FIVE
Sutoomu
YAY! Here is the tenth chapter! I'm in the double digits, oh yeah! And I think I might have another chapter. Yes, I just might! So you might all get another lucky right away next day update! But then, I have to start writing again, so it'll be longer between updates. There's no way that I'm ever going to forget this story, though. Not without finishing it first. I have so many reviewers depending on me!
SHOUT OUT TO THE REVIEWERS! These people are the best people ever! HeeroDuo4eva, Cosmos no Shinkon, allie, Kami-Crimson, a new reviewer, phoenixfirekitsune, summersarebright, Celestia, tre-chan, another new reviewer, inu-hottie, SanzoGirl, IamMidnite, an old reader and new reviewer, anissa32, EternalDragonOfShadows, Roxie Faye, silvertwighlight, PrincessWolfGoddess, and Lotus Pixie. You guys are all incredibly awesome. I have broken a HUNDRED REVIEWS! I never even thought I'd break fifty! I guesstimated that I'd have a hundred by chapter ten, but it's only been nine chapters and I'm already at a hudnred fifteen! How awesome is that? I swear, I am high with reviews right now. It's a totaly new and wonderful feeling. I still can't believe I wrote a story that got this good of a response.
Anyhoo, enough about my ranting of how utterly psyched I am because of all of you, my readers and reviewers! This chapter is all about Wufei's meeting with Meiran. How will it go? Read and find out...
"Is this the right place?" Trowa asked.
Wufei looked at the address and nodded. "Yes. This is where she is. Thanks, Trowa." Wufei had been called this morning by his uncle, told to go to a house and meet Meiran Long. Wufei had been quite against it at first, getting angry at the whole idea again, but the others had calmed him down and persuaded him to go and meet her and keep Tao Shen happy so they could start the emancipation process with no confrontations. Wufei had agreed, and Trowa had offered to drive him to the place since the banged boy had to go somewhere as well.
So now Wufei was staring at the house where his fiancee lived, with his face clean, his jewelry all gone, his hair pulled back neatly, and nice clothes on, as Tao Shen had demanded. He knew he shouldn't be angry at Meiran, but it was hard to keep a rein on his emotions right now. He was in a constant half meditation state in order to keep calm and be able to talk to this girl. No one could really blame him for his anger. Was he expected to just be amiable when his life was being arranged?
"Good luck, Dragon," Trowa said. Wufei rolled his eyes and then kissed Trowa, despite the small risk someone could be watching them. "Be nice to her, Wufei," Trowa suggested. "This isn't her fault. She might not want to marry, either. Don't judge her before you get to know her."
"You make it sound as though I'm going to bite her head off," Wufei grunted.
Trowa chuckled. "You might. I'm just saying, try and be pleasant. Maybe you can become friends. Don't outcast her because she's your fiancee."
"Wise words from the wise one," Wufei sighed. "See you, Trowa. I'll walk home or get a cab or something, 'kay?"
"Try to be on time for dinner," Trowa said. "We have guests coming over."
"Right," Wufei nodded as he stepped out of the car. Duo had finally invited Hilde over for dinner to meet Wufei, being able to wait no longer. "I'll be on time."
"See you, love," Trowa said as Wufei shut the door. He drove off as Wufei walked aprehensively to the door and rang the bell. He shifted nervously as he waited, hearing footsteps approach the door. The door opened and a pleasant looking chinese boy around Wufei's age, or maybe a year or two older, smiled at him.
"Hi," he said, shaking Wufei's hand. "You must be Wufei Chang. I'm Tai Li Long, Meiran's older brother. Nice to meet you. Come on in. Meiran's in the sitting room, waiting for you." Tai Li surreptitiously herded Wufei inside and through the hall of the house to a door. "She's kind of nervous and high strung today, but she's really friendly, as long as you don't get her mad. Then she's a wildcat!"
"Stop talking about me, Tai," a female voice spoke strictly through the door.
Tai Li chuckled. "Ears like a hare and eyes like a hawk," he whispered, then opened the door, Wufei following him in. "Mei, Wufei's here."
The sole resident of the room sat up and set her previously tucked up feet on the floor. She looked up at the two of them, putting a thin book down, and smiled sincerely. She was very pretty, Wufei had to admit, with sharp, intelligent black eyes accented by a hint of makeup, and straight black hair pulled into two adorable pigtails at her neck. Her bangs shaded to top of her eyes, creating an odd sparkling effect along with the light.
"Hello, Wufei," she nodded her head. "I'm Meiran Long."
Wufei bowed in proper greeting. "An honor to meet you."
"Sit down, sit down," Tai Li rushed, guiding Wufei to a chair and sitting him down. He seemed rather excited. "I'll get mother to bring the tea in, then. Talk!" He left, chuckling under his breath at Wufei's slightly uncomfortable look. There was an inevitable moment of silence between them as Wufei breathed secretly to calm down and Meiran smiled at him.
"Feeling uncomfortable?" Meiran suddenly asked with a knowing smile.
Wufei met her eyes, and a spark of the anger he was hiding flashed. "Yes. I've never met you before and now I'm going to have to marry you," Wufei stopped, thankful his voice was still calm.
"If it makes you feel any better, it's the same with me," Meiran sighed. "I want you to know, first off, that I have nothing against you. You look very nice and pleasant..."
Wufei snorted. Nice and pleasant? He wondered what she'd say if he was dressed like normal. A laugh came out from his lips and he tried to stop it quickly, turning it into just a chuckle.
"What?" Meiran asked, her brows furrowing. "What's so funny?"
"Nothing," Wufei breathed deeply to keep from bursting out in laughter. Insanity! He had to stop spending so much time with Duo. "It's just, I don't always look this way, you know."
"Of course you don't," Meiran agreed, making Wufei blink. "I think we can both agree we dressed up for today. Do you think I normally wear a chinese skirt?"
"No, that's not what I meant," Wufei corrected. "I meant, my normal attire isn't normal attire."
"Excuse me?"
"I'm not an average teenager," Wufei explained. "I'm a freak."
"A freak?" Meiran raised an eyebrow skeptically.
"Nevermind," Wufei waved a hand. "You were saying?"
"I was going to try and explain in an easy way why I don't want to marry you," Meiran said bluntly. "But it was kind of ruined."
"Sorry," Wufei said meekly.
"Anyways," Meiran continued. "I'm sure you're a very nice and respectable person, since my uncle chose you, but..."
Wufei had to use all his control to keep from laughing his head off. He knew that if he started, he wouldn't be able to stop for a while. It was just hilarious that they all thought he was such a nice well behaved, well dressed person when, in reality, he had retaliated against his uncle and moved out and constantly wore black and makeup.
"...I don't really want to marry you." All thoughts of laughter drifted quickly out of Wufei's mind as Meiran suddenly sighed and saddened.
"Me neither," Wufei said bluntly. Meiran blinked and looked up at him. "And I'm not going to if I don't have to."
"We have to, Wufei," Meiran pointed out. "We have no choice."
Wufei decided not to get into any details. He diverted the conversation. "I'm attached to someone, Meiran," he said. "And I know I'm in love. This is the last thing I want to do."
"I'm sorry for you, Wufei," Meiran said. "But we have to. I've decided that, even while I hate the thought of being married, I'm going to be optimistic about it. I just wanted you to know that I don't like the idea of marrying. I don't want to be...," she paused, thinking how to explain it. "I don't want to be a wife, and I don't want you to expect me to be like one. I'm only fifteen, and I'm not ready to have intimacy with someone yet."
Wufei stared in surprise and understanding. That was what she was worried about. She was worried that Wufei expected her to kiss and make out and have sex like lovers. He smiled. "Please don't worry, Meiran," he assured her. "I couldn't be intimate with you. You're a stranger to me. I know they want us to rejuvinate the clan, but what they don't realize is that the clan is dead."
"Wufei...," Meiran whispered with a pitying expression.
"No," Wufei interrupted her. "There's no reason to keep hope up that the Chang Clan will ever be prominent again. I'm the only one left, and I don't want to restore it. I want to live my life with those I love, and now I'm being forced by my uncle to marry a complete stranger. I agree with you. I can't be intimate with you, either, but," Wufei paused, meeting her eyes and giving her a sincere smile. "I would like to be your friend, Meiran Long."
Meiran stared at him for a moment, then grinned and sat forward. "Me, too, Wufei. You're a very nice person, and it's a relief that you understand how I feel. I will gladly be your friend, Wufei Chang. After all, that'll make being stuck with each other a little bit easier." She winked, and then looked over to the door which had just opened.
Wufei immediately stood up respectfully as an older woman came in bearing a tea tray, followed by Tai Li. She smiled at him warmly. "Please relax, Wufei. Sit down. We're here to enjoy ourselves."
Wufei's eyes darted about nervously but Tai Li set a hand on his shoulder and sat him down. "So," the boy smiled crookedly. "Did you have a nice little talk alone?"
"Yes, very," Meiran looked sharply at Tai Li, then smiled at Wufei. "This is my mother, Ai Li Long."
"No sibling rivalry today," Meiran's mother said sternly, a note in her voice promising punishment if she was disobeyed. Wufei wondered how they were punished...
"My husband, Dao Han Long, is just finishing a call," Ai Li said. "He'll be here in a moment. How do you like your tea?"
"No milk, two sugars, please," Wufei recited. He had never really drank tea before, but now he and Quatre had tea once a day at least. It was a moment to relax and talk.
Here you go," Ai Li handed him a cup.
Wufei held the cup under his nose and smelled it. Recognition sparked in his eyes. "Vanilla maple tea," he smiled. "My favorite." Quatre had introduced him to vanilla maple after he had claimed that Quatre's herbic tea was too strong for him. Quatre had given him vanilla maple because it was sweet already and you didn't need to add much sugar. Wufei liked sugar in his tea. He liked sweet things, like vanilla maple tea and Quatre...
Wufei blinked back to reality and focused on Ai Li who was speaking. "...very happy you could come over, Wufei," she said. "Meiran really needs someone. She's not very outgoing sometime." Wufei saw Meiran blush and roll her eyes at her mother's antics. If Wufei did that in front of Tao Shen, he'd be hurting for a week. "She needs someone to pull her out of her room."
"She's always obsessing about martial arts and her music!" Tai Li said. "She can already fight better than anyone we know, but she still insists she has to get better."
Wufei turned inquisitive eyes on Meiran. "You know martial arts?" he asked.
"Yes," Meiran nodded. "I always thought martial arts was a brilliant hobby. Tai Li thinks it's silly."
"You don't know martial arts?" Wufei looked at Tai Li.
"Nope," Tai Li shook his head. "I think all the meditation and stuff would make me go insane. Not that Meiran learned the meditation. She always skipped out on that part. She's too hot headed."
"If mother wasn't here, you'd be on your rear, Tai," Meiran huffed.
"You weren't forced to learn the traditional chinese lessons, then?" Wufei said. "You chose to?"
"Of course," Meiran said. "Martial arts is a hobby to me. Do you know martial arts?"
"Yes," Wufei nodded, thinking about this private discovery of his. Wufei thought every member from a chinese clan had to learn the traditional lessons. And now he learned that it was a choice to these people. He had been forced to learn and, while he knew it was a great advantage, he had never neccesarily liked it.
"That's wonderful!" Meiran bounced in her seat for a moment. "We can spar together. I hope you're good. I've run out of opponents. I can beat everyone at the local dojos."
"She's very talented, my plum blossom, is!" Wufei looked up to see an older chinese gentleman entering the room, wearing a huge grin. He instinctively stood up, knowing this must be Meiran's father. Meiran stood up as well as her father came over to her and gave her a kiss on the cheek, hugging her. He looked to Wufei.
"You better be good to my little girl, here!" he said sternly, then winked.
"Ba ba," Meiran chided. "Don't scare him."
"I'm just having fun," Dao Han grinned. "Can't I have some fun? I only have my little girl for another year." He kissed Meiran's cheek again and sat down beside her. Wufei felt a flare of sadness and envy at the loving relationship Meiran shared with her father.
"Be good, Dao Han," Ai Li ordered, but she was smiling in amusement at her husband.
"So, Wufei, tell us about yourself?" Dao Han sat forward with interest. "Your aunt tells me you're a wonderful person. What do you like to do?"
"I like to read, sir," Wufei replied with uncertainty.
"Relax, Wufei," Dao Han smiled. "There's no need to call me 'sir'. You can call me dad!" Dao Han laughed.
Wufei blinked and Meiran sighed. "Ba ba, you're going to scare him. Just ignore him, Wufei."
"Dad's very energetic and enthusiastic," Tai Li said. "Sometimes I wonder if he's not actually a teenager in an old man's body."
The four family members laughed as Wufei gaped. If he had ever said something like that to Tao Shen, he'd be beaten, and badly, and perhaps even starved for a week. But Dao Han laughed and smiled. He showed his love for his family in public, with no shame. Tao Shen had always treated Wufei as though he didn't exist when Tao Shen had company over. Meiran didn't know how lucky she was!
"Come now, Wufei," Ai Li said. "You must tell us everything about yourself."
Everything? Wufei raised an eyebrow mentally and restrained an laugh as he thought about everything about him. His life was insane. He was a freak, and gay, and in love with four people. And he was happy with it, so HAH, Tao Shen! Wufei played with the idea of telling these four everything! He decided not to, since that would most likely end up awkward and he'd regret it, so he started with the basics, telling them about aunt Taia and school and how he had moved out and lived in an apartment now. He said nothing to give them any clues as to how different and unnatural he was, or anything that would discredit Tao Shen. He couldn't let them know about Tao Shen, because of aunt Taia's trust. It was tempting, though. Very tempting...
And he began to relax. Slowly, but surely, Wufei began to smile and be at ease amongst these people. Tai Li was an optimistic person who loved to tease, Dao Han just spread friendliness and made you comfortable no matter what, and Ai Li was a very nice woman, motherly and caring and seriously interested in what Wufei said. They were high quality people inside. And when he left, he felt incredibly pleased to know them and incredibly sad to have missed out on what they had. He could honestly say he liked Meiran, as a very interesting friend, with a very interesting family. So he went home with a lighter heart, and a better view on the whole idea of this arranged marriage. He still wanted to get out of it and he wasn't going to hesitate with the emancipation, but the knowledge that if he ever had to marry Meiran, it wouldn't be a nightmare life. It was a reassuring thought.
Well, how was that for everyone? The next chapter is more of a filler chapter and not a major chapter, but the twelth one should have a major plot event in it. The twelth chapter iwll be the beginning of the end! And I still have to write it. /sigh/ I hate it when I don't have it waiting there for me. But, I will write it! I will succeed and finish my first major story! The only sad thing will be that the reviews will stop. Oh well, I've got so many reviewers already.
Anyhoo, the eleventh chapter will be out tommorrow, I hope, I hope! I might have to tweak it a little, so it might take an extra day. Gomen nasai /bows in apology/. I promise not to keep you waiting too long unless a major emergency happens...or something.
Storm