For Maria, who reminded me why I love this couple so much.

The Pleasure of His Company
By Michalyn
Pairing: 13×5
Rating: MA

“Love?”

“Hmm?” Wufei looked up from where he was sitting cross-legged on the bed. He was fresh out of the shower and was drying his hair.

“What do you think? The gold tie or the silver for the charity auction?” Treize asked.

Wufei studied the two options. “Aren’t both of those a little too formal? Where’s the blue one I bought you for Christmas?”

Treize rubbed his chin. He returned to the walk-in closet and emerged shortly with the pale blue tie Wufei had described. He held it up against the suit he was going to wear. “I think you might be right.”

“Of course I’m right,” Wufei teased.

“See how well you look after me? Always wanting your husband to look his best.” Treize cooed as he took the towel from Wufei and began drying the soft dark locks himself. Wufei’s hair had grown considerably since his days as a pilot and it now flowed past his shoulders. Treize sank his fingers into the silky mass as he tilted Wufei’s face up for a kiss.

“Mmm…” Wufei moaned into Treize’s mouth. He cupped his husband’s face. “You’re going to be late.”

“All right.” Treize sighed but even as he was agreeing with Wufei his hands had slipped inside the terry robe and his thumbs found Wufei’s nipples. He rubbed the little buds until they hardened beneath his touch.

Wufei shivered. “Treize, we’ll do this when you get back.” he moaned. He slid his hands across Treize’s back, savoring the breadth and strength of his husband’s shoulders.

“I don’t think I can wait until this evening.”

“You’ll have to. I’m meeting Duo for lunch, remember?”

“I thought I was having you for lunch.”

“No, but I might be open to dinner.”

“I’ll hold you to that,” Treize rumbled as he bent to give Wufei one last kiss before hurrying down the stairs.

Wufei sighed and flopped back on the bed. He felt warm and full of yearning for Treize. He was happy—truly and simply happy. It almost embarrassed Wufei, this feeling of bliss. Treize was so good to him, so generous with his love that Wufei was heady with it. He’d never imagined marriage could be like this.

Wufei sighed again as he remembered the way they had made love this morning. He always thought of himself as independent and reserved but with Treize all his inhibitions melted away. Even more than that, Wufei was still surprised at how much he enjoyed Treize’s pampering. Before marriage, Wufei had most been proud of the fact that he was a solitary creature who could take care of himself. Yet in Treize’s arms he didn’t feel weak or dependent; he only felt loved and secure. To this day Wufei couldn’t make sense of it.

Still deep in thought, Wufei finally rolled out of bed and dressed. He was just bending to tie his shoelaces when his cell phone rang.

“Duo,” Wufei answered without bothering to check the caller ID.

“Hey man,” Duo’s muffled voice sounded frazzled. It was almost completely drowned out by the sounds of traffic in the background.

“Where are you? Is everything all right?”

“No … Fei I’m really sorry but I gotta cancel on lunch. I’m heading to the store. A rush order for three wedding cakes just came in and I have take care of it.”

Duo had surprised them all by going into the cake decorating business after leaving Preventers. Everyone knew he had a sweet tooth but no one anticipated his going to culinary school and emerging as one of the best pastry chefs in the country. He’d invested much of his Preventers’ severance pay and even more sweat equity into his dream and in a few years Pas de Deux was thriving.

“I see. Well I suppose it can’t be helped. We’ll just have to reschedule.” Wufei told his best friend.

“Yeah, I’m really sorry man. Lunch is on me next time.”

“It better be,” Wufei quipped and Duo laughed.

“Okay, I’m off. Talk to you later?”

Wufei agreed and let Duo tend to his emergency.

It was business; Wufei understood, yet he could not help feeling disappointed. He had taken a week of much-needed vacation after a grueling research conference and he would be back at the university come Monday. Duo would not be available over the weekend because of some previous engagements with Heero and Treize would be gone until the evening. Today was a beautiful sunny Friday and it seemed Wufei would spend it alone.

Wufei kicked off his shoes and padded downstairs to the living room. He turned on the television, hoping something would catch his interest. Eventually he settled on his favorite cooking show. He loved being in the kitchen but unlike Duo, did not have the courage or the desire to pursue it as a career. It was quaint but Wufei was pleased just cooking for Treize. His husband was such a sensual creature that the knowledge he could prepare something Treize enjoyed was enough for Wufei.

Wufei suddenly had an idea. Since his schedule was now open why not prepare a special evening for him and Treize? Wufei was usually on the receiving end of such treats and he could just imagine Treize’s face when he walked in and discovered the meal. Furthermore, what better recipe to try than the one he was watching right now? Wufei grabbed a pen and paper to scribble the ingredients for the slow-roasted lamb shoulder with almond-mint pesto[1]. It was accompanied by roasted radishes and a creamy potato puree. He just needed the perfect wine to complement it and he would be set. Ingredient list tucked safely in his back pocket, Wufei grabbed his keys and headed out.

Wufei pulled out of the driveway and turned onto the street. Putting on his sunglasses, he sped down the stretch. The sun was shining and a mild breeze was blowing, gently stirring the trees. On days like this, the sleek BMW convertible [2], which had been an extravagant birthday gift from Treize made all the sense in the world. It was so gorgeous out that Wufei decided to drive to the larger organic market across town instead of the supermarket he usually went to.

Wufei was not completely convinced that the market was as “green” as it claimed to be but eating healthily was important to him and coming from L5 where so much of their air and water had been compromised, he knew how important it was not to take nature for granted. Of course, things were a bit pricier but he and Treize were lucky enough to have the means to afford it.

It took Wufei a little over an hour to get everything he needed, mostly because his eyes kept wandering to all the things he had forgotten to put on his list. By the time he was ready to checkout, his basket was full and he had grabbed a vibrant bouquet of tulips to adorn the dinner table.

Wufei finished paying then made his last stop of the day at a small wine shoppe not far from home. Maurice, the sommelier, as always greeted Wufei with a smile. He was an attractive man, his dark wavy hair streaked with distinguished gray at the temples. The older man was witty and funny and he was Wufei’s unofficial French conversation partner. Wufei and Treize had visited the French Riviera last year and Wufei had picked up a little French which Maurice was determined for him not to lose.

“Oh, Monsieur Chang-Khushrenada. Ça va?”

“Bonjour, Maurice. Ça va bien. Et toi?” [3]

They chatted pleasantly and Wufei was proud he only stumbled once or twice as he searched for the right word. It was just after two o’ clock when he chose a full-bodied pinot noir and said his goodbyes to Maurice. If he returned home now he would have enough to time to cook, tidy up and shower.

Once back at the house, Wufei set to work. He was feeling a little ambitious so he decided to make a warm strawberry crumb cake for dessert. It was a simple dish but time intensive because the strawberry center took over an hour to bake. He would prepare that first then move onto the lamb recipe which he’d modified to cut down on the cooking time.

A few hours later, the lamb was sizzling in the oven and the cake was a spongy gooey treat. Wufei set the table then dropped the tulips into a china vase at its center. He found some leftover candles from an old dinner party and added them as a finishing touch. With that last flourish Wufei pulled back to survey his handiwork. He decided he liked it.

Treize would be arriving home in half an hour, giving Wufei just enough time to get ready. Between running errands and standing in front of the stove for most of the afternoon, Wufei was eager for a shower. There was one more thing he needed to do though. Upstairs in the bedroom, Wufei changed the sheets and set aside the lube and a few other … accoutrements for the evening (just in case). After his shower, Wufei pulled on a soft pair of trousers and a shirt that Treize liked. He left his hair loose because Treize liked that too.

His husband would be coming shortly and Wufei felt a little flutter of excitement in the pit of his stomach. He was just lighting the candles when Treize’s key turned in the lock.

Treize walked in, took one look at the table and another at Wufei and something happened which had never occurred in the short time they had been married.

Treize was speechless.

Wufei supposed he should have been proud but never one for lavish displays of affection, he was suddenly overcome with shyness. From the meal, to the flowers, to his outfit to the bedroom upstairs (which Treize thankfully hadn’t seen yet) he realized he had exposed too much of himself–too much of his love, his vulnerability to Treize and the shy romantic within him that he always strove so hard to keep hidden.

Wufei ducked his head. He didn’t have Treize’s natural charm to sweep his lover off his feet and he worried that his efforts seemed too earnest, too gauche and too obviously planned. When Treize didn’t say anything, the heat of embarrassment climbed in Wufei’s cheeks.

“Sorry, I’ll clean this up,” he mumbled as he pushed past Treize.

At least he would have if Treize hadn’t grabbed his wrist.

“Where are you going?”

“I…” What could Wufei say? He stared at his feet.

“How can you not share this wonderful dinner with me?”

“I’m just … embarrassed,” Wufei admitted, finally. “I overdid it.”

“Overdid it?” Treize asked incredulously. “Love, this is beautiful, touching and more than I ever imagined.” Wufei’s husband bent and cupped his face up to him. “I know how much you love me. I know what you’re thinking but I am not surprised. You have never hidden this tenderness from me. I have always seen it, always known it was there. I am just happy that you embraced it for yourself.”

“No…” Wufei started denying it but stopped. He could not fool Treize.

“Not only is this entire meal magnificent ,you look beautiful, my love.” Treize sank his fingers into Wufei’s hair and kissed him until a slow fire burned in Wufei’s veins.

“Treize….” Wufei was breathless.

“You’re right. We should stop for now. The food is ready. I’ll have plenty of time to unwrap you afterwards.”

“Unwrap?” Wufei pretended to huff.

Treize grinned. “Of course.”

Wufei smiled. “Shall we?”

They sat down to eat and soon Wufei’s cheeks were flushed from both the wine and the pleasure of his husband’s company. Treize laughed with him and teased him. He praised the meal and savored each morsel as though Wufei was the finest chef in the world. Then there were the softer more intimate compliments about Wufei’s beauty and other things that Wufei could not repeat, even to himself. All in all, he was happy. Wufei pillowed his hand on his cheek with a sigh. Here he had set out to pamper Treize and yet he was the one tingling with desire.

“What was that sigh for?”

“Hm? Nothing.”

“I think I like seeing you so dreamy-eyed,” Treize mused.

“I’m not dreamy-eyed,” Wufei grumbled, but without heat. He was admiring his husband’s burnished hair in the candlelight and the sensuous bow of his mouth. A faint shadow of stubble darkened Treize’s jaw giving him a rough sexy look. It always amused Wufei that Treize spent so much time expounding Wufei’s attractiveness when he was clearly the more beautiful of the two of them.

“If you keep watching me like that, I won’t be satisfied with just this meal,” Treize murmured huskily. He set down his fork and dabbed his mouth with his napkin.

“Well…” Wufei lifted his eyes upward to indicate their bedroom.

“Oh, don’t tell me you have a surprise upstairs for me as well?”

“Yes.” Wufei ducked his head shyly. He took Treize’s hand and led him up the stairs. His nervousness returned as they reached the second floor landing. Wufei thought of the scented candles, the new linens and the soft music awaiting them beyond the threshold. He had even decorated the bathroom in their master suite. Treize had never seen the plush dark bathroom rug or the new towels as Wufei had bought them on sale and had been saving them for a special occasion. Wufei closed his eyes. He really had overdone it this time. Pausing to take a deep breath, Wufei finally turned the knob.

Treize stepped forward and gasped. “Love….”

Wufei leaned on tiptoe and placed a finger against Treize’s lips. “I know. Don’t say anything,” he whispered.

“You are far too modest.” Treize rumbled as he pulled Wufei against his body. “I can’t believe you went to all this trouble and I’m going to show you just how much I appreciate it.”

Wufei was sure Treize could feel his heart pounding as the older man slowly unbuttoned Wufei’s shirt. Treize slipped it off his shoulders and did not waste any time dropping to his knees in front of Wufei to work on his pants. He tugged them down, guiding Wufei to step out of them. Treize held him up with a strong hand about his hips. He lingered at Wufei’s briefs, tracing his fingers over the elastic waistband, drawing out the moment until Wufei’s breathing grew harsh and his erection strained against the soft cotton in anticipation. Only then did his husband relent and free him from the confines of the tight material.

“Nn!” Wufei whimpered as his cock sprang free. Treize immediately took him in hand, stroking and caressing his sensitive flesh. It was all Wufei could do to not come apart then and there and he cried out. “Treize, if you keep doing that, I won’t be able to last at all.”

“I know.” Treize rubbed his cheek against Wufei’s thigh. He did not stop his intimate caresses. “I don’t want you to last tonight. I want to watch you as you come apart in my hands.”

God. Not only was Treize touching him but the dark timbre of his voice turned Wufei’s knees to water. He actually stumbled, causing Treize to laugh and gather him up in his arms.

“I guess I’m already halfway there.”

“You don’t have to be so smug, you know,” Wufei mumbled, wrapping his arms around Treize’s neck.

“Of course, but if I weren’t you wouldn’t love me as much,” Treize teased.

“Hmph.” Wufei relaxed against Treize, expecting his husband to carry him over to the bed, but instead Treize pulled him in the opposite direction toward the armchair where Wufei usually did his morning reading. Treize set Wufei on the soft cushions and the younger man was even more confused when his husband ducked out of the room only to return with the free standing mirror from the guest bedroom.

“What on earth are you doing?”

“You’ll see.”

And see he did when Treize set the mirror down in front of him. Wufei flushed. “Treize … this is a little….”

“A lot I hope,” Treize purred, pulling Wufei onto his lap. He kissed Wufei’s neck. Treize inhaled Wufei’s scent, nuzzling the delicate skin at his nape. Wufei was already trembling and a moan burst from him.

“Mm….” Wufei squirmed in Treize’s lap.

Treize made a rumbling sound at Wufei’s response. His kisses deepened and his fingers began a slow circling of Wufei’s nipples, shaping them into rigid points.

Wufei gasped and his entire body jerked as sensation shot to his groin. He was embarrassingly sensitive here and Treize of course took great delight in that. Wufei made a noise that was halfway between a whine and a moan. His hands covered Treize’s though he couldn’t bring himself to push them away. “Treize, please,” Wufei mewled.

“Yes, I know, my darling. Look at how beautiful you are in the mirror.” While Treize spoke he delicately plucked those sweet buds.

Wufei glanced in the mirror and saw himself writhing in Treize’s lap. His cock was thick and swollen and his chest was bowed outwards as he tried to absorb his husband’s teasing. He looked completely wanton and it was made worse by the fact that he was naked while Treize was still dressed. Squeezing his eyes shut, Wufei moaned. “Oh god.”

“Exactly,” Treize purred.

Wufei could feel the hard ridge of Treize’s erection pressed against his ass. He knew the pleasure his husband could give him and heat bloomed and burst within Wufei. He wanted Treize, ached for him.

Their eyes met in the mirror. Just that look of promise in Treize’s deep blue gaze was enough to set Wufei’s heart racing. As they watched, he hardened further. His cock lengthened, spilling more pre-come. A more explicit display of lust could not have been possible and they both groaned.

Wufei whimpered and covered himself. “No more, Treize. I need you. Bed now, please.”

“Yes more. Always more, my love.” Treize’s voice was rough with suppressed need. Clearly he had no plans yet of fulfilling Wufei’s request. He was stroking Wufei, his fingers lingering over the crown of his cock. Treize rubbed the slit, spreading the slickness there under and around the sensitive head and Wufei jerked violently in his arms. Every caress drew a cry from him and the sounds of his desire, hoarse and desperate filled the room.

“Ah …Treize!” Wufei begged. Yet, still his husband wasn’t satisfied.

Treize spread his thighs and with Wufei sitting on his lap, the movement forced the younger man’s open as well. He hooked Wufei’s legs over the arms of the chair, exposing the puckered entrance to his body. A hungry sound bubbled from Treize’s throat as he watched Wufei in the mirror.

Seeing himself so exposed Wufei was scandalized, embarrassed and unbearably excited all at once. He was already overwhelmed with Treize touching his cock, and now this? He could no longer think. All he knew was that his need for Treize was a fire burning through his body and he would do anything to quench it. Wufei spasmed helplessly, his hips moving as though Treize were inside of him.

“Do you need me, my darling?” Treize whispered. His eyes were fixed to the erotic display in the mirror. He circled Wufei’s entrance. “Do you need me here?”

“Yes,” Wufei whined.

“And you shall have me. I want to be inside of you. I can’t wait to feel your sleek body around me.” As he spoke, Treize was squirting the lube onto his palm.

Wufei shivered in anticipation.

Treize’s fingers delved into him, stretching and caressing him with each slick glide of his fingers. In…out…slow … hot … deep: Treize knew just what would set Wufei ablaze and he reached for his sweet spot every time.

Probe … thrust …press….

Wufei’s head was spinning. Tremors shook his body and sweat broke out on his skin. He felt owned, cherished—completely branded by Treize. Who else could touch him like this? Who else could call forth all the secrets of his body one by one?

“Nn … ah!” Wufei stretched and arched, reaching behind him to wrap his arms around Treize’s neck. He barely had a chance to adjust before he felt the broad head of Treize’s cock pressing at his entrance. He rocked back and Treize slid into him in one long slow movement. Wufei shouted. His hips undulated and soon they were locked together in a scorching rhythm.

“Love…” Wufei began but his words disintegrated into a moan. Treize had gripped his cock and was stroking him again. Any remaining coherent thoughts Wufei might have had in that moment fled. All he knew was the heat of Treize’s cock filling him and a pleasure so intense it took his breath away.

The musky scent of sex permeated the air and their harsh breaths echoed in the room. Wufei moved in counterpoint to Treize’s thrusts, answering with sinuous movements of his own. Finally, however, he was overcome and he orgasmed. His cock spurted, splattering semen onto the mirror.

“Yes, that’s it.” Treize growled tilting Wufei’s head back and kissing him fiercely.

Wufei writhed as his husband’s heavy thrusts continued. He clung to Treize, seeking an anchor as wave after wave of pleasure flooded over him. He wasn’t aware of the way he was moving his hips or of the sweet clenching of his muscles around Treize’s cock.

“Wufei … so tight!” Treize stiffened, his fingers digging into Wufei’s hips. He gave a few last jerky thrusts then his warmth was flooding inside of Wufei.

Wufei gave a shaky cry and slumped against Treize.

When they had both finally caught their breaths, Treize carried Wufei over to the bed where they spooned together. He was trailing soft kisses across Wufei’s shoulders and back–kisses filled with a tenderness and reverence that made Wufei’s heart turn over.

“Sweetheart, that was amazing.”

“Mm?” Wufei turned in Treize’s arms, burrowing closer to his chest.

“I love you. You’re so beautiful.” Treize kissed the top of Wufei’s head with a little chuckle. “And here I was thinking we’d order a pizza and eat in front of the television. This is far far better. What inspired it?”

“I just wanted to do something special for you,” Wufei mumbled.

“I am grateful and very touched. It’s not often that I’m so spoiled.”

“I know. That’s why I wanted to do this.” Wufei suddenly made a dismayed sound.

“What is it?”

“I’m sorry; I got so caught up in everything I never asked how the charity event went. Did you raise a lot of money?”

Treize waved it off. “Darling, trust me, the only thing I was thinking of once I saw the dinner was how much I wanted to make love to you.”

“Still…you’ve been looking forward to this all year. It was important.”

Treize laughed. “You are adorable. Do you want me to act affronted? All right; I’m hurt … appalled … flabbergasted by your behavior.” Treize placed a burning line of kisses down Wufei’s neck. “And yes, we did make a lot of money. The auction was a big success.”

“Good.”

Treize grinned and rolled on top of Wufei. “I think this calls for a celebration don’t you?”

“Oh?”

“Most definitely. A stellar auction, lovely dinner and an even lovelier man in my bed—the only thing that could improve this situation is some more lovemaking. Much more lovemaking in fact.” Treize languidly thrust his hips against Wufei. “Mr. Chang-Khushrenada, would you honor me with the pleasure of your company for the rest of the evening?”

Wufei smiled and cupped Treize’s face between his palms. He kissed his husband softly.

“Yes.”

End

[1] Wufei’s recipe is from the April 2009 issue of food and wine magazine

[2] Wufei drives a BMW Z4 Roadster. Lucky isn’t he?

[3]

Maurice: “Oh, Mr. Chang-Khushrenada, how are you?”

Wufei: “Hi, Maurice. I’m okay and you?”

A Matter of Good Sense

by Michalyn

Chapter Fifteen of Seventeen: Ambush

Warnings for this chapter: violence, gore

Wufei’s eyes were closed as he kicked, rolled to the ground and bounced to his feet again. He was exhausted but he was aware of only two things: the dark tide of power flowing through him and Grandmother Long’s gravelly voice alternately coaxing and berating him into calling it forth with the unique divination techniques she had taught him. Wufei’s hand shot out, and power exploded from his palm.

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I had to make a tough decision with the web site renovation about whether I wanted to host other authors as well. After some wrangling I decided against it. I’m usually slow with updating and I felt that it just wasn’t fair to the authors to host their fics but not keep up with them in a timely fashion. My apologies to any of my authors who were inconvenienced by this.

On the brighter side, I’m hoping this new Wordpress-powered format with make the site easier to update as well as navigate. Thanks, everyone for  your patience throughout all of this!

Table of contents for The Broken Seal

1. Chapter One
2. Chapter Two
3. Chapter Three
4. Chapter Four

The Broken Seal
by Michalyn
Rating: MA

Author’s Note: I started writing this last month, hoping to finish it in time for May 13th (13×6x5 day) but the damned thing got so long that I just couldn’t finish it in time. It’s supposed to be a oneshot but because this part is already pretty long I decided to break the entire thing into two parts. These are my three favorite GW guys so this is a total piece of indulgence. I hope you enjoy my silliness.

———————-

From the temple mount, Blackmoor forest extended like a lush carpet far beyond the eye could reach. Wufei was so high up that even the tallest trees seemed like children’s toys. A frigid wind rippled through the trees, making them sway and turning their leaves silver-green. The gust caught Wufei’s crimson cloak with it, revealing the pale magist’s robes beneath the heavy material. On his shoulder, his pet dragon, Nataku shifted restlessly, making a hissing noise. Wufei ran a soothing hand over her iridescent scales.

“You feel it too, don’t you, little one?” he murmured as thunder clattered overhead and the air became sharp with the scent of imminent rain. For the past six nights Wufei had been unable to sleep, kept awake by an unnamable sense of unease. At best, it was a prickling of the senses, at worst, a heavy foreboding—a premonition of danger that had Wufei jostling the runes in his pocket for comfort. He had become temple guardian in his fifteenth winter and in the four winters since, Wufei had never felt anything like this. Should he send a warning to the village? No … that would be pointless. What would he say? That they should lock up their houses because he had a bad feeling? They would think he had gone soft in the head from all the years spent up on the mountain.

Wufei sighed, stopping again between the two statues into which the ancient seals were carved. These stone sentinels were the reason for his peculiar existence; the reason that in every generation since his people could remember, the most gifted of their youth was sent to the mountain to watch over the statues and make sure the demons who were sealed inside never escaped again. Wufei had long ago accepted his duty, and with Nataku for company along with the occasional traveler or villager come to the mountain to bring him provisions, he didn’t mind his solitary days much. In fact, he was even grateful for them at times. Only occasionally did he feel a twinge as he wondered what life might have been like had he been born a baker’s son or a black-smith’s apprentice, free to live and love as he chose. During those times, Wufei could not help yearning for a life more ordinary. Being the protector of his people came at a considerable price.

Wufei gazed into the sinister faces of the statues. Their lips were curled back in feral snarls and their stone fingers were sharpened claws. They were almost identical save for the armor each wore. A cape rested on the arm of the statue to the right in many-layered folds while in his other hand, the demon brandished a terrifying sword. Unlike his companion, the statue on the left, however, wore no cape. His tunic was short and he leaned forward on one bent leg, a sandaled foot propped on a large shield.

They were General Khushrenada and his Lieutenant. Legend had it that the demons were once powerful magist-warriors in the service of a great king. They were invincible, vanquishing the king’s enemies and ensuring a reign of peace. Those gentle days were not to last forever, though. One winter, the two warriors were drawn into a trap by Septm, a dark lord who sought the throne. General Khushrenada and Lieutenant Merquise were cursed. Possessed, they turned against the very people they once protected, unleashing a bloody rampage on the countryside, the kind of which had never been seen before. For months they were unstoppable, laying waste every village they passed through. They arrived in Dragon Glen and Wufei’s people also fell under their sword.

All seemed lost until finally after a desperate battle, a powerful young mage confronted them. Already injured from the fighting, he knew he could not completely defeat them. Their strength was much too great. Knowing, that their destructive power came from Loki, evil spirits, which had bound themselves to the General’s and Lieutenant’s souls, the mage cast a potent purification spell over the warriors, hoping to lure the evil spirits out and weaken the warriors’ powers for a moment. In that shimmering instant when the Loki hovered above the warriors’ souls, the young man scorched them with mage fire. The Loki were exorcised, but it was too late for the warriors. The evil spirits had been entwined with them for so long, that their souls were irrevocably affected. The mage knew that General Khushrenada and Lieutenant Merquise were no longer human. With the last of his energy, he sealed the demons in stone and had them carried far away from the village. From that moment on, he lived on the mountain, devoting his life to ensuring they would never break free again.

Thus, Wufei found himself, one in a line of hundreds of other guardians and he had no reason to doubt that another hundred guardians would follow him as well. A soft rain began to fall and lightning rent the clouds. Nataku fluttered her wings, and released a keening cry to the wind.

“Guess we better head back,” Wufei said. He pulled on his hood and started to make his way back to his cottage. The rain beat down with increasing force and Wufei hurried, eager to get inside where it was warm and dry. With the usual temple spring cleaning for the fire festival just around the corner, he could not afford to catch cold.

Thunder clattered overhead and the rain pelted Wufei without mercy. He had just reached the temple gate when a powerful flash of lightning burned through the heavens. It was so bright, the sky turned white, blinding Wufei. In that instant, an incredible explosion rocked the ground, sending him tumbling down the temple stairs. Wufei gasped as his shoulder slammed against a column and the rune stones flew from his pocket. Nataku shrieked and flapped around him in alarm, her head gently butting Wufei as she tried to get him to stand up. Damn it! Wufei groaned. His shoulder throbbed with hot pain. What the hell was that?

Steadying himself, Wufei tried to locate the source of the disturbance, but even as he limped to his feet, he could sense something was terribly wrong. The air vibrated with energy and rubble was scattered in every direction. Wufei’s heart pounded as he bent to examine the crumbled stone.

“Ouch!” he hissed, dropping the fragment like a hot potato—and it was indeed that hot, its edges scorched and blackened. Wufei didn’t want to believe it, but with every minute his dread grew worse. A lightning storm could do a lot of damage but lightning alone could not render magistically tempered stone into these lumps of coal. Worse, the heavy, almost stifling weight of the air was unmistakable: Magic. An incredible power had been released and Wufei knew of only thing for a thousand miles that could generate this kind of energy. And if what he was thinking was true…

Wufei whirled toward the statues and what he saw made his blood run cold. Lightning had blasted both of the seals and now power poured from the breached stone like water from a spring. The seal on the Lieutenant was partially intact but the General’s seal was completely blown away. Wufei cursed and dropped to his knees, scrambling amongst the rubble for his rune stones. The General was the more powerful of the two. It would have been much better if the Lieutenant’s seal had been broken and the General’s stayed intact. If he escaped… No, Wufei did not want to think about that. He had to do something, and quickly.

Wufei burrowed beneath the dust and plaster and found one rune stone after another until he was missing just one. He searched and searched until his robes were heavy with mud and his fingers were bruised and tender but no matter how hard he looked, the final rune would not be found. Wufei rocked back on his heels, cursing in frustration. With the full set of stones he could concentrate his power to its greatest intensity. Without all five, he would only be operating at about 70. Normally, that would be more than enough to defeat any enemy, but this was no ordinary foe. Knowing he couldn’t afford to waste another moment, Wufei had no choice but to abandon his search and try to repair the seal with whatever power he had before the demon was fully released.

Wufei braced himself and began summoning his strength to restore the seal. It was like pushing against a wall. The air shimmered and distorted as Wufei tried to staunch the deluge of power. He stumbled, perspiration dotting his brow and his shoulder burning as the demon power, eager to be completely released, resisted him. For a moment Wufei wondered if he could really control this himself. Should he call for help? But no, the village was five-days ride by horseback. By then it wouldn’t matter what help he had rallied; the demon would have escaped and with no Loki to exorcise, who knew if the General could be sealed again. Besides, if Wufei could not restore the seals, no one could. It was the very reason he was temple guardian. Panting, Wufei chanted the words of an arcane binding spell as he focused all of his power on reconstructing the seal. He hoped to use the ancient spell to compensate for his weakened power and after a long struggle it seemed that he finally succeeded. The broken fragments of the statues rose and reassembled in their proper places, the myriad fissures in the stone glowing before fusing together again. The tension in the air diminished and winked out.

Wufei slumped to the ground, relieved and utterly drained from the effort it had taken to put things to rights again. As Nataku alighted on his shoulder, he petted her slender tail.

“I don’t know about you, girl, but I’m more than ready to go home and see this day end.”

Nataku’s contented cry seemed to say she agreed.

————————————–

Wufei’s cottage was nestled in a lush arbor not far from the mountain top. When he got inside, he lit the fire and set a pot over the flames to heat his bathwater. Before coming in, he had carried in water from the well and now a large wooden tub rested before the fireplace. He normally had dinner before his bath, but the muck encrusted onto the hems of his robes was too unpleasant to ignore. Wufei loosened his hair and stripping before the fire, he rolled his robes and cloak into a neat bundle to be washed on the morrow.

Wufei took the pot off the fire and set the bathwater to a comfortable temperature. He slipped into the tub, making a deep sound of satisfaction as the warm water enveloped him. Such a simple pleasure, but it felt wonderful after the day he’d spent. Wufei settled deeper into the tub, wincing a bit as the water stung his bruised shoulder and the little cuts across his knuckles from where he had scraped them searching for his rune stones. He had opened the window to let Nataku out to hunt her dinner and while Wufei surveyed the room, a gentle breeze blew in from outside, fragrant with the scent of rain and the night-blooming flowers.

The walls glowed in the firelight and Wufei’s eyes traveled from the rough kitchen table with its sturdy chairs to the fresh rushes on the stone floor. The cottage consisted of three rooms. The front room and largest room served as kitchen and living room while overhead, connected by a short ladder, the alcove housed his bedroom and his study. All in all, it was a small space, but a cozy one. Everything he needed was right here. He had a herb garden for both recipes and spells, and behind the cottage was a small corral where he kept a temperamental she-goat named Betsy for milk and cheese. What more could he want? Wufei mused. Companions, a little voice in his head was quick to point out, but Wufei silenced it. He was perfectly happy as he was.

The scent of lavender and chamomile rose from the tub as Wufei washed himself. Humming a faint tune, he soaped his calves then lifted one leg to rub the rag between his toes. When he was done, Wufei rose from the tub and wrung the excess water from his hair. He was just reaching for his wiping cloth when the air next to him crackled with electricity. There was an incredible rushing sound, a gust of wind blasted into the room and before Wufei knew what was happening, something landed at his feet with enough force to cause the stone floor to reverberate.

Not something but someone… Wufei gasped as a large figure materialized in front of the tub.

The man standing before him was easily three heads taller than Wufei and twice as heavy. His broad shoulders were weighted by armor and a navy blue cloak which swept the floor. Wufei was startled to discover his golden breastplate inscribed with Old Verse, a form of writing that had not been used in Dragon Glen for hundreds of years. In fact, only mages and scholars knew it through their studies and even then, only very few were proficient. The words were a common protection charm, more symbolic than magical in their wish for their wearer’s safe-keeping. If the power Wufei sensed emanating from the mysterious warrior was any indication though, then the intruder had no need of such a charm anyway.

It also meant that Wufei would be no match for him.

The knowledge was like a fist to the gut but denying it was pointless. Better to know the limits of his power than to have a deluded sense of his abilities. As it stood, he would most likely be hurt, but the latter would surely get him killed before he could warn his people. Wufei’s thoughts raced as he struggled to devise some means of defending himself. The world seemed to contract to the pounding of his heart and the leaden weight of his body, unable to move from shock and fear. And all the while Wufei could not shake the feeling that he had seen the warrior’s armor somewhere before.

The intruder’s tunic, of the same deep blue as his cloak, ended just above his knee to bare strong tanned legs and sandaled feet. The golden thongs of his sandals glittered and the reddish hairs on his powerful calves caught the firelight as he dropped to one knee. The sudden movement startled Wufei; he braced himself for the worst, knowing that running would be useless. The fluttering of the intruder’s tunic alone as he lowered himself to the floor had caused the air to shimmer. No, there would be no getting far enough away from this opponent. He would be upon Wufei before he even reached the door. He might as well save all his energy for the inevitable bloody confrontation, Wufei thought, steeling himself. He could only watch, every muscle taut with dread as the warrior leaned closer and closer until his lips were almost brushing Wufei’s pubic hair. Wufei clenched his fists, wondering what this strange first move meant.

Lazy blue eyes perused Wufei’s form and the intruder’s nostrils flared delicately as if taking in his scent. “Well, that is certainly a pleasant sight to wake up to after a thousand years,” he rumbled.

At first Wufei didn’t think he’d heard correctly. Then blood rushed to his cheeks. Of all the depraved … perverted—! If Wufei had doubted before, now he was sure he had some kind of evil presence before him. Scrambling out of the tub, he pulled the wiping cloth about his hips. Wufei’s hands were trembling as he grabbed his runes from the table and braced himself in a fighting stance.

“Name yourself, Bastard!”

The man ran a lazy hand through his hair. “General Khushrenada,” he drawled, advancing on Wufei. “And you must be the pretty little mageling who tried to seal me away.”

———————————-

The words were like an icy hand around Wufei’s heart. His his limbs were shaking and blood was pounding in his ears as he tried to process what the warrior was saying. There was no way. It wasn’t … couldn’t be true.

“But … but … that’s impossible,” Wufei protested. “I just… sealed…”

But had he really? Wufei’s voice died in his throat as he remembered how eagerly the flow of energy had pulsed from the broken seal and worse, how long it had taken him to find his rune stones before he could repair it. Even then he had only been able to use a portion of his power. When both were considered, it was more than possible—nay inevitable—that a being as powerful as the General would have escaped. It would explain the magic shifting around them even now in carefully controlled currents; it would also explain why the General’s uniform looked so familiar. Wufei realized with a gasp that it was indeed identical to the one on the statue. Gods, it did not matter that he would be killed but he would die before warning his people about the bloody fate that awaited them and that was unforgivable. He had failed as their guardian.

“I see you are beginning to understand,” Khushrenada said as he studied Wufei’s expression. “Actually the seal has been weakening for years, but you could say it was literally a stroke of luck that the storm hit when it did. Otherwise, I would be stuck in that damn stone coffin for ten more winters at least. It’s been a long time since I’ve been in the human world and I must say I’m famished.” The demon’s laugh was husky as he continued to advance upon Wufei.

Wufei took the demon’s mention of hunger to mean that now that the General had awakened, he was once again craving blood . “I may not be able to defeat you, but as guardian of this temple neither can I allow you to prey on the people of Dragon Glen. I will stake my life on it! I will do anything you ask if you promise not to harm them,” Wufei ground out, even as it galled him to be pleading with this demon. Still, it was all that he had left. He did not expect any deal he struck with Khushrenada to be honored but he hoped it could buy him some time. For what, Wufei couldn’t say; he only knew he had to try for his people’s sake. “What is it that you want?” he asked. Perhaps we may reach some sort of agreement…”

“You wish to strike a bargain?” Khushrenada raised an eyebrow. He licked his lips, all but grinning now.

“Yes.” Wufei squared his shoulders. He stood his ground, forcing himself to show as little of his panic as possible.

“And what would you have to barter with?”

Wufei took a deep breath. What he was about to offer was dangerous; so dangerous that the risk of it was outweighed only by the potential cost in human life if he did not try to persuade the demon. “I can offer you a Pyrgion talisman.”

Though demons were fearsome, because they drew so much negative power from their surroundings, their bodies tended to be somewhat unstable as they lacked little balancing positive energy. It meant that once a demon became very powerful, if it expended beyond a certain threshold of energy it risked destroying its internal equilibrium and annihilating both itself and everything around it. Pyrgion talismans were used to stabilize that excess negative energy and allow the demon to focus its powers without risking destruction in much the same way that Wufei used his own rune stones to direct his powers. That was where the danger lay. Giving the talisman to the General would make him even stronger but because the Pyrgion stone absorbed some of the demon power in order to be effective, there was a small chance of binding the demon by destroying the talisman itself. Wufei held his breath, hoping that the General would take the bait.

Khushrenada made a dismissive gesture. “Come now, surely you don’t expect me to be charmed by such baubles? No, you have something else that I am far more interested in.”

“Wh…What?” Wufei gasped as Khushrenada’s hand closed about his wrist. Even suppressed, the General’s power was like a jolt of electricity over his skin. For a commoner, the sensation would have been painful, but for a mage whose very lifeblood was infused with magic it was like being licked by a thousand pleasurable flames. Wufei stumbled backward but the General’s arm quickly encircled his waist, preventing him from falling. He moaned as more power flowed into him from that simple point of contact and his knees sagged. Wufei’s head was spinning and he looked up to see Khushrenada gazing at him with molten eyes. The General touched a hand to Wufei’s waist and the drying cloth he had secured about his hips disintegrated as if it had never been.

“Yes, you do have something much more valuable to offer,” Khushrenada purred, lifting Wufei into his arms.

Every instinct of Wufei’s screamed for escape as he was hoisted into the air but with the net of the General’s power cast about him, he was having difficulty breathing, much less moving. He was impossibly trapped and Wufei once again cursed the loss of his fifth rune. Determined, however, to put up whatever fight he could, he tried casting a repulsion spell but all that came out of his mouth was a helpless groan. The sound drew Khushrenada’s attention and the demon bent forward, his face drawing closer and closer to Wufei’s. Convinced that these moments were his last, Wufei made a final desperate attempt at escape. He closed his eyes and tried chanting the repulsion spell once more:

“Dragons of the west wind and spirits of the—”

“Damn it, Treize, I thought I told you not to start without me.”

Wufei jerked as the husky, almost sulky voice sounded right next to his ear. If he had panicked before, now his heart was filled with terror. Th…that voice … that power meant there were two of them. And if there were two of them it could only be because Merquise had also escaped his seal and both General and Lieutenant were now standing in his living room. Wufei stopped chanting. Why waste his breath? It was over.

Khushrenada sighed, turning them towards the origin of the complaint. “And was I supposed to wait while you dawdled, Zechs? You certainly took your time getting here.”

“Not all of us are lucky enough to have lightning bolts come down from the heavens and free us in an instant. I had to work to get out of that damned statue, you know,” the other demon grumbled, folding his arms across his muscular chest. His golden hair tumbled over his shoulders and as he spoke, he flicked the swath behind him, smoothing it with his fingers. His pale eyes fixed on Wufei and though the blond had not touched him, Wufei felt seared. Where the General was grace and power, the newcomer was raw intensity barely leashed. There was something wild about him; from the sensuous bow of his mouth to the lazy thrust of his hip as he studied Wufei. He was also somewhat taller than Khushrenada and broader of shoulder. He came to lean over Wufei, his scarlet tunic rustling against his powerful thighs.

“What a lovely catch we’ve made this time, haven’t we, Treize?”

“Indeed, and it appears he wishes to strike a bargain with us.”

“Is that so?” The blond made a rumbling sound deep in his throat. “By the way, don’t you think you should tone down your power a bit? You’re going to make him drunk like that.”

“Hmm, you might be right.” Treize peered at Wufei, perhaps seeing just how dazed he was feeling. Even Wufei was not sure how much of that was from the demon’s magic and how much from panic. Nevertheless, he was startled to feel the power around him drop by slow degrees until it was little more than his own energy level. Wufei’s eyes darted from one demon to the other, his body instinctively tensing for flight. Perhaps escape was possible after all.

“What is this bargain, you want to make?” Merquise asked him. “And does it involve that sweet body of yours?”

Wufei spluttered, his face growing hot as the blond perused his form. Even to his inexperienced eyes and ears, Merquise’s look and his words were openly sexual. He heard the rumbles of agreement shared between the intruders and it was only then Wufei realized that contrary to the blood and destruction he had imagined, the kind of bargain Merquise was suggesting was also what Khushrenada had intended all along. Wufei was aghast. He needed no further confirmation of their depravity. Now more than ever he could not allow himself or his people to fall into their clutches, Wufei vowed. Visions of rapine tormented him as he imagined the demons descending on the village.

Ignoring Merquise’s lascivious gaze, Wufei twisted out of Khushrenada’s arms. Adrenaline was pumping through his veins as he hit the ground to hurl mage fire at them. Bluish light exploded from his palms and the cottage shook, shuddering so violently on its foundations that Wufei feared the windows would shatter. The heat alone from the blast was enough to scorch the door to a cinder. Smoke billowed, thick black plumes obscuring Wufei’s vision so that he could no longer see his own hand braced for attack, much less the two demons.

Wufei waited. For a moment, he could not detect any demon magic and when it did return it was severely weakened. Could it be? Had he somehow managed to inflict serious damage to Khushrenada and Merquise? It was not completely unfathomable. Even missing his fifth rune, he’d put all the energy he could muster into the shot, and by normal standards his power was formidable. Hope swelled in Wufei’s breast. It seemed he’d underestimated himself after all. Wufei sprang forward. He must finish them off while they were vulnerable.

“God damn it! What was that for?” Merquise coughed and wiped the soot off his shoulders.

Or maybe not…

The blond waved his hand and the shield-like barrier he’d erected in front of himself and Treize disappeared. It was obviously made to repel magic and Wufei’s heart sank when it dawned on him that this was the reason the demon’s powers had initially seemed muted. Even as Khushrenada emerged from the fog of smoke, Wufei could feel the power in the room rapidly returning to its previous levels.

“Treize, are you all right?” Merquise asked, still coughing.

“Nothing to worry about at all, Zechs, though this soot will be the devil to get out of my cloak.”

“Ghastly stuff. I think you’ve got some in your hair too, Treize.”

“Really? Where?”

“In the back. Come, let me help you with that…”

What had been fear within Wufei boiled to disbelief and then outrage as he watched the two demons pat and groom each other, setting their elaborate uniforms to rights. He lunged forward, an animal cry torn from his throat. He drew on his power and energy pulsed around his hands.

“Bastards! I will not stand for this game any more! I don’t care if you’re the most powerful demons in the universe. Fight me or get the hell out of my village!”

“Demons?” Merquise frowned. He seemed so puzzled, so truly offended that Wufei stopped dead in his tracks. “Treize didn’t you explain it to him?”

“Ah … I’m afraid I got somewhat distracted,” the General offered, looking somewhat sheepish.

“Explain what to me? Stop fucking around!” Wufei shouted.

“Oh,” Zechs waved his hand. “We’re not demons.”

A Matter of Good Sense
by Michalyn
Chapter Fourteen: Passion

Rating MA

Though they were more than halfway through autumn, the day was unseasonably warm. Treize wiped the sweat inching down his forehead with the corner of his sleeve. The cloak he’d worn earlier this morning was rolled into a tight bundle in front of him, rendered useless by the heat. Treize had just returned from his daily rounds and a sparring session with Heero. Tired, with the afternoon sun beating down on him and a half hour ride still between him and the palace, Treize was not eager to spend more time in the blistering heat. He was not the only one suffering; a lather of sweat foamed Porphyro’s flanks.

Treize veered off the path towards the shaded watering hole he knew was nearby to give the horse a drink. He dismounted, and as he moved to tether Porphyro to a tree, Treize suddenly realized he was not alone. There, on the eastern bank was Wufei’s own horse and beside it, the small familiar figure of Treize’s husband. Wufei had tossed his tunic onto the grass and he was bare-chested. He was left in loose trousers belted at the waist with a thick band of cloth. Just like Treize, it seemed Wufei had sought refuge from the heat and had abandoned the scorching palace courtyard where he usually practiced for the shade of the trees. He moved now in a series of lightning fast moves, which took Treize’s breath away.

Wufei struck out viciously at his invisible opponent. In the same fluid motion he spun off the ground in a roundhouse kick before landing and rapidly repeating a number of specialized jabs. Sweat poured down his back, forehead and chest, making his skin gleam with moisture but Wufei persisted, driving his body to the very limits of endurance and beyond. His braid slapped against his skin with each movement and dark silky wisps escaped his hair tie, clinging to his face in wet tendrils.

Treize’s only experience with Wufei’s training had not been a pleasant one and apart from the knowledge that it made his husband a dangerous man to contend with, he did not know much about the discipline the younger man so revered. He was not sure what he thought Wufei’s exercises entailed, but he had not anticipated such an exquisite display of skill and grace. Wufei’s movements were intricate and as rhythmic as a dancer’s. Treize found them beautiful. He watched transfixed, retreating to the shadows, lest he interrupt the choreography, or worse, chase his husband away.

Treize did not know how long he stood there, straining to catch every movement but Wufei finally stilled. The younger man was breathing heavily and he paused to take a drink from the waterskin hanging from his saddle. Treize had hung back to avoid disturbing Wufei, but now that his husband was done, he was wary of giving him any more reason to mistrust him and he stepped forward to announce his presence.

He did not get very far.

On his side of the lake, completely unaware of Treize, Wufei was loosening his hair. He took off his shoes then his hands went to his belt.

Treize gasped as Wufei’s pants dropped around his ankles. His mouth went dry as Wufei unwound his loincloth and set it aside. All of Treize’s pent up desire from the past few weeks flared to life and he was instantly hard. He trembled, seized by a sudden fever. He knew he should turn away and leave but after being unable to even touch Wufei, seeing him like this was too much.

Wufei was even more beautiful than he remembered. His muscles were sleek and taut, his buttocks perfectly round and tight. The dark fall of his hair stirred in the sluggish breeze, caressing Wufei’s body just as Treize wished he could. When Wufei entered the lake, the water brushing up to his thighs, Treize couldn’t help looking there, following the ascent of the water to Wufei’s genitals.

Stifling a groan, Treize stepped out into the clearing. He was only a man, a man with human desires and his need for Wufei was a fire burning in his veins. It was not so much lust as a primal hunger to be with the man who filled his every waking thought and haunted his dreams. Was it so wrong to want to hold him? Treize did not think. He simply removed his own clothes and entered the lake.

For a moment, everything was still as Wufei bathed himself, leaning back to dip his hair in the water, but Treize’s splashing alerted him and he spun around.

“Treize! What are you doing here?” he growled.

” The same thing as you, I’d wager. It was hot so I stopped to give Porphyro a drink. I didn’t expect to find you here.”

Wufei flushed, crossing his arms in front of himself. He was obviously self-conscious and had put a marked distance between himself and Treize. He also sank lower in the water. “I’ll be out of here shortly,” he insisted, yet made no move to leave.

Treize guessed his dilemma and for the first time he was grateful for his husband’s shyness. Wufei would not willingly bathe with him, but getting out would mean exposing himself to Treize, which was even more intolerable from Wufei’s perpective. From Treize’s perspective, it meant a little more time with his husband, even though he might not be able to touch him. Treize swam closer.

“Don’t leave on my account. It’s beautiful out here and the lake is big enough for both of us, don’t you think?”

Wufei nodded stiffly and Treize sighed, his passion fading as he was confronted with the extent of his husband’s distaste for him.

“Relax, Kala. I won’t do anything you don’t want me to.”

Wufei swallowed; his jaw clenched for a moment. Finally, he said: “Where were you coming from when you stopped here? Have there been any new leads on the attack that occurred a few weeks ago?”

Treize was speechless for a moment. Wufei was actually making idle conversation with him? A warm feeling spread inside of him, inspired by the spark of hope burning in his breast.

“Ah,” he stammered, “I was training with Heero. As for the attack, unfortunately we’ve made no progress. We know its Mueller, but we’ve got nothing concrete we can use against him. That means all we can do is strengthen our defense. Right now, Heero and Lord Maxwell have been working with the soldiers to accomplish that. I visited the armory today and I can already see the improvements in the men’s techniques. Truth be told, I’m surprised at how well Yuy and Maxwell work together. An unlikely pair if I ever saw one, but they seem to have become friends.”

“Well, they are both fighting men and Duo was not born into the nobility. He has always preferred the company of soldiers to the court. They’re different but they may have more in common than meets the eye.”

“Yes, I suppose you’re quite right.” Treize cupped a handful of water and let it spill through his fingers. The droplets plopped into the water, creating a wave of intersecting ripples. “You seem to know Lord Maxwell very well,” he murmured, without looking up.

Wufei nodded, twisting the hank of his hair over his shoulder and squeezing the water from it. “I guess you could say we grew up together though we were never close as children. For a long time he was just one of the many orphans sold to the army, but he was skilled and quickly caught the attention of the captains. The courtiers noticed him too, but for a different reason altogether.” Wufei looked up. “Duo had stuck mostly to the soldiers quarters before that, but afterwards he became a familiar face around the palace as he was involved in one affair after another. I … I never thought of it until now but I don’t know how many of those were willing,” Wufei murmured, a frown darkening his brow.

Treize could just imagine. An orphaned boy did not have any power against a nobleman who set his eyes upon him, especially not when that nobleman could make or break his career at a single word. He turned to Wufei. “And now? Are you and he good friends?”

A rare smile played about Wufei’s lips. “Yes … yes I think we have become that,” he said softly.

“Is that so?” Something twisted inside of Treize. That smile said it all. He had guessed but had not wanted to believe that Wufei’s affections might belong to another. Was it already too late for them? Treize remembered the yearning he’d seen in Wufei’s face after they’d eaten dinner. That was not a look of a man in love with his rival, he told himself fiercely. He did not care how many noblemen Maxwell had bedded. Treize was not going to allow him to steal Wufei away from him. He would do whatever it took to make sure of that.

While Treize was lost in his musings, Wufei squeezed the excess water from his hair. “Well, I better go. I still need to review the minutes of this week’s council meeting,” he said.

“All right.” Treize was disappointed but he did not let it show. He turned away, allowing Wufei to exit without any awkwardness. Treize heard the younger man pause. Wufei murmured a soft “thank you” and then there was the splashing of the water as he headed towards the bank. Treize waited until he thought his husband was dressed before turning around once more so he could also leave the lake.

Wufei was already climbing onto his mount by the time Treize pulled on his clothes and the older man was surprised when Wufei did not ride away but instead waited for Treize to untether Porphyro.

“Should we ride back together?” he asked gruffly.

Treize’s eyebrows shot to his hairline. He leapt onto Porphyro in one smooth movement, his heart bursting with emotion. He wanted to tell Wufei that he would follow him to Eires and back if he asked him to but he didn’t. Instead, Treize rode up to Wufei with a smile. “Lead the way.”

Wufei nodded. He touched his heels to Nataku’s flank and led them out into the sunlight together.

———————-

Later that evening, Treize found Wufei in the garden. In the weeks since their dinner together, it seemed his husband had begun spending more time outside, frequently taking his evening meals there as well. Sometimes Maxwell would join him, but most times Wufei was alone. He never visted during the day. It was only when night had fallen that he could be seen sitting amongst the flowers. Treize often watched him from the study window and though they were apart, the sight of Wufei wandering beneath his window gave Treize a sense of quiet companionship that was missing from their daily interactions.

Treize was still surprised at how much Wufei enjoyed Rossettian evenings. Even with all of Quatre’s talk about Wufei’s affinity for night, Treize could not imagine that anyone raised under Eires’ twin sons would be comfortable in darkness, and yet, Wufei sought it out like a long lost friend. Sometimes, when Treize looked up from his papers, he would find that he’d completely lost sight of him, for Wufei lingered where the shadows were deepest and he took shelter under the darkest eaves. It gave Treize pause. He didn’t trust magick but he had already accepted that he could not ignore it. If Wufei was indeed a child of darkness, what must it have been like to be born in a place that automicatically denied such an essential part of himself? His husband was still a mystery to him, but every night Wufei spent in the garden gave Treize a little more insight into at least one part of his lover’s pain.

Tonight, though, Treize wasn’t content to watch. Something in the air called to him; or maybe it was just the memory of the lake which pushed him forward. Whatever it was, Treize found himself abandoning his papers (he could not concentrate anyway) and going downstairs. A little twilight gray still lingered in the sky so Wufei had not ventured far. He was sitting on one of the marble benches that dotted the well-manicured lawns. Treize was always hesitant to approach since he could not count on being welcomed, but right then Wufei looked so deep in thought that he began questioning whether he’d been too rash in deciding to disturb him. Treize was still hovering on the verge of indecision when Wufei turned his way.

“Treize?” He didn’t appear annoyed, merely puzzled.

Treize stepped forward. “Ah … well … my apologies for interrupting. I just thought… I saw you outside and it occurred to me how beautiful it was out here. I thought I would come to enjoy it a bit.” Treize cleared his throat and stammered. His last sentence was left hanging like a question. To his own ears he sounded foolish and uncertain. Had he really been reduced to such clumsiness? He could charm any man it seemed except the one who mattered. Treize was still berating himself and had already prepared himself for a rebuff when Wufei blinked and shrugged.

“Oh,” he murmured.

He didn’t make room for Treize on the bench beside him but he did not turn him away either. Treize decided to take his chances. “May I sit?” he asked quietly.

Wufei scooted over. Now that he was close, Treize could see that despite his cloak Wufei was shivering. It had cooled down since the afternoon but not nearly enough to be chilly. At least Treize did not think so. Whatever he felt though, he did not want Wufei to be uncomfortable.

“Kala, you are cold. Why don’t you go in? I’ll order some tea.”

Wufei waved him off. “No, it’ll pass.”

“But surely there is no point in freezing. I’ll have a blanket brought out at least. You can…”

“Treize, I’m not cold. It happens every night and every night it passes. I don’t want to go inside. Being out here helps.”

Treize’s lips parted in confusion, but then he noticed Wufei’s hands gripping the edge of the bench. They were white-knuckled with strain. Treize finally understood. He touched Wufei’s forehead and cursed. The younger man was burning up.

“Oh, Wufei,” he sighed. Why do you do this to yourself? Treize wanted to ask, but they’d traveled that road too many times before for him to know it would do no good. Instead he murmured, “You said every night. You mean you’ve gone through this every night since we … since we took separate beds?”

Wufei hesitated. Finally, he shrugged again.

Treize closed his eyes. “And you come here because? I’ve seen you many times through the library window.”

Wufei seemed surprised at that. Treize hadn’t meant to spy and he hoped his husband was not angry. Wufei was staring across the lawn. His face was hard to read in the shadows but there was an unmistakable weariness about him that spoke of how much the daily cycle of these episodes had taken out of him. “I come here because I have to. Because the darkness is the only thing that seems to help.”

“To help?”

“The pain,” Wufei said dully. He stood. “I should go.”

“No, wait!” Treize grabbed Wufei’s wrist and the smaller man visibly flinched. Treize dropped him as if it was he who had been burned. “I’m sorry, does my touch also cause you pain?” Treize ground out, devastated. What hope was there for reconciliation when he could not even hold Wufei in his arms?

Wufei’s fists were clenched, his shoulders hunched as though shielding himself for a blow. “Your touch … does not pain me,” he gritted. “But it makes it much more difficult afterwards so please, just don’t…. I have been trained all my life to deal with pain but every technique requires consistency. I cannot keep swinging from one extreme to the other. And with this it is not only the contrast that makes it difficult, the pain itself worsens after we cross paths—even through the most careless touch—only to break apart again.” Wufei shuddered. “I can’t anymore. I just can’t.”

Treize frowned, trying to make sense of this. “Contrast? But I….” he trailed off.

Treize didn’t need to finish. He suddenly got it. He understood with such clarity that it took his breath away. Heat burned through him and Treize was the one trembling.

“Are you saying…” he began hoarsely, “Are you saying that being apart from me causes you pain … and that even the smallest touch from me brings you pleasure?” Treize stood. “Is that the contrast you’re talking about? Is that why it is so painful for you when we run away from each other? Why you suffer like this every night?”

Treize thought of all the times he’d cornered Wufei, and tried to woo him with little touches and the simple nearness of his body. No wonder Wufei had bolted. Every mistrustful encounter between them magnified his suffering. Treize stared at Wufei, looking for the truth of his words. His husband’s eyes were wide with exposure and panic. Everything in his body language said he was ready to bolt yet again.

“No! Don’t run, Wufei please. I won’t do anything to hurt you again. I swear my life on it. You don’t believe me? I will get on my knees if that’s what it takes.” Treize’s knees sank into the soft earth, muddying the fine velvet and silk of his trousers.

“Stop.” Wufei’s voice was tortured. “I don’t want your shame or your anger. I’m tired of fighting, Treize. I just want peace.”

“Then come to me, Kala. You say you don’t want my shame but I hope you will accept my remorse. I am desperate because I have made mistakes and the only way to make it better is through your forgiveness. I don’t want to fight you anymore either, Wufei. We have had enough pain between us. I don’t know if it is the gods or by magick but in my hands I hold something that I don’t even deserve. Let me start to earn it now, Wufei. Let me put an end to this suffering. Let me bring you not only pleasure, but friendship. I won’t embrace you and thrust you back into the cold.” Rising, Treize opened his arms. “Please, Wufei.”

Wufei’s throat worked. He took one faltering step towards Treize, then another. He stopped a handsbreadth away, his yearning and fear and exhaustion etched into every line of his body. Treize made good on his promise. He closed that last space between them and enclosed Wufei in his arms.

The simple meeting of their bodies was like the brush of tinder suddenly ignited. A pulse so powerful surged between them that even Treize gasped. Wufei’s trembling intensified, shaking them both. He cried out softly and collapsed against Treize’s chest.

Treize picked him up and carried him up the stairs, all too aware of the most precious cargo he held in his arms.

“Come, Kala,” he whispered. “It’s time.”

——————-

Treize strode past Wufei’s rooms and took them straight to the royal suite—their suite. Finally they were both back where they belonged. Once inside he locked the door. No one was to disturb them tonight; he didn’t care if all of Rossetti was burning. Treize set Wufei on his feet. He rubbed his back soothingly.

“Can you stand, Kala?”

“Yes,” Wufei answered, recovering a bit from the dazed trance he’d fallen into. He blinked and his gaze sharpened. Would he back out now? Treize wondered. In another time he would have swept Wufei up in his passion before he even had a moment to question anything. Now Treize searched Wufei’s features, making sure that what he saw there was what they both wanted.

“Kala, are you certain about this? We don’t have to do this tonight. If you want to leave, I will not stop you. If you just want to sleep in my arms until the pain subsides, I am here for that as well. It is your choice.”

Wufei shook his head. “No. I … I want this,” he said slowly.

Treize had to close his eyes to control the effect those words had on him. He grasped Wufei’s hand and brought it to his lips.

“Thank you, Wufei.”

He moved about the room, getting the things they needed. All the while he made light conversation and told teasing jokes to Wufei to help him relax. He’d heard the conviction in the younger man’s voice but Treize did not think his husband had changed so much as to have completely overcome his usual shyness. Wufei had not moved from where he stood and Treize was aware of his eyes following him about the room. He could almost hear his unspoken questions between them. No doubt he was wondering what Treize had in store for them this night.

Treize thought about the last and only time they’d been together. On the one hand the memory was as vivid as a brand. He remembered everything from Wufei’s scent to the light touch of his fingers upon his skin. On the other hand, it seemed so distant, like another life. Had Wufei enjoyed it? There had been hesitation, resistance and reluctant surrender. Treize had wanted to slowly cherish Wufei but what happened instead was something much more rushed. Tonight he would make up for not only that night, but all the empty nights, afternoons and mornings in between.

Treize sat on the nearby chair and pulled off his shoes. Piece by piece he shed his clothing until he was naked before Wufei. He could feel his husband’s hot eyes upon him, but when Treize met Wufei’s gaze, the younger man quickly looked away. Two spots of red colored his cheeks and Treize smiled.

“You can look all you want, Kala. This belongs to nobody but you. It doesn’t bother me; in fact it pleases me a great deal that you like what you see.” Treize brushed his hand over his chest, his stomach, the rising member between his legs.

Wufei’s gaze rested there. His lips were parted and his breath quickened. “I…” he began hoarsely. He trailed off, licking his lips.

“Yes,” Treize purred as though he understood Wufei’s unfinished sentence. He approached until he was standing close enough for Wufei to feel his body heat. “But it’s not fair for me to be the only one unclothed is it?” His gaze swept Wufei’s body. “I like looking too.”

Wufei’s eyes widened and his fingers instinctively tightened on his cloak, but he shook himself and began fumbling with the clasp. Treize stopped him.

“Let me.”

Color rose in Wufei’s cheeks but he nodded.

Treize parted the cloak and spread it on the bed. Its deep red lining gleamed in the candlelight and all Treize could think of was that he wanted to see Wufei against it in nothing but his bare skin. The idea inspired a tremor in him and Treize reminded himself that he had to go slowly. He rubbed Wufei’s shoulders then pulled the heavy robes he wore over his head. Wufei was left in thin cotton trousers and the shoes on his feet. The latter were easily removed, but Treize did not take off Wufei’s pants just yet. He pulled his husband to him and kissed him. Wufei drew a sharp breath through his nose, then his lips parted and he let Treize inside.

Treize’s mouth was hot and seeking over Wufei’s but always gentle. He touched his tongue to Wufei’s and when the younger man shyly responded Treize groaned. Gods, he wanted so much tonight. Cupping the back of Wufei’s head, he pressed the younger man to him. Then his hands began roaming Wufei’s body.

Wufei was supple and smooth beneath his touch. He was small, almost delicately formed, but the corded power in his arms, chest and back told a story of strength as well as beauty. Treize mouthed the tender place beneath his ear and Wufei gasped. He followed the graceful curve of Wufei’s neck down to his chest. When Treize brushed his lips over one velvet nipple, Wufei jerked in his arms.

“Treize!”

“Hmm?” Treize mouthed the dusky peak, savoring the tiny cries that burst from Wufei. He circled the nipple with his tongue, wetting it and feeling it stiffen beneath his touch.

Treize moaned. Wufei’s erection was pressed against his belly and Treize couldn’t help thinking of even more tantalizing flesh stiffening and responding to his caresses. Treize gathered him up and brought him to the bed where he laid him on the cloak. He shook his head as his husband made a questioning sound.

“It’s all right, Kala. I’m here,” he murmured, stretching out next to Wufei. Treize’s erection was pressed against Wufei’s hip and he knew his husband was aware of it. He distracted Wufei by rubbing over his belly, hips and thighs. He dipped between Wufei’s legs and Wufei started.

“Shh, I’ll take care of it,” Treize cooed, soothing him with a kiss. Wufei’s thighs were tense and Treize kept rubbing and caressing him to relax him. He captured his lips again.

“Undo your hair for me, Kala.”

While Wufei reached behind him to unwind the long silky braid, Treize molded his palm to the growing bulge between Wufei’s legs. Slowly he began stroking him.

Wufei arched up with a hoarse cry. His fists were clenched and his body was trembling with strain. Treize’s hand moved once more and Wufei shuddered and moaned like a man in torment. His hair tangled about his face as he turned his head away. He tried to roll onto his side but Treize prevented him. All the while the older man kept touching Wufei, caressing those sensitive places to bring his lover even more pleasure.

“Treize … don’t…” Wufei pleaded, writhing against the cloak.

Treize pulled his hand away with a frown. “What? Talk to me, Kala.”

“I … it’s been too long,” Wufei explained in a small voice. I’m going to….” he trailed off, reddening with embarrassment.

Relief washed through Treize. So that’s what this was all about. He laughed, brushing the hair away from Wufei’s face. “You silly, sweet boy. Do you think I care that you’re about to come?” Treize spooned behind Wufei and tightened his arms around him.

“I’ll tell you the truth,” he whispered in Wufei’s ear. “It makes me hotter to know that I’ve barely touched you and you’re already like this.” His hand slipped between Wufei’s legs again. “That you’re so close so soon means that you want me … that your body has missed me just that much.”

Treize nudged Wufei’s thighs wider and increased the pace of his strokes. He kissed his lover’s neck and murmured scorching praises in his ear about how beautiful he was and how long he had waited to hold him like this. Treize told Wufei that he had dreamt of him and then he whispered what he had fantasized doing to him. By the time he was done Wufei was pleading and writhing in his arms. Treize relished those hungry sounds. The delicious feel of Wufei’s body pressed against his only made him want to fan the flames of his husband’s passion even higher.

So Treize did.

He’d kept his strokes even before but now he circled the head of Wufei’s cock, focusing all of his attention there. It was over before Wufei’s moan was even past his lips. The telltale shudders and faint dampness beneath his hand told Treize that Wufei had orgasmed. He purred.

“Lovely; now lets see what you’ve gifted us with.”

Treize tugged down Wufei’s trousers and the clinging cotton drawers beneath until finally his husband was as he’d imagined him, naked against the crimson cloak and his dark hair wild around him. Wufei’s golden thighs were spattered with come and before his husband could protest, Treize was leaning over to capture every drop. Wufei made a surprised noise and moved hotly in Treize’s arms. He was trying to close his legs but Treize only held him open and lavished more attention on his sensitive inner thighs until Wufei was twisting and shivering in his grasp. When Treize moved higher up, his name broke on Wufei’s lips.

“Ah! Treize! What are you—?”

“I’m kissing your sweet cock,” Treize said baldly.

He dipped lower to nuzzle Wufei’s balls, inhaling the delicate musk of his arousal. Wufei smelled of sweat and heat and the elusive hint of something much wilder. It set Treize aflame. His mouth widened to take in the sensitive sac. He worshipped Wufei, bathing the velvety flesh with his tongue. Every time Wufei cried out, he unerringly followed him, suckling and laving until Wufei began to come apart in his hands. His husband’s small body bucked and strained, but Treize held him in place, never letting him escape the sweet onslaught. Just when it seemed Wufei might come again, he lifted his head, leaving the younger man reeling.

Wufei moaned. He clutched at Treize’s head. The older man could feel the tension running through his husband’s body. He seemed caught on the edge of desire, lured by the call of pleasure but not sure what to do with it now that he was here. Treize looked up and saw the uncertainty in Wufei’s eyes for what it was.

“There’s no going back after this, Wufei. For either of us. Let yourself go. I’m here to catch you.”

Wufei nodded. Trembling, he lay back and let Treize pleasure him. His legs twitched then squeezed around Treize.

Treize barely felt it. He was a man at a feast except there was no way he could ever have enough of this particular indulgence. He took the weeping tip of Wufei’s cock between his lips and worked the blind opening there. The shout Wufei gave was so raw, so wild that Treize had to do it again.

Wufei started to reach for him but Treize stopped him. While he was still hovering on the brink of another wave of pleasure Treize reached for the smooth richly scented balm he’d placed nearby. He dipped between Wufei’s cheeks and his fingers brushed over the entrance to his body.

Wufei gasped.

Treize smiled as he gently began rubbing around the little bud. He chuckled as he felt the helpless tightening of his husband’s body whenever he tried to press in. “Does it feel good or are you trying to keep me out?” he teased.

Wufei was shaking his head. His eyes were glazed over with pleasure. “What’s … Tr…Treize … I don’t understand… It wasn’t like this before.”

“Before?” Treize croaked, his own gaze trained hungrily to Wufei’s face. The look of need he saw there nearly undid him.

“Yes … the first time.” Wufei was panting.

A low sound rumbled from Treize’s throat. ” That no longer exists. Forget the past, forget yesterday. The only thing that matters is now,” he murmured as his finger pushed into Wufei.

Wufei stiffened at that first invasion but Treize was patient. After all, he had waited weeks for this. And no matter what battles raged in Wufei’s head, his body clearly hungered. Wufei’s slender cock was deeply flushed and as Treize’s fingers probed, finding the source of his pleasure a pearly drop quickly beaded at the tip. A cry of defeat burst from Wufei’s lips. His limbs softened. His hips lifted off the bed and began a sinuous rhythm.

Treize watched, transfixed. His throat was parched as his gaze was drawn to Wufei’s smooth belly, the silken line of his hips, the play of muscle as he responded to each caress. Treize had never seen him like this, not even in his dreams.

Wufei must have felt his gaze for his eyes fluttered open. They locked with Treize’s. A wave of heat seemed to pass between them. Wufei’s legs parted, baring himself completely to Treize. His own boldness shocked him and Wufei whimpered. He didn’t seem to understand this sudden fire any more than Treize did and he tried to tell him so.

Treize only shook his head and smiled. His hands were shaking as he pressed a finger to Wufei’s lips. “You’re beautiful, Wufei. Let me make love to you.”

Treize held Wufei to him. Propping a pillow beneath his husband’s hips, he slid into him. Wufei’s tight little body surrounded him, the sweetest most sensuous vise he had ever felt. It was deeper than completion. Treize was finally home.

They made love many times that night and Wufei’s desire bloomed with every caress. Right before Treize’s eyes the knot of fear and resistance unfurled leaving only heat and a passion so scorching it left him weak. Wufei didn’t just match him, he consumed Treize.

When it was all over they collaspsed in each other’s arms. The candles had burned out. There was nothing between them except their own labored breaths and the cover of night.

———————-

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Last modified on 2011-07-24 01:56:12 GMT. 0 comments. Top.

A Matter of Good Sense

by Michalyn

Chapter Fifteen of Seventeen: Ambush

Warnings for this chapter: violence, gore

Wufei’s eyes were closed as he kicked, rolled to the ground and bounced to his feet again. He was exhausted but he was aware of only two things: the dark tide of power flowing through him and Grandmother Long’s gravelly voice alternately coaxing and berating him into calling it forth with the unique divination techniques she had taught him. Wufei’s hand shot out, and power exploded from his palm.

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Last modified on 2010-03-07 03:02:19 GMT. 0 comments. Top.

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