Disclaimer: Not mine. No money made. No nothing.

Warnings: a.k.a. Spoilers. Actually, I don't think this has any spoilers seeing as I wasn't able to see the whole thing. But, I assure you, this has no connection whatever to the whole series, even the OVA. Oh yeah, jus the characters. ^_____^

Notes: Hmm…what do I say? Oh, this is my first GW fic ever posted. I think I wrote some in the past (a long, long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away…) Annnnnnyway…enjoy!

LIFE ANEW

Chapter One

I balanced the bag on my shoulder and lifted the suitcase from the sidewalk. It's a bright day outside, the sun is shining, birds are chirping, there are children playing. Funny how I never noticed that before.

I turned to look at the house behind me. For almost six months, it had been my home. During that time, I got to share it with the people I care about, my friends. Now, I look at it and see the door that's almost out of its hinges, its paint cracked on different places, the porch light that never seemed to get fixed and the chairs that sat there, facing each other. The house looks old, cold, barren. Funny how I never noticed it before as well.

Sighing to myself, I walked down the road and hailed a taxi. For almost six months I lived here, but now, I have to go. Giving the house one last look, I got in the cab and told the driver my destination.

The airport.

Truthfully, I have no idea where I'm supposed to go now. The airport just seems to be the most sensible place to go. This is not my home, these are not my people, nothing's holding me back here, so why stay?

~~

The plane touched down from under me. I can feel its machines roaring as its tires made contact with the ground. Looking out the window, I see another aircraft as it glided along the runway and enter the hangar, positioning itself to a pathway that connects to the actual building.

Checking to see if I have everything with me, I closed my eyes and leaned on my chair. This would be a new start for me, this place would be where I can live again. Without the war, without the killing machines, without bloodshed, without everything. Most of all, from this day forth, I'll start not as a killing machine myself, but just Duo Maxwell, a sixteen year-old boy.

"Thank you for flying with us. Please enjoy your stay at L2 colony."

~*~

The whole place was busy, passengers were coming and going, so no one really noticed when I went out of the airport and stepped into the streets. Good enough for me.

Taking in a deep breath, I looked around, deciding on which direction I should go. The whole place changed since the last time I've been here.

When was it? Two years ago? Five?

I stood there for a few moments more, still unsure of my destination when my stomach grumbled a complaint. I realized I haven't eaten since…this morning. Is it just this morning? It seemed so long ago…

I saw a restaurant at the street across from me and started to walk towards it. When I entered, the smell of freshly made bread attacked my senses and I seemed to get weak on my knees.

I didn't realize how hungry I was until the food was sitting in front of me and I ravaged it like a wild animal.

"Hey, man! Slow down! The food's not gonna run away, y'know!"

I looked up from my plate to the person standing in front of me. He was of medium-built, brown hair, cerulean eyes, and looked about 20 something.

He looks like…

"Hiya! My name's Jason! Ya new here?"

Jason smiled and sat at the seat across from me. I looked at him cautiously. I may be gone for long, but I know this place like the back of my hand, and I know the people here. Thieves, crooks, and criminals of all forms and sizes infest this place. He, however, continued to smile at me. "Don't worry. I ain't here to grab yer bags and leave ya naked in a dark alley. I work here. I'm just off for the time bein so I thought I'd make friends."

Friends? Here I am, sitting in this deli situated in a place that was both familiar and strange to me at the same time and there's this guy, one that I barely know, sitting in front of me, offering friendship? Well, the next time thugs go in this place, I know who'll go down first.

"C'mon! I'm not contagious! At least not THAT contagious!" And he laughed to himself. I don't get it, it's not funny.

"Duo."

He stopped laughing and looked at me. "Huh?"

"You want my name? It's Duo."

He smiled and shook my hand. After that, he proceeded to tell me of his exploits. How his last neighbor got mad at the other neighbor's cat and decided to broil it over hot coal, how he was supposed to get a tattoo the other day, but he can't decide which one he wanted that the owner told him to come back in a month, and other stuff that seemed to fail to register to my brain. I'm tired. I sat in the plane with a passenger who seemed to refuse me and the other passengers about five rows up and down of sleep with his snores. Before that, I didn't get much rest because I was too busy packing my stuff and feeling a bit nostalgic about leaving the house. He must've noticed this, because he got this worried look on his face and he stopped talking to look at me. Then again, maybe it was the fact that I've stifled five yawns already that gave it away.

"Hey, man. You seem tired. You got a place to stay?"

I looked at him, surprised at his suggestion. Yep, this guy's really gonna go down first. Before I can utter a word, he was out of his chair and talking to the guy behind the counter, telling him that he'll take the leave for the night. He disappeared behind a door for a while and came back wearing a blue unbuttoned shirt with a white T-shirt underneath and faded jeans. He walked over to me; "You can stay at my place for the night. You look like you need some rest."

I looked at him, about to reject his offer when my body decided for me and another yawn escaped. He smiled and made a motion to grab my bag. Snapping awake, my hands flew to the handle and I gave him a look that said 'don't you dare'. At least that's what I was hoping for. He laughed and raised his hands up, "Easy! I told ya, I'm not gonna hurt ya. Fine, you take it, just come with me."

His apartment was two blocks away from the deli and five floors up the building. Smells of liquor, cigarette, sex and a hint of what I think is pot crept up my nose the moment we entered the building.

"Sorry about that. This is the cheapest place I can find that was near where I work. You'll get used to it."

I smiled at him and looked around. I don't think I'll ever get used to this.

Then again, I also thought that I'd never get used to the idea of killing people…

He opened the door and what appeared in front of me was a startling contrast to what I've seen of the building. The place was…clean. It was almost bare, but it was clean.

"Hey! Ya gonna come in, or what?!"

I looked at him and realized that I was still standing outside the door. I walked in and dropped my bags beside the couch.

"Well, this is my place. I don't have much, but I live." He smiled. "Over there is the kitchen," he pointed to a small corner, where a table was pushed against the wall and a sink was obviously clean despite its oldness. "There's my room," he motioned to a door, "This is the bathroom," he pointed to another door at the far end of the room. "And this is where'll you'll be staying." He pointed to the couch. "I don't know where you come from or what kinda living yer used to, but this is all I can offer you for now."

I walked over to the couch and sat, "Thanks."

His face brightened, "AH! He speaks! Man, I thought for a while you were kinda mute. But alas, I was wrong."

I snorted. He smiled. "Well, I'll let ya settle in for the night, eh? Oh wait," he went into his room and later came out with a pillow and an old blanket, "Here ya go. It gets kinda cold here in the middle fo the night. Okay, sleep tight!" and once again, he disappeared into his room leaving me sitting on the couch.

I looked around the place. It was small, but livable. Placing the pillow on one end of the couch and puffing it to perfection, I laid my head on it and covered myself with the old, beat-up blanket.

First day in L2 and here I am, sleeping on someone's couch, in someone's apartment. What a way to start anew. I wonder what's in store for me here…

AN: There ya go. Sorry if Duo seemed OOC. But the whole thing's about his thoughts that I didn't feel the need to make him talk. But, I promise, in the next chapter, I'll let him talk more. Heh, his voice is gonna be so coarse after a long time of not speaking. Hehe. But of course, to have another chapter, I must know if someone's at least reading this thing…*coughreviewcough* ^_____^