The Grocery Boy by kumiko & tzigane

Part Two

Sundays were generally for working in the shop, but since Wufei now had a fiancee, things had changed a little. Now, instead of working in the store Sunday morning, he'd ended up bicycling over to Auntie Bao-Bao's to take Meiran to brunch so that they could 'get to know one another'. Luckily, Wufei's older cousin Wyn had a bike that was the perfect size for Meiran, so Auntie Bao-Bao had let her use it since Wyn had long since finished college and moved to New York to live.

"So," Wufei said, looking sidelong at her, feeling a tad guilty. He wasn't sure if he felt guilt because he was with Meiran and Zechs loved him or if he felt it because he had *been* with Zechs and he was supposed to be marrying Meiran! "Where would you like to go? There are a couple of fast-food places, but there's a little bagel shop just past the store, and we can stop in there afterwards..."

"What's a bagel?" Meiran said, looking puzzled.

"It's..." Wufei tried to think of how to describe it. "Tough dough. It's good," he said with a nod.

She shrugged. "That's okay then." Getting onto her bicycle, she added, "Lots of bikes in China. Even in Shanghai there are bikes everywhere. Have you been to China?"

"Never," Wufei told her as they headed along the street at an idle pace. "I've always been here. Poppa went back, a couple of years ago, but Momma and I stayed here."

"You should go," she said firmly. "It's strange to think of a Chinese person who's never been to China."

"Maybe one day," Wufei said. "For now, there's school and college and... things..."

"Marriage," she said, looking at him out of the corner of her eye. "I think you'll be better than real Chinese boys."

"Why do you say that?" he asked, turning bright red. "Am I not like other Chinese boys?"

"Oh, the ones in China usually don't listen to girls that much. Only once in a while you find a boy who likes listening." She stopped talking for a moment, a strange expression on her face, but then shook her head. "You don't seem like a big boss-around type."

Wufei shrugged slightly as they kept going. "I want to be a good son. That's about all. So, I guess I get bossed more than I do bossing. My parents are good to me, though, so I don't know..."

She looked over at him again. "How many children do you want?"

Wasn't that a strange thing to think about?? "I don't know," Wufei said. "I never thought about it before. I never thought about getting married before my parents said you were coming."

"Well, if you want a lot," she said, her nose slightly in the air, "you better be good in bed. My girlfriend Xiu Mei, back in China, she got married and told me her husband was horrible in bed."

"MEIRAN!!!" That was nearly squealed, Wufei's face turning so red it was a miracle he didn't explode or something. "Don't SAY things about that!" Ohh, he just *knew* he had a nosebleed coming on...!

"Why not?" she said, a frown on her face. "You have to go to bed with each other for children. I don't want to get stuck with someone who's no good!" She pedaled silently for a moment and then said, "Have you been with other girls in bed?"

"NO!" Wufei denied emphatically. /I'm going to DIE from this conversation!! Dead of a heart attack! Then, I won't have to choose anything!/ "No, I don't *do* that kind of thing!"

She looked at him suspiciously, "Kissing then?"

"I told you about that the other night!" Wufei told her, still flushed. "Only two people..."

"Two people? Am I one of them? Who's the other? Does she go to your school?"

Ohhh, that had been a slip of the tongue, and he flushed again. "No," he said. "I mean, yes, you're one of them, no, she doesn't go to my school." No way was he going to tell her it was Zechs! None!

They pedaled up to the small shop and Meiran got off of her bicycle, looking thoughtful. "Who is she?" she insisted stubbornly. "I'm going to be your wife. I have a right to know."

"It doesn't matter, Meiran," he told her firmly as he got off of his, as well, kicking down the stand. "It's not something you really need to know!"

"I'm going to find out, you know," she said simply, and then followed him into the shop. "Smells good at least," she said.

/Well,/ he decided, /if she finds out, I guess she'll just have to find out./ With a sigh, he shook his head. "What kind of flavors do you like, Meiran?" he asked her politely.

She screwed up her face and said, "Curry, shrimp, peanut, and chocolate."

"Okay..." Well, that would make things a little difficult, but maybe he could get half of a plain bagel with strawberry cream cheese for her and a chocolate muffin.... THAT seemed like a fairly good plan so that's what he did, ending up getting a blueberry bagel with pineapple cream cheese for himself and bottles of Fruitopia for both of them. "Where do you want to sit?" Wufei asked her.

She looked around the room and pointed to a booth by the window. "There. I like the sun. It's too cold here in America."

Wordlessly, Wufei moved in the direction she'd pointed and they seated themselves, the slim boy putting her plate in front of her and sliding the tray off to the side. "There. I think you'll like that. You can have a bite of mine if you want to try it," he offered.

She took a tentative bite and then nodded her head. "It's good," she said and the looked around the shop. "Americans all look so different from one another," she said. "Why is that?"

"They're from everywhere," Wufei told her. "They're not just one thing. Some of them are Chinese-French or English-Irish-German. It's like..." He paused, smiling with sudden humor. "[They're mutts!]"

A burst of laughter came from her, causing several of the people at the tables on either side of them to turn around and stare. She struggled gamely to over come the giggles that ensued and only managed to do it when her glance flickered over the shop's counter. Her eyes widened and she leaned in to whisper, "So, people like that? His hair is genuine?"

She was pointing discretely to a tall figure who stood at the counter, his back to them. He was slender, with long, well-muscled legs and broad shoulders and he had a shock of pale gold hair that fell nearly to his shoulder blades.

Zechs.

Wufei's face paled slightly, his eyes widening, and then he flushed a brilliant scarlet. "Yes," he said softly, wondering if Zechs would come over to them. He sort of hoped that he would, and he sort of hoped that he wouldn't! "I know him. It's really that color, and it's soft..." He sputtered to a stop and looked down at his hands.

Meiran looked at him oddly, then turned her gaze back to Zechs, who had just paid the counter person. He turned and happened to glance at the back of the shop, eyes flickering over them and then coming back for a double-take.

Wufei -- and...

His heart sank. /That must be her. Shit, what do I do now?/

His question was answered almost immediately as, astonishingly, he saw the girl smile and wave at him, beckoning him to the table. And like a hypnotized man, he walked slowly over to the two of them.

"Uh... hi," he said to her, not knowing in the least what to say. "Hi, Wufei."

"Hi, Zechs," was the response, shy and almost sweet, and Wufei's face was flushed so prettily! "Would you like to sit down? Oh... Meiran, this is my friend, Zechs. Zechs, this is... my fiancee, Meiran..."

It took every ounce of will that Zechs had not to flinch visibly at those words, but he managed to pull it off. "Nice to meet you, Meiran," he said, and she smiled up at him, gesturing for him to sit next to Wufei.

"Oh -- I... I don't want to disturb you two. I just came over to say hello."

"You sit," she said cheerfully. "I want to meet Wufei's friends."

Zechs gave the Chinese boy a look that said, 'I don't want to be here and I'm dreadfully sorry', and sat down, trying not to sit too close to Wufei.

"What have you got?" Wufei asked him almost shyly, peering over onto Zechs's tray.

"Sun dried tomato on onion," Zechs said. He looked over at Wufei's. "That looks... interesting.

Meiran, who apparently had decided it was finally time to tuck into her food, picked up her bagel and devoured it in less than two minutes, licking her fingers and smiling broadly when she was done.

Zechs looked once more at Wufei, and simply blinked.

"Ah...." Wufei said, smiling slowly. "It was okay, then?" Oh, that had actually been really cute, and the way she was smiling at both of them now and picking at the paper wrapped around her chocolate muffin was...

/Scary, actually..../ Wufei thought, picking up his own blueberry one.

"You and Wufei are friends for a long time?" she asked. "You're so different!"

Zechs had had his bagel halfway to his mouth when she asked and now lowered it and stole a sidelong glance at Wufei. /Don't leave me to talk to her alone! Say something!!/

"A couple of months, really," Zechs said, "not too long. We... we both like Japanese comic books," he finished quickly, as if that explained why the two of them would ever like each other.

"And Zechs is really nice," Wufei added. "[He came up to me at lunch one day to say hello, and I was new. It's been...]" He flushed a little. "[It's been a very good friendship.]" His hand surreptitiously brushed against Zechs's leg below the table, unable to help himself. "So that's why. He was nice when other people weren't, really...."

The tall blond felt his cheeks redden at the unexpected touch. And why were they suddenly talking in Chinese? What was he telling her? 'Yeah, he's a queer and he's totally an outcast so I thought I'd be nice to him.' Is that what he'd said??

"Our school is hard for new people to fit into!" he managed to get out, all in a rush. /Jesus, do I look as stupid as I *sound*??/

"Ahh," Meiran returned. "He says you have a very good friendship. That's good!" she decided, peeling the paper off of her fat chocolate muffin. "I have..." A pause sounded. "I had very good friendships, as well."

"There will be others, maybe, soon," Wufei offered.

She didn't say anything, just stared at the muffin before devouring it in a couple of quick swallows. "May I have more?" she asked Wufei.

Zechs's bagel, which he had once more lifted to his lips, had been suspended again, while he watched the incredible efficiency with which the Chinese girl ate. When the entire thing had disappeared in seconds, he put it down again and silently wondered just what kind of opponent he was up against.

"I'll get you one," Wufei said, motioning to Zechs to slide out so that he could go and fetch another of the chocolate muffins. Meiran was a strange girl, indeed, but the more he thought about it, the more he *liked* her. Not the same way he liked Zechs, but....

That left she and Zechs, looking at each other across the smooth wooden tabletop. Unable to come up with a single worthwhile thing to say, Zechs came out with the cliched, "So, how do like America?" /Wufei, get back here this minute!!/

"It's a strange place," Meiran said decisively. "Everyone looks so different. When I first saw you, I asked Wufei if hair could really be the color yours is. He said that it was real, and soft. You must have a very good friendship, for him to say this."

Zechs didn't think it was possible to become more embarrassed than he already was, but it was. Wondering why on earth Wufei had told her his *hair* was soft, Zechs could only look at her and stammer, "Y-Yes... we're... very good friends... although I have to admit I was surprised when he said, well... that he was getting married."

"He did not know. It is strange to you, is it not? This marriage arrangement. Americans don't arrange marriages for their children," she said, looking at him with a smile.

"No, not usually -- well, hardly ever. It's strange to think about... such an important decision being made for you by someone else." He finally took a bite of his bagel and chewed for a moment, watching her. "Do *you* want this?" he finally asked. "Do you want to get married?"

For a moment, she only looked at him, and then she smiled again. "You know, you are the only person who has asked me that," she told him. "I suppose I expected it. Expecting it isn't the same as wanting it, though, no?"

No," he said, staring at her. "No, it isn't..." His eyes flickered to Wufei, still up at the counter. "Do you love him?" he asked simply, looking back to her.

"No," Meiran replied sadly. "These things, they come, though. With time. He will be a good husband, not like most men. He listens, and he seems very sweet."

Wufei was coming back now and Zechs only had a moment. "If you don't love him, you shouldn't marry him!" he whispered fiercely to her. "He deserves better than that!"

"Everyone does," she told him solemnly before Wufei stepped closer.

"I got you two," the Chinese boy said. "You seemed to like them a lot, so maybe we can share one or you can take one home with you?" he suggested as Zechs rose to let him back into the booth, where he promptly took a bite of his own bagel.

"I should go," Zechs murmured, remaining standing and looking down at the two of them. "I guess I'll see you at school tomorrow, Wufei and..." He looked once more at his friend's fiancee, feeling a profound sense of defeat. "Nice to meet you, Meiran."

"Perhaps we will see one another again," the girl told him, smiling at him.

"I'll see you tomorrow...." Wufei replied, tilting his head to the side. "At lunch..."

"Yeah," Zechs said, "see you." The he turned and walked away, wanting only to go home and hide under the covers of his bed.

Meiran watched him go. "He's a very strange boy, but I think I like him."

"I like him, too," Wufei told her, expression sad as he watched Zechs go. /I'm sorry, Zechs./ For what, he wasn't even sure, only he *was*...

"I don't think he wants you to get married," she said, peeling another muffin.

"Why do you say that?" he asked her, tilting his head to the side.

"Because he asked me if I loved you and he said I shouldn't marry you if I didn't. He seems very..." She seemed to hunt for a word and then continued, "He wants to protect you, I think."

What could he say to that? 'He loves me' wouldn't be appropriate to tell your fiancee, and he thought if he tried to say it, he'd stutter and blush. "Yes," he finally said simply, and sighed.

"Will I meet him again?" she asked.

"Maybe," Wufei answered. "I think..." He sighed slightly and then shrugged. "[I think you make him sad, Meiran.]"

She looked at him in surprise. "[What did *I* do??]" she said.

"[He doesn't think I should get married. He thinks I should make my own choices. He doesn't understand... what it is... I mean, he doesn't understand why this would be something I would accept...]"

"[Well, he wasn't raised the way we were,]" she said. Then, after a moment, she asked, "[Do I make you sad, too?]"

After a moment's thought, Wufei shook his head. "[No,]" he finally decided. "[You seem nice. You aren't a problem. The situation is an unusual one, though. I feel strange about it. I think maybe anyone would. Don't you?]"

"[I always knew this would happen and... well. I always knew, so it's different. But you didn't know, did you?]"

Wufei shook his head, chewing thoughtfully on another bite of bagel. "[I never really thought about it before. I've always been here, and people don't arrange marriages here, so...]"

"[I wonder what that would be like?]" she said, after polishing off her muffin neatly. "[What would you choose, if you could?]"

"[I don't know,]" Wufei said honestly. "[I've never met a girl I really liked before, so.]"

"[Too bad -- I wanted to meet some of your girlfriends,]" she said, pushing the last muffin towards him. "[They could have told me all about you and what you like.]"

That brought a slight flush to his face. "[I like chemistry, and pork buns!]" he told her, smiling a little. "[And manga.]" /And Zechs.../ Oh, that was a strange thought, and he wasn't going to consider just what it meant while he was with Meiran! He *did* like Zechs, though....

She laughed at him. "[No, no -- not those kinds of things! Things a *girlfriend* would know...]" This was punctuated by a brief fit of giggles.

"[Like what?]" he asked her, tilting his head to the side. "[What would a girlfriend know that Zechs wouldn't?]"

"[Like... what to do to make you blush, or even... what kind of kisses you like. Those kinds of things. But since you never had a girlfriend, I guess you don't know yet.]"

THAT made Wufei blush! Who needed to know that kind of stuff, anyway?! Well, Zechs knew that, but he couldn't very well tell Meiran that... "[American girlfriends wouldn't tell you that kind of thing, anyway. They get bitter and angry when a relationship ends and stay that way. And they get *really* bitter when they can't have what they want...]" Like that nosy gossiping bitch who had wanted Zechs...

"[Oh, I've met girls like that,]" Meiran said, nodding sagely. "[We have them in China, too. It always seemed strange to me. If a boy doesn't love you, what can you do?]"

"[I don't know,]" Wufei replied, shrugging. "[Nothing, I guess. So, there's no need to be hateful about it.]"

"[Maybe it's good you have no girlfriend,]" Meiran said. "[Just a friend who doesn't want me to be here.]"

"[Zechs is different,]" he said solemnly. "[Zechs is...]" /...in love with me.../ But he couldn't say that!

She smiled at him. "[Zechs is Zechs. You should tell him that I like him. Okay?]"

That earned her a smile in return, and a strange wash of relief flooded through him. "[I'll tell him that. I'm glad, Meiran.]"

Yes... he was very, very glad...

Monday came and, to Wufei's surprise, a group of stunningly pretty girls were standing in front of his locker, blocking his ability to get to it.

One of them was Nicole.

"Morning, brat. We're here to talk to you."

"What do *you* want?" Wufei asked in a heavy sigh. "You're the most annoying girl I've ever met!"

"YOU're just lucky she's trying to *help* you. For a boy so smart, you're really stupid," a plump redhead snapped at him.

"I wanted to let you know that some people here at school are getting suspicious of you. If you're not careful, you're going to be in deep shit."

"Do I look like I care for public opinion?" Wufei asked bluntly. "What I do or don't do is none of your business!"

"Well," the dark-haired girl to Nicole's left said with a frown, "it most certainly *is*! There are things you just don't *do*, like be friends with..." She glanced up and down the hall before whispering fiercely, "*QUEER* people!"

"Trust me," Nicole said, "you *don't* want to be on the receiving end of the punishment our guys can dish out." She said it just like that, 'our guys', as if the boys she knew were a posse she and her friends had appointed. "If they start thinking you're queer too, *I* can't be held responsible for your safety."

The sudden ice-cold anger that washed over him was filled with righteous fury. "You gossip-mongering hateful nasty abhorrent *BITCH*," he spat out. "I *will* not have my friendships, likes or dislikes dictated to me by such a petty, vicious, malignant blight on humanity such as *YOU*, ~or~ your little *friends*!" he told her, sheer rage washing over him for what was, perhaps, the first time in his life. "Get away from me, and don't you *dare* come near me again. I've had enough! If you continue your harassment, I'm going to report you!" To whom, he didn't know, but he'd *FIND* someone!

"Yeah, get away from him. He's too strong, you can't jerk him around like you can everyone else. Now move away from his locker."

Zechs was standing behind Wufei, glaring at the three girls. He hadn't heard much of the conversation, but he could easily guess what it was about.

"Just you watch out, *Zechs*," the plump redhead told him. "This can get nasty, you know!"

"You're the only nasty things here," the blond said, taking a step towards them. "Now move away from that locker or I'll move you myself."

With a little gasp, the dark-haired girl and the redhead both moved backwards, but Nicole didn't move an inch. "I'm warning you, Zechs, if you touch me, Aaron will do more than kick *your* ass, he'll kick your little boyfriend's, too!"

"I would most sincerely like to see him try," Wufei snapped at her. He didn't like fighting, but he'd been trained in martial arts at an early age. He wasn't afraid of fighting, if it became necessary.

Zechs brushed past Wufei until he stood just inches from Nicole. "Tell him this -- from me. Wufei not only isn't my 'boyfriend', he's already got a fiancee and will get married to her when he's out of college. Now, you or Aaron got a problem with people being gay? You come to talk to me about it. Wufei's not gay, so leave him the fuck alone."

The girl flipped blond locks of hair back over his shoulder and raised a single eyebrow. "I'm sure you'd say anything to protect your little *friend* that you had to," she said coolly, "but I'll be *sure* to let Aaron know *all* about this." That said, she turned and stormed away, the other two girls following behind her.

"That... Hateful... BITCH!" Wufei snarled angrily, fists clenching.

Zechs felt a surge of weariness, the same on he always got after confrontations at school. The fact that he went through them on daily basis hadn't ever really dulled that sense of hyper-vigilance they caused in him, and a couple of times his very survival had actually depended on that strong wariness.

"It must be getting really boring in Nicole's clique -- having to pick on people like you." He looked over at the Chinese boy, who was seething beside him. "You have to let it roll off of you. Half of what they're doing is just trying to get a rise."

"Someone should do something about her. Her parents should have taken their hands to her more often!" Wufei insisted angrily.

"Her parents are exactly the same way," Zechs said. "They tried to get me kicked out of school, you know."

Wufei shook his head. "I'm sorry that there are people like that in the world," he said, biting his lip. "It doesn't seem right, at all."

"Well, obviously I'm still here, so they didn't get what they wanted."

"Still," Wufei said, sighing. He decided to change the subject. "Meiran liked you very much, yesterday."

Zechs's cheeks reddened. "She did? I... well I was afraid I might have offended her."

"Oh, by being worried about the marriage? No." Wufei paused for a moment, before saying, "She likes it that you feel protective of me. And she likes you. She told me to tell you so."

"Thanks, I guess," Zechs said, not knowing whether to be pleased or not.

"It's a compliment," came the assurance. "I like her. I just don't... *LIKE* her." He sighed. "This is all very strange..."

Zechs sighed and walked over to his own locker, across the hallway. "It *is* strange, he said, "especially since you seem determined to go through with it."

Shrugging, Wufei said, "It's at least another five years, Zechs. I don't know. We'll see." He hadn't even thought of saying no.... but....

Zechs left his fourth period class and headed towards his locker. Lunch times had become bittersweet for him, getting to see Wufei, but constantly reminded of the other boy's engaged status. Part of him wanted to give up, to tell Wufei he couldn't do it anymore, but that was only a small voice in the midst of a chorus that shouted differently.

He was ten feet away from his locker when he saw the writing. The paint was bright red, and freshly sprayed, and even from this distance he could read the words: DEATH TO FAGGOTS.

He stood silently for a moment, as students passed him on either side, most glancing his way but none saying a word. /Well, at least I had two months of peace,/ he thought to himself.

"Zechs...?" Wufei stopped, reading the red writing, face turning pale. "Oh... God..."

"I'd like to say I'm used to it," the tall blond said softly, "but it never gets any better." He sighed and walked over to his locker, dialing the combination on the metal lock. "Lucky I keep paint thinner in here --don't tell the principal."

"Wouldn't dream of it," Wufei muttered. "What total fucking morons." Even as he said the words, heat bloomed in his face. It was probably the first time in his life he'd said that word, but it applied so well!!

Zechs turned to him, eyebrows raised. "Did I hear you say what I think you said?" he murmured. "It doesn't suit you very well."

He pulled out a cloth from a small bag in his locker and doused it surreptitiously with fluid from a brown bottle. The he closed the locker door and began scrubbing at the paint. It came off fairly easily.

"This is just the beginning," he said grimly. "They'll try something worse soon. That's why I don't want you to get involved."

Those large black eyes narrowed slowly. "I don't like using words like that, but it applies," he answered grimly, watching his friend... no, more than a friend, really. "Define 'worse', Zechs."

"Maybe something in the locker room," the blond boy said, wiping the last of the paint off the metal door. "Last year they did a mock rape. Principal gave them a slap on the wrist and two weeks later they did it again. I didn't even bother reporting it the second time."

"We'll have to be careful, then," Wufei said slowly. "I would like for you to stick with me whenever you can." Wufei, after all, knew martial arts. That would be of quite a lot of help, so long as there weren't more than one or two of them. If there were more... Well. He knew Zechs could run at least as well as he could... "Have you got gym this semester?"

"Of course," Zechs said, lifting his backpack to his shoulder. "Can't get out of that until senior year." He looked down at Wufei. "Look, I appreciate the offer to help, but... well, I think I can take care of myself. That stuff last year was before my growth spurt. No, it's *you* I'm worried about. I don't want anything to happen to you just for being friends with me."

"I *WILL* not abandon you!" Wufei informed him sharply. "You are my friend and there is *NO* way some group of cowards who are too afraid to meet one-on-one or even face-to-face will be capable of changing that!!"

Zechs simply stared at him for a moment and then said softly, "Thanks. I really appreciate it... but you should at least let them know... well, let them know you're engaged. That'll go a long way towards keeping them away from you."

Wufei shook his head. "That is none of their business! Harassing someone for their likes or dislikes is the act of a childish pathetic bunch of losers!!" he told Zechs firmly. "I am right in this matter. THEY are wrong. They will NOT dictate to me what I will and will not do."

"God *damn* it, Wufei!" Zechs said, raising his voice suddenly. "*Listen* to me! This isn't the time for arguing about who's right and who's wrong! They could *hurt* you! They have a track record of not caring how far they go, and I *don't* want what happened to me to happen to you!" He was panting by the end of it, turned away from Wufei and facing the lockers, near tears.

Silence met that request momentarily. "*WHAT* happened to you?" Wufei asked him, voice a hard, angry little thing. "Tell me who did it, and I *will* punish them," he said grimly. "Zechs. I want you to understand. I won't give you up! I won't. Not for anything, and certainly not for stupidity like this!" He gestured towards the rag Zechs had used to clean off those hateful words. "I won't."

"I'd rather have you stop being with me than..." He shook his head and opened his locker again, taking out his skates. As he put them on, he spoke, sounding as if he was fighting not to cry. "Please promise me you'll let some people know -- about Meiran I mean. Believe me, if you've got a girlfriend, they'll leave you alone."

At last he stood, still not able to look Wufei in the eye. "I'm not very hungry. I'm going to go for a skate -- somewhere away from school. I'll see you later."

"Zechs..." Wufei sighed. "I'll tell them. I don't think it will make any difference, though. And I can protect myself. Really, I can. You shouldn't worry about that."

"That's what people do when they're in love," Zechs whispered, then kicked off and disappeared around the corner of the hallway.

From behind Wufei came a deep voice. "Did the faggot get the hint?" He turned to see a tall boy with dark, wavy hair.

Spine stiffening, Wufei turned and glared darts at the other boy. "Get the hint about *what*, you coward?"

"Coward? Why am I a coward?" the boy said. "He's the one who's running away."

"YOU are the one who is too much of a spineless cretin to show your face to him and must instead paint slander on his locker to humiliate a proud and very nice person," Wufei said coldly. "These are not the actions of a brave man."

The boy's face darkened and he took a step towards Wufei. "So how brave are you?" he said. "Are you his boyfriend? Gonna admit it? Or are you straight?"

"I'm engaged," Wufei answered, voice hard, because Zechs wanted him to. "But one way or the other, I'm his friend, and no craven filth such as you will change that, no matter how much you might like to do so."

The angry words seemed to wash over the other boy like light raindrops, barely touching him. He only picked out the words he wanted to hear.

"Engaged, huh? Well I guess we don't have to worry about you. We can concentrate on the real faggot. Just don't get too close to him. You wouldn't want to be collateral damage, would you?"

He turned and called back over his shoulder. "If you see the queer tell him Aaron's going to catch up to him soon -- no matter how fast he runs away."

"Tzow ni ma der!!^[1]" Wufei spat out, too furious to think of the English phrase for a moment, teeth grinding together. "Coward! *YOU* will not choose my friends for me!!"

"Maybe I won't," Aaron called as he walked away. "Maybe you'll make the same choice all by yourself..." Then he, too, was gone and Wufei was alone in locker hallway.

"Bastard," Wufei whispered to himself, impotently angry. "You complete bastard..."

Zechs had skated most of the afternoon, missing all of his classes, and covering miles of pavement. He had stopped at a gas station to buy a bottle of water when, to his great dismay, he'd found he'd left both his chemistry and English books at school. It was dusk, and he knew they closed the school grounds after dark, so he gulped some water and took off towards the campus, hoping he'd make it in time.

When he arrived it was deep twilight, and the hallway where his locker stood was heavily shadowed. He coasted to a stop in front of it, a brief spasm of guilt passing through him when he thought of his last conversation with Wufei. He had just opened the locker door when he heard a sound further down the hall.

It was the sound of footsteps -- more than one set. That seriously wasn't good.

"So, queer boy. I see you've come back," a voice said lightly. "You really *are* stupid sometimes."

Instinctively, Zechs dropped his backpack, knowing it would be a liability if they wanted to fight. It wasn't inevitable though, was it? Maybe they just wanted to tell him off -- maybe...

"Look, Aaron," he said, trying to keep his voice calm, "I don't want to fight with you. I'm just getting my books, so tell your buddies to back off."

"Mmmm, I don't think so," the dark-headed boy said with a sigh, shaking his head slowly. "Justin and Richard came to see me teach you a lesson, so I guess they're just going to have to stay. Goddammit, Zechs!" Angrily, Aaron slammed a fist into the locker next to Zechs's. "You fucking idiot. How *dare* you be my friend and be fucking queer!"

"We *were* friends," Zechs said, "and before you knew it didn't seem to make any difference. Did I ever make a pass at you? Or look at you funny? Nothing like that ever happened. You and I were just friends. It didn't have to change..."

As words trailed off, he felt his mouth go dry at the sound of two more boys coming up the hallway behind him.

"Maybe. Maybe not. One way or the other, though, I'm gonna hafta teach you a lesson." Aaron sighed as the four other boys circled them. "I didn't wanna have to do this, Zechs. You could've taken it back. You could've stopped being fucking queer, and now I've got to teach you it's wrong..."

"The only thing wrong is thinking that you can intimidate people into being what you want them to be," Zechs said. His heart was pounding, brain working frantically to find a way he could get away from five of them.

/Stupid idiot! You should have left the fucking books! What were you thinking coming back here at this time of day! Everyone will have gone home.../

He backed up a step and felt a hand clamp over his mouth.

"I'm really sorry about this, Zechs," Aaron said as the others moved forward, pinning struggling arms to his side. "I didn't want to have to hurt you... but you've gotta learn...

"It's wrong...."

/No! God, I can't let them do this! I'll have two black eyes and everyone will no who did it and... NO!!!/

HIs arms were pinned , but his feet were still free and Zechs gave a hard kick backwards with his skate, feeling the bottom of it connect with one of the boys' kneecaps and hearing the satisfying yelp of pain that resulted. For a moment his right arm was dropped and he tried to swing his fist at the second boy, but another came from the front and grabbed his hair, giving it a vicious tug.

"Looks like he doesn't want to take his punishment, Aaron," the boy said blandly.

Wordlessly, Aaron reached forward and slapped him -- an open-palmed smack more fit for a woman, stinging on a high cheekbone, insulting him. "Stop fighting," he was told sternly. "Take your lesson like a goddamned man!"

It was only then that Zechs felt them tugging at the button fly of his jeans, and felt the buttons giving way.

/Dear god... what are they going to do? Cut me? Castrate me? Gotta get away from them!! Oh, *god*, no!!/

His skates, good for his first few kicks, were now working against him. They were heavy, weighing his legs down and tiring him and the hands of the other boys felt like vice grips. He tried with everything he had to yell, in the hopes that a janitor or a late-working teacher might hear him, but the hand over his mouth was suffocating in its coverage.

"I really *am* sorry," Aaron said, though he didn't sound like he was, "'cause this is gross, and I didn't want to have to do it, but maybe it'll let you know that this is wrong. Maybe you'll go straight again..."

"After all," another boy said, "this is the kind of thing he thinks he likes."

The other boys muttered responses about how sick it was and how no one would want it after actually getting it. Zechs couldn't quite believe what he was hearing. Surely they couldn't be talking about... /Aaron hates me, but we were friends once. He'd never do something like that to me... not Aaron.../

Suddenly he felt cool night air on his skin and panicked, giving a sharp bite to the hand that covered his mouth.

"Ow! Shit! The little cocksucker *bit* me!"

That earned him another slap from Aaron, this one firmer, more force given behind it as the other two took Zechs's legs out from under him. "Don't be a pussy, Zechs. Take it like a fucking man," he muttered, the clear sound of a zipper coming down sounding audibly in the silent air.

"NO!!!" Zechs screamed, temporarily free of the hand. "Get the fuck away from me!!" The hand was immediately clamped back over his mouth and felt like he couldn't breathe. There were hands on him -- hands over every inch of him, ripping at his clothing, pressing him down to the cold cement of the hallway floor.

"Just be a fucking *man* about it!" Aaron yelled at him, dropping down between his thighs. "Shift him up or something. Stop all of your goddamned squirming!" Again, that hand shifted out, slapping him, and then it came back again, backhanding him. "I said quit fuckin' SQUIRMING!"

He was trying to kick out at Aaron but the skates felt like lead on his feet and kept getting tangled in the arms and legs of the boys who were holding him down.

"You really gonna do it, Aaron?" one of the boys said, voice low and breathy.

"Just fucking hold him," Aaron said, hand working his cock. "Jesus, this is next to fucking impossible. Should've brought Nicole to look at..."

"He's pretty enough to be her," Justin laughed. "Hey, queer boy, you squirming 'cause you want it?"

"Shut up!" Aaron yelled. "He doesn't goddamn like it, okay? He's not really fucking queer, he just needs somebody to show him it's not all right, so you fucking hold him!" That said, he lunged forward, searching for the tiny hole hidden between the globes of Zechs's golden ass.

The dull head of his cock hit Zechs's balls and Zechs gave a hard wrench to one side. /No no no no no... he can't be doing this! Not this! Oh, god, Aaron, not *this*!!/

"I don't know, Aaron, I think he's getting into this," a voice to his left said.

"Shut up," Aaron growled again, shifting once more, and *this* time, he managed to meet his goal.

Searing pain flashed through Zechs's body and behind the bulky hand of the boy who kept him silent, he let out a long scream. Aaron's cock was thick, penetrating him with a fierceness that brought tears to his eyes, though he tried to fight them back. He was shaking his head violently now, instinctively denying what was going on, even as it *went* on.

"Unh.... See? It's not right. It's not *right*, Zechs!" Aaron told him, pulling all the way out to push in again. "God didn't make men to fuck like this! You see now? Huh!? You see!?"

"Aw, fuck, man, I think the guy's bleeding," Richard said nervously.

The pain was becoming a palpable thing, something that glowed in him like fire and Zechs fought back a wave of sickness. He wanted so much to lash out at one of them, to scream or bite or kick hard and feel it hurt the other boys, but he was literally pinned to the ground by the pounding of Aaron's cock inside of him. Minutes went by and he finally lost his battle not to cry, feeling his tears cool on his cheeks and running down his silencer's hands.

"You see?" Aaron grunted in his ear. "You see, Zechs!? Huh!? Do you fucking... Unhhhh!!!!"

Even as Aaron came, the others were letting him go. "Shit, man," Justin muttered. "He really IS bleeding..."

He'd never felt sicker than he did when that hot liquid spilled inside of him. He was weeping now, face hot and wet as the boy who'd gagged him pulled his hand away. There were whispers on either side of him now, and he could feel Aaron growing soft deep inside of him.

But he couldn't move. It was if he were still being held down, his body felt so heavy... heavy and wrapped in cloud of pain that was threatening to bring on a faint.

"Let's leave him here," Aaron said hoarsely, standing up and stuffing himself back into his underwear, buttoning his jeans quickly. "Shit..."

"Maybe we should call somebody," one of the others said tentatively. "I mean, he's really bleeding, Aaron..."

/Someone help me... it hurts... it shouldn't hurt this badly, should it? Something's wrong.../

The boys above him were fading in and out of his sight and another wave of nausea struck Zechs. The last thing he heard was the voice of a boy to his left, snorting and saying softly, "Well you sure taught him a lesson..."

"Yeah," Aaron said softly, unable to resist a glance backward as they went. "Yeah, I did..."

~/"911, what is your emergency?"/~

For a second, Aaron debated it -- REALLY debated it. "Um, I think somebody's been attacked," he said softly. "Like, raped and stuff."

~/"What's your name?/~

"I don't have a name, okay! Just, you need to go see about him. It's at Noventa High, on, um, on Pine Avenue. Um, 1400-something. Pine Avenue. You got that?"

~/"Sir, are you sure?"/~

"Look, I saw the guy!" Aaron yelled into the payphone, shaking his head. "Just go and check it out, okay? Please? I think I saw blood! Please?"

~/"Someone is heading to that location right now. Where are you?"/~

The phone met the cradle gently, Aaron's hand coming up to rub at his face. /Shit. Shit. I didn't mean to hurt him that bad.../

It had taken twenty-five minutes to find Zechs. Two police officers and two paramedics had combed the campus before coming upon him, crumpled in the hallway where the boys had left him. He was half naked, his skates, jeans, and underwear scattered around him, and lying unconscious in small pool of blood. The paramedics tried their best to staunch it and loaded him into an ambulance while the police searched the school grounds, but there was no sign of Zechs's attackers.

Once at the hospital, Zechs's backpack was searched and Noin was called.

"My baby," Noin whispered to herself as she held onto the phone. "I'll be right there!"

Trembling hand slammed down the receiver, snatched up keys, and she was off. /Fifteen minutes to the hospital.../

She made it in ten.

"I'm Noin Marquise," she told the woman at the front desk of the Emergency Room when she arrived, having parked haphazardly and run the rest of the way in. "My son, someone called, he was late coming home, but..."

"Yes, ma'am," the ER nurse said, in that strangely calm way that trauma workers have. "Let me get the doctor for you."

She disappeared from the desk for a moment and then had Noin step back into the ER proper where a white-coated woman was waiting.

"Mrs. Marquise? I'm Dr. Krug. You're son was brought in about twenty minutes ago. Apparently he was attacked at school. He lost a lot of blood, but we're getting him stabilized and he's in fair condition."

"Oh, God..." Her hands were shaking violently as she brought them up to her face. "He's... my poor baby! Can I see him?"

"Yes, of course," the doctor said, as they began walking toward a curtained room. "But there is one thing I need to tell you. The attack... it was sexual in nature. The hemorrhaging was fairly heavy from his rectum and we're going to have to patch him up down there."

She pulled the curtain aside just wide enough for them to pass through and then twitched it closed again.

"Sweetheart," Noin whispered, trying not to appear horrified. One of his cheeks was badly bruised, finger-length stains on them, and he was perfectly white, swathed in a hospital gown with little blue dots on it. "My baby, your mommy is here," she murmured, moving close to him.

Zechs's eyes opened when he heard her voice. He smiled wanly and murmured, "Hey, Mom... 'm sorry to worry you..."

Behind them, Dr. Krug was telling one of the nurses to get a surgical kit and a rape kit.

"Oh, no, baby," Noin told him, stroking his face lightly. "You never worry your mommy. You're my best boy. I want you to get better, though, you understand? The doctors are going to take care of you, and I'll be right here. I'm not going anywhere. Okay?"

"Okay," he said tiredly. "Think they gave me something... feel a little sleepy..."

"Just a couple of minutes, Mrs. Marquise. Then we need to get in there," the doctor was saying as she snapped on surgical gloves.

"It's Ms. Marquise," Noin noted absently. "All right." She remained with Zechs as his pale lashes fluttered down onto his cheeks and then lightly kissed his forehead. "I'll be back as soon as they let me, sweetheart. You be sweet. Mommy will come back soon..."

Zechs murmured something incoherent as the doctor and two nurse attendants moved in.

As Noin came out from behind the room's curtains, a police officer was waiting for her.

"Ms. Marquise? May I have a word with you?" he said, looking grim.

"Of course. Anything," she replied, mouth trembling. "Can you tell me what happened? I mean..."

"Your son was attacked in a hallway on the Noventa campus," the officer said in a flat voice. "From the bruises on his body it appears there were multiple assailants and that he was held down for the attack. We'll need the results of the rape kit to know whether he was penetrated by more than one person, though, or if a foreign object was used instead." He took out a notebook and pen and looked at her keenly. "Can you tell me if your son had enemies, Ms. Marquise?"

Noin's violet eyes welled with tears. "My son is gay, officer. His enemies are faceless and countless and his friends are few. It could have been anyone...."

The officer seemed embarrassed by the news and busied himself with making notes. "Has he been having any particular trouble lately? Certain classmates, perhaps? He claims that he doesn't know who attacked him, so any information you can give us would be very helpful."

"His ex-best friend, Aaron Rood, and a few of his friends have been known to rough him up. I don't know their names, but there are probably reports of it on file at school. I've had to go and pick him up a few times because they started a fight with him. Other than that..." Noin shook her head. "Some girls have been harassing him and one of his new friends lately...."

"If I could the names of those girls, and the name of the friend," the officer said, scribbling frantically, "then I'll be done here, Ms. Marquise."

From behind the curtain there was a long, low moan of pain.

"Oh, God, my baby," she whispered, rubbing a hand across her eyes. "I don't know the names of the girls, but his friend might. Chang Wufei. He goes to school at Noventa, he's in the same grade..."

"Wu...fei... right," the officer said, snapping the notebook shut. "Thank you for your time ma'am. One of our detectives will no doubt be calling you tomorrow." He touched the brim of his cap and walked away, heading to a quiet corner where he could use his police radio.

"NO!!" came a stifled scream from behind the curtain. "No, please don't!!"

There was no question of what Noin would do -- she was a mother, so she did what any other mother would have done. She marched straight into the room to find out what was going on! "Zechs!? Baby!?"

"Zechs?" the doctor was saying. "Zechs? I know this hurts but you have to hold still for me, all right? We're almost done."

"I don't want anything else inside," Zechs whimpered. "Please, it hurts so much..."

The nurse looked up at Noin and said quietly, "Mom? Perhaps you can hold his hand while the doctor's finishing the rape kit. It's very important that we get it done and done correctly and it's difficult while he's moving."

Zechs was indeed moving, squirming painfully away from the doctor and the probe she was using.

"Please... please no more," he was saying, shaking his head back and forth on the pillow, words almost slurred because of the pain medication. He looked up at her, eyes pleading. "Mom...? No more..."

"Shhhh," Noin whispered, taking his face in her hands. "Hush, hush, it will all be over in just a minute, sweetheart. It will all be over. I'm here. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry, baby. Shhhhhh." She leaned over the gurney, holding him close, petting him as he sobbed against her. "My poor baby. Shhhh."

It was another minute or so and then the doctor slid her stool back from the table and stood up, stripping off bloody gloves and tossing them into a disposal can. She gave Noin some instructions and then left to file a report for the police.

The nurse had been cleaning Zechs off and now put a fresh warmed blanket over him. "We'd like to keep him for another hour or so," she told Noin, "just to make sure there aren't any complications from the loss of blood. Are you going to stay here with him?"

"Of course," Noin whispered, pulling up a small stool and sitting down beside Zechs, still clasping his hand. "Of course I'm going to stay with my baby..."

"I'll come and check on him in a little while, then," the nurse promised, walking out and leaving Noin and Zechs alone.

"My poor baby," Noin murmured, smoothing hair back out of Zechs's face as his lashed fluttered, the boy having fallen into a troubled sleep. "My poor, sweet baby..."

~/"Mrs. Tate?/~

"Yes?" the English teacher paused in the middle of her sentence, looking up at the squawking box on the wall.

~/"Could you send Chang Wufei to the office?"/~

"Oh -- of course," she said, looking up and searching for Wufei, giving him a quizzical look when she found him. "It's near the end of the hour, Wufei. Why don't you take your things with you."

The snickering around him and the sotto-voiced questions of *why* he had to go to the office made him flush even as he quickly put away his grammar book and grabbed his bag, heading for the door. From Mrs. Tate's classroom, the trip to the office was an easy one -- to the end of the hall and left down one more long hall and a ramp, at the foot of which was the office that had surely been the one to which he was supposed to go. Stepping up to the desk, Wufei cleared his throat. "Um, I'm Chang Wufei? I was asked to come here?"

"Wufei, glad to see you. Won't you step back into my office?"

It was Mr. Walker, the principal.

Wufei didn't bother to give so much as a tentative reply, only followed the man and stood in front of his desk as he shut the door before moving around it to seat himself.

The principal tried to smile at him, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. He looked weary, exhausted even, as if he'd been up all night.

"Wufei, I needed to talk to you this morning because of an incident that occurred here at school last night. Don't worry -- you aren't in trouble. I just need some information. I understand that you're friends with Zechs Marquise."

"Yes, sir," Wufei said tentatively. "Is something wrong? We usually head away from here together, but I didn't see him yesterday. There were some upsetting things..." He squared his shoulders. "Someone had painted something nasty on his locker. 'Death to Faggots'. Some girls had been harassing both of us earlier, and then some boy came by later and made some threats. He said that was par for the course, and I wanted to tell someone, but..."

The man held up a hand. "Wufei, Zechs was attacked last night, while on campus. Apparently several boys set upon him at once and he couldn't fight them off. Would you be able to identify the student that was threatening him?"

The Chinese boy paled visibly. "Is he all right? What happened? Was he badly hurt? He's my friend! What's wrong?" he blurted out, unable to think about the question he'd been asked momentarily.

"He's all right, Wufei," Walker said in a calm voice. "He was taken to the emergency room last night but he's at home now. But I need to know, can you identify that boy? Zechs is saying that he doesn't know who attacked him, but there is the possibility he's covering up for someone."

"Yes, sir," Wufei answered slowly. "I would recognize him. I'm not sure that I know his name, but one of the girls who's been harassing both of us... her name is Nicole and she's blond. And she threatened him, something about a guy named Aaron, so that might have been who it was. I don't know their last names. I would know him if I saw him again, though..." Oh, if Zechs was at home, he'd have to go and see him!!

Walker was writing down the names on a pad in front of him. "Wufei, would you be willing to tell the police what you heard and saw yesterday? You may not have to -- Zechs and his mother haven't decided to press charges yet, but if they do your information could be very important."

"Yes." It was said without hesitation, Wufei nodding firmly. "I would be more than willing. I told him yesterday that I wanted to tell someone, but he said it wouldn't do any good, that they just kept harassing him...."

The principal cleared his throat nervously and began shuffling papers on his desk. "Yes, well, that's all for now, Wufei. It's nearly time for your next class. Better run along." He stood, making it clear the interview was over.

"Yes, sir," Wufei said before tentatively asking, "may I call my parents?"

Walker looked a bit puzzled but pointed towards the secretary's desk outside his office. "You can use Ms. Mahoney's phone."

"Thank you," Wufei replied, bowing and moving to the indicated area. A quick dial got him a ring at the grocery store, and he chewed at his lip until his father answered. "[Poppa?]"

~/"[Wufei? What is it? Is something wrong? Are you sick??]"/~

"[Not... exactly, Poppa. Someone... I told you there was a girl who was bothering me? She... someone hurt Zechs last night, here at school, and I don't know, I think it might have something to do with that, but I'm worried. They asked me to try and identify the people who have been harassing him, and I'm going to try, and to tell the police what to do, but... I needed to hear your voice, Poppa,]" Wufei admitted shakily. "[I can't believe anyone would just hurt someone like that. They took him to the hospital and he's at home today...]"

~/"[Oh, Wufei. I'm so sorry to hear that. I know he was your friend. But tell me -- are *you* in any danger from these people? Is it safe for you there?]"/~

Wufei shook his head, even though his father couldn't see him over the phone. "[I don't think so, Poppa. They...]" He sighed. "[Poppa, it's hard to tell you why they... I don't know, Poppa,]" he finally said miserably. "[I just don't know.]"

~/"[You want to come home, Wufei? You don't sound well. I want you to study, but if you feel uncomfortable, maybe you should come home and just rest.]"/~

Wufei paused. DID he want to go home? "[I... I think so, Poppa. I think I don't feel comfortable right now. I want to call and see how Zechs is doing and maybe I could take him something to make him feel better. I just...]"

~/"[What is it, Wufei?]" his father asked./~

"[I'm just a little afraid,]" Wufei admitted tiredly. "[And I think I want to talk to you about it, but it's hard to do over the phone. Let me ask the secretary if she needs to talk to you for me to come home, Poppa...]" He paused, looking across at the woman. "Do you need to talk to my father? I'll be going home now, but I have my bike, so..."

She shook her head. "I'll just mark you with an excused absence," she said.

"Thank you," Wufei said solemnly. "[They don't have to talk to you, Poppa. I'll be home shortly....]"

Home shortly had been within fifteen minutes, and half an hour after that, he'd managed to talk his father into letting him go to see Zechs once his father had talked with Zechs's mother over the phone. It had made Wufei nervous, but now he was on his way to Zechs's house on his bike with a couple of new manga in his bookbag, some pocky and some pork buns that his mother had wanted him to give the other boy.

/Oh, Zechs,/ he thought sadly as he pulled up in Zechs's yard and kicked the bike stand out before walking up to the front door and knocking. /I'm so sorry for all of this happening.../

Noin answered the door, trying to smile at him when she saw who it was.

"Come in, Wufei" she said. "How sweet of you to come over. Your father sounded very concerned on the phone."

"Yes, ma'am. How is Zechs?" he asked without hesitation, expression deeply worried. "They only told me so much at the school..."

She was silent for a moment and then said, "He's... better. Much better than he was last night. He'd lost a lot of blood, you see, and..." She broke off to dab her eyes with a balled up tissue she had in her hand. It looked as if she'd been crying for hours.

That made Wufei even more pale, if that was possible. "Is he awake?" he asked softly. "I have some food my mother sent him and a few other things..."

"Oh," Noin said, sounding almost regretful. "Well, he has to stay on a liquid diet for a few days, but I'm sure just seeing you would mean a lot to him. Come on upstairs."

She led the way up the staircase, past pictures of herself and Zechs, from the time that he'd been a small tow-headed toddler to the present day. She knocked on his room door, though it stood ajar, and said softly, "Hey, baby boy. You've got a visitor."

"Zechs?" Wufei asked, poking his head into the room. "I came to see you..."

Zechs was in bed, his head turned away from the door, but he looked over as Wufei came in. He gave him a weak smile. There were dark bruises on one cheek and his blue eyes were clouded.

"Hey. How're you? 's early -- you're not in school..."

Noin looked over at Wufei and whispered, "He's a little sleepy from the pain medication."

"I cut out early," Wufei admitted, tears welling up at the sight of Zechs's bruised cheek. "They told me you were hurt, so I called my Poppa so I could come home and see about you..."

"Wow," the blond boy said, smiling again. "Must really rate 'f Wufei Chang leaves school t'come see me..."

"No kidding," Wufei said jokingly, moving into the room as Noin left them to talk. "My mother sent pork buns and I brought pocky and manga. Your mother said you couldn't have them for a couple of days, though... Zechs," he paused, thinking. "What happened?" he whispered, shaking his head.

Zechs turned his head to the wall again, fighting back tears, but in his drugged state self-control wasn't within his grasp. "I... They... It was just bad, okay? Isn't that enough to know?"

"I won't make you talk about it if you don't want to," Wufei told him soothingly, worried. "Just... they've asked me some questions, so. I was worried about you, a lot."

"I wish everyone would just leave it alone," Zechs said quietly. "My mom wants the police to find them so we can press charges against them, but I just want to forget about it..."

Wufei nodded. "Have you thought that if you press charges, maybe it will intimidate anyone else inclined to hurt you?" he asked tentatively.

"If I press charges," Zechs answered in a whisper, "everyone will know what they did to me... and I-I couldn't take that."

Reaching out, Wufei took one of Zechs's hands between both of his own, cradling it. "Zechs. No one will know. You're underage, right? So, they can't print it in the paper. You can request that everything be kept quiet, I'm sure. Whatever they did to you, it doesn't make *you* the bad person. It makes *them* the bad ones. Okay?"

The blond boy's face was turned to the wall again, but he squeezed Wufei's hand. "I was just really stupid," he said. "I shouldn't have gone back to school that late. If I'd just come home..."

"Whatever it is, it isn't your fault," Wufei said again. "WHOEVER it is, they're not worth protecting, Zechs. That's what it is, isn't it? You don't want to tell on them. Do you." That was more statement than question by far!

"I can't... he was my best friend," Zechs whispered and then turned his head around wildly, eyes wide and a look of horror on his face. "You can't tell anyone I said that! Not a word, Wufei. Promise me!"

Wufei's answer was hesitant. "You're asking me to lie to the police.... Zechs..."

"I didn't mean to say it..." Zechs was staring at Wufei now, misery welling deep in the ice blue depths of his eyes. "Please, Wufei... he kept saying he was sorry..."

Helplessly, Wufei raised a hand to touch Zechs's face, gentle as his thumb caressed over the deep bruise on one cheek. "I won't tell them what you said," he promised. "But I told them I'd say which ones had been harassing me..."

"That's your right," Zechs said, and then turned his face toward that comforting hand, pressing a soft kiss to Wufei's palm. "I'm so glad you came..."

"I couldn't *not* come," was the sad reply. "You were hurt and I... was..." For a moment, he paused, looking for the words. "I was afraid for you."

"Thanks," Zechs said softly. "I'm sorry you felt bad... and sorry I made you miss school. You can blame me if you get an A-."

"You bet I will," Wufei teased, smiling at him. "I couldn't stay in school when something so terrible had happened to you..." Because Zechs was important to him. Zechs was....

Zechs was....

For a moment, Zechs just stared up at his friend, tears threatening. Then he whispered, "Oh Wufei... it hurt so much..."

Without a further thought, Wufei leaned over and hugged Zechs close to him comfortingly. "I'm so sorry," he whispered. "I'm so sorry you got hurt!"

That was too much for Zechs and his eyes closed, tears spilling out from under pale lashes. "It was... so humiliating," he said hoarsely, face buried against the other boy. "They all held me down... and then Aaron... Aaron..." Barely a whisper now, holding tight to Wufei. "He raped me, Wufei..."

Horrified, Wufei held him even more tightly. "I'm so sorry," he whispered back, fingers lightly stroking Zechs's head, a hand rubbing gently at the nape of his neck. "I'm so sorry..." /I'll kill him. I'll kill him for hurting you!/

"I don't understand," Zechs was saying, the hurt and bewilderment evident in his voice. "He kept saying he was teaching me a lesson... that I should shut up and take it. But all I could think about was how he used to be my best friend. We were so close..."

"And he hurt you," Wufei murmured, petting Zechs gently. "I'm so sorry he hurt you," came the whisper. "No one should have done that. He didn't have any right to do that, and he's stupid if he thought he did!"

"Used to trust him... with everything, really..." Zechs voice was starting to sound sleepy, his words slurring together a bit more. "I think... y're better friend..."

"I hope so," was the soft answer. "Sleep now, Zechs. I might not be right here when you wake up, but I'll be back to see you again soon. Rest and get better..." /Because I need you to be my... to be my friend, and I need you to be well.../

The only reply was a soft murmur and the next moment, Zechs was asleep.

"Sleep well, Zechs," Wufei whispered, kissing his forehead. "I'll see you tomorrow..."

When Wufei got home there was a stranger in his living room -- a plain clothes detective who stood up from the armchair he'd been ensconced in and shook Wufei's hand.

"[Fei,]" his mother said, looking upset, "[the policeman says he needs to talk to you. About something bad that happened at school.]"

He could tell just from her look that she was worried he had done something wrong.

"[It's all right, Momma,]" he reassured. "[Some bad boys attacked Zechs late yesterday evening. They just want to know if maybe I know what they look like. It will be all right.]"

She put a hand to her mouth and looked over at the detective again. He was looking keenly at Wufei. "I'm sorry to intrude, Mrs. Chang, but I do need to ask the boy a few questions. Please, sit down."

He returned to his seat and then pulled out a notebook and pen. "Wufei, I think you know why I'm here, so I'm going to cut right to the chase. I understand that you've been approached by some students at Noventa and that they hinted that something bad would happen to you if you remained friends with Zechs Marquise. Could you tell me about these incidents?"

Taking a deep breath, Wufei seated himself. "Yes. There's a girl, Nicole. She's blonde and she seems to hate him, because he wouldn't date her when she wanted him to, or that's what I'm given to understand. She's been harassing me about being his friend. She didn't want anyone to be, I don't think.. Yesterday, she and several other girls came by to make threats again -- a redhead and a brunette. Zechs arrived and told them to leave me alone, and she threatened to tell her boyfriend Aaron. Later, someone had spray painted some hateful words on his locker which he got off of it while I spoke with him around lunch. He was upset, so he skated off for a while, and the boy, I think, Aaron, came up and told me if I kept being his friend, my safety wasn't guaranteed. I..." Wufei flushed. "I told him no one would choose my friends for me and told him that he was stupid, and he went away. It's just... no one wants him to have any friends. That isn't fair, is it?"

The policeman didn't answer, just reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out what looked to be two school photos. One was of Nicole, the other of the boy who'd talked to Wufei the previous afternoon.

"Do you recognize these two people, Wufei?"

"Yes, sir," Wufei replied. "Those are the ones. The girl who's been harassing us both and the boy who made threats yesterday..."

He put the photos away and looked Wufei hard in the eyes. "Is there anything else you know about what happened? Anything else you can tell me that will help us find the people who did this to your friend?"

His promise to Zechs kept firmly in mind, Wufei opened his mouth slowly and said, "There was more than one of them. I don't know how many. He didn't want to talk about it, and he doesn't want anybody to find out what happened to him, so. He said there was more than one..."

"Wufei, we need to know more. If we can't place specific people there at the time he was attacked, we won't be able to press charges. Now please -- if you know something more, you need to tell us."

"He just said that there were more," Wufei said in a tiny voice. "He didn't tell me who they were. He was upset, so I didn't push him...."

The detective looked long and hard at Wufei, but when it became obvious the boy wasn't going to say anything further he stood and handed Wufei a business card. "This is where you can get in touch with me," he said, also giving a card to Wufei's mother. "I want you to know that if you or your friend are covering up for someone, it just makes my job harder. Besides -- do you really want someone like that walking around your school, thinking he can get away with what happened?"

He walked to the door and thanked Mrs. Chang, throwing a last look at Wufei before leaving.

Wufei's mother moved over to where her boy sat on the sofa. "[Fei --- is what he said true? Are you covering up for someone?]"

"[No, Momma,]" he said softly. "[Zechs just said there was more than one and he didn't want to talk about it because he didn't want anyone to know what they did to hurt him. I don't know any of the people who did it. If I did, I would tell. I told all that I've seen...]" That was true. He hadn't told what Zechs had said to him, but...if it *was* him, then they would be able to figure it out from whatever evidence they had, surely? If it had been rape, they would have taken evidence from Zechs...

"[Maybe we should change your school again,]" she said, voice full of worry. "[Students getting attacked like this... you could be next, who knows?]"

"[Let it stay for a while, Momma,]" Wufei replied, shaking his head. "[I think they'll get the people who have done it. It doesn't seem to be a regular occurrence!]"

"[Any what makes you so sure?]" his mother asked. "[If something like that can happen on campus I'm not sure it's safe for you to be there, even in the day. I don't want you worrying about your safety! You have enough to do just with studying!]"

Just then his father walked in, closing the front door quietly before approaching them with a solemn face.

"[I just talked to a policeman outside. He tells me he's not sure you're cooperating with them, Fei. Are you hiding something?]"

Wufei took a deep breath and sighed. "[All I know is what I've seen and what Zechs told me, Poppa. I know those people he showed me made threats. I know more than one person was responsible for attacking him. That's all I know. I can't pretend to know more to make the policeman happy if it isn't true....]" Except that he DID know Aaron had done it, but he'd identified him as the threatener....

"[It's crazy,]" his father said quietly. "[Zechs was... a little strange, but why would someone attack him?]" He looked up at his son suddenly. "[And why would those girls be bothering you about being friends with him? Is there something about this boy that you're hiding from us, Fei? Is he bad? A delinquent?]"

"[Oh, Fei,]" his mother said, "[you wouldn't befriend a boy like that, would you?]"

"[No!]" Wufei denied quickly. "[He turned down the girl's advances because she was dating his best friend, and she's caused a rift because of it. It's a terrible thing,]" he said softly. "[But it isn't Zechs's fault that he didn't like her...]"

His parents looked doubtful, but decided to let it go for the moment.

"[You have plans for Sunday?" his father said. "[Are you taking Meiran somewhere nice?]"

"[Yes, Poppa,]" Wufei said dutifully. "[I'll tell you about it...]"

Over a week later, when Zechs had still not come back to school, Wufei came home to find his father sorting through cartons of vegetables.

"Wufei," he called. "Finally you're home. You have a visitor." He gestured with his head to the front corner of the store.

It was Zechs.

"Hi," the blond boy said softly. "Hope it's okay if I visit you."

"It's okay!" Wufei told him, face brightening as he smiled at him. "You can come with me and help me do homework and I can catch you up on some of it if you need me to, you know." Oh, he was excited to see Zechs, even if the other boy wasn't smiling at the moment!

"Oh," Zechs said, feeling a wave of disappointment, "homework... sure. That would be great. I'm really behind on all of it."

As they walked out onto the sidewalk, Wufei smiled at him shyly. "We can talk about more than homework," he told the other boy. "If you want."

"Homework's okay -- if that's what you want to do," Zechs said. "It's just..." He looked around them, as if making sure no one was nearby. "I've missed you," he said at last, voice nearly a whisper. "I don't know how you feel about me now, since... since it happened..." A definite whisper now, the blond boy unable to meet Wufei's eyes. "Maybe you don't even want to be around me now, but... well, I really have missed you... something awful."

If he had been looking at Wufei, he would have seen those dark eyes warm, the other boy's lips curving slightly. "I've missed you, too... Zechs... And I definitely want you around. You're my friend. Period. Nothing can change that." The sheer buoyancy of seeing the other boy again sang in his veins, and he couldn't *help* but smile. He... liked Zechs. A lot...

"Thanks," Zechs murmured softly, chancing a look up through long, golden lashes. "It's been... kind of lonely lately. And I'm worried about going back to school... worried about what everyone will think of me... and the principal's been no help at all."

"Nobody knows," Wufei told him solemnly. "Well...they know that you were attacked and hurt and it took several people to do it. The police are interviewing people...." They'd talked with several the day before, and he thought they had talked with Aaron and Nicole while he was at school that day. "But nobody really knows. And even if they did think badly of you, they wouldn't for long, he said grimly, implying that he would take care of the matter.

"My mom got a call from him this afternoon," Zechs said quietly. "He told her... he told her that he thought it was partly my fault and that she shouldn't press charges."

"Bull*shit*!" Wufei gasped out, mouth gaping open as he stopped in the center of the sidewalk. "He *DIDN'T*!! That filthy, no good honorless..." Oh, he couldn't *think* of a bad enough word!!! "Ta ma der!"^[2] he declared. "*Don't* listen to that. That's not true. Tell the police what he said to you!"

It was almost as if Zechs hadn't heard him. He said that I was being too conspicuous because of the stickers inside my locker and because of the pin on my backpack." He gestured at a small piece of wide, rainbow-colored cord that was safety-pinned to the outer pocket of his pack.

"He said I knew that people would get angry, so I shouldn't have been so open about it. That was just asking for it, he said..."

"*You* listen to *me*," Wufei said firmly, taking hold of him and shaking him slightly. "It is not your fault. You were circumspect, and you should not have to hide what you are from people! You were not wearing dresses and pink to school every day! You did not flaunt anything or ask for *anything*! No one deserves such a thing, least of all someone as wonderful as *you*!!"

Zechs reddened a bit. /He thinks I'm wonderful! Even after.../

"Wufei," he said, a slight smile stealing over his face, "gay people don't usually wear dresses... or pink..."

"Still, you did *not* flaunt *anything*!! You did *not* provoke anything! And if you do *not* press charges, that would be wrong! They hurt you," Wufei told him, voice becoming slightly rough with emotion, eyes glistening suspiciously before he blinked the gathering moisture away. "I... I want them to be punished for hurting you."

"I appreciate that, Wufei," Zechs said, wanting so badly to touch the other boy -- a small caress of his cheek, a soft kiss, but it just wasn't possible. "But I've been thinking... if I do try to take him to trial my life would be miserable. It would be in the papers, probably. Everyone at school would know what happened. If I don't do anything at least it won't be common knowledge. I couldn't live with that."

"*You* are underage. Consult a lawyer. Talk with them and see what can be done. You can get it all repressed... no, that's the wrong word," Wufei said, pausing thoughtfully. He was so worked up! "Suppressed. As a minor, they won't print your name or anything like that, or his, either. You should talk with someone before you make such a big decision. If you don't press charges..." He paused, gnawing at his lower lip nervously. "They might think they can do it again..."

"And if I do, they might be angry enough to do it again..." He looked away from the Chinese boy, across the street to the shops on the far side. "I just want it all to be over with," he said quietly. "I want to stop having to think about it... how could I do that if I had to go through a trial?"

"Zechs..." Wufei said softly, reaching for his hand and taking it between both of his own. "You should do whatever you think is right. But you shouldn't let some stupid man who doesn't understand anything tell you what to do. Talk with your mother. She will show you the right path."

He smiled softly, looking down at Wufei's hands. "She told him he was a slimy, red-necked bigot and hung up on him," he said. "She's good at breathing fire when she wants to."

"*She*," Wufei informed him, "is *right*. Your mother will know what to do," he said again, nodding. "She seems like a truly nice person. I'm very glad that you have her!"

"I'm glad I have you," Zechs murmured, running a thumb over Wufei's because he just couldn't stop himself. "For a friend, I mean," he added, but his heart didn't believe it.

"Me, too," the other boy told him with a smile. "Come on. I'll bet my mother has something good for us to eat!"

They walked back to Wufei's house and were met by Mrs. Chang who'd prepared steamed water dumplings and a fragrant dipping sauce. Wufei's mother was a bit more reserved around Zechs than she had been before. She hadn't gotten over the sense that there was something slightly 'bad' about him, but she was too polite to say anything overtly.

Thanking her, Wufei kissed her cheek in reassurance, murmuring to her, "[It's all right, Momma. We'll be upstairs for a while, so Zechs can have some help with his work,]" and then withdrew slightly with a smile.

They finished eating and Zechs followed Wufei upstairs. He was at the top when he realized that he hadn't brought his books with him.

"Ah, Wufei? I forgot... all my books are at home..."

"It's okay," Wufei whispered. "I've got mine, so it doesn't matter!" Besides... he wasn't sure he *wanted* to do homework! What he really wanted was to be sure that Zechs was okay....

"Oh, right -- okay then," Zechs said, glad the other boy hadn't marched them both back downstairs and bid him goodbye. "Wow -- it's been awhile since we studied together." /Ever since Meiran, I believe... I suppose their falling in love now.../

"Everything got busy," Wufei said by way of agreement, leading the way into his bedroom and shutting the door quietly behind them. "Sometimes, it seems life does that to you!"

"Yeah," Zechs said, "life's like that sometimes..." He looked around the room. It had a sweet, aching familiarity and he felt he was looking at a treasure he could no longer own. "Mind if I sit on the bed -- it would be more comfortable right now."

"Lay down if you like!" Wufei told him firmly. He wanted Zechs to be comfortable, he wanted him to be happy again, he wanted...

He didn't know what he wanted!

"How have you been feeling?" Wufei asked, abandoning his homework for the moment. There was only a bit of math, and if he was desperate enough, he could do it in the morning. "Have you been sleeping?"

"So-so," Zechs murmured, laying down and feeling very glad he had. He still tired easily, and the doctor said he might be anemic for another month or two, even with all the blood he'd been given. It felt good to be able to sink onto the bed and rest.

"Sometimes I have bad dreams, but not all the time," he said.

"I'm glad," Wufei said honestly. "It must suck to spend a lot of time in bed. Did you like what I brought you?" he asked shyly.

"Yeah -- I couldn't eat the food, but Mom loved it. And the manga was great. It really helped pass the time. For a while there I was basically either sleeping or reading manga."

That gained him a slight sigh of relief. "Good!! I'll have to make sure that you get more pork buns, then. Meiran is learning how to make them..." He made a little face and said, "She's not so good at it yet. She's worried about you, though, and wants to make something especially for you."

Zechs's heart sank. "Oh, she doesn't have to, really!" he said quickly. /You *are* falling in love with her, aren't you? She has so much time with you.../ "Please tell her not to worry."

Wufei's eyes rolled slightly. "Too late. She has decided that she likes you, and that you deserve to be pampered. YOU will have to suffer through the pork buns. You will also have to come and have bagels with us for breakfast Saturday. She said if I saw you, I was to invite you or suffer her wrath." He shivered. "Her wrath is not something to be suffered, if you can escape. Besides," he continued shyly. "I miss you."

"Yeah," the blond boy said softly, "but you have her now." He tried to keep the bitterness out of his voice, tried so very hard, but it came through anyway.

"I don't know...." Wufei said softly, frowning. "I've... been thinking, about some of the things you've said. About what's happened. I don't know..."

"What don't you know?" Zechs asked him, staring up at him from where he lay on the bed.

"What to do," Wufei admitted, shrugging. "What I WANT to do..."

"What are you talking about?" Zechs asked, somewhat bewildered. "What you want to do about *what*?"

Shyly, Wufei looked at him. "Um.... well...."

"Well...?" the blond repeated. The look in Wufei's eyes was strangely familiar, but he couldn't remember when he'd looked that way before. "What is it, Wufei?"

"About things," Wufei finally said, as if *that* could be clear to anyone! "About you and me and this thing with Meiran and making my parents happy..."

Zechs felt his heart suddenly begin to race. /'You and me'... he said 'you and me'... what does he mean by that! Probably nothing, but... what if *does* mean something by it?? No -- not possible -- he's falling in love with Meiran, remember? Yeah, but what if he *does* feel something for me??/

All of this sudden thought was followed by a weakly voiced, "You and me...?"

"Well...." Wufei waffled, flushing brightly and biting his lip. "Yes. I don't know. I'm confused..."

"I see," Zechs replied, his voice much breathier than he wanted it to be. His lungs suddenly seemed to be unable to get nearly enough oxygen.

"Can I... help you sort things out... in any way...?"

"I don't know," Wufei said again, looking down at him hopefully. "I don't know how, or... or I'd say...."

"Well... I guess I'm biased," Zechs said softly, "but I think you belong with me." He lifted a hand, unable to stop himself, and laid it gently on Wufei's cheek, letting his thumb brush over the warm, full lips. /Oh, God... how can I survive, wanting you this much.../

It was something of a surprise when Wufei let his mouth lightly kiss the brushing digit, his face flushing. "I don't know what to do," he confessed. "I don't want to disappoint my parents...."

"Forget about your parents for a moment," Zechs whispered. "Do you like this? Do you like it when I touch you?"

"Yes," came the slightly shameful admission. "Very much so."

"Do you feel this way when you're with Meiran?"

The word that came then was utterly and ecstatically perfect to Zechs. "No."

Now the long, slender fingers wound themselves into Wufei's hair and Zechs looked up at him, pure desire lighting his eyes. "Doesn't that tell you something?" he managed to say, feeling overwhelmed by his sheer *need* for the other boy. "Come here, and I'll make it plainer."

Wordlessly, Wufei laid down beside Zechs, tongue darting out nervously to moisten lips suddenly gone dry. "Zechs..." he began tentatively. "I don't know what I need to do..."

"You don't need to do anything," Zechs whispered. "You just need to forget about everything and *feel*..."

In a moment, his arms were around Wufei, pulling the smaller boy close and pressing a soft, lingering kiss to his mouth. "It's so simple," he murmured through the kiss, "if you let yourself see it..."

"Zechs..." Wufei whispered, letting the boy kiss him and shivering with the pleasure of it. Oh, it felt so good! "Oh, Zechs..."

/Paradise, Wufei... let me... make me forget the other ever happened... /

Zechs broke the kiss, only to begin again along Wufei's jaw, trailing down to his throat while his hands began to explore the boy beside him. "I love you so much," he murmured, "I want you *so* much..."

His name was a prayer on Wufei's lips, the other boy shivering slightly with pleasure, uncertain, but enjoying what Zechs was doing so very much!! "Oh.... I... Zechs....!!"

"You feel like heaven," Zechs breathed into a delicate ear, before taking the lobe between his lips and suckling lightly. It hardened him at once and he struggled to keep from pressing the new erection against Wufei's thigh.

"Ooohhh..." It felt so *good*, and Wufei couldn't help but squirm slightly, his own groin tightening with a flood of sensation as he laid a hand on Zechs's shoulder and moaned.

"Mmmmn... taste like honey," Zechs whispered, trailing his hand over stiff little nipples under Wufei's shirt. His mouth moved languidly down to the other boy's throat, by turns kissing, licking, and suckling, while he pressed his hips down against the mattress, aching for relief.

"Zechs, we can't, in my house..." Wufei managed, a feeble sort of protest at best because everything was just so *MARVELOUS*...

"Hmn?" Zechs said, lifting his head, eyes still glazed with pleasure. He stared at Wufei and then seemed to realize where they were -- and who might walk in at any moment.

"Oh -- sorry! I shouldn't have..." He sat up quickly, head reeling a bit from lack of blood.

"Hey! Don't do that, you'll pass out!" Wufei chided him, helping him to lay back on the bed even as he sat up from it. "You're anemic. You have to be careful..."

"Yeah," Zechs said softly, trying to will his erection away, "especially around you." He looked up at the dark-haired boy and felt the familiar rush of pleasure and desire and, he had to admit, sadness.

"You belong with me," he said, a bit stubbornly. "You're *my* Wufei..."

That brought a distinct flush to Wufei's face again as he bit his lip. "I don't know what to do," he said with a shrug. "I'll have to figure it out..."

"Can we do this again?" Zechs asked, knowing he was being greedy and not caring. "Soon?"

"Yeah," Wufei agreed quietly, unable to help himself. "Yes. Please."

"I can't do any homework now," Zechs said, brushing dark strands of hair from Wufei's eyes. "My head's too full of you to cram anything else into it. So I guess I should go..."

The answer, when it came, was almost shy. "I suppose. Will I see you again soon?"

"Can I come by tomorrow -- just to say hi?" Zechs asked, sitting up again, but slower this time.

"Sure," Wufei agreed, smiling at him. "I'd really like that..."

They walked down the stairs again and said their goodbyes. Zechs found it difficult to tear his eyes away from the other boy, but finally did and skated off down the street, pacing himself slowly for the trip home. All the way there, his mind was full of dark silky hair and glowing copper skin, warm and sweet under his lips.

Lunch was decidedly miserable without Zechs, Wufei decided, sitting at a small picnic table sheltered by green vines that grew pods of some sort and trailed down overhead. He sighed and poked sadly at his lunch, chopsticks stabbing through something and prompting him to eat it. /I hope he feels like coming back soon.../ he thought, unhappy.

There was a loud burst of laughter from one of the other tables nearby and he looked up to see Aaron surrounded by a pack of boys. His friends were high fiving each other, Aaron more subdued, just watching. His eyes seemed to be fixed on the line of students streaming out of the cafeteria with lunches in hand.

Absolute fury filled one small Chinese boy, his eyes flaring to life with anger. He had always been ruled by passions in so many ways; resisting them was often difficult, and often managed only because he didn't want anyone he loved to be disappointed in him. With a firm motion, he stood and moved towards that table, expression set, and stopped before the dark-headed boy who had harassed him a few weeks before. "You," he said tenaciously. "I want to talk to you!"

The entire group of older boys turned their heads as one, every eye on him hostile, with the exception of Aaron's. He moved his gaze away from the line of students reluctantly and glanced up at Wufei with a look that was almost haunted.

A tall, brown-haired boy stepped half in front of Aaron and looked down at Wufei. "What do you want faggot lover?"

"None of your business, you cockless whoremonger. *I* want to talk to *him*," Wufei declared firmly.

There was a collective "Ooooh..." and the tall boy laughed. "I see your *boyfriend* has been teaching you how to talk," he sneered. "He been teaching you other things, too? Maybe we should find out how much you know..."

"Enough to kick *your* ass," Wufei declared coolly, backing up a step. Running was option number one, but he'd pretty much already kissed option number one goodbye.

Several boys moved closer to Wufei but stopped when Aaron stood up. "Leave him alone -- he's too puny to worry about." His eyes bored into Wufei's. "What do want to talk to me for?"

Flat gaze asked if he *really* wanted Wufei to say why. "Without your goons," he drawled firmly, crossing his arms over his chest.

Aaron didn't answer at once, just stood looking at the smaller boy, an inscrutable look in his eyes. "Over there," he finally said, nodding to the side of the cafeteria building where no students had wandered. He led the way across the grass, his friends encouraging him to beat Wufei to a pulp.

Once they were alone, Wufei stopped and glared at him, voice low as he began to speak. "You. *You* are the scum of the Earth. You are unworthy to have friends or to have anyone be loyal to you! You should be..." He couldn't think of a bad enough thing! "Flayed and left to suffer! He will not say who hurt him. He will not think of doing anything bad to that person! You know, though, who did it. Don't you?" Wufei asked, eyes narrowing slowly. "YOU are responsible, aren't you? You threatened him that day!"

"What business is it of *yours*?" Aaron hissed. "I suppose he told you everything. Well he *asked* for it. Someone needed to teach him a lesson and that's what I *did*! It was for his own good!"

"He told me *NOTHING*!" came the angry jeer in eply, Wufei flinging out a hand in exasperation, a symbolic gesture. "YOU have told me everything. You *ARE* the one who hurt him! You pathetic, useless *bastard*. Prevaricator!" he told him sternly, shaking his head. "*Liar*. *Rapist*! Tell me. Did you get off on hurting someone who once thought of you as his *friend*? Is that the kind of person you are? Hiding behind him and his apprehension and dishonor, not coming forward and admitting your crime! You shameless piece of *filth*!!"

Aaron reached out and gave Wufei a shove in the chest. "Shut up, you faggot lover! He *deserved* it! He *lied* to me!!"

"DID he lie to you?" Wufei spat back, shoving him in return. "Or did you just take it upon yourself to believe that you had been lied *TO*?"

"He spent all that time with me and never told me he was a queer!!" Aaron said, shoving harder. "He served to be taught a lesson -- he's not really gay and I was just showing him that!"

The foot Wufei brought up slammed into his knee, sending him to the ground. "He *is*, and if you were his friend, you would accept that about him. You deserve to go to jail and *rot*, you wretched excuse for a human being. I hope you suffer *forever* for what you've done!"

Aaron wasn't down for long. He stood up and growled, "Look, you little punk -- I could beat you to a pulp if I wanted to. But I won't because it wouldn't be worth my time. He got what he deserved. I did him a favor because now whenever he thinks he wants some guy's prick up his ass, he'll remember what it feels like and he won't do it!" With that he stepped around Wufei and began to walk back to his table.

"Coward," Wufei spat at him, voice low, fists clenched. "You worthless piece of *offal*!"

Aaron turned around and stared at him for a moment. "Besides," he said in a lower voice, "he's okay now. Isn't he?"

"No," Wufei replied coldly. "He's not. He might never be again, thanks to you."

"He got out of the hospital, didn't he?" the other boy replied. "Now he knows what being gay is really like. He won't be anymore, I know it."

"You're a truly pathetic excuse for a human being," Wufei said sadly, shaking his head. "How wretched you must be...."

For a moment, Aaron's expression warred between angry and miserable.

"Shut up," he said quietly, and then turned and walked back to his friends.

"Coward," Wufei sighed again sadly before moving towards the table where his lunch had been abandoned.

It was Chemistry when his name came over the intercom that day, the secretary's voice nasal and bored. "Mister Powell, could you send Chang Wufei to the principal's office please?"

Thank God it was Chemistry, because no one in there CARED if he went to the office or not! He just gathered his books and headed down the corridor and towards the front office, a trip that didn't take *too* long...

The man was waiting for him in his office.

"Sit down, Wufei," he said, somewhat shortly. "I understand that there was an altercation today between you and another student. Is that correct?"

"Yes," Wufei answered firmly. "He confessed to hurting Zechs Marquise. It wasn't a serious disagreement of any sort."

"I want you to leave Aaron alone from now on, Wufei" the principal said. "There is no reason for you two to have any contact whatsoever and he has indicated that he wants your parents notified if you bother him again. Do you understand?"

"....I understand," Wufei said, fury rising up in him. "You don't care that he hurt someone, do you? You wouldn't have cared if he had *killed* that person, even. There is no justice in this place," he sighed sadly. /You are as pathetic as that boy./

"Now see here, young man," the man snapped. "I will not have you talking that way to me. No charges have been brought against him so as far as either you *or* I know, he is innocent. I will not have students harassing each other on my campus. If you persist in this your parents *will* be contacted!"

"I understand," Wufei replied coldly. /Bastard. Useless, ineffective.../ Oh, it made him MAD!!

"Good," the principal said. "No go back to class and make sure I don't hear about any other provocations."

"I'll make sure you don't hear of anything else," Wufei answered, anger bottling up. /Asshole!/

He walked out of the office, heading back towards chemistry class. Rounding the corner by the staircase at the far end of the hall, he nearly ran into Nicole, who appeared to be carrying notices to various classrooms. She eyed the door to the office down the hall and put two and two together instantly.

"Getting into trouble for fighting?" she said with an angelic smile. "My, how *you've* changed."

"My, what a vicious hateful little twit you continue to be," Wufei told her easily, continuing on towards class. "Don't you have anything *better* to do?"

"Yeah," she called after him. "Watch you get into trouble." Then she laughed and moved on down the hallway.

With a sigh, Wufei shook his head and moved on down the hall. This was *so* not turning out to be his day!!

Zechs had waited all day for 3 p.m., when school let out and he could legitimately show up at the grocery store to see Wufei. Actually, he hadn't been able to wait quite that long and so, at 2:45, he peeked inside the store to see who was there. For a moment, it seemed completely deserted.

The flicker of a pigtail proved differently, however, and dark eyes widened impossibly at the sight of him. "Ahhh!! You!!!" Meiran cried, hurrying forward. "I brought food for you! Ah, today! I have been experimenting. YOU will try it!" she declared. "You look not so bad. This is good!"

Zechs's eyes widened in identical fashion to hers. "Uh... no! Really!" he said, trying to back out of the store. "I was just looking for Wufei... I'll wait for him outside!"

"Yes!" Meiran told him firmly, catching his hand. "You will stay here, where it is cool! You should not go outside where it might rain or be hot, since you have been ill! You will eat my dumplings, or I will be very upset and be forced to cry on you," she told him earnestly.

A look of alarm spread over Zechs's face. Cry? She was threatening to *cry*?? "No! Don't do that!" he said. "But really, I... I don't need any food... I was just looking for Wufei." /And I don't need to stand here and chat with his fiancee for god's sake!/

"*He* will be home soon," Meiran answered, smiling at him. "He will come *here*, *first*. He isn't impressed with my dumplings," she said with a sigh. "But his mother's are very good, and so I must experiment somewhere. You must eat something! Please?" she asked, smiling at him.

How could he turn down that face, looking up so earnestly at him? Wufei said her cooking wasn't good, and he'd probably get food poisoning or some such thing, but he screwed up his courage and smiled at her weakly. "Okay... I guess."

That gained him a beaming smile and his hand in hers. "Come! I have them behind the counter! Just made, and just brought!"

/Don't be nice to me!/ Zechs thought as she led him into the store. /I need to hate you, so please... don't be nice!/

"*You* will like them," Meiran declared, moving behind the counter and pulling out a container. She opened it to let a deliciously redolent smell fill the air. "I believe that it will be so! Here!" She offered him a plastic fork and the open tupperware, beaming proudly at him.

He smiled gamely at her and took out a small dumpling, still steaming. "Here goes," he said, steeling himself, and then took a mouthful.

It was... almost good. A bit too salty, and the bun was somewhat chewy, but overall...

"Not bad," he said, nodding his head. "Not bad at all."

"I'll get better," Meiran assured him, smiling at him proudly, a bit shyly. "I'm glad you tried it! You're very sweet to say it's not bad!"

/I'm not sweet, really. I want to steal your man. Actually, he was *my* man before he was *your* man, so *you* did the stealing.../

"It wasn't, really," he said, trying to keep his smile on. "You're... doing very well."

Her gaze seemed far away for a moment, sad, and then she smiled at him. "I'm glad you think so. At home, Bao-Sheng would have made fun of me. He would have eaten it, though...."

"Bao-Sheng?" Zechs said, tipping his head to the side. "Who's that? Your brother?"

"My... friend." There was enough of a pause there to make it an odd reaction.

There was something about the way she said it that sounded very familiar to Zechs. 'My friend' -- it was the way the manga referred to each other, what he and the boy at the convention last year had called each other, what he would say if anyone asked him about Wufei.

"Were you two close?" he said softly.

"Yes," she told him solemnly. "Things change, though. That is inevitable."

"Oh," he said sympathetically, "did you have a fight?"

"I came here," she told Zechs seriously. "That was that."

Zechs frowned for a moment. "Was... was he your boyfriend?"

"....yes," she told him, watching him solemnly. "You see how it is, then."

"But... that's *horrible*!" Zechs said, staring back at her. "Why couldn't you just stay there with him? I mean, it would have made more sense... if you, well, if you loved each other."

"There is a way that things are," Meiran told him gently. "And there is no use in fighting these things. I am out of China now, and that is where my parents want for me to be..." The sound of Mr. Chang coming in from the back made her eyes widen, her head shake slightly as if warning Zechs to say nothing.

The blond boy looked up, noticing the slight frown on Mr. Chang's face when he spotted him. He tried to smile innocently. "Good afternoon, Mr. Chang. How are you today?"

"Very good," the man answered civilly. "I hope that you are well."

"He liked my dumplings!" Meiran told the man politely, smiling at him. "Perhaps, then, Wufei will not think they are so bad. It is fine to have a guinea pig!"

Zechs looked at her, slightly alarmed. "Please don't say it that way!" he said, then smiling at her. "But I'm sure he'll like them, too."

"Good," she said, smiling back at him. "It's good to have a friend!"

/Friend?? I can't be her friend! She's the enemy! She's got my man... damn, why does she have to be nice!/

"Oh, I'm sure you'll make lots of friends, Meiran," he found himself saying.

"We will see," she said solemnly. "But it is good to start with *one*."

"Meiran," Mr. Chang said suddenly, "you should be stocking up the candy rack." His gaze flickered to Zechs again. "Wufei is not here right now."

"Yes, sir," Zechs said, turning a little red. "I know... I was just going to say hi when got home... just for a minute or two..."

A little toss of pigtails showed spirit and Meiran smiled. "Candy is all put away where it should be, and Wufei is home," she noted, pointing to the door.

Zechs turned to see him, walking through the door. /Thank God -- another minute and I'd have been out on my ear!/

"Hi," he said, at the exact same time as Meiran.

"Hello," Wufei answered with almost visible surprise. "It's good to see you both!"

Wanting to walk up and put his arms around the other boy, Zechs nevertheless stepped back and let his fiancee have first shot, feeling the eyes of Mr. Chang on him as he did.

"[Hello,]" Wufei greeted again. "[Do you have more food to torture me with?]"

"[No,]" she said huffily, folding her arms in front of her. "[I'm only cooking for Zechs now. He *appreciates* my cooking.]"

"Oh-ho," Wufei declared, eyebrows raising. "This is true? She has tried to poison you with her cooking?" He grinned as she smacked him. "Ouch, ouch!"

/Stop looking so cute together!/ Zechs thought, watching them, and then murmured, "It was fine, not bad at all, so stop teasing her. She'll make a fine cook someday."

"I give in," Wufei answered with a smile. "Poppa? Do you need any help?" It was Friday, so at least it wasn't necessary to do homework right away!

"No, your mother is coming down soon," he said and then added in a gruff voice, "but you should take Meiran out somewhere." After saying this, he looked pointedly at Zechs.

The blond blushed, and then looked at Wufei.

"Well, I guess I'd better be getting home, then. It was nice to see you, Wufei... Meiran." He gave them a weak smile and began to head out the door.

"We will see you in the morning for breakfast?" Meiran prompted him once they were outside. "I told Wufei to ask you to come!"

"I asked!" Wufei replied. "He hadn't said anything yet!"

"Oh... ah, maybe," Zechs said uncertainly. /Good one -- give yourself more heartache. You haven't had nearly enough.../ "I'll think about it." He edged nearer to the door, trying not to look unhappy.

"We will see you tomorrow!" Meiran told him firmly. "Eight o'clock!"

"Right," Zechs said, waving a hand and trying to memorize Wufei's face. It was going to be another very long night.

Wufei waved back, smiling slightly as Zechs went out the door before turning to Meiran. "You want to go to the movies?" he asked solemnly. /Maybe I can talk to her about today.../

Zechs had been up since seven o'clock, debating whether to go to the bagel shop. He didn't really want to sit through a breakfast of Wufei and Meiran being cute together and acting so happy. But he desperately wanted to see Wufei. Yesterday had been so brief, not even a touch or a private word to get him through.

So, at 7:45 he strapped on his skates and headed for Wufei's neighborhood.

When he arrived, both of the Chinese were standing outside waiting for him, Wufei dressed in white and Meiran in blue, talking quietly between them.

"Zechs!" Wufei greeted happily, smiling at him. "Hi!

"Hi," he said, lifting a hand and then trying to smooth the wrinkles out of the tight, red t-shirt he'd grabbed from the floor of his room. They both looked so neat! It was downright intimidating!

"WE will have breakfast. YOU will enjoy it!" Meiran informed him firmly even as Wufei smiled at him even more, wanting to reach for his hand.

"Let's go in..."

Zechs put on a brave face and followed the two inside. They got their food and found a small booth at the back of the shop.

"So," Zechs said, trying to keep his tone light, "are you two both working at the grocery store today?" /Please let it be yes... don't be going on some romantic date.../

"ALL afternoon," Meiran answered glumly, already working on the first of her chocolate chip muffins. "This morning is for you, however!"

The blond boy frowned. "For me? What does that mean?"

"We have the morning to spend with you," Wufei told him shyly, squirming slightly from where he sat next to Zechs. "If you want."

/I thought it was just breakfast! Now I have to spend all morning with the
happy couple!!/

"Well," Zechs said reticently, "I wouldn't want to impose on your free time..." /Like hell I wouldn't! If I could just grab Wufei and run.../

"Actually," Meiran was saying now, "I was hoping for some help with something...."

Wufei nodded. "She wants to make a phone call, and I'll pay for it, only..."

"Only it can't be at either of our houses, and...."

"And she's insecure about pay phones." Well, Wufei was, too. After all, the possibility of someone who knew them or could understand to whom Meiran was speaking was a bit too high for both of them!

Zechs looked at them both and then said, "Oh! You want to use the phone at my house? That'd be cool, my Mom won't care." He thought Meiran had a rather strange look in her eye, but couldn't quite put his finger on what it was.

"It is to the person about whom we spoke yesterday," she whispered, glancing around furtively even as he felt Wufei's hand lightly touch his beneath the table.

The gentle touch sent a shiver of arousal through him, but he fought it back down even as he nodded to Meiran. "Oh, of course. I understand."

But he didn't really -- not at all. Why was Meiran calling the boy she'd been in love with back in China? Why was Wufei touching him -- why was Wufei even *sitting* beside him, and not beside his fiancee?

What had happened between last night and this morning?

"Would you like another muffin?" Wufei asked the girl courteously.

"Definitely," she said. "You should know me better than that by now!" Having said that she smiled at the two of them across the table.

"You're cute together."

Zechs went absolutely pink.

"MEIRAN!" Wufei whispered, flushing scarlet. "You aren't supposed to *say* things like that!"

"But it's true," she said simply. "Have you told Zechs what you told me last night? About how you feel?" She smiled happily and started on her orange juice.

Zechs's face now rivaled Wufei's for redness and he glanced at the other boy out of the corner of his eye. /Please let lightning strike me now... I can't believe she's saying this.../

"You were SUPPOSED to keep quiet 'til I figured out what to *say*!" Wufei muttered, biting his lip.

"Why? If I do that you won't say anything." She pointed a finger at him and wagged it. "I *know* you!"

"Really," Zechs said quickly, "it's okay. He doesn't have to say anything." He turned to Wufei, "Really, you don't have to say anything -- honest!" /What did he tell her?? Is it good or bad??/

The other boy's face was so red it was a wonder he didn't burst a vessel! "Meiran, *please*," he whispered, glancing shyly at Zechs.

"Okay," she said huffily. "Boys are silly. Girls just say what they feel, they don't make mountains of it -- is that the way you say it? Make mountains?"

"Mountains out of mole hills," Wufei muttered. "Some things are for *privacy*, Meiran!!!"

She rolled her eyes and then demanded, "Are you going to get me that other muffin?" Wordlessly, Wufei got up and headed to the counter to fetch the requested bit of bread, sighing as he went.

/Girls are IMPOSSIBLE to understand!/

"I... I think you embarrassed him a little," Zechs told her softly.

"He will thank me for it later," she said. "Now, he won't have the opportunity of fidgeting and not saying what needs to be said!"

Zechs eyed Wufei, at the counter with his back to them. "Just tell me," he whispered, "is it good news or bad news?"

"GOOD news," she whispered as Wufei turned to come back.

Zechs sat back and put on an innocent face, hoping that Meiran had meant good news for *him*!

"HERE," Wufei sighed ungraciously. "Two more."

"[*Thank you!!*]" she said, beaming and promptly dug into the first one while the two boys watched in astonishment.

"Does she always eat this way?" Zechs said quietly to Wufei.

"It's almost like watching Coneheads," Wufei murmured under his breath, nodding. "Pretty much all the time."

"Wow. She's quite a girl..."

"Just like mom," Wufei teased as she smiled angelically at both of them.

"Are you going to eat yours?" Meiran asked.

Zechs looked down at his half-eaten bagel. Her comments about Wufei and what he might tell Zechs at some point in time seemed to have taken away the blond boy's appetite, so he pushed it towards her. "Go ahead -- take the rest."

"You're going to get fat," Wufei teased her.

Meiran sniffed and took Zechs's bagel, anyway. "Fat women are not so bad," she told him. "They are round and soft and nobody bruises hips on them."

Putting a hand to his forehead, Zechs shook his head in disbelief at her. "And you're *marrying* this woman?" he said under his breath to Wufei.

"So they tell me," Wufei muttered.

"Stop talking about me or I will feed more dumplings to BOTH of you!" Meiran informed them sternly.

"I concede!" the Chinese boy said quickly.

Zechs had to laugh at that and it startled even him. He couldn't remember the last time he'd really laughed. Sometime before the attack he supposed.

The fact that he was laughing delighted Wufei, and he smiled at the other boy almost fatuously, Meiran laughing with him. "Good! That way, neither of you has to suffer!"

They talked for a bit more, Zechs asking Meiran questions about China, Meiran wolfing down her muffins. He had tried so hard not to like her, but it just hadn't worked. He had met the enemy and she was friendly.

"So," he said, as she licked her fingers and kicked Wufei under the table. "You want to make that call now?"

"Yes!" she replied firmly. "And *you* can talk to him, Wufei!"

"Yes, Mother," Wufei groused, shifting away from those kicking feet.

"Do you two have bikes, or a car?" Zechs asked, searching the lot outside the shop.

"Bikes," Wufei replied. "We chained them to the stand around the corner!"

"Great -- let's go then," he said, picking up his skates.

They kept an easy pace over to Zechs's neighborhood and twenty minutes later he was opening the door for them.

"My mom isn't home right now -- she's having brunch with a friend. Phone's through that door, in the kitchen."

Meiran smiled brightly and pushed at Wufei, just a little. "Now. YOU tell him while *I* am on the phone!"

"She's awfully bossy," Wufei grouched, but only once she was out of the room.

Zechs tried to smile, but he was too nervous. "So... what is she going on about? What... what is you want to tell me?"

"She's going to call her boyfriend," Wufei said, face flushing. "In Hong Kong. We... don't want to get married. But we want for her to be able to stay in the United States, because it's better for her here, and that's what will have to happen if she is to stay. But..." He smiled at Zechs shyly. "Ah... I don't know how to say..."

"Oh," Zechs said, enable to keep the disappointment out of his voice. They didn't want to get married. Meiran had told him about her boyfriend, and they had come to an understanding. Period. He had been expecting something else, what he didn't know, but *something.* But it was only this.

"Well, I think she needs to be with her boyfriend," he said, sitting down on the arm of the sofa and feel utterly dejected. "Maybe he can come here."

"Zechs," Wufei said, gnawing at his lower lip. "You... I want you to be..."

He looked at Wufei, trying very hard to be brave about the whole thing.

"You want me to help you guys? I don't know what I can do, but... well, I can ask my Mom about it. She might have some ideas..."

"No!!" Wufei almost cried, fists balling up. "What I want... what I want...!!!" Unable to think of the words, he leaned up and pressed his lips to Zechs's sweetly.

The gesture was a complete surprise, making Zechs freeze for a moment, especially since he knew Meiran was in the next room. But it was too good to remain that way for long and in a moment he was reeling with the thought that this was Wufei kissing *him* for a change. Wufei wanting him, even though he couldn't say it with words.

It seemed so natural to slip his arms around the slender boy and return the kiss, and Wufei loved every moment of it. Head tilted up, he almost asked for more, daring to part his lips and hoping that Zechs would kiss him back!

"Mmmmn..." Zechs moaned softly, tasting Wufei's mouth, plundering the sweet silk of it while his hands ran smoothly over the other boy's back and hips. "So good..." he whispered, "and I love you so much..."

"I..." Wufei sighed. "I... *yes*...."

"[Well!]" Meiran declared from the doorway. "[It is about *time*!]"

Zechs broke the kiss with a yelp, cheeks flooding with color as he stared at the small figure who appeared to be laughing at them.

"Meiran!"

"We will just have to figure out a way to work things out," she told them both firmly, smiling. "It will all come out o-kay!"

Looking down at Wufei, Zechs gave a timid laugh. "Oh, I don't think this is going to be easy," he said.

"Nothing worth having ever is," Wufei agreed.

The next week, Zechs was back at school. He approached his locker hesitantly. The ground beneath it had been scoured clean of his blood, his locker door newly repainted.

If was as if nothing had ever happened there at all.

He opened the lock and began to unload books from his backpack, eyes darting furtively to either side of him will he did so.

"Hi, there," Wufei said from behind him, blinking as Zechs visibly jumped. "It's only me!"

"Oh, hi!" the blond said quickly. "I... didn't hear you come up. How's it going?"

Wufei's nose wrinkled. "I hate the women at this school. Why is Meiran the only teenage female in existence with any kindness or decency??"

Zechs frowned slightly. "What *are* you talking about," Zechs asked.

Wufei shrugged. "Some of those irritating females are in my math class," he said with disgust. "They kept scribbling notes back and forth and *snickering*."

"I'm sorry," Zechs said, pulling a few books out for his next classes. "What were they snickering about?"

"God only knows," Wufei groused. "They inevitably find SOMETHING to snicker about, though, don't they? Stupid females," he said with a sigh. Now that he'd decided he preferred Zechs to girls, he felt as if he was pretty much free to say what he pleased.

"They're not all bad," Zechs said, somewhat philosophically. "There's my mom - and Meiran... they're pretty cool."

"I'll give you that," Wufei conceded. "I'm pretty fond of my mother, too, and Auntie Bao-Bao. But they're not teenage females. They've shuffled off the idiocy germ or whatever it is that makes teenage females so... irritating. They're Chinese, too. Maybe that makes a difference..."

Zechs had to smile at the grouchiness that emanated from the other boy. "I'm glad you're here. It's... strange to be back. I'm really nervous."

"I *am* here," Wufei promised. "If you need me to, I'll walk you to every class." Even though it would make him late to his own, Wufei felt that *someone* should be with Zechs when he wasn't with a teacher!

"No, that's okay, really," the blond said. "But maybe... well maybe we could meet up about ten? What do you think? On the way to class?"

"Sure. And I'll see you at lunch, too. If you can, get your teacher to stay in the room and I'll fetch you there," Wufei offered.

Zechs blushed. "Wufei, I'm not an invalid," he said gently. "I can make it to the cafeteria on my own. Why don't we meet out by that planter at ten," he added, pointing to a square, cement planter with ledges for sitting.

"All right," the other boy agreed, fidgeting. "I just... worry." And he *did*, because he didn't want anyone saying something to hurt Zechs's feelings, or trying to hurt him when he wasn't around to stop them!

Zechs could recognize the concern in the Chinese boy's eyes, and it made him want to put his arms around him and hold him tightly. He couldn't, so he simply smiled. "I'll be fine, really. See you at ten." And then he brushed past Wufei, fingers grazing the other boy's as he did.

"Yeah," Wufei agreed softly. "See you then..."

The meeting at midmorning had gone well. Zechs wasn't encountering anything unpleasant and could reassure Wufei that no one was following him or saying anything to him, really. The parted in time for the next class and Zechs had spent the rest of the morning struggling to keep his mind on the teachers and off of Wufei's kisses.

When they found each other at lunch, Zechs grinned broadly and murmured, "Let's find someplace quiet."

"Yeah," Wufei agreed. "Not out by the picnic tables..." THAT area had been firmly taken over by Aaron and his ghouls, so Wufei wasn't about to go out there with Zechs. They'd just harass one or both of them. "Not even through there, but maybe out front?"

Zechs gave him a look that was downright sly.

"Under the stadium," he murmured and wriggled his eyebrows.

Unable to help himself, Wufei laughed and nodded. "Through the home ec wing! Come on!" That said, they headed down the hall and through another, the redolent smells of sponge cake (and BURNED sponge cake) wafting along the way before they slipped outside and down the stairs towards the stadium.

"So, what did you bring me for lunch today?" Zechs teased.

"Meiran made broccoli with pork and pear balls with honey, *just* for you," Wufei replied. "She said I could have some if you were feeling generous. I told her we'd be lucky if we didn't die of food poisoning." The back and forth tease about her cooking skills didn't stop, even though she was getting better.

"You're so mean to her!" Zechs laughed. "Maybe I'll marry her instead..." He looked over at Wufei and winked.

"Ch'..." Wufei declared, grinning. "She might have you. She *likes* you," he informed Zechs. "Says you're sweet."

Zechs reddened. "She does? Strange..."

He led the way under the stadium seats. They were in luck, no druggies there today, just cool, quiet grass. "Here looks good," he said and sat down in a patch of dappled sunlight.

"Definitely good," was the agreement, Wufei dropping down beside him. "I also have curry and rice from my mother," he said with a grin. "They're trying to make me fat. I'm glad I have you to share with!"

The blond boy gave him an appraising look. "You'll never be fat, no matter how much you eat," he predicted and then opened up a tubful of tabouleh and a package of sesame crackers.

"Natural predisposition," Wufei agreed solemnly.

"So how is Meiran?" Zechs asked. "Have you gotten any ideas on how to get her boyfriend over here?"

"Some," Wufei said. "For her to *stay* here, she's got to immigrate or get married one. Immigration's kind of expensive, especially if we end up paying for him to come to her..."

Looking up at him sharply, Zechs frowned. "Are you... are you thinking of marrying her? To help her get a green card?"

"Maybe. How long do you have to be married before you can be a citizen, though? I wouldn't want to... do anything icky," Wufei noted, nose wrinkling.

"They check those kinds of things, you know," Zechs said, not liking the idea at all. "They ask you questions -- to see if you really live together and stuff. You'd better be careful." He chewed his tabouleh for a moment and then added, "Besides, your parents -- what would they say?"

"I hadn't thought that far along," Wufei confessed, gnawing at his lower lip.

"What would you do?" Zechs asked softly. "Divorce her?"

"Well..." The other boy paused, thinking. "That's all I could think of to do, yeah."

"Maybe we can think of something else," Zechs muttered, snatching a pear ball. "Um... this is pretty good..."

Black brows shot upward. "Oh? No food poisoning?" he teased, popping one into his own mouth. "Mmmm. Oh, she's getting better!"

"Is your aunt teaching her?" Zechs asked, diving for some curry.

"Uh-huh. So she ought to get pretty good, eventually. What other ways do you think there might be? A trip from China's pretty expensive, much less all of that immigration stuff...." Wufei said.

"Yeah," Zechs said, frowning again, this time in thought. "What does he do? Is it possible he could work over here? Does he have any special skills?"

"I really don't know," Wufei confessed. "We didn't talk about that part. They've known one another since they were kids and been in love since they were ten..."

"Wow," Zechs said. "It must have been terrible, her having to leave and everything..."

"Yeah. So. I'm not the only one who wasn't happy about it," Wufei agreed.

Zechs hesitated a moment and them asked, "So, when did you find out about all of this?"

"When I took her to the movies the other night," Wufei told him. "We had a really long talk, then, because she's been feeling sad and guilty about all of it. It was sort of a relief," he confessed, flushing. "I mean.... what with... well, you know."

"No, what?" Zechs said, a piece of broccoli inches from his mouth.

"You," Wufei murmured. "Me. You know. Us."

Smiling, Zechs downed the broccoli and then said in a teasing voice, "Why can't you just say it, Wufei?"

The Chinese boy's face was turning a deep red. "Because it means so much," he whispered. "It's different than being engaged with Meiran!"

"Are you that uncomfortable with it?" Zechs asked.

A moments' thought seemed required to answer that. "No," Wufei answered him finally. "Only... it's new. And I've never really done anything like it before..."

"I don;t want to make you feel bad," Zechs said, his voice soft. "I know I get a bit overeager at times."

"It doesn't feel bad!" Wufei denied quickly. "Everything feels really *really* good. Maybe that makes me nervous, too," he admitted sheepishly. "Besides. I'm not sure what you call it, when it's us. When it's girls and boys, I know, but...?"

Finishing off another spoonful of tabouleh, Zechs put his head to the side. "What do you mean?" he asked.

"Well.." There followed a thoughtful pause before Wufei spoke again. "Obviously it's love, but what is it? Going together, going steady, seeing one another, dating? Does it count as any of that? Does it get a name, if it's not boys and girls?"

Zechs stared at him for a moment. "Of *course* it gets a name. It's not any different. Of course, we can't say we're dating because we've never been on a real date before -- can we?"

Blond eyebrows wiggled.

Unable to help himself, Wufei laughed. "Okay, so what is it, then?" he asked, face still flushed.

"Well... I happen to be in love with you," Zechs said quietly.

At that, the slim dark boy almost visibly melted. "I'm glad," he said with a happy sigh. "Me, too."

"No~oo," Zechs said, leaning forward to rest his forehead against Wufei's. "*Say* it. "I. Love. You. Zechs."

"I...love...you...Zechs!" Wufei whispered, smiling slightly, beet-red. "There!"

Zechs rolled his eyes heavenward. "He *can* be taught!"

"Some things are just meant to be said in the privacy of your own home!" came the sniffed answer, even though Wufei's lips were upturned, amused.

"Oh, come on -- admit it," Zechs said. "You would never had said that to me in your own home!"

"What if someone listened!" Wufei protested, shaking his head. "I would have said it in YOURS."

"Just say it again and then kiss me," the blond murmured.

"I love you," Wufei whispered and then leaned across and gave Zechs a shy kiss, face flushed red. Ohhh, he wasn't sure it was such a good idea to do this in public, but it was so nice!!

Zechs made sure it didn't remain shy, however. His arms slipped around Wufei's waist and deepened the kiss, exploring the other boy's mouth with a warm, sweet tongue and sighing happily. It was deliciously sweet, and even if Wufei *was* afraid of getting caught... he couldn't help himself. He responded all the same, breath mingling with Zechs's, hand lightly placed on the other boy's wrist.

"Mmmn... you don't *know* how much I've been wanting to do this," Zechs sighed between kisses. "And I was worried -- so worried that I'd never want to do anything like this again... that he'd ruined it for me..."

"I'm glad he didn't," Wufei whispered. "I would've had to hurt him if he did. Zechs... Ohh..."

"My little warrior," Zechs said, nuzzling his jaw with a tinge of sadness in his voice. "I just want to forget it all... everything about it..."

"It will be all right," came the solemn promise, Wufei holding him close. "I'll find a way to make it all right..."

"You *do* make it right," Zechs whispered, burying his face against Wufei's neck. "You make it right just by being here... you're such a miracle."

At that, Wufei blushed, hugging Zechs tightly to him. "I'm glad," he whispered. "I'm so glad, Zechs..."

The blond boy pulled Wufei to him, bringing his legs up to straddle Zechs's hips, their arms twined around each other. He kissed him, pressing mouth to mouth, then nuzzled down along Wufei's neck and throat, his hands full of the dark silk of the Chinese boy's hair.

"You taste so good... and I want you so much..."

"Zechs..." Wufei whispered, dropping his head back, eyes closed. "I don't think we should do this here...."

A slight cough nearly made both of them lose their skin. "Well, at least one of you is right about that!" came the gruff once of one of the female phys ed teachers. "Gather up your things, boys. I believe we're going to the office!"

Zechs's mouth dropped open, his face going pale as the woman stood there and waited for them. Trembling severely, he stood, offering a hand to Wufei before scrambling to get the remnants of his lunch back in his backpack. /Shit!! He'll never want to see me again!! And his parents... oh, *shit!!*/

/Ohhh,/ Wufei thought, pale himself. /This is bad. This is so bad.../

"Hurry it up, boys. You aren't even supposed to be here, much less be making out under the risers!"

/I'm sorry Wufei! Oh, god, I'm so sorry! I'll tell them it was my idea!! Just don't hate me.../

They followed her across campus to the main office, where she instructed them to sit while she went in to talk to the principal.

Zechs stole a glance over at Wufei, who looked as if he was going to be sick. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "But don't worry -- it was my idea. They shouldn't punish you..."

"Don't be ridiculous," Wufei whispered back to him. "I will take it like a man. I was participating in breaking the rules with you!"

But Zechs didn't seem to hear him, just repeating, "I'm sorry... I'm so sorry..."

"Zechs." Wufei's voice was stern, his face solemn. "It's as much my fault as yours. No apologizing!" Though what on earth he'd tell his father...

"Boys?" The PE teacher was standing at the door to the principal's office. "He'd like to see you now."

Zechs swallowed hard and stood up. The thought of seeing the man who took his rape as just an inconvenience that needed to be hushed up was unpleasant enough, but with what the teacher had seen...

He set his face in a neutral mask and walked in.

"Well, gentlemen. I hear you've been caught making out in a forbidden area. Forbidden activities in a place where you shouldn't have been to start with!" the man began firmly.

"It was all my fault, sir," Zechs said. "I suggested we go there, and it was my idea to... to do what we were doing. It wasn't any of Wufei's doing at all."

"But he went," the principal said firmly, cutting off the sound of Wufei's protest. "I think a three day suspension will help remind both of you of the proprieties of your school behavior, don't you?"

"Three days!" Wufei gasped, paling.

"Sir that's unfair!" Zechs protested. "Give me the suspension! It wasn't Wufei's fault! I... I... I *made* him do it!"

"You did *not*!" Wufei told him firmly, shaking his head. "It just sort of happe..."

"BOYS! There will be no arguing about the matter. Go sit in the outer office. I'll call your parents."

Closing his eyes and turning away, Zechs felt a sense of dread coming over him. Wufei's parents... what in God's name would they say when they found out? Surely he'd never be able to see Wufei again!

He left the office and sat down heavily on one of the plastic chairs in the waiting area.

The other boy sat down beside him and drew in a deep, tremulous sigh. "This isn't good," he said simply. "I'm sorry, Zechs."

The tall blond looked at him incredulously. "You don't have anything to be sorry for! It was *my* stupid idea!" He shook his head in disgust. "I'm the one who's sorry, Wufei. You didn't do anything wrong."

"Nothing more than you did!" Wufei told him. "Zechs, it's okay. Just... it's okay. It will work out in the end. All right?"

"But your *parents* Wufei..." Zechs whispered, looking over at him. "They won't let you see me again, I *know.* And I don't want to lose you..."

Taking a deep breath, Wufei looked at him grimly. "We'll just find a way to make it work. There's always school, and..." And what? "And we can figure something else out later..."

"Yeah," Zechs said quietly, not believing a word of it. "Yeah, sure."

Ten minutes later, Noin walked in.

"Zechs? Wufei? What is this nonsense the principal is saying?" She sat down next to Zechs but leaned across him to include Wufei and whispered, "He said something about kissing. But since when is kissing a crime in high school?"

"Since we got caught," Wufei muttered. "And since he's a jackass, ma'am."

"Oh, this is ridiculous! Has he done the same thing to straight kids? I mean really -- calling your *parents*!"

"Mom," Zechs warned, "he's *coming*!"

"I really don't care if he comes," Noin said firmly, standing to look at the man, hands on her hips. "Well. I see you're having a fairly good day today, you slimeball."

The man gaped at her, stopping in his tracks as he came through his door. "I *beg* your pardon, Mr. Marquise??"

"Mom.." Zechs said, trying to tug at her sleeve. "Don't do this..."

"I said that I see you're having a fairly good day today, you slimeball," Noin repeated, gently patting Zechs's hand. "You know that I've reported you to the board of superintendants *and* told the police that you've tried to keep us from pressing charges. Now, you're harassing my son for no more than a few kisses? How many straight students do you send him for several days for getting caught kissing? I saw two couples kissing in the halls on my way here. Are THEY being sent home? Have you called THEIR parents?" she asked sternly. "I'm *sure* my lawyer will have a field day with this when I go to see him tomorrow."

"Now wait just one moment..." the man blustered. "They were found in a restricted area and I believe your son has been told before that his behavior is disruptive to the students and staff of this school! *That* is why they are *both* being sent home!"

"REALLY," Noin said flatly. "How remarkable. 'Disruptive' behavior, I suppose, includes getting harassed because you won't do anything about it. 'Disruptive' behavior includes getting physically abused in gym class because you won't do anything about it. And I'd just imagine that 'disruptive' behavior would also fall into the category of being beaten and raped because *YOU* didn't do anything about any of the other harassment that my son has had to deal with? Well, let me tell *you* about disruptive behavior! Disruptive behavior is what you're going to see when I sue you for criminal negligence for the harm of my son, *Principal* Adams. I hope you have a *very* nice day. Sweetheart," she said to Zechs. "Get your books. Wufei? Would you like for me to take you home, as well?"

"No, ma'am," he said meekly. "I think my father's coming." Oh, and his father wouldn't be anything like Zechs's mother was!!

Now it was Zechs who looked as if he'd be ill. "I... I want to wait, Mom," he said quietly. "I want to be with Wufei when his father comes." He looked over at the other boy. "Is... is that all right with you?"

Wufei nodded, delighting in the open mouthed shock of the principal, who still hadn't managed to get his brain to connect with his mouth after Noin's angry diatribe. "I would really appreciate that," he said with a sigh.

"Now Mrs. Marquise," the principal was saying, "let's be reasonable about this, shall we? You and I have been through this enough to know that flaunting one's sexual orientation is one of the fastest ways to cause trouble in this school. The parents of our students feel strongly opposed to that kind of... lifestyle, and so do their children. Your son is only one child out of hundreds. He should comply with the rules I've already discussed with *both* of you!"

"And I'm going to tell you once *again* that my son will comply to the same rules as every other student in this school and none more than that!" she shot back, hands on her hips. Ohhh, it was a beautiful thing for Wufei to watch! HIS father would probably apologize for his behavior and be angry with *him*! "The days of segregation are over, and I *will* not have my child be treated differently because of his sexuality! THAT is none of your business! He doesn't flaunt anything, he's a good boy and a *quiet* boy. The fact that you can't control your hate-mongering gossiping adolescents is the problem here, Mr. Adams, *not* my boy. He never *once* had problems before Aaron Rood and that nasty little girlfriend of his started gossiping about him left and right, and *you* have certainly not made any attempts to control that!"

"They are only responding to what they see as an immoral, unnatural behavior in your son! If he would have kept quiet about it in the first place, none of this would have ever *happened*! *Ever*!"

"Telling the person who's been your best friend since kindergarten CERTAINLY isn't yelling about it from the rooftops!" Noin informed him. Zechs and Wufei just watched them go back and forth, both with eyes nearly round in amazement.

/Wow,/ Wufei thought. /I wish.../ Well, he loved his parents, though...

"And do you have any idea at the betrayal that boy felt when he was told that a boy he trusted more than anyone else had *lied* to him?? Had let him go along thinking he was spending his days *and* some nights with a *normal* boy when your son was anything *but*!! No wonder the boy is full of anger! Your son lied to him -- betrayed his trust! This has been entirely the making of your son, Mrs. Marquise!!"

"Well, we'll just see about *that*, won't we, Mr. Adams?" Noin said calmly. "Somehow, I suspect that the laws are all on my side. I didn't want this to have to become unpleasant, but I'm afraid there's no longer any choice if I'm to protect my child since *you* don't seem capable of meeting the requirements of your employment -- which would include that duty."

Behind them, there was a quiet cough and they all turned to see Mr. Chang standing at the door of the office. He was looking sadly at Wufei but turned his eyes to the principal as he walked into the room.

He bowed and said quietly, "I am Chang Tso-Lin. I am Wufei's father. I understand I am to take him home for three days?"

"Ah... yes," Principal Adams said firmly, still dazed from Noin's fighting spirit. "He can come back to school next Tuesday."

/Oh, Poppa... I'm so sorry,/ Wufei thought miserably, eyes on his sneakers.

"Mr. Chang," Zechs said, standing suddenly. "Nothing was Wufei's fault. He didn't do anything wrong. *I* was the one who did something wrong and I believe it's completely unfair that he is being punished too. But really... he didn't do anything wrong..."

"Zechs..." Wufei said sadly, head giving a quick negative shake. "No... it's not your fault..."

"Mr. Chang," Noin said solemnly. "I'm sorry to see you under these circumstances. Mr. Adams has been harassing my son for quite some time now..."

Mr. Chang looked over at her and then to the principal. "I am not understanding what my son did to earn this punishment. Perhaps you will tell me, and I may understand?"

"Poppa..." Wufei whispered, face flaming heatedly, expression almost tortured. Oh, *God*!!

"One of the gym teachers caught your son kissing Zechs Marquise here in an area forbidden to lunching schoolchildren," Principal Adams answered firmly.

"Kissing?" Tso-lin said the word as if it came from a language he didn't know. His eyes moved to Zechs and then to Wufei. "Is this the truth, son?" he said quietly. "Were you doing this thing... with that boy?"

Unable to help himself, Wufei felt his sinuses tingling, his eyes growing damp. "[Yes, Poppa, but it wasn't bad like they say, it was only...]" Only what? Only comfort, only because he loved Zechs, only what? It wasn't *bad*...

Mr. Chang was silent for several moments, simply staring at Wufei before bowing deeply to the principal. "I am truly sorry for the behavior of my son. It was shameful and will never happen again. I will take him home now."

"Mr. Chang!" Zechs said, his voice raw with emotion, "it wasn't Wufei's idea. It was *mine.* Please don't punish him for something that's *my* fault!"

Wufei shook his head silently at Zechs, tears spilling over. "I'm sorry," he whispered, shaking his head again, a little hand gesture meant to say, /I'll see you soon/, falling flat.

"*I* am going to sue you so hard that you won't know what *hit* you," Noin almost hissed at Principal Adams, utterly furious. How *dare* he do what he was doing! How *dare* he!! "Expect to hear from my *lawyer*. Zechs, sweetheart, come on. Let's go home now." God, it would be hell to afford a private school, but they were looking better and better!

"I don't want them seeing each other," Mr. Chang called to Noin as she turned to go. "My son had a perfect record before he met your son. Your son is a bad influence on him. I don't want him coming over any more."

Zechs opened his mouth, but no sound would come out. He stared at Wufei, azure eyes filled with grief, looking utterly defeated.

Trembling lips mouthed words, silent. 'I love you', they said.

And 'Goodbye'.

The ride home was short but silent, Wufei's head down the entire way. /My father is ashamed of me,/ he thought miserably. /I've made my parents ashamed of me.../ He loved Zechs. Well... he thought he did. He'd never been in love before, and he knew that he didn't love Meiran. Her kisses didn't send sparks through him the way that Zechs's did. Still...

/My father is ashamed of me.../

The car rolled to a stop in front of the house and both men got out of it, silence still between them, Wufei sniffling back tears and wiping at his eyes as they got out. He couldn't help but cry. He'd never done anything to hurt his parents before and he loved him. /They're both going to be so ashamed of me.../

"[Come inside, Wufei,]" Tso-Lin said grimly. "[You have a lot of explaining to do to your mother.]"

"[I'm so sorry, Poppa,]" Wufei whispered. "[I'm so sorry...]"

"[Say nothing more to me,]" his father muttered. "[It's your mother who will be heartbroken.]"

He led the way into the house where Wufei's mother was standing nervously in the kitchen.

The look on Wufei's face said it all, pure misery, and his mother wanted to hug him, but the look on her husband's face... "[Tso-Lin?]"

"[Wufei -- sit down and tell your mother why you have been sent home.]"

Oh, GOD, that was even worse than being sent home, period! "[B-b-because,]" he hiccoughed. "[I... I was... I was...]" Oh, how could he ever say it! "[K kissing Z-Zechs, but it wasn't bad like they said! It wasn't!]"

"[Ohhh!]" his mother gave a little cry, hand going to her mouth. No wonder Tso-Lin looked so angry!!

"[And why wasn't it bad?]" his father said, voice just barely controlling anger.

"[B-because it w-wasn't...]" Wasn't what? It wasn't BAD! It was... it was... it was very, very good... "[B-because I l-like him,]" Wufei finally whispered, biting his lip hard.

"[You *like* him?]" his father asked incredulously. "[Is this how you act with someone you *like*?]"

"[You wanted me to kiss Meiran! Isn't it the same?]" he asked, shaking his head.

His mother was crying, too, by then. "[Wufei! Kissing a boy isn't the same as kissing Meiran! She is going to be your wife!]"

"But I like him better!" Wufei cried out in English.

His father raised a hand, ready to strike him. For a long moment, he glared down at Wufei, his face a mask of anger and disgust and then, slowly, he dropped his hand.

"[I can barely think of you as my son, when you say a thing like that,]" he said quietly.

Then he walked to the kitchen window and turned his back to Wufei.

Heartbroken, Wufei couldn't help but weep, sobbing wretchedly. /My Poppa hates me,/ he thought miserably, choking on his breath. /I'm a terrible person and my Poppa hates me!!/

"[Hush, now,]" his mother whispered, putting her arms around him once Tso-Lin had left. "[Hush, now. Don't cry so. Your poppa is upset...]"

"[I'm so sorry!]" he sobbed. "[I'm so sorry! Poppa hates me, I'm so sorry, Momma!!]"

"[Come, Wufei,]" his mother said to him. Her voice sounded weary, her eyes full of grief. "[Your father and I have to talk. There are many things to discuss. Up to your room, please.]"

"[I'm so sorry, Momma,]" he apologized again, scrubbing fitfully at an eye. God, he hated to cry, hadn't done so in years, but....

But he'd *never* made his parents so ashamed of him!

"[I know you are,]" she said as they walked up the stairs. "[But has that changed your heart? About that... that boy?]"

He shook his head sadly, letting out another little hiccoughing sound. "[I can't help it,]" he whispered. "[I can't... it's just the way I feel!]"

"[But it's *wrong*, Wufei,]" she said in heavy tone. "[You know better than that. You *know* it's a disgrace -- against nature, even.]"

She paused and then added in a wary tone, "[Did he... did he *do* something to you? Something bad?]"

Wufei shook his head. "[It was only a kiss, Momma. There wasn't anything bad,]" he said sadly, still leaking tears. "[People kiss in the halls at school every day, but no one gets called about it...]"

"[They are boys and *girls*, Fei! Boys shouldn't do such thing! YOu know that!]"

"[I'm sorry, Momma,]" he whispered on the sound of a sad, confused little sigh.

"[I thought we taught you better, Fei,]" she said, her voice breaking. "[But you have made your father very sad today. You must think about what you have done -- about a way to ask forgiveness of your father.]"

She walked to the door of his room and opened it, allowing him to pass. "[I will call you for dinner.]"

"[Yes, Momma,]" he answered miserably before the door shut behind him so that he could drop onto the bed and curl up to cry in peace. /I'm so sorry that you're ashamed of me. I'm so sorry.../

Zechs had followed his mother into the house without a word and now they were sitting at the kitchen table, Zechs's head on his arms that were folded in front of him.

He felt as if the world had been swept away from him. He could see no possible way that he would ever see Wufei again. Everything looked bleak.

"I can't live without him, Mom."

"Sweetheart..." Her voice was gentle, her hands stroking through platinum hair tenderly. "It will get better. We'll think of a way around it, that's all. I'll think of something..."

"It won't matter. His parent's are so strict it's pitiful. They'll probably take him out of school just so I can't see him."

He began crying softly, remembering Wufei's face as they left the school, the words he mouthed...

"Mom, I don't think I can take this..."

"Sweetheart..." Noin sighed. /My poor baby.../ "Think of it as Romeo and Juliet. You'll both be out of school in another year, adults in a grown-up world. It won't be so bad..."

He looked up at her, his face tear-streaked.

"You know what happened to Romeo and Juliet don't you? They couldn't live without each other..."

"Then change the rules, sweetheart," Noin told him gently. "You know what happened to them, so you can change it and still be happy." Her hand lightly stroked his cheek. "It will get better. You'll see him at school on Tuesday, I'm sure of it. And we'll see what we can do about things, all right?"

Zechs shook his head. "It won't help. He's going to marry someone he doesn't even love because his parents want him to. Being a 'good son', whatever the hell that is, matters more to him than anything or anyone. I know he loves me... he told me today..."

He broke off for a moment, burying his face in his hands. "But he cares too much about his parents being proud of him to do anything against their wishes." He was sobbing again, fighting for control but not able to reach it. "I've lost him Mom! I've lost him!"

"Pumpkin..." Noin sighed and hugged him, not knowing what to say. "My poor pumpkin. Shhhhh... shhhh..."

"I don't want to live, Mom," Zechs said in a voice flooded with misery. "First Aaron... and now this... I'm just a mistake. A freak. I shouldn't be alive..."

"Stop that *this* *moment*!" Noin told him sternly. "You are *not* a mistake. You're my baby, and I love you! You're brave and beautiful and everything will work out. All right?"

He looked up at her suddenly. "No, it won't, Mom!! It doesn't always work out! Look at you! *You're* the most beautiful woman in the world and what happened to you? You fell in love with a jerk who gave you a freak of a kid and then *left* you!! If *anyone* deserved to be happy and have the person they love with them it's *you* and look what happened!!"

He was crying to hard to continue, so he broke off and simply sobbed.

"I do have the person I love with me," Noin told him, cradling him close to her. "I love *you*, Zechsy. You're my baby. I love *you*. Your father was just incidental compared to what we are. Trust your mother, sweetheart. Shhh. Shhh..."

He clung to her as if his very life depended on it -- and maybe it did. The fragile world that he'd been trying to hold together since the attack had been completely destroyed and now there was nothing to do but hold on to her. She was warm, familiar, and, to Zechs's mind, the only person left in the world who gave a damn at that moment.

"It's all right," she whispered. "It will be all right, baby. It will be all right..."

She only hoped that it really would.

Breakfast at Wufei's house the next morning was, to say the least, strained. Dinner had been worse, for his parents had both left him to eat alone before sending him back to his room again. At least this morning they were both sitting at the table...

He really wasn't sure if that was an improvement or *not*.

"[Your mother and I have talked about this, Wufei, and we have come to a decision.]"

"[Yes, sir?]" Wufei almost whispered, afraid to hear it. Breakfast was abandoned as nausea and uncertainty rose, leaving him trembling even as his mother patted his knee beneath the table.

"[We've decided that you will go to another school. We can't risk you seeing that boy again.]"

Oh, God, to not see Zechs again! Unable to help himself, tears rose, Wufei's head dropping as they dripped loose, face hidden from them both. /I have to see him again somehow. I have to tell him... but how??/

"[It will be a better thing,]" Mrs. Chang told him almost comfortingly. "[And it will be a safer place, where people don't get hurt...]"

"[We also talked about your marriage... we think it should happen sooner, rather than later.]"

THAT gained a little gasp, Wufei's head coming up quickly. "[S... sooner? How much sooner?]" Oh, that changed so much!

"[At the end of the summer. In August.]"

His father's face was stony, set in it's somber expression. "[You need to concentrate on her and running the store, now.]"

/I don't want to get married! I don't want to run the store now!!/ Wufei thought miserably, but how could he say that? They would never understand. "[Y...es....]" he managed to get out, what little breakfast he'd eaten churning wildly in the pit of his belly.

"[It will be for the best,]" his mother soothed, patting his knee again.

"[We are expecting you to make no further mistakes, Wufei,]" his father said, standing up. "[You will begin longer hours at the store -- more responsibility. Do you understand?]"

"[Yes, Poppa.]" Oh, that was said so miserably!! /He hates me. My Poppa hates me.../ If it got any worse, he thought he'd just die!!

"[I'm going now. Wufei you will come to work after lunch.]"

Kissing his wife good bye, he headed out of the kitchen. A moment later they heard the door close quietly behind him.

"[Eat your breakfast, Wufei,]" his mother said.

Pale, he shook his head, almost green with pallor. "[I... can't,]" he said simply, miserably. He couldn't. If he did, he'd be ill, and that would be that. /I hope things are better for Zechs than they are for me.../

Across town, Zechs was faring no better. He stared down into the muesli his mother had handed him, but couldn't even think of eating it. He had cried himself to sleep and once or twice, Noin had looked in on him, worried about the way he'd been talking -- so full of despair.

"I'm really not hungry, Mom."

"You need to eat, sweetheart," she told him gently. "For your health. You'll be back in school soon, and you can talk to Wufei then. It'll get better," she promised. She had already been looking at private schools in the area, and while she hated to send Zechs anywhere that Wufei wasn't... she also couldn't bear for her son to be abused and for nothing to be done about it.

He continued staring into the bowl. "He won't be back. I just know it. They won't want him anywhere near me. He was the only person there who wanted anything to do with me, and now he's gone..."

The tears were stinging behind his eyes again and he fought to keep them back.

"Well, if he's going to be gone, then we'll just have to find out where he's got off to, now won't we?" Noin asked him archly.

"Yeah," Zechs said bleakly. But he didn't believe it for a moment.

"TRUST your mother!" Noin told him firmly. "And *eat* your meusli!"

He practically jumped at the sound of her voice and shoved a spoonful of the mushy stuff into his mouth.

"Be'er?"^[3]

Unable to help herself, his mother *laughed*. "Yes, darling, that's much 'be'er'," she told him, giggling. "You're my sweet boy. I do love you!"

He covered his mouth and struggled gamely to get the cereal to go down smoothly.

"I'm sorry, Mom," he said finally. "I just don't see any hope. They'll never accept the fact that he has feelings for me. And he won't go against their wishes."

"Well, sweetling, we'll just have to see. Don't give up hope yet, all right? Giving up hope means nothing can or will happen. So long as there's hope, there are possibilities."

"All right," he said in a small voice. "Are you going to be working in the studio today?"

Noin shook her head. "Nope. You and I are going out to the park today. I think you need *ice* cream," she told him, wriggling her brows.

Zechs shook his head in bemusement. "Sometimes you're such a *girl*, Mom..."

"Yeah, well, I was born that way," she told him, ruffling platinum blond hair and smiling at him. "Happens to the best of us. Now, go get your shoes on, baby. Momma's gonna take you out and we're going to have a *good* time!"

"[You *idiot*!]" Meiran groaned. "[HOW could you have been so stupid!]" Oh, she knew Wufei was miserable from the look on his face, but now she was miserable, too! The look on his face was terrible, though, as he stood there with a broom in his hand, apron on, utter despondency written on his face. "[Oh, dear. What are we going to do?]"

"[I don't know. I can't think of anything to do. I just... I don't know,]" Wufei answered sadly.

"[I was stupid to have hoped again,]" she said, looking out through the window of the storeroom in which they stood. "[I wish I hadn't. It makes things much worse now.]"

She said this, but her head was up, her gaze steely.

"[Poppa hates me. You hate me...]" Wufei sighed. "[I'm sorry.]" What else could he say? If today didn't get better soon, he wasn't sure that he was going to make it through it....

"[I don't hate you!]" she said, looking fiercely at him. "[But you don't want to marry me and I don't want to marry you. I care about you very much but I love Bao-Sheng... and you love Zechs, right?]"

"[Yes]," Wufei answered miserably. "[It's all stupid! It's not fair! And I don't know what to do about it!]"

"[Zechs said his mother might know something,]" she said, looking over at him. "[What about asking her?]"

"[If they catch me calling him, we'll be in even *more* trouble,]" he replied. "[They're even changing my school. Unless... Maybe we'll have time for breakfast tomorrow morning. Maybe...]"

She looked skeptical. "[You think he will come? Even after what happened?]"

"[I don't know,]" Wufei admitted. "[I can hope.]"

Zechs had remembered the bagel shop at 3 a.m. He had woken from a horrible dream in which he was watching Wufei and Meiran be married while he screamed and screamed for it to stop, but no one could hear him.

Sitting up in bed, trembling from the nightmare, his mind began to work furiously on the problem of talking to Wufei. How could he do it? He couldn't go to him, couldn't call, and would have to wait the weekend out to see if he returned to school on Tuesday...

Weekend! The bagel shop! Would Wufei take Meiran there again? Probably not, but he had to try on the slimmest chance that they might be there.

So it was that he tossed and turned the night away, thinking only of seeing Wufei, of hearing his voice again, before getting up at 6:30 and showering himself awake.

Creeping downstairs, he left a note for his mother and then strapped on his skates, heading out into the dawn to wait for Wufei.

The bagel shop was closed when he got there, so he hunkered down outside it, just to make sure he wouldn't miss them.

That was how Meiran and Wufei found him at eight o'clock -- seated, head dropped back against the brick, and dozing. "Zechs!" Oh, Wufei was so relieved, and he sighed deeply. "You're here!"

Azure eyes blinked open and squinted up at them against the warm light of the morning. "Wufei...?" he asked hesitantly, not wanting to presume whose little shadow was hovering over him. "Wufei!"

"We hoped that you would come," Meiran said to him solemnly. "We could think of no way to contact you without causing greater trouble for ourselves."

He stood quickly, dusting himself off, and smiled hesitantly at Meiran. Then, before he could think better of it, he threw his arms around Wufei and buried his fingers in the boy's silky dark hair, pressing him close and whispering his name.

"I thought I'd never see you again..."

The sound of a hiccoughed little sob broke against his shoulder, Wufei holding him tightly. "They're making me change schools!" he whispered shakily. "And they say we have to get married in August! I don't know what to do, Zechs!"

Zechs held him back at arm's length, still not letting him go. "*August*?? You're getting... they can't! You're..." He stared down at the other boy, feeling angry tears welling up. "You're *mine*!" he said fiercely. "I won't let you! You're *mine*!"

"I don't want to!" Wufei replied, shaking. "But I don't know what to do! I won't be eighteen yet! How can I say no? I can't!"

"*I* think we should talk to your mother, Zechs," Meiran told both of them calmly. "It is the thing to do."

"My mother...?" Zechs said, looking at Meiran as if noticing her for the first time. "Yeah... she might have an idea..." He turned back to Wufei. "Why don't you two come to my house? We can have breakfast there and see if Mom has any suggestions."

"Oh... okay," Wufei answered nervously. "But we have to be back by ten. I have to work today."

"I won't keep you," Zechs said quietly, dropping his arms from Wufei's. "Let's go see what she says."

Fingers found Zechs's for a moment before Wufei nodded at Meiran. "Let's get our bikes." His parents hadn't *asked* where they were going for breakfast --they'd assumed -- so it wasn't as though he had lied or anything...

Noin was not yet up when they arrived at the house, so Zechs made coffee as well as tea and they all sat down at the large kitchen table.

"So your parents must be really angry," Zechs mumbled into his coffee cup.

"My Poppa hates me," Wufei answered miserably, tears welling up for the second time that day. Lately, it felt like all he did was work and cry and worry!

"I'm sure he doesn't hate you!" Zechs said, looking nervously at Meiran for help. "He just hates *me* for corrupting you."

"Oh, no," the other boy sighed sadly. "He hates me."

"He does not talk to him," Meiran said glumly. "He sends messages through me or Wufei's mother. It is... it is unpleasant, there, just now."

Zechs heart seemed to drop through his sneakers. "Wufei... I'm so sorry... I should never have... *God* I was so *stupid*!"

He looked up at the other boy, crying softly now. Reaching out, he grabbed Wufei's hands across the table and said softly, "Wufei? I never wanted you to be unhappy and I understand that your family comes first. I've... I've been selfish, wanting you so badly, and I... well, I'll understand if you'd rather not see me anymore."

"No!" Wufei protested quickly, shaking his head. "No, that's not what I want! I want *you*, but... but I don't know what to do," he finished miserably.

The blond boy looked between the two of them, Wufei to Meiran and back. They were both so unhappy and he felt it had all been his fault. If he hadn't wanted Wufei so much... if he hadn't let his hormones take over at school... they wouldn't be there, looking to him for some sort of answer he couldn't provide.

"We'll think of something," Meiran said her eyes on her tea, her small fist curled in determination. "Wufei," she added in a softer voice, "don't cry..."

"I c-can't help it," he whispered. "It's all so awful. It's... nothing's *WORKING*, and you've been to my house! You know what it's like there now!"

"Sweetheart?" That was Zechs's mother, standing in the kitchen door in her pajamas. "Oh, we have company! You poor thing..."

Zechs looked around, eyes pleading for something he couldn't quite express -- only that he hadn't quite given up his childhood, because he still wanted his mother around to put things right. "Mom," he said quietly, "the Changs have moved up the wedding to this August. Oh -- sorry. This is Meiran," he said gesturing to the girl who sat next to Wufei. "Meiran, this is my mother Noin Marquise."

"It is very nice to meet you," Meiran said solemnly, nodding to the other woman.

"Has anyone had breakfast yet? Everything always looks a little better when you've eaten," Noin said gently.

"I don't think *they* will eat," Meiran said, looking at the two boys. "Boys can be troublesome at times. But I will eat -- and help you cook if you like."

The fact that Wufei didn't tease her about her cooking was *definitely* a bad sign. "Tell you what," Noin said. "If you'll butter some bread, we'll make cinnamon toast and have cheese eggs." That was fast and easy to make and would feel all of them quickly.

"Cinnamon toast?" Meiran said quizzically. "This is new for me, but -- where do you keep your bread and butter?"

As the two women talked between themselves, Zechs gave Wufei's hands a squeeze. "Are you sure?" he whispered to the other boy. "I'll understand if you want to forget about it."

"How could I?" Wufei told him solemnly. "I love you..."

THAT made Noin even more determined! "There's bread in the bin there," she told Meiran. "And I'll fetch the butter for you."

"Right," Meiran said, her face set. "We will make cinnamon toast!" One could almost see the fires of determination shooting up behind her.

Zechs watched her for a moment and then turned back to Wufei. "Come on," he said, trying to sound encouraging, "with the pair of them on our team, how could we lose?"

Wufei could think of *LOTS* of ways for them to lose, but he refrained from saying so! "You're right," he sniffed slightly. "You're right..."

"Good!" Noin declared, the butter given to Meiran along with a butter knife. "Now, then, we'll just have to think of what to do!" She already knew most of the details of the problem, and had been thinking about it, but... the movement of the wedding date rushed things a bit.

"Do you know of anyway we can bring Meiran's boyfriend over to the States, Mom? That's who she *wants* to be with."

Across the kitchen, Meiran blushed, but kept buttering with that same grim determination.

"But they both have to emigrate," Wufei said. "And... I don't know what to do about my parents..."

"You know," Noin began, "I think I saw a movie that was something like that once. There was a marriage arrangement made by parents who wished for their son to marry to a girl, not knowing that he was gay. She, of course, needed to come to America. The solution was that they marry. She would have citizenship, and his parents would be pleased. In the end, they could separate when enough time had passed for her citizenship to kick into effect. That seems to me to be a sort of solution to the problem," she told them. "After all, it's only a year and a half or so, and you can say that you were too young to really know what you wanted. Irreconcilable differences. That way, Meiran can marry *her* young man and they can both be legal citizens."

"Mom!" Zechs said, gaping at her. "You're telling them to get *married*?? I thought you were on *my* side of this!"

"I *am* on your side of this, pumpkin. If they get married, then in a year and a half, they'll be old enough to get divorced without having to worry about parental consent, and Wufei can go to college with *you*," Noin pointed out to him.

"That's a year and a half, Mom!" he said. "And they'd... His gaze flickered over to Meiran, then to Wufei and back down to his hands. "And they'd be *married,*" he said again more quietly. "Who knows what would happen..."

Wufei looked almost *frantic* at that. "You aren't suggesting what I *think* you're suggesting!?"

"He *is*," Meiran informed him, wrinkling her nose. "Don't be gross, Zechs. We're cooking."

He looked, first at them, then at his mother, with complete exasperation. "Look, I know what marriage is! You're telling me you *want* them to live together for a year and a half? You want them to wear rings and have a honeymoon and... and kiss the bride and all that kind of stuff? Well what if it *sticks*? What if they *stay* that way??"

"Nothing's getting stuck ANYWHERE!" Wufei squeaked, face flaming. "ZECHS!!!!"

"No, pumpkin. I think it's the perfect solution," Noin said firmly. "We'll bring Meiran's boyfriend from China to live with us... say, as an exchange student. And married people often have homes of their own, don't they? It isn't as if the two of *you* couldn't spend the night with the two of *them*," she pointed out.

Now it was Zechs's turn to go pink.

"Mom!" he said, quietly embarrassed. "They'd... they'd be *married*..."

Meiran looked up from the toaster, eyes far away and twinkling slightly. "I'd *love* to spend a night with Bao-Sheng..."

"Meiran!!" Wufei groaned. Ohh, was sex ALL any of these people thought about!? Not that *he* hadn't thought about it, especially after all of those Kizuna manga....

Noin laughed. "Yes, and in love with other people. Sometimes, sweetie, you do what you *have* to do to make things work."

Cheeks still pink, Zechs looked over at Wufei through his lashes. He was having the most unhelpful thoughts about the other boy and his mother's suggestions weren't making matters any better.

"What... what do you think, Wufei...?"

"It... it could work," Wufei said shyly, face just as red as Zechs's. "If we tried it that way."

Zechs frowned and put his chin in his hand. "Yeah," he said dejectedly. "Guess so..." He didn't like the idea at all. It made him jealous and nervous and the combination wasn't a pleasant one, especially on an empty stomach, but what else could be done?

"How soon can Bao-Sheng come?" Meiran asked Noin, obviously delighted.

"As soon as we figure out how much money it will take to bring him!" Noin declared. "We... will have a garage sale! That'll put a dent in however much it is! And we'll have to call and tell him to try and get permission to study abroad... I can't imagine how one gets to be an exchange student..."

"I will tell him to find out!" Meiran declared. "He has no problems with the police --I think they let him." She looked smug for a moment and then added, "Besides, if he knows I will marry him someday, he'll swim the ocean to come to me."

/Now THAT'S love,/ Wufei decided, smiling tentatively at Zechs. "They're sending me to a private school," he said solemnly. "St. Rose Academy..."

"How MARVELOUS!" Noin cried, pausing in her egg scrambling. "That's where I was thinking of sending Zechsy! Well, that just clinches it, then! So you two won't *have* to swim oceans," she teased.

Zechs gave his mother a suspicious look. "Since when have you been thinking about sending me there?" he said. "That's a Catholic school, isn't it?"

She shook her head, smiling. "No, you're thinking of St. Rosetta's, sweetling. That's the girl's school across town. Would *I* send you to a Catholic school?" she asked him, raising her eyebrows.

"If you wanted to torture me you would," Zechs observed. "They'd burn me at the stake."

"And me with you!" Wufei muttered. "I wouldn't let them burn you!"

"See? Love," Noin said lightly, turning off the eggs to sprinkle cinnamon and sugar over the bread Meiran had buttered and winking at her. "Not bad at all."

"I still don't like the idea of you getting married," Zechs said quietly, staring over at Wufei and feeling a wave of possessiveness. "You're *mine.*"

"And *I* do not want him!" Meiran declared. "You can have him, but things must be the way things must be!"

Wufei sighed. "She's right. Your mother is right, also. We should eat," he told Zechs. "We have to be back in another forty-five minutes."

Pouting, Zechs helped bring dishes to the table and they dug, all but the blond boy feeling better about the situation.

Noin looked up from her cinnamon toast to gaze levelly at Meiran. "So tell me, is Bao-Sheng going to school at the moment?"

"Yes, ma'am," Meiran replied, nodding. "He is in his last year of school, so I think he would have to be accepted by a college here to come? I am not sure..."

Noin nodded, chewing thoughtfully. "Well, that happens all the time, I believe -- foreign students coming over for graduate school. Perhaps you and Wufei could look into the universities nearby. What field is he looking to go into?"

The Chinese girl smiled proudly. "Physics," she said. "He's VERY good at it, I think, and he has excellent grades. I wonder if it is a good time to see about this thing, now?"

"It should be," Wufei said. "It's when they start sending in applications for colleges, I think..."

While the two women chatted, Zechs looked over at Wufei, reaching out with his foot and gently rubbing the other boy's leg under the table. /I need time with you... alone... tell me it won't be a year and a half.../

The feel of Zechs's foot brought a flush and a hesitant smile to Wufei's face, dark eyes looking across the table at him. /It will be all right. Even if Poppa hates me... it will all be all right.../

Zechs kept his eye on Wufei's plate all through breakfast and when it looked as if he was done the blond boy murmured, "Want to come up and see my new manga? It'll only take a minute."

"Sure!" Wufei agreed quickly, smiling at the women who were still eating breakfast. "I'll be right down and we'll leave then, okay?"

Meiran's steady gaze followed them out of the kitchen and then shifted to Noin. "They're going to go and kiss, aren't they?" she said matter-of-factly.

"Probably!" Noin agreed. "I think everything will work out *just* fine."

Zechs nearly pulled Wufei all the way up the stairs, hurrying down the hallway and into his room where he shut the door firmly and then pulled the Chinese boy onto his bed. "Mmmn -- come here *now*!" he managed to get out before covering Wufei's mouth with his own.

"Zechs!" It was a startled little whisper, but not one meant as protest. Indeed, there was something more than a little delicious and verboten about this, being held and kissed by Zechs, in a *bed*. He couldn't help but react, giving a moan and a tiny lurch of his hips to press against the other boy.

Eating softly at Wufei's mouth, and rubbing back against the other boy's slender hips, Zechs murmured, "You just remember that whatever happens, your *mine*..."

"Yours..." Wufei agreed, a breathless little sound as he stole Zechs's mouth in return, kissing him hard, delicious, an exquisite mesh of lips to lips.

A soft moan escaped Zechs as he pressed harder, trailing open-mouthed kisses along Wufei's jaw and throat. "Want you... miss you.."

"We'll... ohhhh..." Wufei sighed, rocking up a little harder. That felt so incredibly *GOOD*, and he moaned, unable to help himself. "Be... at the same school again, soon..."

"Can't do this... at school..." Zechs gasped, suckling a little at Wufei's neck, wanting to make a mark, to claim him somehow. "Don't forget about me... please..."

"I won't!" came the promise on the sound of a groan. "I can't! Oh, GOD, Zechs!"

Zechs continued to suckle as his hands explored Wufei's body, one dropping to his fly and gradually working it open. He looked up for a moment at the bulging, cotton-covered erection and felt his cheeks flush. Then, without another word, he slid downwards and pressed his face to it, breathing in the scent of the other boy.

"Z... ZECHS!?" Wufei gasped out, eyes flying wide open. "Wh....wh....oooohhhh!"

The blond boy nuzzled the hardening erection, licking and kissing it through the soft cotton of Wufei's briefs. "Mmm... you smell like heaven..." he whispered, beginning to suck at it lightly, feeling it twitch under his mouth.

Hoarse voice moaned his name aloud again, Wufei biting down hard on a knuckle brought to his lips to keep from crying out. NOTHING had ever felt so intense or so good or made him so *nervous*, and he just knew he'd die of pleasure right then and there.

"BOYS!" The sound of Noin's voice came from the foot of the stairs. "It's time to go!!"

"Huh?" Zechs lifted his head, panting softly, expression completely dazed. "Time...?" He looked down at Wufei, all untucked and laid out beneath him. "*Damn!*"

"Damn isn't the right word!" Wufei managed to whimper breathlessly. "Oh, GOD..."

"I'm sorry," Zechs said, dropping his head to rest on Wufei's belly for a moment. "Oh, it was getting so *good*..."

The answer came in a rushed whisper. "Maybe next time, we can. Maybe I can... try then, too. Next time." The mere fact that there might BE a next time was too delicious to even contemplate!

"Yeah," Zechs said, still breathing hard. "Next time... right..." /Oh, *God* when will 'next time' be??/

He put Wufei back together and kissed him thoroughly before letting him up and walking to the door. "Ready?" he said, hand on the door knob.

"No," Wufei admitted, smiling at him. Somehow, life seemed so much better now! "But I have to get back, and I feel better, so."

Zechs gave him a smile, feeling like it was almost genuine for the first time in days. "I love you so much," he said softly. "It's insanely stupid how much I love you."

"Me, too," came the whisper, Wufei leaning up on his toes to offer his mouth and kiss Zechs once again.

"BOYS!!!"

"Yes, Mom!" Zechs called down and they walked downstairs to find two females in the front hall, both looking up at them with arms folded.

Meiran looked at Wufei and sniffed, "Kissing makes us late."

"Kissing," Wufei informed her, flushed, "is *GOOD*."

At those words Zechs couldn't help an absolutely *smug* look, until he caught his mother's eye and blushed furiously.

"Thanks for coming over," he muttered, looking away quickly.

"I'm very glad we came, too," Meiran decided with a nod. "Kissing may be good, but settling things is better. We need to go now!"

"Coming," Wufei muttered, smiling at Zechs. "I'll see you again, soon."

"Yeah, okay," the blond boy said wistfully. "Take care of yourself, all right. Maybe I'll see you at school."

Noin just smiled. "It's a private school, and small, so you'll probably be in the same classes. Buck up, baby, and the two of you, get going! You don't want to be late!"

"Yes, ma'am!" they caroled together, heading for the front door. Once there, Wufei paused. "Zechs?"

"Yeah?" he said, looking up hopefully.

"I love you," Wufei told him, and then he was gone.

"Oh, *damn*," the blond boy muttered, and then began to cry again.

Later that afternoon, Wufei smiled at Meiran and nudged her, winking. "Hey," he said, "want to go see a movie later? Maybe?" And maybe, if they stopped at a pay phone on the way, they could ask Zechs to go, too...

Wufei's father was sitting across from the two of them in the living room, reading the newspaper. His mother was reading a magazine in her usual chair. "Oh, yes, Wufei," she said, making sure it was loud enough for Tso-Lin to hear. "How thoughtful of you."

"I'll call the theater," he said, rising from his chair and heading towards the kitchen. Maybe that way, he could get a call in to Zechs on the sly... "If you come with me, you can listen in!"

Tso-Lin's eyes followed them out of the room. There was a rustle of newsprint and he murmured to his wife, "[I think we have reached him in time.]"

"[Will you talk to him, now?]" his wife asked, almost pleadingly. "[It is not good for either of you to be like this...]"

He seemed to consider the request for several moments and then said, "[I will speak with him.]"

His wife sighed with relief, nodding slowly. "[Thank you,]" she said simply, and smiled. "[It will be better for both of you, Tso-Lin.]"

He gave her a soft grunt and went back to reading the business news even as she rolled her eyes slightly behind her own magazine. /Men./ It was a thing she had thought privately many times in her life, but never actually said, living as she did with Tso-Lin and Wufei. /Mine, but sometimes.../ Sometimes, it was enough to make her want to strangle one or both of them!

In the kitchen, Wufei listened to the options. "_Nobody Needs To Know_ is on at 7:30 and 9:30... _Along Came a Spider_ at 7:45 and 9:45... _Pokemon 3_, 8:15... _Josie and the Pussycats_ at 8:00 and 9:45... and _The Mummy Returns_ at 7:55 and 9:55!! Which one sounds good to you?"

"What is a mummy?" Meiran asked.

"Urm... Egyptian dead," Wufei told her. "There was another movie before that one. Hm. Maybe we shouldn't see that until you see the other movie..."

"What about the Spider one? Is it about insects and such?"

"I think it's suspense thriller. Something about a murder. The title comes from an English nursery rhyme. I think it's supposed to be sinister," he decided.

"Sinister is good!" she said, a wicked glint filling her eyes. "Besides, it has to be very interesting for me to ignore you and Zechs."

"MEI!" he whispered in a hiss, flushing and then smiling at her. "You know, I think you might be the best friend I've ever had?"

She smirked up at him. "*I* see the way you look at him. *I* saw what you looked like when you came downstairs this morning..."

He colored even more violently, shifting slightly. "Here isn't the best place to talk about it," he whispered. "But..." A sigh more or less told the whole story! "So, _Along Came A Spider_. That'll be 7:45 then and it's 6:30 now, so..."

"So, we should go soon so you can call him, yes? Maybe he is free tonight and dreaming for you." She wriggled her eyebrows at him and smiled.

Laughing, he leaned over and kissed her cheek, hugging her close just as both of his parents walked into the room, out of his own eyesight, but in hers. "You're the best, Meiran," he told her affectionately.

"This is very good," his father said. "I see you have come to appreciate the wonderful wife you will have soon, Wufei. You have done well in avoiding this temptation. See how lovely she is." He bowed towards Meiran and smiled.

Shyly, Wufei looked at his father and then looked back at Meiran, a certain amount of gratefulness shining from his eyes. "[We're going to go out this evening, Poppa,]" he said a little shyly. "[Is that all right?]"

"[Of course, of course,]" the older Chang said. "[A young man should take his fiancee to films and restaurants.]" He held up a finger, though. "[Be sure to have her back to your Auntie Bao-Bao's at a reasonable time, otherwise you will have your ears boxed by her.]"

"[Yes, Poppa,]" was the respectful answer, Wufei's eyes darting to his mother's relieved face. /I hate deceiving them, but... it's the only way, now./

"We should go," Meiran said, smiling and tugging at his sleeve. "We don't want to be late."

"[I should be back in by eleven or so, Momma, Poppa,]" Wufei said respectfully, and promptly began following Meiran towards the door.

Once they were gone, Mrs. Chang looked at her husband from the corners of her eyes. "[Well?]"

"[My dear,]" he said in great relief, "[I believe we got to him in time...]"

"[I just want to be sure of his happiness,]" his wife said slowly, and watched her child and his wife-to-be as they walked away from the house and into the streets of twilight.

End of Part Two

[1] Literally, "Fuck your mother" in Mandarin.
[2] Literally, "Get of another", bastard.
[3] "Better?"

(:./kumiko/gb2)