6/14 Instance: Off-Key Duet

[tears~fall~like~glass]

Timeline: The day after Shaw Strikes Back


<@Sophie> It was music time. Sophie settled in on her seat in the music room, using the tuner to adjust her guitar. It had been a rather long day, but this was one part of her schedule that she had begun to look forward to. It was nice to have a friend.

<Kevin> Kevin burst in out of breath, having tried not to be late. He swung his guitar down onto the sofa, grinning from ear to ear. "Sophie! Incoming to you with a hug!" He swooped down at her, hovered for a second and gave her a tight hug and let go, bouncing around the room throwing his hands up, shaking his ass to a beat only he could hear.

<@Sophie> Not having time to process seeing Kevin, let alone what he said, Sophie let out a small shriek at the hug, flailing her arms quickly. She was glad that she was seated so her guitar didn't fall to the floor while she tried to catch up to what just happened.

<Kevin> "Sorry, I know, I know. But I am so happy! LOOK." He shoved his wrists at her, showing off a pair of inhibitor cuffs. "I can touch again. No worries. Ever."

<@Sophie> Too fast! Sophie flailed her hands a bit again, looking at the wrists shoved at her. Kevin was there. Kevin wasn't scary, though he was very close. She took in his appearance, noticing that she could see his arms and hands. Change! She didn't like change.

<Kevin> "Ok. So today, we rock, right?" Kevin sat down a bit away from her realizing he'd probably scared her. "Sophie, are you going to be alright?"

<@Sophie> Things on his wrist. Sophie was able to stop flailing and look at him. She scrunched her eyes a bit, examining them as she settled back down. "What are those?"

<Kevin> "These are magic."

<@Sophie> "Magic isn't real. What are they?"

<Kevin> "They're called inhibitor cuffs. I got them at the medlab. They stop my power from manifesting."

<@Sophie> Well he had already touched her once... Sophie leaned over and gently touched his arm.

<Kevin> "See? I'm safe!" He wiggled but didn't hug her again. He felt a pang as he couldn't run to Jess and tell her the good news, but that was over with, damnit. No ruining his mood today. "So...they're cool, huh?"

<@Sophie> Sophie actually smiled and looked at him. "I imagine they are cool as they look like metal, but this is great news for you.

<Kevin> "It is. The best news ever. I can now touch."

<@Sophie> "Why would you want to?" Sophie never understood that one. She picked up her guitar again, strumming it just a bit.

<Kevin> "Well, for me it works out really well. I do like touching. But I won't touch you again."

<@Sophie> "Thank you. I don't like surprises."

<Kevin> "Yes, sorry. I forgot in my excitement. I want to play something fun and upbeat." Kevin went to get his guitar.

<Sophie> "What about Blackbird? Beatles?" Sophie played the first few notes.

<Kevin> "Oh yeah! I like that one. You start, I'll catch up."

<Sophie> Sophie nodded. She got situated before starting in on the beginning of the song.

<Kevin> Kevin joined in, singing slightly off-key.

<Sophie> Sophie joined him, trying to match pitch... but it was hard when he was off-key.

<Kevin> Kevin grinned. This was so much fun. He made a funny-happy face at Sophie as the song ended. "Do you want a glass of tea?"

<Sophie> "I like tea. Tea would be nice," Sophie nodded a bit.

<Kevin> Kevin got up and went to get the pitcher of sweet tea and some glasses. While I'm here, Sophie might be hungry too. Oh yeah, no surprises... "Sophie, do you want something to eat too? Snacks?"

<Sophie> She took a moment to think that over, then called back to him, "Snacks sound delicious. What do we have?" She set her guitar down to join him in the kitchen.

<Kevin> "We have...assorted fruits, veggies," he said, gesturing to the counters. Pulling open the fridge he looked through it. "There's half a roast chicken, some sort of green mushy stuff, um...unspeakable things in tupperware, cake, and stuff to make food. Or there's whatever is in the pantry."

<Sophie> "I am ok with fruits." She reached for an apple on the counter and paused. She was supposed to ask questions too. "What will you be having?"

<Kevin> "Oh, er. Probably some fruit too. There's some sharp cheddar in the fridge to go with the cheese. We can have crackers and maybe some sliced cold chicken."

<Sophie> "I will get the crackers," Sophie announced, going to the cabinet since he was still at the fridge.

<Kevin> "Ok." Kevin gathered supplies and started slicing the cheese. "Thanks."

<Sophie> "You're welcome." Sophie got them two plates, setting them down gently on the counter.

<Kevin> "So, how do you like your classes?"

<Sophie> "They are challenging." Sophie trailed off, then remembered to return the question. "How do you like your classes?"

<Kevin> "I like them a lot. I missed the family-like atmosphere around here."

<Sophie> "I suppose this is family like... Everyone keeps to themselves."

<Kevin> "Oh? Has someone been mistreating you? They shouldn't be leaving you completely alone."

<Sophie> "I have Julian. And you. I have friends," Sophie protested. She didn't think anyone else liked her though.

<Kevin> "Well, that's ok then." Kevin relaxed a bit and set about setting equal portions of things on the plates.

<Sophie> "You should have dinner with me and Julian. I like Julian."

<Kevin> "Sounds like fun. Lord knows I could do with more friends."

<Sophie> "How many friends do you have?" Sophie picked up a piece of the cheese and went to lay it on the cracker, then stopped. She picked it back up, then went to lay it down again. After another time, she let the cheese stay on the cracker, picking it up to munch on it with the cheese on top.

<Kevin> "Not enough." Kevin eyeballed her ritual, but said nothing, instead pouring the tea into tall glasses.

<Sophie> "Why don't you have more?" Sophie asked, eating the next cheese with cracker.

<Kevin> "I haven't been around recently and lost contact with a lot of people, so I need to reforge the old ones and make new ones."

<Sophie> "I'm your friend," Sophie stated, taking a sip of her tea.

<Kevin> "Yeah, but I like having more than one or two friends. Do you wanna sit in the rec room or at the kitchen table?"

<Sophie> "I am your only friend?" Sophie found this hard to believe. "Rec room," she stated, heading that direction.

<Kevin> "No, I have others."

<Sophie> "And you can touch your friends now. I don't know why you would want to, but you can."

<Kevin> "Yep!" Kevin munched happily, grabbing his plate and the jug of tea.

<Sophie> Sophie nodded her understanding and ate another cracker with cheese. "Do you play music with them too?"

<Kevin> "No. Just you." Kevin grinned.

<Sophie> "What should we play next?" Sophie glanced up at him, trying to smile back.

<Kevin> "Whatever you want, as long as I know it," Kevin grinned.

<Sophie> "Do you know Country Road? John Denver?"

<Kevin> "...No."

<Sophie> "I should play it for you... it's a nice song. What else can we play together?"

<Kevin> "Feel free to play it for me. I'm not really very good."

<Sophie> Sophie reached over to awkwardly pat him. "You play fine." She went back to her guitar, starting in on the song.

<Kevin> Kevin hunkered down on the sofa and ate his snack, listening.

<Sophie> "Country roads, take me home..." she sang for him, focused on her music completely.

<Kevin> Kevin tapped his foot in time and watched. She really was quite pretty.

<Sophie> Sophie caught that thought, but didn't know what to do with it. She refocused on her singing, trying to remember all the lyrics to the song instead. It was easier to do that than to react to his thoughts.

<Kevin> Kevin clapped as she finished. "Bravo!"

<Sophie> Sophie smiled just a bit as he clapped. "I like that song."

<Kevin> "It's pretty. Who sings it?"

<Sophie> "John Denver. I think it sounds better in the lower register, but I can't sing that low."

<Kevin> "I probably could with some lessons." Kevin handed her plate over to her.

<Sophie> "Thank you," Sophie took the plate and ate another cracker with cheese. "I can teach you the song."

<Kevin> "I'd like that."

<Sophie> That earned him another smile as she picked up her guitar again. Time to teach!