Disclaimer: I fully and completely admit that I have no hold over these
characters. They all belong to Bandai, and Sunrise and whoever. I'm broke.
Suing me wouldn't be worth the lawyers' fees.
Warnings: Umm... Adult situations. Nothing too serious. OOC, possibly.
Author's Notes: I'd like to send a huge thank you to Tsuno Pikash, my
bestest buddy in the whole wide world. I'd like to give my heartfelt thanks
to her, for beta-reading this, and managing not to faint when she realized
that not only did we title our fics the same, they were the same pairing and
both involved dancing (heh-heh, go figure). Believe it or not, that's not
the eeriest thing that's ever happened to us. Without her, this story wouldn't
have been possible.
I'd also like to point out that this did not happen to me, it just struck me
as a story idea, while I was sitting in the doctor's office. Weird place for
inspiration, but, oh well.
Dance With Me
By Tori Chiisai
The bar was crowded, even though it was the middle of the week. Duo
Maxwell sighed, propping his head up on his hand as he stirred the little
plastic yellow stick, mixing the alcohol into the juice. It wasn't his
regular drink. It wasn't his regular bar. But when one was going through both
the drink list and the places in town, one did not get to be too particular.
The red vinyl barstool had to have been the most uncomfortable seat he'd
ever had. They were the ones with the backs, hard as a bloody rock, unless
some fat guy had been sitting in it for fifty years. Wiggling a little, he
tried to hunker down and disappear into the pale glow of the neon lights.
He wasn't sure why he was here; what had prompted this little excursion.
He only knew that he had had to get out of that house. As much as he
adored the guys he was living with -ha! -they were getting to be a royal pain
in the you-know-where. Clean this up, Duo; shut up, Duo; leave me alone, Duo.
They almost didn't seem to appreciate him anymore.
He swirled the drink again, and took a sip.
So, he had sought solace in the nightlife. The bars may be different,
but he understood the life, all the same. The best thing to do in a place
like this was to try and vanish into the woodwork. A difficult goal for someone
with huge amethyst eyes and a meter-long chestnut braid, but what the hey?
The band in the background was bad. There was no denying it. But, what
they lacked in talent, they made up for in enthusiasm. The music was so loud
and bass-heavy that it rattled the walls of the run-down old building. And,
they were a country band. Lord help him, a country bar! Two strikes... He
wasn't sure playing the loud, fast music was all that bad. At least it made it
livable.
He watched them through the mirror that ran the length of the bar. Duo
wasn't so foolish as to sit with his back to the door, without some way of
having eyes in the back of his head. He kept part of his violet gaze trained
on the reflective surface, sizing up anyone who walked in. Over the years,
he'd developed a little game: A system of categories that he classified each
of the patrons into: Threat, harmless, hot.
'Threats' were usually the big tough guys, the real rowdy ones with the
muscles to do some damage. Or, of course, those who might put a bullet, knife,
insert weapon of choice here, into his back. He had sub-categories for them:
'easily taken care of', and 'avoid at all costs'. Not many fell into the last
category.
'Harmless', they were the partiers, the regular patrons that nobody
really noticed. They were honest as the day was long, at least in comparison
to other people. No hidden weapons, no secret agendas. Just everyday folk who
were looking for a good time.
The last one was fairly self-explanatory. Not many made it to the
category 'hot'. They were the wide-eyed innocent beauties that clung to
their escorts like they couldn't walk on their own. They were the ones that
exuded sex appeal like it was some sort of cheap cologne.
In a way, they were even more dangerous then those deemed 'threat'. They
were the ones that needed to be watched. Anyone could become distracted by a
pair of gorgeous eyes and a body that wouldn't quit. And Duo Maxwell was no
exception. His libido spoke to him on a regular basis. Sometimes, it was a
physical pain to remind himself to look and not touch.
Because if looking was a distraction, then touching could mean disaster.
Glancing back at the drink he'd been nursing most of the evening, Duo let
out a soft sigh. He didn't even really want to get hammered. Man, was he in a
funk!
The door opened in the background. Duo glanced up, taking a drink to mask
the movement. The person -ha, man! -walking in just begged to be noticed. He
must have been six-four, all rippling muscles and golden good looks.
Duo narrowed his eyes. Harmless. The guy had less sex appeal than a dead
chicken. And, if he were to get drunk, he'd probably just pass out. Not enough
for threat, and definitely not good enough for hot.
His buddies weren't anymore impressive. Absolutely nothing to write home
about. All together, because of their sheer number, he would have had to class
them as 'threat'. But, separately...
Dismissing them, he looked away. Best not to be caught staring. He'd
already deterred more attention then he ever could want. It would be harder
to get rid of them once they thought that, maybe, just maybe, he was interested,
which he decidedly wasn't.
The bartender walked passed, giving him the evil eye. Duo winked at him
as soon as the stodgy old man turned his back. He'd had a hard time convincing
that guy that his fake ID was real. In the end, the man had just thrown up his
hands, and set the drink on the bar. From then on, he'd had to shoot down more
muscle-bound louts and deep-breasted bimbos than he could shake a stick at.
Again, the door opened. His gaze flicked up... And froze.
Wufei? It couldn't be. There was no way in hell the pilot of Altron
would be caught dead in an establishment as seedy and seamy as this place.
Onyx eyes danced over the crowds, systematically doing what Duo had been
doing all night: Sizing everything up, and dismissing it nearly as quickly.
Apparently, he didn't see Duo, if he was Wufei.
His jet-black hair was loosed around his face, brushing the tops of
t-shirt clad shoulders. A white t-shirt, tucked into a pair of skin-tight blue
jeans.
No, definitely not Wufei.
Everyone sat up and took notice. The boy was nearly feline as he crossed
the floor, completely unaware, or completely ignoring the gazes that followed
him as he made a beeline for the bar. Some looked away. Some stared.
Duo was one of the latter.
There was a predatory smile on toasted lips as the man who looked like
Wufei slunk over to the bar. Caramel knuckles were rapped against the chipped
mahogany bar, demanding immediate attention. "White wine spritzer." He ordered,
his voice husky and low.
Duo's eyebrows nearly rocketed off of his forehead. There was no denying
it: This was Chang Wufei!
Obviously, he was not interested in the action around him. The Chinese
teen accepted the drink from the bartender -who offered not a word about ID -
and slid a bill across the table. Duo wasn't the least ashamed to say that he
was part of the audience Fei attracted as he tried to maneuver the change back
into the pocket of his pants.
Damn!
If Fei had been a stranger, he wasn't sure how he would have classified
him. His entire stance suggested physical strength: A wiry, compact form, a
long, graceful walk, and powerful, well-muscles limbs.
But his smooth skin glowed in the neon light. The delicate lines of his
face, the angular cheekbones, the curved jaw, they all cast a beauty that was
nearly feminine.
Wufei settled his pert little rear-end on one of those uncomfortable stools,
like Duo was sitting in. The American boy could hear the threads singing, as they
pulled taut over slender thighs. None of that seemed to bother Fei, as he swirled
his drink a little, with one of those stupid plastic stir sticks. Satisfied, he
tapped it against the side of the glass, before lifting the stick to his lips.
A dainty pink tongue slid over the smooth plastic, wiping away any trace of the
drink that still clung to it.
Duo felt something inside him jump. How could someone so arrogant and
irritating be so...so...?
Sexy.
He had to distract himself from the biggest distraction there. Duo
forced his eyes back to the mirror, chanting like a mantra in his head that
Fei was a big boy, more than capable of taking care of himself.
Still, he'd be looking in the mirror anyway. It couldn't hurt to watch.
It wasn't long before someone made a move. A woman, her smile painted
crimson red, took a seat beside Fei. Her words were lost in the din of the
people and music, but he could imagine they were obscene.
Fei calmly regarded her, setting down the white plastic cup. His remark
was scathing, if the look on her face was anything to go by. The black-lined
eyes went wide, and her mouth formed a perfect 'o' of surprise. Her cheeks
flamed brilliant red as she quickly vacated her seat.
Duo smirked. Good ole Wufei.
The next was the golden god. Duo snickered as a whole bunch of women's
faces fell; he had smelled it a mile away.
Fei obviously hadn't been expecting that sort of attention. The man sat
down, hard enough to nearly break the stool, a sloppy grin all over his mug.
Duo grew uneasier as the expression on Wufei's face shifted from haughty
disinterest to blatant irritation, especially as the guy's buddies started
to show up. He shifted a couple seats closer, hoping to hear their
conversation.
"...Never seen you around here before?" The Golden Hulk leaned forward,
draping his arm across the back of Fei's seat.
"I don't usually slum." Wufei shot back, glaring at the arm. "If you'll
excuse me..."
"Hey, hey." The guy leaned forward, pressing closer to Wufei. "Little
darling, you ain't even given me a chance. Stick with me, and we'll make
beautiful music."
Duo rolled his eyes. Puh-lease! The guy actually thought that that
pick-up line worked? Tried, tested and true weren't very effective for
starting off these sort of relationships.
Wufei must have been thinking the same thing, because he burst out
laughing. It was openly mocking the man, and his intelligence. "Oh, that
one's priceless." The laughter died. "Take me, I'm yours." The sarcasm was
very much evident.
As was the absolute rage on the Hulk's face. His lip curled as Wufei
threw back his line.
Duo didn't know whether to laugh, or interrupt at this point. He was
about to open his mouth, when he caught a movement out of the corner of his
eye. One of the Hulk's little entourage pulled a small packet full of white
powder from his shirt pocket. The American's heart picked up as he watched
the man empty the contents into Fei's drink, giving it a little swirl to
dissolve it.
He couldn't believe it.
"Now, please." Fei said, turning back to the bar, and grasping his
drink, "leave me alone." With that, he took a sip.
Duo's gut clenched as the rage on the Hulk's face changed into pure
delight as he watched the Chinese teen drain the cup. "Sure thing." He
drawled, meek as a kitten. But there was a gleam in his eyes, a satisfaction.
Whatever game he had been playing, he had just won it.
Wherever he was going, he wasn't going far. He still had to claim his
prize.
Ah, well. Duo set his drink to the side, completely losing interest
in it. I've always wanted to play the white knight. Straightening out his
clothing, he stood up, and sauntered over to the crowd around Fei.
The Chinese boy didn't see him until he had pushed his way through the
brainless wonders and was practically on top of Wufei. Fei jerked back,
startled to see a fellow pilot. "Maxwell!"
"Aw, honey, how many times must I tell ya? Call me Max. My ma calls
me Maxwell." With that, he leaned forward, and pressed his lips to Fei's.
He wasn't quite sure what had possessed him, what had come over him.
But one taste of Fei's honeyed lips, and all the regrets and doubts vanished.
It became more than an impromptu charade that Fei had unwittingly become a
part of; a kiss that set jolts of electricity all the way from his lips to
his little toes and rose the hair on the back of his neck.
From the way Fei was holding absolutely still, not fighting him at all,
he would have to assume that the feeling was mutual.
Pulling away slightly, Duo leveled a gaze at Fei. The boy's eyes stayed
closed for a moment, lingering, but it lasted for only a moment. His umber
orbs blazed with fire when he regained control over his senses, anger
smoldering in their depths. "Maxwell..."
Duo smiled sloppily at him, hoping to convey the regrets and familiarity
of some one close to the boy. "Aw, you're not gonna go get all rowdy cause I
was a few minutes late, are you?" He trailed a finger down Fei's cheek,
something he realized that he had wanted to do all night long. Well, at least
since Fei had sashayed in. "Come on, let me make it up to you. Dance with me."
Fei stared at him as if he had just sprouted a second head, and declared
he could fly by flapping his arms.
"Honey, don't make me beg." Duo leaned towards him again, lowering his
voice. "I hate groveling in public."
Suddenly, a beefy hand landed on Duo's shoulder. Duo braced himself as
the hulk spun him around. "Hey, pal, lay off."
Duo quirked an eyebrow. "Who might you be?"
The hulk smiled. "An interested soul. I was just talking to him, and,
might I say, making some progress." He jerked his head in the direction of the
door."What say you leave, eh?"
And leave him to you? Ha! Duo glowered at the man, his amethyst eyes
darkening to nearly indigo with rage. That wasn't faked, it was real as the
drug he'd seen them slip Fei. "Making progress? With *my* lover? That'll be
a frosty Friday in Hell, my friend."
The guy's lips twitched. "Hey, listen, buddy..."
Suddenly, a lithe body cut between them. "Gentlemen," Fei stood with
his back to Duo. As if he were protecting the American. "No need to come to
blows. I'm sorry, sir, if I led you to believe I was interested." Turning to
Duo, he gave him that feral smile he had walked in with. "How about that
dance, *lover*?" He stressed the last word as he took the American's hand in
his own, and practically dragged him onto the dance floor.
Duo couldn't help but give the god a hugely satisfied smile as he walked
by.
Out on the dance floor, Wufei turned to Duo, stepping into his arms like
a besotted lover... and onto his instep like a pissed off comrade. "Maxwell,"
He hissed. "What are you doing here?"
Duo was still coming out of a grimace of pain. "I'm saving your sorry
ass." He rasped.
Wufei's arms wrapped around Duo, holding him close. "In case you hadn't
noticed, I was doing fine on my own."
Duo thought about telling him about the drug in the drink; the leer on
the face of the golden hulk that had caused him to initiate this whole act.
"Yeah. Sure."
Fei's face went red with anger. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing." Duo pulled Wufei even tighter into his embrace, surprised
to notice that the band had toned it down. The strains of a love ballad
shimmered through the air. "Nothing at all.
Fei opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out. Duo
stared down at him, searching for a sign that perhaps the boy was succumbing
to the drugs. But his eyes stayed wide and alert. "You are the most
frustrating man alive!"
"Look who's talking!" Duo spun Fei around, taking him out of line of
sight of the bastard. "You come floating in like some demigod, and..." He
snapped his mouth shut. Damn, he'd said too much.
"Beats sweeping to the rescue." Fei growled. "That was uncalled for."
"We'll see." Duo answered, distractedly. The god and his pals were
surrounding another target; a hapless patron who they thought might make
a good lay.
"Just wait until we get back to..." Fei suddenly trailed off, drawing
Duo's attention back in an instant. The boy's breathing was shallow and fast,
his eyes glazing over as Duo watched. "Duo..." He murmured, before his
chocolate eyes rolled back in his head, and he sagged into the American's
waiting arms.
Duo caught him, gently taking Wufei in his arms. Close scrutiny revealed
that he wasn't unconscious, but drifting in and out.
Cradling the limp body against his chest, Duo headed for the door. But
he didn't leave until he told the bouncer, "I think my boyfriend was drugged
by those goons."
He wanted to be the one to go into the wild rage. He wanted to be the
one who wiped that smug grin off of the bastard's face. Duo settled for
watching the mighty fall as security went over to the golden moron, and ask
him to please, follow them.
It wasn't quite as satisfying, but at least it was something.
"Fei, tiny you are, but I'm not carryin' you up those stairs." Duo eyed
said stairs, bouncing Wufei so that he had a better purchase on the boy. He
was aware that the Chinese boy's room was the farthest from the stairs, on
the second floor, passed everyone else's rooms. None of the others were heavy
sleepers; Duo would wake them up in an instant if he tried to get Fei to his
own bed.
So, the question was... How would Fei react to waking up in Duo's bed?
At first, the only bedroom downstairs had been meant for guests. But
the way that Duo came and went without so much as a word of warning had made
their host turn a blind eye to him claiming that bedroom as his own. Beat the
hell out of sharing, at any rate.
He pushed the door open, and stumbled through the darkened room, finally
depositing his precious burden on the mattress. The springs didn't creak or
moan nearly as much as they did when Duo himself laid down, barely noticing
the slight weight.
Fei didn't stir in his sleep, one hand falling across his belly as he
settled on the blankets. A strand of raven hair fell across his face, brushing
the end of his nose.
Duo gently smoothed it back. "Poor Fei." He whispered. Then, he shook
his head, berating himself. "Get it together, Maxwell. You're not done."
His pajamas would be too big for the little Chinese teen. Digging
through the chest of drawers, he came up with a T-shirt that looked
appropriate for the task.
Now, all he had to do was undress Fei.
If he had had any fantasies about this, he knew they would fall sadly
short. He just had to get it down fast, so that his libido would get itself
under control. Taking a deep breath, he tugged the hem of Fei's shirt from
his jeans. That proved to be a chore and a half, seeing as Wufei was
completely dead weight.
"Why, oh why, couldn't you have had Yuy's stomach?" Duo muttered.
Heero wouldn't have passed out. Of course, Yuy would have had a bottle of
beer, and never let it out of his sight. He'd accompanied Duo on enough of
those little excursions to understand what dangers were lurking in the minds
of perverts.
As he removed the cotton t-shirt, he revealed a hard muscular caramel
chest. Duo traced the contours with his eyes, the dusky nipples, the
beginnings of a six-pack. The dusting of fine hair that started at his navel,
and disappeared into the waistband of his pants.
Pants.
Duo thought about giving up and letting Wufei sleep it off like that.
But, the skin-tight denim would cut off the blood supply to some very
necessary parts. He wasn't about to sacrifice that.
Taking a deep breath, deciding he must, Duo fumbled with the button and
zipper, pulling the jeans off. He nearly got a nosebleed when he saw what the
Altron pilot wore beneath his jeans. Well, what had he expected?
Wufei was as bare as a newborn babe. But Duo couldn't say he knew of any
newborn that was built like that!
Pulling the jeans over smooth thighs, calves, and finally ankles, Duo
gratefully seized the t-shirt, and yanked it over Wufei's head. He was
incredibly proud of himself for not jumping the unconscious pilot, no
matter what sort of temptation he offered. As he tucked Fei beneath the
blankets, he tried desperately to get rid of the image of the youth
sprawled naked on his bed, and the heat in his loins.
It was a losing battle.
With the sheets tucked under his chin, Wufei slept peacefully, his
hair splayed on the pillow; his kohl lashes rested against slightly flushed
cheeks. Duo's heart lurched. How innocent and perfect he looked. No wonder
that hulk had been willing to drug the pilot to get him into bed. "Damn
Fei..." Duo muttered, stretching out beside the boy. How close had they all
come to losing this part of their team? Possibly forever? Suddenly, he
couldn't stand the thought of leaving him alone. He had to stay there,
had to feel the gentle puff of Fei's breath, the heat of his skin. He had
to know that Wufei was still there. "Think once in a while, would you?"
Gently, he placed a chaste kiss on Fei's forehead. "Good night."
"Good night, Duo." Wufei muttered dreamily.
Duo looked sharply at the boy's face. No, he hadn't woken while Duo had
been mulling. The boy slept peacefully on. Duo smiled, and stripped down to
his boxers, quite the feat while he was lying on the bed. He kept one sheet
between himself and Wufei, laying his head down on the pillow. One last
caress was all he needed before he fell asleep.
The soft light of morning crept through the window, brushing its silken
fingers across the face of a dreamer. Duo stared down at Fei, watching the
pale glow of dawn on his skin. The rose-colored light did wonders for his
complexion, casting a blush over the soft caramel skin.
The American pilot hadn't slept very well. In fact, all he'd caught
was about an hour of shut-eye. The rest of the night he'd sat vigilant,
waiting and watching. Praying softly to any deity that would listen. All he
wanted to see was the soft umber eyes, awake and alert.
He had a feeling that that was coming soon.
The teen shifted in his sleep, pillowing his head on his hands,
stretched out on his side. The t-shirt dipped down towards one shoulder,
far too big for the wearer. Duo had given up trying to fix it, as all it took
was a simple move for it to fall again. This time, he didn't have to. Fei must
have felt the difference in temperature, and reached up to fix it himself.
"Fei?" Duo called gently, capturing the slim hand. "Wufei?"
The boy's eyebrows drew together. He was still in that hazy state
between sleep and awake, not quite aware yet. "Duo?"
Blowing out a sigh of relief, Duo smiled. "That's me."
One chocolate eye flickered open.
"Morning." Duo greeted him cheerfully.
Wufei's eyes snapped open, his jaw dropping. Instantly, pain washed
over his face, and he raised a hand to his head. "Oh..."
"I'll bet that's one doozie of a hangover." Duo soothed, smoothing
down a strand of sleep-tousled hair. Wufei winced at the light touch. "Want
something for that headache?"
Wufei ignored the question, frowning. "I... Maxwell... Where am I?"
Duo cringed. This would sound bad, even though he knew it could have
been a lot worse. "In my room."
"In your room?" Wufei repeated, disbelieving.
"On my bed."
"On your bed?"
"Are you going to keep repeating what I'm saying?" Duo quipped, trying
hard to lighten the mood. From the look on Fei's face, he was not succeeding.
Flushing, he looked away.
"What am I wearing?" The disgust was evident.
Duo closed his eyes, and sighed. He'd need all his strength to come
through this. "My shirt."
Wufei gave him the evil eye, shifting beneath the covers. "That's all
I'm wearing." His eyes fixed on Duo, saw his pale, bare chest. His face went
ashen.
He'd just added two and two, Duo realized, and got twenty-two.
"Kisama!" Wufei started, yanking the sheet up to his chin. "I-"
Duo clamped a hand over Fei's mouth. "Oi, Fei! Pipe down!" He didn't
flinch, even when the boy tried to bite him. "You want the rest of them to
hear, and come running down to see?"
Wufei shot his a death glare, anger seething through his blood. Duo
had expected a lot of reactions, but not this 'I hate you' look that he was
receiving.
"Well, I for one, don't!" Duo told him sharply. "I think I know what
you're thinking happened here tonight, Fei, and I'm telling you now it's
wrong! Your virtue is still quite intact."
Fei stopped struggling, his eyes widening in surprise. Slowly, he
pulled Duo's hand away from his face. "You're lying."
That stung. "I run, I hide, but I never lie." Duo reminded him. "All
that happened here tonight was sleep. For Pete's sake!" He tossed back the
covers. All that remained was the one over Fei, which Duo was comfortably
lying on top of. It struck the boy speechless. "You and that precious honor
of yours are a far cry from being maligned."
"Duo?"
The American sighed, and flopped back on the pillows. "I knew this was
a stupid idea. You are just full of surprises, you know that? You waltz into
the bar looking like something out of a wet dream, and now you're the friggin'
pillar of coy virginity. For the love of Mike, what did you think was going
to happen?"
Fei frowned at him. "I certainly didn't think I was going to end up in
your bed. Or anyone's bed, for that matter, aside from my own."
Duo snorted. "You were going the right way for that, uh-huh."
"What on Earth are you babbling about?" Fei cringed at the sound of his
own voice, massaging the back of his head as he spoke.
"Let's see, Fei." Duo pondered out loud. "What would possibly set a
quivering lump of masculine hormones like that Golden Hulk off of the best
damn looking thing in the room?"
Fei either missed the compliment, or chose to ignore it. "A boyfriend?"
Duo shook his head. "A guarantee. He knew he was going to get laid. He
made sure of it. And, you, my hot little friend, were his choice for bed
partner."
Wufei balked. "That idiot? He gave up on me fast. Duo, what's wrong
with you?"
"What's wrong with me?" Duo pretended to ponder. "Let's analyze that
question, shall we? Is it appropriate to ask the guy who sat up all night
long waiting for his friend to wake up if there's something wrong? Or, would
it be far more apt for him to ask said friend why he passed out after
consuming a single drink?"
He could see the exact moment the awful truth came to Wufei. All of the
hints he'd been not so subtly dropping came together -even though he was
pretty sure that with the headache Wufei had, he was feeling like the hints
were subtle. His bronze face went ashen. "He... He didn't."
"While you had your head turned, one of the goons spiked your drink."
Duo summed it all up for him. "Now, care to run that question by me again?
You can change it anyway..." He trailed off.
Fei wasn't listening to him anymore. He had drawn his knees up to his
chest, and closed his eyes tight. Pain radiated off of him like light from
a lantern. "Is that what your little charade was? Why you kissed me?"
Duo nodded solemnly. "You needed the hand up."
Fei's eyes opened, filled with raw emotion. His voice was barely a hiss.
"I don't know whether to hit you or..."
"Kiss me again?" Duo offered, his lips twitching in a smile.
It vanished when Fei's face went even paler than before.
Sliding his legs out of bed, Duo stood up, glancing around for his
pants. "Don't do either. Say 'thank-you' and let's forget about. I know
I shouldn't have-"
"Thank-you."
The words hung on the air for a moment. Slowly, Duo turned around to
face the bed again, shock evident on his face. He had to have misheard that.
"I beg your pardon?"
"I'm not saying it again, Maxwell." Fei ground out, his eyes still
closed. It was then that Duo realized just how embarrassed and humiliated
the Altron pilot must have been. Drugged in a bar, and have *Duo Maxwell*
of all people take him home? Why, that would have had Duo cringing, had
the roles been reversed.
"Don't... Don't mention it." Duo waved his hand dismissively. "It's not
like it's a big deal, or anything. I mean, it would have been if I hadn't been
there, but I was, and it was like, karma, or something that worked it out like
that. You didn't get hurt, I didn't get hurt, and another pervert got
caught..."
Wufei glanced up. "He got caught?"
Duo couldn't bring himself to look at Fei. "Yep, he surely did. I saw
him headed for another victim, so I informed the security guards."
Fei swallowed. "Before... Or after?"
"After." After he had Wufei's warm body in his arms, after the boy had
passed out. Then, he hadn't really been thinking about it. If he hadn't been
there, at the bar, at that time, it wouldn't have been *his* bed that Fei
had waken in. If he'd regained consciousness at all. "I wasn't quick enough
to stop you from drinking it." At the time, he hadn't really thought about
it.
Now, he'd had a night to ponder.
But Wufei didn't need the night. He understood. "So you swept to the
rescue." He murmured. "I wonder..."
"What?"
He stared at Duo, his face blank. "Maybe you should have left me."
Of all things that Duo had been expecting him to say, it wasn't that.
His jaw dropped, as he swung his gaze over to the boy. "You *wanted* that?"
"Of course not!" Wufei protested. "But it was my stupidity that got me
into the mess. You should have left me to my own devices."
Duo dropped onto his knees on the bed, horror in his eyes. "Fei...
You don't know me at all, if you think I would have even thought about that."
He reached for Fei's hand, but the Chinese boy was having nothing to do with
it. "You're my friend. I'd never leave you to that."
Fei closed his eyes again, taking a deep breath. "I would have left
you." He growled.
Duo laid down beside him, spooning his body as close to Fei's as
possible, without the boy trying to duck and scoot away. "We both know that
that's not true." He plucked an imaginary piece of lint from Fei's
shoulder. "You're too damn honorable for that."
There was a pause. "You overestimate me."
"I think you're underestimating yourself." Duo said softly. "You
could have told me to shove off last night."
The reply was so soft that Duo was dead certain he hadn't heard it.
"That would have been defeating my own purpose." When he glanced over
sharply, Fei shrugged. "Who do you think you are to go parading around
bars and such? We're wanted men, in case you've forgotten."
"No, I haven't." Duo propped himself up on his elbows. "What are you
saying? That you were looking for me last night?"
Fei blushed. "Maybe."
"Maybe yes. Maybe no?"
"Maybe... Maybe." Fei raised an eyebrow. "I thought you couldn't look
after yourself. Turns out, I can't look after myself in that situation."
Duo shook his head, fighting a smile. "There are predators out there,
Fei. Mean, nasty people who don't care who they hurt. Some are more subtle
than others. We're used to dealing with the ones who come at us, guns
blazing."
"But you picked it out right away." Fei moaned. "I didn't even know
until you told me."
Duo chuckled. "Is that's what's bothering you? That I know what to
look for in a sexual predator?" He sobered. "Seriously, Fei, you made the
same mistake lots of people do. You're not the first, and you sadly won't
be the last. But your story ended better than most. Better than mine."
Fei looked over sharply. "You mean...?"
"Don't ponder that one too hard." Duo told him gently. "It's not
nearly as bad as you'd think. Now, it's early, and I'd probably give everyone
a heart attack if they found me awake, but would you like something to eat?"
Wufei nodded mutely.
Duo turned on his heel, and headed for the door, snatching a t-shirt
along the way.
"Duo!"
He paused, and glanced over his shoulder.
Fei sat up, his eyes hopeful. "I... Think I've changed my mind." He
smiled a little. "I'm not hungry, after all."
Duo raised an eyebrow. "You sure?"
Fei stared at him for a handful of heartbeats, as if he were seriously
turning the options over in his mind. Suddenly, his face fell, his brow
tightening in pain as he raised a hand to his head. "Oh..."
"Guess that'll have to wait." Duo chuckled, walking back across the
room. "There's one thing you've got to learn, Fei, and that's..." He pulled
out the drawer on the nightstand. "To keep painkillers handy at all times."
Fei groaned. "Where would I have put them?"
Duo handed him a couple white tablets, that the Chinese teen swallowed
dry. "Point taken. So... You still not hungry?"
Wufei moaned, and lay back on the pillows, dragging the sheet up to
his chin. "As soon as my head stops pounding..."
"Gotcha. Mind if I...?" When Fei didn't object, Duo sprawled beside
him again, tucking his hands behind his head, staring up at the ceiling.
"You know... I really didn't expect to see you walk into that bar. I mean,
*really* didn't expect it. Heero, maybe. Quatre, possibly. Trowa, in a
heartbeat. But you...?"
Fei made a face. "Maxwell, I was only following you..." His mouth
clamped shut.
"Ha! I knew it!" Duo shrilled merrily. "You were following me!"
Fei sighed. "All right. All right. You've humiliated me thoroughly, you
might as well draw blood." Closing his eyes, he leaned back against the pillow.
Words came from his mouth, gentle and strange.
Duo raised an eyebrow. "What's that mean?"
"It means where your footsteps fall, so shall mine." Wufei translated.
"Together we shall always dance." There was a heartbeat of silence.
"It sounds really prissy in English, but it basically means that
you're my best friend, and I will be there for you." He pressed his face into
the soft pillow, hiding from the American.
"Oh." Was all Duo could manage.
"I was thinking... Dammit, Maxwell, quit looking at me like that!
It's hard enough to say without you leering at me." Fei buried his face
further. "I was thinking that maybe last night wasn't all bad. There was
something that I did enjoy."
"Oh?"
His hands balled into fists. "Don't sound so smug. You know damn well
that was a great kiss." He looked up, "and you're a superb dancer."
"Well, thank-you." Duo reached over and caressed the boy's face. "From
you, that's a huge compliment." He waggled his eyes at Wufei. "Wanna try it
again?"
"The dance..." Wufei murmured. "Or the kiss?"
"Whatever."
"Later." He smiled. "Right now, I want to sleep."
Owari
characters. They all belong to Bandai, and Sunrise and whoever. I'm broke.
Suing me wouldn't be worth the lawyers' fees.
Warnings: Umm... Adult situations. Nothing too serious. OOC, possibly.
Author's Notes: I'd like to send a huge thank you to Tsuno Pikash, my
bestest buddy in the whole wide world. I'd like to give my heartfelt thanks
to her, for beta-reading this, and managing not to faint when she realized
that not only did we title our fics the same, they were the same pairing and
both involved dancing (heh-heh, go figure). Believe it or not, that's not
the eeriest thing that's ever happened to us. Without her, this story wouldn't
have been possible.
I'd also like to point out that this did not happen to me, it just struck me
as a story idea, while I was sitting in the doctor's office. Weird place for
inspiration, but, oh well.
Dance With Me
By Tori Chiisai
The bar was crowded, even though it was the middle of the week. Duo
Maxwell sighed, propping his head up on his hand as he stirred the little
plastic yellow stick, mixing the alcohol into the juice. It wasn't his
regular drink. It wasn't his regular bar. But when one was going through both
the drink list and the places in town, one did not get to be too particular.
The red vinyl barstool had to have been the most uncomfortable seat he'd
ever had. They were the ones with the backs, hard as a bloody rock, unless
some fat guy had been sitting in it for fifty years. Wiggling a little, he
tried to hunker down and disappear into the pale glow of the neon lights.
He wasn't sure why he was here; what had prompted this little excursion.
He only knew that he had had to get out of that house. As much as he
adored the guys he was living with -ha! -they were getting to be a royal pain
in the you-know-where. Clean this up, Duo; shut up, Duo; leave me alone, Duo.
They almost didn't seem to appreciate him anymore.
He swirled the drink again, and took a sip.
So, he had sought solace in the nightlife. The bars may be different,
but he understood the life, all the same. The best thing to do in a place
like this was to try and vanish into the woodwork. A difficult goal for someone
with huge amethyst eyes and a meter-long chestnut braid, but what the hey?
The band in the background was bad. There was no denying it. But, what
they lacked in talent, they made up for in enthusiasm. The music was so loud
and bass-heavy that it rattled the walls of the run-down old building. And,
they were a country band. Lord help him, a country bar! Two strikes... He
wasn't sure playing the loud, fast music was all that bad. At least it made it
livable.
He watched them through the mirror that ran the length of the bar. Duo
wasn't so foolish as to sit with his back to the door, without some way of
having eyes in the back of his head. He kept part of his violet gaze trained
on the reflective surface, sizing up anyone who walked in. Over the years,
he'd developed a little game: A system of categories that he classified each
of the patrons into: Threat, harmless, hot.
'Threats' were usually the big tough guys, the real rowdy ones with the
muscles to do some damage. Or, of course, those who might put a bullet, knife,
insert weapon of choice here, into his back. He had sub-categories for them:
'easily taken care of', and 'avoid at all costs'. Not many fell into the last
category.
'Harmless', they were the partiers, the regular patrons that nobody
really noticed. They were honest as the day was long, at least in comparison
to other people. No hidden weapons, no secret agendas. Just everyday folk who
were looking for a good time.
The last one was fairly self-explanatory. Not many made it to the
category 'hot'. They were the wide-eyed innocent beauties that clung to
their escorts like they couldn't walk on their own. They were the ones that
exuded sex appeal like it was some sort of cheap cologne.
In a way, they were even more dangerous then those deemed 'threat'. They
were the ones that needed to be watched. Anyone could become distracted by a
pair of gorgeous eyes and a body that wouldn't quit. And Duo Maxwell was no
exception. His libido spoke to him on a regular basis. Sometimes, it was a
physical pain to remind himself to look and not touch.
Because if looking was a distraction, then touching could mean disaster.
Glancing back at the drink he'd been nursing most of the evening, Duo let
out a soft sigh. He didn't even really want to get hammered. Man, was he in a
funk!
The door opened in the background. Duo glanced up, taking a drink to mask
the movement. The person -ha, man! -walking in just begged to be noticed. He
must have been six-four, all rippling muscles and golden good looks.
Duo narrowed his eyes. Harmless. The guy had less sex appeal than a dead
chicken. And, if he were to get drunk, he'd probably just pass out. Not enough
for threat, and definitely not good enough for hot.
His buddies weren't anymore impressive. Absolutely nothing to write home
about. All together, because of their sheer number, he would have had to class
them as 'threat'. But, separately...
Dismissing them, he looked away. Best not to be caught staring. He'd
already deterred more attention then he ever could want. It would be harder
to get rid of them once they thought that, maybe, just maybe, he was interested,
which he decidedly wasn't.
The bartender walked passed, giving him the evil eye. Duo winked at him
as soon as the stodgy old man turned his back. He'd had a hard time convincing
that guy that his fake ID was real. In the end, the man had just thrown up his
hands, and set the drink on the bar. From then on, he'd had to shoot down more
muscle-bound louts and deep-breasted bimbos than he could shake a stick at.
Again, the door opened. His gaze flicked up... And froze.
Wufei? It couldn't be. There was no way in hell the pilot of Altron
would be caught dead in an establishment as seedy and seamy as this place.
Onyx eyes danced over the crowds, systematically doing what Duo had been
doing all night: Sizing everything up, and dismissing it nearly as quickly.
Apparently, he didn't see Duo, if he was Wufei.
His jet-black hair was loosed around his face, brushing the tops of
t-shirt clad shoulders. A white t-shirt, tucked into a pair of skin-tight blue
jeans.
No, definitely not Wufei.
Everyone sat up and took notice. The boy was nearly feline as he crossed
the floor, completely unaware, or completely ignoring the gazes that followed
him as he made a beeline for the bar. Some looked away. Some stared.
Duo was one of the latter.
There was a predatory smile on toasted lips as the man who looked like
Wufei slunk over to the bar. Caramel knuckles were rapped against the chipped
mahogany bar, demanding immediate attention. "White wine spritzer." He ordered,
his voice husky and low.
Duo's eyebrows nearly rocketed off of his forehead. There was no denying
it: This was Chang Wufei!
Obviously, he was not interested in the action around him. The Chinese
teen accepted the drink from the bartender -who offered not a word about ID -
and slid a bill across the table. Duo wasn't the least ashamed to say that he
was part of the audience Fei attracted as he tried to maneuver the change back
into the pocket of his pants.
Damn!
If Fei had been a stranger, he wasn't sure how he would have classified
him. His entire stance suggested physical strength: A wiry, compact form, a
long, graceful walk, and powerful, well-muscles limbs.
But his smooth skin glowed in the neon light. The delicate lines of his
face, the angular cheekbones, the curved jaw, they all cast a beauty that was
nearly feminine.
Wufei settled his pert little rear-end on one of those uncomfortable stools,
like Duo was sitting in. The American boy could hear the threads singing, as they
pulled taut over slender thighs. None of that seemed to bother Fei, as he swirled
his drink a little, with one of those stupid plastic stir sticks. Satisfied, he
tapped it against the side of the glass, before lifting the stick to his lips.
A dainty pink tongue slid over the smooth plastic, wiping away any trace of the
drink that still clung to it.
Duo felt something inside him jump. How could someone so arrogant and
irritating be so...so...?
Sexy.
He had to distract himself from the biggest distraction there. Duo
forced his eyes back to the mirror, chanting like a mantra in his head that
Fei was a big boy, more than capable of taking care of himself.
Still, he'd be looking in the mirror anyway. It couldn't hurt to watch.
It wasn't long before someone made a move. A woman, her smile painted
crimson red, took a seat beside Fei. Her words were lost in the din of the
people and music, but he could imagine they were obscene.
Fei calmly regarded her, setting down the white plastic cup. His remark
was scathing, if the look on her face was anything to go by. The black-lined
eyes went wide, and her mouth formed a perfect 'o' of surprise. Her cheeks
flamed brilliant red as she quickly vacated her seat.
Duo smirked. Good ole Wufei.
The next was the golden god. Duo snickered as a whole bunch of women's
faces fell; he had smelled it a mile away.
Fei obviously hadn't been expecting that sort of attention. The man sat
down, hard enough to nearly break the stool, a sloppy grin all over his mug.
Duo grew uneasier as the expression on Wufei's face shifted from haughty
disinterest to blatant irritation, especially as the guy's buddies started
to show up. He shifted a couple seats closer, hoping to hear their
conversation.
"...Never seen you around here before?" The Golden Hulk leaned forward,
draping his arm across the back of Fei's seat.
"I don't usually slum." Wufei shot back, glaring at the arm. "If you'll
excuse me..."
"Hey, hey." The guy leaned forward, pressing closer to Wufei. "Little
darling, you ain't even given me a chance. Stick with me, and we'll make
beautiful music."
Duo rolled his eyes. Puh-lease! The guy actually thought that that
pick-up line worked? Tried, tested and true weren't very effective for
starting off these sort of relationships.
Wufei must have been thinking the same thing, because he burst out
laughing. It was openly mocking the man, and his intelligence. "Oh, that
one's priceless." The laughter died. "Take me, I'm yours." The sarcasm was
very much evident.
As was the absolute rage on the Hulk's face. His lip curled as Wufei
threw back his line.
Duo didn't know whether to laugh, or interrupt at this point. He was
about to open his mouth, when he caught a movement out of the corner of his
eye. One of the Hulk's little entourage pulled a small packet full of white
powder from his shirt pocket. The American's heart picked up as he watched
the man empty the contents into Fei's drink, giving it a little swirl to
dissolve it.
He couldn't believe it.
"Now, please." Fei said, turning back to the bar, and grasping his
drink, "leave me alone." With that, he took a sip.
Duo's gut clenched as the rage on the Hulk's face changed into pure
delight as he watched the Chinese teen drain the cup. "Sure thing." He
drawled, meek as a kitten. But there was a gleam in his eyes, a satisfaction.
Whatever game he had been playing, he had just won it.
Wherever he was going, he wasn't going far. He still had to claim his
prize.
Ah, well. Duo set his drink to the side, completely losing interest
in it. I've always wanted to play the white knight. Straightening out his
clothing, he stood up, and sauntered over to the crowd around Fei.
The Chinese boy didn't see him until he had pushed his way through the
brainless wonders and was practically on top of Wufei. Fei jerked back,
startled to see a fellow pilot. "Maxwell!"
"Aw, honey, how many times must I tell ya? Call me Max. My ma calls
me Maxwell." With that, he leaned forward, and pressed his lips to Fei's.
He wasn't quite sure what had possessed him, what had come over him.
But one taste of Fei's honeyed lips, and all the regrets and doubts vanished.
It became more than an impromptu charade that Fei had unwittingly become a
part of; a kiss that set jolts of electricity all the way from his lips to
his little toes and rose the hair on the back of his neck.
From the way Fei was holding absolutely still, not fighting him at all,
he would have to assume that the feeling was mutual.
Pulling away slightly, Duo leveled a gaze at Fei. The boy's eyes stayed
closed for a moment, lingering, but it lasted for only a moment. His umber
orbs blazed with fire when he regained control over his senses, anger
smoldering in their depths. "Maxwell..."
Duo smiled sloppily at him, hoping to convey the regrets and familiarity
of some one close to the boy. "Aw, you're not gonna go get all rowdy cause I
was a few minutes late, are you?" He trailed a finger down Fei's cheek,
something he realized that he had wanted to do all night long. Well, at least
since Fei had sashayed in. "Come on, let me make it up to you. Dance with me."
Fei stared at him as if he had just sprouted a second head, and declared
he could fly by flapping his arms.
"Honey, don't make me beg." Duo leaned towards him again, lowering his
voice. "I hate groveling in public."
Suddenly, a beefy hand landed on Duo's shoulder. Duo braced himself as
the hulk spun him around. "Hey, pal, lay off."
Duo quirked an eyebrow. "Who might you be?"
The hulk smiled. "An interested soul. I was just talking to him, and,
might I say, making some progress." He jerked his head in the direction of the
door."What say you leave, eh?"
And leave him to you? Ha! Duo glowered at the man, his amethyst eyes
darkening to nearly indigo with rage. That wasn't faked, it was real as the
drug he'd seen them slip Fei. "Making progress? With *my* lover? That'll be
a frosty Friday in Hell, my friend."
The guy's lips twitched. "Hey, listen, buddy..."
Suddenly, a lithe body cut between them. "Gentlemen," Fei stood with
his back to Duo. As if he were protecting the American. "No need to come to
blows. I'm sorry, sir, if I led you to believe I was interested." Turning to
Duo, he gave him that feral smile he had walked in with. "How about that
dance, *lover*?" He stressed the last word as he took the American's hand in
his own, and practically dragged him onto the dance floor.
Duo couldn't help but give the god a hugely satisfied smile as he walked
by.
Out on the dance floor, Wufei turned to Duo, stepping into his arms like
a besotted lover... and onto his instep like a pissed off comrade. "Maxwell,"
He hissed. "What are you doing here?"
Duo was still coming out of a grimace of pain. "I'm saving your sorry
ass." He rasped.
Wufei's arms wrapped around Duo, holding him close. "In case you hadn't
noticed, I was doing fine on my own."
Duo thought about telling him about the drug in the drink; the leer on
the face of the golden hulk that had caused him to initiate this whole act.
"Yeah. Sure."
Fei's face went red with anger. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing." Duo pulled Wufei even tighter into his embrace, surprised
to notice that the band had toned it down. The strains of a love ballad
shimmered through the air. "Nothing at all.
Fei opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out. Duo
stared down at him, searching for a sign that perhaps the boy was succumbing
to the drugs. But his eyes stayed wide and alert. "You are the most
frustrating man alive!"
"Look who's talking!" Duo spun Fei around, taking him out of line of
sight of the bastard. "You come floating in like some demigod, and..." He
snapped his mouth shut. Damn, he'd said too much.
"Beats sweeping to the rescue." Fei growled. "That was uncalled for."
"We'll see." Duo answered, distractedly. The god and his pals were
surrounding another target; a hapless patron who they thought might make
a good lay.
"Just wait until we get back to..." Fei suddenly trailed off, drawing
Duo's attention back in an instant. The boy's breathing was shallow and fast,
his eyes glazing over as Duo watched. "Duo..." He murmured, before his
chocolate eyes rolled back in his head, and he sagged into the American's
waiting arms.
Duo caught him, gently taking Wufei in his arms. Close scrutiny revealed
that he wasn't unconscious, but drifting in and out.
Cradling the limp body against his chest, Duo headed for the door. But
he didn't leave until he told the bouncer, "I think my boyfriend was drugged
by those goons."
He wanted to be the one to go into the wild rage. He wanted to be the
one who wiped that smug grin off of the bastard's face. Duo settled for
watching the mighty fall as security went over to the golden moron, and ask
him to please, follow them.
It wasn't quite as satisfying, but at least it was something.
"Fei, tiny you are, but I'm not carryin' you up those stairs." Duo eyed
said stairs, bouncing Wufei so that he had a better purchase on the boy. He
was aware that the Chinese boy's room was the farthest from the stairs, on
the second floor, passed everyone else's rooms. None of the others were heavy
sleepers; Duo would wake them up in an instant if he tried to get Fei to his
own bed.
So, the question was... How would Fei react to waking up in Duo's bed?
At first, the only bedroom downstairs had been meant for guests. But
the way that Duo came and went without so much as a word of warning had made
their host turn a blind eye to him claiming that bedroom as his own. Beat the
hell out of sharing, at any rate.
He pushed the door open, and stumbled through the darkened room, finally
depositing his precious burden on the mattress. The springs didn't creak or
moan nearly as much as they did when Duo himself laid down, barely noticing
the slight weight.
Fei didn't stir in his sleep, one hand falling across his belly as he
settled on the blankets. A strand of raven hair fell across his face, brushing
the end of his nose.
Duo gently smoothed it back. "Poor Fei." He whispered. Then, he shook
his head, berating himself. "Get it together, Maxwell. You're not done."
His pajamas would be too big for the little Chinese teen. Digging
through the chest of drawers, he came up with a T-shirt that looked
appropriate for the task.
Now, all he had to do was undress Fei.
If he had had any fantasies about this, he knew they would fall sadly
short. He just had to get it down fast, so that his libido would get itself
under control. Taking a deep breath, he tugged the hem of Fei's shirt from
his jeans. That proved to be a chore and a half, seeing as Wufei was
completely dead weight.
"Why, oh why, couldn't you have had Yuy's stomach?" Duo muttered.
Heero wouldn't have passed out. Of course, Yuy would have had a bottle of
beer, and never let it out of his sight. He'd accompanied Duo on enough of
those little excursions to understand what dangers were lurking in the minds
of perverts.
As he removed the cotton t-shirt, he revealed a hard muscular caramel
chest. Duo traced the contours with his eyes, the dusky nipples, the
beginnings of a six-pack. The dusting of fine hair that started at his navel,
and disappeared into the waistband of his pants.
Pants.
Duo thought about giving up and letting Wufei sleep it off like that.
But, the skin-tight denim would cut off the blood supply to some very
necessary parts. He wasn't about to sacrifice that.
Taking a deep breath, deciding he must, Duo fumbled with the button and
zipper, pulling the jeans off. He nearly got a nosebleed when he saw what the
Altron pilot wore beneath his jeans. Well, what had he expected?
Wufei was as bare as a newborn babe. But Duo couldn't say he knew of any
newborn that was built like that!
Pulling the jeans over smooth thighs, calves, and finally ankles, Duo
gratefully seized the t-shirt, and yanked it over Wufei's head. He was
incredibly proud of himself for not jumping the unconscious pilot, no
matter what sort of temptation he offered. As he tucked Fei beneath the
blankets, he tried desperately to get rid of the image of the youth
sprawled naked on his bed, and the heat in his loins.
It was a losing battle.
With the sheets tucked under his chin, Wufei slept peacefully, his
hair splayed on the pillow; his kohl lashes rested against slightly flushed
cheeks. Duo's heart lurched. How innocent and perfect he looked. No wonder
that hulk had been willing to drug the pilot to get him into bed. "Damn
Fei..." Duo muttered, stretching out beside the boy. How close had they all
come to losing this part of their team? Possibly forever? Suddenly, he
couldn't stand the thought of leaving him alone. He had to stay there,
had to feel the gentle puff of Fei's breath, the heat of his skin. He had
to know that Wufei was still there. "Think once in a while, would you?"
Gently, he placed a chaste kiss on Fei's forehead. "Good night."
"Good night, Duo." Wufei muttered dreamily.
Duo looked sharply at the boy's face. No, he hadn't woken while Duo had
been mulling. The boy slept peacefully on. Duo smiled, and stripped down to
his boxers, quite the feat while he was lying on the bed. He kept one sheet
between himself and Wufei, laying his head down on the pillow. One last
caress was all he needed before he fell asleep.
The soft light of morning crept through the window, brushing its silken
fingers across the face of a dreamer. Duo stared down at Fei, watching the
pale glow of dawn on his skin. The rose-colored light did wonders for his
complexion, casting a blush over the soft caramel skin.
The American pilot hadn't slept very well. In fact, all he'd caught
was about an hour of shut-eye. The rest of the night he'd sat vigilant,
waiting and watching. Praying softly to any deity that would listen. All he
wanted to see was the soft umber eyes, awake and alert.
He had a feeling that that was coming soon.
The teen shifted in his sleep, pillowing his head on his hands,
stretched out on his side. The t-shirt dipped down towards one shoulder,
far too big for the wearer. Duo had given up trying to fix it, as all it took
was a simple move for it to fall again. This time, he didn't have to. Fei must
have felt the difference in temperature, and reached up to fix it himself.
"Fei?" Duo called gently, capturing the slim hand. "Wufei?"
The boy's eyebrows drew together. He was still in that hazy state
between sleep and awake, not quite aware yet. "Duo?"
Blowing out a sigh of relief, Duo smiled. "That's me."
One chocolate eye flickered open.
"Morning." Duo greeted him cheerfully.
Wufei's eyes snapped open, his jaw dropping. Instantly, pain washed
over his face, and he raised a hand to his head. "Oh..."
"I'll bet that's one doozie of a hangover." Duo soothed, smoothing
down a strand of sleep-tousled hair. Wufei winced at the light touch. "Want
something for that headache?"
Wufei ignored the question, frowning. "I... Maxwell... Where am I?"
Duo cringed. This would sound bad, even though he knew it could have
been a lot worse. "In my room."
"In your room?" Wufei repeated, disbelieving.
"On my bed."
"On your bed?"
"Are you going to keep repeating what I'm saying?" Duo quipped, trying
hard to lighten the mood. From the look on Fei's face, he was not succeeding.
Flushing, he looked away.
"What am I wearing?" The disgust was evident.
Duo closed his eyes, and sighed. He'd need all his strength to come
through this. "My shirt."
Wufei gave him the evil eye, shifting beneath the covers. "That's all
I'm wearing." His eyes fixed on Duo, saw his pale, bare chest. His face went
ashen.
He'd just added two and two, Duo realized, and got twenty-two.
"Kisama!" Wufei started, yanking the sheet up to his chin. "I-"
Duo clamped a hand over Fei's mouth. "Oi, Fei! Pipe down!" He didn't
flinch, even when the boy tried to bite him. "You want the rest of them to
hear, and come running down to see?"
Wufei shot his a death glare, anger seething through his blood. Duo
had expected a lot of reactions, but not this 'I hate you' look that he was
receiving.
"Well, I for one, don't!" Duo told him sharply. "I think I know what
you're thinking happened here tonight, Fei, and I'm telling you now it's
wrong! Your virtue is still quite intact."
Fei stopped struggling, his eyes widening in surprise. Slowly, he
pulled Duo's hand away from his face. "You're lying."
That stung. "I run, I hide, but I never lie." Duo reminded him. "All
that happened here tonight was sleep. For Pete's sake!" He tossed back the
covers. All that remained was the one over Fei, which Duo was comfortably
lying on top of. It struck the boy speechless. "You and that precious honor
of yours are a far cry from being maligned."
"Duo?"
The American sighed, and flopped back on the pillows. "I knew this was
a stupid idea. You are just full of surprises, you know that? You waltz into
the bar looking like something out of a wet dream, and now you're the friggin'
pillar of coy virginity. For the love of Mike, what did you think was going
to happen?"
Fei frowned at him. "I certainly didn't think I was going to end up in
your bed. Or anyone's bed, for that matter, aside from my own."
Duo snorted. "You were going the right way for that, uh-huh."
"What on Earth are you babbling about?" Fei cringed at the sound of his
own voice, massaging the back of his head as he spoke.
"Let's see, Fei." Duo pondered out loud. "What would possibly set a
quivering lump of masculine hormones like that Golden Hulk off of the best
damn looking thing in the room?"
Fei either missed the compliment, or chose to ignore it. "A boyfriend?"
Duo shook his head. "A guarantee. He knew he was going to get laid. He
made sure of it. And, you, my hot little friend, were his choice for bed
partner."
Wufei balked. "That idiot? He gave up on me fast. Duo, what's wrong
with you?"
"What's wrong with me?" Duo pretended to ponder. "Let's analyze that
question, shall we? Is it appropriate to ask the guy who sat up all night
long waiting for his friend to wake up if there's something wrong? Or, would
it be far more apt for him to ask said friend why he passed out after
consuming a single drink?"
He could see the exact moment the awful truth came to Wufei. All of the
hints he'd been not so subtly dropping came together -even though he was
pretty sure that with the headache Wufei had, he was feeling like the hints
were subtle. His bronze face went ashen. "He... He didn't."
"While you had your head turned, one of the goons spiked your drink."
Duo summed it all up for him. "Now, care to run that question by me again?
You can change it anyway..." He trailed off.
Fei wasn't listening to him anymore. He had drawn his knees up to his
chest, and closed his eyes tight. Pain radiated off of him like light from
a lantern. "Is that what your little charade was? Why you kissed me?"
Duo nodded solemnly. "You needed the hand up."
Fei's eyes opened, filled with raw emotion. His voice was barely a hiss.
"I don't know whether to hit you or..."
"Kiss me again?" Duo offered, his lips twitching in a smile.
It vanished when Fei's face went even paler than before.
Sliding his legs out of bed, Duo stood up, glancing around for his
pants. "Don't do either. Say 'thank-you' and let's forget about. I know
I shouldn't have-"
"Thank-you."
The words hung on the air for a moment. Slowly, Duo turned around to
face the bed again, shock evident on his face. He had to have misheard that.
"I beg your pardon?"
"I'm not saying it again, Maxwell." Fei ground out, his eyes still
closed. It was then that Duo realized just how embarrassed and humiliated
the Altron pilot must have been. Drugged in a bar, and have *Duo Maxwell*
of all people take him home? Why, that would have had Duo cringing, had
the roles been reversed.
"Don't... Don't mention it." Duo waved his hand dismissively. "It's not
like it's a big deal, or anything. I mean, it would have been if I hadn't been
there, but I was, and it was like, karma, or something that worked it out like
that. You didn't get hurt, I didn't get hurt, and another pervert got
caught..."
Wufei glanced up. "He got caught?"
Duo couldn't bring himself to look at Fei. "Yep, he surely did. I saw
him headed for another victim, so I informed the security guards."
Fei swallowed. "Before... Or after?"
"After." After he had Wufei's warm body in his arms, after the boy had
passed out. Then, he hadn't really been thinking about it. If he hadn't been
there, at the bar, at that time, it wouldn't have been *his* bed that Fei
had waken in. If he'd regained consciousness at all. "I wasn't quick enough
to stop you from drinking it." At the time, he hadn't really thought about
it.
Now, he'd had a night to ponder.
But Wufei didn't need the night. He understood. "So you swept to the
rescue." He murmured. "I wonder..."
"What?"
He stared at Duo, his face blank. "Maybe you should have left me."
Of all things that Duo had been expecting him to say, it wasn't that.
His jaw dropped, as he swung his gaze over to the boy. "You *wanted* that?"
"Of course not!" Wufei protested. "But it was my stupidity that got me
into the mess. You should have left me to my own devices."
Duo dropped onto his knees on the bed, horror in his eyes. "Fei...
You don't know me at all, if you think I would have even thought about that."
He reached for Fei's hand, but the Chinese boy was having nothing to do with
it. "You're my friend. I'd never leave you to that."
Fei closed his eyes again, taking a deep breath. "I would have left
you." He growled.
Duo laid down beside him, spooning his body as close to Fei's as
possible, without the boy trying to duck and scoot away. "We both know that
that's not true." He plucked an imaginary piece of lint from Fei's
shoulder. "You're too damn honorable for that."
There was a pause. "You overestimate me."
"I think you're underestimating yourself." Duo said softly. "You
could have told me to shove off last night."
The reply was so soft that Duo was dead certain he hadn't heard it.
"That would have been defeating my own purpose." When he glanced over
sharply, Fei shrugged. "Who do you think you are to go parading around
bars and such? We're wanted men, in case you've forgotten."
"No, I haven't." Duo propped himself up on his elbows. "What are you
saying? That you were looking for me last night?"
Fei blushed. "Maybe."
"Maybe yes. Maybe no?"
"Maybe... Maybe." Fei raised an eyebrow. "I thought you couldn't look
after yourself. Turns out, I can't look after myself in that situation."
Duo shook his head, fighting a smile. "There are predators out there,
Fei. Mean, nasty people who don't care who they hurt. Some are more subtle
than others. We're used to dealing with the ones who come at us, guns
blazing."
"But you picked it out right away." Fei moaned. "I didn't even know
until you told me."
Duo chuckled. "Is that's what's bothering you? That I know what to
look for in a sexual predator?" He sobered. "Seriously, Fei, you made the
same mistake lots of people do. You're not the first, and you sadly won't
be the last. But your story ended better than most. Better than mine."
Fei looked over sharply. "You mean...?"
"Don't ponder that one too hard." Duo told him gently. "It's not
nearly as bad as you'd think. Now, it's early, and I'd probably give everyone
a heart attack if they found me awake, but would you like something to eat?"
Wufei nodded mutely.
Duo turned on his heel, and headed for the door, snatching a t-shirt
along the way.
"Duo!"
He paused, and glanced over his shoulder.
Fei sat up, his eyes hopeful. "I... Think I've changed my mind." He
smiled a little. "I'm not hungry, after all."
Duo raised an eyebrow. "You sure?"
Fei stared at him for a handful of heartbeats, as if he were seriously
turning the options over in his mind. Suddenly, his face fell, his brow
tightening in pain as he raised a hand to his head. "Oh..."
"Guess that'll have to wait." Duo chuckled, walking back across the
room. "There's one thing you've got to learn, Fei, and that's..." He pulled
out the drawer on the nightstand. "To keep painkillers handy at all times."
Fei groaned. "Where would I have put them?"
Duo handed him a couple white tablets, that the Chinese teen swallowed
dry. "Point taken. So... You still not hungry?"
Wufei moaned, and lay back on the pillows, dragging the sheet up to
his chin. "As soon as my head stops pounding..."
"Gotcha. Mind if I...?" When Fei didn't object, Duo sprawled beside
him again, tucking his hands behind his head, staring up at the ceiling.
"You know... I really didn't expect to see you walk into that bar. I mean,
*really* didn't expect it. Heero, maybe. Quatre, possibly. Trowa, in a
heartbeat. But you...?"
Fei made a face. "Maxwell, I was only following you..." His mouth
clamped shut.
"Ha! I knew it!" Duo shrilled merrily. "You were following me!"
Fei sighed. "All right. All right. You've humiliated me thoroughly, you
might as well draw blood." Closing his eyes, he leaned back against the pillow.
Words came from his mouth, gentle and strange.
Duo raised an eyebrow. "What's that mean?"
"It means where your footsteps fall, so shall mine." Wufei translated.
"Together we shall always dance." There was a heartbeat of silence.
"It sounds really prissy in English, but it basically means that
you're my best friend, and I will be there for you." He pressed his face into
the soft pillow, hiding from the American.
"Oh." Was all Duo could manage.
"I was thinking... Dammit, Maxwell, quit looking at me like that!
It's hard enough to say without you leering at me." Fei buried his face
further. "I was thinking that maybe last night wasn't all bad. There was
something that I did enjoy."
"Oh?"
His hands balled into fists. "Don't sound so smug. You know damn well
that was a great kiss." He looked up, "and you're a superb dancer."
"Well, thank-you." Duo reached over and caressed the boy's face. "From
you, that's a huge compliment." He waggled his eyes at Wufei. "Wanna try it
again?"
"The dance..." Wufei murmured. "Or the kiss?"
"Whatever."
"Later." He smiled. "Right now, I want to sleep."
Owari