Shades of Grey by Laekin and bonnejeanne

Part Fourteen

Quatre reached up and took a moment to toss his tie towards his desk, loosening the throat of his shirt by a couple of buttons. Kicking out of his shoes, he positively looked... domestic... as he moved towards the hallway.

Wufei watched him for a moment before following, a slight smile, quickly covered, showing. Quatre stood by the door, waiting for Wufei, watching his friend with obvious and deep concern in his eyes. He fought down the urge to offer his assistance, knowing Wufei would probably scowl at him.

Wufei moved slowly but he'd not lost all his customary grace. He joined Quatre, his non-expression seeming somehow to convey a bit of affection. Perhaps it was the slightest of crinkles at the corner of his dark, angled eyes.

As they moved down the short hall towards the kitchen proper, sock covered little feet proved to be incompatible with the highly polished hardwood floors and Quatre skittered comically when trying to stop or make quick turns. Little giggles escape him as he remembered to grab the wall instead of Wufei. A fond memory of how he used to run full tilt and go sailing along the hallways as a small child assailed him.

Wufei followed, avoiding being skidded into or grabbed. He smiled at the giggle. The sound would carry. Soon others would realize the little blonde was back and available and he fully expected them to drift in like thirsty forest animals looking for a drink.

Well, if the giggle didn't get them, what was about to happen next would. Having reached the kitchen and shooed Wufei in the direction of a chair Quatre tackled the problem of getting a pan down. Perhaps his claim of being able to boil water was a touch exaggerated, since in order to boil water, you had to be able to get a pan.

The kitchen was perfectly stocked, and this included a whole row of pristine copper bottomed pans hanging from a rack overhead. Unaccustomed to kitchen use, Quatre immediately went after one of these pans, forgetting that they were mostly for show and that the day to day pans would be tucked neatly under a counter.

One small Winner.. one high hung pan rack.. someone do the math. Crawling up onto the edge of the kitchen block, Quatre reached up trying to grab a pan. Getting his hands around a small pot he went to yank it off the hook... slipped right off the counter and brought the whole damn rack careening down.

Wufei waited until the pans had stopped bouncing and the noise subsided somewhat. Then he pointed to a small metal object already sitting on an unlit burner.

"Tea kettle," he said succinctly.

Quatre stood in the middle of the destruction, holding his pan to his chest like a beloved toy. Clearing his throat and with as much dignity as he could manage, "ah.. right."

Setting the small pan on the counter he picked his way through the mess to the stove and the tea kettle. Taking the object up he gave it a wiggle to test the level of water, then carried it back to the sink. Water into tea kettle went off without a hitch and then he was back to the stove, managing to get it turned on and the kettle on the burner to heat before he began to pick up the pans.

Wufei watched the whole performance with a relaxed expression. He found himself taking enjoyment in simple things. The graceful bobbing of Quatre snatching pans from the floor... the flash of sun on a copper bottom, or a blonde mop... He began counting seconds. Trowa... or Duo? Trowa could drift in as if he was already going that way. Duo would bounce in purposefully.

Which one first?

In fact it would be Trowa. Who stood in the doorway, yawning and brushing his as of yet ungelled, bangs out of his hair. The tall boy had on a pair of jeans and nothing else. He watched Quatre for a moment, then looked over seeing Wufei sitting there.

"Just promise me, he's not actually cooking anything."

"Boiling water for tea," Wufei answered, silently checking Trowa off the list.

Bent over, chasing a pan, Quatre peeked through his legs and beamed an upside down smile at Trowa. "Trowa!"

"Good morning little one. Boiling water?" The green-eyed boy asked, eyeing the destruction with amused affection.

"Yes.. well... forgot about the tea kettle."

"Ah." Trowa's green eyes studied his small lover very closely for a long moment. The quick mind working it's way through the information presented to it. Nodding to himself he moved over to where Wufei sat and settled himself down onto a chair beside the Chinese boy. His voice pitched softly so it wouldn't carry.

"Thank you for being here."

Wufei looked up, startled. Then he glanced away. "Um... n-not needed," he said finally. He swallowed quickly and looked out the nearest window.

Trowa watched Wufei for a moment, then reached over and closed his long slender fingers around the Chinese boy's wrist. "Yes, needed. No one person can be everything to someone. I wouldn't want it that way."

"I meant... thanks... not needed," Wufei said quietly.

"I disagree. I know him Wufei. Unless I am badly mistaken, he was probably on his way out the door to start a day of that godforsaken schedule of his. All I know is he's not. He's in the kitchen, trying to blow us all up if he turns the gas up any further without lighting the burner, laughing and ... not running away."

Wufei let out a breath. "Why... do you let him do it?" He asked curiously.

"Quatre! Turn on the flame before the gas builds anymore." Trowa nagged affectionately. With a little oops.. the small blonde ignited the burner. There was a little floosh as the burner lit. Trowa watched for a moment then turned back to Wufei.

His green eyes were shadowed. "I have no good response to that Wufei. I can protect him physically, I can hold him... I can love him... but he shelters me emotionally and I haven't learned how to balance that care. I watch him buzz about, getting more and more frantic and I know I should stop him.. but... I can't make myself 'command' him."

Wufei tilted his head. "Oh," he said. He shrugged, then winced - not a good impulse. "I wonder how many times he'll allow me to do what I did today. I won't back down. He will take half the day off from now on. Unless he throws me out of here."

Trowa leaned back and watched Quatre as he spoke. "Actually Wufei I think he'll embrace it greedily. He reminds me of a brilliant young horse who will 'do' and 'do' because he's talented and he can. He's got the skill and the temper and he's getting ahead of himself because he doesn't always know how to stop himself. He's scaring himself Wufei and sometimes we all need someone to step in and say.. 'No. No.. you won't do this because you're a danger to yourself and to those around you and *I* won't let you hurt yourself.'"

Trowa looked back to Wufei, his green eyes soft. "It's... actually very comforting when he does it for me.. and I know Duo responds very well to it. Who of us has been able to do it for him? Until now."

Wufei listened and let the idea sit in his mind for a while. Then he said. "Who else? Heero Yuy. At the end of the war." He remembered Heero calmly presenting Quatre with the zero system in Sandrock and logically laying it out - Quatre must do it because it had to be done and no one else could. That memory had been much with him the last two days.

Trowa tilted his head to the side, thoughtfully.. "No. Heero drives him forward when Quatre would allow his own courage to fail. Heero won't let him balk. I don't know how much you know about horses or riding Wufei.. but it takes both the leg and the hands to hold a horse together. The legs drive him forward, but the hands keep him balanced and together so he doesn't get strung out and crash through the obstacles he faces. Heero's a great driving force... but Quatre needs the balance of the hands."

Wufei blinked, trying to grasp the concept. He decided he would need to spend some time meditating on it. He simply nodded, accepting it for now. He was still for a moment, then he nodded as the thoughts advanced in his mind.

"That... is right," he said softly. "It explains why... Heero has not been doing anything about it. And... other things," he said aloud. Heero was good at driving. He'd driven Wufei to face his own demons, never allowing him to turn, even when Quatre had tried to shield him.

"The zero system," Wufei continued softly. "Showed me my future... did you know that?"

Trowa shuddered a little, his experiences with the zero system having been less then pleasant no matter which side he was on. Still he looked over to Wufei. "Did it?"

Wufei nodded. "It was... a bit disturbing but not as difficult as everyone made it out to be. It showed me my enemies. Then it showed me my future, the one that would allow me to beat them. It showed me... all of you. You were my future. I thought for a while that future changed. But now I wonder."

Trowa watched Quatre begin to rummage through the cabinets, crawling without hesitation up onto the counters to reach the higher shelves. "You would think the boy never heard of a step stool." Trowa murmured lovingly.

Then he turned back to Wufei, his eyes softening to the color green that was reflected in the deepest clearest waters. "The future is constantly in motion Wufei but I think that the zero system highlighted that which was already known. I had a hard time, for a while, becoming his lover and not following the circus as I used to. I thought that maybe I was giving something up. I guess I was.. but I got back something.. I got back this team and all of us."

Wufei shrugged. " 'All of us' should no depend on a place. I suspect you have again allowed him to wrap the world around his center. He needs to get away from being Master Winner as much as any of us need anything. If it is truly not over... then this 'stability' may not be the happily ever after either."

Trowa shrugged gracefully. "Perhaps it's not. Nothing can stop change Wufei but for now... I'm content to have somewhere to call home. At the hospital you seemed that way as well." The little comment had not escaped the green eyed boy's notice.

Wufei glanced over. Then he smiled very slightly in acknowledgment.

Quatre had managed to extract canisters of tea and was busily burrowing through them when he looked over at the two at the table. "Wufei? Which one is it?"

"The one with the Chinese character on it," Wufei said dryly, pointing with his chin to a red canister.

"Ahh.. right!" Quatre set that canister carefully out to the side and began to neatly stack the rest of them back into the cupboard.

Trowa chuckled softly. "I give him about 2 more hours before he collapses wherever he's standing at the moment and falls into a dead sleep." Trowa paused for a moment then shrugged a little. "Perhaps that is what makes being here.. with people I trust so special. I can feel relaxed enough to lay down and sleep without jumping up at every noise. Maybe it won't last, but while it does should I not take advantage of the peace to rest?"

Wufei reached over, slowly, and placed his hand on Trowa's. "You should." He said. Then he glanced back at the busy blonde. "And... less than two hours. After the tea is made I plan to rest. So will he."

Trowa was quiet for a moment, then he turned his hand over allowing his fingers to close around Wufei's in a grip that said so much for the quiet young man. A nod of his head and slight smile, as rare an expression as Wufei's.. though he's had more practice with it.

At that point, Duo careened through the door yawning hugely. "When's breakfast? Oh! Hey there Q buddy, when'd you get back?"

Quatre flushed over at Duo, busy measuring out tea. "Good morning Duo. Just a couple hours ago. How are you feeling?"

"Hungry! I swear these antibiotics they've got me on leave me wanting to eat anything that doesn't actively out run me. We got some juice?" Duo was already nose first into the large refrigerator happily pillaging.

"I wonder if I should remove myself from Maxwell's presence until I am back to full strength," Wufei said offhandedly. "I would rather not have to run..."

Duo surfaced from the fridge with an arm load of sandwich makings. Giving Wufei a quick wink. "Don't worry Wu-man. I wouldn't eat you. I'd just be hungry for Trowa an hour later."

Quatre looked like he was about to fling a pot at Duo, then thought better of it as he watched the braided boy fighting to open a jar of mustard with one hand.

"Here, let me help you with that."

Duo looked a little warily at Quatre, then towards Trowa. "Is he safe to allow open mustard?"

Trowa, still very subtly holding onto Wufei's hand nods. "Yes, just don't stand in front of him in case his hands slip and the jar sails at you and don't let him actually put any on the bread."

Quatre muttered in Arabic at both young men as he set about wrestling with the mustard jar. Wufei simply watched, his eyes on Duo. He was waiting for the braided one to get the second part of the innuendo. When it happened, he planned to meet the boy's eyes and smile.

"Trowa how would you feel about that?" Wufei asked.

Duo watched Quatre and the mustard jar with fascination for a long while, till he heard Wufei's voice again and turned looking towards Trowa and Wufei.

Trowa just chuckled softly. "I'd rather not have to run myself."

Duo blinked and then jerked his head back a little, violet eyes locking onto dark eyes he's so used to being serious. A bright, smile breaking across his features.

"I ain't running anywhere. Though the chase could be fun." Duo waggled his brows at Wufei.

There came a bang and a curse as Quatre whacked the jar on the edge of the counter.

"How would the chase be more fun than being eaten?" Wufei said deadpan.

"Depends upon the view while I was chasing." Duo returned after just a moment's hesitation.

"I supposed some people prefer visual stimulation to physical...I've never really understood that one." Wufei said, and glanced down at Trowa's hand, then away, trying not to smile.

Duo just grinned broadly. "I'm up for it all. However.. right now I need a sandwich to get my strength back.. Quuuuaattrreee aren't you into that jar yet?" Duo turned and pounced on the little blonde.

The two boys began to struggle with the jar, fighting over who could get into it first.

"This is almost amusing." Trowa deadpanned as he watched Duo nearly tackle his small lover, the two boys twined around each other, fingers scrabbling for the jar and the lid. "They're fighting over mustard."

"Give it to me," Heero said walking into the kitchen. He took the jar from both of the two contenders, gave it a twist, and placed the jar and the lid on a counter, before going to the fridge. He stopped, his nose twitching, and noticed the steam from the brewing tea. He glanced at Wufei, who nodded, and Heero poured two cups, placing one beside Wufei before taking the other out of the room to drink.

Quatre and Duo both landed on the floor with twin expressions of.. 'aawwww you took our fun away.' aimed at Heero. However, the mustard was now open and Duo scrabbled to his feet, quickly putting everything but the kitchen sink in between about 4 slices of bread and with a big smile to Wufei and Trowa darted out of the room.

"Hey Heero.. wait up...."

Quatre gave a little sigh and picked himself up off the floor, a yawn discreetly covered as he set about cleaning up the mess Duo left behind. Wufei drank his tea, closing his eyes as he did so. Then he got up, giving Trowa's hand a brief squeeze, and poured more tea into the cup. He came up to Quatre and took the last thing, a mustard-smeared knife, out of his hands and dropped it in the sink. He handed the small cup to Quatre.

"Drink."

Quatre Raberba Winner turn down tea? Never. He'd probably demand a cup at his own wake. Small fingers closed around the delicate cup and he smiled up at Wufei shyly before sipping at the bitter brew. It was a little stronger then he was used to, but not unpleasant.

Trowa watched for a moment then he stood and stretched. "Quatre, Catherine's circus is on the other side of Milkwhy. I was going to run over there and say hello, since this is the closest they'll be on this tour."

Quatre brightened and nodded. "Of course Trowa! Any chance she'll want to come to dinner? "

Trowa shrugged. " I don't know, she's pretty busy both performing and administrative duties, but I'll ask her." Trowa looked over to Wufei with a silent question in his eyes. He wasn't about to leave if Wufei wasn't up to keeping a small hyperactive blonde in line.

"Please ask her if she would come," Wufei said, answering the silent question in the affirmative. "Dinner will be provided by Sally Po. Home made Cantonese."

Trowa's smile was full for a split second. "That sounds perfect. I'll be sure to let her know, it might just be the thing to coax her out from behind her desk. Don't expect me to be late regardless!"

With that Trowa crossed over to Quatre, wrapping his arms around the Arabian and whispering something softly in his ear before giving him a gentle kiss and heading on out of the kitchen.

Wufei took the empty cup from Quatre and placed in on the counter. "I'm going to rest for a while. On the couch. I'd like it if you sat with me... unless you think you'd be too bored."

"Of course I wouldn't be to bored." Quatre answered quickly, almost immediately, then blushed a little bit. "Umm... I mean.. I'd like to sit with you for a while."

"Good, then come." Wufei led the other boy back into the big room, and settled himself on the couch, reclining but supported by cushions. He patted the upholstery at his side.

Quatre fussed for a moment with the pillows making sure they were supporting Wufei to his(Quatre's) satisfaction before he sat down on the side of the couch. One he was seated Quatre felt the waves of tiredness roll across him and he stretched a little.

"I don't want to risk falling asleep and bumping into your shoulder Wufei." Quatre said with a little frown. He knew he was a restless little sleeper.

"Then settle yourself here," Wufei said, indicating that Quatre should lay beside him. "Feet up, yes. I'll be above. You won't be able to roll over, just be still. Now close your eyes, little one," Wufei said softly, stroking Quatre's hair and letting his fingers move lightly down Quatre's shoulder and side. "It's over for a while. Rest... with peace."

Quatre settled on the couch and into position where he couldn't twist about and risk bumping into the Chinese boy's injuries. His eyes closed with a bit of a fight, as if he wanted to stay awake and watch over his injured friend but tucked up warm and safe his exhausted body took over, tumbling him towards sleep very quickly beneath the gentle ministrations of Wufei's hands.

"I'm glad you stayed Wufei. I want you in my life. I want to be in yours." He could be stubborn when he had something he wanted to say.

"Hai, little brother," Wufei said, stroking. "I'm not going anywhere."

Quatre struggled against sleep for a little while longer, then his breathing evened out and his muscles went completely lax where his arm was thrown lightly across Wufei's waist.

Once Quatre finally slept, Wufei relaxed and closed his eyes. His body ached, but his mind was calm and his heart more whole than it had been in a long long time.

Dreamless, he slept.

End Part 14

Laekin and bonnejeanne

Please send comments to: seregill@aol.com or bonnejeanne@yahoo.com

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