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It's Friday night. The time when By The Beat's live house buzz with chatter and burst with music, and also the busiest time for the boys.
Freo occupies himself backstage, making sure every performance of the night goes well under his precise eyes.
Seible stays around the tables. Promoting? Yes, but also chatting to their regulars, showering the atmosphere with his bubbly smile.
Zeal works behind the counter. Light shines on the bar, reflecting the shaker every time he serves up his signature drinks.
And Kaelix stood there, at the front door, with his usual stance and charm. Nothing out of the norm can barge in without his permission.
Despite the live house being more lively than other days, everyone still works with their full energy.
And for a certain bouncer, maybe a little too much energy.
The crowd at outside bustled, roaming into one place. Their loud gasps and murmurs caught Zeal's attention, whose bar was standing not so far away.
He trusted Kaelix. Any danger or quarrel weren't something to concerned,
A danger to the bouncer himself however,
Zeal rushed to the scene, finding the one and only, Kaelix Debonair, sitting down the last step of the stairs,—in the middle of the said crowd.
“…What happened here?” Zeal asked, not sure if someone can answer the cause of this.
All eyes fall on him, but before anyone can speak up, it was the bouncer who quickly reassure everyone about the situation
“Zeal? Ah—I’m fine! Really!” He waved his hand in the air, face flushed a little pink from embarrassment.
Kaelix looked surprised the moment he turned around and saw his co-worker, clearly wasn't expecting someone to come because of the fuss he made.
Even though he was trying to make it look okay, the crowd still murmurs with concern,
“Are you sure? That was quite a big fall…”
“Mr. Debonair…”
Kaelix turns around, smiling and waving to the crowd, in an attempt to assure everyone he was actually okay. But when he tried to get up,
“Ow—”
His mutter was unheard by the crowd of patrons, but not to Zeal. Kaelix slowly stood up, unsteady, and wasn't unnoticed by Zeal either.
Although Kaelix was keeping the same smile, Zeal wasn't having it at all.
Zeal frowns, “I don't think you're okay”
Kaelix quick turns, “I'm fine, Zeal.”
The crowd already seems to lost interest the moment Kaelix got up on his feet. Even though they're still concerned, there's not much anyone can do if the man himself claims to be fine.
However, that doesn't apply to Zeal.
He knew Kaelix was just trying to shrug it off, not wanting others to worry about himself. He might take care of it later, alone. And Zeal does not like that.
Even so, he didn't want to catch anymore attention to them.
Zeal lowers his voice,
“You can't even stand still. What do you mean you're fine?”
“I am fine, Ginjoka. It only hurts for now”
Kaelix countered, also dropping his voice below his breath. He didn't ignore the fact that it hurts—just not now. He can't be hurt now.
Their quiet banter goes on for a while, none of the people dares to interrupt the two. To be fair, who would anyways.
One thing for sure was Kaelix's unsteady right leg. His ankle was visibly shaking, and Kaelix was also tensing up every time he press his weight on.
It does not look like it'd get better anytime soon.
Until Kaelix flinched, the moment he tried to walk away, that's when Zeal had enough.
That's it. He's stepping in.
Zeal took a step further, and did the unexpected.
The crowd shook.
Kaelix shook.
He remained calm.
In one swift moment, Zeal scooped Kaelix up, carrying him bridal style. The tall bouncer immediately looked small against his chest.
Kaelix yelped, his voice went higher pitch. “Wha—What are you doing!?”
But Zeal didn't let it bother him as he just walked back inside…just like that. He left as quickly as when he came.
The crowd was left to watch. Some leaving their mouth hang open, some just stared in confusion.
The silence was loud, no one knew what's going on.
Not even the one getting carried away knew.
“What was that…”
“…Don’t question”
.
.
.
.
“Zeal. What's wrong with you?”
Hitting Zeal's chest, wiggling his way out—Kaelix tried both. None worked, as you can see. He only stopped when his leg started to hurt when he moved, and Zeal seems to be satisfied by it.
The bartender not only carried him into the live house, through every patron they passed over. He brought him all the way to their staff room, only accessible by the four of them.
It doesn't make Kaelix's embarrassment go away though. How unfortunate does it has to be that today is one of the most crowded day he ever worked.
Even Seible was staring at them in disbelief.
How is he going to face anyone after this?
Kaelix decided to hid his face the whole time. If he sees no one, no one will see him right? (no)
Until the sound of music fades away in the background, something soft touches his back, and a different shade of light hits his eyes, Kaelix slowly regains his sight.
Zeal is still the first person he saw, but now a little far away. The black-haired man had placed him down on an armchair, not too far from where himself is standing now.
Kaelix watches as Zeal rummages through their first aid kit on one of the counter-tops. It's awfully quiet, quite unusual for him and Zeal whenever they're around each other. From what they were arguing about earlier at the front entrance, Kaelix would assume Zeal’s upset that he got hurt.
Carrying him was a little dramatic, but if not, Kaelix's stubbornness would injure his ankle further. Zeal had a point there, he got to admit.
Understood that he was at fault, Kaelix sat quietly, didn't utter a word.
When Zeal turns around with a roll of bandage in hand and a bottle of water in another, he's met with the sight of Kaelix sulking on the chair, refused to look this way.
An image of a sad dog came to mind.
A very similar scene, really.
Anyways, Zeal couldn't contain a smile as he kneels down before Kaelix. He placed the stuff on the floor, for now, he needs to check on this puppy first. Zeal knew Kaelix thought he was angry, well, he was for a moment or two. But seeing the usually beaming guy all sulky and withered,
Who's gonna stay mad for long?
Zeal slowly reached up to Kaelix's chin, earning a slight startle but he remains gentle with his turn, “Kaelix darling, look at me, will you?”
No immediate response. Kaelix glanced at him one second before averting away.
He mutters under his breath, “Are you still mad at me?”
Zeal, “How will you know if you won't look?”
And it worked as Kaelix finally, slowly turns towards Zeal.
Zeal greets him with a faint grin, “I'm not mad, alright? Tell me what happened.”
Kaelix sighs softly, relived or stressed, he doesn't know. But his stances were slightly relaxed after knowing Zeal isn't upset anymore.
He watches as Zeal carefully deals with his sprained ankle. From taking off his shoes, his socks, or holding his foot up against Zeal's own knee. Every touch was slow, attentive, like he could've broke Kaelix's leg if he held it too hard.
Still dramatic but…he does like this endearing side of Zeal.
Kaelix hesitated to tell the story a little bit because how stupid it sounds. He didn't know when or why there was a drink spilled on the floor, he definitely knew it the moment his foot slipped from one step of the stairs to another and then boom—down to the floor. Fortunately it was just a few steps of stairs.
None of that would've happened if he wasn't winking to a patron, by the way.
Kaelix, “The floor was wet and I just- you know, slipped.”
Zeal only hums in response, eyes focused on the sprain on his ankle.
Kaelix, “Maybe my gasp was too loud everyone got concerned…but I'm fine, really.”
Zeal chuckles softly, perhaps finding the way Kaelix keeps mentioning ‘he's fine’ funny. His hand continues, wrapping Kaelix's ankle like a delicate parcel.
Kaelix, “…you didn't need to do all this”
As Kaelix's voice keeps getting quieter, Zeal then finishes up with a kiss on the bandaged ankle. A loud ‘mwah‘, as if wanting it to be clearly heard.
With that last part, Kaelix couldn't help but blushes a darker shade of pink, hiding his embarrassed face with his gloved hand.
This guy—as if carrying him in such posture in front of everyone wasn't enough to make his heart go wild.
Kaelix groans under his covered hand, “you made me sick, Ginjoka”
Then again, Zeal returns with a low chuckle.
“you're never sick of me, Debonair”
He's right.
Kaelix can't get sick of Zeal.
Not while he’s stupidly in love with this man.