"In The Stars" Chapter 2

A week, Wufei had been pretending for a week now and he was sick and tired of it. Of trying to be involved in conversations he could barely follow. Of seeing the way Duo kept looking at him, as if worried. He wasn't sure he'd be able to lie to those violet eyes much longer. Wufei was startled out of his thoughts by a knock on his door. He didn't want to talk to anyone, not right now. The knocking persisted giving him no other choice but to open the damn door.

He stood from his desk chair and let out a heavy sigh. He pulled the door open just as the person on the other side was about to knock again. Duo looked surprised for a moment, then that concern he'd kept seeing fell back into place.

"Wu are you okay?" Duo asked moving to step into the room.

Wufei allowed him without comment, pushing the door shut after the braided man was inside. "Just a little tired," he said, only it was the honest truth.

"Maybe you're coming down with something," Duo suggested reaching to press the back of his hand against Wufei's forehead.

Wufei stepped back out of reach to see a flash of hurt cross Duo's features. He couldn't do this anymore, couldn't be someone he wasn't. He released another sigh stepping around the braided man to sit back down in the desk chair. "Duo I need to tell you something important."

"Huh, what's going on?" Duo asked sitting on the edge of Wufei's bed.

"I'm... I'm not who you think I am," Wufei finally said.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Duo cut in.

"Would you just shut up for once and let me explain before you go asking questions!" Wufei almost shouted before getting control of himself again. Duo snapped his mouth shut looking honestly surprised by the words. "I'm not the person you grew up with. I come for another reality, so unlike this one."

Duo couldn't stop himself, "What are you talking about? Are you on something? Of course you're my best friend!"

"No!... I'm not, don't you see," Wufei said with a shake of his head. "I don't know anything about our friendship, childhood, my parents, this school, growing up with you. None of that, I have no knowledge of this life because I hadn't lived it until a week ago."

Duo's mouth opened and closed in the imitation of a fish out of water before he was able to say anything. "Let me get this straight, you're from another reality while the person I grew up with is just gone."

"I guess... I was killed in my own reality, but for some reason someone decided to step in and put me here..."

"Wow... this is so cool," Duo said before smiling. Wufei really hadn't expected that kind of reaction. "So I guess you're stuck here?"

"I get that kind of feeling... some little girl had told me what had happened but didn't mention anyway to go back. Although, I guess since I'm dead there I have nothing to go back to."

"That's sad... that you were killed, it must have been a terrible place that you came from. Well since this is your second chance we'll make it better than your first," Duo said before allowing his smile to return.

Wufei looked at him, the statement should have made him angry but it just reminded him of his situation. "I don't know anything about this place."

"So I guess I'll have to give you a history lesson about your new life," Duo said leaning back on the bed. Duo started telling Wufei about the life he hadn't led. "So two years ago we started here, shared a room our first year. Last year you had Professor Khushrenda, and honestly you haven't stopped talking about him since. I should have known something was up, you hadn't talked about him all week."

"How could a person possibly have a 'crush' on Treize?" Wufei demanded still trying to understand it.

"Why not? I remember the first time you told me about him, you thought he was intelligent, fair, and handsome," Duo said matter-of-factly.

"Well I will give you that but the Treize I knew was partially responsible for the war I died in!" Wufei said indignantly.

"Oh... guess that could affect your feelings toward someone," Duo conceded. "The Professor is nothing like that, maybe if you gave him a chance..."

"I don't want Treize, I never will!" Wufei burst out storming up from his chair. "And I sure as hell am not giving him any chances..."

Duo stared at him utterly speechless, a rare thing indeed. Finally he forced his voice to work, "I'm sorry, I wasn't trying to push you into liking him I just thought you could at least see the differences."

Wufei sat back down in his chair with a loud sigh. "It's just... this week hasn't been very good, trying to be someone I'm not. I'm probably a lot different from the person you grew up with."

Duo shook his head, "Not really, you just seem more closed off. You've always had a temper... and didn't take anything from anybody. Although my friend always got quiet around Treize, never speaking out in his classes."

"Guess I kind of already messed that up," Wufei said thinking back to that day he'd waken up in this place.

Duo shook his head before continuing, "I mean you were the one who told almost the entire dining hall if Relena and Dorothy didn't finally get together, you were going to lock them in a closet until they did."

Wufei's jaw dropped at those words. "Relena... and Dorothy..."

"Yeah, they finally became official two weeks ago," Duo said through a sigh.

Wufei couldn't suppress the laugh that surged from his chest. "I almost can't believe that, almost, cause I don't know what to believe anymore..."

"This place is that different?"

"Well where I died was in the middle of a war with these huge machines," Wufei said as way of comparison. "Those two weren't even on the same side in the end."

"I guess it really is a lot different," Duo surmised glancing out the window.

"A lot more beautiful too," Wufei said absently also looking out the window before a thought occurred to him. "Does Treize know I have a 'crush' on him?"

"I don't see how, unless he just guessed," Duo offered seeing where Wufei was taking that thought. "Although Milliardo has on no uncertain terms challenged you for the man."

"Well he can..."

"Don't say that so fast," Duo cut him off. "I know what you said but you never know things could change."

"I don't think so," Wufei muttered seeing Duo get up.

"Hey come on, Wu, lets go hang with the guys," Duo suggested.

"Oh about that..." Wufei said remembering all those times they had 'hung out'. "Is there something going on between you and Heero?"

Duo blushed looking away, "You caught me, I wasn't going to tell you, but I sure wish there was."

Wufei blinked but decided to just accept that this place was different. These people were not the people he'd been battling beside or against. Duo stepped out of the room expecting Wufei to follow him. He sighed before falling in step beside the braided man shutting his door as they left for the area just off campus where they always met.

Wufei immediately noticed a couple things when they reached the grove of trees. Milliardo was there and had Heero pinned up against a tree.

"What the hell is going on?" Duo demanded as he moved closer. Wufei followed to see Quatre kneeling beside Trowa, who had a busted lip.

"I was looking for your friend," Milliardo said before turning to face them. His face alighted with rage the moment he saw Wufei. He released Heero and charged the Chinese man. "Who do you think you are?"

Wufei side stepped him avoiding the shoulder that would have planted in his stomach. Milliardo hissed before raising his fists to deck him. Wufei again avoided the blow a smirk forming on his lips.

"You asshole! What makes you think Treize would ever want anything to do with you?" Milliardo spat in a blind rage.

Wufei was about to tell the blonde he could have him when Duo caught his eye. The braided man was shaking his head no, reminding Wufei of what he'd said before. He decided not to say anything at all when he easily evaded another punch from Milliardo.

"Why aren't you fighting, you some kind of chicken shit?" Milliardo snarled throwing another punch.

"Why fight someone who is defeating themselves," Wufei finally said with a smirk.

Outraged Milliardo threw several more punches. Yet none connected and he was breathing far heavier than Wufei. "This isn't over," he promised before stalking off.

"Wow!" Duo whistled approaching Wufei. "That was pretty cool, did you see how worn out he was. Are you guys okay?"

"Fine," Heero grunted as he pushed himself away from the tree he had been pinned against. Quatre nodded his agreement with Heero's statement while Trowa wiped the blood from his lip.

"He is such a jerk," Quatre finally said standing up. "I don't see how he thinks he had a chance with the Professor."

"Yeah," Duo agreed. "Even if Wu wasn't his competition."

Everyone but Wufei looked at Duo in confusion while the braided man only shrugged. They started discussing possible plans for the evening; forget about Milliardo and Duo's comment. Wufei kept quiet deciding it would be best if he just followed along.

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