Work Text:
Johann liked Candlenights, he did. It was festive and fun and Madam Director always put on a Bureau-wide Candlenights dinner with everyone invited and there were gifts and games and Johann got to play…
But he wasn't as excited this year. He looked at the voidfish in its tank. "Right. Time to feed you." He took the music sheet he had been writing on and walked to the tank. Then he hesitated. "It would be a shame not to play it through at least once…"
So he did. It was beautiful. There was a lot of love in that piece, Johann figured. Then he looked at the music sheet.
He hadn't titled it. It was titled Avi , but he didn't wanna risk erasing that name. He threw the piece in the tank. The voidfish lit up slightly.
He liked Candlenights. But Avi would be there, and Johann would be staring across the hall at him and pining and not dare to say anything. And Madam Director would ask him to play, and Johann would play the piece he'd just fed the voidfish, the piece titled Avi , and he would take a bow as everyone clapped. And he wouldn't look at Avi, he wouldn't, he wouldn't—
It went down exactly as Johann had predicted, except he did look at Avi, the whole time he was playing, and as he took a bow. And Avi was looking at him too, and smiling softly, and Johann knew he was blushing, but hoped to pass it off as a result of the applause.
He took his seat again, and stared at his plate. He felt a hand on his arm; Magnus. "Hey Johann. Take a walk with me?"
"Okay?" Johann got up and walked with Magnus.
Once they were away from the main event, Magnus smiled. "So who was that music for?"
"What do you mean?"
Magnus laughed. "Johann, I was married for several years, I know what love looks like. And what it sounds like. It sounds like what you played today, Johann. So who was it for?"
"I don't… I… I mean…" Johann didn't have an answer. The answer was Avi, of course, but he wasn't inclined to tell Magnus.
"Is it me?" Magnus waggled his eyebrows.
Johann sighed. "No Magnus, it's not you, it's… It's Avi."
Magnus laughed. "Of course it is." He smiled. "You should talk to him." He elbowed Johann in the side. "Seriously, talk to him, he's a good man."
"I know." Johann fidgeted with the cuff of his sleeve. "I know. I just…"
"Johann." Magnus stopped and grabbed his shoulders to look at him. "I know I'm not the smartest person here, but I know what love is, and I know how it works. You just need to tell him. You'd be surprised."
"I don't know…" Johann nodded. "Maybe you're right."
And maybe it was the mulled wine talking, but something in Johann strengthened. So when he and Magnus went back to the table, Johann walked over to where Avi was sitting, chatting with Carey. "Avi? Can I talk to you for a moment?"
"Of course." Avi smiled, excused himself to Carey, and went outside with Johann. "What's up?"
"Avi, I… The piece I played today. Did you like it?"
"Of course." Avi smiled and bumped his shoulder lightly against Johann’s. "Was that all?"
"No, I uhh… I wrote it for you. It's called Avi ." Johann was looking at the ground.
Until he wasn’t; Avi put a hand on his chin and lifted his face up to meet his eyes. “It was beautiful.” He was smiling slightly.
“You’re beautiful.” Johann blushed and averted his eyes, but he didn’t regret his words. “I mean… You know.”
Avi nodded. “I know.” His smile widened. “You played beautifully. I think it deserves a reward.”
Before Johann could ask what he meant, Avi leaned in to kiss him, and every question he had melted away in favour of stepping closer to Avi and putting his arms around him.