Okay - after an influx of angsty stuff, I had to do some sap.
And when I bought the CD I've been searching for relentlessly, I got inspired! The CD was Metallica's S&M - the one where they play some of their greatest hits - plus 2 new tracks - alongside a symphonic orchestra.
Absolutely beautiful!
Anyway - here's what came out of it! Gomen for the crosspost - and thanks Jana, who got first dibs on the idea behind this.
For those of you who don't know me on the 1x2ml, I've been a member of the list for a while now, but strictly as a lurker. This is my first post to the list - I haven't decided whether or not to continue. We'll see - I posted once before, a long time ago, and as a result, decided lurking was much more user-friendly. Akuma and Jana have since persuaded me to give the 1x2ml another shot. *shrugs* Can't let a few bad apples (that contacted me off-list) spoil the bunch neh? *hugs Akuma* Hope you like!
Title: Bridging the Gap
Author: Stormy
Part: 1/1
Warning: Sap, fluff
Archive: GW Addiction. Anyone else, just ask.
Pairings: none mentioned but you should know who I'm rooting for!
Quatre winced as he heard the shrieks coming from his state-of-the-art stereo system. When he'd agreed to let Duo commandeer the living room for a while, he didn't realize that the American's past times would be so... brutish.
Certainly, that noise coming from the speakers wasn't music. Ridiculous. He envisioned the soft strains that emanated forth from his own violin and compared it to the harsh squeals of the electric guitars that he could barely hear past Duo's singing at the top of his lungs.
From his vantage point where he could just barely see through the cracked opening of the heavy wooden door, Quatre could make out Duo's long braid bouncing in and out of his range of vision, and he steeled himself for the barrage against his senses that was definitely forthcoming as he prepare to open the door fully. Behind him, Heero came down the stairs, noticed Quatre's hesitant stance outside the door from the room that contained his braided lover, and shook his head.
"Just leave it Quatre... you'll never win."
Quatre ignored the faintly amused tone from coming from the Japanese pilot and slipped inside the living room. He winced as profanity spewed forth from the stereo - how could ANYone consider this music? Duo noticed his arrival and grinned widely at him. Quatre tried to smile back but a particularly loud shriek from one of the singers made him wince instead. Duo laughed and reached over for the remote control, aiming it at the entertainment system until the volume decreased to a more acceptable level. Quatre shook his head.
"How you can listen to that is beyond me," he said shaking his head. " Doesn't it give you a headache?"
"One has to grow accustomed to Bizkit," Duo chuckled. He lowered the volume another notch. "Especially when the listener is used to Bach, Tchaikovsky and Rossini."
Quatre managed a nod, faintly surprised that Duo could recall such distinguished names in music's history. "Impressive."
"What is?"
"That you are familiar with Bach, yet still listen to... this," he waved his hand at the stacks of cd's strewn about the floor. Duo narrowed his eyes thoughtfully.
"It's not impressive Quatre. It's music." He picked up a cd and handed it to him. "See? All the bytes and bits that go into these little gadgets - they all have notes and lyrics and instruments. It doesn't make a difference to me if the band plays electric guitars or classical piano."
Quatre shook his head. "I still think it's amazing. I can't see myself listening to..." He checked one of the titles. "'Just One of Those Days' by Limp Bizkit, and then switching over for 'Toccata and Fugue in D minor.' They have nothing in common." Standing up, he handed the CD back to Duo.
"Ya think so, huh?" Duo had a thoughtful look on his face and Quatre shivered - he'd seen that look before. Time to go, while he still had the chance.
"See you later Duo," he said, as he exited the room quickly. Maybe he'd find Trowa and his flute to get the horrendous memories of that...noise. He made a mental note to sterilize the CD player before using it again.
Duo remained where he was, ignoring the muted tones of the player switching CDs from Bizkit to Metallica, and a gleam entered his violet eyes.
"Not music eh?"
Quatre was sitting down that evening in the kitchen, enjoying a cup of Rashid's famous herbal tea with rosemary - an enticing blend he'd become addicted to shortly after meeting the Maguanac leader. He was just taking the first sip when a familiar figure poked his head into the kitchen. " Quatre?"
"Hey Duo," Quatre smiled warmly, the friendly confrontation of earlier behind him. "Pull up a chair? There's coffee."
Duo shook his head.
"Thanks for the offer though. Actually Quat - I was wondering if you had some free time?"
Quatre opened his eyes and stared at Duo, apprehension flitting through his body at those words. The equation: Duo plus free time equaled boredom equaled trouble, passed through his mind.
"Why?"
"Just wanted you to check something out!" Duo's eyes sparkled with repressed mischief and Quatre found himself hard-pressed to refuse such an open invitation. Against his better judgement, he rose and followed the bouncing American back to the living room. Duo threw a glance back at the Arabian.
"Where's Trowa?"
"Gone with Wufei for more supplies," he sighed. "What about Heero?"
"Playing with his second love - the computer."
Quatre chuckled and sat down on the plush sofa, curling his legs beneath him. He looked up at Duo, squared his shoulders and took a deep breath.
"Okay. What did you do?"
Duo looked confused for a second - then a huge smile broke out over his face.
"Nothing Quatre! I just want you to listen to something!"
Something akin to horror flashed in Quatre's eyes, and he sat up straighter.
"Oh no - I don't want to listen to your noise!" The words were mocking, but the look of amused fear made Duo laugh rather then take offense.
"Relax! I got to thinking about what you said Q-man - about how my music wasn't really music, and that there was nothing in common between it and your stuff."
Quatre nodded, wondering where Duo was going with this. A cd case struck him in the chest and fell into his lap. "Ow!" Picking it up, he studied the cover. Primarily black, there was an orchestra setting on the front, with a musical grid along the bottom. He read the title: S&M by Metallica.
"Heavy metal Duo? I don't see the connection." Quatre handed the case back, confused. Duo shrugged and hit play.
"You will. Just listen."
For the first minute or so, all Quatre could hear was the muted sounds of a live audience. Then, slow, languid piano notes wafted past his ears. It swirled slightly before a faint drum beat echoed in its passing, the piano raising in it's intensity to meet the violins that suddenly chimed in. It was uplifting, calling forth something inside of Quatre, making him want to answer the pull towards a destination of which he was uncertain. Then it stopped.
A single electric guitar flowed into solo existence, mixing again with the faint violins that couldn't resist the call, and the drums also gave up the fight, timidly beating their way back into the song, before all of the instruments meshed in a single harmony.
Then the beat solidified, the guitar keeping time with the violoncellos until the woodwind family decided enough was enough. The flute matched the violins while the oboes kept to the beat of the drum and the swell of the piano.
Quatre listened to the musical medley of instruments in rapt wonder, marveling at the clarity an electric guitar seemed to be capable of. All too soon, the blend ended, and another one started up.
The guitars, the pianos, the violoncellos, and the drums started over, beginning the song with an almost harsh intensity before coming to a halt, a lone violin singing mournfully along an electric guitar, reaching a sweetness of sound that spoke deep within Quatre's musical soul. Then, there were words.
Quatre blinked as the gruff voice sang out, the darkness of words versus the lightness of the music before the cymbals crashed and the music swelled again. The violins spoke to him, making his fingers twitch, itching for his bow to try and keep pace with the melody that rang out with the pounding, driving beat of the drums. The singer switched from harsh to gentle before cutting out completely, giving over to a guitar solo that screamed forth from the speakers, the drums striving to keep time and the violins letting out a triumphant sound of glory all their own.
Again, it ended so soon and before Quatre could speak, another, softer melody came forth, again, classical instruments blending smoothly, richly with the unrefined tones of their heavy metal counterparts. The same low tones echoed along the passing of the guitar, the lyrics speaking to the poetic side of the Arabian and suddenly, he saw with vivid clarity, what it was that attracted Duo to this sort of music. Hidden beneath harsh guitar riffs, the clashing cymbals and the shrieking that passed for singing, were words of truth, words of reality. He heard the classic violins cutting sharply through the guitar, matching them in intensity, and the blonde pilot shivered. This was alive. This was real.
The cymbals reverberated against the dying chords of the piano and the rest of the orchestra, fading away until all that was left was the sound of an audience, long since gone, cheering. He felt the urge to join his hands with theirs and he opened his eyes to find Duo smiling at him.
"Do you get it now Quatre?" the American asked softly. "It's all music. What you just heard was a blend of both worlds - a bridging of two worlds." He laughed gently, fingering the cd case he still held gently. "You know, it was considered unheard of then too. The symphony members in their formal attire, playing on the same stage with a band of ruff-looking guys in street clothes. The orchestra was used to playing in large halls for rich audiences, the wealthy and the elite. This time, they played for a bunch of teenagers and young adults, all dressed in their denim and leather. Street clothes too, like the band. The orchestra received a standing ovation." Duo grinned. "The 'bridging of the gap' was a huge success. It was proof that two completely separate worlds could find a mutual middle ground where everyone could enjoy what life had to offer." He shrugged. "It's nice to think that if it happened once, it could happen again."
Quatre didn't need Duo to explain what he meant by that cryptic remark. It could be taken in the grand scheme of things or it could even be taken in the simple fact that in assuming the worst about Duo's choice in music, he'd underestimated him. Instead, he nodded and stood up, exiting the room quickly. For a brief moment, hurt flashed in Duo's eyes; then it disappeared as Quatre returned, carrying his cup of tea in one hand. He sat back in his previous spot, once again tucking his legs up beneath him and then cocked his head to one side.
"Play some more?"
Duo blinked; then he nodded and reset the whole cd, starting it from the beginning. He sat down next to Quatre, stretching out and resting his feet on the blonde boys lap, putting his hands behind his head and closing his eyes to fully absorb the music.
About an hour or so later, Heero came downstairs, raising his arms up high as he stretched out the kinks he'd accumulated being hunched over his laptop. The faint sounds of music came from the living room and he stepped to the door, peeking in curiously. A small smile graced his normally stoic features.
Stealing inside softly, he removed Quatre's tea cup that was balancing precariously from limp fingers, and took Duo's hat off from where it was covering his face, pausing for one minute to trace the familiar features. He grabbed a blanket off a nearby chair and spread it out over the two of them before sneaking back out and closing the door softly.
~OWARI~
heh. The songs I'm referring to specifically are:
1. The Ecstasy of Gold,
2. No Leaf Clover and
3. Hero of the Day (somehow it just seemed to fit!)
I thoroughly recommend the S&M cd if you want some truly awesome music to add to your collection - a little expensive (it's a double) but well worth it.
Stormy