Right Place at the Right Time. [Closed.]

Genesis was seated in a small cafe close by to his house. He’d finally made a friend, though it hadn’t really been his choice. The male he was meeting here, Stephen, had pushed and pushed into becoming his friend, and though Genesis had resisted, Stephen had won him over. He yawned, sorely tempted to call the person watching his puppy to make sure the other was alright.

But just as he was about to call, Stephen walked in, and immediately crossed over to Genesis. He grinned, taking the phone from the brunet, having had a feeling what Genesis was going to do. “No way, Genesis. We’re going to see Avenged Sevenfold at six. You’re not getting out of this, either,” he spoke just as Genesis was about to protest.

Genesis could not understand why Stephen wanted him to do this. He had heard of the band, yes. But had never heard their music... Or at least, not that he was aware of. He exhaled shakily, staring at Stephen as the other man continued talking about their plans. He couldn’t help feeling nervous and ill. He wasn’t good with crowds.

@ JurassicLover
Six o'clock was definitely going to be a time that take forever to reach, at least that's what Avenged Sevenfold's drummer, Jimmy 'The Rev' Sullivan thought. He was always impatient when it came to waiting for their cue to make it onto the stage to perform their set, therefore he began coming up with ways to distract himself. At first he thought he could drum his sticks on his best friends' legs, but that ended as quick as it started. He wasn't the type to drink before a show, so he couldn't do that either.

"Rev! Get your ass up, dude! We go out in an hour!"

Jimmy could hear one of the band's crew members yelling that to him, but why was he being told to get up? Wait. When the hell did he fall asleep? Boredom must have hit hard, and caused him to tune out for a period of time. Nothing to complain about, since he managed to pass the time. Standing to his feet, the drummer walked over to the tour cases that stood along the walls, taking off his leather jacket to place it inside. Drumming got hot, and he didn't need a shirt or jacket of that matter. It was then that he pulled out a black and silver stripped tie, tying it around his neck for an added effect of his already bare, yet inked upper body. A case of paint was nearby, though it was unknown as to what it was actually used for, but it became a prop to him. Two black lines, one on each cheek, underneath each eye. It was a new set, so he needed a new look.

"Hey, I need some water! Make sure Jason has three bottles of H2O sitting behind my kit. I'm going to need that shit."

As Jimmy watched many roles being performed for their set, he couldn't help but smile. This, was the life.

How Stephen had managed to get tickets to this concert was beyond Genesis. As the male changed into the clothes Stephen had gotten so he wouldn’t look so out of place at the concert, his mind raced. This was most definitely a bad idea, wasn’t it? How could it be good? Genesis was going to end up making a fool of himself, he knew.

The male stared at his reflection, biting on his lip as he shook his head in disbelief. He was wearing dark red skinny jeans, and a pale gray, nearly skintight shirt. He couldn’t understand why he was wearing these clothes. He felt like he was going to stand out even more. He sighed, shifting around until Stephen honked the car horn.

The young man, after enduring the drive to the sold-out venue, looked around with wide eyes. He let Stephen lead him to their seating area, which was actually as close to the stage as one could get. Genesis didn’t say anything to Stephen, but his friend knew how nervous he had to have been.

@ HeinekenSullivan

@ JurassicLover
The drummer watched the clock as it ticked away. Six was coming fast, now. He had to admit, there was a huge feeling in his gut that this show was going to be different than the others. A good different, too. The sensation came on occasion, but it had truly been a good while since he had felt it. That being said, he wasn't going to let anything ruin it for him.

Avenged Sevenfold gathered in a circle for their gig ritual, pumping themselves up for another show to check off the list. Jimmy's drum tech, Jason Berry, stepped into the middle to look each and every band member in the eye, before giving his motivational speech.

"Alright boys, it's a bigger crowd out there. That means more people have become fans. We started this in ninety-nine, and there's no way we're quitting. Take the cake, and fuckin' eat it too. It's showtime motherfuckers! Step it up for the new people, and show them what we're all about!"

Fist pumps, high fives, rear slaps, and cheek kisses filled the room before they all made the journey down the hall like energized football players running out onto the big field. It was a similar feeling, and they all loved it to death...especially Jimmy.

You knew you were going to have a good show, when the crowd was getting wild during the interlude to the performance. The music chimed it's creepy melody, giving the audience a taste of what was to come.

"Raindrops on roses
And whiskers on kittens
Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens
Brown paper packages tied up with strings
These are a few of my favorite things..."

During this moment, Jimmy crept to his kit to sit down at it, adjusting and testing what was necessary. With a twirl of his stick, he watched his mates come to the stage - preparing his cue for their first song; Chapter Four.

His feet and hands worked like a machine, flailing every which way as the guitars kicked in. This song was fast, but he was ready to set the gig aflame.

@ HeinekenSullivan

Genesis stayed close to Stephen as the crowd started pushing in all around him. He looked very nervous still, and Stephen was starting to worry if he had made a mistake. The blond accidentally got pushed away from Genesis, and fight as he may, could not get back. He could only listen to the music and try to hope Genesis would be okay.

Genesis frowned, hearing the creepy melody, and he stiffened up, ignoring the shouts of those nearby, who must’ve thought he was crazy. He already didn’t like this. He had always preferred dogs to people, and this was just enforcing that for him. He lifted his eyes up slowly, watching the band members. His eyes landed on the drummer, and he bit on his lip, relaxing slightly as he started getting caught up in what he was doing.

@ JurassicLover
Jimmy was well known for his excellent ability to play the drums, along with making it look stylish at the same time. The young adult had been playing since he was a child and the lessons really paid off, considering he was able to control a double bass drum, which most people couldn’t even handle.

He continued to play at a swift pace, feeling the sweat beading and running down his face as they matured well into their set. Thankfully he was smart enough to remove his shirt and jacket before the performance, but it usually didn’t do much justice since he was posted up in the back, and there was little to no air there. Can’t forget to mention that the carbon dioxide from the smoke liked to go overboard sometimes, and make him extremely lightheaded. The pyrotechnics were another story. Fire. Enough said about that.

They hit their song, 'Eternal Rest finally. The lyrics kept flowing from his vocalist’s mouth, and the guitarists kept strumming away, giving him the notion that his big role was approaching fast. His feet rhythmically stepped on the bass pedals, drumsticks slamming down on the skins to create a powerful crescendo before heading into the bridge, where he proceeded to turn his head towards the microphone, to sing.

"Dark in their hearts,
I can feel it burn inside of me
Tormented young with no souls, haunting me
Pain in their lives all they know is misery
Take these chains away that are holding me down, HOLDING ME DOWN!"

Jimmy tapped his drumsticks against the cymbals as he growled the lyrics, immediately going right back to slamming the skins, head banging and twirling around in a circle, feeling the beat surging in his bloodstream. He couldn’t deny how great the adrenaline felt. The headache would be worth it.

@ HeinekenSullivan

His eyes managed to stay on the drummer, despite the constant jostling from the crowd. It wasn’t that he found the other attractive, though even from his close spot he couldn’t tell what the other looked like. But he was interested, and enthralled, by the way he was drumming. When Stephen found him again, he was shouting with the crowd, though still looking very uncomfortable with the jostling.

Stephen watched the way Genesis’ eyes lit up, watching that drummer. He liked seeing the male this way. He almost hoped they’d be able to meet somehow, but he didn’t know how that would be possible. Surely for a venue this large, the band wouldn’t have any backstage passes or whatever to give out.

@ JurassicLover
The show was enough to bring the house down, fans practically hoarding the front row in hopes to get close to their favorite band member. It all ended with a bang, literally. Fireworks shot in all directions during their outro, pumping up many people alike.

All three of the guitarists threw their numerous picks into the crowd, falling into the hands of whomever managed to grab it. The vocalist threw the crumpled up setlist that was on a piece of printed paper, along with a bandana. Then, it was the drummer's turn. Jimmy twirled his sticks a few more times, finally standing tall to aim and toss them into the audience.

He knew that people would surely fight over his next item, but what the hell. Jimmy pulled an extra backstage badge out of his pocket that he had found lying around, giving it a good chuck so it would get enough air to carry. The lucky catcher of that - would definitely be guaranteed a meet and greet.

@ HeinekenSullivan

Genesis was shocked, to say the least, when the show ended and the band members threw stuff into the crowd. He had enjoyed the music, by the end, knowing his behavior would’ve pleaded Stephen. And the jostling hadn’t been terrible, but watching people fight over the drumsticks and stuff was startling. That was not in Genesis’ normal day. But then, neither was this concert.

He flinched when a piece of plastic? hit him in the face. He grabbed for the item as it fell, eyes widening when he saw it was a backstage badge. Immediately, he was mobbed by those who wanted it, and he was almost tempted to give it up to a real fan, especially since he got hit again in the face by a seriously hardcore fan. But then security was there to break it up, and get him backstage.

The brunet didn’t even know what he would say to them. He didn’t think it would be appreciated to say this was his first concert, not to mention his first time hearing them. But it wasn’t like he could just look up more information on them. It was far too late for that.

@ JurassicLover
The bodyguard was short in size, but knew how to break up a squabble. His demeanor had changed upon taking a hold of Genesis, something entirely calm and friendly.

"Alright, buddy. Name's Dan. You seem a bit nervous about being back here, but I'll give you a quick run-down. Those boys in there are the greatest friends I have. They're incredibly accepting in return for everyone that respects them. No need to worry about what they'll think. At the end of this hall is their dressing room, which is probably getting packed up before they head back to this bus tonight. Synyster Gates and Zacky Vengeance went off to grab refreshments, M. Shadows is more than likely unwinding in the shower, Johnny Christ is unknown of his whereabouts at this point, and The Rev is-"

The tall drummer stepped out of the dressing room, a bottle of water in hand. Something had to obviously have happened from the inside, giving Dan a look of concern.

"Where the hell is the pizza, dude?! I'm fuckin' starving!"

The bodyguard chuckled, shaking his head in pure disbelief.

"Well, I guess The Rev is right here."

@ HeinekenSullivan

It was a lot for Genesis to take in. He knew nothing of the band members. Their names were unfamiliar, so he couldn’t place them to what part in the band they had. Yet, he nodded, swallowing as he looked at the bodyguard. He wasn’t quite ready to admit he knew nothing of the band.

Though he knew nothing of them, he couldn’t help but feel a spark of something when he saw the man that was referred to as The Rev. Something inside him let him know this was the drummer he’d been paying attention to. He wondered why it had come to him, until he realized it was probably because he’d seen the other stand on the stage. Genesis bit his lip harshly, studying the clearly attractive man in front of him. He tugged at the sleeves of his grey shirt awkwardly, not knowing what he should do.

@ JurassicLover
Dan patted Genesis' back, before giving his shoulders a reassuring rub.

"Just take it slow, bud. Rev'll warm right up to you, I promise. He doesn't bite. He's just hungry for pizza." With that, the bodyguard took off in the other direction - more than likely on the journey to find the lost bassist.

Jimmy looked down to notice another body, smiling when he noticed the plastic badge he had thrown earlier. He knew it was that specific badge, since it had a gold lanyard, instead of a silver one. Silver was for the fans, while gold was actually for the band members themselves. Free and cheated backstage pass, basically.

"Hey, you're the one who caught the badge! I was hoping someone would manage to catch it and get sent back, and it looks like everything was a major success. Want me to show you around to the rest, or are you just looking to hang out with only one person in particular?"

@ HeinekenSullivan

Genesis smiled when the band member spoke to him, and he nodded. “Yeah. I did catch it, sort of. It hit me in the face. Um... I almost let someone else have it. I... This is the first time I’ve heard your music,” he admitted sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck.

And then he spoke again. “Then you are the drummer. I couldn’t stop watching you. I mean...” He started rambling. It was a good, and bad, thing for Genesis. Good because he usually didn’t talk this much. Bad because he was obviously so nervous he couldn’t stop talking.

The brunet’s eyes widened after a few minutes, and he fell silent, desperately wanting to apologize for having talked too much. What was wrong with him? One handsome guy, sand he lost his mind? He stared at the floor, wishing he could bolt. But it would be very disrespectful.

@ JurassicLover
"Then you're the lucky winner! Now you can say you met all of us, and have a great story to tell!"

The drummer was attentive the whole time Genesis spoke, finding it very interesting that he was a brand new listener to their music, and managed to catch the badge. A lucky guy he was for that. Jimmy could tell he was nervous by the simple body language, and he badly wished he could help the poor guy out.

"Don't worry, man. I get that a lot. Many people tell me that they keep their eyes on me as I play on stage. I'm known to please the crowd apparently. But hey, don't be nervous. I know it's easier said than done, but there's no need to worry about saying too much or saying too little. I've been in your shoes before. Unwind. We're not here to judge one another, we're here to meet one another."

Jimmy sported a warm smile, eyes squinting in addition to the emotion.

@ HeinekenSullivan

Genesis blinked, lifting his eyes up slowly to meet the drummer’s. “Well, you are very talented,” he said, and tried to return his warm smile. He knew he should have left and given the badge to someone else, but he hadn’t been given the chance. Before he knew it, he had been whisked here. Though, maybe it would not be too bad. If everyone was as nice as the drummer was. “I’m Genesis, by the way.” He wasn’t saying so much now, obviously embarrassed that he had talked too much.

“Um...” He was about to speak again when his phone rang. It was the dog sitter. He answered the call, apologizing and offering to pay more. Then the phone slid back into his pocket. “Sorry. I have someone watching over my puppy,” he murmured, staring at the other, whose real name he didn’t yet know.

@ JurassicLover
His entire being brightened upon hearing the compliment. It wasn't every day that he got credit for what he did in the band. Usually everyone was for Synyster, Zacky, or Matt - never for himself. Perhaps it was because of their physique and storybook looks. He had seen many message boards talking about how he scared people, or how he wasn't the most attractive out of the bunch. It got to him on occasion, but he wasn't going to let that bring him down each and every day.

"Genesis? Man, that's a wicked name dude! Wish I had a cool name like that!"

He paused when he watched the shorter male pull out his phone to talk to someone, shortly putting it away and mentioning something about a puppy.

"Aw, you have a dog? That's awesome! At least they're in good hands while you're gone! Not very many people pet-sit that I know of. Oh, and my name's Jimmy. Jimmy Sullivan, but I'm always known on stage as 'Rev'. It's nice to meet a fan that isn't all over me, demanding kisses before words are exchanged. Gets tiring after a while."

@ HeinekenSullivan

Genesis laughed. “Oh, come on. It isn’t that cool. My parents were super religious,” he said, shaking his head slightly. He looked toward the other brunet. “But That is behind me now,” he said calmly, slowly. He couldn’t help but frown as he heard the other’s final statement. “I mean, I liked the music. But am I considered a fan after a one-time listen?” He breathed out. He didn’t mention his puppy, so maybe he hadn’t been paying attention that much. He took in a deep breath, moving toward Jimmy. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

@ JurassicLover
"Even if it's because your parents were super religious, I think it's cool! It's radical that you enjoyed our music too! A lot of people get so judgmental when it comes to our sound, but we've deviated far away from our metalcore phase, and are leaning more towards heavy rock and metal now. Hopefully everything sticks, and we can grow from it. Metalcore was a hard genre to please some fans with. You know how the music industry is though, I'm sure. Corrupt and greedy. It's all about the money for them. Not for me though. It never has been for me."

Jimmy kept a smile on his face, lifting his arm to drape it around the other's shoulder.

"Sorry if I seemed weird, bringing up your dog. You said something about someone watching over them, and felt the need to say something about it."

@ HeinekenSullivan

Genesis smiled again, listening to him talk. He couldn’t let himself get attached to this male for a number of reasons. He really doubted they’d see each other again, but then that would be his fault if he didn't go to another concert. He was quiet again, not knowing if he should say something else. He made himself relax when Jimmy placed an arm around his shoulders.

“Right. My puppy. I guess I wasn’t paying too much attention. His name is Guinness, like the beer. Only I don’t drink, so...” He grinned, thinking of why he would’ve given the puppy that name.