Chapter Text
The crowd was already rumbling through the walls. That warm, restless buzz that meant soundcheck had technically finished but none of them were acting like they were meant to.
Dougie wasn't even thinking about the show. He simply couldn't, not with Harry pinning him up against the wall with one hand braced by his shoulder, and the other resting low on his waist like he was fighting the urge to pull him closer.
"Harry," Dougie whispers, half laughing half worrying.
"We're supposed to be on in five. YMCA's away to start playing."
"Then stop looking at me like that, you prick," Harry murmured, far too close and calm for someone who absolutely wasn't calm. His breath brushed Dougie's cheek, and it sent that stupid familiar shiver down his spine. He pushed his hand closer and closer to the middle of the dungarees, trying to push him as far as possible.
He never got the chance to push him over, as he heard footsteps thundering down the other side of the wall. Harry pushed himself back and took a deep breath to act like nothing happened, and good timing too as Danny walks in.
"You two ready?" he asks, peering around the door.
"Yeah, just had to sort something with Doug's dungarees, one of the straps was twisted," Harry lies, with his face close to burning.
They meet the others by the stage where the crew was, ensuring everyone's ear packs were strapped on properly.
"Ready for a fun night, boys?" Matt grinned, clapping Dougie on the shoulder a little too firmly, and staying a little too close. "Especially you, Doug."
Harry's jaw tightened.
Dougie felt it.
Matt definitely saw it.
And just like that, the show hadn't even started, and the night was already a disaster waiting to happen.