The room was dark, excited whispers filled the air. Everybody had been waiting for this moment, the moment the band TI(G)GER would take the stage. Lights flashed on, illuminating the crowd in a kaleidoscope of color. A voice boomed through the speakers, a voice known to many of the underground scene of their city.
“ARE YOU GUYS READY?”
Lin could feel the electricity in the air, the excitement before the show. He soaked up the hoarse, powerful words of the guy still hidden in the dark.
“YEAH!” The audience yelled in response, hyped up by the question and the copious amounts of booze. Lin focussed his gaze onto the stage, counting the seconds until he would see his face.
“THEN LET’S GET STARTED!”
The lights flashed on, and his heart skipped for a second. There he was, his short hair black as ink, skin as if it was made of bronze. A red rose stud decorated his right ear next to several other, more plain piercings. It had been a gift Lin had sent a few weeks back with his fanmail. Seeing him wearing it, made his heart beat faster. Oddly bright green eyes seemed to focus on him and only him in that moment. A small cheeky grin slid over the guy’s face before he settled on watching the rest of the crowd. Then the band started the rythm, and after a few counts this god of a man started singing the first line of Lin’s favourite song.
One Autumn morning
I woke up without you near
All that you left behind
Was a feather from your wings
Wings black as ink
Belonging to a demon
That had my heart racing
Lucifer
Oh woh ho
Lucifer, Lucifer
The devil stole my heart
Oh woh ho
Darkness, darkness
Had me consumed
…..
TI(G)GER’s number one fanboy let his body sway to the music. Lin may be short and rather slim for a guy, his Asian genes not helping much, but that didn’t slow him down at all. He threw all his energy in his moves, his blonde-dyed hair sticking to his forehead already, his loose fit T-shirt damp from sweat. He wanted the guy on stage to notice him, notice his devotion to him and his songs. Because Lin was absolutely, utterly, totally in love with Alex, the leadsinger of TI(G)GER.
Seven songs later Lin was drained. He had enjoyed every word, every sentence, every song they played, fueled by the power and exitement of both the band members and the audience. But after the high came the fall, and he needed air, badly. He ordered a Coke at the bar to replenish the energy he had lost, and then exited the venue through the backdoor.
Lin was not expecting the sight in front of him. The shadows of the allyway covering him, he watched the dark-haired singer slumped in a chair, alone and with what looked like a beer in his left hand. The bottle had only a tiny bit left. His eyes were closed. The first thought that popped up in his head was: Is he dead? His heart dropped in his stomach at the thought.
Then he saw the man’s chest rising and falling in a steady rythm. Thank God, he wasn’t dead, just asleep. Lin slapped himself mentally for always thinking the worst and making himself worry all the time. It was a bad habit of his.
Alex shifted in his chair, the motion making him loose his grip on the nearly empty bottle. The sound of glass breaking startled the singer awake, who then hissed, cussed and grabbed his leg. A shard of green had lodged itself in his uncovered shin. Streams of blood gushed out of the wound.
“Are you alright?” Lin blurted out, his body moving forward before his brain could register his actions.
Alex looked up, his green orbs meeting the boy’s, a smile formed on his face. He nodded.
“Just a scratch, nothing I can’t handle.” His words slurred just a bit.
With a worried face, the fanboy looked closer. The wound definitely wasn’t just a scratch. On the contrary, it looked like a pretty deep cut.
“I think you need stitches,” Lin replied, his voice shaking, both from seeing the blood and talking to his idol. Alex shook his head, but quickly stopped again, the alcohol probably making the movement unpleasant.
“Nah, just get the first aid kit from the bar. I’ll wait for you.” Even tipsy the man could still plaster on one of his most charming grins. A wink in Lin’s direction followed.
“Okay.” He felt a bit unsure, but he couldn’t really force the guy to go to the hospital.
A few moments later the blonde returned with a small case, and started fixing Alex’s leg. Lin had always hoped to meet his favourite artist in person one day, but he could have never imagined their meeting to be like this. Him shaking and running on sugar and adrenaline, Alex intoxicated and hurt. It was the complete opposite of his ideal meeting.
Alex flinched as Lin pulled out the shard and cleaned the wound, eliciting a shy appology from his fan.
“Sorry, I’m not very good at this.”
“No worries,” the man replied, “Thank you for helping me anyway.”
It took Lin a few tries to get the bandaging right, but eventually he managed to stop the bleeding. Sighing, he got up and put the leftover medical supplies back in the kit.
“Don’t put too much weight on your leg for now, okay?” He watched as Alex softly smiled, it was an expression that didn’t quite fit his looks, ”I’ll have to head home now.”
He headed for the door, but surprisingly strong fingers held him back. Lin turned his head, wondering what the guy wanted. It wasn’t as if he wanted to get away from his idol, but this encounter just felt uncomfortable, almost as if he was doing something he shouldn’t.
“Let me make it up to you.”
Lin was confused. There was no reason for him to return any favors.
“What?”
He watched as Alex tapped the rose stud in his ear Lin had sent him.
“This is yours, right?”
Even more confused now, the blonde nodded awkwardly. He had no idea where this was going.
“My cousin works at that jewelry store, he saw you buying it. I know it’s an expensive earring, so I want to give you something in return. Plus you really helped me out here.”
What was he saying? His music was already enough for Lin.
“Next time you come to one of my gigs, tell the bartender to show you the way to my dressing room after the show. I’ll make time for you then.”
He smiled and then let his fan go, amused by the boy’s bewildered expression. He greeted his band mates, who had just come through the back door. They snickered as they watched the scene in front of them. Lin, flustered, quickly left.
He left the first aid kit at the bar and headed home. Glad he lived only a few blocks away, he walked on autopilot through the cold autumn streets, tired and confused. He needed some time alone. The downside of being an introvert. Or was it because of Alex? It was most definitely because of him.
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