Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Beautiful Dawn ❯ Chapter 20 ( Chapter 20 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Sorry Iam so late with this chapter. I meant to have it out much sooner than this, but work and rl in general just kept getting in the way. Hope you enjoy!


Many thanks to AV and Rogue11 for reviewing the last chapter!! ^_^




Standard disclaimers apply: I don't own Gundam Wing or its bishounen, nor am I making any monetary profit from this fic whatsoever.


Author: Michalyn (darling_162002@yahoo.com)
Pairings: 6x1, 13+5 ( possible 13x5 later), 3+4
General Warnings: AU ( the pilots are 18, Zechs and Treize are 23) yaoi, angst, sap, lemon
Archive: http://angelfire.com/gundam/asanctuary, http://raygunworks.net, http://www.gundam-wing-universe.net/
Rating: NC 17


Warnings for this chapter: None really - just a few sexual innuendos.


Feedback: craved ^_^






Beautiful Dawn 20/?
by: Michalyn









Raising his tray high to avoid bumping the many heads of its already seated patrons, Heero scanned the crowded cafeteria for a quiet, secluded spot amidst the buzzing sea of chatting, laughing students. Carefully weaving through the crowd and press of bodies, he began making his way towards a single table to the very back of the room, when someone called his name.

"Heero! Heero - over here!"

Turning in the direction of the familiar voice, he found Quatre and Wufei sitting at one of the larger, four-seater tables. The petite blonde was frantically waving his arms as he tried to get the messy-haired boy's attention.

Heero hesitated for a moment - looking once more to the quieter table he had chosen - before finally shrugging and moving to join the other two boys. He sat, and nodded towards Quatre.

Wufei, who had been quietly reading as he nursed a steaming cup of tea, looked up from his book at the stoic brunette's approach. He inclined his own dark head slightly in greeting. "Yuy."

Heero grunted softly in reply and Quatre beamed. He looked towards the darker boy with shining, excited eyes. "Heero, Trowa and I are throwing a party on Saturday-- We're celebrating our first year together," he explained, a becoming, rosy blush suffusing his pale skin.

Heero was caught between a strange, tentative pleasure and a feeling of trepidation at the young Arabian's invitation. He could admit that he enjoyed the quiet company of the other men - and part of him eagerly contemplated acceptance. However, he could not deny the fact that he was unaccustomed to these kinds of social events. He had been drilled in proper dinner etiquette by J of course: it was one of the first things the old man had deemed necessary to his future position as company head. But that was where his experience ended. He knew little of intimate gatherings or the rituals of pleasant company. His attempts at idle conversation would be abortive at best - nonexistent at worst. He frowned slightly as suddenly the disadvantages of attending seemed to glaringly outweigh the advantages.

Noticing the tinge of skepticism in the other boy's expression, Quatre immediately moved to reassure him. "It's not a big affair," he quickly amended, "-Just close friends --and two of my sisters…"

The last bit was added somewhat ruefully, and for a fleeting moment the soft blonde's expressive eyes were tinged with a sorrow that was swiftly veiled by the lowering of tawny lashes. When they reopened, all traces of sadness had disappeared from Quatre's gaze as if they had never been. His expression was once more sunny and serene as he turned once more to Heero.

"Wu and Treize are coming--" he coaxed. Meaningfully, teal eyes met cobalt. "And Zechs has already accepted."

"Will you come?" he asked softly. "We'd really appreciate it."

Heero was quiet. Thrown off not so much by his misgivings about fulfilling Quatre's request, but by the realization that the gentle Arabian considered him a friend. He looked from Quatre's expectant face over to Wufei and found the attractive Chinese regarding him with a mixture of friendship and a fierce, quiet, understanding in his own exotic eyes. Heero thought of Trowa and the immediate affinity that had formed between them, and his lips pursed softly in bewilderment.

Friendship… It was a strange thing to grasp for a loner like him, who was accustomed to attracting the derision, hostility and ostracism of others far more than any other feelings - much less ones of a friendly nature. So it simply did not make sense that these men would now actively seek out his company. Surely nothing about him had changed to inspire the difference…

Almost involuntarily on the heels of the thought, the image of Zechs popped into his mind. Could the older man be the cause then? His frown deepened. Certainly the elegant blonde had done nothing but turn his life upside-down since Heero had met him. Perhaps that explained it …

Still, he could not account for any significant change in himself that would inspire the desire to befriend him. He was neither wealthy, charming nor attractive, nor did he possess any unique talent - all qualities he had observed which singly, or in combination with each other seemed to characterize those who drew the company of others to them. And compounding this was the social ineptitude that he possessed in a degree far more chronic than most.

No…it simply did not make sense.

Uncertainty, trepidation - and a strange, fierce resolve filled the dark brunette as he turned once more to an expectant Quatre.

"Hai," he said quietly - determinedly. "I will come."

Quatre grinned excitedly and his small hand reached across the table to give Heero's a quick squeeze. "Thank you, Heero. It'll be fun - I promise!" he vowed happily, understanding how difficult it must have been for the other young man to come to his decision. He had always found it easy to empathize with others - it was what had driven him to pursue a career in politics. But he knew it went beyond that. He thought back to the early days of his courtship of his emerald-eyed lover and a small smile lit his features: Heero and his Trowa had much in common…

They fell into silence, and surprisingly it was Wufei who broke the solemn mood as he turned to Heero - a faint look of amusement gracing his aristocratic features. "Well, now that that's settled, perhaps you would consider a short trip to the mall Yuy?" he asked. "I have to visit the bookstore- and no doubt Quatre will be needing to pick up a few " * party specialties * " of his own--" he added, his customary solemn expression firmly in place, but there was a definite, mischievous glint sparkling in his black eyes.

A strangled, gurgly sound of shock erupted from Quatre's throat at Wufei's unlikely utterance, and the delicate blonde blushed to the roots of his hair. "Wufei!" he squeaked, sputtering in protest, but the brightening of the crimson fanning his cheeks revealed how close the exotic youth had come to the truth.

Heero's lips twitched, and amazingly, he found himself on the verge of laughter. Wufei graced him with a rare, conspiratorial smirk. "What do you say Yuy --Will you join us?"

Heero's eyes gleamed in amusement as he looked from one man to the next.

"Hn."




~~~~~






Milliardo slid into the chair opposite Treize, and the ginger-haired man looked up from the newspaper he was reading. He carefully sipped at his coffee, regarding the tall blonde over the rim of the aromatic cup for a moment before shuffling and neatly folding his paper with a rustle of sound as he rested it beside his plate. "You've certainly been a hard man to get hold of lately."

Zechs nodded as he smoothed a napkin over his lap and reached across the table for Treize's menu. " If you only knew, Khush. -- I can scarcely believe this last week myself," he murmured as he scanned the leather-bound menu in his hand and absently rifled through its pages for something that would catch his fancy.

"Hmm," the other man purred thoughtfully, sapphire eyes searching the part of his best friend's face not obscured by the menu. " Only one thing - or rather one person - comes to mind that could keep you so busy. Shall I assume that this has to do with a certain reserved brunette?"

Zechs ended his perusal and closed the menu, laying it back on the table. Immediately a waiter appeared at his elbow, inquiring about his order. The café was a favorite of his and Treize's and the personnel had soon learned that one man was scarcely ever seen without the other. In fact, Zechs realized with no small sense of chagrin - they had visited it every Wednesday for as long as he could remember. --Something that they had made a point of attending despite vastly differing - and equally busy - schedules - and through relationship woes.

He had missed both of the last two Wednesdays.

Milliardo sighed, rubbing wearily at his eyes as he turned to the patient waiter, who scribbled down his order and quickly disappeared amidst the various black- and- white clad forms tending the numerous tables. His look was sheepish as he met Treize's sapphire gaze, with genuine apology in his eyes.

"I'm sorry Khush. I've been truly terrible haven't I?"

Treize nodded as he took another sip of his coffee. "Yes, you have," he agreed. "You've been distant, preoccupied, thoroughly unreliable - and generally a complete bastard. But--" He added with a reassuring grin, "You're allowed. I had more than my fair share of those days, not too long ago - if you remember. And you suffered through it with saint-like patience," Treize reminded his close friend. "Just consider the debt paid."

Zechs smiled gratefully at the other man. "Thanks," he murmured. A sudden half-exasperated, half-frustrated sound erupted from his throat. "Gods, Khush, did Wufei do this to you?"

Treize laughed at Milliardo's desperate utterance and the confused, frustrated expression on his face. "Well, It's certainly amusing to see the staid, sex-god Milliardo Peacecraft, defeated by lovesickness," he teased with a twinkle in his blue eyes. Zechs sighed, flopping defeatedly against the back of his chair as his long fingers drummed irritably against the edge of the table.

"I can't stop thinking about him," he finally admitted quietly, looking up at the ginger-haired man through long, pale bangs. "He's the first thing on my mind when I wake up in the morning - and the last thing when I go to bed." He groaned, eyes closing briefly. "And let's not even talk about how I seem to be in a perpetual state of arousal when I'm around him."

One azure opened at the sound of Treize's chuckling, and he couldn't help but let out an amused chuckle at his own antics. He blinked, sitting up straight once more as he met his friend's smiling visage. "Hmph!" he grunted, playfully nudging Treize under table with his foot to stop the other man's laughter. "Find that amusing do you?" He raised an elegant eyebrow.

Treize finally sobered and pierced the Nordic blonde with a serious gaze. " I didn't think I would ever see you like this, Mil" he admitted. "-Even after Duo," he said carefully. "You have never been like this - not even then, when the two of you seemed inseparable."

Zechs sighed, eyes going distant and thoughtful. " I could have loved him," he said finally, quietly. "But we didn't get that chance… -- And now with Heero…" He looked at Treize. "I don't think I could want anyone else…" He said simply. He laughed softly, shaking his head. "And the thing is - Heero has never uttered one word of endearment to me… Hell, I've never even seen him smile…" He rubbed at his eyes again before meeting Treize's. "I think he cares for me - but it could simply be a case of me seeing what I want to…" he trailed off.

The dark blonde paused thoughtfully as he regarded Zechs with sympathy. "That may be so," he admitted softly, "but Heero hardly seems the type go into * anything * lightly. And he hasn't walked away yet, has he? There must be * something * keeping him with you. - And as much as Zechs junior may want to think otherwise," Treize added jokingly, "I hardly think it's just the sex."

The tall blonde stared for a moment - thrown by Treize's comment - then burst into laughter. He shook his head in amusement. "Thanks Khush- I needed that."

"My pleasure, Mil," Treize replied seriously. "I only desire to see you happy."

He leaned forward slightly as he raised a winged eyebrow. "Now tell me - what * exactly * have you been up to this past week?"



~~~~~



The three boys escaped the bustle of the crowd and exhaustedly settled into a nearby mall bench - each surveying his purchases with varying degrees of contentment and excitement. Heero was thoughtfully perusing some obscure machines manual he had found on the sale table at the bookstore for only one dollar- while Wufei was lovingly cradling an expensive, leather- bound manuscript in his hands. Quatre had been the most enthusiastic spender of the three, and around his khaki-clad legs huddled numerous bags. Most contained decorations for the upcoming event, but the one held possessively on his lap hid the silky ivory pajama set and the expensive bath and massage oils he had bought for his and Trowa's own special celebration after the party. And in his pocket - carefully wrapped in a fur-lined box- lay the most precious gift of all. The petite blonde smiled softly to himself, patting the pocket lightly as he imagined the expression on his lover's face when he was presented with it. He sighed contentedly…

"Winner, you're drifting again." Wufei's rich tenor broke through his reverie.

Quatre turned to Wufei, a soft, dreamy expression still on his face. "Hmm?" He shook his head slightly as if clearing it. "Ahh, I guess I was," he admitted softly, contented smile still firmly in place.

Wufei rolled his eyes. "Where to now?" he asked. "Any other purchases you need to make - or shall we leave?" He looked from Quatre to Heero: the former having already become lost in his thoughts again. "Yuy?" he questioned. The boy in question grunted - nose still firmly buried in his book - whether in assent or disagreement, the austere Chinese could not tell. Wufei's mouth turned down in an annoyed moue as he looked from one preoccupied friend to the other. He settled back grumpily with his own book, frowning darkly and unseeingly at the pages. This situation was most ill befitting of a scholar - and esteemed member of the Dragon clan such as he…





~~~~



"He's been through so much Khush," Zechs finished.

He had left out much detail, as he related Heero's past to his friend - revealing just enough that the ginger-haired man could understand the situation. Still, it felt good to talk to Treize. He was a good listener, and his to-the-point assessments were always a comfort to Zechs - especially at times like these, when emotional attachments made objectivity difficult.

The man in question was frowning thoughtfully at the moment, hands steepled under his chin. He finally turned once more to Zechs. "It's no wonder you've been distant," he mused, his expression wry. Treize paused. "-And you say, you just returned from this * excursion * just on Saturday?" he asked absently.

Zechs nodded, sipping once more at his coffee.

"Hmm," Treize mused softly, taking a sip of his own drink before continuing. Sapphire eyes met azure as he looked meaningfully at the taller blonde. " I am assuming that Quatre has reminded you of the pitfalls of this scheme?" He paused and Zechs nodded once more. "Good. Then I won't speak of it." He added solemnly. "I know you care for Heero--" He laughed softly, smiling at Zechs. "A bit of an understatement - considering you present condition," he added playfully, blue eyes twinkling, and Zechs scowled in mock annoyance. " But whether this plan works or not--" he continued. "You have to realize that you can't protect him from his own past."

Zechs sighed, nodding. "I know Khush, but…" he made an exasperated gesture with his hands. "You're right," he said firmly after a moment. "Utterly and completely correct. But I just *can't* abandon this -- For better or for worse," he finished quietly.

Treize settled back in his chair and nodded. "I did not expect you to," he replied. " You are far too stubborn and thick-headed for that," he added and Zechs laughed softly. "No, you will see this through to the end - whatever it brings," he predicted. " Just remember," Treize cautioned "And I learned this the hard way with my Dragon--" he revealed: "Persistence brings down walls, but it will all be up to Heero in the end. He will only truly be yours when he comes to you of his own choosing."

He patted the other man's hand reassuringly as Zechs' jaw tightened as he acknowledged the ginger-haired man's words.

"Now what about this party of Quatre's and Trowa's?" he asked, smoothly steering the conversation away from the solemn turn it had taken. "Are you and Heero coming as a couple?"

Zechs relaxed, grateful for the change of subject. "So I'm hoping," he replied. "Though I anticipate that it will require some convincing on my part," he added with a mischievous, suggestive smile. Rich laughter bubbled from Treize's throat. "Ah," he purred. "I believe I am quite familiar with that argument. In fact--" his grin broadened. "I shall be employing it tonight myself."

Zechs raised a tawny brow, eyes dancing with mirth. "Oh?"

Treize's smile was utterly sensual, but his eyes changed, becoming soft and thoughtful as he pulled something out of his pocket. He opened a small velvet bag, and shook its contents out onto his palm, showing it to Zechs.

Two gold bands lay nestled in his palm, one large -the other significantly smaller. "I thought this would be the best time," he explained softly, meeting Zechs' eyes. "He'll be so preoccupied with thoughts of Quat's and Trowa's anniversary, that he won't suspect a thing."

Zechs nodded and grinned as he signaled for the check. "So you're finally, putting on the old ball and chain eh?" he teased and Treize shook his head laughing.

"Ah, and what a sweet sentence it is," the sapphire-eyed man replied, hands curling lovingly around the rings in his hand.

Zechs shook his own head, fishing out a few bills from his wallet as the check was placed on the table. "Check's on me," he said, slapping Treize congenially on the back as they rose from the table.

"This calls for some celebration old boy," Zechs declared when they were once more outside. He turned to a smiling Treize with a mischievous grin of his own. " I know of a naughty little store near the mall, where you should be able find something to meet the Dragon's …tastes," he added with a wink.

Treize chuckled, even as his eyes darkened sensually as he contemplated the possibilities. He gestured in the direction of their cars. "Then lead the way, dear Milliardo."