Shrink

9

There was an odd feeling perched in the walls of my stomach, along the lines of peace and giving up. Or maybe giving in.
Sweets sipped his wine calmly, and made little to no chatter anymore.
I sighed and kicked up my heels on the bench, at least giving myself the comfort that Sweets portrayed. I could tell he was studying me, and I didn't know how I felt about his lack of discretion about it.
"Well, it's getting late, I think maybe we should go," I said, tucking my feet under my legs again.
Sweets nodded, and picked up the bill, which I felt bad about, but hey, at least he was on a government salary. I was on funds alone.
As we left the strange building, I wondered if the rest of my time at the Jeffersonian, what little may be left, would be this odd.
Pulling away from the Destiny's Attic, I relaxed into the car seat. It was a comforting place, I had to admit.
It just wasn't during an interrogation.
"Where are we going?" I asked as his car pulled onto the highway.
"I just want you to see something," he said cryptically as he pulled off the highway into a small town outside D.C.
We pulled up to a dark shop, got out, and Sweets opened the door for me, as if we were entering another restaurant.
"What is this place?" I asked, swimming in darkness.
A lamp clicked on, and duly illuminated the piano it was perched on. Records stacked by the dozens in boxes lined the walls, brass, string and wind instruments hanging from shelves.
"My childhood," he said. "play any instruments?"
I nodded slowly, sitting down at the piano and running delicate but rusty fingers over the keys silently.
"I used to play a lot before I came here," I admitted quietly.
"So did I," Sweets said, sitting at the other side of the bench. "play for me?"
I shrugged, biting my lip as I pressed tentative chords into the keys before coming to rest on the ones I knew so well.
My fingers slowly crested over the opening of City of Stars, picking up the pace as I came to the singing part.
I hummed the lyrics, as I had in another time.
I closed with a slight flourish, grinning sheepishly.
Sweets was smiling quietly as well, and gestured at the piano keys in a question.
"All yours," I said quietly, my voice awkward in comparison to the flowy notes.
Sweets scooted closer as he placed his hands, and started to play a carnival type song.
Piano Man echoed over the walls as he sang the lyrics shamelessly, and I smiled as his vigour loosened the tie around his neck and slid the overcoat off his shoulders.
When it was over, I hoped he would sing again, but instead he reached up to redo his tie.
"I brought you here to show you something I love," Sweets said, still grinning.
"Thank you."
"Opening up isn't always bad, Papillon."
I looked at the ground, and looked up again. Sweets was standing again, and had his hand on the lamp pull. I reached out for his hand as the room was pitched into darkness, the light of the street-lamps casting a vague milky light into the music store.
I grabbed at the end of his sleeve and followed him out.
Sweets drove me home quietly, and I fell into bed dreaming of musicals and spaghetti, and slept soundly into the morning.
———
Author's note:
Hey guys, (since there's more people reading this now), I'd like to apologize for my hiatus, and say that there are many more chapters to come.
Much love <3