ʜᴀᴘᴘʏ ᴘɪʟʟs ~ it/ st oneshots

play: stenbrough

stan's p.o.v:

silence pounded at a deafening volume against my ringing eardrums, causing my head to painfully ache. all i could hear was the sound of my own steady pulse, bouncing around inside my head. i looked back at my reflection in the mirror hanging on the old wooden door in front of me: perfectly gelled curls, for once neat and tidy atop my head, neatly combed back. a freshly washed and ironed dress-shirt, the collar pulled down and sleeves rolled up neatly to my elbows. tucked into pressed black dress pants, complimenting the glimmer pleather belt around my hips and the shoes on my feet. the illusion of perfection.

i looked perfectly composed and professional on the outside. if an adult were to walk by, they'd surely comment on how mature i was for my age. however on the inside, i felt just like the anxious, ache-endured, pubescent teen that i was. i clenched my jaw, boring my eyes into my reflection, willing myself to remain composed.

the mirror suddenly swung forwards, causing me to stumble backwards and nearly lose my footing as the door the mirror was hanging on was pushed open. i quickly cleared my throat, fixing my shirt that'd bunch up around my belt, as i stood up tall and with the perfect posture i'd practiced so many times previously. martha, the stage manager of the pristine music academy, poked her head into my quarters, shooting me a bright smile that i returned with a polite nod.

" they're reddie for you now, mr. uris." she said, and i once again wondered why a woman so much older than me insisted on calling me by my last name. i was practically a child to her. or perhaps i was better at pretending than i thought. i once again bowed my head respectfully, showing her that i understood, as she quickly departed my room again. i listened to her quick bustling steps down the hallway, before i was once again engulfed in a deafening silence.

i slowly turned away from the mirror hanging from the door, stepping evenly and perfectly into the back of the room. i stood in front of the small desk in the furthest corner, a glossy white sheen over the birch wooden item, as i reached for the glossy case that i'd placed atop it just an hour or two before.

slowly laying down the case on the shiny desk, i ran the rough pads of my fingers over the stitches sewn into the pleather casing. i savoured the familiar feeling of the thread under my warm fingertips, as i gently clicked open the cold clasps keeping the case shut. i opened the dark oak wood top, the wood covered by the ravishing pleather cover, and i felt my breath hitch as i peered in at the boxes contents.

my clarinet. or, more accurately my life since i'd been three. for as long as i could remember i'd had the wooden instrument grasped in my hands. i slowly pulled the pieces from the box, running my calloused digits over each memorable button and key. i gently pressed down on each one, marvelling at how cool the buttons felt under my touch, before i slowly assembled the pieces.

i popped the reed from it's case, placing the slick reed between my two perfectly moisturized lips, gently wetting it with my tongue. i ensured all remaining pieces were twisted correctly into place, my clarinet seemingly lighter than usual in my warm palms, as i slowly pulled my wet reed from my mouth. i fastened it to the mouthpiece of my clarinet, exhaling slowly through my mouth.

" mr. uris." martha suddenly said, causing me to jump backwards and nearly lose my footing once more. i coughed quietly into my elbow, holding my instrument in one hand, as i looked over at the older woman standing at the open door to my dressing room. " they're reddie now." i nodded quickly, once again fixing my crinkled shirt with my free hand.

" of course. my apologies martha." i said politely, although i kept the same blank and hardened expression on my face. she smiled softly as she quickly bustled out of the room again, leaving me once again alone with the deafening silence. i sighed quietly, although the exhale was inaudible to me, as i slowly departed the room.