Sickness

Chapter 4

When they arrived at the show, Mike looked at Billie and shook his head. If possible, he looked worse. And Mike knew he felt worse too.

"Here." He said, getting his sunglasses out of his pocket and putting them over Billie's eyes.

Billie smiled a thank you and got out of the car with Mike. The sunglasses helped a bit because they dimmed the lights that were currently making his head explode. He felt like actual death, and he knew Mike and Tré could tell.

At this point, he'd normally be jumping up and down, trying to get Mike and Tré pumped for the gig, but all he wanted to do was curl up in Mike's arms and sleep for a thousand years. Mike was always a source of comfort because Billie had known him since they were little, even longer than they had known their wives.

He loved performing. It was his life, but he had never not looked forward to a show as much as he was right now.

They all went backstage and Mike told Billie to lie down, that he would sort his guitars out and tune them for him. He knew Billie really felt bad because he agreed instead of insisting he was fine to warm up anyway.

Tré watched him worriedly as he curled up on the couch and fell asleep, folding his arms as Mike tucked a blanket around him, feeling his forehead. "He's still burning up."

Tré sighed and nodded. "He looks like shit. I really don't want to let him play, I'm terrified."

Mike nodded as Tré said exactly what he had been thinking all this time. He didn't want Billie to play.

Show time came along and Mike woke Billie up, asking him if he was sure he wanted to play, trying to persuade him with the thought of going back to sleep. But Billie wanted to play and he was definitely going to.

They all went out onto the stage and took their places, Billie greeting the crowd as normal. Mike was silently happy that at least his throat or nose wasn't affected, so that at least he still had his amazing voice.

They started to play the show as Mike kept a worried eye on Billie the entire time.