Better Watch What You Ask for...

[rage_rekker]

It had been such a long time since they had met with fans like this before a show. For Rekker it was a highlight of the tour and a show. He loved the crowds and the mass of energy but the small groups and actually talking to people, knowing people, felt easier on his anxiety. This was a small group and so they were all just standing around like you would with friends at a bar. There were handshakes and hellos, an occasional hug. Even Devon hugged one of the fans which was unusual but said volumes to the Hexed leader about how his bandmates were feeling now they were out on the road. Of course, that sea separated when the questions started.

"How do you get the unique sound of Hexed?"

Dee took up the young man's question. “Thick strings, the thickest bass strings on the market to get those low, sinister tones, but Missy uses these bright strings."

"It balances the sound." Devon chimed in.

"When it is not drowned out by our maniac drummer." Dee teased gently only to see Devon scoff.

"I have to keep up with his fucking speed demon fingers." Devon motioned toward the still silent ginger.

Rekker shrugged. "None of the guitars had the sound I wanted so... I made my own. If you want your own sound you have to make the guitar yours, even a junk guitar can be changed up to its own sound."

The question was thoughtful and had his bandmates staring. There was a reason, one of many of them, that despite being the youngest, Rekker became the band leader. His brash, outspoken nature wasn't the only reason. He was also a deep thinker.

The fans were satisfied and then the inevitable came up. "There are rumors that Dee has a boyfriend and Rekker has a girlfriend, but no one's seen them. Are they true?"

Rekker ruffled visibly to his bandmates. The shift in his body and the death grip on the mic. "You've seen them." He mocked. "I like my privacy and the fuckers with cameras know it."

There was silence that dragged on to discomfort. Eventually, Rekker couldn't take the awkwardness and his anxiety ratcheted up to a fever pitch. He glanced at his bandmates and then the person asking the prying questions.

"Do you want to meet them? They're with me on tour." Rekker was baiting them, and Devon cringed because he could hear it in the guitarist's tone.

"Yeah." Person nodded. "Let's see who this is. Probably some bitch like the last few."

Devon glanced at the ginger, waiting for that boot to drop. Rekker's expression turned hostile and Hexed tensed because they knew to expect the guitarist to act erratic.

"You can leave." Rekker pointed to the person that started the whole thing and instantly the rest shut their mouths. "Fucking leave or I'll throw you out myself."

Rekker stood and Devon became stricken with panic. The ginger would too. Hexed knew it. The fans now stepping away from this person, knew it. Security stepped in because they knew the guitarist didn't bluff. Standing was a threat, a very real one.

After that incident the others watched wide-eyed and then one of the fans, not even involved, apologized. Rekker stared at them for a moment and then waved it off. Honestly, it wasn't the question but the wording that set him off. He sat back down to another silence.

Rekker shifted and then spoke candidly with the others while shoving his unruly mane of hair back. "I don't have some bitch."

The tone was still harsh, but it quickly calmed with a deep sigh. The anger leaving almost audible in the sound. "I don't have a girlfriend either. Truth, is I got engaged a few weeks past and don't appreciate the insults.”

That got a nod from the fans there for questions. Understanding let the tension seep out of the room. They still had questions but the next one came respectfully.

"Does your fiancé appreciate your devotion to music?"

Rekker took this one in stride because it held no offense. "Yes. He's a singer and sits with me while I write sometimes. We share music in common. I think it's made this relationship easier than others. Most of the people in my past thought... I would grow out of music… like anyone grows out of music?”

Devon was surprised to hear the ginger so openly speak but maybe that was healing. It got a chuckle from the people there with them. A lot of people heard they would grow out of something that was part of their soul. Everyone could relate to it. Devon shook his head because he wondered what these people would think of Rekker’s partner and Devon knew he was here somewhere. The venue manager moved the discussion on.

“How is this tour different than others?”

Rekker started laughing, obviously the anger gone for the moment. “Have you looked at the line up? We’re getting a lot of bullshit from some people for touring with all these glam bands but the fighting amongst ourselves is getting really old. The old rifts are growing but fuck them. I’m having fun out here and those pricks are jealous.”

Now everyone was laughing. Rekker’s mood swings were hell to deal with, but they did make his humor a riot to the right kind of people.

“To answer your question, very different. There’s never been a tour like this, Hexed sure the hell isn’t going to miss out on overturning the system and their bullshit expectations.”