Page 26 of The Amber Sunburst

“I have… So, basically… Forms, I don’t know how to put this.”

With every second that passes, Alexander’s face gets more apprehensive and all of the anxious energy in the room builds and builds until⁠—

“Violin!” he finally blurts, which sends Alexander’s brows up to the Forms and makes his head tilt like a curious puppy.

“What?”

“Violin. I play it. With my hands. For fun. And it’s okay if you don’t want me to, just tell me now and please don’t tell the Guardians. I won’t get you in trouble. I won’t play if it makes you uncomfortable. Oh, what am I saying, of course it makes you uncomfortable. I’m so stupid. I–”

“Whoa, whoa, Zeno,” Alexander says. “Is that it? This whole time you’ve been worried about… playing violin?”

Well, this is not how he expected things to go.

“Yes?”

“I don’t know what roommates you’ve had in the past, but with me? Play away. I love music. My brother and I…” Alexander trails off, probably reminiscing about the family he left behind to come to the Academy. Zeno never had to experience that, but he can imagine it would be hard. “It’s not a big deal, is what I’m saying. I’m happy to hear you play.”

Zeno squints. Why isn’t Alexander more put off, upset, or, at least, conscious of the potential issues here?

“Music at the Academy. For fun. It’s not allowed here. Everyone knows that,” he says, almost as a question.

For a flash, Alexander looks horrified, but he recovers so quickly Zeno’s not sure it happened at all.

“Well, I thought you would know that in the country the rules are different. We love music. And I’m not going to submit to all the whims of the Academy just because I live here now.”

Zeno flops onto his bed with a sigh of relief, and Alexander follows suit, not bothering to shut the books on the floor. His clothes from today are on the ground too. Zeno kind of wonders who Alexander thinks is going to put them away—do they live like royalty in the country or something?

“I hope you know that you’re going to have to play for me every night starting tomorrow,” Alexander says, cuddling up in his blankets.

He really is a perfect-looking guy: tan skin, dark hair, light eyes. In the blankets he looks cozy and sweet with a hint of mischief in the smirk on his lips. If not for Eudoxia, Zeno might think about making a move.

But no one is as beautiful as Eudoxia.

Usually he can talk himself out of things, but he can’t talk himself out of loving her. Pathetically enough, he doesn’t even want to.

“Be careful what you wish for,” Zeno says; better that than ranting to Alexander about a girl who has no interest in him. “I’m still learning.”

“Everyone has something to learn, even the best of the best. So say that with pride instead of embarrassment.”

“Where’d you learn that? It’s really profound.”

“What, you don’t think I could have come up with it myself?”

“Hmmm, let me think.” Zeno makes a big show of it, tapping his chin and pursing his lips. “Nah.”

Alexander laughs. “My dad. He’s the one who taught me. He would always say that when—he would just say that a lot. Things like that. He was good with words…”

Alexander trails off and his smile fades, sudden waves of grief emanating off him.

“Did he… you know.”

“Die? Yeah. A month ago today.”

Oh, Forms.

“I had no idea. I’m so sorry. Was your family okay when you left? Your mom, your… you mentioned a brother, right?”

Alexander laughs again, but this time it’s cynical. He opens his mouth, then catches himself and takes another moment to think.