Duo smiled darkly as his twin thermal scythe sliced cleanly through two mecha.
    Almost in disappointment he realized that they had been the last, reluctantly he headed back to the school, his teamates... and the 'real' Duo.
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    Heero stood still as Duo sat down on his bed.  "Duo...?"
    Duo looked at him with emotionless eyes and a manic grin.  "No.  Duo's where ever you and the guys took him.  I'm Shinigami."
    Heero continued looking into Duo's violet eyes, ever deeper... searching... until Duo looked away.  "You are as you've always been."
    Duo chuckled humourously.  "Oh?  What's that?  An orphan, a no-name brat, a theif..."
    "A Gundam pilot..."
    Duo rolled his eyes.  "I shoulda known.  That's exactly what..."
    Heero squeezed Duo's shoulder, "Let me finish."
    Duo's eyes widdened and his mouth snapped shut.
    Heero let out the breath he'd been holding.  "You are a Gundam pilot, a person that's had a rough life but survived, someone who doesn't give up despite the odds, a chatterbox, a flirt, a practical joker.  You are too cheerful in the mornings, whistle while you work and trouble.  You are a person who acts like an idiot...."
    "Heero!"
    He growled at his long-haired partner.  "Shut up and let me finish."  Duo shrugged but remained silent.  "You act like an idiot but only to hide how smart you are.  Yes, you're an orphan, a streetrat, a thief, a terrorist, a soilder, and a darn good infiltrator and pilot.  You have a steady shot, a useless braid, sparkling violet eyes, and fine tuned body and reflexes despite all of the junk food you eat.  You have an annoying laugh, a bad sense of humour and you drive ALL of us crazy."  He let his hand fall as he stared hard at the wall.  "But you let Wu-fei vent his frustrations, give Quatre someone to talk and laugh with, distract Trowa from his quiet resolve and... and you showed me that not ALL emotions are a weakness.  You became MY friend.  My ONLY friend.  That other guy may have been Solo's REAL brother Duo but I think that he gave you the name Duo because he wished you were instead.  No matter what he thought the point is... to me and the others... HE is NOT Duo!  YOU are.  YOU are Duo Maxwell, our Duo... my best friend.
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    Duo glanced up sharply, not quite sure he'd heard Heero right.  "N-nani?"
    Heero's cobalt eyes focused on him.  "You heard me.  You are my best friend, and I won't let you kill yourself because you're having some sort of identity crisis."
    Unable to control  himself he grabbed Heero's shoulder's and standing before him, watching his friend's face intently.  "Do you MEAN that?  And DON'T humour me either!"  He let go, holding his thumb and forefinger about a centimeter apart right in front of Heero's face.  "I am this close to taking Shinigami into the center of OZ operations and self-destructing... so don't jerk me around like a dog on a leash.  If I don't have my identity, if I'm not em than the darkness will swallow my sould and I won't try to fight it off."
    Heero's body went rigid for a moment before he struck.
    Duo's eyes shut automatically, expecting a blow.  But when he felt himself pulled forward into a strong embrace they snapped open in disbelief.  "H-Heero?"
    Heero's arms tightened around him.  "I mean it Duo, we're family.  You, me, Quatre, Trowa, and Wufei.  We understand each other when others can't."
    Duo's eyes burned but he found himself hugging Heero back.  "A name doesn't really say who you are does it?  You're what you do, right?'
    Heero's voice was muffled against his hair.  "Yes.  And as long as you continue to be yourself you'll stay out of the darkness.  All of us will help you with that."
    Duo nodded against his shoulder.  "You've shown me that, thanks."