(Duo POV)

I take a deep breath of night time spring air as I step out onto the balcony of the ballroom. I need the break from the noise, the lights, the people. Don't get me wrong, it's beautiful in there, what with the white lights circling all of the columns and the delicate pink flowers strewn over the cloth covered tables. The golden hued tealight candles floating in water filled glass bowls in the center of these tables makes everything look that much more romantic. Leave it to Relena, the girl does like to decorate. Judging from her pastel pink wedding dress to the pretty pink frosting of the wedding cake, I don't think she let her wedding planner have much of a say when it came to the decor. Poor Quatre. I'm sure she let him handle some of the many other things necessary to carry off a wedding of this magnitude. I don't see the groom having much to say about the color scheme of any wedding let alone his own. Well, if the sparkle in the eyes of the bride and funnily enough, the wedding planner, have any meaning, I'd say the wedding was a success. Quatre sure looked happy when I saw him cuddling in a corner with Trowa before I decided to come out here.

Thinking of how I left those two reminds me of how alone I felt coming on my own to this thing. Maybe that's another reason I had to make an escape, take a break from the goings on of the reception and from seeing the love shared between my many friends, especially the bride and groom. Watching your best friend finally get married after almost a decade of it being just the two of you comes along with its own feelings of loss. We developed what many would describe an unlikely friendship after the wars and it just grew from there. Partnering up for the Preventer's and having to rely on each other even more only served to bring us closer. We worked well together and there were many who thought we would end up being a couple. I'd be lying if I said I didn't think that myself at one time. His passion and dedication to the job and therefore our partnership went a long way towards perpetuating my interest in the possibility of us. I wondered what it would be like to have someone that passionate and dedicated to me. His unmistakable good looks didn't hurt either.

But after my one drunken slip at a Preventer's holiday party quite a few years back, he made it clear to me, albeit delicately, that he could never see me, or any man in that way. For a while it hurt to think that my dreams of us had been shattered and that I would lose his friendship as well. We did have an awkward patch for a few weeks, but luckily we were able to stay friends and eventually pick up where we left off. Making it through something like that just goes to show how strong our friendship had become and will always be.

So here I am, that few years later wishing him a long and happy marriage with his new wife. I hope to one day be happily married myself. Although at the rate I'm going, it may be a while before that happens. So lost in my thoughts, I don't feel another person approaching until strong arms slip around my waist. Very few people can sneak up on me like this. I make to turn but before I can react I hear,

"What are you doing by yourself out here?"

I'm surprised to hear his voice but that doesn't stop me from turning in his arms and responding, "Just needed some space to breathe…I thought you couldn't get away from work tonight. Didn't you have that IT emergency?"

You glance back inside and it's then that I notice you have changed from your standard Preventer's uniform to the suit we had picked out together back when I thought we would both be going to this thing…together.

Looking back at me you say "I decided I didn't need to be there as much as I needed to be here. I had Trent take over the mainframe repairs and told him to call Adam if he had any issues."

"Are you sure that's a good idea, you know Une really only trusts you with that kind of stuff."

"It's going to have to be okay. I told you I would come with you. Even when I was called to deal with it I intended to do everything in my power to still make it. I just didn't want to tell you that and then not be able to come through. Besides, I trained those guys, they're next to the best."

I smile at your cockiness because I know it's true. I'm feeling better already. Still in your arms I say, "I'm glad you came. It's not too late for cake. If we hurry we can still take a picture of Wufei's face while he's removing Relena's garter."

You grin wickedly and start caressing my behind as you whisper in my ears, "I'd rather watch your face while I put myself in you".

Not used to you talking to me in this way, I can't help but blush. It's only been five months and despite the numerous times we've gone at it, you don't talk like this often. It's at this point I wonder how long I've been out here and you in there-alone with the champagne. I feel the warmth spread on my cheeks and you watching this happen only serves to make me blush more. As I am about to break away from your arms so you can't see me embarrass myself further you lean in and take my lips with yours. The feel of your lips on my own relaxes me automatically and I forget my embarrassment and concentrate on the softness and the delicious things your tongue is promising you'll do to me later. I pull away and reach out to lead you back to the party. "I'm really glad you could make it Heero".

You take my hand and smile at me in that way that makes me breathless and respond in kind, "Me too Duo, me too".

…Okay so maybe there was another drunken slip at another Preventer's Holiday party...