Jackson (jax_london) wrote in carpediem_rp, @ 2015-12-13 18:53:00 |
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Entry tags: | character: adrian battye, character: jackson london, thread: complete |
Who: Adrian Battye and Jackson London
When: December 13, evening
Where: Music room
What: playing and talking
Rating/Warnings: pretty low
Status: Closed/Complete
Jackson had been mostly focused on his schoolwork in the past weeks, and while he missed being able to hug and kiss and mess around with Adrian he was pretty sure the week has gone well. They'd been almost normal together and even with missing how they were, he couldn't entirely complain. Adrian in his life was the most important thing.
He'd invited the other boy down to the music room with him so he could practice a bit, and right now he was playing intently, his focus entirely on the piano (with occasional subtle glances at his friend in between.) This was good. It was back to being almost easy, the pair of them just being themselves and not worrying about perfection or anything.
This was normal, their old normal before everything got complicated. Jackson was playing, and Adrian was settled in chair listening and reading a book. Well, trying to read a book. He was more than a little aware of Jackson - more than when he used to hang out while Jackson played. But it was approaching normal. It was trying to be normal between them at least. Jackson seemed to be settling back into their old normal. Adrian found he was still oddly aware of Jackson, but it was better, being friends obviously than what they'd become.
Jackson couldn't help looking over at Adrian in between movements of his piece, studying the line of his jaw, his eyes focused on the book, and the way he looked while he was thinking. Jackson assumed he was pondering the book. He hoped his friend had enough to keep him interested while Jackson played. He didn't want to get boring, though honestly they had spent weeks at a time doing just this- Adrian reading or studying and Jackson playing the piano. It was refreshing, even if part of him wanted more too.
Adrian looked up when the final chord seemed to stretch on too long to meet Jackson's brilliant blue eyes looking at him. Maybe things weren't quite normal yet, Adrian realized as he felt his stomach turn over at the way Jackson was looking at him.
Jackson grinned teasingly. “Enjoying your book?” Because he could tease. They were friends. It was just joking around. His fingers remained on the piano, ready to keep playing, but a moment of talking couldn't hurt.
Adrian wasn't entirely sure what he'd just read, but nodded. "Yes." He was sure he must be enjoying it, even if he was on the same page he'd been on. Adrian noted Jackson's fingers still resting on the keys. Playing was so natural for him that he could converse and still be preparing the notes in his mind. "You're taking a break? Or just drawing out the chord as long as possible?"
“I think a minute or two. I want to consider what to play next.” That would be a moment he could interact with Adrian. He'd take it. Any time he could get with Adrian he would take.
Adrian nodded, and closed the book over his finger to mark the page. It would be rude to keep reading while Jackson was pausing between songs. "Are you practicing or just… playing?" There was a subtle difference. Practicing often meant replaying pieces until Jackson felt they were right, playing he tended to let the music roam more
“Just playing.” Sometimes he just needed to let music out. It was something that was so much a part of him that he didn't have a choice. He needed to play like he needed to eat, or breathe, or see Adrian. “Anything particular you want to hear?” Because playing for someone was always nice.
Adrian just liked hearing Jackson play, honestly. It didn't matter to him what he played so much. Still, that wasn't much of a reply. "What about... " Adrian hummed a piece of a melody of something Jackson played sometimes, but hadn't played yet today.
Jackson nodded, picking up the tune immediately. Adrian was usually easy to please, and it was a song he knew very well. He turned his attention to the piano and started playing again, focusing on the flow of the music and how it made him feel, forcing himself to ignore thoughts of Adrian.
Adrian relaxed a little when Jackson shifted his attention towards the piano. And since Jackson was technically playing a song for Adrian, it was okay to just watch Jackson play too without it being weird or awkward.
Jackson could feel Adrian watching, as he almost always could. When he was at a piano, unless he was alone, people watched. He supposed that he would have been considered a prodigy based on how he had taken to the instrument, but he never much thought of that. It was just love that made him play, not an interest in fame for his music.
Adrian knew (or thought he knew) that Jackson tended to lose himself in the music when he played. He was rarely aware of the audience until he finished a piece, and even then, when Jackson was deep in the music, Adrian knew he could go from one piece to another without 'surfacing' from the music. It would never occur to Adrian though that Jackson could be aware of his gaze when he was playing.
Jackson had a hard time not sensing Adrian - they knew each other too well. Other people didn't really affect him at all, but Adrian being there made him conscious of his playing even more, conscious of how the music moved him and how he hoped it made his friend feel. Adrian’s opinion mattered, after all.
Adrian responded to music and art both, though he had no talent with either. He appreciated both. He wasn't skilled with either, but could feel the power of the music - especially when Jackson played. Adrian wasn't critical of Jackson though - especially not of his playing.
Jackson remained focused as much as he could be on the music, finishing the song and then looking to Adrian with a faint smile on his lips. “Anything else you want to hear?” Because playing for his friend was good, in his mind, and he liked that he could entertain the other in this way.
"Whatever you want to play is good," Adrian reminded him. Things had no changed so much between them that he didn't just… enjoy listening to Jackson play. At least he hoped Jackson didn't think that things had changed that much.
Jackson smiled and turned back to the piano, nodding. A pause as he looked at the keys, then closed his eyes just a second. After a moment of obvious consideration he began a nocturne, his fingers adding embellishments as he did so to make it more his.
Adrian knew the music well enough to know that Jackson was showing off… that he was not following the song exactly and adding flourishes. Adrian couldn't help but grin a little at the acoustic display.
Jackson glanced subtly over at his friend a few times as he played, watching to be sure he was enjoying the show. It wasn't enough to interrupt his playing, he simply wanted to be sure that Adrian was amused. If he wasn't, Jackson could easily switch to something more interesting- or perhaps pull out one of his own compositions.
"That one doesn't sound like I remembered it," Adrian teased a little when the current song drew to a close. He knew better than to speak during the playing itself, knowing Jackson - like most artists- could be sensitive in the moment of creation.
Jackson smirked at Adrian, shrugging. “Bad memory?” It was obvious he was teasing, a hint of mischief lighting his eyes as he spoke. “I thought it would be more interesting this way. Was I wrong?” He doubted he was but he never had a problem courting praise for his playing. Other things, yes, but not his playing.
"You are the musician." Adrian shrugged, still grinning. "You are the expert, obviously." Not that Adrian was a slouch, but he wasn't a musician after all.
Jackson’s grin didn't fade as he nodded at Adrian’s appraisal. “I suppose I am, given the acceptance I got today…” Though it still wasn't his first choice, having one school acceptance under his belt was a big step.
"Acceptance?" Adrian questioned. Did Jackson mean that he had heard already from a school? But he'd only auditioned to one school - and it was only a couple weeks ago. Had Jackson really heard from it already?
“Early admission. I auditioned before most, and I suppose having one of the men who observed already know my style helped me a bit.” His eyes moved to Adrian and he shrugged. “I don't know that I'll go there, but it's nice nonetheless.”
"It must take some pressure off your upcoming auditions," Adrian offered. He was excited for Jackson… but there was something else too, now that his own future was unsettled since his injury. He needed to talk to Professor Stark about it, but it was difficult when everyone had been so worked up about the injury.
“If I get into WADA, there are some good Art History programs over there. I'd like to have someone I know with me.” Jackson looked back at the piano, not wanting to seem needy in this. He didn't want to be without his best friend for so long though. It would be too much. “Oxford, Cambridge, University College… They all have good programs.”
Adrian frowned a little at Jackson's words - both at what he was saying and at what it meant. He'd tried to convince Jackson to consider the school this summer using the argument that Adrian would not be far off - that he might try to play in Europe. And Professor Stark had mentioned college - muggle college - as something Adrian should think about. But now… with the future of any professional career now in question - or even completely gone… University was probably his only option… he just… wasn't completely ready to accept that. "Probably," he finally agreed, a little weakly.
Jackson nodded slightly. “You wanted to take the gallery one day. You've always wanted that and your sister has no desire for that. It'll be good to study a bit of art.” Because that would be helpful in working at an art gallery- Adrian knew a bit, Jackson knew, but he could always have more. “Plus, I'd be bored mindless without you around to bother.”
"Hard to get away from me entirely… and there are portkeys and stuff," Adrian replied - the old argument from the summer as they'd discussed his schooling. He should start looking into schools maybe, since it didn't seem like he was going to play. He was still a bit numb about the changes in his own life and future if he was perfectly honest. He wasn't going to mention that, and instead focused on Jackson. "Are you hinting we should celebrate the first of what is likely to be many acceptances for you?"
“Do you think we should?” Jackson looked over and shrugged faintly. “I mean, I'm not going to go there. It's good and all but… I don't want to focus on just a muggle education.” His eyes moved to meet Adrian’s and he offered a half-smile. “I don't know. It's stupid, I guess, but I feel like I have to go to a wizard school.”
Adrian had made that argument to Jackson months ago. It was odd to hear to argued back to him. "It's still an acceptance to a good music school." Jackson wouldn't apply to a music school that wasn't good after all.
“I know. One of the best.” Because it was true. He wouldn't have applied if it wasn't. He knew his skill level. He'd been playing as long as he could remember and he knew he was good. He was probably what some would consider a prodigy, though for him it was just love that let him keep playing. He looked down, then back to his friend. “Brownies and cocoa. And maybe some cookies. We can see what the elves have.”
"If we ask, they'll end up making whatever we wanted," Adrian knew enough about the elves to know that. "When you're finished playing." Since Jackson could play for hours and hours, and it had only been hours so far.
“I may have forgotten to eat…” A small shrug. They had been up there for a while and prior to that he had been in his head with the acceptance and considering his upcoming auditions. He smiled almost sheepishly at his friend and turned from the piano, preparing to head to the kitchens.
Adrian shook his head at Jackson. "You don't have to live up to the artist/musician stereotypes you know." He put his book back into his bag. He hadn't been reading it anyway and a trip to the kitchens sounded more interesting anyway and perhaps a bit safer.