Disclaimer: Gundam Wing belongs to them, not to me (probably a good thing).
Title: A New Start
Author: aomurasakiai
Pairing: future Heero/Duo?
Rating: PG
Warnings: AU, possible OOC, slight Angst?
gw500 challenge: #07 - "strawberry"
Word Count: 584
Note: Inspired by one of Terra's plot bunnies from a while back and slightly based on the fic I'm working on for her (though this is the opposite situation…).

Finally having finished unpacking another box of clothing, Heero carefully folded each article and placed them in his dresser. His family had just moved from Chicago to Los Angeles… they'd all had enough of blizzards and shoveling snow. Once their house had been sold, they had immediately packed everything up and left before winter set in. It was the Japanese teen's first move but he didn't know there would be so much work involved. He never realized he'd accumulated so much… stuff in his hometown.

Picking up another one of his shirts, a small box fell out of the breast pocket. Curious, Heero picked it up and looked inside to see a strawberry-shaped eraser. Dropping the shirt on the bed, he lifted the small eraser out of the box and smiled. Even after all these years…

xxFlashbackxx

"Heero, we're going to be friends forever, right?" The 5-year-old Japanese boy nodded and smiled at his violet-eyed playmate. The other boy hugged him tightly before stepping away and reaching into his pocket.

"Here, you can have this." Heero stared at the object in the other's hand in surprise.

"But, Duo, that's your favorite eraser," he told him. The braided American just smiled and took his hand, placing the strawberry-shaped eraser in his palm. He closed Heero's hand and held it with both of his.

"You're my best friend and I want you to have it." Not knowing what to say, Heero had simply smiled back and grabbed Duo's hand, leading him to the playground.

xxxx

"But… But Mom, I don't want to leave Heero." Eight year-old Duo clung onto his friend and Heero had his arms wrapped around the smaller boy.

"Duo, honey, we have to go now. The plane won't wait forever," his mother said, gently pulling him away.

"I don't want to go to Los Angeles! I want to stay in Chicago with Heero!" The braided boy's protests and resistance continued as his parents led him away.

"But Heero is going to be alone! Please, don't make me leave him! Heero!!"

The other boy couldn't say anything… didn't know what to say to stop his best friend from leaving. He stood unmoving until he heard the car starting. Running out into the street, he saw them driving away with Duo crying and pounding against the window. When they turned the corner, only then did Heero softly whisper one word.

"Goodbye…"

xxEnd Flashbackxx

Heero lay back on his bed, holding up the small eraser between two fingers as he finished reminiscing. How long had it been since he last saw Duo? Almost 10 years now. He briefly wondered if he would ever see his friend again and if he did, would they even recognize each other?

----

"Duo! Are you watching the oven?"

"Yes, I am! Don't worry, Mom! They're almost done!" The 18 year-old braided boy had on oven mitts as he stared at the timer, waiting for it to signal that the cookies were done. Duo had seen the moving truck earlier that day and being one to welcome the new neighbors, he decided to bake something for them as a present. Finally the timer 'dinged' and he opened the oven door, carefully pulling the tray out and placing it on the table. Inhaling the aroma for a second, he waited a while for the cookies to cool before putting them in a small paper bag.

"Hope they like them," Duo said, smiling before heading out the door towards his new neighbor's house.

Owari

Note: Before you kill me, remember that this IS (slightly) based on a fic I AM working on for Terra. Once I am done, you'll all get to read what happens to our favorite boys. So… don't kill me.