Evelyn sighed as 5:30 rolled around and she called up the drummer. "Yo Amanda,are you picking me up? No? Why? Ahhh okay I gotcha. Yeah I'll see you there. Love ya too" She hung up. "Alright Fang, looks like we're taking the motorbike. Or do we want to take your hearse?" No matter what vehicle he owned,she always called it a hearse. She really didn't know why, it just kinda stuck with her.
Menek walked out of his room, slipping on a pair of navy blue high-tops Ev had forced him into buying once. He hadn’t really liked them before, but they grew on him too much to not wear.
He leaned against the doorframe once more, squinting at her question.
“I mean, I hate your motorbike, but it also makes me feel really cool,” he muttered, like the concept completely disgusted him. “Plus, my car’s gotta go in for service. The brakes are giving me trouble. That’s why I had to take a taxi to work yesterday. So, I guess it’s the motorbike.”
She opened the closet by the front door and handed him a black helmet and grabbed her own bright pink one with stickers all over it. "I promise I won't nearly fling you off like I did last time. Probably." She shrugged and nabbed his leather jacket, pulled it on, grabbed her purse and quickly stuffed all of her usual crap in there, and headed out the door. "Gonna wipe off the lip stick?" She asked curiously.
“Oh—,” he said, voice cut short when he brought a sleeve to his cheek. “Forgot about that.”
Menek grabbed another one of his jackets, narrowing his eyes with a smile as he watched Ev yank his other. He slipped his hands in one of the pockets, looked around for his phone, noticed it was still on the kitchen table and shrugged. Not like he’d be needing it tonight, considering he was pretty preoccupied with Ev’s show.
With swift movements he pulled on his helmet, patting the side of it with his hand and making sure it was secured.
“Also, I don’t believe you, but I’ll try to trust you,” he said with a light laugh, following her down the steps. “I’ll just hold on super tight, so I know if I fall off, you’re coming with me. Deal?”
"Deal." She plopped the helmet on her head and clipped it on while thudding down the stairs. "I'm excited for tonight's show. It's all like Halloween and spooky music and what not, we really put together a great playlist." She said with a nod, as she headed out the door and over to her bike. "AH CRAP! MY GUITAR IS UPSTAIRS! Ya know what whatever we're bound to have an extra one, and if not, just gotta shuffle around some things. It'll be fine. Shit the sun light…do you need to head upstairs and get an umbrella?" She asked as she swung leg over the bike and got herself comfy,beginning to mess with the Bluetooth settings on her bike.
“Nah, I’ll be fine,” Menek replied, taking a pair of black gloves from his pocket. He was wearing long clothing for the most part, and the rips in his jeans were easy enough to be covered. If not, scars were scars, and he didn’t really care. He had gone through rays of sun too many times to count, so he was sued to the horrid burn by now.
Plus, the visor on his helmet shaded his face enough to where he’d be fine until he walked into the building of Ev’s gig.
So he slinked down the rest of the steps, awkwardly straddling the bike before picking up his feet and latching his arms around Ev’s waist. He seemed relatively relaxed, but that was bound to change.
She nodded and started up the motorbike, revved it and once the Blondie and Pat Benatar mix list started playing they were off and downtown. She dangerously hooked corners but still tried her hardest to keep herself set back quite a bit for Keke's sake. Eventually they got to the bar and Evelyn headed inside to her band setting up. "Hey guys! Please tell me we have an extra guitar." "I'll go grab the purple one from the van." One of the members said before heading out the back door. Evelyn sat down at the bar and took a few breaths. "A shirley temple please."
Menek actually stayed surprisingly relaxed throughout the ride, gritting his teeth in moments but making sure to breathe without fogging up his visor. When they arrived, he slipped off his helmet before covering the majority of his skin with his gloved hand, following Evelyn inside the bar.
“Ooooh, you guys got a cool place here,” he said, slipping onto a stool beside her. “Have you played here before?”
His attention quickly flitted over to the bartender, and he murmured an order for some kind of hard scotch. Having a heightened metabolism to ingest blood sure had its perks, but being able to get drunk was not one of them. Of course, with like six full glasses, he could be wasted. It all depended upon what he had eaten the day (or night) prior.
"Yeah a few times,it's a relatively new bar." She shrugged as their drinks were slid over and before he could, she handed over her card to pay for the drinks. "No getting drunk,we hit the fair tomorrow. I would've today but with it being so rainy…plus our show which I completely spaced off until Amanda reminded me. I'm gonna go help set up. Don't die or anything." She gets up and heads over to the stage, drink in hand and begins to help plugging in chords and stuff. Everyone was equally dressed as punky as Evelyn in their own way. It was a whole look.
“Don’t worry, don’t worry,” Menek replied, taking his glass gently from the bartender. He nodded in thanks, and it didn’t take long for him to strike up a conversation with the man.
So while Ev set up, Menek traded stories with the bartender. His name was Nick— short for something, Keke expected— and it was no doubt, if Ev had played here before, she knew him. He was generally nice, and just two or three years older than Ev.
It wasn’t long before the two got on the subject of music, Menek pausing for a moment when Nick began helping another customer. When the bartender returned, Keke offered a timid smile.
“So, excited to hear your girl play tonight?” Nick asked, tossing a small rag over his shoulder.
Menek really didn’t think much of the phrase, nodding joyously. “Absolutely. Of course, I hear her practice sometimes, but…”— he turned, looking to where she was setting up— “it’ll be cool to watch her play with an audience.”
Evelyn smiled as she chatted with some of the crowd,always the social butterfly. Some guy though decided to slap her ass and in an instant she had him pinned to the ground with a broken bottle pressed to the neck. The bartender pulled Evelyn off and dragged the guy out of the bar and kicked him out. "C'mon Evelyn, just get set up. I'll keep the creeps out." And he went back behind the bar as she grabbed a broom and dustpan from a corner and cleaned up the glass,and threw it all away, and went back to finishing up doing some lighting stuff, and making sure the band all new the set list.
Menek was never the kind of vampire to drink someone else’s blood— hell, even a willing individual, however odd they may be— but he knew other vampires that did. One’s that were insane, eyes turned a permanent shade of red with skin lighter than his own, hair a pitch black. They looked more like in traditional lore, whereas Menek could be seen as a completely normal person.
Yet when he saw the whole exchange with Evelyn and this mysterious man, his eyes flicked that familiar light shade of red and he was off the stool, at the edge of the crowd, before watching as Ev took charge and pinned him to the ground. He could feel the adrenaline in his veins— and it wasn’t just because of the broken glass or anything. It was that anger. That weird protectiveness, even though he knew for a fact Ev could beat up any stranger walking her way.
So he just sort of stood there, eyes fading back to their original color as his heartbeat dissipated yet again. In an odd attempt to be civil, he shot Ev an awkward thumbs-up, like he was proud of her almost beating up some random dude. In which, he really was.
She walked over and gave him a hug. "I need a hug after that don't ask me why just give me love because men are trash and it's nice to know that I live with one decent one." She let him go after a bit as the rest of the crowd filled in the room and she got on the stage, and she began to play. It was a very punky set for sure. The show lasted for about 2 hours, after an encore cheer from the crowd,but suddenly she quieted everyone down. "Shhh…okay okay buttfucks listen up. I have an announcement." And she looked right at Keke as she spoke her next words. "I am in love! DEEPLY in love. And he's in the crowd tonight! SO! This next song is dedicated to the man I'll never get to date." It was the last song of the night, as Baby You're A Haunted House by My Chemical Romance, started playing and she stated singing. (Totally go listen to that song it's so good)
(shOoT I love that song— Way’s songs are great)
Menek’s eyes widened slightly, and he stood up from leaning on the bar slowly. He met her gaze, tilting his head in confusion as he suddenly broke his attention away, looking to the rest of the crowd to find the man in question.
Surely, it couldn’t be Menek. That would be insane. That would be truly, truly insane.
But her words cut deeper into his skin that he thought they would. Made his stilled heart beat a little faster, and made him either wonderfully happy or seriously heartbroken.
Because, even though he knew for a fact it couldn’t possibly be him, Ev’s eyes weren't anywhere else. It was either some serious trick she was playing on him that he’d have to ridicule her about later and cry into his pillow, or they would have a long, drawn-out conversation about the contradictions.
Or, maybe, just maybe, he could be just a little selfish for once. After all, the lyrics just reinforced everything he ever wanted.
So he sang aloud the last verse along with the crowd, smiling his half-ecstatic, half-heartbroken smile.
The show ended with a free round of alcoholic beverages for her band. Evelyn just had a coca-cola,not wanting to bike home with even a single drop of alcohol in her system. She laughed gave hugs and signed stuff for the small crowd, practically cheering with them as she held a drink I'm one hand, a pen in the other. She even took pictures. But eventually the bar emptied and Evelyn headed over too Keke and sat down. "So! How was the show? You've seen me a few other times so I don't expect as much praise as per usual BUT I hope you loved it nonetheless. Now let's go home and watch some American Horror Story." She then headed over to the stage and grabbed their bike helmets,handed him his, and headed out the door. (I've only seen season 1 so please no spoilers!)
Keke stood, slightly fazed by the whole situation, eyes practically searching the crowd themselves for any sign of the man Ev was talking to. So many people went up to her afterward, it could really be anyone. And that just made him more anxious, as he became more and more awake with more and more alcohol in his system. He wasn’t drunk, but a few of those glasses left him slightly looser than before.
“Ev…?” he said softly, holding his helmet close to his chest as she walked for the door. Her words grazed right over him, his mind clearly elsewhere. But he snapped out of it, and before she could reply, he continued, “Ah— never mind. American Horror Story it is!”
Menek waved a last goodbye to the bartender, jogging to meet Evelyn outside the door.
"Wait wait wait." She sat sideways on the bike. "I know that tone of voice. Something is on your mind. I'm tired. So. Whatever is going on in that lovely little mind of yours. Lemme change into some PJs, and get that cup of tea you got me warmed up in the microwave, and we can talk about whatever is itching under your skin. Deal?" She held out her hand for a handshake, the other putting on the helmet and managing to clip it on tightly,which was a task that took a lot of practice.
(geeze didn't even comment on the quality of her show. How rude lol)
(my mans was getting there lmao)
“Totally not deal, but I’ll let you believe you won this conversation,” he said teasingly, shaking her hand while he tugged on his own helmet. With that, he hopped on the bike, leaning up against Ev’s back exasperatedly.
“And I’m tired, too. Even though it’s, like, morning for me,” he muttered. “How late are you staying up tonight? It’s my week for dishes so I was wondering how loud I can be. But if you’re too tuckered from being absolutely badass on stage, I can save it for tomorrow.”
"Oh c'mon Popcorn, I was not THAT bad ass. That was a pretty tame show actually but,thank you. And I didn't win at nothing,you ass. I just don't have the energy to sit here and have an important deep life talk right now. At least. Not until we got home." She finally straddled the bike,and this time turned on some Lofi music. She didn't sing like she did on the way to the show,and just settled into the seatbelt of icy cold comfort behind her, double checking turns for her and making sure she was safe. They got home and after she crammed of her stuff into her pockets she got up and headed upstairs, ready for a shower and that tea. So of course she showed,changed into a sweatshirt that was practically a dress on her, big grey sweats and some purple fuzzy socks,and then microwaved her tea. "Alright. Now that I've settled a bit more. What's on your mind, Shadow?" This was more an ironic name since she was called Sunny or Sunshine by him all the time,due to her name meaning First Light in Hebrew. He was the one to tell her that fact.
Menek strode into the apartment groggily, taking his helmet off and setting it on the counter. While Ev showered, he changed into a super baggy t-shirt of what looked to be from sometime in the 70’s, and a pair of sweats. If Ev was comfy, he decided he would be, too.
He sat on one of the kitchen stools when she walked back out, then migrated beside her when she began microwaving the tea.
“Every time you call me Shadow I just keep thinking of Sonic,” he mumbled, voice barely audible as he kicked his feet back and forth. He paused for a moment, voice broken by a short laugh. “—But that’s not what’s on my mind. I was just thinking, well, I guess it’s out of curiosity, but… who were you talking to? At the show tonight?”
He flicked his eyes over to watch her, unable to meet her gaze. “I mean, I didn’t know you’ve been talking to another guy since that last asshat. Who… Who’s the lucky man that you’ll supposedly never date?”
"He's this cold mystery. I've known him since…forever. He's my best friend really. We're suuuuper close. He's smart and handsome,a little bit oblivious to the world around him and bad with reading social cues but,oh well, so am I. We get along like two peas in a pod and I mean we're practically dating anyways. I'm wearing his giant ass sweatshirt right now." She meant that it was his sweatshirt she had stolen forever ago and then stretched it out to near dress size by putting her knees inside it way too often. "I know he doesn't have the same feelings for me or for anyone really. But. I've loved him for a very long time so. I thought he deserved a little appreciation. The universe is full of ironies. The one guy I want,I can't have. So I keep dating toxic guys who look like him in hopes of finding that same connection but I just get hurt. So. A bit at a loss." She said all of this oh so casually as she put tea and sugar in her tea and some ice to cool it down, talking between sips. "Also nice choice on the tea."
It took Menek much too long to run that through his head, and even so, he did it a couple times. He could nearly see his heart causing his chest to twitch as it pounded, and he stayed as still as he could. Which was, to say, insanely still.
“I— Y— Wh—,” he began, but every word was cut off by a loss of what to say. It took him a good few moments to finally get his thoughts in order enough to give out an actual reply.
“Okay, so I know you. I know you play weird jokes. But I know this would not be one of them because I feel like you care about me too much to break my heart,” he replied— and this time, he was able to meet her eyes. “But on the flip side, if you are telling the truth, I’m so goddamn mad because I’m also in love with this one girl I’ve known forever. Who is currently wearing a very familiar sweatshirt. And unless she wants to kill me good when she goes out, or stay with an absolute hobo for eternity, nothing can happen.”
She blushed a bit and kissed his nose. "I choose staying with a hobo for eternity. Better then anyone else I've ever met." She giggled and headed over to the couch,plopped down,picked up the tv remote,and got Netflix started up. "Come lover!" She patted the couch next to her as she got the first season of AHS started.
Menek, mind clearly running just too slow, stayed standing there— utterly stunned. Every single voice was screaming inside his head. Every single person he had ever loved and yet lost, but Ev’s words seemed to shatter each one.
Even so, he couldn’t say he hated the way she was so casual. It left only one part of this awkward— aka, Menek himself. And even though his heart was beating like a malfunctioning jackhammer, and he felt so much colder than normal, he walked over and sat right down next to her.
“I do so not understand,” he replied, raising an eyebrow as he looked over to Ev. “You’re actually insane. I’m not turning you into a vampire. You’re not killing me. What’s the deal with this? I scream at you almost every day about how much this life sucks and I can’t love someone…. but good god I want to, and we’re both idiots.”