title: pristine
author: trixie
disclaimer: nope, not my boys…
summary: Zechs, the snow, and death.
notes: for clare, for, er, christmas… um. for spring! ^_^ asked for gw and a prompt of snow… don't know how you feel
about Zechs, hon, but when i think gundam wing and snow, i think zechs…
~*~
He staggered away from his escape pod. The snow was thick here… in his unsteady
state, he remembered his youth, and the Christmases spent in the
What was it about him that urged people close to him to commit suicide for his
name?
He trudged through the snow, going away from the escape pod, climbing up the
mountain. He should be going down; the lights of the small town were visible
even from here, whereas he was walking into the darkness. Still, he had little
doubt that he'd be saved. It was his fate that he would be denied the comfort
of the grave, as far as he could tell. The moonlight and the stars made the
snow even more beautiful and incredible, and it seemed natural that he should
go up.
When he no longer had the strength to move, he let himself drop into the snow,
and he leaned against a tree. He thought about his sister, and how she was
feeling. Would she be more anxious for him, or for Noin?
Even as he thought it, he had to know the answer. He barely knew Relena, and Noin was one of her closest friends.
He closed his eyes, and thought about battles fought, and comrades lost, and
quiet nights, like this, that resided far back in his memory. He thought of his
lovers, the ones he had buried, and the ones he left behind. He wondered about
some of them. He wondered why he never let Noin have
her way, when he was so willing to be accommodating to strangers, on occasion.
He fingers were getting cold. It was almost spring;
this late snow would be the last, and as it melted, it would flood the valley,
making a good harvest possible.
Was everyone so philosophical at death's door? It must be tiresome for death.
He smiled to himself. He must try to be a more courteous guest. After all,
death was an old friend. He should greet him with a smile.
"You really are an idiot, aren't you?"
Zechs opened his eyes, and looked up. "Ah. I was
waiting for you, Sir Death. It's been a while, hasn't it?"
Duo rolled his eyes. "Great. You're delusional and stupid. It's no wonder
everyone is willing to lay their lives down for you, Prince."
"Don't call me that," Zechs murmured,
closing his eyes. "You know I hate it."
"Yeah, and I hate it when idiots go falling out the sky on my watch and
make me trek all over hell's half acre so they can stargaze. We all deal. Give
me your hand."
Zechs smiled. "Are you going to take me away,
Sir Death?"
"Sure," Duo promised loftily. "I'll take you to the moon and
back. Just give me your hand."
Zechs reached out, and let Duo lift him to his feet.
Duo slipped his arm around Zechs' waist, and led him
down the mountain again. "You can take me anywhere you like."
"Yeah, you say that to all the boys," Duo teased. "Behave
yourself, and I'll give you a treat when we get to my ship."
"I know you say that to all the boys. If we're going to start
flirting with each other, we should use new lines."
"Fine, I'll pull out the fresh material when I'm not freezing my ass
off."
Zechs smiled, and looked up at the sky. "Did she
live?"
"Let's just concentrate on getting your royal ass to safety, ok?" Duo
sighed, and pulled Zechs a bit closer to him. It
occurred to Zechs that he was taller and heavier than
Duo, and maybe he should be standing a bit straighter, but Duo wasn't
objecting, and Zechs was enjoying the closeness. "One step at a time, right?"
"Whatever you say, Sir Death," Zechs
sighed. He reached out to catch some snow that had frozen a premature bud on a
bush.
If he was courteous to death, one day, he might be able to pass over that
threshold, to a place of peace that those he loved and admired had already
found. He would have to resign himself to patience until then.
~*~
end