Stage Lights

Part 4 - Enthralled Audience

Backstage, the excitement of the crowd was already apparent from the cheers and whistling echoing out. There was just a few moments until you all went on stage.

You and Dewdrop had spent the last day planning, the two of you working out interactions on stage that would interrupt Swiss's usual timings for trying to screw you both over. You'd added some extra ones as well-they were small and subtle, leading up to the biggest one that Dew had suggested. It was going to be front and centre of the crowd, and there was no way that it wouldn't be circulating online for, well, forever.

You hadn't told any of the other ghouls or even Papa-you couldn't risk Swiss finding out. Although now you were beginning to feel a little nervous, fidgeting with your guitar to distract yourself, while anticipation and excitement buzzed through your body. You couldn't wait to see the look on the Multi ghoul's face after.

Your eyes darted up as Swiss waltzed over to you, a teasing grin on his face. Great.

"You seem anxious," he said casually, as his hand closed over yours that had been skittering along the frets of your guitar, his whole hand wrapping around yours and the guitar neck. You scowled, but didn't shake him off.

"I'm not. Just have a lot of energy right now," you answered, your voice sickeningly sweet as you strummed a muted string with your free hand. His eyes followed the movement, and you wondered if he was going to trap that hand too.

Swiss leaned in closer. "Oh is that what it is? You just can't wait for me to visit you again hm?"

He did not just say that.

You smiled, too excited to enact your plan that his words didn't get the reaction you knew he wanted out of you. You were feeling bold and confident right now-today, you would be the one who was teasing, not him. Cocking your head to the side, you leant in so your faces were inches away, goggles almost touching.

His hand on yours tightened momentarily and you smirked, bringing your mouth barely an inch away from his. You hovered there for a moment, your free hand running gently along his forearm, amused at how the ghoul in front of you seemed to have stilled completely.

Dew's theory ran through your mind and you pulled back, Swiss's hand falling from yours. You played a high note, flashing a smile.

"I'll see you on stage, Swiss."

With that, you stepped around him, leaving the ghoul staring after you as you joined Dewdrop.

"Finally admitted your feelings?" Dew asked quietly, his voice low enough that only you could hear.

You rolled your eyes. "Just don't forget the plan."

You felt Swiss's eyes linger on you until the cue was given to head out on stage.

*****

The plan was working.

You could feel and see Swiss's frustration in his exaggerated movements, his dancing becoming more aggressive and beginning to lose the smooth seductiveness.

You'd beaten him to Dew during Watcher in the Sky, letting your hands grip the fire ghoul's hips as you buried your face in the curve of his shoulder and neck. You'd trailed your hands higher, nuzzling into his neck as your fingers drew across his chest.

You'd left then, spotting Swiss on his platform, staring directly at you. He'd flipped you off and you'd only smiled.

There was another moment when Dew came up behind you as you were leaning back, reaching his arm over your shoulder to grab your chin and tilt your head back further until you could see his masked face. He flattened his hands on either side of your face, leaning down to kiss you. It wasn't a proper kiss, with the fabric covering both of your mouths. Yet it was all part of the little show the two of you were putting on. And the crowd was shrieking.

Dew made sure to swagger past Swiss's platform after, and you were sure the multi-ghoul would be able to feel the smug satisfaction practically rolling off the smaller ghoul.

Papa and the others were definitely aware of your behaviour, Rain giving you a sideways look and shaking his head slightly, while Phantom had openly stared at your little demonstrations, tilting his head as if to question what was going on.

It finally reached the chorus of Mary on a cross, the instruments fading away to Papa Copia's voice. You watched as Dew turned to you, stalking toward you in an almost predatory way. Although you had planned this, it still left you jittering in anticipation. You forced yourself not to look toward Swiss.

Watching Dew as his slim form stopped in front of you, your hand stilled on your guitar at the same time as his, the song passing on to Papa's solo, his voice ringing out beautifully across the stage.

You go down...

You watched as Dew dropped to his knees in front of you. The crowd went deathly silent.

Just like Holy Mary...

You took a step forward, reaching your hands to smooth over the sides of his mask, tilting his head to look up at you.

Mary on a, Mary on a cross...

The crowd was screaming now. Their screams grew impossibly louder as Dew reached up to run his hands almost reverently up your legs. His hands settled for firmly gripping your thighs.

Not just another Bloody Mary...

You threw your head back, arching your body as you leant back, Dew's hold on your thighs keeping you safely balanced. The call of the crowd was an absolute roar now-the two of you had chosen the front and centre of the stage to pull this stunt off. Even Copia had his eyes on you-his ghouls stealing his spotlight once again through their shenanigans.

As you leant back, your eyes found Swiss at his podium behind you. The multi ghoul's grip on his microphone was nothing short of suffocating, his body rigid as he stared at the spectacle you and Dew were putting on.

Moving one of your hands away from Dew, you held your arm over your head gracefully, and smoothly flipped off the ghoul behind you.

His hands twisted on the mic.

Mary on a...

You tilted back to standing, fingers slipping back to your guitar. Dew slid his hands away from your thighs as you took a step back, whirling away, getting a glimpse of the stunned crowd as the music returned.

Biting your lip behind the mask, you kept replaying Swiss's reaction over and over. Was Dew...was Dew right? Did Swiss actually...no. He was just pissed that you two had stolen the spotlight from him. There was nothing he could do that would beat what you and Dew had just done.

This time you had won. And he knew it.