Title: The Best Kept Promise
Author: Silver & Harmony
Pairings: 2+1, 4+3, implied 1+? and 3+?
Rating: M 15+
Warnings: Post-EW, slightly OOC
Disclaimer: Not ours, otherwise Heero/Duo and Trowa/Quatre would be canon.
Notes: This is our first combined GW story so please be nice and don't thrash us down with flames that are too nasty. We're trying our best to write as well as we can and all feedback is appreciated.

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Prologue

Split ends are a nuisance.

No matter how much conditioner he put in his hair and trim off the unnecessary ends each week, there always seemed to be more split apart like an unraveling rope. He felt like a mop. Since the nearest scissors were out of reach at a place that smelt so strongly of pressed business suits and office papers, the only option was to use his teeth as he savagely tore off the persistent hairs, hardly noticing the city view ahead of him.

Hearing the shuffle of footsteps approaching, he immediately straightened up and released his long braid, brushing the dust off his clothing to ready himself for a grand entrance.

"Nice digs," Duo announced his presence, giving a wave, "Yo, Quatre, how've you been?" he stood up and presented his friend with a grin.

"Duo!" Quatre exclaimed. He dismissed his assistants at once and led Duo to the tearoom.

"What an impressive building! You're family's really somethin'. This is all yours now, right?" commented Duo, staring out of the enormous window. Quatre wriggled a little, trying to get comfortable in his chair.

"No, not yet. My sisters are managing all the assets of the corporation right now. As far as anyone else knows, I'm missing."

Duo turned around, "Because you're a Gundam Pilot? Quatre, where were you anyway?"

"On the Earth. I went with Heero to figure out what we should be doing. That's the reason I went." answered Quatre.

"So did you come up with anything?"

"I think we've gotta fight. That's why I came looking for you guys. There are lots of kind people on Earth, Duo, and same is true for the colonies." Quatre turned his gaze to the city through the window. "I want to help build a world where everyone can live in peace. I want to protect the total pacifism upheld by the Sanc Kingdom."

"Total pacifism," Duo almost laughed as if it were a joke, "Do you really think such a world is possible?"

"Duo?"

Duo paused momentarily and walked to the wall before turning around and leaning against it. After he had done so, he crossed his arms and bowed his head low. "I've been fighting for the colonies all this time; they should leave the fighting to me. I should be the only one who has to suffer as much as I did. But now the colonies have decided to start up a war - which means that a lot more people will end up dying. Maybe I've lost faith in what we're fighting for - in the future that we dreamed about. Maybe in the end peace is just an impossible dream."

"I made a grave mistake once. I don't expect to ever be forgiven. I'll risk everything to show my remorse, and I'll do that by fostering my hope for peace. Because once a dream is lost, then really everything is lost." He uttered solemnly.

"You may be right about that. Although a dismal future may be more suitable for the Great Destroyer." Duo tittered completely changing the sober atmosphere.

"Duo...?"

Duo stretched and gave a loud yawn, "Well Quatre, this place is just a little too high-class for me. I'll see you 'round, buddy boy!" Duo began pacing away. Suddenly he stopped, and glanced back at Quatre again, who was still sitting on his chair, his cup of tea in his hand. "If you're really gonna keep looking for the Gundam Pilots, I guess you'll see what's his name..."

"Duo, do you mean...?" Quatre asked, setting down his cup.

"Yep." Duo replied after a pause, and with a wave, he turned to leave.

At the sight of Duo's departure, a thought suddenly returned to Quatre and he instantly stood up, "Wait! Can't you stay longer?"

"Don't you have other affairs you need to attend to?"

"Oh sure, but I can spare a little time." Quatre glanced at his wristwatch. "Why shouldn't you?"

"Alright...but I warn you: I'm going to take advantage of the big bucks that you have."

"Fine then. We can go for ice-cream around the city."

They both swung their gaze to the window at the glimmer of blue and silver lights.

"Mmm...this is good quality ice cream! Hey kiddo, couldn't have got it without your cash!"

Quatre gave a fake laugh. "You're...welcome."

"So, was there anything specific in mind that you wanted to talk to me about?" Duo questioned, greedily slurping at his super-duper-giant-deluxe-triple-mocha-flavored-ice-cream.

Quatre slowly savored his one spoonful of the teeny-tiny-children's-bite-sized-vanilla-flavored-sample that was given to him for free before throwing the plastic spoon into the rubbish bin.

"What's making you believe that I was thinking of something in particular?"

"'Coz that laugh just before wasn't what I'd really call genuine. And 'coz a billionaire like you took that free ice-cream that was less than the size of a peanut." Duo explained, holding up his index finger and thumb on his left hand at a close distance to demonstrate his point.

There was an awkward length of silence as Quatre hindered response, hoping that Duo would continue the conversation. However, Duo would not say anything as he peered at the blond boy beside him, determined to know what was behind the change of attitude.

Quatre sighed. "Oh Duo, I'm so lonely. I just wish that there was somebody who could stay by me and not leave me alone all the time. My sisters and I don't really keep in contact. Both my mother and father have passed. The Maganacs can't tend to my loneliness when it comes to me. Before, even you were being quick to leave after merely talking about the events of the war."

"Sorry Cat, but I know how you feel. I'm a solitary reaper. I was raised an orphan, so I don't have any brothers or sisters, let alone soldiers that would follow me to the battlefield like your Maganacs."

Quatre smiled weakly. "I guess compared to Heero, Trowa and Wufei, we're not really that lonely. We do have conversations, and we do like to talk - just the two of us."

"Yeah, they're all very grumpy." he pouted. "They seriously need to be pulled out from the prison-like confines of their missions."

"Well, we never know. They might all have girlfriends that we don't even know about."

Duo raised his eyebrows interestedly trying to clarify what Quatre was implying, "Are you saying that you feel lonely 'coz you reckon that your love life is a bit dull?"

Quatre grinned sincerely. "Yeah, something like that."

Duo brightened, "Well, Cat, you don't have to worry because I'm not dating anyone either. Hey, I have an idea - let's make a pact!"

"A pact? What kind?"

Duo smirked. "We're both fifteen right? So why don't we give ourselves three years? Hopefully by that time the war will be over! By this day in three years time, when we're eighteen, we'll no longer be single. What do you think?"

"I like it," Quatre agreed, holding out his hand. "You're on."

Duo shoved the rest of his mocha ice cream into his mouth and they confirmed their agreement by shaking hands.


(To Be Continued)