solo (![[info]](https://www.insanejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} soloing) wrote in ![[info]](https://www.insanejournal.com/img/community.gif){kind=small} valarlogs,@ 2019-09-23 12:17:00 |
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WHERE: Theatre somewhere
WHEN: {backdated} Late August
WHAT: Napoleon and MJ run into each other at a show.
WARNINGS: PG
STATUS: Complete
Mary-Jane's first paycheque went woefully quickly. After rent, credit cards, phone bill, new pair of running shoes (god, she'd forgotten what waitressing did to one's feet), she only had a little bit left over.
It was hard, living in a budget again, like in those first days of marriage. They had always lived comfortably.... until those investments. Regardless, she knew she might regret it but damnit, it was hard not being in a show, being surrounded by the theatre.
So she said eff it and got a seat at a local production showcase. Sure, it wasn't Broadway but in a way, that was better. The passion, the desire to be on stage... it was wonderful. Plus, it meant there were various scenes from various musicals, and the variety was lovely.
By the time intermission came around, she was feeling good about her choices. She had exactly enough for a glass of wine if she wanted....but she knew if she wanted to make something of herself, she shouldn't drink.
It was just one though...but one was too much sometimes for her. Or was it. She wasn't an alcoholic, she just liked to have a good time. And then she didn't quite know when to stop...
Instead, she stood by the wall and debated, humming the last number's song. God, she wanted to be on stage again.
Napoleon hadn’t been to a show in a hell of a long time. Mostly due to work and commitments and the occasional date that did come up was frightfully uncultured. Honestly, who thought a ‘show’ was a ‘movie’, who?
So Napoleon hadn’t had many opportunities to go to a show or two, this one happened to come a little out of the blue and while it wasn’t the usual fare for Napoleon it was a dip back into what he’d been used to. Showcases weren’t the usual for him, but at this point he was happy to just see something different.
It was enjoyable though, and Napoleon appreciated that he could get back into a past time he enjoyed with an array of songs from shows, some he hadn’t even seen yet, which was nice. At the intermission he’d ordered a glass of wine, catching sight of a semi-familiar redhead to his left he quickly added a second glass to his order before crossing the space, minding the other people.
“I thought I’d seen you as I came in,” but then, it wasn’t like she was the only redhead in the place, and Napoleon had seen people try to look like MJ in New York. “You’re far ways from home, for a showcase?” Although, Napoleon did read tabloids, so it wasn’t like he didn’t know what had happened.
MJ wasn't surprised by the acknowledgement. It wasn't like she was unknown. Her Playbill spread was only a few months back, when she was still overly confident that her contract would be renewed without needing to audition...
Look how great that went.
Accepting the wine, she smiled. How could she turn down a glass? That would have rude. She felt slightly relieved she didn't have to make a choice, since she knew she would have caved.
"Thank you. I've actually moved so this? Isn't too far from home anymore. I thought it'd be nice to see the local talent, support the arts, as it were."
It was surprising how easy she could slip into a role. She had no idea who was talking to her but it was always a safe bet to pretend it was media.
"And to whom should i be thanking for this? Mr --?"
“Supporting the arts seems like a very important past time at the moment.” It was a touch surprising that she’d opted for California, given her Broadway background he’d have thought Chicago, but then, maybe a bigger change was needed and who was he to say New York to California wasn’t a fun change.
“Solo,” Napoleon smiled softly, more gentleman than anything else, “but Napoleon is fine.” He felt like the use of his first name made it easier to familiarise between the waking and his Dreams, given he was usually just ‘Solo’ in the dreams. “I actually had the pleasure of seeing you perform a few times on Broadway.”
Before the scandal that spilled out, but every actress had at least one scandal. “A joy to watch for sure.”
A fan. An honest to goodness fan.
The smile turned glittering and she adopted a more careful, flowing stance. “Well. Thank you very much, Napoleon. Please.” She motioned to the table in front of her. “Join me. I’m glad to hear you were able to make it to some of my shows.”
That might have sounded conceited, but she genuinely meant it. For a time being, she was only in the highest caliber of shows, so if she was in it? It was good .
“And I would have to agree with you regarding the arts. It’s a weird time now where people are performing more than ever, filming themselves on Youtube and all that jazz…” (ha ha). “And yet we’re not valuing them the way we should.” She shook her head, her curls staying firm in their updo. “Do you act? Or play music?”
It wasn’t unusual for Napoleon to brush shoulders with people from upper classes or showbiz circles, given his clientele at times and the fact that he could talk himself into most situations, it happened regularly enough for Napoleon to benefit. But it rarely actually happened to be an accident or someone Napoleon genuinely cared to converse with.
Mary-Jane Watson definitely fell into that category.
“It is that age old stigma on the liberal arts, while Netflix and the like plunge billions of dollars into the economy and people spend thousands of dollars to see prestigious plays, but complain about all these creative types.” Dealing with art, it was something that Napoleon saw a lot of. The comments about art, modern or otherwise and the impressions that artists were asking too much.
Meanwhile an oil tycoon would drop millions on a centuries old painting by a man he barely even heard of. “Unfortunately I don’t, as much as my mother would’ve loved if I could do either.” It wasn’t entirely true, Napoleon was a terrific actor, when he was conning someone. “I’m afraid I just don’t have creative talents and inclinations like yourself.”
MJ gave a slight roll of her eyes. True theater actors seemed to have a slight disdain for television… even if now, she had been thinking of it. A way to start new again.
"Yes, we don't all have that calling, but there are different ways to express oneself." Was she slipping into a different cadence? Probably. Networking was a skill.
"And what is it you do?"
Napoleon’s creative expressions tended to run a little more into the illegal area of things. Art theft was a calling, quite clearly given the dreams and reality and how close they were. His sticky fingers and the theatre he put into that was most likely not what his poor mother would’ve hoped for.
“There are indeed,” suits, art and a good wine and he could express himself just fine. “Corporate acquisitions.” It was the standard answer for that question when he couldn’t say ‘I steal artwork, jewels and anything else you want, for a price’ to people. “Frightfully dull, but well paying.”
Little lies didn’t hurt anyone.
That explained the well tailored suit.
“That sounds tedious,” she teased, lifting her wineglass. “What’s your favourite part of it?” It was one of her small-talk tricks: get the other person talking about themselves. It made things much easier, and she learned interesting things. It was also sometimes helpful when preparing for a role.
Not that there were many musicals about corporate acquisitions.
Still. You never know.
“Fairly tedious,” the perception of his job tended to remove much fascination, if people thought it was something as boring as stocks or bonds, then they asked fewer questions about his work. Misdirection was a good trick he kept up his sleeve.
“The travel, most definitely. The company tends to have dealings international, which means I get to see a lot more of the world.” After all, if someone in Paris has something one of his clients wanted, guess where Napoleon was going.
Before they could really get much into the conversation or too many questions, the over head lights flickered on and off in order to let everyone know the show was coming back. “Looks like we’re starting back up.”
She looked up and nodded. Finishing her glass, she tipped her head at Napoleon. "Thank you for the drink and the company, both which were enjoyable. Perhaps we will run into each other again. This is a small world."
After all -- if she had bumped into Peter immediately upon moving, anything could happen.