Down Through the Ages by StarSpray

Artistic Sensibilities

Prompt for this chapter: Museum

Daeron had not expected to find much to his taste in the Museum of Modern Art, but he was in the city and he was curious, and by the time he'd spent a few hours wandering the galleries he found that he quite liked what he saw. There was something delightful in the bold colors and simple designs of the paintings, and though he could give or take some of the sculpture there were others that he could have stared at for hours.

In particular there was one installation involving a lot of colored string and clever placement of lights that meant one could spend an entire day walking around the room continually finding new shapes and images in the shadows and in the play of light on the strings. It was accompanied by very soft music, played almost too quietly to be heard. Consequently, it took Daeron two full hours to realize why the music sounded so familiar, and to go read the little plaque for artist information.

Maglor had not made the string installation, but he had made the music in collaboration with the artist, and Daeron wasn't sure why he was so surprised.

"Do you like it?" Maglor asked, appearing as though by magic beside him as he left the room, startling Daeron so that he almost walked into a corner. "I thought the lights were particularly clever."

"Are you just lurking by the door to eavesdrop on people?" Daeron demanded once he had control of himself.

Maglor laughed. He was dressed in jeans and a t-shirt for some obscure band that Daeron had never heard of. The tattoo of musical notes running up his arm was new; the brightness of his eyes was the same as ever. "Of course," he said. "How else will I know what they think of it?"

"It isn't even your art," Daeron said. "You only did the music." Maglor laughed again. "…Is it your art? Did you do a collaboration with yourself?"

"Why not? My heart lies in music, but that does not mean I am not skilled with my hands." The words should not have been as suggestive as they were, coupled with the slight raising of one eyebrow. Daeron refused to rise to the bait.

"It's very impressive," he said, and Maglor grinned. "You don't have to look so smug about it. Tell me how you did it."