major_eternity

From Now to Eternity

I don�t own any of the Gundam Wing characters, or Gundam Wing. Otherwise, I�d be forced to give Zechs up to my best friend, and promise never to write another 6x9 fic.

I�m not sure about the rating on this one. It�s not quite PG-13, but it�s not PG either�oh well. I�m just being cautious.

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It�s about three o�clock here on colony L2D310, and I�m taking my daily afternoon walk along the paths of the main park. In my right hand, I have a leash, and attached to that leash is my best friend. But he�s more than that. In a sense, he is my eyes.

You see, I did make it out alive in the explosion. Alive, but seriously injured. Most of my wounds healed, leaving only a few scars. However, one did not�or could not.

I am blind.

I feel two tugs on the leash, one telling me that there is someone coming, and the other directing me to the right. Aries never fails to alert me of everything going on. I call him that because it is the name of the mobile suit that she preferred to pilot during our Lake Victoria days. I miss those times, partly because I could always walk down the hall and see her, and also because I was still the famed Lightning Count. Those days are gone now; I haven�t seen her in over a year, and I doubt I can pilot a mobile suit.

Aries is slowing down. He must find the person interesting. I�m glad I decided to wear the hat and dark glasses today. Wouldn�t want anyone to recognize me.

�Hello,� I say politely.

�Hello. Do you mind if I pet your dog?�

I freeze. That voice!

�No,� I say with more calm than I feel. Could it be her?

�Thanks.�

I stand there, fuming because I can�t see anything more than dim outlines, and because I can�t think of anything to say.

�What�s his name?� she asks me.

�Aries,� I reply.

�Interesting. Can I ask your name?�

Perfect.

�Only if I can ask yours.�

She chuckles. �Fair enough. Mine�s Lucrezia Noin.�

Oh, God, no. I didn�t want to meet her like this. But a deal�s a deal.

�I actually have two names,� I start. I can almost see her raising her eyebrows.

�Funny. I used to know someone like that,� she says, almost sadly.

�Used to?�

�Yeah. He�he died in an explosion a year ago yesterday.�

She thinks I�m dead. �Really?�

�Well, that�s what everyone says. I�I don�t believe them.�

�Why not?�

�Just�because. I guess I don�t want him to be dead. I miss him so much.�

She misses me.

Before I can say anything else, there is a rumble of thunder overhead.

�That�s odd,� she says. �We weren�t scheduled to have any thunderstorms today.�

�Hmm,� I say. �I really should be going.� I don�t want to, though.

�Where do you live?� she asks.

�East 9th and Chestnut.�

�That�s too far, with a storm coming. My place is just a little ways away. Why don�t you wait there until it passes?�

�Are you sure?� I ask, although inside my heart is beating rapidly.

�Of course. Besides, you never told me your name�names,� she corrects, laughing.

�All right,� I say. Thankfully, she reaches out and grasps my arm, pulling me along a different path. Aries trots beside us, joyful because he has a new trail to explore.

�Your dog seems happy,� she notes.

�Yes. He likes to go out.�

�He also seems well-trained. Can you let him off-leash?�

I hesitate, unsure of how to respond. Yes, if you don�t let go of my arm?

Suddenly, she puts things together. �Aries is a seeing-eye dog, isn�t he?�

�Yes,� I admit. How will she respond?

I feel her bend down, and hear a click. She straightens up and tucks my arm more firmly into hers. �There. Now he can explore.� We walk in silence for a few minutes. I can feel her leg brushing against mine, and it is driving me crazy.

�Why are you being so nice to me?� I ask abruptly.

She sighs. �I guess because you remind me of him�Zechs.�

I don�t know how to respond. How can I tell her that I am Zechs?

�Here we are,� she says finally. �There are about six steps��

I carefully place my foot on the top of the first one, gauge the distance, and then proceed to climb the rest with ease.

�Once you know the height of the first, the rest are easy,� I say.

She is silent. What did I do?

�Your�your hair�� she whispers.

Oh no. I forgot that the hat only hides so much of it.

�I�m sorry,� she says. �I�m sure there are many people with that color hair.� But I can tell from her voice that she is shaken. �Let�s get in. Come on, Aries.� She unlocks the door and steers me in.

�Thanks,� I say. Where do I start?

�I�ll go make something to drink,� she says hurriedly. I hear her leave the room. I�m grateful, because this gives me time to sort out my thoughts.

Do I tell her who I really am, and risk anger and rejection? Or do I keep quiet, wait until the storm passes, and then possibly never see her again? I know she loved me before, but that was when I was still the Lightning Count, one of the most famous and skilled mobile suit pilots ever. And she still loved me when I became the leader of the White Fang, and wouldn�t give up. Will this love extend to a blind ex-pilot who can�t even walk on his own?

I finally decide to tell her. At least she�ll know that I still love her.

Carefully, I slip the hat and coat off. I then pause, because I have no idea what color my eyes are. I have heard that blindness can cause a color change. Are my eyes some other shade than ice blue? Only she can tell me.

I hear her come into the room. Sliding the glasses off, I prepare myself.

�I�m sorry, all I have is�� she trails off as I slowly turn around. �Oh my God��

�My names�� I speak clearly and distinctly, �are Zechs Merquise and Milliardo Peacecraft.�

There is silence. I shift uncomfortably, unsure of what to do, and dreading the reaction silence implies. Suddenly, I feel someone crash into me full-force, and we land on something soft.

She is clutching my shirt and sobbing heavily. I don�t know what to do except hold her tightly and stroke her hair. After about fifteen minutes, she has calmed down considerably, and lifts her head from my chest.

�Why didn�t you say something before?� she asks. I am relieved that she does not sound angry, merely curious.

�I wasn�t sure it was you at first,� I say truthfully. �And I was also afraid that you would reject me because I�m blind.� I lift a hand hesitantly. �Can I��

She doesn�t say anything, just grasps my hand and lays it against her cheek. I gently trace the outline of her features, trying to build a mental picture.

She hasn�t changed much, I note. I still wish I could see her face, though.

�How�how much have I changed?� I ask quietly.

�Not a bit,� she replies softly, caressing my forehead.

�My eyes are still the same color?� I am surprised.

�Yes, they are.� She continues to trace my features. Then, on an impulse, she entwines her arms around my neck and kisses me passionately. I respond, deepening the kiss- this is the beginning of what we both need and want. I gently coax her lips apart, and begin to explore her mouth. She moans in pleasure, which just encourages me. I run my hands along her sides and stomach, and she makes no move to stop me.

Finally, we both realize that air is needed, and break the kiss. She lays her head on my chest, hands still intertwined at the base of my neck.

�I thought you wouldn�t come back,� she says softly.

�I never thought I would find you,� I answer.

�How long are you going to stay?�

That question caught me off guard.

�How long do you want a helpless blind man to stay?�

�First of all, you�re not helpless. And second, I�m not the person to ask, because my response is forever.�

�Then I�ll stay forever. But be honest. Do you really want a blind man?�

�Zechs, I said I�d never leave your side. Blindness won�t stop me from fulfilling that promise. It�s not necessarily a bad thing- only troublesome when you�re living alone, which will not be the case anymore.�

�You still want me?�

�Yes, I want you.�

�In that case, I have something for you.� I carefully shift her off me, and sit up.

�No, I�ll get it.�

�I really can��

�Yes, you can, but I won�t let you. Now, where is it?�

�In my coat.� I can hear her rummaging through the pockets, and then a soft gasp of surprise. Apparently she�s found it.

�Bring it here,� I instruct. She places it in my hand; I can tell she is trembling.

Carefully sliding off the sofa, I drop down onto one knee and reach out to grasp her hand.

�Lucrezia Noin, will you marry me?� I gently slide the ring out of the box and hold it up for her inspection. Thankfully I bought this before the explosion, and remember well what it looks like.

�Yes,� she whispers, and I slip the ring onto her finger before embracing her again.

I cannot believe it- we are going to be married. She is mine forever.

Suddenly, she pulls me up with her. �Come on,� she says, leading me toward another room. I know what she wants, and I�m not about to resist.

I slowly open my eyes even though I know all I will be able to see are dim shapes. There is very little light in the room, so it must be early morning. I sit up and feel her stir next to me. A hand reaches up to brush my bangs.

�Good morning, Zechs,� she says, and I drop my head down for a kiss. She slides a hand across my upper back, and stops suddenly.

�A scar?� she asks in confusion.

�You didn�t notice?� I am amused.

�Well, no. Is it from the explosion?�

�Yes, along with the one here�� I place her hand over the scar across my chest, �and the one on my lower back.� I place her other hand there. Her hands are so warm. �Those three were the worst. I have smaller scars here and there, but these are the easiest to notice when you�re paying attention.�

I can imagine the glare she is giving me, but pretend not to care as I kiss her softly.

�So the only thing that didn�t heal��

�Was my sight.�

Sighing, she runs a hand along the first scar. I reach down to touch her face; there are silent tears streaming across her cheeks. I wipe them away gently and rest my forehead against hers.

�What time is it?� I ask.

�Five-thirty a.m.�

�I usually take Aries for a walk around this time.� Sure enough, I could hear a faint scratching at her door.

�I�ll come with you,� she says. I gently pin her down, hands on her shoulders.

�You don�t have to do this for me,� I murmur, dropping a line of kisses down her neck and across her shoulder.

�Well, I want to.� She doesn�t stop me from kissing her, though.

�I don�t deserve you,� I say softly, removing a hand from her shoulder and caressing her cheek.

�It�s not a matter of deserving. I love you, and I�m fairly sure that you love me, especially after last night, so that�s good enough for me.�

�I love you,� I say, and kiss her again just to make sure she knows. Aries interrupts us again before we can get much further.

�I think he really wants to go,� she says, chuckling. I reluctantly release her, and we shower and dress quickly.

�All right, boy, we can go for a walk.� I bend down and clip the leash to his collar. I will let him loose once we reach the park.

I sense her presence beside me, and wrap my arm securely around her waist.

�Let�s go,� she says. I offer her a smile, and we set off for the park.

I can feel the change in the air temperature when we reach the park. It is slightly cooler because of all the trees.

�Here, Aries, you can run.� I deftly unclip his leash, and he takes off. I can hear her laughing at his antics, and pull her around to face me.

�We�ll be together,� I pronounce softly, tilting her chin upward, �from now to eternity.�

I can almost see the smile lighting up her face.

�Yes�� she says, clasping her hands at the base of my neck as I lean down to kiss her. �From now�to eternity.�

This is my first strictly Zechs and Noin romance. I think it�s pretty good for a first attempt. You can choose when this took place�as an alternative to Endless Waltz, or after Endless Waltz.

Ja ne,

The Major