Title: Houseboat Haven 5/6ish
Author: Caroline (chibirei @ hotmail.com)
Rating: NC-17
Pairing: 5x2
Warnings: TWT, since this is my first time writing Wufei as a main
character, most likely OOC, PWPish elements, lemon
Spoilers: slight Wufei's and Duo's past spoilers
Comments: please
Archive: if I've said yes, then yes.
Disclaimers: don't own 'em.  never will.  'nuff said.


.:five:.

The winds howled over the water, raging across the roof of the
houseboat. Waves pounded the sides of the boat as if demanding
entrance. The moon and stars had been blotted out, leaving the night
darker than the lowest depths of hell. The only light came from the
bright strobe-like flashes streaking down from the heavens and the
dim glow from the illuminated numbers of the wall clock. While the
elements raged outside, a storm of a different kind was brewing
within.

Wufei held Duo in his arms, allowing his hands to move in comforting
circles along the American's skin. Tenderly, he kissed the tears from
Duo's cheeks before seeking his mouth once more. He kissed Duo
softly, exploring the boy's mouth slowly with his tongue. The flavor
he discovered inside was so uniquely *Duo* he would have willingly
drowned in it if he could.

Duo was almost totally still in his embrace. The one arm that was not
trapped underneath his body clutched Wufei's side like a drowning man
grasping a life preserver. Wufei knew what Duo was doing - focusing
his entire being on what Wufei was making him feel, ignoring the
outside world and the pain and loneliness within. Wufei knew it too
well - he'd done the same thing when Meiran and the other members of
his clan had perished. He and Duo were a lot alike, probably more
than either one was willing to admit. Two lonely, orphaned souls
searching for someone to cling to, to love, if only for a little
while. And they had found each other.

The boat rocked almost violently against the pounding waves. The
motions caused Wufei to pitch forward, rolling almost on top of Duo.
The Chinese pilot looked startled and opened his mouth to apologize,
but Duo silenced him with a finger over his mouth. Smiling softly, he
pulled Wufei on top of him completely, opening his legs to make room
for him. Wufei stared down at his would-be lover, amazed by the gift
Duo was offering him. The long-haired boy smiled again and drew him
back down to claim his lips.

He didn't remember anything tasting as sweet as Duo's lips. He went
in for a second, third, and forth taste, becoming addicted instantly.
Duo readily welcomed him into his mouth, moving his hands to run his
fingers through Wufei's dark hair. Finding the tie holding his hair
in a loose ponytail at the back, Duo quickly removed it and tossed it
aside. A curtain of black silk came tumbling down, shielding both
their faces from the outside world.

Duo smiled, allowing Wufei's hair to slide through his fingers. "You
should wear your hair down more often," he whispered.

"Can't. It gets in my eyes," the Chinese pilot replied, shaking the
hair out of his face.

Duo fingered the silky strands. "But it's beautiful." He moved his
hands to cup Wufei's cheek. "*You're* beautiful."

Wufei felt his breath catch in his throat. No one had ever told him
he was beautiful before. He almost didn't want to believe it - but
Duo never lied. Not since he had been married to Meiran had he ever
felt this strongly for another person. *Meiran* had been beautiful,
not he. The boy beneath him was beautiful - Wufei was just a pale
imitation of beauty compared to those two. He swooped down to capture
the American's lips, determined to show him just how beautiful he was
without words.

Duo moaned into his mouth, hands wandering down his back. Wufei felt
them sliding under the hem of his shirt to caress the smooth skin
beneath. He jumped at the touch, then sank down upon the American's
body once more, allowing Duo to touch him freely under the shirt. The
smaller pilot tugged the material upwards to gather under Wufei's
arms, leaving his back free to the touch. Duo traced random patterns
over the bare skin, moaning beneath the Shenlong pilot and rolling
his head to the side to give Wufei easy access to his throat. Duo's
skin seemed to glow in the darkness. Wufei was overcome with the
desire to taste him there.

He lowered his lips to Duo's neck and kissed the vein he found there.
He ran his tongue over it, feeling it pulse with the beat of Duo's
heart. He felt dizzy as he did so - this was Duo's very life force
underneath his mouth. Duo's heart was beating very fast - and at that
moment, it was beating for *him*.

He moved down a little further, wanting to hear Duo's heart beat. He
placed his head on Duo's chest, ear over his heart, and listened to
the steady rhythm of Duo's life.

"Wufei?" the long-haired boy asked hesitantly.

"Shhh. Just let me listen for a moment," the dark-eyed boy replied,
not moving his head.

Duo didn't respond. He simply lay there, running his hands through
Wufei's hair. They lay there for several long minutes; Wufei
listening as the thunder outside echoed the beat of Duo's heart. He
turned his head and placed a kiss over his heart. Beneath him, Duo
sighed contentedly, continuing to run his fingers though Wufei's dark
locks. Intrigued by the taste of Duo's skin and wanting to hear the
long-haired boy moan his name, the Chinese pilot moved his lips a few
inches upwards and lightly tongued the pert, pink nipple found there.

"Nnnh! 'Fei," Duo murmured, arching his back at the touch.

Wufei rolled the hardened nub in his mouth, squeezing it gently
between his teeth. In the frequent bursts of light provided by Mother
Nature outside their window, he could see Duo's head thrashing back
and forth on the pillow. The American moved sensuously beneath him
and Wufei could feel his own body responding to the quiet moans
emanating from Duo's throat.

Slowly he moved downwards, kissing and tasting his way across Duo's
skin, feeling his lover's stomach flutter excitedly beneath him.

His lover. Those words caused Wufei's heart to contract. He hadn't
had anyone to call his lover in a very long time. He hadn't wanted
to - until this loud-mouthed American baka had come into his life.
Duo was so beautiful, inside as well as out. The long-haired boy was
so warm and caring, and Wufei felt extremely honored to be able to
get close to that warmth after being so cold and alone for such a
long time. He placed a worshipful kiss on Duo's stomach, silently
thanking him, before moving on.

He dipped his tongue into Duo's bellybutton, running it around the
smooth skin within. Duo groaned again and raised up on his elbows to
look down at his dark-haired lover.

"'Fei," he half-whispered, smoothing back a strand of ebony
silk. "'Fei, please."

Chocolate eyes met violet in the near darkness of the cabin. Wufei
caressed the silky skin of Duo's abdomen in reassurance. He nuzzled
the elastic band of his lover's boxers before moving lower and
opening his mouth over Duo's cotton clad erection.

Duo cried out as Wufei traced his hardened arousal through the thin
cloth with his lips and tongue, soaking through the front of his
boxers. He dropped his upper body back down onto the bed, unable to
do anything but feel as Wufei teased him. The Chinese pilot worked
him expertly through the material, using Duo's whimpers and groans to
guide him. The boat rocked perilously beneath them, but neither
seemed to notice; the storm all but forgotten in their passion.

As Wufei continued to knead Duo through his boxers, his hands slid up
to grasp the elastic waist band of the garment. Ever so slowly, so as
not to alarm Duo, Wufei pulled the material over the American's hips.
He removed his mouth briefly to expose the tip of his lover's cock to
the open air. The tip glistened with pearly fluid in the light
provided by lightning once again racing across the sky. Wufei paused
for a moment to taste Duo's essence. He rolled the boy's unique
flavor around his mouth, sliding his tongue along the tiny slit at
the end searching for more of the heady, musky droplets. Duo made a
little mewling sound in the back of his throat, lifting his hips
slightly to give Wufei better access.

The Chinese pilot, wanting to see all of his lover, pulled the thin
material down, lifting Duo's long legs to slide them off his body.
Below him, Duo stilled. Wufei could feel the long-haired boy tremble
under his hands. He slid one hand under Duo's left knee, lifting his
leg and pushing it up and out. He placed a soothing kiss on the
smooth white flesh of the boy's inner thigh. He moved steadily
upwards, coming closer to the center of Duo's need with each kiss,
until his mouth was hovering just above. Duo gasped for air as he
felt Wufei's warm breath caress his shaft.

"'Fei," he murmured breathlessly, "don't tease me. Please."

"No more teasing, Duo," Wufei replied, reaching out with his free
hand to clasp one of Duo's. "Just relax. Just feel."

Giving Duo's hand a squeeze, he bent his head and took his lover
whole in his mouth.

Duo let out a half-strangled scream as Wufei swallowed him. The
Chinese teen relaxed his throat to draw Duo in deeper. He ran his
tongue along the underside of Duo's cock, causing the braided youth
to writhe wantonly beneath him. When his chin touched the nest of
chestnut curls at the base of his lover's shaft, he pulled back
slowly until just the tip remained in his mouth. Then, before Duo
could whine in protest, he engulfed him completely again. He felt
Duo's free hand clasp the back of his head, guiding him as he moved
up and down along his lover's arousal, bobbing his head in a slow,
steady rhythm.

The long-haired boy cried out, the sound getting lost in the
cacophony of the turbulent, stormy night. Wufei could feel the
tremors of pleasure wracking his lover's slender frame and knew Duo
wouldn't last much longer. He paused in his rhythm long enough to run
his tongue up the entire length of Duo's cock from base to tip,
circling the ridge of the mushroom-shaped head briefly before
swallowing him whole once more.

Duo squeezed the Chinese pilot's hand reflexively as he moved his
hips in time with Wufei's mouth. He was gasping for air, eyes closed
tightly shut. His body tensed as his climax approached. Wufei could
feel the American's heavy sac tighten below his chin. Smiling
greedily to himself, he increased his efforts, wanting nothing more
than to drink of Duo's essence.

Duo's head lolled about on the pillow. "Ungh, 'Fei. I… I'm
gonna…"

The rest of his words were lost as Duo cried out wordlessly, arching
his back and thrusting deep inside Wufei's mouth. A jet of hot,
creamy fluid hit the back of Wufei's throat. The dark-haired teen
swallowed hungrily and sucked even harder as though trying to milk
every last salty drop from his lover's body. Duo did not disappoint
him. His body was arched like a taut bowstring as he flooded Wufei's
mouth with his seed. His muscles trembled and quaked with the
intensity until at last, with a final grunt of pleasure, he collapsed
into a boneless heap on the bed.

Wufei continued to suckle at Duo's cock, cleaning him of every last
drop. Allowing his lover's softening member to slip out of his mouth,
he crawled up Duo's dazed body and claimed his mouth with a deep,
tender kiss. He felt Duo shudder as he tasted himself on Wufei's
tongue. The action caused the Shenlong pilot's body to tighten even
more as the kiss became wilder, heavier. His beautiful lover was
lying naked and willing below him… and he came to the sudden
realization that he had too many damn clothes on.

His own heartbeat was pounding in his ears. He reared up, determined
to rid himself of the thin cotton barrier that kept his skin from
coming into contact with Duo's. In his haste to yank his t-shirt over
his head, he forgot about the low ceiling over the bed and promptly
whacked the back of his skull. Hard.

"Itai!" He half-fell on top of Duo as the braided boy collapsed in a
fit of laughter.

"I warned you about that ceiling," Duo breathed between giggles.

Wufei raised up again to stare down at his smiling lover. Duo's smile
was a sight for sore eyes. He hadn't smiled much since they'd taken
refuge on the boat. Wufei was surprised to find he'd missed the long-
haired boy's smile. Seeing Duo lying there, grinning wantonly beneath
him, chestnut hair coming loose from the braid, caused Wufei's breath
to hitch. He was overcome with the desire to protect Duo, to keep him
safe from everything - including himself.

With that thought, he rolled off the bed, grabbing the wall for
balance as the boat rocked beneath him. Leaning down, he pressed one
last, desperate kiss to Duo's lips before turning and stumbling his
way to the bedroom door and out into the small hallway.

Duo blinked, staring after his lover. One minute Wufei was there, the
next, he was gone. His emotions were swirling chaotically, a mirror
of the turbulent storm raging outside. He rolled over onto his side,
his back to the door, and swallowed the lump forming in his throat.
Had he done something wrong? Should he not have laughed at Wufei? He
knew the stoic teen didn't like to be made fun of. Unshed tears began
to sting his eyes. Had he just ruined his fragile relationship with
the other boy?

He felt the bed sink, felt a warm, bare body slide in behind him,
pressing against his back. Duo hardly dared to breathe lest he
suddenly find he was dreaming and Wufei wasn't real.

"'F…Fei?" he stammered, trying hard not to cry.

"Shhh, Duo-love. I'm here."

Duo trembled at the sound of that voice.

Wufei must have felt it. "Duo? What's wrong."

"I… no, it's silly."

"Please tell me."

Duo took a deep breath. "I… I thought you had left me," he
admitted,
suddenly feeling ashamed for doubting Wufei.

The Chinese pilot wrapped his arms around Duo's body and squeezed him
tight.

"I'm sorry, Duo. I had to get something."

"What?" Duo asked, curious.

"Uh, well…"

Duo could hear the embarrassment in Wufei's voice and wished he could
see his face - he knew it must be bright red. He felt his lover press
something into his hand - a plastic bottle from the feel of it.

"What's this?" he asked.

"Sunscreen oil. I thought we might need it… so I wouldn't… so
you… I
don't want to hurt you," the dark-haired teen finished lamely.

"Oh," Duo replied, feeling somewhat confused. Then realization struck
him. "Oooh…"

"Do you understand?"

"I think so."

"Good." Duo could hear the relief in his voice. "I just want to
protect you. I don't ever want to cause you pain."

Duo smiled and dropped the bottle on the bed within easy reach,
snuggling back against Wufei's chest. "You can't protect me from
everything. But I love you for wanting to try."

'I love you.' Both boys froze at those three little words. Duo closed
his eyes and silently cursed himself. He'd only just begun to realize
just how much Wufei meant to him - but he hadn't meant to say those
words. At least not yet. Perhaps not ever. He was still afraid of his
curse. Everyone he'd ever loved had died. He didn't want Wufei to be
next. Besides, he had no idea if the Shenlong pilot felt the same. He
knew Wufei cared about him, but he didn't know how much. And now…
now
he might have scared him off completely.

"Duo?" he heard Wufei ask hesitantly. "Duo, did you mean that?"

"Mean what?" the long-haired teen replied, evading the question.

"Do you… love me?"

Duo closed his eyes. He didn't want to answer, didn't want to face
the consequences of replying in the affirmative. He was afraid - more
afraid of saying yes than anything in his entire life, including his
fear of water.

"Duo?" Wufei asked again.

Duo swallowed. Wufei wanted him to face his fears instead of hiding
from them.

"Yes."

Wufei didn't speak for a long time. Duo held his breath, waiting for
the ax to fall. Finally, when the silence was becoming too
unbearable, Duo shifted uncomfortably and asked, "What about you?"

Wufei sighed. "I'm not… sure. I haven't loved anyone in a very
long
time. Sometimes I think I've forgotten how."

Duo felt his heart sink.

"But," Wufei continued, "if loving someone means wanting to protect
that person, valuing their life over your own, wanting to hold on to
them and never let go, then yes, I love you. Wo ai ni, Duo."

"'Fei," Duo murmured, bringing his hands up to clasp his lover's
arms. "'Fei, I… I never hoped… never dared think I'd ever
allow
myself to love anyone again. And now it's too late and I'm so scared
of losing you."

"I'll never leave you, Duo," Wufei replied, holding Duo just a little
bit closer.

Duo went completely still. "Don't make promises you can't keep," he
said so softly Wufei barely heard him.

The Chinese teen pressed a kiss to the back of Duo's neck. "Then I'll
never leave you willingly. We *will* have to part ways eventually -
our missions will leave us no choice. But I'll always carry a part of
you with me. My spirit will never leave yours."

Duo half turned in his arms, turning his face so that Wufei could see
the tears glinting in his eyes. "Do you really mean that, 'Fei?"

"Aa. And, if you will permit me the honor, I'd like to show you how
much you mean to me. Let me make love to you."

Duo stared at him for a moment before smiling and nodding his
head. "There's nothing in the world I would like more than to make
love with you, 'Fei. Only…" He turned away again, face flush with
embarrassment.

"Only what?" Wufei prompted. "Duo, if I'm pushing you too fast…"

"No! It's not that," the American interrupted. "It's just… I've
never… and I don't exactly… know what to do."

"Aah." Wufei felt his chest tighten. Duo wanted him - *him* - to be
his first. He felt extremely honored and overwhelmed at the same
time. He wanted nothing more than to make the beautiful boy in his
arms his. And he vowed he would not be able to live with himself if
he caused his love any pain.

"We'll go slow," he whispered into Duo's ear as he began running his
hands over his lover's body. "Just relax."

"Okay," Duo gasped as wandering hands found a particularly sensitive
spot. "I trust you."

Wufei brushed a tender kiss behind Duo's ear. His hands wandered up
and down the hardened planes of the American's chest and stomach, all
the while exploring his lover's neck and shoulders with his mouth. He
pressed his body closer, grinding his hips into Duo's backside. Duo
moaned in his arms and pressed back, unable to do much else in the
position he was in. Strong hands meandered steadily lower until the
barest fleeting touch caused him to shiver and gasp. His arousal was
rapidly returning, and he squirmed in Wufei's arms, desperate for
more tactile contact.

The Chinese pilot wrapped his hand firmly around Duo's erection. The
American threw his head back against Wufei's shoulder. He trailed his
hand down to place it on top of Wufei's. His lover ceased his
ministrations and removed his own hand. Before Duo could whimper in
protest, Wufei took the long-haired boy's hand and wrapped it firmly
around his cock. Placing his own hand over Duo's, together they began
stroking the American in a slow, steady rhythm.

"Ungh," Duo moaned, unconsciously spreading his legs just a little
wider.

"Feel good?" the dark-haired boy asked, increasing the pace slightly.
Duo could only nod, his voice failing him. "Good." He let go of Duo's
hand.

"'Fei?" he asked, pausing in his rhythm.

"Keep going, Duo." Wufei placed his now free hand between Duo's legs
from behind, gently lifting the top limb up into the air. The effect
caused Duo's legs to spread even wider. "I know that's a little
awkward, but can you keep your leg held up?"

"I… I'll have to… switch hands," Duo gasped, all of a sudden
feeling
exposed and vulnerable.

"All right."

Duo managed to get his right arm out from underneath his side where
he'd been half-laying on it. Grasping his shaft with his right hand
to resume stroking himself, he used his left to grab his leg under
the knee and hold it in the air.

Wufei, meanwhile, managed to locate the bottle of sunscreen oil
amongst the tussled bed sheets. The scent of tropical breezes and
coconuts filled the air as he flipped open the cap. He poured some of
the slippery substance onto his fingers, a no mean feat considering
his right arm too was partially trapped under Duo's body. He coated
his fingers liberally, making sure they were a slick as possible.
Laying the now closed bottle aside for a moment, he moved his oil-
coated hand between their bodies, searching for his lover's hidden
entrance.

Duo jumped as he felt Wufei's fingers probing gently down *there*. He
knew the logistics of sex between two men, but he hadn't been aware
of just how incredibly sensitive *that* area of the body could be. He
gasped when he felt Wufei's oily fingers caress his entrance, then
moaned loudly as he felt one slick digit work its way inside his
body.

Wufei bit down heavily on what remained of Duo's braid. The boy was
so *tight*. He wanted nothing more than to be buried in that tight
heat, but knew he needed to be careful so as not to hurt his lover.
He worked his finger in and out of Duo's body, allowing the boy to
get used to the sensation.

After a few moments, he felt Duo relax around his finger. Carefully
he inserted a second, freezing when he heard Duo hiss.

"Are you all right?" he asked. "Am I hurting you?"

"Huh-uh. Doesn't hurt. Just… strange. Different." He pressed
down,
impaling himself further. "More."

Wufei eased a third finger inside, sliding them in all the way to the
last knuckle. He waited until Duo's breathing indicated he was ready,
then began easing his fingers in and out, slowly stretching the boy
in preparation to receive himself.

Duo moaned Wufei's name and increased his own strokes. He bit his lip
to keep from climaxing too soon. Wufei's fingers were working magic
within him. But he wanted more. He wanted to be joined with the dark-
haired boy fully, deeply, completely.

"'Fei," he gasped, pressing harder. "I'm ready. I want… I *need*
you
inside of me. Please."

Wufei shuddered at his lover's words. He kissed the crease of Duo's
neck and removed his fingers. He quickly reached for the bottle of
oil and poured some more into the palm of his hand to coat his aching
member. Carefully he positioned himself at Duo's entrance. Grasping
Duo's hip, he slid inside his lover's tight heat inch by agonizing
inch until he was completely sheathed inside Duo's body.

Joined completely, both boys lay absolutely still, each getting used
to the feel of the other. Duo let go of the leg he was holding up,
unable to keep it aloft due to the sensations rolling through him.
Wufei was buried so deeply inside of him. He felt whole, as though
there had been something missing for a long time that had suddenly
been found.

Wufei on the other hand was breathing heavily against the back of
Duo's neck. Duo was so tight, so warm. The long-haired boy was
squeezing him unconsciously from within. He fought the urge to pound
into Duo's pliant body, but the temptation was great.

For a long while the two lay there, not moving. Just as Wufei was
about to make the first tentative thrust, the boat rocked once again,
causing Wufei to shift forward, half-pressing Duo onto his stomach.
The movement caused his cock to brush against something deep inside
Duo's body. The American gasped loudly, trembling in Wufei's arms.

Wufei felt Duo shudder, felt his sheath clutch around him. Something
inside him snapped. He withdrew almost to the tip, paused for a
moment, then surged back in.

Both boys cried out. Duo let go of his own erection to brace himself
against the bed, giving him leverage to thrust back against Wufei's
pounding hips. Thunder echoed their cries in the dark. Duo gasped for
air, shuddering as Wufei alternately filled and withdrew from him.
Every time his lover withdrew he felt empty. But as the Chinese teen
filled him again and again, his soul sang.

Wufei interrupted their rhythm only once to roll them both onto their
stomachs, himself propped up over Duo's back. He spread Duo's legs
wide before thrusting in deep to the root once more. He continued to
rock against Duo's body, his rhythm increasing with each mind-
shattering thrust. Duo's partially-unbound hair was trapped between
their bodies. The silky strands sliding along Wufei's skin felt like
a thousand little fingers playing over his chest. He buried his face
in Duo's hair, moaning his lover's name over and over like his own
personal mantra.

Duo barely heard it. He was lost in the sensation of Wufei moving
inside of him. Every time his lover thrust home, he struck something
deep inside that caused him to see blinding sparks of light behind
his closed eyelids. His body tensed as the now familiar coiling
sensation began to build in his lower body. He bit down on the
pillow, clawing the bed sheets, and willing himself not to scream.
His arousal was trapped between his body and the bed, and every time
Wufei thrust forward, his cock would rub against the cotton sheets,
sending showers of little shocks of pleasure coursing through him.

The pace increased its urgency, Wufei now almost literally pounding
the slender American into the bed. Duo felt a delicious heat building
inside of him, lifting him higher and higher - until at last, one
mighty forward motion of Wufei's hips sent him spiraling over the
edge. His body jerked as his seed was released all over the sheets
below. He cried out, calling Wufei's name as wave after wave of
ecstasy pulsed through him until at last, with one final twitch, he
went completely limp, utterly drained.

Wufei felt Duo's climax, felt his lover clamp down on his cock while
in the grip of passion. He ground his teeth together, head thrown
back, eyes squeezed tightly shut as he continued to move inside that
incredibly tight heat. He gripped Duo's hips hard enough to leave
bruises. Dimly he could hear Duo moaning beneath him and those little
sounds of pleasure spurred him on. Just the thought of being joined
with Duo so intimately was almost more stimulating than the actual
physical sensation. Almost.

He felt Duo tense below him, felt the shudder of his release, felt
the delicious tightness of his lover's sheath squeezing him - and it
was all over. He came with a shout, body arching in release. He shot
his seed deep within his lover's body, still thrusting shallowly
until finally he collapsed on top of Duo, completely spent.

The two boys lay without moving, gasping for air, until Wufei
realized he must be crushing Duo. He carefully withdrew from Duo's
body and rolled to the side. He gathered his sated lover into his
arms, pulling him around to face him this time. He could see Duo's
violet eyes glittering at him in the near darkness. He tugged Duo's
head closer, pulling the boy into a slow, lazy kiss.

"I didn't hurt you did I?" Wufei asked after reluctantly
relinquishing Duo's lips.

Duo shook his head and snuggled deeper into the Chinese boy's
embrace. "No. It was wonderful. I… thank you," he finished
lamely,
unable to voice his true feelings.

"I'm glad. I was… a little rough. Gomen. You'll probably be sore
in
the morning," Wufei replied, hoping Duo wouldn't hate him in the
morning for giving in to his weakness.

"No. I mean yeah, I'll probably be sore, but a good kind of sore.
You… you were really gentle with me." He played with an errant
lock
of hair, hesitant to ask his next question. "This… this wasn't
your
first time was it? With another man I mean."

Wufei squeezed his lover reassuringly. "No, but it happened a long
time ago."

"Would… would you tell me?"

Wufei let out a small sigh. He'd never told anyone the story before.
It was an extremely personal and private memory. But oddly enough, he
wanted Duo to know.

"I'm not a warrior, Duo. I've never wanted to be. All my life I
wanted to be a scholar. Books were more important than anything else
in my life… or so I thought.

"When I was thirteen, the elders of my clan decided I should marry. I
was truly horrified. I didn't know what to do with a wife. Girls were
an enigma, one I had no desire to figure out. But all my protests -
and hers - were in vain. Meiran and I were married.

"So there I was, at the age of thirteen, saddled with a wife I
neither knew nor wanted. I hated her. And she hated me. She had a
warrior's spirit and didn't see the point in book knowledge. She
hated that as a woman, she wasn't allowed to do anything to aid our
clan, and that as a man, I *wouldn't* do anything.

"For nearly nine months we lived together - nine long months with
both our families pressuring us to have a child. Fortunately for me,
Meiran couldn't stand the thought of having a child, because I don't
think I could have performed my 'husbandly duties.'

"For a long time I'd known I was different. It wasn't that I wasn't
interested in sex - I was a teenager after all - it was just the
thought of having sex with a *woman* that was so unappealing. I'd
look at the girls in my clan and feel nothing. But when I looked at
the boys… that was another story.

"It was in our tenth month of marriage that I met him. Shang was
another scholar like me. My pulse would race and my body would feel
weird whenever I saw him. He caught me staring at him one day…"

"Ogling him you mean," Duo interrupted with a giggle.

"Hush," Wufei replied with a playful swat to Duo's bare
behind. "Who's telling this story, me or you? Anyway, I was so
embarrassed. But he smiled at me and admitted he'd been staring at me
too. We became lovers soon after that. He taught me a lot, including
to be true to myself."

"What about your wife?"

Wufei smiled sadly. "She was my second love. I never told her about
Shang, though I think perhaps she knew. By that time we had
become…
used to each other I suppose. I began to admire her for her
strengths. She was a remarkable woman and I think she was beginning
to see something in me as well. I suppose I'll never really know."

"What happened?"

"Our colony was attacked. Shang was killed when the library
collapsed. Meiran died in a mobile suit defending our colony. She
died in my arms. I didn't realize until after she was gone just how
much I loved her. She was my Nataku, my little warrior wife. So I
vowed I would fight for her and for Shang and the rest of my people."

"And Shang… were you in love with him?"

"No. I was infatuated with him, loved him, but I wasn't *in* love
with him. Perhaps in time we might have fallen in love, but I guess
I'll never know."

"Oh." Duo was silent for a long moment. Outside the storm seemed to
be tapering off. The waves were much more calm and the thunder rolled
softly in the distance.

Wufei held his lover gently, his heart feeling calmer than it had
been in a long while. It had felt good to share that story with Duo,
like he had finally let go of some long ago hurt. He stroked Duo's
hair, simply content to lie with Duo in his arms for the time being.

A small giggle interrupted his quiet contemplation. "It may have been
a good thing you and Shang never fell in love. If he'd married you,
he would have been Chang Shang."

Wufei rolled his eyes but allowed himself a small smile. "Could have
been worse. If I'd take *his* name, I could have been Wu Wufei."

Duo cackled. "Wu…Wu?"

Wufei suppressed a groan and reached down to draw up the
blankets. "Get some sleep. We'll be continuing your swimming lessons
tomorrow afternoon." He kissed the top of Duo's head lovingly. "Good
night, Duo."

"G'night… Wu-Wu."

tbc...

next part: Duo puts his new swimming skills to use and the boys are
called back into action.  Probably only one more part left... maybe
two... not too sure yet.

I think this is the worst lemon I've ever written.  But the words
just didn't want to come out right.... I've written a bunch of lemons
lately - maybe I've just gone stale for a while.  *shrug*  More
Afterimage is next...

Caroline
--needing sleep