Note: this was my first fic that was not from Duo's perspective. Can you guess who it is?

Fireworks

We sit out on a hill in the 'private property' we call home. The land is more than enough, but after all that happened in our youth, the government practically pleaded for us to accept it. I'm not complaining, I've obtained the solitude and peace I've been searching for over twenty years, ten acres of it too.

He's never complained either, which I am also grateful for.

'Independence day' he told me earlier today. After a few seconds of silence he informs me that today is the day America declared independence from Europe, some thousand or so years ago. I ask him why it matters and he just smiles.

Somehow every time he does that makes me hurt so much on the inside.

'One day we were oppressed I guess, then we were free. Sure there was also a war, but we were free. Just like the war we fought, except now we're all free together, and not separately' he tried to reason, but it's too late, I've already hurt his feelings. Made him feel that a tradition his nation passed down to him was obsolete, when in reality it meant as much to him as his very being. I suppose it's because he can truly attest to what it feels like to finally be free.

'They say there'll be fireworks over Lake Champlain. Maybe if we sit on the hill we can watch them from here.' As if I could argue.

So here we are, on a blanket on the hill watching the lake below us reflect the works of fire in the sky. If you can calm yourself enough to realize that the booms are not distant gunshots, and can remember who is beside you, they are actually quite spectacular as they go off in sync to music we can't hear from where we sit.

His hair is down. I swear he only wears it down for me, but then he'll correct me by saying 'You don't swear'. Usually I would reply 'Yes, but you swear aplenty for the both of us', but these days I seem to just smile instead, which I think he likes, as he smiles back.

Sometimes we'll hold each other, sometimes we'll just carry on what we were doing before, but it's all good, after all, it's with him, so I can't say it's not good.

Though I still think he only wears it down for me. It's beautiful, and I've fallen in love with the feel of it. He used to tease me about wanting to brush it, but I guess now that I've learned how not to rip most of it out, he enjoys it just as much as I do. I enjoy the smell too, the shampoo always smells better in his hair, I think.

Looking back to the show I hear him chuckle lightly and he asks which view I liked better, but I refuse to answer, fireworks are nice, but they can't stop me from looking at him far too long and I too let out a chuckle.

"I like my same ol' view best. It's familiar," I state to him.

"Oh? Even on Independence day?"

"Any day" I reply, "So long as it's you."

There is silence for a few moments as we stare at each other. The fireworks are twice as fascinating when reflected in his eyes and, before I can hear the first boom, I'm in his embrace, my head on his shoulder against the warm silky skin of his neck.

"I'm cool with that. Just promise you won't get bored with me when I get too old to do any more crazy stunts."

I smile into his neck, "You're Duo, right?"

I've confused him, so he replies after a pause with just "yeah".

"You'll find a way," I finish.

"Just as you'll always find a way to chase after me, right?"

"Of course, it wouldn't be the same familiar view without it, now would it?"

Owari.