Duo arrived at the forest clearing fifteen minutes before the appointed time. The forest clearing was familiar – it was the same one where he had stumbled upon Relena and Heero together so long ago. Duo saw that Heero was already waiting patiently for him in the middle of the clearing.

Duo saw that there was no one else around and the barest feelings of fear began to grip his heart. He had no idea why Heero had arranged this rendezvous and was fervently hoping that Heero’s intentions did not include using him as a target practice or a punching bag. Duo had even worn a bullet-proof vest under his shirt, just in case. But of course, if Heero shot him in the head instead of the heart, he would still wind up as dead as the salted pork in supermarkets.

“You wanted to see me, Heero?” Duo tried to sound nonchalant despite his thumping heart.

Heero was startled by his early appearance and quickly crumpled up a piece of notepaper in his hand. “You’re early,” he said, almost accusingly.

“I tend to be punctual whenever I can,” said Duo casually. He had not being able to sit still ever since he received Heero’s note on his table stating the time and venue of this meeting. It had nearly driven him insane waiting for the appointed hour; not that he was looking forward to it.

“Punctual means being here at 4.00 pm. Not 3.45 pm,” argued Heero.

“What do you want, Heero?” asked Duo, exasperated. “You told me to come here because you have something to say to me. Well, say it.”

“Um…” Heero looked at Duo blankly for a while before turning his back to him. Duo heard the sounds of a crumpled paper being unfolded. When Heero turned to face him again, he was more sure of himself. “It’s a beautiful day, isn’t it?”

There was a clap of thunder and the sky overhead darkened with the gathering of cumulonimbus clouds.

Duo scratched his head and replied uncertainly, “Yeah… It’s a beautiful day.”

Heero continued on with his bungling attempts at conversation. “Don’t you just find this forest very peaceful and quiet?”

There was enough noise created by the forest animals to wake up the dead.

“Let’s not beat around the bush, Heero.” Duo could tell that Heero was trying very hard to work his way to what he really wanted to say. “Is this about the confession you made?”

“What confession? I didn’t make any confession. What confession are you talking about?” babbled Heero, a look of panic in his eyes.

Duo had a feeling that this meeting would not end before nightfall. “You don’t want to talk about it?”

“Talk about what?” asked Heero, still feigning ignorance.

Sighing, Duo sat down on the grass and gestured to Heero to do the same. Heero stood for a while longer before following suit. Duo said, “If we are to remain even remotely comfortable in each other’s presence, I think it’s necessary to talk about what happened during my last mission.”

Heero was quietly scrutinizing his own shoes.

“You don’t have to say anything. Just hear me out.” Duo breathed in deeply and exhaled loudly. “You don’t have to feel embarrassed over what had happened, Heero. It was just a misunderstanding, a mistake, a joke – call it what you will. Maybe I was wrong to keep you in the dark. Both you and I understood very well that you wouldn’t even dream of saying the things you said, or behaving the way you did, if you knew the truth. So, your dignity is still intact, don’t worry…”

“Can I say something?” interrupted Heero who had stopped avoiding Duo’s eyes.

Duo began to feel uncomfortable under Heero’s intense gaze. “Sure.”

“When I found out that you were Katherine Kane, I was shocked and angry.”

Duo nodded sadly. “That’s understandable.”

“But… I was also disappointed.”

“Disappointed?” That was a strange emotion to feel under those circumstances. “Why?”

Heero swallowed once, twice and several times after that before he found his voice again. “When I met Katherine for the first time, I thought my search was over.”

“What search?” For some reason, the rate of Duo’s heartbeat had started to increase.

“My search for your female equivalent.”

Duo blurted out, “My what??”

“You may not believe this, Duo,” said Heero, his voice thick. “I fell in love with Katherine because she reminded me so much of you. And I’m in love with you now… and it’s not because you remind me so much of her.”

Duo was about to swoon. Damn, Heero shouldn’t be capable of saying things like this! The Japanese pilot shouldn’t have such a power over him. “Look, Heero…” Duo’s voice was hoarse. “I know you feel ‘obligated’ to… love me or something… after what we’ve been through…”

“I’m not feeling ‘obligated’ to do anything!” cried out Heero, willing Duo to believe him.

Duo really felt like burying himself underground at that moment. He was totally unprepared for this. “How do you expect me to believe that, Heero? I thought you couldn’t stand the sight of me. In the past, you treated me worse than… I don’t know… a dog, maybe? I couldn’t detect any love, not even friendship.”

Heero looked down, shamefaced. “I was a coward then, Duo. I was afraid of you. Afraid of my feelings towards you. I thought that if I pushed you away strongly enough, you would leave me alone and I would not have to confront my own feelings.” Heero’s cobalt blue eyes were filled with a tenderness which Duo thought could never be meant for him. “But you didn’t. And I loved you all the more for that.”

Duo wrapped his braid around his face, trying to hide its redness. “You’re going to reduce me to a pile of mush if you go on like this,” said Duo, his voice muffled by his hair.

Heero smiled and leaned closer so that his breath caressed Duo’s cheek. “This is just the beginning.”

Duo placed a hand on Heero’s face and forced his head back by an arm’s length. Heero appeared slightly hurt by his actions. “It’s not that I don’t feel the same way, Heero. I’m just not ready for this level of intimacy yet.”

“Then what are you ready for now?” asked Heero.

Duo answered him with his lips.

Love has to be mutual to bloom…The thought whispered in Heero’s mind as he gave in to the joy of the moment.

* * * * * *

A lone figure who had been hiding behind a tree some distance away from the clearing turned to leave. A sudden flash of sunlight hit a lock of white hair, giving it a silvery glow which soon faded in the shade of the trees.

Author’s final note:

I’d like to thank all the people who have showered me with kilobytes of encouraging words and comments throughout the 18 months that I have taken to complete this fic. Your emails have brightened many gloomy days of my life.

Special thanks to Wing Low, without whom I wouldn’t even begin writing this fic. I also want to thank Minky for helping me edit all the parts of ‘The Blossom’, and for keeping my ego fat and happy… ^_^

Minky : I don't mind beta-reading for you or feeding your ego fat and happy as long as you keep writing more fics. ^_^