(Untitled)

[jdick]

Although Joe didn't appear to be nervous, he knew Logan could tell that he was anyway, even if he wasn't about to admit it to anyone else. Everything was set up at the stage and he was there doing a quick sound check before anyone else arrived, checking the levels of the microphone and the amps until everything was exactly how he thought he wanted

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[jdick]

Quickly, Joe unplugged his guitar from the amp and dropped down off the stage, leaving the instrument resting against him. Although the show had gone well, he was a little twitchy, itching for something that he hadn't had in a long goddamn time and something he knew he really wasn't allowed to have.

He wanted just a line or just a swig of beer or just a fucking puff from a cigarette. Something to let him get his head back on straight.

It was the first show he'd ever played completely sober and that was a weird fucking feeling.

[echolls_cursed]

Logan hung back a while, watching as everyone talked to Joe, waiting for the crowd to clear a little before heading over and draping an arm over the older man's shoulders. "That was really good, man. You were awesome," he said honestly, flashing a genuine smile as he patted Joe's cheek.

He hadn't expected anything less though, not form Joe. Logan had known all along that Joe was going to put on one hell of a show.

[jdick]

"You were really fucking good, too, man," Joe answered, grinning at Logan before he gave a pleased sort of shrug. "Everything came together. The songs sounded pretty fucking tight. You feel good about it?" he asked, feeling better now that he wasn't just thinking about getting drunk or stoned.

[echolls_cursed]

"Yeah. Yeah, Joe, I really do," Logan replied honestly. "Thanks," he added, meaning it and ducking his head slightly as he smiled.

He was still buzzing with energy, fidgeting a little but obviously happy. His back was a bit straighter and his arms hung at his sides rather then folded across his chest like usual, and he looked more friendly and open than he did most days.

[jdick]

"Shit, so I can't wait to do that again," Joe admitted a second later, letting out a laugh. "It's kinda fucked to be doing this without getting stoned or drunk or anything like that, but I wanna do it again, man. Hell, I'd do it again tomorrow if I could."

[echolls_cursed]

"You should. Not tomorrow or whatever, but... You should keep doing it. Honest, Joe, you should see yourself when you're up there playing, man, seriously. You look... like that's where you belong or something," Logan said, hands slipping into his pockets as he smiled thoughtfully.

[jdick]

"Well, y'know, man. Only place I was really any good," Joe answered, grinning as he gave a bit of a shrug. It was where he felt like he belonged, too, one place in this whole fucking world where he knew he feel comfortable until the day he fucking died. "I'm gonna have to write a bunch of new shit, though. Guess that's the problem with not being able to do a tour. I can only play the same shit so many times."

[echolls_cursed]

"Oh yeah? Maybe I could write something with you," Logan joked, bumping Joe lightly with his elbow. "You know, now that I know how to play more than just three chords."

Actually, he was getting pretty good, and more and more he found himself hanging around Joe's hut, playing his guitar. It was kind of surreal. not at all the sort of thing he'd ever imagined learning to do.

"Still, I think you could play the same songs forever and it would be great."

[jdick]

"Yeah, we could," Joe agreed, because he had no problem writing music with people. He and John and Billy had done lots of collaborations and some of Hard Core Logo's best shit had been written by the three of them. "You think you wanna start doing somethin' like that?"

[echolls_cursed]

"I dunno," Logan replied honestly. He'd said it in jest, but seeing that Joe didn't just laugh it off... Well, it made him wonder. "Maybe. I dunno. I'd probably suck. Besides, you do really good stuff on your own."

[jdick]

Joe shook his head at that, not because he thought he didn't write some good shit, but because he doubted Logan would suck. "You write in your book, right? I mean, all you gotta do sometimes it put your words like that to some music. We could give it a shot if you want."

[echolls_cursed]

"Wouldn't want to put any of that to music," Logan assured Joe when the other man mentioned the journal. "I get what you mean though. I... I dunno, I guess I could try. I'm telling you though, man, I'll probably suck."

[jdick]

"Never know until you try, eh?"Joe asked, grinning a little. "If you don't wanna play it, we don't have to, but doesn't hurt to give it a shot. Might surprise yourself."

[echolls_cursed]

"Don't get all pep talk on me now, Joe," Logan laughed. "You're a rock star tonight, remember?"

[jdick]

"I'm always a fucking rock star," Joe answered, laughing in return, feeling pretty fucking good about everything right now.

[echolls_cursed]

"Yeah, man, you really are," Logan agreed, draping an arm around Joe and then kissing his cheek obnoxiously. "Best rock star on the island, man."