Mar 17 14:05:21 106 PA

From Chronicles

The current game time is: Thu Mar 17 14:05:21 106 PA.

The last customer of the day has only just been shown out, to weave his way home. Desmond has given some final words to the late shift of security before turning them loose. With his helmet and gauntlets laid out before him, he sits at one of the tables near to the edge of the stage. A bit lost in thought as he is want to be at times, a glass of water sits near at hand, but thus far left untouched. He's been a bit like that since the talk not too long ago. Thoughtful and quiet, when not directly active.

Aimee has sung her heart out that night, and she makes her way to him, leaning over his shoulder to press a kiss against his cheek. She reaches out, taking his glass of water, curling herself into the chair next to him. "Mon chat." She makes the words a greeting and a statement of who he is, her mouth curving slightly into a smile. "What is in your mind?" She sips his glass, resting it on her bent knee as she watches him.

Desmond turns his head slightly at the kiss, rousing from his thoughts lightly. His reflexes not too slowed, as a hand lifts to lightly touch her lower back as she moves to the seat beside him. "My Aimee," he rumbles in reply, giving those words much the same feel. His thoughts are quieted as he gazes at her, though the question gives him a bit more than normal pause. "I think of matters we discussed before," he admits. "But they are passing thoughts.. of no consequence yet. You sang well this evening. It warms me to see.. to know you have now some of what I promised." His thoughts sliding back to those rocky days not too long past.

She studies his face thoughtfully, tilting her head a little to the side, green eyed gaze resting on his eyes. "Oui. More than I ever really thought we could do." The smile she gives him is one seen only for him and Kesslan, as she leans in, to press another kiss against the corner of his mouth. She lifts a hand to run fingers lightly through his fur at the nape of his neck. "I think, mon chat, nothing in the universe can stop us..."

Desmond leans forward slightly himself, an arm curled against the edge of the table to lean against, making it easier for her to touch. Though he seems.. concerned with her words. "Our potential is great, but I would not agree with that." He turns his head and brushes the side of his muzzle along her cheek lightly. "We should not be too cautious, but nor should we be too confident." He draws back slightly then to fix his eyes towards her own. "What thoughts dwell in your mind, that you would suggest such a thing?"

Aimee's eyes widen, a touch of innocence in them that sits oddly with the cynical woman. She smiles at him, mischief in her eyes once more. "Just thoughts of the things we can do, mon chat. I take no risks, don't worry." Then she leans in, kissing lightly across his shoulder before she nips his throat gently. "I need a male singer, mon chat. Duets are popular and I have only my voice..." The change in topic isn't brutal, something in her mind for the future.

Desmond considers Aimee carefully, though not without that warmth that she tends to bring out in him. "Danger is something we cannot avoid.. but even then we should pick our battles carefully. Just as we do now." The topic shift brings about a furrow in his brow, though the moment of consideration is followed up by a nod. "I know no such person well, unfortunately. Only occasional talk of those who sing professionally. But we can look.. perhaps advertise for such a person."

"Oui, mon chat. We will pick our battles." She gives him a warm smile, lifting one eyebrow, teasing in her face. "I had perhaps a thought of a person, who would be most appropriate..." The low purring note to her voice should warn him by now that this could be trouble, and her widening smile even more so. "I thought perhaps you should do it, and I, I will teach you." She gives a small shrug, as if this is obvious.

Desmond is, nonetheless, a bit bemused when Aimee drops her idea, despite the warning of her expression. He considers it briefly, starts to speak but pauses. Then speaks finally after a few moments. "I have never sung.. I do not know that my voice is.. proper for such things." An honest self-assessment given, though without a negative edge. A simple statement of perceived fact.

"Anyone can sing, mon chat. There is just teaching to be done..." She rises, walking away, putting a deliberate sway in her hips as she moves to set some of the backing music up, a rising crescendo before a guitar plays. She brings back two of the headsets she uses, handing one to Desmond. "You just sing from here..." A hand resting on her stomach, "And lift your chin, and speak it clearly..."

Desmond continues to hold a skeptical lean to his expression as she goes to get things started. Not that he doesn't pay attention to her sway in the same moment. Upon her return, he takes the headset, ears flicked forward at the music that has been started. He'll dutifully wear it, though as she explains where to sing from, he seems uncertain. He'll lift his chin slightly and rumble, "I ever speak clearly." Still, he waits on the music and on her lead with this. He's never been unwilling to try new things, even when skeptical.

She puts hers on, using it to keep her hair from her face as she puts music and words in front of Desmond. "First, listen. Then we try, oui?" She helps this process by nudging his arm, a silent and oft used demand to be let into his lap. The music plays, the couple in the song singing in perfect harmony. "Oui? You see ..." Her finger runs along the lyrics as they are sung.

Desmond acquiesces to the demand for lap space automatically. It's a win win for him, his posture adjusted to better accommodate her presence, an arm dipping to slip about her waist automatically as his eyes dip towards the lyrics sheet. "Yes, I see." He's grown not too shabby when it comes to reading and the lyrics aren't too complex. His eyes trace over them as the couple on the track sings, though he doesn't seem much more confident in his ability at this. "Why do they think speaking such words are stupid?" Asked about halfway through the song.

"Because the other doesn't want love, just a little fun." She replies, her eyes staying on the sheet as she leans into him, her back against his front. "Put your hand here, and feel how I breathe when I sing?" She presses a button on a remote control and the music restarts, Aimee singing, her finger tracing the female part's lyrics.

Desmond nods his head once to the answer, it enough to connect the dots for him. He remains lightly thoughtful as she resets the song. His hand will move to where she wants it and his eyes will move across the lyric sheet as he attempts to follow along. His rhythm is about right.. a little uneven, but after hearing it once, he follows the written lyrics without serious issue. Though his singing.. he lacks emotion in the act of it. Speaking the words steadily as he speaks the majority of the time, plodding along through the song gamely, but poorly.

She nods as the song comes to an end, twisting in his lap to give him a considering look. "I think, perhaps it might help if you stand, and sing it to me, think of the days when I was with someone else and telling me that would drive me away?" She rises, brushing her skirt down as she moves, turning to face him. "Or perhaps a different song? What do you think, mon chat?" She reaches to pick up the remote control, giving him a thoughtful look. "Try this one again?"

Desmond ends the song looking to Aimee for the grading. OF course, given her response, its a poor grade. But he expected as much and doesn't seem upset by it. Though as she starts to give suggestions, his bemusement rises once more. He'll stand once she's risen herself and will respond after a moment with, "I do not know that a certain song will aid me in this. Nor do I know many.. I lean more towards art, rather than music." Which he has, with his focus on sketching and, more recently, some light forays into painting. "Why do you wish me to think of such things?" Honestly not sure how they are part of this.

"Because the man in the song, he is in that position, where if he tells her that he loves her, she might leave..." She reaches for his hand, giving him a warm smile, her green eyes showing her feelings for him. "Mon chat, it was not so bad, and I think, you could sing. Just try and remember how you felt, and put it in the song, as you do with your drawings..." She turns, pressing play, this time singing to him, her voice echoing around the bar.

It's obvious that Desmond is not perfectly at home with this, but any arguments he might have are stayed for the moment. Aimee seems to want this and he enjoys providing what she wants. So as the music starts again, he tries to recapture that time in his mind. It's not easy.. with her now his and he hers, he'd banished those days to the back of his mind. So at first he will, as he looks down to her, delve into the song as he did before. More reciting the words than actually giving them life. But a minute in his voice starts to shift. Subtly so, but an edge of emotion slips in to it and into his eyes. His voice is still too rough overall, but for this song at least, he seems to bridge a gap.

The emotion in his voice pleases his tutor and she sings with practiced emotion, for a moment drifting from teaching him into singing for pleasure, her eyes half closing. When the music ends, his efforts are rewarded with a kiss that has her leaning into him, pressing against him in a way that promises more rewards for future efforts. "You are getting it, that was so very much better, mon chat...Once more?" It is a question but the answer is presumed and she presses play, watching him as she sings her part.

Desmond watches Aimee as she sings. Seeing her enjoy it so relaxes him somewhat, though for now it doesn't help his technique much. The voice will require work to smooth out, but the concept he seems to grasp, at least in part. Her reward is taken without hesitation and despite his armor, he can read the signals she gives. He will nod when she asks after doing it again. He will provide much the same result, only from the start, rather than partly in. A bit of emotion, carefully done, the lyrics themselves simple, coming easily to him.

She takes him through the song over and over, practising until his technique is, if not good, less rusty, and each improvement is rewarded by a long kiss, her eyes promising more for the future. Eventually, she switches the machines off, allowing him to leave it for the night. "Perhaps we will practice tomorrow also, and the day after... and perhaps then we can surprise our customers." She begins the routine of closing up the bar.

Desmond remains somewhat uncertain about this singing thing, but he repeats the song with her those several times, seeming to grow a bit more confident towards the end, even if his ability remains on the low scale. That rough, rumbling voice and his oddness with outward emotion two major stumbling blocks to be overcome. When the practice ends and the last kiss is shared, he turns towards the table to pick up the water glass. Needing a long draught from it. "Perhaps.. though I know not if I can match you, My Aimee," he replies. "But I will try this thing for you."

"I think you can, mon chat. It just takes practice." The certainty in her voice may help his confidence and the look she gives him as she turns off lights in the club speaks of his reward when he gets home. "Ready, mon chat?" She walks through the door, putting extra sway in her hips, casting him a teasing look over her shoulder. Tags: aimee, desmond, learning