Oxygen (Catfish And The Bottlemen/1975)

Fliss

"The tyrants helped build us, they won't mind throwing us away!" I watched Van and the lads on stage as they drew towards the end of their set.

I grinned, toothy, childish and full of glee, gleaming beside Saffron and Katie, our arms around each other as we sang along and had a little dance ourselves. Jazz grabbed me by the hand and spun me round as we carried on despite the lack of rhythm to their thrashing crescendo of sound.
Earlier in the set I'd caught Van turn to the side and stare momentarily over his shoulder at me. As he'd finished Hourglass he'd glanced tenderly in my direction, licked his lips, smiled at the ground, but now he was one and the same with his audience, totally devoted to the song and the crowd of people who were totally devoted to him.

When they came off they buried their faces in towels, but it wasn't enough to hide their smiles as they too were now ecstatic.

Van was bouncing off the walls, Bondy was all buzzed up, Benji and Bob were humbled perhaps but still reeling with adrenaline all the same.

I gave Bondy the last of my beer as I pulled him into a hug, the usual post show graces taking place as their management congratulated them and they did their best to make it back stage hassle free.

Benji had Katie wrapped around his waist, her smile buried in his neck as he kissed her hair and held her close. they were sweeter than honey those two, so painfully shy and yet still so affectionate when they thought that no one was watching.

Saffron and Alice lingered behind with Jazz, he had a party in Hampstead that he wanted to go to, Rudy and Matty would be there apparently, but I wasn't so sure that a house party in Hampstead was the right place to spend the night.

"alrigh la?" I asked with a smile sneaking up behind Van, head on his shoulder as he bent down to route through the fridge, "what're yous after sugarsnap?" I asked, he was searching frantically again and yet when he turned around he was placid as can be.

"Jus some water love," he grinned, "me mouths like sand you know what I mean,"

"Vodka usually cures that one for me," I winked offering him a sip of my drink, he only chuckled screwing his face up as he swallowed.

"The fucks in that love uranium?!" He laughed shaking his head as he grimaced, I giggled and shrugged him off.

"Thas hardly owt in it, its not even that strong,"

"Be hopes you haven't got some kinda rare blood type or whatever, you're gonna need new kidneys sooner or later," he teased lighting up a ciggarette as we wandered outside into the night where our friends were already daudelling back to the hotel the lads were staying in that night.

"me, what about you, you'll need new lungs the amount you smoke!" I gasped my voice cracking as we laughed in step and he nudged me in the ribs with his elbow. "An you've got shit taste in cigarettes," I mumbled with a smaller smirk.

"Whats wrong wi good old lammy B's you cheeky..." he trailed off with a smirk stopping suddenly as he caught the two of us by surprise. "Stop a min," he said softly watching our friends who were stumbling down the street a little way ahead. I looked up at him confused, pinching his ciggy to pass the time. "But... But you jus said...."

"Hitler said he wouldn't invade chekoslovacia Van, you can't trust people!" I giggled smiling up at him the same rosé sweet teasing smile as ever. He softened with a smirk, giving over for once.

"you're dead daft you are," he chuckled low and gentle. I smiled at the floor, my hands in my pocket, the summer air still warm despite the darkness closing in around us. "This walk backs dead quiet you know, proper peaceful, didn't see anyone on the walk down," he said carefully, looking over his shoulder past the red and blue doors of terris houses we had passed. I licked my lips and followed his gaze, trying to work out just what he meant.

"Its a nice street," I smiled, the air around us musty and thick. I couldn't tell who had tensed first, whether we were tense at all. "Tranquil,"

His lips poked his dimples once again as they made a gentle curve, a little cheeky, a little humbled by the humid evening we were walking through and without a word he slipped his hand in my pocket, his fingers brushing over mine.

I didn't look up at him then, wiggling my fingers until they had locked with his, allowing him to take my hands from my pockets, our arms swinging limp between us as we walked a little closer and a little slower back to their hotel.

my heart raced a little as we walked, the others were away ahead of us now but even so, had they turned around too quickly they'd still have been able to sense the amorous way in which we now walked.

"Feel dead edgy now do you, like I'm in some kinda spy movie like,"

"Like some kinda James Bond," I giggled, "its all very secretive isn't it," I  smirked leaning in a little closer. "Feel like am back in highschool sneaking around,"

"You're hardly even out of highschool," he smirked catching himself off guard momentarily chewing his cheek. I'd never though about it like that, still.

"Get to fuck am not that young!" I giggled hitting his arm playfully, "you cheeky sod I'm 18 pretty much,"

"Alright alright," he laughed relaxing once more as he grabbed my hand again and reeled me into his side, his arm wrapping around my waist as the two of us laughed a little more. He softened then squeezing me in close. "You are dead young though aren't you," He sighed his hand cupping my hip, "like, if people find out, this'll blow up in our faces,"

"I'm not Dolores Haze Van, youre not Humbert Humbert," I rolled my eyes at him with a smirk. "I'm what, just 18 and you're just 25, thats only 7 years Int it..."

"Yeah I suppose," he smirked.

"Its not illegal, I'm an adult," I shrugged, I found it all a little silly if I was honest, but then again I wasn't Van. it wasn't me who'd be blamed if it all went wrong. "anyway," I stood on tiptoe, our noses brushing, "no ones going to find out are they, James," I winked, giggling again as I grabbed his hand and picked up the pase, following our friends down the street to the hotel where another party like no other would soon be in full swing.