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The music was different, yet he never felt more at home.
He wasn’t expecting this, wasn’t expecting his eyes to water or his heart to pound that loud when he first saw him step on this stage. He wasn’t expecting the hurt in his heart.
Antonio…
Antonio, what have they done to you?
The concert hall was filled to the brim with people, mere humans who wanted to listen to the wonderful tunes, Antonio Paganini was producing out of his violin.
The mass was enormous, and Andrew hated every single bit of it. He hated the looks, some people gave him, he hated not wearing his usual attire as he thought it would be too noticeable, he hated that all of this made him nervous.
He hated being here, yet he still wasn’t leaving. He had to see him, he had to see if the rumors were true… if Antonio Paganini truly returned.
A coin was tossed into the Violin case, which made the Violinist look up with a grin.
He was sitting on the street, on a window ledge of a grocery store. It was cold, snowing even.
The Violinist wasn’t even playing, yet Andrew felt like he needed the coin more then he did himself. The messy hair and the disshelved clothing were speaking for themselves
„my my, thank you mister.“ the street musician grinned, „how about I play you a song for your kind hearted soul?“
The Violinist looked alive but… something was off. Something wasn’t feeling right. Antonio stepped on the stage, his attire fancier than ever, Andrew couldn’t see his face, it was hidden beneath a devils mask that send shivers down his spine.
And the melody, the tunes he was playing gave fully away that… something was wrong. Andrew could feel it in his bones, in his heart.
Was he even able to reach out to him?
„oh, you’re back so fast? Did you like my music so much, handsome?“ He took a step back, „I … I wanted to ask you if… if you’re hungry…“ truth being told, Andrew couldn’t stop thinking about the violinist since they first met. „You’re inviting me to a date, Mister…?“ The violinist grinned and Andrew huffed. „No. I just wanted to offer it since you seem to never leave this place.“ he furrowed his brows „But you seem not hungry enough to stop making fun of me, so excuse me..“ „No wait.“ a cold Hand wrapped around his wrist „I apologize. I’d gladly eat something with you, I promise I won’t call it a date“ he winked, and Andrew could feel his heart flutter.
The crowd was dead silent, listening to the concert in front of them. Andrews thoughts were a mess, he wasn’t sure what to feel or exactly think. Was this the man that run off with his heart years ago, revived from the dead? Was this gods work, or the work of the devil?
The ladder was scary, and probably the truth.
And yet, Antonio looked… beautiful graceful even. He looked like he wasn’t playing the violin, like he was a mere puppet being played by a puppeteer…
the thought made Andrew uneasy.
He was gone. After weeks of giving him food, after weeks of laughing and glaring at his flirting he.. was gone.
Andrew looked at the empty place, just a mere purple flower was left behind…
‚whoever tosses a coin to me, or gives me a bottle of alcohol deserves a song, don’t you think?‘ …
He was homeless, where would a homeless man go? Andrew kind of didn’t know. And no matter where he looked for him, no matter who he asked, no one knew
…until rumor had it, that he was indeed dead.
The crowd applauded when Antonio Paganini bowed down, finishing his show. Roses were thrown onto the stage, Andrew saw a lot of women cry. Everyone was cheering… everyone seemed to not notice how wrong this was. How… this might not even be a human anymore.
Andrew wasn’t cheering, rather he used his chance to disappear out of the crowd, into the backstage room.
He… payed the bodyguard to let him in. These days you could pay everyone off…Andrew used all his savings for the entry, well almost. As much as it hurt him, he needed to see him. He had to see Antonio he had too-
„Oh, a fan? Wait a minute, my Lady I’ll be here for you in a…“ Andrew had opened the door of what seemed to be Antonios room, the violinist was turning around his seat, but when he saw Andrew, his grin seemed to falter. He still wore this god awful mask…
„I… where have you been, Antonio?“ Andrew tried to stay composed, but in reality he was shaking. He felt uneasy… did Antonio forget about him?
„Andy, what a nice hat you’re wearing. Didn’t know you wear something else then black.“ Andrew just stepped into the room and slammed the door shut. Not saying anything about the hat comment… . „where were you? What… what happened to you?“ he asked again, and Antonio laughed. He laughed and Andrew felt his heart skip a beat… it was almost like back in the days.
But … Andrew could feel something evil. He could see the glowing eyes of the mask, the grin that seemed too stretched up, the gestures. It seemed… so mechanical. Not real.
„Don’t worry your pretty head about this. I’m back.“ „Don’t lie to me, Antonio.“ he tried to stay patient. „Look at you, this… what have they done to you!?“
„my my, I almost feel insulted. Aren’t you just happy to see an old friend again?“
„Everyone said you’re dead! I looked for you! I almost accepted that I will never see you again until today! Don’t come to me with this fake bullshit, I can tell this is not you! Not like you were before“ he was trembling, out of anger, sadness, frustration, „you can’t pull stuff like this on me, Antonio.“ he sighed and looked down. Why did he even come here? He should have accepted the fact that the Violinist didn’t need him anymore. He left, he was successful now, something he always wanted and yet Andrew was the fool who still thought he was of some kind of importance.
He felt cold fingers gently grab his chin, lifting it up where he looked at the glowing eyes of the mask „you’re right.“ he spoke, „I am not the same anymore. I don’t want to go back to this pitiful life I had, so I exchanged it for something better. Something that makes me be free.“ he smiles, but to be fair there wasn’t a single second where Antonios smile truly disappeared, it was almost as if something was holding him back for making any more expressions.
„something…?“ Andrew repeated, and Antonio was so close to him, he could only see the glowing eyes… „sometimes you have to give up your soul in order to feel free. I… agreed to a deal, and now I feel truly happy.“ Andrew couldn’t believe it, but the more Antonio talked the more… sense it made.
„you can be happy too.“ Antonio continued, not breaking eye contact „you told me, I remember how much you craved change, salvation… truly, you only want freedom just like I do. And we can achieve that. Together.“ His other hand grabbed Andres wrist, and Andrew shuddered because why was his body so cold?
… Eternity with Antonio. Was this his salvation? „We are both lost souls, Andrew. But... does that matter? You said it yourself, why risk seeing a god that will reject you?“ Andrews mind was racing, the responsible, maybe religious side in him screamed, said he should get out of here. But… did he really want to leave?
He was a monster, a reject, someone who wouldn’t be going to heaven… he will never see his mother again, and this man just offered him a solution. Maybe not the most perfect one, but Andrew looked at him, looked at the… demon infant of him. Was he ready to give everything up? He might have found what he was looking for after all…
slowly, Andrew raised his arms and wrapped his Fingers around Antonios mask, the Violinist stood still, as Andrew took the mask from his Face to reveal what’s underneath. Antonios Eyes were still glowing, but… he looked so much more like himself now. Even in the fancy attire, the well-kept hair, the grin, the eyes… it was still Antonio Paganini. The street musician Andrew fell in love with.
And instead of giving him an answer, Andrew leaned forward to kiss him…
…and Antonio leaned back into it. Sealing their deal.