He wouldn't have noticed.

It was on the floor when he opened the door, slightly ruffling in the light breeze that entered his open window. He wouldn't have noticed it.

But he took a step forward as he closed the door, and when he heard the crackling of paper, he glanced down. Curious about a paper slipped under his door. He bent down and picked it up, fingers slightly trembling. Fear? Perhaps. His expression turned briefly to disbelief, then annoyance. Quickly, he folded the paper and slipped it in his jacket.

/ Duo. Meet me at the park. Tonight. /

He recognized the handwriting, although it had been years since he had seen it. He closes his eyes momentarily, allowing the memories to flood into him briefly.

Let me love you...

He shivers slightly, not knowing if it was because of the breeze that entered once more, or from the heat that spread throughout his entire body. Clenching his hands in his pockets, he strides out once more, walking to the direction of the park.

What is this I feel? I want you here, but I don't want you...you'll die if you do...

I love you.

I love you, Duo...

He hunches in his jacket, pushing away some stray locks from his loose braid to his back. His hair was getting longer, perhaps he would trim it.

I love your hair.

I love you.

He thought better and decided to leave it alone.

Upon arriving, he immediately sat on the first empty bench he chanced upon. The night was already dark, a crescent moon on the sky. Sighing, he remembered that there had been no time indicated on the night. He prepared for a whole night of staying. After all, he wanted to see him, too...didn't he?

Count the stars.

If I'm not back by the time you reach one-hundred, go in and bomb it.

"One, two, three..."

They had told each other of their love, each afraid to say it, thinking it might not be what they thought it would be.

They had told each other good-bye, each afraid to say it, thinking it will be the last time they would see each other.

"...twenty-five, twenty-six, twenty-seven..."

He shivered again, this time, because of the cold that suddenly enveloped him. Good-byes had never been his specialty. He hated them. He had already managed to do that three years ago...good-bye to the one he loved. But now...

"...sixty-eight, sixty-nine, seventy, seventy-one..."

That night, there were many stars. By one-hundred, he decided to go home. This meeting is only a small chance. He wondered why he came back, wondered why he even bothered.

"...ninety-one, ninety-two, ninety-three..."

A slight hope fluttered in him but he quickly squished it. There was no use in hoping. Even he, himself, would not agree to it. Not anymore.

"...ninety-seven, ninety-eight, ninety-nine..."

A soft rustle.

He closed his eyes and whispered: "One-hundred."

He opened them again when he felt someone sit beside him. The boy was taller now, his wild, unkempt hair longer than he had last seen him. Unsurprisingly, he wasn't smiling. "You were counting stars," he told him slowly.

Duo nodded, putting his hands behind his head. "There are too many tonight." He takes a deep breath. "What's going on, Heero?"

There was no point in putting off whatever important thing he had to say, Duo decided.

Heero was silent, he was still staring off to the far distance without a hint of emotion. "Nothing."

The long-haired boy shot him a puzzled look. "Then...why are we here?" he asked slowly.

The answer took longer than expected. Duo began to swing his feet under the bench, began to look at the leaves, the grass, the trees...anywhere but to the boy beside him.

"Are you supposed to be somewhere else?"

"No. But you're not the type who calls me down here without anything else to say."

Heero gave him a quarter of a smile. "You think you know me."

The other suddenly captured Heero's face in his hand, caressing the soft cheeks. "I've seen you smile," he tells him quietly.

The Japanese boy closed his eyes, letting himself momentarily caught in Duo's warmth. "I wanted to see you," he murmured.

"Because...?"

"I wanted to see you." Heero's voice turned controlled. He pulled away and stared ahead of him.

Duo dropped his hand, puzzled once more. "Heero..."

"There was no other reason."

"You're not looking at me."

Heero stiffened, then turned to glare at him. Duo gave him a sad smile. "Why did you come to see me?"

"I wanted...to see you...to talk to you again."

I miss you.

It was what Duo wanted him to say. What he needed to hear. "Oh, Heero..."

"I still know..." the other interrupted, "that it will never work."

At the words, Duo felt the chill once more. He pulled his jacket closer, looking away. He avoided his eyes, even when he knew he was trying to stare at him. He didn't want him to see the tears...

"There was nothing else?" he said hollowly.

He didn't see Heero open his mouth, then quietly close it. He only saw what he did next, the slight shaking of Heero's head. "I see," he said quietly.

Suddenly, a hand catches the wrist in his pocket and pulls it out. Two palms warmed his fingers, and it was better than the warmth inside the pocket. Slowly, Heero upturned his palms and kissed it. Duo took in a sharp breath that came out as a hiss when Heero's teeth gently nibbled his wrist.

"Heero..."

His throat was dry.

"Duo..."

Heero's other arm circled his waist, pulling him closer, bringing the wrist he had held close to his heart where it beat wildly. Then, Heero looked up and brought his face down to kiss Duo's.

The first touch of their lips brought the tightly locked memories gush out like a gushing river. Duo let his arms wrap around Heero's neck, pulling him closer. Heero, in response, nipped his lower lip, resulting to shaking knees.

Remember.

He remembered everything. All the nights, the feel of Heero in his arms, how they molded together so perfectly, like two pieces of a puzzle carefully put together. His arms around Heero's neck tightened and he broke away, pulling himself closer as he placed his forehead on the taller boy's shoulder.

And in that position, he heard Heero breathe so softly to his ear: "Let me hold you this way tonight. Only this night."

"Hold me forever," Duo whispered back, his heart aching.

He could feel Heero's fingers clenching and unclenching at his back. He closed his eyes again, feeling the tears well up in his eyes behind the tightly closed eyelids.

I'm too fucked up...it'll never work...

"I'm sorry, Duo."

Duo smiled softly, relaxing his hold. "I know," he said. "I am, too." He pulled away, opening his eyes to stare at Heero. Desperately wished there were no tears in his eyes. Desperately wished there was even a small sign...

Heero pulled his hands to himself and clenched unconsciously again to a fist. "Goodbye," he finally said tightly, standing up.

Duo sat on the bench, folding his hands in the pockets of his jacket, watching the other boy walk away. No, he decided. Not anymore a boy. We're not just boys now...we've grown up now. Not anymore boys, but not men. We've grown up...but we can't leave everything behind. We're too fucked up.

"Heero," he called out softly, hanging his head.

Heero stopped but did not turn, waiting silently for his statement.

"It...it wasn't me who said it wouldn't work out. It was you." Duo looked up, smiling at the dark silhouette before him. "But I know, anyway. And you're right. It wouldn't have."

Then why does letting go feel so wrong?

"It wouldn't have," Heero agreed softly. He, then, disappeared into the night.

Duo sighed and leaned back on the bench. He stayed that way a few minutes, relieving the past, trying to arrange his messed up memories. Trying to forget Heero's touch, his small smiles, his whispered endearments, his goodbye.

Tears fell from his eyes. But he didn't notice.

He didn't see Heero's, either.