i can do it with a broken heart (badlinu)

iii.

i sigh as i stand in the audience at one of tommy's shows. it's nerve wrecking. he knows i'm here and so does jack and as far as i know freddie doesn't. i'm also praying i'm not recognised right now or it'll blow my cover. tommy walks out on stage and starts the show. the show is amazing and funny and real. I'm even mentioned in it (whether that was always in the script or he added it because i was at the show i don't know).

as soon as the show is over i slip out the crowd which is beginning to walk towards the exits and i go towards the backstage doors where someone i don't recognise lets me inside. quackity will be partially disappointed because i didn't yell out 'how dare you not mention me in your story!' for the dare but he'll be happy i'm seeing tommy at least, and that i actually went to a show he was doing.

i walk backstage and i am taken to tommy's dressing room where i wait for him and jack. a few minutes pass before he comes in with jack. "y/n! nice to meet you in person!" jack exclaims once he sees me and he gives me a hug. i laugh and hug back before pulling away. "pleasures all mine mr manifold!" i joke back before almost being tackled over my tommy.

tommy's hug is tight and warm. i hug back just as tightly. it's been a while. "i missed you woman." tommy mutters into my ear. i burst out laughing, of course even after months apart he still calls me woman. "i missed you too man." i tease causing tommy to laugh. it's like we never parted. the jokes are still the same and tommy is as loud as ever. unsurprisingly.

there's a knock at the door. i freeze as it opens. a hand comes through the door and then a body. it's one of tommy's stage hands. i sigh in relief thanking whoever is watching over me that it's not freddie. the stage hand gives tommy something before leaving. tommy sighs dramatically "i must depart! i shall return soon woman." he announces before walking out the room shutting the door. "so, how's things?" i ask awkwardly as i look at jack.

this is our first time meeting face to face, normally when we're on call it's with others or we're gaming, doing fnaf or minecraft. "good, good. you know, i really liked your recent song heartache. quite powerful." jack says trying to ease the tension. "i liked the message behind it, the idea that heartache doesn't have to be about a lover or family hurting you or leaving you." he adds after. i can't help but grin.

"thanks! i'm actually really proud of that one. it took a while to perfect and i wasn't sure if i'd even publish it but jason convinced me to and it's been a big hit." i explain to jack as i sit down on a nearby chair. "who's jason?" he asks as he sits opposite me in another chair, he looks at me intently. "jason's my manager, he's honestly the best. like a total sweetheart and between you and me," i lean forward and jack does the same "my parents totally want me to date him. he's my age you see." i laugh and jack laughs with me.

"sounds like a good guy. maybe you should!" he teases and i laugh again. i'm about to say something else when the dressing room door opens. "jack have you seen tom-" the person stops mid sentence. i look up and my eyes widen. it's freddie. freddie stares at me in shock, he doesn't move, doesn't blink, i'm not sure if he even breathes. his heart looks like it's stopped momentarily.

jack senses the tension and awkwardly excuses himself from the dressing room, saying he's going to find tommy for freddie. a few moments pass before i stand up. "uh hi freddie." i mumble as i walk over. "y/n. hi, what're you doing here?" he asks quietly. i shift my weight between my two feet. "uh quackity dared me to come see a show and meet jack in real life, face to face." i lie not wanting freddie to know it was to see tommy. i don't know if he's still upset at me and i don't want to risk it.

freddie nods silently. "uh how's things? the tour? your parents?" he eventually asks looking at me with an unreadable expression. "yeah uh, no it's been good. my parents are fine and the tours done well." i mutter trying to be vague, i don't want another argument over my career. freddie nods silently again. "great, great. i've been good too." he mentions to me, this time it's my turn to nod silently.

"uh listen, i'm gonna go." i say awkwardly before slipping past freddie and out the dressing room. freddie remains in the same spot unmoving as i shut the door behind me. tommy and jack are outside the dressing room just up ahead looking worried, tommy sees me first. "he didn't yell then?" he asks, i shake my head in response. "good. i didn't think he would. i imagine he was shocked though." tommy adds. i just nod in response, afraid that if i say anything out loud it might be the catalyst to another fight starting out between me and freddie.

jack seems to sense this and he guides me out the building. "it was nice to meet you today y/n. i hope we can do this again." he says calmly, he's probably trying to ease my nerves a little bit. "same goes to you jack. thanks for getting me out of there." i answer back, jack nods and then goes back inside the building. i sigh, that went wrong so fast. he wasn't supposed to be there. i sigh again and walk to the car park where the rental car i'm using is parked. why does life have to fuck you over the way that it does?