Operation Undercover Friendship

"James!"

James' eyes lazily met Shadows', a mixture of hazel on emerald. "What now Matt?"

"Don't use my real name around here asshole! We may be friends but I do have an identity to keep a secret." Shadows whispered urgently.

James sighed, "sorry man. I keep forgetting, it's not like you've always been Mr. High-and-Mighty Shadows."

Shadows took a seat, brushing at the dust on his legs. If there was one thing he hated about Warped Tour even more so than the heat, it was the fucking sand. Most places no matter where you went you'd end up just covered in the stuff. It wouldn't be half as bad if you didn't have to breathe it in as well however the question of sand was inescapable and Shadows despised Waped Tour because of it.

"This shirt used to be black you know," Shadows pointed to his shirt. "Now it's more of a nasty brownish colour, not attractive in the least."

"Don't try to change the subject."

Shadows exhaled deeply, "I think he knows."

James cocked an eyebrow in bewilderment. "Who knows what?"

Shadows lay back, arms stretched behind him, supporting his head as he lounged. "That Gaskarth kid."

An astonished James leapt from his seat, his mouth forming an O. "He can't possibly know; this project has been kept air tight! What has lead you to believe what you are saying?"

Leaning forward in his chair, Shadows stared up at his superior. James hunkered down beside him, returning their gazes to eye-level. "I was on my way to watch the end of Good Charlotte's set. My mind slowly began to wander and soon I found myself walking around aimlessly, not giving my sense of direction any thought whatsoever. After a few minutes I became so caught up with this whole dilemma that I accidently ran into someone."

James quietly snickered. "Do you want to hear the story or not?"

"Sorry, continue."

"As I was saying, I felt something collide into my chest before falling to the ground. When I looked down to see who it was and maybe appologize for not paying attention to where I was going, I realized that I had run right into the kid we'd been discussing before I left. The two of us exchanged small talk for several munutes before I decided I'd best be on my way."

James quirked an eyebrow, throwing a nonchallant look toward his friend. "And how was that in anyway a sign of threat to you?"

Shadows grunted, "If you'd have let me finish maybe you'd know by now! Once we had exchanged goodbyes, he turned, his back was facing me and shouted 'catch you later, Sanders'!"

Shadows shook his head in disbelief, "He knows, I am telling you."

James placed a hand in front of his mouth, "no one knows, he simply can't know!"

"How do you explain the fact that he knew my genuine last name then?"

James shrugged, "we have no reason to worry unless things get out of hand."

"Of course you have no reason to worry. It isn't your cover that has been blown, it's mine and the rest of the band as well for that matter." Shadows interjected, tossing a menacing glance in James' direction.

Sighing ever so slightly, James arose from the chair. He began to pace the room, hands buried deep inside the pockets of his black jeans. When pacing became too tiresome, James settled on looking out the window of the cramped tour bus. Nothing was out of the ordinary; the sun was shining brightly in the azure sky, the dust blanketed everything, and various stages could just be seen beyond a sea of people and tents.

Peeking over his shoulder he smiled at Shadows, "I am thinking of going solo you know."

Shadows looked up, intrigued by his friend's statement. "A solo project? It might work you know."

"I'm really only toying with the idea as of right now but I really miss making music." The older vocalist beamed at the younger.

"I say go for it man, at the end of the day it's all about what makes you happy. If you ain't got happiness, you ain't got shit." Shadows clapped James on the back.

James rolled his eyes. "Thanks for that fun fact."

"Anytime man, anytime." Shadows grinned wolfishly.