The shuttle's rear engines hummed loud enough to muffle the sound of his and anyone else's footsteps on the metal walkway. Treize snuck one look over his shoulder down the long corridor, but no one had followed. He raised his hand to the glowing keypad and punched in his own personal code. The door slid open and light spilled into the dark cell. Treize's shadow covered the captive pilot on the floor, his arms locked in heavy restraints, his hair loose across half his face.

Wufei looked up, blinking fast in case the shadows were playing tricks on his mind.

"Kushrenada?"

With a low laugh, Treize stepped into the cell and knelt before him. The door slid shut behind him and a few slits along the floor provided a scant glow that only highlighted their outlines. Their faces disappeared in the darkness, and although the light glittered on their eyes once in awhile, they looked like black cutouts to each other.

"Wufei, these captures are becoming something of a bad habit." He brushed the back of his gloved hand on his prisoner's cheek.

"Don't you dare," Wufei said, turning his head aside.

"I wouldn't take advantage of you," he said. "I merely wonder if you allow yourself to be caught in the hopes of meeting me."

"Don't flatter yourself. My mission objectives put me in harm's way. There is no other reason."

"Then you are not resourceful enough to avoid capture?"

Wufei said nothing.

"I didn't think so." He pushed Wufei's hair away from his face and lightly touched a streak of dried blood on his temple. "There are gentler ways of finding me."

The general's tone grated on Wufei's ears, and he narrowed his eyes at his enemy's silhouette. "I'd rather find a way to defeat you."

Treize laughed again. "You already have."

"Don't mock me."

"Don't do this, don't do that," he whispered with a smile. He ran one hand through Wufei's hair, letting it slip through his fingers. "Why don't you ever tell me what you want me to do?"

"Why should I trust you?"

"After all the times I let you escape?"

"I think you allow us to live because we play some part in your plans."

"True." He leaned close enough to feel Wufei's warm breath on his cheek. "But that's not my only reason...just like your missions may not be your only reason..."

Wufei's breath sped up and he pressed himself flat against the wall as he lowered his head. "No...I don't..."

"There's no shame in it," he whispered. He cupped Wufei's cheek in his hand, remembering how Zech's gloves felt on his own skin, and kissed the corner of Wufei's mouth. "No one can see us here. We can stop being ourselves...for just a few seconds..."

He felt Wufei's hands fist into the front of his uniform. For a moment he thought he was going to attack, but then Wufei pulled him down the last few inches and forced his kiss. Treize clung to him, yielding control and allowing him to take as much as he wanted. His eyes widened as his pilot pushed into him hard enough to bruise. Their outlines merged, neither seeing where the other ended or began.

When they drew back, a copper tang filled Treize's mouth and he wiped away the trickle of blood on his lips. "My God," he said, listening to Wufei's heavy breathing. "How long have you been holding this back?"

Wufei ignored his question. "This changes nothing." He licked at Treize's last few drops of blood. "You're still my enemy."

"A shame." Treize shook his head and took his own kiss, much gentler this time, and smiled as Wufei tilted his head, letting him in deeper. "I don't think of you as an enemy."

Wufei wished he could see Treize's face. "Why are you here?"

"I'd hoped you would allow me a few liberties before you overpowered me and escaped." He held his hand up, and a shimmer ran along the plastic key card. "Before we reach the colony."

"No one will believe it," Wufei said, but still took the card.

"I'm their general. They will believe me."

"Very well," Wufei sighed. "Brace yourself. This will hurt."

Treize watched Wufei raise his hands, preparing to bring his restraints down on his enemy's head. With a wince, Treize turned his head aside. The light from the floor seemed to grow and grow until it blinded him.

"I knew it would."

Fin