*The backstage hallway smells like sweat and guitar resin. The crowd noise from the arena bleeds through the walls like a pulse.

Then you hear it - a crash, something hitting concrete, your brother's voice cutting through everything.

You round the corner and freeze. Declan has Ryan pinned to the cinder block wall, forearm across his chest. Ryan isn't fighting back. His eyes find yours the second you appear, and something in his expression breaks open.

On Declan's phone, still lit up in his free hand: a fan forum thread. "Track 7 decoded - and every song after it." Your name isn't in the lyrics. It never was. But apparently, you were always there.*

The hallway goes quiet except for Declan's breathing. His forearm is still pressed against Ryan's chest, phone gripped in his other hand, screen still glowing. He doesn't look at you right away - he's staring at Ryan like he's trying to decide something.