Anti-OTP: John/Cyrano

[john_ofdarkness]

John's managed to cadge a script from one of Cyrano's actors, and he's currently got it propped up on a music stand near the piano. Atop the piano itself, he has his own book of blank staff paper, onto which he occasionally transcribes a particularly good bit of improvisation. He's been in need of a new project lately, and there are very few comedies that wouldn't benefit from a little incidental music.

Comments

[cyranosavignien.livejournal.com]

Cyrano doesn't know anything about music - so he'll stop by, curious, and observe the piano man from a respectful distance.

He hates to be disturbed when he works, so he supposes the same applies, but the grin on his face probably betrays the fact that he enjoyed that last bit of cheer.

[john-ofdarkness.livejournal.com]

When John notices him, he'll regard Cyrano coolly over the glasses that he wears when he's writing. "Thought that might do for the big reveal of your play, hmm?"

[cyranosavignien.livejournal.com]

"Rather." He grins. "I suppose introductions are already half done," but he still gives a bow - curt and military. "It is fitting, quite so."

[john-ofdarkness.livejournal.com]

"John Jeckyll. Pleased to meet you--your nose isn't nearly as big as I'd been led to believe."

[cyranosavignien.livejournal.com]

Eyebrow. "Well then. I suppose I should take exception to that, but...." he shrugs. "I promised a lady I would not."

[john-ofdarkness.livejournal.com]

"No, no, you shouldn't. It's handsome, duck." He looks amused, but not as though he's laughing at Cyrano.

[cyranosavignien.livejournal.com]

Duck? that actually amuses Cyrano. "My thanks, then, I suppose." He grins. "I don't think any man has ever mentioned my appendix and been spared a duel. My congratulations."

[john-ofdarkness.livejournal.com]

It shouldn't, since John calls everyone that, but still. "You needn't be so sensitive about it. People might think you're compensating." He turns back to the piano, putting his glasses aside and playing what he's begun to think of as the overture.

[cyranosavignien.livejournal.com]

Compensating? That earns him a sort of frown. But. He moves to be able to see John's hands on the piano, and pays attention to his work - those are handsome hands, skilled, clearly.

[john-ofdarkness.livejournal.com]

Sorry; John can't help the snark. It's like breathing by now. When he's finished the bit he's drafted, he'll look up again, inquiringly. "A bit of music before the show?"

[cyranosavignien.livejournal.com]

"Si la musique est bonne...." He smiles, "An overture does sound like it would be rather a good mood-starter."

[john-ofdarkness.livejournal.com]

"I'm offering my services." Leaning back a little, half-straddling the piano bench, brows arched as though the offer is not entirely musical.

[cyranosavignien.livejournal.com]

A bit of an eyebrow, but not a refusal - merely surprise at how straightforward an approach this is.

"And they might well be accepted, Monsieur," he gives a curt nod.

[john-ofdarkness.livejournal.com]

"Might they."

[cyranosavignien.livejournal.com]

"Perhaps, if the main piece is as talented as the overture, and as gallantly offered," but that's clearly praise, John.

[john-ofdarkness.livejournal.com]

"I'll do what I can." He takes what praise he can get. "Have you got your Fanchon a tune for that song near the end? It might be nice to do a bit of subtle accompaniment."

[cyranosavignien.livejournal.com]

"I've not, but I have no idea that Lamora can press a melody, if you ask me." He chuckles - he's actually pretty sure that Locke can't sing.

[john-ofdarkness.livejournal.com]

"Damn. Did you write the song out, make it a recitation rather than a melody ...?" He's thinking now about how to give it the air of being a song, even recited a la Tony Curtis in Spartacus. And now he's thinking about oysters and snails and a bath scene that was exactly his kind of creepysexy.

[cyranosavignien.livejournal.com]

"Recitation was the intention, in truth. I suppose you have a plan in mind, already?"

And what that plan might be about is completely up for interpretation.

[john-ofdarkness.livejournal.com]

Ignore the epic fail of that HTML. O_o

"Something like a plan. Give me a few minutes to think of a decent melody--unless you have one in mind?"

[cyranosavignien.livejournal.com]

"The playwright would never dare impose his whim, Maestro..."

[john-ofdarkness.livejournal.com]

A smirk. "As a playwright, I don't believe it." He leafs to the song, humming under his breath. He has a thin singing voice, made worse by his smoking habit; he's not bad at humming, though, and soon enough he has something like a passable tune. He chords for it almost carelessly, more good old-fashioned music theory than an attempt at creating an emotional effect with the music. It's hastily put together, but hints that a better version might be forthcoming.

[cyranosavignien.livejournal.com]

It's definitely different from what 18th century Cyrano is used to, but he can tell that there is talent there, and the tune is fitting, no matter how fastly crafted it can me.

"Impressive improvisation," he says, when John takes a pause. "Perhaps to test it with a recitatif...."

[john-ofdarkness.livejournal.com]

"A recitatif will sound worse than a melody, if your actor can't sing." He's seen some absolutely terrible productions of Patience that have convinced him of it forever.

[cyranosavignien.livejournal.com]

"I would have to take your word for it," he murmurs, taking the script and re-reading the concerned page distractedly. "But let us try it, to see."