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It was that time of year again. The spring musical was about to start rehearsing, and Saïx wasn’t sure if he was happy that it was finally here, or perhaps he was dreading it. They had decided to try something different this semester, and he wasn’t quite sure if it was going to work or not. But, it wasn’t his place to say anything, or suggest anything. No, he was just one of the stage hands, and this show that they were tackling was going to require all hands on deck. He had his notebook tucked under his arm, and made his way into the theater, hoping that this first rehearsal on the stage wasn’t going to be as awful as they usually were.
The theater was almost empty, save for the director of the show, the stage manager, and the choreographer. He had been told to report to the front of house, rather than the back, and had no idea why. This wasn’t his first show on this campus. The bachelor degree he was studying for was one for stage management, so he was always working on the shows at their theaters. Now in his junior year, he was waiting for the day when it was going to be his turn to take over the rein.
“Ah, look who decided to show up.” Xigbar picked up a water bottle, and took a sip. “Glad you got my note, Sai.”
Taking a seat behind Xigbar, the stage manager, he rested his notebook on his legs. “Why am I out here?”
“We have a surprise for you,” Zexion pushed his glasses up on his nose, while pushing some of his slate colored hair off of his face. Zexion was the director of the spring musical, after being the co-director of the fall production of ‘The Magic Flute’. Saïx was still surprised by the sophomore's ability to gain favor with the theater department as quickly as he had.
“Oh?” He wasn’t too keen on surprises, and if it was coming from the younger man, he wasn’t sure how well he was going to take it.
Xigbar chortled. “Relax, Sai. Looks like we’re going to be sharing stage managing responsibilities.”
“Really?” Saïx kept the excitement out of his voice, not sure why he was being given this chance to co-manage with Xigbar. He knew it was the senior’s last production, but hadn’t expected something like this to occur.
The choreographer, Demyx, was up on the stage, laying out diagrams towards the front of the stage. Rehearsal was supposed to begin in twenty minutes for the entire company. It was going to be a long, tedious night. More often than not, they ran the musical from beginning to end, just so the actors could do a full runthrough. Then, it was time to begin blocking on the stage for the principles. Saïx had already cleared all of his evenings, knowing that he was more than likely going to be stuck backstage for most of these rehearsals. Hearing that he was co-managing made him thankful he had taken the initiative to do that.
“This show is going to return a lot of technical expertise. You two work well together, and it’s going to be necessary to have the two of you work together as one unit. Our budget was quite large this semester, thanks to how well we did in the fall.” Xemnas, the head of the theater department had shown up, joining their group.
Students began to trickle into the theater, taking seats on the stage. Saïx’ heart seemed to stop as he noticed one student that had walked in, looking the least likely to be involved in a musical. He had bright red hair, what looked like tattoos on his face, and wore a considerable amount of eyeliner. The bright green of his eyes stood out, no doubt one of the reasons why he seemed to wear so much black around them. Saïx pushed some of his long blue hair behind his ears, and glanced back down at his notebook.
“Is there a reason why we decided to pick this musical?” Saïx focused on the task at hand, trying to ignore the redhead on the stage, who seemed to be cracking jokes with one of the girls that was sitting near the stereo. Rehearsals with the orchestra wouldn’t take place until closer towards opening night. For now, it was a prerecorded track.
“We chose ‘Tommy’ because we thought it might bring more people to the show.” Zexion opened the score in front of him. “It was quite popular when it first came out, and now that the rights are available, we decided to take a chance.”
“As Zexion said, it seemed the best way to show what our combined departments are capable of. Perhaps influence the incoming freshmen and transfer students.” Xemnas replied. “Since there are a lot of scene changes with this musical, this is why I’ve chosen the both of you to lead the front backstage.”
Xigbar started to scribble something on his notebook. “Thank you, Professor.” Saïx mumbled, intimidated by the man’s presence. It wasn’t often the elder showed up to their rehearsals. He saw the head of the music department waltz in, and took a seat next to Xemnas.
“Professor Ansem,” Zexion turned and looked at him. “I didn’t expect to see you here this evening.”
“Yes, it wasn’t my intention, but thought I’d drop by anyway.” The platinum blonde remarked out loud, stroking his platinum goatee in thought. He then went back to conversing with Xemnas in a quiet voice.
Tapping the microphone, Zexion cleared his throat. “Hi, good evening. Thank you all for being promptly on time to our first rehearsal in the theater. I’d like to introduce your stage managers for this production, as you already know who I am, and who Demyx is.” The choreographer twittered a laugh from up on the stage, as the rest of the cast followed suit.
Saïx looked at Xigbar, who motioned for him to stand up with him. “This is Xigbar,” Zexion pointed to the senior, “And this is Saïx,” and then he pointed towards him. “They will be watching out here tonight, to get a feel for the music, and I will be discussing with them what we’ve talked about in rehearsal. Demyx? If you wouldn’t mind? Let’s begin the run through.”
“You got it, Zexy!” Demyx hit the play button, as the cast got out their scores, and began to follow along with the overture playing.
Deciding it would be best to move to sit next to Xigbar, Saïx got up from his seat, and moved to his desired location. Xigbar was already scribbling more notes, making Saïx feel like there was no reason for him to be there. He just followed the man’s lead, and looked over his shoulder, attempting to interpret his chicken scratch on the page.
He normally tuned the singing out, as it wasn’t anything of interest to him. He had sat through countless rehearsals before, and this was no different from the rest. “Hey, Zexion?” He asked quietly. “Can I get a score?”
“Yes, of course.” Zexion reached into his bag, and pulled out another score. “Here, it’s blank, so you can mark it up with any notes you wish. Or, copy what Xigbar has already put on his, as he’s been to a few blocking rehearsals.”
“I’ll show you what I got, but feel free to just do whatever you want.” Xigbar grinned.
A voice he hadn’t heard before began to sing, the sound going straight to his soul. Looking up, he saw that it was the redhead singing, concentrating on the book in his hand. The sound of his voice was both melodic and haunting. Never did Saïx think that this would be the one who would be the star of the show. Hypnotized by his singing, he stared openly as he tracked the redhead’s movements on the stage.
“Where did this guy come from?” He asked out loud, not realizing it.
“Transfer student. He was going to a school back east, majoring in vocal music, but had a family emergency which led him to transfer to our school.” Ansem replied, sending a shockwave through Saïx’ body. His cheeks burned with embarrassment, surprised that what he thought was in his head had been said out loud.
Piercing eyes locked onto his, as the redhead looked out into the audience. He knew he couldn’t be seen, as the house lights were turned off, but it still made his heart beat fast. He averted his eyes, and instead focused on the music in front of him. He could read music, but couldn’t really sing, which is why he chose to be part of the backstage life. The next number began, with a seamless transition.
“As you can tell by the music, there really isn’t going to be a lot of time between songs,” Zexion leaned close to them, speaking in a hushed tone. “Scenery will be worked on this weekend, with some of the cast helping us expedite the time. I want to get things up and running as fast as we can, so there aren’t any mistakes.”
“When it opening night?” Saïx asked, jotting down what Zexion had just said. “Do we have any wiggle room?”
“None.” Zexion shook his head. “And we open in three weeks. Which means we really need to hustle on getting things done as quickly as we can. It may mean long nights.”
“Which we’re prepared for,” Xigbar commented. “Same shit, every damn year. Just because this is your first solo gig doesn’t mean it’s our first rodeo.” He gestured between the two of them.
He looked over at his senior, and gave him a grateful nod. Even if they didn’t normally see eye to eye, having Xigbar stick up for the both of them made him appreciate him. Looking up, he could have sworn he saw the redhead looking at him, with a curious look on his face. He broke their eye contact when Xemnas began to speak to them.
“Zexion, you are in good hands with these two. Once Xigbar has graduated, it will be Saïx who you will have to rely on. Assuming someone doesn’t take either of your places.”
“Understood, Professor.” Zexion said, and turned his attention back towards the stage.
They made it to the end of the first act without any stops. Saïx knew this would be the only time something like this would take place. Not until they ran dress rehearsals did he expect things to go as smoothly as they have. They broke for a fifteen minute recess, the cast standing up from their chairs and stretching. Saïx decided to head to the restroom in the back of the house, not really wanting to go all the way into the school to find an open one. He pushed the door open, and went into one of the stalls.
As he was washing his hands, someone pushed the door open. Looking up into the mirror, he saw bright red hair. He quickly lowered his head, and finished washing his hands. Reaching for some paper towels, he almost bumped into the redhead’s chest.
“Sorry,” he mumbled under his breath, before reaching for the door.
“Hey, wait a minute!” His voice made Saïx’ breath catch in his throat, as it sounded nothing like what his voice had sounded like when he sang. “You’re one of the stage managers, right? Um...Saïx?”
“Yes.”
“Don’t talk much, huh?” The redhead grinned, and stuck his hand out. “Name’s Axel. A-X-E-L.”
“Nice to meet you, Axel.” Saïx shook his hand, ignoring the sharp jolt that raced through his body as their hands touched. He dropped it almost immediately, and turned on his heel. “Break is almost over.” He walked out of the bathroom, not bothering to wait for him.
He made his way back to his seat in the theater, and tried to ignore how loud his heartbeat sounded. He hadn’t expected to get a name that soon. What were the odds of them being the only ones that had chosen to use that bathroom? And how did he even know it was there if he was a transfer student? Could it mean that he was watching him, just as he had been? Saïx shook his head, knowing that that would never be the case.
“Is everybody back?” Zexion called out, as the stage filled up with the ensemble. “Alright, let’s get started on Act II!”
...
It was way too early for a Saturday morning, in Saïx’ opinion. If there was one thing he hated about getting ready for a show, it was the terrible hours he had to spend at the theater leading up to the performance. He put his car into park, and grabbed the tray carrying two cups of coffee and a bag of goodies he had brought for him and Xigbar to share.
He knew what sort of candy Xigbar enjoyed the most, and had made sure to stock up for today, as he knew they were both going to need a caffeine rush, as well as a sugar rush. The plan today was to get sets painted, as well as build the more complicated scenery. Zexion had said that he was going to be late, as he had an appointment, but the theater would be open to them. Wearing sweatpants and a black shirt covered in previous scenery paint, he had pulled his hair into a low-hanging bun on the back of his neck. If there was one thing he hated about paint, it was getting it in his hair.
Pushing the door to the stage open, he saw various piles of wood arranged, all waiting to be built. He dropped his bag in the spot by the curtain, and walked out onto the stage. “Xig? Are you here?” He called out, holding up the two cups of coffee. “I brought you a red eye.”
“Thanks, Sai.” Xigbar called from the house. “I need it bad. Didn’t get much sleep last night.”
“Oh? Do tell.” He sat down on the edge of the stage, and took a sip of his coffee, his feet dangling down into the orchestra pit. “Did you get some last night?”
“Fuck yeah, I did.” Xigbar grinned, and hopped up to the stage. “I’m pretty sure Dem is going to be happy that today isn’t really a dance rehearsal.” He nudged Saïx’ side, forcing a groan out of him.
“Could you please refrain from bragging?” Saïx mumbled, and took a sip of his own coffee. “Is he going to help us paint?” Their usual crew of painting was the two of them, Demyx, Luxord and Lexaeus - who ran the spotlights for all the shows on campus, and then the principles in the cast. But they had run late last night, so Saïx wasn’t expecting any of them to show up until later in the morning.
“Been a while for you, hasn’t it, Luna?” Xigbar sipped his drink, a smirk on his face. Saïx detested the nickname he had been given by him. It had started when he told Xigbar he preferred the night, because he hated the sun, and that meant he was in love with the moon. All according to Xigbar, of course.
He didn’t bother answering the question, as they both knew the answer. He hadn’t been with someone in almost two years. It wasn’t that he wasn’t attracted to anyone, it was that no one really understood his major, and why he was choosing to be behind the curtain, rather in front of it. Sure, he missed being with someone, but he realized that being alone wasn’t such a bad thing.
“Am I here too early?” A voice called out, as someone walked out onto the stage.
Amber eyes widened, as he realized just who it was that was early. He caught Xigbar looking at him with a unique expression on his face. Quickly realizing his mistake, he tried to shake his head with just his eyes, as he stared at his colleague. He waited until Xigbar gave him a sharp nod of his head, agreeing to his silent plea, as he took a sip of his coffee to ward off the nervousness that had suddenly manifested.
“Nah, princess. You aren’t here that early,” Xigbar smirked. “Usually the cast strolls in mid-morning, but you’re more than welcome to help us build the sets.”
“Oh?” Axel asked. Saïx had yet to turn around and look at him, too focused on his coffee and the gross fabric of the theater chair directly in front of him. He could barely hear the redhead speak, over the loud pounding of his heartbeat in his ears. “I figured everyone was supposed to show up and help. That’s how we did it at my other school.”
“What college did you transfer from?” Saïx asked, his voice not very loud. He wanted to show the man that he did speak often, even if he was terrified of talking to him.
He didn’t know why he was so nervous around the redhead. Perhaps it was because of how attractive he found him. He didn’t even know him, but that didn’t stop his mind from dreaming up scenarios of the two of them. He had had a dream the night before about him, one that he had woken up from all gross and sweaty. Blushing at the memory of what they had done in his dream, he stood up from the edge of the stage and almost bumped into Axel.
“Boston College.” Axel answered.
Looking up, he stared into his striking green eyes. He saw that his hair was up in a ponytail, and the eyeliner was barely there. Just a faint purplish tint was left behind. Saïx’ mouth went dry, as he took in just how good looking the redhead was.
“Wow, our school must seem pretty terrible compared to that school.” Xigbar said. “BC, huh? Sucks that you had to transfer. You got family here?”
“I do. I grew up here.” Axel replied, his eyes still locked onto Saïx’.
Time stood still. Blinking a few times, Saïx walked over to the table and picked up one of the hammers. He set his coffee down, and walked over to the first pile to be assembled. He could hear Axel and Xigbar still talking, and tried to act as if he wasn’t paying any attention, but really, he was hanging on every word that Axel was saying.
“You mind if I ask what happened?”
“Not at all. My mom got really sick, so I thought it would be better if I just came home. She told me to stay there and follow my dream, but I knew I was needed here.” The redhead sat down next to where Xigbar was working, leaving Saïx to be by himself.
He wanted to call out, and ask him to work with him, but something stopped him. Perhaps it was because he could see the camaraderie building between the two men, and didn’t want to interrupt it. Besides, he always seemed to get flustered whenever the redhead was near, and his subconscious wasn’t helping matters either. Maybe it was better to just admire him from afar, keep his distance. He didn’t want to wind up getting hurt, as it had been too painful the last time that had happened.
“Is she better now?” His own voice surprised him, as he began to hammer.
“She is.” Axel turned to speak to the both of them. “But, I’m staying here. No need for me to go back there. This is where I belong now.”
“Did you leave anyone behind?” Saïx narrowed his eyes Xigbar, who had a smirk on his face. He knew exactly why the man was asking. Perhaps the treats he had brought for him would suddenly go missing.
“Nah. Last guy I dated wasn’t all that great.” Axel shrugged his shoulders.
The use of the word choice did not go unnoticed by Saïx. He glanced up, and saw Xigbar’s smirk still firmly in place, as they shared a look. Of course he’s gay, Saïx sighed inaudibly. It’s like the odds were stacked against him, and no matter what way he saw out of it, he was becoming more and more trapped. He could see the wheels spinning in Xigbar’s eyes, and saw him opening his mouth to say something, but the arrival of more people stopped their conversation.
“Morning, ladies.” Luxord strolled in, a smile on his face. “Ah, the star of the show graces us with his presence? What have we done to deserve such a thing?”
“Leave him alone, Luxord,” Lexaeus followed behind him.
Axel laughed. “I take it the newbie made a mistake, huh? Sorry, guys. I can always leave and come back, if you prefer.”
“Stay?” Saïx asked, lifting his head up from his work. He saw those striking emerald eyes looking at him, making it difficult to breathe once more. “We really could use the help. If we get this done, we won’t be here until the middle of the night.”
“Sai’s got a point.” Demyx walked in, a large smile on his face. “Morning, everyone!”
“Morning, Dem.” A chorus of their voices pitched at different levels filled the stage.
Someone came and sat beside Saïx, but he paid no attention to them. He was focused on finishing the frame of what was to be a window. Xemnas had not been exaggerating when he said that this was going to be a major production. A hand reached over his, to grab another part of the frame.
“So, what’s your story, Sai?” Axel asked, the redhead’s presence not at all surprising him. He could hear the others talking jovially as they all got to work hammering. “Have you been going to this school for long?”
“This is my third year.” He finished building the frame, and stood up. He moved over to the next pile, and began to construct it with the redhead’s help. “I have no story.”
“Everyone’s got a story.” A nail was passed to him, which he began to hammer home. “You saying you don’t have one has got to be a lie. Do you have a girlfriend?”
Before he could stop himself, he had snorted out loud at the comment. He wiped some sweat off his brow, as the physical work began to get a little more difficult. “No, no girlfriend.”
“Are you gay, then?”
Saïx dropped his hammer, surprised by how nonchalantly the redhead had asked him. He blinked a few times, as the others started to ask him if he was okay. He shooed Demyx away, who was acting like a mother hen, checking to make sure he hadn’t hurt his hands in any way.
“I’ll take that a yes, then.” Axel smirked, and walked away from him.
He watched him walk over towards where Xigbar was, and began to help the other man. Closing his eyes, he hoped that he hadn’t just shot himself in the foot with his reaction. He wasn’t in the closet, but for some reason, just thinking about telling the redhead his sexuality made his stomach start to twist, as his anxiety began to manifest. He concentrated on building the sets, and ignored the others around him.
When it came to lunchtime, they had finished building everything, thanks to more of the cast showing up. All that was left was to paint. Saïx elected to stay behind, and get everything set up, so they could paint when everyone was done with their lunch. Xigbar had asked him if he wanted him to pick up something to eat, which he gladly accepted. He pulled money out of his pocket, and requested a cheeseburger with some fries. Once everyone had left, he went about getting the area set up to paint.
The silence of the theater was welcoming to him. It felt good to be on the stage, alone, as he laid down the white cloths, which they used time and again for painting scenery. The morning had gone by a lot faster than he thought it would, and was surprised by how well the cast and tech crew were getting along. It was rare when that happened, but he guessed it was because most of the primary cast was older than their other spring musicals had been in the past. Once all the white cloths were laid out, he went out to the theater and sat in the first row, looking up at the stage.
Axel appeared, with a bag in his hand. “Hey! I brought you your food. Xig ended up going somewhere else with the guys, to a sit down place. I offered to grab lunch for you.” He jumped off the stage, and landed in front of Saïx. “Hope you don’t mind McDonald’s, as that’s what was in walking distance.”
“You don’t have a car?” Saïx took the offered bag, and pulled out the fries. “Thank you.” He munched on one, the taste of the salty food made his taste buds dance.
“I do.” The redhead sat down a few seats away from him. “Just felt like walking.”
“Did you go to lunch by yourself?” He reached into the bag, and grabbed the cheeseburger he had requested. He unwrapped it, and began to eat it.
Axel crossed his legs at his ankles, and sat back in the seat. “Don’t really have a lot of friends here yet. The audition for this musical was the first thing I did after getting accepted, as they were only hours apart.”
“I bet they just loved the fact that you came from Boston,” Saïx finished his burger in a few bites. “We’re not a bad school, but there are others that are better in this field than we are.”
“Why did you go here, then?” Axel asked, turning to look at him. “What’s your major?”
“I want to get a BFA in Stage Management, and this was one of the few schools that offered that degree.” Saïx offered some of his fries to Axel, which he took without hesitation. “What about you?”
“Still undecided. Not a lot of great jobs out there for music performers. Everything is so cutthroat.”
“Well, you have a good voice.” He complimented him, his cheeks burning a little. “Not sure how you dance, but I’m sure I’ll find out soon enough.”
Axel’s laugh sent a warmth through his body. “I’m not that bad. But Demyx may tell you something different. Good thing the second half is my only worry when it comes to dancing.”
“I guess so.” Saïx finished his fries, and dropped the empty carton back into the bag. He stood up, and looked up at the stage. “Do you want to start painting now? I’m sure the others will be back soon.”
“Sure.”
They started painting one of the larger items together, not really talking. The others showed up, and began to fill the silence with their own conversations. Saïx looked out of the corner of his eye, and saw Axel using broad brushstrokes on the wood, his tongue sticking out of the side of his mouth. He smiled, surprised to see such a look of concentration on his face. Axel chose that moment to look over at him, a silly grin on his face.
“What? Do I have paint on my face?”
Discreetly wiping his finger on his brush, Saïx rubbed it against the redhead’s cheek, just to the right of his tattoo. “Now you do.” He smirked.
“Oh, now you’re asking for it.” Axel marked his finger with the paint, and drew an X on the spot between Saïx’ eyes, making him laugh out loud. “Yeah, you’ve got some paint on you too.”
He wiped his face, still chuckling softly. “Whatever. It’ll wash off.”
“I like the sound of your laugh.” The redhead said, making Saïx’ blush return tenfold. “It’s nice.”
“Hey Axel!” The female lead, Larxene, walked onto the stage. “Looks like Zexion and Ansem want to run with the band. They’re practicing downstairs.”
The tension that had manifested between the two suddenly disappeared. “Right.” Axel looked at Saïx, a sad smile on his face. “Guess I can’t help finish with the painting.”
“We expected this to happen,” Saïx mumbled. “Music takes precedence over set dressing. Guess I’ll see you in rehearsal on Monday?”
“Yep!” Axel smiled. “Maybe when we’re finished, I’ll see if you guys are still here.”
“Oh, we will be.” Saïx pointed to all the sets that needed to be painted. “Don’t worry about it. Like I said, see you at rehearsal on Monday.”
“Axel! Come on!” Larxene called out shrilly.
“I’ll be right there!” He shouted to Larxene’s retreating form. The redhead looked at him, his sad smile returning. “See you then.”
Saïx tried to not read too much into what had just happened between the two of them. It was only natural that they were talking, since the guy had brought him his lunch. Maybe it was out of pity, because he thought that Saïx was alone. Pushing some of the hair that had fallen out of his bun, he sighed when some of the paint got on the follicles.
“So, did he bring you lunch?” Xigbar asked, when they started to tackle another set together.
“Did you do that on purpose?” He couldn’t help but ask, because Xigbar had never, ever had someone else pick up his lunch for him. Out of the three years he had been doing this, it had never happened before, until today.
A smirk curled on the other man’s face. “Maybe.”
“Why?” He had to know why the man had taken it upon himself to do this. “You shouldn’t have done that.”
“It got the two of you talking.” Xigbar said. “I know you won’t believe me when I tell you this, but he seems genuinely seems interested in you.”
“I doubt that.” Saïx huffed, painting the set more aggressively.
“Give it a little time, Luna, and you’ll see that I’m right.” Xigbar smirked. “And when that happens, you owe me $10.”
“And if you’re wrong?” He asked. “Because you will be.”
“Then you won’t be out $10.” Xigbar chortled. “Fair?”
Saïx stopped painting and looked at him. “Fine. But you’re wrong.”
“We’ll see.”
…
Two weeks passed by, with rehearsals taking place almost every single day. The only break they had was on Sundays, and even then that was iffy. Saïx still found himself at the theater with Xigbar, going over cues and where objects were to supposed to go and what time during the show. With so many moving pieces, they each had three other stagehands on each side of the stage, making there a total of 8 in the stage crew. Luckily, Demyx had choreographed most of the movement for large set pieces into the numbers, but it still required a lot of organization. It was by far the largest show Saïx had ever tackled before, which made it quite exciting.
As he headed into the backdoor of the theater, the sun was starting its descent into the sky. It was their first technical rehearsal. They had blocked out five hours, but he hoped it wasn’t going to take that long. He headed to the side of the stage, and picked up his headset from its base station, and placed the transmitter on his belt. He preferred the headset that allowed his right ear to be uncovered, in case there was something he needed to help the performers with. Xigbar preferred the one that covered both ears, which all the other ones were. He had tried to use it in the past, but it just never worked the way he liked.
“All black looks good on you.” The familiar voice of the show’s star sounded behind him. Saïx smiled, happy to hear the redhead’s voice.
“Yes, well, it’s a necessity of the trade, I suppose.” He turned around to face Axel, and stopped talking.
Axel smirked. “What? Cat got your tongue?”
“No,” he shook his head. Truth was, he was surprised by his appearance. “What’s with the wig? I thought dress rehearsals started in two days?”
The redhead’s locks had been transformed into a black bowler’s cut. He hoped it was a wig, because if Axel had cut his hair and dyed it for the show, that would have been such a waste of his beautiful hair. Not that he had told him, or anything like that. No, they had talked a little bit each rehearsal, but nothing earth shattering, as it were. Saïx had been too busy marking his cues to pay more attention to the redhead, but he watched him. He always kept him in his line of sight, wanting to see more of him. For every show that he had done at this school, he was always on stage right, and Xigbar was stationed on stage left. Saïx couldn’t help but be pleased whenever the redhead would exit stage left, he always wound up back on his side.
His crush was bad. He finally admitted to himself two nights ago that that’s what it had to be. He looked forward to each rehearsal, just to see him. There had been a few times during school hours where he saw him across the campus, with two other students, but he never approached them. No, he didn’t exist in the world that took place off this stage, and he was okay with that. He would gladly take the few hours he’d get to spend with him each night, sharing something with him that no one else could claim to share. Well, except everyone else in the cast, but that didn’t matter to him. He had been looking forward to the tech rehearsals, as he knew that Axel would be spending most of the first act backstage.
“They aren’t, but I gotta get used to wearing this wig. It’s not like the kids have flaming red hair like mine, so it’s a necessary evil.” Axel tugged on the black hair, a smirk on his face. “Why? Do you think it looks bad?”
“I didn’t say that,” Saïx picked up his clipboard, that had all of his cues mapped out on several sheets of paper. “Shouldn’t you be in the warm up room? Getting ready?”
“Can’t I say hi to my favorite techie?” Axel’s smile was making Saïx weak in the knees. “Besides, I’m sure we’ll have plenty of time to talk later. I mean, if you want. I can always go and hang out on the other side of the stage, and move behind the curtain to be back over here for my entrances.”
Listening to the redhead ramble on forced a chuckle out of him. “Yes, you can say hi. But I need to get ready for the show myself. I’m sure I’ll see you in a few.” He walked across the stage, heading towards Xigbar, leaving Axel by himself.
“What was that about?” Xigbar asked through the headset, as he had turned his on. “You two flirting again?”
“Shut up.” Saïx grimaced. “He just wanted to say hi.”
“Sounds like you two are getting pretty serious, Luna.” Xigbar chortle came through the channel loud and clear. “When are you going to give me my ten bucks?”
“When it actually happens.” He rolled his eyes. “Now, are we all set?”
“We are.” Xigbar nodded, becoming serious. “All the mikes are ready for the principles.”
- He had forgotten that they were going to be using lapel microphones for the show. “Guess that means we’ll have to make sure their packs are secure.”
“You got it.”
They both walked together over to where the small mikes were charging. They started to line them up, as they had 14 principles that had to be miked for the show at various times. They decided to split the list up, using masking tape to label who received which microphone. Saïx tried to write as neatly as possible, taking on the task of marking each one. The orchestra pit started to fill up, as the musicians began to show up for the rehearsal. Soon, the stage was filling up with the chorus, and then the principles showed up last.
“Alright, listen up everyone!” Zexion was standing in the middle of the stage, as everyone stopped what they were doing to give him their undivided attention. “Tonight is about getting through the show. If you forget a move, don’t agonize over it. Move on. Make a mental note, and do it better the next time. We’ve got two tech rehearsals, then two dress rehearsal, and then we open. It’s going to be a long week, but all of your hard work will pay off.”
“Are we being miked?” Larxene asked. “Because I don’t want to blow out my voice this close to performance.”
“Of course. You’ll get your mike from either Saïx or Xigbar.” Zexion pushed his bangs off his face. “We’ll have a discussion after the show is finished, so don’t run away once the curtain drops.” He gave a small bow. “Good luck, and have a great run-through! We start in ten minutes!” He walked backstage, and headed out into the dark house.
Saïx began to hand out the microphones, making sure they were secure on each person. He handed a few to Xigbar, to help speed up the process. No one wanted to be left on the stage when those curtains opened, for fear of Zexion’s wrath. It had only appeared once, when one of the girls missed her cue. The company learned real quick never to do that again. Saïx had been impressed at the authority he seemed to exude.
“You gonna make sure my mike is on properly?” Axel stood in front of him, the last person to receive their microphone.
The lights started to dim on the stage, signalling they were about to start. Saïx nodded, and walked off towards the wings. His hand trembled a little as he placed the mike on Axel’s shirt collar. He handed the battery pack over to him, but the redhead shook his head.
“No, you put it on me.” Axel asked, turning to the side.
Taking a deep breath, Saïx placed the battery pack on Axel’s lower back, clipping it to his pants. “When we do the dress, we’ll have to tape it down.”
“Fair enough.” The redhead grinned. “Will you still do that for me?”
“If you want.” Saïx said. He was about to say something else when Xigbar’s voice came over his headphones.
“Yo! Luna! Look alive! Showtime!” Xigbar waved his arm, as Saïx looked at him from across the way.
The sounds of the overture started, as the curtain was pulled back. Saïx went into thinking mode, as he began to handle all the prep work for the first sets to come out. The music had been haunting him in his sleep, and to hear to performed live was making his adrenaline skyrocket. It was these first moments he looked forward to most, as they dropped the scenery from the rafters with a skilled ease. Other techs moved the furniture out, while the principles took their places on the stage.
“You know,” Axel appeared next to him, as he let go of one of the ropes he had been holding. “This is my first real show since high school.”
“I find that hard to believe,” Saïx turned and looked at him, a smile on his face. It felt good to be smiling, as he was more alive than he had been in a long time. “You weren’t the big shot back in Boston?”
“Luna, quit talking on the channel everyone can hear you. I don’t need to hear you fucks flirting.” Xigbar snorted into the headset. Groaning, he reached down and put himself on mute, not wanting to turn it off because that would be a terrible idea. He didn’t want to miss an important cue.
“Not so much,” Axel smirked. “I mean, I had my fan club, don’t get me wrong. I was never the lead, though. Always supporting.”
He rolled his eyes. “Fan club. You’re joking.”
“Nope.” There was a twinkle in the redhead’s green eyes. “You gonna start a new one up for me?”
“Now I know you’re pulling my leg.” Saïx stared at him, surprised by the audacity. The smile on Axel’s face made him realize the man was teasing him, making his cheeks burn with embarrassment. Ignoring him, he moved towards the front of the stage, switching out the sets for their quick change.
“Too early!” Xigbar hissed over the headset. He groaned, and made a note on his clipboard. Oh well. That’s why this was a tech rehearsal, and not the actual performance. Axel was a terrible distraction for him, but he really didn’t want to ask the other man to leave. He was grateful to Demyx, who had choreographed furniture movement, as it happened in almost every scene.
When it came to Axel’s entrance, Saïx heard Xigbar over the headset say, “Kid’s got real talent.”
“No kidding,” Saïx agreed. Whoever wasn’t on stage was watching Axel from backstage, taken by his presence. To hear his singing, mixed with the orchestra, Saïx knew they were going to have a full house after opening. Maybe not opening night, but every other night afterwards. Axel had a natural charisma that seemed to shine in this role. It was perfect casting.
The song ended, and he made his way backstage, almost bumping into Saïx. “Whoops!” Axel grinned, turning his mike off. “Didn’t see you there, Sai.”
“It’s okay.” He moved towards the back of the wings, as he didn’t have a set change for a few songs. “You’re doing well.”
“Thanks!” Axel followed him. “I’m a little worried about the second half, though.”
“Why?”
“More physically demanding.” He grinned, and charged back out onto the stage for his reprisal. Saïx’ eyes tracked his movement through the song.
“Careful, Luna. You’re drooling.” Xigbar teased from across the way. He groaned, and looked down at his clipboard, ignoring the taunts of the other man.
“We ready to change?” He asked, standing near the ropes to drop the next scenery down. He saw a nod from across the stage, and hauled it down flawlessly.
“Great job.” Xigbar gave him a thumbs up.
The first half of the show went without a hitch. When the second half ended, Zexion could be heard applauding, with a few other claps joining his. Saïx took a peek into the audience, and saw both Xemnas, Ansem and Demyx sitting out there, smiles on their faces. The lights came on, as the cast made their way out to the stage.
“Good work, everyone!” Zexion strode onto the stage. “You guys did a bang up job. This is going to be great. Only a few notes from me.”
Saïx tuned him out, as he knew they’d get their own notes later. Instead, he watched Axel pull off his wig, the red hair that was normally in spikes was pinned to his scalp with bobby pins. He wanted to reach out and help him take them out, but instead watched his nimble fingers pull each pin out. Instead of the spikes, Axel’s hair was almost comically curly. Once all the pins were out, he almost started laughing, but stopped himself, as Zexion was still talking to the ensemble.
“See you at tomorrow’s rehearsal, then.” Zexion said goodnight to everyone, people beginning to leave the stage in small groups.
He held his clipboard, as both he and Xigbar walked over to where Zexion stood. “I don’t have too many notes for you two. You know where you messed up.”
“Yes,” Xigbar agreed. “We’ll be on track tomorrow. Just had to get out some of the bugs. You know how it is.”
Zexion nodded, and left them alone. Saïx looked at Xigbar. “Are we cleaning up?”
“Someone’s gotta do it.”
They went about their routine, with Saïx putting all the microphones back onto their chargers, and put his own headset back on the base. Everything seemed to be set for tomorrow’s last technical rehearsal. The two of them headed out of the theater together, and walked to the parking lot.
“Would you look at that?” Xigbar smirked. “Got that ten bucks?”
Saïx punched Xigbar’s arm. “Shut up.” He headed over to his car, where the curly haired Axel was waiting for him. “Did you need a ride, Axel?”
“I did.” Axel grinned sheepishly. “We went later than the buses run. Is it cool?” He pulled his curly hair back with a sweep of his hand, and put it up in a ponytail.
Unlocking his car, Saïx nodded. “It’s fine. Get in.” He looked over at Xigbar, who was watching from his car two spots away. “See you tomorrow, Xig.”
“Night, Luna.” He blocked out the man’s cackle as he got into the car, throwing his bag in the backseat.
“You and Xigbar close?” Axel put his buckle on. “Seems like it.”
“When you’ve worked with someone for three years, you tend to get a little chummy.” Saïx turned on the car, and turned up the heat. “Where do you live?”
“About a mile away. Just take the main road, and then make a left at the fourth light.”
Saïx could hear his heart beating in his ears, but ignored it as the adrenaline he had felt earlier in the evening returned full force, but now in a different context. Now was his opportunity to talk more to Axel, but no words were coming out.
“He isn’t like your boyfriend or anything, is he?” The redhead asked. Saïx turned to seek a glance at him, and saw that he was looking out the window.
Feeling his heart pick up its already fast pace, Saïx shook his head. “No, Xigbar is not my boyfriend. Just a friend. I don’t have anyone in my life right now.” He put his turn signal on, and turned onto the street as directed. “Which house is yours?”
“Apartment. It’s at the end of the block. Can’t miss it.”
“Got it.” He headed towards the end of the block, and saw the building that Axel must have been talking about. He pulled up to the front and put the car into park. “Well, here we are.”
“Yeah…”
He was afraid to ask why the redhead wasn’t moving, but then Axel unbuckled his seatbelt, wiping away the creeping fear, only to be replaced with sadness. Saïx wanted to hit his head on the steering wheel. He did not have time to yo-yo, but it seemed like fate had other ideas.
“I thought you had a car? Do you need a ride home the rest of the week? We’re probably going to go late when we start the dress rehearsals.” The question was out before he had a chance to take it back. It had sounded fine in his head, but now that it was out in the open, it almost seemed pathetic.
Axel nodded his head. “Yeah, that’d be great, Sai. And, I do, but it’s in the shop right now.” He opened the car door, and stepped out. “Guess I’ll be seeing you tomorrow night?”
“Yep.” He tried to not stare at Axel’s retreating form, his backside swaying just the tiniest bit.
When the redhead was out of his sight, he did hit his head on the steering wheel, and groaned low. “Crap.” Putting the car into drive, he headed back to his apartment, and tried to ignore the butterflies that had mysteriously appeared in his stomach.
...
Going through his closet, Saïx tried to decide which black shirt he was going to wear for the first dress rehearsal. He liked to wear something nice, but didn’t want to make it seem like he was trying to impress the redhead. It didn’t help matters that he had seen him again at school today, and looked as happy as could be with his two friends. He wished he had friends like that. He kept mostly to himself, except for the few stagehand friends he had made through various shows on campus. Deciding on a long-sleeved button up shirt, he put it on over his black tank top, and rolled the sleeves up.
When he got to the theater, he saw that he wasn’t the first to arrive. Xigbar was already walking around the stage, being followed by Demyx.
“Are you sure all the marks are up off the stage?” Demyx looked frazzled. Saïx tied up his hair, and walked over to grab his headset for the night.
“For the thousandth time, yes. Everything is up off the floor. These idiots are all on their own. If they fuck up, it’s their own damned fault.” He stepped closer to the blonde, and kissed him softly. “Quit worrying, okay? You’ve done well.” Xigbar came through on the main channel. Chuckling, Saïx headed over towards the two of them. “Ah, Luna. Thought you’d be here earlier.”
“Sorry, got caught up in what I was doing.” He picked up his clipboard. “So, tonight’s the night they wear their real microphones, yes?”
“Yep. We got the ones out of storage, that go over their ear and are virtually blind to the audience.” Xigbar pointed to the table. “We’ve already done a soundcheck with all of them. All they need to do is put them on.”
“You have the body tape?”
“Course. What? You think this is my first show?” Xigbar laughed, and winked, dodging a hit from Demyx, who was still with the two of them.
“There are a few people in attendance out there tonight.” Demyx said. “Don’t tell the others.”
“Like who?” Saïx asked, curiosity piquing. “Ansem and Xemnas already saw the tech.”
“The dean of the school is out there tonight, along with other members of the music, theater and dance faculty.” Demyx informed them.
“That old coot?” Xigbar groaned. “Great. Why couldn’t he just wait until opening night?”
“I guess Xehanort is going out of town tomorrow, so this is his only chance to see the show.” Demyx began to head towards the stage exit into the house. “Good luck tonight, boys!”
“I wish he hadn’t told us that.” Saïx sighed. There was already enough pressure, with it being the dress rehearsal. “Guess we better be on our A game, huh?”
“Always, Luna.”
He headed to the other side of the stage, and began to prepare his things for the opening act. He felt a tap on his shoulder, as he was bending over to look at a cue. “Yes?” He didn’t bother to turn around, as he was trying to concentrate.
“Just wanted to wish you a good dress rehearsal.” The sound of Axel’s voice made him turn around. He stared at him, the breath leaving his body. “What? It’s the costume, right? It looks terrible.”
Saïx shook his head. “No, not at all.” The costume that Axel wore for the duration of the show was all white - white pants, white shirt, white tie, white jacket. He was afraid to tell him how gorgeous he looked.
“Then what is it?” Axel asked, a smile on his face. “It’s the wig, right?”
“Your tattoos.”
The markings on his face were gone. Axel laughed, and touched his face, using his index finger to make a smudge mark. Saïx felt his shoulders relax, as he saw the foundation on Axel’s fingertip.
“Make up.” Axel’s smile made his own lips curl upwards. “And now, I’ve got to go put more make up on, thanks to you.” He winked, and turned on his heel.
“Axel?” He called out, his heart hammering hard in his chest.
The redhead stopped. “Yeah?”
“Have a good show. I’ll get your mike ready for you.” The smile had stayed on his face, an overwhelming sense of happiness taking over his body.
“Thanks, Sai.” Axel grinned, and left the stage.
“You’re so pathetic.” Xigbar came through on his headset. He turned and looked at the other man across the stage, who was pantomiming an indescribable act. “Just fork over the ten bucks already, Luna.”
“No.” Saïx shook his head. “There’s nothing there. Just friendship.”
“You are so blind, aren’t you?” Xigbar snorted.
He was about to reply, when Zexion came over to him. “You ready for tonight, Sai?” Zexion asked, a look of worry on his face.
“Yes. What’s the matter? You’re not nervous, are you? Just because they’re wearing costumes doesn’t mean the show is going to fall apart now, Zexion.” Saïx could see the worry etched on the younger man’s face. “This is a good show. You should be proud of it.”
Pushing some of his bangs back off his face, the slate-haired man nodded. “I suppose you’re right. But, I can’t help it. Anyway, good luck tonight. You and Xigbar have got everything under control.” He walked across the stage, and exchanged a few words with Xigbar, before he headed into the house.
The principles came out five minutes before the curtain was the rise to get their microphones for the show. Saïx’ hands flew over every person, except when it came to Axel. His hands began to tremble, as he touched the side of Axel’s face, pushing the cord behind his ear.
“How’s that?” He asked, as he walked behind him, and began to tape the battery pack to his lower back. “It’s probably going to irritate you for a little bit, but once you get used to it, you should be good.”
The redhead smiled. “Yeah, it’s good. Thanks, Sai. You’re right, it feels a little weird, but I’m sure I’ll be good soon enough.”
“TWO MINUTES!” Someone shouted from the other side of the stage. He looked into Axel’s green eyes, time stopping for the briefest moment.
“Good luck tonight. Break a leg.” Saïx wanted to say something more, but didn’t have enough time. The orchestra began to play the overture, making the few seconds they had left disappear.
“Still going to give me a ride home tonight?” Axel asked.
“Yes.” Saïx replied quickly, before darting over to the curtain, and pulling it back for the entrance. Everything became a blur, as the show took off, and he got into his focused mode.
The first dress went better than anyone had expected. There was only one small hiccup, when one of the props was not working right, but that wasn’t anyone’s fault. Saïx was taking notes down, listening to what Zexion was saying to the cast. He could feel a pair of eyes on him, but chose to not look, as he needed to concentrate. Tonight was the first time that he hadn’t allowed himself to talk to Axel while they were backstage, as he was too paranoid about messing up, knowing that Dean Xehanort had been in the audience.
Once the cast dispersed for the night, both he and Xigbar made sure all microphones were put back into place, as well as all the headsets. He hadn’t seen Axel around, but knew he still had to be there, as he was going to be taking him home for the third night. As they walked out to their cars, he saw the redhead leaning against the passenger door of his car.
“See you tomorrow, Xigbar?” He unlocked his car, and saw Axel get in.
“Ten dollars!!” Xigbar shouted, and walked to his car, which was parked further away. Saïx rolled his eyes, and got into his car, setting his bag in the backseat, as it was now routine.
He saw Axel was already buckled in, but was still being quiet. “What’s wrong?” He asked, already knowing what the answer was going to be.
“Did I do something to make you upset?” Axel asked, his voice sounding hurt. “Because I’ve been trying to figure it out all night, and nothing seems to make any sense to me.”
Sighing, he turned the car on, so that they’d have some heat. “No, you didn’t do anything.”
“Then why didn’t you talk to me?” Axel asked, turning to look at him. The makeup was gone, his tattoos visible once more. “I….” The redhead spoke quietly. “I had gotten used to us talking, and when it didn’t happen, it kinda hurt. Like, a lot.”
There was a pang in his chest when he heard those words. He hadn’t realized that the redhead had cared that much. He always guessed he was the only one that liked their limited conversation. He turned and looked at him, seeing the sadness in his eyes.
“It had nothing to do with you.” Saïx reassured him. “I had to focus, because the dean of our school was out in the audience.” With that admission, he saw understanding dawn in Axel’s eyes. “So, I had to make sure I wasn’t distracted.”
“I’m a distraction?” Axel asked.
“A terrible one.” Saïx mumbled, before turning back to face the wheel. “Come on, it’s late.” He took the car out of park, and drove towards Axel’s apartment.
He pulled up to the complex, and put his car into park, the doors unlocking automatically. “Guess I’ll see-” As he turned his head to speak directly to Axel, he was stopped by the redhead’s lips brushing against his own in a chaste kiss.
His lips pressed against his, applying more pressure, as his brain caught up to what was happening. They were kissing. In his car. All the tension he had been feeling was suddenly gone, being replaced with a different type of tension. His lips parted, as the tip of his tongue swiped against Axel’s bottom lip, silently asking for him to open up to him. Axel moaned softly, effectively parting his lips Saïx.
Their tongues brushed against each other hesitantly, as they both tilted their heads to the right. Saïx moaned low in his throat, as their kiss began to deepen, frustrated by the center console blocking any chance to be closer to the redhead. They parted after the need for air became a bit too much for them, both panting softly.
“I like you, Sai.” Axel said, his lips swollen from the kisses they had just shared. “Please, talk to me again tomorrow night?”
“If I don’t, will you kiss me again like that when I take you home?” His voice was a bit husky, his hormones in overdrive. “Because, really, that was probably one of the best kisses I’ve ever had.”
Axel chuckled, and picked up his bag. “Guess we’ll have to see, hmm?” He got out of the car. Ducking back in, he brushed his lips against Saïx’, before pulling away quickly. “Good night, Sai. Sweet dreams.”
The door shut, leaving him stunned into silence. That was definitely not what he had been expecting to happen. He took his car out of park, and headed back to his house, completely dazed out of his mind.
At the start of the next rehearsal, Saïx taped ten dollars to Xigbar’s headset, and headed to his side of the theater. He wasn’t sure what was going to happen tonight with the redhead, but thought he should at least give the man his money, since they had technically done something.
When Xigbar picked up his headset, Saïx knew immediately. “LUNA! GET OUT HERE!” Xigbar shouted. He headed over, and saw a shit-eating grin on the man’s face. “Get the fuck out. Are you serious?”
He gave a small shrug of his shoulders. “I don’t know. But we kissed last night, so that’s gotta count for something, right?”
“It sure fucking does.” Xigbar stuck the cash into his pocket. “Does that mean…?”
Saïx gave a noncommittal answer with another shrug. “I have no idea.”
The last dress rehearsal went without a hitch. He talked a little bit to Axel, but made sure to get his stuff done. Whenever there was a moment, their bodies would brush against one another, something they hadn’t done before. Just the touch of his body would make Saïx hot, but he wouldn’t have it any other way. If he couldn’t speak to him, because he was too busy waiting on cues, the physical contact was better than nothing. His hands took any opportunity to touch the redhead’s body, and felt the redhead doing the same.
While he waited in the wings for his next entrance, Axel had stood directly behind him, and had placed his hands on Saïx’ hips. He turned the headset to mute, so that whatever was said between the two of them would stay between only them. As Axel stepped closer to him, he could feel something pressing against his backside, his body becoming flush when he realized what it was. He moved to push his hips back, to encourage the redhead, but then it was his turn to go out on stage, leaving Saïx just a tad bit breathless.
“Luna! Wake up! That’s your cue!” Xigbar scolded him through the headset. Blinking, he got his head back into the game, and focused on the show. His hormones could wait until later.
At the end of the last dress rehearsal, the entire company sat out on the stage, with Zexion sitting in the middle. “Alright, everyone. That was our last dress. You all did marvelously. Tomorrow night, we’ve got a sold out show. In fact, it seems our entire run is sold out. This is going to be a good one. I’m so very proud of all of you. Get as much rest as you can tonight, as tomorrow’s the big night.”
Saïx walked to his car, and saw the redhead was waiting for him once more. Unlocking it, he said goodnight to Xigbar, and got in with Axel. Turning the car on, he put the car into drive, and smirked.
“You know, you play dirty.” He pulled out onto the street, and smiled as he heard Axel chuckle.
“Yeah, well. Can’t help it.”
They arrived at Axel’s complex. “Guess I’ll see you tomorrow night?”
“What? No goodnight kiss?” Saïx asked, feigning disappointment.
“Come upstairs with me.”
He knew the redhead had to be able to hear his pounding heart. “Excuse me?”
“Park your car, and come upstairs with me.” Axel said. “Unless you don’t want to?”
Saïx bit his lip. “It’s not that I don’t want to, it’s just….we haven’t…”
“Come upstairs, and let’s talk. I’m not ready to go to sleep yet. Too wired and hopped up on nervous energy right now.” He pointed to a spot on the street. “Park your car there. Don’t make this more complicated than it needs to be, Saïx.”
Knowing he was right, Saïx did as the redhead instructed, and parked his car in the spot. “I’ve got an early class tomorrow.”
“I live less than a mile from the school.” Axel got out of the car.
“Right.” He knew that it wasn’t a valid excuse, and got out of the car.
He followed Axel to his apartment, which was on the second floor. “Welcome to Apartment 8.” He opened the door for Saïx, and allowed him to enter first.
Looking around, he saw that there wasn’t much to the place. Not a lot of posters up, but there was a piano and an acoustic guitar on a stand. “Nice place.” He commented, and dropped his bookbag on the ground. Arms slid around his waist, as Axel gave him a hug from behind, his back resting comfortably against Axel’s chest.
“Want to see the bedroom…?” His lips ghosted over his ear, sending a shiver through his body.
“Yes, but I thought we were going to talk first,” Saïx groaned low, feeling that comfortable pressure against his backside once more.
Axel stepped away from him, and nodded. “You’re right. Let’s talk first.” They walked over to the loveseat, which was barely big enough to fit the two of them.
They sat there, neither one of them speaking. Saïx groaned, and pulled his hair out of the ponytail it had been in all night. “Alright, I guess what we need to talk about is what’s going on between us. Is there something going on? Or is this just one of the summer camp/show romances that will just stop once the run is over?”
“I don’t want that.” Axel shook his head. “No, I like you, Sai. I’d like to be more than just friends, for as long as you’d have me.”
“Why now?” He couldn’t help but ask. “Why not when the show’s finished?”
The redhead hummed thoughtfully. “I guess it’s because I realized how much I really do like you. When you didn’t speak to me, I was really upset about it. You probably didn’t notice, because you were in your own world, but it was really difficult for me to get into character that night. I just felt useless.”
“Useless?” Saïx was surprised to hear that. “Just because I didn’t speak to you?” He had never had anyone say something like that to him. It completely shocked him.
“Well, it was more like I didn’t know what I had done wrong to make you so upset with me. But, you weren’t, but I didn’t know that.” The redhead sighed. “Look, just think about it, okay? I’d like to have a relationship with you. I’m going to miss you so much once this show is over. And I don’t want to miss you. I’d rather just be with you.”
“This was never supposed to happen,” Saïx spoke softly. “Never has this happened to me before.”
“What?” Axel asked.
“The ones I like never like me back.” He looked into the redhead’s green eyes. “No one ever wants me. It’s me who wants them.”
“Do you want me?” Axel pulled Saïx to sit on his lap, facing him.
“So very badly,” he nodded his head, as he wrapped his arms around Axel’s neck.
“Stay with me tonight, Saïx. Sleep here. We don’t have to have sex. Just….stay with me?” Axel’s lips hovered close to his, his warm breath sending another shiver through Saïx’ body.
“Yes.”
…
Saïx walked into the theater with a bouquet of white roses. It was opening night, and after months of preparation, all of the hard work was about to pay off this evening. He set the roses down, hidden behind a box. He grabbed his headset, and put it on, clipping it to his black trouser pants.
The night before had been one of the best nights of Saïx’ life. They didn’t have sex, but instead just spent most of the night talking about all of their fears and desires. He learned more about Axel’s time in Boston, and how hard it was for him to make the decision to come back. He had admitted that he had hated his mother for a little bit, making him give up on the life he had just started to make for himself out there. Saïx had just listened, and had held him close, as they laid in Axel’s bed in just their boxers. They had talked about what they were enjoying most in their respective majors, and what they liked the least.
Hands covered over his eyes, making his heart beat faster. “Guess who?”
“Richie Cunningham?” He teased, knowing it was Axel. Hands dropped, as an exasperated sigh left the man’s mouth.
“Are you serious, Sai? Richie Cunningham? Watch too many episodes of ‘Happy Days’ as a kid, did you?” Axel reached down to the floor. “Ah, don’t look, Sai.” He was about to glance down, then kept his eyes averted.
“I hate surprises, Axel.” He did. He didn’t like not knowing what was coming. He preferred to know everything in advance, and to plan things out. He had a feeling he wasn’t going to get that a lot in this new relationship of theirs.
Warmth washed over his cheek, as Axel’s lips kissed him softly. “Too bad. I like them, so you’ll just have to learn to live with it.” Something was placed in his hands. “Good luck tonight, Sai.”
He glanced down and saw a blue teddy bear in his hands. Laughing, he gave it a small squeeze. “A teddy bear? Really?”
“I didn’t want to get you flowers, because those wither and die. I wanted to give you something that would make you smile every day. Well, until you get sick of my ass, and put it in a box somewhere.”
Blushing, Saïx shook his head. “I could never.” He walked over to the box. “But, you don’t like flowers?”
“I didn’t say that, did I?” Axel said.
He picked up the bouquet of white roses, and handed them to him. “Good, because I bought you these. Good luck tonight. Time to make your impression on this campus.”
“White.” Axel laughed, his smile bright. “Thanks, Sai.” They shared another quick kiss. “I gotta go get ready. See you in a bit for my mike?”
He nodded his head, and watched the redhead walk out with his roses. “Nice, Luna. That teddy bear is adorbs.” Xigbar teased him over the headset.
“Shut up.”
“Happy opening to you too, Sai.” Xigbar laughed, Saïx joining in a few moments later.
The performance was flawless. Saïx couldn’t remember ever having such a successful opening night before. Throughout the show, he and Axel would steal kisses from one another, both knowing when they had the time to do it. It was making Saïx want the show to be over, as they had made plans for Saïx to stay the night at his place again. This time, without any school the next day. He allowed himself to watch Axel, really watch him, as he performed his heart out. He could hear the audience applauding wildly after every song. When it came to the end, he swore he could hear people sniffling. The curtain came down, as thunderous applause rang out in the theater.
He pulled off his headset, and ran towards Axel, not caring about what the others thought. Axel saw him, and charged straight towards him. They hugged each other tightly, neither caring about the others that were surrounding them. Cast members were patting Axel on the back, congratulating him on a great show.
“Luna! Gotta get off the stage for their curtain call!” Xigbar called out.
Saïx darted off the stage, putting his headset back on. He wiped his eyes, surprised by the tears of joy that were there. The curtain rose, as the cast took their bow. More screams were heard, as the audience had yet to stop their applause. As a whole, the company stepped back, without Axel realizing it until too late. With the redhead out there on his own, those that weren’t already standing jumped up and applauded wildly for him. Saïx couldn’t help but feel a pang of jealousy, afraid that the little bubble they had been existing in was about to pop.
The curtain came down, as the house lights came on. Axel ran over to him, and pulled on his hand. “My mom’s out in the theater. I want you to meet her, Sai!”
“But…” He walked out into the house with the redhead, and almost got bombarded by people congratulating Axel.
The redhead was gracious, and said thanks to all that came up to him, but he was making a beeline towards a woman and two others that were sitting down close to the stage. Saïx saw it was the two people he normally saw Axel with at school, a girl with black hair, and a boy with spiky blonde hair.
“Ma!” The woman he was addressing stood up, and not a moment too soon, as Axel picked her up and swung her around in a tight hug. “I’m so glad you came!”
“I couldn’t miss it, honey.” His mother said, laughing softly. “You were magnificent!” Saïx hung back, not wanting to spoil their moment. “And who’s this?”
“Oh, this is Saïx. My boyfriend.” Axel’s introduction made Saïx’ head snap up, surprised to hear that term of endearment. “Saïx? This is my mom.”
“Pleased to meet you.” He took her hand, and shook it. “Axel, I need to go make sure things are ready for tomorrow.”
“Right!” Axel peeled off his microphone, and handed it to Sai. “I’ll see you in a little bit? Oh, and meet my two best friends. Roxas, and Xion!” He placed his hands on their shoulders.
Saïx smiled. “Hello. Nice to meet you. Sorry I have to run.”
“Nice to meet you too, Sai! Axel’s told us all about you.” Roxas said.
“Oh?” He stopped, and turned back towards the three of them. Xion nodded her head, and smiled.
“Only good things.” She informed him.
“Wonderful.” Saïx looked over at Axel, and smiled, before heading backstage.
“Nice work tonight, Sai.” Zexion walked over to him, a large smile on his face. “You and Xigbar can come tomorrow night at 6, instead of 5.”
“Thanks, Zexion.” He dropped off his headset, and picked up his blue teddy bear.
People were still milling about in the house. He didn’t want to interrupt Axel’s time with his family, as they seemed to be still talking. However, green eyes soon looked over at him. Axel said goodbye to his family and friends, and headed back towards the stage. Saïx smirked, as the redhead approached him.
“Are you really going to wear that wig home?” He pointed to the black monstrosity that sat on his head still.
“Shit!” Axel ripped it off his head. “Nope. Let me go get those flowers, and we’ll go, okay?”
“I’ll be at the car.” He held his teddy bear under his arm, and walked out to the parking lot.
The redhead wasn’t too far behind him, but he wouldn’t have known it was him except for the white roses he had given him. There were multiple bunches of flowers in his arms, which he dropped in the backseat, quickly filling the car up with their fragrance.
“That’s a lot of flowers.” Saïx said, as he started the car. “Had I known, I would have gotten you something to make myself stand out.”
“Your flowers are the only ones that matter to me, Sai.” Axel kissed him softly, before buckling in. “You’re still staying the night, right?”
“Of course.”
“Good. Let’s get there fast, because I’ve got some energy that needs to be exerted.”
Smirking, Saïx drove them quickly to Axel’s apartment. He helped gather all the flowers, and walked up to the second floor with him. As they entered the apartment, they set all the flowers in the kitchen, Axel sticking his white roses in a vase, and leaving the others on the counter. Once they were arranged nicely, Axel turned and looked at him, a wicked gleam in his eyes.
Clothes were shed, as they made their way towards the bedroom. Kisses were scattered against each others’ bodies, as they fell onto the bed with their limbs tangled. Saïx wanted to be closer to him, but just couldn’t get there. He tugged on the waistband of Axel’s boxers, silently asking him to take them off. He felt a similar tug on his own, and soon, they were both removing them.
Wet kisses soon coated his throat, as he Saïx leaned his head back for Axel. “Y-You were amazing tonight, Axel…”
“I sang for you,” Axel’s whispered words sent a shiver down his spine. “I gave my all for you, Sai.”
“You’re just saying that…” He groaned softly, as the redhead began to kiss a trail down his chest.
“I never lie.” The redhead’s breath caressed the tip of his arousal, making Saïx’ hair stand on end. “When’s the last time you were intimate with someone?”
“Too long,” he spoke softly. “I’d rather not think about it, if it’s all the same to you.”
“Same,” Axel agreed, resting his head against Saïx’ lower stomach. “Let’s be miserable together, Saïx.”
He looked down, and stared into his green eyes. “I like the sound of that.”
“So, you’ll be my boyfriend?” Axel lifted his head, his chin resting on Saïx’ hipbone. “I mean, even though I already introduced you to my mom and best friends as that? Sorry if that made you uncomfortable.”
Blushing, he gave a small nod of his head. “Only if you promise not to hurt me. I can’t go through that again.”
“I can’t make that promise.” Axel sat up, pulling Saïx up with him. “But, that’s the fun part of the journey, isn’t it? The unknown.”
“Thank you for not saying it’s an amazing journey.” He couldn’t keep the smirk off his face, as he saw Axel laugh.
“Caught that, did you?” Axel leaned forward and kissed him softly. “Sai, I’ll do the best that I can, but I can’t promise I won’t hurt you. Just like I know you may hurt me too. But, that’s okay. We’ll get through it.”
Saïx closed his eyes, and gave a small nod of his head. “Alright. Then I’ll be your boyfriend. Since, you know, that’s what I’ve already been introduced as.”
“Glad you accept.” Axel’s lips captured his own, and all talking ceased.
Axel dozed off in his arms after they had their fun, and was snoring peacefully. Saïx couldn’t help but feel incredibly happy with how things had turned out. It was nice, finally having a crush that reciprocated the same feelings he was having. As much as he hated that Axel’s mother had gotten sick, he was glad that it had brought him into his life. He hadn’t felt this at peace in a very long time. He was looking forward to the remaining shows, as well as what was going to come after. Because, like Axel had said, that’s what made the journey fun.