Crazy=Genius

Madison Square Garden 03/2/2017

The cap on the pen would not. Would. Not. come off. He just needed to write something on his hand, but pens were pernicious inventions. So he abandoned standing there in the middle of the quad, yanking and twisting at something he was sure would eventually break rather than cooperate, and started to move toward a bench and consider using his teeth when he was intercepted. 

What could be described as mild exasperation melted into surprise, then trying to grasp when he had supposedly met the other (which ended up being easier than getting his pen to work, because he vaguely recalled…). “Oh, right!” Namjoon smiled, half a sympathetic wince. “I don’t remember your name either. It’s fine. We talked for like… half a second. My n—huh?” The comment on his height turned casual amiableness into a confused laugh. “Not sure that’s negative, uh—” Chuckling again, he reached to adjust the thin metal choker around his neck, pen clinking against the rose gold. “Well, California was in drought most of the time I was there, so seeing as there wasn’t any, I would say it wasn’t the water,” he said, almost cheekily. “But really, supposedly Korean men have just been shooting up like weeds, so I’m just part of the epidemic.” Lips tucked in a smile that showed his dimples, he twitched the pen between hands. “You’re not that short, though.” He looked about the same height as Jazz. “And, right, sorry—my name’s Namjoon. What’s yours again?”

Watching part of the situation with the pen made the teacher chuckle a little before he made his way over to the student before he heard the other had been just as forgetful as himself. 

“Oh? You’re just as forgetful as myself then, that’s great- I mean it’s not great but I don’t feel as bad now.” He trailed off, chuckling softly before bowing his head politely. “Professor Charlie Stein. Your can use any of those to refer to me if you want.” 

Listening to the other talk of California, for a short moment Charlie found himself less towards doing his job but instead being immersed in all that was a stimulating conversation with an interesting student.

“California? Nice. I was born and raised in Arizona.. Pretty cool knowing all we had keeping us from meeting were tonnes of people with gambling problems.” He laughed softly, giving a polite grin soon before he heard the younger’s name. 

“I still just don’t know why you’re so intent on being on his bad side when I know for a fact that it’s not a good place to be,” he said, tending to the wound the other had sustained, sighing quietly to himself.

He shrugged a bit, listening to the other as he spoke, finishing up patching up Charlie, for what would probably not be the last time which he knew already. He was almost positive that it wouldn’t be the last time, in fact, knowing the other.

“Okay, I don’t exactly know why any of that is important at the moment, but are you, by any chance, dizzy? Sustain any injuries other than one that could have possibly made you bleed out?”

“I’m not really intent on being on his bad side. He despises my line of work, I can’t help that... He chooses a select few people in regards to whom he likes and dislikes. You’re one of the lucky ones.” He gave another weak chuckle, bringing his hands up to tap his cheeks lightly, keeping himself focused as Riley finished tending his wound. 

In response to the other’s words, a low, rumbling growl rolled up from deep in his chest, a bit of a hiss following along with it, though the source of the noise seemed–off. His vocal chords obviously were not like that of a human’s, further warning the other that he would not hesitate to rip his head off, literally, if he dared to pull anything stupid.

“You are indeed one of the worst bounty hunters I have encountered, that I can affirm,” the arachna continued on his way, his steps quicker now, not caring whether Stein kept up or trailed back. Kyungsoo knew where he was, and if he tried to run, he’d be very, very sorry…

Demon. Hm. Dark eyes looked through his bangs at the music teacher, narrowing them a slightly at his explanation. It was when they reached a work shed that he paused, reaching his hands up to touch the wood, as a rather..ominous symbol lit up, taking up more than half the wall of the shed, then disappeared, opening up a portal to what could be assumed to be where ever he was moving things to. The spirits floated in with the box, and he eyed Stein pointedly. “Go.”

It would lead to the back room of his new shop, currently stacked with cages and boxes of potions and charms. An odd form of organized chaos, but most importantly; a rather raggedy looking cat and a small snow-leopard owl gryphon were waiting on the other side, the said gryphon bouncing forward–only to fluff up when he saw the stranger.

When the spider-fellow picked up his pace, Charlie didn’t change his as he warily watched the other, even slightly considering running for half a second as his pace came to a stop when the Arachna had touched the wooden shed, just a few steps behind him.

The teacher focused on the symbol that illuminated before the space had disappeared like a magical door, definitely something the predominantly human being had not been accustomed to. When he felt the other’s gaze rested on him again and heard the word leave his lips, he squeaked slightly.

“M-Me..? Yes.. me.. ahem... yeah.” He lowered and cleared his voice, confidently stepping forward to see the inside of a shop with many items he hadn’t really been familiar with, and he turned around to take it all in. Then when he finally focused, he saw the fluffy feathered creature bouncing towards him he shuffled back, tripping on his own feet and letting out a gasp and a grunt when his butt hit the floor. 

Harley’s blue eyes stayed on his brown, dazzling just a bit as she peered at him through her long eyelashes. Watching him looking between his case and the patrons of the bar. Tilting her head she hummed a soft smile filling her lips as she did her best to turn on her charm.

“Stage would be preferable,” she murmured, giving a soft shocked expression before laughing. “A private show? Just for me, you could just take me home for that,” she grinned, but still, she leaned on the bar, tilting her her head watching him closely. Lips parting as his voice filled her ears, it was godly, heavenly even, pursing her lips sure she’d blush if she could. Licking her lips she slowly moved to stand again, watching him closely. He had a natural talent and it was clear to see he knew how to use it. “Beautiful,” she murmured.

Once he had finished the melody, he glanced over from his entranced state due to singing to see crystalline eyes peering over at him. The teacher’s cheeks flourished a soft blush as he nibbled his lower lip, hearing her words regarding a private show.

Don’t fuck it up, don’t say something stupid, Charlie you can do this. 

Riley looked up as he heard a familiar voice speak. A small sigh passed his lips, shaking his head. “Well… I mean… no he’s not but…”

With another sigh, he looked over the other, the intense amount of blood causing him to cringe. He would never quite be able to understand how Charlie could walk around like nothing was wrong and be so casual about bleeding out.

“Okay, fine, come on, let me help you. You’re lucky I’m not on rounds right now, or you’d be screwed completely and totally. You literally can’t keep doing this, one of these days Doctor Ingvaldt is actually going to kill you, and there won’t be anything I can do about it. Kinda need to stay on his good side.”

Riley shook his head, “I don’t think he cares about fair.”

The teacher had been putting pressure on the injury as he turned to let Riley tend to it, Charlie had been no stranger to injuries like this so he somewhat built up a tolerance to pain and the blurred vision that assisted it. 

“I’m not afraid of that big old dragon. He’s just threatened because he’s probably the last of his specific kind... He’s not on my list, but being on his just makes it all the more satisfying, don’t ya think?” He breathed out a chuckle, giving a small wince of pain as he swayed slightly from the dizziness he felt. 

It was not a fascinating subject to be discussing. Rather very mundane, and  yet it was engaging to speak to someone of music. Kouyou rarely found the topic tethered between himself and another individual, and perhaps that is what made the old grump not entirely walk out of the room to seek solitude once more. The pen stopped spinning in between his fingers and instead came to rest barrel-end on the notebook that still lay open to a written-on page. 

“A noble outlook. It’s rare, isn’t it? Most people assume they’ve mastered a subject and declare themselves no longer in need of being the one learning.” Without knowing it, the smily man who had interrupted his peace and quiet had earned himself a favorable point. Hard to do with the warlock. 

“Really?” Kouyou asked with a slightly raised eyebrow, “I suppose I shouldn’t be terribly surprised. The academy is not as ill-supplied as many schools that human children attend. You know, the ones that only have a tiny music room with numbered and basic versions of instruments.” It seemed that the warlock was not going to get his ideas down on paper just that second, so with a flourish and a snap of the book so that it would be closed, both disappeared with a hiss into thin air. 

“I never took an interest in learning to play another instrument. Piano is too refined a sound for my taste, though I enjoy hearing it played by others. I imagine you are adept at piano, then?”    

“I would say those who think they’ve learned all they can are a little closed minded, wouldn’t you say? There will always be new songs, new genres and new instruments.” Charlie spoke with a small chirp to his tone, a look washing over him that appeared to have been realisation that he may have been a little too enthusiastic. Shoving his hands into his pockets he gave a small hum to himself, a soft short melody to play off his excitement. 

“So far I’d say this campus has risen above my expectations of what a school should be like, it really is a school for the elite; I’ve never seen anything like it. I couldn’t have asked to teach at a better pla-” Charlie stopped when he saw the notebook and pen disappear into thin air, like the words disappeared on his lips. 

“I can read music kind of, it’s writing it down that is confusing to me..” Which was weird. Just like Korean, he could speak it, read it, but writing it was hard at times. Learning by himself meant he did not have strengths in certain areas, but he could read the music from his flute lessons, which were pretty much the same as other sheet music, so. His mind just moved a million miles a minute and he couldn’t sit down and write for very long without losing focus.

Sliding his hands away from the keys when the professor began to play, his bright eyes focused on the motions of his fingers, attention locked there while his pupils seemed to dilate then constrict into thin slits…but by the time he looked up to Charlie to show he was listening, they were back to normal. His imaginary form was taking in the thoughts and feelings of the man so close to him, which also meant his heart beat was attempting to sync, but because he didn’t know the professor well, he veered it off to settle back to his guardian’s.

“You want me to try that?” He pointed back to the piano once Charlie was done with his said quick excerpt, lifting taloned fingers to smooth over the keys while he waited.

The teacher closed his eyes as his fingertips danced over the keys quickly, yet elegantly as though he was embracing the elaborate melody with every ounce of his being. For that moment of playing the short song, he felt no time pass by up until he opened his eyes to see the student’s gaze on him, an almost embarrassed look washing over him with a humble smile and a chuckle.