third shot

[last_rat_standing]

[Today found Bond (once again) in Caritas. He'd become fond of the bar. It was quiet and few people bothered him... usually.

As long as he was able to avoid anything having to do with karaoke, that is.

Today was a different matter entirely, however. He'd been sipping his drink, minding his own business when something on stage caught his eye. He glances over at the one lonely guitar sitting there, probably left there ages ago by someone long since gone from the castle. He can't say what draws him to the instrument but he drains his drink and pushes off of the bar stool, crossing to it. Picking it up he sits on the edge of the stage and plucks a few notes. It's been years since he's even touched a guitar, let alone played one, yet somehow a song comes right to mind. Without even thinking about it he starts playing and singing softly]

♪ Round and round
Round we go.
Where it stops?
Nobody knows it.
Side to side.
Back and forth. ♪
God above
And the devil below him.
You got your reasons
And I got my wants.
♪ Still get that feeling
But I'm too old to die young now.
Too old to die young now.
Above or below the ground.
Too old to die young now.
Still the good lord might lay me down. ♪

[As the last chord fades he blinks, staring down at his hands as if they belonged to someone else. He frowns]

What the bloody hell?

Comments

[waterproofed]

Nice! I didn't know you could play guitar.

[last_rat_standing]

[He sighs. Of COURSE people could hear this. He should only be so lucky...

He sets the guitar down, one hand going to his ear]

It's not something I typically publicly broadcast.

[waterproofed]

Why not? It was good.

[last_rat_standing]

[...]

It won't be happening again.

[yes because that really answered the kid's question, dude. He doesn't care. He's just pissed that it happened at all.]

[waterproofed]

Hey, was that you who racked up the huge space bill? You don't think they're still gonna make us pay for that stuff, do you?

[last_rat_standing]

It was, yes. [beat] It would be extremely difficult to force us to pay an organization that no longer exists.

[waterproofed]

Well, here's hoping that the castle ignores non-existant organizations, then.

[last_rat_standing]

Let's hope.

[luxe_can_kill]

I never thought you would be the singing type, Mr. Bond.

[last_rat_standing]

That's because I'm not.

[luxe_can_kill]

Fair enough. I suppose it wouldn't hurt to say, you have a pleasant voice for someone who isn't the singing type.

[last_rat_standing]

I suppose I should thank you for the compliment.

[deltacain]

Lyrical and lethal with a microwave. Who knew?

[last_rat_standing]

[Well look who's awake]

What can I say? I'm multitalented.

[deltacain]

[No thanks to you. But being knocked out meant he got Delta back under control...]

They have much cause for singing fighters in your line of work?

[last_rat_standing]

That's assuming I began singing by choice.

[deltacain]

Assuming so.

You should work on that, maybe. Can't see much call for British Intelligence in a multi-dimensional castle. Might be good to have a hobby.

[last_rat_standing]

I thought I was doing fairly well with kitchen remodeling.

[deltacain]

You definitely have a head for it.

[last_rat_standing]

Only when using someone else's head.

[deltacain]

At least you know what to do with what you're given.

[last_rat_standing]

You could say I think well on my feet.

[deltacain]

I'll say.

[A beat.]

Sorry about all of that. I, uh... I was confused by the sudden relocation.

[last_rat_standing]

[Ooo an apology, hadn't been expecting that]

It can be rather disorienting, yes.

[To throw someone into a RAGE? He's not so sure]

[deltacain]

[It wasn't so much a rage as a panic.]

There was still no reason for me to go at you. So... Sorry. And thanks for helping me cool down.

Although, using a microwave was pretty ironic.

[last_rat_standing]

[A panic that translated into trying to kill him. That's pretty full of rage, don't you think?]

It was my pleasure. [a pause] ironic? How so?

[deltacain]

Normally you have to cool down hot heads. Using something that generally heats stuff up has a bit of a Freudian feel.

[last_rat_standing]

So you're a psychologist, now?

[deltacain]

My best friend is. I pick up a few things.

/dictated

[savethedarkness]

[not you, too. M raises an eyebrow at the journal]

Seems to be going around. ... I didn't know you played.

[last_rat_standing]

[Oh this is just lovely]

Not for a very long time.

[savethedarkness]

Hm. [Oxford, that's her guess, but she keeps it to herself. she thinks back on the song]

Should I have kept the numbers as they stood, then, Double-o Seven? [she won't have him cursing her as the reason he's still at it. she wants - needs - to know it was his choice]

[last_rat_standing]

No.

[And that one word carries the weight of all his years of service - both with the RAF and MI6. He chose this life - fought for it and DIED for it -and he'll be damned if he's going to let it be taken away from him by some bloody magic castle.]

[savethedarkness]

I thought not.

[her tone is cool as ever, but Bond being shrewd as he is, he'll likely hear the note of approval there. she knows that regret and weight are not the same thing by far. after long enough, what hurts turns into a sort of badge of pride. "I weathered this bullshit and all I got was a trite musical number I didn't ask for". it almost makes her smile]

[heloise]

[ That is a giggle, yes. ]

Is hell so bloody?

[last_rat_standing]

[He sighs. Why. WHY did people have to hear this?]

This one certainly is.

[heloise]

Is that to your credit?

[last_rat_standing]

Not yet. [He pauses] Although with the amount of people here resentful at being swept from their homes...

[heloise]

Are you surprised that anarchy has not taken hold?

[last_rat_standing]

Somewhat, yes.

[heloise]

Perhaps this is evidence of man's inner goodness. [ Not. ]

[last_rat_standing]

I would be more apt to attribute it to a fear of retribution by our unknown captors.

[heloise]

They seem to punish us with or without an uprising.

[last_rat_standing]

I've yet to see such "punishment" first hand, myself. Unless, of course, you include spontaneous karaoke.

[heloise]

The singing? There has been worse ones.

[last_rat_standing]

This was my first so I'm afraid I don't have any basis for comparison.

[heloise]

You were not such a terrible singer.

[last_rat_standing]

Thank you. I'm glad that my impromptu musical display wasn't displeasing.