- Aug*1*2002 -

Page: I love Andrea Bocelli. Never did the day come where I thought that I'd feel the opera scene. I do though and that was inspiration enough to write a fic with an opera plot. It's kinda weird that it isn't about Trowa and Quatre as much as Heero and Duo. Anyway, I hope it does okay with you guys. Comments are appreciated.

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing or the Gundam boys, I merely play naughty with them. So don't sue me, please. I got nothing but a spinach quiche and that's almost gone…

Word's gotten around that when you go to an opera, you do one of two things. You either, one, plummet into a boredom induced coma, only slightly catching yourself when the fat lady hits a high note. Or, two, you completely fall in love with it. So much in fact, that when she strikes that high note, you want to burst out in tears at the sheer gorgeousness of it all. My point is, when I received that ticket from Quatre and went to that live opera, I was the one tearing up… Hey, laugh all you want, but I guess I just know what true beauty is.

I figured that that's how I realized it. All at once I realized it. Heero meant the world to me. And I didn't think for one second that a night at an opera, courtesy of Quatre, would suddenly generate all these feelings I never knew I had… well maybe I knew, a little. Yet, the very concept of it was unbelievable and I couldn't comprehend that all in one night, my life had changed, forever.

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So there I sat in Quatre's apartment, legs sprawled out, butt comfortably imbedded in the sofa, and a can of Pepsi Twist in hand. Cautiously minding my own business because everywhere I was, I seemed to stumble upon trouble. It was nice to be alone. I know I'm alone most of the time anyway, but being solitary is multi-faceted, much like love, but that's a whole other story. This 'alone time' was needed at the moment and some people are so lucky to get it. I was just about to unbutton my shirt and kick off my shoes when suddenly the front door swung open and Quatre burst through, graciously letting out a girlish squeal that could've brought the house down. I sighed. I guess luck wasn't on my side today.

" So I take it something good happened." I said with a half-amused look on my face. I let the back of my head droop against the back of the sofa.

" Something good happened? Something good happened? No, no, no. Something more than good happened, Duo! I finally got the tickets!" Quatre said, singing the last part as if he was begging for something he couldn't have.

I took the liberty of snatching the dirtied medium-sized manila folder out of Quatre's grasp. I started to peel the tabs together to open it up with one hand as I gulped a swig of my soda with the other. " What's it to? Something I'll like? Maybe… hip-hop or maybe alternative… oh shit! Is it Gackt??"

I was getting caught up in it. I do that often. I didn't even know if it involved me. Probably not. I can be such an ass sometimes. Before I got my grubby greasy fingers on the prize, Quatre snatched it back.

" Duo this," he said waving the folder in front of my face, " Is only the most wonderful, talented, heart wrenching Italian opera singer of all time."

I chuckled. I should have known. This is Quatre we're talking about. He's all about the beauty of things he can't really understand. I mean, it's not like the music I blast whenever the mood strikes isn't touching and beautiful too. …It's also very blatantly sexual, my mind supplied. I chuckled again. Nothing against him and his type of music, mind you. It's just well, him in I are so different when it comes to genres of music. I don't know what made me think that it was something other than jazz and opera.

I smacked my lips together. " Mmm… so who is it?" I asked, noticing Heero walk in and sit on the floor by my feet, his back resting against the chair's arm.

" Uhhh!" Quatre swooned. " Andrea Bocelli."

" Oh silly me, why didn't I think of that before?" I replied sarcastically, as I smacked my half- empty against my forehead.

Quatre gave me a mock scowl that I just couldn't help but think was deathly adorable. I winked at him and his features softened. I watched him walk toward the counter and prop himself up on a stool. He was just reveling in those tickets. I wonder how many he got… probably two. One for himself and the other for Trowa. They always did share similar tastes in music. I certainly had never taken the time to listen and Heero and Wufei, well, I never really asked. At that thought I let my eyes wander back toward Heero. His chin was touching his chest and I figured he had nodded off. Just then something hit me.

I slapped the arm of the chair. " Q! I forgot to tell you. Trowa said he wanted to talk to you about something really important, he wouldn't say what though and to go find him when you had some free time."

I heard Heero growl. Oops. I guess I woke him up. I looked at him from where he glared at me. He was about to say something… no doubt defensive and callous, but I caught him before he could. I gave him a sympathetic eye and dug my fingers in his hair, giving his scalp a mix between a two-second massage and a quick scratch. He looked at me like he couldn't believe I had done that. Frankly, I was kind of scared myself, but I sucked it up and gave him a sincere apology for waking him. He kind of just stared at me. I saw his eyebrows draw together briefly and then he got up and walked out.

My eyes followed his taut body until he turned the corner. What crawled up his ass and died? I sighed to myself and looked around. Quatre I guess had left after I turned my attention toward Heero. The room was empty. Where in the hell did everyone go? I threw back the rest of the soda I had left and set it on the floor. Guess everyone's doing something… I scooted up so that I was lying on the couch. I know I said I wanted to be alone… but… now…

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I woke up to the sound of something blunt hitting the wall adjacent to me followed by a muddle of whines and curses. I cracked an eye open just in time to see Quatre chuck his other shoe at the wall and hard. I rubbed my eyes still half – asleep. I guess that I had fallen asleep on the couch. How long was I out? I got up slowly taking a look at Quatre. There were three bottles of Skyy Vodka on the table in front of him and he was opening another.

"Quatre! What the hell are you doing?" I asked astonished, sitting completely upright. Quatre never drinks. And I mean NEVER, besides the occasional wine that was all for business. Believe you me, I've tried numerous times to get him to drink for fun and no matter what he's always refused.

" Drinking."

"Yeah, I got that part. Why though? Are you okay?" I asked suddenly concerned. I got up and walked to sit next to him.

" Duo, I'm drinking and heavily hopefully. Trowa said that," Quatre paused taking the Vodka down in chugs. "He said we can't go. HE can't go. To the opera that is. He's apparently too busy." Quatre finished, making imitation quotation marks for the word busy.

Honestly, I thought it was something more trivial. Like they broke up or something. What's so special about this damn concert, anyway? Well, whatever it is, it must be damn important if it can get Quatre to drink.

"Quatre please." I said attempting to pry the bottle out of his tight grasp. " This is ridiculous. You are drinking over this dumb concert. It's a concert Quatre. There will be others. I don't see what is so brilliant about this Andrea girl anyway."

Quatre huffed loudly and yanked his hand away from mine. "First of all Duo, Andrea is a man. He is worth drinking over and so is Trowa's stupid reasoning for not going. I, Duo," He said pointing to himself, "I have waited for 3 years to see him. My lineage does not provide me with money to spend to try and catch a man that never does concerts. What I'm trying to say is… this is a once in a lifetime chance to see my idol and I promised to share it with my lover, no exceptions."

Woah, Trowa really pulled a number on Quatre. Where the hell did Trowa get off doing that? Quatre was saying things like lover aloud, talking about personal things that on any normal day would have him blushing like crazy. He must be drunk. "Look Quatre," I said grabbing his face in one of my hands and squeezing his cheeks together as he tried to focus his eyes on me. " I say, you just go by yourself or take me. I know what keeping your word means to you and everything, but like you said, once a lifetime."

Just then Heero walked in. He looked at us and cocked his head. " Is everything fine?"

I nodded quickly and turned back to Quatre.

"No. No." Quatre said shaking his head.

" Well, I don't know what to tell you man. He can't be that heart – stoppingly moving." I said clutching my chest.

Quatre looked at me with what seemed like anger. " You know what DUO?" I crinkled his nose at how he slurred my name. "You wouldn't know good genuine beauty if it nipped at your balls."

I repressed the urge to roll my eyes at Q's wording and kept a heavy gaze on Heero as he sat down on the sofa where I fell asleep.

" In fact," Quatre went on, " You are going. I'm gonna make you go. If I'm not going, I'm going to make sure I make you appreciate it. And you know what else? I'm gonna make Heero here go with you."

My eyes bugged. "Wha??"

" I will not, Quatre." Heero said.

" NO! Heero you will. Duo needs to be protected. I know you know how to do that. He'll get into trouble otherwise." Quatre said pinning Heero with an accusing stare.

"…"

" You won't turn down protecting Duo, will you?" Quatre asked, slumping down in his chair holding his bottle of Skyy over his chest.

They were talking about me like I wasn't there. It was frustrating and embarrassing at the same time. What does Quatre mean he won't not protect me? Heero doesn't care what I do. He's said it himself, numerous times.

" Well?" Quatre asked, looking through slitted eyes at Heero.

" Yes, I'll do it."

"Hey, hey, hey! I never said I'd go and I'm not a kid who needs to be watched over! Who do you guys think you are anyway? This is your dream Q, not mine."

" Duo, be quiet. You are going." Heero said, walking toward me and dragging me upstairs by the belt loop on my pants.

~ End Part 1 ~