Title: Wedding Setting
(next, after 'Love, up for adoption')
Author: Mistress Tsunami
Disclaimers: don't own them. don't sue. it's
bad for your health, and your wallet (and
maybe mine)
Ratings: G-ish. Kinda sappy. AU/Parody
(I never know which one to put it under...it's
kinda both...). guess that's it.
Pairings: 5xMeilan (quick ?, does she _have_
an abbreviation?)
Warnings: Yes, I know this has nothing to do
with Duo, not in this story, but if you want to
get the WHOLE story that's in my series, it is
a suggestion to read this.
I apologize for the Duo-less-ness. You will
get it in full swing next time.
Oh, and please, don't mind the funky wrapping.
I tried, the computer failed.

Feedback is greatly appreciated. (See this?
It's a gun. It goes off in everyone's face and
splatters them with ice cream if I don't get
feedback.)



My name is Chang Wufei. I am a scholar, and
a not too shabby fighter, though there are others
who would argue that point.

More specifically, an other.

That would be my wife-to-be. The one who calls
herself Nataku.

I find that extremely pathetic.

She is such a tomboy! I mean, really, does she
think that she can lead this clan with only her
martial skills? She needs a few lessons.

Maybe that's why I was chosen to be her husband.
They probably thought that bringing me into her
life would give her some balance, but how can I if
she won't even accept me? and I'm not saying that
I'll accept her.

She can be so frustrating at times. Those are
the times when I devote myself to my studies,
locking myself up in the library or hiding out
in the meadow. Truly, it's the only way to get
away from her.

Kind of like right now. Things are peaceful
now. I'm sitting in the meadow full of flowers
that I mentioned earlier. I found it shortly after
I arrived here. I love these flowers. They're so
peaceful, so quiet...

As usual, I am carrying a book with me. Today
it's a book on the ancient Chinese year cycles.
I haven't figured out my year yet because the
Chinese lost track of the years a long time ago.
If I had to venture a guess, though, I would like
to think that I am a tiger. Either that or a
monkey, but there is a large year gap between
the two.

I put the book down and lie back in the field of
flowers. It's so innocent here, so pure and rich.
These flowers, they don't care about brides or
clans. They only care about they're own short
survival, and that's what makes them so beautiful.

Miss 'Nataku' arrives, right on time, showing off
by fighting an invisible enemy. She laughs
brightly, such a contrast to her personality.
"How's that, Mr. Weakling? I bet you couldn't
do any better!" Her usual challenge is made.

"I guess we'll never know," I reply, shifting my
attention to the endless sky above me. It has begun
to darken from the setting sun. I have no intention
of taking her up on the challenge, just as I have
always done. Her face appears above me, blocking
my view of the sky.

"And why not?"

I frown, and hiss in disgust. "It takes more than
martial skill to rule a clan, you twit! You have
to be smart, you have to know the difference
between what the people want and what would
be best for them, and then be able to give that
to them!" I then sit up, unable to control the
rise in my voice. "It takes more than a martial-
arts-focused half a brain to stay alive and
keep the throne!"

My words sink in, and I can see the tears forming
in her eyes.

Great, she chooses now, of all times, to listen
to me. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to yell."

"What! You think I'm some fragile little girl
who can't take a little criticism! Well I'm not
that little girl, Wufei! It's not my fault you're
such a bookworm and couldn't understand
another human even if you wanted to! You...
you...JERK!" She runs off behind me.

Jerk, huh? Bookworm I can understand, but
jerk? And she calls me weak.

I stand up and begin the long trek back to my
quarters. I'm kind of glad she hasn't accepted
me as her husband yet. I don't think I could
stand her very long.



How dare he! That pathetic weakling! Calling
me weak, the nerve of him! How'd he _ever_
get chosen to be my husband!

But...what he says makes sense. Sorta.

Am I being an idiot?

No. My name's Nataku. I am the keeper and
protector of this clan, the persona of the great
guardian beast. I cannot behave nor act, and
definitely not _be_ an idiot. I am smart.

But I have to admit, he is smarter.

I can feel my run slowing. I have no idea where
I have been heading, but I do know that I am
now far away from him, the source of all my
problems. I am going to keep moving, and I am
not going back until I sort things out.

First things first.

Why does he always make me feel like this? So...
inferior. Whenever I'm around Wufei I can't think
straight. All my thoughts get all jumbled up inside
my head.

I couldn't even come up with a decent insult to
throw at him.

I called him a jerk, what kind of insult is that? Right
now I can think of a million things I'd like to call
his scrawny, no-good, two-bit highness of a scholar;
but back there, I just blanked.

That insensitive...

Twit. He called me a twit. He said that I only
have half a brain that's only _good_ use is in
fighting. He doesn't understand. I'm not as smart
as he is. I know that. I always have. He doesn't
have to rub it in. I - I used to try, but I was only
as smart as everyone else. I wasn't good enough
to rule by brains alone. I have to fight, that's the
only was I can keep my status. I have to be
strong. Th-That's all I know how to be.

With all his brain power, why can't he see that?

Maybe...maybe it's because he's never seen me try.
Could...could I show him? Can I show him how
hard I tried? How badly I _failed_.

It's not fair! I shouldn't have to try again!
Injustice! I've already tried once. That was
hard enough for me. I don't want to go through
that again. But apparently that's what my
husband-to-be wants.

Why can't he accept me?

Why can't I accept him?

This is so unfair!

Nataku, please! You're spirit is within me, so
please! Help me!

I can't stop the tears from flowing down my
cheeks, but I leave them unchecked.



It's getting late, way past the time when Nataku
should have arrived back home. I thought she
was here. I mean, this _is_ her home, where
else would she be?

I was reading in the library when a servant
knocked and entered, intruding upon my
studies. "Master?" he called out to me.

"What!" Ok, so I was angry. I was studying.
How dare he disturb me while I'm studying?
All servants of the house should know by now
to leave me be during these times! And where
were _my_ servants, who usually steered away
unwanted company?

He bowed before me apologetically. "Sir, we
were wondering if you would happen to know
where Miss Nataku is. She hasn't come home yet."

At first I wanted to yell at him. Who was I, her
keeper? But then his words sunk in. I could
barely move for fear that this was all a dream...
or a nightmare. She was...gone? "What?" It
barely comes out a whisper, but it is there.
Concern. Why should I care? Then I realize,
she must have heard and understood my words.
Fine time she chose to listen to me. I barely
register my surrounds as I bolt from the
mansion that she has provided us with and head
straight for the meadow, hoping that she has
returned there.

Her form is no where to be found within the
meadow. The idiot! What does she think she's
doing, running around at night?! All her training
and all those stupid justice speeches she made
me listen to will mean _nothing_ if she's gone
and gotten herself killed.

*My, my, Wufei. It looks like you really do care,
when it counts.*

I shut up the voice inside my head. This is no
time to be arguing with myself!

I follow the path I saw her run earlier and hope
that she was too hasty to hide her trail; I look
for any trace of her. Thankfully she has run
into the woods through a patch of forest that
hasn't been used in a while, and has come to be
overgrown. Her trail is easy to follow. I track
her as quickly and silently as I can, and it does
not take me long to come upon her silently
shaking form. She does not yet notice my approach.

Closer observation shows that she is crying. I can't
resist my urge to comfort her, after all, it _was_ me
who put her in this position. I put an arm around her
shoulders, shocking her into the realization of my
presence. "Hey girl. What's wrong?" Stupid question!

"Like you care." Rewarded with a stupid answer.

That really hurts, though. It has to be more than
just that rant earlier. I must have done
something seriously wrong. "I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"Whatever it is that I have done to upset you so."
She tries to laugh at me, but it only comes out as
a choking sob. Shenlong, help me, what have I
done? "Look, I know what I said to you before
was very harsh, but it was something that needed
to be said. And it was something that you needed
to hear." She looks away from me. Could that
have been the only thing that I did wrong? Does
she really listen to me that much?

Maybe it's time for a slight change of subject.
She needs something to challenge her.
"Maybe that's why it was arranged for us to be
wed together."

"What!" Ok, so I hit a nerve.

As the ancient people would have said, so sue me.

"Think about it. In their eyes, would I not serve
as your balance? Your countermeasure? Your
brain, too, probably. Call me crazy all you want,
but they seem to think that two polar opposites
like ourselves can find a way to meld together.
At least, that's what I think."

"Well, your theory stinks."

I laugh, lightening the mood. "Well, that's
certainly putting it bluntly, but, yeah, it kinda
does. It's a start, though."

The lightened mood gave her the courage to smile.
Yeah!! Score for me. She nodded her agreement.
"Yeah, it's a start."

"So do you want to help me try and figure out their
master plan, or are you going to make me do it all
by myself and leave you sitting out here in the
cold all night?" Give a girl a goal...

...and she'll soon be happy. "I'll help you out," she
says, still smiling slightly. "Let's do it, Wufei.
Let's go home."

I smile and stand up, carefully lifting her with me
and settling her in my arms. I turn to go back the
way I came, since I know no other routes.

"Wufei?" she asks sleepily.

"Yes?"

"You were wrong, you know."

"Huh?" Needless to say, I am confused. What is
she talking about?

I wait for her to explain herself, and she eventually
does between yawns. "Back when we first met you
said that you didn't believe in justice because you
said you didn't believe it existed, but you do. You
have your own sense of justice, you just have a
different way of showing it." She slipped
completely into slumber then, and I nearly laughed.
Justice? Even harder to believe than that is the fact
that she actually remembers me saying that.

That was so long ago. I hold her tighter in my arms.
"Whatever," I whisper. Let her have her delusions,
no matter how true or how false they may be.



When I wake to the groggy sound of my natural
alarm, I find myself trying to block out a sound
that is only in my head. I wish to return to my sleep.
I miss the feel of strong arms around me and the
warmth of a body that stayed with me in my dreams.
Only there, in the unknowing terraces of my mind,
can this man be truly wonderful.

In both fantasy and reality his looks are beautiful.
Fine, raven black hair. Deep, soft, black eyes. But
in only one place does he have the personality to
suit me.

In my dreams. For there he is weaker, and I do
not have to become stronger in order to be
worthy of him.

What frustrates me the most is that while I'm
trying to become strong enough to be worthy of
him, he does nothing to make himself stronger.

I leave such thoughts alone and open my eyes to
the sun's light, which I find to be softened by
the curtains.

I'm not naturally a morning person, but I'm not
really a day person either. I find I can get up in
the mornings without being grumpy, but I can't
really sleep at night too well either. Wufei, on
the other hand...well, I don't even think he finds
time to _sleep_, much less time to be grouchy.

I get out of bed and walk over to the window,
opening my curtains to the bright and not-so-
welcome light. The servants seem to be busy,
so I, wondering what is going on, walk into the
hallway to see what they are planning. I stopped
one maid on her way back to the kitchen,
presumably from my parents' room. She is
probably preparing for breakfast.

"Excuse me, miss," I call, drawing her attention.
"You wouldn't happen to know why everyone's so
busy this morning, would you?"

She smiled and answered like it was common
knowledge. "But of course, Mistress. Master
Wufei carried you home last night, and you were
sleeping, so everyone's preparing for the two of
you to share a room tonight! We're all so happy
that you two have finally accepted one another!"

I was so shocked I hardly noticed her leaving.
The last part of her statement almost didn't even
register.

Me and that...that...creep share a room! Never!
I hadn't realized what we were implying last
night, and obviously Wufei hadn't either.

Unless...unless he's agreed to all this?

He probably thinks it's better for studying.
Studying...oh yeah, we were going to work on
why were arranged to be married. If we can
figure out why, then it's possible that we can
arrange for it _not_ to happen. I head back into
my room, trying to let it all sink into my still
slightly fuzzy mind.

I'm going to be sharing a room with Wufei.

I'm going to be alone with him.

This is so not good.

I never agreed to this!

I change quickly, intending to find Wufei immediately
and inform him of the problem. I wonder, how will
he take it? I can just him yelling at the servants.
'What are you doing! Those are my things! Don't
touch that, you idiot, that sword's sharp!' I laugh.
Wufei's too weak to be that bold.

It's so unjust for me to have to be wed to someone
like him. I'm so strong, and so is he, but the
difference is I _know_ I'm strong. Wufei doesn't
seem to know that, or if he does know his own
strength, he doesn't seem to _care_; but, last night-
last night he was _different_. He seemed to shine
with his own sense of justice, of right and wrong.
His justice seemed fair and true. His justice was
_strong_.

What am I thinking! That guy is a conceited jerk!

I storm over to his study, the library, fully intending
to demand why he is letting all of this happen.

When I enter, he looks up at me and smiles, throwing
my intentions off balance.

Could he possibly love a tomboy like me? His words
cast away all doubts as to who he could love. "Ready
to start working on that theory I started?" He truly is
an insensitive freak.

And to think I wanted to show _HIM_ how stupid _I_
was! What a fool! "Just what are you thinking?!" I
demand. He seems confused for a minute or two, so I
decide to enlighten His Royal Pain-ness. "They are
moving our things so that we share a room, you moron!"

Understanding dawns on his face. "I...wasn't aware of
that." He seems a little shocked. As if.

"We need to order them to stop!" I couldn't help
shouting, I was so frustrated and tired!

"Sure, go ahead Nataku. I'll wait here until
you're done." All I can see is red. H-he won't
help me.

I force myself to calm down for a minute. Is
he doing this because he wants this to happen?
"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why won't you help me stop them?" I have to
know.

He sighs as if burdened. "The way I see it, they
are going to make us move in together one of
these days, whether we like it or not, so why
fight it?"

He...he does have a point. My legs can hardly
hold me anymore. I didn't get enough sleep...I
sink to the floor. "It's not fair. This is injustice."
I know I'm whining, but I don't care anymore.

The next thing I know, the door is closed, and,
miraculously, locked, and I am in Wufei's tight
embrace. He gently rocks me. Without even
thinking about it, I grab onto white shirt with
a death grip and cry into his shoulder, as I
have so many times in my dreams.

"Nataku," he whispers in my ear, "tell me what
is wrong."

How can I tell him when he is the problem!
"It's you," I choke out between sobs. Nothing
like the direct approach. "You confuse me."
No, stop the words! I _can't_ tell him! Make
my mouth stop! "You're so beautiful and kind
sometimes, but others you're so cold and distant.
I-I don't know what to do.

"I dream about you, but when I do, I don't know
if it's really you." He can't hear the truth! It
wasn't meant to be told! An onslaught of tears
breaks the flood of words, and some part of me
is grateful, but another part is sad that I couldn't
finish.

I don't know which is worse, the tears or the words.

"I'll tell you what," Wufei offers. "We'll try out
this same room thing and that way we'll be closer
to each other, and you can see more of this 'true
me' you're searching for. That way you can
figure out whatever's confusing you."

"We'll have to share a bed." I need him to know
everything now. He can't know only half the truth.
He doesn't reply to my comment, but continues to
rock and hold me. I begin to wonder if he heard
me, or if I even spoke it aloud. I would repeat
myself, but I am slowly drifting off into a much
needed sleep in the soft comfort of his warm
embrace; and for once I am content to just stay
there.

Speaking now would only break the moment and
the beauty of us.



I breathe in calm, breathe out stress. I recite every
Chinese law, recent to ancient, until I am calm,
both inside and out.

I take in the situation.

I'm sitting in the library, doors closed and locked,
holding Nataku in my arms.

If you told me that two days ago I would have
laughed at you. Either that or yelled at you and
sent you away.

I'm unsure of myself, for one of the very few
moments of my life. What am I doing? Do I
want to marry this tomboy? Part of me says
no, but another part of me says yes.

She's not as tomboyish as she'd like to act.

What's she trying to hide?

It doesn't matter. She has fallen asleep again -
she'd obviously just woken up when she came
in to see me - and so I carry her over to my
large, cushioned chair, picking up the book I
was reading on the way. I sit down, shifting
her around in my lap so that I can read around
her.

She's probably going to try and kill me when
she wakes up.

Oh well.

I read the Chinese characters that lay before
me in the book. It's a book on ancient spirits
and mystical creatures.

Things that could not possibly exist in this
world.

However, I believe that they may exist in another
world. I mean, these people couldn't have
thought all of this stuff up on their own, maybe
they saw a glimpse of an alternate universe and
wrote it down as a story.

How else could all of these stories from different
lands come so close to matching when the people
from the lands couldn't communicate with others?
They had so many languages; they were lucky to
be able to communicate _at _ all_.

That's why I take so many different classes on
meditation and the art of fighting. I am hoping to
achieve a higher sense of being so that I can
discover if those alternate worlds _do_ exist.
However some of the classes, like karate, kung
fu, and taekwondo, are for other reasons as well.
It is very, amusing, to watch Meilan try and
compete in those sports.

Thinking of the girl in my arms, I look down at
her to see how she is doing.

She is sleeping so peaceful, almost as if nothing
is wrong, or was wrong.

I'm distracting myself. I should be reading,
studying.

How quickly we humans forget what we were doing.

I stare blankly at the book in front of me, not even
bothering to attempt to read it. I sigh, and lean
back against the chair to stare at the ceiling. I
am thinking...nothing.

It feels so wonderful to be thinking absolutely
nothing, yet also somewhat strange. You are at
peace, and calm, as if sleeping, and yet, you are
also very alone. No one is there to comfort you
when you are sad or talk you through any of
your problems. It is simply you and the universe.

No one is even there to care about you. It's as
if you don't even matter.

No one is there.

No one.

I clutch the sleeping girl tightly as sleep
threatens to overtake me as well.

It's not surprising, considering that didn't sleep
at all last night.

I take comfort in the fact that we will be all right.
I mean, we may fight sometimes, and we have
our disagreements, but once we come to
understand each other, everything will always
work out okay.

I mean it, it always will.

Take today, for example. Who did she come to
for comfort? for a solution?

And last night it was easy for me to find her,
ignoring the fact that she left an obvious trail.

Like it or not, we are both connected.

And like it or not we will be wed, the Long clan
will not settle for anything less.

We may as well learn to accept it.

She must not have slept very well last night, because
she's sleeping awfully heavy right now. It's
probably because of all the stress the clan has put on
her. I doubt she's slept very well in a long time.

A break from all of this would probably be best for her.

But where would we go? I don't know anyone who
would take us in to stay with them, and the clan would
be able to easily track her if we stayed in a hotel;
That would defeat the whole purpose. Wait a minute.

Heero.

The assassin's son.

I helped him before when some gang members
assassinated his family near my boarding school.
Maybe he'll be willing to do me a small favor...



It's so warm...

So comfy...

This must be the reward for the strong...

I know it's only a dream, but Wufei holding me
like this just feels so right. He's so soft, and yet,
at the same time, he's so strong.

He's such a puzzle.

I feel so bubbly, almost like giggling. I know I'm
dreaming, so I give into the urge like I wouldn't
have in real life.

Why _am_ I dreaming of Wufei, anyway?

Could there be more here than what I'm seeing? I
never was that smart.

He found me so easily, and he seems to almost
always know how to comfort me. Almost.

Not to mention that arguing with him is futile.
Wufei _always_ gets his way. No matter what.

So why didn't he call off the wedding?

It doesn't matter.

All that matters is that it's so warm here, and
so nice.

I could stay like this forever.

Maybe-maybe that wish could come true.

Maybe I can accept Wufei.

So long as he stops calling me Meilan.