Out of Tune

Aydan's fingers fumbled with the silk tie, the fabric slipping for the third time. The mirror reflected a stranger, blond hair falling messily over too-pale skin, blue eyes too restless to stay still. The sharp lines of the designer suit clung awkwardly to his thin frame, making him look even more fragile. Every breath felt shallow, a tight knot forming in his chest that threatened to crack him wide open.

A shadow leaned against the doorframe.

Shawn stepped into the room, his presence immediately grounding the frantic energy. Without a word, his steady hands replaced Aydan's shaky ones, taking the tie with a practiced ease.

"Breathe, Aydan," he murmured, his voice a low, steady anchor in the storm. He looped the knot smoothly, his warm fingers lingering against the pulse point of Aydan's neck. The contact was slow, deliberate, sending a spark of heat through Aydan's skin. Shawn's eyes locked onto his, dark and unwavering. "You've got this. Not your first rodeo, right? Plus, I'll be there, backstage, your hype man, always." A small, reassuring grin tugged at his lips, but his gaze remained intense. Aydan exhaled, a shaky laugh finally breaking through the tension. "First on the charts, remember?" Shawn added, his voice dropping an octave, intimate and rough. "You'll nail it."

Shawn leaned in, his mouth hovering inches from Aydan's before pressing a slow, deep kiss to his lips. Shawn leaned in, pressing a slow, gentle kiss to Aydan's lips. Aydan inhaled through the kiss, drinking in Shawn's scent, cedarwood and something uniquely him. The warmth seeped into Aydan's bones, stilling the tremor in his fingers. When they finally parted, Aydan's breath was heavier, but steadier. Then, his phone buzzed. The vibration shattered the moment like glass. Aydan pulled away, his heart leaping into a frantic rhythm. Shawn's grin faded, eyes narrowing slightly, reading every twitch of Aydan's tense body. Aydan answered, pacing the room, hands fisting and un-fisting as he tried to control panic clawed its way back up.

"Yeah... I'm here," Aydan said, his voice thin, uneven. "Eight sharp. Got it. And... Lila's deal?"

His jaw tightened, knuckles whitening, eyes darting to Shawn as if seeking an anchor. Words came out in fragments, whispers heavy with dread. "Got it... yeah, I know." He swallowed hard, breathing too fast. Shawn stayed silent, watching, letting Aydan wrestle with the panic that gripped him.

Aydan sank into his armchair, head in hands, shoulders trembling. Shawn stepped closer, eyes sharp. "What's wrong?" he asked, voice steady but tense.

Aydan opened his mouth, but the words felt lodged in his throat. He looked up, his blue eyes wide and searching Shawn's face.

Shawn crouched slightly, voice firm now. "Talk to me, Aydan."

"You're not allowed," Aydan whispered, his gaze dropping to the floor.

Shawn let out a harsh, stunned laugh. "You shittin' me? That's a joke, right?" Silence stretched between them, thick and suffocating. "Right?"

"No," Aydan whispered, his fingers digging into the armrests until his nails left marks in the leather.

"What the fuck?" Shawn snapped, the anger finally breaking through.

"It's Nick," Aydan said, glancing away, jaw tight. "Too much speculation online. Us hanging out all the time, the paps are sniffing around. He doesn't want any pictures tonight. Not with Lila there."

Shawn's brow creased, a bitter realization dawning. "Lila? She's at every damn event. They're shoving that PR crap down everyone's throats anyway."

Aydan shifted uncomfortably, his body coiled tight. "The fans are talking, Shawn. About us. Nick says it's tanking her push. She's pissed I'm not selling it. He's locking me down tonight."

Shawn's easy smirk turned bitter. "So I'm the damn problem? Nick, and Lila, think I'm screwing your fake-ass contract?"

Aydan's anger flared, fingers clenching. "This isn't a game, Shawn! This could cost me a lot, you get that? And, yeah, they've got a point, we're out together too much."

Shawn froze, words cutting like a knife, smirk gone, eyes dark. Aydan's blue eyes flashed with panic. "I didn't, fuck, I didn't mean it like, "

"Did you ever mean to come out?" Shawn's voice cut, raw.

"Yes!" Aydan snapped, too quick. "I just need time."

Shawn's shoulders lifted in a bitter shrug. "Time? Who are you trying to convince, me or yourself? Or maybe you just cave when your manager , and her, snap their fingers. No balls, no fight, why even bullshit me?

"You think I'm bullshitting you?"

Aydan let out a ragged sigh, pressing the heels of his palms against his eyes, as if trying to hold himself together. "Please, Shawn... I can't deal with all that crap tonight." His voice cracked, thin with exhaustion.

The words landed like a slap.

Shawn's jaw clenched, his eyes burning with a mix of hurt and fury. His chest rose sharply. He stepped forward, gripping Aydan's shoulders with bruising force, and pulled him up. He crashed his lips against Aydan's in a hard, punishing kiss, desperate, demanding, and tasting of salt and a final, bitter goodbye.

"Have fun," Shawn rasped against his mouth, his breath hot and ragged.

Then he let go. The door slammed behind him, the sound echoing through the apartment and rattling deeper than the walls.

Aydan stood frozen, breath caught in his throat. His chest heaved once, twice, before he dropped back into the armchair, palms clutching his temples as if he could squeeze the chaos out.

Shawn's absence roared louder than his anger. The room felt too big, too hollow. His lips still burned from the kiss , harsh, desperate , the taste of hurt lingering like ash.

A vibration buzzed against the table. His phone lit up.

Nick: Car's outside. Move.

Aydan wiped at his face with the back of his hand, breath shaking. His legs felt heavy, but he pushed himself upright. No time. No choice. Shawn was gone, and the night ahead was a blur he couldn't escape.