Childhood Dreams

by Madame Merquise

After a fierce battle, the most dangerous men in OZ and the Gundam Pilots are turned to children. Can they overcome? (Yaoi lemons/hints throughout)

WARNINGS: Yaoi. In a word: Yuritai! Translation: Let's fuck! Angst! I can almost kinds sorta guarantee that your heart will ping at least maybe once in this story! If not... check your pulse. Is it there? Yes? Then what the hell is the matter with you?! If no... uh... the local mortician is just down the street.

ANYTHING ELSE I MAY WANT TO SAY: This story is another one dedicated to Silver_Foxfire. But! For a different reason! This plot idea was hers originally, but for some reason unknown to God, she didn't want to write it. So what did I do being the great supporting Libra that I am? I took over. So thanks Lady Fire! AND: This : means thoughts. So when ever you see this :, that means that someone is thinking something. // this means that there's a flashback because I'm too lazy to simply write 'Flashback.' But when you see the second // that means that there isn't a flashback anymore. (Just spelling it out to those of you who are just stupid ~.)

DISCLAIMERS: They aren't mine. BUT! Nan, Addison, Bill, and Dillon all have my authentic Original Character Seal stamped right on their butts so if you would want them for any reason, (Which at the moment I don't see why you would...) please ask! And be nice to me cause I don't like to share!



"No way, Milliard! This battle's not over yet!"

"Treize! This is ludicrous! We're out numbered!"

"I don't care if all our backup has been destroyed! I'm not leaving!"

A battle waged between the rebel Gundam forces and OZ. At first, Oz came out on top with highly superior numbers. But the Gundams took control surprisingly fast, cutting through the Mobile Suits and Mobile Dolls with such accurate precision it took less than thirty minutes to knock OZ from its self imposed pedestal.

The Tallgeese II and III were battered, broken, and quickly loosing power. Treize was against Wing Zero, Shenlong, and SandRock, meaning Zechs must take care of DeathScythe and Heavyarms. The constant fire from Heavyarms meant the foolish pilot was wasting ammunition when one well aimed bullet to the weakened back of the knee where a slice from the thermal Scythe of Heavyarm's comrade had severed several wires that were crucial for fast maneuvering, would have permanently disabled the suit.

"Treize! Listen to reason! This is nothing but suicide!" Zechs pleaded, a blast from his cannon being deflected too easily for comfort.

"Leave of you will, Milliard!" Treize said, "But know that I will not follow!"

"Damn your foolish pride!"

"Not pride, Milliard. Pride is the downfall of a nation. Just my lust for beauty."

"Then lust for me! Not for death!"

Treize laughed, saying, "Perhaps later I'll lust for you. But now, the only beauty I see is the battle passing before us."

"You sign your own death warrant," Zechs objected. "Please. Please follow me home."

Treize never got the chance to answer, nor did Zechs have the chance to scream his fear as the Tallgeese III suddenly went down, followed in a sort of domino effect by the five Gundams. Then, Zechs himself braced for the impact he knew was soon to come as the knee finally bucked and the earth came fast upon him.

~(*)~

"Did anyone get the number of that truck?" Duo groaned, sitting up and rubbing his eyes.

"What's happened?" Quatre asked.

"Oi! Q-man! You sound weird!" Duo laughed at the way the words his friend spoke seemed small and slightly slurred.

"There's no time for that. Where ever we are, we have to escape," said Heero.S3

"I can't see a door," said WuFei.

"Then find a light switch," Duo said.

"There doesn't seem to be one," said Trowa's voice

"If you five don't mind, some of us have headaches. Please keep your voices to a respectable level," said a gentlemanly voice, though oddly small and child-like

"Who goes there?" Heero demanded

"'Who goes there?'" Duo snickered.

"Shut up, Maxwell."

"Hey! It's not your fight, WuFei!"

"When you're attacking my man, I'm involved."

"If you two are finished," said another voice, just as small and just as courteous as the last, "But I think that if we are to escape, we must band together."

"Excuse me," said Quatre, "But who are you?"

"Treize Khushrenada."

"KISAMA!" WuFei screeched, leaping to his feet.

"Please do not over react," said the first voice.

"Who are you to tell me what to do?!" WuFei demanded.

"I am Zechs Marquise."

"Whoa!" Duo laughed. "Double kisama, eh, WuFei?"



"Shut the hell up!"

"Sounds like somebody didn't have their milk this morning," Duo grumbled.

"That's because a braided baka of a thief stole it," WuFei retorted.

"Kewl! You've recognized my occupation!"

"Sorry to interrupt, but-"

"You are interrupting, so shut up."

"I think we should hear what they have to say," Quatre suggested.

"Thank you," Treize said. "But it seems you have us at a bit of a disadvantage."

"Oh?" WuFei asked smugly. "How so?"

"You know who we are, but we don't have the slightest clue who you are."

"Surely you know we are Gundam pilots," Quatre said.

"Surely," answered Zechs. "But what of your names?"

"AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH! MY HAIR!!!"

"DUO!" WuFei snapped, "What's your problem?"

"MY HAIR!" Duo screeched, "They've cut my hair! It's so~oo short!"

"Duo, stay where you are and I'll see if I can find you," Quatre offered, beginning to move blindly in the pitch black room.

"Itai!"

"Oh, uh, sorry, Duo," Quatre apologized.

"Itai! My eye!"

"OH! I'm sorry, Duo!"

"S'okay."

"Duo!" Quatre gasped. "It is shorter!"

"Treize..."

His name was spoken so softly, Treize was scarcely sure he heard it. "Yes?"

"It's to my shoulders."

"What?!" Treize gaped. The thought of loosing all that glorious blonde hair terrified him! As he had his hand on Zechs', it was much easier to find him. "Oh gods! Wait a moment... Are you sitting down?"

"No. Why?"

Suddenly, the lights flickered on, revealing a pure white room, white walls, white ceiling, white floors. There were no windows, and the lights seemed to be coming from the very enclosure itself. There were no recording devices and all the boys were dressed in pure white pants, white long sleeve shirts, and white shoes.

"Treize! You... You're..." Zechs stuttered.

"Chibified," Duo whispered, now understanding that his hair had not been cut, but it only retained its length when he was five

"I've never seen your hair this length," Treize mused, toying with the silken strands. He had met Milliard PeaceCraft when he was eleven and Milliard six, and as they were now fashioned into five-year-olds, it was shorter still. Even Treize, being that many years older, had been turned five. But he was still a good foot taller than Milliard and the G-Boys

"Trowa?!" Quatre said, frightened.

Trowa moved over to his love and took his hand

Quatre's eyes went wide in surprise. He brought his hand up and brushed it through Trowa's hair, the bare hint of his uni-bang fanning through his fingers.

Trowa smiled. Quatre laughed. "What?"

Quatre covered his mouth. "I'm sorry!" he apologized from under his hand. "But you've... Trowa, you've got no front teeth."

Trowa moved his tongue over his top teeth, noticing how it feel into a rather large gap.

Heero looked at WuFei, a strange look on his face.

"What?!" WuFei snapped, completely annoyed.

"Afro-puff!" Duo screamed, rolling on the floor, laughing his ass off

WuFei's eyes went wide. He slowly reached his hand to his head and screeched in anger.

Trowa, now over his loss of teeth, ran a hand through Quatre's hair. It was much bushier, though from the family pictures Trowa had seen, Quatre's hair was slicked back, making it impossible to tell the actual length. It bunched up a good three inches from Trowa's fingers. Quatre was too kawaii for his own good. His blue eyes were more clear, more open and larger. They were liquidy, always ready to cry if it suited him.

"What?" Quatre asked, his eyes sparkling innocently

"Nothing," Trowa whispered, kissing his lover's forehead.

With Heero... well, better to just list them off. There were laugh lines on his face, as he must have been able to do so at one time, his face and entire body was pudgy. His scowl, though natural on his older face, was completely out of place on his five-year-old features. His lips weren't the thin line they... er... used to be, but were full and thick, their color of skin stained by strawberry juice.

"Duo, what are you doing?" Quatre asked, now noticing that Duo was skimming the walls, his body plastered to it, his ear pressed to it, his face knit in concentration. "Duo?"

Duo made no move to answer. His hands moved over the wall, and he slowly crossed the distance. There was no real way to tell how large the room was exactly, as it was all one solid color, and suddenly, his hand came in contact with the other wall. He stepped back from it and pulled off his shoe, putting it in the juncture of wall and wall. He got up, only with one shoe on, and began again, till he came to the next wall. His other shoe came off. This repeated till he took Quatre's shoes and put them in the other two corners.

"Maxwell!" WuFei ordered

"Just shut your goddamn pie hole for a sec, man!" Duo snapped, resuming his thinking position. He faced away from them, then his whole demeanor brightened curiously. He again walked to the wall, looking up at it. He turned to Treize. "Oh Great and Powerful OZ," Duo beckoned.

"What is it, Mr. Maxwell?" Treize asked, effectively hiding the contempt he felt for being not only captured but a child once more

"C'mere," Duo said.

Treize walked over to him.

"Can you do me a favor?"

Treize nodded.

"Good! Lift me up."

Treize raised a furry brow.

Duo sighed in agitation. Putting his hands on his hips, he said, "Do ya wanna get out of here or not?"

"You can get us out of here?" Zechs asked, suddenly very interested.

"I dunno yet. But I gotta hunch and if you wanna know, then do as I say," Duo argued.

Treize grasped Duo around the knees and hefted him up.

"Over there," Duo said, pointing to the wall.

Treize groaned, his young strength already feigning

Once at the wall, Duo stretched his arms.

All watched in curiosity as Duo's hands bent, touching a hard surface. Duo yelped in victory, telling Treize he could put him down.

"The ceiling's only a couple of feet above our heads!"

"So?" WuFei asked indignantly.

"So, Wu-man, that means that we can find a way out of here a hell of a lot easier than we could a few minutes ago when we didn't know what we know now!" Duo told him.

"But how, Duo?" Quatre asked

Duo puffed. There wasn't time for this! "This box has to have some sort of air vent or something, right?"

Heero nodded.

"So all we have to do is find it! Then, we'll be as good as great!" Duo exclaimed happily. Duo turned around and said, "How long can you hold me up?"

"Not long, I'm afraid," Treize said. "Apparently, with a five-year-olds body comes a five-year-olds strength."

"What about you?" Duo asked, turning to look at Heero.

Heero, who was standing by WuFei, turned to his koi and whisked him into his arms. But he too soon tired. "Sorry."

"Then take turns! Me and Quat are about the same size, so me and him can work together," Duo said, walking over to Zechs and saying, "Upsidaisy, blonde boy."

Zechs groaned inwardly at the name before hefting Duo till the young man's butt rested on his left shoulder. He could already fell himself tiring

Duo was already felling the roof, telling Zechs to move quickly around the room in straight lines, when Quatre was lifted by Trowa, beginning to do the same.

It was an hour later when all but Duo was exhausted, did Duo scream for joy as his fingers brushed a little indentation in the center of the room. There was a plate in the indent, complete with small little air holes.

"Drop me!" Duo shouted, bubbling over from joy.

Heero did just that. He released his hold around Duo's legs and almost laughed as Duo collapsed on the floor. This, however, did not seem to phase to braided boy. He jumped right back to his feet and grabbed Heero's hand. Fixing his fingers till they formed a pointer, Duo made him point up. "Stay," Duo commanded.

"Duo," Heero growled, dropping his arm.

"Either you stay so you can mark the spot, or we'll have to do this all over again. It's up to you," Duo said matter-of-factly as if he didn't care either way.

Grumbling, Heero resumed his pointing.

Rubbing his hands together, Duo looked as if he were thinking. He scanned the pile of boys before him, making them extremely nervous. Then, he snapped his fingers and rushed forward, snatching a number of items.

From WuFei, Duo pulled off the hair tie. From Treize and Zechs, it was their shoe laces. From Trowa, it was the belt around his waist. Then, he released his own braid, throwing the band into the pile of odds and ends. He ran his fingers though his hair, praying they were still there.

All watched in wonder as from the mane Duo called hair, he pulled lock picks, small screwdrivers, standard and phillips alike. He pulled bobby- pins, even two small daggers. After all things were revealed, Duo dove into the pile working diligently to separate what he needed. The end result was a large pile of discarded goods, and a small bundle of useful things.

All stood in silence as Duo drug everything up to Heero's feet and started to climb Heero, screwdrivers in hand. He found that the screws were standard, so he slipped the phillips into his belt. Faster than anyone could imagine, Duo had pulled the panel off and it came crashing down in a loud metallic whack on the floor and his head was in the vent. He jumped down and walked over to the pile he decided he needed. From that, he braided together four shoelaces to form a sturdy rope. He threaded the rope through the belt holes, making it just that much stronger. With the daggers in his mouth, he clamored back up Heero, his entire torso disappearing inside in the roof. There was a loud bang as Duo jammed the daggers into the floor of the vent on either side of the opening, anchoring the rope to them. He dropped down again.

"All righty then! Let's go!" Duo quipped, climbing back up Heero and this time pulling himself completely in

Treize sighed and walked over to Heero and offered him his help in lifting him

Heero glared at him. There was no way either he or WuFei would except anything from these two enemies.

WuFei had other plans. He wanted only to get out that damned white cube. He walked over to Treize and allowed the ginger-haired boy to lift him up.

Heero glowered at WuFei once he was all the way in. WuFei looked down at Heero and held out his hand to him. Heero did not take it.

"Fine!" WuFei yelled at him. "Stay here and rot in this white room for all I care!" WuFei took Quatre's hand, pulling him up.

Trowa went next, then Zechs. Soon, it was just Heero and Treize in a stand off.

Smiling pleasantly, Treize said, "I'm taller than you are. It would be easier for me to get up un-aided."

Heero scoffed. "I was trained for this."

"And when did your training start?" Treize asked. "Surely not at this young age."



"You would be surprised." Once again, they sized eachother.

Treize raised a brow, but shrugged and took hold of the small rope, pulling himself up. He disappeared inside the vent.

Heero scowled at the opened. Then, a very familiar, very nagging voice echoed from in the shadows.

"Heero! Get your butt up here! Now!"

"Stupid boyfriend!" Heero shouted.

"What did you call me?!" WuFei shot back.

"Nothing..." he grumbled.

"What?!"

"NOTHING!" Heero answered, taking hold of the rope and pulling himself to safety.

~(*)~

Seven five-year-old males, five of which were the most wanted men in the colonies and earth alike, and two the most dangerous and revered men in all OZ, stood dirty and blinking in the sun. Their once pure white and new clothes were now torn and a terrible color of brown. Their faces were caked with dirt, and four pairs of feet burned on the heated sidewalk

They stood in front of a large fan they stopped with a belt to clog the potentially dangerous motion of the blades with so they could climb through.

"Where are we?" Quatre asked.

Trowa looked around, holding tight to Quatre's hand. They were on a sidewalk, busy with people. But there was something odd about that place. It was in the middle of a seemingly huge city, no lab, no prison, not even a warehouse to be seen anywhere. Something else was off as well. The people on this street were at least forty-plus.

"We are in Boston," Treize surmised.

"How do you know?" Quatre asked.

"Where else in this world would have as many elderly people in it as Massachusetts?" Treize said.

Quatre shrugged. "Florida?"

"Quat?" Duo said.

Quatre looked at Duo and had to laugh. The normally tame mane of hair was bushy, tangled and dull with dirt. Duo's bangs stood out every-which-way, and Duo looked as if he had a black eye from the smudge on his upper cheek.

"Yeah. Ha. Ha. Very funny," Duo admonished. "Are you done yet?"

Quatre covered his mouth and nodded.

"Good. Now cry," Duo said. "You too, Zechy-pooh." This brought up a lot of curiosity in the others standing there.

"Why?" Zechs asked.

"So we can get some attention!" Duo said, throwing his hands up as if it were obvious.

"Why do we want attention?" asked Trowa.

"So we can find a way home!" Duo shouted.

"But how will tears help us?" Treize asked.

"Just cry already!" Duo said.

"I'm not crying until I know why," Zechs said, crossing his arms.

Duo turned to Quatre.

"I have to agree with him. What if we don't want attention? What it if attracts OZ?" Quatre answered.

"OZ is already alerted, Mr. Quatre," Treize said jokingly.

Duo balled his hands into fists, knowing there was only one way to get them to cry now. He stood in front of Zechs and reigned in all of his feeble strength and slugged Quatre across the cheek.

Quatre held his face and burst out into tears.

Trowa, who was always ready to defend his lover, pulled back to hit Duo, but Duo ducked and instead of smacking Duo, his fist connected with Zechs' jaw

Zechs' eyes began to water, his pain magnified in his small child mind. Soon, he had fallen on his rump after crying so hard he started to hiccup. He sat beside Quatre, WuFei falling beside him as Treize accidentally hit him.

Soon, every face had a bruise, every arm and leg at a scratch and every eye had shed at least two tears, except Duo. Duo had ran up to a woman and two men, hiding behind them and begging for their help.

Heero and Treize were still at eachother's throats when they were pulled apart by the two men, though they still thrashed at the hands holding them.

"Hold it boys! Calm down!" one of the men said.

"Stop it! Calm down boys!" said the other.

Out of pure exhaustion, Heero and Treize ceased their struggles. They were released and the men dusted them off, the dust raining off them.

The old woman, who was an older than the men, had knelt beside Trowa, Quatre, WuFei, and Zechs and used a finely embroidered handkerchief to wipe their tears away. Their faces were now streaked with mud from the mixing dirt and tears, and their puffy eyes were clear, large, and sparkling.

"There now," the old woman said, her voice as sweet as her smile, "Where are your parents?"

"I don't *HIC* know," Quatre replied.

"None of you know where your parents are?" the lady asked.

Seven boys shook their heads.

The woman glanced at the two men, who in turn smiled and nodded to her. She turned back to boys. "My name is Nan," she said. Pointing back to the men, she said, "This is my littlest brother Addison, and this is my other brother Bill."

Duo tried the names. "Nan," that he could get out fine. "Bill," no problem there. "Adda... Addim... Addoo... Adda... Adda huh?" His mouth just couldn't fit around the word.

Addison laughed. "Call me Addy. Can you say that?"

Addy... Addy..." Duo tried it again. "Yep!"

Addy laughed again. "And what are your names?"

"Duo!" Duo quipped, shaking the man's hand vigorously.

Bill looked at the other boys expectantly

"Quatre," Quatre sniffed.

"Trowa," Trowa mumbled.

"WuFei," WuFei growled darkly.

"Heero," Heero uttered in childish monotone.

"Treize," Treize declared proudly.

"Treize?" Nan asked. "Are your parents friends with Treize Khushrenada?"

"You might say that," Treize answered.

Now all this time, Zechs had been thinking. If he said his name was Zechs, that would prove too odd if two children named 'after' the greatest men known were together. So when Zechs was asked, he replied simply, "Milliard."

Nan smiled. She then took in their similar clothes. :They must be orphans. Their orphanage must have been destroyed. Poor boys...:

"Would you boys like to come and stay with us for a while?" she asked.

YES!" Duo said right away.

"Excuse us," Heero said, pulling Duo away, the other boys following.

"What do you think you're doing?!" WuFei demanded.

"I'm getting us out of this!" Duo answered.

"By allowing us to be taken in by OZ sympathizers?" Heero said.

"Hey!" Zechs objected. "I thought there was a peace between us!"

"We never shook on it," WuFei snarled.

"Oh would you stop it?!" Duo almost yelled. "Trust me already! I've gotten us out of that box. I've led us here. I've gotten us past that fan! So just trust me!"

"Once doesn't make up for twenty," Heero said.

Duo's expression never changed. His breathing pattern never wavered. There was no give away to the betrayal he felt. "So that's how it is?"

Heero nodded. "That's how it is."

Duo spoke in slow, low tones. "Then do as you want. But I am going home with Nan and Addy and Bill so I can hack into the OZ database and find out how to reverse this. I don't care if you stay here or not, but believe me. Boston or no Boston, the streets aren't a friendly place to pretty little boys like you."

"How would you know?" WuFei snarled. "We're Gundam Pilots and-"

"Not out here you aren't," Duo cut him off. "Out here you are nothing but unsuspecting prey. When I'm big again, I won't have to worry about it. But you're selling yourself to every baby-pimp around. Look over there." Duo pointed the dark alley to their left.

All looked. There was a grungy old man there about the age of forty looking at them, watching them. When had Duo noticed?! His eyes never wavered from Heero's and yet, he knew. Quatre shuddered and moved closer to Trowa who slid a hand into the blonde's.

"He's been watching ever since we've popped out of that duct. He's thinking of how he can lure us away from Nan to him. Once he's gotten YOU, since I'll be safe with them," Duo pointed back at their new friends who talked together softly. "He'll take you to some brothel he runs from his house, complete with about ten other little beauties. There, he will personally test how much shit you can take and after that, chain you to a dirty cot with no sheets and let a big fat man who can't get none fuck you up the ass till you puke. And you know what, Heero? WuFei, precious little WuFei, will be the prime target because he's exotic looking and fragile looking. That goes for Quatre and Zechs too. And you won't be able to do a damn thing about it."

At this, Heero lost this resolve. He slugged Duo in the face, making twin gouts of blood shoot from his nose and a trickle of blood from his lip. Once Duo was on the ground, Heero pounce on him, hitting him near senseless.

Addy came to Duo's rescue, once more yanking a thrashing Heero away

Duo stood with the help of Nan, and glared at Heero, saying in Japanese so the elders couldn't understand, "I'm right, Heero, and you know it! That's why you hit me! I'm right and that makes you afraid!"

"I am not AFRAID!" Heero screamed, beginning to try to pull free.

"Yes you are! You're afraid because you can't stop it! You're afraid because now you're nothing but some little kid!" Duo yelled.

"Stop it!" Nan scolded.

"Fuck you, Duo!" Heero bit, "Fuck you and your goddamn thoughts!"

"STOP IT!" Treize yelled, the first time he had ever raised his voice; the only thing since Duo's outburst spoken in english. "This gets us no where!"

"I agree with Treize," Zechs said.

"You would," WuFei snapped.

"Milliard! WuFei! Stop it!" Addy admonished

"Oh you stop it! We're having a crisis here!" WuFei yelled. But he stopped immediately. He he just talked back to an elder?! Falling to his knees and bowing till his hair brushed the concrete, he said in a rushed voice, "Forgive me, Addy-sama!"

"'Sama'?" Addy asked. "WuFei, I don't know what this means."

"It means 'lord'," Quatre answered for him. "It's a term of great respect."

Addy looked surprised. These children were smarter than their ages made people think! Perhaps they were wrong about the orphanage. There was still news about genetically engineered children who were doomed to grow their lives in terrible white rooms and who are made to learn things they should never have to learn. These children could very well be some of them. They were knowledgeable on different languages, how to fight, that was shown perfectly, and most of them had exceptional grammar and manners.

"WuFei," Addy said, smiling and lifting WuFei to his feet. WuFei did not raise his head. Addy, although, lifted WuFei into his arms and made him look him in the eye. "Don't apologize. It's normal for youngsters to do that. You boys are under a lot of stress. Allow us to get you some food and take you home."

WuFei didn't know what to do. It had been so long since he had been this small and even longer since he had received kind words and gentle touches from an adult. His body was tense and he looked with confused eyes to Heero. "Heero?" he whispered, his voice cracking.

Heero walked over to Addy and grabbed WuFei's hand, pulling gently. Addy let WuFei slip down and watched in apt fascination the two boys seemed to have a silent conversation. Heero softly held WuFei, stroking his cheek with one hand, the other running gently through his ebony hair. WuFei held tight to Heero, slightly ashamed of his weakness and fear, and thankful that Heero wasn't prosecuting him but consoling him

Bill and Nan scanned the other boys. Treize and Milliard, as they knew them, were standing exceptionally close to one another. Quatre and Trowa were holding hands. Heero and WuFei were holding eachother. Duo was by himself, standing by Nan. It was easy to tell where the closest loyalties lay.

"Look," Duo said once more in Japanese, "We need these people. They can offer sanctuary. They can offer food and a warm bed. But more importantly, a computer and internet access so we can find out what OZ did and reverse it."

"OZ had nothing to do with this," Zechs said. "If it did, do you really believe it would put its most influential men in this kind of danger

"Then who else did it?" Trowa asked quietly. "Who else has the technology?"

"I don't know," Treize said. "But I give you my word of honor that we had nothing to do with this."

"I think we should do as Duo says," Quatre suggested.

"Why?" Heero said in monotone. "He has done nothing but tell us what might happen."

"What WILL happen," Duo corrected.

"Perhaps," Quatre said, "But he seems to know what he's talking about."

"Thank you!" Duo said sarcastically. "Finally! Someone sees it my way!"

"We will go with them," Trowa said.

Heero nodded, hating the fact that he would have to go along with Duo.

In english, Treize said, "We will go with you."

~(*)~

After stopping at the local McDonalds and after another attempted slaughter by Heero towards Duo, Nan had Bill call a cab and they were driven to the private sector in Boston, the homes smaller than mansions but larger than the other houses they had seen. It was a nice two story (attic not added) doll house with yellow siding and white trim. The door was a glass cottage door, and the fenced off yard was lusciously green and trimmed to perfection

Duo was on Bill's shoulders, ogling at the nice house. It was late and he loudly yawned, but a bath and bandages first, bed last. The terrible thing about being five is that people think you too incompetent to both bathe by yourself and bathe yourself on your own. Therefore, Zechs, Treize, Quatre, and Trowa were made to bathe together with the help of Bill in the downstairs bathroom, and Duo, WuFei, and Heero with the help of Addy in the upstairs bathroom. Needless to say, none were too pleased.

Nan was an old maid, a sweet lady of sixty-one with coal black hair and smooth, soft smelling skin. She and her younger brothers, Bill being fifty- four, and Addy being forty-nine, were never married. Their house had four bedrooms and two baths, one upstairs and one down. The top floor was of the bedrooms, and the bottom consisted of a living room, a den, a study complete with a thousand books, and a kitchen.

Upon bed time, the seven boys were led into the guest bedroom, the room boasting one queen-sized bed, a small couch, a rocker-recliner, and a widow seat with cushions galore. The question being: who gets the bed? From atop the mattress there came a soft sigh of contentment and all could see Quatre had already settled down upon it, clothed in one of Bill's undershirts. Trowa climbed in beside him. That decided that.

Duo watched as Treize and Zechs took the sofa, and Heero and WuFei took the window seat. Sighing, he walked to the chair and began to settle upon it.

"Duo," Nan said, covering up Treize and Zechs. "That chair's not very comfortable. Why don't you share the bed?"

"No thanks, Nan," Duo answered. "I'm okay."

Nan looked at the boy. She felt sorry for him. While the others had formed seemingly unbreakable bonds with eachother, Duo was left out in the cold. She surmised he must not have known the others long. "Duo," she said.

"Huh?" Duo answered.

"Why don't you sleep with me? It will be much more comfortable," she suggested.

Duo lit up. He leapt from the chair and ran to Nan, almost jumping into her arms. Two pairs of jealous eyes watched as Duo was snuggled by Nan, carried to her room across the hall, and tucked into bed.

"Nan?" he said, yawning.

"Yes, Duo?" she asked, moving to turn off the light

"C'n I have a kiss goodnight?" he asked, feeling a little sheepish.

Nan smiled and leaned over, kissing softly his forehead. "Goodnight, Duo."

"G'night."

~(*)~

The boys awoke to find their lab uniforms neatly washed and mended, though four of them still had no shoes, and waffles waiting for them

Duo, of course, dug in with enthusiasm, pouring way too much syrup on them and not caring one spit

Quatre was happy but much less messy.

Trowa ate in silence, sending his small blonde lover heated glances of what he wished he could do with the syrup at the moment.

Heero and WuFei only ate what would fill them, no butter or syrup added.

Treize and Zechs ate like perfect gentlemen, cutting their waffles in pretty little squares small enough so they wouldn't have to stuff their mouths. They had homemade strawberry syrup instead of the store bought stuff, with margarine, not butter. They put their napkins in their laps and wiped their mouths very neatly.

"Boys," Bill said, "How fond are you of your uniforms?"

"They suck!" Duo said, a smile on his stuffed and sticky face. "Thanks for the sewing job though

"You're welcome," Nan said, wiping Duo's face.

In Japanese, WuFei said with a scowl, "Why do you let her baby you? You are not an infant, Maxwell."

Duo glared, then, he smiled, hiding all of his frustrations as usual. "Just making up for lost time my man!"

There was a silence in the kitchen as the boys weighed and tried to evaluate what Duo said and the adults waited to see if they were finished.

"So," Addy said, "Would you like it if we bought you new ones?"S3

"There is no way we can repay you," Zechs said softly.

"Repay?" Nan said, "Oh no honey! You don't need to do that. All we would like is to have your company till someone comes for you."

"Is that so?" Heero asked.

Bill smiled. "Yes, Heero, that's so."

"Did you always talk like a damn computer?" Duo asked. In english.

"Duo!" Nan gasped. "Where did you learn that language?!"

"Oops. Uh..." Duo laughed nervously. "Orphanage junk, you know how it is!"

"Maxwell," WuFei said in Japanese, "You lie."

"I do not lie!" Duo defended himself. "I NEVER lie!"

"'Orphanage junk'? You were never in an orphanage," WuFei stated.

"Shut your face about things you know nothing about!" Duo snapped, his mind drifting back to two kind and loving faces... drifting back to their deaths...

"I will not shut my face!" WuFei shouted, jumping across the table and tackling Duo. "I can say what is true!" He delivered a hard punch to Duo's right cheek.

Duo brought his leg up, wrapping it around WuFei's shoulders and threw him off. Now atop him, Duo screamed, "You don't know anything, you Chinese shit!" After one good hit, they were pulled apart.

"WuFei. Settle down," Heero ordered in english.

WuFei immediately ceased his struggles, Bill releasing him after a very surprised moment

Duo, although, was still kicking and screaming obscenities at WuFei. In english.

"DUO!" Nan shouted at him.

Duo snarled out one last 'Fuck you' and 'Go to hell' before finally silencing himself.

Nan sighed. "I don't know about orphanages, but I do know this. I will ask you to keep a civil tongue in your mouths."

Duo knew she was talking mainly to him and hung his head in shame

Nan continued. "And also, please stop your fighting. I don't know what your boy's grudge towards Duo is, but leave it behind you. Far, far behind you."

Quatre, for the first time, saw how angry they all were towards the boy. And for the first time, he saw all of what Duo had done for them. He had thought up a way to escape the white cube in no time, almost as fast as they had woken up. He had found a way out of the air duct. He had spotted the pimp without even seemingly taking his eyes off Heero. Was that why they needed attention? Duo had also given them a warm house to sleep in and full stomachs, not to mention three really pleasant older people. They all owed Duo so much more than what they were giving him.

"Now, can we all agree to get along?" Nan asked.

"Yes, Nan," they all answered.

"Thank you," Nan said. "Now, let's brush our teeth and go."

The kitchen cleared, Treize and Zechs walking out first, then Heero and WuFei, next being Quatre and Trowa, and following behind, Duo.

~(*)~

A cab was called and off the ten went to the mall and to the children's section of Dillards. Bill with with Treize, Zechs, Quatre, and Trowa while Nan accompanied Heero and WuFei. Addy went with Duo.

It was known by all the children who would go where. Heero and WuFei immediately went to the combat colored clothes, Heero grabbing black pants and green shirts. WuFei took the white and black fatigues.

Treize and Zechs took white tee-shirts and blue jeans thinking 'At least we can be comfortable on this unexpected vacation, ne?'

Trowa took a dark blue turtle neck and blue jeans, Quatre took a light purplish vest, a pink tinged shirt, and tan kaki's.

Duo tore through the store, trying to find the closest thing that a priest's outfit he could. Luckily, it was September, meaning the stores had begun to stock Halloween costumes. Duo rooted through it, only finding the shirt with white collar. After making sure that fit, Duo then got a pair of blackish jeans because the store didn't carry riding pants, a black over jacket, and black combat boots.

"These children are as different as night and day," Addy whispered to his siblings once they joined back up.

"Yes," Bill said. "But they seem to be getting along much better."

Nan smiled. "I'm glad."

It was true. After the children had left the kitchen, Duo going into Nan's room to get ready, and the other six going into their room, the boys had a little talk.

// "We have to stop patronizing Duo," Quatre said.

"Why?" WuFei snorted. "He starts it."

"No, actually, he never starts it," Quatre said.

"He hit you first, love," Trowa said softly

"But only after I wouldn't do as he asked," Quatre said. "Think of it, we never would have gotten away from that box if it weren't ot him. And, that pimp WOULD have gotten us. He wanted to get attention to get sanctuary from the pimp."

"Did any of you see that man?" Treize asked.

Five shook their heads.

"That's just it," Quatre continued. "He made an instant evaluation of our surroundings, finding out that pimp was there, and seeing that Nan and her brothers weren't at all going to harm us. Duo knew."

"How?" Zechs asked.

"I don't know," Quatre answered.

"You've know him how long?" Treize asked.

"A little over a year," Quatre answered.

And how much do you know about him?" Zechs inquired

Quatre's mouth opened and closed. He shrugged. "Just that he came from L-2 and-"

"Wait a moment," WuFei interrupted. "Why do you want to know?"

"So we can find out how he knows so much," Treize answered truthfully.

"Why? So you can find a weakness to exploit later on?" WuFei challenged.

"No!" Zechs defended his love. "We are all in this together whether you like it or not, Mr. WuFei. And we merely would like to know how Duo saved us from that man!"

"Don't listen to them!" WuFei snapped to his comrades, "OZ lies."

"We do not lie!" Treize retorted. "I give you my word."

"The word of the enemy?" the chinese scoffed. Waving his hand as if it were a gossiping session, he said, "The word of the enemy is a sturdy as myth."

"Stop it!" Quatre interjected. "We promised Nan we would not fight!"

WuFei, reluctantly, backed down. He had promised and his honor was at stake.

"Thank you," Quatre sighed, greatly relieved. "Now shake hands."

"NO WAY!" WuFei objected, pulling his hand back even as Treize held his out.

"Shake the hand, WuFei," Heero, surprisingly enough, said.

"Heero-"

"I won't say it again. Shake the hand."

Grumbling about injustice, WuFei did as told. He then did so with Zechs.

Then we all agree?" Quatre asked. "No more picking on Duo?"

Five heads nodded.//

"Where's Duo?" Addy asked the boys, looking around for the braided boy.

Six sets of eyes blinked. Where was Duo? After leaving the store, their friend had been hardly heard from. They looked around, finding nothing.

"I'll stay here with the boys," Nan said. She was planning to continue but was stopped as she felt a small tug on her skirt. Looking down, she gazed into pleasing cornflower blue eyes.

"May we help?" Zechs asked.S3

Nan smiled, nodding. She said, "Of course you can, Milliard." She looked at her brothers. "You take the boys. My feet hurt so I'm going to stay here-"

Just then, Duo came whipping around the corner as if he were running for his life from a group of ten-year-olds. Running around Heero, he threw the other boy at the kids, then doing the same with Treize, Zechs, Trowa, leaving Quatre alone, and WuFei. This made five of the older boys trip and fall to their chins

The biggest of the boys chased Duo around a bench the boy kept running around, jumping over with surprising agility, and around Addy and Bill, carefully avoiding Nan.

"Stop it right now!" Addy ordered. The older boy stopped, but Duo made sure he was behind the speaker, safely out of grasp and then stopped.

"Give it back!" the older boy commanded.

"No way!" Duo shot back.

"It's mine! I want it back!"

"It's no more yours than mine!" Duo shot, stuffing something into his pocket.

Nan kneeled in front of him and said sternly, "Show me what you have."

Duo looked distressed. "Nan!"

"Show it to me," Nan said again, holding out her hand.

Duo pulled from his pocket a long gold chain, one that has thick though pretty links binding it. On the end dangled a rather lovely cross embroidered with gold and silver. He placed it softly in Nan's hand.

"Duo!" she gasped, not wanting to believe her little angel could be a thief. "Why did you take this?"

"I stole what he already stole!" Duo defended himself, pointing an accusing finger to the ten-year-old.

Nan turned to him. "What's your name?"

"Dillon," the boy answered.

"Dillon," said Bill, "Did you steal this cross?"

Dillon shook his head. "I bought it for my mom."

"LIAR!" Duo shrieked, starting forward only to be pushed roughly back by Heero. "Liar! Liar! LIAR!"

"Duo, shut up!" WuFei snapped.

"You're a dirty rotten liar!" Duo screamed. "I saw you take it! I saw you stuff in your pocket and not pay for it! LIAR!"

"Duo!" Nan snapped.

"Nan! He's a liar!" Duo pleaded.

Addy turned to Dillon and said, "Do you have a receipt?"

Dillon shook his head. "I threw it away."

"Is your mom or dad here?" Addy asked.

Dillon once more shook his head. "No, sir. I'm here alone."

Bill held out his hand to the little boy and said, "Come on, the store will have a record of the purchase."

Dillon looked apprehensive but took the hand and walked back into Dillards.

"Duo," Addy turned towards the glowering boy. "Why did you steal the cross?"

"He took it first!" Duo gritted. "There's nothing wrong with stealing from a thief."

"There is something wrong with it, Duo," Nan said, "It's dishonest."

Duo looked at her with her eyes harder than the six boys standing by had ever seen and said low and slowly, "Taking from a thief is righting the first wrong. That's how it's always been and that's how it always will be."

"No, hun," Nan said, shaking her head. "Two wrongs don't make a right."

"There are no wrongs where I'm from," Duo said, "Only survival." Duo turned and climbed silently onto the bench and sat, his knees pulled to his chest and his arms wound tightly around them. "And," Duo said softly, "I wanted it too. But I wouldn't have stolen it."

Addy sat beside Duo and asked, "Why do you want it?"

Duo looked at him with old, tired eyes and said, "They took mine."

Quatre gasped. Duo hadn't had his cross on! It was odd not seeing him with the gold chain draped around his neck now that he noticed it was missing.

"You had a cross?" Addy asked, surprised.

Duo nodded.

"Who took it?" the man asked.

Duo shrugged. "I dunno."

Bill walked up to them and knelt in front of Duo and smiled. "You're right," he said. "Dillon did take it."

"I know I'm right," Duo grumbled.

In Japanese, Treize asked, "How did you know?"

Duo turned to him and smiled ferally. "A thief knows how to spot one of their own." Duo laughed at the General's and Lightning Count's surprised looks but stopped when he felt Nan sit on the opposite side as Addy.

I'm sorry, Duo," Nan said.

"For what?" Duo asked.

"For not believing you," she answered.

"I never lie," Duo quipped, starting off the bench to run into the nearest store.

Nan smiled. She followed the boy in after nodding to her brothers and seeing them start off towards Dillards with the others boys, all but Quatre and Trowa who started after Duo.

~(*)~

That night, Duo sat in the yard with the laptop he 'borrowed' from the house. He ran out a phone cord and was hacking into OZ.

"Do you see anything yet, Duo?" Quatre asked into the walkie-talkies Nan had bought for them in the toy store while at the mall.

"Hold a sec," Duo said to his look out that was on the porch. "LIttle hands can't type fast, ya know."

Quatre laughed.

Duo gave a whoop of joy as he penetrated confidential files. Treize, who stood beside the braided boy, sighed and said, "This would have been a lot easier if you'd have let me use my pass word."

"Look, O powerful OZ," Duo sighed, still typing furiously. "That would let them know where you are and they'd come and get cha. And that would mean they'd find us, too. So shut up, Buckaroo!"

Treize smiled. It was odd, but he felt attracted to this boy who had eyes as violet as the sky before the sun set and a smile that seemed as genuine as that of a real child. Duo had an alluring personality and lovely-to-look at features.

Duo sighed and shut the laptop. Picking up the microphone, he said, "No luck man."

"Duo! Treize!" they heard Nan call. "Dinner!"

Sighing, Duo walked over with Treize to the side of the house to where a rope dangled down from a second story window. Snaking the rope securely around the laptop and waving up at Heero, the said boy pulled it up and re- attached it to the house

"Boys! Dinner!" Nan called again.

"C'min, Nan!" Duo shouted back, rounding the corner and spilling into the house, Treize walking like a gentleman in behind him.

Sitting at the table, all but Duo bowed their heads to offer grace. Addy, noticing this, asked, "Is there something wrong, Duo?"

"I don't believe in God," Duo answered.

"I don't believe in their God, Duo," Quatre said in Japanese, "But I use this time to pray to Allah."

Duo smiled. "Shinigami doesn't waste time with prayer. He wants blood sacrifice. Like the ones that come from war."

"Why do you call yourself Shinigami after such a terrible sounding god?" Zechs asked.

Duo's smiled turned into a grin. "Cuz he's death. He feeds off of it just like me!" Duo took a huge bite from the pork chop in front of him.

"You're disgusting, Maxwell," WuFei said

"What?" Duo asked around his mouthful of meat. "At least it's not a hamburger, ne?"

WuFei rolled his eyes.

After a momentary silence, Addy asked, "What god do you believe in?"

"The only one I know," Duo answered, digging in.

Nan shared a glance with her brothers but ate anyway, deciding to let the dead dog lie. After dinner and during dessert, which consisted of whole milk and pumpkin pie smothered in nuts and whipped cream, Bill said, "When are you boy's birthdays?"

All chatter between the boys abruptly stopped. They all seemed to share glances and then Zechs shook his head to them

"Why," Zechs asked, "Would you like to know?"

"So we can get you presents," Nan answered.

"Why?" Duo asked.

"Because boys like you deserve them," Addy said.

"Why?" Duo asked.

"Because you do," Bill replied, not really knowing what else to say.

"Well that's not a very good reaso- ITAI!" Duo yelled, clutching his lower right leg and rubbing the bruising mark on it, glowering at WuFei.

"Duo, do not dishonor our hosts," WuFei scolded.

Duo stuck out his tongue and glared.

"Boys, please do not fight," Nan said. She smiled at WuFei. "And he was not dishonoring us, WuFei. In truth, we would just like to know."

The boys still remained silent, their eyes on their plates. Even Duo seemed apprehensive.

Addy smiled and said, "It's all right if you don't want to tell us. But we wanted to know because we've already bought Duo something and we don't want the rest of you boys to feel left out."

Duo's eyes grew wide and they shot up to Addy's. He didn't say anything as a fine white velvet box was lifted form the said man's lap and handed across the table to him. Duo took it, just holding the box. On the bottom right corner, there was the gold cursive inscription of 'Cartier'.

"Well!" Quatre clapped, very excited. "Open it!"

Duo slid the box's lid off to reveal the exact same cross he had taken from the boy Dillon, the golds and silvers glinting with invite in the overhead light's pale beams.

"Turn it over," Bill told him excitedly.

Duo did as bid. On the reverse side, was the small words saying, "To our Duo." The braided boy brushed the pads of his fingers over the words, mouthing them as he read them.

"Wow," Treize said.

Zechs nodded his apprieciation.

Duo slammed the box and cross onto the table top and leapt from his chair, speeding from the table.

"Duo! Get back here!" WuFei ordered, standing on his chair with his hands on his hips.

"WuFei, please sit," Addy said. "If he doesn't want it, he doesn't have to take it."

"May I be excused?" Quatre asked wiping his mouth with his napkin.

"Yes, go on," Bill said, smiling as the little blonde both vacated and pushed in his chair.

Quatre walked up the stairs and went directly into Nan's room. He left the light out as he looked on the bed. There was no one on it. He looked in the closet. Nothing there either. In the adjoining bathroom. Nada. He looked under the bed. There he was

Duo was curled in the very center of the bed, his knees drawn to his chest in a loose, comfortable fetal position

Quatre crawled in next to him and spooned the little boy, holding him tightly with much care.

Duo didn't seem to mind, even going so far as to turn in the embrace and wrap his arms around the blonde, resting his head on Quatre's upper arm.

"What's wrong, Duo?" Quatre asked softly.

Duo said nothing but closed his eyes, content on feeling Quatre's fingers pass soothingly through his hair.

"Was it the gift?" Quatre surmised. "Did you not want it?"

"It's not that," Duo whispered.S3

"Then what?" Quatre gently pressed.

"Where I'm from," Duo said softly, "When a person gives you something, it's because they want something back."

Quatre didn't understand. "I'm sorry, Duo, but I don't know what you're talking about."

Duo smiled against Quatre's chest. "Didn't think you would, Quat."

"I don't think Nan would want something in return," Quatre said.

"Maybe," Duo sighed.

They were silent till another figure, a tall boy with ginger colored hair, slid under the bed on the other side of Duo.

Are you all right?" Treize asked.

Duo nodded. "Yeah, nothing ever hurts Shinigami!" he said bitterly.

"That doesn't sound very convincing," Treize said.

Another figure joined them under the bed.

"What's the matter with you, Maxwell?" WuFei bit.

"Nothing, Woofy," Duo answered snidely.

Three more appeared.

"What's the matter?" asked Zechs gently.

"Why didn't you take it?" asked Trowa.

"Hn," said Heero.

"Gah!" Duo screamed, highly annoyed. He skittered out from his hiding place by way of the foot of the bed. "What's this?! A friggin' convention?!"

"No," Zechs said as he followed the rest out. "We were just worried."

"About what?" demanded Duo.

"About you, you baka," snapped WuFei.S3

"Great way of showing it," Duo grumbled.

"Look," Quatre said, stepping forward and putting his hands on Duo's arms. "We were just concerned about you, Duo. You haven't been acting the same since we were turned into children."

Duo yanked his arms away and stepped into the bathroom, slamming the door and locking it. "No, Quatre!" he shouted through the door. "I've been the same! YOU just haven't taken the time to notice before!"

For long moments, they just stood and stared at the door. Then, WuFei's anger took the better of him and he kicked the door, screaming, "Fine you weak little freak! Stay in there for all I care!" He stormed from the room with Heero on his heels.

Treize and Zechs left in silence.

Quatre stayed till he felt Trowa's soft hand on his left shoulder and his gentle voice say, "Let's go, Quatre. He's just being stubborn." He led Quatre out.

Duo sat on the other side of the door, his back pressed to it and his knees to his chest. He had heard WuFei's little temper tantrum, he heard when Treize and Zechs left, and he heard what Trowa said to Quatre. Duo knew they were all gone. Duo knew his comrades saw him as stupid, and Duo knew his enemies saw the same thing. It hurt. All of it did. He knew they knew nothing of his past and he wanted to keep it that way. For what, then, would they see? Would they see a five-year-old boy who was cursed to live that terrible time again? Would they pity him because they would then know why he never cried because crying, for him at least, got him nowhere? That the only thing he was taught by the child molesters was that tears cause unwanted attention and because of that, you get more hurt?

Duo shook his head and closed his eyes, sinking into the piercing pain closed deep inside him for all time

~(*)~

Rubbing his eyes, Duo walked into the kitchen, the gift from the night before dangling round his neck.

Addy lifted Duo into his seat and served him up some eggs, bacon, sausage, and milk. "I see you're wearing you gift," Addy said, smiling as Duo began shoveling food.

"Yeah, well," Duo answered, not making eye contact with the six other boys sitting around the table.

"Why didn't you take it last night?" Bill asked.

Duo swallowed his mouthful before saying, "It just surprised me is all. I've never gotten anything before."

"Nothing?!" Nan gasped.

Duo shook his head, another fork full of food meeting its doom.

"Have any of you gotten presents before?" Addy asked the other boys.

Quatre, Zechs, Treize, and WuFei all nodded while the others shook their heads.

"Oh that's terrible!" Bill exclaimed.

A silence fell over the table. Then, Nan said, "Bill and I have some errands to run today so Addy is going to take you to the park to play. Is that all right?"

Six affirmative nods and one enthusiastic "Heck ya!"

~(*)~

Heero and WuFei raced around the merry-go-round, over the slide, down the teeter-totter, through the swings, heading towards the finish line: the jungle gym.

"I win!" WuFei breathlessly exclaimed. "I win! I win! HA!"

Heero nearly screamed in frustration. "If it weren't for this damned pudgy body, I'd have wiped the play ground with you."

"Hey! No cursing!" Quatre admonished them from the swings where Trowa pushed him.

"Inside the house!" WuFei snapped.

Oh!" Quatre said, smiling. "Sorry, WuFei! Sorry, Heero!"

WuFei turned back to Heero and just stared at him. Heero's chest was heaving and his face was red and his body slicked with sweat. Sliding up behind Heero, WuFei whispered, "Well, maybe if we do something to work off that pudge, you'd be able to beat me."

Heero smirked. "WuFei. We're five."

Stepping in front of Heero though not touching him, WuFei lowered his lids till his heard Heero's breath hitch in the intensity of the stare WuFei was sending him and said, "Supposedly. You do know that males can get hard ons as early as age two, don't you. They just can't ejaculate cum."

raised a brow, wondering how the hell WuFei had such information and was about to suggest the tube slide when WuFei tapped him on the shoulder, ran away, yelling over his shoulder, "TAG! YOU'RE IT!"

Heero sighed but started after his wayward lover, a new determination to catch up welling inside him.

Treize and Zechs watched the little dance of cat and mouse from their perch in a tree house.

Laughing, Treize said, "Who knew the Perfect Soldier had a perfect heart?"

Zechs raise a fine blonde brow and said, "What of your heart, Treize? Does it have perfect love?"

Treize took his koi's hand and kissed the soft pale knuckles. "You are my love, Milliard. Therefore, it is perfect... though lacking."

"Well it's certainly nice to know I'm lacking," Zechs said.

"You know what I mean," Treize sighed. "You are perfect, as I have said... But I do not feel whole."



"Yes..." Zechs mused. "But what is missing?"

Treize shrugged.

Duo sat in a tire swing on the far end of the play ground, looking down at the cross in his hands and thinking. To be old... I like it here. I don't want to leave. I'll contact Sally and tell her where she can find the others and I'll stay with Nan. Gods I like her. Wonder if that's what a home is...

A large shadow landed across Duo. Violet eyes looked up and imperceptibly widened. Dillon, the ten-year-old thief, stood over Duo, a feral grin on his face.

"Because of you," Dillon snarled. "I got sent to the Detention Center."

"Aw, no recess for a month then?" Duo retorted

Before Duo could react, Dillon had ripped the cross away and had thrown it to the mud, crushing the beautiful gold and silver under his foot.

Duo jumped off the tire swing and shouted, "You prick! That's mine!"

"Not anymore, little boy," Dillon answered snidely. He pushed Duo back against the tree and started to pummel him, slamming his fists into Duo's face and upper body, taking hold of Duo's shoulders and shaking him so hard Duo's head snapped back and hit the tree.

Just as Duo slumped unconscious to the ground and Dillon began kicking him in the gut, WuFei and Heero, in their game, rounded and saw the situation. They screamed their frustration, barreling towards the one-sided battle and they both took Dillon down by sheer momentum.

The other boys heard the commotion and came running. What they saw was this: Dillon, being larger than Heero and WuFei, and their bodies being smaller and less strong, were inadequate to defend themselves, let alone Duo.

WuFei was holding a bleeding skull while Heero was pinned under Dillon and the bully was delivering blow after blow to the prone boy's face.

Quatre screamed out "Addy!!!" and had ran to get help. Treize, Zechs, and Trowa all jumped into the fight.

Zechs was immediately tossed away, Trowa following soon after. Treize was thrown and landed with his full weight on the still unconscious Duo.

Finally, Addy came and threw Dillon away, looking after Heero, then Trowa, WuFei, then Zechs and Treize, and finally, Duo.

"He's not breathing," Addy said in horror. He began to try to resuscitate him.

Standing by, Quatre in Japanese asked, "How?!"

"It must have stopped his breathing when I landed on him," Treize said.

"Oh Allah no!" Quatre closed his eyes and turned away, unable to face a possibly dead Duo

Suddenly, a great gasping sound was heard and Quatre turned round to see Duo sitting with the aide of Addy, chest heaving and his large pupils going somewhat back to normal

Quatre couldn't help himself as he threw his arms around Duo's neck and exclaimed happily, "Oh, Duo! Thank Allah you're all right!"

"I won't be if you don't stop squeezing me so hard," Duo croaked.

"Oh! Sorry!" Quatre said, though he still beamed with moist eyes as he released Duo.

"Are you all right?" Treize asked.

Duo nodded. "Yeah, Wizard-man, you can't kill Death. You can just delay it for a while."

Addy looked down at Duo. Why did the boy compare himself with death? Addy lifted the boy in his arms and carried Duo back to the car.

The ride home was made in silence. Quatre, Trowa, and Treize sat in the back seat of the Jeep Cherokee; Heero, and WuFei, in the middle seat, and Zechs in the front. Duo sat in Zechs' lap, his head resting on the boy's shoulder, his eyes closed.

Zechs felt a protective need overtake him as he looked at Duo's battered face. A deep bruise began to blacken on Duo's eye and a spilt on his plump bottom lip was scabbing. There were many scraps on his skin. Zechs tightened his arms slightly though not enough to cause discomfort.

Duo stirred and opened bleary eyes. He focused on Zechs, his face holding confusion.

"How are you feeling, Duo?" Zechs whispered to him.



"Like I just got the shit kicked out of me," Duo replied. "How about you?"

"The same," Zechs said.

WuFei had unbuckled upon hearing a soft conversation in the passenger seat and peered into Zechs' arms seeing Duo awake.

Japanese, and extremely quiet, WuFei asked, "Are you all right, Maxwell?"

Duo, though not hearing any real bite in the words, thought that while one could speak quietly, they probably couldn't fit a whole lot of emphasis in their words. "Sure, Wu," Duo answered flatly, closing his eyes.

WuFei, despite himself, found himself looking to Zechs for help.

Zechs shook his head.

~(*)~

Nan and Bill were not happy when Addy returned, every single boy save Quatre with at least one open wound and three bruises.

"I leave you alone for one hour and this is what's happened!" Nan scolded her brother softly. She was currently rummaging through the medicine chest searching for supplies, shoving what she'd come up with in Addy's arms.

"Nan, it wasn't my fault," Addy defended himself. "I was watching them play."

"Obviously, Addison," Nan said shortly, "You weren't watching them closely enough!"

"It wasn't his fault," Duo said from the door, the boy had limped from the kitchen into the bathroom. His face was contorted into pain and he greatly favored his left leg.

"Duo!" Nan gasped, picking him up and setting him on her hip, "You're not supposed to be moving!"

"It was my fault," Duo said, looking Nan in the eye.

"What do you mean, hon?" Addy asked.

"I was the one who moved out of your view, Addy," Duo said.

Addy smiled. "Let's not point fingers, hm?"

Duo shook his head, his lips forming a small smile. Nan carried Duo back into the kitchen and sat him on the counter beside Trowa. All the boys sat on the counter, their order being Duo, Trowa, Quatre, Treize, Zechs, Heero, and WuFei. Addy dumped the load on the table.

Bill and Nan began to end of the line with WuFei and moved up, making sure every single cut was cleaned with peroxide. The boys before Duo all hissed with the stinging bubbles, the prickling pain magnified in their minds. Even Heero's eyes welled with tears.

Once they were finished, Nan move down to Duo as Bill sent the other six from the room. The boys didn't go far, although, standing and watching from the door.

Addy swabbed out one of Duo's scraps with peroxide, wincing as Duo's arm jumped convulsively. But when he looked up to Duo's face, he saw something there that startled him.

Duo's face, though pale, showed no hint of discomfort. His eyes showed no hint of tears.

"Duo," Addy said, "You can cry. No one will make fun of you for it

Duo looked at him once more with tired, knowledgeable eyes and just shook his head.

"Why?" Nan asked.

"Why, exactly," Duo said softly, sliding off the counter and wincing as he hit the floor, limping not towards the boys who stood at the door, watching, listening, but out the back door to the yard.

Quatre started after Duo but was detained by Trowa's soft hold.

"Let him go, Quatre," Trowa whispered, gently pulling blonde after the group that had left.

"No way! He needs someone right now!" Quatre argued, trying to tug free, but Trowa's hold only became more firm.

Turning to face Quatre, Trowa said, "Let him go. Trust me."

Quatre relented, unsure if he should, walking after his lover in silence.

"What are you doing?" Quatre asked watching as Heero and WuFei moved the laptop from the study to their upstairs bedroom, setting it up in the closet, the phone cord attached.

Trowa explained once they were inside the closet, the door open only slightly for a way to position a look out, and the only light being the glow of the computer screen. "We've been talking," Trowa said, "And we fell it necessary to know as much about Duo as possible." Trowa smiled softly at his lover. "Don't worry, no harm can come from information."

So," Treize said, "We're searching for information."

I don't think Duo would like this," Quatre objected even as they logged on. "If he wanted us to know-"

"The baka probably has some dishonorable deed marring his past and that's most likely why he won't tell us about himself," WuFei grumbled.

"Duo's not like that!" Quatre said darkly, but he relented, his curiosity to know just as strong as the other's

Heero started with the only information they knew: L2. He hacked into the database library, reading through anything. He scanned the reports till something caught his eye

"I've got something," he said in monotone.

All listened closely.

"'AC 188: Plague strikes L2 colonies, killing more than half residency. Only serum for disease held in remote massive security locks. Warehouse holding cure broken into by unknown terrorist, single person.'"

"That can't be Duo," Zechs said. "If it were, he'd only be seven."

"Obviously," WuFei snapped. "You don't know Maxwell that well." But he, himself, felt doubt. A single grown man would have huge amounts of difficulty in pulling something that covert off, let alone their Duo.

Another hour passed before anything else came up.

"Look at this," Heero said, once more drawing everyone's attention. "'AC 189: Mobile Suit stolen from production warehouse. Assailant: unknown.

"'Maxwell Church/Orphanage destroyed by federation. Number of lives lost: unknown.'"

A silence crept over the occupants of the seemingly shrinking closet. They now knew where Duo got his last name. It all made sense, no one could have stolen a Mobile Suit with THAT much ease, THAT much speed but Duo. Their terrorist. Their Death. Their comrade. Their friend.

Heero continued his search, and after nothing more turned up in the civil documents of the database, he turned to the medical history.

His eyes widened and he took in a sharp breath, a completely odd thing for him to do.

"What?" WuFei asked, "What have you found?"

Heero started. "'AC 189: Patient Name: Unknown. Parent/Guardian: Unknown. Status Report: Rape victim. Numerable sexual penetrations over a long period of time. Injuries: Torn anus and rectum. Cut across left hip needing seventy-stitches. Right arm broken; radius breaking through skin.'"

"So that's what that scar's from," Quatre mused, thinking of the jagged scar on Duo's right forearm, five inches above the wrist

Heero continued. "Physical Recovery Time: Approx. two weeks. Mental/Emotional Recovery Time: Unknown." Heero clicked the mouse, moving the article downward to where evidence of the terrible crime that was unmistakably committed against Duo could been seen.

Pictures. Seeming hundreds of terrible picture showing every cut, every bruise. The violet eyes staring lifelessly at the boys looking at these pictures, locked forever in pain and un-trust, a look they had often seen in the Duo they knew though not really often enough noticing it. The mussed and matted and dirty hair they were so used to seeing a shining and silky braid caked with mud and blood. The body, the one they knew to be flawless and beautifully pale, was broken and marred, an abused vessel of a soul that had known more pain and interpersonal deceit than they had ever known combined

Trowa, living with the mercenaries, had only know groping, nothing beyond. But Duo, their now so helpless Duo, had been where none could have imagined. They could see now why he identified himself as Death. They could understand why he didn't believe in the Catholic God. Because God had seemingly turned His back to their violet-eyed, strangely light-hearted Duo and Death was all that Duo had ever known. Terrible, disgusting, awful Death.

"What are you doing?"

They all jumped and whirled around, completely revealing the computer screen to the speaker. Duo stood in the closed doorway, his eyes wandering from one pitying face to another. Then, they settled on the laptop.



"We wanted to know about you," Treize said.

Duo's eyes shot over to Treize's, his head slowly following. "Are you happy now that you do? Now that you of the orphanage?" Here, his eyes shot to WuFei's, and a horrible argument the oriental had slug at Duo not too terribly long ago resurfacing. "Now that you know about the pimp?" Duo looked at Quatre and Zechs, making them remember the man on the street. "Now that you know about the instinct to survive?" His eyes locked with Treize, Heero, and Trowa, reminding them of their cynical glares and retorts as Duo led them like a shepherd his sheep from the Cube to the freedom only Duo knew how to attain. "Are you happy?"

"No," they all croaked, their chests stinging with the knowledge of the shredded trust and friendship between them and Duo.

"Duo, we are so sorry!" Quatre said, reaching out and grasping Duo's hand.

Duo wrenched his hand away as if burned and said, "Nu-uh, Quatre. Wouldn't want my street-rat dirt to fall on your nice clean hands."

"Duo-" Quatre started to say, but it was no use.

Duo had shot from the room, his hurt ankle forgotten in their crime and tore from the house.

The six followed after, but Duo was out into the unstable night before they reached the stair landing.

~(*)~

Three days passed and no Duo. Though they had looked everywhere they could think of, they came up with no trace. But, then again, if Duo doesn't want to be found, he isn't. And that was agony of it.

The house seemed dead because no one felt like laughing; Quatre not even leaving the bed, Trowa never leaving his lover's side. Heero and WuFei never left the computer in case Duo sent them a message until they fell asleep and Nan or Bill or Addy would bring them into their bed on the window seat. But upon dawn, they were back in front of the laptop. Treize and Zechs went to the park daily, sometimes staying for countless hours, waiting. They knew Duo liked the park, knew he loved it because it symbolized a childhood he never got to have.

One morning at 10:00, when all were home, a knock came on the door. Nan, as always, answered it and was both loathsome and happy she had.

"Boys!" she called. "It's for you!"

All their minds thinking it could be Duo, they came running full force into the entry way- stopping dead in their tracks.

"Noin?!" Treize and Zechs chorused.

"Sally?!" Heero, WuFei, Trowa, and Quatre gasped at the same instant

.

Smiling, Sally said, "Hello, boys." A snicker escaped her.

In japanese, WuFei snapped, "If you even try to say something mean, onna, I will hurt you."

Sally burst out laughing, then, she choked out in the same language, "I'm not laughing at you! I'm only laughing for you!"

"Onna!" WuFei snarled.

"Hey," Noin said to where Nan and her brothers could understand, "Where's Duo?"

The boys all dropped their heads in shame as Nan answered.

"He's run away," She said, a pain flashing in her old brown eyes.

"He-!" Sally tried to say, "What do you mean, he's run away?! He's the one who gave us the message of where to find you!"

"What?!" Treize exclaimed.

"Just what we've said, Treize," Noin said, leaving out the man's title as Duo had advised. "He gave us the address. We traced the link just to make sure and it led here."

"When did he send you the message?" Zechs asked.

"Yesterday," Sally answered.

"When?" Heero said. He and WuFei had spent their day once more by the computer but ended up with nothing.

"At 12:22 pm," Noin replied.

"We were all at lunch," WuFei whispered. In japanese, he said, "He's been watching monitoring us! That fool's been watching!"

"Let's not overreact," Quatre stepped in.

"Excuse me," Addy interrupted, "But you mean he's been here?"

"Yes, sir," Noin said. "In fact, I'd say he never left."

"Bravo."

All turned to see Duo sitting at the bottom of the stairs as comfortable as if he'd been there all along. But something about him was different, off scale.

WuFei charged him, hauling him up by the collar. "You baka! We were worried sick about you!"

Then, he saw it. The trusting luster that was there in his eyes when he smiled, when he laughed, when he tried so religiously to make others do the same, was gone. In its place lay the betrayal. The emotion was so thick on Duo's gaze, it made WuFei release him and step back.

Duo smiled bitterly saying, "Ah, WuFei," he looked at Trowa, though his words were aimed at WuFei, "No harm can come from knowledge."

"You were watching!" Quatre gasped, remembering exactly when that was said.

Duo nodded. "I'm always watching. Always there but never seen."

"Why didn't you stop us?" Treize asked.

"Why should I have?" Duo answered. "If I had stopped you then, you would have tried another time. And if I had stopped you after that, you would have tried another time. Why should I have?"

"We would have stopped," Zechs defended them.

"No, Milliard," Duo said. "You would not have stopped. And now you know, and no harm can come from knowledge."

"Duo-" Quatre started.

"Sally," Duo interrupted, "Shall we go?"

Sally nodded, Noin moving to open the door.

Quatre, Treize, Zechs, Heero, WuFei, and Trowa all bid their good-byes to Nan, Addison, and Bill, Duo already in the large van, saying nothing to the nice old people who had taken them in not because he felt no gratitude towards them, but because he felt he would never leave.

They rode to Sally's lab in silence after a few attempts to make Duo talk. Duo rode in the back, sandwiched between Heero and WuFei, Quatre in the middle, sharing a belt with his lover, and Treize and Zechs beside them.

Once at the lab, Treize asked, "How did this happen? Who did it?"

"The guilty party, sir," Noin said, "Is a group of rebel scientists. Their logs said they did this as an experiment to see how you all operated under pressure in a difficult situation."

"Apparently, Duo," Sally said, "You passed with flying colors."

"A pleasing victory," Duo said flatly.

"Anyway," Noin continued, "The age reducing drug was experimental, as is the antidote."

"So it might not work?" Quatre asked.

Sally shrugged. "Probably will. But don't get your hopes up too high."

"What do we have to do?" asked Heero.

"First, strip," Noin answered. At several warning glares, she elaborated. "If you do grow again, don't you think having on a five-year-olds' clothes will be rather painful?"

"Acknowledged," Heero said.

They followed the two women into on observation room, de-clothing while Sally and Noin turned around, and climbed onto the seven white observation tables, draping seven white sheets around their middles.

Sally and Noin left the air tight room to a viewing room and Sally's voice was heard over a microphone.

"Okay," she said. "Cross your fingers."

Out of pure hope did they actually do it.

" A white mist filled the chamber.

Blackness.

~(*)~

"How are you feeling?"

"Fine."

"Have the others woken yet?"

"No. But they're back to normal."

"Wait a minute! Where are you going?"

"Away."

"But what about-"

"They'll be fine. If I know them, they'll forget about me in no time."

"But-"

"Bye, Sally. Thanks a lot."

"Matte!"

"Let him go."

"Ah! He's just being selfish!"

"Maybe, but it's his choice." Sigh. "Let him go."

"Good luck, my friend..."

~(*)~

Azure eyes opened to look into emeralds. Smiling, Quatre reached his hand up and brushed through the full uni-bang fanning through his fingers.

Trowa smiled softly and leaned down, gently kissing Quatre, his tongue sliding against Quatre's, the blonde's arms loosely wrapping around Trowa's bare back.

Pulling away, Trowa traced the blonde's full lips with his fingers, saying, "I've been wanting to do that for a long time."

Quatre smiled and hugged his lover to him.

"Where's Duo?" Treize asked, looking around after wrapping the sheet around himself as Trowa had done.

All looked around the room, finding no trace of their braided friend, the sheet gone from his table.

"Noin," Zechs said.

"Yes, sir?" Noin answered over the intercom.

"Where is Duo?" he asked.

"He... uh... he left, sir," Noin said.

"What do you mean, he left?!" WuFei raved, almost losing his hold on the sheet around his middle.

"Calm down, WuFei," Heero admonished.

"He woke up before you guys and he left," Sally confirmed.

"Why the hell didn't you stop him?!" Quatre demanded. All eyes looked in amazement at the blonde.

"Uh..." Sally started, coming out of her shock at hearing Quatre curse. "Duo has a free will. Why should we have?"

"Because you idiot!" Quatre raved. "I didn't say sorry!"

"Quatre..." Trowa whispered, taking hold of the blonde from behind.

Quatre turned in the embraced and buried his head in Trowa's shoulder.

"Did he tell you why he left?" Heero asked.

"No," Sally said. "But..."

"But what?" WuFei pushed.

"He said you'd forget about him soon enough," Sally finished.

"Forget?" Treize breathed as if the mere thought of it being inconceivable. "How could we forget him?"

"In war, Treize," Zechs said, "Many people forget."

"But in peace?" Treize asked.

Zechs laughed and hugged Treize and said, "There is time to remember."

Nodding, Treize tightened his hold. "Noin."

"Yes, sir?"

"Get me Une and the Federation. Now."

"Yes, sir."

~(*)~

AC 197: OZ surrenders.

Peace reins in the colonies. War is two years passed. Treize Khushrenada and Zechs Marquise-turned-Milliard PeaceCraft have taken residence at a Winner estate along with Chang WuFei, Heero Yuy, Trowa Barton, and Quatre Winner.

The sun set, cascading hues of azure, violet, and yellow across the sky.

Treize sighed.

"What are you thinking?" Milliard asked.

"I miss him," Treize said.

"We all do," Milliard said.

"What do think he's doing right now?" Quatre asked.

"Probably the same thing we're doing," WuFei surmised.

Heero nodded. "He always did like the sunsets."

"'The sun seems to die at night, but it only hides its head. It's immortal, like me,'" Trowa quoted their friend exactly.

"You remember that?!" Quatre asked, extremely surprised.

Trowa nodded. "I remember everything."

"Duo..." Quatre breathed, closing his eyes as they began to tear.

Trowa brought Quatre up closer to his side, the blonde leaning his head on his lover's shoulder.

"Maybe we should try looking for him again," Treize suggested.

"No," WuFei sighed. "After a year-and-a-half, if he wanted to be found, he would have let us find him."

Treize nodded, beaten by the answer he knew he'd get.

"He didn't even come back to get his things," Quatre said softly.

"If for only an instance I could see him again," Treize mused. Sighing, he said, "It's all really selfish, isn't it?"

"All of it's selfish," WuFei bit. "The prying into a past. The knowledge we had no right to attain. It's all selfish."

"Wow. Never thought I'd hear that from you, man."

All whirled around in their lawn chairs, eyes wide as they looked at the figure in the door.

Duo stood, leaning on the door frame, his normal priest's outfit replaced by black jeans and a tight black tee-shirt. An old, faded ball cap was backwards on his head, his bangs sticking out from under it.

"DUO!" Quatre exclaimed. He jumped from his chair on the patio and ran to Duo, embracing him tightly.

Duo did not hold him back. Instead, he pulled out of the hug and walked to Treize and Milliard. "I know you've taken over my room," he said, "So where's my stuff?"

"Wait a minute," WuFei said, more harshly than he'd wanted.

"What now, WuFei?" Duo groaned. "Am I a dishonorable baka for running out on his friends? Am I a yellow-bellied cur-dog for coming back to get a few things and you want me out? Well, don't worry, buddy. I'll be gone in a few minutes."

"No, you idiot! I don't want you to leave!" WuFei retorted. "If I wanted you gone, I'd have thrown you out already!"

Duo looked surprised for a moment. His eyes were wide. He blinked once. Twice. Thrice. And burst out laughing.

Annoyed, WuFei crossed his arms, scowling. "What the hell are you laughing at, Maxwell?"

"You!" Duo gasped, gripping his sanity as he wiped away a tear. "You haven't changed one bit, man."

"Well, that's comforting," WuFei grumbled.

"Look, let's not fight," Quatre said.

"Who's fighting?" Duo said, grinning. "I'm laughing, and he's grumbling!"

WuFei glared.

"And glaring," Duo added.

"Then let's laugh, grumble, and glare in the kitchen over some coffee," Quatre suggested.

"Uh... sorry, Quatre," Duo said, shaking his head, "But I only came here to get a few things. I don't want to socialize."

"Please stay, Duo," Heero said. "For only a while, if not longer."

Duo cocked a brow. "Miss me that much?" He wholly expected a snort from Heero, or a venom-tongued retort from WuFei, but, instead, he received five affirmative remarks and one 'hn' with a nod. "Uh... okay," Duo said, walking inside, the other's following.

"So," Duo said, sipping his coffee. "How have you all been?"

"Lacking," Trowa remarked softly. He jumped at the unexpected jab of Quatre's elbow.

"We've been good, Duo," Quatre said, smiling warmly.

Duo looked from one to the other, shrugged, and took another sip.

"Duo," Milliard started.

Despite the alarm going off in Duo's mind caused by Milliard's hesitant tone, he looked at the man with a grin on his face and said, "Yeah, Blonde- boy?"

Milliard couldn't help but smile, remembering the first time that idiotic nick-name ever came up, but the smile faded. "How did you know Treize and I moved into your room?"

Duo's grin never wavered as he answered. "As I said two years ago, I'm always watching. Always there but never seen."

"What, do you live in this house?" WuFei asked, astonished.

"No," Duo said, "But I often visit. This is an old house with crawl spaces between the walls."

"It has crawl spaces?" Heero asked.

"Yep!" Duo quipped. "Goes everywhere."

"Then wouldn't you know where your stuff is?" Treize asked.

"Not exactly," Duo said, his brow knitting. "For the last three months, I've been away. And this is the first time I've come back to this house, so I don't know if you've moved anything."

Where have you been?" Trowa asked.

"With old friends," Duo answered.

"Really?" Quatre asked. "Who?"

"Nan, Addy, and Bill," Duo replied casually.

"Really?!" Quatre asked, excitement painted on his face. "How are they?"

"Fine," Duo answered. "They really miss all of you and they want you to come for a visit. That's actually most of the reason why I'm here. Nan asked me to ask you to their 4th of July celebration."

"Good old Nan," Heero whispered.

"Yeah, and boy was she surprised to see me!" Duo laughed.

"You mean you told her?!" WuFei asked.

"Of course I did. What did you want me to do? Lie?" Duo asked.



"Oh, well, pardon me about wanting companionship with people who won't pity me for a past they don't know about and won't take it upon themselves to find out about, WuFei," Duo replied, putting his coffee down, standing, and putting on his hat.

"Duo! Matte!" Treize said.

"Please don't go, Duo!" Milliard begged, starting after him.

Why the hell not?" Duo asked, turning on the two men with a molten glare. "I can still see it. It's written all over your faces. The pity. The condolence. Well, I don't need it. I don't want it. So I'm going to leave this damned house forever and after this, you won't have to feel bad anymore about the poor little street rat rape victim. I'm going so consider me deceased." He started out but was stopped by Treize's hand gripping his arm.

"You mistake pity for love, Duo," he said.

"Love?" Duo scoffed. "Not love. Never love. Only the brilliant illusion of innocents forsaken." He wrenched himself away only to find himself in Milliard's grasp.

"Love, Duo," Milliard said firmly. "A devotion that doesn't care about rape. A passion that doesn't care about phantasms in the night. An adoration that forgets about past betrayals and remembers past smiles."

"Well," Duo said coldly. "I'm glad then that you and the Great General share that type of love. Now, if you'll please excuse me-"

"No, Duo," Treize said. "We love you in the same manner. Milliard and I once had a conversation about not feeling whole with it just being the two of us. I didn't know why then, but I do now. YOU, Duo. YOU are what's missing."

looked up at the man, his eyes showing nothing of what he felt if he felt anything at all.

"You pride yourself on never lying," Milliard said. "So tell us the truth about this: DO you feel whole?"

Duo shook his head.

"Do you feel loved?"

Duo shook his head.

"Then stay here with us and allow us to show you that love doesn't have to hurt. That it's there and real and not some magical deception that's here and then gone that fast," Treize said, radiating conviction. "Let yourself rest and be home."

For a moment, there was a tense silence, Duo's face still not showing emotion. Then, Duo whispered, "Home..." as if trying and testing it.

"Yes. Home," Milliard said.

Duo lowered his face, saying nothing more.

Treize lifted Duo's chin to see something no one living had ever seen. Duo's cheeks were wet with tears, his eyes moist as more and more came flooding down. After one second of astonishment, Treize pulled Duo to him, looking at Quatre, Trowa, Heero and WuFei.

Immediately, they filed out of the house to a hotel in town.

Milliard held Duo from behind as Treize held him from them front. Slowly, Duo's shaking hands came around Treize's back, and Duo sobbed.

"Home..." he kept saying, "Home... Home... Home..." He had never had one of the those. He'd had houses and rooms, but never a home. And there it finally was, between two high-borne men who comforted him and loved him.

Slowly, his cries died. Contented as he was to just stay in the four warm and comforting arms embracing him from both sides, he knew it wouldn't last. He had done something he had vowed never to do: he had shed tears. He knew they would pity him more. Reluctantly, he began to pull out of the hug.

"Where are you going?" Milliard breathed in his ear, tightening his hold.

"I can't stay here, not now," Duo said softly.

Treize pulled Duo back, though still keeping hold of him. Looking down, he said, "Why?"

Duo dropped his wet and blotchy face. "You've seen me cry."

"So?" Milliard asked, his hold tightening still.

"No one's ever seen that," Duo whispered. "I stopped crying when I was three."

"Why?" Treize asked. He gazed down into Duo's eyes and the dead pain there told him. That young?

Instead of letting pity into his eyes, Treize only allowed love. He leaned down, cupped Duo's face in his hands and kissed each of his eyes, then, the tear-streaked cheeks, then ever so softly, Duo's closed mouth.

Milliard kissed Duo's neck just below the ear. "We don't care about when you stopped crying, Duo. We care about the fact that you are crying now."

"That I am weak now," Duo bit bitterly.

"That you are open now," Treize corrected. "Please don't close off."

Duo felt another kiss from Milliard pressed to the other side of his neck as the first. "Have you ever made love, Duo?" he asked, his voice low and sultry.

Duo's closed eyes shot open and he went ridged. "NO! That hurts!"

"Rape hurts, Duo. Not love," Treize said. "Love feels exquisite."

Duo's eyes were untrusting.

Milliard's voice came from behind, hot and sweet in Duo's ear. "Can we show you, Duo? Can we make you feel good?"

Duo swallowed hard, eyes shutting. This didn't seem like it hurt... "Yes!" he groaned out. "I trust you."

Treize and Milliard felt beyond happiness. Treize took Duo's hand and Milliard took the other, leading the boy upstairs to their room.

Once inside, Duo's eyes widened. His things remained unmoved. Everything was how he'd left it two years ago. Only clean.

Milliard once more molded himself to Duo's backside, whispering in his ear. "The only reason why we took your room," he said, "Is so we could sleep in the same bed as you did, so we could place our heads where yours was, so we could lay our bodies where yours was and is soon to be again."

"I thought you all just kicked me out," Duo said.

"Never, Duo," Treize said, stepping in front of him. He once more cupped Duo's face, leaned down, and kissed his lips. As the kiss grew in volume, as one tongue slid against another, Milliard was not standing idle. His skilled hands worked at Duo's pants, undoing them and slipping one hand inside while the other roamed up Duo's chest under his shirt.

Duo broke the kiss with a strangled gasp as he felt fingers come around him and start pumping him. His head fell back against Milliard's chest, his eyes closed and his mouth open with pants. Milliard leaned down and captured Duo's lips for himself, tasting them, memorizing them with his tongue.

Treize stripped as Milliard kept Duo busy. Then, he and Milliard guided Duo to the bed, the fey youth laying upon it, Milliard stripping along the way

Duo watched as Treize knelt between his legs and nearly screamed as Treize took his arousal in his mouth, swirling his tongue around the tip, savoring the bitter tears that dripped forth. Milliard took the hem of Duo's shirt and lightly pulled, making the boy sit up so it could be removed.

Duo lay back, his face flushed from a pleasure he never though possible. Instinctively he lifted his hips as Treize pulled almost away, desperate to keep to that precious heat. Treize took the opportunity to slide Duo's pants and boxers off, revealing a long, awful looking scar stretching form the inside of Duo's right thigh, disappearing behind his back. Treize gasped when he saw it, Duo falling from his mouth. He remembered seeing the wound in the pictures, but seeing it first hand was startling. The scar was a clean slice, though the shoddy stitching job made it jagged and uneven.

Duo, in his distress, looked down at Treize to see him gawking at the scar. Looking up at Milliard, he saw the same shock on his face. Duo swiftly turned on his right side, hiding the terrible truth. And Treize and Milliard realized the mistake they had made. They had begun to pity him.

"Duo," Treize whispered, "Please turn over."

Duo's fetal position tightened.

"Lovely Duo," Milliard sighed, laying to where his chest was touching Duo's back. He forced his arms around Duo, and felt Duo loosened. He kissed Duo's neck, his lips suckling as his tongue laved and his teeth nipped

Duo turned in the embrace and deeply kissed the blonde man. He draped a leg over Milliard's and groaned as Milliard moved his leg and his muscled thigh began to grind into him.

The braided boy felt Treize lay at his back, his hand dragging over Duo's skin from his knee to his hip. He felt that hand trace his scar, moving it to the cleft of his rump. Duo squirmed uncomfortably, a fear creeping over him as he remembered what men used to do back there.

"Shh, Duo," Treize whispered in his ear. "Love. Not pain."

Duo closed his eyes and tried to sink into the feel of a soft finger running over his anus. The finger withdrew and Duo opened his eyes to see Milliard handing Treize something. As the man opened it, a spicy smell filled Duo's nostrils. Milliard kissed him again, distracting him as Treize placed a liberal dollop on his fingers and once more started to stroke Duo's rose bud.

Do felt no pain as the finger slid into him, and cried out into his lover's mouth as it stroked something beyond pleasure. A second finger was added to him and he heard Milliard's guttural groan. Opening his eyes, he saw the blonde preparing himself, his own fingers buried deep inside him and his legs splayed wide, his mouth open with gasps.

Treize reached a hand around Duo and spread lubrication over his shaft. In doing this, he made Duo kneel, the boy's head thrown back. Treize positioned his cock at Milliard's entrance, the blue eyes meeting cornflower in an electric trance with Milliard on the bed, splayed on his back.

Duo's eyes shot open as he felt a tight sphincter enclose him. He looked down and saw a sweaty Milliard under him, panting in pain/pleasure. He became unsure, remembering the hurt and the violation. He halted his hips halfway in, refusing to go further.

Milliard growled in exasperation, his dark, lust filled eyes glaring up at Duo- until he saw Duo's thoughts written in his eyes. "Duo please don't stop!" he cried, forcing the pleasure further in his voice. "Please, Duo! It feels so good! I love you, Duo!"

Duo's head turned to the side as if he was thinking about some complex thing. But his body loosened and Treize was able to seat him the entire way in. Treize knelt in back of Duo. He moved Duo's braid over his shoulder as he placed a kiss at the base of his neck. Then, he began to enter Duo.

Duo hissed in imagined pain and tried to pull off of Treize, but he was surprised to hear a deep groan and fell Milliard's hips jamming down. He pulled out of that heat that engulfed him instinctively, only to ram back onto Treize's shaft. But there was no pain. This time, that spot inside of him was struck, and he cried out, pivoting back and forth between the heat and the rock hard pole impaling him.

"Ooh, Duo!' Treize gasped. "I love you!"

Duo looked down at Milliard to see heavy lidded eyes and beautiful mouth open, gasping and groaning deliciously.

"I love you, Duo," Milliard moaned.

"Yes," Duo sighed. "My loves..." He cried out as he and Milliard came simultaneously, Treize a few seconds behind. He collapsed on the side of Duo, pulling out as he did so

Duo sat bonelessly on the bed, Milliard panting as he pulled out. Treize pulled Duo to where he lay between Milliard and himself. He nuzzled the back of Duo's neck and Duo snuggled back into Treize's chest, his arms wrapping loosely around Milliard's body. He shivered.

Milliard drew the blanket up around them and kissed Duo's lips, startled to find him already asleep. "I think we wore him out."

Treize looked loving into Duo's face, enjoying the soft and open sleeping visage. "Yes... We'll have to do this more often."

They lay and allowed Duo's rhythmic breathing to lull them to rest.

~(*)~

Duo sat on the railing surrounding a balcony of Quatre's estate. He had woke at dawn to look into the blue eyes of Treize. Behind him, he felt a comfortable heat and arms tighten, pulling him back into the nook of Milliard's chest.

//"Good morning, my love," Treize whispered in his ear as he leaned over and kissed Duo on the neck, then on the cheek, and then on the lips.

Duo didn't respond. Not because he didn't like, it, but because he was still overwhelmed. And sad.

"What's the matter?" Milliard asked, pulling back the bangs from Duo's face. He saw there a melancholy filled gaze. He became terribly worried

"Duo?" Treize asked.

Duo said nothing but pulled out of Milliard's and Treize's arms and slid off the bed. He gathered his clothes and slipped them on. He walked into the personal bathroom, turned on the light, and shut and locked the door.

Treize and Milliard shared confused and worried glances before they went to stand before the door.

"Duo?" Milliard asked, softly rapping upon it. "Are you all right?"

There came no answer.

"Duo, please at least answer us," Treize begged.

The bathroom door opened and Duo stepped out, looking up at the two men, his arms crossed. "What?"

"Are you all right? What's wrong?" Milliard asked.

"I'm just getting ready to leave," Duo answered simply

"Leave?!" Treize and Milliard chorused.

"Why?!" Milliard demanded, horrified.

"Why not?" Duo asked. He walked over to the bed, sat upon it, and pulled on his socks; following those were his shoes.

"Because we won't let you!" Treize said sternly.

Duo laughed. "You two should know better than anyone you can't keep me anywhere I don't want to be."

"But don't you want to be home?" Treize asked, crouching in front of Duo, his hands on the boy's knees, looking up into his face.

Duo looked down at him, his face again the mask of complete impassiveness.

"Duo," Milliard said, sitting beside him on the bed. "Do you love us?"

"Yes," Duo answered. "And that's why I'm leaving."

"That makes no sense," Treize said.

"Yes it does," Duo said. "But you don't want it to, so to you, it's not clear."



"No," Milliard countered. "It's not clear because it's ludicrous!"

"Do you know how hard it is to love more than one person? To try to make one person feel they are welcome in an already formed and blossoming relationship when that's near impossible? There's no way it would work. So I'm going to leave and it's like I said yesterday, consider me deceased."

No!" Treize objected. "NO! NO!"

"There is no 'no'," Duo said simply. "There is only 'yes'."

"It's not impossible to love both intimately and spiritually," Milliard said. "From the first moment I saw you in that war, I fell in love with the idea of us, Treize, you, and I, together without the pain and sorrows of war. I've dreamed about it even. When we were children, or turned into them for that matter, I saw those vain dreams become something tangible. I, nor Treize, will let you go. Not now that we've had you. To us, you will never die."

Duo was shocked by the conviction of the words. He hadn't expected such a speech. Sure, perhaps a little resistance, but not a flat out refusal to accept. "But what if it turns out I'm incapable of that?" he asked. "What if you loving me and wanting me like that only leads to your deaths? Everyone who loves me dies." His mind drifted back to Maxwell Church. "Everyone dies..."

Milliard and Treize could feel the intense pain and anguish coming from Duo. Milliard wrapped his arms around Duo and pulled the boy into a warm embrace. "We're not leaving anytime soon, Duo," the blonde sighed, placing a tender kiss on the crest of his head. "And when we do, it won't be because of you."

Duo closed his eyes and leaned into the embrace, tightly weaving his arms around the man's bare back and burying his head in Milliard's hair. Milliard didn't like this, the way Duo seemed almost desperate for them not to leave him, and yet, Duo was going to cause himself a terrible pain because he didn't 'want Treize and Milliard to hurt.

Treize stood silently and walked to the dresser he and Milliard shared. Opening he bottom draw, he withdrew a plain black box. They had wanted to use something more extravagant than what it was in, some simple cardboard box that any meager piece of jewelry could inhabit, but they hadn't found anything that would compliment the beautiful gold and silver as precisely as they'd licked.

He rose and sat on the other side of Duo, and patted his knee.

Duo released Milliard, his face blotchy and his eyes dry though red in his attempts to hold back tears.

"We found this before Noin and Sally came," Treize said, handing Duo the box.

Duo took it, noticing how the small container fit into the palm of his hand. He tilted his head to the side, a bit more than slightly apprehensive, and carefully lifted off the lid. He gasped at the contents.

He ran his fingers over the seemingly rejuvenated coverings of gold and silver; the long beam of gold down, and across, the shorter silver beam. The chain was new, Duo could tell because the original one had been ripped apart, all of the beautiful links crushed under that boy's foot. He turned it over and sure enough, written on the cross piece was: "To our Duo

"You kept it?" he asked softly.

Milliard nodded. "We knew you'd be back to get it."

"And when you did come back," Treize said, "We knew we'd never let you leave."

Duo laughed softly. "You two are sure sure of yourselves."

"We used to be the most revered men in OZ," Milliard said, "One has to be sure of himself to keep that position."

"But this isn't the war," Duo whispered.

"And this isn't L-2," Treize said.

Duo's eyes shot up to his, molten with pain and Milliard's and Treize's betrayal still evident in them.

"We don't pity you, Duo," Treize assured him. "But we won't let you go. We can't, not now."

Duo sighed, looking deep into both sets of eyes. They were telling the truth. There was no pity in them but there were muddled flashes of love and fear. But fear of what? Fear for Duo leaving them. Yes, that's what they were feeling. That knowledge carried with it something Duo had never felt. He felt wanted, needed beyond all hope of hate.

He didn't try to stop them. It actually felt good to let them show. The tears. And he didn't care they were falling like a torrent, because he knew Milliard and Treize didn't care. He knew by the way they held him, by the way they kissed each of the salty drops away.

Clutching the cross to his breast, his knuckles white with strain, he heard as if from a distance his voice saying, "Yes... I'll stay with you..."//

The sun was setting now and the house was quiet even though Quatre, Trowa, Heero and WuFei had returned at five that evening. The four opted to allow Treize, Milliard, and Duo their space if only for a while.

Duo knew they were dying to talk to him, but for the moment, all the braided boy wanted was peace, something he had never known.

The soft breeze whispered across Duo's pale skin, his sweats the only thing shielding him from the warm bite of the wind. He felt lighter somehow, and safer.

His stomach growled. He realized he had eaten nothing for the last two days. Highly unusual. His mouth started watering as visions of peanut butter and banana sandwiches and cookies dance through his head.

WuFei entered the kitchen to see a butt sticking out of the open refrigerator. It was clad in nothing but sweat pants. A braid pooled on the floor as the person bent over to retrieve something from the bottom shelf.

"Maxwell, what are you doing?" WuFei asked, smiling despite himself.

Duo turned to him with an armful of sandwich fixings and kicked the door shut. Dumping the load on a nearby counter, Duo smiled and said, "Why good evening to you too, Wu!"

"You haven't called me that since Nan's," WuFei said.

"Oh, Wu!" Duo said, walking up to his oriental friend and cupping his face, making his lips pucker and his nose scrunch. "That's because I'm HAPPY now!"

"I'm glad you're happy, Maxwell, now get off my face."

"But you look so much better this way!" Duo quipped, applying more pressure. Now, Duo expected a hard tug at the braid which was easily within WuFei's reach. He didn't expect it when WuFei took hold of his hands and pulled them away from his face, grabbed him in the same manner, and kissed him on the forehead. He was released and WuFei stepped over to the evening coffee batch.

Duo blinked and said, "That has got to be the strangest retaliation I have ever seen."

WuFei smiled and handed Duo a cup of coffee. "Welcome home, Maxwell."

Duo took the offered cup and said, "Yeah... home."

~~OWARI~