Summary:Tony Stark witnesses the vocal excellence of one Riley Mcallister. They get to chatting. Log Info:Storyteller: None |
Related LogsTheme SongNone |
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The evening is cold, so the warmth of the coffeehouse is like a balm - the scent of coffee only adds to the cozy feel of being away from the bite of wind. The candles in their little glass holders are almost cheerful in their soft light. The wintery weather has kept some, but not all, of the regulars away.
The tiny sliver of stage holds a single stool, and there's no obvious mic this evening. Riley is perched upon the stool, with a couple of cases nearby. Currently she's working with an acoustic guitar, more of her attention cast down on that than towards the patrons, as she sings. "When I was a child, I heard voices, Some would sing and some would scream. You soon find you have few choices, I learned the voices died with me… When I was a child, I'd sit for hours, staring into open flame, Something in it had a power, could barely turn my eyes away. All you have is your fire, and the place you need to reach, don't you ever tame your demons…but always keep 'em on a leash." It's a very stripped down version of the song, but longing she puts in it, the loneliness hits almost as hard as a fist.
Surprisingly enough, while most people are probably just regular twenty-somethings to mid-thirty-somethings, entering Cafe Wha? is the infamous or much beloved (depending on who you ask) Tony Stark! He's currently just dressed in a Black Sabbath T-shirt with a black suit jacket over it, some regular blue jeans, some nice shoes, and of course his usual aviator shades that are about as high tech as he is.
He seems to go up to the counter to order the coffee he wants black, with no sugar or anything else to help improve taste. But then he hears a rather perfect voice, turning his head to the singer. While he doesn't exactly like the lyrics, he has to say her voice does sound wonderful.
He stays back though, having picked a table that should help him get notice less so he can enjoy the performance in peace, chances are he'll get spotted by someone sooner or later. Probably the singer, since she's the only one looking that way.
The singer may have noticed, as she kept right on singing her song of longing, wanting more than one should, and being maybe afraid to reach for it. Red hair is pushed back over her shoulder, and in the spare light overhead on the stage, those bright aqua blue eyes look at those shades for a moment - perhaps puzzled at shades inside. There's a quick little lopsided grin, before that guitar is played a lot harder, though there is only so much an acoustic can do. "When I get high I get high on speed, Top fuel funny car's A drug for me, My heart, my heart, Kick start my heart, Always got the cops Coming after me, Custom built bike doing 103, My heart, my heart, Kick start my heart…" Ever hear countrified Motley Crue? You have now, though Vince Neil was never this on point.
Tony continues to listen to the music while his drink arrives on the table in front of him. While normally he'd be like other normal people and go get it, he was too captivated by the voice of the singer on the stage than to go and get the coffee. Though instead of accepting the coffee, since he doesn't like to be handed things, he allows the coffee to simply be placed on his table.
He then seems to pull out his cell phone. He's totally ditching on a business meeting right now that he's…ten minutes late to. He gives a command for JARVIS to essentially cancel the meeting.
Because thats Tony Stark for you.
"Skydive naked From an aeroplane, Or a lady with a Body from outer space, My heart, my heart, Kick start my heart, Say I got trouble, Trouble in my eyes, I'm just looking for Another good time, My heart, my heart, Kick start my heart.." The feeling is upbeat, the sort of song to make you smile, just like the singer is doing as she finishes the song.
She will set the guitar aside as she slides off the stool to her feet, another flash of a brighter smile before she's picking up her oversized mug to head for the counter. It must be time for a coffee break.
Lyrics are strange, but at the same time the song strings together so nicely that- oh wait, its over. Tony claps along with everyone else. Because yeah, people totally are clapping and not doing that poetry thing where they just snap their fingers repetively as a substitute for clapping because….yeah. But then she's getting coffee and so Tony decides to get up and congratulate the singer personally.
Make her day by showing her a famous person.
"Hi, didn't get your name, I'm Tony." yep, thats his greeting, assuming there's a conversation and just rolling with an assumption that never happened. Fun times in the life of Tony Stark.
Riley is waiting at the counter as her mug gets made off with for the magic that will be her mocha. One hand rests on the counter, fingertips tapping out a beat only the redhead can hear.
When he strolls up and rolls in with that greeting, those bright aqua eyes will look up as her head turns. The smile flashes again, that dimple in one cheek making a brief appearance. " You didn't get it because I didn't give it." There's the touch of southern accent, and none of the toughness of a born and bred New Yorker.
She'll pause for a moment, as if she's measuring him up. It's almost as if meeting someone famous has yet to register. "I'm Riley."
Tony looks at her for a moment when she gives him that dimpled smile. The first thing he noticed about her is that she was -YOUNG-. She looked all of what…nineteen, twenty-one? to Tony Stark's forty. Yikes, hope the papers arn't gonna call Tony like a creepy dude who likes young girls if the paparazzi get a hold of photos with him chatting with a dimple-smiled girl.
Regardless, Tony nods. "Just needed a good conversation starter. Now I gave it, your turn." He seems to very comfortably roll with the conversation until she introduces herself as he extends his hand for a handshake. "Nice to meet you, Riley. So, where'd you learn to sing that good?" he sips his coffee.
She will claim her huge mug with a polite thank you to the young woman behind the counter, both hands wrapped around it. Then she glances up again. "Hello works too, for future reference." But her tone is too bright and friendly for it to be a real jab at him.
Her hand leaves her mug to shake his, warm from the heated ceramic. " Pleasure." She'll glance over at her instruments at that question, as if to be sure they're still there. "My father, actually." Eyes slide back over and up. "He's a music professor, back home. So singing, instruments, that was a lot of my childhood. He showed me how to love music, and I do."
Shaking Riley's hand firmly, but briefly releasing it to sip his mug, he listens carefully as she speaks about her father and how all that worked out for her. "Well, looks like he taught you pretty well. I'm surprised you're not on a world stage somewhere instead of a quiet little shop like this. Ever think about going big?" He asks Riley with curiosity staining his tone.
It was a good question. Though Tony had no idea she has psionics or anything like that enhancing how her voice is perceived, willingly or unwillingly, the fact stands that she sounded fantastic.
She will sip from her mug, looking at him over the rim. "I wouldn't know where to start, to become some sort of star. I'm not even sure that would be a lifestyle that I'd like. I'm more focused on getting my degrees, currently. I sing here, some other places, because the ramen diet just isn't my thing."
She'll grin briefly, as she look right up into those lenses of his shades. "The coffee and pastries here make up for the less than overwhelming pay. I have a recurring gig over at a bar in Harlem starting up, that's looking a little more promising."
Tony shrugs, but nods. "Well, the most I could do with that is introduce you to the right people, but where you go from there is pretty much entirely up to you." Pretty much he'll get her to a certain point and drop her off basically to do with as she will. But then again…she needs to have interest. Which is apparently getting her degrees.
"Not too shabby. Where you go, NYU?" He asks her. He knows he went to multiple universities to get his five doctrates, but the average person sticks with one. At most, two.
There it is - the spark of interest when he talks about introducing her, leaving it up to her from there. But then there's caution, a feeling of stepping back. "Yes, but what would you be wanting out of introducing me to people who might get me some sort of a deal?" It seems despite her southern sweetness, she's not completely naive.
She nods at the mention of university, sipping again from her mug. "Majoring in music, of course. I'll need to decide what level I want to teach at, before I finalize how many degrees I have to get." A tug upward of the corners of her mouth. "But if you want to introduce me around, understanding that I have no money with which to pay you, and I don't owe favors, we can talk after my set is over. I should get back to playing. It's been wonderful to meet you and talk to you, Tony." She'll turn to get back up on the tiny stage.