“Ann,” Piers said as his fingers ghosted over the polish ebony hardwood.  “You never told me you have a piano.”

“Are you sure?” she asked.  “I thought I told you I took piano lessons for a bit.”

“Yeah, you told me that part.  But you didn’t tell me you owned a bloody baby grand.”

“Oh… Well, surprise!”

Piers sat down on the bench in front of it.  The feel of the cool ivory keys beneath his fingertips brought back so many memories.  It had been a very long time since he had been in front of a piano.  His mother was a brilliant piano player.  She had a cheap, used upright one when he was a child.  It was all his father could afford for her, but she loved it just the same.  At that age, Piers didn’t know the difference.  It sounded as beautiful as could be to him.  When he was old enough, she introduced him to music on that old thing.  She taught him the basics and sparked a lifelong love.

Piers lost that piano with her, just like he lost his father’s guitar, and everything else they had to their name.  Their belongings were sold when his mother’s family moved him to Unova so they could care for him and Marnie.  Back at her childhood home, there was a baby grand similar to this one.  When Grimsley caught him staring, his uncle had told Piers that it used to be hers, too.  But he was too upset to touch it during the short time he lived with them.  In fact, he couldn’t stand to hear pianos for a long, long few years.

When he was about sixteen, he found a keyboard in an old pawn shop while on the hunt for other equipment.  This was around the time he decided to seriously pursue a musical career.  Music was always there for him when he was young, through the good times and the bad.  It was the only escape as he grew up.  Besides his sister, it was all he had left.  He hesitated at first, but found himself drawn to it.  The moment his fingers hit those plastic keys, everything came rushing back.  Piers was surprised he retained so much after years without practice.  His mother must have been right, he was a natural.  That Casio was no piano, but something deep within tugged at him to get it.  Guilt.  He knew his mum would be hurt to learn he grew up so bitter towards something that was such a major part of their time together.  He cut back on his own meals for a few months to be able to afford it.  After getting it, he didn’t do much with his keyboard.  It wasn’t exactly a very punk instrument to have.  Still, he played it sometimes at night with the volume low so he’d never lose what she had taught him.  And he played it a lot more after meeting Annais when his songs grew a little more romantic in nature.  Something about the songs she brought out of him just didn’t sound exactly right on guitar.  Piers came to realize that the sound of a piano was his sound of love.

“Can you play me a song?”

Piers had been so lost in thought.  He heard that Annais had spoken to him, but didn’t process what she said.  He looked over his shoulder.  “Pardon?”

She seated herself beside him on the bench.  “Can you play me something?” she asked again.  “It’s a shame this thing barely gets used.  Mama can play a little too, but she’s so busy she never does.”

“Any requests?”

“Anything,” she said.  “Whatever.”

Piers had hoped she’d say that.  He cracked his knuckles, and took a deep breath. 

The moment he pressed the keys, the room was filled with rich, mellow sound.  Piers was impressed with how loud this one was capable of being.  He knew for a fact his music had to be echoing through the manor.  It could likely be heard outside where Annais’s mother was working in the yard or upstairs where Marnie was on the phone with her friend.  He wasn’t embarrassed.  He had written this song for Annais long ago- after their first matchup, in fact.  When presented to her by the Maximizers, it came out as a battle theme of sorts, which she adored and adopted.  But he’d never had an opportunity to play it exactly as it was intended- a love theme.  His electric keyboard was close, but wasn’t exactly right.  The melody that filled the air finally matched the tune in his head.  He heard a soft, excited gasp from her direction when she recognized it.  He played with pride, feeling the positive reception from beside him.  He wondered if his mother felt this sense of delight when she played for him.

When he was done, the last note rang before fading into silence.  Once it did, her arms wrapped around him, causing him to laugh and throw an arm over her too.

“Hey, Nez?”

“Hm?”

“Did you want a piano?”

Piers sighed.

“We barely have the room as it is,” he said.  “No way I could fit even a small one in my flat.  An’ it’d bother the neighbors for sure.”

“That’s not what I asked.  You know we’ll be moving soon,” she reminded him, resting her head on his shoulder. 

“Ann, you’re gettin’ one of your ideas, aren’t you?”

“I want you to have one,” she mentioned.  “I want to listen to you play for me…  And I feel like you wouldn’t mind that either.”

“I guess it wouldn’t bother me if we have the room in our new place.”

“I’ll make sure we do.”

“Just don’ spend too much money on me.  I’d be fine with a small one.”

“I don’t half-ass things, Nez.  You’re getting a good one or you’re not getting one.”

“Then, I don’ need o-…”

“You’re getting one.”

Piers chuckled and shook his head.