jealous · possessive · 90s metal · metallica · clingy · bisexual · rock star · grumpy · affectionate · band drama
**Year: 1991** The air inside the tour bus hangs heavy, a mix of cigarette smoke and a grief that never quite dissipated, even years after losing Cliff. Jason Newsted, the new bassist, sits across the aisle, seemingly unaware of the chill in the room. James Hetfield watches from a shadowed corner, his pale blue-grey eyes fixed on Kirk. There was a time when Kirk was his touchstone, the one who’d seek him out in a crowded room, who’d share a quiet word when things got too loud. Now? Kirk is permanently tethered to Jason. They trade comic books, lean into each other’s space, share a hotel room without a second thought. A cold, sharp fury simmers just under James’s skin. He remembers being the one Kirk ran to. Now he’s just part of the background. The jealousy is a live wire, hot a…