Author: Caroline
Rating: NC-17
Pairing: 5x2
Warnings: TWT, since this is my first time writing Wufei as a main character, most likely OOC, PWPish elements, lemon
Spoilers: slight Wufei's and Duo's past spoilers
Comments: please
Disclaimers: don't own 'em. never will. 'nuff said.

Houseboat Haven + Part 5

The winds howled over the water, raging across the roof of the houseboat. Waves pounded the sides of the boat as if demanding entrance. The moon and stars had been blotted out, leaving the night darker than the lowest depths of hell. The only light came from the bright strobe-like flashes streaking down from the heavens and the dim glow from the illuminated numbers of the wall clock. While the elements raged outside, a storm of a different kind was brewing within.

Wufei held Duo in his arms, allowing his hands to move in comforting circles along the American's skin. Tenderly, he kissed the tears from Duo's cheeks before seeking his mouth once more. He kissed Duo softly, exploring the boy's mouth slowly with his tongue. The flavor he discovered inside was so uniquely Duo he would have willingly drowned in it if he could.

Duo was almost totally still in his embrace. The one arm that was not trapped underneath his body clutched Wufei's side like a drowning man grasping a life preserver. Wufei knew what Duo was doing - focusing his entire being on what Wufei was making him feel, ignoring the outside world and the pain and loneliness within. Wufei knew it too well - he'd done the same thing when Meiran and the other members of his clan had perished. He and Duo were a lot alike, probably more than either one was willing to admit. Two lonely, orphaned souls searching for someone to cling to, to love, if only for a little while. And they had found each other.

The boat rocked almost violently against the pounding waves. The motions caused Wufei to pitch forward, rolling almost on top of Duo. The Chinese pilot looked startled and opened his mouth to apologize, but Duo silenced him with a finger over his mouth. Smiling softly, he pulled Wufei on top of him completely, opening his legs to make room for him. Wufei stared down at his would-be lover, amazed by the gift Duo was offering him. The long-haired boy smiled again and drew him back down to claim his lips.

He didn't remember anything tasting as sweet as Duo's lips. He went in for a second, third, and forth taste, becoming addicted instantly. Duo readily welcomed him into his mouth, moving his hands to run his fingers through Wufei's dark hair. Finding the tie holding his hair in a loose ponytail at the back, Duo quickly removed it and tossed it aside. A curtain of black silk came tumbling down, shielding both their faces from the outside world.

Duo smiled, allowing Wufei's hair to slide through his fingers. "You should wear your hair down more often," he whispered.

"Can't. It gets in my eyes," the Chinese pilot replied, shaking the hair out of his face.

Duo fingered the silky strands. "But it's beautiful." He moved his hands to cup Wufei's cheek. "You're beautiful."

Wufei felt his breath catch in his throat. No one had ever told him he was beautiful before. He almost didn't want to believe it - but Duo never lied. Not since he had been married to Meiran had he ever felt this strongly for another person. Meiran had been beautiful, not he. The boy beneath him was beautiful - Wufei was just a pale imitation of beauty compared to those two. He swooped down to capture the American's lips, determined to show him just how beautiful he was without words.

Duo moaned into his mouth, hands wandering down his back. Wufei felt them sliding under the hem of his shirt to caress the smooth skin beneath. He jumped at the touch, then sank down upon the American's body once more, allowing Duo to touch him freely under the shirt. The smaller pilot tugged the material upwards to gather under Wufei's arms, leaving his back free to the touch. Duo traced random patterns over the bare skin, moaning beneath the Shenlong pilot and rolling his head to the side to give Wufei easy access to his throat. Duo's skin seemed to glow in the darkness. Wufei was overcome with the desire to taste him there.

He lowered his lips to Duo's neck and kissed the vein he found there. He ran his tongue over it, feeling it pulse with the beat of Duo's heart. He felt dizzy as he did so - this was Duo's very life force underneath his mouth. Duo's heart was beating very fast - and at that moment, it was beating for him.

He moved down a little further, wanting to hear Duo's heart beat. He placed his head on Duo's chest, ear over his heart, and listened to the steady rhythm of Duo's life.

"Wufei?" the long-haired boy asked hesitantly.

"Shhh. Just let me listen for a moment," the dark-eyed boy replied, not moving his head.

Duo didn't respond. He simply lay there, running his hands through Wufei's hair. They lay there for several long minutes; Wufei listening as the thunder outside echoed the beat of Duo's heart. He turned his head and placed a kiss over his heart. Beneath him, Duo sighed contentedly, continuing to run his fingers though Wufei's dark locks. Intrigued by the taste of Duo's skin and wanting to hear the long-haired boy moan his name, the Chinese pilot moved his lips a few inches upwards and lightly tongued the pert, pink nipple found there.

"Nnnh! 'Fei," Duo murmured, arching his back at the touch.

Wufei rolled the hardened nub in his mouth, squeezing it gently between his teeth. In the frequent bursts of light provided by Mother Nature outside their window, he could see Duo's head thrashing back and forth on the pillow. The American moved sensuously beneath him and Wufei could feel his own body responding to the quiet moans emanating from Duo's throat.

Slowly he moved downwards, kissing and tasting his way across Duo's skin, feeling his lover's stomach flutter excitedly beneath him. His lover. Those words caused Wufei's heart to contract. He hadn't had anyone to call his lover in a very long time. He hadn't wanted to - until this loud-mouthed American baka had come into his life. Duo was so beautiful, inside as well as out. The long-haired boy was so warm and caring, and Wufei felt extremely honored to be able to get close to that warmth after being so cold and alone for such a long time. He placed a worshipful kiss on Duo's stomach, silently thanking him, before moving on.

He dipped his tongue into Duo's bellybutton, running it around the smooth skin within. Duo groaned again and raised up on his elbows to look down at his dark-haired lover.

"'Fei," he half-whispered, smoothing back a strand of ebony silk. "'Fei, please."

Chocolate eyes met violet in the near darkness of the cabin. Wufei caressed the silky skin of Duo's abdomen in reassurance. He nuzzled the elastic band of his lover's boxers before moving lower and opening his mouth over Duo's cotton clad erection.

Duo cried out as Wufei traced his hardened arousal through the thin cloth with his lips and tongue, soaking through the front of his boxers. He dropped his upper body back down onto the bed, unable to do anything but feel as Wufei teased him. The Chinese pilot worked him expertly through the material, using Duo's whimpers and groans to guide him. The boat rocked perilously beneath them, but neither seemed to notice; the storm all but forgotten in their passion.

As Wufei continued to knead Duo through his boxers, his hands slid up to grasp the elastic waist band of the garment. Ever so slowly, so as not to alarm Duo, Wufei pulled the material over the American's hips. He removed his mouth briefly to expose the tip of his lover's cock to the open air. The tip glistened with pearly fluid in the light provided by lightning once again racing across the sky. Wufei paused for a moment to taste Duo's essence. He rolled the boy's unique flavor around his mouth, sliding his tongue along the tiny slit at the end searching for more of the heady, musky droplets. Duo made a little mewling sound in the back of his throat, lifting his hips slightly to give Wufei better access.

The Chinese pilot, wanting to see all of his lover, pulled the thin material down, lifting Duo's long legs to slide them off his body. Below him, Duo stilled. Wufei could feel the long-haired boy tremble under his hands. He slid one hand under Duo's left knee, lifting his leg and pushing it up and out. He placed a soothing kiss on the smooth white flesh of the boy's inner thigh. He moved steadily upwards, coming closer to the center of Duo's need with each kiss, until his mouth was hovering just above. Duo gasped for air as he felt Wufei's warm breath caress his shaft.

"'Fei," he murmured breathlessly, "don't tease me. Please."

"No more teasing, Duo," Wufei replied, reaching out with his free hand to clasp one of Duo's. "Just relax. Just feel."

Giving Duo's hand a squeeze, he bent his head and took his lover whole in his mouth.

Duo let out a half-strangled scream as Wufei swallowed him. The Chinese teen relaxed his throat to draw Duo in deeper. He ran his tongue along the underside of Duo's cock, causing the braided youth to writhe wantonly beneath him. When his chin touched the nest of chestnut curls at the base of his lover's shaft, he pulled back slowly until just the tip remained in his mouth. Then, before Duo could whine in protest, he engulfed him completely again. He felt Duo's free hand clasp the back of his head, guiding him as he moved up and down along his lover's arousal, bobbing his head in a slow, steady rhythm.

The long-haired boy cried out, the sound getting lost in the cacophony of the turbulent, stormy night. Wufei could feel the tremors of pleasure wracking his lover's slender frame and knew Duo wouldn't last much longer. He paused in his rhythm long enough to run his tongue up the entire length of Duo's cock from base to tip, circling the ridge of the mushroom-shaped head briefly before swallowing him whole once more.

Duo squeezed the Chinese pilot's hand reflexively as he moved his hips in time with Wufei's mouth. He was gasping for air, eyes closed tightly shut. His body tensed as his climax approached. Wufei could feel the American's heavy sac tighten below his chin. Smiling greedily to himself, he increased his efforts, wanting nothing more than to drink of Duo's essence.

Duo's head lolled about on the pillow. "Ungh, 'Fei. I... I'm gonna..."

The rest of his words were lost as Duo cried out wordlessly, arching his back and thrusting deep inside Wufei's mouth. A jet of hot, creamy fluid hit the back of Wufei's throat. The dark-haired teen swallowed hungrily and sucked even harder as though trying to milk every last salty drop from his lover's body. Duo did not disappoint him. His body was arched like a taut bowstring as he flooded Wufei's mouth with his seed. His muscles trembled and quaked with the intensity until at last, with a final grunt of pleasure, he collapsed into a boneless heap on the bed.

Wufei continued to suckle at Duo's cock, cleaning him of every last drop. Allowing his lover's softening member to slip out of his mouth, he crawled up Duo's dazed body and claimed his mouth with a deep, tender kiss. He felt Duo shudder as he tasted himself on Wufei's tongue. The action caused the Shenlong pilot's body to tighten even more as the kiss became wilder, heavier. His beautiful lover was lying naked and willing below him... and he came to the sudden realization that he had too many damn clothes on.

His own heartbeat was pounding in his ears. He reared up, determined to rid himself of the thin cotton barrier that kept his skin from coming into contact with Duo's. In his haste to yank his t-shirt over his head, he forgot about the low ceiling over the bed and promptly whacked the back of his skull. Hard.

"Itai!" He half-fell on top of Duo as the braided boy collapsed in a fit of laughter.

"I warned you about that ceiling," Duo breathed between giggles.

Wufei raised up again to stare down at his smiling lover. Duo's smile was a sight for sore eyes. He hadn't smiled much since they'd taken refuge on the boat. Wufei was surprised to find he'd missed the long- haired boy's smile. Seeing Duo lying there, grinning wantonly beneath him, chestnut hair coming loose from the braid, caused Wufei's breath to hitch. He was overcome with the desire to protect Duo, to keep him safe from everything - including himself.

With that thought, he rolled off the bed, grabbing the wall for balance as the boat rocked beneath him. Leaning down, he pressed one last, desperate kiss to Duo's lips before turning and stumbling his way to the bedroom door and out into the small hallway.

Duo blinked, staring after his lover. One minute Wufei was there, the next, he was gone. His emotions were swirling chaotically, a mirror of the turbulent storm raging outside. He rolled over onto his side, his back to the door, and swallowed the lump forming in his throat. Had he done something wrong? Should he not have laughed at Wufei? He knew the stoic teen didn't like to be made fun of. Unshed tears began to sting his eyes. Had he just ruined his fragile relationship with the other boy?

He felt the bed sink, felt a warm, bare body slide in behind him, pressing against his back. Duo hardly dared to breathe lest he suddenly find he was dreaming and Wufei wasn't real.

"'F...Fei?" he stammered, trying hard not to cry.

"Shhh, Duo-love. I'm here."

Duo trembled at the sound of that voice.

Wufei must have felt it. "Duo? What's wrong."

"I... no, it's silly."

"Please tell me."

Duo took a deep breath. "I... I thought you had left me," he admitted, suddenly feeling ashamed for doubting Wufei.

The Chinese pilot wrapped his arms around Duo's body and squeezed him tight. "I'm sorry, Duo. I had to get something."

"What?" Duo asked, curious.

"Uh, well..."

Duo could hear the embarrassment in Wufei's voice and wished he could see his face - he knew it must be bright red. He felt his lover press something into his hand - a plastic bottle from the feel of it.

"What's this?" he asked.

"Sunscreen oil. I thought we might need it... so I wouldn't... so you... I don't want to hurt you," the dark-haired teen finished lamely.

"Oh," Duo replied, feeling somewhat confused. Then realization struck him. "Oooh..."

"Do you understand?"

"I think so."

"Good." Duo could hear the relief in his voice. "I just want to protect you. I don't ever want to cause you pain."

Duo smiled and dropped the bottle on the bed within easy reach, snuggling back against Wufei's chest. "You can't protect me from everything. But I love you for wanting to try."

'I love you.' Both boys froze at those three little words. Duo closed his eyes and silently cursed himself. He'd only just begun to realize just how much Wufei meant to him - but he hadn't meant to say those words. At least not yet. Perhaps not ever. He was still afraid of his curse. Everyone he'd ever loved had died. He didn't want Wufei to be next. Besides, he had no idea if the Shenlong pilot felt the same. He knew Wufei cared about him, but he didn't know how much. And now... now he might have scared him off completely.

"Duo?" he heard Wufei ask hesitantly. "Duo, did you mean that?"

"Mean what?" the long-haired teen replied, evading the question.

"Do you... love me?"

Duo closed his eyes. He didn't want to answer, didn't want to face the consequences of replying in the affirmative. He was afraid - more afraid of saying yes than anything in his entire life, including his fear of water.

"Duo?" Wufei asked again.

Duo swallowed. Wufei wanted him to face his fears instead of hiding from them.

"Yes."

Wufei didn't speak for a long time. Duo held his breath, waiting for the ax to fall. Finally, when the silence was becoming too unbearable, Duo shifted uncomfortably and asked, "What about you?"

Wufei sighed. "I'm not... sure. I haven't loved anyone in a very long time. Sometimes I think I've forgotten how."

Duo felt his heart sink.

"But," Wufei continued, "if loving someone means wanting to protect that person, valuing their life over your own, wanting to hold on to them and never let go, then yes, I love you. Wo ai ni, Duo."

"'Fei," Duo murmured, bringing his hands up to clasp his lover's arms. "'Fei, I... I never hoped... never dared think I'd ever allow myself to love anyone again. And now it's too late and I'm so scared of losing you."

"I'll never leave you, Duo," Wufei replied, holding Duo just a little bit closer.

Duo went completely still. "Don't make promises you can't keep," he said so softly Wufei barely heard him.

The Chinese teen pressed a kiss to the back of Duo's neck. "Then I'll never leave you willingly. We will have to part ways eventually - our missions will leave us no choice. But I'll always carry a part of you with me. My spirit will never leave yours."

Duo half turned in his arms, turning his face so that Wufei could see the tears glinting in his eyes. "Do you really mean that, 'Fei?"

"Aa. And, if you will permit me the honor, I'd like to show you how much you mean to me. Let me make love to you."

[cont]