Post-show, backstage hallway

The roar of the crowd was still echoing off the walls, but back here, it felt like the world had come to a screeching halt.

The set had gone off surprisingly well—shockingly well, considering Gabriel had played the entire first half like his claws were being powered by a nuclear reactor and a gallon of espresso. His bass solos had been tight, maybe even a little too tight, like he’d transcended normal rhythm and entered some higher plane of cosmic groove.

But now… now, reality was dragging him back down like a cinderblock on a bungee cord.

Gabriel stumbled through the stage-left curtain and sagged against the cinderblock wall, fur soaked with sweat, his breath coming in short, shallow bursts.

“Water…” he croaked. “Is… is water a thing? Still legal? Am I… am I vibrating?”

Mark was the first to reach him, eyes wide but calm, gently easing the bass from Gabriel’s hands before it could be dropped or turned into a hallucinated helicopter.

Thane was second. He didn’t say a word. Just crouched low in front of him, icy blue eyes locked on Gabriel’s glazed ones. The panic, the sheer velocity that had been pushing Gabriel forward for hours… it was gone. All that remained was a trembling werewolf whose whole body looked like it was trying to shut down in alphabetical order.

“I can’t… feel my ears,” Gabriel whispered, blinking slowly. “Did we play yet?”

Thane exhaled through his nose and eased his arms under Gabriel’s to hold him steady. “Yeah, my wolf. We played. You crushed it. And now you’re crashing.”

Gabriel nodded once, then slumped forward, his forehead resting against Thane’s shoulder. “Sorry…” he murmured. “I didn’t mean to. I just thought it’d be fun. They were cool guys. And the powder made the air make music.”

“I know,” Thane said softly, one clawed hand gently resting against the back of Gabriel’s neck. “You don’t have to explain. You’re okay now.”

Jonah appeared with a bottle of water, holding it out like he was defusing a bomb. “Uh. Should I…?”

“Yeah,” Thane said, accepting it without looking. “Thanks.”

Mark stood nearby, arms crossed, brow furrowed in the way he did when he was balancing concern with the urge to yell. “I’ll go find the tour manager. Tell him we need a later checkout tomorrow. And maybe a forklift.”

Gabriel groaned into Thane’s shoulder. “I think my organs are trying to swap jobs.”

“You’re gonna be fine,” Thane murmured. “Just ride it out. We’ve got you.”

A pause.

“…You still love me even though I’m an idiot?” Gabriel whispered.

Thane’s arms tightened just slightly around him. “I love you especially because you’re an idiot.”

From down the hall, Maya shouted, “Tell him to puke before he hits the hotel carpet!”

Mark deadpanned, “Now that’s leadership.”