Tapestry, Book 2, Chapter 6
Other things were going to happen when Une and I were shopping, that much I knew. At the very least, I knew that Treize wanted us out of the house so he could be alone with Wufei. I wasn't stupid. All that stuff that had occurred the previous day, everything else that I had felt? Of course that had been Treize. My hair doesn't just stand straight up on my arm on its own, and I don't - feel - those kind of feelings without SOME kind of provocation, whether I've seen something, or listened to something, or ... well ... whatever. But I hadn't, and yesterday they had hit me like a freight train and kept coming at me, again and again and again. It didn't take me long to figure out they were generated by Treize and all pointed, very directly, at Wufei. I simply happened to BE there. In the way.
And then, today, Wufei told me he had made his decision. He was staying with Treize. And look, today I was going shopping with Une. Coincidence? Some might say so. I didn't think so. Now there was no one to BE in the way, and everything could be extremely private.
The black limousine pulled away from the mansion carrying Sally and Une, smoothly shifting into traffic. Treize watched it leave, following its progress down the main thoroughfare until it was out of sight.
With a smug, pleased smile, he turned and casually strolled through the garden back to the mansion, taking his time, enjoying the fragrent aroma of tea roses in bloom. Had he been a cat, he would have been purring with satisfaction, flicking his tail back and forth. Once he arrived at the front of the mansion, Treize scaled the marble staircase with ease and strode across the portico to the front entrance. The Special on duty snapped to attention and opened the wide wooden door, the picture of deference and respect of a subordinate to his commander.
Perfect, as always.
"Thank you, DiMencio."
"My pleasure, sir."
Treize heard the door close quietly behind him as he stood in the foyer for a moment, allowing his eyes to adjust to the mansion's softer light. Then he walked into the downstairs sitting room, back to his current obsession.
Chang Wufei.
Treize practically radiated pleasure. To his mind, Wufei was perfection, but not in the same way as DiMencio. Wufei was 'natural,' while DiMencio was a 'Special,' something formed by the force of Treize's will and the caprice of human nature. DiMencio wasn't human, but had enough human mannerisms to blend in with the population. Even so, any human who spent enough time with him knew he wasn't quite right. He was too perfect - his reflexes were too fast, he was too strong for his build, he was too smart for his age and position, he was too polite and sincere, he never needed anything repeated, and he was never tired. In a phrase, he was just too good to be true. He, and all the Specials, were the epitome of human perfection without the liability of being human.
Wufei's perfection, to Treize's mind, was completely different; his was natural, not forced. Wufei's clan had been touched by Seisyruu, the dragon god. While the surviving members of his clan had been purely human, Wufei himself was only partially human. His entire aspect - his nature, his mien, his body, and most especially his soul - were unique.
Treize watched the translucent baby dragon bobbing around Wufei's shoulders, its small head questing this way and that, showing Wufei's true thoughts. He was a rare treasure, something that Treize never believed he would find again. And now, not only to have a Dragon Child of this purity, but to have this Child's Guardian fall into his lap, and then to discover this Child of Seiryuu was anankhah ...!
It was a treasure beyond belief. Never, not since Seiryuu had been alive, had something of this magnitude occurred. As Treize crossed the room and settled on the opposite end of the sofa, he suppressed a smile. Wufei looked so much like Seiryuu, his expression serious in repose, that at times it hurt. But Wufei's dragon was nothing at all like the adult dragon that surrounded Seiryuu.
One day, my dragon, you will be as magnificent as Seiryuu ever was.
"Wufei?"
Wufei turned, his gaze meeting Treize's, calm and unflinching. "Yes?"
It was such a pleasure to be with him. Both Wufei and the dragon looked directly at him, the dragon wrapped around the boy's neck. He was so beautiful ...
Trying to match his mood, Treize studied him for a moment. "What are you thinking?"
For his part, Wufei simply looked at him and did not answer immediately. Finally, he shrugged and glanced away. "Not much."
"Mmmhmm."
There was a short silence. "I'm glad you gave Sally an out," Wufei said suddenly. "I hope - I hope she doesn't come back."
Treize's eyebrows shot up. Ah, so. Shifting his position, he moved marginally closer to Wufei, calculating exactly how close he could come without spooking him. Now he knew what to do.
"She will return, you know," he replied, compassionate, subliminally offering comfort.
" ... I know she will," Wufei replied, obviously unhappy, looking down at the carpet.
Treize regarded him silently. Wufei was quiet, avoiding the older man's gaze. Anything was preferable than looking at Treize. Outwardly, Wufei was stoic, emotionless; but the dragon twisting and rolling around his shoulders, troubled and conflicted, gave everything away.
Treize watched, saying nothing. Moments turned into minutes, and still Wufei remained mute. Sounds of people moving through the mansion, walking in and out of the front entrance, murmured voices and good-natured laughter filtered into the sitting room. Sunshine poured through the windows, lighting the fine Persian rug at their feet.
Life went on. Still, Wufei said nothing.
But Treize was a patient man. He had waited millenia for this moment; to his mind, waiting several more minutes for perfection to deliver itself into his hands was not a problem.
Finally Wufei looked up at Treize, his dark gaze steady. The dragon continued to undulate about Wufei's shoulders, a little more frequently than normal, but it was also watching Treize with its unblinking stare.
"Treize. I've - I've decided to stay - "
Ah, that's my dragon ... "I see - "
" - for now." Wufei broke in quickly, a little too quickly. "No surprise to you, I'm sure, since you know everything." He sounded slightly bitter.
"Now, now. First - I am glad you made your decision, and I'm happy that decision was to stay here. Second - and you know this - I'm not omnicient. I never claimed to know everything." Treize gave him a small smile.
Wufei didn't smile in return. " ... it doesn't matter what I do. I'm losing my soul either way."
Leaning against the back of the sofa, Wufei looked up at the ceiling, serious and pensive, supporting his head with his right arm. The dragon wound itself around Wufei and settled the main part of its body behind his head, on the back of the couch. Yes. Conceding defeat. End it now, because ... because it's the right thing to do.
"Indeed," Treize murmured, sliding just a little closer and reaching behind Wufei, his arm on the back of the couch. Doing nothing else that could be considered suspect, Treize gently moved his right hand along the contours of the dragon's back. "And why, Wufei, do you think you're losing your soul? I don't believe you've misplaced it. In fact -" and he ran his fingers lightly across the dragon's back again, so that the small creature arched up into his caress, "- I think it's with you now."
A small, delicate shiver worked its way across Wufei's shoulders and down his arms. He closed his eyes briefly, then opened them, staring at the ceiling. "I - don't know. It just feels like I ... ah ... " He closed his eyes again, this time a little longer, suppressing his reaction, then opened them again. "...it feels like I am. Or ... maybe - maybe I'm losing ... losing my freedom," he mused, stretching his legs. "Assuming I was free before. I'm not ... so sure."
"Hmm. Well, then. That's something entirely different, isn't it?"
"It ... it ... is. Is anyone - truly free?" Wufei murmured, his eyes closed, leaning closer to Treize.
"A good question, Wufei. I would think that all depends upon their perspective ... wouldn't you?" A passionate gleam shone in Treize's eyes. Sinuously, Treize leaned closer to Wufei, claiming the middle of the couch, his long legs mimicking Wufei's posture. The dragon rippled under Treize's hand, his sensitive back flowing against Treize's outstretched fingers.
"Yes ... I ... would." Wufei's voice was lower, softer, smoother, not quite a murmur. He was completely relaxed against the couch, his head thrown back, eyes closed, eyelashes thick and full against flawless caramel skin.
Perfect. Simply perfect. And now - all will be perfect.
"And it would depend on their situation, as well." Treize's fingers dropped lower, moving in an ancient, intricate pattern, centimeters above the dragon's back. Without any warning small fibers appeared, materializing from the center of the dragon's body, and all surged outward to meet Treize's fingers and palm. Smiling at his handiwork, a predatory gleam in his eye as he watched the newly called cilia waving softly like sheaves of wheat in the wind, he continued to talk quietly to Wufei. "Plus, your attitude determines how you approach your situation, ne?"
"Yes ... but ... Sally doesn't realize ... she's free to go. Or ... or that ..." Wufei's mouth moved for a moment, struggling to form words, then stopped, his original thought apparently gone. Without his volition, his body swayed closer to Treize, his head rolling slightly on his shoulders, his mouth relaxed into a tiny smile. Wufei was the picture of complete and total relaxation, giving into the sensations bombarding his body.
"Mmm ... well. Sally is free in some respects, but she also has responsibilities. Just as anyone else." Stroking the sides of the dragon, Treize gently manipulated more of the strange, gossamer strands, now all over the tiny creature. They all moved and pulsed, completely askew and totally chaotic, each waving in any direction.
Lovely, Treize thought, petting and admiring the dragon. Anankhahs were rare, special creatures. All their soul moorings were free, moving in any direction, just waiting for someone to come and claim them, and consequently their soul, as their own.
As you are mine, dragon. Not long now.. Slowly, patiently, Treize stroked the strands, manipulating them so that they all pulsed at the same time and they all pointed in the same direction.
Toward home. Toward him.
The dragon liked the attention. Happy, content, it butted its translusent nose against Treize's arm, asking for more. More petting. More attention. More ... of everything.
Unable to contain himself, Treize beamed, unmasking his own true essence, flooding the room with bright, bronze light. That small push - whether Wufei acknowledged it or not, knew it or not - was how Wufei truly felt at the moment, and that was just fine with Treize.
After a long pause, Wufei murmured, " ... mmm ... why?"
"Why, Wufei? Why ... what?" Treize's gaze, sharp and incisive, focused on short, willowly strands under the dragon's chin and across his neck, digging behind the place where his wings would grow, the fingers on both hands moving around and around, one on the metaphysical being, the other on physical Wufei.
Rousing himself long enough to respond, Wufei sighed, "Why ... why does Sally ... have responsibilites ... that would keep her here?"
"Because she's your Guardian, Wufei. She's here to make sure that you remain healthy and happy. She loves you, Wufei."
"...um ... she ... can't." The dragon's head moved up and down, showing a little agitation, and Wufei's cheeks were turning pink. He had to do something to relieve that stress. His eyes still tightly closed, he sighed again and turned his face against Treize's chest, reaching for him, shifting his weight slightly to press his body against Treize's length. The dragon, too, thought this was an excellent idea, and undulated around both of them, dipping a little into Treize's broader shoulders.
Treize controlled himself; he wanted to grab Wufei then and there, but without all the dragon's soul moorings correctly oriented, his hard work would all be for nothing. Patience ... patience. He has already made his choice. Be careful, go slow .. he is already yours ...
"You really have very little say in the matter, Wufei - it is in her nature. We will discuss this later. At the very least, know this - Sally will do all in her power to insure your happiness and well-being. She is your Guardian."
"She ... shouldn't," Wufei whispered, clearly not analyzing anything Treize said. He was completely curled against Treize's side.
Encouraging both the dragon and Wufei, Treize intensified his petting, making sure that all Wufei's moorings were aligned. Soft, delicate caresses feathered on Wufei's head and neck caused him to curve into Treize even more, stretch for his hand, strain to touch him - it feels so good, no, don't stop, I want ... I want ...
"But she hurts ..." The dragon was looking at him with large, soulful eyespots, bobbing up and down, agitated, confused, troubled. He loved Sally, and Sally was wounded, and she was wounded because of him ... that was hard, not right, troubling -
"Yes. She does now, Wufei. But she will heal." Focus on what you feel now, Wufei, you feel wonderful ... and it's right, it's all right ...
Wufei shuddered, unable to hide his reaction and equally unable to respond to Treize's comment about Sally. Abandoning thought for feeling and sensation, Wufei pulled himself closer to Treize, snuggling in the older man's lap, his head against Treize's chest, adjusting his breathing to Treize's strong, steady heartbeat. With his eyes closed and his breathing faster, Wufei lifted his head back onto Treize's shoulder, instinctively arching his back and pushing himself up, offering his unguarded face and neck to Treize. At the same time, the dragon unwrapped a little from Wufei's shoulder and plunged straight into Treize's chest, coming out of his back and wrapping around his waist to join with Wufei again, creating a secure hold on both of them.
Treize hadn't felt such passion or bliss for millenia.
As we walked into the department store, I remembered hearing Une blathering about something:
"Oh, look, Sally! There's the very dress I told you about, the red one with the spaghetti straps! You would look absolutely darling in that dress, it would flatter you so much. Please, let's go see what ..."
I blinked. Une was gone, the store was gone. A strange fog was in front of me, a fog that left me feeling cold and scared and alone, the way I felt when I was five and realized I was the only person around who could hear voices:
"Treize. I've - I've decided to stay - "
"I see - "
" - for now. No surprise to you, I'm sure, since you know everything."
"Now, now. First - I am glad you made your decision, and I'm happy that decision was to stay here. Second - and you know this - I'm not omnicient. I never claimed to know everything."
" ... it doesn't matter what I do. I'm losing my soul either way."
The fog lifted. Standing next to the dress display was Une, prattling on and on about the red dress and some others she was going to bring into the dressing room, plus how happy she was to be with me, et cetera, et cetera. I blinked at her, rubbing my temple, and smiled with what I hoped looked like some enthusiasm. The right side of my head was throbbing, as if I had taken a glancing blow, and I had no idea what had just happened.
But you know what you just heard, Po. Wufei just told Treize he was staying.
"Sally - oh, Sally, Sally, what's wrong? You have fine little lines around your eyes, and your nose looks pinched - are you feeling all right?"
Somehow, something had penetrated Une's dimwitted brain, telling her I was not all right. Feh.
"I - I just - a headache just started, Lady Une, that's all," I admitted. "I hope you don't mind, but - I'd like to get some water. There's a fountain by the perfume counter. If you wouldn't mind ... I'd like to go there first, please. Then we could come back, and ... try on clothes." Yay.
"Oh, yes, yes, of course!" Sparkley was always enthusiastic when it came to the needs of others. "It's this way, I've been here so many times before. Here, let me take your arm ..."
Sighing, I turned and linked arms with her, noting wryly that she kept a careful distance between herself and Jack, who was panting and wriggling on the end of his leash on my other side.
Apparently, her passion for fashion outweighs her fear of dogs, Po. Everyone has their limits.
Une insisted we stop at the fragerence counter after I had my water.
"We'll just look here first. Really, it won't take long, and there are some perfumes that you simply must try, Sally! They are exquisite, and I'm so excited to see how they'll match your body chemistry. You know, it's true what they say, that perfume actually reacts differently on different people - and that's all because our individual body chemistry is different. Not by much, you understand, but just different enough that ..."
Once she was in mid-ramble, it was impossible to stop her.
"Yes, Lady. Fine. Whatever you'd like me to try." Weary, I dragged myself after her, Jack obediently trotting next to me.
Waiting for the next available sales clerk, Une showed me all the different scents she liked. The aromas, sweet and powerful, mingled together until I thought I was going to get physically ill.
"Please. Lady, really - I don't think - "
"Oh, no, Sally, this is the best fragrence for you! It's very light, very delicate, very much you. Miss - Miss, over here, please! Thank you SO much! Could you help my friend and me? There's a fragrence - here, this one, by Aramizano, we'd like to try it -"
The smiling saleswomam pulled a tester from behind the counter and sprayed a small amount on a card, then waved that card under my nose. I nearly gagged, the scent was so strong.
"An excellent choice! Do you know, this fragrance has quite a history - it comes from the rose garden of Bagatelle in France, where they have over 9,000 roses and over 1,000 different varieties. Amazing, ne?"
Absolutely fucking amazing. I blinked and looked down at Jack, feeling lightheaded. Something was wrong. I felt ... odd ... off ... ohgods ... it was happening again, what was HAPPENING to me, I didn't understand this at all:
Wufei lay curled next to Treize ... no, not Wufei, me ... confusion ... was this Wufei, or was it me?
...it was us, both of us, Wufei and me, I saw through Wufei's eyes. Now were were on top of Treize, listening to his heartbeat - oh, so slow, so steady, and his hand was so sure, so sweet, and it felt so, so good ...
I was - no, he was ... happy ... that thrilled, quivering expectation every time he touches ... touch again, gods, don't stop, no, don't stop -
I/we ache, long to be held, to be caressed ... like this, fully known, fully realized, that's it, just like that, do it again, do it do it do -
My mind was on fire. I was burning, burning with horror and shame. Ohgods WUFEI - he CHOSE to ...chose to ... and I'm HERE and they want to ... oh NO NO NO NO -
" - so a wager was made between the Count d' Artois and his sister-in-law, Marie-Antoinette, to build a castle on the site of a cottage in the bois de Bologne, all in under ten weeks. And do you know, he actually did it? How long do you think it took him?"
I stared at the saleswoman. My eyes got wider and my hands started to shake. What the - ? It wasn't - I couldn't - my head was throbbing, throbbing -
"How long? Can you guess?"
Carefully, I scooped Jack off the floor and shoved him into the front pocket of my sweatshirt. Then I leaned across the counter, grabbed the saleswoman by her shirt and bodily hauled her halfway across the counter until my face was centimeters from hers. Boxes thumped to the ground and cologne bottles rolled across the counter, smashing to the floor, glass flying everywhere.
"HOW THE FUCK SHOULD I KNOW, YOU STUPID BITCH? DO I LOOK LIKE I CARE?"
The poor saleswoman's feet kicked into the cabinet behind the counter, sending the entire display pitching to the ground with a splintering crash. She screamed and waved her arms, looking like a turtle on her back, sending more bottles crashing to the floor.
"Stop - please - let go, please, let go - it was just a story -"
"Miss Po! Miss Po! Sally, please let her go, oh please no don't do this let her go let her go - !"
It wasn't her. She didn't do this to you, Po. Don't kill the innocent. Panting and shaking, I released my grip. Throbbing, pulsing pain hit me between the eyes, harsh and relentless. I moaned; the world spun. I was going to be sick, very sick.
Sobbing in relief, the saleswoman collapsed on the counter, heedless of the glass. One of her colleagues darted forward, plucked her off of the collapsed display and hustled her away.
"Sally - Sally, can you hear me? Miss Po?"
Sunk on my knees in the ruined perfume department, miserable, I could only clutch my head and groan, trying not to retch.
Treize's cellphone was ringing. In fact, it had been vibrating for some time.
"Mmm?" Wufei was in feedback mode only, responding to Treize, moving into his caresses, eyes closed, the dragon slowly undulating around both of them.
"Shhhh, now." Treize kissed the top of Wufei's head, then threaded his fingers through the boy's fine hair, massaging his scalp, all very non-threatening, very low key. Wufei snuggled on top of him, content. Flipping his cell phone open with his free hand, Treize murmured, "Hello?"
" ... Treize-sama?" Une's voice was hopeful and tremulous at the same time, as if she was trying not to cry.
"Hello, Lady. Are you all right?" Calm and concern radiated from Treize's voice to Une. Focus - focus, Lady. You can do it. Calm
"Ah ... I ... I'm all right ..." She stopped, hitching a little.
Treize sighed. "Is Sally all right, Lady?"
The dragon's gentle ripplings stopped when Treize mentioned Sally's name. Wufei's head stirred on his chest, nuzzling. It was so pleasant, so right to feel the warmth spreading through his body, listen to Treize's voice rumble in his chest, feel such marvelous sensations spreading from his head to his toes ... but that name ... Sally ...
Shh, dragon, shh. All is well. Peace, now.
"Sally ... has ... collapsed. I don't know why, I'm so SORRY, Treize-sama! I don't know what happened -"
"Calm, Lady, calm. I'm glad you're all right. Don't apologize. Take your time and tell me what happened."
Une sniffed and took a deep breath. "Well, she's ... she's in the medical staff office now, and is lying down. She - she complained of a headache when we first arrived, but seemed better once she had some water. But after that ... after that, at the perfume counter ... she - " Une stopped, gulped, then said the rest in a rush. "She grabbed the poor saleswoman by the neck and - and attacked her, Treize-sama! She pulled her right over the counter, and screamed these awful things at her, and then ... and then moaned and collapsed right there. And then they took her to the office."
"Lady -"
"I - I did everything I could for her - I did, Treize-sama. She's in the dark, and has a cloth on her head - damp, I mean. They think it may be some kind of migraine, and - and ... that's all for now."
"You did extremely well, Lady Une. I couldn't ask for anyone to do anything more. Really, that was a wonderful job." He sighed again as he petted Wufei. Lady Une was such a needy thing; there wasn't anything else to do, except to soothe and encourage her. At least her homicidal tendencies were under control. "I have one other task for you. Would you be able to do that?"
"Oh, yes, Treize-sama, anything! Of course!" Now Une sounded better, more hopeful.
"I'd like you to wait for me, and keep an eye on Sally. I'm going to come and collect both of you, and bring you back. Will you do that for me?"
"But of course, Treize-sama! Of course!" Une's demeanor expanded during the conversation, from frightened and unsure at the beginning to a girlish giddy-happy at the end.
Nodding patiently, Treize listened as Une rattled off the address for him, completely confident that she will be able to please him. "Excellent, Lady Une. Please wait there for me. I can't thank you enough for calling as promptly as you did, and for handling this emergency in such a professional manner."
"Treize-sama, you can count on me! But should we keep Sally here or should we transfer her to -"
"I will see you soon, Lady. In the meanwhile, do what you believe is best. Goodbye."
He closed his cell phone and looked down at Wufei, laying in his lap, looking back at him with his dark, unfathomable gaze. Just at that moment, the dragon decided to do a little more exploring, and plunged deeply into Treize, taking more of itself than it ever did before.
Treize gasped, then shuddered with bliss.
Now. It is Time.
He reached for Wufei; blindly, Wufei reached back, moving into his embrace.
I moaned a little and moved my head. Was I dead?
The answer flashed through my mind. Apparently not. I hurt too much. Damn.
Groaning, I tried to move, but ended up flopping on my back, unable to focus, horribly dizzy. Just moving my head made me dizzy. Gads, how much sense did that make? I was laying down, for pity's sake -
- when a riot of sunburst color and desire coalesced and exploded, knocking me flat, drowning me in Wufei's eagerness and need, passion and rapture. It was his choice to stay with Treize, and now ... now it was his choice to melt into Treize's embrace ... to be loved and wanted, taken. Claimed.
And power - there was so much power swirling around me, power that consumed, power that enveloped Wufei, power of the Claim, power that fused and bent and bound Wufei to Treize.
So very easily, so very quickly, it was FINISHED with an incandescence impossible to describe. One moment I saw the dragon's body with translucent, gossamer fibers, and the next ... each tip of every fiber glowed bronze, a metallic, shining brilliance. It was branded in my mind, never to be erased -
Horrible, horrible, it was so awful. Wufei had been taken from me completely, and I couldn't lift a finger. Not to help him, or save him, or reason with him, or -
- HOME. Perfection. No conflict. Treize was all, everything, alpha and omega. We were one. All of my/our needs, wants, longings, desires could be answered and fulfilled by Treize.
I screamed, but made no sound. My mind screamed, but it made no difference. Treize was not Home for me, no, not at ALL. I was losing my identity, losing my self, stop stop this was not happening, not to ME I AM NOT WUFEI LET ME GO GODS I AM SALLY SALLY NO NO NO NO AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH -
Fortunately, my mind gave way and I blacked out.