Disclaimer: see a previous chapter.

A/N: Ok,I admit it. I lied. I was going to post a simple epilogue to wrap up the story of Wufei and Ran but as I started typing it just kept going and grew past a simple wrap up. So I split it into two parts. I would like to thank everyone who has read and reviewed this story. I couldn't have finished it without your support and enthusiasm. I'm still tempted to play with the Gundam/Weiss crossover couples. Maybe I'll post something again in the future. They're too sweet and well-matched not to play with again. Enjoy!

Dragon's Desire

Epilogue Part I

"God damn you and your pride, Fujimiya!"

Ran stood there, his back to the door that Wufei was stomping towards. When the door slammed shut his teeth shook along with the pictures on the wall. He closed his eyes and ran his fingers through his hair, growling. He was tired of having the same argument over and over again. Why can't he understand? I can't possibly accept his offer. He's done too much already.

After deciding that living five hours away from Ran was unacceptable, Wufei bought a house outside the city so now they were only forty minutes apart. Ran had been conflicted about his decision. On the one hand, he was thrilled to have Wufei so close. But on the other hand, Wufei was laying out a large expenditure just to be closer to him. He didn't ask him to do it and didn't want him just throwing his money away.

"I am not wasting my money." Wufei hugged Ran tightly and then nibbled on his ear. "I am using it to make me happy and that is never a waste."

Ran hadn't brought it up again. He just balanced it out by paying for more of their dates or stopping by with groceries for dinner.

After being in the house for over six months, Wufei had asked Ran to move in with him. He'd purposely bought a place big enough for two and it hadn't escaped Ran's attention. But he hadn't expected Wufei to ask so soon after moving in.

"I can't."

"Why not?"

"I am an undercover assassin, Wufei."

"What better cover than domestic bliss?"

Wufei had pulled Ran on top of him and pulled his face down for a kiss. Ran had let the playfulness continue, hoping it would distract Wufei, but no such luck. The writer rolled them over and now had Ran pinned under him, a devilish smile on his face.

"Move in with me, Ran."

"No."

"That's not good enough."

"I have to go back to the Koneko whenever we have a mission and I'll be too tired to come home afterwards."

"So make this your home and use the Koneko as a sleepover stop. I don't want this to be someplace you just stay the night. I want this to be your home. Our home."

Ran had felt that panic inside like he used to get back when they were first going out and he was avoiding having sex. It was that same insecurity about what the future held and how he couldn't seem to make his own path anymore. Now his future was being shaped by Wufei as well.

It took Wufei three months to convince Ran to move in with him and use the Koneko only when necessary, such as after missions. And Ran had to admit, he liked living with Wufei. He liked having a home with someone instead of a room in what constituted a halfway house for assassins as far as he was concerned. Ran had found balance and peace for the first time since that fateful night when he'd lost his family. Until a month ago.

They had been living together for over a year and Ran could say he was truly content. He and Wufei enjoyed a quiet and happy life together with their friends. He should have known it wouldn't last forever. A month ago Ran had been seriously injured during a mission and Wufei received a call from Yohji at 2am informing him Ran was in surgery at St. Angelina's Hospital.

When Ran woke up and saw Wufei, it had been the happiest moment of his life. I'm not dead. I can go home with Wufei. Oh thank god. But Ran's relief was short-lived once Wufei was done fawning over him.

"I want you to leave Weiss."

It had taken Ran's foggy mind a few extra seconds to process what Wufei had said, but once the words sunk in, he became angry.

"You promised, Wufei."

"I know. But can you blame me? Look at you! You're lucky you survived. You had extensive blood loss and I don't even want to know how you managed to stay cognizant enough to hold your intestines in on the way to the hospital." Wufei could see the confusion and fear in Ran's eyes. So he doesn't even remember everything from the mission. Well, I guess that's to be expected.

"I agreed to move in with you on one condition."

"Look, I know what I agreed to, Ran. I promised I would never ask you to leave Weiss. But for the first time in my life I'm going back on a promise. I want you to leave Weiss."

"Or what?"

Wufei just blinked at his lover, at a loss for words. Here was Ran lying in a hospital bed, unable to even sit up on his own, making challenges with a deadly glare. He didn't know what to say. What am I going to do? Leave him? Kick him out? He knows I won't do anything.

Wufei sighed and closed his eyes as he laid his forehead on the hospital bed. Ran reached out and placed his hand on Wufei's head and gently stroked the ebony hair.

"I'm sorry, Wufei."

"Me too."

Ran was released from the hospital on week later. He still wasn't fit for work at the flower shop, much less missions, so he recovered at home. Wufei worked from home so it was easy enough for him to tend to Ran's needs and still work at the same time. Unfortunately for Ran, this put him in perfect position for Wufei's incessant nagging about him quitting Weiss. He kept bringing it up and they would argue in circles. Finally, Ran decided to put an end to the arguing and lay it all out for Wufei.

"Don't you remember why I joined Weiss in the first place, Wufei? Aya! I need to pay her hospital bills. And as long as I work for Weiss, she gets the best care. So just stop asking because my answer will never change!"

"If that's the only thing tying you to Weiss---"

"Only thing! Aya is my sister!"

"Shut up and let me finish!" Wufei stood up and glared down at Ran who rightfully looked a bit mollified. "If money is the only thing keeping you at Weiss, than you can quit. I'll help pay for Aya's medical bills."

Ran's eyes became impossibly wide and Wufei kneeled down in front of him and reached up to caress his cheek.

"I love you, Ran. And if money is all it takes to keep you safe, than I have no qualms about handing it over."

Ran was starting to come out of his shock and he started by shaking his head 'no' as he stood up, forcing Wufei to stand up as well.

"Ran, think about it before you say no."

"You don't know what you're saying."

"Of course I do."

"No. I won't let you. It's bad enough you bought the house. I won't….can't be….indebted to you for such a thing. It wouldn't be right."

Wufei frowned and he walked towards Ran, holding him by his shoulders. All the angry thoughts that were swirling around in his head died when he looked deep into the amethyst eyes of his lover. His lover, who he knew to be proud, self-sacrificing and fiercely loyal. His lover, who he was trying to keep alive so they could grow old together.

"Ran…I can't lose you. I am trying to help us. I want us to be together for a very long time. Do you understand what I'm saying to you?"

Ran laid his forehead on Wufei's shoulder.

"I do understand. And I'm sorry, Wufei, but I can't allow you to do it. Aya is my responsibility and I will do whatever is necessary to take care of her."

That was when Wufei had damned his already hell-bound soul and left the house in a fit of anger. Ran knew he had hurt the man, but what other choice did he have? Quit Weiss and hope to find a new job that would cover Aya's medical bills? What about living expenses? He couldn't let Wufei carry such a burden. So this is how it ends? I never expected it to be such a cliché.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Duo watched as his best friend paced his living room floor trying to keep his anger in check by growling and occasionally running his fingers through his hair. He showed up over half an hour ago and he'd barely uttered a complete sentence since arriving.

"Stupid, arrogant….Ah!"

"'Fei, maybe you should sit down for a moment."

He stopped and turned to look at Duo, his anger obvious, but his eyes betrayed him. They showed his fear and his desperate need for comfort. Duo patted the spot next to him.

"C'mon. You did the same for me when I showed up all upset over Ken. It's your turn now."

Wufei sighed in defeat and joined Duo on the sofa. He laid his head down in his best fried's lap and stared out at nothing in particular, concentrating on Duo's fingers running through his hair.

"I can't believe you cut all your hair off."

"You think it looks bad?"

"No. I think it looks great actually. But I've never known you to have hair that didn't at least hang to your shoulders. How does it feel?"

Duo felt Wufei's body slowly relax as the innocent conversation continued. He needed to get him to calm down before they started talking about whatever happened.

"It felt weird at first, like I had no hair at all, but I'm used to it now. And Ran, he…"

"He's the reason you're lying here right now. So tell me what happened."

Wufei relayed the arguments of the past month and the one today which spurred him to leave the house they shared. Duo sat there awhile thinking about what to say. He knew Wufei loved Ran and that he'd shown considerable patience in winning the man's affections. But in his experience with Ran and from what Ken had told him, Ran's pride was something no one would ever be able to conquer. Wufei might not be able to win this battle. And he'd never known Wufei to lose, so he didn't know how he would react.

"Have you considered defeat, 'Fei?"

Wufei growled and turned to lay on his back and look up at Duo. "So I'm just supposed to smile and ignore the fact that he could die any day because he's too proud to accept my help?"

Duo smiled down his friend and continued to run his fingers through the short ebony hair. "You're supposed to love him for as long as you can and be thankful for your time together." Onyx eyes narrowed and Duo chuckled. "Love's a bitch, ain't it?"

"What if I can't, Maxwell?"

Duo just blinked down at Wufei. He hadn't considered that Wufei would give up on Ran.

"Are you serious?"

"I don't know."

The pair remained on the sofa, not really talking too much. They both knew that Wufei's and Ran's relationship was at a crossroads and neither knew how it would proceed.

Their attention was pulled from their thoughts when the front door opened and Ken walked in, looking nervous. He saw the pair on the sofa and his guilt increased tenfold.

"Hey guys."

"Hello, Ken."

"Hey, babe." Duo saw Ken's agitation and he frowned. "What's wrong?"

"Um, well, I just came from seeing Ran." He rubbed the back of his head as he sat down in a chair, not making eye contact with Wufei who was now sitting up, paying very close attention. "He, uh…..he's really angry and he made me help him move some stuff----"

"What!" Wufei was standing, fists clenched at his sides. "Ken, what did you do!"

"I'm sorry, Wufei! I've never seen him so angry, I was honestly scared to tell him no. We took several boxes to the Koneko. What the hell is going on with you two? He wouldn't say a word."

Wufei didn't stay to answer Ken's question. He raced out the door and neither Ken nor Duo spoke until the sound of screeching wheels faded off into the distance. Duo sat back and sighed, staring up at the ceiling.

"I'm really worried about those two."

Ken hid the smile that threatened to reveal his hope and just went to sit next to his husband, pulling him into a hug.

"I wouldn't worry just yet."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

When Wufei came to a screeching halt in front of the house Ran's car was still there. He ran into the house yelling for his lover.

"Ran! Ran, where are you!"

"I'm right here."

Wufei spun around to see the redhead calmly leaning against the wall.

"Ken said---"

"He lied."

"What?" Wufei's heart was racing and his chest hurt from the panic that had gripped it the moment Ken said Ran was moving out.

"When you left, I thought we were over."

"Ran, why would---"

"You've never actually left before." Ran pushed off the wall approached his confused lover. "But then I called Ken and he suggested that maybe you weren't' ready to get rid of me yet. So I asked him to concoct that story to see if you'd come back to stop me."

"You…."

Ran stopped within a foot of a now shaking Wufei who was staring at him with wide, unbelieving eyes.

"I remembered how lost I felt when you left that night. And I remembered how it made me realize how much I loved you and that I was willing to do anything to keep you in my life."

"So you tried to do the same for me." Ran just nodded. "You bastard." In a lightning quick move Wufei sent his fist out and Ran doubled over with the force of the blow to his midsection. "How dare you play such games with me. I was…..terrified….of losing you."

Ran took a step back and managed to stand up straight again with a small wince. "Me too."

"But…..You won't accept my help."

"I can't. Not….yet." Wufei nodded his head slowly. "Can you accept that, Wufei?"

"You're supposed to love him for as long as you can and be thankful for your time together."

"I can't….lose you, Ran."

Ran let the breath he'd been holding go and he closed the distance between them, hugging Wufei and resting his head against his chest. Wufei buried his face in Ran's neck and squeezed tightly.

"I love you god damn it."

"I know. I love you too, Wufei."