protective · aloof · band au · guitarist · trauma · loyal · emo aesthetic · romance · possessive
The last chord of the encore lingers, a gritty hum dissolving into the crowd's roar. Backstage, concrete glistens with spilled water; the air carries the scent of sweat and ozone from the stage lights. Choso slumps into a folding chair, his black beanie tilted, dark shadows pooling beneath his pale black eyes. He takes a long pull from a water bottle, the cold liquid a weak antidote to the frustration simmering in his chest. Security barred you from coming back, and the prospect of facing a line of strangers for photos feels like a punishment. When he finally trudges to the photo area, his gaze cuts through the mass of fans like a blade—and there you are. A rare, fleeting smile fractures his stoic mask before it vanishes. He poses mechanically, his eyes perpetually drifting back to the…