Recording Session

[Ezvin Marveet]

Ezvin watched her answer unfold with that same relaxed posture he’d held all week—back against the wall, arms resting on his knees, but alert in the subtle way only people who paid close attention knew how to be. His fingers idly played with the woven edge of his notebook cover as Cadence weighed his suggestions like a menu, casually brushing aside the third with an honesty he appreciated.

When she landed on “aimless adventure,” the smallest glint sparked in his eyes—there it was.

Not the flirtation (though, yes, he’d called her gorgeous, and yes, he’d meant it—flattery was currency, sure, but he only spent it when it felt real). No, the spark wasn’t about her blush or the way she smiled just a little wider. It was the way she chose something unexpected. There was a boldness in it, an artist's instinct: follow the thread you can’t explain. Let it pull you.

Ezvin uncrossed his legs and leaned forward, resting his arms casually on his thighs, voice still low and full of ease, but with that familiar, irrepressible glimmer that made everything he said feel just a little bit like a secret.

“Adventure it is,” he said, grinning like someone who'd just been handed the keys to a locked room. “That’s a dangerous promise to make, Mathis. I take my aimlessness seriously.”

He stretched his arms overhead, spine popping lightly, then pushed off from the wall and stood in one smooth motion. He offered her a hand—not because she needed it, but because he was polite, and charming, and had a natural instinct for those small, human gestures that built bridges before anyone realized they were standing on one.

“Alright, no clubs, no karaoke. Just something offbeat. Off-grid. Something that doesn’t require eyeliner or industry polish.” He tilted his head thoughtfully. “What’s the saying? ‘The best plans are the ones you can’t explain to your manager until it’s too late?’” He tapped his chin, faux-serious. “Or maybe I just made that up.”

Ezvin took a step back, letting her rise at her own pace. He didn’t press for anything more, didn’t linger with compliments or too much focus. That wasn’t his style. Let the tension live in the in-between.

He moved toward the coat he’d slung over a chair and slung it over his shoulder. As he turned back, he tossed her a casual smile that landed with just enough weight to linger.

“Tomorrow,” he said. “Late morning. I’ll text you a time and a place. Wear something you wouldn’t mind getting coffee stains or existential clarity on. And bring your curiosity. That one’s non-negotiable.”

He paused at the door, hand on the frame. His voice lowered—not in volume, but in tone—just enough that it felt intimate.

“And hey... I’m glad you said yes.”

With that, he gave her a wink, easy and brief, and disappeared down the hall, his footsteps quiet, but the impression he left behind still humming in the air like the last note of a great song not quite ready to fade.

[Cadence]

Cadence took Ezvin’s offered hand with gratitude and let him pull her to her feet. There was a moment of trying to find balance that only came with the exhaustion she felt. Once again, Ezvin rhetoric was poetry. He spoke with a lilt that made you want to listen to every word and explore the nuances of language. It was an artist’s way of talking. The message was important, but so was each word - each syllable. She gave Ezvin a farewell and a smile as he left, also glad she had said yes. 

As she was left alone, she couldn’t help but smile. What a unique week. She had felt herself changing. Aimless adventure. A week ago, that wasn’t the option she’d pick. She’d likely have picked the movies, but mostly because that made it easy to pretend that the world didn’t exist. It was easy to hide in that option. In an odd way, even though it was her second choice, it was that reason she had been pushed towards this one.

Aimless adventure was an unknown.  Even now, she had no idea what Ezvin had planned. He’d offered vague instructions and not so helpful hints, but that didn’t matter. What did matter is that each time she had taken a leap - each time she had stepped out, her life had changed for the better. If cadence had to be honest with herself, she was scared to do this - scared to put her trust in another person. But still she was going to do it.

She sighed in the empty studio before grabbing her coat, getting a cab, and heading out into the Moscow chill. If she was going to do this, she wanted to be well rested. She didn’t want to give herself a reason to say no. Upon arriving at home, she went to her piano. She hadn’t lied. Beethoven was her muse, and a good way to clear her mind, which she would need to actually fall asleep. She opened the bench and began to play the first movement of the Pathetique sonata. She’d set her alarm for mid morning to be up in time for Ezvin’s text.