Golden

Golden
by Michalyn
Fandom: Gundam Wing
For 30_kisses theme #26, if I could only make you mine
Rating: T


The phone rang just as Wufei was tidying up after dinner. Though he was by no means looking forward to it, he was expecting Duo to call, so when his best friend’s number flashed on the caller id, Wufei went to the phone with a sense of resignation.

“Hello, Duo.”

“Good, you’re at least answering my calls.” Duo’s easy voice came over the other end. Wufei wasn’t the least bit fooled by the harmless act. He sighed, cradling the cordless receiver in the crook of his neck.

“Yes, I am answering your calls, Maxwell. I’m assuming you have something you want to say to me?” Wufei asked.

“Good, we’re cutting right to the chase. What happened with Treize? I thought things were going well between you. I know it was only the second date, but I was sure he was your type.”

“I never said he was not my type….”

That was the problem in and of itself. Treize had turned out to be far more compelling than Wufei bargained for and he was angry with himself for falling so quickly for the businessman. They had met on a blind date orchestrated by Duo, and Wufei had every intention of meeting the man and politely but firmly discouraging his attentions. He was a solitary creature and Wufei had no illusions about his attractiveness, or lack thereof.

In truth, Wufei had always preferred a quiet apartment, the comfort of his thoughts and the freedom to do as he wished, over the minefield that was relationships. He was neither social nor sociable and that was magnified tenfold when it came to romance. Wufei simply did not have the knack for it. He was too dour, too brusque and just too introverted to charm anyone into bed. For all Duo’s matchmaking efforts, Wufei neither understood nor had the skill for making small talk and his dates inevitably were punctuated by awkard silences, unbearable both to himself and his date.

As a painter, most people expected him to be somewhat eccentric and Wufei gratefully took refuge in that expectation. In theory, sex was a fine and natural thing. In practice, Wufei hated the vulnerability it demanded. It was not his way to allow anyone to have him in their power and no matter how he looked at it, letting someone into his bed was doing just that. Luckily for Wufei, most of his dates never progressed to even the chastest of kisses. That is, before Treize….

“So?” Duo prompted Wufei when he still had not answered. “What went wrong?”

“Nothing went wrong per say. I simply do not think this will work out.”

“Based on what exactly?”

“Based on the fact that with this new commission I simply do not have time for a relationship.”

“Bullshit,” Duo skoffed. “How many times have I heard that excuse? If it’s not this commission it’ll be the next one. You may find this hard to believe, but most professional artists actually do have love lives.”

“And I wish them the best of luck.” Wufei’s tone was droll. Duo, however, was evidently not amused.

“Okay what happened? Was he obnoxious? Did he have bad breath? Or is it that you just didn’t find him attractive, because I know you’re stubborn, but this is bad even for you. Usually you at least have a legitimate excuse. Even with the worst of them, you never wrote anyone off without some valid reason. And since you’re not denying that everything went well, why won’t you give the guy a fair chance?” Duo was just amending his tirade on Wufei’s hard-headedness and all around unsociability when he paused. “Wait, fuck, that’s not what this is about is it?” he murmured.

Wufei rubbed his forehead. “I do not know what—”

“You like him, don’t you? That’s why you’re running away.”

“I am not running away from anything.”

“Wufei, I’m your best friend. Don’t pull that shit with me. Either you tell me it’s none of my damn business or have the balls to be honest. You always do this whenever anyone starts getting even a little close to you. Okay, I understand you’re wary after Zechs, but that was years ago. I don’t want to be harsh but it’s time to get over him. He was a prick for cheating on you but you can’t avoid every man you’re attracted to because of it. ”

Wufei flinched at the mention of Zechs. “This has nothing to do with Zechs and I would appreciate it if you did not bring him into this conversation,” he said tightly.

Zechs had been his first love and his first lover. The blond had swept him off his feet just as he was coming to terms with his homosexuality and from the beginning, their romance had a desperate quality to it. Wufei was still trying to escape his traditional upbringing and looking back upon it now, he realized how very little he knew of himself then. It was inevitable that they would have drifted apart, but Zechs’ infidelity had made him cautious, and three years later, Wufei still had not found love. He refused to think his old lover had anything to do with the impoverished state of his love life for he hated to think of himself as still broken-hearted after all these years.

“All right, I won’t say anything about him,” Duo allowed, “but will you promise me you’ll see Treize again?”

“Duo….”

“Come on, Wufei.”

“I really don’t think…”

“Wufei!”

“Duo, I have to go.”

“Fine. But don’t think we’re finished here. I’ll call you again in the morning. Good luck with that piece you’re painting.”

Wufei sighed, thanking his best friend and promising him he would reconsider his decision to avoid Treize. In reality he planned on doing no such thing. After hanging up with Duo, Wufei went to his studio to continue working on the piece he had begun earlier that afternoon. It was a fairly simple landscape requested by one of his patrons. While he would have preferred to work on something of his own choosing, it was these quick “popular” pieces that provided him with a steady income in between major projects.

He had been working steadily for more than an hour, his smock speckled with paint, when the doorbell rang. Wufei stepped around his easel and wiped his hands on a nearby towel with a frown. He wasn’t expecting anyone. Rubbing at his forehead with the back of his hand, he peered through the spyhole … and cursed. It was Treize. What the devil was he doing here? Wufei made it more than clear that they should go their separate ways. Apparently Treize hadn’t gotten the message.

“Good evening, Treize. What can I do for you?” Wufei kept his voice cold, but his heart was thumping madly in his chest. It had only been a week, but Treize seemed more handsome than ever, his golden-brown hair touseld and his eyes bright. Treize stepped forward, subtly forcing Wufei to step backwards and before Wufei could object, one of the older man’s well-polished shoes was over the threshold and Wufei had no choice but to let him in.

“I’ll have you know that I am working at the moment and I don’t appreciate you stopping by unannounced, especially since we have nothing more to say to each other,” he said primly.

“Why are you running from me? I was certain we shared something special,” Treize demanded, following Wufei into his studio.

“Well you were mistaken.” Wufei growled, pointedly turning to his easel. He dipped the large paintbrush into some yellow paint and began applying it to the canvas with sure strokes, hastily painting in the first layer of a blazing sun. Behind him Treize was silent, so silent the scratching of the brush against the canvas seemed abnormally loud in the stillness. Wufei trembled, willing him to leave.

“Then tell me how I was wrong,” Treize murmured after a moment, “because everything felt quite right to me.”

“It just will not—” Wufei began, his voice rising in exasperation …fear …. frustrated desire … even he could not say.

“You forget we made love.” Treize’s voice was low. “I won’t be turned aside so easily after the way you responded in my arms.”

Wufei stiffened. That had been his biggest mistake of all. He should never have allowed Treize to get so close. How could it not be a recipe for disaster? Life had taught him long ago that love was nothing but an elaborate ruse. “I don’t know what you think you know but I made it quite clear where we stand.”

“Duo says you haven’t let another man touch you in three years.” Wufei heard the soft fall of Treize’s footstep moving closer and his heart threatened to leap out of his chest. His hand on the brush was so unsteady that little globs of paint shook free of its bristles and rolled down the vivid green mountains he had painted.

“Duo doesn’t—”

“Duo says that you’ve been running ever since the last man you loved hurt you. He says I’m not mistaken. He says I’m the first man you’ve invited into your bed after all these years and that it can only mean one thing thing; that—”

“Get out.” Wufei ground out before Treize could finish. He couldn’t bear to hear those words spoken, was afraid to acknowledge them even to himself.

“Then turn around and tell me to my face, if you’re so determined to have me leave.”

Wufei wanted to turn around. His pride demanded it; common sense dictated it, yet his feet were like lead when he tried to move. He knew this was hopeless so why couldn’t he turn Treize away? Wufei shivered as Treize’s footfalls grew louder. The older man’s body heat was intoxicating, his scent a sensual lure. When Treize touched his shoulder Wufei knew all was lost.

“You don’t have to be afraid.” Treize whispered. “I know you’re wary of love but if you let me, I’ll show you I’m different. After you ran away from me I realized this was the only way. I thought if I could only make you mine, then you would see how much I feel for you—how much this passion is no mistake.”

The feel of Treize’s tongue wetly playing Wufei’s ear was like a jolt down his spine. He shuddered and the paintbrush tumbled from his hand, spattering the tiles in a violent splash of yellow. It speckled Wufei’s shoes and the hem of his smock and when he turned and allowed Treize to pull him into his arms, he saw that those bright sparks of color had ignited even Treize’s dark trousers. Yes, ignited for how else could Wufei account for the fire in Treize’s look, on his lips, in his touch as their bodies lowered to the floor? Treize kissed Wufei’s hip and the easel shook; he buried his face between Wufei’s thighs and the painting crashed to the ground. By then there was no escaping that bright burning yellow for it was smeared against their skin, rubbed into Treize’s crumpled collar and tangled in Wufei’s hair.

Strange how Wufei had always associated yellow with Zechs’ sunlit beauty but today it was being transformed into something else. Like magic, wherever Treize’s fingers touched him, his skin was left with a golden glimmer until he was glowing, shimmering, healed with new love.
End