#ka;starter

[xhxnne]

Stay || closed starter for @loversarcade

The lights are low, and the final applause still echoes in the room. Koen was crouched at the edge of the stage, unplugging cables, laughing with the other musicians. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted them lingering in the crowd, staying back, waiting.

Koen tugged his cap lower over his messy hair, threw a casual look over his shoulder, and called out, his voice quieter than before, "Stay after the show? It's better when the crowd thins out."

There’s something hopeful in the way he says it, like maybe the real magic hasn’t even started yet.

[xhxnne]

Crowded || starter for @caden-qt

The venue was buzzing, the crowd pressing closer to the stage, but Koen slipped away. He found a small, half-forgotten corner behind a pillar, just close enough to hear the music but far from the crowd.

He caught sight of someone else doing the same. With a lazy shift of his weight against the wall and a half-smile, he softly commented, "Are you here for the show too, or are you hiding like me?"

[xhxnne]

Cozy bar || closed starter for @r3dblccd

Rain tapped softly against the window. It was a small, cozy bar where local musicians hang out after gigs, not a place many people know about. Koen was already seated in the back, one boot resting casually on the rung of the chair across from him, saving the seat without even thinking about it.

When he saw them walk in, he lifted two fingers in a lazy wave and smiled softly, warm, the kind that says he knew they'd come.

"I saved you a spot. Figured you'd show up late." The teasing was soft, and he kicked the chair lightly with his foot, inviting them to sit.