Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ The Broken Seal ❯ Chapter Two ( Chapter 2 )

Author's Note: Remember I said something about this fic being two chapters? Well Treize, Wufei and Zechs had some ideas of their own. >_< I'm now up to three chapters. Hopefully the boys will be satisfied with that!

 

I don't own Wufei, Treize or Zechs though I sorely wish I did. Many thanks to Devil Chick for the beta.

 

The Broken Seal
by Michalyn

 

Part Two of Three

 

Rating: MA

 

 

Wufei's blood boiled. Not demons? Obviously they took him for a fool. If they were not evil, why the hell was his life dedicated to guarding them and preventing exactly the kind of situation they were in right now?

"You expect me to fall for that?" Wufei spat, raising his hands to strike.

"Actually, Zechs is speaking the truth." Khushrenada stepped forward, making a placating gesture.

As angry as he was, the movement did give Wufei pause since the demon had no reason to pander to Wufei, given his strength. Then again ...the deception and cunning of demons was also legend. This reasonable facade was no doubt part of an elaborate scheme to lure him into their cruel clutches. Wufei shook his head.

"Don't waste your breath with these lies. I'll say it again. Fight me or leave."

"My fiery little mage, as inspiring as that passion of yours is, you need to stop and think for a moment. In all the time we've been here have you once felt a stirring of black energy?"

"Of course I ha..." Wufei paused, frowning. It was true. Though the cottage all but vibrated with power, not a whiff of it resonated of anything sinister. How did he not notice it before? No... it couldn't be. He was succumbing to their lies again. Maybe they had found a way to conceal their negative energy. If any demons could do it, these two could. "No. You were responsible for hurting so many of our clan long ago. I know your misdeeds and even a thousand years could not erase them," Wufei ground out.

Khushrenada looked stricken, and beside him, Merquise turned his face toward the fire, his fists clenching at his sides. When neither spoke, it seemed that Wufei's words had disarmed them where all his previous attacks had failed. Finally Khushrenada met his eyes.

"It is true. Zechs and I did ravage your people once. That memory is agonizing to us even now, but I swear to you we are no longer the demons who entered Dragon Glen on that day. You have already tested the proof for yourself. Our power is untainted." The General raised his hand again when Wufei began to interrupt him. "Stop; think back on the legend. You are the temple guardian; I know you cannot have forgotten it. Tell me, how does it end?"

Wufei swallowed. "Just as the demons were about to attack, Luo Huan exorcised--"

"Yes, exactly right," Khushrenada interrupted. "The Loki were exorcised from our souls and after your clansman defeated us, he entombed us in stone, but it was not because we were evil was it?"

"But..." The power, which had been glowing steadily around Wufei's hand faded until it was extinguished. For some reason his heart was beating faster than ever before and he was frightened--more frightened than he had been when he discovered the demons in his cottage and imagined his own death. Something was slowly dawning on him and if what he suspected was true... Wufei gasped.

"You see, don't you? At that time, Zechs and I weren't banished because we were demons. The Loki had long been freed from our souls. But what do you do with two immortals more powerful than anyone else in the kingdom? You seal them up nice and tight of course. Not because they are evil, but because they are different." Treize reached over to caress one of Merquise's clenched fists. "Little mage, do you know what it is like to be completely isolated from society? To not be able to touch the one you love in a thousand years?"

"I ... I..." Wufei saw the naked pain in both Khushrenada's and Merquise's eyes and something stirred within him in spite of himself. Whatever the truth of the past was, he could understand that pain. He may have never loved, but he did know something about loneliness.

Treize sighed. "And there you have it. All we could do was make the best of it and try to atone for the suffering we'd caused. It wasn't always easy, but as the years went by, we discovered that even if we could not break the seals we could exert some influence on the world around us. We began first by inducing a heavier rainfall and then ensuring a bountiful harvest. It was our penance, and the gratitude and sheer wonder we sensed from the village were enough to confirm we were doing the right thing."

"Eventually the seal began to weaken and our little "miracles" increased. Soon they became so common that they were taken for granted. When the folktales grew around us about a blessed land and the Dragon Clan being a chosen people, we were happy. Unable to do much else, we saw watching over Dragon Glen as our duty. We so grew to love this place that the chain of temple guardians who appeared in every generation to "contain" us not only seemed excessive, but the practice itself also struck us as wrong-headed. We already knew the price of banishment. Why should anyone be forced into a life of solitude for our sakes?"

That struck Wufei right to the core. He tried to give voice to the feeling in his breast but was unable to. Treize's words affected him too deeply. Merquise, however, must have taken Wufei's silence for antagonism and he made a derisive sound.

"Don't waste your breath, Treize. He thinks it's all lies."

"That's not true!" Wufei hotly retorted. He tamped his temper down with an act of will. "I'm listening and I'm trying to give you the benefit of the doubt," he said carefully. "But surely you cannot expect me to throw away everything I've been taught in a single night. If you can influence the elements how do I know that this entire storm wasn't orchestrated by you as part of some sinister plan?"

Treize's look was earnest. "What can we say to convince you? Did we want to escape? Of course we did, but we still weren't strong enough to break the seals on our own. Think of it. If we could, why we would have waited one thousand years to do so? No, we didn't start that lightning storm but we were weren't fools enough to let the chance pass us by. It's as simple as that. I can understand your suspicion after everything you were led to believe but we're not here to hurt Dragon Glen. Truly."

Wufei's doubt must have been written across his features because Treize sighed. Yet, how could he not be doubtful when everything he knew about his vocation and himself had changed in an instant? What was the purpose of his existence? Were the last four winters of his life now meaningless? No, not just the last four winters but his entire youth, for Wufei had been groomed for the temple from the instant he could wield magic. And what of the hundreds of temple guardians before him? Had they lived in isolation for an empty dream? If Khushrenada and Merquise were speaking the truth then the weight of that truth seemed too much to bear. Increasingly, though, Wufei feared it was a burden he would have to shoulder. As much as he didn't want to trust Khushrenada and Merquise, certain things Treize had said were alarmingly consistent with what Wufei had noticed himself.

Dragon Glen was known first and foremost for its tradition of dragon-rearing but right on the heels of that, people far and wide spoke of the land of emerald fields. It had not always been so, however, and Wufei was one of the few people who could appreciate that fact. Because of his studies, he knew that before Khushrenada and Merquise were sealed, none of the histories ever referred to such a thing and when they did mention Dragon Glen, the area was described as a semi-arid region. At one point, a great scholar had even projected that Dragon Glen would no longer be inhabitable in two centuries and the clan would be forced to return to the ancient nomadic ways.

Eleven centuries later, his prophesy had never come to pass. Instead, Dragon Glen had seen an incremental increase in harvest yields. The river which was once little more than a trickle swelled its banks and new springs burst from the ground. In fact, the first harvest had been so momentous that its date was recorded in more than fifty sources--Day One of the Fifth Dragon Cycle and exactly one hundred years to the date the demons had been sealed.

Gods. Wufei shook his head.

"You've felt our power, have acknowledged yourself the uncommon prosperity of Dragon Glen and yet you still doubt us?" Treize demanded.

"He's just a stubborn brat that's all." Merquise's' lip curled.

Why the hell was the blond so determined to antagonize him? Wufei bristled, struggling to control his temper. "Well forgive me for not running to you with open arms. You may be telling the truth but your behavior here hasn't exactly inspired trust. Your average guardian spirit doesn't go about breaking into people's homes and peeping at them in the bath!"

"Actually," Zechs offered, "If they watch over you all the time, it's safe to assume that they do."

Wufei's jaw ticked. The vein in his temple throbbed.

"Ah ... Zechs, this may not be the best time for that particular observation," Treize murmured, patting Zechs on the shoulder and carefully steering him away from Wufei.

"But it's only logical--"

"I know, Zechs, I know, but look at him. His face is almost as red as your tunic. I would venture that is perhaps a small indication of his displeasure with us."

"How do you know what we're seeing isn't the flush of desire? He is naked after all."

"What!?" Wufei flushed. Making a choked sound, he darted behind the table, shielding himself.

"See?" Zechs smirked.

"Get out!"

"Huh?"

"I said get out!" Wufei shouted, so flustered, that the hand he flung out to point to the blackened door was trembling. "I don't care if you're demons, guardian spirits or the Dragon God himself. I refuse to listen to you perverts anymore!"

"But..." Zechs began, actually looking a bit contrite.

"Out! Out! Out!" Wufei called his power around him in what he hoped was a threatening display. Truth or no truth he wouldn't stand for this anymore. When neither demon moved though, his temper exploded. "What the hell are you still doing here? I'm counting to ten and if by then you're not out of here I'll--"

"Ah," Treize coughed. "Sorry to interrupt but as much as we'd like to leave there's one small problem."

"And what," Wufei ground out, "might that be?"

"We can't."

-------------------------------------

"What do you mean you can't?" Wufei demanded. He was tired of these games. Why did these two persist in tormenting him so?

"I'll show you," Treize said and Wufei stared as the General unclasped his cape and let it fall to the floor. He removed his armor and eased his tunic off his shoulders. He secured it about his waist to prevent it from sliding past his hips. When he was shirtless, muscles gleaming in the faint light, he beckoned to Wufei.

Wufei immediately balked. No way he was falling for that lame ploy. "I thought I told you--"

"It's not what you think. Come; you must see this."

Wufei inched forward. "What is it?" he demanded testily.

"This." Treize indicated a spot on his left breast just above his heart (or whatever equivalent beings like Khushrenada and Merquise possessed).

Wufei peered at the point in question, at first, seeing nothing extraordinary about the small tattoo-like mark inscribed there. It was no bigger than a silver coin and in the shifting firelight it was barely visible. Annoyed, Wufei was just about to turn away when he noticed how disturbingly familiar the marking seemed. He squinted, leaning closer. It almost looked like a rune inscription. In fact, now that he thought about it, the tattoo looked a hell of a lot like the markings on the fifth rune he'd lost. But that was impossible. Mages' rune stones were unique. There was no way the inscriptions could be reproduced, except by the mage himself and even then it was an incredibly laborious process. Wufei was already dreading replacing the one he'd lost for that very reason. If it wasn't so important he'd avoid it entirely. So how by the gods had Treize even guessed the marking much less made a tattoo of it? The whole thing was even more bizarre since the General should have never seen it. When the lightning storm broke the seals, it had scattered Wufei's runes as well. A weight of dread settled in the pit of Wufei's stomach. Unless...

"No, that can't be."

"This is yours, is it not?" Treize demanded.

"I don't know how you achieved this forgery, or what you intend by it, but I'm not amused."

Merquise rolled his eyes. "Here we go again. What did I tell you, Treize?"

Wufei ignored him. "That cannot be mine. There is no such thing as a living rune." Even as he said it, however, Wufei was filled with doubt. Normally, he knew that would be true but Khushrenada and Merquise weren't 'living' in the usual sense were they?

"Then what would you call this? You and I both know I could not do this myself. What's more, though we can sense high magical energy in you, your attacks have been weak. Which means either you are ailing or you have lost a rune stone," Treize said matter-of-factly.

"But..."

"Since you seem to be in perfect health, I can only assume it's the latter. And I wouldn't be surprised in the least if you lost that rune when we were freed. Am I wrong?"

Wufei shook his head glumly.

"Somehow, when the seal broke, it must have caused some reaction between our power and your stone. There was certainly enough magic in the air to make it possible."

That was not what Wufei wanted to hear. What he wanted was his rune stone back and for these two ... guardians to leave him alone and he told them so. "Look, that's all very interesting, but frankly I don't give a damn. I want you to leave now. Since you're not the demons you're purported to be, there should be no problem right? The two of you seem resourceful enough. Find someone else to bother."

"If it were that easy do you think we'd still be here?" Merquise snarled. "It's because of your damn stone we have no choice but to stay here."

Wufei slammed his palms down on the table. "Look, you pompous bastard, nobody's keeping you here against your will. Believe me I want nothing more than to see you disappearing over that mountain so why don't you do us both a favor and get out?"

Merquise made a disgusted sound. "Haven't you been listening to a thing Treize has been saying or are you just too dense to figure it out? Runes can only be directed by the mage they belong to and your rune has imprinted itself on our bodies. That means your power is now connected to ours. That means we can't leave until you make us leave by getting rid of this mark. How do you think we were drawn here in the first place? It was your own damn power that called us."

"But I didn't do anything," Wufei spluttered. "How am I supposed to release you when I don't even know how my mark got there in the first place?"

"It's your rune. How the hell can you not know?" Merquise growled.

"Gentlemen!" Treize made a placating gesture. "I know this is a frustrating situation but let us not descend to squabbling." He turned to Wufei. "Mageling--"

"Wufei," Wufei hissed.

"Wufei, why don't you get dressed and bring your materials down? The only way we'll be free of each other is if you can reconstruct that missing stone."

-------------------------------------

Wufei placed his four stones on the table then set the petalyfe, the magical stone from which he would reconstruct the fifth rune at the center. He called his power to him, biting his lip as the stones began vibrating. The process required a bi-directional exchange of power between himself and the stone and sweat broke out on Wufei's brow under the force of the magic. It required an immense amount of energy and the entire room glowed a luminous phosphorescent blue with every pulse of power streaming from Wufei. Finally, the fifth rune began to take shape, its edges softening and becoming rounded. It shimmered, solidifying by slow degrees while Khushrenada and Merquise looked on with anxious faces. Wufei panted, pain burning his arms and back as energy was drawn from him at an incredible rate. Now came the hardest part.

Wufei chanted the summoning spell, repeating the enchanted words until the sinuous line of the inscription began to coalesce. He held on, willing the sigil to become permanent but the lines kept shifting and dissolving, his own power fighting him every step of the way. Wufei stumbled. The room spun and he shook his head, bracing his legs far apart and gripping the table for balance. By now, the rune should have been complete and it was agony trying to maintain the summoning spell but Wufei fought on, forcing every ounce of power he could muster into stabilizing the rune. One dark line appeared and then another. For a moment, it seemed it would hold.

"Yes ... yes!" Merquise urged, leaning forward excitedly.

Almost ... almost... If he could keep up the flow for just a little longer... Wufei summoned all of his strength but he'd already spent double the amount of energy normally required for the task and he could hold out no more. "Nngh ... ungh ... I can't...." Wufei barely had time to cry out before the petalyfe exploded and he was flung backwards. He landed hard on the stone floor, the wind knocked out of his lungs. He lay there, stunned. Every bone in his body screamed with pain and his head was pounding from the shock of the fall. "Ugh..." he groaned.

"Wufei! Are you all right?" Treize was shouting. Even Merquise was hurrying towards him with agitated strides. Wufei really didn't see what all the commotion was about. He had only taken a little tumble. Nothing to get worked up over.

"I ... I'm fine," Wufei protested, sitting up to prove his point. He brushed off his robes, stumbled to his feet, took one step forward ... and Khushrenada's and Merquise's distressed faces were the last things he saw before the world went dark.

-------------------------------------

Wufei awoke to find himself cradled in Treize's arms, while Merquise held a compress to his forehead. There were bandages on his forearms and he could only assume the blond had also put them there. He groaned, pushing Treize's hands away to sit up--and was immediately forced back down by Merquise.

"Be still," Merquise barked. "You're in no condition to be going anywhere."

"But..." Wufei was about to protest, but in truth he was light-headed from energy loss and the pain in his arms was an even greater deterrent to movement. He looked around to notice for the first time the herbs from his garden on the table and the pot simmering over the fireplace. A pungent medicinal aroma rose from the pot and Wufei watched as Merquise went to the fireplace and ladled some of the hot mixture into a mug. So the blond had a gift for healing? How surprising.

"Here, drink this; it'll ease the pain," Merquise ordered, bringing the potent broth to Wufei's lips.

Wufei grimaced but did as he was told. When Merquise was satisfied with the amount he'd drunk, the blond set the cup aside and Wufei sagged back against Treize. He raised his arm to examine the bandages and winced at the pain that immediately shot up the limb. "What happened?" he groaned.

"You overdid it," Merquise said, pressing his lips together. "The pressure was too much for your hands and the skin broke. A few of the cuts are quite deep, but with my salve there should be no scarring."

"Thanks," Wufei murmured, abashed at the blond's care of him after all his earlier hostility. Then: "Did ... did it work?" he croaked, almost afraid to ask.

"I'm afraid not." Treize said, speaking for the first time. He shook his head when a frustrated oath burst from Wufei's lips. "It is all right. For now, the most important thing is that you heal. Otherwise, we'll really be in trouble." He must have been reading Wufei's thoughts for he quickly added: "For that reason we must insist that you do not attempt any spells for the next few days until your arms are healed."

"No, I'm fine, really. I just need--"

"That's enough!" Merquise cut Wufei off with a stern look. "I didn't spend all this time nursing a brat like you back into shape so you could undo all my hard work. The reconstruction of the rune failed and you are simply going to have to face the fact that we will be here for a few days at best. At worst it'll be much longer if what we all suspect is true--and that is the stone cannot be reconstructed as long as the markings are imprinted on my and Treize's bodies. Your current injuries seem to be evidence enough of that."

Wufei had been thinking the same thing but hearing his fears spoken aloud seemed to make their fate all the more ominous. "Maybe ... maybe you're wrong. Maybe there's a way for this to work. As soon as I am recovered I will find away to free us from this imposed companionship. In fact, I..." He paused, turning to look curiously at Zechs. "Wait a minute. You've been complaining all this time yet I haven't seen a single mark on you. I see why Khushrenada must stay, but what's keeping you here? Do you just refuse to leave his side?"

Merquise muttered something under his breath but Treize coaxed him into listening to Wufei. "He won't believe you until he sees it for himself, Zechs. Show it to him"

Zechs shrugged. He removed his armor and belt and pulled his tunic over his head.

Wufei's eyes bugged. Merquise was ... was.... He made a choked sound as the blond was left standing in nothing but a skimpy loincloth fastened at the side. An arrow of golden hair trailed from his navel to disappear beneath the scant underwear, which sat low on his hips. When Merquise began untying the knot at his hip, Wufei shot to his feet, almost knocking Treize over in the process.

"Stop!"

Merquise shot him a puzzled look.

"You don't have to show me. Just tell me where it is!"

"All right." Merquise's hands stilled on the loincloth. "It's on my inner thigh."

"Amazing really," Treize purred, rising to join his Lieutenant. Wufei stared in disbelief as he knelt before Merquise and slid his hand up the blond's thighs as though it were the most natural thing in the world. What's more, Merquise immediately shifted, allowing Treize greater access. Treize leaned closer, casually rubbing a spot where the loincloth met the crease of Merquise's leg. "Unbelievable."

Merquise sighed, brushing a hand through Treize's hair as the General continued to caress him. "If you're surprised, imagine how I must feel. I always knew the gods had a sense of humor."

Those two were--! Wufei tottered to the table and slumped in his chair. His cheeks were on fire. This situation was moving from bad to worse. What next? If anybody dropped one more article of clothing he was going to kill them.

Khushrenada and Merquise were murmuring to each other, their host seemingly completely forgotten. Wufei could ignore the men's husky laughter; he could even ignore the heated looks shared between them, but Treize's fingers going to the knot at Merquise's hip was the last straw.

"General Khushrenada, would you kindly step away from your Lieutenant?"

The warriors' laughter abruptly ceased. Merquise was clearly irritated by the interruption but Wufei didn't care. This was his cottage and they were intruders. He had a right to set limits on what did and did not go on in here. As for Treize, he frowned but he did as Wufei requested.

"I do not see why..." the General began.

"No." Wufei did not allow him to continue. "I'm sorry but I won't hear any objections. If we're going to be living together, it's about time I laid down some ground rules."

-------------------------------------

Wufei called Khushrenada and Merquise to the table. They sat, staring at each other across the scarred wood. Nataku was curled about Wufei's shoulders, the little dragon clearly distressed at his injuries and at finding two powerful strangers in the cottage. Wufei tried to reassure her by petting her scales. "It's all right, girl," he murmured, though he wasn't so sure himself.

Merquise glanced curiously at Nataku. "Is that a pet?"

"Sort of..." Wufei frowned. "Dragons are very intelligent beings so it's not quite right to call them pets. I couldn't keep Nataku here if she didn't want to. She's more like a companion than anything else." Wufei rubbed his fingers along Nataku's head, earning him a deep purring sound from the little dragon.

"Hm. Must get pretty lonely then." There was nothing mocking in Merquise's voice, but the clear-eyed gaze he cast upon Wufei seemed to expose some deep vulnerability in him and Wufei flushed.

"No ... no ... not really," Wufei stammered eager to let the topic drop but Treize turned to him with a thoughtful look.

"So you really do live here all alone?"

"Yes of course."

"A shame indeed. No friends ... lovers?"

Wufei's few friends all lived in the village--or had lived there when he left for the temple. He supposed Heero and Duo had both gone on to much more exciting things now. Those two always had a knack for adventure. As for lovers ... well... Before he'd become temple guardian he'd fooled around a bit with Trowa, the son of the local dragonmaster. Last Wufei heard, though, Trowa had bonded with a blond empath from the Alhaza desert. Even now the knowledge filled him with a wistful longing. What he and Trowa shared hadn't been love exactly. It had been more like love's first tender beginnings--friendship, affection and desire tumbled together all at once. In other circumstances Wufei felt sure things would have been different, but the fates had different plans for them and there was no use holding onto what might have been now.

"I've always been a bit of a loner anyway." Wufei's shrug was intended to show a certain cultivated indifference but Treize's eyes softened with something akin to pity.

"Is that so?"

"Anyway, I thought we would discuss living arrangements while you're here."

"Of course."

Wufei flattened his palms against the table. "First of all, you two will need to help me out in the garden if there is to be enough food for the three of us. There's also Betsy to consider. I don't want to have to get another goat since you're staying here temporarily but I don't know if she can produce enough milk for us all. Which leads me to the next matter. I hate to be crude, but do you have anything in the way of money?"

"Well, let's see..." Wufei waited as Merquise and Khushrenada fished about their uniforms. Finally, Merquise pushed a battered gold coin across the table.

"I'm afraid this is all I have," he apologized.

Wufei held the coin up to the light. It was actually a rather large denomination, worth roughly 5 pentgrams in its day--enough to supply them with provisions for a month. The only problem was it hadn't been in circulation for almost a thousand years! The best he would get for it now was the value of the gold itself, maybe a little more if Jared thought he could sell it to an antiques collector. Wufei pressed a hand to his forehead. "It's not much but I'll see what I can do," he said with a sigh.

Maybe he could pretend Khushrenada and Merquise were travelers seeking work and petition the village to hire them as his assistants. The temple had grown significantly since it was built and in recent years, the council had begun discussing hiring more help for the guardians. The talks always stalled though since they could never find any workers willing to live on the mountain. It might be one way to pay for their expenses.

The other option was abandoning the temple altogether, but how could Wufei explain to the village that the demons had escaped? Not only that, but that they weren't demons anymore and were actually responsible for Dragon Glen's wealth? Even if they did believe Wufei, what would he do now that he was free? Where would he go? He had few other marketable skills he could live by. It was also near impossible for a mage of his power to be taken in by a guild without having served an apprenticeship under a guild master. He wouldn't mind an apprenticeship--he was certainly still young enough to not raise any eyebrows. The only problem was with his power, there was little any master could teach him. At the same time, he couldn't take on an apprentice of his own without belonging to a guild. Wufei buried his head in his arms. This was a terrible, terrible mess.

"Is something wrong?" Treize asked him.

"No, somehow I'll figure this all out. For now let's just try to get along. I only have one bed so you'll have to spread some furs down here. Unfortunately I will have to buy those from Jared when he comes by tomorrow. For tonight at least, you will have to make do with some blankets. Luckily it hasn't been too cold, so if you sleep near the fireplace you should be toasty enough. Also ... I don't care what kind of relationship you have but just keep your ... activities ... where I can't see them. I'm not doing any extra laundry because of you!" Wufei flushed.

Merquise chuckled. "About that ... There's one more thing we haven't discussed. It has to do with our 'dietary requirements' if you will."

"What is it?" Wufei didn't even try to be optimistic. He simply braced himself for the bad news.

"Treize and I absorb a portion of the energy around us. For the most part, this isn't a problem since there is an abundance of energy in all of nature itself. Even so, we must always be careful not to absorb too much life force from our surroundings. When we were imprisoned, our "appetites" were smaller, because the seals were made to restrict our powers. We could slowly retrieve the energy we needed without having to worry that we would drain too much from the living things around us. Now that we are free, though, we'll need to take in power at our original levels. Treize and I usually get the majority of our energy through a direct exchange that leaves us sated enough to absorb the rest of our needs at a much slower pace. This way, we cause no harm to our surroundings."

"Direct exchange?" Wufei echoed. "You mean...?"

There were three main ways magical beings, including mages gained new energy: through food, through absorption from the environment as Merquise had described and ... through sex. This last produced the greatest and most direct form of energy. It was quick, requiring no internal conversion before power could be called upon and of the three, it was also the only method that was ... well ... fun. Needless to say, it was the preferred choice of most mages. As for Wufei, he preferred to think of himself as much more discriminating.

Merquise nodded. "Since we're already lovers it makes the most practical sense."

"Yeah, but what does that have to do with me?"

"Nothing if your rune hadn't interfered with things. With your power now connected to ours, the old methods are no longer enough. What did you think being drawn to your power meant? Runes always draw upon the energy of their masters. With your rune imprinted on us, we crave your power too."

Wufei swallowed. He jerked to his feet and began edging away from the two warriors. "I don't know what you're implying but I won't be involved in a direct exchange of anything between you and Khushrenada. You can forget it!"

"Oh dear," Treize murmured as he and Merquise began moving toward Wufei. "Somehow I knew this would happen. Won't you let us convince you otherwise?"

-------------------------------------

"Stay where you are!" Wufei warned, skittering backward.

Khushrenada and Merquise shared puzzled looks. "Don't you think you're exaggerating?" Khushrenada demanded. "After all, it's not as if the situation were not mutually beneficial."

"Mutually beneficial? Only for you and Merquise!"

"The exchange of energy would increase your power as well. With the link between us, we all stand to gain equally from this process. In fact, I would go so far as to venture that you stand to benefit even more than Zechs and I," Khushrenada finished.

"Me? That's absurd! You're the ones imposing yourselves here. There's absolutely nothing in this for me."

Khushrenada shook his head. "Pardon me for making this observation but, you appear to harbor a great deal of ... frustrated energy. Perfectly understandable of course, given the life you have been forced to lead. Luckily, Zechs and I are well equipped to take care of your metaphysical and physical needs"

"What?" Wufei squawked. Did the bastard just say what he thought he said?

Merquise stepped forward. "If it's technique you're worried about then let me reassure you, we are both attentive lovers. I don't kiss and tell but I have never received a complaint from any of my lovers, even the most skittish of virgins like yourself. Quite the opposite, in fact. Treize can unequivocally say the same. Do not worry. We will be very solicitous about your pleasure."

Wufei's throat worked soundlessly at this pronouncement. Next to Merquise, Khushrenada was nodding sagely. Skit ...skittish virgin? Wufei's face flamed.

Merquise and Khushrenada suddenly materialized next to Wufei, one on either side of him. The two warriors were alarmingly close. "Khush...Khushrenada ... Merquise..." Wufei stammered, looking from one man to the other. "What the hell do you bastards think you're doing? I'm warning you...." Wufei gasped as someone released his hair. His hair-tie fluttered to the ground. "Hey! Who--"

"So this is what you've been hiding from us," Merquise rumbled, tilting Wufei's face upward to gently comb through his hair. "Such a pretty, pretty mage." His thumb found the nape of Wufei's neck and rubbed there in slow circles, so that Wufei was possessed by a hot shiver and goose bumps broke over his skin. "Isn't he pretty, Treize?"

"Magnificent," Khushrenada purred from behind Wufei.

Behind him? When had he got there? Wufei's mind was racing and he could barely catch his breath. This situation was getting out of hand. He needed to do something and it would be a hell of a lot easier if his body would listen to him. As it was, Merquise was bending closer and Wufei could do no more to stop him than he could still the pounding of his heart. The older man's gaze fell to his mouth.

"What a sweet little bud." Merquise traced the rim of Wufei's mouth. "Soft, full, sensuous...." He brushed his bottom lip. "I think I'll have a taste."

Wufei's eyes widened. "Merquise..."

Hot and soft, Merquise's mouth descended to claim Wufei's. The blond pulled Wufei to him, the strong bar of his arm tight about his waist. Wufei was nudged almost on tiptoe and he had to clutch the older man's shoulders to keep his balance. Merquise took the opportunity to deepen the kiss, his tongue stealing into Wufei's mouth and playing wetly against his.

Wufei clung to him. His heart was thudding. This was ... this was... He gasped as he was swept along in a torrent of sensation. The fine strands of Merquise's hair tickled Wufei's cheek and dazedly he realized that the curtain of black and gold he could see from corner of his eye was Merquise's sunlit hair and his own dark locks mingled together. Something about that knowledge made desire burst through Wufei and he closed his eyes. He was adrift ... lost ... branded by the incredible heat of Merquise's body pressed against his from chest to belly to thigh.

Merquise found the pulse at Wufei's throat and the concerted way he kissed and suckled that throbbing spot made Wufei feel he was sipping of his life force itself. This might not be so bad after all he thought dazedly, his head lolling backwards. Wait ... what was he saying?! Wufei shook his head. He tried to pull away, but Merquise would have none of it. Instead, he pulled Wufei even closer, slanting his mouth over his. He was all soft lips, hot breath and teasing, nipping teeth, which surprised Wufei when they tugged on his bottom lip.

"Oh!" Wufei didn't realize he was moaning until he heard Khushrenada chuckle.

"Good isn't he? See? We'll take good care of you, lovely."

Being taken care of was sounding better and better with each moment and Wufei struggled to remember just why he needed to oppose this. It had all seemed clear a while ago, so why did he feel so fuzzy now? Maybe it had something to do with the way Merquise was circling his nipple through his tunic ... or Khushrenada's breath tickling the back of his neck ... or the delicious tingling of magic underneath it all as their bodies rubbed together. Wufei blinked drunkenly. That ... that ... must be it... He should be resisting this, so why did it feel so good?

Heat rushed down Wufei's thighs. His knees were trembling and if not for Merquise's arms about him he surely would have fallen. His erection rubbed against the wool of his leggings and Wufei was never more thankful that he did not wear the shorter, more fashionable tunics. Even so, it was becoming harder and harder to conceal the proof of his desire.

"Merquise," Wufei moaned. He wasn't quite sure what he needed, or even what he was asking for, but he would burst if he did not somehow give voice to the yearning within him.

"Hmm," Khushrenada rumbled in Wufei's ear even as Merquise's arms tightened about him. "Please call Zechs and me by our given names. We are your lovers now are we not?" Khushrenada lifted the hem of Wufei's tunic. He insinuated his hand between his legs, cupping him through his leggings.

"Wait ... wait! Oh god, what are you doing?" Wufei tried to jerk away but that only pressed him further against Merquise.

The blond brushed the sweaty strands away from Wufei's forehead. "Don't fight it. Treize touching you like this is pleasurable isn't it? Let us make you feel good," he was saying, then Khushrenada's hand was moving and all Wufei's thoughts fragmented.

The older man fondled Wufei's balls. He even teased between his cheeks, making him gasp and squirm. Devilish fingers pressed just behind Wufei's scrotum, rubbing and caressing the sensitive skin there. Before Wufei could think what they were searching for, pleasure flared bright and hot. He cried out, slumping against Merquise.

"Khush...Khushrenada..."

"Ah, how delicious. I think we've found your sweet spot, little one. Such a passionate response and I'm only massaging you from the outside." The satisfaction in Khushrenada's voice was palpable. "It appears though, that you're still having a bit of difficulty with our names." Khushrenada's other hand slipped around Wufei and found the erection he had been praying would go unnoticed.

Wufei's entire body shuddered. "Treize!"

"Much better."

Zechs laughed. "Shall we make ourselves a bit more comfortable, then?" he asked, leading Wufei over to one of the chairs around the table. Wufei stumbled behind him, having long given up trying to make sense of things. It seemed wisest to figure it all out later when the blood wasn't rushing away from his head.

"Excellent idea, Zechs." Treize stalked them. There was a hungry gleam in his eye that could only mean very bad or very good things for Wufei depending on one's perspective. Wufei could not decide which as Treize embraced him. The older man took his hand and gently kissed his fingers. He turned Wufei's hand over and brought it to his lips, a hot tongue tracing the lines in his hand from the center of his palm to the base of his wrist. He bent and suckled the soft crease of Wufei's elbow. Treize stared at Wufei from beneath his lashes.

"You'll let me hold you, won't you?"

Wufei's breath lodged in his throat. He nodded dumbly.

"Good ... good." The older man cupped the back of his head, and with surprising tenderness held Wufei to him. While Treize rubbed his back in soothing circles, Wufei felt Zechs' hands on his waist ... his hips ... the backs of his thighs ... and too late, he realized what was happening.

"W...Wait!"

Zechs tugged off Wufei's leggings, caressing the arch of each foot before releasing him. "Mmm?"

Naked now but for his tunic, Wufei groaned. Gods why him? He had always followed the rules; always respected his elders. What had he done to deserve this?

Treize was groaning too, but for a different reason as his hands settled on the curve of Wufei's ass. He cupped and squeezed him. "Oh Wufei, how can no one have ever held you like this? I want to kiss and caress you all over." A finger ghosted over Wufei's cleft. "Even here. No, especially here," Treize whispered. He nuzzled Wufei's throat, then wandered up to mouth the soft round of his earlobe. "I want that very much. I want to see you bent over Zechs' lap with that saucy little behind of yours in the air. And then I'd spread you and kiss you right here." Wufei jumped as Treize's finger pressed deeper, circling the entrance to his body.

"That's..." Wufei was shocked ... tingling with excitement ... mortified. He stumbled backwards and Zechs caught him. The blond sank into one of the chairs and Wufei was pulled with him, his bare bottom brushing against Zechs' lap. While Treize watched, Zechs hooked Wufei's legs over his own, then very slowly spread his legs. Wufei gave a cry as he felt his tunic riding up. He tugged the hem down; embarrassed by the way his erection tented the cloth.

Treize was staring at him with a soft smile. He knelt before Wufei, rubbing the delicate skin on the inside of his knee. "Why are you hiding? Don't be shy. Your cock is just as pretty as the rest of you. Won't you let me see?"

"Shut up!" Wufei's face was hot. "Don't say those kinds of things! It's ... it's ... inappropriate."

Treize's smile broadened. "Inappropriate? How so? On the contrary, it can only be appropriate when it's the truth. Why should I pretend otherwise?"

Behind Wufei, Zechs rumbled his agreement. He trailed his fingers up and down Wufei's arms. Carefully, carefully, he began tugging Wufei's hands away from their grip on the tunic.

"No!" Wufei fought, but Zechs was stronger. He easily pried the cloth away from Wufei's fingers and raised the tunic up to his waist. His strong arm curled about Wufei's middle held Wufei in place while bunching the cloth up so that he was bared to Treize.

"Oh gods." Wufei squeezed his eyes shut as his nakedness was revealed. He prayed for the ground to open up and swallow him whole. Better yet, for it to open up and consume Treize and Zechs since they were responsible for his current humiliation.

"Gods indeed. I was right. You are beautiful. I could look at you like this all day," Treize husked. He kissed the tops of Wufei's thighs, leaning--to the younger man's frenzied mind--far too close for comfort.

"Don't torture him, Treize. Look at how the poor thing is trembling," Zechs chided. "I think he deserves a reward after all we've put him through."

"Ah, you're right." Treize wedged his body between their thighs and began kissing Wufei. Little butterfly kisses right to the sensitive tip of his cock.

Wufei's eyes flew open. He was moaning even as he tried to twist away. With Treize at his front and Zechs behind him, however, his efforts were quickly proven useless. He could only cry out as Treize's mouth enveloped him. The older man bobbed his head, caressing Wufei with the back of his throat. When his tongue pressed the vein on the underside of Wufei's shaft, color burst behind his eyelids. Treize's mouth was hot, wet, tight and the things his tongue was doing.... Wufei's head lolled against Zechs' shoulder. His fingers dug into the blond's arms as he tried to absorb the pleasure coursing through him. He hadn't known it would be like this--that he could feel so good.

Throughout it all, Treize's eyes never left his. That smoky, hooded gaze bore into Wufei as the older man suckled him ... worked the slit at the head of his cock ... deliberately teased his foreskin. Wufei prickled with embarrassment. Yet, no matter how hard he tried, he could not turn away. He felt branded, utterly possessed by Treize's gaze and the hot bands of his hands around his thighs. Wufei was spread and lifted, kissed and caressed and it took him some time to realize that the hoarse, wild cries he heard were coming from his lips. Of their own volition his hips rose and fell. The movement was sinuous, wanton, but Wufei was helpless to stop it. He knew only the urgency of his body and a need for release that bordered on pain.

"That's it ... that's it. Don't hold anything back." Zechs urged, nipping Wufei's ear.

Hold back? He couldn't if he tried. Wufei gave one last desperate cry and spurted into Treize's mouth. The older man made a hungry approving sound, eagerly swallowing Wufei's come. Treize continued to suckle him even after he was soft and Wufei whimpered.

"Stop ... stop ... please." His fingers tangled in Treize's hair.

Treize let Wufei slip out of his mouth. He kissed his hip lovingly then rocked back on his heels. "Had enough, sweetheart? I promise that's only a fraction of the pleasure Zechs and I can give you."

"A fraction?" Wufei stammered, unable to process what such a thing could mean after the intensity of what he'd just experienced. For there to be more than this.... "Gods."

"Treize, I think you've scandalized him," Zechs laughed. "Don't worry, love," he told Wufei. "We won't do anything you can't handle."

Treize beamed. "Well! Now that we've gotten to know each other, I think this will be a very pleasant arrangement."

Wufei couldn't find the voice to answer. Dazed, sated and all but glowing with new energy, he couldn't shake the feeling that in the battle of wills between himself, Zechs and Treize, he'd just suffered a complete defeat.