Epilogue: Settling Down

           *The next morning when Serena awoke, she looked around and sat up quickly. Where was she? What had happened? What was going on? Then her nose caught a whiff of a wonderful scent and her mind traveled back to last night. She smiled in remembrance. She must have fallen asleep in Hiiro's arms… and now she was in his bed!

She was fairly sure he had slept on the couch in the other room- he wouldn't have slept in the same bed with her, he wouldn't have done that without her consent, she knew. And now the smell of cooking food… smelled so good! Throwing back the covers, she padded quickly into the bathroom to make sure she looked semi-presentable, then made her way to the kitchen.

"Morning wife." Hiiro looked at her unsure of what she might be thinking. He was standing at the stove, shirtless and flipping pancakes. All he knew was that he hoped she was happier than she had been in a long time.

            He knew from personal experience that holding onto the weight of the dead was a hard task to undertake. His own memories of dead soldiers and horrible war crimes still haunted him to no end, and he did not want that for her. No. Serena… she was… too innocent. Yes, innocent. Though she had killed, just as he had, she still hated it. She stilled reviled about it, hid it, and tried to forget it. He and so many others he had known had come to terms with their acts of violence, but Serena had not, and that was what made her so angelic, even after all she had done.

"My goodness! If this is what you do for me after a night like last night, I'd like to see what you do after a good night!" She giggled. He smiled. She had never been this openly happy with him, and it thrilled him beyond imagination. Maybe she was indeed happier! The memory of how she had been last night compared to how she looked now held a startling contrast.

Last night she had fallen asleep sometime after their first real conversation as civil people, and he had slipped her into his bed without her stirring. He remembered running his finger down her tear stained cheek and feeling dirty and wicked for making such a lovely and sweet girl cry. But he had consoled himself with the thought that when she woke the next day, she might feel better. Then he had slept on his couch, knowing full well she wouldn't like them sleeping in the same bed, married or not. Still he had been up early and been hungry, so he had decided to cook.

"I thought last night was a relatively good night for us. We didn't kill each other like Mina predicted."

"True." Serena smiled lightly. "What are you making?" She asked as she watched a pancake flip. Serena was trying to keep the conversation light. She felt a release she had never had before. It was as if she had been sodden down with lead weights her whole life, and last night the weights had finally been removed for the first and last time. And Hiiro had been the one to do so. It was hard to believe this man before her had been her saving grace. But he had… and she loved him for it.

"Chicken and salad." He told her, deadpanning expression on his face. She actually laughed.

"Really? Then can I help make the salad?"

"Set the table."

"I see." She sniffed. "You don't want me in here. I understand." He looked up, almost believing she was really hurt. Then he saw her expression and smirked.

"Fine, you can help me flip the pancakes."

"That's quite alright! I'll stay away from that stove thank you very much." She shook her head. He grabbed her hand and pulled her over. "No, Hiiro, you don't understand. I'm one of those people who loves food, but burns water."

"That is, by the way, physically impossible. The water doesn't burn- it boils into steam. So you should be able to cook now. Look, it's easy." He forced her to stand in front of him and gave her the spatula. The he poured a small amount of batter onto the grill. "All you do is wait for the batter to start bubbling on top. When it does, it's ready on the bottom. Then you flip it."

"I'll do it wrong!" She cried out, seriously worried about ruining the pancake, and then burning down the apartment in the process.

"No, look. It's bubbling. Just dig the spatula under the pancake gently, that's right… now lift up and flip!"

"I did it! And it isn't burned!" She jumped up and down excitedly. He laughed a deep, hearty laugh and Serena rubbed her back into his chest. She liked the deep, soothing melody of his laugh, and the feeling of his bare chest as it rumbled with laughter. Hiiro noticed Serena's movement, but did not comment on it, wanting not to scare her away. Besides- having her small figure pressed against his chest as something akin to snuggling, well, well!

Just as Serena was finishing setting the two forks out on the table and Hiiro was bringing the pancakes and eggs out of the kitchen, they heard a knock at the door. Serena rolled her eyes, but lightly side smiled.

"You might want to dress Hiiro, I think someone's at your door." He nodded and watched as she tucked her hair behind her ear. His silver cross still jingled around her wrist, and the ring he had given her still around her left ring finger. He smiled lightly. She was almost his. But she was also right... he had company.

"Would you get the door while I throw a shirt on?"

"Sure." She chirped. Walking over to the door, she peered out through the peephole and laughed. Outside stood Mina, Ami, Relena, Sally, and Quatre, Wufei, Trowa, and Duo, not to mention Zechs and Noin. Opening the door, she let all ten of them in. "You found us." She groaned unconvincingly.

"Serena! You're smiling!" She paused.  "What did you do to Hiiro?" Mina immediately commented.

"I didn't 'do' anything. We were about to eat breakfast."

"And you're interrupting us." Hiiro's voice echoed from the hallway as he met them at the door, glaring darkly- namely at his fellow comrades.

"Sorry Hiiro. We wouldn't have visited so early, but a few of the girls and Duo were worried that one of you would end up dead before the night was over." Trowa told him, his emerald eyes laughing.

"Both of us are still alive and kicking. Or do you all need to have your eyesight checked?" Hiiro raised his eyebrow.

"We'll have our eyes checked when you go in for that CAT scan Yui." Zechs clapped Hiiro's shoulder.

"Fair enough." Hiiro nodded, glare returning.

"Ok, well, I'm hungry." Serena spoke up. "And now my pancake is getting cold!"

"You can make another one." Hiiro reminded her.

"Hiiro, you do not want to put Serena near a stove- she can burn water." Ami informed him. "And that isn't even physically possible." It was at this point Hiiro turned and raised an eyebrow once more, directing his gaze at Serena, and she began to laugh.

"I told you I could burn water!" She raised her eyebrows right back at him.

"You didn't burn the pancake though." He reminded her quietly.

"True." She wrinkled her nose. He was acting… different. He was almost, dare she think it, being sweet? No… yes. Yes he was! The thought made her heart skip a beat.

"Ok. What happened to you two? Last night you hated each other, and now, well, now you're both being happy and polite and getting along. Who poisoned who?" Duo asked.

"Why don't you all join us for breakfast?" Serena suggested, evading the question successfully. Hiiro scowled.

            "Don't mind if we do!" Ami sniggered and pulled Mina and Relena through the door. The others followed and moved directly to the kitchen, helping themselves to the food Hiiro, and Serena, had worked so hard to make for themselves.

"I don't want them all around. You're my wife, and I want to eat my breakfast with you. Not them."  Hiiro growled looking at his friends from near the door. Serena just watched him in amazement. His wife? He wanted to eat with only her? He really cared. Of course, she knew he cared, but to what extent she had not been sure. Now…

"And what was I supposed to say, get lost?" She told him, raising her mouth in a small, knowing smile.

"I'd have taken out my gun, and they'd be out the door in a flash."

"Hiiro, I'm missing my pancake!" She whined. He sighed.

"Let's go eat." She smiled and grabbed his hand, dragging him into the other room.

As breakfast commenced, they had to cook a few more pancakes and eggs to feed everyone, but it was nonetheless a very fun meal. Not everyone could fit at Hiiro's small dining table, so half of them stood while eating, or sat on the floor nearby. They made idle small talk until Relena finally got right to the heart of what they were all truly wondering.

"So what happened last night?" Serena and Hiiro both nearly choked on their food.

"Nothing!" They denied together.

"She's right, something must have happened. You two are way too happy. Hiiro, did you get some?" Duo was smacked by five women for his question, and three of them had to stand and walk over to him to do so.

"No. We talked a few things out, that was it." Serena stated. It was a general comment that should have covered pretty much everything without giving anything away.

"Like?"

"None of your business." Hiiro finished with a glare that dared anyone to bring it up again.

"And then you…?" Ami tried to get them to expand, not fully aware of the resolve behind the death glare.

"Talked some more." When it was obvious the couple would say no more, the others simply gave up. And then they latched onto a new topic.

"So what did you two decide for living arrangements?" Sally asked.

"Well, we decided that I would move in with Hiiro- he has two bedrooms, but one needs to be cleaned out."

"So you'll be living with him but not sleeping with him. Interesting. Well, don't worry Yui. It won't last long." Wufei grinned, and Sally grinned at him. Hiiro and Serena rolled their eyes. These were their friends? Quatre stood.

"Well. I think we've imposed on these two enough, don't you all?" There was a general groan that went up around the room, and Quatre looked at all of the again. "We really have imposed too much, we should all get going." He repeated, this time with more feeling behind his words. Slowly everyone else around the apartment agreed, and stood slowly.

"Congratulations!" They all managed to grumble to their hosts as they left in a flurry of activity. When they were all done, Hiiro and Serena collapsed on his sofa.

"Thank God- they're all gone!" Hiiro sighed. Serena smiled and leaned in, resting her head on his shoulder. She liked him like this, without his usual intensity. He looked so human, so innocent.

"We have a lot of dishes to do." She told him, not exactly thrilled to bring up the subject. He groaned.

"No! This was your idea, you do them."

"Will you help?"

"No, your idea, you clean up." He smirked. She frowned.

"Jerk." Hiiro snorted.

"Hnn."

"You know how rude that is?" Serena asked him.

"I think I remember someone saying something along those lines once, yes." He smirked again. Serena looked once more at his peaceful face, then leaned over and gently kissed him.

            Hiiro let her sweet lip caress his for a moment before registering the full feeling of want and desire that overwhelmed him. He rested one if his arms around her waist, pulling her closer to him, and his other hand on her cheek, guiding her. If he died now, he would be happy forever in hell, just remembering the absolute bliss that came with her sweet, sensuous mouth as it delicately covered his.

            Serena loved it when he wrapped his strong arm around her and pulled her closer. She felt so protected and wanted… And his calloused but soft hand on her cheek made her giddy with warmth. But was his lips as they lightly pressed back that made her feel so light headed and dizzy. There was such a fire she had never felt before, such a passion that flowed through this man's veins… and he was sharing that with her. He was saving her. She could live forever in this embrace.

            Finally the two broke for breath and looked each other in the eye. Hiiro's arm and hand never moved, and Serena reached up to lightly stroke his cheek with her fingertips. They were so soft, and his eyes so piercing… She blushed, and noticed his cheeks were covered with a thin vale of pink as well. Breaking their gaze, she turned her head to the side. After a few moments of silence, she pulled away from his grasp. The warmth lost was noticed and hated by both. Then she licked her lips. "Hiiro?"

            "Yes?"

"I love you Hiiro." She yawned and snuggled up to him, closing her eyes. He blinked. She… she loved him? She loved him! Hiiro smiled a true, genuine smile. He finally had what he had wanted- the woman he loved was his, in both name and soul.

"I love you too Serena Yui." He watched her mouth curl in a gentle smile, and he smiled down at her. Tightening his hold around her again, he inhaled deeply. She was so pretty, so innocent when she was asleep… Asleep?

"No! Now I have to do all of the dishes!" *

The End.

~~~Wow! It's over. It's really done. I feel so… empty, useless, ect. I felt it needed an epilogue, so I last minute wrote this… and I like it. I hope you all do too! That's always my goal, I aim to please you all and only you all! I really hope you enjoyed reading this! If it's not too much to ask, please review! This is your last chance after all! Thank you all for being wonderful readers, wonderful reviewers, and wonderful people! Much love, Vixen~~~