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To say Florian was excited was an understatement.
He was bursting at the seams and his heart felt like it was overloading as his eyes fell on the multicoloured ticket in his shaky hands. He did it. He finally got enough money to see the band he had been obsessed with for a while. He also owed it to his friends however. One of them being Lily, the lead vocalist of the band, the one who offered him the ticket at a cheaper price.
Stepping into the stadium, he could feel himself shudder at how huge and crowded it was already. He shuffled his way to the front to get the best view and he held the bar tightly, shutting his eyes as he tried to calm his nerves.
An hour or two later, the show had begun. The singers, Lily and Luca respectively, came out to greet them, with the other members following behind, their arms waving above their head.
Some like Fool’s Gold or Nightwatch did a few poses with their instruments while others like the Bloody Queen and Grave Keeper just waved their arms, though the Bloody Queen was more elegant while Grave Keeper had been a bit more reserved.
But the one that he came to the show for, the one that had caught his attention since he laid eyes on one of their old music videos, back when they still recorded in a rundown studio. The one that he had always sought out for in every poster and video, the Embalmer.
Raising his light stick, he waved it around enthusiastically. He wouldn't have bought it if it weren't for the fact that the light-stick was specifically designed for fans of the Embalmer. Looking around, he realised he was one of the very few that held the exact same light-stick, with the colour scheme of other members being a lot more visible than the Embalmer's white.
The Embalmer was fairly unpopular, due to his lack of socialising and his desire to hide behind the other members instead. It didn't sway Florian at the very least however, and he still found himself focusing solely on the Embalmer himself.
The show started and each song he had already memorised by heart, screaming at the right times and swinging his light stick around like a crazed fan. In one of his favourite songs, the Embalmer had a solo where he played the keyboard alone. Each member danced around him cheerfully, encouraging the audience to clap along while he played.
It had always been his favourite part, so being able to see it in person was a huge thing for him. The way his hand glided around the keyboard, his grey hair swaying lightly as he played the notes accordingly. His eyes was filled with such intensity it made Florian's heartbeat rise. At the end of his solo, he slid across the stage, his chest heaving as he did so.
Coincidentally, he had landed in front of where Florian was standing. Cheers erupted from his side but he couldn't hear a thing. The Embalmer, his absolute favourite, was making eye contact with him. He could feel that the other was checking him out. After a moment, he pulled his mask down so that his mouth was visible and flashed him a smile before running off to the other members.
Bidding the audience farewell, he then only realised that it had been the last song. His heart pounded in his chest and the ringing continued in his ears. He had just witnessed the Embalmer's solo, and at the end of it, he flashed him a smile! Him!
He was so giddy that he forgot that it was time to leave. After being ushered out by the security, he was well on his way to look for his bike when a tap startled him out of his trance.
Turning around, he was even more surprised when he saw THE Embalmer standing behind him, with his mask pulled down his face as he held onto his sleeve shyly.
" You.. You're a fan of mine? "
Florian was unable to speak but his head moved on its own while his throat felt dry. Was he talking to him? He was right? This isn't some hallucination made by his sudden rush of euphoria right?
" Uhm.. Lily told me you were a friend of hers' and you were waving my light-stick around since the very start and- "
" You're real right? " He blurted out by accident before snapping his mouth shut. What was wrong with him??
" Uh? Yea.. I am? " The Embalmer chuckled, his laughter was soft and breathy, making him even more flustered.
" Sorry- Yea I'm a huge fan of you, I loved your solo and you're pretty cool and all- I'm Florian! "
" Aesop, Aesop Carl. " He smiled, albeit a bit shyly this time. A small hint of his teeth were showing and Florian's eyes widened at how sharp they were.
" So.. can I get your number? " With a sudden burst of confidence, Florian made the outwardly choice to wink while Aesop just looked surprised, though no less amused.
" How bold. I suppose so, since you claim to be such a huge fan of mine.. " Handing over a small note that he had written on the spot, he gave him a sly smile and nodded his head towards the note.
" Thank you for coming to the show Mr Florian! "
Watching the other's retreating figure, he could feel himself grow more and more excited. He had just gotten THE Embalmer’s number, and it was willingly given! He could tell that he was standing and smiling like an idiot in the middle of a carpark but who cares, he had just gotten a gift of a lifetime.
In the tour bus, Aesop was absolutely getting flamed while he buried his face into his hands, his face hot as he chuckled at their interaction.