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Daniel posted the photo without thinking twice.
It was a harmless backstage picture.
The venue was almost empty after soundcheck, and everyone was tired enough that nobody bothered pretending to look good anymore.
Pascal was sitting on the floor with his back against a wall. Kevin was eating something from a paper bag. The drummer disappeared somewhere.
Daniel took the picture because the light looked nice.
Dan happened to be in the background.
That was it.
He was sitting on the couch with his legs stretched out, looking down at his phone.
Daniel was wearing his hoodie.
Dan's hoodie.
Daniel stole it three days earlier and didn’t give it back.
Daniel posted the picture on his social media with a simple caption about the show.
Then he put his phone away.
He forgot about it for approximately twenty minutes.
“Daniel.”
He looked up.
Dan stood in the doorway.
“What?”
“Did you post something?”
“Yeah.”
Dan looked concerned.
“What?”
Daniel frowned.
“The picture.”
“What picture?”
“The backstage one.”
Daniel picked up his phone.
“Oh.”
There was already a number of comments.
He scrolled.
Most of them were normal.
People complimented the show. People talked about the setlist.
Then Daniel saw one comment.
WAIT. IS THAT DAN'S HOODIE?
He stopped.
Another comment appeared.
That's literally the hoodie Dan wore in that interview three years ago.
Daniel looked at Dan.
Dan looked at his phone.
“Oh no.”
“What?”
“They noticed.”
Daniel laughed.
“It's a hoodie.”
“I know.”
“So?”
Dan walked over and took the phone.
Another comment appeared.
Daniel has been wearing Dan's clothes for YEARS.
Dan stared at it.
“Years?”
Daniel shrugged.
“You gave me this one years ago.”
“I did not.”
“You did.”
Dan thought about it.
“Oh.”
Daniel laughed.
“Exactly.”
Dan kept scrolling.
The comments became increasingly investigative.
Someone found an old photo from a festival where Daniel was wearing Dan's jacket.
Someone else pointed out that Daniel's guitar case had the same tiny sticker as Dan's.
Then somebody posted:
Guys, I think we've been watching a slow-burn relationship for years.
Daniel laughed so hard he nearly dropped the phone.
Dan looked horrified.
“Delete it.”
“What?”
“The picture.”
“No.”
“Daniel.”
“It's already been reposted.”
Dan closed his eyes.
“Of course.”
By the time the rest of the band came back, the comment section became a full investigation.
Pascal took one look at Daniel's phone.
“Oh, you're screwed.”
Kevin leaned over his shoulder.
“What happened?”
Daniel showed him.
Kevin started laughing.
Nico looked confused.
“What?”
“People think Dan and Daniel are dating.” Pascal explained.
Nico blinked.
“Oh.”
Dan stared at him.
Nico looked at Daniel.
Then back at Dan.
“Are they wrong?”
The room went silent.
Pascal looked delighted.
Kevin looked like he was waiting months for this moment.
The drummer simply said. “Finally.”
Dan sighed and sat down beside Daniel.
They never planned to make any kind of announcement.
Their relationship was always private.
Not because they were ashamed of it. They simply wanted something that belonged only to them.
The band knew. That was enough.
Fans knew them as musicians. They knew Dan and Daniel were close. They knew they spent a lot of time together.
Nobody needed to know why.
But now the internet started putting the pieces together and apparently the pieces were sitting in plain sight for years.
Kevin kept scrolling.
“Oh, this one's good.”
He read it aloud.
“‘Not just husbands but bonded cats that can't be separated.’”
Daniel burst out laughing.
Dan groaned.
“Don't encourage them.”
“I'm not.” Kevin said. “I'm documenting history.”
Pascal took the phone from him.
“Someone made a compilation.”
“Already?”
“Already.”
Nico leaned over.
“What kind of compilation?”
Pascal showed him.
It contained photos of Dan and Daniel sitting beside each other.
Dan handing Daniel a drink.
Daniel wearing Dan's jacket.
Dan fixing Daniel's collar.
Daniel falling asleep against Dan backstage.
A clip from an interview showed them answering the same question at almost exactly the same time.
The comments were full of people joking that they acted like an old married couple.
Nico looked at them.
“Wow.”
Dan covered his face.
Daniel leaned against his shoulder.
“Well-” he said. “-we're not very good at this.”
Dan lowered his hands.
“At what?”
“Keeping secrets.”
Dan looked at him.
For a moment, neither of them said anything.
Then Daniel smiled.
“You know, it's not actually that bad.”
Dan looked back at the phone.
People were guessing. People were joking.
Some were genuinely convinced.
But nobody had anything definite.
Nobody knew for certain.
And they still had the choice.
Dan grabbed Daniel's hand.
“We don't have to say anything.”
Daniel squeezed his fingers.
“I know.”
“Okay.”
Pascal watched them.
“You two are having a very romantic conversation in front of all of us.”
Dan looked at him.
“Do you want us to leave?”
“Yes.”
“No.”
Daniel laughed.
Nico smiled.
The conversation moved on eventually.
The comments kept coming.
Daniel left the picture up.
They didn't confirm anything. They simply continued doing what they always did.
They sat together. They shared clothes. They leaned against each other when they were tired.
And the next morning, Daniel posted another picture.
This time, Dan was beside him.
Their shoulders touched.
Dan's hand rested casually on Daniel's knee.
Within seconds, the comments exploded again.
Dan looked at the post.
Then at Daniel.
“You did that on purpose.”
Daniel smiled innocently.
“Maybe.”
Dan shook his head.
“You're terrible.”
Daniel leaned closer.
“You love me.”
Dan smiled.
“Unfortunately.”
Daniel kissed his cheek.
Behind them, Kevin made a loud gagging noise.
The bus filed with laugher.