socialcapital | [ JACKSON HEART ]

A spectre drifting through your heart, lingering on good and bad moments alike?

Perhaps that's not so inaccurate, either.

"Whatever you are, you make for a novel experience."

Being able to provide what little I can has been my honour.

He snorts, good-natured.

"And this has been fun. You're really just wandering off once you escort me back?"

For now. You have your journey ahead of you, and I have mine.

But our paths will cross again. That, at least, I can promise you.

"Next time you should hear me play."

If it's an acoustic set or I have the ability to obtain sufficient hearing protection, I will.

"I guess I can meet you in the middle for that."

If there is anyone who could bring me to enjoy such things, it would be you.

[He rises, holding out his hand.]

For now, there are others hoping for the joy you bring just as you are.

"Yeah, I should get back for warmups."

He looks at Satin's hand for a moment and then takes it to help himself up.

[There's no callouses on his hands to speak of, save the ones left from long sessions writing. But his hand is warm and solid and strong, his hold firm only for as long as it takes Totality to rise.]

At times like these... it's traditional to ask for an autograph, isn't it? To commemorate the occasion.

"Oh? Are you interested in that?"

It's that or a pine cone. Though I suppose there's no harm in both.

If you give me a moment, I can add the pigeons. Unless you'd prefer to draw them?

"I can't draw at all. It'd just look like a circle with a beak."

I suspect that "circle with a beak" would, in fact, be your favourite kind of pigeon.

[He takes out a carefully folded piece of paper that looks like it was torn from a notebook. There's some writing on the other side, but he smooths it against the bench without turning it over, using the surface as a support as he sketches a pair of pigeons in the upper half.]

"It's just cute when they're puffy..."

He peeks over Satin's shoulder to watch him draw.

[He shifts just enough so Totality has a good view, handing him the pen once he's finished.]

Once I've fetched a pine cone, I'll provide one in that style for you.

"This is already cute."

He finds a free space on the paper and goes to sign it - this is an easy, practiced, muscle memory gesture. The O in 'Totality' is designed to look like an eclipsed sun because Of Course It Is.

[Of course it is.

Leaving Totality with the page for a moment, he returns to the pine tree, recovering two more pine cones and opening them as he did the others as he walks back, tapping the pine nuts out.]

He watches curiously. What new pigeon lore is about to be unlocked...

[It's no new pigeon lore -- just more of the same.

He takes the pen from Totality's hand, exchanging it for the small pile of seeds.]

One last thank you for the flock.

[And he takes out a small notepad of his own.]

"Bidding them a fond farewell..."

He spreads some for the pigeons, who all immediately zero in on it.

[Satin, meanwhile, sketches an orb with a beak on the notebook page. Below, he simply writes Coo, coo, and below that, six curious, angular symbols, with the sixth being a copy of the second.

He tucks the drawing into the scales of one of the pine cones, and offers it to Totality.]

They'll be here. Whenever you can sneak away, and whenever you can't -- there will always be a flock like this beyond the walls.

He takes the pine cone and looks at the drawing with a ? at the symbols, then folds it back up and into the pine cone again before putting the whole thing in a pocket.

"Every city does have its silly little birds. All right, brave pathfinder, take me back."

Alciel.

[He nods to the paper, not meeting Totality's eyes. In fact, this is a very good time to fold up his own page, once again tucking it safe away.]

I've given you enough transitory names this evening. That deserved my real one.

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