The Bird and the Worm

“Hey Byrdie.”

I lifted my head from Brian’s shoulder and averted my gaze from the movie on the screen to look at him. “Yeah, Vengeance?”

“Did you ever think you’d be living like this? Y’know. Being with Bri over there, living with him, married to him and shit, and your best friend dating me?” I shook my head. “You had to think you’d get something out of that video. Cuz that thing pretty much changed your life, didn’t it?”

I placed my hand over the one that Brian had on my shoulder, lacing my fingers into his. “Yeah. If it weren’t for you guys, I wouldn’t be a music major, and I definitely would not have stood up to my mother.” My cheeks flushed slightly. “You should have seen her last month when we went over to tell her and Dad the big news.” I giggled. “I was surprised that she didn’t ask me if there was a baby somewhere in this equation. I thought she was going to faint.” He rubbed Gina’s arm, smiling at me. “Those three days changed a lot about me.” That was an understatement, but I didn’t want the conversation to focus on me.

Sadly, I didn’t have much conversation for them, either. The movie we were watching (Lady and the Tramp because Gina & Vengeance share my love for Disney films and Brian has always been up for whatever I want to watch) was too good for me to really break the silence.

It was great, though. I hadn’t had a movie experience like this in a long time, since the botched reconciliation with my mother…and this still beat that, even without the popcorn. Before I knew it, my eyes were closing, and I was leaning up against Brian’s side in the most comfortable way possible. In my sleep, I could feel his thumb, always stroking my skin, running across my knuckles, and I felt my body being moved slightly by each breath that he took.

I don’t know how long I was asleep, and I don’t even know if anyone else slept, but eventually, I felt smooth lips gently touch my temple, and I heard my favorite rough whisper murmuring my name. Groggily, my eyes opened, and the first thing to capture my gaze was a pair of chocolate orbs smiling down at me.

“Isthemovieover?”

Vengeance chuckled, shifting Gina slightly beside him, doing his best to not wake her up. “Yeah, it was over half an hour ago, but someone,” he kissed Gina’s hair, subtly hinting at the reason the film was playing again, “wanted to watch it again.” I smiled tiredly at him; neither one of these two guys seemed the tiniest bit bothered that both Gina and I had fallen asleep on them. “Course, it’s 7 at night now, so we should probably start on our way home.”
“I can carry her out if you want to get the door,” Brian suggested gently, but I sat up, putting my hand on his chest to stop him. “What, love?”

“Can’t they just stay the night?” I asked hopefully, glancing between him and Vengeance. The two of them looked at each other for a moment, and neither one seemed to be too bugged by it. “That way Gina won’t be woken up…and last I remember, it isn’t pretty when that happens.”

Vengeance smiled. “You sure?”

I nodded, and Brian went along with it. “Yeah. This house is huge. There’s bound to be a nice guest room somewhere.” He seemed to like this idea. “You can put her to bed, and then as long as we’re quiet, we can hang out until it’s time for bed.”

He released a mock-groan. “I’m not sure you and Brian should spawn. You sound too much like one of those mothers that has rules.” He said the word with a childish face, and I laughed at him, though we weren’t too loud. “And I can carry her if one of you can get the door. Think you could, Byrdie?” I nodded. “Awesome.” He smoothly picked her up into his arms, carrying her bridal style, and then I got up, leading him to the guest bedroom, opening the door for him.

I almost felt the need to look away as he laid her down, to be honest. He managed to slide the blankets out of the way before laying her down, and he bent down to plant a kiss on her forehead before he pulled the covers back up over her. It was such a sweet gesture, something I’d never picture him doing in a million years if I’d never met and befriended the band like this. “Wow,” I whispered, and he chuckled softly.

“What?” he questioned, closing the door and playfully punching me in the arm. “Doesn’t Gates ever put you to bed like that if you fall asleep downstairs?” I nodded. “Then why are you smiling at me like that?” I shook my head, brushing hair out of my face. “No, tell me.”

“It’s just…I never thought that in a million years, Zacky Vengeance would have such protective instincts for his girlfriend.” That just happened to be my best friend. “Nor did I think a guy like you would enjoy a girl like Gina, though you have no idea how happy it makes me that you’re giving her a shot.” He smiled. “Seriously. You’ve always been her favorite.”

“Just like Brian has always been yours, right?”

“Yeah.” I sighed, giving him a one-armed hug. “Thanks, Baker.”

“What for?”

“Being so good to my best friend.”

He shrugged, his hands in his pockets. “I kinda love the girl, what else can I do, huh?” He cracked a smile, but I paid attention to his eyes. He wasn’t lying. They had the same sparkle in them that Brian’s did, so I knew that he meant it. “Besides. I’m not about to let Brian Haner have all the fun, no matter how hot his girl is.” He winked at me. “Shall we go back downstairs?”

“Might as well.” He laughed. “Come on.”

I started down the stairs first, and he walked along behind me, giving Brian a brotherly hug before glancing between him and me for a moment, then murmuring something in his ear. They both seemed to approve of the comment, and I chose not to question them as Brian’s arm slid around me and we found our way back to the couches.

I still felt like I had to pinch myself. This wasn’t real. I’d gotten everything I wanted. Something had to go wrong….

Brian’s arm tightened around me, and I leaned into his side as before, letting my head rest on his shoulder, my hand on his leg and his fingertips lightly ghosting over my side. It amazed me that he and Vengeance were so relaxed with watching a movie that was clearly intended for ten-year-olds, and I felt a bittersweet pang for something I couldn’t recognize right in my gut.

He whispered something in my ear, but I really couldn’t tell what it was. Assuming it was a term of endearment, I sighed in content and allowed my hand to slide along his thigh, reaching his knee and then pulling back to where it had been before. He released the same kind of sound- this was a moment of contentment, if anything. Which was coincidental, considering Lady and Tramp were having their moment with the spaghetti as we did all this.

“I remember when I was a kid that I used to be jealous of Tramp,” he said, chuckling a little. “I mean, considering that he pulls all of this crap and still gets his girl in the end. I remember being ten years old and watching this with McKenna…those were the good days.”

“You remember ten but you don’t remember fifteen?” Vengeance teased, quirking his eyebrow and laughing.

Brian chuckled, shifting beside me. “I remember fifteen quite clearly,” he defended. “I do not, however, enjoy reliving it.” Vengeance rolled his eyes, and Brian stuck his tongue out at him- always the mature one.

Vengeance squinted his eyes, smirking, leaving his eyebrow raised. “No thanks, Bri. I already got a taste, right?” He then shifted his gaze hesitantly over to me. “I mean, you know…it’s not my fault my girlfriend’s a little off, right?” I chucked a wad of paper at him, and he failed to dodge it- being struck right in the cheek- and he touched his hand to the point of impact, a mock expression of horror on his face.

“Nice shot, love.”

“Why thank you, Brian, I pride myself on my aim.” You can bet that my expression was a little smug as I settled into him. “I can, after all, do amazing things with my hands.”

Vengeance rolled his eyes. “Jeez. You guys and the sex talk.” He sighed. “I think you got to her a bit too much, Bri. What happened to the nice, shy, sweet college girl from backstage seven months ago, eh?”

Brian scoffed, tugging me closer.

“I married a dirty rock star. What did you think would happen? I couldn’t be any shyer, you know.”

“Yeah, I guess you’re right. It was kind of inevitable. I mean, next to Jimmy, Bri over here is probably the worst out of us all.” He snickered. “When it comes to the whole ‘comments from the peanut gallery’ and all.” Another sigh. “I still miss the Heather Byrd from seven months ago, even though Heather Haner is pretty fun.”

I gave Brian’s leg a squeeze. He didn’t say anything about the Heather Byrd I’d been months ago and the Heather Haner I was now, but I knew exactly what he thought, and it was probably best that he kept quiet, considering the fact that Vengeance had never been up for listening to Brian and I talk about our relationship and the personal aspects of it- even though we rarely did, except when prompted by Gina.

“Where’d you get those rings from, Bri?”

I glanced up at Brian, his lips lifted into a sly smile. “Some place called Blue Nile, from a very nice man named Stephen.” Vengeance cocked an eyebrow. “Same place I got her engagement ring.”

“Really now.” Brian nodded. “I just didn’t think they looked like the ones from the chapel, that’s all.” He caught my gaze. “Always full of surprises, isn’t he.” I nodded, smiling at him. “You’re a lucky fuckin’ woman, Heather. That’s all I got to say.”

“Yeah. I know.” Brian’s arm slipped from around my waist, and I let my hand move from his leg so that I could fold it around his, my fingers curling into his palm as he did the same. “Gina’s lucky too.” Vengeance scoffed. “No, seriously. You two look at each other, and you remind me of these guys.” I nodded towards the screen.

“Lady and the Tramp, huh?” I nodded. “Well which one of us is Lady and which one is Tramp?”

I laughed. “I’m still trying to figure that one out.” We all laughed, and then I glanced over at Vengeance, catching his gaze as he cast a half-smile my way and shifted a little in his chair. I let go of Brian’s hand, and I walked over to the chair where Vengeance was seated. “Come here, you freaking sap.” He got up, and I hugged him tight.

He hugged me back and, second to Brian’s, this was one of the warmest hugs I’d ever gotten. “I’m glad Brian married a girl like you.”

“Huh?”

I wasn’t sure if he was looking at Brian or if his eyes were closed like mine when he said, “I never really liked Michelle, but I got attached to you real quick.” I kissed his cheek as we both pulled back. “Life’s goin’ pretty alright, isn’t it?” I nodded. “You sure you haven’t decided who’s Tramp yet.”

I wrinkled my nose. “No, but I’m just not gonna say anything about the making of Lady and the Tramp 2: Scamp’s Adventure.” I snickered, covering my mouth, and I turned to return to the couch after seeing him stick his tongue out at me.

“I don’t think we’ll be having kids any time soon, Byrdie.”

I snickered and Brian took my hand again. “We probably won’t either, Not until I’m out of school, at least.”

“My God. You’ve actually made an honest man out of him, haven’t you?”

“Yeah, I guess so.”

“It’s about damn time.” He winked at me and glanced away from what was most likely a glare of death from Brian. “Looks like she was the bird chasing the worm after all, eh, Gates?” He chuckled, and then settled into silence, as did Brian and I . Maybe he figured that silence was for the better when it came to fully enjoying this film, and it was quite possible that Brian and I could agree on that.