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It was another packed night at Fuse, the local live music bar that Sunset Curve had a standing Thursday night gig at. The place was thick with the smell of beer and fried food, the low ceiling vibrating with the pulse of the band’s final chords. Luke stood front and center on the small stage, fingers still curled tightly around the guitar neck, his grin wide and reckless. Sweat trickled down his temples, his heart pounding not only from the set’s finale but from the raw, buzzing energy of the crowd crammed into the space.
The cheers swelled, a ragged chant of their name rising over the clink of glasses. As always, Luke was the first to hop down from the stage, weaving through the narrow space between tables and bar stools. He signed napkins, posed for blurry Polaroids, and leaned into the warm, noisy chaos of people pressing close. He lived for this—those brief, electric connections with the people who believed in their music.
While greeting a small group near the bar, Luke noticed a young woman with dark hair and a smile that was just a little too sure of itself. When she leaned toward him, Luke assumed she wanted a hug. Instead, she caught him off guard, her lips pressing against his.
He instinctively went to pull back, but her hand caught his neck, sharp nails biting into his skin as her tongue pressed between his unmoving lips. For a moment he froze, mind cataloguing the taste of beer mixed with the artificial strawberry of the girl's lip gloss. Finally he broke loose from the shock and pushed the body curling around him back by the shoulder.
"Hey, everything ok here?" Luke barely registered the strangely tense sounding voice of Reggie, who had appeared at his side.
He let out a laugh that probably came off as kind of frantic sounding, gesturing towards backstage as he pointedly avoided eye contact with the girl in front of him. "Yeah, hey sorry I've just got to go start putting away some of our gear. Manager's picky about what time we get out of here you know."
Not pausing to hear the response of either Reggie or the girl Luke turned around, weaving through the crowd and headed for the small back room where they had stashed their gear boxes and belongings.
As he walked someone caught his hand. He reacted instinctively, yanking his hand back and whirling around.
"Whoa hey," Alex pulled back from Luke, his hands raised in the air in apology and eyebrows furrowed. "Sorry, I just wanted to make sure you were ok?"
Luke glanced between the blonde and where he could see Reggie was still standing with the girl who had kissed him, having what looked to be a tense conversation if the angry scowl that twisted the girl's pink lips was anything to go by.
"Yeah, I -" he coughed and then grimaced, using his sleeve to wipe off the sticky gloss that he could feel clinging to his lips. "Just need a water break. You know how it is."
Alex frowned, clearly not fully buying the singer's response, but seemed willing to let him get by with the excuse. "Sure, well I've got a couple bottles stashed behind by kit if you want."
"Sweet, thanks bro!" Luke forced a grin, offering the drummer a quick fist bump before turning and darting away, this time heading for the stage.
As he hopped up onto the edge of the stage and made his way behind the drums he felt a faint itch begin prickling at the back of his throat. Chalking it up to a long night of singing he located one of the stashed bottles of water and downed it in a long chug, relishing in the cool relief.
Deciding that the boys could handle the fans for a bit he grabbed a second bottle of water and settled onto the edge of the stage, sipping occasionally at the water when he felt a catch in his throat. Every once in a while he could feel the concerned gaze of his bandmates, but he ignored the looks in favor of fighting down the creeping sense of anxiety and panic that he assumed were a result of the unwanted physical affection.
He expected the itch in his throat to go away as he drank, but instead it became a burn, his voice catching slightly as he tried to cough. By the time he’d finished the second bottle of water a tightness had settled in his chest and the bright lights of the stage seemed to be fizzing in and out of focus. His palms felt clammy, and his heart felt like it was gearing up for a marathon in his chest.
Suddenly the crowd was too much, even from his secluded position along the edge of the stage, and he lurched up, desperate for the quite darkness of the back room.
By the time he made it through the narrow hallway into the bar’s cramped staging room he could hear his own breathing, a harsh, grating whistle breaking through the silence. He stumbled slightly, floor swaying underneath his feet as he tried to lean a hand against the wall to steady himself.
Instead of the wall Luke felt a pair of arms steadying him. Even through the confusion of reality he recognized the familiar woody smell of Reggie's cologne. The bassist's grip became even firmer as Luke sagged in the comforting hold.
Between one blink and the next Luke found himself on the ground, cradled against Reggie's chest, with the bassist trying desperately to catch his eyes.
"Luke, what's happening? Are you - is this a panic attack?"
"Fuck." The curse came from a different direction and Luke's headed lolled over to find Alex dropping to his knees in front of him.
The drummer's fingers were light and gentle, running over Luke's cheekbones and then down his neck as he spoke. “You’re really pale—and your neck—” His touch briefly outlined the vibrant red hives that had spread themselves across the singer's throat. “This isn't a panic attack. Luke what did you eat? Did you have peanuts?”
Luke blinked for a moment, brain struggling to catch up with the drummer's line of thought. As it did though a fresh burst of panic made his fingers begin to shake and the faint taste of beer, strawberries, and something else...something nutty... filled his memory. "No," he shook his head, a heavy wheeze cutting him off. "No but -she kissed."
A heavy bought of coughing forced him to stop talking and all he could focus on for a moment was trying to fight through the tightness to get some air. He could feel Reggie's hand, rubbing circles on his back as the bassist murmured frantic requests for Luke to "just breath".
Finally the coughing fit eased, though the tightness remained, and Luke slumped exhausted against Reggie's chest. He blinked, watching through half lidded eyes as Alex tore through his backpack, dumping supplies into untidy piles. "Where is it, come on. I know I've got it somewhere."
"Aha!" with a triumphant exclamation Alex dropped the bag, holding a thick white pen with blue and orange caps on either end in his hand. Luke winced pre-emptively, already familiar with what was about to happen after a 5th grade birthday party gone wrong had led to a friend's mom having to inject him with his epi-pen.
Luckily Alex and Reggie had been at that same party and had stayed with Luke through the injection and the subsequent trip to the hospital, so they also knew the drill for this kind of situation.
"I know babe, but you'll feel so much better in a minute," Alex soothed, one hand squeezing Luke's knee comfortingly while exchanging a grim look with the bassist behind Luke at the same time. In response roughly calloused fingers turned Luke's chin so that he was looking up at Reggie's dark, concerned eyes.
"Hey so I was thinking - for the gig next week - maybe we could try some country covers? I really think you'd be killer at Check Yes or No!"
Luke rolled his eyes, swollen lips quirking up despite the situation, but before he could answer he felt the comforting hand on his knee stiffen until his leg was held firmly in place, and a pressure on his thigh quickly turned into a sharp bite.
He couldn't help but yelp at the sensation of the needle digging in, only just able to catch the noise behind his lips. His body jerked briefly, but his bandmate's firm grips kept him in place with soothing pressure.
"One, two, three."
Luke could hear Alex counting under his breath, knew the injector had to stay in long enough to deliver the dose, so he fought the urge to pull away after the initial jolt.
Finally with a click and a rustle of fabric the pen was gone, tossed hastily into the trash can, and Alex's hands were soothingly massaging the brunette's leg, easing the sting of the injection and encouraging the medication to spread out faster.
As the medication hit his blood stream Luke suddenly felt his heart rate spike, a jittery pulse pounding in his ears. His back arched slightly, head tilting back against Reggie's shoulder and mouth gasping at the rush. Tremors ran through his limbs and sweat dotted his skin as the tightness in his chest began to ease. His breathing deepened, still ragged but improving as color crept back into his cheeks.
“There we go. That's better. Do you think you need an ambulance?” Alex asked, tone seesawing between soothing and urgent.
“No hospitals,” Luke rasped, eyelids fluttering as he shook his head. “They'll call my parents. I can’t risk it.”
Reggie’s hold tightened, voice low and steady. “Ok. Ok no hospital. But then we're spending the night at the garage with you. No way are we leaving you alone."
They turned the couch and old armchairs into a makeshift nest, layering it with worn blankets and mismatched pillows pulled from every corner of the space. Luke’s breathing slowly evened out, the harsh wheeze fading to something quieter, but the residual tremors from both the allergic reaction and the medication kept his muscles tense. His legs jittered occasionally, and a restless energy pulsed under his skin, leaving him shifting and readjusting every few minutes despite the bone-deep exhaustion pulling at him.
They worked out a silent rotation for watch. Alex sat cross-legged on the floor near Luke’s head, reading quietly under the warm glow of a single desk lamp, glancing up every so often to count the steady rise and fall of his chest. Reggie, perched on the edge of the couch when it was his turn, sketched in a beat-up notebook, the soft scratch of pencil on paper filling the comfortable silence. Between them, they checked Luke’s breathing, coaxed him into taking slow sips of water, spread cream over the worst of his hives, and spoke in low, steady voices that smoothed the edges of his lingering panic.
Sometime past 2 in the morning, Luke shifted onto his side, body finally spent of adrenaline. His back brushed against Reggie’s solid warmth as he slowly went limp, finally beginning to give in to the need to sleep. A moment later, Alex settled in front of him, draping an arm protectively across his middle. The closeness, the steady pressure of their presence, made the last of the tension in Luke’s body melt.
“Thanks guys” he murmured, his voice thin but certain in the quiet. "I don't know what I'd do without you."
“You won't ever have to find out,” Alex said gently, brushing Luke’s hair back from his damp forehead.
Reggie’s arm tightened around him, his voice low and sure. “We’ve got you. Always.”
For the first time in years, Luke allowed himself to believe it—real belonging, as tangible and grounding as the steady heartbeats pressed close on either side.
Morning came with the scent of fresh coffee and the sound of soft laughter drifting in from the makeshift garage kitchen. Luke stirred, blinking against the pale light streaming through the garage windows, and watched fondly as Alex and Reggie quietly squabbled over how much sugar was appropriate in a cup of coffee.
Finally he shifted, pushing back the bundle of blankets that had been carefully tucked around him, and stretched, back cracking in a satisfying manner. He could feel the ache of abused muscles rippling through his chest and throat, but overall it was clear the danger had passed. He'd need a day or two before he'd be singing any Madonna songs, but he knew it could have been much, much worse.
Something warm nudged his hand, breaking him from his revery, and he instinctively grasped the handle, humming in appreciation as the rich scent of perfectly sweetened coffee drifted up from the mug that was now in his hands.
Looking up from chipped ceramic he smiled into the concerned, fond gazes of his bandmates.
“You okay?” Reggie asked, his eyes sweeping over Luke’s face.
Luke let out a slow breath, a faint smile tugging at his lips. “Yeah. I think I am.” And for once, he truly meant it.