2013 Fandom for Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Compilation

Backstage Pass by MinaWritesSlash

Rating: NC-17

Summary: Riley has only one last chance to see his favorite band live before he is up to his eyeballs with medical textbooks, and he's willing to do everything to make it happen. When the day finally arrives, Riley will get more than he could have ever imagined. Could a chance meeting and a special request be the key to make his dreams a reality? All Human/Slash. Edward & Riley.

Beta: AJasper ForMe | Banner Maker: Ellie Wolf

Thanks to everyone that donated to this amazing cause. xo

~ BACKSTAGE PASS ~

I fidgeted anxiously, rubbing my hands together to ward off the cold. The store wouldn't open for at least another hour and I could literally feel my balls shriveling up.

"This is the worst idea you've ever had," I heard my sister grumble behind me.

I rolled my eyes and didn't say anything.

She tried pinching my arm, but I didn't feel anything underneath the three layers of clothes I was wearing.

"Ow, that really hurt," I deadpanned.

"Riley!"

"Look Vic, I know this is, well—"

"Fucking crazy?"

"I was gonna go for unorthodox, but sure … I just really need to do this. Please?"

She sighed in defeat. "Fine, but you owe me. Big time!"

I hugged her tightly, lifting her off the ground. "Thank you, sis!"

"Put me down, you big fairy!"

I laughed and kissed her cheek and went back to feeling my balls freezing over.

We had been here since yesterday afternoon, waiting in line to buy this damn ticket for what was supposed to be the best semi-private concert by one of my favorite rock bands.

Vic honestly thought I was insane for doing this, but she didn't understand this was beyond being a crazy fan, beyond being a groupie … this was my last chance before I was up to my eyeballs with medical texts.

Victoria and I were twins and we both fast-tracked our college studies. We managed to graduate in three years and while Victoria decided to not go on for her masters, I was going on to med school.

This vacation had been a graduation gift from our parents. We actually pushed off one semester so we were able to come, since we both worked our asses off during the summer in order to save money for this trip, not to mention we had classes to attend. So, instead of starting in September, we were starting in January, but it was worth it.

I had always been a bit of a free spirit, a wanderer. I'd dreamed of travelling Europe with only a backpack and the sense of adventure as my guide ever since I was fourteen. So, when our parents came to us with the idea of a trip across Europe, both Victoria and I accepted before they even finished telling us about it.

We started our trip in Greece, chasing the last bit of summer at the end of August and then travelled east. We had stayed at more pricey hotels rather than the sleazy ones we'd have probably stayed at had we taken this trip after high school, but the feeling was the same. It was fantastic not having an agenda; we went wherever the fates took us and loved every single minute of it.

That was how I found myself on a cobblestone sidewalk in downtown Rome in the middle of October. My favorite band of all time, Breaking Midnight, was playing tomorrow in a special show for only five hundred lucky fans. I had learned about the event through the band's official twitter and immediately grabbed Victoria and came to Rome all the way from Sorrento where we had been staying for the last five days.

I was antsy and constantly counting how many people were in front of me. I was sure I was number twenty-three in line, but wasn't sure how many tickets those twenty-three people were going to purchase. For all I knew, they would probably buy all five hundred tickets before I could even get the chance to walk through the store's doors, but I didn't care. I had to wait and see.

I glanced around to savor the white scenery. It was freezing cold, and I wrapped my arms tightly around myself, shivering.

"I still can't believe you convinced me to do this. I'm gonna effing kick your ass once I can feel my legs again!"

I rolled my eyes at my sister's dramatics and turned to the whiny voice behind me.

"Oh shut up, Vicky! You know you wanna go to this show to drool over James Hunter."

"Whatever, little bother," Victoria huffed with a roll of her eyes. "I'm gonna go to the coffee shop around the corner, I think they might be open now and we could both use something hot to drink."

"Get me the biggest and hottest mocha you can get your little hands on," I whined a little with a pleading look and innocent smile. "Please?" I added last minute, handing her a couple of bills.

Her answering smile was smarmy and her eyes were shooting daggers at me. "Sure, little brother, a plain black coffee coming right up!"

I opened my mouth to protest, but shut it quickly. I had learned a long time ago that, with Victoria, it was better to lose some battles than to provoke her wrath.

I watched in amusement as she stomped away from me.

It was no secret my twin had a huge crush on Breaking Midnight's bass player, just like there was no secret I had a huge, epic and unrealistic love for the lead singer, Edward Masen, along with millions of other women and men.

Edward Masen was the kind of celebrity that loved the attention. Many times during a concert he would just take off his shirt and toss it to the crowd. Whoever got it would get a backstage pass and some one-on-one time with him. He had earned a bit of a reputation because of that; several magazines had printed photos of him with women and men, so it was no shocker when a journalist finally asked him if he was gay, to which he flat out said he was bi-sexual and proud of it.

My goal for this concert was to get that damn shirt, and not because I wanted to seduce him. I actually wanted to talk to him, get to know the man behind the music that had pretty much become the soundtrack of my life. I wanted to thank him for it and maybe even get a hug.

What? He's still hot; you would want a hug, too. Trust me.

I had known I liked men and women ever since I was fifteen years old. When my then girlfriend Bree introduced me to her older brother Diego, I knew I was in deep trouble. I developed a huge crush on him and when things ended with Bree, he had approached me and became my rebound guy, not to mention he was the one who taught me how to give good head.

Though Diego and I didn't last long, the experience opened my eyes. I knew from then on that I liked men just as much as I liked women.

When I left the dreary city of Seattle for New York to go to college, I suddenly felt like I had discovered a free all-you-can-eat buffet. I had to admit, I was a big of a manwhore back then, which resulted in a small pregnancy scare with my then girlfriend Kate. Luckily it was a false alarm, but still the scare was a big fucking sign for me to slow down.

Kate and I dated for a couple more years, but broke up before the end of last semester. Last time I heard, she was dating a pilot named Garrett, which surprised me since she was terrified of flying. The girl couldn't even ride an elevator without getting nauseous, but according to the grapevine, she was serious about the guy and I was really happy for her.

I, on the other hand, didn't date after the break up. Instead I focused on my studies and managed to get on the Dean's list for the second year in the row, but when the summer started, all bets were off. I'd had a few one night stands with men and women back home and while in our trip across Europe, but I was always careful and never went without a rubber. I knew I was clean, I had been tested just a few months ago, but I was still careful.

Better safe than sorry.

My dear sister Victoria on the other hand was a serious monogamist. Everywhere we went she found a boyfriend, and she would stay with him for as long as we remained in the city. It was actually because one of her boyfriends had developed a certain attachment that we had to skip Budapest in the middle of the night and take the first train out of the city, which brought us straight to Italy. Luckily, the guy seemed to have gotten the idea my sister wasn't really serious about their "relationship" and didn't follow us all the way here.

We had explored the country starting from the north and moving south. We had been in Sorrento when we found out about the concert. Even though we had already being in the capital, we didn't think twice and took the first bus to Rome and came straight to the store. We hadn't even checked in to a hotel yet. It didn't matter, I knew of a couple of nice bed and breakfasts we could go to once we had our tickets.

Half an hour later, I nursed a scalding beverage between my hands. Victoria had bought two of the biggest hot chocolates I had ever seen in my life, and I was very thankful for it.

"How much longer until the store opens?"

I checked my watch and noticed it was almost eight in the morning.

"The store opens at eight o'clock, so I say about ten minutes."

The level of excitement and anticipation rose with each passing minute.

Two store employees and two security guards walked out of the store five minutes later. They started taking count of the tickets each person wanted to purchase. I heard a guy that wanted to buy fifteen tickets and I gnawed my lip nervously, doing a mental count in my head.

When the employees reached me and asked me how many tickets I wanted, I simply said one and Victoria repeated the order. The employee taking notes nodded and the other one gave me a ticket number.

I let out a whoosh once they passed us, knowing we were going to be able to buy the tickets.

"This is so exciting!" Victoria squealed once the line started moving.

I smiled widely, raising an eyebrow at her sudden exuberance. "Now you're excited? Five minutes ago you wanted to kick my ass."

She rolled her eyes at me and pushed me forward. "Brat."

I snorted. "Nice comeback, Vic."

She pushed me forward again and I laughed at her.

Two hours later, we were checking in at Rome Armony Suites. We lucked out, it was a bit upscale for my taste, but I knew Victoria would like it. The B&B was situated a few steps from the Vatican City with Saint Peter's Basilica and from Castel Sant'Angelo. It was also only ten minutes way from where the concert would take place, which meant we were going to be able to take a nap before heading over there later tonight.

They only had a suite with a big bed available, but neither of us minded. It wouldn't be the first time Vic and I had to share a bed. The room was comfortable, warm, cozy and reasonably priced, not to mention the location was great. It was definitely worth having to share the bed with my sister.

"Okay, I want to shower and then eat something. My stomach is demanding food," my twin mumbled, setting her backpack and small suitcase on top of the bed.

I nodded, agreeing with her. "You go first," I told her. "I'll go get the food. I saw a small cafe around the corner. I'll be right back."

"Thanks, brother!" She ruffled my hair on the way to the bathroom and then I heard the lock on the door.

I grabbed my wallet, coat, the room key and my phone before leaving the hotel.

I walked down the block towards the café I had spotted earlier. I looked through the window and saw that it was full, but the line to the register wasn't that long. I turned around to look at the little blackboard they had hanging outside with the day's specials, but collided with a strong chest and landed on my ass.

"Fucking hell!" I groaned and tried to stand up.

"Are you all right?"

I froze and my head snapped up, recognizing that voice.

Holy. Fucking. Shit.

There he stood, in all his delicious glory, wearing Doc Martens, faded jeans, studded belt, and a leather motorcycle jacket.

Edward. Fucking. Masen.

And I was on the dirty sidewalk, my face in line with his crotch.

Not a bad place to be, let me tell ya.

He cleared his throat and I realized I was staring at his crotch. I quickly stood up, dusting off my pants and trying not to die from embarrassment, while he stood there with a smirk in place and a raised eyebrow.

"Um, hi?" were my brilliant words, and I internally face-palmed myself.

He chuckled, the sound deep and amused. "Hi."

I was blank; I literally had no idea what to say to him. What did you ask the object of your fantasies anyway? All the bravado I had this morning, thinking I could talk to this man without making a fool of myself, was now gone. All that was left was the shy and insecure nerd I really was.

I was so lost in my thoughts I hadn't heard him asking me a question.

"What was that?"

He chuckled again. "I asked you if you were all right. Did you hit your head or something?"

"You're Edward Masen."

He grinned. "Well, at least you know my name."

"Of course I know your name!" I yelled and I immediately slapped a hand over my mouth.

His eyes were wide. "Right, but what's yours?"

"Um, Riley … Riley Biers," I mumbled and extended my hand.

He shook my hand, a crooked smile pulling at his lips. "Good to know you remember, and nice to meet you, Riley."

A shiver ran over my back when his hand made contact with mine, and I bit my lip to keep in the moan threatening to come out.

"Now, tell me," he said, releasing my hand, "what brings you to Rome?"

I chuckled nervously. "Um, well … you, actually."

"Oh? Is that so?" He bit his bottom lip, leaning his side against one of the restaurant's columns by the entrance.

I nodded. "Yeah, we came for the concert."

He narrowed his eyes. "We?"

"Yeah, my sister and I. We've been backpacking across Europe as an early graduation present from our parents."

He froze and then his face paled. "Graduation?"

I nodded again, still smiling. "Yeah, my sister and I fast-tracked to college with a perfect GPA and our parents were very proud."

He let out a whoosh when he heard the word 'college' coming out of my mouth, which made me snicker.

"You thought I was a minor, didn't you?"

"Well, fuck man …" he groaned, rubbing the back of his neck. "You tell me you're backpacking through Europe as a graduation present, that shit is something kids in high school do!"

I chuckled, rubbing my mouth, trying to keep the laughter from bubbling out.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah … laugh it up, pretty boy."

I let out a snort and my eyes went wide with embarrassment.

Suddenly, we both cracked up, laughing our asses off at the whole situation.

"So, where's your sister?" he asked eventually.

"At the hotel," I answered, pointing with my thumb over my shoulder. "It's just around the corner from here."

"Think you can ditch her for the afternoon?"

"Um, I'm supposed to buy us lunch, we haven't eaten anything since last night."

Edward frowned. "Why not?"

I rubbed the back of my neck and looked down at the floor. "When we got here, we went straight to the store to buy the tickets for tonight's concert; we were in line for most of the morning."

"Wow, that's quite flattering."

I shrugged, shoving my hands in my pockets. "You guys are awesome live, it's worth it."

He grinned, liking the praise. "Thanks, we try our best to connect with the fans."

"I know. I remember I was in my senior year in high school, cramming for finals, when you tweeted you guys were going to give a free show at Central Park, and I was so pissed because I was on the wrong coast!"

He laughed, shaking his head. "Where are you from?"

"Seattle, but I moved to New York for college."

"What college?"

I bit my lip. "Well, I got into NYU for med school."

"You want to be a doctor."

I nodded. "I want to work with kids."

Just then my cell phone rang, and I quickly fished it out of my pocket.

It was a text from Victoria.

Where are you? I'm hungry! -Vic

"Shit!" I hissed.

"What's wrong?" Edward asked immediately with worry written all over his face; his concern surprised me.

"Um, nothing really. I just forgot I needed to buy lunch for me and my sister."

"Oh, well I won't keep you …"

I stared at him, thinking. I didn't want to end our talk, and not because he was my favorite singer, but because I felt like I wanted to get to know the guy behind the image.

He sort of looked sad about letting me go, which gave me hope that maybe he wanted to talk to me too.

"Do you know if this place delivers?" I asked him, giving a chin jerk towards the restaurant behind him.

Edward smiled. "As a matter of fact, they do."

I nodded and sent a text to Vicky.

I'm ordering you lunch and it will be delivered to the room. Bumped into an old friend, I'm having lunch with them. -Ri

"Great," I finally said, pocketing my cell. "What would you recommend?"

He motioned for me to follow him into the restaurant. We stood in line while he explained what each dish was, and I couldn't help but admire how knowledgeable he was. He said he liked to come to Rome during the winter and this was actually a place he often came to eat.

When it was finally our turn, I ordered Vicky a nice salad with grilled chicken and a side of pasta and I got a big meat sandwich, while Edward just ordered a small pasta salad. I let the cashier know where my sister and I were staying, and she reassured me the delivery would be there in less than forty-five minutes. I was in the process of texting Vicky and pulling out my wallet to pay in cash, but Edward beat me to it and had already paid with his card by the time I had the money in my hand.

I tried to protest, asking him to let me pay, but he refused, saying it was the least he could do since he was stealing me for the afternoon.

I like the sound of that, a lot.

Once we found a table at the back, we ate our food and carried on with our conversation.

"So, why a doctor?" he asked, taking a sip of his water.

"Um, well … I want to be a pediatric oncologist."

"That's a very specific field, is there any particular reason?"

I took a sip of my soda and cleaned my mouth with the napkin. I took my time thinking on how to answer, not because I didn't want him to know, but because it was hard for me to talk about.

I took another sip of my soda and pushed the plate to the side, half the sandwich untouched. I leaned in, my folded arms on the table and looked him in the eye. "My sister Victoria and I are twins, so we grew up doing everything together and trying to best each other in everything." I chuckled at the memory of some of the competitions we had, from silly ones as to who could drink the milk faster, to the serious ones as to who could get a better grade on a math test. "When we were around sixteen years old, Vic started to feel tired all the time and bruises would show up randomly. The bruises got so bad we were called into the principal's office, where the school's counselor asked us point-blank if our parents were beating us." I shook my head in disgust, remembering my anger at them for thinking such a thing. "You have to understand, my mom and dad had us really late, so they were in their late fifties when we reached high school. My dad even had knee surgery around that time, so he needed a lot of help from me to move around; I used to drive him to his physical therapy sessions."

"What happened?" he asked, clearly interested.

"I blew a gasket at them, calling them every name I could think of and finally threatened them for defamation," I scoffed, rolling my eyes. "I think they were starting to consider me the aggressor, until they saw Vic was even madder than me. She was screeching and yelling, telling them they were disgusting for even thinking about it. We finally got out of there because we couldn't take their patronizing stares." I sighed and got ready for the next part. "They called social services, and the social worker took Vic and me to get checked out at the hospital. I was cleared and out in the ten minutes, but they were taking longer with Vic. I was getting worried, but calmed down when my parents were called in. The social worker apologized for the misunderstanding, only to then tell us my twin sister had leukemia."

Edward gasped and took my hand in both of his, his touch surprisingly comforting.

"I was scared for her, we all were, but she's a fighter, Edward. She fought long and hard. She practically finished her sophomore year from the hospital. When they realized the chemo wasn't working, they suggested a bone marrow transplant. I swear I was practically ready to do it right then and there. As her twin, the chances of a positive match were pretty high, which tests only confirmed it. We waited until the end of the school year because I was positive Vic was going to be able to start our junior year alongside me."

"I guess it worked since you're both here."

"Yeah, it did. I actually stayed in the same room as Vic after the transplant procedure, which gave me the opportunity to meet a lot of the children also there. It hurt me that there were so many, and some were even sicker than my sister. It broke my heart, so I started to volunteer at the hospital that summer. I would go there and read stories to them, or I would play a massive game of monopoly with everyone. One time, I even managed to borrow a few costumes from the local theater company and put on a play with the kids. It was Peter Pan."

Edward grinned. "Let me guess, you were Peter Pan."

I shook my head, laughing. "No, I was actually Captain Hook; another boy that was actually named Peter took the lead." My smile faded quickly, thinking of the happy boy that didn't want to grow up, just like Peter.

He never grew up; he would always be a boy in Neverland.

I felt a hand on my shoulder, and I looked up to see Edward had a sad smile on his face. "You okay?"

"Yeah … sometimes it is hard to think about that time, but it was those months I spent there that solidified for me what I wanted to specialize in at med school."

He pulled me into a hug. "That's very honorable and commendable of you," he murmured in my ear.

"Thank you," I choked out.

After a few minutes, I pulled back and gave him a watery smile. "What about you? Have you always being passionate about music?"

"I have, actually. My mom says I actually learned to sing before I could even talk!" He laughed and I joined him, his laugh was contagious. "I grew up in Chicago so most of the music I grew up listening to was jazz and blues. My dad taught me how to play the guitar while my mom taught me to play the piano. I learned to play both instruments well by the time I started high school, but then my dad was killed in a car crash. My mom had no family in Chicago and my dad's folks had died a few years before, so we moved closer to my Aunt Esme, my mom's sister, to this small-assed town called Forks, which is actually only a few hours away from Seattle."

"Really?"

"Yeah, it was tiny! There wasn't even a Starbucks there." He rolled his eyes. "Anyway, I was pretty depressed because of what happened with my dad and I sort of got into a lot of trouble. I started dating this girl, Bella, a few months later. She was actually the Police Chief's daughter. She introduced me to James, who was her cousin, and he introduced me to his brother Jasper, who played the drums. We would often get together to jam at the Chief's garage. He turned out to be a great guy and he liked blues, so we made sure to play some old tunes when he was around." He took a sipped of his water, and then continued with his story. "I stopped getting into trouble eventually, and even after Bella broke up with me, you would still find us at the Chief's garage jamming and having fun."

"Wait, she broke up with you?" I asked in surprise. "Bet she regrets it now, huh?"

He threw his head back in laughter. "No, man. In fact, she regrets nothing. You see, Bella was actually only dating me to get to my cousin, Alice."

I gasped.

He nodded. "Yeah, she was gay, which really didn't surprise me at all. She was never really into making out with me, and we acted more like friends than an actual couple. It all worked out in the end."

"Are they still together?" I asked curiously. "Bella and Alice?"

"Yeah, they are. In fact, it was Bella who pushed us to compose our own music and try to get gigs around town. She eventually became our manager, and Alice is our agent. They are both good and fierce at what they do. We wouldn't be where we are today if it wasn't for them."

"That's a great story."

"We are a big but close family, and through the years, it is that connection that has helped keep us grounded. In this business it is so easy to get an inflated ego, and the tabloids are often out to tarnish your reputation, which is why I always try to have open communication with my fans. When twitter was created, I knew it was a great platform for us to do just that, so we didn't think twice about creating that account."

"I follow you guys there. I like the fact you often answer tweets."

"I wish I could answer more, but then we would never get anything done! Luckily, our fans understand and are happy with what we give them. It is really great to know they are there for us through thick and thin."

"Well, you guys have done all the work; we are just along for the ride."

We kept talking about everything and anything. It was so easy to share stuff about my life with him, and he didn't hesitate to share either. I felt like this was more than just a fan and an idol meeting, and the flirty looks and coy smiles he gave me filled me with hope that perhaps he felt the same thing.

Edward had surprised me. He wasn't the cocky and impulsive guy the media portrayed him as, he was actually very down to earth and surprisingly humble. He knew how to take a compliment and was very self-assured in his skills, but he did it with a humility and kindness. I guess for people that didn't know him it could come across as arrogance. Sometimes words didn't exactly portray the tone they were said in, which is why he confessed he didn't like to give interviews to magazines. Those tended to get misunderstood too quickly, so those types of interviews often fell into the hands of James and Jasper.

It was close to six in the evening when Edward's cell phone rang. He answered and after hearing and mumbling some answers, he hung up. He turned to look back at me with a resigned look, and I knew our time was up.

"You have to go," I said.

He nodded, confirming what I had assumed. "Sound check is in thirty minutes."

"Well, I don't want to keep you …"

He gave me a crooked smile, narrowing his eyes and studying me for a minute.

"What?" I finally asked.

"What if tonight's t-shirt wasn't tossed, but given to someone specifically?"

I bit my lip, knowing what he was suggesting, but somehow it didn't feel right.

"That would be great, but don't use it on me."

I could tell he was surprised by my answer, and slightly hurt.

"Wait, don't get me wrong, I would love nothing more than to see you again," his shoulders relaxed after I said that, filling my stomach with fucking butterflies, "but maybe you should find a fan that deserves it."

"What do you mean?"

"Why don't you put someone from your crew outside? Have them talk to the people in line and find that one fan that had gone through great lengths to get here."

"You told me you waited in line."

I snorted. "There were people in sleeping bags already when I got to the store; some of them were even there since yesterday afternoon. What I'm asking is for you to find someone deserving, to find a true fan among the crowd, someone who actually cares about the band and the music you guys make. Find that one person that stands out, that really inspires."

He nodded pensively. "All right, I'll think about it."

His cellphone rang again and he sighed.

"I guess I'll see you tonight?" I asked him.

He smiled and leaned in, and for a minute there, I thought he was gonna kiss me but instead he whispered in my ear. "You bet you will."

I stayed at the restaurant a bit longer after he left, trying to assimilate what just happened, but the only thought that was actually going through my head was that Vicky would never believe me.

Heck, I wasn't even sure that what happened was real.

Finally, I stood up and walked out of the restaurant. It was time for me to get ready and I was sure Vicky was waiting for me.

I couldn't wait for tonight's concert.

It was gonna be epic.

The small venue was crowded and the people were jumping and screaming. The band was on fire and hadn't stopped to take a break at all. The energy was pulsating and my clothes were sticking to my body with all the sweat. The booze had been cut off around midnight at the band's request, and no one here cared. We were still pumped up and the band didn't look like they were leaving any time soon.

"How are you enjoying yourself?" Edward screamed into the microphone.

The crowd went wild, screaming and clapping.

His eyes searched around the crowd and found mine. He had been doing that all night long, throwing winks and smirks my way. Vic had noticed and proceeded to squeal so loud, it threatened to leave me deaf every time.

Edward smirked and then whipped his shirt off.

Immediately, there was a rush of people going to the front of the stage, women and men equally, all screaming for what was sure to come.

I stood still on my spot at the right of the stage.

I had already met him, the real him. He was kind and funny, not the arrogant and wild guy he pretended to be on stage, and the man-whore I had shamefully thought he was. In reality, he was such a contradiction: kind, generous, intelligent and self-confident. He was also very passionate; he lived passionately, making every single day count. He had no regrets, learning only from his mistakes and taking every experience with a grain of salt.

I considered myself lucky to have met the real him, the one that really mattered.

He didn't look disappointed when he didn't see me rush to the stage; instead, he looked sort of proud? Like he didn't expect any less from me, which left me confused.

"I know y'all want this," he said into the microphone, raising his hand which had his sweaty tank wrapped around his fist, "but tonight, things will be different. You see… there is one person here amongst you that have come from really far, and I'm talking from across the fucking globe!"

My breath hitched.

Is he really doing what I asked him to do?

"Not only has he traveled across countries, but he has shown to be a great fan. So, tonight's shirt not only comes with a one-on-one talk with me, but with the whole band, not to mention he will get a copy of our CD with our autographs and all the photos he wants."

The crowd went wild, and I was curious to know who he had picked.

"Where is Seth Clearwater?"

A loud squeal was heard at the back and I turned around towards the noise.

There, a Native American woman with long, jet black hair stood next to a young man in a wheelchair. His shocked face led me to believe he was the guy Edward mentioned.

"There you are, man! Congratulations!" Edward smiled and handed the t-shirt to one of the stage managers. "Give it up for Seth, everybody!"

The crowd's applause was deafening, and Seth looked like he was in shock, but took the t-shirt with a teary smile.

"Now the next song is the last, so join us as we rock this stage!"

As the first chord of the electric guitar and the beats of the drum started, I couldn't help but admire the man singing into the microphone.

His eyes were closed as he sang the words with passion and conviction. He jumped around the stage as the chorus hit, making the crowd jump in time with him. He was a leader among the masses.

What he did just now with that kid Seth proved that, what he had let me see during the afternoon I spent with him had been the real deal, and it filled me with happiness to know that he had done so.

Maybe what I was feeling wasn't one-sided after all.

Everyone sang the chorus with him the second time and I joined with a wide smile.

No, I'm not saying I'm sorry,
One day maybe we'll make it.
No, I'm not saying I'm sorry,
One day maybe we'll meet again.

NO! NO! NO! NO!

His smile was huge and he faced the crowd sans microphone as he and the crowd yelled out the lyrics.

NO! NO! NO! NO!

I will never forget! NO! NO!

I will never regret! NO! NO!

I will live my life…

NO! NO! NO! NO!

I will never forget! NO! NO!

I will never regret! NO! NO!

I WILL LIVE MY LIFE!

He shook the sweat off his hair and pulled the microphone back, singing with his heart and soul.

No, I'm not saying I'm sorry,
One day maybe we'll make it.

NO! NO!

No, I'm not saying I'm sorry,
One day maybe we'll meet again…

NO! NO! NO! NO!

Closer to the edge… Closer to the edge…

NO! NO! NO! NO!

Closer to the edge… Closer to the edge…

NO! NO! NO! NO!

Closer to… the edge.

He gave a bow and the crowd cheered and screamed.

"GRAZZIE, ROMA! Arrivederci e buona notte!"

And with those parting words, the band left the stage.

Vic and I looked at each other and smiled. The concert had been everything we had expected, and not only did we have a great time screaming, singing and dancing, Edward's touching gesture made me feel elated. He had done what I asked him and I felt so happy.

This was, by far, the greatest experience of my life.

We slowly made our way out of the venue, but before we reached the exit, I was approached by a young woman with a spiky, pixie haircut.

"Mister Riley Biers?"

I nodded. "Yeah, that's me."

The young woman smiled. "I'm Alice Cullen, Edward's cousin."

I nodded again, knowing who she was, and then shaking her hand when she offered it.

"I was asked to give this to you and your sister." She handed me two invitations. "There's an after-party happening at the hotel, you two are invited to come."

Vic and I were shocked.

"Thank you," my twin said, taking the invites from my hands.

"Also, my brother asked me to tell you he would like to continue the talk you two had this afternoon," she added, looking straight into my eyes and with a cheeky smile on her lips.

My sister gasped, and I smirked.

"Sure, tell him I'll be more than happy to."

Alice smirked and nodded. "I'll see you both at the party, then."

After answering a barrel of questions from Victoria and my arm receiving a plethora of slaps during the whole cab ride, we arrived at the hotel the band was staying at. We showed the invites to the doorman, and then again to the guy at the elevator, who had the key for the penthouse suite's elevator.

The elevator's door hadn't even opened and we could already hear the music. When we stepped out into a foyer, we froze.

It was insane!

People everywhere, talking, dancing, drinking, and chasing other people around.

"You are on your own, buddy," Vic yelled in my ear –because the music was that loud— and made a beeline for the bar, where, conveniently enough, James Hunter was sitting and talking to the barman.

I rolled my eyes and looked around the place.

My eyes found Seth by the balcony doors, near a big L-shaped couch. He was talking to Jasper Hale, the band's drummer. I saw Jasper signing a couple of sticks and then giving them to Seth. That boy's smile threatened to split his face in half.

Jasper stood up and hugged both Seth and the young woman with him, and then grabbed the hand of a stunning Latina before going to the back, where I guessed the bedrooms were.

"Enjoying the party?" someone whispered in my ear.

The shiver that ran across my body couldn't be stopped.

I turned around and my eyes locked with his green ones.

"Edward," I greeted him, my tone nonchalant and airy.

He smirked. "Riley," he answered in the same tone.

I chuckled and shook my head. "The concert was great."

"Thank you."

I stared at him and he stared right back. He took a swig out of the bottle of beer he was holding, his eyes never leaving mine.

"Want something to drink?"

"Sure," I said, and before he could turn around, I grabbed his forearm. Slowly, my hand caressed his arm, down to his wrist, touching his long index finger and then taking the bottle of beer from him.

His nostrils flared when I licked the bottle's mouth and then took a swig, tilting my head back and exposing my neck to him.

"Ahhh …" I gasped after I swallowed, the beer was cold and refreshing, not to mention it was the good shit and not that bathwater I could always afford.

Before I could even say anything else, he grabbed my bicep and dragged me across the room and down a hall. He was murmuring something under his breath and I just laughed at his exasperation.

Finally, we reached the end of the hall and he unlocked the door. He got in first and then pulled me inside by a fistful of my t-shirt.

The look in his eyes was predatory as he pushed me against the door, closing it with a slam.

"About that talk we had this afternoon?"

"Yeah," I said, looking up at him from beneath my eyelashes.

"I would like to finish it."

"I bet you wou—"

His mouth attacked mine before I could finish talking; his kiss was aggressive in nature, almost possessive. Every touch of his tongue and bite of his teeth provoked the most erotic sounds out of me. I felt the slight roughness of his stubble graze my chin and then his tongue thrust into my mouth, our teeth bumping as we tasted each other.

Our hands were everywhere. I wanted to touch every single inch of his skin. I felt like I wanted to crawl inside of him. I'd never felt like this before, so passionate, so needy, so wanting.

I enjoyed every fucking second of it.

I could feel my cock leaking a little into my jeans, my erection was throbbing painfully at this point, and I could feel his straining against the two layers of jeans. I moaned into the kiss, feeling his thigh rubbing against my cock and his hand squeezing my butt.

Suddenly, there was a ripping sound. I pulled back and watched as he ripped my shirt in half.

"God dammit, that was vintage!" I yelled, fisting his t-shirt and looking at him with fury.

"I'll buy you ten more!" he growled back and took his shirt off. He pinned me against the door once again with his bare chest and I groaned when his hips pushed against mine. "I wanted you just like this since I knocked you down outside the restaurant," he confessed hotly in my ear, nipping the lobe, "moaning my name as I had my way with you."

I fisted his hair and brought his lips close to mine. "Then what the fuck are you waiting for?" I asked, before crashing my lips against his.

I felt his hands at my waist, unbuckling my belt. He pulled back from the kiss and nipped at my collarbone and down to my right nipple. He gave it a little lick before biting down, hard.

My head felt back, hitting the door with a dull thump. "Fuuuuck … yeah, just like that …"

"You like it rough, don't you?" Edward yanked my head back, licking and then sucking my Adam's apple.

"Yesssss, yes I do ..."

He pulled down my pants and boxers roughly at the same time. "Fuck, you do like it rough." My weeping cock bounced up, hitting my lower stomach with a wet sound. "I like taking what I want and make no apologies for it, Riley. Do you want me to take you?"

I grabbed his hair at the back of his head and drew his face closer to mine, our lips barely an inch apart.

"Just. Take. Me," I begged him, before crashing my lips with his.

The kiss was desperate and sloppy, teeth bumping and lips biting. His tongue delved into my mouth, our tongues twisting and tasting.

I was panting, wanting to rip his clothes off and beg him to just fuck me, but he was the one in control. He was playing me like he played his guitar, his long dexterous fingers lit a fire in my veins with his rough touch and his lips sang erotic words against my skin, going down, and down, and down …

Suddenly, his lips were gone and I opened my eyes in time to see he was down on his knees, and then my cook was down his throat.

"Fucking Christ!" I yelled, grabbing the door frame.

He licked up and down my cock, nipping at the purple head. His hand traveled up the back of my thigh and then I could feel his index finger pushing against my hole, but not penetrating.

"Damn … Yeah ... right theerrreee!" I practically purred.

He kept teasing my hole as his tongue lapped up the pre-cum leaking out of the head. Next he tongued the slit and I was on the verge of completely losing it.

"Please, please, please …" I begged shamelessly.

I was so focused on what his mouth was doing I barely noticed when he sucked his finger, getting it wet, but got my attention when I felt it pushing inside me, making me moan loudly, not giving a fuck if anyone heard me or not. His mouth trailed open-mouthed kisses down to my balls, sucking on one and then the other one. He fucking knew what he was doing, it was like second nature for him, and he was by far the best cock sucker in my book.

He sucked me back into his mouth, the head hitting the back of his throat at the same time his finger tapped my prostate.

"EDWARD!"

My hands fisted his hair, guiding him to pick up his pace. He did so easily, deep-throating me like a fucking pro. My legs were shaking, I was on the edge, his mouth felt so fucking good and his finger was fucking me fast and hard, tapping the gland with every stroke. It didn't take long until I felt like I was gonna shoot my load.

"I'm gonna ... c-c-cuuummm!" I tried to push his head away, but he sucked my cock harder, pushing me over the edge.

I released into his mouth, ejaculating so hard and fast he didn't catch all of it. He moaned as he swallowed what he could, my cum dribbling down from the corners of his lips.

I was panting, a complete mess. I wasn't even sure my leg worked anymore.

Edward trailed kisses up my abs and chest; he then nibbled my collarbones and neck. I gasped when his hands cupped my ass, and I could feel him grinning against my neck. I moved my hands and ran my thumb along his jaw line before sliding one arm around his neck and threading my other through his hair, drawing myself even closer.

"I'm so glad I met you this afternoon," Edward growled softly before crushing his lips against mine again. I moaned in agreement.

We stepped backwards, going until we hit the bed and stumbled on to shifted himself more comfortably onto the bed before pulling me closer so I was straddling his hips.

"You and me both," I gasped. I admired his toned body and then slowly undid the buttons of his jeans, only to discover he was going commando. His hard cock sprung out, hitting his lower abdomen, pre-cum leaking from the tip. Before I could lean in to lick it off, Edward rolled us over, pinning me beneath him.

"Next time ... right now, all I can think about is being inside you."

I moaned and he kissed my jaw line as I grabbed a fistful of his hair and brought those luscious lips back to mine. I couldn't get enough of his lips! My tongue was quick to search for his, and when they met, I could taste myself on him. He grinned as I let out a soft moan.

"No idea ... how long ... I've waited," I panted and Edward growled.

"You thought of me, huh," Edward mumbled against my lips.

"Several times," I muttered, fingers threading through his hair, "and mostly in the shower."

"Fuck, did you touch yourself thinking of me?" Edward murmured.

I let out a breathy laugh. "Every fucking time …"

Edward crashed his lips back to mine, his tongue slipping past my parted lips. I could feel his thumbs drawing circles on my nipples and groaned as his hips pushed against mine. He pulled away, panting and made quick work of undressing us both. Finally, we were both completely naked in bed.

My breath was ragged and his lips were pink and swollen.

"Beautiful," Edward murmured quietly, looking down on me.

"Right back at ya," I grinned and he chuckled, leaning his forehead against mine.

Edward stared into my blues eyes, which stared back into his green ones. My fingers left his hair and trailed down his chest, settling on his heart thumping loudly in his chest.

"Yours," Edward said softly, his lips gently touching mine, and I believed him.

The connection I felt this afternoon wasn't one-sided, I knew that now. I knew it was too early for confessions or declarations, but that simple word was enough for me.

I reached down and dragged his hand from my hip to my chest right above where my heart was.

"Yours," I said, confirming what he already knew.

He grinned and kissed me again, this time it was slow and reverent, but soon our passion ignited.

We rolled on the bed, pressing together, legs entwined, thrusting against each other in an effort to gain friction, hands roaming and teasing, and enjoying the feel of being skin on skin. I was breathing hard through my nose as the kiss continued, almost desperately, bruising lips and drawing more groans and whimpers from both of us.

"Fuck me," I panted. "Please ..." My voice came out whiny and needy.

"Tell me," Edward murmured hotly against my lips, "tell me you want me."

"I want you," was all I said and scratched my nails down his back, making him hiss.

He pulled away and sat up, his hands caressed every inch of my chest, playing with the piercing on my left nipple, making me hiss and arch my back in pleasure. He kissed down my chest, and then his lips enveloped my nipple, tugging at the ring with his teeth.

"Don't tease, please!"

He chuckled and released my nipple with a pop. Leaning over the side of the bed, he grabbed lube and a condom from the top drawer. He coated his fingers with the translucent liquid, and I immediately spread my legs. He moved his hand down, circling my hole with the tip of one finger. He teased me, inserting the tip and then retracting it while his other hand played with my balls. My hands were clawing at the sheet, my head trashing against the pillow.

When he finally inserted a finger inside me, I let out a loud moan and my hands grabbed the headboard, raising my hips, trying to get him deeper.

"So fucking eager …" Edward cursed under his breath and then pushed the whole digit inside me.

"Edward!" I screamed when I felt his finger bump against my prostate.

"Jesus, you're so sensitive, I fucking love it."

He kept playing with my balls and cock, his finger sliding in easily, pumping and twisting for a minute, and then adding a second finger. I welcomed the slight burn as he stretched me, bucking against his hand and moaning so loud, I had no doubt the people milling outside at the party could hear us.

I looked down at his cock, the head almost purple and very swollen, twitching and leaking as he continued preparing me.

"I'm ready," I panted, wanting him inside me so badly.

He withdrew his fingers quickly and ripped open the condom foil, his hands were firm and confident as he rolled it down his length. I pumped myself impatiently with one hand and played with my nipple ring with the other. I watched him as he coated himself in lube and dribbled more into my hole.

He slapped my hands away and I grabbed onto the headboard again. Then he was finally kneeling between my thighs, pulling my legs up and resting my ankles on his shoulders, before guiding himself into me. He pushed easily past my ring of muscle, and I groaned as I felt the burn of the muscles stretching around his impressive length. I relaxed myself further as he held still for a moment, and then began to slide deeper.

"Oh, fuck ..." I moaned.

Edward's thick cock was half-buried inside of me, his jaw tense and his eyes squeezed closed in concentration as he struggled not to give in and just ram himself into me. Slowly he pushed in further, grazing my prostate and making me buck and thrust against him, but his hands on my hips didn't let me move much. He pulled out slowly and then finally pushed in one firm stroke all the way, impaling me with his full length.

"Christ ... so tight! FUCK!" Edward yelled. "I wish … god dammit … I'm not gonna last!" he growled as he pulled back and then thrust back in.

"Just fuck me already, Edward!" I whimpered, jerking myself off firmly, but he was quick to slap my hand away again.

"The only one making you cum will be me," he said fiercely as he began to thrust into me, bracing his hands on the headboard next to mine and almost bending me in half. He slowly pulled out and then gave a firm thrust, hitting my gland just right.

"Fuck yeah! Right THERE!"

He smirked and then he gradually picked up speed, snapping his hips forward, over and over again, his balls bumping my ass, and thighs slapping against mine. He didn't let up with the fast pace, his thrust gaining strength with each stroke.

I released one hand from the grip I had on the headboard and grabbed his hair, bringing those red lips to mine. We were panting, our mouths open and lips touching, exchanging breaths. I murmured hotly how good he felt, encouraging him to keep the pace, to keep fucking me.

He growled and one of his hands came down to grab my ass, spreading a cheek open, trying to get deeper. My legs were practically over my head and his hard cock dragged over my sweet spot with every thrust.

"Touch yourself, Ri."

I released his hair and grabbed my leaking cock. I pump myself hard and fast and I could feel I was closely reaching my climax.

"Fuck, almost there ..."

Edward crashed his lips against me and with the tight grip of my hand, I shot my load onto my chest and neck, my ass clenching around Edward. He moaned and shuddered, bucking erratically against me, and then finally cursing and groaning as he emptied himself into the condom. He then collapsed against me and I lowered my legs slowly, resting them at either side of him.

We were both spent, trying to catch our breaths. Eventually, he slipped out of me and removed the condom, tossing it into a trashcan by the bed.

"Stay here," he told me, kissing me once, twice, three times on the lips and then standing up.

I closed my eyes, too spent to really pay attention, and I must've fallen asleep for I startled when I felt a cold cloth on my chest.

"It's okay, it's just me," Edward murmured. "Turn around."

I hummed and rolled over, letting him clean me up.

A couple of minutes later, he wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me closer, my back against his chest.

"Victoria," I mumbled sleepily.

"She's fine," Edward assured me. "Just stay with me."

"Always."

I closed my eyes, and the last thing I heard was a quiet "I hope so" before sleep claimed me.

…Eighteen months later…

"Welcome back to Rock the Waves. We are back on air with Breaking Midnight's lead singer and now officially married man, Edward Masen!"

Pre-recorded applause filled the radio cabin, and I bit my lip when Edward winked at me.

"Tell us Edward, how's married life?"

"The best, love every second of it," he answered, licking his lips and earning a hearty laugh from me.

"I see your husband is here with us, and you both look very happy."

"We are, even though we've only been married for three months, it's been great."

"What is it you like the most about being married?"

He chuckled. "A lot of things, but I guess the fact I get to share my life with the person that has become not only my best friend and partner, but also the love of my life … it's an amazing feeling."

Every woman and some guys melted at that.

"And you Riley, what is it you like the most about being married?"

An assistant passed me a microphone and I blushed, but then smirked when I saw Edward shaking his head. He already knew the answer to that question, because I had told him many times before.

"Well," I said, pretending to think about it. "Besides what has already been mentioned, I gotta say that calling Edward Masen my husband is pretty freaking awesome."

The entire cabin erupted in laughter and Edward chuckled, palming his face, no doubt trying to hide the blush he always got when I said that.

I winked and blew him a kiss.

It was unbelievable how one day could change your life, how one decision brought me what I never thought I could have. It all started that one morning, when I waited in the cold for a ticket to a show, with the intent of winning a backstage pass to see the object of my fantasies no matter what.

It had been a crazy ride for Edward and me, with a lot of downs, but luckily with more ups. It hadn't been easy. Edward got a lot of backlash after he came out and said he was marrying a man, but we counted on the love and support from the ones that really mattered, not to mention Edward's fans were loyal to the end.

We lived closer to the edge, with no regrets.

All because that one night brought me more than just a mere backstage pass. Instead, I got something so much better.

I got an all access pass to share my life with Edward Masen.

The man I loved more than life itself.

~ The End ~

All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Closer to the Edge is the property of 30 Seconds to Mars, and I'm the property of Jared Leto.

Thank you for reading, xo Mina