Comfort within the Silence

by: a psycho chibi named Wendy

Disclaimer: Do I really have to keep doing this? Would I be writing fanfiction if I owned this? Would you? Didn't think so. *gets a nasty look from some legal type person* Fine.. I don't own it. Duh.

Summary: Zechs finds himself back on Earth at the Preventers after a painful event. There he finds an equally suffering Quatre. A sudden offer brings the two of them closer as they try to lead each other out of an endless depression.

Warnings: Language, mild shounen-ai/yaoi, angst, mentions of suicide

Pairings: eventual 4+6, past 4xOC

Author Rant: Dunno what provoked me into writing this, but I like the results. Set about 3 years after the Barton foundation dealie.

Enjoy~

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Chapter 1

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"They've done a lot to this place..."

Wandering through the newest addition to the Preventer HQ, Zechs was carefully committing every new corridor and room to memory. It had been two years since he had last been in the peace keeping organization. His entire life had been consumed by the Mars terra forming projects, but things changed.

'Not now.. I came here to get away from that..' he thought with a bitter scowl etched into his features.

Depressing memories constantly tried to tear at his mind, but he was doing everything he could to keep them at bay. Thus why he had ventured back to Earth. Perhaps a change of scenery and a completely different job would get him back on a path forward. Anything that would pull him from the stagnant rut that he had fallen head first into.

Just the smell of the new leather and the feel of the soft lining of his recently issued Preventers jacket was enough to settle his frayed nerves. He huddled deeper into the jacket and took a deep breath to hold on to the moment. It was the first step to his much desired change. The first of many, but this time he knew he had to tread carefully.

Too many rash decisions got him into the state he was now. Too many quick choices, not enough thinking. All his life he pounced on the first thing that seemed like it would get him where he wanted to go. His patience worn away to nothing from lack of practice. Now he was left with the result of those hasty decisions. Left alone to come to terms with all the consequences from them. The moment he stepped foot back on the Earth he could only come to a single conclusion.

"I haven't changed... After everything I've done, I'm no closer to finding what I want than I was when I joined Oz." he mumbled to himself for what seemed like the hundredth time.

It was a bit humiliating. To realize that all the pain and everything he sacrificed was all in vain. He may have helped others along the way, but he was still unable to help himself. He couldn't grasp that elusive little bastard called happiness. He couldn't remember the last time he cracked a smile, let alone being happy.

"Dammit.. More depressing thoughts.. I'm so pathetic.." he muttered while mentally kicking himself.

It was seeming close to impossible to keep himself distracted. The moment he let his thoughts wander they would always zero in on what took place a couple of months ago. The thing that set this entire self pity party train into motion.

"No.. I'm not going to think about it.. Dammit.. I need a better distraction.."

He sulked his way past a large pair of doors, but paused when he caught sight of the sign on the wall next to them. "Research library.. This is new. Maybe I can drown myself in some books." He seriously doubted research material would be enough to take his mind off his troubles, but he was willing to try anything before resorting to drinking at some hole in the wall bar. He had marinated in enough booze before he sat out on his journey home.

Another growl left him as he quickly entered the library. On entering he was immediately impressed. Countless books filled towering shelves that lined the walls of the large room. There was a row of computers in the back of the room near the large windows, but the smell of old and new books dominated the space. A few chairs and tables were set up close to the computers in back, but in the center of the large room there were a few plush couches and arm chairs. The added comfort was a bit unexpected, but the thought of curling up on the soft looking couch to get lost in a thick book sounded like bliss to Zechs' over stressed mind.

He was about to start roaming the shelves for anything that caught his interest when something caught his eye. At a large armchair that was facing away from him were stacks upon stacks of books. Some of them looked close to toppling over from how high they were piled.

"Strange.. Who would just leave that many books lying around?" he questioned the silence around him.

Zechs approached the armchair, but as he drew closer he noticed a black jean clad leg draped over one of the round armrests. 'Someone's in the chair...' He couldn't really identify the occupant from the leg and the heavy black boot that encased the foot, but a glance towards the other armrest showed him a peek of pale blonde hair. This made him frown slightly. Who at the Preventers had that hair color?

Deciding to find out, Zechs moved around the armchair to get a look.

Sprawled out on the large blue arm chair was a lean young man, perhaps 19, that looked to be fast asleep from the way his eyes were closed and his breathing was slow and deep. His long black clad legs were hooked over one of the arms of the chair while he was using the other for a pillow as he dozed. His right arm hung lifeless at his side over the edge of the seat cushion, and the book he had in his hand was starting to slowly slip out of his grasp.

At first Zechs didn't recognize him, but a closer inspection of the pale sleeping face behind the long tousled bangs triggered a memory. Images of a similar face, a younger face, glaring at him defiantly filled his head. 'Wait.. Is this Quatre?' The last he had seen the young Arabian, he was on some sort of business trip to view the progress of the Mars terraforming project. That had been almost two years ago. 'Damn.. He's grown up a lot since then..' Despite the relaxed pose, Zechs could clearly see the sharper angles to the once petite body. Quatre was definitely maturing elegantly, and one glance at the legs hooked over the arms made him guess that the former pilot was close to his own height now.

He hadn't expected to run into the young diplomat here, let alone stumble upon him sleeping in a public area. Although he really couldn't blame the Arabian. He couldn't count how many times he done something similar when he was a small boy. Locking himself in his father's grand library with mountains of books piled around him. It was one of the few good memories he had of his past. Something he desperately wished he could do again.

The fact Quatre could sleep so deeply in such a public place was a bit curious to Zechs. The boy was once an infamous terrorist. Constantly on the run, and avoiding death at every turn. From looking at the way he was resting peacefully, it was hard to imagine that the gentle looking blonde could do harm towards anyone, but Zechs knew better. He had witnessed first hand the brutality that Quatre was capable of in battle. The power and skills that he truly possessed at such a young age.

It was almost surreal to look on at the fit young man in such a relaxed pose and know that he was once one of the notorious gundam pilots that seemed to thwart his every move. 'I wonder if all the gundam pilots can rest this peacefully...' Zechs mused to himself. He knew that he couldn't.

A pang of jealousy attempted to fester in his mind, but he immediately dismissed it as a pointless waste of time. Quatre wasn't his enemy any longer. In fact he welcomed him with a smile when he returned after his year long absence. Accepted him and led him and the others through the Barton foundation attack. Quatre never held any hostility towards him.

'Not even when I tried to kill him when I led the White Fang.' Back then he knew that Quatre was the only thing that truly stood between him and his victory. Heero was merely a grudge match. His only threat was that cunning mind behind those deceptive innocent eyes. Once he had time to think over everything that he had done, he realized the only mistake that he made was not eliminating the Arabian sooner.

It was a bit ironic. The cause of his downfall was blissfully unaware of his presence. If he was still bent on revenge, it would be so simple to rid himself of the source of his humiliation.

But he barely gave the notion attention before letting it fade away. 'I have no reason to hate him. He was the better of the two of us. He won. Like a chess game. He protected his pieces better than I did. Used them better than I did. No point in hating someone that simply played the game better than I could.'

His eyes lingered on the sleeping face for a moment longer before a slight frown pulled over his features. 'He looks too peaceful.. I should probably leave him be...' His gaze drifted down to the book that was slowly slipping from the pale hand. 'I better get that book before it falls..' He knew all too well what soldiers were capable of when they were suddenly woken, and the sound of a book hitting the floor was bound to startle the blonde.

Zechs quietly approached the sleeping Arabian and bent over to take the book from the pale fingers. His steady hands easily slid the book from the long fingers, but before he could pull away a strong grip clamped over his wrist. Surprised by the bruising force around his wrist, Zechs shot his attention to the narrowed blue eyes that were staring at him. He made no move to pull away from the near painful grasp and met the half dazed glare calmly. "Quatre."

The sound of his voice seemed to confuse the younger blonde, but once the aqua colored eyes blinked a few times they widened with recognition. "Zechs..?" He quickly released his grip on the older man's wrist and struggled slightly to sit up. "I'm sorry.. I didn't mean to grab you like that. You startled me." he apologized while scrubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

Pulling away, Zechs resisted the urge to rub at his faintly throbbing wrist. 'Damn.. Kid's got a killer grip..' "No, I should apologize. I didn't mean to disturb you. I was just trying to take the book you had before it fell to the floor."

"Book?" Quatre repeated as he glanced towards the hardback cover that was in Zech's hand. On seeing the title he groaned slightly before leaning heavily against the armrest. "Oh that.. Damn.. I don't even know how long I've been in here.." he muttered in a very tired voice.

Zechs glanced over the title and saw that it was some sort of history text. "If you don't mind my asking, what are you doing in here?"

A weak laugh left the Arabian as he rubbed lightly at the back of his neck. "Avoiding reality."

The answer both perplexed Zechs and made his heart beat a bit harder. "Avoiding reality..?"

"Yeah.." A somber look fell over the young face for a moment before a smile formed over the pale lips. "I see you've joined up again. What brings you back to Earth?"

Seeing that smile again made Zechs relax a bit. He moved to one of the tall book stacks and placed the one in his hand on top. "Trying to make a new reality for myself, I suppose. I wanted a change. Thought I might as well make myself useful while I'm here." He noticed another glint of what appeared to be some sort of sorrow in the blue eyes. "What about yourself? Have you joined?"

"I'm debating. I've been here on a volunteer basis for the past few weeks. I haven't decided if I want to start working full time."

Intrigued, Zechs tilted his head slightly. "I thought you were doing work for your family's company." The moment he said it he noticed the Arabian wince slightly and bow his head. It was enough to cause him concern. "Something wrong?"

Quatre let out a slow breath and shook his head. "Not really. Things.. Didn't pan out with the company. I stepped down a few months ago."

That actually surprised the older blonde. "You stepped down? I never heard anything about it..."

"My family kept it out of the news..." Quatre heaved a sigh and forced himself to stand. "Anyway.. It's good to see you, Zechs. It's been quite a while."

When the Arabian stood, Zechs was a bit bemused when they really were the same height now. "Apparently. Last time I saw you I was still looking down. This is quite the surprise."

Quatre gave another laugh. A stronger and more genuine one. "I know. I shot up like a weed about a year ago. I'm actually taller than everyone else. It's rather funny, really." His attention drifted towards the stacks of books, and he visibly wilted. "Heh.. I don't know why I picked out so many.. I'll never have the time to read them all... Half of them I'm fairly certain I've already read..." he chuckled as he moved towards one of the bigger stacks.

Quatre picked up the book on the top of the pile and flipped through it. A soft smile appeared on his lips as he glanced over all the photos of famous works of art that covered the pages. "You know... Life truly is unfair. So much beauty is out there.. But we never get a chance to enjoy it." He snapped the book closed and looked at the cover for a moment. "Kind of makes you wonder if what we're doing is really so important that we can't find the time to enjoy our own existence..."

The quiet words stirred a strange feeling in the pit of Zechs' chest. He had little time to ponder it when that somber look was back on the Arabian's face. "Quatre?"

Shaking out of some sort of daze, Quatre instantly had an apologetic smile on his tired face. "I'm sorry. Here you've just come back and I'm being all melodramatic." He placed the book back on top of the stack and loaded his arms up with as many as he could carry. "I'll just put these away and then you can have the place to yourself."

"You don't have to leave on my account." Zechs replied, not wanting to chase off the younger blonde.

"No, it's okay. I've spent too much time in here anyway. I should probably go get something to eat. I can't remember if I had breakfast this morning."

The way the Arabian almost seemed to be rambling made a slight frown form over Zechs's brow. From what he could remember Quatre had always been very precise. Well organized, and consciously aware of everything around him. 'He seems so distracted.. Exhausted even..' When the young blonde was squinting to look at the labels on the book spines Zechs knew he needed some help.

His vision simply wouldn't cooperate. When the letters on the labels refused to come into focus, Quatre felt the stress and tension steadily build up. 'Shit.. I can't even read a damn label..' His jaw set rigidly as his fingers gripped tightly at the hardback cover. He knew he was close to losing his composure, but he was startled out of his brooding when a warm hand settled over his shoulder. His head jerked to the side and stared blankly when he saw Zechs standing close behind him. "Z.. Zechs..?"

The fear in the wide eyes was so clear, and it truly surprised the older man. 'What.. What's wrong with him?' "Let me help you. You look tired." He gave the Arabian no time to decide when he took the majority of the books from him.

Quatre watched numbly as his one time enemy began placing the books easily back in their rightful places. Before he could blink, the books were gone from his arms, and the older blonde was already half way through the stacks that had been around the armchair. It embarrassed him a bit that he was being so pathetic, so he bowed his head to hide the blush dusting his cheeks. "Thanks... Heh.. Maybe I shouldn't join... I've been pretty useless lately." he muttered while rubbing at the back of his neck.

Although the last part was barely a whisper, Zechs was looking back towards the Arabian in concern. The way he seemed to be drawing into himself was a discouraging sign. "Now that I think about it, I could probably do with something to eat as well. Mind if I tag along with you?" he asked as casually as he could while putting away the books.

The offer was enough to throw Quatre physically off balance. He was able to keep himself from stumbling and placed a confused stare at the other man's back. "Didn't you want to use the library?"

Zechs shook his head and kept his tone neutral. "Not really. I've just been wandering around the new additions to familiarize myself with the different layout. Was just curious at what sort of books they were keeping in here." An uneasy silence replied, so he decided to keep talking. "Is the cafeteria food still as bland as I remember?"

That pulled a weak chuckle from Quatre as he nodded. "Unfortunately. Only the workers that don't care about gnawing on cardboard bother eating there."

"Ah, so Maxwell still hates it then?"

"Of course. He's been known to break into the kitchen and lock the cooks out so he can fix something halfway enjoyable. It usually a full house whenever he can manage it. He's a really good cook."

A bit surprised by that information, Zechs hummed softly as he put away the last book. "That's interesting. I'll have to make a point to be present the next time he commandeers the kitchen." He turned his attention back towards the blonde as an idea struck him. "There's a quiet bistro a few blocks away. If you'd rather not chew on cardboard, we could go there."

The fact the older man seemed to be set on them going together perplexed Quatre, but he couldn't deny he would like the company. A smile returned to his lips as he nodded. "That's sounds good."

"Alright. Let's go."

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The walk to the bistro was comfortably silent. Neither really had an urge to fill the time with idle chat. It was something different for the both of them. No awkward conversation. No random questions to kill the time. No pointless observations. Just a companionable silence that needed no embellishment.

It was nice.

When they reached the bistro the majority of the tables were taken on the inside due to the dinner rush. It was a pleasant enough evening, so the pair opted to sit outside on the patio. It was also quiet despite the constant pedestrian traffic walking along the nearby street. Their waitress was polite, and seemed to flirt with the both of them. It was amusing, but they both paid it no heed. It didn't take long for her to get the hint, but she only seemed to become even more polite towards them. They found it strange, but they made no comment when she left them alone once they ordered.

However there was only so much silence that Quatre could handle. "So have you gotten used to being back on Earth yet? I know it can feel rather strange after spending so much time in space." he commented lightly as he stirred his iced tea with a straw.

"The gravity difference took me a few days to adjust to, but I'm not tripping over my own feet anymore." Zechs answered with a slight smirk at his own expense. "Things have certainly changed around the area. It's a lot more peaceful than I remember."

Quatre nodded and turned his attention to the commuting masses that passed them by. "Everyone at Preventers has been doing a really incredible job. I really don't know what help I could possibly provide over there." He glanced back at his companion and smiled. "Now that you've come back I'm sure things will go even smoother. I really shouldn't waste their time."

The way he was subtly putting himself down made a slight frown form over Zechs' face. "You wouldn't be wasting their time. You're still a brilliant strategist. Those are always valuable in times of war and peace."

"Heh.. I'm flattered, but I'm not quite the brilliant young mind that I used to be." Quatre's hands fiddled absently with the paper ring that had held his silverware together. "As Duo would put it, I've 'lost my mojo'. Nothing I seem to do anymore is worth the paper it's written on. Hell, I can't even play chess anymore without getting my ass handed to me." A sad expression fell over his face as he tried to keep his voice steady. "I'm probably a liability to them. I should really back out now before I get them into trouble."

Zechs was about to protest when he eyes caught sight of the Arabian's pale hands. They were visibly trembling as they fumbled with the paper ring. Something horrible was weighing down on the young man, and it looked as if it was ready to crush him at any moment. "Quatre.."

"So how's Miss Noin?" Quatre suddenly asked, but his head didn't lift.

The name made his chest clench, but Zechs found himself easily brushing away that still fresh pain. Quatre was trying to divert the topic away from himself, but Zechs was still concerned. He decided to answer truthfully. "I honestly don't know. We split up a few months ago. I haven't heard from her since." He silently congratulated himself when his voice stayed calm.

Quatre's head lifted to show a worried frown. "Oh.. I'm sorry. I didn't know..."

Zechs easily held up a hand and waved away the topic. "It's okay... Things.. Just didn't work out."

"I see..." Quatre looked towards his hands and seemed to grimace when he saw how badly they were shaking. A deep sigh left him as he scooted his chair away from the patio table. "I'm sorry, Zechs.. I'm probably not the best company you could have at the moment.. I should probably go.."

When the Arabian suddenly stood up Zechs found himself instantly reacting. "Quatre, wait. Don't go." he quickly called out as his hand gently took hold of the retreating arm.

Stopped by the warm grip, Quatre felt his heart thud against his chest. "I'm not really up for dinner and a chat, Zechs..." he whispered, but made no move to pull away.

"Then it can just be dinner. You don't have to say anything, Quatre." He tightened his grip slightly and kept his gaze steady on the face that refused to meet his gaze. "You said yourself that you were tired and needed to eat something. Just sit and rest."

Quatre felt torn for a moment, but finally met the concerned pale eyes watching him. "I don't want to bore you."

A slight smirk curled Zechs lips. "I prefer quiet company. Sit. Our food should be arriving soon anyway."

Unable to argue with that kind of logic, Quatre let out another sigh and nodded. "Alright. But please let me know if I become too depressing to look at." he added with a weak smile.

Zechs gave a slight chuckle as he finally released the pale arm. "Deal."

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Not a single word was said during dinner, and, to their surprise, they were both perfectly content with that. Eye contact was also kept to a minimum, but the few times they did catch the other's gaze a slight smile was shared between them before they continued eating. When the check came Zechs tried to get to his wallet, but Quatre had passed his debitcard out before he could think to protest. He gave the younger blonde a light glare, but a sweet smile was the only reply he received. Seeing that honest smile was enough to get Zechs to back down.

The waitress seemed to giggle softly at their silent exchange, but said nothing as she retreated to ring up the charges. Her behavior was confusing, but the two blondes still made no comment.

When they finally set out from the bistro Quatre forced himself to speak. "So have you found a place to stay yet?"

"Not really. I've been crashing at the break room in the security level the past few days. I really haven't worked up the will to go hunting for apartments." Zechs admitted as he followed the Arabian down the street.

That information had Quatre frowning slightly. "That doesn't sound too comfortable. What about your things?"

A careless shrug tilted Zechs' broader shoulders. "I don't really have much. Just a few changes of clothes and some books. If I bothered to get an apartment it would have to be a fully furnished one. I'm not about to go out and buy a house load of furniture when all I need is a bed and working plumbing." he concluded while lightly kicking a stick out of his path.

Quatre chuckled and stuffed his hands into his pockets. "I understand. From what I understand, Heero lived at HQ too for over a month before Duo finally dragged him out to get him a place."

"Heh. Well, if he could do it, I'm sure I can." Zechs mused aloud.

The fact Zechs was looking at it as a challenge made Quatre laugh. "Well, it was fine for a workaholic like him. It's not exactly productive for anyone that likes their privacy." he pointed out with a knowing lilt to his voice.

"Okay, you've got me there. It is annoying hearing everyone lurking around constantly. I wouldn't mind sleeping in on occasion either." the older blonde admitted. He couldn't really remember the last time he had slept in.

The bright smile returned to Quatre face for a moment, but then an idea struck him. He paused to the side of the sidewalk and pulled his companion with him so the other people walking around them wouldn't run them over. When he had Zech's full attention he rubbed lightly at the back of his neck again. "This may be stupid of me to offer, but I have a spare bedroom at my apartment downtown. If you wanted, you could crash at my place until you found something better."

The offer was highly unexpected, but Zechs frowned as he gave it serious thought. "Are you sure? I wouldn't want to impose."

"It's not imposing if you're invited, Zechs." Quatre chided on a chuckle. "You don't have to make any decision now. It's just an option."

It was one more option than Zechs currently had. And the thought of a real bed instead of a lumpy old couch was very tempting. "How far away is your place from HQ?"

Another smile lit up Quatre's face as he pointed down the street. "Another mile. If you'd like, we could go there now so you can have a look around."

Yet another unexpected offer. This time Zechs shrugged slightly and motioned the Arabian on. "Sure. Lead the way." The way his answer seemed to make Quatre happy pleased him. 'When was the last time I've really made someone else happy..?' At the moment Quatre seemed to need that little bit of joy. Zechs was glad he could provide it.

Silence was all that they shared from that point as they made their way down the street. It was strange how they could so easily stand the lack of conversation, but it really was a welcomed change of pace for Zechs. Having to endure endless baiting and complaints about not communicating left him even more against the idiotic formality. Here he felt no pressure. No expectations. It was nice.

'If it continues like this, maybe I should accept his offer. Not like anyone else is going out of their way to make me feel welcomed.' True he had yet to really be sociable with the rest of the staff, but he really didn't feel like it. He didn't want to put up with the same irritating questions and having his life's story dragged out of him. The only ones that he really didn't have to concern himself with were the five gundam pilots, Sally Po, and Une. They already knew just about everything. 'But still.. That would mainly be awkward. And they don't know about Noin yet..'

Zechs glanced back towards the Arabian. Once Quatre knew about the two of them he made no further attempts at prying. The concern was apparent, but Quatre didn't breech the subject again. That's what he needed. A sympathetic ear, but one that knew when to let things be. With the others it was certain to be one extreme or the other. Not that comfortable medium that he had now. 'Seems like that's what Quatre needs as well...' He wasn't about to pry into what was causing the younger blonde so much pain, but he was worried. He remembered a passionate kid that was brimming with confidence and determination. What he saw next to him was barely a shadow in an adult form.

"This is my building."

Shaken from his thoughts, Zechs looked at the tall apartment complex. 'We've already walked a mile...?' "It looks like a pretty nice place." he commented as he took in the tan brick exterior with beautifully arched windows.

"It is. The landlord is a very nice man. His wife has been trying to teach me how to play croquet in the back garden, but I'm still pretty horrible at it." Quatre mused as he started up the walkway to the large blue wooden door.

Zechs chuckled at the thought of his once brutal enemy learning croquet from an elderly lady. "I'm sure you'll get the hang of it."

"I really doubt that. From what I understand, she likes to cheat." Quatre added while opening the door. He gestured for his companion to enter first, and was soon leading the way towards the elevator at the back of the main hall. Once in the elevator Quatre pressed the button for the top floor.

The elevator was surprisingly fast, making it seem like a few seconds before they arrived at the top floor. When they stepped out, Zechs was a bit baffled when he saw the short hallway ahead of them only had one door. "There's only one apartment up here?"

"Yeah. It's a loft apartment. The place is ridiculously huge. I'll show you." Quatre moved down the short hall and pulled a key from his pocket. Once the door was opened he stepped aside and motioned for the older man to go in.

Zechs stepped into the apartment, and the moment he did he was immediately stunned. Twelve foot ceilings, hardwood floors, crown molding, large windows with built in bench seats, shelves lined with books, and an elegant navy blue furniture set positioned just so in front of an enormous entertainment center. And this was only the livingroom. "Damn.. This place is nice.. But why is it so big?" he questioned as he wandered though the spacious area.

"It was a gift." Quatre answered as he shut the door behind them. "I tried to get something smaller, but my three youngest sisters insisted I take this. Everything is bought and paid for. They made it impossible for me to turn it down."

"I see.." Zechs placed his hands on the high back of a plush armchair and liked how soft the fabric was against his palms. "A bit excessive, but it's quite classy. I like how open it is."

"Yeah, Duo's trying to talk me into throwing a big party up here for Halloween. I'm still not too keen on the idea. I'd hate to disturb the rest of the building." Quatre gestured towards a hallway on the right and started down it. "The spare bedroom is down here. I had argued that there wasn't much point of one, but now I think I may have to thank them for their foresight." he quipped before heading to the first door on the left in the hallway.

Zechs followed, and took a look inside the offered bedroom. Like the rest of the place, it was spacious with a queen sized bed between two tall arched windows. There was also a large dresser and a vanity waiting to be used. He moved into the room and was already picturing himself being very comfortable here. No flash, simply done, and room for anything he might want to add if he decided to. 'A lot better than that lumpy couch.'

"This is nice." He moved to one of tall windows and glanced out. The vantage point gave him a clear view of the downtown area and the crowds that swarmed the streets. "The view is good too. My last apartment the only view I had was of a brick wall."

Quatre gave a soft laugh and leaned against the door frame. "Duo's old apartment was like that. He actually tried to bribe a few kids into tagging the building next door so he could have something different to look at." When his little story pulled a chuckle from the older blonde, Quatre felt himself relaxing a bit more. "Anyway, this room would be all yours if you decide to crash here. There's only one bathroom, and it's across the hall."

"Only one bathroom? Seems a bit odd for such a large place." Zechs pointed out as he walked back towards the door.

A little smirk formed on Quatre's lips and he stepped into the hallway. "Odd yes, but the bathroom is probably my favorite room in the entire loft." He moved to the door opposite of Zechs' room and opened it wide. "I swear, it's the greatest bathroom ever."

Now intrigued, Zechs crossed the hall and looked inside the opened doorway. "Oh damn..." Black and white tile done in a checkerboard pattern covered the floor of the large space and led to the walls that were done in black and white flower mosaics. On one side there was a black hot tub the looked large enough to fit five comfortably, and on the other there was a white tiled shower that had multiple chromed shower heads and built in bench seats.

A bit stunned, Zechs stepped into the bathroom and could only blink in amazement. "This place is huge.. You could fit twenty people in here..."

"I know. It's ridiculous. The toilet is behind the door past the shower, the floor is heated, and there's a tankless water heater on this floor. So hot water is in the shower instantly, and you don't have to worry about it running out. Duo and Sally make up excuses all the time to come over here to use my shower." Quatre added on a laugh.

"Heh, I don't blame them." Zechs could barely imagine having the luxury of such a grand place to start his morning routine with. "This would certainly beat the showers at HQ... You're making it difficult to pass up such a generous offer, Quatre."

That bright smile was back on the Arabian's lips. "You haven't seen the kitchen yet. All stainless steel appliances, marble counter tops, huge fridge, walk-in pantry, double stacked ovens, professional cooking range, and a kitchen island bar. The quality is obscene. Duo's sworn to commandeer it soon for a party."

Zechs was certain the bemused expression was amusing when the younger blonde began snickering at him. With a slight groan he raised his hands in surrender and bowed his head in defeat. "Okay, you win! This place beats the hell out of the security break room."

Beaming at his victory, Quatre stuffed his hands in his pockets and leaned back against the doorjamb. "That mean you've decided?"

Smirking, Zechs lifted his head and gave the epic bathroom another once over. "Yeah. I'll crash here for now. Now that you've beaten me into submission." he added dryly just to hear the laugh it provoked.

"Fantastic. It'll be nice to actually have another presence around here. So do you need any help bringing your stuff over from HQ?" Quatre asked as he stepped back into the hall.

Readily following his companion back to the livingroom, Zechs shook his head. "Not really. All I have is a duffle bag of clothes and one box of books. I can have it all here in under an hour."

"Okay. Let me know when you'd like to bring your stuff over. I'll get you a set of sheets and pillows for your bed."

Zechs pulled up his sleeve and glanced at his watch. "Actually I could go now. Should be back before sunset."

"That's fine. Hold on..." Quatre reached into his pocket and pulled out a pen and the receipt from their dinner. He quickly scribbled out something on the slip of paper and held it out to the older blonde. "There's my number and the number for the apartment line. Give me a call if you need to. I'll see about getting you a key tomorrow."

Taking the paper, Zechs scanned over the two numbers briefly before placing the paper into his pocket. "Alright. I'll head out now. I shouldn't be gone too long."

Quatre was clearly excited as he moved to open the door for his new roommate. "Great. I'll have your room ready and some coffee made by the time you get back."

The added thought made Zechs smile. "Sounds good." Without another word, Zechs stepped out of the apartment and headed for the elevator. He heard the door close behind him, and let out a short sigh. 'Damn.. I was not expecting this...' he mused as he pressed the down button.

He wasn't having any regrets, but things were moving a bit quickly. 'What happened to no more rash decisions? That lasted a long time.' he thought sarcastically.

But as he thought over everything that had happened over the past few hours he found his hand reaching up to trace the faint curve that was still on his lips. 'But.. He got me to smile... Laugh even... How long has it been?'

As the elevator doors opened, Zechs felt his lips twitching upwards again as he stepped inside. 'I'll see where this leads. Maybe we can help each other out of the ruts we appear to be in.'

Even if he couldn't help himself out of his own, it would be worth it if he could bring the light back into those sea colored eyes.

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TBC

Where will it lead?

This story will be 6 chapters long.

I'll update weekly.

Later~