FIVE

Sutoomu

Well, here is the third chapter in Five! This is where Wufei thinks about the guys and this chapter reveals his home life /sniffles/. I hope you like the way the story is going! Now for my reviewers...

Thank you to RandomFanGirl247, who was the reviewer I couldn't thank for reviewing the first chapter, so here's her double thanks. Thank you, thank you. And thank you to my reviewers for the second chapter Kerrilea, HeeroDuo4eva, phoenixfirekitsune, anissa32, Lotus Pixie, hanahanachan, Roxie Faye, Maria, and silvertwighlight. I love all you guys! Here's a Duo's Cookie for everyone/hands out Duo's Cookies/

Yup, so now that my lovely reviewers have been thanked, you can go on and read the third chapter. I hope you like...no, I hope you love it! I do! Review at the end, please, and I will reply because reviewers are special, as I always say! Enjoy!

Wufei kept his outward appearance bored and calm as he walked home, but inside, he was raging. What the hell was up with that? This...'calling'? It was just a bit too confusing and overwhelming for him to handle all at once, especially since, and he did not want to admit it, he felt deep inside him something like what they were talking about. There was some thing that pulled on his heartstrings every time he saw one of them. He had been accounting that to their good looks, though he didn't like the idea of being like a lovesick woman either, but now that they had explained their relationship, he was slowly becoming willing for a different answer.

Wufei knew he was bi, so the thought of being gay didn't offend him in the least. Nothing really offended him, it just stunned him. They were each in love with three other guys. How could that be? Wufei thought love was something special, something inside you, that was to be shared with one other, but these boys had each felt the 'calling of love' with three others. They were each a gay guy in love with three other guys. The sudden question of 'could I be like that?' popped into his mind, but he shoved it aside, not wanting to deal with it. Refocusing on the world outside, he saw the place they called his 'home' and turned towards it. If he was ever to get in a relationship with those four unique boys, then he'd have to keep it a secret unless he wanted to die.

"Hello?" Wufei's voice called out, checking if his aunt was home.

"Wufei, Little Dragon," his aunt, Taia , a petite and demure woman with bright black eyes and very long curly black hair came up to him quickly and took his hand. She called him by his nickname still, even though he was taller than her. "Your uncle got home from the trip today, and he's in a foul mood. Please humor him, Dragon. And remember I love you..."

She was cut off as a rather loud voice suddenly barked out his name from the livingroom. "Wufei! Come! Show me how you have advanced in your studies!"

Wufei's eyes widened and his face paled. His personal traditional studies. He had forgotten about them, what with having to move alone with his aunt and going to a new school. Or maybe he had just skipped out on them because he knew his uncle wouldn't be there to punish him. And now the bastard was.

"WUFEI!" a very angered and strict voice sounded, and Wufei quickly entered the livingroom, bowing deeply before his uncle. The man looked at him with a squint, observing his wardrobe and appearance with disdain but acceptance. He had never been too strict on that part after Wufei proved to him he could change instantly into a very traditional clansman.

"Yes, honored uncle?" Wufei asked. "What is it you wish?"

"Your studies," Wufei's uncle, Tao Shen, barked in his loud and abrupt voice. "How far have you advanced?"

"I have not, uncle," Wufei said, then continued quickly to try and explain as his uncle stood up from his chair. "What with moving and going to a new school and being here for aunt in your absence I couldn't..."

"Liar!" his uncle shouted, going red in the face. Wufei gasped and stumbled back against the wall as the man's hand connected with his face. Pain flared along his nerves and he blinked his eyes groggily. Focusing on reality, he buried the pain and continued to look at the floor, staying humble, trying not to antagonize his uncle any more.

"I apologize, uncle," he said softly. "I should have continued in my studies, found time for them. I should not have slacked off..."

"You bastard's son," Tao Shen screamed, grabbing Wufei's shirt and hauling him bodily off the floor. "I will have no excuses! I took you in when your disgraced unwed mother died, the wench, and raised you! I fed you and clothed you and sheltered you and this is how you repay me?" He slammed Wufei into the wall, twice. "By skipping out on your studies, the only thing which I have managed to keep true in this household from our anscestry?"

"I'm sorry...," Wufei gasped, trying to breathe. "Forgive me..."

"Apologies mean nothing coming from your foul mouth, cretin," his uncle snarled, throwing him to the floor. A sudden whimper came from the door as Wufei's head connected sharply with the floor, making a sharp sound as it snapped back against the thin carpet above concrete. A sudden wave of dizziness swarmed throughout him as Wufei watched his enraged uncle turn towards the source of the whimper, Taia.

"No," Wufei croaked as Tao Shen took a step towards her, waving his large hand.

"What the devil are you doing, woman? Get out of here, before I turn my wrath against you as you no doubt must deserve," his uncle took another step and Taia hesitated, looking at Wufei. Wufei quickly mouthed the word 'GO' and she hastily curtsied deeply before Tao Shen and vanished around the corner, sending support to Wufei with her small eyes before she vanished.

Tao Shen turned back and observed Wufei, feebly trying to sit up and conquer the wave of dizziness that captured his senses. The man grabbed Wufei's arm in a vice like grip and hauled him to his feet. "What am I to do with you, boy? You are a disgrace." Wufei felt his back connect with the wall as he was thrown uncaringly to the floor and rolled, then grit his teeth to keep from crying out loud as his uncle took a handful of his hair and pulled him up. "Your punishment..."

(I don't want to write a whole beating scene. /sniffles/ Just imagine Wufei being caused a lot of pain by the big bad Tao Shen...)

"...And be thankful it was no more!" Tao Shen snapped, slamming the door shut. Wufei breathed heavily on the floor, this simple action causing him pain as his severely bruised ribs protested. He forced himself to move, forced himself to pull himself onto his bed. He lie in the dark recesses of his blankets, covering himself with the soft sheets and praying he had a pain pill, just one or two, if the heavens would look so favourably down upon him. He knew he would get blood on his sheets but he didn't care. Taia would wash them without question, and for now he could rest in the soft cloth and huddle into himself, trying to absorb the pain rather than let it absorb him. And he would have to deal with the sudden craving for a cookie. This had definitely been one of the worse times yet. This would be a painful recovery.

As if understanding his pain, he heard Chibi hoot in her cage and flap her small wings, and Wufei smiled, knowing he had someone who depended on him and cared about him. She was an owl, but still...

/> /> /> /> />

"He hasn't been at school for three days," Quatre whispered to Heero, standing under the japanese boy's protective arm as they walked to school. Duo had been running late, so Trowa volunteered to walk him when they were ready. "I'm worried about him. I don't think Wufei would be one to avoid us by missing out on school. Trowa said he was a scholar..."

"Don't worry, little one," Heero whispered. "He'll come back. It could be anything, not just avoiding us, that's keeping him away."

"That's why I'm worried," Quatre exclaimed. "What if he was hit by a car on the way home? What if he was killed? What if he's deathly sick?"

"He's not, Quatre," Heero sighed. "Relax. You're becoming as bad as Duo, and you know he won't stop pacing around the apartment."

"I'm sorry, Heero," Quatre exhaled, setting his head against Heero. "I'm just concerned. I guess I am becoming like Duo. I'm starting to think he hates us..."

"He's back," Heero suddenly whispered, gently squeezing Quatre's shoulder to get his attention.

Quatre looked up and his eyes brightened. "Wufei!" he called out, running across the street to the large oak tree which Wufei sat under, legs crossed and hands still, eyes closed. Quatre moved to touch the chinese boy, then paused as Wufei suddenly held a hand up in the sign of 'wait a second'. Quatre honored Wufei's wishes and sat down silently beside him, keeping quiet as Wufei breathed evenly and meditated.

A moment later, Wufei's eyes opened and he looked at Quatre. "Hi," he said softly. He had switched the normal black eyeliner, lipstick, and nail polish for white today, and there were a few more white items in his outfit.

"I'm glad to see you, Wufei," Quatre replied. "I hope you don't think badly of us because of the other day..."

"No," Wufei gave Quatre a small smile. "I just had to think about it for a little while. It makes sense to me now. I can understand the feeling of a calling."

"That's a relief, trust me," Quatre smiled back. "Duo will be overjoyed to know you don't hate him."

"Why would I hate you guys?" Wufei asked quietly, seriously. "You're the only people I've actually talked to for more than a minute since I got here. You're the only people who feel like you actually want to be my friend, just because of me."

"Why wouldn't we?" Heero asked. "You're a wonderfully unique person, Wufei. You've got a great soul." Wufei looked up at Heero for a moment, about to say something, then was distracted by the bell. All the students hanging about began to file inside. Heero offered Wufei a hand.

"I don't want to move just yet," the chinese boy said. "I'm just going to sit here for a while..."

"Do you mind if we stay with you?" Quatre asked. "Duo fell behind again, so he and Trowa won't be here for a few minutes yet. We might as well wait for them."

"That's fine," Wufei said as Heero sat down beside him. He closed his eyes and fell back into a meditative state as Heero and Quatre sat happy and peacefully, waiting for the other two boyfriends. Their arrival was signalled by an insane shout from Duo.

"My 'Fei 'Fei!"

Wufei looked up to glare at Duo for using that nickname when he was suddenly tackled by the braided boy. The sudden contact made all of Wufei's parts ache with more pain, the pain he had spent the last three days trying to control through meditation. He had thought he could come back to school and survive the day, but he hadn't expected a glomping hug.

He couldn't control the cry of pain that came out of his mouth, but the pressure of Duo was lifted immediately. "'Fei, you okay?" Duo asked in concern as Wufei gasped and crouched into himself, panting for breath, striving for control. "Shit, I'm sorry, 'Fei! I didn't mean to hurt you!"

"You couldn't have hurt him this much, baka," Heero said in thought.

Wufei shut his eyes and found his haven inside him, withdrawing to that place and hiding, unawares, from the pain until it subsided. The four lovers watched him as his body relaxed completely and he began to breath more evenly, a peaceful look coming about his face.

"Wufei?" Trowa finally ventured curiously. Wufei's eyes shot open and he looked at all of them, then exhaled deeply and ran a hand over his face, pushing the bangs that covered one eye away, revealing the gash he sported across his temple.

"Wufei," Quatre gasped, immediately switching into mother hen mode. He reached out a hand and brushed his fingers across the gash. "Are you okay? What happened?"

"I...got into a little trouble with someone," Wufei said vaguely. "I'm not that hurt. Just some bruised ribs and a few cuts. I'm fine now."

"You didn't seem so fine a moment ago," Trowa regarded Wufei sternly.

Wufei returned the gaze just as strongly. "I'm fine. I just have to meditate every now and then and take it easy."

"You should have stayed home and healed," Quatre scolded, fussing over Wufei.

Wufei snorted wryly, then turned dark eyes at them. "As if!"

"How bad did you get your ass kicked?" Duo asked.

"Duo!" Quatre admonished.

"There were factors which didn't allow me to fight back to my full abilities," Wufei gave Duo a crooked smile. "You wouldn't, by any slim chance, happen to have a cookie on you?"

Duo blinked at Wufei. "Actually, as a matter of fact, I do." He rummaged in his backpack for a moment, then pulled out a small bag. "Homemade by Quatre, our chef. Here."

Wufei took the cookie and bit into it, enjoying the chocolate chips that had been added with no holding back. "Thanks," he mumbled. "I've been craving a cookie, for some reason."

"Hey," Duo consoled. "Cookie cravings are the best! But only if you've actually got cookies, 'course."

"What are we going to do, now?" Trowa asked.

"We're going to take Wufei home and make sure he's okay," Quatre immediately said, standing up. He gestured for Heero to grab the other arm and they gently lifted Wufei to his feet.

"What?" Wufei blinked, still eating.

"You look like you need a nice long nap," Quatre said. "And I'll make you some of my chicken noodle soup..."

"That's the best!" Duo winked.

"...and some hot chocolate and more cookies."

"This isn't neccesary," Wufei stared pointedly at Quatre supporting one side of him.

"Of course it is," Quatre disagreed. "You're our friend, you're hurt, and we're going to take care of you. No arguments."

"But..."

"That's such a stupid word!" Quatre interrupted. "No 'buts' about it. You shall be well taken care of."

Did you like it, my readers? I hope it didn't make you too sad or mad or anything. Don't worry, the guys will help Wufei out with Tao Shen! So, if I get reviews quickly enough, I'll post the fourth chapter tommorrow! And in that chapter...well, you'll have to wait to find out.

Storm