Tabs in the Wind (Anthy)

[Anthy Blacksmith]

He'd switched the words around at the end. She'd caught it, and found herself giggling some, it mingling in with his own laughter. They shared the moment of amusement for a little bit before he was speaking. When he brought up the fact that he used to sing in a choir, Anthy lit up a little. Luckily, not literally.

"I used to do that too.... Sing with a choir, that is... Back in my old school. Well, oldest school, I guess you'd say. I... I was in an all girl's, you see... And it's one of the.... one of the mandatory thing we had to join in on... if... if we could carry a note." She told him.

She had started off almost comfortably, but then became more and more shy as she had continued to speak, ending up trailing off into an embarrassed silence by the time she had come to the end of her statement. She just ended up biting her lip and listening to him as he spoke, watching him as he set his guitar down before he had done so. He'd been careful with it. Just a random thing she had noticed.

As Matt went to telling her he was new, about his room, and then on to asking her about her rooming situation, she tried to offer a more welcoming smile. She knew how hard it was when it came to initially arriving to Hammel. Though, she kind of still felt it, so there was that too.

"I'm.... I'm not so new, I've been here.... for two years now. I just... haven't gotten around much or gotten to know many people... But you could probably.... well, see why that might be..." She said.

She was trying not to break her speech up too much or talk too softly, but wasn't doing a very good job of it so far. Anthy took a breath before continuing.

"I'm on the girl's end, actually... But... but that might be because... well, I'm... I'm not really used to boys.... Sure, I was in a public school for a year but... but I didn't really reach out much and.... well... I ended up having just made friends with.... other girls and..... yeah."

[Matt Davis]

Matt’s smile matched her own as she explained her situation at the all girls school. She seemed to fall into a nice rhythm, talking more than any other time with him. Maybe that was what he needed to latch onto. When she was comfortable, not with boys. Which of course, made absolutely no sense. Why would a girl be uncomfortable with boys. Girls could just… you know, walk away if they wanted to. Still, he listened while she spoke.

She wasn’t new. That was actually kind of surprising! She was acting like she was, though Matt was generally just a confidant and easy going person. Maybe this was how people were -supposed- to look.

“Well, Anthy… it sounds like you and I just had the best thing possible happen for us, don’t you think?” Matt gave her a confidant, and of course, playful smile. “I’m new here and maybe you could show me around or...teach me the ropes? An’ I don’t know if you’re really aware but…” His voice grew a little softer and he shifted onto his side to face her a bit easier. “...I’m a guy, an’ you’re doing great talking with me.”

Matt turned his arm to form a pillow for his head to rest on so that he could watch her. He waited for her to reply with a small smile, paying a bit more attention to her voice as she spoke, trying to figure out what her register was. 

[Anthy Blacksmith]

When he commented that it sounded like they had just had the best thing happen for them, Anthy tipped her head a little to the side and her brow rose as she wasn't sure on what he might have meant by that. Oh she hoped he wasn't talking about them singing together because they'd both been in a choir. She hadn't sung since she'd left her old school... well, older old school.

Patience, was a virtue. She managed to stay put and not say anything just yet and in a couple of seconds, Matt was speaking again, continuing with what he was saying and giving her a much needed explanation in the process. Alright, so not a much needed answer in most people's eyes probably, but for her it was. Still, him suggesting that she might show him the ropes was something that made her a little timid. How could she show him the ropes, when she just did the basic things around Hammel up until recently?

Her lips parted as she was about to speak, but then he went to pointing out that he was a guy and how well she was doing, which caused her to close her mouth again and be muted by her shyness. Luckily, it didn't last too long as she pushed her way through it.

"W-w-well.... I've.... I've been mostly.... mostly running into guys since.... since.... oh this is embarrassing..."

She looked away from him and to the side as she tried to collect herself. Oh good luck with that. For once, it was her own thoughts and not her friend making that comment. Anthy sighed and tried to get herself to continue.

"...since I've decided to.... to kind of try to.... make friends and such.... instead of hiding away..." She finished.

Her eyes slowly drifted back to him.

"I..... I'm not sure about showing you the ropes but.... But I could show you around if.... if you're not familiar with the property... and the building.... If you want, that is."

[Matt Davis]

Matt couldn’t help but laugh now as she started to talk. “I see what you did there...running into guys…And then falling into the pond.” He smiled some at her trying to reassure her. “So… Have you met many people then? Met any guys you’d consider a friend? How about the guy who you saved by grabbing his papers and taking some time to sit with him?”

He reached over and grabbed a hold of his guitar. Poor Anthy was worried that he’d make her sing with him. It was a good worry. Well founded. He sat back up and draped the shoulder strap over his head and around his body before making sure the thing was still connected to the amp.

[Anthy Blacksmith]

He was laughing. Why was he laughing? Did she say something funny? She ran what she had said through her head quickly to pick out what might have been amusing about it. Maybe it was her way of speaking in general? He wouldn't be the first person to find it funny. Her cheeks burned a little. From a blush though rather than her powers, so she didn't worry too much. Yes, she could tell the difference.

She blinked a little in confusion when he went to saying he saw what she did there, and continuing on with mentioning her running into guys and falling into the pond. What? What did she do there? Was she missing something? Did something like that happen in a movie she didn't know about or a book she hadn't read and it seem familiar to him? He didn't think she was making it up, did he? She hoped not.

He didn't explain it, and she was too shy to ask him what he meant. Instead, he went on to asking her on if she had met many people, if she considered any guys as friends, and then turning it to asking about if she might have considered him a friend. Well, she though he was asking her if she considered him a friend. He might have been asking her opinion in general about him.

"W-well... I .... that is...."

She sighed at herself then took a breath before trying to talk properly again. She gave a small swallow before taking another breath and speaking again.

"I.... I haven't met many people.... Not out of the classrooms anyways.... and not while I've been... well, trying to.... not be so antisocial...."

Anthy fidgeted with the hem of her shirt a little.

"Three, actually.... And all guys so far... as luck would have it, it seems... I... I guess it's life trying to... trying to get me to get over.... well.... how I am.... I.... I think that Koty's my friend... At... at least we'd talked about not being against it, that is.... But Lucas.... I... I don't know..... I mean.... I kind of ran off... so..... so I don't know..." She told him, feeling a bit embarrassed.

She hadn't answered him about the part of himself, but that was because she'd fallen into that shy silence once more. In fact, she'd gone to looking at the grass rather than him.

[Matt Davis]

Matt accepted the answer. He realized pretty quickly that she avoided adding him to her friend roster. That was fine though. They had literally just met and she seemed uncomfortable around him. Didn’t really tell him about where she was, or anything. He did, however, feel that there was something there. Even if it was just a little fun with the savior of his tabs.

“You always run into the people you don’t want to. All guys when you’re just getting into it, eh? If it can go wrong, it will go wrong… that’s what Hammurabi says, anyway. Wise man and I find it to be true.” He started to strum a simple tune on his guitar. It would probably seem out of place at first, or to anyone other than Anthy. He had a feeling though. Nearly every all female choir he ever heard of had heard and sang this song at some point.

“God’s got a way of helping though. Maybe that’s what’s going on, you know? He might be shoving people in your way since you’re -wanting- to be more social, right? Maybe you just need to trust yourself. I can already tell you I like talking to you...No reason to be nervous…You're awesome.” He smiled genuinely up to her as he played.

“You nervous when you sing, Choir-girl?”

[Anthy Blacksmith]

When he explained to her that that was how things went, that if things can go wrong, they would... Well, Anthy was a little surprised. He seemed so upbeat and positive, so she hadn't expected him to say something like that even if he was quoting someone. She didn't ask him about it though, not yet anyways. It might have been a touchy subject if he was speaking out of experience, after all. Instead, she listened to the notes in the tune he was playing on his guitar. That was, until he was speaking again. A hint of familiarity was in her eyes as she picked out the tune. Oh that was an old one.

Matt spoke again, breaking the verbal silence. And as he made his comment, she thought it over for a bit. It did kind of make sense, she supposed. Though it made questions surface in her mind too. Like what the plan might have been when she had been "gifted" with the power to blind someone with her derriere. Back foul demon, for I shall blind thee with my bum!

Anthy almost face palmed right then and there when that thought and imaginary situation ran through her head. But then, as he seemed to have a habit of doing, he was distracting her again by telling her she was awesome and that was the reason she had no reason to be nervous. She didn't agree about the awesome part... but... but she really didn't know why she was so nervous with strangers. She couldn't even remember when it had started. Anthy knew it hadn't been there for her whole life.

"I'm... I'm really not... Awesome that is... I'm just... well.... I'm just me... Thank you though." She stammered out.

Then, Matt asked her about how she was when she sang. Oh dear lord.

"I.... I...... that is..... I haven't... I haven't sung since... well.... since my old school... I mean, my older school.... I mean, the school before this school before that... I'm.... I don't think that.... Well, there were always.... and I didn't need to....."

[Matt Davis]

“What I’m hearing from you… is that no. You didn’t used to be nervous when you sang, yeah? It don’t matter about the rest, I asked a pretty simple question, yeah.” He continued to strum along to the song while looking over her.

“Being awesome aint all inclusive though. I think I’m pretty awesome in a lot of ways. Been told it too, but I’m just being Matthew Luke Davis. It doesn’t mean I can’t be worth a praise… So why don’t you kind of pick up the pipes a bit, sing, and see what happens?”

“Mr. Sandman… Bring me a dream.” His voice dropped some “Dun dun dun…” 

“Make’r the cutest, that I ever seen.”

“Give’r too lips, like roses and clover…..” 

He trailed off, expecting her to pick up some to see if the bit of stuttering continued when she vocalized.

[Anthy Blacksmith]

Well, it was good to know that he could translate some of the mess she had stuttered and stammered out. But, she really wasn't sure on if she was nervous when she sang or not... As Anthy was pretty certain that the shyness and nervousness hadn't started quite yet back when she was in the singing situation. She felt a bit bad though, that she couldn't answer him out straight. But she was working on it, and that was what counted, right? Or was that statement just her trying to find the easy way out? Copping out, in a way.

She bit the corner of her lip as he continued to speak. And again she found herself thinking about the confidence he seemed to have. It seemed so easy to him. So fluent. She had confidence too, just... it seemed to go into hiding when she was dealing with new people. Anthy, believe it or not, was actually decently normal when she was around people she was used to and considered friends for a little while.

Her thoughts drifted away from that and to the fact that he seemed to expect her to sing right now, right here. In fact, he was leading the song off before trailing it to where he seemed to expect her to jump in and continue. Anthy blushed, gave a bit of a swallow, and looked down before shaking her head a little.

"I..... I really don't know if.... if I can just.... well...."

[Matt Davis]

Matt looked over her as her head dropped and she stammered a little bit. He didn’t fully understand her. They were very different people, though he did see a bit of resemblance in the whole...lost and scared level that he was very accustomed to. He wasn’t exactly sure how to cope when it was himself facing it, and really didn’t know how to help someone else get over fears. What he did know is that it would’ve helped to have someone back then. Also… music helped a lot. And it wasn’t those oldies.

“You know, someone once said that ‘everyone can sing, and everyone can sing well’. Now I don’t know who said it, and it may have been a cartoon seagull from a disney movie, but I think it’s pretty awesome for a quote. So why don’t you just try it? Make yourself a little comfortable. Sometimes you just need to let your hair down...and hop on when the call comes.”

“The call to come… All aboard! Hahaha!.” His fingers quickly shifted gears and he started strumming to a new song, much harder, much faster, and with the ability to rose any flapper to rock out. Even if when they rocked, they stuttered.

"Crazy, but that's how it goes

Millions of people living as foes

Maybe. it's not too late

To learn how to love, and forget how to hate"

He sang and expected her to join in. Well, half expected. He half expected her to give him a blank, almost stupefied look as he randomly burst into devil music. Matt loved this kind of music, though to be fair, he seldom paid attention to the meaning of the words, and was unaware if he was releasing any imps or whatever into the world. 

[Anthy Blacksmith]

She wondered if he might let her get away with not singing, even if it might have been a bit rude of her to leave him hanging like that. But, he didn't seem to be giving up on her, and oddly enough, that was helping a little. Anthy didn't quite udnerstand it, but it did. She actuallly found herself smiling, even if it was oh so slightly as he went to his quoting again and telling her that she needed to let her hair down and hop on when the call came. What call? Maybe it was his way of saying she needed to just go with the flow sometimes and not worry so much? Yeah, that might have been it...

He was changing up soon. The music shifting to a harder faster tune. And, one she didn't recognize. Oh she hoped he didn't expect her to join in, as she didn't have the first clue on what the lyrics of this song would be.. But, she was hoping for too much it seemed... As, he began singing and went to leaving it open again to her. She rubbed the back of her neck a little, looking a bit sheepish.

"A-alright... I'll try.... Just... I don't know this one." She told him.

[Matt Davis]

Matt smiled through the words of his song, and then let it drag out. He ran his fingers up along the strings making a noise that sounded like a car screeching to a halt.

“You do not know Crazy train? Oh come on… That’s one of the most american songs about trains there are! Alright… Well, I know you’ll know this one… So, why don’t we try singing this together, hmm? I’ll start…”

He switched picks, sliding one over his thumb before taking back his position while watching her. He smiled brightly to her and decided to hold off on playing for a moment.

“You doing alright over there? Aint too many people in ear shot, so I think it’s just us you know. An’ I aint that scary.”

[Anthy Blacksmith]

Anthy resisted the wince when he had brought the song to a stop with that screeching bit. Then, as he went to asking her about her lack of knowledge about the song that he'd been trying to get her to join in on, she gave a somewhat sheepish look, biting the corner of her lip.

Well, it seemed that he wasn't going to let that stop him though. No, he went to revealing that he had other plans. Backup plans. Plans he might have either just thought up of on the spot or had plotted out in case this previous song was a miss rather than a hit. She blushed a little in embarrassment when he asked her if she was alright, and as he pointed out there weren't too many people in ear shot, she took a glance around out of reflex.

Giving a small swallow, Anthy looked to Matt again before giving another brief nervous lip bite then finally getting herself to speak up.

"Al..... alright... But..... but could we... go with Space Oddity?.. I know it's your guitar and all, so it... it might be more appropriate for you to.... well, pick the songs and all.. but...."

[Matt Davis]

He smiled brightly to her and moved slightly over to nudge her on the leg. “Don’t even need to ask. I aint leading or nothing, we’re just hanging right? If you want me to play something let me hear it!?” He switched his picks again, grabbing a red marble one and holding it firmly while watching her.

“I aint the songs biggest fan, but -an’ don’t you say nevermind!... Just sing for me, and give me a reason to like the song a little more, eh?”

He started to strum slowly while shifting a bit to push the amp to the side some. When he did the sound became much more clear, filling the air more easily rather than hitting them in the face.

“Here we go… Ground Control to Major Tom…” He was putting more inflection in his voice, sounding almost like he was playing. The large smile didn’t disprove this, though it and his eyes were locked on her. Awaiting for her to join.

“Ground control to Major Tom...Take your protein pills…”

[Anthy Blacksmith]

When he told her that he wasn't the biggest fan of the song, she surely was ready to tell him that they didn't need to sing it. There were other songs, it was just the first one that came to mind that didn't really seem to complicated at the same time. It'd been a few years since she had last sung, so she was kind of trying to take it easy on herself while at the same time sparing his ears if her voice wasn't quite warmed up like it should have been. But, he wasn't letting her get out of it. And, to continue with proving that, he went to beginning on the song on his guitar.

She was feeling like backing out of it, to be honest, even as Matt began singing the lyrics. But that would have been kind of messed up, wouldn't it have been? To get him to start on a song he wasn't fond of, only to bail out on him? So, she tried building herself up so not to make this more of an awkward moment than it was trying to turn into already.

"... and put... your helmet on." She sang, drawing out the words "put" and "your" out briefly as she worked past her nerves and got herself to sing properly.

"Ground control to Major Tom... Commencing countdown, engines on. Check ignition, and may God's love be with yo~u...."

She took a breath.

"This is Ground Control~ to Major tom. You've re~ally made the gra~ade. And the papers want to know who's shirt you we~ar. Now it's time to leave the capsule if you da~are......"

Anthy stopped, her cheeks turned a bright red, and she quickly went to biting her lip before looking at the grass again, totally having lost her nerve after having realized she'd let her voice get louder than the near inaudible tone she'd been at in the beginning.