When Oscar stepped out of the lobby of his apartment complex, and onto the street, he was almost unrecognizable.

Max was right. The red suit with black accents and sunglasses gave Oz a distinctly devilish appearance as he sauntered to his bike. However, there were signs of his upbringing that even an expensive suit couldn't erase—like his clip-on tie for instance. It was easily forgotten by how perfectly the tux hugged and complemented Oscar's frame, and he took it as a good sign when he was already turning heads at nearly every red light.

Night was descending on the city, the tall buildings of the Downtown district breaking up the sky that was ablaze with the colors of sunset. The decorative street lamps were already switching on as the doors to the Kingsport Performing Arts complex opened.

It was a plaza, covered with a tall glass canopy that linked several little restaurants, art studios, and theaters together. These were not the types of places that people like Oscar normally hung out in. The art studios were small, chic, and nothing was priced—for good reason. The restaurants were equally upscale, and despite their absurd prices and tiny portions, they seemed to be filling up quickly.

Oscar checked his phone, until he spotted the theater entrance. It was easily the oldest building in the plaza, and when he stepped inside, he felt like been transported back in time. The lobby was huge and open, allowing him to see up several floors to the large, domed glass ceiling topping the stone and bronze architecture. Polished marble floors stretched across the entire lower level, inlaid with metal details, leading to a large lobby with a full liquor bar and a set of stairs that stretched several different floors. Signs all along the way noted which seating section each door led to. But before you could reach any of it, you were met by the gilded green copper and golden bronze ticket booth.

This was where Oscar stopped and sent his text, he wouldn't be getting any further without a certain someone.

His text seemed to go unread for a few minutes as other theatergoers passed Oscar on their way into the theater. Even though they were all clearly dressed up for the occasion as well, He got several approving and appreciative gazes, and even some pleased smiles for his sense of style; like he was one of them. Bold and fashion-forward, but a member of their class, nonetheless.

The blare of rock music that suddenly penetrated the busy lobby startled a few of the couples nearest to Oscar, as Max's name appeared across his phone screen.

"You look so fucking good in that," Max said, grinning when Oscar spotted him and they locked eyes.

For that split second, it was like a movie... Like the universe had slowed down just a hair for them, so that they could drink in the sight of each other, and the music floating through the luxurious lobby only added to it.

Max hung up, looking incredibly comfortable in his black corduroy suit, tailored perfectly to make his waist look slimmer, as he sauntered across the distance between them. His boots had just a hint of a heel, making him a smidge taller than usual. A red corner of a handkerchief poked out of his breast pocket; a perfect compliment to Oscar's suit.

He couldn't resist touching the punk's tie, fighting the urge to snicker at it being fake, as he'd suspected. It still looked good with the suit. Very Oz.

"Nah, it looks good on me," Oscar corrected, snatching his clip-on away from Max and readjusting it with a smirk of his own. He'd entertained the idea of buying a real one, but figured it would only be a waste because there just weren't that many occasions that he'd need one, and even if one did arise, he still had no idea how to tie it.

"And mine?" Max wondered, chin raised like the proud peacock he was.

"Yours is okay, but it makes you blend in around here too easily," Oscar observed as he crossed his arms and scanned the slow procession of uptight upper-class people who passed by them. Oscar didn't count Max among them. They were the 'not us' in his mind.

Max laughed, his warm eyes conveying his genuine amusement and joy. "Well, we can't all be show stoppers."

Leading Oscar up the staircase that he'd descended earlier, Max could hardly control his own grin. His devilishly debonair date was catching curious eyes, just like he knew he would, and Max felt a sense of pride in getting to be seen with Oz. Of course, there'd be a downside to the attention. Gossip would fly. They'd all want to know who Oscar was, where he'd come from, and what his relationship to Max was... There would be an absolute deluge of questioning from his mother as soon as she caught wind of it.

Their box was a rather private area, tucked in a level above the main floor, but below the balcony seats. They had an easy view of the entire stage, and although it sat four chairs, two in front and two behind those, it was only going to house him and Oscar this evening.

There was a program for each of them sitting on the small circular table just behind the first set of chairs, along with a slender, single page menu; listing dinner options and drinks; classic cocktails, wines, and the types of beers that you definitely wouldn't find in a six-pack on a shelf at your local grocery store. Their names weren't even remotely familiar.

"Beethoven's ninth," Max said, once they'd both sat down. "Not sure if you cared either way, but that's what they'll be playing tonight." The dim lighting was soft and romantic, and made the bright lights focused on the stage almost seem to visually buzz in contrast.

"Ninth what?" Oscar asked as he leaned back into the red velvet chair that rivaled the red of his own attire. The acoustics in the box were odd, making it feel as if they were in some sort of sound proofed room, in contrast he could hear every shuffle and shift from the few people down on stage making last minute preparations.

"Symphony." Max draped his arm across Oscar's shoulders, his fingertips snaking through the dark hair at the back of Oz's head. "He wrote other stuff too, but symphonies are kinda the whole package," he added, giving the hair between his fingers the slightest tug on the word, package. "Do you play any instruments? I've always kinda assumed, but never asked."

Max's touch sent a wave of warmth down Oscar's spine that melted the tension in his muscles and made him shift a little closer. "Nah, never had the money for classes," he admitted.

There were gears turning in Max's head, that much was obvious just from the inquisitive look in his eyes. "Maybe we could try one out together," he suggested, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively before chuckling at how dorky he probably looked doing it.

That was something Max had noticed though, about being around Oz... Of course he wanted to look cool and sexy, but he also didn't mind being a dork around the punk. He liked seeing Oz laugh and smile... Christ, he had a beautiful smile.

Max was so caught up in gazing at Oscar in the dim, golden-hued theater lighting that the sudden applause welcoming the concertmaster onto the stage startled the shit out of him. He had to laugh at himself for jumping, before withdrawing his hand from the back of Oz's head.

The first violinist played her note for the others to tune to, filling the auditorium with a mess of single, unorganized notes that Oscar found oddly beautiful.

Then, the lights turned down, the notes faded, and a hush fell over the theater so that only the clack of the conductor's shoes could be heard as he approached the podium. Oscar felt Max's hand come to rest on his thigh in the dark, just as the music started.

"You know," Max said, leaning in close to Oz. "Just realized I've never fucked around in a theater before."

"We could change that," Oscar tossed back easily.

Max grinned. "I'd be down." He watched his own fingers track confidently up Oz's thigh, like an MVP on a red carpet.

Oscar's tongue licked slowly across his lower lip while he envisioned where it might go and what it might do.

"You wearing a belt, by chance?" Oz shouldn't have needed one, considering those pants were tailor made to fit him. Max chuckled to himself before adding, "Or underwear?"

"Heh. I am, actually... No belt though." Oscar had attempted to wear a belt, but all those he owned were larger than the slim loops could handle.

Max shook his head as he tsked, leaning in so that his lips were nearly brushing the shell of Oscar's ear. "You just have to be fucking difficult, don't you?" Without giving Oz a chance to answer, Max slid out of his own chair and used his hands to part Oscar's legs, enough to give himself room to kneel in between them. He wore a smug little smirk as he stared up at him, fingers busy unbuttoning and unzipping the red suit pants. "You'll be able to keep quiet, right?"

Oscar raised a single brow as he glanced around at the other private boxes and the larger rows around the auditorium. He honestly wasn't sure if he could, but there was no way in hell he was saying anything that might stop Max and leave him with a serious case of blue-balls. "Oh, yeah," he assured in little more than a whisper that was easily masked by the sound of the orchestra.

A small tremor from Oscar's zipper teased against his growing arousal. The smile on Max's face said that he was well aware of Oscar's lack of patience, and seemed to get some enjoyment out of watching the punk squirm in anticipation. However, they were both about to be left unsatisfied as Max suddenly paused and then stood up straight as a toy soldier, just before the curtains to their box were pulled apart.

"Marcus?" Carter's voice questioned, despite the fact that he could already clearly see Max. He couldn't, thankfully, see Oscar yet, who was currently locked in battle with his zipper which had been caught on the tiniest piece of fabric and refused to close completely.

Oscar could sense the stranger moving closer, and with one final frantic tug, felt something give, and the pull tab on the zipper went flying right out of the box into the crowd seated below.

"Oh and who's your friend?" Carter wondered as he came around the chair to eye Oscar, who was now sitting casually with his program strategically placed in his lap.

"My escort," Max said quickly, side eyeing Oz. "I didn't realize you were gonna be here tonight, or I'd have stopped by."

"Hah, and here I thought the Gallaghers knew everything about everyone in this city!" Carter laughed softly as he edged closer to Oscar. "I'll keep an eye on him, why don't you go get yourself something from the bar?" Carter dropped a pair of crisp twenty dollar bills into Oscar's lap like they were pennies.

Oscar's brows furrowed into a glare. He stood up swiftly, but as the pamphlet in his lap shifted, he realized that Carter might have just given him a well needed 'out' to deal with his situation. He swallowed down the insult he'd been preparing, giving Max his own side look as he exited the box.

"He's charming. You should bring him to the party tomorrow. Oh. You are coming, right? That didn't slip your mind as well?"

Max chuffed out a brief chuckle; prodding the inside of his cheek with his tongue to give himself a second to get his emotions in check. "Of course I'm coming," he said with a smile. "I wouldn't subject anyone to how dull it'd be without me. But what brought you out tonight? This doesn't strike me as your kind of programming," Max added, motioning for Carter to take Oz's seat if he felt so inclined, while internally willing Oscar not to go too far. He hadn't been able to tell whether Oz was upset with him yet, or only at the interruption.

"Oh, one of the Romons invited me. You know how it is, you let it slip once that you might be looking to run for mayor, and suddenly everyone wants to be your friend."

The smile on Max's lips darkened into a grin. "Yeah," he said quietly, glancing back out over the packed auditorium. "That's exactly how it is..."

I bet no one ever thought that they'd have to worry about flying zipper parts on their nice night out at the symphony!

BUT...if catching the pull tab of Oz's zipper was like catching a bride's bouquet, what would you say it would signify for the lucky (or unlucky) recipient~? xD

Shout out to -Tonia74- ! Thanks so much for your support!!