Kris Jacen's Challenge

Okay, as I promised yesterday here is my contribution - please just gloss over the glaring bad editing (as we all know how much I suck at editing).

Hello Darlin'

As the last strains of The Last Fight played out into silence Grey Stevens couldn’t help but feel his whole body fill with intense loneliness. The song was a reminder of what was and could never be again. The last song for the night was inspired by a fan- of sorts. Just someone who sent him long rambling letters about everything and anything – while never once leaving their name; hell he didn’t even know if they were male or female. All he knew was something in the letters called out to him.

“This next one is for a friend I like to call ‘Darlin’, they inspired the very essence of this song, through letters which mean so much to me. Well Darlin’, Anything and Everything is just for you.”

Tapping his foot to the beat he counted of the intro as he stared at the stage, slowly he began to sing as he lifted his head and stared out into what part of the audience he could see. Lately, Grey had been getting the feeling as if Darlin’ was out in the audience watching him and listening to him. So tonight for the first time ever he wanted to give back just a little bit of himself to the one person who seemed to know him so well.

By the time the lights came up for the last time, Grey was already off the stage and making his way toward the sanctity of his dressing room. Photographers and journalists from various publications would be waiting for him, but tonight they could just wait. Grey needed a bit of ‘me time’. A smile graced his face when the first thing he saw was a very familiar envelope lying on the floor from where it had obviously be slid under the locked door.

“Well hello, Darlin’.” Grey whispered as he picked up the much thinner envelope and sat on the couch and tore open the envelope. His body reacting just as it always did when a new letter came. This time instead of the usual three or four page letter there was a single sheet of paper with seven words adorning it:

Thanks for the answers.

Yours always,

Darlin’.

Grey gently folded the piece of paper and placed it back in the envelope. He had been right, Darlin’ had been somewhere listening as he sung out the replies to everything he had ever been asked. It felt a little weird knowing he had a friendship with someone he really didn’t know a thing about. His manager Hayden kept telling him over and over the sender was just some crackpot with illusions of grandeur, but in some ways Grey thought Darlin’ was probably one of the most honest people out there – Darlin had shared bits of him/herself without ever asking for anything in return. In his own heart he believed/hoped Darlin’ was man, because he was already partway in love with them. A female would only throw a spanner in the works, considering his body was hardwired to love another man.

“Five minutes,” one of the roadies yelled through the door letting Grey know he had only a short amount of time to get himself presentable for the sea of paparazzi that wanted a piece of him. He knew after the introduction of Anything and Everything, they would all want to know about Darlin’.

What was he gonna tell them?

The truth?

Or make something up to satisfy the masses?

A timid knock sounded at the door breaking into his thoughts. “Enter.”

The first thing Grey noticed was the mop of brown curls framing one of the most gorgeous faces he had ever seen. The man’s slight build made Grey want to pull the guy in for a hug, his body reacting in an instant the moment the other man smiled. The only thing stopping him was the press pass hanging around his neck.

“Can I help you?” Grey asked as he eyed the man. Somehow the nervousness of the man standing before him seemed to set off some sort of recognition. “Hello, Darlin’.”

Grey held out his arms, and waited for Darlin’ to cross the room to fill them. Their mouths met in a furious kiss. Hands exploring what they could, and dimly, somewhere in the back of his mind Grey knew he was going to definitely be late for the press conference.