Just realised I've written two different fics within the past two months - Communication (Deltarune) and Common Ground (Star Trek DS9) - that conclude with an arrangement to play the piano between a person and the intangible, inescapable part of themselves they have a complicated relationship with. I know I have a tendency to revisit themes, but this is ridiculous.

Come to think of it, I've also got a couple of earlier fics that conclude with the protagonist deciding to play music, or reaching a point where they're able to play music again. I just like making characters play music when they're in a dark place! It feels like such a hopeful thing to me.

The piano's been on my mind lately; somehow I keep encountering it in fiction! Kris of Deltarune plays the piano. Verso of Clair Obscur plays the piano. I started watching Your Lie in April on a whim, knowing very little about it, and it turns out it's largely about the musical development of a young pianist. When I was writing my DS9 fic, I looked up Joran and went, Oh, he's a musician? Maybe I could use that in this fic. What does he play? Probably some sort of weird future instrument, right? ...no, he's a pianist, of course.

There are other canons I've experienced that involve the piano, of course! (Omori comes to mind. Omori always comes to mind. I cannot escape or forget Omori.) But I feel I've run into a real concentration within the last couple of months.

This is nice because it's got me playing the piano again, after neglecting it for a little while! I'm not a masterful player, largely because I rarely have the patience to learn a new piece - my repertoire mainly consists of songs I've been playing over and over again for a decade or two, with the occasional clumsy and simplified attempt to play by ear - but I do enjoy it. There's something so calming about sitting down and letting instinct and muscle memory carry you through a piece of music.

I wonder how Kris of Deltarune would react if, while controlling them, I played the piano in a way that made it clear to them that I actually know how to play. I wonder if that would change our relationship.

Is this piano rambling going anywhere? No. The rest of this post will be an account of my recent dreams.


( Assorted dreams over the summer. )


Last night, I dreamt I posted a fic to AO3 and tried to title it 'Little Talks' (you've used this title before, Riona!). I did not notice until the next day that I'd accidentally called it 'Coggled Sprogs', which I have at least not used before.