He'd been somewhat shocked by the declaration that she liked him. He'd had an idea, afterall they'd been talking, and laughing for the most part. But to just declare something like that? His hands found the keys, and started to wander along the ivory. A habit he'd picked up years ago. Something when he was nervous, his mother had called it 'music doodles'. He shifted a bit on the bench. How did you answer something like that? Of course he liked her too, he'd thought that much was obvious, he'd told her she was a friend, right? That's what the song was all about. Sounds started to grow more crisp, he heard boards creak in the walls, the creak of leather in his shoes as his feet fidgeted, both his and Stasis' heartbeats and breathing. A side effect of his powers, which became worse as he became more nervous. He stole a quick look at Stasis, who seem interested in the floor between her feet. The slight blush she showed, and which he knew he was smart enough to never mention, made him feel a bit easier, knowing that she might be having the same conversation in her head as he was. Still, what did he say to break the tension? which was now as palpable as...well, as the ice that Stasis formed around her when in action.
"Does it," she started again after a section of silence. "I mean, is it hard to write songs? Where did you learn?" She managed to get her eyes up to about chest height. "Did you just like, wake up one morning and to yourself... 'self, I'm going to write a song today?'" She wrinkled her nose and dared his chin. "C'mon, you! What's it like to be a world famous pop star, or whatever?"
Jason blinked, and started to chuckle, looked at Stasis, and started to open his mouth to say something and shut it. His brow furrowed, and he started again, his hand coming up to emphasise a point, and he closed him mouth again. Stasis to the rescue again! Leave it to her to find something to break the ice, and something so off the wall as to leave him speechless. He simply gave up and laughed.
He looked at Stasis, who had a confused, bemused look on her face. She crossed her arms, looking at him, waiting for the answer.
"Sorry, you caught me off guard." He smiled his smile, that lit up his face. "I don't think anyone's ever asked me that before. So let me try to answer again." He flushed at his next thought. "This is going to sound so stupid." It struck him after saying that, that he liked the idea. A friend that he could sound stupid around, and not worry about it.
"Ayuh," Stasis looked at him, glad that that awkward moment was past, she smiled "It's never stopped you before."
He chuckled at that and looked away and back. "Okay, you asked for it. I'd love to say it's hard to write songs, but it's not." He caught a brief look of disappointment which Stasis covered quickly. "Now, wait. Writing the song isn't hard. It's finding the inspiration that puts the words to mind and paper that's difficult. The words kind of fly around in my head all the time, but making them form into something that's real? It needs something to kick start it." Jason smiled, and saw that Stasis again found something between her feet terribly interesting. He played a few notes from the new song. "You made this easy, Stasi, and for that, thank you." He realized that his friend was somewhat uncomfortable with all this, and decided to try to relieve some of the pressure.
"Now as for what it's like to be a pop star?" A glint of mischief and merriment lit his eyes. "How'd you like to find out, first hand?"
Broadway Music
Moderator: Student Council
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Stasis Kiss
- Supreme Commander of teh Intarwebs
- Posts: 2403
- Joined: Sun Jan 29, 2006 1:24 pm
- Location: just left of center
- Contact:
"First.. hand?"
She blinked. What did that mean? But the grin on his face was infectious.
"Okay! What do I have to do?" She held up her hands suddenly as something occurred. "Hey. I couldn't write a song if my life depended on it. Not even if yours depended on it. You want something whumped, I'm your girl but this talent stuff..."
He shook his head though and stood up, reaching down to offer a hand. "I've got something better in mind. Come on."
She blinked. What did that mean? But the grin on his face was infectious.
"Okay! What do I have to do?" She held up her hands suddenly as something occurred. "Hey. I couldn't write a song if my life depended on it. Not even if yours depended on it. You want something whumped, I'm your girl but this talent stuff..."
He shook his head though and stood up, reaching down to offer a hand. "I've got something better in mind. Come on."
"So pay attention to me; I don't talk for my health."
"I want you on my team."
"... So does everybody else."
"I want you on my team."
"... So does everybody else."
She looked at his hand, then up at his eyes. His smile never wavered. She felt his smile find its way onto her own face, and reached out, taking his hand. "It's not a trick, right?"
His smile widened, if such a thing were possible. "No tricks. You'll love this."
She rose to her feet as he began to lead her around the piano. "Good," she said. "I'm not good with surprises, and worse with tricks."
Jason laughed softly, almost practicedly. The laugh of a celebrity. "Trust me."
Stasis cocked her head playfully. "Only if you trust me first."
He stopped laughing, but his smile remained. "I don't write songs for just anyone."
She chuckled, but Stasis felt her face flush, unbidden, a subtle, sudden feeling of warmth. She couldn't meet his eyes, so she cast them to the floor, the piano bench, the still-open door.
Jai.
He stood in the doorway. Who knew for how long. She smiled, feeling an immediate sense of deep relief. She'd left a message for him to come along, and he came. Better late than--
--but something was wrong. His face was angry, and something else. He looked just like he had that day when they'd argued about Cowboy. His jaw was set, the one hand she could see was clenched tightly.
"Stasis?" Jason said, still trying to meet her eyes. "What's wrong?"
Jai wasn't looking at her face anymore. She traced his gaze until she was looking down at her hand, wrapped gently in Jason's.
His smile widened, if such a thing were possible. "No tricks. You'll love this."
She rose to her feet as he began to lead her around the piano. "Good," she said. "I'm not good with surprises, and worse with tricks."
Jason laughed softly, almost practicedly. The laugh of a celebrity. "Trust me."
Stasis cocked her head playfully. "Only if you trust me first."
He stopped laughing, but his smile remained. "I don't write songs for just anyone."
She chuckled, but Stasis felt her face flush, unbidden, a subtle, sudden feeling of warmth. She couldn't meet his eyes, so she cast them to the floor, the piano bench, the still-open door.
Jai.
He stood in the doorway. Who knew for how long. She smiled, feeling an immediate sense of deep relief. She'd left a message for him to come along, and he came. Better late than--
--but something was wrong. His face was angry, and something else. He looked just like he had that day when they'd argued about Cowboy. His jaw was set, the one hand she could see was clenched tightly.
"Stasis?" Jason said, still trying to meet her eyes. "What's wrong?"
Jai wasn't looking at her face anymore. She traced his gaze until she was looking down at her hand, wrapped gently in Jason's.
Jump an' wine!
Marcel: The Rikti laid a trap, but Ginga was too foxy for them!
Marcel: The Rikti laid a trap, but Ginga was too foxy for them!
He pulled her to her feet, and led her around the piano, the idea he had in mind buoying his already good mood. He stopped as he spotted Jai in the door, and smiled, this was perfect! he could show them both a good time, and Jai would be there in case Stasis got nervous. Jason was a bit confused by the look in his eyes. Aw crap, looks like someone's getting the wrong impression. He thought quick, and started moving he and Stasis to the door, not wanting to cause any trouble between his two friends. "Jai! Excellent. I'm glad you finally made it, I wouldn't want to do this without you around. I need to make a few quick calls, but this should be a blast." He grinned his crooked grin. "How do you feel about public service announcements?" He pulled Stasis into a small pirohuette, raising her hand over her head, letting go, so she'd finish the movement in front of Jai.
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Stasis Kiss
- Supreme Commander of teh Intarwebs
- Posts: 2403
- Joined: Sun Jan 29, 2006 1:24 pm
- Location: just left of center
- Contact:
The hours upon hours of cheer tryout practice betrayed her, right then and there. She spun easily on one toe, pivoted on the other heel in a graceful, sweeping curve. She ended up facing Ginga without stumbling, without any awkwardness at all. Her hands even started to lift a little as if in preparation for the next move.
She was close enough now to see the heat in his dark eyes, to see her own reflection in them. Too close.
"Allo.. allo, Jai."
She winced a little. Okay, that came out sort of weaker than she'd intended. Her fingers flexed without thinking, stained with lingering warmth. She resisted the urge to snatch them behind her back.
"Tara. I got yuh message." His gaze drifted over her shoulder and she half turned to look with him. Jase was still smiling like nothing was wrong. Maybe, for him, nothing was. "I had a study break, t'ought I'd come down an' see yuh hyuh." His voice was even, calm. "Instead I fin' yuh holdin' hands wit Broadway."
"We weren't... I wasn't." She frowned, feeling a queer pang of panic. "Jai. That's not what's going on." She clamped her teeth down on you've got to believe me.
Ginga shrugged as if he heard it anyway, a liquid rolling of his shoulders. He walked into the room finally, sliding past her. Too smooth. Too fast. It set off warning prickles along the back of her neck.
"Yeh? Yuh gon' tell me wat I am seein', den? Yuh know, in case I'm missin' som'tin?"
"Jai, I'm glad you made it." Jason broke in, fast. "Stasi and me were just talking about some of what I do." The grin was starting to slip at the edges but still there, still warm. "Want to come along for a little fun? I'm afraid she'll bug out if she doesn't have someone to hold on to."
"From de door, she looked plenty happy enough tuh be holdin' yuh hand." Jai moved his, an abortive movement that stretched the cloth across his shoulders. "So, yuh bin writin' songs for my gyul, yeh? Did I hear dat right?"
Jason opened his mouth on that, closed it. His handsome face finally shut down a little as he gave a cautious nod. "Yeah. Yeah, I did. Actually more of a song about being friends." The emphasis on the last word was hard to miss. Jai nodded and moved to the piano. His dark fingers reached out to ruffle the corners of the music.
"Yeh, Tara c'n be real frien'ly." The frisson of bitterness through Ginga's voice was something she hadn't heard before, not like this. "Yuh ain't de first she been frien'ly wit, yuh know. Once upon a time, she was even frien'ly wit me."
Oh. Oh, that hurt. She felt those words like a punch to the heart.
"Jai, stop." She reached out one hand as if to touch his hair from behind, even took one step forward. "You got it wrong, boyo. Jase and me .. I mean. We were just.. talking. You know." Oh, that sounded so bad. How come she could never seem to make him understand that it was never what he seemed to think it was. Belatedly anger started to rise to her defence. "Heyla, don't be like this. It's not a crime to talk to someone you know, not last I checked."
"Yeh?" He looked up at her. She flinched at the tightness on his face. "Yuh used tuh do dat wit me too."
She clenched a fist. "Jai! That's not.. fair." Almost whispered the last word.
Jason held up his hands, looking back and forth as if about to referee. Maybe he was. She'd never seen Jai so furious before. Not even over Cowboy.
"Look. Jai, you can stop right there, my friend. There's nothing going on here. Whatever you think you saw, you got it wrong. Stasi and me were just hanging out." She nodded in agreement, as if that was going to do any good. "If you don't want to come along, you just have to say so. I just thought it would be fun to get out of here for a little while."
"Aftuh singin' a love song tuh my gyul? Tellin' her tuh trust yuh? Oh yeh. Yuh my frien' all right."
Jason's eyes darkened and he took a deep breath, obviously trying to control a flare of his own temper. With effort his face smoothed out. "Okay. Look. I don't need this, I really don't. You're not listening, you're not going to believe me and you two obviously need to talk so I'm out of here. Stasi, you know where to find me later."
The musician reached over as if to grab the loose sheet music still on the piano.
Jai's fingers spreading over the white pages prevented it. "Neh. Why don' yuh leave it. I be int'rested ta read ovuh yuh friendly little song."
She was close enough now to see the heat in his dark eyes, to see her own reflection in them. Too close.
"Allo.. allo, Jai."
She winced a little. Okay, that came out sort of weaker than she'd intended. Her fingers flexed without thinking, stained with lingering warmth. She resisted the urge to snatch them behind her back.
"Tara. I got yuh message." His gaze drifted over her shoulder and she half turned to look with him. Jase was still smiling like nothing was wrong. Maybe, for him, nothing was. "I had a study break, t'ought I'd come down an' see yuh hyuh." His voice was even, calm. "Instead I fin' yuh holdin' hands wit Broadway."
"We weren't... I wasn't." She frowned, feeling a queer pang of panic. "Jai. That's not what's going on." She clamped her teeth down on you've got to believe me.
Ginga shrugged as if he heard it anyway, a liquid rolling of his shoulders. He walked into the room finally, sliding past her. Too smooth. Too fast. It set off warning prickles along the back of her neck.
"Yeh? Yuh gon' tell me wat I am seein', den? Yuh know, in case I'm missin' som'tin?"
"Jai, I'm glad you made it." Jason broke in, fast. "Stasi and me were just talking about some of what I do." The grin was starting to slip at the edges but still there, still warm. "Want to come along for a little fun? I'm afraid she'll bug out if she doesn't have someone to hold on to."
"From de door, she looked plenty happy enough tuh be holdin' yuh hand." Jai moved his, an abortive movement that stretched the cloth across his shoulders. "So, yuh bin writin' songs for my gyul, yeh? Did I hear dat right?"
Jason opened his mouth on that, closed it. His handsome face finally shut down a little as he gave a cautious nod. "Yeah. Yeah, I did. Actually more of a song about being friends." The emphasis on the last word was hard to miss. Jai nodded and moved to the piano. His dark fingers reached out to ruffle the corners of the music.
"Yeh, Tara c'n be real frien'ly." The frisson of bitterness through Ginga's voice was something she hadn't heard before, not like this. "Yuh ain't de first she been frien'ly wit, yuh know. Once upon a time, she was even frien'ly wit me."
Oh. Oh, that hurt. She felt those words like a punch to the heart.
"Jai, stop." She reached out one hand as if to touch his hair from behind, even took one step forward. "You got it wrong, boyo. Jase and me .. I mean. We were just.. talking. You know." Oh, that sounded so bad. How come she could never seem to make him understand that it was never what he seemed to think it was. Belatedly anger started to rise to her defence. "Heyla, don't be like this. It's not a crime to talk to someone you know, not last I checked."
"Yeh?" He looked up at her. She flinched at the tightness on his face. "Yuh used tuh do dat wit me too."
She clenched a fist. "Jai! That's not.. fair." Almost whispered the last word.
Jason held up his hands, looking back and forth as if about to referee. Maybe he was. She'd never seen Jai so furious before. Not even over Cowboy.
"Look. Jai, you can stop right there, my friend. There's nothing going on here. Whatever you think you saw, you got it wrong. Stasi and me were just hanging out." She nodded in agreement, as if that was going to do any good. "If you don't want to come along, you just have to say so. I just thought it would be fun to get out of here for a little while."
"Aftuh singin' a love song tuh my gyul? Tellin' her tuh trust yuh? Oh yeh. Yuh my frien' all right."
Jason's eyes darkened and he took a deep breath, obviously trying to control a flare of his own temper. With effort his face smoothed out. "Okay. Look. I don't need this, I really don't. You're not listening, you're not going to believe me and you two obviously need to talk so I'm out of here. Stasi, you know where to find me later."
The musician reached over as if to grab the loose sheet music still on the piano.
Jai's fingers spreading over the white pages prevented it. "Neh. Why don' yuh leave it. I be int'rested ta read ovuh yuh friendly little song."
"So pay attention to me; I don't talk for my health."
"I want you on my team."
"... So does everybody else."
"I want you on my team."
"... So does everybody else."
Jason looked down at the hand on the music, his music. Stasis noticed the pause, the slight clenching of the jaw, and the steadying breaths that he took.
He turned to Jai, with a sardonic smile. "Since I'm obviously not going to leave it here, Ill do one better." Ignoring the fact that Jai kept his hand on the pages, which Jason really didn't need to look at anyway, Jason started to play the melody again, and sang the song he'd written. He finished and looked back up at Jai, "Jai, if that were a love song, that'd be the strangest love song ever written. It doesn't mention love, or being in love even once." He reached into his music book and pulled out another piece of sheet music. "Here's another thing you might be interested in."
Jason started to play, hands moving over the keys, but with a difference. This was a tune that was fast, driving, something that made you want to move, but it was a little clumsy. Jai recognized it as an attempt, a decent one, to capture a Carib rhythm, that just didn't quite grasp it.
Jason looked up at Jai, and for the first time, Jai thought there was a bit of anger, hurt, and mostly disappointment. It was a curious thing about Jason, but when he was playing his music, he couldn't hold up any kind of walls or barriers. He was attached to the notes, and they were to him, and there was a kind of truth in that, that he couldn't escape, and didn't want to. "Keep in mind that it's not finished, it's rough, and I'm trying music that I've never been able to get quite right."
~Rhythm and the Movement
Music and the song
Swing the feet and hands
Nothing Could go wrong
Even in the fighting
The dance she is there
Twist and move to the beat
Throw yourself through the air
Move to the rhythm
Move to the beat
Move with the fury
Flying hands and feet
Jason stopped, a clumsy sort of end. Despite the anger that Jai was feeling, he couldn't deny that the music did want to make him move.
Jason, reached down, and carefully took Jai's wrist, pulling his hand off the first song, and turned it palm up. He reached down and took the second song off the stand, and folded it neatly and put it in Jai's upturned hand.
He sighed, and looked the Carib boy dead in the eye, speaking quietly, and calmly. "I didn't write it for you, but it sure as shit was inspired by you. I can't quite get the beat right, and I hoped you could help." He turned packing away his things, all the music save the one he left with Jai, but continuing to talk. "You've got a great girl there, she could have every other guy in the world as a friend, and I hope to be included in the good friends that she has, but you're the only one she loves, Trinidad. No other guy could put a wedge in that, but you keep mistrusting her?" Jason looked back at the other boy as he cinched his bag over his shoulder, "and you just might." He let that sink in for a moment, before turning to the door. He stopped about halfway and looked back, and scoffed a bit, "I really thought I'd get away from false accusations here, but you know, this is worse than the tabloids, at least there, they were just coming from someone trying to make a buck, and not from a friend." He shook his head slightly, "I'm heading out. The invitation is still there if the both, or either one of you wants to get out of here for a while." With that he started for the door.
He turned to Jai, with a sardonic smile. "Since I'm obviously not going to leave it here, Ill do one better." Ignoring the fact that Jai kept his hand on the pages, which Jason really didn't need to look at anyway, Jason started to play the melody again, and sang the song he'd written. He finished and looked back up at Jai, "Jai, if that were a love song, that'd be the strangest love song ever written. It doesn't mention love, or being in love even once." He reached into his music book and pulled out another piece of sheet music. "Here's another thing you might be interested in."
Jason started to play, hands moving over the keys, but with a difference. This was a tune that was fast, driving, something that made you want to move, but it was a little clumsy. Jai recognized it as an attempt, a decent one, to capture a Carib rhythm, that just didn't quite grasp it.
Jason looked up at Jai, and for the first time, Jai thought there was a bit of anger, hurt, and mostly disappointment. It was a curious thing about Jason, but when he was playing his music, he couldn't hold up any kind of walls or barriers. He was attached to the notes, and they were to him, and there was a kind of truth in that, that he couldn't escape, and didn't want to. "Keep in mind that it's not finished, it's rough, and I'm trying music that I've never been able to get quite right."
~Rhythm and the Movement
Music and the song
Swing the feet and hands
Nothing Could go wrong
Even in the fighting
The dance she is there
Twist and move to the beat
Throw yourself through the air
Move to the rhythm
Move to the beat
Move with the fury
Flying hands and feet
Jason stopped, a clumsy sort of end. Despite the anger that Jai was feeling, he couldn't deny that the music did want to make him move.
Jason, reached down, and carefully took Jai's wrist, pulling his hand off the first song, and turned it palm up. He reached down and took the second song off the stand, and folded it neatly and put it in Jai's upturned hand.
He sighed, and looked the Carib boy dead in the eye, speaking quietly, and calmly. "I didn't write it for you, but it sure as shit was inspired by you. I can't quite get the beat right, and I hoped you could help." He turned packing away his things, all the music save the one he left with Jai, but continuing to talk. "You've got a great girl there, she could have every other guy in the world as a friend, and I hope to be included in the good friends that she has, but you're the only one she loves, Trinidad. No other guy could put a wedge in that, but you keep mistrusting her?" Jason looked back at the other boy as he cinched his bag over his shoulder, "and you just might." He let that sink in for a moment, before turning to the door. He stopped about halfway and looked back, and scoffed a bit, "I really thought I'd get away from false accusations here, but you know, this is worse than the tabloids, at least there, they were just coming from someone trying to make a buck, and not from a friend." He shook his head slightly, "I'm heading out. The invitation is still there if the both, or either one of you wants to get out of here for a while." With that he started for the door.