Work Text:
Dandy liked to take trips down memory lane quite frequently. What else do you do in a shut down facility? They would pick a videocassette tape from a random box and often pop it into the TV while they worked. The flower dug around in a box and pulled out a tape from 1989. It was from around when gardenview opened. Dandy smiled and slid the tape into the TV on their desk’s VCR and pressed play. They wondered what the tape could’ve held. Was it a recording of the mains practicing some activities? Could it be Cosmo’s introduction? Was it some old recording Delilah kept around? So many possibilities. The screen turned on as Dandy sat with their legs crossed in front of the TV.
The scene was of an old grand piano. There were flower stickers dappling the top of the case and the area around it. Dandy’s eyes widened a bit. As the film continued, in walked Dandy themself, holding sheet music. They sat on the seat of the piano. After that, Vee walked in holding an acoustic guitar around the size of her own body. It made dandy chuckle to see that old guitar out again. Suddenly, Delilah’s voice made them snap their attention to the screen.
“All right, Dandy, Vee? Are you two prepared for your little concert?”
Her voice felt warm despite the lack of emotion it held. Nostalgic even. It had been a long time since Dandy heard her voice sound like that.
“Yeah! Are you ready Vee?” The Dandy in the film said, who turned to vee. Vee was hoisting herself up on top of the piano. She didn’t say anything, and prepared her hands to play. She had no sheet music to be set up, but after a moment and shifting the guitar in her lap she gave dandy a thumbs up to begin. With that confirmation, they began to play. Of course dandy played clair de lune on the piano, but what surprised them was how easily Vee was playing along. They didn’t think clair de lune could be played on guitar but Vee was always up to prove them wrong. It was honestly really pretty to hear Vee play guitar again after so long. When was the last time she picked up her guitar, whether electric or acoustic, and played?
Goodness, how long has it been since they've even touched a piano?
It had to have been months! Heck maybe years! They couldn’t even recall how long it's been since they've played!
The film ended and Dandy didn’t even get any work done. They snapped back into reality at the applause that most likely came from the other mains, Arthur, and Delilah from offscreen. They stared as the footage cut off into static and the tape ejected itself from the VCR. It was nice to hear that again, and it inspired them. Suddenly, they really felt like playing the piano again. Dandy got up, so excited and inspired!
They walked into their room, and went to the grand piano covered in a tarp. The flower took off the tarp from the piano and coughed at how much dust caked it. “Whew! Tisha would hate that! Glad she never comes in here!” Dandy commented as they dusted the piano off more. The brown wood remained intact and just as grand, even with all the dust, and all of the stickers were still dappling the wood. Even if most were faded. It felt like time hadn’t moved at all. The flower smiled and pressed one of the keys. It played its note perfectly.
Vee was sitting in her room on her bed. Lost on what to do. She’s written enough fake gameshow scripts that will never come to light. She didn’t feel like talking to other toons right now. She didn’t feel like booting up arcade games either. What could she do? The robot sighed as she gazed up at the ceiling.
A delicate pattern of notes caught her attention.
Vee sat up quickly when she heard it. She listened to the painfully familiar tune.
A piano was playing Clair De Lune.
“Is that Dandy..?” Vee asked under her breath, carefully stepping into the halls. She was never really stealthy, but it seemed whoever was playing was too distracted to notice her. The music flowed from Dandy’s room. Vee cautiously approached the door to see the flower themself delicately playing the keys like it was muscle memory. Her antenna twitched with surprise. She hadn’t heard them play in a long time. It was nostalgic. It made the cold run down facility feel filled with warmth again.
Her guitar.
She used to play guitar when they played piano. Vee recalled how she used to sit on top of dandy’s piano and played the guitar alongside them. Now she longed to play again. Vee carefully headed back to her room and opened her closet. She reached for her electric guitar but spotted another case hidden under some boxes of clothes. The tv toon looked over and moved the box, and opened the case. In sat an acoustic guitar with a few stickers dappling the side. Vee pulled it out and blew some dust off it. Has it been really that long since she played a traditional instrument like this? Either way, she felt motivated to play it again. Did it need tuning? She’d have to hurry with tuning if she wanted to catch up with Dandy.
Dandy was so lost in the music. The familiar sensation of notes ringing in their ears. The feeling of the ivory keys under their fingers. It felt for a brief moment like Gardenview was open again, and they were performing for their friends.
They messed up a note once they heard another familiar tune.
Dandy turned to their doorway where Vee was standing. She was carefully holding her old acoustic guitar. She stopped strumming it once they looked at her.
“Heya Vee! Didn’t expect you there, heh!” They said, still a bit stunned to see her. Vee shrugged, “I didn’t think I was being too sneaky. Never was one for stealth.” she said, smiling. Dandy looked at her guitar. “Did you want to play with me?” they asked. Vee walked over fully and adjusted her grip. “Of course you idiot. Why do you think I brought out my guitar?” She said with a smile, “I’m happy to hear you playing piano again. It’s been a while.” She responded. Dandy chuckled. “I haven’t heard you play guitar in a good while either. I haven’t heard you play an acoustic guitar since… uhhh…” Dandy said, and counted on their fingers. “Oh geez! Four or so years!” They exclaimed.
Vee laughed a bit, and said, “I couldn’t help it! I’ve missed playing music with you.” Dandy’s eyes lit up. “You did?” they said, turning back to the keys. Vee nodded. “I mean, I've always loved music. You know that. Gosh I hate to admit it, but you play piano better than anyone in Gardenview.” She said. Dandy almost blushed from the compliment. “Daww, you hate admitting we make a good musical duo!” They teased, and bumped her shoulder. Vee laughed some more before saying, “Well, are we gonna keep standing here? The show must go on Dandy! You’d know that better than anyone!” Dandy beamed at her eagerness to play, and said, “All right! From the top!”
The sound of familiar music filled the room. A delicate melody between two instruments. Although the melody had been ringing in the facility for many years, it sounds different when played by two fallen stars. Dandy couldn’t help but gaze at Vee as she played the guitar. She never used sheet music when she played. Dandy always wondered if she learned by ear. The flower had longed to hear the delicate guitar notes again. They caught Vee’s antenna curled in their direction, and softly smiled. Vee noticed their gaze and grinned. The air felt warm. Any tension in the room melted away at the sound of the music.
They played the final notes in unison. The silence that followed was almost deafening. The two gazed at each other with an emotion neither would be able to describe. Vee’s hand was still hovering over the strings, and Dandy’s hands hovered over the keys the same. “I… I forgot how good we sounded when we played together. Man, it's been a long while” Vee said, setting her guitar to the side. Dandy turned from the keys to face her. “Yeah. We should play again sometime! I’ve been meaning to pick up the piano again! It’s not the same without you playing with me” They said. The two softly leaned in closer to each other. Dandy reached one hand out to hold Vee’s. Vee extended her hand to hold theirs. It was sudden, odd, and strange. It felt like their rivalry and hate was carried off just for this moment by the sound of music.
“Oh my GOD just KISS ALREADY!!!”
Vee and Dandy turned to the doorway. Glisten was standing there with Astro and a handful of other toons outside the door. Astro was holding a video recorder and quickly tucked it under his blanket. Vee laughed and backed up. Dandy also laughed and turned away. “WHAT?! HAHA NO!! YOU’VE GOT THE WRONG IDEA!!!” Vee blurted out and tried to maintain a stable expression. Her screen was burning, and glowed brightly green. Dandy waved their hands. “YEAH!! Just TWO FRIENDS playin’ tunes!! NOTHING ELSE!!!” They exclaimed, burning red. Glisten smirked to Astro. Astro sighed. “Oh come on, everyone loved the performance. You two should play more often. Like you used to.”
Nostalgia is a good way to convince them. Vee and Dandy both looked at each other and sighed.
“We’ll play some more, but as friends! Okay??”
“Heck not as friends! As rivals!”
“Yeah as rivals! What Vee said!”
They proceeded to continue to over-clarify. Making Astro laugh a bit. It didn't bother him, as long as they kept playing music together.
Whatever made them get along for the moment was enough for Astro.