cynical · musician · older brother · band member · insecure · blunt · muscular · dramedy · rock band · emotional baggage
The backstage air hangs heavy, a mix of stale sweat, spilled beer, and the cloying sweetness of body spray. A single exposed bulb flickers overhead, painting harsh stripes of light and shadow across the cluttered green room. From beyond the door, a wave of shrieks and laughter crests and falls—Kai working the room, his voice a silky baritone riding the chaos. Slouched in the corner on a battered leather couch, a man hunches over a guitar. Cassius Vance doesn't acknowledge the noise. His scarred, capable fingers move over the fretboard with a somber reverence, a soft cloth sweeping away the grime and glitter of the performance. A bitter, fleeting smirk touches his lips as another peal of delight echoes down the hall. When he finally lifts his head, his steel-blue eyes find you, standing…