How Low?

1/1

It had happened a total of 3 times. Graham had been keeping track. As much as he hated to admit it; Graham had been keeping track. 

The first time was in the dressing room before a gig downtown. It was a small, cramped room, more like a closet than a room, Graham reasoned. Damon had come in, just chatting away like usual. Hyper, excited, bright-eyed Damon. More full of life than Graham could even hope to be. Damon was holding a shaky glass in his hand, and it hit Graham like a truck how bad he needed a drink in that moment. Just seeing Damon was enough to spike up his anxiety. It was lately that Damon had been doing that, really. Something Graham only recently noticed. When Damon would enter a room Graham's whole heart would swell, and his palms would sweat. He could feel his already, forever present, anxiety becoming even more tight in his chest. 

Damon glanced over. Graham gulped. 

Graham looked down at his thumbs, and swung his leg that was crossed over his other one, seated in a lumpy chair in the corner of the room. He could hear footsteps, and looked up shyly to see Damon sitting on a wooden stool across from him. His shirt was a nice wine color, and opened up three buttons down. His hair looked greasy, and his nails were dirty. But those eyes..and that stupid grin. Graham figured he probably needed to see a doctor soon, what with the sudden heat in his chest. Could be coming down with something serious.

"Hey Graham," Damon's said, tipping his glass back to take a large gulp of...whatever it was he had. 

"Hey.." Graham said softly, looking at his hands. He bit his lip, watching Damon's throat move against the liquid running through it. "You think I could have a sip of that, mate?" Graham's mouth felt dry. 

"'Course.." Damon said, handing it over. "But hey, I'll buy you your own if you want." 

Graham took a grateful drink, and handed it back. He could already feel anxious tension leaving his body. Alcohol always, always helped. 

"N-nah, it's alright, really. I just needed me a bit of a kick before we went on..it's alright really.." Graham rubbed the back of his neck like he always did when he felt at a loss for words. Damon just looked at him. 

"You look tense," Damon observed. 

"Always am anymore.."

Damon didn't say anything for a moment. Graham kept his eyes on his shoes. A little bit dirty, they were. Graham heard Damon shift, and suddenly he was looking straight at him. He had tipped the stool forward and was barely still seated. 

"You know what you need, Graham?"

"W-what's that, then?" Graham's eyes felt as wide as the moon. Damon was so close, and his eyes were that almost-blue-but-not-quite-actually-a-bit-more-green. Wow. Graham couldn't believe how he hadn't noticed that before. Intriguing, mysterious, confusing, hypnotic. Not like Graham's one plain brown ones. Looking at Damon made Graham feel insecure already, but now his eyes had to come into the picture even more. Great, Graham might as well just give up on trying to look good anymore. Damon's breath smelled like alcohol. For some reason Graham liked it. 

"A kiss. Calm your nerves." Damon said it so plainly, a glint in his stupid, beautiful eyes. 

Graham's heart pounded in his chest. He glanced over quickly at Alex and Dave on the other side of the room. They were smoking and having a conversation totally oblivious to anything the two other guys were doing. Graham gulped. Damon couldn't possibly mean-could he? 

"Graham," Damon said, turning his face back to look at him. 

Graham tried to say something, but the only thing on his face that would move was his eyes. Back and forth, back and forth, flitting across Damon's pleasant features nervously. Damon smirked. He leaned in and so soft, careful, placed his lips on Graham's. Graham's was really considering that doctor now. He felt like his heart was going to explode. Damon tasted just like his drink, and his lips were that perfect meeting place between smooth and rough, the feeling rushing to Graham's brain. It was so simple, so chaste, so...friendly? Graham suddenly felt a tightness in his stomach. Right. Friendly. Damon was just trying to help Graham relax. It was nothing more. Graham still closed his eyes and melted as fast as he could before Damon pulled away.