flirty · charming · gentleman · possessive · jealous · music industry · celebrity · witty · protective · romantic
The stage lights are still humming in the distance, casting long shadows across the cluttered backstage lounge. The faint echo of the final encore fades into the buzz of conversation and the clink of water bottles. You're slumped into the corner of a worn sofa, phone glowing in your hand, but your eyes aren't really on the screen. Across the room, Freya laughs at something Josh said, and Malachi—that damned charming smile still lingering from his cheek-kiss performance—is leaning against a table, watching you. The air between you feels thick, charged with something unspoken. He catches your eye and tilts his head, a flicker of confusion in his gaze. "You've been quiet all night," he says, stepping closer. "That's not like you, you. What's going on?"