Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

"Ah! Genji, you're here" Kiriko said brightly as she opened the door to her friend Genji.

"Hi, Kiriko. Practicing on your trumpet as always?" Genji returned the greeting before asking.

"Well, not really, But I've got other cool stuff after my mom came over to visit" The green-haired girl replied as she pulled out a photo album with crayon illustrations on the front.

"Ooh, what's that?" Genji asked, intrigued by the childishly drawn pictures by his friend.

"A progress album my mom made me, it even has a QR code on the first page for the videos too" Kiriko explained as she showed the album, with 'Kiriko and Trumpet' written in crayon along with a doodle of the girl.

"Wanna look at the photos first? Or maybe you wanna watch the clips?" Kiriko asked, as if presenting him a choice.

"Videos, nice art by the way" Genji replied before slipping a compliment.

"Okay, just scan away and choose one" Kiriko piped as she showed the code.

"I'll start with this one" Genji said as he scrolled over to one titled 'Kiriko makes her first sound'

"Ohno! Anything but that one!" Kiriko screamed hysterically as Genji clicked play. Kiriko's face turning into a tomato as she covered her ears.

*Cut to video*

"Hewwo, My name's Kiwiko, And today I'm going to pway the twumpet" 2.9 year old Kiriko said to the camera; Back then, she didn't have much control over her speech organs, so she couldn't say 'L' or 'R' properly yet.

*Cut to Genji*

"Isn't the trumpet a little big on you back then?" Genji asked as he paused the video; Kiriko coming over to look.

"Ohmigosh, my bamboo grass stalk pigtails" Kiriko cringed as she shielded her eyes for a moment.

"It's actually the same one I have now. So naturally, it was quite big on me in my early years -- not 'quite', very big on me" Kiriko explained as she averted eyes from her younger self.

"Woah, that's some story you have there, how did you practice when it was both too big and too heavy?" Genji said in awe, before asking another question.

"I rested the bell on the sofa's armrest at home; it was just the right height for me" She explained with a wink.

"Let's continue watching the video" Genji said before resuming the clip.

*Cut back to video*

Young Kiriko awkwardly rested the bell of the instrument on the sofa's armrest, an arm - presumably her mother's - was helping the toddler set up while the father was filming.

"Alright, Kiriko. Ready?" A female voice said off-camera as Kiriko nodded eagerly. Back then, she wasn't taking formal lessons yet - she started at 3 and a half - and wasn't holding the instrument correctly: one hand on the pipes, the other gripping the lead pipe.

Kiriko blew a fairly strong breath into the instrument, making quite a solid sound for such a pint-sized performer.

*Cut back to Kiriko*

"Yeowch, my cheeks hurt just from watching me play" Kiriko commented as she flinched slightly at her younger self's puffy cheeks when she played.

*Cut back to video*

"Yay! You made a sound!" many voices cheered as Kiriko smiled widely and made sound after sound to consolidate the basics. The camera cuts off right after.

*Cut back to Genji and Kiriko*

"That's quite a beginning for you. How did you have such strong breath back then?" Genji said as he clapped.

"I actually got a trumpet when I was 2 and a half - I liked it a lot so my parents got one for me." Kiriko said coolly as she turned another page of the album.

"How did you practice?"

"Well, my mom had me practice blowing on the mouthpiece for a few months earlier; Then, she had me try to spin a pinwheel too. So that's why I got quite the steel lung." Kiriko explained.

"How about another video?" Genji asked as he picked another video; this one titled 'Kiriko's first concert' when she was 4.

"Sure, just don't judge too much" Kiriko said, stifling laughter.

"Woah, fluffy dress and that signature ponytail" Genji commented.

"Yup, just 4-year-old me's fashion sense. Like those fox shoes and headband though." Kiriko added.

*Cut to video*

"Up next to perform is Kiriko Yamagami. She will be playing 'Hot cross buns' on the trumpet" An announcer off-camera said as Kiriko walked onstage with her instrument and took a bow. Her mom came onstage to help Kiriko insert the mouthpiece and support the instrument.

*Cut to Genji*

"I didn't know that your mom could go onstage with you too" Genji asked, perplexed.

"It's a children's concert by my school, so parents can give their children a helping hand" Kiriko answered happily.

"You looked pretty tall back then" Genji commented, completely ignoring his friend's 'No judgement' rule once more.

"Really? I wasn't even a metre tall back then" Kiriko jested, thinking that her friend was joking.

"Come on, let's continue watching" Genji said as he clicked 'Play'.

"Nice sound, little me" Kiriko added as she watched her younger self play the simple song.

"Why don't you take a bow?!?" She commented in jest as she watched her mother prompt the small girl in the video to take a bow. Genji laughing at the scene.

"Hey! You also didn't take a bow back then. You didn't even take one before playing!" Kiriko roasted back as she turned into a tomato, again.

"Now we're even" Genji declared as he saved the playlist link so he could rewatch it again later.

"Sure, how about we play a duet here and how" Genji suggested.

"Yup! Gimme a bit to warm up" Kiriko replied as she got her instrument out of its case.

"Same old one like old times" Kiriko said tenderly as she set up her instrument, her trumpet seeming to return the sentiment.

"Meanwhile I went through 4 guitars in my highschool years" Genji joked as he tuned up his guitar and chose a pick.

"4 guitars?! Isn't that one too many?" Kiriko asked, shocked.

"I may have smashed one or two out of passion" Genji confessed sheepishly.

"Alright, enough of smashing guitars, I've chosen a very calm song that will NOT result in guitars being smashed." Kiriko said in a laid back voice.

"What's the song?" genji asked.

"'Better place' by Rachel Platten" Kiriko answered as she placed sheet music on a stand in front of them.

"How's sight reading to you?" Kiriko asked, winking.

"I can do some simple chords on the spot." Genji replied as he strummed a chord on his electric guitar.

"So, Starting 1 and a 2 and go!" Kiriko signaled, Genji starting on the chords leading up to the main melody, Kiriko entering right on queue and interlacing many different acoustics for the duration of the song.

"Whoo! That was awesome!" The duo cheered after completing the song. Genji riffing another one for the team.

"Can you riff on the trumpet?" Genji asked, curiously.

"Wanna hear it?" Kiriko said, shaking her instrument and hearing the sloshing of water. "Gimme a moment" She said, Genji cocking his eyebrows in curiosity.

"What's wrong?" Genji asked, brows still in position.

"Just some water in there, nothing a quick puff of air can't fix" Kiriko said in a happens-day-in-day-out tone, winking as she grabs a small towel from the nearby coffee table.

"What do you mean, water?" Genji asked.

"Ya know how human breath has moisture, right? When I play often, that moisture condenses inside the instrument and impedes the sound" Kiriko explained as her friend listened intently.

"Ohmagosh, don't tell me" Genji muttered before his friend cut him off.

"Yup! Like I said, I'm blasting this water out." Kiriko repeated herself before drawing breath and blowing the water out. Then, Kiriko went and soaked the towel in the bathroom before returning quickly.

"There, now it's ready to riff" She proclaimed with a wink. Genji clapping excitedly.

Kiriko proceeded to play a long jazz riff that she playfully dubs 'The rollercoaster riff' because of its rapid ups and downs. She first attempted this riff when she was 6 but didn't master it until a few years ago.

"Cool! I remember you trying to play this back in first grade during band break" Genji said, impressed, as he brought up a memory.

"Yeah, I think mom's snapped a photo of me in band back in elementary" Kiriko said as she flipped the pages to the aforementioned moment.

"You've still got that fox motif on you" Genji commented as he inspected the photo. 6-year-old Kiriko was quite taller than past photos but still keeping the fox shoes and the fuzzy ear headband.

"'Little jazzy fox' was what my family used to call me back then" Kiriko said to explain her affinity for the genus Vulpes.

"Suits you, it's always fox this, fox that. Your case even has a fox sticker on it" Genji affirmed as he observed her belongings.

"Oh right! I have to go see brother now! Catch you later now!" Genji exclaimed as his phone dinged. Having packed up, he left swiftly as Kiriko waved him off

Chapter Text

"Fareeha! I'm here!" Ana bellowed as she waltzed through the door, Pharah and her roommate, Mercy, was practicing her cello passionately. Ana smiling contentedly as she watched from afar.

"Mom?!?!?! Hi!' Pharah exclaimed as she slightly jolted from the surprise; Mercy coming over with her violin.

"Oh, Ana! Hi!" Mercy said in joy as she peeked over the doorframe, Ana smiling even wider upon seeing her friend's mom.

"Have you and Angela been practicing well and not just to impress me? What about sleep -- All good and snuggly?" Ana asked, rapid fire, in a comedic tone.

"Yeah yeah, We've been properly practicing - with the metronome, separated sections, duets and ensembles, and technical exercises - and we are eating and sleeping well" Pharah replied, trying to get her mother off their backs.

"Good good, Now can I see that Canon in D of yours" Ana said as she smirked, Pharah and Mercy slowly exchanging glances as the words sank in -- They hadn't played that in forever.

"Okay!" They said in unison as they grabbed their instruments and tuned up.

Mercy and Pharah quickly played the piece with a few slips here and there, but the duo worked hard to cover it up.

"Hmm, nice. I remember playing it, along with many other songs, for my Fareeha when she was younger like it was yesterday" Ana said reminiscently; Pharah's eyes widening as she realized what was going to happen.

"Mom! No!"

*The scene cuts to an old sepia colored background like an old film*

"Going to mommy's concert! Yay!" Young Fareeha cheered as she walked into the hall with her father, they were both dressed well - Fareeha wearing a fluffy dress and her father, Sam, wearing a suit and tie. Ana was the principal cellist of a certain orchestra.

"Mommy! Hi!" Fareeha waved as she saw her mother, dressed in a smart looking outfit, onstage, right at the front. Ana seemed to return the greeting with a small wave and a wink.

"Fareeha! You're not supposed to wave like that!" Sam scolded his daughter as he sat her down.

"Oh, sorry!"

"They're about to start now" He whispered as the orchestra tuned up and prepared.

"I got some extra cushions at the front, so you can see really well" Sam whispered, winking.

Young Fareeha watched and listened to her mother in awe, both through the happy and exuberant parts, and the slow and sleepy parts, before finally reaching her bedtime, and dozing off in her seat, mid-concert.

"Thank you!" The concertmaster said upon the orchestra finishing the final movement. Sam slowly scooping his daughter up and going backstage to meet Ana.

"Great job out there!" He whispered to his wife, who was busy packing up.

"What about Fareeha?" Ana asked.

"Shh..." He whispered as he turned around to show Pharah slumbering peacefully on his shoulder, gently sucking on her thumb.

"I'll have you carry her; I'll handle the cello" Sam offered as he handed the tiny girl over to his wife.

"Did mommy do a good job tonight?" Ana whispered as she hugged her daughter tightly, the tiny girl seeming to smile upon the touch.

*Cut back to present. Pharah is red with embarrassment*

"Bahahaahahahahahahhahahahhaha" Mercy guffawed as Ana finished the story.

"Not funny! HaHaHahahahAHAHahha" Pharah also giggled as she clutched her stomach.

"I never knew you were so cute when you were younger" Mercy said as Pharah quickly gave her an elbow.

"Well, someone I know held their violin bow wrong for half a year" Pharah retorted as Mercy blushed.

"Matter if fact, I have some photos of you two when you were younger" Ana said happily as she pulled out an album from nowhere; Mercy and Pharah had gone to the same schools when they were younger, and Ana would babysit Angela on nights when the girl's parents were busy -- almost becoming like a second mother to the swiss girl.

"Okay, we'll look at it together -- it contains both of our photos after all" The two said in unison.

"This one was of Fareeha when she just started out" Ana said lovingly, turning to the said page, showing a photo of young Fareeha with a tiny cello and a bow, smiling widely with all her teeth in view.

"I was around 4 back then. Pretty early" Pharah said as she looked up.

"I also started at 4 years old" Mercy said as she opened another album with her photos from her earlier days.

"This is me at my first recital" She said, pointing to a photo of a blonde girl wearing a fluffy dress and holding a violin, smiling ear to ear.

"What song did you play?"

"I just played 'Go tell aunt Rhody'" Mercy said, Pharah nodding upon hearing the name - She'd also played this song when she was younger, as violin and cello had similar paths to mastery.

"I used to love that song!" Pharah commented, smilng.

"Says the person who cried before practicing every single time"

"Okay, okay, I may've had a few squabbles with mom over practice"

"Me too, how about we get lunch out today" Mercy said as she suggested a plan for the day. Ana grabbing the room keys.

"Let's go!"