That song was sad, especially knowing Lee's past. But that was exactly the reason that the song had stuck out to her, that the lyrics had meant something to her when she was first hearing it. Because while she hadn't been living at her parents' anymore, and things were getting better for her, things still weren't good.

Tarin was now requesting a song that she associated with something. Something other than the song itself.

Preferably something happier than the last one.

"Ok, I think I have something," Lee said after a few moments. "I haven't played this one in quite a while, though."

Looking down at the strings, Lee only faltered for a moment before getting the right sound.

"I had no choice but to hear you
You stated your case time and again
I thought about it
You treat me like I'm a princess
I'm not used to liking that
You ask how my day was "

This was kind of a fun way to go about things, and it made it easier for Tarin to come up with suggestions for Lee to play. No, he wasn’t giving her song titles or anything like that, but at least it was a direction.

It only took Lee a moment to come up with something and then she took a moment to figure out where to start before launching into the song.

This was another song that Tarin was certain he had heard before, he even knew some of the words. Had this song been a thing on his side of the rift? Was it just popular enough that he had heard it in a few different places? Was it on more than one of Lee’s playlists and that’s why it was familiar?

There was also the fact that Tarin had asked Lee to sing a song that reminded her of something and she had chosen this particular song. As Lee sang, Tarin nodded his head along a bit until Lee finished the song.

“That one was definitely more upbeat.” he said, a slow smile spreading across his face, ”What’s it remind you of?”

While she was playing, a little smile appeared on her face. With all of the looking back into her past that had been done recently, this was the feeling that had been missing when thinking of her childhood. The happiness and innocence of the time.

A smile that was still present on Lee's face when the song ended. Looking over at Tarin when she heard him ask what it reminded her of. "This was the last album I got and really listened to before all of the doctors visits and everything started."

Explaining it that way, it didn't really sound like a happy memory. But for Lee, it really was. If one that she didn't really think about all that often. "That last bit of childhood. When everything was simple and made sense. And was happy…"

Lee explained the timeline of when the album had come out and what it had meant to her and Tarin tried to do the mental math in his slightly fuzzy brain. Sometimes he wished that there was more documentation of things on the other side of the rift because for some reason he wanted to know whether or not this was an album he would have potentially known. There was some but the rift had closed rather suddenly.

Before all the doctor’s visits, before all the problems with her parents. Everything was simple and everything had made sense. Childhood had been childhood.

Tarin was nodding, “I get it.” he said, smile fading slowly as he tried to remember a time when things had been carefree and perfect like that for him. A time when there hadn’t felt like there was something looming.

His Dad had gotten sick and things had gone downhill so quickly, and from there it had been like his life was on rails leading up to the night he’d left for New York. He’d have to go back to before all of that had happened and at this point all of those memories were a blur with a few intense exceptions. The before times.

“I’m glad you have that.” he said, deciding that it wasn’t worth dwelling on. ”You’re making me realize that I don’t think I could possibly come up with a soundtrack of my life. I don’t think I’ve really ever connected with songs or music like that.”

Tarin understood what she meant by 'before' and 'childhood' being simple and happy. Honestly, Lee would have been more surprised if he hadn't understood it.

Lee smiled and shrugged slightly when Tarin said that he was glad she had that memory, at least. "Yeah…It's not like I really think about it all that much. But it's good to be able to remember that everything wasn't always horrible then."

Then Tarin made the comment that he didn't think he could create a soundtrack for his life. "If you were able to do that, I would think you'd have been able to tell me what kind of music you liked," Lee pointed out. "And honestly, it's been interesting spending all that time making the playlists for you."

Lee explained that it was nice to know that all of her memories from home weren’t awful and it occurred to Tarin again that while things hadn’t been easy for him at home, they’d been worse for Lee. It had taken time for people to believe that what he said was happening to him was true, but with the circumstances of his powers manifesting it wasn’t surprising. That didn’t change the series of events that had been set into motion, but at least he’d always known that his Mother cared about him and had wanted to help.

It wasn’t surprising to Lee that he didn’t know enough music to attach certain songs or albums to different parts of his life and he shrugged slightly as she pointed out that she’d kind of enjoyed making the playlists. All that time? Had she spent a lot of time putting things together for him?

”And I appreciate it.” he said. ”And I do like to listen. It’s just not the first thing I think to do most of the time…”

He hadn’t stopped to think that Lee might be putting significant time into making the playlists…but of course she would have to…it wasn’t like people had carried and diverse playlists just laying around.

”I’ll try harder.” he said, ”And not just listen when I’m running.”

Lee smiled when Tarin said that he did enjoy listening to the playlists she had been making for him. And while she was happy to just share something she loved with Tarin, the fact that he liked it as well made Lee even happier.

"Well, once baseball is over, we will have more time in the evenings," Lee pointed out. Time that they could use for other things such as listening to music or working on puzzles, if that was a thing they actually started doing. At least more often than when they were simply trying to be responsible adults and keep their hands off each other simply because they were in the same room.

"If you can, that'd be good," Lee replied with a shrug. "But you're listening to them while we run, which is why I've been making them. And why I've been making the playlists all around that length. But if you do want longer ones, I can do that too."

Lee seemed happy when Tarin pointed out that he had been enjoying listening to the music of Ben if he hadn’t done it as much.

Then Lee pointed out that they’d have more time in the evenings once baseball season was over and Tarin had to smile a bit, “Don’t jinx us, we’ve got a magic number right now and a couple of months ago that didn’t seem remotely possible.” he said, “But I do look forward to you having to decide what we do at night. I get worn out doing all the planning…” he teased.

Lee did think that it would be good if he was able to listen to the music outside of runs, but apparently that hadn’t really been the expectation and explained why the playlists were about the same length as the runs that he and Lee usually took through the park. Tarin hadn’t really put two and two together, but it did make him feel less guilty about not not spending as much time as he could have listening to them and keeping track of what he liked.

Lee offered to make more, longer playlists and Tarin shook his head, ”You don’t have to spend your time doing that…” he said, ”Not if you have something better to do.”

”Though…I really like the ballad type songs, or the slower ones.” he added

Apparently her comment about 'when the season was over' could jinx the team. Who, remarkably, did seem to be playing better now that she was wearing Tarin's hat to watch a lot of the games. Which had to just be a coincidence. Interdimensional hat magic couldn't actually be real.

"What are you talking about?" Lee asked teasingly regarding the jinx. "They play baseball for most of the year, right? So the season must go at least into November, right?"

"I never really paid attention, but that would explain why they put a roof on the Blue Jays' dome."

When Tarin told her a kind of song that he really liked, Lee nodded. She already had a couple ideas for what to put on that playlist. "I'll add that to the playlists I'm working on," Lee told Tarin with a smile. "Though, slower songs and ballads might not work as well for running, so depending on what I find,I may make that one longer."

Now Lee was catching on. The games had to go on until November. It was almost too good to think about. If the games went on all the way until November that meant World Series. It was far to early to think about that considering just how awful the season had started, but boy the Met’s were playing well right now. It was almost like they’d realized they had a new fan worth impressing.

Yeah. Surely that was it.

“It makes sense that they have a roof, but Citi Field doesn’t have one…I think there have been games with snow…but that might be on the other side. It all runs together.” he’d read so much about baseball on this side. At first the subtle differences in small rules here and there had been fascinating, then just the history.

Lee seemed receptive to the type of song that Tarin mentioned, but pointed out that those songs didn’t make for the best running music. ”Maybe that’s why I like them, if I know anything about music it’s about the stuff I already had set up to help me pace.” he said.

“So yeah, maybe there’s one to listen to outside of running…” he said with a smile back at Lee, ”Maybe separating the two things will make me more likely to listen outside of a run.”

Tarin didn't say anything about baseball games going into November, nothing about how that would be ridiculous. Did that mean that they actually played into November? Lee had thought that she had been obviously exaggerating things.

Not only that, but Tarin said that he thought there had even been games played in snow. Lee shook her head. Now that was a bit ridiculous. "Well, hopefully they'll be playing people who like the cold as much as you do?" Lee asked teasingly.

As Tarin went on to explain why he thought he might like the slower, more ballad-like songs, part of Lee's mind was thinking about what would work for that play list. That Tarin would listen to while not running.

"That could definitely help," Lee said as she glanced down at her guitar. After a moment, she started playing again.

"Old man, look at my life
I'm a lot like you were
Old man, look at my life
I'm a lot like you were
Old man, look at my life
Twenty four and there's so much more
Live alone in a paradise
That makes me think of two"

“If I was getting all the pay and bonuses they’ll get for playing in the postseason, I’d happily play in the snow.” Tarin said. “It’ll only be November if they make it to the World Series, and we don’t even know for sure that they’re going to make the playoffs.”

It was an exciting prospect though. Post season baseball wasn’t something Tarin was familiar with, ”I wasn’t here the last time the Mets were in the postseason and it never happened in the whole time I’ve watched on the other side.”

Lee seemed open to the idea of a playlist outside of running. Now that he’d thought of it, he thought maybe that would help.

But Lee was playing again and Tarin stopped talking and thinking to listen. The song went on and Tarin nodded along, this was another one that he wasn’t familiar with but he definitely liked it. It was a little bit longer than some of the other songs too and he liked that too…but maybe that had something to do with the fact that it was Lee playing and singing and that meant he got to listen more.

Lee finished the song and Tarin nodded, “Yeah, I definitely liked that one.” he said, ”Stuff like that is definitely good.”

Lee raised an eyebrow when Tarin said that he'd happily play in the snow if he were getting the bonuses that the baseball players would get for making the post season.

But that November games were just if they made it into the World Series. Which, Lee supposed made sense. Maybe? It at least made as much sense as the Stanley Cup being played in June, anyway.

As Tarin continued speaking, Lee was honestly surprised. It had been that long since the Mets had even made it into the post season?

"Wow, I didn't realize that the Mets sucked that badly," Lee teased. "Maybe the hat magic is actually real."

Her teasing smile disappeared as Lee played the guitar, though a much more natural and happy one took its place as she finished the song and looked over at Tarin again. "I do too," Lee replied. "It's quite a bit older, but a really good song."

”Oh they’re awful on the other side…” Tarin said shaking his head, “It’s pretty much just a thing that is…was? Wouldn’t it be something if they’ve had a wild run of success over the last five years?” Tarin mused as he comfortably reclined against the back of the couch. He was still tired, Tarin figured he probably would be all day, which was fairly normal when he had nightmares and slept poorly. Things didn’t feel nearly as heavy as they had when they’d decided to get up though and there was still plenty of time before Tarin even had to think about leaving the apartment.

When she was done playing and Tarin had expressed that he liked the song, Lee agreed that it was a good one. Apparently it was a bit older, and somehow Tarin thought that made sense.

”What’s your favorite song to play?” Tarin asked after a moment, “Is it one you’ve played for me before?”

Lee couldn't help but laugh at how Tarin described the Mets on the other side of the now closed rift. "That would be something," Lee said. "Though, I guess that would be another point for the fact that the hat magic works, wouldn't it?"

Her favourite song to play? That was a tough one, as there were a lot of songs that she liked playing. There were songs that she defaulted to playing quite often, like what she tended to play when she got roped into doing an open mic. There were songs that she really liked singing along to, but some of those favourites were definitely not favourites to play on guitar. Some she didn't even know how to.

"To play on guitar?" Lee asked, clarifying Tarin's question. But of course that's what he meant. Looking down at the guitar in her hands, Lee just sat there for a few moments.

"The song I tend to play most often has changed over the years," Lee admitted. "But the one I've always loved, that I always go back to…I've never actually played for anyone before."

Namely because this was her guilty pleasure. Not at all what she would normally listen to, not what people would think she'd enjoy.

Glancing at Tarin out of the corner of her eye, Lee took a slow breath and started playing, the music far more upbeat than the previous songs.

"I've got a smile on my face and I've got four walls around me
I've got the sun in the sky, all the water surround me, oh, you know
Yeah, I win now and sometimes I lose
I've been battered, but I never bruise
It's not so bad"