Tender (A britpop era fiction)

Common People

It's already getting dark outside as I hear the front door downstairs open and small feet storming in. Must be Damon with the little ones. I hear him call my name, but I'm staying right where I am, still playing the bass. He's appearing in the door frame. With a surprised look he leans against it and listens to me play. The last chords I play are from Girls and Boys and I look up and smirk at him before stopping.

"I haven't seen you playing the bass for quite a while now." Damon says and smiles softly at me. "How comes?" I shrug my shoulders.

"Just felt like it." I put the bass guitar aside and stand up. Damon comes closer and I give him a quick kiss.

"How was your day?" I ask.

"Interesting. I got to tell you something love."

"What is it?"

"Later" he mumbles and puts his arms around me. I can feel his nose graze over my neck and shoulders before his head comes to rest.

"Damon" I whisper. "What's wrong?" His grip tightens.

"It's regarding Liam." I immediately stiffen.

"Is he alright?" I ask and when Damon doesn't answer right away I head back.

"You make me nervous" I try to laugh it away but even in my own ears it sounds wrong. He doesn't react and this time I let go of him.

"Damon" I say worried. "What is it? Has something happened?"

Star shaped, I immediately remember. A star-shaped hole in his head.

"It's nothing but rumours, but I heard something today in the studio, don't worry, it's probably just nonsense." He wants to go on, but in the same moment we hear the kids from downstairs yell at each other and then something smashs and I hear Finans crying.

"What in Gods name" I mumble and we head downstairs. Finan stands in front of the window - or at least the frame where a window was a few moments ago - looks down at the broken glass and is crying his eyes out while Alika stands next to him and looks like she's innocence incarnate.

"How did this happen?" I ask upset and stunned I get closer to the frame. A football is lying on the grass outside. Damon takes the crying Finan in his arms and gently strokes his hair to calm him down.

"Alika!" I yell. "How often do I have to tell you not to play footie in the living room?"

"It wasn't me!" she protests. "I didn't even touch the ball!"

"Oh, stop lying to me young lady" I say and look at the frame and get even more angry. That would be the third window on Alikas account. She looks at me with clenched fists.

"It wasn't me Mum, it wasn't me, it was Finan!" she screams and gets more and more upset with each word.

"I don't want you blaming your brother, do you hear me? If you make a mistake, you have at least to admit it!"

"Claire" Damon interupts me. "Stop it. You can't just accuse her." He holds Finan who's stopped crying away from him.

"Finan" he says, as calm as I'm upset. "Did you have anything to do with it? We're not angry if it was your idea to play footie in here."

Finan looks at him with his beautiful big blue eyes. He sniffs and shakes his head."

"No, no" he stutters. "It...it was all Alikas idea."

"Liar!" she yells and before I can react she has gotten to him and started to punch him. She even managed to push her dad aside.

"Liar, liar, liar!" She hits him a few times before Damon is able to pull them apart. Finans started crying again and I rush over to him, holding him.