A Question of Faith, Not Fate by Caedn

What are we?
He looks in the mirror
His blue eyes wide and questioning
Are we friends?
The best of friends

He wipes the sweat off his brow
The heat's too much, he thinks to himself
He picks up the guitar and starts to play

Do we argue?
All the time
He pulls his shirt off again
But friends argue don't they?
He finds something lighter
As he buttons it up, he hears a melody
Yes they do, but I have many friends
Well then what are we?

He frowns slightly as he glances up
The tuner needle oscillates wildly
He tightens the strings and plays again

Why are we here?
He follows the melody to the grand old room
The piano gleams in the sunlight
Fate brought us together...
That's why we're here isn't it?
He glances at the empty piano chaise
His expression bemused, he sits
His hair's still wet but well combed

He doesn't look up
He knows who it is
Their ritual is well versed
Their path, well ridden
He changes chords

Fate, destiny, luck, God
Are we soulmates?
He winces as he misses
His earring bites his ear
He tries and fails again then sighs
Frustration sets in
When I think of soulmates
I think of lovers
Are we lovers?

He hears the struggling
He smiles to himself
But he knows he mustn't offer help
Until all efforts are worn out
So he just keeps playing

He lays the earring upon the shiny surface
And gazes over finally
Sitting on the wooden chair
Blithely intent on the guitar strings
I love him, he decides
I know he loves me

His blonde hair falls into his eyes
And he blows it back, concentrating
He tries not to laugh aloud
When he hears the soft discord of notes
Rivaling his guitar's melody

He gently taps the piano keys
But we're brothers!
Or would be...
He can't play, but he likes the sounds
His voice is his instrument
Just brothers? No...

He stops when the needle jumps again
He hears the piano stop too
Grinning now, he twitches the strings
Too much, too little?
He plays to find out

The melody begins again
The strings are in tune now
He can hear the humming,
Tapping a foot to keep in time
He frowns in consternation
Then what are we?
He starts singing softly
To alleviate his restlessness

The blonde head rises
A smile to rival the sun spreads across his face
His eyes light up
They appear green in the mid-morning

We must be something!
He stumbles over a verse
His frustration grows

"You think too much"
He says chidingly
His amusement plain to see
He touches the guitar
Stilling the strings
Standing up, he leans it against the chair

He looks up absent-mindedly
Still deep in thought
His brow furrowed
Chewing on his nails

He takes the earring
He bites his lip
And aims with caution
Then slips it easily through
The tiny hole in the vulnerable earlobe

He rubs the earring
As it sits with unrest for a few moments
He looks up almost pleadingly
What are we?

"You’re being silly…"
He tugs gently on an arm
Vacating the piano chaise
Taking his place on it
Ready to play the true melody
But a hand holds the cover shut
He smiles gently and looks up
A look of great wisdom on his face
"You want to know what we are?"

He tilts his head, amazed
We must be something great!
Something from the threads of Fate itself
To know without asking
He nods, his blue eyes wide and questioning

His smile grows and his gaze is deep

His impatience deepens the frown on his face
What are we??

He pauses then replies simply
"We are just...you...and me."