[ He... Wants to do something—rub his neck, scratch his cheek, tug his bangs—because he wasn't expecting a compliment like that, but no. Both hands have to be occupied. Kaede is nice, very sweet, and he can see her praising all of her friends, but based on their conversations she's also a prodigy. The title doesn't matter to him, but any general insight and critique is welcome. ]
Thanks. I have some other songs lined up to practice after I feel comfortable with this one.
[ And he already knows that she wants to be there when he plays them. ]
When I'm ready, I'll tell you. [ Tilting his head, he thinks about it a little more. ] Or I guess you can always come here when I'm practicing.
[She's a prodigy, but for things involving piano only. Being talented at multiple things? Now that's just unheard of where she comes from. Mostly. Having multiple talents would mean going to extremes, but if Hope's Peak Academy is good at anything, it's going to extremes.]
Yes, really.
[But she also wouldn't lie about something like this, either, humming quietly and clasping her hands behind her back to keep from fidgeting.]
I'd love to hear you practice, but if you do better on your own, I won't intrude. It's easy to get nervous performing in front of others, right?
[Even though she literally nagged him into doing it, and hasn't shown any trouble playing in front of others herself, she still understands, in her own way.]
But I like the way you play... I can feel the notes right here. [She presses her fingers against her heart.] It's a deeper sound than the piano, so it resonates more... it's pretty powerful!
When you're ready, I'd love to do a duet with you.
[ If anything, his friends call him a show-off, but that's only under a mask. There's no need to give anyone that kind of ammo to use against him, though. Kaede hasn't seen him fight either, so! He's safe and will protect her from the truth.
Humming, he thinks it's hard to really judge any instrument on their own. The cello does have a sound that shakes people to their core, but the crystal clear sound of the piano can convey so much. Together, in an ensemble with others, is best, isn't it? While rusty, there's nothing really stopping him. They can only go up from here. ]
[She smiles, enthused to hear that he won't mind her watching him practice. Even she still gets nervous when it comes to performing in front of a crowd, but practicing with a friend is... really nice.
--Her eyes light up when he asks that, though, hands flying from behind her back to clasp in front of her chest.]
Really, do you really want to? I know the perfect accompaniment to Saint-Saëns's The Swan!
[She's already sitting down, even as she's still looking to him for confirmation. He's not teasing her, is he....]
[ Strangers' expectations don't mean much to him and he's more comfortable than he is nervous when it comes to servicing his friends with a little song or cooking. He does consider himself lucky despite everything that has happened to him, though.
Perking up, he didn't mean now now? But. It sounds like she's ready to go, already knowing the accompaniment to the same song he played. That's convenient... There's really no reason to not do this. The only think stopping them is him.
And he's a-okay with this. There's no answer. Instead he starts playing from the beginning. ]
When he just starts playing, she turns quickly back to the keys and closes her eyes, waiting for the perfect moment to come in. When she does, it's soft, a gentle undercurrent from the piano meant to carry the cello further, not steal the show. Not that she's opposed to the spotlight, but for this, she wants Akira to be center stage.
It's how she acts as a bard, too, after all. She wants to support her friends, carry them higher. And while Akira might be rusty, Kaede never could be, eyes closed so she can hear her partner and stay in time with him. Not until he's drawing the bow across the strings for the final note does she add a bit of a musical twirl, a reminder that she's been here all along before she, too, lifts her fingers from the keys and sighs.
Give her a few seconds, she's just enjoying the moment after sharing a duet with someone.]
[ He plays it safe for the first part of the song, almost all too practiced, but as it goes on, he settles into the rhythm and letting instinct guide the bow. The low, resonating sound of the cello carries more emotion this time around. Some notes draw out longer than they should, then there are others cut short for the sake of more time to emphasize other phrases of the song. Their additions give the song character, another life of its own. While he doesn't have the audacity to riff at any parts of the song just yet, he admires her rendition of the fine.
It shows him that he didn't quite experience the fun in collaborating music as a kid, but he never got the chance to play with friends. With a smile, he breaks the silence. ]
That was good.
[ Setting the bow aside, he pats his wrist as a makeshift applause. ]
[Improv isn't usually something she does, but she can appreciate it from other musicians. Admires it, even; she gets caught up in playing a piece to the best of her ability, trying to emulate Chopin, Debussy, and the other great composers that she can forget to try to put her own spin on the notes themselves.
So she claps, too, just as loudly and enthusiastically as when he'd done it solo.]
That was really fun! I'd like to keep practicing with you... I know Akechi-kun likes Liszt, but do you think your other friends would want to come listen to us, too? We could hold a mini-recital!
[ Stop....... Kaede.... They were doing a duet? There was no solo. He rubs his neck awkwardly, falling into sheepish tendencies as he gives her a nervous smile. ]
I don't think this is Ryuji's type of music, but he'll come to support us. [ Akira knows he can always rely on Ryuji and, to be honest, if he abstains he wouldn't be fussed at all. They all have their tastes and preferences. ] Let me check in with the rest and I'll give you a heads up.
Do you have other friends that can play? Maybe we can get a bigger group together.
[Ryuji, huh...? He did give her a metronome (metrognome) as a Christmas gift, though she keeps it in her room instead of carting it back and forth between it and the music room. He's a sweet, kind boy, even if he has kind of a vulgar mouth.
Kaede laughs and pumps both fists in the air with enthusiasm.]
Yeah, I'll do the same thing! As long as we perform our usual way, I'm sure our songs will reach everyone's hearts!
[They played together.... once.... there is no usual way yet.... but she won't be deterred. She doesn't think twice before adding,] Arisato-kun has been practicing violin with me... he's a bard, too.
Oh, and there's another bard, but he's kind of...
[Bakugo... Her expression twists into a bit of a forced smile.]
I don't think this kind of music is something he'd be interested in! But I can definitely see if Arisato-kun wants to practice with us, too.
[ He will assume by "usual way" as in how they play on their own because, yeah, they don't play a lot together yet. It's fine since that seems like it's going to change. While it's mundane and maybe trivial, Akira appreciates some semblance of normalcy in this odd situation they are all in.
And.
Oh.
Minato. ]
That sounds good. [ Minato is a cool guy, in his honest opinion. Though... He arches his eyebrows at Kaede's strained smile. ] Is the other bard a rocker?
[ Akira doesn't doubt Kaede&madsh;he has no reason to, but this person sure is mean-spirited and rude? It piques his interest... Curious to meet this drummer just to see if he's as Kaede explains. ]
It's fine if you leave him out. Minato and I should suffice.
[ Who can ever really be on Kaede's level in the first place? Being mediocre will be the benchmark here, though he assumes Minato is probably more skilled than him at the strings. ]
Yeah, on purpose! And he said some pretty mean things about bards, and got angry when I cast Sleep on him after he said he wanted a demonstration of bard skills.
[She's still pouting. Though honestly he was probably right to be mad about her knocking him out for sixty seconds, he was still mean about it? So she's pretty sure she's in the right here.]
...Maybe you can ask him? Maybe he didn't like me for some reason. Like some kind of clean-freak!
[Because she did leave her stuff everywhere, though she doesn't explain.]
[ But, no. He doesn't blame Kaede at all. Those with thick skulls can only appreciate brute force or the peak of power. Sometimes you just have to show them up? Good job. For the most part, it sounds like he shouldn't meddle—they should work things out between themselves...
But he is curious? ]
Why would he be a clean freak?
[ It just... Seems weird to point that out when they're talking about music. ]
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[ He... Wants to do something—rub his neck, scratch his cheek, tug his bangs—because he wasn't expecting a compliment like that, but no. Both hands have to be occupied. Kaede is nice, very sweet, and he can see her praising all of her friends, but based on their conversations she's also a prodigy. The title doesn't matter to him, but any general insight and critique is welcome. ]
Thanks. I have some other songs lined up to practice after I feel comfortable with this one.
[ And he already knows that she wants to be there when he plays them. ]
When I'm ready, I'll tell you. [ Tilting his head, he thinks about it a little more. ] Or I guess you can always come here when I'm practicing.
[ Not like he can stop her. ]
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Yes, really.
[But she also wouldn't lie about something like this, either, humming quietly and clasping her hands behind her back to keep from fidgeting.]
I'd love to hear you practice, but if you do better on your own, I won't intrude. It's easy to get nervous performing in front of others, right?
[Even though she literally nagged him into doing it, and hasn't shown any trouble playing in front of others herself, she still understands, in her own way.]
But I like the way you play... I can feel the notes right here. [She presses her fingers against her heart.] It's a deeper sound than the piano, so it resonates more... it's pretty powerful!
When you're ready, I'd love to do a duet with you.
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[ If anything, his friends call him a show-off, but that's only under a mask. There's no need to give anyone that kind of ammo to use against him, though. Kaede hasn't seen him fight either, so! He's safe and will protect her from the truth.
Humming, he thinks it's hard to really judge any instrument on their own. The cello does have a sound that shakes people to their core, but the crystal clear sound of the piano can convey so much. Together, in an ensemble with others, is best, isn't it? While rusty, there's nothing really stopping him. They can only go up from here. ]
Why not now?
[ A duet. ]
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[She smiles, enthused to hear that he won't mind her watching him practice. Even she still gets nervous when it comes to performing in front of a crowd, but practicing with a friend is... really nice.
--Her eyes light up when he asks that, though, hands flying from behind her back to clasp in front of her chest.]
Really, do you really want to? I know the perfect accompaniment to Saint-Saëns's The Swan!
[She's already sitting down, even as she's still looking to him for confirmation. He's not teasing her, is he....]
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Perking up, he didn't mean now now? But. It sounds like she's ready to go, already knowing the accompaniment to the same song he played. That's convenient... There's really no reason to not do this. The only think stopping them is him.
And he's a-okay with this. There's no answer. Instead he starts playing from the beginning. ]
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When he just starts playing, she turns quickly back to the keys and closes her eyes, waiting for the perfect moment to come in. When she does, it's soft, a gentle undercurrent from the piano meant to carry the cello further, not steal the show. Not that she's opposed to the spotlight, but for this, she wants Akira to be center stage.
It's how she acts as a bard, too, after all. She wants to support her friends, carry them higher. And while Akira might be rusty, Kaede never could be, eyes closed so she can hear her partner and stay in time with him. Not until he's drawing the bow across the strings for the final note does she add a bit of a musical twirl, a reminder that she's been here all along before she, too, lifts her fingers from the keys and sighs.
Give her a few seconds, she's just enjoying the moment after sharing a duet with someone.]
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It shows him that he didn't quite experience the fun in collaborating music as a kid, but he never got the chance to play with friends. With a smile, he breaks the silence. ]
That was good.
[ Setting the bow aside, he pats his wrist as a makeshift applause. ]
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So she claps, too, just as loudly and enthusiastically as when he'd done it solo.]
That was really fun! I'd like to keep practicing with you... I know Akechi-kun likes Liszt, but do you think your other friends would want to come listen to us, too? We could hold a mini-recital!
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I don't think this is Ryuji's type of music, but he'll come to support us. [ Akira knows he can always rely on Ryuji and, to be honest, if he abstains he wouldn't be fussed at all. They all have their tastes and preferences. ] Let me check in with the rest and I'll give you a heads up.
Do you have other friends that can play? Maybe we can get a bigger group together.
[ MIGHT AS WELL. ]
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Kaede laughs and pumps both fists in the air with enthusiasm.]
Yeah, I'll do the same thing! As long as we perform our usual way, I'm sure our songs will reach everyone's hearts!
[They played together.... once.... there is no usual way yet.... but she won't be deterred. She doesn't think twice before adding,] Arisato-kun has been practicing violin with me... he's a bard, too.
Oh, and there's another bard, but he's kind of...
[Bakugo... Her expression twists into a bit of a forced smile.]
I don't think this kind of music is something he'd be interested in! But I can definitely see if Arisato-kun wants to practice with us, too.
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And.
Oh.
Minato. ]
That sounds good. [ Minato is a cool guy, in his honest opinion. Though... He arches his eyebrows at Kaede's strained smile. ] Is the other bard a rocker?
[ It can't be that they don't get along, right? ]
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[She answers that immediately, no thought required as she frowns and crosses her arms.]
Bakugo-kun plays the drums, but when I was using the music room, he stepped on my sheet music! With muddy shoes!! On purpose!!
[She did leave it scattered all over the floor, but still! She would have picked it up eventually!]
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[ Akira doesn't doubt Kaede&madsh;he has no reason to, but this person sure is mean-spirited and rude? It piques his interest... Curious to meet this drummer just to see if he's as Kaede explains. ]
It's fine if you leave him out. Minato and I should suffice.
[ Who can ever really be on Kaede's level in the first place? Being mediocre will be the benchmark here, though he assumes Minato is probably more skilled than him at the strings. ]
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[She's still pouting. Though honestly he was probably right to be mad about her knocking him out for sixty seconds, he was still mean about it? So she's pretty sure she's in the right here.]
...Maybe you can ask him? Maybe he didn't like me for some reason. Like some kind of clean-freak!
[Because she did leave her stuff everywhere, though she doesn't explain.]
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[ But, no. He doesn't blame Kaede at all. Those with thick skulls can only appreciate brute force or the peak of power. Sometimes you just have to show them up? Good job. For the most part, it sounds like he shouldn't meddle—they should work things out between themselves...
But he is curious? ]
Why would he be a clean freak?
[ It just... Seems weird to point that out when they're talking about music. ]
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[Bardic Inspiration raises morale, and Bakugo doesn't need his morale raised any higher, she's pretty sure.
She at least has the dignity to look embarrassed as she casts her gaze sideways.]
Well... he might have been mad because I had sheet music scattered all over the music room. I wasn't expecting anyone else to show up!