Duo was making an ass of himself, I realized suddenly.
In the next moment, Duo was on the ground looking up, holding his cheek in his hand and looking completely bewildered. Meanwhile, my right fist was on my left side, still clenched, and stinging like a bitch. I was upset with myself for this sudden loss of control, but not surprised by my own show of temper. Duo was, after all, being an ass.
Looking down at Duo, who was on his rump, holding his cheek and staring at me with a stunned, hurt expression that told me clearly that he had no idea why I'd struck me. I felt my temper boil again, but managed to restrain myself from physical violence.
"It seems that you believe the efforts of your Master and fellow slaves are less worthy because they were under the impression that you had run away," I told him coldly, amazed at how level my voice remained. "I feel obligated to inform you of just how wrong you are. Firstly, I must remind you of how likely it was that you would run away. After all, you hate Master Zechs. We are all well aware of that. And wouldn't it seem suspicious, under the best of circumstances, that you are found missing a mere day after he leaves? Then, even overlooking your intense dislike of your master, can you blame us for suspecting the notorious Shinigami, who has escaped slavery more times than Collar would like to remember, of escaping once again?"
"But maybe you're right, perhaps we did jump to a conclusion, albeit the most logical one. And yet, regardless of your assumed infraction, what was our response? Heero, immediately, tried to cover for you even though he believed that you had abandoned him. He even managed to convince the rest of us to join him in trying to cover for you by finding you before Master returned. Are these efforts worth your scorn?"
"Then again, we did fail at keeping your transgression from Master, so perhaps it is most noteworthy to look at Master's actions, once he found that you were missing. Most Masters would merely alert their soldiers of the slave's absence and give them leave to shoot to kill. And, while I am certain that Zechs informed his guards that you were missing, I am equally certain that no orders to kill or harm were issued. Especially since Zechs immediately set to the task of finding you, putting his own efforts and resources toward finding you. And even when it became clear that you would surely die of exposure instead of making it off the property, at which time all fear of shame from you escape would have been extinguished, Zechs still risked his life to find you. Now, if you still think all of this is worthy of your scorn, stand up. I'll gladly put you on the floor again, so that you may better contemplate you ungrateful words," I promised. By this time Duo finally looked adequately ashamed of himself, his shoulders hunched and his eyes trained on the floor.
"Wufei, that's enough," Zechs said, tugging me to sit beside him on the small couch. I worried, for a moment, that I might have overstepped my bounds and angered him, but instead I received a quick and almost grateful smile for my efforts. It was only for a moment, but it was enough to tell me that Zechs wasn't angry, before he turned his attention back to Duo. "Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to know what you were doing with Bee in the middle of the forest."
Duo managed to look even more uncomfortable than before, if that's possible. He wouldn't look Zechs in the eyes, but neither would he deny the request. Reluctantly, he began talking.
"I guess you probably know by now, but me 'n Heero had a fight while you were away," he said, then sighed. "I was just so mad. With myself, with Heero, with everything. I just… I needed to get away. I was afraid that I'd say something stupid or do something stupid, so I thought the best way to clear my head would be to take a ride. It never occurred to me that the stupid thing I was trying to avoid doing was the same as riding Bee off in the middle of the night without telling anyone where I was going or when I'd be back. It even started raining, and I still didn't get the hint. It wasn't until a bolt of lightening made Bee rear that I realized just how stupid I had been. By the time I hit the ground I had finally realized what a stupid mistake I had made, but by then it was too late. I was unconscious, and damn close to freezing to death."
"Duo, that is without a doubt the most idiotic thing you've done so far," Zechs told him, a look of exasperation on his face. "First of all, you're not even experienced to ride after dark even with a chaperone, let alone by yourself. Secondly, you should know better than to ride Bee in the rain, even without the lightening. Do you know how easy it would be for her to slip in the mud and hurt herself or you?" Zechs lectured. "However… I must tell you, taking Bee out was still far less stupid than trying to run away would have been. You will still be punished, have no doubt," Zechs assured him severely, "but I think it can wait until we've all rested a bit more. And so, I'm ordering everyone back to bed."
"That's an excellent idea," I told him, rising and offering him my hand. "You first."
The surprised and confused look on Zechs' face was almost comical. I suppose it never struck him that we would assume that his command pertained to himself as well. Perhaps it said something about just how tired he really was, that he couldn't see just how desperately he needed to sleep. Regardless, I and the others could see that he needed to go back to bed more than anyone else, and we would not rest until he saw it as well.
"Ah… that's not what I meant. I still need to check in with my guards…"
"You did that this morning."
"…and the horses need tended to…"
"Trowa did that as soon as he woke up."
"…and my paperwork is piling up…"
"Enough already. Your papers can wait one day if it means you'll live to see another. You're out of excuses," I told him sternly. It earned me a glare and a huff, but I could tell from his eyes that he was quickly losing ground. "You know none of us will rest well knowing that you're pushing yourself this hard,' I told him in a softer tone, and finally saw defeat in his eyes.
"You win, you win," he said as he held up his hands in a placating manner. "I guess a little more sleep won't kill me."
"More like save you," I said under my breath as I herded Zechs up the stairs. The others followed, quiet and subdued, even Duo. I hoped I hadn't gone too far with him, but I just hadn't been able to take his stubbornness any longer. And, as I watched Zechs struggle to hide the soreness in his muscles as he trudged up the stairs, I couldn't quite regret my harsh words.
Once in the bedroom, Zechs literally fell into bed, facedown with his face buried in a pillow, giving only a grunt of effort and a sigh of satisfaction. I chuckled at him as I passed by, headed instead into the master bathroom. Inside I located a jar of soothing ointment. Now all I had to do was convince my stubborn Master to hold still long enough to let me apply it.
"Wufei? What are you doing in there?" Zechs called, his voice muffled by the pillow.
"What does one usually do in a bathroom?" I teased in response.
"You left the door open, so I knew you weren't doing that. You're such a prude about that stuff," he said chuckling. I snorted. I had never considered myself particularly prudish… merely more refined than others.
"You're simply a barbarian, that's all,' I replied. "Now hold still."
"Why? What are you…? Ack! Shit, that's cold! What the hell is that?"
"It's for your muscles," I told him patiently. His shirt was bunched around his shoulders and I doubted that I could persuade him to take it off.
"My muscles are fine."
"You're so full of shit," I responded. Zechs grunted in surprise at my crudeness, but actually acquiesced enough to remove his shirt for me.
"Perhaps I am just a bit sore," he admitted with a smile. "Getting old, maybe," he joked.
"Oh, I'm sure that's what it is. Not the marathon riding that you did yesterday or anything, I'm sure it's your age," I teased back as I finished his massage. Once I was done, I returned the ointment to the bathroom.
Returning to the bedroom, I hesitated in the doorway to take in the sight before me. Zechs was still on his stomach on the bed, his arms and legs splayed out around him, completely relaxed and unprotected. He had given everything he had last night, poured all that he was into protecting those he cared about. It made something inside me swell with pride, even as staring at his almost nude form caused a swelling of a different kind. It was difficult not to be allured by those planes of golden skin, or the way the muscles in his back ripped and flexed as he breathed. His hair was fanned out over the pillow so that none of his face was visible, moving gently in time with his breathing. He was, to put it plainly, stunningly beautiful, and I decided in an instant that I had to have him once again. I wanted him above me, pouring himself into me.
That decided, I padded softly to the bed and slid in beside him, determined to spring my seduction on him. I had just managed to press myself against and begin kissing his neck when he began to snore. I was so startled that for a full minute I just stared at him.
"Well… damn," I muttered to myself, knowing that I didn't have the heart to wake him only to fulfill my carnal pleasures.
I sighed, resigning myself to another night of unfulfilled desires, and contented myself to curl up against Zechs. It wouldn't kill me, I reminded myself, life could be far worse than a few weeks of celibacy.
And besides… there was always tomorrow.