Zuke came to the lounge with two plates of chicken rendang with shrimp fritters and broccoli, setting them down as Mayday was strumming her guitar and tuning it. It had been a long week. Beating the EDM characters, then befriending them, having concerts, being more popular. This was their day off, luckily.
Mayday let out a frustrated groan as she tossed Kul Fyra’s guitar aside, leaning back into the couch, almost melting in it. Her calloused fingers were sore and so was her head.
“Need some dinner?” he asked, putting down two plates. DK West was an excellent chef, which made Zuke watch his cooking and learn from it. He’s pretty good at meats, vegetables, and desserts while Mayday sometimes goes for instant ramen or snack food when he’s not around. She beamed at the homemade cooked meal and grabbed a plate, digging in and opening a can of root beer as Zuke got himself a can of lemon tea. They both ate a few bites, chugged some down, and sighed out in content. Once dinner was finished and they were both stuffed, relaxation kicked in, as well as sleepiness.
“Thanks, buddy,” she smiled. Zuke smiled back and let his dreadlocks hang on the back of the couch, them limp. Mayday saw this and took out her braids and three ponytails, letting her hair hang down and tossed over the edge of the couch. She didn’t know how Zuke could be so chill. He was the chillest guy in Vinyl City, except around his brother. Once used to be tense, now playful, catching up, getting the occasional noogies and making a big deal about it.
Zuke, on the other hand, looked up to Mayday. She was someone who took life and their lemons, made a sword, and stabbed them. She was a go-getter, getting stuff done. He always followed her for she had a plan in her head and when she does, no one can change that. After all, she was the one who started this band and accepted Zuke, no matter what.
Each of them looked up to each other and it was a no brainer; they were the bestest of buddies. Peanut butter and jelly in bread. Peas in a pod. Hamburgers and fries. Drums and a guitar.
“Hey May?” Zuke spoke up. She looked over with a smile that stayed on her face. Who wouldn’t around their bestest of buddies and have a meal to boot. “Eve and I talked.”
This got her attention. She sat up a bit.
“Yeah?” she urged him to go on. He gave a chuckle at her eagerness. Mayday, always one to see if people were okay, unless she was beating them on top of the head with her guitar.
“Well, like I said, we talked for… god, maybe an hour. But… she got over me,” he smiled in a relieved manner. “In fact, she found someone else.”
“Tatiana,” he told her. Mayday gasped. Eve dating THE Kul Fyra!?!?
“Awww luckyyyy!” she whined.
“Are you into chicks?” he wondered.
“No,” she pouted, crossing her arms and looking away. “But if I was, I would’ve got her first…!”
“May, you’re literally years younger than her. Eve is shy of the age.” Mayday continued to pout, Zuke smiling and patting her head, like he always did. It was childish, but it made her feel happy. Zuke knew Mayday.
Mayday looked back with a smile and pushed his arm away.
“I’m not a baby,” she laughed.
“Oh, you enjoy headpats, I thought,” he snickered. “Like a puppy. Or a kitten. Or a ba-”
His words were interrupted when Mayday pounced on him, them both on the floor and started to play wrestle. They were like kids, but they knew no one would judge. Some shoves, turns, and pulls later, Mayday was on top of Zuke, claiming victory.
“Ha!” she grinned. “What’s the score now?”
“T-two hundred…” he panted. “Out of… two hundred.”
“Aw come on, you’re not even trying…!”
Zuke laughed, them both looking at each other. Zuke looked up at Mayday with a chuckle and then her eyes… those eyes always got him. So eccentric… Maybe it was because of how he saw art because of Eve, but truly… Mayday was a piece of art to him. Though she’d punch him if he said that to her. Her flower pupils made him nearly hypnotized, the shade of pink making him blush the same color, as if they were both having a contest to see who was the most pink. Her hair, floofed, tickled his cheeks as he continued to stare. But Mayday was doing the same.
His cool attitude, smooth voice, lazy eye look. Someone she can chill with or someone to cool her down. His dreadlocks splayed out like a sunflower on the floor and she would occasionally play with his hair just to feel them. His red eyes set him apart from everything else, which made them the most eye-catching, no pun intended.
They both stared, Mayday feeling herself lowering down to his level. Zuke felt himself sitting up slightly as they closed in… they could feel each other’s breaths. Zuke smelled like wood and dinner and Mayday smelled like the same, but with a hint of smoke from every fire blast on the stage. When they felt their eyes meet even more, Mayday closed her eyes gently… she let her heart guide her… and Zuke did the same, about to set a hand behind her head to ruffle with… but then they heard Ellie chirp from the feeding room. They both quickly recoiled back, blushing furiously.
“Um… so,” Zuke cleared his throat. “I better go um… feed her.”
“Yeah! Yeah yeah, uh, better go… do that… thing.”
Mayday got off of Zuke and helped him up, them both looking at each other. Their heads said the same thing about each other; ‘So radiant… beautiful… why are we scared?’
Zuke gave a little sigh that was barely noticeable and walked off until he felt Mayday grab his arm. He looked back, heart beating. He hoped maybe this was going to be what he was thinking. Her hand trailed down from his elbow to his calloused hand and squeezed it. Zuke watched her… and held both of her hands.
“... you want to?” he wondered. Mayday beamed and sprung up onto him. He yelped and caught her, her legs swinging over his hugged arms as she firmly planted her lips onto him. Shock turned into lust very quickly as he loosened one arm from under her and finally dug it through her locks and kissed back, eyes closed.
The feeling was something they both never experienced, even Zuke when he was with Eve. It was as if their hearts melted down and became a mist that climbed up their throats and met through their mouths, lips tingling, hearts pumping, thoughts clamouring. Mayday had her arms around his neck, pulling him closer and closer until, a few minutes later, they both leaned back, staring at each other, looking dazed and in bewilderment. Mayday had her hand on Zuke’s cheek, him smiling and leaning into it.
“That was…” Zuke started, but instantly fell flat. He didn’t know how to describe it. He was still stunned.
“... rockatok,” she giggled. He chuckled deeply, nodding.
“Rockatok, yeah,” he agreed. He put her down gently, their eyes never leaving each other’s sights. “... I’ll go feed Ellie,” he pointed behind him. Mayday nodded, her smile wider than her face. He walked off, and then stopped, looking back. “You know… I may know art, but I know you’re the finest masterpiece I’ve ever met.”
A quick punch to his arm made him wince a little and laugh. “I called it.”
