The music slows, rumbling its way down your spine as it falls to a gentle murmur, an ember, simmering, not quite gone.
You realise you're thinking in poems and shake yourself, examining your empty glass as the target of your interest busies himself on stage, preparing for whatever's to come next. In an effort to come back out of whatever musical trance you were in, you consider flagging down the bartender and ordering beer number...
[[1]]. Or is it[[5]]?(set: $drink = 0)Ugh. 14 dollars for a beer? You've gotta be kidding. It was unacceptable when you got here and it's not gotten any *less* unacceptable since. You mollify yourself with another glass of water instead, sipping on it as you lean back against the counter, looking around the crowded club. You're anonymous here, just a face in the crowd. It doesn't bother you so much that the alcohol is so expensive because you didn't come here to drink, anyway.
[[The music begins to swell once more.]](set: $drink = 1)You grit your teeth and try not to think about the empty spot in your wallet where the 50 dollar note once was. If four drinks hasn't calmed your nerves enough yet, more will just make matters worse. Instead, you call for a glass of water and lean back on the bar, letting the presence of the six dozen or so people in the club wash over you, secure in your anonymity as you turn your attention back to the stage. After all, you didn't come here to get drunk.
[[The music begins to swell once more.]]He stands up straight, outlined in silhouette by the large LCD screen behind the stage. Framed by two towering speakers, the first thing you notice is the ears, tall thin triangles in the darkness, pinned lightly in place by large earmuff headphones. The outline of long fur kicks out at the sides underneath the headphones, almost resembling pigtails. He was thin, wearing a long sleeve shirt tight enough that his fur spilled out at the wrists and chest. His movements were methodical, precise, calculated. The light from the laptop on the bench reflected off of his eyes and forehead gem, if you looked close enough. He reached out with one hand, the other on the base of his ear, nodding in time as the music changed at his touch, grew and evolved.
(if: $drink is 0)[According to your phone, he's been on stage for 41 minutes.](if: $drink is 1)[It's gotta be more than half an hour since he started.] This must be the end of the performance. The big crescendo.
[[You lean back and let it wash over you.]]Time passes. The music carries you, making you feel weightless. The shadow up on stage never puts a foot wrong. He could be just playing back a CD and pretending to perform the mix live, for all you know, but he'd probably be offended if you claimed such a thing.
Apparently, "the music is the most important thing."
[[You know how that feels.]]
[[You don't know how that feels.]]It's been a while since you've made anything, but you definitely can relate to the feeling of putting a part of yourself on display for everyone to look at. No way to go about doing that without going all in.
[[You're jarred out of your introspection by the realization that the show must be over.]]You suppose you never were one for creation or performance. At least, not where anyone could see it. You idly wonder if anyone back home ever found your old notebooks, and then shake yourself before you can go too far down that rabbit hole.
[[While you were daydreaming, the show ended.->You're jarred out of your introspection by the realization that the show must be over.]]Someone turned the house lights up slightly, grading the club up from 'performance dark' to merely 'drinking dark'. Music was still playing but it was clearly some kind of pre made mix, rather than the live show, and a few people all in black were up on stage, dismantling everything. It seems like as soon as the music was done, he just walked off without a word, oblivious to the applause.
You put down your empty glass on the bar and take a deep breath, mustering your courage as you begin to thread your way through the throng around the bar, their interest in alcohol renewed now that the entertainment was over.
Time to drop some names and get away from the masses.
[[Time to go backstage.]]The security guard was unimpressed. (if: $drink is 1)[Particularly at the hint of alcohol on your breath. ]But, the ticket Dawn had supplied you with did the trick, and she begrudgingly let you past, directing you to the second door on the right, and 'don't you be wandering around back there unless you want to get dropped on your face while she was throwing you out'.
Charming. Also, surprisingly effective as a deterrent, given that she was two and half feet taller than you and resembled some kind of hyena. The thought to poke around didn't even enter your mind as you made your way through the main hallway in the backstage area, ignoring the various storage rooms and mysterious hallways that you normally made a point of investigating, provided you were sure no one would catch you doing it.
Threatening you had been quite unnecessary, though.
[[You have a date.]]Knock knock.
You were about to knock a third time when the door handle moved and a shaft of light from the opening door lanced out into the relative gloom of the hallway.
“Sorry, I was listening to the set.”
Outlined by the light, it's him.
Dawn.
He's got his headphones around his neck now, no longer pinning his ears back. He's happy to see you, smiling a little, no longer stiff and glaring with focus. It's like night and day. He's softer now. You're so taken with mentally comparing this to the imposing dark figure up on stage that the smartass reply is out of your mouth before you can think about it.
“It’s alright, I was just doing the same thing.”
Dawn cracks into a lopsided grin and rolls his eyes at you slightly.
“Heh. So, you really did come see the show, then?”
[[“I wouldn’t have missed it for the world."]]
[["No, I just got finished watching someone else's show and then thought I'd come see you."]]"I don’t know what you were so worried about, you did great up there!”
“Pshh." Dawn gave a half chuckle, looking away with a guilty smile. "Yeah right… I messed up a bunch of stuff. I missed that cue and had to stand up there doing nothing for like four measures, nodding like a moron, and there was some kinda noise rattling around at 8k the whole time. I gotta take apart my entire rig and see if I can find where it’s coming from. I tried to track it down during the set but I thought everyone was getting annoyed at me playing with the EQ.”
“You coulda fooled me. You seemed perfect.”
“I’m-! ...Ugh." He glares at you, and you note the flush of embarrassment in the tips of his ears where the fur is shortest. "'m not perfect, silly.”
“Heh.”
“So, are you gonna come in, or are you just gonna stand in the hallway and say embarrassing things all night?”
[[“Actually, I was thinking we could go get a drink before the bar closes.”]]"Heh! Well, that's a relief, 'cause my show was a disaster."
"What do you mean?"
"Oh, you know. I just... Messed up a bunch of stuff. I missed that cue and had to stand up there doing nothing for like four measures, nodding like a moron, and there was some kinda noise rattling around at 8k the whole time. I gotta take apart my entire rig and see if I can find where it’s coming from. I tried to track it down but I thought everyone was getting annoyed at me playing with the EQ in the middle of the set.”
“You coulda fooled me. You seemed perfect up there.”
“I’m-! I'm far from perfect.”
“If you say so.”
Dawn rolled his eyes. “Ugh. So are you gonna stand there and tell fibs about me all night, or do you wanna come in?”
[[“Actually, I was thinking we could go get a drink before the bar closes.”]]“Oh."
He looks down, unsure.
"We don't have to, if you don't want to."
Forward or no, date or no date, it was important to give him outs and options. You'd been seeing one another and getting to know each other for a few months now, but Dawn was... Hesitant. The last thing you wanted was to pressure him into something.
"Heh. It's not that I don't want to, it's just, well... I-I don’t normally…”
“...You don’t drink?”
“Not at the venues I play.”
[[“Don’t you get drinks as part of your contract, though?”]]
[["Not a fan of your fans?"]]“Well, yeah. But it’s just the standard contract. I’ve never actually... used them.”
“So you’re giving the bar a discount on your services, then.”
“W-what? No!”
“So, let’s go drink your paycheck. We'll stick it to the man, just a little bit.”
He sighs and rolls his eyes. You hear him mutter something along the lines of 'lucky you're cute.'
[[Joke's on him. He's the cute one.]]He chuckled dryly. “If I ever meet one, I'll let you know.”
"So... Yes? No? Maybe?"
"...Sure, I guess. I just never had a reason to go drinking after one of my own shows before, really."
“Well, your reason just arrived. You'd better be careful though, I hear fans are tricky. They might even sneak backstage and try to take you out for drinks!”
He tries to give you a disapproving glare, but it's ruined by the grin he can't quite hide. Finally, he relents, sighing and rolling his eyes. You hear him mutter something along the lines of 'lucky you're cute.'
[[Joke's on him. He's the cute one.]]“Lemme change clothes before we go, at least.”
He turns, moving to close the door behind him.
[[You follow him into the green room.]]
[[Obviously, you follow him into the green room.->You follow him into the green room.]]“H-hey! A little privacy, please?”
“Sure!” You turn around, pushing the door closed behind you. “I'll make sure no one looks.”
Dawn opened his mouth to argue with you, mentally weighed the pros and cons of said argument, and then begrudgingly accepted his fate. Instead, he pointedly looked at you until you obliged, turning around to face the door. After a short moment, you hear the sounds of fabric.
“You know," You muse to the painted wood, "The way you’re so shy about being seen without a shirt on, I’m beginning to think you’ve got a mutant growing under there.”
“Yes, clearly I'm hiding a little mini-me, that's the most logical explanation.”
“Quaid… Start the reactor!” You do your best bad impression.
Dawn throws his shirt at you, laughing.
“You're such an asshole.”
“Alright, alright. Your secret identity remains safe for another day. Are you dressed yet?”
“Yeah, let’s go.” He walks up behind you, wearing a different shirt and his familiar, oversize hoodie. "Thanks for keeping watch."
"I wouldn't want anyone else finding out about your mini-me."
"It sounds so dirty when you put it like that." He grins at you, slipping past to open the door.
[[On the way past, you snatch his other hand.]]Dawn jumps at the sudden contact and looks back at you, eyes wide and ears straight up.
“H-hey!”
“It’s just us back here, right? Nobody’s gonna see.”
Dawn looks down at your hand and back up at your eyes. You see the hints of colour on his features again, and feel his fingers tighten around your own.
“...Alright. But... Once we get out there, I-I can walk to the bar myself.”
He turns, leading you with a gentle pull. You think you make out the smile on his face as you close the door behind you again and make your way out into the gloom.
[[True to his word, you make your way to the bar together but not ‘together together’.]]Dawn isn’t sure what to order, so you order him a mixed drink and also something for yourself, pulling two seats up to the bar. It's quiet after the show, and most of the other patrons have gone home.
When the bartender gives Dawn his drink, he sniffs it dubiously and then tries a sip.
“Huh.”
“Huh?”
“Well, it doesn’t taste awful.”
“You really don’t drink much, do you?”
“I drink! S-sometimes.”
“Uh huh.” You sip your own drink and he tries to ignore you by taking another sip of his own.
There’s a short break.
[[“So, you didn’t know I was watching?”]]Dawn looks down at nothing, his ears drooping a little. “No. I suppose that’s a good thing, isn’t it?”
You nod, taking a thoughtful drink. “At least having something to focus on helps.”
“It’s about the only thing that does help, these days.”
You raise an eyebrow. “It’s getting worse?”
“Well, I’m… Not sleeping so good, lately. It’s like I have the thinnest apartment walls in all of spacetime. I hear everything.”
“The music isn’t working anymore?”
“It does, but when I start drifting off I lose focus and then… Bam. Guy four stories up jerkin’ off.”
“Gross.”
“You don’t even know. You wouldn’t believe the shit people think because they don’t know anyone’s listening.”
“I can’t even imagine.”
“You really can’t.”
Daen goes quiet for a moment and then shudders, clearly trying to fight off whatever foul memory was invading his mind.
[[Your mind wanders for a moment.]]
You've known about Dawn's... Condition, for a while now. Unusual abilities weren't uncommon here, but Dawn's psychic abilities were a singularly unusual and reasonably recent development, and some days they seemed more like a curse than a gift. He told you once that he could always hear the thoughts of any person who touched his forehead gem, which you presume was what lead to his extreme aversion to having his gem touched.
Some kind of terrible experience, long ago. At least, that was the impression you got.
And now that was his day to day reality, except when he was performing. If that was the case, he was probably listening to you mentally recap things, willingly or not.
Right on cue, Dawn drained the rest of his drink. “Mm. This was good. Can you order me another one?”
“You *could* order it yourself.”
“Just. Shut up and get me another drink." Dawn rubbed at his eyes with one hand. "Please.”
“Sir yes sir.”
“And none of the sass, while we're at it.”
[[When you bring him the second drink, he doesn’t hesitate to have another gulp.]]“Don’t go too hard. Just because I'm teasing, doesn't mean I want to carry you home.”
“Nope. It's out of my hands now, I have to catch up to the alcohol drinking public at large apparently.”
“And drown out the world, perhaps?”
Dawn looked down into his drink blankly. “Is that really so much to ask?”
“You told me yourself that drinking doesn't help. You've had a long day, huh.”
“Like... Maybe three hours of sleep, and then a full set. It's not like today's been bad, I just… I’d like to stop hearing voices for a few hours, that would be nice.”
“Well... I mean, there *must* be other ways to manage it. You can't think of a single other thing you've done lately that shuts out the noise?”
He goes quiet and sips his drink thoughtfully. “Mmm.”
[[“Mmm?”]]“Well, I mean… Before, I…” Dawn trails off, playing with his glass.
You wait patiently.
“When… When we, uh, t-touched…”
“You mean, when we held hands.”
“Y-yeah.” He clkears his throat awkwardly.
“What about it?”
“D-don’t grin at me like that! I just, I’m, uh…” He takes a deep breath. “When we were touching, everything else got quieter and you got a lot louder.”
You take another sip of your rapidly disappearing drink, considering this.
“I hope my thoughts weren’t overly offensive.”
“Well, apart from all the staring at my butt you do…”
“Heh.”
“I know, you think it’s cute. Think it a little louder, maybe the whole world will hear!” He drinks again. He's also running low, which is a little worrying, considering how recently he got the drink. “My point is… It kinda works? Like, instead of hearing everything, I just heard you. So…”
“You think that sleeping with someone might work as a focus for your powers?”
“I, W-well-”
[[“That sounds alright with me.”]]
[["So forward! I wasn't expecting you to ask me to sleep with you so soon!"]]"...It does?" He looks up at you with wide eyes.
"Of course it does. You think I'm hanging out with you because I feel obligated?"
“Well, I, I mean, I know we're dating and stuff, but, I dunno, I know I've been going slower than you'd like, and, and sometimes I worry that maybe you're frustrated with me and that you just don't think about it because you know that I'd know, and that you-”
You hold up a hand.
"Dawn."
"Y-yes?"
"Do you want me to sleep with you tonight?"
"I... Yes. B-but you know. Actually sleep. Not that I, uh, don't... It, it's been a long time since I got a full night's sleep. But, I mean, you can't rule out the possibility-"
"Dawn."
"R-right."
“I will sleep with you tonight.”
"Oh. T-thank you."
"However."
"...However?"
"I will require something in return. Payment."
“P-payment?!”
“I want a kiss. I feel like it's a fair trade.”
He goes quiet for a minute, and finishes his drink. “...Okay.”
“Heh, alright. If it's as bad as you say it's been, we should probably skip the night out drinking and get you to bed.” You finish your drink, putting your empty glass on the bar and turning back to face him. “Let’s -mmph!”
He surprises you with a kiss, right there and then. He’s very tense, eyes screwed shut. After you get over your initial shock, you reach up and hold onto him gently, easing him out of the terrified peck on the lips he’s applying to your face and pulling him a little closer.
[[“You know, when I said ‘kiss’ I didn’t mean right the hell now.”]]"I, I, I didn't mean it like that!"
You hold your poker face for maybe three seconds before you snort into your drink. Dawn glares at you while you're chuckling.
"You fucking asshole, I'm trying to be serious here!"
"I know, I know, and I'm sorry. It's just... Phrasing, you know?"
Dawn grimaced at you, but he was clearly having trouble staying mad.
"I will sleep with you though."
"Wait, y-you will?"
"Of course! I mean, I'd also, you know, *sleep* with you, but if you trust me enough to share a bed with me for now, that's all I need. In fact, I'd be honoured."
"...Honoured?"
"I know you're trying to trust. You don't like to touch. You've been hurt. You need time. I can respect that."
Dawn looked lost for words.
"I think you're worth the wait."
"Oh. T-thank you."
"I do have a suggestion for payment, though."
“P-payment?!”
“I want a kiss. I feel like it's a fair trade.”
He goes quiet for a minute, and finishes his drink. “...Okay.”
“Heh, alright. If it's as bad as you say it's been, we should the night out drinking and get you to bed.” You finish your drink, putting your empty glass on the bar and turning back to face him. “Let’s -mmph!”
He surprises you with a kiss, right there and then. He’s very tense, eyes screwed shut. After you get over your initial shock, you reach up and hold onto him gently, easing him out of the terrified peck on the lips he’s applying to your face and pulling him a little closer.
[[“You know, when I said ‘kiss’ I didn’t mean right the hell now.”]]“I-I know. But I was thinking about before, with the holding hands, and, and, I hate hiding all the time. From everyone else. From myself.”
You get a proper look at him with your arms around him. It's a good look for him. You pull him a little closer.
“I don’t think you should hide.”
“I know. ...I wish I could be as brave as when I’m up on stage. Like, all the time. A-and with you.”
“Maybe you just try to focus on what's important, instead of worrying.”
You kiss him this time, properly, gently. He tastes like the drinks he’s been having, and the way he gradually relaxes against you suggests he’s been under a lot of tension. It seems like, for the first time since he got here, he’s not looking around the room and thinking about everyone else.
After too short a moment, he pulls back a little, licking his lips.
“You're probably right.”
"About what?"
"I've been thinking about all the other people in here when I should have been thinking about you."
It annoys you when he says things in response to things you think to yourself. But you can live with that.
“Good. You'd better get used to it. Now come on, I paid up front and I expect a full, restful night's cuddling in return.”
[[You can’t think of anything else you’d rather do tonight.]]The End. (For now.)
Thank you for playing Dawn!
(I actually bothered to do an editing pass this time, hooray for me!)
If you enjoyed it, or found any typos, or perhaps both, let me know at [email protected] ! You can also follow me on twitter at @ia_quillthing , and my twines can all be found at http://philome.la/twitakare .
If you liked what you read, please also consider showing any of your friends who you think might also like my work! I'm making these because I want people to see them, you know?
As an aside, I'm currently looking for people who want to collaborate on short creative projects! I write (obviously), I've taught myself the basics of scripting in twine and gamemakerstudio, and I'm also capable of producing music, although it's been a while since I've pursued that seriously. If you like what I'm doing and would be interested in working with me on something new, send me a line!
Thanks for reading.