Disclaimer - don't own

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Heero found himself at home, being pushed towards his room by an insistent chestnut colored braid.

"Just grab the guitar, it'll be fun!" Duo beamed, nailing him with a pleading violet gaze. Heero's stomach flipped and his chest constricted to the point where he couldn't breathe. If Quatre's puppy-eyes could stop the moon in its orbit, Duo's could bring the damn thing crashing down to earth.

He nodded dumbly and stumbled into his room, moving to his closet to pull out the bass guitar he hadn't played in almost a year. He could hear Duo out on the couch, tuning his own instrument.

Heero reluctantly joined him, then busied himself tuning so he wouldn't be sucked in by the smile he knew had leaped across Duo's face.

Duo strummed a few notes and launched into a song that had been popular about 6 years ago, back before the war had ended.

Heero smiled, it'd been a favorite of his. He hesitantly began to play along, fingers remembering, even when his brain did not.

Duo watched, entranced, as the man beside him fell into the song, impossibly blue eyes half lidded beneath the fall of dark chocolate bangs, nimble fingers plucking across strings, effortlessly following the tempo Duo had set, just the tiniest hit of a smile turning the corner of sensuous lips.

Duo almost forgot his entrance,

Riches to rags, baby

Lust to dust

Glory's honor's fading

But it don't mean nothing much

Heero's could feel the blood pulsing through his veins, and his stomach tightened as the twilight eyed guitarist began to sing. Sweeping him away with the song, and the room began to fall away. Heero surrendered to the music's sway, letting himself go in the layers and subtleties, drowning in the sound of Duo's voice and the vibrating notes of their duet.

But it's just…

Riches to rags, baby…

They were so absorbed they failed to hear the door until Quatre's squeak sent them flying towards opposite ends of the couch.

"Don't think we didn't see that" Trowa teased

Wufei snickered

"You could knock!" Heero glared, his face flushed a brilliantly kissable crimson, Duo had to fight hard to remain where he was

"We did." Quatre smiled innocently

Heero glared, Quatre's idea of 'knocking' was to rap twice on the door as he was walking through it.

Duo glanced nervously between his host and the trio smirking at them.

Heero growled and started trying to stare holes in the coffee table.

Trowa raised an eyebrow and exchanged a curious glance with Wufei

"I can't believe it!" Quatre chirped on obliviously, "It's been almost a year since you've dug that thing out. We should all have a jam session, it's been forever! I'll sign us up for a time slot in one of the practice rooms!" The blonde pulled out his cellphone before anyone could object,

"Quatre!" Heero bellowed, only to have Trowa's hand clamp across his mouth,

"Dorothy? Hey! It's Quatre, are you still on campus? Great, great! Heero's out of his funk now, we were wondering if you'd mind swinging by the music hall to reserve us a practice room. Sure, you and Relena are welcome to come along to watch, it'd be fun to have an audience."

"No it wouldn't!" Heero growled sulkily

" Thanks Dorothy!"

Quatre grinned "She says she'll call me back with a time."

Heero scowled darkly from the couch,

"So!" Trowa said brightly, exchanging a mischievous grin with Wufei "Care to explain what convinced you to pick that thing up after almost a year of letting it rot in the back of your closet."

The burning in Heero's cheeks had spread to his ears, making him the most adorable blue-eyed tomato Duo had ever laid eyes upon.

"There's nothing to explain." Heero growled

After a few complaints from Wufei and Trowa that Heero's kitchen was sadly lacking in beer, Dorothy returned Quatre's call and the five wandered down to Quatre's car, guitar's in tow.

Relena and Dorothy were waiting in the music hall when they arrived.

"Relena! Dorothy!" Quatre smiled, as he moved to the lockers.

Relena ran on with introductions while Heero and the others set up and tuned their instruments.

"Hey Duo, we're waiting on you." Wufei finally called, giving the violet eyed drifter the opportunity to end the conversation.

"What are we playing?" Heero asked stiffly

"I liked the song you two were playing when we walked in." Trowa smirked,

"Ooh! Me too!" Quatre grinned,

Wufei shook his head, for someone as empathetically observant as Quatre, the blonde could certainly miss a joke.

"Right!" Duo smiled, plucking a few strings, he was interrupted as Relena rushed forward with a microphone,

Wufei shook his head and set the tempo. Heero's base joined him, strumming out a few repeating cords. After a few moments of fiddling with the microphone, Duo's fingers began plucking across the strings, with a grin, Quatre's accompaniment on the keyboard plinked through, and Trowa's flute began a quick flighty counter-melody.

Duo's heady voice resounded across the room.

Riches to rags, baby

Lust to dust

Glory's honor's fading

But it don't mean nothing much

The sweat and tears and blood I cried

For those who lived...

And those who died

And these fires just keep burning

Like it's they that keep the world turning

But the suns burnt out and the moon

Well…

She just don't know anymore

But it's just…

Riches to rags, baby

Lust to dust

Glory's honor's fading

But it don't mean nothing much

They say the fighting's ended

And the battles done and gone

And they tell these broken masses

'Get up boys, move on'

But what's a man

Without a soul...

Without a heart

To make him whole...

Riches to rags, baby

Duo's heart skipped a beat as the bassist stepped up to the mike and Heero's voice joined his own.

Lust into dust

The Japanese man's voice held an earthy quality, that mixed and swirled and wrapped around the deep throaty timbre of his own, Like a hazelnut latte Duo smiled to himself

Glory's honor's fading

But it don't mean nothing much

It's all…

Riches to rags baby

Lust to dust

Glory's honor's fading

But it don't mean nothing much

The instrumentals faded, and Heero and Duo finished the last chorus a cappella.

Glory's honor's fading

But it don't mean nothing much…

Just…

Riches to rags, baby

Quatre's eyes brimmed with tears, Trowa pulled him to his chest, and planted a chaste kiss on his forehead. Wufei sat silently behind the drum set, focused entirely on Duo and Heero.

Duo stared breathlessly at the man beside him.

Cobalt met violet and Heero's cheeks flushed,

"what?" he said quietly,

"Nothing…" Duo grinned, "Just… we sounded good."

"A slight bit better than good!" Relena scoffed, "Guys that was amazing! Heero, I didn't know you even knew HOW to sing! You two were incredible!"

"It's true!" Dorothy nodded enthusiastically, "You ought to just go ahead and form a band now."

"I'll be your manager!" Relena cheered

"And I'll be your first groupie!" Dorothy added

Wufei made a retching noise, the eccentrically eye-browed blonde set him a glare.

"Nice tune guys." Trowa smiled, saving the two guitarist further harassment from the girls, "Should we play another?"

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un-beta'd, so forgive mistakes _

again, the lyrics are mine (to avoid copyright issues, but if you wanted, you could use the lyrics to "Broken" by Lifehouse,

As is, the song is "Riches to Rags" written WAY back in '05 in... most probably in study hall...
or pre-calc...
god I hate math...