Bulletproof

“Are you having a good time?” a voice beside me asked in my ear as I downed another shot. Bam and Missy had made it their personal mission to break me in when they found out I’d never drank before. I turned to see Ville had crept up behind me.

“Yeah, I am,” I managed with a hiccup and a giggle. I was still unsure what his motives were.
“Wonderful,” he answered, sitting on a stool beside me as Rake who was bartender tonight, handed him a beer.

I caught myself staring him, admiring his features. He had a thick, head full of brunette curls, which only further set off the hues of sage and emerald in his eyes. This man gave the Greek gods a run for their money.

I’d just downed another shot of something clear that burned my throat when I felt it. I was going to puke. I pushed myself off the bar stool and ran for the door, hoping I made it to outside before it was too late.

I hit the grass just as my stomach evacuated its’ contents. There was nobody else around thankfully to hear my pitiful retching. I felt weak as I crouched on all fours, puking violently. Finally, my stomach stopped heaving and I could catch my breath.
Panting through my mouth, I adjusted myself, so I was sitting on my butt, embarrassed for momentarily forgetting I was still in a relatively short dress.

I heard someone approach me from behind. I groaned aloud, knowing Ville had likely followed me out here to check up on me for leaving so suddenly.
I felt a hand grip my shoulder gentle while another one grabbed me around the waist.

“Let’s get you cleaned up,” his words were cool against my neck as he lifted me onto my feet, which
I was grateful for.

We made our way through the house, stopping at my bathroom. I immediately went to the sink to rinse my face off, looking up and seeing him leaning casually on the doorframe. The only sounds around us were the water running and the dull vibrations from the music downstairs. I quickly looked down, embarrassed to find he had caught me staring at him again. My stomach was in knots but surprisingly not from my alcohol intake.

“Are you feeling okay?” he asked, eyes were furrowed with a worried look when I chanced another peek up at him as I grabbed my toothbrush and scrubbed my mouth.

“Yeah sorry, um, can I ask you something and you not like, judge me?” I managed awkwardly after I finished. I bit my lip and turned to face him.
“Of course,” he answered, standing at his full height, alert.
“Why are you here?” I questioned, looking down and wringing the still wet washcloth in my hands before meeting his gaze.
“I’m assuming you mean in this room in particular?” he smiled, relaxing.
“Well, yeah. I know why you’re here per se,” I replied, setting the washcloth down behind me.
“Your cousin gave me very strict instructions to keep you out of trouble this evening. I haven’t meant to make you uncomfortable. I can go if you’d like, pardon me for assuming you needed my company,” he apologized sincerely, motioning toward the door.
“No, it’s been really nice! I guess I was just confused seeing as you’re Bam’s friend and all. I should’ve known he had something to do with it,” I added with a slight bitter tone, rolling my eyes.
“I came for Bam, but for what it’s worth I stayed for you, and it did not take much persuasion,” he said with a sideways smirk that made his eyes dance. God those eyes…
“Ville, you’re too kind,” I said with a smile, looking down again to cover the blush creeping up my cheeks.

He was in front of me in two steps and his hand was on my chin, lifting my face to meet his gaze.

“You have a beautiful smile,” Ville murmured, his hypnotizing eyes boring holes into mine. I couldn’t breathe.
His hand slid from my chin to sit at the curve of my neck softly and peered at me with a searching look.
Before I could think about what I was doing, I was reaching up on my tip toes, planting my mouth on his.
His full lips were soft and dominating. I was holding onto his strong masculine neck for dear life much like I was that morning when we had met on the couch.

After a moment logic hit me, and I released my vice-like grip on him and pulled away. I had just kissed Ville Valo.

“Oh my god I’m so sorry,” I began babbling, and to my surprise, he chuckled as he watched me figit with anxiety and embarrassment. “For what it’s worth, that was only the second time I’ve ever kissed a guy and I don’t know what I was thinking, I’m so-“
“Hush,” he replied, placing a finger on my lips, “I enjoyed it.”
My brain froze. “Wait what?” I managed, around the long slender digit.
He shrugged, “Bam Bam said you were a little feisty.”
“Me? Fiesty?” I scoffed, rolling my eyes, “The only other contact I’ve had with the opposite sex was Novak holding me down!”
“Excuse me?” he said suddenly, his entire stance going rigid.
“It wasn’t like that, nothing happened. He just held me down and kissed me,” I answered with a shrug.
“THAT was your first kiss?” he growled with narrowed eyes and curled fists.
“I mean, yeah but like, I’d like to just forget that happened and say this one was if that’s cool. It was a lot more consensual on my part,” I said shrinking back instinctively at his sudden aggressiveness. The way he stood reminded me of an angry panther, ready to pounce.

Seeing my submission, he blinked and lessoned his posture, letting his arms hang loosely at his sides.

“I’m sorry I didn’t mean to frighten you. Consent is a huge thing to me though and to imagine anyone holding you down in such a way… it makes me angry.”
“It’s okay, I promise I’m not that breakable,” I said with a smile, stifling a unexpected yawn.
“Let’s get you to bed kulta,” he said, eyes soft and warm as he extended a hand which I gratefully took. I wasn’t sure if it was the events of the day or the alcohol, but I was feeling overwhelmingly tired.
----------

When I woke up the next day, I was alone much to my surprise… until I remembered Ville saying they would be catching a plane back to Helsinki first thing in the morning. I was thankful for the blackout curtains that covered the window as my head began to throb. I laid there, letting the previous night’s events run through my head.
I remembered with an embarrassing grin, Ville helping me to my bed, only staying and cuddling with me after I promised I wouldn’t ‘try anything’. “To protect your virtues as a maiden and my own as a gentleman,” he had said with a wink. The last thing I remembered was him playing with a strand of my hair while his enchanting voice floated around the room, singing me a Finnish lullaby as I lost consciousness.
I managed to sit up, noticing a folded piece of paper on the nightstand beside me and opened it quizzically.
‘It’s not goodbye,
It’s until next time.
Ville’
My heart sang, even as my brain pounded in my skull.
I smiled as I read it over again before folding the note back up carefully. I sighed before getting up and walking downstairs, already knowing that everyone else would be asleep. I tried not to laugh as I came down to the living room to see everyone passed out.
I froze when Raab shifted but breathed again when he turned over to put his arm around Alina curiously, was wearing his pants and a coconut bra. I would have to ask her later about that… I smiled slightly looking over to see Bam and Missy laying in each other's arms. I also felt a twinge of jealousy as I watched them. I wanted someone to be around like Bam was for Missy constantly. A small voice in my head whispered Ville’s name and my heart began to pound again.
"Why the Hell are you up so early?" Bam asked waking up and rubbing his eyes.
"It's nearly noon cousin," I informed, beaming at him.
"She probably couldn't sleep because Valo left," Dico said sitting up sleepily while petting the purring cat that lay on his legs while I blushed.
"Ah don't worry about that, he'll be back soon enough that's for damn sure," Raab said as his female companion hugged to him to avoid the cold.
"Yeah, he's got one Hell of a reason now," Dunn laughed from the pool table before flinching from the obvious hangover we were all sharing.
"Shut up! He was nothing but a gentleman last night," I smacked him playfully as everyone slowly arose.
"I was trying to get you laid. How do you fuck that up? Ville’s an international sex symbol," Bam interrupted running his hand through his hair out of habit.
"I don’t need your help getting laid," I promised with a blush and a laugh.
"Well we as you can see, we stayed up and got wasted," Bam explained getting up.
"I'm hungry, let's go eat or something," Missy said getting up completely and taking Bam with her.
"You heard the lady! Get your asses up and get ready. We're going to the diner in ten minutes." Bam informed us waking off. I heard a few people groan.
Five minutes later, we were all waiting for Bam for hurry up.
"Where's Novak?" Dunn noticed he wasn't around, and everyone looked at me.
"Don't look at me! Last time I saw him he was going off in the woods by himself," I said holding my hands up innocently.
"Alright! To the limo!" Bam called, emerging from his doorway in a fresh pair of jeans and a CKY shirt.
We all walked out and hopped in the now painted purple limo while Dunn drove.
"When do I get to meet Jesse?" I asked, looking at Bam’s shirt remembering older brother, the drummer of CKY.
"As soon as he comes down to persuade Mum Mum to put him back in her will I imagine," he answered smiling broadly.
"Why'd she take him out?" I asked, knowing there must be a story behind it.
"First it was because he wasn't a virgin when he got married, now it's just because he never visits anymore and he used to be her favorite," he said with an eye roll as Dunn parked.
"Do you think that she'll like Wynter?" Raab's wife asked getting out with her husband at her side.
"Mum Mum doesn't like anybody, so I highly doubt it," Bam admitted grinning, "Hell why don't we find out? We'll go after breakfast," he continued as we walked in. I hadn't even met her, and I was nervous already.