Unlikely Harmony || DaouOffroad AU

CH6. Lights, Camera, Anxiety!

The morning light seeped through the curtains of Offroad's bedroom, pulling him from the restless sleep he had finally fallen into after a rough night. His head throbbed, a reminder of the alcohol he'd drowned his frustrations in. The events of the previous night were a blur, stumbling out of the club, the cool air hitting his face, and the overwhelming sense of everything closing in on him.

He groaned as he sat up, the room spinning slightly. There was no time to wallow. Today was important, he had a meeting at the label and then practice with Daou. Offroad dragged himself to the bathroom, the cold tiles underfoot jolting him awake a bit more.

As he reached for his phone to check the time, he noticed several missed calls from Pentor and a text from Geler asking why he hadn't let them know if he was home and if he was okay. A wave of guilt washed over him.

They must've been worried sick.

Feeling the weight of their concern, he quickly typed a response, assuring them he was fine and that he'd explain everything later. After hitting send, he tossed his phone onto the counter, shaking his head at himself for ignoring their friendship in favor of his own spiral.

With a sigh, he turned on the shower, letting the steam fill the room as he tried to clear his mind. As the hot water hit his skin, he leaned against the wall, closing his eyes. The physical relief was temporary, though, the guilt and frustration from last night still clung to him, no matter how hard he tried to wash it away. He finished his shower, feeling more human, and dressed quickly.

The meeting at the label, known as Blackout 24, was as tedious as he expected, with discussions about promotional strategies, appearances, and the ever-looming deadlines. It was all part of the business, but today it grated on him more than usual. The hangover certainly didn't help.

By the time he arrived at the studio for practice, he was already worn out. He entered the room, forcing himself to focus. The familiar space was a sanctuary, a place where he could lose himself in the music, but today it felt like just another burden on his shoulders.

Daou arrived shortly after, his expression immediately shifting when he saw Offroad.

"You look like hell," Daou said bluntly, taking in Offroad's pale complexion and bloodshot eyes.

"Thanks for the observation," Offroad muttered, dropping his bag onto the floor. He wasn't in the mood for Daou's usual cool indifference.

"Are you hungover?" Daou asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, so what?" Offroad snapped back, more defensively than he intended. The pounding in his head didn't make it easier to keep his temper in check.

Daou sighed, clearly annoyed. "So, we have a lot of work to do, and you showing up like this isn't exactly helpful."

Offroad glared at him, feeling the anger bubble up.

"You think I don't know that? You're not the only one with shit to deal with."

The tension between them crackled in the air, both of them too stubborn to back down. Daou's frustration was evident, but there was something else in his eyes—concern, maybe, but Offroad wasn't in the mood to decipher it.

"Look," Daou said, his tone softening slightly,

"I get that things are rough right now, but we need to be on the same page if we're going to make this work."

Offroad rubbed his temples, trying to push the headache away. "Yeah, I know. It's just... everything's piling up, and last night was my way of dealing with it."

Daou looked at him for a moment, as if weighing his next words. "I get it. But you can't let this get in the way of the project. There's too much at stake."