My Patient...Or Maybe More Than That (Joey Jordison x Reader)

1. Signatures

Y/N's POV

In California, 1999, the air was electric with Slipknot's debut album hitting the shelves. I was eager to experience the madness of Slipknot firsthand, so I snagged a ticket to their show in my city. I was excited about the show but was only vaguely familiar with their music.

Rumors spread like wildfire among fans—a free signing session before the show. Despite not being a die-hard fan, the chance to witness the band in person was too tempting to pass up. Weeks later, I found myself navigating through the sketchier parts of town to reach the music shop hosting the signing.

The line snaked around the block, but anticipation fueled my patience. Finally stepping inside, there they were—Slipknot, raw and unfiltered. Jim was the first I approached, the scent at their table oddly pungent, a mix of adrenaline and perhaps too much time on the road.

"Hey, how's it going?" Jim's voice cut through the air.

"Amazing now that I get to see you guys!" I exclaimed, catching a glimpse of his smile beneath the mask.

"That's very kind of you," Jim replied, scribbling his signature on my CD before passing it along.

Paul was next in line seeming exhausted but trying his best to seem happy and excited.

"Thanks for coming to the signing!" He exclaimed as he proceeded to shake my hand.

"No, no thank you for doing this free signing I bet you guys are exhausted from being on the road so long" I insisted as I sat my CD down on the table, waiting for him to sign it.

"Well, I hope you aren't too tired from waiting in that long ass line" He chuckled as he began to sign the CD.

"Not in the least" I assured.

Corey was next at the table, my nerves started to amp up. I wondered how Corey would react especially since he was known to act a little sporadic at times.

"What's up you crazy motherfucker" Corey yelled, catching me off guard.

"You know I'm just messing around" He assured, "I'll be sweet for a pretty girl like you"

"Well thank you" I said while I let a faint smile show. Then, I handed him my CD to sign.

"Jesus Christ," Corey blurted out. Confused, I wondered if there was an issue with my CD.

"Oh no, it's not you. These guys just have such bad handwriting; it's insane," Corey explained with a chuckle as he signed the CD and handed it back to me. Clown was next.

He raised the middle finger at me as he asked "What do you want signed?" he continued "CD, Vinyl, Paper, or your left tit?"

"I think I'm good with just the CD" I chuckled as I slowly pushed the CD to Clown. He signed his signature on the CD going to the person behind me in line.

Craig was just being Craig. Stayed silent, not uttering a word to me as he signed my CD. I opted to not say anything as well to avoid awkwardness. Sid nudged Craig in the side whispering "Don't be so rude, look at her she's a very pretty girl." It wasn't much of a whisper really as I heard what he said.

Sid waved at me even though he was three feet away from me which made me giggle. "How are you doing um" He paused, "Let me guess your name." I shook my head obliging to the game.

After a few guesses, I revealed, "Good guess, but my name is Y/N."

"That's a beautiful name" He emphasized. He put out his hand signaling to me I should hand my CD over to him.

"Thank you" I said.

As I got farther down I noticed Chris was nowhere to be seen. Since Sid seemed nice I decided I would ask him.

"I don't see Chris anywhere, is he here?" I asked.

"Oh yeah, Chris is puking his brains out in the back" He answered with a slight giggle ensuing as he continued, "We think it's food poisoning but the hell do we know."

My nurse brain started to turn on trying to find all the possibilities as to why he would be "puking his brains out". I thought about telling Sid I could check him out and see if I could help in anyway but decided it would be overstepping.

"Well that sucks" I frowned, "Hopefully he gets better."

Sid nodded prompting me to move to Mick. Mick was terrifying in person. His piercing eyes felt like he was looking into my soul. He could tell I was a little scared.

"Don't worry" He assured, "I don't bite."

I chuckled "Well that's a relief." I handed him my CD with him swiftly writing his signature and handing it back to me. I was down to the last member, Joey.

Despite the lingering odor of the guys, he was different. I could smell the scent of cologne, like he doused himself in it to mask the odd odor. Sadly, it wasn't enough to mask it fully.

"Hey there," he grunted, his voice gravelly.

"Hey, are you alright?" I asked with genuine concern.

"Yeah, I just banged up my hand at our last show," Joey admitted, a hint of pain seeping through his laughter.

"Hurts like a motherfucker," he added.

"Have you seen a doctor or anything?" I inquired.

As Joey signed my CD, he shook his head. "No, Paul just put some bandages over it."

I knew I shouldn't overstep but felt compelled seeing how much pain he was in. "Well, you know I don't mean to overstep but I'm a registered nurse," I offered, "I'd be happy to take a look, just to make sure there's no sign of infection or anything."

"That would be really nice," Joey conceded, his gratitude evident, "but this signing gig still has 30 minutes. Wouldn't want a busy girl like you to wait."

"I wouldn't mind at all," I reassured him, "you gotta put your health first, man."

"Only if you're sure," Joey replied, a flicker of concern in his eyes. "I never caught your name, by the way."

"It's Y/N," I replied, meeting his gaze with a reassuring smile.

As the minutes ticked by, nerves began to gnaw at my resolve. Why was I feeling so flustered? Sure, Joey looked undeniably hot in his mask, but this should be strictly professional, right? Lost in my thoughts, a sudden commotion jolted me back to reality.

Corey's voice boomed over the speakers, announcing the end of the signing. My heart raced as Joey motioned for me to follow him to a back room. With each step, my mind raced with uncertainty. What awaited me behind that door?

As Joey settled into a chair, his hand extended towards mine. Gingerly unwrapping the bandages, I winced at the sight before me—a hand mangled and bruised, stained with blood.

"What the fuck happened?" I gasped, horror etched across my features.

"Clown threw a keg at me," Joey chuckled, a mixture of pain and amusement in his eyes. "He was aiming for my face but ended up hitting my drum kit, bringing the whole thing crashing down on my arm."

"I need to go get some medical supplies from my car," I declared. "Promise me you won't disappear when I return."

"I promise," Joey assured.