"In The Stars" Chapter 24
Wufei wrapped
his scarf around his neck before pulling on his gloves. He quickly
hurried outside when he heard Treize coming down the hallway toward
the front door. He hid behind a small bush collecting some snow into
his hands, forming a compact ball. The moment Treize appeared on the
porch Wufei threw the snowball hitting the man square in the chest.
He ran from the
bush as Treize gave chase. Wufei rounded a tree, using it to hide. It
was too late when he saw the ball of white mush flying toward him, to
catch him right in the shoulder as he'd turned away from it.
Wufei quickly
grabbed some more snow, turning in the direction the ball had come to
see Treize duck behind on of the other trees. He ran toward the tree
ready to fire the moment he saw Treize only to be shocked when the
older man lunged out from behind the tree, knocking him off his feet.
"Cheater!" Wufei huffs his breath misting in the cold
winter air.
"Who are
you to talk," Treize replied leaning over Wufei.
"But it
was so easy," Wufei replied with a snicker only to squeak in
surprise when Treize sprinkled snow over his face. He quickly wiped
it away to see the older man smiling.
"You are
so cute, like a little snow angel," Treize said with a laugh.
"I told
you never... snow angel? Yeah right, a snow angel with black hair and
tan skin, never seen one of those before," Wufei replied moving
to push Treize off so he could get up.
"Yes, my
beautiful snow angel who is perfect just the way he is," Treize
said not allowing Wufei to push him away.
"I thought
one played in the snow not laid in it," Wufei ventured seeing
Treize smirk.
"I
am," Treize finally said sprinkling more snow over Wufei's face
and chest.
"Doesn't
seem like a very fun game to me," Wufei pointed out causing
Treize to laugh
"Hum,"
Treize said after his laughter died away, sounding thoughtful.
"We could play something else, I guess."
"Don't
sound so disappointed! Now can I please get up my butt is numb,"
Wufei replied with a blush.
"Oh well
we can't have that," Treize said standing up and offering his
hand out to Wufei.
Wufei allowed
himself to be pulled up before trying to brush away the snow that was
caked onto his jeans. He shivered as the wet jeans brushed against
his cooled skin underneath. "I think your yard needs a snowman
like I kept seeing in the store windows," Wufei mentioned as he
finally got all the snow free.
"Since
when have you been in town?" Treize questioned surprised by the statement.
Wufei's head
snapped up realizing what he'd said. "You know that time just
before the guys left," he said trying not to sound as panicked
as he felt.
"I
see," Treize said looking at him like he didn't really believe
it but he didn't question it anymore.
"So I'll
start on the bottom," Wufei said trying to distract the older
man. He began to pack snow into a ball, setting it on the ground when
he could no longer hold it. He completed his task several minutes
later to have Treize appear with the middle section.
"You make
the head, I'll find some stuff for a face," Treize offered
before going to collect a few things here and there around the yard.
Wufei stuck the
smallest ball on top finding it stood at the same height as himself.
Treize came back with several small rocks, and a few twigs. Wufei
used two of the larger twigs for arms that he stuck in the middle
ball, while four rocks made buttons on the front. Treize put two
rocks for eyes and one for a nose, when Wufei stuck a short straight
twig underneath them. "Now he reminds me of you before your
first cup of tea," Wufei said with a laugh before being grabbed
in a strong embrace.
"Oh
really," Treize answered his voice low, brushing against Wufei's
ear, a hint of danger weaving into the words.
"Um
yes," Wufei replied with a swallow, the older man was so close
and that began to stir something within him. A strange warm feeling
that didn't start in his chest, something he'd began feeling more and
more each time Treize got close to him like this.
"Come on,
you're wet and cold, we should probably go inside, warm up,"
Treize offered his arm weaving around Wufei's waist and pulling him
toward the front door.
"Wait,"
Wufei said pulling away to pull his scarf free and wrap it around
the neck of the snowman. Treize smiled grabbing Wufei's wrist and
pulling him away from the now complete snowman and inside the house
that had been kept warm by the burning fireplace.
They both
shrugged out of their coats and gloves to hang them up in the closet
beside the front door. Wufei raced upstairs to change out of his wet
jeans. He reappeared a few minutes later downstairs in a new dry pair
of jeans and a large sweater he'd stolen from Treize's closet. He
found Treize in the kitchen stirring two mugs sitting on the count in
front of him.
"Oh is
that hot chocolate?" Wufei asked hopeful, as he moved over to
the counter to stand beside Treize.
"Well that
is," Treize said motioning toward the mug now in front of Wufei
before pointing to his own, "this is tea."
"Oh, well
we all like different things," Wufei said picking up the mug and
taking a long sip.
"Very
true, so what would you like for dinner?" Treize asked taking a
drink of his hot tea.
"Depends
on what we're having for dinner tomorrow,' Wufei answered looking
over at Treize.
"Well I
have a ham in the fridge," Treize explained.
"Oh well
then how about something simple, like some pasta or something,"
Wufei suggested moving toward the dinning room table.
"Okay
pasta it is, I can whip up something pretty quick," Treize
answered walking over to the pantry.
Wufei sat
quietly watching Treize cook while listening to that radio station
that played all Christmas music all the time. The older man was
whistling along to the music playing from the speakers. Wufei smiled
watching the man who was happily cooking.
About twenty
minutes later Treize set a bowl of pasta covered in a white cream
sauce on the table. Then he handed Wufei a plate and fork before
grabbing his own and sitting down opposite the younger man.
They enjoyed a
quiet relaxing meal as it began to snow again outside. Wufei still
wasn't sure about these feelings that have been pulsing through him
these last few days, especially whenever Treize touched him or was
even close by. He faltered in his bite when he looked up to see
Treize was watching him with those piercing blue eyes.
"Did you
enjoy today?" Treize asked setting his fork on the empty plate
in front of him.
Wufei nodded
swallowing his bite to allow him to speak, "yeah even though I
still can't feel my butt." He smiled before taking another bite,
looking away from Treize.
"I'll
start cleaning up, you take your time," Treize replied choosing
not to comment on Wufei's statement. "Then we can go open one of
our gifts in front of the warm fire."
Wufei felt bad
making Treize do all the work between cooking and clean up. He
hurriedly finished off his plate after Treize cleared the table of
all the other dishes. Carrying it into the kitchen he placed it with
the others. "I can do the dishes since you cooked."
"It is
fine, I'm just going to rinse them and stick 'em in the
dishwasher," Treize replied turning on the hot water to
beginning running their plates under it.
"Oh,"
Wufei sigh stepping back to allow Treize to open the dishwasher. He
felt rather useless standing there so he decided to get out of the
way and go into the living room. He plopped down on the sofa kicking
off his slippers to fold his legs under him as he stared at the
dancing flames of the fireplace.
Treize joined
him a few minutes later sliding onto the couch beside Wufei. He
wrapped his arm around the smaller man's shoulders pulling him
closer. "Want to open one of your gifts now?"
"Sure,"
Wufei answered pushing himself up to walk over to the glowing tree.
"Want anyone of them in particular?" Wufei asked kneeling
down to pick up one of the gifts with his name on it.
"Any of
them is fine," Treize answered before he was presented with a
medium size bag.
Wufei opened
his gift from Duo to find a small figure wrapped in tissue paper. It
was of a little boy standing alone in a small field of flowers. There
was also a note inside that spoke of a companion figure Duo would
give him when he got back from break. While Treize opened a gift from
one of the other faculty members in the department, a coffee mug with
a grumpy cartoon face on the side. Wufei laughed knowing it fit
Treize's personality in the morning before he has his first cup of tea.
"Wufei I
wanted to ask you something," Treize said as they settled back
on the sofa, the younger man lying against his solid chest.
"About?"
Wufei prompted curling a bit closer.
"I would
really love it if you would consider sleeping in my bed tonight, I
want to keep you close," Treize explained his fingers gently
combing through Wufei's loose hair.
Wufei pulled
away to look at him, remembering what had happened the last time he'd
slept in Treize's bed. Yet looking into the hopeful blue eyes made it
impossible for him to find the word no. "All right," he
finally said before ducking his head to hide his blush.
"Thank you."
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