rapture ► j.n.

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐧𝐞

❝ 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐧 𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐥𝐲, 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞, 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐰𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐞. ❞

↘︎ " blackbird " by the beatles

♦︎——————— ♦︎———————♦︎

❝ 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐲 𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐛 𝐢𝐧 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐝𝐚, 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐚, 𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟖, 𝟏𝟗𝟖𝟔 ❞

♦︎——————— ♦︎———————♦︎

the first pre-show after the accident

Everything felt similar but also extremely different this time around. The amps were the same, so were the cables, everything accept for the actual bass and bass player. For the most part the rest of the crew danced around the band, electing to avoid stepping on their toes and sneaking away when their work was complete. The one strange thing was that Jason was right there with him, loading the amps in and being as much help as he could. Elias had attempted, although it seemed to have not gotten through, to convince Jason that he didn't need to worry about helping Elias with setting anything up or taking anything down. But Elias didn't argue or make any comment when he noticed the curly haired bassist hovering over his shoulder.

Once everything was set up and the show time was ticking ever close, Elias weaved his way towards James, Kirk, and Lars. Both Kirk and Lars were accepting of his hug while he gave James a tight squeeze on the shoulder and a soft 'rock 'em' before turning to find Jason. While Elias was no expert in the ways in which James Hetfield operated he did know a thing or two more than most people and knew as much as while some affection would most definitely do his some good right now wasn't a good time to force it. 

He found their new bassist hovering just off stage, out of sight of the crowd but still anxiously clutching the neck of his bass with a death grip. It took a few calls of "Jason" to actually get said man's attention. Without saying much more Elias pulled him into a hug.

"You're going to rock it out there, I've got your back"

♦︎——————— ♦︎———————♦︎

The after show was when things blew up, all because of a bunch of comments made in the presence of Elias about Jason. Everything from Jason's bass playing, his stage persona, to his looks was critiqued. Actually, Elias would object calling it 'critique' and would label it as bullying. Oh, he most certainly understood the pain everyone was going through and every time he saw Jason standing there where Cliff used to a pang of grief would grab at his heart so hard he though he might die. But he also knew that Jason had nothing to do with Cliff and he wasn't going to be selfish and take it out on the poor guy.

It was one of the few times that the bass tech actually blew up at people, once his quiet wrath had been noticed he gave a few remarks about how they all needed to be sober before critiquing the performance. Then Elias promptly grabbed Jason's shoulders and guided the shocked bassist out of the changing room.

The two of them ended outside behind the venue where Elias passed for a few minutes too cool down. Letting out a heavy sigh he patted his pockets till he found his lighter and a rolled cigarette, that may or may not contain weed rather than tobacco. Lighting it up and taking a deep inhale he turned to look at Jason.

"I'm sorry about them"

"Don't worry, I sort of expected it from them . . . . after all that happened."

Elias cringed at that statement, offering his blunt to Jason who took it with a nod of thanks.

"Still, I- don't want to loose another bassist. Ya know? So, I'm in your corner if you need anything."

They fell into a comfortable silence as they passed the blunt back and forth till it was just a roach which Jason squashed under the toe of his shoe before heading back in to unload everything. They exchanged jokes and comments the entire night until they both headed to bed.