SOMEONE TO UNDERSTAND
 
 

 The air was cold outside, bringing a chill to the longhaired pilot as he quietly sat down on the grass.  Had someone been looking closely, they would see the red flush of his cheeks, and the trembling of his lithe body.
 
Duo looked out at the stars overhead, blinking back his bitter tears.  Sighing once more, he leaned against the large Oak tree, remembering the events of the night.

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It was a dark night.  The mission that had been given to them the last week had been lost because Duo had once more been caught, and Heero wouldn’t let him hear the end of it.

“You could’ve tried to do some maneuvering,” he stated in a low, disappointed monotone.

“I tried everything that I could Heero.  I have been at this for a while, and believe it or not, if I’d seen any way out, I would’ve taken it.”

“That’s the problem Duo,” the perfect solder growled.  “If you took less time on death threats, and kept your mind on what you were doing and what was going on around you, you wouldn’t have been caught.”

“Well, gee Heero, if you really feel that way, then don’t bother trying to save me any more.”  The door to his room slammed shut, and after that tempers really flared.

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 Duo’s hand trailed along the massive bruise on his cheek.  Heero had hit him, and quite hard that bastard had hit him.  Not only had he done that, but his supposed friend had also decided to give even more blows to his self-esteem.  He’d been getting very tired of the word ‘baka’ as of late.  It was hard enough dealing with his own criticisms and retorts; he didn’t want to have to deal with anyone else’s either.

 Most of the time it seemed that the only one who understood, or even bothered to see things from his view was Quatre.

 Duo smiled at the name, picturing the angelic features in his mind.  Those large aquamarine eyes, fair skin, and light blond hair.  He was so compassionate.  Sighing and leaning back against the tree, Duo looked up through the leaves. Quatre was exactly what he needed.  That sweet personality, that compassion, that comforting presence…

 “Duo?”  A gentle voice asked.
 

 The braided pilot looked up, smiling at the young blond, and once again sliding on his mask.  “Hey, Quat-man.  How’s it going?”

 The Sandrock pilot was not fooled, and his eyes changed from their gentle look to become more serious, unveiling the wisdom he had within.  “Duo, you left rather quickly back there.  Do you want to talk about it?”

 That was his angel…always putting other people first.  Worrying about everyone to no end it often seemed.  Duo smiled slightly, gesturing for to Arabian to sit down.

 Once Quatre had done so, Duo let it out.  He could never lie to such a person; one look in those deep eyes and any attempt to lie would be futile.

 Readjusting himself to a more comfortable position he looked at Quatre, and started from the beginning.  “I failed a mission and got captured again,” he stated quietly.  “No one will let me hear the end of it either.  Not only that Q-man…Heero beat the shit out of me!”

 For a second, Duo could’ve sworn he saw an angry/protective look cross the blond’s face as his eyes assessed the damage.

 “I’m really tired of this, Quatre.  I’m tired of being the screw-up, I’m tired of the retorts, and I’m tired of being underestimated…  I’m not fucking stupid!”

 Sighing, and looking at Duo in pity, Quatre moved to comfort the strained pilot.  “I’ve never thought any of those things about you, Duo,” he said quietly.

 Duo looked up, a bit shocked.  Had he just heard love in that gentle voice?  No…it could only have been his imagination.  Quatre was concerned for everyone; he couldn’t possibly be any different from the rest.  Could he?

 “Quatre…I have something I need to tell you.”

 The blond looked at him curiously.

 “Quatre, I uh…like you…more than a friend.”

 Duo started getting nervous when he felt no reaction from the Arabian.  “Quatre?”  The boy didn’t even gasp.  He wasn’t fazed at all.

 Pulling away, he discovered a slight smirk on the pilot’s face.  “Took you a while,” he replied, fixing Duo with a copy of his trademark grin.  Tracing the curves of Duo’s face, Quatre smiled.  “I love you too.”

 Duo relaxed considerably in the small pilot’s arms, leaning into the warmth he found there.

 Quatre smiled softly, and continued holding him.  “It doesn’t matter what they think, Duo.  You’re not an idiot, and there’s a lot more to you than they see.”  Quatre forced his newfound love to look him in the eyes.  “You’re also a lot more than you think, koi-chan.”
 

 Duo looked at him in a daze.  Did he really believe that?  Warm tears began to fall down his cheeks when a rush of love swept over him.  Not able to contain himself any longer, he leaned down and locked Quatre’s lips with his.

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 Duo looked at the sweet blond in his arms.  It seemed almost too good to be true…Quatre loved him, had even allowed himself to be taken by him that night.  Someone did care about his true personality.  Someone did understand.

 Duo smiled a real smile for once out of a very long time.  He realized that it didn’t matter what Trowa, Heero, or Wufei thought; he had Quatre.