Chapter Text
Much to Rodrick’s surprise, you do make it to the concert the next Saturday. He had expected you to have just been being nice, but when he saw you walk in and sit down, you order [insert drink of choice] and then look to the mini stage… if you could call it that. It was a very small diner with very few patrons, however it was a gig, and that’s what mattered to Löded Diper.
You sit quietly drinking your drink and waiting to see the performance. You had high hopes oddly enough. Rodrick seemed cool to you despite what you’d heard round school all week, and it was clear he was passionate about his music, which made you believe in it.
Rodrick could see you from the side of the stage, it takes him a minute to realise he isn’t imagining it, someone had actually come to see him and his band… willingly… and he hadn’t even had to pay you!
“Hey… isn’t that, that Y/n you invited?” Ben asked Rodrick as they wait for the go ahead to get on stage. “Yup” Rodrick mutters in response, still baffled you even came. “Huh… I guess they heard how cool I am and decided to come along” Ben grins smugly, he never had been the modest type. “Oh yeah… that’ll be it” Chris - who had been off to the side of the pair - snorts, rolling his eyes as he tunes the bass he was holding. Before the former could begin bickering with Chris about his sarcasm, the band are informed they’re ready. The four get onto the stage, Bill front and centre as always, Chris with his bass, Ben with the guitar and Rodrick, of course, behind the drums. Bill puts on his signature grin that he seemed to think was charming while Rodrick and the others found it a tad sleazy. “Good evening Dans Diner” he says enthusiastically, far too happily for a gig in a tiny diner. “How are we feeling tonight?” … silence was his response. You smile a little, looking around at the very uninterested patrons. But Bill seemed intent on waiting for some form of response - like he often did. Usually it ended in one of the other three coughing to get him to continue. But you - in a small amount of pity - give a small whoop, which sounded a little sad in the small diner, but it seemed to get Bill to continue as Rodrick stares in surprise. No one had ever done that for them (the band), usually it was met with metaphorical crickets when bill asked that. “Well that’s great” Bill grins before… finally introducing the band and the song “well… we’re Löded Diper and this is ‘can you smell us now?’” The band were there for around an hours slot as that was all they could afford. You stay the entire time, clapping after every song. Not even in pity, you rather liked their songs, they weren’t exactly everyone’s taste, but you listened to anything and everything so that didn’t matter. With each song, the band seemed to grow more confident at finally getting some kind of validation in their songs. Especially Rodrick who usually put on a false persona of confidence, now felt enthusiastic about this. By the end of the session, your hands stung a little from clapping but you had a smile on your face as the band leaves the stage. And after a bit, Rodrick walks over to you, Drumsticks in hand as though they were precious - which to him, they were. “Hey Y/n… you liked the show?” He asked, trying to sound nonchalant about it… but Rodrick - as known by the few close to him - was not nonchalant… ever. So the hope he tried to hide in his voice still seeped through a tad. “Yeah! You were all great!” You say enthusiastically, genuinely meaning it. Rodrick half expected you to burst out laughing and tell him you didn’t mean it… but you didn’t. “That third song… Explöded Diper? It was really good” you say genuinely before drinking the last of your drink. Rodrick blinks in surprise before hiding it with a cough “oh… yeah… thanks… I wrote that one actually” Rodrick hoped he didn’t look as awkward as he felt, he had a reputation to uphold. “Really? That’s so cool! You should write more” you encourage. Other than his mother, no one had ever encouraged Rodrick and the band like that… it was weird, and made Rodrick’s stomach do a flip. But he puts that down to the burger he ate earlier that Dan gave him before the show - discounted by a whole 1% because the band were performing. “Uh, thanks…” Rodrick says slowly, not knowing what to say in response. He was used to sarcasm or people not having much to say about the songs, this was new territory that scared him a little - not that he’d admit it. After a minute of silence between you, your phone buzzes, you pick up your phone and gasp softly as you realize the time. “Oh! Sorry Rodrick… I have to get home… see you in class” you say hurriedly before grabbing your coat and rushing out. Leaving Rodrick stood with a mixture of feelings that he didn’t entirely understand.