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“Well, that’s all of us done,” Bren said, and wrapped an arm around A.J.’s waist despite the people still waiting to be called. “See you two tomorrow?”

“Wow. Just ditch us to go bang, why don’t you? We’ve got traditions, dude.”

“We go to my place and listen to the cast recording, talk about what roles we think we’ll get,” A.J. said, trying not to laugh at the exhausted look on Bren’s face. The last week had already been more Andrew Lloyd Webber than any sane person would enjoy.

“And what does Yu do?” Bren asked, as they walked towards the front doors.

“Wonder what it’d be like to have normal friends, mostly,” Yu said.

Nat spun around so she was facing them as they walked, hands behind her back.

“Most normal people don’t sound like they’re being neutered with a shrimp fork when they sing.”

Yu said something that sounded like ‘nun’ under his breath. A.J. opened his mouth to translate but stopped when Nat took a swipe at Yu. It looked like Bren got the gist of the second language swear, even if it hadn’t been in Irish.

Using the ensuing spat to his advantage, A.J. tugged at Bren’s hand.

“What’s up?” Bren asked, one eye still fixed on Nat, who was trying to steal Yu’s camera.

“Are you sure this isn’t too much?”

Bren’s fingers laced with his and squeezed.

“I came here to be with you. If you’re on stage, so am I.”

Nat successfully swiped Yu’s camera and ran through the front doors, snapping pictures of him while he tried to grab it back.

“I would have been happy if you just came to see one of the performances.”

Bren grinned as he let their hips bump.

“You keep actin’ like it’s some big noble sacrifice or somethin’.” He leaned in even though there was no way anyone else could hear them. “If my lad’s dancin’ around in spandex, I wanna be as hands on as I can get, like.”

He knew Bren was waiting for him to short circuit, so the look of surprise on his face was doubly enjoyable when, instead, he leaned back in. “Think I should do some squats so the view’s a little nicer?”

It took everything he had to keep from imploding as Bren’s eyes went wide.

“The fuck happened to that nervous lad from last September?”

A.J. kissed Bren’s temple then leaned away, giving what he hoped was a casual shrug.

“He met you.”

16

Merlin.Pendragon: Meow

Bren’s sigh was so deep it rattled his soul on its way out. After a full day of Cats yesterday—including watching (and rewatching) the film version—he’d been counting on Rory for something that didn’t involve felines.

RedBullBren69: English or a cunt m8. U can’t be both

Merlin.Pendragon: I should probably tell Mickie first, right? He’ll sulk if he finds out last.

Laughter echoed across the ocean from the reality-bending slag-storm that was sure to detonate the instant Mickie found out he’d signed up to prance around a stage in a spandex unitard.

RedBullBren69: I know where you live

Merlin.Pendragon: I’ll have a pretty good headstart, you being in Canada and all.