ELLERSHOUSE

Chapter Twenty-Five:

QUATRE

It had been a week since they'd found the cabin and in that time Quatre almost forgot what happened in the city. Had almost forgotten about Trowa. And Duo.

Almost.

They spent that week cleaning and hunting and Quatre could say he trapped many small animals and made the cabin habitable. His asthma had all but disappeared in the fresh air of the country but he was not risking it. When he cleaned he wore a wet rag over his mouth to stop any spores from causing an attack.

The kitchen was clean now- it took him ages to scrub the layer of crime from the table top and three out of four chairs were now thrown out. The legs they kept to make more fires at night.

Wufei spent the week recovering and doing odd jobs around the cabin. He'd taken up an interest in getting the kindling every evening for the fire and checked the traps almost hourly.

They spent every waking moment with each other, except when they needed to get things done. Wufei showed him how to whittle on the porch and when they lazed around the warm fireplace. At night it was their only source of light and they stayed close to it until they climbed up to bed.

Wufei always slept next to Quatre- even when he had the choice to sleep on the rug Quatre had found locked away in an old chest along with a quilt.

Whenever Quatre made his way to bed the forest ranger was hot on his heels.

It made Quatre feel a warmth he'd never felt before.

He felt it now, as they lay on the rug in front of the fire and Wufei worked on another wooden project. The small wood shavings fell to the floor, abandoned.

Nothing had been said in the last two hours and the silence was comfortable.

"You know...I could show you how to use those properly."

"To use what properly?"

"Those swords. You have two of them, right?"

"Well, yes...but how would you know how to use a sword?"

Wufei turned on his side, the light from the flames flickered across his face as he said, "I'm Asian, Quatre, and I was basically born with a sword in my hand."

"Well, that seems like a mild stereotype..."

"It isn't, trust me. When I left New York I left everything behind, even my Katana."

"Why did you leave, Wufei?" Quatre didn't want to pry but he was curious as to why a young man as strong and successful as him would abandon everything he knew- just to work alone in a forest.

The silence stretched so long he was sure Wufei wouldn't answer.

"I killed someone."

Quatre sat up, startled.

"You what?"

"It's not what you think. I used to be quite the party-goer, though you probably wouldn't think that of me now. I was downtown in New York City and my boyfriend at the time, Alex, and I spent the night at a bar. I got drunk and he wanted to go home so I sent him on his way, alone. He was a pre-med student at NYU. Anyway, the next morning when I went home I got a phone call from the police. Turns out he'd gotten mugged and they needed his roommate to come identify the body."

"Oh Wufei., I'm so sorry..."

Wufei tossed the wood on the floor and sighed, "He died because I wasn't finished partying and left him to walk home alone. It was my fault. I couldn't face my family anymore- they had no idea he was my boyfriend. The whole world thought we were only roommates. The day after his funeral I went to the airport and got on the first plane I could catch."

Quatre balked at this news- he'd had no idea Wufei was gay and that he lost a lover.

"So you left everything and everyone you knew and came to Canada?"

"Yes, the plane landed in Halifax in the middle of winter. When I got off the plane I almost changed my mind it was so cold but I just couldn't go back to that life anymore. So I filed for my papers and got a job at a fast food restaurant until my citizenship came in and then I applied for a job as a Ranger."

"Oh, why a Ranger?"

"I just didn't want to have to talk to people, I guess. Working at the fast food place almost made me lose my mind."

Quatre smiled, "Yes, I bet it could do just that."

Wufei cleared his throat and changed the subject, "What about you, Quatre? What is your story?"

"Well, I grew up here."

"Here? In a rundown cabin?"

Quatre chucked a wood shaving at him. "No, silly, I grew up in Halifax with my parents. I'm supposed to take over my father's corporation when he dies but that obviously didn't happen."

"What was it like growing up here?"

"Well, I don't know if you've noticed but I'm sick."

"Sick how?"

"Asthma...since we've been out of the city my health has improved so much though. When I was young my parents saw this and they adopted some random kid right off the streets. He was angry and scared and so dirty it took days to scrub the dirt out of his hair. Helen- the lady that raised us- wanted to cut his hair but I wouldn't let her. Somehow, I knew he thought it was special."

"How long was this hair?"

"It's past his waist and he usually wears it in a braid. Or he did, anyway."

"What was his name?"

"Duo Maxwell. He took our name on but wouldn't part with Maxwell so we hyphenated it.

"Well Quatre, it seems like we have both lost someone we love to terrible circumstances."

"Yeah..." Quatre was tearing up and Wufei brought a rough hand up to wipe them away.

"Don't worry, Quatre. We will get through this, together. You saved my life and now I'm going to pay you back- no matter what it takes."

Wufei stood and took his hand, leading him up the ladder to their bunk.

It was colder this far from the fire but Quatre was snuggled into a hard, solid chest. The heat radiating from Wufei was enough to make him sweat under the blankets but he didn't pull away.

Instead he turned around and buried his face into Wufei's chest and smiled as arms enveloped him.

Yes, they would be safe- they could make it in this world as long as they had each other.

Wufei bent down and kissed his forehead- his lips were soft and warm. Quatre was bold in that moment and before he could change his mind he reached up and grasped Wufei by the nape of the neck. He looked up at him- waiting to see if the Ranger would kiss him, really kiss him.

Wufei did not disappoint as he kissed Quatre firmly on the lips. He had his own taste and smelled like the forest.

Quatre'd never been kissed before and decided it was the best thing he'd ever experienced.

/

A sound woke Quatre from a dead sleep and he peered through a haze into the darkness.

What was that?

Wufei was still asleep, mouth open, and Quatre couldn't help the feeling of butterflies in his stomach.

He crawled down to the foot of the mattress and looked over the railing to the floor below. The fire was getting low and there were more shadows than normal but Quatre could make out a figure sitting at the table.

"Are you done playing house now, Quatre?"

There, sitting in the one chair they had left, was Trowa. His red jacket was dark like blood and his arms lay on the table in front of him. Quatre's two swords sat there, between long arms and Quatre was sure that large broadsword was attached to his hip, like last time.

The blood drained from Quatre's face and he felt lightheaded.

"Trowa," he whispered.

"Yes, little one. You didn't think I would stop looking for you, did you?"

No he hadn't but the fairy tale life he'd been living the last week made him forget reality. Quatre could hear Wufei stirring behind him.

If he woke Trowa would surely kill him. He had to act fast- if Quatre lost another person he cared about he would lose his mind for sure.

"I will make you a deal."

"And what deal is that?"

"I'll come with you- I'll go anywhere you want me to go...just leave Wufei alone."

"Or?"

"Or I will continue to make your life a living hell. I'm sure it would be easier if I walked back to the city to your precious court rather than be carried."

"Hmm, it's a deal. The court wants nothing with this man- I'm sure the Trooping Feys will find him soon enough, regardless."

He stood and Quatre was painfully aware he was naked from the waist up as he looked down at the Ranger. Wufei was still asleep and he hoped he stayed that way.

The man could sleep through a hurricane.

"Come along then."

Quatre climbed down the ladder and gathered his clothing, putting them on as he went. He grabbed a piece of charcoal from the fire and wrote on the table:

TAKEN- DO NOT COME AFTER ME -Q

"Could you leave the swords here, please? He may need them."

Trowa nodded, uninterested, and motioned toward the door. As Quatre exited he knew he would never see this place again. When they got to the city he was as good as dead.

Wufei would be devastated but he could not allow him to be killed by Trowa. He only wished he'd taught him some sword fighting skills before he was tracked and caught.

Regardless, Trowa stopped him after they covered some distance and said, "Put your arms behind your back."

"I told you, I come willingly."

"Yes, and I remember all too well what happened last time. Do as I say or I will force you."

When Quatre hesitated Trowa reached up and pulled his arm back, looping the same twine-like substance around his wrist. It burned a little where it touched his skin and Quatre winced as Trowa pulled his other hand back as well.

"What is this stuff?"

"It's part Mandevilla vine and part Ivy. You can try to get away but it needs to be cut off…in our world it is also reinforced with Magic."

Trowa pushed him forward and he stumbled in the dark. If he fell he would have no way to catch himself now.

"Magic?"

"Yes, we lost it when our worlds merged. Just as you lost your power."

Well, at least it was a one for one exchange.

Trowa led him along the trail and Quatre knew it would only be a short time before they were back in the city and in front of the court.

And he was not looking forward to it.