I had long resigned myself to the fact that throughout the duration of my research, I would undoubtedly meet up with persons I didn't particularly like. For instance, the conversation with Cagalli was abrupt, but it had ended quite civilly, in my opinion. Sooner or later, I would have to talk to her brother, Kira Yamato, as well.
But for now, it was Athrun Zala's turn.
Being a subordinate of Rau Le Creuset, he often played chauffeur to the famed commander. As expected, he didn't know anything about the personal life of his commander but he knew someone who did – Le Creuset's former housekeeper.
She was no longer around when Athrun met Le Creuset; as such, he had no idea what she might have looked like. It seems that the only way that Athrun knew about her was because it was the military who gave the recommendation. He gave me a name. It wasn't much but it was enough to get me started.
Before I left, he gave me this uncertain, somewhat sympathetic, smile.
"Shinn… you don't have to do this."
"I know. But I want to."
"Because it keeps you busy?"
"Because it keeps me sane."
-
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Chapter Two - Diversion
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When she accepted this job, she had no idea that she would be working under one of the top-elites of the military. But she was a professional and thus, couldn't care less who her employer was. She had heard quite a number of rumors surrounding the top-gun – some good, some bad, some downright disturbing. But out of all the rumors that she had heard, she made a point to remember just one: that Rau Le Creuset was a mystery, mask and all, and that he liked staying that way. She, being a professional, let him.
And for all points and purposes, it was one of the reasons why Marietta Brombeck served under him for quite a long time.
-
Marietta had never taken Rau Le Creuset as someone who took home orphans, but one day, she found him doing just that. Not that he took home an orphan, because the child looked too much like him. However, of all the rumors that she had heard about Rau, none of them ever included having a lovechild or being particularly a womanizer. But no matter how curious she was, she never asked.
She was used to being ignored, being nothing more than a housekeeper but that day, a day seemingly reserved for surprises, was an exception.
"Get his size and buy some clothes for him," he ordered, referring to the child. He gave her some money and, having already taken off his mask, was about to go to his room when the child let out a whimper. Rau looked back, knelt beside the child and smiled at him. "I'm going to my room to rest. Go with Marietta, she'll take care of you."
The reaction from the child was unexpected. The child smiled – a smile so full of trust. Rau stroked his hair and, satisfied that the child was alright with the arrangements, went to his room.
The child stared up at her curiously and she felt her heart fill with pity when she realized the condition of his clothes. It was not in her place to question where Rau got this kid from, but all the more, she couldn't help asking just a small query. "What's your name?"
The child smiled, his eyes closing into happy half-circles. "The man said my name is Rey."
"Well, let's get you cleaned up, Rey. What would you like to eat afterwards?"
-
"Has he been crying again?" Rau asked her curtly, after noticing the wet handkerchief that she was holding. He had just come home from the military headquarters – or so she was told.
Marietta nodded. Rey had been having nightmares for the past nights that Rau hadn't come home. She had tried to ask him what it was about but the child just shook his head and continued crying softly, huddled in a corner of the room.
"I think, sir, that it's separation anxiety. Most children go through that phase at this age," Marietta suggested softly.
Rau scoffed. "Indeed."
"Would you like to eat your dinner now, sir?" she asked timidly.
Rau was already on his way to Rey's room. Without looking back, he answered, "No." He opened the door without knocking and closed it softly behind him.
-
Rey looked up when he heard the familiar closing of the door. When he recognized who his visitor was, he stood up and ran towards Rau, hugging his legs. Rau gently pried Rey's hands off of his knees and knelt in front of him, so that they were level with each other.
"Why have you been crying?"
Rey's smile fell and he sniffled. "I was scared because I thought I was back at that dark room."
Rau scrutinized him with an unreadable expression on his face. After a few moments, he smirked. "Didn't I make sure your room is properly lighted? Don't tell me you need more lights than these?" he asked, indicating the brightly lit room.
Rey pondered on it for a moment and then shook his head sheepishly.
Rau stood up. "Get back to sleep. You have lots to do tomorrow."
-
The next morning, Marietta was surprised to see that Rey was already up so early. He usually woke up a little after nine in the morning but it seemed that today, he made an exception. He was sitting on the couch, looking very excited, and glancing every now and then at the direction of Rau's room.
She cleared her throat to indicate her presence. Rey looked enquiringly at her and she smiled. "Would you like to have breakfast now?"
He shook his head. "I'm waiting for Rau," he eagerly explained.
Marietta nodded and left him alone in the living room. The door that lead to Rau's room swung open and Rey immediately stood up. He noticed that Rau was not dressed in his usual red clothes and white mask. "You're up early," Rau commented.
"You said I have lots to do today," Rey answered happily.
Rau just raised an eyebrow in amusement. Then, he got a glass of water and swallowed a blue and white pill. Rey looked at it curiously. "What's that?" he asked as he pointed to the clear box full of pills on Rau's hand.
The expression on Rau's face was impassive. "Medicine."
Rey's eyes widened. "Are you sick?"
Rau chuckled, thinking of the double entendre. "Maybe I am," he answered amusedly. He knelt down and patted Rey on the head. "Don't worry."
For the first time, a skeptical look made its way onto the child's face. Rau smirked confidently and gestured for him to follow. He led him to a room on the other side of the house. The room was large, with the walls painted white and the carpeting with the same color. It was fairly empty save for a white, grand piano placed in the middle.
After surveying the room timidly, Rey looked up at him questioningly.
Rau didn't answer him and instead, entered the room and went towards the piano. He motioned for Rey to follow him. "I'm going to teach you how to play the piano. That way, you'll have something to do when I'm away."
Rey complied and as he got near the instrument, he realized just how big it was. The seat was too high. He was contemplating on how to get on it when he felt strong arms lift him up and then deposit him on the chair.
"Don't worry, you'll grow sooner than you expect," Rau said softly, with a slightly wistful undertone. He sat beside Rey and poised his hands on top of the keys. "Watch and listen closely." And with that he began to play.
The house was filled with different tones that day, alternately switching between Rau's skilled playing and Rey's inexperienced ones. Several times that day, Marietta found herself pausing in her work, closing her eyes and listening to the soothing music.
-
The piano lessons went on for days. Sometimes it was held under Rau's critical supervision but oftentimes, under no one's supervision. Marietta had not been forbidden to watch after Rey but Rau did not permit it either. She had settled on listening to Rey's awkward, but strangely appealing playing as she went by her daily chores.
But something changed in the boy, he no longer cried whenever Rau was not around and Marietta had assumed that the nightmares had stopped coming. He practiced dutifully without anyone telling him to and it was obvious that the child was enjoying it.
He stayed inside the piano room and would only come out when it was time for him to eat or sleep or to take a bath or when Rau came home. Marietta glanced at her wristwatch. Seeing that it was nearing lunch time, she went to the kitchen to prepare the food.
After setting the dining table, she went to the piano room and knocked softly on the door. The playing stopped and she distinctly heard shuffles coming from behind the door. After a few moments, the door swung open and Rey came out.
"Would you like to eat lunch now, Rey?" she asked kindly.
Rey beamed and nodded affirmatively. They walked towards the dining area and Marietta watched the young child as he ate his lunch.
Out of nowhere, Rey paused in his eating and stared up at her with those big, blue eyes. "Is my playing getting any better?"
Marietta had no idea where this conversation was going but she answered anyway. "Yes."
Rey pouted cutely as he shook his head. "But it still doesn't sound like Rau's."
Marietta chose her words carefully. "Well, your music is different from Rau's music."
"But I want it to sound just like his!"
Marietta chuckled softly. Children would be children. She opened her mouth to tell Rey that his music didn't need to sound like Rau's because his playing was unique and unlike any in the world and that it was better that way. But she heard Rey whisper something that puzzled her greatly even in the years to come.
"I have to…"
-
It was exactly three months since Rey arrived in the Le Creuset household when it happened.
The day had started out like any other day for all the occupants of the house. Rau had the day off and it would certainly be spent with the usual piano lessons with Rey. The child had woken up early, as he always did whenever Rau was around and they ate breakfast together.
Marietta stayed in the kitchen, but she could hear Rey talking animatedly and Rau's occasional comment.
"I've gotten taller!" Rey announced proudly.
Marietta chuckled softly, amused at the child's innocence. There was a pause and then Rau answered. "How did you know?"
"I can climb the stool without using a step-ladder!"
Another pause. "That's good."
Marietta frowned. From the tone of Rau's voice, she could tell that he thought the exact opposite. She didn't know why and she felt slightly concerned. But she quickly brushed the thought away, supposing that it was just a product of her imagination.
After breakfast, the two went to the piano room and the house was filled once again with soothing melodies.
Marietta resumed her work, going about her usual chores – humming slightly in tune to the music as she did. She had grown quite fond of the little child and his music was stuck in her mind. As she was sweeping the floor of the dining room, the music suddenly ended with bad notes and wrong keys played, followed by a cry.
She dropped the broom that she had been holding and worriedly rushed to the piano room. She could hear Rey whimpering and sounding as if he was having a hard time breathing. She raised a closed fist to knock on the door when it suddenly flew open.
Rau was carrying the crying child in his arms and, ignoring Marietta, quickly rushed out of the house. At the back of her mind, she mentally noted that it was the first time that Rau Le Creuset had gone out of the house without his infamous white mask.
-
He listened to the now even breathing of the child sleeping on one of the couches in Gilbert Dullindal's office. Rau stared poker-faced at the gentle rising and falling of Rey's chest. After a while, he closed his eyes and crossed his arms. "So, you can't do anything?"
The black-haired, saffron-eyed man, Gilbert, shook his head regretfully. "I'm afraid I can't. His condition is just like yours."
Rau's eyes flew open and his face was unreadable for a moment before his lips curled up in a smirk. "You'd think that after being given the chance to remedy it, those scientist bastards would have actually made some progress." Then, with a hint of bitterness in his voice, he added, "They're all a bunch of idealistic fools, that's what they are."
Gilbert had a thoughtful look on his face. "Surely, you should've suspected it."
"I did. But you know that foolish notion called hope?" Gilbert raised an eyebrow, and Rau chuckled. "I guess I'm an idealistic fool as well."
"He told you this morning that he grew taller?" Gilbert asked, amusement evident in his voice.
Rau shrugged nonchalantly. "He sounded so proud of himself." He scoffed. "And here I was, thinking that he'd use that step-ladder for a longer period of time. It cost a lot you know."
Gilbert watched as Rau tousled the slumbering child's hair. "Yes. I bet it did."
-
They came home at half-past nine that night. Marietta had waited for them to come home, worried about what had happened to the child. Her worries resided a bit when she saw Rey sleeping peacefully in Rau's arms.
The question was at the tip of her tongue but she squelched the urge to ask it out loud. Instead, she asked, "Would you like to have some dinner, sir?"
Rau shook his head and brushed past her, walking towards his room. He opened the door, but before he went inside, he said in a quiet voice. "Your services are no longer required here."
Marietta swallowed hard, nevertheless, she did not let the shock or surprise that she felt show in her face. She nodded and bowed slightly. She watched her now former employer's back until the door closed behind him.
She never asked why because it was not in her place. And when morning came, she left the house, never coming back.
-
Rau glanced at the child at the corner of his eye. He could see the slight frown marring his features. He decided to answer the unasked question. "Marietta's gone."
The frown became deeper. "Will I be left alone when you go out?"
"I won't be going out for awhile."
The frown was instantly replaced with a smile. Then, Rey resumed his playing.
Rau closed his eyes and listened intently, his mind conjuring up various memories.
"Why did you teach him how to play the piano, anyway?"
"To keep the both of us sane."
-
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Author's Notes: Marietta Brombeck is an original character. And, just in case you're getting ideas, she and Rau aren't in a relationship of any sort. It's purely employee and employer. I put emphasis on her professionalism. She likes Rey. She really does. But her professional nature doesn't allow her to mix personal feelings with her work.
Thanks to those who reviewed: elven-girl10, lightyearsaway, lonekai, and Yzak-Freak.
Please review and tell me what you think. Ask me anything. I don't bite.