Work Text:
PLINK
A short mash of the keys is all that comes as you try to play the piano.
It’s important. But Kris doesn’t want it for some reason.
Ralsei steps forward, offering to give it a try. You can’t tell if he also sees the inner turmoil, or if he’s just trying to be helpful but you’re touched by the sentiment anyways.
Not that it was really aimed at you, but still.
“Ralsei, wait a sec”
Susie interrupts him.
“Kris… today in church, when you were asleep… your mom… said you used to play good.
“I dunno why you’re pretending you can’t now.”
Because its you.
“Maybe you’re like… embarrassed or something?”
Because their hands won’t work.
“But like… yknow…”
“… Kris, you should play.”
It’s not your decision.
Thinking of her words, Kris’ hands began to move, they sat down, and your grip was dampened.
Your eye returned to above, as Kris began to play.
…
As Kris finishes their part, you begin to leave, but a part of you stops. You, this time place your hands on the keys.
You play a few notes and… you aren’t interrupted.
But what to play…?
…
You always remembered music.
They were pieces you could recall. So… you attempt to remember a song.
Rain… there was rain…
A small room with a… person? A statue? You gave it shelter.
It began to play a little melody…
You try to recreate it.
It’s difficult, your movements are stiff, but Kris doesn’t stop you this time.
As you play, your certainty errs, but again you try and try until, you get it out.
“Aww, what a pretty melody! It's like a lullaby...!”
Ralsei compliments. Though it was stiff, his encouragement feels good.
Next… the start. It was simple. Childish, but it made you uneasy all the same.
Hesitantly, again, you play what you can remember, faster this time, but still stiff.
And again, Ralsei chimes in “Aww, that song sounds so friendly and sweet!”
You can’t help but feel he’s wrong. But knowing he’d fall for the same trap you would, it’s almost endearing.
You go to play something else.
You think of Ralsei, that song was simple wasn’t it?
You get it faster this time, it’s strange getting used to using the keys since you can’t really feel them.
“Oh...!” You catch a glimpse of Ralsei blushing before he turns away– well turns towards you? Or Kris?
“What, you gonna serenade Ralsei with that one?” Susie snickers.
Does that song… mean something? Maybe it’s because it’s his? You didn’t know…
The music here has been nice. Maybe you could play that?
It takes some doing. But you get it eventually.
To your surprise, Susie speaks up, “Feel like I heard that one...”
You and Ralsei turn and look at her. Or Ralsei does, you just move your other eye to see her.
Ralsei looks confused as well. Is the song a regular one from the light world?
“Yeah, that's right. Ralsei was humming it earlier.”
He… was?
He… could?
Can… can he also hear it?
How else could he…?
His face relaxes as she clarifies,
“O-oh, was I...? S-sorry...!” He sounds nervous, but he’s less shocked now.
He must’ve thought she could hear. How funny.
But he can? Odd.
Now what else…?
Oh. Of course.
Maybe it’s a bad idea.
Maybe it’s just a cry for someone to see you, but you think of playing the song Kris just did.
How did it go?… right, the sheet music. You don’t need to think of it, you just have to copy it.
No need to think about it.
You play.
It’s wrong. It’s painfully obvious its being done by somebody else. You have to pause several times.
Gone are the flourishes Kris added, the harmonies are absent and the tempo is far too slow. But you do it.
You aren’t sure, but you think you see Kris tense up as you play.
“Huh... why'd you play it so different?”
This was a bad idea.
“Are you like... nervous or something?”
You idiot, why did you do that?
After Kris was uncomfortable you just had to do it didn’t you?
Stupid.
Yours sounded terrible.
“I, thought... they were both really nice renditions!” Ralsei says.
He doesn’t have to lie.
And you overhear Susie’s thought:
(… does he?)
. . .
You want to stop.
You should stop.
But…
There’s something else.
Something you have to play.
The first song.
The one you heard before any of this.
The one you’ve forgotten, no, the one you’ve been made to forget.
You have to.
It’s a simple song, just a handful of notes. Up up up, down down.
The first song.
HIS song.
You hardly need to think about it. Your hands move… not on their own.
Not by Kris.
By you.
For you.
For him.
You move your hands.
Like you’ve done this thousands of times.
Static fills your ears.
You swear you can hear a heart beating as you play.
Its as if… your soul… is singing…
ARE YO_ TH_RE?
You are filled…
AR_ E C_NETED?
With a familiar power…
EXCE___NT.
You feel hands, sculpting together a form…
UNDERS__OD.
Giving a… name.
AN_ WHAT ____T T__ CRE___R?
Giving… your name.
What was it?
YOUR W____RFUL
it was…
A deep anger swells within you.
CREAT__N
It wasn’t supposed to be like this.
. . .
“Will now be–“
You slam down on the last keys.
You weren’t supposed to be trapped.
Their your hands are shaking.
As you turn around, you catch a breif glimmer of silver light in Kris’ eye.
Ralsei and Susie both stare at them.
You feel nothing on your face.
She steps toward your body, “Hey, uh Kris?”
That.Is. Not.
Your. NAME.
❤️ We should go. …
“I- I…” Ralsei stammers.
“Alright, then… K-Kris…”
He casts a glance behind him, towards you.
Does he recognize the song?
“L-lead the way!”
You ignore Susie’s weird look, and go to leave the room.
You felt bitter.
There’s a piano here. It can sound like either a piano or an organ.
Is that what created the organ shaped piano in the dark world?
Well, it doesn’t matter, after what you pulled Kris isn’t going to let you play, even if it was the time to do so.
“Y'know, when you played piano earlier... it was...”
Utterly bizzare? Bad?
“Okay, it was actually kinda cool. I mean that.”
Oh Right... Kris played first didn’t they?
“I'm not saying you should join the choir or whatever but...”
“If you were playing every week... I might actually wanna go to church.”
That sounds… nice.
…
Its a shame you won’t be able see it.
“... That... Kinda reminds me of something.”
“So... In one of the places I used to live, there was like...”
“There was this plaza... and they put this public piano in it.”
“So I started playing it. Thinking, y'know, it might be fun.”
That’s what you thought too.
“But... I guess...”
“Maybe because I was... so bad...”
“Or because I just looked like I shouldn't be playing...”
or because you weren’t real…
“They told me I wasn't... allowed to play it.”
“So I backed off.”
“And then... They let somebody else play.”
“... someone better.”
Someone… better…
“I don't know... I don't know why I expected I'd be able to play it.”
“... Is what I thought... then.”
. . .
“... That night, when no one else was around...”
“... I came back.”
“And you know what I did? I smashed it.”
“ Yeah... I smashed the piano.”
“ ... I... don't even really know if I broke it, but...”
“ I hit it as hard as I could. Hard enough to do some damage.”
For some reason, you think of ballet shoes.
“... and I ran.”
“... A week ago, if I knew you did piano…”
“... I probably would've just hated that about you.”
But you still know.
“But now...”
“I kinda... just wanna hear you play.”
She’s not talking to you, idiot.
She doesn’t even know your name.
And you’ve broken far more than just a piano.