INTERLUDE // Tubbo X Reader

14

It went on like it had for a while - you practiced with Toby in class and weathered Maya's jokes about how hopeless you were outside of class. It was a nice rhythm that you'd build up for about a week and a half, and you were just settling into the flow when the performance day snuck up on you out of nowhere. 

Somehow, in all of it, you had forgotten that you would have to actually preform the piece in front of the class. 

You were barely paying attention to the pair of girls playing their piece now - it sounded good enough, you supposed - more focused on the nerves that were stirring up in your stomach. You knew you didn't have much to be worried about - you and Toby had been practicing every class since you had finished the piece, and almost all of the kinks had been worked out. 

That didn't stop you from getting the pre-performance jitters. 

You clenched and unclenched your fingers as the girls finished their piece and Mrs. Mears marked down what notes she had to give on a clipboard.In the next seat over, Toby fiddled with the hem of his shirt - he was nervous as well. There was some comfort to that, in knowing that you weren't the only on a little anxious about playing this for real.

"Very good ladies!" Mrs. Mears said as the girls got up from the pianos in the front of the room and headed back to their own keyboards. "Who wants to go next?"

You and Toby traded a glance and then he raised his hand - it was time. 

Mrs. Mears smiled when she saw his hand go up, and she flipped the page on her clipboard. "Perfect! Come on up guys, and bring the final copies of your music with you!" 

You grabbed your folder from where you had sat it on the stand and headed up to the front of the class, sitting at the piano on the right side. Toby took the other seat, laying out the music in front of him - you did the same, propping your folder up on the stand and pulling the sheet music out.

"Metronome?" Mrs. Mears offered. 

You traded another look with Toby. "I think we're alright. We practiced."

Mrs. Mears smiled at that, wiggling her fingers around the edges of her clipboard - it was clear that she was excited, but she had been excited about all the pieces so far. "Alright then. Whenever you're ready."

You took a deep breath, took one last look at Toby, and let your fingers fall to the keys. As soon as you started playing, the nerves melted away - you had done this hundreds of times by now, you knew this song. You heard Toby come in on the other piano, the notes blending together into something more in the air. 

You smiled to yourself as the pleasant sounds came together into the song you had crafted. With the tweaks you had made, the pleasant little jive turned into something a little more powerful than just a jaunty tune - listening to it now reminded you of sunlight streaming through the leaves of trees, or the happy little gurgle of a stream in the summer time. If you listened closely, you could almost hear cicadas in the background, and the crunch of your feet on the pavement as you walked to Toby's house.

It was strange how you had sort of written it into the song without even knowing. The people listening wouldn't be able to tell - you were fairly confident that Toby wouldn't be able to either - but you could hear it clear as day. 

The song moved on to the second half, slowing down some from the lively beat you had started with and letting Toby take the lead in the duet. Your fingers fluttered over the keys - more muscle memory than conscious thought at this point. You were glad for it though, as you could devote more of your mind to listening to Toby play. He was quite good, and the way he had composed his section of the piece sounded like waking up in the morning and listening to the birds sing. 

It was beautiful.

Soon enough though, you were approaching the end of the piece. The last notes faded out - a slower version of a phrase you had played in the beginning to tie it all together - and you lifted your hands off the keys, leaning back on the seat slightly to turn your gaze to Mrs. Mears.

There was a wide smile on her face as she rapidly scribbled across her clipboard. "I'm amazed." She said. "That was... wonderful beyond words! Passed with soaring colors! I'll need to see you both after class for a moment, if you don't mind."

You traded a look with Toby as you got up, handing the sheet music to Mrs. Mears before you headed back to your regular seat, a new little pep in your step. Being asked to stay after class could only mean one thing - the exhibition.

Toby also had a wide grin on his face as he plopped down in his seat next to you. Mrs. Mears called the next pair to come up and preform, and he stuck his hand out to you underneath the pianos, holding it out for a high five. 

You grinned and indulged him, slapping his hand. 

What your weren't expecting was for him to lace your fingers together for a moment and squeeze before letting go and bringing his hand back to himself.

You quickly did the same, but you could feel the heat rising to your face again. You curled your hand into the hem of your shirt, trying to ignore the lingering sensation from him squeezing your fingers, to little success. You could feel the ghost of his hand in yours, and you knew that you would be remembering it for the rest of the day.

Why the hell had Maya ever said anything about hands?