The moment they walked into the bar, Isaac knew something was off. The music ... it had a familiar tone to it, somehow. But the last time he'd heard anything like it had been someplace entirely different.

"Crap." Tera, pink hair tied up in wild braids, tugged Isaac to the very back of the bar before he could get a word out.

He managed to wave his arm when he noticed Merrick. The rocker tilted his dark head of hair to the side and didn't hide the fact that he thought the whole situation was hilarious. Isaac mouthed a silent "Help me" before being shoved into a chair. He had his back to the stage. Still those strains of music ...

Tera snapped her fingers in his face. "Earth to Isaac. You're thinking about that guy again, aren't you?"

"Yeah, course I am."

Another, husky, voice joined in on their conversation. "So little Isaac finally got some action?"

"God Merrick, you're such an ass."

"Takes one to know one, Tera." Slender Merrick plopped his jean wearing butt into the seat beside the pink haired woman with a grin. "Leave the guy alone. You can't blame him. I mean come on ... He didn't even know you were pinning for him."

He kept glancing up to the door when he heard new groups come in. It was an unconscious habit of his to do so, to check if he knew anyone. He didn't most of the time, but his heart dropped when he saw one of Chris's guys come in and plop down near the door. Sighing carefully, Colin dropped his head to bob along with his playing, absently glancing up when the doors opened again. He immediately gasped, and almost tripped on his high notes. Isaac, and the pink-haired girl. Tera, right? He was sure that was her name. She didn't look terribly happy, and Isaac looked somewhat pained. They sat and his back was at least turned to Colin, and he watched as someone else joined them.

Why was he here? Why here? He didn't expect Isaac to be at a place like this. Colin lowered his head again but kept glancing up now and again. What were they talking about? He couldn't tell over the music, the clatter, the talk, the people moving around. Many were watching him, so he kept looking at others, never catching an eye, simply giving the place a once-over and lowering his head again to listen to what he was playing. He upped it to a slightly louder, quicker pace to encourage dancing, which would encourage drinking and socializing. He knew how to get people moving to up the revenue later into the night. It wouldn't earn him more money, but he was making a pretty penny tonight, at least. Again he looked around to where Isaac sat with his friends. Had he noticed Colin?

Isaac found himself tuning out their conversation. They just kept finding something to argue about, all the time. It didn't matter where they met, when or why, those two never ceased to amaze Isaac with their ability to disagree. He really wished Colin was there. Somehow, the two of them got along despite their rocky start and odd second meeting. There was that mysterious air about the musician, and a kind soul underneath the hard exterior ... Or so Isaac hoped.

He sighed, and turned around once the music picked up. People were bound to start dancing now that the livelier tunes filled the bar. "Colin?" Eyes wide, he stared at the musician up on stage. He recognized that hair, that face. No wonder Tera had maneuvered him into the seat which would make him sit with his back to the stage.

"Don't even think about it, lover boy." Tera's voice cut through his thoughts.

Merrick joined in. "Aw come on, you must remember what your first time was like. Leave him be."

He enjoyed playing the songs that got people moving around. It let him keep a careful eye on the people that seemed to want to watch others. He could see Chris's guy wasn't moving. He was being served by a stringy-looking young man that seemed intimidated every time he was glared at. But Colin didn't blame the poor guy. He'd have shied away from those coal black eyes too. In fact, he did quite often. Looking back, he thought he heard his name and glanced up to the location. Over the music he had heard it, he was sure. Or someone was calling some guy called Colin, it wasn't an unusual name after all.

But he couldn't mistake the guy that had said it. He was looking right at him with a sense of familiarity. Isaac. So he had seen Colin. He gave Isaac a smile and nod of recognition, then lowered his head to continue. The pink hair, Tera, looked rather annoyed and he couldn't help but feel like the cause. Or maybe it was the new guy to Colin's right. Or a combination. He sighed, closing his eyes to hear the notes he played rather than staring at his fingers tapping along.

The young man smiled back, even though he could hear his friends arguing in the background. Those two never got along, but now ... Now their arguing just slid past him, falling into the void. All that mattered, for now, was the man sitting on stage with his fingers dancing across white and black keys.

Isaac stood.

"Hey, where do you think you're going?"

"Shut it, Tera." Merrick grabbed her arm before she could follow.

Isaac walked away. He weaved through people dancing. Bodies brushed up against each other, brushed against him. But whatever. His goal was up on stage, and somehow Isaac was able to wriggle his way into a chair that gave him the perfect kind of view. A view of Colin playing music... Music that lifted the heart and made people dance.

Colin looked up a little more often than he thought he would. And each time he saw Isaac, standing up, moving around, he would smile a bit more. What did he think of Colin's work? Was it unique to him? Was it interesting, odd? Colin wasn't famous by any means, but was hoping to be, someday. After all, he had some of the trademarks of an artistic type people loved to associate. Struggling beginnings, addiction, a rough-around-the-edges personality, and association with shady types. He lived a dangerous life that people seemed to love to hear about or imagine themselves having, until they were actually in it and feeling like the end of the world was at their heels.

When Isaac took a seat very close to the stage where Colin could look right at him, he couldn't help the stupid grin that crossed his face. He did like Isaac, but didn't want to do too much to link himself with the man. Especially not with one of Chris's men in the building, probably watching him like a hawk.

There were so many people up front. Crowded together, they sat all around the stage. Their eyes were locked on their conversation partners, or looking up at Colin with fascination. Isaac wriggled a bit in his seat, and beamed up at the musician whenever the other man glanced his way. He didn't care if anyone else saw. In fact, it wasn't all that uncommon a reaction. But the young man just knew that the grin on the other man's face was all for him. Wasn't it? He imagined it was so.

It had already been a few hours, but Colin had lost track of time. He enjoyed what he did, there was no doubt about that, and when he played the clock melted away. The people became a big blur, the noise blocked out, his mind on one thing, and that was the music. Even if he didn't know what each key on the keyboard was called, each note was named, each character was, it didn't stop him from knowing the order, time, and manner to play. When someone tapped him on the shoulder Colin glanced up, never pausing in his play, and smiled at one of the bartenders that were on break at the time. "Hey, you got a break for half an hour. Boss says you have a hundred dollar on-house limit for the night."

Colin raised his brows, but nodded, smiling his thanks as the guy stepped off the stage. He wrapped up the music and as he faded out, the speakers were taken over by recorded music from a twenty four hour soft rock station.

Standing and stretching, Colin glanced around and rubbed his eyes to focus again as he stepped off the stage. He made a point to let the crowd overtake him so he could steal away to a back door and slip out to take a breath of cool air. It was so crowded... But it was a big bar, and it was the weekend.

Isaac sighed with disappointment when the other man stepped from the stage. He had to admit, he was just a bit starstruck. Colin was such an amazing musician, and he was interesting to boot. The music had stopped, and Colin hadn't even shot him a glance. Instead he'd disappeared. The young man stood, like much of the crowd in front had done, and tried to peer over their heads to see where Colin had gone. The musician was nowhere to be seen, not at the bar, and not on the bar floor.

The young man frowned a bit, and thought. It was so warm ... He smiled a bit, and looked for the nearest door instead. He weaved his way through the crowd, much less then expertly. He had to push and shove, and suffer through interested glances and murmured invitations. Why did they even think he was interested? Maybe because he gasped slightly every time someone talked to him, and reddened a bit. Shaking his head, he always refused. Now he really wanted to get outside, even if Colin wasn't there.