- Chimera of Life -
Story Four: Uneasy Alliances
Chapter Sevenby Heartfire
***
He couldn't remember much of what happened last night… all he knew was Ping's caressing hands all over his body… Well, more around his wounds. But he was plagued with dreams about her weight over his body and a near kiss. So near that he just had to lean forward… but something happened and then there was nothing.
Wufei controlled a flinch as his deep, upper arm wound reacted to the strain of his muscles. He concentrated his mind and body and thought of space… of emptiness… then he started to move. When he turned, his eyes fell on a familiar crown of curly, blonde hair, bouncing behind a very straight back. He felt her anger before he saw it in her eyes. She walked with a purpose towards him. A heated glitter shone in her eyes. Were those circles from lack of sleep? Why was she coming towards him as if ready to fight a war?
Not knowing what else to do, he stopped.
Ping glared at him. She spent the entire night tossing and turning… She didn't get a single wink of sleep! All because of what he did yesterday… Well! He offered and she's going to take! Or so help her God, she's going to go crazy!
Her curiosity had always been her downfall… and this time, it was awakened by what he said. She never could stand being left in the dark. She knew that he would be out here in the fields. She was going to tempt fate and demand for the answer that she had been looking for all night! She stopped in front of him and took in his ever-present frown.
A thousand and one thoughts kept on spinning in his mind. Did he do something the previous night that he didn't know of? Was he forward to her? What happened last night?! Why would she greet him like this when they didn't even really had a fight?
"Chang." Her voice was hard and edged with all the dangerous things you could think of.
"Rossi." He used his usual, indifferent tone. The next thing Wufei knew, Ping had stepped forward and the sky was suddenly in front of his eyes. Pain crept up from his back and as he breathed in air, only for it to be pushed out by a weight over his chest.
Wufei's eyes widened as he realized that Ping was on top of him. Her hands were on his shoulders, effectively pinning him down. And her eyes were truly the angriest he had ever seen! He opened his lips to demand an explanation when… her lips got in the way.
Stunned… Wufei lay still. One of her knees was on his stomach, and her hands were still on his shoulders, but all thoughts were centered on those soft lips making their mark over his own…
Her tongue scorched the recesses of his mouth like licks of flames that stroked at his core. She was devouring him and he wanted to put his hands around her but… he just couldn't move!
Finally, her kiss lightened and he felt her shift. He didn't know what expression was on his face but he felt like grinning silly. Whatever she saw, though, he was sure it wasn't to her liking because she only glared at him some more before she stood up and then walked away.
"The usual plan, Chang!"
Then she was gone. She was gone and he was still lying on the grass, staring at the morning sky with a stunned expression on his face. Suddenly, he felt a burning, prickling sensation in his lungs and he realized that he had forgotten to breathe…
He gulped in air like a drowned man. Breathed in deeply for God knew how long and how many times - but he still wasn't over what had happened… Finally, he was able to flex his hands… move his arm… his back… and then he was up. He looked down at his crotch and was embarrassed at what he saw…
With a groan, he fell back on the grass and willed his body to relax. He will relax even if it kills him! What did he do last night to deserve this?! No woman had ever kissed him the way she had… and damn! It excited and frightened the hell out of him at the same time! Whatever he did… it must have been pretty darn stupid for her to get mad and make him suffer like this…
"Damn onna!" The growl wasn't as harsh as he wanted it to be. Well… he knew what he was going to do… He was going to forget what happened for his sanity's sake! Whatever he did last night, she got even with today, and he was not about to get into the ring with a fight he had no clue about.
With that thought in mind, and his body finally as relaxed as it could get, he stood up and lumbered back to the camp.
…
They shouldn't have taken a break. They should have kept on moving, because right now, while she wasn't doing anything… while the sun poured its heat on their backs and the forest sounds echoed, her thoughts came back to him.
Her troops all gave each other a wary side ways glance as they saw the gloomy cloud over their leader's head erupt with lightning and rain. She stood against a tree, a scowl almost akin to the Preventer's Commander on her face, and the poor twig she was staring at would have probably burned up in smoke eons ago if she had lasers shooting at it with the way her eyes looked. One could only wonder what was brewing in her mind… Probably another fight with the Commander… Even Dawn and Christine kept away from her- and that was a sure sign of trouble with a capital T.
She was so angry she could scream! She bet her best kiss that morning and what did she get?! A stone! He didn't even bat an eyelash! He just stared at her with that unreadable face of his! He just didn't react!
Was she losing her touch? She knew she's pretty. Not beautiful, but passable… A good enough figure although she often wished her lips weren't thin and wide and was, instead, full and small. But even so, she wouldn't have been able to trick answers from men if she weren't pretty… but the damn man she had kissed with an equivalent to a gut punch did not even give her a single response nor a single muscle movement! The bad thing was she wanted him to!
She found out her answer, all right… The answer to the question that had plagued her all night… She was attracted to that impossible man! How could she do this to herself!?
A bug flew in front of her face and she didn't give it any thought as she pondered on it. She was angrier with herself. More at herself than at Wufei because she was the one who wanted answers, who became attracted to him, so now she must deal with the problem.
Either she forgets about him, or… she must work this through. Forgetting him would be the easy way out… Cowards' way out. She knew herself well enough that she wouldn't take such a course of action. One more bad thing about her, darn it! So… what's left was to work it out. To make the situation turn to her favor.
For a moment, she remembered the day he carried her into her tent. He was tense, then… She had thought that maybe he was attracted to her…
A gleam that made everyone shiver under the sweltering sun appeared in her emerald green eyes.
Maybe he was attracted to her… She was pretty good with reading body languages, and the only way to read his was to-
An idea suddenly popped into her head and that made her smile widely. 'Eureka… I found it…'
Another look was passed between her troops. Either their fearless leader had some mischief planned up her sleeves, or the sun was frying her brain. Before they could give any more thought to those theories, Ping had called their break over and they all went back to work.
…
Wufei cautiously picked a new spot during dinner, well away from the chattering, happy crowd and from a certain blonde, green eyed woman whom he was getting suspicious looks from. He took a long sip of the soup and choked when a hand touched his shoulder.
He sputtered, coughed, dropped his bowl as he banged a hand on his chest, and his eyes burned while a hand started to rub his back… and then the voice. Her voice.
"Wufei… are you all right? I'm so sorry…"
'She's sorry?!' She made his life a miserable hell and it only took his near choking to death for her to say that?! And why the hell is she so close to him?! He could damn feel her breasts pressed against his right arm! His coughing spasm finally died down and Wufei hastily moved away.
"I'm really sorry… Here, I'll get you some more soup. You stay put."
Before he could protest, she was already halfway to the boiling pot in the middle of the campfire, and then she was pouring soup into his bowl. She turned and gave him a too wide and too cheerful smile. Wufei had the sudden inkling that… he was looking in the eyes of a predator as she held the bowl in front of him…
It was like the apple in Adam and Eve, and like Adam, Wufei reached out for his bowl, unable to look away from those bewitching green eyes. His hands touched her fingertips and he could be quite sure that she knew the bowl was secure, but she didn't let go until after she gave him another sizzling look.
"I really do hope that you'd forgive me…"
Her voice was too sweet and her face was too innocent that- "No."
Ping's green eyes widened with shock and distress. She's got Wufei pinned. No man could ever resist a helpless woman… even a chauvinist like him. "No? No, you won't forgive me…? Oh…" She bit down on her lower lip that appeared to tremble. She was overdoing it, but heck… she was having fun! "Well… I…" She swallowed, as if trying not to cry. "I guess I just have to go now…"
Wufei's eyes widened as Ping turned away, head down, embarrassed. Okay… she might not be acting like her usual self… but what if… Damn! Why was he feeling guilty?! He hates himself… Heero was right. He's gone soft. 'Damn you, Relena.' He's sure it was Relena's fault. With a frustrated sigh, he called her back. "Ping. Stop."
She paused and hid a grin. "Yes…?"
Her voice sounded tremulous and Wufei felt like the lowest life form on the face of the earth. Why was it that he didn't he feel victorious that she was the one who was asking for his forgiveness? "I don't know what game you're playing..."
Ping shook her head, still not facing him. "Game? What game?" Was she caught?
Those all too innocent questions still didn't erase his doubts, but heck… "Fine! I forgive you. Is that what you want to hear?!"
Her shoulders rocked as she almost laughed and she quickly clamped a hand over her mouth. "You… you don't sound like you mean it…"
Was she starting to cry?! Oh no… No! No!! No!!! Why do women cry, anyway?! "I mean it… now come back here and sit." Wufei frowned as he did a double take. What the heck did he just said?
Ping grinned triumphantly. She knew it. "Oh… okay… if you want me to…" She turned around, head still bent, and slowly walked back to him.
They ate in silence, while Wufei occasionally glanced at her from the corner of his eyes. This was the most silent she had ever been… It was too unnerving.
"If you want to cry, go to a spot where you'd be alone and cry there. Don't let anyone see you. You'd look like a weakling in front of your own troop… I thought you were better than that."
The last sentence was grumbled under his breath and Ping felt as if he just complimented her- in a sarcastic sort of way. "I'll keep that in mind." She let the soft sounds of the crickets' song, and their troops' merry conversation washed over them for a few more minutes then she did her last act for the night.
"Oh!" Her spoon accidentally fell near Wufei's feet. "Darn. Just a minute…"
Wufei was trying not to mind until her hand touched his inner thigh and her hair tickled his leg at the same time. He almost choked on his soup again. He was wearing his shorts and… and… the pressure on her hand, that feel of her hair against his skin was sending his nervous system into haywire!
"There! I got it!"
Her hand left him and he suddenly could breathe again, although why did it feel as if he missed that pressure?
"Well, thank you for inviting me to eat dinner with you, Wufei."
'I invited her…?' Wufei frowned at her as she smiled at him.
"I hope we could do it again."
Her hand reached out to touch his shoulder and… did she just give him a squeeze? What did it mean? Before he could tell her that he did not want to eat with her- ever!- she was walking back to the campfire, and he could only stare at her swishing behind.
Slowly, his gaze went down to his leg, where she had touched him, and he frowned as an unfamiliar sensation rushed through him. 'What the hell is going on here?!'
…
There was something different in the air, and yet they acted as they normally did- except for the fact that Wufei would always feel as if someone was watching him, and that he would constantly bump into Ping wherever he went! He had already accepted her intrusions during his morning rituals, accepted the fact that they should work like a team- and they had been!- even accepted the fact that she would continuously sit by his side and eat dinner with him even when he was as far away from the campfire as he could possibly be!
It was as if… she was singling him out.
Wufei shook his head. 'No… she couldn't be.' He entered his tent, ready to call it a night. They found more traps and he was dead tired.
From the campfire, green eyes followed his wake, then focused onto the small fire that had once been magnificent. She couldn't help the giddy smile on her face, nor could she stop feeling utterly satisfied. It had been quite some time since she had pursued one of the male specie for her own enjoyment, her own interest, and there's always that something different about such a thing compared to assignments.
Besides… 'I think he's starting to get more comfortable around me…' She grinned when she remembered how he had offered, rather gruffly, if she wanted water. She was making progress. Good. 'Very good…'
A little guilty feeling started to creep on her, though. The mere fact that she was playing around with someone's feelings… No. She wasn't exactly playing around. She was just cleverly demonstrating her growing attraction to the man. No harm to that, right? It was part of life's game.
From a distance, some wild animal howled its song to the moon above. The twinkling stars winked down at her, as if to tell her that they would keep her secret, while the full moon kept its peace.
…
It was like all the other mornings. He woke up early, went to the meadow and had stepped into the middle of his forms when she showed up with that dazzling smile of hers.
Days of walking in a cloud of confusion created by her uncharacteristic actions took its toll on him. He was used to being alone. He liked it. He loved his old life. What he did not like was invasion of his privacy.
"Will you just leave me alone?!"
Ping stopped just before she crossed the stream to join him. He had shouted at her as if… Anger coursed through her and her eyes slanted. "It's not as if we're not living in the same area! But I know when I'm not wanted!"
"No!" The word was ripped from his throat. Wufei pushed a hand through his hair, clutching a good amount to apply pressure to his already throbbing head. He wanted her to leave, didn't he? "It's not that… Maybe it is… Heck! You're getting me confused!" His arms flung out in exasperation then he finally looked at her. He had thought long and hard about this. He knew this was the truth. "Listen. We never really saw each other except for three times a day: during my morning exercise; our evening official meetings; and dinner. Other than that, I never really see you! And now, everywhere I go, you're there!" He felt trapped!
Ping felt as if she was slapped… She had always noticed him… had he meant that he never noticed her except for those three times a day? While she… her eyes would stray to where he stood, sat, and walked? It created a hole in her… "Are you insinuating that I am following you around?!" Well… she kind of was… but he doesn't know that. Had she been too much? Yes, maybe it was time to back off. Besides, she was a bit angry and hurt at what he said. Before he could speak, she shook her head. "Anyway. Forget it. I will do my best to stay out of your way, Commander Chang. Good day."
Her tone was colder than ice and Wufei's jaw nearly fell. She had agreed far too quickly. Wait… should he even question his good fortune? He was rid of her! "Well… Good!" He had shouted back at her, but she never even turned around to stick out her tongue at him.
…
He missed it, bumping into her. He missed her damn smile, her too cheerful attitude, and her bouncy, very curly hair… Her. He missed her. It wasn't like the way he missed Nataku… or the way he missed Meiran… or the way he missed Relena. It was different and scary and he didn't know what to do.
She had stopped doing his exercises with him. She had stopped eating dinner with him. She would instantly turn to the other direction whenever they see each other, except during their evening conferences. But other than that, she would not talk to him, nor acknowledge him. It was irritating!
He didn't tell her to ignore him like he was the damn plague, did he…? The mere fact that he would look forward to their evening individual reports just to hear her voice was already a shock for his system.
Wufei finally resigned his fate for the worse. He decided to do something so humiliating. He was going to apologize to her.
She was talking to one of her subordinates, her back to him, while he walked towards her. Then, almost as if she could feel him call out for her, she turned. Her eyes locked against his then… strayed to something behind him.
Ping's eyes widened. Her jaw slackened and her usually wide, smiling lips formed a surprised circle… The next thing Wufei knew, she was screaming.
The utter joy in her face as she ran past Wufei in such a carefree manner left him in a mixture of befuddlement and growing anger. Curious, Wufei turned.
He saw a tall, nicely built, and blonde. He jumped down from a single cart pulled by a large gray ox and ran towards Ping. They met halfway, and almost like children, they jumped into each other's arms and that guy pulled her off the ground and swung her around as though they were making a sickly romantic movie.
Wufei's trim nails cut through his palm as he glared at the two, laughing so utterly, disgustingly happy. Wait a minute… Why was he so angry, anyway? There wasn't anything to get angry about, right? Of course... How stupid of him.
He was on the verge of brushing the whole thing aside when Ping gave one huge kiss on the man's cheek. His blood boiled. They were getting a little bit too physical over there, but he couldn't do anything. That wasn't in his jurisdiction, so he forced himself to turn away and give a blind eye at whatever they were doing. He was going to give that Ping hell by tonight's meeting… No. Wait. There's no meeting tonight because there was no hunt! It was rest day! Damn!
How many guys does she have eating at the palm of her hand, anyway? With a growl of pure menace, Wufei stalked off where he would not have to look at that stomach-turning display of affection.
…
Stephen laughed while he tried to push Ping away. "Ping! Your parents should never have relocated to Italy after you were born… Look at what they did to you! Don't you know that a priest gets tempted when a beautiful woman gives them kisses?"
The twinkle in his eyes belied his serious tone, and besides, she knew him more than anyone else in the world. She only lightly punched him in the stomach. "Stephen, I know more than fifty ways to paralyze you. Don't make me use any of them just so I can give you a kiss." The wide grin on Stephen's face showed her that he knew she wouldn't and she, in quick response, pinched him. "Oh my… Stephen! You're getting paunchy!"
Stephen quickly pried her hands away. "Hey! C'mon, give me a break! I'm not paunchy. I'm fit. I've been building homes for the needy, hauling bricks and tons of canned foods- how could you say I'm paunchy?!"
The hurt look on his face instantly made her want to take back her words. "I'm sorry, Steph… I was only kidding." She looked at him and noted how he had grown. This was the man she met in the Holy Family Cathedral in Italy when he was just a teen, wanting to be a priest… the one who had taken her in when she was lost after her parents got shot. They were like siblings, especially when Uncle Will adopted them… They were closest of the kind. Besides, they almost look alike. He had the same curly hair, wide mouth, and same shape of the eyes, like hers, though his were blue… and that helped during those first few months after they died. It helped so much thinking that she has someone. "I missed you…"
Stephen smiled as he hugged her again, hearing the sincerity in her voice. "I missed you too…" She only came up to his shoulders. His petite little helper. "You've got more freckles than ever, pimple face, and are you ever going to instill discipline to this fuzzy hair of yours?!"
A quick punch to his stomach was his answer, coupled with that telltale green fire in her eyes as she glared at him. "If you dare make another comment about my freckles-"
"Call it even?"
Knowing that he could only stay for a day and must leave, she nodded. "Deal." They locked hands and Ping started to pull him where they could be alone and talk. "Where's Father Pio?"
Stephen sighed. "He's sick. I came by just two weeks ago with the charity housing committee. He mentioned that he visits a group down here. I asked if I could accompany his trip in here then, you know, he got sick and he mentioned your name." He messed her hair with his hand while Ping squealed. "So, here I am. Ready to take your confession- and knowing you, it's going to take the whole day!"
"Hey! What kind of a priest are you, teasing me like that!" Ping cried out, then she wrinkled her nose in disgust.
Stephen laughed once again. Memories of his early priesthood assailed him and he saw her as the child who had thrown her childhood away because of war. "It's been years, Ping. So, has everything been fine?" His face became serious as he tenderly touched her cheek. "Are you still getting those nightmares?"
She turned her head and he knew that she must still be dreaming about the past every now and then.
"I know I didn't take it too well when my parents died…" They stopped just outside a strip of wild trees, east of the camp and Ping looked down at the ground.
Stephen remembered how hard she worked to help him get food for the orphans, and to pay for the bills. She was no more than a child herself, supposed to be in high school instead of scrimping, saving, working, and not buying anything for herself… Stephen tilted her chin up with his finger, wanting her to see… To make her realize that she must let it go.
She loved him so much, and the way her eyes started to glisten showed how much she understood. Didn't she just have almost the same thoughts with Uncle Will a few months ago?
"We can't change the past. I know that you've accepted that, Ping, but you must understand… let it go…"
They only addressed this issue once before… They fought that time, or at least, she fought him. Ping looked away as tears started to fall down her face. "I'm sorry. I'm being impossible-"
"No. I never thought that way about you. I just want to tell you to let go and to live your own life."
"It's hard to let go… sometimes…" Ping whispered as she leaned against a banana tree while she pressed her shirtsleeve to her eyes to wipe away the tears that fell.
"I know… it's been too long… But you have to. You became more like a parent than you've realized…" He placed a hand on her shoulder, and then gave it a companionable squeeze. "I… I bought you something…" From inside his jacket, he took out a rectangular box then positioned it in front of Ping until she opened her eyes and her hands reached for it.
"Thank you…" She was about to open it when he stopped her.
"No… Open it when I'm not here… I don't want to see you cry again… Stop crying."
"How'd you know I'd cry?" Ping quickly rubbed her eyes against her sleeve again then tried to give the same withering look she used to give him before. But with her eyes glistening with tears, it didn't have the same effect.
"I know you… need I say more?" They looked at each other, their eyes conveying a thousand messages and more were sent, though none were said, and then Stephen looked away. "So… South India… It looks nice. What did Uncle Will sent you to do this time…?"
He changed the subject. So nice of him… Ping sighed then she started with the objective of her mission.
…
Wufei stared at the stained cloth in his hands in the middle of the grassy meadow. A chilly breeze shifted his hair. Strands fell out of place and teased at his eyes but he never looked away from Meiran's cloth.
They had been happy together, weren't they? Sure, they fought a lot- well…more than a lot, but they also had respect for each other, right? Why does he even carry this cloth? Hadn't he laid it all to rest a long time ago? He knew his right path. His basis for justice. Of course, old habits die hard, but other than that… why couldn't he let go of the cloth?
He knew it was a reminder… something to remind him of what he had lost? To remind him of pain and vengeance… Of his wrong decisions... But weren't they all ingrained in his mind?
A bell sounded from a distance and Wufei looked up to the sky, lit by the orange flame of the sun. It was dusk all ready… Dinner. He had been away that long? Now he was going to see Ping and that guy again…
His hand scrunched the cloth as renewed anger coursed through him. He reached the camp and appeared composed. He was able to tilt his head away and not look where a certain couple was having such a happy time, with every laugh that was seemingly like a knife wound to his soul. And after dinner, he went into his tent with orders to not be disturbed.
His ears stayed in tune to the noises outside, though. He listened to every laughter and hushed conversations, and then felt a lighter load when he finally heard the guy say that it was time to go.
The man was finally going to leave. The ox grunted its protest as it started. Wufei stayed in his sleeping bag until the camp finally became silent, and then, he sat up and remembered… they haven't plotted the route for tomorrow. Or maybe it was just the best excuse he could come up with to see Ping. To observe how much she cares for that man…
He walked out and cleared his throat outside her tent, but when no one answered, he opened it and found it empty. With a frown on his face, he looked around the camp and found the two on patrol.
'Where is she…?' He looked up at the silvery, full moon that hinted of the mystique of the night then around the forest clump. Following his instincts, he walked into the forest. The thick leaves that loomed over his head shadowed the light from the moon. Halfway down, he decided to turn back and forget about her. She could take care of herself.
Suddenly… a sound caught his attention…
He couldn't describe it except that it seemed to call to him, and he finally stepped out of the shadowed forest into a lighted terrain. Blue gray mountains kissed the skies while the wind blew its melody into the night with flowers abloom. In the middle of it all, a silhouette sat, curled over knees with trembling shoulders, the only hint of whom it might be was the glint of gold upon curly tresses.
Wufei moved forward, life around him unperturbed by his silent pace. Another sound caught his ears, a tiny, bell like sound with a melody that reminds a person of childhood.
A golden box glinted at him, beside the shadowed figure, a figurine in the middle. A music box. She hiccupped then cried silently once again. It was a fairy, in the box… A symbol of mischief, innocence, and childhood… Its glassy, pointed wings ready to take flight as if to travel the world.
"Go ahead and make fun if you want… Women are weak… go on… say it."
Her voice was broken by her sobs, but one couldn't deny the strength in it. Wufei bit his lower lip. How did she know that he was there?
"Well? Where is it?"
She turned and looked at him. Her eyes were puffy from constant rubbing, her nose was red, her lips were trembling, and her whole face was wet with tears, but her eyes still held that strength he had once seen. What did that bastard do to make her cry like this? His anger for the man tripled and he wished he could slit his throat that very instant. He didn't care that the guy was a priest. Right now, he ignored it and focused on this woman in front of him.
She rubbed her arm between her nose and upper lip, the way a child without a handkerchief would, followed by a quick shrug of her sleeve on her cheek.
"Well, Commander Chang? Where's your sermon? Oh… by the way, I was alone. I picked this place so I could cry alone."
He said that, didn't he…? It sounds so idiotic now, so stupid… "It isn't the end of the world." Whatever it is she's crying over… he's not worth it… That man isn't worth it. He must be one of those priests who could marry, but so what if he was a priest? He was like all the other men who make women cry. More tears coursed down her cheeks and it seemed as if he was bleeding alongside her.
"I know…" She turned away from him to look down at the box. On the small, golden plaque at the base of the box, the word 'MINX' was engraved.
Wufei's feet took him closer to her. He hesitated then finally gave up and let the pull of gravity be his guide as he kneeled down on one knee beside her and then placed a hand on her shoulder. It didn't become her, crying like this… "Is it worth crying for?" He used it, but he knew he meant 'he'. Would someone cry for him when he dies…?
He nearly lost his balance when Ping suddenly turned to him and then embraced him. Her hands locked behind his back and her shoulders rocked against his chest while tears seeped into his shirt.
"Yes… it is…"
He didn't know why he suddenly felt so heavy, then. Why he, at that instant, felt… squashed.
"He made me realize something I've been running away from… He's my bestest friend, you know… He knows I listen to him…"
'Friend?' They're only friends?! Of course! That man is a priest! What was that sudden glorious feeling that erupted in his chest? Why did he suddenly have the urge to put his arms around her? Why did…
His hands went to her shoulders then, after a few minutes, he pulled away. Ping looked up at him, her curly locks in disarray, looking the worst she had ever looked since she had learned how to properly dress and act.
Fireflies fluttered and danced around them. Her music box continued its song. His hands slowly cupped her face while his thumbs wiped away those tears… Her eyes fluttered close and then, Wufei acted upon impulse as he leaned down and kissed both her eyes… touched her cheek as he looked for her lips… and found them.
Gentle, warm satisfaction coursed through him, heightened when Ping opened her lips to him and urged him on… Their heads tilted slightly... It was a gentle kiss with the relentless heat of the sun… Intimate and unhindered… Her hands curled on his shirtfront while Wufei's hands buried themselves into her hair. Flames seared their flesh and their head spun.
Abruptly, Ping pushed Wufei away and he landed on the soft, grass covered ground. He looked up and he saw wide, panic stricken green eyes while hands slowly went up to cover raw kissed lips.
Confusion rushed through Wufei but before he could do anything, a gasp left Ping's lips and then she was running away from him… He followed her with his eyes until she merged with the shadows and he couldn't see her anymore…
The soft sounds of the music box still played, the way her scent lingered in the air… he couldn't believe what he had just done, but the evidence was still there. His lips still felt soft. Her music box was on the grass.
Wufei brought out the bloodied cloth from his pocket, stared at it then at the figurine, and finally accepted the truth… He was attracted to her. How deeply, he was not sure. She had piqued his interest, and his body's response… showed attraction.
His hands went up to his face and he rubbed the sides of his nose, up to his forehead, then down while a sigh escaped his lips. This was not good. How could he stay a role model to his subordinates if he was attracted to one of the women in the camp? Aside from that, it was never good to mix business with pleasure. One of them would always give out.
He would like to bang his head on the hardest metal he could find but he did no such thing as he tenderly took the box, closed it, and headed for camp. He will follow her lead. If she would act as though nothing had happened, so be it.
…
Ping zipped her tent entrance closed the moment she was able to control her shaking fingers. She stumbled towards her bag just as she remembered that she forgot her music box with Wufei!
With a groan, she sank into its folds. Why was she so shaken, anyway? Was it not that she wanted him to kiss her? Besides, she'd kissed him before… so… Why?
As soon as she asked her questions, answers heralded their wake.
She had gone after Wufei with a purpose. She had kissed him with a purpose. A personally instilled one, but a purpose all the same. She had control over it. She knew what was going to happen in the end. Just like in all of her other missions. She would seduce a man for information, but she was in control.
And yet, tonight… his kiss… she did not plan it. She had no purpose for it. She was not in control! He was the one who kissed her and… she let him.
Fine. She was not exactly the world's control freak. God knew how hard it was to control her temper, but she often would keep a tight lid on her emotions. It was what had kept her intact throughout all her missions!
But, this evening…
"Oh damn!" She won't think about it. It was a slip on her part. It was never good to make a mistake. She will cease her project. She will not flirt with him anymore. She does not need this in her life. She does not need him. No. She has her family…