Love in Chains

By DragonMage

Chapter 4

Wufei never mentioned what had happened that night Duo woke up from that horrible nightmare and Duo as relieved. He just wanted his past to be left where it belongs: In the past. Over the next few weeks Duo was happy to know that he and Wufei were getting closer. They talked a lot before turning in for the night. It was never anything important. Just about random things that came to mind.

Wufei taught Duo how to play Chinese chess and Duo taught Wufei hot to play English chess. Unfortunately, Wufei was a brain at tactics and he beated Duo every single time after he mastered the game. The only time Wufei had trouble was when he went up again Quatre who had a quick mind for chess and tactics. Once Wufei joked that Quatre would make a perfect general and they all had a good laugh over the gentle boy actually being in charge of an army.

Zechs and Quatre got to know each other better and it was very, very clear that both boys were falling very for each other deeply as unseen touches are made and secret kisses are given.

Heero and Trowa had gone further in their relationship and sometimes Duo caught them kissing them they thought no one was around. Duo was very glad for the green eyed boy and the Japanese. They seem to belong to each other like a puzzle. They connected at the right parts[1].

As the time passed Duo found himself falling for Wufei more and more. He noticed everything about the boy. How he looked like when he was happy, angry, sad, frustrated. He was especially adorable when he was frustrated. Duo knew how Wufei liked to smile slightly at people and cock his head to the side just barely when he was listening to someone. Duo knew how Wufei walked, how Wufei moved when he wrote or ate. He knew it was crazy observing Wufei like this but he couldn't help it. He couldn't help staring at the beautiful noble only to know that it was impossible to actually think Wufei would fall in love with him. Did Wufei even lean that way?

Duo sighed softly as he brushed away an annoying lock of hair out of his face as he folded another of Wufei's garments. The wash had just came in and he had already steamed the clothing and now was folding it before putting it away in the trunks and drawers around the room. He glanced out of the window and saw Trowa and Heero talking while the Japanese boy helped Trowa with his chores around the garden. They both looked so happy.

Shaking his head, Duo continued to work. *No sense in torturing myself by wistful thoughts.* He folded the last of Wufei's clothes and sighed as he tried to remember his next task. He was getting the hang of things but there were so many things he had to do sometimes that he forgot occasionally.

Then he remembered that he had to ground some more paints for Wufei. He walked over to a small box were the powders were held and got some out. Then he got a bowl, poured some water in it and began to ground up some paint. He grounded up all sorts of colors and poured them into their respectful bottles before capping them.

When he was finished he walked to Wufei's painting studio and placed them on the table before gathering up the brushes to wash. Wufei liked to paint a LOT. There were all sorts of paintings hanging around in the studio and around the estate that Wufei had painted one time or another.

Duo thought he gathered the last of the brushes when he saw one hiding underneath a thin cloth. He reached out and tugged the brush free but while he did that he accidentally took off the cloth. He reached down and picked up the cloth and was about to put it back when he gasped and stopped.

The cloth had been covering a very flattering painting of him.

Duo had to remember to breathe as he stared at the exquisite painting resting on the table top. *So, this is what Wufei's been working on. I would never have guessed.* Duo stared at the painting, taking in what he saw. In the painting he was dressed in expensive silk clothing that only Wufei and Meiren wore. His hair was braided neatly down his back and the light was just right, making him seem more beautiful than he really was. His violet eyes were wistful and full of some kind of emotion that Duo just couldn't guess. It made him look softer, more...well, beautiful, he had to admit. Wufei was very talented.

Duo then remembered that he wasn't supposed to see this and quickly covered it. He grabbed up the last brush and hurried out of the room.

~*~

For the rest of the afternoon Duo worked in a daze. All he could think about was that painting that Wufei had made of him and wondering if that was how Wufei really saw him. And if Wufei did, well...anything could happen! His heart beated faster at the thought as he slowly walked across the path to Wufei's room. He was carrying some candles since they were running low, his mind millions of miles away. That's why he didn't notice some people had followed him until they surrounded him.

Duo took a step back as he stared at the three servants that were around him. They were all servants, not slaves. The servants of the house thought that they were better than the slaves were because they got paid for what they did even though they did the same things that the slaves did. Duo hated them because they were all snobs even for their station.

"What do you want?" Duo asked calmly.

"Disgusting slave," one of the spat. "I don't know what Lord Chang sees in you! You're only a slave while we're his servants."

"We were once favored by him until you came along," another said acidly.

"I really don't know what you're talking about and I don't care. Just get outta my way," Duo said darkly. He didn't want to pick a fight with them but if it ended up like that he was ready. He knew how to fight from living on the streets since he was seven.

"We're going to teach a slave to think that he is above his lowly station," a third hissed.

Then before Duo could do anything else they were on top of him. Punching him and kicking him. Duo felt shoes connect with his head and he blacked out for a moment before the pain brought him back. He tried to get up but they just kept on beating him back down. He fought back but there was still too many of them. At least he got in plenty of good punches that'll leave a mark. He heard one person grunt in pain as his foot landed on a pretty sensitive spot. Just when he thought he was going to be kicked into oblivion a voice shouted, stopping it all.

"What the hell is going on?!"

Duo heard the servants' back off as heavy footsteps pounded against the concrete ground.

"Answer me! What were you three doing?!"

*Heero,* Duo thought painfully. *It's Heero. Thank god!*

None of the servants said a word. Then one of them spoke up.

"We were just passing by when that slave insulted us. Then he pushed Chen and we fought back. We weren't about to let a slave think he could push us around," one of the explained.

Heero was silent for a moment and Duo numbly wondered what the Japanese boy was thinking.

"You're lying," Heero said simply in a deadly cold voice. "Get out of here before I kill all three of you!"

Duo heard feet scrap against the ground as the three servants ran.

"Oh Duo," Heero sighed ruefully as he knelt down beside the beaten boy and lifted him easily into his arms. "Let's get you to Wufei."

"Wufei," Duo repeated softly before he fainted.

~*~

"Oh gods! Duo!" Wufei shouted when he saw Duo being carried into his bedchamber by Heero. "What happened to him?"

Heero walked over to Wufei's bed and placed the boy down on the bed. Then he turned to Wufei, anger and disgust clear in his cobalt blue eyes.

"Three servants surrounded him and beated up him because they didn't think that a slave should find so much favor from their lord," he explained angrily.

"Bastards," Wufei hissed as he ran over to the door and began to shout for the doctor that lived in the estate and slaves to bring warm water and towels.

Meiren appeared after a few seconds, breathing hard as she stared at Duo's beaten form. "Duo!" She rushed over to the boy's side and began to check his wounds. "He's bleeding a lot! Where's the doctor?"

"He's coming," Wufei murmured as he walked over to Duo with a bowl of warm water. He began to slowly wash Duo's wounds, tears pricking his eyes as he did so. The wounds looked so painful and so wrong on Duo's beautiful smooth white flesh. *Duo, I cannot believe those bastards actually did this to you. I promise you, they'll be dealt with. No one will ever hurt you while I'm alive.*

~*~

Duo was in pain but someone had given him something very foul to drink and the pain began to subside. He had been in the darkness for such a long time but he felt himself to reach the surface of his mind again as he slowly woke up. He painfully opened his eyes and blinked at the sunlight. He winced.

"Duo, you're awake," a soft voice whispered next to him.

*Wufei?* Duo turned his head stiffly and stared into obsidian eyes. But there was something different about them..."Meiren."

"Good. You still got your mind intact," Meiren teased. She reached out behind her and brought a bowl appeared in her hands. She picked up the spoon. "Open up."

"W'at is that?" Duo whispered stiffly.

"Medicine. It'll help you feel better," Meiren explained.

Duo opened his mouth and Meiren fed him the medicine. He choked on it but it managed to make its way down his throat.

"That stuff is horrible!"

"I'm sorry but medicine never tastes good in the first place," Meiren said dryly. "How do you feel now?"

"Better," Duo murmured. He looked around the room. "Where's Wufei?"

Meiren placed the bowl back down and looked at Duo. "He's out. Heero's with him. You've been asleep for two days now."

"Really?" Duo closed his eyes and almost fell back asleep when Meiren's voice woke up out of his half-sleep.

"Duo, I've never seen Wufei so angry before," Meiren said quietly.

Duo opened his eyes. "What?"

Meiren looked almost a little afraid and worried. "After the doctors said you were going to be fine Wufei had those servants beaten and then he threw them out. And if you know my brother you know he doesn't do that to his servants."

"Why'd he do that?" Duo asked, frowning even though it hurt him to do so.

Meiren smiled and gently brushed back Duo's bangs. "Because he cares for you, Duo. My brother cares for you a lot."

"Really?"

"Yes," Meiren said, nodding. "And, if I dare say, I think he loves you."

Duo closed his eyes and breathed deeply. *Is Meiren really telling the truth? I truly hope so.*

When Duo didn't reply Meiren bit her lip. *Oh, gods, don't let Wufei's heart break if Duo doesn't love him.* "I'll go get some food for you. You must be hungry." Then she stood up and left the room before Duo could say anything.

Duo laid there for a moment, thinking about what Meiren said. Then he smiled slightly and allowed himself to fall back asleep.

~*~

"How is he?" Wufei asked his sister quietly as he bumped into while she was carrying a tray full of food back to the room.

"He's doing very well. I don't think there's any permanent damage. He'll be fine with rest and food," Meiren said quietly. She looked at Wufei for a long moment. Then she shoved the tray into Wufei's hands. "Go to him, Wufei. I think he needs you."

Wufei blinked. "Meiren..."

"Please, Wufei," Meiren whispered. "Just do it."

Wufei nodded and walked to his room with the tray. His heart was beating far too fast and he felt his palms sweat a little but he kept walking until he reached the door. Then he pushed it open and went in. He walked over to the bed where Duo laid and placed the tray on a small table beside the bed. He sat down beside the bruised boy and brushed back some locks of hair that were in the way.

"Duo? Duo, wake up," Wufei whispered closely to Duo's ear.

Duo moaned softly and slowly opened his eyes. He blinked and then smiled painfully. "Lord Chang."

"Shush. You need to save your energy and eat," Wufei whispered as he reached out and brought the bowl of soup over. He helped Duo sit up a bit and began to slowly feed the boy. "Are you feeling better?"

"Well...better than I was before I took a long two day nap," Duo murmured as he swallowed some soup. "This is good."

"Quatre made it," Wufei said, smiling slightly. "He's been making all your food since you..." He trailed off and spooned a bit more soup into Duo's mouth.

"He's a really good guy," Duo said quietly.

"Yes, he is," Wufei agreed as he reached over and wiped the corner's of Duo's mouth with his thumb.

Duo suppressed a shiver as he felt Wufei's soft thumb brush across his skin. He looked at the soft black eyes that he had fallen for and saw that Wufei was hurting. Why was he hurting? Then Duo remembered the painting and Meiren's words. He closed his eyes briefly and opened them again to see Wufei giving him the tenderest look. *Possibly...He loves me? Please, don't let me fool myself. Please let it be true...Please let Wufei love me.*

"Duo?" Wufei's voice caressed Duo in the most pleasant way as he stared at the Chinese boy. "Are you all right? You aren't hurting anymore?"

The sincere concern in Wufei's voice almost broke Duo more than he already was. He shook his head wordlessly. "I'm fine...Just a little tired."

Wufei set the soup bowl down and gently pushed Duo back down on the bed, which was a lot better than his futon. "Rest, Duo." He smiled gently at Duo and resisted the urge to kiss the boy as he wished him a good rest before leaving the room. He had to leave the room or he wasn't sure how long his self-control would last.

Duo laid there for a moment, weak yet silly smile on his face. He was almost positive that Wufei loved him and that was the best thing that could ever happen to him in the whole world. Suddenly, Duo didn't feel so bad anymore. In fact, he felt as if he could get up and dance. But of course he wasn't going to do that for fear of his health and Wufei's possible wrath of being an idiot.

*He loves me...* was Duo's last thought before he drifted off and fell asleep.

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*sighs in relief* I got that done! Comments are much appreciated but then you sweet people will, won'tcha? Of course...right?

[1] And if you thought what I think you thought...Hentai! *snicker*