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The bar was small: brick walls, the bathrooms covered in graffiti, the bar old, its wood pitted and lacquered; the tiny kitchen area cranked out ridiculously good food, though, as long as you didn't mind the somewhat surly guy taking the orders. Most of the bar was dominated by the stage to one side of the room, tucked into a corner; this was where Shadow had sat on a tiny stool under a light, with a microphone in front of him and a guitar on his lap (he was learning) and sang.

He didn't have a bad voice, not at all -- and the songs weren't really identifiable as anything other than ballads, not unless you caught the references to the Triforce. Or a certain book series. Or dragons.

After the show he'd disappear for about ten minutes and then make his way back out front towards the bar. Not just to look for Ever, who said he'd come -- he needed a drink, his throat was parched and his voice hoarse. And he made money off of that voice.

Zac could judge whether or not Shadow was any good; Ever could not. Anyone watching him while the show went on would see the way his expression glazed out, distant, out of focus. Music wasn't his thing.

So he drank, instead.

By the time it was over he was a bit wobbly himself, only too glad to sit with Zac and try to get the room to settle back into place.

"...he sent me an invite." The words were thick on his tongue, but at least they came out clear. Ever twisted his glass against the table and regretted his life decisions. He should have stopped two drinks ago. Oops.

"I assume he'll find out. Find ous -- us." He licked his lips and shook his head, eyes following Zac's. maybe Ever was just as nervous.

Zac’s hand touched lightly on Ever’s hand, considering his normal aversion to public displays of any kind it may not have entirely been for his own benefit.
Still, it was both possessive and hopefully slightly reassuring.

“Hi.” He said with the care of someone approaching a bomb. Yes he seemed ‘warm’ enough but he really knew nothing of Ever’s family still.

“You weren’t bad.” He added awkwardly.

"They usually are," Shadow said -- maybe there was a hint of self-deprecation there; people who liked filk usually also realized they were giant nerds. "This is the only bar that does it. But thanks," he added, and beamed; he had a nice smile. It was clear that maybe some of the women who showed up at the bar for Shadow's shows weren't really in it for the filk.

He turned more to Zack, taking time to take a careful sip of his drink. "I'm Shadow. It's nice to meet you." About as simple and non-judgemental as it got. "This bar has awesome food if you guys are hungry."

"I'll, uh, get food." Ever looked somewhere in between: visibly, obviously uncomfortable, but also trying to be more chill about it, to be okay with family who seemed non-judgmental. It was just hard to look at Shadow and not think about family holidays, and tense, whispered conversations, and laughing brothers...

He waved for them to chat while he slid away to order at the bar. Yet another drink for himself, and then something for them to pick at.

Zac’s expression went from cautiously inquisitive to ‘marginally panicked’. “Ermm… So, Eeehhyesss.” He cleared his throat, linking his fingers together for a moment and then releasing again to drum fingers on the table.

“Did the, did you only just realize that you two were in the same city?” He tipped his head curious. “You’re all more ah… you’re more awkward with each other than I am in general. That’s saying something.”

"We haven't seen one another since we were younger." Shadow grabbed onto this potential line of conversation with both hands and hung on for dear life. "I moved to the city a few years ago but I never ran into him. When I moved out when I was younger -- our moms are twins -- it'd been after some family business." He shrugged.

Family business was a very polite way of putting it: it had been more like a knock-down, drag-em-out, McCoy and Hatfield fight. Several family members still weren't speaking to one another.

Shadow pulled a long lock of white hair behind an ear that was pierced with what looked like a wooden plug. "We're not really known for staying in touch. Are you from here?"

A fresh drink was set on the counter in front of him all too soon -- and Ever almost winced as the bartender told him food would come to the table, and moved on to help other customers. He took his drink slowly and returned to sit next to Zac, flushed and fumbling.

"Family business?" He blinked at Zac, and then up at Shadow, amused and somewhat confused. "I'm not much of a carpenter, never was. I think Allain and Devin, uh, my brothers, took that over..."