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purplegn0mes · 8 months

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Ok so in an attempt to overcome my stupid creative block I wrote a little one shot about my OCs Niles and Lucia

For context; it takes place in a human AU that I was going to write (the story’s called Times Like These and I posted the first chapter on Wattpad if you’d like to read that first, but you don’t have to to understand what’s happening in this) and so I’ll just post it here since I can’t really show it off anywhere else Lmao

Musical Remedy

A small huff exhaled from Niles’s mouth as he marched his way down the flight of stairs so familiar that he felt no need to hover his hand over the railing like he would anywhere else. At the moment the house was silent, one would assume it was empty aside from him if they were to enter through the front door. But no, every occupant of the house was within its walls, in separate rooms, with no desire to leave their respective spots until supper time.

It was a quiet afternoon, cloudy skies making the interior exceptionally dark for this time of day, gentle droplets of cold rain dripping down the windows of the living room. Niles paid no mind to the faint whispers of thunder in the distance as his sore feet carried him past the abundance of couches and coffee tables in the spacious living room. Crossing his way into the narrow corridor hidden behind the wall and fireplace, he made his way into the smaller, more old-fashion styled den in the corner of the house that was almost always vacant. There really was no purpose to this room other than just being an extra space for Juliet to clean. Although the bay window that provided a view of the backyard was a pleasant feature.

Inside the small den was furnishing you’d expect from someone born in a generation older than Niles’s parents. Floral sofa with a crocheted blanket sitting atop its frame, and equally tacky throw pillows propped up on either side of the cushions. Various mundane portraits of landscapes hung on the crepe-colored walls. A closet that was used for storage, possibly containing broken vacuum cleaners or dusty board games that haven’t been touched in a decade. A lamp provided with a shade painted with Cupid angels dancing about in mid-air. Yeah, it was obvious that when Gnomeo and Juliet moved into his grandfather’s house that they didn’t bother changing much with this room. However, recently it had been used more by Niles, due to the mahogany piano that stood against the wall parallel to the sofa.

Niles had always loved music. As a kid he always found himself humming along to the background music of his video games or movies he watched a dozen times. He would (rarely) dance around his room singing melodies he had heard over the radio in his parents’ car. But only a few months ago did he realize he could actually make music.

And he loved it. He loved every second he spent at the piano. Loved every note that he played, loved the way it sounded in his ears and the fact that he was creating such beautiful sounds. He loved singing along to the beat. He loved listening to a song and immediately repeating it on the instrument as if he’s played it a hundred times, yet he only just learned the notes by simply listening to them.

Niles had a talent, and a good ear too. His family had noticed this. His father was the first to come to the revelation when he came home from work early one day to discover the boy singing “Your Song” to himself at the piano. And to say he was in awe at what he witnessed would be an understatement. Gnomeo was enamored with the way his son played and sung so gracefully in a way that took professionals years to accomplish. He immediately suggested Niles pursue it as a regular hobby, a career even. He let the rest of the family and their close friends in on the little hidden talent of his, and from then on Niles was known as the musician of the family.

Everyday after school, once he finished his work for classes (that he would often have done before the final bell even rung), he would sit at the piano and practice, playing whatever he felt like. He would often challenge himself by playing a fast-paced or upbeat song that normal beginners wouldn’t be able to keep up with. Today, as he placed himself on the bench and hovered his fingers over the keys, he decided to take a break from the pop/rock ‘n roll music he’d normally attempt and opted for a calming, slow rhythm of harmony.

Not five minutes into his practice was he abruptly interrupted by the sound of a door opening and slamming shut, and hard footsteps coming down from the hall outside the door. He turned around to find an annoyed blonde entering the den, throwing her backpack to the floor and plopping down on the sofa with her head in her hands.

“Where’ve you been?” Niles dared to ask, despite easily picking up on his sister’s irritation. But he was curious. He thought she was home already.

Lucia let out an exasperated groan as her palms ran down her face, stretching out the skin of her cheeks, rolling her eyes so much that for a second Niles couldn’t even see her pupils. “I was at lacrosse practice and had the most stupidest conversation of my life with the coach. Oh, and guess who almost got in a wreck on the way home because some asshole decided to cut me off!”

Niles just nodded, quietly taking in the information given. He had some questions, such as why the conversation with her coach was ‘stupid’ and if she was okay from the near-miss of a collision. But he’s known Lucia his entire life, and he knew better than to pry when she wasn’t in a good mood. It was best to just sit silently and listen, to let her do the talking.

“And on top of that, my stupid fucking medication didn’t work again so I was up all night.” The girl huffed and slouched back against the sofa, arms crossed firmly over her chest. “Mum says I need a refill but I think she’s just wasting money on these damn things. The only way I’ll ever get a good nights sleep is if someone puts a rag full of chloroform over my face!”

Niles resisted the urge to laugh at such a statement. He knew she was only exaggerating, but it wouldn’t surprise him if Lucia actually went to that extreme measure. Though it did concern him that that wasn’t a possibility to rule out. “I’m sorry.” Was his sympathetic response after letting his sister breathe for a moment. He truly felt for her. He was there to witness her battle with insomnia since they were 12-years-old. Lucia was a naturally energetic person but that shouldn’t hold her hostage from a decent amount of rest every night.

Lucia let out the heaviest of sighs, shaking her head as her eyes averted to the floor where her backpack laid. “Yeah, well, nothin’ I can do about it now.” She dismissed rather quietly, and in a defeated slouch she reached down for the bag in her sight and pulled out a notebook and folder. Niles instantly realized she had silently decided to get some homework done, and felt the need to warn her that he was in the middle of practicing; hinting that she should take her studies elsewhere. But Lucia shrugged in indifference, insisting that she didn’t mind the background noise. His lips curled inwardly in reluctance. He was still getting used to playing in front of other people. Even if it was just his sister, he wasn’t all that comfortable with his musical productions being presented to her judgmental ears.

But for some unknown reason she had no intention of leaving the den, so with a sigh, Niles turned around and picked up where he left off. He decided to try a different piece, something peaceful but not classical. Something well-known to him and possibly other people around his age. “Ylang Ylang” was his immediate choice, and so, softly as ever, keys emitted the gentle notes of the familiar melody. He was able to ease back into his routine quite easily, tuning out Lucia’s presence almost entirely. Aside from the rustle of paper moving or the harsh movement of her hand brushing eraser shavings away, she was as quiet as a mouse and had she entered the house this silently he wouldn’t have even known she was there.

Maybe it was the serene melody playing just three feet away from her. Maybe it was the gentle sounds of raindrops at the bay window and thunder creeping up in the sky. Maybe it was the warm, soft lighting of the lamp on the table beside her. Or maybe it was all of these combined that were putting Lucia at ease. Every ounce of frustration and stress that had been plaguing her mind for the last half hour started to dissipate, and a weight was momentarily lifted from her chest. For a moment, she could actually breathe. She could inhale, and exhale. And inhale. And exhale. And repeat this pattern over and over. It was a rare time in her life where she actually felt…calm.

Her eyelids grew heavier by the minute. Her brain was being pulled away from alertness, her train of thought making a detour away from the homework and towards a peaceful place in her mind she never knew existed. This was a task that not even her insomnia prescriptions could accomplish. Eventually Lucia gave into temptation and placed her school stuff aside on the table. She couldn’t continue working if she wanted to (which, of course, she didn’t). Quietly as ever, the blonde girl slowly laid herself down on the sofa she never considered comfy that was now a sanctuary for her heavy head.

Hours could’ve passed and Niles would have never known. He was so lost in his own world of music and harmony that the world could’ve imploded and he would be the only person to not notice or even care. This always happened whenever he was at the piano for a long period of time. He took his craft very seriously and at every chance he got, he would patiently play until he was in “the zone”.

Perhaps he should consider this as his career. The thought had crossed his mind several times, but self-doubt and anxiety always held him back from taking the leap of faith of actually pursuing such a goal.

Oh well, that was a problem for later. Right now Niles decided to finish up and get himself a pre-dinner snack from the kitchen. After letting the last note fade into silence, he pulled the cover down to shelter the keys and stood up away from the instrument. Just as he was about to make his way out, something peculiar in the corner of his eye caught his attention. He stopped and turned, spotting Lucia lying on her side, head rested atop one of the throw pillows, eyes screwed shut and mouth parted open slightly to release tiny snores and exhales.

When did she fall asleep? For how long? Niles did a brief glance towards the antique clock on the wall. Huh, it hadn’t even been fifteen minutes yet.

The corners of his lips curved up into a small grin. Rather or not it was specifically his playing that put her to sleep, he was just glad to see his sister finally getting the rest she needed. His first thought was to leave now to avoid accidentally disrupting her slumber, but something held him back for a minute. The brotherly urge to care her was hard to fight and could not be ignored. Lucia deserved a proper recharge, something more cozy.

With a quiet sigh, the boy went over to grab the crocheted blanket, and ever so carefully draped it over Lucia’s figure, sheltering her from her shoulders down to her socked feet. She was absolutely going to tease him about this later, he was well-aware. But it would be worth it as long as she was content and at peace. Her body moved, and at first Niles winced, thinking he had woken her up, but was relieved to see she simply shifted to a more comfortable position, hand instinctively holding the edge of the blanket to hold it closer to her face. For a moment he swore he saw a smile on her face. But maybe that was just hopeful imagination.

Turning off the lamp, Niles then left the room, shutting the door behind him, only leaving it open by a crack merely to avoid making any noise. With a sealed grin, he strolled to the kitchen to fetch himself the snack he’d been craving.

From then on, Niles would put his talent to good use. His music would be the medicine Lucia had been needing for years.

#pls read this I need validation #gnomeo and juliet #my ocs #ocs #original characters #niles bluebury #lucia bluebury #bluebury triplets #gnomeo and juliet ocs #gnomeo and juliet au #human au #one shot #wholesome #sibling fluff #lady luxo writes

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