Scanny: Encouragement.

Staring into the darkness, he awaited the beep. When it sounded, he parted his lips, allowing the passion to well up inside him as he took one single breath and began to sing. A low, melodic rhythm. Something about love being forbidden. Along those general lines.

When the light was swallowed once again, he closed his eyes shamefully, knowing he’d done something wrong. He finished the line out of spite, even without the music from the headset he wore.

“A little louder Danny, we can’t quite hear you.”

“Could we take a break?”

“Of course.”

Slipping the earphones off, he settled down on the loveseat behind himself, unscrewing the water bottle, taking a slow swig. He closed his eyes again, shaking his head in desperation. He couldn’t even muster the feeling for one last song, not without something to sing about.

His phone rang. He slapped a hand over his thigh, trying to muffle the sound of the tone, as he wasn’t supposed to have it on during recording. When the song ended, he slipped it out and glanced over the text message alert, to see that Adam had sent him a video. He rolled his eyes. Before he could delete it, the video began to play and he fiddled with the volume to mute it before realizing what it was.

The watched in silence as Scott laughed heartily, trying not to choke on his soda. He placed the can back on the table, leaning over his knees, forcing down air. Anoop came in from the side, leaning on him as he too tried to catch his breath. Once they’d finished their gigglefest, Adam said from behind the camera;

“Hey Scottie! I heard Danny’s last song is ending up as a complete flop. He keeps screwing it up. Any words of encouragement for him?”

Scott looked up in the general direction and wiped at his mouth with his fist.

“Oh. Uh, yeah, sure. His last song is like, that Leanne Rhymes one, right?”

“I guess. I dunno.”

Scott grinned and licked his lips.

“’Kay. Uhm. ‘Cause no one's ever made me feel, the way I feel when I'm in your arms, they say you're something I should do without. They don't know what goes on, when the lights go out. There's no way to explain, all the pleasure is worth all the pain.” His giggle was a bit squeaky when he finished, sending Anoop off the edge again, falling against the wall.

Adam turned the phone to himself and grinned. “There’s your encouragement, Danny! Have fun!”

Danny closed his phone, a grin firmly in place as he stood, stepping up to the microphone again.

“Hey, can I try again, now?”