Langour ・❥・Joost Klein・❥・

13.

The day Lowlands came around, it was hot. August was in full swing and the sun made Biddinghuizen a steaming field of dry grass and inescapable heat.

The organisers had inticipated the weather so most of the performances were undercover. A roof covered the stage and around 150 metres of grass, but nothing could stop the hot air from huddling underneath, making the moshpit suffocating for festival goers.

Even backstage, Fenne was struggling. In a pair of denim shorts and a fitted croptop, she fiddled with her camera while sweat lined her brow. The air-conditioning only did so much but she was thankful that she had the space around her while the mosh was filled to the brim. The hum of the crowd echoed underneath the structure and Fenne couldn't imagine how uncomfortable it was amongst the hundreds of sweating bodies.

'I picked the right day to wear these ,' Fenne looked up from her camera to see Joost in nothing but a pair of red, white and blue shorts. Her lip curled at what looked like hearts on the Friesland flag that sat in-between the white and blue stripes.

'At least you can walk around like that,' Fenne said and dipped her head to motion to his shirtless state. 'Us women have to suffer.'

'Don't act like you don't prefer it.'

Fenne rolled her eyes and busied herself with her camera to hide her blush. He had been wearing a singlet when they arrived but it was disgarded almost immediately.

Fenne would never admit that Joost only spoke the truth. She had been setting up backstage while Joost was walking around and talking to her in all his shirtless glory. It made it difficult for her to concentrate and she was sure that he had noticed her stammering and trailing train of thought.

With his hair flattened from the heat, Joost's appearance took advantage of the stifling weather. His chest and stomach was out on show teamed with his Pokemon tattoo and toned torso for everyone to see. The funky shorts hung low on his hips, revealing the band of his black underwear. Fenne would have laughed at seeing his full name written across it, but wouldn't dare bring it to Joost's attention. She only saw it ending in a humiliating tease that she would never recover from.

'You're on in five,' a stage worker passed them while pointing at Joost. He tried to appear confident by nodding with his hands on his hips, but Fenne could see his heaving shoulders.

'Fucking christ, this is happening,' he mumbled.

'You'll be great. Just do what you normally do.'

Fenne knew her advice was pathetic but it was all she could say. She was nervous to be on stage filming in front of so many people. Whatever Joost was feeling, it had to be bad to send someone so confident and nonchalant into a ball of nerves.

She watched him search his pockets. When one hand came up with nothing, he tried the other and checked multiple times in a suppressed panic. Fenne had learnt a great deal about Joost in the few months they had been talking and it wasn't hard for her to know what he was looking for. He couldn't smoke backstage as it was a smoke-free venue, so he had already prepped for the show half an hour before. So, it eliminated the one of two things that Joost would look for when he's anxious.

'Here,' she walked over while rummaging in her pocket. Joost's shoulders visibly dropped in relaxation as Fenne pulled out a wrapped up pair of earphones. With her camera in one hand, Fenne held them out and Joost took them with trembling hands.

'You're a lifesaver, liefje,' Joost sighed, cupping the side of her face to plant his lips against her forehead. Fenne could do nothing but stand with a foolish grin as Joost unravelled the earphones and put them in his ears. He needed at least a few minutes of serenity and for some reason, the white earbuds never failed him.