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Bobby watched as Luke bounced around the venue they played at for their gig. His eyes trailed after the frontman of Sunset Curve watching as Luke let himself be happy for once, bouncing form table to table, merch bag clutched over his shoulder. The thing about Luke Patterson though, the thing that people didn't quite understand... was that he's the literal human embodiment of a puppy. He'll bounce around all day writing music and demanding attention and despite Bobby's protests he'd snuggle up against him on the couch in the studio.
The downside of this meant that whenever Luke got sad he had that kicked-puppy-dog expression nailed down perfectly and if someone - namely Reggie or Alex - didn't nip it in the bud they'd have to deal with the fall out of a grumpy Luke the next day. He turned around to grab another drink from the bar counter - club soda, despite using their fakes apparently some bartenders still had morals - and when he turned back his immediate thought was fuck because Luke was sitting alone at a table, the merch bag forgotten at his feet. His shoulders were hunched over and as Bobby approached him he could see Luke's furrowed eyebrows and the frown etched across his face. When he finally got close enough to see what Luke was doing he could see the guitarist furiously scribbling something down onto a napkin. Luke's handwriting was absolute shit but Bobby didn't even think the shapes he was writing were letters. Slowly and tentatively he slid into the seat across from Luke. Bracing himself slightly he asked, "you wanna tell me what's up? Usually you're halfway through the crowd by now." Luke sniffled and a tear rolled down his cheek and Bobby silently prayed to whatever god that existed for Alex and Reggie to turn up again soon because Bobby was not equipped enough to deal with an emotional Luke right now.
“Nothin,’” Luke mumbled, snarling in frustration when his pen snapped and ink exploded all over his hand. Bobby instantly lurched over the table in time to catch the glass from shattering onto the ground. “‘S stupid,” the guitarist said, not at all looking like the Luke Bobby was used to talking… at all. But he knew from experience that ignoring Luke when he got like this would just make the situation once.
“Luke if whatever happened got you this upset -” Bobby got cut off by a loud amp popping and Luke jumped a mile into the air. “Okay yeah no we’re not doing this here,” Bobby said, holding out a hand waiting for Luke to take it. It ended up taking longer than Bobby would’ve liked to get Luke out of the venue and back in the van. Luke fell into the van when Bobby let him try to climb into it himself so Bobby wrapped an arm around him and helped him lean against the side of the van, sinking to the ground with his head between his knees. Where the fuck were Reggie and Alex? Bobby thought, awkwardly trying to comfort Luke by rubbing circles against his back.
“Said I was bad.” When Luke spoke Bobby almost missed it, exhausted to the point of almost passing out he almost missed the barely whispered words that bit into the cold night air. Bobby sagged next to Luke, using the wall of the van to support his back as he let his legs straighten out ahead of him.
“Who said that?” Bobby asked, trying not to look surprised when Luke wrapped his limbs around him, burying his face into Bobby’s shoulder. “Hey they’re wrong you know that right?” Bobby said, attempting to gain some traction. If Reggie and Alex came back to a broken down Luke then Bobby was dead. He was deader than dead. He would be buried six feet under by tomorrow morning and then some. Luke sniffled but he nodded and Bobby could feel his tears soaking through his t-shirt.
“Sometimes it just - it just gets too much,” Luke muttered, instantly relaxing more when Bobby started to play with his hair. He ran his fingers through it, trying to brush out the knots and braid the long locks like he’d always watch Alex due during movie nights. When he managed to tie it off with some loose fabric from his shirt the final product didn’t look half bad.
“You know you can always come to me right? I know I don’t… I don’t show I care much but I do Luke. You gotta know that, I do care about you,” Bobby said cursing to himself when his throat choked, his voice cracky and dry.
“I know,” Luke said, letting Bobby pull him closer until they were flush against each other. “‘S easy to forget.” Bobby hummed and pressed a soft kiss to the top of Luke’s head, smiling slightly into his now-braided hair.
“I don’t mind reminding you of it,” Bobby whispered, placing another kiss on the crown of Luke’s forehead when he pulled away so they could look at each other. The van doors opened and the moment was over, Reggie squeezing his way between the two of them and Alex standing outside of the van with his arms crossed looking at Bobby with a disapproving glare.
“No fair I missed a Luke snuggle?!” Reggie cried out, burying his face into Luke’s back. Bobby just gave Alex a helpless sort of what-are-you-going-to-do shrug when Reggie and Luke decided his lap made a good pillow for the night.
“You were supposed to drive us home,” Alex accused, staring at Bobby pointedly. Bobby knew Alex wasn’t really mad at him though, the twinkle in his eyes gave it away.
“Think of it this way,” Bobby said with a smirk when Luke’s loud snore cut through the air. “When we get back to my house you and I can get up to a ‘lil something something.” Alex choked in disgust, throwing the closest thing on hand - one of his drumsticks - at Bobby’s head but his aim was off and Bobby had to reach out to catch it before it hit the back of Reggie’s head. He twirled the stick in his hand before tossing it behind Alex’s drums grinning at the drummer’s annoyed huff.
“You’re disgusting,” Alex complained when Bobby pulled him in for a kiss without managing to disturb the sleeping bandmates in his lap. When Bobby started to pull away Alex let out a little whine and pressed his lips deeper into the kiss.
“You know you love me,” Bobby said back when they pulled away from each other. “Want me to drive?” He asked seriously, knowing Alex had been getting little sleep throughout the week and didn’t want him getting behind the wheel if he was tired. Alex shook his head,
“Nah I’ll be fine. Think I drank like, twelve cups of coffee in that place. Man I can’t believe we found the one bartender in the entire world who wouldn’t buy our fakes.” Alex whined as Bobby planted another chaste kiss against his lips.
“Yeah well we’re illegal anyways. Besides we gotta get our boys back home Alex. Let me know if you want to switch!” Bobby shouted out as Alex swung the big doors of their Sunset Curve van shut. A few minutes later the engine roared to life and Alex’s trashy pop music was playing through the cassette player and Bobby couldn’t help but let out a laugh. If Luke ever found out Alex played pop in the van then he was going to get killed and they’d be in the market for a new drummer. Sitting on the floor of their van wedged between Alex’s drums and his boys Bobby let himself doze off into a peaceful sleep, knowing nothing would ever be able to tear them apart. It was just enough for Bobby to feel like maybe his life wasn't really in shambles. Just enough to finally give him a real sense of home.