Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ A Harder Beast to Kill ❯ A Harder Beast to Kill 6 ( Chapter 7 )

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: R

Warnings: Yaoi, supernatural, language, lime

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 SIX

Soft buttery light filtered in through the curtains flooding the tiny kitchen with golden warmth. The sky beyond the windows was a clear and pristine blue and held no trace of the fierce storm that had raged all night knocking down tree limbs and power lines throughout the city. Crystalline beads of water shimmered like jewels on every available surface and birds chirped and danced, filling the world with their morning song.

Humming an upbeat tune, Duo lifted the windowpane and propped it open with a long narrow piece of wood Wufei kept on hand for just that purpose. His braid fell down his back, damp and heavy from his shower and he tugged at the belt of his borrowed robe and filled his lungs with the aromatic combination of crisp fresh air and coffee. Smiling happily, he padded over to the refrigerator. When he opened the door he sighed heavily as he appraised its meager contents - a half-gallon of skim milk three days past its expiration date, half a stick of butter, a jar of sugar free jelly, and an almost empty carton of eggs.

"Oh man," Duo groaned. "Where's the food, Wufei? No wonder you're so damned thin."

Determined to cook a halfway descent breakfast, Duo took out the eggs, the butter, and the jelly and set them on the kitchen counter. He then dumped the milk down the sink and tossed the now empty container into the trash. After several long moments hunting through unfamiliar cabinets and cupboards he finally found some cooking spray, a spatula, a nine inch Teflon frying pan, and enough plates, mugs, and utensils for two.

"Okay, now, if I were bread where would I be?" Duo wondered aloud. His eyes scanned the kitchen counters until they came upon a small breadbox. Slightly discouraged by the near empty state of the refrigerator, he didn't dare assume that there might actually be bread in the breadbox but he was pleasantly surprised to find a fresh unopened loaf of whole wheat bread.

"It's not Wonder white, but hey, any port in the storm, right?"

Before long, the smell of frying eggs and slightly burnt toast filled the kitchen, intermixing with the perk-you-right-up goodness of Columbian coffee. After an unsuccessful flip of the spatula broke his yolk, Duo convinced himself that he had actually set out to make scrambled eggs in the first place and congratulated himself on his amazing versatility.

Hoping Wufei like scrambled eggs at least as much as he did, Duo pushed the fluffy golden mass onto one of the plates and stared another egg sizzling. He glanced over at the wall clock by the sink and frowned. It was nearly half past nine and still there was no sign of activity from Wufei's room. This bothered him just a little because he knew that Wufei had a rather nasty habit of waking with the sun even on his days off.

(He had a rough time of it last night.) Duo reminded himself. (It's only natural that he would oversleep) He flipped the eggs and cursed aloud as once again the yolk broke apart. Scrambled eggs again. (Still, if he's not up soon, I'm going to check on him… just in case.)

Duo was spared the effort for at that moment Wufei dragged himself into the sunny kitchen, his hair in disarray and a flannel robe wrapped around his body. He mumbled something that sounded vaguely like, "Good morning", and collapsed bonelessly into one of the kitchen chairs and blinked owlishly at his friend.

"Good morning, sunshine." Duo chirped, sliding the eggs onto the plate in front of Wufei. "I made you some scrambled eggs. Hope you like them."

Wufei stared blankly at the food on his plate then raised his eyes towards Duo. He gave a weak apologetic smile and mumbled, "Just coffee for me, thanks."

"What? You're joking!" Duo set the pan back on the stove, walked over to Wufei and plunked himself down in the chair across from him and gave him his most soulful little-lost-puppy-dog look. "You don't like my cooking?" His tone was just a little hurt and for added affect his bottom lip quivered.

Another apologetic smile. "I don't eat breakfast. I never have. But I'd love a cup of coffee."

"But breakfast is THE most important meal of the day, Wufei!"

"Please, Duo." Wufei sighed tiredly, "Just coffee."

"Okay," Duo dragged himself to his feet and made his way to the coffee pot. "One coffee coming up. How do you want that?"

"Black is fine." Wufei stifled a huge yawn with his hand.

"No sugar? No cream?"

"I don't have any."

Duo snorted and rolled his eyes in exasperation as he poured the scalding liquid into a mug. He set it in front of Wufei and scrapped the untouched food onto his own plate. "Makes no sense to let good food go to waste." He then bowed his head, clasped his hands, closed his eyes, and said grace.

When he opened his eyes again he saw that Wufei was staring at him. He beamed him a smile then picked up his fork and began to eat. He took one tentative bite, found that it wasn't as bad as he thought it would be, and then continued with obvious enjoyment. "You know, this isn't half bad, Wufei." Duo said, mouth full. "Sure you don't want any?"

"Pass."

Duo gave an elegant shrug of the shoulders. "Your loss."

"How's the head?" Duo continued as he happily spread jelly across his toast.

One of Wufei's hands floated up to touch his still tender scalp. He winced then shrugged. "Better."

"Good to hear it."

While Duo ate his breakfast, Wufei huddled over his steaming mug, his grip was so tight the skin along his knuckles was stretched white. He could only dimly feel the heat radiating from the porcelain and it did absolutely nothing to help banish the bone-penetrating chill that had taken possession of him the night before. He shivered mightily and letting go of the mug, wrapped his arms around himself miserably. He cut a sideways glance at his friend.

"How did you sleep last night, Duo?" He asked in what he hope was a casual tone.

Duo apparently couldn't detect any difference in his voice. "Like a baby. Best sleep I've had in years."

Wufei frowned at this. His eyes feel to the cooling coffee before him, wispy curls of steam rose serenely and slowly dissolved into the air. He took the mug into his trembling hands - it sloshed over the rim, scalding him, but he didn't feel it - and brought it to his mouth. Incredibly bitter coffee slid past numb lips, down his throat, and churned restlessly in his leaden stomach.

"Y-you didn't get up at all last night? For any reason?" (Then whose footsteps did I hear outside of my bedroom?)

"Nope. Not once." Duo set down his fork across his now empty plate, tines down, and studied his friend's face worriedly. Wufei's skin was very pale and seemed tight and drawn. Even from across the table, he could see the faintest black smudges forming beneath his lower lids. But the biggest change was in his eyes. They lacked their usual sparkle. It was as if his internal spark had been blown out leaving them dull, empty… almost haunted.

"Why do you ask?"

Wufei opened his mouth and what came out wasn't a complete lie - but it wasn't the whole truth, either. "I thought I heard some mice last night, that's all. I'm just glad they didn't wake you."

"Mice?" Duo scooped up his own mug, took a swig of coffee then set it down with a sharp thud. "Man, that sucks. But you don't live anywhere near any fields or other places where those nasty buggers hang out and you keep such a neat home so… where did they come from?"

Wufei sighed heavily. "That's what I'd like to know."

"Mice." Duo repeated with obvious disgust and actually shuddered. "Ugh. Nasty little beasties. You know that they carry germs and diseases, don't you? Remember the Black Plague?"

"Those were rats, actually." Wufei couldn't help correcting Duo in his historical inaccuracy. He was, after all, a scholar and someone had to get it right.

Duo waved this away impatiently. "Mice, rats, same difference. A rodent is a rodent. And the only good rodent is a dead rodent."

Wufei's dark brows arched at his friend's uncharacteristic vehemence. "I take it that you don't like them?"

"Hell, no." Duo spat out and folded his arms across his chest. He turned his face away from Wufei as if unable to look him in the eyes. His voice dropped lower and became oddly hushed in the bright sunny kitchen and his whole posture changed; he seemed to shrink into himself, to grow somehow smaller, younger. He cocked his head lightly to one side as if listening… listening for the thin stealthy scratching in the walls.

"Back on L2," Duo began in that thin whispery-raspy voice that was so unlike his everyday one, "there were rats lurking in every darkened ally. They were everywhere, I tell you. And there was no getting around them. But unlike us orphans, they were fat and sleek and healthy. And they had no fear in them, none whatsoever."

Duo's hands shifted and cupped his elbows and Wufei, hearing the little boy fear rushing into the American's voice, realized how much effort Duo was putting into keeping himself from almost literally falling apart.

"They would come slinking out in broad daylight, the bastards. And after the sun went down…it was enough to make a grown man go crazy. Listening to the gnash and gnaw of their sharp yellow teeth night after night as they rummaged through the garbage eating God knows what. They'd come right up to you and snatch the crumbs out of your hands if you weren't careful. Sometimes I'd lie awake and hear them, the sounds they made as they moved, their tiny claws, their nibbling teeth, and then I'd see their fat pink tails gleaming in the moonlight like… like worms."

Duo gagged slightly at this and Wufei wanted to reach out and hold him, to tell him that everything was fine, everything was good, and that nothing would ever be able to hurt him or scare him again, because he, Wufei, was with him now. But he couldn't summon up his voice or even make a move toward his friend.

"There were times I thought that they would get tired of eating all of that garbage and cast away junk and come hunting for something fresh and juicy. Sometimes late at night I'd hear them and knew that they were tired of all that slop. They wanted boy meat. And then I'd feel them brushing against my legs or perhaps clawing over my arm and I'd bolt upright and just scream and scream."

Silence filled the kitchen after Duo stopped speaking. It stretching thin like taffy between the two men seated at the table, each trapped in the depths of memory. Regardless of the time span, these memories -Wufei's phantom voices, Duo's less than picture perfect childhood - were of things either beyond their comprehension or control. Golden light still danced through the windows carrying its burden of dust specks but for each man at the table it had long lost all of its warmth. Even the birds had fallen silent.

Finally Duo turned his face back towards Wufei. He offered a strained, uncomfortable smile, a mere twisting of lips. "I didn't sleep well when I was I kid."

"So I gather." In an effort to comfort his friend he continued, "I was going to go to the store to get some mouse traps. Do you want to come with me?"

Duo brightened instantly. "Sure, I'd love to come. But, to tell you God's honest, what you really need is a cat."

"A cat? Duo, I can't get a cat!" Wufei protested, "Wouldn't traps be a better solution?"

"Little fuckers don't deserve a clean death, Wufei." Duo gathered up his dishes, his fork and the knife he had used to butter his toast clattered noisily against the smooth surface of the plate, stood and walked over to the sink. He set them all down on the counter then put the stopper in the bottom of the sink and turned on the water. When it was steaming he snatched up the dishwashing soap and poured a more than generous amount of the lemony stuff into the stream. The bubbles were fruitful and multiplied at an amazing rate.

Duo looked back over his shoulder and stared solemnly at Wufei, his eyes alight with a disturbing coldness, the eyes of Shinigami. The eyes he used when he was trying to hide his fear from the world, a world that, more often than not, would hurt you the first opportunity it got.

"You got to make them suffer, Wufei, make them afraid." His voice was harsh and he turned his attention back to the sink and shut off the water. "Yeah. I want them to be good and scared and they won't be scared of a stupid little trap. They'll steal the bait just as slick as snot and then sit there and laugh their asses off at you. No, a cat is the only way to go when dealing with them."

Again, there was silence as Wufei pondered Duo's words. Would getting a cat really be that terrible in the first place? Probably not, they were allowed after all. And even if the manager did have a problem with it, Wufei would just explain about the mouse situation and tell the penny-pinching tightwad that unless he had any better and more successful plans up his sleeves, then the Department of Health would be receiving a not-so-anonymous telephone call in the future about a certain neglectful landlord.

Unable to suppress a grin as this idea unfolded, Wufei found himself mentally ticking off a list of supplies he would need if he were to follow Duo's advice - cat food, and pet feeding bowls, and perhaps a ball of yarn to keep the little bugger happy and content during slow periods when he wasn't beating the living shit out of some poor mouse.

Thinking of a positive course of action did a world of good for Wufei - it made him feel more empowered. The tightness in his chest eased somewhat and he could breath just a little bit easier. Following Duo's advice would help them both; it would take care of the mouse problem, ease any of Duo's concerns about any nocturnal visitors of the ordinary persuasion, and may even help calm his own nerves which were understandably tense after the unusual events that had taken place the night before.

"Okay. Duo." Wufei said, as he picked up his empty mug and his dirty plate and took them over to the sink. He placed a reassuring hand on the braided man's shoulder. "I think you have the right idea."

Wufei literally felt the tension ease from Duo as he uttered those words. Then Duo pulled his hands from the soapy water, shifted his body, and wrapped his suds laced arms around the startled Wufei and gently pulled him into his embrace.

Duo lowered his head and whispered his gratitude, "Thanks, Wufei." His warm breath puffed along Wufei's temple. His lips brushed lightly against golden skin and they were petal soft.

Remembering other strong and restrictive arms wrapping about him, Wufei tensed and his breath stilled in his throat as Duo held him lightly, making no attempts to restrain or control his movements in any way. As if from a far away dream he felt the warm soapy water slowly seep through his robe to moisten the skin beneath. There was no pressure being exerted here, no demands being made. Wufei wasn't asked or expected to give beyond his current capacity. There was only warmth and friendship in this touch and the first, safest stirrings of something more lasting - something sweet and right and good.

Slowly Wufei raised his hands to the other boy's chest and he could feel the thudding of both of their heartbeats through his slightly clammy palms even through the cotton of Duo's borrowed robe - they beat in amazing unison and a calming sense of peace filled his heart. Black eyes fell to the open V at Duo's throat, his flesh so smooth and lightly tanned, and Wufei felt a stronger, more insistent desire come bubbling to the surface. It filled him with a gentle heat that cocooned him from head to toe. For a moment he mentally debated on whether or not he should push Duo away, but in the end it was Duo who released him, Duo who stepped away, his cheeks lightly pinked.

Duo adverted his eyes and cleared his throat. "I-I better finish these dishes before the water gets cold."

Yeah, I guess you'd better." Wufei agreed, his voice only a little shaky. "I'll be taking a shower." (A very cold one.) He mentally added. "Then we need to get you some clean clothes. I'm sure I have something that would fit you."

Wufei didn't feel his feet touch the floor as he left the kitchen for he was walking on a cloud of air. He made his way purposefully towards the bathroom, entered, and shut the door firmly behind him. Lost in a warm haze of contentment, he reached into the tub and turned on the water. Its roar filled the tiny room, reverberating against the tile. When it had reached the desired temperature, not cold at all, but hot enough to produce thick billowing steam, he lifted the tab and beaded streams of water gushed out of the showerhead. Smiling lazily, Wufei slid out of his robe and hung it on the peg next to the towel rack then slipped silently into the confines of the shower door, sliding it closed quickly behind him so as to not allow too much of the steam to escape.

Hot water cascaded around his body and instantly he felt the fear and tension begin to slide away from him. He luxuriated beneath the pounding stream, allowing it to slosh over him, warming him. When his body was flushed a rosy shade from the heat, he grabbed the shampoo/conditioner and slowly lathered up his hair, the tips of his fingers massaging his scalp in gentle circles. The welcomed scent of strawberries filled his steamy haven and it only added to the relaxed atmosphere.

He rinsed his hair then reached out to pick up the smooth oval of soap on the bottom shelf of his shower caddy and began to lather first his face then his lithe body, the hot stream pounding his back. Unheeded, memories flooded Wufei, consumed him body and mind - the scent of Duo's freshly washed hair, the feel of his strong arms wrapped about his body, holding yet not confining, his deep blue almost purple eyes that twinkled despite the pain of his past. A thousand remembered details from over the last few years erupted and the gentle heat within Wufei's body came insistently alive, becoming an inferno of desire. He closed his eyes and let these thoughts and sensations completely overtake him.

In the fantasy world that resided within the depths of his mind, his hands were Duo's hands and they slid along the taut ridges of his abdomen, trailing bubbles in their wake. His most secret thoughts bubbled to the surface and he chose not to resist, or drive them away, but to embrace them, accept them. A sigh eased past his lips as he let go of his inhibitions. He took himself into his hands and flowed with his fantasy, his head thrown back, his breath rising, mingling with the steam as it speed up, becoming labored. One hand pressed flat against the bathroom tile, supporting most of his weight as he surrendered to the lustful needs of his body. Passion soared and exploded within him, even if it was an empty sort of release, and his legs became weak and threatened to buckle beneath the onslaught of sensations.

As his pleasure engulfed him, Wufei moaned Duo's name aloud in a tone of reverence usually reserved for prayer. Colors, bright and intensely beautiful, flared behind his closed lids and he slowly slid to his knees on the smooth porcelain as the hot water thundered around his head, neck, shoulders. His breath surged in and out of lungs struggling to suck enough oxygen into his body. Surprisingly he felt both better and worse than he had upon entering the bathroom but at least he would be able to spend the rest of the day with Duo without mortally embarrassing himself. Or at least that was the theory.

On wobbly legs he stood and rinsed away all traces of his solitary activities. The water was losing its almost oppressive heat, becoming tepid, and he knew that he was draining the limited resources of his aging hot water heater. Sighing, he twisted off the water, then stepped out of the tub and pulled the thick terrycloth towel about his waist, tucking it in place securely. A mild guilt washed along his skin for the sinfulness of his recent behavior, but it was followed by a firm determination that the next time he awoke the fires within he would indulge in his passions with the real deal, and not just his fantasies.

Wufei pulled another towel from the linen closet and began to vigorously dry his thick black hair. But when he reached up one wrinkled hand to swipe clear the condensed vapor that had settled along the surface of the mirror, he froze. An overpowering sense of foreboding filled him, driving away his newly acquired contentment and spilling ice through his veins. Bronzed flesh dimpled as his internal temperatures plummeted and his chest constricted tightly. He simply could not bring himself to look into the mirror. The very idea filled him with such unimaginable horror. The towel slid silently from his hand and fell to the floor with a small `fwump'.

Gripping the porcelain sink with both hands, Wufei stood there, scared and trembling, his head down, wet hair, heavy and as dark as midnight skies, slowly dripping. His breath shuddered through his throat, thin and reed-like.

(What is wrong with me?) His mind screamed. (It's just a mirror, for God's sake, just a plain, everyday mirror. There's nothing to be afraid of.)

It wasn't the mirror itself that scared him, he realized in almost a detached manner, but rather it was what was within its smooth reflective depths that filled Wufei with numbing cold that swirled in invisible ebbs through and around his body. Something dark, sinister, and alien waited, wanting so desperately to come eye to eye with him, a terrible specter that would shatter his sanity, and steal away his immortal soul.

"No," Wufei whispered fiercely. "There's nothing there, nothing but my own reflection. Get a hold of yourself." He raised his right hand with every intention of dashing away the clouding film and revealing what lay beyond but he froze again, his fingertips pressing lightly against the smooth surface. He just couldn't bring himself to do it.

Frustrated, Wufei whirled with a snarl, snatched up his robe and fled from the bathroom, his wet feet leaving small, irregular puddles in his wake. He didn't run into Duo, and was grateful that his friend hadn't seen him in such a disgraceful state. If Duo had seen him he would have been bombarded by endless questions, questions that he didn't have the answers to and didn't want to think about.

Wufei reached the safe haven of his bedroom and pulled the door closed behind him. He tossed himself upon the unmade bed and pulled the covers over his shaking form, paying no mind to the beads of water that soaked into the fabric, staining it. His mind buzzed with a thousand clashing thoughts but he shut his eyes and tried to block them out. Breathing deeply, he forced everything from his mind, and surrounded himself with a calm, white blanket of light.

Eventually he was calm enough to sit up and the sheets pooled into his lap. The frantic beating of his heart had subsided and he had successfully banished all of his fears - for now. He swung his bare legs over the edge of the bed then eased his feet to the floor. There was no need for him to return to the bathroom to get his hastily discarded towel for his linens had absorbed all of the moisture from his body. Absently he ran his long fingers through his damp hair then walked over to his dresser and snatched up one of his elastic hair ties and pulled his hair back into its regular ponytail at the nape of his neck.

He then ran through his morning ritual. He applied deodorant and just a small splash of cologne then rummaged through his drawers for undergarments for himself and Duo. Searching for clothes that would fit the American was a little more difficult than he had realized. Since Duo stood several inches taller than him, long pants of any sort were simply out of the question - they would ride up half way up his shins when he sat and that was a fashion no-no in anyone's book. Finally, after much deliberation, he decided on simple blue jeans and a red crewneck sweatshirt for himself and an orange sleeveless tee and a pair of cotton twill cargo shorts for Duo.

(I'll just have to get him to start leaving some clothes over hear so he'll have something to wear when he spends the night.)

It surprised Wufei on how easily such a thought had come into his mind and he blushed at the obvious implication it represented. Nevertheless, it was his intentions to take their relationship to the next step and he didn't think Duo would have any objections to this. Despite his initial embarrassment, the idea pleased him immensely.

There was a knock on the bedroom door and Duo's voice filtered in from the other side. "Hey, Wufei, did you die in there? The day isn't getting any younger, you know. Get your skinny butt in gear."

"I'm coming." Wufei called out as he zipped up his jeans. "You can come in, if you want. I have some clothes here for you."

The door swung open and Duo sauntered in, a large grin firmly in place. He got a good long look at Wufei's torso as he slipped a red crewneck sweatshirt over his head. Duo's grin intensified and he licked his lips playfully.

"Yummy abs there, Wufei." He purred in his most seductive voice. "Let me take a picture and pin it up to my refrigerator."

Wufei hastily pulled the sweatshirt into place and did his best to ignore Duo's teasing, but his face was almost as red as his shirt and the braided boy's chuckle slid over his skin like smooth satin.

"Oh, shut up, Duo." He grumped and waved a hand towards the bed where a neat bundle of clothes were set out. "You can put those on. I think they'll fit. If not, we can just stop by your place and pick something up there."

"Right. No problem."

Duo's hands slid to the robe's belt and began to nimbly untie the knot. Despite himself, Wufei couldn't tear his eyes away from the sight before him. The cloth loosened and slid slowly from strong, lightly tanned shoulders then began to slip down the long length of his torso. Duo raised his eyes and offered a saucy grin.

"You want to watch, don't you?" He dropped a slow, suggestive wink.

"NO!" (Well, actually, yes.)

Wufei turned abruptly and stalked out of the room, Duo's laughter trailing after him, and shut the door firmly behind him. With a trembling sigh, he leaned back and rested his head against the solid wood.

"He's going to drive me crazy."

Several minutes later, Duo padded into the living room, and struck a super model pose in front of Wufei who was lounging on the couch pretending to read the National Inquirer. He set the magazine down in his lap and sat up a little straighter.

"Ta-da!" Duo declared with an air of supreme confidence. "What do you think, Wufei? Is this the cutting edge of fashion, or what?"

Suppressing his laughter, Wufei studied his friend intently, his black eyes sparkling with mirth. "Turn around so I can get the whole effect."

"Your wish is my desire." Duo replied and spreading out his arms, turned in a slow circle, giving Wufei ample opportunity to admire the view.

And Wufei really did enjoy what he saw. Though he had had his doubts about the color of the tee when he selected it, orange was a good choice of color for Duo and it complimented the American's skin tones beautifully. Its straight hem fell just above the gentle curve of his hips and it stretched snuggly over Duo's torso, showing off the smooth hard lines of his chest and abdomen, leaving his muscular arms bare. The cargo shorts were a little shorter on Duo than on Wufei but he didn't think anyone would mind. He certainly didn't. They hung straight down Duo's lean legs and hugged the soft curve of his rear, displaying it to perfection.

"Nice." Wufei purred, drawing out the single syllable.

"You think?"

"I know." Wufei stood, snatched up his keys and wallet from the coffee table, and stuffed them into his pocket. He grinned and headed for the door.

"Now let's go get our cat."

TO BE CONTINUED…

Jeez, this chapter just seemed to go on forever. My apologies. It's probably my mind making up for the incredibly short Chapter Five. I hope you enjoyed. *^-^*