The fast tempo of the song soared over the stadium, reaching toward a crescendo that hadn't happened yet. The leader of the band known as Obsessed with Your Obsession navigated the complex notes with a style most would consider unusual. To the fans cheering though, Axel's slightly soulful voice made it brilliant. The man himself wore an outfit of punk-style black and zippers, his jacket ripped off at the sleeves and flying out behind him while his shirt rode up to reveal taught abs. Midnight blue hair slanted across his forehead, starting out black at the roots and shifting to the deep ultramarine color that he'd made his signature. Judging by the grin on his face, he knew just what it did to the fan girls...and boys too. Throwing back his head with a quick spurt of rap inspired singing, he let the song spin toward its finish.

The band had been his baby and now, he too them all to the top. He needed to though, like he needed this warmth of the crowd telling him he was amazing as he hit the last note and the entire stadium exploded. He was amazing. He was a genius. He was god. Axel’s eyes slipped closed for a second before Yvonne’s voice in his ear made him grin like the god he pretended to be and wave for the fans. They stayed like that, basking in the glow of stardom for minutes before finally pulling away from the stage. Axel resisted the urge to run away as soon as the encouragement from his fans ended.

“Fuck, you were amazing!” Lionus exclaimed, clapping Axel on the shoulder immediately. The midnight haired man threw the comment back with a grin, perfectly hiding the fact that it felt like spiders crawled up his skin behind a smile. No one would even guess he felt a thing.

Yvonne snorted and almost dragged Lionus away with a bear hug that could crush a smaller man, which the blonde, muscled drummer most definitely was not. “Don’t inflate his ego more! Man! Just…man! Give me a high five everyone!” she exclaimed. Lionus immediately clapped her hand as did Dierdrik, but Axel shrugged away from the gesture. Her face fell for a second as their lead singer threw meaningless words at them and excused himself, already pushing through the fans and staff backstage. He didn’t miss the words that the guitarist muttered though.

“Arrogant dick.” Sometimes, even they couldn’t stand him, but everyone felt too high on glory to let it affect them for more than a second because even though Axel acted like a dick more often than not, they were nothing without him and really, he made them who knew more of his real face than the fans worry.

Axel however, felt no intentions of staying behind to revel. His mood felt sour or anxious, or claustrophobic. He saw the members of the band that opened for them leaning against a wall where they had watched the show and he made to slip past. He should have, but anxiety made something inside him snap. His face immediately formed a smirk as he straightened his back, meeting their eyes as if to say, ‘look at how much more amazing I am than you.’ His gaze hit one member in particular—Silvestre, his prime rivalry.