Chapter Text
Deep breath in… and out. Three… Two… One…
The music boomed to life—and Evar opened his eyes. The lights were almost blinding, making the sea of people nothing more than dark shapes.
Evar’s grin turned genuine as the adrenaline roared through his veins.
Emerys’ let out a loud huff as he flopped onto the couch in their dressing room. Stil bounced into the room, snatching his phone off the makeup counter and hopping onto social media. Evar pulled off his mic, absently looping up the cord as Clovicus wandered in, looking more than a little tired. The massive cup of coffee in his hand only helped complete the image.
“You here to give us congratulations?” Stil asked, eyes glued on his phone as he curled up in the makeup chair.
Clovicus gave him a flat look. “You’re so fabulous you made my heart skip a beat.” He deadpanned, sipping his coffee. “Anyway, get ready to go. The driver will have the van pulled around in a bit.”
Quinn slipped inside the room, her suit as crisply pressed as usual. “The van’s here.”
Emerys shot upright, looking wide awake again. “Quinn! Did you see the performance?”
She gave him a wry look. “I see all your performances. You did well—like every time.”
The oldest member of the trio pouted at the bodyguard’s stoic response—sinking back onto the couch.
Evar collected the few things he had brought along to the dressing room and wandered after Quinn—Clovicus shooing the other two out of the room after him.
The night air was muggy and humid, the space behind the concert hall devoid of anyone. A drastic change from earlier when fans had been lined up like rows of sardines to get into the concert. The van sat idling—the driver’s face illuminated by his phone screen.
Evar slipped in first, claiming the beloved backseat where he could sprawl out on their way back to the hotel. The adrenaline high had faded, leaving him feeling rather like boiled noodles. Quinn made sure that all three were in, checking in with Clovicus before she waved and headed off to the bodyguards’ car.
Stil sighed, leaning his forehead against the window. “Gemma already left…”
Clovicus grunted.
Stil hopped back onto his phone after he bemoaned missing Gemma after the concert, while Emerys grabbed some headphones and started dozing off. Evar felt his eyes begin to shut, and he let himself drift off.
“Ah! It’s so nice to be back home!” Emerys stretched his arms over his head. After months of traveling on their world tour, the familiar sights and smells of home really were a sight for sore eyes. The quick moment when they were outside between the airport and the car hadn’t been enough of a break from the stuffy inside of a plane or van.
“I think I’m going to be jet-lagged forever,” Stil moaned, rubbing his eyes. As the tour had gone on, Stil’s dark circles had grown more and more prominent—until Gemma finally gave up and just started giving him dramatic eyeliner and eyeshadow to cover it.
Their fandom—Tales—certainly hadn’t complained about it.
Clovicus shoved Emerys’ carry-on bag into the oblivious boy’s hands. “Alright, I’ll leave you three alone for now. Stay inside for goodness sake. We don’t want any more rumors.” He glared at Stil pointedly.
Stil didn’t even bat an eye, too busy dragging himself up the stairs to their dorm room. Laughing, Emerys followed him.
“Evariste.”
Evar turned, surprised Clovicus had called him by his full name. After going by his stage for so long, it was weird to hear his full name.
“You better stay inside.” Their manager warned. “Last time you got out…”
Evar waved off his concerns. “I won’t.”
“Stay inside, or get into trouble?” Clovicus’s eyebrows shot upward.
Evar winked before dashing up the stairs, leaving Clovicus staring grumpily after him.
Evar chewed absently on his snack, wandering the quiet streets. Leaves skittered softly over the sidewalk. He hadn’t found a cafe that was open—and google said the only open one was about a thirty minute walk from here.
He didn’t mind walking there, but he wasn’t really interested in walking back. Clovicus wouldn’t be thrilled to get a call from him in the middle of the night asking Clovicus to drive them back to his dorm.
The soft lights of a store caught his attention, and he made a beeline toward the light. It belonged to a small cafe, one single employee moving about inside as she mopped the floor.
The door opened smoothly as Evar slipped inside, a small jingle announcing his arrival. The girl continued mopping, singing along to music she was playing through her earbuds.
Her voice was deeper than expected based on her looks, with a slightly raspy tone that only added to the quality of it. Humming along, Evar tapped his foot to the beat, enjoying the soft sound of her singing.
She turned, sweeping the mop along the floor, and her eyes met his. Her voice died, the mop clattering out of her hands as she stared at him. Evar braced himself for the moment that she started squealing—and took a cautious step back.
But her look of horror didn’t change into one of bliss. “We’re closed!” Her voice cracked, and she cleared her throat. “You can’t be in here—why are you in here?!”