Beautiful Soul

Feliks smiled a bit as she sung. He didn't notice her eyes open, he was too preoccupied in his drawing, although after a while he felt that she knew he was drawing her. Even if she didn't change too much because of it.

Slowly his sketch took shape, taking the form of the girl before him. He hummed slightly to himself as he looked at what he saw in real life before going back to his drawing. Slowly he reached over to his case, pulling out a green pastel, lightly shading in the grass, around her while keeping her just in pencil.

Finally after a long moment, and scrutinizing the piece several times, he dropped his pencil, and flopped it back into the grass. Too self conscious - again - to announce that he was done, he merely picked up the guitar and began to play again.

Karma had relaxed to the point that she barely noticed when he put down the sketchbook. She did, however, notice when he picked up the guitar. She turned her head and looked at him, her hand seeking out the sketchbook. "Am I allowed to see?" She asked, keeping the book firmly closed. She played with the edges of the paper, looking down at it briefly before looking back at him.

She hummed along with his playing, her eyes staying on the sketchbook. She really wanted to see... what she looked like to him, and to everyone else. When she saw herself, it was just what she was. She knew what she looked like, she just didn't know what she looked like to other people. She was curious, because this was the first time anyone had offered to draw her.

At least this portrait wasn't moving.

Feliks looked down at the drawing and shrugged, feigning disinterest but the tensions in his shoulders would show the truth to anyone who was looking for it.

"I don't care," he mumbled, playing with the strings. "Its a free country and all that; nothing stopping you."

He glanced at the page nervously again before pointedly looking away, he couldn't watch her look at it. What if she thought it was awful or, wrong, or.....

Karma glanced at him, before opening the book, taking her time to flip to the right page.

She stopped.

There she was. It was almost like her reflection, only the other one's eyes were closed. She'd never actually seen a picture of herself, but this was...

She reached out a finger and touched the paper lightly, her eyes widening in delight. "Do I really look like this?" She asked excitedly. It was such an odd feeling, seeing yourself from someone else's point of view. The girl in the picture was beautiful, in a soft sort of way she never saw in herself. She seemed so relaxed, so at peace... Karma was entranced.

She grinned at Liks, showing him the picture, even though he'd obviously just seen it. He'd drawn it after all. However, she couldn't keep the stupid grin off her face. "Look! It's me!" She giggled. "I've never seen myself down on paper before." Her eyes returned to the picture, and she smiled wider. "It's awesome!"

Feliks looked at her and smiled a bit as he shrugged, "I just draw what I see, so I suppose you do."

He could help but shake his head and laugh a bit, as she looked at the picture. She was like a small child with a new toy.

"You can keep it you know," he said softly, ducking his head. "If you want I mean - not like I care.. or ... whatever..."

He shrugged uncomfortable and went back to the music that never made him feel this way.

Karma nodded, grinning. "I want it." She said decidedly. "Here." She held it out for him. "Put your initials here." She tapped the bottom corner of the page. "That's what artists do."

She studied him for a few moments, and it was like a light bulb went off in her mind. "Oh. I get it." She said suddenly. She nodded, knowing her idea was fact, and waved the sketchbook slightly. "Anyway. Always initial your work, or some creep could come and claim to have drawn it." She grinned. "And that wouldn't be fair, would it."

Feliks smirked and shook his head a bit, "I suppose that wouldn't be."

Leaning over he took his pencil and scrawled a quick "FC" in the right hand corner.

"There, offical, yes? You have a drawing that you can love and hold," he smiled, and shrugged, "Or chuck when you finally realize I'm no that good."

Karma rolled her eyes, carefully folding the picture before sliding it into her pocket. "You're taking the whole 'Artist's Modesty' thing a bit too far." She teased, shifting herself so that she was looking him full on. "You should teach me to play guitar." She said, nodding at her own words. "That way, I can be almost as good as you." She frowned. "Or at least half-decent."

She pointed at him, jabbing her finger in a slightly violent way. "You, sir, are insane." she decided. "That is the final verdict, no give backs, no turn arounds, you are crazy, bonkers, and all of the above."

Feliks shook his head, a smirk growing on his features.

"Well, I had been considering teaching you a thing or too but now," he leaned back, resting his arms behind his head. "I'm just not sure I want to help the person who's labelled me insane. I think you have hurt my feelings."

His eyes twinkled with a mixture of mischief and danger, "I am very sensitive you know."

Karma pouted. "That isn't fair!" She whined, raising to her knees so she could look down at him. "It isn't my fault you're insane. That's your own fault!" She stuck her tongue out at him. "Sensitive? You're being a meanie!" She poked him on his chest, leaning over him and evaluating him with her eyes. She poked him again. "Teach me guitar, Liks!" She blinked and poked him again. "Come on... pleeeeeeeeease?"

Feliks sniffed, "I do not think I am insane at all. And even if it was you could refrain from telling me."

He continued to lean back a smirk growing on his face. He was enjoying playing this out. After a moment he opened his eyes.

"Why don't you tell me anything you do know. I'll see how much work I'd have to do, and then.... we'll see."

Karma shook her head. "Pretend I didn't say anything!" She insisted. "I won't say anything more about you being insane." She promised. She nodded a few times, before shaking her head.

"What I do know?" She asked blankly. "Uh... what do I know?" She scratched her head, before deciding that this was way too much thinking and shoving him downward by his shoulders, so he landed on his back. "I know you're better, and you should teach me. I could teach you other things, I guess."

Feliks shook his head and smirked, pushing her back and sitting back up. He picked up the guitar and held it out the her.

"If I'm going to teach you anything," he said slowly. "You're going to need this."

Karma took the guitar, a wide smile on her face. "You're the absolute best!" She sat back, crossing her legs beneath her and holding the guitar with the same slightly gentle firmness she used with her daggers.

Slowly, she leaned her head forward to watch as she strummed downward, her face lighting up with delight when the sound came out of the guitar. It was like magic. She grinned up at him, peeking through her bangs. She'd really need to cut her hair soon.

He shook his head and laughed slightly. She seemed so delighted with the soft sound it had made.

"Not bad," he said, "You know how to make noise - but now, to make music.

He spent the next moments rearranging her fingers, and saying allowed, what notes they made.

Karma repeated the names of the notes and chords slowly, carefully trying to commit them to memory. When he stopped, she tried her best to go through them again, then stopped and glanced up at him.

"Will you teach me to play a song?" She asked hopefully. "Please?"

He tilted his head, looking at her for a moment.

"Well, I don't know if you're up to it but," he smiled slightly and reached over. "I'll teach you the chorus, and we'll see if we can move that up from there."

He reached over and slowly showed her the notes to the string of "Waiting of a Girl like You". He stopped after a moment.

"I'll right, lets see you try that - nice and slow huh? No need to rush?"

Karma nodded, and slowly, with lots of pauses between notes and chords, she played without singing, biting her lip in concentration. Then, when she was sure she had it, she played it again, smoother, and her face lit up in a smile.

She glanced up at him before narrowing her eyes at the guitar. "It sounds better when you play it." She complained.

Feliks grinned slightly as she watched her way work through it. THe first go was ... painful from a musica perspective, but from a learning one it was close to impressive.

When she finally got it - more or less - he smiled a little more.

"Well that would be because I've been playing it a lot longer."

He leaned back and shook his head.

"Has anyone told you you're impatient?"

Karma stuck her tongue out at him. "Well. I'll just have to practice. Next time you see me, I'll practically be a master!"

She smirked. "...and lived? Nope. But I suppose for you I'll make an exception." She played the chorus through again, much smoother, and grinned.

Feliks smiled, "You'll have to practice a lot then, Darling."

Yawning slightly, the boy stood to his full height and streched.

"I don't believe I actually said anything," he teased with a grin. "You merely implied. However, I think I need to disappear before you change you're mind."

And before Maks' nose and hand get fixed, and he or Alek come to find him.

Karma looked up at him, blinking as his silhouette was cast by the fading sunlight. He was pretty tall, wasn't he? She looked back down at the guitar in her hands, and half-grin grew across her face.

It disappeared quickly, however. "You're leaving?" She asked. "Why?"

She glanced back the way they'd come, eyeing the music store in the distance. "If it's those losers you're worried about, Nightmare's keeping them in line." She grinned angelically. "Or up a tree. Whatever's actually happening."

He flashed her a smile, "I'm not too worried about them, though its good to know - however I'm still hiding a few more at home that I'll have to worry about it."

His smile turned into a smirk.

"Besides, I have to give you time to practice," he rolled his shoulders. "Find me again sometimes, and I'll teach you more. Promise."

Waving his sketchbook in the air as a parting, he turned on his heals and started to disappear into the distance.

Karma watched him go, wondering when she'd see him again, before returning her eyes to the guitar. She played through the chorus again, wrinkling her nose as she hit a wrong chord. With a pout, she started again, her fingers already starting to blister.

"I've been waiting... for a girl like you..." She sang feebily.

But she'd get better.