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 Posted: Sun Dec 01, 2013 12:09 pm
Too much for just one post! So I'm shifting the log over to it's own thread.
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Posted: Sun Dec 01, 2013 12:10 pm
It was a crisp, clear day, and the wind already had a little bit of bite to it - autumn was clearly here, and nature was preparing for winter. Marduk had spent a good part of the day practising his water magic by the river, and was now heading back to town to find someplace to warm up for a while, maybe go over his notes and study some more. He was excited about another new spellbook he had found, since this one seemed to focus mainly on healing! That was right up the young male's alley.
Not being able to contain himself, he opened the book while walking, confident that he'd be able to react before he bumped into someone or something..
The autumn sun shone down on Gale as he threaded his way through the streets towards home, bestowing a bright light but weak warmth that was quickly snatched by the brisk wind. Gale didn't notice the n** in the air that caused his cheeks to flush, nor, for once, did he notice the crowds of people with whom he shared his walk. Notoriously shy and loathe to go anywhere crowded or noisy when he had a choice, today his mind wasn't on how the wind kept him from the skies but on the wonderful music he'd heard from a street performer. They just seemed to blossom out of nowhere as the air got cooler. Or maybe not. It stood to reason that singers were just more common now since the weather was discouraging of the skimpy costumes normally worn during physical performances.
Gale absently reached up and brushed at his hair, drifting back to the lovely soprano of the female singer and how the tenor of her male partner had complemented it beautifully. He was so busy focusing on the melody that he forgot he wasn't used to crowds and needed to watch where he was going. A jolt from his shoulder told him he'd bumped into someone, and not gently either. Suddenly the flushing of his cheeks was for an entirely different reason as he stopped and tried his best to stammer out an apology.
Soon enough, the angelic male was so focused on his book that he'd nearly forgotten about the world around him. Luckily he knew the streets well enough to keep his direction even without looking.. today turned out to be a busier day than he had expected, however. Being as scrawny as Marduk was, it certainly didn't take much to knock him off his feet. Even though he'd been so careful to not walk into anyone, suddenly he found himself falling down on his behind with a small thump.
"Ah, I-I'm sorry--!" he managed to mumble.
Even then, he had been careful not to damage his precious, irreplaceable book - he had instantly pressed it against his chest when the collision happened, purely on instinct. He blinked a few times. Everything seemed so fuzzy, suddenly.. but he hadn't hit his head? He then attempted to fix his glasses - only to realize they weren't on his nose! So that was the reason he couldn't see!
"My glasses!" he then cried out helplessly. "I.. I can't see a thing without them! Can anyone spot them..?" He felt the ground around him, trying to find his vitally important spectacles. In his haste, he soon got his hand stepped on by a passer-by, and he couldn't help but whimper in slight panic.
Gale wasn't having a whole lot of luck in the speech department himself. He kept opening his mouth, making this breathy little squeak as the words tried to get out, then closing his mouth to try again. His face felt like it was on fire! A lot of things made him uncomfortably self-aware, but he was sure he'd never felt this embarassed before! Thankfully the male he'd bumped into didn't seem to have that problem, and his own apology cut Gale off before he could make a third attempt at speech. That just made the blush a bit worse; it was his fault in the first place, the male shouldn't have to apologize just because Gale was too much of an airhead to watch where he was going!
Hoping the third time really was the charm Gale gave speech one more try, and was again cut off before he could start. Glasses? He cast his eyes about and spotted a speck of something purple and glinting a couple feet ahead on the concrete. Afraid it might get crushed, Gale leapt forward and quickly shielded the item with his body, feeling around until his belly until something cold and smooth pressed into his hand. He pulled his prize in front of him and saw they were indeed a pair of glasses.
Feeling now twice the fool he had been a moment ago, Gale slide shyly over to the male, careful not to step on him and crouching to be a bit more on level. He carefully offered forward the glasses. "Ah, h-here you go," he managed to stutter out, though it was so soft and halting that he'd be surprised if the male heard any of it over the wind and the crowds. Steeling himself, Gale reached out and lightly touched the back of the male's hand to let him know Gale was there.
Marduk stopped when he first heard a quiet voice, then felt something touch his hand - at least this time it wasn't a foot! He looked up a little, squinting, making out a blurry dark figure in front of him. Oh, so there was still kindness in these parts of the world! Marduk had already been afraid his precious spectacles would be lost forever. Of course he could have simply gotten a new pair from an optician, but.. these were special to him.
Carefully, he reached out in turn to accept the glasses from the kind stranger. "Thank you, thank you so much", he repeated several times over as he put the glasses back up on his nose, finally being able to see again, able to make out what his savior looked like.
In front of him was a darker colored male who didn't seem much older than he was himself. Their gestures and overall countenance were those of a somewhat withdrawn individual, he quickly noted. Marduk often made small analyses of people he met, simply because he was interested in how everyone's mind worked.
"Thank you again, how can I ever repay you?" he asked then, dusting himself off as he stood up, then somewhat nervously fixing his hair, giving the other male a goofy smile. "You really saved my life there! I can't lose these", Marduk continued, pushing his glasses up a little.
Gale sense of feeling flustered increased. His ruby eyes darted to the side to avoid the male's gaze, though not before he noted the male had eyes of a similar color to his. Perhaps just a shade or two lighter, pink-ruby to his red-ruby. "A-Ah, there's no need t-to thank me," he mumbled, hand reaching up to tug at his hair and hide his face, a nervous habit he had. "I-I was the one who bumped you in the first place, so it's only right I help put things to-to right again." He stumbled a bit over that last sentence, wondering if he sounded a bit a fool for using the word right twice so close together. Well, it was out of his mouth now and he couldn't take it back. Gale pressed his lips together as his fingers played with the hair in them, wishing he could just melt through the cold concrete pressing against his legs.
Marduk simply wouldn't have it. He'd been just as careless, and still this kind fellow had stopped to help him out! Of course he'd have to thank him somehow. Now he just needed to come up with something that wasn't too over the top.
"No no no, the.. the fault was just as much mine! I was too focused on my book to look where I was going.." he protested aloud. He smoothed his tousled hair a little, feeling a little awkward in a situation like this but he refused to let this kind stranger just walk away unpaid for their kindness.
"You were kind enough to return my glasses to me, in any case, and that alone means a whole lot to me! I'm practically blind without these.." he continued, his voice turning a little squeaky towards the last sentence. He wasn't exactly happy about getting his mother's terrible eyesight, but alas, it wasn't something he could hold against her either.
Gale's draconic wings rustled dryly against his back as they shifted in place. It made him feel a bit like a bully, the way this guy was determined to share the blame. Well, if it was either that or running into a total jerk he supposed this was the more preferable of the two, but it didn't help his blush go away. At least the intensity no longer felt like he was glowing!
"A-Ah, well I apologize again," he said quietly, moving his hand so he wasn't muttering into his wrist. His legs felt a little shaky still, stress from his uncertainly and embarrassment, but they could hold him. Now if only he could remember exactly how to stand up...
Carefully he pulled his limbs under him and tried to make it look like he had his coordination under control. "I'll just....just be on my way now. Sorry!"
Marduk immediately puffed his cheeks like a kid not getting his way when the other male attempted to leave the scene. At that instant he also recalled what it was he came to town for - to go to a coffee shop! That was a perfect way to show his gratitude without making the other TOO uncomfortable, right? And in any case, the magically inclined young man certainly felt something unusual about his helper. Something that made him not want to let them just disappear, not yet.
Without thinking, he grabbed Gale's wrist, somewhat tightly but not enough so for it to hurt.
"C-come to the coffee shop with me! I'll buy you coffee or tea and some kind of pastry as a thank you!" he then almost shouted, his cheeks somewhat flushed. "I need to show you gratitude somehow, and that won't take too much of your time!" he insisted, almost starting to pull the other male along already.
The male managed to actually pull Gale along for a step or two before Gale got over his shock enough to find his feet. His voice, on the other hand, had vanished back into whatever time-space pocket it had first gone to when Gale bumped into the male. As soon as everything really registered with him, Gale felt not just a facial blush but a full-body blush hit. His wrist, especially, felt warm, and just a bit tingly. It wasn't like he was a pervert. Far from it! It was just hard to forget his preferences when someone of good looks and not his family had his hand and apparently wished to drag him along somewhere.
"I-It.... That's really not necessarily," he tried to protest, half wanting to pull his wrist away and flee but not wanting to seem even more churlish than he probably already did.
Marduk basically spun around on his heels, not letting go of Nightingale's wrist. He'd decided he'd take the man out for coffee, and that was what he would do!
He looked at the other male with a slight pout. "I insist!" he promptly responded, puffing his chest just a tiny bit - a gesture which simply looked comical when done by someone as frail and feminine in build as the angelic male was.
For a fleeting moment, he chewed on his lip, his mind frantically searching for better 'weapons' to keep his savior from bolting. He wasn't usually this pushy, oh no! But it wasn't every day he lost his glasses - no, he was much too careful with them. Regardless of who had been 'at fault' here, the fact remained Nightingale had restored Marduk's most precious item and that he just HAD to make up regardless of person. Of course, it seemed a plus that the person in question was a cute guy..
Finally, he turned his large ruby eyes to Nightingale, batted his thick lashes a few times and gave the male the biggest doe eyes he had probably ever seen.
"I really would like to show you even a small token of gratitude, you really don't know how big of a help you were regardless of who bumped into who", he repeated, his voice warm yet firm.
Gale was positive his face was the same color as his eyes. If it wasn't, then it would have been some kind of miracle or subconscious control. Regardless of how red he may or may not have been, it certainly /felt/ like his face was a degree or two away from bursting into flames.
If asked Gale would probably say he was a girly guy. Well, his build was slim enough and he kept his hair shoulder length in a shaggy layers style that was probably more common on girls than boys but still looked well enough on him. He did have long lashes, but unless you were up close and paying attention to his face you couldn't tell. His clothing wasn't plain or sturdy enough to say "guy" and it wasn't cutesy or overly done enough to say "girl", but he took more time with his appearance than most guys.
Now Gale saw he was probably somewhere in the middle as far as looks went. Next to the guy holding his wrist, his build and looks definitely seemed more masculine to him than they had a moment ago. Almost against his will Gale felt his eyes get pulled to watch the man's face, then skim down his body to take in his build and clothes. Face still flaming, he hurriedly looked away before he could be taken for a creep. He was so flustered at this point that he couldn't even formulate a reply. Heck, it was all he could do to keep standing, and the only reason he wasn't messing with his bangs already is cause the male had a hold of the hand he usually used for that!
Marduk's way of dressing was quite plain - more than anything he loved baggy pullovers, usually over a thin neutrally colored turtleneck shirt. The male was wearing one even now, the neckline falling off one shoulder, making him seem all the more girly. His slim fit trousers certainly didn't help that impression either.
He continued to smile like an idiot, now actually realizing that his company was indeed outwardly attractive as well.
He'd been too focused on the faint sensation of magic emanating from the other, as well as the recovery of his prized spectacles to even take notice.
"Ah, um, so, yeah! I know this really nice coffee shop not too far from here, on one of the more quiet side streets!" he finally stammered, feeling quite flustered himself. He rarely met people outside his incredibly extensive family, and individuals possessing magic of any kind weren't all that common either! At this point he really wanted to get acquainted with the male in front of him. He took a couple small sidesteps, tugging Gale along in a gentle yet determined manner, still giving him the doe eyes, hoping he wasn't coming off too strongly.
Gale found himself being swept along by the male, though that should hardly be surprising. Personality-wise he had all the ferocity of pudding, maybe even less. It was probably why his son was still so protective of him. Even someone this much smaller and frailer-looking than him would have been subject to Sho's 'you don't mess with my dad' look.
It took about a block before Gale realized he was actually following along with the male. Well he didn't see any other option. He was almost sure that if he did act unimaginably rude and shake free and run, the male would charge right after him! His personality was a lot bolder than Gale's was. Which reminded him.
"Gale," he muttered to his feet, then flushed and looked off to the side before speaking a bit more clearly. "My name is Gale."
A look of triumph and pure, childlike glee spread on Marduk's face. This was finally getting somewhere! Besides, he was sure Gale would love the coffee shop they were heading to. It was really lovely but a little out of the way so it wasn't as popular as you'd expect from a shop of that quality. He could hardly contain his excitement over the opportunity to get to know someone who wasn't a Pardus!
"My name's Marduk Bloo-Pardus! Just call me Marduk or any nickname you come up with, as long as I can recognize it~" his tone was nonchalant and his eyes stayed almost glued to Gale. "It's nice to meet you, Gale - I rarely get to see people outside of my family - I'm sure you've heard the name Pardus at one time or another", he said with an exasperated sigh. As much as he adored all of his family, there were so many different personalities that it was sometimes hard to keep up with some of them! Not to mention his magic wasn't nearly as strong as some of his cousins'.
He kept gently but firmly leading Gale down the streets, pondering how to start conversation. He had already spoken about his glasses enough for the time being, he figured.
Pardus? The name did sound vaguely familiar, but not like he'd heard it directly. Maybe one of his sisters had mentioned it before? He could rule out Serenade since she only talked about plants, her mate, or her children. Perhaps Nocturne or Harmony had mentioned it?
"I don't think I have, but I don't get around much," he said. His voice was still a bit quiet, but it was always like that even with family. A little bit less volume due to shyness really wasn't that bad, and at least the stutter seemed to have left. Gale had never been very chatty anyway. The few who'd heard it at normal volume had told him he had a nice voice, but that just seemed to make him even shier.
Marduk kept smiling like a damned fool, his cheeks practically glowing from his excitement. He cocked his head ever so slightly in surprise from Gale's reply. The Pardus line being so big, he'd imagined nearly everyone had met at least someone with a connection to his family. But then again, this was fine too! At least now there were no expectations of great magical prowess or potion-making.. not that there were many that handled potions in the family anymore, what with his great-great-grandmother Luaith disappearing and taking that knowledge with her.
"Ah, that's fine! My family's just so insanely big nearly everyone I've met so far knows one or more of us", he explained in a light, dismissive tone. "We're, uh, mostly known as magic users", he then confessed, figuring it would come up sooner or later in discussion. And since Gale seemed rather quiet he figured he'd keep the conversation up to prompt some kind of responses from the other male.
"Oh, we're here!" he then exclaimed happily. They stood outside a small, somewhat old-fashioned coffee shop, and a sweet aroma drifted out from the open door. The shop also served as a small bakery, so one was always guaranteed to find the perfect treat to go with their coffee or tea!
Gale blinked a little at the mention of magic. To be honest it was his first time meeting someone outside his family who used magic. His was a warm bit of fuzz in the back of his mind, something he was constantly aware of even when he wasn't using it. He didn't do it too often, only enough to stay in practice and make sure his control never faltered. These days if he really pushed he could put magic into his plain voice instead of having to sing it, but just the thought scared him witless. He didn't consider his power all that impressive, but he didn't like the implications that could be taken from it.
With that caution in mind, besides being too shy to say anything anyway, Gale kept his own magic ability to himself, unaware that Marduk could already tell he had power. He ducked his head shyly and let a curtain of hair hide his face. The faint scent of coffee reached his nose, carried on the wind and made stronger by the cold. That was a nice thing about autumn, how much sharper smells got. He sniffed it in appreciatively. He wasn't a huge coffee drinker himself, but he enjoyed a cup every now and then. It was a place he'd never been to before, though that wasn't saying much since he didn't come to town often anyway.
Another thought occured to Gale, causing his blush to show up again and prompting him to try taking his hand back. "I didn't bring any money to pay with. It would be rude to make you buy me something."
The fact that Gale didn't speak a word of his magic, which Marduk could sense in the male without a doubt, made him conclude that either it was something Gale couldn't really control, or it was a kind of magic he didn't feel like talking about. Magic did manifest in so many ways after all, that's what he had learned early on. Sometimes it was more of a curse than a gift. In any case, Gale would bring it up if he decided to, so the younger male decided not to press the subject.
During their short venture, his hand had unintentionally pretty much moved from Gale's wrist to gripping the male's hand. This caught him by surprise, and he nearly let go because he felt it was a little too bold considering they'd just met some moments ago. His blush deepened a little, and his gaze wandered for a short moment before returning to Gale.
"What? No no no, the whole idea was that I treat you, as a thank you for earlier!" he then said in a matter-of-fact tone. With his free hand, he brushed a few stray locks out of his face, and fixed his glasses a little, a gesture all too common for him.
Gale fidgeted in place. Socialization made no sense to him. Getting brought a thank-you drink for returning a pair of glasses that had gotten knocked off because of him in the first place? Maybe he needed to work on getting out more, because it was a bit of an overload for him. What was one to do when drinking with someone else? Conversation was normal, but it was so difficult for him to iniitiate that the few chatty people he'd ever met got impatient with him.
Plus the hand holding! Admittedly Gale wasn't an expert, but he was pretty sure strangers who met for the first time didn't hold hands unless at least one person was a child. And, okay, maybe he did sometimes need to be herded along like one, but did Marduk know that Gale happened to favor his own sex over females? Surely if he did he wouldn't be so stubborn about holding onto Gale! He was as suseptible to cute as the next person...
Gale swung his bangs in front of his face in an attempt to shield it and the blush, which felt like it was being a permanent feature for today. He wasn't sure what to say, or even if his mouth would work to say thing. He just stood there, silent and feeling a little awkward as this shorter, definitely cuter than him man led him around. Yup, definite overload for him today.
Marduk had no real grasp on social etiquette, but he had extremely high morals and had been taught by his parents to be as generous as possible, and to be grateful for every single act of kindness that someone bestowed on him. So, following this personal code of honor of sorts, he never allowed a favor to go unrepaid. No, he certainly wouldn't have it. One might have thought his way of thinking to be rather childish and silly, but for him it simply was a big deal.
Not to mention, this was the first time he'd had the luck to come across someone as appealing and intriguing as Gale. Marduk felt he must have seemed like an idiot, constantly smiling at his new acquaintance. Maybe it was a reaction to Gale's magic? Maybe something else? He wasn't quite sure. Nonetheless, he wanted to spend some time with the darker colored male, and get to know him better. He simply HAD to know more about him.
Finally, he grew too embarrassed about their unintentional hand-holding that he released Gale's hand, smiling sheepishly. "I-I'm sorry, I swear my hand must have slipped at some point.." he mumbled. It had felt nice though, but it didn't seem quite appropriate at this time.
Gale's hand dropped back down to his side and he had to fight not to wipe it against him. Not that Marduk's touch had been unpleasant! That's why he refused to follow through with the compulsion. It was just he was so unused to touching or being touched, that he could still feel that sensation lingering on his flesh.
"I-It's okay," Gale stammered back. "I hadn't noticed until...just a moment ago." He peeked through his bangs at Marduk, then at the coffee shop where he had brought them. Traffic was far lighter here, but there still seemed to be business going on. He and Marduk were actually attracting a couple curious looks, which made him drop his head again and pin his eyes back to the ground. "I've never been here before," he said softly into the silence between them, feeling he should probably say /something/ at some point.
Marduk chuckled awkwardly, playing with his bangs a little. He had also now taken notice of the looks they were starting to get from passers-by, and it was embarrassing him somewhat. He was a little shy himself as well, after all, despite his excitable side.
"Uhm, we.. we should probably go inside, it's a little more quiet and um.. I dunno, private..?" he then said quietly. "I'm sure you'll like what they sell here.. and this is the perfect season for spiced things! So many beverages and pastries are pumpkin-flavored right now", he then continued with his earlier excited manner, politely gesturing towards the door, giving Gale a small glance with his doe eyes for added effect.
Well, he couldn't really turn back at this point. Bracing himself, Gale entered the coffee shop like he expected bullets to go flying around the place any moment.
Thankfully it wasn't that crowded, which helped him relax a bit more. He quickly honed in on one of the "out of the way spots" and moved over to it, a little scared to look up but glancing around the shop shyly. It was a clean and bright little place, and the people behind the counter looked cheerful enough and greeted him and Marduk with what sounded like genuine enthusiasm. The smell of coffee and spices was even stronger in here than it had been outside. There was even a little deli case in the corner containing food items, simple stuff but probably things that nicely complemented a drink if you were also hungry.
Gale wasn't really sure what he should be doing. This was his first time in a shop like this without family around, and that time the shop had actually been /owned/ by the grandfather of some of his nieces and nephews, so they just brought stuff to him and didn't expect him to do anything. Though he'd only just met that man less than an hour ago, Gale found himself sliding a bit closer to Marduk as a social buffer. He brought him here, hopefully he'd take charge of the situation as well.
Marduk smiled softly at Gale, hesitantly bringing a hand to the slightly taller man's shoulder and moving with him to the counter. "There's a nice table free in the back, there's less people there", he pointed out as their barista came up to the counter to ask for their order.
The angelic male was actually rather hungry after being out for so long, so he was planning on ordering something more than just sweets with his drink.. he wasn't all that big on coffee either, to be perfectly honest, but this particular shop had blends with a much softer flavor than what he'd tasted elsewhere.
Taking a quick look over today's selection, he settled on a sandwich and two slices of pumpkin pie, along with a pumpkin spice latte. As he finished reciting his order, he turned to look at Gale.
"What would you like? Just pick whatever tickles your fancy", he said with a smile. After all, he didn't yet know anything about Nightingale's preferences when it came to food or drink, so he figured it'd be best to let the male choose his own order.
Gale hesitated as he looked over the menu. There were a lot of options! He found himself wishing for the presence of his little sister or, better still, even if he was still a bit shy around her, her mate. Ophelia could have probably told him in a instant what these words meant. He knew she really liked tea, but it wouldn't have surprised him to know she had a working knowledge of coffee as well. The only thing he personally recognized was hot chocolate...
Feeling the lady behind the counter watching him, Gale flushed and his brain panic-blanked. Only the knowledge of the look he'd get from his sister kept him from blurting out hot chocolate just to be done with the whole ordeal. Serenade had this weird idea that you should try new tastes when you had the chance. Well, he supposed he could always pack up and relocate to a spot in the forest somewhere and officially begin his life as a hermit.
Okay, now the panic was starting to spread out of his brain and to his body. He swung his eyes up to the menu and picked the first thing that caught their attention. "Green tea latte," he managed to get out, wondering whether or not it was worth foregoing his manners in order to beat a hasty retreat. But Marduk's hands were full, there was no way he could hold all that and the drink Gale ordered. The conundrum locked him in place long enough that the barista had his drink made and on the counter before he could decide. He managed a shaky thank you and reached forward with a lightly trembling hand to pick up the beverage.
Marduk waited with his tray a few steps away from Gale, smiling softly as the other male finally finished with his order and carefully, even if a little clumsily, handed over the payment for both of their drinks as well as his own food.
"Luckily it's not too full right now, so we should be able to sit in peace for a while", he said as casually as he could. It was hard to contain the excitement over having a chance to get to know Gale, and he was still incredibly happy he'd managed to actually persuade the other male in joining him. Sure, he was incredibly stubborn - his parents had no idea where he got that from - but he never wanted to make anyone do something they didn't really want.
The angelic male walked up to the table he'd previously picked, placing his things on it and hanging his messenger bag over the back of the chair. He really hoped he could make Gale ease up a bit soon, and that the other would enjoy his company.. his self-esteem was not the greatest, despite the way he behaved. Marduk was in fact a little timid too but whenever he was nervous he got even more chatty.
"So, um, what's your first impression of the place? Pretty nice, huh?" he asked then, motioning for Gale to sit down across from him.
Gale settled into a chair across from Marduk, edging stiffly down like he thought the place would explode at any moment and casting a quick, shy glance over his shoulder at the occupants in the shop with them. He had to remind himself not to clutch at the cup in his hands or he'd bend it and spill hot liquid all over the place.
Taking a deep breath, Gale tried to calm himself down. It wasn't like he /couldn't/ talk to strangers, he'd done it before! He was able to reduce his heart rate a little, though making conversation still seemed daunting.
"I've never been in a place like this before, to be honest," he said, fingers twitching over the cup settled between his hands. He was able to offer a shy smile. "I have a few problems with social anxiety, so I don't get out a lot."
Marduk took a small sip from his cup, still smiling at Gale softly. He could feel his cheeks grow a little hotter again now that they were somewhere somewhat more private.
"I come here now and then. It's nice to warm up and unwind after I have been practicing water magic for a while.. I used to soak myself a lot, since um.. I've got more talent with healing, to be honest", he said somewhat meekly, blushing a little. He felt embarrassed over being so clumsy with anything besides healing spells - after all, many of his family members had such strong magic running through their veins. His mother had been born through magic, as well.. but affinity was a thing you simply had to have.
"Um.. so.. what do you like to do? L-like, read or..?" he then asked, trying to keep the conversation up but not really even sure what to talk about, himself. He didn't just want to talk about himself! He really wanted to learn more about Gale, so he figured the best way to do so was trying to ask questions - hopefully he didn't seem rude..
Gale's fidgets now included his wings, and he shifted in his seat like he was uncomfortable. "Most of my family are musical, though my nieces and nephews have branched out a bit. Healing and weather and plants. I'm more like my parents, just music." He couldn't really think of anything else to add. He did sometimes read or help out with gardening, but he wasn't sure if they counted.
Gale looked down at the black plastic lid of his drink with the smallest of furrows upon his brow. Now that he really thought about it, he didn't do much at all besides music. Maybe because that was mostly all there was around the house. Maybe he should try to find a hobby? As he let his mind wander over the patterns of his days, a thought occured to him.
"I enjoy cooking, but I'm not very creative at it," he added softly, figuring his random moments in the kitchen might count as something he liked to do.
Marduk kept smiling, noticing that not once did Gale actually mention magic. But from his words, it was clear the family possessed some. This increased his interest all the more - there were healers in Gale's family too? Maybe he'd get a chance to meet them someday.. though he was getting a little ahead of himself then. And from what Gale said, the angelic male gathered his magic was musical, if he didn't really have much affinity with anything else.
He nodded in acknowledgement.
"Cooking is fun.. one of my mother's housemates, as well as my grandmother, really enjoy it", he commented on Gale's next reply. "I sometimes help, but I can only do things when I follow a recipe."
He moved on to take a few bites of his meal, his large eyes still fixed on his companion from under the thick, long eyelashes that framed them.
"So, what does your magic do?" he then asked flat out.
The relief at finally managing to say something intelligent in combination with it being Marduk's turn to speak made Gale feel a little limp for a moment. He finally brought his drink up to his face, sniffing at the steam rising from the slit in the lid. It was sweet, but fragrantly so. An experimental sip confirmed what his nose had told him. The drink was indeed sweet, probably because of the milk added to it, but still held the mild bitterness of tea which nicely offset it. It was a lot more floral than most of the teas he'd had before.
Gale was about to take a second sip when Marduk sprung a question on him. Thankfully the cup was far enough away from his lips that his sharp inhale didn't bring any of the hot liquid into his mouth. His eyes evasively darted to the side as he lowered the cup back to the table. In the world of magic his powers weren't that big a deal, but he still felt embarassed talking about them with others nonetheless.
It took him a moment to summon up the courage to actually speak. "I....enchant. It's a lot like the legend of sirens." He transferred his gaze to the table top, blushing again. What if Marduk thought Gale would use his powers on him? That was always a main source of worry for him, that people might reject him out of fear for what he could do, nevermind that it was hard for Gale to /talk/ to others, let alone sing.
Taking a few more bites of his sandwich, Marduk observed his company curiously, while trying not to seem too rude by just staring. He let Nightingale take his time responding, having already previously noticed that the other male seemed somewhat nervous and not all that comfortable with his own power. It was subtle, but someone with magical affinity could sometimes sense these things. Some individuals just were not in tune with their gift, or did not welcome it at all.
"That sounds really interesting!" he finally admitted with a grin. "I'd really like to hear you sing, to see if it really is that captivating. I could probably avoid being affected with my own magic", he continued, his hand resting on his spellbook. He really was curious to hear what Gale's singing would be like - his speaking voice was very pleasant to the ear as it was. He himself was not aware of anyone in his family being particularly musical, which in a way was a bit of a shame in his opinion. Some spells he'd learnt about were in fact supposed to be sung.. but he just couldn't do it. He didn't know how to control his breathing and his voice to bring enough power into the incantation.
Gale bit down on his lower lip and shook his head. Deep gold hair, almost orange in color, fell forward into his eyes. One of his hands released the cup and shakily brushed it back. "I don't like performing," he explained in his quiet voice, still having trouble with making any kind of eye contact. "There's no reason for me to use my magic, so I only practice it to keep it under control."
Feeling the need to be doing something with his hands, Gale raised his drink back up to his lips and took another sip from it. It would have been nice if Marduk really was somehow immune. The part of Gale that wasn't straight up shy also had doubts as to how much of his skill was actually skill, versus just magical coercion. Sho was immune since he was a god, and they had guessed that AIs would also be immune, though he'd never met one to find out. Magic wasn't a deterrent though; heck, his family was all kinds of magic and he could tell all of them were still affected.
"Usually I just...listen to singers. I'm trying to learn instruments instead."
Marduk's ears drooped a little. "Oh.. that's a shame, I'm sure you could learn to do a lot with your voice, and it would make others happy", Marduk said cheerfully. He played with his cup for a moment, mulling over what he was going to say next. In all honesty, music had always interested him in some way. It was as if music itself was a kind of magic, the way it evoked so many emotions in the listener.
But he also knew that there was a lot one could do with sound, regarding his own kind of magic as well. Instruments could sometimes work as an amplifier, or a focus, for one's powers, and that in particular was something Marduk was wanting to test for himself.
"Oh, um.. you play instruments? I've been thinking I'd want to learn something as well.. you see, I'm not, uh, nearly as powerful as many of my family members outside of healing.. but sometimes one can use a musical instrument as an aid in spellcasting", he explained then, pushing his bangs out of his face. "I'd.. want to see if I could learn to play a flute.. and channel my magic through that so I could control water better, like my father and siblings."
Gale bit his lip. Make others happy? He'd never really seen his powers in that light. He was sure that while they were listening they were happy, but he wanted it to be because they /wanted/ to be happy and not because his power /made/ them be. It was a fine line drawn across his morals, one he walked on with care. Maybe if one day he could sing for others without his magic getting in the way, but his control wasn't quite there yet.
Marduk's next words froze Gale in place. He actually stared a bit, forgetting to be shy. It shouldn't have been that unusual, but it just felt like a load of irony that Marduk should express a wish to learn to play the flute when his own son was the god of flutes. Not even a self-bestowed title, a literal god of flutes.
"A-Ah, it's easy enough to learn," Gale stuttered, catching up with himself and quickly looking away, blushing a little for staring. "I know how to play one, though I'm not an expert. It's mostly learning to control your breath. It helps to have strong lungs."
Marduk continued to smile - it's not like he often had any other look on his face - and his tail wagged a bit. He was amused to see different reactions from Gale. It was a slow but sure sign of the other male getting even slightly more comfortable with him. The more they spoke, the more certain Marduk was that he wanted to become friends with Nightingale. He found the orange-blue male simply fascinating.
Perhaps Marduk could support Gale in practicing keeping his magic under control. Maybe even discover different facets to his power - who knew? More often than not a power had many different ways of manifesting, aside from its main form. It would be interesting to find out how much potential there was within Gale.
"I'd still love to get some instruction - flutes have a beautiful sound to them, so they're the instrument I'd most prefer using with my spells.. Would you mind teaching me, since you know how to play one?" he asked hopefully, pushing his glasses up his nose and looking at Gale with expectant eyes.
Gale fidgeted some more, tapping his fingers against his cup then raising it to his mouth to take another drink. It was cooler by this point so he was able to take in a whole mouthful. Even in his slightly uncomfortable state he was able to appreciate the taste. He should ask Serenade about this stuff later, maybe she or Ophelia could tell him more about green tea.
He set the cup back down on the table and did his best to make eye contact. Music was a passion of his and he was thrilled to be able to see that spread to others, even if he wasn't entirely comfortable being a teacher himself. If Marduk was serious about this, he deserved a serious answer from Gale. "Do you own your own flute?"
Marduk's ears perked a little as he watched Gale. He played with his cup a little, spinning it softly on the table. He blushed a little, taking a moment to go over his own reply. He was afraid he'd come off completely ridiculous - he wasn't usually the type to care about image, but right now he certainly did not want to make any more of a fool of himself as he probably already had.
Finally, he took a deeper breath and looked back at Gale. His smile was almost apologetic now. "No, I don't have one. Yet. I've looked.. but.. none of them felt right. I think I need to have a connection with my instrument if I am to use it for magic.. right?" he said in a slightly lower voice than before. He hoped Gale understood what he was talking about.
Gale's face smoothed out into a thoughtful expression as he considered the problem, red eyes staring off in the distance like he was looking at something only he could see. His body language was completely normal and relaxed now. His mother had once remarked in amused tones that his love of music trumped even his shyness. Well, it was how he'd summoned the courage to visit the orphanage one cold winter night and adopt his son.
"I don't think a connection would be needed for it to work, but to have one would make a vast difference in the results," he finally said, voice as thoughtful as his expression. "The different designs and materials could represent affinity for certain kinds of magic. Perhaps all the flutes you've seen now just didn't properly align with the affinity of your own magic."
Marduk was relieved that Nightingale took his words seriously. The boy had always liked music - classical pieces always helped him concentrate when he studied. He had always felt music held a kind of magic of its own. The way it could soothe one's soul.. it was simply amazing.
"Maybe you're right", he said with a nod. He'd seen a variety of different kinds of flutes, with different metals, some made of wood.. but for some reason, he'd developed almost a fixation on trying to find one made of silver. Silver had always been a metal that resonated well with his powers. It was one of the few materials that usually bent to his will, aside from water.
"Do you.. have any suggestions where I should look? I think maybe a silver one would be right for me", he continued, blushing a little again, knowing he must have seemed at least a little ridiculous with his statement.
Gale's finger traced invisible designs in the side of his cup. He certainly did have an idea of where Marduk could look. The question was whether or not that idea would bear any fruit.
To the greatest extent of Gale's knowledge, Sho had never made anything for anyone else. He had an impressive collection all crafted by either his own hands or his own magic. He'd never sold one of his flutes, never gave any away. He let his family borrow them to play whenever they wished since he made such superior instruments, but at the end of the day the flutes went back to Sho's room to be lovingly packed away until their next use.
"Well-," he said, the words pried reluctantly out of his mouth, red eyes coming up to actually meet Marduk's, "-I think you'd have to get something like that custom-made. I can only think of one person in the area who could do that, but...," he trailed off, fingers now beating a tempo against the side of his cup. He lifted it to his mouth again and drained took another large drink. "Getting him to help will be....will be a bit difficult," he finished lamely, unsure of how else to put it.
Marduk's ears kept flicking back and forth, somewhat nervously. He watched Gale intently, and listened to Gale's reply. "Custom-made..?" he mumbled. Why hadn't he thought of that before, himself? Though, there were likely not that many who were able to craft an instrument like what he was looking for. He was now tapping a beat on the table, growing all the more excited.
And then his ears dropped. "Um.. difficult? What do you mean?" he asked sheepishly. Just when he thought he might finally have found a solution to his dilemma. It was obvious from the way Gale spoke that he knew this person.. So Marduk could not help but wonder what they were like and why it would be so difficult to get their assistance.
Gale cleared his throat and his eyes shifted off to the side as a light blush dusted across his cheeks and nose. "Well I happen to know the person quite well. He's a bit solitary and quite stubborn, and doesn't immediately take to people. As far as I know he's never made a flute that was meant for someone else."
Now the blush spread a bit further to include his whole face, and he rubbed the back of his neck. It felt a little embarassing to admit. Most people assumed the relationship between himself and Sho meant that the god would do anything Gale might ask of him as a favor. It truly seemed to baffle them that he would refuse, but they didn't know Sho. He had his own way of doing things and was highly stubborn.
"H-He's...aaah...he's my son," Gale managed to get out, raising a hand to swipe at his face and leaving it up to pull at his bangs.
Gale's last words made Marduk shut down completely for a moment, accidentally getting some of his drink down the wrong way. Son? Wait, what? Gale didn't seem that much older than him, what..? He simply stared for a while, not really sure how to respond. This wasn't exactly what he'd been expecting to hear. Not that he really had much in the way of expectations to begin with, but still.
Then, he coughed. "Ex-excuse me.." he managed to groan as he continued to hack, the liquid stinging his lungs. Once he recovered, he turned back to Gale. "Son? I, uh, figured you couldn't be much older than me, so, um, that was a bit surprising to hear", he then said, fidgeting a little, a blush spreading on his face as well. He'd already started to develop a substantial crush on the other male, and this did come as a bit of a shock, to say the least.
Gale flushed a very deep crimson and tried to cover it by taking another deep drink from his cup. As he lowered it back to the table he noted it was almost completely empty. It hadn't helped the blush at all though. Gale felt as though he could have heated a pot of tea using the heat from his face alone. He just couldn't meet Marduk's eyes, not after the shock he'd displayed. It was just way too much embarrassment to handle right now.
"I've been told I have a young face. I don't really act my age either," Gale mumbled quietly at the table top. "I adopted Sho, though he's young enough to actually be a son of my blood. That's how I think of him." He began tracing his finger across the table top. "I believe that's how he thinks of me as well, but I don't think even a family connection could help your cause if he didn't feel like making you a flute."
"A-ah, I see", was all Marduk could say at this point. He felt so embarrassed right now, himself, he simply cast his eyes down at his cup. Darn it, even he had almost finished his drink at this point. Clumsily he reached for the pumpkin pie he'd also bought earlier, using it as a distraction for the time being.
After a few mouthfuls, he glanced up again, his cheeks still red. "W-well.. I suppose you could.. still introduce me to him, and I can hope he'd agree to make my flute?" he asked meekly, smiling a little. "I'll just, uh, try to make a good impression?"
He took another bite of his pie, now feeling several times more nervous than he had previously. So now he'd have to hope to get along with Gale's SON, too? Hoo boy. Normally Marduk got along with others well enough, but he was always considered a little.. strange. And this whole situation wasn't exactly something you'd expect to happen every day, either.. but he couldn't do anything but hope things would work out okay.
The blush was receding a bit, and Gale found he was now able to look up. Not really meet Marduk's eyes, but he could at least look at his face. "I can certainly introduce you to him," Gale agreed, now just a light pink dusting over his cheeks and nose. A thoughtful look flashed over his face.
"He might take to you. It's hard to always tell with him, so don't be discouraged if it doesn't seem like it at first. Sho just...has a few trust issues," Gale added, feeling a bit bad for talking about his son like that but feeling like he should give Marduk as much help as possible. A part of him he didn't really understand really hoped that the god would take to the enthusiastic man, and not entirely just because it was Marduk's best bet for a flute attuned to his powers.
Marduk's smile gradually returned to his face, and his eyes lit up hopefully. The idea of meeting Gale's son did make him rather nervous though. The silly romantic in his brain was already jumping the gun and partially imagining this as a 'introducing him to the family' kind of deal but his rational mind knew this was mostly just business, and Gale was simply kind enough to help Marduk out in his plight.
"Oh, I.. I see. It's a real shame, but I guess adopted individuals may be like that", he said sheepishly. Not that he'd ever met anyone who had been adopted, but it must have been hard to be an orphan. Marduk himself came from a big family, and everyone was rather fond of each other, so he couldn't exactly put himself in their shoes.. but he was empathic enough to imagine the pain and loneliness. Gale was a remarkably kind individual for having taken in such a child, he thought.
"Ah, w-well, that's certainly a part of it," Gale agreed. He drained the last of his drink and sat there with his hands wrapped around the cup, thumbs moving up and down the empty container. "It goes a bit deeper than that, but I don't think it's my business to really say. If Sho does take to you he'll tell you on his own."
He tried a smile, and though it was a bit small and shy he was able to produce one. "He's a good boy, I'm sure in the end you'll be able to get along."
Gale leaned back in his chair, crossing his legs nervously and glancing out the window before he looked back to Marduk. The smaller male was very distracting. He couldn't help but notice how large his eyes looked and how long the lashes framing them were, or wondering what kind of body he had beneath those concealing cold-weather clothes. Uncomfortable thoughts that made him flush for whole different reasons and tied his tongue into knots. "I could introduce you now," he said. Or tried to. His voice had gone dry, and it came out as more of a whisper. He flushed and cleared his throat, trying again. "My home is on the outskirts of town, towards the edge of the forest. Since it's too windy to fly, if we went now you might have enough time to talk and get back home before it gets dark." He met Marduk's eyes for just a moment before shyly looking back out the shop's window, heart fluttering like a demented bat in his chest while he waited for the male's answer.
Marduk nodded quietly and slid his plate to the middle of the table, placing a dessert fork in front of Gale. There was a reason he'd bought two pieces of pie, after all. "The other one's for you.. I hope you like pumpkin", he said softly, his cheeks turning a darker pink. "And I'll admit I am a little nervous - it's my first time meeting an actual artisan.. But if he's taken even a tiny bit after you I'm sure he's a wonderful person", he said with genuine admiration in his voice.
"I, uh, really appreciate you doing so much for me even though we've only just met. And ahh.. I hope you've not had a terrible time with me so far, at least?" Marduk then blurted out, scratching the back of his head embarrassedly. He played with the hem of his sweater for a moment, looking down at his hands while doing so, before raising his gaze back up at the male sitting across from him.
"If it's not too much t-trouble, it would be pretty awesome the sooner I get to talk to your.. s-son", he agreed, nodding a little. Suddenly he was feeling incredibly flustered, and had unintentionally even begun chewing on his bottom lip. Gale was so similar to him in build, yet perhaps because of being a little older, there was just something about the blue-orange male that drew him in. And Marduk knew it wasn't just the charming voice.
Gale uttered a shy thanks and very self-consciously began eating the pie. He had to admit he was starting to get a bit hungry and the pie here was good. Not as good as at home, but then his mother and sister liked to grow fruits and vegetable and there was just something about fresh-picked that made food taste better. He just wasn't used to people buying things for him, for no reason except because they wanted to.
He tried not to rush as he ate, but they couldn't take the pie with them and they couldn't leave until he had eaten it. Finally all that was left on the plate was a scattering of crumbs.
"Th-This has been nice," Gale said into the silence and tried for another smile. "It's not what I'm used to, but it's been a n-nice encounter all the same. I do like trying to meet new people, I'm just not very good at it." He stood up and collected the empty plate and cup. "I-I'm ready to go if you are, unless you had other errands you needed to run."
Marduk kept smiling sheepishly at his companion, fidgeting ever so slightly out of excitement. Seeing Gale's house would also mean learning new things about him. Boy, was he glad he'd decided to come to town instead of just going straight home! And it was also a relief he was in no particular hurry today, for once. Quiet as he was, Gale was good company and Marduk was eager to get to spend more time with him.
As Gale ate the pie, he drank the last of his coffee, hoping it wouldn't make him too hyper later on.. he was a little sensitive to caffeine, but the seasonal spiced lattes were really nice here, so he couldn't help it.
Finally, at Gale's reply, his smile widened into a silly grin and his cheeks were nearly as red as his eyes at this point. He pushed up his glasses and played with his bangs for a bit, feeling glad the other male didn't mind his excitable and sometimes somewhat pushy behavior. He tried to be as considerate as possible, and he really had felt that treating Gale had been necessary. Though, the longer they had been sitting there, the more it had started feeling like a date..
"Ah, no, I'm free.. I was just planning on stopping somewhere to warm up after practicing by the river and then going home. I'm not in any particular hurry, though, so.." he replied, wagging his tail a little.
Gale nodded and moved to throw away the plate and cup and stood by the front door waiting for Marduk to catch up to him. He held open the door for the smaller male, feeling another blush stain his cheeks at how date-like the whole thing felt. He hoped it didn't bother Marduk. It was hard to tell how some males reacted to homosexuality. He was far too shy to even think of asking, but from what he observed so far he thought Marduk might be open to the concept.
And this was going way too far out of his already strained comfort zone. Home. Yes. He was taking Marduk to his home to talk to Sho about flutes. Get past that first, think about other things later. Conversation. Yes. Maybe that would help.
"So....ummm, you said you have a large family? A lot of siblings, or mostly cousins," Gale asked, going with the first thing that came to mind.
Marduk's steps were light, and he almost had to keep himself from skipping along out of sheer excitement. He smiled at the gentlemanly gesture of Gale holding the door for him as they stepped back out onto the chilly, windy streets. His fur poofed up a little as a reaction to the colder air, and he stayed by Nightingale's side like an obedient puppy. A puppy with huge, red doe eyes.
Oh man. He wondered what Gale's son was like, other from what Gale had already said. He really hoped they could get along. He knew some didn't appreciate his excitable nature - even his siblings had to sometimes just tell him to go away. When he got excited - and that was rather often - he'd talk and talk and he was also rather fond of physical affection.
Even back inside, there had been a few moments where he had wanted to just jump up and throw his arms around Gale. And though it had been unintentional, holding hands before had also felt nice..
Suddenly returning back to the present, Marduk blinked a few times as his brain actually processed what Gale had just said. "Ah, yeah. I have an older brother, three older sisters, and very recently got three younger siblings as well, haha", he said, clasping his hands together behind his back. He couldn't wait for his younger siblings to come out of their bowls, so he could play and practice with them. "Then there's two-- three cousins, and I have several great-aunts and uncles.. how's your family?"
Gale actually chuckled quietly. "Not quite that big. I've got two older sisters, two younger sisters, and a younger brother. One of my little sisters recently had three children, though they've grown up by now, and one of my older sisters has quite a family already. She has three children too, as well as four grandchildren. I'm given to understand that the other parents of her grandchildren have quite extensive families of their own, though I've never met any of them."
He tucked his wings closer to his back as a particularly strong gust channeled down the street, ducking his head as the wind whipped at his hair. Without even thinking about it he moved a little ahead to use his body as a shield, so the smaller Marduk wouldn't have to bear the brunt of it. He didn't seem to realize he'd done it either, when he looked back up, cheeks red with the chill from the air. "No aunts, uncles, or cousins that I know of, since I believe both my parents were only children."
Marduk smiled. "Ah, none of my siblings have their own kids yet. So I guess you're an uncle and a great-uncle besides being a father, huh?" he chuckled in a mildly teasing tone. "My younger brother and sisters are still only bowls, but I'm really excited to have them around. I believe I have a lot of second cousins and the like, since my great-great-grandmother had several children.. haven't met anyone outside my immediate family yet, though."
He could feel the wind blowing away some of the smaller feathers on his wings, which caused him to fold them, noticing it also made the air feel a tiny bit less cold. Less surface for the wind to hit, he guessed. When he realized Gale was shielding him from the wind a little as well, he looked up at the taller male's back admiringly. "Ah, I see. Pretty much all of my family's on my dad's side, since my mother only had her mother.. she, uh.. was born from magic, mostly", he added. His grandmother was rather shy, so he hadn't met her that many times, but he recalled her being a rather good cook. "So almost everyone in your family is musical?"
"Most have a liking for it, if not magic," Gale said in agreement, brushing his bangs out of his face. As he glanced over at Marduk he couldn't help but notice the smaller male experiencing a similar problem, and how very cute messy hair looked on him. Gale quickly looked away before his thoughts could continue further down that path.
"Mother's the one with the magic, though there might be something in Father's family. It skips a generation and his was the one skipped, and his father didn't get to tell him much before he died. We're trying to find out the details, or if my brother just got unlucky." Realizing that was probably a bit vague, Gale elaborated. "Requiem's magic has something to do with the dead in addition to music. It's difficult for him to sleep, he's so...haunted, most of the time." A fond smile touched his face. "Actually, for a long time the only place he could sleep peacefully was in Sho's tail. It was adorable as a kit, and still kind of is now."
Marduk had to squint a little as they walked, since the wind kept blowing his hair in his eyes. At least his glasses helped a little.. they were running down his nose again, however, so he had to push them back up quite often. He would've liked to grab Gale's hand again, and a few times had already caught himself trying to reach out for it, but managed to pull himself back before the other male noticed.
"Ah.. I'm sorry to hear your brother suffers from his power. I.. believe at least one of my great-uncles specializes in dealing with the occult, maybe he could help.. depending on the nature of your brother's problem", he said with a more serious tone than he'd previously displayed. It was rather strange to think that Mehdi, who was only a little older than him, was actually his great-uncle. "That last bit does sound kind of cute, though", he admitted with a small smile of his own.
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Posted: Sun Dec 01, 2013 12:52 pm
Gale smiled softly. "Sho's special like that. It makes me sad that he had such a rough start in life. I can't understand why, I've always thought he was such a kind person." He sighed quietly, the sound snatched away by the wind as it left his lips. Sho's relationship with his little brother had always proved to Gale what a caring person his son could be. He'd seen Sho sit for hours on end, refusing to move lest it wake Requiem up. He always pretended it was because he had something to do in that spot anyway (usually his workroom), but Gale had noticed that Sho's eyes was crinkled with worry in the corners when he looked at the sleep-deprived Requiem, or that gentle smile he wore when Requiem muttered in his sleep.
The a start Gale pulled himself out of his thoughts and flashed an apologetic smile at Marduk. "Apologies, I got lost in thought. It would be wonderful if your uncle could help, though one of my sisters had been trying a few things out as well." Upon those words a new thought occured to Gale.
"Eeerr," he drew out, wondering how to put it. "Ah, well. I should give you a heads up. It's not that big a deal, but if you ever meet my sister Serenade...," he trailed off again. "Well, she's the only one with no music interest in the family. She's also acts a bit meaner than she is. I only bring it up cause she lives with us as well, though in her own place with her mate. It's a bit off into the tree-line. You probably won't see her at all-," he hastened to assure Marduk, "-but if you do, just don't bring up music with her. In fact, just not talking to her unless she talks to you first would be for the best."
Marduk felt his smile widening a little as he tried to imagine what Gale had just described, though not knowing what Sho or Requiem looked like it was somewhat difficult. Still, the setting sounded really heartwarming and gave him a little more courage regarding meeting Sho.
"It's quite alright", he reassured his company, having noticed Gale getting distracted. It didn't really bother him, as it was something that happened often with the people around him. "Uncle Mehdi can communicate with spirits and has somewhat stronger magical affinity than my branch of the family.. so maybe I should ask him to at least give it a shot. I don't think your brother has anything to lose with that", he pondered.
He blinked at the sudden change in subject. "Oh? Ah, alright. If I do meet her I'll try my best to watch my tongue", he replied with a small smile, nodding. "Anything else I should know before we get there?" he asked, wanting to be sure to not mess anything up. He didn't really have friends to mention, and had not been to anyone else's house before, so all in all he was a little self-conscious.
Gale thought about it for a moment. "Not much." Another smile crossed his face. "Mom's one of those warm, family types, and she's the only one I can guarantee we'll run in to. My dad may or may not be teaching a class, I'm not sure of his schedule. The rest of my siblings don't really live at home. The girls are all have pretty energetic personalities, just in case you do meet one of them someday." The smile he directed at Marduk was full of mirth. "You can't miss us, we're all very colorful."
As they walked and chatted the buildings began to thin out. Great since the wind was less channeled, not so great because there wasn't much to break it up at this point. There were passing by some of the smaller buildings, Mom & Pop places or buildings that didn't rely on steady flows of customers to get their work done. They were about halfway to Gale's house by this point. He really looked forward to being behind walls and out of the cold wind!
Even though they had not been outside for all that long, Marduk was already shivering. Must have been the wind, he figured. It was cold enough that snow could not have been far off. "Looks like we might need another warm drink when we get there", he said half-jokingly. Warmth would indeed be welcome, since the wind was momentarily harsh enough to feel like it pierced you to the very bone.
He rubbed his arms as much as he could, carrying his large book, trying to create warmth the best he could. If only he knew a larger variety of spells, like his aunt or mother! Then he remembered hearing about sharing body heat.. holding onto Gale would have probably helped them both stay warmer, but.. he couldn't just grab his arm like that! ...even if it was tempting. They'd look like a couple that way though, and he wasn't sure what Gale would think of being seen in public like that.
Gale nodded. "Mom might very well make one," he responded. She was like that, all warm and cheery. There were times he wished he could be more like that than the shy thing he was. "We're getting closer. I don't live too far outside the city." It would be quite nice to get out of this cold! He found his thoughts wandering, not realizing that he was having a few vaguely similar to Marduk's. His were quicker to be banished. Aside from the fact that it would probably be rude to latch on to someone in a manner most considered intimate, even if Marduk did prefer males Gale just didn't have the courage to do something so...personal.
Finally as all the buildings faded away to open lanes with bushes, trees, dirt roads and houses, Gale lifted his head up. "Ah, nearly there now. You can see my house from here. It's the one with all the rose bushes. Mom and Sera love them."
Marduk smiled a little to himself. Gale's family sounded altogether rather pleasant, and the way he spoke of his mother reminded him a little of his own. She was a very nurturing person, even if a little clumsy and nervous. Indeed, he could soon make out a house with quite a sizeable garden around it, some of the roses still insistently blooming despite how much colder it had gotten.
"Oh! Wow. It's still quite a sight - I can only imagine how everything looks in the summer when it's all in full bloom!" he said with a hint of excitement in his voice. He was actually quite fond of flowers, himself.. and always kept a small vase of various ones in his room, claiming to his siblings they were there for the sake of his magic practice. It was true that he managed to keep them alive slightly longer with his magic.. but his power wasn't made for plants, so it only worked for a while.
"Do your mother or sister ever try to get you to help out with the garden? I can only imagine maintaining it to be quite a task", he asked Gale then, trying to keep up the conversation so he wouldn't feel as awkward.
Gale wore a small smile as he shook his head. "Sera prefers people to stay out of her garden, actually. The only exception is during summer when weeds keep poking up, and even then she's edgy about it. She keeps thinking we'll pull up her plants instead of weeds. Mom doesn't ask for help either, though sometimes I'll go out and pull weeds for her as well." He ran a hand through his hair. "Both have plant magic, Mom's mixed with her music magic, so they usually have everything under control."
Finally the pair made it to the front door. Gale opened the door and paused for a minute in the opening, feeling another wave of embarassment coming over him. It was so unusual for him to bring anyone home... He was sure he'd be getting teased about it later. But too late to turn around now. He took a deep breath, then called in a low, carrying voice, "I'm home. I brought company." He moved inside and moved over so Marduk could also enter.
The sound of light footsteps approaching from behind reached his ears. From the corner of his eye Gale saw a head of bright orange hair. Nervous as he was, he couldn't help but smile. Cadence was just like that. She was slender and perhaps Marduk's height, the top of her head easily being able to tuck under Gale's chin. Her skin was tanned from spending time outside. Friendly blue eyes and a mouth that always held a hint of a smile stood out on her face. "Welcome back. Who's your friend?"
The younger male nodded at Gale's response. "Oh, I see. Seems she's really protective of them, then", he said with a small chuckle. "It's nice you still help them occasionally", he continued. The more they talked, the more apparent it was what a kind individual Gale was. This made Marduk both happy and nervous, because he was always a little bit self-conscious and wasn't quite sure he could live up to another person's kindness.
When they came up to the door, he could feel his heart rate doubling, if not even tripling. He didn't really have all that many friends, so he never went to other people's houses. It was the first time ever he met someone else's family, and he was desperate to make a good impression, simply out of principle.
His movements were surprisingly awkward and jerky as he stepped inside after Gale.. and before he had a chance to think of anything to say they were already greeted by a female he immediately deduced to be Gale's mother. She seemed very welcoming, and indeed had a hint of a similar air about her as Marduk's own mother. "H-hi", he croaked, suddenly having lost his voice because of nerves. He cleared his throat, cheeks turning a deep pink, and tried again. "N-nice to meet you, ma'am, my name's Marduk Bloo-Pardus. G-Gale helped me recover my lost glasses and I wanted to thank him by taking him out for coffee, and then we ended up talking about magic and music and I said I was interested in finding myself a flute and learning to play it to channel my magic, and he said his son could maybe help", he ended up blurting out without drawing a breath.
Cadence laughed softly and stepped forward, reaching out and taking Marduk's hands in both her own and giving them a reassuring squeeze. "My, it sounds like you had quite a morning. I'm Nightingale's mother, Cadence." Another gentle squeeze, then she released Marduk's hands and stepped back. Her blue eyes, though kind, were intently looking the younger male over as her face settled into a thoughtful expression. Finally she blinked and turned her head to see Gale closing the door. "Sho hasn't been out since he got home. He seemed a little lost in thought and I didn't get much out of him about his trip. He's in his workroom now. How about I bring you boys something warm while you talk?" She offered Marduk a sunny smile that was as warm as her vibrant hair color. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Marduk." She turned and vanished through the door she had come from, and a moment later the sounds of pots and water drifted back to them.
Gale felt his cheeks flaming a bit. He'd delicately only given Marduk his nickname cause his full was just so.....pretty. He liked his name, but it had its embarrassing moments. The news of Sho did make him stop and frown for a moment. He knew his son had planned to be gone for days to visit the ocean and had only arrived home that morning. He wondered what might have happened. "A-ah, well if you want to follow me then. It might be better to wait in the living room rather than go into his workroom, so I'll fetch him." Gale brought Marduk to a sitting room that had bright rugs decorating the floor and couches full of soft pillows. A low table sat in the middle of the seating arrangement, covered in a clutter of books with a plot containing a miniature rose plant claiming room at the center. "I'll be right back," Gale promised and ducked out another door into a hallway.
Marduk smiled sheepishly at Cadence as she took the male's hands, a slight look of surprise washing over his features as she called her son 'Nightingale'. Then again, considering the names Gale had mentioned before, with them all relating to music it did make sense.. he hadn't realized to stop and think about that earlier. His large, red eyes were watching the lady with slight curiosity, wondering what she was thinking about as she looked him over. He could feel his cheeks growing pink yet again, not used to being examined like so.
"Ah, i-it was a pleasure to meet you too, ma'am", he finally replied as Cadence was already nearly gone.
When Gale began to speak once again, for whatever reason it caught Marduk somewhat by surprise, causing him to flinch. "Oh! Oh, okay. Let's do that, then", he agreed and followed Gale to the living room, quietly taking in the feel of the house. In some ways it wasn't all that different from his, and yet in others it couldn't have been more different. Maybe it was the individual auras of the residents, or something else, he couldn't quite figure out. Obediently, like a puppy, he quietly sat at the end of one couch, taking one pillow onto his lap. As Gale left, he nodded with a smile, and as soon as the other male was gone, he began to feel anxious.
What if Sho absolutely hated him? What then? What if somebody - Gale's mother, for instance - noticed that he was attracted to Gale? That would probably lead to a huge mess. Quietly, he began chewing on his lip, rocking back and forth in his seat ever so slightly. Was this a good idea after all?
Soft footsteps from the direction of the way they had come heralded Cadence's return. She held a tray with mugs and a steaming tea pot. Two other small containers on the tray contained sugar and cream, and a bottle of honey was also present. She smiled at Marduk as she set the tray down on the table, mindful of the contents, then settled down in a chair so she could face the male.
"I hope you don't mind. I know my grandson, and I think it will take Nightingale more than just a moment to fetch him. I thought we could talk in the meantime." She picked up the teapot and filled two of the mugs on the tray before setting it back down and picking up one of the mugs, adding a bit of cream and sugar and stirring it. "So, tell me about yourself. I know a bit about the Bloo-Pardus family from one of my daughters, but only that it's fairly large one. What about you? Interests?" A gentle smile crossed her face. "Love?"
Marduk tensed up momentarily as Cadence entered, but the female's presence had an overall calming effect on him and he soon settled down again, smiling sheepishly at his new friend's mother.
"No, I don't mind at all.. thank you for your hospitality", he said softly. He picked up the other mug, adding just a little bit of cream to his own drink and stirred it in. "Ah, yeah, Gale mentioned that your family is pretty large as well.. so one of his sisters knows someone related to me?" he was a bit curious now, since Gale had said the name wasn't too familiar to him. "Well, um. You might have heard all Parduses are pretty adept with magic.. and I have some as well. Mainly healing and some water manipulation, and I spend a lot of time practicing. Other than that I read lots.. my mother has collected quite a few books on magic, since she's reached where she is through a lot of hard work.." he said, trailing the edge of his mug with a finger thoughtfully.
"L-love? I uh.. I-I haven't really met anyone yet", he stammered, turning a rather deep shade of pink in an instant. "I don't get out all that much, and uh.. I guess many consider me kind of um.. girly." The subject embarrassed him a great deal, especially considering how quickly he had taken a fancy to Nightingale.
Cadence smiled into her mug. "My family has indeed grown quite a bit thanks to my daughter Tempo. It appears fertility runs particularly strong through her and her mate, since two of my grandchildren have had children of their own. Serenade recently became a mother herself." She blew on her mug and took a careful sip. "Nocturne is the one who knows the Bloo-Pardus' best. I believe the name of the girl she's dating is Jynx, but I've never met anyone from the family myself so all I have to go on is what Nocturne has told me. The family magic has been growing more diverse in the younger generations, but if you're looking to mix music into your magic then this is the right place."
She tapped her index finger against the warm mug in her hands. "Nocturne's my only daughter who is still dating. The other three have mates." She sighed. "Neither Nightingale or his brother Requiem have anyone special in their lives." She gave Marduk a sheepish smile. "I apologize if I seem like I'm nosing. I guess I'm just a romantic at heart and want to see everybody happily in love."
Marduk glanced up at the mention of Jynx. He had never met her himself, but did know he had a cousin by that name. "Oh, Jynx is my cousin. I'm glad she's found someone, I hear my aunt has had a bit of bad luck with love, herself.." he mused, staring into his cup, watching the steam rising from it in wisps. He then suddenly realized what Cadence had said about her grandchildren having kids as well, and almost choked on his tea. "A-ah, y-you're already a great-grandmother? Wow, that's.. something. Though my elder brother lives with our great-great-grandmother, himself. Haha. Some families get so huge so quick, huh..?" he smiled a little awkwardly.
"I think one of my older sisters has a mate.. but I have no idea about the rest of my siblings, since I try not to pry into their private lives too much, haha." He shifted in his seat a little, not really uncomfortable anymore per se, simply feeling a little awkward having this conversation. "Ah, G-Gale doesn't have anyone?" he found himself saying out loud before he could stop himself, and blushed again. "Erm, um, I mean, uh.." he looked about, desperately wishing he could take back what he'd just said. "N-no, you're not nosing at all, I don't really mind", he assured Cadence, sweeping his bangs to the side in a nervous gesture.
Cadence grinned. "Don't worry youngster, I'm not going to bite you. I am indeed a great-grandmother. My grandson's mate is from a large family himself, so Kayden and Mele have quite a bit of family. And no, to my knowledge Nightingale has always been single. He's a bit quiet and might not mention an interest, but I'd have heard about it if he ever had a boyfriend." She lowered her face to her tea cup but peeked at Marduk from under her lashes. She didn't want to outright ask since that probably would have been rude, but she was feeling the stirrings of intuition and wanted to see if she might be right. She thought she may be, otherwise she would never have been so bold in the first place.
He was nodding in acknowledgement as Cadence spoke, smiling, but as soon as she finished her last sentence he began to cough loudly, turning red all the way to his ears. When he recovered, he turned back to the female facing him, stuttering "B-b-boyfriend? You mean Gale is..?" Even though it had basically just been said, he felt like he needed confirmation. Did they really have the same orientation? If so, he wondered if Gale harbored any interest at all towards him, like he did towards the musical male. "A-ah, I.. am kind of only interested in males, myself.." he finally admitted, ears dropping slightly in embarrassment as he kept staring at his hands, his cheeks still burning hot. "A-and I have to admit I find Gale very.. interesting."
He fidgeted some, hoping that Nightingale wouldn't suddenly come back in the middle of this incredibly embarrassing conversation.. he wouldn't be able to live it down!
There was a touch of teasing mischief in Cadence's bright blue eyes. "I have a bit more knowledge that most on the matter of Nightingale's tastes. I'm almost positive he finds you attractive. That that he'll admit it. To my knowledge he's never been judged because of his orientation, but he's very subtle about it. Plus him being so shy, I think he's just to embarassed to let anyone know whether or not he has an interest in them." She drank from her tea again. "He gets flustered so easily, it doesn't really take much to send him into his shell. Don't be discouraged if he seems to be shutting you out, it's usually just him trying to pluck up his courage." Of course she didn't specify whether she meant that as friendship or romance, and just smiled as she took another sip from her mug.
Marduk chewed on his lip for a moment, trying to process all of this. So there actually was a chance of him catching Gale's attention, as well.. "I-it's not like I really go flaunting my.. preferences, either, but.. in a way I guess it's obvious in my case", he said in a slightly joking manner. Maybe it was because of all the sisters he had, he just didn't see females as potential sources of attraction. He liked girls well enough, obviously, having grown up with three, but it was always platonic.
On the other hand, he crushed on males somewhat frequently, though it had never been quite this sudden and intense. "Ah.. I just hope I don't come off too strongly, I tend to be rather excitable and am sometimes a little too physically affectionate", he then pondered, smiling sheepishly.
Cadence smiled affectionately. "I think anything else would be lost on him. Nightingale is so shy it's almost the equivalent of being dense. He'll let you know if he needs space, though I imagine you'll figure that out on your own eventually." She stood up. "Well, I don't think he'll be too much longer. I'll get out of the way so you boys can talk." She cast Marduk a motherly smile, then walked out of the room humming a soft and slow tune.
It was perhaps four or five minutes after Cadence left the room when footsteps echoing from a hallway heralded the approach of someone else. They were slow and measured, like the walker was in no hurry. Then something very large and very white came into view, pausing in the doorway and leaning against the post. Pale pink eyes viewed the world from under narrowed lids. His clothing looked not unlike a shinto priest minus the hat, loose pants and a robe top with ridiculously long sleeves, all in white with pale pink trim or ties. His hair was snowy white and appeared to be short and shaggy, until he turned his head a bit to reveal a small tail of it gathered at the base of his neck. Huge, pink feathered wings peeked over his shoulders from where they were folded against his back.
"So," he finally interjected into the silence. If Cadence had been examining Marduk before it was nothing to what Sho's eyes were doing now. They looked like they were seeing past the skin to Marduk's very soul. "Are you the one Father thinks deserves a flute?"
"Oh. Ah, I'll keep that in mind. Thank you", Marduk said with genuine gratitude. He could feel his heart rate rising again when Cadence took her leave, nervousness washing over him once more.
He sipped his tea slowly and looked at his surroundings once more, wondering what other interests the family members might have held aside from music and gardening.
Soon enough he heard the sound of footsteps that were neither Cadence's or Gale's.. and then Sho appeared. It was the first time Marduk had ever even seen a god, so of course the mere sight of Sho was a little intimidating and awe-inspiring. Nervously, he sprung up and gave a polite bow.
"Ah, y-yes.. G-Gale said you would be the person to go to if I wanted a flute suitable for magic", he said quietly, feeling a little too self-conscious to look Sho straight in the eye. He felt like he was being judged, and the sensation wasn't exactly comfortable.
Sho hmphed quietly and straightened up, walking into the room with the same slow steps he'd used before. He circled around and selected the same chair Cadence had just recently occupied, sinking gracefully into it and arranging his sleeves so they weren't in the way. He brought his hands up and steepled his fingers, peering over them at Marduk with the same piercing expression. There was more to it that just a flute. He'd been quite distracted when Gale came in to make his request, but right away he'd picked up on something in his father's attitude. Gale had tried to dismiss and evade, but Sho could easily tell his father found this smaller male attractive. If he thought Gale was someone he could just play with and toss aside, Sho would make it painfully clear how wrong he was. It would be easier to find out if Gale wasn't present in the room, so Sho made a deal that if he talked to this person alone, he would take the request for a flute seriously.
"Well then, why don't you tell me why you think you deserve one," he said, voice icily polite. "Just what does this mean to you?"
Marduk sank into his seat a little, feeling quite intimidated by the taller god and his piercing stare. Why hadn't Gale come back yet? He hadn't expected Sho to be quite this.. gruff. He timidly sipped his tea as he looked at the white male who was in turn practically staring daggers at him.
Why he thought he -deserved- one? He couldn't really answer that in a way that would make sense. He swallowed hard, trying to put his thoughts together. "Ah.. m-my family is adept with magic, and my particular branch of it is strongest with water.." he started, fidgeting somewhat. "And I, personally, find it hard to focus my power properly to manipulate water.. I can do healing, but that's it." He took another deep breath before continuing. "I've noticed sound is a good way to channel and focus magic - I've tried singing but I'm not all that good at it. I would prefer to use an instrument, and, well.. I thought a flute would best suit me", he said, keeping his eyes cast down. His tone was rather humble, because he didn't want to seem rude or demanding at all.
Sho lowered his eyes to the table and its contents. "Music is a harsh mistress. If you think she'll make your road any easier, reconsider. She will grant you her power only if you prove you can master it. You are facing a road of trials and tantrums with only a vague promise that things will be better as your reward at the end." His eyes rose back to Marduk's face, a slight furrow appearing between his brows. "So what will you do when things prove to be harder than you initially thought? Just abandon it for something easier? Such a person would not be worthy of being given a precious item. Can you convince me that's not what you would do?"
"I'm prepared for that", Marduk replied timidly. "I'm not expecting it to be easy.. just as it hasn't been easy looking for a flute that would feel right. I've been searching for a while now, and none of them had that something I need for my magic." A small smile finally appeared on his face once more, but he kept his eyes cast down, veiled by thick lashes. "I will continue to practice daily, and I even asked if Gale would help me learn to play. Once I find my flute, it will be my treasure, and will never leave my hands until the day I die."
Sho was silent. His eyes hadn't lost any of their intensity, but now it seemed to be turned inward. His face was smooth and blank. There was no telling just what was going on inside his head, not unless you could read minds. He sat like that for a long time, apparently lost in his thoughts. Then he finally moved. With long graceful fingers he reached into his robe. When he retracted his hand his fingers clutched something. It was a shaped like a flute in the Native American style and was strange colors, creamy tan with brown and pink rippling patterns going through it. Eyes still unreadable, Sho watched Marduk as he brought the flute to his lips and began to play. It was a song full of lows notes that reverberated hollowly in the air, haunting and enchanting at the same time. The song was a simple one with complex undertones, evoking Sho's memories of ocean waves and the tides.
Marduk lifted his head slightly when Sho began to play, the melody causing his heart to ache for some reason.. as if longing for something forgotten. He pulled his knees closer to his chest, wrapping his arms around them. Would he be able to play like this some day, as well? It was doubtful, but he was certain given time he could manage to play well enough with sheet music, and that he would be able to properly channel his power through the sound of the instrument, using it as an amplifier of sorts. That would probably impress his older brother, who was much more talented, and was currently studying with their great-great-great-grandmother.
His eyes stared into nothingness as he only focused on the sound. It was pleasant, though a tad different from what he was searching for.. yet the overall feel of it held a strange familiarity.
Sho made note of how the sound seemed to affect Marduk. He was on the right track. Now to test something else. He carefully stashed the seashell flute back in his sleeve, then stood up. He went to a door near the hall and opened it, drawing out three cases before closing the door and returning to his seat. He set the cases down and one by one opened them, revealing another Native American style flute made of wood, and the pieces of a piccolo and a normal flute. He set the Native American flute on the table between him and Marduk, then picked up the pieces of the piccolo and assembled the instrument before settling that one too on the table. Next was the flute. Sho fit the pieces together and added it to the table, then sat back. He waved a hand over the instruments. "Well? Given them a try. If you cannot figure out how to hold the flute or piccolo properly, I'll show. Don't worry about the quality of the sound, just try to make sounds."
Marduk watched Sho's movements keenly, still rather tense, not exactly knowing what to expect next. He had a feeling he was being tested somehow, but why and for what he wasn't sure. Was this related to the flutes? Did this all mean Sho would make him one? Or was this still to see whether he was 'worthy', or something entirely different?
Finally, the god set down flutes in front of him, and he couldn't help but open his mouth a little as he looked over the instruments. Reaching out, he hesitantly ran his fingers over the smooth, cool surface of each of the flutes, desperately trying to decide which one he should take a shot at first.
Finally, he picked up the Native American one, bringing the mouthpiece to his lips. He did know the proper breathing technique - in theory at least. He had been to so many specialty stores, trying so many of these things, by know he could manage to play a few very short basic songs.. but his nerves might get the best of him.
Inhaling slowly through his nose, he closed his eyes and gently blew into the flute. The resulting sound wasn't unpleasant to the ear, but clearly unrefined, and somewhat too low for his own liking.
Next, Marduk picked up the piccolo, finding it fit in his hands the best.. but this time, the sound was a tad too shrill, and he had difficulty hitting any lower notes with it.
Sighing, he set it on the table, and finally picked up the basic flute. It was rather large, and a little harder to hold and for him to position his fingers, but.. there was something pleasant in the way it sat in his hands. Doing is best to calm himself, he took a deep breath and placed the flute at his lips. At first, it seemed like he wouldn't be able to get any sound out, but after a couple attempts he managed to breathe right.
Somewhat clumsily, he played one of the most basic songs he knew, sadly fumbling up one of the notes towards the end. But all in all, it seemed like this one responded to him the best, even though it wasn't the easiest to play.
He set the flute back down carefully, drawing his hands onto his lap as he waited for Sho's verdict.
Sho listened patiently as Marduk fumbled his way through all three instruments. Since the boy was a beginner he was surprised he'd managed to make sounds at all. Most people had difficultly getting the stream of air to flow just right over the flute. He internally winced at the slightly off pitch and the squeaky notes where the boy lost control. It was one of the reasons he refused to teach music himself, he could only stand so much.
Finally the music ended and he sat there thinking. Honestly if Gale hadn't requested it he wouldn't be thinking about it at all. Most magical families either already had suppliers or made their own tools. Few ever used music if their magic didn't include such elements, and those who could use music magic rarely ever needed Sho's involvement. It would have been better if this boy was a snob. Then Sho would have felt perfectly justified in running him away from music and his father. How was he supposed to run someone off who not only seemed friendly (if a bit like a mouse chatting up a cat), but also appeared to have a genuine interest in learning music? Nightingale wasn't /known/ for his rages, but when he got behind a justified cause he could still manage to tear you a new one without ever having to raise his voice. It was something Sho preferred to avoid.
Finally the god heaved a sigh and stood again. He vanished down the hallway and returned a moment later carrying two boxes. He set both on the table. The smaller one rattle like shard of broken procelin, the larger one made no sound at all to hint at its contents. Sho leaned forward and pulled opened a small cabinet that was set in the base of the coffee table, and removed a kit full of soft rags and metal rods. He picked a rag and rod for himself, then gathered up the piccolo. "You saw me put it together, so disassemble the flute and clean it, then return it to its case," he commanded, then set to cleaning out the inside of the piccolo with the cloth, using the rod to poke it through the metal body. Once it was to his liking he set the used rag aside and selected a clean one from the box, then began to polish the piccolo until the metal shone bright and free of finger prints. Finished, he opened the case and gently set the pieces into the soft lining that protected them and closed it, then started on the wooden flute.
Marduk swallowed hard, and hesitantly picked up the flute once more. Handling it as if it were made of glass, the boy clumsily detached the pieces from one another, hands shaking all the while. He knew Sho was watching his every movement, judging him, but he had never done anything like this before!
Nonetheless, he picked up one of the rags and a metal rod, mimicking what Sho had done with the other two flutes. When he figured each part was clean enough on the inside, he picked up another rag and began cleaning the keys, taking a lucky guess that those were important as well. He was still overly careful with the way he handled the parts of the instrument, and his cleaning progressed much slower than Sho's - naturally, but likely even slower than one would have expected.
All the while, he worried about how the God would react, whether he'd get reprimanded, or maybe something worse. Where was Gale? He sure was taking awfully long. He found himself thinking 'if only the son had taken more after his father..'
Sho had finished cleaning both instruments and had returned them to their respective cases long before Marduk was done with the flute. He set the flute case on the table and filled himself a mug of tea from the pot on the tray and slowly sipped it all down, giving the other male more time to finish the task. Even doing that, he'd finished his drink and still had time to wait before Marduk had finally finished and stuck the pieces back in the case. He swiped a hand through his hair and sighed quietly. This was his first time attempting something like this, but he had the feeling for it to work he was going to have to be calmer inside rather than mildly impatient and suspicious of intentions towards his father. He breathed in deeply and held it then slowly let it out, repeating the process several times as he tried to empty his mind and still his heart so that neither would interfere.
Finally he reached a point where he felt he could take the next steps. Opening his pale eyes, he took the two boxes he'd brought into the room from his workroom and pulled them closer. He opened both boxes and transferred the contents of the larger one to the small; with the lids in the way, Marduk probably couldn't see any of the contents to guess at them, unless he was familiar with the smells. He stuck his hand in the box and buried it in the silver and seashells and let his power flow. A gentle glow began to rise from the box. He looked up at Marduk, his eyes seeming to glow and made even paler, his face completely blank. It probably wasn't the most reassuring expression, combined with the magical intensity surrounding him and blazing in his eyes.
Sho extended his free hand out. "Come here. Take my hand. I need your magic. If you use water, just imagine it flowing from you towards me and out my other hand," he commanded. He didn't know if Marduk /could/ do that, but as long as his magic was active in some way that was really all he needed.
Marduk's expression probably resembled a deer in headlights. Grab Sho's hand? But the much larger male looked like he could break him without even trying! With one arm, most likely! But it finally seemed like Sho maybe had actually agreed to make his flute, which made him hopeful. The grumpy god perhaps wasn't so bad, after all.
Swallowing, he stood up and stepped over to Sho, reaching out to place his hand onto the other's. Nervously, he then closed his eyes, focusing solely on his magic. The flow of energy was fluid, so imagining it as something akin to water wasn't all that hard. Now, to get it to flow exactly the way he wished was a little trickier, but with proper concentration it was doable. Slowly, the swirling within his soul grew more and more intense, and a torrent of raw magic made its way from his body onto Sho where their hands connected.
He nervously awaited what would result from this strange 'ritual'.
Sho needed to sit back in his chair for a moment. He was feeling suddenly quite tired, like he had been exercising a new muscle that he'd never known he had. The feeling passed quite quickly though, no more than a single moment. He sat up again, his face taking on a new expression, one of introspection and mild interest. Perhaps the friendliest expression he'd worn so far today, but working through the technicalities of flute craft, even with magic, was something he was willing to talk about.
"In essence. My power told the material to become a flute, your magic shaped the materials into the flute best suited to its purpose. As such, it's highly attuned to your needs in ways a normal instrument would not be." He looked up at Marduk, and very briefly his lips quirked in amusement. "It won't break from touching. It would be useless if it did. Just don't drop it or sit on it or some equally blunderheaded thing." With that he stood up and just walked out of the room.
A minute later, Gale cautiously creeped back in like he thought he might find a murder scene. "Marduk? Is everything alright?"
Marduk was still in pure awe of the item that was in his hands. "Thank you.. thank you ever so much", he breathed meekly, looking at Sho appreciatively. "I'll cherish it, I promise!"
He moved back to his seat and slumped into it, placing the flute carefully onto the table and pouring himself a little more tea, giving Sho one last sheepish nod when the god left the room.
Nightingale's return startled him a little, and he waved at the other male with a slightly spaced expression. "I'm fine.. just a little tired, haha", he replied.
Gale smiled sympathetically. His eyes landed on the flute resting on the table, and widened. His mouth formed a silent little O and he moved forward. "Oh my," he said shakily, sinking down into a chair. "I didn't think....I thought he would just craft something for you. I didn't think he'd make...something like that." Gale stared at the beautiful flute, gleaming silver and iridescent rainbow colors. Part of him wanted to touch it, and part of him thought if he so much as breathed on it it would shatter like thin ice.
Marduk smiled sheepishly at Gale, sharing the other male's sentiments exactly. "I.. I still can't wrap my head around what happened, honestly", he said, carefully running his fingers over the magical instrument. "It's more beautiful than I could have dreamed.. really. Your son truly has talent", he continued, not really knowing what else to say. Other than the fact he'd been afraid Sho would smite him or something the entire time the god had been present.. but he decided to keep that to himself.
Gale looked up from the flute, red eyes still wide as he brushed back some of his straw-colored hair. "He must like you, even if just a little bit. I've never seen him make anything like this before." Honestly Gale hadn't even known Sho /could/ do something like that. A small smile crossed his face. "But I'm glad you have a flute now. How does it feel on a magical level?"
The younger male wagged his tail a bit, and he looked at Gale with a confused expression. Sho liked him? It sure didn't feel like it, but if it was true.. then he was glad. He always tried hard to make a good impression on people. Yet.. indeed, what he had received was so amazing, it would have made no sense if Sho hated him.
"I can feel it resonate with my magic's flow, so I believe I'll be able to do so much more now that I have this!" he replied excitedly.
At that moment Sho chose to make a reappearance. He walked over and set down a bundle of items that had been in his arms. A plain, black case, a slim metal rod, a booklet that seemed to contain thin bits of paper, and several soft cloths. He stepped back and eyed Marduk. "The lining in the case is customized to your flute shape, it'll keep it safe when being transported. Father will show you what the rest is for and explain anything else." And with that he walked back out of the room, long pale robe flowing behind him.
Gale had to try a couple times to get speak out; every attempt seemed to produce nothing but a squeak. Finally it was all he could do to just let out a weak chuckle, the only real response he could think of to sum up this entire evening.
Marduk was caught off guard and nearly jumped when Sho returned, and only managed to stutter a weak "Th-thank you.." as the god set down the items on the table and left once again. He wondered when he'd stop being so intimidated if he and Gale continued to see each other..
Turning back to Gale, he smiled a little and scratched his head. "Y-your son is a little bit scary, but he seems pretty kind, as well.." he said.
Gale smiled gently. "He's a big softie, really. If you saw him around children, you'd understand. He's just...." Gale shrugged, not sure if he could really sum it up properly. "I think he finds it difficult to let others get close to him, so his outer layer is meant to keep people out."
He reached over and flipped open the case. The inside was lined with a crushed velvet in a deep, midnight blue color. It would make the silver and pearl-y colors of the flute stand out like a star in the sky. Gale looked up, feeling a tad shy again. "Well, now that you have a flute, I suppose, if you wanted, I could maybe help you...learn to play. I mean only if you want," he hastened to add. "My father and mother are much better at teaching, and there are some people who learn on their own just using books."
Marduk chuckled a little. It was hard to imagine Sho like that from his current experience, but it would certainly be worth seeing someday, he figured.
"Ah, I.. I-I'd be really happy to have you teach me how to play!" he quickly replied. His tail wagged excitedly. This would be such an amazing chance to get to spend more time with Gale and get to know him better.. and that made him extremely happy. "I'll be sure to practice lots on my own too, but.. it would be amazing to have you help me!"
Gale felt his heart stutter a little at Marduk's acceptance of his help, and felt a smile blooming on his face. It wasn't a small smile like the usual subtle expressions he tended towards, nor was it a face buster kind of smile. It was only a tugging upward of the lips, no teeth. But there was a type of genuine and pure pleasure about the smile, with no masks or filters. Nothing was held back from that smile.
I only lasted a couple quick moments before relaxing into a more subdued state, but it /had/ been there. "That's great. If-," he hesitated for a moment, never having made any offers such as these before, "-if you'd like, you could stay for dinner? We could talk over something like a schedule and meeting place, just for starting out with. And I can show you proper instrument storage etiquette, if you don't already know."
Marduk managed to catch a glimpse of the smile that crossed Gale's face, and it was enough to make the younger male blush almost up to his ears. He had found Gale very beautiful to begin with, but when he was smiling.. it was like his attractiveness was multiplied tenfold, almost.
He blinked a couple times as the other's proposal sank in properly. "A-ah, if.. if it's not too much trouble, I-I'd love to!" he replied, hoping to not seem /too/ eager. "It.. would be very nice to get to talk a little more before I head home, and your mother seemed like such a lovely lady, I'd love to chat with her again, as well."
All in all, it seemed like this day had turned out quite wonderful. Marduk could hardly wait to get to show his flute to his family.
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