Well, here it is as promised; my Gundam Wing one-shot at the start of the month. This was written with Valentine's Day in mind, sort of, but it was started before Christmas and intended as a festive fic except I lost the plot - please excuse the very bad pun.

Don't own the G-Boys or the franchise. I only own my little storyline right here. This just sorta came to me and I thought, with St. Valentine's just around the corner, why not? I need some fluff about now anyway. Too much stress and not enough fun makes Eb a very dull lass.

I apologise for any OC-ness of Relena and other characters; try to imagine a bit more laid back Heero and Trowa; this is so many years post-war after all. This is a one-shot where Relena's not all draped over poor Yuy.

Enjoy. X ~Eb~ X

Heero was starting to regret ever coming to this party and he knew he wasn't the only one. Trowa was frowning beside him too. They'd only come because Catherine and Relena had blackmailed them into coming.

Damn Relena and her famous parties.

It had been five years since the war had ended and the five pilots had gone separate ways. More or less, but then Heero supposed email didn't quite count, especially if it was infrequent. Now they were all between 19 and 21 and doing as well as could be for veteran soldiers, although he personally hadn't spoken to Duo in four years, no thanks to one argument.

Another group of girls fluttered past them, all charming smiles and batting eyelashes and pastel colours. The two promptly ignored them and they walked away hurt. Neither young man enjoyed hurting their feelings but it had to be done; the girls weren't their type and they weren't in the mood to impress otherwise.

"Why can't we leave again?" asked Trowa quietly. He smiled politely at a passing dignitary and bowed with Heero. The dignitary continued with his secretary . . . Or maybe girlfriend. Neither would have been surprised at the latter even though they knew this particular man was married.

"Because the charming young lady dressed in dark blue over there and the young woman next to her in lime green ordered us not to."

Trowa rolled his eyes. Although Heero was getting infinitely better at doing otherwise he still couldn't quite control the impulse to obey orders. It had some funny consequences sometimes, like the time he and the perfect soldier had gotten drunk and started playing 'Truth or Dare' and Trowa had dared him to -

"Don't even think about it." said Heero shortly.

Damn. Trowa hadn't realised he was grinning. "Think about what?"

"You know very well what." Heero turned to look at him, as much mischief as there was warning in his blue eyes. "We both swore never to speak of that episode again." Heero smirked. "Or do you want me to tell every girl here how you always moan when -"

"Ok ok! Christ alright I'll stop!"

They resumed standing in the corner for a while and then Trowa spoke up again.

"Do you think the girls invited them to this thing?"

Heero blinked as a torrent of emotion swelled. Like Heero with Duo, Trowa had argued with Quatre a couple of years ago. Although unlike Heero's, Trowa's mistake had not been irreversible.

"More than likely." he said at last. It would be a nightmare to face the American pilot again, but as Une had pointed out it had to be done sometime.

And sooner probably was better rather than later.

"Look out." whispered Trowa. Relena and some of the other girls were walking towards them. Relena, Noin, Catherine and Une (who knew she could look so good in red?) looked triumphant for some reason. The others were giggling and seemed to be hiding something from them.

"Hello boys." said Relena, stopping a foot away with her arms crossed. "Having fun?"

Hilde and the others were still a little way off and appeared to be fussing over something.

"You know we're only here because you made us come." said Heero bluntly.

Relena pulled a mock frown. "Why Heero, I'm insulted you would say such a thing. Why would I make you come to a simple party? What would I gain from such an action?"

Both pilots simply raised eyebrows at her and said nothing.

Relena correctly translated this as:

1) You're kidding right? Nobody believes that act. And;

2) What are you up to this time?

"Now I'm really insulted." she laughed. Suddenly realisation dawned on her face and she snapped her fingers with a smile. "Oh, I almost forgot. I was meaning to introduce you to two old friends of mine. I met them during the war and I believe you know them too."

She gestured behind her and now Heero and Trowa looked over her shoulder, curiosity getting the better of them. The other girls, however, were still obscuring whatever or whoever it was from view.

Relena snapped her fingers to gain the boys' attention again. "No peeking." she scolded lightly. "Now, first you must answer a question. If you could have or do anything right this minute, what would it be?" now her innocent curiosity seemed at least partly genuine.

Neither answered her, though they didn't need to. She could read it in the way they hesitated, the expressions in their eyes.

To reverse past mistakes.

She nodded, thoughtful. "Ok. Now, promise you won't run away like I know you do sometimes when you meet people. On your honour as pilots?"

Hesitantly, slowly, both boys nodded.

"Good." she turned to the girls behind her and nodded once. Immediately Hilde began fussing over someone even louder.

"But really, it'll only take a minute, and they're really good friends of ours."

"I don't care if they're royalty I'm not meeting more of your nutsoid friends." and then lower; "Crazy girls."

Heero froze. He recognised that accent easily. He had heard it often. And it wasn't a voice that was easy to forget.

"Please? One minute? I promise it isn't a rabid girl trying to get into bed with you."

"Don't we get a say in this?" another voice asked gently. Trowa remembered it clearly.

Noin laughed and grabbed the young man's wrist while Hilde grabbed the other's. Heero didn't need to see to know who it was; just as well since his vision seemed to have gone blurry. Beside him he felt Trowa automatically grasp his arm in shock. He was pretty sure his own face was a shade or two paler.

"Of course you don't; if we let you guys decide then this wouldn't ever happen." Noin laughed as she and Hilde pulled the two men out from the cluster of girls and face to face with the first and third gundam pilots.

Silence.

Quatre had grown a couple of inches taller, his build had filled out so that his muscles were a little more defined. His blonde hair and blue-green eyes had both darkened a shade or two, but both Heero and Trowa could tell that he was still the same boy they had once known. Right now those ocean eyes were widened and his mouth was slightly open. A lock of hair had fallen into his left eye.

Duo had shot up; he was now at least four inches taller, and his muscles were bigger than Quatre's, although not overly bulky and he still had a pretty good shape. The violet had taken over the blue of his eyes so that it was like looking at dark amethysts, and the hair was as long as ever and still braided. Heero was willing to bet that the razor wire was still there. Duo's eyes were stormy and his mouth a tight line.

Both wore suits and tie; Quatre's dark blue with a white shirt and navy tie, Duo black with white tie.

The silence reigned.

Relena fidgeted nervously between them, glancing from one unmoving pair to the other. Finally Duo recovered enough to turn to her and glare.

"Why did you bring us here?"

The American's voice was deeper, but all the smoother for it, the accent slightly more pronounced.

Right now he sounded pissed.

"Well . . ." Relena began, faltering a little under Duo's glare. Quatre had yet to look away from Trowa, but now his mouth was starting to work open and closed in soundless words. "It's been so long since the whole group was together, and we missed you all and not being able to see you all at the same time, and we thought it was a shame that you guys wouldn't talk anymore so we . . . thought . . ." her voice trailed off.

"That you would interfere." Quatre finished for her, but his voice was much gentler than Duo's entire appearance. Looking at him the other two boys saw that his whole expression was gentle. Sad but gentle. Duo made an aggressive noise but Quatre ignored him; "Relena you should have realised that it wasn't a good idea."

"And why not?" Relena demanded, actually stamping her foot. "You guys used to be so close and now you don't even look at each other. Don't you realise what it's doing to the rest of us?"

"How about you stop thinking about yourself for two minutes and think about what this is doing to us." said Duo dangerously. His eyes had darkened and narrowed at her. "You think you can fix everything princess, but you're wrong. Dead wrong."

"You can't talk to me like that!"

"I'll talk to you how I damned well like, seeing as you're interfering in my life."

"Duo please, calm down." said Quatre uneasily. He'd seen his friend work into rages before and people were starting to stare at the little group. Heero and Trowa had both quirked eyebrows - Heero and arched both - and the girls were staring on in horror; Hilde actually had tears in her eyes.

"Why the hell should I?" hissed Duo savagely, "She needs to hear this. She needs to understand that the world isn't perfect and she can't help everybody!"

"I think we'll be taking this outside." said Heero suddenly, his Prussian blue eyes suddenly seeming much closer to black. He strode up and grabbed Duo forcefully by the arm and dragged him away. Duo fought his hold all the way to the terrace doors. Both seemed oblivious to the obvious stares of the people near them.

"Le'go 'Ro!" snarled Duo, shoving and scratching at the hand that held his forearm in an iron grip.

Heero didn't stop marching Duo until they were out in the garden by the maze. Heero shoved Duo roughly up against the hedge and grabbed him by the shoulders, shaking him.

"Not until you calm down." he threatened. He recognised the dangerous tone of his own voice and was inwardly saddened by the thought of the return of his violent streak. 'I thought we were better for each other than this.'

"Why the hell should I?" the American repeated. "It was about time someone stopped pussy-footing around that girl and told her the truth!"

While Heero privately agreed with that statement, he didn't think that doing it at a party in front of all her guests was the best way to go about it. "Just because you're still angry at me doesn't give you the right to take it out on her. She was trying to help."

"I knew you'd side with her. You always did and you always will. Well I'm sick of it Heero, I really am. What the fuck gives you the right to manipulate her into dragging you back into my life huh? Do you get a kick out of seeing me lose control? Seeing me in shock?"

Heero stared at him. Duo thought he'd arranged this?!

"Maxwell I had no hand in her plans."

"Whatever Yuy. I heard so many lies come out of your mouth during the war that I don't know when you're telling the truth anymore."

That stung Heero, especially as he knew it wasn't strictly true.

"I apologised didn't I?! I said I was sorry and explained what had happened! What more do you want from me Duo?!" the perfect soldier façade was finally cracking. Heero was starting to shout.

"Maybe for you to hurt as much as I did." Duo shot back venomously.

Heero could feel his patience with the American growing thin. That hadn't been entirely his fault after all. It took two to tango, as they said.

"Look, I'm sorry I shouted, and I'm sorry we had to see each other like this. But I think this little episode has proven one thing to me and you. We're not good for each other! So let's just shake hands and walk away from this like adults and never see each other again, right?"

Heero blinked; now Duo was acting the adult? How could the world turn on its head so many times in one night?! It was starting to unsettle him. Badly.

Which meant his control was starting to snap.

"No."

Duo stilled in mid-stride and stared back at Heero. The perfect soldier had spoken so quietly he thought he'd misheard. "What?"

"I said no Duo. We are going to stay right here and sort this out." when Duo showed signs of another tantrum Heero's barely controlled anger began to flare again; "Look Relena was correct about one thing; these disagreements between us, me and you especially, and Trowa and Quatre, are really hurting the others. None of us want them to be that way. So the least we can do is act civilised instead of like children!"

It was Duo's turn to gape. "What makes you think that I want to talk about that . . . That?"

"The fact that you're still standing there talking to me." said Heero, calmer now.

Duo stared at him some more in disbelief. Heero merely stood there watching him, drawing in deep breaths to calm himself down. It had been a while now since he'd had to restrain himself from strangling anyone.

Eventually Duo sensed that Heero was waiting for him to speak. His expression changed from bewilderment to arrogant anger and he strode over to a low wall that encircled the maze and sat down on it heavily. "Alright then, you wanna talk, we'll talk. Just know that I'm still gonna walk away from all this whether you like it or not." he crossed his arms and rested a leg over his knee.

Heero nodded; fair enough. He hadn't expected Duo to accommodate the request at all. Half-way was better than nothing. But now that Duo had stopped shouting he wasn't quite sure what to say.

They sat and stood that way for several minutes longer, just watching each other. Duo wary in case the other pilot tried to put him in a lock or pin of some kind, Heero wary in case the American had second thoughts and tried to run.

After several long minutes Duo spoke. "So, what do you want to talk about?" his tone had changed from angry to dismissive. Heero sensed that he was trying to pretend none of this really bothered him and that bothered Heero.

"Why did you run?" Heero asked quietly. He'd decided to just say things and let this run its course. When Duo looked at him strangely he clarified; "That night. Why did you run?"

Duo made a noise that apparently meant 'of all the stupid questions'. "Why did I run?" he muttered darkly. "Why do you think Yuy I found you in bed with Relena!"

At least he was answering and not trying to run. "I know but you could have talked to me instead."

"Why the hell would I want to after that?!" demanded Duo impatiently. He wanted to get away now. "I came home from work late one night to find my boyfriend in bed with one of our best friends."

"We told you it was an accident."

"Ha, yeah, sure. An accident you both ended up in bed together. I stood there for a full minute in shock Yuy while you were . . ." apparently he couldn't finish because he turned his head away in disgust.

"I was drunk Duo. She's regretted it ever since and so have I." when Duo still wouldn't look at him Heero sighed. "What am I supposed to do to get you to believe me? Beg?"

"No." said Duo quickly, his head whipping round to glare at Heero. "Never beg. It doesn't suit you." Heero blinked, that was Duo's old humour. But it also meant that the young man didn't know what he wanted.

"I don't understand. I obviously need to earn your forgiveness somehow, and you ignore me every time I try to talk to you and explain myself. But when I consider the only other option I can see at the minute you yell at me again? What do you want me to do Maxwell?!"

"Hurt the way I hurt?" suggested Duo nonchalantly.

"I've been hurting ever since you tried to shoot me in the leg for it!"

"I don't mean physically I mean emotionally!"

"I didn't mean physically!"

Duo glared and Heero glared back.

'This isn't getting us anywhere.' thought Heero dimly. Just when he was about to talk again Duo cut him off;

"What do you mean you've been hurting ever since?" although his voice was quiet the anger was evident. This wasn't going to be easy to solve.

"Ask Trowa." said Heero bitterly. Trowa knew. Trowa had found him sobbing on more than one occasion. Trowa had found him staring at nothing in particular, looking back through old photo albums. Staring at a bottle of sleeping pills and wondering how many more times the normal fatal overdose he'd need to do the job.

They'd all thought the war had been over and that it was safe now. But veterans, as they'd realised, find it hard to let go.

"I'm asking you." said Duo stubbornly. Heero almost smiled; this reminded him of the small lovers' tiffs they'd had before.

However he chose not to answer that question. "So you're not likely to forgive me anytime soon?"

"Yes, no, wait . . ." Duo put two fingertips to his temple as though he had a headache. "Argh."

Automatically Heero moved over to stand in front of him and put his fingertips to both sides of the American's head, rubbing in small gentle circles. He didn't even realise he'd done it until Duo looked at him with a strange expression.

He took a step back and let his hands drop to his sides and hang there. "Sorry."

Duo just continued to look at him in that strange way of his, so Heero turned to face the house and cleared his throat. "So, you won't forgive me, we're obviously not good for each others' health. I guess the only thing to do is avoid each other after all."

There was no noise behind him and Heero didn't want to look over his shoulder to see what was happening. He was having a hard enough time keeping his voice steady. A lump seemed to have formed in his throat and no amount of coughing seemed to drive it away.

"It doesn't bother me really. I'd guessed this might be how it ended. I suppose I'd expected it, to be honest." still no response. "I guess, if you're happy with the decision, then we'll part ways here." he forced the words past the lump. He could feel tears in his eyes and shook his head to drive them away. "What do you th-" he was cut off as he turned to face Duo by a pair of soft lips covering his own.

The shock made his eyes go wide. The kiss wasn't tender or gentle. It was a fierce possession. He could see Duo's brows pulled together as he tried to put everything into the kiss, could feel his hands on his upper arms gripping him tightly, almost dragging Heero to him. Duo licked his bottom lip and Heero moaned gently, shutting his eyes and all but sagging against Duo as he lost himself in the experience.

After what seemed like forever Duo broke off the kiss and leant his forehead against Heero's. The Japanese man's eyes were watching him gently as he took deep breaths. Duo's eyes were still closed as he took in much-needed oxygen.

"Don't you dare walk away from me Heero Yuy. Don't you dare."

Heero smiled and wrapped his arms around his waist. Duo let him. He wanted Heero to hold him again. He hadn't felt right since he'd walked out of Heero's life and their apartment that night.

Relena had been right after all. If Duo had known that Heero would be there then Duo would have locked himself in his room and not come out tonight, even though he wanted to see him.

Heero smiled into his lover's hair. The world was finally back on its axis.

They had a second chance after all.