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 Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2022 5:01 pm
Devyn squinted as she started humming the tune to the music box, their music box. Percy was, and would probably always be, one of his favorite topics. Alastor, another. Atticus, and Michael, too. The music box, of course, but it had always been special to him. He’d shared it first with Percy, and then with Michael, who had fixed it when he couldn’t.
Although, he still wasn’t sure what he’d done differently than what Devyn had done any of the times he’d taken it apart and put it back together, and he had half a mind to think that the thing was just playing tricks on him after all of these years.
He wanted to tell Michael that he looked perfect in what he was wearing, but–yes, he’d look wonderful in bigger sleeves. And tighter pants. Maybe Michael would let Devyn dress him up in some of his old clothes, just to see how he looked.
He wanted to tell Claire that Percy was always hard on himself, and that he was impressed that she could tell that from his brush strokes alone. Devyn could tell, but he’d wondered if it was just because he knew Percy, and he’d watched him work, and he’d had centuries to study all the art he’d left. He’d have been giddy from her praise of Percy alone, but he didn’t get to fawn over his work, because he was too distracted by that tune.
It made his heart skip a beat, and he looked apologetically at Michael in case the necklace gave it away.
“What about it?” Devyn asked, just a little suspicious. He didn’t think they were up to no good, he just wasn’t quite sure he understood. He was clearly interested, and doing his best not to look confused about it all.
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Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2022 5:05 pm
Okay, it was definitely the same tune as the music box. And Michael frowned, because he wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing. He didn’t want Devyn to think that his special music box had been mass produced on Earth that made it a popular tune, even today, a thousand years later…
And yet, every app he tried on his phone to try and locate the tune, resulted in nothing. Maybe it wasn’t as popular any more, or maybe records of it just didn’t exist on the internet, which seemed ridiculous in this day and age.
“Where did you hear that?” he asked, glancing back at Devyn apologetically as well. He was already wondering if he should save the conversation for a time when he was alone with his mom and ask her then. He didn’t want Devyn upset. But he’d been hoping he hadn’t remembered it correctly. Maybe the tune was just similar to the music box but… no, it was the same. Claire blinked as she stared at Michael and then looked over at Devyn, and while Devyn was doing his best to not look confused, Claire didn’t hide her confusion at all.
“What do you mean?” she asked, tilting her head as she seemed to think back to Michael’s youth, but also didn’t seem as though her thoughts drew any new conclusion.
“Michael, when you were really little, you used to sing that song to me. I just learned it from you and sang it back because you liked it so much. I think you started humming it when you were two. I thought you heard it from the radio, or were just musically creative, but… No, you liked your books,” she sighed. For a moment, Michael wasn’t sure what to say. He’d opened his mouth to protest… about what, he wasn’t sure. Maybe that she must have been remembering it wrong. How could he have made up a tune that matched the music box that belonged to Devyn and Percy exactly--
“Oh…”
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Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2022 5:17 pm
The answer perplexed Devyn as much as it pleased him. He wasn’t sure what he’d been expecting, or what he wanted to hear. He couldn’t blame Michael for asking his mother questions, but Michael hadn’t told him that the song was familiar–not from his childhood, at least.
There were always going to be possible explanations. Maybe he heard someone whistling it and was just repeating it, maybe he’d made it up on his own, maybe it was some old Earth tune lost to time.
But, he liked to think that it was just so important to Percy that he’d kept it in his starseed, and he’d shared it with Michael a long time ago.
So, Devyn smiled, because there was no one who could tell him that it was any of the other possibilities.
“Maybe we should play during one of our ceremonies, then. I think it’s a nice tune. And it’s very special to me already.”
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Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2022 5:40 pm
Michael was still frowning a bit, because while he understood everything his mother said, he was still trying to process how he would have known the song.
Except his heart was already beating quickly, and he’d tightened his grip around Devyn’s hand. There were things that he knew were similar between himself and Percy, but now he had to wonder what else there was that he might have forgotten.
He’d read that people who were said to have a connection with their past life were able to relay it the most as a child, before the memories started fading away. And while Michael normally would have brushed it off as just coincidence or it being set up, he couldn’t explain how else he would have known a tune so unique that it came from another world entirely. Claire continued to watch Michael from across the table, but with him being a bit dazed, she smiled at Devyn instead.
“I think it’s a lovely tune. It would sound wonderful as part of a ceremony. We could even have someone commissioned to make an arrangement of it. You know, a full arrangement. I think a violin or flute would make it sound absolutely magical.”
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Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2022 5:57 pm
“I’ve only ever heard it two ways,” Devyn mused, “But we’ll see. A selfish part of me doesn’t want to share it, no matter how beautiful it might be. Maybe I’ll learn an instrument so I can play it to you. But that old music box does a fine job, I think. I forgot how much work goes into planning things like this. You’ll have to forgive me, Claire,” he smiled apologetically, “Yesterday took a lot out of me. We’ll take some time to figure things out, but I promise we’ll keep you in the loop. I appreciate all of your suggestions, I know we’ll be in good hands with you. We’ve hardly talked about things like ceremonies yet, but we’ll take some time and come back to you when we have some ideas.”
He didn't think he was overwhelmed, but there were so many possibilities and he didn't even know where to start–or what Michael might agree to out of a sense of obligation. If they had time to figure it out in private then this would probably be less stressful, and–
There wasn’t any rush, was there? They could pick the perfect time of year. They could go on dates until then. They could figure out what was important to each of them, to everyone.
This was only brunch, and he knew Claire was excited for them and that was the first step in figuring out what came next. After the morning they’d already had–after yesterday–they were supposed to be taking it easy and he wasn’t quite sure this counted.
“We’re a bit all over the place right now. Yesterday took a bit out of me. But I’m very excited to figure all of this out. I’ll have to find a proper way to thank you for letting me join your family. It’s been a while, and I know I’m a bit outdated, but I hope you know I’ll be here for anything you might need. I love your son very much, and you’ve been nothing but good to me since I got here.”
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Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2022 10:49 pm
Devyn admitting to yesterday being rough pulled Michael from his momentary daze, and he brushed his thumb along the back of Devyn’s hand in reassurance. Part of him wondered if the admission had decidedly been the quickest way to have his mom pull back her enthusiasm, but another part wondered how intune Devyn was with him, and knew Michael had more or less hit his limit with discussing things without getting too overwhelmed.
While it was likely a coincidence, Michael hoped his lack of energy was rubbing off on Devyn. He didn’t know Devyn to admit being tired -- or rather, having the energy taken out of him -- very often. Or ever.
“You’re nothing but perfect, Devyn,” Michael insisted, looking at him with a warm fondness. “I love you for who you are. Outdated or whatever you think you might be.” Claire knew she could be overwhelming, so when Devyn said they would figure things out, she just smiled brightly at them and nodded.
“Alright, but make sure you do. I’ll be very upset if I find out later that you eloped,” she said and sighed dramatically. Maybe she was picking up some of Devyn’s habits herself .
“For now, let’s just enjoy the rest of brunch and talk about getting that gallery open, how about that?” Because she knew it was one of Devyn’s favorite topics, and she hoped to give them both a chance to relax, still grateful that they would think to tell her first about their decision.
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