Shameless

The Boy With the Guitar

Watching him from the side of the stage, strumming the familiar opening of ‘Big Love’, she couldn’t help but be completely transfixed. It didn’t matter that she’d seen him do it hundreds, if not thousands of times before, it still hit her straight through her bones. Truth is, this was the first time tonight her mind was fully focused  here and now, not on past and future.

He had been right, they had been late. Very late. Thankfully, none had bothered them until it was almost time for the show to start. One of the perks of everyone assuming they were either falling apart or killing each other. Yeah, everything had been delayed quite a bit because of them, and she didn’t really care. Nor did she care about everyone’s raised eyebrows as they arrived hand in hand. They had agreed to just act normal, not deal with anything tonight, not ignore each other because of the increased attention. No one dared say anything, probably scared to shatter whatever illusion of peace that had fallen over the two. No one but Christine naturally, who seemed to be the first one not only to notice the hands, but the lack of ring on his. “So what’s the deal guys? You two?” “Don’t!” they both answered in unison, looked at each other and laughed. “Just don’t. Trust us. Let’s just get through the show.” “Well, we would have started already if someone had decided to show up on time. Though I guess I should be glad loverboy here decided to show up at all, gave us quite a scare” Her raised brows and usual smirk made it clear her words were meant to tease. Still on a high from their activities the past hours, Stevie slid her arms around his waist and kissed his cheek “Well, once loverboy showed up no way would I let him out of my room until we worked some things out would i?” Christine left shaking her head while Stevie and Lindsey giggled uncontrollably, Mick passing them simply threw up his hands stating “I don’t even want to know. Just behave yourselves tonight.”     

They had, though they both messed up a bit more than normal, neither completely comfortable on stage. Now, her attention on nothing but him she could feel complete calm wash over her, her busy mind stilled.

In the beginning, she fell for the boy with the guitar. Now, watching the man with the guitar, so different yet still the same boy at heart, she knew he was right. In the end, it was easy. So very easy.

She knew what she wanted to do, wanted to say, but no idea how to say it. As she waited for him to get ready to play ‘Landslide’ she desperately tried to form something resembling coherent sentences, coherent thoughts. He looked up at her expectantly, and she suddenly realized he was ready for her to start talking. Whatever words had come to her vanished, and she knew she simply had to make it up on the spot, hoping it would all make sense, as she started to address the crowd.

“This next song is my dedication song, and I’ve dedicated it to a lot of people over the years, but there’s this one person who, frankly, it feels a bit silly to dedicate it to him, ‘cause to me he’s really as big a part of it as I am. Anyway  I’ll try to keep this short…probably end up a ramble…See, I’m really nervous and…um…let’s face it, this is awkward. We have been actively ignoring things tonight, things that, frankly, is none of your business anyway, but…thanks to our own stupidity, out there it is” Hands out to the side, already loosing track, she looked back at him. “Can you hear me back there?” “Yeah…kind of wondering where you’re going with this to be honest” he sounded nervous. Not as much as her though. “So, based on our…recent actions… some might think we haven’t really matured since I wrote this next song, and they may be right. 'Bloody fucking teenagers’ I believe was one characteristic we’ve had thrown at us” She laughed a bit of her own terrible British accent, and quickly noted that Lindsey was fighting to keep a neutral face, before she continued. “See, I was terrified then, and I’m terrified now, pretty much over the same man” composure faltering, she felt his arms wrap around her. “Only then, I actually acted, didn’t matter how terrified I was.  For the past, well, doesn’t really matter how long does it? Point is, lately up to this very moment  I’ve pretty much let fear rule me. I’ve been choosing the easy way, terrified that we won’t make it, that I’ll get hurt, hurting others in the process. But I’m done. I’m letting it out into the universe, cause I know it will never change. Lord knows I’ve spent the past 40 years willing it, forcing it to change, but it won’t.”  Turning in his arms, she faced him. “I love this man, always have, always will. Even when he’s acting more stubborn and difficult than me. And as long as he’ll have me, I’m his. All of me.” She looked up at him, he didn’t even hesitate and bent down for a kiss. She felt his hand move away from her back briefly, and a second later darkness enveloped them and he deepened the kiss. They pulled apart “I know I said I wanted you to give us a proper chance Stevie, but you didn’t have to do this” he whispered so only she could hear “I wanted to, wanted to tell the world. I’m ready for this, for us. I won’t run if you won’t.” She kissed him again, feeling freer than she had since she could remember, happy tears flowing down her face. They reluctantly pulled further apart, and the lighting director seemed to get the cue, returning the spotlight, as the audience cheered and Stevie she found her mic. “So anyway, I’m gonna need a moment” laughing as she wiped both her and his tears“ “This is always your song you know” she smiled as she squeezed his hand, turning to face the audience once more “This is Landslide, and it’s for Lindsey”.

Thank you guys so much for sticking with this story, hopefully you liked the ending. Turned a bit more schmaltzy than originally intended, but then I figured than if anyone could have that kind of ending, it's these two :)