13-Oct-2001
Title: Chasing the Crown, an Extended Family Fic
ExFam Authors:
RavynFyre - ravynfyre@hotmail.com
von - sablexo1@yahoo.com
bonnejeanne - bonnejeanne@yahoo.com
*Special Guest Writer! Nixie the Pixie!*
Nixers - Nixerchan@aol.com
Category: yaoi, AU
Rating: NC-17 for now, that will change
Pairings: 1+2+5, 3+4
Spoilers: Series, Endless Waltz, Mission: Arcadia
Disclaimer: Gundam Wing characters and universe are the property of the copyright owners.
Kenny, Duan, Wufan, Tryan, Carter, Jack and the Ripper, and everything relating to Rip & Jack's universe are ours. No money being made here.
Feedback: Any and all comments, feedback, critiques welcome, be they short or long.
Please feel free to direct feedback to any or all of the authors!
WARNINGS: AU (Alternate Universe), Original Characters, LEMON in some sections. Kiddie-Angst.
LEMON WARNING this section!
The lights were dimmed, and in the suite of the original extended family, things were quiet.
Sallah and Wufan had been moved from the suite across the hall, to occupy an extra bedroom in the suite of Heero and Duo and the other four boys. Wufan was sleeping with his mother, after a quick bathing and a meal of warm soup.
Kenny and Duan were now sharing the queen sized bed in their room with Carter and Tryan. All four had also had quick baths or showers, and meals of warm soup. The amount each one could eat varied, but even Kenny was carefully coaxed to have a few spoonfuls.
Quatre and Trowa had moved into the room next door, which had been freed up by the absence of former party guests.
The bedroom doors had been left slightly open, so that any calls from within could be heard. Wufei had submitted to the attention of a doctor, and was reclining on the sofa in the main room, unwilling to leave the vicinity of the children's rooms for the time being.
Relena had set an nonuniformed and unobtrusive guard in the hallway to assure the ones within of privacy and safety.
Duo glanced towards Wufei once as he paced a few steps towards the children's door yet again, before thinking better of it and returning to fidget restlessly before one of the curtained windows. The tip of his braid was in his hands, fingers fussing with the band on the end and the soft tassel between quick, unconscious glances towards the slightly ajar door.
Wufei glanced at Duo, tracking him for a few moments. Then he looked away and muttered something under his breath.
"What was that?" Duo asked, half turning to glance back over his shoulder at the injured youth.
"...my bag. It's in the other room," Wufei mentioned, a bit more audibly.
As if grateful for something, *anything*, to do, Duo turned and walked purposefully towards the door. "I'll get it for you. Anything else, 'Fei?" he asked, pausing with his hand on the knob.
"Not the whole bag," Wufei said with an exhale of breath. "Inside pocket - a plastic pack with small yellow capsules on a card. Bring the whole card."
A quick nod and the flash of a disappearing tail of chestnut were Duo's only response.
Heero walked into the room fastening his robe securely. He smiled slightly seeing the chestnut braid disappear. Moving closer to Wufei's chair, he knelt down and looked up at the Chinese pilot. "Hurts, right?" he said, simply.
Wufei looked over at Heero. "Fucking A, it hurts," Wufei said quietly, with a slightly quirked eyebrow.
The door cracked open then, and Duo slipped through it, prizes clutched firmly in hand. With an unrepentant shrug, he dropped Wufei's bag on the floor beside the couch, offering the requested card of medication to the wounded pilot. "Water?"
Heero looked up in the opposite direction at Duo. He looked back to Wufei.
Wufei shook his head. He accepted the card from Duo and held it up, as he punch two of the capsules out. "Yunnan Paiyao," he said by way of naming the capsules. He pointed out to the braided pilot that there was a single round red pill also on the card. "For absolute emergency. Catastrophic injury. The capsules can also be used topically." He swallowed the two capsules and handed the card back.
"Good to know," Duo replied, kneeling to tuck the card back into Wufei's bag. He stood again and started to take an abortive step towards the slightly open door, then, with a derisive sigh, dropped to the floor to stretch out full, rolling his shoulders a little as aches and bruises reasserted their existence. "May swipe one or two of them later," he murmured with a slightly self-depreciating grin.
"Not later, now," Wufei said. "Him too."
Heero's eyebrow arched as he glanced back at Wufei. Moving quickly, he then reached into the bag and found the card. He popped two of the capsules out of the card and put them into his mouth. Leaning over Duo, he smiled down at the braided pilot and kissed him, transferring the pills to his lover in the process.
Obediently swallowing the capsules, Duo's eyes remained closed, though one hand crept up from behind his head to flutter gently over Heero's shoulder. "Kinky bastard," he muttered in a good natured whisper. Firming his voice, he continued, "Your turn."
Heero sat cross-legged on the floor, watching Duo.
Wufei watched the exchange and nudged Heero with a bare foot. "Your turn," he repeated.
"Hai," Heero replied and winked up at Wufei.
Wufei stared the wink down, answering it with a look from ebony eyes that quite simply brooked no argument.
Rolling himself up backwards in a small flip that would have done even Trowa proud, Duo rose up to his haunches and snatched the card from Heero's hand. Popping out two of the capsules before tossing the card back in the direction of Wufei's bag, he graced Heero with what could only be called a wickedly bland stare. "You want 'em, come an' get 'em," he instructed, before deliberately placing them between his teeth.
Strong hands gripped Duo's shoulders and pulled the braided pilot close. Tilting his head, he kissed Duo deeply, coaxing the pills out of his mouth. A short while later, Heero moved back. "Arigato," he said, softly.
Leaving a gentle nip on Heero's chin, Duo merely nodded once. He turned and glanced at Wufei, one brow quirked up in inquiry. "Happy?"
Wufei smiled slightly. He tilted his head. "Mmmm... happier if you hadn't stopped..."
"Hn," Heero remarked, turning to close his mouth over Duo's neck.
"That could - ah... be arranged, 'Fei," Duo managed, eyes slipping closed as Heero hit a sensitive nerve. One hand slid up Heero's thigh, fingers kneading the firm muscle there as the braided pilot slowly... melted towards his lover. "Shouldn't we get you tucked in someplace more comfortable, though? Before that shoulder cramps up any more?"
Wufei's smile widened almost imperceptibly as he watched the two. "If you wish," he murmured, conceding.
Lifting his head, Heero unfolded himself from the floor and pulled Duo up with him. "I wish," he said.
"You will," Duo replied cryptically with a mischievous wink before bouncing over towards Wufei and offering the other pilot a hand. "But that's what they all say when confronted by the 'Mighty Maxwell', scourge of sanity."
Wufei reached up deliberately and closed his fingers around Duo's hand, allowing the other young man to take a little of his weight as he stood, stiffness thinning his customary grace.
Heero moved to the door of their room and opened it wide. "This way," he said, with a small bow.
Duo's bangs fluttered about his face as he blew them out with a sharp exhale of breath. Watching as Wufei preceded him into the room, sighing as he noted the Chinese pilot's stiffness. Even Heero looked a little sore, although that could have just been Duo's own hypercritical eye. Or at least hyper eye. "I don't remember winning being this painful," he mused with a wry grin. "What a sorry lot we are, heh."
"You were much younger then," Heero said, as Duo and Wufei moved by.
Duo snorted, rolling his eyes as he reached back and pinched Heero sharply on his hip before dancing out of range for retaliation. Reaching the bed, he threw the blankets back dramatically, before turning to offer Wufei a grin. He had to curb his reflex to ask if the other pilot was all right, knowing it would only irritate Wufei unnecessarily, although the temptation was strong.
Wufei reached out with the quickness of his old reflexes and snagged Duo's wrist. He pulled the American closer to him and brushed his lips against Duo's mouth. Then he eased himself onto the bed, using pillows to prop him up to a half-sitting, half reclining position.
Heero jumped slightly as he was pinched. Mentally, he placed a chalk mark in the Duo plan he was forming. He closed the door slowly, indigo eyes drinking in the sight of Wufei kissing Duo. Reaching up, he unfastened the robe, letting it drift open as he walked towards the bed.
Unconsciously licking his lips, as if trying to capture the lingering taste of Wufei's kiss, Duo turned slowly, his eyes falling upon Heero. Duo's eyes widened slightly as he took in the unfastened robe and the smoldering look in Prussian eyes. "My, my, Mr. Yuy... Seems Trowa's not the only one with a big gun, now, huh?" Duo observed with a smirk. "Don't you need a permit or somethin' for that thing?"
Heero's smile widened as he moved behind Duo, sliding his arms around the braided pilot's body. Moving even closer, he kissed Duo's neck again, enjoying the feeling of the thick chestnut braid against his bare skin.
"No," he said simply, licking Duo's soft skin.
Wufei settled, his lips curving as his eyelids lowered slightly, giving him something of the look of a cat slowly relaxing as he observed the two.
Duo's eyes slipped closed and he tipped his head back and to one side to offer Heero better access to his throat. Nimble fingers crept around behind him, slowly running callused tips along the smooth skin of Heero's thigh and hip. Distantly, Duo could feel the almost painful thump of his heart slowly changing cadence, sliding from the fluttering and anxious rhythm that had kept him restless since leaving the moon, to something more measured, calmer, though with no slackening in energy. An undecipherable groan of pleasure slipped past his slightly parted lips, while his mind turned from the feel of his heart to the infinitely more engaging feel of Heero's lips upon his skin.
Heero growled softly against Duo's ear as he felt the fingertips touch his skin. He felt Duo relax in his arms. Sliding his arm down in an arc, Heero brushed the front of Duo's pants as his fingers traced the outline of the violet-eyed young man's cock. Opening his eyes slowly, he peered over Duo's shoulder to Wufei on the bed.
Duo's breath leapt into his throat as Heero's hand trailed lower, his eyes blinking open quickly in a brief flash of surprise. Recognizing the expression on the Chinese pilot's face as his gaze swept over him, Duo silently reminded himself to make sure and tuck a copy of that disk he retrieved from Dorothy in Wufei's bag. Then, with a calculating smirk, he allowed himself to once again melt back into Heero's arms, even as his arms twisted behind him a little bit more until his hands could wrap around the heated flesh he could feel pressing into the rough denim of his jeans. "You... wanted something, koibito?" he asked innocently, letting his eyes drift shut again.
The Chinese pilot tucked his feet under the edge of the covers, and loosened the drawstring fastening on the loose pants he'd put on after the doctor's examination. Watching Duo in Heero's arms gave Wufei a sense of pleasure, and even security, he would never have tried to describe, but which nevertheless was a needed and welcome balm.
Heero chuckled. "Hai," he said, against Duo's ear. His fingers unfastened Duo's jeans and pulled down the zipper slowly. Pressing his hips forward, Heero moved against Duo in small circles, enjoying his lover's presence.
"Back to monosyllabic responses, I see," Duo murmured, fingers ceaseless in their stroking dance over his lover's erection. His lips twisted into a wicked smile as he turned his head to nuzzle the hollow of Heero's jaw. "Shall I show you a better way to occupy a mouth?" he purred.
Heero chuckled again, allowing the delicious caress of Duo's hand on his aching flesh. Cupping his hand around Duo's erection, Heero removed the sash of his robe with his free hand. "Love you," he said, reaching up quickly and capturing Duo's wrist. Bringing Duo's arm back, Heero wrapped the sash around Duo's wrist and bound it with the other as he moved back. He then reached up and tilted Duo's head back, kissing him hard.
Instinctively, Duo's fingers started picking over the knots, before he forced himself to stop. The game wouldn't be very fun if he escaped too soon... although forcing Heero to come up with creative ways to keep him too occupied to try and untie himself had its advantages, too. He pressed forward into Heero's lips, pouring the sudden hammering of his heart into the kiss even as he turned a little against his lover, seeking a little friction to ease the fierce ache burning through his groin now.
Wufei's eyelids dropped lower, as if to shield the sudden spark of heat that kindled in them at the moves of the two. He eased a bit onto the uninjured side, and one hand brushed his forehead, and then strayed almost accidentally to his mouth, one finger almost idly tracing his lower lip.
Heero slid his hands around Duo's narrow waist. He then pushed the long haired pilot forward slightly and leaned him over the side of the bed. "Relax, koi," he coaxed, as he moved around and knelt next to Duo. Placing his hands on the dark jeans, Heero tugged them down and over Duo's hips, exposing the curves of the braided pilot's hips. Removing them completely, Heero then smoothed Duo's pale skin with his hands appreciatively.
"Relax, he says," Duo muttered, "How'm I s'posed to do that when you drive me so nuts?" Despite the faint trembling of the muscles under Heero's fingertips, the quietly hissed words were more token protest than any real complaint. Duo allowed his eyes to slide shut again, willing himself to follow his lover's lead, although a soft groan of anticipation slipped from between clenched teeth.
Lovingly, Heero picked up the thick cord of chestnut colored hair and draped it across the bed next to Duo. Moving his hands around Duo's hips again, Heero massaged the braided pilot with pleasure. Leaning over Duo's back. Heero shrugged off his robe and then kissed the middle of his lover's back. Closing his eyes, he trailed kisses down Duo's spine.
A quiet whimper broke from Duo's throat as he squirmed in Heero's grasp. His fingers started plucking at the knots again of their own accord, seeking escape to turn the tables on his wickedly torturous lover. "Hee-chan..." he whined softly, eyes tight shut.
Heero bent down farther and licked Duo's restless fingers. "Hn?" he queried, then planted a wet kiss on Duo's bared hip. Raising slightly, he placed his hand on Duo's back. "Did you say something, koi?" he asked.
Duo pressed back against Heero's hand, silently seeking more contact even as he bit his lower lip and stubbornly refused to answer Heero. He had to force himself to keep his head still and his eyes shut, to not look up towards where Wufei lounged, certain that the smoldering look he would be sure to see in dark eyes would send him over the edge with little other help.
Wufei was watching, and the look probably would have had the imagined result. His hand had disappeared beneath the edge of his open waistband, and his lips were being moistened by and unconscious tongue a bit frequently as he watched the two. The ache in his shoulder was easing, giving him more attention to focus on other feelings.
Heero looked down on the smooth curves of Duo's body with appreciation and love. Bending once again, he placed his palms against Duo's rear again. This time he smoothed the curves of the braided pilot's body with long strokes. He called upon skills he hadn't used in a long while and massaged Duo lovingly. As his hands glided over Duo's thighs, Heero parted him more and more with each stroke. Finally, Heero leaned back over and kissed Duo's back. He moved down the violet-eyed young man's body, parting him with his hands. As he moved lower, Heero tasted the small opening at Duo's rear, becoming lost in his lover's body.
Duo's head came up for a moment, a sharp gasp exploding from him as the moist heat of Heero's tongue surprised him. His hands and fingers flexed against their restraints, seeking more contact, any contact, some way to touch his lover, although not even Duo himself could have said at that moment if it would have been to reciprocate, or retaliate against Heero. A thin trickle of perspiration slid down his temple as he forced himself to relax and lower his head again, unable this time to keep himself from sneaking a peek at Wufei. What he saw forced a low moan from him, and he gave up trying to relax again as muscles began quivering.
Wufei's mouth curved and he moved, crawling from the pillows to stretch along the bed where he could lean his face close to Duo's, and capture the braided pilot in a kiss.
Heero felt moisture break out along his forehead. Reaching underneath Duo, he pulled the braided pilot even closer, as he feasted on his warm flesh. Moving his fingers up, he slid an index finger into the small, wet opening. Smiling like a child who'd discovered a secret place, Heero felt his lids drift downward in pleasure as he felt the muscles of Duo's body grip him, holding him tightly. Slowly, he moved the finger in and out of his lover's body, feeling Duo open to him.
Greedily sucking Wufei's tongue past his lips, Duo poured all his frustration at not being able to touch them into the kiss, the only avenue left open to him at the moment. He pressed eagerly back against Heero's intrusion, seeking more, always seeking more, as a light sheen broke out over his flanks and sides. Finally breaking the kiss, Duo lapped softly at the corner of Wufei's mouth, then stretched his neck a little to leave a line of light kisses along the other pilot's jaw, pausing at the hollow of Wufei's throat, which he licked.
Wufei stretched towards Duo's kisses, lifting one hand to stroke his bangs and wisps escaped from the chestnut braid. His eyes glanced up, over Duo's shoulder to meet Heero's. His cheeks were flushed and Duo could feel the heat under his skin.
Heero licked his lips to moisten them as he continued the slow movements with his fingers in and out of Duo. He felt his own body stiffen and ache, knowing what he wanted and what he would eventually get. Removing the fingers, he bent down again, tasting Duo's skin and making his lover's body wet and ready.
Pausing in his desperate ministrations of Wufei's throat, Duo whimpered again, the tail end of the groan becoming a breathy sigh of Heero's name.
Wufei shifted a bit more, supporting Duo and trailing kisses along his neck and shoulder, his hands preparing to brace the other for what was coming so deliciously soon.
Swallowing hard, Heero moved up and between Duo's legs. Reaching down, he curled his fingers around his swollen cock and placed it at the small opening. Moving his hips forward slightly, he felt Duo's body part slowly grasping him. There was the slightest bit of pressure as the braided pilot's body tensed. Heero paused, then felt Duo relax. He moved deeper inside and stopped, feeling Duo all around him.
A keening moan slipped from Duo's lips as he was claimed, before he bit his lower lip hard to silence himself and keep from awakening the children. Blindly, he turned his head, seeking Wufei's lips for a slow, probing kiss while his hips unconsciously flexed into Heero, urging his lover to move before his mind simply shut down with overload.
Looking down across the wide expanse of Duo's back, Heero slid his hand around his lover's hips again. Moving back, he then pushed forward rocking into Duo's body steadily. "Omae o korosu, koi," he growled, taking the braided pilot, blending with him in the total expression of his love.
Wufei offered Duo his mouth with a passionate return, as he felt the braided one rock and react to Heero. His hand stroked Duo's skin as he silently urged him to surrender to the pleasure.
Heero's words filled Duo with a familiar blazing heat, and his body trembled under the welcome assault by both beautiful young men with him. He had to break off the kiss with Wufei as he struggled to draw breath past the constriction of his throat, made tight by the adoration within him for his lovers. Here, finally, he could feel the nervous tension left from combat and fear finally burning away, obliterated by the searing wave of passion building within him.
The edge of his own sanity was almost a palpable thing as it rushed up at him from within, taking the stinging aches of his 'failures' with it and setting them free. With a sudden gasp, his body shuddered, mind lost in the wave of a pleasure so pure and fierce that Duo swore he felt his heart quiver and still in the face of it for several long moments. Still the wave carried him on.
Heero felt and witnessed Duo's release. His body was heated with perspiration and desire as he held on to his lover, feeling his own body at its peak. Holding on to Duo tightly, Heero cried out, releasing deep inside of his lover. His body shuddered as he felt his knees suddenly give way. Reaching out, he caught himself on the bed before falling softly across Duo's back. "Love you," he breathed against Duo's ear, as he turned to smile at Wufei. Leaning over, he kissed the Chinese pilot deeply.
Wufei reached up absently and wiped tears from his eyes as he returned Heero's kiss. Reaching between the two who were all but one as they rested flesh to flesh, he pulled the loose material of the sash, releasing Duo's arms, which were already all but freed by the dance.
Slowly, he began pulling one, then the other of the two up onto the wide bed to rest beside him.
Finally, after several long moments of concentration, Duo was able to catch his breath again, and he lazily blinked open his eyes to smile tiredly at them both. A small, satisfied purr escaped him as he nuzzled against Heero's side, and his free hand stretched over to trail fingertips over the firm muscles of Wufei's abdomen. Violet eyes drifted shut again, a wicked little smirk playing at the corners of Duo's lips as his hand slipped past the loosened waistband of Wufei's still present pants. Pulling his hand free after a moment, he licked his fingers clean of the sticky fluid he'd collected, then returned his fingertips to trail patterns over Wufei's stomach.
Heero sighed contentedly, for once in his life. He looked over, quietly watching Duo and Wufei, feeling an enormous sense of relief and peace. Whatever happened in the next moment or hour, the Perfect Soldier would keep this feeling with him forever. Leaning over, he snuggled against Duo with a small smile on his face.
Wufei made a sound half-chuckle and half groan, squirming slightly as Duo's hand penetrated his pants and then withdrew. He looked down, still with emotion softening his dark eyes. Glancing from one to the other, he reached over and stroked fingertips along Heero's face and through the fringe of his hair.
"...never guessed," he muttered, some thought breaking the surface among many.
"Never guessed what, 'Fei?" Duo asked quietly, worming his other hand under Heero to hold the Japanese youth to him tightly.
"That you two play such... interesting games..." Wufei murmured, his mouth curving slightly as he looked from one to the other.
The smile on Heero's lips widened as he looked up at Wufei. "Learning," he said, simply.
Duo murmured an indistinct agreement, tongue darting out to lap up a bead of perspiration slowly sliding down Heero's shoulder. "You have done well, Grasshopper," Duo intoned gravely, his expression sliding into a grin and a snicker at the end. "Hope you dun mind being part of the homework, 'Fei."
Wufei turned over and leaned up on his good side. He kissed Duo deeply, then bent over to kiss Heero, closing his eyes for a moment. Leaning back, he answered, "Mind, no. I am grateful to be here." Relaxing, his mouth quirked to one side. "Easier to keep an eye on you two."
"Hn," Heero remarked. "Keep both eyes open," he said.
Duo snickered softly again, pulling away from Heero and carefully climbing off the bed. Moving over to Wufei's side, he gently stripped the Chinese pilot's soiled pants from him, folding them and leaving them beside the bed before bending down to brush his lips over Wufei's. Padding over to the door, he flipped off the light and then opened the door a crack so that they would hear if any of the children awoke and called for them, then he returned to the bed. Returning to his spot beside Heero, he reached down and pulled the blankets up over them all then snuggled up tightly against Heero, draping an arm across his lover to rest upon Wufei's stomach again. Reaching up, Duo brushed his lips over Heero's. "Love you," he murmured to them quietly, resting his head upon Heero's shoulder.
Heero closed his eyes. "Love you, too," he said, feeling suddenly very sleepy.
Wufei shifted slightly. pulling himself up a little to get an errant pillow under his shoulder. He stretched a protective arm over and around the other two, curled against each other with eyes closing. Gently stroking Heero's messy thatch of dark hair, then Duo's chestnut strands, he soothed the two, listening to breaths becoming regular. He closed his own eyes, but they opened again in the darkness. Not fighting it, he waited patiently for whatever was keeping him awake to rise to the surface of his mind. Images and sounds from throughout the last day, two days, flickered through his mind until they ran out for the time being, leaving him gazing into the darkened room. He felt a familiar stillness. Nodding slightly to himself, his eyes flickered down to the two curled next to him as he waited for her to speak.
Meiran's words were few, direct as always, but they left him with a sense of wonder. 'It is finally over, then,' he answered silently. Breathing deeply, his face relaxed into a sweet, almost childlike smile now that there was no one to see. 'It's over... and I've been forgiven. Otherwise I would not have been allowed to stay here...'
The spirit of his wife answered with a caustic remark, which managed to convey affection along with exasperation. Bowing his head slightly , he listened to the other voices that came to him, some of them from clan and family gone these last two years. One by one, the Dragon Clan acknowledged the end of the long responsibility of their blood; one by one they gave him their blessings, and set him free.
No longer looking out at the dark room, an errant bit of water leaked onto a pillow as Wufei dreamed, accepting the last gift his ancestors had to give him, and then moved into another dream of loving arms, wide days, young voices, and far in the distance, a final peace.
Lady Une had felt uncomfortable in her bed and found herself moving into Mariemeia's doorway to check on the child. After the third time, she decided that the chair across from the little girl's bed would suffice and settled there. As she looked at the small, sleeping form, Une found herself smiling. Mei was safe. Bringing the blanket she'd retrieved up over her shoulders, Une closed her eyes and slept.
Some time later, Mei's eyes fluttered open, her small fist coming up to scrub across them tiredly. She shifted on the bed, fisting a handful of her pillow as she tried to find a more comfortable position. She missed her stuffed bear back at home. He always helped her sleep when she was restless.
As she turned back onto her back again, she noticed the odd shadow cast by someone sitting in the chair by her bed. Her heart leapt into her throat for a moment before she recognized Une and sighed silently with relief. Sitting up slowly as not to disturb the woman, Mei eyed her bed a little forlornly. She pushed the blankets back and slid carefully over the edge of her bed, standing on the floor. Without releasing the handful of blanket she'd grabbed as she touched down, Mei padded over to Une's chair and hesitantly reached up, tugging gently at the woman's hand. "Lady?" she whispered quietly.
Lady Une's eyes fluttered open and she started a little at the soft sound. Seeing Mei standing next to her, she smiled, struggling to wake up. "Good morning," she said, pleasantly.
Sitting up, Lady Une pulled Mei into her lap. "How are you?" she asked.
"Tired," Mei answered honestly, resting her head on Une's shoulder. Suddenly, it struck her how... odd things were. The boys would be leaving soon, and Wufei with them. Her father was back, and he and Zechs would be raising her now. The Lady... The Lady would be leaving then, too. Things were too confusing again. She'd gone from having no family to too much family in the space of a few days, and it was making her eight year old head hurt. She sighed softly and closed her eyes. "My bed's too big," she complained in a small, hesitant voice. "Is your... Is your chair too small?"
Lady Une smiled fully. "Yes, I think it is too small," she said, brushing the crop of red hair back from Mei's forehead. Standing, Lady Une carried Mariemeia in her arms back to her bed. "Hn," she said, looking down at the bed. "I think you're right about your bed too. However, it seems like it could hold two quite easily, don't you think?"
Mei nodded. "Stay with me?" she whispered.
Lady Une sat Mei down on the bed and sat down beside her. "Of course," she said, pulling the covers up over both of them. Moving her arm around Mei, Lady Une pulled the young girl up next to her, settling her against her side. "You look like you have a lot on your mind. Anything you want to share?"
Mei snuggled up against Une, pulling the edge of the blanket around her like a cocoon. "I'm sorry I was such a pain, before," she said quietly. "I was... scared a lot. Wufei and the boys helped. I was really gonna try hard to start behaving for you, honest." She yawned suddenly, fist scrubbing at her eyes for a moment before she continued. "Will you... Will you visit us often? Please?"
Lady Une felt tears sting the back of her eyes. She hugged Mei tightly, feeling once again that the child had been through so much in her little life. "I promise," she said, "In fact, you can call me, just like before, whenever you want. Okay?"
"Okay," Mei replied, arm curving up to hug Une tightly. "I love you, Lady."
"I love you too, Mei," Lady Une replied, holding on. "'Hey," she said, a short while later. "I want you to know that you've been a great source of happiness in my life and I've wanted nothing but the best for you. So, I'm now asking you to forgive me for the times I've been a pain too."
"You weren't, but okay," Mei replied, hugging Une again. "I understand, I think. Guess us Khushrenadas are just a tough bunch to deal with sometimes, huh?" She stifled a small giggle by burying her head under the blanket for a moment.
Lady Une found herself giggling as well, as she hugged Mei's shoulders again. "You guys can be a handful," she said. "So, what do you think about him?"
"He's all mixed up in the head. I don't think he really understands yet that It's gone and he's free. Mister Zechs and I'll show him," Mei assured her with a confident nod. Suddenly, she started giggling again. "I think I've got two dads now."
Lady Une sighed. "Yes, I guess you do. You're a wise person, Mei. What do you think of Zechs?" she asked.
Mei opened her eyes, staring across the dark room as she pondered it for a long moment. "He's been very sad for a long time. I don't know if he knows that he's free now, too, or not. He'll learn. Wufei says they love each other. I can see that. They'll be good for each other, I think." She fell silent for a moment as a thought crossed her mind as she remembered the odd expressions the boys had a couple of mornings ago. "Do you think that's how Heero and Duo are with Wufei?" she asked curiously.
"Hn," Lady Une remarked, covering a slight blush. "I don't know, Mei. How do you feel about that?" she asked. "The way Zechs and your father are with each other?"
"Love is always a good thing. Happiness, too," Mei replied matter-of-factly, letting her eyes drift shut again. "People are silly to think otherwise. They deserve it. Being happy, I mean. Wufei, too." She sighed, hoping her guess was right. "Are you happy, Lady?"
Lady Une felt the weight of the child in her arms settle against her. There was something so comforting and right about it that she found herself at a kind of peace. Mei's last question, however, broke her out of her reverie. She sighed again. "I suppose I am," she said. "I'm also sad when I think about you... about the possibility of losing you."
Mei shifted against her, sitting up a little to wrap her arms around Une and hug her tightly. "So then you'll just have to visit us a lot. And call. And I'll make sure to do the same. Don't be sad. I finally found myself. You won't lose me now."
Lady Une smiled, hugging Mariemeia tightly. "I love you Mariemeia," she said. "I will call and I'll expect you to call me too." Moving back slightly, Une looked down at Mariemeia. "I'm glad you've found yourself. It shows."
Mei smiled, snuggling back down against Une's side. "It's in the blood. Everything will work out, now," she replied with all the assurance of someone ten times her age. She closed her eyes, yawning widely again. The sagely effect was spoiled a moment later when she grinned, a cheerful burst of laughter erupting from her. "Wufan called me pretty," she murmured, still smiling. "I like him."
"That's good," Lady Une said. "He's right and you have good taste. Wufan is very impressive," Une whispered, conspiratorially.
Mei nodded slowly. "Mmm hmm," she murmured, already losing the battle against sleep. "'N cute, too..."
"Oh very," Lady Une said, quietly, settling back against the pillows. "Let's take a nap now, then we can get some breakfast with the boys later on," she offered.
"Mmm hmm. 'N papa. Night, Lady," Mei whispered, drifting off with a small sigh that almost sounded like, "..peaches.."
Lady Une kissed the top of Mei's head, feeling suddenly very content and sleepy. "Night, little Mei," she said, softly, as she silently re-affirmed her commitment. Closing her eyes, she drifted peacefully to sleep.
An hour or so before dawn, Kenny woke. His sleep had been deep and exhausted, then gradually rising towards fitful, and he opened his eyes suddenly, feeling the reassuring silkiness of Duan's braid almost before he woke. For a few moments he lay still, and slowly identified each other soul in the room by listening to them breathe. Duan beside him, Tryan a bit further over, Carter between the two.
Moving as silently as he could, he crept out from under the covers to the floor, and then out of the room. The door had been left ajar, which made it easier. As gracefully and quietly as a shadow he slipped over to the next bedroom door and peered in to identify Wufan, sleeping curled next to his mother. Kenny watched them for a moment in the dark, something about the view causing his heart to beat quickly. Then just as silently, he moved away.
Had there been anyone awake to see the small boy, they might have had trouble following his movements. Assuming they could, there would have been some reaction to the sight - as silent and precisely graceful as the boy had always been, he seemed to have picked up some extra measure of uncanny talent as he slipped through the quiet suite.
A stop at the other occupied bedroom door, just enough to peer in and see the shapes of three older boys, curled around each other. Something about that stilled some of the pounding of his heart. Then he slipped away again.
The doors to the balcony opened at his touch and he looked out into the fading night, ears picking up the sound of birds, of someone moving in a room on a lower floor, somewhere far away, of a restless horse somewhere across the grounds in the stable. He looked up, but there wasn't much of the moon to see - a sliver of a new crescent, low on the predawning horizon.
His attention sharpened on something in the garden below, and he swung over the balcony railing and began climbing down the ivy and brickwork to the ground. Trailing silently through the garden, brushing dew on his bare legs, he made his way to a place where a bench sat surrounded by night blooming jasmine now starting to close.
The blond and the redhead sitting there turned their heads as one, though few people would have noticed the small shadow.
Kenny came up to the two sitting there and sat, looking up. He regarded them for a long moment and neither of the two spoke, as adults so compulsively seem to do when confronted with a child's gaze. They simply waited. They had all the time in the world.
"It's gone?" he said finally. He'd seen the golden crown turned to dust, but it had all happened so very quickly, and his own senses had been desperately confused.
"It's destroyed," Jack answered, his deep voice allowing for no possibility of error, lie, or doubt. "Gone forever."
Kenny nodded. He bowed his head, relaxing his posture a little. However he did not get up, and the two waited, again with that patience that seemed so out of character for adults, even more so for children.
Looking up, but not raising his head quite as much as before, he said, "And... I can.. stay?" There seemed to be a trace of suppressed doubt, a tiny sliver of fear, but it was a true question, acceptance of the answer implicit.
"It's what you want," the redhead answer with a smile that so rarely seemed to leave his face. "So why not?"
Kenny nodded, the sigh of relief barely audible. He lifted his head a little more, looking directly from one to another, green eyes then brown. "Do you think I'm... ok? Am I... dangerous?"
Ripper lifted the boy from his position on the grass as if he were gathering up a cat. "You are very dangerous," he said with a smile. "But not to the ones you don't want to be. That's what matters, isn't it?"
Kenny looked at the tall redhead, peering into brown eyes that never lost at least a hint of madness, and nodded finally. "Yes," he said. "That's what matters."
Ripper tossed the boy in the air and watched him somersault to his feet. Kenny looked from one to the other a last time, and then nodded as if something had been said. Without any further comment, he darted away into the garden path and made his way back to the building, scaling the ivy to return to the balcony.
The redhead turned to the blond and they exchanged a silent comment or two with nothing but expression. The conversation seemed to seep into audibility somewhere in the middle.
"Yes, I think so," Jack murmured. "By the time Arcadia needs him, and the others. I think it will work out quite well."
"The last one didn't turn out too uninterestingly," Rip replied. "I think we did rather well substituting for absent angels. Isn't that the best joke, after all?"
The blond smiled, a familiar, indulgent expression, and as the sun sent streaks of rose across the lightening sky, the two young men faded like a dream into the dew drenched air.
Wufan woke up and yawned. Looking up, he saw the familiar outline of his mother and rubbed his eyes. Putting his arm around her, he gave Sallah a soft hug. Last night wasn't a dream, it was true. They were back and safe. As he looked back up, some of the memories of the moon base came flooding back and he remembered what he had to do. "Ma," he said softly as he patted her arm. "Ma wake up."
Sallah's eyes blinked open and she tensed slightly. Registering where she was, she looked down to find Wufan looking back up at her. "Hi," she said, sleepily. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing's wrong," Wufan said, quickly. "I have something I need to do. I want you to come with me. Will you?"
Sallah frowned slightly, now fully awake. "Okay," she replied, "What is it you need to do?"
A shadow moved over Wufan's face as he looked down sadly. Almost instantly, he felt his mother's arms tighten around him and her fingers lift his chin.
"Hey..." Sallah said, concerned. "What's this?"
Wufan sighed deeply, then reached up to touch Sallah's hand. "We've got to take care of Sally Po now, Ma. I made her a part of our family."
Sallah looked at her son for a long moment without saying anything. Then, she smiled, proud of her son's boundless generosity. "All right," she said, "If she will accept and if that is what you want to do."
"There's more," Wufan said. "After the General took care of Marcus McCormick, I thought of Sally Po. I got his ring for her. You think that was okay?"
Sallah gasped slightly, then she hugged Wufan tightly. "I think... I think that was wonderful of you, Wufan," she said, unable to keep the emotion from her voice.
Wufan relaxed a little. Then, he squirmed out of the covers and opened one of the chest of drawers in the room. Finding the ring, he had stashed the night before, he brought it back to the bed and showed it to Sallah. "I wanna give it to her now," he said.
Sallah looked from the band to her son and was about to protest that it was a little early, but stopped herself. She nodded. "Come on then. Let's get some clothes on and go and see her," she said.
Wufan wasted no time. He scrambled off the bed and got himself dressed.
Soon afterwards, they made their way to Sally Po's room.
Duan woke up and looked around. He frowned then swore under his breath. No Kenny. Jumping up from the bed, he padded out of the room, being careful not to wake up Tryan and Carter.
Checking the next room, Duan frowned again. He remembered that Sallah and Wufan were in that one. Moving on, the glanced around the main room of the suite and found it empty. Next time, I'm gonna use a rope, he thought, feeling his heart beat in his chest.
Running over to the older boys' room, he opened the door. A quick check revealed only three sleeping pilots. He was grateful, but his target had not been acquired yet. Closing the door, he scampered over to the balcony. Seeing Kenny there, Duan relaxed.
"Hey," Duan said, sitting down next to Kenny. "Couldn't sleep?"
"Woke up," Kenny answered, glancing over at his friend. He looked at Duan steadily. "You sleep ok?"
Duan nodded. "Ok enough. I was looking for you," he said.
"You found me." Kenny said, smiling and then looking away.
Duan watched Kenny for a second, then looked down. "Well, it's over. I guess we did our mission, huh?" he said.
Kenny nodded. "We get to stand down for a while," he murmured.
"That's good," Duan said. "You ok?"
Kenny nodded again. He reached over and snagged Duan's braid.
Duan smiled and fell silent for moment. It was all the confirmation that he needed.
TBC
End of Part 62
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