You saw my picture on the Backstreet’s Back, all right

And you were more than just a pretty face

But how you fooled me; I’m still amazed

Heero gripped the photograph in his hand until his knuckles turned white. He didn’t care if the picture got wrinkled or torn – he never wanted to look at it again. He never wanted to look at any of the pictures again. This is what happens when you get close to people, he thought bitterly. They always leave you. He couldn’t believe Duo had done this to him. His Duo. Or, at least, the boy he’d thought of as "his".

I should’ve have known that I would be

Another victim of your sexuality

But now we’re done

And over with

How could you? Heero thought, twisting the photograph into shreds. When it was no more than minuscule pieces of paper, he let it float to the floor. He reached over, grabbed the next picture of Duo, and began to mangle it as well. He’d received an anonymous tip about Duo a week earlier, but he hadn’t believed it. But then . . . well, he’d seen it with his own eyes. Duo had betrayed him. Duo had used him.

Don’t want you back

‘Cause you’re no good for me, I know

That’s all I can say

Don’t want you back

Forgive my honesty

But you’ve gotta go

I don’t want you back

Duo was gone. Heero had returned to the room they were sharing, only to find every last bit of property Duo owned completely missing. The Deathscythe pilot had skipped out on him. Heero hadn’t even had the chance to confront him. It was pretty obvious now that he hadn’t been imagining things. Good-bye, Duo, he thought. I never want to see you again. At least, that’s what he kept telling himself.

You started going out with so-called ‘friends’

But I was blinded so I lost all common sense

But there were things that made me realize

Like all the hundred, no, thousand lies

"I don’t believe this." Across town, Duo Maxwell sat in the airport, waiting for his flight to be announced. "How could he do this to me?" If someone had suggested to him a week ago that Heero Yuy was anything less than a devoted lover and friend to Duo, he would’ve put them in the hospital. True, Heero wasn’t the most emotional guy Duo’d ever met – that was one of the reasons Duo loved about him. A week ago, he’d been positive that Heero would always be there with him, that he would never cheat on him.

Don’t want you back

‘Cause you’re no good for me, I know

That’s all I can say

Don’t want you back

Forgive my honesty

But you’ve gotta go

I don’t want you back

But a few days ago he’d received an anonymous package containing letters – dozens of letters written in Heero’s handwriting. Letters from Heero to Relena Peacecraft. Letters that served as proof that Heero had been having a secret relationship with the girl. Duo had been in shock. At first, he’d refused to believe it – he’d even gone so far as to double-check each letter, to compare them to other samples of Heero’s writing. He was positive now that they were genuine.

Baby, don’t bother telling me your reasons why

Just let us sing this story

‘Bout you and I

Across the room, Relena Peacecraft watched as Duo stood up and made his way to the gate. A smile curled on her lips. He fell for it, she thought gleefully. Obviously you don’t have as much faith in Heero Yuy as you’d like him to believe, Duo. But don’t worry. Heero will be just fine. She checked her watch. Another ten minutes, and Duo would be on the plane and heading out of her Heero’s life forever. And then Heero could be hers.

Don’t want you back

That’s all I know

All I can say

Don’t want you back

You know you gotta go

"Where did you go, Duo?" Heero whispered hoarsely. "What happened?" He’d been fully ready to talk with his lover when he got back to the apartment – but Duo’d been gone. For the past hour, Heero had tried to convince himself that he didn’t care. It hadn’t worked. Heero walked over to Duo’s bed, and for the first time noticed the note sitting on the blanket.

Heero – don’t worry about me. You won’t have to deal with me hanging around you anymore. I hope you’re happy with Relena. Really, I do. But I can’t be part of your life anymore. It was signed, Duo Maxwell.

Don’t want you back

‘Cause you’re no good for me, I know

That’s all I can say

Don’t want you back

Forgive my honesty

But you’ve gotta go

I don’t want you back

Heero stared at the note. "Happy with Relena?" he murmured. And then he noticed the box. It was sitting in the corner of the room, obviously in a place where Duo had wanted Heero to find it. Heero crossed over to it and opened it. He pulled out a handful of letters, each written by . . . him.

Heero read them. "No," he whispered. They were obviously forgeries – but done so perfectly that it would be almost impossible to figure out that they were forgeries. He dropped the letters on the ground and leaned against the wall. "Duo."

I don’t want you back

Suddenly he bolted for his computer. He would find Duo – he’d find Duo even if Duo didn’t want to be found. Even if Duo didn’t want him back. He needed to explain. He needed to tell Duo that none of the letters were true. And then, he thought savagely, I’ll find whoever wrote them and show them exactly why no one messes with Heero Yuy.