[PRP] A Silent Arpeggio (Oliver & Horace)

[The Semblance of Unity]

"What do you want me to do - run up to the rooftop and shout 'I KISSED OLIVER BEAUMONT AND I LIKED IT'?" he asked a bit huffily. In that moment, Ollie sounded too much like Elliot for his peace of mind. ********, Horace was the worst friend. He sighed. "Sorry."

"I'd like to hear whatever you wanna play, but unless it's choral I'll never have heard of it." I'm not as nice as you think I am. "But I want to hear you play. I can't play a lick." He reached over and plinked a key on the piano. Plink plink plink.

melancholies

 

[Melancholies]

Oliver balked slightly. "W-Well I mean! If you liked it then I don't give a ******** what you do about it!" His face was flushed slightly, so much for the cool-guy-Eli-impersonation he had going on or whatever the ********. "I was teasing! I was teasing... I'm sorry." He huffed too, albeit quieter.

At least Horace was diddling the piano, that was a good distraction. "I was teasing." He reiterated. "I just meant—it's okay. ******** it." His hands suddenly moved with a startling dexterity, and though his focus wasn't on the keys it was obvious that the piano was like an extension of him, the muscle memory alive and real and there. "I don't usually play for people if I'm not on a stage." He informed him, "It's actually more nerve wracking to preform unofficially for me, don't ask why..."

He hadn't started playing yet, but he was poised for it as he collected his thoughts.

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

Horace almost choked. I liked it. He didn't want to apologize again, but he felt like he should. Maybe they should just shut up and kiss again, he thought, then instantly dismissed said thought as traitorous. His ears still felt very, very hot.

"I'm surprised my tongue piercing didn't hurt," he said abruptly, the flushed harder. "I... I guess I can understand that. I had to train myself from being nervous singing alone and..." He shut up, Oliver was about to play.

melancholies

 

[Melancholies]

Despite the fact that Horace was the one rambling on and on now, Oliver just sat there, still poised, but listened intently. He didn't stop him, he only waited with a reverent patience, silent but no less involved. "You don't have to shut up," he spoke after Horace stopped himself, "If I didn't like talking to you, I don't think I would've let you kiss me. Actually, you probably never would've heard from me after the car thing." And then he grinned, kind if cheeky, kind of shy.

He cleared his throat.

"If I mess up, it's your fault though." He was referencing his earlier statement, the one about his nervousness to preform for others like this, but his posture seemed composed. His hands weren't shaking, he took a deep breath. For a second his fingers wiggled a little so his nails tapped against the keys without really playing.

And after that moment of hesitance, he finally did play, the sounds soft and quiet and peaceful as they rang out through the air. It was quaint. Oliver relaxed. You can relax too... but the mental channel was cut off after that, god forbid if Horace started getting mind pings about his musical thought process while he played.

But as of now, things were pretty okay.

The Semblance of Unity

THAT'S A WRAP ON MY END ftb?

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

"Yeah, it can be my fault," he said softly, kind of fondly. Then Oliver began playing. Asking Horace to relax was maybe far too much, but he scooted closer, until his shoulder bumped against Oliver's as he played. You're good., he thought, watching as Oliver's hands stroked the keys.

melancholies

just a short fin tag from me