The last note faded into the noise of the club, and for a moment Adrian just stood there, still holding the mic, his chest rising too fast. The crowd reacted, cheering and clapping, but it all sounded distant, like it wasn't really meant for him.
He looked up, scanning the crowd without thinking too much about it.
Rion wasn't there.
The realization hit almost immediately, settling heavy in his chest.
Of course he left.
Adrian swallowed, his grip loosening slightly before he stepped back from the stage. Someone called his name from the side, but he ignored it, already moving. By the time he pushed past the curtain and into the crowd, he wasn't thinking anymore.
"Adrian yo"
He kept going.
People brushed against him, some annoyed when he pushed past too quickly, but he didn't stop to apologize. His focus stayed ahead, like if he slowed down even a little, he'd lose whatever he was chasing.
He reached the exit and pushed the door open, stepping out into the cooler night air. Everything felt quieter out here, but not calmer.
Then he saw him.
Rion was a few steps ahead, walking away like nothing had happened.
"Rion." It came out rougher than he expected.
Rion slowed, then stopped. He didn't turn right away, but when he did, his expression was hard to read. Not angry. Just… closed off.
"What?" he said.
Adrian took a step closer, still catching his breath. "Why did you leave?"
Rion let out a short breath that almost sounded like a laugh, but there was nothing amused about it. "What was I supposed to do? Stay?"
"You didn't have to just walk out."
"You ignored me."
"I didn't ignore you," Adrian said quickly. "I just wanted to..." He stopped. The words didn't come. Not properly.
Rion's expression shifted, tightening slightly. "Wanted to what?" he asked, stepping closer. "Figure yourself out while I just stand there?"
"That's not what I was doing."
"Then what were you doing?" Rion shot back. His voice wasn't loud, but there was something sharper in it now. "Because from where I was standing, it looked like you were pretending none of it happened."
Adrian clenched his jaw. "I'm not pretending."
"Then say something," Rion said. "Because this" he gestured vaguely between them "doesn't feel like nothing."
Adrian opened his mouth, but nothing came out.
Rion watched him for a second, like he was waiting. Then he shook his head slightly, more to himself than anything.
"I'm not doing this," he said. "I'm not chasing you, Adrian. I'm not going to keep trying to figure out what you want when you won't even say it."
The words landed harder than Adrian expected.
Rion turned like he was done with the conversation.
Adrian reached out without thinking and grabbed his wrist. "Wait."
Rion stilled. His gaze dropped briefly to Adrian's hand before lifting back to his face.
"Don't," he said quietly. It wasn't harsh, but it was enough.
Adrian hesitated, then let go.
For a moment, neither of them moved.
Then Rion looked at him again, more carefully this time. "What was that earlier?" he asked.
Adrian frowned slightly. "What?"
"The song."
Something in Adrian's chest tightened. "It wasn't just, I didn't mean it like" He stopped again, frustrated now. Even he didn't know what he was trying to say.
Rion watched him struggle, and whatever he was expecting, it clearly wasn't this. After a second, he exhaled softly and shook his head.
"You know what," he said, quieter now, "never mind."
"Rion"
But Rion had already taken a step back.
He turned, like he was leaving for real this time, then paused for just a second. Adrian thought he might say something else, something that would fix this or at least explain it better. He didn't.
"You should've just said nothing," Rion said, and then he walked away.
Adrian didn't follow.
He just stood there, staring after him, his hand still half-raised from where he'd grabbed him, his chest tight in a way he couldn't explain.
For the first time that night, everything felt quiet.
And it didn't feel any better.