01 - Even

                                    

                                          

Sweat stuck his tshirt to his skin as the electronic of the noise feed back resonated in his ear drums. The mask covering the top half of his face felt slick and slippery. Only held on by the elastic under his hair. Despite the deafening sounds, the aching hands and the blazing hot lights, Even was grinning.
                          
"Hey!" Lucas shouted down the microphone. He was bouncing on the balls of his feet, wired up by the combination of alcohol and weed that they had all dosed up on about an hour earlier. His black vest as also sticky with sweat from all his dancing across the stage. Beneath his hare mask, his eyes were bright and excited. 
                          
The crowd, hundreds strong and obscured by the blinding white lights, screamed back.  The noise sent a thrill up Even's spine. No matter how big the crowd, every gig gave him electricity. This was the biggest gig they've ever done. 
                          
"Listen up!" Lucas screamed. The crowed quieted down obediently. He gestured randomly in Even's general direction, flashing him a wide toothed grin. The long ears of his hare mask stuck up above his curly brown hair. The mask adding a magical, supernatural effect to his expression and Even felt a buzz of addicting power. "It's my boy, Hawk's birthday today! He's finally turned 18! Everyone wish him Happy Birthday!"
                          
Hundreds of voices sounded in a jumbled noise just about resembling happy birthday. Even grinned wildly, feeling ten feet high, and struck a answering chord on his electric guitar. The crowd roared back. 
                          
"Finally!" Andrew was smirking at him over his own mask. His bass was hanging limply on around his bare chest, skin glistening. He had abandoned his shirt ages ago and it hung from his belt. The feathers of his owl mask shined iridescent against his dark skin. Even knew that his own dark feathered hawk mask was also glittering. He returned his grin freely. "Our youngest member is a adult", at Andrew's words and raised arms, a whoop rose from a few crowd members. 
                          
"Yeah", Tobias echoed for the drums. He too had forsaken his shirt and the fangs of his cat mask made his smile dark and mysterious. His usual black framed glasses had been swapped out for contacts, making his eyes seem more bright and alive. "Happy fucking birthday brother". Even laughed at his sarcastic tone.
                          
"You guys are so sappy", he spoke into his own mic. His voice was rough from the previous songs and it grated through the speakers. He turned big eyes to the audience. "This is what I have to deal with. Honestly". There were a few scattered laughs. 
                          
Lucas and Andrew rounded on him. They both backed him to a corner of the stage and hefted him onto their shoulders. Even was laughing too much to put up much of a fight. He dropped his guitar and allowed Andrew to seat him on his back like a child. 
                          
"One two three", Lucas called into the mic. "Happy birthday to you, stick your head down the loo. Taste it don't waste it. That's my present to you", he sang deliberately out of tune. At the final word, he tipped his full water bottle over both Even and Andrew. 
                          
Andrew shook his head, the water dripping off his mask. He was grinning widely and they could hear Tobias' laughter echoing though the speakers. Even was laughing too much to care about his dripping shirt. He clutched desperately at Andrew's neck as the other boy ran around the stage. 
                          
Eventually, he lost his grip and fell onto the floor of the stage with a thump. Lucas appeared and hauled him to his feet. He patted him on the back and held up the mic. "What are they feeding people?" He asked the crowd. "How come he's so tall?" 
                          
Even leaned down to the mic stand so that he could cut in. "I hate to brake it to you Hare, but you're just part dwarf". 
                          
"Take that back you bastard, I'm five ten!" Even screamed a howl as Lucas leapt at him. He sprinted round to hide behind the drum set with Tobias, who was giggling at him.