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Recently, I bought a personal item from one of the auctions in Markutte. In light of recent network posts of a festive Terran nature and having been exposed to Christmas before with far more ceremony, purely out of deference for a family member, I am aware that giving is very much in the spirit of the season. As purchasing gifts for a wide range of individuals would be a waste of resources and time which I must covet for my scientific studies, I am instead inclined to use the instrument in my possession.

It is a Vulcan harp.

[ Instruments, literal instrument ... Get it? ~~Whatever, his attempts at humor are golden.~~ Straight-faced, Spock leans back in his chair and settles it against his right shoulder, beginning to play. His left hand is bandaged, but he pays it no mind; after the post, green blood will have bitten through and the wraps will need changing.

Firstly, Brahms Intermezzo is played to invest people in the music he studied intently during his recreational time as a child. Shortly after that lulls to a close, you might think this stuffy Vulcan has nothing more interesting to offer but, son, you would be wrong. Music is mathematics, after all, and Spock adjusts the knobs on the instrument to alter the octaves and sounds to more of a guitar-quality. That's when he delves into an improvised piece still kicking around his memory, composed long before he set foot on the Enterprise. His final performance is a gentle carol he is very familiar with, for his own personal reasons, and he doesn't rush it into the previous natural rhythm in the slightest, almost playing for someone ... who has expressed their preferences on the matter before. (Perhaps the family member he mentioned at the start, for attentive listeners.)

The song is Silent Night. ]

( OOC: Vulcan harps/lyres are ridiculous, but these are the sound ranges, for reference. )

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[Satisfied with the sniff, Naga lets out a pleased growl at being paid attention to.]

Wow. [That did make her smirk.] He must have been a good friend then if he got to be that old around you.

Naga can stay out here, this isn’t even close to the temperatures back home.

He first belonged to my father in his youth. I'Chaya died protecting me when I was a child and he could not be saved, as a result, from the wounds of the le-matya that he fought off. He was very loyal and brave.

[ Naga, therefore, gets a kind scratch behind an ear before Spock turns his attention to Korra. ]

What does Naga eat?

[Stop. melting. her heart. Animal companions are very near and dear to it, so she only smiles and shakes her head.]

Usually fish, but sometimes I give her a few vegetables. [Now about that hand... Without even trying to hide behind pretenses, Korra looks down at the bandage.]

Let's fix that up before you play, I'd like to see you at your best.

[ Making a mental note to find the best source of fish for Naga, yep. ]

That would be kind of you.

[ Unravelling the bandage on his hand, the cut is not too deep; one of those annoying grazes that seems to take forever to heal because it is placed in a very active area, is all. ]

[For once, she manages to heal someone outside of the clinic without having to shout, be forceful, or resort to threats.

Quite proud of herself at the moment.

Fishing the bottle of purified water she grabbed from her first aid kit out of her pocket, Korra drew out the water with one hand.]

Easy fix, you'll be able to play in no time. [After putting the empty bottle down, she reaches out for his hand.]

Now I'm going to tell you what I tell all my patients. "Don't fall asleep." [It always amuses her because it's a fair enough warning. Waterbending can be too soothing for some when used to heal.]

[ Tilting his head, he watches curiously as she waterbends. ]

I will endeavor not to. Vulcans are able to control their bodily functions with the mind, leaving me able to assure you I will not fall asleep unduly. [ Brown eyes flicker to blue. ] Was there a song you owned a preference for, growing up? Though we are from different worlds, I could attempt to recreate a similar tune.

I was just kidding, you could duly fall asleep if you want to. I'm used to it.

[A bright blue light comes from the water as she applied it to his wound. It's the first time she's had to deal with green blood in healing, but Korra manages to look up at Spock when he speaks. Her baby blue eyes given a hint of radiance from the healing light.]

Well, there's one that I really liked when I was in Republic City; nice and upbeat. But it's an instrumental. A lot of horns- big horn section.

[A pause while she wonders if she should, the healing process going easily enough thanks to non-severity of the wound.]

Okay, it goes-

[Feeling sheepish, Korra tries to hum the main part of the tune.]

Edited 2014-01-17 21:44 (UTC)

[ He likes the color blue best of all, illogical as that whim is. Blue is the shade of Earth, of its vast oceans reflecting the sky, of life and health; such a different version to Vulcan's sands and deserts (what he fondly recalls of them, and he recalls everything). Blue eyes remind him of humanity and kindness, additionally supplemented by his friendship with the owner of a terribly bright pair. Korra suits it very well, he notes. Blue is very becoming of the young Avatar, little wonder she wears it inside and out.

He listens attentively as she hums, caught between watching her method of healing, documenting what he can of the sensation, what that proposes about it while his tricorder is out of reach, and memorizing the tempo of the tune. ]

That is indeed ... lively. I feel suitably confident my approximation of it will assign itself to a similar structure.

[It's the color she was drawn to in Jim's Dreaming back at Sinbrilee and the fact that Spock is wearing exactly what she did, male style and all, never escapes her notice every time she sees him.

It was a fun dream.]

I'm pretty sure you'll be more in tune than I was. [Grinning, Korra finishes fostering the healing process and the water lifts the excess blood off as she draws it from his hand; leaving it dry.]

...hey. Any chance you have something that record it? [She's asking for a friend. Really.]

Regrettably, I do not. If it pleases you, however, I will inquire over the network in the future as to whether anyone else owns such a device. What manner of recording would you need?

[ He gives her a grateful nod when his hand proves entirely healed. Fascinating. Spock heads over to the harp-come-lute and gestures for Korra to take a seat as he does the same, resting the instrument against a shoulder. ]

Anything that will play it back really. Music's hard to come by around here.

[Beat.]

I mean, unless you're into the whole kedan craze. [Obviously, she isn't. Nothing could put her to sleep faster than the slow, drawn out antiques the kedan prefer to play.

Plopping herself down, Korra leans forward so she can place her elbows on her knees. Settling in, Korra manages to at least physically hide her excitement to hear his rendition of a song she knows.]

The more traditional music on Vulcan was monotonous. Kedan styles are not dissatisfying to me.

[ He starts in on the song and improvises where he feels it is necessary, but the general beat she gave him is the same and the instrument is tuned to resemble more of a guitar so each stray twang resonates through the tempo. After a minute or so of playing he looks to her for guidance. ]

Edited 2014-01-17 23:21 (UTC)

[The snarky remark about monotonous music that’s on the tip of Korra’s tongue gets choked down.

Was.

It’s so easy for her to forget that his home world was destroyed, especially when he’s willing to give her a piece of her home in his own fashion. Just when she is about to get lost in thought, she notices him looking at her.]

Oh-uh

[Catching his drift, Korra picks up where he is in the song and hums to her memory of the song for him to follow. When she gets to the end, Korra gives a grin. Music is something she’s been wanting for a very long time, and Spock’s talent with it is something she’s now taken with.]

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