A day long ago

By Lady Death

Duo kicked at the pebbles in the dirt road, trying to pretend he wasn't up to anything. He'd gotten pretty good at that, in the five months he'd been staying with this new group he'd found. They had little money, and then only what they'd stolen, but they had to steal that and food to live. He waited until the owner, some wealthy guy who was visiting the colony for some negotiations between them and his home colony, had left for the day. Duo carefully picked his way through the trees and up to the door. No one would be home now, the coast would be clear. Or so he thought. When he was sneaking through the back yard to the back door, someone spoke suddenly, just a few inches from his face. "Whatcha' doin??" The voice asked. Duo jumped and almost tripped over a flowerpot. "I didn't do anything, I swear!" He yelled before realizing it was only a kid. He brushed off his shirt and tried to save what dignity he had left. "Who are you??" He asked the kid. He was small, even shorter
than Duo, with short white hair that looked nice against his ice blue eyes. The boy smiled. "I asked you first." He replied promptly. Duo shrugged. "Well, to tell the truth, i was breaking into this house. Your turn." The boy smiled again. "i'm Quatre. And the door's open, silly kitty." He turned the doorknob and opened it to show what he meant. "Oh. Well, thanks... Say, what are you doing here??" "i live here, for now anyway. My father's at work now, though. He and left me with Nana, but she didn't want to play, so she's inside watching TV. Do you want to play??" He gestured over at a few trucks in the sandbox. Duo looked at it. "Well..." He did kind of want to play for once, and the boy did seem nice... but he had the group to think of. "i can't. i need to get back to the others. i'm sorry, you're real nice and all, kid, but i gotta steal some of your stuff." Quatre blinked and Duo almost kicked himself for being so blunt about it. "Why?? Stealing's bad." "It can't be
helped. We need stuff to sell so we can afford food." Quatre looked sad. "Well, i can help you with that!" He walked into the house, Duo following cautiously behind him. He followed Quatre into the kitchen, looking at the expensive inside. "Well, how many of you are there??" Quatre asked. "About ten, i guess..." Duo replied absently. Quatre pulled down a bag and started shoving things into it. "Uh huh... oranges, those are good, bread, this, that... do you like these, ... Hey, you never told me your name. Duo looked back at him. (BTW, this is before he took on the name Duo, i'm just using his name now for your convinience.) "i don't have one..." Quatre shoved some more into the bag. "Well, i must call you something... " Duo shook his head. "It's ok, i really don't need one. Besides, it's not like i'll ever see you again." Quatre finished tying the bag. "Really?? That's rather upsetting. i thought you'd want to come back later, to play." Duo took the bag. "Thanks." He said
gratefully. "And maybe we will meet up again some day." He turned and left. "Darn." Quatre sighed. "Alone again."