Flames, flames everywhere, devouring the only life he had ever known.
Father!
Milliardo Peacecraft, Crown Prince of Sanc, hid behind a fallen bulwark of stone, concealed in the shadows away from the cold eyes of the Romefeller soldiers.
He watched as they herded his family: his father, mother, and baby sister, numerous cousins, uncles, aunts and grandparents, into the centre of the huge, ancient throne room.
He watched as the soldiers laughed among themselves, their voices covered by the crash of falling masonry.
He watched as one walked up to his father, watched them argue, and then the soldier turn and nod, once. Just once.
And he watched, biting down on his fist to stifle cries, as every member of the Royal family of Sanc, from the oldest grandmother to the youngest child, died in a rattle of cold gunfire and a sea of warm blood.
Flames erupted from the bodies as he ran, to the forest, to safety.
Zechs Marquise, top pilot of OZ, shot upright in bed, long blond hair sticking to his sweat-shined back and face. He stared around frantically, relaxing as his eyes fell on familiar, well-known feature. The desk, the open window, a vase of red and white roses on the side, the open door to the bathroom on the left.
And, of course, his eyes came inevitably to the bed. Or rather, to its occupants.
On his left slept the famed commander-general of OZ, His Excellency Treize Khusranada, his short ginger hair falling into his eyes, his body relaxed, sleep smoothing the lines of care from the too-old face.
And on the other side, slept a dragon. Chang Wufei, Gundam Pilot 05, teenaged terrorist, and sworn enemy of both OZ, and its charismatic leader, curled up against Zechs' side like an overgrown kitten, smooth caramel limbs tangled with his own. His silky black locks tumbled around his young face, making him seem even younger than his fifteen years.
Zechs, former Crown Prince Milliardo Peacecraft of the Sanc Kingdom, lay back down between the warm bodies of his lovers, wrapped his arms around them both, and drifted back off to sleep.
Hopefully, this time, with no dreams.