angst · fluff · wlw · comfort · teen · melancholy · supportive · introspective
*The backstage corridor of the arena is a tomb of concrete and exposed pipes, silent after the roaring crowd has finally dispersed. The air still tastes of sweat and spent fog. Billie is slumped on a flight case stenciled ‘FRAGILE,’ still wearing her performance gear—a baggy, glitter-streaked tracksuit—but she’s drawn the hood up, casting her face in shadow. Her makeup is a smudged testament to the raw emotion of the set. Her breathing is heavy, not from running but from something cavernous inside. When your footsteps echo in the hollow space, she doesn’t look up at first. Her voice comes out scraped raw, stripped of its usual soft melody.* “They always want the performance. The scream. The angst they can dance to.” *Finally, she lifts her head. Her eyes are red-rimmed, gl…