Ever since they spoke in Court about the fact he played piano, Ariana had been compiling a list. With that list, she had Felix running errands around town, searching for the piano scores for those songs. He also knew where people dumped off their old music after they were done at some used music stores. What he did not find, she ordered online. It entailed the most requested songs that she could think of from the years of being at piano lounges in New York. The galas that would play anything from classical to contemporary, she attempted to recall. There was a bit of rock, popular songs from several decades and romantic songs. It also helped that some of this music she enjoyed as well. She may have went a bit overboard, but three small file boxes full of music should hopefully get him a decent repertoire to start.
When Ariana was sorting through the music she stumbled upon the Evanescence song, My Immortal. She remembered the movie it appeared in, she had to review it. She forgot it was on the list, yet it was one she danced do in her collection once in a while. As Felix watched her alphabetize all the music, she kept picking up that particular score. She would read it then put it aside several times. It was sort of a reflection of what she had been dealing with it lately. The song was filed amidst the others as she sent the boxes with Felix to be delivered to Anasztaz. Except when Felix left the boxes, he retrieved that particular song and laid it across the top.
The boxes had been delivered several days before Ariana was visiting Anasztaz again. Felix had a odd smirk on his face while driving her to the home. Ariana wrote on the notepad why the smile. He only shook his head, and did not write a reply. She walked to the door and knocked as she did before, much less nervous than the last time.
It took him a couple of minutes, but this time he answered to the door himself.
"Madam Donovan." he said, smiling warmly. "Welcome."
Anasztaz moved away from the threshold. His hands were stained with black ink, which he had seemed to have been struggling to wash away, but some traces remained.
"You'll have to forgive me again. I have been working and the house is... somewhat messier than usual."
That was saying a lot.
He nodded a greeting towards Felix in his car, just a polite acknowledgment.
As Ariana entered the house, her purple bell sleeved blouse flowed as a slight breeze caught it. Her modest heels complimented her black fitted slacks as they clicked quietly on the floor. She smiled equally at his greeting, yet a flash of curiosity passed over her eyes. “Good evening, Mr. Veres.” She said, careful of prying ears before the door would close.
She had only glanced at his hands upon entering. “Oh no need to worry.” Her hand gestured dismissing his concern. “It does not bother me.” Ariana turned her head toward him as they began to walk. “May I inquire as to what you may be working on?”
"I have been writing my own sheets, just as a system to solidify my memories." Anasztaz said, as he lead her back to his piano room.
The floor had been somewhat cleared from debris, but now there were a multitude of music sheets scattered about, each with a different piece scribbled on it. It didn't seem he had been methodical, but rather favored speed than tidiness. There were a couple of ink spills, which had since already dried.
Close detail on each would reveal that each written piece wasn't a proper replication of the original score, but he had tried instead to write down the style he used to play each. The small changes he made to each performance to infuse them with his particular style.
"I just had to put it down before I forgot it all for good."
His tone there had been somewhat somber, he wasn't trying to hide how much he feared losing more than all that he had already lost to the fog of eternity.
Glancing around with a little curiosity, Ariana grinned at some of the similarities they had. To become immersed in work where one forgets what is going on, was a definite trait in herself. “Well, now that you are playing more, it should come back to you at some point.” Her reassurance was prominent. “I have faith that it will.”
She walked to a chair and set her purse down as she noticed a lot of the clutter was cleared, but replaced by the music. “You have been certainly hard at work doing such a task.” Turning back to him with a smile on her face. She was sure that the contemporary music she sent was probably much less interesting than the classics. For the most part, she had nearly the same opinion.
"Some of these are quite bold, fascinating. I have enjoyed the ones I've tried. I just found myself having trouble playing things from old memories as I learned new pieces, you see." Anasztaz said, approaching the piano and sitting on the bench.
"I haven't however-" he had let the word linger while he shuffled through some of the sheets he had on the piano, "been working only on that. I have prepared something I think you'll like."
He pulled one of them and placed it on top, clearly having found the one he had been looking for. Those were a few of those that Ariana had sent to him. It didn't seem like he worked through them in order, but picked and chose from those available on what he wanted to try first. Or perhaps were his favorites so far.
"If you'll join me?" he added with a smirk, inviting her to join him upon the bench.
“Of course.” Ariana smiled warmly as she moved to sit on the bench next to him. Making sure she did not get in his way. “I will inform you, that I did pull some lists from popular requests. I am not familiar with all of the songs.” She laughed slightly. “I was just hoping to give you a broad range in case they ever came into question.”
She also did not care for several of the pieces she gave him, yet she did not want to discriminate the selection with that in mind. Her posture was somewhat relaxed as she sat down. Shaking her head with a smile. “You did not need to do this for me.”
The sheet he had put forward had been an obvious choice. Every other sheet had been organized alphabetically and this one had been put on top, he could get a hint - Of course, he didn't know who was the one giving it.
"I didn't?" Anasztaz smirked as he begun to play the piece.
The melancholic tune flowed naturally, favored by the haunting acoustics of the hollowed shell of a house. It already showed signs of small alterations in the way that it was played, idiosyncrasies that always slipped when a performed played a piece. It tinged it with the strange array of feelings you had heard on the Nocturne, although it wasn't affected by the delays and imperfections that had been drawn from his flawed memories.
He rested his hands on his lap as he finished it and nodded slightly towards the piano. He was satisfied with his own performance, no doubt.
As Anasztaz began with the first notes, Ariana’s eyes lit up. Partial surprise or bewilderment, could have been his guess at this point. She turned to look at him quickly and then back at the piano. As the tempo had picked up, her torso moved gently with the music. Closing her eyes she let her head sway a little to the music. Her hands gently moved on her lap, as if she had let the music flow in dance a few times before. Her eyes opened from time to time to watch his fingers play along the keys. She still had no idea how he picked this song. Perhaps she did not tuck it in all the way. Ariana’s was mouthing some of the words to the song and a glint of her incisors could be scene from time to time.
If she would have been standing, she may have been inclined to dance. As the song concluded she was smiling. It took a moment for Ariana to speak after he concluded. “That was…excellent.” She said slowly as she turned to him. “How did you…” Cutting herself off. “I thought I tucked them all in neatly. I checked twice.” She chuckled nervously. It was obvious she was not only slightly embarrassed, but still impassioned by the song just played.
"It was the least I could do. I am very grateful, it was a very thoughtful present." Anasztaz said, dipping his head in a thankful nod.
He was uncertain of what was going on, but chose an evasive answer until he knew exactly why she was so surprised with his pick. If it hadn't been her who left that sheet on top, then it had been a mysterious benefactor. Something he'd have to investigate.
"Either way, I am glad you found my performance satisfying. I could play something else, if you have any other favorites."
Ariana suddenly realized that Felix had been around when she while she finished packing the boxes. She laughed a little. "I am quite certain it was Felix who was behind that, now that I thought about it. He is good with fashion, and meddling, a little." She said with a smirk.
"I have many favorites, Anasztaz." She said playfully. Ariana walked over to the boxes and crouched over them. Looking through one and flipping through a few areas. She twisted her torso and moved to another box. Pulling out Alanis Morissette, Uninvited from the front of the box, she walked back over and handed him the music. "I have not heard this one for a few years." She put her hands on the side of the piano close to the keys and leaned in looking at him. "Of the ones that you looked through, were there any that you liked so far?"
"So that is the mysterious benefactor, I see." Anasztaz said, revealing his hand. There wasn't much point to keep it close to his chest anymore.
He looked at the sheet, it wasn't one of the ones that he had already glanced or attempted, studying it briefly to make sure he had a grasp of its movements before he tried to play it.
"A few, but we can try this one first if you wish. Again, I am to repay for this and I am not certain a single piece was sufficient."
Ariana smiled and shook her head. "Please do not worry about it." She moved to sit back down next to him and put her hand on the back of the bench to turn to him and she leaned in a little. "Besides, I do not think many people have the opportunity to have a pianist play solely for them." Her eyes matched her smile.
"Nonsense. For every pianist there is, there is someone that can make them play on request." Anasztaz said, pushing a stray buckle of hair off his face with his index finger.
He turned and gazed at her, locking his eyes on her with the same intensity he had as they said their goodbyes last time they were here. He wanted to see within them, find how their last rendezvous had changed her.
"That someone must be very significant if they can make them play on request." Ariana quipped as she looked into his eyes. She felt as if she was still fighting with herself. Caught in some sort of restraint after so many years of being denied.
"It makes one wonder how that someone would deserve such preferential treatment." She said as her free hand playfully used her fingers to walk up his chest with a slight stop as if making a point. She was trying to ease herself back into the level she had begun on her prior visit.
"It does make one wonder, I agree." Anasztaz retorted evasively, smirking his mischief.
He'd allow her to drift back into comfort at her own pace without making his own advances, lest it was premature. His body language spoke approvingly, not rejecting the small shifts in behavior but instead welcoming them, while pacing them with his own in intensity.
"If you had to make a guess as to why is that, what would it be?" he leaned his own hand on the side of the bench, tilting his head to the side and arching his thin eyebrow high, inquisitively.
Ariana laughed softly and still turned into him. "Perhaps so I continue helping you?" Her lips parted in a slightly predatory grin. It was probably not the answer he was looking for, yet she was being honest. Her free hand came to rest between them. She hoped with that question, or answer, she did not discolor the whole evening.
"Why, Ariana, that is a very pessimistic guess." Anasztaz said scoldingly, shaking his head and chuckling.
It was natural that she'd be suspicious. Were he in her position, he would have been suspicious to the point where he'd have drawn answers in his own special way, where no lies could have been told.
"I won't lie... I am well aware of the benefits of your good grace, and I cherish them. Yet, I think we've gone a bit past that. Don't you think? I enjoy your company, you should be able to tell that much."
Hopefully she could get past the Apple, Ariana thought. Still, there would always be a shadow in her unlife. Her guess was necessary, as she wanted to protect herself. Maybe she was a bit foolish to ask such a thing. A sweet fire slipped into her eyes as she replied. "I enjoy yours as well." As her head turned a bit opposite of Anasztaz's a tendril slipped to frame her face.
She leaned a little closer and softly spoke, "Yes, I can see that much. I hope I give you the same impression." Ariana was beginning to feel some favorable tension betwixt them.
"Sometimes you do, sometimes I just don't know." Anasztaz sighed with an acted tone of helplessness and fragility.
During his years he might have studied a bit of drama, but this performance had been deliberately overacted. It had been an obvious teasing attempt that referenced the fact that more often that not she recoiled his advances or sabotaged her own.
That was indeed the trigger. Ariana was tired of her internal struggle. With her free hand she moved to slip her fingers up his shoulder. Her eyes became a deeper blue as she pulled closer to Anasztaz.
"Tell me what signal this sends." Her voice murmured as she let her lips meet his. There was more fervor in the gesture than previously. She still had inhibitions, yet perhaps to be repressed.
Anasztaz might have been trying to cause a reaction, but even he was surprised by the impetus of the effect. His heart might have skipped a beat, or it might have been the Beast jolting as it felt another predator in attack, but his reaction wasn't to struggle. Instead, he rounded her waist with his free arm and reeled her even closer to him, returning the kiss with as much built up passion as she might have had.
A finger raised up in slight, nearly screaming to push his arm away. Instead Ariana focused on the pilgrimage of her lips on his. Her yes fluttered open and closed again as she gave way to the intensity amidst them both. She slipped her arm further around the back of his neck. Pulling herself closer to Anasztaz, the conflict within wrestled again. The ache to give into her desire was just as strong, as her hand caressed the back of his neck softly.
Centering himself, knowing that it had been another step forward in her liberation and that more would just instigate insurrection, Anasztaz dimmed the intensity of the embrace until it becomes nothing but a soft brush of lips that separate naturally.
"Clearer." he whispered, smiling, her lips still but an inch from his.
"I am glad for that." Ariana said as her lips softly spoke, nearly touching his. Her other arm moved to wrap around his torso. Eagerness was starting to overcome the force within. The hand from his shoulder softly drifted from Anasztaz's collar down his chest. Her fingers moved over the fabric gently. Her eyes were still on his, "I do wonder what could solidify the clarification." She quietly teased.
"Tread lightly. I am not a very responsible individual. I am doing my best but..." Anasztaz said, chuckling and shaking his head.
It was a fair warning. He had always found it hard to resist indulging in anything he wished. His Beast in the corner of his mind, where he tied his own impulses, urged him to let it ensnare her, that she couldn't possibly resist. Letting caution maintain him in control wasn't precisely easy or common for him.
"It just might not be sufficient."
Ariana's eyes widened in jest slightly. "You are doing," Her fingers slipping between the buttons of his shirt. "Quite splendidly." Her body became warm as she willed it to blush. She smiled and let her lips sink into his again. Fingers began unfastening the first few buttons on Anasztaz's shirt and they slid over his cool skin. Her other hand traced gently up the side of his torso as her kissing began to ignite.
He returns the kiss with hesitation at first, but it quickly melts away as the tendrils that kept his composure in check started to fray and tear. The situation was spinning out of control, he was aware of it, and he couldn't do anything about it anymore.
"Are you testing me?" he whispered as soon as there's a gap that permitted it, locking his lips again with hers and seeking the buttons of her blouse with his fingers.
She had brushed past the voice within, and finished the buttons on his shirt. In yet another pause of their mouths mixing, she responded. "I do not think this is a test." Her hush voice beckoned. Ariana continued with the kiss.
That had been the last vestige of control he possessed. Now gone, sinking along with memories of forgotten piano scores and wartime Hungarian forests. He rests his hand on her back, allowing her weight on it to facilitate the process of undoing the buttons of her blouse.
Ariana had become completely lost in the moment. It had finally felt right. She had let reality slip away while the commanding of his hands moved through her body. Everything was swirling in her head, she did not want to stop. As Anasztaz's hands moved off her blouse she began to finish the buttons.
Then she felt his hand on her back. Although he could feel nothing, the mental scar that she had from Bainsworth was enough to shake her back to reality. So many years ago, yet still nearly fresh in her memory. Her beast was back in control. Ariana pulled away fast and slid to the end of the bench while trying to get way. What was I thinking, she thought. She tried not to look panicked about what happened, but she knew it was a bit evident on her face, and her obvious actions.
"I am sorry." She said softly and looked at the piano. Fighting her urge to run.
Anasztaz was just as quickly brought back from the passionate reverie. He is left sitting still as a statue, gazing at her with eyes filled with utter confusion. He doesn't manage to mouth a word, it doesn't seem as he even does an attempt at it. His mind was blank, filled with a loud and pitch noise, there were no words.
The illusion is amped by his porcelain pale skin. He might as well be a garbed piece of carved marble where the author wanted to represent absolute and silent perplexity.
Silence is not always golden. Especially not in this case. She got ahead her of herself too fast. Ariana wondered if Anasztaz thought he did something wrong. This was not the case however. Just because she was kindred, did it mean she had to turn off emotions? She thought. Maybe it would be easier this way. There was too much at stake by telling him, yet he trusted her with a request that he so humbly asked. She had accomplished so much by moving to Sacramento, she did not want to do anything completely preposterous.
She turned to look at Anasztaz. Her voice soft heavy with guilt. "I am sorry." Trying to push Gregory out of her head, Ariana moved her hand to take his, perhaps showing the sincerity she felt. "This is not your fault by any means." Hopefully it would break his silence. Perhaps she was never meant to have a private life.
Showing some semblance of life at last, he reaches for the hand. Tilting his head to the side while his gaze drifts aside. His forehead was creased severely. It was strange to see actual lines of expression drawn on his usually terse face. Concern, worry, or perhaps fear?
"I understand." he truly didn't.
In his mind he had tempted her past the limit of the composed standards that were kept for her. Now he was witness to her moment of weakness and thus a liability. Were he in her position, he knew what he'd have to do.
Ariana was still embarrassed. His facial expressions did not help. She released his hand and slowly stood up. Taking the music score that was currently on the piano she walked back over to the boxes and tucked it in where it was originally. It did not take her long to look for the other song from the same movie as the previous sheet music. She pulled out Angel by Sarah McLachlan, and walked back over to replace it where the other score was. This particular copy had the words written beneath the staff. If there was truly power within music, perhaps it would help him understand.
Maybe her story was not as bad as anyone else’s she met. In her position, it did not seem as such. Ariana’s mind had raced. She wondered how quickly it would get around that she was inadequate as a woman. She would throw herself into work, leaving no opportunity for this situation to happen again. She turned to Anasztaz after the music was on the piano. Looking at him but not in his eyes, her arms crossed in front of herself, she spoke softly. “Once again, I apologize. I will still keep my word about your request from my last visit. I will leave you my card as well.” Although she was uncertain how he would contact her.
"Don't go... yet." Anasztaz said, shaking his head.
Maybe a strand of sanity left that told him the situation might not be as convoluted or as dire as his fears may be spinning it to him. Either way he needed to know. His eyes were pleading eyes.
Ariana stood motionless still looking in his direction, but not in his eyes. Change was not something that would not come easily in regards to these situations.
“Why?” There was no drop of emotion in her voice. Maybe she was over reacting, but there was more than herself to protect with her past.
"Because I don't know where we stand." Anasztaz said somewhat sharply, which was unusual to his regular behavior. His fear and confusion were quickly warping into frustration and manifesting.
“If you are concerned for my conversation with the Prince regarding the childe you are considering, you need not worry. I do not let anything interfere with a business arrangement.” She said calmly in a normal, pleasant tone. This is precisely what she did not need, for him to leak that the new Harpy had issues.
There was a long pause after her prior statement as her head bent down slightly. She was not familiar addressing a matter like this. She never let a situation get this far. “Where do you want to stand?” Her voice inquired softly. “I just wanted…” Her voice trailed off and she bit her lip. Her mind had drifted back to their kiss and a soft fire flashed across her eyes.
"What do you want? That is the crux of this issue." Anasztaz said, avoiding the question for now. He didn't know the answer to that question yet, they had drifted past of where he had planned. Without knowing what was going on, it was also impossible to answer.
He wanted to pace, but he found himself frozen in place.
Ariana’s arms had become uncrossed but her hands folded and hung down. “I told you before, this is not your fault.” Her head still down while she thought of what to say. “I came here because of a shared love of music and I enjoy your company. You let me relax around you, in fact insisted upon it.” Ariana’s head shook a little, “Then a connection that I still do not understand began to form. You spoke of change, which I still desperately want, but I foolishly forced.”
After another long pause she looked to Anaszatz’s eyes. “What I truly want is to move forward, but perhaps slower.” Her voice still quiet. “That is where I stand. However, if is not where you stand. I will not hold it against you. I will understand and we can remain friendly acquaintances.” Even though her body seemed tense, her demeanor seemed softened again.
"I see." Anasztaz said thoughtfully. The situation hadn't been like he had envisioned it at all. It was much simpler, and considerably less volatile. He relaxed visibly.
"Then there is no reason to be awkward. If it is what you wish, take your time. Be patient."
Reaching for his shirt, he begins to patiently button it back up. His demeanor seemed to have returned to normal, as usual for him, his mood shifted drastically instead of progressively.
"Just think on what you wish carefully. I do not wish to make an enemy out of you because I am an accomplice to your mistakes." he raised his gaze to hers and smiled.
Ariana moved to sit beside him again. She was relaxed again when she looked at him and spoke. "Thank you for understanding. I do not think this was a mistake, only the avidity of it all." She smiled slightly. Quite amazed and relieved at his patience. Seeing that he was adjusting his shirt, she realized her own needed tending and began to do the same.
She softly put her hand on his knee and looked in his eyes. "You are not my enemy, Anasztaz." That one was finally gone.
"I know that much. At least you are not blaming me, I fear you eventually might." Anasztaz chuckled softly.
Finishing his shirt, he brushed his hair back behind his shoulders and looks down at the keys of the piano ponderously. He considered playing again, maybe dispel the last remnants of tension that had been built. Then again, it could just make it worse.
"I started this, after all. I am aware of that much."
Laughing with him a little. "I do hope it would never come to that." She glared teasingly. "It does take two for such a thing." Adding a wink.
Ariana's fingers reached to touch the keys without playing and quickly remembering the power held in them. "I am afraid behind closed doors, the traits of my blood are not what they should be." Still relaxed and jokingly implied.
"Blood defines us only so much. Should I begin to try and unsettle you by just being around?" Anasztaz teased, but part of it was directed at himself. He had to be affecting her at a certain extent, he figured, just like on everyone. He had work hard to overcome the effect that his curse projected on everyone around him.
"I can be frightening, if I try."
Ariana had a playful puzzling look on her face. "Yes, we can all be frightening at times." She snickered, "I have seen a lot of frightening things."
She turned her head still puzzled and slightly flirtatious. "How would you unsettle me?" Considering what just happened, she was prepared for anything.
"My blood isn't mine nominally. I earn it." Anasztaz said, winking maliciously. "But let's leave it at that, though."
He just had wanted to know how she felt the effect of his curse, and it seemed that all his attempts to counter it seemed to be doing quite well in offsetting it. He felt a trace of relief at that. It wasn't always the case.
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