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Tweak says, "PFFFTTTT"

Christian (i_learned) wrote in we_coexist,
@ 2012-08-05 19:45:00

Entry tags:

christian, lorne, winifred burkle

The Red Dot (Fred, Lorne)
The device that Veronica called a phone started buzzing again, and again Christian looked down and found the same map, the same red blinking dot, and the same desire to go through the streets to find that dot.

Minutes later, he found himself in front of Angel Investigations, a company that apparently helped the helpless. There was a dentist's office beside it. Christian rubbed the back of his neck, then headed across the street. He didn't know what he would find behind the door, but he did know one thing: that phone wasn't going to stop buzzing and calling him out until he went.

Pausing at the door, he wondered if he should knock or simply walk in. He opted with the walking-in.

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i_learned
2012-08-13 03:04 am UTC (link)

Christian stumbled.

He didn't mean to stare.

The lyrics, the tune were unfamiliar, but he recognized the music. It was the same type of music that he wrote, the same type of music that he used to create with. And it was coming out of a huge green horned man.

Fred was waving at him.

And he was smiling at her.

Christian looked back and forth between the two.

Was this Lorne?!

"No one said..." he said incredulously.

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	i_host 2012-08-22 08:45 pm UTC (link)
	Lorne wrapped up the song with a smile, got up and started toward Fred. He stopped a few times en route to say hello to patrons or accept compliments on his performance. After waving a hand for a Sea Breeze, Lorne made his way over completely, and put his arms out to hug Fred. "Freddykins!" he said. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

i_figure
2012-08-23 12:44 am UTC (link)

"Oh. I..." Fred smiled softly. She could understand how Lorne's appearance may catch one off guard; green skin wasn't often seen out and about. She gave Christian's arm a little squeeze before slipping away to walk quickly over and get her hug. She was all too happy to get a hug from her favorite green male type being.

"Lorne!" She gave him a squeeze before turning a little in his arms, so that she could introduce the young man she was with. For a very brief moment, she was afraid Lorne might think she'd turned into a bit of a slut. "Lorne, this is Christian. Christian, this is Lorne. He was sent here in hopes of finding a job. Something to keep him busy while he's in the City."

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i_learned
2012-08-23 01:43 am UTC (link)

Fred apparently was very friendly with... with.... Christian didn't know what to think about this... man? creature? entity? Entity. But he seemed... friendly...

The entire encounter was so far removed from his repertoire, Christian wasn't quite sure exactly how to respond.

"Pleased to ... to meet you," Christian finally managed to say to the grinning, green-skinned... entity.

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i_host
2012-08-24 05:48 pm UTC (link)

He had missed Fred hugs. There were not enough of them. Lorne had half a mind to complain about that, and opened his mouth to, but Fred was introducing him to a handsome guy.

Again.

"Hiya Christian," Lorne said brightly. He did not offer his hand. He didn't want the guy to faint.

"This isn't a bad place to look for a job. All kindsa people come in, they sing, they talk, I hear a lot. What do you do? And what'll you have to drink?"

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i_figure
2012-08-25 11:24 pm UTC (link)

"I'll have...ooh! What about a strawberry smoothie?" It wasn't that Fred was being overly health conscience; the drink just sounded good at the time. Of course, it wasn't alcoholic, but she didn't think Lorne would mind her not getting such a drink. "Oh, no! A strawberry milkshake! Yes, that'd be good, if you have that. And, he's..a writer."

The brainy female gave Lorne an extra little hug before leaning against the jolly green giant. She had missed him, no matter what some might think. He really was a great person.

"He could sing for you. That might help." Notice Fred was not offering to sing. She really didn't want Lorne to know what she knew or feel what she felt. She supposed the demon might get the wrong idea when it came to bringing yet another pretty fellow in, but this was a completely different situation. She just wasn't ready to talk about her own situation with someone. Not exactly. Not more than she already had, even if Lorne was probably the most easy going and understanding fellow she knew.

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i_learned
2012-08-26 02:50 am UTC (link)

Fred's clear ease with the... with Lorne was setting him at ease as well. He was almost smiling by the time Fred offered his voice.

"I've been known to sing a few lines," he said quietly. "It helps with the writing. But Fred's right. It's mostly writing that I do. Stories, lyrics... I'm sorry to say that I'm not much of a musician, but I've worked with many before."

He took the time to look around Carita's. It wasn't like any nightclub he'd seen before, but then again, the Moulin Rouge was the only one he'd ever spent any great amount of time in. Still, Christian thought there was room enough to stage something, if that were what the owner was looking for.

"What sort of things do you need done around here?" he finally asked.

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i_host
2012-08-28 06:59 pm UTC (link)

Lorne nodded and told a passing waitress to bring a milk shake, and something for Christian. It looked like he could use an edge or two smoothed.

"Me?"

Lorne thought about that. "Well, we have our normal bartenders and wait staff, and the kitchen guys..."

Could he put shows on, here? He'd meant more that he always knew about job openings because of his clients. Lorne was better than Monster dot com.

Heh. That made him smile, just thinking about it. Monster dot com, indeed.

"If you play piano, we could start there," he said. "I haven't done any shows here yet, but that doesn't mean I'm opposed to it. It all depends on what you want to do, Christian. I can at least give you a place to start."

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i_learned
2012-08-29 03:57 am UTC (link)

The corners of his eyes crimped into something that he quickly turned into a smile instead. "Ah -- well, to be honest, sir, ah." Christian rubbed at the back of his neck. "I don't exactly know how to write music or play any musical instrument. I can write for a tune... Say, the one you were just singing."

Squinting at the stage, he called to mind the lilt of the tune, then quickly pieced together original lyrics to fit -- only two lines at first. Clearing his throat, he tried them out and worked out the next ones as he sung:

"One chilling revelation: landing here without a clue /
One change in destination: here I am meeting you /
One girl said, 'Christian, see Lorne and he'll see you through /
Then Fred said, 'Yes, let's go - he'll know what to do'"

Artistic license, he thought to himself.

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i_host
2012-08-31 05:15 pm UTC (link)

Lorne listened. And not just to the words.

There were things he could see, here, readily apparent beneath the surface. A lot of pain. A lot. And the face of a beautiful woman. He understood that she was dead, though because of the way his particular gift worked, and because Christian wasn't outright thinking about her death, that was a little more of a tingle in the stomach than an outright declaration.

Failed love stories made Lorne the saddest. Before he knew it, a tear had worked its way out of his eye and down his face. His cheerful demeanor otherwise had not changed.

He did not brush it away. In Lorne's opinion, if an emotion was strong enough to push through like that into someone's song, he would honor it by allowing himself to feel it, just for a second. In this case, he felt Satine deserved that, even if he did not know her.

He smiled when Christian was done. That was good improv. He was impressed. His face lit up. "Oh, this has definite potential!" he said. He softened his features, and gave him a slight nod.

"I don't know if anyone explained to you that I'm an empath?" Both eyebrows raised. "I'm very sorry for your loss."

He took a sip of his drink.

"And I do think that you and I can work out a job for you. If you want it."

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i_learned
2012-09-02 02:15 am UTC (link)

When Christian looked back at Lorne to find what his face was doing in reaction to his liberties with the song, he blinked. He hadn't expected tears. But then...

"I'm not su...." he began, then stopped. Oh. That's what he meant. Christian ducked his head and stared at his fingers. Sometimes he could still see a dab of blood on his thumb. His brow drew together and he cleared his throat. "Thank you," he said gently to the floor.

And then, at the offer of a job, he breathed and squared his shoulders. "Yes," he said. "I want it. Just... no more talk about Satine, please. It's still..." His hand churned the air just before his sternum, then dropped it to his side again. Fresh. It was still fresh, the loss, the pain. He swallowed again.

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i_figure
2012-09-02 02:36 am UTC (link)

Fred hadn't said anything. Just listened to the two of them talking. Then Christian sang. He was pretty good, and she might have blushed a little. She'd never been put into song, even if it was a silly little made on the spot thing.

She didn't even ask who Satine was, but she was smart enough to figure out that who she/he/it was, she/he/it was important to Christian. She gave Lorne a small hug, grateful that he could help. She gave Christian a slight smile. Yes, Lorne seemed to be just the right person to bring Christian to.

"Well, I guess I could leave y'all to it." She stretched and pressed a kiss to Lorne's cheek. "I'll get the shake to go, but I promise to return very very soon. Actually I give you my word." She gave Lorne another hug and kiss before slipping away.

She was a little forward, but she gave Christian a very loose half hug. "He's one of the good guys," speaking about Lorne. "And you know where to find me if you need help with anything, Christian. It was nice to meet you."

With that, she slipped away to get her shake to go, if she could; then she was out the door to see what other helpless types needed help. It was a silly thing, but she did feel like she'd done something very Angel like.

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i_host
2012-09-03 10:40 pm UTC (link)

Lorne had no intention of bringing it up again. It's just what you did. Someone died, you expressed your condolences.

It was part of being...well, human.

He returned Fred's hug and gave her a wave as she left, returning his attention to Christian with a smile he'd used a dimmer on. Out of courtesy.

"Alright, then. You got yourself a job. What kind of show do you think we can do in here?" He upped the wattage on the smile. "I think I've got a movie or two to lend you. Right up your alley. 'Cabaret,' for starters. Oh, you'll love that!"

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