FIVE
Sutoomu
Here is the seventh chapter. Actually, I would think it to be half the seventh chapter, because what I wanted to put in the seventh chapter is way too long and needs two chapters. So the rest of this will be the eighth chapter, which will be posted in a day or two! Just to say, I am sooo happy that I've gotten so many reviews and readers. Thank you all so very much!
Thank you to Lady11Occult, Lotus Pixie, Celestia, hanahanachan, Roxie Faye, HeeroDuo4eva, Kerrilea, anissa32, Cosmos no Shinkon, noname, tataliny, hitomisure, phoenixfirekitsune, Amy Hirosaki, SanzoGirl, inu-hottie, and silvertwighlight! I love you all so much, you're all awesome! Thank you sooo much for reviewing/gets teary eyes and sniffles/ SO NICE!
To all my anonymous reviewers, if you want me to send you review replies, add your email addresses, and I'll be happy to, because REVIEWERS ARE SPECIAL! WOOH!
Ahem...everybody gets a big bunch of Duo's Cookies and a pot of Quatre's Tea to enjoy!
Anyhoo, here is the seventh chapter. I hope you like it!
"Did anybody else hear a door slam?" Duo asked, looking at Heero. Heero nodded and looked upstairs. A loud thump came and the ceiling shook for a moment.
"It appears Tao Shen is awake," Trowa said gravely, Quatre already running up the stairs. The arabian paused for a moment at the top of the stairs and then located the room where they heard Tao Shen's voice coming through.
"...fucking gay fags, you disrespect me after all I've done for you, and now you've turned my wife against me! You've damaged my honor for the last time, you bastard faggot, you son of a harlot!" There was a moment of silence and then another loud thump and a short cry from Wufei. Quatre turned the doorknob, finding it locked. He looked at Heero and then stepped back. Heero observed the door, calculated the weak spot, and kicked, sending it flying open, slamming against the wall. Quatre ran through and cried out at the sight of a large man holding Wufei against the wall by his neck, strangling him.
"Wufei!" He ran forward, then was stopped as Tao Shen suddenly dropped Wufei, who struggled for breath raspily, and turned to glare at them.
"You!" he yelled. "You're the ones who've twisted his mind! You've ruined his soul, you damn fairies!" He grabbed Quatre's shoulder in a steel grip and lifted the smaller blonde bodily off the floor, flinging him in an arc. Quatre connected hard with a large full length mirror on the wall and fell to the floor, broken glass falling on top of him.
"Quat!" Duo yelled, racing to his side and helping him sit up.
Trowa blinked, looking at Quatre sitting up and nursing a deep cut on his forehead, then at Wufei, breathing heavily on the floor. His emerald green eyes hardened and he looked at the red faced Tao Shen, growling menacingly in his throat. He stepped forward and grabbed the front of Tao Shen's shirt with incredible speed, then began laying heavy punches to the man's face repeatedly. Heero, seeing that Trowa needed to get his anger out and who was secretly was cheering him on inside, went to Wufei to help him get his senses back into him.
Wufei sat up straight with Heero's help and his lungs began to fill fully again. After a moment, his vision cleared and he stood up awkwardly, noticing Trowa still hitting Tao Shen, who had started to bleed heavily from both nostrils and whose eyes were fluttering up into his head. "Trowa, stop!" he ordered. Trowa hesitated with the next punch and Wufei met his eyes. Growling angrily, Trowa threw the man aside to the floor, where he fell and lay still. Wufei looked at the large man's limp form and sighed. "You shouldn't have hurt him," he said.
Trowa was breathing hard through his nostrils, his eyes closed and trying to let his anger fade. "I would have fully obeyed your request, but he went too far," Trowa opened his eyes and looked sharply at Wufei. "I was not going to stand by while he not only hurt you, but Quatre as well."
"I would've done worse, probably," Duo mentioned, glaring at Tao Shen. "This guy needs to die. Too bad he's still breathing."
"I restrained myself," Trowa smirked, and Duo smiled crookedly at him, helping Quatre stand.
"Are you okay, Wufei, Quatre?" Heero asked.
"I'm fine," Wufei waved a hand. "I've endured worse than this."
"Same here," Quatre smiled, and his split lip bled a bit more. "Just a few cuts." Duo was brushing the fallen glass off of Quatre's clothes. "I just want to get Wufei's stuff and get out of here."
"Ditto," Duo laughed.
Wufei stepped over his uncle's body and they left the room, closing the broken door to hide it from view. He opened another door down the hall and introduced them to his bedroom. It was actually a very interesting room, with the walls and ceiling a very deep navy blue, decorated with the star systems rather nicely. There was a double bed with, surprisingly, silk sheets and a dresser covered with Wufei's accessories. Wufei went straight to the corner of his room where a cage sat and opened the cage door. Reaching in a hand, he brought out Chibi, his completely white, fluffy, soft small owl, and she climbed awkwardly up his arm to sit on his shoulder.
"Aaw, kawaii!" Duo exclaimed, and Chibi's eyes grew wide. She made a sort of hoot slash shriek and pulled her head in, hiding herself in her downy feathers.
"This is Chibi," Wufei introduced. "Chibi, this is Heero, Duo, Trowa, and Quatre, my loves. Say hi." Chibi's head appeared again and she wide eyed at Wufei. "Go on," Wufei urged, nudging her. Chibi suddenly took to the air with a flap of her small wings and began fluttering above the ceiling. She finally landed on Duo's head and settled in, comfortably closing her eyes for a nap. Duo looked up and blinked.
Wufei's lips tilted in a smile and he opened his closet, pulling down a few large boxes piled on the top shelf. He set them on his bed and began packing, starting with his clothes. Once they were all packed, he put all his accessories and neccessities in a small box and then filled the other large box up with his bedsheets, books, and other items. In the end, he had three large boxes and two small boxes filled with his items, and the five of them carted them and Chibi's cage, with her back in it, down to the car.
"Is that all?" Heero asked as Wufei stood in the main doorway and looked at the house.
Wufei thought for a moment, then shook his head. "Come with me." He went into his uncle's study and they followed. Wufei grabbed a stool, stepped on it, and took down a chinese sword from the wall. "This is part of my inheritance. It's called Nataku, after my mother's spirit."
"A sword," Duo whistled. "Wow, 'Fei."
Wufei handed the sword to Duo and proceeded to swing aside what looked like an ordinary marble carved picture. It was set on hinges and revealed a large metal safe behind it in the wall. Wufei paused for a moment, then unlocked it once he remembered the combination and swung the heavy door open.
"What're you doing?" Quatre asked.
"Getting the rest of my inheritance," Wufei said, looking in the safe for something. "Taia told me about it last year. Apparently, the fact that I have an inheritance is one of the reasons why my uncle agreed to take me nine years ago when I was seven. He couldn't have gotten it until I was eighteen, though, and there's no way in hell I'm letting him have my family's things."
"How big an inheritance, 'Fei?" Duo asked.
"I don't know," Wufei said, then reached in a hand and pulled out a very thick briefcase. "But it's in here. I'm actually the last surviving heir of the Chang Clan. Me and Taia are the only Chang's alive now, and she's female and married to a Chieu, so that only leaves me." He quickly checked the safe for anything else, then closed it. He was only going to take what was rightfully his. He wouldn't steal his uncle's money. "Last thing I need is my labtop."
"You have a labtop?" Trowa asked and Wufei nodded, them following him as he retrieved it from the livingroom. "And I thought Heero was the only one."
"Yeah," Duo agreed. "Now we have two labtops to share between the five of us."
"Riiiight," Wufei clicked his tongue, setting his labtop case and all its accessories in the car. "That's all my stuff."
Trowa wrapped his arms around Wufei and held him as Wufei gazed at the house. "Think you'll miss it?"
Wufei sighed, then waved a hand. "Nah! I've only lived there for a month and a half. I'm just worried about Taia."
"Let's go see her then," Heero suggested and they all got into the car. Trowa started the engine and drove the car the block and a half to the small yellow house where Wufei told them to stop. He got out and hurried to the front door, ringing it.
"Wufei, oh my stars," Marika, a pretty divorced woman in her fourties with grown children, opened the door. She turned his face so she could see his cuts and brushed a hand over them. "They're healing properly, good. Your aunt's relaxing in the livingroom. She's been worrying her head off about you and that man. You know I respect the chinese and their beliefs, but sometimes the loyalty that girl shows...it's wrong, I tell you."
"I know, Marika," Wufei agreed. "Which is why I'm leaving. I've packed up my things and I'm moving into an apartment with my friends. I..."
"Wufei?" Taia's young face appeared. "Wufei!" She rushed forward and enveloped him in a hug, burying her face in his chest and crying. "Oh, my Little Dragon! I was so worried about you. Are you okay?"
"Battered, bruised, but alive and happy," Wufei returned her embrace and then held her out to look at her. "How about you?"
"I'm fine," she sniffed, wiping away her tears and smiling. "I just missed you."
"Taia, these are my friends," Wufei stepped aside. "I've told you about them before. This is Heero Yuy, Trowa Barton, Duo Maxwell, and Quatre Raberba Winner."
"You've done an excellent job raising Wufei in your situation, Mrs. Chieu," Quatre smiled. "He's a wonderful person. You have a strong soul."
Taia looked warily at this, then a small smile of gratitude made it's way onto her face. "Thank you."
"I'm moving in with them, Taia," Wufei explained, then continued to explain at her startled look. "I'm not going to stay in the same house as him any longer. And you shouldn't either."
"Wufei," Taia chided. "You know I can't leave him. I married him, and I can't dishonor the clan name."
"What clan?" Wufei exclaimed. "They're dead, aunt Taia. They've been dead for nine years! There's no one left to dishonor. You and I are the only ones left, and I'm already a disgrace."
"You're not a disgrace, Wufei," Taia whispered. "The Chang Clan would be honored to have you as their heir."
"Thank you, Taia," Wufei replied. "But that doesn't solve the problem of you living in a house with a man you don't love, who beats me and will beat you. He can't control his anger. He's mad, and I don't want you to get hurt."
"Don't worry about me, Little Dragon," Taia said. "I've been married to the man for a long time. I know how to handle him."
"Please," Wufei begged. "Divorce him, report him to the police. You were forced to marry him when you were sixteen, for pity's sake, by a bunch of old men who are dead now! He's twenty two years older than you, Taia. You're only twenty six. You're young, you could still find true love and get married and have children. Don't throw your life away for this bastard!"
"I can't, Wufei," Taia said softly but firmly. "And we won't talk of this any longer."
Wufei bit his lip and was clearly battling some internal fight, but eventually he sighed shakily and drew her into another hug. "Don't let her go home for a few days, Marika. Tao Shen has to calm down, and please go with her when she does go home."
"And I'll visit her every day, Wufei," Marika smiled. "She'll be okay. And, who knows, she might come around."
Wufei nodded in hope. "I have to go now, aunt. Here's the number of where I'm living, okay?" he pressed a piece of paper into her hand. "I'll call you and visit if I can. I love you, okay?"
"I love you, too, Little Dragon," Taia answered. "Be safe."
"Same back," Wufei nodded. "Especially for you. I'm not in danger anymore. Bye, Marika. Bye, Taia."
"Goodbye, Dragon," Taia smiled and waved as they got into the car. "I'm proud of you!" She blew him a kiss which he returned, and then they drove off, Taia and Marika fading out of site. Wufei closed his eyes and leaned his head back, slipping into a half meditational state.
"Are you okay, Wufei?" Quatre asked.
"Yeah," Wufei mumbled. "I'm just tired."
"Sleep on us, 'Fei-koi," Duo said, wrapping his arm around Wufei. Quatre, on the other side in the back seat, followed Duo's example and Wufei relaxed and tried to forget everything for just a little while in the warm embrace for people who cared about him. Soon they were home and Wufei's belongings were lugged up the stairs. They entered the room, gave him the free bed, and helped him start unpacking. Wufei moved robotically, exhaling deeply, not caring about unpacking much.
"Mmm, 'Fei!" Duo exclaimed. He and Quatre had just put Wufei's sheets on the bed, and the braided boy was cuddling the soft sheets. "Your bed is soooooooo fine! Can I sleep with you forever?"
Wufei smiled half heartedly and fell in beside Duo. "Hey, guys?" he called, getting everyone's attention. Duo was snuggling in his side, nuzzling his neck.
"Yeah, Wufei?" Quatre knelt beside the bed, putting his arms on the bed beside Wufei's head and setting his chin on his arms. Trowa and Heero came over from packing Wufei's clothes away in a dresser and stood at the foot of the bed.
"You guys know I love you, and you know I want to be with you, but you don't really know anything about me," Wufei said.
"Doesn't matter," Heero said firmly. "Love conquers all."
"Heero's the one who conquers all," Duo snorted.
"Nonetheless, I still want you guys to know," Wufei shifted so he was half sitting, half laying down. "Everything will just make more sense to you then."
"If you want to, then go ahead," Quatre said. "And then maybe we should tell you about us. It goes both ways, the not knowing anything about each other."
Wufei nodded. "First of all, my mother was unmarried when she had me and only eighteen, but I know she loved my father very much. I'm named after him, but I still don't know who he is or was, and because my mother wasn't married and they didn't know who the father was, the other clans ignored her, treated her as though she didn't exist. The Chang Clan, however, remained loyal to her because she was the oldest of the clan leader's two daughters. My mother's name was Kameko, and Taia was her younger sister by eight years. I remember my mother vaguely in my mind, and I remember when Taia was young because she was my babysitter and mother was busy a lot, and I remember the day Taia was married to Tao Shen, even though I was only six. It was supposed to strengthen the bond between Chang and Chieu. She used to be very happy, I know, but after she married him, it was like her light went out.
A year after, my entire clan was killed at what was a giant reunion of everyone, except for me because I was with Taia that night. She had stayed at her house with me because I was sick. Taia told me it was rebels, people who had revolted against the clans for some reason. Three days after my entire clan was killed, they caught the rebels and had them executed, but my family and everyone I knew was still dead. Taia persuaded Tao Shen to become my gaurdian. I think she bribed him with my inheritance, which was the inheritance of the entire clan since I was the only one left, but, either way, I was under their gaurdianship. I started my lessons, and the beatings started. We moved here from china when I was ten, because of business and better opportunity for Tao Shen. I started to wear my makeup and leave my hair down when I was thirteen. I'm a freak, and I'm damn proud of it, because I want to be that way."
Duo snickered. "You're a sexy freak, you know?" He nipped Wufei's neck.
"Stop hitting on me," Wufei scolded. "I'm telling my story."
"Sorry," Duo mumbled, smirking. "Continue."
Wufei opened his mouth, then closed it and frowned. "Uh...I think that's it. Anyways, what I want, basically, is for Tao Shen to be locked up for eternity and for Taia to be free."
"Call the police on the jerk," Quatre suggested.
"I can't," Wufei said, pained. "Because I'd be betraying Taia's trust. I can't do that. She's the only family I have. I respect her."
"You've had a sad life, Wufei," Trowa said, sitting at the end of the bed. "But you're free now, and your aunt will be free, too. We've all had awful lives as well, but we're happy now."
"Well, I wouldn't say Quatre's had an awful life," Duo said.
"Stop judging on my riches," Quatre frowned. "You're not the one who had to endure years of assassination attempts and your father being killed."
"Not to mention all the self guilt and pity he had for himself," Trowa added.
"Huh?" Wufei blinked.
"Our turns," Heero said. "Quatre, you tell him your story."
Well, was that good? Did it clear any questions up? And I hope you liked ballistic Trowa! So, review and I'll reply and then next chapter will come.
Storm