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It’s just an hour before the biggest concert show of their lives.
Octavio is sitting on a bench at the pier as the sun hangs high over the horizon, tinting everything with its golden glow. He's so excited for the upcoming performance, but he can't help but feel nervous. There's a lot riding on this performance, if they mess up then it could change the direction of their dreams forever.
His worries halt for a moment when he sees his best friend and bandmate practically sprinting down the pier towards him. Craig waves to Octavio from where he was running before finally coming to sit next to him. "'Tavi! I've been looking all over for you!" he says, out of breath after his long sprint. "Are ya ok?" he adds as he notices Octavio's slightly worried face.
Octavio nods and takes a deep breath before replying to Craig's question. "Yeah, I'm good! There's just… a lot of people out there." He says, looking behind him towards the stage not too far from where they were, the large and colorful crowd visible.
"There's nothin’… ya need to… worry about," Craig says, still breathing heavily. "We got this!" he continued confidently. He looks into Octavio's eyes and smiles back weakly before sitting down next to Octavio to catch his breath.
Octavio sighs in response, giving him a gentle smile which causes the inkling's heart to flutter. There’s that beautiful smile. "You're right," he admits after a moment, returning to his previous position, looking out at the audience. The two sit silently together until Craig begins to hum quietly to the tune of the first song they've scheduled to play during the show. Octavio hums along with him. It's a nice moment between the two.
"Hey 'Tavi, i've got something I wanna try for the finale." he says, still humming away.
Octavio chuckles. "Oh yeah? And what's that?" He asks, looking curiously at his friend. Craig's crazy ideas were what helped the two's band grow in popularity from day one, and Octavio is glad he gets to experience them firsthand.
Craig stops humming abruptly. His cheeks flush orange for a moment before pulling out a few folded papers he had in his pocket, and handing them to Octavio. "Here, look at these and tell me what ya think." he said, voice filled with confidence as he watches Octavio unfold and look through the papers.
Sheet music, with no lyrics. "Hm… nice melody, where are the lyrics though?" Octavio asks hesitantly.
Craig laughs nervously at this. "That's part of this little idea of mine!" He exclaims, trying to hide a blush. "You play the tune, and I sing the lyrics! It's a surprise song I wrote while having Ammoses check it. Think you're up for the challenge?"
Octavio gives him a grin. "I'll give it a shot," he answers. Thankfully for both of them, Octavio is really good at memorizing musical notes, and no one in the Takowasa family ever backs down from a challenge. It was gonna go great. Whatever worries Octavio had were gone.
They spend the rest of the hour practicing their songs on the pier where no one else could see or recognize them, Octavio familiarizing the melody in his head as they both laughed at small mistakes they made while singing. Before they knew it, it was time to head back to the stage to prepare.
"Oh- Craig! There's something I wanted to tell you before the show starts." Octavio says, grabbing Craig's hand.
"What is it 'Tavi?" he asks, looking back at Octavio.
Octavio was about to talk, until he took in the inking in front of him. Craig was standing in front of the sunset, it's ethereal orange glow painted him in a light that made him so vibrant and beautiful. He didn't even realize a magenta blush had made its way across sepia skin.
"I- I uh- you- uhm..." The DJ stuttered out, unable to form coherent words. Craig chuckled softly at this.
Before either of them could continue, the lights out on the stage began to turn on as the director waves towards them from the back, signaling them that they needed to be there just a few minutes prior.
"OH KRAKEN- WE'RE LATE-" Craig gasped and immediately picked up Octavio bridal style, making his blush even stronger. "You can tell me afterwards 'Tavi, it's showtime!"
Craig super jumps from the pier and to the stage at an incredible speed, saving them the time & energy. Upon landing, Craig jumps up, still holding Octavio in his arms.
"WHAT'S UP INKADIA BAY!!" Craig yelled out, the crowd cheered in response. He sets Octavio down so he can run to his turntables, and the music starts.
~~~
The concert went amazing so far, everybody loved them. Octavio felt like he'd never be able to get enough of watching Craig play his guitar and mix so well with his style. The crowd was loving this too, and it was making his adrenaline pump.
As Craig played the last notes of the current song, Octavio realized it's time for the finale. He wonders just exactly what Craig has planned up his sleeve.
"Haha! You've all been so wonderful here tonight, but I think we've got time for one more song." Craig announced, the crowd erupted in cheers again. "This one's called 'Heaven's Gate'." He finished. Craig looks back up to Octavio, and he gives him a soft smile in return, making him melt for a moment before turning back to the microphone.
"Ya ready 'Tavi?" Craig asked, Octavio smiled back.
"More than ready." He replied, setting up the music sheets. Craig smiles brightly, more than happy for what's about to come.
He opens his mouth, and begins to sing.
"One look from you
And I'm on that faded love
Out of my body
And flying above
If there were any more left of me
I'd give it to you
And I'll tell you that I am fine
But I'm a missile that's guided to you, ooh, ooh, ooh"
Hm, so these are the secret lyrics, huh? I like 'em! Octavio thought to himself as Craig sang. He knew Craig loved writing love songs, but most of them never really got to see the light of day.
"Go out in the world to start over again and again
As many times as you can
And in the end if I don't make it on the list
Would you sneak me a wristband?
Woah, would you give me, give me, give me…"
The lights shift to a bright magenta as the chorus hits, Octavio's signature color.
"Give me a boost
A boost over heaven's gate, yeah
Give me a boost over heaven's gate
I'm gonna need a boost
'Cause everything else is a substitute for your love
Give me a boost over heaven's gate"
…Woah. Octavio was not expecting that. The lights return to their normal white.
"I got dreams of my own
But I want to make yours come true
So please come through
Honey please, please come through"
Wait, was Craig looking back at me when he sang those lines? Octavio thinks to himself again as a pink tint dusts his face. He continues to mix.
"Go, go out in the world, start over again and again
As many times as you can
And in the end, if I don't make it on the list
Would you sneak me a wristband?"
The chorus hits again, and this time, the screens change. The screens stop recording them live, and suddenly change to photos and recordings of their previous shows, but the focus was on Octavio. The crowd practically erupts into claps and cheers.
"Give me a boost, a boost over heaven's gate, yeah
Give me a boost over heaven's gate
I'm gonna need a boost
'Cause everything else is a substitute for your love
Give me a boost over heaven's gate"
As the second chorus ends and the bridge starts, the lights fade. A spotlight shines over Octavio.
“You're the one habit I just can't kick
You're the one habit I just can't kick
You're the one habit I just can't kick
You're the one habit I just can't kick”
Craig repeated those lines, staring back up at Octavio, smiling as an Orange blush flashes across Craig's cheeks.
“You're the one, you're the one
You're the one, you're the one
You're the one habit I just can't kick”
…Oh.
Oh my cod.
The final chorus starts, Craig sings his heart out in front of hundreds.
“Give me a boost, a boost over heaven's gate, yeah
Give me a boost over heaven's gate
I'm gonna need a boost
'Cause everything else is a substitute for your love
Give me a boost over heaven's gate
Give me a boost…”
The song ends, and the cheering was thunderous. Octavio jumps down from his set, mouth agape, staring in awe at Craig with a bright blush painting his whole face magenta. Craig stared back, Orange painting his.
"I… I wanted to make this special, you quite literally light up my life, Octavio Takowasa." Craig says, taking a deep breath. "Your smile, your laugh, everything about you makes me happier than I have been in years, and I don't know how I ever got to be lucky enough to find you... and fall in love with you." The crowd cheers again as Craig finishes his mini speech, Octavio's eyes widen even further. He couldn't believe what he heard at first.
Craig readies himself to speak again, but stops when he hears the string of a chant coming from the crowd.
"KISS HIM! KISS HIM! KISS HIM!" they chanted, clapping rhythmically between each two words.
Octavio shared one of the sweetest smiles Craig had ever seen him make, and started laughing.
"Wh-what's so funny?" Craig asked, blushing harder now. He was almost ready to just book it out of there right then and there, but he didn't even take a step before Octavio stopped him.
"That's what I was gonna tell you before the show started." Octavio replies simply, a huge smile still plastered onto his face.
It's only seconds later before Octavio moves the microphone out of the way and wraps his arms around Craig, picking him up and spinning him around, pulling him into a kiss.
And the crowd goes wild.