See all warnings and disclaimers in the first chapter.
A/N: This one's to Mondo-Bongo. That's the only reason I don't like anonymous reviews; I can't reply! So sad. So I will reply in this note. Kyaa! You've been glomped. You made me grin like an idiot! X3
PS A/N: This is not a 6x2. Possibly 6+2, but the main pairing is 1x2. Some of you were expressing concern, so I thought I better take away the suspense for you.
When I First Laid Eyes On You
Relena swept in with her armed thugs. She really hated them. They were big, stupid oafs without a sense of social grace. Any grace, for that matter. They knew one thing: how to point and shoot a gun. Disgusting men. So few in this world who met her personal standards. Zechs, unfortunately, was one of them. Pity he had to die. She gave him a chilly glance, letting her gaze slide past him to Duo.
Now, there was another. Far better than Zechs, because he did not have to die. Most certainly not. Duo was beautiful, young, graceful, and fair-tempered. She gave him a smile that had always had men in court falling all over themselves.
"I do hope you're enjoying your stay, short though it might be, Duo," she purred. "You and that lovely guide wolf of yours are free to explore, should you so desire. I have to borrow Zechs for a moment, and then we'll see about getting you home."
Her brother gave her one of the most pathetic looks she'd seen on him yet while Duo's beautiful, blind eyes turned in her direction, landing on her with uncanny accuracy. Just a few inches shy of her face.
"Thank you, Relena," Duo said, a hint of a smile on his face. And irony in his voice.
She couldn't help the hint of a grin that teased her lips. So he knew, or at least had an inkling of, what was going on. "Come along, brother-dear," she said, holding out an impatient hand.
Zechs allowed her to rest it on his forearm, and she herded him out. She whisked him to a room far from the parlor where Duo was. She did not want him to hear this. Because it was time. She pushed Zechs inside, stationing her thugs outside the door. Pausing only long enough to liberate one of them of his hand-pistol, she slammed the door. Slamming doors was so much more satisfying than paying the extra dollar for electric doors that slid shut.
"Zechs," she said, "Duo changed around my timetable. Now it's time to die." She brought the pistol to bear, momentarily wishing she had her private handgun. It was so much prettier.
Her brother didn't look afraid, outraged, betrayed, or any of that. Just resigned. "What are you going to do with Duo?" he asked quietly.
"That's not really your concern, is it?" she said, smiling sweetly. "He'll not be harmed, of course. I have plans for that one. He's so pretty, isn't he? Just lovely to look at. Oh, and don't think I haven't seen you looking." She abruptly lowered the gun. "You two only met once. How come he seems so comfortable with you?"
"It's . . . a long story."
"Well," she said, sitting and rearranging her pink skirts. Immediately upon arriving home she'd changed. "Duo just bought you a little more time. I want to hear it. Why does he seem so fond of you?"
Zechs met her gaze as though trying to decide whether she was serious or not. She waited patiently. Whatever he decided he would tell her; he always gave her what she wanted.
"All right," he said presently. He leaned against the wall in that sloppy, lazy slouch she abhorred. "I'll tell you about how we met."
o8o o8o
He only went to these things because it was his late father's wish. The Lightning Count had a duty to please the people, just in case something were to happen to Dorothy Catalonia, heir to the Andarian throne. If she died, he would be the next emperor. An ugly thought. He had no wish for that kind of power.
Too bad his younger sister had a taste for it. He put on the most sincere smile he could muster as the three Prime Chancellors approached him, looking quite resplendent in their formal robes of court. Korim Schezar, Agrom Tymr, and Denan Maxwell all gave him warm smiles of recognition. The first two had pretty, buxom aides fluttering about in gauzy gowns. But the third, Maxwell, had only a boy with him. A boy of perhaps thirteen, and he had the longest, loveliest hair of auburn-chestnut. In fact, the boy was a picture of perfection, a face to make women weep and men stare.
"Welcome back to Andaria, Lightning Count," Maxwell said with a deep smile that showed his dimple. "May I introduce Duo, my son."
The boy was dressed in a tunic modestly decorated with silver gilt. He didn't look anything like his father, except for that dimple. "Pleased to meet you, Lord Marquise," he said with a pretty, slightly shy grin. He didn't meet the man's eyes.
"Zechs, I don't suppose I could impose him upon you for a little while?" Maxwell said. "Duo is blind, you see, and I can't leave him alone in a big place like this. I thought I'd—" he grinned—"call in the favor you owe me."
"Don't consider this a favor, Prime Chancellor," Zechs said, smiling. "I'd be happy to show your son around. You'll love this place, Duo. I'm very adept at talking, so I should be able to adequately describe the décor for you."
At his words, Duo's shy smile grew, becoming bolder. "Thank you, Lord Marquise," he said.
Maxwell, holding his son's hand on top of his own, extended it and placed it lightly on Zechs' own. Duo's slim hand was cool and dry, not the expected hot and clammy. Was there nothing about this boy that was not remarkable? Zechs tucked it safely under his arm and drew the little gem away.
"Would it be rude of me to ask your age?" Duo asked when they left the noisy ballroom for favor of the quieter halls.
His shyly-delivered question startled a laugh from Zechs. "No, Duo, I would not find it rude. I am twenty-one this year, and only recently at that. Now you must answer the same question for me. I'm dreadful at guessing."
"Fourteen," Duo said, grinning. "You were thinking younger, weren't you?"
"Yes," Zechs admitted, "but only just. I hope this isn't an insensitive question, but were you stricken blind by the same illness that claimed your mother's life?"
The boy went silent for a moment. "Yes," he said presently. "It's only been two years, but the memory of color and light are beginning to fade. You'll describe everything to me, won't you Zechs? In as much detail as you can?"
The sweetly-delivered plea, such an innocent request, melted Zechs forever. It was neither right nor proper for a man to fall for a boy, no matter how gamine. But Duo was special, different. Beautiful aptly described him, for he was perfect inside and out. Zechs spent the rest of the evening with him, and when Maxwell retired for the evening, Zechs relinquished him reluctantly.
He came to call on Schezar and Tymr first, so no one would think it odd when he reached his real destination: the suite where Maxwell stayed. It was Duo who answered, sucking on what looked like a blue popsicle. His eyes, cast toward the floor, raised immediately as he smiled and pulled the treat free.
"Lord Marquise!" he chirped, his smile shaming the sun.
Zechs blinked. "You can't see me and you still knew it was me?"
"It's your cologne," the boy said, reaching out a hand. "Father isn't here at the moment. Urgent business. Can you come in anyway?"
Zechs tried to suppress the rush of inappropriate emotion those words caused. "Of course. I only came to see that you and he were comfortable." He took the boy's hand.
That bright smile was rapidly becoming something he did not want to do without. "Very. The beds here are really soft. Father says it's the joys of being rich." He laughed lightly. "I'm sure you understand, Zechs. May I call you Zechs? I don't want to seem too informal with you."
"It's fine, Duo. If I may call you Duo."
The boy's pert little nose wrinkled. "What else would you call me?"
"I could call you Lord Maxwell."
Duo burst into silvery laughter. "That's what people call my father. Duo is fine."
He spent the rest of the morning with the boy, and he was sorely disappointed when Maxwell returned. The Prime Chancellor of Hedara beamed.
"I'm glad to learn my son did not spend the morning alone. Duo, I hope you didn't pester the poor lad too much?"
The words were filled with warm love and affection. Duo grinned sweetly, but Zechs quickly jumped to his defense.
"Not at all, Prime Chancellor. Duo was a delight. He quite took my whole morning away; I had no idea it was so late."
Maxwell gave his son a hug, leaving an arm draped around his slim shoulders. "I hope he hasn't kept you from anything important."
"Not at all. In fact he took my mind off matters that have . . . weighed heavily on me. Lord Maxwell, I wonder if I might steal your son away for awhile. I'm returning to Terra in a few days, and it's simply gorgeous there in the spring. I would love to have Duo for a few weeks, if you could spare him."
There was real delight on Duo's face, but Maxwell's brow furrowed. "That's kind of you, Zechs," he said slowly, "but . . . Duo's health is somewhat frail. Even the journey from Hedara to Andaria tires him greatly. On the other hand, if you can get away from your estate, we'd be happy to have you."
Zechs literally had to force himself not to jump at the offer. He moderated his tone and smile. "I would like that, Prime Chancellor. I haven't been to Hedara in many years."
"Then it's settled. Come this summer, when the mountains are alive with blooms and beauty. Duo, be a lamb and talk to the Lightning Count about it, make some plans, while I gather our things. We're leaving for the Parliament Seat in an hour."
o8o o8o
"Did you go see them that summer?" Relena inquired.
"Yes," Zechs said in a somewhat dull voice, "for a few days. That's when you unexpectedly called me back to Andaria, remember? To begin your plotting."
Relena laughed gaily. "Oh yes. I remember that. I'd forgotten it was four years ago now. My, how time flies when you're plotting an empire's demise. So, I want to know. Did you actually fall in love with him?"
Zechs' expression was carefully neutral as he looked at her. That meant one of two things. Either he was in love and didn't want to admit it, or he just plain didn't know if it was love or not. She sighed.
"That's my Zechs, always making things more complicated than they have to be. On the other hand, I didn't know you fancied pretty boys over girls."
"I don't," he said in a flat voice.
Oh. She smiled. "Duo's special, isn't he? He did seem somewhat enamored of you. Perhaps I'll let you live a little longer just to keep him calm when I take him back to Terra with me."
Zechs twitched. "You're taking him after all?"
"Zechs darling, don't be daft," she chided. "Of course I am."
"His father told me he has delicate health," her brother warned, starting to look genuinely worried.
And the tone of his voice, bordering on desperate, made Relena pause. If she wasn't careful, Duo might replace her as the one most important thing to the Lightning Count. Which in the long run, she supposed, wouldn't turn out to be too distressing.
"Then I shall just have to be extra careful, won't I?" she said. "And you'll never leave his side. Along with that monstrous wolf of his. Wonder where he got that great shaggy beast. At least he doesn't stink. I would have to jettison him if he stank. Well, don't just sit there, you great lump! Get a move on! Pack anything you think you'll need to make Duo's journey more comfortable. It's a five-day flight."
Zechs' eyes were shuttered as he stood, gave her the slightest of bows, and left. Part of her was slightly annoyed at having to keep him around a little longer. Part of her was intrigued. If she could somehow manipulate events so that Zechs fell in love with Duo before she killed him . . . Right now it didn't pain Zechs to die. He was ready for it. Prepared and annoyingly willing. But if she could destroy his heart and soul along with his body . . . oh yes. Wouldn't that make this whole scenario that much more amusing?
She laughed to herself. What a fine time to be alive!
Wow, isn't she a horrible bitch?
Heero: Yes. I get to kill her. Right, Jewel?
Jewel: ( . . . ) Umm, heh, actually I have no idea what's going to happen, Heero.
Heero: What kind of lame-ass answer is that? (GUN)
Jewel: See you all next chapter! (runs)