Work Text:
Tamaki’s hands lightly rested against the cold piano keys. Music Room 3 was deserted except for him, a silly boy in a too-tight necktie that couldn’t keep away the chill of loneliness. When his heart began to hurt too much, he always found himself here at the piano.
Softly, Tamaki struck a key, the resonance of the note sending shivers down his spine. Then, closing his eyes to better feel the music, he began to play.
He played a song for the host club, member by member. He started with a melody for Honey, a sweet light tune, his fingers dancing along sharps. Then, he mixed in a harmony, low and deep for Mori, the dark flats contrasting Honey’s bright melody. The two complemented one another, creating a powerful and moving piece that was both gentle and harsh, with the melody and harmony creating a perfect blend.
From the two of them, he moved onto the twins. Their rhythm was allegro, fast and uneven, his fingers tripping over each other as they raced along the keys. Each hand moved separately, but they worked in harmony. He would strike the same note at different octaves, or mix it up, letting one hand guide the other, then reversing it. His hands sometimes switched places, right crossing over the left to steal a note from the other side. The tune itself was mischievous, tricking the ear into hearing things that weren’t there.
Then, onto Kyoya. One of Tamaki’s hands dropped away from the keys to leave a single hand available to play the haunting melody. Kyoya’s song was simple and dark, leaving behind a lingering feeling of the desire for more. Tamaki’s fingers struck the notes sharply and quickly, but he held the damper pedal down, allowing for the sounds to linger, building upon one another in subtle layers. The piece had simplicity in its technique, but the rush of sound looming behind the lone hand was as frightening as it was beautiful.
Then came Haruhi’s piece. For this one, Tamaki’s heart led his hands completely, helping him to press the keys in perfect harmony. He played like he’d never played before, feeling his heart wrench at the way that the song was strong, yet sad. The initial tone of the piece wasn’t high or low, but balanced in the middle, with only occasional ventures out of the safe section surrounding the middle C. As the song continued, Tamaki slowly allowed his fingers to move further and further away, freeing the melody, the heavy masculine notes and the light feminine notes working together to create a work of so much beauty that by the time his hands left the keys, his eyes were glistening under his closed lashes.
The soft ringing of the notes still hung in the room as Tamaki opened his eyes, forcefully thrusting himself back into the moment. The large room felt even emptier than before, as the melody slowly faded away into a crushing silence.
“So beautiful,” Tamaki whispered, his words vanishing into the thick air almost as soon as they were spoken. A beautiful song played with no one around to hear it.
Tamaki rose to his feet, stepping back from the instrument. He wiped his eyes to prevent the tears from falling as he slid the keyboard cover down, preserving the instrument for the next time he was lonely enough to use it. Then, he walked to the door and left, footsteps echoing in the space long after his physical presence was gone.