Title: Dark Memories

Rating: PG-13

Genre: Drama/Romance, a lot of action, some humor 'cause of Duo

Pairings: Trowa/Duo, Wufei/Heero, Zechs/Quatre, Treize/Solo (3x2, 5x1, 6x4, 13xSolo)

Summary: Tragedy follows a thief named Duo wherever he goes. When he loses his memory, he gets a new chance. But not without a price. Darkness shadows his steps. Can he save his new friends without hurting them too? 3x2

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The Ice Prince and the Fiery Dragon

"And I don't want the world to see me. 'Cause I don't think that they'd understand... When everything's made to be broken, I just want you to know who I am," Duo sang softly. He was running a brush through his long chestnut locks, eyes dark. Two days had passed since he had woken up, but he remembered very little. He had learned by going through Quatre's extensive CD collection that he loved Goo Goo Dolls, Linkin Park, and Good Charlotte. His hand had flown towards them and Evanescence, which he was sure didn't belong to little Quat. But sometimes... he felt a devastation deep within him. Like something dark had happened in his life. And he didn't know what it was.

"Hey Duo!!" Quatre called through the intercom. The thief got up from his chair in front of the mirror, long hair flowing around him. It shimmered a myriad of brown-red and gold.

"Hey Kitty-Quat. Whatcha want?" He could hear the smile in his friend's voice as he answered "Some other friends of mine came over and I'm forcing you on them. They're like Trowa, only worse." In the background, the God of Death could hear some grumbling.

"Got it, Quat. Anti-social, quiet, destructive, deadly, et cetera. I can deal. Where?"

"Living room," the sweet blonde answered. Duo rolled his eyes. Was the Winner assuming he knew which one?

"One, two, or three?"

"One."

"On my way."

Forgetting to bind the braid, he absently snapped the band around his wrist. He smoothed his dark clothing out in a gesture of last-minute vanity. He had found a pair of black jeans threaded with silver in the huge closet, along with a sleeveless black shirt. The priest's collar that Trowa had given him back was sitting on the dresser. Somehow he felt that it should never be thrown away.

Swinging the door open, he bounced out.

Trowa sat broodingly on the couch. Quatre comparing everyone to HIS anti-social, quiet ways wasn't fair. But... he was. Lately, though, he had found himself watching Duo. His stray was quite an enigma. He always bounced when he walked, braid flying in arcs. Sometimes veils of depression fell over his eyes, but you could never tell. Unless you watched ever so carefully, of course.

"Boy, has he got it bad," the teal-eyed blonde remarked to Wufei. The Chinese boy rolled his eyes, seeming not to care. He and Heero had decided to stop by because of Duo. Sighing, he brushed a few shorn black hairs out of his eyes. His hair was to his shoulders, cut evenly, but a few strands had gotten cut by a stray sword. His eyes turned unknowingly to a very charismatic presence at the door. His mouth fell open.

Shimmering strands of chestnut fell to his knees in soft waves. Mischievous amethyst eyes shone out of a grinning heart-shaped face, flawless in its beauty. The features of the face were slighty elven, and the boy was completely tanned. As soon as they could, everyone closed their mouths.

"These the anti-social group of friends that you keep, Quat?" The gentle blonde smiled slightly. Sitting in a comfortable armchair, he was at a good place to see Duo without cranking around.

"Yes," he said cheerily. "They're a handful to keep talking, but it all works out in the end." The long-haired thief smirked a bit and plopped down on the couch next to Trowa. Making a face as his hair got in the way, he began to braid it deftly.

"I suppose so. Can see why you bother with 'em though. Eye-candy." Quatre gave a very un-gentlemanly snort, watching as a blush rose up on two of his three friends' faces. Heero's face was as impassive as normal, though amusement was edging at his Prussian blue eyes.

Duo threw the braid behind his back again, where it swung for a few minutes before lying still.

"Do I rate introductions, Kitty-Quat?" The heir to Winner Enterprises flushed at having forgotten. He should have done that first, probably. Well, yeah. He should've.

"Sorry, Duo. This is Chang Wufei." He pointed the the bronze-skinned boy, who was looking at the street rat with unreadible obsidian eyes. The God of Death's eyes glinted with sudden amusement. "And this is Heero Yuy." Maxwell's eyes narrowed for a second, and pain flashed through his head. For once, he didn't bother yelling it out to the world.

"Odin," he murmured lowly, so lowly that he was sure he couldn't be heard. Heero stiffened, hair falling over his eyes. Then Duo shook his head.

"Nice to meetcha!" he exclaimed brightly. Whatever he had half-remembered lost within his own unwillingness to try. "Let me get this straight. We've got a Kitty-Quat, a Tro-Tro, a Hee-chan, and a Fei/Wu-chan/Fei-Fei/Wuffers/Wu-man/Wu-bear/..."

Seeing that Wufei was about to explode, face so bright a red that he looked like a tomato, Trowa cut in. Quickly. He could also see that Duo was watching the tomato-red face with amusement.

"We get the point, Duo," Trowa said dryly. Pouting and crossing his arms over his chest, the mischievous teenager leaned back into the couch.

"And this," Quatre tried to finish, barely suppressing giggles, "Is Duo Maxwell, God of Death."

Faked unhappiness gone, Duo nodded cheerfully. "Got that right." Then his gaze turned to Heero, wicked humor in his gaze.

"What's the Japanese God of Death?" he asked sweetly. Heero tried to decide how the thief knew that he was from Japan (as he barely looked it) as he answered "Shinigami." Duo's eyes lit up.

"Mortimer d'Roni is now the third most eligible bachelor in five countries. He owns the corporation that invented the best holograms in the entire world. Thirty-three years old with tanned skin and dark blonde hair, he's a catch anywhere. The second most wealthy bachelor is Odin Lowe Jr., who stole LoweCorp from his father, Odin Lowe Senior. Dark brown hair, dark blue eyes... He's the most gorgeous thing on two legs, though he's only seventeen. Yum! Not that he can be found, though. Very reclusive. See him as a challenge. But first rate is a teenager a year younger than Odin Lowe Jr.! He's an angelic blonde with blue-green eyes and an innocent smile. Quatre Raberba Winner. Worth millions, so..."

Duo stared at the picture of Mortimer d'Roni in the right corner of the TV screen. He could feel anger crackling through his body, but at what? The man looked perfectly friendly. He could see his friend Quat in the other corner, and a big question mark picture in the middle. But something about d'Roni set him on edge. The man had a big build, not fat, just wide. He looked like a football player, maybe. Next to him, Quatre made a face.

"Honestly," he snorted. "I'm not officially even the CEO and president of Winner Enterprises yet. This is just--"

"How did Mortimer d'Roni get all of his money?" Duo's tone wasn't even friendly. He was still staring at the screen blankly, watching the lady on it drone on and on. Quat blinked.

"He has his own company, and he bought out several others. It's kind of funny, because they were all ahead of him in the money department. They--"

But Duo was gone.

:Staring into cruel blue eyes. Down on the ground. Cold. Nothing to stop him, nothing. Solo didn't deserve it. Solo never deserved it.:

:He was lying on the ground, bleeding. Above him was a towering man, face covered in shadows. Next to the braided eleven-year-old was another one, whose age was the same.

"Please, don't," Solo protested weakly. The man, only around twenty-eight, chuckled sadistically.

"You think I'll stop just for you, kid? Payment, rat." he said with his rough voice. Ignoring the golden-haired boy, he tore Duo's clothes off. A tear escaped from his violet eyes, splashing onto the cold floor. So cold.

"Take me instead!" the golden boy cried out, trying to raise up on one arm. He glared hard at the man. As if expecting it, the man turned and laughed.

"You asked for it.":

:He was staring at the man. He was so dark. They could barely see him, but they both knew who he was. All of this had just happened for one lousy mistake. ONE mistake.

The heavy-set man slammed into his friend without warning, making him cry out. Duo had never heard him cry at all, but he could now see the tears shining on his face. All because of him. All his fault.:

:Duo felt his heart get heavier as that man pulled out of Solo. Blue eyes, so innocent and guileless, were so cruel. He saw him bend down to whisper in the golden-eyed boy's ear.

"I'll take the friend who you so wanted to save, too. Full payback."

A knife slammed into Solo's back, making him scream. Duo froze, not even hearing as the man padded over to him and thrust into him as well. Distantly, he could hear his own cries.:

:I think I'll let you live," the man said cruelly. "That will be enough for you. Broken for life." Duo could feel himself slipping downwards, into himself.:

:Cold. Always cold. Dark. Darkness surrounded him now. Death was always around him. Death. The God of Death. It followed him. Solo. Dead. Dead.:

Duo awoke to the sound of his own screaming.

"SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLO!"

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Cherry- cries Review. And thanks for reviewing. Oh, and if you're into Yu-Gi-Oh, by any chance (like I am!), then look into TenshiWolf. She and I are writing a GW/YGO cross-over fic, more Yu-Gi-Oh than anything. It isn't out yet, but it will be soon. I.E., within three years. S'good, but taking a long time. Review once again.