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"Friends "Written By: Karina
Series: Friends Pairings: 2+6 Ratings: M 15+ [In Australia] Rated in the event of bad language and violence. Disclaimer: I don’t own Gundam Wing or the characters. That’s the way it is. Warnings: Not a death fic despite how it starts.
Aussie spelling and unbetaed. Summary: When Milliardo Peacecraft is abducted
and left to die a solitary death Duo Maxwell decides to take a hand
in the proceedings.
Chapter 11 “Comfy?” Duo grinned, trying to disguise his discomfort. He was tired and physically he was done in from his efforts. Having chosen the meal they would eat he had dragged Marquise into the tent, opening the sleeping bag to check the man’s injuries. Satisfied the blonde was not about to die from neglect he had attended to more mundane, and embarrassingly personal, physical needs. He had attended to his own need when he braved the chill beyond the door to empty the bottle safely away from their living quarters. He had peed into a sheltered corner for fear of doing a physical injury to a more than delicate area of his body; having sensitive portions of his anatomy snap frozen was not his idea of fun. He had never been so pleased to tuck himself safely in his clothing and hustled himself back into the small cave, securing the door for the night. He checked his companion’s feet, noting they had almost torn open the sleeping bag dragging Marquise into the cave, but aside from bruising no great damage appeared to have been done. Tucking his sleeping bag over Marquise’s feet he had secured the two bags together, leaving the zip unsecured sufficiently to allow himself to slip within the beckoning warmth. He doubted Marquise would argue sharing body heat. Once the fire went out, and it was down to smouldering coals, their only means of staying warm would be each other. He would tuck his cold weather gear in the foot of the double bag to give their feet additional protection from the cold; he did not know about Marquise but he had found if his feet were cold, he was cold. Snapping the heating disk in the food pack he gave the bag a vigorous shake and waited, quietly counting to himself the required time for the pack to heat. “I’ll pull some stones into the tent as soon as we eat and close the zip. That should help. It’s certainly warmer now than it was a little while ago.” When he received no answer he glanced at his companion. Marquise looked to be a thousand miles away, one hand curled into his hair and Duo knew he was fingering the cut lock. He knew if someone had taken a pair of scissors to his hair to take a trophy he would have been more than miffed. He already knew Marquise thought as much of his hair as he did of his chestnut tresses. Anyone who took scissors to him would make a target of themselves. It suggested the would be murderer could be identified. After taking the trouble to take a trophy it was unlikely the hair would be simply thrown away. “We’ll find him.” Duo offered. “One can hope so.” Marquise whispered. “Hey, with the trophy as evidence we won’t have much of a problem proving his involvement. I hate the sicko’s, you know? There’s something about the psycho ones that makes my skin crawl.” “He may have wanted the hair for something else.” Duo hesitated, uncertain where this conversation might lead. “Such as?” Zechs dropped his hand and watched Duo pour the steaming soup into two mugs. He approved the sharing of the one meal; there was no need to waste rations. Who knew how long it would be before they could win free of the mountains? “Perhaps proof of the kill.” “You are thinking there may be more than one person involved. A murder conspiracy?” Duo thoughtfully chewed on his lower lip. “Why would you think that?” “You would need very specific information to break the security seal on my house.” Zechs seemed to be choosing his words carefully. “There may have been one killer, and from what little he said I do not believe he was a contracted hit man. To not only find me but to access the estate required he know a great deal of information classified for very few eyes to see.” “Suggesting he had help. Help in high places.” Duo agreed. “We will find out who and why.” “It was personal to him, I do not doubt that, but how did he know where I was? That is the more damning question; the question I need answered.” Zechs had not been wasting his time while Duo worked around him. He had been thinking on his predicament and trying to gain insight into his assailant’s reasons. “I am wondering if there may be a clue to be found in the date of my abduction. What day is it, Duo?” “Tuesday the 8th of December.” Duo returned, setting aside both cups and leaning down to grasp Marquise by his shoulders and lift him to lean against his lean frame. “Drink while it’s hot.” He was pleased Marquise had begun to use his name. In his view formality between them would be a joke given their circumstances. They needed to work together and foster trust if they were to survive the cold. During the time he had dragged Marquise to the pantry cave he had suggested they resort to first names and Marquise had willingly obliged. Besides, Duo mused, he was never a fan of formality and he sure as hell was not going to be Your Highnessing the older man. Not after stripping him, bandaging him, holding a bottle for him to pee into and would shortly share a bed with him. Trembling fingers closed around the cup and Marquise managed a sip before the shaking got so bad Duo reached a hand around his shoulders to steady the cup. “It’s okay, you’ll get stronger. I’m surprised you are doing as well as you are.” “The eighth.” Zechs mused, returning to the problem at hand. “I returned from my mission late on the fifth. The Saturday.” “He kept you sedated if you have no sense of time passing for three days. What would be so significant about waiting three days to kill you?” “Perhaps it is not the abduction date that is of importance, but the day he actually tried to finish me I should be considering. An anniversary, perhaps?” Duo shrugged, lifting the cup and making the man drink. It was blessedly hot and he wanted Marquise to take advantage of the warmth. “You know your past. Did anything significant happen on the eighth?” “Off hand I can not think of the eighth of December as being significant, but that is not to say it is not pertinent to this matter. The date might mark the anniversary of the day he received word of a death or significant event he might attribute to me.” “Hell of a lot of possibilities it might be. You were Oz Specials. You were part of a legitimate registered organization, not a rebel force. Your missions would have been sanctioned. Of course it might be related to a White Fang event?” Zechs frowned. “Perhaps… or not. What has the legitimacy of my being a part of Specials to do with someone hating me enough to commit murder? The human race is capable of killing for a multitude of reasons, and revenge is right up there in the top five. It may not be personal, but I think this is very personal to Him. I do not think I am being held to account for something the Specials or White Fang might be accredited with. If he waited so long to set me up to die on this day in particular, which I think is not chance but by design, then offhand I can not think of a mission which might explain it.” “Not that that means it is not related to a mission you completed in the past. As you said, it may commemorate the day he heard about what ever it was that ticked him off so much. It might just as easily be related to something you did more recently.” Zechs sighed softly and sipped more soup. “It could be anything.” Duo set aside his empty cup. “Well, he hates you enough to go to a fair amount of trouble to kill you. We know he has contacts that are privy to your files to gain the security information enabling him to breach your home security. That has to narrow down the field of possibilities.” Duo set both empty cups near the entrance to the tent and decided it was time to sleep. “The fire is almost out, only a few coals remaining. I’ll put a bit of snow on them so there is no danger of the fire being blown back to life. This puzzle can wait until tomorrow when we have clearer heads.” Zechs watched Duo douse the coals and roll hot rocks into the tent. The rocks were placed carefully, so as not to present a fire danger or the possibility of either man burning himself. Satisfied he had done what he could to make them secure and safe for the night Duo removed his boots and he slid his slender body into the sleeping bag. Duo pretended not to hear the hiss as his clothes caught on bruises and welts earned in Marquise’s captivity as he worked the zip carefully closed. Turning off the hand torch he wriggle to a more comfortable position and sighed softly. It was incredibly black with the torch off. Duo considered himself fortunate. He was safe, holding little fear the cabin would collapse; he was warm enough and would get warmer with their combined body heat in the sleeping bag, and they were fed. All things considered they were in good shape and certainly things could be a lot worse. The puzzle of the killer could wait for another time. Given their current position even should the killer return it was doubtful he would find the cave immediately, if at all. He would certainly not be able to find them without making sufficient noise to wake him. He was a light sleeper and he was armed. “Do you have a gun in here or are you just glad to see me?” The deep voice in his ear drew a shudder from him, one he hoped the man did not feel, even as laughter was forced out of him in a low snigger. Marquise had one sexy as hell voice and he snorted, thankful for the clothing he wore separating him from that large and very naked body. “As it so happens, yes.” A low rumble of amusement sent a shiver up his spine. He would have expected some woman to have snapped the man up by now. Sultry seduction seemed to ooze from that husky voice so close in the darkness. What was it about the absence of light that altered his voice into something spine shivering in a good way? “So which is it?” “I’m sure as hell not intending to kiss you good night.” Duo chuckled. “Ah. Pity. I don’t suppose you could move the damn think a little, could you? For him to ask Duo knew the gun must have been a problem for him physically. Given how severely parts of Marquise were bruised it did not come as a surprise however he wanted the weapon close to hand. He would feel exposed without it. “Do you need pain meds?” The fact Marquise hesitated before responding told him the man was in pain, but after a moment Marquise shifted slightly and uttered a soft sigh. “No. It’s not bad as yet.” “What is hurting?” A low snort in the darkness revealed Marquise was amused by the question. “Just about everything, but a hunk of metal pressed against my thigh is just a little too much.” Duo shifted the automatic. “Don’t expect me to kiss it better.” “But mum, you know I can’t sleep without a goodnight kiss.” Came the whisper. Duo laughed softly. “Go to sleep, son, or I will slap your arse.” “Do I get to turn over first?” A short hard bark of laughter seemed to relax the man and Marquise was silent thereafter. For a time Duo listened to the storm raging beyond the cave then, content enough with his proximity to one who had once been an enemy, he relaxed. He had not expected Zechs Marquise to have that much of a sense of humour.
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