(Untitled)

[song_n_dance]

After the war was over, Cole had often told people at parties that he'd served in the French Foreign Legion, which an outright lie (though he told the story with such playfulness that he couldn't imagine anyone believed it anyway), even if he did have a number of fancy dress uniforms tucked away in a closet that were fun to trot out on occasion.

Comments

[homerinexile]

Donald hadn't seen Cole again since that day in the kitchen (and truly, it seemed strange to think of Cole Porter as a casual sort of acquaintance; something that made him smile each time he did it). to see him in the rec room at a piano was pleasing, but with his arm in a sling so bothered... Donald considered leaving the man alone, only speaking after a moment of considering. "Is everything well?"

[song_n_dance]

Cole looked up, and though he was pleased to see Donald, he could only sigh and say, "I have been better, my friend. My only consolation is that someday this will be an excellent story to tell at parties. I've been shot, you see." He gestured to his wounded arm. "Most uncomfortable and terribly inconvenient."

[homerinexile]

He'd heard of the shootings, likely he'd have had to be a hermit to not have. To know that someone he'd known had been affected, even someone he barely knew, it bothered him. "I'm sorry. You're well obviously, nothing vital?"

[song_n_dance]

"Vital? No, just my arm and my dignity. I hardly remember it at all, to be honest, and Jack swears that I was as brave as they come when he found me, but I highly suspect that I screamed like a child and swooned on the spot. Still, I am lucky to have escaped with my life, and with that sort of context, suddenly life here on the island does not seem so bad at all. Still, I will be glad when this ruddy sling is off and gone and I can play again. The doctor says my arm will pain me more if it doesn't heal properly so I'm bound by his orders on account of my own squeamishness in the face of pain."

[alaspoorwarrick]

I hear someone tickling the ivories, or trying, on my way down the hall to look for Nicky. There's music there, but it's not coming, and it makes me wince.

Ducking my head into the rec room to see who to blame for it, I see the problem right off. It's Cole Porter, with his arm in a sling from the shootout. I'd seen him that night, but with everything that happened, there'd been no time to talk. Jack had been with him at the time.

Seeing as how it's not some hack beating up the baby grand, I come on in. "Hey, man," I say with a nod, thinking it's probably weird to call Cole Porter 'man', but I'm hoping the friendly tone and smile while cover it over. "How's the arm?"

[song_n_dance]

"Both uncomfortable and inconvenient," Cole sighed. "Hello, Warrick. I'm afraid I can't offer to play for you unless you'd like your ears assaulted by this plinking mess."

[alaspoorwarrick]

"Doc say it'd heal all right?" I ask, not wanting to touch a sore spot if he didn't, but thinking of the bright side. I nod to the keys and shrug my eyebrows. "Working on something new?" New to him, I'd discovered, even if not new to me. I'd be lying if I didn't admit the idea we might get brand new never before heard Cole Porter tunes on the island had me as keyed up as a kid at Christmas whenever I saw him. "Or just want some music?"

Me, I don't like playing for an audience, and Cole Porter's not just any audience. But if it'd help, I'll stick my head down and try.

[song_n_dance]

"It should be fine," Cole assured him. "In a few weeks, anyway. In the meantime, I suppose I'll just have to build up the stock of lyrics in my head. I'd just started working on something before the accident."

He set his right hand down on the keys and played a simple melody. "Love for sale, appetizing young love for sale, love that's fresh and still unspoiled, love that's only slightly soiled..."

[patriotqueen]

The rec room had a musician in it and therefore Guy expected some good music to come from it. He had therefore not announced his entrance to the room - let the artist be the artist. However, it did not seem to be the case. "Catchy lyrics," Guy remarked as he picked up a book.

[song_n_dance]

"Guy, it is very unkind of you to mock my current predicament," Cole scolded, though he didn't seem terribly upset by it.

[patriotqueen]

"Pray tell, what is your current predicament?" Guy replied, entirely unaffected by the chiding tone.

[song_n_dance]

To be honest, Cole was a little annoyed that it wasn't big news by now, his being shot and all. Did this sort of thing happen around here often?

He gestured the sling around his left arm. "I think I would have preferred a bullet in the leg, given the choice."

[captainjack]

"Swearing. The next thing you know, you'll be smoking and drinking," a teasing voice came from behind him. "And then you'll be lost to your vices."

Jack stepped closer and sat backward on the bench, nudging Cole over so he could see his face.

"How are you feeling?"

[song_n_dance]

"Oh, I've been better," Cole sighed, then quirked a smile and added, "Though better now that you're here." He patted Jack's leg. "I've been wanting to thank you properly. I'm afraid I wasn't in a very coherent state during the ordeal."

[captainjack]

"That tends to happen when you get shot," he shrugged. "You're welcome...but don't worry about it. I've done stupider things than run towards a gun fight, I'm just glad that I got to you while you could still walk."

[song_n_dance]

"Yeah, I wouldn't want to have to carry me either," Cole chuckled. Then suddenly a little more somber, "I know you probably don't want to make a big thing of it, but still..." He brought his good hand up to Jack's cheek, resting his palm there.

He sighed. "I never seem to have the right words in real life."