Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Your first morning at Otowakan was so beautiful, you felt yourself lost for words. After a day of travel, you woke much earlier than usual, just in time to see the sunrise from your window as you rubbed the sleep from your eyes. As you scanned the darkened room, behind one still mostly packed traveling bag you saw it stand out, an idea suddenly forming in your head. Before you knew it, your feet had carried you out of the building and into the beautiful garden, violin case in hand as you looked for an area far enough from the likely still-sleeping residential hallways. Finally deciding on a place, your hands almost flew to take the instrument from the case, acting on instinct as you let in a breath of fresh air. The first piece to come to mind was a Mozart concerto, one you had played as a student, and you felt your fingers familiarize themselves with the positioning as you played the slow adagio, the sounds of the violin mingling with the rustle of leaves and birdsong.

You were so engrossed with the music you hardly heard the sound of wheels approaching.

“Ahah, I didn’t know you played that one!” The bright voice broke your attention from the notes, and you opened your eyes quickly to see your pink-clad housemate smiling at you, light blue eyes sparkling with excitement. At the sudden audience, you felt your face growing red, and lowered the instrument from your chin with an embarrassed glance to the side.
“Well…. I did learn it a while…. it’s very beautiful,” you mutter, fully aware that it’s the very composer of such piece who is complimenting you now. Daring to glance back at him, you notice Motsu’s stare resting on the violin, and you hold it up for him to get a better look. “D-do you play?” You realized just how silly the question must sound, and fumbled over an explanation. “I mean… now…?” You still were pretty confused at the whole situation, but spending even a few days with the odd residents of Otowakan had you convinced that maybe, these eccentrics were actually the composers whose music had engrossed you in your childhood.

Motsu gives a cheerful nod, sliding on the heelys back behind you. “Mhh, that’s right! Want me to play you something?” You turned over your shoulder to follow him, sure your face must be very flustered at this point as you make a slight sound of surprise.

“Ah-?” It would be an honor to have him even look at your violin, you think first, but there’s something in the sound of his wheeled shoes on the ground that can’t help putting you a little on edge.

“Well… that is…” You try to find the right words, as Motsu gives you a curious and expecting look. “I mean… I would love to…. but…” You glance down at the pink shoes, lost for words. Luckily, he seems to understand.

“Oh! You’re worried about me dropping it!” Motsu’s laugh is so bright sounding, like the early morning sun beams, and he gives a confident smile to you. “Don’t worry, I’ll be very careful! But just in case-” His smile turns to a bit of a smirk, and he skates in front of you, almost closer than you expected, “you can hold it as well, to make sure!”

Before you know it, the violin is in Motsu’s hands, and you stand behind the slightly taller man, hands wrapped around his waist. You remember gripping the rails tightly on the roller coasters you went on as a child, and somewhere in your mind is asking why this should be any different. But in this moment, you can feel his warmth, hands right at the man’s torso, as he holds up the violin. And it isn’t just any person, but someone who could just as easily be the 200-year-dead composer whose works you’d played and heard for practically your whole life. You feel your heart speed up, almost instinctively gripping Motsu tighter, and you hear him give a bubbly laugh.

“Ahahah, that tickles~” You’re almost glad to be standing behind him, at least he can’t see your flushed face.

You suddenly feel a shift, and to your horror it looks like Motsu has slipped a bit, falling forward despite your hugging grip on his waist. Almost too scared to look, you find your eyes following the unfortunate form of the bow fly through the air before shutting them tightly, your heart pounding in your throat as the panicked chills rush through your body.

“Got it!” Slowly opening one tightly shut eye, you hesitantly glance up to see Motsu holding the bow aloft, as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened. You feel a wave of relief rush through your body, and loosen the grip on Motsu’s waist. Though a new surge of nervousness grips you as he notices as well, you hadn’t realized you were holding him so tightly.

“Though I kinda like this position we’re in” you hear him say, with a slightly teasing laugh. Hesitantly you peek around his shoulder to meet his blue eyes, and find he’s actually smiling, not seeming to mind it too much. With some relief, you let out the breath you must have been holding since you’d seen the bow nearly fall, and a shaky laugh from you mixes with Motsu’s bright one.
Soon, the sound of crisp, clear violin playing fills the morning air as well, and you feel the mix of emotions subside, replaced by a feeling of wonder and calmness. It’s not a piece you instantly recognize, not even something you would think of as being specifically Mozart had you heard it on a recording, but something in it sounds so at ease. You can’t help but lean into Motsu’s back, a relaxed smile on your face, hands still wrapped around the classicaloid.

After the piece is finished, you enjoy the few moments of silence before Motsu speaks. “Well, did you like it?”

“Mhh”, you reply in affirmation, still resting your head to his back.

“That’s good.” His tone is calmer than usual, and more reflective than you’ve heard it before. “I used to play this to my parents, when I was first learning. At least, from what I can remember.” You straighten up, not sure exactly what to say. The side of you that has taken music classes and is filled with questions and hypotheses about the nature of your housemates would surely hurry to analyze this piece, and research its relation to the Mozarts historically, but now it is oddly silent. Instead, you feel a kind of empathy for the person in front of you. Right now, Mozart isn’t just a name in a history book, or a cd, or even sheet music, but a person, a living, breathing person with memories, and dreams, and regrets. You stare a moment in silence, before Motsu turns, holding the violin and bow out to you. You had nearly forgotten about it for a second.

“Do you know anything else?” Motsu meets your confused gaze with a playful smile. “I’d love to hear you play something, if you were still practicing!” After a second of confusion, you give a hasty nod, a smile starting on your face as you take the violin. You play what comes to mind, some music by Mozart, and some other pieces you remember. Some of it is more difficult, and some more familiar, but you play until the sounds of the other residents waking up urges you to put the violin down. The whole time, Motsu listens, giving advice after some pieces, or sharing thoughts, but the more you see his bright smile, the more your heart soars in your chest.

Chapter Text

Your first real meeting with Schubert of Otowakan was an unusual one. You had had a lot of work that day, and the young landlady informed you when you returned that the other residents had been away for the day. At the time you hadn’t thought much of it, opting to spend the window of relatively quiet time catching up on leisure reading in the downstairs common area.

It wasn’t until you were nearly to bed that the realization you had left a book downstairs hit you, and hoping no one had mistook it you hurried quietly past the likely now-sleeping residents’ rooms. To your surprise, you noticed the form of another person in the common area when you tiptoed inside, one who looked to be lying on the couch in a sleeping position. Upon approaching, you noticed you had seen the man around the mansion before. Glancing to the familiar glasses on the table next to you, it was evident that the resident known as Schubert was fast asleep, breaths a bit shaky as he leaned into the pillows.
At first your intent was to just grab your book, which had luckily remained untouched next to a few new cooking magazines, when you heard him mutter something, voice tinged with worry.

“Beethoven-senpai….. no!” You turned slightly at the exclamation, at first worried you’d awoken the other tenant. No, he looked to be still asleep, but the pained expression on his face as he clutched the pillow behind him couldn’t help but stir some sympathy in you. Careful not to make any loud noises, you approach, giving a slight pat to one of his gloved hands, trying to mutter something soothing and calming.

To your relief, his expression seemed to relax after a moment. He still murmured something in an undertone manner as he stirred slightly in his sleep, but now with much less intensity and worry.

Another set of footsteps caught your ear, and you turned to see another man approaching. Tall with white hair and an intense gaze that stood out even in the night, you recognized him as being one of the other tenants. Beethoven, was it? The sleeping man seemed to awake in time to see the other looking over him, his expression changing from worry to a wide and relieved smile.

“Beethoven-senpai!” You thought you could even see tears starting in his eyes, but you quietly excused yourself, not wanting to keep either from their sleep.
You didn’t see much of him until several weeks later, remarkably enough in nearly the same situation. This time, you’d just arrived at Otowakan in the middle of the night, near certain everyone must be asleep. With a quiet sigh, you gave a glance towards the living room, remembering with a slightly jumpy heart the time you’d previously encountered your devoted housemate there. To your shock, the scene looked almost the same, and you approached softly to see Schuu lying on the couch, just as before.

To your relief, his expression did not look nearly as troubled as the previous time, but all the same it looked like an uncomfortable position, and you swore you could see him shivering slightly.

“Schuu-san?” You venture in a low tone, half hoping not to wake him. You wonder offhand if he was staying up to wait for his senpai, as he had previously. Before long, your attention turned sharply back to him, and the man squinted a little as he opened his eyes hesitantly, giving a slightly uncomfortable and confused sound as he raised his head.
“It’s kind of cold here, you should get to bed.” You tried to keep a gentle tone, but couldn’t help but feel a bit worried as he drew the jacket tighter as he sat up.

Schuu’s expression was hesitant, turning his eyes slightly away with a slightly stubborn look before leaning back farther onto the couch.
“It’s alright.” He kept looking away, and you were starting to think he was purposely avoiding eye contact. “I’m fine here.” You could tell he was desperately trying to hide it, but you heard a slight cough, your already growing worries doubling by now.

“This isn’t because of Beetho-san, is it?” He shook his head a little, but without returning your gaze. You would almost think he might be pouting. At the same time he fidgeted slightly, but didn’t make any movement to leave the couch.

That’s when it dawned on you, and you hesitantly asked the question. “Schuu-san… you do have a room here, right?” He’s silent for another moment, but you thought you saw his eyes widen a little in the second after you asked. Though he still didn’t say anything, you could tell what the answer is. It did confuse you a little, if he’d been living here before you even moved in, had he been sleeping on the couch the whole time? You felt even worse for the guy, and tried to give a confident smile.

“Ok! Why don’t you use my room tonight?” Schuu looked back towards you, eyes meeting as his face started to redden, and you felt yourself flush a bit as well. “J-just to use the futon! It’s much warmer than a bigger room than this! I’ll just take a blanket and sleep at the corner or something!” You hurriedly stammered out an explanation.

Schuu’s expression was still tinged with surprise, but had a hesitant smile on his face, as if afraid to get hopeful. “Really, it’s fine, I don’t-”

“Everyone here would be sad if you got sick, besides! Especially your senpai!” That seemed to do it, and you saw Schuu’s expression change to surprise, nearly jumping to his feet. You gave a little laugh, his reactions were so cute in their earnesty, and put a hand to his shoulder. “C'mon, let’s get you to bed!”
To your relief, he didn’t seem to have any problems with it as you pulled out the futon, a bit nervous at the whole abrupt situation but giving a smile despite it. Schuu seemed so surprised at it all, and you wondered if he even looked out for himself, much less had anyone look out for him.

“Sorry it’s not the best,” you muttered as you pulled out a few extra blankets, offering one to him. To your surprise, you saw his expression change, a little hard to see in the relative dark but you thought you saw a teary smile as he pulled you in for a tight hug.

“Thank you.” You could hear his tone falter a bit, and you hoped you hadn’t made him cry too much.

“Really, it’s no problem! Anytime you need help here, just let me know!” You returned the hug, feeling your own face flush a bit as you smiled, the cold on his body making you a little nervous, but he already felt a bit warmer since you’d woken him before.

“Sleep well, Schuu-san!” you called softly from the corner of the room, smiling as your housemate hesitantly adjusted himself in the futon. To your relief it looked like he was already drifting to sleep, and you hoped he’d have much nicer rest here tonight.