Brightside

18 | please please please

Seeing someone in their element was never anything less than mind-blowing and inspiring. Eddie usually didn't go to concerts, but if they were all as electric as that concert was, she could get used to it. Mick and Moxie lit up a stage like they were born on it. Like no other artist could play that venue afterwards because nobody would ever compare to their brilliance. It was in their DNA.

            Axel knew all the words to every song. The entire arena might've been singing along, but Eddie could only hear him beside her. Loud and proud and wonderful. Even when he started taking pictures with his camera, he didn't miss a word.

            By the fourth time Eddie noticed him turning her way, she looked over at him and yelled over the music, "You're not even looking at the stage!"

            Axel pressed his finger on the shutter button. (Maybe Eddie smiled and maybe he took another picture and maybe she didn't stop him.) Placed the lens cap on and let the camera dangle from his neck. "I've seen them before!"

            "How could you look away from this?" Eddie asked. Tearing her eyes from the stage to look at him felt sacrilegious. "It's everything!"

            Axel smiled. Shook his head a little and turned away.

            Eddie put her hand on the opposite side of his chin and turned his head toward her.

            Axel raised his eyebrows. "I'm trying to watch something."

            Eddie gave him a small tap on the cheek with her fingertips for that one. "Bitch."

            It felt wrong that there were other people in that room with them. Because Axel wrapped his arm around Eddie's shoulders and pulled her close and laughed into her hair before he pressed a kiss to the side of her head and let her go again.

            When Eddie stole a glance at him, she elected to ignore the gulp that made his Adam's apple bobble. She turned back to the stage, smiling softly. If he'd been less of a little shit, Eddie might've let him kiss her properly. Wouldn't that have been fun.

            The rest of the show was as mind-blowing as the first part of it. Natural performers who put on one of the greatest shows she'd ever seen. Comparable to when Rush won his belt kind of once in a lifetime event. If she wasn't going to kiss him, the least she could do was lean into him and pretend it didn't matter to her in the slightest.

            Nope.

            Not one bit.

            Oh, dear.

*

Mick King might've thought he was being quiet, but the only person who couldn't hear him was, evidently, the person he was not being subtle about. And, once again, Eddie couldn't really blame him. The small group was about to be joined by the siblings outside the venue.

            He was practically about to pull his sister's arm off. "I thought you were joking when you said you saw Bay Area greasy haired boy, what the f—"

            "He has a name, you know." A bold statement from the woman who probably would've traded Axel for a popsicle.

            "And how do you know what his name is?" Mick looked like he'd rather his pants split every single show for the rest of his life if it meant he didn't have to approach Axel once.

            "Maybe he thinks we're newly minted friends," Moxie said. "Maybe not."

            "Excuse you?"