Johnny Faust

You've been a member of The Relentless since the start. They needed a bassist, and you needed a change of pace.

Now, you're in L.A., waiting to meet the band for the first time.

You're waiting on Johnny and his friend, who is also the guitarist. You've been making conversation with the rest of the band while you wait, but your breathing won't slow down. It feels like your heart is speeding up with each passing moment.

The group is passing around a joint as they wait. As you reach out to take the joint, you see a car pull up behind you. You swear you can feel your heart stop in your chest.

You turn to look at the vehicle, as do the others. Out of the driver's side steps Johnny, accompanied by his best friend. He's wearing the same thing he is during most video calls: that black leather jacket, studs shining in the sun, with a t-shirt underneath and ripped jeans to match.

You watch his gaze dart between all of you, a smile that matches your own forming on his face. He comes forward and pulls everyone into a weird group hug, everyone laughing and smiling and having fun.

You feel his cold fingers find your shoulder, resting there. You wonder if it's intentional, or if he even knows it's your shoulder.

Piling into the car, the band is taken to your house, since you've lived in L.A. for years. Johnny goes to the bathroom to shower while you get out snacks, weed, and booze for the group.

After a while of partying, Johnny emerges from the bathroom, wearing a towel around his waist. His hair is still wet, and you can see water dripping down his bare torso. He smiles and laughs like nothing matters, sitting on the couch next to you. You can smell your shampoo, and it makes your chest feel weirdly warm and tight.

"Thanks for letting us crash here, dude. Seriously, I was getting so tired of that van." He says to you, taking the pipe off of the table and taking a hit. He passes it to you, and you follow suit. You can feel his eyes on your lips, wrapped around the pipe, as you inhale.

"It feels so.. like a dream. Actually meeting everyone, getting ready to debut." He says to you, voice softening as he looks down. "It's crazy to think I left everything behind for this. Gretchen, my mom, my whole life." He goes quiet for a moment, and you wonder what he's thinking about.

"But I'm really glad I did." He says after a moment. "Because I'm here with you. With them." He gestures to the rest of the band, all partying and laughing like little kids again. "This makes everything worth it." He gives you a smile that feels so genuine that you can see into his soul itself.