Work Text:
Before Rockstar had fully stopped having concerts due to safety concerns regarding the apocalypse, Hooligan snuck into his last concert. Why? Hooligan didn’t know, he just felt like it.
..Or was that really the case?
As Hooligan didn’t even bother to get a ticket and sneakily blended in with the crowd of screaming fans, he looked up, seeing Rockstar on the stage.
“Yo, yo, yo!! Thank you all for coming! As you all know, this is the last concert I will be doing for the time being. Maybe I will be able to host again with some convincing but apparently, I can’t host concerts in the middle of an apocalypse due to safety concerns but I don’t want to end things so suddenly! How about we end this off with a special song of mine that I've been working on?”
Rockstar held onto his guitar with such pride, it was like the apocalypse hadn’t affected him at all or maybe it did, he just didn’t like having negativity weighing on his shoulders so he uses his career to let all of that stress go. Hooligan knew that his music was meant to brighten people’s days, everything about him was meant to make people see that not everything can be bad.
Even with his cockiness and occasional self-centerness, he is overly positive in a charming way that made him so likable to his fans. Hooligan tried so hard to dislike Rockstar in some way that wasn’t just “he’s loud and annoying” but he couldn’t find any excuse to hate him, it was impossible.
Hooligan despised that, he never understood why Rockstar wasn’t dislikable, Hooligan had always seen him as a fly that never goes away, however he didn’t realize that this last concert would change his thoughts on Rockstar.
..Maybe it would even open up something inside of him that he had been suppressing for so long.
Rockstar looked into the crowd like he was searching for a certain someone, then it happened. His eyes locked in on Hooligan in the crowd, Hooligan flinched when he realized Rockstar was looking at him. He may have been separated from Rockstar by the stage but there was something in his eyes that expressed something that wasn’t what he was used to, he could’ve sworn he saw his eyes sparkled when he looked at him. Hooligan didn’t want to look at him any longer though, so he looked away, acting like he was here against his will.
Rockstar’s smile grew and he looked back at the audience. “I must’ve made it obvious that some songs are directed to someone, huh? I’ve seen all of your theories and I am here to confirm them. There is a special someone that I love dedicating my songs to. He may not realize just how much I love him, but I hope this song makes him see that.”
“You know who you are. This song is for you, babe!”
Hooligan did a double take when he heard that.. Babe? He called him babe? They weren’t even dating, he didn’t even like him!
..Hold on. Those songs that Hooligan would secretly listen to when nobody was looking, those songs that meant something to him.. It was for him? It wasn’t just some cheesy romantic song that just so happened to describe their relationship? Rockstar actually took the time to dedicate those songs to him like he was someone special, Hooligan didn’t believe it.
He wasn’t that worth it, he wasn’t that special. At least, that’s what he thought. Something inside of Hooligan awakened, like some strange urge in him to be able to hear Rockstar more clearly. As Rockstar began to play his guitar, Hooligan started pushing fans out of the way, rushing to be closer to him. No matter how much trouble the fans caused, it didn’t stop him, he was determined.
He didn’t even know why he was doing this but here he was, intentionally going to the front. When he finally arrived, he looked at Rockstar, who was just having a blast with his guitar.
“You always tell me that we'll never be close
You tell me that you despise me
You're always punchin' and fightin' me
But you don't realize just how far I'm willing to go for you!
You may think that your tough facade will work, but it doesn't work on me, babe!
I know that deep inside of that tough facade, there's a hurt man beneath!
Let me kiss the scars on your skiiinnnn!!! Let me hold yoooouuuu in my arms tonight!
Lower your fists, I'm not here to cause trouble!
All I want is for you to see that I la, la, la, LOVE YOU!!!”
Rockstar was REALLY making it clear that it was indeed for him, Hooligan’s face softened, his body relaxing as he stared at Rockstar on the stage, singing his heart out. Hooligan should be mad, right? Hooligan should be upset, he should hate the song, hate Rockstar, hate everything about this concert but he felt something else.
You never really have anyone write songs for you, surely that would make you feel special right? That was the case for Hooligan, he couldn’t deny that he felt special and loved for once. He never knew that someone would even do this for him, was he really that worth it? Hooligan tried to deny that he was feeling that way but as the song went on, he was slowly giving up on even trying to act like he didn’t like it.
“I know that deep inside of that tough facade, there's a hurt man beneath!
Let me kiss the scars on your skiiinnnn!!! Let me hold yoooouuuu in my arms tonight!
Lower your fists, I'm not here to cause trouble!
All I want is for you to see that I la, la, la, LOVE YOU!!!”
The audience sang along, oblivious to the scene slowly starting to unfold. Rockstar noticed that Hooligan had moved a lot closer to the stage, giving him an idea. Rockstar’s smile became smug as he started walking to where Hooligan was in the crowd. Hooligan quickly realized Rockstar was approaching, his eyes widening, not sure if he should start pretending to be upset again.
Rockstar leaned down, holding his hand out for more expression and also a way to let Hooligan know that he sees him, he sees the way Hooligan is reacting to the music.
“I can see it in your eyes, you want to give it a try.
But you're too scared to do so and I know why.”
Rockstar looked into Hooligan’s eyes, he could tell what he was feeling. Conflict. Hooligan didn’t back away or anything, instead he allowed it to happen.
“I'm nothing like those punks in your past, I'll be the one to treat you right.
And you’ll never ever feel that pain again.”
Hooligan felt his hand rise up, slowly moving towards Rockstar’s hand. Hooligan wasn’t even trying to fight it anymore.
Right when their fingertips touched each other, Rockstar pulled away, startling Hooligan. Rockstar yelled into his microphone as if he wasn’t just about to hold Hooligan’s hand.
“So come on, baby! GIVE ME A CHANCE TONIGHT!!!!”
Hooligan was blushing a lot, what the fuck just happened? Hooligan didn’t know how to feel, should he feel disgusted or should he feel upset that he wasn’t able to hold Rockstar’s hand?
..Why did he feel disappointed that Rockstar pulled away?
“You're always punchin' and fightin' me
But you don't realize just how far I'm willing to go for you!
You may think that your tough facade will work, but it doesn't work on me, babe!”
So please…”
Rockstar pauses for a moment, building the suspense in the concert until he continues the song.
“Let me kiss the scars on your skiiinnnn!!! Let me hold yoooouuuu in my arms tonight!
Please, baby, give it a try with me. We'll figure it out, I promise!
Lower your fists, I'm not here to cause trouble!
Let me show yoouuuu just how special you are!
All I want is for you to see that I la, la, la, LOVE YOU!!!
Don't be afraid, let go of that tough act tonight. Come over here and HOLD ME TIGHT AND DON'T LET ME GO!!!
LET ME LOVE YOOUUUUUU!!!! LET ME SHOW YOUUUUUU JUST HOW SPECIAL YOU ARE!!!
ALL I NEEEDDDD…”
Rockstar pauses once more before speaking in a quiet yet gentle voice.
“is for you to say.. "la, la, la, love you!"”
The song has ended, the audience erupts in cheers, clapping, and squeals from fangirls and fanboys can be heard as well. Hooligan just stood there, unsure on how to process everything.
Hooligan continued to stare at Rockstar, who was motioning the audience to keep cheering.
“Thank you, thank you! You’re all too kind! I’m going to miss all of you after this concert is done!” Rockstar laughed as the audience continued to clap and even chant his name.
Hooligan didn’t have the courage to say anything, chanting Rockstar’s name sounded too embarrassing for him. Hooligan’s hands hesitantly lifted up, unsure if he should at least clap for him.
..Hooligan began to slowly clap, looking away from Rockstar due to how embarrassed he was feeling. Rockstar quickly caught onto it, his smile being more gentle when he looked at Hooligan clapping. That was enough for him to know that Hooligan liked the song, even if he’s not expressing it.
Rockstar chuckled, a sound only Hooligan heard. Hooligan looked up at Rockstar again, he stopped clapping. Rockstar winked at Hooligan while pointing at the exit. “You and I are going to have a long talk together after this.”
Hooligan felt something weird in his stomach, like there were butterflies in his stomach. Hooligan nervously looked around, he had never been this quiet before. It was embarrassing.
Rockstar just simply held in another chuckle and continued the concert. “You know what? How about we do a couple more songs?! Let me hear what you guys think!!” Rockstar shouts into the crowd and the audience immediately starts getting loud again, all of them BEGGING rockstar for a few more songs.
“Okay, okay, I hear you guys! That’s what I like to hear! Couple more songs, it is!!”
The concert continued like normal, Rockstar sang a few more songs for the crowd. Hooligan didn’t realize how he was completely focused on Rockstar, the way his mind was looping that song dedicated to him, he hadn’t realized just how much he.. liked him?
Hooligan didn’t want to think he romantically liked Rockstar but maybe he did.
Maybe he did love him after all.