Devil's Gap

A/N: Thanks to those who reviewed. Glad to know someone’s enjoying this story. *cough*morepeopleshouldreview*cough*



I should write fanfics more often. They flow easier than my original stories. Especially when it involves Wufei and Duo. Fun fun fun.



Chapter 3.



~*~



The next morning found Wufei in the exact same spot where he fell asleep. Only his head and neck had shifted to accommodate his comfort, but other than that his body knew there was someone else in the bed, and was a bit uneasy about that fact. So he stayed, unconsciously, completely still. The sun was peeking through the blue drapes hung over the large window, a few golden rays highlighting bronze skin and making the Asian wince and groan, finally rolling over to get away from the rising sun.



His movement to roll over, however, was hindered.



An arm was snaked around his waist and a firm chest was pressed against his back, the barrier of clothing not doing enough to keep the coolness from emanating from Duo’s chilled skin. The fingers of the hand of the arm that was draped over Wufei’s side (wow, sentence structure fail…) were lightly rubbing over the Chinese man’s hip bone.



So Duo hadn’t slept at all? It proved the theory that no, ghosts can not sleep. Wufei started to wonder if he should call a paranormal investigator to the house… maybe someone from TAPS, that one television show that he watched every now and then? Having other skeptics present would solidify his sanity… but what if the skeptics came to believe that Duo really is a ghost? Really is…



… dead…



“Mornin’.”



Duo’s voice was cheerful and soft, speaking directly into Wufei’s ear. Wufei, however, with his last thoughts, was thinking deeply. It made him sad… Duo was so young, and he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. There was no justice in taking such a young, beautiful and vibrant life –



… not that Duo was beautiful and vibrant…



Ahem.



“Good morning.” Wufei finally replied, shifting a bit. He wasn’t as bothered by Duo’s arm slung over his body casually as he figured he might have been; maybe it was because it comforted Duo, and in turn it comforted Wufei to know that he could offer some sort of solstice to the lost soul. “Sleep well?”



He felt the shrug that was in lieu of the American’s response, and turned to face the amethyst eyes that were watching the sun rise outside of the window.



“You don’t sleep.” It was a statement more than a question, and Wufei was frowning lightly.



“Not really… I mean, I can relax and stuff but to sleep would mean giving into the demons.”



That was the first direct answer that Wufei had gotten from Duo in the entirety of them being together. And quite frankly, Wufei now wasn’t too sure if he wanted any more direct answers.



“So… you’re really a--…. You’re really…”



“Dead?” Duo asked, raising a brow and glancing down at Wufei, who looked a bit sheepish, but nodded his head. Duo nodded in response, letting out a sigh and lacing his fingers behind his head. “Yeah. Burned up along with the ranch.”



“Were there other…?”



“Nah, I was left alone for the day. No one’s sure what caused the fire.” Duo was talking about it like it didn’t affect him like all, like he hadn’t really died in a disastrous fire.



“How…?”



“How can I manifest like this?” The American chuckled and sat up, turning to smile lightly at Wufei. “Hell, I don’t even know. I always thought ghosts were like, invisible an’ shit. And honestly I thought that if I manifested that I’d be burnt to a crisp, haha.” The laugh in his voice was forced, and Wufei sat up as well, a concerned expression on his face.



“Why didn’t you pass over?”



Duo’s eyes darkened a bit, but at the same time they glittered with a hint of joy.



“There is such thing as unfinished business, Wu.” The brunet pulled his braid over his shoulder, starting to unravel it slowly, running his fingers through the kinks.



“You have some? To the ranch?” Wufei inquired, getting more curious by the minute. The answers he was getting were definitely depressing – here he was talking to a dead man about why he hadn’t passed on into Heaven, or even Hell. Surely he was prying… but Duo didn’t seem to mind answering.



“Not to the ranch, no. I wasn’t really welcomed there in the first place; just a hired hand to help out. The people didn’t like me too well cuz I was just a scrawny, poor white kid.” He chuckled bitterly. “I wouldn’t be surprised if they were the ones responsible for the fire.”



Wufei frowned and placed a hand on Duo’s shoulder; the American offered a small smile as he continued to play with his long chestnut locks.



“No, my unfinished business is actually the business of another person. Someone unhappy with their life that needed a bit of sunshine on a rainy day.”



A slender brow rose, and golden eyes were curious. “A friend? Lover?”



Duo licked his lips and tossed a section of his hair over his shoulder, twirling some locks around his index finger while he thought. “Someone… someone that I went to school with. I wasn’t exactly friends with him; Hell he didn’t even know I existed. There was always a bit of sadness lingering in his eyes and I wanted to lift it from them, see him smile.” The brunet turned and smiled at Wufei. “Even if a smile is forced, smiling is proven to brighten someone’s mood even just a little bit.”



“Is that why you smile so much?” Wufei blurted before even thinking about the question, blushing and covering his mouth once the words came out. Duo blinked and laughed, the smile reaching his eyes as he shook his head and clapped Wufei on the back affectionately.



“Too cute, Wu.”



Wufei glared, “I am not cute.”



As the American started to braid his hair, he chuckled again and nudged Wufei with his elbow. “Sure, sure.” Still smiling softly he continued to plait his hair, and Wufei thought of a few more questions.



“So… can you shower? Er, do you shower? Change clothes and brush your teeth?” Wufei tilted his head a bit, letting his own hair down and running his fingers through it. It had gotten kinked by sleeping on it, so he had to pull it up once again, but it felt good to let down the silk curtain for a bit. “I mean, you’re so solid I can touch you, and you can even eat.”



“Eating is just a lose-lose situation. I can’t smell or taste anything; I can only see, hear, and feel. I eat to fit in. As for showering, yeah, even I get dirty. My clothes are kinda awesome in the fact that if they get dirty all I gotta do is will the grime away and they’re brand-spankin’ new. Same with if I get hurt.”



“… you remind me of the vampires in books… Can’t taste, can regenerate injuries.”



Duo laughed outright, “Fuck dude, if I was a vampire that’d be fuckin’ awesome! Going around seducing hot chicks and then sucking their blood?”



Wufei rolled his golden eyes and pulled his hair up, getting out of bed and stretching leisurely. “So do you have like, superhuman strength or something?”



“Tch,” Duo snorted. “I wish. Nah I’m still just a scrawny poor white boy.” He grinned broadly and got out of bed as well, stretching his arms above his head. He turned to Wufei and winked, “But with a few special techniques hidden up my sleeve.”



Wufei raised a brow and folded his arms over his chest. “Oh? Like what?”



Shrugging, Duo stepped towards the bed, walking casually. He didn’t move to get on the bed – no, instead he started to walk through the bed, and in a blink of an eye he was gone. Wufei’s eyes were wide as saucers as he stared at the middle of the bed where Duo had walked as if the mattress were just an illusion. Glancing around the room, Wufei’s skin broke out in goosebumps before he heard Duo’s voice behind him. Jumping slightly, the Asian turned around and glared half-heartedly.



“Don’t give me a heart attack like that!” He chastised, and Duo merely laughed.



“Yeah, yeah, right after I pull the stick outta yer ass I’m sure you’ll be free of cardiac arrest.” Duo snickered and pat Wufei on the shoulder, opening the bedroom door. “C’mon, let’s surprise Grams with breakfast!”



Duo headed down the hallway, leaving Wufei stranded in the bedroom with a bit of a lost expression on his face. Duo… well of course he was something truly intriguing. Dead, solid, yet could phase…?



Agh, too much information too early in the morning! Wufei grumbled and rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands, moving out to the kitchen. Gramma would appreciate the boys cooking for her, for once.



~*~



Early afternoon was settling over the ranch, the sun high in the sky. Shirtless and sweating profusely, Wufei swung the hoe expertly as he worked on preparing a new field for some vegetables. The area was too small for a tractor and almost too big for physical labor, but with Duo’s help it wasn’t too bad. Strands of raven hair had come loose from the ponytail that was sitting high on Wufei’s head, beads of sweat pouring down his jawline and dropping to the soil, some evaporating before it even hit the dirt. Duo, however, was sweat-free as he worked on the other end of a field, using a donkey attached to a wooden plough.



Both boys decided that since Duo couldn’t sweat, he would do the lighter work so Gramma didn’t think anything fishy. Anyone who’s anyone would sweat while heaving a hoe, and if scrawny lil’ Duo didn’t break one and wasn’t even out of breath… well, Grams would ask a few questions that neither men wanted to answer.



After another hour or so the field was completed neatly, Duo’s and Wufei’s sides perfectly complementing each other. Odd, since usually whoever Wufei worked with did something wrong that made him get all nitpicky. To say Wufei was high strung when it came to work was an understatement; if things weren’t done a specific way, he would flip a lid. But at first Duo had watched Wufei work, and then mimicked the Asian to a T. Wufei wondered if being a ghost automatically made someone a perfect copy.



Grams brought some lemonade out to the field, and the boys took the glasses and drank greedily from them. Wufei leaned against a fence post and wiped his forehead on the back of his arm, getting some dirt on his bronze skin. Duo chuckled lightly and reached forward, his cool hand coming into contact with Wufei’s heated flesh, wiping the dirt away. Wufei shivered and reached up a hand to cover Duo’s, keeping the cool appendage against his forehead.



“You’re like a personal air conditioner,” Wufei said, closing his eyes. Duo didn’t respond and Wufei didn’t see the other move closer, but when the ghost wrapped Wufei up in his embrace, his whole body cooled down considerably. A bit shocked at the drop in temperature, coupled with the fact that Duo was intimately embracing him, Wufei’s stomach did a few flips as the brunet held him closely. Was this a normal sensation that human had when physically interacting with a ghost? Shouldn’t he feel cold? Like he was plunged in an ice bath?



Well ok, his body did cool down considerably, but at the same time it lit afire. An icy, white-hot fire coursed through his veins and made it feel like he no longer had control of his body – was Duo possessing him? A mild panic flickered through Wufei, but it disappeared as soon as the American pulled away with a smile and a mischievous wink.



“I could also heat you up if you like~”



The innuendo hung in the air as Duo took his glass from the fence post he set it on, before walking away merrily, his braid swinging with his movements. Wufei’s face was bright red, and he didn’t even have time to sputter before Grams called them in for dinner.



Dinner went as it had the previous night; only the meal was lasagna and green salad. As they said their thanks, Wufei wondered what Duo was doing. Giving thanks as well? Wasn’t Duo upset that God had bound him to Earth to do an unfinished deed? Then again, if God didn’t reject Duo’s spirit, the brunet wouldn’t have the chance to carry out the one thing that seemed so important in his life.



“Quit thinking so much.”



Duo’s comment brought Wufei out of his thoughts, and he wondered when they’d all let go of each other’s hands and started eating. Blushing lightly, cursing himself for getting so lost in thought, he picked up his fork and started eating as well. All throughout the meal the Asian could feel eyes on him, and he knew Duo was staring – but he couldn’t bring himself to look up at the brunet. Whenever he looked into those eyes something in his stomach twisted and churned; it definitely wasn’t the flu, either.



After dinner once again the boys were left to wash the dishes while Gramma retired to her room. It was silent save for Duo recounting funny events from his days living, and Wufei occasionally chuckling.



“You shoulda seen the mole on her face, dude! Seriously it was like this big!” Duo made his index finger and thumb into a circle about the size of a quarter, and Wufei rolled his eyes. “I couldn’t take her seriously, man. Here she was supposed to be my boss but all I could do was stare at the mole by her nose – like it was gonna grow and consume me at any minute! I coulda swore I saw it had its own heartbeat. Maybe a brain, too!”



Wufei laughed and elbowed Duo in the ribs lightly, “Dork.”



Duo grinned brightly, his smile reaching his eyes at the sound of Wufei’s laughter. The Chinese man knew he didn’t laugh too much, and when he did it wasn’t ever hearty. Just a chuckle or two. But here Duo had his eyes watering, the tears of hysteria threatening to spill over his lids. Occasionally Wufei wiped his eyes with a bronze forearm to make sure none fell, and he continually shook his head.



“And damn you shoulda seen this guy in his Wranglers. It was like he put his ass into a denim glove!”



At that Wufei let out a bark of laughter, and flicked some bubbles onto Duo’s shirt. The brunet paused and glanced down at the shirt, almost a bit disbelieving at Wufei’s flirtatious behavior… and then glanced up with an evil grin.



“WAR!”



The brunet scooped up a handful of bubbles and blew on them, effectively covering Wufei in the suds and making the Chinese blink golden eyes owlishly for a few moments, before playful competition overrode his features. He grabbed the sponge and got it wet along with some bubbles, and then wrung it out over Duo’s head, smearing the bubbles across the ghost’s face. Duo laughed outright and squirmed, trying to get away – there was a tangle of limbs and a pale hand grabbed at the spray nozzle, aiming it at the slighter boy’s face and spraying once.



They parted, panting from the laughing, both dripping wet with warm water and bubbles. Duo smirked triumphantly, blowing on the nozzle as one would the smoking barrel of a gun. Wufei shook his head, long wet tendrils of raven hair flying around and scattering the water in every which direction. His shirt was clinging to his skin, the white material doing nothing to conceal the toned body beneath, and he could feel Duo’s heavy eyes lingering over his body playfully.



But underneath the playfulness… Wufei could feel something deeper. Raising his hands and running his fingers through his hair, ruffling it up a bit, he ignored the fact that his dark nipples were protruding proudly and seemed to have Duo’s attention.



“Alright alright, you win.” Wufei said, smiling lightly as he grabbed a nearby towel and wiped at his face and hair a bit.



“Duh!” Duo laughed, his attention now away from the Chinese man’s doused body, instead training his deep eyes on Wufei’s golden ones. “You can’t beat me, man. I’m the master when it comes to having fun!”



The whole time Wufei’s lips were parted in a big grin that showed all of his teeth; he couldn’t remember the last time he smiled like this. Had he been a child, with his parents? Duo’s laughter quieted and his look softened, and Wufei felt his heart hammering in his chest much like it had earlier in the day, in the field.



“Thank you, Wufei.” Duo said, lowering his gaze a bit and smiling a bit sadly. “I’ve finally done it.”



Wufei raised a brow, his smile fading a bit as well as he felt the shift in Duo’s persona. “… huh?”



Tilting his head and smiling, amethyst eyes glittering brightly, Duo rocked back on his heels.



“You helped me complete my unfinished business.”



For a moment, Wufei was confused. Unfinished… What they had been talking about that morning? Then that meant…



“I was your unfinished business?” Wufei asked, his jaw going a bit slack and eyes widening.



Duo nodded and chuckled, “Yeah, Wu. In high school you were always so absorbed in your studies, I remember thinking ‘man, that guy needs laid’.” He laughed, Wufei blushed and huffed. “But since you never showed any interest in anything other than studies, let alone hot babes or dudes, I figured I would at least try to make you smile. I didn’t get to do it before graduation, though, but when I heard a ranch nearby yours was hiring I jumped on it. I thought maybe one day you’d come out our way and buy some hay from us.” He was still smiling, his eyes were still bright, but his tone of voice lowered a bit.



“Then the accident happened, and I remember as I was getting ready to kick the bucket, I couldn’t help but think ‘Chang Wufei will never smile’.” He laughed. “A bit ridiculous, really.” His lips split lightly. “I remember seeing you give one, small smile, and that was when a little Freshman dropped all of his books in the hallway, and you picked them up for him and he sputtered and blushed and nearly cried because a Senior helped him. The smile you gave him was fond; like you were that kid once.”



Was Duo really that perceptive? How could they have gone to the same school and Wufei have no idea that this wonderful, exotic creature was amongst the mass of boring kids? To say that Wufei was stunned would be an understatement. Despite the questions running through his mind, he kept quiet, letting Duo continue.



“I remember thinking how handsome you were, when you smiled.” It was Duo’s turn to blush lightly. “I guess I’ve kinda had a crush on you the whole time I’ve known you – er, known of you.” He averted his gaze and rubbed the back of his head.



“Duo…” Wufei started, but the brunet raised up a hand and chuckled.



“Nah dude it’s ok. I’ll live.” He winced at his statement, but continued going. “I got to make you smile and laugh for real, and I’ve never been so happy before.” He nodded. “I’m glad that I was the one to bring out that laughter.”



Wufei’s golden eyes were watering lightly, and he reached forward to put a hand on Duo’s bare shoulder, the sleeves of his t-shirt rolled up. The striking contrast of bronze skin on white flesh was intense, and without even thinking Wufei pulled Duo into a tight hug, the cold making the water on his flesh bring up goosebumps.



“Thank you, Duo.” Wufei spoke into Duo’s neck, and Duo’s arms lifted to wind around Wufei’s torso to return the embrace.



“Hey man, it’s no problem.”



“I… Does… Now that you’ve done that… does that mean you have to go…?”



Duo snorted; “Actually I made a bit of a deal with the Devil, you could say.”



Wufei blinked and stopped his light tears, pulling away to look Duo in the face.



“… what.”



The American shrugged and grinned. “Well, I told them I wasn’t gonna do shit until I got to be with you and see you smile. They checked you out, and then told me I didn’t have a chance in Hell.” He snickered. “So I told them, ‘if I can’t make him laugh his ass off, then I’ll go down to Hell’.”



“And if you do…?” Wufei tilted his head a bit to the side, raising a brow, not quite sure if he liked the fact that Duo bargained with the Devil for his sake.



“And if I do – and now that I did – I get my life back. I get to live.” Duo nodded his head and placed his hands on his hips proudly, and Wufei smacked the braided man upside the head.



“YOU GAMBLED YOUR LIFE ON MY HAPPINESS?!”



“Gah! Wu, it was for your own good!”



“YOU SHOULD HAVE JUST WENT TO HEAVEN!”



The sound of dishes breaking resonated through the small kitchen.



“BUT I-“ Duck. “-HAD UNFINISHED BUSINESS!” Crash.



“DON’T MAKE A DEAL WITH THE DEVIL OVER IT!”



Shatter.



“I DIDN’T CARE IF HE MADE ME HIS BITCH, I JUST WANTED TO BE WITH YOU!”



All noise stopped, Wufei pausing in the motion of throwing another plate at Duo’s head. He blinked and lowered his arm from the wound-up position, a slight blush on his face.



“You… wanted to be with me…?” He asked softly, looking at the ground.



“Yes!” Duo said exasperatedly, lowering his arms from shielding his face, loosening from his tense position of cowering be the refrigerator. “They said that the power of love was great in both life and death.”



“… love…?” Wufei’s blush darkened and he threw the plate at Duo’s feet, making the American let out a girly screech and clamber even closer to the fridge – if that was possible. “Don’t say such mushy things, it’s not- it’s not- it’s not manly!”



“Pfffffft!” Duo doubled over with laughter, shaking his head and holding his sides. Wufei’s eye twitched and he reached for a fork, but Duo lifted his eyes and waved a surrendering hand. “Ok, ok, ok! Calm down a minute Jackie Chan.”



Wufei bristled at the comment and folded his arms over his chest, fork tapping on his bicep idly while he waited for Duo to speak.



“I was still so bound to Earth by you, I couldn’t have gone anywhere. I would have been stuck in Limbo.” He made a face and shivered, “No one wants to be stuck in Limbo.”



It took a few moments for Wufei to wrap his mind around everything, but once he did, he licked his lips and put the fork on the counter. He gave Duo a wary eye, and they both started to carefully inch towards each other, watching the other’s hands to make sure no sudden grabs for utensils were made. Once they were close enough, they latched onto each other, Wufei once again burying his face in Duo’s neck, breathing deeply and repressing the sobs that were threatening to come out.



“You’re just as bad as a woman sometimes, ‘Fei.”



“Shut the fuck up and hold me.”



~*~

A/N: Next chapter will be epilogue. Sorry guys, this is just a short story not meant to go on for too long. X]

Keep reviewing!