Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ A Harder Beast to Kill ❯ A Harder Beast to Kill Pt. 4 ( Chapter 5 )

Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing and I make no money from this or any other story I write. 'My Immortal' isn't mine, either. It belongs to the group, Evanescence.

Pairings: 13x5, 2x5

Category: Angst, Songfic

Rating: NC-17

Warnings: Yaoi, supernatural, lemon, mild language

Title: A Harder Beast to Kill

Author: yellowhorde

Status: In Progress

You can visit my humble web page, yellowhorde's house, at http://www.webspawner.com/users/yellowhorde/index.html

Or feel free to send comments/constructive criticism to me at yellowhorde@hotmail.com

A HARDER BEAST TO KILL

CHAPTER FOUR

Wufei didn't regain consciousness all at once, but rather bit by bit like a deep-sea diver swimming slowly towards the surface. His memories faded away, were folded and carefully tucked into their tiny little corner to patiently wait for the next time they would be brought to the surface and relived again. A brief period of dark calm followed this and he briefly wished, though he was not fully aware of it in his quasi-sleep state, to linger in this state of oblivion where empty silence reigned and he neither thought nor felt nor worried about his past, the present, or the ever uncertain future.

This dark state of peace lingered but a short while and then Wufei was drifting even higher up in consciousness. The black nothingness gave way slowly to a thick and heavy gray, then slowly to an ever-lightening shade of reality. As his mind reasserted its self into the physical realms he became dimly aware of a deep, aching thud somewhere in the location of his head. Again he wished to linger in his current state of being for he knew that as he journeyed onward and upward the throbbing would only grow stronger and more insistent. Such was the nature of pain.

Following closely on the heels of pain came a monotonous hissing sound accompanied by a deep rumbling that was more vibration than sound. At first he puzzled over this phenomenon, uncertain how to categorize what he was hearing. The light surrounding him continued to grow brighter, more real, and it wasn't until his sense of smell reasserted itself and the fresh scent of ozone and moist dirt was identified that he was able to deduce that what he was hearing was, in fact, the falling of rain and the distant rumbling of thunder.

(Almost there.) Wufei's mind murmured reassuringly. (Just a little bit further and we'll be out of here.) The larger part of his consciousness was glad to hear this, but some very small part of him felt cheated.

(It's warm and peaceful here,) it whined petulantly. (Why do we have to go back? What do we have that's worth going back to?)

As if in answer to these questions, a face swam into focus, imbedding itself into the young man's growing consciousness. It was a pale, heart-shaped, and fringed by thick chestnut hair pulled back in a thick braid. Deep blue almost purple eyes sparkled with mischief and good humor. The nose was small and rather pert with the faintest smattering of freckles and the last peeling traces of sunburn.

A warm tingling filled Wufei's heart for he knew this face, those eyes. They belonged to the one and only Duo Maxwell, self-proclaimed God of Death, and the one for whom Wufei's heart beat, secretly for now, but with a growing confidence with each passing day. He knew Duo's many moods and temperaments, his sense of humor - quirky though it may be- his likes and dislikes and countless idiosyncrasies. He loved the way Duo's eyes glittered at the prospect of watching yet another classic B rated horror flick, and hated - no, let's be honest - loathed his habit of drinking straight from the milk carton. A thousand tiny details and memories filled his mind, gathered from years of friendship that was rapidly becoming something more.

Or so he hoped.

Having already been burned once, Wufei was being more careful with whom he gave his heart and body to. Love was a many splendid thing, true, but love - or lust - didn't always make for a lasting relationship. He had learned that the hard way and knew now that he wanted more, needed more from a partner than a knockout body and a strong libido. His previous encounter with the devastatingly handsome Treize Khushrenada had left him empty inside and unsatisfied on a deeply emotional level. Devastated by the shame of what he had done and disillusioned about the entire business of love in general, he had slipped away from Treize's room in the wee hours of the morning in the same manner in which he had entered - stealthily and alone. For one night's pleasure and pain he had sacrificed everything, his pride, his sense of self-worth, and his virtue.

Still, he could not place sole blame on Treize for what had transpired between them for he had taken as much part in their illicit affair as Treize had, though initially the older man had been the seducer. Overwhelmed by sexual passion, he had willing submitted to the older man's advances, even welcomed them. With Treize as his guide, he had done things and felt sensations he had never realized were possible between two men, let alone a man and a woman. In its own way it had been a gloriously mind-shattering experience, totally unlike anything he had ever done before and it had been very enjoyable - while it was happening. But afterwards as he had lain exhausted and sore in his lover's arms, he felt only shame… and fear.

(What would Duo think if he knew what I had done?) Wufei wondered. (What I allowed to be done to me?)

Wufei forced his mind away from those questions in a hurry. He didn't want to dwell on such things because he was afraid to find out what the answers would be. How would Duo react if he had known that he, Wufei, had lain in the arms of an enemy? Would he care? And would it damage their budding relationship? In the end, Wufei decided that it would probably be better to not tell Duo anything about that night.

Groaning softly, Wufei shifted his body ever so softly and was immediately sorry. The dull throbbing in the back of his head erupted into a shooting fountain of pain. Another groan passed his lips.

"Wufei?" Duo's voice came from somewhere beside him, and he plainly heard the worry even beneath the thin film of cheerfulness. "Are you awake?"

"No, I'm dead." Wufei muttered and groaned more loudly as he slowly opened his eyes. He was still in the living room, lying face down on his sofa. The black fabric was smooth and warm beneath his cheek and the scent of hot wax and vanilla lingered heavily in the still, hot air. Duo was kneeling besides him, a wet washcloth in his hands. Looking past his friend, Wufei could see out the now closed window without turning his head, which was a good thing because he doubted he was up to such a simple task. Silver streaks of rain poured down the glass surface turning the world outside into bluish-gray wash of meaningless shapes. A long stitch of lightning sliced through the gloom and was almost instantly followed by the roar of thunder. The noise did little to help his thumping headache.

"No wait -" Wufei groused. "Hurts too much. Can't be dead."

"Good to hear it, pal," Duo grinned and gently placed the washcloth onto the back of Wufei's head. He manly tried not to wince. "You had me worried there for a minute. You've been unconscious for almost two hours. I was getting ready to brave the storm and drive you to the emergency room."

"Glad you resisted. We would've both drowned."

Duo laughed softly. "Yeah, not my idea of the perfect way to die."

"And what exactly is your idea of the perfect way to die?"

"Death by chocolate, of course."

"Of course." Despite his aching head, Wufei was unable to completely suppress his laughter as Duo's eyes lit up at the thought of consuming more chocolate than was humanly possible. But then again, he was talking to Duo Maxwell, the Chocolate King of L2. For him such a feat was entirely doable. And the worst part was that he probably wouldn't gain a single pound.

Ah, the joys and privileges of a high metabolism.

Using the flat of his palms, Wufei pushed himself slowly up onto his knees with the care of an arthritic man walking on ice. The washcloth slithered down the back of his neck and red agony lanced his skull. All traces of humor vanished. For a moment his gore rose in his throat but he fought it down with all of his might. His vision swam drunkenly as he eased himself fully upright and he lounged listlessly in the corner of the couch. He focused his whole being on filling his lungs with oxygen, on the slow and rhythmic rise and fall of his chest and the heavy thudding of his heart.

The cushions shifted slightly as Duo settled besides him and Wufei knew that if he opened his eyes right then he would see that pale brow creased with worry lines. Spicy cologne tickled his nose and a profound sense of gratitude filled him as he felt the cold wetness of the washcloth being pressed against his raw scalp.

"Maybe we should get you to a doctor, Wufei" Duo's voice held so much concern.

"No. No doctor." Wufei murmured without much strength. "I'm fine, Duo, really. I just… need to rest a little."

"Yeah, well, you look like shit."

"My, aren't you the sweet talker?"

Duo took Wufei's hand into his own and the Chinese ex-pilot was startled at how warm the other man's flesh felt against his. Duo's palm was lightly calloused and his fingers were long and strong. He squeezed Wufei's hand gently. And so unnaturally warm! Why, he radiated heat like a furnace!

"I'm serious, Wufei." Duo pressed. "You're as pale as a ghost and you skin is icy." When Wufei's mouth opened to protest his words, the American cut him off. "No, I'm not going to listen to any of your denials, Wufei. You look me in the eyes right now and tell me honestly that there is nothing wrong with you."

Uncharacteristic irritation bubbled to the surface of Wufei's mind and frowning he opened his eyes to glare at his friend and snatched his hand away. "Of course, there's something wrong!" He snapped. "I just had a close encounter of the weird kind with some…force… that threw me across my own living room like a child's plaything. I'm hurt, confused, and scared. I don't know what happened and I sure as Hell don't want anything like that to ever happening again."

Instantly, Wufei regretted his outburst as Duo pulled away from him, hurt plainly evident large eyes. His head ached like a rotten tooth and he would have gladly sold his soul for some extra strength aspirin. He didn't want to blame Duo, and yet some small part of him did. If his friend hadn't brought that Ouija board over in the first place, none of this - whatever `this' was - would've happened in the first place.

Pulling himself to his feet stiffly, Duo looked away from his friend and out the window. Though Wufei's hadn't given voice to his silent accusation, Duo could hear it in the angry tone of his voice. And it hurt him deeply because he knew that Wufei's getting hurt was entirely his fault. He was the one who had brought the Ouija board to Wufei's house instead of his usual selection of horror films; he was the one who had convinced Wufei to give it a try, insisting on its harmlessness. And for as long as he had been using the board, he had never once encountered anything like what had happened here tonight. He took the board more or less seriously, yes, but he hadn't believed that it was capable of hurting anyone.

That is, until now.

When he first became interested in the use of the so-called `talking boards', Duo had done considerable research on the matter. He read what books he was able to find on the subject and browsed the Internet tirelessly searching for hints and tips that would make his first Ouija experience safe and entertaining. Chat rooms and mailing lists on the supernatural and the occult became his primary source of information and eventually he had been able to hook up with a small group of individuals in his area who were willing to work with and teach him the ways of the spirit boards.

All of his experiences had been positive up until tonight, but there was one thing his mind kept being drawn to. Hadn't there been almost as many horror stories as tales of success floating around the Web? How many times had he come upon former users in his inquires who claimed that the boards were dangerous? The Internet was full of shocking tales of demonic possession, of users being driven to suicide, and of an alarmingly high rate of mental instability among susceptible individuals who dabbled in the darker realms of the vast unknown. Most of these tales of woe had supposedly begun after using the Ouija board.

(I've been a fool.) Duo thought with growing horror. (I may have endangered my friend by turning a blind, unbelieving eye to the possibility that the very thing that I have always treated as little more than a game could actually be…dangerous.)

"I'm sorry, Wufei. This was all my fault." Duo ducked his head and his heavy bangs tumbled forward, obscuring his eyes. "I should never have brought that Ouija board here in the first place."

"What's done is done." Wufei muttered then continued in a much more apologetic voice. "I shouldn't have yelled at you like that. It wasn't your fault. I was just a little upset."

"You sure you're all right?" Duo turned and watched his friend skeptically as he struggled to his feet.

"I'm positive. I just need a good night's rest and some aspirin. I'll be good as new in the morning."

A wave of dizziness, stronger than ever before washed over Wufei as he gained his footing. Black dots swam across his vision and he swayed and lurched awkwardly. He tottered for what felt like an eternity and probably would have fallen if Duo had not been there to catch him. Much to his embarrassment, the American scooped him up into his arms and cuddled him close.

"You might have a concussion, Wufei." He said, his tone all seriousness. "But you're too stubborn to ever admit anything like that, aren't you?" With slow steps, Duo began to walk in the direction of the bedroom with Wufei cradled easily in his arms.

A strong sense of déjà vu took Wufei completely by surprise and he began to flail his arms and kick his legs in agitation. "Put me down!" He demanded, his voice rising as panic ripped through his heart. "Let go, Duo! NOW!"

Bewildered, Duo set him down as instructed, but his arms remained around Wufei's shoulders. "Okay, Wufei, don't have a cow."

Blushing uncomfortably, Wufei ducked his head, mumbling, "I can get to my room on my own, thank you very much. I'm not a baby… or an invalid."

"Sorry, `bout that. I just didn't want you falling or something."

"I'm fine." Wufei's voice was tight and he looked everywhere but directly at his friend. His lips tilted a tiny bit and his tone softened. "But if I could lean against you, that would help."

Gallantly, Duo offered his arm and smiled brightly. "Anything to help out a friend."

(A friend… Is that all we are, Duo…friends?)

With Duo's help Wufei made it to his bedroom with his pride a bit wrinkled but more or less intact. While Duo went to the kitchen to fetch a glass of water and some aspirin, he slowly pulled his red tee shirt over his head and let it fall to the ground. It lay there looking absurdly out of place on the painfully clean floor but he decided to leave it. He simply lacked the strength and energy at the moment to pick it up and toss it into the dirty clothes hamper where it belonged. Listlessly he plopped down on the mattress and shimmied out of his jean shorts. It took more effort than was pretty but they too eventually slid to the floor. Wufei sighed heavily and slid beneath the cotton sheets clad only in his underwear.

Small shivers worked down his spine and he wished for a nice warm comforter, but all of his winter blankets were stored away in the closet and he wasn't up to facing THAT insurmountable challenge and he didn't want to bother Duo about it, either. While he always kept a neat and tidy home, he had to admit that he had a tendency to forget the closets. Out of sight, out of mind - Wasn't that how the old saying went? Sighing, he pulled the sheets and thin summer-weight blanket up to his chin and decided he would just have to do without.

A short while later, Duo returned and sitting on the edge of his bed, gave Wufei a glass brimming with ice-cold water, which he accepted gratefully. He took a long drink and sighed as the water slid down his throat and pooled in his stomach. Already he was feeling a little bit better but something was missing…

"What? No aspirin?"

"I've got what you need right here." Duo grinned and wagged his eyebrows suggestively, then finally extended his hand towards Wufei. Two gel caps were nestled in his palm, almost neon bright with their orange and white striped coating.

"Say `Ah'!"

"Bite me."

"You take all the fun out of my life, Wufei." Duo pouted. "Seriously."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Wufei took the offered pills, tossed them into his mouth, and chased them down his throat with a long swig of water. He glanced towards his nightstand and the digital clock radio that rested at the foot of his lamp. Dark eyebrows rose in astonishment.

(Can it really be that late? How time flies when your having fun.)

He cut a sidelong look at Duo who was looking around his room with open curiosity. Uncertainty was strong within him and he nibbled on his bottom lip for many long moments, before finally giving voice to the thoughts pattering through his mind.

"Duo…" He began hesitantly and stopped.

"Yes, Wufei?" Dark blue eyes turned towards Wufei.

"Would you…like to stay the night?" Wufei blurted out then hurrying on, "I mean, it's so late and the storm isn't anywhere near over yet…"

Duo grinned happily. "Sure, I'd love to spend the night!"

"On the couch." Wufei added hastily.

"On the couch?"

"Yes, or in the guest room. Whichever you prefer."

"Oh." Duo's grin faded to a warm and comfortable smile. "Okay."

He regarded Wufei for several moments with a peculiar look on his face, which held smoldering heat and an unspoken question that Wufei couldn't bring himself to address at the moment. It was too soon and he had promised that he wouldn't rush into such matters ever again. Slow and steady really would win this particular race.

"Just in case I might have a concussion." Wufei murmured softly, returning Duo's small seductive smile with one of his own. "That's all."

"Of course." Duo nodded his head in agreement. "And I'll be sure to wake you up every hour on the hour. Just in case."

"You do that."

Duo stood with a sigh. Long lashes brushed against his cheeks as he closed his eyes and stretched his arms over his head, reaching for the ceiling, stretching all to way to his toes. His tank top rode up, revealing a lightly tanned expanse of taut abdomen. Greedily, Wufei's eyes took in every small detail presented for him. The honey gold highlights that burned through the length of Duo's amazingly long braid, nicely muscled arms - not too much of a good thing - that were obviously stronger than they looked. He admired the way his back rippled as he moved, how long his legs were, the rippling flex of muscles that shifted beneath skin that was smooth and soft.

Suddenly, dark blue eyes met black and Duo grinned mischievously at Wufei through a fall of thick bangs and dropped a sly wink at the startled Oriental. Red heat coursed through Wufei's body and surfaced along his cheeks as he belatedly recognized this set up for what it really was, a tantalizing tease that all but screamed, "See what your missing out on?"

Embarrassed, Wufei huffed indignantly. "Oh, just get out of here."

Duo's laughter danced along Wufei's skin almost as if it had weight and substance. His large eyes twinkled with merriment as he stepped over to the head of the bed to reclaim the now empty water glass. Duo's fingers brushed lightly along his own as he took the glass and that one lingering touch spoke volumes.

"Get some rest now, Wufei." He whispered, soft and low. He then leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on Wufei's forehead. Without another word he flicked off the lights, padded out of the room, shutting the door gently behind him.

"Tease."

A warm rush of happiness filled Wufei's heart to the point of overflowing. It was really such a small gesture, that kiss, so innocent yet full of infinite possibilities. Smiling to himself, his pain rapidly fading away, he snuggled closer to his pillow and allowed himself to dream of a not-too-distant future where it was a certain braided American who was caught in his tender embrace and not just a feather pillow.

TO BE CONTINUED…

Hello all! First I just want to thank everyone who's read and reviewed the story so far - or just read and enjoyed - or sent me e-mail. And I just want to reassure everyone that although the last two chapters were devoted to Wufei and Treize, this IS predominately a 2x5 story. Wufei's past encounter with Treize affects his present and future relationship with Duo and it is a matter of some importance. Let's just say that it WILL come back to `haunt' him! (Cue maniacal laughter) *^_^*