Shitty at Best

Chapter 5

After he was done with putting the boxes away he realized it was time for him to go to that bar Erik liked so much. He hadn't gone there in a year, so he hoped that the place didn't magically change its place.

Fortunately it hadn't and he spotted Erik sitting as close as he could to the counter, so he could stare at the short bartender.

"Do you come by here often?" Jacques grinned as he slid into the seat in front of him.

"As a matter of fact I do." Erik grinned, finally turning to him. "So you actually chose to show up."

"Didn't have anything else to do." He said as he picked up Erik's beer.

"Hey! Go get your own, asshole!" Erik exclaimed, taking the mug from Jacques rather forcefully, making him pout.

"I don't want to go and socialize with the barman. And frankly he looks like he doesn't want it as well." The blond said, motioning with his head over to a rather pissed off looking Richard, glaring at the empty air.

"Nah, that's his excited face." Erik said wistfully.

"How the hell did you get that?" Jacques raised his eyebrows.

"Oh, you get used to it with time. When he's excited his lip slightly quirks up. And when he's happy-"

"I got the point." Jacques cut him off, before he could pull out a chart of Richard's expressions. "Now can you go and order me a beer? Because I really am not up to socializing with tiny angry men." Erik was up before he even got the chance to finish his sentence.

"I can't help it if you are lazy. Gotta help buddies in need." Erik laughed and patted Jacques's back on his way over to the counter. He turned around to watch as he grinned awkwardly down at Richard. The latter didn't seem impressed by whatever Erik was saying as he basically shoved the bottle in his hand. But what caught his eye was the person who was playing the piano.

Wait...Is that Michael?

He almost couldn't recognize him. Something about his appearance had changed. He was so calm and controlled, his fingers moving swiftly, no hesitation in his actions. The normal nervousness in his eyes was replaced by a warm and fond look, his lips forming into silent lyrics he was silently singing to himself.

And that song...It was nothing that Jacques had heard before...In the beginning it sounded like falling raindrops, soft and a little...melancholic. Then it picked its pace a bit, almost sounding like a person's emotions overflowing after keeping them for so long. He felt like he had just lost the most important person in his life and he was finally letting himself express his sadness, his anger, his fear. Everything bursting out of him in a flash. Finally, the song ended with the same notes, that rather than raindrops, now felt like tear drops to Jacques.

He hadn't realized his fists were balled on the table, a small tear falling down his cheek. He looked up to see Erik, who was looking down at the table, his eyes empty. He only snapped his head up when he realized that the song was over.

Jacques quickly wiped the tear away, looking up at Erik, who did the same.

He could hear the people around him clapping and encouraging Michael to play it one more time, but Michael refused, saying it wasn't finished.

What? He needs more?

After a moment of silence, Jacques finally spoke up.

"Was that...The song?" He asked quietly.

Erik nodded "It was..." He trailed off, searching for the right words.

Nostalgic..."Weird." Jacques finished for him.