''❞ ace frehley x reader ━
you were just this backstage worker, stuck in the monotony of it all. free concerts were a nice bonus, but the thrill had worn off, and you were just bone-tired. nothing about you stood out; lif...
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the backstage area was eerily quiet as you entered, the absence of the usual bustling crew leaving an almost oppressive stillness in the air. you glanced around, puzzled by the absence of any familiar faces. it was an unusually early hour, and you contemplated leaving, thinking perhaps you had misunderstood the schedule.
as you turned to make your exit, a figure on the floor caught your eye. how had you not noticed him before? there, sprawled across the backstage floor, was your boyfriend, ace. his face, adorned with an intricate web of black, white, and silver face paint, flushed through the makeup. the unmistakable scent of alcohol lingered in the air.
"are you okay?" the words slipped out before you could filter them, concern overriding the apprehension that had settled over you.
"ah.. course," he slurred, his eyes cracking open as he registered your presence. a fleeting moment of clarity crossed his face, but it was quickly overshadowed by the haze of inebriation.
his response only heightened your concern. "why are you here so early? and in this state?" you pressed, trying to make sense of the scene before you.
instead of answering, ace erupted into a hearty cackle, the sound echoing through the empty corridors with an unsettling resonance. his laughter made you feel a hint of embarrassment, was there something you didn't know that you were supposed to know?
feeling increasingly uncomfortable, you took a step back, attempting to distance yourself from the chaotic energy that seemed to emanate from him. "i should go, sorry." you murmured, your voice tinged with an unspoken unease.
but just as you turned to leave, ace's hand shot out, gripping your arm with an unexpected intensity. the pleading look in his eyes stopped you in your tracks, the raw vulnerability piercing through the layers of intoxication and bravado.
"stay with me," he said, the words laden with a desperation that belied his typically confident demeanor.
"okay." you replied softly, lowering yourself to the floor beside ace. the cold, hard surface sent a shiver through your spine, but your focus remained on the man next to you. his once vivid eyes were dulled by the effects of alcohol, and the weariness beneath the layers of makeup was more apparent than ever.
"why were you drinking at this time?" you questioned, your concern evident in the furrow of your brow.
ace chuckled, a sound that seemed to struggle through the haze of inebriation. "just felt like it, you know? needed to take the edge off."
the concern in your eyes prompted him to continue, and he sighed, as if wrestling with the words.
"just a rough day, baby," he admitted, his voice softer now, carrying a sincerity that cut through the playful facade. "sometimes, it just feels like everything's spinnin', ya know?"
you nodded, your fingers absently tracing patterns on the floor.
you wanted to reach out, to comfort him, but the distance between you felt hopeless, a chasm carved by the weight of his struggles and the boundaries of his solitude.
