Players:
Summary: Robyn reaches out to Lucas, Lucas gets grumpy, Robyn gets grumpy, things go well.
Date: April 27, 2010
A Secret Song
Rating: PG-13
Xavier Mansion - Music Room
The music room has four levels of tiers that each sit one row in a semi circle. On the floor in the semi circle is grand piano. There is a large closet on either side of the room, one filled with string instruments and the other filled with various wind and brass instruments. There are a few guitars in the back of the room next to a large variety of percussion instruments. All the instruments here are for the students to use provided they take care of them and clean any necessary parts after they use it. The room is sound proof, so once the door is closed, the music being played will not interrupt the other classrooms.
Ever since coming to Xavier's Robyn's been slacking on playing the cello. Today he figured he'd actually play for the first time in about two or three weeks. He's a bit rusty as he plays, Robyn's good but rusty. He's not amazing or great or anything, just, he knows how to play. At the moment he's playing Greensleeves with the sheet music in front of him, but it's not like he's looking at it. He's not trying to learn a new song, but play on he's played dozens of times. As he plays the long notes, his hand slightly shakes to add the vibrato.
Lucas walks into the room, looking a little unhappy. He's carrying a notebook, wearing a pair of khaki cargo shorts and a button up short sleeved shirt, untucked. He walks in, closes the door, then sees Robyn. He furrows his brow, debating staying or going.
Robyn's eyes are closed as he plays, playing from memory. He finishes up the melancholy song and opens his eyes, shrugging to himself. He's about to make a comment to himself when he sees Lucas and waves the bow at Lucas. "Hey Lucas, don't mind me, I was just kind of practicing." He says shrugging. "I'm horribly out of practice."
Lucas purses his lips, sighs, and then says, "It only sounded bad because it's a cello." Compliment? He walks over to the community computer that has Garage Band on it, and boots it up, flopping onto the seat.
"The cello isn't that bad, but my Dad made me pick at least one instrument to play." So Robyn chose the cello. "So how's it going tonight Lucas? If you want me to leave I can but…actually I'm kind of glad I ran into you tonight."
Lucas slowly turns around, looking suspicious. "Why?" His brow furrows a little more. "Did YOU eat my Pop Tarts?"
Robyn shakes his head. "No, I didn't eat your Pop Tarts Lucas, I actually don't really like Pop Tarts. I am more of a cookie person." He says with a shrug. "Just…I don't know..I just…I'd just really like to be your friend Lucas. I don't know how to word it Lucas or even how to try to reach out to you to let you know so I thought I'd just say it. If you have no interest, I'm sorry I bothered you."
Lucas slowly furrows his brow, and then rolls his eyes, turning back to the laptop. "Christ… What the hell is this? Be Lucas' friend week? Fuck…" He sighs again. His tone is annoyed, but there's no anger or grumpiness to it beyond just annoyance.
"I don't know Lucas but, I do like you, as a friend. I don't mean to annoy you, I'll shut up if it makes you feel better it's just….nevermind." Robyn says as he gets up and starts to pack up his cello, putting it back in the hard case and putting back his sheet music.
Lucas huffs, and again, spins around in the chair. "Are y'all like, worried or somethin'? Ah mean, why this week? Everyone Ah know has had this EXACT fuckin' talk to me. What is it? Am Ah wearin' a sign what says, 'hey everyone, be unsure if you're Lucas friend or not?'"
"Ya know what Lucas, just forget I said anything really. You know what, never mind, really. It's not that important, I was stupid." Robyn says sounding slightly annoyed himself and actually huffs a bit himself. "But you know if, if people are reaching out to you, maybe it fucking says something." He says annoyed.
Lucas nods, "Yeah, it says they're insecure." He shakes his head, "If'n we weren't cool, Robyn, you'd know it." He sighs again, "Ah ain't some prize friend what everyone should be all worried about bein' pals with, ya know?"
"Yeah well screw their insecurity, and screw yours. It says that people care about you Lucas and they want you to know it." Robyn says as he slings his packed up cello over his shoulder, and he's a bit annoyed. "And you know what Lucas, I don't know it. Cause some days you are nice to me and other days you regard me like I'm just an annoying piece of furniture in the room. And you're not a prize friend Lucas but there's something about you that makes people care about you, if you don't care, fine. Whatever, I'll stop putting in effort."
Lucas furrows his brow, and tilts his head a little. He then asks, with a bit of concern, "Dude… Are you okay? Y'all are… Ah dunnow… Really grumpy."
"I'm fine Lucas, really, I am." Robyn says as he turns to face him. "I just, I really do like you…as a friend Lucas. And it's hard to tell where people like with you cause you push everyone away and I wanted to put forth some effort but I guess it was wasted."
Lucas closes his, sighing. He murmers, "…fuck…" When he's finished, he looks up at Robyn. "It's not wasted. Ah just… Ah don't need to be all touchy feely all the time like what y'all want. Ah'm sorry, Ah think we're friends. But Ah ain't gonna wear a Tshirt what says it or hug you every morn. Make sense?"
"I'm not asking for a hug, I'm not asking for a Robyn and Lucas bff t-shirt, I just honestly had no clue where I stood with you Lucas. I know I care too much for my own good about people it's just…I don't know." Robyn says with an exhale still looking like he might take off at any moment.
Lucas sighs once more. He looks at the computer, and then pulls a thumb drive from his pocket, plugging it in. "Ah want you to hear somethin'…" he says, quietly, opening up the Garage Band file. "…Maybe tell me what you think?" He looks up at Robyn, hesitantly. This is Lucas sharing, apparently.
Robyn puts down the cello and gets the hint, walking over and sitting down. "Sure, what is it you want me to hear?" He asks as he kind of seems like all that prior annoyance is gone, he's a weird kid.
Lucas presses play. A kind of hard, distortion riddled song with a driving, simple beat comes on. It's Lucas singing, and Lucas just sits there, silent, his leg bouncing a little nervously, as he watches the screen, not looking at Robyn as it plays.
Listening to the song, Robyn doesn't comment until it's over. "I didn't know you could sing like that, you're good Lucas. Like really good. I know a bit about music, not like my Dad though, but I know enough to say that you're really good." He says with a grin.
Lucas swallows, still staring at the screen. Then he asks, more sheepishly, "Ah wrote it for Rash… Do you think she'll like it?" He looks up at Robyn then, and his face is uncertain, vulnerable.
Robyn grins at Lucas and can't help but chuckle. "Lucas, I know Rashmi would love anything you did for her. Just the fact that you did that, will make her happy, the emotion and the talent behind it, it will make her over-joyed. Is that you playing the guitar there too?"
Lucas furrows his brow a little in thought, he's clearly not convinced. Slowly, he nods, "Yeah… the drums and the backup vocals are Connor." He sighs, saving the song and closing the file. He looks back at Robyn, "You're sure she'll like it?"
"That was Connor, I didn't know he played. Well if you ever need a cello…." Robyn clearly jokes as he's making fun of himself. "Yes, I'm sure she's gonna like it. I'll put my next two weeks of allowance from the school on the line." That's a hundred dollars Robyn is putting down. "You know, my father's in a band."
Lucas leans back in the chair, "Cello? You're such a goober." He tilts his head a little, "Ah didn't know. But, then, Ah don't know anythin' about your paw, so…" He shrugs, "No surprise Ah didn't know."
"My Dad, he's cool. He's a musician and plays in a band. Like weddings and parties and then small shows. Nothing really popular or anything but that's what he does for a living. And my Mom is a children's book illustrator." Which probably explains why Robyn is the way he his, he has two free-spirited, artist parents that raised him. "And I actually like the cello. Have you ever heard Rasputina or Apocalyptica? They can rock out with cellos."
Lucas shakes his head, "Never heard of 'em." He shuts the computer down, and watchs Robyn for a minute as he pulls the thumb drive out. "Don't tell nobody, okay? Ah don't need folk gettin' all up in my gril about this shit, ya know?"
"Hey, I'm glad you trusted me enough to let me listen to it Lucas. And I know she'll love it. But you're secret that you made a song for her is safe with me. Don't worry I'm not going to go ruin your grumpy image." Robyn says with a smile. "Besides, I can't ruin your image or else people won't take the poptart warning seriously."
Lucas scowls, "They got ate anyway!" He shakes his head, "Fuckin'… community kitchen…" He shakes his head, "Ah don't get money from home. Those aren't easy for me to buy. Christ, this place sucks, ya know?"
"I don't get money from home either Lucas, I get the allowance from the school. My parents aren't that well off." Robyn says as his family /isn't/ wealthy at all. "My parents scrape to get by so I'm just lucky this school is able to give a bit. Though I gotta get to sleep soon. I didn't sleep last night."
Lucas nods, "Okay. Well…" He shrugs, and then nods again. "Go get some sleep, Robear." He mashes the hair up out of his eyes and says, "Night."
