WRITTEN IN THE SCARS

Standing next to me

Summary:
The band arrives in Paris for their last gig in France and an unexpected surprise is gonna make Alex the happiest man in the world.

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Notes: here we are with the end of the story started with the horrible night that changed Alex and Miles' life. (I am not marking the story complete because there will be some bonus chapters set in different years in the future)

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Paris, December 2026

We decided to not show up at the party organised after the gig; I was still on everyone's lips after my heartfelt speeches from the stage and I didn't want to feel under scrutiny, dodge paparazzi nor disappointing the fans since our bodyguards were keeping everyone at distance. However, I was happy and I wanted to celebrate the amazing gig we had just finished, taking the chance to thank my supportive band mates one more time. I had talked to Miles before going on stage and as soon as I was back in the dressing room, I picked the phone to call him as agreed. When I unlocked the screen though, I noticed Miles' message saying that the headache hadn't gone away as hoped, getting worse instead, forcing him to take another pill and going to bed. I typed a little message in case he would wake up in the following hours and I informed my band mates that it was better to use my hotel room for our private party.

Nick called room service and Matt put music on while Jamie and I were busy talking about how to leave the hotel in the morning to go shopping since we had a full day off before heading to the next country. We had some snacks and a few drinks, enjoying our time together in a completely relaxed atmosphere, talking about the gig that had just ended and the upcoming ones, happily discovering that I wasn't the only one eager to take a break and go back home for a while. We managed to keep the noise down even though we had chosen my room on purpose as it was located at the end of the corridor and the nearby rooms were occupied by Matt, Nick, Jamie; I obviously got mocked by my band mates about my new status of gay-for-Miles rock star as well as for my embarrassing, daydreaming expressions while singing certain songs, however, I couldn't be more proud and happy to have Matt, Nick and Jamie to share my life with -especially when I was away from home- because their love and support had always kept me grounded and had avoided me to take too many wrong decisions.

"Guys... I really can't thank you enough for the pas-"

"Stop it, Alex! Please! You're getting unbearable, mate! You have already say thank you hundreds of times already, " Jamie said seriously annoyed by my repeated apologies. "Just promise us that you and Miles won't argue again, at least when we're touring," he went on in the same serious tone and I laughed.

"I am gonna try but... I can't promise it..."

"Idiot," was Jamie's reply.

"Maybe you should thank us by using your credit card tomorrow during our shopping because it seems that going shopping is still in our plans, isn't it?" Nick asked, not sure if Jamie and I had changed plans while he was busy ordering food and drinks for the little party.

"Yes, it is; I need to buy stuff for Miles and the bug. Let's meet after breakfast, around 10:30 am."

When it was two o'clock in the morning, we decided to call it a day and Matt, Jamie and Nick reached their rooms; I got rid of my clothes and slid into bed, taking a moment to write down the shops I needed to visit in order not to forget any of them. I knew Paris very well and I knew exactly where to go to make Miles happy and I only hoped to be able to leave the hotel without getting too much harassed. I set the alarm clock on my phone to be sure to wake up and have the time to call Miles before having breakfast and meeting the guys; when I closed my eyes, there was a big smile on my face thinking about the fact that another day was gone and that the end of the first leg of the tour was a little closer.