#imagine being forty and a nineteen year old from a group of kids you took on a mentor role for suddenly turns up being the same age as you

[awsydawnarts]

No listen Jaune HAS to survive and make it out of the Ever After (with his memories intact) because if he never interacts with Qrow after all this then WHAT IS THE POINT

[jebwtf]

ShowTime|| Selfie

The Bowery Ballroom: 10AM Friday October 20th

Jeb made his way down the sidewalk, Isaac’s bleach blonde hair letting him know he was right on time. “Hey, hey, kid!” Johnny bounded up to him, enveloping the younger male in a hug, welcoming him into the circle they formed while waiting for the doors to unlock. “Where’s Mark at?” He asked, looking around for their lowly manager and his coffee clad hands. “Talking to the big heads over at Island. He sounded kinda pissed when he called, but that’s probably ‘cause they didn’t get us the keys and now we’re waiting instead of setting up.” Isaac rolled his eyes, Jeb just giving a nod. His heart was beating a thousand miles a minute and they weren’t even in the doors yet.

His mom was going to be there. His dad, his brother, his friends, his band, the record execs that want to see what they’re made of, people that were already bitching about the fact ‘those guys from that out of control band’ managed to book one of the best. But the only thought going through his head was still everything he could fuck up. Going flat on a note, breaking a string mid song, choking. “Hey,” He was snapped out of his trance by Jamie, who was giving him a pat on a back and offering his always bright smile. “We’re gonna kick ass yeah?” Jeb just laughed and nodded, and then the doors were clanging open and the next thing he knew they were hauling their stuff in. “Alright!” The boys looked over to the voice, a tall man with a large beer belly and a jolly smile coming towards them. “I’m Dylan, I’ll be your front of house sound guy, and I’m also in charge of the sound crew.” They went around and introduced themselves, the man’s positive energy putting Jeb a little more at ease, but they had a long ways to go and this was just a momentary lapse of his nerves. “I hear it’s your guys’ first big show, you excited?” He asked, giving Jeb a pat on the arm, obviously seeing that he was the one with the most nerves. “Don’t be, you’re gonna be fine. I’ve heard your song on the radio and actually went out and bought your CD. You’re gonna kick ass. Right now I’d just like you guys to get your instruments, warm up a little, and we’ll get the amps and sound booth set up, okay?” The boys nodded, Jeb letting out a shaky breath as Johnny wrapped an arm around his shoulders and dragged him towards their stuff. “Just relax. It’s like any other show just… More people.” Jeb snorted and nodded, giving the older male a pat on the back. “Yeah.. I know. That’s what makes me nervous… What if, like, I fuck up, and it’s in front of all those people and the people that want to sign us and--” Isaac cut him off. “Jeb, it’ll be fine. We’ve fucked up and recovered before, and if for whatever reason this is one of the last shows we play then, at least we go out swinging.” The younger of the group was close to tears, but he just bit his tongue, and went off to practice.

3:00 PM Friday October 20th

“Kaaaaai!” Jeb cheered, setting down his guitar and jumping off the stage, running to his brother who was running to him, wrapping his arms around his baby brother and swinging him around. “Are you excited?!” He asked, laughing as he did so. Jeb laughed and nodded. “I’m so scared, but I think I’m gonna be okay.”

“Good, and here, I’ve got a surprise for ya.” He whistled, motioning for the others to come follow him, leading them all to the backstage area where Lydia, Addie, and August were waiting, holding up a large banner with the band's name across it. “I figured if you aren’t yelling it, you aren’t selling it.” All their jaws dropped, laughing and going up to examine it. “Kai, Kai this is…” Jeb laughed, giving his brother another hug, holding on tight. “Thank you.”

“It’s no problem, you just worry about playing your music, we’ve got the rest covered.” Jeb finally let go, wiping at his face to keep from getting completely misty eyed, Kai getting August and another rigger to help him set it up. They went and checked out the shirts and the CD’s, Jeb and Addie exchanging kisses and laughing as they made fun of each other and ragged on Lydia for her lack of self control when it came to flirting with Isaac. For a little bit, Jeb’s nerves were completely at ease. He was just with his friends, his family, setting up for an ordinary show like they do any other day.

And then Mark showed up.

“Alright alright, I know we are all excited by the new artwork and clothing but we need to get a soundcheck going. You ladies care to watch?” He asked, eyeing Jeb as he sipped his coffee. “What’d the guys at the label say?”

“We’ll talk about that later. Soundcheck, now, go.” Jeb rolled his eyes, but they all did as they were told, Mark escorting Lydia and Addie into concert hall, hanging back with them while the boys got set up. “What song are we doing?” Jamie asked, plugging his guitar in and strumming a few chords, Jeb just giving a shrug as they all looked at Isaac, who just huffed and rolled his eyes. “Why am I always picking?”

“Because you’re the leader of the band!” Jeb laughed, earning a drumstick to the face. From the back Mark was just shaking his head, but he wasn’t annoyed. Not even a little. At this point he was used to these antics, but he knew something the boys didn’t and he was more at ease. They were hard workers. They deserved some fun. “You two want to hear a story, about your friend Jeb?” He asked, taking a sip from his coffee, eyes still on the boys who were bickering about what to play, now waiting for the sound guys to get their mixing right. “What kind of story?” Addie asked, looking the older man over. She wasn’t sure of him, but it was someone involved with Jeb so he couldn’t have been too bad. “A drunk story.” Lydia tossed her head back and laughed. “I for one want to hear.” Mark smirked, setting his cup down and leaning back in the chair, letting his hands rest on his stomach. 

“So, back when I first met the boys and was in the process of signing them on with my management team, they were all party monsters. Jeb was…. Nineteen? Eighteen? He was young. It was his first year here and I get a call from Isaac, saying they went a little too hard at some house party and needed a ride home. No problem. Well, I get there, and I’m looking around the house and it’s a disaster. Like a total shit show people are falling over each other, the smell of sour beer is just… It was bad. But I get there and I find Isaac, Jamie, Johnny, and Jeb down in the basement, and I’m trying to wrangle them, which was the first time I learned managing them is like herding cats into a bathtub, it’s damn near impossible. But, so, I manage to get Isaac and Jamie, and we’re in the process of getting the other two when someone comes downstairs and says something about the police. I’m old and deaf and don’t quite make it out, but in some… Momentary brain lapse, Jeb puts together the sentence; fuck da police.” Lydia let out another laugh, Mark just shaking his head and taking another drink. “Fuck the police?” Addie repeated.

“No. Fuck. Da. Police.” He corrected, shaking his head a bit. “And the reason someone came down and was talking about the police is because the police were there. Coming down the stairs. And Jeb, being the charismatic person he is, managed to get everyone to join in. So there’s about... Fifty drunk as fuck twenty somethings, yelling fuck da police at this police officer. And that tall thing, right there,” He pointed at August who was helping Kai get the barrier set up. “Grabs a forty, smashes it on the ground and yells ‘scatter’. And the next thing I know, I’m being pulled out the back door by the boys, having to run through bushes, and we finally make it safely to my car. Where Jeb went, I still don’t know, but I do know that was the defining moment for these boys.” Lydia was almost in tears with how hard she was laughing, and Addie was stunned but mainly by the fact that he told that whole story with a completely calm and straight face. “Hey! Enough, just pick a song and play.” Mark finally called, earning the middle finger from all the boys. He just took in a deep breath, probably repeating some mantra in his head to stay calm, throwing his hands up when they finally started playing.

“Okay, check check, check.” Jeb spoke into the mic, waiting until he got the thumbs up from the sound guy. Then he just waited for Isaac who counted them in and they started to play. The sound bouncing off the empty walls of the concert hall and Jeb was so taken with imagining how it was going to be tonight he almost forgot his cue.

“Yeah here we go for the hundredth time, hand grenade pins in every line, throw ‘em up and let somethin’ shine, goin’ outta my fuckin’ mind.”

Mark watched his boys play. His adopted sons even though most of them weren’t that much younger than himself. The sounds of their guitars and drums putting a soft grin on his face. He watched the looks on the faces of them all as they were caught with the moment and enjoying themselves and every doubt he’d ever had about them left his mind. He couldn’t wait to see what they did with an actual crowd.

7:00 PM-- Doors Open in thirty minutes.

“There are people lined up around the block!” Johnny came back, hands on his head as he laughed, completely blown away at the idea people were actually waiting to see them. The boys were mixed with nerves and excitement, the doors finally opening and the people flooding in. Jeb peaked out from the curtain, his stomach starting to do flips. “Don’t do that.” Mark spoke. He hadn’t even looked up from his phone, but he didn’t have to. He knew the kid and knew what he was doing. Jeb just turned, the worry written all over his face. “Do you… Do you think--”

“I know you’ll do fine. I know I’m not the most…. Touchy feely towards you boys, but I have never had more faith in a band than I do in you. All of you.” He motioned around to the others who just nodded. “You’re going to do great. And all those kids out there? All those people? They’re here for you. And what you guys have done with your music.” Jeb nodded and looked over at his bandmates, his friends, the people that put up with him when they didn’t have to. 

And he knew he was ready for this.

8:00 PM-- Show time

The crowd was going wild by the time the lights dimmed. He almost couldn’t control his shaking hands, but it was too late to turn back now. The team huddled and said a small prayer before they walked out and took their spots on stage. Isaac hit his snare and then it all went loose. It was nothing but raw energy and music, the sound of the guitars and bass feeling like it was replacing his own blood stream, and it was official; Jeb DuBois had lost it. He was commanding the stage, telling the crowd to sing louder, jump harder, throwing everything he had into his songs his bands songs. The energy from the kids and people in the audience just fed into him more and more and more and he could see the release. It was as much therapy for him as it was for them. He saw the crying as they sang Believer and Cigarettes and Saints. How everyone just vibed and felt alive through You Look Good, and how Lydia looked at him when she saw him up on that stage next to her, and how even then she flirted with Isaac and amped him up. He watched the kids fall down and pick each other up and for the first time he realized that music didn’t just save him, but the things he wrote, the things they all created had saved other people as well.

He stepped back a moment, looking around at all the people singing back to him. His body jittering as they screamed back the words I’m not coming back, I’ve done something so terrible I’m terrified to speak but you’d expect that from me, and he finished out the song with tears streaming down his face, letting the guitar ring out as he backed off again, his chest heaving up and down as he gasped for air, the kids finishing off the end of the song with the words I guess I’ll go home. 

He never felt as home anywhere as much as he did up on that stage.

He took the moment to go to his knees and just let it all out, holding his face in his hands, using his shirt to wipe the sweat and tears from his face. “Hey! Hey you good?” Jamie was next to him, a smile on his face and his own misty eyes. Jeb just nodded, looking back out at the crowd one more time. The boys had been doing most of the talking that night, but he found he had something to say, composing himself and going back to the mic. It was their last song and he just wanted to end it right. 

“Y’know, this… This is a lot.” He laughed, letting the crowd cheer. “We’ve been doing this for awhile now and things are finally happening and to hear someone sing back to you the songs that mean so much to you and to know that they mean something to others it’s… It’s magical. And… And I know from talking to some of you that you relate to us and you feel the struggle and I just need you all to know that perfection is an ideal but this shit here tonight? This is pretty fucking perfect to me!” He heard Isaac banging on his drums and looked over at his friends, at his brother and Addie and August and his parents here were watching from the side of the stage. “And before I shut up and let y’all lose it, I’m gonna promise y’all somethin’, we got into this, because we wanted to make an impact. We wanted to create something that everyone could relate to and one thing you’ll notice when you come to our shows is that all of you are welcome here. Regardless of where you come from or what you do our music is for us and you and when you walk through those doors, whatever it is that hurts you, that you can’t handle, that shit gets left at the sidewalk, you’re safe here. And as we end tonight, uncertain of whether or not we’ll get a weekend like this again, I want all of you to know, that I don’t know how the boys feel, but I know that if I’m to die tonight, if I’m to walk off this stage and that’s it, I want you to know that I would have died with my happy ending. I’m surrounded by my friends and family and my dream is happening right before my fucking eyes.” He took in a breath, not realizing that he hadn’t properly breathed in a moment, but that was fine because everyone was cheering and the boys were going with it.  “And I’m gonna promise you something else, you’ll all get your happy ending too. You just hang in there.” He stepped back, listening to the cheers of the crowd, his heart aching as he saw some of the kids it hit hard cry and fall against each other for comfort, he looked over at his parents and down at his brother who had nothing but pride on their faces. And then the music kicked back in, and they closed out with their last song.

The crowd screamed back the chorus This ain’t a scene it’s a goddamn arms race at him, being egged on by the sheer angst and anger written on the faces of him Jamie and Johnny, fueled by the crack and beat from Isaac’s drums, and then it was over, the boys shredding up the best they could and giving the crowd their money’s worth. As it ended, he took one last look at the crowd, his chest swelling with nothing but pure joy, looking over as Isaac’s arm wrapped around him, and then Jamie, and then Johnny, and then they all took a final bow and walked off stage to Mark who, for the first time all day, they saw with nothing but a smile on his face, walking up and wrapping the boys in a group hug. “You guys… You fucking killed it. I could not be more proud of you. How do you feel?”

Jeb was straight up breathless, leaning back as they handed him a towel to wipe his face, wrapping an arm around Addie as she came bounding up to him, giving her a kiss. “Okay, okay, enough of that.” he rolled his eyes and looked at Mark, then over at Isaac who was wrapping a bandana around Lydia’s wrist, both him and Addie shaking their heads at her shamelessness. “You boys go and greet your fans. I think they deserve that.” They all looked at each other, beaming smiles on their faces as they all walked outside, being greeted by hundreds of people who wanted to talk to them. A couple told Jeb how it meant a lot to them that he spoke out about music being inviting, they were told how much the lyrics meant, and how sometimes it was just something to put on and make them forget for awhile. They took photos and selfies and stole phones and took snapchat photos, eventually giving them back when Mark came out and shut that shit down. They met as many people as they could, Lydia and Addie busy with the merch stand.

The boys went back and helped pack up their shit.

Saturday came and went and it was even bigger and better. Add five hundred plus more people and you get even more energy and off the wall performances from the boys. Every crowd every face burned into Jebs memory from up on the stage. The way everyone sang back to them, the way it felt, the pure, unfiltered energy that came from the crowd. It was shocking and breathtaking and there wasn’t a part of him that regretted a single moment. He’d sent Addie and Lydia home once the show was over and everything was packed up. His parents were staying at Hotel in Brooklyn so they left, and then it was just the boys, the crew, Mark and the record execs came rolling up as they sat around and munched down on food and washed it down with cheap beer. “That was some show.” The boys smiled at each other, shuffling their stuff around to make room on the floor. Mark had that sly look on his face, Jeb was unsure of it, but the man had never steered them wrong. The two other men sat with them, and they talked about music and how it felt to sing to that many people. How their road to success was anything but smooth, they talked about their earlier shows and records and getting clean and staying clean and then they started talking about touring.

“We went over some things with Mark, and if you boys would be inclined, we would love to sign you to our label. You’ve had time to think about it, and we know you’ve been busy, but we really feel we have a lot to offer you.” Jeb’s blood ran cold. He looked to Johnny and Jamie, then at Isaac to see if they were all thinking the same thing as him and judging by their faces they were. “Are you… Are you fucking with us?” Isaac finally asked. It was his band. He started it all and he got them all together, he had ever right to be suspicious. Mark just laughed and reached out to pat his knee. “We’ve been in talks. I was just as nervous as you guys but I trust them. You guys read over the contracts right?” He asked, the boys nodding, Jamie looking around. “I honestly thought you were just getting our hopes…” Jeb laughed and nodded, rubbing the back of his neck. The man from FBR just laughed and shrugged. “We know we’ve been sort of quick with the decision, but Mark was telling us Reprise and Atlantic were looking at you for awhile and we wanted to make an offer before you made a decision.”

Then all eyes were on Isaac. They were all in the band, but Sunrise was his baby. “If the boys are in then I’m all in.” Another beat of silence then Johnny spoke. “I’m going where Isaac goes.”

“And I’m with Johnny and Isaac.��� Jamie smiled at his friends then all eyes were on Jeb, who was still in shock they were actually being offered a serious contract and he finally just smiled and nodded. “I’m with my boys. I’m all in.” Mark clapped, beaming at the kids that he’d watched grow up as people and a band. “Well alright! We will leave you all to celebrate and then we’ll set up a meeting with Mark to get all of you to our office and get you signed, how’s that sound?”

“Sounds great!” They all chimed in, Jeb had wrapped his arms around Isaac, sobbing a little, Isaac crying a little on his own. “Hey, we did it, we’ve made it. It’s not over yet but we’re getting there.” They were all drained and sweaty and in need of a shower but it was almost five in the morning when Jeb got home and he just needed to sleep. So he dropped his stuff and flopped onto the couch, almost asleep but not before sending out a text to all of his friends and Addie.

“Guess who just got signed?”

And he fell asleep, for once not terrified of the future.

@FBRRecords: Some families you’re born into, some you choose, we’d like you all to welcome @SunriseAndSkylines to the family.