#skyeffery

[skye-penderwick]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

I had the inspiration for this story years ago, but it took me forever to start writing it. But then I did and then left it for two years until I opened it up today. Here’s the first chapter of what will hopefully be quite a few.

[skye-penderwick]

First off I would like to thank everyone who submitted their ships cause those were cool to see and very inspiring.

Second, here is the alignment chart (this was fun to make):

[skye-penderwick]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Back with another one shot and the most canon thing I have written (and probably will ever write)

[skye-penderwick]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Hey look at this! I wrote a thing! Click it or click it not. Your choice. It’s just here

[skye-penderwick]

Just some kids having a beach day

[skye-penderwick]

So there I was, scrolling through tumblr and I see a random prompt list and instead of, you know, working on my other WIPs, I latched onto the prompt of “my guitarist quit the night before the gig and supposedly you’re really good” but of course I changed that up. A lot. And here we are.

(Ngl also slightly inspired by Spider-Man 3 cause that’s literally all I could visualize during this)

“What do you mean we have a new singer?”

Jeffery looked over at the guy who would be playing the string bass that night.

“What happened to Sidney?”

“She got sick and had to cancel. But she called in to a friend apparently and found a replacement.”

Jeffery sighed. “I guess that’ll have to do. She’s not one of the dramatic types that changes the set every few seconds is she? Cause then we’re going to have issues.”

“I don’t think so.” Keenan shrugged. “I’m not really sure. Sidney just said that she was really talented and was up to try singing here.”

“Wait. Are you telling me she hasn’t sung at a jazz club before?”

“No. I haven’t.”

Jeffery turned to look at the small girl who had just entered the club. She looked up at him, daring him to dismiss her.

He cleared his throat. “Um excuse me, but how old are you?”

“Eighteen.”

He blinked. He hadn’t expected her to be that young, although Sidney was only twenty. “Alright then. What’s your name and how do you know Sidney?”

“I’m Elizabeth and Sidney and I took music lessons together a few years ago. We kept in touch once she graduated high school.”

He nodded. “Alright then. Well this is Keenan, Henry, and Michelle who goes by Mick. I’m Jeffery. Would you like to join us for soundcheck?”

Elizabeth nodded, her dark hair swinging around her as she walked over to the side of the stage.

“Sidney sent me the set list after I told her I would cover for her. I looked it over but is there anything else you want me to do?”

Keenan, and the brass duo of Mick and Henry, looked at Jeffery.

He shook his head. “I don’t think so. Sid usually stores her music in the cubby that’s in the second column, third from the bottom.”

Elizabeth nodded and scanned the cubby area grabbing the music when she found it.

“There’s also stands over there if you want to set it down. Singers don’t usually have stands but seeing as you’re covering last minute and never sang in a jazz club before, you’re more than welcome to use one tonight.”

Elizabeth grabbed a stand and placed it slightly to the right of the mic, close enough to reference it if need be but far away enough that it could be ignore if she wished, a subtle way of letting Jeffery know that she didn’t need it but was humoring him anyway.

While she adjusted her mic, Jeffery looked at the rest of the small ensemble trying to gauge their opinions.

Mick and Henry stood next to each other, holding their horns and looking at their music, but still whispering. Knowing them, Jeffery figured they were sizing Elizabeth up and betting if she was as good as she thought she was.

Keenan caught Jeffery’s eye and the two shared a silent conversation, both wondering how Elizabeth was going to do in Sidney’s role and if she was the drama queen they both feared.

He looked back to the center of the stage to see Elizabeth looking at him.

Jeffery swallowed. “Let’s begin.”

He made eye contact with the others and counted off with a nod of his head.

The four instrumentalists began the first piece, their usual opener since few were in the club when they would begin playing.

Jeffery looked over at Elizabeth as her cue was coming. She gripped the microphone and looked to the empty seating area as if it was already full of people. And then she began to sing.

If Jeffery didn’t already have this song nearly memorized, he was sure he would’ve royally screwed up. As it was, he heard Keenan play a wrong note and Henry cut out for a beat or two.

Her voice was beautiful: rich and full. Jeffery could tell that she was more of a Broadway singer than jazz but the untrained ear would never know. Her voice captured all the emotion behind the piece yet fit perfectly into the mix of instruments behind her, not washing them out but taking her place as just another member.

They finished and the group looked at her. Elizabeth saw all the eyes on her when they didn’t go right into the next song. She blushed and stared at her feet.

“Are you sure you’ve never played in a jazz club before?” asked Jeffery.

“I wasn’t allowed to until after I graduated high school,” she murmured.

“Well I can say for all of us, that that was really impressive.” The other members nodded. “Let’s finish our warmup shall we?”

They continued through, spot checking their set list and making sure Elizabeth knew what to expect.

“Alright guys.” Jeffery checked his watch. “We have twenty minutes until the club opens up and we start playing for an audience. Do whatever you need to before then. Eat. Use the bathroom. Grab a bottle of water. I’ll see you guys back up here in fifteen.”

The group dispersed into the little club, doing whatever each one needed to do.

Jeffery remained on his piano bench and pulled out his phone.

Hey Dad. Are we in need of any more singers?

A minute or two later he got a response.

Not in any desperate need but it might be nice so Sid and Layla don’t need to play as much. Why?

Sid called in sick today and had a friend of hers come in instead. She’s pretty talented and depending on how tonight goes I was thinking of offering her a full-time spot.

Send me a video of her performing and I’ll think about it.

Jeffery closed his phone and looked around the little club. His dad owned it and Jeffery had played here since he was a teenager. They brought in outside musical acts every once in a while, but also had musicians employed by the club to play most nights. The groups shifted around and there was usually a new combination of people playing each night. Adding in Elizabeth would help ease the stress on the singers, if she did well in front of an audience and wanted to sing here regularly that is.

The rest of the band returned and messed around with their instruments. Jeffery checked his watch. One minute till six.

He made eye contact with each person on the stage and nodded as they all got into position to play.

He counted off and they began, playing for an empty room that slowly began to fill.

They played their first set and took their first ten minute break. They would play a set for roughly a half hour, break, and then repeat the process until eleven when the club would close. They would put on a background track of music until the live performers would start again.

It was during this first break when Jeffery walked over to Keenan.

“I need a favor.”

Keenan gave him a side look while he drank his water.

“I need you to get a small clip of Elizabeth singing tonight.”

Keenan looked at him. “Why?”

Jeffery sighed. “Because I suggested hiring her to my dad and he needs clip of her singing. I don’t ever stop playing so my best option is having you do it.”

He smiled. “Okay.” Jeffery handed over his phone and went back to sit on the bench.

They began their second set which went much like the first, except now they had a nearly full audience and a steady stream coming in and out.

During their second break, Jeffery walked over to Keenan who smiled and handed his phone back.

“I hope this is good and I hope your dad makes the right choice. Personally, I’m in favor of Elizabeth joining.”

Jeffery agreed. She had gotten more comfortable during the second set and began to do her own spin on the songs that they played, fitting in well with the rest of the group.

He returned once more to his seat and sent the video to his dad. He turned off his notifications and set his phone on top of the piano and looked out over the crowd.

His eye caught a woman just walking in. She wore a white blouse and black skirt, bright against the dim scenery. Her blonde hair was slightly messy but it didn’t seem she cared.

She was gorgeous and Jeffery watched her as she made her way through the club and took a seat in the middle of the second row. She smiled at something ahead of her and Jeffery wished he knew at what.

This was the one problem with playing: he saw so many people come in and out and he never got to speak to them, unless they were regulars or made a point to talk to him. This woman, the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, would just be another nameless face he would never know the story behind.

A throat cleared and startled Jeffery and he glanced around to see Elizabeth and the rest of the band looking at him, waiting for him to count them off.

He shook his head and began the next set, but his eyes kept drifting to the blonde woman as he played. She sat there and intently watched Elizabeth as she sang, a faint smile appearing when Elizabeth took the chance to highlight how good of a singer she was.

Most patrons at the jazz club stayed for about a set and a half, possibly two, so when the woman didn’t leave after their fifth set, he was surprised.

Keenan slid onto the bench next to him. “So what has you so distracted tonight?”

“What?”

“Dude. You’ve been out of it the last couple sets. What’s going on?”

“Nothing. I have no idea what you’re talking about. I’ve been present this whole time.”

“Sure you have. It’s not like you’ve been staring at that blonde girl the moment she walked in.”

Jeffery gaped at the man sitting next to him. “No, I haven’t.”

Keenan stood up and patted his back. “Yes, you have. And if she is still here by the time we finish playing, you’d better talk to her.”

Jeffery watched as Keenan returned to his place on the stage and picked up his bass.

He looked back at the woman who sat in the audience as she put down her phone and waited for the new set to start.

Even though Keenan said to go talk to her, Jeffery knew that chances of her staying that late were slim, so he put that brief conversation out of his mind and focused on playing once more.

The time drifted by and it neared the eleventh hour. The band wrapped up their last song, and Elizabeth thanked the remainder of the audience. Some people left and others stayed waiting for their checks to arrive.

Keenan, Mick, and Henry all went about putting their instruments away as Jeffery checked his phone for the first time in a few hours.

He had received a reply from his father.

She’s incredible. Feel free to offer her a spot.

He smiled and looked up from his phone only to see that Elizabeth had disappeared.

He made eye contact with Keenan who mouthed “blonde” at him.

What?

Oh right. The blonde woman had stayed the rest of the night and Jeffery was supposed to go talk to her. His thoughts of needing to find Elizabeth had caused the other woman to vanish from his mind completely.

He looked around to see her still sitting at her table.

Keenan clapped his hand on Jeffery’s shoulder.

“Go talk to her man. I expect to hear about it tomorrow. Have a good night.”

And with that Keenan was off and Jeffery left with the daunting task of walking up to a person and talking to them.

He glanced around and still couldn’t see Elizabeth anywhere. He sighed and made his way off the stage towards where the blonde woman sat.

He was a few tables away when she stood.

Jeffery then caught sight of Elizabeth meeting the woman and the two of them smiling at one another.

“Um, excuse me Elizabeth?”

Elizabeth turned to look and him as well as the blonde woman. He was close enough to see that her eyes were bright blue and seemed as if they stared into his soul.

He cleared his throat. “You sang phenomenally tonight, Elizabeth. My father is the owner of this jazz club and on his behalf I would like to offer you a job as one of our singers.”

Elizabeth gaped at him as if she didn’t understand what he was saying.

The silence between them became long when the blonde woman spoke up. “Batty, this man just offered you a job. What are you going to say?”

“Batty?” Jeffery glanced between the two of them.

His voice seemed to snap Elizabeth out of her trance. She glared at the blonde woman. “My name is Elizabeth.” She turned back to Jeffery smiling. “I’d love to work here. Thank you for the opportunity.”

“You deserve it. You’re incredibly talented. Come back here tomorrow around four and we can figure out the terms of your employment.”

Elizabeth was now beaming. “Thank you! I’ll see you tomorrow!”

She turned back to the blonde and then immediately focused back to Jeffery.

“I’m so stupid. Jeffery, this is my sister Skye. Skye, this is Jeffery the guy who played the piano.”

Skye stuck out her hand. “Pleased to meet you and excuse my little sister’s poor manners.”

“Hey!”

Jeffery laughed and shook her hand. “They’re excused. Are you a jazz fan yourself?”

“Me? No. I don’t have a musical bone in my body. I came here tonight because Batty needs a ride home and I wanted to make sure no creeps followed her out.”

“I sincerely hope I’m not on the creep list them seeing as though I did kind of follow her.”

“I hadn’t thought of that. On second thought, you now are on the list,” her eyes narrowing although she smiled a little. “I’ll interrogate you later after I hear Batty’s report.”

“Hey. I’m right here!”

He looked at the two sisters.

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. “At home my nickname is Batty and that’s what my family calls me. Professionally, I go by my full name, Elizabeth. Someone routinely forgets that,” she said with a pointed look at Skye.

Her sister shrugged. “Sorry. Force of habit. Besides if you did get kidnapped, Batty is much more unique.”

Jeffery couldn’t help but smile. “I have to say, I am with Skye on this one. Batty is better.”

Skye now grinned and looked at her sister. “See? I’m right. Like always.”

Elizabeth/Batty rolled her eyes. “Yeah right. He’s just agreeing with you because he thinks you’re pretty.”

Jeffery and Skye both stared open-mouthed at her.

“I-I don’t –“

“He doesn’t – “

They both looked at each other and looked away as they made eye contact.

“Skye just give him your number and Jeffery ask her out. You know that’s what you both want to do.” She looked between the two of them and shrugged. “Oh well. I’ll just give you Skye’s number when I see you tomorrow. Goodnight!”

And with that Elizabeth/Batty pulled a dumbfounded Skye towards the door.

Jeffery watched them go and then blinked a few to times to realize what was going on.

He hurried out the door to find them a few yards down the street.

“Wait!”

The two of them stopped as Jeffery caught to them.

“You don’t seem like the kind of girl who wants to get asked out so here’s my number and text me when you feel like it.” He handed Skye a piece of paper and watched as she put it in her pocket.

She swallowed and looked up at him. “Thanks.”

With that she turned around and began walking away. Elizabeth/Batty winked at him before following and Jeffery made his way back to the club to lock up.

He heard a gleeful cry of “He nailed your personality!” and harsh shush behind him and looked back to see Skye staring at him as they turned the corner.

Maybe he would have something to tell Keenan tomorrow.