Author's Note: This idea would not leave me, so I took the time out of editing chapter four [which, yes, I know you guys have been waiting for it] in order to write this.

Inspired by a picture I saw on tumblr - unfortunately, I don't have the link to it.

Not Beta'd


Reflecting

Soft breaths, whispered words, gentle laughs.

The hitman looked over at his fellow arcobaleno, fedora hiding the longing look in his eyes.

Skin pressed against skin, gasping of a name, squeaking of a bed-frame.

The Chinese male was focused on talking to I-pin, paying no heed to Reborn even though he knew the hitman was there.

Loving words, stolen kisses. Secrets.

It had been a long time ago. Fon had been his first true lover. The first of many things, if one were to ask.

A long time ago, he had been a young man in love. He and Fon.

They had planned so many things. Reborn had found a small church where they could marry, a preacher willing to marry them. There would be no guests other than the few that knew of them. That's how they had wanted it.

Alcoves. Closets. Anywhere they could meet alone.

They had belonged together. Reborn knew they had. He knew it, but others...they hadn't agreed. Homosexuality hadn't been accepted during their time together; Reborn, though, didn't regret a day of their relationship except for the day where he had allowed her to intervene.

To step in between them.

We were discovered. Caught.

She hadn't reacted well to finding them. She'd reacted completely opposite than what they had thought. She'd been disgusted, horrified.

She'd walked in on Reborn pulling Fon into a chaste kiss.

Sin. God. "It's not natural."

Natural? It had been love. What wasn't natural about that? But no, they had gotten the 'help' she had hired. They had left each other. Canceled their plans of marriage. She had stopped assigning them missions together. Jobs. She had made sure she was in the room when they were meeting.

She kept them away from one another.

She'd forced them apart. Did everything she could to convince them that they weren't in love.

He had tried, they both had, to work it out. To continue their quiet escapade.

...It hadn't worked.

And yet, still, even now...there were still remnants of those past emotions. Even after so many years had passed, there was still that ache and that need. That longing to say three little words.

He still longed to say... I love you.