salut d'amour by edward elgar.

you were a violinist, and he was your cellist.

you two are competing for 1st place at the regional strings competition in paris. just yesterday, you two were settling into your hotel room. now, you guys are on stage, about to finish your piece.

with a final decrescending glissando, your performance was done. the audience applauded their loudest applause yet. you were sweating badly. your violin's fingerboard was drenched. you glanced at fyodor, who was completely unbothered and elegant, despite playing so dramatically.

when you two exited the stage, he scoffed at you.

"you missed the piano dynamic. you made that whole piece anti-climatic."