fandomhigh | Library, [10/31]

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Library, [10/31]

It would be a very, very silly mistake to assume that, just because today was Halloween, Jonothon wouldn't be in the library.

Okay, granted, Jono actually liked Halloween, particularly on this side of the ocean, where being a little freakish and a little frightening was more or less encouraged. He could handle that. In fact, he did 'freakish and frightening' like a pro.

... That said, wearing the costume that he'd worn to Petey Sci-Fi last night was about as good as he was going to be able to do. He'd spent money on the damned thing, he might as well get some use out of it, even if he couldn't play his rock-and-roll horn while singing Hot Patootie.

Some of the effect was probably lost on the fact that he was way, way more scrawny than Meat Loaf.

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Ariel beamed for a moment, giving a little turn to show off her fake fabric (and sparkly!) fins, and bob her head in appreciation. "Why, thank you," she said. "I figured, Halloween, right? Better go all out for something you're definitely not."

Definitely.

Not.

Ahem.

"I like the idea of a rock'n'roll motorcyclist! It suits you!"

//It's not much of a stretch for me,// Jonothon noted. //I play a guitar, ~~Eddie~~ Freddie plays a saxophone. He rides a motorbike as well, but I don't actually own one.//

He really wished that he did, though.

And another parallel that Jono wasn't bringing up was the fact that Frddie also ended up without his insides through the course of the film.

//I suppose some of us are less into making big stretches than others. Good on you for being daring, luv.//

Ariel turned a bit pink at his compliment, but not too much. Really, running the risk of it being revealed that she wasn't exactly stretching was even more daring. "Thanks! And you should have borrowed my saxophone! Complete the look. Or given your guitar a costume, too, and make it look like a saxophone!"

//Saxophone guitar?//

... Actually, that was a thought that kind of intrigued Jonothon more than a little, yes.

//It's tempting, honestly. Though I'm afraid I wouldn't have th'time to throw something like that together now. I imagine it would be a bit of a bother for me to ask you if it's too late to borrow yers? I obviously wouldn't attempt to play it.//

The thought to make him a costume for his guitar had struck Ariel, but she planned on going trick-or-treating, and so she really didn't have the time to do it, either. "I'll go get it!"

She turned to flounce off and run to fetch the instrument, which was fairly interesting considering how the tail's design restricted her movement. It also meant that it took a bit longer than usual to get to her room and back, so he would have plenty of time in between when she left and when she came back brandishing the instrument happily.

"Here you go!"

Lord, that was a beautiful instrument. Jono reached out to take it with the sort of reverence that a priest might reach for the Holy Grail, giving it a long, careful look-over before nodding a little, satisfied.

//Thank you very much, Sunshine. I'll have it back t'you tomorrow.//

It was pretty shiny, Ariel had to admit, but, as far as she was concerned, with the playing it and being terrible parts to consider, shiny was about all it had going for it.

So she waved her hand dismissively. "No rush! I'm just glad to help!"

But it was a saxophone, Ariel! And it wouldn't shoot soot into Jonothon's face! That had to mean something good, right?

//Well, if yer sure...// He looked at the horn for a moment, and then raised an eyebrow at Ariel. //How are you comin' along with this, anyhow?//

Like she was torturing dolphins whenever she tried to play it...

But Ariel wasn't going to say that, of course.

"Oh, great!" she said, head bobbing. "Really great. I practiced last week and everything!"

For about five minutes, but that still counted.

Jonothon considered that response. Last week? And then he turned the sax around and held it out toward her.

//Then I suppose you wouldn't mind giving me a demonstration?//

....mean, Jono! Mean.

Ariel's expression dropped and crashed to the floor, and she stared at Jono a moment as she tried to recover. She blinked, then held out her hands to take the saxophone back.

"Of course I wouldn't!" she chirped, finding her smile again.

...but not exactly taking the steps toward a performance.

//Oh, good. I look forward to hearing what you've learned,// Jonothon replied.

And then he crossed his arms over his chest and raised his eyebrows at her.

The ball is in your court now, little mermaid!

Indeed it was. Ariel considered trying to talk her way out of it, but not even her imagination would allow her to attempt going against that eyebrow.

So she sighed, held her fingers along the proper keys, and closed her eyes for a second. She brought the instrument to her mouth, and started to play.

She was thinking Ode to Joy. It came out sound more like Dirge of Beached Whale.

...

//You practised just last week, you were saying?//

Really. Jonothon could tell. Lord.

Ariel bit her lip as she moved the saxophone away. "I'm getting much better, don't you think?"

Jonothon bit back his own knee-jerk reaction of 'better than what,' instead projecting a little sigh as he gave his shoulders a shrug.

//Would you find somebody to practise with helpful at all, luv?//

He was... very strategically avoiding a direct answer to her question, yes.

Ariel frowned, wondering who Jono hated so much that he would foist that upon them.

"I'm not sure," she said. "I'm sure if I just keep practicing..."

Once every week for about five whole minutes...

Then in about thirty years, she might manage to master 'Twinkle Twinkle!'

//I wouldn't mind setting aside some time every week to go over th'books with you, luv. I really don't know my way around a saxophone either, but music is music.//

Famous last words.

Ariel's nose was wrinkling doubtfully, especially since she really didn't want Jono to start sharing a few verses on the same page as Sebastian, but that was the difference: she was actually good at singing. Saxophone, not so much, so maybe if he experienced it first hand, he's start to realize...

So she found a slowly hopeful smile and asked, "Do you think that might help?"

//Well, it can't hurt,// Jono replied, thus demonstrating his own horrible naivety in the matter. //If nothing else, it might help you focus a bit more. I know I got frustrated easily enough, when I was new with my guitar.//

Which had been just about forever ago.

Ariel was pretty sure she could debate that hurting point, but she wouldn't. After all, how bad could it really get?

So she shrugged in her own naivety and said, "Sure. When should we? Maybe on Tuesdays when I come in to visit you at the shop?"

//That would make sense,// Jono mused. //I have my guitar with me those days, and we've got the entire shop's contents t'draw from, if we're ever at a loss as to what to practise.//

"There we go, then!" said Ariel happily. "We have a plan!"

One she would now picture winding up with Jono, ears not quite bleeding but almost, giving up and sighing with a declaration of Let's drop the whole thing, luv, it's time much better spent listening to actual music instead.

Clearly, Ariel did not fathom exactly how stubborn Jonothon really was, then.

//I'll see you on Tuesday, then.// He looked rather pleased with himself, actually. //And Ariel? Do try to get some practise in before then, would you?//

"You know today's Sunday, right?" Ariel pointed out. "And it's Halloween, so that only leaves tomorrow..."

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