The second of April, cherry blossoms floated round him and clung to his hair like they always did in this season, he didn’t mind, especially not today.  Of course to the rest of the world there was nothing special about this particular day, people went to work as they always had, chatted over lunch and some went out for the evening, the pleasant breeze being an invite from the warm insides of the apartments. 

He was out in the breeze too, not for the breeze, on a much more personal and meaningful trip than any of the others.  The river bank was quiet, which he was thankful for, not that it would have mattered, he had a few hours to wait anyway and he was sure no one would be out by the time twelve struck but he needed time to think.

He found the tree, the exact one he always made for on this day of the year.  Sitting under it he looked around himself at the cherry blossoms lying like a pink-white carpet on the grass.  Not a bad place to be, although the whole thing brought back too many painful memories, he hadn’t been back since the same day last year and he knew he wouldn’t be again after tonight until next year came round.  But of course that was normal for him, one night a year on this exact date, and it was the only time he felt truly alive, the only time colour came to his face anymore and his eyes danced with the spark they had years before.

The hours slipped by and he didn’t really notice lost in thought as he was.  His back pressed to the sakura tree he sat under, one shoulder left bare from the trees support and his braid hanging lightly over the other so his quick fingers could play with the end.  He could feel the time drawing near, no watch had to tell him, the magic of the place as the dusk fell was all he needed.  The gossamer shadows dancing down across his face from the branches as the last of the light faded and he lit the candles he had brought with him and still he waited, patiently waited, knowing he would not be let down.

A hand slipped along his shoulder, clever fingers caressing his neck and slipping inside his shirt collar to find their way down his collarbone and tease.  Their owner he did not have to look up to see, he knew instinctively who it was, dark hair almost black and eyes the colour of midnight blue.  His head tipped back a little, looking up slightly to see the young boy stood above him, a year older than last time as he was himself now.

No greetings were said; in fact no words need be spoken.  Looking over each other for just a short few minutes lips met and quick fingers busied themselves with shirt buttons and pants zips.  Clothes were not needed, words were not needed, light was not even needed.  They knew each other like they knew themselves; a year had changed them so little and so greatly all at once that exploring was half the fun and yet lead them to discover that they already knew what they were exploring.

Hands slip down hips and thighs, trailing burning lines down muscles that recognised all too well those certain touches from those certain fingers.  Lips slid down chest, kissing and nipping down skin that recognised every little tender kiss, every ache of a bite. 

Chestnut wisps flew around them as hair long kept captive was set free and blew on the breeze gently enveloping them as warmth turned to heat and their gasps and moans joined the silence of the night on the air.

He moaned as he was tipped onto his back, the hips of his companion lowering over his and pressing their weight down on him.  He knew so well that weight, heavier as the years passed and the boy himself grew older but not so heavy as to ever make him uncomfortable. 

His companion stroked hands down his thighs, knowing him so well that he had him prone and ready within a few seconds, lifting his hips almost begging for what he knew would be given to him without question anyway.  It had been far too long a year, but then it always was.  This was the only night he ever felt truly alive now and this was the only night he ever would here on out. 

Cool hands caressed down his thighs one last time and he could feel his companion’s member pushing at his entrance.  He lifted his knees to allow better access and was immediately made whole, the darker boy knowing him so well there was no need to give any sort of permission.

“Duo…” he heard his name whispered on the dark haired boys lips, almost like he was praying and answered with a soft moan and a yes of encouragement.

There joining was so right. It left him with a feeling of rightness, the rhythm they picked up so familiar and the pleasure making him see white star bursts of ecstasy like no one and nothing else ever had or could.  Hot trails leaving his skin burning where ever he was touched and tender kisses leaving an after feeling that would have to last him for a year.

He shot with a sob, the dark haired boys name flying from his lips almost like a plea for something that he had no idea himself.  Collapsing underneath his companion he lay and caught his breath for a moment and then rolled over, a breath catching in his throat and suddenly they came, huge racking sobs that tore at his throat and lungs and would not be held in.

The darker boy wrapped his arms round him cooing and stroking his back, “Duo, Duo it’s alright.”

“No… no it’s not, why did you have to leave me?  Why am I not allowed to be happy?” he continued to sob for a few more minutes until the other boy started to kiss down his neck, reminding him of how little time they actually had together and that this was not the time to be mourning.

The night was joyful and sad at the same time.  They didn’t stop touching and making love the whole night through until about two hours before dawn, each knowing that time was precious and words meant very little as this stage.

After that they fell asleep, curled in each others arms and slept in an exhausted, warm and comfortable heap the rest of the night hours.  Duo woke alone the next morning with nothing but his memories to remind him of what had happened.  He’d known he would, there was no way of getting around it no matter how much he wished and hoped, but still he had prayed.  The sakura tree had covered him in its sweet scented blossoms and he smiled, tears coming to his eyes as he looked and saw that there was no sign that the other boy had ever been there.  Of course there wouldn’t be, but still a sign would have been nice.

He stood, running his hand over the bark of the tree, smiling and weeping at the memories it brought back.  He traced the rough bark of the tree, feeling the tears run down his cheeks as his fingers passed the engraving in its trunk.  Two small children had once made a promise round this tree.  ‘Sakura blossoms meant forever and if you made a promise under a sakura tree you would always have to keep it.’  Two small boys had made that promise, if they ever got separated for any reason they would meet under this tree on the same night of the year that they made the promise. 

‘Funny,’ he thought, ‘not even something so terrible as the plague can stop a sakura trees magic from upholding a promise.’

Running his fingers over the engraving one last time he turned for home and another year of patient waiting.  The engraving the symbol that would keep him going throughout that wait.  Two young boys’ names:  Duo luvz Solo.