More Than a Coincidence (An Ereri/Riren fanfiction)

Chp 12

(A/N: Don't play video just yet!)

"Hey look!" Hanji exclaimed, pointing her finger at a small sign that read: Open Mic Night ~ Show Off Your Talent

"That's cool, I didn't know they did that here," Erwin said as he ate his food.

Hanji gasped, "Erwin go play something!"

"What?! No!" Erwin disputed.

"Oh come on! Didn't you take lessons since you were 8?" Hanji pleaded.

"I said until I was 8!" Erwin emphasized.

Hanji turned her head to Levi and opened her mouth to talk but was instantly shot down. He wasn't even looking at her when he spat, "Hell no." making Hanji huffed in defeat. Suddenly an evil glint appeared in her eyes as she tilted her head my way.

"Eren, can you play?" She begged.

I honestly have terrible stage fright, the church is different because people are singing and they aren't paying attention to me. But in front of an entire bar of strangers and the trio I just met is too much. My face heats up and I start to fidget, "U-umm n-no I don't really play."

Levi suddenly sarcastically scoffed, "You are such a terrible liar brat. You told me yourself."

The red tint on my face intensified. Did he have to remember that?  

"Yes, you can Eren! Go up there right now! Play something! Pretty pretty pleeaaaase?!" Hanji pled.

"I don't... I don't kno-"

"Pleeeeeeeaaaase?" Hanji begged, giving me puppy eyes. That's not fair.

Suddenly my arm was pulled. Hanji led me to the front of the stage to the man sitting with a sign-up sheet. Let me point this out, empty sign-up sheet. "My friend here wants to play a song!"

The man spoke, "Alright kid first up, go ahead whenever you're ready."

Hanji pushed me up the stairs as the man stood up with a microphone, "Alright ladies and gents we got a taker for open mic night. What's your name kid?" He held the mic to my mouth.

"E-Eren." damn you stutter!!

"Let's give a hand to him." With that, a few people clapped (a.k.a Erwin and Hanji).

I gulped and sat down on the small green padded stool and anxiety rocketed down my spine. I lifted my shaking hands to the keys. When my fingers rested on the smooth keys a calmness ran through me. I took a deep breath and thought of a song to play because there is no way I was gonna play my own piece.

With dozens of eyes on me and only me, I close my eyes and begin.

(A/N: press play)

I gently press down the keys beginning the emotional song, the high notes of the melody complimenting the lows beautifully.

Immediately I get caught in the trance as my hands move naturally. Everything around me goes quiet and all I focus on is the melody. It was as if the entire room became empty, a hollow core that allowed me to fill it with the music I made. Something I did with myself. I used music to fill the hole deep inside me. Darkness was brightened with a kaleidoscope of colors you can only see when your eyes are closed, a manifestation of song in your mind. Filling every crevice and hole I refused to acknowledge, and as I did that, it only made them deeper. Deeper than any part of the ocean, as vast as any galaxy in space, and as heavy as gravity itself.

The song slows and becomes quiet, but just because it was soft, doesn't mean it is any less powerful. You just need to listen to understand that sometimes the softest of melodies are the most beautiful. The quiet ones are the ones to listen for, past all the loud and obvious tunes, past the ones looking for your attention. The ones hiding in the background not wanting to be heard, but when they do they hit you in a way you never thought possible and grow from there.