Stuck In Reverse (Closed)

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[attr="class","vgroup"] [attr="class","vogue"] [attr="class","mainv"]SPELLBINDER [attr="class","vlyrics"] When the tears come streaming down your face 'Cause you lose something you can't replace When you love someone but it goes to waste What could be worse? [attr="class","vcred"]Ryan Amador

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[attr="class","vpostbg"]The concert hall was deserted that Tuesday morning, and that was precisely what brought him there. Vadim paused at the vast array of controls in the dark, cavernous place and, after a few attempts, had a single spotlight illuminating centerstage. He didn't rush as he made his way up, each smack of his careful steps on the floor reverberating through the dense silence. His eyes burned when he stepped out of the gloom and into the warm ray of artificial light.

Those same eyes fell to the case held loosely in one of his hands. Vadim pursed his lips in thoughts. Part of him wondered what he was hoping to accomplish. Would solitude and the booming, acoustic resonance in the concert hall bring back the passion to his playing that'd been missing since... Then? Did he want it to? Vadim should have missed feeling so connected to his music, as he had before the dark episode that'd happened in Seattle. Instead he just felt... Numb.

Playing opuses in the Astaria Orchestra was easy enough to do - the sheet music was a clear and nonnegotiable blueprint. You followed the notes, the measures, the stanzas. But to let his fingers and heart soar with each push and pull of his bow, as he had since he started playing? That was beyond him... and the thought of doing it again left a strange hollowness in his chest.

Vadim pushed aside his musings with a sigh sharp through his nose. He crouched down, opened his case and eased out first his bow, then his violin. He went through the habitual motions of tuning each string with practiced jabs of his bow and, when all was ready, he bit his bottom lip, staring into the dark shadows draping most of the monolithic concert hall. Vadim reached to the place that'd been so easy to fall into months ago. His mother called it his passion, his gift.

He set his jaw and let out one, ponderous, dirge-like note that resounded fantastically through the open space. It bled into another, just as thoughtful and restrained. Vadim closed his eyes, stuck between his desire to feel alive while playing again and the apathy that bogged him down. The tune caught something of a rhythm, the melody developing like a living thing with the curl of his fingers and the sinuous swaying of his bow. The strings of the violin began to shimmer, exuding a bizarre, mesmerizing light where the rosin-slicked bow met them.

More light gathered in tentative folds, like ribbons of aurora, in the air around him. But, just when the melody started to soar, Vadim's fingers locked in place. He stopped playing abruptly, cutting off a note short, and opened his eyes, which strained instinctively skyward. There was a spark in them that died with the fading music.

[attr="class","cred"]VEL OF PIXEL PERFECT

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[Ryan Amador]

for those days

we felt like a mistake

somehow we keep marching on

❧

There weren't many places Ryan could go for peace and quiet. He loved his siblings. He loved working for the Cabal. But sometimes he needed a break from both. The concert hall was vacant and he knew how to break in without leaving a trace. He also knew how to avoid the security cameras.

He made a spot for himself behind the stage, curled up, sitting cross-legged, with a book open on his lap. How long had it been since he'd had time to finish a book? Since arriving in Astaria, he'd been quite busy. He'd been assigned a few recruitment missions, he'd had to help plan a breakout, and that was on top of helping his siblings and sparring with other Cabal agents.

Ryan startled when suddenly there was a noise - an instrument, violin he thought. He hadn't heard anyone else enter - had they gotten there before him?

He pushed himself to his feet after untangling his legs, book clasped in one hand. He stepped lightly onto the stage, gaze first falling onto the other man before his attention was snapped to what was happening.

It was beautiful, the lights that the music - no this man was clearly causing. He wasn't sure if he'd ever seen an ability so beautiful before. He couldn't help but stare, a pang of disappointment striking him when it stopped. His eyes fell back onto the other man and he noticed - he was trained to notice - that something seemed to leave the man as the music stopped, something that had given him such life before.

Arm tucked under his arm, Ryan couldn't help but give a couple small claps, quiet enough in hopes of not startling the man too much.

"That was beautiful," he found himself saying, a warm smile on his face, without stopping to wonder if the man wanted an audience in the first place.

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[attr="class","cred"]MADE BY VEL OF WW + GS

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Vadim's shoulders slumped in defeat. He curled internally, coiling around the clot of dense, heavy emotions that had settled like a rot in the antechambers of his heart. Clap. His shoulders tensed somewhat. Vadim perked, brows creasing in confusion, and looked sidelong at the figure drifting into the light of the stage. This wasn't the first time that Vadim had been straining the strings of his violin, thinking he was alone, to find an unexpected audience. However, the piece that Vadim had just finished was of a more vulnerable, defeated and tender sort than the passionate opuses of his past, and that's where the interruption differed. "That was beautiful," the other man said at the same time the stage lighting illuminated his features. Vadim opened his mouth, not quite sure what to say that didn't sound foolish. Then he closed it and forced a tight smile onto his lips, guilt chapping the edges of his soul, because, unexpected or not, the stranger didn't deserve to feel like Vadim didn't want him there. The concert hall wasn't his, after all. "Thank you," he said, belated, but reflexive. The kind of "thank you," that was clear to the listener that the speaker didn't really find the praise worth giving. Even if Vadim didn't doubt the sincerity of them. His eyes flitted to the book tucked beneath the stranger's arm. "I'm sorry if I bothered you," he hastened to say. "I didn't know anyone else was here." Vadim knelt down, clearly intent on tucking his violin back in the case that lay open at his feet.

. . . when the tears come streaming down your face 'cause you lose something you can't replace. when you love someone but it goes to waste what could be worse? . . . spellbinder Ryan Amador

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[Ryan Amador]

Though he didn't regret his words, Ryan found that a part of him regretted speaking up. It seemed obvious to him that the other man had wanted to be left alone. He'd been trained to read people - not in the way Ariel could but still - however it wasn't his training that helped him but rather the fact that he'd helped raise his siblings. He was used to someone, like Joan, trying to hide their emotions from view. He was used to seeing through that. "No bother at all," he assured him, smiling softly, hoping to come off as reassuring. "Likewise I didn't know anyone else was here." He watched as the other man went to put his violin away, realizing that he had probably ruined the moment. He'd never had a problem playing his guitar in front of anyone, but he knew that wasn't the same for everyone. People had stage-fright. And this man also had powers - Powers he probably wanted kept secret. Whoops. "You don't need to go," he added quickly, making it clear he'd seen him start to pack the violin up. "I can go if you'd like. This place is made for music after all, not reading." He lightly chuckled, hoping to lighten the mood. He wasn't used to feeling awkward - It wasn't impossible nor necessary rare, it had just been a while. It didn't help that his mind was already noting how this man was attractive. "I won't tell anyone by the way," he reassured him, nodding toward the air to let him know he was referring to his powers. He assumed the man was here to not only play but to use his powers in secret, that was something he could understand.

... a restless heart and a beautiful soul. it really doesn't matter if i stay or go. it's hitting me hard but i'm lucky i know ... null @vadim outfit 287 words I'm sorry it's not the best. ;-;

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Vadim's lips curled in a soft, thoughtful smile of their own accord. He could read the kindness in even the casual words that the other man was speaking, and Vadim had always had the utmost appreciation for and admiration of that rare trait in another human being. He was just easing his violin into the contours of its case when the stranger spoke up, realizing what Vadim was doing. The violinist looked up, brows furrowing, soft brown eyes contemplative. His gentle smile returned, seeing how ready the stranger was to leave, if it meant that Vadim would stay. Yes, this man was assuredly kind. And that kindness he wore well, accentuating his already charming looks better than any makeup or wardrobe could. Vadim rocked back on his heels, squatting there, and studied the other man while he turned over his thoughts. "I won't tell anyone by the way." Vadim hadn't even thought of that: his powers being glimpsed by the stranger. His brows furrowed again. His lips pursed in self-reproach. But the kindness of the other man was compounding; stacked one on top of the other; easing the melancholic knot that Vadim's heartstrings were stuck in. Slowly, he curled his fingers around the neck of the violin and stood with it. For some reason the thought of taking his leave - so attractive a second ago - had lost its appeal. "Perhaps neither of us need to leave," he considered, thinking aloud. Then Vadim smiled, bright enough, true enough that his teeth flashed in the spotlight flooding centerstage. "Vadim," he said, and shifting his bow so it was held in the same hand as his violin, he extended it in a handshake.

. . . when the tears come streaming down your face 'cause you lose something you can't replace. when you love someone but it goes to waste what could be worse? . . . spellbinder Ryan Amador

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[Ryan Amador]

Ryan waited, wondering and worried the other man might still leave. He knew he couldn't always please everyone - past relationships that had ended quite badly had made that evident - but he still didn't like being a source of anything uncomfortable for someone. He admittedly thought it was ironic how even trying to get alone time from the Cabal, he couldn't get full alone time. But he found he didn't fully mind - in fact he didn't think he minded at all. Part of him was even tempted to show his own power - though it was harder to show than this man's - if it would help the other man relax and decide to stay. He'd been trained to not reveal his power unless necessarily or specifically ordered to, though. It was hard to ignore any of his training, even if the stranger was attractive - he was still a stranger. Though it wouldn't have been the first time he put his guard down around a pretty face. But then the other man stood up, violin in hand, and offered that neither of them had to leave. Ryan felt his face heat up faintly and couldn't help a smile from finding its way onto his face. "I'd like that," he admitted, wondering - almost hoping - if the other man planned to continue playing his music. Would it be lame to tell him he was a musician too? That he played the guitar? He reached and gently grasped Vadim's hand, giving in an equally gentle shake. "Ryan," he supplied, "It's a pleasure to meet you." It felt lame to say that part - a bit too formal - and his smile turned awkward, his hand rubbing the back of his neck. The politeness had come from helping raise his siblings as well as having to deal with high ranking Cabal members before he, himself, had gone up a few ranks. "I uh - I really like your music," he added, "I've admittedly never played the violin but I uh - Well I play the guitar." His cheeks felt hot again. He didn't really talk about his music much outside of occasionally playing for his family.

... a restless heart and a beautiful soul. it really doesn't matter if i stay or go. it's hitting me hard but i'm lucky i know ... null @vadim outfit 355 words n/a

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