*I would like to visit you for a while Get away and out of this city* "You want to come inside?" Duo asked warily. "I'd rather sit out here." Heero gestured toward the wicker furniture Duo had. Duo shrugged and closed the door. Heero sat down and Duo sat across from him. "Is it just me or is it cold?" Heero mused, rubbing his arms. "It's just you." Duo said shortly. "Most people bring jackets this time of year." "Aa." He looked around. "So...why did you move back down here?" "To Earth? Because it's beautiful down here. The snow was great..." He trailed off, afraid he might accidently include "To get away from you...". *I'm sorry I called but someone had to be the first to break* "Why don't you want to go in?" Duo asked curiously. "I don't really want to meet your new boyfriend." Heero responded coldly. Strangely, Duo grinned. "Girlfriend." He corrected. "And anyway, we broke up a bit after Christmas." "Girlfriend...?" Heero whispered. Duo leaned back in his chair and stared absently at the ceiling of the porch. Heero could still see him smiling. "Heero," He finally said after a moment, "you were the first guy I ever dated and I think you'll be the last. "Oh." Heero nodded. "Uh...Hilde?" He guessed. Duo burst out laughing. "Hilde? Hilde hasn't said a word to me since we were going out!" He continued laughing. About that time, Heero noticed the razor-thin pink scar on Duo's collarbone. "Did I do that?" He asked quickly. Duo looked at him sharply. He stroked it carefully. Duo paused. "Iie." He said. "This is one you *didn't* do. You usually stuck to breaking my face in." *We can go sit on your back porch Relax Talk about anything* Heero nodded numbly in acknowledgment. "Then who?" Duo shrugged as if it didn't matter. "Anou, Cheyenne got a *tad* upset when she found out who my ex was. Needless to say she didn't take it well." Duo smiled warily. "Had to replace all my dishes after she threw them at me." "How did she find out?" Heero asked. Duo looked slightly uncomfortable. "I...er..." Then it passed and he shrugged again. "Group photo. You, me, Quatre...the whole gang. From back in the day." Heero nodded. "I couldn't exactly tell her the circumstances of our little friendship, so I made it up that you guys were high school friends. Then somehow she got in contact with Hilde...anou...you get the idea." "Ouch." "Haven't seen her since." *I'll be courageous if you can pretend that you've forgiven me* Duo was struggling to keep his nerve. And he tried desperately not to make eye contact, because that would break his will. Over the year he'd tried to think of Heero as little as possible, because when he thought of Heero, the night before he left always came back to him. He could still taste his blood, and he could still feel the pain.... ~~~~~~~ Duo's head reeled back with pain. *What the--?* He thought wildly as blood streamed from his nose. His hand shot to the spot, and despite the mind-numbing pain, applied as much pressure as he could to reduce blood flow. He looked at his assailant. His closest friend. His love. Heero. The one who had just broken his nose. "Heero," He stammered, frightened, "What did I do?" Heero didn't answer, just gave him a look that made Duo shudder. Indifference. Duo hadn't minded Heero hitting him in the first year of their relationship, because he knew it was very strange for Heero as well as himself. And Heero had always been ultimately apologetic afterwards, and, as it seemed to Duo, almost in tears. Of course he could forgive the perfect soldier for that-- it wasn't much. Heero had a pretty quick temper, and sometimes forgot himself. ...At least, he did in the beginning. "Heero," He repeated. "What did I do? Did I make fun of you? i didn't mean to... Did I insult you? I'm really sorry." He'd apologized as if it was his fault. And Heero, again, didn't respond. That's where Duo drew the line. "If you can't at least tell me what I did wrong, Heero, I'm gonna move out." He said icily. "I'm not about to take senseless beatings, I'm telling you right now." Heero looked at his feet and wiped his fist against his pant leg to clean off Duo's blood. Duo stood up angrily, biting back his tears and wiping the blood from his nose. "Well, that's it, then." He said roughly, moving toward the door. "Goodbye, Heero." The next day, while Heero was at work, he packed up his stuff and moved to Earth, not bothering to stop the waterfall of tears. ~~~~~~~ *Because I don't know you anymore I don't recognize this place*