Love Virus

Chapter Six

Recommended Song: My My My by Troye Sivan

January 17, 2020

Alfie's POV

The news was a little louder than usual and had captured Alfie's attention as he focused on the TV screen. The World Health Organization had declared a global state of emergency. Alfie was aware of the implications that would follow.

The infection rate in China had skyrocketed and deaths were rising at an alarming rate. The  United States, Phillipines, South Korea and Japan were infected as  travelers were bringing the infection home and Alfie realized  it was only a matter of time that it would be hitting Canada.

He took out his notepad and pen from his kitchen drawer and began writing his list. There would be panic buying and hoarding in the near future. That he knew.  As he grabbed his reusable shopping bags, list and wallet and made his way to the store.  The list was for essential items to last for 3 weeks. Nothing more, nothing less.

He had managed to get enough to fill his three reusable bags and made the quick walk home. Once home he marked the items with an X so he knew that those were put away in case of emergency. Double checking his first aid kit and emergency kit he knew he was prepared.

The preparedness.was not due to pessimism or being a zealot for the end of the world but rather from growing up in the family that he had. His grandfather had instilled the importance of being prepared. The elderly man had seen his fair share of disasters and when recovery could have been improved with proper preparation he would reinforce planning and preparedness.

He had a few hours before he was meeting his brothers at The Harbour to watch them perform.

Music was a large part of his life. Alfie began with the violin when he was four and moved to the fiddle when he was fourteen. He loved them both and was accomplished in his own right.

Musical talent ran in his family but also in his step family's which was great for afternoon jam sessions or summers at the lake playing music as a family. His grandfather shared his love for celtic music, his father was the main influence of his love of folk music and his step family embraced music from around the world and made it relatable to their western audiences.

Alfie loved most musical genres but mostly he loved playing for small groups. Noah and Liam always asked for him to join their band but he mostly declined, unless it was for a benefit concert. He preferred busking rather than performing on stage.

There was something simple about just him, his fiddle or violin, an open case and people walking by, stopping for a bit then carrying on with their walk. It was the purest form of performing and Alfie loved it.

As he got ready for his night out his thoughts strayed back to Bearman. He knew it was absolutely ridiculous to be so enamoured of a man he saw so briefly and truth be told the look he got back from the stern man was anything but inviting. Still his fingers made baby grabbing motions when he thought of his beard. He groaned as he could feel his pants tighten.

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Noah's POV

After doing the sound check and adjusting the stools and mics, Noah walked over to talk to the bouncers and club manager, Eddie. They had known each other for years and the local music scene was a tight knit group in Vancouver.

"How's it going Eddie?" Noah asked.

"Can't complain. Business is good. Jessica and I are going to Cuba in a couple of weeks to celebrate our anniversary."

"That's awesome Eddie. How many years?"

"20 years. She's just as lovely as when I met her in highschool". Eddie said proudly.

"Kids coming?" Dallas, one of the bouncers asked.

"Yep. Family vacation". Eddie grinned.

"I'm going to check on Garrett" Noah said waving to them.

Garrett was sitting in the backstage room looking nervous as hell.

"Are you ok?" Noah asked him gently.

He merely nodded but Noah knew he wasn't really ok.

Getting to know the gentle giant over the past couple of weeks, he knew that Garrett was suffering from stage fright.

"It's going to be ok. It will be fun. It doesn't have to be perfect, we are just going to have fun. Okay?" Noah reassured him.

"You won't be mad if I mess up?" Garrett whispered.

"Nope. I promise. We mess up all the time and nobody gets mad." Noah smiled at him.

There was something incredibly vulnerable about the young man that both Liam and Noah felt a brotherly protectiveness for. Noah knew all of the signs of trauma and he was pretty sure it stemmed from childhood abuse. The week before when Liam made a quick gesture to reach for his guitar, Garrett recoiled from instinct. It broke their heart and they were careful with their words and movements.

Garrett was quiet but when he talked about his sister and her family  he was able to let go of himself for a bit and smile and laugh as he talked about his nephews and niece. They told him about their families and especially their stepbrother Alfie. He was genuinely interested in hearing whatever they had to say. They were certain he was a great addition to their band.

"Come-on Garrett, let's go see if Alfie is here. We don't play for another 30 minutes." Noah gestured for him to follow and they walked into the club, Noah looking for Alfie and Garrett simply following him.

Noah's arm shot up and he hollered "Alfie" and they quickly met up with his stepbrother.

Garrett felt his heart stop for a second and he just stared at the adorable man. He felt the urge to brush his hair out of his eyes and put his hands in his pockets so he wouldn't be tempted. He wanted to talk to him so bad but all he could do was stare. Alfie too seemed at a loss on what to say and he too simply stared at the handsome rugged man.

"Bear" he blurted and looked like he immediately regretted it by the shocked expression on his now red face.

"Bear?" Garrett wondered.