By Roo.
Warnings: Hm. Could there be angst and sap and lemon perhaps?

An Island Unto Themselves

Treize awoke to find himself lying on a giant piece of Gundam, floating in the middle of a rather turbulent sea. This surprised him; he didn't expect to be alive. The presence of a small, unconscious Chinese pilot surprised him even more. Trieze began to piece together what had happened...

Midair battle. All his pilots down, Treize took a Doll out and decided to face Shenlong himself. It had been a while since their last duel. As always, he found himself equally matched. They struck blow for blow, when something happened, Treize couldn't remember what, and there had been an explosion, and he fell from the sky. He fleeting thought had been at least it was an honor to die at his hands.

Treize looked over at Wufei. His mouth hung slack; his dark, wet hair clung to his cheeks and mouth. He looked like a peaceful, sleeping child. He couldn't be more than 15, thought Treize. He reached over to check for the pilot's pulse. Even in his sleep, Wufei immediately registered the warmth and snuggled his face closer to the hand. He had been soaked through. They both were. Treize assessed their situation. He saw a small patch of dry land over towards the right of the horizon. He began kicking, his sore muscles screaming in agony. But he couldn't just let them die here. Not like this.

Treize reached the shore and fell to his knees, barely able to keep his face out of the lapping puddles of tide. He wanted to sleep. Wanted to close his eyes so badly. He looked over at the dark child still draped across the piece of Gundam. Treize forced himself to stand, lifting Wufei up off the Gundam rubble, and froze when he heard Wufei moan in agony. He must have injuries, Trieze scolded himself and instinctively he cupped the boy into a cradling embrace and carried him further upon the shore, away from the water.

He laid Wufei down under a patch of trees, and then let himself sink onto the ground next to him. The swim, and then this, had been just too much for him. He surrendered to the inevitable, and closed his eyes. As a last thought to keep the boy from freezing, he snaked his right arm out and drew Wufei to him. Then he slipped into unconsciousness.

Hours passed and when Treize awoke, Wufei lay shivering uncontrollably. It had gotten dark; the sun went down. Damn, thought Treize. He cursed himself for being so weak. It would be a miracle if they both didn't die of exposure and he hadn't even thought to tend to the boy's wounds. He hovered over Wufei, and lifted up the boy's tattered black shirt. Treize sucked in his breath. The boy's abdomen looked perfect. Absolutely flawless. What the hell am I thinking! Treize shook his head. He drew a hand across Wufei's chest and abdomen, and when he placed gentle pressure over Wufei's left ribs, a soft, tortured moan escaped the Chinese pilot's lips. Well, thought Treize, at least he's not going to bleed to death or anything.

Treize gathered some wood, made a fire, and proceeded to remove Wufei's shirt, then pants, and finally all other articles of clothing. He laid them along side his own clothes next to the fire. Then he lay back down next to Wufei and held the shivering boy close. At least the sand felt soft, and it had been a warm night. Treize looked up at the stars, thinking. How did he get out of the Doll? Why was he floating in the sea on a piece of Gundam belonging to his enemy? Did the boy rescue him? If so, why? Wasn't his objective to kill him in the first place? So why pull him out of a sinking craft he sent into the water in the first place?

Treize looked over at the boy, who had stopped shivering the moment he drew him close to his chest. "Well," he said to himself, "It's what I would have done." He closed his eyes again, instantly asleep.

+

Wufei woke up with the dawn. He felt cold, sore and hungry. He curled into the warmth spread across his right side, and nuzzled back into sleep. Then his eyes snapped open. He jerked away, his ribs audibly creaking with the movement. He did not cry out, he felt far too disturbed to even make a sound. Next to him lay a very large, very naked Treize Khushrenada, sleeping peacefully with his arms wrapped around... his very own naked body! Wufei bit back a scream. What the fuck!?!

The boy forced himself to stand, and grabbed a low tree branch, snapping it off.

Treize's eyes opened at the sound. Slowly, they focused on the sharp end of a stick aimed at his eyeballs. He looked to its source. Above him stood a very angry Gundam pilot. A smile spread across his lips.

"Are you planning on making shish-kabobs so early in the morning, dragon?" his honey-toned voice lilted.

Wufei's eyes narrowed and he grunted. Treize attempted to stand, but the stick got shoved in his face, so he plopped his head back on the grass-covered sand with an "Humphh." He looked at the tips of the stick, and his eyes crossed, and then a deep chuckle started in his chest. It rose, until the man was shaking with laughter.

"Are you fucking mad?!?!" Wufei practically screamed at him.

Suddenly Treize controlled his laughing. "No, dragon, I am not mad. I merely find it amusing, that we come all this way, and land on a deserted island, and I am to suffer 'death by a pointy stick.' I find it very, very funny!" He started chuckling again, but then the mirth died in his eyes. "Why didn't you kill me before, dragon?" he said solemnly.

Wufei relaxed his hold on the branch for a second, and sniffed. "Why didn't you let me drown?" he replied icily.

"That wouldn't be a very good way to show my gratitude." Treize's brows furrowed in sincerity.

Wufei just stared at him.

"Look, we're stuck here for a while. I propose a truce."

"Uh-huh," Wufei said sarcastically.

"If I wanted to hurt you, dragon, I would have done it the first time I beat you."

Wufei's back arched slightly as he remembered the first time he and Treize dueled. Treize didn't kill him then. And that had been Wufei's reason for jumping out of his wrecked Gundam, swimming over to the Doll, and heaving Treize's extremely heavy ass out of the sinking shell. Justice demanded it.

"Very well," he consented. Wufei lowered the stick. Then he starred at it. He must look really stupid, going after the Commander of all OZ with a broken twig. It seemed so ridiculous. Treize thought he saw a flicker of a smile across the boy's face as he dropped the stick and sat down.

The boy winced.

"Here, let me..."

"Don't touch me!" Wufei hissed.

Treize narrowed his eyes. He had been unaccustomed to someone talking to him with so little respect... however it felt refreshing, if not amusing. The boy looked so young.

"Look, dragon, you're ribs could very well be broken, and so they have to be bound. It will help the pain. Do you think you can bind them yourself?" Treize said calmly, his rationale unflappable.

Wufei grimaced. He all but hissed as Treize neared, grabbing up his officer's shirt from its resting-place near the fire. He tore the shirt into three strips as easily as if it had been made of paper. He then proceeded to wrap the first strip around Wufei's lean abdomen. Wufei sucked in his breath, but that had been the only outward sign he felt any pain. Treize followed with the next strip of silken cloth, carefully draping it a little higher than the first. Wufei watched him out of the corner of his eyes.

Inwardly, Wufei marveled at how gentle and graceful Kushrenada had treated him. As if he were taking infinite care with him.... Wufei could feel the hands deftly move across his chest, and he trusted their expertise instinctively.

Treize looked the boy up and down. "I think the clothes are dry."

Wufei looked down at this own nakedness and blushed deeply. How pretty. Treize smiled to himself. He handed the boy his clothes, and chuckled as they were ripped from his grasp. Being a gentleman, Treize averted his gaze, as he put on his own underwear and pants.

Wufei put on his clothes as quickly as he could, trying not to disturb his ribs. The bindings did help take a lot of the pressure off. Treize had turned around and watched him.

The General sighed. "I couldn't very well let you sleep in damp clothes and die of hypothermia, dragon," he offered in explanation, as he slowly tugged Wufei's shirt down across the bindings.

Wufei stared at the fire momentarily and then said softly, "Thank you."

Treize's eyebrows lifted. He knew he had been thanked for both courtesies, and it seemed likely that would be the most cordial thing the boy would say to him for however long they were stuck together. "You are welcome."

They both sat there, not really sure of what to do next. Both crafts were lost in the sea. No radio. No way to contact either base. No fresh water. Both men were exhausted, and one of them had minor injuries. Treize's thoughts were disrupted when Wufei's stomach growled.

"When was the last time you've eaten, dragon?"

"Why do you call me that?"

"What? Dragon? It fits you up and down."

Wufei scowled. This man didn't have the right to act as if he knew him so intimately.

"Is there something else I can call you?" A long pause. "I already know what you look like, so your name can't be such an important secret."

"Wufei. Chang Wufei," The boy spat the words at him.

"Delighted. When was the last time you had a meal, Chang Wufei?

"I don't remember."

"Try."

Wufei could not believe his enemy cared. "Three or four days."

Treize looked at Wufei more closely. His eyes had deep circles. His limbs were shaking slightly, from hunger and exhaustion. Any normal boy his age would have been broken by now. Treize took a moment to appreciate the front Wufei put up on his behalf.

"Then we must find you something to eat," Treize said as he scanned the area. "Stay here. Don't move too much. I'll be back with food, if there is any."

"Humph." Wufei would take orders from the leader of OZ. He would have protested, but the general had already gotten to his feet and walked out of the sandy patch, moving deeper inside the cluster of trees. Wufei felt so tired. His nerves were raw. What the hell had he gotten himself into? Why didn't he just kill him? Still, if he had killed him, he probably would have drowned, or frozen to death. He hated being indebted to anyone. He swore at himself as he lay back down on the sand, eyes focused on the fire. The sunlight began to warm his body. He fell asleep.

When he woke the smell of smoked meat filled his nostrils. His stomach muscles tightened painfully.

"Here," Krushrenada spoke to him, shoving a piece of dripping meat near his face. "I had to use your stick. Sorry," Treize mused.

Wufei ignored him and attacked the meat with both hands, biting off a piece of the hot flesh. His body convulsed and he spewed the meat forth. The pain in his gut made him gasp for breath.

Treize crouched near him in an instant. He uncurled Wufei and draped an arm across his shoulders.

"Wufei. You're body hasn't eaten in five days. You need to go slow."

Wufei moaned. It sounded more like a whimper. He looked up at Treize with big black eyes, and the general felt moved. Treize tore off a small piece of meat and brought it to Wufei's lips. Wufei choked back a humiliated sob, but he felt so hungry, he ate from Treize's fingers.

"Slowly," Treize murmured, as he fed Wufei another piece. The boy tried not to wolf it down. Treize blew on a piece of the meat, looking into Wufei's trembling eyes, and then placed it on the boy's lips.

Wufei had no choice; he took what he had been offered. They continued this way, until Wufei felt strong enough to feed himself small pieces.

Treize kept his arm around the boy, making sure he didn't take too big a bite.

Wufei closed his eyes and groaned with happiness as the warmth flooded his stomach. Treize smiled. How charming this dragon could be when sated.

Wufei's eyes slowly opened and he then realized what just happened. He just ate from the hand of his enemy! He blushed deeply.

Treize decided that to be a good moment to lower Wufei to the sand. He didn't want his dragon embarrassed, now that he had come to trust him somewhat. Treize picked up a second stick and fed himself, as Wufei watched from the corner of his eyes.

"Did you get enough to eat?" Treize asked suddenly.

"Yes," Wufei said quietly.

"Do you want some of mine?"

"No."

Treize tore off another piece of meat and brushed it across Wufei's mouth.

He sucked it in, surprising even himself with the barbaric hunger he displayed. It seemed like his body had no self-control. Treize noted the boy's crimson color and bright eyes and proceeded to eat the rest of the meat.

"Do I want to know what that was we just ate?" Wufei asked.

"Probably not."

"Hn." Wufei's eyes were getting droopy again. His ribs hurt. His head rang. His belly felt full and the sun beat warm. He wanted to just go to sleep for days. Heero would hate him for how weak he acted. Then again, Heero would have killed Treize and then self-destructed the moment he found himself trapped in the sea. So his opinion kind of lost some of its appeal.

"I will go and write a message in the sand. Stay here, out of the sun," Treize announced. Wufei couldn't really think anymore. His brain operated on raw survival mode. Stay warm. Stay fed. Sleep. That remained all he could do. The blackness engulfed him.

+

"General! Thank God!" Zechs gasped as he helped Treize onto the ramp of their plane. Zechs had been scanning the sea from his private plane all night and the following morning since he learned of the General's crash. He saw Treize's writing in the sand, and ordered his crew to land on the small island. "Are you all right, sir?" he asked nervously.

Treize looked over his shoulder. "The boy. Bring the boy."

Zechs didn't know what the hell he spoke of, so he walked off the ramp and into the bright sunlight. Under a patch of trees several hundred yards away, the taught, golden body of the pilot of Shenlong slept in the sand. Zechs sucked in his breath. Shit.

Zechs slung the boy's body over his shoulder, not really caring about the rib bindings, and brought him into the belly of the plane. "What would you like me to do with the rebel, sir?" Zechs asked.

"Put him down gently," Treize ordered.

Zechs obeyed without question. So, the boy is under Treize's care. In that case, he would see that none harmed him. "Shall I see he has medical attention when we land, sir?"

Treize looked so warn out. "Yes, Zechs. Please make it so. He... he saved my life." With that, the General sank into a plush chair and closed his eyes. They did not open the entire length of the flight to the home base. Not even when Zechs's delicate hands traced his body, looking for any sign of injury, and then brushed the sandy-brown hair back from his forehead. Wufei, however, stirred in his sleep uncontrollably.

+

"So you've come back to the waking world, Wufei?" Kushrenada smiled as Wufei peered up at him with glazed eyes. "I was sure the drugs would keep you under longer...The doctors say you have two broken ribs and some small hair-line fractures in your arms and legs, along with a concussion. Other than that and exhaustion, your body is in top form."

Wufei detected a double meaning in that, as he felt the General's eyes rake him up and down.

"Where are we?"

"OZ's home base."

Wufei's eyes widened for a moment and then narrowed. So the truce came off and he would die. He resisted asking what Treize would happen to him. He already knew. Heal his body. Torture him for information. Kill him. It would be standard. Fuck.

"No, no. I'm not going to kill the boy who saved me from drowning. Who would I have to spar with?" Treize mocked.

Wufei snapped. "Just fucking kill me already, Krushrenada! I'll never tell you a thing!"

Treize froze, shocked for a moment. His voice came then, calmly and seductively reassuring. "Dragon. You have my word of honor no harm will come to you here. I will see that you are healed and when you are ready, you may return to your friends, or your home, or wherever you go. You are of no threat to us with your Gundam at the bottom of the sea."

Wufei's mind reeled. Nataku. Suddenly Wufei felt like everything in the world had been lost to him. He had no purpose. Nothing to fight or live for. He failed Nataku. He felt so ashamed of himself! Even though he could get another Gundam and start fighting immediately, it would not be his Nataku... Tears sprung up in his eyes.

Treize misread them. He thought the boy felt relieved he would not die. He moved closer to Wufei as the boy gripped his shirt and pulled him towards the bed.

"Please..." his voice hoarse with strain. "Please kill me!" Wufei begged.

"No," Treize said simply. "No, sorry, Chang Wufei. I simply could not bring myself to kill someone who was no threat to me." Nor someone so beautiful, he mentally added.

Wufei whimpered. Tears spilled. Gods, he hated himself. "I'm filthy," he croaked.

Treize scooped him up and walked towards the bathroom. "That's fixable," he announced. Wufei squeaked in shock.

The bathroom had been lit with tons of candles and a soft smell of lilies pervaded the room. The tub seemed inviting, having been filled full of water, steam coming off its surface. You thought of everything. Wufei smirked to himself. Then tensed. What the hell was he thinking? He was not going to take a bath with --

"You are going to take a bath with me. The doctor's say that your scrapes need to be cleaned or infection will set it, and your ribs will become inflamed if we don't get some heat on them," Treize said in his best authoritative-General-voice. "And since you're heavily medicated and you are suffering a head injury, I will be the one to bathe you."

Wufei eeped. "No! No way!" He tried to squirm out Treize's vice-like grip, uselessly. It felt fucking painful.

"I will have my way on this, dragon." Treize murmured.

Wufei knew better. Well, he's already seen me naked. And I am too tired to do jack shit myself. I couldn't possibly be anymore pathetic anyway, so why fight him? I'm just gonna put up with him till I can find myself a nice place to commit hara kari, Wufei told himself.

Treize lowered Wufei to sit on the counter, in between many candles. He slowly unwrapped the silk bindings, never removing his eyes from Wufei's. The boy tried to stare him down, but blushed and turned away. Next he moved to unbutton Wufei's pants. The boy curled in on himself, unwilling to let him see his erection. Treize couldn't help the small quirk at his lips. Oh dragon... he thought wryly.

[cont]