[r] there's a train

[vertigo]

king

sometimes J enjoyed making a trip back to places he'd visited before. it wasn't about being closer to the people, or even the place -- he just liked going back to look at things. maybe there were things he'd missed before, or new things to see.

his fingers rested on the piano keys, shoulders shifting around in the crisp suit the restaurant made him wear.

and sometimes, he went back, just to play the piano.

[king]

the music kept her going. addi glided into the restaurant, intent on eating solely for the purpose of the live music. she'd come here often, humming to herself while the soft melody echoed through the area. she ordered a quick sandwich, before settling back in her chair and gazing over to the piano.

longingly, she remembered singing here once, before the scourge. a finger absently twirled a lock of black hair, waiting for the notes to begin flowing from the ivory keys, twisting together in that way she always loved. addi smiled, letting out a soft sigh. some days, there was more to the music.

[vertigo]

his fingers flitted across the keys effortlessly; the only thing he was confidently good at was playing music. every time he played, he would bask in the silence, in the music. it was funny how the music drowned everything out and left behind nothing but something pleasant to the ears.

this was what J was born to do, not being a trainer under the eos program. his playing hit a crescendo, and he was lost in the music until the final moment when he finished the piece and allowed the chatter of the restaurant to rise once again.

[king]

ah, perfect. addi closed her eyes, ignoring the waitress who delivered her sandwich. she breathed in the music, humming along. her own voice was much softer than the piano, not meant to draw attention. however, at the crescendo, her volume followed suit, fingers tensing as she held a note.

it came to an end, and addi was unsatisfied. her addiction for music needed to keep being fed, and so she stood, crossing the restaurant to the piano. "excuse me," she murmured, one hand delicately laid on the piano. "may i ask how long you'll be playing for?" may she ask how long this man would feed her addiction? she longed desperately for music, more music. anything to forget the world today.

[vertigo]

J had started to lightly tap on the keys, wondering what song to play next -- unlike other musicians, he did not have practised sets to play every time he accepted a job. he played whatever he felt, whatever the moment summoned out of him.

he was about to strike the first key of the next song when a voice shook him out of it. "yes?" J said, not looking up from the piano. his finger itched to play and his mind wanted to ignore the female, the voice, the disruption.

"i have no idea. as long as i want to, i will," he said in a whisper, eager to hold unto the beginning of a song before it escaped his fingertips. "excuse me." with that said and done, he struck the first note, and from then on, another song, a happier one, bloomed from his fingers.

[king]

well, the dismissal certainly was unexpected. "of course." addi murmured, returning to her seat. on the way she began humming again, fingers twisting with each inflection of the notes. she finished her sandwich quickly, paying for the meal and a tip.

again, she approached the piano. however, instead of speaking to the pianist, she simply sat down beside it, knees curled to her chest. addi laid her head against the wood, feeling the vibrations in her skull. her eyes slipped shut, breathing in the music from the close proximity. words began to fade away as she focused on the notes, not hearing anything beside the flowing beauty of music.

[vertigo]

time passed together with the music and soon, J rose from his seat, the last bits of music trickling away from the piano as the last customers in the restaurant did. he exhaled, turning to the female sitting by the side of the piano; he shut the lid of the keyboard lightly, then tapped her on the shoulder.

"show's over," said J, "go home."

[king]

too soon. so soon. addi curled into herself at the tap of her shoulder, before reluctantly standing. "thank you for that." she said, smiling. there was the urge to draw him into a hug, but she wasn't sure how well that would be received.

"what's your name?" there weren't that many who enjoyed music as much now, and she needed to know someone who did. someone who hadn't forgotten in the plague. "i'm adelaide. addi." her smile was genuine, yet small. she still craved music.

[vertigo]

J found it strange how the female thanked him for the music; people rarely gave their compliments, or said anything else about it. being appreciated for playing felt great, but given her prior enthusiasm, J wasn't sure what to feel.

"J," he said, and extended a hand. he didn't feel like adding more to the conversation. every time he stopped playing music, he felt something hollow grow within him, gnawing at him from the inside. sit down and play some more, said the beast, but J always declined the offer.

"adelaide. alright."

[king]

what, he chose adelaide over addi? well, okay then. she took the hand, tucking a bit of hair behind her ear as she did. "J." it had to have been short for something, but he clearly preferred the nickname. she drew the hand closer and wrapped J in a hug tightly. "thank you so much for the music. really."

to a person like addi, hugs were the serum of eternal life. she has yet to absorb the fact that some people do not enjoy them.

[vertigo]

J froze, his hands balling into fists by his side as addi took him in a hug. "no problem," he said through gritted teeth, before escaping the hug. he retreated a few steps backwards, appalled by the sudden intrusion of personal space.

music lover or not, an invasion was still an invasion, and J reeled at the thought of having been hugged out of the blue.

[king]

addi wasn't completely clueless. she took a step back, arms crossed behind her back at the wrist. "ah, sorry." she apologized, twisting a bit of hair. "was just, um, really happy." she offered him another smile, her automatic go to. well, points to her for trying.

something about this guy was interesting. addi was a curious person by nature. "so, have you been playing music long?"

[vertigo]

J took a step back, even after being apologized to. what to make of the smile, he didn't even want to attempt thinking. his lips thinned, and his eyes narrowed; what sort of inhuman interest was this woman taking in his music?

even the most devoted of musicians kept to their own notes and rarely prodded at him for information. J wasn't sure what to make of addi at this point, and chose to remain cautiously silent about what he had been doing in the musical field for the past years.

[king]

well this was unexpected. addi stared at the other for a moment, waiting for a response before realizing that she probably wasn't going to get one. what was she supposed to do? this was just awkward now.

"um." she began, "i've been singing since before the scourge hit. i was going to keep pursuing my career, but the plague kind of stopped that. i've just been... looking for music to make it forgettable. sorry for being so... nosy." she hung her head a little, eyes huge and the slightest bit watery.

yes, her manager had been right when he told her she should learn puppy dog eyes. maybe they would work.

[vertigo]

J scratched his cheek and exchanged breaths a couple times before nodding awkwardly. it was strange enough to leave a question unanswered, and he was ready to let that go, but no -- addi chose to answer her own question, causing the conversation to take another turn into -

- and then came the apology, and J really didn't know what to do any more.

her career as a musician had been short-lived, was what he managed to glean; not much different from him, then. he'd barely started to fly before his wings were clipped. despite the similarity in their musical career, all J focused on was the apology, and how the conversation had dipped into complete awkwardness between his stoic self and addi bordering on crying.

he staggered over to the piano, lifted the lid, sat down, and started to play a simple melody.