milliways_bar | (no subject)

Charlie atta piano, playing softly and singing even more softly. Seth sleeps in his carrier on a chair pulled beside the piano bench.

I open my eyes
I try to see but I'm blinded by the white light
I can't remember how
I can't remember why
I'm lying here tonight

And I can't stand the pain
And I can't make it go away
No I can't stand the pain

How could this happen to me?
I've made my mistakes
I've got no where to run
The night goes on
As I'm fading away
I'm sick of this life
I just wanna scream
How could this happen to me?

Everybody's screaming
I try to make a sound but no one hears me
I'm slipping off the edge
I'm hanging by a thread
I wanna start this over again

So I try to hold on
On to a time when nothing mattered
And I can't explain what happened
And I can't erase the things that I've done
No I can't

How could this happen to me?
I've made my mistakes
I've got no where to run
The night goes on
As I'm fading away
I'm sick of this life
I just wanna scream
How could this happen to me?

I've made my mistakes
I've got no where to run
The night goes on
As I'm fading away
I'm sick of this life
I just wanna scream
How could this happen to me?

This baby gets the oddest lullabies.

[ooc: mun did not have to work as late as she was told. yay!]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

*Yrael is just close enough to hear the song, listening as he reads at his table.*

*The thoughtful, musing look in his eyes shows that he's more listening than reading, at the moment.*

Charlie's been in a melancholy mood the last several days.

Though he does smile at Seth as he sings.

*When the song ends, Yrael raises his white head and smiles vaguely at his friend.*

Interesting song to sing for a child, Charlie, do you not think?

"He still doesn't understand words yet," Charlie says confidently. "It's all in the tone.

"How're you doing, Yrael?"

True, but to the others who do understand the words, it is still an interesting choice of song.

*Yrael gazes at the white piano a while, thoughtfully.* I am content, though if something interesting and unexpected does not happen soon, I fear I shall become bored.

*Though it is not a commonly known fact, Yrael's most dangerous when he is bored. He is terribly subtle about deeds that may be punished if found out about.*

"Well, you can always make things happen, I suppose. That prevents boredom, to a degree."

He shrugs, still playing absently on the piano. "Been doing a lot of thinking, that's all. The song . . . kind of . . . yeah. I understand it."

*He gives Charlie an idle smile.* I can never choose what to make happen, however. It has ever been a problem. One can have enough reading or writing or hunting, after a while.

"There are other things to do, aren't there? Making music, for example."

I can sing or play at any time I wish, though, pulling the Music from where it flows, unheard.

Sometimes I do not wish to, and if the Music does not call for me to give it voice, I will not.

"It's a fair cop." He shrugs. "The list of things to do around here is rather short.

"There's always chess, I suppose."

*slight smile, a bit sly* I know chess.

*He knows chess.*

"I know a little chess, so I wouldn't be much of a challenge.

"There's always something to do if you don't mind wasting some time. Even if it's skipping rocks out on the lake."

He raises an eyebrow at Yrael. "Do you want to play chess?"

*Yrael thinks about it.* I am holding out on chess at the moment, for I am expecting a challenge soon. An aquaintance and I...

*He shakes his head, idly.* What other games like chess are there in your world? I participated in some game that involved capturing marbles by hitting colorful caricatures of hippopotami, some months ago.

". . . Hungry Hungry Hippoes?"

He boggles.

"Um. Well. There's Monopoly and Scrabble and Taboo. Trivial Pursuit, but that only works if you're from the same where and when. Um . . . Charades. Poker. Checkers. Hm . . ."

Is that what it is called, then? Interesting. I can see how that might be an appropriate name...

What is Scrabble?

"It's a word game. The board has a lot of little squares on it, and you get a bunch of tiles with letters and you make words with them for points. The longer the word the more points you get."

*He shrugs.* Sounds interesting.

"It's not one of my favorites. I like poker a lot, but it's better if you have actual money to gamble with."

*Yrael smiles.* Tell me about poker, then. Though, I do not have any money to gamble with. I do not carry any, and a friend of mine lost a bet, so he had to pay off my tab, just the other day.

"Everybody gets a certain number of cards from a deck--usually five--and then you try to get a certain grouping and bet if your grouping is worth more points than the ones the people you're playing with have. Or you lie to make them think that your points are higher. And finally you show your cards and whoever actually has the highest points--or the person who's left after everyone else has quit--gets all the money everyone has bet.

*That makes Yrael grin. A game with lying. Something he is good at.*

I will have to ask you to teach me to play some day soon, my friend. It sounds like a game I could have fun with. Tonight, however, I shall retreat to my bed. The hour is late, and I wish for sleep.

"Sure--it'll pass a few hours.

"Good night." He waves the sleeping Seth's hand at Yrael too.

Good night to you, my friend. *With a smile for both Seth and Charlie, Yrael retires for the night.*