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A Matter of Good Sense	By : Michalyn Category: Gundam Wing/AC > Yaoi - Male/Male Views: 4852 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing/AC, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 8
- 9
- 10
This story is dedicated to Lili for
her kindness and her wonderful support. Thanks so much, my dear!

I make no claim to any of the Gundam Wing characters. This story is written
for my, and hopefully others' enjoyment and not for monetary profit.

Note: This chapter is
not yet betaed and therefore subject to change. Please excuse any mistakes
you find! They are my own. With
this chapter, the revisions are now complete and I will probably be removing
the old fic after I post chapter 9. Thank you, everyone, for reading, reviewing
and for your patience with me.

A Matter of Good Sense

by Michalyn

Chapter Eight: Home

Wufei was frozen in place:

Afraid to think, afraid to move, afraid
to do anything that might disrupt the delicate choreography that now
kept his and Trey's limbs entwined. Forgetting was not an option: nothing in
his universe had prepared him for the previous night and trying to erase it
would be an exercise in futility. Wufei had hoped,however, to not be so ignominously
reminded of his surrender. Trey's arm was wound securely around his waist and
his thigh was pressed between Wufei's legs. He might not be able to forget,
but for the sake of his own sanity Wufei chose to ignore the more intimate mingling
of parts they were engaged in. It was early enough in the morning to make him
acutely aware of the pronounced effects of some of the more instinctive
workings of the male anatomy.

Careful not to jostle Trey, Wufei shifted.
If he could only turn just a litt--

"I won't shatter if you move, you
know." Trey's voice, a little husky, but quite distinct, sounded right
next to Wufei's ear.

Wufei started. Trey was.... He closed
his eyes.

Of course the gods would not grant him
even that little fortune.

He was embarrassed, flustered, uncomfortable
and a million other things that did not help his situation one bit. The only
thing missing was his normal will to fight it all. It must have sailed out the
door right after his pride. All that remained in Wufei was a bone-deep weariness
and a longing for stability after what seemed like a lifetime of upheaval. Trey
was studying him.

"How do you feel this morning?"

What a question, and the last person to
know the answer was he! Well, Wufei's lips quirked, at least his fever was gone.
The rest, he could make no judgement about. He shrugged.

"My fever appears to have abated."

"Hmm," Trey's look was contemplative.
"I thought so." He touched a hand to his neck. "So has mine."

Wufei rolled over as Trey disentangled
their bodies. "How fortuitous." he retorted dryly.

Trey shot him a sharp look. "Tell
me, am I being ridiculous in drawing a link between this "miraculous"
recovery and the fact that we had sex last night?"

"I--" Wufei's face flamed as
he struggled to find his voice. He should have expected Trey to not dance around
the issue. The man obviously did not have one bashful bone in his body. Unfortunately
for Wufei, he could not say the same of himself.

"I do not see why that has to be
the foregone conclusion." Wufei trailed off, the protest sounding feeble
even to his own ears.

Trey sighed. "Are we going start
the day with a quarrel, or will you let me to tell you how much I value what
we shared last night? I can assure you that I do not take it lightly."
When Wufei frowned, Trey tipped his chin back to meet his gaze.

"Wufei, would you despise me right
now, for wanting to kiss you?"

Wufei's heart was pounding so fast it
was painful. He wanted to answer. He would, if only he could catch his
breath. A scathing rejection was on the verge of his lips, but Trey neutralized
it as the warmth of his tongue stroked over Wufei's. Wufei trembled. His thoughts
fragmented, scattered like so much dust on the breeze. His emotions were so
muddled that he was shocked when Trey pulled away with no more than the kiss
he had promised. Wufei drew himself up.

He was grateful, of course.

"I did not intend for that to be
a challenge, Kala," Trey murmured. Caressing Wufei's hips, he drew him
closer. "I am telling you honestly that our union is precious to me. Believe
it or not, I was also new to the ways of the bedchamber once, and I remember
how unsettling that can be." He smiled. "My aim is not to prolong
your discomfort,Wufei, but if we are to be lovers there should be some
openness between us -- especially given our rather unique circumstances. Do
you not agree?"

It seemed reasonable enough. To say "yes"
would have been simple, if all of Wufei's experience had not been demanding
that he be cautious -- suspicious even. Though it might be confined to a few
stolen hours before dawn, Trey was still demanding his control, the one thing
Wufei knew he could not live without. Last night ... last night was something
he could not explain. Perhaps it was an anomaly, perhaps some mystery of this
bond between them, but to committ to his own destruction -- no matter
how soft the deathbed -- made Wufei queasy.

"I do not understand," he said
slowly, "what you mean by this openness."

"For one, confide in me." Trey
immediately answered. "Help me understand your fears so I can put you at
ease."

Wufei bristled. "Who spoke of fear?"

"No one needed to."

"You always presume to know my inner
working when you have no authority--"

"Wufei...."

"Furthermore I do not appreciate--"

"Kala...."

"I refuse to be dishonored in such
a manner. I have never, nor do I plan to subject myself--"

"Is it that difficult?"

Wufei's jaw ticked as he glared at the
furs. He would not answer.

"You know," Trey nuzzled his
hair, "you won't suddenly cease to exist if you let someone inside that
shell of yours."

"I know that; I am not a child."
Wufei snapped. He recoiled when he realized what he had inadvertently acknowledged.
"As for this shell nonsense...."

"Look around us." Trey nodded
at the drawn curtain. "It is just you and me. Nothing spoken between us
will ever leave this tent. Whatever is holding you back is in here--" Trey
rested his palm over Wufei's heart, "not outside. Perhaps you do not care
for my thoughts, but is it fair to dismiss them without testing for yourself
what they might offer?"

"What," Wufei released an exasperated
breath, "are you looking for me to admit to? What could you possibly ask
that you think I'd be so afraid to reveal? As usual, you assume too much. These
complex interrogation strategies of yours are pointless."

"Good." Trey was unruffled.
"I'm relieved to be so easily proven wrong, because what I want to know
is truly painless."

"Then you might as well spit it out."
The bar of the older man's arm was tight about Wufei and he leaned back to get
a better look at Trey's expression. Whatever Trey hoped to prove by these antics,
he would not be intimidated.

Trey stroked Wufei's hair; his hands were
very gentle. "Did you enjoy last night?"

"What?"

Wufei struggled, but with Trey's strength
on all sides, there was nowhere to go. He hated this, he hated Trey. Wufei bit
his lip until the tang of blood burst over his tongue but he was no coward.
No matter what, he would not go back on his word. His fists clenched. "I--"
There was fire in his cheeks now and he was ashamed of being so easily mastered.
"I...."

"Yes." Wufei whispered.

"Good, good, I'm glad," Trey
cooed, continuing to stroke his hair. "I also enjoyed it immensely."
Wufei turned aside and Trey brought him back with soft words and even softer
touches.

"Don't turn away. That wasn't so
bad, was it? There is no shame in admitting to your needs."

"*Needs!*" Wufei was tormented.
"If this is what such needs make of a person, transforming him into nothing
but a fool and a weakling, then I prefer to live without them."

"Why live without them? Why not accept
them as something beautiful instead? No matter how you may find it distasteful,
you are a sexual being. You do yourself a great injustice,Wufei." Trey's
voice was mesmerizing, soothing, his hand warm against Wufei's thigh. "There
should be no fear between us when it comes to this. I am glad you found your
pleasure last night," he murmured, lifting the hem of Wufei's nightshirt.
"And did you lose anything by it?" His tongue found the whorls of
Wufei's ear.

"On the contrary, you gained your
own satisfaction."

Wufei squeezed his eyes shut. He shivered
as Trey's hand moved further up his thigh. How different this was without the
protection of darkness. He was frightened, but more of himself than of the new
caresses Trey was bestowing upon him. He had trained his body for fighting,
mediation and study; everthing he knew of himself he had learned through order
and discipline. That the treacherous, chaotic thing called pleasure could exist,
lying dormant within the selfsame body he had honed disgusted Wufei. Given the
choice, he would have pummeled it into submission.

Given the choice, he would not have uncovered
it at all.

Trey fingered the ties at Wufei's throat.
"Let me remove this."

"No!" Their fingers tangled
together. Wufei clutched the laces, preventing Trey from unknotting them.

"Why not?" Trey's tongue dipped
between Wufei's fingers, caressing the delicate webbing there. For a trembling
instant, Wufei's grip slackened but just as quickly, he fisted his hands together
again.

"I won't be bested by you."

Trey continued his roaming: tracing Wufei's
collarbones, sipping the pulse throbbing at his throat. "Why do you hide?
I won't hurt you. I only want to see you -- to touch you again in all the places
that give you pleasure."

Wufei flung an arm over his eyes. "Why
must you say such things?"

Trey pulled Wufei's arm away. "Let
me touch you, Kala."

Wufei lay still. What did it matter in
the end? There was no undoing what was already wrought. If his father had sold
him, what fault was it of Trey, who made the purchase? All this time he had
been a fool blaming Trey when the responsibilty lay elsewhere. Wufei had thought
to fight, but he had only made things more difficult for himself. The past was
gone. He was not what he once was. It was time to put all childish protests
and tantrums aside. When pride was missing, what was the body? He understood
everything quite clearly, then.

He would accept.

"Kala?"

When Trey reached for his laces, Wufei
did not turn him aside. For a fleeting moment, Quatre's words about the bonding
ceremony returned to him and Wufei almost wished for the annihilation his brother
had promised should they attempt the bonding ceremony without the robes, but
Wufei knew he was being foolish. Quatre had also emphasized that sex was not
the same thing as the ceremony and both Wufei's body and his heart told him
that his and Trey's kinahs were nowhere near aligned enough for the bonding
ceremony to be more than a remote possiblity. No, he could not hope to escape
his duties even by this means. The only dangers joining with Trey would present
at that moment, would be to his pride. Wufei closed his eyes. It was not easy
to remain unmoved when his nightshirt slipped over his head but that too was
part of his new understanding. If he was ashamed, then he would learn to erase
its betraying color from his skin. He had been wrong to think of the bedchamber
as orderless. There was discipline and duty here as well. Yes, he *did* understand.
Something flowed away from Wufei then: his old pride and the last traces of
the past that had haunted him. There was pain with it, but also relief: What
comfort, what freedom in no longer having anything to defend.

Trey lowered his head to Wufei's nipple,
nuzzling the soft nub between his lips. Wufei arched up, his fingers digging
into Trey's shoulders as fire raced through him.

"Does that feel good?" Trey
braced an arm behind Wufei's back. He suckled at him, drawing the nipple taut.

Wufei trembled, unable to absorb the sudden
assault on his senses. He was fevered and his breath was coming fast; he could
hear each gasp echoing in the space between them. He knew there was something
*important*, a reason he had told himself he should not enjoy this. Duty ...
forbearance ... and... Wufei frowned, straining to recapture that gleaming thread
of thought, but it was like holding water in his palm: Wherever Trey touched,
memory disintegrated.

Trey continued his tasting, alternately
teasing and soothing Wufei. He moved from one nipple to the next, and where
his mouth was not occupied his fingers made up the difference, now rubbing,
now gently plucking each bud to an aching peak.When his mouth descended again,
the caress was punctuated by the lightest grazing of teeth. The shock of it
was like an electric current down Wufei's spine. What had only been a glimmer
of desire before, now spread to a conflagration. Wufei jerked, eyes going wide
as the ache between his legs grew. He was hardening right before Trey's eyes
and there was nothing to shield him and nowhere to run to. Wufei murmured something
then. He thought perhaps an objection, but the sound that emerged from his throat
was formless, wordless, a primal howl of desire.

Trey rose and returned to the furs with
a small pot from one of his trunks. He uncapped it and Wufei saw that it contained
a sweet-smelling unction. His heart seized up. Against his better judgement
he asked, "Wh...what is that?"

Trey smiled. "Trust me and I will
show you."

He slid down Wufei's body, rubbing his
cheek against his belly and nipping the taut skin around Wufei's navel. Dipping
his fingers into the container, Trey smeared them generously. He reached between
Wufei's legs and Wufei froze as he felt something cool being rubbed against
his entrance.

"You're--" His voice splintered
as Trey began to probe delicately at him.

"Hmm mm. This will make the way easier
for both of us."

Trey slid a finger inside him, thrusting
shallowly and then retreating. He returned, doubling the caress, probing until
Wufei was soft, pliable.

"Does it hurt?" Trey asked hoarsely.

"No, I don't think so." Wufei
swallowed. He shivered as Trey tested him again. "Only strange, just ...
st...strange--"

"Good." Trey turned Wufei so
that he was straddling the older man's thighs. The position left him spread
with Trey's length pressed against the cleft of his buttocks.

"I want you to do something for
me, love." Trey's fingers dug into Wufei's hips. "I'm going to enter
you, but it will be less painful if you control the place. Put you hands on
my stomach here ... now lean back," Trey caressed him, "just so."

Wufei shuddered. Trey was too large ...
too much .... He felt stretched, invaded, every nerve overcharged. He ... couldn't
... didn't ... like it. Wufei began to pull away.

"Tut, tut, don't run away, Love.
I know it's uncomfortable, but bear with me, bear with me."

Trey's voice was strained and the muscles
in his arms stood out in sharp relief as he carefully guided Wufei's hips back
down. Still, he managed a smile as he reached around to where their bodies were
joined.

"You're doing wonderfully ... ah
... yes ... yes. You're doing fine. Don't tighten up on me, Love. Raise your
hips. Yes ... just like that."

Wufei could barely make sense of Trey's
words over the roar in his ears. He knew only the confused tumble of his thoughts
and riotous stimulation whichever way he moved. The older man was murmuring
soothing words in his ear and nonsensically, Wufei wondered when he had changed
from 'Kala' to 'Love'. Trey circled the entrance to his body and pleasure swelled
and burst, leaving him trembling. Any energy left for protest or embarrassment
was erased by Trey slowly sinking into his body.

"It gets better, Love, I promise."
Trey found Wufei's neglected erection and his thumb brushed over its crown and
the sensitive opening there.

"*Oh gods* ... gods ... not ...."
Wufei twisted. "Trey--"

Trey began a leisurely thrusting. "Hush,
hush, it's okay, it's okay. I know you're sensitive. I'll be gentle." The
scent of roses perfumed the air as Trey dipped into the lubricant once again.
Forming a tight seal around Wufei's erection, he groaned.

"Gods, you're perfect. So hard, so
slick here already. Ah, you feel so good, my beautiful, beautiful, Wufei."

"Hush!" This time Wufei did
blush. He ground their mouths together. "Don't talk."

Trey laughed and pressed Wufei closer.
They were moving together. When had it happened? Wufei's arms were tight around
Trey and he was answering each of the older man's movements in counterpoint.
The combination of Trey's stroking hands and his thrusts reverberated through
Wufei, setting off a spark of something deep within his soul. He came, spurting
over Trey's fingers....

And still the rhythm continued.

Trey's body was hot and sleek beneath
him and Wufei watched the flex and play of his muscles. So much strength, so
much power hidden by flesh and bone but ... but also tenderness. He had seen
Wufei at his most vulnerable and he had not tried to hurt or humiliate him.
What had been frightening, Trey turned to pleasure instead. Tentatively, Wufei
rested his hand upon Trey's shoulder and their eyes met. Maybe it was a a trick
of the light, maybe his own muddled senses, but Wufei thought he had never seen
Trey's eyes so tender, so deeply blue.

Trey stiffened; warmth blossomed inside
Wufei and he knew the older man had also found his release. Afterward, Trey
poured fresh water into a basin and brought it over to the bed. He spread Wufei's
thighs and much to his mortification, began laving him with a wet cloth.

"Are you sore, my love?" Trey's
fingers circled his anus.

"No!" Wufei winced; he turned
his head. "A little," he admitted quietly.

"I'm sorry." Trey made a sympathetic
sound. Holding Wufei spread, he placed a kiss over the ache in question.

Wufei flushed to the roots of his hair.
"Bastard! That's--" He made a strangled sound. The man was depraved,
insufferable and Wufei suspected the gods had created him specifically to be
the bane of his existence.

Trey's laugh rumbled in his chest. He
set the basin and cloth aside and pressed his body behind Wufei's. "What
is it? You did not like my kiss?" Wufei felt Trey's mouth curve into a
grin against his neck. "Should I try it again? Perhaps I will get it right
the second time."

Wufei jerked his elbow towards Trey's
abdomen, but of course the lout sidestepped him. He rolled over instead and
pulled Wufei onto his chest. Lacing their hands together, Trey kissed Wufei's
fingers, all mockery fled.

"Thank you, Kala."

Wufei nodded and ducked his head. He did
not have to ask what for, as Trey's arms tightened about him.

Was this their new beginning?

Wufei looked at their fingers twined together
and wondered whether it was folly to hope.

------------------------------

"My lord."

"My lord Rossetti! Welcome back."

"My lord Rossetti!"

"The gods be thanked for our new
prince!"

Trey leaned forward, straining to hear
over the confusion of the armory. He nodded at the string of young soldiers
rushing by, thanking each for his bravery in the recent battle on the northern
border, before turning once more to Heero, who was reviewing the finer details
of the conflict .

"Our men fared reasonably against
the enemy; however, we still have some work to do to eliminate the disparity
between Mueller's technology and our own." Trey's head guard reported grimly.
"The men who attacked us wielded swords and daggers but I have heard that
Mueller is developing the new gunpowder pistol with the hope of using it as
the north kingdom's primary weapon. My sources tell me they have specially contracted
a scientist from the Fenlir realm, where the gunpowder originates from. It is
said that one shot can take down the best of swordsmen without even touching
him."

"Is that so?" Trey frowned.
"What can we do to protect our men? If Mueller has already contracted the
Fenlirian then it is doubtful that we would also be able to secure the technology
from them. Have we none among our scientists who can look to this?"

Heero shook his head. "The grants
provided to the various scientific institutions in the last two years have helped,
but even excluding the recent link with Mueller, the Fenlir patent has always
made it extremely difficult to bring any experiments related to gunpowder technology
to fruition."

"Damn it." Trey swore. "We
can't afford to be cornered like this."

Otto, the young Rossettian chancellor
who had been quiet until then, spoke up. "My lord, it is said that the
Eireans began developing similar technology about two years ago. At the time,
the goal had also been to combine magick with technical expertise to produce
a weapon unmatched in efficiency. I hope I do not overstep my bounds here, Emperor
Trey, but you and Captain Heero might do well to speak with Prince Wufei and
Lord Maxwell."

Trey nodded. "He's right. Heero,
let me speak with Wufei first. After we have discussed this I will arrange a
meeting with us all, including Lord Maxwell."

Heero inclined his head, murmuring his
acceptance. "Then if we are finished here, let us move onto the infirmary.
I think what you find there will interest you," he informed Trey as he
turned towards the door.

Trey followed Heero as the younger man
moved across the courtyard to the next building. Ducking his head, he stepped
into the infirmary. The fire danced in the braziers and though the room was
warm, many of the patients were heavily covered. At intervals, the groans of
the injured rose from their tortured beds, echoing off the stone walls. In the
flickering light, a doctor and her attendant moved from bed to bed, cleaning
wounds and administering medication to the ailing. Heero followed the far wall,
leading them to where a young soldier lay. He was pallid and the dryness of
his lips indicated that he was a man recently recovered from wound fever.

"Chancellor Otto, if you please...."
Heero nodded to the other man, who knelt at the young soldier's side, propping
him carefully into a half-sitting position and supporting his back against his
arm.

"Hello, Jorval," Heero murmured,
talking to the young soldier in dark, soothing voice Trey did not know the gruff
captain possessed. "We are just here to see your wounds. As soon as Emperor
Rossetti takes a look at them you can go back to sleep."

The soldier made a pained sound and nodded,
shifting so that Heero could peel back the bandage at his side. Trey stooped
to examine the gash. Frowning, he rocked back on his heels. The wound was jagged
and deep, and particularly raw around the edges; it took no medic to see that
the blade had also glanced his ribs.

"What did this?"

Heero re-bound the wound with efficient
motions. As Otto eased the soldier back against the pillows, he called the attendant
over to deliver a draught to the wounded man to relieve his pain. "He was
lanced by a serrated blade. I would say that no kingdom within a one hundred
mile radius possesses such blade work, if not for an itinerant laborer bearing
a similar wound, whom my men encountered purely by coincidence while we were
in Eires. He was traveling from Gysr where he had been hired to help with the
seed harvest in one of the villages. According to his story, it was just past
noonday when they were attacked by an unfamiliar enemy. Being a town of farmers,
few of the men were trained fighters and they were easily defeated by the heavily
armored army. The soldiers captured every able-bodied male over the age of fifteen
and demanded the totality of the harvest they had reaped all that morning as
tax to their new ruler. Many tried to resist, but were quickly beaten down by
the conquering officers, the highest ranking among which bore serrated blades.
Our laborer had been hiding behind one of the unburned houses and was stabbed
while trying to escape. When he stumbled into our camp he had already been traveling
for eight weeks. He said he did not recognize the insignia of the conquering
army, and no wonder: they were more than one hundred miles from home. It was
probably why they felt no need to conceal themselves." Heero folded his
arms. "The men who captured Gysr bore a particularly distinct insignia:
a black serpent against a silver crest."

"Mueller," Trey swore. "Gysr
is far beyond his backyard and a rather inconsequential plot but for its proximity
to Galanthia. From there, his men would be in a strategic position to attack
the two northernmost kingdoms in that region." Trey ground his teeth. "Damn
him and his expansionist ambitions. I had heard of these skirmishes, but being
so far from Rossetti I thought them more to do with local rivalries and the
deteriorating relationship between Mueller and the kingdoms to the west. I did
not know Gysr had been taken and since no other major territorial acquisitions
had been reported it seemed wiser to focus on Rossetti's most immediate problems."

Heero nodded. "Anyway, if there was
still any doubt in our minds, this is all the proof we need to confirm that
we were attacked by the northern kingdom."

"The bastard is being deliberate;
he wants us to give him an excuse to attack." Trey laughed bitterly. "He
better not hold his breath. Until he can conquer Rossetti, none of the territories
he's trying to capture will be safe because of our alliances with those strong
kingdoms surrounding them. He's a bear caught in a trap and if he's hoping we'll
be the ones to let him loose he's sorely mistaken. This peace will hold -- we'll
make sure of it." Trey spun on his heel. "Otto, Heero, inform the
officials that the council will convene on the morrow. As ambassador to Eires,
we will immediately induct Prince Wufei."

"Yes, my lord."

"Will do,my lord."

Trey exited the infirmary, leaving the
two men behind. The recent discoveries lent a renewed urgency to his bond with
Wufei, and Trey, remembering the more tender moments shared between them that
morning, hurried forward, eager to find his new husband.

---------------------------------

Wufei colored as yet another townsperson
remarked on his "enchanting person". He should have worn a hood --
and a thick one at that. In the few hours he had been in Rossetti, Wufei had
discovered that Rossettians were a bold and charming people, unfailingly polite
to their superiors, but quick to tease and compliment. Well ... "superiors"
was not quite the right choice of word. For that was another thing new to him:
relationships here were quite horizontal. And from the number of seductive looks
he had received from both men and women it seemed the locals took that state
of affairs quite literally. A more sensual culture Wufei had never seen, and
he had seen much in his travels as Eirean ambassador. The economy was thriving
and the townspeople, from the nobleman to the candlemaker dressed themselves
in silks and fine cotton. Men and women alike adored ornamentation, and amber,
turquoise and rose quartz gleamed from earlobes and around necks. Just as important
as the clothing was the amount of skin left bare as well. Here the drape and
fold of cloth was transformed into an art. Rossettians loved the exotic and
the novel and unfortunately for Wufei, it appeared he fell into both categories.
Where in Eires his coloring had been frowned at, in Rossetti, he attracted stares
of admiration and sounds of pleasure. More than one child approaching him had
been compelled to touch his hair or his skin. Wufei did not know which was worse,
being shunned or being exalted. In the end, both put him at the center of attention
and he found himself once again cursing the fates that had made it impossible
for him to simply fade into a crowd.

"A prince wandering the marketplace?"
a familiar voice called behind him and Wufei exhaled a sigh of relief. He never
thought he would be happy to see Maxwell, but the roguish lord was suddenly
a very welcome slice of the familiar in an unfamiliar world.

"Lord Maxwell." Wufei turned
toward the other man who, it seemed from the deep purple cloth swathed about
his shoulders, had wasted no time in acquainting himself with his new outpost.
Surprisingly, he was alone though Wufei was sure that with his looks and his
charm Duo would have no difficulty finding a companion in this of all places.

"How are you enjoying Rossetti, Prince
Wufei?"

"Well enough," Wufei lied, "and
you?"

Duo grinned. "It's a bit overwhelming
but I can't say I have any objections. A little more of this inactivity, however,
and my sword arm will start to rust."

Wufei saw the gleam in the other man's
eye and he allowed his first genuine smile of the day. "I was thinking
the same. Though my discipline is somehat different to yours...." Wufei
hesitated. He was loathe to admit it, but he had always been drawn to the self-made
captain despite his disapproval of Duo's indulgent lifestyle. So much had changed
and so much time had passed; was it worth holding stubbornly to old values?
They were both foreigners trying to adjust in a new environment. It made much
more sense to be friends than enemies. Wufei inclined his head.

"Will you join me for some sparring
practice?"

The invitation clearly surprised Duo,
but he quickly recovered. "I thought you'd never ask," he said with
a chuckle. "Do you know a good place?"

In his explorations that morning, Wufei
had stumbled upon a small garden not far from his and Trey's bedroom and it
was there he headed now. Wufei led Duo through the rows of market stalls where
he was once again met with wondering looks. In the far corner under a canopied
stall, a woman called to him, advertising a matching robe and trouser set that
was so flimsy it was indecent. Wufei ducked his head and plowed forward, muttering
imprecations under his breath.

Duo laughed but his look was searching
as he turned to Wufei.

"It's quite different being popular
isn't it?"

Wufei understood the contrasting isolation
Duo was referring to and was pained, moreso knowing that he was more welcome
in a stranger's land than in the place of his birth. "Oh?" He notched
his chin higher. "I had not noticed. Have you experienced difficulties
in that area of late?"

Duo drew himself up; he was quiet for
the space of a breath. "No, my lord."

Wufei was immediately contrite. His response
had been dishonorable. "Forgive me, Lord Maxwell," he apologized,
"I am a bit disoriented in this foreign place and I find that I am often
not myself."

Duo shook his head. "No need to apologize,
my Prince. We have all become strangers in one way or another," he murmured,
staring absently into the distance.

Wufei had never heard such solemnity in
the other man's voice and it eased his own nervousness and confusion. If Duo
Maxwell could be so disoriented, then perhaps Wufei was not so weak for being
unable to find his bearings. There was great comfort in knowing that not only
was he not alone, but that he was understood.

They found the garden with little difficulty
and Wufei did not realize how much he had missed the kind of testing of wills
he proposed until he felt the resistance of Duo's sword arm against his. They
circled and returned, panting in the warm afternoon sun. Duo was quick and,
Wufei discovered, had no qualms about fighting dirty. He had the advantage of
height over Wufei, but Wufei's Shenlong training had rendered him more supple,
more graceful, and better at anticipating his opponent's attacks. That by no
means assured Wufei of a victory, however. Duo moved like a shadow and fought
like a man with nothing to lose. There was a darkness in his eyes and Wufei
welcomed it, feeling the stirrings of his own turbid emotions. How exhilarating,
how liberating to burn away the fear and uncertainty in the pure force of movement.

They clashed again. Their swords clanged,
locked together in combat. Wufei pressed forward but Duo would give no quarter.
Of one mind they abandoned their weapons, moving to barehanded combat. Duo licked
his lips and beckoned Wufei to attack. The veneer of charm he had worn earlier
was discarded as easily as the vibrant purple cloth now lying in the grass.
The expression about his mouth hovered somewhere between a grimace and a snarl.

Wufei bared his teeth. This was his domain;
here he was free. This body and he were not strangers but a single well-oiled
machine. Tendon and sinew, flesh and bone. Wufei twisted in a roundhouse kick,
aiming for Duo's head. The taller man succeeded in partially blocking it, but
the force of the blow was enough to throw him off balance. Wufei was on him
even as he fell, pressing an arm to the other man's throat.

"Yield."

"Never." Behind Wufei, Duo's
leg shot upward and Wufei rolled aside, springing to a crouch.

Wufei could feel the trickle of sweat
down his back and Duo's upper lip was dotted with moisture as he advanced. The
other man inched forward and Wufei shifted his stance, anticipating the next
move. They launched into another round of fighting, pushing their bodies until
they collapsed onto to the grass, unable to stir. Wufei stared at the clouds
racing past. His heart was pounding and he could hear his own soft, labored
breaths.

He had never felt more exhilarated.

Unable to move, Duo turned his head to
the side to look at him. He laughed. "Well, Prince Wufei, there is grass
down my shirt, my back is killing me and I don't think I'll be able to move
tomorrow but fuck that was the best fight I've had in a long time."

Wufei nodded. "I feel much the same.
Rarely do I find a worthy opponent."

"Score one for me then," Duo
exhaled a weary sound as he crossed his arms behind his head. "You're all
right, Prince Wufei," he murmured, "you're all right."

Wufei was startled. It was the last thing
he was expecting the other man to say. Inexplicably, he found that he was moved
by the compliment. He cleared his throat to hide is discomfort. "Well ...
perhaps we might spar again, if time permits?" It was unlike him him to
seek out another's company, and for a moment, all the uncertainty and shyness
Wufei thought he had abandoned as a child came back to him. He was suddenly
seven years old again yearning to be included on the other children's team.

"Sure," Duo's smile was easy.
"I'd like that a lot."

Wufei blinked. Surely it could not be
that easy. Indeed, it appeared it was so as Duo rose and clapped him on the
shoulder.

"Thank you, my Prince." He bowed
deeply. "I look forward to our next meeting."

Wufei mumbled a few stunned words of gratitude,
barely able to believe the ease with which he and the other man had connected.
He had grown so used to being seen as disagreeable that he had begun to assume
it was an inherent trait in himself. This newfound friendship made him pause
... ponder a bit. It seemed that slowly, everything he knew about himself was
being unraveled. After Duo left, Wufei lingered in the garden, reluctant to
exchange the unexpected peace he had found here for the upheavals of the bedroom.
He examined the flowers, searching for familiar shoots he might use in cures
and ointments now that Trowa could no longer supply them. The knowledge stirred
memories of Eires within him and bending to pick some basil and cardamom, Wufei
thought he might write a letter to his family when he returned to the palace.

"Where did you learn to fight like
that?"

A child's clear voice intruded on his
thoughts. Wufei spun and was stunned to see a girl of about twelve loitering
near one of the pomegranate trees. He was not so much stunned by her presence
(for there were many palace children about) as by her appearance. Her dark hair
was pulled into two stubby ponytails and in her face Wufei saw his own small
features and almond-shaped eyes. She ... well ... she looked rather like him.
Never in his lifetime did he think to meet another like himself. Wufei swallowed.

"What is your name and who are your
people?"

"I am Meiran Ron of the Dragon clan."
She moved across the grass to peer up at him. "Are you related to us, too?"
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A Matter of Good Sense