R&R 


Noin slowly peeled off her OZ uniform and draped it acrossthe back of a 
chair.  It felt so niceshedding the scratchy industrial clothing and letting 
the cool air flow overher skin.  The bath was almostready.  She was 
completely ready for anight of R & R.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. АЬJusta second!АЭ She cried as she ran to get her robe.  Quickly wrapping it around herself, she ran to the door to herroom and pressed her face against 
it.  Shit, she thought, I can never relax, can I? АЬWho is it?АЭ  She said 
inas calm of a voice as she could.  If this isnАЩt a matter of life and death, 
I swear to godА АЬItАЩsme.АЭ  That low, cold, and almost husky voice that she new so well.  
Zechs. But there was something else in it.  It was almost higher than normal 
with somethingА concern?  Desperation? Noin quickly opened the door and hustled him in the room.  Her breath caught in her throat as he brushed past her. She loved being close to him, she 
loved theway he smelled warm, the way his hands were softer than they looked, 
and the way that his icy eyes would sometimes melt when he laughed.  
He walked past her without more than a slight pause, and sat down on the 
chairwhere she had hung her clothes.  He looked at them, then her, then at the 
floor. 

АЬAreyouАbusy?АЭ  He asked making sure that his eyes were focused on a piece of 
lint clinging to the industrial carpet.  Noin laughed and walked over to him so 
her legs where obstructing his view of the floor. АЬIt's okay, I was just going to take a bath. What is it?АЭ АЬI donАЩt want to keep youААЭ Noin knew that tone. If there was one thing she 
had learned about Zechs in the many yearsthat she knew him, it was that if he 
thought he wasnАЩt rightfully doing something, he would not do it no matter 
what the cost. 

Noin shrugged. АЬI guess you wonАЩt be interrupting anything then. He lookedup 
at her, surprised.┬  He apparently missed the mischievous look in her eyes. АЬIguess IАЩll come back when itАЩs a better time then,АЭ He said, still somewhat bewildered.
 
АЬInever said you would leave, did I? Nowget up,АЭ Noin commanded, and her 
higher rank obeyed. She moved the chair facing away from the bathtub and 
smiled. 

АЬThere,now I take my bath, and you tell me whatАЩs on your mind. АЭIf only I 
could do what was on my mind, she thought regretfully. Zechs sat down 
cautiously and as soon as his back was turned, she slipped off her robe and 
stepped into the hot bath.  It felt good to have the warm water surround her 
and wash awayher worries. But that wasnАЩt the point now. Zechs was here for 
a good reason, and she was going to find out. 

АЬZechs,IАФАЭ 
АЬIАЩmleaving,АЭ he cut in. Leaving? 
АЬWhat are you leaving?АЭ She asked, trying tokeep the panic out of her voice. 
АЬOZ. I canАЩt stay here. ItАЩs Trieze.┬  I feel like he has such a strong hold 
on me, I canАЩtАж I just canАЩt escape him.АЭ 

Noin leaned back in the bathtub so that the water covered most of her head. I 
knew it. Him and TriezeА АЬYoulove him,АЭ She said softly. She felt like she wanted to cry. She took a quiet and deep breath and bit her lip so she wouldnАЩt make a sound. 
АЬIdonАЩt know. But even if I did, there is someone else.АЭ Someone elseА can 
he possibly meanА 

АЬZechs,please donАЩt leave,АЭ She choked. 
АЬNoin,I didnАЩt come here to say goodbye. Iwant you to come with me.АЭ  Noin 
felt a bubble of hope fluttering up inside her chest. She wanted to get up and 
touch him, hug him, kiss him, be next to him. She could barely 
think coherently.  This is what she had been waiting for all of her life. And 
she couldnАЩt think of a thing to say. 
АЬIААЭShe was completely tongue tied. 
АЬNoin,please say yes. I want you to come with me.  I need you to.АЭ 
АЬYes. ┬  IАЩll come.┬ Please, I want to.АЭ  She slowly got up out of the bath.  
Dripping wet, she wrapped her arms around him from behind. АЬZechs, IАЩve been 
waiting for you to say that all of my life.  I love you. АЭ His skin felt so 
warm, so soft and strong at the same time.  He turned his head to and their 
lipsmet. So this is what they call bliss, she thought as warm tingles spread 
through her body.┬  She touched his face with her hands. His skin was so 
smooth, so perfect.┬  They kissed again, harder, and their arms found their 
ways aroundeach other, hanging on for life.┬  Hishands desperately moving all 
over her bodyтАж she was lost in him. 

Noin looked over at the sleeping form next toher.┬  Golden hair flowed over 
thepillows in waves, and she couldnтАЩt help reaching out and touching it.┬  
Snuggling closer to his warmth, she couldonly think of his smell, his 
heartbeat, and his skin.┬  Not quite the R & R I was planning onтАж.┬  She looked 
at him one last time before shepressed her body against his and feel back 
asleep. 

by Fire 
Crazy4duomaxwell@aol.com 
Romance