Chapter Fourteen: Passion

This story is dedicated to Lili for her kindness and her wonderful support. Thanks so much, my dear!

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.

This chapter is unbetaed so please excuse any mistakes

A Matter of Good Sense
by Michalyn
Chapter Fourteen: Passion

Notes: I’m sorry this chapter took so long. The past few months have been some of the hardest I’ve had in a long time. I’ve been quite sick and I just couldn’t find the energy or inspiration to write.  Still, I have been looking forward to this chapter for a long while so I hope you’ll forgive me if it’s a little indulgent.

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Though they were more than halfway through autumn, the day was unseasonably warm. Treize wiped the sweat inching down his forehead with the corner of his sleeve.  The cloak he’d worn earlier this morning was rolled into a tight bundle in front of him, rendered useless by the heat. Treize had just returned from his daily rounds and a sparring session with Heero. Tired, with the afternoon sun beating down on him and a half hour ride still between him and the palace, Treize was not eager to spend more time in the blistering heat. He was not the only one suffering; a lather of sweat foamed Porphyro’s flanks.

Treize veered off the path towards the shaded watering hole he knew was nearby to give the horse a drink. He dismounted, and as he moved to tether Porphyro to a tree, Treize suddenly realized he was not alone. There, on the eastern bank was Wufei’s own horse and beside it, the small familiar figure of Treize’s husband. Wufei had tossed his tunic onto the grass and he was bare-chested. He was left in  loose trousers belted at the waist with a thick band of cloth. Just like Treize, it seemed Wufei had sought refuge from the heat and had abandoned the scorching palace courtyard where he usually practiced for the shade of the trees. He moved now in a series of lightning fast moves, which took Treize’s breath away.

Wufei struck out viciously at his invisible opponent. In the same fluid motion he spun off the ground in a roundhouse kick before landing and rapidly repeating a number of specialized jabs. Sweat poured down his back, forehead and chest, making his skin gleam with moisture  but  Wufei persisted, driving his body to the very limits of endurance and beyond. His braid slapped against his skin with each movement and dark silky wisps escaped his hair tie, clinging to his face in wet tendrils.

Treize’s only experience with Wufei’s training had not been a pleasant one and apart from the knowledge that it made his husband a dangerous man to contend with, he did not know much about the discipline the younger man so revered. He was not sure what he thought Wufei’s exercises entailed, but he had not anticipated such an exquisite display of skill and grace. Wufei’s movements were intricate and as rhythmic as a dancer’s. Treize found them beautiful. He watched transfixed, retreating to the shadows, lest he interrupt the choreography, or worse, chase his husband away.

Treize did not know how long he stood there, straining to catch every movement but Wufei finally stilled. The younger man was breathing heavily and he paused to take a drink from the water skin hanging from his saddle. Treize had hung back to avoid disturbing Wufei, but now that his husband was done, he was wary of giving him any more reason to mistrust him and he stepped forward to announce his presence.

He did not get very far.

On his side of the lake, completely unaware of Treize, Wufei was loosening his hair. He took off his shoes then his hands went to his belt.

Treize gasped as Wufei’s pants dropped around his ankles.  His mouth went dry as Wufei unwound his loincloth and set it aside.  All of Treize’s pent up desire from the past few weeks flared to life and he was instantly hard. He trembled, seized by a sudden fever. He knew he should turn away and leave but after being unable to even touch Wufei, seeing him like this was too much.

Wufei was even more beautiful than he remembered. His muscles were sleek and taut, his buttocks perfectly round and tight. The dark fall of his hair stirred in the sluggish breeze, caressing Wufei’s body just as Treize wished he could. When Wufei entered the lake, the water brushing up to his thighs, Treize couldn’t help looking there, following the ascent of the water to Wufei’s genitals.

Stifling a groan, Treize stepped out into the clearing. He was only a man, a man with human desires and his need for Wufei was a fire burning in his veins. It was not so much lust as a primal hunger to be with the man who filled his every waking thought and haunted his dreams. Was it so wrong to want to hold him? Treize did not think. He simply removed his own clothes and entered the lake.

For a moment, everything was still as Wufei bathed himself, leaning back to dip his hair in the water, but Treize’s splashing alerted him and he spun around.

“Treize! What are you doing here?” he growled.

” The same thing as you, I’d wager. It was hot so I stopped to give Porphyro a drink. I didn’t expect to find you here.”

Wufei flushed, crossing his arms in front of himself. He was obviously self-conscious and had put a marked distance between himself and Treize. He also sank lower in the water. “I’ll be out of here shortly,” he insisted, yet made no move to leave.

Treize guessed his dilemma and for the first time he was grateful for his husband’s shyness. Wufei would not willingly bathe with him, but getting out would mean exposing himself to Treize, which was even more intolerable from Wufei’s perspective. From Treize’s perspective, it meant a little more time with his husband, even though he might not be able to touch him. Treize swam closer.

“Don’t leave on my account. It’s  beautiful out here and the lake is big enough for both of us, don’t you think?”

Wufei nodded stiffly and Treize sighed, his passion fading as he was confronted with the extent of his husband’s distaste for him.

“Relax, Kala. I won’t do anything you don’t want me to.”

Wufei swallowed; his jaw clenched for a moment. Finally, he said: “Where were you coming from when you stopped here? Have there been any new leads on the attack that occurred a few weeks ago?”

Treize was speechless for a moment. Wufei was actually making idle conversation with him? A warm feeling spread inside of him, inspired by the spark of hope burning in his breast.

“Ah,” he stammered, “I was training with Heero. As for the attack, unfortunately we’ve made no progress. We know it’s Mueller, but we’ve got nothing concrete we can use against him. That means all we can do is strengthen our defense. Right now, Heero and Lord Maxwell have been working with the soldiers to accomplish that. I visited the armory today and I can already see the improvements in the men’s techniques. Truth be told, I’m surprised at how well Yuy and Maxwell work together. An unlikely pair if I ever saw one, but they seem to have become friends.”

“Well, they are both fighting men and Duo was not born into the nobility. He has always preferred the company of soldiers to the court. They’re different but they may have more in common than meets the eye.”

“Yes, I suppose you’re quite right.” Treize cupped a handful of water and let it spill through his fingers. The droplets plopped into the water, creating a wave of intersecting ripples. “You seem to know Lord Maxwell very well,” he murmured, without looking up.

Wufei nodded, twisting the hank of his hair over his shoulder and squeezing the water from it. “I guess you could say we grew up together though we were never close as children. For a long time he was just one of the many orphans sold to the army, but he was skilled and quickly caught the attention of the captains. The courtiers noticed him too, but for a different reason altogether.” Wufei looked up. “Duo had stuck mostly to the soldiers quarters before that, but afterwards he became a familiar face around the palace as he was involved in one affair after another. I … I never thought of it until now but I don’t know how many of those were willing,” Wufei murmured, a frown darkening his brow.

Treize could just imagine. An orphaned boy did not have any power against a nobleman who set his eyes upon him, especially not when that nobleman could make or break his career at a single word.  He turned to Wufei.  “And now? Are you and he good friends?”

A rare smile played about Wufei’s lips. “Yes … yes  I think we have become that,” he said softly.

“Is that so?” Something twisted inside of Treize. That smile said it all. He had guessed but had not wanted to believe that Wufei’s affections might belong to another.  Was it already too late for them? Treize remembered the yearning he’d seen in Wufei’s face after they’d eaten dinner. That was not a look of a man in love with his rival, he told himself fiercely. He did not care how many noblemen Maxwell had bedded. Treize was not going to allow him to steal Wufei away from him. He would do whatever it took to make sure of that.

While Treize was lost in his musings, Wufei squeezed the excess water from his hair. “Well, I better go. I still need to review the minutes of this week’s council meeting,” he said.

“All right.” Treize was disappointed but he did not let it show. He turned away, allowing Wufei to exit without any awkwardness. Treize heard the younger man pause. Wufei murmured a soft “thank you” and then there was the splashing of the water as he headed towards the bank. Treize waited until he thought his husband was dressed before turning around once more so he could also leave the lake.

Wufei was already climbing onto his mount by the time Treize pulled on his clothes and the older man was surprised when Wufei did not ride away but instead waited for Treize to untether Porphyro.

“Should we ride back together?” he asked gruffly.

Treize’s eyebrows shot to his hairline. He leapt onto Porphyro in one smooth movement, his heart bursting with emotion. He wanted to tell Wufei that he would follow him to Eires and back if he asked him to but he didn’t. Instead, Treize rode up to Wufei with a smile. “Lead the way.”

Wufei nodded. He touched his heels to Nataku’s flank and led them out into the sunlight together.

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Later that evening, Treize found Wufei in the garden. In the weeks since their dinner together, it seemed his husband had begun spending more time outside, frequently taking his evening meals there as well. Sometimes Maxwell would join him, but most times Wufei was alone. He never visted during the day. It was only when night had fallen that he could be seen sitting amongst the flowers. Treize often watched him from the study window and though they were apart, the sight of Wufei wandering beneath his window gave Treize a sense of quiet companionship that was missing from their daily interactions.

Treize was still surprised at how much Wufei enjoyed Rossettian evenings. Even with all of Quatre’s talk about Wufei’s affinity for night, Treize could not imagine that anyone raised under Eires’ twin suns would be comfortable in darkness, and yet, Wufei sought it out like a long lost friend. Sometimes, when Treize looked up from his papers, he would find that he’d completely lost sight of him, for Wufei lingered where the shadows were deepest and he took shelter under the darkest eaves. It gave Treize pause. He didn’t trust magick but he had already accepted that he could not ignore it. If Wufei was indeed a child of darkness, what must it have been like to be born in a place that automatically denied such an essential part of himself? His husband was still a mystery to him, but every night Wufei spent in the garden gave Treize a little more insight into at least one part of his lover’s pain.

Tonight, though, Treize wasn’t content to watch. Something in the air called to him; or maybe it was just the memory of the lake which pushed him forward. Whatever it was, Treize found himself abandoning his papers (he could not concentrate anyway) and going downstairs. A little twilight gray still lingered in the sky so Wufei had not ventured far. He was sitting on one of the marble benches that dotted the well-manicured lawns. Treize was always hesitant to approach since he could not count on being welcomed. Right then Wufei looked so deep in thought that he began questioning whether he’d been too rash in deciding to disturb him. Treize was still hovering on the verge of indecision when Wufei turned his way.

“Treize?” He didn’t appear annoyed, merely puzzled.

Treize stepped forward. “Ah … well … my apologies for interrupting. I just thought… I saw you outside and it occurred to me how beautiful it was out here. I thought I would come to enjoy it a bit.”  Treize cleared his throat and stammered. His last sentence was left hanging like a question. To his own ears he sounded  foolish and uncertain. Had he really been reduced to such clumsiness? He could charm any man it seemed except the one who mattered. Treize was still berating himself and had already prepared himself for a rebuff when Wufei blinked and shrugged.

“Oh,” he murmured.

He didn’t make room for Treize on the bench beside him but he did not turn him away either. Treize decided to take his chances. “May I sit?” he asked quietly.

Wufei scooted over. Now that he was close, Treize could see that despite his cloak Wufei was shivering. It had cooled down since the afternoon but not nearly enough to be chilly. At least Treize did not think so. Whatever he felt though, he did not want Wufei to be uncomfortable.

“Kala, you are cold. Why don’t you go in? I’ll order some tea.”

Wufei waved him off. “No, it’ll pass.”

“But surely there is no point in freezing. I’ll have a blanket brought out at least. You can…”

“Treize, I’m not cold. It happens every night and every night it passes. I don’t want to go inside. Being out here helps.”

Treize’s lips parted in confusion, but then he noticed Wufei’s hands gripping the edge of the bench. They were white-knuckled with strain. Treize finally understood. He touched Wufei’s forehead and cursed. The younger man was burning up.

“Oh, Wufei,” he sighed. Why do you do this to yourself? Treize wanted to ask, but they’d traveled that road too many times before. He knew it would do no good. Instead he murmured, “You said every night. You mean you’ve gone through this every night since we … since we took separate beds?”

Wufei hesitated. Finally, he shrugged again.

Treize closed his eyes. “And you come here because…? I’ve seen you many times through the library window.”

Wufei seemed surprised at that. Treize hadn’t meant to spy and he hoped his husband was not angry.

Wufei was staring across the lawn. His face was hard to read in the shadows but there was an unmistakable weariness about him that spoke of how much the daily cycle of these episodes had taken out of him. “I come here because I have to. Because the darkness is the only thing that seems to help.”

“To help?”

“The pain,” Wufei said dully. He stood. “I should go.”

“No, wait!” Treize grabbed Wufei’s wrist and the smaller man visibly flinched. Treize dropped him as he had been burned.

“I’m sorry, does my touch also cause you pain?” Treize ground out, devastated. What hope was there for reconciliation when he could not even hold Wufei in his arms?

Wufei’s fists were clenched, his shoulders hunched as though shielding himself for a blow.

“Your touch … does not pain me,” he gritted. “But it makes it much more difficult afterwards so please, just don’t…. I have been trained all my life to deal with pain but every technique requires consistency. I cannot keep swinging from one extreme to the other. And with this it is not only the contrast that makes it difficult, the pain itself worsens after we cross paths—even through the most careless touch—only to break apart again.” Wufei shuddered. “I can’t anymore. I just can’t.”

Treize frowned, trying to make sense of this. “Contrast? But I….” he trailed off.

Treize didn’t need to finish. He suddenly got it. He understood with such clarity that it took his breath away. Heat burned through him and Treize was the one trembling.

“Are you saying…” he began hoarsely, “Are you saying that being apart from me causes you pain … and that even the smallest touch from me brings you pleasure?” Treize stood. “Is that the contrast you’re talking about? Is that why it is so painful for you when we run away from each other? Why you suffer like this every night?”

Treize thought of all the times he’d cornered Wufei, and tried to woo him with little touches and the simple nearness of his body. No wonder Wufei had bolted. Every mistrustful encounter between them magnified his suffering. Treize stared at Wufei, looking for the truth of his words. His husband’s eyes were wide with exposure and panic. Everything in his body language said he was ready to bolt yet again.

“No! Don’t run, Wufei please. I won’t do anything to hurt you again. I swear my life on it. You don’t believe me? I will get on my knees if that’s what it takes.” Treize’s knees sank into the soft earth, muddying the fine velvet and silk of his trousers.

“Stop.” Wufei’s voice was tortured. “I don’t want your shame or your anger. I’m tired of fighting, Treize. I just want peace.”

“Then come to me, Kala. You say you don’t want my shame but I hope you will accept my remorse. I am desperate because I have made mistakes and the only way to make it better is through your forgiveness. I don’t want to fight you anymore either, Wufei. We have had enough pain between us. I don’t know if it is the gods’ will or by magick but in my hands I hold something that I don’t even deserve. Let me start to earn it now, Wufei. Let me put an end to this suffering. Let me bring you not only pleasure, but friendship. I won’t embrace you and thrust you back into the cold.” Rising, Treize opened his arms. “Please, Wufei.”

Wufei’s throat worked. He took one faltering step towards Treize, then another. He stopped a handbreadth away, his yearning and fear and exhaustion etched into every line of his body. Treize made good on his promise. He closed that last space between them and enclosed Wufei in his arms.

The simple meeting of their bodies was like the brush of tinder suddenly ignited. A pulse so powerful surged between them that even Treize gasped. Wufei’s trembling intensified, shaking them both. He cried out softly and collapsed against Treize’s chest.

Treize picked him up and carried him up the stairs, all too aware of the most precious cargo he held in his arms.

“Come, Kala,” he whispered. “It’s time.”

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Treize strode past Wufei’s rooms and took them straight to the royal suite—their suite. Finally they were both back where they belonged. Once inside he locked the door. No one was to disturb them tonight; he didn’t care if all of Rossetti was burning. Treize set Wufei on his feet. He rubbed his back soothingly.

“Can you stand, Kala?”

“Yes,” Wufei answered, recovering a bit from the dazed trance he’d fallen into. He blinked and his gaze sharpened. Would he back out now? Treize wondered. In another time he would have swept Wufei up in his passion before he even had a moment to question anything. Now Treize searched Wufei’s features, making sure that what he saw there was what they both wanted.

“Kala, are you certain about this? We don’t have to do this tonight. If you want to leave, I will not stop you. If you just want to sleep in my arms until the pain subsides, I am here for that as well. It is your choice.”

Wufei shook his head. “No. I … I want this,” he said slowly.

Treize had to close his eyes to control the effect those words had on him. He grasped Wufei’s hand and brought it to his lips.

“Thank you, Wufei.”

Treize moved about the room, getting the things they needed. All the while he made light conversation and told teasing jokes to Wufei to help him relax. He’d heard the conviction in the younger man’s voice but Treize did not think his husband had changed so much as to have completely overcome his usual shyness. Wufei had not moved from where he stood and Treize was aware of his eyes following him about the room. He could almost hear his unspoken questions between them. No doubt he was wondering what Treize had in store for them this night.

Treize thought about the last and only time they’d been together. On the one hand the memory was as vivid as a brand. He remembered everything from Wufei’s scent to the light touch of his fingers upon his skin. On the other hand, it seemed so distant, like another life. Had Wufei enjoyed it? There had been hesitation, resistance and reluctant surrender. Treize had wanted to slowly cherish Wufei but what happened instead was something much more rushed. Tonight he would make up for not only that night, but all the empty nights, afternoons and mornings in between.

Treize sat on the nearby chair and pulled off his shoes. Piece by piece he shed his clothing until he was naked before Wufei. He could feel his husband’s hot eyes upon him, but when Treize met Wufei’s gaze, the younger man quickly looked away. Two spots of red colored his cheeks and Treize smiled.

“You can look all you want, Kala. This belongs to nobody but you. It doesn’t bother me; in fact it pleases me a great deal that you like what you see.” Treize brushed his hand over his chest, his stomach, the rising member between his legs.

Wufei’s gaze rested there. His lips were parted and his breath quickened. “I…” he began hoarsely. He trailed off, licking his lips.

“Yes,” Treize purred as though he understood Wufei’s unfinished sentence. He approached until he was standing close enough for Wufei to feel his body heat. “But it’s not fair for me to be the only one unclothed is it?” His gaze swept Wufei’s body. “I like looking too.”

Wufei’s eyes widened and his fingers instinctively tightened on his cloak, but he shook himself and began fumbling with the clasp. Treize stopped him.

“Let me.”

Color rose in Wufei’s cheeks but he nodded.

Treize parted the cloak and spread it on the bed. Its deep red lining gleamed in the candlelight and all Treize could think of was that he wanted to see Wufei against it in nothing but his bare skin. The idea inspired a tremor in him and Treize reminded himself that he had to go slowly.

He rubbed Wufei’s shoulders then pulled the heavy robes he wore over his head. Wufei was left in thin cotton trousers and the shoes on his feet. The latter were easily removed, but Treize did not take off Wufei’s pants just yet. He pulled his husband to him and kissed him. Wufei drew a sharp breath through his nose, then his lips parted and he let Treize inside.

Treize’s mouth was hot and seeking over Wufei’s but always gentle. He touched his tongue to Wufei’s and when the younger man shyly responded Treize groaned. Gods, he wanted so much tonight. Cupping the back of Wufei’s head, he pressed the younger man to him. Then his hands began roaming Wufei’s body.

Wufei was supple and smooth beneath his touch. He was small, almost delicately formed, but the corded  power in his arms, chest and back told a story of strength as well as beauty. Treize mouthed the tender place beneath his ear and Wufei gasped.  He followed the graceful curve of Wufei’s neck down to his chest. When  Treize brushed his lips over one velvet nipple, Wufei jerked in his arms.

“Treize!”

“Hmm?” Treize mouthed the dusky peak, savoring the tiny cries that burst from Wufei. He circled the nipple with his tongue, wetting it and feeling it stiffen beneath his touch. Treize moaned. Wufei’s erection was pressed against his belly and Treize couldn’t help thinking of even more tantalizing flesh stiffening and responding to his caresses. Treize gathered Wufei up and brought him to the bed where he lay him on the cloak. He shook his head as his husband made a questioning sound.

“It’s all right, Kala. I’m here,” he murmured, stretching out next to Wufei. Treize’s erection was pressed against Wufei’s hip and he knew his husband was aware of it. He distracted Wufei by rubbing over his belly, hips and thighs. He dipped between Wufei’s legs and Wufei started.

“Shh, I’ll take care of it,” Treize cooed, soothing him with a kiss. Wufei’s thighs were tense and Treize kept rubbing and caressing him to relax him. He captured his lips again. “Undo your hair for me, Kala.”

While Wufei reached behind him to unwind the long silky braid, Treize molded his palm to the growing bulge between Wufei’s legs. Slowly he began stroking him.

Wufei arched up with a hoarse cry. His fists were clenched and his body was trembling with strain. Treize’s hand moved once more and Wufei shuddered and moaned like a man in torment. His hair tangled about his face as he turned his head away. He tried to roll onto his side but Treize prevented him. All the while the older man kept touching Wufei, caressing those sensitive places to bring his lover even more pleasure.

“Treize … don’t…” Wufei pleaded, writhing against the cloak.

Treize pulled his hand away with a frown. “What? Talk to me, Kala.”

“I … it’s been too long,” Wufei explained in a small voice. “I’m going to….” he trailed off, reddening with embarrassment.

Relief washed through Treize. So that’s what this was all about. He laughed, brushing the hair away from Wufei’s face. “You silly, sweet boy. Do you think I care that you’re about to come?” Treize spooned behind Wufei and tightened his arms around him. “I’ll tell you the truth,” he whispered in Wufei’s ear. “It makes me hotter to know that I’ve barely touched you and you’re already like this.” His hand slipped between Wufei’s legs again. “That you’re so close so soon means that you want me … that your body has missed me just that much.”

Treize nudged Wufei’s thighs wider and increased the pace of his strokes. He kissed his lover’s neck and murmured scorching praises in his ear about how beautiful he was and how long he had waited to hold him like this. Treize told Wufei that he had dreamt of him and then he whispered what he had fantasized doing to him. By the time he was done Wufei was pleading and writhing in his arms. Treize relished those hungry sounds. The delicious feel of Wufei’s body pressed against his only made him want to fan the flames of his husband’s passion even higher.

So Treize did.

He’d kept his strokes even before but now he circled the head of Wufei’s cock, focusing all of his attention there. It was over before Wufei’s moan was even past his lips. The telltale shudders and growing dampness beneath his hand told Treize that Wufei had orgasmed. He purred.

“Lovely; now lets see what you’ve gifted us with.”

Treize tugged down Wufei’s trousers and the clinging cotton drawers beneath until finally his husband was as he’d imagined him, naked against the crimson cloak and his dark hair wild around him. Wufei’s belly was spattered with come and before his husband could protest, Treize was leaning over to capture every drop. Wufei made a surprised noise and moved hotly in Treize’s arms. He was trying to close his legs but Treize only held him open and lavished more attention on his sensitive inner thighs until Wufei was twisting and shivering in his grasp. When Treize moved higher up, his name broke on Wufei’s lips.

“Ah! Treize! What are you—?”

“I’m kissing your sweet cock,” Treize said baldly.

He dipped lower to nuzzle Wufei’s balls, inhaling the delicate musk of his arousal. Wufei smelled of soap and heat and the elusive hint of something much wilder. It set Treize aflame. His mouth widened to take in the sensitive sac. He worshipped Wufei, bathing the velvety flesh with his tongue. Every time Wufei cried out, he unerringly followed him, suckling and laving until Wufei began to come apart in his hands. His husband’s small body bucked and strained, but Treize held him in place, never letting him escape the sweet onslaught. Just when it seemed Wufei might come again, he lifted his head, leaving the younger man reeling.

Wufei moaned. He clutched at Treize’s head. The older man could feel the tension running through his husband’s body. Wufei seemed caught on the edge of desire, lured by the call of pleasure but not sure what to do with it now that he was here. Treize looked up and saw the uncertainty in Wufei’s eyes for what it was.

“There’s no going back after this, Wufei. For either of us. Let yourself go. I’m here to catch you.”

Wufei nodded. Trembling, he lay back and let Treize pleasure him. His legs twitched then squeezed around Treize.

Treize barely felt it. He was a man at a feast except there was no way he could ever have enough of this particular indulgence. He took the weeping tip of Wufei’s cock between his lips and worked the blind opening there. The shout Wufei gave was so raw, so wild that Treize had to do it again.

Wufei started to reach for him but Treize stopped him. While he was still hovering on the brink of another wave of pleasure  Treize reached for the richly scented balm he’d placed nearby.  He dipped between Wufei’s cheeks and his fingers brushed over the entrance to his body.

Wufei gasped.

Treize smiled as he gently began rubbing around the little bud. He chuckled as he felt the helpless tightening of his husband’s body whenever he tried to press in. “Does it feel good or are you trying to keep me out?” he teased.

Wufei was shaking his head. His eyes were glazed over with pleasure. “What’s … Tr…Treize … I don’t understand… It wasn’t like this before.”

“Before?” Treize croaked, his own gaze trained hungrily to Wufei’s face. The look of need he saw there nearly undid him.

“Yes … the first time.” Wufei was panting.

A low sound rumbled from Treize’s throat. ” That no longer exists. Forget the past, forget yesterday. The only thing that matters is now,” he murmured as his finger pushed into Wufei.

Wufei stiffened at that first invasion but Treize was patient. After all, he had waited weeks for this. And no matter what battles raged in Wufei’s head, his body clearly hungered. Wufei’s slender cock was deeply flushed and as Treize’s fingers probed, finding the source of his pleasure, a pearly drop quickly beaded at the tip.

A raw cry of defeat burst from Wufei’s lips. His limbs softened. His hips lifted off the bed and began a sinuous rhythm.

Treize watched, transfixed. His throat was parched as his gaze was drawn to Wufei’s smooth belly, the silken line of his hips, the play of muscle as he responded to each caress. Treize had never seen him like this, not even in his dreams.

Wufei must have felt his gaze for his eyes fluttered open. They locked with Treize’s. A wave of heat seemed to pass between them. Wufei’s legs parted, baring himself completely to Treize’s gaze and his touch.  His own boldness shocked him and Wufei whimpered. He didn’t seem to understand this sudden fire any more than Treize did and he tried to tell him so.

Treize only shook his head and smiled. His hands were shaking as he pressed a finger to Wufei’s lips. “You’re beautiful, Wufei. Let me make love to you.”

Treize held Wufei to him. Propping a pillow beneath his husband’s hips, he slid into him. Wufei’s tight little body surrounded him, the sweetest most sensuous vise he had ever felt. It was deeper than completion. Treize was finally home.

They made love many times that night and Wufei’s passion bloomed with every caress. Right before Treize’s eyes the knot of fear and resistance unfurled leaving only heat and a passion so scorching it left him weak. Wufei didn’t just match him, he consumed Treize.

When it was all over they collapsed against the mattress. The candles had burned out. There was nothing between them except their own labored breaths and the velvet cover of night. Treize was still breathless. He shakily reached across the bed to grasp Wufei’s hand but his husband wouldn’t let him.

Instead, Wufei closed the distance between them and wrapped his arms around Treize’s chest.

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The next few days passed by like a dream for Wufei. He had never expected it but he was happy.

The nights spent with Treize had led to the start of a tentative friendship. Of course there were still awkward moments and some lingering mistrust between them but when Wufei allowed himself to relax, he found that he genuinely enjoyed the older man’s company. Treize was charming and funny (though his humor tended to the ribald side) and Wufei discovered Treize had as voracious an appetite for knowledge as he did.

To Wufei, they came together best in a meeting of the minds. Treize, on the other hand, thought differently. He loved their heated debates and was eager to bring Wufei this rare text or the other, but his most lavish praise was reserved for when they were behind closed doors. It was embarrassing and thrilling at the same time. The things Treize said to him….

Wufei flushed and brought a hand up to the high silk collar of his tunic.  It hid a purplish love bite. The memory of this morning’s lovemaking rose unbidden and Wufei took a shaky breath. If he continued like this, he was never going to finish his paperwork before dinner.

Re-wetting the nib of his pen, he forced himself to focus on the rolls of parchment, but even so his mind wandered. Wufei found his gaze being drawn to the window and outside where evening was swiftly approaching. He was just cursing himself for transcribing a sentence twice when Treize entered the study.

“I take it things are not progressing smoothly?” The older man chuckled.

“No. I can’t seem to concentrate,” Wufei huffed. Of course he was careful to keep the source of his distraction to himself.

“Oh? Anything I can help with?”

“I doubt it.” Wufei sighed.

“Try me.”

Treize moved around the desk and came to stand behind Wufei. His fingers grazed beneath Wufei’s collar. “Maybe you just need a break.”

Wufei shivered at the light stroking of Treize’s fingers across his skin. “No… I shouldn’t. I really need to get this done.”

“You’re so tense,” Treize murmured as if Wufei had not spoken. His hands moved down and  began kneading Wufei’s shoulders. “Take a break; take a break. You know this isn’t going to go to the archives this evening and the pages have been dismissed for the day.” Treize’s fingers skilfully unknotted a particularly tense muscle and Wufei groaned.

“Feel good?”

Wufei hesitated but there was no use denying it when his body was already melting into the chair. He slumped forward. “Yes,” he admitted on a gust of breath.

Treize groaned too. “I came to invite you to go to the night market with me but maybe we should go upstairs instead.”

“Night market?”

“Mm hmm. I realized I never took the time to show you the city myself and it is most beautiful at night.” Treize kissed Wufei softly. “Just like you.”

Wufei’s cheeks warmed. “I’d like to go.” He had only seen the city that one time with Duo when he first arrived. He had been too busy to go out since.

“Good. I’ll ask Yuy and Maxwell to accompany us. We’ll need to change into something a little less conspicuous though.”

“Of course.”

“Shall we go then?”

Wufei nodded and rose. As soon as he was out of his seat, Treize bent and deftly scooped him up.

“What are you doing?” Wufei growled.

“It’s not dark outside yet. We still have time for a little play don’t we?” Treize’s lips found the pulse at Wufei’s throat.

“No we don’t. I’m bathing before we leave.”

“No problem. I can help with that too,” Treize purred, moving briskly down the hall and taking the stairs two at a time. He bent to brush his mouth against Wufei’s. The kiss deepened and Wufei moaned in Treize’s arms.

“Are you sure we won’t miss anything?”

“We won’t miss anything,” Treize assured him as he closed the bedroom door behind them. “The city never sleeps.”

“All right but you can put me down, you know,” Wufei pointed out.

“I can, but I prefer not to. Besides, I know you enjoy it despite your protests.” Treize grinned as Wufei squawked a denial. The color in his cheeks told the real story, though. Treize cradled him even more closely to his chest. “It’s nice to be pampered sometimes, isn’t it?”

Wufei was not sure how to answer that. “I’m not used to being pampered,” he murmured.

“Then we’ll have to remedy that immediately.”

Unlike the room in which Wufei had previously slept, the royal suite had an adjoining bathing chamber. They headed there now. Once inside, Treize finally set Wufei on his feet.

One of Rossetti’s many technological marvels was its sophisticated plumbing system. Wufei had never  seen anything like it. For those who could afford it, baths could be outfitted with hot and cold running water. The royal bath was no exception. Hidden jets pulsed beneath the vast pool, keeping it pleasantly warm. A fine mist of steam rose from the water, warming the mosaic tile beneath their feet.

While Wufei admired the vast chamber, Treize had begun undressing. Wufei jumped a little when the older man’s body pressed against his back. He could feel the heat of his husband’s body even through his robes and Wufei shivered a little. He was still shocked by the desire that coursed through him every time he and Treize touched.

If Treize felt Wufei’s tremor, he didn’t say anything. Instead he rubbed his hands up and down Wufei’s arms in a slow mesmerizing movement. His breath ghosted over the sensitive shell of Wufei’s ear.

“Why don’t we take these robes off, hmm?”

Wufei swallowed but nodded and as had become a ritual between them, as soon as he started unclasping the robe, Treize took over the task himself. In the older man’s hands, even this was transformed into a caress. Treize’s fingers followed in the wake of the parted cloth until the robes were pooled about Wufei’s ankles and Wufei was trembling from his husband’s gentle but focused touch.

“Treize?”

“Hmm?” Treize had smoothed his hands over Wufei’s hair and was now undoing his braid.

Wufei shifted from one foot to the other. He still was not quite used to being naked with his husband and between that and the way Treize’s slightest touch seemed to set his body humming Wufei was left  feeling a little overwhelmed.

“I’m … can we go into the water?”

“I’m sorry, my love. Are you cold?”

Wufei bit his lip and shook his head.

Somehow, Treize understood.

“Are you self-conscious because we’re together like this?” he murmured huskily.

Wufei hesitated then nodded.

“You have no reason to be self-conscious. I’ve told you how beautiful you are, haven’t I? Every part of you.” Treize mouthed the tender skin at the nape of Wufei’s neck, causing him to shiver again. He didn’t stop there, but traced the groove of Wufei’s spine all the way down to the dimple above his buttocks.

“Yes, but…” Wufei gasped and rose on tiptoe, his back involuntarily arching. When he said Treize’s name this time, it was a plea.

Treize only kept moving downwards, licking, nipping and kissing the salt from Wufei’s skin.

Wufei remembered the same caress from the first night he and Treize shared a tent, but he had been so fevered, so caught up in the moment then that the evening had seemed little more than a blur of pleasure, acute but indistinct.  Now however, Wufei was fully awake and in complete possession of his senses. The decadence of what Treize was doing to him … the fact that it felt good….

Wufei gave a startled cry and froze in Treize’s grasp. Treize’s tongue was—-Wufei gave another helpless cry.

“What are you doing?”

“Something I’ve wanted to do all day,” Treize rumbled happily.

He was kneeling behind Wufei with the younger man’s cheeks cupped in his hands. Treize kneaded and spread the firm globes while his tongue licked along the crease, pausing only to find the furled entrance to Wufei’s body. He probed the tight sphincter, savoring Wufei’s squirming and even wilder cries.

“Oh gods … the bath… I haven’t washed….” Wufei tried to wriggle away but Treize’s large hands held him in place.

“I’ll help you wash later. Now I want to taste you  just like I have in my dreams.” Treize’s hot breath and silken lips teased over delicate flesh as he spoke. He probed Wufei again.

“Mm. I dreamed you came from this alone and that when I was done, I licked your sweet seed from your thighs. Do you think you could do that, Kala? Could you come from just my tongue against your tight little hole?”

The sensations swirling through Wufei were already enough to set him ablaze. Treize’s scorching words added to them  sent him reeling. Wufei’s knees buckled and he would have fallen if not for Treize’s strength behind him.

Treize laughed and effortlessly supported him. He didn’t pause when Wufei cried out nor did he stop when shudders wracked his frame. Wufei felt a familiar tension building in him and before he could even think, he orgasmed, his semen splattering against the tile. Mortified at having come so quickly, he tried to pull away.

Treize  wouldn’t let him. “Where do you think you’re going?” The older man’s voice fairly vibrated with pleasure. “You just wonderfully fulfilled my fantasy. You can’t run away before I complete it.”

“Complete it?” Wufei groaned.

“Oh yes.” Treize shimmied down Wufei’s body and as promised he began licking the splatters from his stomach and thighs.

As Treize stood and enclosed Wufei in his arms, the hard insistence of his erection pressed against Wufei’s belly. That Treize wanted him that badly….  Wufei still found it impossible to believe.

Gods, how was he ever going to get used to this?

Treize extended his palm and Wufei had no choice but to take it. They entered the water together and it was safe to say not much washing was done until well afterwards.

————————————————

By the time Treize and Wufei met Duo and Heero at the stables, Wufei was feeling a little weak-kneed and rather dazed. The things Treize had done…. He could barely look at his husband without his cheeks warming.  At least it was too dark for anyone to notice. Wufei frowned and forced himself to focus. He had to get a hold of himself.

“My Lords, the horses are ready,” Duo told them. Next to him, Heero nodded. The men had tethered four horses: their own, Porphryo and Shenlong, but Treize turned to Wufei.

“Will you ride with me?” he asked. “It will be easier to show you the city that way.”

Treize gazed at Wufei. Even in the faint glow of the lanterns the unspoken sentiment between them was clear.  Treize also wanted to ride double so he could hold him.

Wufei knew he shouldn’t. He was a skilled rider and it was the proper thing to do. The old Wufei would have never allowed it, yet he found himself agreeing anyway.

Wufei was self-conscious as Treize mounted Poryphro and gave him a boost, but neither Duo nor Heero batted an eyelash.  Heero merely took Shenlong back to the stable hand with instructions to return her to her stall. The two soldiers mounted, flanking Wufei and Treize as they ambled out of the courtyard. They were leaving through a secret passageway used only by Treize and they emerged at a cobbled alley just behind the fish market. Wufei wrinkled his nose. Well that would certainly clear anyone’s head.

Once in the market, Duo and Heero left their protective formation around Wufei and Treize and dismounted. They led their horses away and it was a testament to their skill that in no time they’d blended with the crowd. Of course, Wufei and Treize were both armed but it was reassuring to know that they had backup should they need it.  However, with their inconspicuous clothes, and unhurried manner, they didn’t draw any undue attention. Wufei was even surprised to find that they were not the only lovers riding double. In fact the practice seemed quite commonplace. Such a thing would have been rare in Eires.

As they moved deeper into the market Wufei began to relax. The entire place was alive with scents, sounds and colors he had never experienced before. Fragrant smoke wafted up from the tightly packed stalls. One man was making golden pastries stuffed with meat, peas and spices. The rich aroma was so tempting that Wufei asked Treize to stop so he could buy some.

“Thank you, sir!” The young man beamed as he wrapped two of the pastries in brown paper and handed them to Wufei. “Can I offer you a drink?”

Wufei was about to refuse but Treize reached around the saddle and offered the man their water skin.

“Please,” he requested.

The vendor returned the flask brimming with spiced wine. Treize took a swig and offered some to Wufei. The younger man hesitated then took a sip. When he tried to return it Treize shook his head.

“Drink a little more.”

“Treize, I don’t have a good head for this,” Wufei protested.

“Just a bit. To warm your insides.”

Wufei sighed but he drank more of the wine. He rested against Treize as its warmth pooled in his belly. The air had finally turned a little sharp and Treize drew his cloak about them.

“Perfect,” Treize rumbled.

“Hmm?” Wufei murmured, mesmerized by a twirling dancer just a few steps ahead of them. Her skin was dusted with gold and it caught the glow of the lanterns, making her seem like an extension of the fire itself. The heartbeat of the drums vibrated in the air, deep, powerful and as sensual as the woman who flowed to the beat. Wufei found himself moved in a way he could not describe.

“Marvelous isn’t she?” Treize settled Wufei more comfortably against him. Beneath the cloak, his hands smoothed up and down Wufei’s arms.

Wufei strained to look at Treize over his shoulder but in the dark, his husband’s expression was unreadable. “Treize … what?”

Treize made a soft sound against Wufei’s neck. He was nuzzling the skin there causing a shiver to race through Wufei.

Treize’s hand had slipped under his tunic. Beneath the concealing folds of the cloak his callused fingers continued to stroke up and down Wufei’s arms.

“I have done many things I am not proud of since you came to Rossetti,” Treize confessed. “I want you to know those days are over. I can be a better man. I will be a better man for you. I don’t want you to resent me, or feel apprehensive about sharing your body with me.”

Treize bent closer to whisper hotly in Wufei’s ear, telling him how precious he was to him and how much he wanted him. “But I will wait. I will go as slowly as you need me to.”

Wufei shuddered delicately.  He was breathless from excitement and unexpected pleasure. Suddenly the entire market had narrowed to the warmth of Treize’s body against his and the words being murmured in his ear.

“I am so lucky to have you,” Treize whispered. “I will prove to you that I’m worthy of your trust, however long it takes.”

Treize’s words roused a storm of conflicting feelings in Wufei. Part of him was still wary; another part questioned whether Treize cared enough for him to even want to earn his trust, while yet another part of him, the part that responded so easily to Treize’s touch remembered Treize’s gentleness and the reverence with which he’d caressed Wufei’s body only hours ago. Surely that counted for something? Wufei didn’t know what would happen tomorrow or even the day after but when looked into Treize’s eyes for the first time he felt something he had not felt since he left Eires:

Hope.

They moved forward in a charged but companionable silence and Treize only broke it when they passed by a weaver’s stall. His eyes were fixed on a cloth of incredibly fine weave. Treize leaned closer to rub it between his fingers. The wool was light and strong. It was just the sort of thing to wear now that summer’s warmth was fleeing. But that was not what caught Treize’s attention. He bought a generous length of the material and placed it in Wufei’s hands.

It was a familiar symbolic red.

Treize had not forgotten.

Wufei closed his eyes. The ceremony was never far from his mind but tonight especially it was not difficult to imagine what it involved. Yet, the prospect no longer seemed so unpleasant. Beneath the cloak, Wufei squeezed Treize’s hand.

Treize grasped Wufei’s hand and brought it to his lips. “Kala,” he murmured and the endearment held such weight, such meaning that Wufei couldn’t speak.

The world stilled and in that moment something changed between them. The old wounds and the bitter pain of the past seemed to fade. Wufei felt it flowing out of him like a balm. He twisted to look at Treize. He had meant to say something but instead he found himself reaching for his husband and drawing him down to him. Their lips met and then Wufei knew nothing else.

————————

A few feet away, Duo nudged Heero. “Think we should give the lovers some privacy?” he mused.

Heero grunted.  “Here.”

“Huh?”

Duo looked over and was surprised to find Heero holding a jeweled-toned cloth of his own. There was a stubborn set to his features and a fierce look in his eyes that said he would not be outdone even by an Emperor.

Duo’s eyes widened. Then he flushed with pleasure.

Heero’s cloth was of a rougher hew and weft but its bold pattern—purple and sapphire threads intertwined—had a beauty and roughness that was more to his taste. He’d received a lot of gifts in his lifetime, many expensive, but in one breath Heero showed him how meaningless they were compared to this one simple gift. They had no special ceremony to perform and no magical mandate from the gods but that was just as well.  They were going to forge their own destiny anyway.

Duo reached over and linked his hand in Heero’s.

They stayed joined for a space of a breath, then they were back to being soldiers. Up ahead, Prince Wufei and Emperor Rossetti were moving again and once again Heero and Duo blended with the shadows. They followed the lovers deeper into the crowd and the sounds of the market embraced them as the whole of Rossetti seemed to come alive in a celebration of laughter, love and life.