They had already gone over the same things about twenty times with Duo about alchemists and alchemy. He still didn't seem to get it though, and it was beginning to annoy Edward.

Duo was cute, Edward had admitted to himself, but so damn stupid! You could tell the guy the same thing over and over and he'll never seem to remember a word.

"How about I tell you tomorrow?" Edward suggested as Duo's puzzled look never left his face.

Duo smiled and nodded, "Yeah, I'm still kind of out there, ya know?"

Edward could see Duo was contemplating all the information he had been told and also about something else; maybe someone else. He knew he shouldn't have gotten his hopes up for a guy like him.

Duo was young, lean, and very cute. Men and women alike would probably die just to be with him. The thought of that made Edward feel wounded and rejected, but he knew Duo could never find out about this crush.

"It's getting kind of late anyway, so is there anything you need before bed?" Edward asked as he got up.

"No, but tomorrow, could you also tell me about the "ball of light" I came from?" Duo asked with a hidden sadness in his voice.

Edward smiled and nodded his head before opening the door, "I'm going to get a glass of water and grab a pillow and blanket to sleep on the couch. Promise me you won't run away."

"I promise."

The next morning, Edward woke up and found Duo staring out the window. His amethyst eyes glowed an almost ominous color as the sunlight streaming through the trees hit them at an odd angle.

Duo didn't seem to notice that Edward was awake at all, but appeared to be interested in the world outside the hospital. The world he hadn't gotten a chance to see yet.

Duo suddenly whipped his head around to look at Edward. Edward could now see that Duo was holding a photograph in his hand, but trying very hard to conceal it.

"Good morning, Ed!" Duo grinned and discreetly slid the photograph under his pillow.

"Good morning Duo. Are you hungry?" Edward asked as he began to stretch out his cramped muscles.

He'd have to remember not to sleep on the little couch ever again. It was too tiny of a bed and the cushions weren't soft at all. It felt like hell trying to sleep on that thing all night, and Ed decided he'd get himself an extra mattress later.

The most important thing to do right now was get Duo some food. Ed headed toward the cafeteria where he met up with Lieutenant Colonel Hughes.

"Hey there Ed! I've got some new pictures of my darling Elysia!" Hughes grabbed a picture from his pocket and shoved it into to Edward's face.

"You've shown me that picture at least three hundred times before, you do know that right?" Edward asked as he carefully pushed the picture away from his face.

Hughes started to follow him as he went to the man serving the food. He gathered up some bacon, eggs, sausage, and a glass of orange juice for Duo, and hoped that he would like it.

Hughes watched him with a suspicion on his face the whole time Edward was gathering the food. Apparently, he saw through the assisting the temporarily handicapped, and could see how much Ed really liked this stranger.

"Hey Ed, why don't I go with and get acquainted with this new guy?"

"Uh, sure." Edward tried to conceal his anxiousness at the fact that Hughes was acting like a father with their daughter and her first boyfriend.

Ed knocked on the door and heard a faint, "Come in!" from the other side.

Hughes opened the door and let Edward walk in first; then he quietly followed. Duo was still in his same green hospital clothes and still in bed where he had been.

"Thanks for the food Ed!" Duo smiled and reached for the tray, and then he finally noticed Hughes. "Hi there! My name is Duo Maxwell! Are you a friend of Edward's?"

Hughes smiled at Duo's charm, "Yes I am. My name is Lieutenant Colonel Hughes, pleasure to meet you Mr. Maxwell."

"Oh, just call me Duo. I hate all that formal crap."

"Okay then, Duo." Hughes winked at Ed as Duo began to eat.

"I think I finally understand everything!" Duo exclaimed; finally happy he knew what was what in this new place and time.

Edward shut his book and put it on the nightstand next to Duo's bed. He knew he wouldn't be around Duo forever, so Ed finally got the nerve to ask him the question that had bothered him all day.

"Duo, who was in that photograph? I mean the one under your pillow."

Duo looked uncertain of what to say or do for a moment, but then he suddenly looked like his happy-go-lucky self again.

"It's a picture of me and my friends from the war."

Duo grabbed the photo and let Edward look over his shoulder to see it. Edward studied each of them and their different physical traits.

"What are their names?"

"The blonde one is Quatre Winner, the Chinese looking guy is Wufei Chang, the one with the uni-bang is Trowa, and the one in the green tank top is Heero Yuy."

Ed listened as Duo said the name Heero Yuy; he could hear the affection in his voice and knew that had to be his boyfriend.

"Where do you come from?" Edward asked his curiosity at its max.

Duo looked distant again as he began to remember everything.

"I was born on Colony L2; it was a special metal environment they built so people could live in space. There was a war that ended just a few months ago and I'm a war hero in that war. I fought for the peace between Earth and all the other colonies along with my friends."

Duo took a moment to catch his breath, and to try to hold his tears back. Ed felt guilty for making him upset, so he made up a lame excuse so he wouldn't have to continue.

"Are you tired? I'm kind of tired. And besides, tomorrow I want to introduce you to my little brother Alphonse if you're up to it."

Duo nodded, but the solemn look never left his face.

"Hey Ed?"

"What?" Ed looked up from making his bed on the floor.

"Can you come here for a sec?" Duo asked with a small pleading voice.

Edward walked over to Duo and was surprised when his fragile looking hands grabbed him with an unbelievable force so he could kiss Edward. They stayed there, it almost seemed as if they were frozen until finally Duo pulled away.

Ed had a small blush and was completely out of breath. Duo looked almost the same, except he wasn't blushing at all.

"Sorry, that was kind of spur-of-the-momentish." Duo apologized with a small laugh.

"Don't worry about it! Goodnight." Ed tried to keep the nervousness out of his voice as he walked over to flick the lights off.