[h3][center]The Swan's Song[/center][/h3]

The Bar had all of a sudden become very crowded, and from his confident, laid-back state, Max retreated to a more upright and elegant stance; back straight and legs crossed, glass held in both hands with the ice swishing around inside. When he realized he was surrounded by women his cheeks flushed a little, his mother's words lilting in his ears. He raised his arm a little, allowing his sleeve to slip down a fraction so that he could see his watch. It was a simple affair, leather strip and silver body, though Max had always had a suspicion it was steel but hadn't had the courage to take a piece of sandpaper to it. 

It was almost time.

Max downed his glass, 'To a good evening indeed' he muttered to himself, the liquor trickling down his throat like molten gold. He always needed a bit of the stuff to calm his nerves. Placing the glass on the counter behind him, Max brushed his hair with a free hand and stuffed it into the pocket with his bow tie. He regarded the women with a smile, "See you guys in a bit, yeah?" He spoke as if he knew them, or as if they had been aquatinted, and he supposed he listened in on enough of their conversations to be more or less acquaintances. In a one sided sort of way. As the band chugged music merrily out of their instruments, Max walked along side the stage, disappearing through a door half obscured by the curtains. 

[h3][center]The Swan's Song: Back Stage[/center][/h3]

The band was dwindling at the end of its song, and at the stage left exit Max paced nervously. He knew his anxiety would melt away the moment he stepped foot in the spotlight, but it seemed his body wanted to make him earn the limelight. He uncapped a hip flask and took a quick swig, stuffing it back in his pocket promptly, as if he was being scolded by his mother. The song ended rapturously, a tangle of brass and the affirming cheers of the audience. The MC moved passes Max as if on a breeze, and he took the mic with a passion for celebrating the band, a passion reciprocated by random hoots and hollers from the crowd. 

"Ladies and Gentlemen," he began, causing Max to straighten up and adjust his tie, "It is my honor to welcome back our most inconsistent performance, who preformed for us a very heart warming song last Christmas, one of Sol's many knock-off Sinatras: Max Summerson." The crowd cheered and clapped, but Max presumed that was because they were a crowd and that was just a thing they did, he didn't expect any of them to remember him. 

He stepped out on to the stage, dapper in black, and quick to give his best smile; which was somewhere between wet dog and drunk grin. But the closer he sauntered to the mic the more his smile grew, until he was grinning. 

"You'll do great, Max." The MC said in a low voice, underneath what the microphone could pick up. Lucas could read anyone like an open book. He descended off the stage via the stairs, melting into the crowd and almost out of sight. Max was left alone on stage, band behind him, and nothing but crowd ahead. 

"I maybe one of many Sinatras, Lucas, but I'm not one you have to pay for." The chuckle rolled through the audience, middling in size, appearing dense as the venue was particularity packed that night. Max could spot the spare folding chairs from his place at he bar, and there were plenty of them. "Let's cut to the chase." He looked over his shoulder when he spoke, and the band lurched into [url=https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=KqP3BIHdicA]life[/url].

"[i]Every time it rains it rains.. Pennies from heaven~[/i]" as the music tumbled out of the instruments behind him, Max found himself swaying to the melody, holding on to the mic and stand with both hands but scanning the crowd with a smile smile as he sang. "[i]Don't you know each cloud contains.. Pennies, from heaven?~[/i]" 

Max pulled the mic off the stand and began to pace in time with the music, moving closer to the edge of the stage, where the roll of cool air from the vents above could reach him. All the while he smiled, and played it off as stagemanship - Free hand twirling and snapping to the rhythm.


[@Monacho][@PrinceAlexus][@Furiosa][@King Tai] (I think that's everyone who tagged me, it's too late to keep track. Stayed up a bit late to put this together. XD)