Jimmy's hands danced across the piano, playing with his heart.

Only five at the time, and he was a child prodigy. Multiple instruments in his practice room lined the walls. He just got a new harp, eager to try it out soon. His parents told him he would have to wait awhile. A few years in order to grow a bit to reach far enough.

He loved playing his instruments. They were one of his sources of happiness. The other-

"Jimmy!" His hands stopped abruptly, turning on the bench to see his seablings standing there. They both had pride on their faces.

"Hi!" He waved, letting them come into his practice room.

Jimmy turned back to his piano and went back to playing.

Lizzie would sometimes just pop up behind him as he was playing, blowing at his ear while he swatted her away. "Lizzie!" He giggled as she fake scoffed.

"Just making sure you don't get distracted by unwanted wind at your ears!" She said, ruffling his hair.

"It's a concert hall, not a beach, Lizzie." Grian helped defend Jimmy, leaning against the grand piano. "Don't worry about the 'unwanted wind' bud, I'll make sure she stays close to me." Grian whispered, a smile gracing his lips.

Jimmy laughed, resting his head against his older brother's shoulder while his thirteen year old sister glared.

"I am perfectly capable of handling myself!" She defended but Grian just rolled his eyes. Jimmy just basked in the moment.

"Alright, get up Tim, you have to get dressed for your little debut." Grian urged, helping him stand up. Lizzie took his other hand as they made their way out of the practice room.

---

It wasn't the first time he had performed on stage. As he said, it was just a way to use him as a weird form of propaganda. To show that their country was capable or something like that.

Five year old Jimmy didn't care anyways.

He stepped onto the stage, the crowd clapping. His smile was wide as he acted professional. Music in hand as he walked to the grand piano in the center of the stage.

He sat on the elevated bench, getting situated as the crowd quieted down. The excitement and anticipation was reaching him ten-fold. Making music was his favorite thing.

And he played.

The crowd listened in awe, eyes shinning as they heard his music. It truly did feel peaceful in that moment. His eyes were closed as he pressed the keys, a soft smile on his face. It was comforting.

Standing at attention, heart racing. His eyesight was blurred. He couldn't read the music. He could barely breathe, bow trembling on the violin string. He couldn't breathe in that moment.

His music was flowing across everyone like waves. They were just as calm as he was.

Whispering through the crowd. People were wondering what he was doing. Was it apart of the music? The out of tune notes? The unintentional vibrato?

Grian and Lizzie were watching from the side of the stage, cheering him on. They held their hands up, acting all unprofessional but they didn't care. Their parents sat in the private box up in the theatre. They had smiles on their faces.

Lizzie was standing from the private box, watching in horror as the performance fell apart in front of her. The two thrones were empty beside her. It felt like she was watching a bomb go off in slow motion. It was horrific.

Jimmy played with his heart and soul, breathless from his own performance. He was in control of everything in that moment. He was one with the music.

Everything felt like it was crumbling under his touch. He was on autopilot, watching his own body make horrendous mistakes, left and right. He couldn't stop. He needed to stop-

Jimmy finished, the last note ringing out into the night. Everyone was silent for a solid second, letting it fester before jumping up and applauding the young prince. Roses showered down on him as he laughed. His seablings ran on stage, dodging the guards and running up to hug him. Grian lifted Jimmy so he was in the spot light, the light making his grey eyes shine. Lizzie cheered, pressing a kiss to his cheek before jumping with applause. Up in the box, their parents were standing, loudly clapping and their praise reached them from there. The king was crying with pride.

The note fell dead over the crowd. It wasn't even the end of the song. He still had measures left of it. He couldn't go on like this.

The six year old stared out to the crowd, watching as people gave him pity claps. They looked unsure, just like how he felt. From where he stood, the private box was empty.

He ran off the stage and went to the back, tears glistening in his eyes. He hated it. He rubbed the sleeve of his suit over his eyes, running from the guards and backstage crew.

"Jimmy!" He heard Lizzie shout, worry in her voice.

"Go away!" He shouted back, running through the maze. He wanted to be alone.

His wish didn't come true. He ended up backed into a corner, full on sobbing now. He felt like a wild animal.

"Hey, you tried, and that's all that matters." Lizzie said, a soft smile on her face. But there also was another look that Jimmy couldn't identify.

"No, you are just trying to make me feel better!" He shouted, curling up even more.

"You can always have another try. It wasn't as bad as you think-"

"I don't want to play music anymore." He said, wiping his tears from his eyes and sniffling.

"Come on, you love-"

The violin met the ground, clattering as it broke into pieces.

"Jimmy-"

Another throw against the ground, Jimmy started crying harder.

"Jimmy, stop!" Lizzie shouted, trying to pull him away.

Jimmy jumped and stomped on the pieces, bow snapping in half as he tried to destroy it. Lizzie was crying now too. She finally managed to lush him back, staring at the mangled violin with horror.

"Jimmy," she started, tears making their way down her face, "you love your violin, why would you do this?" She whispered with a heartbroken tone. She picked up a shard of wood, turning it over in her hand.

"I don't want to play music anymore. I can't. I hate it." He sniffled softly. Lizzie stepped foreward, holding him in her arms.

"You are just saying that, you love it. Please, don't stop." Jimmy curled into her, resting his head on her chest. She ran her hand through his hair.

"I don't want to play anymore. I want all my instruments gone." He responded. Lizzie sighed into his hair, holding him tighter.

"If that's what you want."

The instruments were gone a week later. The grand piano was put back into the grand hall for balls and banquets. The others were distributed to the palace musicians. Except one.

Years later, in a shack, a larger package was delivered. It said "handle with care." Jimmy opened it gingerly, recognizing the lettering as Lizzie's handwriting. Opening the box, revealed a large instrument.

His scarred hands caressed the wood and strings. It made a sound, his hand flinching away immediately. He had to take a deep breath, remembering that this was a safe object and that he didn't need to be scared. It wasn't someone coming for his head and he wasn't on a stage. He was alone in his shack.

He still hated it.

So in his closet, the harp laid untouched, wood rotting in the swamp climate.

Not only when he was five, he lost the love he used to have for his seablings, he also lost his love for making music.

Instead, it was replaced with fear and hatred.

(A/N: No, this is not a weird reference to Your Lie in April, its definitely not, dont relate it lmao idk where i got the idea to make him a child prodigy. Idk, might delete this later lol)