"In The Stars" Chapter 19

"What kind of trouble do you want to cause now?" Wufei snapped stepping outside and shutting the door behind him. He tried not to stare at the while gauze covering Milliardo's broken nose.

"Oh you're not going to call your protector?" Milliardo sneered. "You should have seen what I did to that braided freak and I'm gonna do the same to you."

"You never touched Duo, I know Heero broke that," Wufei replied not rising to the bait. "I don't see why you just don't move on, isn't this all a hassle?"

Milliardo's eyes narrowed as he looked hard at Wufei. "Not that you deserve to know, but Treize is my first love and I will have him."

"Oh my god, this is all because you can't just move on," Wufei blurted out. "You love him and want him even when he's told you repeatedly he doesn't feel the same, you are sad."

"I can change his mind!" Milliardo defended himself. "And if I get rid of you that would make it a lot easier."

"Doubt it, what do you know about him really?" Wufei replied calmly, he was tired of this man interfering in this life.

"I know plenty about him, way more than you do!"

"Right, did you know he doesn't have a close relationship with his family? Do you know anything about his family?" Wufei asked calling the blonde's bluff.

Milliardo looked at him his eyes flashing. "What does that matter? With you gone nothing will be in my way."

"That matters the most, how can you love someone so much that you would do all this without knowing anything about them?" Wufei demanded surprising Milliardo. "I imagine there are a lot of people out there who would love to be with you, so why do you hang on so tightly to your first crush, I doubt you really know what love even is."

"How dare you!" Milliardo snarled grabbing Wufei's shirt.

"That is just fucked up really," Wufei continued even in Milliardo's grip, "all this hassle over a first crush... he wants to send you to jail for just talking about hurting me. What do you think will happen if you did? He would most assuredly call the cops."

"You're wrong!"

"Am I? Didn't he say that when you threatened me in the hospital?"

Milliardo stared at him his breath misting in the cold late afternoon air. "I hate to say this but maybe you're right... about all of it. God I fucking hate you!"

"So hate me and move the hell on," Wufei answered wiggling out of Milliardo's slackened grip.

"Fine, okay this is my truce then for Treize, but that doesn't mean I still don't want to kick your ass," Milliardo said stepping back.

"Fine, so you will stop coming around here?" Wufei agreed.

"Yeah, watch your back in town though."

"I'll remember that," Wufei snorted as Milliardo walked back down the driveway to where his car was probably waiting.

"Wufei what are you doing out here?" Treize asked after opening the front door a few minutes later. "Not to mention you're still bare foot."

He was surprised again when Treize scooped him up but he could only smile. "Nothing and well I forgot."

"And how is that, your toes must be frozen," Treize reprimanded kicking the door closed behind them.

"I didn't really notice," Wufei commented remembering why he had been out there in the first place.

"That seems amazing considering it is cold enough to snow," Treize murmured sitting on the couch, Wufei nestled in his lap. He grabbed the blanket lying across the back and covered Wufei with it.

Wufei felt his body was warming quickly between the warm fire, blanket, and Treize's own body heat. Night descended as they sat there leaving the room glowing bright red, green, and blue. "Is this your favorite time of the year?"

"It is now," Treize answered with a smile in his voice. "Yes, I have loved this season since I was young. Between the Christmas songs and being with the ones we love, oh and the beautiful weather."

"It is very beautiful," Wufei agreed his toes beginning to warm considerably under the blanket. "Haven't decided about that other stuff."

"What, you don't like Christmas songs?" Treize asked surprised.
"Don't know many," Wufei replied looking at his lap.

"I will have to change that," Treize assured him a smile lighting his voice.

"That so isn't necessary," Wufei said shaking his head.

"Sure it is, Christmas music is some of the most romantic," Treize disagreed lightly kissing the top of Wufei's head.

"Well too bad there is no radio in here and I'm too comfortable to move," Wufei pointed out rather smugly that he'd found a way out of such a thing. He wasn't sure he really wanted to go down the road the rest of that statement present; it was hard enough to sit here in Treize's lap and not fidget.

"Hum, there is a radio in the kitchen," Treize replied gently lifting Wufei and setting him on the sofa, the blanket still secure. Wufei grunted as Treize stepped into the kitchen out of view.

He heard static a moment before soft music began to float into the room. Treize returned grinning as he sat back down on the couch beside Wufei. The smaller man edged closer hoping his movements weren't too noticeable. Treize's smile only widened before his arm suddenly draped around Wufei's shoulders and pulled him closer.

"Care to dance this winter eve?" Treize whispered against Wufei's dark hair.

"Um... all right," Wufei agreed slowly as the song on the radio ended and another began.

Treize stood up again before offering his hand to the still seated Wufei. As he pulled Wufei to his feet Treize pushed the coffee table even closer to the fireplace with his foot, he easily pulled the younger man into his arms keeping the blanket securely in place. They began to circle lazily in front of the glowing tree, its light one of the only things keeping the room from total darkness. Wufei felt Treize's arms tighten around his waist pulling him even closer.

Wufei rested his head against Treize's chest becoming completely lost in the man's embrace and their slow lazy dancing. The fire glowed softly keeping the room warm against the winter night outside, but it also helped to cast the room in a reddish glow. This afforded him no advance warning to what was coming next.

"Why were you really outside? Who had been at the door?" Treize asked snapping Wufei's mind back.

"No one, no reason," Wufei stumbled out still a little shocked.

"Why aren't you telling me the truth?"

"I am!" Wufei responded defensively as he tried to pull himself free from Treize's embrace, yet the taller man refused to release him.

"No you're not," Treize disagreed his eyes locked on Wufei's.

"Yes I am, if you won't believe me, just leave me alone," Wufei huffed pushing against Treize's chest.

"Why won't you tell me, it couldn't have been something so bad that you would resort to outright lying to me, I thought we were past that," Treize said not budging.

"Damn it, what do you want from me?" Wufei half shouted his hands curling into fists around the corners of the blanket that he held.

"The truth," Treize answered unfazed.

Wufei's fists beat against the solid chest in anger and fear. He didn't want to tell Treize about Milliardo's visit, he was afraid of how the man would react. Yet his mouth opened and a flood of words he couldn't stop poured out. "Fine, it was Milliardo, he came to try again. I just wanted to know why it had to be you, that is why I was out there. And now I know that he won't come back, he promised me he'd give up on you," Wufei sagged against Treize's chest as he ran out of words.

"Why didn't you just tell me that?" Treize requested. "Not that I approve of you being out there alone with him especially dressed as you are."

"What does it matter, he's gone," Wufei finally said still using Treize as his leaning post and support to remain standing.

"It matter a lot, Wufei he could have hurt you, or even worse you could get sick again from being out there like you were," Treize answered his voice tender as he gently lifted Wufei's chin.

"I was tired of him, always there, always trying to... I just wanted to deal with him once and for all," Wufei shouted finally able to jerk free, yet stumbling backwards as he lost Treize's support to stand.

"Wufei..." Treize started to say reaching for him.

"No damn it! Can't you see how he had been forcing us to live, how he just wouldn't let up no matter what? I couldn't take that anymore... I was afraid he would succeed finally," Wufei cried his body hunching forward before he collapsed to his knees, the blanket pooling around him on the floor. "What if he had... what could I have done... god I hate feeling so needy!"

"Oh sweetheart," Treize's voice was gentle as he knelt before Wufei and pulled him close allowing the younger man to bury his face against Treize's chest. "He would have never succeeded, you could just walked in the room and I would have come to my senses. I love you deeply, and yes he was a thorn but he would have never been able to get me away from you.

Wufei snapped back at the reaction, he had been expecting something completely different. He just still found it so hard to believe, believe that Treize wanted him above all else.

"Don't look so surprised, you'll make me wonder if anything I've been saying has gotten through. If I have to, I will tell you every minute that I love you and you are all I need," Treize said gently wiping away the stray tears Wufei had tried so hard not to spill. "Why are you so fearful that I might leave you? Even after all the times I've told you, you can't get rid of me so easily."

"I can't let go of the idea.... that this isn't real, that love doesn't really exist for someone... like me, like I was..."

"Wufei that isn't you anymore and this place is far different," Treize insisted lifting Wufei's face so their eyes would meet.

"You're wrong," Wufei said pulling away to stand up.

Treize grabbed Wufei's wrist to keep him from running out of the room. "Why do you keep running away?"

"Let me go!" Wufei shouted jerking free and running out of the room. He didn't know where he was going; he just knew he had to get out. He yanked the front door open to rush outside into the winter night. The cold winter air brushed his exposed skin as he stepped away from the house, her icy fingers caressed his chest through his tee-shirt. The snow began to numb his bare feet, causing him to stumble in the cold.

"Wufei!" Treize called chasing after him forcing Wufei to keep moving. "Wufei stop, you are going to make yourself sick being out here like this."

He should have known this wouldn't work, he didn't belong here. Why hadn't he just said yes when she'd offered those months ago? All that crap he'd said to Milliardo, he was such a hypocrite. What did he really know about Treize, about this whole place? Wufei was so caught up in his thoughts he didn't see a large branch sticking out of the ankle deep snow. His foot caught on it sending him tumbling forward while the bark cut into the top of his foot. He hadn't realized how close Treize was until he felt the large warm hands fall upon his cool skin not a few moments later.

Treize easily lifted his shivering form from the snow, throwing the smaller man over his shoulder. Wufei squeaked in protest trying to fight free but Treize's grip was firm. "We will discuss this inside, where it should have stayed."

Wufei froze at the words, Treize sounded angry. He hadn't meant to cause the man anymore problems than he already had. But yet it seemed he'd done just that. He hung limply over the broad shoulder his teeth chattering. He shivered violently as the warmth of the fireplace engulfed them when Treize stepped back inside. Wufei was dumped on the couch, the blanket from before being immediately wrapped around him.

Treize went into the kitchen to return several minutes later with some hot chocolate and a first aid kit. Treize handed the hot mug to Wufei, who immediately felt the difference in temperature against his hands. The older man sat down near Wufei's covered feet on the sofa. He pulled them into his lap while uncovering the injured foot.

Wufei noticed how careful and gentle Treize was being as he bandaged the gashes the tree branch had created. "I'm sorry," he whispered after taking a sip of the coco, it warming him from the inside.

"Thank god you weren't more seriously hurt," Treize replied his eyes looking up from Wufei's now bandaged foot.

"Why do you care so much... when all I am is a big hassle?" Wufei asked softly staring into the much of colored liquid.

Treize took it from his still trembling hands before collecting the younger man in his arms, wrapping the blanket tighter. "You're not a hassle, not even when you run off and don't want to talk. I can see how much this is hurting you. Wufei I will be here even if you let go, I will be here to catch you and keep you safe. That's what love is, it is being there even if you are hated at that moment."

"I don't hate you," Wufei said his head snapping up in surprise, before his voice softened. "I hate myself."

"Why Wufei, how can you hate yourself when so many people love and care about you?" Treize asked his arm tightening as Wufei stiffened against him.

"That is exactly why, because people do care and yet all I offer is distrust and fear of getting too close to anything," Wufei finally said his shoulders sagging.

"Wufei I know it is hard but never forget this place and that place are nothing alike. What you felt there doesn't have to be what you feel here, there is nothing wrong with that," Treize explained his voice gentle and warm.

Wufei knew on some level that Treize had hit upon something important. Deep inside he felt like he was betraying something, like his memories, by allowing himself to feel these new things fully. He had died there, it would only mock them if he allowed himself to feel emotions he thought were long dead and buried under the rubble of the war. Yet now he truly hoped the fighting had ended, without taking another one of them. That too felt like a betrayal, they would never want such childish thoughts or sympathy.

"Wufei let go of it, don't allow it to rule your life here," Treize said interrupting his thoughts. "The past is just that, nothing we can change, something we can only move forward from."

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