( y e s s h e c a n )
(idk how to do the setting up thing so I'm just going to skip to the singing part)
"Where it began~"
Sebastian sang into the microphone, strumming along with his guitar.
"I can't begin to know,"
A few people swayed along. Most resumed their conversations.
"*But then I know it's growing strong…"
At first, his eyes remained above the heads of the onlookers, but he eventually gained the courage to let his gaze brush across their faces.
"Was in the spring. Then spring became the summer.. Who'd have believed you'd come along.."
(Lol this song was the first thing that came up when I looked up songs to sing in bars)
(Idk what song it is… 😶)
Devon looked up at Sebastian as he started to sing, and she smiled. Leaning back in her chair, she hummed along as she listened to him sing.
(GASP
AUTUMN, IT'S SWEET CAROLINE)
"Hands…. touching hands.."
By now, Sebastian's shoulders had relaxed enough for him to move with the music, focus on the quality of his voice.
"Reaching out… Touching me, touching you….."
Those who were paying attention seemed to grin in anticipation, and actually burst into song with him for the chorus.
"Sweet Caroline,"
Here, the audience all yelled 'bah bah bah'.
"Good times never seemed so good…"
But it was no longer them he was watching anymore, it was Devon that his eyes were glued to.
(I've heard of it… But never listened to it…)
Devon felt her heart skip a beat when Sebastian's eyes met her's. She looked back at him and gave him a small smile and an encouraging nod.
Keep going, she seemed to say. You're doing great.
(WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU'VE NEVER LISTENED TO SWEET CAROLINE)
(that's like…. never having listened to Ain't No Mountain High Enough
Listen to it n o w)
"I'd be inclined…"
Sebastian kept singing, but at some point, he realized that he was directing the words towards Devon.
(That would involve me leaving for a few minutes… And I don't wanna do that…
And I have actually listened to Ain't No Mountain High Enough.)
Devon felt her cheeks heating up as they looked at each other. She unintentionally leaned forward a bit, her attention fully on the man who had managed to help her come out of her shell more than she had in years. Not for the first time, she was so glad they had run into each other that day…
(okay good I was going to say
hhhhh fine listen to it later though it's a masterpiece)
"And when I hurt… hurting runs off my shoulders. How could I hurt when holding you?"
After a few more verses, the song came to an end. A few spectators clapped, still chuckling, but his eye contact with Devon had gone largely unnoticed.
Devon grinned as he finished. She hardly dared to move, lest this intimate gaze be broken. Eventually, though, she started to clap for him, standing slowly.
Eventually, he was forced to look away from her and down at his guitar as he began 'Brown-Eyed Girl', wishing for a fleeting moment that it was titled 'Blue-Eyed Girl' instead.
Devon's smile fell back to the smaller one as she sat back down. What was getting into her that she was actin this way? She hadn't been like this with a guy since before…
No. She couldn't think of that now. It wouldn't do her any good.
By the time he was on his fifth song, Sebastian had eased completely into his newfound role. His fingers plucked at his guitar strings without needing much thought, the music coming naturally.
Devon had been so focused on Sebastian that she hadn't noticed the other people around her becoming more and more inebriated as time passed.
A drink man stumbled near her and grabbed her to catch himself. Devon jumped and tried to pull away, but he looked up and grinned wickedly.
"Mm… Wha's'a pretty lady like you doin' here alone, hm? Where's yer boyfriend, lovely? Or don't you got one?" he slurred, causing Devon to flinch.
Sebastian, preoccupied with singing, didn't notice the man approach Devon. His timing so awfully off, he had challenged himself to keep his eyes off Devon for the whole song….
“I do, thank you. And he will be back at any moment,” Devon bluffed, her hands shaking from the man’s proximity. She managed to keep her head up as she looked at him, though her gaze kept flickering to Sebastian. If he would just come help her…
The drunkard chuckled and reached for her again. She moved away before he could grab her, but her breath was already speeding up. This needed to be ended soon, or else she might not make it out of here fully conscious.
“C’mon, pretty lady… I know that ain’t true. You don’t got the looks of a woman in a relationship,” the man declared, leaning closer so that his alcohol-saturated breath blasted Devon in the face. She coughed and scrunched up her nose at the smell.
(GET AWAY FROM HER BEFORE SEB PUNCHES YOU IN THE FACE.)
(OH, AND SEB WILL GLADLY PUNCH HIM IN THE FACE)
The song finished, and Sebastian set his guitar down after the bartender motioned to him to take a short break. He came down from the raised platform, turning his head towards Devon— and the smile melted off his face. His feet carried him over to her, and before he could fully grasp the situation, he had put his hand on the stranger’s shoulder and wrenched him away.
The man stumbled back and glared at Sebastian. “Hey! What the heck, man? Wha’s yer problem?”
Devon gasped a little and took a step back, letting out a slow breath when she realized who it was. Thank goodness for Sebastian…
Sebastian ignored the drunkard, instead turning worried eyes to Devon. “Are you okay? Did he do anything to you?”
“No, no. I’m fine,” Devon assured him quickly, her hand finding her neck. She rubbed against her throat as she tried to calm her heart.
“Ey! I was talkin’ to you!” the drunk man shouted, grabbing Sebastian by the shoulder and wrenching him back.
Sebastian jerked back, tearing his shoulder free of the stranger’s grip. “My problem,” he said coldly, “Is that you were harassing my girlfriend.” He knew Devon wasn’t quite that, yet, but it was the only thing he could think to say that would shake the man.
“Ah, sh—… Look, I didn’t know, okay?” the man said, his eye widening. He took a step back and raised his hands defensively.
“I don’t care whether or not you knew,” he growled, taking a protective step towards Devon, “You were still harassing her.” At that, he turned away.
The man shook his head and walked away, looking much like a dog with its tail between its legs.
Devon watched him go before turning to Sebastian. “Thank you for that… I— Thank you,” she said softly, reaching over for his hand.
Sebastian laced their fingers together, taking her other hand as well. “Don’t worry about it,” he told her softly, “I’m just glad that he’s gone. Are you sure you’re okay? And— about what I said, about being your boyfriend— I told him that to scare him off, I didn’t mean to try and pressure you into agreeing to the official status. Because I know you probably want more time and everything and that’s completely understandable.”
Devon shook her head and gave him a small smile. “It was fine. I know why you said it… I actually said much the same thing before you came over here,” she admitted softly, blushing a little.
