houseofcards_rp | [ota] rocking out

She's not quite bored, Sandy's more or less dealing with the fact she has time on her hands for the first time since... well, Glittergate. And she doesn't plan on a nightmare situation like Glittergate again. She simply cannot afford buying gifts to be diplomatic. So she might have been wandering.

Wandering is not being bored. And she looks interested when she peeks her head in, watching Johnny for a moment. Now it's the time to decide if she should be rude and listen unabashedly or listen behind the door with a trace of shame.

She's thinking about it. It might take her a few moments.

Eventually, if she doesn't make herself known by the end of the song, he'll turn to see her, give a little nod with a smile and when he finally finishes with a flourish he'll address her.

"Hi."

She... completely did not make herself known. Because by the time she made up her mind to be polite and listen outside the room, she liked the music far too much. She looks ashamed for a moment until he smiles and she returns it with one of her own. "Good afternoon. That was.... amazing. I had no idea Guns n' Roses could be played by violin and make it sound... good."

He laughs. And if she said she was ashamed, he'd tell her that was silly.

"Thanks. You might be surprised to see what I can do with this," he waves the violin a little. "But I've had a lot of practice."

It was silly, notably when her shame lasted for a few minutes if she didn't clearly offend someone.

She walks fully in the room, hands behind her back, "I probably could be. I'm a causal fan of instrumental music. How long have you been playing?"

"Bout as long as I can remember," probably longer than that, really, but you know. He doesn't feel like getting into that conversation.

Edited 2012-06-17 19:28 (UTC)

"Stop stealing my answers." She grins, "I'll say the same thing about drawing." Sandy doesn't remember drawing on walls when she was younger, no more than two, but apparently it happened according to stories. Then she offers her hand, "I've seen you around, but I've never slowed down enough to say hello. I'm Sandy."

"You too, huh?" He grins and shakes her hand. "Johnny. It's nice to meet you, Sandy."

Hey, they were both guilty of not slowing down for each other, right?

"Me too. I have to follow and trust the horrible stories of childhood given to me by my parents." A bright smile, "Good to meet you. So, I've seen you around a lot but never quite got what you did besides play lovely music."

But now they can make up for that mistake.

"They really so horrible?" Might be nice.

Then again, all he's got are flashes he wakes up in the middle of the night trying desperately to hold on to, even though they leave him feeling lost. So what does he know?

"Mostly," he says, rubbing the back of his neck with a sheepish grin, "I play lovely music. I'm sort of the Hearts Musician. I used to tell Ceiro I should follow him around and play his theme music."

"Well... not as horrible as I used to think of them." What she wouldn't do for her mother to tell stories once more.

Because knowing that someone watched and cared isn't a horrible feeling at all. If she only knew what Johnny didn't.

"Nothing wrong with that, I'm told to draw pretty pictures for the most part." There's a head tilt as she becomes more interested, "He's got a theme song? His very own theme song and he won't let you play it?"

He's not sure if he wants to ask why there's a 'used to think of them' in there so he kind of...just skates on past that and nods instead about Ceiro.

"Oh yeah. I mean, I wrote it one night. And I might have been drunk at the time. But it was awesome. And he totally helped."

"I think everyone does their best work drunk. But not too drunk. There is such a fine line between those two states. So you wrote the music and he composed the lyrics, then?"

He held his hand out, palm parallel to the floor and wavered it a little, "more or less. Some of the words were mine. I'll play it for you sometime."

"Can sometime be now?" She can be patient, she truly can. But she'd love to hear something composed for his Majesty. She thinks it might be light, warm, and gentle jovial tone.

"If....you want to?"

He shrugs, considering. "Not sure I remember all the words..." But he can hum to himself a moment before starting into the music itself.

"I would but... if you ever don't want to, it's okay." She gives him an assuring smile, "Sometimes this stuff can't be called on whim."

If music is anything like art, it can be so hard to quietly lure it out to do your bidding.

But once he begins to play, she gently begins to clap along with him, trying to hum to the beat. The music is just as lovely as it was for the cover, if not better.

He's smiling as he plays.

Sometimes stuff can't be called on a whim but you know...sometimes it can.

And he'll give a bow with a flourish when he finishes.

She claps enthusiastically and makes a silent mark on her leger. Another person owned for a gift, she likes returning favors some way or some how. "Did you go to Juillard?" Whoops, not considering the fact Johnny might be Deckborn, "Or did you have a tutor while growing up?"

Since he's now busy putting his violin away, it makes it difficult for her to see the expression on his face. Which is a good thing.

"Juilliard is like college, right?" That'd be a no. "And no, can't say I did."

Ceiro didn't mind that Johnny failed to notice him. It was, he thought, better that way. He could listen to the music in a way that was completely unguarded.

It was only after he finished that Ceiro raised his hands and clapped softly.

"You've not lost a thing, I see."

Johnny blinked, a little surprised, and then when he realized who it was, he offered up a smile and a performer's bow. "Were you worried I would?"

Too distracted by the lovely, delightful ladies of Brazil, perhaps.

"There is something about Brazil that does not lead me to believe you were practicing your art form all that much."

What? He knows you Johnny. You and your taste for ladies.

That prompts a laugh, "what? Some guys walk around parks with puppies. I play romantic music."

And besides, Ceiro, you'd have been right there alongside him, you know. Except for the whole being-married thing. And probably the being-King thing.

"Oh yes, yes...You and your fiddle make for quite the show, if I recall."

Yes, he would have been- had he not been married and not been King. Honestly, he misses that sort of freedom.

"If you'd like an encore sometime, I'd be happy to provide it."

And that can be followed up with an arm around the shoulder and a sidelong hug. Because what else are friends for?

"How as Brazil?" He hadn't had a chance to really talk to Johnny yet, after all. And he wanted to know. as much as he could about Johnny's most recent adventures.

"I want to hear all about it."

"All the details, Ceiro?"

Well, probably not all the details.

"And we should probably do this over something to eat, right?"

Ceiro was looking a little peaky.

"Eat, drink. Whatever it is you will." He said with a warm smile, moving toward the door.

"But yes, everything. It has been too long since I've have a chance to venture outside."

"Eat, drink, be merry, that's the idea."

But he'll gladly follow the other man down for a bite, relating stories of Brazil as they go.

Sophie's finished her next to last stop on her interlibrary loan run, poked her head into Jordan's office to say hi and on her way out when instead she's lured by the sounds of a fiddle playing off in the distance. She follows her ear, at last finding the out of the way room.

Johnny. Of course. A huge smile lights her face as Sophie settles against the door jamb to listen. Where on earth did he learn to play like with such, well, passion? It makes her own attempts seem like mere plinkings of the keys. Johny's is magical.

She says not a word, not wishing to disturb him, until the last notes hang in the air.

"That was amazing. I've never heard anyone play like you before."

"That's 'cause I'm pretty sure nobody does," he laughs a little. He never claimed not to have an ego, after all. Not where his talent was concerned.

"Hi, Sophie, what brings you out this way?"

"Humble, too!" But she laughs. Much better than false modesty which always seems geared to elicit protests and reassurances.

She hesitates a moment before walking fully into the room. "I'm making my library runs," she tells him, patting her leather messenger bag. "I started them up...oh...this fall." She ducks her head a bit. "The castle libraries often share holdings but, honestly, it's an excuse to force myself to be sociable.

"I'm afraid I didn't recognize what you were playing. My Outside music knowledge is spotty. Do you know Apocalypitica (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JjQGt7WjK0&feature=related)?"

"Ah, I see. Nothing wrong with being sociable."

And then he rather stared at her, "you don't know Guns 'n Roses?" Sigh. "Sometimes I really wonder about this place." And yet she's heard of Apocalypta, "but yeah, I've heard of them. Cellos, right?"

"Trust me, sociability is far easier when you're naturally outgoing." There's the entire mystery of knowing what to say to someone that extroverts never wonder about. She smiles to herself. Perhaps they become stymied by the thought of sitting quietly, not talking. Probably not, but amusing just the same.

"That's right. Cellos. Horrible, isn't it? Most Deck babies get trained in all sorts of classical--ad nauseum I might add--but only the lucky ever learn anything else. My knowledge is spotty--everything from blues to country to folk to rock to big band--but it's all music I heard from Outsiders." She dimples. "My bo--um, friend--had us performing Queen at the Diamond's Festival. I'd never heard of the group before that."

That's because he's usually already spoken before he's really thought about what he's going to say. Which might be both a blessing and a curse since it has landed him in hot water more than once.

"Ahh, I see." He shakes his head, tsking, as he goes about putting his violin back in it's case, "someone really ought to do something about that. You ever go to Youtube?"

"Sometimes? I went to Youtube first when I started my folk music project and I check out artists I hear about. I'm hopeless, I know."

What would he say if she confessed there had been a time when she'd hated music and all its reminders of what a failure she was? She can see now how silly that was. It's like hating books because you'd only ever read them for lessons.

"I...I'm considering making my next challenge with the piano." The hated Rachmaninoff has the difficulty and will be a good test of herself.

"Oh yeah? Something classical, then?"

To follow the theme.

Though if she did something rock-inspired on the piano, he'd say more power to her.

"Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 3. It was my nemesis growing up. My knuckles hurt just to think of it. It needs to be a difficult piece. I'd far rather play Gershwin's Rhapsody. You might say this a challenge for me as well as my opponent."

She's exorcising demons, Johnny, but willing to listen to suggestions. Just thinking about Rachmaninoff makes her want to wear her celery face.

"I see." That has him thoughtful. "I'd say I'd over to help? But I'm not sure how much I'd be...piano and I aren't a thing." Even if piano also involved strings. "Could probably accompany you sometime though while you practiced, if you wanted."

Sophie stares at him, slowly turning red. "Oh, no! No. I didn't mean--oh, goodness. That wasn't a hint." She covers her warm cheeks with her hands. "How embarrassing. I--if you wanted to hear me play, that would be fine." She'll need to grow accustomed to spectators if she's to succeed in her challenge. "I'm afraid I'm nowhere near your level of skill."

He smiles slightly, "I can offer to help without getting a hint, can't I?" Pause. "But if you'd have me, I'd be glad to hear you play."

Johnny makes a pretty comfortable, non-judgemental audience, at least. He appreciates anyone's effort with music.

She laughs. "Fair enough. I'd love to have a musician's input. The piece is something of a personal challenge. You have no idea how many mornings ~~afternoons and evenings~~ I spent trying to master it for my tutors. I came to loathe playing--gave away the grand as soon as I reached my majority--gave up music altogether." The thought saddens her.

"It took several years before I realized I could enjoy music without having to be...perfect. I have a small upright stuffed into a spare room at my place. I like to think we're friends."

That probably sounds odd. She steals a glance at Johnny. Well, perhaps it doesn't sound so strange to a man who can play a violin--fiddle? Which does he call it?--the way he can.

No, it doesn't sound strange to him at all. In fact, he doesn't even give it a second thought.

"I'd be glad to hear you and your friend play sometime."

Grin.

"Deal. My friend's easy to get along with. I'm sure she'll like you."

[ota] rocking out

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Mun isn't that clever, just pretend it's awesome

I will.

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