Sidewalk Musicians

[brian_campo]

Around the time of the holidays, it was common to come across musicians on the city sidewalks. They brought guitars, harmonicas, violins, any instrument small enough to be hauled outdoors and played for tourists, who tossed cash and coin into upturned hats or plush, upholstered cases. Tonight, a clever trio of flutists had stationed themselves near a hot chocolate street vendor, where people enjoying their drinks might be tempted to sit and listen for a while.

Brian sat on a low, concrete wall and listened. His butt was cold and numb. His hands warmed themselves on a Styrofoam cup. It was his work break, and he was claustrophobic enough to take this short walk from Tracks and listen. He knew one of the musicians, a girl named Kacy who was in the music program at UNLV.

He blew on his chapping hands and turned his head to watch the oncoming foot traffic. His coat was pulled up around his neck, but he hadn’t brought a hat and his ears were freezing. The steam from the hot chocolate made his nose threaten to run. He was thinking about getting another tattoo, and his mind drifted to that idea.

[Thread: Open to Anyone]

Comments

[st_clare]

"She only said that you managed to escape largely unscathed, and I didn't press for details because we're both being cautious about how this is supposed to work."

Julianna took a sip of her hot chocolate, momentarily regretting that there was no whipped cream on the surface, but the vendor's brisk business meant she'd run out. Brian expression was either curious or inquiring or both. She looked at his suddenly jittery knee with something like amusement.

"I did wonder how you managed to be so fortunate," she continued lightly. "According to Valerie, your assailant has had a long time to hone her skills. It's a general rule of thumb that the longer someone's been at something, the more proficient they become at it."

That was the closest she could come to saying she knew it was a vampire that had attacked Brian while they were in public. He really looked like he had a question to ask, though.

[brian_campo]

“I caught her off guard.”

Brian sniffed and broke eye contact. He stared at the red bow tied to Kacy’s flute. The musician’s fingers blurred at the keys as she navigated a difficult run, and his own hands twitched. “The thing is, if I’m good enough, it won’t matter. She won’t get her hands on me.” He gave the ground a lopsided smile. “They say the best defense is a good offense. Maybe it’s just staying out of arm’s reach.”

He reached for his cup and gulped. The beverage had cooled off and now it was granular.

He scratched his ear with his shoulder.

[st_clare]

"Mmm."

He hadn't answered her question directly, but given their surroundings it wasn't exactly the best environment for it. Still, there were clues to be mined in what Brian had said, provided one was paying attention. And Julianna had always prided herself on being attentive.

"That's what distance weapons are for," she murmured. "Firearms wouldn't be of much use, obviously. What kind of self-defense are you learning? Is Valerie assisting you, or are you planning to be self-taught?"

[brian_campo]

He drew his boots closer, and one of them rolled across a soggy cigarette butt. “She’s teaching me how to meditate. That’s my problem. I’m kind of all over the place. I know it doesn’t seem like it – especially after last time,” he laughed, “I probably couldn’t spell my name if you asked me to, but… I keep a lot in here.” Brian pointed at his forehead.

He noticed that his leg had continued its rhythmic jump and stopped it.

“I hope I’m good for her.” It was a right-angle turn in the conversation.

[st_clare]

"I hope so too. When she confided in me that she wanted to change the way she was doing things, I assured her that I wasn't going to condemn the attempt. She's a long way from London, and I'm not a hall monitor."

He wasn't going to tell her, at least not right now, so Julianna let it go. She didn't have to constantly ferret out information, no matter how curious she was. Around them, the crowd shifted and murmured.

"And breathing exercises can assist with meditation. Relaxation is key to clearing your mind so you can focus."

[brian_campo]

“Yeah, y’know, it’s funny?” He tucked his hair behind an ear and looked at the Watcher. “When I’m playing piano, it’s the opposite. If I don’t channel my emotions, it’s nothing. The music’s like…” He searched the air for a good comparison. “Like a heartbeat without a soul. So that’s what I did, I let it out, anything I was feeling, I let it out. Now I have to un-teach myself.” He turned up his palms and stared at the creases and callouses. “Maybe that’s why it’s hard.”

He needed an on-off switch, and he needed to be a better judge of when to let it out – at the piano – and when to hold it in – telekinesis, Valerie – so he didn’t wreck everything.

[st_clare]

"A creative outlet is a positive way to express how you feel," Julianna told Brian kindly. "Music, poetry, dance. Creativity is supposedly separate from intelligence, but I've always believed they're linked."

He seemed troubled, but it wasn't her place to press him to talk. For no other reason than Valerie might consider it to be meddling. If he wanted to share, he could. But she could at least ask a leading question.

"Why do you have to un-teach yourself?"

[brian_campo]

“Because right now, I’ve got two things trying to come out through my hands, and it’s starting to feel like a traffic jam.” His smile was rueful. The cup was empty, so he leaned down and set it between his shoes. “Music’s good. If I go overboard, if I let go, the only things I hurt are your eardrums. If I let go of the other thing…”

Brian stared across the plaza at a woman in a knit cap. His mouth twisted.

“Cars land on people.”