Disclaimer:I don't own them and I don't make any money off of them.
Warnings: Male/male sex, graphic, language, violence
Kracken
Disclaimer:I don't own them and I don't make any money off of them.
Warning:Male/Male sex, graphic, Violence, language.
Princes and Soldiers 3
6x2
Tables Turned
He hated to wake him. Sprawled in the overlarge bed, pale skin against paler
sheets and comforters, braid snaking out over the empty pillow beside him, Duo
look at peace. He had promised, though, sworn actually, not to let Duo sleep
late. Milliardo Peacecraft bent low and waved the steam of a hot cup of coffee
under his lover's nose.
Duo sniffed and cracked a red eye open. "You're a man of your word," he said and then yawned as he sat up.
"I like to think so," Milliardo replied with a twitch of his lips as Duo took hold of his long, pale hair and pulled him down for a brief kiss.
"I'm not about to miss Zanse being marched off to high security confinement," Duo told him as he took his coffee and sipped gingerly at it.
"You worked very hard to get the information that led to his arrest," Milliardo agreed. "You should have the place of honor beside Heero and Sally Po at the sentencing."
Duo nodded and then looked as if he were about to fall asleep again in his coffee. He yawned hugely and then sat, slumped and cross legged. His slim torso was covered in bruises and scrapes. One rounded shoulder had a four inch field stitch along the top. His eyes were shadowed and his cheeks looked sunken with exhaustion. A two week stint in the field, crawling through the well guarded complex of Zanse Enterprises, had taken it's toll. He needed the sleep he was denying himself.
"If you could stop lusting after me long enough to get my clothes," Duo grumbled, "I would appreciate it."
Milliardo chuckled, but then said as he turned to get the uniform he had already laid out for Duo, "I think it would be wise to bow out of the celebration that's likely to follow Zanse's sentencing. I'll inform Po that you'll be taking several days to recuperate."
Silence greeted that statement when Milliardo expected an argument. Duo Maxwell did not miss celebrations, especially in his honor. He turned back to the bed, with the uniform in his hands, and found that Duo had slumped sideways onto his pillows, asleep again.
Milliardo rescued the coffee cup. It was empty, but still warm. Sighing, he placed the uniform on the bed and then gently shook Duo's shoulder. "Love?"
Duo muttered in his sleep and curled up tightly. It was then that Missy, Heero's dog, padded in, tail wagging, and licked Duo in the face. Duo jerked away, spluttering and wiping at his cheek with the back of his hand as he yelled, "What the-! Heero! Come get your damned dog!"
Noin came in, clutching Heero's black, silk robe around her, and looking apologetic as she took hold of Missy's collar. "Sorry, guys!" She looked over at Duo and then snickered as she turned away, dragging the dog behind her."I think I have the better man, Mill."
Duo jerked the sheet over his body and snarled, "Hey! It's cold, you b-!"
"Duo!" Milliardo warned and Duo turned a deep shade of red as he stopped what he'd been about to say.
Noin laughed outright as she closed the door behind her. Duo glared at Milliardo, fully awake now. "I don't know how you expect us to be freakin friends when she says crap like that!"
Milliardo frowned when he saw Duo hunch in on himself with his arms crossed over his chest defensively. He was the first to attempt friendship with Noin. If he was going to be angry with her, Milliardo felt that there was more to it than a simple, friendly insult. "You believe it, don't you?" Milliardo asked in astonishment as he sat beside Duo.
Duo growled and reached for his uniform, intending to ignore Milliardo's question. Milliardo took hold of his hand and stopped him. "Answer me, " he insisted.
Duo looked as if he were chewing rocks for a moment and then he said irritably, "skinny, short, scarred... guess I have a right to feel a bit... especially around you. I mean..." His eyes went down to Milliardo's lap. Milliardo was wearing his own uniform and his red dress coat, but, at that moment, he felt completely nude.
Milliardo snorted. "If you're going to ridiculous and have a male inferiority complex, I'll show you just how magnificent you are when we return home." He caressed Duo's cheek. "You're strong, capable, and you managed to bring to justice a man the Preventer's have been after for years." His caress turned into a light slap. "Don't be foolish. Get dressed, now, or we'll be late."
Duo grunted and rubbed his cheek, "Yes, sir."
"Duo!" Heero called anxiously. "It's time to leave!"
"Coming!" Duo grumbled. He stood up and almost fell, off balance as he tried to get into his pants. Milliardo grabbed him around the waist to steady him and kissed the back of his neck.
"Skinny?" Milliardo said reprovingly. "Hardly! You are strength itself, tight, muscled, lithe..." He kissed Duo's shoulder, kissed the stitches there. "And these battle wounds make you all the more attractive to me."
Duo laughed nervously. "Maybe I should get more of them then?"
He turned in Milliardo's hold and looked up at him. "You're a damned giant and you're pretty impressive where every guy wants to be impressive. You're just... intimidating, " he admitted.
"Duo! Mill!" Noin called this time. "I have the car keys in my hand! If you don't come now, you will have to ride Missy to the sentencing!"
"Why did I want her to move in again?" Duo grumbled as he finished dressing.
"Because you love Heero?" Milliardo suggested.
Duo grunted, "That would be the reason."
_______________________
The drive to the court wasn't long, but Duo fell asleep as soon as they pulled away from the driveway of their home. Heero, in the front seat, smirked in amusement as he looked back at his partner sagging against Milliardo's shoulder. Noin, driving, frowned in her rear view mirror.
"He isn't in any shape too-" Noin began, but both Heero and Milliardo motioned her to be quiet. She sighed and said under her breath, "You two make me feel like the only adult here."
"He needs this," Heero whispered back and reached out to squeeze her hand, wanting her to understand.
They drove in silence, but the noise of the crowd in the court car park roused Duo again. He sat up, blinking blearily, oriented himself, and then frowned as he saw the Press and the crowd gathered between them and the doors they had to go through to enter the building. "I think we need security."
Heero nodded and made the call.
The crowd disturbed Milliardo. The prisoner was high profile, but it seemed odd that so many civilians would take such an interest. "Something is wrong," he announced and saw his companions give nods of agreement.
A security detail appeared around their car. Noin exited first, surrendering her keys to one of the armed guards. She spoke with them briefly, frowned sharply, and then gave a laser hot look at Duo.
"Okay," Duo muttered. "What the hell was that for?"
Noin leaned into the car. "Trouble, sir," she told Milliardo formally. "It seems Maxwell is being accused of improper procedures and targeting civilians."
"What the hell?!" Duo exploded in fury as he almost climbed over the back of the seat at Noin. "What fucker said that?"
Noin backed up, but Milliardo put a heavy hand on Duo's shoulder to restrain him as he asked, "Proof?"
"Witnesses, sir," Noin replied.
"Liars!" Heero corrected with a snarl, looking as if he wanted to break someone in half. "Duo and I planned the attack. There weren't any civilian targets."
"They are trying to stall the proceedings," Milliardo guessed. "Have they filed a motion to delay sentencing?"
"Unknown," Noin replied, "but likely."
"What's their defense?" Duo exclaimed. "They're innocent because they think I screwed up the infiltration and arrest?"
"I'm not a lawyer," Noin shot back, "but if the charges are bad enough, they can ask for dismissal of the charges based on that screw up."
"They can also have you arrested, Duo," Milliardo told him, knowing that the possibility had to be dealt with before they left the car. Duo looked furious, on the edge. He was already exhausted and probably not thinking clearly. The possibility of being imprisoned made him looked even wilder, even more dangerous. "If that happens, I'll make certain it's minimal security," Milliardo assured him. "Duo, you can't fight them."
Duo hunched in on himself, face looking... Milliardo was reminded of soldiers traumatized during the war. It wasn't quite that, but there was a shadow of it in Duo's eyes. Duo's stays in prisons hadn't been pleasant ones.
"I'll be there," Heero promised in a way that made Milliardo feel suddenly chill. Here was the part of Duo that Milliardo could never have, the part that belonged to Heero alone. Heero had Duo's back. Heero was the other half of Duo's psyche. Heero's voice left no doubt that he would do whatever it took to carry out that promise. Nothing would separate them
Duo nodded once, taking strength from that promise. He reached out. Heero locked fingers with him, a gesture of solidarity, and then they were releasing each other and climbing out of the car.
The courtroom was large and packed. Digital vidcams were being panned from every other hand. Milliardo led the way, under escort, to chairs near the front of the room near a group of men sitting at a high table.
Jacob Zanse was sitting with his council. When they looked over at him, he grinned confidently and nodded pleasantly. Duo snarled under his breath, "I wish I had put a bomb right under his damned leather executive chair."
"No, you don't," Noin told him sharply. "His being alive is proof that you aren't a loose cannon."
"They can say what they want," Heero commented as he kept an eye on the crowd, "but they still have to produce the bodies."
"Agreed," Milliardo replied, "but I still think legal council is in order. A misstep on our part might be disastrous." He took out a slim, silver cell phone and began making calls.
"Come to order!" a man shouted to the crowd. There was a slow settling and the people fell silent.
The man sitting at the center of the high table was looking at a small computer screen, squinting with small glasses perched on his beak of a nose. When he spoke, his voice was electronically amplified so that it carried easily. "The sentencing of Jacob Zanse is hereby postponed for one day until new information can be studied by Defense and Prosecution." He looked up over the top of his glasses at Duo. Duo's face was well known, and the judge didn't have to ask who he was as he addressed him directly. "Agent Duo Maxwell, you are charged with targeting civilians during a Preventer operation, falsifying evidence against Jacob Zanse in a personal vendetta, and wrongful arrest. Your case will be turned over to the Preventer Tribunal for trial. You are hereby ordered to present yourself for arrest by Preventer officers."
Two men, dressed in Preventer uniforms and wearing shoulder rifles, approached Duo cautiously, knowing his reputation..
"It will be all right," Milliardo assured Duo, seeing him go pale and tense up. He addressed the guards anxiously, "Gentlemen, if you value the peace, please allow Agent Yuy to accompany Agent Maxwell. I will clear it with Sally Po if necessary."
"We don't have any specific orders, sir," one of the guards admitted nervously. "This is as much a surprise to us as it is to you. Agent Yuy may accompany us until we receive orders otherwise."
Duo didn't relax at that news, but he was standing. He looked down at Milliardo, his emotions of distrust and anguish clear in his eyes, but between one heart beat and the next, Duo did what he did best. He switched emotional tracks. His situation couldn't be helped. While he still looked fierce and dangerous, he was grinning as well as he said jokingly, "Guess I'm going to be forced to rest after all, Mill. Think we'll get conjugal visits?"
"I'll make sure we do," Milliardo assured him, knowing Duo needed his support to help him shrug off his trepidation and do what had to be done.
Heero stood at Duo's side, giving him support just by his strong presence. Duo met his partner's eyes and then nodded. Together, they turned and followed their guards out of the court.
Milliardo looked over at Zanse. Zanse was still grinning. Milliardo's eyes turned ice cold as he told the man, "Justice will be done, Zanse. This changes nothing."