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Jeremiah Hamilton: The Green Room is a cafe tucked into the center of the Spring Gardens neighborhood, done up in warm woods and a paint job to match the name. Tables are set up both inside and out, with the interior also hosting a wooden stage - currently unoccupied - and a counter near the front with a view into the kitchen beyond it.
The master of the house was on site this particular day, although at a glance he looked more the part of another patron thanks to his more casual dress: jeans, black boots, and a black t-shirt for a music house in Los Angeles. He stood out in his own way, however, thanks to the force of presence about him and the Byronic cast to his features - and, to those so mystically inclined, the faint hum of active magic about him. He sat at one of the tables closest to the door that led to the office area, a laptop in front of him and a cup of tea sitting nearby.
Zoya Kosmodemyanskaya: Dressed in black jeans, green converse shoes, and a denim jacket, Zoya comes in and glances around in eager curiosity. She has a talent for approaching things with a wide-eyed wonder, which has always been a part of how she built her social media fan base; an ability to find whatever other people are interested in to be as fascinating as they do. Aside from a short pause to take in the sights, she heads toward the table where Jeremiah is seated. "I should have come by sooner!" she declares, her voice tinged with enough of a Russian accent to lend her a touch of intrigue, but not enough to make it any harder to understand her.
Jeremiah Hamilton: Jeremiah looked up as Zoya approached, the brief "I know you from somewhere" look shifting to a proper smile once the metaphorical lightbulb kicked in, motioning for her to take a seat at the table as she wished. "Glad you finally did. How are things?"
Zoya Kosmodemyanskaya: The whole time she's receiving that look Zoya has the patient, amused smile of someone who gets that look a lot and is waiting for it to click. Not just because of the shared Consilium venues they visit, but because, in general, she gets recognized pretty often. "Things are good!" she says. "Mind if I join you? I'd love to hear more about this place. Like how long you've been here, what made you decide on a cafe, etc."
Jeremiah Hamilton: "Feel free. Care for a drink?" He took a moment to save what he had up on the laptop before closing it, wanting to pay full attention to the conversation soon to be at hand. "It'll be six years this year. I wanted to set something up to help give local performers a platform to make themselves known, and doing a cafe rather than a bar made it so a wider audience could come through."
Zoya Kosmodemyanskaya: "I keep forgetting that America has stricter policies on that kind of thing," Zoya says as she pulls a chair out and sets herself into the seat, where she leans forward with her eyes on Jeremiah. "That makes sense, if you can't go to shows at bars and clubs without being 21? I think that's a good idea, then. Now that I think about it, it seems like a lot of people meet at bars for things like LGBTQ+ meet-ups and that kind of thing, too. That could be tough for people who aren't old enough."
Offering a smile she answers, "I'd love some coffee. A latte, maybe?"
Jeremiah Hamilton: Jeremiah nodded and took a moment to flag down one of the staffers to put in Zoya's order, letting them head off before turning back to her. "And for those who can't or choose not to be around alcohol for their own reasons."
"We've done some LGBTQ+ events here over the years, and I volunteer with the kids at the Attic Youth Center besides, so being able to host things here has helped."
Zoya Kosmodemyanskaya: The person who takes her order gets a grateful smile from Zoya before the conversation continues on.
"Do you?" Zoya asks about the volunteering. "I've sent some money their way since I got to town but I haven't had a chance to get involved much beyond that. Good to know, though! I hadn't thought about people who are sober by choice or necessity, so that's a good thought too."
Jeremiah Hamilton: "Mmhmm. My family cut me off when I came out to them as pan, and if I can help support other kids who've gone through the same thing or worse I'm happy to do it." He replied with a small smile. "They do good work there."
Zoya Kosmodemyanskaya: "I don't get on with my family for a variety of reasons, and my orientation is absolutely a part of that. Things aren't easy in Russia for queer people." Zoya leans back and crosses her legs under the table. "I understand your position. The desire to do what you can to prevent other people from having to face the same hardships."
Jeremiah Hamilton: "I can imagine..." Jeremiah nodded, sitting back in his seat. "The world puts enough struggles on our shoulders, and if we work together to lighten the overall load it gives more space to breathe and see what truly lays before us. Helping others to take those steps is important to me."
Zoya Kosmodemyanskaya: "Ultimately that's why I'm here in Philly, actually." Zoya's gaze shifts away, staring into space over Jeremiah's shoulder. "Just running a YouTube channel where I occasionally speak about LGBTQ issues is extremely dubious legal ground, back home." She shifts her gaze back to meet his eyes. "If I go back home I face arrest, so here I am."
Jeremiah Hamilton: "Well, we're glad to have you, even if the circumstances aren't as good as they could be." He said with a smile, glancing towards the staffer as they came by with Zoya's drink and gave them a thankful nod. "I decided on coming here kind of on a lark but I'm glad I did."
Zoya Kosmodemyanskaya: "Thank you!" Zoya says cheerfully to the server. The smile she offers is genuine enough, even if it doesn't last long after the drink is delivered and the staffer departs.
"A lark? What kind of lark?" she asks Jeremiah, while picking up her cup to take a sip.
Jeremiah Hamilton: "I knew I needed to be somewhere other than Los Angeles, but I moved a lot growing up so I don't really have a hometown to go back to per se. I had a few options on the table, but Philadelphia ended up winning out."
Zoya Kosmodemyanskaya: Zoya's eyes blink a couple of times as she finishes sipping, then she asks, "do I even want to ask why you had to leave Los Angeles? Not that it's really my favorite place I've visited, but I feel like I could live there if I had to."
Jeremiah Hamilton: "The city ate me alive, to put it bluntly. I went there after graduating from Stanford to try and break into the music business and fell right into the usual pitfalls along with a heavy dose of the 'fuck you, I want mine' mindset. Was like that for a few years before my eyes were opened in a...number of ways," the emphasis on that particular phrase would be clear enough to the other Awakened, "and after I got back on my feet I knew that I needed to be somewhere else to keep myself on the proper path."
Zoya Kosmodemyanskaya: "That can tend to happen in the entertainment industry." Zoya nods as her mug is on its way to her lips, then she takes a drink and puts it down again. "I've talked to plenty of people who have had similar experiences, trying to make it in music, or show business. There are so many people trying to get somewhere and not enough jobs at the top. I hope you're finding yourself in a better place here?"
Jeremiah Hamilton: "Very much so, yeah. I still perform off and on, mostly here when an act calls out or whatnot, but mentoring other performers and helping them find their voice and make themselves heard has been much more rewarding than trying to get into the spotlight myself ever was." He took a small sip of his tea, setting the mug down before continuing. "I've got a recording studio on the second floor here that I've used to help folks get LPs out and whatnot, and I've started shifting more focus towards production in general."
Zoya Kosmodemyanskaya: "You know, I should come hear some of your up and coming artists perform. Maybe find some of their singles, do little segments on my channel about them. Some interviews. I could try to help them get a little more exposure," Zoya muses aloud. "If you'd be interested in working together on that kind of thing." She picks her cup up again to continue sipping.
Jeremiah Hamilton: "That'd be great, yeah." He nodded with a smile, taking a moment to pull a card case from his pocket and offering her one of the business cards for the cafe within, a second number hand-written on the back. "Back number's my cell, feel free to give me a call any time."
Zoya Kosmodemyanskaya: Zoya takes the card, flips it around so she can look at it, and then slides it into the pocket of her jean jacket, where she also pulls a phone out from. She quickly fires off a text message to the cell number that just says 'This is Zoya' before she puts the phone back away and smiles at him. "Thank you for the drink," she says as she fishes a $10 bill out of her pocket, too. "I'll get in touch, or just come by to catch a performance some time soon. I should get going, though."
Jeremiah Hamilton: Jeremiah checked his phone as it buzzed with the text's arrival, sending a thumbs up emoji back before returning the smile. "Very welcome, and I look forward to it. Thanks for coming by."
Zoya Kosmodemyanskaya: Zoya puts the bill down on the table and stands up. "My pleasure. I really should have come by sooner! Have a good afternoon." She waves as she turns to go and then makes her way back out without any rush.
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