Ack _ Sorry, inspiration just came to me in the dead of night when I was *trying* to get over my current writers black for 'Eternal Love' and this just happened. Hope you enjoy if it isn't too sickly sweet.

DISCLAIMER: Duo or Heero don't belong to me, otherwise I'd be a very happy girl ^_^ Instead they belong to the good people of Sunrise and Bandai.

Heero had so many scars. Too many scars. I mean, all us pilots had battle scars but... Heero's were different in some way. His weren't just from fighting. As we led in bed together, I'd trace each scar with my fingers, finding un-named stars, forgotten battles, lost memories. He never explained them, and I never questioned him. It was just one of Heero's features, like his dazzling Prussian eyes, or tousled brown hair. He wouldn't be Heero without these souvenirs, but I still wanted to know where they had come from. Or more importantly, who or what had caused them. I'd hurt whoever did it if I were to ever met them, hurt them for hurting my Heero.

Out of the two of us, I'd say that Heero's easily the most protective. He knows that I can fight my own battles, but sometimes he just jumps in. I don't mind at all really, it's an amazing feeling knowing that someone loves you enough to sacrifice themselves for you. I hate the idea that he might get hurt, or that he might even die, but I know he's too stubborn to listen to me. He's just like that.

I was sat on my bed, watching him as he was getting ready for bed. As he slid off his shirt, the light caught his back, making all of the pink and white scars show up even more against his lightly tanned skin. I shook my head slightly. I had to ask him.

"Hee-chan?"

He turned to face me, looking as good as he always did. And he was only dressed in a pair of jeans, showing off his amazing six pack. He's not much bigger than me, but somehow he managed to have muscles in the equation, whereas I was just skin and bone. His gaze met mine.

"What's is it Duo?" he replied softly, in his lilting Japanese accent. Man, I loved his voice. Ever since he'd got rid of the whole "Perfect Soldier" act and started acting human, his voice was one of the most beautiful voices that I had ever heard.

"Why d'ya have so many scars?"

He kept looking at me, and I saw something flicker across his face. Anxiety? Pain? He walked over and sat next to me, our gaze never breaking. I felt myself start to sweat at his silence. Trust me to hit a touchy subject.

"You have scars too, Duo"

I shook my head.

"Yeah but... you've got more. Not all of them can be from fighting...."

He smiled slightly, making his whole face seem that much younger and more innocent, with little trace of the tortured soul within. He reached out and took my hand, placing it on his upper arm, on top of a crescent shaped scar.

"I can't remember where all of my scars come from" he began, "But this is the one I treasure the most"

I felt the skin beneath my fingers. It felt like just an ordinary bullet wound. What could be so special about a bullet wound? I bet he had loads of them.

"Why?" I asked him, "It's just a bullet wound"

"It's who gave me the wound who matters"

I was confused now. Maybe it was from that battle with Zechs? Maybe he remembered that as being an important battle? Or maybe it was from Odin? Did he ever shoot Heero? I doubt it. Or maybe.. it was from Relena? No... she wouldn't shoot Heero in a million years. And why would he treasure that anyway?

He reached up and touched my cheek, bringing his face closer to mine. I could feel his breath tickling my cheek as I stared into his deep, mesmerising eyes.

"I treasure it so much.... because it was you who gave it to me. When we first met"

I felt the blood rush to my cheeks. That was ages ago... back on that beach. When I stopped him from shooting Relena.... and she'd went all psycho even though I was trying to save her. And then I sprung him out of hospital..... and he tried to kill himself, by not opening his parachute... man I'm glad those "I must try and destroy myself at least once a day" times are over. And he'd broken his leg... and then he'd just snapped it back together. I mentally winced at the remembrance of the look on his face, the once of such pain. Or the sound.

I grinned at him.

"Do you have a scar from your leg?"

"You remember"

"Who could forget that? I thought you were actually psycho"

"... and then you realised I actually was?"

I laughed, and we fell back on the bed, lying side by side. This was the Heero before J messed around with him. This was the innocent person who'd been screwed up. He wasn't the perfect soldier anymore. He was just perfect.

He kissed my neck softly, and I could feel the wetness against my skin as tears came to his eyes. I didn't say anything, I just held him as he held me back.

~*~OWARI~*~