Trey wanted to be up on that stage playing with Dominic—just the two of them, like that night at Off Beat. Trey on keys, Dominic making his violin sing. He clung to the daydream while Dominic played.
Dominic’s gaze returned to Trey time and again during the next two covers, all of them slight variations on the original, giving them a unique XYZ flair that the crowd ate up. Trey couldn’t pretend they sucked because they didn’t. They were really fucking good, and they could probably be great if they had original music.
Not that Trey planned on writing them any.
He snapped a picture of Dominic with his phone, because he didn’t have one yet. He got a great shot, Dominic’s blinding smile on in full force, showing off both dimples. The guy was probably wetting the panties and tenting the shorts of half the people in the audience. He’d have hadeveryonewanting him if he’d played his violin.
Trey preened a little, knowing that no matter how many people here might want Dominic, Trey was the one who had him. They might not have labeled this thing they had beyond friendship, but it was more than that. It was indefinable, and that was okay.
He cheered and whooped when they finished, insanely proud of Dominic and wishing that he could race backstage to congratulate him. Hating that he wasn’t brave enough to walk up to Dominic and plant a hard kiss on him in front of anyone around. What if he never got to that place where he wascomfortable with his queerness? If he couldn’t be open about who he was like every single member of XYZ?
Dominic would dump his ass, that’s what.
And Trey would deserve it.
Until Dominic got tired of him, Trey would hold on tight. Do everything he could to make himself worthy of Dominic’s smiles, kisses, and attention.
Trey turned and headed toward the vendor tents, an idea sparking in his mind—something he knew Dominic would understand. Something Dominic could keep with him, even if he one day decided to let Trey go.
TWELVE
For the entirehour leading up to their performance, Dom had tried hard not to hyperventilate or puke on anyone. He was not ashamed to have brought a plastic bag backstage with him, just in case. Today had been his first time performing in front of a crowd of thousands in over six years, and he’d woken up with the very real urge to just say nope to the whole thing.
A long, reassuring hug from Lincoln had helped settle some of the queasiness that followed him around all morning and into the afternoon. Listening to Fading Daze play on the other side of the stage had been a breathtaking experience—especially knowing that Trey had written every song they sang.
The final number had hit Dom the hardest, because the lyrics seemed to paint a picture of their undefined, sometimes confusing, often exhilarating relationship. And Trey sang it so beautifully that Dom hated that he couldn’t say it to his face.
When he couldn’t avoid it any longer and it was time to set up their instruments, Dom had frozen. Literally frozen in the wings, unable to get his arms or legs to move. Lincoln, God bless him, had waited behind for him. He leaned in close and whispered, “He’s not out there, babe.”
The words had unlocked Dom from his anxiety and he’d followed Lincoln out. Set up the keyboard with no issues, all the while doing his best to ignore the audience. Even the asshole who screamed “fag” at them didn’t get under his skin, because they’d heard it before.
Relaxing into actually playing had finally freed him of all fear, and he’d started to smile. Started to look around. He’d started to acknowledge the audience screaming for them, cheering them on. And then he’d seen Trey.
The adoration and pride radiating from Trey had hit him like a nuclear blast. Sure, Trey had texted that he’d be there to watch, but Dominic hadn’t expected to be able to pick him out from five thousand other faces. It also didn’t surprise him that he had. So he played for Trey, and he played for his bandmates, and he left the stage floating. Insanely happy in a way he couldn’t understand, much less verbalize.
He’d done it. He’d played in front of thousands, and he’d played well. The cheering followed them offstage and into the wings, and he threw himself into Lincoln’s arms. He picked his slightly shorter friend up and twirled him around, barely feeling it on a rush of adrenaline.
“That was fucking amazing,” he said.
Lincoln smacked a kiss on his cheek. “Of course it was, because we are fucking amazing. All the way, baby.”
“They liked us.”
“They fucking loved us.”
Benji added himself into the hug, arms around them both. “I was pretty good, don’t you think?”
“You were amazing,” Dom said. Tyson stood a little to the side, smiling, but kind of awkward. “Get over here, you.”
Tyson joined the group hug with a shy grin, one hand gripping Dom’s shoulder tight. Joshua found them, too. Maybe they didn’t know why today had been such a huge deal for Dom,and that was okay. They had all gone onto that stage for their own reasons, and they’d all been validated. XYZ was a fucking contender, and they’d proved that to all the haters.
Dom’s only regret was that his parents hadn’t been able to come down today to see him perform.
Joshua regarded them all with pride shining from his face, his love for Benji so open and honest. Dom envied them. He wanted that with Trey, and maybe one day he’d have it. Trey had promised that once Unbound was done—be it regional or national—they could be open about their relationship. Dom believed in that promise.
“Come on guys,” Lincoln said, breaking up the smothering hug. “Let’s haul this shit back to the truck and then get wasted.”
“I’m down for that,” Tyson said.
