Strumming it

[Ezvin Marveet]

Ezvin hadn’t visited the church in a while. He’d been busy, but he was always busy, and for some reason, this evening he had to urge to go wandering. He assumed it was because he had a lot on his mind, and when in this mood, it was to music that he turned. He was at home, strumming away at an acoustic guitar, tweaking out melodies and humming along with a half-formed tune, when something on his social media sparked an idea. As a result, he decided moping at home wasn’t going to get him anywhere useful. He packed up his guitar and came here.

The refugee church was an old, familiar site. As a kid, Ezvin’s mother used to take him there to volunteer, and when he heard that it was a place for refugees, he wandered back one day to see if he could help somehow. He’d come back once or twice, the second time with his guitar and did nothing but play and lift a few spirits. 

There were some questionable rumors hovering around the place, but Ezvin saw the best in people, and such reputations didn’t bother him. He entered the church through the front doors. Nobody paid him much attention. He wore a nice leather jacket over a henley with form-fitting jeans, but he didn't particularly stand out other than carrying a guitar case.

[Sage]

[[ same place, same time? continued from Gifts]]

Sage was showing the girls how to use the new wallets and texting Nox all at the same time he saw someone familiar walk in. How ironic. He grinned madly as he watched the man walk into the church. Not exactly someone he'd expect in a place like this. But then again he was also here.

Morgan pulled at his attention and he returned to teaching her. She was enthusiastic, but McKenzie wasn't so much. She paid attention to her sister but she didn't send anything to Nox short of the thing he told her to. Just to prove she could do it. He didn't care what their relationship was, he wanted Nox to be aware of their numbers even though he already had them in his wallet.

"I see someone I know. I'll be back." he didn't really know him but he couldn't pass up the oppurtunity to say hi again. He lingered behind a little Morgan still chattering away at him even though he'd excused himself -- she followed. ugh, kids...

Sage cleared his throat and laughed. "Well color me pink. Fancy meeting you in a place like this after where we last met."

[Ezvin Marveet]

He blinked in pleasant recognition when a familiar face approached. When the surprise transitioned to welcome, he smiled in return. “Look at you,” Ezvin indeed did that, checking him out. “It’s Sage, right? I can’t believe I’m seeing you so soon. Lucky me,” he added, gaze lingering. Sage, with his stubbled face and deep, dark eyes, had that perfect bad-boy vibe. Aiden was a lucky guy.

He hadn’t heard from Aiden since that night at the Launch Party despite reaching out to his agent. Ezvin had hoped to charm the rock star into listening to what he could do, but sometimes things didn’t work out. It was clear Sage and him were together, though it was unclear how beneficial a good word from Sage might prove. If it worked out, great, but if not, Ezvin would find his big-break another way. Or maybe not even then. He was happy with the way things were.

Noticing Sage wasn’t alone, he glanced at the girl who’d followed along. “Who’s this? A friend of yours?” He asked, tone friendly and inquiring. Kids usually liked Ezvin, though he didn’t have much opportunity to be around them. Upon catching her eye, he showed off the case. “Do you like music? What’s your favorite song? I could play it for you.”

[Sage]

Sage grinned. There was an obvious checking out and he didn't mind. Never minded. But he was faithful to Aiden despite his voyeuristic tendencies. There was never any harm in looking. Touching on the other hand -- that was a line Sage didn't cross. Unless they had a conversation. Sasha had not been his girlfriend, but they'd been more than friends. Even if she was with the traitor. He wondered how she was doing since Bryan got nabbed in his place. He should reach out. Though that might give things away. Phaser was gone -- dead. The Wicked Truth had risen from those ashes.

And the new identity worked for him. Though rebuilding was a pain the ass.

"Yeah. And you're Ezvin Marveet. Your brother kissed my boyfriend for the spectacle of it. Jaxen is quite the character. This is Morgan, her twin is scowling behind us, her name is McKenzie. They are friends of a friend. I only just met them today."

"I like music." Morgan said as she slide between Sage and Ezvin and held out her new wallet and displayed a music app that Sage had not installed. She was a quick learner. She had already found some of the music she liked. "Nox put these on the radio for us. It's dead right now. Do you know any of them?"

Of course Nox would have given the girls music. It was a language of love for him. And it didn't surprise Sage that Nox was in love with these two kids. They reminded Sage of a set of twins he'd once met a long time ago in a cafe. They were of course a few years old than these two, but just as close and just as protective. And Nox (and Sage himself) would do anything to hold on to the memory of Aurora.

[[ ooc: feel free to know any of the songs and could be something Ez worked on. I'm sure there is some Blarney Stone on there too. Nox tends towards music you can dance to, but he'd have put a random selection on the playlist for the girls cause he didn't know what they liked. ]]

[Ezvin Marveet]

Ezvin laughed the moment Jaxen’s name was mentioned. He hadn’t heard the story, but he believed it. He considered commenting about who wouldn’t be tempted to kiss Aiden for the spectacle of it, but he held his tongue. Sage didn’t seem amused by the tale, though he wasn’t outright bitter either. He did catch that Sage and Aiden were a couple, so he took the hint and laid off the flirting. 

He knelt down to greet Morgan better eye to eye, which was when she showed off her wallet-list. “Good to meet you, Morgan. I’m Ezvin.” He offered to shake her hand as though she was any other adult, but it was done in a charming and welcoming way. McKenzie was a bit more stand-offish, but Ezvin waved at her anyway. He didn’t want her to feel excluded.

“Let’s see what you have here…” he said as he scrolled. There were plenty of popular groups, though the genres were quite a mixed bag. “Ah. This is a great song. How about it?” He pointed one out, waited for her approval, then found a place to sit.

The guitar he pulled out was a Martin D-28 in sunburst amber. It didn’t appear to be anything special to the untrained eye, though it was meticulously loved by its owner, but for the professional, it would sing. Ezvin quickly confirmed it was in tune, which only took a few moments, and began to strum it.

His voice was nice, gentle and comforting, but it was nothing compared to Maksim. His oldest brother was blessed with a gift that Ezvin still tried to convince him to share with the world, though his brother resisted for unexplained reasons. Still, Ezvin was clearly the better musician than singer. His fingers nimbly flew across the strings, and he smiled between words to those who slowly began to gather and listen.

[Sage]

A crowd gathered as Ezvin sang and played. The people seemed to enjoy it. They weren't going to be tossing any coin into his guitar case, but it probably didn't matter, he'd come here anyway. Made Sage wonder why he'd come down here. Didn't seem like a Marveet thing to do. Definitely not something Jaxen would do -- and in truth how much could you tell from one family member?

Morgan listened to the music raptly. She was enthralled by the guitar playing cutie. She was enthralled much the same when he'd caught her on the security cameras in the tunnels when listening to the speaker Nox had given them. Her heart sang and her sisters glared. Sage stepped back to the other sister "He doesn't bite. She'll be okay."

"I know that." McKenzie snapped.

"He's a good man. He'll love you till the day you die and he'd probably haunt you if you don't burn his body." Sage grinned as he watched Ezvin play for the growing crowd and Morgan swaying with the song.

"I don't even know him. He doesn't even know me. He's just a guy with a guitar. And you are just a guy with nice toys."

Sage chuckled. "I was talking about Nox." Mckenzie's glare turned to him with a strange look. Sage didn't much care as he kept going. "You remind him of him. Morgan is like him too, but she's soft and sweet like Aurora. He only wants to protect you. Make sure you have a loving family." Sage looked down at the little girl. "You know you don't even need to let him take care of you. Let me find you a family to take you in, love you like you deserve and he'll back off. He'd give up the world to save the ones he loves. And you two fell quickly into that category."

"Morgs would hate me."

"Hate you? For what? For finding a loving family? For getting you off the street?"

"For..." McKenzie turned and ran back to their corner they'd been hiding and covered up under the coats they'd piled for comfort and warmth. Maybe he should bring down some blankets. Sage couldn't imagine Nox hadn't done that already. But then again, if they were anything like Nox and Aurora, and Sage was will to bet it all that they were, they gave those blankets to someone else who needed them more than they did.

Sage split his attention between the two girls unsure if he should follow or not. He wasn't good with kids.

Morgan was on her wallet snapping a picture of the guitar man and sending it off with a push of a button to Nox. Nox was so in trouble. Sage knelt down beside Morgan and looked up at Ezvin playing and spoke to both of them. "Mabe when Ezvin is done playing for the masses he'd like to go to lunch with us? I know this great little place that has hot chocolate and fresh baked cookies that melt in your mouth."

[Ezvin Marveet]

The song concluded with a robust strumming of the chords and a big grin on Ezvin’s face. He began to solicit requests for another, first from the little girl then others. His wallet buzzed in his jacket pocket, indicating someone was wanting to get ahold of him, but he opted to ignore it in favor of music.

The second song was the kind that everyone knew the words, or at least the melody, and he smiled along to the foot-tapping rhythm when others joined in.

The third song was slower. It was more of Maksim’s preferred style, soulful and deep, but Ezvin tried to give it justice. It wasn’t about his performance, it was about helping others enjoy the music and escape from their troubles for a few minutes.

He continued for about half an hour. More and more people began to request their favorites. Eventually, someone requested a song he didn’t know, but was confident he could play. When powering up a music app, he noticed the long list of missed messages, calls, and proverbial pokes.

They were all from Maksim.

He blinked repeatedly but he was aware of many pairs of eyes watching him and ignored Max for now. After which, the app displayed the notes to the song, and he was easily able to follow it.

[Sage]

They listened and watched. Morgan was very into the music. Mckenzie not so much. But the stoic twin was watching intently, even if she wasn't moving or swaying like her more friendly sister.

The crowd grew, but it also waxed and waned as people got bored. Not of the songs, but of standing around. They might not have homes, but they had lives and were busy. Those that weren't were lounging around and listening. Some tapping their fingers to the beat and others dancing to the silent notes in their head because they did not match what was going on with Ezvin's playing.

The music continued and Sage too got bored. He drifted off into the worldwide network of people's lives. He sat on the ground and searched through his friends and searched for information just looking -- watching. He stared off into space, lost in the ones and zeros -- oblivious to everything else.

[[ooc: not sure what you want to accomplish if anything. ]]

[Ezvin Marveet]

((Nothing much else.))

[Sage]

The girls listened and when Ezvrin put away his guitar at the end Mackenzie was standing in front of him with a smile on her face, but her hands were on her hips as she glared back at Sage. Morgan was sitting and watching though Sage was certain the girl was turning in on herself as her sister looked ready to fight.

Mackenzie tugged on Ezvrin's sleeve and waited till he was paying attention to her -- and only her. "You aren't friends with him."

Sage laughed. "I think she means Nox. My friend who sent me to look in on the girls."

She turned and glared at Sage and he held up his hands in surrender. "Fine, I'll shut up."

"Would you trust someone who says they want to help, but who's only ever done bad things. Or who has friends who lie for them." Mackenzie asked.

"Wait a minute. He's done a lot of good things for you too. Yes. He killed your mother, but she was going to try to kill you later. Yes, he tried to hurt Morgan, but he didn't know she'd chosen that spot to hide in when you were playing a game. He's given you warm clothes, he offered to give you a roof over your head and feed you."

Mackenzie laughed. "And he sends his friends to bribe us with fancy toys and goodies."

"That's me. Not Nox. He just wanted me to watch out for you, didn't even say to come see you. So don't even start with that you little brat! He wants to help you, make up for what he did. He even offered to teach you how to fight so you don't hurt yourself. And he knows if he teaches you, you'll come after him one day in revenge and he still teaches you." Sage growled.