Reina (ongoing)

4.

I wake up to euphonious piano music in a warm and familiar bed. It's still dark outside so it means I haven't been sleeping much. I'm wondering what had happened before I got here. Home. I get up from my bed - already dressed in my underwear -  and head out to the living room.
As I approach the room with the piano, I recognize the music 'O sole mio recently written by Eduardo Di Capua and Giovanni Capurro.

"Good morning, sleepyhead!" greets me Lloyd while standing up from the piano keys. He's wearing one of my black t-shirts, but the fit shows that it's not his size. I told him not to take trainings too seriously, it only takes up his time to additionally prepare for deployments.

"Don't worry, I slept on the sofa" he grins and then goes on about how comfortable and qualitative that furniture is and he never gets disappointed in vintage products. The design nowadays sees revivals of Gothic, Rococo, and Renaissance styles and Oriental inspiration. Popular styles use ivory inlaid in walnut and ebony. Craftsmanship is of great importance down to the finest detail.

I was lost in my thoughts for some time and now he stares at me, leaning back with his arms on the piano. He lowers his head and looks me in the eyes. It almost creeps me out. His emerald irises are brilliant, deep green, like the gemstone from which it takes its name. The color of the package for the condom that I haven't used yet.

,,Do you remember what happened yesterday?"
Oh. I hope that I wasn't drunk or did some really stupid things last night.
,,Probably not because you were poisoned" I suddenly run out of breath trying to think about how had that happened.

,,Is that true? How? Who did that?" This can be a really serious matter. Not knowing such a thing can lead to an enormous collapse of the working system around here.

,,Don't have to freak out darling, it was me." He said it so easily that I almost didn't believe it.

,,Ah, that's why I can't recall anything after meeting you in the corridor. Did you have any purpose?" He would never commit anything that could affect either his career or his close colleagues. At the very least, all workers must dose themselves with petty poisons in small doses to achieve immunity. I guess I have my dose for this week.

,,You know, I was just testing the receipt of the liquid Reina wrote down. I guess it didn't work" he says with a slight disappointment on his face.

,,So you are friends now? I guess finishing me is the new goal for both of you."

,,I would never attempt to finish you, maybe just in a different sense... I mean Reina and me have been pen pals for a while. Now, you are the only one who knows about this. I wanted to see if her statements were true at all. I hope that this can stay between the two of us."
I don't think they've gone further so it's okay but I don't see the reason for testing that unknown something on me. Still, I didn't really hear the end of his first sentence.

,,What effect did you expect?" I am asking him provocatively with lifting my eyebrows.

,,Actually, nothing more. I was hoping for you to sleep less but in the end, you could rest at least." The disappointment disappeared from his expression and calmness took it's place.

,,That's true. We are not done, we have to continue this conversation but.. my head hurts a little bit." He touches my forehead with his and says: ,,You don't have a fever. It must be the fault of the door jamb." I look at him questioningly, blooming like a red rose. His locks caressing my face, curl like the waves of the sea. "Okay, I have to admit that I accidentally hit your head in the door jamb while bringing you inside your apartment. I thought that you were shorter because you're really small you know." Compared to you... But I am taller than any other people in work. The thing is that you are extremely high. "Look at the bright side, they often say that life is like a piano; the white keys represent happiness and the black show sadness. But as you go through life's journey, remember that the black keys also create music." A beautiful sentence stolen from another person.

,,Was that an apology for almost killing me, hitting my head and... there must be a third one."

,,There will be" he smirks at me pulling my wrist towards the piano and somehow we switch positions.

,,Is that all you got?" He doesn't answer. Suddenly I feel his arms on my hips, a couple of fake key tones are heard and in the next moment I am sitting on the piano.

,,I can show you everything if you want it so badly."