Hi everyone! I was totally shocked that I had gotten so many requests for a sequel to "He Doesn't See Me" (In fact I was totally shocked that anyone read it at all, but I'm very grateful that you did, and thanks so much to all who reviewed). Anyway, it was really hard to find another song, so I picked one of my all-time favorites. There's a fair amount of angst and a bit of sap in here - don't hate me, please.

Disclaimer: I do not own these characters or the song "King of Pain" by The Police, written by Sting


He looked out the window, watching the sun creep up over the mountains. Zechs sat there for a long time taking in the sites on his final day at the Victoria Academy. The gates, the grounds, the flags flying high and the mobile suit hangers all loomed in the dawning light. Today would be his graduation, yet it felt no different than any other day. He still had a dark, vengeful feeling in his heart that he could not get away from. No matter how many honors were piled on him, or how many leaders and officials recognized him as "the best," this sense of loathing pervaded him.

There's a little black spot on the sun today
It's the same old thing as yesterday
There's a black hat caught in a high tree top
There's a flag pole rag and the wind won't stop

Lucrezia Noin walked through the long hallway of the student residence building, taking a shortcut through the boys' dorm. She was too excited to sleep. Finally the day she'd worked so hard for had arrived. Noin was already dressed for the ceremony even though it was still five hours away. As she passed one of the lounges something caught her attention out of the corner of her eye. She stopped, quietly taking a few steps back. It was him! Zechs Merquise was sitting all alone, just staring out of a window. There was no mistaking the long blonde hair, but wait! He wasn't wearing his trademark mask! Noin held her breath, and reached out to steady herself against the door. All through their years at the academy she had been completely in love with him, though she'd never been able to talk to him about anything other than school and training-related subjects. Next to him she'd always felt so plain and unremarkable, and she often wondered if he'd ever noticed her at all. Only once had she ever worked up the courage to speak to him, at a party last year, but she had never gotten her chance. Lucrezia felt as though she were intruding on his time here, but for some reason her legs wouldn't move as she watched him there. To her great surprise he turned around and looked right at her, and she remained frozen in shock and embarrassment, her eyes fixed on the face she was seeing for the first time.


I have stood here before in the pouring rain
With the world turning circles running 'round my brain
I guess I'm always hoping that you'll end this reign
But it's my destiny to be the king of pain

'Noin,' he thought, feeling anger rise in him for a split second, but the rage was not directed at her, but at himself for being taken by surprise. They'd spent how many years together, and out of everyone that he'd met here, she was the sole person that he felt as though he might possibly let himself trust. He didn't know her well; he had never been able to let her get close to him. Had his past been different, perhaps they could have been friends, or even more, but he was a slave to his defensive nature. Somehow he consistently managed to build a wall, though secretly he had always wished that she would find a way to break through it.

There's a little black spot on the sun today
(That's my soul up there)
It's the same old thing as yesterday
(That's my soul up there)
There's a black hat caught in a high tree top
(That's my soul up there)
There's a flag pole rag and the wind won't stop
(That's my soul up there)

Lucrezia couldn't think of anything to say, she was completely lost in studying the features of his face, those cold blue eyes piercing her from across the room. There was nothing she could do to hide the expression of shock that she wore as he continued to regard her so calmly. He made a sudden movement, and with one graceful motion he scooped up the mask that had been sitting beside his chair and started across the room. He walked to where she stood. She trembled. In five years at the academy she had never been so close to him. His eyes were unreadable, and for all Noin knew Zechs could kill her right there, yet she stood her ground.

"Go ahead and have a nice long look," he growled, staring down at her. She couldn't take her eyes off him, and he knew it. Should he tell her - confide in someone after all these years? Would she even want to listen? Zechs wondered who he was to assume that she would even care to know about his past. He pushed past her, beginning to place the mask back over his face when he felt her grab onto his jacket sleeve. He spun around forcefully, but somehow Noin managed to catch the mask.

"Don't, please," she said softly. Zechs looked at her, not knowing what to do or say.

I have stood here before in the pouring rain
With the world turning circles running 'round my brain
I guess I'm always hoping that you'll end this reign
But it's my destiny to be the king of pain

"Noin, I..." he stopped in mid-sentence as she reached up and gently touched his face. No one had ever looked at him the way she was right now, and he was unnerved by the sudden rush of emotion that he felt flood through him. Ever since the day when he lost his soul, as he referred to the day the Alliance had decimated the Sank Kingdom and destroyed all that he'd ever known, Zechs had gone out of his way to be cold. He didn't want to feel anything anymore, because everything that he had once felt - every joy, every happiness - had been replaced by sorrow and pain. His soul was trapped and tortured somewhere out of his reach. He had become something other than human; he had become Zechs Merquise.

There's a fossil that's trapped in a high cliff wall
(That's my soul up there)
There's a dead salmon frozen in a waterfall
(That's my soul up there)
There's a blue whale beached by a springtide's ebb
(That's my soul up there)
There's a butterfly trapped in a spider's web
(That's my soul up there)

"Zechs, it's alright," she managed to say, though her voice was shaking. Lucrezia couldn't stop looking at his face. Her hand still rested on the mask as he brought it down to his side. "Whatever you have to say, I'll listen," she said reassuringly, "and it will stay between us."

He had been unprepared for that, and Zechs hated being unprepared for anything. He could feel his stony façade begin to crack, all the years of hiding gave way to the feelings he held beneath the mask, and he let himself collapse into her waiting arms. Could she possibly understand what he was about to tell her?

I have stood here before in the pouring rain
With the world turning circles running 'round my brain
I guess I'm always hoping that you'll end this reign
But it's my destiny to be the king of pain

They returned to the lounge and she helped him back into the chair. Sitting down by his side, Noin turned to face him, and he, regaining his composure, began to speak. Zechs was perfectly stoic, and told the story as if it were something that hadn't even involved him directly. Noin listened, trying to be just as stoic, but she had to fight incredibly hard against the tears that were springing up in her eyes. What he had been through! She couldn't believe it. He didn't remember much of his mother. She had died a few years before the Alliance attacked. He spoke about his father, a kind peace-loving king who had been executed in cold blood as Zechs had watched. And he had a sister, four years younger. Fortunately she'd been sent into hiding before the conflict. Zechs had barely escaped, having managed to elude the soldiers in all the confusion. Lucrezia could see that he was haunted by these memories still.

There's a king on a throne with his eyes torn out
There's a blind man looking for a shadow of doubt
There's a rich man sleeping on a golden bed
There's a skeleton choking on a crust of bread


"It's now the Sank Kingdom in name alone," he said slowly, alarmed by the sound of his own voice. "No king will ever rule there again."

"But you are the heir, a Peacecraft?" she said.

Zechs nodded. "Milliardo Peacecraft," he whispered. He hadn't said that name since the day his father died.

King of pain...

Noin hadn't realized that she was holding his hand, and could scarcely believe it when she looked down. Just yesterday she had been watching him from a distance, as she always did, in awe at the mystery, grace and ease that surrounded him. Now she knew things about him that no else knew. For the first time she felt as though she must be something to him.

Zechs stood up very abruptly, and quickly replaced his mask. Only after he had done so did Noin realize that there were footsteps in the hall outside. She looked up at him, and he met her gaze through the mask. Without another word, he left the room.

There's a red fox torn by a huntsman's pack
(That's my soul up there)
There's a black winged gull with a broken back
(That's my soul up there)

The ceremony, with all the pomp and circumstance, had taken four long hours in the heat of the afternoon sun. Treize Kushranada had personally attended, having made the announcement that he wanted Zechs to serve under him, and that he would be instantly promoted to Lieutenant. The crowd had cheered; his classmates patted him on the back, still Zechs felt no different.

There's a little black spot on the sun today
It's the same old thing as yesterday

Lucrezia had watched him through the entire ceremony, looking for any sign that what had passed between them had meant anything to him - that she now meant anything to him. Not once did he even glance in her direction. After the ceremony was over, she tried in vain to find him, but it was to no avail. Having searched for an hour she retreated sadly towards the great hall for the graduation banquet. She rounded the corner of the first corridor when she was grabbed from behind. Noin felt herself whirl around and she was suddenly staring right into a familiar silver mask. "Zechs," she said in shock, her body still tense from the surprise.

"Noin," he responded, and paused for a moment. Finally, he continued. "I'm leaving immediately, orders from Treize." Lucrezia looked outwardly disappointed, but she comforted herself by the fact that he had at least come to say good-bye.

"Well..." she started, but her voice trailed off as the distance between them closed. His arms encircled her as their lips met in a strong, deep kiss.

I have stood here before in the pouring rain
With the world turning circles running 'round my brain
I guess I always thought you could end this reign
But it's my destiny to be the king of pain...

He let go of her gently, and backed away without a word. She watched him disappear down the corridor, too stunned to even think of chasing after him.

Zechs knew he could not look back, as he was trying to make sense out of what had just happened. She knew. Now she knew his secret and she knew him. As he walked away, he pushed all of the newly surfaced emotions back down where they belonged. After all, he was Zechs Merquise.

King of pain
I'll always be king of pain..............


OK, I'll admit that it might have been a little OOC, but I hadn't planned on doing a sequel. Hope you liked it anyway. Please let me know what you thought - Love, Stella