Duo awoke sometime early morning shivering and cold. The fire long gone... and Heero as well. He sat up and looked over to where the wing pilot should be laying... to see nothing but bare dirt. Duo snorted.

"Jerk... the thanks I get for saving his puny ass..." Duo sighed as a lump grew in his throat, "He must really hate me huh?" Duo slowly stood and stretched. "He won't get rid a me that easy..." he muttered and stepped out of the small clearing and looked up with an evil mischievous sneer. Eight bodies holding their heads dangled from the forest canopy. Without a second glance, Duo walked on.

*****************

Heero slowly awoke the next morning with a horrible headache. He slowly stood rubbing his head. He walked into the bathroom and opened the cabinet, but to his despair, no pain killers could be found, nor his glass. Suddenly he felt a presence in the room. He whirled around to see the all too familiar wide smile... of Duo. The boy extended his hand and in it were two Aspin pills and in the other hand his glass full of water.

"Ohayo Heero! Here!" He grinned the ever apparent irritating grin.... that oddly enough Heero was fond of, but never showed it.

"You psychotic bastard..." He grabbed the glass and Aspin from Duo and gulped it down. He then glared icily at Duo. "Out of my face you wack-o..." Heero turned to leave but found Duo standing in front of him again. "Damn it, Duo!" Heero was losing his temper. That grin, is he mocking me or something?! Heero thought, and the thought made him punch the other boy right square in the nose. Duo toppled backward, dazed onto the floor, twin gouts of blood poured from his nose. Heero wanted to kneel down and scoop up his

companion and apologize... but his feet just started to move... he glared down at Duo and walked right by him instead. I hate myself... I'm such an ass hole! Heero cursed at himself.

*****************

Duo held his nose, feeling dazed but still smiled, only showing the hurt after Heero had left. Suddenly the pain of this nose set in as he gained his awares. He cringed and stood up slowly, walking into the bathroom to wash away the blood that now flowed fluently from his nostrils. As he looked in the mirror to see his own hurt in his own amethystine eyes, a lone tear fell from his face. He glared at it and wiped his eyes and washed his face. "Heero... Heero... Heero..." was all he could find himself whispering to his reflection. "Heero hates me.... he truly does, doesn't he?" Duo stared at the mirror. He could have sworn his reflection nodded in agreement which made him glare more. "Maybe I should punch him... then he could see how it feels...." No, Duo thought, He wouldn't care... it only hurts if the one you... love... punches you... he wouldn't feel the pain that I do now... I'm sure of it... Duo sighed, finally stopping the nose bleed and feeling relieved that his nose wasn't broken.

"I have a black eye... thanks Heero..." he muttered, staring at the mirror as the old smile came back, he had to be sure it was there, if it wasn't, everyone would ask what was wrong, he never liked to hear those words directed at him, never. No one else needed to know...

*****************

Poor Duo... he probably hates me now... Heero thought as he sat in front of his computer, staring at a picture Quatre had scanned of Duo smiling brightly as he always had, his arm slung over Heero's shoulder, his other hand shown in a thumbs up sign. Heero stood beside him looking defiant, off standish... alone...

"I don't want to be alone anymore..." Heero whispered and suddenly realized... he really didn't. He stood, "Duo... I'm gonna talk to Duo..." Heero walked to the bathroom, blood was all over, too much blood to have been Duo's nose. Heero's stomach tightened.

"Duo?" he called a little frantically. He looked around a little finally noticing the sound of running water. Did I drive him to suicide? Heero thought, his mind in a whirl. The shower... he walked over and gulped heavily, then he jerked back the shower curtain to see... an OZ soldier, brutally slaughtered, blood oozing from every part of his body, Heero sighed with relief. He turned around when he heard strange thumping, Heero followed the sound to Duo's bedroom. He opened the door to see six OZ soldiers, Duo

beating them down, four already mutilated on the floor. Heero's intrusion distracted the poor American pilot and he froze momentarily. That was when one of his attackers made a sudden move on him. Heero watched wide eyed as the intrusive blade sliced deep into Duo's ribs. Duo's pained, surprised gaze held fast to Heero's face, his body momentarily rigid, arched awkwardly against the pain. Heero vaulted forward, pulling the dagger from the head of one of the felled soldiers, he lashed out screaming in an unequaled rage,

the soldiers backed off and Duo's body went limp, falling to the floor.

Heero's vision turned to a berserkers red, his voice full of anger. He viciously and efficiently wiped out the other soldiers. He then stood there breathing heavy for a moment and dropped his weapon, the bloodied dagger clanging to the floor with an empty, hollow sound, the sound reflecting and echoing inside his heart.

He turned quickly and ran over to his felled companion, taking the boy into his arms and cuddling his limp form in his lap. Duo's breath came in short pained gasps, his eyes clenched tight and blood dribbling from the corner of his mouth.

"Heero... Heero... I thought that... I thought..." Duo's voice came out in a rasp.

"Don't talk Duo... it'll be okay..." Heero reassured the boy calmly, although he wasn't all that sure himself.

"Of course I am Heero... I... I always am... for... for Death doesn't... doesn't hover over my head... this day..." Duo managed, Heero looked confused.

"Yeah... okay, whatever buddy... hold on..."

Duo gave a simple, gentle smile, "I like it... when you call me that..."

Heero picked Duo up and took him out of the dismal room and rushed him down to the kitchen, he swept everything off the counter and sent it crashing to the floor, then laid Duo out on it. He then went into the backroom and found a first aid kit and came back. He pulled off Duo's shirt and inspected the wound. It was bad, bloody... Heero wetted a cloth and started to clean the wound. All the time he worked, Heero could feel the ever present indigo eyes staring at him, he could also feel the warmth of the youth's smile as well.

Fully bandaged and sitting up, Duo stared as Heero fixed him a quick sandwich. "Thanks Heero-sama..." Heero nodded and gave him his sandwich, Duo accepted it but never released his gaze. Heero looked up and found himself nose to nose with Duo, his eyes locked onto those apprehensive indigo pools... Heero found himself drawn to those eyes, closing the gap in between their faces, slowly. A strange sensational tingle rushed up his body, he suddenly found himself with his lips on Duo's, gentle ane warm, firm but soft.

*****************

Duo was startled, he didn't expect this. He felt a strange tingling warmth pool up between his legs and race up his middle and to his mouth. Duo was nervous, but found his lonely soul surrendering to Heero's warmth. In his and Heero's distracted stared, neither of them head a quiet little knock on the door.

After a few seconds wait the door slowly creaked open and someone quietly stepped in, the person crinkled their nose at the metallic smell of blood, but kept on toward the only light in the house, the kitchen.

Duo wrapped his arms over Heero's shoulders as Heero brought his arms around the other pilots waist. They were startled by a gasp and the sound of a breaking glass. Heero whirled around and Duo looked up, the Japanese pilot bit his lip as his eyes went wide, Duo's face flushed a little at the sight they saw.

Relena... her hands to her mouth, her glass shattered upon the floor. "H... H... H..." She couldn't quite say his name.

"Shit... Relena... um..." Heero licked his lips.

"Duo?! What where you...?" Relena steamed, Duo sat blinking his eyes, "I thought you were a creep! You sick-o! Heero, come with me, let's get away from him... how do you put up with him?!" she grabbed Heero's arm, Heero was speechless.

Duo sputtered, "Why don't you ever let either of us alone, woman?!" he growled. "You're

always so clueless! Why don't you mind your own business,"

"Listen to him! Wait till everyone hears about his sick actions..." Relena retorted. Duo looked at Heero frantically for some back up, some support, some protection, his face going through all the shades of the color spectrum. Finally he stood up, but his legs buckled. "Ouch..." he cringed... he couldn't stand the eyes staring at him. He slowly hobbled out of the room and outside.

A few moments after he left, Heero had collected himself and whirled around, fixating an icy, stoney stare at Relena, "Why did you just walk in like you owned the place!?"

"It's a good thing I did!" Relena blurted.

"Shut up! Just leave... leave! I don't wanna talk to you, I don't have to talk to you... nothing!" Heero turned on his heel and stalked out after Duo...