"In The Stars" Chapter 18

"Wufei I thought we would put the tree up today. Would you be interested?" Treize asked pushing Wufei's bedroom door open when he heard what sounded like something heavy being dropped downstairs.

He stepped into the front room to find one of the chairs pushed against the wall near the glowing fireplace, leaving a large hole in front of the bay window. He spots Wufei sitting on the couch digging through what appeared to be a large box. He was about to step forward when the young man began to speak.

"Okay I'm not quite sure how to do this. God Wufei you can't even put up a Christmas tree how lame," he reprimanded himself reaching in the box to pull out a long string of fuzzy red stuff. "Okay this is... garland, those are lights and I assume everything else is ornaments."

He reached into the box a second time to pull out something small and green with little red berries. "What the heck is this?"

Treize couldn't take it any longer; he stepped over to the back of the couch leaning over it to reach the younger man. He turned the surprised face around to give him a warm kiss. "That is mistletoe," he said after releasing him.

"Oh," Wufei said blushing deeply.

"You should have said something, I'd love to help," Treize pointed out sitting down beside him.

"I wanted to surprise you, not that I really know what I'm doing," Wufei admitted.

"That's okay we can put it up together and it will be just as wonderful," Treize suggested receiving a nod from Wufei.

Treize reached into the box pulling out several small ornaments and placing them on the coffee table Wufei had pushed a little closer to the fireplace to allow room. He reached in again only to stop a moment and pulled out a single ornament. To Wufei it looked like a small green boot shaped ornament.

Wufei was surprised by the look he saw in Treize's eyes. "What is it, is something wrong?"

"What, no, nothing," Treize replied refocusing his eyes on Wufei. "This was my mother's favorite ornament; she always had to tell us how she acquired it before we could hang it."

"Was?" Wufei asked picking up on the past tense in Treize's statement.

"Oh, she died a couple years ago of cancer," Treize replied sitting the ornament down with the others.

"I'm sorry," Wufei offered looking at the little ornament.

"It is all right," Treize said pulling the younger man close, "I was just remembering our last Christmas together as a family."

"You haven't told me very much about your family, I'd like to know more about them," Wufei requested softly.

"How about after we get the tree up?" Treize suggested.

"That's fine, um I wasn't sure where the tree was," Wufei mentioned, "that's why it isn't here. I just stumbled upon this box in the closet."

"Oh, I'll go get it you can finish getting all the ornaments out," Treize offered standing up and moving toward the stairs.

Wufei watched him go before turning back to gently pick up the little boot Treize had set on the coffee table. It felt so weird, seeing how the man reacted to such a simple thing, he'd never felt that way about any material possession. Yet as he held that little ornament he felt like maybe he had found something. He did wonder about the story behind it, wondered about Treize's family. He honestly knew so little about the man but he cared so deeply inside. Wufei gently set the boot back down just before Treize came in carrying a large box.

"Here she is," Treize said as he set the box down near the open area Wufei had cleared earlier.

It was a slow process to not only put the artificial tree together but to also decorate it. Wufei kept the small boot aside making sure it would be the last thing hung. After all the lights, garland, and other ornaments were in place Wufei handed Treize the treasured ornament. The older man smiled at him before hanging it right in the middle for easy viewing. Treize placed a lit up star on top, signifying they were finished.

Wufei stepped back only to remember the hand sewn brightly decorated cloth he'd found. He laid it on the floor, hiding the tree stand underneath as it went all the way around the base. He finally stepped away satisfied to be surprised when Treize wrapped him in a warm hug from behind.

"It looks wonderful," Treize praised as he held the younger man close.

"Yes," Wufei agreed his hands coming up to hold Treize's arms. "You know Duo had said the best part of this time of year was putting up a Christmas tree with a warm fire in the hearth."

"I might have to agree with him, except I think you make it all the better," Treize murmured resting his chin in Wufei's dark hair.

Wufei blushed looking at the carpet unable to say anything in reply. "Maybe we should clean up," he finally said trying to change the subject.

"How about I clean up the room and you go make us some hot coco," Treize suggested still holding Wufei close.

"Um are you sure?" Wufei replied not wanting to leave Treize to have to do all the work.

"Positive," Treize confirmed finally releasing him to begin colleting boxes.

Wufei nodded before turning and leaving for the kitchen. He realized he was bare foot the moment his feet touched the chilled tile floor. The suddenness of the temperature change to his feet sent a chill through him. He searched the cabinets until he found what he had been searching for. He pulled two mugs from another setting them on the island before filling the tea kettle with water and putting it on the stove to boil.

"I'm all done," Treize said startling him as he started at the little pot. Wufei was even more astonished when he was picked up and set on the island near the cups of waiting coco mix. "Where are your slippers? This floor is like ice in the winter."

"I got used to it," Wufei replied a little angry.

"Cold feet are a one way ticket to a cold," Treize reprimanded wrapping a towel around both of Wufei's feet.

Wufei was so shocked that the tea kettle whistled before he could say anything in reply. Treize grabbed it from the burner and slowly poured some of the boiling water into each cup. Wufei used the spoon he had set out before to stir them both. The chocolate smelt rich as he hovered over them. He picked up the mug nearest him, it warming his hands instantly. Wufei took a small sip not wanting to burn his mouth, but he wanted to taste the molten chocolate as it rolled across his tongue and down his throat, warming whatever it caressed.

"Come let's take this into the other room, much warmer," Treize suggested.

Wufei set down his cup to jump off the island only to be taken aback when Treize scooped him up. "I can walk just fine!" He protested to the action.

"Not without some slippers," Treize replied walking into the living room and setting Wufei down on the sofa in front of the warm fireplace. He returned to the kitchen to collect their mugs and bring them back into the other room. He plopped down on the sofa, leaning back against the arm and taking a sip from his mug.

Wufei grabbed his own mug from the coffee table before scooting between Treize's spread legs; one was braced against the back of the couch while the other was hanging off the front. He leaned back against the solid chest taking a drink as he stared at the brightly lit tree. "What about that ornament made it her favorite?" Wufei finally asked.

"How she acquired it, she loved to tell that story every single year," Treize replied his arm weaving around Wufei's waist. "It had been the first ornament that was hers alone. My great grandmother gave it to her the Christmas after she married my father. A token that he had been accepted into her family, that was also the year my great grandmother had died, making it even more special to my mother."

"Do you have any siblings?" Wufei ventured his curiosity peaked.

"Yes, a bratty little sister and rebellious brother. I've hardly seen them since I moved out here about six years ago, that was when my Aunt died and left me this house."

"You must have been very close. Do you spend Christmas with your family?"

"Not since my mother died, we pretty much stopped talking after that."

"Why?" Wufei wondered turning slightly to look at Treize.

"We stopped having things we could talk about without breaking into a fight. If it wasn't one thing it was another, this house had always been a big issue."

"They were jealous your Aunt left it to you?"

"Very, it never occurred to them that I was the one who had always been here to help my Aunt, especially when she fell ill. They weren't, they hardly came around if at all. I do love my family we just can't be in the same room without arguing, we've even argued about arguing with each other."

"Your mother sounds like she was a very special person in your family," Wufei offered turning back to look at the tree.

"She was, it was her that kept us from jumping all over each other. She'd always kept our home peaceful, even when she was too sick to do anything."

"She sounds wonderful," Wufei commented snuggling deeper into Treize's loose embrace.

"She would have loved you, you would have been someone she would have fussed over," Treize replied with a laugh.

"I don't know if I would have enjoyed that," Wufei said his voice sour as he placed his almost empty mug on the coffee table next to Treize's.

"It would have been no worse than I already am, I learned everything from her and picked up some of her habits," Treize explained.

"Oh then I most assuredly wouldn't have," Wufei confided with a snicker.

"What?" Treize grunted his fingers moving swiftly to tickle Wufei's side, making him wish the older man hadn't found that particular vulnerability.

The phone rang a few seconds later giving Wufei a way out of the torture of Treize's fingers. He half climbed half fell off the couch to grab the phone from the coffee table. He stood up moving toward the kitchen, taking several deep breaths before saying hello.

"Oh hey Duo," he said a moment later. "So why the call---- he what---- when---- I can't believe it but wow, congratulations then---- yeah actually you saved my life by calling---- no nothing like that freak! ----- Oh you did, he actually showed up there---- yeah, oh Heero did, well damn---- No, no everything is fine we just put the tree up---- oh you did too, that's cool. ---- It was great to hear from you, see you when you guys get back, yeah bye."

Wufei hung up the phone before been startled by an arm snaking around his waist and pulling him back against a warm solid chest. "Sounds like something interesting happened," Treize's voice drifted past his ear.

"Actually a couple things," Wufei answered his eyes sliding closed. "Heero popped the question in front of Duo's whole family, oh and broke Milliardo's nose last week before they left."

"That is wonderful and interesting," Treize agreed slowly moving them back over to the sofa.

"I wish he would just move on," Wufei commented as they settled back on the sofa similar to before Duo's call. "I almost can't believe Heero did that or well both things... but I think they've loved each other longer than I have been here."

"It does seem kind of sudden, but like you said they may have loved each other long than they've been a couple," Treize agreed with a smile.

"Are we a couple?" Wufei suddenly asked turning to look at Treize.

"To me we are," Treize answered with a wink.

A knock on the front door surprised them both. Wufei quickly jumped from the couch moving to answer it. The hardwood floor of the hallway was freezing against his bare feet as he pulled the door open. Instantly seeing the one person he wished would just get a clue and move on once and for all.

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