Disclaimers: I don't own any characters used. :P
Warning: Slight swearing as usual. I know there is definitely some OOCness concerning both Pan and Wufei, so I hope all of you have good imaginations! ^-^ Oh, and if you don't like original couples, you better move along. Haruka and Michiru are also not together in this fic. Sorry to all you H/M fans!
Author's Notes: Hi again, minna-chan!! =0) Yes, I know... This took me a very long time, but notice how long this chapter is! I haven't written anything this long since I wrote Realizing Too Late. I don't want you to think I've forgotten about this fic. On the contrary, when I have time to write, this is the only thing I'm working on. I actually mapped out the whole series, so most of the story is already prearranged. *grins* As mentioned in the warning, there are some very original pairings in this fic. These are pairings I have seriously considered about writing, and I figured, since this is a Pan/Wufei type fic... What better fic to introduce some more original pairings? I know what you're thinking: 'Where on earth did she get Minako/Diamond from?' Hehehe... I do admit some of the pairings were done on impulse. ^^;; Also, I love Haruka and Michiru together, but I always wanted to pair them up with other people. You'll find out what I'm talking about soon enough. Just to let you know, I've never taken any martial arts classes whatsoever, so the teaching or sparring scenes in this fic are completely from my imagination. They might be pretty lame too... I never was good at writing physical fighting scenes without magical attacks. Okay, this is a pretty lengthy author's notes, but I'm almost done! I promise! *sweatdrops* Okay, there is a lot of Pan/Wufei moments as well as a few Usagi/Wufei. There are also some parts which I think are mostly filler... but I hope you enjoy it anyway. I think that's all I have to say... ^^\\//
"It's not her fault that she's so irresistible
But all the damage she's caused isn't fixable
Every twenty seconds you repeat her name
But when it comes to me you don't care
If I'm alive or dead" ~ Shakira, Objection (Tango)
*********************************
Her Husband
Chapter 2 - Second Glances
Author: Krys Yuy
*********************************
A year after Usagi and Wufei's wedding...
Pan was now twenty and still the current bodyguard for Tsukino Usagi. Usagi had kept Tsukino as her stage last name, but was officially Chang Usagi. It had been hectic before and during the wedding of her best friend. The plans had to be perfect and the wedding had to run smoothly. During the months before the wedding, Pan had spent a majority of her time with the groom since she had been quite reluctant to participate in any of the wedding plans. Usagi, who noticed her best friend's discomfort, took pity on her and sent Pan to train at the Red Dragon, where Pan happily obliged, but only after Usagi was established with a temporary bodyguard.
During her time at the Red Dragon, Pan had to inevitably come in contact with Wufei, whose company wasn't all that bad. When Wufei wasn't teaching classes or studying, he was either sparring with Pan or watching her train. They became relatively good friends. However, there was one unforeseen result that Usagi and Pan failed to predict.
By the time of the wedding, Pan had fallen in love with her best friend's fiancée.
* * * * *
Pan rolled over in bed, groaning. Tonight was the Academy Awards, and Usagi had insisted she come. That meant wearing a dress, but it also meant seeing Wufei again. Pan tried to fight down the red tint that invaded her cheeks as she thought of him. 'How the hell did my life get so complicated?' Pan thought wearily.
*Flashbacks*
Pan rubbed her temples as Usagi and her friends gushed over all the wedding preparations, especially the dress. 'I'm really not into this...' she thought, sighing. She was sitting in the corner, watching over Usagi, but not doing anything else.
"Usagi, what color do you want your bridesmaid dresses to be?" asked a woman with maroon colored eyes.
"I was thinking... maybe a midnight blue," Usagi replied thoughtfully, biting her lip. She looked back at the woman who had spoken. "What do you think, Setsuna?"
Setsuna gave her a mysterious smile. "I think it's perfect," she answered, flipping her long hair over her shoulder. Setsuna Peacecraft was Usagi's personal fashion advisor. She was also a popular fashion designer with a line of designer clothes called Only Time. Half of Setsuna's designs had a European touch, since she was married to a European ambassador, Milliardo Peacecraft. Usagi usually wore all the clothes Setsuna had designed, and looked to her for any kind of fashion advice. It was Setsuna's job to make sure that Usagi looked beautiful wherever she went.
"I'm so happy you're going to be designing all the dresses, Setsuna!" Usagi exclaimed, smiling.
Setsuna sipped her tea, and winked at Usagi. "You know I won't disappoint you," she replied.
"I still have a lot of money in my budget, right Ami?" Usagi inquired, looking over at a woman with short blue hair.
Ami nodded, tapping her pen against a pad of paper. "Don't worry, Usagi. You have plenty of money for your dream wedding," she replied, giving her a small smile. Ami Mizuno was Usagi's accountant and financial advisor. She made sure that Usagi didn't spend too much money and bankrupt herself. She also helped out during the tax season.
"What do you think about the bridesmaid dresses, Pan?" Usagi asked, turning in her seat to look at her best friend. However, she found Pan with an extremely bored look on her face. 'Poor Pan...' she thought. 'I forgot that this really isn't her thing. Maybe I should send her to the Red Dragon so she can train?' Taking in her friend's discomfort, Usagi nodded inwardly. 'Yeah, she'll have a lot more fun over there. She'll also get to know Wufei better...'
Pan suddenly realized that Usagi had asked her a question. "What did you say, Usagi?"
Usagi smiled at her in sympathy. "Pan... you really don't want to be here, do you?"
"No, not really," Pan admitted, adjusting her gloves.
"Why don't you go to the Red Dragon?" Usagi suggested, winking at her. "You can get in some training time. I'm sure Wufei will let you use one of the private rooms, so you won't get disturbed by the classes."
"Really Usagi?"
"Hai."
"But you still need a bodyguard," Pan insisted, standing up. "I don't want to leave you unprotected."
Usagi rolled her eyes and waved her hand dismissively. "Please, Pan. It'll only be for a few hours."
"I won't leave you until you get another bodyguard posted here," Pan replied, crossing her arms and staring Usagi straight in the eye.
"Oh all right," Usagi relented, shaking her head. "Pan, you can be so stubborn sometimes." She took her cell phone out of her purse and dialed in a number. "Hello? Quatre, it's me Usagi." Usagi paused, listening to what he was saying. "Yeah, can you get me a temporary bodyguard over at Setsuna's office? I'm giving Pan a few hours off, but she won't leave until you get me another bodyguard." Usagi went silent, before she smiled and tapped the side of the phone out of habit. "Okay, ASAP. Thanks Quatre. See ya." She hit the 'End' button on her cell phone and put it back in her purse. She looked towards Pan again, giving a mock sigh. "All right, Pan. The bodyguard should be here in about thirty minutes. I think I'll be safe for that long." Usagi raised an eyebrow at her, smiling playfully.
Pan weighed her choices as she returned Usagi's look with a glare. She supposed Usagi would be okay for thirty minutes. "Okay, I'll go now," she decided after a few minutes.
"Took you long enough," Usagi teased.
Pan chose to ignore her best friend as she grabbed her denim jacket from the chair she had been sitting on. She slung it over her shoulder as she made her way out of Setsuna's office. "Call me when you're done, Usagi."
Usagi looked up from the fabric samples, grinning. "Yes mother," she replied in a sweet voice. She barely ducked the bridal magazine that was thrown in her direction. "Watch it, Pan!"
Pan only smirked as she headed off to the Red Dragon.
*Flash*
Pan went through the gates of the Red Dragon for the second time, but instead of going round back, she entered the front side of the dojo. She glanced around and noticed a front desk off to the side and young adult classes were occupying the main training room. She spotted Wufei walking through the rows of students as they practiced the moves they were taught. Occasionally, he would stop and patiently guide a student who was having trouble. Pan smiled at this but turned towards the front desk, where a tall man was sitting, flipping through attendance books.
As Pan walked closer towards him, she realized the man was actually a woman. The woman had short sandy blonde hair and a baggy blue button-up T-shirt. The first few buttons were undone, and since the woman was bending down over records, Pan was able to see she was a female. The woman was tapping a pen against the desk as she continued to check through the attendance. Only when Pan stood right in front of the desk did the woman actually notice her for the first time.
She looked at her apologetically, and for the first time, Pan saw her face clearly. "Sorry about that. How may I help you?" she inquired politely.
"I'd like to use one of the private rooms, please."
"Your name?"
"Son Pan."
The woman looked thoughtful and she started glancing at some post-its taped all over the counter. "Ah-ha," she murmured to herself as she glanced at one post-it. "Usagi called about ten minutes ago. Told me to reserve one of the smaller rooms for you."
Pan thought the woman looked very familiar. "I've seen you somewhere before..." Her eyes caught a racing magazine on the side of the desk, and it suddenly clicked. "You're Tenou Haruka."
"The one and only," the woman smirked. "Except that's just a stage name for my racing." She lifted her left hand and Pan saw the glitter of a simple diamond wedding ring. "Officially, I'm Haruka Barton. Except only my close circle of friends know it." She smiled at Pan. "Usagi told me about you. I'd like to get to know you sometime." She stood up and Pan saw that she very tall, wearing black slacks. She grabbed a set of keys from the desk and motioned for Pan to follow her.
Pan nodded and adjusted the strap of the sports bag she had brought with her. Inside were her training clothes and a few practice weapons. She followed Haruka into a door by the desk that led into a private hallway. Haruka selected a key and opened the second door at the end of the hallway. Pan walked inside ahead of her and noticed that the room had one wall completely covered with large mirrors. She tossed her bag to one side and glanced around in approval. It was about the size of a classroom, and had just the right amount of space she needed.
"If you need anything, just press the intercom," Haruka instructed, gesturing to the device by the door.
Pan nodded in response and began to stretch with the mirror wall to her left side.
Haruka gave her a curious look before she left and closed the door behind her. 'There's something special about her... I can't quite put my finger on it...' she thought as she walked down the hall.
*Flash*
Pan found herself in the same room several days later. Lately, she had been coming over to the Red Dragon every day to train, unaware of anything else. She had no real contact with Wufei yet, nor did she choose to seek him out. She felt something about him ever since their first meeting, and she didn't like it, whatever it was. It seemed wrong for some reason.
Pan let out a sigh of frustration as she finished her workout with a back flip. Recently, she couldn't concentrate on her moves, and they were getting sloppier. 'What is wrong with me?' she thought, clenching her fist. Despite her overwhelming long stamina, Pan had sweat dripping down her face. She grabbed a small towel from her bag and began to wipe it off. Once she was done, she hung the towel around her neck, gripping both sides with her hands as she stared at the ground.
'Maybe it's that new bodyguard Usagi has,' she mused, brushing some stray hairs from her eyes.
Two days ago, Pan had a chance to meet her temporary replacement. To her distaste, she found it was a man, who disturbingly reminded her of Duo. He also had a slight arrogant air to him, but Pan reluctantly admitted to herself that he wasn't as annoying as Duo could be. She supposed she didn't like how well he was getting along with Usagi. When she saw them, they seemed very comfortable together. Just by glancing at him, she could tell he was a womanizer, with his short golden blond hair, sky blue eyes, and dashing smile. He probably had women falling at his feet, and that ticked her off. She didn't want Usagi to be another one of his flings. When Pan had confided in Usagi, the star actress merely giggled and said not to worry. Pan still didn't feel right about it, but chose to accept her friend's judgment for the time being, though she knew that Usagi often trusted too many people too soon. That's why she needed a bodyguard so often.
'Did Usagi not notice his flirtatious smiles at all?' Pan thought, aggravated as she rolled her shoulders back to ease her tense muscles. He had introduced himself as Jade, but she found out from Usagi later that his full name was Jadeite. Suiting, she supposed, when she saw the stone dangling from a silver chain around his neck. 'Ugh! I do not need to get jealous of some blonde playboy that's watching over my best friend! He cannot be the reason I'm not getting my moves done right...'
"I need to get out of this room," she muttered to herself. "I've been in here too long." She took her hair out of its ponytail, and swept it back with her familiar orange bandana. She decided that she would change out of her white gi later, and walked out of the room. She headed down the hallway that led to the front desk, and when she came out, she found Haruka wasn't at her usual spot. 'Must be racing,' Pan thought absently.
Pan walked towards the main training arena, hearing Wufei's voice and the soft whispers of children. Curious, she sat herself on a bench in a corner of the room, nearest to the exit, watching as Wufei taught his class. All the children were currently standing and lined up in rows of five. She smirked, amused, as some of them fidgeted in their spots. They seemed very bored, while the majority of the class looked intrigued as they watched Wufei demonstrate a simple kick position, while not leaving any openings.
"Now, you can practice with your partners from yesterday," Wufei instructed, giving them a subtle smile. "Not all of you will perfect this move today, but some of you might. Just try your best for now."
"Hai, sensei," the class echoed as they bowed, though out of sync. They had been taught a few select words from the Japanese language, and sounded very funny, since there was an English accent to what they were saying.
'I thought he was Chinese?' Pan wondered, a bit puzzled. She shrugged, however, and decided to confirm it later.
Minutes later, the class was still doing the same exercise. Surprisingly, many of them had already managed to perfect it. The others were having a harder time, and seemed to be very frustrated that they couldn't master it as fast as their friends had. Pan's face remained expressionless as she watched them, but couldn't help the slight glimmers of laughter that reached her eyes. She felt a wave of sympathy for those who were really trying, but just couldn't seem to get the move.
"Aw man!" one boy of seven cried out as he toppled over. He had been trying to kick, but was too focused on putting his hands in the right position. "I'm never going to get this!"
Wufei walked over to him, so absorbed into teaching the children, that he never noticed Pan in the corner. "Be patient, Taichi," he replied softly. He kneeled and told the boy to stand in front of him. "Okay, just focus on the kicking. Let your hands hang by your sides for now."
Taichi kicked but apparently had a problem with balance. Wufei managed to steady him before he fell again. Other kids had stopped practicing, watching their teacher help out a fellow classmate. A few of the meaner ones snickered at Taichi's problem. Hearing this, Taichi looked down in embarrassment and shame, holding back the slight tears that threatened to appear. Wufei frowned, feeling sorry for his student, while also disappointed in the ones he knew would tease Taichi later.
"Did I tell you to stop?" he asked quietly to his students, though his tone was stern and left no room for disagreement.
The students recognized his sudden mood change and hurriedly returned to practicing with their partners. Though many respected and admired him, they didn't like when he was very strict with them. He snapped at them when he was in a bad mood and they refused to listen to him. Attention was diverted away from Taichi as his classmates quickly forgot about him, instead concentrating on their potential fighting skills.
Taichi fidgeted, rubbing his arm uncomfortably. His fists were shaking from frustration. 'Poor kid,' Pan thought sympathetically.
Wufei placed his hands on the boy's shoulder, looking into his eyes seriously. "Are you giving up, Taichi?" he asked, voice passive.
Pan watched all this with an interested look, but had no idea why. She saw Taichi about to say yes when the little boy turned around to watch his peers practicing the move. His sad face was replaced with determination as he faced Wufei again. Pan raised an eyebrow, sensing the boy's inner spark. 'If that boy keeps this up, he'll go far...'
"Iie, sensei," Taichi stated firmly, bowing slightly. His eyes sparkled with unseen potential, while Wufei looked on, proud.
Despite popular belief with his friends and family, Wufei loved kids very much, but they could still be extremely irritating to him. "Good Taichi," he replied with a rarely seen smile. "Here. Just pay attention while I show you step by step." Wufei began to lead him through the movements slowly, carefully helping Taichi with his balance problem. He straightened out Taichi's form, failing to see the flash of gratitude and admiration that passed through the younger boy's eyes.
Pan, however, did. She had no expression on her face, but leaned forward on the bench, resting her elbows on her knees. Her eyes focused on Wufei and Taichi alone. In her eyes, their image was replaced with one of her father teaching her how to defend herself. It lasted for only a few seconds, but by the time it was over, her eyes had softened as she observed the fatherly figure Wufei made towards Taichi. She smiled slightly as Taichi finally accomplished the kicking move, his face beaming. On impulse, Taichi hugged his mentor, and Pan was very amused to see the surprised look on Wufei's face. After a moment, she watched as Wufei returned the hug, his face set in a tender look she had never seen before.
'Very sweet...'
*Flash*
After much arguing with herself, Pan had made her way to the door of Wufei's office, except she had no idea what she was doing. 'What to do?' she wondered, biting her lip. She lifted her hand to knock on the door, but lowered it in the last second. 'Just open the door!' she told herself. 'It's not like there's anything dangerous on the other side of it!' Pan took an unneeded breath and pushed the door open. 'Are you so sure?' a tiny voice whispered before her thoughts were silenced.
Wufei was sitting at his desk, reading through a book. Pan had been so quiet coming in, he didn't hear her, but he also seemed to be very absorbed into whatever he was doing. The wall on the right side of his desk was an entire bookcase filled with all different sizes of books. The wall behind and to the left of his desk either had shelves with trophies and certificates or several pictures of the Chang generations before Wufei. He had two cushion chairs placed in front of his desk for clients or visitors.
Pan only took a moment to take all this in before she focused on Wufei. He looked... different. It wasn't every day she saw the hotheaded man wearing glasses and calmly studying. It was also the first time she had ever seen him with his hair out of its usual short ponytail. She noticed that he actually had long black locks that fell against his shoulders, a few falling into his dark eyes. He seemed almost... cute.
Pan felt a little odd, almost like her pulse was racing. She twisted around the ties of her gi before she cleared her throat. Unconsciously, her breath caught as her eyes locked with his. 'I've been through this before...' she thought warily.
Wufei's eyes narrowed at her in annoyance and slight anger. "Don't you knock?" he scowled, taking off his glasses and placing them on the side of his desk.
Pan was caught off guard by the subtle upset tone his voice held. True, it was rude not to knock, but it gave him no right to start acting like an ass! "Sorry, your majesty," she retorted mockingly, rolling her eyes.
Wufei glared at her, leaning back against his chair. "Is there something I can help you with?" he asked, choosing to ignore her previous sarcasm.
What was she doing here? Pan glanced around the room casually, hiding her sudden nervousness. "Can't I talk to the groom of my best friend?" she replied coolly, walking over to the bookcase and reading off the titles in her mind.
"Not unless it's something important," Wufei replied lamely, shaking his head at his own sudden loss for a good comeback. So she wanted another game of verbal barbs? 'Fine,' Wufei thought, smirking inwardly. It was not an uncommon sight to see Pan and Wufei trading insults or being almost at each other's throats. There was, however, a thin line between random flirting and their harmless arguments. Briefly, Wufei wondered if he had ever crossed the line, but dismissed it immediately. Flirting with Son Pan? That was as impossible as Haruka growing long hair and wearing a short dress.
Pan gained a teasing glint in the corner of her eye. "A few of your brain cells dead, Chang?" she inquired sweetly.
"Probably because I've been hanging around you too much," Wufei answered, sweeping his hair back into its usual ponytail, except loose.
"With me? That's one I've never heard before," Pan replied thoughtfully. "If you had said Duo, then maybe I would believe you..."
"Duo? As in Duo Maxwell?" Wufei asked, tapping his fingers against his desk.
"The one and only," Pan commented dryly. "Has Usagi introduced you two, yet?"
"I think I've met him once," Wufei muttered, narrowing his eyes. "I didn't like him."
"Now that's something we finally agree on," Pan replied, smirking. "Except he's not that bad once you get to know him. He's just usually really hyper and annoying. Sometimes I think his stardom gets to brain..." She trailed off as she glanced at Wufei's face. "Please don't tell me you actually hate him?"
"Of course I do," Wufei snapped, suddenly looking to be in a very dark mood.
"No, I don't think so," Pan replied, much to Wufei's annoyance.
"What makes you think that?"
"I think you're jealous," Pan commented, slightly amused at his scowl.
"Jealous?!" Wufei exploded, looking offended. "Why would I be jealous of him?"
Pan rolled her eyes, shaking her head. "Hmm... there are several possible, most likely accurate, reasons as to why you think you hate him. In reality, you really are just jealous."
"I am NOT jealous," Wufei stated firmly.
"First reason: Duo knew Usagi before you did."
"So?"
"Second: He's kissed her before you have."
"Not a real kiss."
"Third: He's played the opposite male role to nearly all the characters she's starred as in her movies."
"That doesn't bother me."
"Fourth: Usagi and Duo are adored throughout the country as one of the cutest movie couples possible."
Wufei growled low in his throat. "People are idiots."
"Fifth: You can't stand the fact that Usagi and Duo have chemistry."
"Please," Wufei snorted, crossing his arms over his chest.
"You just don't want to admit it," Pan stated, brushing some hair out of her eyes. "You're afraid that Duo may just sweep Usagi off her feet, and leave you behind. You don't know if Duo has feelings about your fiancée, and that he possibly wants to be more than friends." She paused, turning to stare at the bookcase again. "That's why you think you hate him." Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Wufei clenching his fist so hard that his knuckles were turning white.
"Son, why did you come here?" Wufei asked through gritted teeth, suddenly very angry, but not at her. She had simply laid out her opinion of why she thought he hated Duo. The problem was that she hit the target right on as if he was just some dummy she was practicing on. 'How can she read me so easily?' he asked himself, perplexed.
'Oops... maybe I pushed him a little too much,' Pan thought, biting her lip once again. "Honestly, Chang... I have no idea." She still wasn't facing him, and instead, chose to crane her neck to look up at the books on the taller shelves. Deciding that she desperately wanted to change the subject, she pointed at a random book that she couldn't reach. "Think you can get that for me?"
Wufei sighed, his previous anger dwindling to make room for more confusion. This woman was too strange for words. Without answering her, he stood up from behind his desk and made his way toward her. He stopped when he stood right next to her and glanced to where she was pointing. He grabbed the book and brought it down, glancing at its title. He held the book out to Pan with an amused smile.
"What?" Pan asked defensively, seeing his face. He was too close...
Wufei nodded towards the book. "You read Shakespeare?"
Pan's eyes widened slightly, and a pale pink tint covered her cheeks. "I was not pointing at that book!"
"Really? Then what were you pointing at?" Wufei asked, raising an eyebrow.
Pan was at a loss of words, and instead read the title of the book still in his hands. "The Twelfth Night?" she read aloud, scrunching her face in puzzlement. She never did like literature.
"Very interesting piece," Wufei commented, running his hand over the leather-bound book. "In a way, it's kind of a twisted love story, but it's really a comedy."
"What do you mean by 'twisted'?" Pan asked curiously.
"Well, there are all sorts of love triangles. There's twins, one man and woman, who are separated in a storm out at a sea. They both think the other dead. The woman disguises herself as a man to work in a rich man's household. She ends up falling for him, while another woman falls for her man-counterpart. Her brother, very much alive, comes later into the story. He's mistaken for his sister's male disguise by the woman, and gets married to her. You know, odd stuff like that…"
"Strange," Pan replied simply, reaching out to take the book from his hands. Her skin brushed against his, and she breathed sharply.
"Something wrong?" Wufei asked, noticing her sudden intake of breath.
"It's nothing," Pan replied quickly, ignoring the sudden frantic beating of her heart.
Wufei shrugged and turned around to walk back to his desk. Pan kept her eyes trained on him as he moved away from her. She trembled slightly as realization hit her.
'Please, oh please... don't tell me I'm attracted to him?!'
*Flash*
Pan eyed Wufei carefully as she waited for him to make the first move. Her hair was swept into a ponytail like Wufei's. They were wearing identical black gis, except Wufei's had the insignia of the Red Dragon. 'Watch him carefully,' a voice whispered.
Just then, Wufei charged forward, sending a punch towards her face. She mentally yawned, 'How boring.' She easily dodged his initiating attack, but Wufei immediately crouched down, surprising Pan with his speed. If it weren't for her sharp senses, she would have fallen to the mat as Wufei attempted a leg sweep on her. Unfortunately for Wufei, she was just as fast, maybe even faster. The split second he crouched, she quickly used the strength in her legs to push herself off the mat in a back flip, which sent her a few feet away from him. Pan landed on the mat with expertise, quickly sliding back in her fighting stance.
Wufei's face was masked as he got into his own stance, not showing what he was feeling or thinking. Pan took the offensive and punched at him, but he blocked it with his arm. They exchanged several punches quickly, but each punch was deflected. Outwardly, they remained calm, but inside they were frustrated.
'No openings!' Wufei thought, narrowing his eyes.
'He's good,' Pan admitted, but smirked as she caught a weak spot in his defense. She moved as if to punch him again, right in the face. He blocked it with both of his arms. Pan took this opportunity to kick him in the stomach, causing him to stumble backwards. 'But not good enough.'
'Oh shit,' Wufei thought, clutching his stomach. 'She's stronger than she looks.' He ignored his pain and exchanged more blows with Pan.
Later on in the spar, each side was sporting either bruises or cuts, but only a few. Wufei and Pan, being as stubborn as they were, refused to give in. They were getting tired, Wufei more than Pan since she had an incredible endurance time. Finally, the spar ended as Pan caught Wufei in a leg sweep, making him fall on his back. He didn't get up, only sighed and slammed his fist on the mat.
"We have to spar again sometime," Pan suggested after they both got to catch their breaths. She offered her hand to Wufei.
Wufei eyed it, looking as if he was having an inner battle. After a moment or two, he took the offered hand and pulled himself up with Pan's help. He didn't know what to feel at the fact he had lost to a woman. A very skilled woman. He looked into Pan's eyes and nodded slowly. "Yeah, but next time… I'll win." He was half-joking, half-serious.
Pan was having trouble listening to him, clenching her fist in an attempt to get rid of the tingles in her hand. She felt some unexpected thrill that ran straight through her heart, nearly making her blush. She felt warm and excited for some strange unexplainable reason. 'This is wrong!' She pushed away the feelings and instead, gave Wufei a lop-sided smile. "At least now you know I'm not weak."
Wufei surprised and annoyed her at the same time when he smiled at her. "I've known that for a long time," he replied casually.
Damn. The tingles were back.
*Flash*
Pan fingered the bouquet of flowers in her hands, trying not to fidget in her dress made especially for the maid-of-honor. It was made of midnight-blue fabric that she couldn't name, and her hair was falling freely to her shoulders, slightly curled at the ends. She, of course, had protested, but one look at Usagi's pleading face told her it was one battle she wasn't going to win. She was tuning the priest's words in and out, but she continued to stare at the couple in both happiness and sadness.
"If anyone knows a reason why these two should not be married, speak now or forever hold your peace."
Those words snapped Pan straight back to reality. She wanted to scream and shout, confess that she felt something more than just friendship for the groom. She wanted to stop the wedding, stop it all from happening. She wanted a chance. She wanted to know if they would have made it together. However, one look at Usagi's glowing face told Pan to keep her mouth shut and let her best friend be happy. She couldn't be the one to ruin Usagi's bright future.
Pan shook her head to rid herself from the haunting thoughts. 'It's nothing. Nothing,' she chided herself.
It was just a silly crush. She didn't love him.
"You may now kiss the bride."
Pan watched the newlyweds, a smile on her face, though her heart was breaking inside. Usagi and Wufei kissed and pulled apart as the guests cheered. Pan let her eyes follow the couple as they walked down the aisle, but her focus was more on the groom than her best friend. She too began following them with her escort, Trowa, the best man. She saw Wufei whisper something to Usagi, and the blonde bride giggled, blushing. Pan let a brief bitter smirk cross her face as she saw how perfect Wufei and Usagi looked together.
No, she didn't love him. Not at all…
*End Flashbacks*
Who was she kidding? She had fallen hard for her best friend's husband. It wasn't helping that she saw him nearly every day because of her position as Usagi's bodyguard.
Pan stared up the ceiling, sighing. On impulse to vent out her frustration, Pan suddenly grabbed her alarm clock and threw it at the wall, making it fall to the ground, cracked and broken.
"Shit."
* * * * *
"Do I have to wear this?" Pan nearly whined into her apartment telephone. She held up a dark red gown that had wide straps that crossed on the back. The red color got even darker as it went down, eventually black at the very bottom of the dress. It even had beads woven throughout the fabric on the bottom in the design of stars.
"Yes, you do," Usagi ordered, talking into her cell phone. She sat in a chair with her name written across the back in beautiful script. People scurried around her on the set of her next movie.
"I'm supposed to be your bodyguard! Not another model friend!"
"Pan, I'm bringing you as a best friend. You being my bodyguard is just one of the pluses," Usagi said, shaking her head even though she knew Pan wouldn't see it. "I wanted you to come with me for support."
"You have Wufei," Pan replied pointedly, ignoring the little pang in her heart as she said it.
"Yes, I have Wufei," Usagi giggled, oblivious to her friend's feelings. "Though I love my dear husband very much, I need a female companion. Besides, you can help me keep him from killing Duo."
"Now why would I want to do that?" Pan asked, smirking.
"You know that you like him, even if he's annoying," Usagi teased.
The director of the movie started calling to her. "If you want to make it to the Academy Awards tonight, Usagi, you'd better finish up this last scene." He pointed to his watch for emphasis.
Usagi covered up her cell phone, waving her other hand dismissively. "All right, all right. I'm coming," she shouted back.
"Hurry up then!" he replied.
"Motoki, you are too demanding!" Usagi exclaimed, rolling her eyes. She started talking back into the phone. "Sorry, Pan, but I have to go. Work calls."
"Fine, I'll see you later. Ja ne."
"Ja ne, Pan. And you are going to wear that dress." Usagi hung up then, grinning to herself. "Sometimes I just love annoying her," she said to herself. Then she got out of her chair and went to calm her agitated director.
Pan stared at the phone in disbelief before she hung up. "I just know she loves annoying me almost as much as Duo does," she muttered to herself. She sighed in exasperation as she stared at the dress she was holding. She ran her hand along the fabric before she looked up at the ceiling, almost submissively. "Oh, why the hell not?"
* * * * *
Usagi beamed at Pan as she entered the white limo. "Wow, Pan! You look fantastic!" she exclaimed, admiring her outfit.
Pan scowled and blushed at the same time, if that was even possible. "Well, you sent me the dress, Usagi," she replied. She settled herself across from her best friend, and looked over her best friend's ensemble. "Perfect choice."
"Thanks," Usagi smiled, nervously rubbing her hands together.
"Where's Wufei?" Pan asked casually, noticing that he wasn't next to Usagi.
"My lovely husband, who has been working hard all day, has decided to fall asleep," Usagi informed, half-annoyed, half-worried. She pointed towards the front of the limo where Wufei was sleeping, leaning his head against the window as he sat. "I told him to take it easy today, but no. He just had to work. Now he's exhausted." She sighed, shaking her head. "Poor thing."
Even though Wufei was asleep, Pan could tell he looked incredibly handsome in his tuxedo, which Usagi probably forced him to wear. His hair was in its usual ponytail, only loose. "I never thought I'd see the day Wufei would wear a tuxedo, besides on your wedding day."
"You wouldn't believe how much I had to nag," Usagi giggled, her blonde hair swishing with the movement.
"Oh, I can guess," Pan smirked, raising an eyebrow at her best friend.
"Oh, you're so mean!" Usagi pouted, swatting her friend in the arm.
Pan merely rolled her eyes and started to shift uncomfortably in her gown. "I can't believe I had to wear this…" she muttered.
"Oh hush," Usagi scolded lightly, as if talking to a five year old. "You look great, so stop complaining."
The driver of the limousine rolled down the window separating them from his sight. "Ms. Tsukino? We're almost at the pathway."
"Thank you, Umino," Usagi said, smiling at him.
He tipped his hat at her. "No problem, ma'am," he replied. He then rolled the window back up.
"I hope he doesn't get all grumpy," Usagi commented thoughtfully, moving over to wake up her husband. "I really don't want to wake him up…"
Pan smiled wickedly, cracking her knuckles. She looked rather strange doing that while in a formal gown with her hair curled. "I can do it for you," she suggested, half-joking, half-serious.
"Uuh… no thanks, Pan," Usagi replied, raising an eyebrow.
"My offer will remain open," Pan informed sweetly, smiling a little too innocently.
"I'm sure," Usagi drawled, turning once more to Wufei. She shook his shoulders lightly, placing a hand on his cheek. "We're almost there," she whispered softly to him. Wufei only mumbled something and then went silent. Usagi shook her head, a small smile forming on her face. She leaned forward, kissing Wufei on the lips, which effectively woke him up.
Pan rolled her eyes, ignoring the streak of jealousy that went through her. "I think my way would have been much better," she muttered to herself. She eyed the couple as they continued to kiss, noticing that Wufei was now fully awake in his wife's arms. 'Of course I wouldn't mind waking him up that way either…' After a few more seconds, she began to get rather annoyed and cleared her throat. "I really wouldn't like to ruin my dress by throwing up all over it," she commented lightly.
Usagi pulled away from Wufei, who groaned uncharacteristically. The blonde actress giggled and gave him a quick peck on the lips. "Just having a little fun, Pan," she replied with a grin. She patted her golden hair, which was intricately braided and curled before it fell freely in waves just below her waist. "Is my dress all right?" she asked, smoothing down any wrinkles in the sparkly silver material.
"It's perfect," Wufei murmured, his eyes fixated on his wife, glimmers of admiration hidden beneath the hardness of his gaze.
Usagi squeezed his hand lovingly. "Thanks Fei-kun," she whispered. Then she seemed to take notice of Pan shaking her head at them. "Doesn't Pan look beautiful?" she asked him, smiling brightly.
Wufei turned his attention to Pan for the first time since he had awakened, taking in her appearance in a matter of seconds. The woman he saw before him was a far cry from the rough tomboy he was used to. Her usual shoulder-length black hair was swept into long curls that hung just below her chin. It was held by a few dark red barrettes to keep the hair from getting in her face, though a few strands escaped to hang above her eyes. She wore light make-up, the first Wufei had ever seen on her since his wedding with Usagi. She wore a formal gown of a deep red material that blended well with her hair color and skin tone. He smirked as he saw the shoes that were peeking out beneath the long skirt of Pan's dress.
"Nice choice of shoes, Son," he commented with a hint of amusement.
Pan smirked back at him, shrugging her shoulders. "If I had to wear a dress this long, I thought I might as well have comfortable shoes," she replied mischievously.
Usagi, curious as to what her loved ones were talking about, looked down at the floor to Pan's shoes. "Oh Pan… no, no, no…" she moaned.
"What?"
"Sneakers?!"
Pan nodded, batting her eyelashes innocently. "Have you ever noticed how much better they feel than high heels?" she inquired.
"Yes, but still!" Usagi exclaimed, exasperated. From inside the limo, the three adults could already hear the screaming of fans. "This is the Academy Awards! The entire media empire will be there! Critics, reporters, fans… and kami forbid… paparazzi!"
"So?" Pan shrugged, not the least bit swayed at her friend's concern. "Besides, Usagi, my dress is really long. When I stand, the press won't even be able to see my feet!" She paused, and then added as if an afterthought, "You're lucky I actually got in this dress. Wearing sneakers would have been the least of your worries."
Usagi laughed, her blue eyes twinkling. "I guess you're right," she admitted. The screams of the fans had suddenly gotten louder. "We're here," she announced, but then turned to Wufei, punching him on the arm. "You still haven't complimented Pan!"
"I said she had nice shoes!" Wufei retorted, crossing his arms. Usagi started glaring at him when he stubbornly remained silent after that. "Fine, fine…" He paused, staring at Pan again, who was very calm, but on the inside, she was a bundle of nerves. His silence unnerved her as she felt his eyes take in her appearance for another time. "You look beautiful… Son."
Pan flushed slightly, dimly wondering what it would be like if he said her first name. Though his voice was almost strangely blank, she detected a hint of humor. "Thanks, Chang," she replied sarcastically, tilting her head a bit.
Usagi smiled at their interaction, used to the two squabbling. "Should I be jealous?" she joked innocently.
"Not at all, Usa," Wufei replied, raising an eyebrow. Something tickled at the back of his mind, but he ignored it. "Wo ai ni," he whispered, placing a kiss on her forehead.
"Wo ai ni," Usagi murmured, snuggling into his embrace.
Pan opened her mouth to say something, but stopped as the limo came to a halt. The door nearest to Pan opened and a man looked inside. "Miss Tsukino?" he asked. "You better come out first."
Usagi nodded and moved towards the door. She sat on the seat and took a deep breath. She smiled warmly at Wufei and Pan, her eyes gleaming with nervousness and excitement. "Wish me luck," she whispered.
"You act like we're not joining you," Pan replied, shaking her head. "Go on. Your public awaits."
Usagi nodded her head again, let out a huge sigh, and stepped out of the car. From inside the limo, Pan and Wufei could already see and hear the several flashes of cameras go off and the increase of fans cheering at the sight of the blonde actress.
Wufei rose to follow his wife, but seemed to hesitate, and sat down again. Pan looked at him curiously as he met her eyes. "You really do look beautiful Pan," he complimented with a hint of sincerity lying beneath his voice. "I never really thought I'd see you in a dress…" He hurried out as Pan continued to sit, speechless. She was glad she wasn't stammering.
Pan stared at his back as he got out of the limo. Did Chang Wufei actually compliment her? 'It must be the end of the world,' she thought in amazement. She felt herself blush again, and tried to keep down the red tint. After a few seconds, she composed herself, following her best friend and love out the door. A question lingered in the deep recesses of her mind unconsciously, wanting to be asked but nothing could be done.
Did Usagi have something to be jealous about?