..::[The Sad Cafe]::..|Accepting&&Open|

[Drunken_Ninja08]

All the talk about family and fathers caused Roanan to think and daydream about his own father. He subconsciously picked away at his guitar, which he had picked back up at some point without realizing it. For the first time since the small group had been together, Roanan wasn't the one who was in the conversation neck deep. He leaned back a bit, the guitar resting more on his stomach than on his lap and he played away, the sound was quiet and somber, yet soothingly calm. And he quietly sang to himself, the words of the song his mother once loved. "Amazing Grace, How sweet, the sound, That saved a wretch like me. I once was lost but now am found, Was blind, but now I see." Some could make the case that his slightly baritone voice didn't quite match with the song. But he sang away, literally forgetting where he was at the time.

 

[Paradoxial Mouse]

Only say what you are positive about.

Ashriel looked at Lucy, taking at deep breath. When she suggested talking about it more in the truck, Ash looked down, not wanting to answer her. Her fingers fidgeted as she looked down, listening to Lucy hurry off. Her eyes looked up at Ezra uneasily. She shrugged in response to his statement - there wasn't much she could say. Her ears picked up the sound of Roanan's guitar, and her eyes shut. Softly, her soprano voice joined his in the song, her body slowly relaxing as she sang.

Otherwise, you open the door for regret.

 

[BaritoneGoddess]

Hello Everyone,
I am not going to be able to be on as much the next two weeks because I will be in band camp. I know that sounds super geeky but I am fine with that. I'll try to be on when and if I have any free time. Thanks for understanding.

Sincerely,
BaritoneGoddess

 

[Zetao]

(With a name like Baritone goddess I'm sure you'll be fine while you're there. Have fun.)

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Lucy came back and shrugged on her olive drab jacket. Pockets littered the front and showed themselves on the sleeves.

"Getting back in the musical mood?" she asked sitting down at Roanan's table. She leant on her hand and waited for them to finish.

in the sky…

 

[Drunken_Ninja08]

Roanan kept singing and playing, the song flowing out of him. He heard Ashriel singing, but it didn't register in his brain that he was singing as well. When Lucy arrived again, he didn't even recognize that she was near. And, of course, Roanan was always in a musical mood. However, as the song wrapped up and Roanan played out the final notes of the song, he realized that he was crying, a tear or two running down his cheek. He was incapable of fully crying, but still, they leaked out. He quickly wiped his eyes, face slightly flushed. "Sorry...It gets me every time..." His voice cracked as he worked to calm himself.

 

[Zetao]

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Ⓛⓤⓒⓨ

"It's good that you feel so strongly about it, it makes the song come through in a much more emotional way. especially when you sang it, people aren't used to such a deep voice with that tune. Though you were a good match for it Ash." Lucy pointed out, including the girl.

"Do you all need another minute or are we good to go?" she asked after a moment.

in the sky…

 

[Paradoxial Mouse]

Only say what you are positive about.

Ashriel didn't notice Lucy when she first came back, distracted by the song. Her mind was completely focused on the song - so much so that nothing else existed. She didn't actually realize that she was singing along, especially not loud enough for other people to hear. When Roanan finished, Ashriel looked at him quietly, taking a deep breath. The calm didn't last long, however, as Ashriel flushed and looked down when Lucy said that she was a good match for it. She'd been singing again? Her eyes looked down shyly, not liking the fact that others had heard her - it still made her nervous.

Otherwise, you open the door for regret.

 

[Drunken_Ninja08]

Roanan wiped his eyes. Though the tears were gone, they were still red from the tears. He put down his guitar and found Ashriel's shoulder, his hand shaking a bit as he gave her a light squeeze. "Your voice was beautiful. I'm glad that you can sing so well, especially my mother's favorite song." His jaw slammed shut and he released her shoulder. He had let that last part slip on accident. He immediately hid how he was really feeling and smiled instead. When it came to hiding how he truly felt, Roanan was confident that nobody could figure it out.

 

[Zetao]

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Ⓛⓤⓒⓨ

"Ohhh well that explains it." Lucy thought.
She picked up the bags and scooted in the bench.
"Well are we ready to skedaddle or what?" she asked changing the direction of the conversation, as Roanan didn't really look like he wanted to elucidate and Ash was being her usual shy self. Or Lucy assumed it was how she usually was, then again it never did well to assume.

in the sky…

 

[Paradoxial Mouse]

Only say what you are positive about.

Ashriel stared at Roanan as he wiped his eyes, taking a deep breath as she saw his red eyes. Was that how her eyes looked? Were they all red? She was startled when he put his hand on her shoulder, squeezing it lightly. When he said her voice was beautiful, she smiled softly. However, when she heard the latter part of his statement, she leaned in and hugged him. "Th-th-thank you." She said, hugging him lightly as she sat there. Part of her knew that he had to be feeling awful, and hugs made things a little better. Ashriel looked up at Lucy when she asked her question, taking a deep breath as Ash slowly pulled away from Roanan. The girl didn't answer Lucy; she wasn't sure how to.

Otherwise, you open the door for regret.

 

[Drunken_Ninja08]

Roanan nodded to Lucy. "Yea, we should get go-" He was slightly startled when he felt a pair of slim arms wrap around him. And that was when he lost it. For the 3rd time within a couple of hours, Roanan broke down. He fought it for all he was worth, trying to remain optimistic and wear a smile. But his defenses had fallen like the tears that were currently rolling down his face. He found himself leaning into Ash's body, despite the fact that she was slowly pulling away. He was quiet when he cried, not a peep could be heard and if it weren't for the tears that ran down his face and the shaking that wracked his body, nobody would know what was wrong with him.

 

[Zetao]

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Ⓛⓤⓒⓨ

Lucy bit her lip and put the bags back on the table. she leaned over to grab a napkin out of the holder before crouching down in front of the two.

The poor guy had probably been close to the brink. Ashriel had probably shown him just enough caring by singing along that the simple gesture of a hug had tipped him past the breaking point.

Lucy crouched down and gently took hold of Roanan's hand so she could slip the napkin into it when he was calming down.

It's not like this was uncommon in The Sad Cafe. Lucy remembered when she used to go to the back room to have a cry. Though she hadn't done that in ages.

in the sky…

 

[Paradoxial Mouse]

Only say what you are positive about.

When Ashriel noticed Roanan start crying, she took a deep breath, again pulling him closer into her arms. She stopped pulling away, knowing that feeling. The girl just continued to hug him, understanding. A small bit of tears wracked her own face, as the feeling she herself had been holding back came forward. Everyone needed to cry once in a while, right? Right... She couldn't believe this feeling, being so close to him. Making someone else feel better made her feel good. It helped that one person cared about what she thought, even if they weren't related to her.

Otherwise, you open the door for regret.

 

[Drunken_Ninja08]

Roanan bit his cheek, trying all his might to stop. He felt a napkin being put in his hand, but he made no move to wipe down his face. Instead, he clenched it in his fist as he found himself resting his head on her shoulder. After a few seconds, he quietly said, with a shaky voice, "Look at me, I'm such a mess. I don't know if I can do this any longer. Maybe Dad was right, maybe it is an idiotic and foolhardy idea to move out on my own..." He sniffed and wiped his face with the napkin, his eyes hurting. Closing his eyes, he found his own arms wrapped around Ash, like a child wrapped around a toy. "I don't know what to do. Optimism only goes so far..." He murmured, the weight pressing down on his shoulders again.

 

[Zetao]

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Ⓛⓤⓒⓨ

Lucy patted Roanan's knee and waited out the storm. She couldn't really see Ashriel's face, but counted that as a blessing; she was fairly sure that the younger girl was crying too and if there were any more tears today Lucy knew she'd start soon enough.

Sucking in a quick breath, Lucy decided to deal with one issue at a time.

The first, she'd decided, was cheering up Roanan."Everyone leaves home at some time or another, I could understand why your family might be nervous on your behalf, but your an adult, you must be what? mid-twenties? " She patted his knee again this time with a more assertive and assuring thump.
"Besides, you'll never know unless you try. And now you have the cafe to help you. And Ashriel and Ezra no doubt. That's nothing to sneeze at."

Lucy smiled as she spoke because she knew it affected her voice, she could see Roanan's dad didn't seem the most supportive, but she shouldn't judge without meeting the guy. She had a personal rule about that sort of thing.

in the sky…