Love in Chains

By DragonMage

Chapter 3

All the preparations were done by the time the Moon Festival rolled by. Everything was set with the decorations hung up, the fireworks bought and ready to be set off, the food all cooked and ready to be eaten and the slaves and servants all getting a small present from Lord Chang and Meiren. Everyone was in high spirits and it seems anything can happen on this joyous night...

~*~

Eeeee! Boom! Crack!

"Yay! Look at that!" Meiren exclaimed as another firework exploded into wonderful colors in the night sky. It seemed to join the stars that sparkled above as the full moon shone over them. The table had already been laid out with the incense burning and mooncakes and tea was laid out for the Goddess of the Moon to grant all the women beauty and youth and the young men luck and prosperity [1].

The musicians were playing and everyone was having a fine time after eating their fill at the banquet tables. All the children were running around with their paper lanterns with pictures painted on it that had been made by their parents and food in their hands. The candle light from the paper lanterns reflected off every surface, giving everything an eerie yet warm look. New toys were being played with and everyone was having the time of their life.

Wufei laughed and nodded to his sister. He looked over to Heero who was talking with Trowa. Both of them looked very comfortable around each other. Zechs and the blond angel Quatre were standing close to each other, talking quietly as they ate a little and watched the fireworks. Wufei knew that his slaves and his best friend were getting to know each other very nicely. He was happy for them. He liked to finally see Heero be very happy after having such a harsh life with his father before he finally managed to escape to China and away from his father's wrath. It was never clear why Heero's father hated him, he just did.

And Zechs, that serious slave of his, well, Wufei was just glad to see that the platnium blond slave he had gotten a few years ago was finally really smiling, with the help of Quatre that is. Wufei could tell right away that Quatre was from a rich family, he wondered what was the boy's past before he came here. Wufei could bet that it would be a pretty interesting one.

"Ah, tonight is a good night," Meiren sighed as she picked up a mooncake and bit into the soft brown cake. She munched happily and sipped some warm tea. "Don't you love this?"

"It's wonderful," Wufei agreed as he gingerly sipped his hot tea.

"Let's do this again next year!" Meiren suggested.

"I don't know. Don't you think we might be spoiling them a bit?" Wufei teased. Meiren simply glared at him and continued to chew on her mooncake.

Wufei looked around the place when he heard the deep laugh coming from somewhere. He immediately spotted Duo with a crowd around him. They were all laughing and joking around. Wufei sighed wistfully. He wished he could have a nice conversation with Duo like that but he was Duo's master and that but a distance between them. Wufei had grown very fond of the loud American over the past few days. He hoped that he would get to know Duo more and they would become friends.

"Who are you looking at?" Meiren asked curiously as she leaned over her brother and looked around to see if there was anyone special that had caught her brother's attention.

"No one," Wufei said, frowning slightly. "Get off me, Meiren." He pushed his sister over to the side and back into her seat.

"Really? I thought you were looking at someone," Meiren said, as she continued to search the crowd. Then she saw Duo and smiled broadly at Wufei. "Oh."

"What do you mean 'oh'?" Wufei demanded, feeling just a bit harassed.

"Oh, you know," Meiren teased as she pushed her brother playfully.

"No, I don't. Care to enlighten me?"

Meiren leaned over and whispered in Wufei's ear. "I know how you feel. Duo's cute. Good luck with him." Then she leaped to her feet and ran off before her twin brother could kill her. Her laughter followed her as she started playing with some children and their lanterns and toys.

Wufei cursed and shook his head as he asked the gods how they could be as injustice as to giving him a sister like Meiren. But then he remembered why he loved Meiren so much and he resorted to just grumbling about how annoying she is at times. Which was usually most of the time, sadly.

"What's Meiren laughing so happily about?" Heero asked as he walked over to Wufei with a cup of tea in his hands.

"Nothing." Wufei looked around Heero. "Where's Trowa?" He asked mischievously.

Heero glared at Wufei and looked ready to dump his tea over the Chinese boy's head.

Wufei smiled innocently. "Well? Where is he? You two seem to be hitting it off easily."

"Of course. He's a good listener and he's intelligent," Heero said, shrugging. "I like talking to him."

"Hmm...."

"And nothing else," Heero said firmly but very unconvincingly.

"Oh, come on, Heero," Wufei teased. "Look at him. He's thin, beautiful, those green eyes are amazing, that hair is very unique and I bet he would be a great lover." He smiled at Heero, his obsidian eyes sparkling suggestively. "Maybe I would even like to--"

"Don't even," Heero growled with eyes that could kill.

"I won't," Wufei laughed. "I'm happy that you found someone, Heero. I would never do such a thing."

"Good. Or I'll bash you into the ground," Heero threatened jokingly, his cobalt blue eyes dancing.

Wufei just sipped his tea while a smile played over his lips.

~*~

Duo glanced at Wufei and Heero who were laughing and joking together and sighed inaudibly. They were right in his line of vision so he really couldn't avoid looking at those two. He didn't know what was the matter with him but the past few days he had found himself...attracted to the Chinese noble. He always knew that his preferences leaned a different way but he didn't expect himself to start crushing on his slave master. He would actually have dealt with hating Wufei better than liking him. Damn everything!

*Something is seriously wrong with me. Maybe it's the food or the air,* Duo thought ruefully. But he already knew that it was not any of those. He just found Wufei attractive, period. *And it's a sad thing to. I seriously doubt we'll ever have a real relationship.*

"Duo? Are you listening?" One slave asked.

"Not really," Duo admitted. He had picked up some Cantonese with a little help from Wufei and being a very fast learner was able to carry on a decent conversation.

"Duo!" They all laughed.

Duo just smiled and shrugged before looking back over to Wufei. Suddenly he felt a tug on his sleeve. He looked over to his right questioningly at Ming, a slave who worked in the fields.

Ming smiled secretively at Duo. "Lord Chang is an attractive young man. I can understand why you keep looking at him."

Duo blinked. He was kind of surprised to find that he wasn't the only one who didn't lean towards the opposite sex.

"Oh no, I like women but I'm not blind to not notice how beautiful Lord Chang really is," Ming explained softly so that no one else could hear. But then they weren't really paying much attention to the two since they were too busy eating and joking.

"I suppose you're right," Duo said carefully. "He is attractive. But I don't like him."

Ming raised an eyebrow that said he didn't believe Duo at all. "Really?"

Duo frowned and said firmly, "Really." He didn't want anyone to start getting ideas or anything.

"If that's what you believe," Ming said, shrugging.

Duo really didn't like the way he said that.

~*~

Quatre smiled serenely as he looked up at the sky and watched the fireworks in wonder. He had a cup of warm tea and a mooncake in his hands.

"Haven't you ever seen fireworks before?" Zechs asked as he lifted the cup of tea to his lips.

"No. Never in Arabia," Quatre sighed as he bit into his mooncake. "It's beautiful. All those colors...How do they do it?"

"The Chinese seem to find a way to do anything," Zechs said, smiling.

"No kidding." Quatre turned and smiled brightly at Zechs. "You know, I really don't mind coming to China despite *how* I came here. It's a wondrous place."

"Yes, it is. When I was first captured and taken here I hated it. I did everything I could to make it a living hell for Lord Chang because right away I knew that the young man wasn't a cruel person."

"What changed you?"

"Lord Chang sat me down one day like I was a child even though I'm older than him and asked me what was wrong and if he could help!"

Quatre blinked in amazement. "Didn't he know you wanted your freedom?"

"Of course but he said that it wasn't possible or he'd have to release everyone else. So I just told him a few things and we came to an agreement. He's a kinda person, really. If I was to be a slave to anyone it would be Lord Chang with no doubt," Zechs said softly.

Quatre thought about it for a moment. "Don't you wish to be free sometimes, though?"

Zechs looked thoughtful. "Of course! But life gave me this and I'll just have to deal with it, won't I?"

Quatre nodded slowly. "I guess you're right. You just got to make the best of everything, huh?"

"Exactly," Zechs said, nodding. "And, ever since you came things have been looking up quite brightly."

Quatre smiled shyly and blushed as Zechs reached down and brushed a kiss along his lips.

~*~

"I'm exhausted! I've never had such a party before," Wufei yawned as he and Duo walked back to the room.

"Just don't fall asleep while you're walking," Duo said.

Wufei smiled a sleepy smile at Duo and Duo felt a slight shiver work it's way through his body. He hated Ming. The damn man had pointed out the obvious to him and now he wasn't sure how he was going to be able to control himself around Wufei. The Chinese noble was far too beautiful for his own good.

They reached the room and Duo pushed open the doors. He stepped aside as Wufei walked into the room and closed the door behind them. He had already gotten used to the pattern and wasn't as uncomfortable as the first time when he had to help Wufei bathe and get dressed. If Wufei wasn't going to get embarrassed over it he wouldn't either.

"Help me, Duo," Wufei said sleepily as he stood beside his bed.

Duo stepped forward and began to help Wufei undress. He was getting used to the damn buttons and hooks on the clothing and was able to get the clothes off in record time. Then he helped Wufei into his sleeping clothes and into bed.

"Good night, Duo," Wufei murmured as he closed his eyes and fell asleep.

"'Night, Lord Chang," Duo said softly as he straightened and began to snuff out all the candles. Then he dropped on his futon and went to sleep.

~*~

In the middle of the night Wufei woke up to Duo kicking and shouting. He immediately shot out of bed and rushed over to the slave's side. He dropped down beside Duo and began to shake him roughly.

"Duo! Duo wake up!" He shouted as he shook the boy out of his sleep.

Duo gasped as he woke up. He blinked rapidly to adjust his eyes as he very, very aware of Wufei's beautiful face close to his. Wufei's warm breath washed over him as the boy held him. Duo closed his eyes and collapsed against Wufei as he let go of all the bad dreams floating around his head.

Wufei gathered Duo into his arms and held him close. He didn't know what was the matter with Duo but he did know that Duo needed his comfort. Wufei held Duo tightly, pressing his face into the wonderful brown hair. He breathed in a sweet scent that only Duo had and closed his eyes. *I wish I could hold you like this as my lover,* he thought wistfully. Then he blinked. *What am I thinking?!*

"Wufei," Duo murmured as he buried himself deeper into the warmth.

"I'm right here, Duo," Wufei whispered.

"Don't leave me," Duo breathed as he clung to Wufei before falling asleep.

Wufei felt his heart break at the pain in Duo's voice. He picked up Duo easily and carried him over to his bed. He got in with Duo and pulled the covers over both of them. Then he snuggled closer to Duo, his arms wrapped tightly around the other boy, before he went back to sleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Aww! Wufei and Duo cuddle! *looks starry eyed*

[1] The Moon Festival--in my opinion--is really a feminine festival since all the young women pray that they always remain young and beautiful. But men also do it--not the praying for beauty party but for other things...but then, who really knows what a guys wants?--so I guess it's for everyone!