Disasterpiece

We pulled back from each other, neither of us able to contain the smiles that plastered themselves to our lips, it was glorious. Joey softly wrapped his fingers around mine; drawing my hand to his lips he kissed it ever so slightly. I blushed a little, but no amount of embarrassment could ruin this overwhelming feeling; the happiness of finally being with Joey.

“I’m so glad I came back,” he whispered; his eyes shone in the rays falling from the street light.

“Me too,” I smiled back. Joey looked down at our entwined hands then back up at me, biting his lip.

“I want to kiss you again so bad,” he admitted with a light chuckle.

“I don’t think I’d complain,” I replied, joining in with the joke. Joey squeezed my hand as he tilted his head towards the door.

“Want to come in?” he asked, both of us knew it wasn’t even a question, there was no way we were walking away from each other this time. Joey continued to hold my hand as he led me inside, closing the door behind us. As we walked down to the den I looked around in a sort of wonderment, like this was the first time I’d actually been in his house – I was filled with the excitement of something new, a new adventure – powering into new territory so to speak. It completely amazed me that this was happening, that I was here not just as a friend (or an enemy turned friend as it was last time), but something more; something on a completely different level.

We walked into the den and I saw that the TV was on, paused on a scene from Joey having to get up and answer the door. Joey let go of my hand as we sat on the couch, both making sure we sat as close together as possible.

“I can turn this off if you want?” he offered as he picked up the remote, jutting it out towards the TV.

“I don’t mind – what is it?” I asked; glancing at the screen I guessed it was some kind of horror movie but it was paused on a camera movement so I couldn’t make out the picture. Joey’s face flushed a little pink as he pressed play, the movie continued and I recognised it instantly.

“Hey didn’t we watch this last time I was here?” I pointed out; Joey gave me an innocent smile and shrugged.

“Maybe,” he replied coyly.

“Am I missing something?” I laughed at his behaviour.

“Well…I was just watching it because it made me think of you and how you fell asleep on the couch that night and then how Corey asked if you’d murdered me and stuff,” he explained, he looked a little nervous at this admission, but it made my heart melt; it showed that we suffered equally for each other. That being together was what we truly both want, it wasn’t one sided or out of obligation.

“You’re amazing,” I gushed with a sigh. He snorted, shaking his head.

“Me? What about you?” he disagreed, he was suddenly filled an animation, adjusting himself on the couch to face me front on. “I’ve made so many mistakes when it comes to you but you always just forget it and move on, you’re the one that’s amazing! You have so much ammunition but you’ve never used it against me or even threatened too,” he said, his voice avid and full like he’d been contemplating this for a long time.

“Why would I ever want use ammunition against you?” I asked him, not able to think of a single reason why I’d want to intentionally hurt Joey.

“I dunno…because I’ve been a jerk?” he suggested, shrugging offhandedly. It was my turn to snort.

“You haven’t really and I don’t care how much of a jerk you are, I’ll always care enough for you not to hold it against you,” I said and truly meant it. Joey could do things ten times worse to me than Michael ever did and I would still forgive him.

“See there you go again being all amazing!” he laughed as he dropped the remote on the floor and pushed himself up against me. I fell back onto the couch as his lips crashed against mine once more. It was a crazy expulsion of pent up passion; Joey threaded his fingers through my hair as I snaked my arms around his waist, his shirt pulling up at little at the bottom, unveiling his soft pale flesh. I shivered with excitement, his muscles tensed as he pushed up harder; his mouth moving feverishly with mine. Then suddenly he pulled away, sitting back on the couch beside me.

“Sorry,” he apologised, breathing heavily. I sat up, patting down my hair.

“Nothing to be sorry about,” I replied; well, stopping was really the only thing to be sorry about. Joey picked the remote off the floor, letting his breathing calm to a regular pace. I bit my lip nervously, a nagging urge inside me wishing he’d kiss me again.

“Are you hungry?” he asked out of the blue.

“I guess so,” I replied, I wasn’t feeling hungry due to all the excitement, but it was about the time I would usually eat.

“Let me get my phone,” Joey said, standing up he offered me a smile and a wink before dashing out of the room and up the stairs. I relaxed into the couch, grinning contentedly to myself. Looking around the room, taking in all the movie posters and music memorabilia, I realised how at home I felt here. Closing my eyes I could picture myself calling this place home…cleaning here, eating here…sleeping here. My phone buzzed in my pocket. Pulling it out I saw it was a text from Josie.

“I’m sorry I can’t hold it in anymore, I’m going to go fucking crazy! Have you been ‘surprised’ yet?!!” she wrote. I laughed to myself, of course she knew, and she didn’t even warn me? Actually that reminded me of my conversation with Corey…it finally made sense!

“Haha, I can’t believe you knew and didn’t tell me, biatch! Lol. But yeah…I’ve been surprised and it’s worked out,” I texted back. Not even a second later and she replied.

“‘Worked out’ meaning?!!!” I could imagine her jumping around yelling at her phone for it to hurry up and give her an answer; I smiled.

“Meaning I’m sitting on the couch in Joey’s den right now…” I wrote, knowing that would make her scream.

“OMGOMG!!! YAY!!! I’m so happy for you!!! Corey’s going to flip! Yay!!! Ok call me as soon as you can ;-) ;-)” she replied at the same time Joey came back down the stairs carrying his cell and some take out menus. I put my phone away as he sat beside me, holding out the brightly coloured paper for me.

“I don’t want to choose!” I laughed, holding my hands up defensively in the air.

“Aw come on!” he pouted, pressing the menus close to me.

“Nope,” I said resolutely, crossing my arms this time for effect. He dropped his arm, mustering the best puppy face he could.

“Please?” he tried again. I couldn’t help but to laugh and give into him; I’m sorry but if Joey was giving you that face you’d do the same.

“Sigh,” I said overdramatically as he looked very smug and happy with himself, offering me the menus once again. “How about I just close my eyes and pick one?” I suggested, he paused.

“Ok I can deal with that,” he agreed, fanning out the menus in readiness for me. Closing my eyes I reached out for the paper, my fingers touching against the glossy finish before pulling one out.

“Thai it is!” Joey cheered; taking the menu from me he put the other ones to the side and began to read over it. After deciding what we wanted, Joey ordered and we were left once more watching a movie we had both seen a hundred times. Joey sat in the corner of the lounge, opening his arms up towards me. Scooting over, I rested my head against his chest as he pulled me tightly against him. He was so warm, it was the best feeling I had ever experienced to be there in his arms.

“Hey Vix?” he said softly.

“Mmm?” I murmured, not looking up at him as I didn’t want to move from my cosy spot.

“When did you know that you liked me?” he asked. I thought back for a moment at our past…the bump in at the cemetery, the BBQ at his place…pushing him in the pool…the massive fight in the recording studio, the incident on the plane! Wow we had been through a lot together. But when did I know that I liked him?

“I dunno…I guess I had a weird inclining the first time I met you, but it sort of stayed under the surface until we stopped fighting,” I said, we both chuckled a little. “What about you?” I asked, even though I didn’t want to I pulled away from him a bit so I could see his face. He looked down at me with a warm smile.

“I knew straight away, when I saw you in the cemetery,” he said, shocking me.

“Really?” I exclaimed lightly, unbelievably.

“Yeah,” he laughed. “There’s something about you Miss Vixen,” he said thoughtfully, his thumb lifting up and stroking my cheek a few times. My eyes fluttered closed as I enjoyed the rhythm of his touch on my skin. Joey let out a deep breath suddenly, letting his hand drop from my face. I opened my eyes, looking up at him with an air of questioning.

“This sucks you know,” he said, a crease formed on his brow line. My heart skipped a beat, momentarily worried that he was referring to us being together.

“What sucks?” I asked, my voice cracking just a little.

“That I don’t get to stay here with you like this…I’m flying out tomorrow,” he sighed again sadly. I frowned deeply, I guess I hadn’t really thought of anything more than the here and now.

“That does suck,” I murmured despondently. He offered me a sad smile, stroking my cheek again.

“I’m sorry…I really wanted to see you in person, but you know we’re on tour so I only get a small break between shows,” he apologised, I could tell he was as miserable at the idea of going back on tour as I was.

“Yeah…” I trailed off.

“I wish I could stay longer,” he said.

“Me too,” I replied. “When are you guys due back again?” I asked, having no recollection of Corey telling me exactly how long the tour was going for.

“Three months…” he said, knowing the answer was going to hurt me.

“Oh…” I breathed out.

“You can always come back on tour?” he suggested quickly; actually it was almost like he was pleading with me. Three months was a hell of a long time. I sighed; sitting up properly next to him so his hand fell once again from my face.

“I would love to but I’ve got Uncle Frank’s stuff to organise still and the bar to run,” I told him, looking down at my feet I wished for the umpteenth time that Uncle Frank was alive, everything would be so much easier if that were the case.

“We’ll work it out,” Joey said comfortingly, rubbing my back. I smiled weakly at him. “How is everything going with, you know, the organising stuff?” he asked, trying to change the subject; though the new subject was almost as equally depressing.

“It’s alright, I’m getting the local op shop to clear out most of his stuff for me, but there’re always little things you look over until they’re right there in front of you,” I replied, thinking of how many realisations I had to come to over the last few weeks.

“Yeah I can imagine,” Joey pondered. Talking about Uncle Frank made me think of everything I still had yet to do, I mean even though they were taking the furniture, I still had to be there to go through it and there were some things I couldn’t let them take, like his records and his ashes.

“I have his ashes too,” I told Joey. “I don’t know what to do with them though,” I admitted, biting my lip. He stopped rubbing my back but left his hand there.

“You want to scatter them?” he asked.

“Yeah I just don’t know where…there’s nowhere special around here,” I said dully, having racked my brain for hours I was sure of this.

“What about the grave?” he suggested; I blinked at him, wondering why I hadn’t thought of that.

“You think?” I asked. It honestly hadn’t even crossed my mind, which was surprising given how down I’d been, back in the day I would’ve raced to it even over the slightest of upsetting events.

“Well it means a lot to you, or at least it did, it’d almost be like putting him to rest there and I have no objections,” Joey said; I smiled to myself, seeing his logic.

“I like that idea,” I grinned, he grinned back seeming happy to be of help. God, it was so easy to talk to him now, the awkward pressure had been lifted, replaced only by a fervent longing – how a real relationship should be, how I had never felt before. “Hey what time does your plane leave tomorrow?” I asked, perking up.

“Around noon I think,” he answered. I bit my lip again, wondering if I should put the next question to him, but then deciding that I’d bit the bullet enough tonight, one more time couldn’t hurt; I asked him.

“Will you come scatter the ashes with me?” I asked nervously, it was a very personal requested after all. Joey looked a little taken aback, like he wasn’t expecting it, but he smiled none the less.

“I’d be honoured,” he replied, pulling me back into his arms.