Title: 'Chained To You'
Author: Makoto Sagara
Pairings: 5x2x5, 3x4 (implied), & 1xR (implied)
Category: Romance, Songfic
Rating: PG
Archive: http://www.angelfire.com/anime3/makotosagara/ , http://www.fanfiction.net , http://afallenangel.net/fandom/ , http://wufeiduo.net
Warnings: Songfic, shonen-ai, AU, OOC, confuzzlement
Disclaimers: I don't own Gundam Wing. Sunrise, Sotsu, Bandai, and a few other companies have that honour. I don't own the lyrics to "Chained To You" by Savage Garden. They do. I'm just borrowing both for this fic, which I make no money off of. I don't even really want to make money off of this fic. I just want my muse to stop showing me these images during Stargate: SG-1 Mondays on Sci-Fi.
A/N: This is the sequel, which quite a few people "suggested" I write to 'A Cup of Coffee'. I was trying to get out of it, and just make that one a single go-for, but so many of my friends were unhappy with the angst-ridden ending. That, in turn, got my muse in gear for torture if I didn't write this. I hope you all enjoy this. ^^;;
Symbol Explanations: 'blah' - thoughts
*~*~* - major change in scenes
*~~~* - minor change in scenes
+blah+ - song lyrics
Chang Wufei got into his car, and placed his head against the steering wheel of his rental car. 'KUSO! How did I manage to get myself into this mess?' He stopped sulking and sat up, hands still planted firmly on the wheel. 'If only his sorrow didn't make him so beautiful.'
That was his last thought as he drove home.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
A few weeks later, Wufei found himself stuck on a presentation that was due in at the end of the week. He just stared at the papers in front of him, his mind a million miles away.
'He was all hair, eyes, lips, and hips. And, ancestors, he was GORGEOUS. Even that look of pure pain evident in every pore of his body was attractive.' This train of thought continued for another half an hour, until his friend, Trowa Barton, came up to him.
"Hey, Chang, wanna get something to eat?" He placed his hand on the Chinese man's shoulder.
Wufei jumped at the physical contact. "B-Barton? How long have you been there?" He sounded very agitated.
The taller man gave a quizzical look from his one visible green eye. "I just got here. I wanted to know if you wanted to go and get something for lunch. Quatre is trying to get Duo out." He watched as the other man blushed at the mention of 'Duo's' name. "Are you ok?"
Wufei cleared his throat. "Yes, I'm perfectly fine. Duo's coming?"
Trowa gave him another look. "Quatre said he would try."
"Fine. I believe that it is time I got out of this office for food."
"O-kay. Well, Quatre will be here in half an hour. That should give you enough time to get to a "stopping point" on that presentation you are "working on"." He winked playfully at his seated friend.
"Thanks." Wufei mumbled darkly.
*~~~~~~~*
"Wufei, how are you?" A bright and cheery voice broke another reverie of the night he had shared with the enigmatic Duo Maxwell. He spun his chair around, and was greeted by the sight of his two new friends, Trowa and his koibito, Quatre Raberba Winner.
"Q-Quatre, I'm good. Are you here to drag me away from my desk?" He raised an eyebrow.
"Yep, you got that right." The blond said, and then grabbed one of his arms. "Trowa, you get the other. We'll drag him to the car, since he wants to refuse my invitation." He giggled.
Wufei smiled and stood. "I believe I won't need to be escorted out. Besides, do we really need a scene?"
Trowa smiled slightly. "I think that's true. We should go now though." He removed his lover's arm from off of the smaller Chinese man.
"Well, then, let's GO! I have Duo moping in the car, and I doubt he can wait much later."
Wufei looked at the blond Arab. "How does he look today?"
Quatre gave a surprised look, and then smiled knowingly. "He's looked better. And he did look better when we all went out a few weeks ago." His eyes narrowed dangerously. "No one mention that he has lost weight, or Heero's name. Or, I might have to hurt you."
"Yes sir." Both of his companions said, simultaneously, but Trowa added a mock-salute.
"I mean it. He looks like shit, but I couldn't very well let him stay at home. Now, let's get out of here, and some food into you two." He grabbed each man by an arm and drug them out of the big office.
The stares abounded as they were leaving.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Wufei thought about the first time he had met Duo as they walked to Quatre's convertible.
* FLASHBACK *
Both of the slight men walked up to Trowa and Wufei, the blond pointing to the taller brunet. Both looked amazing, but Wufei was taken aback by Duo, with his lithe body, clothed in black jeans and a mesh top, and his hair falling past his knees. He almost mistook him for a woman, except there was no sign of cleavage, and his face was a little too rough, from shaving he assumed.
"Duo, you look great." Trowa shook his hand. "This is my new friend, Chang Wufei. Wufei, this is the guy I was telling you about. Duo Maxwell."
Wufei took another appreciative glance over the god standing before him. The only thing that marred his image was the sad look in his eyes, and the bored look on his face.
"Duo." He held his hand out. A limp hand reached out and took it. "Nice to finally meet you. Quatre and Trowa have told me so much, I feel as if I already know you." He smiled warmly.
"Ah, well let's get inside, before it's impossible to do so. This place usually is really crowded on the weekends." Duo walked in and paid his cover charge.
"Is he normally this unresponsive?" Wufei asked, puzzled by the American's attitude.
"No, he's usually a lot more fun. He and his boyfriend just broke up recently." Quatre said to cover up his friend's rude behaviour.
"I see. Well, I guess he is right. It's starting to get really crowded by the door."
"It's never crowded for a Winner." Quatre smiled and flashed the doorman his ID.
"Mr. Winner, nice to see you again. And Mr. Barton as well. Enjoy your night."
"Thanks, Rashid. Don't hurt anyone." Quatre winked at the huge bouncer.
"I'll try." He opened the door and allowed the three men inside.
They found Duo at the bar, already starting on his first drink. Quatre walked over to his best friend. "Duo, are you gonna be ok?"
"Yeah, go have fun with Trowa. I'll be fine. Don't worry." He gave him a weak smile.
Quatre shot him an unbelieving glance. "Fine, but I'll be back to check on you. Try and be nice to Wufei." He walked away and found his lover on the dance floor.
"Don't worry about it, Duo. I know what it's like to lose a lover. My wife, Meiran, died about a year ago."
Duo looked up at him. "It sucks, doesn't it?"
"To put it mildly, yes, it sucks. But, eventually, you can move on." He realized how stupid that sounded, but it was too late to take it back.
"Move on? Why does everyone use that expression? I can't move on. He was the only person I ever loved. And now, he doesn't love me." He started to sob into his beer. "I wish I could just die."
+We were standing all alone you were leaning in to speak to me
Acting like a mover shaker dancing to Madonna then you kissed me
And I think about it all the time
Sweet temptation rush all over me
And I think about it all the time
Passion desire so intense I can't take anymore because+
Wufei managed to get the beautiful man away from the bar, and out on the dance floor. Unfortunately, Duo had had a few drinks. To loosen him up, was the excuse given.
They were dancing wildly, mostly because Duo was gesturing with his whole body, when Quatre came over to them. He told Duo that he had to go home, and asked Wufei if he would give the American a ride home. When everything was worked out, both men were alone for the first time truly that night.
Duo leaned over to Wufei, and loudly spoke to him. "Do you find me attractive?"
Wufei was taken aback. The American was gorgeous, and the close contact was making his body have a reaction he would rather hide. He looked into Duo's eyes, and saw that the sad look had crept back into them.
He hesitated, but answered strongly back. "Yes."
The chestnut haired man smiled. "Good. Let's dance to this song. I LOVE Music by Madonna." Duo's hips had started to take on a life of their own as he was dancing. Wufei tried to keep up, and when he finally got the rhythm right to match his moves to Duo's, the other smiled, leaned in and kissed him.
Wufei's onyx eyes widened, and his body froze. This was the last thing he wanted to do with someone who was grieving over the loss of a love, but his body was reacting without his mind's permission. The next thing he knew, he had pulled the amazing creature into him. His hands were in Duo's hair, and he was moving his hips in time with Duo's, as he deepened the sudden kiss.
+I feel the magic all around you
It's bringing me to my knees
Like a wannabe
I've got to be chained to you+
When they broke for air, Wufei's mind had shut down and his libido had taken over whatever reasoning he had. He needed to HAVE this ravishing boy in his arms, and soon. Something was pulling him in dangerously close to him, and he couldn't for the life of him think of what it was.
They ended up sleeping together. Most of that night was blurry to Wufei. He was intoxicated by the devastating beauty and sadness radiating from Duo. He remembered touching and teasing and the feel of soft skin, but most of the rest of the night was very fuzzy for him.
The next morning was hard for him. He woke up to a voice telling him not to open his eyes because the sun was too bright. He didn't heed the warning though and was rewarded with a blinding headache when he rolled over. 'Hangover more than likely.'
"K'so, you're right. Shimatta."
Before Wufei had time to think, Duo had sat up in bed, and was gaping at him. "On my god, you're not Heero. Who… Oh my god, I'm so sorry. Wufei, right? I have to go." He jumped out of bed, and started looking around for his clothes. He got dressed in a hurry and ran out of the room.
'I wonder how long it will take him to realize that this is his house.' Wufei got out of the bed, and started looking for his own clothes. 'I feel so guilty. I should never have stayed the night. He wasn't ready for this.'
Wufei looked up as Duo re-emerged into the bedroom. "Look, I'm really sorry about this. I promised Quatre and Trowa that I would get you home. When I dropped you off, you could barely walk. I helped you inside and upstairs. And well, one thing led to another. I'm really sorry." He walked past the longhaired boy.
He was stopped by a hand on his arm. "I'm really sorry. I seduced you when I was drunk and then ran out on you." He smiled weakly. "I hope I was fun some time last night."
"Yeah, you were. Once you loosened up." Wufei smiled, and walked out to his car.
* END FLASHBACK *
The object of Wufei's preoccupation was sitting in the car. As he saw him, Wufei smiled brightly in hope that Duo would grace them all with one of his own. Duo looked up, wearily, and gave a half smile.
Quatre came forward. "Duo, you remember Wufei, right?" He said brightly.
"Yeah, I do." His smile got a little bigger, as he looked over Wufei. "Long time no see."
Wufei blushed slightly. The fact that the longhaired boy remembered him was shocking. He took a look at him again, and noticed that this time, the other man had his hair tied back in a long braid which rested in his lap.
Trowa came forward. "We only get an hour. I would rather not spend it all in the parking lot."
Quatre smiled again. "Well, everyone hop in. I'm treating everyone to lunch."
Wufei and Trowa got in the back seat of the car, and Quatre sped out of the parking lot. Trowa leaned over to his friend. "So, what was that all about?" He whispered.
Wufei got uncomfortable, and started to blush again. "It's nothing."
Trowa just smiled, and let the whole thing drop. 'For now anyway, I'll leave him alone. I want him to tell me what happened between him and Duo.'
*~~~~~~~*
Lunch passed by too quickly for all of the boys. Wufei kept stealing glances at Duo. 'He does look considerably thinner than the last time I saw him. And his eyes haven't lost that glazed-over look, though it has diminished a little. He still is as beautiful as then.'
Quatre and Trowa kept up a steady conversation, which interrupted Wufei's musings every five seconds.
"So, Wufei, how are you finding things around town?" The Arab asked.
Wufei blinked and looked at his new friend. "Um, okay, I suppose. I still get lost when I'm trying to get to the gym and market, but not as often." He chuckled.
"What part of town do you live in?" Duo asked quietly.
"Not that far from you, actually. Though, it took me about 30 minutes to find my house. I kept thinking I was looking for my old address. And, I was thrown off when nothing was in Chinese."
Trowa laughed quietly. "Yes, that would be a hard thing to get used to. So, you haven't been to China Town yet, have you?"
Wufei looked at the taller man. "There's a China Town here?"
Duo glanced at him, amazed. "You have lived here almost two months and you didn't know that? I go there all the time. In fact, I work in China Town." He looked at his food, disinterested in what he saw.
Wufei peered at Duo again, worried about him. 'He hasn't touched anything on his plate. Is he still pining?'
"How about we all get together and go out this weekend? It's been a while since we all went out. I think it would be a good way for all of to relax." Quatre smiled at everyone at the table.
"Sounds good to me, actually." All three boys stared at Duo, surprised that he agreed so quickly. "What? Like you said, it's been a while. Besides, all I would do is sit and home and die of boredom." He snickered lightly. "Frankly, I need to get out."
Wufei's heart started pounding in his chest. "I-I think that would be a great idea as well. We can celebrate my presentation."
Trowa snickered. "You mean the one you haven't been concentrating on. Isn't it due Friday?"
Wufei glared at his friend. "Yes, it is. And I was taking a moment, thank you."
Quatre and Trowa chuckled. "Well, where do you want to go?"
Duo looked up directly into Wufei's eyes. "Dinner in China Town, then to that exclusive club for dancing?"
'That's the place that Heero used to take him. I suppose he must be getting over him now.' Quatre stole a glance at his friend. Duo's face had lit up, and an actual smile crossed his lips. "Sounds great, Duo. So, Friday then?"
"Friday. Will you need directions, Wufei?" Trowa asked.
Before Wufei could respond, Duo broke in. "If he just comes and picks me up, I can give him directions on the way there." He looked at the bewildered Chinese boy. "You don't have a problem with that, do you, Wu-fei?"
'I like the way he just separated the syllables of my name like that.' He felt a very normal feeling take over the one part of his body he was trying to ignore with all his might. 'He makes it sound sexy, almost dangerous.'
"Chang? You there?" Trowa called.
Wufei shook his head. "Um, yes. Sorry. No, I have no problem with that at all." He looked at his watch. "Ouch. We have 10 minutes left, Barton."
Trowa glanced at his watch. "Ow, you are right. Koi, are you finished torturing our friends now? We could use a ride back to work."
Quatre smiled coyly. "I suppose so. So, it's all set? Friday." They left after he paid the bill, and got back to the office building with five minutes to spare.
Wufei got out of the backseat, where he had been sitting with Duo. As he got out, Duo called out to him. He turned around, and Duo had thrust a piece of paper at him.
"It's my number. Give me a call tonight, and we will talk." He smiled, and then got up into the front seat. "Home, Jeeves."
Quatre snickered. "Yes, master." He waved at the other two. "Later, guys." He pulled his car out of the space, and sped wildly out of the lot.
Wufei glanced at the tiny scrap of paper, which was still in his hand.
"Chang, if we don't hurry, Kushrenada will hand us our asses." Trowa called from the door.
Wufei jogged back into the building. On the elevator ride up to their floor, Trowa noticed the paper sticking out the side of his hand. "What's that?" He asked, cryptically.
"Nothing, really. Duo just gave me his number, and told me to call him." He glanced at the paper again.
Trowa said nothing to him. 'Well, I suppose Quatre was very correct about those two. I owe him a free dinner.'
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
+And when you looked into my eyes felt a sudden sense of urgency
Fascination casts a spell and you became more than just a mystery
And I think about you all the time+
Wufei pulled his new car into his garage. 'Should I call him tonight? Suppose he doesn't want to talk to me. I remember Trowa and Quatre telling me that he didn't answer his phone for a while.'
"Well, I won't know until I try." He got out of the car, and walked inside his house. He entered the hallway by the garage door, took off his shoes, and walked into the living room, where he dropped off his briefcase by his computer.
The images from lunch drifted back to his mind, mostly of Duo, when he had smiled and snuck glances at Wufei. His heart started racing just thinking about the American. He groaned as the blood left his mind, and went to places farther south.
He shook his head to clear it, and stared at the phone nearby on his desk. "Guess it couldn't hurt to just call him. The most that can happen is that I will get his answering machine." He walked slowly to it, and picked up the receiver. He wiped his sweaty hands on his slacks, and slowly dialed the number he had already memorized by heart at work.
After three rings, it was answered. "'Lo?"
"Hello, Duo? This is…"
"Wufei? I thought you would never call." Wufei heard the other boy take a deep breath. "Sorry, I just got in from biking."
"You bike?"
He could hear Duo smile. "Yep. Everyday I remember to go out, that is."
"Well, maybe one day we will run into each other. I only have time to go out on the weekend though."
"Possibly. So, what else do you like to do? I mean, I don't remember much about last time we met." Duo sounded slightly embarrassed mentioning that time.
"I go to the gym, and I practice Tai Chi each morning."
"Ah, a health fanatic?"
"No, not really. It was, um, expected of in my family."
Duo snickered. "Sounds like fun. Would you like to come over?" He blurted out.
Wufei was shocked. "Y-yes, I would love to come over." Was all he managed to get out of his mouth, as he found it suddenly very dry .
"Um, I could make something quickly. Like a salad, or anything really."
"Salad sounds great."
"Ok, well, um, how about in an hour then?" Wufei picked up on the anxiety in the other's voice.
He swallowed the lump in his throat. "Ok, I'll be over in about an hour. See you then."
"Yeah, see you then. G'bye."
"Good bye." He heard the other line click off, and he hung up his phone. His heart was pounding away like a jackhammer, and he couldn't really feel any of his body.
+Is this fate is it my destiny
That I think about you all the time
I no longer pretend to have my hand on the wheel because+
'What should I do first? I need a quick trip out on the bike, but I don't want to get lost again. That would be embarrassing.' He looked around his living room, until his eyes fell on the rec room. 'The stationary. Why didn't I think of that before? I can get my 20 minutes, and still have time to shower and change before I have to leave.'
He set his plan into motion, using all his nervous energy to get 10 miles on the bike. When his little digital clock read 20 minutes, he hopped off the bike and headed upstairs, ignoring the protests from his thigh and calf muscles. He took the quickest shower he could manage without straining anything.
Standing in the closet, he couldn't find anything to meet his approval. He finally settled on a white silk shirt, and black slacks. 'At least I won't look bad.' He dried off, and got dressed. He looked at his watch. 'I still have about 10 minutes, and he only lives five minutes away.' He snuck a glance out his bedroom window.
He saw the rosebush that the previous owner had taken excellent care of. 'Maybe I could cut a few of those. And, I have a bottle of rice wine in my pantry that Mom sent me.'
He ran into the kitchen and grabbed the wine, and then grabbed a pair of pruning shears out of a drawer. 'I can't wait until things calm down. I miss working in the garden.' He cut a few of the roses off the bush, then took them in the house, to look for something to tie them off with.
'I need to calm down, or I might crash, just from sheer nervousness.' He finally found some twine, and used it to bind the flowers. He took a deep breath and looked at his reflection in the glass windows.
"I am presentable enough." He stole another glance at his watch. "6 minutes till the agreed upon time. Suppose I should get going."
+I feel the magic all around you
It's bringing me to my knees
Like a wannabe
I've got to be chained to you
I feel the magic building around you+
He barely knocked on the door, when it was flung open by a very out of breath Duo. He smiled at the frazzled looking man, and offered him the flowers and wine.
"Oh, darn, I'm sorry, Wufei. Would you like to come in?" Duo blushed.
"Yes, thank you." Duo moved out of the way, and he entered.
He took in all of his current surroundings. Everything was done in silver, black, and the darkest shade of cobalt blue. Duo's couch was black leather, but his coffee table was a sheet of glass resting on an intricate silver base, fused with Celtic designs. The rug was cobalt.
'I can only imagine how much that cost to get.' Wufei thought silently.
"The table belonged to my mother, before she died. As did the couch, and the house." The American's voice called from the kitchen. "The rest of the stuff was added when we moved in."
Wufei noticed that there were shoes by the doorway. So, he took his off, and walked in the direction of his companion's voice. Duo was slowly putting things in a bowl.
"Are you ok?" Wufei asked quietly, not wanting to scare the other.
Duo turned and smiled vaguely. "Yeah, sorry, I was just remembering when my mom died. She left this house and some other things to me. Heero and I moved in a few weeks later. It holds a lot of memories." He sighed. "But, let's not talk about that right now. So, Wufei, where did you move from?"
Wufei blinked at how quickly the focus was back on him. "Beijing. My family was really big into politics, so when I decided to study law, they were all for it. Unfortunately, I wanted to come the U.S. I'm a bit of a black sheep there." He snorted. "But they let me go freely when my wife died."
"So, what was your wife like?" He grabbed the bowl, and a few glasses, moving them to the dining room.
Wufei followed, thinking how to best describe his late wife. "She was a free spirit." His voice got deeper, and he made a face so serious it was funny. "Which is VERY frowned upon in our country. She was a woman. She was supposed to take care of my parents, myself, our house, and still look amazing." He let his voice return to normal. "She hated it, and in turn, she despised me. Especially since I let my family convince me to stay, and do my duty to them."
Duo looked at him. "That HAS got to suck." He motioned for Wufei to be seated. "I can't imagine being in a relationship with someone who hated me. But, then again, I couldn't see when I was not loved anymore."
"Yes, it didn't exactly match what I would call a happy home life. But I should thank my parents for my lovely arranged marriage." He grimaced.
Duo's chin almost hit the table. "They still DO that kind of thing???"
"Yes."
"Can't imagine it."
"Well, it happened. And it pissed her off when I told her that I had no attraction to her, that I was more into men. But, after a while, she got used to the idea, and we sort of became more like friends than anything else. That's why it hurt me so badly when she died." Wufei took this time to look at his glass, which had somehow become full during the time they had been talking.
Duo raised his own glass. "I propose a toast."
Wufei gave a startled look at the American. "To?"
"To new friendships, and to a great seafood salad."
Wufei raised an eyebrow, and then nodded. "I agree."
They clinked their glasses, and then ate dinner, both too nervous about what they had shared before hand to actually try and talk during the meal. They both managed to have two more glasses of wine while eating, which in turn loosened them both up. After they had cleared the table, Duo led them into the living room and turned on the stereo.
+I feel the magic all around you
It's bringing me to my knees
Like a wannabe
I've got to be chained to you+
"I hope you don't mind some music. I rarely do anything without it." He smiled. "Drives everyone nuts, but my boss seems to think it's good for business. She says she has more business when I'm there, and sometimes begrudgingly gives me time off."
Wufei snorted from his seat on the couch. "What do you do? Quatre told me you make good money, that you are a crazy person, and your energy is infectious, but he never bothered to tell me what your job is."
That got a snicker from Duo, and his braid swirled around as he turned. "Doesn't surprise me much. I am the assistant manager at an exclusive, read over-priced here, fashion boutique."
"You mean you help women who have too much money pick out clothes?"
"Oh, not just women. Men too. Une thinks it's great to have EVERYONE in there. I must admit though, when I first started, business WAS really slow. Now, I barely get anytime to myself when I'm there."
Wufei gave the standing man an appreciative glance. "Not surprising."
Duo moved over to him. "Do you dance with sober men? Or is it only when they are totally plastered?" He winked.
Wufei suppressed a groan at the seductive action. "I do dance, occasionally." He barely had gotten that out of his mouth, before Duo was pulling him off the couch.
"Prove it."
*~~~~~~~*
When he got home, it was late, and he was tipsy. 'I should never have had so much to drink.' He stumbled up to his room and collapsed on his bed. He never even got undressed.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
+And I think about you all the time
And I think about you all the time
Yeah I think about it all the time
Tell me it's madness I barely know you+
The rest of the week was spent working. He knew that his work was far too important to get behind. A few times, he and Duo talked on the phone, just trying to get a feel for the other.
He knew that he was far too gone to stop talking to the other man. He tried to concentrate on his work, but found himself thinking about the braided man more and more often.
Wufei knew that this was crazy, but the more he talked to the American, the more wrapped up in his thoughts Duo was. He felt mesmerized by everything the other did. They danced on Monday evening, all night, until Wufei had to go home.
"Chang, are you almost finished with that?" His boss, Mr. Kushrenada, said as he was coming over.
Wufei shook his head and looked at the papers and graphs for the presentation in front of him.
"It's almost complete, sir. I just have to write a summary for the clients." He said.
"Good to see you are so well prepared. I'll see you in about an hour for the meeting. Do well on this, Chang. It will look really good with the senior partners." Mr. Kushrenada smiled.
"Yes, sir."
"Well, I have to go check on the rest of the associates. Good luck." He left, and Wufei gave a deep sigh.
'No, no pressure at all. Now, where was I before I started daydreaming?'
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
+ We were standing all alone you were leaning in to speak to me
Ten steps back you're still a mystery+
Wufei got out of his car that night, and walked slowly up to Duo's door. He nervously rearranged his clothes, a blue silk shirt and white slacks, as he stood in front of the door. He slowly raised his hand, and knocked.
The door was answered promptly by a god-like creature. The breath caught in Wufei's throat.
"Hiya, Fei, I'll just need another minute. I can't find some shoes, but come on in." The door swung open more to reveal Duo in leather pants and a violet shirt that matched his eyes perfectly. The American's hair was loose once again, and he looked AMAZING.
Wufei remembered to close his mouth, and walked inside, watching the other man run around the living room and hallway. 'Ye gods above.'
Duo stopped in front of him. "So, what do ya think?" A large smile crept across his face, as he noticed the size of Wufei's onyx eyes.
"You look…" He paused, looking for an appropriate adjective. 'Gorgeous, sexy, heavenly, divine, ravishing, fuck-able. No, can't use that last one. Heartbreakingly beautiful.' "Great." He felt stupid as soon as the word left his mouth.
Duo snickered and looked behind his coat rack, bending over in the process. "Thanks. You look hot too."
Wufei watched, transfixed on the man before him, with his luscious ass right in front of his face. He felt the blood leave his head, and go directly to his groin. He wasn't unfamiliar with this event, since every time he even THOUGHT about Duo, his body did this. But, with this lovely scene before him, he was about to go insane with desire.
"Found 'em." Duo stood up holding a very nice pair of black leather boots. He slipped them on quickly, and walked over to the Chinese man still standing in the hallway. "Are you ready?" He whispered seductively to the other man. 'Oh, he is so hot in those clothes… Can I manage to behave this time? I don't think I will drink quite as much as last time.' He gave Wufei another look. 'Definitely not. I wanna remember if something happens this time.'
Wufei took a few steps back until he was almost at plumb with the wall. 'He seems to be teasing me. Can I deal with this?'
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
The drive was immensely quiet. The only sound was Duo tick off directions to the restaurant in China Town. Wufei kept both hands firmly gripped on the wheel.
'If I touch him, we will never make it to dinner. If I look at him too long, I might have to pull over to touch him. Must pay attention to the road. Must not say too much of anything.' This was the mantra going through his head as he drove along the semi-crowded streets.
"Ok, now, we need to find a place to park. You will never get any closer than this to the restaurant. And don't trust the valets around here. They have a knack for stealing great cars, like yours." Duo winked at Wufei, who had given him a look long enough to realize what he was saying.
A slow blush had crept onto his cheeks yet again as he pulled his car onto a side street. He parked and opened his door, running to the other side to open the passenger's door for Duo.
Duo was amazed, but just smiled as he stepped out of the car. "Thank you." He lilted, and waited for Wufei. When Wufei had set the alarm on his car, Duo came over and grabbed his arm.
"Come on. I can see Q-bean and Trowa. Looks like they just got here too." He raced off to join his friends.
Wufei walked slowly across the busy street to catch up. 'He is so alive tonight. I want to see more of him like this.' He thought as he approached the other 3 guys.
"Took you long enough, Chang. I thought the restaurant would close before you got over here." Trowa quipped. "Now, let's get some food into those two before they decide that passers-by look tempting."
Wufei gave him astonished look, and then watched as the blond and the chestnut haired young men were ogling the pedestrians. "I think you are right, Barton. It's definitely time to feed those two." He snickered.
*~~~~~~~*
+Acting like a mover shaker dancing to Madonna then you kissed me
I can't take anymore because
I feel the magic all around you
It's bringing me to my knees
Like a wannabe
I've got to be chained to you
I feel the magic building around you+
An hour and a half later, the four young men were walking towards a very crowded club. Duo walked up to the bouncer.
"Abdul, how are ya?" He asked.
"Master Duo! How are you? I haven't seen you around here lately. Where's Master Heero?"
"With that Relena chick. But, anyway, how crowded on the INSIDE is it?" He winked.
"Um, I can let you and your friends in, but the rest of these people will have to wait." His comment was followed by groans and curses from the long line of people wanting to get in.
"Great. Thanks, Abdul, you're a life-saver." He smiled brightly, and then turned to the line. "Next time, get better contact with the bouncers. They are great men." He slapped Abdul playfully on the arm and grabbed one of Wufei's and Quatre's arms, dragging them inside.
Wufei was amazed at the other man's handling of the crowd outside, and with the way he just blew off the personal question about his ex-lover. He took a look around the crowded dance club, and thought twice about going farther than the door. That is, until Duo grabbed his arm again, and pointed to a table.
"Come on guys. There's a free table. We need to snatch it up before anyone else does." He said, excitedly.
'He is so animated. Like he was made for this type of atmosphere.' He watched Duo was he was pulled through the throng of bodies on the dance floor towards the table. Quatre ran up to it and sat in a chair.
"I thought we would never make it through that. I want a drink. Anyone else want one?"
"Yeah, I'll come with you. Let's go, Kitty-Quat." Both men left the table. Wufei and Trowa watched them fondly.
"Looks like Duo has bloomed this week. He's seems more alive now than he has for a while." Trowa looked specifically at Wufei as he said that.
"Yes, he does seem very animated."
"Ever since lunch on Monday. Quatre has called him, and Duo says he has had fun."
Before he could retort, the two lively men returned. 'Thank ancestors for that.'
The music turned from a really hard song, at least in Wufei's opinion, to a slower paced, but still very lively song. Duo started bouncing. Quatre looked over at his best friend.
"What song is this?" He yelled and cocked his head, as if he were trying to get a better angle to hear it even though the song was blaring throughout the whole place.
"Skin, by Madonna." Duo yelled back. "I wanna dance." He gave Wufei a look that made him weak in the knees. "Coming with?" He left and went out on the floor.
Wufei felt a slight smile cross his lips as he followed the sight of the long chestnut hair everywhere. He met up with the taller man, and leaned over. "You sure?"
"Oh, yes." He gave the smaller Chinese man a sexy smile, and started singing with the song as he danced.
Wufei tried to get a feel for the beat, and when the rhythm picked up again, he was dancing close to Duo's sensually twisting form. He was so close in fact that he could smell the shampoo that the other used. The look of pure enjoyment on Duo's face was enough for Wufei to just lose himself into the beat and the moment.
He closed his eyes, and let the beat carry him away. He was in this state, when he left lips on his. His eyes flew open, and there was Duo, eyes closed, body swaying, hair streaming around him. Wufei closed his eyes again and then lost himself to the intoxicating male who was currently trying to crawl into his shirt as discretely as possible.
The next thing Wufei knew, Duo had pulled away, and he could no longer feel anything below his knees. He suppressed a whimper, and looked at the dancing soul before him. There seemed to be a shimmer around his whole body, but Wufei pushed that aside as an after effect of the kiss. The song ended and he made his way slowly to the table.
A few minutes later, Duo reappeared to the table where only Wufei was seated. "Where's Q-man and Tro?"
"Dancing." Wufei took a sip from his drink.
"Well, why did you leave?"
"Had to sit down." He took a bigger swallow.
"Ah." He leaned over to the seated man. "Come back out?" He whispered in Wufei's ear.
'Ah, kami, if he does that again, I might have to take him somewhere private.'
+I feel the magic all around you
It's bringing me to my knees
Like a wannabe
I've got to be chained to you+
"Wu~fei, you gonna come out on the floor with me, or you gonna sit here with that smile on your lips?" Duo backed away, snickering, and went out on the floor.
Wufei took a very deep breath, and polished the rest of the liquid in his glass. 'He is not going to take no for an answer, is he? Might as well get this over with again.'
He joined the American on the dance floor, and was suddenly engulfed into a tight embrace as a slow song came on. He placed his hands cautiously on Duo, but a jolt of energy shot through his whole body. The sense of feeling was once again severely cut off from his knees and lower as Duo placed his head on Wufei's shoulder, and sighed.
Wufei more felt than actually heard the sigh, although with the change in tempo the club had become less noisy.
Suddenly, Duo's head was removed from its resting place, and his lips appeared once more on Wufei's. The kiss this time was sweet and imploring, but had a very holding effect on the smitten Chinese man.
When Wufei pulled back, Duo looked up into his onyx orbs. "Take me home with you." He said quietly, but it had hit its target.
Wufei suppressed a moan that he knew would escape at any moment, and nodded. 'He will be the end of me one day, but right now, I don't care.'
He grabbed the American's hand and drug him over to where he had spotted Quatre and Trowa. "I'm taking Duo home. I'll call you tomorrow." He headed for the door before either of the astonished men could say anything.
They watched in awe as their friends left, hand in hand.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
+Tell me it's madness
I barely know you+
Wufei drove like a madman, trying to get somewhere before Duo changed his mind. "This is crazy." He was surprised when another voice besides the one in his head retorted in a rich voice.
"What is crazy, Chang?"
"Nothing." He continued to drive. "Where are we going?"
"Wherever you want."
Wufei gave into the too long pent-up groan. His car stopped outside his own house.
Neither said anything as they left the car, and entered the small, clean house…
Fin…
Author: Makoto Sagara
Pairings: 5x2x5, 3x4 (implied), & 1xR (implied)
Category: Romance, Songfic
Rating: PG
Archive: http://www.angelfire.com/anime3/makotosagara/ , http://www.fanfiction.net , http://afallenangel.net/fandom/ , http://wufeiduo.net
Warnings: Songfic, shonen-ai, AU, OOC, confuzzlement
Disclaimers: I don't own Gundam Wing. Sunrise, Sotsu, Bandai, and a few other companies have that honour. I don't own the lyrics to "Chained To You" by Savage Garden. They do. I'm just borrowing both for this fic, which I make no money off of. I don't even really want to make money off of this fic. I just want my muse to stop showing me these images during Stargate: SG-1 Mondays on Sci-Fi.
A/N: This is the sequel, which quite a few people "suggested" I write to 'A Cup of Coffee'. I was trying to get out of it, and just make that one a single go-for, but so many of my friends were unhappy with the angst-ridden ending. That, in turn, got my muse in gear for torture if I didn't write this. I hope you all enjoy this. ^^;;
Symbol Explanations: 'blah' - thoughts
*~*~* - major change in scenes
*~~~* - minor change in scenes
+blah+ - song lyrics
Chang Wufei got into his car, and placed his head against the steering wheel of his rental car. 'KUSO! How did I manage to get myself into this mess?' He stopped sulking and sat up, hands still planted firmly on the wheel. 'If only his sorrow didn't make him so beautiful.'
That was his last thought as he drove home.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
A few weeks later, Wufei found himself stuck on a presentation that was due in at the end of the week. He just stared at the papers in front of him, his mind a million miles away.
'He was all hair, eyes, lips, and hips. And, ancestors, he was GORGEOUS. Even that look of pure pain evident in every pore of his body was attractive.' This train of thought continued for another half an hour, until his friend, Trowa Barton, came up to him.
"Hey, Chang, wanna get something to eat?" He placed his hand on the Chinese man's shoulder.
Wufei jumped at the physical contact. "B-Barton? How long have you been there?" He sounded very agitated.
The taller man gave a quizzical look from his one visible green eye. "I just got here. I wanted to know if you wanted to go and get something for lunch. Quatre is trying to get Duo out." He watched as the other man blushed at the mention of 'Duo's' name. "Are you ok?"
Wufei cleared his throat. "Yes, I'm perfectly fine. Duo's coming?"
Trowa gave him another look. "Quatre said he would try."
"Fine. I believe that it is time I got out of this office for food."
"O-kay. Well, Quatre will be here in half an hour. That should give you enough time to get to a "stopping point" on that presentation you are "working on"." He winked playfully at his seated friend.
"Thanks." Wufei mumbled darkly.
*~~~~~~~*
"Wufei, how are you?" A bright and cheery voice broke another reverie of the night he had shared with the enigmatic Duo Maxwell. He spun his chair around, and was greeted by the sight of his two new friends, Trowa and his koibito, Quatre Raberba Winner.
"Q-Quatre, I'm good. Are you here to drag me away from my desk?" He raised an eyebrow.
"Yep, you got that right." The blond said, and then grabbed one of his arms. "Trowa, you get the other. We'll drag him to the car, since he wants to refuse my invitation." He giggled.
Wufei smiled and stood. "I believe I won't need to be escorted out. Besides, do we really need a scene?"
Trowa smiled slightly. "I think that's true. We should go now though." He removed his lover's arm from off of the smaller Chinese man.
"Well, then, let's GO! I have Duo moping in the car, and I doubt he can wait much later."
Wufei looked at the blond Arab. "How does he look today?"
Quatre gave a surprised look, and then smiled knowingly. "He's looked better. And he did look better when we all went out a few weeks ago." His eyes narrowed dangerously. "No one mention that he has lost weight, or Heero's name. Or, I might have to hurt you."
"Yes sir." Both of his companions said, simultaneously, but Trowa added a mock-salute.
"I mean it. He looks like shit, but I couldn't very well let him stay at home. Now, let's get out of here, and some food into you two." He grabbed each man by an arm and drug them out of the big office.
The stares abounded as they were leaving.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Wufei thought about the first time he had met Duo as they walked to Quatre's convertible.
* FLASHBACK *
Both of the slight men walked up to Trowa and Wufei, the blond pointing to the taller brunet. Both looked amazing, but Wufei was taken aback by Duo, with his lithe body, clothed in black jeans and a mesh top, and his hair falling past his knees. He almost mistook him for a woman, except there was no sign of cleavage, and his face was a little too rough, from shaving he assumed.
"Duo, you look great." Trowa shook his hand. "This is my new friend, Chang Wufei. Wufei, this is the guy I was telling you about. Duo Maxwell."
Wufei took another appreciative glance over the god standing before him. The only thing that marred his image was the sad look in his eyes, and the bored look on his face.
"Duo." He held his hand out. A limp hand reached out and took it. "Nice to finally meet you. Quatre and Trowa have told me so much, I feel as if I already know you." He smiled warmly.
"Ah, well let's get inside, before it's impossible to do so. This place usually is really crowded on the weekends." Duo walked in and paid his cover charge.
"Is he normally this unresponsive?" Wufei asked, puzzled by the American's attitude.
"No, he's usually a lot more fun. He and his boyfriend just broke up recently." Quatre said to cover up his friend's rude behaviour.
"I see. Well, I guess he is right. It's starting to get really crowded by the door."
"It's never crowded for a Winner." Quatre smiled and flashed the doorman his ID.
"Mr. Winner, nice to see you again. And Mr. Barton as well. Enjoy your night."
"Thanks, Rashid. Don't hurt anyone." Quatre winked at the huge bouncer.
"I'll try." He opened the door and allowed the three men inside.
They found Duo at the bar, already starting on his first drink. Quatre walked over to his best friend. "Duo, are you gonna be ok?"
"Yeah, go have fun with Trowa. I'll be fine. Don't worry." He gave him a weak smile.
Quatre shot him an unbelieving glance. "Fine, but I'll be back to check on you. Try and be nice to Wufei." He walked away and found his lover on the dance floor.
"Don't worry about it, Duo. I know what it's like to lose a lover. My wife, Meiran, died about a year ago."
Duo looked up at him. "It sucks, doesn't it?"
"To put it mildly, yes, it sucks. But, eventually, you can move on." He realized how stupid that sounded, but it was too late to take it back.
"Move on? Why does everyone use that expression? I can't move on. He was the only person I ever loved. And now, he doesn't love me." He started to sob into his beer. "I wish I could just die."
+We were standing all alone you were leaning in to speak to me
Acting like a mover shaker dancing to Madonna then you kissed me
And I think about it all the time
Sweet temptation rush all over me
And I think about it all the time
Passion desire so intense I can't take anymore because+
Wufei managed to get the beautiful man away from the bar, and out on the dance floor. Unfortunately, Duo had had a few drinks. To loosen him up, was the excuse given.
They were dancing wildly, mostly because Duo was gesturing with his whole body, when Quatre came over to them. He told Duo that he had to go home, and asked Wufei if he would give the American a ride home. When everything was worked out, both men were alone for the first time truly that night.
Duo leaned over to Wufei, and loudly spoke to him. "Do you find me attractive?"
Wufei was taken aback. The American was gorgeous, and the close contact was making his body have a reaction he would rather hide. He looked into Duo's eyes, and saw that the sad look had crept back into them.
He hesitated, but answered strongly back. "Yes."
The chestnut haired man smiled. "Good. Let's dance to this song. I LOVE Music by Madonna." Duo's hips had started to take on a life of their own as he was dancing. Wufei tried to keep up, and when he finally got the rhythm right to match his moves to Duo's, the other smiled, leaned in and kissed him.
Wufei's onyx eyes widened, and his body froze. This was the last thing he wanted to do with someone who was grieving over the loss of a love, but his body was reacting without his mind's permission. The next thing he knew, he had pulled the amazing creature into him. His hands were in Duo's hair, and he was moving his hips in time with Duo's, as he deepened the sudden kiss.
+I feel the magic all around you
It's bringing me to my knees
Like a wannabe
I've got to be chained to you+
When they broke for air, Wufei's mind had shut down and his libido had taken over whatever reasoning he had. He needed to HAVE this ravishing boy in his arms, and soon. Something was pulling him in dangerously close to him, and he couldn't for the life of him think of what it was.
They ended up sleeping together. Most of that night was blurry to Wufei. He was intoxicated by the devastating beauty and sadness radiating from Duo. He remembered touching and teasing and the feel of soft skin, but most of the rest of the night was very fuzzy for him.
The next morning was hard for him. He woke up to a voice telling him not to open his eyes because the sun was too bright. He didn't heed the warning though and was rewarded with a blinding headache when he rolled over. 'Hangover more than likely.'
"K'so, you're right. Shimatta."
Before Wufei had time to think, Duo had sat up in bed, and was gaping at him. "On my god, you're not Heero. Who… Oh my god, I'm so sorry. Wufei, right? I have to go." He jumped out of bed, and started looking around for his clothes. He got dressed in a hurry and ran out of the room.
'I wonder how long it will take him to realize that this is his house.' Wufei got out of the bed, and started looking for his own clothes. 'I feel so guilty. I should never have stayed the night. He wasn't ready for this.'
Wufei looked up as Duo re-emerged into the bedroom. "Look, I'm really sorry about this. I promised Quatre and Trowa that I would get you home. When I dropped you off, you could barely walk. I helped you inside and upstairs. And well, one thing led to another. I'm really sorry." He walked past the longhaired boy.
He was stopped by a hand on his arm. "I'm really sorry. I seduced you when I was drunk and then ran out on you." He smiled weakly. "I hope I was fun some time last night."
"Yeah, you were. Once you loosened up." Wufei smiled, and walked out to his car.
* END FLASHBACK *
The object of Wufei's preoccupation was sitting in the car. As he saw him, Wufei smiled brightly in hope that Duo would grace them all with one of his own. Duo looked up, wearily, and gave a half smile.
Quatre came forward. "Duo, you remember Wufei, right?" He said brightly.
"Yeah, I do." His smile got a little bigger, as he looked over Wufei. "Long time no see."
Wufei blushed slightly. The fact that the longhaired boy remembered him was shocking. He took a look at him again, and noticed that this time, the other man had his hair tied back in a long braid which rested in his lap.
Trowa came forward. "We only get an hour. I would rather not spend it all in the parking lot."
Quatre smiled again. "Well, everyone hop in. I'm treating everyone to lunch."
Wufei and Trowa got in the back seat of the car, and Quatre sped out of the parking lot. Trowa leaned over to his friend. "So, what was that all about?" He whispered.
Wufei got uncomfortable, and started to blush again. "It's nothing."
Trowa just smiled, and let the whole thing drop. 'For now anyway, I'll leave him alone. I want him to tell me what happened between him and Duo.'
*~~~~~~~*
Lunch passed by too quickly for all of the boys. Wufei kept stealing glances at Duo. 'He does look considerably thinner than the last time I saw him. And his eyes haven't lost that glazed-over look, though it has diminished a little. He still is as beautiful as then.'
Quatre and Trowa kept up a steady conversation, which interrupted Wufei's musings every five seconds.
"So, Wufei, how are you finding things around town?" The Arab asked.
Wufei blinked and looked at his new friend. "Um, okay, I suppose. I still get lost when I'm trying to get to the gym and market, but not as often." He chuckled.
"What part of town do you live in?" Duo asked quietly.
"Not that far from you, actually. Though, it took me about 30 minutes to find my house. I kept thinking I was looking for my old address. And, I was thrown off when nothing was in Chinese."
Trowa laughed quietly. "Yes, that would be a hard thing to get used to. So, you haven't been to China Town yet, have you?"
Wufei looked at the taller man. "There's a China Town here?"
Duo glanced at him, amazed. "You have lived here almost two months and you didn't know that? I go there all the time. In fact, I work in China Town." He looked at his food, disinterested in what he saw.
Wufei peered at Duo again, worried about him. 'He hasn't touched anything on his plate. Is he still pining?'
"How about we all get together and go out this weekend? It's been a while since we all went out. I think it would be a good way for all of to relax." Quatre smiled at everyone at the table.
"Sounds good to me, actually." All three boys stared at Duo, surprised that he agreed so quickly. "What? Like you said, it's been a while. Besides, all I would do is sit and home and die of boredom." He snickered lightly. "Frankly, I need to get out."
Wufei's heart started pounding in his chest. "I-I think that would be a great idea as well. We can celebrate my presentation."
Trowa snickered. "You mean the one you haven't been concentrating on. Isn't it due Friday?"
Wufei glared at his friend. "Yes, it is. And I was taking a moment, thank you."
Quatre and Trowa chuckled. "Well, where do you want to go?"
Duo looked up directly into Wufei's eyes. "Dinner in China Town, then to that exclusive club for dancing?"
'That's the place that Heero used to take him. I suppose he must be getting over him now.' Quatre stole a glance at his friend. Duo's face had lit up, and an actual smile crossed his lips. "Sounds great, Duo. So, Friday then?"
"Friday. Will you need directions, Wufei?" Trowa asked.
Before Wufei could respond, Duo broke in. "If he just comes and picks me up, I can give him directions on the way there." He looked at the bewildered Chinese boy. "You don't have a problem with that, do you, Wu-fei?"
'I like the way he just separated the syllables of my name like that.' He felt a very normal feeling take over the one part of his body he was trying to ignore with all his might. 'He makes it sound sexy, almost dangerous.'
"Chang? You there?" Trowa called.
Wufei shook his head. "Um, yes. Sorry. No, I have no problem with that at all." He looked at his watch. "Ouch. We have 10 minutes left, Barton."
Trowa glanced at his watch. "Ow, you are right. Koi, are you finished torturing our friends now? We could use a ride back to work."
Quatre smiled coyly. "I suppose so. So, it's all set? Friday." They left after he paid the bill, and got back to the office building with five minutes to spare.
Wufei got out of the backseat, where he had been sitting with Duo. As he got out, Duo called out to him. He turned around, and Duo had thrust a piece of paper at him.
"It's my number. Give me a call tonight, and we will talk." He smiled, and then got up into the front seat. "Home, Jeeves."
Quatre snickered. "Yes, master." He waved at the other two. "Later, guys." He pulled his car out of the space, and sped wildly out of the lot.
Wufei glanced at the tiny scrap of paper, which was still in his hand.
"Chang, if we don't hurry, Kushrenada will hand us our asses." Trowa called from the door.
Wufei jogged back into the building. On the elevator ride up to their floor, Trowa noticed the paper sticking out the side of his hand. "What's that?" He asked, cryptically.
"Nothing, really. Duo just gave me his number, and told me to call him." He glanced at the paper again.
Trowa said nothing to him. 'Well, I suppose Quatre was very correct about those two. I owe him a free dinner.'
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
+And when you looked into my eyes felt a sudden sense of urgency
Fascination casts a spell and you became more than just a mystery
And I think about you all the time+
Wufei pulled his new car into his garage. 'Should I call him tonight? Suppose he doesn't want to talk to me. I remember Trowa and Quatre telling me that he didn't answer his phone for a while.'
"Well, I won't know until I try." He got out of the car, and walked inside his house. He entered the hallway by the garage door, took off his shoes, and walked into the living room, where he dropped off his briefcase by his computer.
The images from lunch drifted back to his mind, mostly of Duo, when he had smiled and snuck glances at Wufei. His heart started racing just thinking about the American. He groaned as the blood left his mind, and went to places farther south.
He shook his head to clear it, and stared at the phone nearby on his desk. "Guess it couldn't hurt to just call him. The most that can happen is that I will get his answering machine." He walked slowly to it, and picked up the receiver. He wiped his sweaty hands on his slacks, and slowly dialed the number he had already memorized by heart at work.
After three rings, it was answered. "'Lo?"
"Hello, Duo? This is…"
"Wufei? I thought you would never call." Wufei heard the other boy take a deep breath. "Sorry, I just got in from biking."
"You bike?"
He could hear Duo smile. "Yep. Everyday I remember to go out, that is."
"Well, maybe one day we will run into each other. I only have time to go out on the weekend though."
"Possibly. So, what else do you like to do? I mean, I don't remember much about last time we met." Duo sounded slightly embarrassed mentioning that time.
"I go to the gym, and I practice Tai Chi each morning."
"Ah, a health fanatic?"
"No, not really. It was, um, expected of in my family."
Duo snickered. "Sounds like fun. Would you like to come over?" He blurted out.
Wufei was shocked. "Y-yes, I would love to come over." Was all he managed to get out of his mouth, as he found it suddenly very dry .
"Um, I could make something quickly. Like a salad, or anything really."
"Salad sounds great."
"Ok, well, um, how about in an hour then?" Wufei picked up on the anxiety in the other's voice.
He swallowed the lump in his throat. "Ok, I'll be over in about an hour. See you then."
"Yeah, see you then. G'bye."
"Good bye." He heard the other line click off, and he hung up his phone. His heart was pounding away like a jackhammer, and he couldn't really feel any of his body.
+Is this fate is it my destiny
That I think about you all the time
I no longer pretend to have my hand on the wheel because+
'What should I do first? I need a quick trip out on the bike, but I don't want to get lost again. That would be embarrassing.' He looked around his living room, until his eyes fell on the rec room. 'The stationary. Why didn't I think of that before? I can get my 20 minutes, and still have time to shower and change before I have to leave.'
He set his plan into motion, using all his nervous energy to get 10 miles on the bike. When his little digital clock read 20 minutes, he hopped off the bike and headed upstairs, ignoring the protests from his thigh and calf muscles. He took the quickest shower he could manage without straining anything.
Standing in the closet, he couldn't find anything to meet his approval. He finally settled on a white silk shirt, and black slacks. 'At least I won't look bad.' He dried off, and got dressed. He looked at his watch. 'I still have about 10 minutes, and he only lives five minutes away.' He snuck a glance out his bedroom window.
He saw the rosebush that the previous owner had taken excellent care of. 'Maybe I could cut a few of those. And, I have a bottle of rice wine in my pantry that Mom sent me.'
He ran into the kitchen and grabbed the wine, and then grabbed a pair of pruning shears out of a drawer. 'I can't wait until things calm down. I miss working in the garden.' He cut a few of the roses off the bush, then took them in the house, to look for something to tie them off with.
'I need to calm down, or I might crash, just from sheer nervousness.' He finally found some twine, and used it to bind the flowers. He took a deep breath and looked at his reflection in the glass windows.
"I am presentable enough." He stole another glance at his watch. "6 minutes till the agreed upon time. Suppose I should get going."
+I feel the magic all around you
It's bringing me to my knees
Like a wannabe
I've got to be chained to you
I feel the magic building around you+
He barely knocked on the door, when it was flung open by a very out of breath Duo. He smiled at the frazzled looking man, and offered him the flowers and wine.
"Oh, darn, I'm sorry, Wufei. Would you like to come in?" Duo blushed.
"Yes, thank you." Duo moved out of the way, and he entered.
He took in all of his current surroundings. Everything was done in silver, black, and the darkest shade of cobalt blue. Duo's couch was black leather, but his coffee table was a sheet of glass resting on an intricate silver base, fused with Celtic designs. The rug was cobalt.
'I can only imagine how much that cost to get.' Wufei thought silently.
"The table belonged to my mother, before she died. As did the couch, and the house." The American's voice called from the kitchen. "The rest of the stuff was added when we moved in."
Wufei noticed that there were shoes by the doorway. So, he took his off, and walked in the direction of his companion's voice. Duo was slowly putting things in a bowl.
"Are you ok?" Wufei asked quietly, not wanting to scare the other.
Duo turned and smiled vaguely. "Yeah, sorry, I was just remembering when my mom died. She left this house and some other things to me. Heero and I moved in a few weeks later. It holds a lot of memories." He sighed. "But, let's not talk about that right now. So, Wufei, where did you move from?"
Wufei blinked at how quickly the focus was back on him. "Beijing. My family was really big into politics, so when I decided to study law, they were all for it. Unfortunately, I wanted to come the U.S. I'm a bit of a black sheep there." He snorted. "But they let me go freely when my wife died."
"So, what was your wife like?" He grabbed the bowl, and a few glasses, moving them to the dining room.
Wufei followed, thinking how to best describe his late wife. "She was a free spirit." His voice got deeper, and he made a face so serious it was funny. "Which is VERY frowned upon in our country. She was a woman. She was supposed to take care of my parents, myself, our house, and still look amazing." He let his voice return to normal. "She hated it, and in turn, she despised me. Especially since I let my family convince me to stay, and do my duty to them."
Duo looked at him. "That HAS got to suck." He motioned for Wufei to be seated. "I can't imagine being in a relationship with someone who hated me. But, then again, I couldn't see when I was not loved anymore."
"Yes, it didn't exactly match what I would call a happy home life. But I should thank my parents for my lovely arranged marriage." He grimaced.
Duo's chin almost hit the table. "They still DO that kind of thing???"
"Yes."
"Can't imagine it."
"Well, it happened. And it pissed her off when I told her that I had no attraction to her, that I was more into men. But, after a while, she got used to the idea, and we sort of became more like friends than anything else. That's why it hurt me so badly when she died." Wufei took this time to look at his glass, which had somehow become full during the time they had been talking.
Duo raised his own glass. "I propose a toast."
Wufei gave a startled look at the American. "To?"
"To new friendships, and to a great seafood salad."
Wufei raised an eyebrow, and then nodded. "I agree."
They clinked their glasses, and then ate dinner, both too nervous about what they had shared before hand to actually try and talk during the meal. They both managed to have two more glasses of wine while eating, which in turn loosened them both up. After they had cleared the table, Duo led them into the living room and turned on the stereo.
+I feel the magic all around you
It's bringing me to my knees
Like a wannabe
I've got to be chained to you+
"I hope you don't mind some music. I rarely do anything without it." He smiled. "Drives everyone nuts, but my boss seems to think it's good for business. She says she has more business when I'm there, and sometimes begrudgingly gives me time off."
Wufei snorted from his seat on the couch. "What do you do? Quatre told me you make good money, that you are a crazy person, and your energy is infectious, but he never bothered to tell me what your job is."
That got a snicker from Duo, and his braid swirled around as he turned. "Doesn't surprise me much. I am the assistant manager at an exclusive, read over-priced here, fashion boutique."
"You mean you help women who have too much money pick out clothes?"
"Oh, not just women. Men too. Une thinks it's great to have EVERYONE in there. I must admit though, when I first started, business WAS really slow. Now, I barely get anytime to myself when I'm there."
Wufei gave the standing man an appreciative glance. "Not surprising."
Duo moved over to him. "Do you dance with sober men? Or is it only when they are totally plastered?" He winked.
Wufei suppressed a groan at the seductive action. "I do dance, occasionally." He barely had gotten that out of his mouth, before Duo was pulling him off the couch.
"Prove it."
*~~~~~~~*
When he got home, it was late, and he was tipsy. 'I should never have had so much to drink.' He stumbled up to his room and collapsed on his bed. He never even got undressed.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
+And I think about you all the time
And I think about you all the time
Yeah I think about it all the time
Tell me it's madness I barely know you+
The rest of the week was spent working. He knew that his work was far too important to get behind. A few times, he and Duo talked on the phone, just trying to get a feel for the other.
He knew that he was far too gone to stop talking to the other man. He tried to concentrate on his work, but found himself thinking about the braided man more and more often.
Wufei knew that this was crazy, but the more he talked to the American, the more wrapped up in his thoughts Duo was. He felt mesmerized by everything the other did. They danced on Monday evening, all night, until Wufei had to go home.
"Chang, are you almost finished with that?" His boss, Mr. Kushrenada, said as he was coming over.
Wufei shook his head and looked at the papers and graphs for the presentation in front of him.
"It's almost complete, sir. I just have to write a summary for the clients." He said.
"Good to see you are so well prepared. I'll see you in about an hour for the meeting. Do well on this, Chang. It will look really good with the senior partners." Mr. Kushrenada smiled.
"Yes, sir."
"Well, I have to go check on the rest of the associates. Good luck." He left, and Wufei gave a deep sigh.
'No, no pressure at all. Now, where was I before I started daydreaming?'
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
+ We were standing all alone you were leaning in to speak to me
Ten steps back you're still a mystery+
Wufei got out of his car that night, and walked slowly up to Duo's door. He nervously rearranged his clothes, a blue silk shirt and white slacks, as he stood in front of the door. He slowly raised his hand, and knocked.
The door was answered promptly by a god-like creature. The breath caught in Wufei's throat.
"Hiya, Fei, I'll just need another minute. I can't find some shoes, but come on in." The door swung open more to reveal Duo in leather pants and a violet shirt that matched his eyes perfectly. The American's hair was loose once again, and he looked AMAZING.
Wufei remembered to close his mouth, and walked inside, watching the other man run around the living room and hallway. 'Ye gods above.'
Duo stopped in front of him. "So, what do ya think?" A large smile crept across his face, as he noticed the size of Wufei's onyx eyes.
"You look…" He paused, looking for an appropriate adjective. 'Gorgeous, sexy, heavenly, divine, ravishing, fuck-able. No, can't use that last one. Heartbreakingly beautiful.' "Great." He felt stupid as soon as the word left his mouth.
Duo snickered and looked behind his coat rack, bending over in the process. "Thanks. You look hot too."
Wufei watched, transfixed on the man before him, with his luscious ass right in front of his face. He felt the blood leave his head, and go directly to his groin. He wasn't unfamiliar with this event, since every time he even THOUGHT about Duo, his body did this. But, with this lovely scene before him, he was about to go insane with desire.
"Found 'em." Duo stood up holding a very nice pair of black leather boots. He slipped them on quickly, and walked over to the Chinese man still standing in the hallway. "Are you ready?" He whispered seductively to the other man. 'Oh, he is so hot in those clothes… Can I manage to behave this time? I don't think I will drink quite as much as last time.' He gave Wufei another look. 'Definitely not. I wanna remember if something happens this time.'
Wufei took a few steps back until he was almost at plumb with the wall. 'He seems to be teasing me. Can I deal with this?'
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
The drive was immensely quiet. The only sound was Duo tick off directions to the restaurant in China Town. Wufei kept both hands firmly gripped on the wheel.
'If I touch him, we will never make it to dinner. If I look at him too long, I might have to pull over to touch him. Must pay attention to the road. Must not say too much of anything.' This was the mantra going through his head as he drove along the semi-crowded streets.
"Ok, now, we need to find a place to park. You will never get any closer than this to the restaurant. And don't trust the valets around here. They have a knack for stealing great cars, like yours." Duo winked at Wufei, who had given him a look long enough to realize what he was saying.
A slow blush had crept onto his cheeks yet again as he pulled his car onto a side street. He parked and opened his door, running to the other side to open the passenger's door for Duo.
Duo was amazed, but just smiled as he stepped out of the car. "Thank you." He lilted, and waited for Wufei. When Wufei had set the alarm on his car, Duo came over and grabbed his arm.
"Come on. I can see Q-bean and Trowa. Looks like they just got here too." He raced off to join his friends.
Wufei walked slowly across the busy street to catch up. 'He is so alive tonight. I want to see more of him like this.' He thought as he approached the other 3 guys.
"Took you long enough, Chang. I thought the restaurant would close before you got over here." Trowa quipped. "Now, let's get some food into those two before they decide that passers-by look tempting."
Wufei gave him astonished look, and then watched as the blond and the chestnut haired young men were ogling the pedestrians. "I think you are right, Barton. It's definitely time to feed those two." He snickered.
*~~~~~~~*
+Acting like a mover shaker dancing to Madonna then you kissed me
I can't take anymore because
I feel the magic all around you
It's bringing me to my knees
Like a wannabe
I've got to be chained to you
I feel the magic building around you+
An hour and a half later, the four young men were walking towards a very crowded club. Duo walked up to the bouncer.
"Abdul, how are ya?" He asked.
"Master Duo! How are you? I haven't seen you around here lately. Where's Master Heero?"
"With that Relena chick. But, anyway, how crowded on the INSIDE is it?" He winked.
"Um, I can let you and your friends in, but the rest of these people will have to wait." His comment was followed by groans and curses from the long line of people wanting to get in.
"Great. Thanks, Abdul, you're a life-saver." He smiled brightly, and then turned to the line. "Next time, get better contact with the bouncers. They are great men." He slapped Abdul playfully on the arm and grabbed one of Wufei's and Quatre's arms, dragging them inside.
Wufei was amazed at the other man's handling of the crowd outside, and with the way he just blew off the personal question about his ex-lover. He took a look around the crowded dance club, and thought twice about going farther than the door. That is, until Duo grabbed his arm again, and pointed to a table.
"Come on guys. There's a free table. We need to snatch it up before anyone else does." He said, excitedly.
'He is so animated. Like he was made for this type of atmosphere.' He watched Duo was he was pulled through the throng of bodies on the dance floor towards the table. Quatre ran up to it and sat in a chair.
"I thought we would never make it through that. I want a drink. Anyone else want one?"
"Yeah, I'll come with you. Let's go, Kitty-Quat." Both men left the table. Wufei and Trowa watched them fondly.
"Looks like Duo has bloomed this week. He's seems more alive now than he has for a while." Trowa looked specifically at Wufei as he said that.
"Yes, he does seem very animated."
"Ever since lunch on Monday. Quatre has called him, and Duo says he has had fun."
Before he could retort, the two lively men returned. 'Thank ancestors for that.'
The music turned from a really hard song, at least in Wufei's opinion, to a slower paced, but still very lively song. Duo started bouncing. Quatre looked over at his best friend.
"What song is this?" He yelled and cocked his head, as if he were trying to get a better angle to hear it even though the song was blaring throughout the whole place.
"Skin, by Madonna." Duo yelled back. "I wanna dance." He gave Wufei a look that made him weak in the knees. "Coming with?" He left and went out on the floor.
Wufei felt a slight smile cross his lips as he followed the sight of the long chestnut hair everywhere. He met up with the taller man, and leaned over. "You sure?"
"Oh, yes." He gave the smaller Chinese man a sexy smile, and started singing with the song as he danced.
Wufei tried to get a feel for the beat, and when the rhythm picked up again, he was dancing close to Duo's sensually twisting form. He was so close in fact that he could smell the shampoo that the other used. The look of pure enjoyment on Duo's face was enough for Wufei to just lose himself into the beat and the moment.
He closed his eyes, and let the beat carry him away. He was in this state, when he left lips on his. His eyes flew open, and there was Duo, eyes closed, body swaying, hair streaming around him. Wufei closed his eyes again and then lost himself to the intoxicating male who was currently trying to crawl into his shirt as discretely as possible.
The next thing Wufei knew, Duo had pulled away, and he could no longer feel anything below his knees. He suppressed a whimper, and looked at the dancing soul before him. There seemed to be a shimmer around his whole body, but Wufei pushed that aside as an after effect of the kiss. The song ended and he made his way slowly to the table.
A few minutes later, Duo reappeared to the table where only Wufei was seated. "Where's Q-man and Tro?"
"Dancing." Wufei took a sip from his drink.
"Well, why did you leave?"
"Had to sit down." He took a bigger swallow.
"Ah." He leaned over to the seated man. "Come back out?" He whispered in Wufei's ear.
'Ah, kami, if he does that again, I might have to take him somewhere private.'
+I feel the magic all around you
It's bringing me to my knees
Like a wannabe
I've got to be chained to you+
"Wu~fei, you gonna come out on the floor with me, or you gonna sit here with that smile on your lips?" Duo backed away, snickering, and went out on the floor.
Wufei took a very deep breath, and polished the rest of the liquid in his glass. 'He is not going to take no for an answer, is he? Might as well get this over with again.'
He joined the American on the dance floor, and was suddenly engulfed into a tight embrace as a slow song came on. He placed his hands cautiously on Duo, but a jolt of energy shot through his whole body. The sense of feeling was once again severely cut off from his knees and lower as Duo placed his head on Wufei's shoulder, and sighed.
Wufei more felt than actually heard the sigh, although with the change in tempo the club had become less noisy.
Suddenly, Duo's head was removed from its resting place, and his lips appeared once more on Wufei's. The kiss this time was sweet and imploring, but had a very holding effect on the smitten Chinese man.
When Wufei pulled back, Duo looked up into his onyx orbs. "Take me home with you." He said quietly, but it had hit its target.
Wufei suppressed a moan that he knew would escape at any moment, and nodded. 'He will be the end of me one day, but right now, I don't care.'
He grabbed the American's hand and drug him over to where he had spotted Quatre and Trowa. "I'm taking Duo home. I'll call you tomorrow." He headed for the door before either of the astonished men could say anything.
They watched in awe as their friends left, hand in hand.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
+Tell me it's madness
I barely know you+
Wufei drove like a madman, trying to get somewhere before Duo changed his mind. "This is crazy." He was surprised when another voice besides the one in his head retorted in a rich voice.
"What is crazy, Chang?"
"Nothing." He continued to drive. "Where are we going?"
"Wherever you want."
Wufei gave into the too long pent-up groan. His car stopped outside his own house.
Neither said anything as they left the car, and entered the small, clean house…
Fin…