Notes: Wufei POV, and apparently, I can't write anything without a small hint of angst, but who cares? There's sap at the end.

It's a tradition now, that on every anniversary, we give each other a bar of chocolate. Not the expensive kind of chocolate that's really sweet and must be eaten in small doses or you risk sugar-overdose, but a plain, ordinary bar of chocolate that costs less than a dollar. It may seem stupid to an outsider, but to us, chocolate bars are very special. Because, it's how we became a couple.

Let me start at the beginning.

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It was raining, we were cooped up in a tiny safe house, and I was melancholy. We had just retreated from a major battle with OZ due to the fact that, as Maxwell had put it, we were getting out butts kicked in a very serious way.

We had been given bad information, had planned for less enemy mobile suits, and we were not prepared for the real amount of suits we faced. We tried, we fought hard and dirty, even I forsook my honour for survival of myself and my friends, but in the end, the enemy were too great, too strong, too organised, and we were forced to retreat. Yuy gave cover fire whilst we escaped, and then followed us, easily out-flying the Aries suits.

We returned to the safe house with defeat hanging over us like a thick cloud; even Maxwell was quiet and sombre. His few lame attempts at jokes did nothing to lighten our spirits, and we all went our separate ways. Yuy went into the forests to do whatever it was he did, probably a security check of some sort; Winner went into the kitchen to make tea; Barton went to take a shower; and Maxwell, he disappeared into his bedroom. I heard many thumps and scuffing noises, but dismissed him out of mind, too focused on my own sorrow to worry about him.

So it was with great surprise that I heard a tentative knock on my door. I turned away from the window to find Maxwell standing in the open doorway, something clutched in his hands but hidden from my view. He bowed deeply, something I had never seen him do before, and quietly asked permission to enter. I frowned at his unusual actions, and gestured for him to come in.

"Did you want something?" My voice was curt, but not as much as it usually was when dealing with Maxwell, his strangely respectful behaviour forced me to be more polite. Not that I didn't want to be polite, if he could be less of a clown then I could actually see us being friends, but I didn't want to deal with him right now. Or anyone for that matter. No, I just wanted to wallow in self-pity for a few moments.

"I know that retreating was hard for you," he said, his voice quiet. "I mean, it was hard for all of us, but especially you. What you have to realise is, we would have lost if we'd stayed, and then we wouldn't have been able to fight anymore. And without us, the Colonies are fucked. Sometimes, retreat is the only option, no matter what our honour, our pride, wants us to do."

"What would YOU know of honour?" I snapped, glaring at him. As usual, the glare had no effect, but instead of making him grin and joke, it just made him glare back.

"I know of sacrificing my pride, my dignity, my fucking soul, for the people I love. I know of taking more brutal beatings than you can ever imagine so that my family can eat. I know of watching my best friend die in my fucking arms, and using his last breath to comfort me. I may be a fucking street rat, but do not assume that I have less honour than you."

I blinked. I had not been expecting Maxwell to give such an answer, to tell me of his so-secret past. Then I realised that he was right-I had always looked down on him because he was raised on the dirty streets of L2. I had thought myself better than him, had treated him as a lower being, something not worthy of my respect. And whatever else I could say about him, Duo deserved my respect. He fought just as hard as the rest of us, sacrificed just as much, endured just as much.

"I owe you an apology," I muttered, looking away from his large blue-violet eyes. I sensed movement, and suspected he had shrugged.

"No problem." He moved to stand next to me, looking out at the thick rain that obscured nearly everything beyond the pane of glass. I glanced down, but he turned his hands so that I still couldn't see what he held.

"Ya know, we're not so different, you and I. Both orphans, both got our families taken away from us, both loners, both keep people at a distance so that we keep them safe."

"Do you have a point?"

He was silent for a few seconds before saying, "Don't you ever get lonely?"

My breath caught in my throat, and I turned my head to look at him in surprise. He still wasn't looking at me, and he had one hand pressed against the glass, as if trying to push through it.

Something in me wanted to leave, wanted to get away from this new side of Maxwell, but another part of me had yearned for his question, sought to give a truthful answer.

"Yes," I whispered, looking down. "All the time."

"Me too. Back in the orphanage, when I was a little kid, I used to get lonely all the time, and Sister Helen, she always gave me a piece of chocolate to make me happy. I figured, maybe today I could share a little bit."

I looked at him and saw that he was holding up a bar of chocolate. He was smiling, somewhat shyly, and there was a very hesitant look on his face. I hesitated for a moment before slowly nodding, not entirely sure what I was agreeing to.

He smiled, a beautiful, radiant smile that lit up his whole face, and eagerly unwrapped the chocolate, snapping off a piece and handing it to me. This seemed very important to him, he'd been so nervous and then so very relieved, and I wondered at his attitude. Sure, he was normally happy, taking delight in the smallest things, but I had never seen him behave anything like this. I wondered if I really knew him as well as I thought I did.

I put the small piece of chocolate in my mouth and savoured the rich, smooth taste of it for a moment. Duo was doing the same, eyes closed, a look of sweet rapture on his face. I paused and took a moment to study him-his cheekbones were high, his lips were rosy and looked so incredibly soft. His hair was a rich shade of chestnut, highlighted with strands of auburn and blonde, pulled back into a long braid that reached his thighs. He hadn't rebraided it since the battle, so stray wisps of hair framed his heart-shaped face. His body, though thin, was lean and wiry, hard muscle fitted over a small frame. There was a feel of confidence, of hard-edged assurance to him, something that silently dared anyone who met him to try and best him.

"You're staring, Fei," he murmured, not opening his eyes, and I blushed, uncomfortable and embarrassed that my staring had been noticed, so much so that I let the nickname go unchallenged.

He opened his eyes, the light making them more violet than blue, and bit his bottom lip. Something within my heart tugged softly at the sight of him chewing his lip like that, with strands of hair framing his face and the neck of his loose tee shirt slipping to reveal the collarbone beneath.

"I hope I'm not gonna get killed for this," he whispered, but before I could question him, he leaned forward and pressed his lips to mine. His lips were as soft as they looked, gently moving against my own, and for a second, I was too shocked to react. My brain could not process that Duo Maxwell, my friend and team-mate, was kissing me.

Then my brain kicked in, and I opened my mouth, letting him explore me as I explored him. One of my hands was pressed to the small of his back, holding him to me, and the other was toying with the small hairs at the base of his neck.

He tasted of chocolate, a dark, seductive taste that I chased with abandon, uttering a small moan as his hands began to explore my back. Only when lack of oxygen became a serious problem did I draw away, nipping gently at his swollen lips.

I looked into his eyes, searching for an answer, hoping this wasn't a trick, praying he was sincere. He smiled at me, and didn't say anything, just fed me another piece of chocolate and kissed me hungrily, eating the chocolate from within my mouth.

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The door banged open and I pulled myself away from the sweet memory of our first kiss to watch my lover race through the door. His jacket was thrown to the floor, and was quickly followed by his tie. His shoes were kicked off impatiently, flying across the room to land by the television. His shirt was already half unbuttoned, giving tantalising glimpses of his smooth chest.

I smiled, and watched as he jumped over the sofa to stand before me, cheeks flushed, eyes dancing with happiness.

"Happy anniversary, Fei," he said breathlessly, and I chuckled.

"Happy anniversary, Duo. Here, for you." I kneeled down and drew out my present from underneath the sofa. Duo gave a happy 'Yay!' before ripping off the silver wrapping paper to reveal the chocolate bar and black leather-bound book hidden inside. The words Duo Maxwell were inscribed in gold on the front, and he opened it up to reveal the inscription I'd written inside.

Duo,

Lives are for living I live for you

Dreams are for dreaming I dream for you

Hearts are for beating mine beats for you

Angels are for keeping. Can I keep you?

"It's beautiful, Fei," he whispered, brushing his fingertips against the inked words. "Thank you so much."

"I know you've nearly filled up your old journal," I murmured, reaching out to gently caress his cheek.

"This is just…" He pounced, wrapping his legs around my waist, the chocolate and journal falling to the floor. "Of course you can keep me," he murmured against my neck, his breath warm against my skin. "But only if I can keep you."

"Forever," I replied, holding him tightly to me.

We stayed like that for a while, silent, just enjoying the moment, before he leapt down and pulled me towards the bedroom with a wicked grin.

"Come on, I have a really cool idea for how to enjoy our chocolate."