He shouts at Marlene that he’s getting them another round, waving her off when she offers him a twenty, and shoulders his way through the packed crowd. He runs warm just sitting around, so he’s feeling a little sweaty, veering into hot, and breathes in relief when he exits the swarm of bodies and lines up in the rather short queue.
Leaning against the bar and pouring beer from a can into a plastic cup is the most beautiful man James has ever seen in his life. He feels his breath catch in his throat, his body catch on fire. A jawline sharp enough to cut, inky black hair with rumpled waves like he just got out of bed, straight nose with a little silver hoop through the right nostril, and a sleeve on his left arm of flowers (peonies? Roses?) and an artfully twisting serpent, curling from his slender wrist to his well-defined-but-lean bicep. There’s a smattering of silver rings on long fingers.
James swallows thickly - this is the first person to really catch his eye since the split, and what a person to catch his eye. Slim, not very tall, but really and truly beautiful. Dressed in black jeans and a loose black tank top, the armholes offering a glimpse of leanly muscled obliques, and James is done for. He’s barely able to control himself when he reaches the bar, continuing to look from the corners of his eyes.
James feels rather than sees the strangers’ eyes sweep his body. James is aware of what he looks like - he knows he’s attractive, and he decides to test the waters, cocking his hip and stretching a little so his T-shirt rides up, up, up when the bartender slides him two plastic cups of beer.
“This doesn’t really seem like your scene.”
The venue is loud, but this voice cuts through the noise. James grins lazily as he turns to fully face the beautiful man next to him. He notices how the stranger’s head tilts in interest. Gotcha.
“How do you figure?” James leans closer, a smile tugging at his lips.
“You don’t usually see Calvin Klein around here.”
“You make a habit of looking at strangers’ underwear?” James full on smirks as he catches the beginnings of a blush on the stranger’s cheeks.
“Your T-shirt, actually. But thanks for letting me know what’s going on underneath.” He winks and James feels his heart beat a bit faster. The stranger’s eyes drift to the stage where techs have finished shuffling equipment.
“I’d love to continue this chat, but I’ve got to get going.” He takes a swig of his drink and pushes himself off the bar. “You should stick around. Maybe I’ll see you after the show.”
“Why not during?” This elicits a laugh, low and breathy and barely there.
“I’m sure you’ll see me. Maybe if you’re lucky, I’ll see you too.”
James doesn’t get a chance to ask what he means before he’s gone, disappearing into the crowd. James finds himself searching as he makes his way back to Marlene, but with no luck. Even with his height advantage, James can’t find the pretty stranger anywhere. He grumbles under his breath in defeat, but still feels optimistic. He successfully flirted with someone. He’ll take the victory.
Marlene accepts the beer, glassy eyed, strands of blonde hair sticking to her neck. She looks thrilled, there’s no other word for it, and James is so glad he came if not just to see his friend happy. He clinks the soft plastic cups together and takes a drink as the house lights go down. The crowd around him shouts, a steady roar of excitement. It draws out into cacophony as four silhouettes take to the stage, one slipping behind a drum kit still in shadow, the other three sliding instruments over their bodies.
The drummer taps experimentally, and then launches into fast beat as the stage lights flicker on.
The lead singer shouts once and then the spotlight is on him and James stops breathing.
A drowning boy has no voice
It’s the pretty stranger.