Levi Open Post ((for nexus_crossings))

[tryingitall]

The angel Balthazar spends most of his time at Lucifer's villa these days, to no one's surprise. He hasn't let go of his apartment, though. He's only rearranged it for Levi's comfort. The sleek modern furniture has been replaced with antique reproductions, and the plain walls covered with art that matches the painter's tastes. Levi's very fond of copper, and shades of deep blue. The art studio that used to be dedicated to one small room has now expanded to encompass all but the bed and bathroom of the place. There are shelves of supplies, several paintings in progress, books and references, sculpting supplies, and in one room there is even a workspace dedicated to glass. Nothing bigger than jewelry or small vessels can be made there--there simply isn't enough space, but Levi relishes the opportunity to experiment.

It's weird having a time-share situation with his own body, but he can't deny that he's never had this much encouragement for his art before, neither in the way of supplies provided or financial support. If only Bart could have seen this!

Well, maybe he will, some day.

In the the meantime, even with all the opportunity surrounding him, sometimes when the angel retreats to let him play, all he wants to do is drink coffee and sketch and watch the world go by. That's what he's up to today, sitting on the veranda outside the lobby of the apartment building. It's late afternoon, and he's watching the tawny sky darken over the Nexus, listening to music of various ages and styles and planets drift from open windows in the apartment building above him. He's got an open sketchbook, a pile of charcoal pencils and tortillons he's stuffed into an empty dopp kit bag, and on the table at his elbow is a very foamy caramel-coffee drink, and a half-eaten plate of cheese fries.

It's hard to tell what he's drawing at a glance. It's a subtle swirl of gray, but if you sit with him long enough, a picture may emerge...

Comments

[chiaro_oscuro]

Ben's something of an artist himself, progressing from calligraphy to full-blown sketches. It's something he dips into as one of several strategies to help himself settle and calm, someone so agitated on the inside needs all the relaxing hobbies he can get, but outside of his talk with Hunter in the Plaza he hasn't met that many artists himself. It's not often that he ventures into the public spaces of the Nexus unless it's on business matters or he's hawking his wares, but he wanders the apartments.

That's how he's connected with Mantis, among others. It never hurts to get to know your neighbors. While he has very mixed feelings on how naive many Nexus inhabitants seem to be, he's in no position to complain about it and he's built some sturdy connections in this place.

"Mind if I make myself a cup?" While he doesn't have his grandfather's caf addiction, Ben will admit to a taste for it. He's convinced himself that it's good for his nerves, and in limited amounts it won't interact with his powers. "I see you're working on something. One of these days I'll have to show you a couple of my pieces. But maybe I'm being hasty - haven't even introduced myself. My name's Ben."

[tryingitall]

"Mm?" Levi's absorbed in smudging his lines carefully, blowing dust off the surface of the paper in between strokes of his paper stump. He gives Ben a mild nod when he approaches, but it takes him a minute to process the question he's being asked.

"Oh! I got mine from the cafe down the street, but there's always a regular coffee pot on in the lobby. Help yourself." The door behind him is propped half open, and the coffee counter is easily visible from where Ben stands. "Don't use the powdered creamer, it's shit. The little cups are okay, though. They got French Vanilla."

He has a strange accent, a blend of London, France, and Brooklyn. To people who've heard Balthazar speak, he sounds distinctly different, but since Ben is not one of those as of yet, he may not notice. "I'm Levi. Levi Gilman. Sit with me, if you wanna. I'd offer to share my fries but they got charcoal all over 'em now."

[chiaro_oscuro]

Oh, to be able to distract yourself in your work that easily. Ben wonders what Balthazar is working on, but it's not clear right now. "Thank you." There's a quick, barking laugh. "Once I come back with my cup, I'll join you. Interested to see what you're working on. I'll take your advice and pass on the fries. Besides, I had my fill of those not so long ago."

He's just glad to have those ridiculous clothes from the Cafe 80s off and replaced with something more appropriate. Still, he likes to think he handled his first Nexus LOL with some dignity. He only destroyed one arcade machine and Polybius deserved it.

Ben fixes himself a cup from the lobby - French Vanilla, as Levi suggested - and quickly returns. As invited, he takes a seat besides Levi and watches him work. "Art is a hobby of mine. Calligraphy's a skill I learned as a younger man, Mr. Gilman, and it's a step from that to drawing. I sometimes sell my better pieces in the Plaza sometimes."

[tryingitall]

"Sure, I don't mind company." He gives Ben a friendly nod, and, reminded that his fries are now less than edible, gets up to throw them out.

When they both return to their seats, he listens to the younger man's explanation and nods his understanding. "Calligraphy isn't my thing, but I always thought it was underrated. What's your medium? I haven't tried to sell anything yet. I'm not sure I'm ready for that life again."

[chiaro_oscuro]

"Paper. I sketch, sometimes in the Plaza and sometimes in the safer parts of the Wilds. I try not to get too far in. Easy to get lost there. Ben takes a sample drink of coffee, testing to see how it's cooled. "You were right, Levi. This is good."

Ben doesn't have his grandfather's caf addiction, but he's fond of the stuff. Food and drink from Earth are very alien to him, so he samples what he can out of curiosity. "It's a rare skill, where I'm from. Not to brag." This said with a small cocky smile.

[skeksisheretic]

When skekGra comes to visit Levi, he's brought urGoh the Wanderer with him. The Mystic looks around in his slow, deliberate way, reading the environment.

"urGoh! We're here to say hello to our friend, not to look at scenery!" He shakes his head at Levi apologetically. "Sorry about that, he does it on purpose to annoy me. That is my other half, urGoh the Wanderer. I don't believe we've met in person, exactly, though we've met your other half."

It was easy for them to grasp the concept of angels and vessels. Two creatures sharing one body - in a way, it's the opposite of their own situation, one creature divided into two separate bodies. skekGra wonders if that's what being an urSkek again will be like, or if the skekGra parts and urGoh parts will simply be fused together, as if they were never divided. Maybe that's what the Skeksis fear so much. It is death, of a sort. The Skeksis and Mystics have their own memories and experiences now that would be taken away.

The Wanderer speaks up next. "You...are Levi...right? We...know Balthazar. Pleased...to meet...you."

[tryingitall]

He was only half expecting visitors. Balthazar has made all sorts of contacts in the Nexus, among all sorts of species, and he's informed Levi about most of them. Good thing, too. The sight of the skeksis and the Mystic would definitely be surprising if he hadn't been aware of them already. As it is, he's still surprised to hear they've come specifically to see him, but in a good way.

"Hello," he greets with a wry grin. "Yeah, I'm Levi Gilman. UrGoh and skekGra, right?"

His accent differs from the angel's, but the voice is the same. His body language is different, too, more slouched and tired, but there's something sunny in the smile that carries over between them both. "Are these chairs all right for you to sit in? I was thinking of moving to the garden anyway; there are benches there."

Look, he may not have been expecting them, but he wants to be a good host now that they're here.

[skeksisheretic]

"That's us," skekGra says with a stately bow. If Balthazar watches them, he'll see urGoh rolling his eyes affectionately. skekGra is a bombastic old drama queen of a Skeksis, but he's urGoh's Skeksis and he loves him. "We'll go to the garden, if that works for you! A lot of chairs aren't really built for us. We're designing some of our own."

He gives a shrug with his primary arms. It comes with being a large, odd-looking alien in a multiverse inhabited by mostly humans and humanoids from what he's seen.

"He broke...a few," urGoh says. "Too...heavy." skekGra blamed the make of the chairs a few times, but even he eventually gave in and started using sofas and beanbag chairs instead. When he wasn't poking holes in them by mistake with his claws, that is. skekGra thinks human carpentry skills, while good, need some improvement, and who better to provide help than a former Lord of the Crystal.

skekGra gives Levi a toothy smile. "We're artists, too. Playwrights! Musicians! Historians!"

[tryingitall]

Levi knows from bombastic old drama queens. Angels are almost entirely bombastic old drama queens. "Sure thing! The garden's pretty inspirational, anyway, and the sun's good for me."

He tosses his fries away, since he was done with them anyway, but after a little bit of juggling he manages to carry his sketching supplies and the remnants of his coffee down the short path to the building's garden. There are benches and picnic tables, and he parks himself at one peacefully.

"Too heavy, really? You're tall but you don't look like you'd break a chair." He must be heavier than he looks. "I keep thinking someone should make chairs to fit the angels' wings better, too, but I'm no carpenter."

"That so?" He smiles. "I can make myself available if you want a hand painting sets sometime. I did that for a couple years for a theater in Chicago."

[skeksisheretic]

"We'll have to take you up on that offer." skekGra grins. "Hand painting set, eh? We know about theater, but we don't know so much about...Chicago, you called it? Is that some kind of Earth place? We don't know too much about the Earth."

"We're from...another planet," urGoh explains as the Mystic and Skeksis look over the garden and get themselves settled. "The planet...of Thra. We're...aliens."

"Well, to us Levi's the alien," replies skekGra in a huff. "There are no humans on Thra, and there are no Skeksis or Mystics on Earth. Besides, everyone's an alien here in the Nexus. It's a hodgepodge of people and stuff from everywhere in the multiverse. Don't confuse him. Sorry about urGoh, Levi, he's insufferable..."

urGoh finds himself a place on the bench, and if it's hard for a Skeksis it's even more awkward for a Mystic, with six functional limbs instead of four. Nevertheless, the Wanderer manages to get himself as cozy as possible.

"You're taking up too much space!"

[the_rebel_son]

Lucifer and Phenex were out walking because the younger angel could see the stress. They didn't know everything that was going on but the king was starting to isolate, never a good sign. They had been out drinking wine in galleries and giggling at some of the stranger alien items available for sale.

That was when Phenex saw the other angel and teased "There's the end of our night."

Attention pulled up Lucifer shakes his head. "No, you are the one that is going to shoo me away."

He's smirking at Phenex when they walk up. "Good evening, Levi."

Lucifer raises a brow at Phenex and the other angel flushes pink at the implication that was missed.

"Is my better half off playing without me?" Lucifer asks Levi still amused that he caught the other angel off guard with his comments.

[tryingitall]

If it were Balthazar, he would sense their approach. Levi, on the other hand, is only human, and he's absorbed in his work, so he doesn't look up until they're quite close. When he does, though, he breaks into a warm smile and puts his pastels aside. What he's drawing now looks like a study of tree branches, except that instead of leaves, the tree bears feathers, an asymmetrical arc of a wing wound around--and springing from--the trunk.

"He's here, he's just shut himself off to rest and let me play for a while," he tells Lucifer cheerfully. "I can let him back out if you need him, um..."

But. His gaze strays to Phenex. He'd like some time to talk with them, if he's being honest.

"How are you both doing tonight? Sorry it's been so long."

[the_rebel_son]

"I can wear him out more often if you want." Lucifer offers as he takes one of the chairs and spins it around to straddle the seat and lean on the back. This had nothing to do with sass and everything to do with comfort. Seat backs and this many wings weren't compatible. "I am glad the two of you have started to find a balance to share the body."

That was honest, but his eyes turned to Phenex who had too much politeness to sit without it being offered.

"I am well. The king needed dragged out of his dark study before he became surly and anti-social." Phenex comments in retaliation for the blush.

[tryingitall]

"When you say 'the body' it sounds like I'm dead," Levi makes a face, though he's not really offended. It's hard to know exactly how to refer to their situation, and Lucifer's wording is as good as any. "I don't think you need my encouragement to wear him out, either, but if you want to say I asked you to, go for it."

Seeing Phenex hesitate, he gets up and pulls out a chair for them with a little smile, half-shy, half knowing. It's hard not to notice that blush. "C'mon, you can sit, too. Either of you want coffee? There's a pot in the lobby."

[the_rebel_son]

"Vessel?" Lucifer is apologetic but he doesn't like the term vessel personally. "Vessel sounds like an inanimate object. Is there a better word?"

Lucifer just laughs. "I do not need to encourage it either. He is self motivating."

Phenex blushes even more as the chair is pulled out. They do take the seat. "Thank you." The angel suddenly becoming shy.

Lucifer finds this all very amusing. The two are orbiting in a way, a little more nervous each time. "There are benefits to being an angel. I am sure you have noticed."

Lucifer conjured his own glass of wine and a cup of cocoa for Phenex.

"Have you considered doing a gallery show here?" Phenex asks as they look in on the drawing.

"You should have an exhibition in your new gallery." Lucifer mentions to Phenex while sipping the wine glass.

[tryingitall]

Levi looks thoughtful then, nodding slowly. "Yeah, you have a point. I get the impression it's like that for some angels where he comes from. They either don't care or don't know how to care. There should be a better word. I guess we'll have to think of it."

He sits back down once Phenex is settled, giving them a warm smile and tilting the sketchbook so they can see. This is, the angels may be aware, an act of complete trust coming from an artist. "Working on textures," he explains. "The contrast of rough bark and soft feathers, I dunno. I wish I'd used regular pencil now, but I can try the same thing in a few mediums."

At the mention of a show, it's his turn to look shy. "Uh...I don't know if I have enough work together for a show yet. I have a couple half-finished paintings, a bunch of sketches, and some glass, and none of it's thematic. I could work on that, though."

[devilsphoenix]

"Unfortunate." Lucifer dislikes the thought of the humans that give so much to be treated so poorly. "When you decide on a suitable word, let me know."

"Maybe you should have an angel with the softest wings sit in for modeling." Lucifer can't help himself. It is painfully obvious that these two need to spend more time together and Lucifer is just drunk enough to try and get them to take advantage of opportunity.

"I am sure Phenex will find time to display your art when you have enough." Lucifer smiles mischievously at sharp look coming from Phenex over the overt undertones in Lucifer's words even if they wouldn't mind anything Lucifer mentioned.

[tryingitall]

"Well, they--uh, actually you should probably talk to Balthazar for his take. It sounds to me like most of them just don't know any better, somehow. The ones I've seen him talk to, the ones I remember were very...focused."

He trails off, then shakes his head. It's too serious a topic for a nice evening, but he has the same strong impression that Balthazar himself labors under. The Heaven he came from was very sick, indeed.

The teasing between Lucifer and Phenex is a merciful distraction, and Levi is canny enough to pick up on what's going on at once. He raises an eyebrow at Lucifer as if to signal that he knows exactly what he's doing, though he doesn't entirely seem to mind. "I'm not sure I can do angel wing justice," he admits, but then smiles at Phenex. "I should definitely visit the gallery, though, either way."

[the_rebel_son]

"I should. We do not talk much about either of our heavens. It is a stressful topic for either of us." It was something to think about for a later time. Certainly not a topic for now or when he's been drinking all day.

Lucifer just smiles all the more now that he has been caught. "Obviously, you need more time to study them and practice drawing."

Phenex finally stops staring at Lucifer and his incorrigible behavior to address Levi. "It is a gallery and center for the arts. You are always welcome."

It's not often that Lucifer finds himself feeling like a third wheel but there's a hint of that feeling now.

[tryingitall]

Levi nods thoughtfully. "Mostly he just gives me time when I ask for it, or when he wants a break, himself, but we were talking about kind of making a schedule. Especially since I'm feeling more and more like making art these days."

"It got kinda hard for a while, back before I met Balthazar. People act like being sad and lonely and drinking too much are just one of those things that make a writer or an artist what they are, but depression is actually a pain in the ass when you're trying to work."

He rests his chin on one hand. "It used to feel like all these emotions and half-formed ideas were floating in my head but there was something stopping them from coming out. It's getting better now, though."

[the_rebel_son]

"We have perfected the magic that would let him enter Chaos safely, with or without your presence. If he ever wants to spread his wings I can bring him into Chaos without worry of being seen." It was an offer to put on the table for one or both of them.

Phenex reaches out for his other hand. "If you want help I can come check in as much as you want."

Lucifer raises his brow at the other angel but only smiles. "Time can make it easier."

[tryingitall]

The idea of Balthazar leaving him completely sends a pang of anxiety through Levi, one which he wasn't quite expecting and isn't sure how to cope with. Phenex's gentle grasp for his free hand is timely, and after a moment where his expression flickers with uncertainty, he recovers a little and curls his fingers around theirs. "You know, I haven't been actually alone since he picked me up over a century ago, except for that one time he went off flying with you. I'm not sure...is it weird that that scares the hell out of me?"

Not like he wants to be dependent on an angel living in his brain, but you get used to things. "But I don't want to tie him down, either."

He glances at Phenex. "Maybe if I had company while he's away, sometime?"

Is he flirting? Maybe. Levi was never good at flirting, but he's pretty sure he's incapable of feeling lonely or unsafe with Phenex there.

[the_rebel_son]

"You have spent more than a human lifetime together. I think it is natural, but I think you would both benefit from time to yourself to be with others. I would never wish for anything permanent but hours, or maybe even days, could be worthwhile."

Lucifer just smiles like he's the cat that ate the canary. Phenex throws a pointed look at their king but then smile appears. Phenex nods. "It is my duty to be the company of artists but for you the company wouldn't be simply a duty. I enjoyed your company when we had the opportunity."

Lucifer nearly laughs at all the awkward almost flirting.

[tryingitall]

"It's a little like what I always thought having a twin would be like," Levi says thoughtfully, nodding at Lucifer's analysis. "Close enough that it feels weird to be without them for too long, but we're still our own people."

To Phenex, he says, "Maybe I could help with the gallery some? I have a couple shows under my belt, although most of what I got paid for was commercial art. There were a few critics that liked what I did, though."

Acclaim just never translated into financial success for him. But that's the case with a lot of artists.

"Hey. But it doesn't have to be all about art or my issues, either." He thinks a second, then smiles. "Breakfast in the park at dawn some time? The birds are most active then, and we can listen to them sing."

[devilsphoenix]

"You're always welcome at the gallery or if you'd like to teach a class." Phenex smiles and Lucifer has that third wheel feeling again.

"I don't sleep so I can come anytime. All you have to do is call." Phenex likes nature and the sunrise both.

Lucifer interjects because he can't resist. "I have always called Phenex the songbird because of thier voice and the birds come to where ever they land."

Phenex smiles and looks away shyly.

[tryingitall]

"Teach?" He blushes a little. "...I guess I could. Never tried, but there's a first time for everything. I've been playing around with glass some. I wouldn't mind teaching that."

He's pleased that Phenex agrees to the idea, but Lucifer's comment prompts a grin, a somewhat smug one that's very reminiscent of Balthazar. "See, I knew about the nickname. I listen. That's why I suggested the park."

Trust an angel to be a good wingman, though! Lucifer gets a quick wink for his trouble.

"Last few years of living in the city, I mostly only heard pigeons and house finches," he tells Phenex. "Not that they're bad, but I think the birds here have a wider repertoire."

[devilsphoenix]

"Only if you're comfortable." Phenex assures. "I haven't worked with glass since ancient times."

Lucifer shrugs. "There are probably birds here neither of you have seen."

Phenex's eyes light up and they look to Levi. "Would you like to go to the gallery and plan for breakfast?"

Internally, Lucifer is glad that someone else is taking initiative.

[ginger_firebird]

Far from concerning himself with sketchbook and canvas, Mantis plied his artistic endeavors into practical things. He's a bit of a tailor, a knitter, a crochet practitioner, and very occasionally, a composer. That said, he does admire those who can make form and line come together into a singular image.

Yaga is on his walking harness and making a good show of wanting to take to little bursts of flying as he climbs on things that interest him. His wings have come in quite well and Mantis is glad to know growth and health have made his catwing strong enough to start properly taking flight. That said, the catwing is a mix of two very distinct animal nosiness, and he pulls strongly on the lead to see what this man is up to with his bag and all his interesting things. Yaga sniffs at the dopp kit bag and tries to stand on it to see what can be found inside.

The former madman, however, is much more interested in the art that the new face is making. He clicks his tongue to get the catwing away from the bag and leans over slightly to see what's becoming of the sketchbook.

"My apologies for Yaga. He's hopeless about respecting personal space and property."

[tryingitall]

Levi would love to expand his repertoire, so to speak. Hence the glass studio upstairs in his own apartment. He can work with ceramics, as well, and stone, but materials were always the limiting factor. Some supplies are terribly expensive.

He starts slightly when the catwing hops up onto his kit and blinks down at it. "...Does everything here have wings now? Hey, doll," He sets his charcoal pencil aside and holds out a hand to the kitten, glancing up to give Mantis a nod of acknowledgement.

"I guess the leather smells good to animals. It's okay."

Mind you, leaning in to peer at his work in progress could also be classified as an invasion of personal space. Fortunately, Levi's used to that. You just can't draw in a public place without people wanting a look. It's hard to tell for sure what he's drawing just yet; it's still taking shape, but it's shaped a bit like a mushroom.

[ginger_firebird]

It's perfectly hypocritical of him to be nosy himself after chiding his catwing, but Mantis only has room at one time to manage one person's manners. For the time being, that someone was going to be little Yaga. The catwing sniffs at the man's hand before pressing his head against it. Then it's straight to sniffing around his feet instead. So many interesting things, so little time!

"Leather and shoes, usually. I think it's to do with how their senses are better than that of humans."

Mantis leans back slightly and lets his head fall slightly to one side. "It would stand to reason that someone in this place would be uniquely creative. That's...charcoal, isn't it? It always looked a bit like chalk to me."

[tryingitall]

Aww! Levi was a city-dweller and a little soft. He's fed stray cats out of his own lunchbox before. This one is clearly a well-kept pet and has wings, but it's the same body language. He scratches behind the ears gently, strokes the back of the neck down to the shoulders, and then just sits still to let his shoes be inspected.

"Well, leather's just animal skin when it comes down to it. And they are predators. Little tiny ones."

"Consistency is similar to dry chalk," he says, and offers Mantis one of the pencils to look at. "It's pretty forgiving to draw with, as long as you control where the smudges happen. Good for sketching. You can block out a lot of space with not too much effort. You draw at all?"

[ginger_firebird]

Yaga is a cat first, but there are some perching and flapping of wings that Mantis is still discovering as the kitten grows into his adult size. Bit like an owl with fur, really. The catwing rubs himself against the man's legs a few times and contents himself to a lay-down between the stranger and Mantis.

"He's stalked a number of things I've worked on at home. I've been doing my part to train him on a harness for when he fully gains the ability to fly."

Mantis takes one of the pencils and runs it between his fingers. It's lighter than the lead filled pencils he's used to. A couple of twitching fingers sends the pencil in a small baton twirl. "Mostly for planning patterns and clothes. I learned to make my own while growing up." He hefts the charcoal pencil much like one might test the weight of a weapon. "Might even have a use for something like this."

[ziggyplayedguitar]

Ziggy was out with his mother, both in lovely, brightly colored summer dresses. Aletayria's to the ground and Ziggy's, as expected, scandalously short. It was cooling down as the day started toward evening. It was finally survivable for the Antheans who were unused to this much heat.

He was taking his mother to get coffee. Truthfully, he had been dragging the poor woman around to experience new things for days now. When he sees someone he recognizes he starts walking over. His mother is even taller and thinner than he is but the family resemblance is clear.

"Hey, Baltha...." Ziggy trails off when he sense the person is mostly different. He's run into a lot of strange things lately and stares for a moment while he tries to figure out what is going on.

[tryingitall]

Levi takes note of the voice calling out relatively quickly, as he's in the midst of considering whether to get a refill on his coffee, rather than actively sketching. He looks up with an apologetic smile, ready to explain the distinction, but gets distracted by the short dress on Ziggy. He's only human.

"Err...hello," he greets with a look of mild surprise, then gives himself a little shake and starts over. "Levi, actually. I'm Balthazar's vessel. You're...the musician, yes? I don't always remember everything he sees or everyone he talks to, but you look familiar."

Aletayria does not, but he stands up to offer them each a gentle handshake. "Levi Gilman, ma'am. It's a pleasure."

[ziggyplayedguitar]

Ziggy does not mind the looks, attention is always welcome from admiring eyes.

"Vessel?" Ziggy tries not to think about what that means too much. Instead turning to amusement. "I'm the rockstar that looks like the devil."

Ziggy does shake his hand when introducing himself, Aletayria though presses his hand up palms together. Both of them have cool hands and delicate frames, the woman even more so than Ziggy. Her yellow eyes meet his and she reaches out gently with her mind to figure out what she's feeling. There's no insult among her people for this kind of surface contact.

"Aletayria... Jones." It as odd to use the blended name. "I'm Ziggy's mother. I see that the friends continue to be charming humans."

[tryingitall]

"It's an angel thing," he says. "Angels from his world at least. They need a human body to live in outside of Heaven. It's okay, I agreed up front."

And honestly, unlike many other vessels, he doesn't regret it so far. He grins at Ziggy's joke and nods. "Yeah, you sure do, minus the wings. Ziggy, right?"

He seems surprised by Aletayria's greeting, but he's not intimidated by the alien look to her, and the yellow eyes. He's been around angels a lot, of late. They're more than a little alien, themselves.

Levi's mind has delicate shielding, placed there by Balthazar himself, but it doesn't block out the flux of emotions. He's calm and content, enjoying the evening, impressed by Ziggy's sheer aesthetic charm. And when she says she's his mother, there's something a little softer creeping in, as if he's thinking about his own mother. She may also sense Balthazar's presence, hidden deeper beneath the surface, but peacefully still, like someone in deep meditation.

[ziggyplayedguitar]

Ziggy nods. "I understand the idea because of a friend." But there's definitely a sense in his presence that the person in mind is much more than a friend.

"Yes, Stardust. After my father's mission." Ziggy adds.

She is also calm, peaceful, and motherly. She glances between between Levi and Ziggy. "If you want a hug, I don't mind." Though she has no idea the exact context she can sense the surge of familial love.'

[tryingitall]

If anyone gets what kind of 'friend' he's referring to, it's Levi, who comes from a time and place when you simply couldn't refer to a same-sex lover as anything but a friend--unless you were rich and influential. He's not aware, of course, that Ziggy is coming at it from a different time period and perspective, but he smiles gently anyway, and nods.

He's surprised by the offer of a hug, but Aletayria gets a sheepish smile. "I'm okay. Just...my mom died when I was about twenty-two. We had some disagreements, but I miss her sometimes."

[ziggyplayedguitar]

Ziggy's world, tbough in a future era from where Levi's, had similar issues with deviant persons. Ziggy broke all those conventions and then some. The Nexus didn't stifle the inclination to hide. Ziggy leans in to his mother and then nods, getting up to fetch drinks. Levi can probably pick up on what telepathy looks like from the outside easy enough.

"I understand." She takes a deep breath and her own sadness creeps in. "My father's still alive but he's disowned me and forbid me from seeing family because of my choices. It's hard to lose a parent."

Especially when death wasn't even an issue. Losing a parent because they choose to leave felt harder to her though it didn't diminish this person's pain.

[sohoangel]

Aziraphale is out for a stroll in the Nexus, preferring the clear skies and mild temperature to the current gloomy London rain. He's left Crowley back at the flat above the bookshop, dozing in their bed, promising him some treats from an alien-run chocolate shop that happens to make the best raspberry truffles that either of them has ever had.

His wandering has led him past Balthazar's apartment building, thinking he might see if the fellow celestial is home and inviting him along to the chocolatier. He's initially pleased by the serendipity of Balthazar sitting outside and waves cheerfully, but his angelic senses tell him a moment later that it isn't Balthazar who is currently in control.

"Oh, um... hello." He puts his arm down and smiles politely, suddenly feeling a bit shy. "It's Levi, is it? I'm a friend of Balthazar's. Sorry to interrupt you."

[tryingitall]

It's Levi's first time meeting a number of Balthazar's friends and acquaintances today. Some he's recognized on sight, some he needed introductions for, but Aziraphale is one that occupies almost as much of the angel's affections as Lucifer, though those affections are strictly platonic in Aziraphale's case. Of course, Levi knows him on sight, and he breaks into a smile, putting his sketchbook aside.

"Aziraphale. Yeah, I know!" His body language and accent, the angel will notice, are quite different from Balthazar's. There's a weariness and slouch to his posture that the angel doesn't have, and there are hints of Brooklyn and London that are absent in Balthazar's accent. His gaze is a little softer, too, without the weight of eons of war.

"Were you looking for him? He's...sleeping, kinda. Gave me the day to draw."

[sohoangel]

"You know who I am?" Color the angel deeply surprised. He's aware that Balthazar and Levi communicate with one another, but he wasn't expecting instant recognition. He laughs a little, regaining his composure. "Well, I suppose that saves me the trouble of telling you what I am and all that. It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Levi."

The differences are obvious, even to someone without angelic insight. Aziraphale shakes his head a little at the question. "No, I mean... I just happened to be in the area and thought to say hello, but there's no need to rouse him. Besides, this is your day to enjoy yourself, I wouldn't want to disrupt that." He peers at the open sketchbook curiously. "What are you drawing?"

[tryingitall]

"Yeah, I know. He shares some things with me. Not usually whole conversations, but...impressions, I guess. I got the basics, and enough memory to know what you look like and sound like."

Enough, clearly, to put him at ease with the angel. "He's kind of emotional about other angels, honestly, but don't tell him I told on him. You can sit a while, if you have the time. I should probably talk to people more."

Levi tilts the sketchbook toward Aziraphale helpfully. "This is gonna sound dumb, but I'm drawing music. Which makes it mostly a study in texture and motion, with the charcoal. It's a pretty forgiving medium, but you can lose precision fast if you don't watch what you're doing."

It's very abstract, but there is something in the lines at the bottom that suggests cracks in a dry, flat plane, and then a sweep upward as if a wind was carrying clouds across a vast sky.

[sohoangel]

"Jolly good." Hopefully he left out the bit about Oscar Wilde. "He's told me a bit about you, or at least how you met. You're doing a great service, Levi, giving him a human vessel. It's a right inconvenience not to have one."

He takes the offered seat, sitting primly and folding his hands in his lap. "I hope I count as people," he jokes. "And I'd already gathered that about him, actually. I can be the same way. It's extra meaningful to meet an angel who is similar to me."

Taking a closer look at the drawing, he scoffs gently. "It doesn't sound dumb at all. I'm not as familiar with art as I am with literature, but many have tried to capture music in a visual medium. What kind of music has inspired this sketch?"

[tr1ckortreat]

"Not bad. I have to say I do like those forms you are creating..."

Loki had found himself at the top of the apartment building perhaps out of curiosity or perhaps because he had found out somehow about the man painting. Either way, he was entranced as to what the outcome would be. Loki, himself, appreciated art and the forms it produced, often sitting reading or even sketching himself when the need took him. The swirls of grey looked like dark clouds forming with an intent behind them.

The man was a stranger but Loki was gradually meeting new people all the time now he was a permanent member of the Nexus. The charcoal pencils caused the god to raise a curious eyebrow. He stepped closer, slowly placing both hands behind his back just watching, not intruding but casually remaining a silent observer.

[tryingitall]

Levi starts a little, having not quite expected a voice out of nowhere. Loki is stealthier than most who've approached him. He turns to look at the stranger, brow creasing a little because he's from the turn of the 20th century and those are, to his eyes, some strange-ass clothes. It's the Nexus, though, so that's bound to happen.

"Thanks, I think," he says with a wry smile. Drawing in public always draws spectators, so after a moment of studying the god and gauging whether he needs to feel unsafe around him, he decides to settle and go back to the work. "It's just sketching. I work in oil when I have a big idea. Or murals. I used to do a lot of murals back in the day. That was just to make money, though. Big adverts or prettifying public spaces."

[tr1ckortreat]

Sometimes Loki forgot just how stealthy he could actually be around those who did not sense him. The god offered the man a coy smirk and then walked up closer to study his work in detail. Murals? The kind that would appear on walls or the sides of buildings. Was this man a mortal painter?

"When you say "back in the day?" Are you referring to your own world? The one before you arrived into the Nexus?"

Was it possibly that this man was a time traveller? At least the inkling given off by his past tense hinted that he was from another time. Loki himself was from another time and indeed another realm entirely. Perhaps this painter had become another Nexus resident without even wanting to. Everyone was in the same boat. Yet, he was still using his craft and that meant his skills weren't wasted.

"I, myself, are not from this time also. Along with half the Nexus population."