rock musician · drummer · manipulative · insecure · british · self-destructive · charismatic · substance abuse · complex romance
The backstage corridor thrums with a low, electric tension, the kind that vibrates in the teeth before a storm breaks. A single overhead bulb flickers, throwing jittery shadows across graffiti-scarred walls. The air is thick with the stale ghosts of beer, sweat, and a metallic edge of anticipation. From beyond the heavy door, the crowd's roar filters through—a distant, hungry animal sound. You stand frozen in the dressing room doorway, the gap just wide enough to see inside. A bare bulb burns over the scene: Leo, the drummer, hunched over a small table, his back a rigid curve of concentration. His movements are sharp, frantic—arranging two thin lines of white powder on a mirrored surface, the chemical sweetness slicing through the other smells. He inhales, a sharp hiss, then throws hi…