"This one?"
His finger tips pressed down and an ugly, wavering noise reverberated from the base of the piano.
Stifling a giggle the younger man tenderly lifted his lovers hand and sprawled the fingers against the keys so several notes played, all in perfect harmony. The man besides him grunted and shifted, repeating the notions. After a thoughtful pause he strung together the snatches of beats that sprang to mind.
Kimblee gave a vague nod of approval and he swelled with pride. Greed hesitated before tapping on the blocks laid out in front of him. For the first time he created tuneful music that blossomed. The notes continued for several consecutive minuets before fluttering and fading out.
The alchemist beamed, pleasantly surprised by the change of composure in his companions courage and skills. They had been nestled together, perched on the singular wooden stool, for hours while Kimblee patiently taught his partner. It had been more testing then he had anticipated as for the first forty-five - roughly - minuets Greed gad been too absorbed in flirting then actual work. Although Kimblee was usually pleased (and more often then not aroused) by his smooth sentences, it was rather off-putting. When this time had ticked past and the sin realized how much his companion loved the music, he happily discarded his average nature and attempted to learn.
"That's all for today," Solf announced after another round of the song, of which Greed didn't know the name of, which had slowly tweaked until perfect. There was a sweet softness residing inside the usually harsh amber of his eyes. A grin mildly exposed his teeth, but the drawn appearance led the homunculus to suspect it was forced.
Greed winced at the smile. It wasn't the thoughts of happiness that made him cringe - he wasn't a sadist like his sibling Envy - but the reflection of loneliness. Every time they stretched their lips it created a shadow of doubt. It felt as if the alchemist was burying a deep sorrow and regret. There mere thought of that hurt Greed more then he would admit.
Then again, judging by the numerous scars drawn across Kimblee's body (and Greed had seen enough of it to know), there was plenty of reason. There were self inflicted marks lining his neck and wrists. His torso was blotched from his alchemy rebounding while snaking in between these were wounds he had gained from prison, in which he was beaten and brutalized. His fair skin was iced with scratches, a painful reminder more for Greed then anyone else. The last thing he had wanted was to damage his precious 'Red Lotus'.
The younger man stood and slithered into the kitchen, leaving the homunculus to tare blankly, absorbed in thought. No matter how much Greed pestered and pried the response was always a nonchalant grunt. Honestly the sin would rather see his lover cry then know he was silently suffering.
But neither were acceptable. He wanted Kimblee to be happy again.
Greed then made a mental note to treat his lover with extra care, to ensure the man's well being. He knew it would be a challenging task since the homunculus was self absorbed by nature. To him that didn't matter, he refused to stand by and watch the alchemist suffer.