"No, no, no.. stop butchering Chopin like that!"
With a gentle gesture, Duo Maxwell lifted the hands of his student Dorothy Catalonia from the piano keys to stop the horrid sound.
"What did I tell you.."
"I know, I know…" She sighed. "I should have studied more. I think the Minute Waltz is a little bit too difficult for me."
"Not if you study well, it’s not," Duo said and placed her hands on the keys again. "Start over. From the beginning.."
"It’s no use," Dorothy snapped and her fingers slipped off the keys. "I’m only doing this because my grandfather wants it. He thinks it’s good for my education, the old goat!"
"Music is beautiful, Dorothy. It’s balm for the soul, soothing for the mind, relaxing for the body. You have come so far, it would be a waste of time and effort to quit! And your grandfather is right – music is good for your education. It’s a world of experience!"
Dorothy smiled. "Your enthusiasm is contagious, mr. Maxwell. I am very lucky to have such a good teacher like you. If only I had also your talent and your long fingers… mine are so stubby.."
She looked at Duo and smiled again. He winked at her.
"Nice try miss Catalonia, but you are not going to sweet-talk your way out of this. Start over. From the beginning.. and one.. and two.."
Before the girl could start, a loud cough startled them both. Duo turned around on the stool and his face lit up.
"Heero! You’re home early!"
"Yes," he only answered. Duo laughed shortly.
"Five more minutes Heero," he said and turned his attention back to Dorothy.
"I don’t mind if class is dismissed early today," she said jokingly, but Duo started counting and she had no other choice than to start over again.
Duo walked into the kitchen and spotted Heero at the sink, rinsing his coffee mug. He wrapped his arms around his lover’s body and nuzzled his neck.
"That’s a better greeting," Heero grumbled and turned around.
"You know what we agreed," Duo said and kissed him feather-lightly. "No kiss-kiss in front of the students. No interruptions of class, as I seem to have to remind you on that one multiple times."
"I don’t like that Catalonia girl." Heero Yuy embraced his boyfriend and his hands took possession of the long, thick braid and started caressing it. "Don’t like her at all."
"She’s okay. It’s too bad she doesn’t study very much because she is very talented on the piano. Duke Dermail, her grandfather, is the only reason why she is even taking classes. It seems he is really pushing her- and he is paying for it, of course."
"She ogles you. She slobbers on you."
"Stop it, Heero. It’s not really a secret I’m hopelessly in love with you. No girl can ever change that."
Heero didn’t answer but continued caressing the braid, hands climbing higher until he reached Duo’s ears. He stroked the wisps of hair and cupped Duo’s face.
"Nothing can ever change that." Duo looked in the cobalt blue eyes of his partner. "Nothing."
"I love you so much," Heero kissed him. "So much I can’t imagine living without you."
Duo narrowed his eyes to slits. "Heero? Is everything all right? You seem a little bit upset."
"Play for me tonight," he answered him.
"What do you want to hear?"
"Chopin will do. Chopin will do just fine."
Duo was not surprised to see the other side of the bed empty and Heero gone the following morning. Heero was an early riser, too early for any normal human – but Duo had already given up hope of seeing Heero as ‘any normal human’. They were lovers, partners and friends for more than five years and still Duo was convinced he didn’t know everything about Heero. He was a bit reclusive, withdrawn and had walls around him the size of skyscrapers. Even though Duo had managed to break some of those walls down, there were still… ‘matters’. The matter of Heero being able to bend steel. The matter of Heero’s uncanny stamina and health. The matter of his soldier-like responses and life-style he maintained. He had never got around to tell Duo what was the reason behind it. He referred only to it as "training in his youth". They fought about it. They argued about it. Duo had eventually learned not to prod or to bully, as Heero would always react badly. In time, Duo had given it a rest and concentrated more on understanding his life-partner and trying to get him more out of his shell. So far, he had managed that Heero was quite social around him.. but only around him. And sometimes a bit too social.. more protective. Ever since Duo had told him in all honesty about his own past, Heero has taken on his ‘protection’ as if it was a mission.
Duo started to make the bed, thoughts wandering about the upcoming lessons and classes. He took a shower and dressed himself – black slacks, black vest, white shirt. He looked at himself in the mirror and grinned. A handsome young man in his twenties grinned back at him.
"You have come far too, Duo Maxwell," he said aloud. Far from an orphan on the streets and out of a church to a well-fed, loved and socially accepted piano teacher. He winked at himself, laughed and was shaken out of his reverie by the doorbell.
It took him a minute to peek through the looking glass. The apartment was a little too big for only two persons, but Duo wouldn’t want to miss it for the world. He took a second look. Two men were standing in front of his door with grim expressions on their faces.
He opened the door.
"Can I help you?"
"Duo Maxwell?" The Chinese man asked, or rather, barked at him.
"Yes, that’s me." He felt a little bit strange. This was not good. Something happened.. to Heero?
"I am sorry, mr. Maxwell, but we have to talk to you. I’m detective Chang Wufei and this is my colleague, detective Trowa Barton. May we come in?"
"Of course, of course," Duo answered nervously, swinging the door wide open. They both presented him their badges but Duo hardly gave it a look.
"What happened? Something to Heero? Did something happen to Heero?"
Detective Chang shook his head. "No, sir, we are here for one of your students. Miss Dorothy Catalonia."
"Dorothy? Wha.." Duo felt nauseous. Two detectives.. standing in his living room..
"She has been murdered, mr. Maxwell."
"Where were you yesterday evening, around 03.00 at night?"
Chapter 2 |