A Meeting Over a Portrait(Risiko and Crowley)

Chair straddled, so his wings could hang loose at his back, looking lazy and touching the ground, Crowley was reading. His head resting on the back of the chair and eyes half cast as he looked down onto the print of The picture of Dorian Grey. The chair was at an angle from the door and it made the whole arrangement look slightly random, almost casual. It wasn't.

He was watching, like always. Just a peek up every now and then when someone could be heard walking past. A desk...available, but it was facing a way he didn't like. It made him feel uneasy. The moon wasn't up, but even when it was he'd not be affected because of the tightly shut windows.

He made a lopsided grinned and shook his head at something, not the book although he though Dorian an absolute idiot for his actions in the end. A waste, even though he could understand the motives. The musing passing through his head was- that he didn't like crowds that much, too much silence made him uneasy. What a silly contradiction.

2 facts known, but pieced together...He chuckled and decided to get back to reading. Quitting while ahead.

Risiko poked his head into the room to see how free it was. Seeing only Crowley, he decided it was empty enough, and the rest of him filed into the room in the normal fashion. He put his back on the ground and sat into the chair next to it. He pulled the bag up onto his lap, opened and dug though it, pulling out what he needed. A clipboard with paper already on it, a black pen and pencil, and a spiral notebook. Putting the clipboard and pencil at the far corner of the desk, he opened the notebook and stared before starting to write on it, hunched over. History homework. Non linear notes, scribbles in the margins, colour changes where he had obviously stopped and started at a later point with whatever pen was nearby.

As someone entered the room, Crowley seemed to pay no notice at first. Occasional glances between sentences gathered that this wasn't someone he knew. Although there were a whole lot of people under that status, so it wasn't all that surprising.

He was tied over whether to put the book down and appear to give his whole attention or just say 'hello' and perhaps, appear like no attention was given. Casual and detached, or practically consecrate. He wasn't needy so the book stayed in his hand, should he be ignored for any reason, so he could go back to what he was doing promptly. His wings stayed lax at his sides and through the other person entering the room he moved very little.

With a lopsided, but pleasant smile and an incline of the head Crowley looked towards Risiko. "Evening"

Risiko's head snapped up from his work, and turned to face Crowley in a confused, two step process. "Yes, hello" he said. He looked at Crowley for a few more moments before reaching over and grabbing the clipboard and pencil. He scribbled something on it quickly before putting it back in it's corner and returning to the spiral. He quietly thought that he'd never get use to the people here, but they did give him nice ideas.

With interest, Crowley looked at the notebook he was writing in. Probably homework or something but the manticore found himself forever curious. Then he looked to him, continued scribbling? It fueled the urge to know what it was...but in time, he'd find out, if ever. Patience was needed.

Crowley was unsure over the 'yes' before the greeting perhaps he was annoying, or hindering him with progress on the homework. In any case he continued, with a nod and a drum of fingers on a chair spar. A slight smile even though he was scheming.

"How have you been?" His tone was a friendly and his posture was relaxed.

"I've been well" Risiko replied. This time he did not look up. Just two more questions he thought and then I'm done . He glanced up and stopped writing briefly "and yourself?" he asked. This time he made eye contact. For a moment. Then back to the paper and pen. Obviously not human, but the other's Species? Doesn't sound right escaped him. It was slightly bothersome to Risiko, as labels provided opportunities for nice categories.

Nodding absently of Risiko's state of being, seemingly lost in thought for a moment, Crowley snapped back to reality with a few disorientated blinks. Then he scolded himself to sharpen up. Slight anemia or not, he wouldn't allow himself to look tired. The manticore recovered quickly and turned his attention to the person...not paying attention to him.

He didn't appreciate that in the slightest, but getting visibly offended would get him nowhere. Not that he was. Crowley kept his face smoothed out and pleasant. Rapped his knuckle lightly on the chair spar.

If he wasn't on a mission to kill time Crowley wouldn't put up with it. Shrug. Wasn't like he had anything better to do. "I'm fine, Reading to avoid paperwork responsibility"

Risiko slapped his pen down lightly and sat up straight before stretching in a cat-like manner. He arched his back forwards, linked his hands and pushed them forwards and out. Returning and arching his back backwards, he put his hands on his neck and stretched upwards.
"Done" he said, finishing his ritual. "No more homework for today." He looked at Crowley, smiling with genuine politeness. "Sorry about that, had you wanted to say something?"

When Risiko stretched, the manticore wished he had the will to. But he couldn't be bothered and would just live with the stiff back until he absolutely had to stretch off. Had it really been that long? He had not noticed the time slip by. He could only sympathize with the homework sentiment, but he imagined it satisfying. “Congrats”


With yet another shrug, Crowley decided against telling him what he was too wrapped up in other things to miss. With slight undertones of passive agressivism, playfully of course. It didn't matter much anyway. “ What was that homework? What subject?” He asked with curiosity.

"Just history" Risiko said. Boring subject, in his opinion. There was an odd tone in Crowley's voice. It was sort of angry-yet-not-angry. It bothered Risiko that he couldn't tell 'what was up'.
He saw Crowley's book. "What book?" he asked in return.

"Just 'history'?" Crowley asked him raising an eyebrow in question, he knew of a few reasons it could be disliked but it fascinated him; certain areas of it anyway. "I like history; It's interesting. How other people used to live and such." He said, thinking about the gateway to another's world a history book provided.

More of a window, but if it was a gateway then getting gutted by a viking might be something of a more common library clean up problem.

"The portrait of Dorian Grey" Crowley said, answering the question on his reading materials, shutting the book with one hand and placing it on the floor carefully. "Really good, I'd recommend it." He said conversationally.

"Everyday living. With the exception of the few, that meant a lifetime of menial work." Risiko said. "But I suppose cultural studies can be enjoyed. But this" Risiko said, gesturing to his notebook, as one would a bothersome sibling. "Memorizing dates and places and names of people who 'controlled' them". He stressed the word 'control' for sarcasm. After all - peoples endured. Rulers had a forty year run, at best.

"Hm, oh yes, we've read it. I enjoyed the premise and how well written it was. Clever novel". Risiko nodded, sorting out the details in his head. It had been awhile. He casually reached over to his clipboard and brought it over so that it lay at an angle, facing him, resting on his legs and the edge of the desk, pen in hand. Risiko could feel the juices flowing and ideas starting to form in the turbulent pond of his mind. Not quite to the surface yet, but dim outlines could be seen, or rather felt.

"Yeah, that's true. But the chance is always there to be in history books- if a person so desires it." Crowley said, agreeing but not agreeing. A person could either be remembered for being marvelously good or being mercilessly bad; the latter was easier. He got up suddenly and put Dorian grey away. Spoke over his shoulder.

The manticore was a little surprised at the sheer sarcasm as the control, what did he mean? Was is jealousy of something? "Just get the memorizing over with and you can get back to" He was amused at the word "-those cultural studies." What a thing to call it, so fancy. He didn't try to hide his amusement

"What are you interested in?" He asked, leaving it vague what he was referring to. He expected an interesting answer as he moved back to his seat

"Hmm... Herostratus" Risiko replied. He sure did end up in the history books.

He looked up briefly at the manticore's amusement. "It's far more interesting and useful than this history, at any rate. Rulers come and go every few decades, but cultures last for centuries. And their roots stay longer than old laws and outdated memorials" Risiko pointed out. Cultural celebrations conveyed more about a groups values, fears and thought process than a long dead king's political policy.

"I enjoy creating things, either sound based or sight based. What about you?"

Crowley had no idea what the student was talking about- it sounded like a dinosaur but he couldn’t be sure so, not to show his ignorance, he made no comment on the topic. He shrugged lightly and made a small step toward Risiko and his work; his mission still remained to know what he’d written.

A seconds thought was needed for his answer, and how to put it. Risiko’s opinion was interesting- it was clear he had invested a lot of thought. “Cultures could be defined by the leaders they choose. Or don’t, such as a book with it’s cover perhaps. Like the Edwardian era or…the Elizabethan. Not really something I’ve thought about much to be honest” The manticore said, glad it had made somewhat coherent sense.

“I like cooking, hunting, horse riding, hill walking- stuff like that. What do you make?”

"Excellent answer, save that electing a country leader is a rare innovation." Risiko replied, propping head in his his right hand, intertwining the pen in his fingers. The clipboard slipped onto the table as he leaned forward to do so. "More often than not, it was whoever had the most mercenaries to enforce their rule."

The clipboard was filled with a crisscross shapes, like two overlapping diamonds . It ranged from crossing them horizontally, two horizontal with a smaller one in the middle, or concentric. There seemed to be an design repeated more often, and larger, as if it were the final product. It consisted of two vertical diamonds, but the right half of the shape had shifted down. It was a curious effect. Letters appeared to be written in.

"Well... I've made a number of masks...a wooden knife... and a few other odds and ends... oh, and I also play violin" Risiko listed off, offhandedly.[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Crowley laughed at that, Oh of course. This student, honestly. With an amused grin he pointed to where a crown would sit "Or you could be born into it. Like a queen or king." He said, paused for a moment then shook his head of some stray annoying thought. "If you're unlucky enough to land here though, you would get dethroned within the month anyway. Don't get your hopes up." Crowley said, going to look down at Risiko's signature with interest.

His eyes were drawn to the human's face from the signature as soon as an instrument was mentioned "You'll have to give me a performance of that then. Sometime. If you're got as little to do as I have then maybe tonight. Nudge-nudge." It was a playful suggestion made with a calm, polite tone. But there was a hint of excitement. Oh how he liked a performance.

"Oh, er, sure, what music do you like?" Risiko asked awkward and nervously. It was fun to see people enjoy themselves, but he hated showing off. "But yes, I've nothing to do this evening." What was interesting on a single violin, improvisational requests of pop songs, Czárdás, Dvorak, Paganini, anything Irish or traditional. Ugh, now this was going to have to become an event, and his afternoon would be spent preparing it.

Having finished filling the page with scribbles and improvements, he tore it off the clipboard and put in in his bag. New page. Now what?

His smiled reached his mouth when the request wasn't outright refused, like it could have been. With a push of enthusiasm he clasped his hands together and hummed thoughtfully. What to choose...if he was honest with himself he really didn't know. Or have much preference.

"Just go with whatever you're best with playing. Or what you like to" he decided, shrugging lightly. He pointed to the direction of the theatre lazily "-but the acoustics are much better elsewhere, wouldn't you agree?"

"Yes, this probably wouldn't be the best area" Risiko replied. He was thinking of the castle layout. "Where would you prefer?"

A number of memories played themselves quickly, including violin recitals, people at his past schools asking him to play to avoid classwork, and NDale in the forest. Risiko glanced up sharply at Crowley, suspicious and paranoid. "Wait, who all is this going to be for? Students, staff, just you or what? "

Crowley was already taking steps to the door "The music room I was thinking." He said over his shoulder with an impish sort of grin. "Just me. Come on- We can sneak around the school at night like we're rebellious" He was feeling cooped up anyway. Maybe a walk out to the theater would do him some good.

"Unless you've got other location ideas?" He inquired from the door frame.

Crowley's grin did not alleviate Risiko's paranoia, and it certainly didn't distance the manticore from the cheetah. He gathered his papers and clipboard into his bag and stood up from his seat slowly, still regarding the cook with suspicion.

"...Alright then" He said, following Crowley to the door. "The theatre sounds fine" As he approached closer he added. "I'll need to get my instrument though."