Title: Listening to the Melody
Author: Keithan
Disclaimers: Gundam Wing and its characters belong to their respective owners.
Rating: PG
Series: supposed to be a stand-alone one-shot, but what the hell, throw it in together with Tainted Sand, This Race We Run, and In a Journey's Spire.
Warnings/Spoilers: None (Post-EW however)
Pairings: 2+4 (friendship); subtle 1+4
Summary: Quatre's not sure if he understands what Duo is saying. (Written for SDQB's 444 #9: Serenade)
Notes: The 444 requires at least a 444-word fic based on one-word prompts per week. A bit way over 444, and not exactly revolving around serenade either, but it's there.

Listening to the Melody
by Keithan

"A what?" I turn to look at Duo. I'm not sure if I heard him correctly.

He's waving his hands, as if that explains everything. "You know," he says. "Starlit night, balcony setting, the moon shining full. What more can you ask for except for the violas, and cellos, and violins. It's a perfect time for a serenade!"

"Okay," I say hesitantly. I don't know how many glasses of wine Duo has already consumed for tonight, and I eye the half full glass in his hand warily. "Exactly how many have you had, Duo?"

For a moment, he is snapped out of the scene he probably has in his mind and he looks confused. "What?" he asks, before he is with me again and not in some far distant balcony serenading a princess. "No! I'm not drunk, if that's what you're thinking, Quat." He punches me lightly on the arm.

I laugh, and lean back on the balcony rail of our hotel suite. "Well, I wasn't sure what to think. One moment we were talking about the mission parameters, and the next a…"

"A serenade, yes, fine," he interrupts me, before shutting up. "Do you hear that?"

I raise a brow at him. "Hear what, Duo?"

He hushes me, before looking around. I try listen to whatever he's hearing, but the only sounds I hear are not out of the ordinary. I turn a confused look at him. "I don't hear anything," I inform him.

"There it goes," he whispers. "A child's lullaby, a singer's song… A lover's serenade."

I don't hold back my laughter and laugh at him. He drops the act a moment later and joins me.

"Kill joy," he mutters, laughing. "You must learn to take time to hear the song and listen to the melody."

"Oh, believe me I will. When the song and melody actually exist!"

Duo shakes his head at me. "Hopeless, you," he almost grumbles. He walks and stands beside me, one hand on the metal rail. "Ah, Paris. You know what I love about these sporadic bouts of information gathering that Une usually sends us for?"

"What?" I inquire, though I think I already know the answer. I turn my head to him, watching as his face glows with utter fascination. I know he is looking out the city, and if there's something that Duo absolutely loves, it's to see places, visit those he has only read and heard about in stories, and come back to them again.

"This!" he gestures outward to the city. "She gives us about four days to gather information or field investigation, and yet we could do it in a day or two."

I can't help it, I laugh again. I often wonder about such assignments. It's fun, though. Being an on-call/part-time Preventer is a break from my running of WEI. Duo, Trowa, and I are not on active duty, and I, for one, have no wish to divulge to the public that I have a Preventer's ID stacked behind my credit cards, so we are often offered assignments that require stealth, infiltration, and data acquisition.

"It's a vacation in disguise," I say helpfully, and Duo laughs at that. We're grateful, really. What remains unspoken in these kinds of conversation is the fact that we're glad that we're not forced to have a more active role in more active assignments, because that means that the peace is not as fragile as we once thought it to be if Une doesn't need another one or three Gundam pilots - one Wufei is enough - in the front lines.

Four years. Four years after the 196 Eve war, and four years of trying to achieve stability and here we are, two former Gundam pilots, toasting on a hotel balcony on a beautiful night in Paris. Never mind the fact that we just got in after a day of information gathering, and never mind that the information we got is enough to incriminate at least one man and one company for distributing illegal firearms in the international underground, because that is nothing compared to the distribution of highly dangerous explosives and up to date weapons of mass destruction to those who know how to use them.

I lean back more casually on my elbows on the rail. "We should thank Une," I say, smiling.

"Nah uh." Duo leans on his side, waving a finger at me. "I have no plans of telling her that I can do the job in fewer days than what she allows me to. As you said, this is a free vacation."

I shake my head in amusement. "You are hopeless."

"Well, that's me," he says. "How's Marie?"

Talking with Duo often involves a hodgepodge of topics thrown in together without order. "Marie's just a friend," I answer.

"I didn't say anything," he defends himself.

I look at him pointedly. "I know what you're thinking."

He laughs at that. "Fine. But if you must know, I know you're still not quite ready for a steady relationship just yet," and he even says this with an air of authority.

I reach out to give a soft tug to his braid. "Quit analyzing me, will you?" I say before smirking at him. "I have enough of that in the magazines, which analyzes my bachelor status and still very young age."

I salute him with my wine glass before lifting it to my lips for a sip.

"Ack, I've read enough, and I tell you, it is always good for a laugh," Duo replies, poking my arm. He flips his braid back in order. "So, Quat," he starts, and I know it's going to be another shift in topic. "Have you been serenaded?"

I nearly choke on the wine I am drinking. Coughing discreetly, I turn disbelieving eyes on him. "You're back to this again?"

"Well, yeah, why not?" He laughs, then leans in to me, peering into my eyes. I instinctively lean back. "You're blushing!" he exclaims a heartbeat later.

I'm not, and I merely raise a brow at him, unwilling to take his bait. I don't even dignify that with a response. He notices this, and gives up, raising a hand in surrender.

"Fine, you're not. But you didn't answer the question," he says as he puts his free hand on his waist, and I can see that he is nearly tapping his foot in impatience.

Duo can be so stubborn if he set his mind on something. I don't know where this idea came from and I don't think I want to know. "Have you been watching those subtitled French soaps on cable?" but of course, I just have to ask.

"Well there's nothing more interesting to watch!" he gestures towards the television inside the hotel room. "Just humor me, will you? So have you?" and he wriggles his eyebrows knowingly. I don't think I ever want to see such expression on Dorothy's face.

"Duo, I'm a guy," I just say, lifting my shoulders in a shrug. "I'm supposed to be the one doing the serenading," I continue with a grin at him. I eye my glass, and seeing that it is nearly empty, I throw my head back to empty the contents.

"What? You mean to tell me Heero hasn't serenaded you?"

I successfully manage to choke on my drink. I cough a few times, willing the wine to go down the right pipe. Duo thumps me on the back. I don't think I want to see his reaction right now, I can practically hear him trying to hold in his laughter. I think I'm turning blue.

"That's it," I squeeze out between coughs. I wave my glass in front of him when I am still unable to speak. One last cough, and one last thump, and I think I'll live. I shake my head before straightening up and looking at him. "Off to bed, you go. You've had one too many drinks."

He raises a brow at me, and leans forward again, invading my personal space. Again, I lean back. "It was an honest question," he says, and I marvel at the way he manages to sound so sincere. He looks sincere too.

I laugh. "Oh, come off it, Duo. What are you playing at now?" I shake my head, before walking away to head in the room. His voice stops me.

"It was meant to be a joke, but I think I fancy it being serious, Quat."

I look back at him. He just shrugs, a half-smile on his face, and turns his back to me to lean forward on the balcony. His glass stands precariously beside his hand on the rail.

"Maybe not serious about the serenading part. God knows Heero would rather jump off a building. But I've always wanted to ask you about him."

I stare at his braid. I grip my own glass tighter, a move that is unconscious enough that I almost don't notice it until the glass nearly breaks in my hand. "Duo," I start, uncertain of what to say. "Heero's… not here."

I think there's a better way of saying that, and I know that's not what I really planned to say. It's not as if Duo doesn't know that already.

Duo turns around to face me. He looks surprised at my response. I am too. "Yeah," he says softly. "I know."

I don't know why I'm suddenly affected by it. Heero's disappearance never bothered me before. I always know that it is something that he needs to do. I never once tried to track him down, even when we, four, started to get together constantly just almost a year ago.

I know that if he's ready, either he will come back to us… or not at all.

I am jerked back to the present when a glass shatters. I look up and see that Duo's glass now lies broken on the balcony floor. I don't know if I'm grateful for the distraction.

"Well!" Duo cheers. "If that isn't a cue to change the topic, then I don't know what is."

I frown, suspicious of his sudden shift in mood. "You didn't have to break the glass, you know," I say, smiling at him as he tries to pick up the pieces.

"Whatever do you mean?" he asks, as though genuinely shock at what I said.

I sigh loudly to hide my amusement, but he sees it anyway. "Leave it. Let's get back inside. It's getting cold out here," I say. I don't wait to see if he has followed me. I wave the curtain aside to get in. I hear him a few moments later, as he slides the door close after him.

I leave my glass on the bar, before flopping down on my bed and reaching over for the control of the television.

"I'm sorry, Quat," Duo suddenly says, and if not for my name, I would have thought that he is talking to the glass doors. He has his back turned to me.

I decide I want to play ignorant. "Don't worry about it. The hotel staff will take care of it in the morning," I say, as I turn the TV on, and oddly enough, it is set on a channel that has French soaps on. There is no balcony setting, no moonlit background, no cellos and violins. There is, however, a guitar, and a girl playing something akin to a lullaby. How timely.

"Quatre," his voice is patient, and not. It sounds like a plea, and a warning. I know Duo enough to know what percentage of it is patient and a plea - not much.

I sigh, so much for deciding to play ignorant. "I honestly don't know what you're apologizing for, Duo," I answer, and I am surprised to realize that I am telling the truth. Heero's not exactly a taboo subject for us, but we seldom talk about him either. I know each of us wishes that Heero's back with us. It's just something that's simply supposed to be. We're not supposed to be four, but five. Heero's not supposed to be on his own, but with us. To have him cut us off after what happened, no matter if it's temporary, strikes a chord in us that we do not wish to discuss.

"I know you don't. And that's what I'm apologizing for," he says as he turns to me, a smirk now on his face.

I snort. "I hope you know that you're not making any sense," I throw back at him as I lie down on the bed, my legs still hanging off the edge.

"He'll come back, you know," he informs me as if it's a known fact. He crosses the room to his own bed.

I frown at the ceiling for a moment, and I honestly don't know what came to me when I say, "What makes you so sure?" I think Duo's not as surprised as I am at what I just said. "I…" I try to take it back, but he waves it away.

"You don't have to apologize. You, out of the four of us, have never once wavered in your faith in Heero," he says as he takes his jacket off. "Don't start doubting now."

I don't answer, and I go back to staring at the ceiling again.

Not a moment later, a pillow bounces right in front of my eyes, quite hardly, if I may add. I manage a soft oomph. I tear it immediately off my face and sit up. "Duo, you ass!" I say as I hurl it back at him with enough force. He laughs as he catches it.

"Quit your thinking of Heero serenading you, then," he says, eyeing the girl with the guitar on TV. "You must know, Quat, that Heero's voice should be much deeper than that woman's alto."

I roll my eyes at him. "Honestly, I don't understand where you get your ideas. I'm not even listening to that," I say, gesturing the remote to the television. "Maybe you're thinking of Heero serenading you!" I laugh at the image that it presents, and flop back down on the bed. I turn my eyes to the forgotten television and see that the lullaby is just about to finish.

It takes a moment for me to realize that Duo has gone quiet. I turn my head to him and see that he's watching me. "What?" I ask.

He shakes his head. "You don't get it, do you?"

Strangely enough, I don't. I completely miss his point. "Get what? Again, you're not really making sense, Duo."

"Maybe you should start hearing the song. Listen to the melody." Before I can react, he jumps on his bed, smiling, and the thoughtful look on his face is gone. "Forget it, Quat. I'm not sure if I'm making sense, either," he says, rolling around the mattress.

I frown in thought. Somehow, I think that Duo just wants to evade the topic, but whatever that is, I'm not sure I know. Again, I think I miss the point, if there's a point there somewhere.

I let the thought go. Tomorrow, we decide if we're going to hang around for that free vacation, and just send in the reports via a secure network, or we fly back to headquarters and deliver them ourselves. I think I fancy the vacation. Besides, I can run WEI from here if it needs me. I always have everything organized in case there's a need for me to go without much notice.

I turn back to the TV only to see some commercials running, and the lullaby is long gone. It's just as well. I think I have had enough talk of serenades for one night, and that thought makes me look at Duo.

Duo has dozed off, lying crosswise on top of the comforters and blankets. I sigh, standing up. I remove my shoes and take off my own jacket, setting it in the back of the chair beside the window. I check to see if the open laptop is already off on the table in front of it. It is, and I just close its screen instead.

"He'll come back, you know."

I pause and think of Heero again. "I know," I say quietly to the room. "I know he'll be back, Duo. It's just that…" I trail off.

"He has a reason to come back, Quatre," Duo says from his bed behind me. I'm not surprised that he's awake. I, myself, still wake at the slightest sound. "You know in your heart that he'll be with us again in time."

I smile. "And I suppose you're thinking, he'll be there, serenading all of us with his beautiful voice," I say with a chuckle.

"I was being serious, Quat."

I just laugh. "Yes, yes, you were," I say dismissively, still laughing. I don't turn to him. I don't even look at him. Instead, I head to the bathroom. "I'm going to get ready for bed."

Duo doesn't comment, and I'm not sure why I'm suddenly avoiding the topic. I turn the tap on, and splash my face with cold water.

"You know, Quat," his voice floats to me from the room. "I don't think you're missing the point after all."

I blink, and my reflection does nothing but blink back at me. It's been a long day and a long night as well. But I don't want to think any more about missed points, avoided topics and non-existent melodies, so I laugh again, making sure Duo hears it despite the closed door. "Whatever you say, Duo dearest," I call out to him.

"Just go ahead and ignore it, will you?" he says, and I can hear him laugh back at me.

I don't understand him, but he's right, however. I do know in my heart that Heero will come back to us, and no matter how long that takes, I know we will all be there to greet him and welcome him back. Perhaps Duo will ask for a serenade as a payback for cutting us off for such a long time. I smile at the thought. Until then, though, I think some points will still be missed, and some topics will be better off avoided.

End
04.14.06

Thank you for reading :)