Boyband AU
Listen to: "Shooting Star" by Owl City
Zel dropped the boys off to their cars and headed back up to Brice’s office, Starbucks in tow.
“Thanks Andrews” he smiled as she walked in. She settled in a seat, watching him work on all the paperwork and documentation for the upcoming tour. And save for the occasional question she asked which Brice happily answered, it was quiet.
But it was a comfortable quiet.
“Are you excited?” Brice asked her, taking a sip of his coffee.
“um…” she had grown to like the boys and their voices of course, but she could only think of how hectic the trip would be.“ I’m… Excited for you I guess” she answered apprehensively.
But Brice’s eyes sparkled “It’ll be absolutely AMAZING, Andrews! Here-” he got up from his seat and went to the large glass window wall of the building, motioning her over
Zel blinked and went up to him as he looked out into the city skyline.
“See all those lights Andrews? Now imagine…” he leaned back and closed his eyes “Imagine them all glowing just for you, a million stars burning and calling out your name, shining for you and your voice…” a serene expression crossed his baby face, clearly exuberant with what he was remembering “and you’re their King. You shine the brightest”
He opened his eyes and put an arm around her, and Zel barely flinched at the contact. Just barely.
“You’re going to see it, I’m going to show it to you.” he looked at her with those brilliant blue eyes “My world, where I’m the brightest Diamond” his gaze flickered in the office light. “Soon, Andrews”
Zel felt the familiar feeling of her heart somersaulting as she broke her eyes from his.
“Yeah I’m sure it’ll be great” Zel said quickly, shrugging his arm off of her.
But as she returned to her seat, she noticed Brice was giving her a hard expression, the same he usually gave Ryan. Zel raised an eyebrow at him, but Brice didn’t say anything.
~
The next night Brice wasnt in his office. Zel had locked up everything else, so she looked around the dimmed lights confused. Had he gone home?
No his car was still in the garage, she’d seen it.
Oh great - was Brice also hiding something??? Oh great, another secret kid, a hushed love affair, secret super hero identity? God this band was going to be the end of her-
“Andrews. Dance studio please” the King’s voice buzzed from the intercom.
The Dance Studio? Zel was confused, she knew the boys rehearsed in there, but the choreographers had all gone home. Shrugging she went up a flight of steps to a long, mirror lined dance floor.
She nearly choked as she walked in on Brice, full performance gear on, glowing gloves, low rise jeans, studded vest showing his pefectly bronzed skin as the king stood, admiring his flawless reflection.
“W-Why- Why are you here? I was looking everywhere for you” Zel swallowed and was trying very hard to avoid looking at the numerous freckles lining his skin. Usually the makeup department covered that, but right now they were clearly visible in the bright light of the hall, how unfortunate;;;
Brice turned to her, running a finger down his own jawline, as usual oblivious to her discomfort “I wanted to practice my moves and-” He gave her his hard, appraising look again
“Andrews. I want you as a back dancer on my stage solos”
The words sat in the air before it dawned to Zel exactly what the King’s ploy was.
“WHAT?! ” Zel’s voice reverberated along the glass walls, wondering if she misheard, SURELY THIS WAS A JOKE. Zel shook her head in disbelief “You-I- Im a BODYGUARD, I don’t know how to-”
“Well don’t you think that you’ll be able to protect me better if you’re right next to me onstage?” he reasoned matter of fact-ly, in his usual, entitled way “Not that anyone would throw anything but their panties at me of course” he winked “I’m not Justin Beiber”
She blanched “Pride I don’t KNOW how to dance- and there’s no WAY I can get on your level before we get started on the tour!? I can’t do it” her mind was spinning at his latest demand of her, though she tried to keep a firm front, excuses to get out of this floating through her head “You can’t expect so much of me, this isn’t in my contract”
“You’ll be fine, and you’ll learn.” he nodded resolutely to her “Because you’re going to have the BEST teacher” and he gave her his diamond hand sign, eyes glowing as bright as his gloves “The King~”
“You… don’t have time to do this” she tried to dissuade him, ignoring the wide, eager blue eyes.
“I’ll make time for you Andrews,” and he dropped his smirk for an almost kind look at her “C'mon… I just want you to see what I see. Then maybe you’d understand what it’s like for us, what it’s like for me. ”
“Look Pride, even if you coach me day and night, I… Really can’t get on your level… ” Zel wavered as she finally voiced her biggest worry “Compared to you guys… I’m… not gonna be any good probably…”
Brice paused. Slowly his hands reached for her cheeks, tilting her face towards his.
“Andrews. I’ve seen how you move, you’re fighting is graceful, almost like a dance in itself. You’re strong, and powerful. I wouldn’t ask this of you if I wasn’t absolutely sure you could do this” And his eyes shimmered diamond blue as they swept over hers, voice earnest, without the usual bravado
“You’re a QUEEN, Andrews. I know I can count on you.”
And Zel seemed to lose herself as she stared back at him, mesmerized by his gaze as she inadvertently nodded.
That was all the confirmation he needed. Grinning he let go of her, he walking over to the large screen on the wall and fiddled with it till he pulled up his own mv. Zel stood listening to the rapid but silent palpitations of her heart, absolutely sure this was a horrible idea until he turned back to her.
“We’ll start easy” he said in an uncharacteristically gentle voice as He hit play and his image came onscreen
He walked up to her and adjusted her closed defensive stance “Heh just relax, ok? Follow my lead”
Close your tired eyes, relaxing them Count from one to ten and open them All these heavy thoughts will try to weigh you down, but not this time
Zel actually knew this routine, it was secretly one of her favorites, the King’s soft voice starting like a lullaby until the bridge. She got the steps correct as Brice mouthed the lyrics, beaming at her as she managed to keep in time with his slow, fluid movements.
Way up in the air, you’re finally free, and you can stay up there, right next to me All this gravity will try to pull you down, but not this time
“You’re wooden, Andrews, just-” he moved behind her, hands reaching to run down her shoulder and fix her posture, “don’t think, just listen to the rhythm, the beat. Let it flow” and he took her waist for the chorus, guiding her through the stance
When the sun goes down, and the lights burn out, Then it’s time for you to shine
She couldn’t breathe as his fingers lightly crossed her spine, though he was only getting her ready for the hip thrust that followed the body roll. She managed to do both, it wasn’t difficult for her, but it would be easier if he maybe stopped looked at her with those impossibly shiny blue eyes.
Brighter than the shooting star, so shine no matter where you are Fill the darkest night, with a brilliant light, ‘Cause it’s time for you to shine Brighter than a shooting star, so shine no matter where you are
The spins, the twirl, the head dip, she’d seen him do it so often, she could replicate it in her sleep probably. She sometimes danced along with Francis while Ryan and Britt partnered up, just fooling around to their albums while waiting to be interviewed or for press releases and rehearsals She wasn’t half bad. But this. This was completely different.
Gazing into my eyes, when the fire starts, And fan the flame so hot, it melts our hearts All the pouring rain, will try to put it out, but not this time
She WANTED to be with him, be with the King as he looked over at their reflections. Was this how Ryan felt? Wanting to prove he was good enough to stand with the trio?
Let your colors burn, and brightly burst, Into a million sparks, but all dispersed and illuminate a world, That’ll try to bring you down, but not this time
It never mattered to her before tonight. She was there to protect him. Nothing more. She wasn’t the slightest bit interested in singing or being famous. She was content as a guardian in the the shadows.
When the sun goes down, and the lights burn out, Then it’s time for you to shine Brighter than the shooting star, so shine no matter where you are Fill the darkest night, with a brilliant light, 'Cause it’s time for you to shine Brighter than a shooting star, so shine no matter where you are,
No. That couldn’t be why her heart fluttered, she thought as he took center floor for his finish and she began the final orbit around the Star
Whoa, whoa, whoa Brighter than a shooting star, Shine no matter where you are, tonight
“Not-too awful Andrews!” he grinned, panting just slightly as his voice faded out the speakers “You’re too stiff. You’re footwirk needs a LOT of improvement, you’re not as opened as you should be during the chorus, your stance at the bridge wasn’t smooth, you’re hips lock instead of popping, you’re back needs to arch forward…” he rambled on, pulling out all her mistakes. Zel rolled her eyes waiting for him to finish
“… and you need to smile more. But still” he gave her his usual appraising smirk “not too awful at all. I expected much worse.
"Well thank you, Pride, I’ll take that as a compliment” but the sarcasm was lost to him, as he watched her begin to shut off the many lights in the mirror lined studio.
“You must be paying real close attention to me while I dance, while I rehearse. There’s no other explanation on how you knew every move” he spoke in his self satisfied tone as the darkness decended, till only his gloves glowed bright blue in the long, darkened hall “Can’t keep your eyes off the King, huh Andrews?”
“Um, it’s my job to watch you, don’t flatter yourself” though Zel knew that was asking the impossible. Still, she couldn’t help but shake her head amusedly at how full of himself the King was. She was used to it by now, it didn’t bother her as much she thought as she shut the final dim light. “but thanks. I’m not saying I’ll do it, It’s not part of my contract. But it was fun. Dancing I mean.”
She couldn’t really see his expression in the lightless studio, but her eyes stayed on his gloves “Thanks for teaching me”
And in an eyeblink she the gloves vanished as she felt them disappear behind her back, the King’s torso pressed to her body, his breath on her neck, his hair in her lips as he held onto her in the dark.
“Maybe I could teach you something else too…” but there wasn’t even a hint of teasing in his voice despite his words. He slowly faced her, looking up at her, his eyes almost soft with the tiny pout on his… Popstar perfect lips…
And they were cool against her own, tasting like whipped cream and Starbucks, deceptively soft despite his “Harder than diamond~” catchphrase, gentle, almost timid and hesitant…
Zel broke away first, hand flat againt his chest in a firm but careful push.
“Long day tomorrow, Pride. You should go home and pack” she muttered, exiting the studio.
“Yeah… Yeah gotta get everyone’s luggage pieves checked it, see if the hotels can accommodate all out costumes, get all our casual wear and interview wear sorted” Brice snapped back into Manager mode, following her out “Get me a double shot of coffee tomorrow, ok Andrews?”
Zel closed her eyes but nodded. If it was that easy for him to forget what just happened, she shouldn’t think of it either. God what was she thinking, kissing BRICE PRIDE of all people, arrogant, selfcentered, fault finding, narcissistic, handsome… Smart… Focused…
She pinched herself.
“I’m not your gopher, Pride.” she retorted “Goodnight”
“I’m sure I will have a good night, Andrews” he winked as he got back into his sleek Corvette.
But as she watched him drive off, she couldn’t help but lick her lips as she could still taste him.
Her King.
