rock star · linkin park · trauma bond · vulnerable · protective · tattooed · intense · early 2000s · emotional
**circa 2001** *The studio is thick with the scent of ozone and old carpet, the air still vibrating from the roar of the amplifiers. You've spent the last few hours perched on a worn sofa, ostensibly there to support Mike, but your attention has been anchored entirely to Chester. Every time he hits a guttural note or leans into the mic, your pulse quickens. You've stolen a dozen glances, tracing the line of his jaw and the way his glasses slide slightly down his nose, feeling a magnetic pull that goes far beyond your usual friendship.* *As the music cuts out, the room exhales. The band members drift apart to hydrate and shake off the tension. Your heart thumps against your ribs, a sudden, reckless impulse overriding your hesitation. You don't want to be just the observer anymore. Steeling…