One Moment

*Austin p.o.v.*

"Fuck, these are heavy as shit," Alan complained, dropping the rocks he had in his arm onto the sand, bending town to start building them up around the fire pit.

"And exactly how heavy is shit, Alan?" Hazel asked as she came over, cooler of what I assumed to be beer in her hands. I smirked at her comment, watching as Alan stuck his tongue out at her while I laid down blankets for us to sit on.

My and Hazel's band all decided to get together and have a bonfire down at the beach tonight. The weather is perfect for it and the next few tour dates are in places that are beach-less, so we thought we'd enjoy it while we can.

"Aust," Hazel's voice had me turning and looking down to see her handing an opened beer over to me, her own in her other hand. I flashed her a smile that she mimicked, taking the beer from her before we both sat down onto one of the blankets. Everyone else now came over and did the same thing, besides Alan who was still struggling with the fire.

"Screw this!" Alan exclaimed, done trying to light it naturally and instead grabbing the bottle of lighter fluid he brought over and starting to soak the inside of the pit.

"No offense, but if you were ever lost in the wilderness, you'd probably die like immediately," Hazel said to him, giggling slightly as she moved closer to me. I slid my arm around her waist, pulling her into my chest. She happily snuggled up to me.

"Eh, yeah, you're probably right," Alan shrugged, grabbing a lighter to stick into the pit, the lighter fluid catching immediately. Luckily, it stayed burning. "Hell yes!" He cheered successfully.

I rolled my eyes at him, still watching as he bent down to grab his guitar that he brought over before sitting cross legged on a blanket. "Anybody up for some campfire tunes?" He asked.

"Yes!" Hazel was the first to pipe up. "Play Brain Stew!" She requested the same Green Day song that has been stuck in her head all week, making me laugh and Alan groan. She'd been singing it non stop. "Haze, you're like the only one that knows how to play that song," Alan argued and I sat up a little bit.

"Here, let me see," I set my beer down and reached my had out for Alan's guitar, him raising an eyebrow at me as he handed it over. "You know to play that song?" He asked as I grabbed it from him.

"..You know how to play?" Hazel asked a different version of the question as she sat up, interested. I smirked at her.

Looking down to the neck of the guitar, I remembered where to place my fingers on the chords, thinking on which to play for this certain song. It's an easy one to play since it's basically the same two notes the whole song. "Will you sing along for me?" I looked down to ask Hazel who was already looking up at me with big eyes.

"Hell, we all could sing along. Judging by how many times Hazel has sung that damned song, I'm sure we all know the lyrics," Alan huffed and we all shared a laugh.

"Okay, here goes nothin," I nodded, starting to strum. I started off a little rusty, but eventually fell back into place. Its been a while since I've played.

Hazel immediately started singing, Aaron joining her too. I even sang softly myself, but most of the time I was too swept away in just watching Hazel so lightly sing the words. She is so beautiful.

We got through the short song rather quickly, so I handed Alan his guitar back after, Hazel grinning up at me the whole time. "What?" I chuckled at her.

"I didn't know you could play," she bit at her lip.

I smiled, grabbing onto her waist to bring her back close to me, this time letting our bodies fall back so we were laying on the blanket, looking up to the starry sky. "I'm a little rusty, but yeah," I said as I brought my arm up to rest my head on the palm of my hand, Hazel curling into my side. "It was good," she smiled, moving so her head was resting on my shoulder, her breath hot on my neck. "If you ever want to win me over just play to me and I will be in a puddle at your feet," she mumbled, making me chuckle as I wrapped my arm around her.

I kissed the top of her head, falling into silence to listen to Alan play his guitar over the crackle of the fire, enjoying the warm night air with Hazel.

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Storming back into the bus, I stopped in front of Alan who was sitting on the couch, frozen mid bite as he looked up to me. "I need your guitar," I breathed.

"What?" He set down his burger, swallowing the food in his mouth.

"I need to borrow your guitar. It's important."

He glanced over at the rest of the guys to see if they knew what was going on, but when they didn't he looked back to me. "Uh, okay... It's in the back room under the couch. Why-"

"Thanks," I quickly replied, shuffling fast into the back room and pulling the black guitar case out from under the couch.

I can't believe I didn't think about doing this before. Hazel basically lives in music, it is one of the things she has always turned to during rough times. I've witness it myself, and she's told me all about it. Basically, according to her stories, the reason she started a band and got into this stuff was because she needed music to help her get by.

So why wouldn't it help her now?

Quickly I popped open the case, Alan's acoustic guitar looking perfect and even glowing in my eyes. I let my fingers dance over the instrument before snapping myself out of it and grabbing onto the neck, heading towards Hazel.

I slowed down once I got there, my heart beating a little nervously now. What would I play? Would it work? Would she flinch away again?

I shook my head to get the thoughts away, only one song coming to mind that I could both sing and play.

Taking in a shaky breath, I gained my confidence back and walked over, getting up into the bunk with Hazel, but this time sitting up. I placed the guitar in my lap, positioning my fingers in the right way on the neck before looking down at Hazel. "I love you," was the first thing that effortlessly came out of my mouth.

Not knowing what else to say, I cleared my throat, looking down at the guitar as I started to play, singing along.

Am I loud and clear or am I breaking up?
Am I still your charm or am I just bad luck?
Are we getting closer or are we just getting more lost?

I'll show you mine if you show me yours first
Let's compare scars I'll tell you whose is worse
Let's unwrite these pages and replace them with our own words

We live on front porches and swing life away
We get by just fine here on minimum wage
If love is a labor I'll slave 'til the end
I won't cross these streets until you hold my hand


Halfway through the song, my eyes were closed as I sang, but I willed them to open. My breath got stuck in my throat when I saw Hazel's head was craned back, tears in her eyes as they looked into mine. I thought I was imagining it, but when I realized I wasn't, my own tears filled my eyes and I pushed myself to continue.


I've been here so long I think that it's time to move
The winters so cold summers over too soon

Lets pack our bags and settle down where palm trees grow
And I've got some friends some that I hardly know
We've had some times I wouldn't trade for the world
We chase these days down with talks of the places that we will go

I'll show you mine, if you show me yours first.
Let's compare scars, I'll tell you who's is worse.
Let's unwrite these pages and replace them with our own words.

We live on front porches and swing life away
We get by just fine here on minimum wage
If love is a labor I'll slave til the end
I won't cross these streets until you hold my hand

Swing life away
Swing life away
Swing life away
Swing life away

I barely had time to finish the last lyrics before I threw the guitar down on the bed behind me, arms wide open for Hazel who was, to my surprise, moving. It all happened so fast, and the next thing I know she's crawling right up onto my lap, basically diving into me. I reached out to her, feeling her bury her head into my neck and wrapping her legs around my waist, just letting everything out.

Her arms were tight around my neck as she sobbed, her body being racked so hard from her cries. It took me a minute to wrap my head around the fact that she was actually up, it shocking me a little, but as soon as her cries started to ring louder in my ear, my heart broke and my arms held her tightly to my chest.

"It's okay, Haze.. I'm right here, baby," I said lightly into her ear, my voice hoarse. I was trying not to cry myself, but it was hard not to with Hazel sobbing into my ear. I felt her pain.

I rubbed my hands up and down Hazel's back, trying to rock her a bit while I hummed lightly into her hair. Other than that, the moment was all pure as I let her get it all out. That's what she needed to do. And I needed to be here to hold her as she does.

I was clinging to her small frame just as much as she was clinging onto me. It felt so good to hold her again. Thinking this, I buried my own head down into her shoulder, breathing her in, really grasping the idea that she's' up and we're sharing this moment. She does need me, just like I need her. I had no reason to doubt.

And she was in hysterics, her body shaking as she cried, having my heart clench in sadness. I want to make it all just go away, for it to never have happened, but I can't. I can only just be here. "It's okay, let it out. You're okay, Haze... I love you," I whispered to her, feeling her arms squeeze tighter around me. "I love you," I repeated.

I'm not sure how long we sat here, or how long she cried, but it didn't matter. I'd stay here with her forever if I had to.
But eventually her cries quieted down to just soft whimpers and hiccups, her body still shaking. She hadn't moved from my embrace, her hands balling the back of my shirt in her fists. I took her now quieting down as a good time to sing lightly in her ear again, barely a whisper. I could tell she was trying to quiet herself all the way down so she could hear me fully, her body starting to relax.

When I finished with the random song I was singing, I think it was Green Day, I noticed her breathing had leveled out to long, big breaths. I listened to hear her soft baby snore in my ear, making a smile come over my face. She had fallen asleep.

I very carefully moved, making sure not to kick Alan's guitar as I laid down on my back, allowing Hazel to curl up into my chest, balling my shirt in her fists again.
Once she settled in, I lightly placed a kiss on the top of her head before laying back, brushing my fingers through her hair.

I was so relieved that I got her to not only respond to me, letting those pent up emotions out, but also getting her to fall asleep.

This is the first step to her getting better.

Who knows what it will be like, or what will happen when she wakes up, but at least we've had this moment.

Notes

I don't know if this was the best 'sad' song for Austin to play, but there is THIS link to the video of Austin singing it and the first time I saw this it absolutely broke my heart(in the good way)!! I think the lyrics are very relatable for their relationship, too.

But other than that, what do you guys think?
He sang to her and it workedd! Blah, if I imagine this it is so cute, okay. Hahaha

Also, a HUGE thank you to all of you guys! You're the best! 70 subscribers and 29 votes?!! Holy shit!!
Keep commenting, I love to hear what you guys have to say!