Mivuli

Ink On Your Soul

@Musoka@Morte Angelis@Mugin

With all the confidence and joy in the world, Solenne strode over to the counter where Mia stood for a quick peck, spinning around much too quickly to handpick a couple from their seats. Mia watched him cajole them into a song, saw as his strumming played the background to the transition from nervous chuckles to breathless careless giggles, and he the catalyst never altered his tempo. Unchanging, isolated from his effect on others.

Solenne beckoned another couple onstage, but the blonde-haired girl showed an averse reaction to the invitation as though it were a rash, attempting to conceal herself behind her table-partner. Mia stood perched at the counter, but was no longer tethered there; Solenne's playing had been enough to convince the more flighty customers that lingering for a few more minutes wouldn't hurt. Slipping languidly away from the marble, Mia untucked the pocketbook from the pouch in her apron, slipping a pen between her fingers and making her way to the couple at the back.

"It's a pity if you wouldn't like to sing," Mia said with an easy courteous smile to the pair, her voice soothed in the hopes of uncurling those fingers she could now see clenched around shirt. Her eyes turned to the man sitting across from the girl. "Or would you like to sing a song for her?" she suggested. A seranade could be romantic, even if they were in the 21st century, and courting with a lute by moonlight had gone out of fashion. With a glance at their cutlery on the table, she added, "Perhaps I could convince you with a dessert on the house, if you would join Solenne with the microphone." She raised her brows in a questioning way, brown eyes asking. "What do you say?"

Nib of the pen poised over opened notebook, Mia glanced over at Solenne, dashing in person, somehow softer when cradling a guitar in a baseball tee as a performer, but no less debonair, and tossed him a wide grin.

Ivy Wood Academy

Outside of Crescent Dormitory

The sun was out; its warm bask felt good on William's skin, and he strode out the ironwrought gates of the Comet Dormitory with a bag slung haphazardly over his shoulder, sneakered feet striking the pavement in a quick steady march. William's stride was purposeful, but he would be darned if it wasn't another aimless walk to the library.

He hoisted the strap of his bag to a more comfortable position on his shoulder, hearing his books and stationery jostle for space in their cloth confines. Idly, his mind wandered to the letter he had received only the day before, each segment compartmentalised by the distinct handwriting and diction of his family. His sister's had been full of the precociousness and slight ignorance of a child still young, his mother's reminiscent of a tired but smiling face as soft hands moved across a page to scribe concerns for his well-being and gentle admonishments to eat well; he was looking so thin lately. His father's had lacked no confidence that William would bring back admirable grades for his family to ooh and ahh over. Their imagined pride and joy would have been motivation enough for William to put in a few hours of revision, but the prospect of the probable - substandard scores and a dubious report card - was just another sharpened spur in his side.

He passed by the Crescent Dormitory, but didn't think to spare it more than a glance. It was a blockish building, and William had never set foot inside of it before. Its imposing presence on the grounds, hostel to the female demographic of the school, hardly ever warranted much attention.

But William caught himself doing a double-take just as he was about to pass the gape in the walls, his ears pricking at the sounds of running feet.

He peered around the cemented bricks, only to see a girl in a black dress of lace dashing after a darting cat. He watched, caught between bemusement and amusement, as the girl kept in hot pursuit. The cat - as though lulled by the conspicuous opening - made immediately for the gateway, where William was concealed. Without a second thought, he lowered himself to his knees, his breathing slow and even, as though he were on a hunt.

The cat leapt into the arms of freedom, only to be scooped up at once, and cradled neatly against William's chest, rumbling with chortles. He stood, still chuckling, as he revealed himself from behind the wall. His tousled hair - now more windswept than usual - fell into his eyes, and he tossed the loose strands away from his face. Standing tall and gazing at the girl, William gave an unabashed grin and took a step towards her. "You've got an adventurous fellow, haven't you?" he asked, wondering curiously who this girl was.

@ViolentViolet

Ink On Your Soul

@Musoka

“Now now now..." Solenne surprised her by catching her by the hand, and slowly reeling her in. Mia turned, and stared up at him with an amazed question in her eyes. His voice was low and soft, and something stirred as Mia gazed, confused, into red eyes. "I wasn’t about to leave you so quickly without this.” And he planted a soft kiss to her lips.

At once, Mia's mind was shaken awake and alert. Caught in Solenne's touch, she stood, hands lying on his chest, unmoving, unpushing. And when they broke apart, Mia leaned away, her lungs feeling tight with what had to be breathlessness.

So that is what it feels like, she thought in a quiet murmur. She wondered in the moments after as she caught her senses if she would feel a rush of worship, and awe, and reverence. The possibility was fearsome. But when she watched Solenne promise to be back in twenty minutes, and back out the door, she did not see a god. She stood wordlessly, with fingers to her mouth, seeing a man who had left her - fluent in one language and conversational in two - speechless and grinning, and thought that maybe that was alright after all.

Mia returned to her counter, and at once Delilah pounced on her, peppering Mia with prodding and gushing. Her cheeks flamed as Delilah persisted, and she tried to ignore her with her continuous trope of, "What can I get for you?" But it took Delilah less than ten seconds to gasp dramatically, and place a fluttering hand over her heart, comprehending entirely. "You've never been kissed before," she said, a wicked grin curling over her face, and Mia's silence was all the confirmation Delilah needed. Delilah sighed, and leaned against the counter, balancing perfectly a tray of drinks that never overflowed. "Girl," she said, with motherly affection blended with her Southern drawl, "aren't you in for a ride?"

When Solenne returned, Mia glanced up expectantly hopeful, to see him with a guitar strapped over his shoulder. He had changed for his stint, into casual clothes. Mia watched him approach the counter with a slight smile. How was it fair that he looked dashing in both? “Figure the suit was a bit much for a little cafe strumming,” he said, and Mia's smile only grew larger. "It was a bit much for a little coffee," she joked. "But that didn't stop you from coming in."

Like you would have it any other way, came a niggling thought, as Solenne took the stage and adjusted the mic, and the cafe began to fill with the strains of his playing.

The atmosphere became warm, and lit with a soft glow. Solenne - who was probably comfortable in a concert hall with hundreds of eyes on him - knew how to command an audience. Or perhaps that was because his eyes would not leave Mia, who served customer after knowing customer with blazing cheeks. Once or twice, her own gaze slid to Solenne's, and she would hold his stare for a few seconds, her expression guileless and open as Solenne played to a crowd without hitch or hiccup. But she broke into a wide grin and had to drop eye contact, to return a bemused customer change, or take an order.

When the song came to an end, the whole line stopped as Mia stepped back from the counter and raised her hands to clap. While the rest of the cafe exploded into unified applause - no doubt to call for another song - she watched Solenne from her station, a wry smile tugging on her lips, giving him a standing ovation.

Ink On Your Soul

@Musoka

Mia listened to Solenne's brief summary of his musical forays. "Metal and rock?" she echoed, glancing over Solenne's attire, groomed and sophisticated, with which the strains of an electric guitar did not appear to be compatible with. She let the shock roll over, and then huffed in laughter. Solenne would be an astonishing enigma to puzzle. "I would never have guessed."

Abruptly, Delilah materialised by their table. Mia started in her seat, disengaging their hands in surprise. She listened to Delilah recount their predicament, at a loss. She hardly knew anyone in the city, much less one who could strum guitar strings and put up an impromptu performance. But as it was, Solenne suggested, "You go back to work and I’ll go pick up my guitar hmm?” Mia openly gaped at him - he would be willing to perform on so short a notice? - before she could collect herself, and shut her jaw. "It should figure," she said, as Delilah - positively skipping at their unprecedented heaven-sent Messiah - left them to return to her post, a smile toying at her lips. She pushed her chair back, and stood. "The man who has lived in ancient Rome can pluck a mean guitar. Or were you also proficient with the lyre?" She began to walk a few paces, but they were half-hearted steps away to the counter, her hands creeping behind her back to refasten the strings of her apron.

Rosewood- the School for the Gifted

As Nuna walked off, Nodah watched her back advance to the table. "You can't get rid of me that easily," she had said. Was he to take it she would be a pestilence? But it was not her words which grappled with his curiosity and danger as much as it was the way she had said them. Succubi gallivant, he thought, his sneakered feet picking up to follow in Nuna's wake. This one...she does not seem to play for just the game. She had named him a demisexual for asking her to stay her pursuits where he was concerned. That humoured him, and his manner was outwardly jovial as Nodah came to the table, shortly after Nuna's introduction.

He tossed an easy smile, eyes now twinkling emeralds surveying the table. They lighted particularly on the slight girl in her hood and another in vivid colours, and flitted distractedly to a towering elf a distance away, where Daichi had strayed. All new students who had no place in Nodah's memory, save the pale girl, who owned a fleeting impression from the training hall. "Nodah Listig, at your service." He placed his tray down, upturned lips addressing the new faces, as he slipped languidly into a seat. "I am afraid you are strange to me. Might I ask your names? I would be so pleased to make your acquiantance."

True Intentions {Closed}

I'm still present :D

@Inertia

Same

Ivy Wood Academy

@Avanhelsing Haha, I imagine a mage might. Okay, this will be quite fun then. What kind of things does Caleb usually use his magic for? Would cleaning the dorm be one of them?

Ivy Wood Academy

@Avanhelsing Yeah, sure! To what extent has Caleb revealed his magic though? Does William know the ins and outs to it, or are there still some things about Caleb's powers that would surprise William?

Ink On Your Soul

@Musoka

“I wonder how they’d feel about me…” Mia cocked her head to the side, evaluating the question. Her old-fashioned and traditional parents. How would they react to a vampire on their doorstep? They were endearing and sweet people - but tolerance and acceptance had not been some of the lessons they had imparted on her. Mia had picked that up elsewhere.

Solenne curled their hands together and, embarrassingly, Mia could feel her pulse pick up. She ducked her head a little in an effort to hide the heat that climbed her cheeks, despite the chaste nature of the action. In the cafe, there were all sorts around, and towards the back of the shop she could see a couple joined at the lips, looking as though they had no intention of coming up for air. There was nothing at all risque about holding hands. But, then again, Mia hadn't seen anything more than that in Singapore. So she pulled herself together and laughed with Solenne. "Darn," she said, a jesting hint to her voice. "That would have been my first choice." She tossed a loose lock of hair behind her ear. But Mia would have to be frank to herself; she didn't know music from Adam. She had an absolute dearth of knowledge in this field. Oh, no mistake though, Mia enjoyed listening to it - dancing around in the back-kitchen away from customer's eyes as she prepared an order, with her earphones tucked in - but she doubted Solenne could be oft found playing a wicked acoustic rendition of Sail by Awolnation on the ivories. With a visible wince on her face, Mia hedged a doubtful guess. "Jazz?" She dragged out the a in the word, doubt pulling at its tail.

"But, as for my parents, I think they would love to meet someone like you. Dapper, mature, wise." She gave Solenne a pointed look. Those last two would hold especially true what with the time he had spent on earth, but oh wouldn't her parents be pleased that their daughter who paced herself with the hectic beat of life had come across a level head with two firmly grounded feet? Not to mention, there could be no denying that they would approve of him as strikingly handsome. "And a musician at that too. Impressive." She beamed confidently at Solenne from across the table. "Solenne, they would adore who you are."

Ivy Wood Academy

@Avanhelsing I just realised William and Caleb are roommates, and was wondering if Caleb has been in the Academy for a while now.