Chapter 63: A Surprise

Found him yet?

Quatre looked at his phone and sighed, quickly typing a response.

Not yet.

He and Trowa were on the hunt for Duo, but his estate was large and the former Deathscythe pilot was adept at hiding. After he came down from his high with the house and grounds intact, Trowa managed to convince Duo to stay with them for a while. He claimed it was to monitor him for a concussion and that he needed 48 hours of complete rest, of which twelve was already taken by Duo's bizarre behavior while working drugs out of his system. Quatre knew that was mostly a load of shit. Trowa cared, sure. But he knew Duo was capable of caring for himself once he was sober.

He wasn't stupid. His well-meaning partner was trying to trick him into a reconciliation with Duo. It was sweet, but also a fool's errand. His pocket vibrated again.

You don't think he left, do you?

Frowning, he replied Duo wouldn't leave without saying something to you.

What he didn't type was that he'd absolutely leave without speaking to him, but that was fine by Quatre. Over the last two days he'd become uncomfortable in his own house and the reason was currently hiding somewhere and making Trowa worry. He didn't like it when Trowa worried, but to see him worry over Duo, of all people, felt something between aggravating and wrong.

They had a great relationship until he showed up. Now Trowa was sympathizing with Duo and siding against him. They used to be a united front. They used to feel unshakable. He missed how things were when Duo was missing, and he felt guilty for wishing at times he never told the others who he found in the hospital a little more than half a year ago.

Had it been that long? Sometimes it felt like yesterday and other times it felt like years.

Another vibration from the phone in his hand, and Quatre was frowning more deeply than before.

Let me know when you find him. I'm worried about his shoulder. I think he's taking off the sling too soon and I don't want him to cause more damage.

He didn't bother to respond. Trowa could worry about whomever he wanted. It wasn't a judgement on their relationship, it was only evidence of his good character. After another minute or two of walking he came across a housekeeper and decided maybe she'd know something.

"Have you seen Duo?"

The woman stopped what she was doing and looked up to Quatre. "He's where he always goes, Sir. I last saw him in the music room."

Quatre thanked her and made his way across the house. They'd found Duo in there several times just sitting on the piano bench and staring at the keys, but for some reason that room was never where they checked first. Perhaps Duo wanted to learn to play after his shoulder healed? He could always gift him some lessons and see if he took to the instrument. Music was a wonderful way to express yourself. He and Trowa still found time to play duets at least once a month, and Heero thanked them from the bottom of his heart for the suggestion to take up an instrument as well. If Duo learned to play, maybe they could play something together and Trowa would see them take another step towards becoming friends.

He still owed Duo for the trouble he caused at Easter.

Logically he knew the argument they had that day wasn't the same one that divided Duo and Heero now, but the timing made him feel guilty nonetheless. He felt he played a role in their breakup, whether it was true or not. He certainly felt in the middle of their breakup with the way Heero kept calling him, heartbroken and lost. It was strange to have one half of a couple rely on him for emotional support while the other half made a show of how much he wanted nothing to do with him.

The guilt he felt also served as a distraction from the very real threat against his life, and that made him feel extra guilty.

What kind of person used his friend's suffering as a positive distraction? What kind of person delighted in grief stricken calls? Yes, he was simply thrilled that Heero still trusted him and was willing to confide in him, but he shouldn't be happy to get those calls just to distract himself, right? Heero's problems with Duo seemed almost quaint in comparison to assassination plots. He hated himself for enjoying the reprieve.

Either way, nothing was adding up and over-thinking was getting him nowhere.

The events that unfolded at the summit also didn't sit right with him, but he was missing some key piece of information to figure out why it felt off. He got out of the building easily enough and trusted his security team, but a voice in his head kept nagging him that something was wrong. Something was too easy about their evacuation.

Was it a test? Was Chevalier just checking to see how his team functioned? Or was he not even involved, and was the target Relena and not him? She did have her own death threat months ago, but threats against her were somewhat routine and usually had no teeth.

It just didn't sit right.

He was evacuated so easily. No one took a shot at him. No one blocked his escape or otherwise was spotted by his team as suspicious. But Duo took two shots to the chest while on Relena's detail.

Maybe what sat so poorly was Duo and Relena's entire escape, rather than the ease of his own. From what he heard they'd gone into hidden passages and were ambushed. But the assailant didn't take another shot after hitting Duo. Any gunman worth his money would down the bodyguard and shoot Relena. It would take only seconds.

There was, however, no reason for anyone to target Duo. At least as far as he knew.

Duo's cover had not been compromised and the several years he spent working in secret for Une should not be cause for him to have enemies. He was Agent Ghost, after all. No one knew his identity. And after more than a decade it didn't make sense for someone from the losing side of the war to have it out for him. Besides, everyone loved Duo. It was irritating how everyone loved him. Maybe he really was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

When it got too hard to sort in his head, Quatre found himself needing a new focus. He would go back to dissecting what happened at the summit later.

Unfortunately, as he made his way to the music room, his brain decided that the new topic on which to focus his attention should circle back to drama between Duo and Heero. He tried his best to clear his mind, specifically wanting not to think about them. It was difficult.

He struggled to free his thoughts until he turned down a hallway and was shocked to hear the faint and distinct sounds of a piano being played.

The notes were slow and sad with a wistful melody played by the right hand and accompanied by the left rising and falling through the individual notes of chords. There was something familiar about the tune, even though not every note was played right and it sounded overall unskilled.

Quietly, he made his way to the door of the music room and peeked inside, knowing the piano was turned so the player would only see company approach in their peripheral vision. He found Duo at the piano, his left arm free of the sling, just like Trowa feared. Quatre could make out how Duo's left hand shook a little as he played.

Upon closer inspection he saw the right hand shook as well, only not as prominently.

As the tune progressed Quatre realized it was a Christmas song. He finally recognized the unsteady melody. Moving to stand to the side of the door he waited in the hallway for the song to end. The playing was serviceable, gradually gaining confidence with only a few missed notes quickly corrected. The more he played the fewer pauses there were in his sound. Quatre expected it to be a one off song, but when it ended Duo didn't actually stop playing. Another tune began, slow and delicate. This one he knew immediately. He took out his phone, silenced it so there would be no noise from vibration notifications, and sent a text to Trowa.

Meet me at the music room. Duo's playing Oh Holy Night on the piano. Stealth is operative.

By the time Trowa arrived Duo finished the song and was playing yet another. The taller man peered around Quatre to confirm who was at the piano and then hid alongside him to listen. After a several measures he took out his phone and texted.

This is a hymn. Silent Night.

Quatre nodded.

Did you know Duo could play?

Quatre shook his head and then texted back.

I'm not sure he really learned, from the way he plays.

They remained in the hallway quietly listening. After a few minutes the notes shifted again, and they each recognized Carol of the Bells with the growing urgency of Duo's playing. When the song was done no more music could be heard from the room. Before they could bring themselves to intrude, they heard the fallboard close over the keys, followed by a drawn out, suffering sigh. The sound was sorrowful in a way neither expected. Both men looked through the door with worry to find Duo still sitting at the piano in total silence.

He had one hand covering his face, and the other tucked tightly against his chest. Duo hunched over the piano with his elbow on the fallboard. He was completely still.

A hand on his sleeve pulled Quatre back into the hallway. He looked up into Trowa's eyes and knew his partner was mildly regretting their intrusion when he signaled for them to leave. Though he glanced back towards the room, Quatre allowed himself to be pulled away. Once they were well out of earshot Trowa asked in a hushed tone "What do we do? That was private but I think we should say something. Give him the opportunity to talk to us without cornering or embarrassing him."

Quatre reached for Trowa's hand a held it with a loving squeeze. "You're right. Perhaps we tell him the sound carried and we heard a little from down the hallway?"

Trowa thought for a moment. "What about the reading room across the way? We say we were reading and heard music. We ask if that was him playing. He won't lie."

Leaning up Quatre gave him a quick kiss. "That's good. And you're very considerate."

"Well, he and Heero are my best friends. It would be pretty terrible if I wasn't considerate."

Quatre smiled wearily. "I'm not your best friend?"

Trowa pulled him closer. "No."

"That's a little mean."

Nuzzling Quatre's hair, Trowa replied in a husky voice "It would be a demotion to call you my friend." He moved then, dragging a complacent Quatre behind him.

By the time they saw Duo again it was close to dinner. Any evidence of his emotional duress was long gone. His arm was back in the sling as though nothing happened. While Trowa finished cooking Duo spoke of going home and thanked them for their hospitality.

"I know I've been a bit of a pain, but it really does mean a lot to me. Being here was a lot easier than being home with one working arm." Duo looked relaxed. He was ready to leave but it wasn't because he was trying get rid of his friends. He was simply ready to get back to his life.

"You're still going home with only one working arm."

Duo laughed lightly at Trowa's ribbing. It pleased Quatre to see him looking well again. Not just physically, but emotionally. He was finally learning to read those emotions. Part of him regretted how he and Trowa were planning to possibly upset him once more in just a few minutes, but Trowa seemed very sure of himself. And Trowa was rarely sure in delicate social situations.

"What changed your mind about staying? I know you originally wanted to go home once you slept off those meds."

His question caught Duo as he was reaching for plates to place out for Trowa on the big kitchen island, gripping them in one hand. "Honestly? It was something Wufei told me." He moved the plates and went to grab utensils. "He told me that running and being alone weren't my only options. That I've got friends who care." He paused for a moment, as if considering whether he should say more. "And I'm tired. I don't wanna do everything alone anymore."

Duo didn't catch the look exchanged between Quatre and Trowa at those words because he was reaching into the fridge for a pitcher of iced tea. He continued talking as though he hadn't just rocked their worlds with an admission of wanting help. "I think I'm in need of relinquishing some of my control. I need breaks from time to time. I need to not make every single decision in my life."

Quatre could've cried. This felt strongly like a breakthrough. It was the first time he knew of that Duo admitted he actually needed to lean on others sometimes. He shot a look to Trowa and hoped the taller man understood he wanted to back out of their plan. This was more than enough for one day. He did not believe they should push Duo further. But it didn't work out that way.

Halfway through dinner Trowa asked while cutting through his roasted chicken "Duo, was that you playing piano earlier? We were reading and heard music."

The casual comment made Quatre even more tense than Duo, who just paused for a second and answered "yeah."

For all the times silent communication worked between them Quatre was mortified that it wasn't working now. He shot Trowa another look to stop but instead the brunette asked "Where did you learn to play?"

Duo started to poke at the remains of his meal, pushing chicken and vegetables slowly around the plate and stabbing little holes into them with his knife. He did not make eye contact. This went on for long enough to make Quatre deeply uncomfortable before Duo said in a quiet and distant voice "At the church. When I got in trouble they made me practice… because if they could hear me playing they knew I wasn't causing problems."

"I bet you were a little hell-raiser."

Quatre shot daggers at Trowa, who was both un-phased and at ease. Duo rarely opened up about his past other than for amusing anecdotes and in the eyes of Quatre making him talk about anything serious was breaking an unspoken rule. He was nervous with this line of questioning. After Duo finally was feeling better with his injury, his friends, and the breakup with Heero, the last thing Quatre wanted was to see him fall back into a depressive episode. What untold mess would he need to clean up if Duo became as depressed as Heero?

He watched Duo smile softly at the implication Trowa leveled on him while still poking at his dish. He looked pleased to be called a hell-raiser.

"I was surprised to hear you playing Christmas songs. I always thought you hated Christmas."

A lump formed in Quatre's throat when he saw Duo freeze completely. He wished he could read Duo's emotions with his empath abilities because he was certain this was it and Trowa just obliterated the boundaries he was supposed to abide by. He was sure Duo would walk out without a word and go no contact for at least a week. So it shocked him when Duo did none of that.

Still looking at his plate, he said in the same soft and distant voice, "The only thing they'd teach me was Christmas songs. I didn't learn to read music or anything, I just memorized a few songs one measure at a time. Please don't mistake that for me really learning to play. I might be able to pick out a melody but I can't figure out the chords to accompany it on my own. I basically can fake it for a small number of songs, that's it. Muscle memory, you know? After so many hours of playing the same songs, month after month, they seem to have come back okay."

A wistful smile settled into his face. "They punished me with Christmas music so I could play for everyone at the end of the year. Accompany the choir, turn bad behavior into something productive, that sorta thing."

"Did you get to? Play for them, I mean."

At that Duo finally made eye contact. His gaze was intense and haunted. When he spoke it was near monotone. "No. The Alliance made sure of that."

The two men stared at one another. Quatre watched closely, noticing a silent communication occurring between the two, making him suddenly feel like a third wheel. He wanted to point out to his partner that the only person building a stronger relationship with Duo was not him but instead he remained quiet. Worse, while Trowa's features did not soften looking at Duo, his voice held a tone of empathy when he next spoke, one Quatre rarely heard unless they were in private.

"Thank you. I know it wasn't your intention to be heard but it's an honor to hear you play."

Trowa using that voice with another person made Quatre feel a little less special.

A tug upward at the corner of Duo's lips was his only visual acknowledgment of Trowa's words. "My playing is shit, Tro. Sounds like a little kid struggling through simple arrangements. I think you've confused honor with torture."

He went back to eating like nothing happened.

Trowa wasn't going to get them to reconcile before Duo went home, that much was certain. But it seemed like Duo was managing to heal a little more than his injuries before leaving.