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

[longwinded]

It's getting dark, if you wanna go back home I can walk you there?

[Bee tee dubs, he isn't taking no for an answer.]

[knightime]

[Dave holds out his hand to John. Give him your palm. He doesn't have paper and pencil with him right this moment.]

[longwinded]

[Well, uh, okay. He places his hand in Dave's, palm up. What is up dude. He is all eyes right now.]

[knightime]

No.

[Dave gets up and moves to pick up his bag. He doesn't want your charity.]

[longwinded]

[John kind of sighs. But they have to see each other in the coming days anyways. So he guesses he'll let Dave go this time.]

Noon tomorrow, alright? We'll just run over it. We're pretty much in sync with each other at this point.

[knightime]

[Dave slings his bag over his shoulder and just gives him a nod and thumbs up. He's just...gonna head towards the front door now. Thanks.]

[longwinded]

[Okay so plan "show Dave your favorite spot" kind of succeeded. But was also kind of a failure. Okay. John was going to have to pull out the big guns here. How does one go about making Dave comfortable and less tense?

A new red pen. Yes. One that hasn't been thrown across the room. one that he could use for a long time. Yes. Best plan. He would surprise Dave with that and coffee before their practice.]

[knightime]

[John can find Dave with his forehead against the keys of the piano. Working and fitting in practice and classes is a lot of work. It's pretty exhausting, but he doesn't have a choice. He can do this. He can get through this. He just...needs to consider the next time he has time to rest up again.

Sometimes he wishes he could join the ranks of pretentious assholes who have their daddies and mommies pay for them.

Or maybe he should just give in and let Bro help.

On second thought, he sure does love work.

But he looks tired if him resting his forehead on the piano keys were any indication.]

[longwinded]

[When John does walk in he kind of tilts his head. Well, he does know that Dave is a busy guy. But he's never seen someone so exhausted they actually fall asleep on something.

He'll just gently touch Dave's shoulder and shake a little.]

Hey man, you alright?

[knightime]

[Dave attempts to shake his head a bit. It's a bit difficult with the piano keys.

You don't understand how tiring it is to work two part times and still have time to do school. It hurts and no one understands.]

[longwinded]

[The keys are probably sounding off below Dave's head, and John actually kind of feels bad for Dave. Maybe they could just go through it once today? He'll sit at his bench and cross his feet.

He really doesn't understand....he wishes he could.]

We don't have to over do it today?

[knightime]

[He shakes his head and shrugs in response. He can't skimp on practicing. He'll get through this. He's tired, but he's used to it.

He didn't mean to have John see him like that honestly.]

[longwinded]

[John merely sighs and sits at the other piano in the room. As always he would wait until Dave started them off. Dave set the tempo and that was that. But he couldn't help but worry how exhausted he looked.

Why doesn't Dave just rest when he needs to?]

[knightime]

[Dave tries to play, but it's all wrong. Even for Dave. It just doesn't seem his mind can keep up with his fingers and he keeps tripping up. It only seems to make Dave even more exasperated too.]

[longwinded]

[John stops and he has to take a breath. Patience. He needed patience. He was going to need a lot of it to get through this right now. He can feel his irritation with Dave bubbling again and that was not what they needed right now.]

Dave, it's okay to skip a day. You're obviously tired. I don't mind, really.

[knightime]

[Dave slams his hands onto the keys. No. No no no. It wouldn't matter. He'd always be tired. He can't just skip a day because it's trying to get the better of him.

If not now, then when? Things don't magically get better just because he took some time off.]

[longwinded]

[John is taken aback. This is the first time Dave has ever really shown true frustration. So he is going to try his best to be understanding. He doesn't know how to handle this right now.]

We don't have to stop.

[He takes a long face though, he looks a little disgruntled.]

I'm just worried about your health is all. You're tired all the time and we basically have this down. You know full and well concentrating is hard when you're tired.

[knightime]

[He kind of shakes his head a bit.

He wants to keep practicing. Even if his body rather want the rest, he can't just stop now. If he doesn't practice, he won't get better. Or at the very least, what's the point in being here?

Dave's entire body language is really something though. He looks frustrated and upset, but it's so obvious his body is pushing itself.]

[longwinded]

[John doesn't look comfortable continuing. But he sits down at the other piano again and kind if worries at his lip. He doesn't know how to tell Dave to stop- nicely.

He'll just let the other take the lead so they can finish.]

[knightime]

[When Dave starts up, it's very obvious that John wouldn't be able to play the notes like Dave. He'd have to be just as angry. Just as frustrated.

It's as though the voice Dave lost isn't really gone at all. The Piano was practically screaming for Dave. Every note there's a piece of his pent up frustration being played.

Yet, underlying it all seems to be some melancholy. A tired resignation.]

[longwinded]

[Anger, anger, anger, frustration. There was no way that John kept up this time. In his mind it goes: worry, worry, worry, I am too fucking concerned right now. For the guy that he was practically on the edge of being a huge ass to a few weeks ago.

The power of music brought them this closer.

He puts his hands in his lap. The iridescent ivories don't deserve his fingers right now. Right now...all they needed was Dave. They were there to comfort him more than John ever could.]

[knightime]

[Dave just kind of keeps playing. Even when his fingers start to sting. Even if he was aware John had stopped. He kept playing because he couldn't get himself to stop.

Not until he's exhausted himself and his playing starts slowing down and sometimes he hits a wrong key. He tired himself out. Oops.]

[longwinded]

[It was a sight. It was passionate and angry all the same. It was scary. Beautiful yet extremely terrifying.]

Dave?

[knightime]

[He kind of just...presses his face onto the keys. Bye. He's exhausted and he's not sure why he wasted John's time practicing with him only not to practice with him.]

[longwinded]

[John understands. Dave was going through something right now. He had to have a moment. John isn't mad or anything. That time when they first started, John had been so rude to Dave. A spoiled brat, rather. All of that came crashing down on him and he felt a pang of guilt.

Why would he do that? He wasn't raised to be such an asshole. Here was a legitimately good guy who is having a legitimate moment, and he had been an asshole to him in the not so far away past.

If Dave was good at something with those keys, it was invoking emotion.

Was that the point of this whole partnership? To teach the both of them patience and understand?]

It's okay, Dave.