"Y/n, did you like the new Judas Priest album?" Joey asks as you both walk out to the school parking lot at the end of the day.
"I loved it!" you smile. "So high energy and badass, and Rob Halford's vocals--just, goddamn!"
"Y'know they're touring," your boyfriend adds with a smile.
"They are?"
"Mh-hm, and they're coming here," his smile grows.
"No fucking way," you grab his shoulder and stop Joey. "We have to go."
"Well, I'm a bit ahead of you there," Joey reaches into his pocket and pulls out an envelope and hands it to you.
"Holy shit!" you drop your bag and bear hug your boyfriend. "Thank you so much, Joey! Thank you!"
"Of course," Joey replies as you pull away from him. You open the envelope to look at the tickets, but-
"There's only one here," you note.
"You'll have fun, Y/n," your boyfriend's tone is a little bittersweet.
"I mean, thank you so much, but why didn't you take the ticket for yourself?"
"You like Judas Priest more than me, so I thought you'd have more fun," he shrugs.
You force yourself to keep the smile as you give Joey another hug and kiss goodbye before heading to your car. As you drive home, the Painkiller cassette doesn't sound as good as it did on the way to school.
When you head to work the next day, you ask your boss if you can pick up more hours throughout the week. With the concert three months away, that gives you ample time to save up for a ticket in the same section as the seat Joey bought.
...
It's about three days before the concert, and you bought Joey's ticket about a month ago. You're basically vibrating with excitement that you're going to see your favorite band with your favorite person.
"Hey, what's up?" Joey's voice finally comes through the phone.
"Hey, I'm so sorry to ask you this, but my car broke down and I can't get a ride to the show. I know I'm a bitch for asking this...can you drive me?" you lie. There isn't a damn thing wrong with your car. You just need a way to get Joey to the concert so you can surprise him.
"I mean, I guess. I don't work or anything that day. Just let me know when I need to pick you up," your boyfriend replies.
"It's okay, I can walk to your house and we can go from there. You don't live too far from me."
"Sure, whatever works," Joey's tone is a bit cold as he says he'll talk to you later.
That makes you nervous. Maybe this plan wasn't well constructed.
The day of the concert comes, and you slip both tickets into your pocket, along with a spare eyeliner and lip gloss. You say goodbye to your parents before heading out and starting the three block walk to Joey's house.
Upon arriving, it is clear that the whole house isn't happy with you. Joey's mother glares at you, along with one of his sisters. Even the family cat ignores you when you try to get her attention. Joey greets you flatly and runs to his room to grab a jacket.
"So what's wrong with your car?" Joey's mom's voice is like ice.
"Why is everyone pissed at me?" you ask like you don't already know.
"Don't you think it's a bit sadistic to make Joey drive you to a concert he couldn't afford to get himself a ticket to?" Joey's mom crosses her arms as you approach her.
You reach into a pocket and show her the two tickets. "There's nothing wrong with my car. I bought him a ticket and I needed a way to get him to the show so I could surprise him. He's not going to be home until maybe 11 tonight."
The glare melts from the woman's face as your plan clicks with her. She brings you in for a hug and whispers a request for a shirt.
"Of course," you nod, letting her go as you hear Joey's footsteps coming down the hall.
The drive to the venue is a little tense, but you can tell Joey's trying to hide it.
"Here, park on this street. You won't have to pay," you motion to a side street without many cars in it.
Joey shrugs as he turns into the street and parks the car. "Alright, have fun. Do you need a ride home?"
"I was thinking I could ride with you," you casually hold Joey's ticket out in his direction. When he doesn't take it, you shake the ticket around to get his attention to it.
"Wait, what the fuck?" he slowly grabs it, his gaze moving between the ticket you've got on your lap while you fix your makeup and the ticket in his hand.
"I wasn't gonna go to this show without you, so I bought you a ticket," you flip up the mirror and put your eyeliner back in your pocket.
"Oh my god, thank you," Joey smiles for the first time that evening. He grabs your shirt to pull you in for a kiss.
"Wait," Joey pulls away but keeps his grip on your shirt. "Did you tell my mom? She'll lose her shit if she doesn't know."
"I told her when you were getting your jacket. You're fine," you reassure.
"Oh, I love you," Joey releases a breath and kisses you again. "Alright, let's go!"
Joey grabs your hand through the whole walk to the venue while you both butcher various Judas Priest songs. Seeing him so excited and energetic throughout the show makes your night. He's so precious when the band starts a song he loves and he grabs your arm, inviting you to dance and belt it out with him.
At the end of the night, when both of your voices are killed and your wallets are empty after raiding the merch stand, you and Joey fall into his car. He throws his merch in the backseat, then immediately pulls you into a makeout. When he eventually pulls away, he thanks you again.
He starts the car and the drive to your house begins. It's about a 30 minute drive spent listening to Judas Priest and belting out songs until it feels like your throat is burning. Then, like he always does, Joey gives you a kiss before and after he walks you up to your door.
That ticket was well worth the extra hours of retail work.
...
take a shot every time you read the word "ticket". it's 15 including the one i just put down here