Chapter Text
'Time flies when you're having fun.' That's what people say. Bdubs has always been inclined to believe it to be true. Sometimes it was individual days where good things happened. And sometimes it was changes in life that made everything just a bit brighter.
Nearly a year ago, he met a man who had since become one of, if not the most important, person in his life.
The handsome pianist had become his friend. For months they'd met and spent time together - shared coffee and conversation over meals. And then, backstage after a show, they shared kisses. Just a few, at first. But they were soon followed by many more.
Now, the pianist was his partner. And truly, Bdubs couldn't be happier.
The months had flown by, and as far as Bdubs was concerned, Etho was as wonderful now as he had been on day one. Not that he'd expected that to change. But the novelty of getting to kiss him hadn't worn off yet, not really.
Bdubs kind of hoped it never would.
Relationships like theirs weren't easy to talk about with others, you never quite knew how people would react. But their friends were happy and supportive, and that was good enough for them.
Beef insisted on taking some of the credit for them getting together, and Bdubs would roll his eyes with a smile each time it was brought up. He supposed that Beef did have a hand in him actually making the move to talk to Etho. So perhaps he did deserve some credit there.
Music was still a cornerstone of their relationship, just as it had been from the start. They'd often sit at the piano together in Etho's tiny apartment, and Bdubs would sing as Etho played beautiful melodies on the ivory keys. Several times they'd stayed up later than they probably should have, losing track of time far too easily.
One night in particular, Etho's neighbor had come knocking at his door- an elderly lady with a kind smile who had said quite simply; 'The music is lovely dear, but don't you think it's awfully late at night to be playing?' Only then had they realized that it was very nearly midnight and they should probably stop making noise.
Etho would occasionally perform at different venues around the city, playing his beautiful music for all to hear. Bdubs rarely missed these recitals, not when he had any say in the matter. He always wanted to hear Etho's music and would take every chance he was given to do so.
Over the past three or four months, Etho had been working with a particular group of musicians. They'd practice together and perform on stage. It was a little different from the usual classical pieces that Etho played, often drifting into slightly more modern tunes. But he seemed to be enjoying it, and Bdubs loved seeing Etho have fun.
However, about three weeks ago, Gem - the young woman who usually sang with them - had to travel away for a while to visit family. Leaving their little group with a performance in the near future, but missing their singer.
That was when Etho had suggested that Bdubs sing with them instead. At least whilst Gem was away. His voice was very different, but they weren't using any songs that a woman could sing but a man couldn't. He'd need to learn the lyrics, and the timings, and all of that, but it was nothing he hadn't done before.
The first Bdubs heard of this was when Etho returned from rehearsals that evening. He'd made the suggestion very tentatively, worried that Bdubs would think it was a stupid idea. But no, Bdubs liked the idea. However, it also scared him a little.
He could sing, and he enjoyed singing, yes. But his experience was as a choir boy in his local church. Where there were a dozen or more other voices alongside his own. He had done solo parts on occasion, but they were usually brief and the rest of the choir would join back in soon after. He had never sung in front of a crowd and been the only voice on stage.
On top of that, it had been over a decade since he'd done any kind of performance. Singing with a choir was different from what Etho and his little group did, and it made Bdubs nervous.
And yet, despite himself, he had agreed to do it, and after several rehearsals over the past couple of weeks, Bdubs now stood in a dressing room staring at his reflection in the mirror as he straightened his shirt and tie for the tenth time.
This morning he'd been excited and looking forward to the show. But now that he was waiting for the call to go out on stage, he was anxious and just a bit scared. What if he messed this up? What if he forgot the lyrics or sang the wrong thing? He'd made a fool of himself in the audience of a show like this, he really didn't want to do it on stage too.
A gentle knock on the door snapped Bdubs out of his thoughts, and he spun around to see who it was.
"Y-yes? What is it?" He stammered.
"It's just me," Etho smiled as he poked his head into the room, and Bdubs breathed a sigh of relief. "You ready?"
Bdubs shrugged. "Uh- good question." A few hours ago he would have said yes. But now? He wasn’t sure that would be accurate.
Etho came up and hugged him from behind, resting his chin on top of Bdubs' head. "Nervous?" He asked.
Bdubs nodded. "I know- I know you're going to say that I have nothing to be nervous about but- I haven't done anything like this before, Etho. I've never been the only one singing."
"It is different from what you're used to," Etho hummed, "but you've done so well in rehearsals. I know that you can do this, and I know that you'll be great."
Bdubs took a deep breath and leaned his weight back against Etho, trying to settle himself down and relax. He was still nervous, but he knew that Etho was right. They'd had a lot of fun during rehearsals as Bdubs had learned the songs and how to sing them with the group, and he'd done well whilst practicing. Really, the only difference now was that there was a crowd.
The music was good, he knew the words, he knew the timings. All he had to do was go out there and sing.
"I do quite like the first song we're doing tonight," he said after a few moments. He liked all of the songs they planned on performing, but the first one was a sweet love song that just felt special.
"Oh really?"
Bdubs tipped his head back to smile up at Etho. "Yeah. It- the lyrics make me think of you. Of meeting you."
"Do they? I suppose it is a love song. So that makes sense." Etho smiled, and Bdubs chuckled a little, maybe he had to be more direct about it. Etho was a bit oblivious to these things sometimes, it was cute.
"True but- The lyrics, Etho. Think about it."
"Which part?"
Bdubs rolled his eyes, playing the tune in his head before quietly singing the opening lyrics;
"I was walking along, minding my business.
When out of an orange-colored sky~
Flash, bam, alakazam.
Wonderful you came by~"
He reached up to brush his fingers against Etho's cheek as he finished, and Etho chuckled before pressing a soft kiss to Bdubs' temple.
"Ah, I see. I suppose it fits, doesn't it? I hadn't thought of that."
Bdubs smiled, before turning his attention back to his reflection in the mirror.
"I know that I can do this," he sighed. "It just- doesn't stop me from being scared. You know?"
"I know. The first time doing something different is always scary, especially in front of a crowd," Etho said, no doubt speaking from his own experiences. "But, once you're up there, and you start singing, you'll be amazing. Because you are amazing."
Bdubs felt warmth tint his cheeks and he rubbed at the back of his neck. "You flatter me."
"Yeah, but you deserve it."
Bdubs laughed a little and turned around in Etho's arms, pushing himself up onto his tiptoes to give him a quick kiss against his mask. He was still nervous, but talking to Etho always helped to calm him down.
"How long until we're needed on stage?" He asked.
Etho moved his arm to look at his watch. "About five minutes. So someone will probably come looking for us in a moment."
Bdubs nodded and took a deep breath, letting it out slowly before he spoke. "Okay, I'm ready."
"You sure?"
"Yeah. Once I'm up there, and I start singing, I'll be fine."
Etho smiled and kissed his forehead. "You'll do great."
Before Bdubs had a chance to reply there was a knock on the door, and a familiar face appeared as it was pushed open.
"Hey B- oh Etho you're here too, cool, saves time. Are you two ready?" Tango asked, his eyes flicking between them behind his red-tinted sunglasses.
"Ready as I'll ever be," Bdubs smiled.
"You seem calmer than you did earlier," Tango pointed out, opening the door further and leaning against the frame, one hand on the saxophone that hung from its strap around his neck. "You looked pretty nervous when you got here."
"Yeeeah I was freakin' out a little. But Etho calmed me down," Bdubs said, looking up at Etho and loving how he almost looked shy. A sly smile crossed Tango's face and Bdubs snapped at him; "Not like that! Get your mind outta the gutter!"
Tango laughed. "Okay okay. I'm sorry. But come on, Cleo will kill all of us if we're late."
"Oh she will, she really will," Etho said, a little wide-eyed, he clearly knew exactly what Tango was talking about. Bdubs didn't know Cleo very well yet, but he had heard stories. She was a perfectly nice woman but she didn’t take nonsense from anyone.
"We better get moving then," Bdubs said, and both Tango and Etho nodded as the three of them headed out, closing the door behind them and making their way down the hallway.
Bdubs was still nervous, that hadn't gone away completely. But he didn't feel as scared of messing up anymore.
Before they stepped through the door that led to the stage, Bdubs grabbed Etho's hand and squeezed it gently, making him stop walking for a moment.
He moved closer and reached up with his free hand to pull Etho's mask down just enough to kiss him.
"Good luck," he said softly, and his heart fluttered at the sweet smile on Etho's face.
"Good luck," Etho replied, kissing him again and then putting his mask back in place.
Bdubs stepped out onto the stage and up to the microphone. The crowd wasn't huge, no more than fifty people, but they were all waiting and watching him.
He glanced over at Etho as he sat at the piano. Etho's hands found the ivory keys, and their gazes met for a few seconds before he started to play.
Bdubs relaxed almost immediately as the music flowed over him, a bouncy tune that he'd grown very fond of. He waited for his cue and then started to sing.
Just as he had hoped, singing washed all the remaining nerves away, and by the end of the second verse he was smiling and getting into the flow of the song, of the music and the lyrics that reminded him so much of Etho and how wonderful it was to love him. Why had he been so worried? This was fun!
Their three songs went by without a hitch, and Bdubs loved every second of it. The crowd's applause made his heart swell, he hoped he could do this again sometime.
But for now, as they went backstage and Bdubs pulled Etho into a kiss, it truly felt like life couldn't get much better than this.