Title: What waits for Shingami?

Fandom: Gundam Wing

Paring: 2x1 and 3x4 implied

Disclaimer: I don't own the lovely Gundam boys as much as I'd want to... sorry mind went to bad place! I do not make money from this, I only enjoy writing. Please don't sue me!

Notes: Please don't hate me, it just sat in my brain till I wrote it. Before I get hate mails, I love Duo, he is my favourite character and I didn't want to hurt him but it happened I'm sorry. If you can't bear it don't read!

Thanks: Thanks to my boyfriend for editing for me and thanks to Broken Stone to help me re-write bits! Thank you to all my reviewers you have all been helpful and I hope this is an improvement.

Summary: Heero gives an announcement that rocks Duo's world and not in the way he would want.

"Me and Relena are getting married." Heero gave his announcement after taking a deep breath. He had been nervous all day about telling his friends. It had been a mutual decision between himself and Relena. He could look after her and she could have him. It suited them both. The room was silent for a moment before the Gundam pilots jumped forward and congratulated their comrade. Well, three of them did. The fourth crept backwards and then disappeared silently out of the room. With the attention of the other three, Heero failed to notice his best friend's absence.

Duo sat in front of the mirror silently. His amethyst eyes were glassy and his face was white. His braid hung over his shoulder and he absently fiddled with it. He knew it would come to this. It was either Relena or him, Heero had made his choice. Duo had almost expected it. So why did it hurt so damn much? Heero could have literally yanked his heart out and it would have hurt less! He thumped his fist against the wall. Well now his decision was made. So be it. He had thought about it for a while. It had crossed his mind at night, as he had laid in the darkness alone. What would happen if Heero left? Now it had happened and his mind was set for the outcome. A piece of paper and a pen, that was what he needed now. He went through his room until he found what he required not caring at the mess he left behind.

"I should have said something sooner. It's my own fault. I knew it would come to this. Damn Heero, why did I not just tell you how much I love you?" He flicked his braid out the way as it slumped over his shoulder getting in his way. "Damn it, why can't I… oh Heero, why her? What was wrong with me, am I that bad or could you just not see it? Well now you won't have to…no more worrying about me. I know you do I see it…in your eyes." He paused and sighed. "Your beautiful blue eyes. I wish I could stare into them…no time for that now. No time left for anything. You have time but not me, no more time for me." His hand brushed against something and he consciously looked at it. His gun. He picked it up and held it momentarily, then carefully placed it beside him. "Damn, why could I never tidy anything properly?" He looked around the room again and decided to look somewhere else. "Will you ever understand what I'm about to do…will the others…sorry guys but I just…Quatre will hate me I'm sure…but …I just…" His normal external monologue wasn't as fluent as usual. He looked down and finally found what he had been looking for. The braided pilot stared at the blank page before him as he returned to the mirror and sat down in front of it.

"I'm sorry Heero." He whispered before putting the pen to the paper and started writing.

The pilots were still talking happily about the up and coming event, when they heard the gunshot. They were silenced instantly. They were bemused for a moment looking at each other, until Heero looked around the room. The other pilots looked straight at him, stunned by the noise. Trowa, Quatre, Wufei…

"Where's Duo?" Finally realising that the braided one was absent. How the hell had he missed him? Quatre looked worried,

"He was here when you gave your announcement." Heero looked horrified.

"Oh God, what have I done?" He rushed out of the room with the others following right behind him.

He slowed as he reached Duo's room, scared at what they would find. He pushed the door open slowly. Despite his training as the perfect soldier, he screamed out loud from the sight. He darted forwards toward the bed. The gun lay on the floor. Duo's arm lay limply out, pulled down by the weight of the weapon before it had been released. His body lay sprawled across the bed. Blood splattered the wall. The sheets were slowly soaking up the blood and his braid glinted red. His eyes stared blankly at the ceiling. His mouth was parted, breathing no longer, but dripping blood. He had shot himself through his mouth, guaranteeing his untimely death. A single tear had rolled down his cheek, finally releasing the pain that he had felt in life.

Heero held the Deathscythe pilot to him firmly. Not caring for the blood that smeared across his clothes and hands. His own tears started flowing freely.

"Duo… Oh Duo, come back to me please, Oh Duo, How could you leave me Duo?" He started rocking slowly. Quatre was slumped heavily against the doorframe. Wufei stood beside him. Trowa walked towards the mirror noticing the note that was propped against the mirror. The piece of paper was folded in half with 'Heero' written simply on one side. Trowa opened it and scanned the page.

"What does it say Trowa?" Quatre asked, voice barely above a whisper, noticing his fellow pilot and companion with the note in his hand. Trowa looked at each pilot in turn. After an awkward pause he began to read.

My dearest Heero, I'm sorry. I can't stay any longer. Did you ever realise how much I loved you? Relena is a very lucky girl. I want you two to be happy together, so I feel that it is my time to leave you both so that I will not get in the way. Please just forget about me, think that I never existed. I never was good enough for you; I wish I could have told you just how much I loved you. But please do me one last favour, please tell Trowa that he must love and care for Quatre with all his heart. Tell Quatre that he is very lucky to have Trowa and to love him just as much in return. Tell Wufei that I really appreciated his friendship and really respected him. All of you have so much hope, friendship and love. You can all now move on from me and now find peace amongst yourselves. But what waits for Shinigami? What can await a God of death, but death itself? I, myself can never have peace seeing you with another.

And so ends the life of Duo Maxwell. Shinigami.

Trowa looked at Heero when he finished reading. He was holding Duo tightly, the dead pilots head resting on his chest; he was rocking almost violently and was sobbing loudly. Wufei looked calm as always but Trowa could see the sadness in his eyes. Quatre was crying silently. Trowa and Wufei walked over to Heero. Carefully, they convinced Heero to let go of his beloved friend. But, as soon as the dead man left Heero's arms he became hysterical. So much so that Trowa had to hold his comrade back. Heero fought against the other trying to get back to Duo, screaming frantically. The harder he pushed, the harder Trowa held him back. Even Trowa began crying, seeing Heero in pain. Finally, the fight left him and he slumped into Trowa's shoulder, crying constantly. Trowa's grip softened and he held on to the grieving Heero, lending him his support. Wufei looked down at the dead corpse of Duo Maxwell, and, he shook his head sadly before leaning forward and closing the beautiful Amethyst eyes forever. The wars had finally claimed their last victim.

For years later the wedding photograph hung on the wall. Relena looked stunning in her wedding dress. To her left stood her brother Miliardo, who had given her away on the day. Next to him stood Lucrezia Noin, Sally Po and Hilde Schbeiker, her attendants. On her right stood Heero, in tails and waistcoat, looking very handsome and suave for once. Trowa, Quatre and Wufei stood next to him in matching suits. Everyone in the photo looked happy, that is until people looked closer. Four pairs of eyes held a deep sadness despite the occasion; they seemed empty and their smiles not reaching further than their lips. In the corner of the picture, wedged into the frame, an extra photograph had been specially added. The figure of a young man with his fingers in a 'V for victory' sign. His braid hung over a shoulder, a large cheeky grin spread across his face and his bright amethyst eyes shone more than those of the rest of the group at the wedding. The pilot that should have been Heero's best man. But nothing waits for a god of death other than death itself.