by Hex
Disclaimer: No I don't own them. I wish.
Special note: When I originally started this fic I had one goal in mind. I wanted to make Trowa a lifeguard. I had never read a fic where Trowa was a lifeguard and I felt that was a true injustice within the fandom. I mean doesn't Trowa's body just scream to be put in red swim trunks and have the silver whistle around his neck? OK maybe it's just me....... This is the part of the story where well, Wufei takes over. Actually it was more like this, "Pay attention to me!! I'm Chang Wufei! Payattention to me! Chang Wufei!! Attention to me!" so yeah my simple, fluffy 3X4 turned into the Wufei angst-a-thon for no apparrent reason>.< Oh well he wanted attention and I gave it to him.
Warnings: Let's see *ahem*; bad language, angst, Pervy type humour, fluff, and drunk pilots. The NCS ramble applies here as well. We don't see it directly but it is a major focus again. If that bothers you in anyway then skip this part too.
/Mandarin/
/~Cantonese~/
It had been three weeks, three weeks of hell. Wufei stared at the wall. Last night had been almost fun. They had gone to the bar. It wasn't anything spectacular. Wufei had driven and not touched a drop. He made the excuse of driving to keep himself away from alcohol. The night of music, dancing, and pool had almost made him forget he was beneath deserving the presence of his friends. Wufei absently traced a finger down the wall. Then that guy had shown up, Michael. Wufei grimaced. He knew he had no right to be jealous but he was. He had nothing to resent. His mind understood that well enough but his heart would have rather he ripped the guys head off for hitting on Sally. Of course, the guys thought he was all right. The only person who didn't like him was Quatre, surprisingly enough. He had been shocked when Quatre walked over to stand beside him and mutter something under his breath that made Wufei's ears burn. It had been comforting, despite the disturbing performance from the usually sweet blonde.
The Chinese boy was willing to admit to wanting to drape an arm over Sally and tell the smooth bastard to fuck off. He had managed to restrain himself. Besides Sally hadn't seemed to mind the guy's attention anyway. Wufei wasn't sure if that was what had bothered him the most. Maybe it was just that Sally's attention was off him. He wasn't exactly sure when he had started to covet it but he missed it. Sally had been slightly, well, protective of him. She seemed to know exactly when he had reached his limit. She knew the exact moment his headaches were too much for him to handle. Wufei wasn't sure exactly how it kept happening but they would end up together, be it sitting next to one another, playing pool, in the same car where Sally usually rode shot gun. It was getting harder and harder for Wufei to keep himself from breaking down. She kept being so damned gentle with him that he wanted to scream at her and tell her everything.
Now, but now Michael was getting her damned attention. The guy was tall, nearly Trowa's height. He was built with those classic star quarterback looks that made Wufei want to stomp repeatedly on his face. He smiled and winked and teased Sally in that perfectly smooth practiced way. He joked with the guys but mostly spent his time complementing Sally and flirting with her. He was annoying. Wufei had hated guys like him since the beginning of time. They were the ones who made fun of him for being able to win the science fair prizes, for getting all the best grades, for always doing his homework. It was his type that also loved to tease him about his hair. He knew the short ponytail made him look girlie to them. Then again these guys couldn't tell if he was Chinese, Japanese or Philippino if their lives depended on it. Damn bastard probably just wanted in her pants. The thought made Wufei growl and glare at the wall. Wufei felt his annoyance drain out of him quickly. He had better get out of bed and clean himself up the guys were coming over today to watch movies.
The five of them had just finished watch 'Full Time Killers' an Andy Lau Hong Kong movie. Duo was still giving the movie rave reviews after they had finished eating pizza and had some how migrated into Wufei's living room, sitting on and around the couch, totally ignoring the love seat.
"That was sooo awesome! I totally loved the opening sequence with O where he shoots that guy! It was cool. But man Andy is cool. He is my hero now! God it's like a way better version of Assassins. And that totally evil part with the grenades, too good man." Duo said excitedly.
"Andy is singer too. I like his movies better than Leon's though." Wufei said as he settled down into his grove in the couch.
"He's a good actor for a singer or is he an actor that decided to sing?" Duo asked, curled into Heero's side
"He's good at both. I like his CD's and all but I like his movies better." Wufei said and rolled his eyes as Trowa pulled a protesting Quatre into his lap. "Quit pretending to be scandalized Quatre. We all know you want to crawl into his lap anyway." Quatre merely stuck his tongue out at Wufei and proceeded to do exactly what the Chinese boy told him to. Wufei smiled at Quatre happily.
"Ooooo I want to go get chips and pop. Let's go get some junk!" Quatre said and grinned down at Trowa.
"OK. You drive. I'm too lazy." Trowa's replied, looking sleepy.
"Yeah, just don't get distracted and start fooling around in the car instead of bringing back the food." Wufei stated flatly. Quatre merely replied by giving him the one finger salute as they left. He hadn't realized just how much he liked the blonde until last night when they had been standing off away from everyone else talking about 'The Slimy Jock', the nickname Quatre had given Michael. They had talked about nothing too important until Quatre had looked at him in the most direct way.
"You can talk to me about it when you're ready." He had said and Wufei had only looked at him baffled. "Whatever has been eating at you. Trowa knows something is bothering you. He just doesn't know if you feel comfortable talking to him about it. You can talk to me if it makes you feel better."
Wufei hadn't responded, only nodded and let the subject drop. A knock made the memory fly from his mind.
"Wonder who it is? Maybe my mom forgot her keys. But it's kind of early for her to be home from Mahjong." Wufei muttered, standing.
"I'll get it." Heero said and walked over to the back door. Heero pulled the door open and felt his jaw drop. Sally stood in the rain at the back door. Her hair was a mess and clung to her face and neck. She held her arms tightly across her chest. Her makeup was bleeding down her face as she sniffled.
"I need to phone Quatre." Sally said softly, her teeth chattering as she spoke.
"OK. He'll be here soon. Duo is if you need him." Heero said gently. Sally really looked like a frightened wild thing. Heero moved out of her way so she could step into the house.
"Sally?" Duo asked as he appeared at the door behind Heero. "Jesus Christ what happened?"
"I need to phone Quatre." Sally said softly and looked at the floor.
"Sally?" Wufei said, peering from the kitchen doorway. "Do you want me to get you some dry clothes? You're soaked."
"Wufei............" Sally sniffed and the glassy look in her eyes cleared for a second before she rushed the Chinese boy, throwing her arms around his neck. She rubbed her face against his shoulder while she sobbed. As Wufei recovered from the shock of being plowed into by Sally he wrapped his arms loosely around her.
"Duo, there are towels in the hall linen closet." Wufei said as he and Sally sunk to the floor, his back against the fridge.
"Why don't you go into the bathroom and you can towel off and get changed hmmm?" Wufei asked softly, trying to gently pry the blonde girl's face from his shoulder. She only nodded and slid off to the bathroom.
"Her shirt is ripped." Duo growled. "Someone ripped her shirt and I want to know who."
"Calm down Duo. She's not ready to talk yet. Quatre shouldn't be long," Wufei said as he walked to his room. The Chinese boy pulled out a pair of sweats and a sweater for Sally. He dug into his sock drawer and found one other thing. Something he should give back to her. He wrapped the other object in the sweats and went to the bathroom.
"Sally?" Wufei asked as he knocked on the shut door. "I have something for you to wear."
"Come in." Came the nearly inaudible reply. Sally was sitting on the toilet seat, the towel wrapped around her shoulders.
"Are you all right?" Wufei asked as he came into the small bathroom and sat down by her feet.
"I said no and he wouldn't let go." Sally replied, her voice soft. "I struggled and he grabbed my shirt. It ripped. He hit me really hard on the cheek." Her hand went there absently and touched it gingerly. "I got a little leverage and kicked him. Then I ran. I forgot my jacket."
Wufei could only stare at the ground. He couldn't look at her. Not after what he had done. He clutched the sweats tighter in his arms.
"It ....... It wasn't the first time someone did this to you." Wufei began. "I'm sorry Sally. I was drunk. I didn't mean for it to happen, I swear! I didn't try to hurt you....... I don't think. I can barely remember. I swear I'm sorry." Wufei lowered his eyes to his feet. "Umm these are yours."
Wufei handed her the pair of white silk panties he had stuffed in his pocket the morning after when he had found himself covered in blood and the bed sheets ruined.
"What are you talking about?" Sally asked, her hand touching his shoulder gently.
"That night at Quatre's! I was rough... I made you...... just like he was going to but you didn't get away. You bled!" Wufei whispered, his voice going hoarse.
"That happens with a lot of girls when they loose their virginity." Sally replied.
"You mean I didn't? I --you-- and ......" Wufei stuttered, struggling to control his nausea.
"No you didn't." Sally said softly. She slid down off the toilet to face Wufei, straddling his thighs. Wufei's hands clutched the cloth of the sweats tighter until his knuckles were white and started to shake from the strain. Wufei let a weakness get the better of him and rested his forehead on the girl's shoulder. "It's OK Wufei. It's all right."
"God, it doesn't feel 'all right'. I really thought I had hurt you. I really was starting to think I was some sort of heartless bastard. I thought I was a rapist. And there was this girl - she was pretty, smart, and weird - and I had done this thing to her that I couldn't undo. I had taken something from her I could never give back and never make it up to her for. She was going to loath my existence until the end of time and I knew she was a woman I could fall in love with. I thought I was being swallowed by hell." Wufei sobbed into Sally's shoulder. Wufei wrapped his arms around her, suddenly afraid that he was dreaming. That he really was a monster and having a monster's escape. That she would dissipate like cool night fog and he'd be left all alone in the blackness of his sin. Sally pulled away slightly and kissed away the wetness on Wufei's cheeks.
"It is all right. At least now it is." Sally said gently.
She wondered a little when she had started to like Wufei. Really started, for all the right reasons rather than being damn horny and drunk. Probably just from catching him watching her. The way he'd sadly avert his eyes, the telltale signs of being overprotective. Not just of her, but for Heero, Trowa, and Duo. Even of Quatre, who was as new to him as Sally. There was something inexplicably old fashioned. Maybe it was the sense of the classic gentleman who lived by the honour of a long ago time. Or most likely it was the fact that - unlike most Hetero guys his age - Wufei had not one, but multiple gay guy friends. He was not perturbed by the homosexual jokes and remarks Duo threw around. Wufei never showed signs of being weirded out. Mostly Wufei just flushed at any sexual joke.
And the boy had thought of himself as a predator. Sally couldn't help but shake her head. Despite the veneer of the cocksure arrogant bastard, he was a good friend. He was loving and sweet. Like Heero and Trowa, he hid his more gentle side from the world.
"Sally?" A voice called gently from beyond the door.
"I'm OK Quatre. I'll be out soon." Sally said, stroking Wufei's cheek. "Let's go outside."
"You should get dressed first." Wufei told her gently. "I'll wait outside."
"How is she?" Quatre asked as Wufei opened the door. Quatre didn't comment on the slight redness of the Chinese boys nose and eyes.
"She'll be all right I think." Wufei said.
"Do you know what happened?" Trowa's asked.
"She said no, he smacked her and ripped her shirt. She got a chance and bolted." Wufei ground out.
"But she's all right isn't she. He didn't, did he?" Quatre asked anxiously and wrung his hands.
"No. At least I don't think so." Wufei replied, rubbing his forehead.
"I'll be all right. I just need some time to calm down a little. It was a little too close for comfort." Sally told them, appearing in the now open bathroom doorway.
"Let's all go and relax a little. We need it." Wufei said and walked to the living room.
Wufei plunked down on the couch and sighed. That had been entirely too emotionally draining for him. The Chinese boy was so tired he closed his eyes. He snapped them open again when a pillow landed in his lap and a mass of messy still damp blonde hair fell into it. He caught Quatre smirking at him out of the corner of his eye. Wufei chose to blatantly ignore the blonde. He closed his eyes again listening to the others mummer around him. He was impressed by the fact that even Duo was keeping his voice toned down. Everything faded out and Wufei felt the lull of sleep pull him in.
"What the hell this?" A voice demanded. A female voice. One he knew well, one that was not pleased. Wufei's eyes snapped open to see his mother standing, hands on hips in front of him and Sally, who bolted up right then flushed crimson. "You do this?" She demanded grabbing Sally's face and pointing to the bruise with the slippers she held in her hand.
"No Ma'am.... "Sally began but was cut off abruptly.
"I taught you better than hit girls!" She declared and smacked Wufei on the head with the slippers.
"OW! MOM! I didn't hit her!" Wufei cried as the slippers came down on his head again.
"You not hit her then who did?" Mrs. Chang demanded, glaring at all of the boys, looking for the culprit.
"It was someone else." Sally said softly, touching the older woman's arm.
"Did you put ice on it?" Mrs. Chang asked, gently running her fingers over the abused area.
"No Ma'am." Sally replied.
"Come we put ice on that. Hopefully bring down little of the swelling." The Chinese matriarch ordered.
"Yes Ma'am" Sally, said following the woman into the kitchen.
"You girl, call me Auntie [14]." Mrs. Chang said, pulling out a tea towel from a drawer in the kitchen. "What your name? My son has bad manners. Not tell me anyone's name. Already know Heero and Trowa. They good boys."
"My name is Sally." Sally said softly.
"Hmm. What your last name." She asked, pilling a little ice into the cloth and handing it to Sally.
"Po." Sally replied.
"Thought so. You half blood huh?" Mrs. Chang asked. Sally bristled a little at that statement. "Very pretty. Got western coloring but Asian eyes."
"My Mother grew up in Hong Kong despite being English. Father and mother met there and they moved here not long after." Sally said softly. Some of her father's relatives did not like her much. She was after all only half-Chinese. The same sort of thing happened to her on her mother's side as well.
"Don't be ashamed. As long as you have good head on your shoulders. No one say anything. My boy like you so you have to be smart. Wufei not like stupid people." Mrs. Chang stated matter-of-factly.
"No. That much I know." Sally said and smiled.
"Don't just hold ice. Put it on your cheek silly girl. You eat yet? Young people must eat." Mrs. Chang said and began rummaging around in the kitchen.
"Mom. We've already eaten." Wufei said "It's 8:30 at night."
"No. She need something to eat. Those two white boys look like they not eat for past year. You all eat!" Mrs. Chang asserted.
"Hey guess what Quatre, you're white." Duo said, disappearing from the doorway where he had come to stand following Wufei.
"Hmmm. People always say that Duo. That makes it soooo much more fun when I say I'm half-Arabian. They look at me like I'm on crack." Quatre replied.
/"Mommy-a [15], we already ate. You don't need to make anything."/ Wufei said.
/"I'm still going to cook something. The one with the braid is your friend Duo right? The one that likes my cooking so much he'll steal your lunch from you to taste it. Then pouts when it's not something I cooked?"/ Mrs. Chang asked.
"Hey Sally you catch that?" Duo asked.
"No. It's Mandarin. I only speak Cantonese." Sally replied.
/~"You know Cantonese? Good you can teach my son. His Cantonese is horrible. Just can't get the tones right. You can learn Mandarin from him. It should be easy for you. There are only a few tones compared to Cantonese."~/ Mrs. Chang said as she piled rice from the rice cooker into a lare serving bowl.
"Yes Auntie." Sally said, grinning.
"What are you two up to?" Wufei demanded.
"We're talking about you." Sally said, sticking her tongue out at him. Wufei grunted and looked annoyed.
"Oh Man, your Mom is cooking? Awesome!" Duo said and bounced into the kitchen from the doorway to sit happily at the table.
"Duo don't be a mooch." Quatre said and smiled politely at Wufei's mom.
"Who this one?" Mrs. Chang asked. "Oh right pretty blonde that Trowa likes. Must be Quatre." The pretty blonde flushed as Trowa appeared behind Him.
"Hi Mummy." Trowa's said groggily.
"Why you always fall asleep on my couch? I should trade for your bed." Mrs. Chang declared and pulled out some slices of green peppers.
"Deal." Trowa's said, grinning at the woman he had known since he and Wufei played hide and go seek and had skinned knees that could only be soothed by a parent.
"I had first dibs on the couch." Heero said from behind Trowa.
"You can't trade me anything. He can." Mrs. Chang retorted. "You boys go play for a while in computer room. Leave me here to do this."
"I can help." Sally said.
"OK. You know how to make fried thick noodle?" Mrs. Chang asked. Sally nodded in response. Mrs Chang shooed all of the boys out of the kitchen.
"They just get under foot."
Sally smiled in response to that bit after having to forcibly remove Duo from his place at the table.
"Come on Duo! Jesus you take for ever!" Sally said, throwing her hands up in the air in exasperation. "Isn't it supposed to be me that's late? I mean I am the only girl after all."
"Until you have as much goddamned hair as I do you can't bitch and moan about how long I take to get ready!' Duo snapped.
"I already helped you with your hair it's the fact you're taking something beyond forever to pick your bloody clothes. They're just gonna get ripped off later tonight anyway so why worry about it? I didn't take this long to pick my clothes. Hello?!" Sally flailed in a perfect imitation of an agitated Duo.
"Get bent bitz." Duo retorted, taking a look at Sally from underneath his bangs. "You spent 20 minutes on your makeup. Usually it takes you 20 minutes to get ready. In Total!"
"Yeah so?" Sally said, hands on hips, looking superior.
"Got to look pretty for our FeiFei?" Duo said, batting his eyelashes at her.
"Yeah so, what's your point?" Sally asked.
"GAH! ACK! Deny it! Deny! Deny! Deny! That's what you're supposed to do! That's dur-tay! It's beyond dur-tay!" Duo wailed, covering his ears with his hands.
"But he's hot! And smart, and amusing, and he has a nice ass, and he's hot. Did I mention the hot factor yet?" Sally said as Duo made agonized faces.
"Bubble. I'm in my bubble!" Duo said, miming an invisible barrier around himself. "You and Wufei are not involved in friend-cest!"
"Friend-cest?" Sally croaked as she broke down into hysterics. "The only bubble here is the one attached to your neck!" Sally continued to laugh, a snort escaping her. "Friend-cest! Oh Lord! Friend-cest."
"Yuck! OK you can date him but if you have sex with him I'll kill you both!" Duo cried and came to a perfect stand still. He saw the flicker of Sally's eyelids and the blush that enveloped her face. "What was that look? You already slept with him? What the fuck! When did this happen? What the hell?"
"Duo, Duo calm down." Sally said as Duo grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her.
"Calm down? I'm your best friend! Thanks a lot! What the fuck is going on?" Duo demanded.
"If I explain everything you have to promise to stay calm." Sally said and Duo nodded. "It ah sort of just happened that first night after the bar."
"After the----- YOU WERE DRUNK! THAT ASS HOLE!" Duo burst out.
"Duo shut up and sit down before I make you." Sally ordered, grabbing the brunette by his hair and pulling him down to the bed inspite of her own warning. "Yes I was drunk but then again so was he. He was even more drunk then I was. Think about it. Does Wufei strike you as the type of guy that goes around taking advantage of women?"
"Well no. But still....." Duo trailed off. He squirmed in his seat. His better sense was at war with his overwhelmingly protective instincts towards his friends.
"No buts, well except Wufei's." Sally said, grinning. Her lips pressed into a flat line. "He's had a bad few weeks. I was a virgin before and I bled. He was drunk enough to just barely remember and only enough to make him think he had done something horrible. So lay off. It was consensual. I didn't do anything I didn't want to and didn't enjoy, so calm down."
"Jesus Christ. No wonder Wufei looked like shit. He probably felt like it. Probably thought he *was* it." Duo murmured. He ran a hand through his bangs and gave Sally a searching look. "You're OK though right? He really didn't hurt you or anything. I'm not saying it was on purpose or something."
"I'm fine. I'm sloughing my uterine wall too so no worries on the baby board." Sally stated, letting her eyes drift heavenward as she waited for Duo to have his next fit.
"AUGH!" Duo cried and flailed. "I didn't even think of that!"
"Most guys don't." Sally replied and grinned.
"And did you have to say it like that?" Duo asked, standing, (AS for 'em both) hands on hips. "I mean 'sloughing your uterine wall'? YUCK!" Sally only cackled, lying back on the bed.
"Now finish getting ready you damn woman." Sally said lacing her finger behind her head.
The rest of the group had caved to Duo's pressure and they went to the newest bar in town. Of course it was chaotic busy and getting drinks was like pulling teeth. It had a nice atmosphere, more like a classy club then a bar. The first floor was pretty typical with the dance floor, which was by all opinions too small, and had three different bars. The second floor had couches and booths. Music was not pumped through this area but allowed to carry from below. Not surprisingly it was dimly lit and mildly smoky. They had only been there for a few hours but they decided it was time to go. The place as a whole was just too crowded and aggravating for the group. They were on their way out passing by the dance floor when Sally froze in place and stared at the person directly in their chosen path. Michael was leaning casually against the railing of the dance floor and had the guts to smirk in their direction. Heero forcibly restrained Duo, Trowa put a stilling hand on Wufei's shoulder as the Chinese boy reached over and took Sally's hand.
There was a blonde and white blur and suddenly Michael went ass over teakettle over the railing onto the dance floor. The blonde and white blur turned into Quatre who vaulted over the railing slamming his Nike clad size 8's into Michael's chest and groin. The blonde dropped to his knees on the jock's chest and began pummeling him in the face. Trowa was the first of the dumbfounded five to recover. He vaulted the railing as well and grabbed Quatre around the waist. He hauled the blonde up and the group made a dive for the door. Luckily they beat the bouncers to the fire exit and took off at a run. Trowa put Quatre down and took the lead dragging the blonde by the hand. Taking them on a route around a few buildings to his apartment, which was blessedly close by. They bolted into the building and raced to the stairs. They made it to the third floor before they collapsed in the stairwell. The bouncers, by this point, were obviously not following them. Then Duo started to laugh.
"Holy shit that was poetry in motion. Did you see the way his feet went up over his head? And Quatre the way you cleared the railing landing a foot right in the nuts. Man it was beautiful. It almost brings a tear to my eye." Duo wheezed between laughs. He and Heero were at the bottom of the stairs. Sally and Wufei sat cuddled close and sucked in air greedily just behind them. Trowa and Quatre sat side by side at the top of the stairs. The blonde had curled tightly into himself and pressed his face against his knees.
"You are the only friends I have. I'm not letting slime like that hurt you." Was Quatre's knee muffled reply. Sally pulled away from Wufei slightly to lean her head back on Quatre's feet. The blonde boy raised his head to look into her eyes. She smiled at him and touched his temple gently with her fingertips.
"Nice shoulder check." She said and her lips twitched. Quatre smiled in response and sighed.
"I'm never going to hear the end of this am I?" Quatre asked.
"Hell no!" Duo, Sally, Wufei, Heero and Trowa declared. The group all looked to one another shocked, then burst out laughing.
"So Pizza?" Trowa asked.
"Yeah!" Everyone agreed.
Ok so that was as far as I got. I have to resolve some of the 1X2 3X4 sexual tension I know but I have some sort of ideas for that. Just crack the whip on me or something K? I hope you think it's funny. I had waaaay to much fun writting it.
[14] This is what my friend Alice calls her boyfriend's Mom. Stole it from her.
[15] This is what Alice calls her mother all the time. I used it for lack of a better idea. Besides, Wufei's family is based on hers so I had to be consistent you know ^_~
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