Carry Me

Addison hummed along to the Lady Gaga song on the radio, trying to feed Damien. He was giggling and mumbling words along to the song too, and Addison wondered how he even knew it.

“Can’t read my, can’t read my, no he can’t read my poker face,” Addison sang quietly to herself and to Damien, who clapped his hands together and shoved a handful of spaghetti in his mouth. Sauce covered his face and clothes, as well as Addison’s, though she didn’t seem to mind.

Familiar hands slipped their way around the stained shirt Addison was wearing. She allowed herself to lean back in his arms and sigh contentedly.

“I can always read your poker face,” Matt chuckled. Addison could feel his chest vibrate as he did so, and it made her smile.

“Of course you can. You know everything there is to know about me,” she said jokingly, though it really was true. She couldn’t think of anything about her that he didn’t already know.

“I could say the same for you,” he replied, kissing the top of her head and smiling when she reached over to wipe off Damien’s face. She eventually huffed, finding it hopeless.

“You’ll be a great mother,” Matt said suddenly.

Addison turned in his arms so she was facing him, “You really think so?”

Matt shook his head, “I don’t think so; I know so.”

Addison rested her hands on his chest, happy with just standing in his arms. Her gaze shifted down to her lower abdomen, and she pictured what it would look like when she really did become pregnant.

“You sure you’d still love me, even if I became all fat and ugly and grouchy and bitched at you 24/7?” Addison asked, being half serious.

Matt laughed, “I don’t care what you look like pregnant. You’ll still be just as beautiful as you are now. And your bitching is nothing I can‘t handle.”

Addison smiled, chuckling and stood on her tip toes to kiss him, wrapping her arms around his neck. His hand found the small of her back, and he pulled her closer to him.

“You two disgust me.”

Addison rolled her eyes at Laney, who wandered into the kitchen and straight to the fridge, grabbing two cans of beer.

“Help yourself,” Matt said sarcastically. Laney slapped him lightly on the arm and turned to Addison.

“Amber and Veronica are here.”

Addison frowned, “Amber too?”

Laney nodded, “Yeah, but I’d be more than happy to kick her slutty ass out of here if you want. She’s done nothing but hit on Zacky since she got here.”

“What’s Z doing about it?” Addison asked, crossing her arms.

“He’s telling her to fuck off, which she just thinks is his way of hitting on her.”

“What’s Levia doing?” Matt asked, now interested in the conversation.

“Glaring daggers at her and groping Zacky. Amber is too dumb of a bitch to notice what she’s doing, but I’m pretty sure it’s pissing Jacoby off.”

Addison looked amused, “Levia’s groping Zacky?”

“And Coby’s getting pissed about it?” Matt asked, equally as amused.

“Yep. It’s hilarious!”

Laney chuckled sadistically and walked out of the kitchen, leaving Matt and Addison to their own conversation.

“How is that gonna work, Ads? Zacky and Amber are paired up for the wedding…”

Addison frowned, “I don’t know. We could switch them around?”

Matt shook his head, “Syn already won his spot up at the front, so he’s with Levia. Johnny’s with Laney and Jimmy’s with Veronica.”

“We could switch Laney and Amber?”

“You really think Laney would approve of that?”

Addison scowled, “No.”

Matt sighed and gave Addison a squeeze before letting her go, “I’m sure it’ll be fine. Zack won’t do anything and Levia’s not the jealous type.”

“But Jacoby is,” Addison giggled. She found her sister’s situation highly amusing, though she really did worry about how it would all work out.

Matt laughed, “I could’ve told you that myself. Jealous fucker.”

Damien laughed at the swear word, immediately recognizing it. Addison smacked Matt on the arm, a smile on her face.

“You ass! Don’t swear in front of him!”

Damien giggled again, also knowing that word.

“Your dad does all the time! He’s used to it!”

“He shouldn’t be,” Addison mumbled.

“Hey Addi!” Jimmy yelled, peaking his head into the kitchen.

“Yes, Jimmy?”

“You’re out of toilet paper.”

With that, the drummer left the room, causing Matt to burst out in laughter and Addison to shake her head.

“You have the most fucked up friends.”

Matt grinned, “But you love them.”

-----------------------------------------------

Levia sat by Jacoby, his arm casually around the back of the couch behind her. She tried her hardest not to lean into him like she wanted to, and found the task rather difficult. His arm kept twitching behind her, and it seriously took all her strength not to just grab it and put it around her shoulders.

She watched Zacky on the floor, playing with Emma, Rose, Makaile, Jagger, CJ and Freddy, along with Johnny, Brian and Jimmy. They were playing a giant game of ‘duck, duck, stallion duck’, with Tobin and Tony as the referees.

It was currently Jimmy’s turn, and he slowly walked around the circle, patting each person on the head. He got to Emma, his new favorite person, and screamed, “Stallion duck!”

Emma shot up and chased after him, narrowly missing him. Jimmy managed to escape and sighed a breath of relief. Emma crossed her arms and pouted.

“Aww, I’m sorry, Emmy,” Jimmy said, patting her on the head from his seat on the ground.

She smiled, “It’s okay. I forgive you, Jimma.”

Zacky shook his head, laughing, “I still don’t get why you switched each other’s names around.”

Jimmy put an arm around the still standing Emma, “Because we’re cooler than you!”

Both proceeded to stick their tongues out at Zacky, making him laugh again. Levia smiled at his laugh. She loved it.

Jacoby tapped her on the shoulder, causing Levia to look in the opposite direction of him, but in the direction of the shoulder he tapped. He laughed and she snapped her head towards him, smiling when she saw who it was.

“Hey, Coby.”

“Hey, Levee.”

She twirled her thumbs around, her eyes on her lap, “Did you want something?”

Jacoby shrugged, tapping a beat on his leg with his free hand, “Nope. Just felt like touching you.”

Levia bit her lip and tried to hide her smile, unsuccessfully hiding it from Jacoby.

“Well, thank you.”

Jacoby chuckled, “Anytime, gorgeous.”

Levia felt her cheeks warm up like they always did when Jacoby called her that. Brian looked up at her from the circle, giving her a smirk. She flipped him off.

‘In your dreams,’ he mouthed to her, winking and blowing a kiss.

Jerry looked at Levia from the other side of Jacoby, “Is there a reason he’s blowing kisses at you?”

Zacky glared at Brian, who grinned sheepishly. He knew Brian was only joking and thought nothing of it, but it was still fun to mess with him.

“He wants in my pants,” Levia stated, attempting to be serious.

“You know it!” Brian yelled, earning weird looks from everyone who wasn’t listening.

Amber, whom Levia had been trying to ignore, made a point of checking out Zacky as he got up and walked around the circle during his turn. She turned to Levia and winked, licking her lips and gesturing to Zacky. Levia glared and turned away, crossing her arms.

“That bitch has the nerve to check out my boyfriend’s ass while I’m right here,” Levia fumed, earning weary glances from Jacoby, Jerry, and Pete, who was sitting on the far end of the couch and was worried for his half-sister’s safety.

Veronica sighed and shook her head at Amber, obviously not pleased. Laney was fuming from her spot on the loveseat above Johnny, though she stopped when he stood up and his backside was practically in her face.

Levia laughed, “Enjoying yourself, Laney?”

Laney peered around from behind Johnny and gave Levia a guilty smile and did a thumbs up before returning back to her spot.

Jacoby glared at Amber from around Levia. She made a kissing face in response.

Jacoby’s face turned into one of disgust and he moved closer to Levia, causing their thighs to touch. Jacoby didn’t seem to notice, but Levia immediately tensed. He started bouncing his knee, a nervous habit, and Levia bit her lip, trying not to look like she was enjoying it.

Damn him and his sexy gestures.

Addison and Matt wandered in with Damien, and for a second Levia swore they looked like a real family.

Though the black baby threw it off a bit…

Matt decided to join the game of ‘duck, duck, stallion duck’, much to the delight of Freddy since they were practically best friends now, and Jimmy slapped him upside the head.

“Stallion duck, fucker!”

Matt jumped up and tripped, sending himself and Jimmy flying to the floor. Levia laughed as they slapped at each other.

“Bitch fight!” Johnny cheered, earning a strange look from Laney.

“So Addi,” Amber said, resting her elbows on her knees and nearly flashing everyone else in the room, “only three more days until the wedding. How’s it feel?”

Jimmy screamed girlishly and covered his eyes, earning a laugh from Leana. She loved that man.

“It burns!” Jacoby whined, burying his face in Levia’s shoulder. Zacky frowned.

Addison tried not to laugh as she ignored them all, “Great! I can’t wait.”

Levia smiled at her sister, who smiled back. They may not always get along, but Levia still wished her sister the best.

“You know, after tomorrow you guys won’t be able to see each other until the wedding,” Tony said, shaking a finger at the couple.

Matt frowned and Brian laughed, “Yep. No hot sex for you two until after you’re married!”

“We still have tonight,” Addison winked, setting Damien in Levia’s lap.

Levia cooed at the small boy and he smiled.

“He sure doesn’t speak much,” Jacoby noted, glancing over at Damien.

Levia shrugged, holding him tightly, “Dad says he doesn’t like to, but he can.”

“Yeah, about that. You never told us your dad was black,” Jerry said, giving Levia an inquisitive look.

She laughed at his expression, “Sorry. I didn’t think it was important.”

“But it is!” Jimmy yelled, earning weird looks from everyone, “I wish I had a black father!”

Matt collapsed on the floor in a fit of laughs, “I love you, Jimmy.”

Jimmy jumped on him, “I love you too!”

Damien jumped in delight and slid off of Levia’s lap, wandering over to Matt and Jimmy, climbing of top of them and laying there.

“Hug!” the small boy cheered, causing laughter to erupt in the room.

“I love kids,” Leana said, cooing over Damien when she picked him up off of Jimmy.

“You should have some,” Brian suggested, wiggling his eyebrows suggestive at Leana and gesturing to Jimmy.

She laughed, “We’ll see.”

“So what’s this I hear about a bachelor party?” Jacoby said, rubbing his hands together in an evil manner.

Matt’s face immediately brightened, “Oh yeah! That’s tomorrow, isn’t it? I completely forgot…”

“You are a bit forgetful, dear,” Addison said sweetly, patting Matt’s cheek. He pouted and looked away.

“That means there’s a bachelorette party too, right?” Laney said, looking slightly cheerful.

Addison nodded, “Of course!”

“No strippers,” Matt said sternly, pointing a finger at Addison.

“Damn it,” CJ mumbled.

Addison laughed, “That goes for you too, Matt.”

“Damn it!” Jacoby, Brian, and Jimmy cursed at the same time. They all looked at each other and laughed.

“Spoil all our fun,” Tony pouted. Johnny patted him on the back in a comforting manner.

Levia sighed, partly of relief. She didn’t want to deal with the possibility of male strippers at her sister’s party.

Or female strippers, for that matter.

Amber licked her lips, her eyes not leaving Addison, “That’s okay. We can find other ways to have fun.”

Levia shot a glare at the small redhead, who smirked back. Zacky glanced at Levia, seeing annoyance written all over her face. He then looked over at Amber to see her wink at him.

He scowled and moved closer to Levia so that he sat by her legs on the floor. She smiled at him and he couldn’t help but smile back.

Jacoby, of course, did not find this pleasant and looked down at his arms instead, finding interest in his tattoos.

Levia turned her gaze to his colorful skin, “You have so many.”

“What?” he asked, surprised by her voice.

“Tattoos. You have a lot.”

Jacoby nodded, unsure of what to say, “Yeah. I guess I do.”

Levia wanted to say something about her own, but thought that maybe it should wait for another time. Maybe when she was drunk. Things always slipped out easier then.

“Well I don’t know about you, but I’m excited for this party!” Leana said, smiling at Levia and then at Damien, who was still in her lap.

Levia smiled, “Me too.”

And what a party it would be.