Haunted

Burn

"Danny?" Maddox stepped backstage and looked around in the dim blue light. His pulse was jumpy just getting so close to the stage.

"Dax, what's up?" Danny, Complexx's tour manager, seemed to walk straight out of the shadows.

"It's 8:15?" Maddox kept looking around. Something was seriously wrong. Everyone backstage was way too calm. Complexx should have been on stage at 8 exactly but no one seemed to care.

"Really? Then we're making good time tonight," Danny laughed. "Where's my stage manager?"

"Ian just went outside to smoke," someone called out. Maddox jumped out of the way as one of the big set pieces started rolling his way.

"So you don't need help or anything?"

"No, go grab a drink or something," Danny smiled. "You're real uptight, you know that, kid?"

"I've heard that before," Maddox sighed and went back into the hall.

"There you are," Brent grinned and took his hand. "Zack said you went stomping off somewhere."

"You guys are late. Again. Do you ever get onstage on time?"

"Not even close," Brent laughed.

"Eli would have a heart attack," Maddox shook his head.

"You look like you might have a heart attack," Brent kissed him. "Calm down, we're about to start our pre-show."

"The Managers don't care that you're always late?"

"Not enough to do anything about it," Brent shrugged. "Seriously, Dax, it's fine. This isn't your job."

"I know, I just want your tour to be right."

"That's really sweet," Brent smiled at him. "Try not to worry though, we have much bigger things to fix first."

"Oh boy," Maddox sighed. Brent laughed.

"Can you try to have fun?"

"Yes," Maddox nodded. "I'm sorry, I just don't know how to sit around watching."

"Then I guess I need to teach you all about that," Brent grinned and leaned in to kiss Maddox again. "You know I like to be watched."

"Babe," Maddox laughed and pushed Brent away. Zack and Tyler were coming down the hall.

"Seems like you have a lot to learn," Brent held on tight and kissed him hard.

"Okay, come on," Tyler grabbed Brent by the collar.

"Gotta go," Brent winked at Maddox. "Love you."

"Love you too. Be awesome," Maddox told him. Brent followed Tyler toward the stage door. Zack gave Maddox a high five as he passed.

"Where's my good luck kiss?" Zack teased.

"Come and get it," Maddox laughed. He turned to go out to his seat for the show and almost ran right into Jimmy and Adam. Adam gave him a tight smile but Jimmy gave him a big smile and a head nod.

Being on tour with Brent was still a big adjustment for Maddox. He was exhausted from not having a lot of time to recover from his own tour and still trying to get used to the way Brent's team worked. It made him crazy to see how laid back they were about things like getting their shows started on time while obsessing over stupid things like how the boys answered interview questions.

He also had to admit that it was harder to be around Adam than he'd wanted it to be. Brent barely seemed to notice Adam or the sad looks he was always giving Brent but Maddox always noticed. He never worried that Brent still had feelings for Adam or that anything might be going on between them, but it still bothered him the way everyone pretended like it wasn't weird for Adam and Maddox to be in the same room.