Hey there! Lora here, this is.. another random story from me! There is just one more part to it that I'm going to start right away and post within the next few days! Its just one of those plot bunnies that hopped into my head and started gnawing SO badly that I had to let it out again! I hope you enjoy! Its sort of Treize Wufei, I'm not sure where my writing will take me however!
This is written in honour of my bestest Letter sending friend in the whole world Banshee0 Go Ju Go! Love ya!
Three more elegant twirls and a clap of delicate hands bedecked with glinting rings that set the charm filled bracelet's that were wound round thin effeminate wrists jingling ended the long exotic dance.
Below the raised stage the audiences' eyes were filled with awe, pleasure, and in many cases, lust.
The dancer was an enchanting creature, not tall in height, and neither large or terribly thin. Slender would be a good word to describe the silk clad frame that was now bent in a low bow upon the stage. A loose silk wrap served as a top by way of being wound around shoulders and torso, leaving most of the upper arm, all of the lower arm and the stomach free to the air.
As the dancer rose from the low bow, the thin chain belt that held the thigh-high slit trousers around the slightly rounded hips glinted in the light, as the free flowing blood red silk caressed the figured softly rounded legs and traced the tops of soft red slippers. The whole effect was akin to a shimmering red and golden flower or flame dominating the stage.
With purposeful movement the dancer moved across the stage to the far left corner, and pushed the dark velvet curtain aside, stepped through, and around the group of giggling women who were waiting to take their turn on stage now that the crowd had been warmed up.
A soft sigh escaped from carefully stained red lips, and softly powdered lids covered dark eyes in a slow blink. The dancer resembled a sorrowful painted doll as the door to a dressing room was unlocked, opened, passed through and closed again.
This was not the life that Wu-Fei Chang had envisioned for himself. This dark underworld of lust and passion, where mascara, eyeliner and lip-dye were your only mask did not suit him at al.
"Kei." There was a soft tap on the dressing room door
"Hmm." Wufei responded in a quiet tone "Who is it?"
"Its Ling. The Mistress says you need to go and collect your shawl from the stage front so the next routine can begin. And Soon."
Footsteps walked away and Wufei sighed again. Kei Lang… I'm such a traitor. Kei Lang was the name Wufei now gave if he was asked, to try and forget who he once was, and make sure others never found out. Slowly Wufei made his way back to the heavy velvet curtain. The stage was all in darkness now, and he was able to see the audience, standing in the background, or seated at tables nearer to the stage. There was a big crowd tonight… but then, these days' places like this were increasingly popular on the colonies, particularly the most impoverished ones… if any real distinction could be made. It was no surprise really, what other entertainment did the people of the estranged colonies have? Who would have thought so much could have changed in three short years…
He walked the short distance that now remained between his shawl and himself, and stooped to collect it.
As he leant down, his eyes widened… A figure in the audience caught his attention, and he froze.
A tall man, with Ginger hair cropped short, yet long enough to curl very slightly at the ends, broad shoulders… the jacket should have been blue not black… But... It was him! It had to be!
Wufei straightened up, the shawl caught in his hand, the man was turning slowly… he'd be able to see his face… He'd be able to tell if it was- NO! The lights in the auditorium dimmed, and the curtains began to open again.
No. No No NO! Wufei's mind screamed at the injustice, and he launched himself off the front of the stage and onto the same level as the audience, though as it was dark, most just presumed this was supposed to be happening. Casting his eyes about wildly, Wufei searched the tables for the man. He had to be there, he couldn't have just vanished… grown men didn't just disappear. But the man, as far as Wufei could see wasn't seated at any of the tables… And there was no way he could have moved that fast through the throng of people gathered at the back.
Finally, a horrible realisation set in. He'd imagined it. It was starting again…
With a disgraced expression on his face Wufei made his way swiftly to the performer door that was concealed behind a large ruffled wall hanging, and managed to duck inside just as the large spot lights lit up the stage. He would be in trouble if he were spotted.
Disjoined movements were all he could manage as he made his way toward his small dressing room, brushing past people he would usually have acknowledged without any sign that he had seen them at all. He felt totally alien all of a sudden, it was as if he had been moved a few inches to the left and he was no longer quiet himself any more… the memories were so strong. It was with some relief that he finally reached the still open door with his number written on it, and shut himself away in his dressing room, sliding the bolt across and into place.
His eyes were burning as he made his way over to the chest of draws that filled most of the far wall of his room and tugged the top left one open, carefully lifting out a battered shoe box.
He made his way over to the only seat in the room, and settled himself neatly on it, settling the box down on his knees. With a degree of care he removed the lid and set it on the floor. There were a few trinkets kept in there, it was safer to leave them here than at home… the door here had a lock, and the dancers had at least a little respect for one another.
His hand shook very slightly as he reached into the box and lifted out a badly battered, and slightly faded photo.
"Treize…" the name slipped though his lips before he was able to stop it.
The figure of Treize Kushrenada was indeed staring out from the small photograph, one hand tucked up to his chin, and his eyes looking ahead in a thoughtful fashion.
Things had been on a down him slant ever since the day Treize had died.
Though it was true that the Wars were over, and Marimeia had been stopped, no one who had stepped foreword to lead the alliance in the past three years had been anywhere near as effective at commanding the respect of the common people and aristocrats as Treize had, and slowly the two peace crumbled.
The colonies separated once again from the earth sphere, and decreed that they could care for themselves, and the last leader had decreed that they should be allowed to do this… He had died three days later, and no one else had stepped foreword to take his place since. And now almost a year had passed, and the alliance lay broken without a leader to fix it.
Over the years, the colonies had begun to fall into disrepair as people began to lose interest in them. The earth slowly began to stop caring for her children, and the state of the colonies continued to worsen.
Quatre, Wufei knew was one of the few people who still fought for the rights of the people on the colonies, but no one was really listening to him, the Gundam pilots had all come from colonies, and so he was now naturally distrusted once again.
People had begun to leave the colonies, as wealth as well as food was not that common, but soon the shuttles begin to stop arriving, and fares sky rocketed, and as it stood now, there were very few people who would ever be able to afford to leave the colonies for a better life.
Wufei had been able to keep in touch with the other pilot for only a very short while, as communications between the colonies was one of the first things to fail, but as far as he knew Trowa had stayed by Quatres side, and Duo was still hoping that Heero would come back for him. But then… it was easily eighteen months since he had been able to speak to any of them… he only ever saw Quatre on some of the rare days when the televisions on L5 were able to pick up a weak signal. The times were very dark. It was basically a world where your neighbour could just as easily be an enemy as a friend, and no one really trusted anyone else.
"Treize…" Wufei murmured again "You… You should have blocked… this world needed you far too much… you may have ended the war... but this… this is just so much worse…"
Wufei's pretty face and his elegance, borne from years of martial arts had allowed his access to one of the only professions left… entertainment… He was an exotic dancer in the sole adult club on L5. Much of the small amount of money that entered this dilapidated colony from alms passed through the hands of the mistress of this place, and her badly paid girls, and of course, Wufei.
It was a woman's job… of course… other relationships were kept under the rug… but a feminine outfit and a little make up worked wonders. Wufei danced every night and no one could ever tell. To be honest it was rather difficult to se the face of the strong and proud dragon pilot of the Gundam 05 in this slender effeminate dancer who covered her fierce eyes with a rose patterned mask, it wasn't uncommon though, for people not to want to show their faces.
A salty tear fell from the end of Wufei's nose, and landed on the picture, where it was carefully wiped away.
"We had so little time Treize… I always thought that it would be me who died… not you. I never even told you how much I respected you… Cared for you. How I nearly loved you."
He set the picture away again, and carefully replaced the lid of the box, he didn't want to look through the rest of the contents, it was altogether just too much for him. But at the same time, he just couldn't let them go. They were all he had left now.
In silence he placed the box back in the drawer and wrapped his coat around his shoulders. It would be cold outside. Since the weather system broke all it ever did was snow. Even if there was someone with the expertise to fix the system, no one had the money to buy the necessary parts.
He tugged his coat tighter around himself as he reached the back door, and pushed it open. His breath caught in his throat as his slight frame was hit by a fierce rush of cold air, he wished he could afford a thicker coat, but, as he was only required once a week, that was never likely to happen. He waited by the door until it closed with a click, and then he made his was down the little back alleyway onto the main high street. As he rounded the corner, he was frozen to the spot for the second time that night…
Standing on the opposite side of the high-street, with a long dark grey overcoat draped over his shoulder was the hunched figure of the man Wufei had seen in the club, a dark grey coat draped about his shoulder. Wufei's breath as coming in sharp gasps, it just couldn't be Treize… it couldn't be. No matter how much he looked like him. Treize. Was. Dead.
You saw it happen you stupid fool. Wufei chastised himself. There is no way that Treize Kushrenada survived that blast… it's just… a coincidence that that man looks like him.
"Yeah…" Wufei mumbled to himself "A coincidence."
With a shake of his head Wufei began to walk down the high street, though it wasn't long until he felt that he was being followed, instincts are really hard to get rid of. And sure enough, twenty metres down the street he heard footsteps behind him, crunching in the soft snow.
"Wait! Please!"
Wufei felt his knees weaken very slightly as he heard that voice, as smooth as silk and as deep and rich as thick fresh honey He's gone… You're just imagining it… there must be hundreds of people in the world with soft gorgeous voices that turn your legs to Jelo…
He carried on walking, not slowing his pace, until he felt a hand catch hold of his wrist.
"Wait."
Wufei turned, and slowly let his eyes trace up the strong chest, past the show covered shoulders, and up to the soft, and currently confused face of the man whom Wufei had once thought… just maybe… he could have given his heart too. Despite the incredibly bad timing and situation of the decision.
Falling for the enemy is never good.
The ginger man stared down at Wufei, who was still wearing the rose patterned mask and feminine make up. He looked slightly taken aback
"Oh… I…" he looked about him, as if checking to see if he might have stopped the wrong person by mistake. The look or confusion on his face caused a huge lump to tighten in Wufei's chest… He looks so like you Treize…
The man shook his head slightly "I thought you were somebody else… I'm sorry miss…" he smiled politely at Wufei, and went to turn away, but paused and looked back, and Wufei felt his breath catch I don't care if you cant be him… please tell me you're Treize…
"Could I ask for your name…?" the man asked quietly, just looking mildly curios.
Wufei was torn… If this… but no… Treize was dead, and no look a little would be able to replace him. It was not worth jeopardizing his life again, being linked to the Gundams would have him thrown off of the colony.
"Kei Lang." He murmured quietly, flicking his eyes down, and then back up at the ginger haired man "And yours…?"
"Ren." He stated, his eyed unreadable for a moment "Ren Fell." He held his hand out to Wufei, who placed his hand in Ren's and allowed a kiss to be placed on the back of it. "Maybe I will see you around miss…" he murmured quietly.
Wufei nodded, and smiled up at him "I would like that very much. Good evening." With that he turned and continued his way home, his mind buzzing franticly away with a million questions, the most prominent of which being "What if I had told him my real name…?"
He thinks you're a woman now. His mind helpfully supplied.
I hope you enjoyed! The next section will be along soon!
I love reviews! Really! But, i'll write anyway Mwee!