Ashrin - The Opening Line

There was a prideful smile on Horacio's face when Erin showed nothing but joy to see him. He didn't expect less from his friend but it was still validating. He pulled out his phone when Erin mentioned that he missed his call. Sure enough there was one missed call on his phone. "Ah. So I did... you were missing me too~" he teased playfully. If Horacio wasn't already trying to figure out how to explain the specific help he needed he probably would have teased Erin for his sudden white boy vocabulary. "Truthfully..." he started. "I did miss you but I also need your help." He bit his lower lip, a reflex to hopefully make him appear more delicate. It kind of just made him look like a slutty fuckboi but it still normally worked in his favor like 70 percent of the time. "I promised a new song for Elevation and it's due in..." He glanced at his watch to check the time. "Like two hours... " As he said this he started taking large gulps of his own coffee.

"They want basically four bridges for each member- yet still a catchy chorus that's not repetitive." He started delving into the details of the song he was supposed to be writing. "I got like two and a half bridges but this chorus.. I don't know... It's supposed to be a break up song about partying." He rolled his eyes. It wasn't a horrible concept , he had just written many songs like it. He sang and rapped the lyrics he had already written and waited for feedback. It was only as he was waiting that his brain caught up with him and he remembered that Erin tried to call him. "Shit dude. I'm sorry. You tried to call? What's up? Did you need something?"

"I couldn’t let a day pass without speaking to you, my love,” Erin joked though in truth it was rare for a day to pass where they didn’t at least talk in passing. Erin was naturally social, but he also sought out the other writer on purpose. Horatio both represented success with his repeated hits and the platonic ideal result of his friendships at the Center. They worked well together and got along well. They had fun together, and Erin loved creating with him, which was why he greeted the request for help eagerly. "Tell me it is something good." The fuckboi expression appealed to Erin's idiotic sensabilities, and he would've been swayed if he needed to be. As it was, he was only mildly put off to hear that it was Elevation. "Better than yesterday. Tell me what you've got."

Erin listened rapt as Horatio ran through what was needed and what he had so far. "My favorite kind of breakup," Erin grinned, seeming to have endless patience for this kind of song. It didn't help that his breakup songs were all about mourning and melancholia or revenge and resentment. Playing back what he had heard in his head, Erin proposed an alternative secondary line of the chorus and well as a few lines to follow. "Or maybe even just see if The Center has a booze sponsorship that you can-" He was interrupted by the question about his call.

Blinking and then laughing, Erin said, "That was delayed." Not that he didn't do the exact same thing. "I just wanted to say I met the new comer and I wanted to talk about him."

Horactio's expression turned cheesy as he grinned and melted on Erin's flirtatious words. While he never considered anything serious he greatly enjoyed flirting with everyone, especially his friends. That's probably why some of them affectionately called him Hor-ocio. He often joked that even though it meant they were pronouncing his name wrong it made him feel seen.

There was just enough of a pause to allow Horacio to process all of Erin's suggestions. He gulped down the last of his coffee and tossed the foam cup in a nearby trash can. He retrieved the pen behind his ear and cracked open the notebook to start making changes to the lyrics he had already managed to crank out . Already Erin was giving him the perfect mix of helpful tips, inspiration and just enough pleasant distraction of being with a friend that he was able to start making some meaningful changes to the lyrics he had that made it closer to a complete song. Even as he was marking his notebook he gave Erin his full listening attention.

"Yeah? That was quick." Horacio did look into the newcomer a little bit when it was announced they were getting a new musician. He didn't tend to go above and beyond like his fellow writer did. He usually looked into them just enough to see if they seemed like the type he'd enjoy writing for or trying to flirt with. From his cursory search of Ash Morton, he didn't seem to meet either of those criteria. He looked up from his notebook to make eye contact with Erin. "Tell me everything."

The single beer has been pleasantly cool and not enough alcohol by a mile to influence Erin. In the same way, the coffee was pleasantly warm compared to the brisk spring air and not enough caffeine to stir Erin’s stalwart heart. It took multiple energy drinks to do that and usually it skipped energizing him and went straight to causing anxiety. As it was, the warm drink was a pleasant fondness Erin enjoyed even as Bones led the way out the rotating front doors of the Hope Center.

The path to the park sloped downward from the main complex, not steep but winding and branching off for multiple routes, including leading the way to the side walks. They stayed on the course to wander the planted gardens as Horacio jotted down Erin’s suggestions. There was a quiet pleasure in being able to help anyone, and Erin delighted to give him so much to write.

“He’s cute,” Erin said immediately, not because that was the most important thing to him, but because that was where it made the most sense to him to get started. “Like, he has this goth rock vibe going on, leather jacket and solid black dog and all, but his little black dog is handbag sized and he seems really nice, polite.” This was enough information to convey that he summarily was not Erin’s type, nor did Erin think he was Horacio’s but he’d give him the tea. “Tall, light skinned, handsome, definitely really believes with his full ass, cock, and balls that he is going to be a rock star. He said he’d let me read some of his previous work.” Which Erin could not help being excited about. Creativity begot creativity. Hearing someone else’s work always gave him fodder for his own inspiration to burn. “Also, he gave me beer for helping him unpack so we’re friends whether he likes it or not,” Erin joked.

It hardly surprised Horacio that Erin’s first impressions were based on appearance. He sometimes did the same when reporting on meeting attractive people. It did amuse him a little when Erin added that he wasn’t just cute but also gave him the descriptor of handsome as well. It didn’t sound enough like Erin’s type that Horacio needed to prepare for his co-writer to fall in love. He imagined if anything it would be a fleeting crush and maybe inspire some song writing of his own. Either way he was not there to judge— but that never really stopped him before. He couldn’t help himself but wince a little when Erin mentioned he had full belief in becoming a rockstar. He hated watching people’s dreams come crashing down- it was awkward.

“Who wouldn’t like being friends with you?” Horacio replied quickly, doing a better job at keeping up with the conversation this time. “But he sounds… interesting.” He gave a genuine smile and continued to make notes in his notebook but stayed on topic of the conversation. “If he’s going to show you his old work does that mean he likes to write his own stuff?”

After giving just seconds for Erin to respond, Horacio switched to talking about the song he was working on again. “Listen to this.” He spat off the new lyrics he had written down but before he could even hear any of the other writer’s feedback he told him, “hold that thought.” And immediately began scribbling and rewriting a line, his brain also returning to their other topic. “Sounds like he’ll be fairly easy for you to work with, yeah?”

The slight wince was enough for Erin to arch his eyebrows and purse his lips a mute "yeah, but what can we do?" Sooner or later, the cost of fame would catch up to Ash and whether he'd choose compromise or failure, the fall out would ripple through The Hope Center. Rarely did people become rockstars, and whether he'd live out the fantasy by partying like one or pouring himself into music that did not fulfill him, the misery would make art. If the art was good, it would help them all, and if it was bad art, at least that meant Ash would probably be partying. It would be the more fun option, even if it would shorten his stay at the Center.

"He seems..." Erin resisted the urge to say sweet. He meant these, sweet-cute-nice, the same way he'd mean it about a well behaved dog. It would make collaborating all the easier. "It seems like it. He was in a band though so I'm really curious about what percentage of the writing credits are actually his and what lyrics are going to turn into a headache because his less attractive bandmates didn't realize he'd screw them over." Taking a sip of his drink, Erin tried to recall anything about either of the two bands he'd seen Ash featured in. When he came up blank, he shrugged and said, "I just hope it doesn't mean he's going to be a diva about actually accepting help writing because he thinks he doesn't need it." In Erin's opinion, if someone didn't need help to become famous, they wouldn't be at the Center.

The switch back in topic was met gamely, and Erin listened to the new lyrics with a small nod. Putting a hand over his heart, he said, "Kiss me with tongue. That is so much better." He proposed a small change in the lyrics, switching one word for another to improve the rhythm and then was quiet while Horacio write down his changed lyrics. After a moment, he supplied a few lines of a second verse, a phrase that felt like it could work in a hook. Bones stopped them by a bush while Erin agreed mildly, "I won't have a problem producing content for him." Bringing the plastic lid to his lips, Erin frowned to find it empty and peered into the hole before sighing and saying, "That reminds me, I am going to start introducing him to people. I'm thinking drinks tomorrow. Right now, I am planning on taking Q, M, and K. Do you want to come with or would you rather sit this one out?"

Erin didn't imagine that Ash would actually want Q or M in his band. Q performed more pop music and was the least popular member of the boy band. While they hit the high notes and looked cute in promotional material, they did not perfectly fit the aesthetic of the group and it left them in a tenuous place, THC just as likely as not to replace them when a better recruit moved into the building. M might've fit Ash's general vibe and aesthetic, black on black on black, and bad ass to boot, but she was busy and bossy and did not worry about getting along. K could at least play the guitar and provide back up vocals. Plus she was sweet and agreeable, even if she didn't not provide any particular passion to her performances.

It wasn't unheard of that THC would break up a group and only sign one artist who may have been working with others. Regardless of it not being that shocking, Horacio still let his jaw drop when he heard the new musician screwed his previous band. "Don't keep the tea from me, Erin... that's why I come to you..." He glanced at Erin, then to his newly evolved lyrics and then back to Erin. "and for your brilliant mind and charming smile." He grinned, still not done buttering up his fellow writer to show appreciation for his help. "Speaking of that brilliant mind, what do you think of this?" He showed his notebook to Erin as they walked but also performed the lyrics himself so he'd get to hear the flow. "It's good right?" Good enough. He thought to himself.

"These drinks..." Horacio started out slowly then paused giving his mind time to divert and think and then get back to what he was saying. "Will they be sponsored?" He never turned down a free drink and if they were going to one of the THC sponsored establishments they could usually get at least a couple drink tickets for free. If he thought about it longer though, even without free drinks he was curious enough to meet the new musician and see how spot on Erin's relayed first impression of him was. "You know what. Count me in." He wanted to see the fresh, uncrushed passion of the skinny white boy rockstar for himself, granted even if it was just to have ammo to make fun of him later. Horacio considered it a side benefit of his and Erin's job that they got to make fun of the artist they wrote for, especially when they gave them a hard time. It was still way too early to tell though if Ash would be one of them.

“He hasn’t done anything yet,” Erin cautioned, “it’s just…how many people do you know that are pretty and charismatic and can play an instrument and can write? If he really is a full act, I’d love to see it, but for now, I’m cautiously optimistic to read what he’s got and find out where it has been.” Erin was not having his name attached to lyrics that came under debate for plagiarism if he could help it. He was also aware that he could be wrong but speaking fears made them easier to ignore.

Accepting the notebook and skimming it along to Horacio’s tempo, Erin pursed his lips. They were fine but he felt like they were so close to better than fine. “I can find out how many will be?” Erin offered in response to the sponsored drinks as he continued to scowl at the page. Looking up when Horacio decided to join regardless, he smiled and said, “Great! I’ll send the details once I have them but probably around seven or eight. We can party on east coast hours.” It came almost reflexive to Erin to account for things like time differences, and it definitely was not because he was fine with starting at five and being done at midnight. He was not turning into a pumpkin or (worse) an old man.

Something about the train of thought inspired Erin and he gave Horacio his final feedback on the lyrics. It was a minor change but he felt like something clicked as *he* managed to maintain the flow as he performed the lyrics. Erin had no flow, little rhythm, and no natural tempo. While he could compose music and understood the concept, it fell apart on his tongue and lips.

Once again Horacio noticed Erin casusally calling the new guy pretty. Each time he noticed, it made him excited. Did he think one of his best friends just met the love of his life? Absolutely not. Did that mean Horacio was going to do nothing else but encourage any messy but entertaining hook-ups? Absolutely not. He knew Erin long enough and well enough to know that's never what he'd want. If they were avoidant to drama they would not be the incredibly talented writers that they were self-proclaimed to be.

"Great. Right after breakfast~" It was an exaggeration as Horacio usually broke his fast right after he woke up, which was typically sometimes two or three. "Definitely send me the details and I should be there. I can't wait to meet this handsome charming rockstar." He teased the other. He didn't actually have much interest in meeting Ash but he was excited to join the outing and observe everyone's vibes. Big social drinking outings were a great place to find the oversharer and use their dramatic retellings for song inspiration.

Even though Erin maybe didn't have the best flow , Horacio always thoroughly enjoyed listening to him perform the style of lyrics he was more known for. He tried his best and there was something precious about that. It was especially endearing this time because of the edit's Erin had made. It was perfect... rather than perfect it was good enough to be complete. Horacio's eyes scanned the page in his notebook to just make sure he didn't need any further help. "Ah this is great! It's done. It's complete. I'll make sure you get added to the credit. Thank you." He tucked the notebook under his arm again and placed the pencil behind his ear. He grabbed Erin's cheeks once his hands were free and he planted a kiss of gratitude on his friend's lips. "You're the best! I love you!" He called out as he was already rushing back towards the building that held his apartment.

Laughing at Horacio's quip, he suggested, "You can sleep in and call it brunch." He'd never actually encourage anyone to have their first meal be at The Place, where the only thing they served were clear drinks in clear glasses. Water or vodka might've been the breakfast of champions, but he suspected no one should find out. There was teasing in Horacio's voice that Erin didn't immediately understand, but he grinned anyway and said, "You'll see what I mean then." Unlike most normal people, Erin genuinely enjoyed getting to know new people so he had to assume he was looking forward to it as much as he was.

Assisting someone was supposed to be reward enough on its own, but he'd long since learned the importance of writing credits. Even if he did not necessarily want to be associated with Elevation, it set a bad president to pass. His actual reward felt way like it was Horacio's joy at having the project done and on time. "Love you too!" he called after him, hand reflexively going to the leash. Bones looked up at him, having already taken a half step after Horacio. When the big dog looked back at him, he told him, "Oh no. We're still walking."

Before Bones was home, Erin had sent out a series of emails. The first was to send the pre-composed welcome email he had tapped out to Ash. The next was to his contact with The Hope Center and requested approval for a proper night out. The Place gave all residents of THC a free drink and a percentage off individual drinks and packages. The vibes were...complex, all white furniture and blacklights creating surrealist experience along with bass heavy music that was just quiet enough in the THC reserved booths for audio to be usable. It made it worth it to mic them up and record their transgressions in those seats, and Erin knew the company appreciated any new content. The same six or eight people were there a couple of times a week, living out their reality tv drama while everyone else had fun around them, and Erin was grateful to not be among them.

While the building he lived in had twenty-four talented, creative people, there were more than a hundred between the two buildings, and Erin somehow managed to exist on the fringes of the drama. He supposed he could thank Xavier for that, making the idea of casual dating distasteful. For years, his only relationships were no strings attached, flings and flights of fancy, and falling in love with strangers only for a night. It had fed his art and shaped it, and he knew that when he wrote about love now, it was from a place of remembrance rather than relevance. It might've made those songs less powerful, but they still sold along with all of his lyrics about rage and solidarity and desperation and hunger.

He knocked out some of those lyrics while getting takeout for himself and a few of his neighbors. He had an answer from the Company and he had answers from Q and M about joining them tomorrow at The Place. They were both musicians and seemed like relevant people for Ash to meet. Plus, Q knew how to groom dogs and Erin could not imagine that Ash had been the one brushing Void often enough to keep his long, fluffy fur untangled. M had come to the Center similarly to Ash, leaving behind her budding band and striking out as a solo artist that really believed in her own shit. She committed to her aesthetic and never seemed to soften or warm. Erin was still determined to keep working on that.

The following morning, Erin met with Ash around 11 AM for a quick tour of all of the best places to take your dog. From the carefully arranged 'potty stations' that provided all the resources needed to keep community spaces clean to the multiple winding paths through the garden that gave the dogs all sorts of flowers, bushes, and statues to sniff. The dog park was as far from the complex as one could get before a wooded half acre that cut the property off. There was a small dog, medium dog, and large dog side. The double gated entrances made exiting and entering easy, and each compartment dipped just past the tree line to provide a wooded walk for the dogs and their handlers.

Erin did not take him all the way out to show him that, just pointing out the dog park as they passed and telling Ash the various guidelines. On the way back, he showed Ash to the recording studios beneath building A. They parted not long after, and Erin wondered briefly if Ash would explore there more without him.

By the time everyone was ready to head to the Place, Erin was waiting in the primary lobby with no dogs in hand, and his beanie had been left behind as well. His dark brown hair was cropped short, not quite a buzz cut but possibly the regrowth from one. Instead of his usual layered flannel and graphic tee, he wore a plain, red henley that he knew would look black under any of the colored LEDs. There was some insecurity in the neckline, just low enough that the scar on the back of his neck would be on display. It always strained to peek over his collars, somehow still not the same color as the rest of his skin after ten years of healing. He wondered if it ever would.

The Place was just across the street, four lanes of traffic that rarely slowed. While there were plenty of pros and cons, Erin did appreciate not having to be the designated driver like he would if they were going to a second or third location. He wasn't babysitting tonight, though he knew there would be other nights he'd be expected to be. Going out was meant to be fun, but for many of the creatives, it was also about cutting loose. THC appreciated his work in cultivating moments for their new recruits to get featured on various channels, but they also used him to make sure that no one was being a nuisance. M had a history, but she'd been good recently, and no one had said anything when he mentioned inviting her so he could only assume that meant the company did not expect him to stay sober on her account.

Enough time had passed that Ash had his apartment in order enough for him to consider himself unpacked but not enough time that the impression of first meeting Erin wasn’t still on his mind. It just so happened that he was lounging on his couch thinking of him when his phone buzzed with a new email notification. He opened it immediately and read it on his phone in one hand and his other hand petting Void who had settled himself in Ash’s lap. Once the edible he had taken as a reward for unpacking kicked in, running his thin fingers through the black fur, reminded him a bit of brushing his fingers through his former girlfriend’s dark hair. Later when he’d be doing the same while reviewing half-written lyrics in a beat up journal he’d curl his fingers a little more in Void’s fur and be reminded of the blonde locks of his former writer instead.


It was a gift to have an already established artist that lived at THC be so prepared and eager to help Ash out upon arriving. The company did tell him they had a welcoming and collaborative community but he wasn’t expecting so much attention from the welcoming committee. And Ash didn’t consider himself an extrovert but he was prepared to have to put himself out there and find people to meet and places to explore but he wasn’t going to complain about having help in that. Roping Erin into helping him unpack a little bit was one thing but getting a full tour and some introductions was five star service as far as he was concerned. Pulling his fingers out of Void’s fur he used both hands to respond to the email. Even though all he had done was accept the kindness of a stranger he felt like he had been productive on his first day.


And he hadn’t done much else productive before going to bed. He made no addition to the lyrics in his notebook but instead relived memories that were better off unburied. In nights to come he would use those memories and that emotion to write new lyrics that’d probably still cut deep but ones he could actually use. He wasn’t worried about using lyrics Taylor had written but weren’t published for reasons of plagiarism but it made him feel sick when he attempted to even hum them to himself. The feeling in his stomach was so unpleasant he thought he might actually puke but he reasoned that he couldn’t because the void growing inside him had already consumed everything in him. He did type those feelings into a note app on his phone to live with a bunch of other cringey high song ideas that should never leave his device.


After closing the app, he leashed up Void and slipped into his leather jacket to take Void out to use the bathroom. He didn’t know the best spots yet but he had shit bags in his pocket and was prepared to clean up wherever the small dog left his mark. Once outside he hooked Void’s leash to his belt, a practice he was still getting the hang of, so he could light up a cigarette and call his mother. Being high and tipsy made it a little hard to multitask but he got it all done before he made it up to his bed to sleep for his first night in the center.


Having called it an early night, Ash didn’t sleep in too late and was pleased to have plenty of morning before he met with his tour guide. He started the morning as he did in his previous home and just how he ended his previous night. He grabbed his leather jacket, cigarettes and Void and headed outside. Rather than another call to mom, Ash spent his passing time scrolling on social media, trying to get an idea of places and people he wanted to explore when he no longer was beneath Erin’s wing.


He was able to shower, style his hair and clothes and make a half-assed breakfast for both him and Void. To the dog’s relief he did run out of time to brush and comb the dog as he wanted before he knew it was time to meet Erin. He let the dog out once more before returning the apartment just briefly to crate him and then leave out back to the lobby.


Knowing where all the amenities he had access to for his dog was really important and helpful. He could already imagine himself walking with Void and taking him to the park where he could yap and chase other little dogs. While he was friendly and pleased for the first half of his tour, the shift in excitement was obvious when they got to the recording studio. As he entered one of them his eyes lit up while looking at all the buttons and switches on the panel. He didn’t know what even one of them did individually but he knew the thrill of being behind the glass while another man manned the switches. The recording studio was a different feeling than being on a stage. It wasn’t as euphoric but it had its own exciting feeling. He began to grin as he imagined the magic he’d create there.


Ash did spend some time exploring on his own after Erin left him. He lingered in the recording studios for a while, meeting some of the people who worked there. While he’d love the opportunity to just sit in the studio and witness music be made, he ultimately didn’t want to be the new guy in anybody’s way doing the thing he considered to be so important to himself. He spent the rest of the day exploring some more open public places where he felt a little more comfortable taking up space.

He gave himself enough time to spend a little longer getting ready for going out then he did his morning tour. He touched up his hair, putting enough product in it that only the few pieces in front that he wanted to move would. He also took the time to drag some kohl eyeliner just on his waterline. He also picked out some coordinating black metal jewelry. Between the touch of makeup and dangling upside down cross earring in one of his ears, he decided that going too intense with his look would just make him look like a douche. So instead he wore his typical uniform of distressed black jeans, a fitted black t-shirt and a black leather jacket. It allowed him to stand out but not become too flashy. He resisted the urge to add on a layer of necklaces and knuckles filled with rings. He did allow himself one ring. It was a small silver band- somewhere Mia had a matching one. He knew she wasn’t still wearing her promise ring he had gotten her in high school but he hoped she’d still kept it. And he was convinced she’d be touched he had never taken his off when they finally made up and rekindled their love.


Ash’s delusion couldn’t even be blamed on the weed he had packed and waiting for him in his bong. He finished dressing and gave Void a chew in another room while he went to his bedroom to smoke it. He got in a regular smoke break and a dog walk before meeting Erin in the lobby. His eyes were more pink and lidded then when they first but he was also a little calmer. His speech was just a tad slower but just his voice just as deep as when he was slower. “I almost didn’t recognize you without the beanie.” It wasn’t actually true. Even in a high state, Ash had no problem recognizing Erin’s boyish features and twink charm even out of uniform.

His ears practically perked up at the deep voice, and Erin turned towards Ash with an immediate smile that flashed his upper teeth and narrowed his eyes. Reflexive and probably just a touch habitual, he scrubbed a hand over his head as he processed the greeting. Jokingly, he said, "Don't worry. This almost never happens." It was just too hot to wear a knit cap in the club, and while that knowledge had not prevented Erin from wearing it originally, he had gotten too drunk once and left it behind. He could only describe himself as useless the next day in a way that a hangover would never make him, and he had been honest enough with himself to be at The Place the moment they opened just so he could retrieve it. Leaving it behind for the night was better than risking losing a part of himself, as he had thought of quite a few things.

"No chance I wouldn't recognize you, Mr. Tall Dark and Handsome. You're aiming to leave an impression on our neighbors, aren't you?" Erin redirected the conversation with something between teasing and flirting. Comparatively, Ash's look was understated but his aesthetic was still there, and Erin could appreciate both things. His own piercings were all studs and often forgotten. The split in his lobe had been the high point of his piercing journey, and he blamed that on why he hadn't invested more in them since getting the second set of holes in his ear lobes and one at the top of his left ear. His adoration for the darker vibes and gothic aesthetic had not really translated into his own style, nor had his familiarity with more urban fashion or the frequency in which he hung out with people that actually knew about high fashion and displayed it proudly. Even though he knew Horacio's wardrobe doubled as a carpet some days, he also knew that even he had a stronger fashion sense than him, and it left Erin very complimentary to the way other's dressed.

He still thought it was a little gay that Ash was wearing eyeliner, but he was a little gay so there was no judgement in that. It just made his bright blue eyes a little pretty, and that was kind of faggoty.

Glancing at his phone, Erin told him, "We're waiting on M and Q. K and Horacio will be joining us later. K is still in the studio and Horacio will probably roll out of bed any minute now." Which was not fair to Horacio, nor was it said with malice, but a loving teasing that Erin would offer any of his friends. Looking back up, he asked, "Do you know how to access your drink tickets on the app? Do you have your THC phone?" There were dozens of things like that on the phone, and Erin knew that even for the tech savvy, a lot could get missed on the device. From The Place's app where one could redeem drink tickets to the Coffee Shop in the lobby that had a loyalty program and a way to order ahead to skip the line. He would introduce Ash to each of them in turn.

"Also, did you want to get mic'd up?" Erin asked. "If you do, the company will pay for all of your drinks, but they'll also profit from any bad decisions from drinking too much." He laughed like it was a joke and grinned, dimpling a bit as he shrugged and added, "I won't be, but I can show you where to get mic'd up." It was at some point during this ramble that he took another good look at those bright blue eyes and realized they were ringed in pink. His immediate assumption was marijuana, and he barely bit off a question. Proclaiming jealousy was an ugly look, but god, he wished that was him. He'd not gotten high that day, having run out of pre-rolled joints and never having the time to actually just sit down and enjoy a smoke. Instead, he said to acknowledge his state, "If I'm going too fast for you, I'm sorry. I'm just eager to get this show on the road."

As if summoned by that remark, the elevator door dinged open and M emerged. If anyone deserved background music that would swell and overwhelm anything else that was playing, it was her. Erin often insisted he was bi but still thought that if he were into women, she'd be his type. In her four inch platform boots, she barely broke five five, and the black leather hugged her all the way up to the dark skin of her thighs. Fishnets trailed loving patterns over every inch of exposed skin, and there was a fair bit between her black mini skirt and the chopped crop top that exposed her midriff and slipped from her too narrow shoulders. Her hands were usually covered in black leather gloves, fingerless and spiked over her knuckles, not that she actually knew how to throw a punch. Black belts were layered over her hips, and necklaces were layered over her chest. Her lips were painted black and she'd done a spiderweb design from her black eyeliner, curving around her cheeks. Her black coils were in two poofs on either side of her head, and Erin felt a little guilty that it made him think of his god daughter.

She stomped up to them with less aggression and more the effort of moving the heavy boots, but she made it seem deliberate, purposeful even as she sized Ash up, unsmiling. The curl at the corner of her lip was the most readable thing on her otherwise flat expression. Behind her, Q emerged from the elevator, quiet and shy.

Taller than her even in flats, they wore a lot of light colors that would get blown out to white, which would compliment their platinum bleached hair. They wore silver jewelry in the form of a single loop through one ear lobe and their shirt was a polo. They waved when they saw Erin looking their way, and Erin smiled as he waved back.

"Ash, this is-"

"The Bitch Queen," M cut in, jutting her chin out, and Erin felt guiltier when that reminded him more of his goddaughter. Some day, he'd introduce them and try and make M see why he always laughed at them.

Instead, he asked, "Is that what you want to be called?"

"Apparently that's what I am," she answered haughtily, and Erin made a mental note to check in with her.

"Better than when you said everyone had to call you Mistress," he teased before moving on briskly, "And this is Q. They are with Elevation."

"Don't hold it against me," Q joked, throwing up a peace sign with their finger tips pressed lightly against their cheek.

Erin angled back towards Ash, gesturing somewhat grandly somewhat jokingly, "Q, The Bitch Queen, this is Ash of Hex Guys fame."

M hummed like this was not particularly interesting, while Q smiled and said, "Obviously not my genre, but it's nice to meet you!"

Ash was formulating a way to tell Erin he looked good without the beanie in a way that would be complimentary but not too flirtatious as the weight of Erin’s second sentence hit him. While people did compliment him it wasn’t often that he was referred to as Tall, Dark and Handsome. It caused him to take on a blush that made his cheeks as pink as his eyes. The singer looked down at his outfit when Erin mentioned making an impression to the neighbors and he wondered if he still managed to overdress. It only took him a couple seconds to talk himself out of being insecure about his fit and instead embracing and owning his aesthetic and dedication to it.

When Erin rattled off the names of the people they were waiting for, Ash tried to remember if he knew of any of them or could at least place an online picture to it. He thought maybe he remembered looking at M’s social media a little longer than others. Not getting too much time to think about it he quickly retrieved his THC issued phone from his leather jacket’s pocket. “I do.” Ash had only used the phone a handful of times and hadn’t fully explored the benefits, including the drink tickets.”I haven’t set that up yet actually…” He held his phone towards Erin, in case he’d offer to take it and help.

Honestly Ash wasn’t sure if he wanted to admit it but he was pretty prepared to get mic'd up as soon as he moved in. In a lot of the discussions leading up to joining the center a lot of filming was talked about. He was already planning not to get so drunk he’d make too terrible of decisions. He wanted to make a good first impression to the people he’d be meeting, it also made sense to offer that same impression to the audience of THC. “As long as everyone’s cool with it, I’m down to get mic’d up.”

On impulse Ash slowly turned his body towards the elevator when he heard the ding. He lingered for a moment before realizing the people were coming towards them. He was now convinced he did remember M’s social media and lingering there. It was nice to be around someone with respect to such a similar aesthetic to his. Though he was confident it was M he would be referring to her as Bitch Queen as that’s how she introduced herself. He didn’t remember Q at all but he also didn’t spend long looking at the members of Elevation before deciding they probably weren’t his crowd. He felt guilty as Q seemed very friendly just based on first impressions. He took zero offense to the lack of response from The Bitch Queen. He respected that he’d have to earn her attention if he wanted. “It’s a pleasure to meet both of you.” He addressed both of them. “Should we get this night started?”

Erin was a habitual flirt, so naturally complimentary and friendly, and that meant his compliments were rarely taken seriously. Seeing Ash blush gave him a thrill of delight that practically invited him to flirt more. He'd be hard pressed not to call him cute if he was this easily fluster. He'd consider it payment for all of the help he was offering. Accepting the extended phone, Erin navigated the device with the kind of rapidness that came from being familiar with the operating system. Logging in required a THC ID, something Erin told Ash how to find even as he loaded the number to copy and paste it into the sign in. He passed the phone back to Ash to create the password, and he told him how to go to his rewards.

"Everyone will be cool with you getting mic'd up," Erin assured him in a way that would've been ominous if he did not sound so wryly amused. You did not get to complain if the company was footing the bill. Once "everyone" had arrived and they were introduced, Erin laughed to himself before saying, "Let's rock and roll."

The punny remark was disregarded by M and Q didn't really "get it," but they started towards the Break Room as they said, "I am going to need to get mic'd up."

"Cool! You could help Ash do that," Erin suggested eagerly, pointing a finger at the new guy. From the Lobby to the Breakroom was through a pair of double doors next to the elevators and then down a long hallway that gradually sloped down to another set of doors. As they walked, Erin said, "You have recent experience being the newbie. Do you have any pointers?"

Q turned their attention to Ash with a smile and said, "I'd be happy to help. I just moved into the house six months ago. Do you have any questions?" Elevation had already existed when they moved in, but when they were invited to join, they did not look a gift horse in the mouth. So far, it had been working out fairly well for them.

The Bitch Queen was quiet and a half step behind, so Erin slowed his steps to fall in beside her. M was the lead vocalist of Black Valkaryie. Her coming to The Hope Center had not been preluded by independent fame, and she was not the only one to think that only reason she was religated to Building B. Erin had no doubt that when she renewed her contract, she would be moving into Building A...if she wanted to. At the moment, she looked like she wanted to be anywhere else.

There was one person in the BreakRoom as they came in. Sat in the back corner with their feet kicked up on a table, they wore a baseball cap over their hair and their face was covered by a manhua. They did not so much as twitch their book as the door swang open. Q didn't even glance in their direction as they told Ash, "The mics for going out are kept down here. They have to be checked in and out every time you want to use them, but it is automatic. You've just got to use the THC Portal." They paused in unlocking their phone to show Ash how to navigate to the password that would allow him to check out a mic.

After they had both gotten a mic out, Q asked, "Have you put on a mic pack before?" As they carefully wound the cord of the mic around their clip, they told Ash, "There is usually tape somewhere down here if you want to hide the cord under clothes."There was also a public rest space across the room for the more modest individuals. Q was not among them, but they were just unbuttoning the top of their polo to drop the sound pack into their binder. Snapping the button around the cord, they clipped the mic into place.

While Q was leading the way, Erin lagged back to ask M, "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Talk about what?" M sniffed, arms folding imperiously over her chest as she turned her nose up and away from him. Even as she radiated haughtiness, he tried to resist the urge to laugh at her antics.

Persistently, he asked, "Why are you so mad?"

"Didn't you hear?" M asked, head snapping towards him and her two poofs whipping with the fast movement. "THC pulled their funding for Evisceration."

Erin's gaze flicked towards the others, and he put a hand on her arm to gently draw her away. His head ducked slightly and his voice was soft as he said, "No, I hadn't. I'm sorry. That sucks."

M's shoulders hunched up in an aborted shrug, and she answered tartly, "Yeah, apparently it is too 'visceral' and "would suffer" if it was made corporate."

"At least that means you have complete creative freedom," Erin said, trying to encourage her. Black Valkaryie had already produced one album in the past six months. No one expected her to put out a second one so quickly, but this had been her passion project. She hadn't asked for any help with the lyrics from Erin, and he didn't even know if she'd spoken to her bandmates about it."

"It just means I have to figure everything out myself," M snapped. "Labeling, producing, recording, any video. This cannot be a Black Valkaryie album, so I have to figure out hiring and paying a band, and everyone has a million other obligations." Her sigh was a lot more heated than defeated.

Erin immediately jumped in, "If you need my help-"

"I'll pay you myself," she cut in, as if she'd already made up her mind about that.

Erin smiled at that, appreciating that M knew he'd be around to help and that she valued it. Still, he assured her, "Anything you need. Let me know. Even if I can't do it, I'll figure out who can." Glancing towards the two getting mic'd up, he grimaced slightly and said, "But if I can ask for a favor? Don't bring this up around the new guy."

M had never brightened, only grown more resolved and less angry. She ask bitterly, "You don't want him to hear how THC will bail if they don't think something is marketable?"

"I think he'll figure that out on his own fast enough," Erin answered with a small shrug. "No need to fill him with dread for the future."

"Fine, but you're buying my drinks," M told him, and Erin laughed.

"Sure, after you use your drink tickets."