A Path Paved by Destiny

By DragonMage

Chapter 2

The next day Duo woke up pretty hungry. He hadn't eaten dinner the night before and now he was famished. He sat up in the mess of blankets and stretched. He yawned and worked the kinks out of his body from sleeping on the dirt ground and looked around the place. They were in a pretty clearing with trees and the stuff all over the place. Nataku was no where in sight and Wufei was sleeping his bedroll a few feet away from him.

Smiling slightly, Duo undid his braid and grabbed his pack. He fished out his comb and began neatened his hair before rebraiding it expertly. He remembered there was a time when he always had to ask someone's help to braid his hair when he was younger. Now he had no trouble at all dealing with the almost thigh length hair. It was like a second nature to care for such long hair. He didn't have the heart to cut it since he remembered how Aunt Helen used to always run her fingers through it before braiding it. She loved his hair and he loved her so he kept his long hair. It was a reminder of her kindness to him before she suddenly died without any plausible reason and he had to move on to another town.

All his life he remembered just moving around a lot. He always had different people taking care of him for a little while before getting tired of him and leaving him somewhere. But then, there would always be another person to pick him up and give him a home before abandoning him once again. Some would say you would get used to it, but Duo never did. Aunt Helen seemed like she was going to keep him forever, but she died and he was alone again. It was like he could never find someone that would stay with him forever. They always had to leave him one way or another.

Swallowing back old pains, Duo stood up and went searching through Wufei's stuff. He was the only one with food and Duo was starving.

"What are you doing?"

Duo looked up and grinned as he pulled out a slice of cheese. "Finding something to eat. I'm starving. Didn't get to eat dinner last night."

"You were too tired and I didn't want to wake you up," Wufei said, shrugging as he ran his fingers through his hair and sighed. "I'm going to go down to the stream and take a quick bath." He stood up and grabbed his things before disappearing through the trees.

Duo sat there, chewing on the piece of cheese, as he wondered what was going to happen when Wufei leaves him in the next town. <Abandoned again. Why is it that everyone is always so eager to get rid of me? Do I have a curse or something?>

He was half way into a stiff piece of bread when Wufei came back dressed in a new change of clothing. It wasn't anything like his formal Dragon Clan mourning robes, rather it was just a simple white lawn shirt with black breeches and his boots. His hair was damp and some water ran down the back of his shirt.

"Are we going to get moving again?" Duo asked as he chewed on the tough bread.

"We have to. I have some business to take care of," Wufei said, nodding as he packed away his things and grabbed some bread to eat.

"What kind of business?" Duo asked curiously as he stood up and faced Wufei.

"It's none of your business." There was no malice or anger in Wufei's words. It was just a statement of facts and Duo didn't feel offended at all.

"You're right. You're gonna leave me in the next town, huh?" Duo asked as he grabbed his pack and shoved the bread inside. He would eat it later. He had suddenly lost his appetite.

"Yes. It's better if you don't come with me," Wufei said as he began to saddle Nataku.

"And why is that?" Duo demanded. He had no idea why but he was irritated at Wufei's somewhat superior attitude. What was so important that he couldn't tag along? <Of course. I'm just being a bother. Maybe that's why everyone goes away.>

Wufei turned and looked Duo in the eye. "You don't want to get involved."

"But if I do?"

"What could you do to help me anyway?" Wufei asked, looking a bit exasperated.

"I saved your butt from that creature! If it wasn't for me, you'd probably be dead right now!"

"How can you be sure that thing was after me?" Wufei demanded.

"You're the last of the Dragon Clan. King Treize felt your people were a threat to him, right? Isn't that why he wiped you all out like nothing?" Duo demanded angrily.

Wufei's eyes hardened with anger and pain. His face tightened with sorrow and he closed his eyes briefly. Duo knew he had said something very wrong. <I shouldn't have said that...I really shouldn't have.>

"I'm leaving you in the next town and that's final," Wufei said stiffly. Then he finished up saddling Nataku and leaped on to her back. He sat there for a moment, not sensing any movement from the other boy. "Well? Aren't you going to get on?"

Duo hesistated for a moment before getting up behind Wufei. But this time, he didn't wrap his arms around Wufei's waist. He just left them on his thighs.

~*~

"Wufei?"

Wufei looked up from sewing a rip in Nataku's saddle and at Duo. "Yes?"

Duo sighed and plopped himself down beside the other man. He looked over at him from the corner of his eye. "I'm really sorry about what I said this morning. I didn't...I didn't mean to..."

"It's okay, Duo," Wufei said patiently as he continued to mend the small rip. "It's already forgotten."

Duo smiled, relief flooding him. "So, you're not mad?"

"No. I'm not mad," Wufei said honestly as he looked up at Duo. "Everything is okay. I know you didn't mean it."

"I'm really sorry about...about everything," Duo said quietly.

"It's not your fault. It's Treize's," Wufei said tightly as he finished up the mending, pulled out a knife, and cut away at the thread before packing away the small sewing kit.

Duo smiled slightly, feeling a lot better than he had that morning. They had stopped at the side of the road and rested for the afternoon since all of them were starting to get tired and food was an order. Duo was a bit sore from riding on a horse. He had never traveled on a horse for so long before and it left his bottom a bit sensitive. He just hoped it got used to the saddle before the day's end. Having a sore butt sucked.

After a while, Duo looked over at Wufei who was now laying on his back with his eyes closed. Duo would have thought he was sleeping except his breathing told him otherwise.

"Is it hard?" he asked suddenly.

"Is what hard?" Wufei asked without opening his eyes. He just laid still, allowing his tired muscles to rest for the afternoon before they continued on their way.

"Using a sword?"

"Not if you practice."

"How long have you been using it?"

"For as long as I can remembere. My clan was a warrior clan. All men were suppose to know how to expertly use a sword by the age of fourteen."

"How old are you?"

"Eighteen."

"Hey, you're the same age as me!"

"That's nice, Duo."

Duo rolled his eyes.

Wufei sat up on his elbows and regarded Duo under half-lidded eyes that made Duo tremble a bit from the simple seductive implication. He had no idea what was wrong with him.

"Do you want to learn how to use a weapon?" Wufei asked quietly.

Duo's eyes widened. "What are you saying?"

"What I'm saying is that I'm willing to teach you if you want to learn how to use a weapon," Wufei said, smirking as he sat up fully and looked at Duo with amused velvet eyes.

"You're serious?"

"I have nothing better to do," Wufei said, shrugging.

Duo grinned like an idiot. "Jeez, I'd love it if you taught me how to fight!"

"All right. We'll start right now. What kind of weapon would you like to learn how to use?" Wufei asked as he stood up.

"A scythe."

If Wufei could, he would have sweatdropped.

"A scythe?" he repeated in slight disbelief.

"Yeah! I've seen a deck of cards before with Death on it and he was holding a scythe. Ever since then I wanted to learn how to use one," Duo said, grinning.

"We don't have any scythes with us..." Wufei trailed off and frowned. "But I can teach you how to use a staff. If we ever do find a scythe, I guess I can teach you then..."

"That'd be great!" Duo agreed enthusiastically. <He makes it sound like he might keep me around...> Duo tried not to hope but it was so hard not to!

~*~

"Have you ever fallen in love before, Wufei?" Duo asked suddenly one day while they were on the road. They were really close to the next town now and Duo was starting to get nervous. Wufei had taught him the basics of how to use a staff already but that didn't mean he would keep him. He didn't want the town to come! He wished it would just disappear or move far far away so he could stay with Wufei forever. He liked Wufei a lot; liked his dry sense of humor and his ability to throw himself into something with so much passion. He swore he was going to die the first night Wufei taught him to use the staff. He had learned so much in that one lesson!

Wufei also had more patience than anyone Duo had ever met. And he was nice. Really, really nice. Duo liked Wufei a lot and he didn't want to leave the other man whom he had came to think of as a friend. Sure they hadn't been able to get into really deep conversations but he didn't care. He liked Wufei and he wanted to stick around. He wanted to find out what was driving Wufei so fiercely on whatever journey he was on.

"No, I have not, Duo," Wufei answered easily as he turned around slightly in the saddle to look at Duo. "What about you?"

"Naw. There was this one girl I thought would be the one...but in the end I figured it just wouldn't work," Duo said, shrugging.

"What happened?"

"It just didn't work. It was nice the beginning but in the end I only loved her as a sister and that wasn't enough to make me stick around," Duo answered.

"I'm sorry."

"I'm not. I don't want to get stuck in a relationship that won't work," Duo said honestly. He paused for a moment. "Do you ever wish you could fall in love with someone?"

"No. Love is a wonderful thing but it's not for me," Wufei said, shaking his head. His small ponytail brushed against Duo's cheek.

"Why do you say that?" Duo asked curiously as he tried to ignore the feeling of black silk against his cheek.

"I have another destiny, Duo, and it doesn't invovle love."

"How are you so sure?"

"You're a very persistent person, aren't you?" Wufei asked, turning his head to smile at Duo in amusement.

"If I'm not I'd never get answers," Duo answered cheekily.

Wufei looked at him for a moment before turning back around. "I just know, Duo. Love is not part of my path."

"Maybe you're wrong," Duo said, leaning closer against Wufei. "Maybe it is part of your path but you're just not aware of it yet."

"I don't think so, Duo," Wufei sighed. "I...I live for my clan and there is no room for anything else."

"Of course there is," Duo insisted. "That's the thing about people. You can love as much as you can hate."

"What if I told you I don't *want* to love?" Wufei asked.

Duo frowned. "Why would you feel that way?"

"Because, Duo, I don't want to hurt the person I love."

"Are you so sure you'll hurt them?" Duo asked softly.

"Yes. I'm not a great person, Duo, and I'm afraid I might not be able to devote myself to one person."

"If you can devote yourself to a clan, I don't think a person is that hard," Duo said dryly.

"A clan and someone precious to your heart is two different things, Duo. You just don't understand," Wufei said simply.

"Maybe, maybe not. If you gave me time, I'd probably be able to."

"You're that sure, huh?"

"Positive."

Wufei didn't bother to reply. His mind was already going over everything Duo had said.

~*~

"Tomorrow morning we'll reach the town without any trouble," Wufei was saying as they sat around the small fire.

Duo nodded slowly as he took in Wufei's words. So, he wasn't going to stick around like he had hoped afterall. And here he thought he had actually gotten through the other man enough to convince him to let him stay wth him. <So much for trying not to hope. I seriously thought he'd keep me around. I don't want to be left at some stupid town. I want to stay with him.>

"What do you want to eat tonight?" Wufei asked as he dug through the pack. He tried to ignore the look on Duo's face. He knew that the other man wanted to stay with him but he didn't want to drag Duo into this. He could get killed and Wufei--for some reason--didn't want to see the braided man's blood spilled because of him. Duo would be safer in the town than following him all the way up North where he would try and execute his revenge. Duo didn't need to be pulled into that.

"Oh, anything," Duo sighed a bit dejectedly.

Wufei nodded and pulled out a simple meal. He laid it out on a small hankerchief and pushed it over to Duo while began to eat his own food. He stared at the fire as it crackled and burned, and ate. He hated to admit it but Duo had gotten underneath his skin and while he wanted to leave Duo out of the trouble, a selfish part of him wanted to keep the other man around. He liked Duo's company. He hadn't spoken to anyone with so much ease in a long time. No one knew he was still of the Dragon Clan. He always minded his speech and his clothing, even when he wore his mourning robes, the robes were always hidden underneath a cloak or something. But Duo knew his secret and it was so...easy to get used to his company.

<But I can't drag him into all the Hell that's going to happen,> Wufei thought, frowning slightly. <Assinating a king is not the smartest or safest thing to try and accomplish. He'll get killed if he comes with me...> But once again, that selfish side of him reared its ugly head and he couldn't help but succumb to it.

"Duo...," he began slowly.

Duo looked up. "Yes?"

"I know I said I would leave you in the next town," Wufei continued. "But I was wondering--and this is totally up to you--if you'd like to come with me instead?"

Duo's eyes widened and his heart pounded hard in his chest. "Are...are you serious?"

"Yes, I am. But you must realize that traveling with me is very dangerous. You already know I have deadly enemies," Wufei said seriously. He wanted to make sure Duo knew what he was getting into.

"I'm perfectly aware. And I *do* want to go! I was so upset that you'd leave me..." Duo blushed slightly. "Kinda...childish, isn't it?"

"What is?"

"Wanting to tag along," Duo mumbled.

"No. No, it's perfectly fine. Only, I want you to know that traveling with me might cost you your life," Wufei said solmenly.

Duo looked at Wufei with confident eyes. "I want to go with you. I'm not afraid of losing my life." <As long as I'm with you. I don't want anymore people leaving me.>

"That's stupid, you know?"

"Whoever said I was smart to begin with?" Duo joked.

"You *are* smart, Duo," Wufei said, smiling slightly. "I'm just saying, coming with me is suicide."

"You can tell me what you're going to do when you're ready. For now, I'm okay with just tagging along," Duo said, smiling although his eyes were completely sincere and honest.

"All right, Duo. We're going to stop at the town to get some supplies and a get another horse for you. Nataku can't carry you forever," Wufei said as he finished off his meal and began to clean up.

"No problem. I always wanted a horse for myself!"

Wufei smiled and nodded before turning in.

Later that night, Duo laid in his bedroll, staring up at the diamond scattered sky with a silly grin on his face. Wufei was going to let him come along! He wasn't going to be left behind! That little fact made everything better and filled his heart with a delightful warmth.

~*~

The next day...

"Wow...looks like they're having a festival or something!" Duo remarked as he and Wufei rode into the town. Everyone was laughing and running around as children squealed and confetti flew through the air. Music mingled in the air and delicious scents of food being sold by several vendors reached Duo's nose. His stomach growled and he blushed when Wufei raised an eyebrow at him.

"Hey, I haven't had decent food, all right?" Duo said defensively.

Wufei laughed and got down from the horse. Duo scrambled to follow him. They walked through the crowd until they came to a man who would keep the horses safe and comfortable in the fresh, airy stalls [1]. He paid the man enough money to ensure Nataku was treated properly and that no one tried to steal with beautiful blood-red mare. Of course, if anyone did try they'd get a big surprise. Nataku didn't go anywhere with just anyone. She listened only to Wufei and occasionally Duo since Duo was Wufei's friend.

"What are we going to do first?" Duo asked excitedly as he was practically bouncing at Wufei's side.

"We're going to get something to eat and then we're going to look for a horse," Wufei answered calmly as he pushed past people and arrived where the food was being sold. "What do you feel like eating?"

"You mean, I can pick anything?" Duo asked, grinning.

"Of course. I have enough to pay for it," Wufei said a bit arrogantly.

Duo laughed and shook his head. "That's great, Wufei."

Wufei pulled out some coins from his pouch and handed them to Duo. "Here. Go spend it anyway you want."

"Thanks, Fei!" Then Duo was off before Wufei could react to the sudden affectionate shortening of his name.

Wufei shook his head and smiled slightly before he wandered off to get some food for himself. He bought some jerky strips and chewed on them as he made his way to the horse auction where men and women were shouting offers at the best looking horses there were on the market.

He watched for a moment before spotting a black gleding that would probably do Duo some good. He began to bid and soon outbidded everyone. He smiled as he walked up to the horse and patted him on the head. The horse snorted and pushed his hand. He fed it some oats before paying the price for the horse and walking off with him.

He found Duo still around the food vendors, eating everything he had bought.

"Hey, Wufei!" Duo swallowed the mouthful of food he had in his mouth and grinned. "Is that horse mine?"

"Yes, he's yours," Wufei said, nodding as he handed the reins over to Duo. "What are you going to call him?"

"I don't know..." Duo trailed off as he tried to think of something appropriate for the black gelding who was pushing against his shoulder. "Um...Shinigami!"

"The God of Death?" Wufei translated with a bit of surprise.

"Of course!" Duo grinned cheekily and patted the horse on the nose. "He looks wonderful, Wufei."

"I'm glad you think so. Take care of him," Wufei said, nodding as he watched Duo talk to the horse under his breath, his hand patting the horse occasionally as the two continued to get to know each other a bit more. They made such a cute pair.

"Come on, let's go and have some fun!" Duo said as he grabbed Wufei's hand and started to pull him towards the fun and games.

~*~

Wufei sighed as he pushed open the door to the room he had rented for the night and carried Duo inside. They had spent the entire day running around, eating, participating in the fair and talking. Then, just as the night acts were starting to come out, Duo fell asleep against him, standing! Wufei had to act quick and catch the boy before he fell over.

"And here I thought you had all the energy in the world in you," Wufei muttered underneath his breath as he carried Duo inside and dropped him on one of the two beds. He adjusted the other boy's limbs until they were in a comfortable position. Then he pulled Duo's boots off and stood there, wondering if he should also take off his shirt and pants. Shrugging, he decided they were both men and there was nothing wrong with helping another man out of his clothing. Unless of course one man has unclean intentions.

Rolling his eyes at himself, Wufei began to unbutton and unloose the ties on Duo's shirt. He was half way through them when Duo moaned and shifted in his sleep. Wufei stilled his movements and watched as Duo moved and sighed heavily before settling down. When he was sure the braided boy was asleep, he finished with the shirt and started tugging it off Duo's body. It was a bit difficult and he had to pull Duo into a sitting position to do it, but he got the shirt off. He folded it neatly and placed it on the small nightstand beside the bed. Now...to deal with his pants...

Wufei was about to unbutton them when Duo suddenly yelped in his sleep, scaring the Living Hellspawn out of Wufei.

"Gods above!" Wufei cursed and uttered an oath.

"What are you doing?!"

Wufei looked up to find Duo shoved up against the headboard of the bed, clutching his hair and staring at Wufei with wide, startled eyes.

"I was taking off your pants," Wufei replied as calmly as possible.

Duo stared at Wufei with an appalled expression. "What?! And just what are you doing trying to undress me for??"

Wufei sighed and ripped off the tie to his ponytail. He ran his fingers through his hair in a frustrated motion and glared at Duo in the dark. "You're being impossible, Duo. You really don't want to sleep in your clothes, do you?"

"Sleep...I was asleep?"

"Yes, you were. You fell asleep at the festival."

"Huh. Go figure..."

"Now, can you undress yourself or do you want me to finish it off?" Wufei asked, deliberately poking at Duo.

Duo flushed and shook his head. "Nooo thank you! I can do that myself, thank you very much!"

"Thank the gods," Wufei said, rolling his eyes as he stood up and walked over to his own bed. He stripped off his own clothing and folded them neatly before placing them on a near-by chair. He then crawled into bed with only a thin layer of clothing left and pulled the blanket over himself.

"Good night, Wufei."

"Good night, Duo."

"And Wufei?"

"Yes, Duo?"

"Thanks a lot for letting me tag along..."

"You won't thank me later, Duo."

"Whatever. You still didn't leave me."

"Go to sleep, Duo."

"Yes...*yawn* Wufei..."

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

Okay, done with another chapter! And I'm starting to confuse myself...

[1] Parking spaces of the older times!