AUTHOR'S NOTE: I'm so sorry that it took me so long... For a long time I lacked the inspiration to write. But in the last two weeks I was on vacation from the army, and my family and I went on a trip to Italy. Europe was beautiful as always, and it was just what I needed to regain my inspiration. So I think you should thank Verona, Venues, Milano and the great Garda Lake for this chapter... they brought me back my inspiration to write.

DEDICATION: This chapter is dedicated to dear Priscel and Heva. It was their heart-warming reviews that kept me going with this fic, even when I got stuck at the very last chapter... Thank you so much you two. *hugs*

BEHIND BLUE EYES

PART SIX

* * *

"Dammit!" A panicked young man cursed as he raced through a dark alley. His pale blond hair, short and messy, was bouncing around his head. His cropped bangs clung to his sweaty forehead, some poking his eyes. His clear blue eyes were sharp with awareness. They were looking around frantically as he ran, searching for a place of safety. His harsh breathing filled the air, sounding too loud to his own ears.

In his arms, clutched protectively to his chest, was a small child. The little bundle, no more than three years of age, was lying limply in the man's arms, his tiny legs swinging wildly from side to side. The boy's head was cradled carefully in the man's arm, pressed against his broad chest. Blood covered his little face, pouring fluently from a gash in the side of his head. Some of the blood had already clotted around the boy's dark hair, his long bangs sticking to his bloody forehead. The man held him as steadily as he could, his chest aching with worry with each sharp turn or stumble.

Behind him, just a block away, chaos ruled the streets. A large pillar of dark, thick, smoke rose high in the air, hovering over the ruins of what once was the L1-Cluster Embassy. The tall and fancy building was now a pile of smoke-raising debris. Rescue forces were all around it, the sound of sirens piercing the air. People were screaming, some panicked, some mad and some too shocked to move or say anything.

He could hear nothing but his own breathing, harsh and hot in his lungs. The air was hot and thick, full of dust and smoke. The Colony's ventilation system was yet unable to cleanse the air. He was suffocating.

Still, he continued to run, the scenery rushing past him in a foggy blur. One building and then another, gray alleyways and dark corners. The shadows were everywhere, watching him. Sweat trickled into his eyes. It mixed his world into a hazy reality that threatened to crush him in its iron grip.

The boy in his arms was like dead weight. He was still breathing, but just barely. His little body felt too heavy in his arms. It was the guilt. It was too heavy to bear. He had no choice but to carry it with him, and keep running.

* * *

Seventeen years later, that same boy, now a young man, was walking down those same streets. He had no recollection of being carried by a terrified young assassin, bleeding to death as he was taken through dark alleys. There was no sign of the fear and confusion that defined those times. He was at ease, walking casually down the main avenue of the colony.

Duo was walking by his side, speaking softly about one thing or another. He smiled at an amusing comment his lover made, his blue eyes sparkling softly under the warm colony light. Everything about him was casual and relaxed. His posture, his smile, the way he walked. Even his clothes, a pair of jeans and a loose white dress shirt, seemed brighter than everything else around him. The air around him glowed with his radiance.

The streets of L1-7283101 reflected his brilliance. The buildings were a glimmering silver, always clean and always glowing. Lush greenery decorated every sidewalk, along with a few fountains that sprouted glittering water. The air was sweet and clean, carrying the unnatural scents of summer. People were walking up and down the shiny streets, strolling the many high-class shopping centers and magnificent parks.

He enjoyed walking among them as a tourist and not an unwelcomed protector. He felt like a new person as he walked casually down the streets, admiring the colony's beauty and atmosphere. The people were relaxed, pacing along the parks and various avenues. It was a sight to be cherished, considering that four years ago the colonies could even be threatened by a mere little girl who wanted to conquer the world.

"Betchya we look like a couple of lost tourists." Duo commented with a smile before stopping to have a look around. He scanned the shiny silver streets around them and then turned to Heero with a helpless gesture. "I have NO idea where we are!"

Heero smiled gently at his lover's performance. "It should be somewhere around here. Look for a map." He said, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the busy streets. He looked past the malls, the tall office buildings and crowded boulevards. Among the bright neon signs and Plasma screens flashing various commercials his way, he spotted a small sign with a map of the district.

He took Duo's hand in his and the two walked towards the small sign. Duo was smiling the whole way, his heart melting at the feeling of Heero's warm hand around his. People were looking at them, and he avoided their gaze. He held Heero's hand tighter, pretending that he didn't care. He didn't care. Of course he didn't. Fuck them. He didn't care.

He was so lost in thoughts that he didn't notice that Heero was done examining the map. Still holding Duo's hand, Heero turned to him and offered a small smile. "It's just a block ahead, come on."

After a few more minutes of walking, the two finally arrived at their destination. The new L1-Cluster Embassy stood tall and proud over the street, its mirror-glass windows gleaming brightly. The grand skyscraper soared up so it nearly kissed the metal casing of the colony. Two armed security guards were standing in the entrance of the lobby. They ran a thorough check on both of them before they entered.

Once inside the large lobby, the two had to stop and admire the sight before them. The entrance hall's marble floor was glossy to a point it was nearly mirror-like. There was a big lounge with a small bar next to it. Large flowerpots with beautiful greenery decorated every corner. People in business suits, men and women alike, were walking left and right across the lobby, striding in determined steps. There was a soft humming of chatter around the lobby, and once in a while an announcement was made over the speaker system.

"Wow." Was all Duo could think of saying. Even the Preventer building they once visited did not look this good. He turned to Heero, who was standing like a statue by his side. His features were numb, as if in shock, his eyes staring dully at the foyer. Duo's heart crumbled a bit with compassion. He reached down to hold Heero's hand.

"Are you okay?" He whispered, noting in the back of his mind that people were watching again, but he didn't care.

Heero was silent for a while more. His eyes were glued to the lounge, staring at it until his eyes glazed over. He watched the posh leather armchairs in the lounge, his eyes filling with tears.

"They used to be red..." He mumbled, turning to Duo with a faint, tormented, smile. "I remember."

His lover offered him a small smile in return, squeezing his hand lightly. "I'm glad." He whispered softly, and gave Heero's hand a slight nudge as a sign to follow him. The two walked slowly into the lobby, their hands never separating. Duo could feel the tenseness in Heero's body and noted his stiff walking. It was hard for him to do this, he knew. He also knew that Heero was strong enough for this. They never would have come here if Heero wasn't strong enough. And after Nora's death, Heero became even stronger.

Nora died six months after their little getaway to the lake. Heero and he were by her side until the very end. Her death didn't come as a big shock, merely a slow and agonizing process of watching her wither away. She died in her sleep, a smile on her face and her fingers curled tightly around Heero's hand. Just before she fell into a final slumber, they were still talking, and once again their eyes somehow met. She smiled at her son and reached a weak, trembling hand to caress his face. He closed his eyes and let her fingers roam over his features, feeling him one last time. There was something in the air that demanded silence. Something holy and powerful. They knew, somehow, that it was to be her last night on Earth. She will be leaving them soon, joining her husband, Heero's father, in the afterlife. If there was such a thing.

It was all done silently, calmly. Nora's passing and Heero's grief were both coated with a sort of pleasant, painless, silence. It was thick and warm, warping itself around Heero's heart. In the silence of grieving, Heero secretly wished that the pleasant warmth that filled his heart was his mother's spirit. He was certain that she was keeping her promise of loving him always, of being with him forever. Perhaps with her essence wrapped around his heart, coating him with warm, quiet love, he could find the strength to go on. In fact, he was sure of it.

It was that feeling around his heart that helped him take the first steps into he lobby, and it was that same warm and loving sprit that guided him into the furthest corner of the lobby. There, behind three large plants and a vending machine, stood a small memorial corner. There was a dark-blue marble monument which read:

In memory of those who perished in the

terrible act of terror against

the L1 Embassy,

November 9th,

AC 183.

They Shall Be Remembered.

Always.

Bellow, were the names of the deceased. There were at least a two hundred names, if not more. The golden letters were craved into the dark blue marble, spelling out the names of those who were gone.

Mark O'Keefe,

AC 149 - AC 183

John Debney,

AC 128 - AC 183

Linda DeScenndl,

AC 155 - AC 183

Gary Barber,

AC 142 - AC 183

Michael Bostick,

AC 138 - AC 183

Roger Birnbaum,

AC 135 - AC 183

Junie Lowry,

AC 158 - AC 183

The list went on and on. Heero let his fingers wander slowly over the carved names, his fingers brushing over the cool marble until it stopped by a pair of names.

Hayashi Ishikawa,

AC 156 - AC 183

Hikari Ishikawa,

AC 180 - AC 183

Heero swallowed, hard. His fingers froze in place, pressed against the name of the infant he once was. It was hard to breathe all of sudden. His fingers trembled as he reached to touch his father's name once again. A painful lump of air caught in his throat when his fingertips made contact with the cool marble. His cobalt eyes filled with tears as his mind did the math.

"He was only twenty seven when he died..." Heero whispered, his voice shaking. He felt the hot tears rise up his throat, but the feeling of Duo's warm hand on his shoulder managed to calm him. He sniffled and turned to face his lover. There was a sad, forlorn, look in his eyes when he spoke.

"I can hardly remember him."

Duo's features were serious and grave, reflecting the gravity of the situation. He nodded slowly in understanding, his violet eyes glimmering with barely contained tears. "I know." He whispered, his voice weak and nearly faltering.

He leaned his head on Heero's shoulder, pressing his cheek to the hand he was still resting on Heero. He sighed deeply and just stood there with his lover, watching the monument silently. His eyes did not leave the carved name of Hikari Ishikawa. He felt an urge to gather Heero into his arms and pull him deeply into him, but instead he remained standing silently, offering as much comfort as he could. With his head resting on Heero's shoulder, he could feel the slight trembling running through the young man.

"Do you think we should ask them to remove your name?" Duo finally broke the silence, slowly pulling away from Heero.

With his gaze still fixed on the blue marble, Heero thoughtfully shook his head. "No." he said, turning to face Duo. His features were solemn, but his eyes shone brightly. "Hikari died a long time ago. What he-- what I could have been died along with that name. I'm Heero now, and that's who I'll always be." He finished with a small smile, shrugging helplessly as he turned back to the monument. He reached a hand back to caress the two names, his smile growing just a slight bit.

"I think that this is what Nora would have wanted me to do." He added, feeling the cool stone one last time before parting from it.

"I think you're right." Duo said, nodding his head in agreement. He turned to look around the small memorial corner, noting the few garlands of colorful flowers lying on a large marble counter attached to the wall. There were many candles among the flowers, as well as framed pictures of the faceless names on the monument. He took a step closer, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the photographs scattered along the shiny marble.

"Heero, look." He said, walking quickly towards the counter. He swept a farmed photo off the shiny surface, and brought it up to his face. He felt Heero come to stand by him, the warmth of his body tickling his side. He turned to his lover, offering him the picture. "It's him." He said, his words carrying so much weight that they could barely cross the distance from his lips to Heero.

Heero reached for the picture, his fingers slightly trembling. He took the polished wooden frame from his lover and turned to look at the photograph. He smiled. Hayashi Ishikawa was everything Nora told him about. This picture matched the thousand words Nora used to describe his father. A young, handsome, optimistic young man who worked hard for what he believed in. Looking at the picture, Heero couldn't help but smiling. He was flooded with warm memories and feelings. He remembered that hair. That messy, thick black hair. Just like his own hair, it was untamable. He remembered playing with it. It annoyed his father at times, but he always smiled at him, always.

"You really do look like him." Duo commented as he leaned to look closer at the picture.

Heero smiled in response. "Hai," he whispered, "Just like Nora said." She knew. His mother knew what he looked like. It was comforting in a way; she was never blind to him. She always saw him inside out, just like a mother should.

"Man, look at his eyes." Duo added in wonder, leaning even closer to the photograph. The man in the picture was wearing a pair of fashionable glasses, but behind them was a pair of expressional, piercing, brownish-green eyes.

"They're green." Duo finally concluded, rising back up. He turned to Heero with a wicked smile. "Ain't that weird? I mean, he looks Japanese and all..."

Heero turned to look at the picture and then shrugged the matter as unimportant. He flipped the framed picture over to look at the back. "Do you suppose Nora put it here?" He asked, examining the back for any kind of inscription.

"I don't think so," Duo answered, "there was a burning candle next to it. Who will bother lighting a candle after all this time?"

Heero didn't answer and carefully placed the picture back on the marble surface. He remained standing in his spot, gazing sadly at the photograph. Duo turned to look at him, noting his lover's thoughtful face. He was gazing deeply into the photograph, as if he was drowning in it.

Duo watched him silently as he slowly closed his eyes, taking a deep breath in an attempt to stop the heavy feelings that flooded him. It was then that Duo decided that it would be good to give Heero a few moments by himself.

Forcing on a small, compassionate smile, he placed a gentle hand on Heero's shoulder. "I'm, uh, I'm gonna look for the bathroom, okay? I'll meet you back at the lounge." He said, and slowly walked away.

But he didn't bother to search for the men's room. Instead, he made his way straight to the reception desk at the other side of the lobby. He had been waiting for this opportunity ever since Heero and he reached L1 two days ago. They never separated for even a moment, so he did not have time to do this. He promised Nora that he would. He had also promised that he would do it without Heero's knowing. He didn't understand why she didn't want her son to know about it. Perhaps she was afraid that he would refuse.

He didn't try to convince the dying woman to reconsider her request. Nora was already towards the finale stages of the disease when she called him in the middle of the night, asking him to come to the hospital alone. Heero was so exhausted from the entire ordeal of taking care of his mother that he didn't even wake up. He left Heero asleep in their bed and rushed to the hospital. That was when Nora made her finale request from him. She made him promise to keep it, no matter what. With shaking hands and a faltering smile, she handed him a small white envelope.

"The L1 Embassy," she had whispered weaky, "They will be able to help you."

And that was that. His promise was made. Walking towards the reception desk, Duo pulled that same white envelope out of his inner jacket and waited in line.

A young blond secretary was talking on the phone while typing something on her computer. She gave Duo an acknowledging nod and he smiled in return. He waited for her to finish what she was doing, tapping his fingers on the counter while he took a look around the large lobby. When the young woman finished her business, she turned to him with a smile.

"Sorry about that. What can I do for you, sir?"

Duo turned back to her, putting on his most charming smile. "Well, uh," he looked down at her nametag, then back at her, "Sandra, I was wondering if you could help me find someone." He said, his tone smooth and confident.

The young blond smiled at the handsome young man before her. "Of course, sir." She said and turned to her computer. Typing something quickly, she asked: "Do you know on which floor he works?"

Duo smiled in apology and shook his head. "No, I don't believe he works here. But I was hoping you can help me find him."

The woman frowned, and turned to him again. She could refuse, it was not her job to help with such a request, but she found the man's charm irresistible. "Well, do you have his name?"

Smiling in gratitude, the braided young man nodded and opened the envelope in his hand. "Thanks." He said, looking down at Nora's neat handwriting. He gave the young woman the information he had and waited patiently as she sought out the name in the L1 database. A few minutes later he was sitting in the lounge, waiting for Heero to return. His lover appeared soon after that, seeking him in the crowd. When their eyes met Heero smiled and motioned Duo to come. They left the building hand in hand.

* * *

The rest of the day they spent touring the colony. After their visit to the L1 Embassy they made their way to the famous L1 Space Museum, which Duo found rather boring being that he was not that interested about the life-long story of the space pioneers. What he did enjoy was their little make-out session during the 'How the Universe Came To Be' holographic-movie. Being bored with the movie, he had reached a hand down Heero's pants, making the young man squeal during the Big Bang!. That turned a few heads their way, and gave him quite a laugh. Heero did not find it funny though, so Duo had to make it up to him with a kiss, which lasted for the entire twenty minutes of the movie.

From the darkness of the Space Museum, the pair made their way back to the light flooded streets. Their next stop was at the small Nature Reserve in the center of the colony. L1-7283101 was one of the few colonies that could afford maintaining a small piece of nature. A wide blue canal divided the colony to two halves, flowing right through the center of the lush space settlement. It split the city-center right in the middle, and also bordered by the small nature reservation. A small forest and large planes of grass spread alongside the water canal, red gravel roads and picnic areas all around it.

They strolled the gravel roads and paid a visit to the small zoo. They ate ice cream cones by the canal, dipping their feet in the cool water. Later on the two lay under a lush tree and let a lazy hour crawl by. They simply lay on the soft grass, Heero leaning on the tree while embracing Duo, as the two spoke about soft nothings to each other.

The early afternoon hours found the two walking down the main avenue of the colony, exhausted after a long trip inside an enormous shopping center. Tired and hungry, the couple chose a nice café by the water canal. It had a great white porch with little white tables; build with decorated iron patterns, all of them facing the artificial river. A nice young waitress served them a glass of water with lemon and mint, smiling at the two as she told them about today's specials. The atmosphere was calm as they sat and ate, the sweet scent of foliage engulfing them.

Taking a forkful of salad, Heero smiled and looked up at Duo. The braided young man was sitting casually in front of him, the white light of the colony making his chestnut hair gleam. He was speaking enthusiastically, only stopping to have a sip from his ice tea before returning to what he had been saying.

"All I'm saying is- why charge so much for a freaking jacket, yanno? On L2 I could get it for you in half a price! Heck, even less! Seriously. Rich people pay too damn much for nothing. Like, they can afford it so they don't care. That's such a fucked up way of thinking. They'd be even richer if they did their shopping on L2. Heck, I think that flying there would cost less than that jacket, right?"

Heero smiled and shrugged lightly. He was amused by Duo's enthusiasm for such a trivial manner. During their shopping trip, Duo saw a jacket in the mall he really liked, but they could not afford it. Now he ranted about the injustice of it all.

"Capitalism sucks, man." Duo finished with a mutter, taking a long sip from his ice tea.

Heero rolled his eyes and speared a red cherry tomato with his fork. "It has its qualities."

Duo snorted. "We're not getting into a debate now, are we? I'm just saying that I REALLY wanted that jacket! Man, it was so cool!"

"Duo, you sound like a ten year old." Heero commented with a light smirk, taking another bite from his salad. His eyes sparkled as he watched his lover rant on about one thing or another. It wasn't that he didn't enjoy listening to him, it was just that he was too mesmerized by the sight of his lips moving, that his ears became deaf to all sound.

He knew his lover's body like it was his own, but every once in a while he would discover something new. Like how Duo's lips twitched up in a half a smile while he was ranting about something that annoyed him. Or how his bottom lip pouted adorably when he frowned. Or how a little bit of gravy gathered at the corner of his mouth while he spoke about a leather jacket he couldn't afford.

Smiling to himself, Heero leaned forward and reach a finger towards Duo's face. He swept the gravy off the corner of Duo's mouth, surprising him in mid-sentence.

Duo blinked, quite baffled, and watched his lover lean back into his chair in satisfaction. He kept staring at Heero as the young Japanese man put his finger in his mouth and sucked the gravy off it in one, swift motion. He wasn't trying to be seductive, but he couldn't help but feel a little sexy with Duo's wide eyes watching him. Hiding a pleased smile, he returned to eating his salad.

Duo was still gaping. A few girls giggled, and he blinked, as if coming awake. He turned to look over his shoulder, noting the two high school girls watching them. He turned back to Heero, who was acting like nothing had happened.

He smile, his heart turning into mushy goo.

"You were saying?" Heero asked, reaching for his glass of lemonade while trying to hide an amused smile.

"Oh, I, uh, forgot." Duo mumbled, feeling a light blush rising to his cheek. The girls behind them chuckled again, and Duo's blush changed into a deeper shade. He hurried to gulp the rest of his ice tea.

"Perhaps we'll find a similar jacket back on Earth." Heero suggested, speaking as if he didn't notice what had just transpired. Maybe it was because he didn't care, Duo mused. And neither should he. Why should he be ashamed of such an endearing act? Why should he deny himself of enjoying these little gestures that made his heart dance and melt at the same time?

Heero didn't care about what other people thought. When he felt something, he felt it with all his heart. When he loved someone, he loved him deeply, to the very core of his soul. He was honest with his emotions. That's why he loved Heero so much. He never knew someone who held so much emotion in his heart. It was like a great sphere of pure white light, all contained within a young, wounded and scarred heart. A hard, rough crust of ugly scars covered Heero's heart, but it held so much love and feeling inside it, like an infinite mound of heavenly light. There was so much of that light, so strong and untainted, that it reached past the cracks of that scarred crust and shone to the outside. It was that inner glow that made Heero so beautiful and alluring. It was the greatest reward to anyone who loved him. Nora had the chance to be basked in Heero's light, and he was thankful for every second he spent under that same divine aura.

It was the little things, like gravy at the edges of his mouth, that made him realize this again and again. Seeing Heero's light glow so brightly made him realize how much the young man had changed. Since Nora's death, Heero came to accept his life, accept the hardship of his past and begin to think of a hopeful future. The visit to this colony was the last stop in Heero's long journey. It was the last patch that his wounded heart needed. From now on he will make sure to compensate Heero for every scar, for every wound on his loving heart. They will smooth those scars together, the way the always have and always will do.

"Duo? Daijoubu?" Heero asked, his eyes narrowing a little in concern. "Did I embarrass you?" He inquired, looking left and right at the people sitting around them. He turned back to Duo, his expression almost wounded.

Duo saw the apology that was about to come out of Heero's mouth, and he hurried to smile broadly at him. "Are you kidding me?!" he laughed, "Ya just took me by surprise, that's all!"

Heero smiled back at him, unsure. "You just seemed thoughtful for a second."

A warm smile graced Duo's lips, his violet eyes sparkling adoringly. "Nah, I was just thinking how much I love you." He frowned at his own words. "Damn, that sounded corny! But I did! I mean I was. I was thinking about you." Again that shy blush on his cheeks. He didn't care if those two high school girls were listening. He leaned forward and took Heero's hands in his.

Smiling at those shining cobalt eyes he whispered: "I love you so much, Hee-chan." A cocky smile pulled at his lips as he added: "and you can lick my gravy anytime..." He finished seductively and threw in a playful wink.

Heero snorted a soft 'baka' at him and shook his head. "You are hopeless." He reprimanded his lover, taking a long sip of his lemonade to hide the rosy color Duo raised on his cheeks. Duo laughed lightly, leaning back in his chair while feeling very pleased with himself.

He raised a questioning eyebrow when Heero placed his glass down and then rose to his feet. Heero gave him a small smile and mouthed 'bathroom'.

Duo smiled back and nodded his goodbye. He watched Heero walk into the café and then sighed thoughtfully. He leaned deeply into his chair, swinging slightly back and forth. He stirred his ice tea with a straw, gazing at it broodingly. After a few long moments of thinking, he got up and walked towards a near pay phone. Pulling the white envelope out of his pocket, he looked down at the number scribbled over it and dialed.

He kept sending nervous glances at the café's entrance, hoping that Heero will take long enough for him to make the call. Listening to the dial tone, he watched the doors anxiously, his foot tapping on the floor. After a few rings, he was finally answered.

"Hello?" A man answered calmly.

Duo straightened in his spot, feeling a sudden urge to act formal. His heart was beating too fast. "Yes, uhm, Hello..."

* * *

When Heero returned from the washroom Duo was already seated by the table, stirring his empty cup of tea. Heero slowly settled back into his chair.

"Sorry I took so long, there was a line." He apologized, noting that his lover seemed rather bored.

Duo looked up at him over his empty ice tea and offered a kind smile. "No problem." He said, a strange, unknown gleam in his eyes. Heero noted that gleam, but he couldn't put his finger on what it meant. He decided that if something was wrong then Duo would tell him about it. They gave each other space with such matters, trusting one another to open up when the time was right. Neither of them was pushy about such matters. If Duo didn't want to speak about a nightmare, Heero didn't press the matters further, and visa versa. It made their relationship more comfortable. If they couldn't bring themselves to speak about aching matters, at least they had the comfort of knowing that they were understood.

"Where would you like to go next?" Duo asked, his cheerfulness slowly recovering.

While gesturing at the waitress to bring them their bill, Heero replied quietly. "I'd like to go back to the hotel. I need to make some phone calls, make sure that everything is ready for tomorrow."

"Did you get a call from the funeral home?" Duo asked, his eyes following the young waitress as she approached with the check and two complementary cups of coffee and cake.

Heero pulled out his wallet, briefly musing how come he was speaking so casually about this matter.

"They called the lobby early this morning. They left a message that the coffin had arrived around midnight."

Duo nodded, his expression grave. "That's good." He said, watching Heero sign a check. His hand moved swiftly and gracefully over the paper, scribbling his signature with his neat and stylish handwriting.

"I want to go the funeral home early tomorrow, to have a look at the coffin before the funeral." Heero said as he pulled a five-dollar bill and placed it along with the check. He looked up at Duo, his cobalt eyes gleaming seriously. "I need to know that she made it out okay."

Duo nodded in understanding. "Sure. We can go have a look at it now, if you want."

Heero shook his head and the two got up. "No, I'd rather not." He said slowly, picking up a couple of shopping bags, which lay by his chair. "I would rather have it done in one swift blow..." He explained with a weak smile, looking at Duo with eyes that searched for understanding. As usual, he got just that from his lover, who offered him a smile and a sympathetic nod in return.

"I hear ya, man." Duo said, picking up another pair of trendy paper bags. The two made their way out of the restaurant, carrying their load. At the steps leading out of the porch and into the street, Duo stopped and looked down at their packages. He turned to Heero, laughing lightly.

"You think we over did it with the shopping?"

"Well, it was you who said we need a change of wardrobe..." Heero reminded him as he continued to walk. Duo hurried to follow him as a terrible thought struck him.

"Oh man! Now that I think of it we could have gotten this stuff a whole lot cheaper on L2..."

* * *

They returned to their hotel straight after lunch. The L1 Colonial Plaza was a luxurious hotel, which was surprisingly affordable now that the colonies were trying to encourage space-tourism. Their suite was modest, but it held all they could ever wish for. There was a comfortable king sized bed, a rich mini bar, a large screen TV, a soft sofa for two and even a Jacuzzi. The room was well decorated, with a dark red wall-to-wall carpet, fashionable furniture, a fireplace and classy wallpapers. There was a glass door, currently hidden behind a thick red curtain, which led to a balcony. By the door was a miniature wooden table with an ancient-looking phone on it and a small cushioned chair standing by it.

Duo came out of the steaming shower room, wearing a white bathrobe while drying his long hair with the hotel's towel. He saw his lover sitting on the chair by the phone, speaking quietly into the receiver. There was soft music playing from the television, images of nature slowly changing on the screen. The room was dimly lit, flooded with mellow warm light and soft shadows. Heero's murmurs into the phone blended with the New Age music coming from the television, all in all creating a calm, relaxing, atmosphere.

With a pleasant sigh Duo flopped down on the bed, his body bouncing softly on the mattress before sinking deeply into it. His wet hair spread like an open fan over the bed, while his bare feet hung lazily in the air, sticking out of the mattress. He spread his arms like an eagle, enjoying the sheer size of the bed. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, indulging in the pleasant moment. He listened to Heero speaking on the phone, letting his mind wander into a hazy, jelly-like, state.

"I've signed the papers down at the municipality this morning. The clerk said that there would be no more problems with removing the grave." Heero said, his voice calm though he sounded like he was trying to convince someone into something he would not do.

"I understand that these things take time, sir, but I've made the arrangements three weeks in advance. It was hard as it is to purchase a burial ground on this colony, please don't make this any harder. I beg you, sir, I need that burial ground tomorrow. It was already arranged."

Duo sighed at his lover's aching tone. Heero had worked so hard to purchase the right to bury his mother on L1. Usually colonist were given a space-burial, sending their coffins into deep space because there was simply not enough room to bury the dead on the colony itself. It was a waste of precious space. Only those who could afford it were buried at their home colonies. Heero's father was one of these people; at the time Nora had enough money to arrange his burial. She did the same for their son, burying him by his father's side.

Only there was no one to bury, the coffin was empty for all was found of Hikari Ishikawa were his shoes and a broken toy. There was no need for a tombstone that bore his name. Hikari was alive, he was Heero now. And all Heero wanted was to use the precious space his unnecessary grave took and use it so he could bury his mother by his father's side. He didn't want to see his mother's coffin sent into the darkness of space. He didn't want to lose her again to the unknown. He wanted a grave to visit, and he wanted her to be back with her husband, the man she had loved all her life.

But it seemed that the L1 authorities did not understand such a simple heart's wish. While they agreed to allow Nora to be buried instead of her thought-to-be-dead son, they did not bother to make the arrangements in advance. The funeral was due tomorrow, and Hikari's grave was yet to be removed.

"But I am telling you that the grave is EMPTY!" Heero nearly shouted into the phone, his tone getting desperate. Duo flinched at the mere sound of it. He opened his eyes, gazing blindly at the ceiling as he listened to his lover struggle with the dense authority.

"I know this because I am the person who's supposed to be lying in that grave!" Duo flinched at that sentence, closing his eyes in pain. He wished that Heero wouldn't have to speak like that, but it seemed that there was no other choice. His lover worked even harder to prove to the world that he was not dead. It was ironic in a way. Five to six years ago all he cared about was ending his life, and now he was struggling to prove that he was alive and breathing. It was funny how things changed.

"I've already sent you all the proof you need, you've settled this matter over a month ago!" Heero continued, his voice close to threatening. "It is not my fault that Governor Chaplin is on vacation. Check his records, he's heard all about me. I've spoken with him but a week ago. Please, I'm running out of time. The funeral is tomorrow afternoon. Can't you arrange that something will be done by then?"

Duo held his breath, crossing his fingers as the silence stretched on. His eyes were closed tight as he wished with all his might that for once Lady Luck would be on their side.

After a few tense moments he heard Heero sigh in relief.

"Thank you," he breathed into the phone, a small smile of relief gracing his lips. "Thank you, sir. I appreciate it." He repeated and then said his goodbye. Putting the receiver back in place, he collapsed into the back of the chair and took a moment to just breathe.

Duo pushed himself up to a sitting position and gazed at his lover. "So the jerk succumbed?" He asked with a playful tone.

Heero, who was currently sprawled like a puddle of goo over the chair, managed a slight nod. "After a sufficient amount of pleading, yes."

Duo chuckled. "I never thought I'd see the day when Heero Yuy will plead instead of glare... well, outside of bed, I mean."

Heero's hand somehow managed to find a pillow from a nearby sofa and he threw it at Duo's face. "Baka." He muttered, shaking his head tiredly. He threw a limp arm over his eyes, hiding from the dim light of the room.

"Hmm... that's the third 'baka' I've gotten today... I'm on a roll..." Duo pointed out, throwing the pillow back at his lover. He slowly got off the comfortable bed and made his way to Heero. He stopped to open the curtain on the way, revealing a magnificent view of the colony lights sparkling below. The traffic was alert as always, the red and yellow of various vehicles painting the roads like a river of light. The L1 skyscrapers offered a random display of office lights, while the malls and entertainment districts shone in a more colorful display of neon illumination.

Duo took a stand behind Heero's chair and rubbed his shoulders gently, massaging his tense muscles. "Why won't you take a nice long shower?" he suggested with a warm whisper, rubbing his fingers against Heero's warm flesh. "You can even use the Jacuzzi... it will help you relax."

Heero sighed, opening his eyes, which were still hidden under his arm. "All I really want is a nice long sleep... I'm exhausted." He mumbled, his voice sleepy.

Duo continued his massage silently, simply enjoying the feel of Heero's skin under his fingers. When a considerable amount of time went by, he stopped, looking down at Heero in question.

"Hey, lover-boy, you sleeping?"

Still hidden behind his limp arm, Heero slurred a small "Uh huh..."

Duo smiled in compassion. "Want me to help you to bed?"

"Mum hmm..." Heero muttered incoherently, feeling too heavy to move or talk. When Duo finally helped him to his feet, he stretched and yawned before turning to Duo with thankful eyes.

"I think I better shower first... it's been a long day." He said, smiling tiredly.

Duo nodded and tapped on his shoulder. "Sure, no problem. I'll wait in bed with a goodnight kiss just for you." He added with a loving smile, guiding his lover to the bathroom.

"Thanks." Heero said as they stopped at the door. He turned to Duo and gave him a soft kiss on the lips. "See you then." He said and then entered the shower. Duo waited a few more seconds by the door, watching it thoughtfully, before he made his way to the phone. He settled in the chair with a heavy sigh and picked up the phone. After dialing, he waiting for the operator in the lobby to answer.

"L1 Colonial Plaza Switchboard." A woman's voice soon replied.

"Hello," He mumbled, straightening in his seat. "I need to make a long distance call to Earth please." He took a deep breath to calm himself. His heart was racing like it did back at the café when he made the first call. That phone call was relatively easy. Now was the hard part. Nora told him that it will be hard, but he promised to not only do his best, but also to succeed. She trusted him, and he was not going to fail her.

* * *

Neither of them got much sleep that night. They lay in bed, holding each other while watching the night crawl by. Heero lay on his back; one hand under his head while his other arm was wrapped around his lover in a gentle embrace. Duo was lying close to him, skin pressed to skin, his head resting on Heero's naked chest. His hand lay limply over Heero's stomach, just lying there, feeling the heat of his lover's flesh. Both their eyes were open, shining in the dark.

The balcony curtains were still open and both stared numbly at the view. An eerie neon glow washed the city below, L1's skyscrapers glimmering with the midnight illumination. The main roads were still busy with traffic; the silent hiss of cars flowing down the asphalt was like a silent lullaby to the L1 nighttime. The large water canal that split the colony to two seemed like a long black snake tearing through the forest of skyscrapers. A few ships were sailing down the canal, their fancy lights reflecting off the black water. A large amusement park was sparkling in a colorful display of lights, which reflected on the water. A Ferris wheel, glowing with all the colors of the rainbow, spun lazily as it towered over the canal.

Duo watched the giant wheel's movement with tired, aching, eyes. He exhaled a small sigh and closed his eyes, wishing for sleep to come. He concentrated on the slow movement of Heero's chest, heaving gently up and down as he breathed. A small smile pulled at his lips at the feeling of Heero's soft fingertips brush casually over the small of his naked back. Pleasant shivers tickled him under his skin as Heero continued to caress him absentmindedly.

Heero lay still, listening to his lover's breathing while his hand offered small caressed to the soft, warm, skin of his lower back. He felt Duo's body slowly relax under his soft ministrations as his breathing slowly evened out. In a matter of minutes, Duo was asleep, lying heavily against his chest. He didn't mind. That weight comforted him in ways he couldn't begin to explain. He held Duo close, his fingers moving down to brush against the soft rope of hair that lay sprawled over the mattress. He ran the soft strands between his fingertips, his still cobalt eyes watching the scenery shown from the small terrace.

He could feel Duo twitch in his arms, his limbs jerking slightly in his sleeps. He was dreaming, possibly a nightmare. A soft moan escaped Duo's lips and Heero held him tighter in response. The twitching ended fairly quickly and Duo sunk deeply against Heero's warm torso. He nuzzled his head against the warm skin, as if trying to settle more comfortably into it. Chestnut strands tickled Heero's chest, raising a small smile on his lips. He lay motionless, looking down at his lover. It seemed like the nightmare was over, it was probably not that bad if Duo was still sleeping. Some nights, he would wake up screaming, but those cases were becoming rare.

He expected that his mother's death would give his own nightmares a reason to return, but that didn't happen. It's been two weeks since she died and his only response was light insomnia. He did dream of her, small and precious memories flooding his mind while he was asleep. It was funny what he remembered. Such small, seemingly insignificant things. The way her hands felt against his, covered with baking flower while she guided his hands over the doe. The way she always got baking powder into her long hair while they worked in the kitchen. Her smile. That wide, careful smile on her delicate lips. It was such a fragile smile, threatening to collapse at any moment, but the sight of it was truly incredible. When she smiled, it even reached her dead eyes. He remembered one time, when he took her to a concert and that smile spread so widely on her lips, her eyes tearful at the sound of the magical melody being played. He remembered what she had whispered so emotionally. "I can see the music," she said. He remembered the happiness he felt at making her happy.

The little things. There were so many little things to remember. He will miss them dearly. The feeling of her hand stroking his hair. The sound of her laughter. The taste of the cakes only she could bake. The smell of her shampoo and the way the light touched her long, flowing brown hair. She was a beautiful woman, both inside and outside. He missed her so much. He didn't know if he could handle seeing her lying in a coffin, pale and frozen in death. He asked the funeral home to dress her in her blue dress, the one he remembered from his childhood and the one she liked to wear when Duo and he came over for dinner. They kept her coffin in a special refrigerator until the funeral arrangements will be completed. He didn't see her since she had died at the hospital, and now he was going to see her again. Dead.

He was a little appalled by an open-coffin funeral. He did not like the idea of seeing someone dead lying in a cushioned coffin, wearing their best clothes and make up. It seemed like a bizarre Christian tradition to him, but he could understand the deeper meaning of it. It was some sort of closure. The human mind was always delusional when it came to death. There was always that stupid bud of hope blossoming somewhere, those little wishes a person made, wishing that his loved one was not dead. Wishing that it was a mistake, a misunderstanding between he and the higher powers that be. There were always these little deals, the hollow promises. 'I'll go to church every Sunday', 'I won't steal ever again', 'I won't this' and 'I will do that'. False promises. Empty pledges a person was willing to make if only someone will bring back his loved one. There was no end to those wishes and promises unless there was cold, hard, proof of that loved one being gone. Closure. An open coffin was closure. It helped people face the truth, and that was why he was going to look into that coffin tomorrow. To make sure. To let his mind rest. To bid his mother a final, painful, goodbye.

Taking a deep breath, Heero moved to lie on his side, maneuvering Duo so he will lie down with him. The longhaired man opened half an eye, looking sleepily at Heero before curling deeply into the covers and diving back into slumber. Heero watched him for a few moments; his eyes lingering to the sight of Duo's bangs as they lay sprawled across his face, obscuring his eyes. With a heavy sigh, he finally closed his eyes and buried his head into the pillow, wishing tomorrow will never come.

* * *

The visit to the funeral home was short. Heero signed whatever papers they presented to him, thanked a man or two for taking care of his mother's coffin throughout the flight from Earth and then went into the main hall to see her. Duo was by his side the whole time, holding his hand tightly.

She seemed peaceful enough, her face serene in sleep. An eternal sleep, Heero had to remind himself. He reached a hand into the coffin and touched her carefully, afraid that she will crumble in front of him. The dead body did not disgust him. He had seen enough of those, and besides, she was his mother. He let his fingertips brush gently down her cheek, and then caressed her stiff hands, which were lying over her stomach. Tears filled his eyes, and he sniffled. Still, there was a small, sad and helpless smile on his lips. Closure. He had it now. Maybe now he will be able to sleep peacefully at night.

He could feel Duo's warm hand come to rest against his shoulder. He turned to look at his lover, who was standing very close to him, and they both smiled forlornly as their eyes met.

"I wish she still had her hair." Heero whispered, his voice wet with tears.

Duo nodded slowly in understanding. He turned to watch Nora's body, lying still in the coffin. There was an elegant blue hat around her baldhead. His eyes lingered to her pretty face before he blinked away a few tears.

"She is still beautiful." He whispered hoarsely, turning to Heero with a weak smile. "Like mother like son, right?" He tried to sound cheerful as he made the joke, but his voice was too heavy. Still, Heero offered him an appreciating smile.

"Let her sleep." He said, and moved away from Duo. He reached two hands to the coffin's lid and with a final glance at his deceased mother, he closed the coffin. For a few long moments, he just stood there, his hands lying on the polished wooden coffin. It was hard to let it go.

A boundless amount of tears suddenly flooded his eyes, hot, thick and stinging. He closed his eyes as his hands trembled over the coffin. His shoulders began to slightly shudder as the sobs crawled up his throat. He didn't cry loudly at the hospital when she died. Every tear he'd shed so far was silent as it slid down his face. He didn't want to cry; he didn't think that Nora would have wanted him to. So he struggled, fought the tears with all he had, which wasn't much. Suddenly the injustice of it all occurred to him. He had regained and lost his mother in one short year. It was a painful blow to his heart, and his sobs resonated the anguish it stirred inside him.

Warm arms wrapped around him, gently, carefully pulling him into an embrace. He let his head sink into Duo's shoulder, his back shaking but no sobs breaching past his lips. His tears soaked Duo's black shirt as he cried, the two lovers standing by the closed coffin.

"Shh..." Duo soothed, stroking Heero's hair lovingly. "It's all right... shush..."

Somehow, his words were like a permission to cry, to let it all out. It was okay, he was allowed to. So he cried. He clung to Duo in a desperate embrace and sobbed brokenly into his shoulder. He shed all of his pain out, coughing and sobbing it out of his body. As he did so he remembered the times when he had done the same over Nora's shoulder, his mother's hands holding him gently as he cried his anguish into her. She had helped him with so much, with the pain and the nightmares, with his search for identity and his right to live. Remembering her warm hug, the soft things she whispered to him when he awoke shaken from a nightmare, it only made his tears bitterer and his sobbing more hurt filled. He shook like a leaf in Duo's hold, crying until there were no more tears left to cry.

Duo was crying too, soundless tears slowly crawling down his cheeks. He was biting his lower lip to keep from whimpering. He held Heero tight, feeling him shake and doing his best to remain the steady pillar of strength his lover needed right now. There will be another time for his tears; right now he was here to absorb Heero's sadness into him. Anything to make it go away. So he cried silently, trying to be strong even as he buried his face in Heero's dark hair, shedding his tears into the soft chocolate strands in an attempt to hide them.

Neither of them knew for how long they just stood there, crying. For a long while the only sound inside the large funeral hall was Heero's choked out sobs and Duo's sniffling. They echoed between the wooden walls and bounced off the ceiling only to return much louder and stronger. After a while, the sound slowly faded as both lovers calmed. With a loud sniffle, Heero pulled away from Duo's embrace, slowly detaching his own arms from around his lover. He wiped his eyes with his sleeve and ran a trembling hand through his hair in a pitiful attempt to tidy it.

Duo did the same. Pulling away from Heero, he made a hopeless attempt to tidy himself up. He took a moment to look at the closed coffin, so still and lifeless as it stood in the center of the room. He used that time to try and compose himself, and when he turned back to Heero, he saw that his lover had beat him to it. While there were still traces of dry tears down his features, Heero's face was calm and composed again, almost business like.

"What now?" Duo asked, his voice a bit rough from crying.

"I have to go check on Hikari's grave. I need to make sure that they removed it." Heero said as if he was speaking about a person other than himself, which in a way he was. He felt little attachment to the name 'Hikari'. He often wondered if he should be upset by it, being that 'Hikari' was the name he was given at birth, but he found that he wasn't. Even Nora refused to call him Hikari. She said that it was not who he was anymore, and she accepted it. Just like he accepted the fact that he could never call her 'mother'. He knew that she was indeed his mother but he will always remember her as Nora. The woman who brought him to life, twice.

"Would you like to go back to the hotel after that?" Duo asked, bringing Heero out of his musings.

Walking towards the main office, Heero nodded. "Yes. I'd like to get some sleep before the funeral."

* * *

Sleep didn't come easy. Heero spent an hour and a half tossing and turning in bed, fighting for a few miserable moments of unfulfilling sleep. Duo was sitting quietly on the sofa, channel surfing in an attempt to quiet his mind. One didn't have to think while watching television, though his mind proved that theory wrong. There were too many thoughts circling in his head. He listened to Heero toss from side to side and punch his pillow, trying to sleep. He continued to stare numbly at the television, all the while his mind thinking about the death of his loved ones. There was too much death in his head right now, as he was sure there was in Heero's. It was hard to handle, even though they tried. They lost too many loved ones too many times. Nora's death, while it was expected, opened too many old wounds.

He didn't want to think about it, he never did, but those thoughts came if he wanted them or not. There was too much death. Too much blackness trying to sip into his head. He shook it and tried to focus his attention on a silly cartoon playing in front of him. He tried to smile at a stupid cartoon gag, but once he figured that he wasn't fooling anyone, he dropped the act. There was no need to pretend. He didn't feel like trying anyway. He knew that Heero hated it when he wore his joker mask, when he began to pretend. "It's the biggest lie of all." His lover always said, looking at him with those captivating, anguished eyes, silently asking him- 'Please don't lie to me.'

So he didn't. Or at least he tried. It was hard to let go of the mask he had been wearing for so long, but Heero helped him. He always did.

From the other side of the room, Duo could hear Heero curse softly and throw a pillow off the bed. The sound of the falling cushion was followed by a tired sigh. He looked up from the television when he heard Heero get up and walk towards him. His bear feet padded softly on the dark red carpet, moving soundlessly, but still Duo could feel him approach. He looked up at him and offered a small, miserable, smile.

"Can't sleep?"

"No." Heero grumbled, settling next to Duo. The sofa was small, with barely enough room for two, and Duo's long legs were occupying most of it. He folded his legs to make Heero some room, and the two sat cuddled against each other.

"There's a cool horror movie on." Duo commented silently, gesturing at the television with the remote. "Wanna watch?"

Heero sighed heavily, leaning his head on Duo's shoulder. "Enough death." He mumbled tiredly, inching closer to his lover, their limbs entwined until it was hard to tell where one ended and the other began. Duo wrapped his arm around Heero's shoulder and pulled him closer. He shifted his head so he could kiss Heero's hair and then turned back to watch the screen. He changed the channels until he found the cartoon again.

"Well then, I hope you like Mickey Mouse..." He mumbled with half a smile. Heero snorted, half asleep.

They lay snuggled on the couch, lost in thought as the colorful cartoon images raced over the TV screen. The room was silent and dark, even though it was high noon. Heero closed the lights and curtains before he went to sleep and the only light in the room was the flickering of the television. The silence was heavy, almost solid, as it hung in the air.

Lying against Duo's warm body, engulfed by the scent of laundry softener emitting from his blue sweatshirt, Heero found sleep more attainable. He relaxed and sunk deeper into the webs of sleep, his mind finally at ease. The silence seemed more pleasant as he was pulled deeper and deeper into slumber. He was just about to cross the bridge between sleep and awake, when he heard Duo's voice whisper.

"I just can't stop thinking about it, yanno?" Duo said, his voice terribly silent, as if he was afraid of waking old demons just by speaking about it. Maybe that's why he rarely did.

Heero opened his eyes, staring ahead at the television. "You never had a chance for closure."

Duo closed his eyes briefly and looked away. "There was nothing left of the church, there was nothing to get closure from."

"We can go there."

Duo swallowed, still facing away from Heero. The Japanese man shifted so he was sitting next to Duo, and reached for his hand. "It might help you if you'll see it again."

"I don't want to see it."

"I didn't want to come here either, Duo. But it was something I had to do."

He sighed, turning back to Heero. "I tried to go there, you know. After the war... I spent two years in space trying to gather the courage to go there, and in the end... I didn't. I couldn't."

"Things changed." Heero reminded him. He reached a hand to cup Duo's chin, gently turning him towards him. "You changed."

Duo smiled, a weak, yet grateful, smile. "Look who's talking." He mumbled, and kissed Heero's hand.

Heero smiled and pulled his hand away. "Think about it." he said, settling more comfortably into the sofa. "You'll get your closure and that jacket you wanted."

That earned a small laugh out of Duo. The ice melted and the heavy tension was gone in a second. Heero smiled to himself. Duo's laughter, even when he was feeling down, could have a magical affect on everything around him. It made things so much simple. So much easier to bear. Even the weight of mourning.

"All right, Heero, I'll think about it." Duo said more thoughtfully, and then snuggled against his lover. He let his brain absorb a few cartoon images that flickered on the television and then smirked. "But if I don't find that jacket, you're a dead man!"

* * *

Merely an hour before the funeral they made love furiously. Under the warm shower stream, the two lost themselves in passion. Both were in desperate need for contact, for the feeling of life pumping so vigorously through their veins. Hot, maddening passion awakening their bodies with need. The desperate breathes, the helpless gasps, moaning and the frantic beating of their hearts. Life. In the most primal form of it.

Heero was pressed against the white porcelain, his back sliding up and down the slick wall as Duo drove into him. His legs were wrapped tightly around Duo's waist, to keep from falling. His body knew nothing but the burning pleasure his lover's movement inside him evoked. The tempo was mad, every thrust almost violent. It hurt, and it drove him insane with the intensity of it. He was screaming in pleasure, moaning and groaning loudly with every hit that made sparkling white sensations burst inside of him.

His features were damp from the shower, washed with pleasure, tears and water. Duo's tempo slowed down in an attempt to prolong the pleasure. There was sudden gentleness in his movements, his grip on Heero's hips loosening up a bit. They moved slowly, the passionate craze of wild sex melting into a slow, gentle lovemaking.

Heero's moans became silent whimpering of pleasure as he felt Duo's length move slowly inside him, letting him feel his entire length brush along his inner walls. He cherished the feeling, all warm and moist inside of him. His cheeks were flushed, a rosy color that painted his features as his eyes closed in pure pleasure. He leaned his head back against the wall, sinking into sensation. Duo rocked gently inside of him. He let his hands wander up Duo's back, grabbing a handful of his thick wet hair.

Tears filled his eyes. He was weeping Duo's name, moaning it and breathing it as the hot water rained from above. His mouth opened in a silent cry as Duo's warm lips found his nipple and began to suck it gently. There were more kisses, everywhere on him. And Duo's flesh... it was still moving inside of him. So warm. He thought he heard himself sobbing. When Duo kissed away his tears, he realized that he was crying. He did not care. There was so much love inside of him, he couldn't help but crying. It almost hurt.

Their pace grew quicker. Still pressed against the wall, Heero pushed his hips forward, meeting Duo's every thrust. His legs tightened around Duo's waist. There would be bruises there later, but neither of them cared. Heero threw his head back and cried out in pleasure, his body convulsing under the approaching orgasm.

As the mist of pleasure began to close in on his rational mind, a flickering thought, like a fluttering butterfly, flew through his mind. He somehow knew, that wherever Nora was, she was looking down at this and smirking. He could still enjoy life, just like she had wanted him to. Smiling to himself, Heero wrapped both his arms around Duo's neck and he pushed down against him one last time. He threw his head back as he shouted with the force of his climax, a scream so loud and full of passion, that the sheer force of it brought on Duo's climax as well.

Spent, tired and panting, the two collapsed down to the porcelain floor. They were both grateful for being alive.

* * *

"God, our Creator," The old Minister opened in a prayer, standing in front of Nora's grave. Duo and Heero were standing at the opposite side, looking down at the grave as they held hands.

"The death of our beloved Nora, recalls our human condition and the brevity of our lives on earth..." The Priest continued, and Duo looked away, his eyes scanning the graveyard.

The cemetery was silent, as to be expected of it, of course. The dead had no use for sound, nor did they have any use for the greenery around them. It didn't matter though, Duo mused. A cemetery was more for the living than for the dead. It was a place for mourning, a place to visit and cry over a beloved's grave. Perhaps the dead appreciated it, in a way. But Duo was never one to believe in greater things like the afterlife and such. He saw no reason in it. If there was such a thing as the so-called afterlife, why did people fight so hard to live? Why was the survival instinct ingrained so deeply into the human brain? Why did a drowning man fight for his very last breath if he knew that there was something better out there? Why bother? To Duo, the answer was simple. People struggled to stay alive because deep down they knew that there is no great reward after living. There's just death. Cold, black and heartless death. No existence.

"But for those who believe in your love death is not the end, nor does it destroy the bonds that you forge in our lives."

And therefore he didn't even bother to listen as the Minister offered a last prayer for Nora's soul. It meant nothing. It was all formality. God was not listening, he never did. Father Maxwell tried to convince him otherwise once, but he had failed. Perhaps if he hadn't been brutally murdered, things would have ended differently. Perhaps his faith would have been restored. But things didn't work out that way. The Priest standing if front of them spoke empty words without meaning. He was sure that Heero felt the same about it. He was rather certain that Nora felt the same too.

Still, it was just for formality. The cemetery did not allow a burial without a Priest and a proper ceremony. So let the man speak, Duo concluded. Get it over and done with.

"We share the faith of your Son's disciples and the hope of the children of God. Bring the light of Christ's resurrection to this time of testing and pain as we pray for Nora and for those who love her through Christ our Lord. Amen."

Duo rolled his eyes, but still, out of simple respect towards the old man, muttered a small "Amen."

The old Minister smiled and closed his book. He bowed his head humbly and offered a silent 'I'm sorry' before leaving the two alone by the grave.

"Well, that was pointless." Duo commented dryly, flipping his braid over his shoulder.

Heero shrugged, taking a step closer to the fresh grave. "I don't know. It's a nice idea."

"Oh please!" Duo snorted. "It was just a bunch of useless words he says at EVERY funeral."

Crouching on the ground in front of his mother's grave, Heero turned to look up at his lover. "I'm not saying I believe in it, but you must admit that the thought is comforting."

Duo sighed, slumping his shoulders. "Do you really believe she's in a better place?" He asked, looking at Heero in defeat.

Heero shrugged and placed a small garland of flowers on Nora's grave. "Sometimes. It comforts me."

"I thought you don't believe in that stuff." Duo muttered, frowning.

Heero smiled at him, his eyes shining with amusement. "It's a bit contradictive, I admit." he said slowly, thoughtfully, "But when I think about it this way, it makes things easier."

"So you think that all the people we've killed went to Hell, Heaven or whatever?"

Heero frowned, a dark cloud shading his eyes. "Lets not get into that, Duo." He said almost coldly, rising up to his feet.

Duo sighed and waved his hands in a helpless motion. "Sorry. It's a touchy subject, that's all."

Heero nodded in understanding, once again thinking that it would be a very good idea to visit L2 after this ordeal will be over. His lover needed to put an end to his struggle, and visiting the ruins of the Maxwell Church was the only way to do it. But that, he would leave for another time.

Standing in front of the fresh grave, Heero looked down at it solemnly. Only a few hours ago a tombstone bearing his name was hovering over an empty grave. Now, another headstone, bearing his mother's name, replaced the gravestone bearing the name of Hikari Ishikawa. There was irony in there somewhere, or something akin to it. Fate, if you may. It was easier to believe in Fate than in God. He often amused himself with the idea. Wasn't meeting his mother by pure chance, and therefore bringing her absolution, a sign of higher powers guiding them? He never gave it much thought, but he did know one thing- there was no such thing as coincidence. There was something more powerful, more meaningful behind all this. Maybe one day he will find out what, exactly. Maybe he will be able to help Duo find out as well.

Duo stepped forward to take his hand, giving it a light squeeze. "She died happy, Heero." He said, his voice soothing. "She was grateful for the chance to meet you."

Smiling weakly, Heero closed his eyes. "I know." He whispered, squeezing Duo's hand. "I'm grateful for it too. I just... I just wish that..."

"That you didn't have to lose her again, I know." Duo finished where Heero's words failed. He leaned his head on Heero's shoulder, watching the grave as well. "But you have to look at it this way- it was a miracle that you two met. You had the chance to affect each other's lives, and for the best."

Heero smiled a small, hidden, smile. He had just been thinking the same thing.

"She was happy to know you, to be with you. She died with a smile, Heero. It's also something to be thankful for."

"I know." Heero whispered and turned to Duo, taking both his hands in his. "There was a meaning behind it, Duo. I'm sure."

The young braided man offered a small, doubtful, smile in return. "Maybe." He said, looking away. He was facing the large gate leading out of the cemetery and into a small parking lot. His eyes narrowed as he saw two cars pull over by the gate. He watched as a couple, a man and a woman, walked out of the first car. Their outfits were black, as was their hair, and they were both fairly short. The woman was carrying flowers.

Duo frowned, leaning forward a bit in order to see better. Could it be? Dare he hope?

Another couple exited the second car. Also a man and a woman. The woman was blond, her hair contrasting with her black outfit. The man, her husband perhaps, was carrying flowers.

Duo watched the two pairs walk stiffly towards one another. They stopped in a great distance from each other, shaking hand but their movements were stiff. Duo could tell, even from this distance, that the four knew each other, but were not very fond of one another. There was great tension between them. It was obvious even from nearly 200 meters away. There was no doubt about it. It's them. They made it.

Breathing in relief, Duo turned to Heero and tapped on his shoulder to get his attention.

"Heero, look." He said, pointing at the gate. Heero turned, and his eyes narrowed in suspicion as he watched the two couples walk into the cemetery. His mouth hung open with a forming question, but Duo beat him to it.

"The couple over there," Duo said, gesturing at the blond woman and her husband, "They made it all the way from Earth. I called them last night."

"Who are they?" Heero asked, his voice full of wonder as he watched the entourage approach.

"Nora wanted you to meet them." Was all Duo said, and Heero understood. There was no more need for questions. She knew him so well that she knew that she had to keep this a secret from him. He would have run away if she hadn't.

He stood quietly and watched them approach. The first two were both Japanese, around forty years of age. The man, he could see the resemblance to his father, was a few inches taller than him, with pleasant features and tidy black hair. The woman, who must be his wife, was a short and chubby woman, with long curly black hair and features that could only be described as 'motherly'. When their eyes met, she smiled at him, a big warm smile he had seen on some Christmas movie. He nodded in acknowledgement and turned to look at the other couple.

The blond woman was walking stiffly and determinedly towards the grave, her head held high. Her dyed blond hair was set in a short and elegant hairstyle, bouncing up and down as she walked. She was dressed in a black business suit, her features as hard as stone as she walked. Her face betrayed nothing, but he couldn't help but notice the anger in her blue eyes. Pure resentment, maybe even betrayal. He remembered what his mother told him about how she left her family on Earth in order to begin a new life in space, along with her husband. The family did not see eye to eye with her. That woman, she must be her sister.

The blond woman's husband was walking a few steps behind her. He seemed more compassionate than his wife, his features honest and sorrowful as he walked towards the grave, holding a garland of flowers.

The Japanese man stopped in front of Heero and offered his hand for a handshake. "Daisuke Ishikawa, your uncle. Hajimemashite." He said, smiling genlty.

Heero smiled and nodded in return. He reached a hesitant hand to shake with the man before him. "Heero Yuy."

The man smiled and nodded in return. He gestured at the woman by his side. "My wife, Maya."

The Japanese woman took a small bow and smiled warmly. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Heero." She said, her tone slightly sheepish. "The last time we met you were three years old." She commented with a bitter smile, though her brown eyes shone brightly. They were gradually filling with tears, until the motherly woman could hold back no more and she hugged Heero tightly.

"It's so great to see you!" She called, nearly suffocating him. "How you've grown!" She continued excitedly, pulling back to have a good look at him. "My, my! You look just like your father! Doesn't he, Daisuke?" She said, turning her cheeky face to her husband.

Daisuke smiled kindly and nodded his head. He did not turn his eyes off Heero. "I'm your father's older brother," he explained, "And seeing you now reminds me of how he was when we were little. The resemblance is uncanny."

Heero managed to smile back, somehow. He was still in shock. This whole situation was more than bizarre. It was almost unreal. He turned to the other couple. He noted that the man was laying the flowers by the grave. The blond woman was looking at him impatiently, tapping her black high heel shoe on the ground.

When she noted that Heero was looking at her, she turned to him with her cold eyes. Her lips rose in a sarcastic impression of a smile. "Vanessa Woodridge," she snapped as if annoyed by the fact that she must introduce herself. "Nora's older sister." She added and then gestured at her husband. "My husband, Wayne."

The man, who struck Heero like the submissive kind, a poor fellow ruled by his wife's iron rules, approached him with a warm smile. They shook hands. "Nice to meet you, Heero."

Vanessa glared at both of them and then turned back to Heero. "We never met, so I don't have any cute stories to tell you. I only came here to pay my last respects to my foolish sister."

Heero nodded, taking an unconscious step back. He didn't like that woman and he felt uncomfortable under her gaze. Clearing his throat, he gestured at Duo who was standing silently by his side.

"This is Duo Maxwell." He said and Duo took a step forward. "He's my--"

"I'm a good friend of Heero's." Duo cut in, shaking Wayne's and Daisuke's hand with a smile.

"We're lovers." Heero corrected, catching Duo, and everyone, by surprise. He glared defiantly at everyone. He had no business lying to these people, and he was unwilling to hide who he was. He was not ashamed of his love for Duo, nor was he going to hide it from people he didn't even know. They might be his family by blood and law, but Duo was his life. How can he deny someone so important? Duo might have thought he was protecting him by presenting himself as a mere friend, but the way Heero saw it- there was nothing to be protected from. If those people couldn't accept his as whom he was, there was no reason for him to accept them as his family. It was that simple.

Both men seemed rather shocked, and Vanessa was appalled. Maya was the first to recover. Blushing lightly, she reached a hand towards Duo.

"Well! Uh, it's a pleasure to meet you, Duo." She said and shook his hand. Her husband, Daisuke, did the same. Wayne was the next to follow, mumbling an embarrassed "How do you do?"

Only Vanessa remained standing frozen, as if afraid that if she will move, she will somehow be contaminated by something like AIDS.

"Did Nora..." She began, her voice trailing off as she looked back at Heero.

"Yes, she knew." Heero cut in. "She had no problem with it."

Wayne smiled, a wide and toothy smile. Heero couldn't help but think that this man was with the wrong woman. "That's Nora all right. She was always a free spirit!"

Vanessa rolled her eyes. "And look where it got her. She left Earth for the Colonies, went blind and then died of cancer. Pff! Good going!"

Her words hurt Heero more than any physical pain. How dare this woman, his aunt no less, speak that way of the most amazing woman he ever knew? How dare she!

He turned to her with an angry glare that could have made the entire oceans freeze over. "Nora lived her life to the fullest, and she had no regrets." His voice was cold and hard as he spoke, his cobalt eyes piercing into the blond woman with a vengeance. "She died happy. Not many people attain that privilege."

Vanessa seemed to get angrier at every word, her shoulders trembling as if she was about to launch at Heero with her fists. Wayne placed a strong hand around her shoulders, to restrain her more than to calm her. He smiled apologetically. "Forgive my wife, Heero. She is just upset. Nora's death affected her greatly, despite what it may look like."

"Sure doesn't seem that way to me..." Maya whispered to her husband out the corner of her mouth. Duo caught her words and smiled in amusement. That was woman was cooler than he expceted her to be.

"You shouldn't have come here, Vanessa." Daisuke intervened, his tone reprimanding.

"I have every right to be here! She was my sister!" The woman growled.

"You can at least try to forgive her." Maya said softly, her gaze compassionate as she gazed at the angry woman. "Your eyes hold the same amount of anger they held at Hayashi's funeral. You had a chance to forgive her then, when she needed you the most. But here you are now, still spitting angry words at everybody."

The blond woman opened her mouth to reply sharply, but no words came out. She remained gaping at the Japanese woman for a while, before snapping her mouth shut and whirling around to face he husband. "Come on, Wayne, we're leaving." She snapped, shoving her black purse under her armpit. "I don't have to take this from you! Any of you!" She muttered angrily, turning her back to them as she stalked towards the gate.

Wayne offered a helpless, apologetic smile. "She doesn't handle grief very well." He explained and it seemed like he was about to say something more, before thinking better of it. With a final little smile, he clumsily shook Daisuke's and Maya's hands.

"It was good to see you all again. Take care." He said, and then turned to Heero. "She's not a bad woman." He said, his expression giving the impression that he knew that his words were useless. "I'm glad to see that you're still alive, Heero. Take care." He nodded his goodbye to the young Japanese man and hurried to follow his wife.

Heero watched the two enter the car. It was a while before they drove off. Heero thought he could see Vanessa collapse into tears in the driver's seat, but he couldn't be sure. It was probably his imagination, but when he looked up again, he could see Wayne leaning towards her, offering a comforting hug. The woman shoved him away and started the car. And just like that, they were gone. He couldn't help but get the feeling that he will never see them again.

"Good riddance." Maya muttered, rolling her eyes. She turned back to her nephew. "I never liked her," she said, "I never understood what business she had in Hayashi's funeral. Nora was feeling torn apart as it is, and then that woman came and tried to convince her to come back home to the fmaily business! How insensitive!" She exclaimed, turning to watch Daisuke who was kneeling in front of his brother's grave, pulling out a few weeds from around the tombstone. His movements were careful and loving. It almost hurt to watch.

"Nora couldn't bear to leave this place, where she buried her family." Maya mumbled, her gaze forlorn as she watched her husband rest his hand over the headstone, touching Hayashi's name.

"But she did." Heero pointed out, feeling the urge to know more. "Why?"

Maya sighed, shaking her head. "I don't know." She said, turning back to her nephew. "Maybe the memories became too much. Daisuke and I, we offered all the help we could give, but after some time she refused us. She wanted to forget, I suppose. So she went back to Earth. We never heard from her since. We knew nothing of her whereabouts, until Duo called us yesterday."

Heero turned to look at his lover, and Duo offered a small, sheepish smile in return.

"Are you two staying here long?" Daisuke asked, finally rising to his feet. He came to stand by his wife. He looked at Heero straight in the eye, and for the first time Heero noted that the Japanese man in front of him had grayish-green eyes.

Daisuke smiled. "Would you like to see where you used to live?"

* * *

They drove in Daisuke's car. Heero and Duo sat in the back seat while the Japanese couple sat in the front. It was a fancy car, very expensive looking, as to be expected out of L1's residents. It made Heero a little uncomfortable, knowing that he came from such a wealthy family. Maya had mentioned somewhere along the ride that Nora's family was also quite wealthy. Her father owned a large oil company back on Earth. He had no sons, only his two daughters and he counted on them to be his successors. He also wanted a male successor, a grandson. Being that Vanessa was barren, he placed his hopes with Nora. But his daughter failed him by moving to the Colonies to be the housewife of an ambassador. He didn't want to have anything to do with her, even when he heard that she gave birth to a boy and that he finally had a grandson. Vanessa took over the company when the old man died. Heero began to develop a major headache from the entire story. Duo muttered something about 'soap operas', and both of them did their best to change the subject.

"So, uh, Daisuke," Duo began in a friendly tone, "I hope you don't mind me asking, but I noted that your eyes are sort of green. And I saw a picture of Hayashi and he also had green eyes, so, uh..." He got tangled in his own words, losing his question, but Daisuke already caught on. He laughed well heartedly.

"I imagine that you've noticed that most of the people in this colony are from European origin." He said, looking at the road as he drove. Duo could see a history lesson coming up. He looked up at Heero with an expression that pleaded for salvation, anything but another space-history lesson, his eyes begged, but Heero just smirked and shook his head in a helpless gesture.

Daisuke noticed none of that and continued talking. "When humans began to colonize space, Earth governments were getting worried about the population leaving the county. It would devastate the economy. Some countries, like Japan, issued a law that forbade its citizens from leaving the country. Kind of like China in the early 20th century."

"So how come you're here?" Duo said, rather tactlessly. He got Heero's elbow in his ribs as a response.

The Japanese man chuckled. "Well, some people made it up here anyway. And later on, laws were changed. But there weren't that many Asian people in space, so obviously they had to 'mingle', if you pardon the expression, with others who were mostly European or American, people who could afford to move to space. The integration took about two or three generation, but the result is clear."

"Japanese people with pretty blue eyes?" Duo offered with a cocky smile and a raised eyebrow. Next to him, Heero snorted and muttered a silent 'baka'.

Maya chuckled. "That's one way to put it. Some people call us 'half breeds'. Ch! Like we're dogs or something!"

"Do you remember how to speak Japanese, Heero?" Daisuke asked, glancing briefly over his shoulder to face his young nephew.

Heero felt a warm blush rise to his cheeks. He hoped that no one could see it. "A little." He admitted. "But I understand most of it."

The older man nodded. "Hayashi felt very strongly about teaching you the language. Not many Colonists speak it anymore. Our mother insisted that we teach our children Japanese."

Heero blinked, suddenly realizing, maybe for the first time, that he had a family now. Uncles, aunts, cousins and nieces, he even had a grandmother once! It was a heavy realization. He sunk back into the car seat, overwhelmed.

"Nora agreed to learn Japanese when she was pregnant with you." Maya continued to story. "She and Hayashi agreed to speak only Japanese at home until you were three, so you will learn and remember the language, and only then teach you English. We did the same with our children."

Heero smiled. "Yes, I know. She told me." He made a mental note to brush up on his Japanese. He didn't want to fail his parents by forgetting the language. He decided to take courses, maybe even learn how to write.

"How many children do you have?" Duo asked, leaning forward towards Maya's seat. He could see the huge grin lighten the proud mother's face.

"Three. Chidori, Kesuke and little Subaru. Well, not so little anymore, he's just about to enter college. Our birds flew from the nest a long time ago."

Duo nodded in understanding. He suddenly wondered if one of them had joined the army, maybe OZ or the White Fang. He doubted Daisuke and Maya would have let them, but he couldn't help but wonder if they ever met on the battlefield. He got these kind of ideas every once in a while when he met someone who was at the right age. It was twisted thinking, but he couldn't help it. The war screwed up with his thinking rather badly.

"Stop." He could hear Heero say, as he placed his hand on his elbow. "You're thinking about it again." Heero whispered harshly, knowing exactly what his lover was thinking. Maybe it was because he was thinking about the same thing. He wanted to ask his uncle, but thought better of it. He didn't want to bring up the war. It was a touchy subject. The two innocents sitting in front of him had no idea about his past. He wondered if they would have any problem with it if he told them. Something inside him told him that they wouldn't. They've already accepted him. Still, there was always the fear of being rejected. While he had no problem telling people about his sexual preferences, he did avoid telling them about his role during the war. He was proud and shameless about his love, but he was uncomfortable with mentioning his blooded past.

"We're here." Daisuke finally announced as he pulled into a narrow street. Duo and Heero turned to look out the window. Heero's eyes widened with a smile when he saw the green park stretching out the window. The drove by it slowly until Daisuke stopped the car in a small parking lot. It took Heero a short while before he could bring himself to move and exit the car. He reached shaking legs down to the ground, slowly standing up. His eyes looked around in wonder, absorbing the scene.

This was it. This was the park. He'd seen it so many times in his dreams, even before he met Nora. It was his private heaven. He always felt at ease when he dreamt about it. And now he was here. He was home.

The green park was rather small and modest. There was a large green hill surrounded by small planes of grass. Yellow gravel roads circled the small park, all of them leading to the center where a large sandbox and a playground stood. The playground was colorful and bright, consisting of many slides, swings and other enjoyable equipment. Small children were running and playing around the playing field, screaming and calling out in laughter. Young mothers called after them worriedly, chasing after their little rascals.

Heero smiled. He remembered the pride he felt when his mother let him go to the park all by himself. He liked to roll on the grass, down the hill and past the playground. He remembered the worms he had in a jar. His father told him that they'll become butterflies one day, but they just died. He felt so guilty for killing them. He remembered how he cried against his father's chest, feeling so bad for what he had done. He was only three years old. It was so long ago, yet he remembered. How can he forget? Those were his last few precious memories from the time he had a family. Those memories were lost to him for so long, but for the past year he had slowly gained them back. This park, the age of innocence it presented, raised even more sweet memories from his heart. It was a wonderful feeling, something akin to love.

"Do you recognize the building, Heero?" Daisuke asked, coming to stand by his side. He was pointing at the edge of the park, where a few tall and fancy condominiums were towering over the street. They were partly hidden by the trees in the park, but Heero could still see a few colorful flowerpots standing outside a balcony or two.

"Hai." He whispered, smiling. "Second building to the right, behind the trees in the park." He said, almost chanting. That's how he always remembered it as a child, and that memory stuck with him for as long as he lived. It was the only thing he remembered from his childhood even when he was with Odin or with J. He would look out the window, his expression forlorn as he quietly whispered it over and over. 'Second building to the right'. That's where home was, he knew. Odin used to mock him for it, calling him 'Peter Pan' . He even gave him the name 'Peter' on one of their missions. Heero hated him for it.

"Would you like to go in?" His uncle offered. "Someone else lives there of course, but I'm sure that they wouldn't mind if you had a look around."

"No, that's okay." Heero replied in a distant, dreamy voice, still looking at the white building. "I remember it."

He felt Duo come to stand by his side, taking his hand. He didn't turn to look at him, his eyes glued to the sight of a young mother playing with her son.

"I'll go wait in the car." Daisuke mumbled sheepishly and left the two lovers alone. He entered the car, where his wife was waiting, and the two watched the couple standing in the park, their expression wistful.

"He's really back, isn't he?" Maya mumbled, her eyes tearful. She was speaking Japanese.

"Hai." Her husband agreed, also in Japanese. "He looks so much like him, dear. It's amazing."

She smiled. "Nora knew what she was doing when she reunited us." She said, turning to face her husband with tearful eyes. "I think that they would both like us to be a part of his life. Hayashi wouldn't have it any other way."

Daisuke nodded slowly, his eyes never leaving the sight of the young Japanese man walking into the park, holding hands with his braided lover. "Though he would have a fit if he knew Hikari was gay." He commented with a humorous tone.

Maya chuckled and slapped him playfully over the head. "Oh anata!" She called. "That was so mean!"

And the two burst into a well-hearted laughter, one of which they didn't have in years.

* * *

They parted ways with Daisuke and Maya after the trip to the park. The married couple dropped them off at the hotel, after making the two promise that they will meet them for dinner at least once before they leave the colony. Maya insisted that Heero would meet his cousins and niece. He had no choice but to agree, his aunt was an insistent woman.

That evening, they ordered dinner to their room. A dish of roast beef and pasta, along with a bottle of red wine. Duo scattered candles all around the room and Heero spread a small picnic map on the floor. The two sat in the middle of the room, within a sea of candles, and ate their dinner. They saved the dessert for the shower. Filling the Jacuzzi with water, the two settled in the warm water, trying to relax. It had been a very long day.

Heero was sitting behind Duo, his back resting against the smooth porcelain of the large bathtub. Duo was sitting between Heero's straddles legs, his back pressed against his chest. His hair was unbound, floating lazily over the water. They didn't turn the Jacuzzi on, so the water was still. Duo poured nearly half a bottle of soap and bath oils into the tub and the exotic aroma filled the room. There were three candles burning in various places around the large bathroom, casting a dim orange light on everything. Shadows danced gracefully across the walls, and the only sound was the dripping of water when either of them moved.

Heero raised his hand out of the water, holding a soaked sponge. He wringed a bit and then pressed it against Duo's shoulder, slowly massaging him. He felt like spoiling his longhaired lover. Duo surely deserved it. He had done so much for him lately, more than he could ever repay for. Tonight, he wanted to pamper him, show him his love in a more tender, sweeter way. Besides, after their little lovemaking session that afternoon, he was too sore to do much more.

He let the sponge travel up and down Duo's body, carefully washing him. He smiled as he felt Duo melt against him, purring in delight. Looking down he could see that Duo closed his eyes, his expression that of pure bliss. He leaned down and kissed his wet forehead.

"Nice?" He asked quietly.

"Mum hmm..." Duo hummed, too busy being a boneless puddle of goo in order to form any real words.

Heero chuckled. "Thought so." He said, dipping the sponge into the water, letting it slide down Duo's broad chest, across his abdomen... and then a little lower. He smirked as Duo yelped silently, opening his eyes and looking straight up to him.

"Keep doing that, lover-boy, and I'm going to forget all about your sore ass." He teased, a cocky smile on his lips.

"You wouldn't dare." Heero teased back, but withdrew the sponge anyway. "Come on, sit up." He said, nudging Duo gently. The longhaired man whined in response, but compelled to the request. He sat up, still sitting between Heero's long legs, his hair plastered to his back. He heard Heero open a shampoo bottle, and the sweet scent of vanilla and almonds filled the air.

"You got my favorite." Duo said, closing his eyes in bliss as Heero rubbed the cool substance into his scalp.

"No, I got my favorite." He corrected. Duo chuckled. He relaxed even more, leaning his head down so his chin rested on his chest, and indulged in the feeling of Heero's fingers massaging his scalp. He felt Heero gather the heavy weight of his wet hair into his hands and applying the shampoo to the long strands as well. The feeling was nice. He couldn't remember the last time anyone had washed his hair. It had never been done so tenderly, so carefully. He loved Heero so much.

The pleasant ministrations continued, bestowing delightful feelings upon him, starting in his hair and spreading to his entire body. His heart felt so light, he began humming. His pleasant voice filled the bathroom with a cheerful, catchy tune. Heero smiled at the gleeful melody.

"What song is it?" He asked, beginning to rinse Duo's hair. He guided him gently back into the water, leaning down so that Duo could lean on him as well.

The longhaired man shrugged. "I don't know. I made it up." He answered simply, a gooey smile spreading on his lips at the feeling of Heero's fingers against his scalp again. He returned to humming it, and after a while, Heero joined in, humming silently along with him.

"Catchy, isn't it?" Duo asked, looking up to seek his lover's face, who was hovering somewhere above him. Heero smiled down at him, and Duo smiled back. He leaned down to kiss him on the lips. Without a word, he returned to washing his lover's hair. The bathroom coated with a honey like silence, pleasant and warm in the same time. Duo's pleasant voice continued to hum quietly, accompanied by the soft dripping of water as Heero shifted his position. He turned to hug his lover, both of them sinking deeper into the water. He pulled Duo close, one warm and slick body against another, and leaned back against the porcelain for support. Both lovers closed their eyes in pure bliss.

"Heero?" Duo broke the silence, opening his eyes.

"Hmm?"

Duo sighed. "I did some thinking, and..." he stopped, a dramatic pause, and then turned to look up at Heero. "I'm willing to make that trip to L2." He said, his eyes shining under the mellow candlelight.

Heero smiled at him. "I'm glad." He said, reaching up a dripping hand to caress Duo's hair.

"But not now." Duo added, "Maybe later."

"When you're ready." Heero assured him, stroking his hair gently.

"Will we come back here?" He asked, leaning his head back so he could look down at Heero. He could feel Heero's chest falter under him.

"I think so, yes." He answered thoughtfully, looking down at Duo. "Why?"

Duo smirked and then shrugged casually. "Oh, nothing. I just think that Maya is a really cool woman, yanno? She can kick some serious ass."

Heero chuckled and shook his head. "You know what you are, don't you?"

Duo grinned. "Yup! A total baka!" He called out in pride, waving an imaginary flag in the air.

Heero sighed dramatically, shaking his head at the act. "And that's why I love you, isn't it?"

"If nothing else, I make life much more interesting." His lover pointed out. "Not to mention I'm great in bed."

"Baka!" Heero called and smacked him over the head.

"Uncle Daisuke was right, Heero, you really do need to catch up on your Japanese. You seem to be repeating the same word over and over again..." Duo said, speaking like a rebuking teacher.

"You are hopeless, Duo. Hontou ni."

The grin was back on Duo's lips as he melted into Heero's warm body, sinking against him with a pleasant sigh. "Mumm... and that's why you love me so much..."

Heero smiled and wrapped his arms around Duo's slick body. "Hai, Duo, that's why I love you so much."

They returned to lying silently in the warm water, soaked with love and warmth. Ten days later, the two returned to Earth, and life moved on.

OWARI.

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Um... Disappointed? Happy? Bored to death?! Tell me all about it! Please!

And, uh, one more thing. I don't make a habit out of asking for fan art... but I would REEEEAAAALLLLLYYYYYYY appreciate some fan art for this story. If you like it enough to draw something for me... well, all I can really offer in return is my sincere and eternal gratitude... Will it be enough? *puppy pout*

If not, well, can you at least review? *pleading chibi-eyes* Pwease?

Naomi.

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