There was a sigh from Duo, like a dying breath of air. “When I was little, I used to dream about justice -- real justice, not the kind that could be bought and sold. I guess every little kid wants the universe to be a fair place, but -- everywhere I went, everyone I met, either they were just in it for themselves, for money or influence, or they were just willing to live and let live and not rock the boat in hopes that they wouldn’t be drowned. I thought I was the only one who had that dream. And then I found you.” Wufei squeezed Duo’s hand, and gently urged him closer. He felt Duo’s warmth press up against him in the darkness, and felt Duo’s face press against his shoulder. When Duo spoke again, his voice was muffled. “D’you know how hard it was, wanting you, knowing that you saw me as the symbol of everything you hated? As the symbol of everything that I hated? I wanted to tell you the truth, Wufei -- I never lie. I swore to you that I would bring you to Romafeller, and I did. I also swore that you that you would face justice, and I promise you will. But I couldn’t let on what was going to happen, because if that constable had any hint that I cared for you at all, then I never would have been able to free you. I’m sorry for deceiving you. Can -- can you forgive me?” “I did doubt,” Wufei said softly. “If you forgive me for that, then I can forgive you also -- for saving my life.”
Panicked, angry voices shouted from up ahead somewhere. Duo crouched down low in the blackness, flattening Wufei back against the wall. He kept his head craned out in the darkened corridor, staring down towards where it ended in an ancient wooden door. From a crack under the door, light streamed with quickly growing then fading intensity, as lightbearers passed in front of the door and then went away again without noticing it. Pressing Wufei back against the wall in a silent warning to stay put, Duo crept down the short length of hallway to crouch in front of the door. He stayed there for a moment, listening intensely, before straightening up and pressing his face against the tiny crack between the door and the frame. Whatever he managed to see must have reassured him, because a faint rattling sound reached Wufei’s ears and then light streamed in from the partly open doorway. Duo poked his head out of the entrance, then pulled it back in and beckoned to Wufei with one hand. Wufei scrambled out of his hiding place and joined Duo at the door. “It’s clear,” Duo reported in a whisper. “For now.” They slipped out into the corridor; Wufei could still hear shouts echoing through the stone corridors. For the
Re: THE DRAGON AS AN OBJECT OF PREY (cont.)
Date: 2006-02-21 10:14 am (UTC)Wufei squeezed Duo’s hand, and gently urged him closer. He felt Duo’s warmth press up against him in the darkness, and felt Duo’s face press against his shoulder. When Duo spoke again, his voice was muffled. “D’you know how hard it was, wanting you, knowing that you saw me as the symbol of everything you hated? As the symbol of everything that I hated? I wanted to tell you the truth, Wufei -- I never lie. I swore to you that I would bring you to Romafeller, and I did. I also swore that you that you would face justice, and I promise you will. But I couldn’t let on what was going to happen, because if that constable had any hint that I cared for you at all, then I never would have been able to free you. I’m sorry for deceiving you. Can -- can you forgive me?”
“I did doubt,” Wufei said softly. “If you forgive me for that, then I can forgive you also -- for saving my life.”
Panicked, angry voices shouted from up ahead somewhere. Duo crouched down low in the blackness, flattening Wufei back against the wall. He kept his head craned out in the darkened corridor, staring down towards where it ended in an ancient wooden door. From a crack under the door, light streamed with quickly growing then fading intensity, as lightbearers passed in front of the door and then went away again without noticing it. Pressing Wufei back against the wall in a silent warning to stay put, Duo crept down the short length of hallway to crouch in front of the door. He stayed there for a moment, listening intensely, before straightening up and pressing his face against the tiny crack between the door and the frame. Whatever he managed to see must have reassured him, because a faint rattling sound reached Wufei’s ears and then light streamed in from the partly open doorway. Duo poked his head out of the entrance, then pulled it back in and beckoned to Wufei with one hand. Wufei scrambled out of his hiding place and joined Duo at the door.
“It’s clear,” Duo reported in a whisper. “For now.” They slipped out into the corridor; Wufei could still hear shouts echoing through the stone corridors. For the