The Power of Music: Dark Eye, Sad Heart.

He sat in a large, empty ballroom with nothing but white walls and a black, grand piano off in the far right-hand corner of the room. His hands danced across the keys of the piano as he played one of the saddest, yet beautiful melodies one could ever hope to hear in their life time.

Today had been a bad day and his heart weighed heavy as he sat there and kept playing, and playing. He had been in this room for hours now, playing one sad, haunting melody after another. With each new song, came more fresh tears. He had made an ass out of himself in front of the one person he had wanted to impress. Had made them hate him without even meaning to...

Why was he so hurt? Why did he so desperately want to impress them? What was it about that person that made him desire to impress them and hear their praise?

He didn't have the answer to any of these, but he knew that he would be here for hours to come. Not unless he wasn't truly alone.

Kyoko was safely tucked away with Mako and Kanari at the moment. No one on the council would risk attacking there for worry of hurting the fox of his chosen and risking *her* wrath. He had gone for a walk needing to get away and think and that ended with him finding Hametsu here. Still on school grounds not going far incase there was an attack no doubt.

He stood just within the room listening to him play but between each pause Azaya didn't clap found no reason to, yes the music was beautiful and sad. Azaya reached up and ran his fingers through his own hair before closing his eyes and walking over to a window to look out it seeing Hametsu's reflection in the glass before him. This man.......this man was yet another reminder of how far he had fallen.......Jaaku had been right he had been angry that this one was so far above him. Angry that he was placed above him that he was commanding him and making choices for him.

It wasn't that he wanted this one below him what pissed him off so bad was the salt in the wound that made him remember he'd never walk equal to anyone again.....and that was what he had wanted. He could not bring himself to fall in love with another who had command of him of made him feel so helpless even more. No matter how much that one held his attention and that was what had pissed him off so bad, that was why he had said not him it wasn't that he hated Hametsu he didn't.

It hurt......because he could not answer his heart when the one who his heart called for was so far above him. It wasn't a manner of pride it was a matter of honor of being able to hold his head high with honor as he walked beside the one he called lover and that was not something he could ever do with Hametsu . He leaned his head forward closed his eyes letting his forehead rest against the cool glass before him.

Without noticing it, he had stopped playing, letting the last note he had hit drift off into nothing but silence as he sat there, back turned to Azaya. He had wanted to get close to the one standing behind him, had wanted to impress him and have him praise him for the good he was doing...but instead, he had made him angry with him, had made him desire nothing more than to never see his face again...Hametsu looked down in sadness at the keys of the piano as he watched his vision blur and felt the sting of tears threatening to fall.

Just what was it he had expected? Azaya was of the original clans and Hametsu? Hametsu was a Spaniard, a foreigner who still had a lot to learn about this country that he was living in. He was from no noble bloodline, just a dirty one that had only served to save him from death so many centuries ago.

"If you want me to leave...just say so....I won't fight you..." he said lowly into the room. But he was hoping, no...praying that Azaya said that he could stay.

Azaya looked at him at the back of the one before him narrowing his eyes a bit if he wanted him to go just say so? IF he ........"Stay." One simple word it wasn't pride that kept him quiet he just didn't know what else to say. It wasn't his fault that Azaya felt this way. But there was no praise no 'I want you to stay' just one word.

He wasn't facing Hametsu as he continued to look out the window......and once again closed his eyes. This was a mistake the tears of frustration as at himself, at Jaaku and at this one.....for things that made him seem prideful.....it wasn't pride......it was wanting to have some sort of control over his life......when he had none.