seven wonders | ez

Oliver settled back into the booth, his gaze hazy and unfocused on the stranger on stage that was illuminated in the dark pub. He hadn't a clue what song she was singing but he moved with it all the same, throwing in a series of claps or a shouted praise each and every time she went for a more adventurous note. It was was one of the many things he loved about karaoke— the unbridled confidence it gave people who would otherwise be averse to it.

Most of the night after the interview had been a blur. Hell, even during the interview. He had agreed to meet with Ezra without the guidance of anyone from the label, which, in hindsight, he figured might get him into some trouble— trouble, it seemed, that was particularly distant as time went on. With the news of The Prophet coming out unavoidable, Ollie figured his best option was to get as far away from reality as possible.

He'd been working tirelessly to get his hands on any potion or drink that might expedite the process. "She's brilliant, aye?" Ollie nudged Ezra's shoulder from where he sat beside him, his voice cutting through the final notes of the music, glancing over a moment after his question had lingered between them. He gestured to the bartender who was making the rounds for another. His gin something was getting too close to the bottom of the glass than he cared for.

The seedy-looking man with a shiny bald head and a dangerously charming smile, the host for the evening, scrambled to the stage and Oliver used the moment of quiet to think out loud. "I think I said too much—" He turned to Ezra a bit more seriously. "— the interview," He had half a mind to ask him to scrap it.

Ezra had been so excited for this interview that he was counting down the days until he got to bask in Oliver’s energy again. This time, though, things were a little different. Ezra was surprisingly professional at work. He knew what to do and what to say, and he took care of himself. He was sober, for once, but that made one of them. Oliver was high as a kite, and Ezra could tell. He felt a little pity for the man, even, but he still felt strongly attached to him. Even though the interview was a mess and Ezra didn’t think he could really air it, he still invited Oliver to hang out. He wondered if the other would sober up a bit after awhile, or if he would just get high enough to join him.

The karaoke bar was a muggle one, and the music was only vaguely familiar to Ezra, but he’d been here several times before. The girl singing was great and he smiled at Ollie when the other complimented her. “She’s pretty good, yeah. You gonna go up and congratulate her or should I?” He teased. “You’ve probably got a better chance to score. It’s the cheekbones.” He teased, slightly flirty. He was a few drinks in by now, and enjoying the other’s company.

When Oliver spoke again, Ezra almost blushed a bit. “I mean, maybe a bit.” He laghed. “Don’t know how much is really usable, but that means you’ll just have to come back another day and talk to me again?” He offered. “Any excuse to be around you, right?” He flushed at the truth of that statement, despite it being framed as a joke.

Oliver glanced back to the woman on the stage after lingering on Ezra for a moment— it dawned on him only after it came out of his mouth how his comment may have come across, score something. In turn, he scoffed good-naturedly. Though the line so often blurred he liked to believe, even naively, that he could differentiate appreciating a person's craft with the attraction that inevitably came with it.

"What do you mean, you've got lovely cheekbones," He slapped a hand to the other man's aforementioned cheek and settled back against the booth once more. "I just like her voice is all," His own had become a fraction less self-assured with the declaration, as if it had been something to be embarrassed about.

"Sorry, about that," As the conversation turned to the interview he remembered the repercussions that could come with being off his face and spouting off about merlin knew what for an hour on air. "At least it wasn't live," Ollie grinned despite something darker lurking in the pits of his green eyes. He took a mouthful of his drink, hoping for something a bit stronger to dull the reality of it all.

"A do-over then," He agreed, wrestling his hand into the front pocket of his satin-like flared pants for a vial of potion. "You going to get up there or what?" Ollie asked as he flashed the vial between them, casting his eyes over the stage briefly. Nothing like a bit of liquid courage. Literally.

Ezra blushed a bit as Ollie smacked his cheek and complimented his cheekbones, his own attraction to the girl on the stage waning in response to Oliver’s attention. “She’s really good, yeah. Maybe I’ll go compliment her after-all? You wanna join me?” He asked, peeking up at her again, then back at Oliver. He was thinking of going up there, too, but not knowing what he should try to sing. He was a musician, too, like Oliver. He wasn’t lead singer material, but he certainly sang backups for Janae, was a full-ham and a performer if there was one. He was quick to take the limelight.

“You don’t really have to apologize, Ollie.” He promised. “Just make it up to me, and we’ll be square. Besides, I had a great time either way. I like being around you.” He admitted, with another light blush. He looked at the flash of potion that Ollie showed him, and flushed a little harder. He didn’t know what it was right away, but it didn’t look too dangerous, right? For all Ezra knew, it was a pepper-up potion, which it very well could have been.

He nodded. “Split it? Some in my drink, some in yours?” He offered. When it was done, he pounded his drink like a shot, grimacing slightly, and reaching for the other’s hand. “Come with me.” He urged. “If you won’t sing for me, at least let me serenade you.” He teased, in good spirits even if the potion hadn’t fully hit him yet. He was still thinking of a song to sing, but he thought he might have a good one.

The shimmering potion glistened mesmerizingly between his fingers under the bright blue light from the stage and for a moment he studied it as if he were seeing it for the first time. In truth, he was entirely too familiar with it. Ollie quickly dropped the vial into his opposite palm and leaned into Ezra in the chance there were any prying eyes. As of late, he had to actively remind himself that there were people that had a vested interest in what he did recreationally.

The label had a few words with him to that effect, anyway.

"It's just a bit of Extasis..." Ollie said more quietly than before, though still had to speak louder than his usual tone over the sound of the music. It was harmless, he figured, a natural potion that helped heighten the sensation of serotonin in the bloodstream. Carefully he added a few drops, then a few more for good measure, in each of their drinks before grinning up at Ezra, the precipice of the night already more tangible than before.

He was surprised that Ez finished his in one go but didn't follow suit. He had no catching up to do after the day that he'd already had. "Serenade me?" The prospect was enticing enough that he shifted from the booth without question. "Usually I'm doing the serenading..." He confessed from behind Ezra as they weaved through the crowd as if that were a secret. "Does he take requests?" He wondered loudly as the wizard climbed to the stage, hoping to catch those around them in turn.

Ezra wasn’t sure if the question of whether or not ‘he’ took requests was at him or the DJ, but he was eager to please Oliver. The other seemed to light up a bit at the idea of being sang to, and there wasn’t any pressure, right? Oliver was only the coolest guy in the whole world and Ezra only had the one chance to impress him. “Let me surprise you, alright, Ollie?” He asked. “I think I have just the right one for you.” He joked, eyes sparkling honey. He knew he was going to do something dumb, but it was a crows favorite he had done before, just never to someone.

He really hoped Oliver knew the song, and if he didn’t, he hoped he would enjoy the lyrics. He heard the beginning of the familiar Def Leppard song start to fill the club, and he took a deep breath before he started to sing the familiar melody and chorus.

He didn’t jus glance at Ollie throughout the performance, he made sure to make a spectacle out of the performance, fully serenading him. He wouldn’t say he was entirely serious—this whole thing was meant to be a comedic performance, though he wouldn’t mind if Ollie poured sugar on him, if he was being honest with himself.

It was a little to early for the news to have reached him that Ollie was in a committed relationship, but he didn’t think about that either. He didn’t have any delusions that anything would come from this but friendship, but GOD if he didn’t want to impress the older man. He was a showman, too. He was a performer, and this was what he loved.  He got a lot of laughter and applause when he was done, and he climbed down towards Ollie.

“How’s that?” He asked, playful. “You can put in a request for my next one, if you want.”


((on one hand, ezra is morified i allowed him to do this, on the other he hopes @Oliver Rigby thinks it's funny
also it was between this and "cherry pie" by warrant, so i think ezra took the safer option))

Ezra had climbed onto the stage in the blink of an eye and Oliver found himself grinning and nodding reassuringly, visibly thrilled with where the night had taken them. A karaoke bar, of all places. It was a nice reminder amidst it all— the champagne, and the potions, the precipice of chaos. He could feel it in the thick air of the perfectly forgettable pub. "Go on, then," He sank back into a vacant booth facing the stage, pushing the recently finished glasses on the table out of his way.

As the sound pumped through the speakers, Oliver tried first to recall it. It was familiar, like something his father would listen to while working on brooms in the garage turned workshop. It was one of the kinds of songs that his mother would pretend to dislike, but find herself humming along to.

Ezra did it just as well. His showmanship shouldn't have been so much of a surprise, but Oliver was just that, surprised.

He was the loudest (or, so he thought) of the audience when the song ended, was still clapping as the man approached. In the background he could see the next performer adjusting the microphone. "Amazing," Oliver beamed in response. "Groundbreaking," He held out a hand as if he were reading an invisible headline in The Prophet. After a moment, he clapped Ezra on the back with a grin. "Oh, but the surprise is the best part," He immediately shook his head. What fun was their in a request when you knew what was coming.

Ezra was nothing if not a performer. He lived and breathed for applause, adoration, and love. He was an entertainer through and through, and felt pleasure when he saw Oliver clapping heartily after the song ended. He, himself, felt a little winded, but the adrenaline was enough to make up for it. He bowed to the audience playfully, then walked down the short stairs to Oliver’s booth and grinned at him widely, a slight blush on his cheeks. He felt the other’s hand pat his back and melted a little into the contact, very pleased with the praise from the man that he was growing increasingly certain that he might have fallen for a little bit. 
 
“You liked it, then, I take it. Gonna take me up on the offer?” He teased, knowing that in Olvier’s presently high-as-blazes state, he probably wouldn’t even catch the innuendo. He laughed lightly to brush away his double entendre, and then took a deep breath. “Probably too much to ask for me to get you to sing me a love song.” He laughed again, “Though you’re welcome to woo me whenever you like. I’m very susceptible.” He flirted lightly. 
 
“I’ll put in another one for myself, unless you want to duet?” He teased. “I dunno which songs you know and which you don’t—this is a muggle bar, so nothing you’d know, unless you’re into the old muggle stuff?” He admitted. “I think I know what I’d like to do next, though?” He was thinking of doing another flirty song, but instead thought he might do Don’t Stop Me Now by Queen. Ezra rocked Freddie Mercury—had a similar kind of energy and showmanship to the late, great, singer.