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softly as the morning sunrise

Summary:

Noel doesn't like Cody at first. Then, he does. A lot.

Cue angsty, gay inner monologue.

Notes:

I'm a music ed major and I wanted my boys to be college musicians so here you go

also I know - I havent even finished my other fic and I've started on another one??? what fucking piece of work. I really did lose inspiration for "these walls" guys so hopefully this can fill your tmg needs until I fucking get over my writer's block

(See the end of the work for more notes.)

Chapter 1: blue rondo á la turk

Chapter Text

Noel doesn't like Cody right away. 

In fact, he annoys the hell out of him. During concert band rehearsals, when the director's giving instruction to the brass section and Cody is clowning around in the back of the band room with the other percussionists, Noel just wants to chuck his whole saxophone at him. During jazz ensemble, when he doesn't give any heed to the other members as they tune and he just plays nonsensical rhythms on the drumset, he wants to scream. 

No, he doesn't like Cody at all. He thinks he's annoying as hell, talks too damn much, and showboats like a typical percussionist.  He's the new kid, transferred from some school in Canada or something. Everyone knows each other here, so he's probably just trying to make a name for himself, so Noel kind of gets it. But that doesn't make it any less fucking annoying. 

So how he ends up in an ensemble with this fool, he doesn't know. 


During the third week of school, Dr. Curtis assigns the music department their ensembles for department recitals. They've got until midterms to perfect it, where they'll perform in front of the entire department for a grade. Noel ends up with himself playing alto sax, Devon on keys, and Cody on percussion. Dr. Curtis leaves it up to them to decide what piece they want to play.

He finds out that Cody is nearly as insufferable in an ensemble of three people as he is in a group of thirty.  Their rehearsals are in the morning, before classes start (that's the only time the damn band room is empty), and Noel is already irritated that he has to roll out of bed at 7AM and drive across campus to the performing arts building. He's so tired that, on the first day of rehearsal, he leaves his instrument in his dormroom, and has to go back and get it. He does not like the morning, and the morning does not like him.

Cody, the weirdo, is smiling cheerfully, sticks in hand, when Noel arrives to the band room. 

"Morning!" he chirps, and Noel wants to roll his eyes, but from sheer willpower he doesn't.  

"Morning," he mumbles instead, wincing at how rough his voice is. Devon is already seated at the piano, and from the looks of how he's slumped over and staring blearily at the keys, he's exhausted too. 

Noel begins the slow process of unpacking and assembling and tuning his sax, all the while Cody fiddles with his drumset setup, rearranging and moving the drums and throne before he deems it satisfactory. 

"It's between Take Five and Blue Rondo à la Turk," Noel announces, passing out the sheet music he'd printed out the night before. "Can't decide. Up to you, Cody." 

"Why me?" Cody asks, with this confused puppy dog look that gives Noel a weird feeling. 

"One's in 5/4 and the other's in 9/8. Devon and I have played them both before. We got the easy parts. "

"Oh." 

"I vote Blue Rondo," Devon grumbles from the piano, "Take Five might put me to sleep." 

Noel sympathizes greatly.  Take Five's piano part is more like background noise than a melodic line. 

"Okay. I wouldn't mind that." Cody taps experimentally on the bass drum pedal. He's still beaming. 

Weird ass dude. At least he's got moxie. 

"How fast we taking this?" Cody pats his sticks on his thighs at a moderate tempo. "'Bout here?" 

"Yeah, sure." Looping his neck strap around his neck, he repeats Cody's tempo by snapping his fingers. "Okay. One-two-three one-two-three one-two-three..." 


After about forty minutes of rehearsal, Noel decides to call it a day and the trio begins to pack up their belongings. 

"I don't think there's much we need to rehearse," Noel says honestly,  latching his case shut. His mind is still fuzzy with drowsiness, and he can't wait to climb back into bed and sleep until his afternoon classes. "Sounded fine to me." 

"Agreed," Devon says. He's sliding his sheet music into a beat-up folder. "Dude, I can count on both hands how many times I've played this shit." 

Cody shrugs. He looks a little pensive, which means there's probably a question coming, and goddammit Noel just wants to sleep. "I mean, yeah, it's really easy. But. . ." 

Noel groans inwardly. "But what?" 

"I feel like we could play something more. . .challenging." He reaches over to turn the snare off on his snare drum. "All I'm doing is playing the cymbal for ninety-percent of the song, you only get the melody for like two seconds, and Devon sounds like he's tired of playing it." 

Noel feels annoyance curling in his stomach. "I get that. But recitals are in two months, and who knows how often we'll get to meet up. We need something quick." 

"Yeah, but then it's not fun, you know?" 

From the piano bench, Devon coughs, looking apologetic. "Yeah. . .this piece gives me fuckin' nightmares." 

Noel throws his hands up, tired and agitated. "Fine. Fine. If you find another song, we'll do it." 

Cody smiles brightly at that, and Noel wants to punch him. 


Noel wakes up abruptly to the sound of his phone buzzing on his dresser. Spock, who had apparently been sleeping peacefully in his bed across the room, grumbles something that sounds like "oh my God, shut up." 

Noel resists the urge to chuck his pillow at him and mutters an apology instead.

What the hell, he thinks, grappling for the device. He squints at the screen. There's a missed call from Cody, followed by a text.

Cody (4:06 AM): found one: https://youtu.be/Tm-o8GIMtHQ

Of course. 

Noel (4:08 AM): more dave brubeck? really? 

Cody (4:09 AM): I like the drummer 

Noel (4:10 AM): fair enough. I'll listen to it when i get up. Go the fuck to sleep man

Cody (4:12 AM): practice in two hours. :P 

Noel (4:13 AM): practice? 

Cody (4:14 AM): diving 

Noel can't help but scoff a little at that. 

Noel (4:15 AM): no wonder you're so happy in the morning you spend most of it in a fuckin pool 

Cody (4:15 AM): yep :) 

Noel decides not to respond after that, feeling his eyelids get heavy. He slides back into a deep sleep easily - dreaming of homework he forgot to do, jazz, and Cody, dripping wet and stepping out of a pool.