Boys Will Be Bugs

Chapter 101: Empathy

Remus had successfully finished fixing his grandfather's accordion. Granted, it had taken him a month to do so, but the fact that he hadn't broken it was achievement enough in his opinion. The only problem was, he still couldn't play it, but he was sure that there was nothing that a little practice couldn't solve. His friends were less enthusiastic by this turn of events, but Remus saved them the ear torture by practicing in the old empty classroom they used to hang out in sometimes. Sirius would often join him, just to teach him the basics of the keys and the chords, and Remus couldn't help but admit to himself that he was more interested in watching Sirius than he was in actually playing the instrument. At one point, Sirius moved the beaten up piano he had found ages ago for Remus's birthday into the classroom so that he could demonstrate tunes on an easier instrument. Eventually, Remus simply enjoyed listening to him play more than anything, which Sirius seemed to pick up on, because he started to play pieces that weren't even really possible on an accordion but still sounded beautiful. Remus was enthralled.

He obviously knew Sirius could play piano, but Sirius had only demonstrated a few times in the entire time Remus had known him, so it was nice to finally get to sit down and actually see the real talent that Sirius had. It was clear in Sirius's entire demeanour that he had been classically trained, no doubt with such intensity that the drive to make no mistakes was still evident in how Sirius held himself. He sat straight up, his fingers perfectly positioned on the keys as if he were playing for an elite audition rather than just his boyfriend who knew nothing about piano. Every piece he played was timed perfectly and he didn't need the sheet music because he'd memorised everything.

He played wonderfully, that was undeniable, but he was so tense when he played. Remus sometimes saw him flinch in the rare moments he hit a wrong note, as if someone was going to yell at him for it. Remus wished Sirius would loosen up a bit, because he could see that there was still a small spark of passion behind how Sirius played, but clearly he had never been able to express it before. Remus wanted to see the Sirius who had composed an original piece for him, who closed his eyes when he played it and lightly swayed with the music, instead of the straight-backed, eyes-wide-open Sirius who played out of nothing more than necessity.

One day, inside the classroom, Remus sat against the wall staring at his girlfriend. The room was dimly lit, since it was nighttime outside and the only light came from candles that floated just below the ceiling. Sirius looked stunning in that moment, her long hair flowing nearly down to her waist as she refused to cut it short anymore. She'd threaded these beautiful silver ribbons through it, sparkling with magic that made her look almost ethereal to Remus. Her nails were painted and she'd transformed her usual school uniform into her favourite black dress that she'd borrowed a while ago from Mary, which made her look like some sort of gothic princess. Remus felt like he was falling in love all over again just looking at her, and yet still she played like a gun was held to her head. Remus couldn't have that. She was so beautiful, and she deserved to feel the beauty that she was casting all around her.

Remus stood up and walked over to the piano. He bent over her and gently put his hands on top of hers. She stopped.

"Play your favourite piece," murmured Remus. Sirius's favourite piece was a tune called Rappelles-vous d'elle by a wizard named Laros Léandre, and one of the only pieces that Sirius had learnt as a child that she didn't end up hating. It was too beautiful a piece to hate, and Remus could see why Sirius liked it so much. It was gentle, but it had such a dark vibe to it. It was the sort of piece you could imagine being played in a royal French household, but one that contained so many scandalous secrets within it walls. Sirius must have related to it quite a bit.

"I can't," she chuckled. "You're on my hands."

"Play anyway." Sirius tried to look around at him for an explanation, but he just rested his head on her shoulder. "But play it like you're actually enjoying it."