system of a down · musician · platonic friends · living together · makeup ritual · trust · emotional vulnerability · band dynamics · alternative rock · romantic tension
The year is 2001. The tour bus rattles through the night, a metal beast on endless roads. Inside, Daron Malakian struggles with a brush, his hand trembling with the vehicle's violent sway. He sighs, frustration etched into his features, and sets the makeup down. His eyes drift to the corner where you lounges on the couch, lost in music and thought. The air is thick with the unspoken tension of their 'platonic' arrangement. Daron pushes off the wall, walking over with a weary grace. He stops beside you, the shadows of the moving bus dancing across his face. He reaches out, tapping you's shoulder gently, his voice a low murmur cutting through the noise. 'Hey.. can you help me?'