Gomen for taking so long! Thank you's to everyone who responded to part 4, if I didn't thank you already. I can't remember if I responded or not...
lol.

Pairings: 2+5/5+2
Disclaimer: Duh. Song and characters aren't mine.
Notes: *grins* they finally get somewhere...
Archive: You want it? O my. You are desperate. Well, you can have it, just lemme know where its at.

Part 5

Wufei realized he had just seen into Duo’s soul for a few minutes, and while that shocked him to no end…it also pleased him in a way he had not thought possible.

Carefully laying the now-sleeping Lien down in her bed, Wufei gently set her on her stomach, and pulled a thin blanket up to her shoulders. He gazed down at her, a soft expression on his face. 'Little one, you must get well soon. We can't have you getting sick on us, can we?'

He studied her for another few seconds, before turning to find Duo. Wufei saw the American boy sitting down on the bed, his back leaning against the wall, knees brought up to his chest, one arm around them. The Chinese boy went to sit next to him, also leaning up against the wall, but with his legs dangling off the side of the bed.

Duo looked over at the Chinese pilot, noting that even though his face was in its usual stern, stoic facade, the black-brown eyes were soft and worried. His body posture, with his legs just hanging off the side, and his arms lying comfortably in his lap, was slumped, and relaxed, something it never was. It showed the exhaustion Wufei was feeling. ‘He really loves Lien…not like a brother either…but as a father. He really cares about her.’

Looking down at his arm lying across his knees, Duo thought to him self, ‘What I wouldn’t give to have his love in a different way…’

Whoa, where did that come from?

‘You know you care about him…love him even.’

Do not!

‘Do to.’

Go away.

‘You can’t make me. Ptttttbbbb!’

Duo blinked. His own mind had just blown him a raspberry! “I’m really losing it…”

Wufei looked over at him. “Losing what?”

‘Argh! I said that out loud! Think, think excuse…think excuse…’ “Um….” ‘Great, just great…’ “…Uh…I dunno, I was just…uh…thinking aloud…eheh…” ‘How intelligent you are, Duo.’ ‘Shut up!’ ‘Make me!’ Duo winced. It didn’t seem very normal or sane to be talking to himself.

Wufei just gave him a strange look and then looked back to the opposite wall, his posture still relaxed. Duo decided to comment on it.

“You look really tired, Wufei.”

Wufei gave him a measuring look. Duo unconsciously began to flush. “What? What is it? Did I say something wrong?”

The Chinese boy shook his head. “No. It’s just…you called me Wufei. You didn’t use a nickname.”

Duo laughed self-consciously. “Okay, Wu-man, I won’t call you Wufei anymore.” At this, Wufei rolled his eyes and looked down at his hands.

“Anywho, you look really tired, Wu-man. You’ve really got to get some rest,” he said, watching Wufei from the corner of his eye.

“Duo, how do you feel about Heero right now?” The question came out of nowhere, and Duo turned to stare at Wufei.

“Why do you ask?” ‘Here’s your chance to tell him.’ ‘Tell him what?’ ‘That you love him, duh.’ ‘You shoosh!’

“Just wondering. You don’t seem to be all that upset anymore. Or am I wrong?” Wufei said, turning his head slightly to look at Duo.

Duo thought about it a moment. He really hadn’t thought about Heero turning him down at all. Not since him and Wufei had had that almost-but-not-quite-there kiss…Just thinking about that brush of lips sent a shiver of anticipation up his spine. “I don’t know really.” ‘Yes you do.’ “I think maybe it was more infatuation than love.” ‘Well duh.’ “I mean, it still kinda stings having someone turn you down, but, its not the same kinda sting of having someone you love turn you down.” ‘Well said, now tell him you love him!’ ‘No!’ ‘Argh…’

“Oh,” was the soft response he got. Duo wondered exactly what ‘Oh’ meant for a while before he began to speak again.

“You know, you called me Duo.”

Wufei blushed at this. Duo grinned at him, and said, “Oh, is the almighty Wufei blushing? I do believe he is.”

The Chinese boy laughed, and Duo’s breath caught. He had never heard the normally stoic pilot laugh before, even when they had their talks sometimes. Now that he had heard it, he wanted to hear it again.

“Maxwell, you are something else.”

“So are you, Wu-man.”

The two both grinned at the nicknames, and sat in companionable silence for a few minutes. Finally, it was Duo who broke it.

“You really love her a lot? Don’t you?” Wufei turned to look at Duo, who was at the moment staring off into space.

“’Her’ being whom?”

“Lien.”

Wufei thought about it a moment. “I think I do. It’s hard not to, she’s so small and innocent.”

Duo smiled. “I’m sure she loved your singing. As did I.”

Wufei’s heartbeat began to pick up pace at the compliment. “Really.”

“Really. Would you sing me another song? A more popular song, one they play on the radio?”

Wufei thought about it. He had heard some songs on the radio lately, songs that had been recovered from the 21century. “Okay. Umm…”

He thought a minute before coming up with one he thought Duo might like.

“And you, bring me to my knees, again. And all the times, that I had to beg you please, in vain,” Wufei sang, in a low, deep voice, his eyes closed. “ And all the times, that I've felt insecure, for you. And I leave my burdens at the door.”

Duo watched him, captivated by the sight. Wufei just kept singing, “But I'm on the outside, I'm looking in. I can see through you, see your true colors. 'Cause inside you’re ugly. Your ugly like me. I can see through you, see to the real you.

“And all this time that I felt like this won't end, was for you. And I taste but I could never have, it’s from you. And all this time that I tried, my intention, full of pride. And I waste more time than anyone.

“I'm on the outside, I'm lookin' in. I can see through you, see your true colors. 'Cause inside your ugly, your ugly like me I can see through you see to the real you.”

Wufei stopped there. He looked over to Duo, who was still watching him. “So…did you like that song?”

Duo merely watched the boy’s shifting eyes, watched them go from embarrassment, to self-consciousness, to another emotion that looked a little like fear. Wufei kept thinking, ‘Why is he looking at me? Why won’t he answer me? What if he didn’t like it?’

Whispering, Duo said, “You fascinate me, do you know that?”

Wufei flushed. In a low, shaky voice, he replied, “Wha-what do you mean?”

Without realizing, Duo was moving his face closer, inch by inch. “You fascinate me. They way you act so stoic and mean outside of your room, but when I talk to you about problems, your mask drops little by little. Your eyes, they look like they hold so many secrets. Secrets I would love to know. But I have secrets too. Did you know that?”

His voice trembling with anticipation and fear, Wufei whispered back, “Everyone has secrets. Some just go deeper than others.”

Now Duo was watching Wufei’s lips move. All thoughts of Heero were gone from his mind, all thoughts of Lien gone from Wufei’s mind. The only thing occupying Duo’s mind was how soft and full those lips looked from here. He wondered if they were as smooth as they looked.

“Duo….”

“Yes?” They were both whispering now.

“The songs not finished…”

“Who cares…your voice is to beautiful for that to matter….”

“But Duo-“

Wufei didn’t get to finish his sentence, as suddenly Duo’s lips were moving, just brushing Wufei’s lips. Wufei’s breath came out in a rush, fanning in a warm wave over Duo’s mouth.

“So beautiful…”

*~*~*~*~*

Sorry so short, if you want more, lemme know, so it'll get posted faster.
^__^ If you want me to burn it, I'll send you a copy so you can destroy it yourself.