Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Strays ❯ Chapter 5

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

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Strays
Part 5
The condo was empty, except for the cats, when Milliardo and Treize returned home on Sunday evening. Relena had left a note on the message board in the hall. It read: “Hope you had a great weekend. I'm at Lindsey's house studying for the math test tomorrow. The cats have been fed; don't let them tell you otherwise.” The note was signed with a heart and a big smiley face.
“Well, it looks like it's only the two of us at home tonight. So what should we do?” Milliardo remarked after reading his sister's message. “Watch TV?”
“No,” Treize replied quickly. The last thing he wanted right now was for Milliardo to find out about him through a newscast. He wanted to tell him … personally.
“No?” the blond echoed, somewhat surprised.
“It's Sunday, there isn't anything good on TV anyway.”
“I suppose that's true, you got any better ideas?”
“Well…” The older man smiled as he slowly stepped closer to Milliardo and wrapped his arms around him. “We could cuddle up on the couch and see what happens.” His smile turned into a suggestive smirk.
“Keep talking.” Milliardo grinned as he returned the older man's embrace. His hands wandered down Treize's lower back until they came to rest on his buttocks. He cupped the firm globes, squeezing them slightly as he leaned in for a kiss. The feeling of the other man's lips pressing against his own, Treize's unique scent and taste was becoming more and more familiar…and addictive.
Treize's tongue traced over his lips gently trying to coax them apart. The blond closed his eyes, moaning softly as he complied.
The sound of a key being turned in the front door startled the two men. Milliardo hastily freed himself from Treize's embrace and `fled' into the living room. He plopped into one of the armchairs and buried his burning face in the pages of a magazine.
“Hello there. Welcome home.”
“Hey Relena, you are back already?! I thought you were studying at your friend's house.”
“We did.” The teen girl confirmed. “But its Lindsey's brother's birthday and they went out for dinner. She invited me along, but I felt awkward, since it was like a family affair.”
Her brother nodded understandingly.
As Relena walked into the living room she gave him a long look, then frowned. “Are you alright, Milliardo? You look flushed. You didn't catch a cold, did you?”
“I'm fine,” he assured her quickly and gazed at Treize for help.
The older man opted for a tactical retreat. “Well, I think I'll go and start unloading the car.”
“I'll help you.” Milliardo was on his feet and out the door in a flash.
“Does she know?” Treize asked as they walked side by side down the driveway.
“Know what?”
“That you are gay.”
Milliardo shrugged. “I'm not sure. It's not like I'm discussing my sex-life with my little sister.”
“In case you haven't noticed, she isn't that little anymore,” the older man pointed out. “I'm sure she learned about the birds and the bees a long time ago.”
The blond shot him a glare. “She will always be my `little' sister. So cut it out.”
But Treize wasn't ready to let it go quite yet. “Is that the reason why you don't date? To protect her?” he wanted to know. “Or is it just what you are telling yourself?”
“Treize! That's enough! I don't want to talk about this anymore, alright.” Milliardo grabbed two bags from the trunk of the car and headed back to the house. He wasn't sure why the older man's remark bothered him so much. Could it be that Treize was correct? Was he hiding behind Relena because he was afraid of commitment? So what, even if it was true, it was only because he feared to loose anybody else who he loved. After his parent's death he had convinced himself that it was better not to become too attached to anybody. It had worked fine…until Treize crossed his path.
The tawny haired man caught up with him at the door. “I'm sorry,” he said, and he sounded sincere. “I should not have said that.”
“It's alright.”
“On a totally different note…,” Treize changed the subject. “Do you know if there is a pawnshop somewhere nearby?”
“No, but there is one near the clinic where I work. Why?”
“I was thinking of pawning my watch. It's the only thing that I have that's worth something.”
“Are you sure about that?” Milliardo frowned.
“Yes.” Treize nodded. “I realize I won't get much, having a few bucks in my pocket would be better than nothing.”
“Well if you want I can take it and pawn it for you tomorrow,” the younger man offered.
“Would you? I'd really appreciate that.”
#####
Treize heaved a quiet sigh as he continued to chop up vegetables for the stew he was planning to cook. He would be lying if he said that he wasn't worried. Tonight after dinner, he was going to come forward and tell Milliardo everything. It had to be done and tonight was perfect, because Relena was going out to see a movie with her friends and only the two of them would be home.
In his mind he had gone over this again and again. He knew exactly what he was going to say, but the one thing he couldn't predict was how Milliardo was going to react, especially to the fact that Treize had bee keeping the truth from him for several days.
The ringing of the phone ripped the tawny-haired man from his thoughts.
“I got it!” Relena called out from the living room. He could hear here pick up the receiver. The call wasn't very long, because she hung up again only a few minutes later.
“Treize!” the young girl looked pale as she stepped into the kitchen.
Treize felt his stomach clench instantly. “What's wrong? Is everything alright with Milliardo?”
“That was him on the phone right now. He was calling from jail. He said the police arrested him after he tried to pawn your watch. They are accusing him of kidnapping… kidnapping you.”
Treize almost let out a sigh of relief. For a moment there, he had almost feared worse.
“What's going on, Treize? Do you have any idea?” Relena looked at him questioningly.
“I'm sorry,” he told her. “I never meant for this to happen. But don't worry about anything, Relena. I'll take care of the mess.” Damn it, I didn't think anything like this would happen. I didn't think, period; at least not with my head.
“Excuse me.” The tawny haired man squeezed past Relena, who was standing, still shocked and confused, in the kitchen door. He picked up the phone in the hall and dialed the private number for Une's office at the Oz headquarters.
His fiancé and business partner picked up at the second ring. Treize took a deep breath. He knew he had explaining to do, a lot of explaining. But that would have to wait; right now he had more pressing issues to take care of.
“Anne, it's me.”
“Treize?! Thank god, you are alright. Where are you?” her voice was laced with a mixture of concern and relief.
“I'll explain everything, later. Right now I need you to listen. There are a few things I need you to do for me.”
“Go ahead.” Just like that, in the blink of an eye she had turned from concerned fiancé to business woman.
Treize imagined that she had probably reached for pen and paper to take note of his instructions. He was grateful. Une's professionalism was something that had fascinated him from the first time they met.
“First I need you to call my attorney. Tell him do drive to…hold on.” He covered the receiver with the palm of his hand and turned to Relena.
“Where is Milliardo being held, did he say?”
“Yes,” she nodded. “Downtown at the 27th precinct.”
“Thanks.” He turned back to the phone. “Have him meet us at the police station in the 27th district. Then I need you to pick me up.” Treize gave Une the address and asked her to drive by his house and pick up a change of clothes for him, on the way.
When he hung up the phone Relena was still standing in the kitchen door watching him. “Who ARE you?”
The tawny haired man sighed inwardly. There was no way around it now, so he could as well tell her everything. It wasn't like they could do anything at the moment but wait for Une to arrive.
#####
Milliardo wasn't sure what surprised him more, his arrest, or his sudden release a few hours later. The officer who was taking up from the holding cell upstairs was close-lipped. He didn't even tell the young man what it was that had made them change their mind so sudden. Less than an hour ago the police had been convinced that he was a kidnapper, and perhaps even a murderer.
The officer didn't take him straight to the lobby to release him but led him into a meetings room in the second floor, where Relena and Treize were waiting for him. At first Milliardo almost didn't recognize the tawny-haired man, dressed up in a light gray, three piece business suit. With them was the police chief, another man, tall, handsome, with slightly graying hair, and a woman in her early 30th who eyed him firmly through a pair of thin rimmed glasses.
Milliardo's gaze moved from one person to the next before resting on Treize. “What's going on?” he wanted to know. “Who are these people?” After everything that had happened over the past few hours he felt that he definitely deserved an explanation.
The tawny-haired man cleared his throat. He looked more than just a little uncomfortable. “Mister Ventuno,” he finally spoke, gesturing at the gentleman to his left. “…is my attorney. I asked him to meet us here, in case his legal advice would be needed. And this is Miss Une. She is my business partner and… uhm… fiancé.”
Milliardo felt like he had been punched in the stomach. He swallowed but the bitter taste in his mouth remained. Finally he somehow managed to put on a polite smile. “Nice to meet you.” He nodded at the young woman and the lawyer before turning his attention back to Treize. “I'd like to talk to you if I may… in private.”
“Of course.” The tawny haired man gave a curt nod then looked at the police chief questioningly.
“Well…yes… how about my office,” the chief suggested. “Let me show you the way, Mister Khushrenada.”
The office was just across the hall. Milliardo waited until they were alone before he asked: “Since when did you know?”
“Since a few days,” Treize admitted. “I meant to tell you. I really did, but…” he started to explain but the younger man cut him off.
“Does this mean you knew before we went on the trip to the mountains? When you slept with me, you already knew that you were engaged?”
Treize couldn't even look him into the eyes. “Listen Milliardo, I'm sorry…I…”
“Oh, I'm sure you are.”
The acid in Milliardo's voice made the older man cringe, but he couldn't say that he blamed him.
For a moment it looked like the blond was going to say something, but then he just shook his head and snorted.
Treize didn't try to stop him as Milliardo turned on his heels and left the office. There was nothing he could say right now, nothing he could do that would appease the young man.
###
“Come on, Relena, let's go home.” Milliardo told his sister as he walked back into the meetings room.
“Mister Peacecraft,” Miss Une stopped him before he could turn to leave.
“Yes?!”
“I've heard that you opened your home to Mister Khushrenada and took care of him when he needed help. I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciate it. And…” She pulled out a check and handed it to Milliardo. “I believe this should be yours.”
The young man turned the paper in his hands as though he didn't know what it was. “What for?” he frowned.
“After Mister Khushrenada disappeared an award was put out for information leading to his safe return,” she explained. “Under the circumstances I think you more than earned this.”
Milliardo's frown turned into a scowl as he ripped the check into pieces and turned to Treize who has stepped into the room behind him.
“What do you think I am; some kind of prostitute? You know, if it wasn't for the ladies present, I would tell you what you can do with your money. Let's go, Relena.”
Treize just stood there, speechless for a few moments. When he finally was able to shake off his shock, he went after Milliardo, catching up with him in the lobby just as the young man and his sister were about to leave the building.
“Milliardo, please wait. You got it all wrong. At least let me give you a ride home. We can talk.” He gestured at the black limousine standing in front of the police station.
“That won't be necessary. We will take a cab,” the blond told him stubbornly.
“Are you alright?” Relena asked as they crossed the street to catch a taxi near the Downtown train station.
Her brother somehow managed to smile. “I'm fine. Don't worry about it. I knew from the start that this wasn't going to last after all.” I did, didn't I? So why does it hurt like hell, and why is my stomach in knots right now?
###
“Is there anything I should know?” Une asked as she and Treize settled down in the back of the limo.
“I'm tired,” he replied evasively. “I really don't want to talk about it right now.”
“I understand.” Une nodded. “Just drop me off at my place, please,” she told the driver, who was still holding the door open.
“Yes, madam.” The chauffeur nodded in acknowledgement.
They didn't speak, just stared silently out of the window, until the car stopped in front of Une's house.
“I'll call you later,” Treize told her. “Perhaps we can meet and talk over dinner.”
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T.B.C.
 
Author's Note: For those who might be wondering how the police connected Milliardo to Treize and arrested him after trying to pawn the watch… Expensive jewelry and watches have like an identification number and the police could (and does) use them to find an item that was stolen etc. Pawn shops often receive lists of stolen items etc they need to look for.
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