Paper crowns (James Marriott)

Part 10: You're gorgeous

Rennie's POV:

It was finally the day of the tour.
Rennie had met James and the rest of the band at his house, and then drove to where the tour bus would pick them up.

"They'll be here any minute now..."
James said. They where all huddled in a bus shelter. With Rennie and James sat on the stool, and the rest perched on coats laying on the cold hard ground. Rennie felt awful for taking up space on the seat, but James had insisted rather profusely.

"I really fucking hope so." Jago responded. Not angry, just tired. Like everyone else,
It was half 11 in the freezing cold, so everyone was pissed off with their discomfort simultaneously.

After another 5 minutes the coach finally arrived.

The warm beds and microwaveable meals felt better than ever compared to the cold, dark street in the middle of the winter.

They all subconsciously sunk themselves into a large sofa, (this is like a glamping coach situation?!) with James suspiciously close to Rennie, their legs touching and shoulders pressed up against one another, with their eyes meeting rather awkwardly every few minutes.

Rennie savoured the silence and warmth of her current surroundings, and the subtle contact of James. Contact she never thought she would have until now.

"Right" James almost shouted. "I'm going to bed motherfuckers."
Everyone else agreed they need some sleep before their first show at 11 the next morning.

~the next morning~

"James?" Rennie whispered. Whilst everyone was getting themselves together, with an hour till their first show.

"Yeah, Ren?" He smiled down at her
Rennie felt herself flush red. Maybe it was James, or maybe the stage fright.

"I... I don't think I can do this."
Rennie whispered though gritted teeth. Gripping to James's T-shirt and taking a sharp inhale.

James looked down at this poor woman, almost a stranger. Gripping to him like it's keeping her afloat. Eyes watering and whispering to him like they had known each other forever. He was obsessed with the feeling. But he didn't like the state the small girl clutching him was in. He hated it, in fact.

"look. Rennita. I'm not going to force you to play on stage." He explained.
"But we need you. The band won't be nearly as good. This is your first time on stage and if I'm honest I was shitting myself when I first performed live." He said slowly, looking down into Rennie's eyes.
"Let's face it, Ren. The crowd will adore you."
"Why?" She asked, genuinely curious
"Because your... your'e gor- attractive, Renna. Not to mention probably the best player here. We are really fucking lucky to have you and I'm not letting that get away so easy."
"All I ask... is you try. Once. Please."

A moment of silence fell upon them, stood alone in an empty coach.

"I'll try. Sorry James."
She embraces him, arms around his waist and face leant against his chest. They stood there in silence for a second, Rennie's heavy breathing filling the silence of the space.

"So... one show?"
"Try. For me"

"One show?"

"One show."

~an hour before the Liverpool show~
(Just act like I know anything abt tour dates)

Everyone was sat in a dressing room, with James being pampered with stage makeup and a rather interesting choice of clothes. They had attempted to change Rennie into a tighter-fitting dress, but she wasn't having any of it. No way was the hoodie coming off.

Rennie giggled at the unusual sight of James in trousers with those weird straps going over the shoulders.

"Hey, shut up you horrible bitch" James joked, after seeing Ren laugh at his clothes.

"Sorry, I'm used to seeing you in a t shirt and the same pair of jeans, Pookie."
She covered her mouth with her hands.
"POOKIE? Really!!" James burst out laughing.
"That's it. Show cancelled." Rennie half joked

"Wait..."
"Yeah?"

"Ren, if you know that fan name... you must have watched my content. At least a little."

"Um, yeah when I knew who you where I watched some of your content. It's quite entertaining." She said awkwardly, cheeks burning red.

It was obvious she was lying. James could probably see that. But he chose not to prod.

"Oh for fuck sake please tell me you haven't watched the e-boys." James moaned.

Rennie wanted to say no, but she had already burst out into laughter. There was no covering it up.

"OH FOR FUCK SAKE'" James shouted, smiling profusely and almost laughing at the thought of it.

The conversation was interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Ok, James. You're on in 5."

Both Rennie and James took a deep breath. Time to do this.

It was almost surreal, walking behind James
Onto a huge stage, with rows and rows of people. Mostly teenagers, absolutely screaming at the top of their lungs. Normally this could give Rennie an autistic meltdown, but for reasons she couldn't explain it didn't affect her. Perhaps the adrenaline, or the dopamine. She wasn't sure.

As she looked around, she noticed some trends among his audience. She knew the joke about how his fans are all mentally ill, gay, fatherless and autistic teenagers, but she didn't think that was actually the case. But the gay flags and mass amounts of teenage girls said otherwise.

(hits close to home because I am all of those things. And a James marriott fan...coincidence?!)

Suddenly she was extremely aware of herself. And the mess she had gotten herself into. Surely it was suspicious she hadn't uploaded for weeks, and now this strange woman was playing in the tour?!

She was pretty sure James didn't recognise her voice, and connect it to her YouTube, but thousands... if not millions of fans of both fandoms would make the connection in a matter of words.
(The James marriott, Lovejoy and DSMP fandoms are almost identical soooo)

So now she was a strange woman on tour with James. A strange girl who doesn't speak, or show her arms on stage and plays the base silently behind James. Whilst he takes up the spotlight. (Rennie is female Ash Kabuss...Kabosu... I mean BOSU)

James started speaking.

"HELLO LIVERPOOL!"
In his classic, slightly over dramatic Show voice.

Everything else was so surreal. Almost a dream. Rennie was pretty sure she had dreamt this very moment. Standing on a stage, showing herself yet concealing her hidden identity to thousands of people. And just being in her own musical bubble whist simultaneously having hundreds of cameras pointed at her. Looking at her every move, at her every step.

And soon it was over. And Rennie had adored every moment.

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