Prompt:

Born deaf, you were never very interested in music at all. Until one day, you inherit a piano from a distant relative and get the urge to play. It turns out, everyone who hears you honestly agrees you play the most beautiful music they’ve ever heard. You have no idea what you’re doing

The only thing you knew about music was that you could feel some from the speakers your family had, but not others. Your brother had explained that most of the vibrations you could feel came from either bass sounds, or big sounds like brass. Of your family, you were the only one who was born deaf, but were lucky enough in that they had all learned sign language, and you had gotten pretty good at reading lips (much to the annoyance of your family when they were trying to surprise you with something). 

So it utterly baffled all of you as to why Uncle Simon would leave you, specifically, a grand piano. When your parents told you, you couldn’t help but laugh, finding it the most ridiculous thing you had ever been told. 

‘Why would anyone leave me a piano?  It took you a moment, having to spell out the word piano as you didn’t use it enough for a simple sign to be known off the top of your head. 

‘Uncle Simon was a little…eccentric.’ Your mom’s reply was paired with a shrug, and addition from your dad.

‘More like willingly weird…He kept company with a semi wild bear’ Your dad added that he was sure Uncle Simon drank with the bear, and you really only had one question. 

“…What bear isn’t wild? I don’t care how many hours they’re trained, bears aren’t tame…especially ones that drink.” You couldn’t help but laugh softly at your brother’s point. But even as they put the letter away, no one actually believed you had been left a grand piano, you just assumed it was some kind of joke letter and carried on with your day. 

Three days later you came home with your brother to find the big dining room table, the one your family used for holiday meals in the hallway, and you shared a confused look with your brother. It was clear from his face he was as worried about having to find your parents had taken up naked yoga again as you were. You followed behind him curiously, pushing him lightly to make sure he would cover you from view in the event it was something weird.  But your parents came into view, luckily fully clothed if clearly tired, and confused, staring at the shiny body of a grand piano. 

You had never actually seen a piano up close, you didn’t really have any sort of personal reference for it, but your eyes were fixed on the shiny wooden body taking up one side of the dining room, without thinking you set down your bag as you came closer. 

The wood was a deep mahogany, so well taken care of that you could see the wood grain along the panels as you ran your fingers along it. You walked around to the front, entranced by how big it was, how deep the color seemed like you could see eternity if you stared long enough, but you didn’t. The black, and white keys seemed funny to you, after all…how in the hell were you meant to play this, if you couldn’t at all hear it, and wouldn’t know where to start. 

It didn’t keep you though, the ridiculous thought, from sitting on the bench, and setting your fingers onto the keys. You pressed three white ones with your right hand, and a combination of one white, and two black with your left; you felt your eyes widen with surprise, because you could feel a deep vibration from the wooden box in front of you. You weren’t sure if you had done anything other than make noise, but you didn’t resist the urge, and let your fingers slowly wander along the keys. 

You pressed them in slow rhythm, alternating between paired keys, and singles, between white, and black as you moved along the keys reveling in the feel of deep vibrations that flowed through your body. You watched your fingers, and as you slowed felt that there were pedals by your feet, so you pushed on them almost at random finding that they made some notes longer, or all the notes longer at once. You had forgotten that anyone else was there until you let your fingers come to a stop, and felt eyes on you. 

You couldn’t help but blush, imagining that all those vibrations just meant you’d been making a loud, and sometimes sustained racket; but as your eyes rested on your family they only looked surprised, not pained or annoyed. 

‘That…was beautiful.’ Your mother’s assessment was repeated by your brother, and dad, who couldn’t help but add…

‘Maybe Uncle Simon was onto something…’ He came closer inspecting the piano as you watched him. 

‘Yeah, him and his bear.’ Your brother offered an amused smile, as he patted your back.

Next Chapter: Look Up: Galaxy of Mine