Nervous Tones [Gabe/Cecil]

Getting on the stage set with his newfound partner in this little show that they were about to perform, Gabe would nudge Cecil and pointed over to the screen that was supposed to show the lyrics along the way so that they wouldn't have to guess or anything.

"Alright Cecil, just remember to have fun. Who cares what they think? Imagine, the 3000 VC people pay just to be up here, and you got over here for free. Let's make it count, eh?!"

With that being said, the music started to play, but not before showing the title of the song.

Judgement

With that, Gabe started to sing the song pretty well, almost as if he sung this song before.




Lyrics

Spoiler:

His steps felt heavy. Everything felt heavy. There was a weight and a pressure bearing down on him as he stepped up that would not relent, facing out to the crowd as he came up on stage. Anxiety and pessimism threatened to overwhelm him as the time approached.
Cecil was cognisant of none of this. And yet, he still felt it in his subconscious, these feelings acting through him.
He makes no spoken reply to Gabriel, simply nodding words. Behind the partition of his mind, the price of the venture drops into the swirling mix of dread, the pressure building to demand he do this well, as befitting a pricey experience such as this.

He takes a breath to centre himself and focuses on the screen as it's called to his attention. As bad as singing badly would be, not singing at all in a duet of all things would be far, far worse in the end.
The music starts.

Cecil is...not bad. With some work, it could be quite good.
But for now, even as he sings, it's held back by nerves and unfamiliarity with the track, void of the passion needed in its delivery.
He's trying. But even so, he's unable to put everything into it.

At the very least, Cecil was keeping up and doing well. Gabe wasn't worried about the performance of the younger fellow, he just wanted him to continue with the song and sing his heart out.

"Wow, Breakin’ the law
Breakin’ the world, Break it
Tear apart Tenderness!"

It was Cecil's turn now, and with some hope, he would carry on and still be into it.

Keeping up and doing well? Not by the standards of the singer himself. He couldn't help but notice the fumbles, the places were he dropped off too early, all the little places where he could have done better with a little more familiarity, or just more comfort on stage.
Singing? Yes. Singing his heart out? No.
That'd suggest he was enjoying this more than he was enduring it.
Many eyes were on him, and they fed the only pair that really pressured him right now. The pair nobody could see.

"Wow, Breakin' the rule~"
"I'm a dissident that will not be bound by the book of six laws"

It was a set of eyes that wouldn't allow him to freeze. Because as much as it stifled him and fractured him, it did what it always had-
It pushed, and pushed, and pushed, until he gave out or the thing he was pressed against did.
And thankfully, it wasn't him that broke this time.
His eyes flicked over to Gabe for a moment. Right there was something to aspire to in this situation. Comfortable, confident, and having a blast.
He wanted that.
But he didn't expect to have that.
Ever.

All he could do right now was focus on the song.

Our raised, clenched fists are our Judgement

I’m a no-good stray dog who doesn’t even know love.
But I won’t take your treats of status and money.


In the back of Gabe's mind he was trying to figure out how he could keep an eye on Cecil and focus on the song at the same time. In the same breath, he thought that a sink or swim experience for the lad would be good for him in the long run. However, Gabe wouldn't allow him to fall too deep and pick up the pace of the song. That's actually one of the reasons why he picked the song in the first place.

"Even if I get hurt, get hurt, and lose everything~"

Somehow, paying attention to the translation..it was finally sinking in just what he'd agreed to perform. And it kind of amused him....in a way that was a little depressing in some ways admittedly, but all the same.
Right now, and he'd openly admit it, he was not really worth anyone's time. He was going nowhere fast, and he couldn't ignore that if he wanted to. And yet, despite his current worthless nature, he was also fighting demons and attempting to topple a corrupt government with little regard to the alternative.
If only Gabe had any idea. That'd just make this funnier.

"I won’t be stained. That is Justice….JUSTICE!"

ooc: Sorry for the lateness

Wow, Breakin’ the law
Breakin’ the world, Break it
Tear apart Tenderness

Gabe was really starting to get into it now. In all honesty, it reminded him of how the playhouse operated and some of the ways that he thought the terrorists functioned. He doubted that Cecil would know or even understand the amount of running around that he had to do in the middle of the night, but it was all for the revealing the corruption of the government and put an end to it.

Wow, Breakin’ the rule
I’m a dissident that is not friendly to the elite

"Raise your clenched fists. We are…"

Well, the song was closing up. Soon, they'd be done, and Cecil's tenure on stage would be over.
...he was still pretty sure he did terribly, but still - this was something he could cope with. Not actually enjoy all too much yet, but maybe in future?
For now, he just had to finish strong with Gabe.
...maybe get some more nachos after.
Those were damn good.

"That’s right. We are Judgement~"

With the song over, the crowd cheered. Regardless of the butterflies in his stomach, Cecil handled himself well. Gabe was no slouch either, and together, they made quite the duo that performed an amazing feat. With a small bow, Gabe would then call Cecil over after he finished soaking up the crowd's appreciation of having the guts to go up on stage and sing for them.

Sitting back at the table, Gabe would take a sip of the soda. Amazingly, the ice cream floats didn't melt yet. "Phew, that wasn't so bad. Right, Cecil?"

They- they were cheering?
What?
Cecil is simply stunned by the unexpected event, simply going along with the directions he's given until the two sit back down, and Gabe speaks to him again.
Even then, the disbelief is quite readily apparent.
"I...I guess?" He seems like he doesn't know quite what to say. "...they were cheering for us. For you...and me."

Falling silent, Cecil simply tales a swig from his drink, and looks at where his nachos used to be.

"Comeon now Cecil, it was much more than that. I'd like to think of it as something more than mere admiration. We showed our stuff, regardless of the result or any kind of impending result we expected, we ended up doing our best. That's the result of our hard work on stage..."

Taking a bite of the nachoes, Gabe would then look over and see other people performing. "For some people, this is their dream. Do you have a dream like that?"

Cecil didn't know how to reply to that as he took another drink. It wasn't an easy thing to reply to in the first place, for someone like him. What did you say to something like that? When you were already struggling with the idea that you'd done something worthy of appreciation by those around you, how are you supposed to cope with the idea that there was more to it than that?
He didn't know.
He never had.

"A...dream, huh...?"
...silence reigned, inside and outside. A new person had stepped up to sing, and they weren't doing bad, but Cecil didn't hear them. It was just him and Gabe, then, and not a word was spoken...and that was without mentioning the deafening silence in his own mind.
...without a goal, you shall wander the graves til your own time comes.
This, you must remedy before all else.
Cecil still didn't speak a word, but the lost, downcast look on his face said everything in his stead.

"Ahh shape up, we all have one. You don't have to tell me or anything."

As they continued to hang out for about an hour or so, Gabe would notice his phone and realize that he couldn't stay out for too long. There was the fact that he had to go ahead and do the whole terrorist thing.

"I hope you enjoyed the fiasco, as well as the singing and whatnot. However, I'm afraid our time together is a little cut short, I have something to get ready to attend to at the casino."

Cecil smiles bitterly. "Yup. Everyone has a dream they chase."
It sounded more like he was trying to convince himself.

As Gabe speaks up, he'd find Cecil's eyes on him, his mood dampened. "Yeah...I guess I did." Did enjoy it, though, not was enjoying it. It was innocuous question he'd been asked, but it had hit home. He'd finished his drink ages ago too, leaving him without even that to occupy him.
"Right...well." Cecil layers on his usual relaxed expression, looking for all the world a lot more laid back than he really felt as he got up. "Honestly, I needed to get moving as well. Ah well." He pushes that smile a little wider. "It was good doing this, Gabriel. Hope more'll happen in the future like this."

Cecil waves as he makes his exit before letting his face fall once he's out of sight. That was...not a way to end a night.
Sighing, he puts his headphones back on and lets the music filter through, taking him away from this moment to a place elsewhere where these troubles of his didn't exist.
He...couldn't really stand to keep that up forever. Places to be, district leaders to topple...things to do.
...at least that stuff was clear to him.