Title: Gundam Diaries Part 25 ~ Wufei
Author: Makoto Sagara
Archive: www.afallenangel.net/makotosagara/frames/fanfiction.html, www.wufeiduo.net, www.fanfiction.net, www.foreverfandom.net, www.sailorandco.crosswinds.net/gundamwing/fanfiction/fanfiction.html,
www.geocities.com/daqdaqduck/
Category: Romance, Angst
Pairings: 5x2x5, 3x4, 1+2, R+1
Rating: R/NC-17
Warnings: Shonen ai, angst, OOC, language, pissed off Duo, lemon
Disclaimers: Um, nothing new here. Don't own. Don't profit. Don't sue. Don't flame.
A/N: Wow, it's been a minute since I wrote chapter 24. So much has happened since then. Mako got a new boyfriend. Woohoo! I'm getting into school, so time has become a rare commodity for me. @_@ Please don't be mad. I haven't let this fall to the wayside, and I refuse to let it become neglected just because I have a sweet, nice, yummy... Er, just because some of my time is now considered important to others. #^^#
Dedication: To Keith, my bf, who probably won't read this, because I will probably put off telling him that I write yaoi until a *much* later date. Even if he never knows, he acts a *lot* like the Fei in this fic. *snickers* Lucky me, ne?
Symbols: *blah* emphasized word
*~*~* Major change of scene
*~~~* Minor change of scene
April 17th, AC 195... 23:02:45
I find myself bouncing between feeling like a fool, and realizing that I am the luckiest man alive. I told Duo about my injury, and while I was expected him to be upset, the way he reacted startled me. And what did I do with my misplaced anger? I lashed out at Winner, when it was really myself that I was upset with. Not to mention the fact that Yuy has had me in touch with an emotion that I utterly detest: jealousy.
Perhaps I should tell the whole story so I can get it off my chest and so that it will make sense at a later date.
The morning after I watched Duo sleep and debated telling him about the gunshot wound in my leg, I felt a certain stirring beside me and then a yell of pain. Needless to say, my instinct was to sit up and reach for my non-existent gun. Duo's voice, sounding far away, reminded me of where, and with whom, I was.
"'Fei?" he whispered, moving farther away from me, as if he was afraid of me. That worried me a bit. "You... You ok?"
I looked at him, clearing my head from the last bits of sleep-induced haze. "Max... Duo, I am fine," I replied, rather hoarse still, while pulling him towards me. A snicker was audible from him, though it was laced with a dose of healthy pain. I was at a lost as for what was so funny, so I pushed my lover back a bit, staring at him. "What?"
"You just gave me a nickname, Fei-bebi," he said, sounding rather amused at the fact, and I was still lost. "My first, if you don't count Heero's 'Baka'. I like."
"No, I don't count 'baka' as an acceptable form of address, and Yuy is an idiot," I whispered in Mandarin, pulling Duo's warm body close to mine once more. I thoroughly enjoyed the feeling that having him with me produced. I was sure that I was about to go back to sleep, and I could feel Duo's body fully relax, but a rather devious thought stole over my mind - no doubt due to my prolonged exposure to Duo.
I ran my hand up the back of his shirt, reveling in the feel of his soft skin against my hand. I was greeted with something akin to a purr coming from my xin ai, while his leg rubbed against my own. I moved my hands until they rested on his tight ass. He started kissing and sucking on my neck and shoulder, which is a rather sensitive area for me. I moaned, and snaked a hand from his ass to his chin, forcing his head up. I could tell that he was about to pout, but I attacked his soft lips and used my other hand to pull him until there was nothing separating our bodies.
"Hmmmm, 'Fei," he whispered. I think I was doing a good job at making him happy at that point, but I was slightly curious over something he had said a bit earlier.
"So, what is this new nickname I have supposedly given you?" I asked against his soft cheek and squeezing his rear to punctuate my question.
"Max... Ah! 'Fei, that feels so good," he murmured, and suddenly I felt guilty because I knew what he wanted, but between the two of us being semi-injured, I knew that we couldn't make love. Besides the point, I would have to tell him what happened on my solitary mission.
Slowly, I pulled away and sat up, feeling the guilt rise in my throat, leaving a sour taste and a sick feeling in my stomach. It got worse when Duo spoke next.
"What the *hell* is this bullshit?" he yelled.
"I have something important to tell you," I replied, annoyed with myself that I had angered him before telling him anything.
"Couldn't this have waited until *after* we made love?"
"No."
He sighed, and turned a soft imploring look to me. "What is it, 'Fei-bebi? What is so important you couldn't pound me into the bed first?"
"Must you be so crude?" I snapped, feeling more and more disgusted with myself.
He shot up out of the bed, wobbly made his way to the desk chair that was a good two meters from the bed, and then turned on me angrily. "You know, if I wanted to feel like shit when I woke up, I'd still be chasing after Heero. Say whatever the *fuck* it is you are going to say, and get the hell out of my room, Chang."
I flinched as he spat my family name back at me, and looked at him, feeling the snarl die on my lips as I saw the pain in his eyes. "Duo... I have something important to tell you, and I won't blame you if you hate me afterwards, or if you are upset. Also, I am sorry that I snapped at you," I said, trying desperately to find the perfect words. I am *not* a word person. I may be a scholar, but I was never a lover of spoken words.
His face seemed to drop as he looked at me, and as if he wasn't aware of it, he moved back to the bed. "'Fei, what is it?" he softly implored.
"Do you remember the mission I had the morning after the last time we made love?" I asked.
"Yesssss," he hissed. "I really hate waking up alone, and that was crap." He crawled up on the bed, and tried to curl up on me, but I stopped him before he got too close. I knew that what I had to say next would make him *very* upset. "Wufei, did something happen on the mission that you aren't telling me about?"
I took a deep breath to steel myself, and locked onto his violet eyes that were shining with worry and love. Using all the courage I could muster, I finally spoke. "Yes. I was injured."
I watched him as he blinked and tried to process what I said to him. After a few moments of eerie silence, he replied. "What?" he asked, his voice deceptively sweet.
"I received an injury while heading back to Nataku. The factory had just exploded, and I was jumping over the fence that surrounded the perimeter when a lucky stray bullet struck me in the calf," I said, my voice growing quieter as I continued.
He blinked yet again, and then looked at me. "And you didn't tell me before now, why?"
"There were... other things that prevented me from doing so," I said. "Duo... I did not mean to keep it from you. Things just did not go the way I had planned, and yesterday I wanted to make sure you were comfortable. I... I am sorry," I said, feeling about two centimeters tall.
He shocked me by getting up from the bed and walking over to the window, his eyes staring at something in the overcast morning sky. I carefully made my way over to him, and tried to place a hand on his shoulder, which he shrugged off.
"Duo?" I asked, my voice showing the weakness that I was feeling at his rejection. I moved a hand to touch his braid, but dropped it before it was near the thick rope. "Maxwell?" I asked shakily.
"Just leave me alone... At least for right now, Wufei." He stopped, and a quick glance at his reflection that was being cast off of the window told me that he was thinking over things that were far away from me at that moment. "I need some time to think." He turned as I took a step back, and placed a kiss that one gives his grandmother on my cheek. "I love you, Wufei. I really do, but I need this time alone."
"I understand," I replied, feeling cold all of a sudden. I snatched my laptop off of his desk, and took my leave of him. I stopped and leaned my head against the cold wood, listening as Duo hit the floor. I could only imagine what he was doing. I felt awful, and remained at his door until I heard him shuffle back into his bed.
When I moved away from his door, I almost ran full force into Barton. "Excuse me," I said, making my way stiffly to my own room.
"Wufei!" Barton called out. I turned to face him, letting it known that I was more than a little annoyed at the moment.
"Yes?"
"How is Duo today?"
"He is..." I stopped, trying to find something accurate. "He is fine," I said, and made it to my room before I started berating myself for the second time in the last three days.
After I had yelled at myself in every language I could think in (English being the most productive), I sat down on the carpet near the large window in my room. The grey sky started to break apart with beautiful patches of blue peering behind the clouds and the sun struggling to shine through. I felt my spirits lift a tiny bit, and I decided that some meditation and katas would probably benefit my body, as well as my soul.
So, with that in mind, I changed into something a bit less restrictive than the clothes I has slept in, noticing that I was running low on clean garments. So low in fact, that it would be much more productive to do laundry. Hurriedly, I gathered all of my soiled laundry and threw it into the basket that was located in the closet for just such an occasion. One of the perks of staying with Winner when we have what Duo calls 'down time'.
Barton was in the kitchen, cooking breakfast for the whole team. I walked past him, taking the stairs down to the basement, and in turn, the laundry room. The machines were empty, and I went about washing my clothes. While I waited for the washing machine to finish up, I meditated lightly, keeping half of my consciousness alert for the buzzer. When the sound rang out, I stood up and moved my clothes from the washing machine to the dryer.
I knew that the dryer would take more time than the washer, so I headed up to eat something for breakfast, hoping to maybe see Duo there. He wasn't there, as I sort of figured, so I ate as quickly as I could without making myself ill and headed back downstairs.
The dryer only had a few more minutes on the timer, so I sat on the impeccable carpeted floor, wondering what I was going to do with myself for the rest of the day that seemed to be doomed from the start. I had just made up my mind that I was going to have to practice for a few hours to make up for the lack behaviour I had be showing as of late when the timer sounded, loudly. I quickly stood, folded my laundry, and took the basket of clean garments up to my room.
That complete, I grabbed my sword and headed down the hall, looking forward to a grueling and liberating time out in the backyard of the property. I opened my door to find Winner standing there, looking for all the world like he had just woken up. Suddenly, the thought to confront him with his behaviour the past few days leaped to my mind, and impulsively I stepped to the head of the staircase, so he couldn't get around me.
"Winner..." I snarled.
"Morning, Wufei," the blond said, yawning behind his hand.
"So it is."
"Look, Wufei, if this isn't important, I'd like to have a cup of coffee and something to eat before I have to be nice," he replied, his blue-green eyes looking like they were finally focusing on me.
"This is rather important," I said, resisting the weight of the sword in my left hand. "Stop putting medication in Maxwell's drinks."
"What ever do you mean?"
"Winner! You drugged Maxwell yesterday, and I can only assume the night before," I grounded out, but my voice was a bit too loud.
"What are you talking about, Wufei?" he said, sounding completely innocent, and not fooling me for *one* bit.
"Don't act like you're an innocent bystander; we all know better. You had better tell him before he finds out some other way," I snapped.
"I don't *need* your help, Wufei," he shot back, the innocent act forgotten and replaced with his cold business demeanour. "I can handle my own problems. Maybe you should think about doing something about your own issues. Like your injury that you've been hiding from Duo for *two* days now."
His 'holier than thou' attitude snapped what was left of my already thin patience, and I narrowed my eyes at him, knowing that I was *not* radiating friendliness to him. "I *have* handled my own business, and I will *damned* if I will stand here and have you and threaten me," I said, leaving him on the landing and not stopping until I had made it to the backyard.
I moved far beyond the pool and the few trees that offered shade to that area, heading to the deeper area. My refuge from the time when Duo had first kissed me, almost two weeks ago. These have been the most interesting days of my life, but taxing in more than one way. Part of me wonders what I could have done differently, and where I would be at this point, but there is too much I could have done differently, and none of my options are appealing... Except for my stupid show of jealousy. The other part of my mind knows that if I had changed any one thing, I might have missed my only real opportunity to have my braided xin ai.
Growing more frustrated with myself by the moment, I took a deep breath and bowed to my imaginary opponent. Rising from the open position, I moved into my first kata, feeling all my thoughts and emotions fading from my mind. Soon, everything but the well-known stances were erased from my consciousness, and I was lost to the outside world.
I have no idea how long I stayed like that, but it wasn't an extremely long time, because soon the dry tickle in the back of my throat that I had been experiencing when I came outside became unbearable and forced me to stop. Standing up straight, I bowed to my opponent, turned, and started back to the house.
Luckily, the TV room was abandoned, as I could see no one when I entered, but I was not so fortunate when I entered the kitchen. I stopped at the entrance of the open area, taking in the sight that was offered to me. Duo was sitting on the counter, slowly peeling a banana and staring at it as if it was the last thing tangible on Earth. His braid was curling around his legs from behind his back, adding to the erotic scene, and making my heart pound, blood race, and hormones rage.
When the last of the peeling was divested from the fruit, I walked into the room, hoping that I would not spark my lover's attention. Again, my luck failed me as his clouded over violet eyes made me feel like a piece of meat for sale and he took a rather large, and seemingly satisfying, bite of the banana.
Needless to say, my growing erection became fully realized, and only proceeded as Duo repeated the enticing eating of the fruit, but this time closing his eyes in pleasure. That made me think back to the last time I had seen his face so calm and happy... The last time we had made love... Oh, he was doing this on purpose... He *had* to have been.
Suddenly, Duo's shining eyes flew open, and a smile stole over his face. I knew then that he had giving me a show, and that I had played right into his hands. Not knowing whether it was from embarrassment or arousal, I felt a blush creep across my cheeks, which angered me a little and enabled me to think a bit clearer again.
Until he licked his lips...
And spoke... No. Purred...
"Hello, Wufei."
"Duo," I said, not trusting myself to speak anymore than that. I knew that the longer I stayed in there with him, the more I was going to have to fight my body's reaction to his sexual stimuli. So, moving as swiftly as possible, I marched to the refrigerator, grabbed the nearest water bottle, and left the room.
When I had reached the calm of the staircase, I took a moment to gather my thoughts. I was *too* enticed by his actions and had given him *exactly* what he wanted. He had asked for time to think about our complicated situation, and I wanted to respect that request, but it was going to be impossible if he kept acting like that.
Without thinking about it, I drained the bottle in my hand, and let my arm rest against the cool wall I was leaning against. It was then that I noticed that I was drenched in my own sweat, and that my pulse had yet to reach anything I would have considered 'normal'. And yet, I stayed in place against the cool plaster, letting the feeling of the wall ground me to reality.
After a few moments, I walked up the stairs, grabbed a clean set of clothes from the basket on my bed, put my sword away, threw the empty plastic bottle that I still had in the trash bin by my desk, and headed to the sanctity of the bathroom that I shared with Duo. Only that did *not* help the situation I was in. The very room reminded me of the extremely intimate bath I had given him just the day before. Thus in turn, my arousal reached an excruciatingly painful level.
Praying to Ti-Tsang Wang (1), I stripped and turned on the water of the shower. When the water was a little more than tepid, I stepped into the spray, hoping that the water would make me forget about the spectacle that had occurred less than three minutes before hand. Such luck was not with me, and I saw repeatedly the way Duo's eyes closed as he devoured the phallic-shaped fruit.
I moaned despite of myself and my aching arousal twinged in remembrance of everything that had transpired between the braided boy and I. I knew that no matter what else I did, I wouldn't be able to get through the rest of the day with those thoughts in my head. So, I turned the temperature of the water up a little more, letting the now warm water saturate my body and mind. Absentmindedly, I let a hand drift to my manhood, moaning again at the simple touch on the center of my need.
Slowly, a part of me became aware that I was moving my hand up and down my length. Most of my mind was concentrated on a heart-shaped face, violet eyes, chestnut locks flowing around me, and a pert nose surrounding an enticingly perfect mouth moaning my name. I felt my climax coming closer and closer, and I didn't resist it, allowing my brain to shut off.
Soon, I saw a bright white light behind my eyes, followed by the unmistakable clenching of my stomach that signified the release of my seed everywhere. I also noticed that I had yelled out my xin ai's name, but I tried to concentrate on the relaxing feeling that was overcoming my taxed muscles. When I finished climaxing, I fell heavily to my knees, the water falling over my head and wiping away the traces of my shameful masturbation.
Finally, the feeling of euphoria died off, only to be replaced by self-loathing and hate, spiced with weakness, which increased the self-loathing and hate. "Nataku, help me," I muttered, wishing for nothing but a hole to come and swallow up, honour momentarily forgotten. The sound of the bathroom door, which I hadn't locked but I *had* shut, closing shook me from my inner thoughts, and the possibility of whom it could have been lent a bit of sad hope to my heart.
I hastily finished my shower, using Duo's shampoo by accident and shivering when the scented air reached my nose. I dried quickly, trying to go and find my xin ai as soon as possible. I was dressed hurriedly as well, and when I exited the bathroom, dirty clothes and towel under my arm, I heard the sound of a shower running close by. Duo's door was open, so I assumed that it could only have been him in the other bathroom.
I felt nervous, though why I couldn't place, and I took the garments I was holding into the dirty clothes bin in my room. I tried to think about what I was going to do when a flash of brown caught my eye from the desk. It was the gift I had gotten for Duo two days before, still there from where I had placed it this morning after the scene in Duo's room. A sudden thought came to me, and in a way it seemed perfect. I snatched the wrapped CD off of my desk, along with the card, which I shoved under the twine that kept the paper closed, and walked to Duo's room.
It was exactly as I had left it roughly seven hours before, except that the bedcovers where strewn across the floor. I picked them up after I placed the gift on his desk, and walked silently back to my own room. I had just made it to the door when I heard Yuy's voice call out.
I spun around to see a half-naked Yuy standing in front of Duo, his long hair out of it's customary braid and bending over. Not wanting to see any more, I slammed the door to my room behind me, ignoring the way the wood seemed to crack with the force. The unwelcome pang of jealousy hit me hard, making me see red and feeling the desire to kill a team member become *very* real.
Ti-Tsang Wang help me, I couldn't think beyond what had just occurred, and I knew that if I didn't control my behaviour not only would I look like a fool, but I would end up losing the man I had lost my heart to, time and time again. I knew that I needed meditation more than ever at that point.
I cleared my mind, using exercises that had been drilled into my since I was a small child, and soon, I was lost to everything outside of myself and the nothingness I needed.
A knock sounded from far away, and I ignored it, hoping that whomever it was would leave me alone for the time I needed. I had just gotten back to the place I was searching for, the empty, deserted planes of deep meditation, when a familiar voice called my name. It was Duo, and I sat there, wondering if I should get up and go to him. Just as I was about to call out to him to let him enter, something was shoved under my door, and footsteps told me that the braided boy was gone.
Standing slowly, I made my way to the door and saw the CD that I had just given my lover, still wrapped in the plastic, and a letter with my name scrawled across the paper in English. My mouth ran inexplicably dry as I picked the paper and disc from off the floor. Quickly, I read what he had to say.
"Wufei,
I know I asked for time alone to think, and don't get me wrong, I have been thinking, but I've realized a lot of things. I can't stay here with Heero and Quatre; not now, maybe not for a while.
I'm going to visit with Howie and the rest of the Sweepers for a while, and he said that I could invite anyone to tag along, but the only one I want to come with me is you. I doubt you will just pick up and leave, but if you want to come, the coordinates are 15N, 25E Western Hemisphere of Earth, also know as the Virgin Islands.
If you don't come, I understand. Just know that you mean a whole lot to me, and I will miss you when I'm gone.
Wo ai ni, Wufei ~
Duo"
I reread the letter again, letting what he was trying to say sink in, but then it hit me that he was *leaving*, and he meant right then and there. I dropped the letter, pulled open my door, and made my way swiftly down the flight of stairs. I had no sooner stepped into the TV room when I saw Duo trying to sneak off, his duffle back strapped to his back and his laptop under one arm. I *had* to stop him, if only for a moment, so I could find out if he was truly serious about what the letter said.
"Maxwell? Where are you going?"
He froze and took a minute before turning around to face me, grinning mask firmly in place. "Going to see the Sweepers on Peacemillion. Care to join? Howard said you guys are welcome to see them at any time with me," he replied, trying to sound cheerful, but only succeeding in seeming miserable to my own ears. I vaguely noticed that the others were sitting around the new coffee table, papers strewn across the surface. "Any takers?"
He looked over to the other three, but I paid them no mind, concentrating instead on what the braided boy *wasn't* saying. I narrowed my eyes as he managed to fully look at me. He nodded, giving me the tiniest shadow of an actual smile, before turning back around and leaving the house. I watched him leave me behind, and I felt a tugging somewhere inside my chest cavity that was telling me that I should have accepted his offer right then and there, but then again, I was the *only* one who knew where the Sweepers' base was located, and if I felt the need later, I could go and see him again.
As the door to the basement in the kitchen closed, I took a long look at the papers on the table, noting the changes on several sheets. Winner gave me a bewildered, yet knowing, look and turned the attention of Yuy and Barton back to what ever it had been that they were discussing before Duo and I had appeared. I was grateful, and I just *knew* that Winner and Duo had talked about his previous actions but that not all was fine with the two of them. I also saw that Yuy seemed to be a bit colder to the other two than he had looked before, and he resembled something like stone. The only one who remained totally unchanged in attitude was Barton, who was pouring over the sheets of papers in his hand.
Not entirely interested in their actions, I turned on my heels and returned to my room, barely missing stepping on the case of the disc that was still in front of my door. Bending, I retrieved both the CD and the crumpled letter. I hadn't the faintest notion as to *when* I had crumpled the paper, but there it was.
Quietly, I moved to my bed after the door was shut and looked around the room that was 'mine'. What I saw made me wish that the war was over so I could die with honour, instead of living with all the many levels of disgrace I had just experienced. Not only had I just let the one person I cared about leave without truly saying goodbye to him, I had let him believe that I was angry with him. In fact, the only person I was angry with was myself.
I looked around my sparsely furnished and very... drab bedroom, remembering other times when it had seemed a haven, and something more with Duo. Sighing in frustration, I dropped the paper and disc on my bed, lit a single candle as a focal point, and gave myself over to the nothingness I needed to actually think. I would have the answer to what I wanted to know, but I needed a clear head first.
*~~~~~~~*
There was a knock on my door, hours later. I knew that hours had passed for the sun had moved until it had disappeared behind the far off horizon and my candle had gone completely out.
"Chang, dinner is done," Yuy called through the door, and I could hear his footsteps leading away from the wooden obstacle on the other side of my room.
Carefully, I stood and made my way downstairs to the dining room that had been formally set. I could hear sounds coming from the kitchen, but before I could go and offer my services, Winner appeared. He was carrying a few dishes that he set on the table.
"Hello, Wufei. Sit down. Dinner is done, and Trowa should be out soon with the rest of the food," he said, disappearing into the adjoining room.
I took a seat at the table, and waited patiently for the other three to join me in the large room. My wait was not very long, for Barton and Winner both appeared, laden down with food and refusing my offer of help. Yuy was the last one to come in and take his seat, as far from mine as possible.
"Well, now that we are all here, let's enjoy this meal that Allah has allowed us to have together," the blond said, obviously trying to be genial to everyone. I bowed my head in thanks to Barton as he looked at me and began to place some of the food onto my plate.
The meal was eaten in mostly silence, but it did not last long.
"We have made adjustments to the plan with Ms. Peacecraft-Darlian and Ms. Catalonia," Barton informed me.
"What kind of adjustments?" I asked, placing my fork on my plate.
"You and Duo both will be allowed 'face time' with Relena," Winner said, smiling coldly.
"That is satisfactory," I said, intended to return to eating.
"I'm going to email Duo later, so I will tell him then. If that's alright with everyone," the blond replied. He was greeted with silence.
The mere mention of my lover's name made a small pang of guilt creep into my mind, and I lost my taste for the rest of the meal. I knew that I shouldn't have let the American get away without a word about the letter, and yet, I had.
I stood up and excused myself, walking back to my room.
When I reached it, the letter stood out against the dark sheets and duvet on my bed, silently accusing me of being a heartless jerk, as Duo would say. I picked it back up, rereading the coordinates until I had them memorized, then threw it away and proceeded to pack all of my belongings into my duffle bag. I knew that I wouldn't be returning to this place, and I wanted to make sure that I had everything I would need.
As soon as I was sure that nothing was left behind, I checked the time, hefted my bag over my shoulder, picked up my computer, and left the house as silently as I could.
I met no one on the way to the hangar, but I hadn't really expect to, and slipped into Nataku's cockpit, feeling at home for the time being. I deftly started up the systems one by one, until I was sure that I was ready for take off, keyed in the coordinates that I had received, and left without so much as a farewell to my other comrades. Only one person mattered right then and there, and I was making sure that I at least apologized to him before it was impossible.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
After six of the most agonizing hours of my life, I arrived at Peacemillion, a large ship moored not too far from the tropical islands that surrounded it. I suppose that the flight should have taken a lot longer, but I pressed Nataku to the fastest she could go. The whine of the engines told me that I would have to do repairs, and shortly. The lights on the deck of the enormous ship lit up, allowing me to see the area clearly, and I carefully set Nataku down, shut off the systems with a wince as they whirled angrily, and zipped from the cockpit with my things.
No sooner had my feet touched the ground when an old man with ridiculous hair and an even more ridiculous shirt and sunglasses approached me. I resettled my bag so that it wasn't digging into my side and straightened my back to greet the man.
"You must be Chang," he said, holding his hand out in front of him. "I'm Howard, and I run this floating hunk of metal."
I ignored his proffered hand and looked around the deck of the ship. "Where is Maxwell?"
"Well, the kid is asleep, and has been since he arrived." Howard slid his sunglasses down his nose, and I could see his shrewd blue eyes looking me over. "What can I do for you?"
"I need to talk to Maxwell."
"Single-minded, aren't you?" He gave a small smile, which I did *not* return. "Well, I can show you to a room, if you want to get some rest, or I could get Cookie to whip you up something to eat."
"No, thank you. I would rather find Duo and talk to him," I said, feeling frustrated as the man put what I had requested off. I am not very patient, but this man was working his way onto my very last nerve of the day.
"Well..." he drawled, one hand going behind his back. A few of the others on the deck started moving closer to watch our 'conversation'. "I suppose I could take ya to the Kid's room, but your attitude sucks right now..."
I narrowed my eyes into a glare.
"Ah, you been taking lessons from that Yuy kid, haven't ya?" He smiled again and pushed his glasses back up on his face. "Look, I'll have a mechanic look over your Gundam, and then I'll take you to see the Kid."
"No. No one but myself will touch Nataku," I growled. "Just take me to see Maxwell."
"Watch your step, boy. This is my ship, and I won't think twice about throwing your skinny ass overboard into the ocean." He waved the others away and looked expectantly at me. "You comin', or not? Because it makes no difference to me." He walked towards the door on the foredeck, and I followed, trying to ignore the pain in my leg at the swift pace he kept.
He stopped in front of a door that looked like the others that dotted the hallway, except for the picture of a scythe and a grinning death mask. There was no need to tell me to whom it belonged. Only one person had enough gall to do such a thing. A light snore on the other side of the door told me that the American that I was searching for was sleeping peacefully for a change.
A hand appeared in my face, and I turned to look at my guide.
"Yes?"
"You fuck with him, and I'll have a new key chain. If you don't get my meaning, then I'll be a little more direct. You hurt him, and you'll be a eunuch. Got it?"
I looked at him, and found that he was serious, and yet, a part of me felt faint at what he was implying. "Yes," I snapped.
"Good," Howard said, waving cheerfully. "Normal people around here wake up at six or so, but Duo should be up at about nine or ten. Cookie will have breakfast for the both of you ready at that time. Good night, Chang." He walked off before I could respond, not that I could think of anything to say to him after he had threatened to castrate me.
I quietly opened the door, feeling a little resistance to the metal. A quick look behind it told me that Duo had just dropped his bag anywhere. I slid inside the room, softly shut the door, and straightened the bags so they were side by side against a wall.
I saw a desk not too far from the bunk where a laptop sat, and a look at the bunk told me that Duo was curled into a small ball, snoring for all he was worth. Evidently, the door had been muffling a lot of the sound. I would find a way to fix that later... It was a rather annoying habit that I had no idea about before now.
Slowly, I approached the desk, placing my laptop beside Duo's, and then turned to face the bed. His face was hard to see, but I had a clear shot of his back and his braid. Using my skills as a martial artist, I moved to the bed and shook his small frame. I got no reaction the first time, so I tried again. Still no reaction. The third time was a bit rough, and I was greeted by his fist aiming for my face while he was still sleeping.
I grabbed his slender wrist tightly before he hit me, and he swore sleepily at me. "Dammit, Yuy, if you don't fuck off, I will kill you."
I stifled a snicker and responded back, quietly into his ear. "That would not work, even if I *were* Yuy."
He stiffened and then relaxed, but didn't turn over yet. "'Fei?"
Knowing that he wouldn't try anything else to cause me some sort of bodily harm, I slid onto the bunk behind him, wrapping him in my arms. "Yes."
"You're really here, right? I'm not dreaming again, am I?" he whispered, moving until we were so close that I could not have escaped whether I wanted to or not. I responded by pulling him as close as I could, reveling in the warmth his body was giving off.
"Yes, I'm here," I said, kissing the nearest body part, the back of his slender neck.
"Why did you come?" he asked, his voice sounding strained.
I swallowed my pride and hurt at the way he had said that. Maybe he had not wanted me to come? "Did you not want me to?"
"More than anything... But, you seemed upset earlier today, or yesterday... Or whenever that was." He straightened out and pressed his firm rear against my semi-awake erection. "I know that I gave you the exact coordinates, but I wasn't sure if you were going to use them after you didn't answer your door."
"It took me a while to think about whether or not I would. You asked for time, and I was willing to give, but it didn't mean I had to like it, and when I saw you before you left... I just wasn't sure if I was..." Ready; enough; justified; worthy of him...
"If you were what?"
"Worthy," I settled for.
"Of what?"
"You." I felt pain at the open honesty I was actually sharing with my lover, and he shocked me when he responded back.
"No, I don't deserve you, but I am sure as hell going to work to change that," he said defiantly, turning over to face me, and never breaking the tight hold I had on him. "You know, when I first saw you emerge from Nataku that first time, and all you did was curse us other four for our rash behaviour, the only thing I noticed was how great looking you were, even scowling and insulting me."
The memory was not a good one, but the way that he associated it made it a bit easier to swallow. In fact, it amused me to the point of chuckling a bit, if not weakly. "Ah, well, that moment was disrupted, was it not?" Yuy, you fucking idiot.
"Yeah, watching a friend self-destruct tends to make the mind forget about the libido." He leaned his head from off my shoulder to kiss my jaw.
""So it does..." I whispered, inching my head a bit to allow him to continue his actions.
"How did you find my room?" he asked, taking a breath.
"Howard. The man with the horrible shirt and sunglasses, even though it was well past moon rise out," I said, using my arm that was on his shoulders to pull our hips together.
We both moaned at the mutual contact. Duo placed a passionate, almost savage and primitive, kiss on my parted lips. I vaguely noticed when he pulled my hair out of its customary ponytail. The feeling of his calloused hands on my scalp was divine.
"I missed you," he whispered breathlessly.
I had to snort. He would miss me for only a few hours, would he not? Although... "We were in a similar position less than twenty-four hours ago."
"I know, but you broke that up."
I kissed him, not wanting to talk about any of the uncomfortable things that had transpired between us earlier that day. My free hand fell against his coil of braided hair, and I ran it down the rope until I found the end before carefully undoing the plait. His luxurious locks fell around us, and I ran my hand through it, rewarded with cat-like humming.
"Fei-bebi? I..."
"Don't talk right now, Duo. I'm tired, and I woke you up so you wouldn't kill me in the morning." I allowed the weariness to creep into my voice. "We can talk about it later, ok?"
"Sure," he yawned, before relaxing and I soon joined him in sleep.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
I awoke with the breaking of the dawn, a lively seven a.m., as I have heard it pronounced for the past two days. The light crept through the glass of the single narrow window, touching the floor directly underneath. Never had such an intense sun greeted me this early in the morning, and I felt a bit disturbed by it.
I tried to pull the sheet that covered me off, but the silken feel of it made me abandon all motions while my brain woke up fully. Slowly, I processed what occurred the night before: Duo's sudden departure, my delayed following, the confrontation with that man who resembled a clown, and then the small talk I had with Duo before falling asleep with him on this ship in the middle of the Caribbean. The 'sheet' had to have been his long hair, hence the feel and the resistance when I tried to pull it.
The thing that worried me the most was that Duo was still asleep, even after I pulled his hair like that. I sat up gently, mindful of the chestnut locks spilling around the both of us, and took a look at the sleeping American. A smile was gracing his heart-shaped face, making him look like a little boy sleeping with his favorite stuffed animal. I was a tad bit offended at the way my mind supplied that I had become his 'Wu-bear', as he so graciously called me a few days ago. A sense of pride, and pleasantness accompanied that thought.
*Very* carefully, I crawled off the tiny bunk, and made my way to the clear window. The sky was an amazing shade of blue, which was reflected off of the calm sea, with not one cloud in it. Everything seemed to be the closest to a prefect peace that I had ever been offered in my short life; not to mention the very fact that the one person I had dared to love, loved me and was currently sleeping not three feet from where I was standing.
I took a deep breath, cracked the window a few centimeters, and then sat directly under it to allow the wind to blow through my loosened hair. The temperature was a bit warmer than I thought that April had any right to be, but I wasn't going to complain about it. At least, not to anyone but myself.
Eventually, my mind emptied out all of my racing thoughts, and I lost track of all time. It wasn't until I heard the pre-waking shuffling from the bed that I remembered where, and with whom, I was. Finding the muggy atmosphere a bit much, I headed for the small bathroom that I had spotted the night before.
I had just climbed under the rush of warm water when a dark shadow could be seen from the doorway. I smirked as the form moved closer, and behaved as if I hadn't noticed him at all. The shower door moved back silently, Duo's light footstep hit the porcelain bottom, and the door shut behind him. His tanned arms wrapped around my waist, and I could feel his body flat against my own.
"Wish I could wake up to this everyday," he whispered hoarsely, the sleep still evident in his voice. I growled as his warm breath hit my neck and his rousing member rubbed against the back of my thigh.
"Yes, that would be nice," I managed, while laying my wet head against his temple. "Duo?"
"Mmm?" he answered dreamily. I felt a tight knot in the pit of my stomach, but I had to ask the next question, or else it would plague me.
"Why did you return the disk I left you?"
"Hmm, so you could give it to me in person." I took a deep breath again as he rubbed himself against my posterior.
"Is that the only reason why?" I asked roughly as he placed a calloused hand on my sensitive cock. (I've been around Duo too long. That was the only word that came to mind at the moment. I will try and change it later.)
"No. I don't deserve it yet," he whispered before biting my jaw line and receiving a rather undignified moan in response. "Let me make love to you again, Wufei."
I froze at the words he had muttered. Not that I didn't want him to make love to me again; quite the opposite. It was the fact that up until last night his ribs had been taped from the fight with Yuy. Then, it registered that the coarse bandages were missing. I wanted to ask about that. "Are you in..." Whatever else I was going to say was lost as he started to move his thumb over the slit of my arousal. "Ahnnnn... Duo, that's not fair," I whined, forgetting to be 'manly' or 'honourable', but he paid little mind to my lapse in regular behaviour.
"Uhn, uhn, Fei-bebi, all's fair in love and war. Since this is both, then anything goes. And by the way, I feel just fine. In fact, I feel more than fine."
I nodded in reply, not sure he actually noticed, but I felt his hand move from my aching erection and start searching for the bar of soap that was in the holder on the wall adjacent to us. Before I knew what was really happening, I was prepped and then his fingers were replaced by his thick shaft. He moaned in what can only be described as ecstasy, and then bent over to whisper in my ear again.
"I'm gonna take you fast and hard, because I don't want any interruptions for this," he growled and all I could do was nod mutely and brace myself against the tile wall in front of me, while grabbing a few loose, wet strands of his long hair.
He pulled almost completely out, then slammed full force back into my body, and my knees just about gave from under me until he used one hand to gripe my hips tightly. He chuckled warmly as he moved around a little. "God, Wufei, do you know how good you feel?" he asked as he pulled out and slammed into me again.
I pushed back with my body, driving that hard manhood deeper inside myself. I gasped as I got the desired results, and white lights appeared behind my eyes. "You... talk... too... much..." I moaned out.
He laughed richly, and all sounds but the primal grunts, gasps and moans of our coupling were forgotten. Soon, a little too soon for my tastes, he grabbed my achingly hardness, and starting stroking me in time to his thrusts.
"AH! DUO!" I yelled, uncharacteristically and a bit loud, as I came violently. He gave a few more shallow thrusts before succumbing to his own climax to the chorus of "Wufei! GOD! WUFEI!"
I can't explain how empty I felt as he withdrew, but I really couldn't feel much of my body, as most of it seemed to have lost all nerve control when I actually needed it.
"Fuck, that was amazing," he breathed, as he started to move around. What he was doing was lost on me until I felt a hand (not my own) grab for the forgotten bar of soap.
"Mmm," I answered agreeably as I searched for the cloth that I had brought with me and the soap. I felt something sticking to my hand, and discovered that I still held a few locks of Duo's amazing hair in it. Regretfully, I loosed them.
Suddenly, a very angry pounding sounded on the outer door, followed by an extremely loud yelling. "Dammit, Kid! Other people would like some hot water too! This isn't one of the blond kid's estates! Hurry it up in there! And tell your Chinese friend to be nicer next time, for Christ's sake." Howard... I resisted the urge to growl.
I was surprised to hear Duo begin to laugh, but as I thought it over, I found some humour in the situation, and joined him. He looked at me and a slight flush came to his cheeks. "Looks like we're caught, 'Fei," he said between chuckles.
"It looks like," I said, slowly regaining my composure.
*~~~~~~~*
The rest of our shower was quickly dealt with, and we stepped out of the cramped shower stall. I wrapped the one towel I had found around my hips and left to go dry off and dress in the more spacious bedroom. I made a thorough job of doing so, as the humidity would be unbearable otherwise, and I had just stood up from retrieving a pair of my silk pants from my bag when I was greeted with the sight of Duo getting attired in something that I am sure should be outlawed from every place of public notice. I wanted him to only wear something like that in our bedroom.
I finished tying my own pants off, locked eyes with my xin ai, and managed to catch sight of what those 'clothes' did to the curves of the American's body. As in show every inch of skin that wasn't *truly* obscene, and hug every inch they *did* cover.
"'Fei?" he whispered sexily, and I growled in frustration. He is going to be the death of me yet. I swear. Instead of answering, I pulled my hair into a ponytail, and went to find some place to work of my newly acquired erection. I marched up to the deck of Peacemillion, past all the people who looked as if they wanted to ask questions and thought better of it, and made it to Nataku, where I started to throw myself into my katas.
A few minutes later, a commotion caught part of my attention. I spared a look, seeing Duo surrounded by puzzled looking people, all asking questions at the same time. Smirking, I allowed Duo to handle the situation and continued my work out.
"Whoa! One at a time. Now, what the hell do you want?" he yelled out after a while. Pause. "He's a... friend. His name is Chang Wufei." Friend? I could deal with that, but I would talk to him about it later. Another pause. "He came because I asked him. Sheesh, everyone, I thought you knew that I only invite guys who promise to kill me and/or yell at me to shut the hell up. Look, he's a good guy. Fighting the same war as me. Just give him a break. I bet he was an ass last night when he was looking for me, but he's cool. You have my word. Now, if you don't mind, and even if you do, I have to go see how my Buddy is doing. 'Cuse me."
The deck became quiet, and I paid more attention to what I was doing with my body. I took a break after a few more minutes. My heart was just not into the ritual exercise. Besides, the view was amazing.
"Hey, sexy," Duo's familiar deep baritone whispered, a little too closely for the 'friends' explanation he gave to the Sweepers.
"Duo," I rumbled, moving away, but stopped when he grabbed my arm and growled dangerously at me.
"Look, 'Fei, this isn't like at the safe house. No Heero here, and even if there was, I would do the same thing. These people are the closest thing I have to family besides you and the other guys. Just... Try and show 'em some respect, okay?" he asked, almost sweetly, and following it up with the 'Duo Maxwell Kicked Puppy' look.
"Fine," I mumbled, feeling like a deflated balloon for all effort.
"Love ya, 'Fei. Now, are you hungry? I'm sure Cookie-girl could whip you up something to eat that you would like. She's great," he said, moving his hand down to take my own and dragging me off in the direction of the galley.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
After breakfast yesterday, we have basically wasted time doing things around the ship. I got Nataku fixed, and the last time I started up her engines, she didn't make that horrible mechanical screeching. I also found a few other things that would have become a problem later, but I caught them in time.
Howard and the rest of the Sweepers have stopped questioning Duo about why I am here and who I really am. After a few raised eyebrows about the bruises on Duo's arms, which he insisted on *not* covering, it seemed as if I was accepted. I was dragged everywhere aboard the ship by my xin ai, who was certain that we might be separated soon and he wanted me to be familiar with everything. Just in case, he said adamantly. I sighed, but allowed myself to be escorted.
After the medic, called the Sheik (and he looked like he would be more than comfortable around Winner and his Maguanacs), took a look at my bullet wound at Duo's insistence, I was given a clean bill of health with nothing more than one more scar later. I had plenty of those, so I was far from worried.
I found some time to myself earlier today when Duo was checking his mail, and downloading more of that obscure twentieth century music I'm sure, and I walked up to the deck of the ship, in search of Howard. He was supervising some sort of salvaging, but he seemed bored with it all. I was only about three meters from the man when he was approached by someone, who seemed a little more than upset. I watched as they gestured wildly with their hands and their voices never raised above a harsh whisper.
A few moments later, the other man walked away briskly and Howard was alone once again. I carefully laid a hand on his shoulder, while standing two feet away from him. He reacted by spinning around, almost losing his sunglasses in the process.
"Something I can do for you, Chang?" Howard asked in a low voice.
I cleared my throat, unsure of what I was going to say. "I... I would like to apologize for my behaviour that first night..." I blurted out in pure Duo-form. I am definitely picking up on some of his more obnoxious habits.
I was surprised when Howard started laughing quietly. "Accepted, and I have to say that my boy is a good influence on you. From what I've heard about O, and other traditionalist Chinese folk, that isn't real easy for ya," he said, clamping on of his heavy hands on my left shoulder. "And don't worry. I won't tell Duo about your 'slip'." He laughed again, turned, and left me alone with my thoughts.
Slowly, I made my way back to the room I was sharing with Duo and sat on the bed while he worked. Finally, he seemed about to leave, so I got up from the bed and made my way to my laptop. He swiveled back around at the doorway, and smiled at me - an all-too-rare genuine smile that warmed me, even if I am loathe to admit it to *anyone*, even myself.
"Dinner time, 'Fei-bebi. Q emailed me about the plan changes. We can talk about those after we get some food into us. Now," he said, coming back to the desk where I had just sat down, "come along, and don't fight me. You'll lose. I have too much help this time around." I sighed, and followed him out.
An hour later found us back in the room, our laptops open and discussing the plan corrections that Yuy, Winner, and Barton had implemented to the otherwise sketchy details. Evidently, the new changes allowed for something that Winner and Duo called 'face time' with the Peacecraft girl. I gave Duo a cold smile as I saw those two words and was given a matching one from my usually bouncing lover. It seems that Shinigami has a few words for her... I *almost* pity her, but only almost.
After our discussion, I wrote back to Winner, accepting his apology for his harsh words and icy behaviour from a few days ago. I told him that I was also sorry for my part in our disagreement, and that things were well here. I also told him that no matter what had transpired between him and Duo that the braided boy wished he was there. Seeing as how my yearly allotment of niceness was surpassed, I began to go over the plans thoroughly myself, looking for any flaws that I saw.
I found exactly two, which amazed me. These were plans by Heero Yuy. I should *not* have found any. He seems too distracted, and if he becomes a liability to mine, or Duo's, safety and missions, I believe I will handle him myself.
Well, I have spent far too much time writing this all out. Duo seems to be done in the shower, and I still need one. (We decided that after the first time that the shower stall is a bit too small for any more coital actions. My head still hurts from that first time yesterday.)
Good night.
~ Chang Wufei
Notes:
(1) In Chinese Mythology, Ti-Tsang Wang is the God of Mercy. While generally this God chooses to help those souls who are stuck in the endless circle of death and rebirth, He also helps those souls that are in Hell find a way to Nirvana/Heaven. I thought it fitting that Wufei would call on this God, as he is in his own version of Hell. *snickers* This information was provided by this website: http://www.crystalinks.com/chinamythology.html
Author: Makoto Sagara
Archive: www.afallenangel.net/makotosagara/frames/fanfiction.html, www.wufeiduo.net, www.fanfiction.net, www.foreverfandom.net, www.sailorandco.crosswinds.net/gundamwing/fanfiction/fanfiction.html,
www.geocities.com/daqdaqduck/
Category: Romance, Angst
Pairings: 5x2x5, 3x4, 1+2, R+1
Rating: R/NC-17
Warnings: Shonen ai, angst, OOC, language, pissed off Duo, lemon
Disclaimers: Um, nothing new here. Don't own. Don't profit. Don't sue. Don't flame.
A/N: Wow, it's been a minute since I wrote chapter 24. So much has happened since then. Mako got a new boyfriend. Woohoo! I'm getting into school, so time has become a rare commodity for me. @_@ Please don't be mad. I haven't let this fall to the wayside, and I refuse to let it become neglected just because I have a sweet, nice, yummy... Er, just because some of my time is now considered important to others. #^^#
Dedication: To Keith, my bf, who probably won't read this, because I will probably put off telling him that I write yaoi until a *much* later date. Even if he never knows, he acts a *lot* like the Fei in this fic. *snickers* Lucky me, ne?
Symbols: *blah* emphasized word
*~*~* Major change of scene
*~~~* Minor change of scene
April 17th, AC 195... 23:02:45
I find myself bouncing between feeling like a fool, and realizing that I am the luckiest man alive. I told Duo about my injury, and while I was expected him to be upset, the way he reacted startled me. And what did I do with my misplaced anger? I lashed out at Winner, when it was really myself that I was upset with. Not to mention the fact that Yuy has had me in touch with an emotion that I utterly detest: jealousy.
Perhaps I should tell the whole story so I can get it off my chest and so that it will make sense at a later date.
The morning after I watched Duo sleep and debated telling him about the gunshot wound in my leg, I felt a certain stirring beside me and then a yell of pain. Needless to say, my instinct was to sit up and reach for my non-existent gun. Duo's voice, sounding far away, reminded me of where, and with whom, I was.
"'Fei?" he whispered, moving farther away from me, as if he was afraid of me. That worried me a bit. "You... You ok?"
I looked at him, clearing my head from the last bits of sleep-induced haze. "Max... Duo, I am fine," I replied, rather hoarse still, while pulling him towards me. A snicker was audible from him, though it was laced with a dose of healthy pain. I was at a lost as for what was so funny, so I pushed my lover back a bit, staring at him. "What?"
"You just gave me a nickname, Fei-bebi," he said, sounding rather amused at the fact, and I was still lost. "My first, if you don't count Heero's 'Baka'. I like."
"No, I don't count 'baka' as an acceptable form of address, and Yuy is an idiot," I whispered in Mandarin, pulling Duo's warm body close to mine once more. I thoroughly enjoyed the feeling that having him with me produced. I was sure that I was about to go back to sleep, and I could feel Duo's body fully relax, but a rather devious thought stole over my mind - no doubt due to my prolonged exposure to Duo.
I ran my hand up the back of his shirt, reveling in the feel of his soft skin against my hand. I was greeted with something akin to a purr coming from my xin ai, while his leg rubbed against my own. I moved my hands until they rested on his tight ass. He started kissing and sucking on my neck and shoulder, which is a rather sensitive area for me. I moaned, and snaked a hand from his ass to his chin, forcing his head up. I could tell that he was about to pout, but I attacked his soft lips and used my other hand to pull him until there was nothing separating our bodies.
"Hmmmm, 'Fei," he whispered. I think I was doing a good job at making him happy at that point, but I was slightly curious over something he had said a bit earlier.
"So, what is this new nickname I have supposedly given you?" I asked against his soft cheek and squeezing his rear to punctuate my question.
"Max... Ah! 'Fei, that feels so good," he murmured, and suddenly I felt guilty because I knew what he wanted, but between the two of us being semi-injured, I knew that we couldn't make love. Besides the point, I would have to tell him what happened on my solitary mission.
Slowly, I pulled away and sat up, feeling the guilt rise in my throat, leaving a sour taste and a sick feeling in my stomach. It got worse when Duo spoke next.
"What the *hell* is this bullshit?" he yelled.
"I have something important to tell you," I replied, annoyed with myself that I had angered him before telling him anything.
"Couldn't this have waited until *after* we made love?"
"No."
He sighed, and turned a soft imploring look to me. "What is it, 'Fei-bebi? What is so important you couldn't pound me into the bed first?"
"Must you be so crude?" I snapped, feeling more and more disgusted with myself.
He shot up out of the bed, wobbly made his way to the desk chair that was a good two meters from the bed, and then turned on me angrily. "You know, if I wanted to feel like shit when I woke up, I'd still be chasing after Heero. Say whatever the *fuck* it is you are going to say, and get the hell out of my room, Chang."
I flinched as he spat my family name back at me, and looked at him, feeling the snarl die on my lips as I saw the pain in his eyes. "Duo... I have something important to tell you, and I won't blame you if you hate me afterwards, or if you are upset. Also, I am sorry that I snapped at you," I said, trying desperately to find the perfect words. I am *not* a word person. I may be a scholar, but I was never a lover of spoken words.
His face seemed to drop as he looked at me, and as if he wasn't aware of it, he moved back to the bed. "'Fei, what is it?" he softly implored.
"Do you remember the mission I had the morning after the last time we made love?" I asked.
"Yesssss," he hissed. "I really hate waking up alone, and that was crap." He crawled up on the bed, and tried to curl up on me, but I stopped him before he got too close. I knew that what I had to say next would make him *very* upset. "Wufei, did something happen on the mission that you aren't telling me about?"
I took a deep breath to steel myself, and locked onto his violet eyes that were shining with worry and love. Using all the courage I could muster, I finally spoke. "Yes. I was injured."
I watched him as he blinked and tried to process what I said to him. After a few moments of eerie silence, he replied. "What?" he asked, his voice deceptively sweet.
"I received an injury while heading back to Nataku. The factory had just exploded, and I was jumping over the fence that surrounded the perimeter when a lucky stray bullet struck me in the calf," I said, my voice growing quieter as I continued.
He blinked yet again, and then looked at me. "And you didn't tell me before now, why?"
"There were... other things that prevented me from doing so," I said. "Duo... I did not mean to keep it from you. Things just did not go the way I had planned, and yesterday I wanted to make sure you were comfortable. I... I am sorry," I said, feeling about two centimeters tall.
He shocked me by getting up from the bed and walking over to the window, his eyes staring at something in the overcast morning sky. I carefully made my way over to him, and tried to place a hand on his shoulder, which he shrugged off.
"Duo?" I asked, my voice showing the weakness that I was feeling at his rejection. I moved a hand to touch his braid, but dropped it before it was near the thick rope. "Maxwell?" I asked shakily.
"Just leave me alone... At least for right now, Wufei." He stopped, and a quick glance at his reflection that was being cast off of the window told me that he was thinking over things that were far away from me at that moment. "I need some time to think." He turned as I took a step back, and placed a kiss that one gives his grandmother on my cheek. "I love you, Wufei. I really do, but I need this time alone."
"I understand," I replied, feeling cold all of a sudden. I snatched my laptop off of his desk, and took my leave of him. I stopped and leaned my head against the cold wood, listening as Duo hit the floor. I could only imagine what he was doing. I felt awful, and remained at his door until I heard him shuffle back into his bed.
When I moved away from his door, I almost ran full force into Barton. "Excuse me," I said, making my way stiffly to my own room.
"Wufei!" Barton called out. I turned to face him, letting it known that I was more than a little annoyed at the moment.
"Yes?"
"How is Duo today?"
"He is..." I stopped, trying to find something accurate. "He is fine," I said, and made it to my room before I started berating myself for the second time in the last three days.
After I had yelled at myself in every language I could think in (English being the most productive), I sat down on the carpet near the large window in my room. The grey sky started to break apart with beautiful patches of blue peering behind the clouds and the sun struggling to shine through. I felt my spirits lift a tiny bit, and I decided that some meditation and katas would probably benefit my body, as well as my soul.
So, with that in mind, I changed into something a bit less restrictive than the clothes I has slept in, noticing that I was running low on clean garments. So low in fact, that it would be much more productive to do laundry. Hurriedly, I gathered all of my soiled laundry and threw it into the basket that was located in the closet for just such an occasion. One of the perks of staying with Winner when we have what Duo calls 'down time'.
Barton was in the kitchen, cooking breakfast for the whole team. I walked past him, taking the stairs down to the basement, and in turn, the laundry room. The machines were empty, and I went about washing my clothes. While I waited for the washing machine to finish up, I meditated lightly, keeping half of my consciousness alert for the buzzer. When the sound rang out, I stood up and moved my clothes from the washing machine to the dryer.
I knew that the dryer would take more time than the washer, so I headed up to eat something for breakfast, hoping to maybe see Duo there. He wasn't there, as I sort of figured, so I ate as quickly as I could without making myself ill and headed back downstairs.
The dryer only had a few more minutes on the timer, so I sat on the impeccable carpeted floor, wondering what I was going to do with myself for the rest of the day that seemed to be doomed from the start. I had just made up my mind that I was going to have to practice for a few hours to make up for the lack behaviour I had be showing as of late when the timer sounded, loudly. I quickly stood, folded my laundry, and took the basket of clean garments up to my room.
That complete, I grabbed my sword and headed down the hall, looking forward to a grueling and liberating time out in the backyard of the property. I opened my door to find Winner standing there, looking for all the world like he had just woken up. Suddenly, the thought to confront him with his behaviour the past few days leaped to my mind, and impulsively I stepped to the head of the staircase, so he couldn't get around me.
"Winner..." I snarled.
"Morning, Wufei," the blond said, yawning behind his hand.
"So it is."
"Look, Wufei, if this isn't important, I'd like to have a cup of coffee and something to eat before I have to be nice," he replied, his blue-green eyes looking like they were finally focusing on me.
"This is rather important," I said, resisting the weight of the sword in my left hand. "Stop putting medication in Maxwell's drinks."
"What ever do you mean?"
"Winner! You drugged Maxwell yesterday, and I can only assume the night before," I grounded out, but my voice was a bit too loud.
"What are you talking about, Wufei?" he said, sounding completely innocent, and not fooling me for *one* bit.
"Don't act like you're an innocent bystander; we all know better. You had better tell him before he finds out some other way," I snapped.
"I don't *need* your help, Wufei," he shot back, the innocent act forgotten and replaced with his cold business demeanour. "I can handle my own problems. Maybe you should think about doing something about your own issues. Like your injury that you've been hiding from Duo for *two* days now."
His 'holier than thou' attitude snapped what was left of my already thin patience, and I narrowed my eyes at him, knowing that I was *not* radiating friendliness to him. "I *have* handled my own business, and I will *damned* if I will stand here and have you and threaten me," I said, leaving him on the landing and not stopping until I had made it to the backyard.
I moved far beyond the pool and the few trees that offered shade to that area, heading to the deeper area. My refuge from the time when Duo had first kissed me, almost two weeks ago. These have been the most interesting days of my life, but taxing in more than one way. Part of me wonders what I could have done differently, and where I would be at this point, but there is too much I could have done differently, and none of my options are appealing... Except for my stupid show of jealousy. The other part of my mind knows that if I had changed any one thing, I might have missed my only real opportunity to have my braided xin ai.
Growing more frustrated with myself by the moment, I took a deep breath and bowed to my imaginary opponent. Rising from the open position, I moved into my first kata, feeling all my thoughts and emotions fading from my mind. Soon, everything but the well-known stances were erased from my consciousness, and I was lost to the outside world.
I have no idea how long I stayed like that, but it wasn't an extremely long time, because soon the dry tickle in the back of my throat that I had been experiencing when I came outside became unbearable and forced me to stop. Standing up straight, I bowed to my opponent, turned, and started back to the house.
Luckily, the TV room was abandoned, as I could see no one when I entered, but I was not so fortunate when I entered the kitchen. I stopped at the entrance of the open area, taking in the sight that was offered to me. Duo was sitting on the counter, slowly peeling a banana and staring at it as if it was the last thing tangible on Earth. His braid was curling around his legs from behind his back, adding to the erotic scene, and making my heart pound, blood race, and hormones rage.
When the last of the peeling was divested from the fruit, I walked into the room, hoping that I would not spark my lover's attention. Again, my luck failed me as his clouded over violet eyes made me feel like a piece of meat for sale and he took a rather large, and seemingly satisfying, bite of the banana.
Needless to say, my growing erection became fully realized, and only proceeded as Duo repeated the enticing eating of the fruit, but this time closing his eyes in pleasure. That made me think back to the last time I had seen his face so calm and happy... The last time we had made love... Oh, he was doing this on purpose... He *had* to have been.
Suddenly, Duo's shining eyes flew open, and a smile stole over his face. I knew then that he had giving me a show, and that I had played right into his hands. Not knowing whether it was from embarrassment or arousal, I felt a blush creep across my cheeks, which angered me a little and enabled me to think a bit clearer again.
Until he licked his lips...
And spoke... No. Purred...
"Hello, Wufei."
"Duo," I said, not trusting myself to speak anymore than that. I knew that the longer I stayed in there with him, the more I was going to have to fight my body's reaction to his sexual stimuli. So, moving as swiftly as possible, I marched to the refrigerator, grabbed the nearest water bottle, and left the room.
When I had reached the calm of the staircase, I took a moment to gather my thoughts. I was *too* enticed by his actions and had given him *exactly* what he wanted. He had asked for time to think about our complicated situation, and I wanted to respect that request, but it was going to be impossible if he kept acting like that.
Without thinking about it, I drained the bottle in my hand, and let my arm rest against the cool wall I was leaning against. It was then that I noticed that I was drenched in my own sweat, and that my pulse had yet to reach anything I would have considered 'normal'. And yet, I stayed in place against the cool plaster, letting the feeling of the wall ground me to reality.
After a few moments, I walked up the stairs, grabbed a clean set of clothes from the basket on my bed, put my sword away, threw the empty plastic bottle that I still had in the trash bin by my desk, and headed to the sanctity of the bathroom that I shared with Duo. Only that did *not* help the situation I was in. The very room reminded me of the extremely intimate bath I had given him just the day before. Thus in turn, my arousal reached an excruciatingly painful level.
Praying to Ti-Tsang Wang (1), I stripped and turned on the water of the shower. When the water was a little more than tepid, I stepped into the spray, hoping that the water would make me forget about the spectacle that had occurred less than three minutes before hand. Such luck was not with me, and I saw repeatedly the way Duo's eyes closed as he devoured the phallic-shaped fruit.
I moaned despite of myself and my aching arousal twinged in remembrance of everything that had transpired between the braided boy and I. I knew that no matter what else I did, I wouldn't be able to get through the rest of the day with those thoughts in my head. So, I turned the temperature of the water up a little more, letting the now warm water saturate my body and mind. Absentmindedly, I let a hand drift to my manhood, moaning again at the simple touch on the center of my need.
Slowly, a part of me became aware that I was moving my hand up and down my length. Most of my mind was concentrated on a heart-shaped face, violet eyes, chestnut locks flowing around me, and a pert nose surrounding an enticingly perfect mouth moaning my name. I felt my climax coming closer and closer, and I didn't resist it, allowing my brain to shut off.
Soon, I saw a bright white light behind my eyes, followed by the unmistakable clenching of my stomach that signified the release of my seed everywhere. I also noticed that I had yelled out my xin ai's name, but I tried to concentrate on the relaxing feeling that was overcoming my taxed muscles. When I finished climaxing, I fell heavily to my knees, the water falling over my head and wiping away the traces of my shameful masturbation.
Finally, the feeling of euphoria died off, only to be replaced by self-loathing and hate, spiced with weakness, which increased the self-loathing and hate. "Nataku, help me," I muttered, wishing for nothing but a hole to come and swallow up, honour momentarily forgotten. The sound of the bathroom door, which I hadn't locked but I *had* shut, closing shook me from my inner thoughts, and the possibility of whom it could have been lent a bit of sad hope to my heart.
I hastily finished my shower, using Duo's shampoo by accident and shivering when the scented air reached my nose. I dried quickly, trying to go and find my xin ai as soon as possible. I was dressed hurriedly as well, and when I exited the bathroom, dirty clothes and towel under my arm, I heard the sound of a shower running close by. Duo's door was open, so I assumed that it could only have been him in the other bathroom.
I felt nervous, though why I couldn't place, and I took the garments I was holding into the dirty clothes bin in my room. I tried to think about what I was going to do when a flash of brown caught my eye from the desk. It was the gift I had gotten for Duo two days before, still there from where I had placed it this morning after the scene in Duo's room. A sudden thought came to me, and in a way it seemed perfect. I snatched the wrapped CD off of my desk, along with the card, which I shoved under the twine that kept the paper closed, and walked to Duo's room.
It was exactly as I had left it roughly seven hours before, except that the bedcovers where strewn across the floor. I picked them up after I placed the gift on his desk, and walked silently back to my own room. I had just made it to the door when I heard Yuy's voice call out.
I spun around to see a half-naked Yuy standing in front of Duo, his long hair out of it's customary braid and bending over. Not wanting to see any more, I slammed the door to my room behind me, ignoring the way the wood seemed to crack with the force. The unwelcome pang of jealousy hit me hard, making me see red and feeling the desire to kill a team member become *very* real.
Ti-Tsang Wang help me, I couldn't think beyond what had just occurred, and I knew that if I didn't control my behaviour not only would I look like a fool, but I would end up losing the man I had lost my heart to, time and time again. I knew that I needed meditation more than ever at that point.
I cleared my mind, using exercises that had been drilled into my since I was a small child, and soon, I was lost to everything outside of myself and the nothingness I needed.
A knock sounded from far away, and I ignored it, hoping that whomever it was would leave me alone for the time I needed. I had just gotten back to the place I was searching for, the empty, deserted planes of deep meditation, when a familiar voice called my name. It was Duo, and I sat there, wondering if I should get up and go to him. Just as I was about to call out to him to let him enter, something was shoved under my door, and footsteps told me that the braided boy was gone.
Standing slowly, I made my way to the door and saw the CD that I had just given my lover, still wrapped in the plastic, and a letter with my name scrawled across the paper in English. My mouth ran inexplicably dry as I picked the paper and disc from off the floor. Quickly, I read what he had to say.
"Wufei,
I know I asked for time alone to think, and don't get me wrong, I have been thinking, but I've realized a lot of things. I can't stay here with Heero and Quatre; not now, maybe not for a while.
I'm going to visit with Howie and the rest of the Sweepers for a while, and he said that I could invite anyone to tag along, but the only one I want to come with me is you. I doubt you will just pick up and leave, but if you want to come, the coordinates are 15N, 25E Western Hemisphere of Earth, also know as the Virgin Islands.
If you don't come, I understand. Just know that you mean a whole lot to me, and I will miss you when I'm gone.
Wo ai ni, Wufei ~
Duo"
I reread the letter again, letting what he was trying to say sink in, but then it hit me that he was *leaving*, and he meant right then and there. I dropped the letter, pulled open my door, and made my way swiftly down the flight of stairs. I had no sooner stepped into the TV room when I saw Duo trying to sneak off, his duffle back strapped to his back and his laptop under one arm. I *had* to stop him, if only for a moment, so I could find out if he was truly serious about what the letter said.
"Maxwell? Where are you going?"
He froze and took a minute before turning around to face me, grinning mask firmly in place. "Going to see the Sweepers on Peacemillion. Care to join? Howard said you guys are welcome to see them at any time with me," he replied, trying to sound cheerful, but only succeeding in seeming miserable to my own ears. I vaguely noticed that the others were sitting around the new coffee table, papers strewn across the surface. "Any takers?"
He looked over to the other three, but I paid them no mind, concentrating instead on what the braided boy *wasn't* saying. I narrowed my eyes as he managed to fully look at me. He nodded, giving me the tiniest shadow of an actual smile, before turning back around and leaving the house. I watched him leave me behind, and I felt a tugging somewhere inside my chest cavity that was telling me that I should have accepted his offer right then and there, but then again, I was the *only* one who knew where the Sweepers' base was located, and if I felt the need later, I could go and see him again.
As the door to the basement in the kitchen closed, I took a long look at the papers on the table, noting the changes on several sheets. Winner gave me a bewildered, yet knowing, look and turned the attention of Yuy and Barton back to what ever it had been that they were discussing before Duo and I had appeared. I was grateful, and I just *knew* that Winner and Duo had talked about his previous actions but that not all was fine with the two of them. I also saw that Yuy seemed to be a bit colder to the other two than he had looked before, and he resembled something like stone. The only one who remained totally unchanged in attitude was Barton, who was pouring over the sheets of papers in his hand.
Not entirely interested in their actions, I turned on my heels and returned to my room, barely missing stepping on the case of the disc that was still in front of my door. Bending, I retrieved both the CD and the crumpled letter. I hadn't the faintest notion as to *when* I had crumpled the paper, but there it was.
Quietly, I moved to my bed after the door was shut and looked around the room that was 'mine'. What I saw made me wish that the war was over so I could die with honour, instead of living with all the many levels of disgrace I had just experienced. Not only had I just let the one person I cared about leave without truly saying goodbye to him, I had let him believe that I was angry with him. In fact, the only person I was angry with was myself.
I looked around my sparsely furnished and very... drab bedroom, remembering other times when it had seemed a haven, and something more with Duo. Sighing in frustration, I dropped the paper and disc on my bed, lit a single candle as a focal point, and gave myself over to the nothingness I needed to actually think. I would have the answer to what I wanted to know, but I needed a clear head first.
*~~~~~~~*
There was a knock on my door, hours later. I knew that hours had passed for the sun had moved until it had disappeared behind the far off horizon and my candle had gone completely out.
"Chang, dinner is done," Yuy called through the door, and I could hear his footsteps leading away from the wooden obstacle on the other side of my room.
Carefully, I stood and made my way downstairs to the dining room that had been formally set. I could hear sounds coming from the kitchen, but before I could go and offer my services, Winner appeared. He was carrying a few dishes that he set on the table.
"Hello, Wufei. Sit down. Dinner is done, and Trowa should be out soon with the rest of the food," he said, disappearing into the adjoining room.
I took a seat at the table, and waited patiently for the other three to join me in the large room. My wait was not very long, for Barton and Winner both appeared, laden down with food and refusing my offer of help. Yuy was the last one to come in and take his seat, as far from mine as possible.
"Well, now that we are all here, let's enjoy this meal that Allah has allowed us to have together," the blond said, obviously trying to be genial to everyone. I bowed my head in thanks to Barton as he looked at me and began to place some of the food onto my plate.
The meal was eaten in mostly silence, but it did not last long.
"We have made adjustments to the plan with Ms. Peacecraft-Darlian and Ms. Catalonia," Barton informed me.
"What kind of adjustments?" I asked, placing my fork on my plate.
"You and Duo both will be allowed 'face time' with Relena," Winner said, smiling coldly.
"That is satisfactory," I said, intended to return to eating.
"I'm going to email Duo later, so I will tell him then. If that's alright with everyone," the blond replied. He was greeted with silence.
The mere mention of my lover's name made a small pang of guilt creep into my mind, and I lost my taste for the rest of the meal. I knew that I shouldn't have let the American get away without a word about the letter, and yet, I had.
I stood up and excused myself, walking back to my room.
When I reached it, the letter stood out against the dark sheets and duvet on my bed, silently accusing me of being a heartless jerk, as Duo would say. I picked it back up, rereading the coordinates until I had them memorized, then threw it away and proceeded to pack all of my belongings into my duffle bag. I knew that I wouldn't be returning to this place, and I wanted to make sure that I had everything I would need.
As soon as I was sure that nothing was left behind, I checked the time, hefted my bag over my shoulder, picked up my computer, and left the house as silently as I could.
I met no one on the way to the hangar, but I hadn't really expect to, and slipped into Nataku's cockpit, feeling at home for the time being. I deftly started up the systems one by one, until I was sure that I was ready for take off, keyed in the coordinates that I had received, and left without so much as a farewell to my other comrades. Only one person mattered right then and there, and I was making sure that I at least apologized to him before it was impossible.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
After six of the most agonizing hours of my life, I arrived at Peacemillion, a large ship moored not too far from the tropical islands that surrounded it. I suppose that the flight should have taken a lot longer, but I pressed Nataku to the fastest she could go. The whine of the engines told me that I would have to do repairs, and shortly. The lights on the deck of the enormous ship lit up, allowing me to see the area clearly, and I carefully set Nataku down, shut off the systems with a wince as they whirled angrily, and zipped from the cockpit with my things.
No sooner had my feet touched the ground when an old man with ridiculous hair and an even more ridiculous shirt and sunglasses approached me. I resettled my bag so that it wasn't digging into my side and straightened my back to greet the man.
"You must be Chang," he said, holding his hand out in front of him. "I'm Howard, and I run this floating hunk of metal."
I ignored his proffered hand and looked around the deck of the ship. "Where is Maxwell?"
"Well, the kid is asleep, and has been since he arrived." Howard slid his sunglasses down his nose, and I could see his shrewd blue eyes looking me over. "What can I do for you?"
"I need to talk to Maxwell."
"Single-minded, aren't you?" He gave a small smile, which I did *not* return. "Well, I can show you to a room, if you want to get some rest, or I could get Cookie to whip you up something to eat."
"No, thank you. I would rather find Duo and talk to him," I said, feeling frustrated as the man put what I had requested off. I am not very patient, but this man was working his way onto my very last nerve of the day.
"Well..." he drawled, one hand going behind his back. A few of the others on the deck started moving closer to watch our 'conversation'. "I suppose I could take ya to the Kid's room, but your attitude sucks right now..."
I narrowed my eyes into a glare.
"Ah, you been taking lessons from that Yuy kid, haven't ya?" He smiled again and pushed his glasses back up on his face. "Look, I'll have a mechanic look over your Gundam, and then I'll take you to see the Kid."
"No. No one but myself will touch Nataku," I growled. "Just take me to see Maxwell."
"Watch your step, boy. This is my ship, and I won't think twice about throwing your skinny ass overboard into the ocean." He waved the others away and looked expectantly at me. "You comin', or not? Because it makes no difference to me." He walked towards the door on the foredeck, and I followed, trying to ignore the pain in my leg at the swift pace he kept.
He stopped in front of a door that looked like the others that dotted the hallway, except for the picture of a scythe and a grinning death mask. There was no need to tell me to whom it belonged. Only one person had enough gall to do such a thing. A light snore on the other side of the door told me that the American that I was searching for was sleeping peacefully for a change.
A hand appeared in my face, and I turned to look at my guide.
"Yes?"
"You fuck with him, and I'll have a new key chain. If you don't get my meaning, then I'll be a little more direct. You hurt him, and you'll be a eunuch. Got it?"
I looked at him, and found that he was serious, and yet, a part of me felt faint at what he was implying. "Yes," I snapped.
"Good," Howard said, waving cheerfully. "Normal people around here wake up at six or so, but Duo should be up at about nine or ten. Cookie will have breakfast for the both of you ready at that time. Good night, Chang." He walked off before I could respond, not that I could think of anything to say to him after he had threatened to castrate me.
I quietly opened the door, feeling a little resistance to the metal. A quick look behind it told me that Duo had just dropped his bag anywhere. I slid inside the room, softly shut the door, and straightened the bags so they were side by side against a wall.
I saw a desk not too far from the bunk where a laptop sat, and a look at the bunk told me that Duo was curled into a small ball, snoring for all he was worth. Evidently, the door had been muffling a lot of the sound. I would find a way to fix that later... It was a rather annoying habit that I had no idea about before now.
Slowly, I approached the desk, placing my laptop beside Duo's, and then turned to face the bed. His face was hard to see, but I had a clear shot of his back and his braid. Using my skills as a martial artist, I moved to the bed and shook his small frame. I got no reaction the first time, so I tried again. Still no reaction. The third time was a bit rough, and I was greeted by his fist aiming for my face while he was still sleeping.
I grabbed his slender wrist tightly before he hit me, and he swore sleepily at me. "Dammit, Yuy, if you don't fuck off, I will kill you."
I stifled a snicker and responded back, quietly into his ear. "That would not work, even if I *were* Yuy."
He stiffened and then relaxed, but didn't turn over yet. "'Fei?"
Knowing that he wouldn't try anything else to cause me some sort of bodily harm, I slid onto the bunk behind him, wrapping him in my arms. "Yes."
"You're really here, right? I'm not dreaming again, am I?" he whispered, moving until we were so close that I could not have escaped whether I wanted to or not. I responded by pulling him as close as I could, reveling in the warmth his body was giving off.
"Yes, I'm here," I said, kissing the nearest body part, the back of his slender neck.
"Why did you come?" he asked, his voice sounding strained.
I swallowed my pride and hurt at the way he had said that. Maybe he had not wanted me to come? "Did you not want me to?"
"More than anything... But, you seemed upset earlier today, or yesterday... Or whenever that was." He straightened out and pressed his firm rear against my semi-awake erection. "I know that I gave you the exact coordinates, but I wasn't sure if you were going to use them after you didn't answer your door."
"It took me a while to think about whether or not I would. You asked for time, and I was willing to give, but it didn't mean I had to like it, and when I saw you before you left... I just wasn't sure if I was..." Ready; enough; justified; worthy of him...
"If you were what?"
"Worthy," I settled for.
"Of what?"
"You." I felt pain at the open honesty I was actually sharing with my lover, and he shocked me when he responded back.
"No, I don't deserve you, but I am sure as hell going to work to change that," he said defiantly, turning over to face me, and never breaking the tight hold I had on him. "You know, when I first saw you emerge from Nataku that first time, and all you did was curse us other four for our rash behaviour, the only thing I noticed was how great looking you were, even scowling and insulting me."
The memory was not a good one, but the way that he associated it made it a bit easier to swallow. In fact, it amused me to the point of chuckling a bit, if not weakly. "Ah, well, that moment was disrupted, was it not?" Yuy, you fucking idiot.
"Yeah, watching a friend self-destruct tends to make the mind forget about the libido." He leaned his head from off my shoulder to kiss my jaw.
""So it does..." I whispered, inching my head a bit to allow him to continue his actions.
"How did you find my room?" he asked, taking a breath.
"Howard. The man with the horrible shirt and sunglasses, even though it was well past moon rise out," I said, using my arm that was on his shoulders to pull our hips together.
We both moaned at the mutual contact. Duo placed a passionate, almost savage and primitive, kiss on my parted lips. I vaguely noticed when he pulled my hair out of its customary ponytail. The feeling of his calloused hands on my scalp was divine.
"I missed you," he whispered breathlessly.
I had to snort. He would miss me for only a few hours, would he not? Although... "We were in a similar position less than twenty-four hours ago."
"I know, but you broke that up."
I kissed him, not wanting to talk about any of the uncomfortable things that had transpired between us earlier that day. My free hand fell against his coil of braided hair, and I ran it down the rope until I found the end before carefully undoing the plait. His luxurious locks fell around us, and I ran my hand through it, rewarded with cat-like humming.
"Fei-bebi? I..."
"Don't talk right now, Duo. I'm tired, and I woke you up so you wouldn't kill me in the morning." I allowed the weariness to creep into my voice. "We can talk about it later, ok?"
"Sure," he yawned, before relaxing and I soon joined him in sleep.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
I awoke with the breaking of the dawn, a lively seven a.m., as I have heard it pronounced for the past two days. The light crept through the glass of the single narrow window, touching the floor directly underneath. Never had such an intense sun greeted me this early in the morning, and I felt a bit disturbed by it.
I tried to pull the sheet that covered me off, but the silken feel of it made me abandon all motions while my brain woke up fully. Slowly, I processed what occurred the night before: Duo's sudden departure, my delayed following, the confrontation with that man who resembled a clown, and then the small talk I had with Duo before falling asleep with him on this ship in the middle of the Caribbean. The 'sheet' had to have been his long hair, hence the feel and the resistance when I tried to pull it.
The thing that worried me the most was that Duo was still asleep, even after I pulled his hair like that. I sat up gently, mindful of the chestnut locks spilling around the both of us, and took a look at the sleeping American. A smile was gracing his heart-shaped face, making him look like a little boy sleeping with his favorite stuffed animal. I was a tad bit offended at the way my mind supplied that I had become his 'Wu-bear', as he so graciously called me a few days ago. A sense of pride, and pleasantness accompanied that thought.
*Very* carefully, I crawled off the tiny bunk, and made my way to the clear window. The sky was an amazing shade of blue, which was reflected off of the calm sea, with not one cloud in it. Everything seemed to be the closest to a prefect peace that I had ever been offered in my short life; not to mention the very fact that the one person I had dared to love, loved me and was currently sleeping not three feet from where I was standing.
I took a deep breath, cracked the window a few centimeters, and then sat directly under it to allow the wind to blow through my loosened hair. The temperature was a bit warmer than I thought that April had any right to be, but I wasn't going to complain about it. At least, not to anyone but myself.
Eventually, my mind emptied out all of my racing thoughts, and I lost track of all time. It wasn't until I heard the pre-waking shuffling from the bed that I remembered where, and with whom, I was. Finding the muggy atmosphere a bit much, I headed for the small bathroom that I had spotted the night before.
I had just climbed under the rush of warm water when a dark shadow could be seen from the doorway. I smirked as the form moved closer, and behaved as if I hadn't noticed him at all. The shower door moved back silently, Duo's light footstep hit the porcelain bottom, and the door shut behind him. His tanned arms wrapped around my waist, and I could feel his body flat against my own.
"Wish I could wake up to this everyday," he whispered hoarsely, the sleep still evident in his voice. I growled as his warm breath hit my neck and his rousing member rubbed against the back of my thigh.
"Yes, that would be nice," I managed, while laying my wet head against his temple. "Duo?"
"Mmm?" he answered dreamily. I felt a tight knot in the pit of my stomach, but I had to ask the next question, or else it would plague me.
"Why did you return the disk I left you?"
"Hmm, so you could give it to me in person." I took a deep breath again as he rubbed himself against my posterior.
"Is that the only reason why?" I asked roughly as he placed a calloused hand on my sensitive cock. (I've been around Duo too long. That was the only word that came to mind at the moment. I will try and change it later.)
"No. I don't deserve it yet," he whispered before biting my jaw line and receiving a rather undignified moan in response. "Let me make love to you again, Wufei."
I froze at the words he had muttered. Not that I didn't want him to make love to me again; quite the opposite. It was the fact that up until last night his ribs had been taped from the fight with Yuy. Then, it registered that the coarse bandages were missing. I wanted to ask about that. "Are you in..." Whatever else I was going to say was lost as he started to move his thumb over the slit of my arousal. "Ahnnnn... Duo, that's not fair," I whined, forgetting to be 'manly' or 'honourable', but he paid little mind to my lapse in regular behaviour.
"Uhn, uhn, Fei-bebi, all's fair in love and war. Since this is both, then anything goes. And by the way, I feel just fine. In fact, I feel more than fine."
I nodded in reply, not sure he actually noticed, but I felt his hand move from my aching erection and start searching for the bar of soap that was in the holder on the wall adjacent to us. Before I knew what was really happening, I was prepped and then his fingers were replaced by his thick shaft. He moaned in what can only be described as ecstasy, and then bent over to whisper in my ear again.
"I'm gonna take you fast and hard, because I don't want any interruptions for this," he growled and all I could do was nod mutely and brace myself against the tile wall in front of me, while grabbing a few loose, wet strands of his long hair.
He pulled almost completely out, then slammed full force back into my body, and my knees just about gave from under me until he used one hand to gripe my hips tightly. He chuckled warmly as he moved around a little. "God, Wufei, do you know how good you feel?" he asked as he pulled out and slammed into me again.
I pushed back with my body, driving that hard manhood deeper inside myself. I gasped as I got the desired results, and white lights appeared behind my eyes. "You... talk... too... much..." I moaned out.
He laughed richly, and all sounds but the primal grunts, gasps and moans of our coupling were forgotten. Soon, a little too soon for my tastes, he grabbed my achingly hardness, and starting stroking me in time to his thrusts.
"AH! DUO!" I yelled, uncharacteristically and a bit loud, as I came violently. He gave a few more shallow thrusts before succumbing to his own climax to the chorus of "Wufei! GOD! WUFEI!"
I can't explain how empty I felt as he withdrew, but I really couldn't feel much of my body, as most of it seemed to have lost all nerve control when I actually needed it.
"Fuck, that was amazing," he breathed, as he started to move around. What he was doing was lost on me until I felt a hand (not my own) grab for the forgotten bar of soap.
"Mmm," I answered agreeably as I searched for the cloth that I had brought with me and the soap. I felt something sticking to my hand, and discovered that I still held a few locks of Duo's amazing hair in it. Regretfully, I loosed them.
Suddenly, a very angry pounding sounded on the outer door, followed by an extremely loud yelling. "Dammit, Kid! Other people would like some hot water too! This isn't one of the blond kid's estates! Hurry it up in there! And tell your Chinese friend to be nicer next time, for Christ's sake." Howard... I resisted the urge to growl.
I was surprised to hear Duo begin to laugh, but as I thought it over, I found some humour in the situation, and joined him. He looked at me and a slight flush came to his cheeks. "Looks like we're caught, 'Fei," he said between chuckles.
"It looks like," I said, slowly regaining my composure.
*~~~~~~~*
The rest of our shower was quickly dealt with, and we stepped out of the cramped shower stall. I wrapped the one towel I had found around my hips and left to go dry off and dress in the more spacious bedroom. I made a thorough job of doing so, as the humidity would be unbearable otherwise, and I had just stood up from retrieving a pair of my silk pants from my bag when I was greeted with the sight of Duo getting attired in something that I am sure should be outlawed from every place of public notice. I wanted him to only wear something like that in our bedroom.
I finished tying my own pants off, locked eyes with my xin ai, and managed to catch sight of what those 'clothes' did to the curves of the American's body. As in show every inch of skin that wasn't *truly* obscene, and hug every inch they *did* cover.
"'Fei?" he whispered sexily, and I growled in frustration. He is going to be the death of me yet. I swear. Instead of answering, I pulled my hair into a ponytail, and went to find some place to work of my newly acquired erection. I marched up to the deck of Peacemillion, past all the people who looked as if they wanted to ask questions and thought better of it, and made it to Nataku, where I started to throw myself into my katas.
A few minutes later, a commotion caught part of my attention. I spared a look, seeing Duo surrounded by puzzled looking people, all asking questions at the same time. Smirking, I allowed Duo to handle the situation and continued my work out.
"Whoa! One at a time. Now, what the hell do you want?" he yelled out after a while. Pause. "He's a... friend. His name is Chang Wufei." Friend? I could deal with that, but I would talk to him about it later. Another pause. "He came because I asked him. Sheesh, everyone, I thought you knew that I only invite guys who promise to kill me and/or yell at me to shut the hell up. Look, he's a good guy. Fighting the same war as me. Just give him a break. I bet he was an ass last night when he was looking for me, but he's cool. You have my word. Now, if you don't mind, and even if you do, I have to go see how my Buddy is doing. 'Cuse me."
The deck became quiet, and I paid more attention to what I was doing with my body. I took a break after a few more minutes. My heart was just not into the ritual exercise. Besides, the view was amazing.
"Hey, sexy," Duo's familiar deep baritone whispered, a little too closely for the 'friends' explanation he gave to the Sweepers.
"Duo," I rumbled, moving away, but stopped when he grabbed my arm and growled dangerously at me.
"Look, 'Fei, this isn't like at the safe house. No Heero here, and even if there was, I would do the same thing. These people are the closest thing I have to family besides you and the other guys. Just... Try and show 'em some respect, okay?" he asked, almost sweetly, and following it up with the 'Duo Maxwell Kicked Puppy' look.
"Fine," I mumbled, feeling like a deflated balloon for all effort.
"Love ya, 'Fei. Now, are you hungry? I'm sure Cookie-girl could whip you up something to eat that you would like. She's great," he said, moving his hand down to take my own and dragging me off in the direction of the galley.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
After breakfast yesterday, we have basically wasted time doing things around the ship. I got Nataku fixed, and the last time I started up her engines, she didn't make that horrible mechanical screeching. I also found a few other things that would have become a problem later, but I caught them in time.
Howard and the rest of the Sweepers have stopped questioning Duo about why I am here and who I really am. After a few raised eyebrows about the bruises on Duo's arms, which he insisted on *not* covering, it seemed as if I was accepted. I was dragged everywhere aboard the ship by my xin ai, who was certain that we might be separated soon and he wanted me to be familiar with everything. Just in case, he said adamantly. I sighed, but allowed myself to be escorted.
After the medic, called the Sheik (and he looked like he would be more than comfortable around Winner and his Maguanacs), took a look at my bullet wound at Duo's insistence, I was given a clean bill of health with nothing more than one more scar later. I had plenty of those, so I was far from worried.
I found some time to myself earlier today when Duo was checking his mail, and downloading more of that obscure twentieth century music I'm sure, and I walked up to the deck of the ship, in search of Howard. He was supervising some sort of salvaging, but he seemed bored with it all. I was only about three meters from the man when he was approached by someone, who seemed a little more than upset. I watched as they gestured wildly with their hands and their voices never raised above a harsh whisper.
A few moments later, the other man walked away briskly and Howard was alone once again. I carefully laid a hand on his shoulder, while standing two feet away from him. He reacted by spinning around, almost losing his sunglasses in the process.
"Something I can do for you, Chang?" Howard asked in a low voice.
I cleared my throat, unsure of what I was going to say. "I... I would like to apologize for my behaviour that first night..." I blurted out in pure Duo-form. I am definitely picking up on some of his more obnoxious habits.
I was surprised when Howard started laughing quietly. "Accepted, and I have to say that my boy is a good influence on you. From what I've heard about O, and other traditionalist Chinese folk, that isn't real easy for ya," he said, clamping on of his heavy hands on my left shoulder. "And don't worry. I won't tell Duo about your 'slip'." He laughed again, turned, and left me alone with my thoughts.
Slowly, I made my way back to the room I was sharing with Duo and sat on the bed while he worked. Finally, he seemed about to leave, so I got up from the bed and made my way to my laptop. He swiveled back around at the doorway, and smiled at me - an all-too-rare genuine smile that warmed me, even if I am loathe to admit it to *anyone*, even myself.
"Dinner time, 'Fei-bebi. Q emailed me about the plan changes. We can talk about those after we get some food into us. Now," he said, coming back to the desk where I had just sat down, "come along, and don't fight me. You'll lose. I have too much help this time around." I sighed, and followed him out.
An hour later found us back in the room, our laptops open and discussing the plan corrections that Yuy, Winner, and Barton had implemented to the otherwise sketchy details. Evidently, the new changes allowed for something that Winner and Duo called 'face time' with the Peacecraft girl. I gave Duo a cold smile as I saw those two words and was given a matching one from my usually bouncing lover. It seems that Shinigami has a few words for her... I *almost* pity her, but only almost.
After our discussion, I wrote back to Winner, accepting his apology for his harsh words and icy behaviour from a few days ago. I told him that I was also sorry for my part in our disagreement, and that things were well here. I also told him that no matter what had transpired between him and Duo that the braided boy wished he was there. Seeing as how my yearly allotment of niceness was surpassed, I began to go over the plans thoroughly myself, looking for any flaws that I saw.
I found exactly two, which amazed me. These were plans by Heero Yuy. I should *not* have found any. He seems too distracted, and if he becomes a liability to mine, or Duo's, safety and missions, I believe I will handle him myself.
Well, I have spent far too much time writing this all out. Duo seems to be done in the shower, and I still need one. (We decided that after the first time that the shower stall is a bit too small for any more coital actions. My head still hurts from that first time yesterday.)
Good night.
~ Chang Wufei
Notes:
(1) In Chinese Mythology, Ti-Tsang Wang is the God of Mercy. While generally this God chooses to help those souls who are stuck in the endless circle of death and rebirth, He also helps those souls that are in Hell find a way to Nirvana/Heaven. I thought it fitting that Wufei would call on this God, as he is in his own version of Hell. *snickers* This information was provided by this website: http://www.crystalinks.com/chinamythology.html