I smiled as I watched the guys jump around back stage. Phil was playing riffs and retuning his guitar for the fourth time in the past five minutes. When I told him he had people for that he scoffed at me and said he prefers to do it himself. Aaron sipped a cup of hot tea as he sang out intervals and scales and pieces of songs. Tino was tapping out a beat on Phil's guitar case as Alan improvised in time with him. Austin was in the corner bouncing and yelling nonsensical syllables.

“Aus, what the fuck are you doing?” I called out.

He bounced over to me. “I mean, how am I supposed to warm up? I don't do warm ups.” He started doing jumping jacks. Oh boy, he's a special one.

Suddenly, salsa music rang out. Tino jumped up, abandoning his drum sticks. “This is my song!” He began to dance, pretty impressively I might add. “Come dance with me, señorita!” He pulled me up and began dragging me through the dance.

I laughed. “I can't dance, Tino!”

“That's right!” Alan called out, “She's a lady! She moshes!”

I only laughed harder as Tino continued to lead me around the room. As he spun me I caught the sight of a second ginger head laughing at us. “Trotta! You fucker turn it off so he lets me go! I'm tired!”

Tino scoffed. “You're not doing anything!”

“I can't dance!”

“NO EXUSES!”

Kiyoshi popped in the door way. “Jared said five minutes.”

“Yosh, get him off me! Take him to do drummer things or whatever!” I yelled.

He chuckled. “You can keep him, but I am gonna need Justin.”

Trotta sighed and turned off the music, finally setting me free of Tino's grasp. As he followed Kiyoshi out I stole a water bottle and chugged half of it.

“That's it. That was my exercise for the rest of the year,” I panted out. Aaron chuckled and went to give me a kiss on the cheek. “Oh no! You stood and laughed. I'm mad at you.”

He hooked an arm around my waist and pulled me close to his chest. “Too bad.” He crushed his lips to mine.

I pulled back. “You have to get onstage.”

He hummed. “Yeah I guess I do.” He let go of me and began to follow the guys out the door, but not before smacking me on the ass. “C'mon now, you're watching from side stage.”

I pouted as we walked. “How come? I wanted to go down in the pit,” I whined again.

He flashed me a smile. “All in good time, m'love.”

I sat side stage for the show like a good little girlfriend. I wasn't happy about it, but I did it because Aaron had asked my nicely the day before.

Half way through their set, the guys paused so Austin could chug from his water bottle and Alan could switch guitars, as he'd broken his G-string. He's never living that joke down.

“So most of you know I have a girlfriend, yeah?” Aaron asked the crowd. They yelled their agreement.

I arched an eyebrow as Austin smirked at me. “What's he doing?” I mouthed. His tongue just poked through his teeth as his smile grew before he turned away.

“Well, she's here right now on the side of the stage!”

“Much to her dismay,” Alan added. “She wanted to be down in the pit.” The crowd went wild.

Aaron chuckled. “True, however I needed to be able to get her ass on stage quickly.” He turned his head to me. “Come out here, gorgeous.”
I cautiously stepped onto the stage, getting a round of whistles and yells from the crowd as I made my way to Aaron. “Yeah?”

He smirked at me before pulling me in for a really hot kiss, considering we were still on stage in front of people – who went nuts when he did so, by the way. He pulled back, panting slightly, and smiled at me again. “I love you.” The crowd 'aw'ed

“I love you too? What's up?” I asked, still thoroughly confused.

“We've been through a lot, yeah? It was hard, but here we are, together, and better because of it.” I smiled at him. He cleared his throat stepping away before continuing. “I really do love you, Sil, you mean the world to me. I couldn't imagine my life without you, so I'm kinda hoping I won't have to.” Alan passed him something that I couldn't see. He simultaneously dropped onto one knee and opened the tiny box Alan had passed him. He chuckled as my jaw dropped. “Silver, will you marry me?”

I waved my hand around behind me until it smacked Austin's arm. “Aus, pinch me.”

He laughed. “Pinch you?” He shook his head and gave me a light shove towards Aaron. “Not dreaming, Sil.”

I swallowed and met Aaron's eyes. I could see the sliver of worry beginning to grow, and I laughed. I punched his shoulder. “You fucking unbelievable asshole,” I chuckled.

He chuckled with me. “I'll take that as a yes?”

I shook my head, still smiling. “Of course, moron. Get over here.” I pulled him off the ground by his shirt, crushing my lips to his, leaving him stumbling.

I had thought the crowd went crazy before, but it was nothing compared to the response that kiss gave us. Some how, while I was caught up in kissing Aaron, he'd slipped the ring on my finger. It was a perfect moment.

But of course, those don't last long in this family.

Alan made a gagging noise. “Gross. Don't make out on the stage. Get a room.”

I broke apart from my new fiance to glare at him. “Don't be jealous because you're not getting any tonight.”

He put a hand to his heart in fake shock. “How dare you, madame! I have got serious game.”

“In your dreams, Ashby,” Austin snorted.

Alan stormed over to get chest to chest with our best friend who looked down at him, clearly amused. “Don't be rude.”

“Or what?”

“Or this,” Alan grabbed the back of Austin's neck and pulled him down until their lips collided.

I've never see a crowd go that insane when nothing was playing before.

I laughed. “Alan just needs to have his spotlight, huh?”

Austin's wide surprised eyes slowly drifted shut as he pulled Alan closer.

“Get a room!” Aaron yelled.

I laughed and gave him one last peck on the lips. “You have a set to finish. Don't y'all wanna hear some more music and less of this bullshit?!”

The crowed cheered their agreement as Tino began slamming his drums, Phil and Aaron joining him. As I jogged back off stage, I saw Austin and Alan sharing a look, still nose-to-nose...well, more like Alan's nose to Austin's chest. Austin leaned down to whisper something to him before they parted and joined the rest of their band to finish the show.

Everyone ran off stage while Austin was still saying goodbye to the crowd. Alan handed off his guitar and fidgeted nervously. I walked up and bumped his shoulder with mine. “What'd he say to you?”

Alan scratched at his arm. “He said that we need to talk.”

I snorted. “No shit. You just kissed him. You gonna ask him out?”

He shrugged. “I was thinking about it? But like, he's my best friend. I don't wanna fuck that up.”

I scoffed. “Oh please. Just tell him you like him. You're such a pansy, Ashby.”

He glared at me. “How do you know that it'll go well? How do you know he won't turn me down?!”

I saw Austin jogging off the stage and just winked at Alan. “Trust me, bub.” I gave him a solid pat on the back before going off to find Aaron. I poked around until I found him in the dressing room pealing off his sweaty shirt. “So we're going home like now, right?”

He arched an eyebrow at me. “I suppose we could?”

I nodded and crossed the room to him. “Good.” I pulled him down to me and kissed him.

He chuckled and pulled back just enough to be able to speak. “Hot engagement sex?”

I nodded, “Oh yeah,” before pressing my lips to his again.

Notes

Only one more chapter! If there's anything you demand to see comment or message me and I'll see what I can do about it. Enjoy, loves! - Anna