There are very few times in life when time seems to stand still.

The year After Colony 195 marked one of those times in two people's lives.

Wufei had no idea where the other three pilots were; nor did he care at the moment. His fate was sealed, that much he knew. Tomorrow he would go into battle. Tomorrow he would face Treize Kushrenada for the final time. Tomorrow...

... tomorrow he would die.

The Chinese boy sighed and lowered his eyes. Why was he even bothering...? Heero Yuy was a complete mystery to him, and yet... and yet, he was drawn to the stoic Japanese boy. His fascination had begun shortly after he was captured by OZ and imprisoned within the same cell as Heero; it had continued even after their respective (and very separate) escapes. And now....

There was no time left. He had to tell Heero before he died.

The clacking of computer keys stopped, and he raised his eyes again. Heero was frozen in front of the laptop, eyes fixed on the silent pilot of Shenlong. His heart nearly stopped beating in that instant.

"Heero."

"Wufei." Heero turned off laptop and stood, crossing the room in record time. He'd been half-hoping that the velvet-eyed pilot would come to him tonight. Heero was certain that he would not survive the battle to come, and he wanted to at least be near the boy for one last time.

He couldn't fight the truth. He was in love. Heero Yuy, the perfect soldier, was in love with Chang Wufei, last of the Dragon Clan. And he would only have one chance to tell him...

... one moment in time before he died.

They stood eye to eye, not speaking, not moving. After a moment, Wufei spoke.

"We could very well die tomorrow."

"... yeah."

"I... I just wanted to say... I mean..."

Heero leaned forward, capturing Wufei's mouth with his own. The Chinese teen whimpered softly, falling back against the wall and hesitantly wrapping his arms around the perfect soldier's neck.

Time stood still. Everything around them ceased to exist.

Never breaking off the kiss, Heero wrapped his arms around Wufei, picked him up, and carried him over to the bed. He settled the boy down onto the bed, finally pulling back from the kiss in order to breathe. Glazed cobalt eyes locked with glazed ebony, the want and need burning within both sets of eyes. Wufei blinked slowly, a shy smile flitting across his lips.

"Wo ai ni," he whispered, running his fingers through his lover's tussled brown hair.

Heero moaned softly and pressed another insistent kiss to his lips, tongue darting teasingly into the yielding mouth beneath his. He broke off the kiss, smiling as his lover gasped for breath. "Ai shiteru, Wufei-chan," he said softly, sitting back to peel off his tank top before pulling Wufei into a seated position and yanking the shirt over the boy's head.

Wufei whimpered low in his throat and pressed up against Heero, reveling in the sensation of flesh on flesh. He ran his hands lightly along his lover's back, wanting, needing to be as close as he could to this boy for as long as he was able. Dropping his hands to the waistband of Heero's shorts, he gazed up at his face, velvet eyes aflame with desire.

He saw the look in Wufei's eyes and barely suppressed a moan, backing away for a moment to rid himself of the offending garments before tumbling the Chines youth back onto the bed. Heero slipped his fingers beneath the waistband of his pants and pressed another passionate kiss to his lover's mouth, slowly ravaging his mouth even as he rid his lover of the last of his clothing. A low moan escaped from him as he rolled his hips against the other boy's.

"Heero," the raven-haired bishounen moaned, rocking his hips upward. Another soft cry escaped him as their throbbing erections brushed, further heating their desire. "Wo ai ni... take me... claim me... I want you... onegai...."

Heero groaned at those words. "Gods, Wufei," he whispered, dropping another lingering kiss to those sweet lips, "I've wanted you for so long... but... I don't want to hurt you...."

"Please... I can't wait... all we have is tonight...."

Heero pressed another passionate kiss to his lover's mouth, running his hands lightly along the boy's thighs. He hesitated for a moment, then gently pressed one finger into the tight sheath of his body. Wufei's hips rocked up, a sharp little cry escaping his throat. "Ai shiteru," Heero repeated as he dropped tiny nipping kisses along the smaller teen's neck.

He added a second finger, then a third, slowly stroking his beautiful Chinese lover from within, drinking up the soft cries he elicited from the boy. Finally he removed his fingers, smiling at Wufei's mournful whimper of protest at the loss, and positioned himself between his lover's legs. He slowly slid into the tight little body beneath his, a low moan escaping him. "Oh, gods... Wufei... ai shiteru...."

Wufei cried out and rocked his hips upward, driving Heero's length deeper within himself. He wrapped his legs around the perfect soldier's waist to hold him as close as possible and moaned when his lover brushed something deep within that sent waves of pleasure shooting throughout his body. "He-heero...! Wo ai... ahhh... yesss...."

Heero buried himself deep within that beloved little form beneath his, moaning as he slid out almost completely before driving back into his lover. Wufei's head fell back as he continued to cry out in a breathless moan, spurring his lover on. The perfect soldier lifted Wufei's hips, driving deeper within his beautiful Chinese love's body. "Wu... oooh... I love you... gods...."

"Oh gods... harder... ahh!... wo ai ni!... oh gods... Heero... I'm gonna... ahhh...."

Wufei clung tightly to his lover's body as he came hard, his sharp cries of pleasure filling the room around them. That, along with the spasming of his lover's body, set Heero's own orgasm off, and with one final deep thrust he released his seed into the lithe form beneath him.

Heero fell weakly on top of his lover, his harsh breathing sounding in time with Wufei's. After several long sweet minutes had passed, he pulled out of his lover with a whispered "gomen" and rolled onto his side. He drew Wufei into his arms and covered his face with soft butterfly kisses. Wufei practically purred and snuggled up against Heero's chest.

"Whatever happens tomorrow," he whispered after he caught his breath, tilting his head to gaze into Heero's eyes, "remember that I love you."

Heero pressed his forehead to Wufei's and sighed softly. "You don't think you'll be coming back." It wasn't a question; it was a statement of fact.

"Hai."

The Japanese teen tightened his hold on Wufei and closed his eyes, holding back the tears that threatened to spill out. He heard his lover's breathe even out into the soft even measures of sleep, and pressed another tender kiss to that beloved face.

he prayed silently, finally allowing the tears to fall,