[花怜 | HuaLian]: L.A. Stage Fright [TGCF Modern AU]

[My Song]

Liam followed his advice. 

It was very obvious to him that the lady Charlie called  "his Boss"  was making advances, trying to pick him up, now that she was getting more drunk on her third or fourth glass of alcohol, and he couldn't wait to get away from her.

- Well, what do ya know. I thought all of you wankers would be going home after the intermission.  –  Charlie grinned.  –  Are you ready for some more good old-fashioned rock'n'roll?!?  –  he yelled.

The crowd cheered, now already handsomely drunk, and as he saw Liam standing a little to the side, he purred into the mic:

- Oh, come closer, my love.

Liam blushed severely, thankful for the dim light inside the club, and approached, till he was standing yet again in front of the stage, in front of Charlie  –  the girls were making way for him quite grudgingly.

- Charlie...  -  he mumbled, very flushed, but watching him all the time.

- The next song is new. Some of you might have heard it last week...

Loud cheering and clapping, and the occasional  "Wohooo!"  from the dark mass of people. Charlie looked straight into Liam's face, which seemed to carry some kind of glow now, and continued coarsely:

- It is a song that I have written for the one I love so very much.

Amazed, Liam saw most people stare at him, or take out their phones to take pictures and videos of it, or stream it on the global net. 

And then Charlie started singing.

Liam's only thought was that it was heartbreaking. It was beautiful and gentle, just like Charlie was, but there were also his deep sorrow and anguish interwoven in it, unmistakably so. He did not realize that tears were running down his cheeks; he could only stare at Charlie, who was singing and crying on stage. 

Love was pain, Liam realized. 

Why was it so hard? Why did it hurt so much? Always?

People were shooting him, and shooting Charlie, and when the song was over, he came down from the stage amidst a rain of applause to hug Liam, press him to his body very tight again. Liam lifted his hand and caressed his face, murmuring:

- Don't cry, my love... I am here. I will always be with you. I will never leave... I love you, Charlie...

***

To Pam's extreme exasperation, after that stupid song, the two started kissing deeply again, getting lost in each other, and she was on the brink of scolding Charlie to come back to the stage, but tonight this was  not  a very good idea. The Boss was here, observing everything very carefully, inhaling her drinks one after the other; also, she could not forget Charlie's face when he threatened to  skin her alive.  

It... it had sounded like...  a promise.

So she waited a little, staring at the mad crowd  –  people were going crazy over those two. She could not understand. What did Charlie see in that simple, plain boy? He was nothing special. Was he so good in bed? 

She bit her lip. Was Charlie really into boys? Did she really have no chances? She had heard stories about his dead wife from years ago, but still. One never knew with Charlie; with him, lies and the truth were just a mirage, a Fata Morgana.

Finally, Charlie came back onto the stage  – thank god!   -  and the annoying Liam stayed in front of them, gaping, but now, to make things worse, the Boss decided to join him, which, naturally caused the audience to take two careful steps back.

***

Charlie was singing, but also carefully watching his Boss come up in front of the stage and take Liam's waist, grinning, whispering something in his ear. He frowned. He never doubted his lover, but he feared this wicked woman would force him into something he would not be able to say  "no"  to.

As soon as the song was done, he came off the stage and grunted:

- Boss, let go of him.

Liam was staring at him with begging eyes, unable to speak. Tessa was watching all of it, terrified.

- Oh, come on, Charlie!  –   she slurred.  – You cannot have all the candy all to yourself! Right? You must share!  Come on! It will be fun!

She leaned in to bury her face in Liam's hair, and inhaled deeply, grinning.

- You smell so sweet, boy!  –  she exclaimed.  –  Candy boy!

Charlie grabbed Liam's arm and pulled him towards himself. The crowd fell absolutely silent, observing the scene breathlessly.

- Boss, if you don't let go of him, we are gonna leave now, and never come back.  –  he growled.

- Charlie...  -  Liam gasped, truly afraid now.

- You don't scare me, darling!  –   she mumbled.  –  Besides, what's wrong with sharing? Have you guys ever had a threesome? I could show you some moves... You are both so pretty!   -   she giggled drunkenly.

- I don't share. He is mine. Mine only.  –  Charlie growled now, menacingly, and Liam started shaking, torn between the two  –  the woman grabbing his waist, and Charlie grabbing his arm. 

Was there going to be a fight? Police?! 

Oh god! 

His brain alarmed him of the greatest danger of them all  –  the Ghost King re-awaking.

He would soak the neighborhood in blood in just a second. 

****

NOTE:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fata_Morgana_(mirage)