Work Text:
Lights shone and flashed, brightness and hues fading and changing like tides in an ocean. The smell of sex, cheap beer and mistakes lingered, perforating the clean outside air and sticking to Todd’s shoes.
He had grown out of being bothered by this, however, after being on the stage for so long. He didn’t need to worry about drunk teenagers or slipping on the beer-slick plywood anymore. He needed only worry about keeping in time and not getting distracted by a certain lead singer.
Neil stood infront of the microphone, guitar in hand. His voice, rich and smooth, rolled over the crowd in waves, capturing attention and drawing rousing cheers from the rows of tipsy teenagers. His hands moved on the guitar as if it was second nature, just muscle memory. He moved his head smoothly infront of the mic, his lips brushing the meshed metal as he sang. Todd had never wished to be an inanimate object more in his short, unimpressive life.
Neil stopped playing the guitar, letting Knox step forward and take over. He removed the mic from its stand and moved across the stage, in Todd’s direction, who fought hard to keep his eyes on his bass and his butterflies under control.
This, surprise surprise, didn’t last long. Todd gave in and chanced a look up at Niel. He was still grooving about the stage, but had stopped in front of Charlie on the drum set and looked to be having an eyeball conversation with him. Charlie said something unintelligble eagerly, bashing extra hard on the crash cymbal and winking at Neil, who nodded nervously.
Todd had always found the way Neil was on stage versus in private funny. To eager crowds, he was confident, rowdy Neil Perry, always interacting and making silly jokes and flirting with the band members. He held himself in a confident way, his shoulders turned up and out like he was ready to accept any challenge or question thrown at him.
In private though, Neil was simply a nervous, intelligent boy who just loved his friends, music and acting. He liked to sit on the windowsill with Todd, listening to the Smiths and watching the rain knock at the window panes. He was reserved and cautious, always nervous around Todd.
Todd caught Knox’s eye, gesturing slightly toward Neil and Charlie’s strange altercation and giving the guitarist a confused look. Knox shrugged simply as if saying ‘nobody gets those two’ and went back to playing his guitar for a blond girl in the pit.
As the song reached a bridge, the lights dimmed and spotlighted onto Todd. 5 years ago, this would’ve been a fear up there with spiders, small spaces and abandonment. Now, after years of the stage and Neil’s relentless coaching, the spotlight barely fazed Todd. He turned to beam at the crowd before locking eyes with Neil.
Neil sauntered across the stage, still singing into his microphone. Todd smirked at him, never once looking away. In that moment, an unspoken challenge was issued: who could keep the others eye without looking away longest.
Neil strutted into the spotlight, getting very close to Todd and holding the mic between them. Todd sang in perfect harmony with Neil’s honey voice. He had learned not to panic at this by now. It was routine for this particular song.
Every gig they did, it was the same. Neil and Todd would share the spotlight, standing tantalisingly close without touching. They would lock eyes and sing into the same microphone, their laced voices ringing out over the crowd. Todd would go overdrive on the bass simply to stop himself from reaching out to touch Neil’s face.
Todd had gotten used to this routine by now, which was why it was such a surprise when Neil took a step closer, pressing their foreheads together as he sang, holding the microphone with one hand and using the other to raise at his side, like his arm was a snake and he was the charmer. In a way, he was.
In that moment, Todd Anderson realised that multitasking was infact possible. How? Because he was able to keep playing his bass while singing and not simultaneously combusting at Neil Perry’s deep, doe brown eyes looking deep into his. The hand that wasn’t holding the microphone closed in on Todd’s neck, pulling him closer than ever and rendering him unable to move or leave.
The bridge reached a climax and transitioned into the chorus. Neil yelled “Sing it!” into the mic and thrust that hand out toward the crowd. Under his breath, Todd heard Neil mutter ‘fuck it’. He needed only a moment to woner what he was talking about.
Neil used the hand on Todd’s neck to push his head forward, smashing their lips together in a messy but fierce kiss. In that moment, everything else died. Todd was vaguely aware of the song continuing around them. He was vaguely aware of the screaming crowd, and Charlie loudly wolf-whistling.
The thing that Todd Anderson was most aware of, however, was Neil Perry. His lips tasted of vanilla and red-hot, intoxicating danger. His short, gasping breath blew hot against Todd’s nose. Todd let go of his bass to cup Neil’s face.
When Neil pulled away, his face was flushed and he was grinning widely. Todd couldn’t help but match the expression. Remembering that he was, in fact, on stage, Todd stepped back and put his hands back on his bass, getting back into the groove of the song.
Neil put the microphone back to his lips. “I love this man!” He yelled into the metal. Todd blushed even more, remembering how his own tingling lips had been there just seconds ago. The rest of the gig, nothing could wipe the smile off Todd Anderson’s face, because he had kissed Neil Perry, and now nothing else mattered.