A tiny drabble for Queen-of-ice101's birthday, based on headcanons that Gyendal is definitely the father of Uma and Nox and Uma is definitely a daddy's girl. Also a crazy dream I had where Gyendal was a music teacher. Mel's POV, AU. Enjoy!
The metronome clicked loudly. Its distinguished tick seemed to penetrate the stone walls of the manor, and it echoed in each room, like the house had a heartbeat.
Sometimes Mel hated it. It was strict, ordered, repetitive, everything Mel had run away from as a child. And its mechanical clicking was usually accompanied by clumsy, discordant notes on the grand piano and the frustrated groans of her dear, dear, enraged daughter, Uma.
Today was different.
Today the clicking was accompanied by carefully ordered chords, dancing with a clumsy charm through the passing time.
Mel followed the notes down the halls of her house, wondering what had made such a difference in her daughter's musical… ah, abilities, for lack of a better talent.
Word. She meant for lack of a better word.
As she got closer to the music room, she realized the music was accompanied by a deep voice quietly counting out the ticks of the metronome. One two three, one two three, one two three...
That sounded almost like… like…
The door to the music room was resting half-open, and Mel stealthily peeked through it. Years on the streets hadn't curbed her curiosity in the slightest, but they had taught her stealth.
They hadn't prepared her for the sight of her husband sitting serenely beside Uma, counting out the rhythm and gently guiding her little hands over the notes.
Mel was not an emotional person. Mel was not a musical person. Mel was a person who had lived her life in chaos, running from those who would try to impose order, their order. Running from the people who would try to control her.
But this order was non-intrusive, just existing, just decorating the time that would pass regardless. It made pretty what might have been plain.
"Lamb?" Gyendal's voice broke through her reverie. "You are looking rather sentimental right now. Is everything all right?"
"What?" Mel said, before she had quite remembered herself. "I mean, yes, absolutely. I just wanted to say Yemite will be here with dinner shortly. Carry on, do your weird… music… thing."
Gyendal smirked. "Noted."
Mel turned to go, then looked back. "Uma? Your playing is… very pretty."
Uma beamed, her bright blue eyes shining. "Thanks, Mom."
Mel felt her face melting into a smile. "You're welcome."