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Dangerous Conversationalist
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 Posted: Thu Apr 26, 2012 12:59 am
Who: Basil/?, Cordelia, and Adrian
Where: The Shade House, Gambino
Weather: Slightly warm and breezy
The longer that Basil stood in the bathroom, the more restless and ridiculous he began to feel. It was six in the evening, and he had been ready to leave since four-thirty.
"Genie, stop..." He mumbled as his woman's fingers skirted over his forehead for the hundredth time. He had tried to be patient with her, respectful, but now she seemed to be outright ignoring him, "Stop," He repeated, pulling his head away. "I'm bored in here... Can't we go, yet?" Genie grabbed his face firmly and pulled him towards her.
"Gimme a second, goober. Your hair's giving me trouble and I aim to tame it. Your little girlfriend was nice enough to invite you over, and you're gonna have to learn eventually that you can't go everywhere lookin' like you just crawled out of a dumpster. Hold still, and quit makin' that sour face at me. It's not nice." He sighed passively, nostrils flaring as she neatly weaved each unruly black piece into the source. As if he didn't have enough problems to contend with, it seemed that Basil had developed a particularly stubborn cowlick at the crown of his head that made styling nearly impossible, not that it was something Basil concerned himself with.
Instead, dead-eyed and sombre, he stared at his reflection in the mirror from over Genie's shoulder, succumbing to the trance-like state only boredom could create. It had not taken him long to reach peak levels of apathy and absorption, at which point, Genie swore softly under her breath, and her voice had taken a fuzzy, distorted quality. As if she hardly existed at all. His mouth grimaced. In the mirror, he was certain that he then saw his reflection scowl at him.
He wasn't alarmed, but felt that perhaps he should have been, for it was not going away, both real and unreal. If he focused his eyes, he could see that his reflection was quite normal. Genie's voice became clearer, and the items on the bathroom shelf were sharp and vivid. This was reality, a reality he had to actively remain aware of if he wanted to keep himself. But, if he allowed himself to drift away again (and it was very easy to do), the reflection began to do things on its own in a world in-between...
It would have been easy for Basil to become frightened, and remove himself from this in-between place simply by "snapping out of it". Paying attention, perhaps striking a conversation with Genie. But against his better judgment, he allowed himself to become curious. His reflection scowled again, the eyes shadowy pits under primitive brows. Basil's face did not feel tense to him. He was not consciously frowning that way, nor was he standing quite so straight as his relative appeared to be. He was tempted to touch his face to know for sure. He continued to watch, fascinated, yet familiar with these episodes. He was no stranger to fantasy.
The scowl of his reflection then softened, a smirk lifting the corner of a sharp, reptilian mouth. It sensed that Basil was aware of it. They made eye contact, and it had been electrifying. Then, spontaneously, it had burst into a funny face. A ridiculous, exaggerated face. The sour face Genie had specifically told him not to make. Although Basil only allowed a small smile on the surface, he was laughing in his head. Laughing at an inside joke, with himself. It was the perfect cure for his miserable mood.
He could very easily have continued on this way, seeing what other strange things might happen, when suddenly, Genie took a step back to admire her handiwork, satisfied that this was the nicest his hair was going to be. She tilted her head to the side for better perspective, and Basil did the same, amused. After a small chuckle, she then licked her thumb, and smoothed it over his eyebrows as a finishing touch. "Okay, looks like you're all set. I wish we had time to do something about those bags under your eyes..."
"Genie..." He groaned. She patted his shoulders, "I know, I know, you're sick of me. I promise, we're leaving. Go wait by the door and I'll get my coat."
Although she was not looking forward to the drive, Genie had to admit that she was pleased that Basil had found a friend in Cordelia. She herself had only interacted with the Shades very sparsely, and she couldn't say she knew very much about them. Still, Genie hoped that in time she would come to think of them almost as a second family. Tonight would be the first time that Basil would be visiting Cordelia in her home... It had been excitedly discussed over the phone, and Basil had been looking forward to it for days.
The object of the night was for Basil to enjoy himself, but to Genie, it had meant so much more. And much more, was exactly what was at stake, and why she needed Basil to be tidy.
If Basil made a good first impression, the house and its occupants might one day become a place where Basil would be welcome with open arms. He needed that. A place where he could spend bonding time with another Raevan. Another being just the same as he was. He needed that even more. If he passed this test, Genie would know that she had done well with him, and had successfully taught him how to function in a normal setting. To survive. Of course, she did not share any of her concerns with Basil. He needed to keep a clear head. A clear head, was exactly what would keep him from behaving... strangely in front of these people.
She had written the address on the back of her hand, consulting it as she turned down the Shades' street. Basil hadn't been inside another Raevan's home in a very long time, and it had been entirely by accident. When he had encountered Vyn, Mickey couldn't say he was clear on all the details, but it had been very easy for him to remember that Basil had nearly fallen out of a penthouse window. As they pulled in front of the house and she double-checked the number on the mailbox, she noticed grimly that it had two stories...
She tried not to let her apprehension show as she straightened Basil's nicest and most comfortable sweatshirt, "Okay, this should be the right place. You're just gonna go up to the door, and knock a few times. Not too loud or anything. You introduce yourself, and be nice."
"Nice." He repeated. Genie glanced at her watch briefly, then held his arm, "I'm gonna let you do this on your own, so if anything happens, just come straight back to the car, okay?" Basil grunted, eager to open the door without answering. "Hey!" She gripped tighter.
"Yeah!" Basil said irritably. "I will!" The moment she released his arm, Basil "stepped" out into the street. She winced as his wings scraped the roof of the car on his way out, which might have put a tear in the fabric, if there hadn't been several there already. She watched attentively as he made a beeline for the porch. She could see that the windows were lit, there were clearly people inside. She made no effort to hide her nervousness now as she saw him reach the front door. She saw him very nearly grasp the handle, had he not remembered what he was meant to do. She sighed in relief, neither she nor Basil able to contain their anticipation as he knocked, and waited.
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Posted: Fri Apr 27, 2012 6:54 pm
Strange? You'd be hard pressed for strange in the Shade family, although by Gaian means they probably were fairly normal if not a little eccentric. The youngest was most likely the oddest of the bunch by race and appearance only, the eldest an easy going man with a history shrouded in mystery, and yet still they weren't truly the strangest. No the mistress of the household had to be by far the strangest if even the most normal looking. She constantly struggled with a multitude of thoughts, feelings and ideals of whom she was and how she wanted the world to see her as, thus this often produced a muddled or bad impression onto others of her true nature.
Speaking of Ebony, she was gone once again that night. The result of another fruitless fight with her father earlier driving the lavender haired female from the premise. Cordelia knew her woman was happy to have her father back after so many years of believing him dead, yet...something such as faking your death, even to protect someone you love...the wounds of not knowing they'd been alive this whole time would not be easy to heal so quick after searing for so long for Ebony.
The basilisk sighed heavily, lowering the violin she'd been practicing then and looking over to her grandfather, Adrian, flipping through his notes and scribbling things here and there eagerly as an idea for a new invention began to brew in that graying head of his. The Frei loved him, but...even she had to admit he got over things a bit too quickly even faster than herself.
Bespectacled blue eyes wandered from the black and white pages to his granddaughter then, "You stopped in the middle of the song. Are you tired already?"
In response, Cordelia's cheeks puffed up in anger and made a motion that would have looked like she was stamping her foot, that is if she had one. "Granddad! Shouldn't you be more worried about your relationship with Ebby?! You two have been fighting more and more ever since you've moved in."
"Eh? We have?" the man asked with a tilt of his head and a surprised expression on his face.
"Granddad!"
"All right all right. Just calm down already." the elder Brit said waving his hands frantically at her. It had been something to get used to, the smoke Raevan's tendency to wear her heart on her sleeve. Refreshing as it was compared to his daughter's silent bottle up method, he just couldn't stand to see when the girl was so upset. Sighing, he continued, "You might be right in that we are indeed fighting more, but you shouldn't worry too much about that. After all, it just goes to show how strong our bond is. The more you fight with someone, the closer you are with them."
She just pouted and gave him the most confused look ever. "Granddad that...made no sense whatsoever." Seriously, if you're closer to someone, shouldn't you fight less often? Maybe not at all? Cordelia just sighed again and took up her violin once more. Well if he wasn't worried, then she supposed she should just let whatever be, be.
Meanwhile Adrian just chuckled heartily to himself, knowing that someday she'd understand what he'd meant. He was just about to get back to his research when a knock came to the front door. Sighing, he pushed himself up from the couch, "I'll get it."
It was rare for them to get a visitor and come to think about it, wasn't it sort of late for a drop off or anything? The elder man blinked back his surprise when he opened the door and standing on the porch was a floating torso. This was the first time he'd seen another of Cordelia's kind face to face. Even though this one appeared to be male, Adrian couldn't help but be blown back by his handsome features. Were all Raevans so visually pleasing?
There was a moment before the human male remembered himself and finally asked, "Uh, can I help you?"
Curious as to whom was visiting so late as well, Cordelia had stopped her violin playing once more and floated after her grandfather. Though he was an older man, Adrian was still in top physical condition, his height and spine obviously not succumbing to the passage of time by shrinking or curling onto itself to result in some sort of slouched look. Nope, he stood tall and proud, a testament to the man himself.
"Granddad, whose..." It took a couple tries to get into a spot were she could see around the man, but finally she managed to wedge herself under his arm and see who was there. Gray eyes lighting up immediately, "Ah! Basil!" The girl's happiness suddenly drained when she thought about the hour. Did something happen? Was he okay? "Oh, um...what are you doing here so late?" Delia looked him over for any signs of injury but couldn't really see anything out of the ordinary. Well actually...he was dressed a bit nicer than normal. Was he just lost then? And how'd he know where she lived anyway?
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Dangerous Conversationalist
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Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2012 1:19 am
While waiting, Basil was both anxious and excited; Genie moreso. She had turned off the ignition, sitting patiently on the street until her boy would be welcomed inside. The passenger side window had been rolled down, cool evening air raising the fine hairs on her arm and goose-pimpling the flesh. She rubbed it, breathing deeply. She could endure it. It wouldn't take long.
Squinting, she could faintly make out the hovering shape of Basil in the dark as he waited on the porch. Perhaps it was the chill, and perhaps it was a justified concern, but she could only hope that in the event they had parked in front of the wrong house, Basil would be able to conduct himself appropriately. She hoped he wasn't nervous up there... Maybe she should have gone with him to make sure. Before she could come to a decision, the porch-light glowed to life with a delayed abruptness, and she struggled to make out the face of the stranger that appeared in the doorway. Basil, with his glittering wings and wide-set shoulders effectively obstructed her view, and it might have sent her into a panic. She could faintly make out a man's voice; an older man, which puzzled her.
To the best of her knowledge, Cordelia and Ebony lived alone, and Ebony was not married. She feared the worst. She had sent Basil to knock on the wrong door! She hoped to see Basil turn around at any moment to return to the car. She gripped the steering wheel tightly.
Basil was as startled as his woman. Admittedly, he preferred not to be kept waiting, and preferred even less to be surprised. His eyes widened, taking a step backwards as the stately gentleman consulted him. Both his age and his carriage reminded him distinctly of Vyn's father. His politeness, his knowing eyes. Suddenly he became aware that his lips were dry. He chewed the bottom one, working a flake of skin between his teeth.
"Hi..." He managed. He swatted his ear as though it itched. It seemed that not even the nicest sweatshirt in his closet could offset his unhappy habits. He felt embarrassed."Hi," He said again, "my name is Basil."
He groaned, looking over his shoulder to Genevieve, who motioned frantically for him to come back to the car. He turned around again to meet the stranger, visibly disappointed, "...I ...I did bad. This isn't the house. M'sorry." He might have retreated in failure, until another shape came into view. His vision being what it was, he had needed a minute to focus. The second person had been a blur of shapes and colors, but familiar shapes, and colors too. He became aware of a soothing, smoky odor. The colors and shapes became clearer and more defined, and he was happy with what he then saw.
"—OH!"
He did not hesitate to bypass the gentleman entirely and throw his arms around the basilisk. "I felt so dumb... You are here!"
Genie swallowed. She had seen Basil begin to turn, relieved that he was following her instructions and beckoning him wildly towards the car as if to encourage him, only to see Basil turn around again, and hug a perfect stranger! She had not been able to see the smaller shape of Cordelia. She shouted, her words unintelligible. Basil, knowing, turned quickly to display the astonished Cordelia to her. "She's here!" He reassured her. If Genie didn't know any better, she'd think she just narrowly avoided a heart attack.
Basil smiled broadly, touching her arm as he turned to meet her, "Late? It's not late— If you're awake, then it's not late." He nodded matter-of-factly. "I'm supposed to be here. I'm..." His words fell in mid-air. He began to mumble, a realization dawning upon him. He glanced down, as if he were considering new evidence. The stupid feeling was returning, as was the burning in his head that often troubled him.
"Well, I thought I was... I was really sure I was! Genie even said so." He frowned deeply, shrugging his shoulders, "But I could be wrong. I'm wrong a lot..." He sighed, scratching his head, "M'sorry, Delia. If you don't want me here I can go home... Another time?"
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Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2012 2:48 pm
Adrian struggled to suppress a laugh then. Obviously he wasn't expecting the older man and was just as surprised by his presence as he was with his. The way the boy spoke quietly while fidgeting and avoiding eye contact, it was just like Delia when she was embarrassed. How adorable!
He was quick to finally move out of the way when his granddaughter poked her head from under his arm and addressed the other Raevan. And none too soon as the cobra flung himself at the girl, visibly more relieved seeing that he had gotten the right house after all. Adrian just chuckled and smiled as he slipped back to his previous activities, allowing Cordelia to handle things since it was her friend after all.
Cordelia's eyes went wide when Basil threw his arms around her, hugging her tight and declaring she was there. Giving a laugh and patting the other gently, "Of course I'm here. It is my house after all."
She blinked slowly as she took in everything the other snake was telling her, all the while gesturing towards the car parked in the driveway. Delia recognized Genie almost immediately and frowned. So he wasn't lost and it didn't look like anything bad had happened. Well that was good, but then why...
When it looked like Basil was about to turn and leave, Cordelia latched onto his wrist to stop him. Vehemently she shook her black head, "No no! You don't have to leave, I just wasn't aware you were coming over." Smiling brightly, the smoke Frei waved his guardian off happily before dragging the boy inside and shutting the door. She assumed it was just a drop off if Genie had been staying in the car this whole time. If not that was fine too.
Letting go of his wrist finally, "I'm guessing you talked with Ebby about coming over? The girl sighed, a note of ire in her smokey voice. "Honestly, that woman. Getting in a mood and then running off without telling me something as important as this."
"Uh, Delia I think it's my fault actually..." Adrian interjected then with an embarrassed sort of expression on his face. He was holding up a sheet of paper scribbled with his own handwriting and flipped it over to reveal another completely different script.
Delia snatched the note from her grandfather and read aloud, "Dad, I'm going out for awhile and since I'm still too mad to look at your face I'm leaving this note for you to know that Cordelia's friend, Basil, is suppose to be dropping by for a visit later. Please let Cordelia know. Thanks. Ebony." The basilisk's eye twitched a little as her annoyance level with her guardian was suddenly transferred to Adrian then. "Granddad! How could you?!"
"I must have been too preoccupied with getting these ideas for a new invention down that I just overlooked the note Ebony had left. I'm really sorry you two." The man flashed a charming smile then, "But hey no harm done eh? Basil's here and now you know." He chuckled in victory at his own great conclusion.
Cordelia just turned away and made a defeated expression. Honestly, sometimes she thought him a little too laid back. "Basil I'm really sorry about my grandfather...Oh! You two haven't met yet! " As usual, Delia's mind was easy to forget her previous agitation quickly and moved onto more happy things.
Pulling the younger boy over, Delia placed the two in front of one another. Smiling that pleased as peach grin, "Basil, this is Ebby's dad, Adrian. Granddad, this is my dear friend Basil."
Warm and inviting, Adrian extended a hand for greeting towards the young Frei. "It's good to meet you Basil."
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Dangerous Conversationalist
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Posted: Tue May 01, 2012 11:49 am
Although she was concerned that Ebony had not been in sight to confirm the dropoff, and both Cordelia and her boy were going to be chaperoned by a man she had never encountered before, Genie decided to trust her gut feeling that things would be fine. She had the house number, and Ebony knew how to get in touch with her. In any event, Cordelia was fully capable of defending herself from her own kind, and who knew if Basil had it in his heart to hurt her, even accidentally. Recently, whether or not he harmed himself had become a greater concern than the safety of others.
It was the last thing she had wanted for him... It seemed that the more time he spent in the outside world, the more comparisons he made. The more self-aware he became... The wild eccentricities of his youth had become subdued now. Perverted into a hidden meekness that made eye contact difficult for him, and conversations brief. The sound of his voice troubled him. He seemed to behave strangely when he encountered his own reflection. Now he knew that the entire world was judging him, and he was struggling to be normal.
Cordelia was his only true friend anymore. His only real companion and confidante. Maybe she was in a place to learn more about him than Lola or even Genie herself.
She saw the front door close behind the three of them when it was clear that she would not be coming inside to introduce herself, or make small-talk. After the light had dimmed and the porch became dark, she sat in the car for several minutes longer, giving her heart some time to settle. A quiet sigh. Turning the key in the ignition, she allowed the Shade house pass out of her vision, and the clock-watching began. Basil was getting older now. He needed to be able to do things for himself, although... part of her still felt as though she should have at least warned the man. Ebony knew some of what to expect. He didn't. She had prepared Basil as best as she could, but even she couldn't predict everything he was capable of.
The first thing Basil did when he had been welcomed into the house, was take a look around. He was still very easily distracted, and had a wonderful time making sense of the place where his Delia lived. The pictures on the walls, the furniture, the smells and sights. Having terrible eyesight, Basil was very scent-driven, and all around was the familiar smoky odor of Cordelia as she lived her daily life. Permeating the walls, steeping in the furniture, and of course, the source very nearby. It calmed the burning in his head, and settled the complaints of the flies therein. Looking at her now, he was tempted to smell her hair, had she not pulled him by the arm. He was a little startled at this. He hadn't quite paid attention to everything that was said to him, except that she did not want for him to leave, which was fine.
He had completely overlooked the strong evidence that Cordelia was unhappy with the antics of her owner, and with this stranger. In any case, he would be happy to distract her. She nudged him forward, and he was faced with an unfamiliar hand, time-worn and masculine. He glanced first at the hand, and then the stranger. Ebby's father, apparently. "Oh," He cleared his throat, and thrust his hand into the front pocket of his sweatshirt, raking his fingers into the bottom, "Hold on..."
Then, a lump had formed in the front of the pocket, indicating that Basil had made a fist. He withdrew it carefully, and deposited into the waiting hand, a linty pile of what appeared to be crumbs and fragments of some kind of pastry. He smiled warmly, brushing his own hand off onto his shirt.
He calmly explained, "Genie said it's polite for guests to bring something when they get invited to someone's house. Those were in our cabinet at home... I don't eat a lot of real food and Genie said it'd be fine so long as I put them in something, so I put them in my pocket."
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Posted: Thu May 03, 2012 6:22 pm
There was a minute there that Adrian thought that perhaps Basil was either unaware of how to shake hands in greeting or that maybe the boy just wasn't fond of having to make physical contact with a stranger. He was about ready to retract the offer when the cobra told him to hold on and began digging in his pockets. Curious, the elder gentleman waited patiently, only turning his hand as if to receive something as it seemed the only logical thing to do at the moment.
When the youth produced nothing but crumbs into his welcoming palm, the dark haired man was confused until Basil explained why he'd given the man them. Eying Cordelia for a proper response, the girl quietly tried to urge him to accept the odd gift. In his own special way, Basil was only trying to be polite. "Uhhh...thanks. I think..." Adrian replied with an uncertain smile before disappearing into the kitchen to dispose of the pocket debris and wash his hand.
Cordelia giggled at the scene. It seemed no one was ever really ready for meeting Basil and his crazy out of the box antics, but it was precisely that which made the smokey femme love him. He was so different and unpredictable, it made things fun and interesting. "So Basil, what do you want to do? We could watch tele, play a game, uhh..." The snake thought for a moment realizing she'd never really had a guest that stayed all that long before. Well there was Lucia who slept over that one time, but she had been pretty young and they'd nodded off pretty quickly. How was she suppose to keep Basil entertained until Genie came back for him? Heck when was she suppose to return anyhow?
Poking his head out from the kitchen, "Basil's not been here before right Delia? Why not start with giving him a tour?"
"Well?" Cordelia asked him. "Would that be all right with you Baz? Cause we could always do something else." If it sounded boring to the boy to be taken around the house then she wouldn't force him.
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Dangerous Conversationalist
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Posted: Fri May 04, 2012 4:25 pm
Fortunately, Basil had not been paying enough attention to notice the man disposing of his gift, which was all the same. The moment it had gone into his possession, it had been Adrian's to do with as he pleased, and at least he had been courteous enough to do the deed in the other room. The fact that he had accepted the gift at all was enough to satisfy him.
Instead, he favored Cordelia's company, allowing her the lion's share of his attention. He smiled. It had been quite some time since he had heard her laugh. Although he possessed only a few small talents, Basil had become uniquely skilled at them, and recreating voices had been his bread and butter. Men's voices, women's voices, children's voices? Voices he had heard on tv, and through the radio. Genie had been overjoyed to learn that he had even developed a wholesome appreciation for bird-watching, and was now able to identify a wide variety of them by sound alone. He loved to do impressions, and other people seemed to enjoy them too. However, there were still certain noises that gave him a difficult time. Laughter was one of them...
Somehow, in any form, his own seedy, uncertain chuckle found a way of creeping through and spoiling the authenticity. Cordelia's remained her own, and it was a wonderful thing to know she was so pleased to have him here.
Seeing her now, she had noticeably matured in the time they had spent apart. Somehow, she had seemed even smarter, more self-assured. She held her body differently, she had cultivated manners. All signs pointed towards Cordelia growing up into a remarkable young person, when it hadn't seemed very long ago that she could barely speak a word. He then frowned... It was easy for him to become discouraged, feeling as though he had stayed very much the same, and Cordelia was destined to go on without him. It was a uniquely sad feeling that he internalized, saying nothing, unknowing that another force within him would be able to access even his most private fears, and utilize them for something heinous...
He rubbed his neck, feeling an itchiness there, "...A tour? You mean showing me the house, right?" He looked around. Cordelia's house was significantly larger than his small apartment. Certainly there would be many interesting things to see, but there had been one thing that had made him especially curious. "Oh... That sounds fine, but," He managed a smile, "I heard something while I was on the porch. Something tasty..." He tried to find the right words to describe it, "It had a high sound. Kind of squeaky, but in a good way. "
"(A violin, stupid.)"
"...A violin?"
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Posted: Mon May 07, 2012 9:32 pm
Cordelia happily nodded at his first question. He must have been curious about where she lived. Though to her it wasn't anything all that special really, she was still rather excited to be able to share this private place of theirs to someone she held dearly as a friend. Of course there were certain parts of the place she couldn't show him, Ebby's room mostly, but surely Granddad would be willing to show Basil his workshop later.
At the mention of her instrument, Delia immediately blushed, though it was hard to tell since her blushes tended to fall on the faint side of coloring, thus only dusting her cheekbones with the gentlest of rouge. Even so, the girl's facial and body expressions could easily give it away that she was somewhat embarrassed.
"Y-you heard...me playing?" she asked in return. Cordelia still wasn't totally comfortable with others besides her family hearing her play. She really wasn't sure what it was, fear of rejection perhaps?
Tasty? Adrian fond that word both delightful and odd in context to the conversation taking place. What did the boy mean by that exactly? Did he mean it was like a treat for the ears or did he mean it in the literal? Well whatever the case, it seemed that perhaps Basil wanted a private show, yet his granddaughter looked a bit reluctant. In other words, stage fright.
Sliding onto the bench in front of the grand piano the Shade's had nestled into one of the corners of the living room, Adrian stretched his arms and fingers a bit to loosen them up. "What do you say Cordelia? Why not give your friend a bit of a show, eh?"
Cordelia blinked a couple times before nodding in agreement. If her grandfather was willing to play with her, then maybe she wouldn't sound so bad to Basil. If anything, Adrian's abilities should overshadow hers and the cobra wouldn't notice. The girl carefully picked up her beautiful black violin from where she'd left it and held it at the ready, her hands somewhat visibly trembling with nervousness.
"Ready?" Adrian asked her, maneuvering his own hands into their first positions. Cordelia nodded once more and the elder gent effortlessly fell into a sweet sounding preamble.
The basilisk breathed in heavily and out, then once more until it was her time to jump in. Fingers nimble, they milked the best accompanying melody they could. Though it probably would have been best for Delia to keep her eyes open as she tended to do better by following visual cues from the pianist when not playing with sheet music, the female Frei just couldn't chance seeing Basil's reactions as she played. Thus blocking out all distraction, Cordelia squeezed her eyes shut tight and concentrated solely on the music. She'd worry about the cobra's reactions later.
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Dangerous Conversationalist
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Posted: Tue May 08, 2012 1:12 am
So he had been correct, although he couldn't say he was very surprised. It always seemed to slip his mind that Cordelia had taken up an instrument, and was excited to finally hear her play in person. At his request, they retreated into the living room, Basil drifting beside her and the two of them on Adrian's heels, "Mhmm. You'd be surprised what I can hear if I just pay attention."
At this time, he turned slightly to her as one was likely to do in conversation, and for the first time, he was certain he had caught a glimpse of her discomfort, but with what, he couldn't guess at. Before he could give it any further thought, he allowed himself to take a seat on the Shade family sofa while the two of them prepared. Amused, he hadn't expected for Adrian to take his place at the handsome instrument nearby, one with which Basil was very well acquainted. When Cordelia produced and steadied her own instrument however, he seemed nothing if not perplexed.
Although he could identify the sound of a violin from an impressive distance, and was intimately familiar with their capabilities, Basil had never actually seen what a violin looked like until now, nor did he fully understand how one was played. Having only ever toyed with a piano, he had understandably assumed a violin to be as equally large and cumbersome an instrument, and was astounded at the thought of such a tiny, delicate-looking thing producing the sonorous tones he had heard only a few short moments before.
He scrunched the corner of his mouth, having decided almost instantly that it was outright funny-looking. Yes, funny-looking. With its tall, goose-like neck with a head that swirled like a squirrel's tail, and the tight-waisted wooden body as if someone had pinched it in the center for being ill-mannered. All the knobs and carvings and tiny apparatuses. The asymmetrical chin-rest and superfluous F-holes. An assembly of strange and improbable items. Why? Why this instrument, when the piano was such a large and loud and jolly old thing? And infinitely simpler! He was certainly skeptical, but remained open-minded, leaning forward with interest.
Adrian started them off. Although she was nervous, Cordelia had nobly stirred up the confidence she would need to accompany Adrian's skillful introduction. He noticed that she had shut her eyes to avoid his stare, although he only respected Cordelia all the more for it. Even Basil had not yet mastered the ability to play without looking at his hands, although, he still couldn't read a lick of sheet music either.
The moment she had first drawn the bow, she had effectively proven that the violin was in fact a formidable alternative to the piano, and nothing to be mocked. For such a small creature, the violin was every bit as loud and enthusiastic, and Cordelia herself was an enchanting vision. The more she played, the less consideration she gave to both him, and the world around her. Her playing absorbed her, the way smoke passed through solid walls. The line of her arm and shoulder complemented the bow. Her head tilted against the chin-rest the way it might have tilted on the shoulder of a sympathetic stranger. The body of the violin began to appear more familiar to him. Familiar, because it was feminine, and so was she. The melody was not an elaborate one, and Adrian's playing did not eclipse her minor mistakes as effectively as she might have hoped. At least, not to Basil's acute sense of hearing. She still had a lot of room to improve after all, and yet, it was the vibrato of bow upon string that made his rune sing. Vibrations, nourishing him in a very direct, and very intimate way... Inadvertently, Cordelia was reaching into him. She was touching the source of his life, touching his heart in fact, and he would do absolutely nothing to stop her.
He picked himself up from the couch, then. The burning in his brain, in his neck and shoulders suddenly overwhelmed and distracted him, just when he was feeling his most peaceful... Frustrated, he drew his hood over his head, regardless of what it would do to his hair and the hard work Genie had put into it. Having the hood up helped, but it would only be a temporary solution. He groaned softly, thumping the back of his head as if to shake something loose. He drifted towards Cordelia then, but did not deliberately approach her, although he did smile as he passed. He allowed their shoulders to brush lightly, hoping that she would be too involved in her performance to open her eyes. Rather, he approached Adrian at the piano. Without feet or legs, his approach was entirely silent. He hoped he wouldn't startle the man, taking a "seat" beside him on the bench.
He looked at the older man, gesturing dramatically as if to suggest that he take over in his place. If Cordelia insisted on shutting her eyes, this provided the perfect opportunity for what some would consider a prank. He was curious to see how long it might take for her to notice the switch, but moreso, was eager for the opportunity to join her.
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Posted: Tue May 08, 2012 8:19 am
With eyes shut, it was far too easy to forget her surroundings and allow only the music to exist. Though she still lacked the somewhat prodigious skill she'd possessed all but once (the very first time she played the violin with Pasha at her side), Cordelia had continued on in her studies and worked hard. And like Ebby predicted, as time rolled on the basilisk had improved greatly. She was far from perfect, but her rate of learning was incredible and there was no doubt in anyone's mind that she wouldn't soon master the instrument in a couple more years.
If Delia had noticed the slight brush from the other Raevan, she didn't show it. Yet Adrian was more than aware when the boy made his approach. He didn't say anything, merely raising a brow in question and continued playing. If he stopped now Cordelia's concentration would be broken and no doubt she'd be a little upset for not being able to finish for her friend. Still the elder gent couldn't completely ignore Basil as he made himself comfortable next to him on the bench. Did he just want a closer look or...?
Hoping he was correct in interpreting the boy's means, Adrian lifted one hand off the keys. Immediately Basil had replaced it with his own and before anyone knew it the cobra had fully taken over for the human male. To say he was impressed was a bit of an understatement, rather he was surprised. How long had this boy been playing the piano that he could smoothly slide in without his granddaughter knowing? Yet he wondered as he turned to Cordelia then, her eyes still shut as she played on.
It took a few minutes for the melody of the piano to register in her mind. It was still the same tune on the surface, but something had changed beneath. Cordelia listened to music on a daily basis. Even if she was not in the room, the smokey girl could easily distinguish between her guardian and her grandfather's playing of the piano. Ebony's style was somewhat hard and controlling, years of practice conditioning her to play an instrument. It was rare for her to ever let loose. Adrian was more laissez faire when he played. Every note played as if it was already etched into his fingers and eagerly awaiting to be transferred to the keys. There was no struggle in how he played. Any mistake (a rarity for the experienced player) only made to seem as if it had been on purpose.
Still playing without opening her eyes, Delia frowned somewhat, her concentration beginning to waver. She was confused by the mysterious pianist. This wasn't her grandfather right? He wasn't so skilled as to be able to change his play style so suddenly, could he? And Ebby could never play like this. The sound was too...smooth. It was like a perfect blend between the two elder Shades, effortless and controlled.
She had to know who was playing now, curiosity getting the best of her. Thus the Frei slowly opened her grey eyes and gasped at the sight of Basil accompanying her. It only took that quick second of surprise for Cordelia's hand to slip, a high pitched screech issuing forth from her violin in protest before three strings broke.
Quickly smacking her head with the palm of her hand, the girl groaned. "Ugh...sorry. I don't know my own strength sometimes." Delia sighed heavily at the site of her beloved instrument. "And I'd just restrung it not that long ago. Ebby won't be happy to hear I broke all the strings so soon." Ebony only bought the best strings and they weren't cheap. Thus she was never happy to hear that Cordelia had been careless in her playing.
"To be honest, you only broke three." Adrian quickly coughed in regret as Delia stared daggers at him, not finding the humor in this at all. Taking the instrument from her, "Don't fret now Dove. This is why we bought extra. I'll restring it while you keep Basil company. And Ebony will be none the wiser." With a cheery grin the man disappeared through a door near the main entrance, moving down to his workshop in the basement no doubt. "Have fun you two! If you need me, just holler!"
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Dangerous Conversationalist
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Posted: Sat May 12, 2012 3:05 am
The transition between pianists had been effortless and virtually error-free, save for an undetected half-second pause as Basil's icy fingers fell into place. Where his hands went, his body followed, sliding closer to the center of the bench while the older man relinquished his position. Basil had absolutely no knowledge of the piece he was meant to be playing, and had to improvise on a dime, which he also did with extraordinary skill.
It was true that Basil could not read music. He could not tell his vivacissimo from his larghissimo. His posture was terrible, his shoulders hunched nearly to his ears. No one had ever told him to wrap his hand around an apple to see the shape it made, or balance pennies on his knuckles. Not once had he even peeked beneath the lid of a piano to see what was inside. But he did have a remarkable and natural ear for music, and by listening to Cordelia's instrument, could alter the piece accordingly to better complement her. Her playing influenced his, a symbiotic mesh of their styles that was both awe-inspiring, and undeniably pleasing to the ear. It might have been a beautiful performance, if not for one thing...
"(The third string...)"
Basil very nearly stopped. To him, it had been only a murmur. A fluttering feeling behind his eyes and a creeping warmth in his brainpan. He played on, although nervously. He even allowed himself a smile, until he heard it a second time. Louder, and more concise. "(The third string.)"
"What?" He mumbled, his voice comfortably concealed by his playing.
("It doesn't sound right..." ) Basil sighed through grit teeth, his fingers forceful and the playfulness receding. He was sure to keep his voice low. So low in fact, that it would pass completely below the frequency of human hearing. A trick he had learned when he felt that his private, innermost conversations would not be free from prying ears. Although, he could not hide the change in his posture as he curled secretively around himself, nor could he hide the movement of his lips as he replied, "It sounds fine. How can you complain, we'll be full for days!"
"(It's squeaky... Not in tune. You should say something. It wouldn't be rude, I'm sure she doesn't want to look stupid.)" At this, Basil was immediately annoyed and outraged. Although an unreasonable belief, there was not a doubt in his mind (or at least, certain parts of it) that Cordelia was incapable of making mistakes. How could she be? She was smarter. She was built and designed better than he could aspire to be, and even if she was comparably "less perfect" than other people, her station was still far above his. So far, that to criticize her would be criminal. How often was Basil ever right about anything that he should tell her what was wrong?
He would keep playing, grinding his teeth to drown out any unwelcome distractions. He would not tolerate it. Not tonight.
They continued on, and Basil eventually relaxed. A minute or so had gone by, Cordelia still entirely unaware of his presence. Surely Adrian was both amused and amazed by what he saw, as Basil allowed his playing to become more elaborate, fingers darting, tapping the black keys and thumping the white ones, Cordelia eagerly matching him. His rune glowed as bright as a star, filling him with a satisfied contentedness. But unfortunately, he would continue to be dogged by the cruel and callous voice inside him.
("You're fixating on it. I can tell.") Now it was just trying to provoke him. Basil felt the muscles in his arms begin to clench. "No, I'm not."
("But you are...")
"No I'm not! We're almost finished, anyway." The voice would not rest, and they continued on this way, back and forth. Basil was incapable of moving the conversation into his head, his lips mouthing invisible words. When the voice spoke, Basil was not able to speak at the same time, nor interrupt him. For seconds, he would be barred from his own inner thoughts, and the experience was horrid, and unbelievably frustrating. It began to become larger, and harder to manage as he felt himself losing his temper. The pressure was mounting, and very soon, came the deafening shriek of the violin, bringing their performance to a dramatic end.
Basil shouted, both fists slamming hard onto the keys, "No I'm not!"
He might have been horrified by his declaration, had he not felt so sick inside, the voice finally put at rest... In any case, Cordelia had been much too concerned with her strings to notice, and the squeal of the violin had very nearly masked his episode. His heart was pounding, and his head felt as though someone was draining warm water out of it. He turned around, thumping his forehead with the heel of his hand while Cordelia handed the violin to her senior. He had broken into a cold sweat, leaning backwards against the piano for support. Trying to summon moisture into his dry mouth, he said quietly, "I'm sorry about your violin, Delia... Can he fix it?"
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Posted: Sat May 12, 2012 1:25 pm
Cordelia gave a pout and then sighed, "Thanks Granddad." Turning her attention back to Basil, "Hm? Oh, yeah no it's fine. Happens from time to time. I just hate Ebby lecturing me about taking better care of my things blah blah blah, you know?" Her mood quickly shifting shapes like the smoke she was made from, the girl laughed before she took notice to her friend's state of being then.
Concerned, Delia floated closer, "Hey you don't look so good. What's wrong?" Without hesitating (she never was one to abide by personal space rules and such), the basilisk placed a cool hand on the boy's forehead. She frowned. He wasn't exactly burning up or anything, but she didn't like the clammy feeling of his skin, a clear indication that something wasn't quite right then since it wasn't like snakes to sweat. Well not the normal ones anyway. Oh the constant woes of the reptilian Raevans.
"Come on." Thinking maybe he just needed to lay down for a bit, Cordelia once again took charge and dragged the boy upstairs to her room. Her bed was really comfy so hopefully he'd feel better soon.
When they'd arrived at the destination, the smokey femme gently pushed the boy down onto the green and black clad bed. "You stay right here. I'll be right back." Not even giving the boy a chance to protest, Cordelia disappeared into the bathroom. She could be heard digging around for something in there before a sound of victory was heard and she came hurrying back to her friend's side.
Smiling that ever joyous smile of hers, Delia broke open a thin package and peeled the large strip that had been inside apart. She threw away one half into a near by trash can before slapping the other half onto Basil's head. It was a little sticky and smelt somewhat of medication, but it was soothing nonetheless. "Sorry if that's cold at first, it'll warm in a minute though. Ebby got these for me when I get headaches since she wasn't sure what a Raevan could and couldn't take. Better safe than sorry I guess." She laughed again, light this time, like fog rolling down a hill. "Is it helping? Do you feel any better? I can get you a glass of water if you want." Cordelia was every bit the worry wart her guardian was. Only it showed more expressively on the female Frei than the human, her silver eyes sparkling with concern for the young cobra.
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Dangerous Conversationalist
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Posted: Sat May 19, 2012 9:53 pm
Before Basil even had time to consider her words, she had grabbed him at the sleeve and led him deeper into the recesses of the house. It was indeed much larger than his own small apartment, doors and furniture and pictures hurtling past them in a multi-coloured blur as she corralled him into her bedroom and shut the door behind them. Ordinarily Basil didn't like to be grabbed that way, and it didn't do much for his headache. He might have hissed at anyone but Cordelia, and although he was patient and obliging towards her, he had to admit he was still the slightest bit agitated by it. He abandoned those feelings soon enough when he stopped to consider where she had taken him.
He hadn't expected to see her bedroom without asking, and allowed himself to be pushed onto the bed while she left to fetch something from the bathroom. He bounced a little on the mattress, with cold black sheets that would not be warmed by her chilly skin. It was neatly made. She kept things very clean, he saw. His own bed had a very thick quilt on it, because there were few things more resistant against his wings, which had a habit of shredding pillowcases and cushions. She also had a door that she could lock. A door that gave her privacy and seclusion. Basil didn't have a door... Or at least, he had only a small screen at the bottom of a stairway that led from the kitchen. The walls were very thin. Genie could hear everything that went on, and she could come up the stairs to check on him at any time, and yet, it was startling how little she really knew.
He inhaled deeply. The smoky odor was most concentrated here. It lingered in the walls and the carpet, and especially on the bed, although she must have changed the sheets regularly. Genie smoked in secret. She liked to believe that Basil didn't know, and if he did, she hoped that she had taught him to be polite enough not to say anything. Or... maybe she hoped that he would. Sometimes she wasn't sure.
But Basil did know, even if he didn't fully understand. She was disappointed in herself after she had tried so hard to quit... She had been clean for almost half a year before Basil was born, and she was most ashamed of all to admit that she smoked to deal with the stress that he had brought her. She did it to cope, but the way she saw it, it was better than letting the stress get to her. Better than hurting him with words and actions she would never be able to take back... Basil had never judged her. He accepted her openly, and couldn't imagine why she chose to sneak around the way she did, with the stink of shame and filth. This smoke smelled differently from that at home, natural, with an almost spicy quality to it, like a wood-burning stove or volcanic ash. He liked it.
She wasn't in the bathroom very long. In only a few moments, she had wrapped and peeled and smoothed a strip across his head, fussing dutifully over him without having heard a word of the trouble. His first instinct had been to reel back and wrinkle his nose at the smell of it, and yet he remained still, for there had been an instant where her face had become very close to his. She sat beside him, and watched him attentively and unblinking. He stared back at her, lowering his hood.
Her eyes were very large and expressive, as a female's eyes should be. They were deep and colorless and reptilian, like his own, but a lighter, softer gray, with both sweetness and strength in them. Looking out at him from a pleasing, angular face, with that funny little mark by her chin and a dark, smiling mouth. He was newly aware of the way she wore her bangs, and the way her tiny, cold-blooded hand had felt so... normal in his own. Not too warm like his Genie's, or freezing like ice, but just the same. Things he hadn't payed very much attention to until now, while they were alone. The other times they had met, it hadn't been so private as this. It hadn't been this free from drama and crowds and complications. His mind was a blank.
And then, he thought of how kind she was to him... But then, she always had been, from the very beginning.
He himself must have looked very strange, staring at her that way, his lower lip breaking free from the upper, showing the faint line of his teeth. There was a flutter of something. Something he couldn't begin to describe, and he was a boy that had experienced many strange and uncomfortable sensations. It had been a nice, nervous feeling... But no sooner did he feel it, than something inside him reacted, and violently. "FFT. FFT. FFT. FFT." And a final, "FFT!"
Luckily he had turned away in time, otherwise he just might have spit on her. He felt light-headed, covering his mouth as if to make it look like a very strange sneeze. He groaned to himself and shaking a shaggy black head, "Oh... I... don't think I heard anything you said. I wasn't paying attention..."
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Posted: Sat May 26, 2012 1:00 pm
At first it was tolerable, the sudden silence from the other, that was until it began to drag on a little longer than Cordelia cared for. As her smile began to slowly drop, she noticed how Basil was staring at her. Not doing much of anything, just staring. Something like that shouldn't bother the girl so much since she tended to do the snake stare as well, and it most definitely shouldn't have bothered her that it was Basil since he was a Raevan just like her, not a curiously rude human or the like. Yet something about the way he was just sitting there quietly, as if contemplating her, it stirred something in her, made her slightly nervous.
In response her cheeks blushed that baby soft rouge as Delia began to twiddle her fingers in anticipation. What was he thinking? Was he still feeling ill? Was he upset? Was it her and the way she just seemed unable to not fuss over the cobra? If she'd offended him in anyway she'd apologize straight away, but she couldn't unless he voiced his thoughts to her. Frustrated, Cordelia sighed. She wanted to know what Basil was thinking then, but if he did think her overbearing then perhaps it was best not to be pushy like she wanted and just wait for him to get to it in his own time. Yet that only made Cordelia more anxious since she knew Basil wasn't the quickest on the draw.
Just then, the hooded boy's mouth opened slight. Cordelia's eyes widened with anticipation as her body unconsciously leaned in a bit. Finally! What was he going to say?! Was he mad?! Something just anything for her torment to be over with finally! She could take it, she was a big girl after all. And then suddenly Basil turned and sneezed several times before responding.
The girl sighed heavily. All that emotional work up for a sneeze? Her cheeks felt warmer this time for a different reason. Cordelia felt incredibly stupid. What had she been expecting really anyway? If he'd been upset with anything she'd done, wouldn't it have hurt to hear? Maybe this was best after all.
Shrugging it all off with a chuckle, Delia yanked the strip off the boy's forehead and threw it in the trash. "It's okay. I'm really sorry about that though. Guess I just got a bit carried away. Was the smell too strong?" Apparently the basilisk was attributing his sudden bout to the medicated strip's scent rather than him being odd.
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Dangerous Conversationalist
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Posted: Sun May 27, 2012 1:18 am
Feeling foolish, Basil turned away so that he could wipe his hand on his jacket. After a moment of incredulity, Cordelia only sighed and smiled at him. She had recovered gracefully enough, but Basil was beginning to grow increasingly annoyed with these "sneezes", which were not altogether lacking in predictability...
He drew his lips into a tight line until they nearly disappeared, then gathered the lower one into his teeth. He bit into the split he had made in the middle, and shuddered.
He knew that it was normal for people to sneeze, and that others didn't think much of it when it happened. Cordelia certainly didn't, which had been a tremendous relief, although he would not have blamed her if she had found it distasteful. But whatever it was that he had felt only a moment ago, that he had felt for her, he had wanted very much to dwell in, if only briefly. There was no reason it should not have gone uninterrupted, but now, the moment had passed... He had let it slip through his fingers, and was more confused than ever. He felt as though he had been close to discovering something. Something he had never thought he was meant to search for, and when he had stumbled upon it entirely by accident, the lid to the treasure chest had slammed shut before he had even been given a chance to recognize it for what it was.
Frowning deeply, a part of him suspected that it had been completely by design. This whole ordeal smacked of sabotage, and the thought upset him. As he reflected on this, there was a pang of dread inside of him, and then what appeared to be injured pride. Both feelings which did not belong to him, but were peripherally felt, as if trying to put himself in the place of someone else. There was a sound like rushing water. Blood in his ears.
The voice returned with the beginnings of a stammer, and then a thunderous self-righteousness that nearly made him flinch. ("Y-you were gaping like an idiot. You were making her uncomfortable! I only broke the tension...")
Disturbed, Basil felt his teeth begin to clench and lock. For a few moments, he was unable to open his mouth at all, despite wanting to retaliate with a hasty reply. The voice took advantage of the silence.
("Sometimes it's like you've never had a conversation before.")
He felt his heart pounding, the burning in his head almost to a fever. His face paled with rage, gripping a fistful of his jacket before Cordelia then suddenly ripped away the strip from his forehead, and everything had gone a bit foggy. It hadn't exactly hurt, but it had been enough to startle him, and this was what made him yelp.
He touched the place where the strip had been, and watched as Cordelia casually threw it into the garbage. He sighed deeply through his nose, the tension then draining from his body. The burning in his head evaporated like steam. He then began to feel very tired, both physically and emotionally, all of his energy spent. It was fortunate that he should be on a bed.
He leaned back so that he could rest against the wall, his head falling limply against his shoulder and his hands folded over what would eventually become his midsection. She began apologizing to him for the smell on the strip, and he couldn't understand why she would feel sorry. She hadn't done anything wrong, at least in his opinion. She asked if it had been too strong.
"No," he replied wearily, "I just think that you're really pretty." If he had meant anything by it, it was colored by his fatigue. He might have said anything at all... And yet, there was a directness in his voice, an honesty.
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