tushanshu | console; video

Entry tags:

console; video

[The audio comes on first, accompanied by a quiet curse. Then the video appears on Solomon leaning over his console. He's in his apartment, but he's wrapped in his coat and his breath is misting, and he's very pale, as if he's been in the cold for hours on end without having been properly attired. His eyes don't fix on anything, and the observant will notice old scars around them.]

I know there's a number of mechanically-inclined in the city. Our heating's just broken down.

[He hesitates.]

Earlier this morning, actually.

[It's mid-afternoon.]

I don't care if you're Foreigner or kedan, but I'll give you extra if you come now to fix it, and do so before Raine gets home.

[And don't mention the part where his fingers are dangerously blue. Or so he assumes they are, given that they're numb, hence the trouble finding the 'on' switch. She absolutely won't see this before work ends, right? Right?]

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[Solomon can you just not? Adrien looks considerably worried at the general state of the guy. He likes Solomon and doesn't especially want him to freeze himself to death. He can't help with the heater problem, but he can help in other ways. ]

Would you like me to bring you some blankets and warm clothes? You look like you could use them.

[Spoilers, it's a rhetorical question. He's bringing them regardless. Just try to stop him. ]

[You like him? Don't do that, Adrien, that's a bad idea.]

I'll be fine; I have clothes.

[He hesitates.]

Though maybe some blankets. Our spares have gone to service the extra patients the Guild's been getting this month.

[This boy is the king of bad ideas. ]

I can do that. I'll be right over.

[He'll just be gathering ALL THE BLANKETS HE OWNS. It's not a lot, but hey, he;ll donate to the cause of Not Letting Solomon Freeze To Death. ]

[This is highly disconcerting.

[By the time Adrien arrives there might be someone attending to the furnace, and someone might have made a tea delivery, so Solomon is at least looking marginally less cold.

[Marginally. He still isn't shivering, even though by rights he should be. But he opens the door wide saying dryly but with a faint smile:]

I hope you're not expecting those back. Chances are they'll wind up on a bed in the Guild.

[Well, Adrien is glad to see there is a touch of improvement. It's better than nothing. He'll return the smile, though his is considerably warmer as he offers out the blankets. ]

That's fine, if anyone has a greater need of them than me, then it really won't hurt me to lose them. I can get by without them just fine.

[He'll just come throw his breeding heart all over the place don't mind him. ]

How are you holding up?

Nowhere close to dead yet. I'll be fine.

[Which is possibly not assuring, coming from a necromancer. Not being able to see the blankets being held out, Solomon doesn't take them; but he steps aside to give Adrien room to come in, motioning him toward the living-room. It's a nice apartment, when it's not freezing; but like many living areas in Earth Sector it's made of stone, which makes it colder.

[Most of the furniture is around the walls instead of the centre of the room--arranged for a blind man, mostly tidy except for the evidence that two scientists live there and have a slight tendency to leave books and papers lying on various surfaces.]

That's painfully heroic of you. You are keeping some for yourself, I hope.

[Look he remembers that first conversation back when.]

[Sometimes, Adrien forgets about the blind thing. Solomon is so able that it's easy to forget. He inwardly winces at the mistake though, and makes a point of clearing his throat as he places the blankets down on a nearby table. The room is pretty much what he's expect, really, but he'll still glances around as he puts the blankets down. ]

I'll just put them on this table here.

[Aw, Solomon. He chuckles, a little abashed. ]

I have a couple, more than enough for just me, I promise.

[Ah, there they are. ... He should probably actually use one, shouldn't he? Since the heating will hopefully be fixed soon, in which case he won't need them. With a flick of Solomon's wrist a tendril shoots out from his own shadow, finding the topmost blanket and carrying it aloft back to him.]

Just making sure.

[Those bleeding hearts. A young man like Adrien could easily be bled dry if he's not careful. Solomon shakes his head self-deprecatingly, pulling the blanket around himself.]

Care for some tea? I believe there's still some left.

[Always the coolest of tricks. Adrien remains forever impressed, impressed enough to forget that he should sound more surprised about this because technically 'he' hasn't seen this before. ]

Oh wow, that's really cool. The shadow thing.

[Yeah, totes pulled it back!!! ]

Thank you, that would be pretty nice, actually. If you have some to spare, anyway.

[Impressed, but not excited. Solomon suppresses a smile, wondering whether Adrien really thinks he's fooling him.]

One thing I don't lack is tea.

[Despite the blanket wrapped around him, he still manages to be dignified as he leads the way into the kitchen, where the kettle and mugs are still set up where Pepper left them. He pours easily, using proximity and fingers to do so without spilling anything. Just a matter of knowing where everything is.]

Milk and sugar are in the corner there. Help yourself.

[He nods toward it as he slides a mug down the counter in Adrien's direction.]

It occurs to me that I don't know how you're keeping yourself in the city. Do you work?

[It's an honestly curious question, leaving aside the superhero part. Solomon knows a decent amount about Adrien's person and his home-universe life, but not so much about what he does to occupy himself when he isn't being a superhero. It doesn't feel like small-talk if it's for the purposes of getting information, right?]

[At this point, not really. It's more going through the motions than anything else. He's not had to deal with anyone knowing his secret before, so pretending it's Not A Thing feels like the best course of actions for now. ]

Thanks.

[He'll go about adding some milk and sugar, taking a grateful sip. ]

I work at the hotel, for my room and board. I just do odd jobs around the place to help Anton. I've started volunteering at the clinic, too. I-

[He shifts, a touch uncomfortable because this is trading awfully close into talking about his double life and that's just not simple. ]

After the earthquake, I decided it would be a good idea to learn how to help people if they were hurt. Maybe be able to save some lives.

You sound like a man who doesn't know how to have spare time.

[It's an amused sort of observation, as Solomon turns with his mug in hand. It's amused primarily because he knows Raine has had this conversation before.]

Personally, I recommend--

[--a musical instrument. Solomon curses, putting down the mug a bit too heavily but ignoring the spilled tea as he makes for his study. It's a cozy sort, with comfortable timber furniture leaving the middle of the room clear; there aren't many books but there are corkboards where Solomon creates maps and names out of pins.

[And, in the corner, a violin stand. With a violin on it. This is the thing Solomon makes a bee-line toward, running his hands over it to see whether the abrupt cold has done any significant damage.]

That's very true. I've got a packed schedule back home, I never really have any free time for myself.

[Which is how his father wants it. If Adrien is busy, he can't be getting himself in danger. Of course, his father doesn't know (probably) that he goeas leaping around rooftops battling bad guys but there you go.

He watches Solmon move, he has a feeling he doesn't need to help. Solomon knows his way around his room and would probably take any attempt at aide as an insult or some sort of pity. He smiles as the man touches the violin.]

I can play piano. I've never tried a violin, though.

Pianos were barely invented when I started, and it would have been difficult to carry a harpischord around the trenches.

[It's an absent reply, because Solomon is focussed on the violin, carefully probing the bridge and the strings.]

It did take some time to decide what I wanted to play. I wound up deciding based on the limited reputation of the luthier--enough of one to trust, not so much that it made him ridiculously expensive. A few decades later and I likely wouldn't have been able to afford him; he got to be very popular.

[He straightens up with a sigh, rubbing the scars beside his eyes.]

Fortunately, this is not that violin. I'll have to have someone here take a look, but I'm fairly sure there's some cracking in the bridge.

Ahaha, yeah. Pianos really aren't all that portable.

[Adrien listens, rapt as always. He's come to respect Solomon, and what he has to say. He's certain time and words here are never wasted. ]

He sounds like someone really special.

[This, alas is not one of Adrien's skills, and as Chat, he can only destroy, not mend. ]

I'm sorry to hear that. Do you know anyone in the city who can help you with it?

The modern era seems to think so. His name was Antonio Stradivari.

[Solomon Wreath: the original hipster. He's smiling in amusement as he says it, so at least he's aware of the mirth factor here; he only got his violin from the man because it was comparatively cheap.]

Yes, I know a few musicians in Keeliai; someone will be able to lend a hand. It's a nuisance having to find a new one, though.

[Then Solomon turns toward Adrien, his head cocked.]

The piano, you say? Was that your idea, or your father's?

[Just out of idle curiosity and all.]

[That is so hipsterish Solomon. Gosh. ]

Wow, really? We've learned about him in music class! But I can understand it must be difficult, especially if they are dealing with an instrument from another world entirely.

[That smile, that pleasant countenance drops. Hard. ]

My mother's.

Surprisingly, kedanese violins aren't much different.

[Solomon hums slightly, noting that abrupt change with a smile.]

Good. Your father would probably have made you learn something ridiculously boring like Brahms and Mozart. What do you play?

[Look, he's four centuries old. Just let the damned 'classics' go already, gosh. OLD NEWS, GUYS, OLD NEWS.]

Well, that's helpful, at least.

[That's exactly what his father expects him to play, and he's learned such musical pieces by heart to appease him. But that's really, really not Adrien's style. He brightens again, at the chance to talk about something he actually enjoys. ]

I like classic rock. Stairway, Sweet Child, Bat out of Hell. Stuff like that.

[Solomon's smile widens.]

Good taste. I take an enduring pleasure in instrumental covers of classical and pop rock, personally. Modern styles of music are much more interesting than 'classical', I've found, especially if you're adapting them to instruments people attribute to 'classical'. The 'classics'--

[The quote marks are totally audible, with a little note of derision.]

--may be enduring, but non-adaptive. One note out of place and it's faulty, rather than innovative.

[He has some Feelings.]

[Those are some real feeling there, Solomon, but he gets it; he does. ]

Absolutely! Changing them up a little keeps them fresh. It means they don't get musty and boring and just...fade out. They can still be appreciated, it's just- different.

[Solomon smiles.]

I knew you were a young man of good breeding and excellent character. I heard Shudder bought himself a piano sometime recently; at least you'll be able to keep your skills sharp.

[He sighed.]

And won't risk destroying an instrument through stupidity. Oh well.

[Good breeding. Yep. He's told that one a lot. He thinks there are far more important things in this world, but he doesn't voice that. ]

I hope so too. I'm really glad he brought one into the hotel.

[That gets a little laugh out of him.]

I'll do my best to keep my instrument destruction to a minimum.

[It's a tease, Adrien. See the tease?]

I'll be sure to send some of my busking fellows over. Good money to be had, with a restaurant full of captive audiences.

[He takes a step toward the door, unable to see whether Adrien is in his way but trusting that the teen will move if that's the case.]

In the meantime, if we're lucky, the tea hasn't gotten cold.

[Don't be silly of course he doesn't.]

He might be a liiiiitle less enthused with that.

[He's pretty sure Anton lost his sense of humour like...since birth. He does indeed step aside for Solomon, being sure to give him plenty of space to move about. ]

Oh right. The tea.

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console; video

Video

Video

Video

Video --> action;

Action!

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