Disclaimer: The word 'Disclaimer' says it all.

This fic is dedicated to all my fellow Heero x Relena fanatics in lovereflection. And though I'm not good in making a sappy fic, I do hope that you'll enjoy reading this. For comments, suggestions, flames or reviews, you can email me at raizenheero@aol.com.

December AC 197

She was sitting on her usual spot in the park, reading a book, when suddenly, she felt someone sat down beside her. A smile formed on her lips. She knew, even without looking, that it was him. He had always taken the time to visit her whenever she had some business in L1, like now, or whenever he was on Earth. She moved closer, leaning against his shoulder, then continued on reading. He, for his part, put his arm on the back of the bench they were occupying, as if wrapping his arm around her but not quite, his fingers grazing her bare shoulders, his eyes also focused on her book. They remained that way, touching, but silent, just like many times before. They didn't need to talk. They could perfectly understand each other without the aid of words. Besides, she was getting tired of talking, having it as a profession while he, being not much of a talker himself, had always preferred actions to words. During this brief interlude, a break from their routine life, all that they wanted to do was to take comfort in each other's presence. It sounded so simple but the truth was they needed this. It was necessary for them to meet. Otherwise, she would be too drained to continue carrying the burden of a whole nation in her young shoulders. As for him, he would be lost in a world that he felt didn't need him, lost in that eternal struggle within himself. Without the other, they wouldn't have the strength and courage to continue. She was the reason why he continued on living, while he was the reason why she continued on protecting peace. They had always been each other's source of strength, each other's sense of purpose. And at that particular moment, they were content in just being in each other's arms.

Hearing a flutter of wings, their heads jerked up in unison. The old lady sitting on the bench opposite them smiled as she fed the pigeons by her feet, recognizing the couple for she had seen them there many times before. They smiled back, or rather she smiled back, with that brilliant smile of hers while he just nodded in acknowledgment. Afterwhich, their eyes reverted back to their book. Seeing them like that, sitting side-by-side, reading a book, anyone would be inclined to think that they were just an ordinary young couple in-love. But they were far from being ordinary, she being the most famous political figure in the whole ESUN, beloved by the colonists and the Earthnoids alike and he, the one who saved the world twice, was the most dangerous of the 6 most dangerous men in the galaxy. And being who they were, they might have known everything there was to know about war, peace, politics and revolution but what did they know about love? He, the perfect soldier whose hands were stained with blood, raised and trained for the sole purpose of fighting, who caused and saw countless deaths in his 17 years to last a lifetime, and she, a naïve girl inadvertently drawn in the middle of a turbulent world because of her name, her lineage, entrusted with a too big of a task for someone as young as her, even if she were the only person suitable for it. But they knew of love. They felt it. They were feeling it. But how could they be sure that what they were feeling was really love? They were too young when they met, and in an unlikely circumstance at that. They might be just drawn to each other because one had what the other was searching for. But they were sure. He didn't need Zero to tell him that nor did she need eloquent words to express how she felt. There were things that one instinctively knew, and this was one of them. No doubt about it, they were meant to be together. And though many believed that no one could absolutely be certain that the person one met when he was young would be the person he would be spending his entire life with, they knew, they were sure, there would be no one else for them. He was she as she was he --- they were one and the same, two halves of the same whole. Everything else might fall apart or fade away but that fact would remain, forever.

Their eyes left their book again for the second time that afternoon, having heard sounds of running feet trampling on the newly cut grass. The corners of his mouth softened upon seeing a group of little kids playing tag, squealing and laughing in delight. Smiling, she closed her book and placed it down beside her. As the two of them watched the kids chase each other around the park, she leaned even closer, settling her head against his chest. He put his arm around her more tightly now, his fingers playing with her golden tresses. If only they could stay that way forever --- happy, carefree, together. But they couldn't. Not yet, anyways. They still needed to do something on their own first. He wanted to become a better man for her, someone who could give her the life she deserved. And in order to do that, he must find his place in this world. She, on the other hand, already found her place in this world. What she was seeking to find was herself, not the Princess or the Vice Foreign Minister but the real her. She wanted to find that part of herself that she hadn't shared with the rest of the ESUN before, that part of herself that would only belong to him. And until the right time for them to finally be together came, they would content themselves with these short romantic interludes, borrowing each other's strength to continue on their separate lives for just a little while longer.

She was beginning to get drowsy with contentment. Having him near her always cause her to feel that way. He, on the other hand, heaved a sigh as he felt her snuggle closer. She felt good in his arms and whenever she was with him, he was at peace. By that time, the park was becoming full of people. Everyone passing by smiled at them, but they didn't dare intrude. Of course they recognized her, anyone would, and they recognized him. He was a native of L1 and they always saw him with her there. And though everyone in that area knew of the secret romance between the two, they were careful not to spread the news elsewhere. Those two were entitled to be happy and everyone agreed on helping them protect their privacy in any way they could.

The colony's artificial sunlight started to dim, mimicking the sun as it sets in the horizon. The kids stopped running as their mothers called out to them, ushering them to go home. They watched two of the kids, a brown-haired boy and a blonde-haired girl shyly approached them. The little boy stopped a few feet away, urging the little girl to continue. The little girl slowly walked over to her and handed her a rose. She smiled. "For me?" she asked.

The little girl nodded. Taking the flower, she said, "Thank you."

The little girl turned around and ran towards her friend. The little boy waved goodbye at the pair then hand-in-hand, the kids walked away.

Still smiling, she placed the rose near her face, inhaling its fragrance. Suddenly, she heard him speak. "Relena."

The smile disappeared from her face. She knew. It was the signal that their time together was about to end, making them return to their normal, separate lives. She looked up. Sky Blue met Prussian as they stared into each other's eyes, right into each other's souls.

"It's time to go back to your hotel. It'll be dark soon," he told her simply, though his eyes were telling her something more.

She nodded and picked up her book. He helped her up then they walked towards her hotel, just across the park.

Relena's bodyguards were waiting for her in the hotel's lobby. They didn't usually let her wander off alone, except when they were in L1. She always stayed in this hotel, and she always went to the park across the street. But they weren't worried. She was in good hands, no, she was in the best of hands. They knew what he was capable of doing, having seen him in action during the war. Aside from that, they also knew how he felt for her, having been Relena's bodyguards for nearly a year now. He wouldn't let any harm come to her, they were certain of it.

One of them looked up at the clock. She should be returning any minute. As if on cue, they saw a girl in a white dress and a guy in jeans and green tank top walking toward the hotel's entrance, stopping just outside the glass door. They saw him nod at them, acknowledging their presence. They nodded back, smiling to themselves. They genuinely liked those two and she always seemed to be re-energized after meeting with him. Knowing that the pair still had to say goodbye to each other, they looked away, trying to find ways to busy themselves as they waited for her to come inside.

They stood by the hotel's entrance, trying to hang on to each other a little bit longer, delaying their imminent parting. They were glad that they had the chance to be together, even if only for a short while. And though they were sad that they had to say goodbye, they were looking forward to the time they would be seeing each other again.

Having done this many times before, she knew by know that he would wait for her to go inside before leaving. Smiling at him, she said, "It's nice to see you again. Take care of yourself, ok?"

"Hn. You take care yourself."

"I will. Bye." She was about to go inside when suddenly she called out, "Heero?"

"Hn?"

"Duo and the others are coming to the Sanc Kingdom next week. They'll be celebrating Christmas with me. I just want to know if" she trailed off, biting her lip. With all that they felt for each other, she still didn't want to impose on him.

Heero gave her a small smile. "I'll be there."

She beamed at him. She looked so beautiful and adorable that he was unable to resist doing what he wanted to do ever since he saw her that day. He slowly leaned down towards her, closing his eyes when he was just a breath away. Seeing him get closer, she closed her own eyes. The moment their lips touched, a burst of color suddenly exploded in their eyelids. After a few seconds, he slowly pulled away. His face was just millimeters from hers when he breathed, "See you next week, Relena."

She felt his breath tickle her skin. Opening her eyes, she said, almost breathlessly, "See you next week, Heero." With that, she went inside.

He watched her through the glass windows as she walked towards her bodyguards. She looked back and waved goodbye at him one last time before going inside the elevator. He turned around and started walking home, a ghost of a smile on his lips. He couldn't wait for Christmas to come.