Through All These Cities...

Being the first to bed (minus Brooke, who was still up texting at 3am) I was the first to be awake the following morning.
I stumble down the 7 steps, scrubbing my hand through my hair, knowing it’s a mess even though I tried to prevent it with the use of a headband, but yet again failing.
There’s no movement in any of the bunks on either deck of the bus, so I guess everyone else is still crashed from the tiring night before, and of course, the added alcohol we’d all consumed, so I have the bus to myself for a little while.
I wander through to the 1st deck back lounge, nearly jumping out of my skin when I spot a mess of wet hair poking over the top of one the seats, an audible gasp slipping past my lips and giving away my presence.

“Holy-! Amy! Shit, sorry.” Alex turns around, holding his hands up, “What are you doing up?”

“What are you doing on our bus?” I raise my eyebrows, standing my with my arms crossed, waiting for his answer.

“I used your shower. I woke up feeling like absolute crap, so when we stopped for gas, I came over here, they set off before I could finish.”

I roll my eyes, walking and taking a seat opposite him, “Stupid shit.”, it’s only then that I notice that he has my laptop, “Dude, using other people’s stuff much?”

“Oh, sorry. You’ll think they’ll mind?” He looks up, and then to the bunk where Tyler is.

“It’s mine.” I emphasize, “And no, I don’t.”

“Thanks.” He smiles, looking back to the screen, “Updating Twitter and stuff.”

“Interesting life you lead there, Lexi.”

“Lexi?” He smirks, raising his eyebrows, eyes looking up through his lashes.

“Well, you call me ‘Amy’. It’s only fair I shorten your name.”

“It’s the same amount of letters.” He mumbles, staring intently at the screen, but still smirking.

“Oh, shut it. You knew what I meant.”

“Irritable on a morning, huh?” He shuts the PC, “I am sorry I intruded though.”

“I can speak for everyone when I say, we don’t really care.”

“I promise I’ll go back to my own bus when we stop next.”

“Until then, how does some breakfast sound?”

Two hours later finds me sat, crossed legged, on one of the red leather chairs at the back of the lower deck.
Everyone else has left to have some ‘down time’ before the show. Leaving about Eleven am, I haven’t heard from them since.
It’s nice to have some time to myself, so I can concentrate on work without their antics distracting me.
Only minutes after the thoughts of peace pass through my head, there’s a knock on the side of the bus, and Alex pokes his head into sight.

“Amy? You down there?” He shouts, obnoxiously, hand curved over his mouth, only making his voice louder.

“In the back, Lexi.” I keep my voice at a reasonable level for the echoing bus to handle.

“Why haven’t you gone out with the rest of them?” He enquires, sitting next to me with a smile, despite every other seat being free.

“I could ask you the same thing, Mr Davies.” I haven’t once looked up from my work, my eyes shifting from textbook to notepad and back, but never to Alex.

He laughs quiet shyly, “Nursing a hangover, it’s gotten worse since earlier.”

“Typical.” I shake my head with a chuckle, “I’m just finishing work. Nothing exciting.”

“Anything I can help with?” He leans his head to look over the books, eyes widening as I glance up at him for the first time.

“You know much about Law, Alex?”

His mouth gapes, just like a fish for a few seconds, before he shakes his head, cheeks reddening with a blush, and a shy smile gracing his lips.

“Not much use to you then, huh?”

“The companies nice.” I nudge him, “Quiet company.”

He settles into the seat, leaning his head against my shoulder, watching Ice Age on the small Television. as I scribble away.

“Quiet I can do.”

An hour later, I’m done, and stifling a yawn, Alex asleep, snoring quietly next to me. As I shift to get up, just to move my books from my lap, I disturb him.

“You done?” His voice soft, sleepy and barely there.

“Uh huh.” I ruffle his hair, “Just heading to have a short nap myself. Rejuvenate for tonight’s show.”

“Bunk?”

I nod slowly, “Is that a hint that you’d like to join me?”

He just smiles, yawning as he follows me up to my bunk, climbing in before me and squishing himself against the back wall.
I hardly hesitate as I follow; only noticing that I’m only in a long plaid shirt and girl boxers when I’m safely embraced in Alex’s arms and already half asleep.

We’re woken, what feels like just moments later, to ruckus in the top lounge.
I’m about to turn away from the warmth of Alex’s now bare chest, to see what’s happening, when the curtain to my bunk is whipped open.

“There you are!” Alice sighs, arms flailing, “Come out here and-.”

She cuts herself short, looking behind me, her mouth gaping as Alex sits up slightly, a hand running through his bed hair, before he collapses back onto his side, face buried in my neck, hands around my stomach.

“Hey, Alice.” I smile, shuffling to sit up, dislodging Alex’s arms, earning a groan, “What’s going on now?”

“Uh-.” She looks behind me again, “Disagreeing about the set list.”

“Give me a minute to get my bearings, and I’ll come talk it out with you all.”

She nods, walking backwards, turning quickly and running the rest of the way, and I roll my eyes at her freaking out.

“What’s happening?” Alex mumbles, cuddling into my back, leading me to think that Alex isn’t as tough and emotionless as I first thought he might have been.

“The guys are arguing over out set list.” I swing my legs out of the small space, “I better go join them.”

He hums, “Have we stopped?”

“By the feel of things.” I nod, jumping down to the floor.

“I’ll go back to my bus then, wake myself up before we have to go sound check.”

“See you in the venue a little later then?”

He nods, sliding down next to me, leaning over to kiss my cheek, “Of course, Amy.”