The Music Room - Ereri/Riren (SNK)

-Day 8-

Eren's slender fingers pluck the strings of the guitar as his other hand works on twisting the tuning pegs at the top. The instrument - smooth, black, and shiny (after I'd found a cloth to wipe it down with) - is balanced in his lap, the sound of the strings echoing throughout the inside to produce the sound, ever changing as he works to adjust them. His head swivels back and forth between his hands, making the tiniest of adjustments on each of the strings until he's satisfied.

I'm merely watching from the piano bench while he resides in one of the plush chairs a few feet away, brow furrowed in concentration. I can't help but think he downplayed his skills in this particular instrument already, seeing as he knows how to tune it.

It didn't take much coaxing to get him to pick it up and demonstrate what he knows. He claimed over and over that he isn't all that skilled with a guitar, but I want proof.

"Okay," he says, strumming the pad of his thumb down the strings a few minutes later. "I think I got it." His eyes meet mine. "What exactly did you want me to do?"

"Don't care. Anything."

"Umm..." He shifts a bit uncomfortably, running his left hand up and down the neck like he's trying to grow accustomed to the feeling of the instrument. I can almost see the gears rotating in his head and the steam dancing out of his ears as he thinks.

Abruptly, his features relax and a seemingly devious smile creeps its way through his lips.

"Here," he says, and begins plucking. It only takes three notes for me to figure out he's half-assing the most childish song he could possibly know - Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. He laughs, though, once finished and looks up to find me staring at him, annoyed. I roll my eyes dramatically.

"What?"

"You're a child," I mutter, though not without mild amusement snaking its way into my tone.

Chuckling, he says, "Okay, I'll make you a deal."

"Another deal?" I scoff, crossing my arms.

"Yeah. If you can give me two song names that fit that tune, I'll play something serious."

"And if I can't?"

"Then we go back to the piano, and that means more scales."

I sigh internally and think myself lucky to know that Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and the tune for the ABCs carry the same melody. It's not that I dislike scales or playing, I'm just still not all that interested in learning to play as I may pretend to be in front of Eren. I'm more interested in his playing, in what he knows...in Eren himself. Still, I'm far from ever admitting that out loud. I'd probably rather catch a cold...

I tell him the names of the songs, and his eyes sparkle in amusement.

"Everyone who breathes oxygen should know that those two songs have the same tune," I mutter.

"Touche."

"Now play. You promised."

"Okay, okay," he chuckles. He runs his hand down the neck and back up once again, chewing his lip in thought, or perhaps uneasiness. He hesitates.

"What?" I ask.

"It's just..." He clears his throat, shifting his weight from right to left. "Everything I know on guitar requires singing," he mumbles, deliberately keeping his gaze away from mine, the faintest of blushes dusting his cheeks, his nose, the tips of his exposed ears.

"So sing," I say simply, though my insides flutter at the thought of his voice carrying on a melody as he plays. I tense involuntarily.

"You really want me to? I mean...my voice..." He rubs his throat out of evident insecurity. "It's...not all that great anymore."