---Shades Of Grey---
Chapter 6--I Know What I'm Fighting For
**Easy to figure out when you're falling in love, I imagine. . . **
AC 192 still, later that day. . .
Treize limped along, keeping a smile under a perfect, well-trained poker- face, one hand swinging his cane, the other holding a chain, buried in thick silvery fur. Beside him paced Silver, bandages still about his middle, though his paws remained bare. Zechs had opted for traction and quick access to his claws rather than protecting the mostly-healed cuts further.
//He's expecting action,// Treize surmised grimly, taking some reassurance from the powerful flow of muscle under his hand. //Maybe he thinks he'll catch the assassin today? I'm not so sure about that. They'll be wary of the two of us now. And if they suspect he can sniff them out. . . /he'll/ be the one in danger!//
But he knew Zechs accepted that possibility. He could feel it in the wary confidence of the prowling creature beside him. And he knew better than to try persuading Zechs to leave this now. //It would insult him, if not infuriate him. And he would be right--he /is/ probably a better guard than any other here. Though I'm not a bad hand at defending myself. . . so long as it's not another cat like Zechs!//
The pair stopped at an unmarked door in the engineering and research building's fourth floor, making Treize glance down at his companion in dismay.
"This is it?" he asked Silver incredulously. //They leave their crime lab unmarked?//
Silver looked up at him and snorted.
"It's not that I don't trust your trailing abilities, Silver, but. . . this is rather pathetic." //Maybe Zechs got Lieutenant Une's paths crossed. . .//
That got Treize a grunt. Sitting down, Silver swiped at the door with a large paw, making it rattle against its hinges.
Amused, Treize reached for the latch. //I suspect they're wondering who wants to batter their door down.// "Impatient, aren't we?" he chuckled. "Let me. That way, they won't think someone's attacking their door."
The massive cat actually hmphed.
Shaking his head, Treize turned the latch. It was locked. //Maybe they aren't complete idiots here, after all.// Lifting his hand again, the new Specials leader rapped sharply on the door.
A lab aide warily opened and peeked around the edge of the door, eyes narrowed suspiciously at them a moment before opening the way fully and clicking into a sharp salute. "Your Excellency. . . Lieutenant Une is waiting for you. Third lab on the right," the soldier stated, moving out of their path.
//Better. . . ,// Treize decided, striding through with Silver padding once more on silent feet beside him. He didn't miss the incredulous look struggling to appear on the lab aide's face as the massive cat passed the man. //Probably didn't expect me to bring Silver here. . . But then, if this were anyone /but/ Zechs, I'd find it hard to believe, too!//
Of course, Treize had no intention of stopping to explain that to this soldier, let alone anyone else.
//Tell one, then you may as well tell all, and Zechs's advantage of surprise is lost.//
Together, the strange pair passed through another door and between two guards set to watch over it, to find Lieutenant Une waiting, seated at a desk near the front of the room, an array of plastic bags and a folder on the surface before her. Brown eyes narrowed sharply at the feline presence, but the stone-faced woman made no comment about Silver's presence. Instead, she merely stood and saluted Treize sharply as the pair drew closer and the door was shut behind them by the guards.
Strangely, Treize could feel Zechs balking a bit under his hand as they proceeded over to the woman. . . Glancing down, he hoped the cat would give some indication of his reasons for this behavior, but Zechs only cast wary looks around the room . . . //What's wrong? Something here bothers you. . . but I don't think it's Lieutenant Une.//
"As requested, Sir, here is all the evidence found thus far from General Catalonia's murder," she explained tersely, gesturing at the bags, before indicating a manila envelope and adding, "and here are the interviews and reports made thus far."
//All neat and tidy, if little to go on, I suspect. Only three bags? That's not much physical evidence. . . But she seems competent.// Carefully, minding his bad leg, the new leader of the Specials settled himself in the chair opposite Lieutenant Une, Silver settling next to his chair. //Good, Zechs isn't so bothered now. . . I wonder if he simply doesn't like labs?// "What of the man who shot at me yesterday?" he inquired, picking up the nearest Ziplock bag curiously.
"This is the bullet from the wall. . . There was nothing else to find," the stolid woman offered, picking up a different bag, in which a single bit of deformed metal tumbled about. "We tried that room for fingerprints, but nothing turned up."
//Unless you could smell things like Zechs did,// Treize added to himself, frowning at the small thing which had nearly killed him. Thoughtfully, he examined the bag in his hand, glancing from the two bullets residing there to the lone one it Une's hand. . . //I wonder. . .//
"They were shot from the same gun," the Lieutenant answered before he could even dare the question, following his gaze.
Treize smiled gently. "Thank you. I expected you would have checked that by now." //But can Zechs get anything else from any of this?// Shifting his gaze back down to the two bullets taken from General Catalonia's body, he pried open the plastic with experienced fingers--
"Sir?" Lieutenant Une asked in growing alarm.
He lowered the bag so Silver could reach it.
Lieutenant Une froze, staring, bewildered.
The large cat sniffed tentatively at the edges of the bag, before poking his head in as far as it could go and taking a deep breath, eyes closing. . .
Abruptly, Silver struggled to jerk his head back out, giving his head a bit of a shake to get free even as Treize hastily grabbed at the bag to help pull it off. A moment of panic, but the bullets did not escape the confines of the plastic, thanks to the new General's efforts. Silver, on the other hand, just swiftly turned his head away, sniffled once, then--
"Hhhzzwwwtthhh!!!!" That heavy pale head jerked reflexively.
Lieutenant Une actually /giggled/.
"Bless you," Treize murmured instinctively, blinking at Silver in amused surprise. //No wonder you tried to get it off. I hope it has nothing to do with sleeping with your hair still damp. . . !//
The cat blinked blearily at the pair of then, then snorted--and sneezed again. . . this time on Treize's knee.
"Bless you! I do hope you're not coming down sick, because that will not help us at all," Treize grumbled, looking into those icy cat-eyes firmly. //Zechs, are you alright?// he wondered with concern.
Silver rumbled softly, sitting back on his haunches and lifting a paw, licking it before swiping at his face with it.
//I take it that means you're okay for now,// Treize decided with a mental sigh, before glancing over at Une. . .
She was smiling--a genuine smile now, not the plastered thing she'd worn most of the time he'd seen her. Oh, the forced smile had looked genuine enough--until one saw the real thing and had something to compare to. "I guess he doesn't like to smell gunpowder directly," she pointed out, eyes warm on Treize's face.
//Er. . .// The young General could feel a faint rush of blood to his face, and fought the urge to shudder. //I think she rather likes me. . .//
Something pricked through the leather of his boots into his foot. His /good/ foot. Painfully so.
//Ouch! Shit--what the--?// Treize glared down at his legs--
--to meet glaring ice-blue eyes, and note a large paw deliberately sitting on his foot with claws unsheathed into the durable leather. Zechs was not amused--he could feel a rumble through the shoulder pressed against his knee.
This time, Treize blushed a deep burgundy that could have done his wine collection proud.
//Sorry, Zechs! I can't help it if women fall over me all the time. . . It must be the eyebrows. . .// Clearing his throat, the Specials leader sealed the bag he had taken from Silver and set it onto the table. "Well. . . now for those notes, I suppose." //Mind on business, Treize. . . No, not on to /Zechs/ and how nice he'll look in the nude--business, you idiot! Business!//
The reminding claw neatly removed itself, leaving a few hopefully-not-too- noticeable holes in the previously pristine leather. Yet even as Treize bent over the file and began opening it, trying to ignore Une's amused smile, the massive cat set front paws on top of the desk next to him, sniffling softly at the other bags, whiskers twitching.
/That/ startled Lieutenant Une into protesting, "Your Excellency!", rising to her feet in outrage at the animal's behavior.
Glancing sideways briefly, Treize set the file down long enough to open the Ziplock bag closest to Silver's nose. //Hmmm? What is she worried about?// "Just don't get your head stuck in it again," he murmured to the cat before returning his attention to the file.
Zechs grunted, but he /was/ careful not to press his face too deep this time as he nodes the evidence.
"B-but Your Excellency. . . !"
"That is my title, yes, Lieutenant. Please, do not wear it out," Treize answered without looking up. //What is it now? . . . Ah, Lieutenant Shimmel's interview. . .//
"Your cat--!"
"Silver is hardly going to eat shell casings, Miss Une," he answered absently.
"But--!"
"Lieutenant Une, I told you before, Silver is better trained than most people I know. . . and that includes a fair number of soldiers. Let him be. . . unless he wishes to sniff the contents of the last bag, in which case I request you aid his wish."
Une remained silent for a long moment. . .
//This doesn't add anything to what Zechs figured out, really. . . except that the topic of that meeting was the policy with the colonies. . . But I wonder if this murder had anything to do with Uncle's stance on war with the colonies? I know others are rather adamant about striking now, though Uncle said conservatism on our part now will only aid us in bringing the Alliance down later . . . His stance could very well be why, then.//
"He's no ordinary cat, then, is he. . ." The Lieutenant's voice was quiet and a touch cool.
//What?!?// Treize's head jerked up abruptly, staring at Une in surprise.
Beside him, Zechs bristled visibly, fur fluffing to make him appear all the larger, icy eyes narrowing, lips drawing back slightly in a yet-unvoiced warning at Une. . .
Brown eyes gazed back at both of them accusingly, sharply intelligent, and clearly quite observant, stubbornly pressing her point in silence.
//Damn. . . Now what do we do? I don't want to kill her. . . ! She doesn't seem the bad sort--in fact, she's probably one of the few decent officers in the place, I bet, considering who's running this base!// Resolving himself into full poker-mode, Treize neatly folded his hands together and set them on top of the file he had been reading. "What gives you that idea, Lieutenant?" he asked quietly, as calm as if inquiring about the weather for today. . . a calm he didn't really feel.
A wry smile tugged at one side of her mouth. "I used to /own/ a cat, Your Excellency. They do not act like expert bodyguards, nor carefully inspect evidence like trained search-dogs, no matter how you dream of training them."
Silver's fur slowly began to settle, but those bared teeth stayed visible, those eyes fastened to Une as if he intended to spring at any second for her throat.
//Easy, Zechs,// Treize thought at his "pet", reaching a hand to smooth some more of that still-ruffled fur, though running his hands through it drew a measure of comfort for himself. //I love the feel of you. . . Does your hair stay this soft when you're human?// "I /did/ say he's very intelligent, Miss Une," he repeated with a convincing dismissiveness he did not contain right now.
Her brown eyes narrowed at his words. "Either he's some kind of special creation, Sir, or you have a secret most circus trainers would kill to know."
//Damn. . . And what can I tell her? Maybe I can pass him off as some kind of special project of my own family. . .// "And what would you say if I said both theories hold some truth to them?" he cautiously questioned.
Silver's head whirled to glare at Treize, a faint hiss escaping between those sharp teeth.
//Easy now. . . Better she imagine that half the truth is all the truth than for her to delve to the roots of the matter.// Treize shifted his hand to scratch behind an alert ear.
Une glanced from one to the other, then nodded slowly, sitting down again. "I would say, Your Excellency, that you have the best bodyguard short of walking around in layers of bulletproof armor. And, Sir, I would add that it seems a wise precaution to take here."
Treize smiled faintly, and resumed smoothing Silver's disturbed neck-fur. //Good. She's accepted it.// "But it wouldn't be wise if too many other people theorized about the latest in Oz mascots. . . ," he stated quietly, but with the firmness of a command.
She nodded in acknowledgement, and smiled gently again, looking determinedly into Treize's eyes a moment before offering with soft conviction, "I am not your enemy, Your Excellency. Whatever you ask of me, I'm your ally. . ." She extended her hand slowly towards Silver, adding, "Both of you. . ."
Silver blinked, teeth fading from view, though he didn't move.
Tearing his wary gaze from the Lieutenant, Treize glanced at the cat, wondering where Zechs's opinion stood on this offer. //I trust your judgment, my friend. I /want/ to trust her, but we don't know her too well as of yet. . .//
For a long minute, the cat stayed statue still. . .
Then leaned forward and brought whiskers near that offered hand, sniffing carefully.
Treize relaxed, smiling in relief. //You agree with me, then.// "Very well, then, Lieutenant. . . though I think we should leave Silver's story for later, perhaps." //Like after Zechs and I have a chance to make up something convincing!//
Only a short inspection--then Zechs withdrew, pulling off the desk and nudging Treize's leg with a heavy shoulder.
Treize blinked down at the cat in confusion. //You want something. . . but I've no idea what. I wish you /could/ talk in this form!// "I don't understand," he admitted in a soft whisper.
Lieutenant Une leaned over the desk, frowning in puzzlement as she watched.
Silver seemed to frown at him--scrunching up his nose--sighed under Une's observation, and paced in a jittery circle before stopping to stare into Treize's eyes again, waiting. . .
//Huh?// "That makes no sense at all, Silver," the young General sighed in frustration.
Silver growled, glaring. . . then lifted one hind leg slightly, but purposefully.
//He wants to--Oh!// Treize felt his cheeks become scarlet, and swallowed, hastily grabbing his cane and rising to his feet. "I see. . . Please excuse us, Lieutenant," he hastily flung out before hurrying out with the cat.
Silver led the way at a swift pace--clearly he knew where he was going. //Probably can smell it. . . ,// Treize decided, trying to will his flushed face to a more natural color as his cane clacked against the floor. //Thank God they don't monitor these places, though! I can have a few words with him, then.//
As the familiar sign came into view, Treize released his breath in a heavy sigh. //We /really/ need to work out some kind of signal for this!//
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"I never want to have to do that in public /again/," Zechs's voice grumbled from inside a bathroom stall where he struggled to regain his composure, once Treize had locked the main door to the public facilities on this floor. //That was humiliating!//
Treize merely chuckled outside by the sinks. "Perhaps we should arrange a few simple signals, then," he suggested.
Grunting, Zechs emerged and slapped a faucet heavily, before washing his hands briskly. "I can't imagine anything else we need signals for, though, other than this and when I catch a blood-scent. . . ," he complained. //He's looking at me again. I can feel his eyes. . . They don't leave me. It's--it's not a bad thing, but I don't know, his watching makes me feel. . .//
//. . ./very/ self-conscious!// he decided after a moment. Glancing up into the mirror, he could see Treize's hungry eyes by his shoulder, and flushed deeply. Rarely had be been this near to someone while lacking clothes. . . Modesty was more familiar to him, a thing he had demanded sharply when still part of the project, but here it was impossible!
It felt amazingly, unfairly one-sided.
//I think I'd like this more if /he/ wore equally little right now!// The water continued to run over his hands, though it had finished rinsing the soap away, not that Zechs was noticing. He was too busy staring into Treize's eyes. . .
. . . and not paying enough attention to Treize's mouth, which hauled his focus back by frowning. "Zechs, are you listening to me?"
//Caught daynapping. No matter--they made sure we were /well/ trained. . . ! I can recall things overheard while catnapping or distracted. . . Distracted. . . ?// "You said something about a signal for success?"
Those bright eyes considered him warily, almost disbelievingly, before the young General sighed. "Yes, in case you /do/ spot our man. I want him /alive/," he emphasized. "You can't get answers out of a corpse."
"Them," Zechs corrected softly. //The stakes are higher, I'm afraid.//
"Them?" Treize asked, not terribly surprised, but curious nonetheless.
//Two. . . at least.// "I could barely catch it under the deserts' worth of fingerprint-powder they heaped on everything, but whoever planted those shell casings was not the same as the one who shot at you. As for the bullets from your uncle. . ." Zechs's head dipped in failure. //I tried, but. . .// "I'm sorry, I couldn't get anything past the overwhelming scent of his blood. So two at least."
"Two," Treize sighed softly, rubbing at his chin thoughtfully.
The water had stopped. Turning, Zechs ripped away some paper towels and wiped his hands dry. //Two. . . Probably watching out for each other, too. We'll have to be very careful.// "I can step in front of you if I scent anyone suspicious," he offered softly. "That way, at least, is not as conspicuous as pointing with a foreleg like some silly bird-dog."
"Well, birds are dumber than people. . . most people, anyway," Treize conceded, lifting his head to smile warmly into Zechs's eyes. Something about the older man's expression was alluringly suggestive. . .
The blonde blinked, feeling a faint shiver of anticipation tease his spine. //Ah. . . I almost hope he doesn't start anything here--you have to smell this place to believe it!//
Treize stepped closer, his nearness making Zechs retreat a step of his own-- or, rather try to, as the counter blocked any escape by pressing into his lower back. Uncertain of himself, the younger man reached back and gripped the smooth surface, holding his balance as the young Specials leader leaned close--
And pressed warm lips to his in a kiss, strong arms encircling his waist.
//Screw the smell.//
The only scent he cared about was the one so close to him, the echo of the taste in his mouth, the source being the clothed body pressing against his until the counter began to make his spine ache faintly. Only faintly, though, as his mind was in a bliss beyond pain at the moment, intent on Treize's supple mouth and the tongue so thoroughly exploring his teeth--as if the older man wanted to confirm he didn't retain his fangs in this form, and only believed in what he could feel. One hand abandoned the counter- top and wrapped around the young General's neck, pulling him closer, as Zechs tilted his head a bit more so their teeth wouldn't clip each other.
//Oh, I want more of this. . . !// The younger man slid his hand into the soft hair at the nape of Treize's neck, stroking as he himself enjoyed being stroked. //Lieutenant Une can wait!//
Treize's embrace tightened, enough to give Zechs's injured ribs a sharp twinge of pain, one hand slipping higher to toy with the ragged ends of the younger man's long hair, the other dropping down to pull his hips forward, easing the strain on Zechs's lower back. He could feel their hip bones grind against each other a bit. . . among "other things". . . and the blonde's breath caught in sharp surprise at his own reaction to this intimate contact. . .
Literally!
Bad thing to do. Zechs accidentally bit Treize's tongue.
//Ah! DAMN!//
The young Specials leader retreated immediately, so fast that the moment of arousing bliss seemed almost a daydream to Zechs. Treize held a hand to his mouth protectively, eyes wide in surprise and hurt apology.
//I hurt him--Treize, I'm sorry--I'm so clumsy at this, at anything involving love!// Desperately, Zechs tangled his hand in the back of Treize's belt before the man could pull away completely, restraining him from escaping the length of his arms, wishing a silent apology to the older man through his eyes.
"I'm sorry," Treize whispered, those bright eyes almost damp with bewilderment. "I should have asked--"
"No," Zechs answered softly, tugging Treize closer through his hold on the man's belt, and smiling sheepishly, his head dipping in shame. "/I/ should be sorry--I didn't mean to bite, but you startled me." //Please, it hurts to see you blame yourself, Treize. . . and I'm worse than a blind puppy, bumbling about when you should have someone who at least has a clue what they're doing, who can avoid this sort of mistake!//
The older man let himself be pulled, the hurt in his eyes fading to a relieved, amazingly-soft smile, but instead of resuming the kiss, Treize began nuzzling the side of Zechs's neck ticklishly, nosing long hair out of his way. "Forgiven," he murmured so quietly that the word was more of a ripple of breath against the younger man's skin than sound.
Zechs shuddered convulsively, smothering a helpless mewl threatening to bubble up in his throat, and clung tightly to Treize, half-closing his eyes, resting his head on Treize's shoulder and unknowingly giving the man greater access. //Oh yes. . . I want this. . . I want you here. . . there. . . there. . . Ah, everywhere. . . ! You feel closer to me than the air in this room, so close, so warm--why am I shivering? I don't understand. . . I don't /care/ if I don't understand!//
The gentle, feathery touches against his throat paused after a minute, and Zechs sighed faintly, feeling deprived, though he didn't shift a muscle towards escaping the embrace. "I want to show you so much. . . but these things shouldn't be enjoyed in a place like this, in haste," the General complained bitterly. "You deserve better than this. . . more than this. . ."
//This is more than I ever had, more than I ever experienced. . . more than I hoped for. And I want more of it, all you can give me, for as long as you're willing to give it.// But he wouldn't say it out loud, only tightening his grip about Treize's waist slightly and burying his face against the crook of the older man's neck. "I'm sorry I'm so clumsy. . . ," he whispered instead.
Treize's hand gently stroked his long hair down his back, the other maneuvering so Zechs had to lift his head, pull back a bit, face Treize eye- to-eye, by cupping his chin. The kind smile, the glowing warmth in Treize's eyes, tugged a hesitant smile at the corners of the younger man's mouth. "It's all new to you, Zechs. . . It's nothing to apologize for-- unless you /meant/ to bite me," he teased.
Zechs blinked, a strange thought appearing out of nowhere and bewildering him. //Was I /supposed/ to? Then why were you so hurt when I did?// "You never know with wild creatures, Treize," he countered uncertainly, though he meant it as a teasing warning.
The older man's thumb caressed his jaw line, those bright dark-grey eyes playful. "I suppose then that I'll have to tame you to my hand. . ."
//Tame me? I /thought/ I was domesticated already. . . or maybe just cultured. Nobody ever said only pearls and bacteria benefit from listening to opera. I wonder what "taming" entails,// Zechs mused, feeling another tickle of anticipation slide down his spine like a lost ice cube. "I think you already have me in hand. . . ," he pointed out slyly.
Those bright eyes narrowed mischievously. "But hardly tamed," Treize purred. "I'm not sure you /can/ be, but it will be fun to try, I think. . . and the occasional bite simply means you're all the more fun of a challenge!"
"So long as it's not your tongue?" Zechs chuckled. //Then you actually enjoy getting bitten? I don't think I'll dare that until I've some idea of how to bite without hurting you.//
"So long as you don't bite anything /vital/," Treize corrected indulgently, laughing softly. He used his grip to gently tilt Zechs's head down, pressing forehead to forehead, still maintaining eye contact.
"Your tongue's not vital? How else will you flirt with the Lieutenant?" the younger man snorted, smiling wryly. //Though if that gets her off your tail, I may do it more often.//
"Zechs," Treize murmured softly, smile faltering a little, "I'm only flirting with her. I've no interest in anything more than playing with verbal insinuations with other people. Please believe me. . . I didn't mean to hurt you. You're all I want. . ."
//I just wish I knew why, what you see in me. . . Love. It's so hard to understand. . . But I trust you. I said I trust you, and I'll keep my word, even if it hurts.// Zechs hugged Treize firmly, nodding slightly so as not to break their physical contact. "I trust you," he whispered. "I believe you. . . I'll try to behave next time. . ."
A soft chuckle vibrated against his body. "You'd be less believable if you /didn't/ misbehave once in a while, I think."
"Then next time, if I have to go to the bathroom, I'll just stamp on your foot with my hind leg, so if you /still/ don't get it, /you/ endure the embarrassment! Explaining a wet boot is harder than a bitten tongue, I imagine." Zechs dared an evil grin at Treize. //Not that I'd dare piddle on you in public like a badly-trained poodle. I'd probably leap out the window and hunt out the nearest tree first, at least!//
That earned him a bit of a warning frown. "Don't you dare. . . Wet me, I mean, not step on my boot. And a bitten tongue," the man added with lofty dignity, "is only easy to explain so long as word doesn't get out concerning who was responsible for biting it!"
"Ah, so Silver can still your silver tongue?" //That notion is just too ironic not to say out loud, Treize,// Zechs laughed to himself.
"The cat certainly can by destroying my boots, it seems, if not my /good/ foot," Treize complained wryly, giving the younger man a reproachful look.
//Then let me apologize. . .// "Maybe I can find a better way, then," Zechs murmured suggestively, pushing away from the counter with a shove of his hips and carefully engaging the older man's lips, starting another tonsil-teasing kiss.
//I think I prefer this method. . . by far. . .//
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To be continued.
Yes, kisses in the bathroom. Heck a man (and his cat) must have their privacy. . . ;)
Yes, the Gundam pilots are were-cats, too. But they haven't hit Earth yet. As for the other two. . . who said those who escaped are the only survivors? ;) Hint hint. But they, too, won't appear until Gundams come to Earth. For now, Zechs and Treize have other, simpler problems. These days will seem like drizzle compared to the dangerous storm to come!
Chapter 6--I Know What I'm Fighting For
**Easy to figure out when you're falling in love, I imagine. . . **
AC 192 still, later that day. . .
Treize limped along, keeping a smile under a perfect, well-trained poker- face, one hand swinging his cane, the other holding a chain, buried in thick silvery fur. Beside him paced Silver, bandages still about his middle, though his paws remained bare. Zechs had opted for traction and quick access to his claws rather than protecting the mostly-healed cuts further.
//He's expecting action,// Treize surmised grimly, taking some reassurance from the powerful flow of muscle under his hand. //Maybe he thinks he'll catch the assassin today? I'm not so sure about that. They'll be wary of the two of us now. And if they suspect he can sniff them out. . . /he'll/ be the one in danger!//
But he knew Zechs accepted that possibility. He could feel it in the wary confidence of the prowling creature beside him. And he knew better than to try persuading Zechs to leave this now. //It would insult him, if not infuriate him. And he would be right--he /is/ probably a better guard than any other here. Though I'm not a bad hand at defending myself. . . so long as it's not another cat like Zechs!//
The pair stopped at an unmarked door in the engineering and research building's fourth floor, making Treize glance down at his companion in dismay.
"This is it?" he asked Silver incredulously. //They leave their crime lab unmarked?//
Silver looked up at him and snorted.
"It's not that I don't trust your trailing abilities, Silver, but. . . this is rather pathetic." //Maybe Zechs got Lieutenant Une's paths crossed. . .//
That got Treize a grunt. Sitting down, Silver swiped at the door with a large paw, making it rattle against its hinges.
Amused, Treize reached for the latch. //I suspect they're wondering who wants to batter their door down.// "Impatient, aren't we?" he chuckled. "Let me. That way, they won't think someone's attacking their door."
The massive cat actually hmphed.
Shaking his head, Treize turned the latch. It was locked. //Maybe they aren't complete idiots here, after all.// Lifting his hand again, the new Specials leader rapped sharply on the door.
A lab aide warily opened and peeked around the edge of the door, eyes narrowed suspiciously at them a moment before opening the way fully and clicking into a sharp salute. "Your Excellency. . . Lieutenant Une is waiting for you. Third lab on the right," the soldier stated, moving out of their path.
//Better. . . ,// Treize decided, striding through with Silver padding once more on silent feet beside him. He didn't miss the incredulous look struggling to appear on the lab aide's face as the massive cat passed the man. //Probably didn't expect me to bring Silver here. . . But then, if this were anyone /but/ Zechs, I'd find it hard to believe, too!//
Of course, Treize had no intention of stopping to explain that to this soldier, let alone anyone else.
//Tell one, then you may as well tell all, and Zechs's advantage of surprise is lost.//
Together, the strange pair passed through another door and between two guards set to watch over it, to find Lieutenant Une waiting, seated at a desk near the front of the room, an array of plastic bags and a folder on the surface before her. Brown eyes narrowed sharply at the feline presence, but the stone-faced woman made no comment about Silver's presence. Instead, she merely stood and saluted Treize sharply as the pair drew closer and the door was shut behind them by the guards.
Strangely, Treize could feel Zechs balking a bit under his hand as they proceeded over to the woman. . . Glancing down, he hoped the cat would give some indication of his reasons for this behavior, but Zechs only cast wary looks around the room . . . //What's wrong? Something here bothers you. . . but I don't think it's Lieutenant Une.//
"As requested, Sir, here is all the evidence found thus far from General Catalonia's murder," she explained tersely, gesturing at the bags, before indicating a manila envelope and adding, "and here are the interviews and reports made thus far."
//All neat and tidy, if little to go on, I suspect. Only three bags? That's not much physical evidence. . . But she seems competent.// Carefully, minding his bad leg, the new leader of the Specials settled himself in the chair opposite Lieutenant Une, Silver settling next to his chair. //Good, Zechs isn't so bothered now. . . I wonder if he simply doesn't like labs?// "What of the man who shot at me yesterday?" he inquired, picking up the nearest Ziplock bag curiously.
"This is the bullet from the wall. . . There was nothing else to find," the stolid woman offered, picking up a different bag, in which a single bit of deformed metal tumbled about. "We tried that room for fingerprints, but nothing turned up."
//Unless you could smell things like Zechs did,// Treize added to himself, frowning at the small thing which had nearly killed him. Thoughtfully, he examined the bag in his hand, glancing from the two bullets residing there to the lone one it Une's hand. . . //I wonder. . .//
"They were shot from the same gun," the Lieutenant answered before he could even dare the question, following his gaze.
Treize smiled gently. "Thank you. I expected you would have checked that by now." //But can Zechs get anything else from any of this?// Shifting his gaze back down to the two bullets taken from General Catalonia's body, he pried open the plastic with experienced fingers--
"Sir?" Lieutenant Une asked in growing alarm.
He lowered the bag so Silver could reach it.
Lieutenant Une froze, staring, bewildered.
The large cat sniffed tentatively at the edges of the bag, before poking his head in as far as it could go and taking a deep breath, eyes closing. . .
Abruptly, Silver struggled to jerk his head back out, giving his head a bit of a shake to get free even as Treize hastily grabbed at the bag to help pull it off. A moment of panic, but the bullets did not escape the confines of the plastic, thanks to the new General's efforts. Silver, on the other hand, just swiftly turned his head away, sniffled once, then--
"Hhhzzwwwtthhh!!!!" That heavy pale head jerked reflexively.
Lieutenant Une actually /giggled/.
"Bless you," Treize murmured instinctively, blinking at Silver in amused surprise. //No wonder you tried to get it off. I hope it has nothing to do with sleeping with your hair still damp. . . !//
The cat blinked blearily at the pair of then, then snorted--and sneezed again. . . this time on Treize's knee.
"Bless you! I do hope you're not coming down sick, because that will not help us at all," Treize grumbled, looking into those icy cat-eyes firmly. //Zechs, are you alright?// he wondered with concern.
Silver rumbled softly, sitting back on his haunches and lifting a paw, licking it before swiping at his face with it.
//I take it that means you're okay for now,// Treize decided with a mental sigh, before glancing over at Une. . .
She was smiling--a genuine smile now, not the plastered thing she'd worn most of the time he'd seen her. Oh, the forced smile had looked genuine enough--until one saw the real thing and had something to compare to. "I guess he doesn't like to smell gunpowder directly," she pointed out, eyes warm on Treize's face.
//Er. . .// The young General could feel a faint rush of blood to his face, and fought the urge to shudder. //I think she rather likes me. . .//
Something pricked through the leather of his boots into his foot. His /good/ foot. Painfully so.
//Ouch! Shit--what the--?// Treize glared down at his legs--
--to meet glaring ice-blue eyes, and note a large paw deliberately sitting on his foot with claws unsheathed into the durable leather. Zechs was not amused--he could feel a rumble through the shoulder pressed against his knee.
This time, Treize blushed a deep burgundy that could have done his wine collection proud.
//Sorry, Zechs! I can't help it if women fall over me all the time. . . It must be the eyebrows. . .// Clearing his throat, the Specials leader sealed the bag he had taken from Silver and set it onto the table. "Well. . . now for those notes, I suppose." //Mind on business, Treize. . . No, not on to /Zechs/ and how nice he'll look in the nude--business, you idiot! Business!//
The reminding claw neatly removed itself, leaving a few hopefully-not-too- noticeable holes in the previously pristine leather. Yet even as Treize bent over the file and began opening it, trying to ignore Une's amused smile, the massive cat set front paws on top of the desk next to him, sniffling softly at the other bags, whiskers twitching.
/That/ startled Lieutenant Une into protesting, "Your Excellency!", rising to her feet in outrage at the animal's behavior.
Glancing sideways briefly, Treize set the file down long enough to open the Ziplock bag closest to Silver's nose. //Hmmm? What is she worried about?// "Just don't get your head stuck in it again," he murmured to the cat before returning his attention to the file.
Zechs grunted, but he /was/ careful not to press his face too deep this time as he nodes the evidence.
"B-but Your Excellency. . . !"
"That is my title, yes, Lieutenant. Please, do not wear it out," Treize answered without looking up. //What is it now? . . . Ah, Lieutenant Shimmel's interview. . .//
"Your cat--!"
"Silver is hardly going to eat shell casings, Miss Une," he answered absently.
"But--!"
"Lieutenant Une, I told you before, Silver is better trained than most people I know. . . and that includes a fair number of soldiers. Let him be. . . unless he wishes to sniff the contents of the last bag, in which case I request you aid his wish."
Une remained silent for a long moment. . .
//This doesn't add anything to what Zechs figured out, really. . . except that the topic of that meeting was the policy with the colonies. . . But I wonder if this murder had anything to do with Uncle's stance on war with the colonies? I know others are rather adamant about striking now, though Uncle said conservatism on our part now will only aid us in bringing the Alliance down later . . . His stance could very well be why, then.//
"He's no ordinary cat, then, is he. . ." The Lieutenant's voice was quiet and a touch cool.
//What?!?// Treize's head jerked up abruptly, staring at Une in surprise.
Beside him, Zechs bristled visibly, fur fluffing to make him appear all the larger, icy eyes narrowing, lips drawing back slightly in a yet-unvoiced warning at Une. . .
Brown eyes gazed back at both of them accusingly, sharply intelligent, and clearly quite observant, stubbornly pressing her point in silence.
//Damn. . . Now what do we do? I don't want to kill her. . . ! She doesn't seem the bad sort--in fact, she's probably one of the few decent officers in the place, I bet, considering who's running this base!// Resolving himself into full poker-mode, Treize neatly folded his hands together and set them on top of the file he had been reading. "What gives you that idea, Lieutenant?" he asked quietly, as calm as if inquiring about the weather for today. . . a calm he didn't really feel.
A wry smile tugged at one side of her mouth. "I used to /own/ a cat, Your Excellency. They do not act like expert bodyguards, nor carefully inspect evidence like trained search-dogs, no matter how you dream of training them."
Silver's fur slowly began to settle, but those bared teeth stayed visible, those eyes fastened to Une as if he intended to spring at any second for her throat.
//Easy, Zechs,// Treize thought at his "pet", reaching a hand to smooth some more of that still-ruffled fur, though running his hands through it drew a measure of comfort for himself. //I love the feel of you. . . Does your hair stay this soft when you're human?// "I /did/ say he's very intelligent, Miss Une," he repeated with a convincing dismissiveness he did not contain right now.
Her brown eyes narrowed at his words. "Either he's some kind of special creation, Sir, or you have a secret most circus trainers would kill to know."
//Damn. . . And what can I tell her? Maybe I can pass him off as some kind of special project of my own family. . .// "And what would you say if I said both theories hold some truth to them?" he cautiously questioned.
Silver's head whirled to glare at Treize, a faint hiss escaping between those sharp teeth.
//Easy now. . . Better she imagine that half the truth is all the truth than for her to delve to the roots of the matter.// Treize shifted his hand to scratch behind an alert ear.
Une glanced from one to the other, then nodded slowly, sitting down again. "I would say, Your Excellency, that you have the best bodyguard short of walking around in layers of bulletproof armor. And, Sir, I would add that it seems a wise precaution to take here."
Treize smiled faintly, and resumed smoothing Silver's disturbed neck-fur. //Good. She's accepted it.// "But it wouldn't be wise if too many other people theorized about the latest in Oz mascots. . . ," he stated quietly, but with the firmness of a command.
She nodded in acknowledgement, and smiled gently again, looking determinedly into Treize's eyes a moment before offering with soft conviction, "I am not your enemy, Your Excellency. Whatever you ask of me, I'm your ally. . ." She extended her hand slowly towards Silver, adding, "Both of you. . ."
Silver blinked, teeth fading from view, though he didn't move.
Tearing his wary gaze from the Lieutenant, Treize glanced at the cat, wondering where Zechs's opinion stood on this offer. //I trust your judgment, my friend. I /want/ to trust her, but we don't know her too well as of yet. . .//
For a long minute, the cat stayed statue still. . .
Then leaned forward and brought whiskers near that offered hand, sniffing carefully.
Treize relaxed, smiling in relief. //You agree with me, then.// "Very well, then, Lieutenant. . . though I think we should leave Silver's story for later, perhaps." //Like after Zechs and I have a chance to make up something convincing!//
Only a short inspection--then Zechs withdrew, pulling off the desk and nudging Treize's leg with a heavy shoulder.
Treize blinked down at the cat in confusion. //You want something. . . but I've no idea what. I wish you /could/ talk in this form!// "I don't understand," he admitted in a soft whisper.
Lieutenant Une leaned over the desk, frowning in puzzlement as she watched.
Silver seemed to frown at him--scrunching up his nose--sighed under Une's observation, and paced in a jittery circle before stopping to stare into Treize's eyes again, waiting. . .
//Huh?// "That makes no sense at all, Silver," the young General sighed in frustration.
Silver growled, glaring. . . then lifted one hind leg slightly, but purposefully.
//He wants to--Oh!// Treize felt his cheeks become scarlet, and swallowed, hastily grabbing his cane and rising to his feet. "I see. . . Please excuse us, Lieutenant," he hastily flung out before hurrying out with the cat.
Silver led the way at a swift pace--clearly he knew where he was going. //Probably can smell it. . . ,// Treize decided, trying to will his flushed face to a more natural color as his cane clacked against the floor. //Thank God they don't monitor these places, though! I can have a few words with him, then.//
As the familiar sign came into view, Treize released his breath in a heavy sigh. //We /really/ need to work out some kind of signal for this!//
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"I never want to have to do that in public /again/," Zechs's voice grumbled from inside a bathroom stall where he struggled to regain his composure, once Treize had locked the main door to the public facilities on this floor. //That was humiliating!//
Treize merely chuckled outside by the sinks. "Perhaps we should arrange a few simple signals, then," he suggested.
Grunting, Zechs emerged and slapped a faucet heavily, before washing his hands briskly. "I can't imagine anything else we need signals for, though, other than this and when I catch a blood-scent. . . ," he complained. //He's looking at me again. I can feel his eyes. . . They don't leave me. It's--it's not a bad thing, but I don't know, his watching makes me feel. . .//
//. . ./very/ self-conscious!// he decided after a moment. Glancing up into the mirror, he could see Treize's hungry eyes by his shoulder, and flushed deeply. Rarely had be been this near to someone while lacking clothes. . . Modesty was more familiar to him, a thing he had demanded sharply when still part of the project, but here it was impossible!
It felt amazingly, unfairly one-sided.
//I think I'd like this more if /he/ wore equally little right now!// The water continued to run over his hands, though it had finished rinsing the soap away, not that Zechs was noticing. He was too busy staring into Treize's eyes. . .
. . . and not paying enough attention to Treize's mouth, which hauled his focus back by frowning. "Zechs, are you listening to me?"
//Caught daynapping. No matter--they made sure we were /well/ trained. . . ! I can recall things overheard while catnapping or distracted. . . Distracted. . . ?// "You said something about a signal for success?"
Those bright eyes considered him warily, almost disbelievingly, before the young General sighed. "Yes, in case you /do/ spot our man. I want him /alive/," he emphasized. "You can't get answers out of a corpse."
"Them," Zechs corrected softly. //The stakes are higher, I'm afraid.//
"Them?" Treize asked, not terribly surprised, but curious nonetheless.
//Two. . . at least.// "I could barely catch it under the deserts' worth of fingerprint-powder they heaped on everything, but whoever planted those shell casings was not the same as the one who shot at you. As for the bullets from your uncle. . ." Zechs's head dipped in failure. //I tried, but. . .// "I'm sorry, I couldn't get anything past the overwhelming scent of his blood. So two at least."
"Two," Treize sighed softly, rubbing at his chin thoughtfully.
The water had stopped. Turning, Zechs ripped away some paper towels and wiped his hands dry. //Two. . . Probably watching out for each other, too. We'll have to be very careful.// "I can step in front of you if I scent anyone suspicious," he offered softly. "That way, at least, is not as conspicuous as pointing with a foreleg like some silly bird-dog."
"Well, birds are dumber than people. . . most people, anyway," Treize conceded, lifting his head to smile warmly into Zechs's eyes. Something about the older man's expression was alluringly suggestive. . .
The blonde blinked, feeling a faint shiver of anticipation tease his spine. //Ah. . . I almost hope he doesn't start anything here--you have to smell this place to believe it!//
Treize stepped closer, his nearness making Zechs retreat a step of his own-- or, rather try to, as the counter blocked any escape by pressing into his lower back. Uncertain of himself, the younger man reached back and gripped the smooth surface, holding his balance as the young Specials leader leaned close--
And pressed warm lips to his in a kiss, strong arms encircling his waist.
//Screw the smell.//
The only scent he cared about was the one so close to him, the echo of the taste in his mouth, the source being the clothed body pressing against his until the counter began to make his spine ache faintly. Only faintly, though, as his mind was in a bliss beyond pain at the moment, intent on Treize's supple mouth and the tongue so thoroughly exploring his teeth--as if the older man wanted to confirm he didn't retain his fangs in this form, and only believed in what he could feel. One hand abandoned the counter- top and wrapped around the young General's neck, pulling him closer, as Zechs tilted his head a bit more so their teeth wouldn't clip each other.
//Oh, I want more of this. . . !// The younger man slid his hand into the soft hair at the nape of Treize's neck, stroking as he himself enjoyed being stroked. //Lieutenant Une can wait!//
Treize's embrace tightened, enough to give Zechs's injured ribs a sharp twinge of pain, one hand slipping higher to toy with the ragged ends of the younger man's long hair, the other dropping down to pull his hips forward, easing the strain on Zechs's lower back. He could feel their hip bones grind against each other a bit. . . among "other things". . . and the blonde's breath caught in sharp surprise at his own reaction to this intimate contact. . .
Literally!
Bad thing to do. Zechs accidentally bit Treize's tongue.
//Ah! DAMN!//
The young Specials leader retreated immediately, so fast that the moment of arousing bliss seemed almost a daydream to Zechs. Treize held a hand to his mouth protectively, eyes wide in surprise and hurt apology.
//I hurt him--Treize, I'm sorry--I'm so clumsy at this, at anything involving love!// Desperately, Zechs tangled his hand in the back of Treize's belt before the man could pull away completely, restraining him from escaping the length of his arms, wishing a silent apology to the older man through his eyes.
"I'm sorry," Treize whispered, those bright eyes almost damp with bewilderment. "I should have asked--"
"No," Zechs answered softly, tugging Treize closer through his hold on the man's belt, and smiling sheepishly, his head dipping in shame. "/I/ should be sorry--I didn't mean to bite, but you startled me." //Please, it hurts to see you blame yourself, Treize. . . and I'm worse than a blind puppy, bumbling about when you should have someone who at least has a clue what they're doing, who can avoid this sort of mistake!//
The older man let himself be pulled, the hurt in his eyes fading to a relieved, amazingly-soft smile, but instead of resuming the kiss, Treize began nuzzling the side of Zechs's neck ticklishly, nosing long hair out of his way. "Forgiven," he murmured so quietly that the word was more of a ripple of breath against the younger man's skin than sound.
Zechs shuddered convulsively, smothering a helpless mewl threatening to bubble up in his throat, and clung tightly to Treize, half-closing his eyes, resting his head on Treize's shoulder and unknowingly giving the man greater access. //Oh yes. . . I want this. . . I want you here. . . there. . . there. . . Ah, everywhere. . . ! You feel closer to me than the air in this room, so close, so warm--why am I shivering? I don't understand. . . I don't /care/ if I don't understand!//
The gentle, feathery touches against his throat paused after a minute, and Zechs sighed faintly, feeling deprived, though he didn't shift a muscle towards escaping the embrace. "I want to show you so much. . . but these things shouldn't be enjoyed in a place like this, in haste," the General complained bitterly. "You deserve better than this. . . more than this. . ."
//This is more than I ever had, more than I ever experienced. . . more than I hoped for. And I want more of it, all you can give me, for as long as you're willing to give it.// But he wouldn't say it out loud, only tightening his grip about Treize's waist slightly and burying his face against the crook of the older man's neck. "I'm sorry I'm so clumsy. . . ," he whispered instead.
Treize's hand gently stroked his long hair down his back, the other maneuvering so Zechs had to lift his head, pull back a bit, face Treize eye- to-eye, by cupping his chin. The kind smile, the glowing warmth in Treize's eyes, tugged a hesitant smile at the corners of the younger man's mouth. "It's all new to you, Zechs. . . It's nothing to apologize for-- unless you /meant/ to bite me," he teased.
Zechs blinked, a strange thought appearing out of nowhere and bewildering him. //Was I /supposed/ to? Then why were you so hurt when I did?// "You never know with wild creatures, Treize," he countered uncertainly, though he meant it as a teasing warning.
The older man's thumb caressed his jaw line, those bright dark-grey eyes playful. "I suppose then that I'll have to tame you to my hand. . ."
//Tame me? I /thought/ I was domesticated already. . . or maybe just cultured. Nobody ever said only pearls and bacteria benefit from listening to opera. I wonder what "taming" entails,// Zechs mused, feeling another tickle of anticipation slide down his spine like a lost ice cube. "I think you already have me in hand. . . ," he pointed out slyly.
Those bright eyes narrowed mischievously. "But hardly tamed," Treize purred. "I'm not sure you /can/ be, but it will be fun to try, I think. . . and the occasional bite simply means you're all the more fun of a challenge!"
"So long as it's not your tongue?" Zechs chuckled. //Then you actually enjoy getting bitten? I don't think I'll dare that until I've some idea of how to bite without hurting you.//
"So long as you don't bite anything /vital/," Treize corrected indulgently, laughing softly. He used his grip to gently tilt Zechs's head down, pressing forehead to forehead, still maintaining eye contact.
"Your tongue's not vital? How else will you flirt with the Lieutenant?" the younger man snorted, smiling wryly. //Though if that gets her off your tail, I may do it more often.//
"Zechs," Treize murmured softly, smile faltering a little, "I'm only flirting with her. I've no interest in anything more than playing with verbal insinuations with other people. Please believe me. . . I didn't mean to hurt you. You're all I want. . ."
//I just wish I knew why, what you see in me. . . Love. It's so hard to understand. . . But I trust you. I said I trust you, and I'll keep my word, even if it hurts.// Zechs hugged Treize firmly, nodding slightly so as not to break their physical contact. "I trust you," he whispered. "I believe you. . . I'll try to behave next time. . ."
A soft chuckle vibrated against his body. "You'd be less believable if you /didn't/ misbehave once in a while, I think."
"Then next time, if I have to go to the bathroom, I'll just stamp on your foot with my hind leg, so if you /still/ don't get it, /you/ endure the embarrassment! Explaining a wet boot is harder than a bitten tongue, I imagine." Zechs dared an evil grin at Treize. //Not that I'd dare piddle on you in public like a badly-trained poodle. I'd probably leap out the window and hunt out the nearest tree first, at least!//
That earned him a bit of a warning frown. "Don't you dare. . . Wet me, I mean, not step on my boot. And a bitten tongue," the man added with lofty dignity, "is only easy to explain so long as word doesn't get out concerning who was responsible for biting it!"
"Ah, so Silver can still your silver tongue?" //That notion is just too ironic not to say out loud, Treize,// Zechs laughed to himself.
"The cat certainly can by destroying my boots, it seems, if not my /good/ foot," Treize complained wryly, giving the younger man a reproachful look.
//Then let me apologize. . .// "Maybe I can find a better way, then," Zechs murmured suggestively, pushing away from the counter with a shove of his hips and carefully engaging the older man's lips, starting another tonsil-teasing kiss.
//I think I prefer this method. . . by far. . .//
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To be continued.
Yes, kisses in the bathroom. Heck a man (and his cat) must have their privacy. . . ;)
Yes, the Gundam pilots are were-cats, too. But they haven't hit Earth yet. As for the other two. . . who said those who escaped are the only survivors? ;) Hint hint. But they, too, won't appear until Gundams come to Earth. For now, Zechs and Treize have other, simpler problems. These days will seem like drizzle compared to the dangerous storm to come!