gen z · art student · musician · cynical · insecure · rebellious · modern au · rock band · trauma
The air in the pub is a heavy cocktail of stale lager and old sweat, the room still vibrating from the echoes of the final chord. A single, flickering bulb sways above the makeshift stage, casting erratic shadows across the scarred floorboards. The set is over, and the drummer is already hauling his gear, but the frontman—a lean, restless figure in a scuffed leather jacket—doesn't just walk off stage; he practically collapses off it, barely catching a chair to keep from sprawling. He lets out a sharp, jagged laugh, a flash of white teeth in the gloom, as his brown eyes scan the remaining crowd. They lock onto you, tucked away at a dim table in the back. With a casual shrug, he cuts through the crowd, his movements erratic and eager. Up close, his auburn curls are a chaotic mess and hi…