Treize rounded the corner, just barely able to spot the end of Wufei's staff as his lover raced up the staircase, taking the marble steps two at a time. "Wufei! Wufei, stop!" He slammed his hand on the rail as they started up the spiral staircase. "Stop! Or at least slow down!" He wondered why his lover was racing up these particulars stairs...these only led to the topmost part of the palace.

The sounds of a small explosion echoed back down to him, and he could see a burst of light reflected in the polished tiles around him. He quickened his pace but then froze in surprise. The door leading to the roof had been blown off its hinges, leaving a smoking lump of charred wood behind. For a moment he wondered if he really ought to be chasing after a powerful sorcerer who was obviously highly agitated. The last time he'd chased Wufei, the youngster had accidentally turned him into a tiger cub.

"Well, he can always change me back," he reasoned to himself, and looked outside.

Wufei stood precariously close to the edge of the roof, his cloth slippers offering no traction against the surface polished smooth by the weather. The boy held his staff up in the air and chanted strange Chinese spells Treize couldn't even pretend to understand. Nataku, meanwhile, had abandoned the roof for the safety of the sky, soaring in broad loops around the palace.

"Wufei, what are you doing?"

Not paying any attention, Wufei suddenly slammed his staff down onto the roof and lightning bolts of various colors flashed out in all directions, scorching black streaks along nearly every surface. Dark clouds gathered over the horizon, rushing to converge above the palace, and natural lightning streaked across the sky. Something cold and heavy hit Treize, and when he looked down, he saw gigantic raindrops soaking everything. The winds whipped up until he thought Wufei had called a hurricane down upon them. Brutally strong gusts forced him against the doorframe and nearly swept him farther across the roof. Only his quick grab at the frame kept him from being dragged off the roof to the ground hundreds of feet below.

On the streets outside the palace, people raced into any building they could get, ignoring who was standing beside them as they stared in awe, not only of the storm seething around them but also at the boy they could barely make out standing on the palace.

For a few minutes, they were all certain an angel had descended to bring God's wrath down on their city.

"Wufei!" Treize tried again, but his voice couldn't carry through the wind. He had to settle with watching his lover, who didn't seem bothered by the wind and rain, apparently commanding the dragon to fly into the clouds. The little lizard obediently launched into the air just over Wufei and vanished.

Half a second later, a bolt of lightning originating at the base of his staff defied the laws of physics and slowly coursed upwards to the sky, following the trail left by the dragon, lethargically spiraling to the clouds. The colored sparks from Wufei's staff trailed up and around the larger bolt, coalescing into a spectacular display of lights and thunder. It was the only light in the city at that moment. All the candles torches had been blown out.

Without warning, the lightning bolt exploded into a flash of light so brilliant Treize had to turn his eyes. When he looked back, the clouds had disappeared, replaced by a blanket of light in the sky that gently rained down pieces of glowing matter that stuck to the palace and made the walls glow. The captain of the guard glanced back where his lover had been and found him, still standing, with his staff laying several feet away and the dragon nestled on the rooftop. Worried of what might happen if that glowing stuff landed on him, Treize waited until most of it had dissipated before running out towards Wufei.

He pulled up short a few feet away, disconcerted that the boy didn't seem to notice his presence. The sorcerer was a fine warrior and ought to know he wasn't alone. Torn between reaching out to shake him and just waiting for the spell to finish, Treize opted to wait. Wufei had warned him before about interrupting spells, and the last time he'd broken Wufei's concentration, he'd been changed into a fluffy little lap dog.

"Is...it...finished?" Wufei suddenly whispered.

Treize looked up. "The light's nearly all gone. Just a few more--Wufei!" He screamed out in terror as the Chinese boy started to topple forward off the ledge. Throwing his arms around his upper body, Treize pulled him back and gently lowered him to the floor, cradling him against his body. A fine layer of sweat broke out over Wufei's body, and his eyes were half closed, as if he wanted to fall asleep. He tried to reach his hand up to touch Treize's cheek, but the weight of his arm pulled it back down.

"What happened?" Treize asked, smoothing back the black hair. "What was all that lightning?"

Wufei smiled weakly. "R...re'nforc'd...palace...wards.." he whispered.

"You didn't make such a scene the last time you did that," Treize argued. "Feels like you have a fever."

The sorcerer shrugged as if he didn't care. His eyes closed and his body became entirely limp as he lapsed into unconsciousness. Treize sighed and stood, hauling Wufei up with him.

"Treize, Wufei, are you up here?"

Treize turned with a faint smile as Zechs appeared in the doorway, his blue eyes widening as he surveyed the damage.

"We're right here," he called out. "Could you please bring Wufei's staff with you. I'm afraid I have my arms full at the moment."

Zechs smirked when he saw the sorcerer cuddled against Treize's side. "You spoil that boy far too much," he chuckled, picking up the staff. The dragon, seeing it was time to go, jumped to its feet and flew up just high enough to land on Treize's shoulder.

"You're just jealous," Treize said.

Zechs shook his head. "I don't regret choosing Lucretzia. I'm simply being honest. That boy has you wrapped around his little finger. He could probably turn you into a wolf pup and you wouldn't complain."

Treize didn't mention that Wufei had once done that, too, and made him do tricks before he'd reversed the spell. Of course, he'd been neglecting his poor dragon for weeks, concerned only about his job, and Wufei had been understandably upset. He was really only trying to get my attention, he told himself. "I need to put him to bed," he said. "Please call Sally and tell Heero that the wards have been put up again."

"After that light show? I'd say he did more than just reinforce old spells."

Treize gave his first commander an irritated look. "I know that, but he blacked out before he could tell me what. Just make sure no one tries any magick inside or out of the palace until he wakes up again. And make sure Sally comes down. The sooner I can leave Wufei in her care, the sooner I can worry about that assassin."

Zechs left as soon as they arrived at the room Treize shared with Wufei, leaving the staff leaned up against the wall. The dragon fell asleep beside it, keeping guard, while Treize set Wufei on the bed and gently stripped him out of his clothing, easing him beneath the blankets. He pulled off the hairband and brought a washbasin and raggedy cloth to the bed, beginning to work on lowering Wufei's fever.

"What a way to start off the morning," he muttered.

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