pc catchall for wei wuxian.

[successives]

[SCREAMS]

Comments

[givethemhell]

I don't think I've heard of a ballet before.

[The fact that he knows what rimming is but doesn't know what ballet is, wow.]

Is it the style of the piece?

[successives]

[She thinks about it for a moment.]

Mm, kind of. It's a really long piece of music that's meant to tell a story, and then someone puts a specific kind of choreography to it.

[givethemhell]

Oh! Ah, we have things like that where I come from, too. Musical theater, dance troupes - yes?

[He seems interested in the idea! He's not a dance guy himself, but he does appreciate the arts. He's a master of the six arts himself, after all.]

[successives]

Mm, sort of, but the songs don't have words like a musical would. Actually, nobody talks at all. The whole thing is told through music and dance.

[givethemhell]

[Nodding along! Yes, yes, he's all about it.]

We have a few types of performances like that, too. It's been a long time since I've seen any, but I remember liking the ones I did go to!

[successives]

Right. I bet you're pretty with your... ghostbusting, though.

[givethemhell]

Well! I do use a flute in my ghostbusting work.

[Maybe he should incorporate a song and dance routine into his next exorcism?? Sounds hilarious.]

[successives]

[She's glancing towards the flute.]

You sure it's safe to give me a demo...?

[givethemhell]

Oh, it is, no need to fret! Not only do our abilities not work here, as before- [He knows, he absolutely tried to do some blood magic bullshit the second he thought no one was looking.] -but dizi-playing for fun and for work are two entirely different things.

[successives]

I’m not fretting.

[She nods, though.]

Okay. Then... Your turn.

[givethemhell]

Do you have any requests?

[He detaches Chenqing from where it hangs on his waistband, twirling the flute deftly.]

[successives]

Not really. Dealer’s choice.

[givethemhell]

Hah, very well, then! Hm, hm... Ah - I know a good one!

[And he'll start to play a little tune, full of bounces and trills. It's probably the sort of flitting, energetic sound anyone who's known him for 5 seconds could expect to hear.]

[successives]

[Given the usual 'I don't care' vibes she tries to aggressively give out, it might be a little surprising how attentively she listens, not making a sound or a move until he finishes.

Once it's done:]

...Nice.

[Was that?? A compliment??]

[givethemhell]

[The compliment is more surprising than the focus she gives, considering that's about what he'd expect from a musician who actually cares about the music they play... A "NICE", hell yeah. HE BEAMS.]

Haha, thank you! It was to your tastes, then?

[successives]

[Huffed out:]

I said it was nice, didn't I?

[She might be the first casualty if she gives him another compliment about it.]

[givethemhell]

[HER SOFT MOE CENTER!!]

Hah, true, that you did! Good, good - I'm glad, in that case. You know, the two of us should play a song together sometime! It's been a while since I've had anyone to play a duet with.

[successives]

[After a moment:]

Well - I don't think we know any pieces of music from each others worlds, so we'd need to find sheet music, and I don't really imagine there's any lying around this summer camp.

[givethemhell]

Oh! [Sheet music didn't even exist in the modern way in 200-400AD China so HE'S AT A LOSS HERE.]

You could just play a song and I'll play along. Is that fine? Would that be too much trouble? Writing music isn't exactly my strongest suit so I don't think I could help there, but I'm quite good at embellishing and playing by ear.

[successives]

...I was going to keep playing anyways, so I can’t stop you or anything.

[Incredibly convincing.]

[givethemhell]

[Natalie is really going to bring out his inner gremlin at this rate... He grins, twirling his flute again before holding it at the ready.]

Play away, then! Let's see if I can play something good to match.

[successives]

[Since what he played was a little bit more cheerful than the first two pieces she selected... She thinks for a moment before starting on something closer in tone> to what he picked himself.]

[givethemhell]

[This is definitely the sort of tune that's in his wheelhouse, god. He listens along quietly for the first few bars, beginning to sway a little again as he does.

Eventually, he puts his lips to the dizi and begins to play along - little bursts and flits of notes, all managing to harmonize quite well with what she plays. There are a few places where a turn of note surprises him and he's off-harmony, but on a whole, he really does seem to be good at playing by ear.]

[successives]

[She might glance his once or twice once she can tell how well he's doing. For someone like her, who learns by studying each specific movement of a piece down to each specific note to see how the parts fit into the whole, not comfortable to play it publicly until it's perfectly memorized - it's surprising to see how quickly he catches on.

Once they're done, though - she doesn't say anything for a few seconds.]

How do you do that? Just - wing it like that?

[givethemhell]

[THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION AND HE DOES NOT HAVE AN ANSWER FOR IT... But he smiles anyway, since it feels like a compliment, and glances toward his dizi.]

Spent a lot of time just throwing together the notes that I felt like playing, whenever I'd play by myself. I think you just get a feel for where to go when you hear certain sounds or note certain moods, you know?