aterat | Loud seal is loud

Entry tags:

Loud seal is loud

Who; Caelan and you!
What; Open log
Where; Assorted Locations! (Red Building Common Space, Red Building his Apartment, Market, Gullwings Office, and the Harbour/Shore)
When; Throughout August, vaguely specified on each prompt.
Warnings; No, but I will edit if anything comes up!

Common Space - Early August

The common space was generally one that Caelan frequented since his arrival, a social creature by nature and necessity to keep himself occupied 90% of the time. He saw it as a good opportunity to get to know his neighbours without actively having to seek them out, to watch them moving in and out of the building and go about their days.

Today found the selkie draped comfortably over one of the chairs, a new violin settled comfortably in his hands as he worked at tuning the new instrument to his liking. Occasionally he’d draw the bow across the stings, testing them out before he resumed what he was doing with the odd thoughtful hum, pleased or disappointed depending on the results.

Still, his mood is clearly good today. Caelan is often smiling, often pleasant company and quick to laugh; but today there’s something about it that it feels far more genuine than it has been. He’d been a few weeks without both an instrument or his usual sense of purpose, but things were decidedly starting to look up what with the morning’s surprise left outside his door.

Market - All through the month!

There was one more musician that could be heard in the market these days. Dressed up, all shiny in his usual accessories and finery, hair pulled back into glittering pins.

Caelan had take to joining in the street performers when they didn’t mind his presence, or setting himself up on an empty corner or near the fountain square when the mood struck. The life and the surrounding energy tended to inspire, and people seemed to like the songs he brought with him from home. Some were familiar enough to those who knew the classical world well, while others had a certain life and rough edge that was more the music of the common folk.

If you were lucky, polite, or simply caught his interest, he would even be inspired take requests. “What’ll it be? Ye look to be in the mood for a particular sound, or are ye just going to stand there gawking?” He spoke up with a grin, cheeks lifted in utter delight and relaxed amusement.

Gullwings Office - Early to Mid!

Caelan still wasn’t entirely sure how this had happened (beyond the obvious, of course). This wasn’t his usual gig, nor was it his usual crowd.

Here he was though, meandering around the Gullwings office like he belonged there. Checking out the furnishings (he had to hand it to Yuna, the place was nice), stopping to chat with whoever happened to be there that day, looking at his desk and wondering what on earth he was going to do with it.

That last thing wasn’t entirely difficult, he’d already shoved some blank sheet music in a drawer to amuse himself on slow days when he didn’t have anything to do. There was also the matter of copying and detailing the maps and blueprints that the directory had given him so Yuna could store the originals away for safe keeping.

He was hoping to at least be able to add to them, to include some rough outlines of the sewers paths between their access points as he and Yuna made a trip down to explore them.

Until then, he was quite available to get to know the group a little better. Getting a feel for personalities, trying to glimpse how they operated, and looking for anything to suggest he might not be able to trust someone.

Harbour/Shoreline - For Holly. Let the Spider-Man meme commence! - Anytime in August, probably late evening after all the respectable people have gone home for the day.

There was a lot about the harbour district that disturbed Caelan for obvious reasons, but he had also found there were quite a few things about it to appreciate.

Once the sun had been down for a few hours the amount of people travelling the docks lessened considerably, which meant a little more privacy for him to do one of the things (aside from his music or thieving) that he did best. Fishing. It was going to save him quite a bit of money, unless he felt like eating something at a restaurant in the company of others.

These waters appeared to be very well stocked with fish, so as long as he didn’t go so far as to be near the reefs where some particularly large and nasty creatures dwelt, he could fish to his content. Feed up, and perhaps even bring some fish home for those who had endeared themselves enough to him to bring back a decent sized catch of fish or crustaceans depending on their tastes.

Tonight was no exception, his clothes folded neatly behind some rocks as he donned his more natural attire to enjoy that other half of his soul. So, as the moon rose higher in the sky, there was a form swimming around in the waters. Diving here, coming up there, a soft song carried over the breeze occasionally, and sometimes a splash could be heard as the being caught something in its grasp.

It’s 3AM, oops. - ... Probably all through the month unless someone does something about it. Sorry Red Building.

Caelan had a very irregular sleep schedule, he stayed up late and slept in just as late. Should he get that shifted now that he was in another world and joining a group for exploring and helping out around the city?

Yes, yes he should.

Would he actually do that?

Probably not.

So the selkie tended to keep very odd hours. Thus far that hadn’t really been obvious aside from the later hour that he left his dorm room during the day (Around 11:30 every day like clockwork). Once Caelan had an instrument, that might have been a different story depending on the person and their ability to ignore noise at strange hours.

Sometime around three in the morning, the red building would be treated to the sounds of a violin being played. The piece was strange in tone, energy fluctuating at random, it was honestly the kind of song one might have been warned off of following if it was heard near the caves of their local beach or along the river beds of the forests they lived near. Fae music, intended to be played by theirs ands alone and rarely heard by humans.

Caelan was feeling homesick, whether he’d admit it to anyone or not. On nights where he felt just a touch too disconnected from his life, he could be found playing the music his best friend had taught him or working on his own compositions. Sheet music spread across the table, and a bottle of whiskey sitting open next to that.

If you’re curious enough, or annoyed enough, knock at his door. He’d be happy to have the company, and he’d be happy to share the alcohol.

Wildcard/Other
Is there something I forgot? Did you have something specific in mind? Throw it at me! I’d be delighted!

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“Sometimes it’s alright... Sometimes it’s boring though, not sure what it’ll be like here.” Well, aside from the first obvious one. Living in the a building with neighbours was definitely... not ideal. Not when you were surrounded by humans and received such obvious reminders that he wasn’t in his own world and was so cut off from the people he was used to being around. Specifically those he could be his proper self around...

He’d have to treat this like any other job though, conform and blend. Pass as human as possible until something happened and he couldn’t, then figure it out from there.

... Hopefully.

He finally settled into another song, this one definitely was not of the same caliber as the ones he’d been composing on the pages Nida had looked over. Something the selkie had learned by ear from someone far more skilled with music, a piece that was somehow... more. One would almost say there was power behind it, and there would have been had the original composer been playing it. “Well however long we’re here, we’ll have to muddle through it, yeah?”

"I've gotten far too good at muddling through it," Nida sighs, shaking his head. He prayed this would be the end of the line for him. Sure, he might not go home, but he didn't want to travel any more.

At last Nida lay back in Caelan's bed, staring up at the ceiling.

"I think, on my world, you'd be lauded for your skill."

“No such thing as too good, if I’m being honest.” Caelan certainly had been bitten before, let himself be foolish a time or two where blending in was concerned. “Suppose we’ll find out if fitting in will mean muddling along or something with a little more finesse soon enough though.”

Don’t mind the grin that crossed his face, brow raising a little. He’s definitely pleased by the assessment of his talents. “Yeah? Consider me flattered.” He chuckled a little, a soft sound as he was still more focused on his music. It was interesting to think that something that was little more than a hobby most days might be valued more in other worlds. “I do play a few other instruments, but this’d be my favourite I think. Not sure how handy it’ll be here, but we’ll see.”

"Music is supposed to be for music's sake. Though you are soothing Siren. She wishes she could play with you."

The spirit stirs at the mention of her name. And he closes his eyes, enjoying the way her music echoes in his mind and harmonizes with what he's hearing.

It was easy to forget that Nida had a spirit tagging along inside him, even knowing how his magic worked it had slipped his mind a bit. He smiled lightly though, “Well I’m glad that she’s enjoying it. I’d be happy for the accompaniment as well, so the thought is certainly appreciated.”

It was a pity she probably couldn’t... “I’m actually to having a couple more performing with me, not much of a solo act.” As fun as it was to show off sometimes, he did prefer the sound of a group over one solitary musician. “The street performers here are quite good though, and they don’t mind a fellow jumping in once in a while.”

It was good to see Nida relaxing though... That was, after all, the intent behind the song choice.

"Her powers... She plays music. She just plays music," Nida smiles. "Calls the sea, and plays music, and it shapes the world."

He misses it, calling her.

It's not that easy, at all. Here he can't bring her out, and she's eating at him. But he loves her anyway. Loves her so much.

"You make me feel closer to her. How weird is that?"

“She sounds like my kind of spirit then, I think I’d get along with her.” He mused out loud, wondering what her music would sound like. Music from a spirit from another world... Definitely something he wished he had the chance to hear.

Caelan was silent for a moment, the question wasn’t hard to answer. On the contrary, he had a feeling it might not be weird at all if one considered what Nida had just described properly. A musically inclined spirit that called the sea? Considering the way his own magic worked, and how closely he was tied to the sea... The fact that the sea called him back... Probably had a lot to do with it.

He almost wanted to tell Nida, but it wasn’t so simple... Instead, Caelan resumed is game of pretending. “I don’t know, At first glance it could be weird...? But it also might not be, if she’s as tied to the sea as you said and the magic you pulled from me is water based. Plus I’m a musician. Might make more sense than we think.”

She was his kind of spirit too, even with the whole water aspect. He was more wind, but he did both things anyway.

"Perhaps it's that simple," Nida agrees. Even when he feels it in her, an amusement that he's trying to pin it down.

“Sometimes things are as simple as they seem, after all. Even in a place as complicated as this.” He responded with a little grin, watching Nida from his seat. The more he learned about him and his ride-along spirit, the more intrigued the selkie was.

Maybe it was a little mean to keep masking the truth, but it was an unfortunate necessity for now.

Oh, the truths Nida kept masked were more than on parity with what Caelan hid. No, this was just the way things worked.

"Things are never simple, Caelan. If there is one fact that I've ever learned, it's that whatever seems simple is likely a hundred times more complicated than you knew."

“Yeah? Well... Maybe it’s not simple.” He left the chair behind finally, comfortably wandering a little while he played. He’s thinking, musing over the subject. The questions he would like to ask were many, but unfortunately they would have to wait.

“But the simple explanation is all I find myself capable of coming up with for the time being.” The only one he’s willing to entertain for the moment, but Caelan chuckled a moment later. “If it is complicated, at least it doesn’t seem to be a bad thing if both Siren and yourself are enjoying yourselves. I know I am, you’re both an excellent audience.”

"She's a far better audience than I am, I assure you. She doesn't speak to interrupt the music," Nida counters, with a grin.

It's almost genuine. Almost reaches the eyes. Almost shows him really happy. So many almosts. So rare to reach all the way.

Almost was still better than he’d seen of Nida thus far, so he’d take it as a small win. “Oh, but your interruptions haven’t been particularly unpleasant. Especially the compliments.” He grinned, positively amused. “Besides, I wouldn’t be a very good performer if I couldn’t play through interruptions and conversations.”

The song weaved on, or perhaps had transitioned so something else entirely. “And I do like a challenge.”

"You're just fishing for compliments now," Nida teases.

It almost feels natural. It almost feels like evenings with Elij-

No. Nida shuts that thought down right in its tracks, grimacing as he does so. He refuses to think of that asshole. Refuses.

"Are you calling me a challenge, Bytheway?"

“Well you can’t blame a lad for doing what comes natural to him, and I’m very good at fishing.” He responded with another small laugh, enjoying the mood that had settled on the room. It was nice... Reminded him a little of bantering with Dietrich and Sara after a job at the lighthouse, but not quite. Nida was very different from both of them, though he had a feeling Sara would have liked the guy.

Brow arching slightly at the question, he wandered closer to where Nida was relaxing. “Now who’s fishing for compliments?” He grinned lightly, after all, he had said he liked a challenge. “I would say you’re definitely more challenging than some of the people I’ve met since arriving.”

Was he? Nida raises an eyebrow. Struck him as if it were a personal joke. He doesn't chase it down, though.

"Not everyone wants to be challenging. Some people like being a pleasure to be around. I'm one of those. When I choose to be noticed."

“No, but some of the most interesting people you meet are challenging in their own way. Then again, challenging for some does not mean challenging to everyone.” He responded with a little hum, following a note as he continued. “Though I will admit that you’re a pleasure. Not that I pretend to know if you intended me to notice that or not.”

Anyone who favours window entrances over doors count as both interesting as a pleasure in his book. As would trying to kill him, but Nida showed no sign of that yet.

... What can he say? He’s a weird guy and some of his favourite people over the years have made the attempt.

Intended him to notice? No. Nida definitely didn't. In fact, he looks uncomfortable at the idea of it. He doesn't want people to like him around. Because then people will expect him around. And he'll get attached to them. Which he doesn't want to do because... because then they can leave.

He's so tired of losing people.

"You're very strange, neighbor. And me? I should be leaving you alone at this point."

“Should you now?” He responded with the smallest of pouts, the music trailing along with the expression. Is it intentional? Perhaps, or perhaps not.

Not that Nida’s discomfort goes entirely unnoticed, a gentleman like himself wouldn’t want his guest to be uncomfortable. So he slowed the song to a halt, a curious look on his face. “If you have something to be doing at this hour then don’t let my serenading keep you, but I certainly don’t mind you hanging about either if that’s what you’re thinking.”

He should. The friends he makes get hurt.

"Maybe I'm not the best audience to linger too long over music. Not even with Siren. I feel like I need to walk. And I figure you don't want to join me."

Unfortunately, even if that were the case, Caelan was a bit of a fool. For all his caution over keeping secrets, he gravitated towards people he probably shouldn’t, too caught up in what was interesting.

He hummed a little, “I have yet to see any signs of that myself, but if you wish to go for a little stroll alone, I won’t stop you. Though I would remind you that you don’t know my mind quite so well as to guess what I want to do. I’d be just as happy to go with if you wanted the company.”

He moved for the window though, undoing the latch again and pushing it open. “This’ll be unlocked should you decide you want to grace me with your pleasant presence again.” Be free, Nida. Get some fresh air, but don’t be a stranger.

The open window leaves... Nida staring at him. Like he doesn't know what to do with this.

"Caelan, you... Hyne. You just continue to mystify me."

He stared back, head tilting just slightly like a curious canine might. What? You intrigued the fae in a variety of ways, flattered him, and bantered a bit. Of course he was going to invite you back.

“I do have that effect on people.” He responded finally, a grin tugging at his lips. “Either that or I vex them.”

He wants to say it. He wants to explain so much. That if he was someone's friend, they would suffer. How could he manage it?

"Come. Walk. I'll tell you a story about why I hate the moon?"

Maybe he can try.

His brow rose a little, he actually had thought Nida might just make an escape and that would be that... He nodded, “Now that sounds like quite the story. Alright... Lead on.”

Caelan set the violin on the bed and snagged his coat, pulling it on to follow his mysterious companion out into the night.

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