Brooke's Musical Emporium Free For All

[tapdancinskelly]

Who: Everyone... and I mean everyone.
When: Sunday Afternoon
Where: Brooke's Musical Emporium
Summary: Brooke has a million little things he wanted to do with people.  He has a date with Alice, He has violin lessons with Rikku, he has a re-match duel with Mitsuru, He wanted to chat with Sanji about dating, he was going to have tea with Sookie, he was

Comments

4:45 PM

[nurserabbit]

"Hey, Brooke... about that date I promised you. I think I'll have time off from work soon. Are you free?"

Alice sent her friend the text message as she waited for the thermometer to take her patient's temperature. She felt rather bad that work had to eat up most of her time once again, but she guessed that if she could find a way to spend time with the people she liked whenever she could... then perhaps she wouldn't feel so bad about always being in the hospital anymore.

She pocketed her cellphone-type NV and got back to her work. If Brooke sends a message back, she'd make sure to check it.

4:50 PM

[tapdancinskelly]

Brooke had silenced his NV while he was playing his piano and as such did not notice the text message until his song had finished. Brooke's nonexistent blood raced at the message that was left there and he quickly responded as fast as his flanges could type.

"I sure am! Come by my shop in sector 3 any time, and I'll be waiting there for you."

Brooke hurried off to make more preparations for his date, making sure his violin was tuned, his menus were straight, and his roses were ready. He had been really nervous about this date and had asked many of his friends for advise, and almost all of them said flowers, which is something Brooke would have already done. So he had grown flowers just for this occasion, and they had just bloomed yesterday. As an afterthought, Brooke hurried back to his NV and put in the coordinates for his store.

6:12 PM... s-sob!

[nurserabbit]

Alice's bike rushed down almost recklessly down a street, driving passers-by out of her way. She told Brooke she was going to be there soon! She was sure her work would have ended by five at the latest, but no. Of all the days to be stationed at the emergency room. It wasn't that she hated how well timed that patient came-- but perhaps she never let herself become selfish enough. Instead of asking another nurse to work in her stead, she devoted her time to taking care of that child who carelessly swallowed something toxic.

Tears stung the corners of her eyes. She didn't have the time to change into something more appropriate for a date. So she biked all the way from the hospital to the Emporium in Sector 3. In any case, if the sirens went off, Alice was sure she'd be alright. She had dealt with evening darkness before. What mattered most now was that she could get to Brooke for the date she promised him.

Quickly, she got off her bike, chained it up and rushed into the store.

4:50-6:12 PM... let the sobbing commence!

[tapdancinskelly]

Brooke had been waiting nearly an hour and a half for Alice to come by for their date and had, had a table he kept intentionally open just for them. Brooke sighed as the minutes had ticked by, and eventually started feeling a little... sad. He was rather certain at this point he had been stood up, and he worried that it most likely was the fact that he was a skeleton. Or perhaps it was the whole panties thing, or perhaps she just came to her senses and realized that he wasn't good enough for her.

He had looked up every time someone had entered the door hoping it was her, but when it wasn't he simply got more worried. Finally reaching the end of his excuses to himself, he did what he did when he felt deep emotion, he played his violin. Brooke recorded himself on the violin with one of the devices in his store, and then played it back as he played the piano, creating a duet with himself. He played a song to match his mood and the song that he played with himself, went like thisBrooke had stopped looking up from his piano when

6:12 PM M-much sobbing to be had ;A;

[nurserabbit]

Through the din of the sad music, the sound of Alice entering the room wasn't heard. She wrung her gloved hands, her eyes puffy and wet with tears. She must have really hurt Brooke's feelings by not coming on time. But... at least she did arrive, didn't she? By this time, she noticed how Brooke seemed to be lost in his music.

It was sad, yet it was terribly beautiful, like any true musician's work really was. At least this was what she could do for him, right? So, she stood a little behind him, but also a little to the side as well so she could watch as his bony fingers danced along the ivory keys.

And when the last notes from the violin fell from the recorder, Alice softly applauded, hoping Brooke would turn and notice her there, listening to him all this time.

[tapdancinskelly]

Brooke nearly jumped at the sound of the clapping, and he thought it was perhaps one of his employees taking pity on him, until of course he turned and saw her face. He was completely shocked, and his sorrows flew out the window as he tripped over himself, getting out of his chair to greet her. "You're here! I thought... I... you..." Brooke was simply at a loss for words having thought she'd had simply stood him up. He then remembered that he had, had some sort of plan in in mind for this date, but gave up on remembering them and simply handed her the bouquet of flowers he had prepared.

"Yoho, these are for you my lady, I'm sorry I didn't greet you when you came in, I didn't realize you were here! I should have payed more attention, but now you're really here! Yohoho, I was so worried that maybe you... well nevermind all that, would you like some tea?" Brooke wiped his eye sockets where he was surprised to find he actually did have some tears despite the lack of tear ducts.

[nurserabbit]

"Thank you so much, Brooke!" Alice smiled, the little wetness at the corners of her eyes shining a little. "I'm really sorry I was late. There was a sudden emergency that kept me back for an hour..."

She chuckled lightly, her heart a little heavy for still keeping Brooke up like this.

"... maybe I forget to be selfish a little too often."

[tapdancinskelly]

Brooke looked her straight in the eyes, his voice taking a slightly more serious tone. "I don't think selfish is the right adjective. You are always looking to help others out to the point where you neglect yourself, and it's not selfish to take care of yourself. If you want to help others, you have to be sure to take care of yourself, and that means you need to stop and take a break now and then, like drinking tea with me. There's an old saying that goes, before you remove the log from your neighbor's eye, remove the splinter from your own. It's all well and good to take care of people, but you can cut your own effectiveness if you don't take just as good care of yourself."

Brooke smiled, deciding that it might be best to move on to another subject. "But you did make it here, which was the important thing!" He pulled out her chair for her and bowed as he asked, "How may I serve you this evening my lady?"

orz I'm so sorry this took so long!

[nurserabbit]

Alice stood still for a moment, the sound of Brooke's words hitting her like some kind of important thought. Yes... Brooke was right. Sometimes, Alice had to remember to take care of herself by letting herself enjoy things. She took a breath and returned the skeleton's smile.

"I'm really happy I was able to make it here after all... I didn't want to totally let you down, Brooke. You're a wonderful friend."

She sat down, that little smile playing on her lips.

"I guess I'm pretty hungry..."