DESKLAYMUR: I don't own Gundam Wing/AC...though I really wished I owned Duo...XP

'Tis a Duo/Quatre, with the mentioning of Trowa/Wufei. They ish my favorite couples. Sorry to upset anyone. Anyway, R&R when you're done, 'tis appreciated!

ChibiShinigami13: Heyzez!

DeathScythe04: Whadaya want?

ChibiShinigami13: Ooo! You hate me...sniff

DeathScythe04: No, blondie's getting pissed off cuz I'm not eating dinner....

ChibiShinigami13: Oh my, god forbid you go without eating!

DeathScythe04: Fuck you

ChibiShinigami13: Isn't that what your supposed to do to your lover boy? That I absolutely hate?

DeathScythe04: Shut up and hurry up. What the hell do you want?

ChibiShinigami13: Be prepared. I'm coming over, to surprise you and help with your problems. Three days mind you.

DeathScythe04: ...shit!

ChibiShinigami13: You know, that kid kinda grows on you...now that I think about the poor guy...I mean he's going to be with YOU, so its kinda sad....

DeathScythe04: Shut up!

ChibiShinigami13: Haha, he grows on you like a fungus...I'm beginning to like him more and more!

DeathScythe04: MINE!

Great. She was coming. Just what I needed. Her, of all people. And what problems did I have? Well, sure, I always acted the happy-go-lucky type, but that's because no one else in this damn pigeonhole does. I'm really beginning to wonder what might have happened if I never found her. Would my life be better, or perhaps worse? I'd probably go with the latter, being as she helped me learn how to use and control Gundams. And got me out of the Maxwell church before it burned down.

I shook my head, not wanting to think about it. I could still remember everything back then perfectly – her voice, looks, emotions; the blood, fire, and screaming.

FLASHBACK – JUST BECAUSE!

There was a loud noise, waking the small brunette from his sleep. He gaped as the walls shook, and everyone dived under pews as the ceiling began to fall in. Father Maxwell was kneeling in prayer, a few of the elder children beside him. Sister Helen was busy trying to gather everyone else under cover. Flames shot up from the altar, and began burning the front of the church. The ceiling beams fell, and blocked my view of the others. I tried desperately to get to them, pulling bits and pieces of wood to make a large enough hole to get to them. Sister Helen was crying, and from the tiny gap I could see my friend Kari, lying motionlessly on the ground, crimson pouring around her. There was another shot, and David fell backward, away from Father Maxwell. I scrambled toward them, trying to get through, but something, someone pulled me back. Tears formed in my eyes as I saw Father fall, eyes still closed in prayer as the others screamed in terror. I couldn't see who was helping me, my eyesight was blurry from the tears that fell from my eyes. I coughed, then everything went black as another one of the ceiling beams crashed down.

" Hey kiddo. Glad you're awake, kinda scared me for a minute. "I blinked, seeing a copy of myself. Was I dead? Where was everyone? Who was this savior?

" I'm Niki, nice ta meet ya. What's your name? "I don't know what my name is, as far as I know, I never had one. People from the church called me something, I can't remember. I feel horrible, everything's spinning. I decided to let the darkness take over, and shut my eyes in hope of sleep.

I wake again, and I'm in another place. There's green, the smell of pine and other earthly scents. The ground is soft, damp, grassy. Trees tower overhead, and I see myself again, walking toward me as I sit up.

" Great. Now, are ya gonna fall back asleep and make me carry you again, or will you start talking? "She looked familiar, yet I swear I don't know her. Well, she looks like me, how can she not be? But that's not what I meant. Memories of the church, and Kari, David, Sister Helen – blood and death. I can picture it clearly in my mind.

" What's your name, kiddo? "My name? Father Maxwell always called me Duo...is that my name?

" Duo – that's what people call me. Duo Maxwell. "I liked the sound of that. But who was she? What was she doing here, with me?

" Great, I'm Niki. Told you that, but don't think you recall by the looks of it. "Right. Gotta remember that – Niki. What's her last name? Does she have one?

" So, where ya headed now? "Where? I don't know...I had always lived in the church with Father. Or I had lived on the streets with Solo – he took care of me. Until he was killed...just like everyone else I had grown to care about.

" I don't know. "That was all I could answer. She grinned.

" K then, why don't ya come with me? I was thinking of heading somewhere more interesting. Maybe steal a Mobile Suit, join the war. Sounds exciting, ne? "Sure, I guess. Getting killed in a war against people fighting for their beliefs, just like you - in a way. Wonderful.

" So, wanna join me? I could use some company. But I wont force ya or anything, due to what happened a while back..." So she wasn't exactly all careless about everything. That's a plus. Well, since I have nothing better to do, might as well.

She trained me, what levers, buttons, codes and keywords did what for a Gundam. I had chosen one that was almost pure black. I liked the color, black. Deep, dark, endless emptiness. Exactly how I felt now. I also liked the name – DeathScythe had a ring to it, and matched the look.

She was pretty good with hers – it was smaller than any Gundam, but had great attack and agility. Not much defense, but the way Niki used it, that would never be a bad thing. She nicknamed it Chibi Vicious, though I never found out its true name. Fine with me, I never cared.

I began not caring – a lot. Who I killed, what damage I had done. She taught me what I believed was a valuable lesson in most cases – kill or be killed. Hunt or be the hunted. Destroy or be destroyed. The enemy was never a friend, just a useless target that was in your way of victory. Trust was never an option, nor was truce. Those who pretended back stabbed you at the first chance they got. I learned that the hard way.

Niki was pick-pocketing her day's worth of money when I saw. A boy I had befriended, who seemed so helpless and kind for the past two years, he shot her. Almost killed her, but I treated him the same. What goes around comes around, and since he almost killed her, I went a step further and killed him. I wouldn't call it murder, just justice.

But that was when I was – oh, I dunno – young and stupid. That wasn't justice, it was crime. It hurt me, and I carried that guilt ever since. I cared for them, and Solo, and Father Maxwell. They all died, or were seriously injured, all because of me. So I left her, my twin (seriously, I found out early on) and walked the streets alone. I lived off thievery, stealing only if I needed to. And I did. I was to little to work, and no one cared. They thought me as a street rat, which I was. I filthy creature with no use, which I was.

When I learned another war had begun, I found myself a new batch of idiots to be near. Heero, the silent guy who knew everything and probably felt no emotions whatsoever, killing without a second thought. Wufei, who lived off honor, something I'd never have. Trowa, another orphan like me, who lived his life almost nobly, caring for Cathrine and protecting those he cared about – if anyone. And Quatre...

I liked him. A lot. I couldn't stop thinking about him. Naïve, full of passion, sympathy, and excitement. He could see the way I saw it – kill or be killed, but if you kill, you might as well be just as bad as the guy who is after you. Everyone fighting for what they know, care about, put faith in, trust. I understood, but using a 'technique' Niki had shown me, I would just be careless and happy-go-lucky around them. Acting as if I hadn't a care in the world.

I never grew close to any of them, I had never grown close to anyone since I left Niki. I titled myself Shinigami, being the God of Death was always behind me, maybe even a step ahead at times. Killing those I loved. And it was always my fault. I couldn't let that happen to him – and anyway, he loved Trowa. No one could like me, it was obvious. I was cursed, and they didn't know it, didn't care what I did.

Wufei had tried, once, to help me. Questioned me of my past, why I was here. Perhaps he got a bit of an idea. I responded not with anger, but with fury. I never wanted to remember, all those who I had hurt. Never. It was my past, being the murderer of so many, and my future to be alone, by myself to protect who I cared about. Shinigami liked it that way, how I would torture myself thinking of them.

END FLASHBACK

So here I was, waiting for Niki to arrive. I could sense something horrid was going to happen, but it would be her fault. She had made her choice, I had no power to stop her. If she died, even if it was me who killed her, it would be her fault.

And I couldn't live with that guilt. I thought of running, letting her come here and see I didn't want to be near her. Then Quatre would be safe, too. Just living near him was a hazard, but I risked it. And for what?

So I got off the soft floor, and walked downstairs. The braid I had finished earlier bounced against my back, in rhythm with my footsteps. It was nearing midnight, I doubt anyone would be up. Oh, how wrong I was.

The blonde stood there, in the doorway, blocking me. Why, who knows. Maybe he did, maybe he had figured out I wanted to leave. But why stop me?

" Duo...what's wrong? "he whispered. Great. Trapped in this house, waiting agonizingly until she would arrive. My only hope of escape was through my bedroom window – two stories up, maybe I could kill myself doing that. Or at least escape. Either option was fine.

But Quatre was fast, I knew that from watching him. Another thing Niki had taught me – watching your opponents to know what you're up against. I would have to run, two steps at a time, probably running into a few things to hold him up by a second or two. He was a good 12 feet away. I could make it, locking my door and jumping from the window. I could do it, if he didn't move forward barely a millisecond after I did. So I tried.

" Duo! "There he goes. Damn, I forgot about noises. Wufei had his room right next to mine, with the noise blondie was making, I wouldn't have enough time. Heero and Trowa would get in my way, too, if I went down their hall. Trowa would probably be to tired to do much, I could use him as a defense against Heero, who would be caught off guard by the brunette. So I turned, and I played out my plan. It worked, and I locked the green door behind me.

I would have to take the shortcut downtown, even more dangerous then heading straight, which was my original plan. To hell with it, oh well. I was just about to jump, and they had reached the door when I saw her. Great, just splendid. Trapped yet again. No hope of escape now. My mind raced – explain to Heero what I had done, or face a long time friend? The latter sounded a lot easier. Just as they managed to break the door, I disappeared.

" Duo! What the hell are you doing!? " I ignored her, running past. Unfortunately, she grabbed my hair, yanking me back. Glaring me straight in the eye, she asked the single question I did NOT want to answer.

" What the hell are you doing? "At first I thought I might try saying rejection. That way she'd think I'd asked Quatre and she'd leave – eventually after following me around to make sure I was ok. But that would be unbelievable. She knew about my past, and that's why she'd come. To help me get rid of my curse. She wouldn't believe if I told her I did it myself.

Trowa, Wufei, Quatre, and Heero were running toward us. I stood up, slapping her hand away.

" I'm leaving. "I began running again, and I could feel her gazing at me.

" DAMMIT DUO! YOU CANT KEEP RUNNING AWAY FROM THIS! YOU'LL HAVE TO FACE IT SOMETIME! "she shouted. I felt a tear run down my face. I knew that. But I didn't want to face it, not now at least. And hopefully, if I kept running, I would never face it. I planned to die before I had to, and I was sticking to that plan.

...So...'twas it good? 'Tis my first ficlet, so no harming the poor wittle me!

I'm new to the Gundam Wing fanfiction thing, so yeah. I'd like to know if I'm doing a good job or not, so please weview! Plushie and cookie reward! Pwomise!

(scroll the purple thing to 'submit review' and click go. Then type in what you think in the pop-up box! 'tis easy, and I'll do great things if you do! (a.k.a.: plushie and cookie reward!))