I can't help, falling in love with you

Nocturne Chopin

At this time of day, the Manor would usually be quiet.
Right after lunch most survivors would go and relax or try to prepare for the games that would follow later.

But surprisingly, the melodic play of a Piano echoed throughout the hallways~
Eli knew that song, it was a symphony he had heard before.

Quite the aesthetic melody, he had to admit...
He had never been that familiar with compositions but that didn't stop him from enjoying the classics.

A soft smile spread on the Seer's face when he could already guess who was playing so beautifully...

~

He approached the room the music was coming from. A secondary living room on the second floor where rarely anyone went to, mainly because there was almost no comfortable furniture available and the fireplace was out of order.
Eli could already guess why the Embalmer preferred the privacy this room offered rather than the chatter filled living room downstairs.

With an unsure step he slowly pushed open the double doors, being met with the dim light from the afternoon sun which shone through the large stained windows, the grey curtains not doing much to stop the light from coming in.

The embalmer didn't stop playing at first, not realizing someone had entered as he was too deep into the music.
Eli just allowed himself a moment to listen, even his owl seemingly finding joy in the soothing tune.

But when Aesop abruptly stopped and turned his head to face him, Eli was caught by surprise.

"Oh, my apologies. I didn't mean to interrupt you." the seer said quickly with a smile on his face.
Even if a little flustered, the other just hummed slightly before he turned back to the piano to continue where he had left off.

Aesop was still wearing his gloves but at least had his medical mask pulled down to his chin...
Eli took a slight step closer, now despite not wanting to stare his eyes being focused on the silver-haired man.

He had heard Aesop play before and it never failed to impress him, all those different compositions he could play so fluently~

The most he could play on the piano was the beginning of brother Jacob.

Eli once more tried to figure out what the Embalmer was playing. It was a famous one for sure, yet he couldn't pinpoint it...
And then the song came to an end. Aesop now turning once more to the other survivor.

"Is that Beethoven?" Eli asked curiously, earning him the slightest smile from the usually shy seeming man who shook his head.

"It is Chopin. Nocturne op. 9 number 2." The embalmer corrected him, now making the seer blush a little embarrassed over his dumb question.

"Oh, uhm...it sounds really good. I thought I had heard it before, but I'm not that good with musicians and all..." Eli excused himself as he scratched his cheek shyly with a soft blush burning on his cheeks.

Aesop just smiled before he turned back to the piano, now starting a new song.
This time though he recognized the music... It was a piece of Beethoven, on top of that one of his favorite. The moonlight sonata~

Part of him felt like the other had chosen this particular sonata on purpose as if he could tell what the Seer liked to listen to.
But he guessed Aesop had only picked something random from Beethoven's works because he had mentioned him earlier.

The Seer just looked at him dreamily through his blindfold, feeling his heart skip a beat when his eyes wandered to the other man's softly featured face.
That pale skin, those bright and calm orbs... The way he played so skilfully, his fingers dancing over the keys as if they were performing magic...

Oh, how he wished he could just take a seat next to him, just to cherish him from up close like a masterpiece of art.

He admired Aesop truly, yet he knew that he could never confess his feelings to the other man. The reason being-

The door opened once more, the prospector now poking his head in quietly as he took a look inside.
He spotted his partner at the piano and the Seer (who was now looking towards the door) standing next to him.

Norton just smiled slightly as he waved, closing the door behind him as careful as he could as to not disturb the Embalmer before he came closer to the two men.

Eli waved back with a weak smile, but suddenly this warm feeling in his chest turned into a bitter twist when the Black-haired man approached Aesop from behind, his arms now wrapped around his chest while his chin rested on the smaller man's shoulder.

Eli could see Aesop smiled happily as he leaned his head against the others, earning himself a peck on the cheek from his lover.
Norton whispered something in his ear, placing a kiss on it now too before he pulled away from the hug only to take a seat next to him.

Aesop gave him a gaze, probably looking at the Prospector in that way he would never look at anyone else.
Eli had seen him do it before, and the fact that it wasn't directed at him left a sting in his chest.

But even then, he was happy for him.

When he saw Norton wrap an arm around him only to rest his cheek on the shorter man's head he decided it was time to leave the couple alone.
They would probably want a moment of privacy...

He turned around once more just to see them lean into each other, Aesop still playing the moonlight sonata while Norton just seemed to relax while he listened to him.

The Embalmer seemed happy with the other man, and that was the only thing that mattered to Eli~