Duo was still ranting in the background, continuing a seemingly endless litany of event that had taken place in his colony in the past few months, but Quatre could tell that he was also becoming weary. Heero sat across from the boisterous young man, his face impassive and arms folded firmly across his chest. Whether he was actually listening or not, Quatre couldn’t tell. Wufei was quiet, as usual, and sat in a chair on the other side of the room, sipping something from a mug and adding comments when he felt like it.

Quatre looked at each of them in turn, and then his aquamarine eyes came to rest on Trowa. All the while the others were chatting away the night, Trowa stood silently in the corner; his emerald eyes were fixed on Quatre.

Quatre felt caught between shyness and flattery. Part of him wanted to hide, Trowa’s gaze unnerved him so much. But the other part was thrilled that Trowa seemed interested in him. There had been something special – very special – between them before. Quatre could feel it, and accepted it with arms wide open, and he hoped Trowa felt it as well. But that had all been a year ago, Quatre reminded himself. Things can change a lot in a year…

Quatre walked down the sidewalk at a turtle-slow pace. A sudden roar of an engine startled him, and he looked up, spotting a truck idling just inside the gate that led out to the main highway.

"Trowa," Quatre breathed. "Why is he still here?"

Trowa stepped out of his truck when he saw the platinum-hared boy, and Quatre inhaled deeply to calm himself, staring as the wind played with Trowa’s honey-colored hair.

"Hi. I’ve been waiting here for you," Trowa said, smiling just a little." I’ve been thinking about you a lot, and I need to talk to you, Quatre. Want to go for a ride?"

Yes!!

"Okay," Quatre replied softly. He couldn’t say no, just couldn’t. After Trowa had sat there waiting for him, thinking about him, how could he?

Quatre walked over and stepped into Trowa’s truck. As Trowa pulled out onto the road, Quatre gazed at his face. His skin was smooth, his hair the same color of honey, and his eyes, his wide-set, polished emerald-green eyes were…staring right into Quatre’s!

Quatre flushed with embarrassment and promptly stared straight ahead. He heard Trowa chuckle softly and said nothing when Trowa stopped the truck at a quiet spot along the road. Trowa turned off the engine, and Quatre could hear the song of crickets on the warm summer breeze.

"Why have we stopped?" Quatre asked.

Without answering, Trowa leaped from the truck and went to the passenger side. "Come on," he said, as he opened the door and held out his hand to Quatre. He took it, and Trowa helped him down from the truck.

"C’ mon," Trowa said again. "Let’s go for a walk."

Trowa didn’t let go of Quatre’s hand as he led him through a stand of trees at the side of the road. Quatre looked at Trowa. He knew Trowa cared for him, but there was a big difference between caring for someone and loving someone. At least, the way Quatre wanted Trowa to love him.

Love wasn’t something that just happened on it‘s own. It didn’t matter how long you’d known someone or how much you had shared. You couldn’t make someone love you if they didn’t. But Trowa was still his friend; Quatre knew that. He knew Trowa would understand, even if he didn’t feel the same way.

"We’re here," Trowa said, stopping so suddenly that Quatre banged right into him. Trowa reached out a hand to steady him. Quatre regained his balance and looked around to see just were "here" was. The tallest trees Quatre had ever seen surrounded them on all side and you could see stars sparkling in the velvet heavens above.

"I’ve something to tell you," Trowa said. "It’s about how I feel…about you and I. I’ve kept it a secret for a very long time. I don’t know why; just scared I guess. I don’t know how you would feel about it."

Quatre looked up at him, and Trowa could see tears welling up in his aquamarine eyes, threatening to spill over, and when Quatre spoke, his voice trembled, "Oh, Trowa, I really like you – a lot. I know you probably just think I’m being an idiot. I know you probably don’t love me, and if you don’t, I’ll understand…"

But he wouldn’t – he couldn’t!

Those last few words trickled out, and tears overflowed down Quatre’s cheeks. He moved to turn away – he didn’t want Trowa to see him cry, to see him as the weak person he really was.

"Quatre…" Trowa took his face between his hands. Trowa’s touch was gentle, and Quatre was taken aback by the sudden tenderness.

"My loyal companion…" He brought up a hand and brushed away Quatre’s tears. He brought his hand around behind Quatre’s head and caressed his platinum-blond hair.

"I don’t know what I’d do if you weren’t by my side," Trowa said. He slid his other hand behind Quatre’s back and pulled him closer. " I love you, Quatre. I love you."

Quatre was completely engulfed by euphoria, and almost started to cry again, but with great difficulty managed to get a hold of himself. Trowa’s eyelids dropped slightly, shading his brilliant emerald eyes into a deep forest hue, and he gazed down at Quatre with a gentle smile.

Trowa cradled Quatre’s cheek, and their lips brushed in their first feather-light caress. For a moment, Quatre thought his heart would stop beating in his chest. Tears ran freely down his face, but now they were tears of joy. Eventually, their lips parted, but Trowa continued to hold him, looking down at Quatre and smiling openly. Quatre lowered his head and rested it against Trowa’s chest.

If this were a dream, Quatre never wanted to awaken. But it wasn’t a dream; it was something better than that. This was love – true, romantic love, just the way he’d always wanted it to be.