Pairings: 2x5, 1x3, 6x4
Warnings: AU, ooc, language(*rolls eyes* ??)
Disclaimer: I do not own GW.

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Chapter 2

After Heero and Trowa told me why they had actually dropped by that morning, which was to invite me to a dinner party (and to eat my food I suspect), they left to meet up with Quatre and Zechs for lunch. Both of them knew better than to stick around while I was in one of my "moods". Once Zechs had made a remark that I went through more mood swings than a pregnant woman. I think he still has the bruise I gave him for that little remark. An example of one of my "moods".

Right now, I was having a major "mood".

I was far too nervous and scared to actually step into my studio, which was probably one of the most peaceful and safest places in the house. I was also hyped up on a lot of adrenaline and was currently pacing a hole in my expensive oriental rug in front of my TV. I didn't know what to do. It was barely the afternoon and I had planned to stay home and paint all day which is why I didn't make any appointments today or tomorrow. But now, it looked like all of that was ruined since I didn't even have enough guts to actually even try to look into my studio much less spend hours in there painting.

I just didn't feel easy about painting in front of the...Painting, even if it had a cloth covering it. The Chinese man in the Painting creeped me out beyond creeps. It was crazy, but I actually felt like he could actually see me and read my thoughts. It was unnerving and I didn't like it. Thus, I'm now wondering what I should do to keep myself occupied. I couldn't go out. I didn't feel like it. But I didn't want to be inside at the same time...Damn.

Finally, I went out into my backyard with my sketch pad and sketched till my stomach complained. I went inside, fixed myself a quick lunch and then went back outside. I wasn't gonna stay in the same house with the Painting. I was gonna stay out in my safe backyard as much as possible. But then, what was safe? At night, the freaks come out but in my house, there's a freak already there! And he's not even *alive* for god's sakes!

I knew I was losing it, but what could I do? Nothing, that's what!

When it finally became too dark to paint by, I went inside. I set my sketchpad down on the kitchen table and stood there for a moment as I debated with myself. After a lot of screaming and cursing in my head, I decided to go and check out the painting before I ate dinner and went to bed.

Slowly, I made my way to the studio room. I opened the door very slowly and flipped the lights on. Immediately the room flooded with the bright lights that I usually needed to paint by. I blinked to adjust my eyes and stepped into the room.

And there it was. The Painting resting against the easle and facing the window as if the young man was actually enjoying a view from there. I walked over to the Painting and stared at it for a moment. The young Chinese man still smiled that secretive smile but...Oh Lord above it looked alive. It seriously did! If I didn't have a good hold on a crumb of sanity, I would have believed it could leap out of the Painting and into the real world. Luckily, I still had that crumb for whatever it was worth. Lousy thing, I was still half crazy no matter what.

I turned to leave the room when I thought I saw something happen. I turned around and stared at the Painting as I tried to find if something had actually changed. But after a while, I just shook my head, cursed and left the room.

~*~

Sometime during the night something woke me up, again. I just woke up. Then I heard something like BUMP! and Oof! coming from somewhere. I shot to my feet and grabbed a baseball bat from under the bed. Then I slowly crept out of my room and headed in the direction of the noise. I heard more sounds of someone crashing into things and heavy stuff falling over. Whoever this burglar thought he was, he wasn't a good thief, that was for sure!

Then I realized where the noises had came from. The studio! Immediately I thought of the Painting and someone taking it. Without a single hesitation, I ran for the studio and threw open the door. I flipped on the lights, my bat raised and ready to smash down on someone's skull. No one touches the Painting!

But then I saw *who* it was.

"Oh, my god," I gasped breathlessly as I stared at the white robed Chinese man sprawled on the floor of my studio. He looked up, those silky black strands of hair falling into his face, and smiled.

That was the last thing I saw before my head connected with the carpeted ground.

~*~

When I finally came to, I was still on the floor except a pair of obsidian eyes smiling down at me. I took a deep breath and...screamed for all I was worth.

That scared the hell out of the Chinese man since he jumped back and ran from me. He stumbled around the easel and crouched there, staring at me with wide innocent eyes.

Right away, I felt bad. I slowly got to me feet so I didn't startle him and smiled as best as I could.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," I said slowly.

The Chinese man slowly stood up and smiled at me again. He had the most beautiful smile.

"Hello," the said in a slightly accented English.

"Who are you?" I asked, amazed. Was this man really from my painting? If he was...How did he end up on my studio floor instead of being in the painting like how he was supposed to be?

"My name is Chang Wufei," the Chinese man said carefully. "I am sorry, but my English isn't good. I've only heard you and your two friends speak for a little while."

"Chang, huh?" I said as I walked closer. "So, Chang, how did you end up on my studio floor?"

"Wufei. Chang is my family name," he said as he slowly stepped away from the easle and towards me.

"Oh, Wufei. Yeah, well, how did you end up here?" I asked again. I knew I was gonna go into hysterics soon so I was gonna try and get some intelligent questions in before I lost it completely.

Wufei turned and stared at the painting which was now faded and only a shadow of what had been there before. "I didn't want to be in there anymore." He turned to me with this innocent eyes and enduring smile. "I wanted to be with you."

I nodded as if it was the most sensible answer in the world. Then I turned and walked out of the room, to my phone and called Heero. It took about a millenium before the damned Jap finally picked up! [1]

"Hello?" a breathless voice came over the line after the gazillionth ring.

"Heero, quit screwing Trowa and come over to my house," I managed to say with the utmost calm. Good for me.

"Duo, do you know what time is it?" Heero shouted over the line. "Aah! Tro-wa! Stop!"

"Heero, my PAINTING CAME TO LIFE!" I shouted anguishedly.

"...Duo, have you been breathing in paint fumes? Again?" Heero asked mournfully before he cried out in pleasure and screamed for Trowa to stop in a voice that clearly said to go on. I could distantly hear Trowa's smooth, throaty laughter.

"I DIDN'T BREATHE IN ANY KINDA FUMES!! HEERO!! I'M SERIOUS!" I screamed frantically.

"Why are you screaming?" the soft tenor said behind me.

I let loose a yelp and whirled around, the phone clutched to my chest, to find Wufei standing behind me with the most curious expression on his delicate face.

"What is that?" He asked as he pointed at the phone. "Why are you shouting into it?"

I blinked rapidly and stared at him. "What? You don't know what a phone is?"

"Phone? What's a phone?" Wufei asked, baffled.

"Duo? Duo, are you all right?" came Heero's muffled voice.

Wufei's eyes widened in disbelief. "Did that thing just talk?"

I moaned in despair and lifted the reciever to my ear again. "Heero, come over. I'm serious. He's talking to me and I don't know what to do." Then I slammed the phone down and continued to stare at Wufei. He was more beautiful than he was in the painting, maybe because he was alive. His lips parted innocently yet invitingly as his breath came in and out, his heart beating in his chest and his eyes bright with life. It was fasinating just looking at him.

"Duo, what's the matter?" Wufei asked as he took a step forward and touched my arm.

I jerked away from him, shaking my head.

"No, don't...Please, don't. I'm just feeling shaky now," I stammered.

Wufei's eyes clouded. "Are you sick? I know how to make medicine. I can help you. Please, Duo, let me help you."

I raised my hands and shook my head again. "Please, just, stay over there while I try to straighten everything out."

Wufei slowly nodded, his eyes wide and trusting. "All right, Duo. I know you know best so I'll just go back to the painting room." Then he turned and disappeared down the hall.

I stood there for a long time. Then I walked into the living room, sat down and waited for Heero. If I needed any kind of sensibility right now, Heero and Trowa would have it. They always did.

~*~

"...."

"......"

"Aren't you going to say anything?" I hissed at them as I closed the door and glared at them. Wufei had been sound asleep on the floor with a paint smudged cloth wrapped around his small body. I couldn't help the deep pounding of my heart as I tried to push the beautiful image from my head and pushed my friends into the living room. We needed to talk and I didn't want to wake Wufei up. He looked far too peaceful to be woken up.

"Oh, my god, you weren't lying," Heero murmured as he sat down hard on the couch with Trowa following him.

"Of course not," I shouted. "Why would I lie?"

Heero and Trowa gave me a really long look.

I sighed and nodded impatiently. "Yeah, yeah, I know I've said a few things that weren't true in the past but this time I wasn't lying! What do I do with him?"

"Are you sure he's real?" Trowa asked.

"Of course he's real," I choked out. "You saw him!"

"Yeah, but, I don't know. Can a painting really come to life? And if so, why?" Trowa mused.

I frowned. "He said something about not wanting to be in the painting anymore and wanting to be with..." I flushed.

"With who, Duo?" Heero asked.

"Me," I said weakly. I was so embarassed it wasn't even funny.

"Wow, you finally found yourself a lover. Too bad he's made of paints and stuff," Trowa teased.

I glared at him with all my might but I couldn't help but blush. Gods, why did Wufei say that? Did he really mean it? A part of me really hoped so, the other part...also hoped so. I'm doomed.

"What should I do?" I asked them. "I don't know what to do."

"Well, the only thing you can do right now is keep him in the house and help him get adjusted to living in this reality since I think he's gonna be here for a long time," Heero said frankly.

I grinned at Heero. "Thanks man, I could have never thought of that on my own!"

Heero looked at Trowa before looking at me. "I know."

~*~

And so, Wufei was here to stay.

"What is this?"

"Aaah! Duo! The box is talking!"

"Duo! What was that ringing sound?"

"Oh gods, Duo that thing is making sounds!!"

"Duo!!"

"Help me! Duo this thing is going to drown me!"

"Ow! Duo, this thing bit me!"

"Duo! Duo! Duo! Duo!"

I moaned and collasped on to my bed as tried to work off the head ache that was pounding in my head. Day 1. Maybe Day 2 will be better. All day Wufei screamed and laughed and shouted over all the things in my house. He screamed when the TV turned on, he was amazed when the phone rang, he cried when I turned on the microwave, he screamed when the old grandfather clock started gonging, he thought he was going to drown in the shower, the rubberbands I gave him snapped at him and caused him to scream bloody hell, and then the mail man came...

I don't think Mr. Harold was gonna be back in a while.

"Duo?"

I opened my eyes and sat up. "Yes, Wufei?"

Wufei stood at the door dressed in a baggy sweater and jeans. Well, they were baggy for him since he had such a small build and I was bigger than him. I had to get Quatre to take him out shopping, Zechs would probably help as well. Lord knew what happened when you told those two to go shopping. They were both loaded and knew how to use the money.

"I'm sorry for being such a troublemaker today. It's just that everything is so new and I'm just not used to this time," Wufei said softly as he stood there, blushing and looking very guilty and embarassed. I wanted so badly to take him into my arms and just hold him, no matter what kind of hell he gave me today. It would all be worth it if I could just hold him. He was so beautiful, so very beautiful. It almost physically hurt not to touch him. I touched him while helping him dress, he was so soft and silky. I wanted to touch him again.

"This time?" I repeated.

Wufei nodded. "I came from a different time. When the great emperors ruled during the Three Kingdoms."

"I see," I said even though I clearly didn't see. How old was Wufei? If he came from another time, that meant I just brought someone back somehow. "But you came from a painting."

Wufei smiled. "Yes, I did. But I did live in another time, only, when you painted me you brought me into this world as well."

I nodded. "Well, that explains a little. Sorta."

Wufei laughed. "Someday I'll tell you my story. Right now," Wufei yawned, "I'm tired."

"I'll show you to your room," I said, standing up. I led him to the guestroom and helped him out of the clothes since he didn't know how to put them on or take them off properly. What did the Chinese wear in the past anyway?

"Thank you, Duo," Wufei yawned as he slipped under the blankets in oversized pajamas. He looked so adorable as he laid his head on the pillow and drifted off.

I watched him for a while before I turned and left the room to my own.

~*~

In the middle of the night Wufei woke me up and slid into my bed before I could gather my wits about me. Then, before I could say another word, he was snuggled against me and sound asleep.

I had watched him for about a second before I fell back asleep. It had been a long day. I'll look at him in the morning.

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DON'T HIT! So, I made Wufei off as a little...scardey cattish. I'll make it up! Besides, he's in a new world right? He isn't used to it!

Wufei: That's a pathetic way to defend my honor, woman!

Dragon: *cries* Oh, come on! Leave me alone!

[1] Thanks a lot to Michi for pointing out that it takes longer for a person to pick up the phone when they're "preoccupied". *grin*