edle_gestalt | PRISMATICA: Inbox

I could ask you the same about your companion with the way you just talked about him.

u mean tony???
he might be a hooker
idk
live ur best life man i don't judge him

so i guess this means no piano then huh??
that's okay
u can just sing for me or something instead

BTW im here!!

_{[ Right as that message sends, he's knocking enthusiastically. ]}

[Austria throws his robe on and makes his way towards the door, his hair down, but he does have his glasses on. If he's going to have a surprise visit, he's going to pick the least time consuming option in his signature look. He's shushing America before the door is even open, the sound continuing as he does open the door.]

It's late. People might think their own doors are being knocked on. Just come in.

[On the coffee table is the Dimensional Orb, and he's realizing that furniture is going to have to be moved around a bit in order for there to be room for a baby grand. He knows well enough what kind of space is needed and he's doing some half-asleep mental calculations before he finally figures out where things need to go.]

America, do you think you could move that couch to the wall perpendicular to it? I do think I can get the piano back, but it's supposed to appear when I drop that orb and there needs to be room for it.

[oh]

By the way, are you feeling all right?

_{[ He never once expected such a warm invitation inside, but Austria will see him in a pair of loose fitting, lightweight plaid pajama pants and a snug tee. Plain, but a bright orange color. He's merely being nosy and looking around Austria's place when he's asked to help. ]}

Oooh, you want me to move something? Yeah, okay. Hang on.

_{[ He just bends over and picks up the entire sofa like it was nothing, holding it above his head. It's a little cumbersome since it's a longer piece of furniture, but it looks like he has a good grip on it.. must he hold it that high, though? ]}

Where did you say again?

_{[ Austria may notice more than anyone else how much he hardly listens-- he doesn't even answer the question he was asked. ]}

[Austria is focused on the orb when America lifts the sofa, and when he turns around to see it his heart flip-flops in his chest -- it looks precarious and he's afraid it's going to make noise, but he might be blushing a little bit, too.] Ah -- that wall, there -- please don't slam it down, Germany and Italy live on the other side.

[And it's fine, at least in this instance, because he's relieved he didn't upset him by being caught up in his own train of thought.]

I can get the table, at least. [Austria's weak but he can definitely scoot a plywood coffee table, and it allows him to take the orb off of it with his other hand before America could knock it over and break it. Because Austria is sure he would.]

_{[ By the time that Austria has said that wall there, he's going ahead and setting it down with a loud thud. It makes racket, but everything seems to be unharmed-- furniture and wall.

Austria may have hands, but America has got very impressive arms.

He pats his hands together and places his hands on his hips, pleased to assist. ]}

Perfect! I have no idea what we're doing, but it looks great. ★

[A wince and an eyeroll -- he knew it.] Well hopefully they don't have their bed up against that wall. [He might find out in a few days.]

No idea what we're doing -- you specifically asked me about the piano. I'm trying to get it back. It needs space, it's a baby grand.

[Taking the orb in his hands, he closes his eyes, thinking as hard as he can about that piano.] It's made it through enough destruction around it already, what's dimensional travel, after all? If someone can jump from space... [He lets out a half of a laugh, shaking his head before sighing and throwing the orb to the ground.

It makes a loud noise and he jumps, wincing at the flash of light, cursing himself mentally for doing this at this hour, but after the noise America made, what's done is done. The light is blinding at first and he covers his eyes with his forearm, but when he lowers it there are tears welling up in his eyes.

He runs over to the piano, touching it, giving a few keys a frantic but quiet stroke to test that yes it's here, yes it works and sounds just as it always did. The bench made it there too and he sits on it immediately, resting his cheek on the fall board.] Darling. [He could not care any less that America is seeing him get this emotional over an inanimate object, it's his piano, damn it.]

You were asking about it... had you wanted to hear anything? I could play something very soft. I don't want to bother anyone any more than we already have, but she's back and I want to play her.

_{[ This is touching and all, but while Austria is having an emotional re-connection, America comes up behind him and just.. slams a few of his fingers on the keys. It makes an awful sound, obviously. ]}

_{[ Then, he grows very excited. ]}

Holy shit!! That thing just teleported here! It's actually real! DUDE!! It's so big and hefty too.. and it just come here.. through like a foreign temporal anomaly! No way! Did it come from the present? Or is this something from the past? How did you do it?

_{[ He's more amazed about how it actually got here versus the piano itself. ]}

Yeah, I was asking about it 'cause you're such a music slut, I don't know.. maybe listening to music will help me get sleepy!

_{[ He sounds.. nothing like sleepy now. ]}

Play Piano Man!!

[He jolts upright at the sound and his hand goes straight to America's wrist to firmly guide them away, accompanied by a frantic ah -- tss-tss-tss-tss...!! as if he's trying to pull a child away from a hot stove.] Be careful, just because it can be played loudly properly doesn't mean it can be banged on like that, it's not good for the strings -- oh, maybe I should get another one of those orbs to summon my tuning kit... actually not a bad business idea if there are others here with pianos, hm...

[His face turns red at the nickname, though of all the ways for that word to be used, this is possibly the least offensive he can think of.] Don't say something so crass! Listening to music to help you sleep -- Paris Hilton said she did the same thing when she went to the Opernball.

[UGH]

Piano Man won't help you sleep even if I wanted to play it! No one ever hears that without bursting into song -- what about some sort of softer, calming jazz if you want to hear something from your home?? There are just so many options -- [A lightbulb just went off.]

Copland? What about Copland? Ah, I'll see what I can remember of it. [He wiggles his fingers plaintively in some attempt to wake them up and begins playing the first of these, though he is careful not to move above mezzo forte considering the hour. It occurs to him he probably should have closed the lid, but it is what it is. He finishes the first short piece of the group, smiling before pulling his hands away once the sound decays.]

...He wrote three more of them but I never memorized them. I always liked this one. Takes me back. 1926.

[The Music Slut decides what's soothing and what's not. They can be on their own self absorbed track together]

_{[ He steadies his hands on his hips as he is brushed away, but he still lingers by, somehow giving Austria silence so he can concentrate. The first few seconds of it make him puzzled looking, thinking hard before his face finally relaxes and he perks up. Still, he keeps quiet other than humming along— on and off— and once it’s over he really pipes up. ]}

Yeah!! Two of them came later— the forties, I think— and they all were dedicated to separate people! I’m kinda surprised you started playing this first instead of classical music.

[Austria blinks, actually looking up, not having expected America to know or remember specifics.] ... Yes. I mean -- I wasn't going to play Piano Man for Christ's sake but you were here. And this still is... well, it's debatable if it's classical or jazz, I suppose, that's all dependent on whether it's performed on a grand stage with people shushing each other in the audience.

[It doesn't matter, it's never mattered no matter how many murderous glares he's turned around and given noisy people in concert halls while he's trying to listen.] See, nobody does this anymore. Just sitting around and listening. Here, you want classical? This one's Schubert, Liszt had to go and make it fancier, as he did-- [And he starts playing this but still keeping the volume overall lower than indicated in the music. And yes it's a hell of a lot longer than the Copland but Austria can't let a soft spot go seen without some sort of coverup, nor can he let anyone forget where his expertise lies. And it's the first thing that pops into his head that sounds like his own folk music, too, and maybe he wants to share.

And it's the sort of thing Austria would not be offended by if America got sleepy from it.]

I like sherbert. Especially on a really hot summer day.

_{[ I.. okay. ]}

Yeah, I don't know. I guess I'd get pretty pissed off if people were talking while I listen to the piano. I'd be telling them to shut the fuck up too.

_{[ He's talking.. as Austria plays. ]}

This is.. nice though. It kind of feels relaxing! I always kind of liked the piano, but probably for more sentimental reasons than I do the guitar.

_{[ That's when he feels himself drawn to the couch that he just plopped down and takes a seat, folding his legs up on the sofa. For now, he's sitting up, but it won't take much longer until he sinks sideways, lounging with his legs stretched out on the sofa. ]}

[Austria rolls his eyes at the name mixup, but considering Schubert's nickname was roughly the equivalent of "lil' mushroom" he's not too fussed about it. He keeps playing, trusting Schubert would have laughed.

As ironic as it is for America to be chatting it up while he's playing at the same time as he complains about the exact behavior, he appreciates how casual it is. It's not as if he hasn't played with a lot of noise going on before. America is talking about music, Austria knows it's not as if he's being ignored.]

Really? [He tilts his head, moving to the next phrase of the music with a slight flourish.] Do you play? I admit when I think of your music I do think of guitar more. And drums. [The word is hissed playfully and he leans in America's direction when he says it; yes, he may have a few assumptions about the blond and the type of music he likes to play, solely based on how damned loud he is.]

_{[ By now, America is still sitting upward, but his eyes are drawing sleepy and half lidded, blue gaze trying to focus on the way Austria's fingers glide over each key. Austria even catches him nodding off when he asks the question and he straightens his posture, trying to appear more awake. ]}

Hahaha, uhh.. I mean, there's a little I know, but I haven't touched a piano in decades. The guitar and drums I definitely know how to play, but the piano..

_{[ He tilts his head, dreary eyes looking over the piano. ]}

Huh.. do you think you could teach me?

_{[ He's a lot more tolerable (and kind of cute) when he's tired, isn't he? ]}

[Austria watches him out of the corner of his eye, pleased that he's calming down. And a little charmed that he's trying to be polite and not fall asleep -- even though the whole point was for him to relax from it.

There's something warm about all of this and it's unexpected. Austria finishes the piece first before answering, the last chords coming out muted like velvet.]

...I'd like that, actually, very much. If you really are that interested.

Yeah. I am.

_{[ A BIG OLE YAWN. ]}

I mean, I like music, but I guess England never had the time to really teach me too much when I was younger.

_{[ He sinks down, shifting to a lying position and stretches his legs across the sofa. America even sounds sleepy. ]}

Or he didn't care. I think I picked up most of my music ideals from his brothers instead of him, and then you guys came along later, but nobody really had the patience to personally teach me.

...Pity, he has a rich tradition. [Empire problems, not enough time. Add that to the list of reasons Austria is happier he never bothered with the "exploring" bit.] I hear a lot of his music in yours, though. His brothers too, but still. And he borrowed right back again from you with rock.

[Is he just going to .... fall asleep. right there. okay.

There's a resigned irritation in Austria's voice.] I thought you were just coming over for a moment. [And he leaves for a moment, reaching into a closet, and he comes back with a blanket, grimacing as he shakes it out and puts it over America.]

_{[ YEAH, he is. He's gonna fall asleep right there. He does shift a little once he feels the heat of the blanket over him, tugging it further over himself until nothing but flaxen hair and his signature cowlick is sticking out of the cover. Poor guy still has his glasses on his face, but they're unreachable now that he has burrowed into the sofa, merely turning on his side with his back facing Austria.

Mission accomplished. ]}

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