Collins seemed to consider that for a short moment before he nodded in acceptance. He hadn't run into trouble he couldn't handle on his own but he made an effort to know how to win the game before he played it. Then there was larger matters like this place--he could see where getting mixed up in something that wasn't planned for and was much larger scale than usual might mean taking extra steps to win. Including using pawns to get close enough to the target to finish it.
"I see," he said with one last nod. "Whatever it takes ta get tha job done. Must have been somethin' major ta force ya ta do what wasn't usual, I take it."
"Oh - gods of death, a threatened mass invasion of brain-eating monsters, mad cultists. World-ending matters." He sighs. "Really needed the attention of heroic types with experience of such apocalyptic situations, but I got thrown into the mess as well."
His eyebrows rose slowly as Astarion said his list. "Aye, that would do it I suppose. Sounds like an adventure no one would want ta take alone. Or at all." He tilted his head to one side. "How did that work out?"
"Ah," he nodded in understanding. "So it was all that that got ya. Can't say I'm surprised with a list like that." He pursed his lips briefly in thought. "Do ya think yer world's doomed?"
"Maybe? I honestly don't care." He takes a long sip from the wine glass,
relishing it. "The place had very little to offer me even before people
started growing tentacles and eating their friends."
He paused to consider the implications. It wasn't necessarily that he hadn't heard the rumors of such being true, but that he hadn't put much thought into it. "You would go ta someone else's world then?"
He seemed to consider it for a little while longer as he sipped his drink for a moment. Then he waved his hand dismissively in the air as if to scatter the thoughts like flies.
"To tha future not bein' on fire," he said in toast and took one more drink before needing to refill his glass. "Fer now, let's have a bit of relaxation and fun. Leave tha serious thoughts behind fer a while at least."
"Aye," he answered as he leaned forward to rifle through the sheets for a bit. He brought a few pieces to the fore-front of the pile. "There's a few. Got an assortment, but wanted ta make sure there were a few good ones in there at least."
Upon inspection, the assortment of pieces that Collins brought to the forefront ranged from old classical Greek music to traditional Irish folk songs, transcriptions of songs from Collins's time of the late 1800s and early 1900s era that Collins would easily recognize, and even a few more modern songs that even Collins didn't really know but had checked they did, in fact, come from Earth. He pointed out the ones that he knew and favored and if Astarion already knew how to read them he might pick up on the fact that some seemed like they very much were shanties and bar drinking songs.
Oddly enough, Astarion has already learned that Earth and Toril share
similar musical notation - enough that using the former's sheet music
hasn't really presented a challenge. He picks up the sheet Collins has
brought to the top of the pile and hums through the first few bars - a
sailors' shanty or folk song, he thinks, something easy to play, with a
clear rhythm.
"Let me try this before I get any deeper into this bottle," he decides,
and picks up his lyre.
Collins smiled as Astarion picked up his lyre. He was all too happy to hear the lad play one of the familiar tunes. Not only that but he wanted to know how Astarion was doing with picking back up the art. He was grateful the man would play for him.
The Irishman was quiet as Astarion started the piece, content to listen and appreciate. But the song was familiar and the tune easy, and before too long he was humming along and then picked up the lyrics when the song entered a new stanza. He sang softly so as not to overpower the lyre but it was more fun than he'd had in a long while to sing along to beautiful music.
There's no protest on Astarion's part. The music is clearly intended to be sung to, after all - and although he's growing more confident with practice, his playing smoother overall, his mouth still twitches unhappily at every misplucked string or drop out of tempo. Having Collins distract himself from those mistakes with his own singing is a relief.
He ends with a light flourish and smiles. He's never going to make it as a bard, but then again, he never particularly wants to.
"I hope I didn't butcher that too bloodily, darling."
Collins seemed undisturbed by any small mistakes in the music. Sometimes these things just happened, and Astarion was improving overall. He was quite pleased with their little impromptu duet.
"Nah, lad, it was wonderful. Thank you fer playin'. I hope ya enjoy tha music and we can to this on occasion if ya like tha company."
Collins certainly did. He enjoyed the easy banter and the drinking partner and the casual music session. He hoped they could enjoy the time together as often as wanted. There wasn't much else to enjoy on this ship than a decent friend's company from time to time.
"I think we can. A small, consistent audience would be - helpful."
And he's not...entirely sure he wants many people to know he does this
much? Honestly, he'd only dropped a hint to Jedao in the first place so
he'd have a few easy garottes. Anything he does which goes beyond his
familiar spheres of sex and violence feels somehow...fragile. Embarrassing,
even.
Collins smiled encouragingly. "It would be my pleasure, lad. Anytime tha notion hits ya."
He obviously had no qualm in asking Astarion out for company so extending that courtesy to work work both ways actually pleased him. He would be delighted to help encourage both the music and the budding friendship.
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"I see," he said with one last nod. "Whatever it takes ta get tha job done. Must have been somethin' major ta force ya ta do what wasn't usual, I take it."
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"Oh - gods of death, a threatened mass invasion of brain-eating monsters, mad cultists. World-ending matters." He sighs. "Really needed the attention of heroic types with experience of such apocalyptic situations, but I got thrown into the mess as well."
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Astarion barks a quick laugh.
"Well, I died," he points out. "So, suffice to say that I have some reservations as to our progress."
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"Maybe? I honestly don't care." He takes a long sip from the wine glass, relishing it. "The place had very little to offer me even before people started growing tentacles and eating their friends."
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"No, no. But my options aren't merely the Barge and the Sword Coast. If one graduates, they can go wherever they please."
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"I'd happily pick one at random," Astarion says, shrugging. "As long as it's not on fire, it'll be an improvement."
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He seemed to consider it for a little while longer as he sipped his drink for a moment. Then he waved his hand dismissively in the air as if to scatter the thoughts like flies.
"To tha future not bein' on fire," he said in toast and took one more drink before needing to refill his glass. "Fer now, let's have a bit of relaxation and fun. Leave tha serious thoughts behind fer a while at least."
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"Of course, darling," he says, then lifts his glass in kind and takes a sip. "This music you found, is there anything here from your home?"
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Upon inspection, the assortment of pieces that Collins brought to the forefront ranged from old classical Greek music to traditional Irish folk songs, transcriptions of songs from Collins's time of the late 1800s and early 1900s era that Collins would easily recognize, and even a few more modern songs that even Collins didn't really know but had checked they did, in fact, come from Earth. He pointed out the ones that he knew and favored and if Astarion already knew how to read them he might pick up on the fact that some seemed like they very much were shanties and bar drinking songs.
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Oddly enough, Astarion has already learned that Earth and Toril share similar musical notation - enough that using the former's sheet music hasn't really presented a challenge. He picks up the sheet Collins has brought to the top of the pile and hums through the first few bars - a sailors' shanty or folk song, he thinks, something easy to play, with a clear rhythm.
"Let me try this before I get any deeper into this bottle," he decides, and picks up his lyre.
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The Irishman was quiet as Astarion started the piece, content to listen and appreciate. But the song was familiar and the tune easy, and before too long he was humming along and then picked up the lyrics when the song entered a new stanza. He sang softly so as not to overpower the lyre but it was more fun than he'd had in a long while to sing along to beautiful music.
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There's no protest on Astarion's part. The music is clearly intended to be sung to, after all - and although he's growing more confident with practice, his playing smoother overall, his mouth still twitches unhappily at every misplucked string or drop out of tempo. Having Collins distract himself from those mistakes with his own singing is a relief.
He ends with a light flourish and smiles. He's never going to make it as a bard, but then again, he never particularly wants to.
"I hope I didn't butcher that too bloodily, darling."
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"Nah, lad, it was wonderful. Thank you fer playin'. I hope ya enjoy tha music and we can to this on occasion if ya like tha company."
Collins certainly did. He enjoyed the easy banter and the drinking partner and the casual music session. He hoped they could enjoy the time together as often as wanted. There wasn't much else to enjoy on this ship than a decent friend's company from time to time.
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"I think we can. A small, consistent audience would be - helpful."
And he's not...entirely sure he wants many people to know he does this much? Honestly, he'd only dropped a hint to Jedao in the first place so he'd have a few easy garottes. Anything he does which goes beyond his familiar spheres of sex and violence feels somehow...fragile. Embarrassing, even.
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He obviously had no qualm in asking Astarion out for company so extending that courtesy to work work both ways actually pleased him. He would be delighted to help encourage both the music and the budding friendship.