Fine Tuning

by AMalevolence

Years after their separation, Roderich and Francis find themselves spending some free time together in which they briefly contemplate the past. As it turns out, Roderich has moved on, while Francis finds himself still having troubles letting go.

Francis sat with the instrument propped up on his knee, his shoulders slouched in frustration. "It's been too long," he huffed, his tone exasperated.

Roderich looked up from the score he was holding, Introduction and Polonaise brillante in C major, Op. 3, and peered across the room to Francis. "What's the issue?"

"I'm too out of practice with this instrument," Francis motioned to the cello, "I can't tune it. Can you help?"

Roderich sighed and ventured over to his ex-husband. Reaching over the Frenchman's shoulder and taking the bow from his hand, Roderich bowed the A-string. The pitch resonated flat, far beyond being fixed by the instrument's fine tuner. Roderich cringed at the sound. "How long have you neglected this poor thing, Francis?"

Francis thought on the question for a minute before responding, "Since you left me."

"That was your own fault, you know." Roderich took the instrument from Francis and turned it to face him before handing the bow to the Frenchman. He then gave the peg a small twist so the top of the peg turned toward the back of the instrument while pushing the peg inwards toward the scroll to keep the string from detuning itself later.

"Hardly," Francis scoffed. "Do you still think about me?"

Roderich, who was now plucking the string pizzicato to check the pitch, fell silent for a moment. "I think about you only as much as one should think about such matters." Finally satisfied he had reached an open A, Roderich turned the instrument back around, handing it over to Francis. "The rest is D, G, and C. It's only fourths, so I'm sure you can handle it."