Hello! This will be the last chapter for this story. I sincerely appreciate all comments and reviews! They really help the writing process go quicker whne your stuck... Anyways, I hope you enjoy the final chapter and any stories I may put up later.

Evolving Relations

06 - Living

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Another summer day had been lazily passed among friends. Quatre had once again decided to host the event with just close friends. Sally and Une had decided to attend along with Noin. Relena even had time to attend, despite her busy schedule. It was a brilliantly warm day for a barbeque.

A miniature volleyball tournament had been organized, by Quatre for those who wanted to participate. We did teams of two. There were four teams, Quatre and Trowa were one team, Une and Sally another, Heero and Wufei on the third, and last, but not least was Duo and I. The winner would receive the first smore of the night. When the prize was announced Heero and Wufei nodded to each other, each determined to win.

Competition was obviously high within our small group of friends. To many type 'A' personalities if you ask me, but then again I was like that two.

Drawing from hats to determine who was to go first it turned out to be Wufei and Heero versus Sally and Une. Ooh this would be hilarious. As we sat down to watch the match on the sidelines, Duo slid up next to me sitting cross-legged. He was chewing his lower lip meaning he was thinking about something.

"Hey Sexy Zechsy?" He leaned in close and whispered.

"Yes lover of mine?" He looked at me with these big violet eyes and I thought that something was truly wrong. And I leaned in closer, "What's the matter?"

"Nothing…I was just wondering…" He paused and sighed, "What's a smore?"

I was about to bust a rib, with the amount of force it took me not to laugh at Duo's question...after all he did come from L2 so he probably would have no clue what one was… "It's a really sweet desert like treat that is cooked over a campfire. You have two gram crackers and a stick of chocolate and toast a marshmallow and stick it in the middle to make a smore… kind of like a marshmallow and chocolate sandwich." I wrapped my arm around his waist, "You'll love it. Almost everyone does."

"We better be winning then! I want the first!" He settled back and began watching the match intently to observe the next opponents. I nodded at his comment. It was as good as ours.

Like I said, way too many type A personalities.

Wufei and Heero definitely had the upper hand. It was a match to twenty-one and they were leading eighteen to one. I assume the one point was because neither of them had played volleyball before and they need a point to adjust to the game. Currently there appeared to be a shouting match between Wufei and the other team. Heero was waiting to serve the ball.

"How dare you two not go easy on us! We are your work superiors!"

"Wufei if you don't let us get to the double digits I will stick you with so many needles on your next physical!"

Wufei was going right back at them, "Women! This is competition and we are definitely not at work. Either forfeit or quit complaining." He looked back at Heero and nodded to serve. Yay for friendly competition.

Two minutes later Wufei and Heero had won. They would be playing us next… I mean…. The winner of Me and Duo versus Trowa and Quatre….so yeah. Us.

It was a long and tiring game, but we did win it in the end. Duo's boundless energy, along with my height appeared to have won it for us. And the fact that Sally had taken pity on me half way through and found a hair tie for my extremely long hair out of her purse. It may have also helped that Quatre and Trowa did not seem to mind if they had lost or not.

And so it was Heero and I against each other again. We nodded at each other through the net. Wufei rolled his eyes and Duo just laughed at us. OKAY, so it was Duo and I versus Heero and Wufei this time. I just always remember our fierce battles against each other. Him always relentless and aggressive. A worthy opponent.

He lived in the fights with me, during the war. Always pushing each others limits it was always an awesome feeling when we rose to the challenge every time it was presented.

This volley ball tournament seemed to be no different. Each point was a long struggle of arduous rallying, half way through we paused and as each of us had decided to strip off our shirts, to continue the competition. The others were halfway paying attention and cheering as they chatted on the sidelines. It had been too long to watch with full attention from them.

We were matching point for point. And the winner had to win by at least two so it continued well past twenty one points.

Finally it got to thirty-four to thirty-three. They had to win by two points and currently they were leading by one. This could be it…again. Competition was singing through our veins as neither team would relent.

Wufei was about to serve when he paused…and looked thoughtful for a second. All chatter from the sidelines stopped and they focused on the thoughtful look on Wufei's face. That could only mean one thing…He had a plan.

He walked up to Heero and whispered in his ear, who smirked, and nodded. Hell yes they were competing; Heero paused and stared at us through the net, while Wufei retook his spot at the back of the court, but appeared relaxed in posture.

Then completely monotone, Heero stated, "You want to hear my favorite joke?"

That line alone had half the people on the sideline laughing hysterically while other half were sitting with the widest grins on their faces. It was Heero Yuy, saying this of all things, when we expected the best battle plan for volley ball….wait a second.

Duo was grinning full blast, holding his side. Oh no, he was loosing focus. Shoot!

After a short pause Heero continued in his same monotone. "How do you keep a skunk from smelling?" Duo was shaking with held laughter, and I must have been suffering from a bout of inquisitiveness as I quirked my head a little and dumbly asked, "How?"

And that was the end of us, we were out of the game, hands down.

"You hold its nose."

In that moment five things happened. Everyone was laughing on the sideline. Duo collapsed with laughter to the ground. Heero's went into a full blown victorious full-body smirk. I was laughing at the sheer corniness of the joke, loosing focus of the match entirely. And Wufei was serving the last all-powerful, point-wining serve of the game.

Heero walked up to Wufei and hugged him quickly, before pulling away. A distinct surprised noise from Wufei, indicated that Heero had succeeded in pinching his butt as he pulled away, while the rest of us were still trying to catch our breath.

After everyone had calmed down, Wufei asked, "So what is a smore anyway?" I snorted as Quatre launched into his explanation.

That led into the evening, when everyone was sitting around the campfire. Wufei was concentrating on roasting the first marshmallow to golden-brown perfection with Heero sitting next to him preparing the chocolate and crackers. I sat with Duo in my lap, similarly to Trowa and Quatre's pose.

Sally spoke up inquisitively, "I gotta ask. Was that really your favorite joke? I mean, I didn't think you had a favorite."

Heero nodded and held out the cracker for Wufei to place his perfect marshmallow on. Trowa spoke up from across the fire pit, "Did you come up with it yourself?"

Wufei took a bite of the smore and began chewing, not making a face, so he must have somewhat enjoyed it. He fed the other half to Heero, who ate it without questioning, and shook his head at Trowa's question. Everyone started making smores now that they had had the first one.

Wufei smirked as Heero loaded another marshmallow onto his stick. "We were on lunch break one day and were walking in the park outside the Preventer building." Wufei smirked, "Out of nowhere this girl came up to Heero and said, 'I don't know what to do with this so you can have it.'"

Duo shifted in my lap, "What was it?"

"A popsicle stick." There were a variety of snorts and giggles at that.

"It had a corny joke printed right on it and Heero happened to think it was beyond amusing. So now every week Heero buys a box of popsicles for the jokes."

Sally snorted, "No way. You guys eat popsicles?"

Heero shook his head. "No. The kids down at the end of the hall do though, so we give them the popsicles if they give the sticks back to us."

I snorted as everyone laughed, "Seriously?"

"Hn."

That was so typical of them; too worried about body fitness to eat a popsicle. It was strange to watch Heero smirk and lean closer to Wufei, as everyone joked and teased them for their popsicle habits. And he in turn, probably unconsciously, leaning into Heero. It seemed both alien and perfect at the same time.

Wufei had been good for Heero, and in turn Heero had been good for Wufei. I remember during the war that Heero seemed to live for our battles, and from what I heard from Duo, Wufei seemed bent on revenge and justice. Honestly, everyone worried most about them for when the war to peace transition happened. Wufei obviously hadn't taken it well, but then rebounded after the second incident, finding his place among the Preventers. We were all relatively happy when Heero joined him. At least they had found a niche for themselves in this time of peace.

They had found their place in the peace, but they were not enjoying their lives or situation. When Wufei and Heero got together, yes it had been a shock, but it was also something that gave us all hope for them again. Not to just exist, but to live.

Now watching them over the fire, I could see my one time determined rival smirking at something Trowa had said and Wufei unbending enough to lean on Heero in front of us, while Heero's arm encircled his waist. They had changed indeed and it was an amazing thing to see.

Heero telling the corniest joke on the planet, Wufei not retaliating when his butt got pinched, the FACT that his butt was pinched by Heero no less and Wufei telling a story, no matter how short, about their lives outside of work. My one time rival had found something that kept his spirit from degenerating in this time of peace and I was extremely happy for him. It would have been painful to watch him simply exist.

Now once again as Wufei launched into another story about one of Heero's new likes in the world, I must say I was happy to see them living.

They didn't just settle for existing. Completing day to day tasks, mindlessly deteriorating away…

They were truly living. And it was a truly miraculous thing to see.

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The End

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Anyways! I hope you enjoyed the stories. Reviews would be awesome!

Thanks!

- Silverserpent