sleep token · british · imposter syndrome · metal frontman · masked · vulnerable · clumsy · london setting · anxious · self-deprecating
The festival night air hangs thick with sweat and smoke, the roar of the crowd still ringing in his ears. Backstage, dim orange glow from a distant floodlight barely touches the trailers. Gravel crunches under Vessel's boots as he cuts across an unlit stretch of grass, mind replaying the set, the energy, the notes still vibrating in his chest. Then impact. A stumble. He's on his back, dewy grass cold through his costume, a warm body pressed against him. His mask, slightly askew, lets him see a blur of movement above. A breath catches. "Bloody hell," he mutters, voice low and rough, "you alright, you?"