Daron remembers it like it was yesterday.
The day he had to part ways with the one person he loved more than anything.
He remembers everything.
...
System of a down got back together in 2010 to do concerts. Daron would rather not be anywhere near SOAD but he didn't want anymore conspiracy theories about him and Serj floating around.
So when Daron was in that dressing room, he'd put everything behind and played like it was his last day on earth. He'd never look at Serj or get close to him though. John and Shavo could notice it, only Shavo knowing about the break up. But the fans didn't, and that's all that mattered.
As soon as the show ended, he quickly rushed back to his dressing room and locked the door. He took an anxiety pill and leaned against the wall. He tried to push the thoughts out. The thoughts about Serj. All of the intimate moments they've spent together. How good he looked on stage today. How much Daron missed him.
*knock knock knock*
"Yo Daron i'm going to a bar wanna come with?" Shavo asked.
Shavo was the only System member he's talked to in the past 5 years. Shavo being the only one to take pity on him.
"Y-yeah. Give me a minute." Daron stuttered as he scrambled to put the pills away.
He changed his clothes and walked out of the room. The first person he saw was Serj. Serj locked eyes with him but continued to talk to Shavo, like he didn't even notice him.
"Oh, your ready? Ok. Bye Serj." Shavo said, finishing his conversation with Serj as soon as he saw Daron.
"Wait! Daron you did good tonight." Serj said.
Hearing his name on his tongue burned through Daron. It sounded too good but really bad at the same time. Almost like the perfect harmonically dissonant chord.
"Yeah, you too." Daron said awkwardly . He quickly turned around and walked away from Serj. Not caring if outside of the arena was the other direction. Once he rounded that corner he leaned onto the wall and let a breath he didn't even know he was holding.
Shavo caught up with him and patted his shoulder.
"He's gone now." Shavo said. Almost like a worried mom.
"Fuck." Was all Daron could get out as he looked around and banged his head against the wall.
"I wish he'd just go away. It's like he's taunting me or something." Daron explained.
"I know. Have you moved on yet?" Shavo asked. He hesitated a little, like that question would set Daron off.
"Fuck, i've tried. But once I saw him again it's like... I can't. It was easy to pretend to forget when he wasn't around me 24/7." Daron groaned.
"Do you wanna go to that bar now?" Shavo asked with a friendly chuckle.
Daron nodded and walked out with Shavo. Daron didn't know what he'd do without Shavo there. They didn't talk about Serj anymore and only sports and other things. Daron was grateful for that.
Daron had very short lived flings after Serj, all of them getting mad that he couldn't express his feelings for them. But the problem was Daron didn't have any. He rarely felt things for people. Plus they weren't Serj. None of them could replicate the way Serj would treat him or make him feel. They weren't as talented and smart and beautiful and caring and so poetically charming with their words like he is.
It frustrated Daron to no end but he's just been breathing through it.
Daron was in his hotel room when he got a call from John. Weird.
