Closed backstage after the show

[Pierre Bonnet]

Perry hadn't really been a big concert goer when he was growing up in France. Mostly that was because his retired Auror grandmother didn't believe in letting kids go outside and be kids. Some of that he knew had to do with the things she had seen as an auror, but other things were because he knew she was just... strict, on him especially, but also just in general. He loved his Grandmother, that was true, but he did also wish that sometimes she left him alone to just do his thing. Being in New Zealand was proving to be a strange sort of fever dream, and when Mystic had given him tickets and told him to go have fun he hadn't really know how to argue. That woman was pushy in her own way, reminding him of his Grandmother in others - he was grateful even if he didn't say as much to her because she'd taken him in when he'd arrived five months ago or so and now he was just sort of existing. He hadn't been paying much attention to the opening acts, nursing his drink instead until he'd looked up to see that one of the bands had someone a bit familiar in it. It had taken him maybe a little longer than it should have to notice Charlie, and then somehow Charlie had noticed him too - so now he was waiting, the wings of the stage area mostly closed off to people unless they had an in with the band and what was Perry going to say when he'd been invited up to say hi, no? He wasn't an idiot.​

 

[Charlie Helkovaara]

Charlie's life was music, and music was his life. He lived for playing symphonies, especially ones gone well. He smiled at his parents, his mother holding Caspian and offering them a little wave as they left. Caspian was asleep- symponies well done almost always knocked him out. He'd been surprised when during his performance he'd noticed an old acquaintance. Charlie smiled. That was an interesting twist to the night. Once his performance was done, he made his way to the wings. He smiled at Perry. "Hey, stranger. Fancy seeing you here," He greeted.

 

[Pierre Bonnet]

"Yeah, I'm honestly really surprised," he said, eyes reaching his hairline as he looked back at Charlie, once again wondering if there was some weird magic involved here. How could Mystic have known he would even want to come? He'd never mentioned his enjoyment of music like Charlie's before to his knowledge, maybe she really was a fairy of some kind, weird fey or something. What was even weirder was that it was Charlie he'd run into, a random he'd met on a plane one time and assumed he would never see again. Honestly there was some freaky things happening in the universe right now and Perry wasn't entirely sure how he felt about it. "Nice set, really surprised to see you here honestly, it's been what... five months since I randomly met you on the plane?"​

 

[Charlie Helkovaara]

Charlie chuckled. "Something like that. Small world, huh? I'm glad you liked the performance." He agreed, moving down to stand with Perry. "Do you want to come backstage?" He asked. "There's a lounge here for performers. It's a little loud but there are snacks." He invited the man. He thought it could be fun to catch up. "Maybe I can introduce you to a cute pianist," He offered, thinking of some of the people he'd grown to know as colleagues, though he wasn't sure who was and wasn't single.

 

[Pierre Bonnet]

Out of Character:

hahahahahahahahahaha oops

"Look I know the magical world is itself quite small, but this is ridiculous," he said, trying to wrap his head around the whole thing. Of all the people he could have met here, Charlie seemed like the least likely one. How did this even make any sense. Mystic... well she was obviously a witch but she was extra witchy. "I mean, am I allowed? Can you pull random people off the floor to just come back stage?" That felt like something out of a story, one of those cheesy romance ones he remembered his mother being so in love with, though maybe if she'd spent more time in reality none of this would have been how it was now. "Ooh, cute pianist."​

 

[Charlie Helkovaara]

Charlie chuckled, offering out his arm. "It's totally fine," He reassured him. "There's a celloist that grabs someone every performance I see him in," He laughed lightly. "Come on, we have snacks, I'll find the pianist if you want," He smiled. There was actually a cozy back area set up in the back of the theater for everyone. It might not be really wild, but it was fun- a lot of laughter, a few thrown pillows, a lot of chatter. It was a fun environment and he really enjoyed it.

 

[Pierre Bonnet]

Perry hesitated a moment before taking the offered arm, really not sure about the situation he'd somehow gotten himself into. None of this made sense to him and he wasn't quite sure how he'd gotten himself into this situation, still, he supposed there was a lot that could have happened, so he was pretty okay with how it had gone this way at least. "I was only kidding about the pianist, but I'll take the snacks if you're really offering." He said, following along wherever Charlie happened to take him. This whole experience was kinda crazy.​

 

[Charlie Helkovaara]

Charlie chuckled. "Good," He replied, leading Pierre back to their space. "As much as I'd absolutely introduce you, I'd be bummed to hand you off," He confided in a conspiratorial whisper. "It's not often I get any guests of my own." He walked into the backstage area designated for them with Pierre by his side. He greeted a few of his friendlier bandmates, offering introductions, before grabbing some snacks and falling onto an open couch. "Man, that was an intense show," He complained, rolling his neck.

 

[Pierre Bonnet]

Perry wasn't quite sure he was being handed off if he was talking to the pianist, since he wasn't sure what was even going on with Charlie, they'd met like one time, and somehow he'd made his way back into his life. How did that happen? Whimsy mysticism wasn't his thing and it never had been, and yet here he was, like fate. Nope, don't like that. He did stay close to Charlie though and sat beside him when he fell into the couch. Mostly because he didn't know anyone and he didn't fancy trying to get to know anyone right now anyway. He was still trying to figure stuff out, he hardly had time to be making any new friends. "It was a good show, I was surprised at your talent, when you said you were in a band I don't really know what I pictured, but somehow this wasn't it."​

 

[Charlie Helkovaara]

Charlie chuckled. "Oh, sure, mostly when you hear 'Im in a band' it's always some rock and roll type thing with a smaller group and concerts in bars," He ran a hand through his hair, giving Perry a playful wink. "What can I say? I'm just a sensitive guy. I like candles and violin and reading by the window in a rainstorm." He sighed. "Doesn't help get a lot of dates, but I enjoy it." He smiled, thinking of Eugene and Renata. Maybe he should've gone for the guitar instead, and more lyrics. But he doubted the Guitar would ever make him feel the way the violin did.

 

[Pierre Bonnet]

Perry snorted. "Well, it certainly added a nice vibe to the whole set, you don't get a lot of violins in bands and I genuinely think that's a shame, having seen you," he said, frowning slightly. It was one of those things he hadn't necessarily thought about before, the kind of thing that he didn't know a lot about. He would have to come and see more of whatever Charlie had going on because it was actually really interesting, more than he thought it would be honestly.​

 

[Charlie Helkovaara]

Charlie chuckled. "To be fair, when there are it's usually country music." He laid his arm across the back of the couch. He smiled at Perry's words. "Aw, you're so cute when you're sincere." He teased just a little, barely resisting the urge to brush a knuckle over the mans cheek. "I do appreciate it," He replied in a more serious note. "My roommates all had a dorm band back in school, but I wasn't in it. I think because of what I played. And aside from my parents I think I've only had one friend pop in here and there for a show on occasion. Maybe you could swing back around sometime? I could treat you to dinner after," He offered, giving Perry an almost shy smile.

 

[Pierre Bonnet]

Gods not country music, he couldn’t think of anything worse. He was sure his face made his feelings obvious though and so he shook his head after a moment. He rolled his eyes at the comment about being cute, and resisted the urge to tell Charlie he was always cute, because that felt a little too flirty for a pair who’d only met twice. “I don’t mind coming back once or twice… for the music, you know, I’d accept the dinner too, if you’re offering, I don’t have a lot of disposable income at the moment, I’m still working my way through it all.” He liked his job, but it wasn’t much of a job.​