Wicked Dream

Paying for VIP and winning the Meet and Greet was worth it. The pit inside the stage, well, that proved a problem for my short stature. I'd had to push right to the front of the little crowd, and could only just see over the top of the stage's structure. I was going to basically have to watch the entire show standing on my tippy-toes.

The lights darkened after a painfully long wait and the intro to The Stage filled the air. All my frustration melted away as Brian's guitar rang out through the air, Brooks coming in on his drums a few moments later. I couldn't even contain the grin on my face as the song progressed and the others joined in.

"So I arrived, naked and cold, a welcomed change from the abeyance of a ghost town catacomb. No need for counsel, I appreciate the time, I’m not alone." Tara and I sang along, leaning into each other with the dumbest grins on our faces.

All the effort styling my hair was quickly wasted as I headbanged along to the song. Photo ops were over, I'd already met the band, I didn't need to look pretty anymore. A smirk etched its way across my face and I bit down on my bottom lip as Brian played his solo. God, he looked beautiful in the spotlight. My chest grew tight and I drew in a deep breath, trying to refill my lungs from the air that had escaped me so suddenly. Tara noticed, and elbowed me, gaining my attention as she laughed. I elbowed her back.

"Fuck you." I mouthed, my voice inaudiable over the music.

After the eight and a half minute titular track of their newest album ended, the band launched into the intro of Afterlife. My heart swelled. The last time I'd heard this live, I was recovering from absolutely breaking down in tears, crying like a dying walrus after the band had played So Far Away.

"Like walking into a dream, so unlike what you've seen, so unsure but it seems, 'cause we've been waiting for you. Fallen into this place, just giving you a small taste, of your afterlife here so stay, you'll be back here soon anyway." I giggled as Tara and I sang along, waving our hands around like a pair of gangsta-ass rappers. This song always brought out my inner thug.

Brian passed by the stage's pit, twirling on his heel and leaning forward, catching my eye. His lips pulled back into that smile I so adored, and he sent me a wink. My jaw dropped open as he turned and walked away, and Tara tugged on my arm, just as shocked as I was. I'd always heard stories of Brian playfully flirting with crowd members, but I never thought it'd actually happen to me.

I watched from afar as he and Zacky played the first half of the songs solo, before Brian launched off into his absolute fucking musical sorcery that had always completely blown my mind. If ever there was a musical equivalent to having the greatest orgasm of your life, it was listening to that guitar solo.

Tara nudged my arm, shoving her phone under my nose.

"Cummiez 4 dayz 4 baby Shay-Shay" she'd written, with the squirting emoji beside it.
I thumped her arm in response. "Stop."

She giggled and slipped her phone back into her pocket. Like she could talk, the bitch creamed herself every time she saw a new photo of Shadows. And jeez, okay, yes, I liked to jokingly call Brian "Daddy" from time to time, but I was no fucking "Little".
I was too much of a punk-ass rock chick for that shit. Also, Tara was younger than me, if anyone was the "Babygirl" here, it was that fuckhole.

***

The show had been amazing, but was sadly drawing to a close. They'd played Hail To The King, Almost Easy, Buried Alive, Bat Country, Nightmare and God Damn. I had really hoped to hear them play Eternal Rest, but the song was so old that it wasn't a surprise that they hadn't. It was slightly made-up for when I heard the intro to another great song from the same album;

"I'll try! She said as he walked away, "Try not to lose you", two vibrant hearts could change..."

What I wouldn't have given to have been a part of the music video for Unholy Confessions when it was filmed. Brian had been around my age back then, damn whatever cosmic force there was for me not having been born American, and Eleven years earlier. If only I had grown up in Huntington. God. fucking. damn it.

"I wish I could be the one, the one who won't care at all. But being the one on the stand, I know the way to go, no one's guiding me. When time soaked with blood turns its back, I know it's hard to fall. Confided in me was your heart, I know it's hurting you, but it's killing me..."

My breath caught in my throat as Brian held his guitar up, letting the neck slip through his fingers as he played that one part before the final chorus. That shit had always turned me right the fuck on. Just the way he held himself and the cocky smirk on his face as he did it, it destroyed me. Tara sent me a knowing smile, shaking her head as she watched me lick my lips, lusting for him.

"I regret nothing." I mouthed at her.

The song drew to a close, and Brian lifted his guitar off his shoulders, swinging it around as the crowd cheered. Shadows walked to the center of the catwalk, throwing his arms up in the air, waving them in encouragement for the crowd to cheer louder and louder.

"THANK YOU, ADELAIDE, AND GOODNIGHT!" he shouted, and the band ran offstage.

The room went pitch black, the stage now dimly lit. But nobody was going anywhere, we all knew how this went. We'd all either been to enough shows, or watched their Live In The LBC DVD enough times to know it wasn't really over.

"SEVENFOLD! SEVENFOLD! SEVENFOLD!" the crowd began to chant, more people joining in as the minutes passed.
"SEVENFOLD! SEVENFOLD! SEVENFOLD!"

The projector screens above the stage suddenly lit up, showing the boys lounging in the green room backstage. Johnny was laying on the floor, curled up on his side, with his thumb in his mouth as he pretended to sleep. Brian was sprawled out on the couch, a beer in his hand, acting far more drunk than he likely even was, a backwards cap on his head. Zacky and Matt were fake-arguing.

"Be quiet! You'll wake the baby!" Zacky hissed.
"What baby?!" Shadows replied.
"Baby Johnny!"
"Johnny's not a baby!"
"Yes he is, look at him, he's sucking his thumb, that implies he's a baby."
"He's a grown ass man, with a Wife, and a child."
"No, he's little baby Johnny Seward, and you're big loud-mouth Matt."
Johnny let out a fake cry.
"See!" Zacky gasped. "You woke him up!"
"HE'S NOT A REAL BABY!" Shadows cried.
"Guys!" came Brooks's voice as he suddenly appeared onscreen. "The fans want another song."
"What?" Brian pretended to slur.
"They're all chanting out there, they want us to come back."
"Can't I just go sleeps?" Johnny whined in a fake baby voice. "Johnny wants nap naps!"
"Johnny's gotta play one more song, c'mon buddy." Zacky cooed, helping Johnny to his feet. "Up you get, there ya go, that's a good boy."
"I thought you said he was a baby?" Matt said. "Babies don't play Bass."
"Shh! Details!" Zacky laughed.
"Man, I was just getting my buzz on..." Brian grumbled, getting to his feet.
"C'mon, the fans are waiting!" urged Brooks.

The screen went dark again and the venue filled with the mixed sound of laughter and cheering as the intro to "A Little Piece of Heaven" began to play. The band slowly walked back onstage, and confetti shot out of cannons as they launched into the song. Shadows stepped up to the microphone, and began to sing;

"Before the story begins, is it such a sin, for me to take what's mine, until the end of time. We were more than friends, before the story ends. And I will take what's mine, create what God would never design.

Our love had been so strong for far too long, I was weak with fear that something would go wrong. Before the possibilities came true, I took all possibility from you
Almost laughed myself to tears, conjuring her deepest fears."

Jimmy's pre-recorded vocals echoed throughout the venue, touching my heart. I loved that they still played his parts every night. It was almost like he was still here, just out of sight;

"Must have stabbed her fifty fucking times, I can't believe it. Ripped her heart out right before her eyes, eyes over easy-"

"EAT IT! EAT IT! EAT IT!" Tara and I screamed in each others faces.

"She was never this good in bed even when she was sleeping, now she's just so perfect I've never been quite so fucking deep in. It goes on and on and on, I can keep you looking young and preserved forever, with a fountain spray on your youth whenever.

"'Cause I really always knew that my little crime would be cold, that's why I got a heater for your thighs-"



My own thighs tensed up as I watched Brian being a fucking tease, as usual.

How dare he... that was so unfair...

"And I know, I know it's not your time, but bye, bye. And a word to the wise when the fire dies; you think it's over but it's just begun. But baby don't cry,

You had my heart, at least for the most part. Cause everybody's gotta die sometime. We fell apart, let's make a new start. Cause everybody's gotta die sometime, yeah yeah. But baby, don't cry..."

Notes

Brian gif is from the wrong era, but idgaf, the idea is still there.