“Strange round-up for a show, hm?” Chris Cornell beamed brightly as usual, creating the atmosphere that usually led most to him. A beacon of light amongst the quiet, less domineering faces of the scene at that time, the mixture of both Nirvana and Soundgarden didn’t much problem coming together for a couple of drinks.

“Not too strange, I mean, weren’t you playing with the Melvins not too long ago?” Kurt moved the can of beer away from his mouth to speak, and Chris thought on that for a moment. Chris then dismissed any further complicated thought with a shrug and a slack smile.

“I guess we’re all human in the end.” Chris said, and Kim rolled his eyes.

“Don’t try being fake deep, you asshole.” Kim said.

“Don't be a dick Thayil.”

Dave, personally, wasn’t a fan of the set-up himself. Kurt and Krist were buddy-buddy as usual, and they immediately got along with the group of four like it was no problem. Chris had a easy-going style, and Kurt had a quick-wit; there was no way Dave could worm in and speak at all. All he could do was just hang at the corner of the bus and sip his beer quietly.

Dave was eyeing the door and keeping an ear on the conversation in hopes that he could find a way out of the tour bus. He knew a couple of girls were still probably around, vying for some attention from either Kurt or Chris; at best he can say he touched Kurt’s shoulder once and maybe one of them will fuck him.

“Hey, Dave, can you try teaching Matt over here how to play the drums?”

Dave snapped out of his thoughts to find Chris’ arm slung over a blonde who’s been relatively quiet as well during the meet-up. Chris had a shit-eating grin and Matt looked exasperated.

Me too, girl.

“You implying that my drumming is any good?” Dave jabbed, taking a sip of his beer as a filler for any silence that may follow. Kurt shot him a strange look, one that Dave has taken to notice as his ‘don’t say that about yourself’ face. Dave sheepishly grinned in his direction and Chris spoke over Matt.

“Hell yeah! You’ve got lots of energy and spunk!” Dave could already hear the slur in his voice, in which he shot a nervous look at Matt. Matt didn’t seem to be offended, but peeved at Chris more than anything.

“Spunk? What’re you, 50?” Kim commented. Chris then shot a glare over to Kim, and then a series of bickering began between them and the others were left in the dust. Matt was left behind on a seat nearby, and then only four remained. The glances amongst them were awkward, but then Dave decided to speak up.

“I think that your drumming is pretty cool.”

All three of them turned to stare at Dave, especially Matt, looking a bit bewildered at the sudden compliment. Then, an aggravating smile bloomed from both Krist and Kurt, and Dave turned red almost immediately. Then Krist burst out laughing and it was all over.

“Fuck you guys!” Dave barked, smacking Krist's shoulder as their laughing only got louder. Dave dared to shoot a look at Matt, who was even beginning to turn red himself, and then he couldn’t take it anymore.

“Damnit, I’m going out to smoke.” Dave growled. standing up and swiping the loose pack of cigarettes at the edge of his seat. The two were still giggling amongst themselves as he left, and he didn’t dare to look back twice. Out he went and he walked to the edge of the lot which their tour buses were parked at, and he fumbled with his cigarette pack to get one cigarette out. When he went to grab his lighter out of his pocket, it wasn’t there. Dave screwed his eyes shut and cursed to himself.

Great, I made a fool of myself and I can’t even smoke because of it.

“Were you planning on chewing the filter of your cigarette?”

Dave perked up at the sound of a voice behind him, and turned to find Matt’s backlit figure holding out a lighter to him. Dave’s eyes moved between the lighter and Matt, and the cigarette fell out of his mouth. Matt bit his lower lip to contain a laugh, Dave had seen his look plenty on Krist and Kurt, and he was beet red all over again.

“G-Guh, uhm--” Dave stammered, reaching for his pack of cigarettes in his pocket before Matt’s calm, cautious hand was placed on his shaky wrist. Dave, on the verge of tears, looked up to find Matt pressing a fresh cigarette with against his lips. Matt wore a smile, soft and perked at the corners, as he then moved to hold the light he brought to the cigarette. Matt flicked the light on, and the warmth the came from the flame pushed the tears from his eyes.

Dave had no clue where the surge of emotion was coming from, but he was grateful that Matt didn’t show that he noticed. Dave just took a puff of the newly lit cigarette and let the smoke ride throughout his body. Matt moved the lighter, and then his nimble fingers were on the cigarette. Dave had no time to question why Matt was moving the cigarette he just lit from his mouth, but his answer came as his lips pressed against his.

Dave knees wobbled, and his hands scrambled for Matt’s shoulders. Dave could remember the break of cold sweat on his lower back and the heat of Matt’s hand on his waist; the spill of thick smoke that passed between the two as if they were one. A heavy, dangerous heat began deep in his stomach, but before it could grow out of control, it was over. His lips were gone, and Matt’s eyes glowed in the haze of the smoke and the streaks of moonlight lighting his face.

“It’s my favorite brand,” Matt breathed, “You like it?”

Dave could only swallow and nod. Matt let the smoke he breathed in from Dave’s mouth disperse into the wind, and then he placed the cigarette back into Dave’s mouth.

"Chris was right, you're a pretty amazing drummer.”

Then Matt’s hand was off his body and he was gone. Matt’s figure disappeared into the shadows of cars and buses, and then Dave was alone again. The cigarette in his mouth was already about to burn out, but Dave could care less. His knees finally gave, and there Dave laid on the asphalt for a good hour, his pulse throbbing and his face red hot.



As soon as Matt was out of sight, Matt placed a palm onto a nearby car and leaned up against it. He finally let the blush he’s been fighting show on his face, and he dragged his palms over the reds of his cheeks.

“Holy shit.”

And there he sat, for a good hour, remembering every tremor that passed through the both of them at that moment.