# Ensemble

Title: Ensemble
Status: Complete
Characters: Anon, Fang, Amber
Rating: SFW
Classification: One Shot
Author: Pshy
Summary: A short, sweet, story of Anon and Fang after the events of Snoot Game.
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I stared at the man in the mirror adorned in my blue shirt, dumb hat and shiny badge. I've worn this for a while now and I'm still not quite used to the sight, A uniform always felt too official for someone like me. I straightened my hat so that it rested more comfortably, set my jaw, and squared my shoulders. The police officer in the mirror glowered back at me, I almost couldn't recognize him until the smile split his face. Promotion or not, I never was any good at acting the part. A sound wafted its way upstairs into the room, the gentle notes of a piano calling me away from my preening.
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The stairs of this old house protested my weight with their groaning, I'd probably have to fix them before they broke and hurt someone. The cost of buying something like this on the, relatively, cheap I suppose. Old as it was this was yet another thing I never expected to have, Just a few years ago I was perfectly happy with renting a shitty apartment my whole life. I'd have to thank mom and dad again next time I saw them, It was a lot of trust on their part to help pay for this place. The piano grew louder as I descended into the house proper, it was almost too spacious, a home like this was supposed to be filled with generations of memories. I could see the shadow where framed pictures once hung along the walls, apparently whoever last lived here didn't have a family to bequeath it too. They never found someone to share it with so they left, I didn't want to imagine the loneliness of living in a place this big all by myself. That thought was punctuated by the somber tone of the song, still unopened boxes from our move littered the hallway and slowed me down on my way to its source. I doubt we had enough stuff to unpack that would really make this place feel cozy but we'd get there eventually.
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Walking into the living room proper revealed the source of the music, not that there could have been anyone else. The room was bereft of nearly all furniture except for a piano and its pianist. The woman sitting at it paused her music just long enough to give me a sidelong glance. Rather than give me any greeting she slid along the bench to give me room so I could sit down as well before resuming that same, sad melody. I wasn't about to refuse the offer and sidled up next to her, watching talon-tipped fingers dance across the keys with purpose. I wanted to be impressed with her skill but frankly just looking at this damned thing made my back ache, Apparently, she absolutely needed a grand piano and I never had the strength to tell her no.
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"So, Lucy..." I lingered on the name, knowing it would irk her. "What do you think?"
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Her fingers paused on the keys and she slowly turned to look at me, her face halfway between disgust and bewilderment.
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"Don't ever call me that again." She demanded, brushing a strand of gray hair that came loose as she looked at me. "It sounds so wrong coming from you."
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Little did she know, fixing her hair left one of her blue-marked cheeks exposed. Target sighted, I leaned in and planted a surprise kiss before she could react.
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"I promise, Fang." I whispered before retreating so I can enjoy the smile on her face. "But seriously, how do I look? I don't want to upset dad."
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Fang groaned, "please don't call him that either."
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"Fang!"
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"Fine, fine" she grumbled, turning away from her piano to give me an appraising look.
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Fang curled a finger under her chin and glanced up and down at me, humming thoughtfully. I wasn't entirely certain if she was seriously inspecting me or if she was just trying to look like she was. Probably the latter knowing her, sometimes she made ME feel like the responsible one.
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"You forgot your tie, dweeb." She finally said, placing a talon on my chest where the clothing was supposed to be.
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"Shit, you're right!" I started scrambling out of my seat to go fetch it but her hand on my shoulder kept me seated.
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"Don't worry, I'll get it." Fang stood and gestured to the piano, "why don't you practice a little more?"
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I raised an eyebrow at that, "You know I can't play this thing for the life of me, we've tried before."
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"I believe in you." Fang reassured me, "Just try A through G and if you're feeling ambitious maybe try playing with the sharps and flats."
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"Uh..." I mumbled, staring at the array of keys before me. They seemed much more approachable when I wasn't the one actually playing.
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"The black keys and the white keys," Fang clarified. "What did I do to end up with you?"
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Based on her smile I think she was just teasing me. Before I could protest any further she walked off, her fingers trailing lightly down my arm as she left. Alright Anon, you can do this, you've practiced this before! This'll be easy, right?. Just as my fingers touched the first key, a creaky door protested its use, followed closely by the pitter-patter of tiny shoes on wooden floorboards. The light of my life sprinted into the living room, a little gray blur that rocketed itself into my arms.
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"Hey there sweet tooth!" I murmured into her hair as she hugged me tight, "You done exploring?"
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"Nuh-uh! This place is gi-mungous!" She exclaimed, the awe in her voice was palpable.
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She was so precious, I was incredibly torn between squeezing her and tickling her, so many good options but instead I opted to kiss the top of her head, The smell of grass and a leaf caught in one of her wings told me she must have been playing outside.
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"Well it's all ours now, maybe you should make a map?" I suggested jokingly, running my fingers through her feathers to make sure they were clean.
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"Ohmygosh! That's a great idea! I could make a map and then I could bury treasure and then pirates would come looking for the treasure and then we'd have to fight them and then WE'D be pirates and then-"
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"Okay, okay, one thing at a time" I chuckled, clamping her snoot shut, it didn't deter her in the slightest as I could still hear her mumbling out the rest of her thought. "Do you want your crayons?"
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She grunted something that sounded a bit like 'yes' but after realizing I probably couldn't understand her she started nodding enthusiastically. Good enough, I let go of her beak and sat her down on the bench beside me so that I could stand. Now, where did I put Amber's things? My darling daughter waited patiently while I sifted through boxes of our stuff, her little legs weren't long enough to reach the floor which left her feet kicking in the air. She started humming an airy tune that I didn't recognize, I wouldn't put it past her for this to be something she just came up with. Amber really was her mothers daughter, the thought brought a smile to my lips while I dug through the boxes. Fortunately, it didn't take too long to find the one with her things.
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Stuffed axolotl? Check.
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Red bow? Check.
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Tiny Triceratops? Heh.
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Crayon packet? Bingo.
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Prize in hand I returned to my expectant daughter and handed over what was rightfully hers, knowing full well that a directionless child was just as likely to scribble on the piano as she was to eat them I quickly procured a paper for her treasure map. Settling in next to Amber I watched her scribe the big fantastical world in her head into simple shapes and stick figures. Seems like she was finding this part particularly tough, her brows were furrowed and her tongue stuck out in concentration. I don't think her map was particularly useful for its intended function but I'd be damned if I wasn't putting that up on the refrigerator.
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"What are you two up to?" Fangs subtle rasp pulled me away from the drawing.
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She quit smoking for her pregnancy years ago and her mellifluous voice had returned nearly in full. That slight grit to her tone was something she was never quite able to remove and I knew she was still self-conscious. Despite that, hearing it plastered a grin on my lips; It was something uniquely Fang.
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"Amber's in the middle of drawing up a treasure map for us, I hope you're ready to be a pirate," I replied, trying not to focus on the tie she had in her grasp.
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"And here I thought I left that life behind." She said as she walked behind me, looping the tie around my neck. "I'll need to get you two tatted up if you're going to be part of my crew."
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I raised an eyebrow though she wouldn't be able to see it, "I don't think pirates were big on tattoos, Fang."
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"The good ones were," Came her self-satisfied answer. I didn't have to look up at her to know she had a smarmy look on her face.
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Amber apparently started paying attention to our conversation more than her drawing because she suddenly perked up. "Oh! Can I get the ones that don't wash off like mommy has!?" She asked.
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"Absolutely not."
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"Maybe when you're older."
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I shot a disapproving look at Fang but she just tightened the tie around my neck by way of response, damned thing felt like a noose. Guess that was fitting for a pirate.
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"Don't think this excuses you from practice," Fang said picking amber up in her arms, the two of them sharing a brief moment where they nuzzled their snouts against one another. "Amber needs your lap, not your hands. So put 'em to use!"
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Fang handed me our daughter and took her place next to me on the bench, a confident smile on her lips as her black nailed fingers rested against the keys. Amber for her part didn't seem very interested in her drawing anymore, looking between the two of us to see what was about to happen.
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"Ugh, fine. You're lucky I love you." I grumbled, placing my own hands opposite hers.
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Fang stuck her tongue out at that and replied, "Actually, I think you're the lucky one here."
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Before I could banter back, She straightened her back and cleared her throat. I could practically see her switch gears into 'teaching mode'
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"Alright, maybe we should try something a little more fun. I'll set up a rhythm for you and you can add to it, I'll compensate if you mess up. Sound good?"
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She phrased it like a question though I knew better by now that it wasn't actually one. I nodded and my music teacher for the evening began to play.
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Dun
Dun
Duun
Duh-dun
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She glanced at me and nodded her head for me to begin, repeating the same few notes.
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Dun
Dun
Duun
Duh-dun
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I stared at my hands, unsure where to begin. I vaguely knew what these keys sounded like but put on the spot? I wasn't even sure if I was remembering these right! For the third time, Fang was repeating her set, I can't just hit a random key can I? But I also can't continue not hitting one! My fingers were tensed with restrained energy, paralyzed by my indecision. Just as Fang began anew, a little gray hand shot forward and pressed a key.
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Dun
Dun
Duun
Duh-dun
Plin?
Plon.
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Fang had immediately corrected her song and Amber seemed positively delighted. Keeping her own talon on the same key for the next set of the song
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Dun
Dun
Duun
Duh-dun
Plin
Plon
plin
plin!
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This time I finally had the courage to play myself, I tried not to feel too silly that it took my own daughter being brave to be brave myself. Fang was true to her word, no matter what key we picked she managed to find one to follow it that sounded good. I'd like to say I chose intentionally difficult keys for her but I'm fairly certain Amber and I were picking these almost at random by this point. Despite that, the three of us managed to come up with something that sounded... Good? Almost like a real song. Fang had told me in the past that music spoke in ways that words couldn't, that at least for her, it was the only way she could express herself. I loved her to death but if I was being honest with myself, that sounded too fanciful to be real. Music never seemed to speak to me the same way it spoke to her, I never quite bought into this window to the soul she apparently saw.
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As we danced our fingers across the piano, our song now so complex that I was surprised to catch it now. I realized that opening tune she began us with was the melancholy music that brought me downstairs in the first place. Only now that Amber and I were playing with her, it wasn't a sad song anymore. It was chaotic, occasionally unpleasant, certainly bizarre, and to an outside observer it may well be one giant mess. But to the three of us, it was our story and we knew every step of the way. The warmth in Fang's eyes as she watched the two of us play lit my heart aflame, I think I missed a key but Fang changed the melody on the fly. Our song continued undisturbed, It hardly felt like a mistake... more of a happy accident.
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My phone buzzed in my pocket, shit! That must have been the alarm!
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"Time to go, you two! Amber your bow is over there, you can bring Farelie if you want." I put a bit of fatherly authority into my voice that sent our daughter scampering.
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I stood from the piano bench and Fang followed suit, her hand finding my lapel and tugging me down so her lips could find mine.
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"See? That wasn't so bad was it?" She murmured, still close enough that I could feel the warmth of her breath.
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"I guess not, especially if I get these afterward." I replied, chuckling before kissing her back.
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I could feel a little hand tugging my pants and broke away from Fang to see Amber staring up at me expectantly.
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"Of course, How could I forget my little angel!"
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I scooped her up into my arms and began assaulting her cheek.
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"Mwah! Mwah! Mwah!" I exaggerated every smooch.
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Fang shot me a playful look before leaning down and attacked her other cheek, Smooshing Amber between the two of us.
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"Nooo! Stooop!" Amber cried, The little girl was absolutely beside herself. She scrunched up and made a poor attempt at wriggling free, laughing all the while. After making sure no part of her cheek was spared I deposited a very red faced and exhausted young ptero back on the floor.
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"You ready to go see grandma and grandpa?" I asked her.
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"Yaaaay..." She cheered half-heartedly, still catching her breath.
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"Alright, let's get going," I Said, taking her hand in mine.
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Neither of my girls argued much otherwise but when I led them outside and locked the door, a curious thought wormed its way into my head. We weren't at the piano anymore and yet...
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It still felt like we were playing our song.