(PRP) Music of the night (Carter & Ryou)

[prolixity]

Carter preferred to ramble. The towns held little attraction for him; though he had finally come to nest in a wing of his grandmother's manor, he was by nature more of a loner. The quiet and solitude of the woods attracted him, and he often spent days or weeks out on his own, wandering. Not lost, particularly, though he sometimes wasn't sure where he was. If he needed to find his way, he could find the points of the compass by the sun or the stars. Eventually he would get where he was going.

Today he padded through a chill afternoon, listening to the crunch of dried leaves beneath his feet. Autumn was a difficult time in which to be stealthy. It was a good thing, he thought, that he wasn't trying to be silent.  

[Noir Songbird]

Ryou had settled himself under a tree, glad for the colors of the foliage and the sounds of autumn all around him. He had retreated from the noise and bustle of his large (and, to his eyes, always growing) family in order to have a bit of quiet in which to compose. (Well, as quiet as it got outdoors.) He was glad for the gifts of his mortal family and his godmother-the colors and sounds around him blended into perfect inspiration for a short sonata. His pen brushed lightly against paper, notes falling into measures into a true piece.

He vaguely registered the crackle of leaves, which in his mind did not translate to a person, but to a quick trail of sixteenth notes. Oh yes, he was in "full composing mode."  

[prolixity]

Carter's ear twitched as he caught a soft sound, almost drowned out by the crackle of his own feet in the leaves. He paused, tilting his head to listen; his headwings angled slightly, lowering to help direct any sound into his sensitive ears. Yes - the soft scratching of a pen on paper. Someone was here. And busy, from the sound of it.

When Carter moved again, his footsteps were softer, though still audible; pianissimo, a musically inclined listener might say. He was tracking now, curious. Somebody writing meant that another kat was here; perhaps he could get a peek at what the stranger was composing. He saw a tail first, flicking with metronome steadiness - a pink and black tail, though the shade was brighter than his own rose color. He padded quietly up behind the tree, peering around the trunk, and found to his surprise that the other was also male, and, by his scent, a Good-type.

The paper the other male wrote on was lined with blank staves, and rather than letters forming words, the stranger was writing music. Carter's ears twitched again with interest. He had had a little musical training, enough to play an arpeggio or two on the terribly out-of-tune piano in the manor, but this piece was beyond his ability to read. Still, he leaned against the tree trunk, watching silently and curiously as the other composed.

Songstress Kitsune

((Sorry it took me forever to reply!))

 

[Noir Songbird]

Ryou took a brief break from marking down notes to quietly hum what he had so far, trying to determine the appropriate finish to the piece. He was only peripherally aware that he was observed; as the other Fae was not attempting to break his concentration, his or her presence was filed under "matters to attend to later." His tail flicked out-of-pattern once, twice, and then he settled on an ending, a descending scale with a decrescendo. He marked it down on the page, then capped off the pen and set it aside, allowing the composition to rest out and the ink to dry.

Only then, with his work finished, did he look up and fully register that he wasn't alone. He turned slightly, wearing a polite smile.

"Is it safe to assume that you mean me no harm?" He asked casually, rather unconcerned. Whomever this was, he ought to have struck while Ryou was absorbed in his work if he intended to, so he was willing to assume he was in no danger.

Prolixity

[[I am such a failure at keeping up with things DX]]

 

[prolixity]

"Safe enough," Carter said, and tilted an ear at the other male. "What would you have done if I had? You were quite absorbed." Curiosity, mostly. Perhaps the smaller kat had simply chosen not to view him as a threat - which had been correct, but it seemed risky to assume. "I heard you writing and wished to see what."  

[Noir Songbird]

Ryou shrugged. "If you had, I'd not have noticed you until you attacked me." He confessed. "I can be...rather absorbed when I am working." He glanced over and determined that the ink was dry enough that he could roll the paper without risking smudging, so he carefully did so, tucking the sheet music into his bag as he stood up. "But where are my manners? I am Ryou Hitoroshi." He extended a hand politely, managing to play fairly calm even though the other male's strange appearance unnerved him a bit.  

[prolixity]

"The sign of a true artist," Carter chuckled. He took the other male's hand and shook it firmly, making sure to keep his tentacles to himself - it often seemed to unnerve neutral and good kats when the tentacles followed his hand curiously. The things sometimes had a mind of their own, but with proper attention, he could keep them from being friendly. "Carter Sultana," he introduced himself.

He tilted an ear curiously. "Do you play as well, or do you simply write for others? I confess that the piece you were working on is somewhat out of my ability to sight-read. I enjoy music, but I'm rather an amateur."

Sonstress Kitsune

[<3]

 

[Noir Songbird]

"You flatter me," Ryou chuckled. He decided that anyone with such a firm handshake couldn't be all bad, even considering those odd tentacles and the other male's general Baddie sort of look. Besides, he seemed to have at least a cursory interest in Ryou's composing, always plus points in his book. "I am glad to meet you, Carter."

"I play a bit," Ryou shrugged. "I imagine I'd be a poor composer if I couldn't play at least some of what I write. But mostly I write for my family; all of us are quite musical."

Prolixity

[[^^;; <3]]

 

[prolixity]

"Likewise," Carter said, smiling. "A good afternoon for music and meetings."

"My family is not terribly musical, I am afraid," he said. "Our voices tend more to screeching than singing, and nobody has tuned the manor's piano in quite some time. I wouldn't mind learning to play more skillfully, though." He chuckled. "I don't suppose you give lessons?"

Songstress Kitsune

 

[Noir Songbird]

Ryou nodded. It was indeed. He'd managed to complete a composition and meet someone far more interesting than the sorts that usually ran into his family.

He let out a quiet chuckle at Carter's description of his family. So different from his own. An instrument couldn't sit untouched for five minutes back home, and there was usually someone humming or singing. He looked a bit surprised at the suggestion of music lessons, however.

"Well, I've never taught before, but I would be happy to," he said. Teaching something he loved? Oh yes, that he could do.

Prolixity

 

[prolixity]

Carter smiled, pleased. "Our piano isn't tuned, I'm afraid," he said. "Do you know of any places in town where we might be able to find a place for lessons and practice?" He wasn't about to invite Ryou back to the manor; this meeting was going rather well and he liked the other male, and the sight of the ominous hulk of the Sultana family home or some of its more frightening inhabitants might end the acquaintance rather abruptly at this point.

"As it's my request, I'll take care of any fees, of course," he added.

Songstress Kitsune

 

[Noir Songbird]

Ryou nodded. "That...would be an obstacle. Tuning a piano is a process." He coughed. "One I am admittedly not familiar with. Hm..." He was about to suggest his home, but welcoming as his family usually was, he wasn't sure if they would be able to overlook the...odder traits the other male possessed. Then, it came to him.

"There is a small music store in the town at the edge of the forest. They have practice rooms. I could teach you there." He nodded, deciding that was a good plan. His family frequented the shop, so he would almost certainly be recognized, but it wasn't as if he would be ashamed for gossip about their visit to float back to his family.

Prolixity

 

[prolixity]

"That seems an excellent plan," Carter agreed. He might not inform his family of his plans just yet; they were used to his habit of spending his days out of the house, and he didn't feel quite like explaining music lessons. If things went well, though, he might have to see about hiring a piano tuner at some point. But that was getting ahead of himself. "Shall we set a day and time to meet for the lesson?"

Songstress Kitsune

at long last biggrin ;;

 

[Noir Songbird]

Ryou nodded. He was rather proud of himself for thinking of it. "Certainly. When is convenient for you?" He asked. "I'm free most days." Understatement. He was free every day, and it was fairly easy to slip out of the bustling hive of activity that was home.

Prolixity

One day I'll fail less at tagging, I swear.