Third floor common room, Sunday evening

[future_sandworm]

While he had enjoyed the cruise more than he had expected, and eventually got used to being on a ship, Leto was happy to be back. He had considered writing one of those letters he could never send to his sister at home, but decided against it - they always made him melancholy and that wasn't what he wanted.

Instead, he brought the baliset to the common room, and after tuning the instrument he began to play a slow Caladan song, one that Gurney Hallek had once taught his father.

[Open, of course!]

Comments

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

"Interesting instrument," Triela decided as she walked into the common room, looking around.

[future_sandworm]

Leto looked up, still playing, and gave Triela a small smile.

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

She flashed a quick smile back. "Can't talk and play at the same time?"

[future_sandworm]

"I prefer not to," he replied. "Why?"

He kept playing, the melody slow at this point.

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

Triela shrugged lightly as she settled back to listen. "Henrietta can't. She concentrates too hard on the music to carry on a conversation. I was just wondering if it was the same for you."

[future_sandworm]

He just smiled back and continued to play. When the song ended, he said: "No, not quite, but then I know this song well." His father had liked it a lot.

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

Somewhere during the song Triela's eyes had slid almost completely closed. When he finished they opened again. "You're pretty good with that thing," she nodded at the baliset.

[future_sandworm]

"Thank you." He assumed that was quite a compliment, coming from Triela.

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

That was because he was a good judge of character. Triela didn't often comment on other peoples' skills without criticism.

"How long have you been playing?" she asked.

[future_sandworm]

"The instrument was given to me on my fifth birthday, but I my hand were too small then." It didn't answer her question, of course, but he would rather not have to explain.

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

"So since you were a kid," Triela elaborated. "No wonder you're so good."

[future_sandworm]

Leto smiled. "I find it a good way to distract my mind."

[bedtime :(]

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

"You need distracting very often?" Triela asked in a teasing tone.

[Silly human bodies and their need for sleep! I hope you slept well!]

[heromaniac]

Not quite ready to end such a relaxing vacation, Momoko was easily lured by the music coming from the common room. Ah! It was Leto? He was actually playing an instrument? She waved cheerfully and sat down on to enjoy whatever it was he was playing.

[future_sandworm]

He gave her a small smile in return, wondering if music had a pacifying influence on Momoko. In any case, she seemed to appreciate it, which was always a good character trait.

[heromaniac]

Momoko was indeed sitting quietly and enjoying the music. She didn't know the instrument he was playing, or the song, but she liked the sound. When he was done, she'd have to ask him about it, but she didn't want him to stop on her account. Hearing someone playing music live, she thought to herself as she watched the spinning thingie on his instrument, was just like eating a cake right from a bakery where you just get more of the intended flavour than you did when it was on a shelf for weeks!


[ooc: sorry I'm so late pinging back!]

[future_sandworm]

He kept playing until the song ended, unaware of Momoko's thoughts, of course.

[stupid timezones!]

[heromaniac]

AH? It was over? Momoko applauded and grinned, jumping up to get a closer look at the instrument and player. "Hi Leto! I didn't know you played music; you're really good! Was it okay that I listened? It was a really pretty song!"

[future_sandworm]

"Music is meant to be listened to," He pointed out, smiling a little.

[heromaniac]

"That's true. And it is the common room, but," Momoko shook her head and gave a small bounce. "Even then, some people just don't like having others listen to their music. Maybe they don't think that it's good enough, or if they're trying to play just for themselves because maybe it means something super personal and they don't want someone else intruding on their thoughts and feelings. And if it was, I'm sorry, but I couldn't resist; thank you for sharing it! I've never heard a song like that before."

[future_sandworm]

"It's from Caladan, my father's homeworld," Leto replied, smiling a little.

[heromaniac]

"Ah. So then he taught you how to play it? That's so nice! I hope it went better than when my dad tries to teach me stuff. But why do you say it like that, isn't that your home too, if your father lives there?" She leaned a bit closer to the instrument. "What's this called? It's not electric, is it? It sounded like maybe it was but I don't see a plug."

[future_sandworm]

"He didn't. My father died shortly after I was born," Leto replied, looking down at the instrument. He had had to resort to learning from Memories, after all. "And Caladan is where my father was born, but he spent most of his life on Arrakis. It's called a baliset." He smiled. "Not electric."

[heromaniac]

Eep! Momoko wondered if maybe she had interrupted some personal time after all, then. "Ah! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bring up bad memories! I mean, not that thoughts of your dad are bad or that it's bad to think of him, but I mean it's probably sad to think about and I didn't mean to make you sad, so I'm sorry!"

[future_sandworm]

Leto raised an eyebrow, giving her an amused look. "I can talk about my father," he replied.