Ours- Yandere!Logicality, Book 3 (Sanders Sides)

= CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO - Backstage Pining (JOE) =

:November 8th, XX46; Friday.

:SIMMER DOWN.

•~~~~•

"Places in ten!"

"Thank you, ten!"

Joe turned back to talking to Sage with a grin. The two were sitting backstage, their performance now only minutes away. Joe was probably gonna have to run to get in place early, maybe at the five minute mark, but in that moment he was freaking out about being alone with Oliver more than anything. Especially since as of late his want to tackle-hug him every time they made eye contact was multiplied by about a thousand.

"I am so glad I got my lines memorized early," Sage let out a sigh. "It was so much easier to have them down quick, a couple weeks before we had to be off-book. Especially since I'm one of the leads. Ooh- I hope our parents got good seats."

"I'm glad I don't have any lines at all," Joe smirked a bit. "Our parents probably got one of the first rows, though, I'm sure. Your pop definitely saved my parents seats if I know him right."

"He absolutely did. You think your uncles are gonna be watching, too?"

Joe got out his phone for a moment to check his notifications- he had none. "Uh... yeah, I'm pretty sure. Er- I'm certain, actually. It's just that my Uncle Remy sent me a single text yesterday after I got home just saying he'd be there but couldn't talk after the show at all. Like, at all."

"Kinda weird. You said Emile was a therapist, right? You think they just have some, like, night patients?"

"I don't know. I tried to ask why but he left me on read."

"Huh."

"Five minutes, everyone!"

"Thank you, five!"

"Shit- I should probably go," Joe fiddled with his mic that was attached to his headphones for a moment to make sure it was moving up and down properly. "Break a leg, Sage, you'll do great."

"You too, man!"

With one last wave Joe got up from where he was and went out to the hallway surrounding the auditorium, entering the auditorium through the back and quickly making his way to his and Oliver's booth. The latter wasn't there yet, but he didn't really need to be for another minute or two, so Joe took a moment to stare out at the audience to see if he could see anyone he recognized. Just like he thought, he could see Sage's and his parents in the row behind the front, near the middle. He continued looking around for a few more seconds, eyebrows furrowed, because he just couldn't seem to find his un-

"Joe?"

"Shit-" Joe covered his mouth as the whispered curse tumbled out of it, and he turned around, breathing a small sigh of relief but feeling his heart begin to pound when he saw who it was.

"...Sorry, Oli. You scared me."

"Oh- no, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"No- no, it's okay. It's fine."

The two stared at each other for a moment, and a smile came upon both their faces.

"...I still don't know if I'm gonna do this right, it's a lot of work," Oliver chuckled to himself, still whispering.

"You're gonna do great, I promise. As long as you're paying attention to what's happening, it'll be fine."

"So we can't really talk to each other during it?"

Joe frowned. "No, I guess not really. But we'll still be here together. And we can talk during intermission. That's maybe twenty-five minutes long."