Page 55 of Gratification in Gluttony

The song ended, and Jude paused it before it could repeat. “Okay, let’s hear it.”

Toni shrugged. “Okay.”

He closed his eyes, pressing down on a few keys to find the right starting note. Then he played. It wasn’t perfect, especially when the song changed to the more complicated piano melody, but it was close.

When he played the final note, he opened his eyes and found Jude staring at him, jaw ajar. “That bad, huh?” Toni shrugged, face warming. “Like I said, I never actually learned.”

“Dude, that was good!” Jude said, rushing toward the wall, pointing at one of the electric guitars. “Can I use this?”

“Uh, yeah?” Toni watched Jude take it from the wall and position it hanging over one shoulder. He plucked at the strings, one by one, then adjusted the knobs on the end of the stick-part. “What are you doing?”

“Tuning it,” Jude said. “Play aC, will you?”

“What?” Toni asked.

“Play aC,” he repeated, pointing at the keyboard.

Toni splayed his hands. “What do you mean?”

“Right.” Jude shooed him away and studied the white keys. “Piano was never my strength. Let me just…”

Jude proceeded to play certain notes, then adjusted the strings on his guitar until he was satisfied. Then he arranged his fingers to make a chord—Toni didn’t know which one—and strummed with the other hand. It sounded awesome.

“You play guitar? And you’re only now telling me?” Toni crossed his arms over his chest and shook his head. “I feel betrayed.”

“I haven’t played in a hot minute,” Jude said, like that even mattered. “Okay, listen to this song. It’s a bit easier, I think.”

Jude played another song on his phone, this one with a strong piano part. It was beautiful, the music, the lyrics. It made Toni’s chest tight.

“Fuck, this is… whoa.”

“It’s my favorite from their new album,” Jude admitted when the last notes faded. “Ready?”

“I can try, but don’t you need an amp for that guitar?”

As the song played through a second time, they dragged a small amp close to the keyboard and got everything plugged in and connected. When Jude was satisfied with whatever configuration he was making with the knobs and buttons, he paused his phone.

“Okay, let’s do it,” Jude said, excitement burning in his eyes.

It was contagious, and Toni felt almost giddy as he said, “Okay.”

He played around on the keys until he found the correct starting note, then he started playing. A few beats in, Jude started to sing, and Toni tripped over the notes. Jude could sing too? He was like a wet dream come to life.

“You are so sexy right now,” Toni said, and Jude snorted.

“Shh, keep playing,” Jude said.

So, Toni did. And Jude sang, tapping the beat out on the broad side of the electric guitar. Then they hit the chorus, and Jude brought in the guitar, keeping perfect pitch with his voice as he did. Toni messed up the piano sometimes, but Jude didn’t seem to care.

When Toni hit the last piano note, Jude’s chest was heaving, and Toni was fucking flying. He’d never played for anyone butGem before, and that had never felt like this. He and Jude had… created something.

“That was amazing,” Jude said, echoing Toni’s thoughts. “Toni, you’re incredible.”

“I am?” Toni asked, genuinely surprised.

Like Toni’s response was crazy, Jude scoffed. “Uh, yes! It took me three days to be able to play the guitar part from memory, and this song is almost all piano. And you got it after listening to the song twice? That’s incredible.”

“I made a lot of mistakes,” Toni said, but Jude shut him up by fisting Toni’s shirt and yanking him across the keyboard to kiss him. Hard.

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