((Panic attack scene. Proceed with caution))
Y/N's POV
I watched that whole performance backstage. All of them fucking rocked it. I saw a lot of girls with very minimal amount of clothing, they wanted Bruce to acknowledge them. Jealously was a bitch. All of them were definitely more attractive than me though, but still, I hated them looking at him.
We've done so many shows so far, I lost exact count of what concert we were on. All I knew is that it was almost Christmas time and were at the end of the 3rd leg of the tour. They had a concert on the 23rd of December, today, and then on Christmas Day.
I always felt anxious before shows, but this time in was more prominent. I felt paranoid and scared. I don't know why, I just did.
I've always had deadly senses when it came to bad things happening. I was sitting in my hotel room, panicking more and more. Normally in a situation like this, I'd go to Bruce. He went out for a drink with the guys.
Panic attacks are regular for me though.
I don't know why this one effected me so badly.
Don't do anything foolish...
Don't do anything...
Breathe...
You'll be okay...
Slowly, the thoughts became darker.
Bruce won't love you...
Why won't you disappear?
Adrian hates you...
Dave hates you...
Steve hates you...
Janick hates you...
Nicko hates you...
BRUCE WILL NEVER LOVE YOU...
Tears were falling down my face and I backed myself into a corner. I wanted peace. I needed Bruce. But he wasn't here.
I need relief...
Shaking, I got up and went to the bathroom. I sat on the toilet and tried to compose myself. I heard a knock on my hotel room though, I got up and slowly opened the door. There stood Bruce, looking worried.
"Hey- Woah, what's wrong?" He asked. I was at a loss for words, I couldn't make my mouth move. He came into my room and sat down on my bed. He patted the spot next to him. I went over and sat down next to him.
He reached over and grabbed my hand. His hands were soft and him holding my cold hands made me feel safe.
"Y/N, please, what happened?" He asked softly.
"I started overthinking about t-tonight's show. I feel like something bad will happen. I don't know, Bruce." I trailed off. He looked at me, care and worry in his eyes. I threw my arms around him and hugged him tight. I wish I could tell him how I felt. I wanted to do this and kiss him and love him, but I can't bring myself to ask him. These past months, I couldn't say a thing. I was so close to saying what I felt the night of the first show.
He did kiss me that day though. It didn't mean anything though, did it?
"Y/N. Nothing bad will happen tonight, I promise you." He said holding me tight. There was another knock on the door.
"Who is it?" Bruce asked, there was silence.
"Ey, Bruce, we gotta get ready, they want us early for sound check!" It was Nicko. He got up, not letting go of me therefore forcing me to the door with him. I didn't care. All I needed right now was to feel safe and comforted. Bruce opened the door to find not just Nicko, but the whole band. Everyone gave us a weird look, but when they saw me, they understood, they didn't question, but just the thought that they might made me hold Bruce's hand tighter.
"Let's go, they got all your costumes." Steve stated to Bruce, he nodded and we left the room. We walked down the hallway and eventually got to the SUV that had been waiting for us.
Me and Bruce sat next to each other in the car while Nicko rode shotgun. Adrian and Dave were in the way back while Steve and Janick were in the way front.
I could see Bruce kept looking at me to see if I was okay. I was thinking about how everything could go wrong.
Would Bruce get hurt?
Would there be some idiot in the crowd that would rush the stage?
What could happen?
"Are you okay?" Bruce whispered. I gave him a look that said I'd be okay eventually. He didn't buy it. He, himself, looked afraid. I don't know why.
We got to the stadium where they would be preforming. I stayed backstage and focused on checking if things were okay. We had costumes washed and hung up in correct order for Bruce. Nicko's drumsticks were on his stand next to his drum set. Everything was in place.
I checked back in with Rod to ensure him everything was in order. To put everything to the test, they played The Trooper. Everything was successful.
With showtime rapidly approaching, I became anxious once more. Everything was in order, what could go wrong? People were outside chanting Maiden and yelling.
Churchill's Speech played loudly through the speakers. I heard the screams of fans and it made me happy. They loved them so much, the loyalty of the fans was astonishing to me. Bruce walked past me getting ready to run on stage, then he turned to me.
"I have a surprise for you later on in the show. I'll come get you." He said smiling mischievously.
God damn it, Bruce.
I smiled and nodded. Then forced him to run out before he had to start singing.
I waited and waited for the first little break they would have. Then it came.
"Hey, Hey, Hey." Bruce said walking up the stage to the audience.
"We have a nice ass half n hour ahead of us, are you ready?" The crowd shouted and screamed back at him. He was pretty good at hyping up the audience.
"Next song, we didn't do on the others shows. So this is just for you guys. But always remember, the good that men do is often swept away..."
Oh my god.
"But the evil that men do, lives on..." I heard the crowd cheer and Bruce came towards me. He handed me the microphone and lead me up the stairs to his little platforms he could run around.
It was amazing to see all the people in the crowd right in front of me. By this point the band already started playing the song.
"You know the words, right?" He yelled. I nodded and smiled.
"Sing it!" I was put on the spot right there but I could handle it.
"Love is a razor and I walk the line on that silver blade." I sang then handed the microphone back to Bruce. He looked surprised and hugged me tight.
"Slept in the dust with his daughter eyes red with the slaughter of innocence." He lifted my chin up so I could look at him directly.
"And I would pray for her, I would call her name out loud. I would bleed for her." He drifted away from me and held out his hand.
"If I could only see her now.~" He did this dramatically and I played along, I reached out for him while having a look of disparity.
He sang the chorus and walked back over to me.
"Circle of fire, my baptism of joy and at the end it seems. The seventh lamb slain and the book of life opens before me." He brought me to my feet and held my hand tightly.
"And I would pray for her. Some day I may return. I would cry for her. Beyond is where I learn." He sang as he brought me close to him. He took my hand again and led me to the end of one of the platforms while singing the chorus.
"The evil... the evil... the evil that men do. The evil that men do... the evil... the evil... the evil that men do!" He held out the last note and took a deep breath in. When he composed himself, he looked at me with such happiness in his eyes. He grabbed my waist and held me tight, I put his arms around his neck. I could see he was hesitant to do something. We pulled away and he kissed me on the forehead. My heart skipped a beat and I was blushing like crazy. Before he led me offstage to the backstage I caught another glimpse of the crowd. One figure stood out.
It was Dylan.
He was here watching the show.
This is the bad thing I predicted.
I gave Bruce one last hug then rushed backstage. I had to find Rod. I couldn't find him anywhere, I knew I had to sit out and wait for Bruce.
I went to the back room where the guys set up and get dressed and where they unwind after the show. I sat on the couch they had and tried to calm myself down, for 30 minutes this was unsuccessful. Footsteps came down the hallway and in the doorway revealed the band, sweating and laughing. Bruce saw me and immediately grabbed me and pulled me away from the others.
"Are you okay? Did I scare you? I'm really sorry if I did." He said panicked.
"I saw Dylan in the crowd. He was in front." I answered back as calm as I could be.
His expression changed drastically, it went from worried to anger. He grabbed my hand tightly and led me outside, where they would pick us up. A guard was outside looking out for our SUV.
"We need to get to the hotel right now." Bruce said. The guard looked at him quizzically. He simply shrugged and looked on.
"We need one right fucking now. Get us to the god damn hotel." Bruce's face turned even redder from frustration. The guard got a taxi for the both of us and shoved us in there and we were sent off to the hotel. I couldn't help but look at Bruce, he kept his hand locked around mine. He didn't speak a word, his beautiful caramel brown eyes never met mine. We got to the hotel and Bruce led me to his room. He fished out his key and shoved into the keyhole, he opened the door and yanked me into the room. I looked at him confused and a little nervous. Bruce went over to the phone in the room and picked it up and dialed Rod's mobile number.
"Rod. I need a ticket back home." What the fuck was Bruce doing?
"No! It's not for me! Y/N needs to go home! She's not safe here!" He furrowed his brow.
"She will get fucking hurt if she's not at home. I will fucking pay for anything. She needs to get home tonight, though." After a moment of silence, he slammed the phone down.
"God damn it!" He yelled. I went over to him and put my hand on his shoulder. He looked at me, frustration in his eyes turned into regret. Most likely for the sudden outburst of anger.
"Y/N... I'm really sorry you had to see that. I just really want you to be safe." He pulled me into a hug. This man was the greatest thing to happen to me. He really did care.
"Y/N?" He asked quietly. I looked up at him.
"Is it bad to love your best friend?" I was taken aback by the question. My heartbeat picked up, not because of anxiety, it was my love for Bruce.
"Fuck it." He looked at me and kissed me roughly.
What the fuck is happening?
And why don't I mind this?
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(End of Chapter 9(?) I don't know I'm too tired to care. Anyways, hello, updates might come more frequently cuz I'm not surrounded by dickheads you call family. By the way, nearly 2000 words. Wow.)