By: Amanda Marque
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The Riverfront
Heero had started playing with a blade of grass at some point while Duo was talking…now for some reason he couldn't stop.
" So anyway my little performance for Velvet's class was the beginning of my musical career." Duo smirked. " I wasn't really serious about…well until Wufei and I moved…Or rather until Quatre and Trowa helped Wufei and me move."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Wufei's apartment-
" Duo."
Looking up Duo smiled at his name. " Yeah Wu?" The smile faded somewhat at the serious expression on Wufei's face… The first thing to enter his mind was that Wufei was tired of him and that he didn't want him any-
" Duo were moving…."
Duo blinked. " Huh?"
" I know you like our neighbors they are wonderful people I believe they are wonderful people but we are moving."
Duo frowned. That was all? " Ok."
The serious expression disappeared from Wufei's face. " Great Velvet Trowa and Quatre volunteered to help. I think Trowa and Quatre are helping to get away from their children for a week there is no other explanation for them to come all the way out here."
Duo smiled and hopped to his feet planting a kiss on Wufei's nose he wandered off to his room. " I'll start pac-"
" Hi guys…" Quatre said slightly unsure from the doorway. Both turned to see Quatre and Trowa standing next to Velvet looking at him very strangely.
Duo smiled. " You got here quick!"
" Of course they did they simply rode the wind on the wings of this angel." Velvet said looking at Quatre with a smile that Trowa did not like in the least.
" Actually we took the plane."
" No matter!"
" Velvet behave." Wufei said blandly.
" Ah beautiful one-"
" You wound me." Duo and Wufei finished for him.
Confusing Quatre and Trowa all the more.
" Indeed yet I am here to offer my services."
Rolling his eyes Wufei gave Duo one last peck on the cheek.. " Yeah yeah come offer you're services in the kitchen." Wufei snorted.
Velvet sighed and went along.
" What a strange man…" Quatre commented.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Venus's room
Duo smirked hefting the box from beneath the bed…he hadn't slept in that bed in month. Heck it wasn't even his bed.
" Duo what's that?" Quatre said with a frown.
Duo blushed and set the box aside. " Nothing just some stuff that I wrote."
Quatre's eyes flew wide. " Really can I see?" He smiled reaching for the box.
Duo deftly snatched it out of reach. " Ah no it's not very good so I-"
" Oh come on Duo please?"
" No you won't lik-Hey! Give that- ooph!" Duo looked indignantly at the banged boy who sat Indian-style on his chest with the box in his hands.
" Here honey."
" Thank you Trowa."
" This is dishonorable! Injustice to the highest degree of the word! A plague on both your houses!"
" There there Duo." Quatre said absently patting Duo on the head while he opened the box.
" Besides we have a lot more than two houses." Trowa quipped in monotone.
Duo glared.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Several hours later…
Trowa still sat comfortably on Duo's chest looking over one of the pages of songs Quatre had handed him.
" You have a real way with words Duo." Trowa said.
Duo glared at him silently. " You've gained weight."
"…"
" Oh oh Duo this one is beautiful! I didn't know you played guitar."
Duo grumbled something under his breath.
" What was that?"
" Nothing."
" Duo? Hey what's this one?"
" I don't know I can't see it. I can't even move. What have you been feeding Trowa lately anyway? Bricks? OW! That was uncalled for bangboy!"
" Bangboy…"
" Uh-oh…heh I was kidding…Quatre!"
Quatre didn’t even look up from the page he was reading. " Duo don't provoke Trowa."
" He's sitting on me! Oooph! See he bounced on purpose!"
" Duo what the hell is going on in-"
" They restrain the Venus tis true tha-"
" Velvet shutup." Wufei said blandly stepping around the other Professor. Pushing his glasses up he looked from Trowa to the flattened and scowling Duo. " Trowa why are you sitting on my boyfriend."
"…"
" Oh oh Duo these are all so beautiful…and well painful you have to-"
" No."
" He has to what?"
" Songs he wrote." Trowa replied flatly.
"He wrote songs?" Wufei asked. As he eyed the stoic Trowa warily. " Trowa could you get off Duo now?"
" Thank you Wubaby!"
"…" Was Trowa's reply but he still rolled off Duo.
Much to Duo's relief…
" D-"
" Nah Quatre I can't sing that stuff…"
" Why not?" Quatre asked looking up.
" Yeah why not Duo you have a nice voice." Wufei said calmly.
" A true tainted siren…" Velvet smiled.
Duo looked at Wufei and blushed he remembered the first time Wufei had heard him really sing… " You think so Wu?"
" Of course I do otherwise I wouldn't have said it." Wufei frowned.
Duo smiled at him then looked away. " I-"
" Child of Venus has self-doubt?" Velvet asked.
Duo snorted not wanting to talk about this in front of his friends.
A light hand on his shoulder brought his attention back to Quatre.
" You know he didn't give you anything but pain Duo…you might as well use what he did give you and get the last laugh."
Duo shook his head. " I'll think about that…but let's get the room all packed up first eh?"
Quatre looked skeptical but began gathering the papers together anyway.
As the day dragged on Duo found himself doing something he hadn't intended to do…he actually considered what Quatre suggested…He could sing if he really wanted too. Much to his surprise as the day wore on Duo began liking the idea more and more…
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Club Pulse (1)
Duo sat on the barstool in-between Wufei and Velvet watching the woman croon on the stage she seemed so relaxed and confident…He couldn't follow her act! He'd make a fool of himself.
We always have a choice Or at least I think we do We can always use our voice I thought this to be true We can live in fear Or extend our selves to love We can fall below Or lift our selves above Fear can stop your loving Love can stop your fear Fear can stop you loving But it's not always that clear
Great and she was singing to him too now….he couldn't do this he was just going to make a fool of himself he-
" Duo relax."
Frowning Duo turned to tell Wufei he couldn't relax! Not when he was about to make a fool of himself in front of a lot of people!
Wufei brushed his lips against Duo's with a soft smile " You'll do fine…" He said pressing a glass into his hand.
Duo frowned down at the black slushy like liquid in it. " What the hell is this?" He said moving it around.
" Black ice.(2)" Wufei replied.
Before he could ask Wufei what was in it… Quatre came back grabbing his arm.
" You're on next Duo."
Duo downed the glass in one gulp…he barely had time to make a grab for the bar before Quatre started dragging him toward the stage.
" You'll do magnificent siren child of Venus!"
Duo swore the names Velvet called him were getting longer and stranger.
" We'll be right here Duo…well except Trowa he has to make sure your music is working…" Quatre said reassuringly.
Swallowing hard Duo let the short blond drag him towards a long black curtain. This was it…people were going to hear his music…
" Quatre I can't do this!"
" Sure you can Duo." He said giving his hand a little squeeze.
Duo thought he saw a flicker of sadness in Quatre's bright blue eyes but it was gone too quickly to tell.
" Qu-"
" Duo." Quatre said sharply. " You'll do fine." He smiled patting Duo's hand he tucked a stray lock of Duo's hair behind his ear. " You do everything great because you're Duo and Duo doesn't know how to do anything that isn't his best." Quatre smiled guiding him behind the black curtain.
Duo smiled at the back of the Quatre's head as he was lead to the stage. Quatre was right…now all he had to do was convince himself of this and he'd be good to go. The problem was he had about 2 minutes to do that…
" Ready Duo?" Quatre smiled placing Duo on the little steps that lead up to the stage. He could hear the crowd applauding as the woman finished up her song and headed towards him.
" No."
" Duo…" Quatre's voice sounded worried.
Duo didn't answer he just watched the woman come down off the stage…in a daze he stepped to the side so she could get down the narrow staircase.
Pausing when she passed him she looked back at him and winked. " First time huh? Don't worry about it they don't bite unless you ask real nice." She said with a little wave as she continued on her way.
Duo cracked a smile and looked to the still worried Quatre…"Yeah I'm ready." He said walking the rest of the way up the stairs he paused at the top and turned back to Quatre. " Thanks Quatre…for everything." He smiled.
Quatre nodded. " Good luck Duo."
Sucking a deep breath Duo forced a cheerful smile. " Luck? Duo Death Maxwell doesn't need luck! I am the God of War and Love afterall!"
Quatre shook his head. " Go Duo."
With a wicked chuckle Duo watched the host rush onto the stage from the other side. He was still scared out of his mind but he wasn't going to let Quatre see that…
" Alright folks we got some fresh meat for ya tonight!"
Duo felt his stomach sink to his toes…he couldn't say something else?
" His name is Duo be gentle folks he's a virgin…to the stage at least don't know about anything else…"
Duo groaned…bad jokes why bad jokes?!
The crowd began to applaud again and Duo froze for a moment…
' What if I fail?'
' You will if you don't try.'
Duo blinked. ' Venus?'
'Well duh stooge you still need me now go!'
With a resolute nod Duo headed onto the stage fixing his eyes on the microphone stand the sound of applause faded from his consciousness becoming a dull roar in the background his heart was pounding in his ears telling him to run. From a distance Duo saw his hand reach for the microphone wrapping his hand around it tightly he smiled as the world came back into focus sharply his heart was still beating like crazy but it wasn't overtaking his senses anymore.
Adjusting the stand he did his best to avoid looking at the crowd for as long as possible once he fixed it he finally looked up…faces…a sea of faces stood before him looking up at him expectantly silent. Waiting for him to do something…anything.
Drawing a deep breath he planted a soft smile on his lips. " Well this is my introduction to the world…" Duo chuckled. " My friends and I went round and round about what I was going to sing my first time out here some said something fast some said something slow I decided something in-between. It's a little song I wrote called ' Temple'. I hope you like it…" He trailed off. The lights dimmed then a single spotlight focusing in on him…Duo had to force himself to breathe he could feel the silence like a physical weight on his shoulders finally after what felt like an eternity his music began a slow wave filling the room like a heartbeat. Closing his eyes Duo lost himself in the music…that was the only way he could do it at all.
We're pure intangible love You asked what I found in you I burn inside myself While the tempest returns It's been years I would say The night has lived too long I will find a way We'll stand in the sun Where all our love resides Where the dissonance seems to die I will meet you there We'll stand together Where the daylight falls and fades Your love lives in the sun I will pass your way This stands forever You found eternity This could shatter your heart The reflection of your soul Was a vision of me Take all that I could be Take all I should be May faith lead your way Did you know it was me Where all our love resides Where the dissonance seems to die I will meet you there We'll stand together Where the daylight falls and fades Your love lives in the sun I will pass your way This stands forever
Duo stood his mind swimming with the words he'd song still, the sound of applause didn't register to him at first he was lost in his own mind still…but as soon as he opened his eyes it did.
Duo looked over the cheering crowd and blinked they liked it…they liked him.
A broad grin broke across his face then and he immediately looked to the side spotting Quatre clapping enthusiastically at the top of the stairs. Bowing quickly to the audience he walked off the stage to Quatre giving the blond a hug that nearly sent them both toppling down the stairs if Trowa hadn't been standing behind Quatre. Duo could hear the crowd still cheering behind him.
He'd done it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Wufei/Maxwell apartment
Wufei barely got the door closed before he was plastered against it with an eager mouth exploring any exposed skin that dared to get in it's path.
" Du-mmm…" Wufei moaned into the mouth that covered his there was no point in arguing when Duo made up his mind about what he wanted.
" Wufei get those pants off now!"
Eagerly Wufei replied and was treated to several hours of an adrenaline laced wild sweaty love makin'
Several hours later Wufei lay flat on his back breathing heavily as he stared at the ceiling a sated Duo curled up against his side sleeping soundly.
Wufei was too tired to sleep he'd tried to summon up enough energy to close his eyes but Duo seemed to have sucked it all out of his body…literally. Wufei would have blushed at his thoughts if he was capable of doing more than staring at the ceiling. He sincerely hoped Duo wouldn't be like this after every performance because if he was Wufei was certain he'd be dead in a month.
" Mmmm Wu." Duo sighed snuggling against Wufei's side.
What a way to go though…what a way to go…
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ha! I'm done with 8! Wait…I missed tonight by 4 minutes! >_< Gah! Wufei I'm unworthy! I'm unworthy to write you anymore! I am a failure! :sobs:
Wufei: You just don't want to finish the fic.
So what's your point?
Duo: *click * write.
No problem.
I'll just post this and get right back to work….
Wufei: Smart girl.
1) I've always wanted to own a club named that! So in the future if you ever see a club named Pulse with the design of bleeding human heart for a sign I got my wish! Go in and say hi!
2) Blame the Radish it was the radish!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~