MM-Verse: Unraveling Threads

[luvs_yogurt]

 He didn't sleep after his apparent reunion with one Zechs Merquise, he returned the dagger to it's owner and collected his small fee and then after a few beers with Sam and Fi got on to digging up what he could on the thief.

Perhaps a little shockingly, he wasn't what Michael had expected at all. He'd been on the scene a couple years; specializing in items that were high risk or higher security. Apparently had family in Luxemburg, but there was no record of them or any known associates. Oh, and he doesn't actually exist. That was a very interesting detail.

After a morning deep in further research, he had no answers but enough ammunition to maybe get some first hand. After spending the afternoon under the Charger, he cleaned up and took the evening to disappear to the motel. Checked in, sitting alone in a short-sleeved button down and jeans in the dark, he waited for the man to arrive.

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[lighteningcount]

There was no expensive suit, no charade. Just him. He stepped into the motel, hands in the pockets of his jeans, which had holes in the knees and on the back of one leg. He was wearing a black t-shirt with an open black button down over it. Glasses where perched on his nose, looks like he actually needed them for things. His long hair was loose around him. All in all, very casual and very different from the thief.

He spoke to the clerk quietly and was directed to Michael's room. He headed up, wondering why he was here, wondering what he was doing. Why? But, he wanted answers, wanted to know what was going on. This was the best way to do it. He sighed and rapped on the door.

[luvs_yogurt]

Zechs had come sooner than he'd expected, but he was no less prepared. When he opened the door, greeted by the shock of blond hair and casual appearnace, he let the man in without a second thought.

"You came," he put on the 'do not disturb' sign and locked the door behind them, "I thought you might not."

He turned to watch him, letting the younger man take the lead.

[lighteningcount]

He didn't say anything as he stepped into the room and looked around. Typical cheap motel. Crappy looking bed, annoyingly tiny shower. He moved, trailing his fingers along the dresser, feeling the rough and scarred wood. He looked towards Michael after a moment.

"After yesterday... My curiosity was peaked. We'd had sex before, that much was obvious. But where? When? How did we meet? I'm not one to constantly forget things, especially the men that I sleep with." He said as he moved closer towards Michael, his pale eyes focused on the other man.

[luvs_yogurt]

Michael's jaw was set, his eyes unflinching as Zechs aired the same questions he'd been asking himself. Without emotion, he said; "Milliardo Peacecraft, age twenty-six. Frenchman by birth, but no permanent residence."

He folded his arms over his chest; "Your father is a wealthy investor, and your mother... if my contacts are to believed, is quite a friendly woman with too much free time. You have a younger sister, married and congratulations are in order. And it's quite curious, you've decided to forego law school in favor of a life of crime."

Finished, the corners of his lips turned up in a slight but clearly fake smile; "I think that about covers it, and yet I still have no idea where the hell I know you from."

[lighteningcount]

"My mother isn't sleeping with anyone other than my father. She's faithful. She just has a distaste for the expecations of a socalite." He replied. If he was shocked that Michael dug up that on him... He didn't let it show.

"Michael Westin, ex-spy, burned by your government. Does odd jobs around Miami. Some charitable, some not. Father deceased. Mother, Madeline Westin, living in Miami. Brother, Nate Westin, unknown."

[luvs_yogurt]

Michael nodded with a slight chuckle; "Sounds about right, though I'd be careful where you look for information on me, most of it has been tampered with when someone decided I wasn't needed anymore."

He wasn't shocked, that was information that anyone could have gotten... but there was always the question of what wasn't being said.

"I haven't had dealings with you or your family in the past, and I'm relatively certain we have never met... even though we clearly have."

[lighteningcount]

"I've been in Venic for a long time... And you said you hadn't been out of the States for a year. Michael. Who are you?"

He was now standing inches from the older man.

[luvs_yogurt]

Slowly, he unfolded his arms and stared down the younger man. "I am... who I am." He chuckled; "Michael Westen, all around decent guy trying to make a living and find out why I'm not doing my real job anymore."

He chuckled without humor. "I've been stuck in Miami for nearly a year, if I... bad things happen."

[lighteningcount]

"That's how governments work." He replied before stepping away from the man. He seemed to pull away from him in that small emotional connection they had made over the past 24 hours.

"I... I should go. Obviously neither of us can remember where we know each other from."

[luvs_yogurt]

Taking a deep breath, Michael reached out for him and grasped the younger man tightly by the elbow; "Wait."

He couldn't tell why, maybe that emotion - that connection he hasn't felt in longer than he can remember, but he doesn't want this man to leave.

"I need to know."

[lighteningcount]

"Need to know? Why?" He asked staring at Michael.

"I'm not a whore at your beck and call Michael."

[luvs_yogurt]

"No, you aren't." His grip tightened and he lowered his eyes; "And if you were it wouldn't matter."

He let out a slightly frustrated sigh; "There's something else... something happened. I don't just forget things, Zechs..." even knowing his real name, that is the only one that sounds right on his tongue; "especially not things that feel this important."

[lighteningcount]

He stared at Michael, just watching him. After a moment the blonde sighed. "I thought I could ignore it. Whatever it is between us. But aparently not." He said.

[luvs_yogurt]

"Why ignore it? What is this, Zechs?"

He forcefully let go, shaking his head with another loud sigh. "What the hell is going on?"

[lighteningcount]

"I wish that I knew." He replied with a shake of his head.

Zechs leaned against the door with a sigh. He looked at Michael, studying him.

[luvs_yogurt]

Being examined while laid so bare should upset him, but it only makes him wonder more what the vital missing details are.

He siged; "Those bruises, they're what - a month old? Where did you get them?" He was sure they were his own bite marks, the one that had scarred matching perfectly to his own mouth.

[lighteningcount]

"I don't know where I got them Michael. They were there when I woke up, alone, a month ago." He replied before looking away.

[luvs_yogurt]

And there it was, the thread Michael's trying grasp at... but it doesn't make sense.

"You're a dream. Or I am. One of us is. That doesn't make any sense."

He crossed his arms again, lowering his head with a frustrated growl.

[lighteningcount]

"We both can't be dreams Michael." Zechs pushed away from the door and walked over to him.

"Right now. What feels natural? With me standing in front of you, what do you want to do?"

[luvs_yogurt]

He let out a dry chuckle and shook his head, not exactly wanting to say what felt natural... because it was exactly what wasn't natural to him any other time.

"This is insane. I don't forget things, Zechs... not faces, not names, not dates. Nothing important, ever." He reaches out on instinct, his fingers grazing the other man's arm before he pulled away; "I'm not like this, the... impulses... I have right now, they aren't like me. I'm not myself right now, and I know it's because of whatever it is that happened with us."

[lighteningcount]

"Well." Zechs shook his head, "Au voir."

The blonde turned to go, his hair shifting around him. All of this, it was like a dream, but not. "This... The way you are acting... it isn't what my memory of you is."

[luvs_yogurt]

Michael was quick to grab him again, his strong hand clamping down on Zechs' shoulder tightly; "Oh, and what is?"

His voice dropped to a low growl; "Pinning you on a table and fucking you? Because that's what I remember and that doesn't exactly seem like something I would do in the middle of a restaurant."

[lighteningcount]

"My memory of you is someone who's strong and independent. Not this wishy-washy crap!" He snarled staring at the older man. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you where being a coward!"

Zechs yanked his arm away, standing his ground against Michael.

[luvs_yogurt]

And that was enough, normally calm Michael was a bit of a wreck with everything that was going on. Frustrated, he considered grabbing him again - but at the word 'coward' his fingers clenched into a tight fist.

"You have no idea what you're talking about," he growled, shifting forward on his feet. He's not used to being so out of control, to not knowing what's going on.

"If it makes me a coward to want to know why the hell I can't remember you when clearly there's something bigger than a fuck going on, then fine... I'm coward."

[lighteningcount]

Zechs stared at him. "Maybe we forgot for a reason! Maybe, just fucking maybe it was a bizzare dream! It fucking scares me that I can't remember either, but I'm not going to let it rule my life! Fuck you!"

The blonde was done. "Good bye." He turned and grabbed the door knob. He unlocked it with his other hand and then yanked it open.