Chapter Text
The crowd roared. Spotlights illuminated swathes of people in their exhilaration. The venue was medium sized, the kind of cozy decades-old theater that was now able to run regular concerts. IRyS had sold it out, she could have sold out larger. Her hands were sweaty, each song leaving her more tired than the last. The earplugs in her ear didn’t really bug her anymore. In short, IRyS was having a great time. This was the sort of event she had imagined for years, and now she got to do it every week, sometimes a couple times in a week. Her songs were on the charts, radio DJs couldn’t get enough of her, and she was even being asked to do interviews.
IRyS was ecstatic, it was a lot, but it was a good lot, a fun lot, and she loved it more than anything, it was her dream, or part of it.
Song after song, the crowd ate it up, sang her words, and danced like no one was watching. IRyS could see them all. She was proud of their silly dancing. Maybe they weren’t as good as a certain someone, but they were IRyS’s fans and it was fun to see them move around to her music… After a moment, IRyS realized that she had been thinking about Bae again. This always happened, no matter what she was doing, her thoughts always found their way back to Bae. But she was having a great night, even without Bae and IRyS would get to see her tomorrow morning, so the evening was good regardless.
At 11, IRyS stepped off stage, sweaty and tired. She was not yet bold enough to ask venues to let her sing till midnight, though they’d probably accept if she asked. IRyS changed quickly, and soon she was on her way home. Sometimes she would stick around after concerts to hang out or meet fans, but tonight IRyS was tired and just wanted to go to sleep, the faster she got to sleep, the faster she got to tomorrow morning. IRyS was lucky that this venue was so close, she was able to head right home instead of to some hotel.
She had a quick snack, took a light shower, and went to bed immediately. She couldn’t be bothered to do anything more than she had to.
The next morning was a Saturday. A beautiful Saturday, with sunlight trickling in through the window and a very warm bed to wake up in. The room was large for a bedroom and was quite cluttered, soda cans, newspapers, a telephone. Stellated decorations sat in corners, matching her public brand. The window, cracked slightly open, allowed the warm humid air that carried floral scents and bird calls into her room. IRyS was beyond relaxed, she felt the way one could only get after working till they’re incredibly tired, letting themself sleep in, and then staying in bed to soak in the morning.
IRyS laid there a few minutes before getting up, and having a reheated cinnamon bun for breakfast. When the clock read 9:30, it was time to go. Impatiently, she stood up, made sure she wasn’t forgetting anything, and rushed out of her house.
It was colder than it looked outside, under sixty degrees fahrenheit (16 C)! IRyS got into her inherited two-seat car and drove the short distance across town.
IRyS stopped outside of a standard suburban house, but one she knew well. Compact, red, built into a standard neighborhood. She walked up the stairs to the front door, and rang the doorbell. After a short second, a short, roughly forty year old woman with bright eyes and red hair opened the door.
“Hi Mrs. Hakos!” IRyS said cheerily, “How have you been?”
“Oh! Hi IRyS, I'm as good as ever.” She turned into the house and called up the stairs, “Bae! IRyS is here.”
Immediately there was a trample of feet rushing out of a bedroom and down the stairs. It was a bit funny how quickly the girl ran. IRyS let out a chuckle before saying, “Hi Bae!”
“Hey IRyS!” Bae responded with her usual highly energetic tone.
“I’ll leave you girls to it,” Bae’s mother said before walking into the kitchen.
“Come to my room?” Bae offered once her mother was gone.
IRyS nodded and followed the shorter girl up the stairs and into her bedroom. The door had been closed for nary a second before Bae had pressed a joyous kiss to IRyS’s lips. Finally they were alone.
“Hey,” said IRyS in a softer register.
“Hey,” Bae responded gently.
“How’s still being in school?” IRyS asked teasingly, with a giggle.
“Like it’s always been,” Bae frowned, “more work than last year, getting closer to the end and all. How’s being a hit pop star?”
“It’s incredible, but I miss you when I’m on tour.” IRyS complained.
“Sheesh, ‘Hit pop star sad that she’s famous because she can’t see her girlfriend while on tour.’ Talk about first world problems.” Bae joked.
“I know you miss me too,” IRyS said, with a bit of a whine in her voice.
“Yeah, yeah, yeah, I do.”
“I wish I could just… take you everywhere,” IRyS said.
“Maybe when I graduate? In another year and a bit?” Bae suggested,
“Maybe, but only if we think we can get away with it,” IRyS said with a sigh, “Or we’ll see hundreds of articles like ‘Who’s this weird girl that’s always with IRyS?’ I don’t want you to have to deal with that kind of attention.”
“I understand…” Bae sat down on her bed, “Wanna play a game?” She asked.
“Monopoly?” IRyS responded with a smirk, prompting a playful slap in the face from Bae.
“Never bring that up again, it was never funny,” Bae said while IRyS laughed
“Fine, we can play a different game,” IRyS finally responded, “you can pick one.”
“Okay.”