Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Masquerade: Dance of the Phoenix ❯ Masquerade: Dance of the Phoenix ( One-Shot )

I make no claim to any of the Gundam Wing characters. This story is written for my, and hopefully others' enjoyment and not for monetary profit.

Masquerade: Dance of the Phoenix
by Michalyn

Warnings: 13x5, lemon

How could I not notice him when he looked so fetching? I had expected his costume to be something that would recall his ancestry, but I should have known my Wufei would not be so predictable. Tonight, he had opted for a flair of the fantastical: snug pants, smartly-heeled shoes and that wonderful extravagance of a shirt with its frothy neck of ruffles. A flamenco dancer. It suited him perfectly. Moreover, with his dark hair and warm complexion he was primed for the part. I wondered if he had chosen his outfit, or if his friends had had a say in this magnificent choice of attire. Certainly the Wufei I had known would never have selected anything so dramatic. Whatever the cause, I was thrilled to see him this way, for I have always thought of him as having a dancer's carriage. Needless to say, I was enchanted with him. As mesmerized as I was, though, I was hesitant to move closer lest he become suspicious. It would not do to turn him away before I even began my seduction so I lingered in the shadows, longing for him.

During war, every day seems like a million years, but I had forgotten how quickly time flies, especially for the young. Yes, I know 27 does not exactly qualify me for the nursing home, but I have never really felt young and especially not recently. The effects of the intervening years though, had never been more noticeable to me than tonight. Wufei had been a sweet-faced boy when I knew him, but now, there was no denying he was a man, and an exquisite one at that. That smooth forehead, those graceful cheekbones... Oh, gone was the unfurled bud of boyhood; here was the flower of beauty in full bloom. Just a glimpse of the curve of his profile set my heart racing. It troubled me that he had been alone all evening, a fact that reinforced my suspicion that not only was the choice of his costume not his, but that he was also probably attending to appease his friends. Not that I wanted him to be twirling on the dance floor in some other man's arms--after all, where would that leave me?--but I hated what it implied. It pained me even more to know I was the cause. However else he might have changed since I last saw him, Wufei's guilt clearly remained.

I stepped forward from my hiding place near one of the columns and had to draw myself up short, else I would have collided with yet another "Treize". I had spotted no less than three men in that particular costume tonight. I smirked. Whatever else might be said, clearly the rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated. Not that I hadn't had my own share of woes during those agonizing months in the hospital and the equally grueling physical therapy that followed. I still could not escape the occasional pang, even now, but it amused me to think that I had become something of an archetype. After all, that was what all these costumes were, I mused, adjusting my own mask. I was still chuckling to myself when I noticed Wufei's expression as Treize #2 walked by. The most convincing of the three, he was half-turned away from Wufei and in profile, even I had to admit the resemblance was impressive. The painful spasm that ran through Wufei's cheek though, as the man sailed by was enough to hurl all my reticence out the door. Making sure my mask was securely in place, I approached him.

"You don't seem to be enjoying the party."

Wufei was standing off to the side near one of the room's Corinthian columns, just as I had previously been. My voice is not quite what it used to be as you might well imagine, being somewhat huskier than Wufei would have remembered it and so he showed not even a flicker of recognition as I spoke. I knew I did not have to worry about him recognizing my face since my mask was fitted enough and its feathers high enough to conceal even part of my hair--from the front at least. Which bird, you ask? Why the phoenix of course. The beauty of the masquerade is that when it comes to costuming the cliché always imparts the greatest degree of mystery. As for the rest of my outfit, I had settled on a simple black tuxedo. The only hint at my former identity was in the white gloves, which covered my hands, the latter partly due to vanity (there were faint scars on the backs of my hands and across my wrists), and mostly because I had dreamed of seeing them against Wufei's naked skin. He looked at me now with an expression of boredom and seemed ready to ignore me as he had all the other men who had approached him tonight (and yes, I had counted them) until his eyes met mine. For a moment I held my breath, afraid that my secret had been discovered. Not many people possess the shade of blue that is my eyes. In particular, the striations in my irises are quite distinct to anyone who has had the opportunity to observe them at close range, which Wufei certainly would have on more than one occasion. If anyone would have been able to un-mask me at a glance, it would be him ... or Milliardo but the other I did not have to worry about since it was through the assistance of my old friend that I was here in the first place.

Wufei stared at me oddly for a moment before shaking his head. "I suppose it's tolerable."

Thank goodness. I was safe. "Merely tolerable? A lovely young man like you should be dancing or if not ... in an embrace of another kind. Don't you know that at a masquerade nothing is taboo, no encounter too forbidden? Surely, something must have caught your interest." I let my gaze fall over him as I said so, knowing he would catch my meaning.

Again I could see confusion flicker over Wufei's features as he stared at me, momentarily speechless. He was frowning and I knew what his dilemma was and exactly what was going through his beautiful head. My words had not snared him, for surely he had received many such propositions this night. He was trying to "place" me. Perhaps figure out why my stance, the graceful movements of my hands as I spoke reminded him of a lost love from long ago. Good, things were progressing quite nicely, if I did say so myself. Still, Wufei was not quite where I wanted him yet. I had intrigued him, but he was still too suspicious, too wary of me yet to be ready for what I had planned.

I wanted to make love to him.

Yes, I had captured his attention but I needed him more pliant still. I am a man who is never afraid to use every tool at his disposal to achieve his goals, and if I recalled correctly, Wufei is something of a lightweight when it comes to alcohol. It was probably the reason he'd been nursing the same glass of champagne all night. No, it's not what you're thinking. I did not want him drunk, but he was so far from relaxed that I wanted to put some warmth in his veins. I wanted to remind him that there was fire within him still. I led him over to the bar and he followed me as if in a dream. I could feel his eyes on my back, could hear the hesitancy in his step as with each of my own I became more familiar to him. He knew the rhythm of my strides, and watching me, I knew Wufei's thoughts were racing. Though he could not see my face, from behind he would realize my hair was the same burnished shade he remembered. "Dare I believe what I am seeing?" he no doubt wondered. I was leading him on a merry chase, never mind he was the one behind and I the one in front at the moment.

"Wine?" I asked, turning to him again. I had chosen an aromatic Pinot Noir, rich with the melded flavors of black cherry, currant and creamy vanilla--a testament to the host's refined tastes. Its flavor was lost on Wufei though as he readily accepted my proffered glass, downing much of it in one gulp. I unsettled him that badly. It was hard not to feel a delicious thrill at that knowledge. Wufei was staring intently at my mask again and when I met his gaze, he cleared his throat and gave a nervous little laugh.

"Ah ... did I catch your name?"

"No, you did not." I chuckled as I slowly sipped my wine. It really was top notch. My smile broadened as a furrow darkened Wufei's brow when I did not offer any more information about my identity. "But you're free to tell me yours," I added. I was purring, but I could not help it. The chase had well and truly begun now.

Wufei's frown deepened. "Wufei," he blurted much to my surprise--and his own too if the stunned look on his face was any indication. He was quite adorably puzzled and when I laughed he looked at the glass in his hand as if it were somehow to blame. Good good. I lay my fingers on his upper arm and his muscles jumped at my touch. His eyes were wide, his pulse throbbing visibly in his throat as I finished my wine and drew him toward me. His skin was hot beneath the thin cotton of his shirt. Even through the double layer of my gloves, he scorched me.

"Shall we dance?"

"Yes," he murmured breathlessly, hastily dropping his glass on a nearby table as we moved toward the dance floor. I pressed my hand against his lower back, locking his hips with mine and his eyelids fluttered shut as our pelvises rubbed sinuously. The sight of his lowered lashes and flushed cheeks set my blood thrumming. I had stolen his voice, his breath and I meant to reclaim his heart before the night was done. The music throbbed in a deep subterranean pulse, punctuated by a moaning bass and keening violin. It was a jazzy avant-garde tune that had Wufei moving like a flame in my hands. Did I not say his costume was fitting? Rather than being a practiced dancer, he had a natural instinct for rhythm and his moves were fresh, unself-conscious and utterly sensual. If he'd only looked beyond our joined hands he would have seen the small crowd of admirers on the fringe of the dance floor. As it was, it never occurred to Wufei to look. He must have felt my gaze, however, for he opened his eyes and spared me a questioning glance.

"What?"

How was I supposed to answer that? He was so lovely and with his body pressed so close to mine, I knew anything that came out of my mouth right then would be either ridiculously poetic or obscene, for I wanted to tell him in explicit detail just what his touch did to me. Instead I merely shook my head and held him securely. The lights were low and his eyes were dark, so it was hard to tell, but as I gazed down at him I felt sure that his pupils were dilated. I knew for a fact his breath was coming just a tad too fast to be from dancing alone. Of course, there was more compelling evidence as well as his thigh burned along mine. Wufei was moving swiftly towards arousal and I shuddered as I imagined the musk of his passion mingled with the salt on his skin. I think we were both drunk by then but it had nothing to do with the wine. Well at least not on my part. Though he still had his wits about him Wufei was a bit tipsy I could tell, from the languid, easy way he moved. When he was sober there was always a rigidity to him, even when relaxed--he built his emotional walls so high around him. Now that brittle outer crust had unraveled and the Wufei before me was the molten essence of the man himself.

By then, my breath was coming a little too fast too. Probably faster than his. You see, it was one thing to be one of those admirers at the edge of the crowd, watching him and imagining what other secrets his supple body held, but I knew for sure that the roll of his hips was only an echo of a movement far hotter, far more sensuous than the one visible now. Do you think for a minute I forgot one detail about him in the time we were separated? In fact, each memory was only magnified in the painful days that stretched behind us. He had been my hope for death in the chaos of war, and in peace his memory gave me my will to live. When I was finally well enough, and Milliardo deemed me strong enough, he told me about Wufei... How he had changed but also how he was still alone, how my "death" had devastated him. But the time had never been quite right to make my appearance so I waited and hoped he would not find someone else. I had been waiting for this night from the moment I woke up in that hospital room and discovered I was not in hell just yet.

Wufei had closed his eyes again as the music down-shifted to a slower beat. I did not care what was playing, I was simply content to follow where he led me. You know, I had never had the chance to hold him like this without having to rush. It was an indescribable luxury, just holding him for the sheer pleasure of his body against mine. A pain as sweet and clear as sunlight pierced through me then. For all my fantasies I had not imagined it would be so good, and we had not even gotten to the bed yet. Even after all this time, our bodies had not forgotten each other. He still fitted perfectly in my arms. Perhaps the head beneath my chin was a bit higher than it had been before, and the muscles shifting beneath my palms were more defined, but these only made him more enchanting. I did not want him to be a doll frozen in time. It had always been the vital energy burning hotly through him that made him so precious to me.

I had had enough of dancing, and just as I was about to suggest we find more engaging pursuits Wufei murmured huskily in my ear. His boldness made me tremble like a man with a fever, which, in all fairness was indeed the state of things at the moment. Suffice it to say, we had no trouble finding the stairs. I saw Milliardo bent close to Heero when we trailed by and he smiled as I nodded subtly in acknowledgement. He had a mission of his own tonight with his blue-eyed samurai.

Wufei had been leading me confidently to the second floor but once we got there he faltered. Caught up in the moment he had not thought out exactly where we would continue our rendezvous and he looked now at the row of closed doors in embarrassment. Thankfully I was well prepared. Without missing a beat, I ushered him into the room I'd reserved, making sure to lock the door behind me. Then, I approached him.

He reached for my mask first, but I gently swatted his hands away. No, I was not ready to reveal all just yet. Wufei seemed disappointed but allowed me to kiss him anyway. The taste of wine was still on his tongue and I moaned as he pressed his mouth eagerly against mine. From his kiss I knew I was no longer the only one who'd visited his bed and I admit I was jealous. I wondered darkly if it had been one of the other pilots or someone else, but in the end it wasn't important. I was glad he had not denied himself that fulfillment and--he would box my ears if I said it--what came quite naturally to him. I don't think Wufei has ever really comprehended the passion that burns in him.

After waiting so long, I was eager to undress him so I knelt to remove his socks and shoes, while he held onto my shoulders to keep from wobbling. I guess when I rose, he thought it would be his turn to have his way, for he immediately grabbed my lapels and tried to slide my jacket off my shoulders but I wanted to remain clothed just yet. Making a disapproving sound deep in my throat, I guided his hands down to my waist again.

"But..." he began, and as sympathetic as I felt, I knew the moment I discarded my clothes, my control would be discarded with them. Before Wufei could voice a more vehement objection, I kissed him roughly, distracting him from the nimble work of my fingers. He still tried to reach me, but each time I maneuvered deftly out of his grasp, much to his frustration. I was delighted to discover however, that the convenient part of having Wufei not know my name was that most of his protests died halfway on his lips as he did not know whom to address them to.

There was a deep velvet chair across from the bed and in the firelight the plush upholstery gleamed ruby red. When I had Wufei naked I made him sink onto that velvet softness, my gloved hands trailing up and down his thighs. His hair was loose about his face and his eyes were heavy-lidded as he looked down at me in anticipation. I don't know what he was expecting, but when I spread him, hooking his legs over the arms of the chair, he made a startled sound and hot color burned in his cheeks. All right, perhaps I lied a little when I said I was not jealous, for as his blush deepened I could not help thinking smugly that whoever his lovers had been, they clearly had not understood the art of seduction if this was still new to him. I suspected then that those encounters had been little more than fevered gropings in the dark having more to do with simple satisfaction than anything resembling lovemaking. He was experienced enough to not try to cover himself but scandalized would have been mild for the expression on his face just then. I'm sure you can well imagine the picture he made like that, his smooth skin against that velvet and all his treasures laid bare for me. I confess I never had any thoughts of restraining myself. Watching his face, I caressed him between his legs. Specifically, I rolled his balls in my palm, tugging them gently away from his body for they had already begun to tighten and not only did I not want him coming just yet, but I also knew how maddening my gloved hands must feel against his naked flesh.

"You ... no..." Wufei moaned as I repeated the movement. His thighs clenched rhythmically against the arms of the chair but even if he'd wanted to close them, he would have been unable to as I'd wedged myself between them to allow me comfortable access to the most delectable parts of him. His erection twitched against his belly and I could see the tip was becoming wet. For a moment I couldn't breathe and I had to pause to rally my senses. I was close enough now that I could smell the musk of his arousal, a clean, wild scent that was uniquely Wufei. I could think of nothing more intoxicating, as I leaned closer still.

Am I a greedy man? Well, yes. Wufei has a beautiful body and I loved to touch him. I saw no need to pretend otherwise. He was good and well aroused from my fondling and I lapped at the slit of his cock, my eyes closing at the first taste of him. Wufei is incredibly sensitive, but I know just how much pressure to apply with the warm rasp of my tongue to make it good for him. I was not disappointed as a heated litany stuttered from his lips. I think he must have completely forgotten about my mask or the fact that I was dressed. In his desperation, he had raised himself slightly above the chair, but of course this only aided me as my fingers ghosted between his cheeks. I circled his entrance and he gave a surprised shout.

"Do you enjoy that?" I wanted to know.

"Yes ... yes," he gusted out on a tangled breath. His hot open admission excited me, and my own fervor mounted. I wanted to slip my fingers deep into his snug heat, but belatedly I realized the lubricant was on the stand near the bed, so I kept circling him with just the pads of my fingers, taking great delight in the delicate spasms that seized him every time I probed just a little. He was quite eager to have me and it seemed such a waste to have nothing to offer him in return because of a foolish oversight on my part. He was not in the best position for the pleasure I intended, but I thought it would be all right to linger just a moment before moving to the bed. I leisurely stroked his cock, grasping his hot trembling flesh and moving up and down his shaft. At the apex of the caress, I added an expert twist, gently squeezing the rosy plum-shaped head of him. He groaned when I did it, so I was careful to do it repeatedly. I kept my touch sure but light, since I was still wearing my gloves and it would have been a tragedy indeed to chafe him. Luckily there was no danger of that as Wufei made gasping breathy sounds as I continued to stroke him. He was rolling his hips into the tunnel of my palm in a way that was deliciously wanton, a sinuous undulation that became jerkier and much more desperate whenever I paused (quite diabolically) to press my thumb against the weeping tip of him or to tease gently beneath his foreskin.

"Please," Wufei begged me. He had thrown his head back and a fine sheen of sweat gleamed on his skin. "Please, please," he kept urging but I would have no pity on him. A string of blistering curses tumbled from his lips and because I am a wicked man who wanted to see every last modicum of his control crumble, I patted his saucy little bottom with my free hand, spread his cheeks and began kissing him right between those lovely globes. At the first touch of my tongue, all the breath whooshed out of Wufei and his entire body started a helpless trembling. He was so stunned that he made a mewling sound and went completely silent. Really, his chest was rising and falling so rapidly, I think he didn't moan because he simply could not catch his breath. What I was doing to him was such a singular pleasure, that it can actually take some time for the body to register exactly what is being done--partly because the sensation is so unique and partly because the first time no one ever quite believes you're doing precisely what it is they think you're doing. Wufei was no different. He went from confusion to shock to a wide-eyed disbelief that froze his limbs. No matter, the agile probe of my tongue quickly melted him. Throughout it all, I never stopped stroking him and from the glazed look on his face, I'd say he approved.

In the past, so much of our energies were focused on merely finding a safe opportunity to meet that when we finally fell into bed it was inevitably to a frenzied coupling. There had been no time to indulge in this kind of teasing foreplay, and I was happy to be the one to introduce it to him. I wanted him quite badly, but I was also filled with a great tenderness. He was finally here in my arms and I could hardly believe it. Even as I guided him away from the chair toward the bed (his knees were shaking poor thing) I could not escape the expanding feeling in my chest.

This time, when Wufei reached for my jacket, I let him undress me. I had expected him to remove it right away as he had attempted to before, but instead, he slipped his hands under the material and around to my back, caressing along my spine with an eagerness that could only be described as greedy. He was so delectable, so damn ferocious that I could not help it; I crushed my lips against his and our groans mingled together. Wufei nipped my shoulder and his fingers dug into my back. Behind me, his hands disappeared unerringly beneath the waistband of my trousers, while in front, Wufei bit at my chest, mouthing my nipples through the fabric of my shirt, wetting the material till it bloomed transparent. I didn't remember him ever being this aggressive in the past, and with his young body pressed against mine, I had to fight to keep from coming right then and there.

When Wufei's fingers ghosted over the cleft of my buttocks, I groaned. Those devilish fingers pressed deeper and I rose on tiptoe, nearly toppling us both in the process. Wufei's laugh was rough and knowing as he slid down my body. He was having a fine time torturing me, the little minx. My briefs and trousers were about my ankles before I knew what was happening and Wufei was kneeling before me, rubbing the cool softness of his cheek against my erection in a gesture that was at once affectionate and cat-like. I knew what he was about to do and my hands trembled in his hair.

"Wufei..." I moaned as he took me into his mouth, paying me back many times over for my earlier teasing. My thumbs mapped the arch of his cheekbones and the hollowed indent of his cheeks as he suckled me. Even as he bobbed his head up and down, and his tongue traced the deep vein on the underside of my cock, he was looking at me, gaze smoky and hooded, his eyes burning through my mask. I held my breath, my heart pounding in my ears. My nerves felt singed, my entire body branded. He may not have known who I really was behind my mask but what passed between us then was undeniably a moment of primal recognition.

One of Wufei's hands had slipped between my legs and he was alternately tugging and caressing my balls in such a gentle, focused way that I wanted to shout. Whenever I seemed to get particularly impatient he would slip further back to rub along the cleft of my buttocks so that the movement was both a warning and a promise. When I stifled a groan to keep from coming, and my breath came shuddery and fast, he laughed that low husky laugh of his again and his fingers, quick and mischievous massaged my prostate from the outside.

There is nothing immodest about admitting that I am a superlative lover, but after having been separated from Wufei for so long, I knew I would not be able to stand up much longer under his sensual assault. Reluctantly dissuading him from his task at my feet, I pulled him up and led him to the bed. As we pulled back the covers, there was a sudden thump against the door and a commotion in the hall that sounded suspiciously like Heero's gruff reprimanding voice and Milliardo's much more amused chuckle, but with Wufei urging me to finish undressing, you can hardly blame me for not giving it much thought. I removed everything I had been wearing with the exception of my mask, and with no little eagerness knelt on the bed. Wufei frowned and reached for my face, growling, "Take off the damn mask!"

At first, I gently refused, understanding his desire to want to see my face, but something about the thought of making love to him as I was, appealed to me unbearably, and when he became more adamant I had no choice but to use the broad red sash that had been tied so smartly about his waist to bind his hands to the bedpost above his head. Well, he grumbled and made a number of vociferous protests, but really, he had no one but himself to blame for his current predicament and now that I had him at my mercy I was not fool enough to let him go.

Wufei has the smoothest skin of anyone I know and the position I had him in exposed his silky armpits, paler than the rest of his body. I'm not sure what it was, but something about seeing that ordinary yet oddly vulnerable part of him made my chest ache. Maybe I was just getting sentimental after all these years or maybe it was not his vulnerability, but a reminder of my own that left me so moved. Whatever it was, I appreciated his pose on many levels. Wufei however, appeared much less enthusiastic for he was still jerking at his bonds and demanding to be let go. Clearly he had not come to see the advantages of the situation--yet. I would be sure to thoroughly instruct him.

With Wufei's hands above his head, and his chest bowed toward me as he continued to test his restraints, I was free to play with his nipples, which up till that point I had ignored. I nibbled and sucked at them, all the while stroking him between his legs, so that he squirmed and whimpered quite deliciously. His breath was escaping him in hot puffs and I could tell he was trying not to cry out. His scrunched-up face was so adorable that I had to pause to kiss his cheek, he was concentrating so hard, the darling. It was no easy thing putting on the condom, for even the slightest touches threatened to hurtle me over the edge. Indeed, Wufei did not help my resolve any by the avid way he watched me put it on.

Propping a pillow under his hips so that he was comfortable, I began preparing him. Like before, I spread him wide, and this time I had the lubricant well within reach. Visually, the arrangement was also quite pleasing. His cock was darkly flushed and beneath his tightened sac, I could see the small puckered entrance to his body. When I slid in past the first knuckle, I had to pause to catch my breath. He was so snug that imagining that tight silkiness caressing my cock made me moan. I could see the quivering of his thighs as I added another slick finger and his hips began that slow sensuous undulation I had seen before. How can I describe it except to say he took my breath away, made fire burn in my veins until I could barely think? I stroked him in a leisurely rhythm, feeling the heat of his body spill onto my palm with every caress. Knowing I could make him more wanton yet, I rubbed against the small node deep within him. He cried out, fingers clenching in the sheets. He shook his head from side to side, dark hair clinging to his damp skin.

"You ... enough ...end it now ... please."

I badly wanted to continue caressing him this way, watching passion transform him with each movement of my fingers, but I had to admit I was at the end of my own tether. I could also see a few milky drops beading the tip of Wufei's erection as he fought for control and since my desire to have him come while I was buried in him was stronger than my desire to tease him, I finally gave in. Still, the proof of his pleasure was too delectable to resist. Positioning myself between his legs, I leaned forward to steal a kiss to the tip of that sweet penis. He was as delicious as I remembered, more so, for my having not tasted him in so long. Wufei was not expecting my kiss and he gave a hoarse cry, his back arching violently. I took advantage of his surprise to reach between our bodies and guide my cock into him. He was tight ... tight... I paused, trembling as the sensation grabbed me by the balls. Damned if I was going to lose it now that we had come this far.

Wufei flopped back onto the pillows, groaning as I slowly pressed into him. I varied the pace, thrusting deeply, then pistoning into him with shorter faster strokes. He was moaning now loudly and continuously and I could feel the squeezing of his muscles as too late, he tried to keep me inside.

"Don't--" he jerked against his bonds so that the bed creaked and I feared he would hurt his wrists.

"Easy, easy, My Love," I whispered, slipping naturally into the endearment.

"You say that, but you deliberately... Oh!"

I laughed as his eyes fluttered shut. He was very close I could tell. I knew it would only take a little more to unravel the last of his control and I devilishly set about ensuring it. I wanted to see him come right then and there. When I pulled back again, however, this time, Wufei's knees tightened about my torso before I could withdraw. In the golden light of the lamp, his expression was soft and yearning, more open than I had ever seen it. His eyes traced my features, lingering on my mask and the blue gaze behind it. I untied his wrists and let him touch me then. Something unspoken must have passed between us for he merely held me and did not try to remove my mask. He touched my cheek and I stared at him, caught in that dark tender look. I wondered what he was thinking. His fingers smoothed over my shoulders and I wondered if he noticed the scars ... if he felt their faint lines beneath those sensitive fingertips.

"Tell me your name," he murmured, but I shook my head.

"Please ... I ... I feel like we have met," he said gruffly. "It sounds ridiculous, but I cannot shake the feeling that it is true."

I wanted to tell him everything but I confess, with the moment of reckoning upon me I became gripped by fear. I did not want to lose him again. During my recovery I had imagined joyful reunion after joyful reunion as I lay in the hospital. Did I believe things would really turn out that way? I had to, for to entertain otherwise would have been to court despair. Now though, I wondered how much of my expectations were real and how much were fueled by desperate optimism. What if Wufei despised me for choosing him to be the agent of my demise? Only a little while ago I had been struck by his solemn face at the party and the evidence of his suffering. Why should he welcome me into his arms again? Worse, what if he was indifferent? This fiery, passionate young man had clearly built up a world of experience. Would I shine so brightly in his eyes now that he had the vantage point of time and a string of lovers to compare me to? It is both my greatest strength and greatest weakness that I am no longer the man I used to be. I could not answer him with words; my only hope was to capture him instead with my body.

I remembered how I used to lie with him curled against my chest, his frantic heartbeat echoing my own. I would not give up, I thought with new determination as Wufei moved restlessly against me. I still knew what drove him wild.

"Tell me your name," he begged, but I had already started to move. I pulled almost all the way out, then slid back home. Slowly and deliberately, again and again. Wufei shivered and cried and between our bodies his cock leaked a steady wetness. Taking him in my grasp, I stroked him in time to my thrusts. I aimed for the pleasure spot within him just as my thumb found the flared ridge at his head and he made a sighing, tremulous sound.

"Who are you? Who are you?" he kept repeating. "I know this ... I know..." his voice fractured to a groan and in the next moment, his hot release spattered against my belly.

It was good, perfect, exactly as I had wanted it. Now that I had him, I never wanted to let him go. While he panted and clung to my shoulders, I embraced him even more tightly. I didn't pull out but kept moving in the same inexorable rhythm--like we were the only two people in the world ... like this night of masks and secrets would never end. And sweet thing that he was, Wufei stroked me from within, his sleek muscles squeezing and caressing my cock until I could hold out no more. My hoarse cry filled the stillness and I was mortified to find myself forcing back tears. Really, I think I had become too caught up in the moment. Normally, I am quite stalwart under any kind of pressure. I had been waiting so long to hold him I must have exhausted myself.

In that darkened room, Wufei spoke quietly and tenderly to me, his hands stroking along my back in soothing circles. I could not make out his words, but as I lay in his arms, his warm voice was an incredible comfort. All I could think of was how beautiful and strong he was, and how much I had missed him. How lonely it had been these long three years.... Wufei cradled my head, his hands smoothing along the bright feathers of my mask. I could feel the hesitation in his hands and the fact that they were trembling.

"May I?" he whispered.

By then I had already decided that I was a fool to play the coward. Kissing each of Wufei's rough palms, I guided them to the back of my head. He began unknotting the tie which held my mask in place and the feathers, bright and burning, rustled beneath his touch. I could feel my mask becoming looser with each movement and tightening my arms around my newfound lover, I leaned forward, eager for the moment when it would completely fall away.

End

Author's note: While a night of revelations continues in this room, things are just heating up for Zechs and Heero. Please read Devichick's absolutely delicious sequel called Masquerade: How the Wolf Ate the Samurai. I don't know when was the last time I read something so sizzling. Really, she promised me she would only write it if I finished this so you can thank her for me not being a procrastinator for once ... well not as bad as a procrastinator as usual. >_< What are you still doing here? Go on and start reading!