[ closed ]

[razzledazzles]

Who: Jae-Ha (razzledazzles) & Hazel (churchbelle)
What: Two nerds go shopping / Also using this now for sad angst
When: April 17th / April 20th
Where: Out on the town... or something
Warnings: Don't look at them they're stupid

[They've been in this clothing store for ten minutes now, and Jae-Ha is already wondering what he's supposed to do with his own taste in fashion. He can't seem to find any of the long robes he likes, and the pants he's run across are too tight for his liking. He's not even looking at shoes, for some reason, and eventually, he slides over to pinch at the material of a strange looking coat with a collar that's too big.]

I don't think I've seen a single thing I can see myself in. Have you?

Comments

[razzledazzles]

[He lets out a soft laugh at that, his song slowing a bit but not stopping. He's got this now, mostly.]

I suppose I should thank you, then, as well. [He focuses only on the piano keys because it's a convenient excuse for him to not look at Hazel right now.] If it were a stranger or someone else, I wouldn't be okay with this at all.

[churchbelle]

[but it's.....y'know

Hazel is still watching Jae-Ha, even if he's going to avoid looking back.]

That's real touchin'. [It genuinely is, but he says it like a joke. Of course he does. The mood feels marginally better, though, so after falling silent for a while, he feels it's situationally appropriate to press a piano key or two. He's making this song... better.....]

[razzledazzles]

[Why is Hazel staring at him so much, he can feel it!! He can see it in his peripheral!! But those key presses are what ultimately get his shoulders to relax a little as he laughs lightly again.]

Feeling adventurous? [He's too nice about music to say that those sound horrible. Go ahead, press random keys.]

I'm sure my music has moved your heart and soul, so you only want to reach out and join in.

[churchbelle]

How'd ya know? [Yeah, it's definitely the music... couldn't possibly be anything else. He sits up straight, so he can press random keys with both hands, uselessly. He knows it sounds stupid at best, but that's fine. Making it sound great isn't really the point, at this stage...]

I think it's buildin' character, thanks to yours truly.

[razzledazzles]

[Well now that Hazel is adding such creativity to his song, he doesn't have to focus on the keys so much, does he? Jae-Ha looks to Hazel with a quiet smile, leaning enough to bump their shoulders.]

There's plenty of character now, there's no denying that. But now I've gone and lost my place. [He can't keep up with the original song like this...]

[churchbelle]

[Hazel is helping, for sure. He chuckles, pressing more keys in a blatant mockery of an actual melody as he leans back into Jae-Ha's shoulder. If he could play chopsticks, he would be annoying with that. Imagine shittier chopsticks and that's almost what Hazel is "playing."]

Find a new one before ya fall behind, then. Are ya gonna make me do all the work?

[razzledazzles]

You're really testing me.

[His kindness... and his ability to make up music on the spot, apparently. There's some very slow fumbling before he makes Hazel's hideous melody into something more like an actual song. How's that for doing all the work!!

This does wonders for his aching heart, somehow. This temple isn't such a strange place to him, even after such a short time. His few visits have been meaningful. And Hazel, this weight against his shoulder, is nice to hear a chuckle from instead of those bothered words from earlier.]

Well? Are you impressed?

[churchbelle]

[Jae-Ha doing all the work is fine, while Hazel presses things at random to see how long he can keep up. That's apparently the plan here, making his melody even more disastrous to occupy Jae-Ha. He's not doing this for any sentimental reason, really - they both need to be distracted, and this is convenient.

This is the ugliest song that's come out of his piano to date, and yet he's charmed by it. How ridiculous.]

Is this the part where I crack a joke about ya bein' quick on your feet? I'm impressed.

[razzledazzles]

[Jae-Ha laughs, and it's a little less flimsy than the ones before. This song is horrible. This is the worst thing he's taken part in, and yet he's still pushing to keep it as a song, no matter how much Hazel just smacks the keys. This is an expensive piano and they're playing like children.]

I'm glad you could get a kick out of it. [Get it, since he brought up jokes—] If you think about it, you're being spoiled further! You'll be able to listen to my songs whenever you'd like.

[churchbelle]

[They can do whatever they want to this expensive piano, they both live here now... Get a kick out of it, stop— he doesn't laugh aloud, but his shoulders shake with silent laughter and he presses keys even more haphazardly.]

Not quite, seein' as how this is the best one. It's an original, and I'm not gonna remember a single bit of it by tomorrow. Best enjoy it while it lasts.

[razzledazzles]

Don't worry so much about that. We'll have time for plenty of originals in the future, just the same.

[Hazel can smack the piano whenever he wants, it'll be a fun time. For now, he'll play, maybe occasionally purposefully fighting over keys with Hazel's hands.]

By the way, that bedroom where I woke up... is that the best one to use? You have so many rooms.

[churchbelle]

[Smacking is a bit harsh, it's more like an aggressive whap... And fighting him for keys is only encouraging him to do it right back, leaning his shoulder into Jae-Ha more insistently so that he may win. This isn't childish.]

There's plenty of rooms- pick whichever one ya want.

[razzledazzles]

Yours?

[He is joking........ he is joking. Also, determined to win, so Hazel can prepare for this dramatic scale down the piano as Jae-Ha claims these keys from him and leans back, thanks.]

[churchbelle]

[Hey now, this is an unfair advantage, his shorter arms can't reach all the keys with Jae-Ha in the way. He makes a noise of surprise and tries to stick his hands back into the fray, but it's hopeless... he's been bested by this nerd.

...Also.] Maybe the next one, if ya promise not to bounce off the walls all night long.

[razzledazzles]

[...He wasn't expecting an honest and cute offer. How's a guy supposed to act tough and disinterested? He claims his victory by holding down a cord over on Hazel's side for too long, ducking down to lean with it and smile up at him.]

I'm not that young and energetic.

[churchbelle]

[This is a real young and energetic thing to do, to be fair. Hazel gives up, lifting his hands from the keys and holding them up in defeat. It's only a beat later that he leans his elbow on the safe part of the piano again, as he can never hold still, and wait just one gosh darn minute—]

No? Coulda fooled me, young as ya seem.

[razzledazzles]

Oh, do I seem youthful?

[That's so flattering! It feels like a new thing to hear, so he can only assume it is... Which is a less flattering thought to have, but that's fine. He sits up just slightly from his piano leaning, no longer jamming down the keys.]

I'm 25. How old did you think I was?

[churchbelle]

[25

twenty-five

25

t w e n t y - f i v e]

[churchbelle]

[...] Younger'n me, for a start.

[razzledazzles]

[Oh... Hazel's not older, then?]

Then are we the same age? [Or at least just a year younger, maybe??]

[churchbelle]

[Does Jae-Ha think all 25-year-olds are adult children? Which one of them has the more insulting point of view, here??]

If ya hold the five, then...

[razzledazzles]

[Hold the......... five...

...]

Come again?

[churchbelle]

[I wonder if there were math.]

I'm only twenty.

[razzledazzles]

[He thought for sure he'd met someone his age... This is soul crushing.]

Ah. I see.

[razzledazzles]

[Slowly turns away... on this piano bench...]

I thought I'd met someone my age, but you were really just as young as everyone else...