Just like that and he was gone. Laughing and joking right up until the end. It'd been a fluke, just a fluke the way he'd left them, saying cheerfully that this one wasn't Quatre's fault...And that he had to make up for all the times that Shinigami hadn't taken them both to Hell. Maybe it was supposed to make them laugh . . .

What made him laugh now was how he was walking down over the street, an address in hand. Why did they send him? He wasn't good at being emotional, or kind, for that matter. He couldn't even remember even really seeing the girl more than once in a wallet photo that the American pilot carried him around. Maybe they'd thought that it would be easier for her to hear the news from him, that they'd been almost like friends. What a joke this all was...

They should be enemies, she and him. They'd both cared so much for the same Shinigami. He knew that Duo had been sleeping with her for awhile, but he also knew Duo cared for him. He'd mentioned it to him a week or so before the fatal accident...and in the letter he'd written. The God of Death knew he was going to die, and he confessed that he was guilty of loving them both. Loving two people....It made Heero's head throb . . .

Then he saw her, sitting out on the lawn and writing. He had to stop as she smiled, shaking her head. What was she doing? Writing a letter? Who was it for...His hand clenched around the envelope that carried the deceased Gundam's final message to her sealed away so carefully. She looked so happy, so....He realized then that it was like looking at his....friend?--could he even use that word now? Friend...

"Hello...?" she'd seen him. The word of the death faded from his lips as she walked closer, a smile still on her face. The light blue eyes danced with an inner fire he'd never none before...That was what drew Duo to her? The flame in her eyes? He'd mentioned to the Arabian pilot once--while sprawled out on a floor--that he could stare at her eyes for an eternity. The blond seemed to think that it was sweet; he'd thought it foolish to be so enwrapped in one person, especially as their war still raged.

"Can I help you....Are you lost?" She waved a hand in front of her eyes, cocking her head to the side before taking off her beret and lightly smacking him with it. His reaction was automatic.

His hand lashed out, pushing her down as he reached for his gun in a single fluid motion, "Omae o korosu." She laughed, shaking her head without a slight bit of fear. He blinked as she got up, standing slowly and extending her hand.

"You're Heero Yuy...Duo's talked about you a little. I'm Hirde, but I guess you already knew that...Did Duo send you?" Her eyes sparkled as he carefully shoved the white envelope into his coat pocket. It wasn't worth it at the moment. Maybe he was getting a bit soft....Damn.

"Ne...He's gone out on a mission for awhile. I came to tell you that we're not sure when he'll be back. I'm sorry." She sighed, nodding slowly before smiling again. She looked a little bit like Quatre then, so hopeful and innocence that his stomach renched in something nearly akin to guilt. He didn't have to lie, but the girl...A liability.

"Do you wanna stay for a bit? Maybe for dinner?" He looked at her for a long moment, deciding that he didn't have any where better to go. Wufei was off with Sally Po, doing some Preventer work or something, and the other two living pilots were staying in the L4 colony. He didn't want to be near them at that moment, in their love-bird happiness, and he sure as hell wasn't going to Earth to visit Relena. She'd never let him leave again. She grabbed his arm, tugging him inside.

It was small, but warm within the doors. She kicked open the guestroom door, pointing to the computer in case he wanted to use it. Then he sat down at the kitchen table, sighing as she placed a bowl of Instant Rice and chicken down in front of him. They didn't say anything as he ate and thought. Maybe the girl should know what happened to Duo, maybe she shouldn't.

"All done?" He looked up and realized that she had a knowing in her eyes, that she knew that Duo's cold 'ally' would never visit her unless....He nodded as she sat down, patting his shoulder as her eyes gleamed with tears.

"I am sorry, Hirde." His voice was softer than he'd meant it to be, but she brushed it off. biting her lips slowly and reaching over to kiss his cheek.

He was shocked, stiffening as she pulled back, "And he said you weren't nearly as human as he was."

"What?" She laughed and begun to spill out a long story of how she and Duo had once gotten into this long discussion about the Gundam pilots. She'd remarked how sexy Trowa looked, even if he was a amnesiac Gundam pilot. That had been the kicker as Duo went off to defend his pride. Heero laughed, and they both stopped looking at each other for a silent moment.

Then she jumped up and ran into the kitchen, passing him a bottle of beer as she set her own on the table and began to act out the conversation. He shook his head as he sipped the beverage, silently captivated of how she brought Duo to life. *She remembered every word, didn't she?* he thought, as she went on for two hours. She'd only stopped to bring them more beer...It dulled the pain nicely as they remembered, so much more vividly than the Gundams had on the day of Duo's death, not to mention left them both a bit buzzed...He couldn't remember ever laughing so hard...save the time Duo'd been imitating Relena and several other aristocrats.

He jumped up suddenly, forcing her into the seat he'd been in as he mimicked that conversation for her. It was her turn to laugh, but he could see the tears rolling down her face now. She'd been crying the entire time for him, as he'd been in his heart. He smiled, continuing until she waved her hand for him to stop. It wasn't cruel to her to continue, simply a bit more of a need that they both felt.

Hirde stood suddenly, wrapping her arms around him. He pulled her close and tilted his head, searching her eyes for any animosity towards him, "You knew how he felt about..."

"Hai, he told me. He was a very confused boy. I couldn't stand how he talked about you sometimes, but I think I deserved it...talking about the cute ass that grocer had...Did he talk about me to you?" he stopped, shaking his head.

"We didn't have the same...type of relationship. He wouldn't address you to me, but he talked about you to Quatre a lot. That one liked to listen to him." He shook his head as they both looked away, "I'm beginning to see why he hid you away from me."

That surprised her, "Why?"

"If I'd known how much of a competition you were..." He smiled, "Omae o korosu." She laughed, pushing him away.

"You're buzzed..." she said softly, shaking her head. "I never had a chance...He loved you, Heero."

"He loved you, too. And I should hate you for that..." He lifted her chin to look into her eyes, "But I don't" They stopped, looking at each other for a long moment before their lips met. His eyes flared open, but he welcomed the sensation of her fingers on his neck and throat.

They parted suddenly, both sets of eyes blinking in surprise and need. She bit her lip as he moved closer to her, lifting her tiny frame up and onto the table as their lips met again. Maybe it wasn't right, and maybe it was because they were both bombed, but it felt right. They needed one another at that moment, to soothe aching pain that the braided pilot had left in both of them.

Her shirt melted away from her body, bra falling with it. The green tank top was torn, but neither stopped as their tongues danced. His hand explored over her body slowly at first, but then with added passion as she broke their kiss, lips moving down over his body. She took his nipple into her mouth, swirling her tongue over it before moving further down his body, lips leaving a hot trail of tiny kisses and nips where it felt right for them to lay.

The jeans he'd opted for that day vanished quickly, cold air of the room around them shoking him a bit before her hands ran over them up into his thighs as he felt the boxers go as well. Her mouth encircled his long member before he realized it, hands reaching down to grasp her shoulders and slid her mouth over it at an extreme velocity until he spent down her throat.

Hirde pulled away, gasping as she smiled at him weakly. He nodded, laying her flat against the table's cool surface and ran his fingers, though calloused and coarse from war, over her body, bringing attention to each orifice of her body, except for her breasts and sex. She moaned, squirming as he moved the hands around her breast, wrist occasionally brushing against the hardening nipple. Her body tensed as he pushed his mouth down onto her breast, suckling her as a babe to its mother. He found the taste of her flesh pleasant, salty from sweat, but sweet. Then his attention turned to her soft mound between her legs, still lapping at her breasts as he moved a finger over it, dipping down into her flowing juices. She moaned again beneath him as he tasted it, smiling again to her before placing his head down at the entrance of her sex and licked the juice away slowly, savoring the taste and smell as his fingers pushed in and out of her body. She bucked, hands lacing through his hair and pulling him up to kiss her again.

Then his once again hard organ went into her, smoothly moving up and down as they ground into each other, lips locked in a passionate battle as they fought for dominance. Pleasure won out in the end, sending them both over the edge in unison, locked in each other's embrace.

She smiled, kissing his cheek as she'd done nearly seven hours prior, "We'll talk later..." and he nodded, slipping off into sleep. Yes, they'd talk...and they wouldn't fight. He could almost hear Duo laughing, shaking his head. Maybe this was what he wanted. . . .for them to find the comfort within each other. . . .