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Jeremiah Hamilton: Jeremiah called to extend an invitation to Annie both to see the studio set up above the Green Room cafe and to get some advice from the Nymph, seeing as she was the best person he knew to ask on this particular matter. The Warlock waited patiently by the door to the cafe for her arrival, glancing as his phone now and again but keeping an eye out for her arrival nonentheless.
Anneliese Kiel: Annie's arrival is more or less at the time she'd given Jeremiah when they'd arranged the meeting. "Hey," she offers on getting within earshot of the mage. "You wanted to talk to me privately?" Her tone is oddly detached, considering the implied subject matter.
Jeremiah Hamilton: Jeremiah offered a smile as Annie approached, although the unexpected tone did earn a brief curious look. "I did, yeah. Want a drink or anything before we head up?"
Anneliese Kiel: "Just water, please," Annie says, not reacting to the curious look at all.
Jeremiah Hamilton: "You got it." Jeremiah ducked inside briefly, emerging with a pair of water bottles before taking point as he led the way to the side stairway that went up to the studio above. The space was homey in a way, infused with the sort of care that any artisan put into their primary work space. The largest bit of real estate was taken up by a grand piano, accompanied by a collection of other string and brass instruments on one wall and a multitude of music books on another. Another door was on the far wall, closed for the moment.
"Everything alright, by the way?" He made an 'after you' motion towards the chair set up by the piano, setting up on the piano bench himself.
Anneliese Kiel: "Hm? Oh, yes. I need to talk to some people on my side of things about some stuff. Nothing you need to worry about," Annie answers after a long moment, taking the indicated seat and removing her sandals before tucking her feet underneath herself. "Nice selection of instruments, by the way. Do you play them all?"
Jeremiah Hamilton: "Alright...figured I'd ask." Jeremiah nodded, handing off her water bottle before he got fully settled, looking over to the wall with a small smirk. "Some of them. The others I have more for the folks I work with."
"Speaking of your side of things, though, that was part of what I wanted to talk with you on." He turned back to Annie then, looking her over. "I'm not sure if you know but Polly and I have started seeing each other, and I wanted to know if there are any particular mental landmines I need to avoid. I caught Ziv in one during a conversation at Maddy's and I'd rather avoid doing that again going forward."
Anneliese Kiel: "She mentioned, yes," Annie says, gaze never quite focusing on Jeremiah properly. "Are these relating to Polly in specific, or our people more generally?"
Jeremiah Hamilton: "Both, if you can. She's mentioned some things that she has issues with already."
Anneliese Kiel: "Okay. You should probably tell me what those are, so I do not retread ground she has covered, but... none of us react well to having our minds messed with, especially if it means we are seeing things that are not actually there." There's a pause, then, as she considers her next words. "If she starts acting like this-" a gesture to herself, there "-all of a sudden, the best thing to do is probably contacting myself or Ziv to come and help her. Maybe Jack or Yu Jin, if neither of us are answering our phones."
Jeremiah Hamilton: "No dark spaces or overwhelming quiet were the big ones she mentioned." He nodded quietly, frowning a touch. "Right...the hiccup with Ziv came when Aaron and I were talking about an effect we can call upon that affirms the truth of a spoken subject, and I suppose it was too...invasive an idea, even if it solidifies what is rather than declaring something that isn't true as true."
"Don't know either of them, unfortunately...would they mind me getting their information from you, you think? And is there anything I can do to help you at the moment?"
Anneliese Kiel: "...maybe," she says after Jay finishes talking. "How familiar are you with the customs of my tribe?"
Jeremiah Hamilton: "Not very, unfortunately. Was raised Anglican but haven't been particularly religious for a while." He gave an apologetic look. "Happy to help where I can, though."
Anneliese Kiel: "Thank you for the offer, then, but it will probably have to wait for another time," Annie says, gaze drifting down to the water bottle she still hasn't opened. "For Polly in particular... do not try giving her orders, or coercing her into doing things. There are others that is bad for, too, but it is unlikely you will be able to tell who just by looking."
Jeremiah Hamilton: "No worries. Don't like sitting idly by if there's something I can do." Jeremiah nodded, listening intently as Annie continued. "Alright...can definitely avoid that."
Anneliese Kiel: "Good," she answers simply. "What else... lying to us, or breaking a promise, is bad, too. Worse the more significant the lie or promise was, as well." Beat. "Try not to insult us, either. I am not sure whether you are sufficiently mortal for that to have an impact, but I would rather not find out the hard way."
Jeremiah Hamilton: "Neither would I." He gave another small nod, a note of concern clear on his features. "I try to be a man of my word, so that shouldn't be an issue."
Anneliese Kiel: "Okay," Annie nods, finally uncapping the water bottle and taking a sip. "Is there anything else you wanted to ask about, while I am here?"
Jeremiah Hamilton: "Do you think that her finding out I'm also something out of the ordinary might end up being an issue? I haven't lied about it, but it also hasn't come up."
Anneliese Kiel: "I do not think so?" Annie shrugs one shoulder. "With someone like Ziv it might, but you mentioned being in Maddy's with them, so they are aware of you not being a normal human. It is probably best to tell her soon, though, lest it end up being a lie by omission."
Jeremiah Hamilton: "Right. I have something in mind to show her, although it'll take a bit of work on my end." Jeremiah smiled a touch at that. "Will step that up."
Anneliese Kiel: "Okay," she nods again. "Is the something in mind a something you are willing to talk about, or?"
Jeremiah Hamilton: "Learning how to create and shape light, primarily. I know she prefers bright places, so being able to do it on my own would be worthwhile, in my opinion."
Anneliese Kiel: "Ahhhh. I would offer to help with that, but the way your people do things and the way my people do things are too different for that to be possible, I think. It sounds like a good idea, though."
Jeremiah Hamilton: "Probably, but I would be curious to see it, I'll admit." He nodded, a soft smile settling into place when she concurred that the idea was worth pursuing. "Thanks. Hope she'll approve of it as well."
Anneliese Kiel: "Good luck, in any case." Annie says. "Have you been up to anything interesting recently?"
Jeremiah Hamilton: "Was able to give Nevy a bit of a backstage look at how we do things recently, which was interesting for both of us. They also brought over some Chicago-style pizza to boot; never had it before, and it was excellent."
Anneliese Kiel: "Oh? What makes it specifically Chicago-style?" The faintest glimmer of curiosity crosses her face, but it fades quickly.
Jeremiah Hamilton: "It's about yeah tall" he emphasized the description by holding his thumb and forefinger a good two and a half inches apart "and the crust is maybe a half-inch thick. It cut more like a slab of pie than a normal New-York style slice."
Anneliese Kiel: "Huh. I might have to check it out sometime."
Jeremiah Hamilton: "It's worth it. Lou Malnati's was the brand they mentioned." Jeremiah nodded, looking Annie over. "Think that was all the questions I had on that front for the moment. If anything else comes up I'll let you know."
Anneliese Kiel: "Okay. Glad I could help," she says, taking the hint and standing. "Be well, Jay?"
Jeremiah Hamilton: "Thank you for it. You don't have to head out right away, though, unless you have somewhere you need to be."
Anneliese Kiel: Annie pauses at that, pulling out her phone and checking some stuff on it. "Not immediately? I do have class later, though."
Jeremiah Hamilton: "Fine by me. Nothing on my mind but my hat, as it were." He smiled warmly at that. "How have things been going on your end, barring what's got you out of sorts?"
Anneliese Kiel: "Not much?" She takes another sip of the water bottle before continuing. "Classes and work, mostly. Carrying out my duties within my community. Nothing especially exciting that you are not already aware of."
Jeremiah Hamilton: "Been relatively calm on my end as well." He nodded, knocking lightly on the wood of the nearby piano just in case. "We'll have to figure out a good time for you and Polly to swing by here and jam for a while. Went pretty well at the park."
Anneliese Kiel: "I do enjoy playing with other musicians," she nods. "Do you want to take point on organising that, since this is your space and all?"
Jeremiah Hamilton: "I certainly can. If there's anyone else you know of off-hand who might be interested feel free to send them my way."
Anneliese Kiel: "Ziv might? I have been talking with them about doing something similar, but that was just within our community."
Jeremiah Hamilton: "Right. Not sure what they think of me at the moment after that talk at Maddy's, but I'm willing to make up for any issue that may have caused."
Anneliese Kiel: She shrugs one shoulder at that. "I cannot speak for them, obviously, but being willing to learn from your mistakes is usually a good sign."
Jeremiah Hamilton: "It's the best way to grow." He nodded with a small smile. "I misstepped a lot over the years without giving it much thought, but I try to be more cognizent of that these days."
Anneliese Kiel: "Oh? Any particular missteps you are willing to talk about?"
Jeremiah Hamilton: "Lot of instances of letting my ego overrun everything else, getting stuck in a 'fuck you, I got mine' mindset, things like that. I had a very hard wake-up call at one point, though, and after seeing the devastation I'd left in my wake I was determined that I wouldn't let my pride overtake me like that again."
Anneliese Kiel: "Fair enough," she nods. "You seem to be doing well at that, though."
Jeremiah Hamilton: "So far so good." He replied with a smirk. "With what we can do it's an easy trap for us to fall into, but I do my best to be a good example, treating it - and those around me - with the respect they deserve."
Anneliese Kiel: "Something too many people have trouble with, I know," Annie agrees.
Jeremiah Hamilton: "Mmhmm. That adage about power and corruption is sadly true more often than not."
Anneliese Kiel: "... I am not familiar with that one in particular, yet, but I can guess at the gist of it, in any case."
Jeremiah Hamilton: "Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. For me it's a question of what you do with the power you have; putting it towards the betterment of those around you versus using it for personal gain at the expense of others."
Anneliese Kiel: "Which demands the question of what activities fall into which category, I would think."
Jeremiah Hamilton: "Indeed. As I see it things that help others metaphorically walk their own path with their heads held high fall into the former, although what that is that can vary from person to person. That's part of why I do the mentoring work that I do, both for local musicians and with one of the LGBT youth centers here in town."
Anneliese Kiel: "Oh? Is that at the Attic, or?"
Jeremiah Hamilton: "The Attic, yeah." He nodded in confirmation. "My family cut me off when I came out, and I'm happy to help kids stuck in the same situation."
Anneliese Kiel: "Ah. I am sorry to hear they cut you off." She even looks it, too. For a second, at least, before the detached expression returns.
Jeremiah Hamilton: "Thanks. It's their loss, as I see it." He offered a shrug in return, unphased about the subject at this point. "I wasn't going to lie about who I was anymore, and if they have issues with it that's on them."
Anneliese Kiel: "Fair enough," Annie nods. "I assume everyone in your life presently is accepting?"
Jeremiah Hamilton: "Very much so, yes."
Anneliese Kiel: "That is good," she smiles slightly, before it smooths back out again.
Jeremiah Hamilton: "I've lucked out there, for sure, and I enjoy being there for people who need that same kind of support now."
Anneliese Kiel: "Good to know," Annie says, still in that same detached tone she's had most of the meeting. "I do need to get going to make class on time now, though, but it was nice talking to you, Jay."
Jeremiah Hamilton: "Good talking with you as well." He nodded, moving to stand from the piano bench to lead the way out. "And good luck getting things squared away on your end."
Anneliese Kiel: "Thank you," she nods politely, replacing the cap on the water bottle before standing as well. "Are these recyclable, do you know?"
Jeremiah Hamilton: Jeremiah headed for the door and opened it for the departing Nymph all polite-like. "They should be, yeah."
Anneliese Kiel: "That is good," Annie nods again. "I do not wish to create rubbish, after all." And then she's passing through the door and on her way.
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