Days before

7 Days Before: Piano Competition

Tuesday

It was Tuesday which happened to be the day of Kai's biology test. The same test that he hadn't studied for and hadn't been planning on studying for either. So, it was the day that he was going to fail his biology test and possibly get smacked by his mother which wasn't quite unusual. The unusual part of this particular Tuesday was that it was the day of Pete's piano competition; something he only found out yesterday.

It was this discovery that had led him to skip biology so that he could see his boyfriend perform. Kai would've failed the test anyway; it was better to miss it and get an assessed mark, rather than do it, miss the competition and fail the test all in one go.

"You don't have to do this," Peter said to him while wringing his hands together.

Even though the question had been directed at Kai; Peter's eyes had been directed anywhere but him. From the piano in the music room, to the judges' tables, to the other contestants; Kai would watch as his boyfriend's eyes would shift from place to the other before looking back down at his hands. This cycle repeated for a while. At first, Kai just watched him. He thought it would be best to let Peter be, but, as the madness continued and Peter's chest started rising with worrying frequency; it became clear that letting him be was not the best decision.

"Pete?" Kai tried to get his attention but the other was too busy staring a hole into the polished wood of the school's piano.

Kai let out a long sigh before turning his whole body to face the other. Slowly, so as to not frighten his boyfriend, Kai took Peter's trembling hands into his own. Kai flinched as he saw Peter violently jump at the unexpected contact.

"Sorry," the smaller boy muttered. His hands were still shaking and his breath was coming out in harsh, rapid pants. Kai was getting nervous just from watching him.

"Look at me," Kai tried to command him.

For a moment Peter shifted his blue eyes to Kai's green ones but then they were moving again; going from one spot to the next, never spending more than a second on a single place.

Kai let out an irritated sigh before taking a hold of Peter's flushed face between his fingers and forcing the other to look directly at him.

"Breathe Pete."

"You don't understand-" Peter tried to explain but Kai wouldn't let him finish. Instead, the tall ginger placed a chaste kiss on the other's lips; instantly silencing him.

"I don't want to hear it. At least not until you calm down. Can you promise me that?"

Peter nodded and Kai took that as a chance to try and soothe his boyfriend.

"I want you to stop thinking about the competition and-"

"Really, Kai? We're literally sitting in the front row, how can I not notice the piano and the stage and the judges...and...and just everything!"

Kai winched at the sharpness at Peter's voice. He knew he didn't mean it, that it was just the stress of the situation and that he shouldn't take it to heart but Kai still found himself getting offended.

"Take a deep breath," he gritted his teeth and tried again. For a moment he saw Peter's eyes spark and he thought that the other would snap at him but then he closed his eyes and did exactly what Kai had said.

"Now again," Kai commanded. Peter's chest rose once again and Kai could hear him shakily draw in a breath before finally letting it out in soft whistle.

"How many times do I have to do this?" He asked, his voice computed with impatience.

Kai clicked his tongue at the irritated tone of Peter's voice. "Until you calm down."