Drowning in the Lilacs and Sea

Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing. Which is seriously such a shame, because I'm sure I could come up with TONS of things for them to do, while waiting for the next mission... *smirk*

Warning: AU, OOC, Yaoi Lemon, 2x5, 2x1 implications, character death... yay ^_^

J: It should be noted that I didn't come up with this idea *sigh*... the credit for this actually goes to the author Vivian Vande Velde... I worship her, I swear.... sooooooo good.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Wufei blinked quickly, the rays of early morning sunshine blinding him briefly as they winked down on him between the branches of the tall cedar trees that lined the well worn, dirt road. Shifting the load of freshly chopped firewood strapped to his back, he changed the pace of his walk to something a little more leisurely, more relaxed, as he attempted to enjoy the stillness of the dawning day. Dew still clung to the blades of wild grass, some of it glistening from fresh spider webs, twinkling like diamonds suspended in mid-air. Song birds chirped happily as they bathed themselves in still, cool pools of fresh water, blessed to them from a concise rain fall in the early hours before sunrise. The clean smell of it still lingered, mixing in with the scent of wild nature and fresh air. The honey of the sun itself completed the potion of peace, bringing an easy, gentle feeling all about.

One of Wufei’s toes caught in a rut in the road, and he stumbled, nearly falling. He cursed under his breath, his reverie and calm shattered as he was reminded of the urgency of his chores. Slinging the straps of his load a little higher, he continued with his normally quick paced walk, intent on making it back from the neighboring farm before the sun made it to it’s noon high pinnacle, so he would not have to suffer too much while cleaning out the horse stalls. Manure was, after all, much worse after being cooked in the summer heat.

Finally, he reached the crossing in his path. To the left lay the Lord’s dwelling, a place Wufei rarely ventured toward. Ones as low as himself on the class scale were only summoned there during harvest ceremonies, or when they were being punished. To the right was the neighboring farm, his destination that morning. A soft smile tilted the corner of his lips as he thought on the ones who lived there.

The family was good; a strong blood line of hard working men, both honest and kind. The farm itself was gifted with the luck of rich harvest, for as long as Wufei could remember. The head man there seemed to embody everything all people held high respect for; he was strong, honest, understanding, fair, and selfless. And, much to many’s delight, he had entered into a pact with Wufei’s family to wed his youngest, Meiran to Wufei himself.

Wufei had known Meiran since they were children, she being no more than a year younger than himself. They had grown up together, playmates when they were young, close friends in their mid-teens as they were now. Though he hadn’t really expected to call her wife when the time came for him to marry, he found that he was not disgusted by the idea. She was a fair woman, with beautiful eyes and a heart as large as the sea. They made a good match, and the land both their families would acquire in their union more than made up for any lingering doubt that could have been. Wufei smiled again, and turned down the path.

He had made it no more than ten feet when a soft sound caught in his ears.

Wufei halted almost immediately, stilling his body as he searched out the odd noise, seeming completely misplaced in the world of nature, yet fitting in almost perfectly. He turned his eyes to the right, seeing the blinking of sunlight dancing across moving water through the trees. The river ran down there, but surely it couldn’t have been water he heard. This noise was far too different. He waited a moment, and his breath caught as it sounded again.

A light, floating laughter was carrying on the early morning air.

But who could possibly be down at the river, laughing as though there wasn’t a care in the world? Surely no one from the castle would be there. None of the Nobles ever came this far into the countryside, especially not to spend their time in the thick of the brush. But the notion that one of the farmers was down there seemed just as ludicrous.

Wufei glanced at the road ahead of him, shocking himself when the sudden feeling of weariness and abhorrence suddenly washed over him. He shook his head once, then turned back to the river. Should he go down there, and see who it was? No... he had things to take care of, chores to finish, duties to meet.

The laughter had gotten louder, merrier, and it sounded so inviting...

Well, I suppose I could just take a peek... Shrugging his pack from his back, and setting it near the tree line, Wufei ducked under the tree branches and made his way down the barely used trail, leading down to the river side.

The river itself was not too wide, but ran deep and fast, an urgent current sending itself splashing against rocks further down stream, making a delightful song as it bubbled and gurgled. It sat at least eight feet below a sloped rock face, surrounded by natural foliage and wild flowers, moist moss and other lichen clinging to the rocks that made up its banks. A few vines of rich ivy curled its way to and from tree branches, creating a slight curtain of greenery. And, sitting amidst this agrestal grace, was something that easily challenged all of Wufei’s notions and views on beauty.

It was a young man, looking to be of the same age as Wufei himself, kneeling on a flat face of rock, staring down into the crystalline waters below. Long, lean looking legs were tucked beneath him, bare toes peeking out beneath a pair of loose fitting, black pants. He wore no shirt, the muscles of his back shifting slightly as he trailed fingertips across the water’s surface, the color of his skin seeming to glow with the rising light. A long, chestnut colored braid lay dangling in the water, swept up by the current, the sun catching natural red highlights in it. His back was to the road, giving away no hint as to what his face looked like, but Wufei had an odd suspicion that it would alone be just as, if not more, beautiful than what he was already seeing.

Logic bombarded Wufei’s senses, asking him over and over who this person was, why in the world they were down here, and most importantly, why Wufei himself was still standing there enjoying the view. He had things to do, chores to finish, deadlines to meet. He had no time to sit here and dawdle, no reason to muse about the boy at all. He had no right to like what he was seeing.

All the logic in all the Heavens were thrown to the wind when the figure suddenly stilled, then turned up to face him. Wufei’s breath caught in his throat, and his chest tightened painfully.

His face was that of an Angel, smooth and childlike, and oh so lovely. Eyes of the purest lilac-blue were staring up at him, so large and innocent looking, shining of the mildest curiosity, and perhaps even a shy invitation. Wufei nearly took a step forward, when his common sense reared back, pounding drums in his clouded mind.

It told him no. It told him he was being fsh. sh. It told him that he neither knew this man, nor what he was doing here, half naked, soaking himself in the morning sun. His lack of knowledge classified him as a possible threat.

That again, was shattered, when the boy smiled, and spoke.

“The water is a bit chilly, but pleasant. Why not come down and bathe with me?”

Wufei found himself moving away from his superficial cover, out into the rays of the sun, in perfect view of the mysterious boy. He began to crouch down, intent on scaling down the rock side, when he spoke again.

“Unless of course, you have matters more important to attend to.”

It was like a bucket of ice water dumped over his head. The spell was broken, the odd compulsion gone. Wufei stood, turned on his heel, and fled.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Wufei groaned, scrubbing his hands over his face as he registered the familiar sound of someone knocking on his door. He knew that knock; it meant so many things. It was harsh, loud and pounding, accusing. It was his coming lecture, possible punishment, then mark of utter shame. The person on the other side was obviously disappointed in him.

Wufei opened the door, not at all surprised to see Meiran’s father on the other side - though he tried his best to look as shocked as possible. He let the man inside, settling himself down in his chair, eyes staring at the floor as he allowed the man to ramble on about his irresponsibility.

Wufei had, after running away from the strange boy at the river, completely forgotten about the load of firewood he was supposed to deliver. He had ran, ran as fast as he could, back to his own home, shutting himself up inside. He had neglected to do anything since then; not a single stall had been mucked out, none of the animals fed or cleaned, nothing had been prepared for his dinner. All he could do was sit there, and think.

“Are you listening to me, Wufei?”

The dark haired boy looked up, and he felt guilt wash over him as the older man’s face softened. So he was to be shown pity?

“I am sorry, sir. I have not been feeling well as of late. I guess I just slept past the sun.”

Wufei’s stomach clenched and he hoped the fear didn’t show on his face as the man’s eyes hardened considerably.

“Understandable. You have been working yourself practically to death this past season. Just don’t let it happen again.”

Wufei nodded, following his visitor to the door. The man stopped just outside, turning to look at him harshly, before speaking evenly, coldly.

“But keep in mind that if you’re going the lie, make sure the evidence isn’t sitting out in plain view.”

His jaw slack, Wufei watched the man walk to his cart, hopping up in the seat and urging the horse forward. His stomach finally dropped to the soles of his feet when he saw the pack of firewood - the one he had carried that morning - sitting comfortably in the back.

Shutting the heavy door, Wufei rested himself against it, forehead pressing against the rough surface, palms splayed out beside his head. His eyes were closed tightly, a million and one things running through his mind.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Wufei had never felt so distracted. He tried to concentrate on his chores, he tried to remind himself that he had things to do, animals to keep, a farm to take care of. He had to make himself look good in the eyes of the village, so none would refute his upcoming marriage. They, of course, had no problem with it right now, but if he made himself look a fool, or incapable of managing his own farm, let alone two, then they most certainly would deny the contract, leaving him with nothing.

But there was something lingering, some hidden ache within the back of his mind that urged him to stop his work, begged him to shrug off his duties as though they were nothing more than the shirt upon his back, and come enjoy the festivities life had to offer. He was young, wasn’t he? The boys in the Lord’s Castle had not the need to plow fields, or raise pigs, or help in the birthing of a calf. They probably had never even had dirt under their fingernails, never inhaled the smell of manure and freshly dug earth. Never bathed themselves in unscented water, which turned a murky brown once finished. Wufei sighed, dropping the hoe to the ground, and stared at his upturned hands. Yellow calluses dotted all over his fingers and palms, cracked and rough from toil and sun. Lines of dirt and sweat criss crossed across them, making a strange, sad pattern. A sadness that burned something deep inside, and Wufei heard his own voice, odd and far away, muttering curses to those who were gifted enough to not have to experience this.

That thought alone snapped him back into reality, and he blinked against the noon-day sun. With a low growl, he picked up his hoe, and continued with the work.

The day wore on without mercy, slow and languid in its pace, the sun steadily climbing higher, scorching earth and skin without the smallest hint of regret.

Wufei, after all, had enough regret of his own to make up for it.

Regret that he should wish this life away, for just the smallest moment of nothing.

That the nothing seemed to be answered a ways down the road, through the brush, and down the slope....

The young boy shook his head furiously. He promised himself late last night that he would not think of that stranger by the riverside. It was just a fluke, a second of oddity in his otherwise normal, stable life. After all, he was sure, people of every race and society met strangers through their path in life. Why should he be an exception to the rule? And besides, it was just a boy, bathing himself in the river. Just a boy, with long hair and violet eyes. Just a boy, lightly tanned from the sunshine, basking in its glow.

Just a boy, with the most beautiful smile Wufei had ever seen....

With a strangled growl, he dropped the shovel in his hands and escaped into his house, forgetting his chores for the day.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

By the next morning, Wufei had entirely convinced himself that he was alright, that he wasn’t losing his mind, and that the boy by the river was absolutely nothing to fret over. He felt so confident in his new found standing that he rose before the sun, eager to finish the work he had abandoned yesterday, and planning on finishing today’s before the sun set that evening. Even as he hauled the load of firewood onto his back, he inwardly smiled, for nothing could possibly convince him otherwise.

That confidence, however, started to wane as he made his way down the dirt road, and the first sounds of the running river met his ears.

Wufei slowed his pace for a moment, listening for any noise other than nature, telling himself that even if he did hear it, that it would not matter.

It was unfortunate, that denial did not sit entirely too well with him.

The laughter was soft through the trees, sounding just as light and happy as it had two days prior. It spoke of freedom, of peace, of childish serenity and innocence. As Wufei stopped on the road and listened, a million and one aches began to make themselves known in his body, protesting the labor he had put himself through that day. Each worked muscle burned, every scrape stung, and every callous felt that much rougher. But what hurt the most was the strange need welling inside him; an odd desire to once again, remove himself from this life of duty and charge, and to lose himself in the nothing.

The wood lay forgotten by the road side, as Wufei ducked beneath the branches.

He was there again, as Wufei knew he would be, down by the glittering river water. Only this time, he lay on his back, hands pillowed beneath his head as he stared up at the cotton clouds overhead. His legs were crossed at the ankles, bare feet tapping to a silent rhythm. Wufei took great care in examining the boy this time, somehow no longer afraid of being seen. He had a feeling that the boy knew he was there anyway, so if he had no trouble with displaying his body to prying eyes, why should Wufei feel shame in drinking it in?

His pants were the same style as before; loose and comfortable looking, tied around his waist in a loose knot. The color was a complete contrast to before - they were all white, a little damp from the river, clinging to his calves and part way up his thighs, as though he had stood in the water a few moments before. Wufei could see the well toned muscle through the wet cloth, and he tried his best to ignore a strange burning within his gut.

“It is rude to stare, you know.” came that soft, playfully teasing voice.

Wufei cleared his throat in his embarrassment, and ducked out from under the shielding trees, to stand at the top of the rock face. He stared down at the boy, who had turned onto his side, one hand propped up by his elbow, cheek resting against it. The Chinese boy’s chest constricted as he watched a set of delicate fingers begin to play imaginary circles over his upturned, bare side, a too-easy smile on his lips.

“I was waiting for you to come back to me yesterday. I waited all day. Why did you not come?” came that saccharine voice a second time, this time a pout set firm on the boy’s face. Wufei’s own face flared as his cheeks turned crimson. He had never said he would be back, and where did this boy get the idea that he would ever come to him? Where did he get the audacity!? But worst of all, why did he feel ashamed of himself?

The boy smiled again, and raised his free hand, crooking a single finger.

“You may come to me now.”

Again, Wufei’s pride bristled, but he found himself scaling down the rock face nonetheless. He turned slowly, willing the blush in his face to disappear, but found that hopeless. The boy was still laying on his side, staring up at him with a strange, expectant expression in his eyes. They watched each other for a moment, and Wufei cursed his own weakness as that sweet smile made his knees threaten to give out on him.

“You may sit before me.”

The shame coursed through him again as he felt the cool stone through his pants when he landed. It was then that he caught the boy’s scent.

It was fresh and clean, like wild lilacs and the finest soaps, with just the smallest hint of earth mixed in. He allowed his eyes to wander briefly, hoping the other would not notice, as his gaze traveled over lightly tanned skin, well defined muscle, and a curved hip. He felt his mouth grow dry as his concentration lingered over the boy’s crotch, finding the slightest stretch in the material....

“Have I not already established that it is rude to stare?”

Wufei started, feeling the blush creep over his ears and neck, and he stared down to his lap in shame.

“I-I am sorry. Please, forgive-”

“Nonsense. I was merely teasing, foolish child.”

At that, Wufei looked up again, his confidence somehow renewed by the arrogant tone the other had used.

“Child? How dare-”

“How old do you think me?”

He sputtered for a moment, caught between his rage that he had been interrupted, and the strangeness of the question. Finally, he took a deep breath, and forced his answer.

“I would guess no older than myself. Fifteen? Sixteen, perhaps?”

He was not at all prepared for the burst of mirthful, mocking laughter he received in answer. He felt the flush rise once again, and began to gather himself to leave.

A hand on his wrist stopped him however, along with the regular beat of his heart. It felt as though that single muscle would leap out his throat, with those fine fingers encircling him.

“Do not leave me! You have just given me the greatest of compliments!”

Wufei begged his heart to settle down, prayed that his blood would flow at a normal pace, wishing the boy would release him and allow him to retreat - but at the same time, he welcomed these odd sensations. It just made the shame all the worse.

“Please sit down.”

Wufei could not help the slack jawed expression he surely had on his face due to that soft, weak tone the other boy now expressed. His eyes confirmed the unhappiness in them, telling Wufei that he was the saddest creature in existence. Without another thought, he settled himself back down on the stone, not even minding when the slender hand did not release its hold on him.

“What are you doing here?” Wufei asked softly, somehow feeling humbled by being in this boy’s presence. He was, after all, obviously of a noble birth, probably very rich. The fact that he wished to spend time in Wufei’s presence was reason enough to be as still and accommodating as possible.

“Would you like to touch my hair?”

The counter question once again shocked him, a million and one reasons not to answer bounced through his head. Touch this boy's hair? What in the world was he talking about!? That was the strangest, craziest, most stupid idea he had ever heard in his life! Play with his hair!?!

But, the boy seemed not to notice his obviously appalled expression - he did look appalled, didn’t he? - and sat up, turning his back to Wufei. He pulled the long braid over his shoulder, releasing it from the single length of white string that held the mess together, then flipped it back over.

“Unbraid it first, if you would, please.”

Yes. He was definitely appalled. Disgusted. Completely against the idea.

And yet... weren’t those his own hands, reaching out to gently thread between the links of the chestnut braid? Were they his ers ers that pulled the braid apart, spreading that glorious mane out across the taut back? And was he touching that beautiful hair, letting it spill through his grasp as water would fall from his fingertips?

Wufei’s eyes were large, his mouth agape, as he stared in awe.

It was so soft, even to his roughened hands. It fell about the boy’s back and shoulders in waves of amber, crimped and rolling from the braid. It was like it had a life of it's very own, curling about his fingertips in an almost intimate manner. The smell of lilacs seemed to rush up into Wufei's senses as he spread it apart in a fine, thick curtain. Lilacs, rain, and summer heat.

Slowly, tentatively, Wufei began to run his fingers through it, starting at the bottom in a shy way. When the boy shivered, he grew more bold, reaching up to near the neck line and burying his hands deeply in the mass, pulling it slightly back, and watching in a fascinated way as he let the strands slip from his grip, to fall silently back down.

"Aah... yes, just like that..." the boy whispered in a husky tone, making Wufei feel something akin to pride. To give this boy pleasure.... it was almost too much to ask.

He no longer cared about anything. He had no misgivings about the feelings coursing through his veins, about the warmth that this simple act of affection meant, or could mean to spying eyes. How could he question it, when it made him feel this good, this free? But one thought, one curiosity, could not be deterred, no matter the pleasure he gained.

"What is your name?" he asked in a wistful tone, his fingers reaching up once again, this time to the boy's temples, burrowing beneath the hair, his short nails gently dragging across his scalp.

The boy shivered again, a soft, pleasurable moan escaping him as he trembled, "Duo. My name is Duo."

"Duo..." Wufei smiled as he closed his eyes, adoring the way the name sounded as it curled around his tongue. It seemed so perfect, so fitting, he could not imagine his name being anything else. The smile grew, and he felt his blood warm further, as his hand dropped to settle on the boy's left shoulder.

His eyes snapped open an instant later, the stinging slap he received making them water and burn. Slowly he turned to face Duo, who had spun around to glare at him. Wufei held back the whimper of confusion as he timidly touched the burning mark on his strike-flushed skin.

"That is quite enough." Duo nearly growled as he swept his hair back, tying it into a low pony tail with his bit of string. He continued to give Wufei a withering look as he stood, and turned away.

Wufei tried to stand after him, to stop him. Was Duo going to leave him? What had he done to deserve such anger?

"Wait! Don't go!" he called after him as the long-haired boy trotted to the river side, and with feline grace skipped over the stepping stones. He reached the opposite bank, and with a speed Wufei could only dream of possessing, sprinted into the forest, ducking beneath the branches, and disappeared from sight.

"Don't go..." his voice died in his mouth, leaving a foul taste as tears scalded his throat. With a hopeless whimper, Wufei curled up on his side, burrowing within himself as he pressed his burning cheek against the cold, unforgiving stone face.

The sun was beginning to set by the time Wufei had gathered himself up to head for home.

The wood, once again, lay forgotten.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Wufei stared up at the thatch ceiling of his home, buried beneath the scratchy, wool blanket of his bed, the straw beneath him that made up the mattress digging into his bare back. He had been lying there all night, the moonlight cascading through the window as it made its silent rise into the sky, then disappearing to welcome the rays of morning sun.

Sleep had refused to accompany the night.

His skin felt sticky and slick, covered in a layer of grimy sweat, adding to the irritation of the blanket and mattress. This physical annoyance seemed only a dull light in the back of his consciousness, when compared to the rampaging storm that was his mind.

And the beast behind the storm was one long-haired boy.

Wufei closed his eyes tightly, trying to force the image of the beauty that was Duo out of his imagination. But the absence of morning light only brought pictures of want and desire, a need to see and speak, the urge to taste and touch. A desperation for something he could not yet name.

He opened his eyes again, his bottom lip trembling as an ache within his chest began to build. What was happening to him? He had never known this sort of pain before, never felt as much as he did at that moment. What was causing this? Duo was just another boy, just another person in a world full of nameless faces. How could he have such an affect, after such a short period of time?

Wufei resigned himself from pity, to complete disgust.

What sort of man was he? Where had his honor gone? He had responsibilities in his life, a farm to manage and keep as his own, fellow villagers to make proud... He had a fiancée to marry and adore for the rest of his life...

Wufei snatched onto that thought with a vengeance. Meiran. Young, sweet Meiran. She was so kind, so innocent, with her large eyes and shortly cut hair. She was a woman, but with the will to top any man in the world. Her strength was hidden in her small body, but there none the less. She would bring him great pride in being his wife. It was a good match to be with her. It was a good match....

Wasn't it?

Wufei whimpered pitifully, and curled up on his side, pulling the blanket above his head.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Surprisingly enough, Wufei had managed to catch hold of a small amount of sleep between the swirling of his thoughts. He nearly growled his anger when he felt someone shaking his shoulder, forcing him to let go of that peaceful retreat, and face reality. He turned onto his back, to see the dark, concerned eyes of his visitor.

It was Meiran's father again.

Wufei could not bring himself to care at the moment.

"Dammit, boy. What in Hell is wrong with you?"

Wufei tried to speak, but no sound came out of his parched throat. He swallowed to try again, but the man cut him off.

"Don't talk, alright? You look like something left over from a dog fight. Just lay back and rest, will ya?"

Wufei swallowed again, willing his voice to work, "I have to get up. The animals-"

"Are being taken care of. You've pushed yourself too far with something, Wufei. Care to tell me about it?"

The boy closed his eyes again, licking his dry lips, but made no move to answer. The man sighed, running a hand through his greasy hair.

"Fine by me. Every man's got his secrets. Anyway, you just stay here and get some rest. Me and the boys'll take care of things here for the day. You concentrate on getting yourself well, so this doesn't become a habit."

Wufei seemed to lack the energy for an answer, or even a simple nod, but the older man didn't seem to care either way. With another sigh, he turned on his heel and left, the sound of the front door closing feeling like a sudden reprieve to the depressed, tired man on the bed. Wufei opened his eyes again to stare at the ceiling. He should rest? That simple thought made him curl his lip in a cringe. Sleep was something he would not be afforded.

He could have blamed it on the bright afternoon sunlight, filtering through the shabby curtains. He looked longingly at them, remembering how his mothas sas so fond of them, while she was alive.

He could have blamed it on the sounds of toil and hard, honest work, happening out in his fields. The sounds of men at work was never something dull or easy to ignore.

But Wufei knew, he knew deep down, that none of these were to blame.

That was gifted solely to Duo.

A slight breeze ruffled the curtains, carrying with it the smells of freshly dug earth, rain water, and wild flowers. And even though he was sure it was his imagination, Wufei could have sworn the lingering scent of summer heat and lilacs were carried in with it, calling to him, bewitching his senses and demanding that he abandon any and all that stood in his way between him and what he desired.

And right now, there was only one thing that Wufei wanted.

He opened the front door slowly, peering out past the fading sunlight. There was no one in the front yard. All were in the back fields, plowing up the earth to ready it for planting. There was no one to stop him.

There was no one there to witness the moment that Chang Wufei left his life behind.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I've been waiting for you, Wufei."

Duo was smiling brightly at him, resting his weight on his hands as they propped his upper body up from behind, hisg leg legs stretched out before him, crossed at the ankles. He was still barefoot. Wufei wondered briefly if the boy even owned shoes.

He looked beautiful, as always. His pants were once again loose fitting, a beautiful shade of royal blue, hitched lower on his slender hips. He was shirtless as usual, the dying sunlight spreading across his chest and abdomen like a thick layer of glossy honey. Wufei licked his lips at the mere thought. Duo's hair was a little different though; it was all swept up, off of his neck, twisted near the base, and held together with two long sticks of white. Wufei thought that they were ivory, if he was any judge. The rest of his hair spilled down from the top of the twist, near the crown of his skull, in a wavy jalousie. (A/N: Yes, that's actually a word.)

He was smiling in that brilliant, dazzling way, when Wufei finally sat down.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Wufei hoped that the irritation and annoyance came through in his voice. He was pretty sure it didn't.

Because Duo had sat up, crossing his legs beneath himself, propping his chin with his hand, and was still smiling at him.

"I was just wondering why you chose to come to me, dressed as though you meant to go to bed."

Wufei nearly choked on his breath, as the realization dawned on him. The cool skin of the dusking evening was dancing across his very naked chest and back, playing over his bare toes. He bowed his head to see his old, rumpled sleeping pants, and nearly wailed when his black hair curtained both sides of his face. In his haste to find Duo, he had even neglected to pull it back in its respectable pony tail.

His cry of despair was cut off even before it had begun, when one of Duo's soft, slender hands came up, the fingertips ghosting warmly over Wufei's already burning cheek, to tuck his hair behind his ear.

"Do not be ashamed. I'm honored that you would expose yourself to me."

His words were whispered, sounding far closer than they should have been. Wufei dared to look upwards, finding Duo's face much, much more near than he ant anticipated. The boy's warm, sweet smelling breath was washing over his lips in pleasant gusts as he exhaled. The hand that had touched him moments before slid back over his cheek, cupping it in an affectionate way. The mere feel of this, of this closeness, made Wufei's insides jump and burn. He truly wished he could understand this, this odd sensation that seemed to dance through his veins, and make him want.

He wished that he knew what it was he wanted.

"You are simply adorable when you concentrate. Tell me, what is it that has you thinking so hard?"

Wufei blinked, drawing his brows together.

"I was thinking about how stupid this is."

The moment the words left his mouth, Wufei felt a pang in his gut. Duo's hand had stilled in its almost absent caress, his muscles tensing. Immediately, the dark-haired boy straightened his back, eyes wide with panic.

"No, no! I didn't mean that! That came out completely wrong! I didn't mean that this was stupid! Just... just that I don't know what's going on, what I'm supposed to do, who you are and that you don't know-"

His words where hushed abruptly as Duo pressed two fingertips to his lips, a soft 'shhh' coming from between his teeth as he gave his head a small shake. Slowly, he drew his fingers away, only to reach down and take Wufei's hand in his. He turned the palm up, his eyes fixated on the small lines and crevices there. He began to trace them with his other hand.

"Do you enjoy being with me, Wufei?"

The words were soft, barely whispered, near unheard, but Wufei knew they were there, somehow.

"Y-yes... I do."

"Do you enjoy this? How you feel now?" Duo slowly brought his eyes up to meet Wufei's, face carefully blank, but his eyes... they seemed to swim in color. Wufei could only manage a nod.

"Then that is all you need to understand," he lifted his hand again, the fingers once more sweeping over Wufei's flushed cheek, to comb through his hair as they rounded the back of his neck, "This is all you need to feel," Wufei held his breath as Duo inched forward again, his closeness creating a tangible heat between them, "This is all that I want..."

For a moment, Wufei ceased to exist, his soul wrenching from the shell of his body to fly into the heavens. Duo gently pressed his lips to his own, the touch feather soft and candy sweet. He watched, helpless and dying, as those soft lashes fell down to cover surging purple-blue eyes, and the sun finally fell from the sky, drowning them in the darkness.

There was no need for words, no directions, just a simple understanding as both boys leaned into the ground. Wufei lay on his back, his hands tentatively touching Duo's forearms as the boy rested above him, his lips still sliding ever so skillfully over his. He felt his thighs nudged apart, heard the whisper of cloth against cloth as the boy rested between them. He nearly cried when those warm lips left him.

Duo was staring down at him, a soft smile lifting the corner of his mouth.

"Do you want this, Wufei?"

If Wufei could answer him through words, he would have, but his voice seemed to have fled him. Instead, he reached upwards, and taking hold of both sticks of ivory, he pulled loose Duo's hair to let it fall freely down about them. His hands had grown bold, and they both cupped the boy's cheeks, thumbs stroking his skin gently. Duo smiled, and leant down again.

The kiss was more this time. The pressure had grown, as well as the intensity behind it. Wufei arched his neck, shamelessly wanton of even more, begging Duo to grace him with his affection. Warm hands slipped down his shoulders and arms, fingers linking with his as his hands were drawn up to rest above his head. At the same moment, Duo's lips slid past his cheek, traveling downwards to the soft skin below Wufei's ear. Tiny shivers coursed through his body, and vaguely, he noted that the soft green glow of fire flies were dancing around them. Dancing, playing, acknowledging the beauty around them as though they witnessed a ritual of times of old.

Indeed, something shimmered around them. A feeling of familiarity, as though Wufei had been here sometime before, had tasted the air when mixed with the scent of ritual and desire. The world seemed to close around them, the ivy leaves creating a curtain to hide their act from the eyes of those who would object, who would not understand. This was for them, their own private communion. A sharing of souls.

And Wufei felt that somehow, somewhere, Gods long forgotten and the ones whom they created, watched with love in their eyes.

"Wufei.... my Wufei..."

Duo's soft voice brought him back, back into the arms of the man he had fallen utterly, so completely for. He blinked for a moment, focusing his eyes on the face above him. Duo's eyes were startlingly bright in the dark, the green lambency of the fire flies reflecting against their color. Summer lilacs and a raging ocean. They contrasted each other so greatly, a war between them as they fought for dominance. The chaos drew Wufei in, and he knew he was drowning.

Drowning in the lilacs and sea.

Gentle, careful hands slid down his hips, pushing the old material of his pants away, exposing him to the warm summer night. Wufei lifted his hips from the rock, his mind swimming and nerve endings singing in joyous praise. Where had he been so long, how had he survived without such a feeling? Duo was back to his lips almost immediately after, his own naked skin pressing into Wufei's body, eliciting another soft sigh of wanton pleasure. Duo's voice joined him in the voice of elation, his throat working as a velvet groan was swallowed by Wufei's mouth. Their erections slid against one another as they rolled their hips, a passionate imitation of what they both craved.

Duo groaned louder as he pulled away from the warm, wet kisses, dipping his fingers into Wufei's open mouth. He licked and bit at the tips, laving them in his saliva. He knew not for what purpose this served, but he did know somewhere in his mind that it was necessary. He didn't care what they were doing. He only knew that he wanted it. He wanted to feel Duo, to touch him, to hear him voice everything that he had been thinking in the past few days.

The fingers were pulled away, almost apologetically, and quickly vanished between Wufei's spread legs. He closed his eyes, wondering what Duo was planning to do with them, waiting with tense anticipation to find out.

The first touch was a shock, and he nearly pulled away. Duo, however, caressed the side of his hip and buttock, soothing him, making that soft 'shhh' sound again as his damp finger traced around Wufei's opening. It was gentle, questioning, but refusing to stop. Wufei surprised himself when he gave his consent with a single nod of the head.

He tensed as the fingertip passed into him, barely past the first knuckle. Duo continued his calmative petting of Wufei's thigh, waiting until the muscles around his fingers relaxed a bit before pressing further inward. The thrusting was slow, patient, a promise of things to come. Wufei panted heavily as his body loosened beneath the languid touches, the jar from the beginning easily fading into anticipation and pleasure.

He wanted more.

Duo smiled down on him, soft glowing of green glittering in the purple of his eyes, warming Wufei from head to toe in a blanket of security. Duo was beautiful. The night was beautiful. Everything around them seemed to sparkle and shine beneath the light of the moon and dancing stars, casting them into a world of arcane sanctuary. This was exactly, perfectly, where he wanted to be.

Duo leaned over him once again, pressing their chests together in comfortable affection, his hair curtaining around them and invading Wufei's senses. He breathed deeply of the scent, his tongue curling around the flavor as his eyes dropped closed for a moment. When he opened them again, slowly, he met with Duo's gaze, his heart bursting at the pure, raw emotion he saw in them, and in that moment he knew.

He had fallen in love with Duo. And Duo had fallen equally in love with him.

Their lips met sequentially, heads tilting to accommodate the angle, as both their lids slipped closed, tongues meeting coyly in the middle. Wufei felt strong, long fingers comb through his hair, rubbing in small circles against his scalp. He very nearly purred into the slow, spurring kiss, but that was quickly stolen by his sudden need to intake as much air as possible, as the head of Duo's dripping erection passed into him.

Wufei tensed, freezing completely beneath the heat of Duo's body, his lids clenching tightly shut as pure acid-lightning sped through his limbs and nerves. He felt a shamed flush spread across his skin whe fhe failed to hold back the pained sob, sounding much like a weak child. Duo cooed to him, rubbing their cheeks together, smearing Wufei's tears in an effort to calm him. This only served to humiliate him more. Where was the strength he so prided himself on? He was completely destroying this moment, this union he had been gifted by his own pathetic weakness.

"No, no... don't ever think that..." Duo whispered against his hair, nuzzling against the black locks. Wufei tried to nod, tried to relax his body, but even the simple movement of spreading his thighs further apart send dizzying sparks of burning pain throughout him. He squeezed his eyes tighter, more of his salty tears tracking down his cheeks to soak into his hair, against Duo's skin, but he forced himself to endure. He needed to make it through this.

The pain was worth being able to have Duo touch him like this, inside.

"Shhh... it isn't right, Wufei... it isn't right..." Duo had pushed himself up on his elbow, absently brushing the tears away with his fingertips, trailing their tracks across Wufei's heated skin, still held only head deep within the boy's body. His eyes were still glowing with the light of the fire flies, gentle and anodyne with their simple warmth and warring colors. They were trailing over his face, taking in Wufei's hardly suppressed, agonized expression, his brows turning down in sympathy.

"Let me help you, my love...."

Wufei once again felt his heart lurch pleasantly within his chest, and he closed his eyes as Duo moved in for another kiss.

The moment their lips met, he felt the friction and weighted push of the boy's length slide completely into him, and Wufei let out a startled, pained cry.

But the pain was not there, only the sensation of himself stretched to full capacity, tingling bubbles bouncing through his belly, and an even more embarrassed blush crossing his cheeks. His cry had been merely from shock, of expecting a pain so severe he would have very well passed out. But there was nothing... just Duo and he, he and Duo, one body, one being, guided by a passion neither could deny.

"Duo..." Wufei whispered hotly, his grip on the boy's arms relaxing as he allowed himself to revel in the feeling. Duo's smile faltered slightly as the dark haired boy wiggled beneath him, and Wufei felt his pride swell even greater at the hardly controlled lust he saw glittering in Duo's eyes. He sighed gratefully, and began to stroke his new - first - lover's cheek.

"Take me Duo... I love you like no other ever could... I want you so..."

Duo closed his eyes with a small, satisfied smile, and bent to press their lips together once more.

And the ritual began.

Wufei knotted his fingers in Duo's hair, close to the scalp, as he felt the impossibly hard length begin to slide within his body. His arms were tense, but the entire lower portion of him was completely relaxed, fluid, as he rocked in his inexperienced way with his lover. The feeling was incredible, near indescribable, and he fought with his mind to imagine what he could possibly say that would do it justice. Their thrusting was slow, sensuous, and impossibly passionate as they moaned into each other's mouths, swallowing the other whole.

The sweet advances slowed even further, until Duo was buried to hilt within Wufei's burning body, and the kissing ceased. Slowly, he pulled his lips away to gaze down at his flushed little lover, drinking in the site of him caught up in the turmoil of his young, confused passion. Duo smiled again, and kissed both of his closed eyes, before sitting himself up. He wrapped his arms about Wufei's legs, pulling the boy's behind up further onto his bent lap, then closed his hands about his hips.

"Tell me again, Wufei....." He whispered softly, his voice nearly dying out amidst the sound of the river behind them. Wufei swallowed hard, his fingers crawling slowly out to stretch beside him, and he tilted his chin as his eyes opened the smallest fraction.

"I love you, Duo.... More... More than anything I've ever known..."

"I am all you'll ever know..." Duo faintly growled, as he began to push inside Wufei's body once more. Wufei choked on his cry, his eyes closing again when he felt Duo's cock rubbing against his insides. That lightheaded, impossibly wonderful feeling had returned, soaking his senses in white delight. Suddenly, the head of that burning hot length prodded against something inside, and Wufei let out a sharp, helpless cry.

"Duo! Oh Gods... Duo, please!" he called out into the night, heedless of the pitch in his voice, caring only for the gratified groan he gained in response. His back arched high, threatening on the point of pain, as his nails scratched against the stone beneath him.

"You!... There is only you, Duo! Only you!"

Duo hissed out a breath, pumping himself harder into the boy's body, but keeping the pace slow as one hand splayed over his offered abdomen. The muscles beneath his fingers jumped, and he watched with a smile as Wufei's throbbing, blood-swollen cock twitched with want. Oozing precum trailed across the boy's belly, sticky and hot. He swiped his fingertip across the small mess, and brought it to his lips to taste.

Wufei watched through slitted eyes and panting breaths at the vision that was Duo. The thrusting had increased in speed and intensity, the sounds of their skin meeting with every driving push echoing through the warm, night air. Duo's head was lolling from side to side, his hair waving about him like water. His lips were parted and his eyes closed, soft, divine moans and unclear words slipping past his throat. Whatever he was saying, Wufei was certain they were endearments, meant for him.

All the thoughts vanished when Duo hit that button inside of him again, and the world went white.

They drove against each other, holding nothing back, refusing to give into the taxing exhaustion of their bodies. They craved, they needed, they were desperate for the taste of one another, and nothing could stop them from getting what they wanted.

"D-Duo... nnngha!" Wufei cried and writhed, aching to reach for something he still couldn't understand. But Duo knew, and Wufei sang his praises in his mind the second contact was made.

A hot, smooth hand enclosed around his erection, stroking it fiercely in the boy's abandon. Duo had hunched over him again, his own voice emitting animalistic, yet still oddly beautiful sounds that Wufei took in and imprinted to his memory. Breaths were hot against his face, gusting harshly against his already over sensitive skin. He began to thrust up into Duo's hand, no longer able to keep his eyes open from the power in it all. This was all so incredibly magnificent.

Then, Wufei, and all the world around him, died.

Space enclosed about him, the stars seeming so much closer he could have sworn they were touchable, and a great surging swept up from the bottom of his belly to flood into his brain. It throbbed through him, muscles tensing and relaxing, over and over again, as load after load of his young, virgin seed exploded from his cock to coat Duo's hand, and both their stomachs.

And still, Duo drove on.

Wufei whimpered and cried, boneless and helpless beneath him as the cock inside his body continued to stab at him, pressing against his most pleasurable nerve, drawing out his orgasm to almost unbearable proportions. He felt worn thin, tingling and dying all over again as he was thrown into a world of relentless, never ending bliss. Duo merely dove into him harder.

He wept openly, clutching at Duo in his desperation, wanting it to stop, but not willing to let the feeling go.

It could have been minutes, or hours, before it finally ended. Wufei watched, fascinated, as Duo arched upwards, throwing his hair back in a wild arc as he let out the most primal, base scream Wufei had ever heard in his life. Hot, nearly scalding heat filled his insides, striking once again at that small place inside, making him wince at the agonizingly wonderful sensation. His skin pricked, felt as though there were a million hands upon him at once, and suddenly he felt all strength leave him when Duo collapsed onto his body.

He felt light, limbless and weightless as Duo panted against his neck, caught up in the aftermath of what they had just done. They were silent for long moments, listening to the river and the air about them, and the frantic beating of their own hearts. In Wufei's soul, he knew they beat as one.

"I love you, Duo..." He whispered into the boy's hair, barely recognizing his own voice as it cracked and burned in his throat, worn raw from his screams. Duo somehow managed to lift himself again, smiling down on the boy he covered. With a soft sigh, he bent low and captured his lips in a gentle, loving kiss.

When Wufei opened his eyes, Duo was gone.

He sat up quickly, blinking through the darkness. He could barely see the river, the moon having gone low on its nightly walk, sparing him no light. The fire flies had fled somewhere, possibly to their beds to wait through the day. He reached up and touched his face, to find it dry, but sticky from sweat. He had fallen asleep? He smiled and stared ahead into the darkness, imagining what it must have been like.

He could almost see it... Duo lying next to him, stroking his calmed, silent face in the night. He wouldn't want to wake him, for he loved him so, believing he deserved rest. So he would press a kiss to Wufei's lips or temple, and tell him that he would be waiting here for him the next day, that they would leave somewhere, together.... They loved one another, and there was nothing to keep them apart. Nothing at all.

With that lovely image in his mind, Wufei gathered his discarded pajama bottoms, and slipped himself into them. With a smile on his face, he scaled the rocks, and started to walk back to home,ome, intent on packing what little possessions he owned.

When he opened his front door, he was more than surprised to see every candle he owned burning brightly. There was a fire lit in the hearth, his only cook pot bubbling with something that smelled like beef stew. Had he started dinner before he left to meet Duo? He couldn't really recall.

Shrugging, he went over to the pot and took it from the heat, setting it on the old wooden table. He briefly considered eating, but decided that there were more important things to do. Like get his things ready to leave tomorrow. He turned again to head to his bed, when he suddenly caught sight of something completely unexpected.

There was someone sitting in his chair, sleeping. It was a young woman, possibly only a year below himself. Her head was tilted to the side at an uncomfortable looking angle, her lips parted slightly as she took deep, steady breaths. Short, black and matted hair framed her face, tanned and cracked from days of toiling in the sun. Wufei very nearly sneered at her. She wasn't very pretty at all, and he could almost smell the horse manure and dirt from where he stood.

But she did seem peaceful, sitting there, one of his quilts resting across her lap. He thought that, perhaps, it wouldn't hurt to let her stay there. He would make her leave in the morning, possibly after breakfast. It was obvious to him that she was the one who had cooked dinner, so why not let her sleep?

Sighing, he made his way over to her, and pulled the quilt up to around her shoulders.

Her body tensed and her eyes opened, meeting Wufei's dark gaze.

"Shh. Don't worry. You can sleep here tonight. I don't really mind."

The girl blushed, and pushed Wufei back as gently as she could, standing to wring her hands together.

"Wufei, I'm so sorry! I... I didn't realize I had fallen asleep! I should really be going!" she spoke in quick words, staring at the floor as she shifted from foot to foot. Wufei stared at her a moment, wondering why she seemed so oddly familiar, but more importantly, how she knew his name.

"Do I know you, miss?"

The girl stopped moving and glanced at him, her brows drawing down in confusion.

"What? Do you know me? You had better be joking, Wufei."

He narrowed his eyes in concentration, then shook his head, "You... you seem familiar. Do you live in the Lord's Castle, perhaps? Or are you part of a traveling merchant band?"

The girl's jaw dropped, then snapped shut as she drew her lips together in a tight line. With out warning, she took a step forward, and punched him square in the shoulder.

"Wufei, you insufferable jerk! How dare you-" her words were abruptly stopped when Wufei clutched her wrist, squeezing it tightly. She squeaked in surprise, then sudden pain when his hand tightened even further, the bones grinding together.

"Wufei! You're hurting me!" she cried, shrinking back and dropping to her knees.

"How dare I? You're the one who came here, cooked my food, and slept in my chair. You had better learn some manners, before taking advantage of a stranger’s hospitality."

She whimpered, and froze as she locked gazes with him. Wufei's eyes had grown impossibly dark, swimming with some sort of odd, threatening glaze. Meiran shivered, then bowed her head.

"I'm sorry sir. I will never do it again."

Wufei snorted, and released her hand, "Good. Now get out."

She nodded, and quickly got to her feet. She didn't even bother to close the door behind her as she fled. Wufei watched her go, and closed the front door, before turning back to head towards his room, his mood much brighter. Humming a nonsense tune to himself, he began to go through his things, throwing them onto an extra bed cloth.

Once he had finished, he noticed that the moon had almost made it's final farewell to the night. Glancing at his bed, he decided that perhaps some sleep was in order. After all, if he and Duo wished to leave immediately tomorrow, he couldn't slow them down because of fatigue. With a happy sigh, he flopped onto the bed, and fell asleep with a smile.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Wufei yelled a curse as he suddenlund und himself flying through the air, only to slam against the far wall. Blinking out his sleeping daze, he stared up at his assailant.

The man that had quite literally ripped him from his bed was standing over him, his face pinched in rage, and his fists clenching at his sides. Wufei blinked, and pushed himself up to a standing position, intending to find out what in the world was going on.

"How could you?" the man sneered, barely keeping his anger in check as he watched the young man before him.

"How could I what?" Wufei asked in honest confusion, shaking his head to further clear the dizziness. Who in the world was this man, and why was he so oddly angry with him? What had he done?

Those questions went unanswered as the first blow struck him across the cheek, disorienting him to the point of blacking out. He slumped to the floor, barely holding himself up with his hands. He screamed in pain as his hair was suddenly gripped tightly, and he was drug across the floor into his meager little kitchen.

"You're going to pay for what you've done, Wufei! You're behavior has been nothing short of disgusting! The town council will decide what to do with you!" the man yelled at him, the sound jarring Wufei's ears as he was dropped to the floor again. He blinked through his haze, sorting all the words out.

The council? He was being taken to the town council?

Terrified panic swept through him. He couldn't go to the council! They would punish him, for whatever it was he had done, and then he couldn't....

Wufei's eyes narrowed in on the cook pot, still sitting on the kitchen table.

He couldn't.

With a strength he should not have possessed at that moment, Wufei stood and grabbed hold of the cast iron pot. The man had turned away from him for a moment, for one reason or another.

It was such a simple thing, to swing that heavy iron, filled with cold stew. It struck the man's head soundly, a sickening crack of crushing bones biting sharply in the still, dawn air. Meiran's father fell without so much as a cry, hitting the wood floor with a satisfying thump. Blood and brain tissue splattered around his head, marking the floor boards in an odd, foul looking halo. Wufei dropped the pot next to the body, his hands shaking ever so little.

He had to leave.

He swung the door open and sprinted out into the semi-warm, morning air, making his way down the road in a near panic. He had to get to Duo. He had to see him. They had to leave as soon as possible.

Panting heavily, he finally reached the small wood trail that led down to the river. Without pausing, he ducked under the brush, pushing his way violently through the branches, not caring as they bit against his skin, leaving scratches to well blood and trickle down his body. He did not even stop to balance himself as he turned to scale the rock face. All that mattered was Duo. All that mattered was seeing him. Duo would make everything feel alright again. He just knew he would.

But what Wufei saw was not what he had expected, nor ever imagined.

Duo was there, but but he was not alone.

There was another boy, probably about Wufei's age, kneeling behind his lover. Large, dark blue eyes were staring straight ahead at the cascade of shimmering, unbound hair that lay spread before him. Long, calloused, dirty fingers where running through that hair, petting it, worshipping it, as Wufei had done. Duo was sighing gratefully, relaxing into the touch, as Wufei had caused him to do. The other boy was rubbing his fingertips against Duo's scalp, again, as Wufei had done.

What in the Hell was going on!?

"Duo!" Wufei yelled, stalking towards the pair with barely suppressed vehemence.

They both jumped in surprise, the odd, dull look in the boy's eyes suddenly disappearing as he looked up at the advancing young man. He blinked, "Wufei?"

Wufei looked down at him, recognizing him in an instant. In that instant, he wanted to completely destroy him. He very nearly did, until Duo began giggling.

"Don't get so angry, Wufei. Heero was just giving me a little attention."

Heero stood quickly, not at all understanding the anger in his friend's eyes, and ran.

"Come back again tomorrow, alright?!" Duo called after him, still giggling in a disturbing, insane way. All Wufei's anger towards Heero vanished as he turned to Duo, and directed it solely on him.

"What do you think you were doing!?" he demanded, his body quaking with the thrum of his ferocity.

Duo smiled up at him, then stood, stretching his limbs in a satisfied way, "I was enjoying myself, Chang. You have a problem with this?"

"But Yuy is so... he's filthy, Duo! You let him touch you!"

Duo blinked for a moment, then continued to grin. That smile sent shiver's down Wufei's spine, "I let you touch me, and you're filthy."

Wufei could not speak at first, trying to digest the insult, refusing to believe it was even said.

"But... but you and I... You made love me, Duo! What we had-"

"Was somewhat satisfying, yes," the boy flicked some of his hair from his eyes, and tilted his chin to stare down his nose, "But did you actually think it was more than that? Silly, foolish child. What in the world would I want with you, other than to scratch an itch? You are pathetic."

Wufei could see nothing for a moment, other than his hands as they enclosed around Duo's pale throat. The boy was laughing hysterically, as they tumbled backwards into the river.

Wufei tightened his grip as he held Duo's face beneath the water's surface, frightening satisfaction soaring through him as he cut off the boy's air. But Duo did not look at all frightened, or even mildly concerned. He was still laughing, bubbles of air exploding from his mouth to be carried away in the current. He wasn't even fighting, simply relaxing under the flow of the river as Wufei's hands crushed his throat. It only served to feed his anger, and he gripped tighter.

Finally, the laughing stopped, and the body completely stilled. Wufei released him slowly, and watched as it tumbled and bobbed down the river and around the bend, completely lost from sight.

"I loved you, Duo... I loved you." Wufei ground out between clenched teeth. Soft, echoing shouts carried on the wind, reaching Wufei's buzzing ears. There were people coming, coming to look for him, to punish him. He didn't care, couldn't care. His blood still burned with the excitement of taking Duo's life. He turned, intending on meeting his fate.

But something stopped him. Something clutched onto his leg beneath the water's surface. It clutched, and pulled him down.

Wufei gasped as he was drug under, choking on the water as it tried to fill his lungs. He pushed against the rocks, trying to stand, but there was suddenly oppressive, demanding weight upon him. Someone was holding him down.

But there was no one, his mind reeled, near a state of panic as he fought to gain some sort of purchase on the slippery, uncooperative rocks. He needed air, he needed to breathe, or he was going to die.

Sudden, maddening laughter filled his ears. It was Duo's laughter, taunting him, mocking his weakness. Duo was laughing at him.

He was going to die.

He reached upwards, his fingers barely breaking the water's glassy surface, his air retreating and his lungs burning.

The laughter increased in pitch, cracking as Wufei used his last breath to scream his despair. And through his darkening vision, Wufei could see only two things:

Lilacs and Sea.

~FIN~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

J: *smiles happily* that was a lot of fun.

Kylyx: No it wasn't. You killed a character, in your very first fic of this fandom!!

J: *blinks* yea... and that's fun.

Kylyx: *glares* this is all HIS fault *points*

J: *snickers* Ok guys, I just want to make it clear that I O WAO WAY dislike ANY of the G-boys... I love them all to death, Wufei especially... but he was really the only one who could possibly fit this role... along with Duo... So if I pissed any 2x5 fans off, I'M SORRY!

Argaus: No you're not. You enjoyed every second of this, and you know it.

J: Yea, but THEY don't know that.

Kylyx: *sighs, glaring at them both* So anyway... what the heck is Duo supposed to be in this fic ANYWAY?

J: Hmm? Oh! He's what my D&D Book of Erotic Fantasy refers to as a 'Demon-bred Nymph'.

Kylyx: *cocks a brow* So that would explain the lack of pain during penetration, and Wufei's slowly changing behavior? It was all magic?

J: Exactly!

Argaus: *raises his hand* Totally my idea to use that.

Kylyx: WHY are you taking credit for this!? This is... this is wrong!!

J: But oh so *grins*