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"The Band"Written By: t-shirt Disclaimer: Gundam Wing and its characters are
copyright to Sunrise, Bandai, Sotsu Agency, and associated parties.
I make no money with this fic. Rating: NC 17 Warnings: AU/Romance, Angst, fluff, mention of
the inappropriate fondling of a minor (brief/past incident), sap,
my corky humor , ^_^ Pairings: 1x2, 3x4, 5x????? Oh my! Summary: Hiiro and Duo discover the road to success
is sometimes as easy as simply following your heart. "The Band" Ch 1 He ran all the way home. ‘Father! Father! Sister Helen!’ ‘Whoa! Slow down, Duo,’ Sister Helen smiled as the young boy skittered around the corner almost running into her in his exuberance. ‘What in the world?’ she laughed taking in his disheveled state as the twelve year old boy chattered excitedly while pushing a slip of paper in her hands. ‘I made it! They said I can join! Hiiro made it too! We’re gonna practice together! It’ll be so cool! Where’s Father?! I gotta ask him about the rental!’ ‘Duo! Settle down,’ the nun soothed waiting until he’d gained control over himself before reading the note. It was a permission slip and information on joining the school band. Her smile faltered for a moment before she fixed it again and handed the paper back to him. ‘He’s in his office,’ she told him unable to contain the small smile the boy’s jubilation brought to her face as he snatched it away and darted off down the hall. ‘Father!’ Duo yelled hitting the door of the old priest’s office so hard it bounced off the wall as he burst into the room. ‘Look! I got in!’ he gushed racing to the startled mans side to present his prize, the tall man in the scarlet robes that sat in one of the black leather chairs all but ignored in his haste until he looked into the stern eyes of his benefactor and realized what he’d done. ‘My apologies, Your Grace,’ Father Maxwell sighed refusing to look at the paper in Duo’s hand. ‘Quite alright,’ the other man chuckled. ‘Our business here is finished anyway,’ he sighed pulling himself to his feet. ‘I was sorry to hear your latest opportunity for adoption was... less than successful,’ the red clad man smiled seeming amused by the fact. ‘He started it,’ the boy defended defiantly. ‘Duo,’ Father Maxwell sighed. ‘Well he did!’ the boy insisted. ‘Wasn’t my fault that old geezer was a lush.’ ‘Duo!’ the priest barked and the boy fell silent but his eyes still burned with the conviction in his heart. ‘Indeed,’ the Cardinal laughed allowing the priest to see him out. Duo started again the moment the door closed. ‘Look!’ he said again holding out the paper in earnest. ‘It says I can join the band. All I need is some money to rent an instrument! Hiiro’s gonna be in it too and….’ ‘Sit down,’ Father Maxwell intoned in a voice of very, very long suffering that Duo didn’t dare defy in lieu of the fact that he was asking a favor so he plopped down with the paper still clutched in his hand and a scowl fixed firmly on his small face. Father Maxwell took a long moment to collect himself before going to sit in his big chair and holding out his hand for the note. After looking it over he placed it in the center of his desk, opened his bottom drawer and poured himself a short brandy which he downed in one quick gulp before replacing the bottle and opening his mouth to address his young charge. ‘Mr. Talken has agreed to drop the charges,’ he informed him gritting his teeth firmly as Duo set his jaw. ‘However,’ the old priest sighed knowing the futility of his words. ‘Only if he receives a formal apology from y...’ ‘NO WAY!’ Duo spat. ‘That old fart tried to give me a bath!’ ‘That’s no reason to have broken his arm.’ ‘I’m not a baby!’ ‘I realize that Duo but…’ ‘He started it,’ the boy with the waist length chestnut braid said evenly. ‘I ended it.’ ‘And Darian?’ ‘He stole my shoes.’ ‘Kyle.’ ‘Pammy said he hit her.’ ‘Montrose.’ ‘Spit on me.’ ‘Linda’ ‘Pulled my hair.’ ‘Drake... Talon... Barbara.’ ‘Hey! Those guys tried to corner me and bust my head!’ ‘You put two of them in the hospital!’ ‘Better them then me.’ The old priest started to open his mouth and retort then thought better of it and said a silent prayer for strength instead. ‘God doesn’t like it when you hurt people.’ he told him. ‘Tell him to stop ‘em from messin’ up then,’ the boy replied simply. ‘………….’ ‘Can I rent a base?’ ‘Hm?’ ‘I wanna play the base in the band,’ Duo explained, the entire conversation up till then suddenly forgotten. ‘Hiiro’s gonna play the guitar,’ he gushed once again. ‘So we’ll be able to practice together’n stuff. It doesn’t cost much if you rent ‘em through the sch…’ ‘I’m afraid that’s not possible,’ Father Maxwell broke in, his aged eyes softening sympathetically as the boy drooped. ‘I promise I won’t hurt the other kids anymore,’ the braided boy offered stubbornly. Father just chuckled as he explained. ‘It’s not because of your behavior though I want you to sincerely consider less violent ways of solving your problems,’ he amended eyeing him sternly. ‘I’m afraid the budget simply won’t allow for the rental costs,’ he sighed setting the permission slip aside. ‘But... Hiiro’s gonna,’ the boy stammered, his huge violet eyes awash with confusion then they set solid in his small face. ‘I’ll get the money myself then.’ ‘Duo.’ ‘I won’t steal it!’ Duo told him flatly. ‘I’ll earn it! I’ll get a job.’ ‘Your studies won’t allow…’ ‘But Hiiro’s gonna be in the band!’ the boy sobbed suddenly though his expression was still one of utmost determination as the tears broke free and swelled in his eyes. Father Maxwell considered him for a long moment before he felt the compassionate mire that always befuddled his senses when it came to dealing with the long haired boy rise and pulled the permission slip back toward him. ‘You will see Sister Helen,’ he told him. Duo’s tears dried up in an instant as his infectious joy sprang back to life as the man signed his name. ‘We cannot rent you an instrument,’ he told him. ‘However, she may be able to supply you with something suitable enough to allow you to participate,’ he smiled handing the paper back to the excited boy. ‘Yes’ir!’ Duo cried bolting for the door. ‘Duo.’ ‘Oh, right... thank you!’ ‘Duo!’ ‘What? I gotta go see Sister!’ the boy grumbled. ‘If there are any further incidents involving anything to do with stitches, splints or casts I will be forced to resend this permit,’ he told him. Duo stood for a moment as if working that one over in his head then smiled cheerily and chirped a quick ‘Ok… thanks!’ before heading out the door. ** ‘What…. Is that?’ ‘A timbrel,’ Duo informed his friend looking down on the small, tambourine shape he’d just laid on the end of his bed as if it were a dead frog or something. ‘What does it do?’ Hiiro asked tightening one of the keys on his sparkling new Wing guitar. He’d been lucky to acquire it as it was the last of this elite brand left in their town. Duo picked the timbrel up, shook it once sending a weak little jingling sound into the air and dropped it back on the mattress to its silent despair. ‘Hn,’ Hiiro mused turning his attention back to the Wing. ‘It sounds nice. Can you play it yet?’ he asked strumming the taunt strings and filling the room with the warm, vibrant hum of their perfect pitch. ‘UUUUUGG!’ Duo groaned spinning where he stood and falling backward to bounce heavily on the bed next to his friend. ‘What am I suppose to do with this?’ he grumbled flicking the defenseless timbrel disgustedly with his fingers. ‘I think it sounds nice,’ Hiiro countered. Duo just stared up at him as if his hair had turned purple. ‘Damn it,’ the long haired boy sighed tucking his hands behind his head. ‘Well... at least I’ll get to be in the band,’ he consoled himself listening as Hiiro strummed his guitar again. He closed his eyes letting the sound fill him up. When they had first learned of the opportunity to be in the band together they had both instantly determined that would be the best path for them to take. This way they could be together even when they weren’t in class and there was nothing Duo liked better than the sound of music. After a few moments Hiiro strummed out a couple of cords purposely to get the feel of the symphonic machine. ‘Can you play anything yet?’ Duo asked opening his eyes again. ‘I read a book,’ Hiiro told him dropping said book on his chest. Duo sat up and thumbed through it while Hiiro plucked out one of the simpler melodies. ‘Hey... that’s got a nice rhythm,’ he smiled inspiring Hiiro to play it again. He wasn’t really surprised that Hiiro could already play as the boy had never touched anything that even resembled a machine that didn’t seem to kneel down and beg him to allow it to serve. He was, however, taken with the smoothly overlapping resonance, almost as if Hiiro were speaking to him in some other language all their own. ‘That’s pretty cool,’ Duo smiled, his eyes falling on the little timbrel and he found his heart was so light from the tune his hand just automatically picked it up and began to tap it gently in time. Hiiro turned up the volume a little to compensate for the harsher sound of the jingles and Duo smiled and stood as the cords he was playing slowly became more and more complicated. ‘Yeah,’ Duo smiled daring to try some more intricate sounds of his own as his slight body began to sway. Hiiro smiled and continued to play, a warm, honest smile of absolute contentment gracing his lips as Duo began to dance. ** ‘Shut up!’ CRASH! BANG! RATTLE! ‘It’s past nine already!’ ‘Sorry Mrs. Udon!’ Duo called out the window dodging another stray projectile that bounced off the garage wall where they practiced. ‘Guess we’d better call it a night,’ the long haired boy sighed laying his timbrel aside. Hiiro followed suit powering down his equipment and stowing his guitar while the newest member of their backyard band, Trowa, laid his drum sticks down and wiped his shiny forehead with the towel around his neck. Why the boy had to perform without a shirt was not only a mystery but Duo found it dubiously distracting since the kid had the physique of a body builder. He assumed it was due to years of beating the drums but regardless of where it came from it was hard to concentrate with him sitting there in all his sixteen years of glory looking like Adonis in chains... er... well... wrist cuffs... umm bands... right. ‘Let’s listen to the playback up in your room,’ the long haired boy told his Japanese friend gathering the things they needed before they headed out. Hiiro’s guardian, a Dr. with a long standing in their community, had set out a tray of finger sandwiches and drinks for them as usual. Duo liked him very much even if he rarely ever actually saw the man, he’d been doing little things like this for him and Hiiro for years and now included Towa in his kindness. ‘Thanks J!’ he shouted knowing the Dr. would be puttering around in the house somewhere as they all grabbed the snacks and ran up the stairs. ‘You added an extra beat in the second score,’ Duo observed. ‘I can do it like the sheet says but it feels empty to me,’ Trowa explained. ‘Naw... I like it,’ the long haired boy countered. ‘What’dyu think Hiiro?’ ‘Hn.’ ‘Your brilliance astounds me,’ Duo breathed evenly. ‘It’s good,’ Hiiro chuckled dropping his leg over his thighs so he could kick him in the butt where he lay across the foot of the bed. ‘We need a base,’ Trowa said. ‘I asked Wufei, that Chinese kid that plays in the jazz band after school,’ Duo explained. ‘He said he’d come hear us at Jo Jo’s this weekend.’ ‘I heard he’s pretty good,’ Trowa mused. ‘Yeah.. Hilde said he’s already gotten a scholarship to some hoity music school upstate,’ the braided boy told them. ‘Some classical …jazz... Hindu shit or something,’ he shrugged rolling over under Hiiro’s leg since he hadn’t seen fit to move it off of top of him. ‘Honkyoku,’ Hiiro corrected smirked as his toes pinched and played with the hem of Duo’s shirt teasingly. ‘I should take off,’ Trowa said standing to gather his things. ‘Umm, wait up,’ Duo said also moving to get his things. ‘You don’t have to leave,’ the taller boy reasoned pulling on his riding jacket. Ok… now that was just totally unfair cause the boy looked even better with his skin glowering softly from under the black denim. ‘Can you drop me at Jo’s?’ Duo asked. ‘I need to go over Saturday’s gig .’ he told him donning his own jacket as well. ‘I’ll take you,’ Hiiro offered. ‘You’re already snuggled in,’ Duo reasoned. ‘I don’t mind,’ the Japanese boy countered already in his jacket and shoes and ready to go. ‘K... you wanna meet us over there?’ Duo added to Trowa. ‘Naw... I need to run by Cathy’s,’ the taller boy replied. ‘Later J!’ Duo called as they all filed out the front door hearing a distant grunt in reply that proved the man was indeed alive and present. Thursday night at Jo Jo’s was usually nothing to write home about. Tried businessmen taking a moment out of their busy days to sit and listen to some soothing sounds and catch a bite to eat in the dimly lit little retreat. A far cry from the insanity that over took the place on Saturdays. An insanity Duo was particularly proud to be a major cause of. They’d tried everything from jazz (one of Hiiro’s favorites) to techno pop (something Trowa appeared to have an affinity for) but when all was said and done Duo’s idea of a nice mid section pop/rock genera had pretty much satisfied them all. Duo never had taken up another instrument though he’d threatened to many times. It seemed that after the years of working with the timbrel in the school band (something they still did) he simply couldn’t tolerate being tied down to anything that restricted his movements. In the end his boundless energy and love for fraternizing with the audience had earned him the spot of lead singer and although his voice really wasn’t anything to write home about his spirit and enthusiasm never failed to seamlessly connect the band to the people and although his band mates knew he had little clue he had become the heart and soul of the music. ‘Hey guys,’ Noin greeted them, her dark hair glinting blue in the low lights from behind the bar. ‘What brings you out tonight?’ she asked setting a coke in front of each of them as they took their usual seats at the bar. It was nice. Jo had a pianist playing some sort of soft classical sound that made Duo feel like he needed to whisper everything he said for fear of disturbing the gentle ripples of the music. ‘Hi,’ Duo returned. ‘Jo around?’ he asked scanning the tranquil patrons that grazed on their meals and watched the performer at the grand piano on the small stage in the corner. ‘No... sorry,’ the woman replied. ‘Did you try up at the Mansion?’ ‘Naw... its not that important,’ Duo told her sipping his soda beside Hiiro. He wouldn’t have gone to the Mansion anyway. No one did without a very good reason. It was a place for members only and most people really didn’t want to know what went on inside. Jo appeared to be friends with the owner/operator of the place though and would often visit. Duo’s thoughts were disturbed by the soft touch of Hiiro’s fingers along his upper arm as he brushed them gently along his bicep to gain his attention. For a moment Duo wondered if he’d done it just so he’d see him smiling at him or something then realized he was being beckoned to follow his gaze finding the pianist on the receiving end. ‘Hey… isn’t that that Winner kid?’ he mused. ‘Yeah,’ Noin smiled. ‘You know him?’ ‘He’s in our band class at school,’ the long haired boy explained. ‘Just started about a week ago. Guess he just transferred in. I didn’t know he played the piano too.’ ‘What’s he play in the band?’ ‘Violin,’ Duo replied. ‘He’s damn good too. Supposed to be some kind of prodigy or something,’ he shrugged. ‘Weird.’ ‘Why’s that?’ ‘I just wonder why he’s going to Sanc High,’ she said. ‘I mean his dad’s worth what? A few trillion dollars? Just seems weird he’d be saddled with a little place like this.’ ‘He’s that Winner?’ Duo mused looking on the small blond boy at the piano with renewed respect. ‘Hn,’ he grunted turning to his partner. ‘What’dyu think about working with a keyboard?’ They decided to hang around until the set was over and talk with the boy. Neither of them had ever really taken much of an interest in him before as his specialty appeared to be classical and they did not play classical music. However, the idea of a keyboard in the band sounded like a pretty decent idea so it was worth a shot to at least ask and see where things went. ‘Hi,’ Duo smiled at his newest classmate once he saw he was preparing to leave. ‘You’re Quatre right?’ ‘Oh, hello,’ the blond replied shyly. ‘Yes... You’re in my band class right?’ he smiled. ‘Yeah, I’m Duo... this is Hiiro,’ he replied. ‘We play here on Saturday nights.’ ‘You’re in a band?’ Quatre asked politely. ‘Yeah... Gundam Wing... ever heard of it?’ Duo told him grinning hopefully. ‘No... sorry.’ Duo drooped but it didn’t last long. ‘Hey, why don’t you come by this Saturday?’ he asked. ‘We’re more of pop/rock sound but you might enjoy it, huh?’ he prompted liking the way the boy was smiling at the idea. ‘I’d like that, thank you.’ ‘Great,’ Duo chirped. ‘Listen, we’re kind of looking for a new sound so if you like us maybe we could get together and jam sometime,’ he added, the brilliant shine that seeped into the blond boy’s big aquamarine eyes just about took his breath away. He’d never seen pure unadulterated happiness displayed quite so blatantly before as the boy replied. ‘A… alright.’ ‘Cool,’ the long haired boy smiled. ‘See
ya in class then,’ he told him taking his leave with Hiiro following
along in his wake.
~ * ~ tbc... |
