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A band is a hell of a commitment, wasn’t it?
That’s the first thought that started Logico’s train of thought. The one right after it was “God, what a stupid thing to think about.”
The band was still a relatively small group. In terms of numbers, at least. That’s all Chalk yip yapped about anyways. This was their first tour, and it was a huge step up to whatever they had gotten used to. From abandoned buildings and crammed stages to a full blown tour. Seemed almost extreme. Logico had only recently gotten more comfortable on stage in front of like, what, a few hundred people? Now he was facing thousands in the crowds and seeing his face at every turn. It felt a little hellish; and the tour bus was doing anything but helping.
Speaking of, he was sitting just a few feet away from it, on the sidewalk under a streetlight, his only source of illumination. It was raining, but barely; it was more like sprinkling than anything. It almost made the atmosphere pleasant, in a way. He was holding a can of soda for reasons unknown even to him. He didn’t even like that kind —or really any kind, for that matter— but he supposed it was to keep himself busy. The idiots had already exhausted any alcohol they had, empty bottles shoved wherever there’s space. He wasn’t really looking to get hammered, though. He was making a valiant attempt at thinking about the whole band situation, but the noise from the bus certainly wasn’t helping.
Whatever train of thought he had going on quickly crashed when he heard someone calling his name. He turned around to look even though from the voice alone he had deduced with certainty that it was Irratino; who, in turn, waved smiling and quickly ran to sit next to him.
”Finally found you! Where the hell were you, mate? I was looking for you everywhere!”
“Well, how come you came to find me here?”
”The others told me,” he said, twiddling his thumbs.
”’Course they did,” Logico mumbled, sloshing his drink around.
Irratino scooted closer. “What are you doing here anyway? You’ll catch a cold, and we can’t have that in the middle of the tour, you know!” They both giggled a little at that.
Logico shrugged and kept moving his drink around. “Well, you know…it’s just— it’s just that…a band’s a hell of a commitment, isn't it? You know with— with the tour and all that. It’s a huge change and…” He tried to look at his mate but he quickly had to look away. “I don’t know if it’s a good change.”
Irratino smiled again and scooted closer. “Well, everything comes with the good and the bad, doesn’t it?” He wrapped an arm around Logico and pulled him into one of those tight side-hugs he always did. Touchy guy. Logico never really had it in his heart to tell him it was always suffocating but he usually got the memo after a hit to his side. “Besides, we’ll get used to it, eh? We’re made to be superst— Ouch!”
There goes the hit to his side. But despite his declaration of pain, he couldn’t hide his laughter. That contagious laughter. Soon enough, they both couldn’t help but just laugh.
“I’m being serious!” He sighed, but was still flashing a shy, downturned smile. “I just wish there were things I could avoid, while keeping the good, you know? I mean, I know I can’t have my cake and eat it too but…wouldn’t it be nice if I could?”
Tino tilted his head in thought. He was raising some pretty good points…and then the idea hit him.
“If you could change one thing about bein’ in a band, what would it be?”
“…Definitely the tour bus.”
“Really!?”
”Yes, really! It’s horrid!”
The brunet snorted at his peer’s tone. “Come on, it’s not that bad.”
”Oh but it is! It’s worse than bad! Seriously; being crammed in a dingy, dirty bus like sardines in a can for hours on end? Sounds like a nightmare in theory, let alone praxis!”
”You really haven’t gotten used to their shite?”
Logico looked at him like he had just asked what color the sky is. “You can never get used to them.” He stayed silent for a bit; looking down at the ground, fiddling with the little pebbles using his feet. “You know…” He paused. How could he say what he was thinking? He felt a knot in his stomach. “You…you’re my anchor in that stupid bus.”
As he spoke those words, he turned to face his friend. He saw his emerald eyes go wide and instantly felt his heart rate rise. He immediately tried to look away out of embarrassment, instinctively covering his face. But after a few seconds of awkward silence, he couldn’t help but look back. He was met with a huge beaming smile, dimples showing; and Logico felt his heart beating against his ribcage once more.
”You— you really mean that? You’re not takin’ the piss or anything?”
”Of course not! I really do mean it! You’re certainly the most tolerable out of us!”
Irratino laughed once more. “Honestly, it’s got it’s own sort of charm to it. I can’t say the other two are too bad. They make the experience fun.”
Logico just took another sip of his soda and then put it down next to him. He then moved his knees and held them tight to his chest. “I need to give them some grace, frankly. I’m no better as a roommate…if anything, I’m probably worse. I doubt I’m much of a pleasure to have around.” He chuckled, but there wasn’t much of any joke behind his words. Irratino only looked at him in confusion.
“Mate, I’ve no clue what you’re talking about. You really are,” he started. “I really have the most fun when I’m with you. On stage, in the bus, at interviews; anywhere! You make situations just so much better and easier to handle just by being there! You’re an absolute delight to have around!” He looked up at the stars for a bit, before turning to Logico. “I suppose what I want to say is…the other two may make the bus fun. But you make it tolerable.”
He smiled at Logico, who then let out a sharp breath he didn’t even notice he was holding. They sat there, staring at each other in silence; comfortable silence. The rain had stopped and the clouds seemed to have mostly gone away. At least that’s what Logico deduced looking at Irratino, whose eyes and face were glowing much brighter than before,; maybe because of the added moonlight. Then again, he always seemed like the glowed.
“You know, I wouldn’t even mind dying by your side. I’d be honored,” he mumbled, barely audible.
”What, like that song?”
”I guess so, yeah.”
They kept looking at each other for a bit, smiling. Tino broke the silence once again. “So, you wanna go back?”
”Nothing in the world I want less.”
He grinned and opened his arms, extending them. “C’mere.”
Logico gave in and moved closer before getting trapped in a tight hug once more, a more proper one this time. Melting into each other, they sat on the pavement, looking at the moon and the stars. Ironically enough, sitting on the hard sidewalk in the cold was probably the most serene and comfortable experience of the tour. Irratino started humming the tune of the song, only making the atmosphere more peaceful. Time seemed to have stopped as they just sat there, allowing themselves to simply exist together.
“The moon’s so beautiful, innit?”
“You’re prettier,” he whispered. Irratino pretended he hadn’t heard that, but he couldn’t stop himself from smiling ear to ear.
And was nowhere else in the world he’d rather be. Nowhere else either of them would ever rather be.