fandomtownies | Groovy Tunes, Sunday

Entry tags:

Groovy Tunes, Sunday

Apparently the stereo was in a Weakerthans mood today. Which wasn't so bad, really. Jono didn't mind their music or anything.

But the absolute worst time to listen to the Weakerthans was when one just happened to be in a Weakerthans mood oneself, and Jono had started the day on a faint note of melancholy that came from nowhere really in particular, and then just sort of seemed to find reasons to settle in more the more the stereo played those damn songs.

By the end of the entire Virtute the Cat saga, he'd taken his lunch break to go home and get Joni, because he needed to just kind of sit with a cat on his lap for the rest of the bloody day.

Dammit, stereo.

[OOC: ... The guy at the second-hand record store was surprised that I'd actually gone in LOOKING for the Weakerthans album that I picked up yesterday. Warning, the link above leads to the saddest damn cat songs that are actually about depression EVER.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

So, guess who'd managed to get interested in drums, the other week?

And who didn't have a drum set of her own at home?

And who was now making her way into the Boards in the hopes that maybe she could come and work off some of her excess energy by trying to figure out how you were supposed to be able hit two different things at different times and make it sound good, using the set in the back?

The answer to all was Octavia Blake. "Hey."

//Hey,// Jono replied, blinking up from a very thorough session of scratching-under-the-cat's-chin that he had going on, there. And then he recognized the face in the doorway, and smiled as best he could, around the corners of his eyes. //Octavia. How've you been?//

Look! She'd picked up at least some details about socializing in the early 21st century:

"Decent."

Namely, that a 'how are you?' was rarely really a good enough reason to start listing all the things that had annoyed you recently. Smiling, though, was probably never going to be a very quick instinct.

Still, at least her gaze flicked down towards the cat. "Who's that?"

Well, a 'decent' or a point-form list of everything that was the matter... Jono was pretty much used to either at this point. He wouldn't have minded either way.

//This would be Joni,// he replied, tucking a hand under her bum and the other under her front legs so that he could hold her up for Octavia to better see her. //She's been mine since... hell, since I was a student at the school myself.//

Considering she still looked like a kitten, wide-eyed with black fur and white tuxedo markings, he was pleading 'island weirdness' on that one.

Yeah, Octavia definitely tilted her head at that. "I thought cats got bigger than this?" she said, half a question, half just a statement. "Not that I know almost anything about cat."

Still, she slowly reached out a hand for Joni to get acquainted with.

//They do,// Jono agreed. //I'm not certain if Joni's the runt of her litter or if the island is just messing with me, but normally they get three or four times this size.//

He watched as Joni leaned in to sniff at the offered fingers.

//Not that I'm complaining. She's easier to drag around with me, this way.//

Octavia wiggled her fingers. But slowly. "She's cute."

Now there was something Octavia was unlikely to say about a person, ever. But cats? She had decided cats were now an exception. (Maybe there was even a flicker of a smile. Or maybe that was just a trick of the light.)

//She is,// Jono agreed, watching in amusement as Joni raised a paw as if trying to decide whether she should bat at those wiggling fingers or not. //Would you like to hold her?//

A music person and a cat person? See, Jono knew Octavia was good people.

She was trying, anyway.

"... Okay." The hesitation was because that wasn't an option she'd considered. Also, because she didn't know how to hold a cat.

But that had never actually stopped her from doing much, much more dangerous things, either.

//You won't hurt her,// Jono said, reassuringly. //Cats are practically made out of rubber. Just make sure you give her some bum support, like this, and you'll be fine.//

Yes, yes he was holding Joni out for Octavia to take.

Which she did! Although gingerly at first, and with the same care and respect as she might handle an unfamiliar weapon.

Just one that needed butt support.

Some small fumbling, and she managed to cradle Joni to her chest. "Hey."

Jono was absolutely sitting back with a smile in his eyes, now, yes, just letting Octavia and Joni have their moment.

A moment which mostly involved a bit more sniffing around on Joni's part before she decided that, yes, this situation would do, and she settled in with a soft purr.

There was something wholly unfair about creatures like this. Octavia hadn't felt much wonder over the last long while: the ground had beaten that out of her, or at least into submission.

But here was this tiny sniffling thing, reminding her. Cautiously, she petted Joni's back with the hand that wasn't holding her.

(She missed Helios something fierce, right about now.)

It really was a shame that horses were far more difficult to fit into the shop than kittens.

Jono wasn't going to interrupt; not while Octavia was having her moment with Joni, who was now kneading with her little kitten claws to go right along with that purr. She didn't have much of a practical purpose. She wasn't exactly going to catch many mice at her size. But as a companion animal, Joni was great.

She really, really was.

It took Octavia approximately forever to finally break the spell of the tiny kitten toes and the purring and actually look up.

The softness in her demeanor melted away again, if slowly. "So... I came here to ask about something."

//Well,// Jono said, making no move to take Joni back right away, //hopefully I've got answers. What've you got on your mind, luv?//

They were going to go from cute kitten toes to smashing on a drum kit in like three minutes flat, weren't they?

Prooobably, yes.

"The drums, in the back," Octavia said, with trademark straight-forwardness. "Can I use them?"

//That's what they're there for,// Jono said, after a brief pause. //You're welcome to come in and use them any time you need. Thinking of taking up drumming, then?//

Octavia shrugged one shoulder -but she was still careful not to jostle Joni. Who she should probably give back, but, all in good time.

"Dante showed me how."

Jono wasn't going to rush her, no. He just nodded thoughtfully, and then gestured toward the back.

//Probably trying to get you to join the band, hm? Well, then by all means, feel free to give it a go. Should be all set up and ready.//

"The band was mentioned," Octavia confirmed. She'd even vaguely accepted the drummer spot, although in a non-binding way. Since it was obvious all-around that she'd never actually played before. "Thanks."

Okay, now she had to peel the kitten off her chest. And hold her out to Jono. Back to your rightful guardian, little one.

//Any time,// Jono replied, holding out his hands to take Joni back. She settled right back in, and he rewarded her for her good behaviour with a scratch behind the ear. //And if you've got any questions, you know where to find me. I probably won't be straying too far before the end of the day.//

"Thanks."

She was kind of repeating herself, but oh well.

She was going to head to the back now, and bang some drums.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Groovy Tunes, Sunday

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject