"Duo, stop fidgeting."

Duo shot a wicked glare at Heero, but he still dropped the end of his braid back over his shoulder. Not knowing what else to do with his hands, he jammed them deep into his pockets. Falling into step with the boy beside him, he lowered his head so that his cap drooped down over his eyes.

"Explain to me why I was needed again?" he muttered.

Heero resisted the urge to roll his eyes. The braided pilot could test the patience of even a perfect soldier. "You know L2 better than anyone else. You blend in here. You're our best infiltration expert. Do I need to continue?"

Duo sighed, looking up at the silicone and metal "sky." Even the surfaces so high above the street seemed dark and indecent. "Nah, I get it. I just..."

Heero glanced over at him. "What?"

Duo shrugged. "It's weird, that's all. I don't know. I--"

"Hey, I know you!"

The gundam pilots froze as a handful of teenagers ran up to them, all of them dressed in raggedy clothing. One boy, obviously the leader, grinned without any traces of pleasure. Malevolence crept steadily into his eyes.

"Yeah, you're that little kid who went to school in priest's clothes. Still got 'em, huh?" he smirked. "Still got the braid?"

Heero relaxed a little. They didn't know they were gundam pilots, they only remembered Duo. A surprise now, but certainly not unforeseen. I'm the only one who doesn't have to worry about recognition, he thought. He made a move to walk around the small gang, and the leader reached out, as if to push him back.

Acting only on instinct, Heero slapped the offending arm away so hard the leader winced. Duo inwardly groaned. There was going to be a fight now, no way to stop it. He surreptitiously looked around to see if there was anyone nearby and smirked when he saw that they'd walked far enough from the market that no one would hear them.

"You put me in the hospital once, you little rat," the leader growled, turning deadly serious.

"And I'll put in it again if you don't take off, runt," Duo snapped back.

Heero heard the violent note creeping into Duo's normally carefree voice and prepared himself for what he knew would be a quick but brutal fight. At the word "runt," the group of teens charged the two pilots.

One swift kick from Heero put the first attacker on the ground, followed by a second with a knot rising on the back of her head. To his right, Heero saw one body fly backwards and land hard on the pavement while another teenager intelligently hobbled away before more damage could be done. He turned and watched as Duo slammed the nameless leader against the nearest wall.

"I warned you," he growled. "But you just couldn't back off!"

"I thought you're the one who always runs and hides," the kid laughed grimly. "No priest to absolve your sins now."

Despite his revulsion, Heero felt his respect for the boy rise as he watched him speak defiantly even as Duo continued to beat him. This was the reason he could lead those other children.

Duo dropped his victim to the ground, never taking his eyes off of him. "Shut up."

"What'sa matter? Maxwell's demon miss his priest?" The boy smiled cruelly, using his words far more effectively than his fists. "They died 'cause of you. Who's gonna absolve that one, huh?"

Heero narrowed his eyes. Maxwell...priest...the massacre at the Maxwell church? Is that what he's talking about?

The braided pilot didn't move for a moment, then turned and headed for a nearby alley, trying to leave the words behind. Heero walked after him, wondering where he was going, and he quietly stepped on the beaten child's outstretched wrist, breaking it. No one hurt his Duo.

Heero caught up to Duo and watched in confusion. Duo had wrapped his arms firmly around himself, as if he was freezing, and he'd lowered his head again. Since no one was around to disturb them and there was plenty of time before they could actually start with the mission, Heero moved in front of Duo and seized his shoulders, forcing him to stop.

"What's wrong?"

Duo didn't look up.

Heero quietly put his hand under Duo's chin and gently tilted his face up, giving him no option but to look him in the eye. "Duo..."

The braided pilot smiled even as a tear fell onto Heero's fingers. "You're so hard, even when you're trying to comfort me."

"Duo, did you survive the Maxwell church tragedy?"

Duo's eyes darkened and the smile fell away. "There were no survivors, Heero."

As he fell silent, Heero shook his head. If Duo was being quiet, that meant he wasn't saying everything. The little god of death might not lie, but he certainly didn't mind hiding things. "What happened?"

"It was my fault," Duo whispered. "I stole a mobile suit so they destroyed the church..."

He wasn't there when the Federation destroyed it, Heero realized. He put his arms around Duo, still unable to shake his customary stiffness from his muscles. Duo leaned against him anyway, used to his awkwardness.

"It wasn't you," Heero said, falling back on familiar cold logic. "The federation soldiers were sent to kill all the colonists. Stealing that mobile suit didn't make any difference." He could see that Duo knew that as well as he did. Knowing wasn't believing, though.

"They made a memorial of it," Duo whispered. "Cleaned up the blood and the dirt and put a nice pretty plaque on it and promised to remember..." his voice grew more and more bitter with each word. "They didn't even bother to learn the children's names..."

Heero pulled Duo against his body and sat down, guiding the other boy gently with him. "This is really why you didn't want to come back." So brave in battle, but when it comes to real life, he's just like me. Run and hide from our emotions. "You didn't want to remember any of this."

"It's not fair," Duo whispered harshly. "I should have been there with them. I should have died for them. They weren't supposed to be in the fight. It's not fair..."

Knowing there was nothing he could say to help Duo then, Heero just tightened his grip and let the tears fall into his tank top.

"They said there wouldn't be another massacre," Duo sobbed. "No more tragedies. And then look how they screwed it up. It's not fair."

The End