Less talking | Maneskin |

Breaking point

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ATTETNION! Please read the author's note at the end of this chapter. It contains some important information! Enjoy!

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*ETHAN'S POV*

I felt anxiety when our car pulled in the "Maneskin" house driveway. The time was running out fast and we had to be quick if we didn't want to be late to show up at the venue. I jumped out right after Isla and we rushed to the door. 
— Where's Damiano? - I asked Thomas, who was coming inside from the backyard.
— About that... - he looked like a dog that did something bad.
— Thomas! You fucking had one job! - I squeezed my temples to calm myself down. Isla was already halfway up the stairs but I didn't want to let her deal with this mess. I ran up to her and told I would take care of it. 
— I'm sorry, I fell asleep and it happenned in an instant! - Thomas ran after me.
— I know you didn't do this on purpose, I'm sorry for the way I reacted, but we've been over this. You can't be sloppy or else we end up like this, - I opened the door to see Damiano struggling to button his shirt. He was barely standing on his feet, his hair was a mess and at this point he nearly didn't need any makeup because of the dark circles around his eyes.
— I'll be down in a min, - he waved at us.
— Get in the shower, - I sighed.
— Oh no, I don't want to, - he shook his head chuckling.
— You can't go like this, come on, we have no time, - I started undressing him while Thomas hield him. I sprayed him with cold water quickly and it helped a little, like always. Thomas watched him while I found some appropriate clothing and huge sunglasses to cover the damage of past weeks. I knew there would be people waiting for us outside the venue and my blood boiled knowing we will have to keep an eye on him constantly. 
— Okay, now listen, - I turned his face so he would look directly at me, - You have to pull yourself together, alright? There are lots of people coming, expecting to see you put on the best show. We can't afford to disappoint them, do you understand?
— I know, sorry, - he nodded.

Driver had truly put pedal to the metal as we flew past other cars. It was clear to all of us we would be late and that meant less time for rehearsals. Usually I would never sweat over this, I trust my bandmates and I know we can do miracles even on the spot. But that is when we are in the right state of mind. Damiano has lost it completely since Sky left. There were times when he wasn't drunk and we had a few deep conversations on that. I know he regrets his words and actions, I see how it destroys him from the inside, but despite our efforts to reach her, Sky didn't want to be found. It frustrated me, because if she knew what I know, things may be completely different now. Even if I managed to somehow contact her, I don't think it's my place to talk to her about this stuff.  

We were in luck, as the driver managed to bypass the crowd and let us out by the other back door. It broke my heart to do this to people who probably spent hours of their time expecting to meet us, but the sacrifice was worth it, when I thought about him potentially upsetting the fans with his unpredictable behavior. We ran inside, straight to the rehearsing space, to still have as much time as it was possible. 

He got better after a couple of hours of rehearsing. He was still a pain in the ass to handle, but at least his mind wasn't as clouded as before. It was hard not to get angry or annoyed by him, but everytime I did, I remembered the reason he acts this way. It breaks my heart how wrecked he is and how much his heart actually aches for what happened. The concert went well for the most part. He pulled himself together really well and managed to engage with the audience in a way that even I was convinced he wasn't a drunk mess a few hours ago. Then it was time for "Torna a casa"... It hurt all of us to play that song, but he was affected the most, of course. I think we all dedicated the song for her, even though she probably won't ever see it. I thought it was rough, but when he started singing "Le parole lontane", the song destroyed him. I could hear the hurt in his voice, then he came closer to me and I saw his uncontrolable tears.