The Music Room

[Keegan]

Keegan often thought that the youngsters in the pack somehow, in their own varying ways, kept him ‘anchored’, especially the four he had ‘adopted’ as his surrogate siblings. He saw in each of them something he missed about how he used to be, or admired and almost wished he had, like a personality trait or a skill; anything, really. They could relieve him in a variety of manners, whether it was Sissy talking to him, seeking comfort when it came to her concerns about controlling her wolf; Rory being his silly, usual self; Molly simply giving him a hug; Cassidy rewarding him with sisterly sarcasm… to Keegan, they were all people he couldn’t really imagine living without.

“That’s true. He’ll tackle-hug me, I’ll send him on a hunt for the bag of Cheetos or whatever they were, and then he’ll collapse in some random corner and fall asleep. Maybe.” His smile was soft but sincere, and he relished in the brief ease of it before his expression returned to its almost neutral default, still hinted at subtly with concern about Nerys herself, and the ‘incident’ from not long ago, by the window.

“I just hope the regular morning madness has passed by now,” he remarked, glancing towards the door as if he expected one or more of the hyper pack members to bound through it any second.

[Nerys]

It was to be expected that with such a large group of wolves, most with healthy appetites, that meal times were a busy time in the kitchen; breakfast maybe more than any other since the rule about it being the 'most important meal of the day' didn't apply only to humans. Food was actually the last thing on her mind though, she had been right earlier in thinking that her appetite would be gone; just the thought of eating made her feel a little of the nausea return. Tea would be enough.

Nerys followed Keegan's gaze to the doorway and nodded. She returned the subtle smile at the remark about tiring Rory out, her palms softly brushing against each other out of habit as she replied "As long as there's no cereal on the floor, pancakes on the ceiling or bacon clogging the sink I'll assume it's a 'quiet' time."

Of course, for the kitchen to be in such a state was a rare occurrence; most of the wolves in the pack were good about cleaning up after themselves, cooking mishaps included. The tone with which she spoke and the words she chose were a direct result of the hint of concern she detected in Keegan's expression. She didn't want him to worry, even though that was maybe a strong word. After collapsing out of the blue and then abruptly waking she knew that she couldn't hold it against him, in fact it was best not to think about it at all, she thought as her wolf's ears flattened backwards in annoyance.

[Keegan]

Such busy mealtimes were the main reason why Keegan usually opted for eating that bit earlier or later than what was expected or ‘scheduled’. It wasn’t that he didn’t like the groups, because he did, and socialising with the pack was one of his favourite pastimes whenever he felt the need for company, but when he wanted to eat… well, he liked to be able to actually eat and not have to watch out for a random prank or sudden burst of hyperactivity. Right at that moment, not unlike Nerys, Keegan wasn’t exactly thinking about food; he didn’t particularly detect any kind of appetite in himself for now. He would eat later.

It likely wouldn’t take much to tire Rory out, all things considered. He could imagine the younger male was somewhat exhausted already, given the full moon, and likely relaxing in the TV lounge, or someplace not far from there, such as the lobby or the kitchen, perhaps with some cereal or toast. “Well, considering what day it is, I’m sure we missed some sort of ‘excitement’.” And frankly, he would be glad of that, were that the case. He supposed they would have to wait and see.

After a moment, he slipped his hands in the loose pockets of the pants he was wearing, and smiled softly at her. “I suppose we should brave it,” he suggested lightly, intending for the words to sound like an offer rather than anything even remotely resembling a command. Keegan was merely considering how breakfast soon became ‘brunch’ in a place like The Hyperion, and since that led right into lunch… the kitchen was rarely quiet and uneventful for long.

[Nerys]

"I've had all the excitement I can take for now," Nerys said, mirroring the light tone but inwardly regretting her words even if she didn't show it at all; smiling softly. She disliked herself when she was flippant, when she felt for a moment that she wasn't giving the situation the gravitas that it deserved, at least in her mind. They were always there in the back of her mind, whether active spirits or simply the shadows that countless ones she had helped left behind them. Her own ghosts undulated beneath the surface, shifted and often made everything else pale in comparison, in a way that made her feel selfish sometimes.

As much as she hated facing them and confronting them, she loathed herself more if she didn't, if she allowed them to fade she had the feeling there'd be consequences. More than that she thought it made her cold, she certainly felt cold, not in terms of friendliness or manners... in other less noticeable ways. When it came down to it there were perhaps only two or three people she had 'let in'; it was a coping mechanism. As she looked from the doorway back to Keegan she tried to banish the dark internal thoughts and suppress a rather ironic shiver.

Tucking blonde hair behind her ear and clasping wrapping her arms around herself Nerys sighed, though kept the weight she felt tugging at her core out of the sound as she did so, "We should. The tea won't come to us after all."

[Keegan]

Keegan offered Nerys a gentle smile, one that he hoped was reassuring and yet not bordering on overly-concerned or inquisitive. He didn’t want to seem like he was going to shadow her, to make sure she didn’t collapse again; as worried as he was, he didn’t like making it too obvious, and besides, it wasn’t his place to guard Nerys that way, even if only to ensure she was all right and didn’t hurt herself should she happen to fall again. Realising where his thoughts were roaming, Keegan turned his head towards the door while the female’s eyes were averted and grimaced, self-reproachfully.

Focusing on something else, he returned to the idea of heading downstairs to check the kitchen. He was about to open his mouth to reply to her comment when the scent reached him, and his mouth closed, expression shifting just discreetly, but for someone like Nerys, who was perhaps more finely attuned to reading such shifts, in the living or the dead, it might have been somewhat obvious. It was a scent Keegan didn’t know, and not only that, it was the scent of a werewolf.

Barely managing to stifle a growl, internal hackles raised at the potential danger in the situation, he turned his eyes to Nerys, and said, “I think there’s a new wolf in the hotel.”

[Nerys]

In truth Nerys' mind was as far from analysing what her senses were telling her as was possible. All the heightened senses in the world were pretty useless if you didn't pay attention to them and her mind was understandably somewhere else. But the minute shift in expression of the fighter beside her did in fact register with her, nuances of expression and body language were indeed something she had come to recognise over the years.

The blonde frowned a fraction as her brain tried to catch up and after a moment's pause she nodded, a non-committal gesture really though clearly full of worry. She was a worrier by nature and if she had only been anxious about what were essentially her own problems before the idea of a new wolf in the pack home did little to ease the sensation. Given over to thinking the worst of a situation she was on edge pretty much immediately, looking at Keegan. Questions like 'are you sure?' were erroneous and so she simply folded her arms in concern and glanced to the doorway saying; "I wonder what's going on..." vaguely, her voice low.

[Keegan]

Being a fighter, Keegan was almost always aware of things going on around him, even partly when he was asleep; it was a state that had become a default for him, being subtly on edge and ready to jump into a fight if the need arose, which he often hoped wasn’t the case. Most people assumed that just because he was a fighter, he always wanted violence to take part in, believing it to be ‘his way’ because of his title, but while it was true that physical combat was something of a release for him with all the pent-up anger and frustration as a result of his past, he liked to see things resolved without violence, if possible.

His form had tightened with tension, albeit discreetly, and he kept the wolf from showing in his eyes as he looked to Nerys, seeing the concern and caution in her gaze. “I don’t know, but…” Keegan paused, steadily taking in another deep breath through his nose so he could pull in the scents, working hard to decipher which of those had the same potency as the stranger’s, in order to figure out who was with him, presumably in the lobby. “Cole and Dia are there.” The tension didn’t fade, but his expression relaxed just a fraction. If the Alphas were in the vicinity, he assumed with the stranger personally, then there was no imminent danger, especially since the large fighter couldn’t hear any sounds of combat or attack.

[Nerys]

Arms still folded lightly over her chest, Nerys watched the doorway as if the answers to what was going on were going to walk in, her expression seemingly relaxed but her eyes more than anything else betraying that worry she felt so reflexively. She turned when Keegan spoke again, looking up the slight rake of their height difference as he did so.

She came to the same conclusion; if Cole and Dia were there then not only was the situation very likely under control there would be at least half a dozen fighters in the near vicinity as well. Instinctively, of course, the Alphas were important to Nerys, but more than that Cole and Dia had done so much for her over her time with the pack. The difficulties her 'sight' -she'd never been comfortable referring to it as some sort of power or anything as ostentatious- brought to their table had been wide ranging and often hard for even the medium herself to understand, but in many small ways they had alleviated some of the worst side effects. Even if they didn't know it and she didn't tell them.

Nerys nodded, her own posture remained the same though. Tension was back for a handful of reasons that the presence of a strange wolf in the Hotel had nothing to do with. "I hope everything's alright." She said softly, almost to herself though she turned her eyes towards the fighter as she said it.

[Keegan]

Instinctively, like any other fighter, Keegan felt that pull; to be at his Alphas’ sides to protect or help them in any way should something happen. Something in his chest seemed to tighten, even though he told himself more than once that Cole and Dia were more than capable of handling themselves, and protecting one another, should something even remotely threatening come about. Cole was a classic example of a protective mate, but then, Dia was no poor candidate herself; Keegan had seen them defend one another more than once in the past. It was almost reassuring, in its own way, though Keegan wasn’t sure he would have been able to describe that even if he were asked.

Glancing down to Nerys, he was quiet for a moment, before he nodded, the tension still clear in his form. “I’m sure they have it under control.” That didn’t stop him wanting to go and make sure for himself, but even as they stood there, he detected the scent of the stranger, along with Cole’s, moving away from the group. It comforted and unnerved him at the same time, knowing that their Alpha trusted the stranger enough to be alone with him, likely to talk, but at the same time, realising there were no fighters with Cole made him want to move and perhaps shadow the pair. But he wouldn’t.

Everything was fine. For some reason, he had to tell himself that more often than most, he felt.

[Nerys]

Nerys nodded, "You're right, I'm sure they have." She said, her eyes on the doorway yet again. For a moment there was silence, she was subtly aware of the tension in the fighter beside her and she cast her gaze in his direction with a light smile added to the words not really sure who she was trying to reassure.

Lifting her fingers from her arm where they rested lightly, she gestured to the doorway. To say she wasn't curious as to what exactly was going on would have been a lie, over the years she had developed an innate curiosity that had honestly gotten her into trouble more than once, she was sure there were pack members who could attest to that and there certainly had been back in England. However, she had the feeling her quota for curiosity today was full, so her thoughts returned to the kettle.

"The whole pack will know what's going on soon enough," news had a tendency to spread like wild fire, "and I think I might wait for it to filter through with that cup of tea."

[Keegan]

Keegan felt her eyes on him, and looked down the short distance that separated them; being the tallest fighter, and pack member overall, Keegan had long ago gotten used to looking down at — but not on — others. It was simply a necessity for him, and had been for most of his life. It was one of the reasons he would often slouch when seated, so long as he wasn’t eating, but sometimes, being so tall was more of a burden than anything; the jokes from people like Rory about the danger of hitting his head, for example, were something he had to live with. It also made it nigh on impossible to go unnoticed in a crowd. But at other times, it was a blessing; not only did it grant him a certain ‘intimidation factor’, but it allowed him a particular advantage in fights. He had to take the good with the bad.

As Nerys spoke again, he focused on her once more, taking in her words and trying to let them distract him. The scents and tension had faded now, and with that, Keegan could allow himself to relax a little. Or so he hoped. Pushing the wolf down was the toughest part; the pack was his family, and both sides of him would willingly fight and die to defend it and its members.

“Sounds like a plan,” he said at last, nodding his head, reaching up a hand to brush his hair back. He briefly entertained the thought of heading back to his room to change, but it didn’t matter so much; it wasn’t important, and it could wait. Making a brief, almost chivalrous gesture to the doorway, he said softly, “After you.”


Continued in: Hallways with Nerys.

[Rowena]

Rowena Callaghan set her cup of tea on the coaster of the little table she'd drawn up alongside the grand piano; she never put her hot drinks directly on the piano even if there was a coaster beneath it. It was just poor practice. She'd made a plain cup of lemon and ginger tea, no need for milk which was the only reason she kept a box of assorted teabags in her room along with a little kettle, the mixture was good for muscle aches and the vocal chords -apparently- neither of which were particular considerations this morning; the selection was a whim.

Dressed comfortably in linen slacks and a cotton shirt, both in pale, natural tones the she-wolf liftend her clarinet case ontot he piano stool. She opene it up and picked out the upper joint carefully, the keys were made of a very soft metal and the most common way of damaging the woodwind instrument was during assembly and disassembly, after learning that being a lycanthrope made it that much easier to bend the delicate keys she had taken to being methodical when putting her clarinet together. She slicked cork grease onto the lower lip of the piece and, moving from the bell piece to the barrol and then the mouthpiece. The whole thing was constructed before she popped open the reed case and discovered that the essential component was split. Rolling her eyes at her luck, Rowena set the clarinet on the piano stool and dug around the case for her spare.

[Rowena]

No spare reed lurked in the corners of her clarinet case and Rowena made a derisive sound in the base of her throat; she'd been sure that she'd had one in there but the little plastic container that she often kept them in was empty and so was the cardboard package that her replacements had come in. With the sleeves of her shirt rolled up to her elbows in preparation to play, the tall she-wolf stood and looked at her instrument, hands on her hips. Maybe she had some reeds in her room.

After a moment of consideration she picked up the woodwind gently and started to disassemble it again, placing the pieces back into their fitted velvet alcoves gently. The urge to play had been replaced with the urge to make sure she could replace the split reed and if she couldn't find any in her room she'd have to make a note to get hold of some new ones. Rowena righted the room to the state it had been in when she had arrived and then scooped up her closed and snapped shut black case in one hand and her half drunk tea in the other and strode back into the hallways from whence she had come.

Continued in Hallways.

[Asher]

POST TIMESKIP


Smiles were rare for him, but not so rare that they couldn’t be caught with a keen, attentive gaze, or with patience. After his mate had passed away suddenly, violently, Asher had retreated into himself, withdrew and become shadowed and reserved, but not silent or ignorant to the world and the pack around him. Grief had not completely destroyed him, and he was well aware that he had the pack to thank for that. And he was thankful, unendingly so.

The smile that he wore at present, while quiet and soft, was honest and inspired by the little, admittedly adorable creature perched, fascinated, atop the piano, looking down at experienced hands as they worked over the ivory keys, calling notes from the tuned and polished, grand, immaculate instrument, the music filling the room as Asher watched the kitten watch him. He chuckled lightly.

Zeke, as the little animal was called, turned his small head this way and that, back and forth, captivated, as Asher played the piece from memory, only looking down in brief intervals to ensure he wasn’t about to miss or slip on a note, but it never took his brown eyes long to find the young cat again.

[Darien]

Sitting away from the piano, Darien studied the sketch he had been working on earlier in the day- a three toed sloth inspired by a nature program he had watched earlier- making little corrections with his pencil. Originally, he had intended to stay in his room, but Zeke had seemed to have other ideas and the kitten had seemed to be in a mischievous mood, so he had thought that the best thing he could do was follow in order to ensure that his pet didn’t get into- or cause- any trouble. Since there were a few pack mates with cats, Darien knew that they were all used to the animals, but that by no means meant that he was going to let his kitten wander around on his own when he seemed determine to cause trouble.

Music, however, really did appear to soothe the savage beast- or in Zeke’s case, trouble-seeking kitten. Zeke had been sitting atop the piano watching the other werewolf in fascination for a while now and, since it seemed like the little cat was too caught up in what he was doing to actually cause any trouble at the moment, Darien had settled into a chair in order to start working on the corrections to the sketch. He would, however, glance up on occasions to make sure that Zeke wasn’t causing Asher any problems. Thankfully, so far so good.

He was working on the sketch when Zeke laid down on the piano and reached down with one little paw, scooting forward a bit until he was able to hit one of the keys. When he succeeded, he looked to Asher and seemed for all the world to be silently asking “Was that right?”