Shout At The Devil! [Halloween Party] Band members and friends invited

[bangingthe_hellouttayou]

Zack had decided that he wanted to do something for Halloween now that he'd gotten his new costume and being a Spider-Man fan he'd gone for a Spider-Punk costume straight from his comics. He'd gotten it at a local comic store down on the Strip and couldn't wait to show Damien because he knew the Dog didn't have comics or anything fun back in Hunger City. Zack now pleased that he'd arranged a Halloween Party for the band members, their friends and family to attend inside the communal area of the apartments. It was the biggest space and there was a bar all stocked up with spooky drinks, alcoholic and non-alcoholic alike.

It would be a blast!

There were even spooky snacks with crisps and chips shaped like bats, ghosts and pumpkins. There were even actual pumpkins on a table for those who wished to carve a pumpkin alone or with friends. Zack had tried to make it accessible for all, those who wished to party and get drunk and those who wanted to do non-boozy activities too.

As for costumes---they were optional but preferred.

"Ok, I think that's it. Everyone should be arriving soon."

Zack looking around the room and hoping everyone would like what he had set-up with help from some of the others of course.

Comments

[willoftheblackbird]

“Chaos.” Jay repeated, an eyebrow raised.

But no sooner had the doors opened and Jay pushed Dee into the hallway, chaos seemed to come running straight at them.

[suomi_thunder]

"JACK!" Aarne was obviously drunk and even taller than Jack given the huge heels he was wearing. He didn't even give the redhead a moment to react before he was hugging him and picking him up off the ground. Jack wanted to protest but he was soon back on his feet.

Aarne turned to the new people, wide-eyed and vibrating in place. Jack rearranged himself. "Dee, Jay. This is Aarne, drummer for The Hammers."

Jack gave Aarne a pointed look to try and keep the energy level to a reasonable level.

[willoftheblackbird]

That kind of energy was infectious, though.

Dee smiled, and immediately pushed himself up out of the chair to greet the boisterous drummer. “Dee. Also known as the Prophet.”

Jay introduced himself as well.

But before Aarne could drag them back to the party (or possibly carry them, given how easily he lifted Jack), Jay put a gentle hand on his fiancé's shoulder. “I know you’re excited, but save your strength for the party, okay? Don’t waste it on the boring hallway.”

Dee couldn’t exactly argue. He might be able to make it down there, but he’d be spent.

“Probably… a good idea.”

[suomi_thunder]

If Dee was going to stand then Aarne was going to hug him, though he knows from being around Aletayria to be gentler than he was with Jack.

"There's another Dee here!" Aarne was a ball of barely contained energy. Then he's turned to Jack. "Rekker got so much candy with the kids."

Jack could see that in the way Aarne looked like he'd eaten way too much sugar, and gods only know what else.

[willoftheblackbird]

Well, if Aarne was going to hug him, then Dee was going to get hugged. (fortunately, his war paint isn’t going to rub off that easily. He used setting powder on all of it.)

He probably felt a bit like an Anthean in the drummer’s grip. He was definitely thin enough to pass for one.

“A woman, I believe…” Dee was warned about him sharing a name with someone else in their entourage. They probably wouldn’t get too mixed up with the other.

He sat back down, and they were on their way again.

[suomi_thunder]

"Yes, she's tiny." Aarne said that with as much affection as could be but compared to the tall Finn, the bassist was very short. "She's here."

He pointed down the hall. "DEE!!!"

Aarne just screamed for her as they walked toward the room. There wasn't any music, aside from the potential for someone to be playing something, working on music, but mostly it was just talking and everyone was in good spirits. Before they got to the room a shorter, redheaded woman appeared, older and dressed more punk than many of the others. She smiles as soon as she sees the new people.

[willoftheblackbird]

As they got to the end of the hallway, they could hear various people talking. Aarne’s voice cut through all of that, though. And anyone who turned to look was now well aware of the new arrivals.

The layout of the room, with all its various couches, would make navigating with a wheelchair a bit difficult. But because of all those couches, they wouldn’t have to.

As one Dee comes out of the common area, the other was slowly standing again. This time, Jay held his arm out for support.

“You good?” He asked. Dee nodded.

“Could you put that in the corner for me, please?” He asked, offering a quick kiss on the cheek in return. “Thank you…”

He then turned to the other Dee.

“My name is also Dee.” He introduced himself, offering an outstretched hand. “But I perform under the name, The Prophet. This is my fiancé Jay, also known as the Mystic.”

“Pleased to meet you.” Jay smiled as well.

[thrashdevil]

Aarne was off to find Joe and left Jack and Dee with Jay and Dee. Dee smiled and offered her arm while Jay took the chair, that was if the other Dee wanted it.

"I'm Devil Dee, Rekker's bassist." She smiled up at the Prophet who was quite a bit taller. "You're the musicians that Rekker met.. about the custom electric orchestra instruments?" She couldn't remember what string instrument Rekker had mentioned but he was focused on it and trying to figure it out. To Dee, that was a good thing because his mental health was better when he was busy.

[willoftheblackbird]

He held onto her for a moment, but soon let go. Once he was standing, Dee was fairly steady on his feet.

“Yes, a custom violin.” The mention definitely perked Jay up. He tucked the chair out of the way where it would safe. “We were still debating whether to go with a skull shape or a flame shape, but it sounds like he’s been working on it since we last spoke.”

“Both would look fantastic on stage one day.” Dee encouraged.

He began to walk inside the common room to see what was going on. He was a bit slow, and carefully deliberate in his steps, so it wouldn’t be difficult to catch up.

[thrashdevil]

Dee liked the excitement. "A long time ago he made me a bat shaped bass."

Dee would walk with them and giggled. "You don't know Rekker. I'm sure Bjorn and the kids hand to drag him out of the workshop."

Jack picked up on the conversation when Dee mentioned the kids. "They didn't give him too much trouble?"

Dee patted Jack's arm with a mischievous grin. "You might not get them back."

[willoftheblackbird]

“Now, that I need to see.” Jay was impressed. “I have one of his custom guitars that I bought at a charity auction a few years ago. Still, hands down, one of the best I’ve ever played.”

Dee chuckled, fake-whispering, “He bought it to impress a guy.”

“Yeah. You.”

“I didn’t say it didn’t work.” He grinned mischievously. “You used it on the Prophet demo too.”

“It has such a rich sound. You can really hear the craftsmanship.” He bragged about it again.

Speaking of kids, a bunch of them were currently up to their elbows in pumpkin guts. The pumpkin carving table that Zack had set up was already a popular attraction.

[thrashdevil]

"I can bring it from the house. Joe has one of his custom flame basses." Dee mentioned since Joe was here at the apartments and adored that custom bass.

Dee giggled. "Rekker's first guitar was made to impress a lady." Missy's favorite guitar was still that one that Rekker made all those years ago. "Missy still plays it on stage."

The bassist listened and nodded. "Rekker started making guitars because he was upset about the depth and richness of the guitars." Dee saw the kids and knew Rekker wasn't far away. For all of his unruly, aggressive chaos the ginger was born to be a father. "He takes forever on them."

[willoftheblackbird]

“oh, I bet that one sounds as beautiful as it looks.” Jay replied. He was very much a fan of Rekker’s work, and the more examples people gave him, the more adamant he was about getting at least one custom violin from the man. Maybe two… He didn’t mind waiting. “Good things take time to make.”

He nudged Dee playfully. “And see, I’m not the only one.”

Dee smirked. Jay clearly made an impression. And it had yet to fade.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if you pulled it out at our wedding.” He added.

“No, no, no… well, maybe the reception.”

[thrashdevil]

"Rekker gets superstitious about the guitars. He stopped making that one years ago. Kept telling us the bass wasn't ready and then he went at it like a fever dream last fall." Dee explained. She could appreciate the spiritual aspect that Rekker applied to the instruments he made, talked about them, sometimes, like they were people.

She started to giggle. "Rekker spoils people rotten. Is that what Jay does too?"

Hexed usually poked playfully, and at this point it came naturally to her as part of saying that she liked someone's company. "Maybe that is why he wants the violin? It's a better instrument for a wedding."

[willoftheblackbird]

“I wouldn’t say rotten…” Jay blushed.

“The first year we were dating, he’d invite me over to his townhouse for a home-cooked dinner, let me stay the night, make me breakfast in the morning and still manage to sneak a little love note for me to find in one of my pockets… Usually in A major.”

“Many composers have used that key when writing about seeing one's beloved again when parting.”

So, yes. The answer was yes. A fucking adorable yes.

“Well, we are thinking about doing a first duet… rather than a first dance. Piano and violin.” Dee added. She may have been poking playfully, but they’d thought about it pretty seriously. “…I’m a horrible dancer.”

[thrashdevil]

"Yeah." Dee shook her head at Jay while laughing at his not rotten comment.

"Rekker and Bjorn fought their first week. The hell if I know what happened between that and the spoiling."

Dee nodded. "It would make the wedding unique." It was truly an interesting ideal.

[willoftheblackbird]

Oh, the story of how Jay and Dee met was quite the doozy. Even though they didn't start dating until about six months later. They really did hit it off fairly quickly, their passions for music aligning in such beautiful harmony.

"We're still... looking for the right venue..." Dee admitted.

"Which is likely going to have to be out of the country. You know how it is here." Jay added, and speaking of spoiling someone rotten, couldn't help but add, "He's worth it, though."

[thrashdevil]

Dee nodded. She'd heard the same thing from both Rekker and Mick about having to go somewhere else.

"Rekker might have ideas." She mentioned sympathetically. "I know the Scandinavian countries allow marriage." And there were plenty of Scandinavians here.

[willoftheblackbird]

“Scandinavian countries, you say?” Jay hummed. That could definitely be an option. “Europe has such a rich history in classical music. I haven’t been since I was a kid.”

He’d fallen in love with the violin on an early trip to Austria, but unfortunately, had never gone back. He’d applied to a few conservatories, but wasn’t quite good enough for admission. It was part of what led him to focusing on medicine and music at the same time.

“I’ve never even been on a plane before…” Dee laughed. He’d driven from Ohio to LA fueled more on rage than actual fuel, but that was about the extent of his travel history.

“Would you like to?”

“I’d go anywhere with you. Fuck, I’d go to Mars if the martians would let us get married.”

[thrashdevil]

Dee nodded and then smiled. "Have you met Rik yet?"

The idea of a rock band in love with classical music brought the young man to mind. She'd seen him play an electric harp on the stage and it had been wild.

"You will." Dee encouraged. "World tours put you on planes so much you'll be tired of them and want a car back."

[willoftheblackbird]

They both shook their heads.

“But everyone speaks very highly of him. A master of at least nine instruments, if I remember what everyone has said.”

“… at least.” Dee nodded.

No doubt about it, they would definitely become fast friends with Rik.

“World tour?” Dee couldn’t believe he was thinking about the possibility of that AND a wedding. He definitely had stars in his eyes when he added, “No… I don’t think I could ever get tired of that…”

A tour bus, maybe. Living out of his car for seven months wasn’t exactly a vacation. But busses were probably infinitely more comfortable than an old compact Chevy.

[thrashdevil]

"He's here." Dee smiled. "I don't think he's one to introduce himself."

She knew Rik was shy and often kept to himself, especially on nights when things would get crazy. That was, unless he was with someone pulling pranks.

She giggled. "I'll check back in 15 years. I used to think the same when I was younger." They had all gotten to a point where constant traveling and touring was making them crazy. Maybe they wouldn't but most did eventually.

[willoftheblackbird]

That Dee had no idea how long 15 years sounded to this Dee. It was an unfathomable number.

Jay noticed the stunned silence and leaned in, whispering, “that’s possible, you know.”

“…I still have trouble believing it.”

“You have time.” He stressed, lovingly.

The encouragement probably sounded cryptic to anyone who didn’t know his story. If she asked, he would explain, though. She seemed a good person. Hell, a lot of the people they’d met in the last few weeks did.

“You do that.” He challenged, actually grinning. “Check back in 15 years.”

[thrashdevil]

Dee didn't know about the health concerns but she knew the tone. It was one they all had used around Rekker when thinking about the future when his hopelessness took hold.

"If Rekker can make it twenty five, you can do 15." She encouraged too. There was an understanding just existing around someone who thought they had limited time and might actually have limited time. "I'm holding you to having experienced at least a small international tour."

Dee had a motherly quality even if she was rougher and on the punk side.

[willoftheblackbird]

“Maybe… maybe now…” he smiled, squeezing Jay gently.

He didn’t have that option before. He wouldn’t, and couldn’t, take it. When he left home at 18, he knew he only had about seven years to live his entire life. A tight timeframe to learn everything he needed to know about how to write music, how to perform, to actually start a band, record an album, tour the world, make all his dreams come true… It was hard to stop counting down.

“Oh, I don’t want to settle for a small one…” he smiled.