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Tonight is the night that the Dead Kennedys are set to perform at a local venue within San Francisco. You’ve known them for quite some time now — in fact, you’ve witnessed them from having five members to what it is now. If you were being honest, the four of them — Jello, Ray, Darren, and Klaus — were the perfect driving force behind a punk band that shocked the masses while slapping them with a big dose of enlightenment and well-directed anger, sprinkled with just the right amount of satire.
What led to your connection with them was through Klaus, your long-time friend. You’ve met him in high school and you were inseparable ever since you got along with music. He pretty much told you about everything and trusted you with them — bands he liked, his family affairs, or how Jello got under his skin at one point, among other things. You cherished your friendship with him as much as he did.
The excitement in his eyes was something you couldn’t forget as he told you about this new band they had formed. That was years ago and to say that you’re proud of them — or him, in particular — was an understatement. You did all you could to help them spread the word; you helped make flyers for them, helped with selling CDs and such, especially knowing how much the band meant to Klaus and how happy he is to play music – and so, it made you happy too.
Oftentimes he’d bring you along when they rehearsed for shows or when they played in the studio. It wasn’t too hard getting along with the others — they were respectable and kind which was a huge contrast to how they were portrayed in the media due to the notoriety they’ve gained for their music.
You’ve taken a liking for photography and you find yourself documenting moments of their lives together — why not? After all, everything doesn’t last and their band is no exception. Things might crumble to an end, the best you can do is memorialize everything until they last — that’s always been your motto for the sentimental person that you are, anyways.
And here you are now, on stage with them. They invited you to come with them — actually, this isn’t the first. They welcome your presence whether you’re there to lend a hand or simply just have a good time — they don't mind.
Cheers and claps blared all throughout the venue, converging with the powerful music they were playing. Jello runs erratically onstage, mic on hand, singing with all his might and pausing in between to make faces. On his left was Ray, his blue eyes focused on the fretboard, strumming ever so swiftly. Behind the drumkit sat Darren, blasting the drums with his sticks at a frenetic pace. On the right-hand side of the stage stood Klaus, rocking his body as he plucked one string after the other. You simply stood on the side of the stage, revelling in the music as you held your camera in your hands.
They were undeniably good at this. Everybody’s hearts – including yours – are pounding harmoniously with each beat and rhythm. The venue was filled with absolute chaos and testosterone. Wanting to memorialize this night, you hold up your camera and put Klaus and Jello in the frame. Klaus smiles proudly at the crowd, while Jello kneels on the ground; he dramatically sways his hands as he sings each line.
Before you could even capture the photo, you felt a hand grip your arm tightly and yank you off stage. Suddenly, the band was out of your vision and into the crowd you went. The man keeps pulling you in, leaving no room for you to regain your balance. Before you topple and drop to your knees, he grabs ahold of you and eyes you from top to bottom, a smirk forming on his lips.
“Now, what’s a sweetheart like you doing in here?” a husky voice came out of him. The smell of his sweat made you grimace. His grip tightens, making you moan in pain.
“Ah! Let go of me, you asshole!” you shout, trying feeble attempts to break free. You shot him a glare — there was a wicked glint in his eyes. He merely chuckles as he grips your other arm. Panic courses through your entire being, making your heart pound ten times than normal. “What the hell is your problem? Let go!”
“Ladies like you don’t belong here,” he says, smugness present in his voice. No amount of yelling or thrashing alerted anyone nearby, as the two of you simply blended in with the energetic crowd. The loud music didn’t help either, as it only drowned out your cries for help. Your blood pressure spikes up, making your head spin.
As you shake him off, he quickly unclasps your other arm and uses his free hand to snake his palm toward your ass, groping it. Suddenly, your body becomes rigid despite your inner voice telling you — shouting at you — to just break free; hot tears well up on your eyes as you still remain frozen.
“Oh yeah, I’m likin’ you already,” he smirks, deriving pleasure from your hopelessness.
Feeling nauseous, your vision quaked as he pulled you towards him, making his way for the exit. As he thought of having you all for himself, a shit-eating grin creeps up on his face.
The low tunes blaring from Klaus’ amplifier went to an abrupt halt, followed by a loud thud on the floor — Jello, in the middle of the song, gets caught off guard by the bass guitar hitting the ground and sees Klaus charging towards your direction, allowing him to see the harasser with his hands all over you.
“California, Über— Hey asshole, let go of her!”
Suddenly, the crowd stopped and people nearby blocked the man’s direction. Before you knew it, a figure went diving towards the man, sending them both down into the ground. The impact made you tumble backwards, but a couple of people grabbed you before you hit the floor.
Quickly regaining your balance, you suck in a breath; it finally registers that it was Klaus on top of your harasser. He holds him by the collar of his shirt and sends a quick blow to his face. Before he even throws the next punch, the harasser jabs at his jaw using his fist. Klaus grunts in pain as he topples slightly; he really wasn’t the best fighter, and his physique didn’t help either — the other guy looked more capable of taking him down. Another punch is sent his way, hitting him on the cheek and knocking his glasses off.
A gasp leaves your mouth — a part of you wanted to pull him away, yet you remain frozen in place. In retaliation, Klaus strikes him with his elbow, hitting him exactly on the nose. The cracking sound followed by the man’s cries made you wince. Klaus cursed under his breath, striking at the man one after the other, with each one more ferocious than the last. The men nearby tried to pry him off, but he just wouldn’t let go — he’d tighten his grip on the man as he jabbed him some more.
Frantically looking everywhere, everything finally clicked; all eyes were on the brawl amidst the crowd. No instruments, no music — not even the slightest tap on the drums — could be heard onstage except for a loud, familiar voice.
“Klaus, that’s enough. Klaus!” Jello blares over the microphone. The strong hint of seriousness in his voice shuddered you.
Your heart pounded and bullets of cold sweat formed on your head — you’ve never seen Klaus like this. In your peripheral vision, you saw Jello stomping down the stage. He approaches you and inspects you quickly.
“Are you okay?” he asks. Although hesitant, you nod in approval. He then quickly turns and scurries towards Klaus.
“Klaus! That's enough. I bet he’s learned his lesson now. Get off,” Jello grabs him by the shoulder and pulls him away, making Klaus get up on his feet slowly. A couple of men lift the harasser up by the arms; he’s flaccid, unable to coordinate his limbs all together. They all head towards the exit, carrying his limp body. Before his face disappeared into the crowd, you briefly saw the bruises plastered all over his face along with the blood coming out of his nose.
“Yeah, that’s right, get him the fuck out of here…” Jello trailed off as he walked back up the stage. Klaus picks his eyeglasses off the floor and puts them on. He takes a few deep breaths before turning around, the aggression in his face quickly dissipating when his eyes land on you. Quickly, he runs towards you and lays his hands on your shoulders.
“Hey, are you alright? Are you hurt?” he asks, genuine concern present in his soft voice. You wanted to ask the same — in fact, you were more worried about him than yourself — but you instinctively pulled him into a tight hug, to which he welcomed despite his initial surprise. He pats your back reassuringly. His scent combined with the faint smell of cigarettes comforted you more than he knew.
Onstage, Jello grabs the mic from the stand.
“Aaalright, we just had an altercation there…” he pauses for a bit and adjusts the wire.
“Look, we can’t play if there’s people like that giving everybody a hard time. We’re pretty anti-violence as you may all know, we don’t want to cause any trouble — or anyone causing trouble for that matter. But that motherfucker assaulted a good friend of ours. Y’know what, I’ll give him a pass for that!” he says, pointing towards Klaus.
Once again, the crowd was brought back to life. People cheered and screamed among themselves. Some were even yelling Klaus’ name amidst all the noise. At the very back, someone can be heard drunkenly yelling “Rawhide!”
“That asshole’s gonna come home to his parents and they’d think God himself turned their son into the aborted fetus that he should’ve been!”
Your head shot up at the comment, a giggle escaping from your lips as you looked at Klaus. He was still holding you with a proud smirk resting on his face. The badly beaten face you’d just witnessed moments prior flashes on your mind. Considering Klaus’ small frame, he did well beating the lights out of him.
“Come, let’s get you back up,” Klaus says.
“Right…” you nod, and the both of you head up stage with his hand on your back, only departing when you get onstage. You went back again to the spot where you were before the entire commotion had happened. Bringing your fingers to your eyes, you wipe out the tears that had formed earlier. From the crowd beneath, a hand reaches out to you holding the camera you had dropped earlier. You bend down and grab it, smiling at the person and mouthing a ‘thank you’.
As you regained your posture, everybody except Jello had their eyes on you; he was preoccupied with his rant. Ray from afar craned his neck trying to see if you were okay. Darren stood up from the kit and looked in your direction as well with concern in his eyes. You shoot them both a quick thumbs-up and a smile, to which they acknowledge. Klaus picks up his bass guitar from the ground and slings the strap over his shoulder.
“It’s always the macho jocks, huh? They harass people, rape women, and start shit at every place they go to. The moment you see someone doing that shit, take action — not just here, but everywhere you go. Help a brother out — these motherfuckers don’t just walk the streets, but they can run the country if they want to and make it a living hell for all of us!” Jello yelled into the mic. More and more people cheered, their voices laced with anger.
“Jocks, they’re everywhere – could be your neighbor, your boss, the mayor, or even the police…” Jello trails off, walking over to the platform where Darren’s drumkit stood and grabs the beer can beside it to take a drink. Again, he speaks over the microphone.
“If you’re in the same league with that guy out there that Klaus just beat the living shit out of, well, you’re more than welcome to get the hell out of our shows. You macho rednecks don’t belong here,” The cheering got louder than before. Numerous people even held their fists up in response. The sight alone made you smile from ear to ear, filling your heart with admiration.
“And if you insist on staying, well, we have a special song just for you!” The crowd shrieks excitedly, already knowing what comes next. Jello turns his head towards Darren. Darren yells, counting one to four before they ravage the entire venue yet again. Ray, Klaus, and Jello quickly follow, filling in the air with harsh and loud music — one that everybody knows and loves.
“Punk ain’t no religious cult,
Punk means thinking for yourself!
You ain’t hardcore ‘cause you spike your hair
When a jock still lives inside your head!”
People infiltrated the stage and began diving towards the crowd. Klaus positions himself in front of his mic stand. Together, they yell the next part in unison.
“Nazi punks, nazi punks, nazi punks, fuck off!
Nazi punks, nazi punks, nazi punks, fuck off!”
Quickly, you go behind Klaus and whip up your camera. In the frame, Klaus is seen yelling into his microphone while a sea of enraged crowd stands before him — heads banging, bodies diving, and fists rising. It was phenomenal, you take multiple shots of it.
“If you’ve come to fight, get outta here!
You ain’t no better than the bouncers
We ain’t trying to be police
When you ape the cops it ain’t anarchy!”
You take another shot, this time featuring Jello gripping his mic tightly as he yelled into it. Behind him stood Ray, slightly blurred, looking at the crowd as he played. Risking your eardrums, you quickly snap a photo of Darren crushing it behind the kit, a frown and focused look present on his face.
“Nazi punks, nazi punks, nazi punks, fuck off!
Nazi punks, nazi punks, nazi punks, fuck off!”
“Harass a woman, what a man
You fight each other, the police state wins
Stab your backs when you trash our halls
Trash a bank if you’ve got real balls!”
As you take more snapshots, you chuckle at Jello’s alternative line. Man, he was quick.
“You still think swastikas look cool
The real nazis run your school
They’re coaches, businessmen, and cops
In a real fourth Reich you’ll be the first to go!”
“Nazi punks, nazi punks, nazi punks, fuck off!
Nazi punks, nazi punks, nazi punks, fuck off!”
Together, they take a deep breath before putting the song to a finish.
“You’ll be the first to go, you’ll be the first to go, you’ll be the first to go… UNLESS YOU THINK!”
—
With what seemed like an hour of pure energy inside of the venue, they brought the show to an end, leaving everyone with one hell of a night to remember. Standing outside, the cold air washes over your skin. As you take a deep breath, your eyes trail to the somber sky above. The moon sits atop, illuminating the entire city with its magnificent bluish glow. Tiny stars speckled the entire sky, with groups of them hiding behind a billow of soft clouds. People’s indistinct chatters filled the air, having intellectual discussions about the songs that the band had just played.
A sigh escapes your mouth — it was a long day. Standing on the sidewalk, you wait patiently as everyone loads their gear in the van parked right in front. Klaus was still inside the venue, presumably talking to a couple of fans.
“You ladies got all your things in there?” The driver asks, leaning on the old van. Ray nods, but he pauses for a moment. He pats his shoulder, arms, and pockets — panic settles in his face soon after. Cursing under his breath, he runs back inside of the venue. Darren follows him with a puzzled look on his face.
“I’m gonna go take a piss for a bit,” Jello says, heading inside as well. The driver sighs and gets inside the van and closes the door.
The sound of footsteps and the smell of cigarettes growing nearer caught your attention. You knew exactly who it was, causing your lips to curl into a smile.
“You seen my bass?” Klaus asks, a cigarette tucked in between his lips.
“Yeah, I already put it in there. Your stuff’s all good.”
“Ah, thanks,” He takes a long drag of his cigarette and faces the other way, blowing out a puff of smoke. “What’s going on with them, anyway? I didn’t bother asking ‘em on my way out since they were in such a rush.”
“Eric went for a piss and uh, I think Ray forgot something in there...”
“Oh, okay,” he takes another puff of the cigarette and blows out the smoke.
“You wanna get inside? It’s cold out here,” he asks.
You nod at him and then he reaches for the van door, opening it for you. You get inside, taking a seat at the backmost part of the van. A sigh leaves your mouth as you relax your body on the seat. After flicking his cigarette to the ground, Klaus gets in; he shuts the door and sits beside you.
As you settle yourself in your seat, your eyes wandered randomly from one thing to the next — the scratches on the window beside you, the couple walking down the sidewalk, the stereotypical leather-clad punk walking behind, the driver at the front, and eventually stopping at Klaus’ hands – they were slightly rolled into fists. The faint glow coming from outside didn’t stop you from seeing his discolored knuckles. A gasp leaves your mouth, catching his attention. Putting your hand atop his, you gingerly knead his knuckles with your thumb.
“Oh god…Klaus, are you okay?” you ask, cringing at the sudden realization that he had to keep playing even in the worn state of his hands. He merely chuckles.
“That’s nothing. Hey, don’t worry about me — what about you?” He asks with a tone of sincerity in his voice.
“No, I— For Christ’s sake, Klaus, I saw him punch you right here too! Are you okay?” You bring your hand to his cheek, making him wince.
“Agh— It…it’s nothing. Don’t worry about me, really,” he insists, yet leaving you unconvinced.
You avert your gaze with your hand still on top of his, massaging absentmindedly. Lowering your head into your other hand, you let out a nervous chuckle.
“Damn it…I’m so sorry,” you say, making Klaus furrow his eyebrows.
“I know how much you guys oppose violence and all that — I just… I mean, look at you — You, your hand! You have more shows to play and... If– If I’d just…pushed him harder this wouldn’t have—”
“No, no, no, no, hey, shhh,” he interrupts.
You felt the warmth of his palm now on top of yours, prompting you to look in his eyes. He takes note of your trembling body and the way your chest rose and fell with each shallow breath.
“[Y/N], it’s alright. Look, it’s nobody’s fault but that guy, okay? Everybody saw what he did. Anti-violence or not, he deserved what happened. Hell, I’d do it all over again for you.”
Suddenly, it felt as if an arrow shot through your heart for the umpteenth time — shot by Klaus himself, that is. You smile widely, looking into his dark eyes, unaware of the rosy tint that spread across your cheeks. Feeling the heat creep up, you drop your gaze. It didn’t help that his hand was still on top of yours.
“You would?” you blurt out, instantly slapping yourself mentally for ever doing so.
“Of course,” he replies without an ounce of hesitation in his voice.
Gripping at your knees with your other hand, you convince yourself over and over that this is all real — that it wasn’t some dream. Slowly, you look up and lock eyes with him, smiling still. He smiles as well, eyes laced with emotion that you couldn’t quite pinpoint. In all your years of friendship, this was certainly the first time he’s ever shown it — you’ve seen all his other emotions but not this one. However, it sure did send a tingling sensation to your stomach.
Klaus leans a little closer, making your breath hitch. The ever decreasing distance between your faces sent your heart pounding rapidly. Every muscle fiber in your body tensed up.
That was until the sound of metal clicking and the door opening prompted Klaus to recoil his hand and move away. Jello, Ray, and Darren were finally back.
“All that trouble for an armband, hah!” Jello laughed as he got inside, sitting in the passenger seat beside the driver. Ray clutched a piece of black cloth in his hands, one that you recognized he often wore at shows — a D.I.Y armband in which he stuck pieces of white tape to it, making the letters D and K. He goes inside and takes a seat, and then Darren is the last person to get in the van. They both sat at the next row of seats in front of you and Klaus. As the doors were closed, you burst into laughter.
“That’s what got you so worried, Ray? Oh, you should’ve seen your face earlier!” You laughed boisterously behind him. The driver starts the engine and begins to maneuver and hit the gas.
“I thought he lost a guitar pick. Surely that’s something worth the trouble more than that,” says Jello from the front, his voice naturally toned with sarcasm.
“That was the most fear I’d seen in his eyes,” Darren teased, getting a wholehearted chuckle from Ray. As nonchalant as he was, the guy still knew how to have fun. On the other hand, Klaus remained unusually quiet. Normally, he’d pipe in and add more humor fuel to the fire to send everybody laughing their asses off.
“Oh yeah, by the way…[Y/N], are you alright? That asshole done anything to you?” Darren asks, turning his head in your direction. Ray glances over his shoulder, looking inquisitive as well.
“I’m okay, thanks…that pig just groped me but I’m alright. Especially after what he’s done to him,” You point your thumb towards Klaus, earning a little chuckle from him — one he couldn’t even control. He was looking outside the window beside him.
“Heh, right on. Klaus may be small, but his punches aren’t!” Darren chuckles, returning his gaze to the front.
Shifting in your seat and looking outside of the window, your eyes followed each passing lamp post and building in the quiet streets of San Francisco. Momentarily, it would get darker and you’d see Klaus’ reflection, seeing the back of his hair. Your eyes went up and down, following the roofs of each house that you passed by. As you recall what just happened minutes prior, you bite your lip.
‘I’d do it all over again for you.’
Suddenly, your heart jolts yet again. The surroundings outside came to an indistinct blur as your mind swirled and swirled, full of thoughts about him.
He dropped his bass guitar; it was something that he really loved and cared for. Dropped it hard on the ground like it was nothing before coming to save my sorry ass. And what about that look he just gave me earlier? Does it even mean anything? It felt so different… No, this is impossible — I’m looking at things the wrong way. The reason why I feel like this is because today has been so goddamn tiring.Yeah, that’s it, I’m tired. That’s why my mind’s all over the place. All I really need right now is a good rest and all of this will be gone! There is absolutely no way whatsoever that Klaus Fluoride — Geoffrey himself — my good friend, would ever, ever be interested in someone like—
Like a train derailing and hitting a boulder at such high speed, your thoughts come to a crashing halt when you feel a sudden warmth enveloping your palm. It tightens even more, feeling his fingers intertwine with yours. Adrenaline in your body comes shooting and bursting at the seams, almost sending your body into complete paralysis. The chatter between Biafra and the driver, as well as the quiet snoring of Ray and Darren all got mixed up into a bundle of meaningless noise, leaving only your pounding heartbeat to be audible. As you bite your lip hard, you muster up the courage to look in the opposite direction.
Upon doing so, you meet his gaze — it’s more determined than ever. He swallows the lump in his throat and attempts to speak as his lips quivered.
“[Y/N], I’ve…I’ve always…” he mumbles, trying his best to stop his voice from shaking. He blinks momentarily, taking quick shallow breaths. He curses under his breath.
“...Yeah?” You whisper, holding your breath in anticipation.
“I’ve…uhm, remember high school?” he bites his lip and averts his gaze; you nod in response. “Well, I, I’m…I’ve always liked you since then.”
With your mouth agape, a thousand millivolts come coursing through your heart. You’d be lying to yourself if you ever denied yearning for him — you’ve lost count of how many times you’ve done it your entire life. Truth be told, you always found him cute — however, the fear of ruining a good friendship always held you back.
“Fuck, I don’t even know why I’m saying this,” he chuckles nervously, scratching the back of his neck with his other hand, then drops his gaze to his feet. “I just feel something for you—I mean, I…”
You bring your palm to his face, almost freezing him with your soft touch; you shush him as you do so. His eyes land on you for a second before darting all over the place. Gently rubbing circles over his cheek with your fingers, you soothe the light bruise that had formed earlier. You lean towards his ear to whisper.
“I know, Klaus. And you know what? I do, too,” slightly backing away, you face him again. His eyes immediately light up as he smiles from ear to ear. Mirroring his smile, you lean in, your foreheads coming into contact — the proximity sends a fluttery feeling to your chest. With your noses barely touching, he places his hand on your arm, holding you firmly. As he inhales deeply, he shifts his gaze from your eyes to your lips, and back to your eyes again.
“...Can I?” he whispers.
“Of course, silly,” you whisper back, a giggle escaping your lips.
Without further hesitation, he leans in and plants his lips onto your soft ones, stifling your quiet giggles. His stubble lightly brushed your chin, tickling you. The familiar tingling in your stomach goes shooting up again, twirling your gut endlessly. The entire ride feels like it’s about to take off — any moment now, you’d all be flying in the air.
You hold him at the angle of his jaw with your thumb pressing against his chin. His other hand finds its way to the back of your head, tenderly lacing his fingers within your hair. Warmth engulfs your entire being as you feel him nibbling away at your lips. Despite how gentle he is, his desperation still shone with how he immersed himself in the kiss. Still, you welcomed him fully — you wanted him just as much. As he briefly parts his lips, his hot breath tickles away at you.
“Klaus…” a quiet moan escapes you as you bask in the sensations that flooded your mind and body. You feel his lips curl up in a smirk as he keeps pressing them against yours, eager to get a taste of you.
At the front, Jello goes on to rant about Dianne Feinstein to the driver and his eyes dart from the rearview mirror to the road. Briefly, he blinks his eyes and looks back again at the mirror. He sat dumbfounded, pausing for a moment. Right then and there, he smirks at the sight, looking proudly at Klaus. He rolls his eyes and returns his gaze back to the road with a triumphant smirk — one on behalf of Klaus.
Feeling the lack of oxygen in your lungs, your interlocked lips begin to depart. As you look into each other’s eyes lovingly, you take deep breaths. He reaches for your hair and tucks it behind your ear while his eyes drift all over your features with adoration. He was no longer just a close friend of yours, but something more — someone who reached far into the deepest and most vulnerable parts of your heart, gently pulling your heartstrings out of the way and staying there for good.
His lips curl up into a wide grin, and so does yours. Your cheeks began to hurt when you saw the red flush that adorned his face and ears. Grabbing his hand, you give him a smooch on his bruise-laden knuckles. Then, he envelops you with his arms and pulls you in, planting a kiss on your forehead before you snuggle and put your arms around him. His scent made your mind fly all the way to the clouds.
As he gently rests his chin over your head, he cards his fingers through your hair. The warmth radiating from his body and the sounds of his heartbeat provided such comfort that you began dozing off — today’s events began catching up on you as well, making your eyes feel heavier.
Klaus looks outside the window, locking his eyes at the graceful moon above. He smiles to himself as he imagines the next days and years of his life with you by his side, all while he holds you in his arms tenderly — one thing he always dreamt of doing.
His smile grows bigger when he conjures an image of you wearing a beautiful white dress with a veil over your head. Right then and there, he promised to take good care of you and give you all the love that you deserve for as long as he lives.
Alas, his daydreams are shattered when he drifts his gaze to the front; he is greeted with Jello's middle finger accompanied with a cheeky grin from the bastard. Klaus simply returns the gesture before hugging you tightly and drifting off to sleep.