The Grocery Boy by kumiko & tzigane

Part Three

At that same moment, Zechs was at home, contemplating a bowl of oatmeal, with which he was having a staring contest. So far the oatmeal was winning.

Pushing it back to other side of the table, he grabbed a handful of raisins from the box beside him, leaned back his chair, and began to lob them into the bowl, now some four feet away.

"I still can't believe you want them to get married," he said to his mother, who was doing the Sunday crossword. "What if she turns him funny? Makes him want girls?"

"Darling," Noin told him calmly, "if I was marrying off *you* instead of him, would *you* be going funny? Now stop playing ring-the-bowl-with-the-raisin and eat."

The legs on his chair came down on the kitchen floor with a most unhappy bang.

"What about the honeymoon?" he persisted. "Is he gonna sleep with her? I saw that movie too, you know. Well, actually you didn't know. I snuck out of my room and watched it the night before you brought it back to the video store, but the fact is I saw it and there was that part where they had that ritual of taking the bride and groom back to a hotel room and..." He turned pink. The boy could read the most graphic yaoi manga, but when it came to boys and girls he was a complete prude.

His mother raised her eyebrows and gave him the most obscure answer known to man, woman or anything else in the universe. "Chicken blood. Darling, you ought to read more bad romance novels!"

His brows knitted over his face and he opened his mouth to say something when the phone on the wall behind him rang, causing him to jump and tip his chair over.

Stepping around him, Noin grabbed the phone and murmured, "Hello?"

/"Um, Mrs. Marquise?"/ It was obviously Wufei and he sounded awfully nervous! /"Is... Zechs in??"/

"It's Wufei," she told Zechs, handing him the phone.

He reached up from where he lay on the floor and took it from her.

"Wufei? Hi! Where are you? You're not calling from home are you? I don't want you to get in trouble!"

/"We're at the movie theater,"/ was the clearly given reply. /"We're going to see _Along Came A Spider_. Want to come??"/

"Uh... a movie? With you guys?" He looked up to his mother as if for guidance.

'Go!' she prompted him silently with a motion of mouth and a wave of hand. 'Go!'

"Um... okay. Thanks. I'll be there in about fifteen minutes." He covered the mouthpiece and whispered, "Can I take the car?"

"Just be home by midnight," came the prompt answer.

"Make that five minutes," he said to Wufei. "See you soon!"

Noin was almost *smirking* at him once he was off the phone. "Have a good time, sweetie. And *TRUST* your mother!"

He rolled his eyes at her and grabbed the brush they kept by the front door. Raking through handfuls of cornsilk, he stared at himself and frowned. "Do I look okay, Mom?" he asked nervously.

"Just as precious as the day you were born," she told him with a smile. "Keep on a few more clothes than that tonight, though, okay?"

"*Mom*!!" he said, eyes widening and cheeks going scarlet. "Meiran's going to be there! Sheesh!"

"Have a good time, sweetie!"

The next minute Zechs was out the door and heading towards the theater with butterflies in his stomach.

By the time he arrived, the line at the front had thinned out, so it was easy to get a ticket. He didn't see Wufei and Meiran at first, but they were inside, getting popcorn at the concession stand and talking quietly together. "Zechs!" was the quick call as they noticed him.

His face broke into a grin at the sight of them standing there, two small, dark heads together, two startling similar smiles. "Hey," he said softly, walking over to meet them. "Thanks for asking me. I always love going on dates with engaged couples." He gave them a quick wink.

They both flushed, and it was cute, because Wufei looked sheepish and Meiran was rolling her eyes. "Come on!" she said. "Before everyone *else* gets the *good* seats!"

They found the theater they were looking for and Meiran pointed out some seats near the back. "Shall I give you privacy?" she whispered to Wufei.

"Er..." was the answer before she waved at him with a flippant little toss of her head and seated herself on the *other* side of the theater down in the front. "Well..." he whispered, looking at Zechs in the near-dark.

"Looks like we're on our own," Zechs said, inwardly blessing the girl and pulling Wufei into the back row. Once couple sat on the far end, but otherwise it was empty. He chose two seats in the middle and sat down, unable to stop smiling.

Nervously, Wufei sank into the seat beside him, reaching for the other boy's hand as previews played across the screen. /Two hours in a dark theater with Zechs..../ Bliss.

/Ohh... he's *touching* me.../ Zechs thought, leaning back in his seat and letting his head rest against Wufei's. He closed his fingers around the smaller hand in his and stroked the thumb slowly, lovingly.

"I've missed you so much," he whispered.

"I just saw you this morning," Wufei whispered back, ignoring the screen and clasping Zechs's fingers with his own. How deliciously naughty it was to be sitting next to him in the theater, knowing that he shouldn't, his heart pounding madly as he did so!

"I don't *care*," Zechs murmured, grazing the edge of Wufei's jaw with his lips. "I can't seem to get *enough*..."

That touch gained him a breathless little exhalation, Wufei biting his lower lip and sinking in his chair before smiling almost challengingly at Zechs as if to say, /What can we get away with now?/

The challenge was taken up as Zechs smiled back, feeling, for the first time in a very long time, like a sexy devil. One finger came up and grazed the far side of Wufei's cheek as he nuzzled his way to the boy's ear, nibbling softly on the tender lobe. "Mmmm..."

The way that Wufei's lips parted on a little shiver of sound, his entire body seeming to melt, said much about the way that felt to him! "Uh..." It was a breath, barely heard and barely felt, but *oh*, it said so much!!

Zechs huffed a tiny, warm breath into his ear, long and slow, just enough to tickle and then took the lobe between his lips, suckling at it tenderly. The sound of an airy little chuckle came, Wufei shivering as if it tickled. It did, a bit, but it also felt very good, and the hand kneading Zechs's thigh said as much. One long arm wrapped around Wufei's shoulders and Zechs pulled him closer, dropping down a bit to his neck and whispering, "I've been having the most wonderful fantasies about you..."

THAT made Wufei's eyes widen, his legs come together slightly. He was getting awfully excited, and he couldn't help the shaky breath he drew in before whispering back, "Like what?"

"Like taking you to the woods at the back of the park... and finding a place where there are old, soft pine needles and dappled sunlight... and pressing you down to the ground and undressing you slowly..." He was nuzzling against that warm skin, nibbling and suckling with his breath coming more quickly. "And then you're naked beneath me..."

He could feel the tremor in Wufei, the way his words were exciting the other boy, and when the slim Chinese man's fingers pressed lightly against his growing erection, it was heaven. "Yes..."

"Mmm... your skin looks like copper," Zechs continued, far gone in his own fantasy, "and your little nipples so stiff and inviting... mmm, I want to lick them, lick them *hard*..."

The words gained him a little breath from Wufei, accompanied by a continued slow massage through his jeans. The movie had only barely started -- perhaps all of five minutes -- and already Wufei was wishing that they were somewhere else, naked and *together*. "Oh, Zechs..."

"Am I going too fast?" the blond boy whispered, moving down further to that delicate place between neck and shoulder, humming softly as he suckled there.

"Huh-uh..." More likely it wasn't fast enough! They had all the time in the world, though, and Wufei shivered, pausing and tugging at Zechs slightly, pulling him up to kiss him sweetly.

Sweet joining of lips that sent fire through Zechs and made him grasp tight fingers in Wufei's hair. It was still amazing to him how powerful his reaction to the other boy was, sweeping over him with a force that stunned him completely. No amount of kisses would ever be enough, no amount of joining could ever bring them as close as he wanted to be.

He wanted to be *very* close indeed....! Wufei was no different, yielding as he did to that touch of Zechs's mouth and claiming it in return, his barely voiced whimper unheard over the sound of the movie that was playing. /Oh, *Zechs*.../

Breaking off with panted breath, Zechs continued to nuzzle, mouth open on the other boy's. "You know... when I fell in love with you?" he breathed between kisses. "When I first saw you in the cafeteria... I hadn't ever seen you before... never heard your voice or seen you smile... but I knew I wanted you... to be *mine*... only mine..."

"I will be," Wufei promised on a nearly silent breath, enjoying Zechs's kisses. "I will be. I will..."

"Always?" Zechs said, his kisses slowing, a bit less frantic now that he'd had a taste of his lover. "Promise?"

"Promise," came the whispered response. "Let's watch a little of the movie? In case someone wants to know what it was about," Wufei murmured shyly.

"Mmmm?" Zechs murmured, taking one more slow kiss. "Oh, that... sure." He gave Wufei what he hoped was a sultry smile and then sat back, taking that hand away from a very swollen erection and holding it close.

For a while, they sat there watching the movie together. Eventually, Wufei's head drifted onto his shoulder, their hands still twined together, and that was just as good, somehow, as all of their kissing and touching. Maybe it was even a little better, considering that they were in public and could only go so far!

Zechs tightened his arm around Wufei's shoulder and watched a detective running across the screen, trying hard to care, but not succeeding in the least. It didn't matter though -- he was with his boyfriend, and he couldn't think of another place he'd rather be.

"It's not bad," Wufei whispered to him, nuzzling slightly at Zechs's throat. The temptation was too difficult to resist! Soft skin, right there, waiting for him... Still, he managed to limit it to a few easy kisses before watching the screen once again.

"You're doing this on purpose, aren't you?" Zechs murmured back, letting the hand behind Wufei's head toy with the other boy's throat, fingertips gliding up and down a few times.

"Probably." It was a sheepish admission, but true, so Wufei couldn't help but say it!

"I'll get you back," Zechs continued, looking straight at the screen but smiling nonetheless. "Can we drop Meiran off at your aunt's? Then I can take you within a block of your house and we can... spend a little time?"

"A few minutes," Wufei agreed. "Maybe ten. They'll be expecting me back by eleven... and expecting me about fifteen minutes after Meiran gets home..."

"What, does she have to call them and tell them she's there so they can start a stopwatch or something?" Zechs voice held the slightest irritation, pale gold brows furrowing slightly at the thought of it.

"No..." Wufei whispered back hesitantly. "But my father is talking to me, and I don't want to get caught and make things worse again. That's all..."

"Oh," Zechs said unhappily. "Oh. All right. Wouldn't want that to happen." He tried hard to focus his attention on the screen but a strange mixture of anger and guilt was seething in him. "I'm... sorry I've made it so difficult for you."

Fingers tightened around his own, Wufei looking up at him despite the darkness, whispering, "It's not your fault. For now, we'll do things this way. Later.... I'll have to convince them that it's what I want and they'll have to take things as they are. For now... let's just do what we can..."

"Right," Zechs said, trying to sound conciliatory. "Okay. We should watch the movie, in case your parents ask you about it." /Lord knows they'll probably grill you when you get home, even if you *are* playing nice and getting married./

"I'm sorry," Wufei murmured, not sure why, but feeling that he should. "I am..."

They continued watching as the plot began to thicken and the frantic detective was faced with more and more clues. Zechs wasn't paying much attention to it, though, and found himself wondering about Meiran and if she was enjoying the movie. It seemed that Wufei was, but the other boy's thumb was caressing lightly against the joint of his own, teasingly so, and his head was still on Zechs's shoulder.

/Just enjoy it,/ Zechs thought. /It's a miracle you have him at all, so stop being ungrateful... yeah, tell that to my hormones, as Mom would probably say./

Still, the feel of being close to Wufei eventually made things a little better, and by the time the movie was over, he wasn't in such a bad mood -- particularly since they'd stopped watching to kiss twice. "It's only 9:30... we could get something to eat," Wufei suggested as the lights came up in the theater and Meiran joined them.

"Okay," Meiran said, looking closely at both of them. "You don't look very mussed," she said flatly.

Her fiancé flushed, biting his lip. "Well, I thought we should watch the movie at least a little, in case I got asked questions," he explained, feeling a little stupid. "And you can only go so far in public!"

She regarded him as if he was a very slow child. "It was *dark,*" she said. "Don't let your boyfriend to run off on you. He's pretty -- he can get another boy. You have to keep a boy happy."

Zechs's jaw dropped. "Meiran!!"

Wufei's face was flaming and his eyes opened impossibly wide. "I... ah, um, well, I..."

"Why don't we get something to eat?" Zechs said quickly, eyeing Wufei nervously and hoping he would take a breath soon. For all that he and Meiran were alike, their personalities couldn't have been more different.

"Yes!" His boyfriend latched onto that almost desperately, face still terribly hot. "Is there someplace nearby you'd like to go??"

"I think there's a good pizza place about a block south," the blond replied. "Are you two up for that?"

"Yes!" Meiran answered just as firmly as Wufei had originally. "Does it have dark corners? *I* will pretend not to watch you make out, if you want!"

Wufei, it seemed, was going to die of sheer apoplexy!

"Uh, that's okay," Zechs said, trying to smile at her. "Why don't we just eat pizza? Much safer that way."

He led the way down the block, letting Wufei walk with Meiran, and soon they had all found a table at the crowded restaurant. A waitress appeared, eyed all three of them, and decided Zechs was on his own.

"Hi there," she said, looking straight at him. "What'll you be having tonight?"

He looked to Wufei and Meiran and said, "What's your pleasure?"

"Cheese," Wufei said firmly.

"Mushrooms and pepperoni," Meiran added before both of them looked at Zechs.

He looked back up at the waitress, who hadn't taken her eyes off of him. "Cheese," he said, "with mushrooms and pepperoni. Large, please."

"*Thick*," she said, smiling ever so slightly at him, "or thin...?"

He felt his cheeks redden at the tone of her voice. "Thick, please."

"Thought so," she said, leaning on the table a bit. "Something cool and wet to go with it?"

Two pairs of black eyes had narrowed almost viciously at THAT exchange. "Yes," Wufei said firmly. "Coke, for *all* of us."

Her eyes flickered to them briefly and she nodded her head. "Got it," she murmured, leaving the table and giving Zechs a last look over her shoulder.

"Friendly sort, isn't she?" he said quietly.

TOO friendly, Wufei thought! "I suppose," he said, a bit disgruntled as he slid a bit closer to Zechs and put his hand in the other boy's lap. "I'm jealous, I think."

"Of a *girl*?" Meiran sniffed. "I don't think she is one of the ones you have to worry over."

"Actually," Zechs said, looking down into Wufei's eyes, "as much as I like it when you're jealous, you really don't have to worry about *anyone.*"

THAT gained him a definite smile, one that almost seemed to light up the room, and Meiran nearly rolled her eyes in response to it. "You don't have to, either," Wufei promised him. "No offense meant, Meiran."

"*I* want Bao-Sheng, remember?" she said, looking pointedly at him. "And when he comes you will come on dates with us and have to watch *us* kiss."

At that, Wufei couldn't help but grin up at Zechs. "That sounds acceptable. Do you think?"

"Boys kissing *girls,*" he said in mock disgust, winking over at Meiran. "But that's *gross*!!"

"Ew," Wufei agreed, grinning as Meiran tossed her pigtails.

"YOU are both silly boys and *I* will get you back for it later," she declared.

The waitress was back and set down the sodas at each place, lingering as she put Zechs's drink in front of him. "Your pizza's almost done," she told him with a warm smile. "Are you chaperoning tonight?" Her gaze lit on Wufei and Meiran lightly and then moved back to Zechs.

"Uh -- no..." he said, blushing again.

"SHE is chaperoning," Wufei told the waitress firmly, nodding at Meiran, who promptly smiled.

The waitress followed the direction of the nod and then looked at Wufei again. "Ri~ght," she said, laughing a little. "Very funny," and then, as an aside to Zechs. "I get off in an hour." With a wink, she left the table again.

The feel of Wufei's hand tightening on Zechs's leg said it all as he sighed. "I will have to get over being jealous," he decided, "or I'll *never* spend a moment any other way, will I?"

Meiran was covering her mouth, trying not to laugh out loud while Zechs just shook his head and murmured, "Was it something I did? Did I come on to her and not know it?"

"No," Wufei told him. "You just look like sex on legs." The minute the words were out of his mouth, his eyes became round and his face flamed into bright red color. "I... I... I mean, that is, um, oh, SHIT..."

Both of his companions' eyes widened and this time it was Meiran's turn to say, "Wufei!!"

After recovering from the shock, Zechs smiled a bit and said, "Do I really?"

"Ohhh," Wufei groaned, face buried in his hands. "I can't believe I just said that!"

Meiran was giggling again, burying her face in her hands and nearly spilling her coke. Just then the waitress arrived with their pizza, setting it very carefully down on the table and handing them all plates and napkins. "Enjoy," she said to Zechs and sashayed off to another table.

"Enjoy," Wufei mimicked slightly, sighing. "Hm. Might as well... and yes. I *do* think you are," he admitted, still flushed.

Zechs smiled down at him, looking very pleased. "Thanks," he murmured, tapping his foot against Wufei's calf under the table.

"Well," Meiran said firmly, "*EAT*. The sooner we eat, the sooner I stop having to watch all of this..." The words seemed to escape her. "Kissy face!"

"Now, don't tell me you don't like Kissy Face," Zechs said to her, taking a slice of pizza.

"Yes," he was informed. "When it's *me*. But since it's you... EAT!"

And they did.

After finishing the pizza, they all got up to leave. It was only then, when Zechs's hand knocked against the pizza tray, that they saw the little piece of note paper the waitress had put underneath it. Looking slightly worried, Zechs picked it up and then rolled his eyes. "It's a phone number," he said, handing it to Wufei.

A black brow rose slowly, the piece of paper in his hand definitely reassuring him of Zechs's feelings as he smiled. "We don't need it," he said simply, placing it back on the table. "Is that okay?"

"It is ten o'clock," Meiran prompted, poking Zechs. "Time for home."

"Yeah, yeah," he said, "I'm going. Sheesh. Women." He gave her another wink and they headed out to walk back down the block to Zechs's car.

"Can I give you both a lift home?" he asked, for Meiran's benefit.

"I will even do you the honor of *waiting* half an hour before I go into the house," Meiran informed them both with a smirk. "THAT will give you... What? Forty minutes? Perhaps?"

Zechs wanted to twirl her around and kiss her but he looked decorously over at Wufei, waiting for his decision.

It came in a flurry, arms wrapped around her neck, a kiss pressed shyly to her cheek. "You will be okay? Waiting alone?" he asked, intensely grateful.

"Would I make the offer if I would not be? So. You will have your time, let's go! Before it is cut short by our unwillingness to leave!"

As she led the way out side and down the sidewalk, Zechs leaned over to Wufei and whispered, "She *rocks.*"

"And you were worried," Wufei whispered back, eyes absolutely sparkling.

"You sure you'll be all right, Meiran?" Zechs asked as they pulled up a half block from Auntie Bao-Bao's house.

"*I* will be fine. *YOU* will go make kissy face," she informed them firmly as Wufei smiled at her.

"Go in around ten-fifty. I'll be at my house by eleven," he told her.

She nodded and then set off up the block, heading towards the house's small side yard.

Turning the car back onto the street, Zechs was suddenly all too aware of his heart pounding and adrenaline racing through him, making his hands shake. "Where should I park?" he asked.

"There's a side street between here and my house, on the left," Wufei said. "There's a park, and a little area there to park cars outside of it..." He could feel his face flaming with heat, and more than a little desire rising. Making out in a car... it was somehow a titillating and utterly *naughty* thought and he couldn't believe they were going to do it!

"Right," Zechs said, struggling to keep his mind on driving and not on how far he could get with Wufei in forty minutes. "You okay with this?" he asked.

"Nervous," came the admission a little sheepishly. "I've never done anything like this before! Have you?"

"Um... just a couple of times... last summer..." He gave Wufei a sideways glance and added quickly, "Before I knew you, of course!"

"It's okay!" Wufei smiled over at him as he found the little area full of trees and playground equipment and parked the car. "At least one of us knows what we're doing, then..."

Zechs turned off the engine and looked over at Wufei, laughing nervously. "Oh, I don't know about that. I usually just end up doing what feels good... I don't think I know more than you do."

Taking a deep breath, the Chinese boy looked at Zechs from the corners of his eyes, unaware of how breathtakingly *erotic* that single look was. "Okay, so..."

"Shall we get into the back?" Zechs said in a breathy voice. "The steering wheel might not be too comfortable."

"Yeah," Wufei agreed hesitantly, uncertain. Did that mean.. get out and climb into the back, or climb over the seat? He decided it meant climb over the seat and so he promptly did so, easily fitting his short, slim frame between the bucket seats and into the back, which was a solid bench.

Zechs watched, appreciative of the view, but not expecting it. "Um... I'm too tall for that. I'll come back the traditional way," which he did, taking the keys from the car and tossing them in the backseat drink holder before sliding in next to Wufei. "Kiss me," he said softly.

That request was immediately granted, soft lips pressed to his warmly, wantonly, as if Wufei could not resist. The fact of the matter was that he *couldn't*, heart racing wildly as he opened his mouth to lightly send his tongue across Zechs's lower lip. "Hmm.."

"Ohhh... Wufei," Zechs sighed, bringing a hand up to tangle in dark hair, and pull the other boy close. "You're all I think about lately..."

"Even over manga and homework?" Wufei teased a little, heart pounding as he found himself chest to chest with Zechs. "That's pretty impressive."

"I can't concentrate on homework," Zechs murmured between kisses, his other hand sliding around Wufei's waist, "and every time I look at my manga... I just want to do *this*... gets me kinda frantic... you know...?"

"Yeah," came the agreement, Wufei shifting to settle astride him. "Oh, Zechs..."

The blond boy's hands slid down over Wufei's back, slowly, tantalizingly, and came to rest around his bottom. He deepened their kiss for a moment and *squeezed* those tight globes, loving the feel of them under his fingers and thinking about the manga pictures... how Wufei would look sitting on his cock, or underneath him, with his legs in the air...

It was enough to send even a boy without an overactive sex drive into the throes of pure ecstasy, much less two who wanted one another very badly! Wufei's thoughts were much the same, and he gave a soft sound that was pure pleasure, pushing himself back against that touch, rubbing his own cotton-clad erection against Zechs's jeans and shivering. "Zechs... oh, *God*..."

"Ohhh, I *dream* about this," Zechs sighed, finding that same tender spot on Wufei's throat and licking it softly. His hips were starting to come off the seat with every press of the other boy against him, body begging to complete the act they mimicked.

"You want me?" Wufei asked him, a sound that was distinctly concupiscent. "I wish we could be together. I wish we were..." He wished they were naked, but he couldn't *say* it! Instead, he shivered, a hand working the buttons of Zechs's shirt open.

"Oh, *God,* I want you," Zechs moaned softly, his mouth nuzzling warm, damp skin. "You're so *pretty*... everything about you..."

The feel of hands searching out his nipples felt unbelievably good when accompanied by Wufei's kisses. The sound of Zechs's moan reverberated in his mouth and he shivered, pressing closer, the feel of Zechs's hands on him *so* incredibly good that it was almost unbearable.

Slender fingers began plucking at him and Zechs whimpered softly, each pinch seeming to follow a line straight down between his legs, making his breath come in little huffs -- when he could catch it, that was.

"Do you like that?" Wufei whispered, nibbling now along his jaw. "Tell me if you don't, Zechs..." The blond gave out a long whimper, suckling hard at Wufei's throat and arching his back to press against the teasing fingers. It was eloquence itself and his fingers grazed over the tender cleft under Wufei's pants. It brought a little gasp of noise from the other boy, a distinct shiver trembling down his spine as he drew back slightly. "Don't bruise me," he whispered before kissing Zechs again, groaning. GOD, that felt good!!

"Mmm... wish I could bruise you," Zechs murmured against his neck. "Wish I could mark you so everyone would know you were *mine*..." Even still, his suckling stopped and he went back to licking lightly. "No harm done... now stop thinking about your parents and concentrate on *me*..." The gentle order trailed off as Zechs took his mouth again, growling softly.

It felt delicious and Wufei couldn't help but whimper, especially with the way Zechs's hands were fondling him. His own hands were tracing over the broad chest of the boy before him and he delighted in every touch, every motion. "OH, Zechs!"

"You feel so good," the blond boy said, pressing a little more firmly between those rounded cheeks and imagining what it would feel like to... "Ah, *God*!" he said, a little cry of desire and frustration. His cheeks were very red, lips apart, and his shirt fell of one shoulders, baring golden skin that nearly glowed in the light of the street lamps.

"I want you so *much*," Wufei groaned, shuddering as he leaned down to nip at one of those bare shoulders, tongue lathing over it apologetically a second later. "I do. I want you... Unh!"

Zechs let his head fall back against the seat, closing his eyes in sheer bliss at the touch of Wufei's mouth. "You know," he said, "*I* don't mind being bruised..."

He could almost feel the smile that brought against his skin before Wufei leaned forward, finding a spot just beneath his jawline to nibble at. "Mmmm..."

"Oh, *yessss....*" Zechs breathed, pressing Wufei hard against him and feeling a firm erection rub along his belly. It made him wild, and he pressed Wufei down, so that they both rubbed one another. "Oh, *shit*, don't *stop*... please..."

"Hn-nn.." The sound was distinctly negative, and those lips didn't move away from him. They remained, suckling, kissing, bruising, only shifting every so often to lightly nip at him, dragging deep sounds from Zechs's throat, and from his own. "Ohhhh!"

Zechs let out a long, frustrated growl. "I... I can't... need it... ah, *God*..." With one swift movement, he had Wufei on his back and he was moving against him, mimicking sex so well that he could imagine perfectly what it would feel like to be inside the smaller boy, to fill him and possess him and make the possession real. Long, pale gold hair hung like a curtain around them and his own panted breaths sounded hard and erotic in his ears. The upward rocking of Wufei's own hips slammed into him in return, little bursts of sound coming from him at the sheer pleasure of it, head tossing from side to side...

And then his watch beeped, signalling that it was a quarter 'til eleven.

"Huh... huh...? Zechs's looked up, head beginning to understand the meaning of the sound, hips still back in the primitive rite they'd been acting out. "Oh... oh... *damn*!"

"Nooo!" Wufei moaned, legs wrapped around him. "It's not really that time. It's not!" It couldn't have been more than ten minutes, tops! He KNEW it!!

Zechs had finally gotten his body to stop moving, his face down against Wufei's hair. "They're gonna fall off, I know it... *shit*!"

Unable to help himself, Wufei gave a little giggle. "If they don't, I'll be surprised," he agreed.

Zechs lifted himself on his elbows, staring down at the other boy. "*I* want to marry you in August," he said. "I want to take you away to a hotel and drop you on the bed and have a honeymoon night..."

Even in the silver light of the nearby street lamp, Zechs could see Wufei's face flushing beet red. "Well..." He gnawed on his lower lip slightly. "I... we... Bao-Shing... and Meiran... and if we get married, then you can come over and spend the night, right?"

"Would you want me to?" Zechs asked softly.

"Yes," Wufei whispered. "Very much so."

Zechs's expression softened and he gave one last soft press against Wufei. "I promise I'd make it good for you."

Shivering, Wufei nodded. "I trust you." He gave a little smirk. "Until then, we can always look at Ran-chan and Enjouji."

Zechs broke into a soft grin. "Yeah? Who's who?" he teased.

That gained him a laugh and another good hard kiss. "One way or the other, I think it doesn't matter, so long as it's us in the end. Come on. I have to go home now," he prompted, nudging at Zechs. "But I'll see you at the new school on Tuesday."

"Um hmm -- but we won't be doing this," Zechs said, sitting back and letting Wufei get up. He lifted a hand and grazed Wufei's cheek with his fingertips. "But I'll be thinking of it..."

"And with any luck, we'll have class together," Wufei sighed.

The blond boy rolled his eyes. "Oh, *that'll* make things easier!" He got out and sat back down in the driver's seat. "You'll be a wonderful distraction."

"I can only hope!" Wufei laughed, settling back into the passenger side. "Zechs. Thank you for being so understanding."

"Oh, no problem," Zechs said. "I'm a patient guy. Frustrated, but patient." He started up the car and headed off down the street.

"Yeah," Wufei agreed. "I... I think I got really lucky with you, Zechs. I mean, if not for you, I wouldn't have ever known..."

Zechs turned to him briefly, looking puzzled. "Sure you would -- it would have happened, sometime. It can't be covered up forever."

"No," Wufei said simply. "I would have gotten married and had children and never really understood why I wasn't truly happy. I would know that I SHOULD have been, but not understand why..."

"So I'm the only one for you?" Zechs asked, smiling at him.

"Yeah," Wufei replied softly. "I really think so."

They pulled up alongside the corner of Wufei's block. "You're the best thing that ever happened to me," Zechs said simply.

Leaning over, Wufei lightly pressed his lips to Zechs's. "I'll see you Tuesday," he promised warmly. "I... love you, Zechs.."

"I love you, too." It was whispered against warm lips and then Zechs sat back and tilted his head, regarding Wufei with a soft look. "Tell Meiran thanks, okay."

"I'll see you Tuesday," Wufei replied, and then he was gone.

Tuesday proved to be an interesting enough morning for Chang Wufei, whose father took him to school the first morning. He was deposited in the office while his father spoke respectfully with the principal. He was then given books and shuffled off to a class that was in the high school wing, a small one-story building with several different classrooms for grades eight through twelve. The classes were small, no more than fifteen per group, and Wufei hoped that the competition for valedictorian wouldn't be *too* stiff.

Mostly, he was grateful that his father hadn't run into Zechs at any point!

That happy circumstance had occurred because Zechs was already seated in the small classroom. His entire face lit up when Wufei walked in and he gave him a little wave.

The teacher at the head of the class smiled and stood up. "This is our second new student of the morning, ladies and gentlemen. Tell the class your name? Your seat is next to the other new student," she said solemnly.

"I'm Chang Wufei," he said, trying to keep a straight face. "It's nice to meet you all."

At that Zechs practically *beamed*, standing up to take a few books off of Wufei's stack and then sitting back down again. He gave the Chinese boy's foot a tap under the desks and then looked back at the teacher.

"Now, then, class. We're on chapter twelve, page 176..."

"So," Wufei said, smiling at him. *THIS* lunch room was much smaller than the one at the public school they'd been attending, the seats round plastic circles that ran along rectangular tables as opposed to the square ones with regular chairs they'd always had before. The rest of the class buzzed around them, peeking at them with more than a little curiosity as they sat near the end of a table by themselves, lunches opened before them. "How do you like it so far?"

"Seems okay," Zechs said. "Anything would have been, though, after..."

"It's okay," his dark-haired boyfriend told him reassuringly. "This is going to be just fine, I think. Lots of personal attention in class is nice, especially since I get to have class with you *all* day instead of just seeing you at lunch."

"That's the best part," Zechs said, smiling around his avocado salad sandwich. "So how's Meiran?"

The answer that came was wryly spoken and more than a little amused. "Feisty, as always. We worked yesterday. She's excited about Bao-Sheng... I don't blame her. I'm excited, too, for her, and for us."

"And your parents?" Zechs asked, more carefully this time. "How are you all getting along?"

"...Better," Wufei said with a little shrug and a half-smile. "I think *they* think that it was passing fancy and I will settle into life as they think it should be soon."

"And how do feel about that? That they're thinking that way? Does it bother you?"

A shrug of slim shoulders came in answer. "I know it's not that way, just like we know about Meiran and Bao-Sheng. I think... it's just a matter of biding our time. They'll know better eventually, but..." He bit his lower lip, poking at lunch. "It's better if we're both grown before they know. That way, they can't do anything that would be bad for us..." Like restraining orders or some sort of law thing...

Zechs nudged Wufei's foot under the table. "Would it have been better if I'd never come over to your table that day?" he asked softly.

"Never." That answer was quietly given, but firm, and meant.

"Thanks," the blond boy said, looking him straight in the eye. "That means everything to me."

"I'm glad," Wufei replied solemnly, now nudging at Zechs's foot. "There's playground equipment outside. I think we can play on it. Want to go?"

"*Playground equipment*?" Zechs said, looking at him a little doubtfully. "You want to go play on swings and slides?"

Wufei shrugged, eyes sparkling. "I saw parallel bars and a couple of cages for climbing."

Zechs snickered. "Oh, sure -- why not make fools of ourselves on the first day," he said amiably. "Lead the way."

With a smirk, lunch was promptly boxed up and Wufei rose, Zechs with him. "At least if we make idiots of ourselves, we'll be idiots together, right?" he offered, ignoring the rest of the class as conversation rose around them.

Zechs put on a mock pout face and said, "It would have been nice to be cool for just *one* day..."

Wufei grinned at him. "I don't think you could ever *not* be cool," he replied as they sauntered into the open field, heading for the equipment at the far end.

"Oh, I was *very* uncool at Noventa," he said, the faintest trace of bitterness in his voice. "The most uncool person the school had ever seen..."

"Well, you aren't to me. That should be what counts, right?" Wufei asked him, reaching the parallel bars and promptly hopping up onto one. "So. I think you're pretty cool."

"Aw, thanks," Zechs said, squinting his eyes against the sun and tilting his head to look up at the other boy. "So, you going to show me some gymnastics?"

"Huh-uh," Wufei denied, halfway straddling one before hanging upside down, hair falling straight down. "I don't know any. This just looked like it might be *fun*."

Zechs couldn't help laughing, turning halfway upside down to look at him. "Hmm... shall I tickle you...?" he asked, moving wiggling fingers near Wufei's belly.

"If you tickle me, I'll fall off!" Wufei threatened, eyes going wide before he pulled himself up again. The bars weren't very high at all -- he could probably touch the ground if he reached out with his arms -- but he didn't have any desire to smack into the dirt, either!

"Well, I'd just have to catch you, wouldn't i?" Zechs said smoothly, grinning at him. "You did look very cute with your hair hanging down like that."

"See?" Wufei told him. "Playing can be fun..." He could see some of their classmates coming out and they settled on the see-saws not far away, playing themselves. "And we aren't alone. So."

"This is weird," Zechs said, shaking his head. All the same, he climbed neatly to the top of the jungle gym and sat there, smirking. "King of the Hill," he said brightly.

For a moment, it seemed that all of the other teenagers would hold back, but then a mad scramble came from some of the boys, shortly joined in by several of the girls as well, until all fifteen members of the junior class were embroiled in attempting to get Zechs off the top and themselves in his position!

He fought valiantly, long legs able to fend off attacks before they got near enough to do more than grab. But he didn't see a petite girl with dark red hair come up behind him. She lifted up his own blond strands and whispered something in his ear and he went absolutely pink. The next minute, she was able to push him lightly off and settle herself in his place, while Zechs did a slow motion tumble to the grass and lay there on his belly.

"I think you killed him," Wufei told her solemnly, peeking down at him. "Zechs, did you die?"

"Yes," Zechs said, still not moving. "The thousand deaths of the coward, I believe. Still, she was an honorable opponent -- up to a point." He propped himself up on his forearm and smiled weakly at Wufei.

With a laugh, Wufei plopped himself down in the grass next to Zechs. "Yeah? You'll have to tell me about it," he said, looking at the rest of the class still scrambling nearby.

"She basically said I was sex on legs," Zechs murmured, "though not with those exact words..." Casually leaning his head back on one arm, he gave the other boy a discrete wink.

Black brows raised, Wufei looked up at the redheaded girl, now firmly ensconced and allowing NO one to overthrow her. /Hmph,/ he thought to himself. THAT was a woman to watch out for! "Well, she pegged that one."

At that, Zechs turned on his back, resting his head on crossed arms. "I think I might actually like this place," he said.

"Yeah," Wufei decided. "Me, too. I'm glad, really. So, it's actually something that was good, in the end."

"Well, it *is* only the first day," Zechs reminded him, but yeah -- so far, so good." The he looked back up at the sky, and with a twinge realized that he had started to search for signs of summer -- when Wufei would be married.

The next few weeks passed uneventfully. Both Zechs and Wufei settled into the new school, just getting comfortable with the routine as the spring term came to an end.

At the end of the week following the last day of school, a young Chinese man stepped off of a flight from Shanghai and peered nervously around at the crowds of unfamiliar Americans. He was slight of build, with a shock of thick, dark hair and glasses.

"BAO-SHEE~EEENG!" It was nearly a shriek, and the absolute *attack* of a small, slim woman with pigtails attaching herself to him was enough to scare almost anyone.

Well... anyone who hadn't known Meiran all of their life.

His carry-on bag was propelled a good ten feet from his arms with the force of her embrace, but he didn't seem to mind. His arms wrapped around her and for a long moment they just held on to each other.

"[Meiran... I'm so happy to be here...]"

"Wow," Wufei told Zechs softly. "I've never seen her that excited." She was kissing the boy wildly by then, and several of the other passengers were giving them positively indulgent looks! "Maybe we should, um, pick up his bag there..."

"Yeah, poor guy," Zechs murmured. "Hope he can breathe." He walked over gingerly, not wanting to disturb them, and picked up the black duffle bag from behind a row of chairs. "Should we make them stop?" he asked his mother once he walked back, who stood behind Wufei.

"Only if she starts to take off his clothes," Noin answered cheerfully. Between them, they'd all scraped up dollars, cents and every little bit of money they had to pay for the one way plane ticket, and it had OBVIOUSLY been worth it!

"Looks like she's getting close!" Wufei muttered, eyes wide.

"Oh, *man*, I can't believe this." muttered Zechs, turning and staring at the next gate so he wouldn't have to watch anymore of it.

Bao-Sheng seemed to be getting the enthusiastic girl to calm down a bit, lowering her so that her feet touched the floor again and trying to straighten his glasses, which were hanging half off his face.

"[I missed you with all of my heart!]" she told him, smiling up at him, tears rising so that she had to bite her lip in an attempt to stifle them. "[I missed you so much!]"

"[I missed you, too,]" he told her, smiling. "[I thought about you every day and imagined you were with me, instead of here.]"

"[And now you're here. We have so many plans! We must talk about them, Bao Sheng. I must introduce you to Wufei and Zechs and Miss Noin...]"

Bao-Sheng seemed to finally realize where he was at the moment and promptly turned a very dark shade of red as he followed Meiran's gaze to the three people who were standing at the edge of the gate area, two of them smiling at him, one with his back turned.

"[Zechs is funny about kissing,]" she said undiplomatically. "[Wufei, though, is funnier, so I don't know why *he* hasn't turned away, too.]"

"[Meiran!]" Wufei chided.

Zechs finally turned around when it seemed they would actually *meet* the happy couple and gave a nervous glance to Wufei, unsure of what to do.

"Bao-Sheng, this is Zechs Marquise and his mother, Noin. The bossy one is Chang Wufei, who you know about," Meiran said firmly.

"It's very nice to meet you," Wufei murmured solemnly.

"Hi," Zechs said somewhat shyly, holding out his hand to the young man. Then, in a whisper to Meiran, "Does he speak English?"

"I speak very good English," Bao-Sheng replied good-naturedly. "It is very nice to meet both of you, as well."

"Do you have bags that we need to pick up?" Noin asked.

"Ah, yes -- two of them," he said, smiling and giving a tiny bow out of sheer habit.

"Then let's go, boys and girls!" she replied with firm intent. "We'll get your bags and head home. Wufei, Meiran... how long can you stay?"

"Until nine-thirty," Meiran answered. "We have to be at the store by ten."

"[You are working a lot now?]" Bao-Sheng asked her as they walked towards baggage claim.

"[Yes,]" she replied. "[It is as I have told you. We hope that things will work out the way that we want them to..]"

"[It's a very bold plan,]" he replied, "[but I have to admit I like it better than you marrying *that* fellow.]" He nodded slightly towards Wufei, who was walking ahead of him, with Zechs. "[Do his parents know I have come?]"

"[We have told them nothing and he, *he* is not interested in girls, so *you* should not worry yourself about these things. It will all work out in the end, or so Zechs's mother believes. I hope that she will be proven right.]"

"[Yes, I hope so, too. I don't like deceiving my elders...]"

The made it to the baggage claim area and retrieved the two modest suitcases Bao-Sheng had brought. When they had gotten into the car, the newcomer smiled shyly at Noin and said, "I understand that I am to stay with you. Thank you so much for your kindness."

"You're very welcome, Bao-Sheng. I hope you'll enjoy your stay, and that things will work out. I understand you got a letter of acceptance for the college you want to attend?" Noin asked. "It's half an hour's bike ride down the road from the house..."

"Ah, very good," he said nodding. "I will need to buy a bike. Perhaps you can recommend a place to find one."

The rest of the group had climbed into the car and Noin was about to do the same when he stopped her and whispered, "This is okay with your son?"

Noin smiled at him, watching the other children settle in, Zechs kissing Wufei's cheek. "He isn't very happy about it, no, but the results should leave all four of you happy, which is what he wants. He's very jealous."

Bao-Sheng gave Zechs a wary glance through the window and then got in beside Noin.

"So," Wufei said, biting his lower lip. "The wedding is in August." He thought that it would be best to simply say it aloud and get it over with. "On the twelfth."

"Ah," Bao-Sheng said, swallowing a bit heavily. "Not very far away."

"Seven weeks, to be exact," Zechs said unhappily, staring at the back of his mother's seat. "And neither of us will be invited, I can tell you that, Bao Sheng."

"We don't want to," Wufei assured him. "But..."

"BUT, if we do, I can stay in America, and then you can, too, and both of you can stay with *us*, once we are living on our own, at least sometimes," Meiran said firmly.

"Yeah... at least sometimes," Zechs said, wanting to cry suddenly and not doing it.

"How... how long do you think? How long will you two stay married?" Bao-Sheng said quietly.

"One year," Wufei murmured. "That's how long you have to be married before you're a legal citizen in the U.S."

"One year -- not so bad... I guess." He looked over at Noin and gave her a small smile. "And what do both of your parents say after one year when you tell them you won't be married any longer?" he asked.

Meiran sighed deeply. "They will have to accept that we cannot live together. If they do not, then at least we will both be legal adults then, as well," Meiran murmured. "Wufei has one more year of high school left, and will not be eighteen until January."

"January?" Zechs said, turning to Wufei. "You're birthday's in January? Funny -- we've known each other for months but I never found out your birthday..."

Shrugging slightly, Wufei smiled at him. "My father mentioned it the other day. It's just another birthday, but after that, I can do as we like without... problems." Problems being parents who refused to sign the necessary papers or something of that nature.

"Still," Zechs said softly, moving his gaze back to the driver's seat, "I should have asked."

"I don't know yours, either," Wufei pointed out, ignoring the quiet conversation now being led between Noin, Bao-Sheng and Meiran. "I haven't asked. When is it?"

"April... April 23. Just before we met." The blond boy turned and smiled at him.

"Good! Then I haven't missed it, so I don't need to feel guilty," the Chinese boy said, smiling back at him.

"Hello over there!" Meiran poked Wufei. "You are ignoring us!"

"He was talking to *me,*" Zechs said, looking over at her. Then he stuck out his tongue teasingly.

At that, Meiran laughed and shook her head. "YOU are silly, and *I*... *I* am happy," she sighed, leaning forward to smile at Bao-Sheng."

"Here we are," Noin announced, pulling into the driveway. "Everyone pile out!"

The next morning, Zechs asked Bao-Sheng if wanted to go bike shopping.

"There's a good used bike shop about a mile down the road. We could walk." This meant, of course, that Bao-Sheng would walk and Zechs would blade.

"That sounds amenable," Bao-Sheng answered solemnly. "I don't want something very expensive."

"Great. Well, let me just get my skates on and I'll be ready to go."

In five minutes they were out on the sidewalk, heading towards the bike shop and Zechs was struggling to find something to talk with his guest about.

"So... I... I hear you folks have tons of bicycles in China," he said at last, wondering if it sounded as lame as it felt.

The Chinese man nodded. "It's a better way of getting around than cars. Some of the streets are narrow, and cars are expensive, so bicycles are easier to use. What you have? Those are nice. Is it easier than a bicycle?"

"These?" Zechs said, looking down at his skates. "Well, *I* like them better because they get me to places faster and they're more fun. They're called in line skates."

"Faster?" Dark eyes lit up slightly, Bao-Sheng's lips curving upward in a smile. "I might like to try that better than a bicycle!"

"Really?" Zechs said, giving him a sidelong glance. "Well, they take a little getting used to -- do you know how to skate on regular skates?"

"More or less," was the reply. "I haven't skated since I was a small child, but it shouldn't be too bad, should it? I have an excellent sense of balance." That wasn't meant to brag, only to tell a fact.

/Reminds me a bit of Wufei.../ Zechs found himself thinking.

"Okay -- well, the shop sells used skates, too, so you can take your pick." He skated in silence for a few moments and then, in a softer voice, asked, "If you don't mind talking about it... what did you do when you found out Meiran was being sent over here to get married?"

"Cursed," Bao-Sheng admitted sheepishly. "Yelled a lot. Yelled at *her* a lot, and then yelled about *him* a lot. What did you think when you knew?"

Zechs stared down at the street for a moment. "I was angry -- really jealous... and sad. I thought... well, I thought that there might be a chance that after they were married, they'd just stay that way and he'd forget about me.... that maybe she would change him."

".....I really hope not," Bao-Sheng whispered. "I've loved her... *always*."

"Well, I hope she loves *you,*" the blond said gloomily. "I don't want anyone taking *him* away from me."

The Chinese man sighed, grimacing. "Yes," he said by way of agreement as they moped their way along. "I feel the same."

The reached the store and Zechs led the way inside. "So which do you want to look at first," he asked Bao-Sheng, "a bike or skates?"

"Skates!" was the firm answer, Bao-Sheng smiling. "Then, I can keep up with you."

"We'll just see about that," Zechs said good naturedly and they walked over to a wall full of new and used in-line skates.

Brown eyes widened, Bao-Sheng looked at all of them. "What exactly am I looking for with these?" he asked politely, reaching out to touch a red pair. Red was a particularly lucky color, and he liked the shiny look of them.

"Well, let me ask you some questions... would you like to go fast or do you care more about maneuverability?"

"Maneuverability," was the prompt answer. "I wouldn't want to run into everything all for the sake of going very fast," Bao-Sheng decided.

"Okay than you need skates with a fairly narrow wheel -- the larger the wheel the faster you go, but you do sacrifice some turning ability." He picked up the red skates and looked them over. "These are okay --they have a nice, plastic boot, sturdy buckles and they're higher cut meaning they're mostly for recreation and not some specialty sport. So, the next thing you need to do is try them on and see if the buckles feel okay against your feet. If they don't, you need another model."

Wide-eyed, Bao-Sheng nodded and seated himself on a bench, reaching for the skates. "You're very knowledgeable about this. What else do you know so much about?" he asked, beginning to strip off his white tennis shoe.

Not wanting to answer that right away, Zechs looked down at him and said, "Um... shouldn't we find out if that's your size before you try it on?"

Bao-Sheng blinked almost audibly. "I... the sizes are different in America, yes? So, I'm not sure..."

Luckily, the young saleswoman who was minding the store that morning walked up at that moment. "Need some help guys?"

"Yes, thank you," Bao-Sheng said politely, and they spent some moments conversing with the woman before settling things appropriately.

"You look good, Bao-Sheng -- really sharp in those," Zechs said, trying not to smile too much at the sight of the very happy face, beaming above bright, red skates and teetering a bit as well.

"Now, if only I would not fall down!" Bao-Sheng replied, wobbling and laughing. "It would not look so good, then!"

"That's okay," Zechs said, "everyone falls down when they're learning. Now... let's get you in the 'ready' position: knees bent a little, skates pointing out in a sort of 'V', hand out to balance, weight on the balls of your feet..." Zechs got into the position beside him. "Basically, he said after a moment, "you make yourself look like a duck."

Before long, they were both laughing, and Bao-Sheng made a slight quack noise, startling a little old lady as she walked past them. For a moment, they laughed some more, and then he said, "You are very nice, Zechs Marquise. I am glad to have made your acquaintance."

"Yeah -- you're okay too, Bao-Sheng," Zechs said, trying not to blush. "Even if your girlfriend *is* engaged to my boyfriend. All right now, duck steps! Take a few more duck steps and then we'll practice stopping."

"If I can just get going!" Bao-Sheng agreed even as he rolled along. "Oh!"

"Oh, you can't help but keep going!" Zechs laughed. "That kind of happens automatically. Now bring your knees together a little bit, hands lightly on your knees and bring your right heel down to break."

Obeying, the Chinese man stopped. "Easier than it sounds!" he decided. "I will be outracing you by the end of the week!" Bold words, and obviously meant with humor.

"Whoa -- keep the leg you're breaking with out ahead of you somewhat!" Zechs called to the wobbling man. "Hands out in front, too -- that's it!"

"Confess. I look like.. um, an idiot, right?" Bao-Sheng asked with a grin, the exaggerated motions terribly silly.

"No, you look like someone who's learning to skate," Zechs encouraged. "Now, start trying to lengthen those duck steps. A little more pressure with each and feel what it's like to glide a bit. You know how to stop if you need to."

'Stop if you need to' turned into 'fall on your butt' shortly, but he wasn't hurt. After another half hour, he was actually doing pretty well, and grinning at Zechs from ear to ear. "I like this!"

"It's fun, isn't it," Zecha agreed, smiling back. "It feels like you're not even touching the ground sometimes, it's so smooth. Bend your knees a little more -- have you ever seen speed skating? Like at the Winter Olympics? That's the kind of pose you're aiming for."

"Not so funny looking any more," Bao-Sheng said, smiling at him. "Shall I race you home?"

"Ah -- race me?" Zechs said in some astonishment. "How about you just try to keep up, okay?" His tone was playful as he bent down in the 'ready' position and the two of them took off down the street.

The morning of August 12 was one that Chang Wufei would never forget. How could he? He'd lain awake most of the night before fretting, the household alive around him with relatives he hadn't even known he had, and at eleven, he was to wed Meiran. Sleep was an impossibility!

A knock on his door prompted him to rise, nodding at his father before closing it again and taking a deep breath. He'd risen at six and bathed before coming to lay back down again for a few moments' peace, and so he began to dress in the traditional clothing that had been lain out for him the night before. First came a dark blue robe with an intricate red dragon embroidered upon it, wrapping around his body as if to give him reassurance. Over it was placed a black silk coat, a red silk sash with a silk ball placed so that the ball rested on his shoulder. Silently, he finished, pulling on soft red shoes and looking at himself in the mirror. He looked terrified. He *FELT* terrified. What if something went wrong? What if...?

Another knock prompted a soft answer and his father peeked in the door. "[I see you are ready, Wufei,]" his father said. "[This is a very important day for you -- one that will never come again. I hope you are as happy to become a bridegroom as your mother and I are for you to be one.]"

"[Yes,]" Wufei lied, shivering slightly. "[Is it time to go downstairs now?]" That would mean he would kneel at the family altar while his father placed a cap upon his head, then follow the rest of the beginning rituals of the marriage ceremony.

"[Yes, it is. Everyone is waiting for you.]"

Taking a deep breath, Wufei took one more look in the mirror at the young man before him and nodded. "[I'm coming,]" he said softly.

His father walked ahead of him down the stairs -- stairs he'd spent a lifetime climbing and descending without a thought, but which were now fraught with symbolism. Tso-lin led the way to the far corner of the living room, where the family altar had been brought out into the room, instead of back against the wall, and covered with incense and red flowers.

Pale and trembling, he knelt, closing his eyes. He knew what was happening -- could hear the slight rustle of the cypress decorated cap as his father shifted it, moving behind him to gently place it on Wufei's head, making him in that moment a man. He bowed before the tablets of Heaven and Earth and his ancestors silently, thoughts mired in what was happening, in consideration of Zechs and Bao-Sheng. Then, he turned, bowing to his parents and the family members who were also there. Some, he knew, would be waiting outside of Auntie Bao-Bao's house where Meiran was getting ready, to perform their part of not allowing him to take her away from them.

Tso-Lin walked to where he knelt and solemnly removed the silk ball from his shoulder sash, placing it on the top of the red satin wedding chair that stood near the entry hall.

'[It is time to get your bride, Wufei,]" he said, pride ringing in his voice.

"[Yes, Father,]" he said solemnly as his family rose to go with him. Several well-built men helped to lift the sedan as they started out the door and headed down the street, Wufei moving ahead of them slightly. It wasn't a long trip -- about fifteen minutes' walk, in fact -- and when they arrived, there were other relatives gathered about the door, waiting for them.

Many of them were female, dressed to the nines, and all of them had their arms folded over in front of them, looking at once festive and frightening.

"[And what would you be wanting here?]" one of them called.

"[I come for my bride!]" Wufei declared, smiling slightly. They looked as if at least *they* were having a good time!

"[Oh, you must mean Meiran,]" another woman said. "[Well, I'm sorry, but you can't have her.]"

"[No, we won't let you in!]" called a third.

"[But I must!]" Wufei said, shaking his head and smiling some more. Okay, so this part was kind of fun. "[It's really very important. If you'll let me have her, I'll take very good care of her.]"

"[How do we know you care for her?]" a stern older woman said. "[You probably don't even know her favorite color!]"

"[Blue!]" Wufei declared. He knew *that* for a fact, for they had talked a lot in the past few weeks as they helped at the grocery store. "[She likes dark blue *best*. The bridal chambers have been arranged in blue, ivory and red to please her.]" Blue for Meiran, ivory for Wufei, and red for good luck and happiness.

"[But he doesn't know what she loves best to eat!]" a young girl called -- one of Auntie Bao-Bao's endless supply of nieces.

"[Or what her favorite scent is,]" cried another.

"[Go away!!,]" they all said, waving their hands at him, and laughing as they did.

"[I can't go away!]" Wufei declared, reaching back. On the sedan lay red envelopes, Li Shi money to be given to the protestors. "[I must have my bride. Perhaps I can console you for her loss?]" he asked.

"[Oh, we like money. You can give us money]" they called.

"[We might listen to a handsome boy with money -- perhaps.]"

"[Give us the money, then answer the questions! Or maybe you don't know them?]"

"[I know them!]" Wufei teased, handing out the envelopes. "[She likes the smell of fresh oranges when they're cut and her favorite food is chocolate!]" Chocolate chip muffins, to be exact, and blueberry bagels with strawberry cream cheese!

"[Hmm... he seems to know quite a bit,]" one of the women said tentatively.

"[Yes but will you make her happy?]" another one chimed in. "[Will you give her a beautiful home and children?]"

"[Will you love her forever?]"

"[I will make her *very* happy,]" he promised. "[I will see that she has *all* of those things.]" Even if *he* was not the one giving them to her!

"[Well...]"

The group of women hesitated for several moments, discussing it among themselves. The one of them, the youngest apparently, ran to the front door, opened it, and called to someone.

On the back of a good luck woman came Meiran, dressed in red. Intricate embroidery was beautiful on her wedding robes, her face covered by a red veil draped over an intricate headdress that made his eyes widen as the woman brought her towards the sedan. One of the women held a parasol to shield her even as another tossed rice toward the chair, and he smiled, loving the old traditions. They were beautiful, somehow.

Climbing carefully into the chair, Meiran settled herself, peering out of the heavy red fabric, not being able to see much of anything. The four men lifted the poles that supported the chair and the gathered family members cheered, heading back to the groom's house for the tea ceremony.

Nearly four hours later, it was done. With much laughter and teasing, Wufei and Meiran had been taken to a house neither had even seen yet, one that was apparently meant to be their own. He would have to ask questions about it later, but for now...

For now, their family was around them, laughing, and honeyed wine in goblets linked with red threads were being handed them to drink.

Meiran took hers, hands a little unsteady, and sipped delicately. The veil was off of her face now, and she looked over at Wufei with a little unease.

With a nod, he encouraged her, smiling, and then sipped at his own before trading cups with her so that they could both drink it down, listening to the shouts and cries of relatives around them.

"[You two need some time alone, eh?]" said his cousin Curtis, who had flown in with his family from the east coast. "[Can't let all that good luck go to waste!]"

"[Lin and I are staying outside until midnight,]" another cousin informed them. "[Better not make too much noise!]"

Meiran frowned, turning brilliant pink.

"[We'll try not to entertain you,]" Wufei answered dryly, his own face crimson with heat. He was glad it was all over, glad that Zechs's mother had managed to see Meiran the day before, getting to them the necessary small vial of blood. /Oh, that's disgusting,/ he thought, almost ready to sigh.

There were more comments, about Wufei's virility, Meiran's blushes, the bed, the number of children they would have -- everything -- until Wufei's father came in and cleared them all out, bowing and smiling at the two of them as he finally shut the door.

Meiran looked over her new husband. "What now?" she said softly.

"Now..." Wufei bit his lip. "I don't know," he whispered. "Maybe if we strip down to underwear and turn off the lights for a while. Do you think they'll listen?"

"Underwear! You want me to let you see me in my *underwear*??" Meiran said, obviously offended. "And if *course* they'll listen - they *always* do... at least in China."

Unhappily, Wufei made a face. "I don't want to see you in your underwear!" he whispered. "I'm *gay*! I..." He bit his lip. "I suppose we'll just have to make *some* kind of noise, then. Damn."

A small but wicked smile formed on Meiran's face. "*I* listened once," she said. "You should have heard the racket he was making!"

"/HE!?/" Wufei asked, voice slightly strangled.

"Yeah -- she was hardly able to say a thing, probably being squashed or something, but *he* was acting like he was having a baby!" She snickered. "Do you and Zechs sound like that, too?"

His flush increased slightly as he thought about it. "No!" he said quickly. "We... haven't done *that* yet. You and Bao-Sheng?"

"We're not *married*!" she said, looking outraged. "Of *course* not! But... well boys like you don't *need* to be married, right?" Her eyes twinkled, almost evilly. "How far have you gone with Zechs?"

Ohhh, he was going to just DIE!! "Not far," he told her, flushing. "Kissing and... petting, but... Time's short!" he said, shivering. "Soon, though..."

"I said how *far*" Meiran badgered, beginning to feel the effects of the wine they'd been served. "And is he good?" With this she wriggled her eyebrows at him and leered.

Wufei squirmed, getting a little excited despite himself. "He's *very* good," he decided. "I think. I haven't got much by way of comparison, but..." A sigh drifted loose. "He makes me feel like there's gold sparking in my veins..."

She picked up a pillow from the bed they sat on and hugged it to herself, eyes closing. "Hmmm... I've only kissed Bao-Sheng, but even that felt wonderful... What is it like, to do more...?"

"It feels..." Wufei paused, shivering. "It feels like your heart's going to pound out of your chest. It feels like the whole world is nothing but you and him together and close." It had really only been the one time, because they hadn't gotten any other chances, but it had been indelibly printed on his mind. "It feels like every touch is going to make you explode with joy..."

She sighed happily and murmured, "Every touch..." Then she smiled. "So when are we going to have our *real* wedding nights, Wufei?"

"...next weekend?" he suggested. "Family will be here three more days..."

She fell back on the bed, turning on her side, away from him. "I hope I can wait that long," she murmured. Within two minutes, she was asleep.

Wufei sighed. "My wife," he murmured, "is a lush."

Four minutes after that, so was he.

"'s no' fair," Bao-Sheng slurred, sighing. "'S jush no' fair."

Zechs looked over at him, from where he slouched in a large arm chair. They were in his living room, his mother having gone to bed for the night. "Tell me about it," he said, with great effort. "The love of my life just made the love of your life a bride... *shit*..."

With a sigh, Bao-Sheng lifted the bottle of liquor to his lips and sighed. "Shucks." It should've been sucks, but it didn't come out that way.

"*We* shoulda been th' grooms, you know," Zechs said resentfully. He took another swig and laid his head back on the chair. "I don' like th' idea of my boyfrien' in bed with 'nother woman..."

Unable to help himself, Bao-Sheng gave a little snicker. "Y'r a woman?"

"Y'know wha' I mean!" Zechs said, frowning at him. He pointed his bottle at the Chinese man. "She jus' better not *try* an'thing, thas' all."

"Wha' 'bou' *HIM*?" Bao-Sheng asked, blinking at Zechs with eyes gone wide. "'s not like you gotta worry 'bout 's virginity 'r nothin'..."

Zechs blinked back, head spinning a bit. "Whaddya mean, don' hafta worry? "'course I do... whas so special 'bout a *girl* that only *her* virginity counts?"

"You mean you ha... ha... you ha..." A frown crossed the Chinese man's face. "You din't do't yet?"

For a moment Zechs was able to arrange his face so that it looked greatly offended, but then it collapsed. "No," he said miserably and took another long drink. "He always said we didn' have time..."

"'s wha' she sez, too," Bao-Sheng sighed, wriggling his toes. "'s jus' no' fair." Back to that again. "'S no' *JUSSSST*."

"*I'll* say!" the blond boy murmured. "We *did* have time... he jus' got freaked... *I* had time..." He sighed and let his eyes close. "I's in agony afterwards..."

"Wh's American w'rd f'r that? When your..." Bao-Sheng rolled his hand, pointing in a general way towards his own testicles. "Feel like th'r gunna f'll off? She's good a' tha'..."

"Blue balls," Zechs said, grimacing, "an' he's right up there with 'er. Never seems t' bother 'im. Don' know how he does it..."

Bao-Sheng's head shook sorrowfully. "'S a sad, sad, sad, sad..." He lost track. "Day, frien'. Sad."

"Wouldn' it be funny 'f we went over there and snuck in?" Zechs said, laughing suddenly. "What'd the rel'tives say?"

"Prolly nothin' GOOD," was the drawled response. "Prolly call th'police. 's why they're there. 's a..." The word failed him. "'s a *ritchool*. 's a *tradition*. So nobody'll rob 'em."

Zechs snickered. "We wouldn' be robbing 'em... we'd be bringing them each a weddin' presen'" He gave Bao-sheng an exaggerated wink and nearly giggled.

Unable to help himself, Bao-Sheng laughed with him, chortling softly to himself. "M'be soon..."

Zechs gradually stopped laughing and simply stared up at the ceiling, looking by turns sad and thoughtful. "D'you... d'you think about 'er all th' time? 'bout what she looks like, how she feels...? D'you wonder 'f she's thinkin' 'bout you?"

"'n how she smells. 'n what she looks like comin' outta th' water. 'n how it feels to hold her hand. 'n things we did when we were kids. 'n kissin' her..."

The blond boy grabbed a pillow from behind him and wrapped it around his face. "Ohhhh *fuck* this is *so* screwed!!" he moaned. For several moments no sound came from under the pillow and then it was just a faint voice. "Feel of 'is skin under my fingers..."

"Way she smells..."

"You *said* that already..."

"Oh. Zechs?" Bao-Sheng asked. "Think 'm REALLY drunk."

"Yeah... me too...," Zechs replied. "We're gonna feel *horrible* in th' morning..."

"Feel pr'tty bad *t'night*," came the sighed response.

"Oh... uh, you need help... t' get t' the bathroom?" Zechs asked, secretly praying the answer was no.

"No' gunna thor.. thor... puke. Jus'... pathetic."

Zechs tried to laugh, but all that came out was a feeble honking sound. "We're pretty pathetic anyway... given what happened t'day. Wha's a little more pathe... pathetic..ness..ity."

At that, Bao-Sheng laughed again. "Think we ought go t'bed. 'Cause we're gonna feel like... like...

"Shit. Plain shit in th' morning... At least I know he's not gonna see me..." He stood, swaying badly and put a hand on the back of the chair for support, stretching out the other to Bao-Sheng. "Need s'me help?"

"'t'd be nishe," Bao-Sheng agreed, reaching for it. He managed to stand, though they swayed together for a moment. "Y'no, 's nishe to hava frien'."

"Yeah," Zechs said, stumbling with him across the room to the stairs. "It is... even 'f your girlfrien' jus' married m' boyfrien'" He patted the Chinese man on the back and they managed to push each other up to the second floor.

"T'morrah's gunna be better..." Bao-Sheng assured, stumbling towards their rooms. "'S gotta be."

"Hope your right... g'nigh' Bao-Sheng... one of these nights... we'll be c'lebrating, too..."

It was not-quite-dawn when Wufei woke, eyes fluttering open slightly. The realization that someone else was in the bed with him, warm and pressed close, made him momentarily hope that it was Zechs.

Sadly, it was *not*.

Still, he didn't shriek when he realized that it was Meiran, only shook her. "Hey. Hey."

She gave out a small, sleepy sound and pulled the blanket over her head.

"Wake up!" he told her, whispering. "You forgot the vial! We fell asleep!"

"Hmm?" she finally said, sitting up and glaring groggily at him. "What vial?" she began, but then clamped her hand over her mouth and hopped out of bed, looking down at the sheets as if she expected them to bite her any moment.

"Where is it?" she whispered fiercely.

"I thought you had it!"

There was a few moments' frantic search and then she dived to the floor, dragging it out from under the bed, holding it up and beaming. "Got it! Now, what do I do with it? Where should it go?"

"I don't know!" he whispered. "In the bed somewhere. And a little in the basin and on the cloth to make it look like you washed it off!" With a nod, he indicated the basin and water meant for that purpose. "Then, you go downstairs..."

With a look of distaste, Meiran uncapped the vial and poured a small amount about halfway down the sheet, near the middle, then smeared it in with her fingers.

"This is *disgusting!*" she said in a fierce but hushed tone. "Does this really happen the first time you're with a man?"

"I don't know," Wufei admitted. "It must, or we wouldn't have to do it, would we?? I wonder if it hurts... I'm glad *I'M* not a woman..."

Meiran was truly awake now, for she smirked at her new husband and said sweetly, "I thought Zechs would be on top..."

THAT gained her a frown from a crimson face. "Who says there's going to be one?" he whispered a little belligerently.

She gave him a look up and down. "Well, given how small you are, and how tall *he* is... maybe *you* won't to need bring in a vial of blood..." She left the ending of the sentence to hang, tantalizingly, in the air, and went to bathe.

"I really hate that woman," he muttered to himself as he looked down and began to strip off the sheets... even if he didn't really mean it.

The week had been long, beginning with family members in the bedroom for three days and then a long visit at Auntie Bao-Bao's house, taking the place of Meiran visiting her old home. There had been two additional dinners in which the elderly speculated on the health and fitness of the couple and one old crone made a prediction that Meiran was already pregnant.

But Friday they had to themselves, every relative chased out by Wufei's mother, who could be formidable when she wanted to be. They'd called Noin and arranged a dinner for their boys, and Wufei, who had curdled a perfectly good sauce just by stirring it the wrong way, was now relegated to finding something to wear.

"You dressed?" Meiran called from the kitchen. "Come in and let me see it."

"How is this?" was the tentative question as he came in, dressed all in white -- classic Chinese garb in silk, which was different than the usual jeans and t-shirts by far. It was the fourth outfit he'd tried on. The first three hadn't suited Meiran.

"Hmmm... she looked at him, up and down and then up again. "Very nice -- only... do you have just a spot of color you can wear? An earring, perhaps? Hmm?"

"No earrings!" Wufei told her cheerfully. Oh, *GOD*, he was excited! "I don't have holes for them. You?"

She pulled her hair back behind her ears to reveal two small, glowing balls of red silk, on in each ear. "You should get one -- they look good on gay boys."

"And what do you think my father would say?" he asked her, brows arching.

"Well, you could take it out when he's around," she said, checking their new rice cooker carefully. "Then you could put it on when you're around Zechs."

That was food for thought, so he put it away for later consideration and peered over her shoulder. "It LOOKS edible," he decided. "How much longer 'til it's done?"

"It has to simmer for twenty minutes, then we eat. Where *are* those two, anyway?"

With that question, a knock came promptly on the front door and both of them jumped. "I'd guess that's them!" Wufei declared, turning and hurrying towards it.

Zechs and Bao-Sheng were, indeed, at the door, each looking freshly washed and well dressed. Zechs was in a pair of butter-soft white trousers and a loose fitting, silky red shirt. He carried a small sheaf of roses that matched his shirt and held them out towards Wufei with a shy smile.

"Hi," Wufei whispered, flushing even as Bao-Sheng stepped past him with an even better gift for Meiran -- chocolate.

"[Thanks!]" she said, pouncing on the box he held and then pouncing on him. Her arms were around his neck in a flash. "[Oh, I *missed* you so much!!]"

"Wow." Eyes wide, Wufei watched them. "She's really forward," he told Zechs with a nod before leaning forward and up to offer the tall blond a kiss.

"Nothing wrong with that," Zechs said, smiling and scooping him up to twirl him around a few times, feet off the ground, before settling into a another, longer kiss.

Meiran shook her head, giving a little sound. "[You see what I have to put up with?]" she sighed dramatically, smiling up at her beloved man. "[I made all of your favorites,]" she told him almost shyly.

"[That's wonderful,]" Bao-Sheng said, still holding her tightly, "[but this right here is my *very* favorite thing.]"

"[Kiss me again,]" she sighed, and did.

"Sappy," Wufei decided, but he didn't resist much as Zechs his arm around his waist. "Let's eat, okay?"

"You *would* be hungry," Zechs growled softly, giving Wufei's ear a last nuzzle before breaking away slightly. "What's for dinner - did you help cook?"

Meiran snorted. "He *burned* what he tried to cook! I made him try on clothes, instead. You like?" she asked slyly.

"Oh, I *like,*" Zechs said, looking Wufei up and down appreciatively. Secretly, though, he was thinking of how nice the clothing would look coming *off.*

"[You look lovely tonight, Meiran,]" Bao-Sheng said.

"Thank you," she told him, though it seemed as if she had expected him to say so. "Shall we eat?" This was said in English for Zechs's benefit.

They walked in to the dining room, still sparsely furnished, but with a table laden down with dishes and delicious smells.

In unison, Zechs and Bao-Sheng each pulled a chair out for their respective lovers. THAT made Meiran give Wufei a look -- one that said most distinctly 'I told you so', and one that he blatantly and completely ignored. "Thank you," he said simply, poking out his tongue at her when he thought the other two men weren't watching.

"Everything looks wonderful," Zechs said, looking over the dishes. "Can you tell the ignorant American what's what?"

"This is broccoli with pork, to be eaten over your rice," Meiran told him firmly, indicating a dish that looked and *smelled* delicious. "There is egg drop soup, and we have Yin-Yang Raspberry and Mandarin Orange Tart for later. It isn't much, but..."

"It's very, very good," Bao-Sheng said emphatically, and Zechs nodded vigorously.

THAT made Wufei grin as he very promptly gestured at them to seat themselves, Meiran carefully pouring juice for all of them as they sat down. "Well?" he said, eyes sparkling. "She's getting better," he told Bao-Sheng. "The first time she cooked... Ugh."

Zechs laughed at face he made. "And you?" he teased. "What was your first meal like?"

"Burnt," Meiran drawled.

"*I'M* a *boy*," Wufei announced with a nod.

Bao-Sheng broke into a wide smile. "Ah... Wufei believes in a cooking gene!"

Wufei *nodded*!! "Yes. And boys don't have it!" he said decisively.

"I happen to be a fairly good cook," Zechs said to him. 'Because my *mother* taught me." He gave Meiran a wink.

"See?" Meiran said. "You're both gay, so you must just have been denied the cooking gene because you were expected not to be, Wufei!" THAT gained her a raspberry, Wufei's tongue poked out, his nose wrinkled.

"All right you two," Zechs said in a deep, fatherly voice, "stop your arguing and *eat*!"

"Yes, Father!" came two amused replies simultaneously.

"This," Bao-Sheng murmured, "is not a wedding night. It is a variety show!"

They had their meal, polishing off every bit of the food and three-quarters of the dessert.

"Wonderful," Zechs told Meiran, "thanks for cooking. Wufei has nothing to tease you about any more."

"No, he'd better not!" Bao-Sheng added, wagging a finger at Wufei.

"You won't let him get me, will you?" Wufei asked Zechs, one last bite of tart raspberries on his fork.

"Only if you don't behave," Zechs said, giving him a sly smile.

At THAT, dark eyes grew wide. "And if I do...??"

"I think we should discuss that *privately,*" Zechs murmured, staring into those eyes, "and *soon.*"

Bao-Sheng cleared his throat and expressed a sudden interest in seeing how Meiran had set up the living room. "Why don't you show me?" he asked, standing and pulling her gently up with him.

"[I would *love* to,]" she told him with a smile, standing and leaving the table despite the fact that there were dishes on it still.

"How soon is soon?" Wufei whispered, face flushing with heat.

Zechs leaned an elbow on the table, continuing to gaze at his lover. "As soon as you'd like it to be," he said in soft, deep voice. "But I do have a present I need to give you first."

"What is it?" Wufei whispered, giving a lingering glance at Zechs's mouth.

"Take me to your room and I'll show you."

Silently, Wufei rose and took his hand. They wandered through the small foyer, listening to passing soft laughter even as they headed up the stairs and moved down the hallway. Once the three days had passed for family visitors, they had each chosen a room. Meiran had kept the one with their marriage bed. Wufei had chosen the one at the end of the hall, so that there was a room between them. "Here," he said softly, stepping inside.

It, too, was sparsely funished, not looking really *lived in* yet at all, but there was a bed, and a door to close, and that was all that mattered to Zechs.

He drew Wufei over to the bed with both hands and after they'd both settled down he drew a long, silky black cord from the pocket of his shirt. At the end were three silver circles -- only they weren't quite circles because they were all wavy around the edges.

Zechs took Wufei's palm and put the circles in it, followed by the cord. "Do you know what this is?" he said.

"A puzzle ring?" Wufei asked, peering at it.

"Yes -- I wanted to give you a ring that you could wear, but I didn't want to get you in trouble with your parents. So I thought you could wear it put together when you're around me and like this when you're with everyone else." Zechs's hand closed over Wufei's and he looked into liquid brown eyes. "I love you," he whispered. "Have since I first met you. I want you to be mine forever -- and I want you to know that I see it as a lifelong commitment."

"Zechs..." Wufei whispered, eyes going distinctly soft as he leaned forward, wrapping his arms about the other boy's neck. "Yes," he managed to breath. "Yes. I love you, too..."

Long arms wrapped around Wufei's waist and Zechs buried his face in dark hair. "Oh, you *angel,*" he whispered back. "Thank you so much for that..."

"I do. I don't know how or when or anything like that. It just seems like I have since the beginning," Wufei told him softly, his face nuzzled against Zechs's throat. "Always."

"Mmm..." Suddenly Zechs's hands were in Wufei's hair, gliding along his back, pulling him close for a long, deep kiss. "Oh, *God* I want you," he murmured against the other boy's mouth. "Thinking of you... *dreaming* of you..."

"Yes," Wufei whispered shyly. "Yes. Should we... turn off the lights? Undress?" He wasn't quite sure as to what the proper etiquette was for the matter and decided that asking was better than embarrassing himself somehow!

"Let's leave one light on," Zechs whispered, kissing him again and again. "I'd hate to miss seeing you; miss watching you, so beautiful..."

"Are you as nervous as I am?" the dark-haired boy breathed. "I... I have some things for us. Things we need. I have candles, too... In the drawer, there. Shall I...?"

"Why don't we light the candles together?" Zechs murmured, kissing along the edge of his jaw. "And I brought some honey powder to play with."

At that, Wufei had to swallow. GOD, that sounded really *really* good. He was going to be lucky if he didn't come all over Zechs before they were even naked together, he thought, flushing. "I'd love that."

The blond boy laughed, breaking the tension. "Would you believe my mom gave it to me?" he said. "She threw me a private stag party last night. Made me drink champagne, gave me this weird little Kama Sutra box and then we both watched Kiss of the Spider Woman and cried."

THAT did a lot for relieving some of Wufei's nervousness, and he laughed, too. "I really love your mom," he told Zechs, smiling at him brilliantly. "We can... explore the rest later, then. For now..." His smile changed slightly, almost teasingly. "Let's light the candles?"

Zechs sat back on the bed so Wufei could reach the nightstand drawer. "So, what have you been thinking about in this little room of yours at night?"

"About you," was the confession as the drawer was slid open, trembling hands drawing out a small package of condoms, lubricant, and several scented votives --small, but each had little wooden trays to sit beneath them that had obviously once been coasters of some sort. "About... being naked with you. About that night we were in the car and how good it felt to touch you and how bad it felt to quit..." It seemed like quite the confession as he moved away to turn off the overhead light, two of the small wax candles still in each of his hands.

Zechs reached out and took one from Wufei, their fingers slowly brushing as he did. He sniffed at it and then ran the smooth side of the candle down his lover's cheek, the warmth of Wufei's skin releasing the scent. "I've been thinking a lot about that night, too... sometimes it's been the only thing that's gotten me through -- remembering how silky your skin felt, and how warm you were."

"How good it felt to rub close to you," Wufei agreed on a huskily-worded breath. "Yeah..."

Zechs leaned down and gave him a long, lingering kiss and then whispered, "Do you have any matches?"

"In..." Wufei's voice broke slightly. "In the drawer," he managed to get out, hands fumbling for it again.

"I'll get them," Zechs said in a low voice, reaching in to take out a small match box. "Here, you take a match and I'll take a match..."

Silently, Wufei did just that, reaching out and striking his on one side of the box as Zechs did the same on the other. They began lighting candles, until they reached the last one, and lit it together, fingers almost burnt as the matches approached them. "There," Wufei whispered.

"I love you, Chang Wufei," the blond boy said softly.

"...yes," Wufei replied in a quiet voice. "I know. I love you, too, Zechs..."

That's as far as he got, because Zechs leaned forward and caught his mouth in a kiss, long arms wrapping all the way around him and pulling him gently down to the bed. He lay half atop him, one leg snaking in between Wufei's shorter ones, staring down into dark eyes that seemed to absorb all the candle light and give back a soft, glowing warmth.

Zechs let a finger trail along the other boy's cheek and then brushed over his lips softly. "So beautiful..."

A little nervously, Wufei closed his eyes, unable to help the smile that made its way over his lips. "This... oh, Zechs, I want this with you so badly..."

"I want it... to feel good for you..." Zechs said, nibbling softly at Wufei's mouth. "Mmm... so hard to go slowly..."

"Should we undress now?" Wufei murmured, delighting in the way that Zechs kissed him. "I want to get skin to skin with you..." It seemed like he'd burst before they were naked together, close and... and doing the things he'd been thinking about every night when he touched himself in the dark!!!

Zechs smiled slyly. "I'll unwrap you if you unwrap me..."

"That sounds promising," Wufei answered nervously. His hands smoothed up over Zechs's arms, the soft silky feel of his shirt good underneath sensitive fingerpads. The buttons were thin little things, reddish to match the material, and his hands danced slowly down them, loosening them from their moorings until he could touch the smooth golden chest beneath them. "Oh, Zechs..."

Just the touch of those fingers made the blond boy harden and he hastily worked open the intricate frog ties on Wufei's tunic, finally laying bare the smooth, caramel-colored chest. "Wufei..." The name was breathed like a prayer and warm breath ghosted over dark nipples as Zechs leaned down the press a kiss to the Chinese boy's belly.

Unable to help himself, Wufei moaned, arching up slightly to that mouth, thighs pressing together slightly to cradle his throbbing erection. "Zechs," he whimpered. "Can we get undressed all the way, now?" The other boy's trousers were just out of reach of his hands now that he had slid down, and oh, how desperately Wufei wanted to be naked with him!

"Mmm... I'd like that," Zechs whispered. Secretly he was amazed at Wufei's eagerness. He had thought the other boy would have been embarrassed or hesitant about it all, now that they were finally going to make love, but it certainly didn't seem that way.

He rolled onto his side a bit more and ran his fingers over Wufei's fly before opening it all the way and cupping the hard, cotton-covered mound in his hand.

"This is *mine,*" he murmured, "mine..."

Unable to help himself, Wufei's mouth dropped open, a long low sound leaking out from him before he bit down on his lip hard and whined, beginning to tremble slightly. "Zechs..." His name was barely a whisper, so softly was it spoken. It seemed all Wufei could do to hold himself back from coming in that moment as he whimpered, shaking his head back and forth slightly. "Oh, *Zechs*...!"

"Shh... it's all right," Zechs said, taking his hand gently away. "We've got lots of time... no need to hurry..." /God what am I doing? Torturing him or myself??/

"I'm just..." Wufei took a deep breath, looking at Zechs, hoping that the other boy would understand. "I'm nervous," he whispered. "It's so exciting, I don't know if I can hold out. The thought of being... being *with* you... like..." Like something out of the manga they both liked so, or straight out of his fantasies... "I'm just..."

"Why do you have to hold out?" Zechs asked. "I mean, I'm scared too, but I know I love you and that you love me, right? So whatever we do is okay. There *is* nothing we *have* to do. It's you and me and we're almost naked -- how can we get anything *wrong?*"

With a little release of breath, Wufei smiled at him a little. "If I came all over your hand right now, that would be a bad idea," he teased.

"Oh, I don't know," Zechs smirked, "it might be very interesting... on the other hand -"

Zechs swept the baggy trousers off of Wufei's legs, causing them to land in a heap on the floor. Then he hooked his thumbs under Wufei's briefs and began, with agonizing slowness to drag them off the boy's hips.

THAT stole Wufei's breath, black eyes wide as they looked at him, wondering if Zechs liked what he saw very much. "Z-Z..." A creamy caramel head, round and turgid, emerged from under the briefs. He let the waistband catch it for a moment, rubbing back and forth with the cotton before pulling down a bit more to reveal the shaft. It was almost enough to drive Wufei to embarrassed orgasm then and there, before they ever kissed or touched the way they had in the car! His breath was a trembling thing, his hands reaching to touch Zechs with desirous touch, needy. "Oh, Zechs. I... I..."

"You're a work of art," Zechs said softly, smiling up at him. He pulled the briefs the rest of the way down and then they, too, were on the floor with Wufei's trousers. Then, slowly, he leaned in, long hair brushing that hard sex, and pressed a kiss to the inside of the other boy's thigh. "Mmmm..."

"If you do that," Wufei gasped, "I'll just die. I'll come all over you, Zechs, I'm warning you!" Up until that moment in his life, he'd never truly contemplated -- much -- the act of coming in someone's mouth or, well, ANYTHING like that. He'd seen it in manga, imagined it vaguely in fantasy, but never considered doing it to someone he *loved*. It seemed a little disgusting, and not like anything *he* would care to do, so why would he do it to Zechs? And oh, those touches were driving him towards that need....!

What he got for his trouble was a soft laugh and another kiss. "I'll drink down every bit of it," Zechs whispered, pushing Wufei's legs up and back a little. Then he shook his head, ticking the shaft with pale gold silk before moving to the other thigh and kissing again. It earned him a marvelous little wriggle beneath him and the sound of whimpering as Wufei rocked his hips upwards. He couldn't help but be impatient about it -- he *wanted* Zechs, badly, *now*, right now, not five seconds from now, and the way Zechs was teasing him was almost unbearable!! "Such a wonderful smell," the blond boy murmured. "All warm and spicy -- mind if I taste...?" His voice trailed off as he pressed Wufei's legs further apart and gave his shaft a long, slow lick.

That gained him a long, low whine, Wufei clenching his eyes shut tightly, his voice breaking. "Zechs... Oh, God, *please*, Zechs..! I want... I want..." MORE. He wanted MORE! He wanted wild and hot and sweaty groping and he thought he was just going to die if Zechs did that to him again, it felt so good!!!

Zechs gave a long, low growl and swirled his tongue around the head, rasping at the sensitive underside before engulfing his lover with his mouth, sucking and licking and pressing his hips against the sheets. It was everything he'd fantasized about but so much better -- that heady bittersweet taste of boy and musk, and the feel of Wufei so hard...

Hands tangled in long golden strands, Wufei's knees coming up around Zechs's shoulders to clasp at him. "Huuuuhhh!!!" It was a strangled sound, the entirety of his body arching up to the touch, and he couldn't help but give it. /So good. So GOOD!! Oh, God, I... I.../

Without thinking, Zechs's hands came up to cup Wufei's bottom, kneading at the smooth, tight globes and pulling the Chinese boy's cock deeper inside his throat. He was still growling softly, loving the feel of animal-like desire, and wanting to feel his lover driven over the edge. With a cry, he got what he wanted -- Wufei arching up and spilling down his throat with a shuddering twist of hip and thigh, head shaking back and forth wildly. Holding tight to those creamy buttocks, Zechs swallowed every drop, then gave the softening shaft a light, slow bath with his tongue. "So delicious... sweet Wufei..."

"S..orry," Wufei panted, swallowing hard. "Oh, that felt so..." So good he could've died happy in that moment, he knew it!

"So...?" Zechs murmured, knowing the answer but needing to hear it. "How did it feel?"

"Really, really, really..." A sigh spilled from the Chinese boy. "*GOOOOOOD*..."

Zechs nuzzled at the inside of his thigh, giving a little bite and growling, puppy-like. "Mmm... glad you like it!"

"Mmmhmmmmmmmmm," he was informed on a little groan. Oh, Wufei hadn't realized he could get so hard again so FAST! It almost hurt, in fact, because he felt so sensitive! "You're so exciting, Zechs," he sighed.

"Thank you," the blond murmured, "you're rather exhilarating yourself."

"Do you... want... me to...?" Wufei whispered to him almost shyly.

Zechs looked up, a slightly stricken look on his face. "Oh... you don't have to! I don't want you to be uncomfortable."

That bashful expression didn't quite change yet. "You don't have your clothes off yet," he noted, smiling a little. "I want to *try*..."

"Oh..." Zechs murmured, "oh... all right... I suppose..." It struck him then that he hadn't really thought about Wufei doing anything to *him.* In his fantasies it had always been the other way around. Now that he was faced with the actual opportunity, he wasn't at all sure what to do!

"Take off your pants?" Wufei suggested, tilting his head slightly to look at the other boy as he sat up from the bed.

"Um... okay," came the awkward reply. "I'll just... stand up then..."

He felt stupid, embarrassed, even, at breaking their contact and getting up, unbuttoning his pants with Wufei just sitting there, waiting. "You... you really don't have to do this, you know," he said again. "I don't expect it."

"I want to," Wufei told him, more firm in the face of adversity than he would have been if Zechs *had* expected it. "If you want me to. If you don't..."

"Well, it doesn't matter," Zechs said quickly, thinking only of a way to get out of the rather mortifying position he found himself in. "I mean, it *does* matter -- I mean, it's not that it wouldn't *matter* if you did, it's just... it wouldn't *matter* if you didn't either..." He tugged his trousers the rest of the way off and looked unhappy.

Quietly, Wufei laughed, but it wasn't derisive; no, only husky, and a little on the right side of wanton. "You're so pale," he whispered, eyeing the lovely flesh set out before him. "Come back down with me, Zechs..." Otherwise, he'd never manage to believe the other boy was really flesh and blood!

"Should I take these off?" he said, indicating his red silk bikinis. They had been in the package with the honey powder and he'd turned the self-same shade when his mother gave them to him.

THAT question earned him another of those smiles, shy and somehow yearning all at once. "I think so," Wufei told him quietly.

"'kay..." Self-conscious and red-cheeked, Zechs slid the tiny briefs off and tossed them onto the floor alongside his trousers. Then he stood and just stared at the boy on the bed, hoping the reaction was good.

The wide-eyed look was an uncertain response; he couldn't tell what Wufei thought or if he thought anything until those dark eyes looked up at him, lips parting on a shaky little breath. "Oh. WOW."

"What?" the blond asked, turning impossibly redder. "What is it?"

"You're very..." Wufei swallowed. "WOW."

"Is that good?" Zechs asked tentatively, almost braving a smile.

A nod came in answer, Wufei's mouth still slightly parted with sheer amazement. "Oh, yes," he whispered. "That's very... Oh, YES!"

Walking slowly towards the bed, Zechs let out a little sigh of relief and murmured, "So... what should we do now?"

Taking a deep breath, Wufei bit his lower lip for a moment. "Can I... suck you?" he asked tentatively. He wasn't sure about it, but he wanted to at least *try* it!

Zechs's erection gave a twitch at the mere words. "Yeah," he said, trying not to sound too eager. "If... if *you* want to..." He slid on the bed, sitting next to Wufei and leaning over to kiss him. Easily, those lips parted, tongue meeting his own as Wufei moved to press against him, side to side. One of those slim copper arms wrapped around his neck, another lightly laid at his waist, the Chinese boy absolutely needy in that kiss.

"Tell me if I do it wrong?" Wufei whispered, pushing him slightly so that he would lay back even as he leaned down and tentatively kissed the other boy's flat, golden belly. It felt strange, to lie down and let Wufei take control that way, but it also felt beyond wonderful to feel those lips on him, and to know it was Wufei he was with. Zechs gave a shaky sigh and stared up at the ceiling, willing himself to concentrate only on that amazing mouth.

Touch was tentative, but so sweet, his lover kissing his hip, hand going to lightly touch his erection. The feel of lips caressed lightly over the head, a mouthed little kiss, before they opened and sucked him in -- just the tip, sensitive as it was. "Oh... *god*..." Zechs's eyes closed at the heat of Wufei's mouth. His hips arched up just a bit, wanting more, and yet he did his best to hold back so he wouldn't overwhelm his lover. "That's good," he murmured... "Good..."

The uncertain suckle deepened with those words, taking in only a bit more of him. Wufei had no urge to choke himself, and there was something wonderful about sucking Zechs just like that, the salty tip pressed to his tongue. It made it easy to lick at him, teasing him just a little without even realizing precisely what he was doing! Zechs's sighs grew longer, the movements of his hips more pronounced, and his hands wandered to Wufei's hair, stroking it fervently. "Ohhh... Wufei... little boy..." There was something about the sound of that voice that was so *GOOD*, the way Zechs said his name and called him that. It ran straight down his spine in a shiver that reached his own erection, making it throb and he whimpered in response.

/Ohh, Zechs.../

"Mmm, *harder,*" the blond boy sighed, hips coming off the bed, body beginning to writhe with desire. "So good... so... so *close*..." The addition of movement was a strange thing, and Wufei wasn't quite sure what to do about it. In the end, he did nothing, simply shifting in time with it, hoping to the depths of him that Zechs was truly enjoying it. "I... I... Wufei! 's too good! I can't..." His hand pressed Wufei's head back, not wanting to overwhelm him. "Ah, *god*!!" His words disappeared as he tumbled over the edge, coming and coming until he thought he'd faint, to lay still at last, drained and deliciously sated. "Ah, Wufei..."

Cautiously, Wufei leaned forward and lightly licked up a strand of the stuff, curiosity overwhelming him. It didn't taste *too* badly -- sort of salty, actually, and a little *thick* -- but he wasn't sure he wanted any more than that. "Zechs..." he whispered, shifting upwards to lay atop the other boy, seeking his kisses.

Zechs's eyes were just opening as Wufei moved up over him. It was only a split second that his eyes hadn't yet focused, but in that tiny flash of time he got an image of a shape leaning over him, pressing him down, its hands on him -- and he panicked.

"No!!" he said sharply and pushed Wufei back. Scrambling off the bed he ended up in a defensive crouch on the floor staring up at his lover with a stricken look on his face. "No..." he whispered.

"Zechs....!" Wide-eyed, Wufei looked at him, sprawled back on the bed, face pale. "Zechs??"

"Don't hurt me," he whispered, please don't hurt me." The words seemed to come from nowhere, or maybe from somewhere so deep inside he couldn't tell where it was. They seemed, though, like a powerful charm, protective in its intensity and so he said them again. "Don't hurt me... don't hurt me..."

Carefully, Wufei pulled himself up, shifting carefully down onto the floor, heart pounding wildly. It was terrible to see Zechs looking like that, crouched down! Unbearable! "Zechs," he whispered. "It's just me. It's just Wufei. I won't get on top of you again like that. It's okay. It's all right. Are you...?"

"Wufei..." Zechs whispered, though his eyes still looked inward. "Just remember Wufei... it's not happening... remember Wufei..."

"I'm right here in front of you," Wufei promised worriedly. "Zechs... Zechs, please..."

Azure eyes focused again and Zechs looked over at Wufei, crouched on the floor next to him. He tried hard to stop the tears, but they wouldn't be held back, running quietly down his cheeks and onto the soft carpet. "I remembered you," he said, voice trembling. "I kept telling myself to just think about you and it would be over soon... I thought about how pretty you are..."

Quietly, Wufei reached for him uncertainly, squirming closer to the other boy. "Zechs... I'm so sorry... I'm so *sorry* I scared you..." he whispered, almost heartbroken at the thought.

"It's me, not you," the blond said, wrapping his arms around Wufei and burying his face against the other boy's neck. "They did something to me... sometimes I just feel... broken... and I try to ignore it and it's still *there*!"

"My Zechs. I'm so sorry," Wufei told him again. "I'm so sorry. How do you mean? How do you feel broken?" he asked tentatively, *needing* to know.

"Just... broken, like something to be thrown away," Zechs whispered, keeping his arms tight around Wufei. "No use to anyone anymore. Not like I used to be..."

"No," Wufei denied quietly, reaching up to lightly stroke fingers along tousled blond hair. "No. You're of great use to me. I... I love you, Zechs..." They weren't the words of an average teenage boy, but... Wufei had *never* been merely *average*.

The longs arms tightened, giving Wufei a soft squeeze. "You're so amazing," Zechs whispered. "I swear you're the only reason I got through that... I don't deserve you."

"You deserve the best of everything," Wufei told him a little sadly. /You deserve for no one to have hurt you.../ "Would you like to lay back down? I promise I won't do that again..."

Zechs nodded and stood, rather shakily, allowing himself to be led back to the rumpled bed.

"I ruined everything, didn't I?" he said, miserably. "It was going so well..."

"You didn't ruin anything," Wufei told him firmly. "After all..." He smiled bashfully. "It was very nice and... and you're spending the night, aren't you?"

"Yeah," Zechs said hesitantly, "but... well you're talking like it's over. Are you just wanting to go to sleep now?"

"No!" The denial was quick, black hair shivering in a rain around Wufei's head as he shook it. "I don't want it to be over! I don't want you to feel uncomfortable, either, though. Can we..." He bit his lip. "Do you feel like we can do more?" He had been hard again by the time Zechs had come, though the mood had momentarily dampened. It wouldn't be hard to rekindle his ardor, however!

"I... I *need* to do more," Zechs said in an almost urgent whisper. "I don't want to think of them anymore... I just want to think of you. I want..." Zechs reached a hand up to stroke Wufei's cheek, their eyes locked on one another. "Oh, I think you know what I want, but... do you?"

A glance fell on the condoms and lubricant by the side of the bed, Wufei's lips curling up slightly. "I think I know what you want. I think I want it, too..."

Leaning forward, Zechs brushed his lips over Wufei's. "Do you?" he asked softly, pressing his lover down to the mattress. "I've been fantasizing about it non-stop for *days*..." Then he kissed the dark haired boy, slowly, thoroughly, so that all the demons would be burnt away.

An encouraging little sound asked for more, and Zechs gave it, Wufei's mouth hungry for him just then. "I think about it," Wufei confessed, licking his lower lip as they parted. "I brought all of my manga with me. I've been... *thinking* about it and looking at them to see...." His face turned a hot red.

Zechs caught the blush, even in the candlelight, and smiled at him. "We'll both be beginners together, all right?"

"Okay," Wufei agreed faintly, leaning to kiss him again. "That sounds really... Mmmmm, good..."

"What kinds of things from the manga do you especially like?" Zechs asked, teasing with open-mouthed kisses.

"Everything." That sigh was slightly teasing, and VERY meant. "But especially Kizuna. Especially when it's sweet..."

Trailing warm breath over Wufei's neck, Zechs moved down a bit to press the lightest kiss imaginable in the hollow of his throat. "Tell me what you remember," he whispered, his voice deep and soft with passion. /Don't stop talking to me... let me hear your voice.../

"I..." Wufei's breath caught, a shiver spreading over his skin. "I like it, in the hospital, when Ran-chan's doing what... what we just did, to Enjouji. I like that. And I like it when... Oh, *Zechs*!"

"Hmmm? You like it when...?" A single, intense kiss was pressed to Wufei's mouth as Zechs's hands caressed his back, nails digging in slightly before reaching the globes of his ass and lifting him, pressing him closer to Zechs.

"Whe-..." Wufei bit his lip before kissing Zechs again, hard, legs opening to allow the other boy to slide firmly between them. "When they go on their honeymoon. Everything then. I like *everything* then..."

The thought of it made Zechs's pulse race and he gave a small, soft moan against Wufei's mouth. "You want to do that?" he breathed, rubbing firmly against Wufei's erection. "You want me inside you, doing it until we can't see straight?"

The words alone sent a throbbing surge between Wufei's legs, never mind the fact that Zechs was rubbing against him, and he groaned, shuddering. "Uh...uh huh!" he squeaked. "Yes!"

Zechs pulled back a bit, so he could look into Wufei's eyes, hands on either side of the Chinese boy's head and fingers caressing his cheeks. "I've wanted this so badly, been thinking about it every day and every night for so long... but I don't want to rush it. I want you... I want you to be begging me to do it. So... let me play a bit, all right?"

This was asked as he reached for a small box he'd placed on the dresser. He opened the lid and showed Wufei the contents: a tiny, dark blue bottle, a small jar of powder, and a miniature feather duster.

"That looks..." Wufei whispered, black eyes wide. It looked *erotic*. It looked *beautiful* and just a little scary and definitely like something that Zechs would make *very* *very* good....

"Just relax," the blond boy said soothingly. "Let me try some of this out..."

He unscrewed the top of the jar and poured out a small heap of golden powder. Whisking over it with the small feather brush, he brought it down to trail over Wufei's neck and shoulders, leaving a trail of fine dust and a faint smell of honey in its wake.

*That* gained him little laughter -- chuckles, muffled giggles, and *squirms*! "It tickles!" Wufei declared a little breathlessly, skin rising in little chill-bumps.

"Just wait until I lick it all off," Zechs told him, smiling slyly.

He replenished the duster, the trailed it over the upper part of Wufei's chest, then along the insides of his arms. "Mmmm... you're going to be delicious," he murmured, "especially *here.*" As he said it, he brought the brush over a stiff and blushing nipple and flicked it over the very tip.

It gained him a heady little whimper and a rock of Wufei's hips, pink tongue darting out to moisten his lower lip. "Hunh...!!!"

The other nipple was grazed with dust and then a long line traced down Wufei's belly, with a little flicker into his navel before gliding down over one of his hips.

"Now, I think it's time for a taste," Zechs murmured and leaned down to lick gently at the juncture between Wufei's neck and shoulder. "Mmmm... delicious, indeed..."

That taste gained him a groan, heavy with need and wantonness as Wufei squirmed beneath him. "Zechs..." His name was a sigh on those lips, a delicious sound. "Zechs, please, *please*..."

"Please?" Zechs breathed, moving down to give the other boy's shoulders a long, firm lick. "Please what? What do you want, Wufei...?"

"Please, I want you!" Wufei cried out, shivering. Ohh, that felt good! He dreaded to think about what it would feel like when he was licked even farther down...

"Ohhh, I want you, too," came the whispered reply as Zechs lowered his head to Wufei's chest, tongue gliding over firm muscles and warm skin. His own erection was throbbing between his legs, wanting only heat and pressure and thrusting. It was delicious agony to deny it.

Finally, he reached one honey-dusted nipple and gave it a tiny, firm lick.

"*Oooooooooohhhhhhh!!!!*" Wufei managed to get out, shuddering. GOD, that felt good!! "*Please*, Zechs!!!"

More licks, changing to suckling and then biting until the small nub was wet and so taut it puckered. Only then did the blond boy move to the other, pinching softly with his fingers the one he'd left behind. "My boy," he whispered between firm suckles. "My feast..."

Shivers worked through Wufei, his lip bitten tightly between his teeth as he moaned and rocked slowly against Zechs's hip. "Oh, that f-feels so..." He swallowed hard, teeth grinding together. "Zechs, you make me feel so *GOOD*..."

A quick and clever tongue left the nipples to Zechs's fingers and worked it's way down Wufei's belly. It rasped over the sweet powder to the skin below as Zechs's own nipples pressed flat to the boy's thighs. It gave the blond a throb of pleasure, feeling them there, and he couldn't help wriggling to get more friction.

"Ohhh... I could devour you.." he fairly hummed, "so delicious..."

"Ahhnnn..." Wufei whined, shaking his head back and forth slightly. He was nearly *throbbing* with frantic need, and so frustrated by it! "Please, Zechs. Please, please, please...!"

"No, no -- you have to wait, sweet boy." The words were all but cooed as Zechs licked off the last of the powder on the top of Wufei's hips. He sat up a little and took up the jar again, but this time the duster smoothed over the tender skin of his inner thigh, so close to his balls he could almost feel the tickle of feathers there... but not quite.

With a smile, Zechs watched as that stiff member twitched in anticipation.

"Well, you're an eager boy, aren't you?" he murmured.

"I'm going to die before you get there!" Wufei moaned, reaching down to lightly run his fingers through Zechs's hair. "I'd do anything for you. Anything..."

"Anything?" Zechs breathed. "Even if it means being patient during *this*?" He dipped the small feather brush into the powder again and flickered it lightly over the head of Wufei's cock.

The sound that gave him was *blatant* pleasure, Wufei's hands nearly clenching in those silky strands. "I'll come if you do that!" he whimpered. "I will!"

"No, you *won't*!" Zechs said firmly. "I'm not done powdering you yet."

More powder, and the brush glided over the shaft several times until it fairly sparkled with golden dust. The Zechs brought it down to circle around the soft, round balls before finally stopping and putting the jar and brush aside.

"Now for my second course," he murmured happily, and began feasting on the stiff erection before him.

The sheer feel of it was almost impossible to handle, Wufei's nerve endings singing with the absolute *bliss* of that mouth kissing, sucking and licking at him. His teeth were clenched tightly, his muscled clenched tighter, and it was almost unbearable, it was so good. /I won't come yet,/ he tried to tell himself. /I won't come yet..../

Silky skin and honey-sweet powder drew Zechs down and down, engulfing Wufei completely while long fingers stroked and squeezed his balls. Everything now had come down to this intense contact, Wufei's cock in his mouth, his tongue sliding over it, sucking it, stroking it. His own erection was fierce but manageable, and every time he rubbed the mattress a stab of pleasure went through him.

Wufei's tension was visible, his entire body shuddering as he held onto Zechs tightly. "I'm g-gonna c-come if you don't sto...ahhhh...!"

Smiling around the throbbing shaft in his mouth, Zechs made sure to make the next lick especially firm, all the way up the very tip. "Mmmm..."

"ZEEEEECHS!" The sound of his name was nearly a scream, *utterly* frustrated. "Zechs, *PLEASE*!!!!"

"Give it up," the blond boy whispered before plunging back down over the heated shaft again.

With a strangled little cry, Wufei flexed his hips upward, almost coming. "No, Zechs!" he moaned. "No, no, no, I want to with you!!!" He *did*, so desperately, wanted Zechs to come with him, and he could barely hold on as it was!

"Stubborn, aren't you?" Zechs panted, reaching for a little bottle of lubricant he'd brought out with the honey dust. "I'm going to put something on you... inside you... it makes you feel kind of warm. Just tell me if anything hurts and I'll stop, all right?"

Breathlessly, Wufei nodded, relieved to have that suction away from himself for a moment, even if it was just long enough for him to gather himself together again!! "Okay..."

Uncapping the bottle, Zechs poured some of the reddish liquid onto his fingers. Then, very slowly, he traced them down from Wufei's balls to the little rosebud entrance, hidden between firm cheeks, and flickered his finger over it softly. "You're so warm down here," he breathed, and pressed a kiss to the inside of Wufei's thigh.

Closing his eyes tightly, Wufei whimpered. WARM was just the word for it -- warm edging on hot, and it made him tremble, that slick heated touch there. "Zechs," he whispered, tensing slightly. "Oh, *Zechs*..."

"Mmm... I want to be inside you," Zechs whispered, rubbing a little more firmly at the tight ring of muscle. His fingertip pressed a bit harder each time, making it slick and warm and, gradually, causing it to open just a little.

Dazed, Wufei gave a moan. "Feels so nice..."

"Nice... very nice," the blond boy sighed. "Do you want me, too?"

"Yes," the Chinese boy whimpered, a little afraid. "Yes, please, Zechs..." He gasped as that fingertip pushed into him, hips rocking up and then away, uncertain.

"Slowly," Zechs said. "Not until you're ready." He was a little frightened himself, if the truth were told. He was as much a virgin in this as Wufei and he didn't want to hurt the other boy. Besides, he knew how bad it could be. "Just relax," he whispered, moving up to capture Wufei's mouth. His finger rubbed steadily inward. "Let me in... please... let me in."

"You..." Wufei whispered against his lips, relaxing a little. "Just you. Always you, Zechs..."

"I love you," Zechs murmured around the kisses, feeling the tip of his index finger slide in. "From the first moment I saw you, you've been the only thing I could think about... God, I want you so much!"

His name was barely more than a whimper, Wufei shivering beneath him. The want in the slim dark boy was obvious, his arms wrapping tightly around Zechs's neck. "Soon," he groaned huskily. "Please, Zechs, yes. Yes. Soon. Now!"

Zechs pulled back a bit and stared down at him. "Yes? Well, all right, if you're sure... Let me just get a condom." He reached to the nightstand where he'd left them with the little kit and brought one back. Handing it to Wufei, he murmured, "Can you put it on me? It would feel so good..."

With a shy smile, Wufei accepted the little package, carefully ripping the foil with his fingertips. It was pre-lubricated, slick and smelled just a little strangely of chemicals as he moved it down, thinking hard about what to do. They'd been given instructions for how to use condoms in sex ed class years ago, but it was all he could do to think of how to get it on, pinching all the air out and leaving a little room at the tip before sliding it down slowly over Zechs's trembling hardness. "There."

"Good," Zechs whispered, reaching for the lubricant again. "Now this..."

Palm slowly filled, with the stuff, Wufei reached down and stroked over the thin latex sheathe, fingers caressing over Zechs with a certain amount of boldness. "You want me to do it just like this??"

Zechs eyes narrowed, like a cat's when it's being petted. "Yes," he said breathily, "ohh, *harder*..."

Carefully, steadily, Wufei caressed him, hand tugging at the other boy's erection, his own rubbing against Zechs's thigh as he whined softly. "Hnnnn..."

Giving a deep growl, Zechs pushed Wufei down onto his back again and stared down into eyes. "Now... let me do it now..." he murmured, pushing the other boy's legs apart and nudging up against his cleft.

"It won't hurt, will it?" Wufei asked him, Meiran's words on his mind. /It shouldn't bleed, should it? I'm not made like a girl.../

"No," Zechs said, nudging further. "I won't let it hurt." His lips brushed over Wufei's and he pushed the Chinese boy's legs further apart. "Tell me if you don't like it and I'll stop..." Another kiss, deeper this time and then, mouth against warm mouth, "Just tell me... I promise I'll stop..."

He gave a slight push, feeling the tip of his erection slide past the little ring of muscle, and gave out a soft moan. It mingled with the sounds given by his lover; a little gasp followed immediately by a raw groan, his arms coming up around Zechs's neck. "It... I... OH!!!"

Another breath, another push, deeper into Wufei's heat. It was so tight, Zechs could barely move forward, so he rocked softly, back and forth. His body was screaming at him to thrust and thrust hard and it took every ounce of will he had not to do it -- to just sink into the other boy's body and lose himself. "Ahhh... *god*... Wufei... my sweet boy..."

"It..." Wufei whimpered, closing his eyes tightly. "It feels so... I'm not sure you'll fit," he whispered. "Oh, *GOD*, Zechs!"

Sliding his hands beneath his lover's knees, Zechs pushed up, lifting Wufei's bottom up off the bed and sliding another inch or so into the tight heat. He gave a sharp cry of pleasure, nearly half buried, and stopped for a moment, letting Wufei adjust to him.

"You're perfect," he whispered, brushing a kiss against reddened lips, "so very beautiful like this..."

Clinging desperately, Wufei shuddered, sweating with the sheer amount of heat they were both putting off. "Feels so..." A little gasp spilled loose from him as Zechs rubbed against the delicate nub inside of him, making him nearly wild. "AHHH!! ZECHS!!"

Another low growl and Zechs felt Wufei open with the pleasure of that rub. He slid in further and groaned softly into silky dark hair, his hips desperate to thrust, breath no more than soft pantings.

"Oh, please, Wufei... can I move? Please... please let me move..."

"I don't know if I want you to!" Wufei answered on a sharp gasp. "I feel like I'm going to fly apart! It... Oh, *GOD*, Zechs!"

"Oh..." Zechs said, trying not to whimper in frustration. "Okay... I... I won't move... Shall I... Shall I pull out?"

"Don't go ANYWHERE!" Wufei moaned, shifting slightly beneath him. He could feel it, and it was so *delicious*... "Oh, Zechs, *yes*, please..."

"Please?" Zechs panted, holding himself still, his weight on his knees and hands still pressing Wufei wide open. "Please what?"

Unable to think, Wufei shook his head as if to clear it. "Please don't pull out!" he whimpered. "Please, just, I don't know, it feels so *GOOD*, Zechs!"

"Good," Zechs breathed, stroking Wufei's legs and trying not to sound as desperate as he felt. "It *should* be that way... you feel so incredible..." /And if you don't let me move soon, I'll die!/

The slowly continuing squirm of the boy beneath him was almost unbearable for a long moment, Wufei whining softly beneath him before he finally said, "Zechs... I think you have to move now..."

"Uhhh... oh, *thank you*!" Zechs moaned and pulled back quickly, forcing himself to slow down and he pushed in again. It was unspeakably erotic, so pleasurable that the room swam before him and every breath was a groan. "Wufei... oh, my *sweet*..."

"Do it again!" the boy begged, shuddering in his grasp. "Please, Zechs, God, *yes*..!"

"Uhhhn!" Pulling out, Zechs pressed in even more deeply, giving out a soft cry at the feel of it. "Ah! So good... ohhh, Wufei... so close..."

Sobbing quietly with the sheer immensity of sensation and emotion overwhelming him, Wufei held onto Zechs tightly. "Little more," he pleaded, so close already, cock rubbing against Zechs's belly. "Little more!"

Zechs arms were tight around him, and he whispered softly, stroking Wufei's hair. "Oh, love," he whispered and sank that last bit in, burying his face against Wufei's neck and feeling his own tears on the warm skin. "I adore you for eternity... never let you go."

"Never," Wufei whispered, rocking up to meet him, holding tightly to the blond boy. So *near*!! "Never, never, never!"

"Ahh! Wufei! Can't... can't... I'm gone -" With a long, firm thrust inward, Zechs came, flooding Wufei with hot seed. His hands pressed the other boy open as far as he could and each spasm of pleasure that rocked him drew a hoarse moan.

It was easy to come, then, after fighting it for so long; easy to let loose and explode, clamping tightly around Zechs as they both found completion, shuddering in one another's arms.

They lay there for a long time, still joined at the most intimate level. Zechs's fingers stroked through dark, damp hair and he couldn't seem to stop whispering endearments to the boy in his arms. Finally, he pulled back a bit to look into Wufei's eyes.

"You're so wonderful... better than I'd ever imagined, and believe me I've imagined a *lot.*" A soft smile and then a flickered look of concern. "Did I hurt you at all? Did it feel good to you?"

"A little," Wufei whispered. "I mean, it hurt a little, at first, but then... it got better. Will it always be like that? So good?"

"I hope it'll be even better," Zechs said. "I hate the idea that I caused you any pain."

The smile that gained him was utterly brilliant. "If it's the price of something feeling so good, I'd be willing to pay it anytime. Oh, Zechs," he sighed, nuzzling close. "I'm so happy..."

Zechs held him tightly, but murmured, "No... I swear we'll do it so it doesn't hurt..."

"I love you," Wufei whispered. "I love you, Zechs..."

The first day of school was back in again, and Zechs had spent the night at the house to make sure Wufei went with him, the two heading into the small private school together. "Should be an okay sort of day," Wufei decided with a smile. "It's gorgeous out today. It almost seems a shame to go to school at all."

"Yeah," the tall blond agreed. "I'd like to take you somewhere and spend the day outside... and naked." He gave Wufei a wink.

The summer had been wonderful. Coming to the small house Wufei and Meiran shared had been simple and Zechs had spent almost as much time there as he had at home. There were all lucky in the fact that Wufei's parents and Auntie Bao Bao were creatures of habit and had a strict schedule of visiting hours.

Despite that fact, Wufei *still* flushed slightly. Their relationship was beyond anything Wufei had actually hoped for -- so wonderful he almost found it difficult to bear in the moments when they were apart because he yearned so deeply for Zechs to be beside him. "Me, too," he admitted, tossing Zechs a grin.

"But instead it's calculus and world history," Zechs muttered, "hardly a fair substitute. I'm really going to miss summer."

With a sigh, Wufei nodded. "I hope it doesn't mean you'll be at the house any less," he offered, glancing over. "I mean, I know your mother misses you and school will take up a lot of time..."

"Oh, it's not Mom," Zechs replied. "She's been great about everything, but... well homework is going to be tough and it may be hard sometimes... to study with you..." He looked sheepish. "I mean, *I* may be hard when I'm with you and that means I won't be able to study very well..."

Slyly, Wufei dropped a glance his way. "You think you are the only one suffering with this problem?" he teased.

"I hope not," Zechs said, grinning down at him. "It does make things a bit distracting, though, and there's college to think about..."

It crossed his mind then that they hadn't spent very much time talking about the *real* future -- what would happen when they graduated. At times, he knew, he actually avoided the topic, afraid of what the answers might be.

"My parents spent the money they had saved for me to go to college on the house," Wufei confessed. "I'll have to come up with some other way to go. I should be valedictorian, with any luck. The competition is not so fierce here..."

"Oh, you'll ace it, no problems," Zechs assured him. "Smartest guy in school and not even any close contenders." He looked over at his lover for a moment and then added, "I don't think I'm going to go to college. I can work and help put you through."

"No." The refusal was firmly meant. "We will *both* go. I want to be..." Wufei paused, stopping his bicycle for a moment. "I want to be equals with you in all things. I want you to go if you want to go. I want me to go. And we will do this together. No one-sidedness. Us, working together, for always. Is..." He bit his lip. "Is that acceptable to you? That I want us that way?"

Zechs stopped as well, tilting his head and looking at Wufei thoughtfully. "I understand that, but I don't know how we'll both be able to go... are you still planning on staying on at the grocery after school?"

Taking a deep breath, Wufei sighed. "They might not want me, once I tell them that... I am not going to be married the way they wish for me to be. In that case, I will have to find something else to do. I will do my best," he told Zechs, "to make sure that we can both do what we want. There are scholarships and grants and loans, if necessary."

Reaching out a hand, Zechs trailed his fingers over one smooth cheek. "I hate the idea that you may lose your family because of me," he said quietly.

"If I lose my family, it will not be because of you," Wufei said with a firm belief. "If they cannot accept me as I am...then I cannot be with them any more than they can bear to see me."

Zechs's hand dropped to his side again. "But I know how much you love them, how important they are to you. When I met you, they were everything, it seemed. Your entire world."

"You mean just as much to me, and there are some things that are unchangeable. I *am*... gay." It was the first time he'd actually *said* it aloud to himself or Zechs or anyone. "I *am*. If they can't love me and accept you, then..." He went back to biting at his lip. "Then it will make me terribly sad, but I can no more be what they want than I could fly to the moon..."

"Have I told you today that you're the most wonderful person I know?" Zechs said, smiling softly at him.

"Not until now," Wufei replied with a grin. "But it's very nice to know."

Zechs looked up and down the street and then leaned over for a slow kiss. "Now stop distracting me and let's get going -- we'll be late and everyone will throw erasers at us."

With a laugh, Wufei started his bicycle running again. "Well, at least we know it will all be in fun!" he chuckled. "I like this place."

"Yeah," Zechs answered, and then added, "race ya!" and took off down the street.

Laughing, Wufei took off after him.

It was going to be a *good* day!

It was going to be a good day right up until the moment they stepped into the classroom and stopped in utter shock.

Sitting in the third row from the front was Aaron Rood.

It had to be said that he was as shocked as they were, giving an actual start of surprised at the sight of Zechs. For several moments the two boys simply stared at each other and the other students began to take notice. Trying to say something, anything, Zechs swallowed several times, but couldn't find voice enough to speak.

"Welcome back, boys," Mrs. Traylor, the school's English teacher, said dryly. "Have a seat. The bell will be ringing any minute."

Heart in his throat, Wufei headed for the back row -- the fifth one. /Better to have him in front of us than behind.../

Zechs tried to follow him and found his legs wouldn't move. For one horrible moment he thought he'd be stuck there, staring at Aaron, with Aaron and all the other students staring back at him. Was it written on his forehead, perhaps, what Aaron and his friends had done to him? Had Aaron told them all about his big accomplishment in his old school?

And then the terrible thought, the unthinkable... would he try to do it again?

"Mr. Marquise? Are you going to have a seat?" the teacher prompted dryly as Wufei turned around to look at him.

"I... yes... yes..." It took every ounce of will he had to tear his eyes away from Aaron's face and walk all the way into the room. The he fumbled his way into the nearest seat, not even remembering what class he was supposed to be in and beginning to feel slightly sick.

Consciously, Wufei moved back up a seat, nudging Mariemeia, the little redheaded girl who'd won the game of King of the Hill. She looked up at him, glanced at Zechs, and then nodded, standing up and moving over so that Wufei could have the seat next to him.

Aaron's face had gone scarlet and he was scowling down at his notebook, throwing surreptitious glances Zechs's way, while also trying to decide how Wufei fitted into the dynamic. It seemed that he would get no answer, however, for the bell rang at that moment and class began to pick up momentum, the teacher starting the moment that it had.

Suddenly, the day looked a lot less bright.

Zechs looked pale as they walked out of the classroom at the end of the period. He didn't say anything, but he was trembling and trembling badly and he made sure he was the first person out of the room, leaving Wufei to catch up. He headed straight for his locker and dialed the combination with shaking fingers.

"Hey," Wufei said once he caught up, voice low. "It'll be all right. Okay? I'm here with you. It'll be all right..."

"I can't believe he's here," Zechs whispered, stuffing a book blindly into his locker and grabbing two more. "*Him*... of all people..."

Wufei didn't know *what* to say to that. "If he tries to start anything, we'll just have to make sure it gets stopped. I'll be by you all day and all the way home. Okay?"

"Yeah, too bad we don't have gym together," the blond boy said quietly. He had elected to take basketball, while Wufei was in the Advanced Martial Arts class.

Taking a deep sigh, Wufei nodded firmly. "I'll have to get it changed, then. I won't leave you alone..."

"No!" Zechs protested as they walked to their next class. "I won't let you. You've looked forward to that class all summer. Besides, given the guys that'll be in basketball, you wouldn't stand a chance."

The *look* Wufei gave him was mostly flat as he sighed. "You're saying I'm too short to switch classes."

Looking over at him, Zechs nodded sympathetically. "Sorry - but I couldn't let you go into it and get stepped on." He nudged the other boy with his elbow. "I'll be okay, really. It was just that initial shock, I'm sure. But I don't want to let him ruin this school for me, too."

"You promise you'll be careful?" It was obvious that his boyfriend was worried, and *very* sweet.

"Yeah, I promise. Come on, let's get to class. Maybe we'll be lucky and he won't be in this one."

The chances of that were slim and none, and they both knew it. The only options for Aaron *not* being in the next class would be if it was an elective period, and it sadly was not. Still, they managed to slink in and sit in the back of the classroom, the history teacher simply nodding at both of them as they did so. "Well," Wufei whispered, "at least we're back here and he's not...."

Two hours later they walked out of Calculus class, a bit dazed and very hungry. "Did Meiran pack lunches for us?" Zechs asked as they found a table in the small but elegant dining hall.

"One each and with sesame cookies to boot," Wufei said, sitting on one of the little circular seats and smiling at Zechs. "Here. She makes a good wife, no? Bao-Sheng will be lucky. Can you cook? I burn water..." After all of that time in science and calculus, with Aaron there... well. Wufei was nervous!

"My mom is teaching me," Zechs said, also relieved to be out of class. "She says she worries about what'll happen to us when Meiran isn't there. I tell you, she has no faith in me." He shook his head with a martyred air and dug into the curried rice Meiran had packed.

"So. She thinks we'll be eating macaroni and cheese, too, huh?" Wufei asked dryly.

"There's nothing wrong with macaroni and cheese!" That statement came from Mariemeia, who sat down next to Zechs. "That's what my father made *me* for lunch today."

"Ah, but tell the truth," Zechs said, giving her a wink, "does your father know how to make anything else?"

Blue eyes rolled and she looked up at him. "My father could probably burn water. This is *microwavable* pasta," she said with a sigh. "We order out a lot. What've you guys got?"

"Fried dumplings," Wufei told her wit a smile. "Meiran made them for us."

Curiosity piqued, Mariemeia's brows rose. "Meiran? Who's that?"

Zechs's eyes darted to Wufei, looking slightly alarmed. "Uh... Wufei's cousin. She came over from Shanghai."

"Really? The new guy was saying that you were engaged, Wufei. I figured she must be your fiancee...." She cast a sly look between them.

"Ahh..." Wufei said, flustered. What to say now!?

"He was engaged," Zechs said quickly, "but it didn't work out. I mean really - can you imagine getting married at our age?" He smiled at her and then added, "What else has the new guy been saying?"

She shrugged. "All sorts of stuff, that you're both gay, that you're troublemakers... That kind of thing." Her button nose wrinkled. "*I* told him that even if you were as queer as a three dollar bill, you still kicked more ass than *he* did. General consensus is running your way. We don't much like people coming in and telling us what to think. Besides," she continued, "I've been bossing everyone since kindergarten. If it comes down to it, I'll win."

"That means a lot to us, Mariemeia," Zechs said, regarding her gratefully. "I can't believe it's just the first day and he's been trashing us."

"*I* can," Wufei grumbled. "He's not nice, Zechs. Not at all! I can't imagine why they let him in here..." He sighed.

The redheaded girl shrugged. "The school board accepts problem kids under stricter rules and regs than the rest of it. I hear he got in trouble at his last school, so he probably couldn't find anyone else to take him..."

Zechs looked up sharply, feeling his stomach fall away inside of him. "What kind of trouble was it?" he asked. "What have you heard?" /God no... please, please, no.../

"Nothing much. Dad's on the school board, so all I know for sure is that the police are keeping a really close eye on him," she said.

"They should," Wufei sniffed. "He's not a nice boy at all!"

Her eyes twinkled. "Juicy! Sounds like you know something..."

"*I* know that he is an *obnoxious* jerk with a *nasty* trashy girlfriend," the Chinese boy informed her firmly.

"Wu*fei,*" Zechs said under his breath. They didn't need to advertise the fact that they were from the same school as Aaron. That would just make people ask more questions!

"Oh, really?" Mariemeia said, eyebrows raised even further. "How did you know her?"

"I met her once," Wufei said dismissively. "Bad behavior should be discouraged, and she was full of it. That's all."

"Hmm... well, if you say so," the red-haired girl mused, although it was clear from her tone that she thought he knew more than he was telling.

"What do you have for gym class this semester, Mari?" Zechs asked, hoping to steer the topic of conversation away from Aaron.

She gave him a gamin grin. "Advanced Martial Arts! The only other things that period are Home Ec and basketball. I'm a little short, even for the girls' games," she said wryly.

"I have the same class," Wufei told her solemnly.

"Now I'll have to watch out for *both* of you," Zechs muttered, rolling his eyes.

"We're..." Wufei began.

"..mad, bad and dangerous to know," Mariemeia finished with a smirk. "Anyway, the guy seems to have it in for both of you, so I asked Adam and Jordan to keep an eye out for him and not to let him do anything stupid."

THAT was a load off of Wufei's mind, and he sighed. "Thank you," he told her. "I appreciate that." He could take care of himself, and so could Zechs, but when more than one person attacked you, it could be hard...

Ten minutes later the bell rang, signaling the start of afternoon classes. As Zechs and Wufei took the required books from their lockers, Zechs frowned and said in a low voice, "I can't believe he'd start talking like that. Guess he's counting on me to keep quiet about what he did."

"Probably," Wufei agreed, scowling. "He's a jerk, Zechs. And he's not worthy of having either of us worry over him. If he tries anything again..."

"If he tries anything again, *what?*" Zechs said, practically slamming his locker door. "Nothing happened to him to first time. Why should it be any different now?"

"Because if he tries anything again, I'll destroy him," Wufei whispered grimly. "You're *mine*, and I'm yours, and he *won't* stop that, ever!"

Zechs's eyes flashed. "I don't want *you* going *near* him, do you understand me? He's *my* problem and I don't want you calling attention to yourself in *any* way." He held Wufei's gaze steadily and added, "Do you promise me?"

Face dropping forward slightly, Wufei looked at his shoes, brow knit together in concern and no little anger. He wanted to protect Zechs! That was all... "All right," he muttered, though he didn't like it at all.

"Good," Zechs muttered, not looking very happy himself. "C'mon -- let's get to class."

With a sigh, Wufei trudged after him, still glaring down at his shoes. Next was history, and then...

Then.

"You guys look like your best friend just died," Jordan told the two of them jokingly as they moved into the history classroom. "It can't be that bad, can it?"

"No," Zechs lied and then added beneath his breath, "I just wish someone would..."

Gym was under the province of Coach Roberts, a nice enough man with a backswing that definitely leant grown boys towards excellent behavior when contemplating the paddle in his office. That alone did help Zechs to feel a little better, as did Wufei's presence beside him as they dressed in the tiny locker room to head to separate rooms.

"Be careful," Wufei told him, still fretting.

Sixth period, gym class and the thing Zechs had been dreading all day had come true. Aaron had chosen basketball as well.

He had suited up on the opposite side of the locker room, keeping a wary eye on the other boy's whereabouts and making sure another boy was always within earshot. It wasn't that he thought Aaron would attack him right there, but just the presence of the other boy made him feel skittish and vulnerable and sticking to groups of other students seemed to happen almost without thought.

When they stepped out onto the court, the gym teacher divided them into two teams. Zechs didn't know which would be worse, having to play on the same team as Aaron, or on the opposite team, but as it turned out it was the latter.

Basketball was something Zechs was pretty good at thanks to his height and general ability to move quickly and lithely through a crowd. The other boys weren't all quite as tall as he, and that was an advantage, too. It took only moments, though, to realize that Aaron was playing center...

And so was he.

He stepped into the circle, staring hard at his former friend. No matter what, he would *not* let Aaron make him feel inferior, or force him to look humble or scared. So he simply stared, trying to put every ounce of anger that he felt towards the other boy into his gaze.

The ball came in from the sidelines, the forward shifting past the zone defense Zechs's team set up with no discussion of what was to come. They'd played often enough the year before to know more or less what the others preferred to play, so Aaron was the only one in the dark. The dark-haired boy had always been good at this game, too, though, so he figured it out easily enough, and when the pass came in to him, he was waiting and ready to take Zechs on with every ounce of his own fury.

He began to move down the court, Zechs hampering him with his body and arms, both of them pulling off some impressive footwork. He feinted several times, but each time, Zechs read him perfectly. They had spent a good part of their ten year friendship shooting hoops and the blond boy was no stranger to Aaron's moves.

It seemed to lead the other boy to a great deal of frustration, particularly when a shot was perfectly blocked with a hand that held nothing but ball. The scant inches of height Zechs now had over him seemed to make him even angrier, and as the ball fall from his hands, he shoved the blond boy down to the floor, face flushed with wrath even as the coach blew his whistle.

Zechs went down with a wince, landing first on his elbow, which was rubbed raw by the court floor. He stood up quickly, though, feeling a sense of panic at being down on the ground with Aaron looming over him.

"Back off, man!" Aaron found two other boys sliding between him and Zechs, the dark-eyed Jordan glaring at him firmly. "You're a real asshole, you know that?"

"Hart -- watch your mouth," the coach said from the sidelines. "Rood, that was completely unacceptable. You may want to play rough and tough, but good players don't commit fouls. Two shots, Zechs."

The sheer glitter of Aaron's eyes on him was enough to make Zechs impossibly nervous, but it was obvious that Jordan and Adam weren't going to move until he moved into position for his free throws on their side of the court. Zechs walked over to the free throw line, dribbling deliberately before aiming and shooting. The ball went through the net with a 'swoosh', quickly followed by second shot.

Both sides scrambled to catch the rebound, but the ball went through the hoop again, and the other team's forward stepped out of bounds to bring the ball in again, sending all of them jogging down to the other side of the court once more.

Zechs was staying far away from Aaron, but his eyes tracked the other boy's every movement and he couldn't help but remember long afternoons spent in Aaron's driveway playing one on one. The memories of it made him him surprisingly sad and he tried to shake them off and reengage with the game.

It seemed for a while that things were going to go reasonably smoothly; Aaron was a little rough, but it wasn't anything that couldn't be excused by the game itself, even if he *was* playing a little too close to Zechs, same position or not. The squeak of shoes on the floor continued until Zechs got the ball again and turned to make a shot at the goal. In that moment, an elbow firmly found its way into his diaphragm, driving the breath out of him and dropping him to the floor.

Without thought, the blond boy rolled up into a ball on the court, focusing every ounce of will on taking a breath. For a few paralyzing moments if felt as though it wouldn't happen, and then he gasped and let his head sink to the floor, grateful for oxygen if for nothing else.

"You did that on purpose!" Jordan shouted. "I SAW you!" His yell was accompanied by several other angry agreements, members of both teams turning on the other boy.

"He ran into it," Aaron snapped back at them. "It's his own fault, stupid queer!!"

"Back off, buddy," Adam growled. "'Cause we like him a *whole* lot more than we're ever going to like *you*!"

The whistle blew again, sharply, and the gym teacher approached, expression grim. "Rood -- over to the bench, now. You and I are going to have a talk. Marquise, are you all right? Do you need to rest, or go to the nurse's office?"

"No," Zechs said, picking himself up for a second time. "I'll be okay."

Reaching to help him, Jordan frowned. "You sure?"

"Yeah, it's nothing," Zechs said, watching Aaron as he was walked back to the bench. "Guy just doesn't like me..."

"He's a real dick," Adam muttered as the coach walked Aaron to the bench and sat him down. "You'd think he wouldn't be such a jerk on the first day of school..."

"Technical foul," came the call. "Two shots."

"He didn't used to be that way," Zechs murmured and then walked out to the free throw line. His hands were trembling and missed the first shot, but took a deep breath and managed to sink the other two, enjoying the back slaps his other team members gave him, but his eyes were continually straying to the bench. What would the coach say to Aaron... and, more importantly, what would Aaron tell the coach?

One way or the other, no immediate disgust was forthcoming from the coach, so Aaron must have kept his mouth shut. The game went on, finishing up about ten minutes before the end of school as the Coach Roberts sent them to the locker room to shower and dress about the same time that the martial arts class got out, Wufei hurrying a bit to catch up with Zechs, who paused and waited for him.

"How did it go?" he asked quietly, glancing up at his lover worriedly.

"Oh, well... a little rough," Zechs said, heading for his gym locker. "You know how basketball can be. How was your class?"

"Mariemeia knocked me on my rear," Wufei muttered, reaching back to rub at it. "I wasn't expecting her to be good!"

"After that King of the Hill fiasco last year? Come on, the woman's cutthroat all the way. I'd advise never turning your back on her." He stripped his jersey off and then bent to untie his shoes. "Are you showering?" he asked.

Glancing over his shoulder to see Aaron slipping into the shower room, Wufei shook sweaty hair and scowled. "I'd suggest waiting," he replied softly.

"Yeah -- good idea," Zechs murmured.

Just then Adam and Jordan walked in, sitting down on the bench next to Zechs. "He was a jerk," Adam said, looking over at Zechs. "I think even the coach believes it, and who wouldn't after something like that!"

"I hope he makes the guy sit on the bench for at least half the semester. That'd show him. He'd have to watch *us* play!"

Eyebrows raised, Wufei scowled. "A little rough, you said? What did he do? He *is* a jerk," he told the other two. "A nasty, hateful malicious *jerk*."

"He just fouled me a couple of times, that's all," Zechs muttered, seeing Aaron leave the showers. He stood up with a towel around his hips and began walking down the row of lockers towards the steamy water. "It's no big deal."

Scowling, Wufei quickly stripped. At least that jerk, Aaron, was out of the showers. "That's all, huh," he muttered, looking at Jordan.

"Knocked the breath out of him, actually. On purpose," Jordan told him, nodding. "Called him queer, too."

"What's up with those two?" Adam asked. "How come he hates Zechs so much?"

Wufei paused, contemplating the matter. "They used to be best friends. His girlfriend came onto Zechs and Zechs turned her down, so..."

Adam looked over at Jordan and made a face. "You'd think he'd be mad if he *hadn't* turned her down!"

"No kidding," Jordan agreed.

"Yes... well..." Wufei shrugged. "She was a horrid bitch and spread a lot of rumors and really hurt Zechs with them."

"Like him being gay?" Adam asked

Wufei shrugged once again. "Making Aaron believe that Zechs was not his friend, but a person who had designs on him." He wasn't going to say outright that Zechs was gay, or that he was! That would be asking for trouble for which neither of them was ready...

"And even if he was, it's not like shit like that would be *fair*, either. Man, sometimes, you just hafta have *friends*," Jordan muttered. "My brother's gay. You wouldn't believe the flack he gets off of friends..."

"Your brother's gay?" Adam said, beginning to walk toward the showers. "I didn't know that."

Jordan nodded. "Yeah. He's so cool, though. It's not like anybody would ever guess..."

Clutching his towel, Wufei followed along grimly, trying not to contemplate the conversation, uncertain of adding anything to it.

"Does your family mind?" Adam continued. "I mean, are you okay with it?"

"Sure. I mean, he's cool, right? You know him." Jordan shrugged as he stepped into the communal shower where Zechs was already bathing. "Besides. So what? He likes guys, that's his deal, not mine. It doesn't make him any *less* cool, right?"

Zechs had just finished washing his hair when they arrived. He didn't look at Wufei -- couldn't really, or else he'd risk getting hard and that was just asking for trouble. "W-Who are you guys talking about?" he asked warily. He wasn't certain he wanted to know -- it could be *him.*

"Jordan's brother's gay," Adam said evenly. "It's different, anyway..."

Wufei smiled at Zechs tentatively before slipping up to a showerhead and turning the water on to quickly bathe.

The blond boy, however, kept his eyes turned firmly away as he soaped himself down. Just the thought of his lover being that close, wet and naked, was causing a stir as it was.

/Got to think of something else... think of Aaron, that bastard.../

Jordan was speaking. "What do you mean, it's 'different'?"

"Well, it is, isn't it?" Adam asked. "I mean, if you got right down to it, statistically, I'll bet we don't have anybody in our class who is. So. It's not the norm. Not that there's anything wrong with it," he said hurriedly. "It's just not the majority. Hell. Wufei here's even married, right?"

"...right," Wufei said, shoving his head under the water to keep himself out of the conversation.

Zechs's cheeks went flame red. God, how he wanted to say something! But how, when he was naked in front of them? It wasn't really a good time to come out with, 'Well, *I'm* queer, so there goes *your* theory.'

So he remained silent, rinsing himself quickly, and heading out of the shower without saying a word to any of them.

"What's it like being married, Wufei?" Jordan asked. "I mean, is the sex good?" He wriggled his eyebrows.

At that, Wufei turned quickly and nearly fell, only catching himself as a last resort. "I... That is, we... I mean, that is to say... Ah! That's not the sort of thing you TALK about!"

"Sure it is," Adam said with a grin. "We're your buddies. You can tell us. You telling me you've never talked to Zechs about what it's like?"

Nearly gulping, Wufei looked after Zechs as if wishing for help before shaking his head. "No! It just isn't the sort of thing you talk about! It would be dishonorable to your wife!" Besides, it wasn't like they WERE having sex!

"It must be *really* good, then," Jordan said, winking at Adam before slipping under the spray to rinse out shampoo.

"And you get it every night if you want it," Adam added. "That has *got* to be the major perk of being married."

"Ahh..." Declaring that eloquently, Wufei turned off the shower and nearly *ran* out into the locker room to get away from those questions!

A couple of good-natured sniggers followed him, but he didn't hear them.

Zechs was already in his trousers and shirt when Wufei reached the lockers. His back was turned and he was combing out long, damp strands of pale gold hair.

"That was embarrassing," Wufei said softly, toweling off with quick motions. "I don't know what to say to such questions..."

"What questions?" Zechs asked, taking care to give Wufei time to dress before he turned to look at him.

"They wanted to know about sex with Meiran!" Wufei whispered, flushing hotly. "And talked about 'getting it' all the time! I..." He shivered. "It was odd."

Zechs had to laugh at that one. "It's not 'odd,' Wufei. Guys talk about sex a lot -- when they're not all tense and Chinese," he teased.

His boyfriend almost visibly shivered, cheeks flushed. "It just isn't the sort of thing I've ever talked about before!"

Zechs looked around, checking that no one could see and then leaned over Wufei's back, pressing a small kiss to his still-damp shoulder. "Yes, I know..." he murmured, and then went back to tying his shoes.

Shivering, covered in very happy gooseflesh, Wufei continued getting dressed, pulling on underwear and pants. "Well... Still." He smiled. "My class went really well, aside from letting Mariemeia beat me up."

"Oh, you *let* her, eh? I'll just have to hear *her* side of the story..." He stood, kicking his locker shut. "I'm gonna dry my hair. Take me about ten minutes, is that okay?"

Wufei didn't *like* it, but there wasn't much choice to it. "All right," he said. "Mind if I wait with you? I don't wanna go home by myself." And he REALLY didn't want to leave Zechs alone and give Aaron the chance of running into him!

"Sure," the blond boy said, finding a bench by one of the few electrical outlets in the locker room and plugging in his hair dryer. He turned it on and a radiant smile spread over his face as gushes of warm air blew over him. For a brief moment, he was blissful, in his element.

Sighing, Wufei looked up at him almost worshipfully as he settled down on the floor nearby. Zechs was so *gorgeous* and so sweet and so... well... PERFECT for him. He'd never been so happy in his life as he was in that moment, sitting and watching Zechs dry his hair.

"Do you like the teacher in the martial arts class?" Zechs asked from underneath a heap of cornsilk. "What was her name?"

"Sally Po," Wufei told him firmly. "She's nice enough, for an onna."

Shaking out his head, Zechs resembled nothing short of a very fluffy dandelion for a moment before he was able to smooth down the storm of hair around him. Then, without warning, he turned the dryer on Wufei, washing him with warm air. "I... *gotcha*!!" he cackled happily, before hearing a locker door slam and footsteps come towards them.

There was a decided LOT of giggling as Wufei squirmed, ducking slightly to try and get away from the blowdryer and almost running into the leg of Aaron, who stood nearby and glared.

"You're just as fucking queer as he is," the boy scowled.

"I don't believe either of us expressed an interest in your opinions," Zechs said fiercely, completely unable to look at the other boy. "So *back* off."

"I'm going to get you, Marquise. You've caused me a *lot* of trouble and your little giggly sissy *boyfriend* here has caused me more," Aaron scowled. "Don't forget it."

"*Fuck* you," Wufei told the taller boy with a distinctly superior sneer. "YOU are not capable of such a thing. YOU are just a wretched little coward!"

Aaron moved towards Wufei with frightening speed, reaching out to grab hold of his neck with both hands.

"Don't you *dare* touch him!" Zechs growled and leapt forward to try to intervene between the two of them.

The feel of fingers closing around his throat didn't stop Wufei from kicking out a foot to try and sweep Aaron's out from beneath him; and even though it didn't work, it *DID* knock the boy off balance enough to make him let loose a little. "Jerk!" he whispered, air not quite cut off.

Zechs's arms were tight around Aaron's, pulling backwards as hard as he could and prying the other boy's hand off of Wufei's throat.

Just then Adam and Jordan arrived to see what the commotion was about and immediate joined Zechs so that all three pulled him off of Wufei.

Pushing Aaron aside, Zechs ran to his lover, putting both arms around him and murmuring, "You okay? Can you talk?"

"Yeah," Wufei answered hoarsely, glaring at Aaron. "Ta ma der!"

"Speak English, you stupid fucking chink," Aaron growled.

Something snapped in Zechs at those words and he launched himself towards Aaron, clocking him soundly with a hard right to the jaw. "Don't you *EVER* talk to him like that again!!" he roared at the other boy, now sprawled on the floor of the locker room. "You're *shit* compared to him! "Just a fucking rapist *BASTARD,* so *shut up*!!"

THAT brought stunned silence from all present, including the few other boys still loitering in the locker room. Aaron stared up at Zechs, brown eyes gone wide with shock as if he'd never expected the other boy to actually *hit* him. "You..." he whispered, blinking.

"It's all right," Wufei said, voice a low growl, throat aching. "Zechs... it's all right..."

"It's not all right," Zechs said, his voice lower, but hoarse. He stared at Aaron with unconcealed fury. "You may think everything is just the way it was, but it isn't. Even if no one else knows what you did, *I* do. So stay away from me and keep your fucking mouth shut about Wufei."

Silent, Aaron gaped at him as Jordan whistled, looking uncertainly between them. /Da~aamn.../

"Let's go," Wufei whispered, reaching out to touch Zechs's shoulder.

"You're not even dressed yet," Zechs muttered, turning away from Aaron. "And
I'm *not* leaving you here." He folded his arms and leaned against the end
of the bank of lockers, staring mulishly into the distance.

Jordan and Adam simply watched Aaron, wondering what he would do after such
total humiliation.

Hurriedly, Wufei finished dressing, very aware of the eyes that felt so
heavy upon him. Aaron continued not to speak as if stunned, but his face was
thoughtful when Wufei glanced back at him.

"You know, Marquise, you're not the only one who's got details," Aaron finally said softly as both of them turned to leave. "I'm sure you'd rather no one knew about the incident you're referring to."

Zechs paused for a moment and then turned to face the other boy. "That's where you'd be wrong, Aaron," he said plainly. "Go ahead. Tell them what you did. Let's see if they think you're Mr. Cool when they find out."

"Let's just go, Zechs," Wufei said softly. "And you. If you *ever* do anything like this again..."

"You'll get me?" Aaron drawled.

Jordan muttered to Adam, "He won't have to. I think Marie might be interested in all this..."

"He won't have to get you," Zechs said, his voice full of quiet threat. "I don't believe the statute of limitations is up for what you did. You harass Wufei in any way, shape or form and I'll change my mind and press charges."

With that, he turned, nudged Wufei, and walked out of the locker room, the dark-haired boy close behind him.

In unison, Jordan and Adam turned their gaze from Zechs's retreating figure to Aaron.

"So -- you committed a crime?" Jordan said challengingly. "Want to tell us all about it?"

"Not in particular, no," Aaron muttered, picking himself up off of the floor. "It's none of your business, anyway."

Cracking his knuckles, Adam gave a grim smile. "Oh, I don't know about *that*.. it just might be.."

"Fuck off," Aaron said with a scowl, turning to leave even though he was still in his gym uniform.

"Friendly guy," Jordan muttered.

Outside, Zechs was silent as the two of them neared their lockers to gather books. It was the end of a very, very long day and he didn't know what to think -- about Aaron, about what Aaron would tell the others, about what would happen if he had to testify in court.

It all made him feel as though he was walking through a thick fog, and nothing of the outside world was getting through.

The feel of Wufei's hand lightly squirming into his own drew his attention, and the other boy's worry was obvious. "Zechs..." he murmured. "When we get home, will you come in for a while?" He wanted to hold him, make it better, only he wasn't quite sure HOW.

"I... I probably need to get home. Mom wanted to hear about the first day..." He looked down at his feet unhappily, trying to imagine what he would say to her. He didn't want to upset her.

"Just for a little while?" Wufei asked him, mouth turned down in a frown.

"No, I'd better not. A little while always turns into a long while when I'm with you." He gave his lover a half-smile and nudged his arm as they each went to their own lockers. Zechs filled his backpack and put on his skates and then went to where Wufei stood. "I'll come and pick you up tomorrow morning, all right?"

"All right," Wufei answered a little sadly, nodding. "I'll see you in the morning. Maybe Meiran will make lunch again..."

"Let's give her a break -- I'll make something and bring it in." He pressed an arm against Wufei's, the only thing they could really get away with on campus, and pushed off on his skates, turning around and skating backward for a bit so he could wave good bye. /Better I'm not with you tonight... with the mood I'm in I'd only make you miserable.../

Still, Wufei waved as Zechs skated away, and he stood there for long moments until he couldn't see the other boy anymore. /I wish I could make you feel better.../ he thought, reaching up to rub at his sore throat. He could feel the bruising there, unpleasant, and frowned. He'd have to wear something with a high collar tomorrow...

During the next few weeks, the tension between Zechs and Aaron seemed to increase every day. The other boy tried spreading rumors about Zechs -- one particularly nasty one involving a doubt about his HIV status -- and continued being aggressive in gym, although not as overtly as he had been.

At first Zechs tried to ignore it. After all, he told himself, Aaron wasn't harassing Wufei and it was possible he would simply stop if he didn't get the reaction he was obviously hoping for. It got harder though, and with each fresh insult, each nasty bit of gossip that got back to him, he retreated a bit more -- from classes, from the life of the school, and even from Wufei.

"Zechs," the Chinese boy pled one afternoon, "what did I do? You just keep going farther and farther away from me, and I don't know how to fix it!" The blond boy hadn't spent the night since school had started, even on the weekends, and Wufei was growing frantic!

They were sitting on the bleachers in the late October sun, and Zechs had been staring across the soccer field not talking at all.

"You?" he said, turning to Wufei with a slightly unsettled air, as if he'd forgotten the other boy was there. "You haven't done anything wrong. There's just... a lot of school work to do. You don't have to fix anything."

"You don't come to see me anymore," Wufei told him softly. "You don't want to touch me. You even forget that I am here. If you do not want me anymore, all you have to do is say so. It would hurt me terribly, but... I don't want you to be so unhappy..."

"What are you talking about?" Zechs replied sharply. "Of course I want you... but is sex the only way you'll believe that?"

Wufei's head seemed to drop and turn away from him. "No," he said slowly, "only you don't want anything else to do with me, either. I don't understand what I did to deserve that. That's all."

That seemed to get through, and Zechs moved a bit closer, pressing his leg against Wufei's and leaning down to talk quietly to him. "You haven't done anything, I swear. It's just..." He paused for a moment and then put his head down on his knees. "It's just that every time I think about being in bed... I see him raping me instead of us making love."

There. It was out.

"Even if we don't do it that way?" Wufei asked, turning dark worried gaze upon him.

"Doesn't matter," Zechs said quietly. "He's always there. I've been having nightmares about it -- bad ones, like I had when I first came home from the hospital. I can feel him and smell him and there's nothing I can do about. Then I come to school and every time I look at him I get these... these *flashes* of it... they're so *real*..."

Quietly, Wufei offered his hand, holding Zechs's close. "And it wouldn't make it any better to not be alone," he murmured, nodding his understanding.

"I don't know what to do," the blond boy whispered. "The last couple of nights I've just stayed up, watching TV because I'm afraid to go to sleep. I wouldn't be any good to you even if I *was* at your place."

"You'd have somebody to hold if you needed to," Wufei pointed out to him. "Somebody to sit up with you, if you needed to..."

"I don't want this to do *anything* to you. Not anything. That would make it so much worse..." Zechs arms went around his knees and he sat there in abject misery. "You know," he said quietly after several moments of silence. "Maybe coming out just wasn't worth it. Maybe I should have stayed like you."

"No!" Wufei told him, shaking his head rapidly. "Then you wouldn't be you, and you'd be miserable pretending! You would! And then we wouldn't...ever...." He bit his lip tightly, reaching up to scrub at his forehead. "We wouldn't...if you hadn't..."

"If I hadn't what?" Zechs said, bring his head up to reveal eyes full of tears. "If I hadn't screwed up your relationship with your family? If I hadn't gotten you suspended? If I hadn't made your wedding night a farce? You're right! We *wouldn't* be here if it wasn't for me and my stupid idea that I could honest about who I was! But I *know* now! I know that pretending is a much, much better thing to do!"

Unable to help himself, Wufei stood up, face flushed brightly with anger. "It's NOT! Stop saying that, it is not true, it is *wrong*, it is not just to say that! It is *not* true!! It is NOT!"

Zechs stood as well, somehow calmed by Wufei's outburst. "Well, if it's not true," he said softly, "then why aren't *you* the one with the nightmares?"

Paling, Wufei simply looked at him, stunned.

"I'm going home," Zechs said simply. "I may skip school tomorrow and then it's the weekend. I'll... call you..." Turning away suddenly he took the bleachers two at a time, somehow ending up at the bottom without a broken leg and running as fast as he could off the far edge of the field.

Helplessly, Wufei slumped to sit back down, dropping his head in his hands. /I don't know what to do. If this keeps up, he's not going to love me anymore. Maybe he doesn't already... I don't know what to do!/

Wufei headed home, more slowly than he would have if Zechs had been with him, still stupefied by the blond boy's last comment. He opened the door to the house to find the normal smell of Meiran's cooking missing and Bao-Sheng sitting by himself at the small kitchen table.

"[Hi, Wufei. How was your school day?]" the Chinese man said in a strangely subdued voice.

"[I've had better,]" Wufei admitted quietly, sitting down at the table with him. "[You seem as if your own has been the same.]"

Bao-Sheng nodded. He looked tired, as if he hadn't been getting much sleep.

"[Meiran was very ill today,]" he continued. "[I took her to the emergency room.]"

Eyes widening, Wufei looked at him. "[Is she all right? What's wrong with her? Did they say?]"

"She was very sick. Couldn't keep her food down, or even water." He paused for several moments, looking down at his hands. "They told her she was pregnant."

The expression on Wufei's face was impossibly shocked. "[P-p-p... bu-ut I thought, that is, I mean, weren't you... u-using something!?]"

Bao-Sheng's eyes lifted to meet Wufei's, looking slightly haunted. "[Yes,]" he said simply. "[We were. Meiran is in bed. She's still not feeling well.]"

Taking a deep breath, Wufei covered his eyes with his hands, trying not to think for a moment. "[I suppose we need to think of what to *do*,]" he murmured, gnawing at his lip thoughtfully. "[I can't think right now. It's all too much..]"

Bao-Sheng tried to look sympathetic. "[What happened to you?]" he asked with genuine interest. "[Bad exam score?]"

"Zechs..." Wufei shook his head sadly. "[He's having a bad time. The boy who hurt him, before, is at our school now. He doesn't want to talk about it. He doesn't want to tell anyone. But...]" Slim shoulders shrugged. "[I don't know. He doesn't seem to want me anymore. He doesn't want to be with me, he doesn't want to talk to me, he forgets I'm even there. He...]" With a sigh, he continued, a bright flush coming to his face. "[Today, he said he was not capable of giving sex to me, although this is not what I miss about him. He says when he thinks of that, he thinks of the other and of being hurt, and... and *I* make him think of that, and he wishes that he had not been open about who and what he is, but had been like me..]" His voice filled with disgust, mostly at himself. "[I don't know what to do.]"

"[I'm sure that's not true!" Bao-Sheng said earnestly. "He loves you very much! I know these things; we talked a lot before you got married. Maybe he just needs some help?]"

"[Maybe. I don't know what to do if he won't even talk to me, though,]" Wufei sighed. "[And now, Meiran is pregnant, and... I just don't know what to do. I've never felt so useless before.]"

"[Perhaps if you talk to his mother,]" Bao-Sheng suggested. "She might know how to help." He looked overwhelmingly sad for a moment and then added, "[If you love someone, you shouldn't ever give up on them.]"

"[You're very right,]" Wufei replied quietly. "[I will talk to her if he is the same by Friday.]" He gave a deep sigh. "[How far along did they say Meiran is in her pregnancy?]"

"[Only four weeks,]" Bao-Sheng said. "[The sickness has hit her very hard. Perhaps we need to tell your parents now...]"

With a shake of his head, Wufei negated that. "[If we do that, they will send her back to China in disgrace, most likely. That would mean an end to the two of you remaining here...]"

"[So what do we do? Tell your parents that the baby is yours?]" It wasn't hard to miss the slight trace of bitterness in Bao-Sheng's voice, no matter how hard he tried to conceal it.

Wufei shook his head. "[We will ALL talk to Zechs's mother this weekend and see what she thinks is best, I think. What do you think?]"

"[Yes,]" came the tired response. "I suppose that would be best." Bao-Sheng stood up. "[I'm going to see how she's doing. I'm afraid you'll have to get your own dinner tonight.]" He shuffled off down the hallway and Wufei could hear the door of Meiran's bedroom close behind him.

Sighing, Wufei leaned his head back against the back of his chair. /Today can't suck much worse,/ he decided. /Might as well go out and get a burger.../

Speedy Burger had the most inane name of any of the hamburger restaurants in town, but it happened to make the very best burger. When Wufei got there, it had begun to rain and the windows were fogged with the breath of a dozen customers, most ordering sacks of food to go. A perky looking blond boy behind the counter looked at him and said, "And how can I help *you* this evening, sir?"

"Ah..." Wufei considered his options for a moment. "Double cheeseburger, vanilla shake, and an apple pie," he decided with a sigh.

"Sure thing!" the boy said, "That'll be $5.64, please."

It took a few minutes to dig out the change, but it was definitely worth the effort. He didn't have to wait very long before the tray was in his hands and he found a corner to sit at, out of the way of everyone coming in so that maybe he could think by himself.

That was when he heard the voice.

"Christ, can't I even have a meal without a queer making me sick?"

"Stuff a sock in it, you homophobic asshole," Wufei said coldly, eyeing Aaron Rood. He was there alone, so it was a pretty sure thing that it'd at least be an even fight. "It's a free country, I'll eat where I like."

"Ohhh... don't you sound tough," Aaron sneered from another booth. "Where's your girlfriend Zechs tonight? I thought you two were joined at the ass or something. Did you break up?"

The expression on Wufei's face very obviously said he was stupid. "Are you really such an idiot? I can't imagine Zechs being your friend if you were, but people change, I suppose..."

Aaron's face darkened. "Yeah, well I can't imagine I was friends with a fucking faggot for ten years. I guess we're both surprised."

"It's not like it makes *you* queer, idiot, or even means he's coming on to you. Sometimes, a friend is just a friend. You're not much of one, considering," Wufei muttered, seating himself across from Aaron just to piss him off.

"What are you doing, faggot?" the other boy said, making a show of backing up as far as the booth seat would let him. "You trying to give me AIDS or something?"

Wufei snorted. "I think you ought to be more worried *you* gave it to somebody, considering that slut of a girlfriend of yours." He knew Aaron understood *exactly* who he meant, too!

Surprisingly, Aaron didn't seem to get upset at Wufei's words. "She's not my girlfriend," he said sullenly. "She's just a good lay. That's all."

"Worth everything you do for her?" was the sarcastic question in response. "All she does is stir up useless fights. The whole reason she hates Zechs is because he doesn't want *her*, anyway!"

"She didn't know he was *gay* when she came on to him!" Aaron, suddenly angry. "If she'd known she would have never *wanted* him. He's a liar as well as a queer, you know!"

"Funny," Wufei replied as he unwrapped his burger. "The only person I've ever known him to lie for is *you*."

"For me?" Aaron said, putting on a look of disbelief. "Oh, yeah, he was a *great* friend to me. All that time I thought we were great buddies he was probably staring at my ass. That's a *wonderful* friend."

Expression equally disbelieving, the answer came. "You think *you* make a good one? Ha."

"What do *you* know about it? You've hardly known him at all!" The accusation, and the intimacy it implied, was out before Aaron could think twice about it.

With raised eyebrows, Wufei paused, burger halfway to his mouth. "Really? So, you know him so well? Maybe you think he *liked* being raped and sewn together in the Emergency Room while people poked and prodded him and his mother cried outside of the room, right? You're pretty bright, there," he hissed sarcastically.

For a moment the other boy seemed to struggle for composure. "I didn't mean to hurt him," he muttered. "I just wanted to teach him a lesson. I wanted him to get it through that thick head of his that he didn't really like stuff like that. That was all, man, nothing else."

"You ripped him open just to show him he didn't like 'stuff like that'? God, you *are* an idiot," Wufei sighed. "NOBODY likes stuff like *THAT*. Nobody likes to be hurt or bleed or have their childhood best friend *rape* them!"

"It wasn't *rape*, man!" Aaron said fiercely. "It was teaching him a lesson! He brought it on himself by being a goddamned queer for everyone to *see*!" His voice was cracking a little, and his hands trembled on the table in front of him. "He could've kept quiet," he said, "but he didn't. It was his own fault."

"If you really believe that, you're even more witless than I give you credit for," Wufei told him scornfully. "All he wanted was to be happy and to be your *friend*, and you and your *stupid* little girlfriend destroyed him!"

"Destroyed?" Aaron scoffed. "Hardly. He seems to me like he's just fine. He's got a new school, he's fooled all his so-called 'friends' there, and he's got you, his little faggot wannabe friend. Sounds like life's pretty sweet for him."

Pausing, Wufei peered at his burger thoughtfully. "Yeah. You'd think, right? At least the people there are nicer than you are. You ought to be put in jail forever for what you did to him, but still he lies for you. He lies, *knowing* what you did, because even though you're a total asshole, he must still believe somewhere deep inside that you're worthwhile somehow. I don't see it," he grunted, taking a bite, chewing, swallowing. "But he must."

"Maybe he knows that I did it for his own good," Aaron said quietly, picking up his own sandwich. "He knows I'm right and he'll come around. Someday." He took a bite and then added quietly, "I was the one who called 911, you know."

"Is that supposed to redeem you in my eyes? You *hurt* him, you made him bleed, you made him so that he can't sleep at night and so he doesn't trust *anyone* anymore, and you think that's supposed to make me feel better?" Wufei demanded, frowning. "It doesn't! It can't! You can't make up for that!"

"Well maybe he's finally thinking about this seriously," Aaron retorted. "Maybe he can't sleep because he's realized he's *not* gay. Ever think of that?" He leaned forward a bit, his face grim. "I'm not going to apologize for trying to shock him out of that stupid gay stuff. Especially since it sounds like it worked!"

"No," Wufei said softly, staring down at his burger. "He'll always be gay. Just now.... Now, you've hurt him. Now, he can't even think straight or love the way he should be able to because all he can think about is being *hurt*. Not even..." Not even with me, he wanted to say, but it stuck in his throat, misery making him shiver.

"Then maybe it's the best thing for him," Aaron replied, equally subdued. "In my opinion, if you have to be gay then it's a whole lot better to not be able act on it."

"Oh, so, if a chick raped *you* and then you couldn't think about other girls anymore, that would be okay because, hey, you shouldn't *act* on your desires, right?" Wufei said bitterly.

"It's *different*" the other boy insisted mulishly. "Being queer is against *nature.* Being straight is *for* nature, so it's not the same at all." He paused for a moment to take a last bite of his sandwich and then eyed Wufei suspiciously. "Why do you defend him so much? You're not gay. You're even *married.* And don't tell me it's just because you're his 'friend'. What's the real reason?"

Wufei's chin went up a notch, black eyes going flat. "Because he's my lover. And I don't appreciate you hurting him," he said firmly. /No going back, now!/

Aaron's eyes went wide with shock and he sat frozen for a moment, unable to speak or move. Then, slowly, a snarl formed on his even features. "You? You've *got* to be kidding! Maybe he *is* gay but he wouldn't do *that* with a chink! Besides, you've got a *wife.* Don't lie to me, you little bastard!"

"I'm not lying to you," Wufei told him simply. "You've nearly destroyed him, you stupid bastard! You and your bigotry, your racism, your chink and your queer! What makes you think you're even half so good as he is? A prejudiced rapist like you!"

Aaron stood suddenly, his face a mask of anger. "I don't have to sit here and listen to this crap!" he nearly shouted. Poking a finger at Wufei he added, "And I hope *you* never get it again, faggot!" Then he turned and stalked out of the restaurant.

So much for a peaceful meal....

Waking up had been miserable, too, because Meiran was sick in the bathroom and he'd been half an hour late. Zechs hadn't come by yet when he'd left home, so he'd bicycled to school by himself, nervous because of what he'd told Aaron, afraid of what Aaron might have told everyone there. Somehow, though, he also found that he didn't *care*. He loved Zechs. Hiding it just wasn't right!

But the blond didn't show up for the first class, or the second, nor any time that day.

Mariemeia caught Wufei at lunch. "Hey -- where's your shadow today?" she said teasingly.

Unhappily, Wufei sighed. "I don't know..." His obvious misery couldn't be helped as he poked lightly at the lunch he had made -- a peanut butter sandwich and several wilted pieces of celery.

She leaned over and nudged his arm with hers. "Hey! What's wrong? You're really down!"

"Just problems," he replied. "Lots of stuff I don't know what to do about. You know how it is."

"Anything you'd like to talk about?" she said sympathetically. "Is your wife okay?"

Wufei shook his head. "I don't know HOW to talk about it," he sighed, glancing down at Aaron. "There's a lot of it. It's really confusing, and..."

"Well, we've got a whole lunch period," she said, a look of concern growing on her face. "I'm willing to go out to the playground to talk if you want."

Taking a deep breath, he nodded, beginning to gather his lunch together. "I think so. If I don't talk to somebody outside of this, I'm going to burst!"

The petite redhead parted waves of students like the Red Sea as she led him out to the deserted playground. There was a large old ceramic pipe, brick red in color, that was just big enough for two small adults to fit into. She scrambled in, beckoning him to follow until the were out of sight of the entire school.

"Now *what* is going on," she demanded. "What is bugging you so much that you're going to burst?"

Taking a deep breath, he pulled out one of his celery sticks and offered it to her. "My wife is pregnant."

She gaped at at him for a moment, then said softly, "Congratulations! That's great news... isn't it?"

"It would be," Wufei said, "if her boyfriend wasn't living with Zechs while he goes to college and if Zechs wasn't *my* boyfriend and if Aaron hadn't raped Zechs and if Zechs would just *talk* to me and..."

The flow of words washed over Mariemeia and at first she could only sit and blink at him. "Wait," she said faintly. "Let's take these one at a time... You're married, but you and Zechs are... 'boyfriends'?"

Wufei nodded, biting at his lower lip. "You see, it all started at the other school, where we met, and we were friends, but then we were *more* than friends and then my parents wanted to get married and Meiran needed to stay in the United States and we thought it was a perfect solution but now *everything* is falling apart and I don't know what to do!"

"You said she had a boyfriend?" Mariemeia asked. "Is the baby yours or his?"

Startled, Wufei looked at her. "His. I wouldn't do... that. It wouldn't be right! I mean, she's been in love with him since they were children. It wouldn't be right!" he reiterated.

"Well *I* didn't know!" she said slightly defensively. "You guys are married, I thought you might be sleeping together. It's not that unreasonable an assumption."

"I guess." Wufei shook his head. "I'm just..." Unnerved. "Upset."

"So she's pregnant, and her boyfriend is living with Zechs," Mariemeia said slowly, as if sorting through tangled threads. "You and Zechs -- how serious is it?"

Silently, Wufei held up his hand, showing her the band on his left ring finger. "This is not from Meiran," he said simply.

Her mouth dropped open and she grabbed his hand, staring down at the intricate puzzle ring. "Oh my *God*! Are you two, like, *married* or something? Or whatever it is cute little gayboys do? That's so *sweet*! I always thought you guys were like two halves of a whole or something..." She was about to go on about the loveliness of it all, when she stopped in mid-sentence. "But wait... you said... you said Aaron *raped* Zechs??"

Half-stunned, Wufei nodded. "Last spring. Before we came here. He... they... They were best friends, before Aaron's girlfriend wanted Zechs, and when Zechs told her no, he was gay, she told a lot of stories about him, rumors, and no one liked him. I was new, so he took a chance with me. But..." He bit his lip, hard. "He went back to school late to pick up a book he'd forgotten one day. And... HE was there. With other boys. And they..." He clenched his eyes tightly shut, not wanting to think about it. "And now he's BACK and Zechs won't talk to me and he's so *scared*..."

"What is he scared of?" she asked softly, putting an arm around Wufei's back.

"I don't know. Scared he'll do it again, scared that he's here, scared that there will be boys here that will help him do it, like last time. I don't know. He won't talk to me, so it's all hypothesis," he said miserably, glad for her presence.

"He sounds like he needs some real help -- like some counseling or something. I mean... getting raped, that's horrible enough, but something like a gang rape... and someone you thought was a friend..." She stopped speaking for a moment, face screwed up in thought. "How much do his mom and dad know?"

"His mom knows everything," Wufei answered, sniffing. "I haven't talked to her about the problems yet because they just now got really bad. On our we-..." He paused, turning beet red. "On our wedding night, he got upset when we... YOU know, but he got over it and I thought everything was fine and we'd just do it the way he needed to, but..."

"You had a *wedding* night?" she said, looking sad and sweet. "Oh, that's *so* cool... but I think if his mom knows about everything else she should know about this new stuff. Or is he likely to have told her?"

"If he *had*, I think she would have called by now. We were going to go tomorrow and talk to her, but... I think maybe we should go *tonight*." He'd go and damn the consequences!

"I think you're right," she agreed. He sounds like he's really having trouble handling it." She gave him a brief hug. "You know I worked on a rape hotline once, and the counselors there said that it's not unusual to have a kind of delayed reaction. Like, you seem okay afterwards and then, a couple of months later, it hits what really happened to you. Maybe that's what's going on. Maybe seeing that bastard again triggered it."

"Maybe," Wufei agreed. "I hate him. He thinks he was right to do it, to show Zechs that things shouldn't be this way, that he was 'unnatural' and 'against nature'." He sniffed, reaching up to rub at an eye. "It's not true. It's not..."

"Of course it's not!" she said, hugging him again. "It's obvious he's a complete homophobe and a fucking bastard. I might also throw in sociopathic if he thinks it's okay to rape someone. Geez what a shit!" She grimaced and then added in a low voice, "Don't tell my parents I'm talking this way."

"Wouldn't dream of it," he chuckled weakly, hugging her. "Thanks, Marie. I needed to talk to somebody..."

She smiled at him. "Yeah, I think you did. What do you think you'll do about your wife... I mean, the baby, you know?"

"We have to stay married until August. Then, I'm going to tell my parents that... that I'm gay. I tried to before, but.." He shrugged. "They were very upset. Not happy. They are very traditional Chinese parents and they arranged the marriage, and perhaps if I had not met Zechs, I would have been happy with that, but... but I *did*, and so. It is Zechs I want. But we should all be consenting adults, first. My birthday is in January. Zechs's is in April..."

"So are you gonna tell your parent's it's *your* baby until then?" she asked. "When's the due date?"

"June, I think. Bao-Sheng said she was about four weeks along. I don't know what I will do. I will talk to Zechs's mother and see what SHE says..."

"Yeah," Mariemeia agreed. "Keep me posted, okay? I want everything to work out for you guys. You're just so *cute* together, especially now that I know that you two are married!"

The bell for fifth period rang and they climbed out of the pipe.

With a deep sigh, Wufei smiled at her. "You're the best, Marie," he said, hugging her again. "I will let you know!"

Noin looked surprised when she answered the door that night. Surprised and a little relieved to see Wufei standing outside, his raincoat dripping quiet puddles on the step. "Hey, stranger!" she said, "it's been awhile! Come on in."

"Thank you," he told her quietly, shivering. "School has kept me busy, and the grocery store.... how is Zechs?"

"Ah, well, Zechs..." she said, her voice trailing off uncertainly. "He was out all day and when he came back late this afternoon he went into his room and hasn't come out since." She looked at him sympathetically. "That's how Zechs is. Why don't you give me your coat and you can come have some tea and tell me how *you* are."

Nodding, Wufei let Zechs's mother hang up his coat and followed her into the kitchen. "I," he declared as they stepped into the bright room, "am miserable. Zechs is so unhappy, and he won't talk about anything with me..."

Noin moved to the cupboard, taking down another cup and setting next to hers, already on the table with the teapot. "Mmm.. that's what I figured. He hasn't been talking to me at *all* -- I've only had Bao-Sheng for company and you know how often he's over here these days." She stirred a teaspoon of sugar into the steaming green tea. "Did you two have an argument over something?"

"Sort of," Wufei said, "but I don't know how or *why*. I think that he... I don't know. I think he's having a hard time with what happened and Aaron is now at our school so.."

"*WHAT*?" Noin's eyes flashed and she practically leapt out of her seat at him. "That *bastard* is at... How long has he been there??"

"Since school began!" Wufei replied, startled. "I had thought that he would tell you!"

She landed back on her seat, absolutely speechless. "He did *not*!" she said indignantly, her eyes straying to the ceiling, as if she could see through it to the blond boy up above. "That little... *OH* why didn't he *say* anything! If I'd *known* I would have been down to see that principal in *TWO SECONDS*! How *could* they let that boy *in*??"

"He has been depressed, I think, and upset and we have not..." Wufei's hands twisted. "He doesn't come to see me. And he said that he shouldn't have been honest about being gay but should have hidden it like me, and I said no, and he said, but then I would have been the one raped if that was true." It made no sense, none at all, but he was so upset!

"What?" she said, looking at him in concern. "Oh, sweetheart, I'm sure he couldn't have said that! I had no idea he wasn't seeing you! He's been gone most of the time and I just assumed... Oh, *Zechs*!" She put her head in her hand and muttered quietly, "Just like his father that way..."

"I don't know what to do," Wufei whispered, fingers all in knots. "I tried to talk to him, but I got nowhere, and now Meiran is pregnant, and Bao-Sheng is upset, too, and I don't know where to turn!"

"Meiran is pregnant?" Noin said, leaning forward again. "Oh, this must be *so* hard for you right now!" She covered his hand with hers and gave it a squeeze. "Okay," she said with a sigh, "let's sort this out by highest priority. How is Meiran doing? Is she feeling all right?"

"She is throwing up every other breath," Wufei said, his nose wrinkling. "Other than that, she probably feels okay, but that's *enough*, isn't it?"

"Poor thing. She's probably dehydrated, too. You wouldn't believe the fits Zechs gave me..." She put her hands flat down on the table. "Now listen to me. I want her over here when you two leave in the morning, do you understand? Until she's over the worst she shouldn't be in that house all by herself and I know a lot of things that can help morning sickness -- I used every single one. Do you think you can manage that between you and Bao-Sheng?"

Wufei nodded. "We will make sure of it." He wrinkled his nose again. "It has been very unpleasant. It makes me *terribly* glad to not be a girl."

"Well, you might feel differently if you and Zechs ever decide to have children. Mothers happen to be *very* special people, you know." She gave him a smile and then got serious again. "All right, what to tell your parents... do you think they would be devastated if you led them to believe they have a grandchild and they really don't?"

Wordlessly, he nodded. "They would be heartbroken. But if I tell them, then it is possible that Meiran and Bao-Sheng could be sent back..."

"Well," Noin said in a practical voice, "I suppose they're going to be heartbroken anyway when you tell them your gay -- you've said so yourself, and I can't see those two kids being sent back to China... that would break *my* heart. I suppose you'll have to make the best of it -- just don't let your parents work themselves up about it if possible."

She took a long sip of her tea and looked at him pointedly. "Now, what do I need to talk about with Zechs?"

"Mariemeia -- she's a friend at school -- I talked to her about some things because Zechs wasn't at school today and I was very upset. She said that maybe he needs to see a counselor," Wufei offered, biting his lip.

"And why is that?" Noin asked. "What's he going through?"

Wufei nodded. "Because sometimes, she says there is a delayed reaction, and with Aaron at school with us..." He trailed into silence. "I'm very worried."

She didn't speak right away, just looked at him, as if making up her mind. "Let me talk to him --alone. Then we can see about getting him some help. He's gotten like this before -- though not to this extent. When he told Aaron he way gay, and Aaron went ballistic, as it were, he didn't come out of his room for two days. Didn't eat a thing, just stayed in there and listened to music, read his manga. He's like that -- he broods over things and it's not good for him. He'll listen to me, though. In the end he *always* listens to me." She gave him a slight smile. "Like I said -- mothers are special. Don't you worry about this, okay? We're going to work it out." She leaned over and gave him a hug.

Since she *was* Zechs's mom, he didn't shriek. He did, however, snuffle a little. "All right. Should I go home now?" he asked hesitantly. "Or should I stay?"

"You could stay here tonight," she said, almost brightly. "I can go talk to him now and who knows? Maybe I can get him to come out and talk to you. What do you say?"

Nodding, he looked at her. "I would really like that. You are... You are very wonderful. I'm glad you're his mother!"

"Sweetie..." she said affectionately and gave him another squeeze. "Why don't you have another cup of tea and then make yourself comfortable in the living room, okay? I'll go make him talk to me."

Nodding, Wufei sat back down and reached for the teapot. Might as well make himself comfortable...

Quietly, Noin left the kitchen and made her way up the stairs. /Well, my fine boy, you and I are going to have a talk! No more leaving you alone to brood today!/ she decided, coming to a stop in front of Zechs's door and knocking.

Zechs was laying on his bed, headphones on, when the knock came. "Mom! I'm listening to my CDs. Not now okay?"

The knock came again, peremptory, and the door opened all the same. "Zechs?" she asked solemnly. "We need to talk."

Zechs rolled over and sat up, looking unhappy as he took off his headphones. "Why?" he said, eyeing her warily.

"Because you're brooding and you haven't been telling me a lot of very important things," Noin told him, moving to sit down on the edge of his bed. "And because there's a very upset young man sitting in our kitchen drinking tea."

Zechs gave a start, unsure as to whether he should get up and go downstairs. "W-Who?" he said, frowning slightly. "Wufei?"

"Well, you don't have any *other* lovers that I'm aware of," his mother replied, "so I can't imagine that it would be anyone else."

"Mom!" Zechs looked at her in irritation. "He doesn't have any reason to be upset. I told him I'd see him on Monday. Why's he here?"

"Let's see... because you're upset? Because you weren't at school today? Because Aaron Rood *is* at school? Because he feels guilty for NOT telling the world he's gay? Because Meiran is pregnant?" She gave him a list. "Probably half a dozen other reasons, besides, I'd think."

"Meiran's *pregnant*?" Zechs said in a shocked voice. "Is she okay?"

"Aside from throwing up every other breath, yes."

"Ah, *man*... that's harsh." He shook his head and then looked up at her. "But... what are they going to tell Wufei's parents?"

Noin tilted her head and reached out to touch his face. "He doesn't know yet, sweetie. Probably try not to get them very excited about it, though. He's a lot more worried about *you*."

His eyes dropped to the quilt on his bed, fingers tracing its patterns. "He doesn't need to be."

"He loves you, sweetie. *I* love you. Of course we're worried."

"I'm okay, really," he insisted. "I don't even *see* Aaron that much at school, so it's no big deal." His eyes met Noin's the look strangely between pleading and insisting. "You have to believe me, Mom."

She sighed. "You're in the same grade, sweetie. There's *one* class."

"Yeah, but it's not like we spend a lot of time together. I mean, when we're in class, the teacher's doing the talking, not us. And I keep away from him in between."

"Zechs," Noin said firmly, "are you telling me that this isn't what's been upsetting you so badly?"

"I'm not upset, Mom!" he said testily, turning slightly away from her to look out the window. "If Wufei's been telling you that then he's *wrong.*"

"Then why aren't you going to see him anymore?" she asked him quietly. "I thought you were in love...?"

"I *am* in love with him!" Zechs protested. "Don't tell me *you're* going to get on my case about not having enough sex. It's bad enough from Wufei."

"Sweetie, going to see somebody doesn't mean *sex*. If that's what this is all about, it's just silly!" Noin sighed.

"If it's silly then we don't have to talk about it, do we?" Zechs said quietly.

Noin looked at him. "IS that what it's all about, Zechs? Can you promise me?"

His head snapped up and azure eyes blazed at her. "Why do I have to promise you anything?" he said sharply. "So what if I have problems? Everyone has problems! I can handle things!"

"Because I'm your mother and I love you and if you need me, I want to know!" Noin told him promptly. "'Handling things' isn't skipping school and brooding in your room and not talking to the people you love, Zechs! Sometimes, you can be so much like your father," she whispered, "and I don't want to see you destroy something that should make you happy because you don't want to talk about it."

"Maybe I am like my father," Zechs muttered. "He was a loser, too."

"No," Noin said with sharp inflection. "You are *my* son, and I love you. You cannot shut yourself off from everyone who loves you, Zechs!"

"I'm just as much *his* son, whoever the fuck he was," he retorted. "I was *stupid,* Mom. I got myself *raped* and if that isn't being a loser, I don't what else *is*!"

At that, she turned, reached for him, pulled him close despite his faint struggles. "Oh, baby," she whispered. "No. My baby, no. That's not your fault. That doesn't make you a loser or anything bad, my baby."

His body was tense, his eyes staring blindly at some point across the room. "I'm not a baby anymore, Mom, and I'm pathetic for letting him do that to me. I asked for it. I didn't have to tell him I was gay. That was just *stupid.*"

"You'll *always* be my baby," Noin informed him, hand stroking through his hair lightly. "The only fault here is Aaron's. He's a racist prejudiced *asshole*," she said, "and he wasn't ever worth your time. If he had been a real friend, you wouldn't be suffering so much right now!"

Zechs shook his head against her shoulder. "I knew that people hate gays. I could have just kept quiet. It didn't have to happen if I hadn't have been so *stupid*!"

"You can only be what you are, sweetheart. You aren't stupid. *THEY* are. Shhh. It will be all right..."

How did she know he was crying? He was always amazed at the uncanny ability his mother had to figure it out. "It *isn't* all right, Mom... I... I can't sleep... I just can't go to sleep..."

"Then maybe you just need to be held for a little while," she murmured. "You lay back, sweetheart, and I'll lay down with you. Maybe it will help..."

"Nothing will help, Mom," he whispered, "and I'm so tired... if I could just sleep..."

"Just lay down for a little while," Noin soothed. "And I'll lay here with you. Shhh. Lay down. It will be all right, baby. Lay down."

He didn't want to do it. He didn't want to cry in front of her or put his arms tight around her, but he did. "I'm so sorry Mom," he whispered as she turned his light out. "I'm so sorry for being such a fuck up... "

"You, my bright boy," she whispered, "are the best and most precious thing I ever created. Never think that you're anything less."

His voice was tearful, and he sounded exhausted. "I'm queer. I didn't have any friends. I got raped by the guy I *thought* was my friend... I'm a total screw-up."

"I love you," Noin told him, petting her hand through his hair. "Wufei loves you. You have Bao-Sheng and Meiran and Wufei was telling me about all of the friends you have at the new school who missed you and were worried about you... You *aren't* a screw-up."

"Why would Wufei want to be with someone like me?" he said sleepily. "I'm not Chinese... and after what Aaron did..." He buried his face against his mother's shoulder. "Why would he want me anymore...?"

She kissed the top of his head. "Because he loves you, my baby. Because he sees in you the brilliant spark that's there and he only wants you to be happy for always. None of those other things matter to him. He only wants you to be happy..." she said again.

"'ere's no spark..." he murmured. "Nothing left... Aaron took it away..."

Another minute and he was breathing deeply, asleep in her arms.

When Wufei woke, it was with a crick in his neck and a decidedly wrinkled cheek from where he'd lain with it pressed against his shirt-sleeve for half the night. "Mmph?" A glance at the clock revealed the time --4:13 a.m. -- and he stood, looking around. "Miss Noin?" he asked tentatively before wandering out of the kitchen and heading up the stairs.

When he checked Zechs's room, the boy was sleeping. He had kicked off his covers and was on his back, head turned to one side, hair spilling over the pillow. Noin had obviously just awakened, looking towards the door and smiling, beckoning him closer. He slid into the dark room as she shifted lightly, pulling away from him. "Here," she whispered. "You slide in."

He did so obediently, replacing her, wrapping his arms tightly around Zechs as he snuggled in beside him.

"Who's 'at?" Zechs murmured, eyes blinking sleepily. "Wufei? Where'm I...?"

"At home," Wufei whispered. "Go back to sleep, Zechs..."

"Why'd you come?"

"I love you," he was told quietly. "I was very worried about you..."

"Love you too... love you forever," Zechs said. "Sorry for the things I said..."

"I know you didn't mean them," came the murmur, soothing, soft. "It's okay."

"'ll make it up to you. Swear I will..." He buried his face against Wufei's neck and tightened his arms around him. "Please don't leave me."

"Never," came the quiet promise. "Never. Ever. *EVER*."

"*My* Wufei... *mine*..." The words were only a breath and then the blond boy was asleep again.

Monday morning was a great deal better and, after some amount of thought, Zechs was ready to face school that day. Ordinarily, he'd have gone past Wufei's house to pick him up, but Wufei had brought Meiran to spend the day with his mother and so it was that they met there instead.

"Morning," Wufei offered a little sleepily, smiling at him. "Are you ready?"

"Maybe," Zechs said, and gave him a tentative smile. "I'll try not to freak on you."

"I love you," he was informed, "so it'll be okay if you do."

They said goodbye to Noin and Meiran, the latter of which was comfortably ensconced on Noin's studio couch, and headed out, Wufei on his bike, Zechs on his skates.

A rather surprising sight met their eyes, however, as they reached the front entrance of the school. Mariemeia appeared to have gathered about ten people who were all waiting patiently for Zechs and Wufei to arrive, and who fell into step beside them as they entered the grounds.

The redheaded girl winked discreetly at Wufei as they all walked to the first period classroom. "You two won't have any troubles now," she whispered. "I got you a posse!"

Startled, mouth open, Wufei looked at her for a moment, stunned, before he turned to give Zechs that same wild-eyed stare. "I..." He blinked audibly, unable to think of a single thing to say!

Zechs didn't notice, however. He was too busy giving sideways glances to the chattering crowd. "Why are all these people with us?" he said to Wufei out of the corner of his mouth.

Flushed, Wufei hemmed and hawed for a moment before mumbling, "I talked to Mariemeia about everything Friday because I was so upset, and... erm..."

"And *I'm* taking care of things!" she said with a firm nod. /Nobody should abuse cute gayboys!/

Zechs went pale. "You told her *everything*??" he hissed as they approached the classroom.

"I was *upset*!" Wufei whispered back, face hot, expression beginning to show some of that same worry.

Aaron was waiting at the door, but frowned when he saw the crowd that was coming down the hall. "What's this, a gay pride parade?" he said, staring at Zechs and Wufei.

"That's *right*!" Mariemeia told him. "That's *exactly* what it is and *you're* not invited you intolerant jerk!"

"What is this?" Aaron asked, obviously irritated. "Are you *all* queers at this school?"

"We are as far as YOU'RE concerned," Jordan told him from behind Mariemeia, his arms crossed over his chest.

"Yeah!" another voice cried from the back of the group.

Zechs looked around nervously. "Uh, guys... you don't have to..."

"And just what's *that* suppose to mean?" Aaron retorted. "You're not queer, Jordan --you're girlfriend is standing right next to you! What are you doing sympathizing with these freaks?"

"My brother's gay," Jordan said firmly. "So's Marie's dad. We've all got friends who're gay. So what makes you so fucking special when you're just a jerk who can't even keep his friends for being a racist asshole?"

Looking down at Wufei, Zechs mouthed, "Her *Dad*?" Wufei shrugged, wide-eyed.

"Stay away from them, Aaron," Mariemeia warned somewhat cryptically, "or everyone else will know what you did."

"I... you..." He looked at Wufei. "This is your fault!"

Shaking his head, Wufei scowled. "It's not. It never has been."

The door to the classroom swung open further and the teacher poked his head around it.

"I hate to interrupt what is no doubt a fascinating discussion, but class started two minutes ago!"

A frantic swarm rushed past him, all of the students hurrying into class. /So much for that discussion,/ Wufei thought. /But I'm sure it isn't over yet.../

Not by far.

~~~~~

Lunch had been an awfully STRANGE sort of thing, Zechs and Wufei surrounded instead of everyone being apart in their usual little groups of twos and threes. It had taken the blond boy off guard, so he'd slipped out momentarily to use the bathroom alone just for a moment to think.

It probably hadn't been the best idea he ever had.

"Zechs."

He turned. Aaron was coming down the deserted hallway.

"What is it *now*?" he said through gritted teeth.

"Can we talk?" the dark-haired boy asked grimly.

"What is there to talk about, Aaron?" he said quietly.

With a quick wave of an arm, the other boy encompassed a great deal. "Everything! Like why you're gay, like why the China boy, like why you *betrayed* me that way!" His eyes widened at that, a hand coming almost up to his mouth.

"*Betrayed* you?" Zechs said, narrowing his eyes. "How did *I* betray you?"

"How did you *not* betray me!?" Aaron asked him. "You told me you were gay! You told *Nicole*, too, and I had to listen to her about it! And all that time, I thought you were just one of the guys! Since *kindergarten*, Zechs!"

"Why can't I be 'one of the guys' if I'm gay?" Zechs countered. "What the hell difference did it make? We were *friends* not *lovers.* You liked me well enough before I told you! Nothing changed about me except that you knew the *truth.*"

"Yeah, that you were a homo! And you weren't supposed to be! You were my *friend*! And then you went hanging out with that... WUFEI person!"

"No, Aaron. The truth is that you had a friend and he happened to be gay. You got along with him when he was gay because it didn't have anything to do with our friendship."

Zechs felt an uncomfortable sting behind his eyes. /I will *not* cry in front of him!/

"I told you because we *were* friends and I thought friends should be honest with each other, and what's wrong with Wufei? Why do you hate him so much?"

"Because *he* has your attention and not *me*!" Aaron finally yelled, his own eyes tearing up. "You total *asshole*! How could you? How COULD you be and not tell me! And then, him..!"

Zechs stood, staring at the other boy, absolutely speechless.

"You didn't *want* any attention from me," he said at last. "You completely shunned me --and you told everyone else to do the same thing."

Unable to help himself, Aaron shook his head angrily. "You PUSHED me to it! You just kept on and before I knew it everybody thought *I* must be queer because *you* were and you were so damned open about it! What choice did I have?"

"So you would rather I lied to you?" Zechs asked. "You wouldn't have known a thing and you would still be my friend, but it wouldn't have changed the fact that I'm gay! I feel bad that you're so uncomfortable about it but I just couldn't live my life that way! I didn't want to have to lie anymore, and the person I thought was the most deserving of my honesty was my best friend!"

It was obviously as difficult for the other boy as it was for him. "Zechs. I just... wanted you to be the way you were again," he finally said miserably. "I wanted you to be the way you were..."

Zechs blinked back tears. "I *was* still that way," he said quietly. "I hadn't changed at all. I was the same person you had known for ten years. You're the one who's changed me, Aaron. You and your friends..."

"I'm..." Aaron's throat seemed blocked for a minute, a litle sound escaping him. "I'm s...so..."

"Zechs?" It was Wufei's voice, distinctly worried, coming from the doorway.

The blond boy turned and shook his head. "It's all right, Wufei -- we just need to talk."

Glancing at Aaron, Wufei bit his lip. "If you hurt him..."

"He doesn't need *you* to babysit him!" Aaron said angrily.

"Aaron!" Zechs said sharply, but the other boy was staring daggers at Wufei.

"I've known him since elementary school," he continued, "since you were probably still in China! You barely know him at all!"

The hurt expression Wufei turned on him said much before the door shut quietly behind him, leaving them alone once more.

"I..." Aaron scowled. Could he say it? Now? "I didn't mean to hurt you like that. I didn't know... you know."

"I don't remember much about it," Zechs told him, "but I believe I was screaming. What more did you need to know?" He stared at the boy who had been his best friend -- and felt as if he was looking into a stranger's eyes. "Why did you do it, Aaron?" he whispered. "What had I done to you to deserve that?"

"N...nothing," Aaron admitted, face dropping to hide the tears that were coming up. "Nothing. I was... I called 911 for you because I... I was so sorry. Zechs! I'm so sorry!"

"I wish that made things better," Zechs said, watching the other boy. "I wish you'd felt some of that before you did it..." He hesitated and took a deep breath. "I forgive you, though."

That seemed to be some kind of relief for Aaron because he visibly sagged, letting out an explosive breath. "Can we... try it again? Being friends?" he asked tentatively.

"No," Zechs said simply. "Not ever."

Then he turned and went back out of the hallway to find Wufei.

At first, the Chinese boy wasn't visible. Mariemeia was, however, sitting atop a huge ceramic pipe and watching him. "Hey. You're looking for him, aren't you?" She climbed down, pointed at the pipe and smiled before wandering away again.

Zechs stooped down and peered into the pipe. Wufei sat inside, looking miserable.

"I don't know if *all* of my legs will fit in here, but may I join you?" he said softly.

Wufei nodded, squishing himself over a little. "She told you I was here, didn't she? Busybody woman." It was only a half-hearted grumble, if that.

"Yeah, she's pretty tough when she likes someone," Zechs agreed as he sat down and then slid both arms around Wufei. "I'm sorry for what he said to you in there. Just... consider the source."

"I was just afraid that you would be hurt again. Are you all right?" Wufei asked him, laying his head against Zechs's shoulder.

"Yeah, I think I'm getting there," Zechs said, pulling Wufei closer. "My mom and I talked a little yesterday about me getting a counselor for a little while, and... I think it might be a good idea. What do you think?"

"I think that would really be great," the other boy told him, arms wrapping around his chest. "Especially if it would mean that you would feel better. I'd like that a lot."

Resting his head against Wufei's, Zechs stroked the dark, silky hair. "I'm willing to try anything right now," he said softly. "Anything for you..."

"Always," Wufei replied. "Always. I love you so much, Zechs. I want you to be happy. I want *us* to be happy.."

"Maybe we can be now," Zechs said. "Maybe..." He looked over at his lover. "He apologized to me."

Carefully, Wufei smiled at him. "Did that make you feel a little better?"

"No, it didn't. What made me feel better was telling him exactly how I felt about what he did..." Zechs stared at the opposite side of the pipe for a moment and then added, "He asked if we could be friends again... and I told him no."

The shaky sigh that Wufei gave said much. "I'm glad that you got to tell him. I'm glad..." Well, he was glad for a LOT. "I love you, Zechs," he whispered softly.

Slowly, Zechs turned his eyes to his lover. "I love you too," he whispered back. "Couldn't have made it through this if it wasn't for you...

He was silent for a moment, just staring at the other boy and then sighed and said, "So -- what are we going to do about Meiran...?"

"Well..." Wufei bit his lip. "I'd suggest all of us running away together, but you and I are still in school and underage. She'll be showing a lot by your birthday, Zechs..."

"Yeah... I want you to know I'll be with you and Meiran when you need to tell them. I'll tell them on my own if you want me to."

Shaking his head, Wufei sighed deeply. "No. No, *I* need to tell them, I simply don't know how or when or what they will do when they find out that we've deceived them. They may never speak to me again, and I don't know where we'd go, then... We intrude so much on your mother already..."

"She doesn't see it that way," Zechs told him. "She said the other night that she's really grateful she was able to do something for Meiran and Bao-Sheng." He smiled. "She's an active sort of person -- she hates it when there's nothing she can do."

"Then I suppose we should tell them... as soon as I turn eighteen. Can we wait until then, Zechs?" Wufei asked him, desperately sad. His father was never going to speak to him again, ever...

"We can wait until any time you and Meiran want to," the blond boy answered, pulling him into a hug. "And I'll be right by your side if you want me to be, whatever help that is."

Carefully, Wufei leaned up and pressed his lips to Zechs's. "Always," he whispered, feathering his fingers over the other boy's face. "Always, Zechs. Always."

~~~~~

It was the twenty-first of January.

The day of Chang Wufei's birth.

The day on which he was going to destroy his parents dreams for him forever.

That, he supposed, was the inevitable end of things, the way it must be. He loved Zechs, and he would do anything for him, and to be happy, that was what Zechs needed -- him, openly, the two of them. It was what Wufei wanted, too, but...

He was *so* nervous. So nervous...

Zechs turned away from the mirror, where he'd been brushing his hair and staring at his own slightly green face. "We're going to get through this, you know," he told his lover.

"If I don't die of a heart attack before we get there," Wufei sighed. "They're going to be so very disappointed in me."

"But it's only because they've been trained all their lives to expect something different," Zechs said softly, walking to where Wufei stood and sliding his arms around him. "They were taught that this was something bad -- that's what they'll be reacting to -- not you. You have to remember that... and I know that will be incredibly hard to do."

"Were you afraid that your mother... wouldn't love you anymore?" Wufei asked him, voice tiny. It was strange, because usually he sounded so confident about things!

"Yeah, for a time I was, and it was the hardest thing I had to do. But I also knew that she was my family and I couldn't lie to her." He tucked an errant lock of hair behind Wufei's ear and said softly, "They need to know who you are... and *you* need them to know, too."

"But what if they really *don't* love me anymore?" It was a question that had been on his mind for the longest time and he'd been too afraid to ask it. Now... he had to, before he said anything. Before it was too late, he had to know the worst possibilities and keep them firmly in mind.

"I think... I think you have to look at it like this," Zechs said quietly. "If the worst happens and they completely disown you, it will be because of that deep feeling they have toward you. You wouldn't get angry about something like this if you *didn't* love the person... and I don't think the love that parents have towards their children *ever* goes away -- even if they reject everything about that child. Maybe that doesn't help, but it's the way I think about it, and no matter what, you have me and my love for eternity."

Unable to help himself, Wufei gave Zechs the tiniest of smiles and leaned up on his toes, kissing him. "That'll be plenty, then," he told the other boy, taking in a deep breath. "I suppose we should all go now."

~~~~~

Wufei, Zechs, Meiran, and Bao-Sheng all walked quietly into the Italian restaurant at which they'd arranged to meet Wufei's parents. A modest-sized back room had been set aside for them with sliding doors that closed them off from the restaurant proper.

Tso-lin stood as they all filed in. He was staring at Zechs and frowning.

"Why is *he* here?" he growled to Wufei.

Taking a deep breath, Wufei waited for everyone to be seated. "There are things we need to talk about, Father. I wanted all of the appropriate people to be available when we did..."

HIs mother looked at him, eyes puzzled and concerned, but her husband's expression seemed to harden. "What could we possibly have to talk about with *him* here!" he said, nodding again towards Zechs, "and who is this stranger you bring to a family dinner?" This last was accompanied by a hand waved at Bao-Sheng.

Bao-Sheng simply looked at them with steady gaze as Wufei introduced him. "This is Cheung Bao-Sheng. He has known Meiran since they were children," he murmured. "Bao-Sheng, these are my parents."

The dark-haired man stood and bowed very deeply to Tso-lin and his wife before sitting down again next to Meiran.

"But why is he *here*? Tso-lin demanded to know. "And what is this thing we must speak of? Tell us now."

"Poppa, perhaps if we sat down..." Wufei began.

His father stared at him grimly for a long moment and then growled slightly again and sat down, arms crossed and face stern. "Tell me," he said with steel in his voice. "Now."

Taking a deep breath, Wufei fumbled slight for Zechs's hand as he sat down beside him. "Poppa..." He swallowed. "I'm sorry. I can't be what you want me to be. I am not. I cannot be. I..." He clenched his fingers tightly, glancing to his mother with fear and worry in his eyes. "I'm gay."

His parents sat, completely silent. Neither of them made a single movement, only stared at him, his mother's face bewildered, his father's shocked.

Finally, after a very long, uncomfortable silence, Tso-lin said quietly, "What did you say?"

"I'm homosexual," Wufei whispered miserably, afraid to look at him anymore, eyes dropping to the table.

His father's eyes darted to Meiran and then back to him. "You are a married man, with a pregnant wife. You are *not*... that way, no matter what *he* has told you!" Tso-lin's hand shot out and his finger stabbed the air, pointing at Zechs.

The rest of the table remained quiet as Wufei spoke again. "I am a married man with a wife who loves someone else, with whom I do not sleep, Poppa." He hated to shame Meiran that way, but oh, he had to make them understand! "With whom I have never, *would* never, because we do not love one another, and I am *not that way*!"

"[What??]" His father nearly spit the word. His eyes darted to Meiran. "[You have been sleeping with someone else other than my son, your *husband*??]"

Wufei's mother put her hands to her mouth and looked to Meiran, her eyes wide and staring. "[No...]"

"[It is *not* her fault,]" Wufei said quickly. "[It's my fault. I wed her because I didn't want you to hate me, because I didn't know what to do, and now, I have to tell you, because I don't want you to be even more hurt later as you would have been when you discovered that it could not be my child!]"

"[Oh no!]" his mother said, tears springing to her eyes. "[My grandbaby!]"

"[No!!]" his father said loudly, rising from his seat. "[This is all *your* fault!]" he shouted at Zechs, all but lunging across the table at him. "[You lured him into thinking this! He was a good boy --a good son!]"

Zechs looked to Wufei, shaking his head. "What's he saying? I can't understand."

"No!" Wufei cried, pressing an arm in front of Zechs. "*NO*! I am just this way. Can't you love me if I'm this way? It is NOT his fault. [It is NOT his fault!!!]"

"[You have a wonderful son!]" Meiran said suddenly. "[You think he should be only the way you want him to be, but you need to let him be the way he is, too!]"

"[You are his *wife*!]" Wufei's mother told her, both teary and extremely stern. "[You have not been acting like a wife? How could you do this to us?]"

"[Because they are not in love,]" Bao-Sheng said quietly. "[Because one can be dutiful only if one wishes to be miserable. Because being dutiful would have made many others miserable, as well.]"

"[I love him,]" Wufei said shakily. "I love him. I can't help that I am this way. I only am. Please..."

"[NO!!]" Tso-lin shouted. "[My son is *not* this way! *MY* son is married and has a wife who will have his child. Now *stop* this nonsense!!]"

"No, Poppa," the sadly murmured reply came. "No. No. I can't stop it, because it's all true. I'm sorry, Poppa..."

With a sudden movement that caught them all off guard, Wufei's mother stood and smacked him hard across the face. "[How could you *do* this to your father??]" she cried. "[You *wicked* boy!!]"

Zechs stood, pulling Wufei back away from them. "Don't you *dare* touch him like that again!"

"I'm sorry," Wufei said softly, tears welling up and spilling over. "I'm so, so sorry..."

"That's sufficient," Bao-Sheng told them all quietly. "Everyone sit down. This has gone far enough."

While Zechs was trying to comfort Wufei, Tso-lin turned on the younger Chinese man. "[You... who are *you* to tell me this? You have gotten another man's wife *pregnant*!]"

"[She was to have been MY wife before you offered to bring her here,]" Bao Sheng said coolly, "[set since we were children. Your son wished to make her happy, to see her be well. He has done that. He has been a good man, and yet you yell, you revile. Is it truly such a despicable thing?]" he asked, waving a hand to where Zechs was lightly cradling ice against Wufei's bruising cheek.

"[How dare you lecture me!]" Tso-lin countered, "[with you, yourself in absolute disgrace.]" His glance flickered to Zechs and Wufei and a wave of revulsion crossed his face. "[This *is* a shameful, despicable thing," he said, pointing to them. "[Totally shameful. I have lost a son today.]"

"Poppa, no!" Wufei cried, face turning white as his mother moved to stand beside his father. "No, *please*, no!"

Zechs looked at him in alarm. "Wufei...? Ah, God -- Wufei...?"

The look in Tso-lin's eyes said everything. They had gone suddenly cold and steely as he looked at his son. "[My dear son, Wufei, has died today. You are dead to me.]" He looked to his wife and said shortly, "[Come, let us both go home.]"

"Um, could you maybe hold it down?" a waiter asked timidly at the door only to be nearly knocked over as Wufei's parents left the room in a rush, leaving only the four young people behind. "Um..."

"No," Wufei managed to get out, arms wrapping around Zechs's neck as he began to weep silently. "No, no, no..."

The grief in Wufei's voice was evident and it pulled the tears from Zechs's eyes as his arms went around his lover. "Wufei... I'm so sorry... oh, God, I never meant it to be like this..."

"Wufei," Meiran said, crying silently and walking up to where the two boys stood. "I apologize for making this necessary..."

Bao-Sheng, too, moved forward, the waiter quietly shutting the door and leaving them alone. "Here," he said tenderly, handing Zechs one of the napkins. "Get him to blow his nose. We will wait until he feels better, then..."

"No," Wufei said hoarsely, shaking his head. "No. There's no feeling better." He sniffed hard. "Let's decide what we want to eat. This is the way things will be. That's that. That's all..." It would always be all.

His parents didn't love him after all...

"Are you sure you want to eat anything, sweetie?" Zechs asked, rubbing his back before turning to Meiran, who looked ready to collapse into a hug. "This can't be good for you," he whispered to her. "Would you and Bao-Sheng like to go back to the house? I can talk Wufei to my Mom's house for now..."

"No," Wufei said, shaking his head. "I don't know. We should... I don't know..." And he didn't, truly didn't. What was there to do or say?

"We should go and clear our things from the house, just in case," Bao-Sheng murmured. "All of us. It is your parent's house, is it not?"

"Yes," Zechs agreed, "we should. We don't want to anger them further... Wufei... are you all right, sweetie?"

"No." That was honesty, helpless, sad. "No, but I have you. I have you. I will be..."

~~~~~

Two weeks had passed since the scene at the restaurant. Wufei was staying with Zechs and Noin now, while Bao-Sheng and Meiran were getting the small house ready for sale. It had turned out that the title had been registered in Wufei's name, and his parents had made no moves to do anything about it.

Zechs had been patient with his lover's silence, holding him during the night and not pushing things during the day, but his willingness to give Wufei the space he needed to think things out was quickly disappearing.

It seemed, to both Zechs and his mother, that Wufei was not getting any better. So, one rainy Saturday morning near Valentine's Day, Zechs decided the time had come for them to talk.

Noin was out, with art supplies to pick up and a lunch date. Zechs roamed the house and finally found Wufei in the small, cozy den off of his mother's studio.

"Hey -- why are you in here all alone?" he asked, seeing Wufei huddled on the couch with the tv remote in his hand.

"Thinking," Wufei sighed, fingers flipping the television slowly past all of the news channels, not really paying any attention. "Just thinking..." He wasn't much more forthcoming, but then, he wasn't going to be. Not without a little pushing.

"Yeah?" Zechs said, sliding onto the sofa beside him. He grabbed a flannel throw from in back of them and then asked, "What are you thinking about?"

"Things, I guess," was the slow answer, those dark eyes still sightlessly staring at the television. "You?"

"Oh," Zechs said casually, "I'm thinking about you, mostly. I'm wondering what's going on in your head that you aren't talking to me about. I'm wondering what I can do to make you stop hurting..." He reached over and brushed a hand over Wufei's hair. "Just stuff like that."

With a sigh, Wufei allowed his head to tip over onto Zechs's shoulder, still looking at the television. "You want me to talk about it," he said softly, sighing again. "Don't you?"

"Well," the blond mused, "unless 'Sewing with Nannette' gets a bit more lively... *yes* I would. You've been silent about this for a long time now and I'm you lover -- I feel the right to know what's going on with you."

"I'd guess it's pretty obvious what's going on!" Wufei told him, not moving his head. "My father disowned me... he doesn't love me, and all because I love you. I don't understand why... I want to know *why*!! Why is it wrong, why does he not love me anymore! Can't he love me this way!? I guess I'm really not his son, then, if he can't. Have I always not been his son? I don't know..."

"Your parents were raised with very different beliefs, Wufei. That part of them is so well-ingrained they can't see past it -- to what they're doing to you." Zechs wrapped his arms around the smaller man and whispered fiercely, "I think he *does* love you. He loves you very much. He just can't bring himself to show it."

"Why..." It was shakily said, and the sight of tears welling up in those dark eyes seemed somehow terrible. "Oh, why, Zechs. Why..." His arms moved out, going around the other boy's shoulders as he began to shake, desperately trying *not* to cry.

"I wish I had the answer," Zechs said softly, "but I don't understand it well myself. I just know... they seemed to have a role planned out for you, and they had no idea what to do when you didn't fit that role." He lifted a hand to stroke through glossy black hair. "That doesn't mean they stopped loving you, though. They do, Wufei, and *I* do, too. I love you so *much*..."

"With all my heart," Wufei whispered to him shakily, hot, wet face pressed close to his throat. "I do. I'm sorry I've been such an ass, Zechs. Only... only..."

"Only you're hurting," Zechs murmured, "and it's hard to be the person you want to be when you're hurting. Just remember that I'm here and I'll be here, no matter what. No matter how much it hurts, I'll be here."

"Always?" Wufei whispered, sniffling.

"Always," Zechs said, brushing his thumb against Wufei's lips and then kissing him, a long, sweet press of lip to lip. "Never leave you... never..."

"Zechs..." The Chinese boy smiled slightly, a motion his lover could feel against his throat. "Let's go upstairs..." Upstairs to Zechs's room, *their* room, and perhaps...

Blond eyebrows rose slowly as Zechs pulled away and regarded his lover. "Upstairs?" he murmured. "Upstairs is nice... I like upstairs."

"Maybe we can..." Wufei began by way of suggestion, smiling at him tentatively. It had been a while; they'd been so *stressed* and so unhappy, both of them...

"Hmm, it's always a possibility," Zechs said back, looking at Wufei under his lashes. "If you're in the mood..."

"I think so," his lover answered, tilting his head to the side. "It's been a while, and...and you look so nice today. It's almost Valentine's Day, isn't it?" he asked, suddenly mortified. He hadn't even thought about it!!

End of Part Three

(:./kumiko/gb3)