[Atoli01]

Christina wouldn't stop playing until her name could be written beside Beethoven's. That's what she had concluded, and the goal that she was working toward, bit by bit, as her nimble, delicate fingers played the last five notes of tonight's concert. It would delight the girl to no end to call tonight's performance a perfect one, but she had missed a key tonight. Even had she not missed that one pesky key, there would always be room for improvement, no matter how flawless her performance was, or how hailed by fans and critics alike she was.

With an inaudible sigh, Christina rose from her stool as the applause began. Bowing to her audience, she curtly thanked them all for coming to see the show, and voiced her desire for their continued support. It was part of the script. Of course, the words weren't false (how could she go down into the books if she was a petty person who couldn't even offer a proper thank you?), but they weren't words that the girl would've chosen to speak herself.

It was yet another half hour of "thank you"s and "good work"s and "bye"s that she had to endure before she was able to leave to stadium. As per the norm, there were approximately ten co-workers who offered to give the girl a ride home tonight as well, though they certainly had forgotten the fact that she had driven herself here and therefore had her own car to get back to the hotel tonight. Of course, they insisted, she could always get it towed back to the hotel, but she didn't care for a service such as that.

She was a normal woman who was particularly skilled at tapping her fingers, she concluded as she set her sights on her car.

[Nyxia]

Over the years Lochesh had frequented the great stone city many times, each time seeking to learn something new about it. This night however he had seen plenty, and for once all the different emotions hadn't filled him up but left him exhausted. He'd wandered the streets for two hours before it was too taxing on him, which was the reason he was slowly making his way along a quieter street. He had planned to go home, rest for a few days until he had recovered from the confusion. Sadly that didn't seem like a well thought out idea now, as he felt more tired than he had earlier. Instead he thought it would be better to take a room for the night, Lucina would understand when the bill came.

He already knew the place, a tranquil place that normally catered to the rich and elite of society. The woman at the counter told him to give them a few minutes to get a room in order, with the dark curtains he requested, and she'd give him the key in the hotel's luxury bar or lobby. It wasn't ideal, considering how many people he might come in contact with. It was however better than the alternative of having someone come in and put them up after he was inside, which was the only reason he agreed. The woman gave him a polite smile and told him that anything he wanted was on the house before allowing him to escape, the smile hid a slight malice for those who bothered her for keys and the like.

It wasn't much better when the man behind the bar gave off a sadness that nearly made Lochesh want to weep. He ordered a coffee, despite the fact that he didn't drink the stuff, before retreating to the end of the room which served as a banquette hall. A piano sat silently there dimly lit, it didn't help the feeling he'd gotten from the man at the bar. Instead he began humming a soft tune to himself, old music mostly forgotten now. It was a sad song too, beautiful and haunting. Thankfully the wedding which had caused the hold up of several rooms would not be until the morning, though all the tables were fixed with white clothes and roses. He closed his eyes and continued to hum the song, letting it sooth him while he listened to several angry voices demand a room that they had reserved so far in advance.

[Atoli01]

To go to bed without coffee wouldn't do much good for her, she decided. Although she was tired, the drive back to her hotel room wasn't as long as what she had expected upon departure. Surely she had made enough free time for herself to indulge in at least one cup. She scampered out of her black Sedan and slammed the door shut, only stopping to bow at several of the hotel staff upon entering. Christina had been to this particular hotel nearly every time she performed in Lamenolai; it was only common courtesy to be polite to the people whom she saw so often.

Meanwhile, the man behind the bar was on a first name basis with her. It wasn't because she was some sort of drunkard who cried about her sorrows over a glass of whiskey--that was what she had the piano for--but because, every night, no matter the time and how she tried to justify coming here or rather, why she shouldn't make a stop, she ordered a glass of coffee before bed. (Christina normally drowned it down with a glass of milk before bed, but that was besides the point.) Communication beyond a few head shakes wasn't even a thing that was necessary for her in ordering the beverage. In only several minutes, she had the steaming hot drink in her hands.

Noticing the one other (civilized) guest the banquet hall contained at this hour, she chose to sit on the opposite side. Noticing no one at the piano, her fingers began tapping themselves rhythmically on the edge of the table to the song which earlier she had, in her opinion, failed. The noise of the bickering guests at the entrance was drowned out by the song which she herself was playing in her head. Things continued this way until her coffee finally cooled enough for her to drink, though she noticed that her mind still hadn't drifted from those black and white keys.

In frustration, she slammed her drink down on the table and strode over to the piano. She had an audience of five people at best, but that didn't matter. Her mind was focused solely on mastering that song. Clearing her throat, her fingers began to dance across the keys.

Don't miss the note. Don't miss the note.

[Nyxia]

Quietly Lochesh watched as the woman entered the room, and thankfully sat away from him. His mind was still swirling with all the crazy dizzying effects that the emotional bombardment had created, and the last thing he needed was to feel someone else's emotions when he could find his own anymore. Instead he swirled the dark liquid in the cup while he attempted to sort himself out from what he had felt, gazing deeply into the cup as he sorted through everything. He looked up momentarily to give the woman a polite nod, before returning to his own thoughts. Which was the reason he had been so unprepared for the sudden jolt of frustration the woman gave off when she slammed her cup down on the table.

It had a chilling effect, enough that Lochesh fell silent and watched the woman make her way to the piano. His first thought was to make a quick exit of this, but he stayed in his set all the same. Something about it was drawing, a pull that he couldn't walk away from. Made all the worse by the fact that he hadn't really fed earlier, he glanced at her casually as she passed him. Without warning he had begun to draw in the frustration, slowly as he always did to avoid unbalancing the other person. When she sat and began to play Lochesh closed his eyes, letting the music sooth him.

It was difficult to relax and at the same time maintain his control, emotions were a two way street after all. He had to keep from imprinting his on her, though he felt that she could use the frustration's absence. Why, he wasn't sure nor did it matter. This was a whole lot easier way to feed, from a distance where the person was unaware of what he was doing.

[Atoli01]

Just one key at a time. Take it one key at a time, she kept reminding herself. She handled the song with a sort of surgical precision, the kind that was typically absent when she played on stage. By the time she made it on stage, she had already practiced that same song what must have been a thousand times. She hated to admit it, but it became sort of a thing of habit for her in those cases, and that led to mistakes. That led to mistakes, frustration and embarrassment, even if the most ruthless musical critics hadn't noticed a single key out of place.

And so she played this way for the remainder of the song, drowning out all else besides the black and white keys in front of her. It didn't matter to her what sort of crowd she had, or what sort of attention she was gathering; she was doing this solely for herself. Concerts were for the recognition, not this. Somewhere down the line, she had noticed, she had slowly begun relaxing and falling into the rhythm of the song. It was surprising to her how she could manage such a thing after tonight's events, but regardless, she continued playing.

It wasn't until she finished the song that she let escape a single, forlorn sigh. She had done it. Not a note out of place. She wished that her performance could have been that flawless during the concert itself, but... For what seemed like an eternity-- though it could have been mere seconds for all she knew-- she sat and stared down at the piano's keys, allowing herself to, now, take one breath at a time. Finally, she allowed herself to look up, and her eyes to scan the room. Her audience has not grown any further since she began, she noted. But such a thing was normal, she supposed, among those who had little appreciation for music. The squabble on the other side of the room was still audible, and the bartender was still standing behind the counter, seeming to wash dishes or something of the sort.

But then, she noticed a certain man in the banquet hall that seemed to have been enjoying her playing. Her eyes glossed over the man for a moment before she cleared her throat and began playing another song from that night's concert.

[Nyxia]

The music washed over him in a warm way, even though he wasn't listening to it. He felt the woman relaxing and for the longest time he sat there with his eyes closed like he was listening. He was silently losing himself in the frustration, letting it become his own as his abilities let pass back his own calm. The worse was when he closed his hand around the small white cup, working to not let her emotions over take his own. He had drawn away most of her frustration, when he heard her stop playing. The sigh told him he needed to let go of the connect he had, but when he did it was like a snap of a guitar string than his normal careful breeze.

Now though he couldn't relax as he looked up at her before she began again, his eyes giving a warm copper glow as he watched her. Lochesh even clapped softly, unsure what he was really meant to do, in a reply that no one else seemed to do. He felt like his teeth were on edge, not a good sign considering he had already gotten lost once that night. Again he wondered if he shouldn't get up and leave, but his hand gripped the cup so tightly he was afraid to move. When her fingers began to dance on the piano's keys, Lochesh hoped it would help him to sit a little long. Without thinking he took a sip from the cup, and nearly choked on the bitter dark liquid.

That was all he needed to bring his mind into focus, his lack of understanding why mortals drank this stuff. His hands had a white knuckle sort of grip by then, making if difficult to say if he was fully in control yet or not. Quietly Lochesh sat now looking back in the cup, hoping no one had noticed his eyes but fairly sure it had been seen. His fangs had begun to dig into his lower lip; not from a need for blood, but from his tense attempt to regain himself in this.

[Atoli01]

One key at a time, take it one key at a time, and don't fumble, she reminded herself as she played, as per the norm. Maybe the reminders helped her clear her mind. Maybe there was actually something about reminding herself not to screw the performance up. Regardless of what it was-- other than an old habit-- it helped her, and it got her through the song which she just finished playing. It was a rather long piece, and more difficult than many others she played, though she had still managed it flawlessly. Of course, why wouldn't she?

Once the song was over, she strode back to her table and took a swig of her drink, effectively finishing it off. Had it still been warming, the scalding liquid would have burned the entirety of her throat. She didn't really care either way. She wasn't a singer. Christina met eyes with the man who had been listening to her playing earlier before she spun on her heel and strode back to the bar counter. It was rare for her to ask for a second glass of coffee, but tonight was one of those nights that called for one.

After the bartender fixed her the beverage, she want back to take a seat. This time, rather than sitting on the clear opposite end of the banquet hall, she sat several seats down from the stranger. Her hands carefully cupped the side of the glass as she stared into the dark brown liquid. Sweet. She liked her coffee sweet. More milk and caramel than actual coffee. "Was it okay?" she asked. She meant, of course, her performance. She had a sneaking suspicion already of what the answer would be, though some assurance here and there did even someone like her a bit of good.

[Sorry for the late reply. ; v ;]

[Nyxia]

Lochesh sat silently, his mind swirling with so many different things. He felt that the tension from earlier had faded away in this woman, but it remained with him. He could feel the small trickle of blood run down his lip, softly splashing onto the tablecloth below. When she had finished playing and stood Lochesh felt a relief, obviously from her. That meant it was time to sever the connection, let her be at ease without him risking stealing that away. She passed down the rows of tables Lochesh kept his head down, hoping it would pass quickly. It seemed that was not going to be the case, which was the reason he went back to softly humming that old song.

Her sudden appearance near him however changed things, as Lochesh normally avoided interacting with his prey. He couldn’t help that he looked up at her when she spoke, his eyes still aglow as he did so. He had no idea how someone might react to the sight of him in this state, though he had still not let go of the connect he’d made with her.  Still she was owed an answer, especially considering what she might be thinking.“It was lovely, very lovely. Not quite the same as the old works, but still stunning.” His voice was soft, a method of keeping things calm. He might have said more about it, had the woman from the desk not come hurriedly into the room.

She stopped at his table, doing her best to look apologetic. “I’m sorry Mr. Vanquiev. Your room will take a bit longer, you see...” Lochesh held up his hand, stopping her words cold. He didn’t care for excuses right now, not for the underlying hostility she had for him at that moment. In fact he might have pulled it away those emotions, had he not thought it would make things worse.

[Atoli01]

Right away, she noticed the red blotch on the white tablecloth. Had he been hurt? Her eyes scanned his figure to search for any sort of injury, but she couldn't find any sort of open wound anywhere. She was startled when his eyes met her's this time, but she wrote off the faint glow she spotted as something of her imagination. Her own eyes narrowed as she looked at him. There was no arguing that his eyes were a brilliant color, but glowing would be too much. "I see," she replied. "It seems I have some work to do."

Christina sighed and, as to be polite, looked away when the hotel attendant came to the man's side. She blew lightly on her glass of coffee before she lifted the glass up and decided to test the waters. She pulled the glass away in pain the moment the steaming liquid touched her lips. It seemed she had still not given the beverage enough time to cool, despite her high heat tolerance. From the corner of her eye she spotted the cold actions of the man. She placed her drink down, and offered a sympathetic smile to the woman. Such was the reason why she shouldn't be forced into any career that didn't involve the piano. She hadn't the slightest clue how she'd handle people like this man.

[Nyxia]

He had quickly noticed her discomfort belatedly, and glanced back down at his still nearly filled cup. He would loath having to drink anymore of this stuff, even if it meant not appearing normal. Had Lucina, or even his own daughter Nina been here, Lochesh was sure they would have known what to do. Sadly he was very out of practice when it came to mortal interactions, "You might, if you were trying for that sort of thing." He wasn't really sure as to what she meant with that. Though Lochesh had no idea why he might feel as though he insulted her, he did. "That was a much more modern piece though, the two are far different. I found it beautiful, and soothing." He was trying to make up for it by his words, which he remembered Lucina telling him could cause undo hurt in mortals.

The woman hadn't noticed at first that Christina was looking at her, gave him a disdainful glare for a few moments. "I don't mind the wait, it is no trouble." Neither had Lochesh realized how his mannerisms painted him, he simply did not wish to deal with the problem. "Just let me know when it is ready, I hate to put you through more work." He was sincere in his words, as well as tone. The woman gave him another displeased look, suggesting her wish for him to simply find another hotel to bother. Upon realizing the eyes on her though, she smiled again as if she was content for his answer before leaving again.

With the clerk gone, Lochesh swirled his cup once more and tried to focus his mind. The tune, a ballet from a forgotten tale continued on in his head. It might just drive him mad, he thought, had he not loved that old story. "If you don't mind, I might play one myself." He waited for a moment in case she still had claim on the piano, but when he didn't hear a protest Lochesh rose from his seat. At the very least this might sooth his mind a little, bring him back to reality better than staring into a cup. He failed to notice that his abilities were somewhat showing, as he glided to the piano fluidly enough to make a professional ballerina envious. Seating himself, Lochesh began with the old song. He didn't even hardly have to think about what he was doing as he played through, letting the tragic and deep music lead him. A tale of gods and lost love flowed across the keys, the story of a man who lost his battle with one and never found peace from the other. A story Lochesh knew too well, and somehow it showed through.