“Okay,”

Manic raised his hands in a pacifying gesture, trying to quell the shaking, bristling raccoon, who was still attempting to glare holes into him. “I realize you're upset, and I'm really, really sorry that you had to find out this way.” 

Honestly, being caught in the middle of the act was about as nasty a way for Ash and Lane to find out about his relationship with their singer,as it was mortifying for Manic, who was knuckle-deep inside Harmony, with his lips firmly wrapped over his cock at the time. Now Manic was reduced to talking Ash down in their living room, in just a pair of sweatpants. Poor Harmony was so embarrassed, and left so quickly, Manic might've thought he'd break the sound barrier on his way out.

“When two band mates start fucking, the dynamic completely shifts- they end up fucking the band!”

“Ash, come on. Don't you think you're being a little overdramatic?”

“It's too late!” Ash snapped, “You already lied about fucking Harmony, the trust is gone! Nothing left!”

“Dude-”

“No, I'm serious, Manic. If there's no trust in the band, how are we supposed to function? How can we depend on you or Harmony, when you're keeping secrets from us?”

“Okay, let me explain this. Harmony didn't want it to be a secret. I was the one who decided to wait to say anything. I was trying to find the right time and the right way to tell you and-” It just never came. It dawned on Manic that there probably wasn't ever gonna be a right time, as far as Ash was concerned. He sighed. “I mean, you're so intense and just take the whole thing so seriously? Don't mistake me, dude, that's what I like about you. But you get so critical and-”

“I'm critical because I don't want to see this band fail!” Ash snarled, his hands tensing in front of his face with frustation. “Do you remember how hard it was to even find Harmony, when we were down a singer? I'm critical, because it took us so long to get this band back in working order, and you're fucking it up because you wanted to get your dick wet!”

Manic's eyes narrowed. “Dude, fuck off.” The hedgehog generally considered himself to be a patient guy, and did his damnedest to understand Ash's perspective, but enough was enough. “This is exactly what I'm talking about. You get so worked up, and you start biting people's heads off, it makes us scared to tell you anything!”

“Fuck you with that 'we' shit. Lane's been with me from the start, and he's the only one who hasn't let me down so far! At least I know I can depend on him when it counts!”

As the dog was mentioned, Manic looked to Lane. He wasn't sure to expect any sort of support from him, considering he'd been keeping this from him as well... Except when he saw Lane's expression, Manic was given pause.

Manic supposed the way he's been paying attention to Harmony had increased his perception for body language. Lane's head had lowered, hunched into his shoulders. The golden retriever's eyes shifted uneasily, obviously discomforted by the argument, but also... guiltily? 

Manic wasn't sure how long he'd scrutinized him, picking and deciphering his posture... However long it was, it was enough for Ash to notice as well. 

“Lane?”

Lane eyed Ash uneasily, shrugging more head tilted concededly. “I... kind of... already... figured it out?”

“What?” The two standing mates blurted in unison.

“I mean, I wasn't, like... totally 100% sure about it?” Lane admitted, shoulders leveling as he leaned forwards over his knees. “At least, not until some time ago...”

Manic blinked. He hadn't really thought Lane was paying attention to him or Harmony at all to notice anything. He never thought the retriever being at all observant...“When did you figure it out?”

“Roughly two-ish months ago?” He shrugged again, hand coming to rub his nape thoughtfully. “I sensed some tension off you guys for a while? But then you started getting friendly again, and I didn't think much of it. But, then you guys seemed to have some kind of personal things going between you. It was obvious you were spending alot of time together...”

“Of course, Harmony isn't exactly subtle. I noticed he sings musical scores to himself around the times you've been together... He knows the entirety of Hairspray by heart.”

“I can't believe this!” Ash threw his hands up with exasperation. “Why didn't you say anything?”

Lane shrugged. “I figured it was their business? If they wanted to tell us, they could do it in their own time.”

“Betrayal!” 

“Okay, you gotta knock that shit out.” Manic glared. He'd hit his limit.

“Go suck a dick, Manic! Apparently that's all you're thinking about!”

“You don't even know what you're talking about!” He snapped, raising his voice for the first time since he didn't even know when. He was livid, and he was not about to let Ash get away with disrespecting his relationship. “For your information, I really like Harmony! He's fun, he's smart, and even though we've only been going out a short while, I feel like we've gotten really close! I'm not “fucking around”, I actually care about him!”

He turned, Manic was done with this conversation. Besides, he realized there was another place he'd much rather be anyhow. He grabbed a jacket to sling over his shoulders, on his way to the door.

“Drop a line, if you ever get your head out of your ass.” Manic grunted, slamming the door shut as he left.

*****

Manic certainly liked musicals. He wouldn't say he was particularly the aficionado Harmony seemed to be, but he was hard pressed to remember one that he had seen that he disliked.

Harmony had impressive collection. An entire rack's worth of titles, of many musical eras stacked on top of each other with bright, colorful titles and excited looking people singing on the covers. Their little marathon made his first visit to Harmony's apartment a pretty special one, despite the events preceding it.

Manic troltzed in, still fuming mad from the argument, Harmony answered the door in pajama bottoms and a cropped, faded band t-shirt. After a short embrace, and an assurance that “No, he didn't wanna talk about it” the bat led him by the hand to his room, where he'd set up a catered viewing of Hairspray, of all things (Manic tried to ignore the coincidence).

They'd come to be a tangle on Harmony's bed, propped up on pillows and blankets, as they watched the TV screen. Harmony had leaned into Manic, to which he responded with holding him close with one arm, and burying his fingers in his soft head of hair. They stayed like that until Harmony broke away to replace the disc with a special edition of Into the Woods, coming back to snuggle up into his chest, and resume their soft, lazy viewing. 

The cycle repeated again after a bathroom/snack break, a showing of Firebringer, another bathroom/snack break, and into Strange Magic.

They hadn't really spoken much at all, since Manic arrived. Short from being asked if he cared what movie Harmony wanted to put on next, or if he wanted something from the kitchen, they more or less leaned on their silence. It was fine, Manic welcomed the quiet, get a chance to mellow-out his sour mood. Of course, it wasn't hard like this... Having the bat's soft form cuddling up to his, his sweet voice humming along with the actors in the films... It set his soul at ease.

Strange Magic was a... weird movie, Manic thought. The characters seemed to hit a little too close to the uncanny valley, and the acting seemed incredibly hammy, but he supposed that was supposed to be the intent. Not that he didn't enjoy it, it still was an acquired taste. At the very least, as a jukebox musical, he recognized pretty much every song that came on. He broke into knowing smirk when the fluttery cover of the titular song by ELO came on.

Predictably, Harmony hummed along to the beginning verses, the lyrics being mouthed too very subtly to be distinct. Manic's focus shifted a bit, listening in on the bat's minute vocalizations as he sang along with the heroine, his smirk softening fondly. Taking a bold move, he inhaled, and followed along with his own voice.

He felt Harmony's ears perk at his singing. It'd been a while since Manic himself had seriously sung anything, his cords were likely rusty... Though Harmony didn't seem to mind as he started to put more of his voice into the song, the both of them singing opposite each other. The room became a cacophony of a 4 part harmony, set to a soft, heart-plucking melody, and for a considerable while, Manic was really beginning to believe Strange Magic in the lyrics.

As the music slowed, Harmony shifted to face him. He returned the soft smile, the bat gave him, cupping his face, as he pulled him in for a chaste kiss.

Strange Magic, indeed...

*****

“So...” Ash “I'm a dick.”

“Yes.” Manic agreed, not hesitating to reaffirm the obvious fact. 

He sighed, taking the seat of the adjacent corner of the table. “I... really wanted to tell you, Ash. I was just afraid to.”

“Dude, forget it. You wouldn't lie to me unless I gave you reason...” Ash sighed, bringing a hand to rub his eyes. Manic got the very real sense that Ash was up late in the night after their shouting match.

“I know I get too intense. It's just... I really want this band to be successful. But we lost so many people since we started out. Alot of guys abandoned ship on us, and it's really frustrating to think of all our hard work going down the drain because we couldn't pull it together.”

“I get it, Ash. I do.” Manic patted a sympathetic hand to the raccoon's shoulder. “I want us to be successful too. With the amount of effort we put into it, it's crazy not to see it all the way through! I don't have any intention of bailing. I still don't.”

 “Look, this band's not gonna work, if you can't find some faith in us, either.”

The raccoon sighed again. “Yeah... Yeah I get it.” He looked up at the two of them. “I said alotof shit last night... I'm sorry about that.”

A soft chuckle reached Manic. “'salright. I told you before, I like it that you're passionate.” He flashed him a grin. “That's the attitude that's gonna get us in the business.”

“So... About Harmony... It's really serious with him?”

“It's beginning to feel like it.” Manic admitted, running a hand through his quills. “I mean, I haven't been in many relationships before but... It feels right with him, y'know?”

Ash nodded. “No. But I guess you do, and I guess that's all that matters...” He pushed himself away from the table, his chair creaking as it slid across the linoleum. “Still, if you guys break up and he leaves, I'll punch your stinkin' heart out.” He gives the hedgehog a crooked, mock sneer, playfully thumping his fist on his chest, where they both laughed.

The raccoon stifled a yawn. “Now that that's settled, I'm going the fuck to bed. I'm tired as shit.” He turned on his heel, making his way out of the kitchen, waving Manic a farewell over his shoulder.