"...What?" Was all that could leave Antonio's lips as it seemed like time stood still.
He had been staring at the younger man for what felt like a millennia at this point. And the other seemed completely still in his own place as well. Having not moved a single inch since he had announced his revelation. As if expecting a retort from the latter, a reaction, something. As if Salieri's little word meant nothing to his ears. Or time really had just stopped at this point, like being stuck in an oil-painting that could only display one moment forever. ...Wouldn't that be an ironic yet beautiful fate?
But no, by the way Antonio was yet still blinking, breathing soothing breaths, slightly readjusting his seat; proving he was still very much still in the present. Fate was never too kind to him, but this time it sure was the cruelest.
But what more was he even to say?
He was confused, lost, and quite brutally and honestly; scared.
He had known. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart knew. About all of his sinful thoughts, his jealousy and seething anger. How the older always walked on sharp needles and covered head to toe in thorns at every single event that was in Mozarts honour. Every celebration and orchestra that he had forced himself go to, because of his lust for blood. Because of how badly he wanted to hear the devilish Siren sing angelic songs to his feeble human self and then willingly get drowned in the river. Just so he could one day do the same. He knew all of that, and perhaps more.
Or maybe it simply was all lies. Just to perplex and distort the mind even more. And may Maria have mercy, because it sure was working if that was the case.
"Oh come now. It's really not that complicated, Maestro."
Words. With such a long lasting pregnant pause; the phrase uttered from Wolfgang's lips felt loud and ear-shattering. That immediately the elder wanted to cover thine own ears. But instead all that sufficed in trying to keep his own composure was to cringe deeply and slightly flinch back. Squinting his eyelids so harshly together that he barely noticed that the man had moved to podium beside his being.
"Might you maybe take a seat Sir? Your features are quite pale. Besides, seating yourself might make things a bit more tranquil as I explain myself, no?"
Almost as if leading a paralyzed patient, the younger took hold of Salieris hand and waist to gently guide him back to the hammock. It was unstable and rickety in his shocked minds opinion, that the grass and steady ground had been a more preferable option. But tis would've been extremely childish to ask, so he remained, only absentmindedly grabbing slightly harsher at Mozarts hands to not fall over. Then as roughly he had held on to them, as roughly he let go.
There was a quiet sigh that escaped the Austrians throat as he looked upon the garden they were seated in the middle of. Taking a few extra seconds just to take I'm the moment, if that moment was because of the beautiful nature or because he wanted to torture the eldest musician for just a little longer, Salieri had no idea, but he was quite sure he didn't want to know either.
"Hm..." The shorter man's sight landed on the slightly taller, who's appearance resembled closer to a crumpled up leaf at this point. "How shall I say this in a proper manner?" A huff. "Well, I was never proper now was I? So I'll just explain it in simple terms;"
"You are predictable Antonio."
There was a pause, as if waiting with baited breaths for a longer explanation. But there came none. Salieri could've sworn loudly at this point. Of course this satanic man had to make things so difficult.
The Italians breaths were uneven and antsy, that couldn't have been it. He— he wasn't predictable! "I d— I don't... I do not understand, that— that does not soothe my—" He had been swallowing multiple times at this point, hadn't it been for the circumstances, one might've thought the composer was acquiring a fever. "That does not explain anything... It shan't." He finally muttered.
"Oh really?" His calm tone was almost to a whisper, almost as if the youngest was unimpressed or disinterested in Antonio's questioning. "Well... There's not much to explain further than that my dear." Wolfgangs seemingly judgemental eyes made a more noticeable scan over the others being. "It might be that...? You... yes. You seem to completely misunderstand my intellect and lifestyle! As if I was either a secretly sparkling genius, or a complete fool. But no, no no no. Noooooo... you underestimate me, Signore. And yet overestimate me as well, you never seemed confident in choosing which one it is." A backhanded remark, but somehow it still stung when the brutal honesty was thrown haphazardly at him. "No, I am a man who lives completely by my gut feeling—"
"Your... instinct...?"
"Exactly!" An index finger snapped towards his direction. "Everything is a guess, a hunch by simply trying to... hypothesise the fine folks around me. And—" Out of all things he could've done, Mozart chuckled. "And you Antonio Salieri, I've never felt so threatened ever in my life. Like a knife coming up against my throat as soon as you as much as looked in my general direction. Every— Well every single word you said to me was a disguised insult, threat even."
Scooting slightly closer, there was even a slight purr in the Austrians voice.
"And yet it was all bark and no bite. You never even came close to me, almost as if you were... frightened-"
But there was no time for the man to continue before Salieri snapped forward, so close that he could've thrown a punch Mozarts way if he oh so wanted.
"Do not call me frightened! I am no coward! And you- that's impossible! It's never so simple that you can simply read a person's ambience to know their deeply rooted secrets. You couldn't- You shouldn't-!"
"But what if I was, Maestro?" He chuckled again, but this time much closer to the high-pitched awful one he was known for.
"You really cannot take anything at face value can you? Always needing a... deeper meaning to things. And my my you really do like interrupting people who disagree with you as well! Oh my, oh my. I hope you are aware that we're going in circles at this point? Do not get me wrong I am highly amused, this is the most fun I've had in a while."
"You're... You're saying you are not the least frightened of me? Not even after my whole speech, not even after... Knowing the whole time?"
"Ah, now you seem to finally be starting to believe me~! Progress! But no, Mister Salieri, I have not felt threatened by your menacing barks. If I'm quite honest I found it rather endearing."
"What are you sayin-?"
"Sir Amadeus Mozart, an increased number of guests are starting to arrive."
Salieri probably had never whipped his head around so quickly, making him wince uncomfortably as his neck spiked in pain immediately. But it didn't deter his sight from observing the holder of the unknown new voice.
It was one of Wolfgang's servants, standing awkward yet as dutifully as she could as she made eye contact with the pair. Noticeably not taking foot onto the grassy ground just a few meters away from the white stone floor she was standing on. Presumably her orders had been not to unnecessarily dirty her clothes no matter what the circumstances.
All the eldest could do was stare in complete confusion at the servant. As if he was wondering what her purpose even was to be in the same premises as himself in the first place.
"Wonderful~! Do tell I'll be joining them in a jiffy, I shall just finish my consultation with freundlicher Herr Salieri real quick." He was about to turn to the previous interlocutor, before giving one last quick shout to the maid who was already half-way out the door. "Oh! And do not start the celebrations without mua~!" Earning a court nod in response and then they were all by their own yet again.
"Heavens, does time fly by. Shan't miss this occasion now shall we?"
Antonio simply stared.
"...My Monsieur, did it slip your mind for why you were here in the first place?"
"I... Of cou- T-That is- Yes- " But the stutters only earned him a grin in response. One which the tall me furiously wanted to immediately wipe away, as it only poured more and more salt onto his already forcefully teared up and open wound.
And without hesitation the little imp answered briskly to the others uneven words, smiling almost wildly in his direction. This couldn't be fair-
"Splendid, my good Sir! Then we shall not dwindle and let the guests wait any longer." His shoulders was taken a hold of by those talented appendages, but the touch felt close to nonexistent. Barely a weight that definitely should've been there. Almost as if feeling had been dragged and pushed out of him multiple times at this point. Too quickly for him to even register it. In fact; he wasn't sure if he was going to feel much at all for the rest of this whole evening.