#dangerkittenclaws

 IV was at the counter talking to the man who was clicking desperately at his computer. Something clearly was wrong with the reservation, but you were so tired that you really didn't care, you just wanted to slide into a cozy bed and sleep like the dead. It had been a long day, not including the show tonight and piling into a van afterwards. 

Two of your best friends and bandmates, Alexis and Maggie were sitting on one of the lobby couches quietly showing memes to II. Vessel, III, and Liv, your bassist, were sitting on the bench right next to them. You all had gotten to know each other fairly well considering you inhabited a bus for numerous hours, watched each other practice, and went out to eat together. 

You had noticed Vessel staring at times the past few weeks. You didn’t particularly mind the man was checking you out, it felt good to be wanted in a genuine way. You were not opposed to something new. You had become aware of him giving you glances that were a few seconds too long, a hand grazing just a little slower, him waiting for you so he could walk with you to wherever you were going. 

And the teasing and bickering, god, it never ended. You didn't expect any different, being in close quarters with four boys and your three raunchy best friends, it was a constant war. You didn't quite know how to navigate these waters with Vessel though, it had been quite a while since your last boyfriend.

Your attention was brought back by IV walking back over to where you stood, a grimace on his face.

“Something happened to their booking system, they’re overbooked and we're going to have to share rooms until tomorrow.” 

Some sort of seniority took over his voice, “Maggie, Alexis, Liv you can share the two-queen room, II, III, and I will share the other. That leaves you and Ves with the last king room”, he said pointing between you and Vessel. 

Your eyes could’ve popped out of your head at that moment, but you schooled your expression hopefully before anyone noticed. You looked over to your bandmates and saw how Liv wanted to protest, but closed her mouth before she could say anything, knowing it was futile and everyone was too exhausted to care. It was nearing 3am and you were only spending two nights here before traveling again. 

Vessel's eyes instantly shot towards yours, a small smirk forming on his lips, his arms crossed over his chest. Those lips. 

“I guess it's you and me, then, love.” He gets up, standing to his full height before grabbing his duffel bag from beside him. The rest of the group rises and gathers their things, IV giving out key cards in silence. 

You look at your girls, bidding them goodnight with a small wave and suddenly your hands are empty. Vessel had taken it upon himself to steal your suitcase and start walking towards the elevators. 

Startled, Maggie giggles behind you at your expression. Breath leaves your mouth in a sort of sigh and laugh, and your tired legs begin to move in his direction. He is already in the elevator, keeping the door open for you. 

“Damn your long legs.” 

He turns to you once the doors shut, “I hope you have a little bit of energy left in you,” 

You look at him confused, “What do you mean?” You know what kind of tone he has, a playful, flirtatious one that makes you blush. 

“I guess you'll just have to find out, won't you?” the doors open to the new floor and he darts out, immediately walking in long strides and searching for the correct door. You try to keep up, watching him try the key card on the fifth door down the hall and entering. You walk into the blackness of the room knowing he's just in front of you. He nearly giggles as he turns on the bedside lamp and watches your face scrunch up at the sudden light. 

“You could at least warn a girl,” you yawn. Just as described, there is one large plushy looking king bed in the center of the room, a tv mounted to the wall, a little breakfast counter, and a door ajar on the other side, the bathroom. 

Vessel drops both of your bags at the end of the bed, “Okay, me first, I need a shower.” he announces. You scoff and nod anyway, both of you taking out your pajamas and toiletries you'll need to set them aside. 

Vessel puts his hand on your hip from behind you, the boldest move he’s made yet, “I’ll be quick” is all he whispers near your ear. The warmth of his hand lingers on you even though you hear the door shut. You finally breathe again, you had stood frozen for too long. Is this really happening? 

You finally search out the TV remote, finding some mind-numbing home renovation show. You watch a few minutes, zoning out entirely, before the knob of the door twists and you turn your head. Your eyebrows raise at the sight before you. 

He is a little damp, clothes in hand, the last few water droplets running down his lean torso, hair scruffy from the towel dry he did before wrapping it lowly around his waist. You almost drool before looking back up to his eyes. 

“My eyes are up here, darlin,” he smirks. You feel your entire being light up red hot before you want to implode for getting caught staring at the very… enticing area that he is putting on display. It's not like he wears those pants for no reason at shows, it leaves little to your imagination and he knows it. 

You jump up with your head down, grabbing your things and dipping into the bathroom without another word. You shower hot, needing an excuse to be as pink as you were with that fine man that you had been roomed with. Your pajamas were just an oversized Sleep Token shirt and a short pair of plaid shorts. 

After scrubbing the day off of you, you change into your pajamas before your hand hesitates at the knob. You breathe out. We are just sleeping. We aren’t even anything yet. Why am I being so dramatic about this? 

You summon all of your courage to open the door and look out to see Vessel in bed, scrolling his phone, the room only illuminated by the TV. You put your leftover toiletries and laundry on top of your bag before plugging in your phone and pulling back the covers on the other side.

Vessel looks over to you, “Come here, love”, opening his arms to you. You snuggle into his side and onto his chest, as his hand rubs up and down your back. You involuntarily let out a little sigh of relief, finally you can rest. You fall asleep like that, him holding you close and warm. 

You wake up a few hours later, having turned to your side in your sleep, one of his still around your middle and the other under your neck. 

You move slightly and become aware of something pressed against your ass. You immediately hold your breath.

You slowly breathe out, and try to inch yourself away. His arm tightens around you. Oh shit, he’s awake. 

Like he reads your nervousness, he starts to kiss along the back of your neck to the side, underneath your ear. You shiver at his warm breath. 

“Hmm, I'm sorry, I just couldn't help it with your ass backed up to me darling.” You smile and blush at his words, knowing the effect you have on him. He grinds a bit into you as his hand slowly moves towards the waistband of your shorts. 

You realize your shirt had bunched up just below your tits just as his other hand reaches up and runs through your hair, long fingers pulling just enough for your head to move back. You turn to your back when he easily grazes over your clit and you clench your thighs together. Vessel gives you a little growl in your ear and your thighs cave open as quick as your resolve. 

“I've wanted you for so long, sweet thing, and I've got you all to myself now.” His fingers move in slow, small circles over your clit and your hands go to his bicep, grabbing at him for more. You let out a small moan as you lose yourself in the feeling of warmth of both of his hands touching your body and the building starry sensation in your belly. 

You reach down towards his stomach, caressing down, trying to burn the feeling of his skin into your mind before coming into contact with the curls of his hair. You hesitate slightly and he quickly attacks your lips, like he's reading your mind again. 

You continue on to wrap your hands around his long, hard dick and begin tugging on it. He smiles against your neck and brings his other hand up under your shirt to massage your tit before pulling your nipple taut and thumbing over the hard bud forming. He does the same with the other while his fingers work their way into your wet cunt, one slender finger at a time. 

You are getting impatient now, kissing his lips and neck, sucking his soft skin into your mouth to leave your mark. He lets out a whimper before seemingly regaining control of himself. Noted for future reference. 

He slides down your body in a quick moment before licking up your slick cunt, making you nearly cry out. He tongues your entrance before making his way up to your clit and practically latches on. You claw at the bed sheets beneath you eventually finding his grown out hair to pull. You don't know if you want him to stop or if you want more, this is so much better than your own fingers. You buck up into his mouth and he locks his arm around your thighs to keep you from squirming away. That feeling in your stomach is burning. 

He makes a few deliberate swipes of his tongue in succession over your clit and he watches that you come undone beneath him. Your eyes roll back, your hips tighten, and you gasp out his name. He keeps his tongue flat against you, tasting your cum before coming up to kiss you. 

The moment you taste yourself on him is the moment you feel him press against your swollen pussy. You moan into the kiss, wanting more of him. He grabs himself to properly press his dick into you. He does it slowly, making sure you savor every inch. 

“Please, please, Vessel, please”, you beg him. 

“Please what, kitten?”, that slow devilish smirk comes back with a vengeance on his wet lips. 

“Please fuck me, I need you to fuck me.” You mumble out, embarrassed but full of anticipation. 

He thrusts into you fully, making both of you moan out curses. Ves sets a pretty quick pace but makes sure to hit the one spot inside you that makes your pussy tighten around him on every pass. He bottoms out, touching the beginning of your cervix and you see his eyes roll back. 

“God, you are better than I ever imagined.'' He reaches his hand down between the both of you to play with your clit again. This time though, your orgasm is quick to approach with him inside of you. His fingers move swiftly as you grind yourself down onto his cock to meet his every thrust. 

You are scratching down his back trying to find purchase with how full he makes you feel. Soon enough, the pool of white hot in your belly is overflowing again and he changes the angle just slightly, fucking you through your orgasm. You moan out knowing your pussy is clenching around his dick in a vice grip. Just as you cum around him, he settles deep within you and his fingers dig into your hips. His thick ropes of cum spill into you and he pulls out to leave your cunt messy. 

You open your eyes half-lidded after a moment, trying to catch your breath, “Jesus, did you… did you plan that all along?!” 

He smiles wide at you, “Which part, the room sharing or the me-getting-you-to-myself?” 

“Either?” 

“The rooms being short just happened to play into my favor, but I was plotting to get you alone this weekend, my sweet kitten.” He pecks your lips before moving to the bathroom to get a warm towel for you both. 

You sigh out as you watch him, “I didn’t know what I was missing out on, really.” 

You hear his sweet laugh as he comes back in, gently running the towel over your pussy, cleaning you up. You squirm a bit but are easily distracted by the kisses he leaves on your inner thigh. You let out a small yelp when you feel teeth graze and a quick nip before he pulls away. 

He slides in next to you again, pulling you close, “If I have it my way, you’ll be mine forever.” 

For the past week you both have been playing a game to scare the other when they least expect it. You're sure that he couldn't have suspected you to hide here. You’ve already gone behind the couch, in the pantry, behind the shower curtain, and from behind every door.

You’ve burrowed yourself deep between the bed and the wall, buried beneath comforters, throw blankets, pillows and plushies. You try to slow your breaths to conserve movement and to keep calm as you lay in wait.

You let out a yelp and flail when you feel a weight above you press down, “No! This was supposed to be a good spot!”

You squirm some more and roll this way and that until you’ve gotten out from underneath him. Vessel's hand reaches for your forearm to capture you but you’re already forcing yourself up and away.

You run, giggling, out of the bedroom.

Before you’re able to scamper out of sight again, Vessels long strides catch up with you in the living room.

Long fingers get ahold of your wrist, turning you around to face him.

“Hah, got you!” He wraps his hand around both of your wrists, cuffing you to him. You try every effort to pull away playfully, laughing as you do.

He lets out a huff, tightening his grip before pinning your hands above your head onto the wall behind you. He watches your eyes get wide, sees the wheels turning in your head.

As a sad last attempt to get away, you use your entire body weight and heave yourself down the wall. It doesn’t make a difference to him, locking your wrists in place with his deadbolt fingers. You’ve effectively just slid down the wall, arms now extended upwards and knees under you. Your eyes go wide as you look forward, face to face with his cock.

“Oh, you like what you see?” he sees the blush on your face spread outwards. You avert your eyes from his gaze on you.

“Use your words, kitten.” You instinctively glance upwards when you hear your pet name. You can’t help it.

You make an agreeing sound but your voice doesn't show itself like requested.

“I said words,” he warns in an almost singing tone.

He leans down to graze his teeth against the shell of your ear and you shudder.

“Yes,” you breathe out, the smallest of sighs.

His soft lips find yours as he unbuttons his jeans, pulling his cock out with the hand that isn’t holding you hostage.

“Good girl. Now open that pretty mouth.”

Your eyes shine when you lean forward and take his cock into your mouth slowly, making sure to get it slick with spit before moving further.

He releases your wrists, feeling successful in winning this particular round considering the position you’re in.

Your hands fall to his abdomen, gliding down to his thighs to rest beside your face.

After you’ve made him moan out and throw his head back a few times, he grabs ahold of your wrists again, pulling you up from your knees.

His hands search to find your hard nipples as he gropes your breasts in tandem. He reaches around to grab your ass, making sure to dig in his fingernails just a bit as he lifts you upwards onto his hips. Your thin strapped nightgown lifts up to reveal your bare pussy to his awaiting cock.

You whimper into his neck as the sting of his scratches spreads across your skin. You’re now pushed back against the wall and Vessel is grabbing his cock and sliding into your sopping wet heat before you can complain again.

“You like being my little submissive cockwhore, don’t you?” Vessel growls into your hair.

“Mhmm,” you whine into his neck.

“I can’t hear you, kitten.” He thrusts into you harder now. Your mind goes a bit blank as you feel his cock hit your cervix, hips pushing up into yours, hands on your hips. It all feels so good, almost overwhelming as you’ve been caught.

“You won’t come until I hear those words.” He purposefully slows down to an agonizing pace so you can feel every inch of him sliding in and out of you. You clench at his demand instantly and fold.

“Okay, okay, okay, I do! I do.” You say quickly in succession.

“You do what, kitten? I saw those eyes when you were down by my cock.” He nearly growls as his thrusts quicken.

“I love….I love being your cockwhore, Ves.”

Vessel takes one hand away from your hip to grab a fistful of hair and pulls back, “Yes you do.”

Your eyes flutter as you cum on his cock, a thick white ring at his base from both of you. His thrusts stutter in rhythm before he stills inside of you. You sigh heavily into his neck, bliss emanating the air.

“God, you are perfect, you know that?” he whispers to you as he lets your feet come to the ground slowly. He steadies you by wrapping his arms around your waist, knowing your legs feel like jelly.

You feel as though you’re being watched from all sides. The only sound you hear is your own blood rushing through your veins and your lungs are moving oxygen so fast that you feel as though there's not enough. Panic sets in to your bones now.

You know it’s happening and you’re not able to stop it. Try as you might to tell yourself that it will be over soon, the terror that's being inflicted on you by whatever force above you is overwhelming.

You try to call out to Vessel, exerting all of your energy it seems, to get your voice to work, for air to move through your larynx.

The sound of your blood gets to be too loud and your entire being feels like it’s being shaken by this force that comes to haunt you too often.

Soon, you think through your panic. Soon you’ll pass out and it’ll be over. Soon is finally here.

Blackness envelops you, for how long, you’re unsure.

You wake up in near hysterics next. This time you’re able to move with your own will. Your legs come up to your chest as you sit upright.

Your breathing once again is too fast as you clutch the sides of your neck. You try to look around you to get your bearings.

Vessel moves to sit up next to you, “‘re okay, love. I’m right here.”

Tears fill your eyes and quickly overflow. You feel a hand rubbing up and down your spine, trying to get your lungs to cooperate. Your breath catches over and over again as you sob. The fear running through you is tangible.

Vessel realizes you’re past the point he usually can catch you to calm down. He gets up to be in front of you, moving the comforters to take your forearms in each of his hands.

“Hey, hey, focus on me,” he says seriously. You blink rapidly and look up to him. You try not to think about being frozen as you were, helpless and vulnerable.

“That's it. Focus on my voice sweetheart.” He puts your palms to his bare chest. This always helps you to focus.

“Breathe, baby. Slow. In and out. Do it with me. In and out.” You try to follow as best as you can through the tears streaming down your face. You feel his voice rumble through your hands as he speaks and his ribcage moving as he exaggerates his deep breaths.

He shushes you for a few moments. As childish as it may seem, it’s your favorite thing to hear.

You look into his eyes, trying to show him just how terrified you were a moment ago. You squeeze shut your eyes for a moment, more tears flow and you breathe out heavily.

“There you go. Just like that.” One of his hands leaves your own to caress your face. You lean into him. His thumb brushes underneath your eye, the skin there tender with hot tears.

You let your lungs fill with oxygen and breathe out again. It’s coming easier now, but your diaphragm still spasms occasionally.

“You’re okay now, pretty girl. It’s over.” He reassures you. He knows that this dream is recurring and petrifies you.

You breathe out before swallowing to speak, “I’m sorry. It.. it always feels so real.”

You always feel a bit stupid afterwards. It’s not like a zombie came back to life and ripped your leg off. Something normal be scared about. It’s just that an unknown force seems to make you unable to move on your own accord and to feel your body practically vibrating invokes such a fear into you that it leaves you unable to sleep for days afterwards. There’s never a zombie, as much as you wish for one instead.

“I know it does.” He reaches for your water cup on the nightstand and puts the straw to your lips. You suck down nearly half of it before exhaling again. “I’ll always be here, okay?” You nod at him as you take back your arms from him.

You get up to use the bathroom and gather your thoughts. By the time you get back to bed, Vessel is there, opening the covers to you.

“Come on, sleep time.” You slide in next to him, feet cold from the bathroom tile. You rub them together before finding his legs to warm them up. He laughs quietly, “Why do your feet always find me when they’re cold?”

“Because you’re always warm!” you whisper-yell.

He laughs again before sliding an arm around you.

“You know I’ll always be here for you, right? After every nightmare, after every dream.” He tightens his arm for a moment and leans down to kiss the top of your head.

“Mhmm,” You snuggle in closer to him, if that’s possible. “Thank you,” you whisper back before pressing your lips to his ribs.

You hear him shushing you again, knowing it's your weakness and your eyes close.

“He’s right behind you.” Price reassures you.

“I’m here. You’re doing so good, Panda.” You feel Gaz put a hand on your hip. You try to look over to him.

“I…’m sorry ‘bou the mission.”

Price answers for him, “It’s done and over with, don’t worry about that now Sergeant.”

“You heard the Captain.” Gaz smiles at you softly, ending all arguments from you.

Kyle is your buddy. You had met and gotten close to him first when you joined the 141. He had introduced you to everyone on base, accompanied you to trainings and sat next you in the mess hall until you were comfortable and had found your place. You learned quickly how to banter back and forth with him and the rest of the guys. Now you were ruthless and smart with your retorts, the worst of all of them.

You squeeze your eyes closed as the helicopter hits a bit of turbulence. It's the one thing you weren’t exactly fond of, flying. Your head pounds again. You can feel the blood in your brain pulsating from the beat of your heart. If the guys hadn’t reassured you, you would have thought your skull was exposed. Gaz’ hand squeezes over your hip again. You’re sure he was frowning without having to look.

“I’m going to give you some morphine, okay?” the medic says to you. “It might make her a bit sleepy but nothing too strong for now until we touch down.”

You weakly nod in appreciation.

You can feel a small flash of cold run through your arm from the saline flushes he uses. Its almost enough to make you shiver.

You realize there should be two more bodies in the helicopter. Your eyes shoot open to look down at your feet. There they are. Johnny and… that other man.

Johnny is watching you like a hawk, eyes full of shadowed panic. 

He reaches out to you, “20 more minutes, lass, it’ll be over.” He knows you hate flying, more so probably in a prone position.

You try to focus on the other man as if he was going to disappear. He’s looking down at his clasped hands that are resting in between his knees. He looks like someone important. He looks sad. Because of me?

Your eyes start to feel heavy again but it feels different. It's not on your brains accord this time.

You glance at Price, asking silent permission to close them. You still don’t remember the man sitting at your feet. You don’t remember the mission. You barely remember your expertise. You’re scared that if you let yourself close your eyes you won’t remember anything.

You wake up to a barely lit room. It's easy on your head. Two black shadows are sitting next to you.

You instantly panic. They were surely the enemy waiting for you to wake up, waiting to interrogate you.

Your heart can’t help but speed up and it's heard clearly on the monitor next to you. You’re giving yourself away!

Your brain doesn't respond to your berating, only panicking more.

Oh fuck, one of them is moving slowly.

You hold your breath, maybe they’ll think you're still asleep and spare you.

They come closer to touch your wrist.

Your fist reacts before your brain can comprehend it.

“The fuck?” It says. The other figure jerks.

“Huh? Panda, it’s okay. It’s okay. Simmer down lass. It’s just us.” This one gets up fast.

The light blinds you. This is where they torture you, you’re sure. 

You feel a warm hand on your face as well as tears. Again?

You open your eyes, scared to know the truth.

Oh.

It’s Johnny…and the man. He’s holding his chin over his balaclava. Shit, did you really hit the guy?

You wonder if they ever separate. Are they.. together?

Wait. Aren't you together with Johnny? You think hard about it. Maybe?

“Bonnie, you alright?”

“She checked me and you’re asking how she feels?” The man says laughing. At least he isn't angry.

“I.. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to.” Tears wet your face. The man walks back over to you. You feel guilty when he doesn’t touch you.

“I know, baby. It’s okay. I thought you were having a nightmare.”

“No.. I mean, yes, kind of?” You weren’t dreaming but it wasn’t real.

“Looks like someone is awake. Nice to meet you, Pandora. I’m Doctor Halverson, sounds like you’re a little confused,” A tall gentleman walks in taking careful control of the room.

You nod, surveying him as best as you can.

“Your brain CT scan shows that your head caught your fall pretty good, here, you’ve concussed and ended with a brain injury.” He points to the black and gray image on the computer screen he’s pulled up. 

“Brain injury?” Johnny starts up.

“These things can be tricky with what you remember and what you don’t - but usually you will regain everything within the next few months. I’m going to send in a neurologist to have him go over some things to do and look out for. In the meantime, your wounds seem to be on the right track, your team did an excellent job.” 

Simon's face falters, but quickly resumes his usual schooled expression. He glances at Johnny for reassurance.

“Will I… remember everything? I’ll be better?”

“Normally yes, we’ll put you on some medication to help cognitive function first, see how you do with that before we start anything else.” 

You incline in agreement, trying to wrap the neurons in your brain around a situation that’s floating away.

Soon, you’re being taken carefully back to the condo the three of you share near the base. Johnny, Simon, and you.

It makes you nervous even though you know that the old you was comfortable here, living with two men. You had learned when you were in the hospital that indeed, you all were in a relationship. You weren’t opposed to the idea, they were after all, very attractive men. Simon, you learned, told you that they would take everything slow and make you comfortable as possible, to take it a day at a time.

“How about ordering in for a movie night, lass?” Johnny suggests, setting his and your bag down by the door as he toes his shoes off.

“Sure.” you say. It’s not really a wholehearted response. You’re tired of thinking and you want the decisions made for you.

Like he knows, Simon comes over and gently puts his hands atop your shoulders and starts to move them in a magical way that makes you slump into him slightly. You can hear the smile in his voice, “Sit down, love, you just try to relax for now.”

You nod again and sit down on the couch, sitting in the middle, not knowing that it was your favorite spot and had been molded to your frame over time.

“How about that little Indian place down the road? They have your favorite - butter chicken.” You glance back at him, brows drawn. 

The confusion comes first, you don’t remember that. You don’t remember your first time having that delicious dish with the two of them on your third date. 

Anger now heats up in your belly. Your glance turns into a cold glare, and again before you can properly breathe, you’re standing up, going into what you hope is the bathroom and slamming the door. Was he not in the room when the doctor uttered the words brain and injury? 

Your anger simmers as you look up to yourself in the mirror. The moment your eyes reflect back, they fill with tears. Defeat replaces anger quickly within you. Your mind swirls with flashes of moments you assume were once important and meaningful. 

“Panda, I’m sorry, please, I didn’t realize,” Johnny pleads behind the door. You can hear Simon whispering to him, telling him to give you space. You send a silent thank you to him and shut your eyes.

Breathing out, you turn the shower handle over and start to strip. You at least remember how to do basic tasks. Just don’t ask me to name parts of a gun or how the three of us met.

Your shower is as nearly as hot as it would go, turning you pink as you scrub your skin as if underneath the layers would be some sort of recollection. Your tears had long washed away, but the bitterness you felt lingered on your tongue. You realized you still had a bandage covering your abdomen. It wasn’t big, but the bruising around it was a hideous shade of purple.

The water finally turned frigid and goosebumps appeared on your skin. You took a deep breath and let it out, trying to breathe out the last few days of stress along with it. Opening the shower curtain, you see clean sweatpants, a tanktop and panties folded neatly on the counter. You grab a towel from the hook and dry off well before peeling off the wet bandage and replacing it with a new one from the box that was set behind your clothes. Eagerly, you put on the comfortable items. The sweatpants were a size too big, you noticed, just like you liked them.

You open the door to smell the warm, spicy aroma coming from past the living room. You inhale, trying to savor it, hoping it gets locked away in an active brain cell for later.

“There she is. Make yourself a plate, baby.” Simon looks to you from the couch, the two of them already half-way through with their own. Johnny looks down to his plate and back up to you, giving you a sweet, shy smile. You return it with a small upturn of your lips, granting him forgiveness even though you know it was really your own doing and hope he understands.

You’re grateful for the chance that Simon gives you to do things yourself. You nonchalantly pile your plate high with rice, rich and saucy chicken, and warm naan and make your way to the middle of the couch. 

You arrange yourself to sit cross-legged as Johnny turns on House, MD. You do remember that. It’s your favorite TV show. It’s just engaging enough to watch intently but you’d seen it plenty of times to let it play as background noise if need be. You give him a big genuine smile this time, “I do remember this, though, Johnny… thank you.” 

You feel less like a stranger tonight as you get settled in between the two of them and start to eat. Hours pass into the night with light conversation; some added blankets and a few episodes later, the three of you cuddle into each other like any other night. You lay on Johnny’s chest with your feet over Simon’s lap. The darkness behind your eyes gets heavier by the minute as does the fear in your heart. You start to anxiously rub your feet together until Simon puts his hand over them.

A few minutes pass by as you fidget until you give up your words.

“What if.. What if I don’t remember it all? What if I don’t remember you or my job or-” you whisper, breaths coming quickly now. Johnny instantly sits up a bit bringing you along with him. “Bonnie, it’s not going to come in an instant. I know you want it to. I know you’re scared but you heard the doctor. It’s going to be a minute and we’re going to be here with you every step of the way.” Your breath hitches at his first words, anxiety running through you. His hand rubs your back up and down in an effort to get your breathing calmer.

“Johnny’s right love. It’s not going to hit you like a mack truck one day. It’ll be bits and pieces until the puzzle is back together. I promise, my Panda.” Simon lifts your chin up to look you in the eye, and wipes away tears that had escaped. You fall in love with his lips again as he speaks to you, you remember them from the night he stitched you up. 

You acquiesce and Johnny lays you back down on top of him. Your eyes start to close again and you reach out to grab his forearm and bring it to your chest. You are far too tired to remember, but you had always slept with your hands around his arm, snug against your chest. 

When you got hired as the band's makeup artist, you didn't quite know what you were getting yourself into. Painting four men in black paint every weekend? Easy enough, right? But since the first show, Vessel had taken a liking to you and was always a little more flirtatious than the others, coy even, at times. A few teasing words between the two of you became commonplace until Vessel had invited you out to dinner. You had thought it was a group dinner, but when you got to the restaurant, you realized it was just the two of you! That night he asked you to be his girlfriend.

But tonight as everyone was getting ready for the show, you were feeling a bit self conscious. You had seen an offer put out for a theater company looking for an artist in your hometown. You needed some reassurance, or rather a push in the right direction to apply.

“Do you really think I’m that good?” you asked Vessel as you were digging through your makeup kit, finding your essentials to cover his body for the night.

“Of course, what do you mean?” He gives you a small kiss on your temple before sitting down in the backstage chair. You pull on a pair of nitrile gloves after you find your large sponge and pour out the black liquid onto it.

“No, I mean, do you think I’m good enough to do something else, like professionally?” You kneel between his legs and start to cover his torso heavily, smearing and blending until it’s evenly distributed across his skin. You see his muscles ripple against your light touch and you look up at him expectantly.

“What about you being a touring band's makeup artist isn’t professional?” He looks down at you with seriousness in his eyes. You laugh nervously, continuing on upwards towards his chest.

“You know what I mean! What if I… went into theatrical makeup?” You kind of cringe inwardly, you know that its a little ambitious for your skillset. You focus on dabbing paint as if it would hide your own embarrassment.

He grabs your chin lightly and makes your eyes meet his. “Then I think you’d make a great artist for them, love.” He sees your eyes look away from his momentarily, not believing.

He gives your chin a little squeeze, “No, seriously. You can do more than play with one color, I’ve seen you do it. You can make that image in your pretty little head come to life.”

The redness in your cheeks spreads across your face. You open your mouth to reply but Vessel is a little quicker with a smirk on his face.

“They’ve been acting kind of distant lately.” IV prompts III.

“No, I know, I realized that too yesterday when they left lunch early,”

“I just wish they would tell us what’s bothering them.”

“I know a way to cheer them up!” III says, dangling a bag of popcorn in front of him.

“Movie night?” IV guesses.

“Movie night!” III puts the popcorn in the microwave and gets the largest bowl they have out of the cabinet.

IV gets the picture and starts in too. He grabs various snacks from the pantry, along with drinks for each of them. He takes the Red Vines and Skittles that are stashed away for nights like this into the living room. The smell of freshly popped popcorn fills the kitchen and wafts through the entire downstairs. IV sees the empty couch and gets an idea. He turns back around to find III setting the giant bowl of popcorn down on the table.

“I think we set up a fort,” IV says with a mischievous grin.

“That's why I love your brain!” III starts up the stairs as quietly as he can to gather blankets and pillows from his and IVs room. He throws down the biggest blankets over the banister onto the couch. IV takes the fluffiest one and lays it down on the couch first.

“Bring me two sheets too!” IV whisper yells up to III. IV goes to pick up two chairs from the dining room to put them on each side of the couch. The sheets land in front of him and he smiles up at III in appreciation.

III comes down, arms filled with pillows and stuffies, a giant smile across his face. IV grabs an edge of a sheet and spreads it out across the two chairs, the back of the couch, and the top of the television. He parts an entryway with two stuffies on each side, appointing them as guards. III packs in all of the pillows and smooths out the rest of the blankets inside.

“Okay! Done! Let’s go get them!” III pleads as he crawls out between the couch and the chair. IV holds out a hand to help him stand to his full height, smiling as he does.

IV knocks on your door lightly.

“Sweetheart? We have a surprise for you, wanna come see?”

III gently twists the knob and pushes the door open. You’re practically hidden behind a multitude of blankets, a few fingers pulling them down just in front of your face in answer. Your eyes look tired and glassy, like you just woke up. Not feeling like moving, you make grabby hands at IV.

“You wanna see it?” IV comes to the side of your bed, scooping you up in his arms. You nod into his neck.

The three of you make your way downstairs and IV sets you down once you’re in front of their fortress. You have an instant smile on your face as you look up to them.

“You did this?!”

“Yes! Would you like to go inside?”

You don’t even say yes before you drop to your knees and make your way inside. There’s no doubt that the boys are absolutely looking at your ass from behind. They follow you in, climbing with you up onto the couch.

“Ready lovely?” IV asks.

III hits play on the remote and the screen comes to life.

“Yessss,” you recognize the movie within seconds, The Lord of the Rings, starts to illuminate the white sheets above you.

III pokes your arm to grab your attention and procures the giant bowl of popcorn from the side table, “For you, my love.”

IV is sitting on the other side of you and presents drinks like fancy wine bottles. “We have the finest available tonight; Cherry Pepsi and Dr Pepper. Which will you have?”

“Pepsi please!” IV hands you your can before he distributes snacks. III pulls up the big blanket to lay it across the three of you.

You snuggle in to watch intently with a smile still on your face.

“We know you’ve been stressed with classes and winter isn’t your favorite season. Just wanted you to relax and enjoy tonight with us,” III explains.

“Thank you, III. It means a lot. And you too, IV. Really. I love it.”

IV kisses your forehead before snaking an arm around your middle to pull you into him closer. III steals a few Red Vines but you steal some Skittles and kisses in return.

Eventually you curl into IV’s chest, clinging on to consciousness and you let out a yawn. It’s only thirty minutes into the second movie.

“Well that was adorable.” IV whispers.

“You can go to sleep, love, we’ll still be here.” III says from behind you as he rubs your arm. He’s been watching you fight sleep for the past 15 minutes. IV just smiles down at you, seeing that you have “permission”, your eyes immediately shut.

IV catches III’s eyes, as if to say, “We did it, look at them, they’re ours.”