The Language of Music - Mirabella

[Deleted]

It was a low key wine bar that oozed a loungey sort of vibe.  He had visited it a few times because he enjoyed the quieter, more mature atmosphere.  More than that though, he enjoyed the live music.  Not all of it was good, but they seemed to have a knack for calling on local talent that fit the ambiance.  When the overly chatty owner had started talking about doing a Spanish wine tasting night Ignacio had felt compelled to offer up his own skills as entertainment.  It had been a long time since he performed even for a small crowd and it felt good to be doing it.  He could even tell by some of the expressions that while this was not the normal music entertained by most it struck a cord with some.  As it should.

The guitar's sound was frequently punctuated by the rythmic sharp tapping of fingers o nthe tap board beneath the strings.  The sound itself was unsual, subtly different from a classic guitar.  Ignacio's eyes stayed for the most part down on his playing though he did not need to watch his fingers.  The set was improvisational primarily, though he through in bits and pieces of songs he knew.  He perched on the edge of the stool that had been provided on the small corner stage, one foot up on a run and the other resting lightly on the stage, tapping along in a similar accompanying rhythm.  He was dressed all in black- slacks, leather boots, button down shirt neatly tucked in.  His dark hair was slicked back into a tight ponytail and the low lights gave the black strands an oddly red sheen.

Despite that way he appeared absorbed in his music, his dark eyes watched the crowd in the wine bar from beneath his lashes.  With a final flourish he let the music come to an abrupt, almost startling halt.  He drew himself up and stepped lightly off the stage to the corner bar seat that had been saved for him, where he walking stick rested across the seat.  Dark wood with the silver, onyx-eyed raven's head.  He didn't bother to move it so he could sit, instead cradling the guitar in one arm, he stood by it and picked up the glass of wine the bartender had poured for him as soon as he left the stage.

He inhaled slowly, savoring the scent of it.  He knew roughly what to expect- he was familiar with the winery- but each bottle had it's own unique character to the sharpened senses of the vampire.  And though it provided him no sustenence and certainly didn't make him a bit tipsy, he enjoyed the taste.  So he savored the first sip as he lingered there in shadow.

MIRABELLA

(For an example of the kind of music he's playing- Youtube Video)

[MIRABELLA]

It wasn't her usual haunt. Mira felt the difference in atmosphere the moment she walked in the door. There wasn't a buzzing like in most bars, there was a hushed silence, an upscale attitude that made Mira nervous for a moment. She liked her bars and dives, she like the dirty, gritty, the hard alcohol and the drunk patrons that were easily convinces to follow her home. This place though... She had never been one for wine, and no matter how much she drank she never felt the effects of it. And the people who frequented this place wouldn't drink enough to even get tipsy. Why had she come here?

The sound of music washed over her and she remembered. It was that music which had caught her attention and turned her usual path towards the darker side of Brookings to a brighter and more vibrant side. Standing inside the doors of the wine bar she suddenly became very aware of how under dressed she was. Most of the people in here were of a higher caliber than she was used to dealing with, and they wore dresses and slacks. Her ripped jeans and tight tank top made her feel like a homeless person who wandered in off the street. She smiled lightly, stares were already coming her direction and with little effort she made her way to the bar. She wasn't ashamed of how she looked and while most people might be embarrassed by their lack of attire, she was more than confident.

"Something red." She purred to the bartender, she wasn't going to enjoy drinking it, but she was there and she wasn't going to not drink. The stares gave her a thrill. Mira had always enjoyed being the center of attention, but she noticed that the looks didn't last long. Before she knew it, they were all wrapped up in their conversations again, or staring and listening to whoever was on stage.

The music. She had almost forgotten about it, her mind being clouded with her own selfishness. A wine glass was set on the counter, and the man didn't move until she paid him. Must think I am homeless. She growled low in her throat, taking a sip of the wine and forcing herself not to spit it out. Mira turned her attention to the man on the stage. He was old, and she wasn't sure how she knew but he wasn't human. Mira had never been very good at smelling out other creatures, shifters were fine, but even Gifted humans sometimes gave her trouble. But this man had several centuries worth of scents on him. Mira picked out the soft scent of blood, and the overwhelming smell of hay and horses. She wasn't sure what he was, but she was interested nonetheless.

A hush grew over the crowd as the gentleman on stage ended his show with a flourish. Light clapping followed by a low hum of conversations grew across the building, but Mira only had eyes for the stranger who was starting to melt into the shadows. She wasn't entirely sure what it was about the music that intrigued her so much, all she knew was that it reminded her of a far off place and she clung to the memories that the music invoked.

Against her better judgement she downed the rest of the wine in her glass. Nearly gagging at the taste and politely covering her mouth so as not to make a scene. Standing up from the bar she slowly made her way over to the gentleman. Her eyes watching him as she weaved her way expertly through the crowd. She reached the stool besides him and lowered herself onto it. Mira didn't want to look away from him, but her attention was quickly refocused to the raven's head on his cane. She cocked her head slightly, her eyes trailing back up to his in her usual assessment of others.

"You play beautifully, what country is that music from?"

TAG @ignacio WORDS 668

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He didn't immediately notice the woman, busy settling himself and still basking a bit in the lingering music that he could still hear even after he had stopped playing. His heel didn't cease to tap, the otherwise slow, deliberate movements of his body. When she started moving through the crowd towards him though, the noticed. He shifted the wineglass and set it gently on the bar top with hardly a sound. His black eyes watched her and his nostrils flared as she came close and took a seat, trying to pick her scent out from the rest of the bar. He lifted his cane, noting her eyes on it, and then slid onto his own stool. The cane slipped down between his legs, the end hitting the floor with a sharp tap. One of his hands stays lightly over the raven's head.

"Thank you, it has taken many years to learn." His voice was somewhat rough, and his accent was heavier today than it usually was. But the playing had clarified his accent, as though it pulled a piece of history to the front of his mind and made itself known. It was strongly Castilian now, flavored by the tongue he had spoken for a very, very long time but with a roughness of the southern part of the country and the gitano influence. "It is from Spain- specifically, Andalusia."

He almost lisps over the last word, softening the syllables. There is a distinct difference between the Latin Spanish that is common in the southwest United States and the Castilian Spanish of the Old World. The syllables were softer, some consonants almost skipped over completely.

This close he thought he smelled the musk of fur. A shifter then, of some kind. Though whether that was all she was, he did not know. He, after all, had some shapeshifting gift though it was hard one and paid for with blood and service. "I am glad you enjoyed it. It has been some time since I have been able to play for anyone."

Despite his own sharp dress, he did not seem to be perturbed by hers. His dark eyes did study her pointedly, curious, assessing. A slight smile quirked his lips. He did not have the youthful face for boyish charm but he wore confidence like a cloak about him.

MIRABELLA

[MIRABELLA]

Mira felt herself falling forwards as he spoke. His voice was a sound that made Mira want to purr and curl up on his lap and just listen to him talk for hours. She wasn’t usually this interested in voices, but there was something about this man that made her inner cat wake up. She watched his lips as he spoke, barely taking in what he was saying. “Hm? Oh yes, I did.” She smiled, glancing up at his eyes before moving back to the glinting onyx on his cane. There was something about it that held her attention. Mira generally liked pretty things that sparkled and glinted in the light. In another life she might have been a jewelry thief. She could probably be one in this life, but there was something holding her back from committing a crime. Something about wanting to try to live up to her father's standards. She already knew she'd let him down in some ways.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve heard such music. Well, I suppose my music was a little different, but it has the same kind of… rhythm.” Her mouth softened into a smile as she looked back up at him again. He was dressed more appropriately for this kind of place, and she watched the confidence drip from him like diamonds. Mira likes that she enjoys this quality in a man. Usually she’s the one to make the first move and ask for what she wants, but something about him makes her feel like he never takes a back seat to someone else. It's a type of thrill she isn't used to, and Mira has to calm her thoughts for a moment before continuing her inspection of him. Mira sniffed the air, the scent off of him reminds her of the old country, her father smoking from a pipe and her mother's horrible sewing. She isn't sure what he is yet, and she's intrigued by the mystery he offers.

Mira lifted her hand to rest on the bar top as she shifted to fit more comfortable on the stool. Glancing over her shoulder she stares at the bar tender, giving him a look before thinking better of it and shaking her head. She wasn't entirely sure she'd be able to down another glass of the horrible wine. Not that she was a connoisseur of wine by any means, it was probably very good for the snobby people sitting at the tables. But to Mira's enhanced taste buds it tasted like... blegh. With a sigh she returned her attention back to her newest acquisition. She doesn't normally offer up any personal information, but something about this stranger makes her feel comfortable enough to give him some leeway.

“My name is Mirabella. Have you been here before? I don’t remember this place having such wonderful music.”

TAG @ignacio WORDS 479

[Deleted]

Ignacio didn't fail to notice how her gaze lingered on the raven's head and almost idly he let the walking stick shift and roll between his fingers, the bar's light glinting off the smooth contours of the silver head and the dark stone eyes. To most it may have seemed a casual, almost habitual movement but the way his dark eyes tracked her belied his intentions. He took a great deal of pleasure in fine things- that she admired something of his was a stroke to his pride.

And also she was a very fine creature.

"It is gypsy music at it's heart. I have always felt it is more primal than other music- it echoes in the heart and in the soul." His long fingers, somewhat gnarled by the life he'd lived before the darkness took him, curled again around the stem of the wine glass and lifted it to his lips even as he studied her over the rim. The intensity of his gaze seemed to cast aside all else as unimportant- a bar fight might've broken out and he'd have paid it no mind. There was something far more interesting at the bar with him.

"I am Ignacio and I have been here but a few weeks." He gave a slightly, enigmatic shrug and set the now mostly empty glass down. "They get what talent they can. Mostly local musicians of varying quality. When I overheard them talking about doing a Spanish night, I offered to play. Music is meant to be shared." His gaze finally, briefly flicked away from her to drift over the relaxed, chatting crowd. His smile turned warm, almost paternal. He enjoyed this sort of atmosphere. He enjoyed knowing that he had helped make it. Gradually, his eyes came back to her.

"You speak as though you are familiar with music though, Mirabella." The name rolled off his tongue as though he tasted it, the 'r' gently rolled. The sound became almost a growl, as though his throat was not gentle enough to purr. "I have not had the good fortune to spend time with another musician in a while. Do you sing or play?"

Her speaking voice was pleasant, he wondered if she sang. His fingers itched a little to return to the guitar, remembering long ago nights spent improvising music to accompany some improvised song.

MIRABELLA

[MIRABELLA]

Mira's eyes widened slightly as he spoke, relating his music to the gypsy's had caught her off guard. She didn't expect him to know what gypsy music sounded like. He was on the older side, but she didn't think he was old enough to know much about music from her childhood. Then again, this day and age with the internet and what not, you could look up just about anything. Mira didn't know much about technology. She didn't even own a phone, or a car, or anything. She got by with traveling in her shifter form and she didn't have any friends to try and keep in contact with. She listened to music in bars and had become very good at memorizing songs after listening to them only once or twice. She never understood why she was able to do so, but she secretly enjoyed it.

Her eyes settled on the bar top for a moment, her finger slowly trailing the curves of the wood as she thought of how to proceed. She contemplated questioning him about his knowledge of music but thought better of it, she was more observant now, taking in more than just his looks. His smell was of something ancient, aside from the smell of horses, and his eyes seemed to reflect more knowledge than he was letting on. She smiled to herself, there were many creatures in Brookings: shifters, vampires, daemons, all of different ages and with different reasons for being here, perhaps he shared a common trait with one or more of them. At least Mira knew he wasn't a shifter, those she could sniff out within a second of seeing them. After a moment she realized that he could very well be a vampire, a tiny fire of hatred flared within her for a moment before she stomped it out. Just because she had had a horribly experience with vampires before, didn't mean that this man would be the same. If anything, she could escape quite easily.

With a sigh she leaned back on her stool, bringing one leg up and over the other, settling into her spot more comfortably. "Ignacio." She tried the name out, a purr following it as the word escaped her mouth. She smiled at him, her hand raising to move her disheveled curly hair behind her ear. "I sing. It's probably not the best thing you'll ever hear, but I'm quite proud of my talent." Her chest puffed up a bit in pride, a habit that her cat side gave her. She wasn't trying to show off her goods as she usually did around potential prey. But when she spoke about the things in her life she could actually be proud of she felt like a small house cat that had caught a mouse and brought it home to her masters to feed them.

"I once played the tambourine, but there's not much use of that instrument in this day and age." She turned again, waving her hand to get the bar tender's attention and ordering a glass of water. "Do you play anything other than the guitar, Ignacio? Or perhaps you sing also?" His voice had a rich and soothing quality about it, Mira could definitely see him having an enchanting singing voice. Perhaps something that caught people's attention and sucked them into his own little world for a few moments.

TAG @ignacio WORDS 564

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He liked the way she said his name. His smile deepend, lips parting slightly to reveal a hint of white teeth beneath. He was too old and his control too habitual to flash fang purely because he was pleased by his companionship. He did not miss the widening of her eyes when he spoke of gypsies and he wondered why. The gitano were not the people they used to be, but their musical influence was still strong.

He had always wanted to spend time among the Romani but they were a secretive people. He had the pleasure to spend only one brief night among their fires centuries ago. "I would like to hear you sing sometime."

The words come unbidden, not particularly thought out, but in speaking them a spark of an idea ignites in his mind. Pensively his gaze drifted from her, briefly glancing over the faces of the mingling crowd. It seemed habitual, checking that his surroundings had not changed and no new threats had emerged. It was the glance of a cautious hunter, looking for both prey and competition.

"The tambourine is an instrument that is... under appreciated. I played it a little in the past. I have played many instruments though not in a very long while." His attention came back to her, a touch of mischief growing in his eyes. He slipped off his stool and stood, the walking stick tapping a sharp beat against the wood floor. "Too, I sing. My love is the guitar though. Perhaps you will sing with me?"

He offered her his other hand, one eyebrow raised. There were few greater joys in his long life than accompanying a good singer. He didn't know how good she was, but he was interested to learn. He prided himself on his ability to improvise appropriate accompaniment to vocalist.

MIRABELLA

[MIRABELLA]

Mira felt a purr rise in her throat. She thoroughly enjoyed how he spoke. So eloquent and old age, she was definitely closer to believing he was older than her the more he talked. She continued to watch him even after he broke eye contact with her, she generally didn't like older men, as they were more fragile then what she was looking for. But there was something about Ignacio that she enjoyed, something mysterious that she wanted to figure out before she went back to her normal self and forgot all about him completely. It wasn't something she'd do on purpose, it was just her nature. Like a cat she couldn't keep her focus on anything for two long.

The panther within her growled in agreement. Already she was feeling the itch to get up and move, sitting still and not drinking isn't something she normally did. When he offered her his hand she suddenly felt very unsure of herself. Usually she was all about showing off what she had to anyone who would look, but Ignacio made her feel vulnerable for some reason. She glanced down at his hand, unsure if she was prepared to sing with him or if she'd end up running out the door at her first chance. She could feel the panther's tail bristle within her and she wished she could show the same kind of apprehension with her human body.

Mira took a moment to think about her answer to his question. She wasn't one for duets but something about Ignacio made her feel like his voice would match well with hers. She set her hand in his, the feel of his skin sending a whisper of chills up her arms and back. "I'd love to." Mira turned to finish the rest of the water in her glass and then hopped off the stool, prepared to follow him where ever he planned on taking her. Everything around them seemed to blur and shift to another dimension. Mira had never felt this way before and she wasn't entirely sure she liked it much.

She felt nervous for the first time in centuries, her eyes watching him without ever letting him out of her sight. She wondered what kind of music he enjoyed that had words attached to them. His expertise with the guitar was formidable, but Mira couldn't sing in Spanish and would butcher anything he had to play. She was well versed in American music, but music from other countries were things she didn't get a chance to listen to very often and therefore could not sing well enough to back up his playing.

"I hope you know more than the piece you were playing earlier." She smiled as she glanced out at the crowd, feeling vulnerable and empowered at the same time. "Unfortunately, I don't know the words to many... International songs." She felt another purr coming on and suppressed it with a gulp of air.

TAG @ignacio WORDS 494

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Her skin felt hot against his, more by contrast than anything else and he quietly enjoyed the sensation. His fingers closed gently around her hand- it was not a grip intended to keep her in place, merely one to connect them. She could easily have slipped free if she wanted to and he would have let her. It was not his preference to court the unwilling. He bowed over her hand but didn't take the liberty of trying anything further. He somehow made the movement natural, not particularly theatrical at all.

"I am honored." There was a distinct sound of satisfaction in the words. He was very pleased she'd agreed, though he thought she seemed a touch more reticent than she had come across when she first approached. He wondered what had caused it, mulling over a few possibilities as they approached the stage. He hoped it was not because of what he was (if she hadn't figured it out, he would need to inform her later on). There was no point in courting if she had a strong dislike for his kind that she could not look past. He had encountered it before and while he valued his secrets, he did not like to feel as though he manipulated with falsehoods. Companionship was precious for those with immortality and he had no desire for friendships built on lies.

"Oh, I know a bit." He stopped at the edge of the low stage so that she could mount it ahead of him. "Music is a great love of mine and I would be remiss not to study it broadly." A few people had begun to look up towards the stage expectantly as they approached, curious about the new addition. Mirabella stood out in a way he admired. It wasn't just that she wasn't dressed like everyone else. It was more her presence, he thought. That animal magnetism that some people had and others didn't.

For a moment, he felt the prickling along his back like feathers rising. A fine tremor of muscle ran across his shoulders as though settling them. The phantom sensation died and he drew his attention away from the crowd and back to his companion. "Choose anything. So long is it is not too obscure I will probably be familiar with it."

Too obscure might have been a bit subjective, since he actually knew a great deal of music that would be considered obscure these days. Still, he thought it would get the point across. Really he just wanted her to sing something she was familiar with so she enjoyed herself.

MIRABELLA