INTERLUDE // Tubbo X Reader

18

Your nerves settled somewhat when the performance began. It was easy to distract yourself watching the other students go through their own pieces. There was a four part trumpet piece that was quite good, and the jazz band had a long stretch near the middle of the show that went on for a while but was interesting and varied enough that it didn't matter. This exhibition was a far cry from band recitals in past years - each act was good in their own way, and you genuinely enjoyed each of them.

You still looked forward to Maya's the most though.

She took to the stage with practiced poise, tucking her violin under her chin and raising her bow to the strings. You understood why she had chosen burnt orange now - the dress was almost the same color as the wood of her violin, and under the stage light she looked almost like a painting, leaning monochromatic. 

It was even better when she began to play. The violin was soft and sweet, and slow as she started to play, growing faster as the song progressed until her fingers were flying over the strings faster than you could keep track. It sounded like a summer storm - starting out slow with just a few drops of rain until the skies suddenly opened up and downpoured onto the earth. And Maya was in the center of it, eyes drifting shut as a small smile played on her lips as she finished the song, letting the last notes ring out.

The audience burst into applause as Maya took her bow. A loud whistle echoed over the crowd, and you could see a wide smile on Maya's face as she stood back up. No doubt that had been Kieran. 

"She was really good." Toby said, clapping along with the audience. 

Your hands were still tingling from where he had massaged the tension out of them. "Yeah, she was." You agreed. "We'll be even better though."

You could hear Toby's little laugh at that and you smiled, joining in the applause as Maya took one last bow before ducking offstage. 

A few more acts passed - a pair of girls with a flute and a clarinet, a quartet of cellos that did a fantastic Bach piece and a solo saxophone that ad-libbed his way through a jazz piece - before it was yours and Toby's turn to go up. Your nerves flared up one more time as you watched the pianos be rolled out onto the stage, and then you were walking out, taking your seat at the one of the right side of the stage. 

Your eyes adjusted to the stage lighting and you peered out into the crowd, looking for your parents. It took you a moment, but you spotted them a few rows back, your mother smiling brightly as your father tried not to fall asleep. You couldn't help but grin down at the piano keys at that - you were sure your mother had just woken him up to see you play. 

You glanced once at Toby, making sure you were on the same page before you started. He sent you a reassuring little smile, before nodding his head. You took a deep breath and let your fingers hit the keys.

If Maya's piece was a summer storm, yours was the gentle sun afterword, drying out the ground and dissipating the clouds in the sky. It started out as a pleasant jive, you and Toby going back and forth with the melody. The notes blended together in the air until you could almost feel the scene coming to life, birdsong and sunshine and the crunch of your shoes on the pavement as you walked, humming along to a familiar tune as it played from your phone. 

Of course, the whole song wasn't the same - it got slower as it progressed, like the sun setting over time. The notes drew out longer now, and Toby took the lead of the melody more. You let your fingers glide over the keys on their own - you had practiced so much that it was muscle memory now, and you barely had to look at the music as you played. It was the perfect opportunity to take another glance at Toby.

He was entirely focused on the piano in front of him, pouring his heart and soul into playing.  The intense focus on his face made you smile - it looked so out of place when you were used to a sweet smile there instead. You turned back to your own piano for the end of the song, finishing it off and letting the last notes linger in the air.

You leaned back from the keys, grinning as you glanced over at Toby again. You had played it almost perfectly. Neither of you had missed a single note, and the timing had stayed in line. You couldn't have asked for a better performance. 

The audience broke out into a applause and you rose from your seat, taking a bow. Toby did the same, and then you were ducking offstage and out of the light as people came out to roll the pianos back into the wings. The nerves that had plagued you before had dissolved fully into giddiness now after the fact. 

You had absolutely killed it back there. 

You couldn't help the wide grin on your face as you leaned against one of the walls backstage, Toby beside you. You watched the next act go on - another pair, this time with a viola and a cello instead of pianos - before you turned to Toby. "That was amazing."

"You did great." He said. 

"So did you." You returned. 

That soft smile you were used to played on his lips then and he turned back towards the stage, watching the next act preform. If it wasn't so dark in the wings, you would have been able to see the tinge of pink that spread across his face at the compliment.