American Metal: Ativan Halen

ATIVAN HALEN have been touring the Chicago suburbs for three months, and Benji, the band's guitarist, knows exactly how he likes to wrap up every gig.

Specifically, he likes to in the back seat of his van. With the merch boy, Matt... who also happens to be his boyfriend.

Matty runs a tight ship. He’s got an A5 notebook where he records all their merch sales, and one time he made Benji pay for his own button to replace the one that broke off his vest. Benji did so with cash from Matt’s wallet, which he referred to at the time as a self-sustaining economy.

“Didn’t… didn’t realize you were such a tightwad,” he has to pause to gasp, “Robertson.”

“Yeah you did,” Matt pants, laughing, arching into it. “I know you did.”