Notes: This is going to (hopefully) be part of a series called Kareoke Night - basically song fics about my fav characters that will take place in the same fictional Kareoke bar. The idea has been floating around in my head for weeks and this was definitely the first one I had planned but I just couldn’t get round to writing it - that is until I read a story that also used another Boyzone song (WYSNAL is sung by Boyzone ) then I just had to right my one as well! It’s Heero x Duo.

Duo glanced around the Kareoke bar that Quatre had dragged them to. It was called Cairnsy’s Bar and was situated in a back street - no hope of being found by OZ solders here. The atmosphere reminded Duo of an old twentieth century french bar - smoky and dark but not seedy. There was a stage at the front of the room and a bar along the left. A small dance floor was situated in front of the stage and the rest of the room was scattered with round tables. The bar was near full with loud laughter and chatter mixing with the light piano music being played - no one had started singing yet. Yes, Duo couldn’t help but think. it would have been fun to spend the night fooling around and getting drunk - there was only one problem.

“Hhhheeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrooooo!” Relena. She had found them - again. Duo couldn’t help but wonder just exactly how she managed to find them, or rather Heero, time after time. And now the Queen of the World was here hanging off the arm of HIS lover. It was going to be one long night.

“Did you have to take me to such a seedy and scary place?” said Queen grumbled, clinging tighter to Heero, either ignoring or not noticing the way he tensed up or the low growl that came from Duo’s direction. Trowa and Quatre looked at each other before Quatre turned to Relena.

“Relena” He started softly

“We have to go somewhere where we won’t be recognised, besides, a friend of my fathers own this bar - It’ll be fun ne?” He finished with a smile. Relena attempted to return it, while thinking how someone as rich as the Winner family would have connections with a Kareoke Bar owner.

“I suppose” she huffed with an over dramatised sigh.

“If this is what you all want to do?” At the five nods that were her reply she sighed again.

"All right then, I’ll go get us a seat - get me a martini darling” she said to Heero before flouncing off. As she disappeared Heeros stoney expression relaxed into one of relief, and for the first time since Relena had turned up Duo smiled. “She is a bit much isn’t she?” Quatre spoke up as the headed to the bar, Wufei snorted.

“A bit? She wouldn’t know reality if it came up and bit her on her royal butt” Upon reaching the bar they ordered five beers and Relena’s Martini.

“I should of killed her while I had the chance” Heero spoke up darkly, taking a quick swig of the beer as they went to find where Relena had grabbed their table.

“If she doesn’t leave soon I’ll do it for you” Duo muttered, and was pleasantly surprised when Heero reached down and silently squeezed his hand in reassurance and an unspoken apology. Duo instantly brightened up at this rare display of public affection, small as it was, and bounced to where he had just seen Relena.

“Ne Relena - here’s your drink” he said with a smile, plomping down in his seat. His smile widened as Relena’s turned to a scowl when Heero decided to sit next to Duo with Wufei in between Relena and her affections.

“Thank you Duo” she said stiffly before turning towards Heero.

“I’ve missed you terribly Heero” she purred, leaning forward. Trowa smirked as Heero on impulse leaned back.

“What with the way the war is going I hardly get to see you anymore” Duo rolled his eyes as he leaned back in his seat and ignored the usual spiel from Relena. Couldn’t the girl take a hint? Here she was blatantly flirting with him and Heero was sitting as still as a statue. Duo would feel sorry for if he wasn’t so angry - she knew about his and Heero’s relationship but obviously saw it as a fling of no consequence, which angered the long haired pilot even more.

“So I was wondering Heero if you’d like to go out with me tomorrow night - just the two of us” Duo was rocked out of his reflecting by this and just stared in disbelief at Relena. The whole table went quiet and Quatre bit his lip as he looked between the stony face of Heero, the look of utter shock on Duo’s and the hope that was clearly written on Relenas. She had often asked Heero out, but never in front of the other four pilots, in front of Duo! He took a shaky breath - there was going to be some sort of explosion here - the question was who would it be from. As it was it was Duo.

“Relena, as you already know Heero is currently involved with someone, me” Duo stated softly, his eyes dangerously serious. Taken back by the normally comic pilots seriousness Relena laughed nervously before replying in a cold voice.

“Oh come on Duo, we both know you mean nothing to him - you are just a cheap, lower class American - what can you offer him? Nothing! I can offer him everything!” She turned to Heero for support but the boy was frozen in shock.

“I can offer him my heart” Duo replied soflty.

“And he loves me - no matter what you have Relena, or what you do, he loves me, not you” Relena laughed again, but this time harshly.

“Loves you! You two have been sleeping together for months yet outside of the bedroom he won’t even hold your hand! Or talk to you! He ignores you Duo” she spat, leaning froward across the table so she was only centimetres from Duo’s head.

“Has he ever told you Duo? Has ever said he loves you?” she wispeared mockingly

“No” Duo answered quietly

“Then how do you know? How can you be so sure?” She sat back triumphantly, ignoring the looks of pure hatred that were directed at her from Wufui, Quatre and Trowa. Heero, still partially in shock over the two fighting over him turned to Duo. Duo was shocked to see the emotions that were hidden in those eyes - guilt, probably for getting Duo into situation and never saying those three little words, anger - directed at Relena, but above all love. Duo could also detect a faint feel of insecurity, he obviously wondered how Duo knew as well.

“I’ll show you” He replied, standing up, surprising those at the table as he headed for the stage, braid swaying behind him as he walked.

“Is he going to .... sing?!” Wufei asked surprised.

“I think so” Trowa replied, before he was shushed by Quatre as a woman of medium height and shoulder length brown hair walked onto the stage.

“Hope you’re all having a good time” she said with a smile. Quatre recognised her as Cairnsy.

“We have our first singer tonight, he’s going to be singing an old Ronan Keating cover - ‘When you say nothing at all’ - Duo Maxwell!” Duo shuffled onto stage amongst loud cheers from the crowd. He tugged gently at his collar already doubting his decision. Doubting that was until his eyes found his friends table and saw the haughty look on Relena’s face and the look of support on his friends. Locking eyes with Heero, whose face relaxed slightly and was graced by a small smile, Duo spoke up.

“This is dedicated to the person I love, spandex shorts and all” With a small smile of his own he motioned for the small band to start up.

“It’s amazing how you can speak right to my heart without saying a word you can light up the dark”

All four of remaining members at the table stared at Duo open mouthed. The loud mouthed joker of their group could actually sing?

“Try as I may I can never explain what I hear when you don’t say a thing”

Locking eyes with Heero again Duo lost himself in his memories.

“The smile on your face lets me know that you need me”
*Heero walking into one of their many hideouts late at night after finishing a mission, blood caked on his clothes and an expression of utter exhaustion on his face. As he turns the lights on his face brightens and a small smile appears on his face as he sees Duo half asleep on a chair. “Baka” he whispers softly before his partner helps him cleanup.*

“There’s a truth in your eyes saying you’ll never leave me”
*Dancing to a slow romantic song at a social dinner put on by Quatre’s family Duo appears to be lost in the depths of his partners eyes.*

“The touch of your hand says you’ll catch me wherever I fall”
*Heero wraps his arms around his sobbing partners body after a nightmare from his past, gently rocking him until he’s asleep again*

“You say it best when you say nothing at all”

“All day long I can hear people talking of love”
*“What do you think love is?” Duo questions Quatre, who smiles dreamingly in response - obviously thinking of Trowa. “Love is when you can’t even begin to comprehend living without that person, when you heart stalls for just a second every time you see him and when just the thought of him brings a smile to your face......” Quatre drifts off as he notices that Duo is no longer paying attention to him but starring at a point behind Quatres left ear. Turning around he notices that Heero has just entered the room*

“But when you hold me near you drown out the crowd”
Duo jumps up and gives Heero a hug, one which is only slightly returned - but its enough. Quatre smiles. “That’s what love is Duo” he says softy.*

“Try as they may they can never define what’s been said between your heart and mine”
*Catherine and Wuffie watch as Duo and Heero exit the hanger, Duo bouncing around and carrying out an endless stream of one sided conversation as Heero appears to ignore him. “It’s hard to believe that those to are a couple isn’t it? Catherine comments. Wuffie, his eyes still on the pair replies quietly “No, they’re perfect for each other”*

“The smile on your face lets me know that you need me there’s a truth in your eyes saying you’ll never leave me the touch of your hand says you’ll catch me whenever I fall”

Duo, in the present, reaches his hand out towards Heero.

“You say it best, when you say nothing at all” As he finished the line in little more than a whisper the crowd erupted into applause as several people came over to congratulate him causing him to loose visual contact with Heero. At the table Heero turned to Relena, who was taken back by the strange look in his eyes. What was it? To her own horror she realised it was love, and it wasn’t directed at her.

“Have you heard enough?” he questioned her. Making a decision she nodded, before standing up and walking towards Heero. Lowering her head she gently kissed him, on the forehead.

“Good - bye Heero” She said quietly

“One word of advice - don’t let him go, it’s obvious how much he loves you” she finished before turning and heading out of the bar without looking back.

“I don’t think I can take any more surprises tonight” Trowa said after a few minutes of shocked silence.

“Eh! Where did Relena go?” Duo said, approaching the table with a smile on his face.

“She left” Wuffie stated

“Sour grapes?” Duo asked, sitting back down.

“No, I don’t think so - I think you got through to her Duo” Quatre said, smiling at the look of shock that filted across Duo’s face.

“You know I do - don’t you?” Heero suddenly spoke up, surprising Duo with the change of topic.

“Heero?” He questioned. Heero gently cupped Duo’s face in his hands and stared deeply into his eyes. Duo was caught in his gaze and resembled a deer caught in the headlights of a car.

“I love you” He responded. Duo smiled gently - elated to hear the words.

“I know” he whispered softly as he leaned into Heero and kissed him gently on the lips, oblivious to the three smiling faces at the table, or the one in the corner.

Cairnsy smiled from behind the bar - another happy couple due to the power of music. One of her reasons for loving this job was the strength music could have. Now that she had cemented the future of one couple she was ready for her next challenge. She had heard that 4 ex-generals were going to be popping in soon, and while two were already a couple the other two were yet to get together. A challenge indeed Cairnsy thought with a smile.

end.

Phew! I’m sorry if it’s a bit of a mess, I only wrote it in a couple of hours and this is very much a draft. “When you say nothing at all” is sung by Ronan Keating, lead singer of Boyzone, though its a cover version. However it’s Ro whose voice inspired me to write this so all the thanks goes to him! If you don’t know who the 4 generals are who will be in part two ........ well I thought it was obvious but if it isn’t and you HAVE to know drop me an email and I’ll tell ya! Hope you enjoyed it and send me feedback!

Cairnsy (it wasn’t really a self - insertion fic!)

cairnsynz@yahoo.com