FIVE

Sutoomu

Here is the fifteenth chapter of my most favorite and acclaimed fic, FIVE. I know a lot of people are addicted to this fic, so I must apologize /how many times have I done that already?/ and shut up so you can read and get your FIVE intake.

I can't skip this, though. To my awesome, alltime reviewers! DeadRav, Kami-Crimson, Lotus Pixie, phoenixfirekitsune, Sesshy's First Love, pushpitake, Celestia, Luna-Lunak, SanzoGirl, silvertwighlight, Backwards bandit, Reikan, Trixters' Muse, anissa32, Vegakitty, Vitanie Tora, Nara Occult, Hellfire, Tanya G, Dragon'sRubyEyes, Rebecca Vanme, WaterDragonfromtheUnderworld, Kris, and Coin Operated Pencil. That's a lot of reviewers, and I am continually stunned by the response Five gets. It's amazing. I have twohundred and thirty six reviews at chapter fourteen. It's freakin' crazy! I love it! I love every single reviewer!

Here is the fifteenth chap of FIVE!

Wufei once again resisted the urge to reach up and pull at the unconfortably tight collar of his suit. Who the hell invented the damn suit anyways? Wufei wished he could strangle whoever thought of the horrifying formal wear with Duo's braid. That thought brought a small, slightly insane smile to his lips, but it vanished instantly as he moved his head and the damn collar pressed against his throat. It itched whenever he moved, which was often, because who on earth didn't move their head? It was an instinctive fuction of the body, and Wufei would swear that suits were invented to rebel against all natural functions of a body.

Wufei blinked and pushed the random thought out of his head as he looked around, ignoring as best he could the itch of the collar, at the rather pretty site of his wedding. Meiran had chosen it, just as she had made the rest of the desicions. He hadn't voiced an opinion in the whole whirlwind week of preparations, no matter how much Meiran had tried to get him to participate. Where the ceremony was to take place was a small garden, almost like an oasis. It was filled with wildflowers in abundance, the thick sweet aroma wafting throughout the air to fill everyone's senses. It created an almost drowsy feeling, if you breathed in too hard. But it was beautiful, with a small man made fountain just behind where the minister stood. Not much had been done, since there was so little time, but they had chairs decorated with small white roses, and a white carpet for the aisle. He had his suit, and Meiran had her dress. There was no wedding party. They had not chosen groomsmen or bridesmaids. There was only the best man, Tai Li, and the maid of honor, Chia, as witnesses. Other than that, it was to be a typical wedding. Meiran had decided not to go with the traditional chinese weddings, instead doing whatever she wished and mixing her native homeland and where she had lived the last years of her life. Back where they lived.

Wufei missed them so deeply! Already, and it had only been a little more than a week. Here he was, halfway across the world, about to get married to someone who was more of a best friend than a love. He had left behind his true loves and he regretted it every single second of every day. He couldn't do anything about his regrets, and he would probably do the same thing he had done, had he another chance. That didn't make it any easier for him to endure his choice, however. Everything reminded him of them. Whether it was a black hair tie of his future brother-in-laws, or a cup of tea someone was drinking, or a breeze at night and the faint hoot of an owl...everything brought up memories he had. Just thinking of them caused a constant ache of pain in his heart, and he had been well tested to keep the mask Tao Shen had ordered him to wear up at all times and not just break down in tears. He missed Trowa's gentle touch and massages, Heero's protective presence and take-my-breath-away kisses. He missed Duo's make out sessions and active insanity, and Quatre's tea times and conversations. He had been so happy with them. Happy for the first time in his life. And now he feared he would never be happy again.

The sudden sound of a soft chinese lullaby began and the guests, who were few, all hushed as the familiar aura of a wedding descended. Wufei stood as he was and refused to let himself react, acting no different then before, until Meiran stepped out into view from behind a tall and wild hedge. Wufei's breath caught in his throat and his eyes widened as he looked at Meiran, stunned beyond anything he'd ever seen before. She looked heavenly! Her deep black hair was pulled neatly up into beautiful twists and twirls, a few curly ringlets let down here and there at seemingly random places to frame her face. A small silver tiara was set on her head, which held the veil that flowed down her back. Her dress was gorgeous, a simple strapless white bodice which hugged her shape perfectly melding into an outward flowing skirt. It was all made of a satiny white material, with sequins and beads sewn in a spiral down the dress until the short train ended. Wufei felt speechless, literally speechless. She looked so...amazing! Beautiful and angelic. Wufei had never seen her in anything more fancy than a skirt before. With this dress on and her hair done up, her makeup professionally applied...she simply looked marvelous. Her smooth, young face broke out into a smile as she saw Wufei's expression, a hint of a blush appearing on her olive cheeks as she walked down the aisle. She's so beautiful..., Wufei couldn't help but think as Meiran approached him and he took her hand in hers, both of them turning towards the minister in tandom. She's gorgeous.

Wufei's stunned trance was disrupted by the minister beginning the ceremony, and he gave his head a small shake to clear it. How could he think those thoughts about Meiran that way? He had loves, and she was such a good friend. He shouldn't have looked at her in that way. She was just a friend, nothing more. Wufei was ashamed and appalled at himself. He had only been away from them for a week, and he was already slipping into this false wedding so easily. He would never forgive himself if he ever forgot his first loves. He'd kill himself if he ever forgot them and replaced them with Meiran. Because forgetting them would be worse than death, and death would be a release.

Wufei's thoughts roamed once again to his loves, wondering what they were doing. Were they okay without him? Were they looking for him? He hoped they were alright. Wufei already felt like the lowest cad on earth, lower than dirt and above only Tao Shen. He kept asking himself why he had left them, why he was letting Tao Shen just rule his life. But he knew the answer. Taia. Whether his loves liked it or not, his loyalty and care for his aunt, his surrogate mother, was greater than any other feeling in the world. As long as he did not know where Taia was and had no way to make sure she was safe except by agreeing to Tao Shen's demands, he would. But just because he agreed didn't mean it didn't hurt. His world seemed like one huge play of hurt, now.

"...you, Long, Meiran, accept Chang, Wufei as your lawfully wedded husband?" Wufei was once again brought out of his musings. His inner thoughts seemed to take up much of his time now, and he couldn't help it. He tried to focus on the wedding, tried to pay attention, but he was so easily distracted by anxiety and sorrow.

"I do," Meiran's clear voice rang out over the hushed silence of the guests and the waiting of the priest.

"And do you, Chang, Wufei, accept Long, Meiran as your lawfully wedded wife?" the priest intoned next, directing his gaze to Wufei.

This was it. This was the moment of doom. The next words to come out of his mouth would bury him forever in a life he didn't want, a life he was against. He didn't want to marry Meiran, and he didn't want to listen to Tao Shen all his life. Wufei counted the seconds, praying to all the gods ever invented on earth that something would happen, that something would help him get out of this.

Nothing did, and Wufei caught Tao Shen's warning glare just as Meiran softly nudged him. His mouth opened, he inhaled, and spoke. "I do." That was it, Wufei thought. Now he was stuck. Tao Shen would rule his life forever under the threat of hurting Taia, he would have to live his life as a straight man with a wife, and his and Meiran's chances at true happiness were gone. He could never go back to his loves anymore, and she could never find a true love and marry. Life had just died, and Wufei felt the small light of hope in his spirit vanish, and the darkness crush him unforgivingly.

"I now pronounce you man and wife," the priest claimed, then spoke monotonously at Wufei. "You may kiss the bride."

Without feeling, without light, without hope or happiness, Wufei turned and leaned towards Meiran, unpassionately. His senses heightened as their lips met, however, as a small surge shot through him. It was nothing like when his loves kissed him, but it wasn't horrible and heart killing like he had thought it would be. Instead it was warm and gentle, with caring and compassion poured into every second they remained together. He parted from her with an innapropriate smile, considering his situation. Her cheeks became rosy as she blushed and gazed up at him, and he instinctively reached out and took her hand, turning towards the guests. Applause broke out, everyone delighted and joyful at their supposed happiness, but Wufei's smile suddenly faded from his lips as he realized what he had just done.

He had just enjoyed the kiss. Wufei had enjoyed the kiss he shared with Meiran. He enjoyed it just like he enjoyed kissing his loves, only those were true passion. How could he do that? Why had he enjoyed it? He couldn't help it, but the guilt weighed on him heavily. He was betraying his loves. Every moment and every second he lived under Tao Shen, he was betraying them. He was a traitor! They had opened their hearts to him and shared their secrets, and he had given it all up when he walked away. He should have stayed! He was a despicable scum.

They walked down the aisle and disappeared around the hedge Meiran had appeared from. Wufei exhaled deeply and let all his tense muscles go, and Meiran soothingly rubbed his arm. "It's over, Wufei," she smiled. "I didn't know if you were going to make it or not. You're so nervous, you'd think your best friend was dying."

Not my best friend, Wufei cried out. My soul! They were led down the walkway and then seperated again for the dinner in a half hour. Wufei didn't really have to do anything to get ready, so he asked Tai Li if he could be alone and then collapsed in the chair. Normally, Tai Li would be following him around constantly as the best man, and Chia-Meiran's best friend from home-would be following Meiran, as her maid of honor, but he needed to think. His plan of thinking, however, never came to pass, as his mind inevitably ended up dwelling on his self pity and sadness, no matter how many times he tried to focus. So it was that he had his head in his hands and was mentally mourning when Tai Li came back to tell him dinner was starting. He stood and followed Tai Li to the entrance to the diningroom. Meiran was there waiting and they entered arm in arm.

"Introducing Mr. and Mrs. Chang, Wufei!" They entered to another round of applause. The fact that he and Meiran were both signified by his name sent a shiver down his spine. His mouth was a straight line and his eyes sad as they greeted their guests and were offered congratulations before heading to sit down at the head table. Tao Shen caught Wufei's arm as he walked by his uncle's chair and whispered harshly into his ear, letting no one but Wufei hear.

"Act happier," he ordered. "You look like you just ate an onion raw."

Wufei forced a sarcastic smile for Tao Shen and then joined Meiran in the main seats. The dinner was served with Wufei forcing a pleasant enough attitude, nodding to those who congratulated them but not speaking to anyone throughout the whole meal. He downed three glasses of red wine in a row before it was passed further down the table.

Meiran laughed softly beside him and whispered into his ear. "Don't drink yourself under the table. You're married, now, not sixteen."

Wufei nodded meekly, but filled his glass once again to the top as Tai Li proposed a toast to the bride and groom, and again later when Meiran's mother and father proposed a toast. Wufei wasn't sure if his uncle was going to propose a toast as well, but apparently he was, as he stood up at the end of the dinner and spoke above the general murmur of talk so the room would hush. Once it did, he began his toast, and Wufei's stomach began to turn and the small bit of dinner he had forced down tried to force its way back up.

"First of all, I must say that I am incredibly proud of my nephew, Wufei," Tao Shen said, with all the false pride overdone in his voice. "When his mother left the boy in my care, I vowed to try my best tor raise him right. Now, I end my job. Wufei, my son, I wish you the best of happiness with Meiran, and I hope she can continue to train you as well as I did." There was a small chuckle of humor in the crowd of guests, and Wufei wanted to jump to his feet and yell at them that it was all fake, that he was a bastard and a liar, that he had beaten Wufei all his life and that he had Taia hostage. But he checked in his raging emotions and forced the coldest smile as his uncle smirked knowingly at Wufei.

Another glass of red wine made its way down Wufei's throat, and his head began to buzz. Meiran noticed his condition and sighed with a smile, then spoke to her father. Mr. Long stood up and politely excused his daughter and Wufei, saying they were tired and wished to get to bed, which elicited another chuckle. They were again wished happiness and lasting love, and they left together, getting into the car that would give them a ride to their house, all set and ready to be lived in. The ride home was occupied by Wufei's wonderings how love could last if it had never been there, and then what he and Meiran were going to do when they got home.

He stumbled as they stepped out of the car and Meiran laughed as the limo drove away. "I warned you not to get drunk. If I really loved you, it would be easy to get you into bed."

Wufei blushed and ducked inside the house. He stumbled up the stairs, his head fully ringing now, Meiran following. Once in his room, he pulled off his tie and threw it on the floor, his suit jacket following. Undoing his collar, he breathed deeply and was relieved as his chest didn't make his shirt pull tight against his skin. Slipping off his white shirt, he lifted his arms and stretched, then tried to massage his tense shoulder muscles as he sat on the bed.

A wolf whistle came from behind him and he jumped to his feet, turning to see Meiran grinning at him from the doorway. A red tinge grew on his chest and cheeks, and Meiran giggled. "Oh, don't be so shy, Wufei. You know my feelings to you are more like a brother. I have to say, though, that you look real fine!"

Wufei felt his blush growing and spreading, and Meiran giggled again, very much like those annoying girls in gym, and disappeared into the bathroom. He quickly took the opportunity to change from his suit pants into his lounge pants, the ones he slept in. After a moment of thought, he opted to leave his top off, since it was a rather warm night. Feeling quite tipsy and very emotionally exhausted, he collapsed on the bed on top of the blankets. Meiran came out of the bedroom next, in a cotton pant and tank top set, and slipped under the covers, curling up and purring like a cat at the warmth. She made no move at all towards Wufei, for which he was grateful. His tensed mucles slowly began to relax. Nothing was as a normal honeymoon night should be. It was more like a sleepover, and Wufei's buzzing, twisted mind fell asleep with most of the anxiety washed away

Wedding days are always unique, that's for sure. I hope you liked 'Fei's marriage, and don't murder me before you know that I'm a sucker for happy endings. So it will all turn out okay. And, YAY, the sixteenth chapter is written and ready whenever I can get it on, so expect it within the next week.

Storm