“Yo! Mil!” Milliardo spun around sharply, hand withdrawing from the door handle it had just rested on, and met the violet gaze of Duo Maxwell. Milliardo spared Duo a small smile, absently flicking an irritating strand of platinum blonde hair over his shoulder with a long finger.
        “Good afternoon Duo. Is there something you want?” Ever the gentleman, Milliardo waited patiently.
        “When you act like this, Mil, it just confirms my judgment of you being a high-priced poodle.” Duo’s grin widened slightly as Milliardo glowered and snarled softly.
        “A poodle? Hardly. I fancy myself more of an afghan hound.” Mil couldn’t help but grin at the shocked expression that plastered itself over Duo’s face, the younger man spluttering slightly in disbelief.
        “Somebody break out the champagne! Milliardo made a funny!”
        “And Milliardo’s going to make Maxwell into a pancake if he doesn’t get to the point.” Milliardo wore a look that clearly said he would do it, so Duo just chuckled and got to the point.
        “Whoa, easy there Mil! I’m going out on the town tonight, I thought you might like to join me?” Duo looked hopefully at the tall blonde, meeting shining, thoughtful blue eyes. Duo quickly converted to his puppy-dog face, something he used all too often on Milliardo, and it caused the man to cave. He heaved a sigh, shaking his head and raising his hands in surrender.
        “Fine, I’ll come.”
        “You need an enemy before you can surrender Mil.” Duo laughed and clapped Milliardo on the shoulder with a smirk. “But that’s great! I’ll pick you up at 8:00 and we’ll head out! Catch you later man, gotta meet Heero. He says we have to go over a report or something.” Milliardo just waved Duo off, shaking his head softly as he watched the braided man all but bound off. Though Mil didn’t out-age Duo by much, he still felt like he was decades older than the bouncy, energetic fool. With a soft sigh, Milliardo turned back around and entered his office without another sound, heading straight to his desk and dropping gracefully into the over-stuffed, high-backed office chair.
        “Perhaps I shall allow Zechs Marquise to live for one night…” Milliardo grinned as he leaned back in his chair for a moment before sighing and getting to work on a report. Milliardo had gotten back from a mission just yesterday and was rather glad to be going out for a night of relaxation. He just hoped Duo didn’t want to go too wild…

       Milliardo glanced through his wardrobe, eyes skeptical. What, exactly, did one wear when “out on the town”? He looked at a dark blue turtleneck, but shook his head at it. It was almost 8 o’clock and Duo would probably be early, knowing the young man.
        “What am I to wear?” Milliardo collapsed on the edge of his bed and rubbed his temple in mild frustration when he heard the door more or less slam open.
        “Yo! Mil! I’m here man!”
        “I’m upstairs Duo!” Milliardo ran a hand through his hair; eyes closed as he listened to Duo come up the stairs and enter the master bedroom.
        “Hey, you’re not ready yet!” Duo looked rather skeptically between Milliardo and the open walk-in closet. With a mild grin, Duo slipped into the closet and started to browse through the rather extensive wardrobe. “Jeez, all these clothes and its still slim pickings man. I have got to take you shopping one of these days.” Duo’s voice was raised so he could be heard from outside the closet. Mil had just given up on looking and was still in his uniform. Just the thought of Duo Maxwell taking him shopping for clothes scared him. What would that boy put him in? Milliardo shuddered at the mere thought. “Yo, you alive man?” Duo’s head appeared from within the closet and Milliardo looked up, not smiling, but nodding slightly.
        “Yeah, I’m alive.”
        “Good, because I think I almost have an outfit. I haven’t dug deeper into your closet yet though, so give me five minutes.” Milliardo just nodded and decided to go have a shower.
        “I’m going to have a shower Duo. If you find anything, just leave them in front of the door.”
        “K!” Milliardo rose to his feet and went into the master bath without a backwards glance at the closet, even when he heard a rather irksome crash. He just went into the master bath, closed the door, locking it for good measure, and went about his typical shower routine. Turn on the shower, making sure the water was just right, and then strip off the rather ugly Preventers uniform before stepping into the comforting steam and warmth.
        “Why is it I don’t trust Duo’s taste in clothes?” Milliardo chuckled, both at the stupidity of that question and the fact that he was talking to himself. Shaking his head softly, Milliardo went about washing his hair, doing so slowly to prolong exposure to whatever Duo drug up from the depths of his closet.
        “I found something Mil! It’ll look awesome on you! I’ll go wait downstairs!”
        “Fine.” Milliardo picked up his pace a bit and was soon out of the shower, a towel wrapped around his waist and tied there while he carefully went about drying his hair. The last thing he needed was to have static happening. Once the towel had done its job, Mil picked up a hairdryer and a brush and finished drying his hair, watching it fall back to its typical cascade of platinum blonde. Time to face the…outfit…thought Milliardo. Cracking the door open slightly, Mil looked around his bedroom quickly and then picked up the bundle of clothes Duo had left beside the door. Retreating back into the bathroom, Milliardo took a look at what he was going to be wearing. A silk shirt of powder blue was paired with black pants that Milliardo didn’t recall ever wearing. With a snort he realized Duo had also hunted around and found his underwear drawer, because a fresh pair of silk boxers was in the pile. “Fool…” Milliardo just shrugged slightly and got dressed. He couldn’t have done any better anyway.
       Once fully dressed, Milliardo had no idea why Duo had chosen this outfit. It was so…formal and stiff looking. With a soft sigh, Milliardo ascended the stairs to find Duo lazing on his couch and enjoying his big-screen TV, which was hardly ever touched. Milliardo cleared his throat softly and Duo promptly turned off the TV and turned to look Milliardo over. It helped the man none when Duo laughed.
        “What is so funny?” Mil sounded insulted and was looking down his nose at Duo, who just shook his head and stomped a foot softly.
        “Milliardo Peacecraft, do you not know how to take a shirt like that and turn it into a babe magnet?”
        “Babe magnet?” Milliardo lifted and eyebrow, not exactly following Duo, but not liking the terms used either. Duo just shook his head and went about the task of making Milliardo look a little less like a rich snob and more like a, well, playboy.
        “Listen Mil, Duo’s crash course in going out on the town. First of all, have fun. Second of all, look good enough to draw attention. Thirdly, relax! Fourthly, leave Preventers BEHIND!” Duo chuckled as he tugged the shirt out of Mil’s pants so that it hung loosely from his muscled frame. But when Duo reached for the buttons, Milliardo withdrew.
        “I understand all of that, but why in God’s name are you going for my buttons?” Duo laughed again and grabbed a handful of Milliardo’s hair, pulling him forward and making the ex-Lightning Count cringe and smack Duo’s hand. “Let go of the hair.” Milliardo snarled and Duo promptly released the blonde locks.
        “Look, if you undo half of those buttons you’ll have more eyes on you than you can count!”
        “Isn’t that just a little inappropriate?”
        “Not for where we’re going pal!” Duo laughed and, before Milliardo could say a word, had actually popped all the top buttons off the shirt, revealing Mil’s broad, toned chest. “PERFECT! Now let’s hit the town! Come on!” Duo grabbed Milliardo’s arm, but was stopped when Milliardo planted his feet. Upon looking at the man, Duo’s eyes widened slightly.
        “For tonight, Maxwell, I’m Zechs Marquise.” There was what could pass as a feral grin on Zechs’ face and Duo just nodded in response, startled by the sudden change in his friend. There was even a gleam in the blue eyes Duo hadn’t seen since the war. Zechs grinned again and then shook Duo’s hand off deftly before leaving the house, closing the door behind him. He slid gracefully into his car, watching as Duo scampered out after him, and just as Duo was in the seat, the door still open; Zechs started the car and roared off and into the ever-darkening city, grinning as Duo yelped in surprise. The braided man simply wondered: What happened to Milliardo?

       Zechs pulled up outside a loud bar that was located in one of the poorer neighborhoods. He gave it a rather incredulous look, but then just shrugged, turned off his car, and stepped onto the cracked concrete. He watched Duo get out and then followed the braided man into the club, his blue eyes glaring at the bouncers that stood on either side of the door. He couldn’t help but grin as the two ape-like men recoiled from him. Upon entering the bar, Zechs paused a moment to look around, surprised. It was only loud because of the band that played on a stage at the far end. There was a nearly deserted dance floor and many tables and booths scattered. Zechs automatically went to the bar, sliding onto a stool without a word to Duo, allowing the man to go off in his own direction. The bartender, a young woman dressed in a skimpy manner, approached him almost instantly. He ignored her wink and the stance she put herself in, leaning across the counter to allow Zechs a view down the low neck of her shirt.
        “How can I help you handsome?” Zechs grunted softly, hating the smell of nicotine and booze that wafted from her.
        “Just give me a beer.”
        “Coming up sugar.” Zechs grimaced, eyes roving the bar again. Most of the women there were dressed in small clothing. Micro-mini skirts and shirts that barely covered (as well as a lack of bras Zechs noted) seemed all the rage at the dirty little tavern. When his beer arrived, he paid for it and then gave the woman some extra money.
        “Buy yourself a fucking bra woman.” He took his bottle and stalked off with a grin on his face, knowing the bartender was giving him a shocked look, surprised that she hadn’t affected him in any way. Zechs wove through the few people that were standing around talking and found an empty table to sit at back in a dark corner, not too far from the stage where the small band was playing. He looked around again with distaste and then took a deep drink from his beer.
        “There you are Mil!” Zechs glared at Duo, snarling softly.
        “Who’s Mil? I am Zechs.” Zechs fixed Duo with a pointed stare and Duo nodded hastily as he took the seat across from Zechs.
        “Right, sorry. You already found the bar I see.” Duo nodded at the beer in Zechs’ hand, Preventer Wind just nodding slightly in reply before taking another drink from the bottle. “So you saw that broad at the counter?”
        “You mean the one without a bra?” Zechs quirked a rather annoyed eyebrow, drinking once again from his bottle. Duo laughed, smacking the palm of his hand against the table, causing Zechs to snarl in annoyance.
        “So you were the one who told her to buy a bra?!” Zechs nodded, eyes fixed on the band as he listened to them play. They were horrible, they really were. Zechs didn’t claim to know everything, or anything for that matter, about rock music, but he knew that that band was horrible. “She was bitching about some guy telling her to buy a bra when I got there! She’s royally pissed man! I wouldn’t buy another drink while she’s on shift, she’ll poison it or something!”
        “Hn.” Was all Zechs replied with, continuing to absently drink from his beer. Naturally, this annoyed Duo, especially since there was one Heero in the ESUN and that was all that was needed.
        “Come on Zechs! We came here to party!”
        “That’s hard to do when the music’s crap and the bartenders are sluts.” Zechs spoke rather sharply, but Duo was positive it was Zechs Marquise he was talking to, not Milliardo Peacecraft. “Just let me be Duo, you go enjoy yourself to your heart’s content, I’m fine right where I am.” Zechs never even glanced at Duo as he spoke, he was still watching the band and trying to decide whether or not he wanted to go back to the bar and insult the bartender some more.
        “But you sound so damn depressed!”
        “So? This is a party for me Duo, I usually spend my nights doing follow-up reports or something.” Duo sighed and ran a hand through his chestnut bangs with a snort.
        “You know what? I’m going to find a nice girl to introduce you to!” At Zechs’ look, Duo continued. “Don’t worry Zechs! I promise you she won’t be a slut!” Duo then got up and scurried off before Zechs could strangle him. Zechs just sighed and stayed seated right where he was, leaning back in his chair and flipping his booted, yes booted, feet up onto the table. He vaguely wondered what kind of whore Duo would drag over to meet him.

       Zechs had finished his beer long before Duo ever returned, the braided boy grinning wildly. Zechs saw no woman in tow and hoped the man’s search had been unsuccessful, but luck never did shine on Zechs Marquise and soon he noticed Duo had stopped and was waving wildly for somebody to follow him. A moment later a young woman appeared from a small crowd. She wasn’t a slut…and it surprised Zechs. She wasn’t dressed skimpy, even if her clothes did cling tightly to her figure, they covered her properly and, if Zechs’ guess was right, she had a bra.
        “Zechs! I found somebody you can talk to!” Duo pulled out a chair and Zechs watched the woman sit in it from the corner of his eye, noting that Duo was sitting across from him again. “Zechs, this is…”
        “Thorn, Thorn Ohtar.” Zechs looked at the hand the young woman extended, noting the many heavy, antiqued-silver rings that adorned her slender-looking fingers. With a bit of a sneer, he shook her hand, nodding slightly.
        “I’m Zechs Marquise.” His voice was low and he turned his gaze away from the woman again, having found the band fascinating since Duo had left.
        “Not much of a talker, are you Zechs?” Thorn’s voice was cool and it made Zechs snarl in the back of his throat. “Duo said that you liked to have good, civil conversations and I’m willing to offer the opportunity.” Zechs looked at Thorn, the tone of her voice not what he would expect from somebody who came to a place like this. It sounded almost…businesslike.
        “I admit; some intelligent conversation would be welcome…Thorn.” Duo was grinning wildly and soon bounded off to leave Zechs and Thorn to talk. “So, what do you do for a living Thorn?”
        “Keep the peace. You?” Thorn was idly leaning back in her chair, one arm hanging limply over the back of it while she sat at a sideways angle.
        “Keep the peace.” Zechs nodded softly, allowing a small smile to flicker on his features. He ran a hand through his long blonde hair with a small sigh of boredom.
        “Bored?”
        “Yes, I don’t get out a lot and more often than not I find places like this are not to my liking or interest.” His eyes roved, noting that people were actually starting to head out to the dance floor.
        “Then why did you come here?”
        “One word, Duo.” Both Zechs and Thorn laughed softly, Zechs shaking his head. “Do you know Duo?”
        “Yes, I’ve known him for about two years now. He’s a good friend and somewhat of an idol of mine. Throughout the entire war I had wanted to be just like the Gundam pilots.” She smiled, her eyes glazing over in a faraway look. But she shook herself back to the present. “But here I am boring you with my history. I’m sure you don’t want to know my life story.”
        “I’m sure yours would be more interesting than mine.” Zechs grunted softly, a frown drawing his handsome features.
        “I doubt it, but it’s not really a matter to argue about. Did you ever have an idol?”
        “Yes…during the beginning of the war…I had an idol. He was killed, though, at the end of the war, near the Libra battleship by one of the Gundam pilots.” Thorn’s face seemed to twist in what Zechs could only describe as pain.
        “Oh God! My idols killed your idol! I am so sorry!” Zechs genuinely laughed, shaking his head softly and allowing a smile to stay on his face.
        “He had become my enemy by the time he died, but he was idol before then. He was a good man…with strong beliefs and the ability to gain and keep support. He died defending his beliefs.” Zechs’ smile never wavered and it was his turn to become distant in thought. Zechs was remembering the time, back at the beginning of the war, when Treize had been his commander and friend. It all ended…it all ended when his mask shattered and he became Milliardo Peacecraft once more. He chuckled softly and ran a hand through his hair, deftly sweeping it back. “I came here to enjoy myself and here I am, dwelling on the past.”
        “I know what you mean. Usually I come here in an attempt to drown the past, but most of the time it doesn’t work.” Zechs looked at Thorn, nodding his head in understanding after a moment. “Hey…” Thorn paused for a moment, glancing around herself warily. “Would you like to dance?”
       Zechs had to admit, he was taken a little by surprise at her question. He had to actually stop and think, rubbing the back of his neck absently. “Well…I don’t exactly…”
        “You don’t dance?”
        “I don’t do club dancing.” Zechs stated blandly, trying to hide his mild embarrassment at the admission.
        “I’ll teach you! It’s so easy!” Thorn was beaming, eyes laughing, much to Zechs’ dismay.
        “I really…I’d rather not…” Zechs looked around at how all the others were dancing, noticing the large amount of contact that the various bodies (and body parts) made. Zechs did ballroom dancing, but this was anything but his barrel of fish.
        “Oh come on! Do I have to get Duo in on this?!” Zechs’ eyes widened at the mention of Duo getting in on it and he promptly allowed himself to be dragged out onto the dance floor. He was nervous and it helped none that Thorn bumped up against him in an attempt to teach him a move that he wasn’t paying any attention to. “ZECHS!” He felt something smack his chest and looked down at Thorn, smiling very slightly. Thorn shook her head in dismay and waved somebody over. Much to Zechs’ horror, it was Duo that showed his face a moment later.
        “What’s the problem Thorn?” Duo stood beside the young woman, looking at the rather embarrassed and nervous Zechs Marquise.
        “Zechs here doesn’t know how to dance!”
        “Are you suggesting we teach him?” The pair shared a sly grin and Zechs took an automatic step back, not liking the ravenous looks on their faces.
        “Exactly…” Duo and Thorn smirked and dove forward, each of them grabbing one of Zechs’ arms and all but tossing him into the center of the dance floor. Before Zechs could even shout a curse back at the laughing pair, women started coming up to him left and right and he could do nothing but tolerate them and attempt to move along with them so that he didn’t wind up getting groped too badly. Thorn and Duo stood off to the side, leaning on each other as they laughed their asses off and watched poor Preventer Wind get all but smothered in women.
       For almost two hours it went on like that, Zechs finally drawing himself from the crowd, cursing a few women that tried to get him to dance again but wound up getting brushed off like the dirt they were (or so Zechs felt). He collapsed in an empty both, running a hand through his mussed hair and making an attempt to do up his totally unbuttoned shirt, only to find that almost all of the buttons had actually been popped off. With a grunt of annoyance, he left his shirt and sank back into the booth. It didn’t take long for Thorn and Duo to find friends, both trying to keep themselves from laughing at his angry, disheveled look.
        “Have fun Zechs?” Zechs glared at Duo, frowning deeply, but Duo just chuckled and gave him a hearty slap on the back. Thorn was grinning from ear to ear and leaned across the table to tug at the collar of Zechs’ shirt.
        “Bunch of lucky bitches, the ones that danced with you. You still owe me a dance you know.” Thorn gave him a serious look while Zechs wiped a hand over his face, glaring out at the dance floor.
        “Do I have to?” He looked between Duo and Thorn and knew that he had to. With a sigh, he got to his feet and held out his hand to Thorn. “Let’s get this over with.” Thorn laughed and ignored his hand as she got to her feet.
        “I’ll be your best dance partner of the night Zechs! You won’t regret this…” Thorn winked at Duo over her shoulder and, upon reaching the dance floor, started dancing. Almost naturally, Zechs started to move with her. He had come to ignore anytime a body touched his, even if his body couldn’t ignore it his mind could. And his body certainly couldn’t ignore Thorn when she bumped up against him or ran a hand across his chest with a feral grin on her features.
       Jeez…she knows what she’s doing… Zechs didn’t know Duo was sitting in the booth, laughing his head off at the sight of a very stoic-looking Zechs. He knew Zechs was trying not to look like he was enjoying himself, he could see the battle going on between Zechs Marquise and Milliardo Peacecraft. And after dancing for ten minutes with Thorn, Zechs Marquise won over. Zechs’ eyes were ablaze and there was a small, animalistic grin on his features has he started to move with more meaning, Duo watching with laughter in his eyes and rolling from his lips when he started to touch Thorn.
        “YEAH ZECHS! GROPE ‘ER!” Zechs didn’t hear his friend’s shouts, but he was starting to enjoy himself now. And the evening had only begun…

On to Chapter Two

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