At first all Talon could do was stare at her flush, then he broke in to a wide grin. He really wasn't so bad, once you got to know him.
"Alright guys, looks like we have to pay up. And why don't we give the lady a pull from our cans too? She deserves it if she can call up a flush on her first turn." The other men grudgingly agreed. Zechs' admiration for Noin's skill grew and they toasted with the cans before downing half the beer within them.
As the night went on Zechs seemed to win almost every time, with Noin in only half of the intervals, and many times everyone else wanted to quit and go to bed. But just as they were on their 'last' hand, some one else within the circle won and the fire to win this game was re-ignited.
One by one the crowd at the poker table dwindled till it was just the intoxicated Talon, Fire and Wind. Talon then glanced at the clock over the bar, which had long since been abandoned, and decided he had better get to bed before dawn broke.
Raving drunk, Zechs and Noin laughed and cheered on their victory (if you can picture Zechs cheering your imagination is stronger than mine)
Noin, who was the more sober of the two due to her continued losses, shushed him and herself all the way down the hall. But when they reached the dormitory split, Zechs seemed to collapse against the wall, not being able to stand up straight. As strong as his immune system was, even he was no match for four hours straight of drinking beer (although not much the first hour that Noin wasn't there for). He tried without success to right himself on his own.
"What a baby," Noin muttered, draping his arm across her shoulders. "Poor little Zechs can't stand up by himself!" She teased. "You know, you are going to have the worst hangover of your life tomorrow morning." She chuckled, slurring her words as she slowly led him down the left wing of the split.
Zechs groaned at the thought and then laughed quietly, "So are you. And I am not a baby, and I can stand up myself." He stumbled some, drawing some giggles from his partner, and quickly recovered. "I just don't want to." The pointless, light-headed conversation continued until they reached Zechs' room. He, too, didn't share his room and the simple plaque just said 'Wind' on it.
She took Zechs' I.D. card from his back pocket for him and slid it through the slot. She had some trouble getting her hands to cooperate enough to put the card back in his pocket, however. Suddenly, Noin lost her balance and fell heavily against the door, and Zechs, who still had his arm around her shoulders for support, was pulled with her. His body was pressed against hers for a moment that would have been quite uncomfortable if their minds had been functioning properly enough to register their positions.
Noin laughed at her own clumsiness. "Now who's going to help me to my room?" she asked plaintively, humor shining in her half-dazed eyes. Anything else she was going to say was cut off by Zechs' eager kiss. Her proximity was just too much temptation for his drugged mind and body. It didn't feel wrong, they had been in this situation numerous times in the past, except that rarely were they drunk and not behind closed doors. Realizing that they were outside the door still, Noin pressed the button for the door to open. They fell through, barely noticing the rough landing. The door slid shut with a 'whoosh'.
The kiss broke for a moment and Noin used this opportunity to breathlessly protest. "We shouldn't."
Her objection was cut off sharply by Zechs' mouth plundering her own. His hands ran up and down her body as they both haphazardly redecorated his room with articles of clothing hastily ripped off. Zechs was using all he knew about her to drive her senseless. Lucrezia's last coherent thought was finishing her unspoken doubt:
We shouldn't be doing this.you don't love me anymore, remember?
A.N.: Ah! I know nothing of poker! I cant' even play! Sorry if I screwed the game up. Alright, so it wasn't exactly lime. Oh well.
1.1.1.2
The Death of Lucrezia Noin, the Birth of
Luca Firoin Pt. 4
11:40p.m. February 9, 200
A raven-haired woman stared out the window of an airplane's cockpit. with sad, deep bluish-purple eyes. She absent-mindedly traced a raindrop's pathway down the smooth pane of glass with her forefinger. 'I've seen so many of these trails lately, mostly running down my own cheeks.' Her purple orbs focused for a moment on the building in the distance, of which she could only see an occasional light through the darkness and pouring rain. 'Zechs.'
"Hey, Noin, are you all right?" Asked her friend and companion, Sally Po. Her strawberry-blonde hair in its usual twists, she looked at Noin with concerned gray-blue eyes that held pain of their own as well as some for her. Sally said this knowing the answer already, whether it was denied or not. She sat down in the unoccupied pilot's chair and looked at Noin expectantly, who merely turned back to the window.
"No." Noin replied simply. The plane was scheduled to start take off procedures in five minutes and it was all she could do to keep in more tears. She had thought that she had cried herself into dehydration but the burning sensation behind her eyes proved her wrong.
She didn't want to leave, oh, God only knew how much she didn't want to leave him. She had to. She had no choice, if she wanted her love to be truly happy. He didn't love her back, as he used to, when they were in school together. They would always be best friends, though. At the Lake Victoria Military Academy they had had an immediate attraction. The relationship had started as a beautiful friendship but it eventually led to more. They had fooled around together in school all the time, and when they were working on the terra-forming project on Mars together, they'd just picked up where they left off. No, Zechs had never told Noin that he loved her, not since he graduated from Victoria and went to serve OZ under Trieze. She had stayed behind to train new recruits at the school. Even before that he never said it to her face, only late at night, when he thought she was asleep.
She didn't know what she had done wrong. It hadn't really bothered her on Mars, but when they returned to headquarters and Zechs met Marina, she began to wonder if she had been used. It was true that there weren't many women working on the terra-forming project, but surely that couldn't have been the only reason he shared her bed?
Marina had attached herself to the former prince, who didn't do much to thwart her attentions. He had called her annoying but allowed her to follow him around. It kind of reminded Noin of Heero and Relena's relationship without the mutual admiration and maybe even fascination.
He stopped sleeping with her after Marina announced that they were going steady. Noin had been crushed at that statement but hid it well when Marina gave her a triumphant look with her fake blue eyes. Noin didn't know what her best friend saw in her. She was an envious airhead.
It was none of her business anymore though. She remembered how she couldn't look Zechs in the eye for weeks after that. But she could have and would have stayed no matter what, until the day he told her to go, if only.
If only so many things hadn't happened. If only so many other things had happened. Noin's hand wandered instinctively to her abdomen as lost herself in her reverie. If only.
* * * * *
-flashback-
1.1.1.1 11:53p.m. January 19,200
Noin strolled along the halls of Preventer HQ aimlessly. She couldn't sleep, again. She came to the miniature bar that was supposed to encourage employees to stay there to get drunk so no one had to get out of bed to drive them home. It didn't often work but was good for the occasional glass of wine that was needed sometimes to clear the head. It was a dark, smoky room with cheep music playing in the background and mirrors on the walls to make the place look bigger. At one of the tables, some of the guys were playing drinking poker (I don't know if such a game exists so bear with me) and many were already on the verge of being stoned. She looked around the game with little interest until she noticed that Zechs was playing and, apparently, losing.
Noin stepped into the smelly room with the intention of just watching, and leaned back against the first high-stool at the bar.
"What can I get for ya?" asked Nick, the tired bartender.
"A beer, anything you have." She shot him a grin as he handed her the drink.
"Damn, I fold." Zechs exclaimed, throwing his cards down in front of him.
Curious as to how Zechs was managing to lose all his chips, she quietly moved behind him. She guessed that he wasn't too familiar with the game, which was odd considering the limited activities soldiers could do while off duty at the academy. 'He was probably training even off duty,' she smirked with that thought in mind. At the next deal, she pointed out to him how to use what he had to his advantage. Startled, he whipped around to face her. She gave him an easy grin and shrugged her shoulders. The other players eyed her suspiciously but continued as if nothing had happened. That is, until, using her advice, Zechs won that round. Then everyone was protesting and claiming cheat.
"HOLD IT!" Noin yelled above the din, using her training voice. She had seen situations like this and knew it was best to get the upper hand in these matters. She thought for a moment. " Okay, so here's how we'll do things. If I play this round and beat all of you loud mouth men, Zechs keeps what he won. If you win then you all get your money back with interest. And no calling cheat. Deal?" She thought that up on the spot. 'Holy shit, what did I just get myself into?'
The men looked at each other and smirked. "Sure, Fire, it's a deal." Sneered 'Talon'.
She sat down as gracefully as possible next to Zechs. He leaned over and whispered in her ear, "And just where do you plan on getting this 'interest' you so calmly promised?"
"Relax," she murmured back, her eyes never leaving the dealer's hands. "I'm pretty lucky at this and I always have some back up money if nothing else." Relaxing was the last thing on her mind though. He was just too close for comfort considering where they currently stood with each other. She shifted slightly away from his hot breath on her ear that was sending shivers down her spine.
" I can't let you pay for this, it's my debt." He insisted, not seeming to notice her movement. Noin just rolled her eyes.
The cards were dealt. Zechs watched Noin out of the corner of his eye, praying that she knew what she was doing. He found her glaring suspiciously at her opponents over the top of her cards. 'She's been watching too much TV' he mused, permitting himself a chuckle. That only earned him a mischievous, if irritated, glance from her and some squirming from the more nervous players. Finally, Fire and Talon locked eyes and put down their cards in unison. The rest followed.
"Well, Talon, I believe I won. You owe my friend here some cash and drink." Noin nonchalantly commented. At first all Talon could do was stare at her flush, then he broke in to a wide grin. He really wasn't so bad, once you got to know him.
"Alright guys, looks like we have to pay up. And why don't we give the lady a pull from our cans too? She deserves it if she can call up a flush on her first turn." The other men grudgingly agreed. Zechs' admiration for Noin's skill grew and they toasted with the cans before downing half the beer within them.
As the night went on Zechs seemed to win almost every time, with Noin in only half of the intervals, and many times everyone else wanted to quit and go to bed. But just as they were on their 'last' hand, some one else within the circle won and the fire to win this game was re-ignited.
One by one the crowd at the poker table dwindled till it was just the intoxicated Talon, Fire and Wind. Talon then glanced at the clock over the bar, which had long since been abandoned, and decided he had better get to bed before dawn broke.
Raving drunk, Zechs and Noin laughed and cheered on their victory (if you can picture Zechs cheering your imagination is stronger than mine)
Noin, who was the more sober of the two due to her continued losses, shushed him and herself all the way down the hall. But when they reached the dormitory split, Zechs seemed to collapse against the wall, not being able to stand up straight. As strong as his immune system was, even he was no match for four hours straight of drinking beer (although not much the first hour that Noin wasn't there for). He tried without success to right himself on his own.
"What a baby," Noin muttered, draping his arm across her shoulders. "Poor little Zechs can't stand up by himself!" She teased. "You know, you are going to have the worst hangover of your life tomorrow morning." She chuckled, slurring her words as she slowly led him down the left wing of the split.
Zechs groaned at the thought and then laughed quietly, "So are you. And I am not a baby, and I can stand up myself." He stumbled some, drawing some giggles from his partner, and quickly recovered. "I just don't want to." The pointless, light-headed conversation continued until they reached Zechs' room. He, too, didn't share his room and the simple plaque just said 'Wind' on it.
She took Zechs' I.D. card from his back pocket for him and slid it through the slot. She had some trouble getting her hands to cooperate enough to put the card back in his pocket, however. Suddenly, Noin lost her balance and fell heavily against the door, and Zechs, who still had his arm around her shoulders for support, was pulled with her. His body was pressed against hers for a moment that would have been quite uncomfortable if their minds had been functioning properly enough to register their positions.
Noin laughed at her own clumsiness. "Now who's going to help me to my room?" she asked plaintively, humor shining in her half-dazed eyes. Anything else she was going to say was cut off by Zechs' eager kiss. Her proximity was just too much temptation for his drugged mind and body. It didn't feel wrong, they had been in this situation numerous times in the past, except that rarely were they drunk and not behind closed doors. Realizing that they were outside the door still, Noin pressed the button for the door to open. They fell through, barely noticing the rough landing. The door slid shut with a 'whoosh'.
The kiss broke for a moment and Noin used this opportunity to breathlessly protest. "We shouldn't."
Her objection was cut off sharply by Zechs' mouth plundering her own. His hands ran up and down her body as they both haphazardly redecorated his room with articles of clothing hastily ripped off. Zechs was using all he knew about her to drive her senseless. Lucrezia's last coherent thought was finishing her unspoken doubt:
We shouldn't be doing this.you don't love me anymore, remember?
A.N.: Ah! I know nothing of poker! I cant' even play! Sorry if I screwed the game up. Alright, so it wasn't exactly lime. Oh well.
1.1.1.2
