Mixed Feelings of Elation

"I'm not protecting you from a puppy, Alex," Neon stated, ignoring the tingling sensations Alex's touch left.

Alex remained pressed against Neon's back. The puppy was hopping around in front of Neon's feet, barking up at Alex. Neon looked down at Rainbow. There was nothing scary about him. His shining blue eyes and expertly fluffed hair did not radiate intimidating. He wasn't even six months old yet.

"I know you're the one who sent that dog after me, you better protect me," Alex retaliated.

"All I did was tell Rainbow to go swim. It's not my fault you were in the pool."

Rainbow crouched again, butt wagging with his tail. Alex could swear that puppy had it out for him. It may have looked sweet and innocent but it was evil. No one seemed to believe Alex though.

"Rainbow," Joseph called, voice sharp.

Rainbow immediately faced his other owner, ceasing his jumps and excited barks. Of the couple, Joseph was the one who dealt with disciplining Rainbow; Dorian simply spoiled the puppy rotten.

This is why they decided they could never adopt a human child and stuck with adopting a puppy from the animal shelter.

"Heel," Joseph commanded.

The puppy ran towards his owners. When the puppy reached the pair, Joseph crouched and rubbed the puppy behind his ears. Dorian watched his boyfriend, smiling.

"Look at the happy family," Lestat joked, "Dorian, I think I see the resemblance between you and Rainbow."

"Fuck off," Dorian responded.

Neon ignored their soon to begin argument, turning her attention to Alex. He was still pressed against her back, though his body relaxed considerably. His hands had a light hold on her waist. Neon could feel the weight of his chin resting on her shoulder and his breath against her neck.

She felt a tad uncomfortable in the position.

"You can get off now," Neon said.

Alex sighed, "I think I'll stay right here."

He liked being against her like this. Even if she didn't enjoy the contact.

Neon tried to move Alex's hands from her waist. He tightened his grip, making sure not to hurt her in the process of holding on. Neon groaned and let her arms fall limp at her sides. Her face turned toward the pool, away from Alex's face. Arpeggio was watching the two, a smile taking over her face. Neon glared at her younger sibling, who gave her two thumbs up and an even broader smile in return. Neon couldn't help but smile.

Arpeggio was just too adorable.

Claudia stood at the edge of the pool and said something Neon couldn't hear, catching Arpeggio's attention and ending the gestures between the siblings. Neon could remember a time when Claudia was too afraid to talk to Arpeggio. The diabetic drummer's withdrawn behavior used to scare Claudia, just as it scared everyone in the band but for different reasons. Claudia always adored Neon's outspoken and stubborn attitude. And Neon adored her as well.

Claudia was another child that Neon treated as her own. It made her feel a tiny bit better about not being able to have kids. Neon just hoped that Claudia would be open enough to go to her if anything went wrong at school, unlike Arpeggio who used to keep things inside.

That was far from the truth now. Arpeggio wore her emotions on her sleeve. She wasn't afraid to burst into tears when something upset her and didn't avoid laughing at her band mate's foolish behavior.

It was wonderful for Neon and she had Jack to thank for it.

Claudia left the side of the pool, where Arpeggio was now smirking, and skipped to Alex and Neon. She stood in front of them on one foot, the other digging into the ground behind her. Claudia bit her lip.

"What is it, sugar plum?" Neon asked, hoping to find out what was making the eight-year-old so nervous.

"Arpeggio told me to ask you when your baby is due," Claudia said.

Neon's mouth dropped. In the pool, Arpeggio was struggling not to laugh. Neon couldn't think of a response. Claudia stopped digging her foot into the ground, a wide smile keeping her from biting her lip.

"You're really going to have a baby?" Claudia asked, taking the singer's silence as confirmation, "Why didn't you tell me? Is it girl? It better be a girl. Is he the daddy?" she pointed to Alex, "Are you married? Why didn't you invite me to the wedding? That means you’re my uncle now. I'm going to call you uncle from now on. Auntie Neon, when are you going to have the baby?"

Neon placed a hand over Claudia's mouth, ceasing the girl's rambling of questions.

"I'm not pregnant, sugar plum," Neon stated.

It hurt Neon to say those words. She wanted to be able to say she was pregnant and have it be true. She wanted to get married and have a family. She wanted children that she didn't have to adopt. Maybe this is what lesbian couples who wanted to have kids felt like.

Oh wait, artificial insemination made that possible for them.

If Neon knew going through a bad stint of anorexia at a young age would leave her barren for the rest of her life, she would have just told Alex to fuck off when he called her fat.

"Oh," Claudia said, crestfallen.

"And Alex and I aren't together. We're just friends," Neon added.

Of course she would forget to deny that first.

"Can I still call him uncle?" Claudia.

"If you want," Alex answered.

Alex never was good with kids. He wanted them, sure. But he just didn't know how to act around them.

"Okay," Claudia smiled again and skipped back to where Rainbow was playing.

"Well, that was awkward," Alex said once Claudia was out of hearing range.

He wouldn't have minded Neon being pregnant with his children though.

"Yeah, let go of me. Arpeggio needs to take her shots," Neon commanded.

Alex did as commanded. No one could ever get in the way of Neon when Arpeggio needed something. She was devoted to taking care of the drummer.

"Jack, come here," Neon commanded.

Jack left Dante in the pool with the teenagers and managers and walked to Neon's side.

"What do you need?" Jack asked.

"Arpeggio needs to take her shots," Neon said.

"It's been three hours?" Jack asked.

Neon nodded. She was making Jack get used to taking care of Arpeggio. He knew how to give the girl shots, keep her blood sugar at a healthy level, handle her when her blood sugar was too low or shot too high, and everything related to taking care of a diabetic.

He was doing well.

"Where's her stuff?" Jack asked.

Neon motioned toward one of the patio tables. She watched Jack walk to the black bag of diabetic supplies, pull out a syringe and fresh needle, and fill the syringe with Arpeggio's insulin injection. She smiled when he remembered to check to see if the needle and syringe were working properly.

"Cutie," Jack yelled, "Come here. I need to stick you."

"Neon said to wait till later for that, Bear-cat," Arpeggio responded, not looking up from her game of water checkers.

Neon smiled at her sister's comment.

"I'm talking about your shot."

Arpeggio looked toward him, seeing the needle in his hand. She left the group in the pool, walking to Jack.

"You're pulling me away from a very exciting game of checkers," she stated.

"We can play an even more exciting game of checkers," Jack stated, pulling Arpeggio to his chest.

This was going to get out of hand, Neon knew it.

Arpeggio ran a finger down Jack's chest and stomach, ending at the waistband of his swim trunks, "King me."

"I'll queen you," Jack replied.

"Give her the insulin shot, Jack," Neon growled.

She didn't need to hear about what Jack wanted to do to her sister.

Jack grumbled, releasing Arpeggio and giving her the shot as Neon had shown him. When he was done, he put the needle in the Ziploc with the words "used needles" across it.

"Who's ready for cake?" Neon yelled.

A series of cheers were her reply. Neon retreated to the kitchen to retrieve the cakes.

She just needed to make sure to eat a small slice to make everyone think she was okay.