you hadnt seen billie in a year. not like this, bathed in stage lights and grinning so wide it nearly cracked the careful shell she wore in private. the stadium roared around you but you were frozen at the edge of the crowd with your pulse louder than the bass

she looked free as her voice rang through the arena but you werent hearing lyrics, just memory

’you should come’ billie had texted you last night out of no where with no follow up or apology and you came anyways

her set ended in chaos and confetti. fans screamed, cameras flashes, and her eyes scanned the darkness as if she might catch a glimpse of you or already had

you stayed rooted and didnt push for backstage or steal access. this wasnt about storming back into her life this time

as the crowd thinned your phone buzzed

bills: stay.

it was only one word but your heart stopped for a second

bills: ill find you

you looked up just as she reappeared in the corridor, out of breath with a hoodie over herself and her eyes locked on yours like the past year hasnt went by and nothing had gone wrong and shattered in tokyo

you didnt speak at first and she smiled like the lights were still on her “so.. you came”

you folded your arms “i almost didnt”

she nodded, stepping closer “but you did”

silence settled between you, electric and delicate, then she asked “want to talk?”

you stared for a beat too long before you finally muttered “only if youre not gonna run this time”

she grinned “no more running”