Second Life

#6 The Decision

The next day was a little awkward. The two felt one another avoiding their eyes.

Dream decided it was too weird for him and went to his room to do some work. He was a freelance video editor and just fixed whatever people sent him. It paid decently since he'd made a name in the community and had been doing it for a long time.

He could hear George playing the piano. He kept messing up and occasionally making annoyed mumble or sigh. Dream felt bad for him but decided to finish the video before checking on him.

He was almost done when he heard George play a few keys. "Yes!" he exclaimed, muffled slightly by the wall.

He played into a new part of the song Dream hadn't heard him play yet. He must have messed up again because the next thing Dream heard was "Fuck."

Dream had never heard him curse and was frankly a little scared. He put the finishing touches on the video and sent it to its creator.

Dream swallowed his fear and awkwardness and walked to George's room. "Just act like it never happened. You didn't almost kiss, he just moved closer. That's all." he convinced himself as his feet padded along the rug.

He knocked on the cracked door and heard George abruptly pause his playing. "You may come in," he said.

Dream pushed the door open. "I hear practice is going well."

He smiled lopsidedly and looked back at the keys, his face getting a shade pinker. "I wasn't aware you could hear me."

Dream smiled and walked into the room a little more, standing next to the piano. He examined the sheet of music. There were pencil marks and notes jotted all over it. He could hardly read the notes.

"Do you read music?" George asked, looking up at him quizzically.
"Oh, no. I used to. I just play guitar but I haven't in like four years."

George hummed and looked back at his fingers. Dream followed his eyes. His hands were delicate and calloused. He had a prominent 'writer's callous' and thin fingers. His knuckles were red and his nails had been obviously chewed on. He wore a simple silver ring on his left-hand ring finger.

There was an aura of tension between the two. After that night why wouldn't there be? They were an inch away from kissing and now had to awkwardly dance around it.

George moved over on the stool to make room for Dream. "Come here. Play with me."
"I don't know how to play piano?"
"You'll learn."

George had a slight intonation in his voice. He smiled as Dream sat next to him.

He explained the basics. Curve your fingers over the keys and sit up straight. He showed him which keys to hit and when.

Occasionally, their hands brushed. Both awkwardly pretended like it didn't happen, but were acutely aware of it. It became harder to ignore once George put his hands over Dream's to show him what the keys felt like.

Dream's face flushed red but George didn't seem to notice. He just held his fingers over Dream's and pressed down on the keys.

"Kind of get it?" George asked, tilting his head a little at Dream.
"Yeah. You're good at explaining things."
"Thank you, but I doubt the validity of that."

George told him to press down a few keys when he told him to and started playing. He'd nudge Dream a little and he would play his very simple part.

Dream just enjoyed watching George play. He looked very casual, like that was something he'd been born to do. Dream recognized that it was because he'd been playing piano for centuries, but it was still pretty.