by -historiaa as seen in some of her books- and beware the onions-

His heart was beating fast, hammering into his rib cage aggressively that it could burst and shatter it. Cold, steel eyes started to pierce in his flesh, the petrifying gaze making every nerve of his body to collapse.

The monochromatic color scheme upon the keys was the only colors on his soul, but if you mix it, it's his eyes. The eyes he came to hate upon the first day.

His feet stomped harshly on the shiny sostenuto pedal, while the gray-eyed man was stepping on the damper softly. His silver eyes held no emotion, but only strict observation of his faults. 

He only touched a single key, but when his mother heard it, she started to get so amazed by a lone, random note and told him he would get lessons immediately. He was excited at first, because he could now start as a pianist, then upon the first day, he knew he doomed himself already. A single piano key has ruined his life because of this gray man and his chilling tenacity.

The eyes he feared and loathed soon saw his fingers' disfigurement upon the keys and without hesitation, smacked his hand.

"Your fingers look like a fucked up cat's paw."

The brunette huffed. "You shouldn't curse in front of a kid, you dumb butt." His hair was ruffled, and his fingers were getting slightly bruised from practice for three hours straight.

Carla, his mother, dreamed that he would be a prodigy, and he agreed to have lessons, if that was the thing that will make her happy. It did, but he wasn't happy. He loathed the figure guiding him. Too mean. Too harsh. Too strict. Thinking all that made the eleven year old's lips quiver slightly, as he gripped the sides of the leather chair, trying to keep himself together.

Levi tapped his pencil on the sheets. "What? Crying already?"

Eren felt a tear roll down his cheek as he started thrashing on the older male. "It's because you're dumb! You're mean! You're a terrible teacher."

Levi sighed. "I told you half notes had two counts; not one." He then tapped on one key, his eyes looking a bit alive than usual as the piano made a sound. "See. One, two. "

Eren wiped off the snot on his nose. "It's not that easy! You're still mean. Just because you're 18 you can bully me. I have feelings!"

The Ackerman still had his usual face, but the life in his eyes were still ever-present, like a dying candlelight, finally rekindled. He tapped on the key once again. "Do it with me. One, two."

Eren sniffed again, and put his right index on the white key. "One, two."

"One, two." Levi repeated, this time, his voice softer than usual, as if he was embracing a brittle feather.

Eren started to smile, and his hatred on the first day started to melt. He smiled genuinely, making the older male smirk a little.

"One, two."

"One, two."

::

Fifteenth summer of the Jaeger heir.

Eren was sipping his orange juice with his instructor sitting across him, looking quite displeased about consuming apple juice. His lips were but a thin line, curled with disgruntlement. His apprentice was behaving ten years later than his actual age by blowing on the straw, making his beverage bubble, mixing with his saliva.

"Hey, that's a shitty thing to do." He pointed out at Eren, who made no heed no to his complaints.  "Hey, stop it. "

Eren continued blow for a few seconds and then stopped. "We should start our lessons now, Sir." 

Levi agreed, and so they approached their ever-versatile instrument, even with such lonely shades of quartz and obsidian, it generates such beautiful, colorful, silent and unspoken words of attachment.

As Eren was playing, he noticed a half note, and began counting as they did when he was younger. His pinkish lips were formed into a smile as he held down a black key. "One . . ."

"Two." 

He turned to see his instructor smiling dearly at him. Eren found himself so overjoyed, his heart brimming with elation. 

"You remembered?" He asked his teacher, who was still beaming upon him. 

"Of course I did." He had to reach out higher to ruffle his student's brown hair. "But focus, okay. Your competition will be a few months later. You need to study and practice hard. Never forget even the simplest things I taught you--"

"Like one, two?"

"Like one, two." 

Eren began laughing, which astounded his teacher. Levi raised his brows in confusion, "What you laughing for?" 

His student was hugging his sides, because his sides hurt so much from laughing. Tears then started to form in his emerald eyes, and he began to steady his breathing, and after a few attempts of inhalation and exhalation, he finally calmed down and collected himself. 

"Well. It's always the two of us--side by side. We are a team. One..."

"Two."  Levi's heart was melting. Eren was his least favorite apprentice, but now that opinion has changed. He had a lot of students, silent, cold, talkative, easy-going . . . But Eren was different. He had all these, and even valued the smallest things they share. 

"It will always be us, the almighty duo . . ." The Ackerman mused.

"One . . ."

"Two."

Years has passed, and Eren made his dream into a reality. He stood out in massive crowds, and played with all his might, even won the hearts of the unloving. The lights were blinding upon him, but the stars had shone brighter, their warmth reaching the hearts of everyone sitting there, listening to the melodies he has to share.  The music he makes sparkles, with euphoria, desolation, loneliness, love and many more emotions. He owed all his successes to but one man- Levi Ackerman. Who would always smile proudly upon his student after every performance he makes. 

However, music has consumed Levi to the very first time he ever started playing. As what James G. Huneker stated, " The most profound truths, the most blasphemous things, the most terrible ideas may be incorporated within a walls of a symphony, and the police be none wiser. It is its freedom from the meddlesome hand of the censor that makes of music a playground for great brave souls. . . " The Ackerman had been assimilating his deepest secrets in his great music, which was known for its divine touch by heavenly graces, twinged with slight fury and sadness, and when all combined-- was his masterpiece that not one can easily forget.

People often interpret what was in his music, but none of them were correct, not even the brightest minds could understand. Even Eren, his own student couldn't even guess.

Levi had so many secrets and darkness shrouded upon him, but music gave him the freedom to tell everyone, without them knowing. It was his only freedom, and no one will ever take it from him. . . But with this freedom, there is a price for him to pay.

Eren could never quite comprehend his instructor's music, and it always bothered him but decided to ward it off. He would often see the pride his teacher has for him and it was more than freedom for him. Levi would always laugh at him when he asks what was his music for, and often say, "It's for the audience to decide, " but left out the "yet only the performer knows what really is trapped in that freedom."

But now, Eren saw him, nothing more but a corpse. Bloody petals flitting across his quarters, his head was leaning on the piano keys, his eyes closed, his lashes adorning them greatly. A few traces of blood was found upon his lips, his fingers loosely gripping on his collar, as if he was having difficulty in breathing. 

Sheets were splattered with thick, crimson liquid that created horror upon the brunette's image. 

Eren spread out the crumpled musical sheets, seeing the title:

Liebestraume: A Dream of Love
Franz Listz

His evergreen eyes went wide, dripping with fresh, silver tears. He never heard Levi play this one, he rarely meddled with romantic pieces, but now . . . Why? Why?

He started shaking the ravenette, his tears falling intensely upon his bloodied, sullied clothes.

"Sir! Sir! Wake up." His hands started to tremble, feeling the coldness on Levi's body. He began slapping the Ackerman hastily in the hopes of waking him up. "Levi!"

Levi remained motionless, and a distant sound of the piano was heard, so Eren traced it, and found out it was recorded, and was played in a casette player.

Eren listened to the melody, dreamy and affectionate. From the player's perspective, he could see tranquil, blue rivers, a starry night sky, a field of a thousand flowers, a waning moon, all this enjoyed by two lovers.

The melody was connecting, like  two hearts that are connected. It was like a lullaby, sweet nothings that made them happy. Such gentleness that couldn't even harm a small creature. Careful and loving arms embrace this piece.

Loving arms . . . It could have been Levi.

Tears continued to stream down his face as he approached Levi again, shaking him slightly. "Levi . . . Don't go. Why didn't tell me? You knew not everyone can tell what your music meant! I can't even understand it! Why were you so secretive? You didn't have to keep it all to yourself. You had me-- we are the mighty duo, Levi! I was to be your student, we were always a pair right? Why can't you trust me with everything? Weren't we supposed to help each other out? " He shook his mentor again, even more desperately. "One . . ."

No response.

"One . . ."

Only silence, nothing more, the petals tainted with blood was slowly rocked by the breeze from his window.The melody from the player still continued, drowing the sorrows of Eren Jaeger, with its feather-like lullaby, set in a loving andante, as he waited for a response from Levi, which he will receive . . . Forever buried in the quartz and obsidian sheets of music that shattered his heart into fragments, in a mysterious melody, buried within the freedom of music.