Robert stumbled off the stage, feeling like a god.

There had been no mistakes tonight. His voice hadn't let him down - not even by a semitone. And, upon taking the stage, the crowds of girls milling about, ogling him, had had the strangest effect on him.

He felt as though someone had given him a shot of liquid courage.

He'd pouted and pranced about onstage in a way he'd never have done, not unless you got him well and truly sozzled. And yet not a single drop of alcohol had passed between his lips that night.

He was drunk on adrenaline.

It made him want to do something crazy. Something he'd never done before.

"Robert?"

Jimmy's voice.

"Yes?" Robert was practically bouncing on his toes.

"There's a girl looking for you. Oh - there she is."

He turned, to see a shock of long dark hair headed his way.

It was Maureen.

She had a sheepish look on her face, as if she expected to be hit. "I'm sorry," she began, "I had no idea you'd move in...it must have been awfully awkward...my Mum's very traditional - we're Indian, you see - and she doesn't like me...liking boys until I'm older." Her face flared with colour.

Positively high on his own good spirits, Robert was willing to forgive all kinds of wrongs. "That's alright, darling." he said. "Can I buy you a drink?"

She flushed harder, opening her mouth-

"Do you have money for a drink?" Jimmy materialised out of the crowd. "Given the state of your clothes, I can't be sure."

Robert made a face at him.

"There's no need to bother yourself on my account." Maureen replied, her tone somewhat uncertain. "My friends and I were going to head off to another club by the-"

"No problem." What exactly am I doing? Have I forgotten the fact that I'm gay?

He hadn't. There was just something bubbling up under his skin, egging him on to do stupid things. He wasn't sexually attracted to Maureen - not in the least. He was just taken over by a sense of curiousity. A need to discover why girls held no fascination for him.

Buying a pint for himself and half a pint for Maureen, he ushered her towards a table. Jimmy was standing by the bar, watching the two of them with an amused look on his face.

"You were brilliant." Maureen said, before ducking back behind a curtain of hair.

"Thank you." Girls are awfully skittish, aren't they? Unlike Jimmy, who's coy but knows how to get your motor working. "You look lovely. That's a nice top." It wasn't - it was a rather bizarre flowered thing, but girls lapped up compliments, didn't they?

"Oh, this old thing?" She laughed, nervously.

"Don't you like your beer?" It was a hint - he never could stand nervous, fluttery girls. Hopefully, if she managed to get her drink down, the alcohol would get rid of all that annoying anxiety.

Four pints later, he was feeling light-headed and her drink still sat untouched in front of her.

"Is it hard, getting up in front of a crowd and singing?" she asked, half-hidden behind her dark locks.

Well, it's easier than getting into Jimmy's pants or getting you to open up.

"Sometimes." he replied, truthfully. "If you're feeling low - sapped of self-esteem - it's a battle to not turn tail and run off."

Her eyes widened sympathetically. "That sounds awful."

This irritated him. Jimmy would have teased him or perhaps belittled him. He certainly wouldn't have widened his eyes and looked at Robert like a puppy.

Robert shrugged. "Not really. You learn to weather it."

"You're very brave." Her eyes twinkled, half shy and half in awe. She glanced over her shoulder. "Most of the girls here are in love with you now."

"Including you?"

That made her go even more red. "That's not what I meant."

"Sure sounded like it."

She squirmed in her seat.

It made him laugh and do something so utterly unlike him that he surprised even himself.

He brushed the hair out of her face, cradled her chin and slowly angled her face so that their lips could mash together. They were kissing. Robert was kissing a girl. An actual girl.

She was a thoroughly enthusiastic kisser - perhaps spurred on by the thought of female eyes watching in jealousy - though she rather lacked finesse.

Anyway, who was Robert to judge? He wasn't the world's best kisser either.

Sensing a familiar gaze trained on him, he opened his eyes. Jimmy was sitting at a table at one of the far corners of the room, clapping in a slow, sarcastic sort of way.

Feeling warmth pool in his chest, he kissed Maureen with exaggerated passion. She responded almost immediately, her tongue wriggling into his mouth.

It was a bit like being choked with a live eel, and was certainly the wettest kiss he'd ever received.

When at last they broke apart, Maureen looked as though she'd just been crowned Queen of England. A few boys by the bar - Robert assumed they were friends of hers - wolf whistled loudly and cried, "Attagirl!"

"I'll see you around." Robert said, to her, feeling thoroughly pleased with himself as he got out of his chair. It was as though he'd proved his manhood in a very young-man-showing-off-his-bravado kind of way.

Maureen mumbled something incoherent, turned red, and scuttled off to rejoin her friends.

Robert tossed his golden curls over his shoulder for their benefit as he walked towards Jimmy's table. Upon reaching it, he plonked himself down in the chair beside the guitarist's and said, "Tell me, expert kisser, how I did."

Jimmy smirked. "You looked as if you were eating ice cream. You need practice."

Robert leant across so that the two of them were practically nose-to-nose. "Do you volunteer to be my tutor?"

"Stop it." The guitarist backed away. "We're in a club."

Robert guffawed.

"What's so funny?" Jimmy sounded indignant.

"It's funny that your excuse is 'ooh, we're in a club' instead of 'ooh, I'm not gay'." The singer leant back in his seat, a smirk on his lips. "You want me to kiss you, don't you?"

"You're drunk."

"Apparently we have a good time when I'm drunk."

Jimmy exhaled loudly. "That was one blowjob. One."

"You have a very talented mouth. That makes an impression, if you know what I mean. Also," Robert took a gulp of his drink, "don't think I haven't noticed the way you avoid answering questions."

"I do?" The guitarist raised a brow.

"You do, you sexy bastard."

For a brief while, Jimmy's features were raging a battle - debating whether they ought to scowl or grin. They compromised by producing a wonky smile.

A warm, tingly feeling erupted in Robert's chest again. Perhaps it was the alcohol or perhaps the sight of Jimmy's half-smiles made him fall even deeper in love with the gorgeous man.

Even deeper in love. In love. Does this mean I love him? As in, I want to cuddle with him and make him smile instead of trying to get into his pants all the time?

"Penny for your thoughts?"

"Hmm?"

"You look deep in thought. Is anything the matter?"

The idea that anything could be a matter at that point in time sent a smile scurrying across Robert's face. "Nothing. Absolutely nothing."

🦋

Soo...how'd I do guys?

Peace out, Annia.