Disclaimer: Don't own, don't flame, don't sue.

Warning: slash (i.e. boyxboy), rated M for some nifty parts later on because that's what my cousin wants. –wicked smirk-

Pairings: 1x4, 2x3

A/N: this is for my cousin Elisa. You better like it! Plus, you have to leave a review for each chapter. –sticks tongue out-

Getting on, Along, With You

And with most sad stories comes a tragic love that won't make it in the end. Sort of a messed up way to close things don't you think? I never did understand the whole point of tragic love stories. Two people fall in love, usually it's along the lines of forbidden and they have to hide it, less something bad befall upon them. Then usually they ended up either both dead from stupidity or apart for the rest of their lives. Who'd want to read something that would make their soul cry so bad they'd become depressed after reading it? Idiots that's who! The world is full of people who don't know whether to be empathetic or impartial. But out on the streets there are no sad love stories of great tragic and passion. Just sick memories of once living a better life.

-Duo

XXX

Curt sounds of sneakers and heavy footsteps down a metal stairway leading down an almost endless spiral of steps out down to the quick rush of the city streets. Horns honked in every direction signaling anger and taut patience long since snapped after the signs of daylight touched ground. Dirty old cigarette butts alongside equally dingy, if not worse, paper on grimy pavement. The city was a boom of sounds, colors, and people. A flourishing society of feigned politeness and not so kind blunt souls. A variety of youth subcultures and normalcy alike. Subcultures where black nail polish, eyeliner, duct tap, tight pants, knee high boots, skater apparel, and paperclips were commonplace. This was the life most lower side kids and teenagers knew. To them, this was their cornucopia of unadulterated lifestyle. People on this side of town could care less. Lower East side living quarters were a place to be avoided by most tourists, not that it was severely dangerous, but if you were looking for a good time and place to spend your money the Lower East, was not it. Many people had been mugged, beaten, but never killed. No. That was the Lower South side of the city.

Each side of town had a reputation. Upper West and North were good places, while the lower sectors of those places were simply businesses and a milieu of shops to batter ones senses. Upper East and South was the tourist trap. It worked well bringing in the money, both legally and not so. Pickpockets, sellers with smooth forked tongues, street performers, and an air of complete soullessness. Given and taken. Passed around. Out in this world, he thrived.

Turning the volume up on his cassette player, better known in its day as the walkman, the sound filtered out the rest of the world. A constant loop of hip hop-beats, jazzy rhythms, and the heated sound of guitar playing matched by saxophones and violins here and there to go with each changing of light and turn of corner. The world was a symphony Duo could manipulate to his liking. He lived up in a rickety old apartment building that had seen better days and better tenants in its years. It was merely and old decaying skeleton of what it had once been. The thick outer walls chipped and molding damn near worn to wood and drywall. Duo hit the pavement on a roll of wheels underneath his worn-in comfy Vans. The beauty of a tape player, it never skipped after hard jolts and it couldn't get scratched. Getting it wet and accidentally unwinding it was a whole different story, but it was his and he loved it.

He surveyed his surroundings, trying to decided whether to pickpocket some early morning tourists, or to just head to school, the city was always more tempting then the lackluster halls of his school. There wasn't a thing it could teach him that he didn't already know. The whole educational process was a bore. He didn't even have to show up to class half the time and he got good grades. Though, he attributed his well established English grade to his perverted teacher who had a tendency to "accidentally" touch him lingeringly in places he shouldn't. It was a bit of a shock at first, but he supposed that was the Lower East school system for you. If you were willing to let a teacher molest you, one really didn't have to try as hard. After weighing the options in his head, and who really wanted to be molested by a guy who was more then a decade older then them, a devilish smirk crossed his lips and he honed in on his first victim of the day.

Slapping his hands together he made his way into the early morning crowd, "And to the victor, will go the spoils."

XXX

Somewhere in the upper Northwest side of town, Trowa rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. He didn't want to get up, not from the comfy mound of blankets he was bundled up in, but his class was going on a trip to one of the many museums that littered the town. More specifically it was in the Lower East of town. It always made him wonder why a group of upscale private school kids would take fieldtrips to the "painted up whore" of the town. That's all it was. Something uniquely wondrous in its own right, in its basic structure, painted up for sale. Make a profit. Sell your soul. It's perfectly fine. Everyone else does it. He hated these trips. Most of the other kids in his class would say some shit or other about all the Lower East kids and their unsavory lifestyle. But who did they think they were to let slip such unpalatable words when they had no idea what it was like to make due with what had been placed in front of them? An aspect he hated in his social status.

Getting up he made his way downstairs and into the dinning room for breakfast. He sat at one end of the large table sitting center room. His parents on one end opposite each other, him on the other, alone. Staring down at his plate, he sighed, another lonely warm meal consumed in icy silence. He looked on again at his parents, sitting silently across from each other, one reading the newspaper, the other tapping things on a screen with a tiny pen. Solely for each other, together infinitely alone. One of these days he was going to leave this place and move into a rustic little shack and never see them again. His father made a motion with his hand, his mother passed him something hidden by a large vase, neither looking up, nor saying a word. Trowa rolled his eyes and frowned at his over easy eggs, preferably somewhere far away. Someplace where his parents wouldn't even dream stepping foot near. He turned his head slightly to the side and pondered minutely on perhaps simply moving into a Lower East side domicile. The thought made him smile to himself.

Breakfast had vanished uneventful as always and he'd rushed through his shower. Out front one of the cars was pulled up and waiting for him. He nodded his thanks to Kevin, he didn't believe in nameless faces, and got into the car and drove himself to school. After an half hour drive through traffic and pedestrians, he parked his car in the student parking lot and got out. His friends were waiting for him. Both Quatre and Heero had been his friends since the day they all decided they hated their parents and the superficial lifestyle that they were supposed to assume.

"Can't wait to buy me a pretzel," said Heero still rubbing sleep out of his eyes, poor boy looked like he'd been wrestled out of his bed, "I'm starving."

"Sleep in again, huh?" Quatre smiled at their friend.

"When doesn't he?" they made their way over to the five vehicles where their class was congregating around. "Guy's never seen a brush, let alone daybreak."

"I'm a nocturnal creature," said Heero scratching the back of his head and yawning.

"No denying that Mr. Nightclub/Raver," Trowa climbed into the last sixteen passenger vehicle.

"I don't rave," said Heero rolling his eyes and climbing in after Trowa.

"Notice he didn't say anything about not nightclubbing," Quatre came in after them and sat in-between the two of them in the last seat in the back.

"Whatever," muttered Heero.

It only took them about forty-five or so minutes to get downtown. They all poured out of the cars and made their way into the museum. It was a sad repeat of every trip their school had ever made since grade school. None of them were interested in anything the museum had to show them that they hadn't already seen before. This meant Trowa and his classmates, were merely wondering about on their own, talking crap about each other, and writing things in permanent marker on any wall they could get close to. Trowa, Heero, and Quatre were all sitting down in the cafeteria eating things they'd bought at a vending machine. They were only eating snacks to hold them over till they went out for lunch. They watched as the teachers tried gathering up the rest of their classmates.

"This is a pathetic excuse for a class trip, why can't we once go somewhere cool?"

"I wouldn't mind the symphony again," said Quatre popping a chip into his mouth.

Both Heero and Trowa just turned their heads and stared at Quatre.

"What!"

"Nothing," said Trowa getting up and following the crowd outside the museum.

Heero rolled his eyes, "You know he likes rock."

"Oh yeah," Quatre laughed and they followed suit.

As they walked out, Heero's hand brushed Quatre's and for less then a split second they locked eyes and smiled at each other. It wasn't that they didn't think Trowa couldn't take knowing that they were together, it's just they weren't quite sure how to tell him. They'd been friends for over five years now, but sometimes Trowa would say things that would make them think otherwise about telling him. Then again, sometimes they also noticed Trowa openly staring at guys before. So either Trowa was gay, or in denial. The two of them watched as Trowa crossed the street by himself to the park their class was going to for lunch.

Small little push carts littered the edges of the park selling a variety of things to eat and drink. The park was also littered with tourists stopping for a snack and teenagers most likely skipping school, opposed to them, who were on a trip. Trowa went up to the cart selling pretzels and bought four and a drink. Heero and Quatre sat on the fountain making sure they had a spot to sit at and Trowa handed them a pretzel each and sat down.

XXX

Elsewhere in the same park Duo honed in on his last victim for the day here at the park. It was getting too full of locals on school trips, which Duo found to be the most annoying. A few of them he even knew. Quickly he sped off on his skateboard down the sidewalk mere feet, inches, from the purse he was going to snatch from the woman who had just stuffed a large number of bills into it. A little too late though he realized that the man next to her was a police officer and by the time it dawned onto him he already had the item in his hands. Glancing back just ever so slightly he caught sight of the woman yelling and the police officer start chasing him.

"Shiiit," he dragged the vowel out and stuck his foot on the ground and pushed as hard as he could, trying to gain momentum.

"Hey, you, stop this instant!"

It always surprised Duo how stupid cops thought street kids were. Well, Duo didn't live on the street, but it was more like home then his actual home really was. There were too many people out on the street today. It was getting a little ridiculous around here. Honestly. He made a detour towards the fountain and rocketed down the cement. People dogged him and barely made it out of his way. Just as he thought he'd be in the clear someone got up from the fountain and the two of them collided.

Trowa barely had time to register what had happened as the stars cleared from his vision. Half on top of him was another person, but really all he saw was a puffy tan artists hat and a long brown braid. He'd of been pretty sure a girl had landed on him, if not for that fact that a warm scented cologne came off this person, and also, his hand was in an inopportune place.

"Christ!" the boy jumped off of him, and a brown leather wallet slipped from the boys baggy back pocket, next to his hand.

"Uh-" Trowa had been about to give the boy his wallet, but he'd shot off the second someone started yelling.

A police officer ran past, jumping over Trowa as he went after the braided boy.

Heero helped Trowa up, "That was strange."

"He dropped his wallet. Or I'm going to assume it's his," said Trowa dusting himself off and just sitting back down on the fountain.

"Open it up, let's see what he has in it," said Quatre excitedly.

Both Heero and Trowa raised and eyebrow in his direction.

"Okay……."

Heero shrugged, "Just open it, I swear I've seen that guy before."

Quatre gave Heero a look behind Trowa.

Heero merely shrugged again.

"It says his name's Duo, Maxwell. He's got a lot money in here for someone his age," Trowa flipped the tiny plastic clear picture holder and a couple pictures fell out.

"Now him, I know I've seen," said Heero pointing at one of the pictures with a boy with black hair, pulled tightly into a ponytail.

"Not a raver huh?" said Trowa scoffing.

"He's not a raver, well, as far as I know, but that guy works at the coffee shop, Paris."

"What about this Duo guy?" asked Quatre giving him another look, the words: we need to talk, were severely etched into his features.

"He hangs out with Wufei a lot-"

"Wufei?"

"Black ponytail dude, anyways like I was saying, he hangs out with Wufei a lot. I'm pretty sure, judging by what just happened, Duo's a pickpocket and bootlegger," Heero sipped on his green tea energy drink.

"Bootlegger?" Quatre was starting to think he didn't know Heero as well as he once had.

Heero rolled his eyes, "For crying out loud Quatre, pick up a dictionary."

"Heh," Trowa tried not to laugh at his friends. "So, do you know where he lives or something? Because I figure he might want his wallet back."

"No, but I-"

The police officer was walking back, then paused and stared down at Trowa, seeming to remember the boy tripping over someone, "You ok kid?"

"Yeah," Trowa cocked an eyebrow at the officer.

"Hey, you wouldn't happen to know that kid from earlier would you? Also, someone said it looked like he dropped something, did you happen to see it?"

"Nope," was Trowa's curt reply.

"If you find anything kid, drop it off by the station," the officer walked off, but glanced back at them and spoke into something on his shoulder.

Trowa waved him off and looked over at Heero, "Where does that Wufei guy work again?"

XXX

Duo sat cross-legged on his bed counting the mornings spoils. Tourists were such easy targets in the city. He reached for his back pocket to add the money to it, but his pocket felt flat where his brown leather wallet was supposed to be. He tried to remember taking it out. Had he even brought it with him today? Getting up he walked over to his drawer and moved everything around the top of it. Most of the odd trinkets and random objects hit the long mirror. He opened drawers and rummaged through them, finding nothing he started muttering foul words under his breath. Finally getting fed up and flung himself onto his bed. The old spring mattress rattled and the bottom wood floor boards creaked.

He growled into his mattress, "What the hell?"

He tried to remember the last time he had his wallet with him. He'd had it when he'd robbed that last person. The weight had been so perfect in his pocket as he'd skated down the sidewalk…….sidewalk……

"Crap, why me?" he stared up at the ceiling.

He reached over and picked up the phone and dialed in a familiar number. It rang a few times then finally.

"Café Coffee Paris, Wufei speaking, how may I be of service?" a loud clatter of sounds and chatter played in the background.

"Yeah, I'd like a tall thin, Asian, well tanned. How much would that cost?"

There was a momentary pause, Duo could practically see Wufei staring at the phone with a confused expression on his face, "Too much. What do you want Duo, I'm working."

"Dude, man, I so lost my wallet today after wiping out," Duo looked at his finger nails and frowned at the chipped index nail.

"Wiped out? You? What happened?" it didn't really sound like he was interested in what Duo was saying, just merely humoring him.

"Nothing really, just almost got caught stealing again today. On my get away trek I accidentally crashed into some guy in a private school uniform. Pretty hot actually, but yeah, I think he's got my wallet. You think I could stay at your place for a while, just to make sure if someone comes looking for me they won't find me?" he knew Wufei, he'd say no, but by the end of the night, they'd end up at his place.

"Fine whatever, I get off at ten tonight," someone yelled for Wufei in the background.

"Cool, I'm gonna head over right now, ok?"

"Sure, just buy something when you get here."

"You got it," he hung up the phone and started throwing random articles of clothing into a backpack.

He walked over to his stereo and hit play. Out came a seedy song with a strange jazzy beat and a strong violin, Duo was a coinsure of strange songs. What was off about this particular song was that none of the verses or choruses repeated themselves during the entire eight minutes it played. The song annoyed most of his friends because they could never learn the words to it. But it wasn't the words he liked; it was the violin that he loved. He'd heard the song once in passing and memorized the name of it and downloaded it and put it to tape. He usually tuned out the rest of the song.

He finished up packing a weeks worth of clothing and accessories and headed out the apartment. On his way down the spiraling metal stairs he passed his dad, he only paused for a second, but kept on walking. It wasn't often his dad ever came home to the apartment. His dad had long ago stopped working and only went off to gamble whenever he could. There'd be months when he wouldn't come home and when he did he'd smell of cheep perfume, cheap liquor, and clove cigarettes. The two of them had been so estranged from each other that Duo was pretty sure his dad didn't even know what he looked like anymore. Duo didn't even look back as he went down the next flight of stairs and continued to Paris.

XXX

Lights glittered down the main street of town. Trees decked in plain twinkling Christmas lights and windows in neon and glass paint were common for down town. Loud music boomed out of the local clubs and eateries, calling to teenagers like candy to kids. In one particular place, a real trendy place, known as simply as Paris to the local kids, was abound with young adults and older teens and younger ones who thought they were cool enough to hang out at coffee shops past nine on a Friday.

At a side table near a window Trowa, Heero, and Quatre sat drinking bottled water. Heero was the only one to drink coffee on a daily basis, but he was also an energy drink lover. At the moment though, he decided it would be best to stay away from the counter, what with Quatre by his side, eyes never leaving him. It was actually annoying; he was halfway tempted to head up to the counter just to pretend he was flirting, but he really wasn't an ass and in the end could never do something like that. Someone came up to their small dark round table.

"So, how goes your night people?" it was Wufei, he'd pulled up a chair sat backwards in it, arms crossed over the top of the chair.

"Good," said Heero.

"Yeah good," said Quatre arching an eyebrow as if challenging the other boy.

Wufei merely gave him an amused look and continued his required banter, "That's great, well, if you guys need anything, don't hesitate to ask ok?"

"Sure thing," said Heero.

Wufei was less then a couple steps away when Trowa spoke, "Actually, I was looking for Duo. Is he here?"

"Pardon?" he'd stopped in his tracks and gave Trowa a guarded stare.

"Duo, is he here tonight? I was told that he sometimes hung out here with you," Trowa titled his head slightly.

"No, he's not here, but I'll be sure to give him the message that….." he looked at Trowa waiting for him to supply him with a name.

"Trowa."

Wufei nodded, "Trowa, well, I'll make sure to tell him you're looking for him."

Trowa waited till Wufei was back at the front counter before he said, "Not that he'd be all that hard to spot."

"True," said Heero.

"He's eyeing our table now, it's kind of creepy," Quatre shifted uncomfortably in his place.

"Yeah, well, when you go asking around for someone and not say why, I'd be pretty suspicious too. Besides, Duo's from the Lower East, how's Wufei supposed to know whether or not you want to do him harm," said Heero taking a big drink out of his water bottle.

"Heh, didn't think about that, but honestly do I really look like I could take a street kid?"

"Nope."

"Not a snowballs chance in hell."

"OK, that hurt more then I thought it would, talk about ego buster."

An hour passed and Heero had said he'd take Quatre home. Both had left Trowa to his own devices, leaving seven cups of coffee all a different blend, and a half eaten bear claw. He'd never felt so drowsy or jittery at the same time. His eyes darted about the room and was glad the bathroom was clear, earlier there had been a line. He checked the room again to see if Duo had shown up, but his bladder won out and he made way for the rest room. He opened the door and wished he hadn't. When he came back out Wufei was talking to some boy in a tan puffy hat, semi baggy pants, worn red Vans, and a walkman hooked to his DC belt.

Wufei was pointing to the table he'd been occupying, then made a head motion towards the restrooms. Trowa made his way back to his cluttered table and wished he hadn't drank so much coffee. His stomach made a very displeasing sound. He decided maybe he should just come back some other time, but then he noticed Duo staring over at his table. He cursed silently under his breath. The braided hair boy made his way over to Trowa's table, a wicked lopsided smirk on his feral features.

"So, you didn't take my wallet to the cops, how sweet of you," Duo held his hand out.

Trowa pulled the wallet out of his coat and handed it to Duo. The other boy let his fingers grace Trowa's wrist as he grabbed his wallet. Trowa frowned at him and looked down at Duo's hand, still touching his.

"Can I help you?"

The wicked smirk came out again, "As a matter of fact, yeah, you can."

"No, I was trying to make you move your hand."

"And I need a place to stay for the night. You can help me out."

"No, I can't," Trowa got up and headed outside.

Duo rolled his eyes and got up and followed Trowa outside. He barely caught him before he shut the car door, "Yo, look, I won't like try to rob you or anything, I just need a place to stay for the night."

"Why?" Trowa stared at him.

"My dads home and he's drunk, and a major asshole who likes to spend his free time gambling. I don't want to be home while he is," Duo leaned against Trowa's car.

Trowa closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose, "I don't even know you."

"I promise to be on my best behavior," Duo smiled.

Trowa sighed, "Fine."

Duo stuck one hand in the air in triumph, "Yes!"

Trowa arched an eyebrow at him.

"I'll be back, I'm going to tell Wufei I'll be at your place."

"…….." Trowa waited for him to come back.

Inside Duo rushed up to the counter picked up his backpack and tapped Wufei on the shoulder, "See you tomorrow, 'k."

"Wait, what's going on?" he was cleaning a blender.

"Spending the night at that dudes place."

"You don't even know him," Wufei frowned at his friend.

"He's rich, besides, my dads home and I want to get as far from him as possible. Don't worry, I'll be fine. Bye" he took off out the door and jumped in Trowa's car. "Can't wait to see the sunny side."

"Heh," Trowa slightly smiled and took off down the road, heading for home.

XXX

A/N: Woot, next chapter will come eventually. I wrote this in two days, so I better see some reviews. …….. –sad kitten face- do you want to make me cry?

Things to look forward to in next chapter: Duo marvels at the wonders of the rich life. And in the darkness of night, Trowa and Duo find each other. On their own piloted expedition Quatre and Heero have some fun of their own.