The woman sang and her guitar accompanied her, and Cadence smiled. It wasn't a smile for her. The song was not hers. It was the woman's song. Cadence had helped her find it. Ezvin was there, supporting her as she recovered. She felt tired, but it was a good tired. It was the tiredness that came after a workout. She had pushed her limits. Perhaps her connection to her power was stronger now - at least after she rested.
Cadence gave Ezvin a tired smile as he told her that she gave people a path through the dark. She wasn't so sure about that. Most of the time she felt like she was in the darkness herself. Even now, she still felt like that child, scared, frightened, and locking herself in her room where no one could find her unless she wanted. But on stage and in the studio, she was someone else. She was confident and strong. On stage she had no fear, and Cadence wished that she could be that woman all the time. She had always kept it to herself, but she always felt incredibly lonely.
Cadence caught Ezvin's words, spoken quietly, almost as a thought, but she didn't have time to respond before he led her to an alcove and they sat down. She sat close to him, not afraid of him. Today had been the first time in a long time she hadn't felt so alone. Ezvin had taken her here, and she was certain she would keep coming back to the Nest. It would be a good place for her. She was grateful to Ezvin for sharing it with her, but his question kept echoing in her head. It made her think he had something he wanted to tell her, but she didn't know. Reading people was hard.
Cadence let the silence linger, feeling Ezvin's warmth next to her, but her gaze was thoughtful. She bit her bottom lip as she listened to the woman's song echo in the hall. "She's really talented," Cadence said, breaking the silence and looking straight ahead.
The woman's song hit the chorus again and Cadence couldn't help but quietly hum a harmony part to the woman's melody. It just seemed natural as she gathered her thoughts. She let the song continue, turning to face Ezvin. "I do feel like that. They see so little, but it's scary to show what's underneath, and you're not even sure they want to know." Cadence looked away for a moment. She didn't want to assume anything, and she didn't want to misread or overstep. When she looked back up at him, her eyes were soft, caring, and filled with compassion as she took his hand. "Ezvin, you can tell me anything." It was an offer. She wouldn't judge him. Ezvin was her friend, and one of the very few she trusted. But it was when she started to get close to people that they left her.
Cadence gave Ezvin a tired smile as he told her that she gave people a path through the dark. She wasn't so sure about that. Most of the time she felt like she was in the darkness herself. Even now, she still felt like that child, scared, frightened, and locking herself in her room where no one could find her unless she wanted. But on stage and in the studio, she was someone else. She was confident and strong. On stage she had no fear, and Cadence wished that she could be that woman all the time. She had always kept it to herself, but she always felt incredibly lonely.
Cadence caught Ezvin's words, spoken quietly, almost as a thought, but she didn't have time to respond before he led her to an alcove and they sat down. She sat close to him, not afraid of him. Today had been the first time in a long time she hadn't felt so alone. Ezvin had taken her here, and she was certain she would keep coming back to the Nest. It would be a good place for her. She was grateful to Ezvin for sharing it with her, but his question kept echoing in her head. It made her think he had something he wanted to tell her, but she didn't know. Reading people was hard.
Cadence let the silence linger, feeling Ezvin's warmth next to her, but her gaze was thoughtful. She bit her bottom lip as she listened to the woman's song echo in the hall. "She's really talented," Cadence said, breaking the silence and looking straight ahead.
The woman's song hit the chorus again and Cadence couldn't help but quietly hum a harmony part to the woman's melody. It just seemed natural as she gathered her thoughts. She let the song continue, turning to face Ezvin. "I do feel like that. They see so little, but it's scary to show what's underneath, and you're not even sure they want to know." Cadence looked away for a moment. She didn't want to assume anything, and she didn't want to misread or overstep. When she looked back up at him, her eyes were soft, caring, and filled with compassion as she took his hand. "Ezvin, you can tell me anything." It was an offer. She wouldn't judge him. Ezvin was her friend, and one of the very few she trusted. But it was when she started to get close to people that they left her.