FIVE

Sutoomu

Thank you to SanzoGirl, Kami-Crimson, NaraOccult, DeadRvn, Reikan, silvertwighlight, anissa32, Vitanie Tora, phoenixfirekitsune, Elliot's girl, Tanya G, Lain, catc10, Lotus Pixie, and Tears Falling Freely. I love you all for reviewing, thank you.

As to Akennea Stone, who posted a negative review on chap 1. I just have to ask why you read it if you didn't like it? Unless it's constructive critism, fuck off.

Sorry for the language, but it pissed me off. If you read and review stories you don't like, just to attempt and make the author feel bad, it proves you're greatly immature.

And now, for my reviewers who like the story, here is the next chap. It's not overly long, but I have another chapter ready for posting after this one.

"Wufei, I just made some tea," Meiran's sweet voice floated into the library just before she appeared in the door. "Would you like some? I thought maybe we could sit on the terrace and watch the sun set..."

"No, Meiran," Wufei replied in a monotone voice, which then had a tinge of bitterness in it. "I...hate tea..."

Meiran looked at Wufei and frowned in concern, setting her hands on her hips. Wufei sat in the large sofa chair, which he had turned to face the large window in the library. The scarlet curtains were drawn back to reveal a beautiful scene of simple untamed nature, and he sat and stared at it, his face emotionless, always still. He had been like this for the last week, and Meiran was beginning to be concerned about him. Ever since they had arrived at the house, Wufei had completely withdrawn into himself. After their first night together-in which Wufei accidentally stole the blankets and Meiran pushed him off the bed as punishment-he had become a recluse. Wufei had gone to the library the first morning, positioned that chair, and sat there for the entire day. Such it had been for seven days now, only worse. Now he didn't even come out for meals, barely spoke, and never even left the library all day. When they got visitors he refused to come see them, and Meiran kept having to make apologies, or lie that he wasn't feeling well. Truly, he wasn't. His eyes were haunted by dark shadows from not sleeping, his appearance ruffled and tired, his movements sluggish from fatigue. He was killing himself slowly this way. Each day she saw it more. Each day he got more and more depressed. And Meiran didn't know what to do.

She had caught him silently crying on the third day, his shoulders shaking and tears running down his cheeks. She had tried to comfort him, but he had refused her. Simply saying he wanted to be alone, he ignored her heartfelt attempts until she gave up. Three more times she had come upon him while he shed tears, and though she hadn't dared confront him again after the cold ignoring of her attempts the first time, she had tried to cheer him up. Not knowing what was wrong, however, it was hard. She knew it wasn't her fault. She had done nothing to hurt him. But something was upsetting him, and greatly. It was tearing him up from the inside out, and she felt helpless. She couldn't help him, since he didn't want her help.

"Wufei, please don't be this way," she suddenly begged, walking into the library to kneel beside him and taking his hand. The only thing she had been able to do was constantly ask him and beg him. "You're only hurting yourself by doing this. I hate seeing you like this. You're always depressed and sad. Why aren't you happy, Wufei? What's hurting you? Please, tell me! I want to help you. You're like my brother..."

"Please," Wufei interrupted her sharply, then sighed in his chest and closed his eyes, refusing to meet her gaze. "Just...don't ask, Meiran. Don't ask..."

"Why won't you tell me, Wufei?" Meiran asked, feeling like she, herself, would soon break down in tears. "It's not good to keep it caged inside. Oh, Wufei, don't you see? Don't you see what you're doing to yourself? You're killing yourself, Wufei."

There was a pause from Wufei, until he opened his lifeless black eyes and once again stared out at the scenery. "I just want to be alone, Meiran," he whispered. "Please. Please...just go."

Meiran swallowed back her own threatening tears and stood up. "If you wish," she said in a neutral voice. "But just so you know, I'm here. And I do love you, Wufei. Remember that." She gave his hand one final desperate squeeze of reassurance and then left.

She managed to get all the way up to their room before she broke down. Falling to her knees beside the bed, she leaned on it for support as the tears began to roll down her cheeks. Her shoulders shook and her chest heaved as she sobbed, all the pent up sorrow and grief escaping her body in the flow of salty tears down her cheeks. She felt so helpless! When she was a little girl, she had always dreamed of falling in love, getting married, and having children. The arranged marriage had changed most of that, but she had accepted it after a few weeks of careful thought. But now? She had thought, hoped!, that marriage to Wufei would be perfectly fine. She had expected them to be happy. No, they weren't in love, but they could still enjoy each other's company as friends and make some good memories. And perhaps, just maybe, far down in the future, she had hoped that she would be able to fall in love with Wufei, and he with her. But all those hopes and thoughts were dead now. Wufei was being tortured by some inner demon, and she couldn't get through to him.

After a long while of letting her emotions go, Meiran straightened her uncomfortable back muscles and sniffed groggily until she had calmed herself fully down. Still sniffling, she felt a strong urge to sulk, now. It wasn't fair! She was only fifteen! She should be hanging out with her friends at the mall, or listening to her friends reveal their crushes, or revealing a crush she had herself. Instead, she was stuck here. A married woman. She was never going to find true love, she was never going to have children, and she was never going to be able to do it all. She couldn't handle this all by herself! She needed help! She didn't know how to deal with this life of marriage. Sure, the housecleaning and cooking and being a woman was fine. She had learned it all from her mother at an early age, though to have to become a woman so wuickly and so young had certainly challenged her. But she had done it. Helping Wufei? That was the biggest challenge she had ever faced, the largest hurdle in her path, and she feared she wasn't going to be able to clear the top. Nothing was as it should be, and everything was wrong. And she was the only one to take care of everything. It wasn't fair!

After a few moments of sulking, Meiran sighed tiredly and began to mentally scold herself. She always regretted sulking after, thinking it silly and immature, but sometimes she couldn't help it. Telling herself that sitting here was never going to do anything, she stood up and stretched with a deep inhaling yawn. She felt tired from crying, but she couldn't go to sleep now. It was too early, and she had things to do around the house. Plus, she had to try and figure out how to help Wufei. With that in mind, she freshened herself up and went back downstairs, resolving to first try and get Wufei to eat something. After that, she could work on a full battle plan to conquer Wufei's depression.

With a somewhat forced optimistic outlook, Meiran got to work.

Meiran's instinctive side of comfort alerted her that night. She opened sleepy eyes to see Wufei's shoulders shaking as he cried once more, her ears hearing the quick intakes of breath and the quiet sobs as he wept. Uncertain what to do, she stared at Wufei's crying form before she dared reach out a hand and touch his shoulder. Immediately he stiffened beneath her touch, his breath stopping as he tensed, either in surprise or unwillingness. Feeling oddly risky, Meiran wiggled closer and set her arm around Wufei's shoulder, enveloping him in a hug. He remained stiff for a good while before slowly relaxing under her touch, and only then did she feel his cries return to his body. Slowly she maneuvered him to face her, setting his head on her shoulder and calmly rocking him in her arms, humming softly. If she couldn't convince him to confide in her with words, at least she could comfort him with her presence, be a support in his grief. She still didn't know what bothered him, and he would probably never tell her voluntarily, but this was good enough. Feeling him relax and calm, his cries slowing and finally stopping as he fell into a restless sleep against her, Meiran felt a small victory over the darkness creeping in on her once perfect and happy life, and she smiled, gazing down at Wufei with protectiveness and deep caring. Deciding to stay as she was so she didn't wake Wufei again, she somehow managed to fall asleep once again, and they remained that way until Wufei woke up.

How was it? Tell me if you liked it, and I'll have the next chap ready for update.

Storm