OPEN / "Bring Yourself" Arts & Culture event!

[enveloped]

who: Cameron Waltz and you!
what: "Bring Yourself" Arts & Culture event!
when: Today!
where: Riverside Community Centre.
warnings: None predicted.

Open invitation on the network!


The community center is normally a modest building, albeit one with a spectacular riverfront view. Tonight, it's putting on the ritz. Multicolored lanterns hang on either side of the sidewalk leading up to the front of the building, and music of all kinds, depending on what time it is, pours out of the open doors and into the street. Local vendors have set up small carts to show off their wares and offer small trinkets and fresh food for sale, displaying their local pride.

Inside, things have been completely redecorated for the event. It's a modern open concept gallery, with blank walls for artwork and written word, empty pedestals to display objects, and plenty of tables with chairs. Some pieces are already on display, from paintings to exotic foods. Small crowds gather around people telling stories or showing off their special skills and talents.

That music plays live from the small main stage overlooking a dance floor, both of which can be cleared for demonstrations of everything from dance to martial arts. Anything physical that requires that little bit of extra room.

Musicians are free to write their names for a time-slot on the stage, and can choose to be accompanied by the onsite pianist and guitarist, bring their own instruments or backup, or perform solo.

All throughout the room are food and drink stations, where staff serves wine, beer, limited spirits, and soft drinks. The exotic foods are on display here, from which the guests can help themselves. If you can imagine it, someone has managed to cook it.
At the far end of the building is an outdoor patio overlooking the river, with seating and torches to light the area through the night. Most displays of magic take place out there, where practitioners can go all-out casting their most extravagant spells.

The crowd ebbs and flows, gathering to socialize during lulls and splitting off to see new events and installations as they come in. Other than opening and closing statements by Cameron Waltz, there's very little structure.

Casual and relaxed, the focus is on learning, generating conversation, and meeting new people. It's an organized free-for-all, a mini festival dedicated to the celebration of the cultures and backgrounds of everyone in Riverview. And in a city made up of a thousand universes worth of people, there's more than enough to see.

[Characters can bring pieces with them as they arrive, and simply set themselves up around the room. Contributions aren't limited to art, anything goes! Feel free to play random observer/staff/performer NPCs. The party goes until midnight, have fun!]

Comments

[enveloped]

He's been listening to Athena and Jeff perform on and off through the party. He loves watching the two of them onstage, and so does room. They're both talented musicians, and the music they make together is beautiful, but it's the way they play together he loves most. Mentor and pupil side by side. He can see and their relationship, and hear the connection they share. The music has been doing wonders to keep him calm, even when they nearly run out of champagne and someone needs to run to the nearest liquor store to grab more.

Busy as Cam is, when Jeff starts his set later in the night, he stops what he's doing and finds a spot on the dance-floor. As close to the stage as he can get without hurting his neck. Cam wasn't part of the punk movement in his youth, his only punk idol was Debbie Harry, but as an adult? Jeff might just convert him.

Jeff's as good as he was twenty years ago. Better, because he's a grown man now, with more soul, and the depth of his life experience behind his voice when he sings. Cam couldn't look away from Jeff back then, and he can't now. Jeff Calhoun is a rock-star making a comeback, and Cameron Waltz is his biggest fan. With each song Cam's throat and chest become increasingly tight with emotion. Because Jeff is singing, finding that part of himself again, and sharing it with him. With everyone.

When Jeff looks at him, sings for him, to him, he feels hot all over, his skin prickling beneath his suit. Face flushed. Not embarrassed. Flattered. Flustered. Overwhelmed. Because Cam's never felt this kind of wanted before, least of all in public, with people watching. Even with lyrics like "And you fuck like a volcano" it's a wholly emotional experience, and Cam can't help but get teary-eyed looking up at him. By the time the song is over, he's actually crying. Quietly, and mostly into his wineglass, but enough he'll need someone to hand him a couple tissues before he can go back to making the rounds.

Cam claps as soon as the song is over, still crying, because that's just who he is.

[bardish]

He can't tell Cam's crying, not from the stage. He can't even come back out to see Cam until he's cleared the stage and packed his gear. But he does it as quickly as possible, so he can rush back out to find Cam.

Aka the boyfriend.

AKA THE GUY HE'S TOTALLY HEAD OVER HEELS FOR.

And he finds said boyfriend/guy he's totally head over heels for still near the stage, crying into his wineglass. Jeff slings an arm around Cam's waist, brow furrowed in concern, even if he's still practically buzzing with adrenaline from performing.

He doesn't have a tissue, but Jeff does have a sleeve Cam can use. He even lifts a hand to stroke Cam's bearded cheek, both to provide comfort AND OFFER HIS SLEEVE FOR TEAR-WIPING.

"Shit-- I didn't put you on the spot, did I?"

[enveloped]

“No, no. I mean, yes, but it was fine. It was wonderful. I loved it” Cam’s still crying, his voice hitching with every breath. He melts against Jeff, wet cheek pressed to the side of his neck. He swallows down a sob, inhales through his nose, and clears his throat. Making some attempt to right himself. Not because he’s ashamed, his mind is so far from anything negative in this moment. Cam just doesn’t want Jeff to worry, or to make this moment about him, and his tears.

His hands go to Jeff’s upper arms, gripping his biceps through his shirt as he leans back to get a proper look at him. Wet eyes meeting Jeff’s eyes with a shaky smile.

“You sang, and you were amazing. I’m so…” The tears start again before Cam can finish his sentence, and he shakes his head with a half-sob half-laugh.

“I’m so proud of you.” If Jeff thought he was crying before, he’s absolutely bawling now, his face in his hands. At this rate he’s going to ruin his silk tie.

[bardish]

Oh god oh god oh god, Jeff doesn't know whether to smile or join Cam in crying or what. When Cam says he's proud of him, Jeff feels like his heart's just gonna explode into a million rays of sunshine, and he's beaming, but also trying not to beam too much, because it looks downright sadistic to stand there grinning while your boyfriend's bawling into his hands!

He never ceases to be in awe of the depth of Cam's ability to feel. Call it sentimental, oversensitive, whatever. Jeff thinks it's sweet, and it's fucking beautiful.

He slides his arm up around Cam's shoulders and holds him close, tilting his head to Cam's, their temples touching.

"You know you made this possible, right?" he says softly, just for the two of them. He turns his head to kiss Cam's temple, since it's not like he can reach his mouth with those hands covering it. He laughs, a little bit of exhilaration bursting through. "God, I felt so alive on that stage!"

Like he used to-- albeit in totally different venues, with totally different crowds. But it's not the size that matters to him. It's just that feeling of pulling eyes and ears to him, on the stage.

He's too old to ever pursue it seriously again, but just for one night, it was something special. He feels special again.

[enveloped]

Cam cries against Jeff for a minute or two, letting the waves of emotion move through him, instead of trying and failing to hold the tears back. It's only within the comfort and security of Jeff's arms that he feels safe to do so.

With a final sob Cam's hands fall away from his face, looking up at Jeff with wet, vivid eyes and a trembling smile. He really is happy for him. It's difficult to explain with words, but he hopes Jeff understands. That his happiness and fulfillment are Cam's happiness and fulfillment.

"You're even better now." Cam kisses the corner of Jeff's mouth, his cheek, the corner of his jaw-- he better stop there, while there's a crowd. He can fully express how badly he wants to kiss Jeff all over when they're behind closed doors.

His hand finds Jeff's hand, intertwining their fingers.

"You have to keep doing this. It's important. You deserve to--" A shudder, swallowing a rogue sob, "You deserve to feel alive."

[bardish]

No, don't stop-- okay, okay, fine, there is a crowd at this event, after all. Jeff lets his arm slide down again, around his boyfriend's waist, lingering there comfortably. It's an easy intimacy they've established.

"Hey... I feel plenty alive when I'm off the stage, too," he assures Cam. "I don't need this to feel something."

He doesn't even know why he does, why his knee-jerk instinct is to downplay how important it is for him to play. It's not like Cam doesn't get how important it is for him. It's not like it isn't as important to Cam, too.

But even if this is a milestone for Jeff, there's still that fear, lurking in his gut and creeping its way up to his heart.