WHO: Rafe Brightstar, Ari Shaw, Lyam Connolly, Bran Abrams (Connolly?!) WHAT: Live music and future plans WHEN: Saturday, June 13, 2020 WHERE: Outdoor music venue RATING: Kissing, innuendo, and generally boys being sappy
Rafe shook out the blanket he'd brought until it was smooth on the grass, then waited for Ari to take a seat. He settled close to his boyfriend, not even attempting to put space between them as he slid an arm around him. "This will be a good one. You'll recognize one of the singers, even," he said, nodding toward the stage. With a mischievous little smile, he leaned in enough to press a kiss to Ari's jaw. "Do you want a drink? I figure we can save the shortbread cookies for a few performers in."
Despite the rollercoaster of rather epic proportions for the last couple of months, Ari finally felt like maybe he was getting back some measure of his equanimity back. Granted, his lingering (and justifiable) concern for his brother was still a cloud hanging over him, but he was determined to enjoy the day out. He assumed that someone would call him if anything happened, but he would deal with it then, and not before. So he smiled and looped an arm easily around his sunny boyfriend. "Sure, whatever you're having." After half a beat of considering things, he cast a dubious glance toward the stage. "Will I still be surprised if I'm anticipating it now?"
Rafe pulled out his wand with his free hand and flicked it behind them, sending his picnic basket floating in front of them. He debated for a moment before pulling out two bottles of beer and handing one to Ari. There was wine, too, but he had a hunch that they might need that to share later. "Well, I guess you won't if you start trying to make guesses. You know I can't keep a straight face for anything." Especially not when he had the opportunity to give his boyfriend a relaxed day out after his busy and stressful schedule of the last few weeks. "It wouldn't make it any less enjoyable for you. I just like making you wonder. You could probably convince me to let you in on the secret, though."
The beer was a little bit of a surprise, and Ari had to wonder just how much tension he was unconsciously still carrying in his shoulders. Yet another reason why his boyfriend was amazing. Rather than open and take that initial sip, he set the bottle to one side and turned back so he could raise a single brow at him. There was no disbelief in this look—this was a challenge. It was his turn to lean in and lower his face until his lips brushed against Rafe's pulsepoint. "Normally, I would hate being that couple, but you make me not want to care so much. Just how much convincing do you expect it'll take? I'd love to know my boundaries."
"As if there's anything about us that's normal," Rafe said in a low voice made just a little rougher by that tiny touch. He set his bottle aside, too, to free up his hand to swipe through the hair at Ari's temple. "Don't you think we've set enough boundaries already?"
While things had relaxed considerably in the time since his accident, they'd still been hesitant to push their physical relationship too far all at once. Rafe had no complaints; there was something extraordinarily and unexpectedly intimate about being restricted to smaller touches. But in that moment he very much was good with stretching those limits. "Kiss me?" he said, dropping his hand to run his fingers down Ari's lips. "I'll tell you when you can stop."
The slight rumble in his boyfriend's tone was nearly all the incentive Ari had needed, but the question tipped him over into action. He kissed the small patch of skin he'd been gently teasing before taking the short trail up to Rafe's lips. "Yeah, I'm pretty sure I can do that." He was pretty sure a band was playing, but he couldn't have said what the style of music was or if it was remotely familiar. Hell, he'd even forgotten that they weren't alone. It was so easy to get wrapped up in the taste and feel and sounds of the man in his arms.
It was a series of soft, easy kisses, held back from something more intense only by the reminder of the music and the breeze that swirled around them. Rafe traced the bare skin at Ari's collar, making a pattern that was virtually a promise for later that night. "The band is called Bramble & Brogue," he said between stolen breaths, amusement coloring his voice. "Does that tell you anything?"
Rafe would have drawn the tease out even longer, except that an announcement from the stage proclaimed that very band was up next. He pressed his lips to Ari's one last time, prolonging the contact for the space of a breath before he sat back again. He smiled as he threaded their fingers together and settled with their shoulders pressed, leaned together. "This will be a good song."
Thanks to him, Lyam’s friends in Bramble & Brogue got a pretty good spot during the festival. It was the arrangement they’d made: they played at the Connolly wedding, and Lyam would exercise his influence as a celebrity to help them out. It ended up being a win-win for Lyam anyway because he got to be front man for the day.
Their entrance was loud with a rousing cover of Whiskey in the Jar as the band members playing their instruments on entering the stage extending the intro. Lyam was of course last which was the big surprise to most of the crowd, and he immediately went up to the front mic to start singing the first verse.
It was always a crowd pleaser even for those who didn’t listen to Irish Folk. It was also good for Lyam to psych himself up immediately from the first song, and get the audience hooked. He enjoyed musical theatre, but actually being in a band had always been a dream for Lyam. It was just something that he’d never gotten around to yet.
Their first song received a huge round of applause. His mate Sean Murphy, the guitar player, came over to him and clapped him on the back and his own magicked mic. “As you all know already, we’re very lucky to have the infamous Lyam Connolly. He’s one of my best mates, and we played at his wedding this year, so he owes us!” Sean teased, and Lyam laughed wondering where this was going.
“My romantic boyo here is going to sing a love song for his husband who is somewhere listening on,” Sean said winking to Lyam because he was unexpectedly adding to the set to catch Lyam off his toes.
“Git,” Lyam said, bantering back, but he smiled again as soon as he heard the intro starting because he did know the song, and didn’t mind singing it to Bran. When Lyam started to sing, his eyes searched the crowd for Bran, and imagined the look on his face.
“When first I saw the love-light in your eye I thought the world held naught but joy for me And even though we drifted far apart I never dream but what I dreamt of thee
I loved you as I've never loved before Since first I saw you on the village green Come to me ere my dream of love is o'er I love you as I loved you, when you were sweet When you were sweet sixteen…”
A high, sustained whistle came from the party sitting a couple of blankets over, and Ari had barely glanced that way before he heard, "I love you too!" shouted from a somewhat familiar voice. Even with his part of the production over, Ari still felt like he hadn't been working with the newlyweds for long, but it had been enough to know that he genuinely liked the couple. And Rafe had been right: he'd been both pleased and pleasantly surprised when Lyam had taken the stage. After resolving to catch Bran's attention once the song was over, he leaned in to his boyfriend's space. "I can't promise to publicly sing you a love song, but I hope you know I'd mean every word."
"I'll take Shakespeare's sonnets over public love songs any day," Rafe said, nuzzling Ari's neck and wishing for a brief, selfish second that they weren't going to be sharing the day with anyone else. He knew they'd have a good time with Bran and Lyam, though, so the thought slipped away almost as fast as it came. He could enjoy this moment for a few minutes more, at least. "But you never know—maybe I'll sing you one. I have it on good authority that's something I might be able to do in the future. Big stage, lots of people, might even make you blush." He brushed his lips over Ari's jaw.
"It's not that hard. Uh, I mean, difficult." Like a summoning spell, Ari's face went hot, and he had no doubt it was still pink as Bran walked up with a grin.
He'd seen his co-star across the way and gingerly picked his way around the various blankets, stopping to sign things when recognized, stopped, and requested. Bran was still buzzing from his serenade, and his good mood only increased at seeing a colleague. He didn't even have to ask if he was intruding, because Ari was scrambling a little to sit up and make a spot for him. Sitting so he could split his attention between the stage and the two younger actors, he nodded his chin toward his husband's band. "Enjoying the show?" He extended his hand to Rafe. "I've seen you around the studio, but we've not actually been introduced. Bran Abrams."
"It's great. They're very talented," Rafe said with a smile and a nod, leaning over to shake Bran's hand. "Rafe Brightstar." His eyes shifted so that he was looking at something vaguely around the wizard's shoulder, gaze unfocused even as he continued to speak. "It's good to meet you, finally. I hear rumors of increased crossovers for next season, so now we have a head start. Huh." His eyes connected with Bran's once again, his expression thoughtful. "You're going to be the last Agent Silver." After a beat, he cleared his throat and shook his head. "Sorry, I know that's jarring sometimes for people who don't know me."
It was kind of a known element that the Merlinverse had their own personal Seer, but Bran had never personally been on the receiving end of a Vision. He wasn't sure what to think or how to feel about the experience. "It's… fine." The last Agent Silver. Like he was going to end the entire franchise? That would be horrible. But before he let himself build up a head full of unhelpful nonsense, he smiled at Rafe and shrugged a shoulder. "Probably makes life interesting, in any case."
They made small talk through the rest of Lyam's songs, which wasn't as long as the entire set, and he and Ari talked about a few silly things that had happened during production, including Ari getting dumped in the mud during a flying scene after the broom malfunctioned. "I can laugh about it now, but they had to stop production just to get me a new pair of leggings. Not even magic could get that muck out!"
Lyam was finally allowed to leave the stage to much applause, so he could rejoin his husband and enjoy the rest of his friend’s set. It took him awhile to get through the crowd as he also had to go through the process of signing autographs and taking pictures with fans. And then he also had to locate Bran.
Eventually he did, finding him sitting next to fellow Merlinverse actors. Being the Merlin in the verse, he’d had the chance to work with both of the men before. “Hello,” he said, giving a wave as he walked close to the others. There was already space next to Bran so he moved to occupy it. And then purposely leaned in to steal a kiss from Bran as well. Maybe some fans were lucky and grabbed a couple of pictures, who knows. “So what do you think? Do I still need to keep my day job?”
"Hey, man," Rafe greeted the newcomer, reaching out to shake the wizard's hand once he was settled. "Nah, nothing wrong with being multi-talented. It's too bad you don't always have the band around to play with, though." He clapped as the remaining musicians finished another song. Most of the eyes that had turned their direction were back on the stage now, and he was glad for it; these guys were brilliant and deserved the attention. "This is great. I haven't done the outdoor music thing in years. Not since I rode along with Champions of Sunrise the first year they toured." He finally popped the top of his beer and took a sip. "Drinks? We've got plenty." He gestured toward their basket.
It was still novel to kiss so freely out in public, but Bran had gotten better about not glancing around to see if anyone was watching (or judging). He was still smiling a little as the next round of exchanges went around, and took the opportunity to lean into his husband's side and settle an arm around his waist. "I should call over our basket too, combine our plunder. That is, if you don't mind company. I'll take a beer, please. No early morning call or interview, thank Merlin." Turning his head a bit, he popped a kiss to Lyam's cheek. "Your day job includes singing on occasion, love. I think you'll be all right."
"That's right!" Ari passed over a bottle and grinned broadly at the happily married couple. "My dad always gets excited for those episodes. I used to hear him humming the songs for days afterward. Really kind of hoping they don't expect that from me. I was telling Rafe that singing is definitely not my forte." He paused briefly. "I think I just made an unintentional music pun. So sorry. Friends don't let friends make terrible puns."
“Thank you,” he said grinning about the reminders of how he did sing for his serial roles (and, well, stage musicals too). He had a few auditions coming up in New York too. But that still wasn’t the same thing as having a band.
He thanked Rafe for the beer for himself and Bran. “You can thank Merlin for other things tomorrow too,” he couldn’t help but joke, even in front of company. He smiled at Ari and laughed at the story of how his dad watched the musical episodes. “It’s in my contract that I get a musical episode every season.” Was it a joke, was it true? That was for Lyam to know. “They usually find a way to help the non-singing characters to get around it.”
"Yeah, see? Magic and the studio will take care of you," Rafe teased, reaching over to pat Ari's hand playfully, and then leaving his there to curl around his boyfriend's. "I can't wait till we get a musical episode. Maybe I should push for a Merlin-Guinevere duet." He grinned, leaning over to grab the pastries Ari had made and offering those to their impromptu guests, too. "With Emi in the cast, I'm surprised they didn't schedule one for this season."
A flush bloomed across the tops of Bran's cheeks, and he would have dug his elbow into his husband's side for the remark were not for the fact that A) they were in public, and B) he knew it would have escalated into a new memory to also be thankful for. He glanced up at their companions, but Ari seemed to be a little too busy hanging on Rafe's every word to either notice or appreciably care. After taking one of the offered pastries, he murmured his thanks and then pointed the baked good at himself. "And by non-singing characters, he means me. I don't think the world is ready for Acheron Eldertree to burst into song."
"Are you kidding me?" This time Ari did look up, laughing with his brow raised. He'd been trying to afford the other couple at least what little privacy he could, but this called for a comment. "You'd break all the WOMP Boxes in North America alone if that happened." It was only slight hyperbole in his opinion, but he enjoyed making his fellow actor laugh as well. Ari's smile went a little wry around the edges. "Aw, man, you two would kill a duet, but I'm afraid Emi's off the table for the time being. She's got this complicated deal with her studio contract and her record company where the latter won't let her sing on screen. The only reason I know is 'cause I heard her playing or writing or whatever one day between scenes, and we got to talking. It's got to really suck being cut off like that from something you love."
Lyam chuckled at the flush and the look Bran gave him. He couldn’t help it. He loved this man, and didn’t have to hide it. Lyam was planning on being in honeymoon mode forever. “You push for it, and I’ll accept. More crossover episodes will be fun anyway,” Lyam agreed about the Merlin-Guinevere duet. He had no idea how that was going to happen but he wasn’t about to give spoilers about how season six was supposed to start. The producers would not be happy about that.
He looked to Ari at that rather enthusiastic disagreement to Bran. “I mean… our writers have been pushing Acheron and Merlin together since season one. It wouldn’t be much of a stretch to get them to write a duet for us,” Lyam said smiling at Bran to see how he was reacting. “But I’m also just happy to sing at you as well.”
At the news about Emi, Lyam was surprised as he looked back at Ari. “That’s not fair. You’d think her singing on the serial would be just a bigger promotion for her singing career.”
"Emi needs a better agent and a lawyer," Rafe said with a shake of his head. Now that they mentioned it, he was pretty sure she'd referenced something to the effect in the early days of filming, but he'd put it out of his head. Maybe it was the sense that the possibilities were nebulous that made him want more for her. "And anyway, who says we have to wait for a musical episode to have a little fun with music? I don't have to be psychic to know that ten-second clips on WizPix of an all-star band would draw a lot of buzz."
Almost at the same time, twin looks of excitement crossed Bran and Ari's faces, and there was what could have been a carefully rehearsed chorus of: "You should start a band!"
Both of them broke off to exchange looks and immediately burst into laughter. Bran was the first one to recover enough to reach out and give his husband's knee a little squeeze and a shake. "You should really do it! I know how happy you are when you're singing, and it would be a great outlet, even if it doesn't go anywhere commercially."
Ari grinned over at Rafe, pink cheeked, but excited. "You should listen to the super villain, babe. They usually have the best ideas."
Lyam stared in surprise at first when Ari and Bran both made the same suggestion at the same time, before he broke into laughter himself. It wasn’t a ridiculous suggestion because it was what he’d always wanted to do.
“I mean, if you’re up for it Rafe. Young Lyam’s dream was to be a rockstar long before becoming a Wizzywood star,” he agreed. The more he thought of it, it wasn’t a bad idea. “Putting up a clip on Wiz-Pix would be good. I mean, even if it’s just our reputation that spreads it around. I really don’t care about it being commercial. It could be a lot of fun.” The more he thought of it, the more he liked the idea. “What do you say, Rafe? We could even ask Emi for some pointers too.”
"Which super villain?" Rafe said with a laugh, leaning over to brush a kiss on Ari's cheek. "I'm in. I confess, I'm a few steps ahead of you. I had an inkling things might come around to this." He wouldn't have called it a full-blown vision in this case, not something where he could have described players or circumstances, but sometimes the hunches were almost as good. "I'm not sure if Emi can or will, but we should ask anyway." Even if her fuzzy future complicated things for the group as a whole, he also had a sense that it would be worth it in the long run. "I still stand by my Merlin-and-Guinevere duet, though. That tag'll get a lot of attention. Come to the public with a bang."
"Did young Lyam also dream about marrying a Wizzywood star?" Bran batted his eyes at Lyam and then laughed again. "You two would be amazing, with or without Emi. Just so long as you don't forget me when you both achieve mega-stardom." He turned and nuzzled his husband's cheek. "For the record, I'm absolutely fishing for reassurance and compliments. I have very little in the way of shame."
Leaning in, Ari dropped his tone to a conspiratorial one. "Are we gonna be this cute in a few years? This is me being a hopeless optimist. Or maybe a romantic. Either. Both. Just like I know you two together would be a great fit. Musically, of course. I'm totally going to be responsible for at least five thousand of your million views."
“That’s both cheating, and reassuring,” Lyam said when Rafe confessed to having a vision about this, no matter to what level of detail. “I have my own contacts as well if Emi can’t help. But we’ll start with you and me then. Test the waters, and get the views up.”
At Bran’s question, Lyam turned to look at his husband and laughed. “Young Lyam was Young Bran’s arch nemesis, remember?” he teased. He leaned in to give Bran a reassuring kiss. “Who do you think my muse is going to be and the focus every time I sing a love ballad? My wonderful, supportive and talented husband,” he asked that too before giving Bran another kiss. “See, reassurances and compliments.”
"Only five thousand?" Rafe teased, bumping shoulders with his boyfriend and only barely resisting more touching than that, especially when the playful question made him feel like he was floating. "I hope so. Sign me up for optimistic and romantic, too." Without even really thinking about it, he reached out inside his head as if he could touch the future that was tied to that thought. Like always, the future pushed back. Maybe it was his imagination, but he thought maybe it didn't push quite so hard as it had in the past.
"I do enjoy cheating," he said, focusing once again on the group as a whole. He pulled out his phone and held it out. "Contact info and we'll figure out a good time to get together and hash out some details? My Sight doesn't extend to the boring stuff like rehearsal schedules."
Bran rolled his eyes, but it was with obvious affection. He smacked a kiss to his husband's cheek after listening to the back and forth about the proposed band. It was hard not to believe in some form of guiding hand, not with the trajectory his life had taken so far. "There's a special providence in the fall of a sparrow."
Surprised and pleased, Ari's head shot up, and he gleefully continued the quote: "If it be now, 'tis not to come—"
A warm grin filled Bran's face. "If it be not to come, it will be now—"
"If it be not now, yet it will come…"
And then together: "The readiness is all!"
Both of them started cracking up. Ari looked apologetically at both his boyfriend and Lyam. "I'm so sorry. Apparently there's two of us. Maybe we can find sonnets you can turn into songs too. And be your biggest groupies. Feelings on having various articles of clothing thrown at you while you're performing?"
"We promise they'll be public-appropriate." The look on Bran's face spoke to the exact opposite.
Lyam got Rafe’s contact information programmed into his phone. “Thanks Rafe. I can’t wait to get started.” He had been about to say something of Bran spouting sonnets, but then Ari picked up where Bran left off. He exchanged a look with Rafe. “They both play dirty, don’t they?”
Rafe was distracted enough by Ari's recitations that he almost forgot that he'd handed Lyam his phone. He laughed a little sheepishly as he dragged his eyes away from his boyfriend again. "I'd say you had no idea, but obviously you do." Though how dirty remained to be seen. He squeezed Ari's hand. "For the sake of the fandom, maybe should keep both the sonnets and the thrown clothing behind closed doors, hm?"
It seemed like Bran and Ari were operating on the same wavelength, because they both adopted innocent looks with varying success. Ari plucked another cookie from the container and took a delicate bite. "I think maybe both of us could be induced to behave. Right, Bran?"
This earned a laugh and then the kind of smirk that belonged on a villainous face. "Life is more fun when you don't." Still and all, Bran also snagged a cookie and offered it to his husband with a slow smile. "Sweets for my sweet?"
Rafe groaned internally at Bran's sappy comment, leaning in to say lowly to Ari, "Maybe let's not be quite that cute." While he was there, he sneakily brushed his lips against the shell of his boyfriend's ear. "How interested are you in seeing the rest of the acts?"
A flutter went through Ari's stomach, and it was all he could do not to have an overly visible outward reaction. "Anything worth seeing will be online later, right? I'm very good to go. To be going. To leave. Let's leave." Most of this was delivered a bit unsteadily, for his boyfriend's ears only. He glanced over at the other two. "Lyam, Bran, it was great to run into you. I think we're going to take off now. I'll see you guys for the press tour!"
Lyam chuckled at the contrast of Bran pulling out his villain expression while also being… well sweet. “Thank you,” he said to the offer of the cookie. He was also low-key spying on their blanket mtes, who were just too cute for words.
“Oh sure. It was nice running into you two. We should probably find our blanket again anyway, right?” Lyam said looking at Bran. He’d untangled his arm from around his husband, but reached for Bran’s hand so he could help him get up. “And… maybe we’ll cut our outing short today too,” he said directly to Bran.
Bran smiled right back, from their new(ish) friends to the man who owned his heart. "That sounds like the best plan I've heard in a while." He flicked his gaze back to Rafe and Ari, his smile deepening. "Enjoy yourselves, you two."