Sonata for Two Pianos.

[longwinded]

["We're going to have you do a recital with another student on campus, very talented, just as talented as you. He's different but we know you'll work together just fine." Said your private piano teacher. You knew who he was, and what he was all about. You two were practically the most often praised musicians on campus. But you had never spoken with him, or given him the time of day. You were always holed up in your practice room before you went home to perform your songs for Dad, who lived close to campus to make sure you were doing your work. You're sure you're way over your amount of practice hours for the semester- what could one recital hurt?

So you agree. You, John Egbert, are going to perform a recital with another pianist you've never met face to face with until now. A first year student at that, as if you have so much seniority over him.

Your fingers rest easy over the keys, you let your fingers do what they've always done. Glide over the ivories to finish off yet another practice session- Chopin was your composer of choice today. Bach was yesterday, perhaps Beethoven tomorrow if you've been good. Your day isn't done, you have to meet him somewhere. You gather your music and clock your time, your instructor said to wait in the practice hall. Your new duet partner would bring the music for you to play today.

So here you stand.]

Comments

[knightime]

[Dave is just completely silent. He doesn't know what else to "say" and John has his hand clasped around his own.]

[longwinded]

[How would Dave feel if they just sat there and held hands for awhile? John just wants to observe nature with his new friend and this is totally how you do it.]

[knightime]

[This is kind of embarrassing and he's starting to get awkward, is what he feels. John is weirdly blunt and forward with him and he doesn't really know how to feel about that.]

[longwinded]

[He doesn't know what to do in the area of people skills. He has none. He's always been blunt and forward in what he wants in a situation. why shouldn't he be now?]

[knightime]

[Not try to kill him? He's like dying. He's so used to being distant from people and this is definitely the opposite of being distant from people. Christ.

Dave finally just pulls his hand out of John's grasp so he can shove his hands in his pockets. His face is probably kind of red.]

[longwinded]

[john likes closeness when he can get close. He's usually too much of an asshole to even bother becoming friends with people. Dave is one of the first people that he's ever been a complete asshole to and then became friends with.

what have their lives become?]

So you've always dealt with being silent?

[He doesn't mean to press the subject. He's just...curious.]

[knightime]

[Dave tenses up visibly. He hates that question a lot.

It would be so easy to say yes and he'd be okay if he were just born with it. But he wasn't. And it really brought up a hell of a lot of things he doesn't want to think about or remember. Dave hasn't even realized he's started to shake.]

[longwinded]

[John watches Dave's body language. Something he's learning to do in case he can't ever make out what the other is saying. Tensing up like that isn't good.

He doesn't know how to approach this carefully.]

Dave?

[It was probably not okay to talk about this. Especially because John doesnt know how to deal.]

It's okay, you don't have to talk about it. [this is the most un-assholish thing he's done in a long time.]

[knightime]

[Dave doesn't respond to whatever John just said, his hands moving to start combing through his hair. He keeps shifting it, until he can part enough of his to show that there's a section where his hair doesn't grow anymore. There's a scar there, usually hidden from all his hair.

He let's his hair drop, not bothering to fix his hair.

At the very least, he isn't crying. Just shaking a bit.]

[longwinded]

[John watches him. His eyes move to watch Dave part his hair. He doesn't understand why at first until he sees the scar.]

I won't ask what happened.

[John tries to console him by rubbing his back. Yes. That is what he should do.]

[knightime]

[Dave kind of shoves John away this time. Nope. He doesn't want sympathy. He's a big boy and totally over this. It happened awhile ago. He is totally not hung up about it still.

Even if it's obviously implying that he used to be able to speak.]

[longwinded]

[He knows what is being implied. But what head trauma could be so bad that it caused Dave not to be able to speak.

John will do what is smartest right now and take his hand away from Dave. If Dave really wants to tell John why that happened, and what happened then so be it. if not he wouldn't force it. John is certain that it had to be bad though.]

[knightime]

[Dave honestly looks like he's considering just absconding. He can't keep still and he looks really uncomfortable right now. He really didn't want to talk about it. He hasn't even really talked it out with Bro.

It's been years but he's still not ready to deal with it.

He doesn't think he'll ever be.]

[longwinded]

[John would follow him. He feels bad for even bring up that subject now that Dave is sitting here shaking. John wasn't even asking for Dave to talk about it.

At all.]

We should probably head back, yeah?

[knightime]

[He nods silently and picks up his bag and starts heading back in the direction they came from.]

[longwinded]

[John feels really bad now. He doesn't know what to do to fix this situation. He would normally go to Rose or something but this seemed like such a personal matter that he was dealing with.

He doesn't want to pry.

But fuck is he worried.]

I'm sorry, Dave.

[knightime]

[Dave shrugs in response. It's not like John knew any better. He just doesn't want it brought up again.]

[longwinded]

Hey, you wanna practice?

[Nudge nudge nudge gently.]

[knightime]

[Dave glances at John and maybe nods a little.

Yeah, that sounds nice.]

[longwinded]

[Soon enough they're back at John's house, and he walks in. He waves for Dave to come in and follow him. There is a room a little bit down the hall that has two pianos in it. One older, and one newer. John sits at the older one since it is the one he is most used to.]

You can start this time, if you want. Whenever you're ready.

[knightime]

[Dave takes a seat at the other piano. He drops his bag next to the bench before slamming his fingers against the keys once.

He sits there for a moment before he starts playing. There's nothing gentle about his playing right now. Harsh played keys as though the piano were practically wailing.]

[longwinded]

[John actually struggles to play along, and then he just stops. Stops and turns on his bench. Crossing his legs and watching Dave. This was something he'd never seen before.

Dave was angry, and he could feel it.]

[knightime]

[It starts off so harsh and upset. Dave hasn't even noticed that John had stopped, engrossed in his piano playing.

The longer he plays though, the slower it eventually becomes. It becomes more gentle and soft. It just started to sound so incredibly sad. He started off so upset, but now that he was calming down, it just sounded kind of sad.

[longwinded]

[John takes this time to observe. He's never seen someone really actually convey their emotions into a piece. This wasn't even what they were supposed to be studying- it evolved into Dave's own creation at this point.

He doesn't speak a word, and waits for the other to finish. It would be rude to stop a pianist.]

[knightime]

[Dave finally slams his fingers against the keys before dropping his head into his arms. He's shaking up a storm and it looks like he's trying to curl up in against himself right now.

Yeah. This is probably a little awkward for John. Whoops.]