The Greatest of These

All previous disclaimers apply.


He was aware of the change in his house from the moment he opened the door. It wasn’t just the fact that there was the spicy scent of pasta and red sauce in the air when he knew for a fact that he hadn’t left anything on when he left for work and Relena, the only one who ever made him red sauce, was at home with her family. It wasn’t the fact that Sheira’s baby bag was by the door, ready to go, as it had been for the past few weeks. It wasn’t the fact that he could hear Sheira in the other room, laughing happily as she slammed her spoon against her high chair again and again. It was a simple, small thing that a normal person would never have noticed. Wu Fei’s shoes were in the front hall. In all the weeks that they had been living together, Wu Fei had never left his shoes in the front hall. He had always taken them into the room and put them in the closet first thing after they got home. It was the first, the only, and the biggest sign that Wu Fei was ready to settle down. With him. It was a sign that maybe, possibly, Wu Fei was ready to love him. And it made him mad as hell.

As he walked toward the kitchen, he tried to calm himself a little, to blink the blurry haze away from his eyes. It wouldn’t due to upset the baby with his anger. She was no part of it. Even with how angry he was at Wu Fei, his heart was doubly glad that Sheira was back in his life. He had missed her so much. He took a moment, just before turning the corner into the kitchen and took a deep, calming breath. The playpen was still set up in the den.

He had to take another breath, this one for an entirely different reason as he heard Wu Fei’s voice, addressing the baby, “Sweet girl, your daddy’s home.” Damn him. Damn him for saying one of the things that had come straight from Duo’s dreams.

He slipped into the room, trying not to notice the way Wu Fei looked… so attractive in a pair of khaki’s and a completely unbuttoned shirt, no shoes or socks. He didn’t even look at the other man, though he was sure that Wu Fei knew he was there. Sheira squealed when she saw him and threw her spoon across the room. Wu Fei turned, leaned against the counter, and waited. Duo was able to appreciate the fact that Wu Fei didn’t try to smile at him.

“Hey there, beautiful girl,” he murmured as Sheira held up her arms for him and babbled away happily. He picked her up and held her close, “Did you have a good trip? I missed you so much. Yes, I did. Can you entertain yourself for a minute, baby. I have to have a talk with your papa.” He carried her into the den, talking under his breath even as Sheira continued to babble. He knew they would have a few minutes when she just grabbed onto the nearest toy and began banging it against the playpen happily. She would entertain herself long enough for them to have this out. He walked back to the kitchen slowly, then leaned against the refrigerator on the opposite side of the room from Wu Fei as soon as he was there.

They looked at each other for a moment before Duo finally spoke, resisting the urge to close his eyes even when his voice broke around the emotion in his throat, “What are you doing here, Wu Fei?”

“We’ve come home, Duo.” Wu Fei answered simply, hoping to convey the love he felt in his voice. He could see Duo struggling between wanting to punch him and wanting to throw his arms around him. Of course, he hoped for the latter, but he wasn’t deluded enough to think that the former wouldn’t happen. He kind of hoped it would be sooner rather than later. Anything was better than the pain he saw in Duo’s eyes and heard in Duo’s voice at the moment.

“Come home?” Duo half laughed, “You’ve come home? After you left without a word? After you took Sheira away without letting me say goodbye? You think I should just let you back into my house after something like that?”

“I was wrong, Duo…” Wu Fei tried to begin, tried to express what he wanted to, but Duo interrupted him.

“Damn right you were wrong, Chang! I can handle the fact that you don’t love me! No problem. I’ve gotten over a broken heart before, I can do it again. But no! You had to sneak out as if I was something to be ashamed of. You made me feel cheap, Wu Fei! And then you took her away! Did you think I felt nothing for her? After so many weeks? You broke my heart twice!”

“Duo…” But, Duo wasn’t done yet. He continued to yell.

“No! I am not going to let you say something incredibly charming now and make me want to fall at your feet all over again. I will not let you woo your way back into my life just so you can be comfortable until you decide that you’re ready to be on your own again! I’m done, I’m through! I’m worth more than that!”

“Yes, you are!” Wu Fei finally lost his temper a little and allowed it to show through in his yell. It shocked Duo enough that he shut his mouth suddenly and just looked at Wu Fei, “You are worth so much more than the way I have treated you these last few weeks. And I am sorry! I didn’t know what I had. If you’ll let me, I want to spend the rest of our lives making it up to you.”

He had taken a step toward Duo, but Duo held up his hands to ward him off, “Don’t. Just don’t, Wu Fei. You’re not real. You can’t be. You would never say anything like that. Not to me.”

“I’m real, Duo. And I’m saying it to you. I was stupid. I was scared. I can admit it now. I ran because I was afraid of caring too much. Of losing you some day. But, Quatre helped me realize I would rather love you and lose you some day than never have you at all.”

“What are you trying to say, Wu Fei? That you love me?” It tore into Wu Fei’s heart to hear the bitterness in Duo’s voice. He could only hope that his words would be strong enough to get through.

“Yes, Duo. That’s exactly what I’m trying to say. I love you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want to raise children with you. Sheira first for a little while, then maybe one or two others. Please say yes, Duo.”

“I can’t,” Duo’s voice broke again, and Wu Fei saw hope, “I can’t let you keep hurting me.”

“I don’t want to hurt you ever again,” Wu Fei moved closer as he spoke until he was up against Duo, their bodies in contact from chest to ankle and one of his hands was on Duo’s waist, the other curved around the back of his neck, “Never again. I’m tired of running. I know what I want. I want you. I love you. I’m a proud man. But, I’m not too proud to beg you to take me back. To keep me forever. Me and Sheira. It’s a package deal.” He risked touching his lips gently to Duo’s and was rewarded when Duo kissed back for a split second before pulling back.

“Don’t think I’m letting you get off so easy, Chang. I expect you to make this up to me.”

“For as long as you want.”

“And don’t think you’re getting in my pants for a very long time. I expect to be courted.”

“Dinner, movies, dancing, flowers, candy, whatever it is you want. However much you want.”

“And understand this: If you ever take that baby from me ever again, I will not forgive you. I will not take you back. I will not know that you exist.”

“She’s as much yours now as she is mine,” Wu Fei promised and smiled when Duo’s lips curved and pressed against his again. The kiss lasted a long time before they heard Sheira squealing indignantly about having been left alone for so long. Duo was laughing quietly as they pulled apart.

“What?” Wu Fei asked gently, unable to resist kissing Duo quickly one more time.

“Something I remember from my childhood. ‘There abideth three things: Faith, Hope and Love. And the greatest of these is love.”

“The greatest of these…” Wu Fei murmured, “I love you, Duo.”

“You have the rest of our lives to stop saying that,” Duo smiled, “I love you, too, Wu Fei.”