Realistic or Modern Soulmate Band AU (welcome2hale, Wheeze)

[welcome2hale]

First Post (soulmark lore):
A world where your soulmark only begins to reveal itself at first touch with your soulmate. Further touches mean more of the soulmark is revealed, until you're able to see it fully and clearly, and so can your soulmate.​

 

[welcome2hale]

The path to the bathroom was becoming too familiar. Take the hallway off of the event room, make a right at the weird-shaped plant in the bronze vase, turn the corner. It wasn’t the most difficult to find to begin with, but after visiting so many times that night, Laith had it memorized down to the centimeter. The only thing that changed each time were the people he had to duck around and between on his way. Being short sometimes had its advantages.

After making the trip for the umpteenth time, Laith stood at the long row of sinks, clutching the edge of the counter and staring at himself in the mirror. It was a good bathroom, not like the ones he saw at other venues. The lights were bright and warm, and the mirrors were big and clean. There were several stalls, as well as the urinals, and definitely didn’t have the smell he usually associated with the men’s room. All in all, not bad. The smell probably would have made his nausea worse.

Unfortunately, the lights did nothing for his too-pale complexion, made worse by the black curls that hung over his forehead. Looking closely, he could see his roots growing in their usual deep brown. A few faint freckles dotted over his nose and under his bloodshot eyes, almost blending in with the dark circles and smudged eyeliner. He looked far too scraggly to be in this nice of a bathroom. In fact, one of the times he’d come in, he’d caught a dirty look from some man wearing slacks and shoes that probably cost more than Laith was worth. Granted, Laith was wearing ripped jeans and scuffed Vans. But the event space had been rented out for the competition; he didn’t know what the guy had expected. There were metal vocalists warming up literally two rooms away.

Laith took a slow breath in, then blew it out between his lips. He watched his reflection for a bit longer, trying so, so hard not to puke everywhere. He’d downed two ginger ales from the bar already, and the bartender was starting to look at him weird. He had to psych himself out of it now. He was doing great, until he heard the muffled sound of the loudspeaker announcing the next band, which meant he was one step closer to being up on the stage.

He leaned close to the mirror again, eyes closed, keeping his breathing slow and steady. He just couldn’t think about it. Thinking about it got him all worked up again, and his hands would start to shake and his heart would try to jump into his throat. He took one, two final deep breaths before pushing himself off the counter. He tried to keep his mind blank as he strode towards the bathroom door. He’d just go out there in a daze if he had to, and try to lose himself in conversation with his bandmates and prepping, instead of thinking about their upcoming performance.

 

[GammyWamzee]

In contrast to the current occupant of the bathroom, who he could hear huffing and puffing from inside men's bathroom, Emmet was feeling rather confident. He had a smirk plastered on his lips as he stepped into the bathroom.

He was already a little bit tipsy, although really that was a part of his performance. He disliked the mirror he had in the prep room and would much rather go into an area with better lighting, such as a bathroom.

His loose, white blonde hair was pulled back into a ponytail behind him, it fell down to his mid back and flowed behind him as he walked.

Then he felt a body slam right into his shoulder. And he formed a sharp glare, amber eyes creating an icy stare. "It'd be best if you watch where you're going, did you need Visine? You look like you just did coke off of the counter? Is there any left," what he said sounded like a joke but he said it with his voice dripping with malice.

He rolled his amber eyes as he continued on into the bathroom, carrying a bag slung over his shoulder.

He was already dressed into a pristine white button up shirt and black tie loosely tied around his neck along with a choker, a few gold and silver chains as well. Ripped skinny jeans and boots. He already put in fake piercings, a gold septum ring, gold looped snakebites.

Really the only real piercings in his face was his gold eyebrow piercing, and his ears.

Stepping in front of the mirror, Emmet reached back, long, slender fingers, coiled around his hair tie and allowed his hair to loosen. Reaching back to pulling it back into a loose braid.

 

[welcome2hale]

Laith had been so deep in his own thoughts as he'd left the bathroom, he hadn't even considered that this was a busy venue and other people would likely be needing to use the bathroom. Which was why he didn't expect the sudden stop of someone slamming into him. The other person being taller than him, Laith was knocked off balance and had to take a couple steps to regain his footing. He swore under his breath, his hand immediately going to the shoulder that had gotten hit.

He opened his mouth to apologize, looking up at the heavily pierced face a few inches above him. Before he could, though, the man was snapping at him to watch where he was going, with other colorful insults. The man had disappeared into the bathroom before Laith could even register what had happened fully. He mumbled an apology before continuing back into the event hall, hand still clasped over his shoulder.

There was a tiny ball of anger rolling around in his stomach, and he kept asking himself where Mr. Piercings had gotten the audacity to act like that. There wasn't enough of any emotion, however, for him to go back and confront the man. After all, this event was hosting a lot of people from the punk scene, and you could never tell what you'd get with them. If Laith had gone back to the bathroom, he would've probably ended up with a bloodied nose. So he did nothing, and just rejoined his bandmates backstage. They were coming up soon, and the trio were scurrying to get everything ready.

The only good thing about the altercation was that it had temporarily distracted Laith from his stage fright. But being back in the thick of things, adjusting his bass strings and fixing their vocalist's hair, his nausea was back. But like hell he was going back to the bathroom, even if they weren't so close to performing.

 

[GammyWamzee]

Emmet was merely mumbling under his breath as he applied some mascara and eyeliner, as well as some foundation, covering up some beauty marks, and applying some black lipstick. Really Emmet wasn't a huge fan of his stage persona, covered in makeup and piercings, but his performance was certainly the major bit of his band's performance.

As the frontman of their band Emmet was quite loud, a lot of his performance was fan service. Of course the music was good, but he made a show of his performance.

Emmet really couldn't believe the loser that ran into him.

Making his way back to his group he double checked with everyone. He pulled on his round brim hat.

He supposed while he waited he might as well watch whatever performance was occuring. He was happening next, watching someone else would probably raise his confidence a bit.

 

[welcome2hale]

Despite the butterflies in his stomach, Laith didn’t think his band’s performance had really gone all that terribly. Really, it had been one of their better performances, with only one noticeable mess up. But they’d come back from it well, and maybe it was something to consider actually adding to the song.

Laith didn’t think they’d win, of course. There had been better bands before them, and there were still more to come. But it hadn’t been about winning, as nice as it would’ve been. It was about getting their name out there, and getting some audience practice.

After their performance, Laith stood towards the edge of the crowd of people, his band mates somewhere nearby chatting. He had a bottle of water in one hand, occasionally sipping from it, but it was more of a crutch than anything. Every once in a while, he’d brush a hand over his shoulder, swearing he could feel something touching it. But there was never anything there.

There hasn’t been any sign of the man he’d run into by the bathroom, despite how clear it was that he was also a performer of the night. And with his bright hair and face of piercings, it would’ve been hard to miss him. Laith didn’t even know why he was keeping an eye out, except to maybe run and hide in case the guy wanted to spout more profanities at him.

 

[GammyWamzee]

As Emmet sat down to watch the performance he couldn't keep his eyes off of their stupid bassist. He stared along as he watched him play. He played well, there was one odd little note in there but perhaps it was meant to be there..or maybe it wasn't. It wasn't enough to cause a riot over that is certain.

Although it was odd, really, as he stared at the stage, normally his eyes would be glued to the frontman (or woman) and making mental notes about what he liked or disliked about their performance. It was something he did to generate ideas.

Emmet left before the conclusion of their performance, as he was up next. He double checked with each of his bandmates, the special effects and lights crew.

Emmet took in a deep breath, double checking his makeup in the dimmer dressing room lights and his pocket mirror, pulling his hair in neatly. Adding a few finishing touches to his outfit such as a few decorative pocket chains, a couple of pins. Finishing touches.

Then they were ready. Emmet was terrified and excited at the same time. Performing in front of so many other artists was nerve-wracking but he was excited to show off what he and his band were capable of.

Smoke from a fog machine filled the stage as lights flashed, his band playing their opening number, before he stepped into center stage, and began.

He could feel his tattoo tingle as he peered out into the crowd behind hooded eyelids.

He sung a mixture of rock, mixed with a bit screamo, really he put on a better show than a stripper dancing across the stage, whipping his hair, shining a light gold as it hit the light. Finishing it off with high, soft angelic notes as the music quieted, and the lights dimmed, a spotlight on himself that dimmed as his finished his piece.

Emmet made his way off the stage with many fly away hairs and sweat in his clothes. He sighed out, already pulling out the fake piercings, leaving only the ones in his ears and eyebrows.

He got changed into something a bit cooler for the after party, that being a tank top that was fairly holey and with the sides cut out. Low rise jeans and a stiffen belt and a pair of boots. He kept some of his jewelry on like a little gold chain but that's about it. His hair was pulled back into a high ponytail as he wiped off his stage makeup.

The after-party was already loosely started, those who already had performed and weren't interested in watching others. Drinks were being served along with little snacks.