OOM: Concert, part 2

[electro_kinetic]

The stage itself is backed by a huge screen, big enough to nearly be an IMAX presentation, and the orchestra is in front, chairs empty. They're fashionably close to the starting time, because Noriko hates being late, and she didn't want to be too early: tucking her free hand in her coat pocket she walks with Hannibal, trying to keep her heels from clicking too loudly on the floor.

The seats printed on both tickets are quite good, being the center of the closest balcony, where the sound will blend and amplify without too much distortion, and a clear view to both the screen and the plalyers, but before they see any of that, there's the lobby to get through.

"Wow," Nori says, looking up at the starburst lights. "This place is pretty huge."

Comments

[electro_kinetic]

"Hannibal, don't," Noriko whispers, but he's already talking.

Unfortunately, their unintentional third-wheel isn't listening to either of them, and keeps going. "That's disgusting, you're gonna let a her sit next to you?" he asks, derisive at best, and Noriko just closes her eyes again, and her posture gradually hardens into a stiff unhappiness.

[cook_the_rude]

"Do I have to get an usher to escort you out?" Hannibal answers, exasperated.

[electro_kinetic]

"Fuck you," the man replies, as Noriko just sighs, and her shoulders straighten and set. "She's the one that doesn't need to be here."

Noriko doesn't blush much or often, but the back of her neck is beginning to turn red.

[cook_the_rude]

Hannibal stands, and whispers 'Excuse me' to the person on the other side of him.

[electro_kinetic]

"Where are you going?" Noriko asks in a whisper, legs tense as if to stand.

[cook_the_rude]

"Get an usher, of course, to stop this nuisance," Hannibal whispers back

[electro_kinetic]

Noriko sighs and lays her head back. She can hardly stop him, not without making a bigger problem.

[cook_the_rude]

Hannibal soon returns with two large and worried persons in subdued uniforms.

[electro_kinetic]

Noriko's body language is so tight by the time they come back that she's halfway sure they're going to reach for her, not the guy behind her still giving her the death glare. And because--she assumes--he's a white man and she is neither, one of the uniforms touches her shoulder and makes her jump.

"This man is bothering you, miss?" he asks, and the glow flares brighter for a second before she can stop it. She nods mutely.

[cook_the_rude]

"We simply want to listen to the music in peace," Hannibal stages-whispers, put upon.

One of the ushers, the younger and burlier one, bends to the offending bigot and murmurs to him. Heads around turn, there are general shushing noises, and the man gets up, grumbling.

[electro_kinetic]

"You know that's only going to make it worse," she says, sinking into her chair. Not in the least because now it looks like Noriko can't handle hecklers, but that's hardly something she's going to mention to Hannibal. "Nothing about rudeness this time?"

[cook_the_rude]

"It was very rude of him," Hannibal says, "but I wasn't going to take him on here. If he jumps at us afterwards, in a quiet alley, we can deal with him. But now, more music!"

[electro_kinetic]

"Man, if he jumps at us in an alley later, I'll take care of him."

[cook_the_rude]

"If you want to," Hannibal says, "but I put dibs on his liver."

[electro_kinetic]

Noriko turns her head. "You are out of your mind, Hannibal."

[cook_the_rude]

"You think so?"

He smirks at her, as if he had been trolling her, or maybe just pulling her leg.

[electro_kinetic]

"Pretty sure," she says slowly. "Previous experience and all."

[cook_the_rude]

"I am actually quite securely inside my mind," Hannibal whispers, "and like it there. But now, shush."

[electro_kinetic]

Noriko resists the urge to elbow him for that, but she does roll her eyes. Luckily and happily, though, the next piece is one of her favorites, Dance of the Hours. She settles back in her chair to listen, and watch the film playing on the immense screen.

It's pleasant, the way the music fits to the animation, and they make it through the rest of the first film without any further complications, until intermission.

[cook_the_rude]

When the applause dies down after the last piece before the intermission, Hannibal stands and offers his hand, politely.

[electro_kinetic]

Noriko gives him a look askance at that, lifting her chin and cocking her head. "What?" she asks.

[cook_the_rude]

"Let us get up and have a little something," Hannibal says. "It's the intermission."

[electro_kinetic]

"You want me to eat with you," she says. "For real."

She remembers how that usually goes, Hannibal.

[cook_the_rude]

"To sip some orange juice or nibble a canapé, prepared by others," Hannibal says, far too polite to roll his eyes.

[electro_kinetic]

"Oh please," she says. "You know you don't want any of that and if we're getting dinner after this neither do I."