The World Will Stain Us

Golden Gods, Part II

Alice nodded. "Well, I've got to go, but I'll see you lot again later, yeah?"

"Yeah," Andy said, looking somewhere between starstruck and confused. "Yeah, you will."

Alice bid them goodbye and departed into the crowd somewhere. Andy looked at them; Jake, wondering what had just happened, had to wonder if the look of confusion in his endlessly blue eyes was mirrored in his own.

"What the hell?" CC said, and that seemed to about sum it up.

"Come on," Jake said. "I want to get to the edge of the throng." He smiled at them. "It'd be nice to get a few moments with you guys before this thing starts.

CC took Andy's other hand, and they set off, weaving through the crowd of rockstars. They passed faces both human and supernatural, some familiar, some recognizable from previous tours or last year's Golden Gods, and some new faces―Jake saw Amy Lee of Evanescence talking to Jeremy Spencer of Five Finger Death Punch, and could have sworn he saw pointed ears hidden behind Lee's curtain of black hair as they passed.

They found an unoccupied space on the back wall where, Jake hoped, they would be largely ignored for the moment; he was already nervous about going out to collect their award and having to give a brief speech, and he didn't want any more attention on them than necessary. Besides, he really did want a few moments with his boyfriends before the awards show began.

"I'm not surprised Avenged is here again," remarked CC. "They're one of the biggest rock bands of the last decade."

"Nikki Sixx is here, too, Andy, did you see?" Jinxx added.

Andy nodded. "There's very little chance I'll go over and say hi, but yeah, I noticed."

Jake kissed him lightly. "You guys ready for the performance?"

Andy nodded again, playing with a stray strand of Jake's hair somewhat absently. "Yeah, I'm good."

CC shrugged. "I think so. I fed before we came in here, so I should be okay." He smiled at them. "You guys, though, man. Are you two ready for this?"

Jake glanced at Jinxx, who smiled at him. "I am, I think," he said. "This is exciting."

Jake nodded, agreeing. "Yeah. No idea what the fuck we're gonna say, though."

CC grinned and kissed him reassuringly. "A little improv never hurt anyone, right?"

"I think we're technically supposed to write and rehearse an acceptance speech," Jinxx frowned. "Not that we did that last year either."

Jake laughed. "Since when have we ever done what we're supposed to, anyway?"

"He's got a point," Andy said, and they all laughed.

Jake shook his head, a smile playing about his lips. "Nice to steal a few moments of peace before the storm," he said. "Being here with you guys again...and with Jinxx this time..." He shot the older vampire a soft smile. "It feels right," he finished, looking around at each of them. "It feels very right."

Jinxx squeezed his hand, smiling back―it didn't even look unnerving with the warpaint anymore. "It does," he agreed in his soft voice.

Andy kissed them both. "Well, we couldn't be here―or making music at all, let's be real―without either of you. I have to say, I'm so proud to call you my guitarists―and my boyfriends."

"What he said," CC chimed in. "But less eloquent."

Jake laughed; CC grinned and stole a quick kiss. "No, but seriously, man," he said. "I'm proud of you guys too. There's no one else in the world I'd rather be here with."