Take No Prisoners

Dusty Sunset Voltage

I had been moved to my shared room with Fun Ghoul helping me hobble along since I refused to let him carry me, a failed attempt to prove that I was perfectly fine. I was now alone, Ghoul and Sunshine popped in as often as they could and even Ghosted and Jet joined me to keep me company when they had a short break. We talked of different things, Ghoul smothering me with medical jargon (in my time alone I wondered if this was to prove his intelligence), Sunshine apologized but occasionally complained at how she was being treated, seeking comfort in me, and Ghosted and Jet kept me up to date with the plans as well as told me funny stories of their pasts to keep me upbeat. It was sweet being cared for, but I desperately craved to be training with them all, I was not used to staying in once place for so long. Never in my life had I spent so long bed-ridden, it was so unnatural, against my ‘killjoy’ lifestyle. In an attempt to keep fit I resorted to doing non-stop crunches, reaching into the thousands before the numbers became unmanageable and I went back to counting from zero once more.

I had just reached eight hundred and sixty seven for who knows how many times during the seemingly never ending day when I heard the shouting begin.

“Well you act like it Little Miss Sunshine. We need our rest. I don’t want everyone up all night, drinking and doing stuff that is going to waste our energy. We have lots of training to do.”

“Sure, like everyone is actually going to do what you say, just because you’re fucking Party Poison.”

It was not her vulgar language that made the hatred for myself grow, it was the tears that echoed round the misshaped house and the knowledge that I had caused them. The ache to care for her was unbearable.

“Hey,” The door creaked open and Ghoul stood there holding a tray of food.

I smiled lightly in response, unable to produce a full one with Sunshine weeping in the room next door.

“It’s not your fault.” He said softly, sitting on the edge of my bed and handing me the food.

I sighed and picked at a chunk of bread, “How is it not?”

“You can’t blame yourself for an accident, besides; Sunshine and Angel just don’t get on. They’re just arguing because they’re stressed and overworked, as we all are.” He frowned, “Are you gonna eat that or just pick at it ‘cos I’m starving.”

“Take it.”

“Thanks.” He smiled brightly, digging in.

We were silent, and I noticed that Sunshine’s tears had ceased. They’d been replaced by murmurs.

“Ah crap.” Ghoul groaned. I glanced at him quizzically as he put the tray on the floor then moved closer to me. “Your not gonna want to hear this.”

“Wh-“ I began, as he pressed his hands over my ears. I adjusted myself slightly, letting him lay next to me, unsure of what was going on. From the corners of my eyes I watched him lean back on the pillow, shutting his eyes and crinkling his nose obviously unhappy with whatever he could hear and I could not.

“Get some sleep.” I saw him saying. Skippy and Angel had taught me the importance of lip reading for spying; I was not an expert but was I am perfectly capable.

Shutting my eyes I let myself drift off, surprisingly comfortable his arms.

***

There was no sun to wake me up in this place, what with windows seemingly non-existent, so I was awoken by the shifting weight of something next to me. Drearily, I slowly opened my eyes. Fun Ghoul was snuggled into my side, one tattooed arm slung round my neck, the other rested on my stomach. Carefully I tried to wriggle out of his grasp, not wanting to wake him. My foot knocked against his and I braced myself for pain but nothing came. Finally I would be able to train again.

“Morning, Sleeping Beauty.”

I gasped, clapping my hands over my mouth. Ghoul laughed lightly at my shock then began checking my foot.

“It’s not swollen and the bruising gone down. Think you can walk?”

I nodded, not letting myself speak.

We had just spent the night lying next to each other. We had just slept in the same bed. He had had his arm wrapped around me. My stomach was filled with butterflies at the memories. It was not from liking him, that was defiantly not it. Maybe it was from the weight of his arm on me giving me pins and needles, or from not eating enough, or from the excessive amount of crunches. It was not a crush. I had no experience of the matter anyway, only what I had read about in books, so how did I know that this feeling that I felt was the one they described?

“You okay?” Ghoul asked as I got off the bed wearily, pressing my foot to the floor; loving the lack of pain when I did so. Never again will I under appreciate walking.

“Excellent,” I answered with a beam, “my foot does not hurt at all.”

“I don’t mean that.”

“What do you mean?”

He knelt up on the bed, his face in line with mine where I stood next to it. He smiled softly then pressed his lips against mine.

I inhaled sharply, jumping backwards and knocking into the wall. I gripped at the uneven surface with one hand and held out my pocket knife with the other. Ghoul did his signature laugh again, clambering off the bed and taking the knife out of my hand.

“Stop running away, Dusty. I’m just as fast as you are.” I felt there was a double meaning behind his words, I would have to ask Sunshine what he meant but then his lips were against mine again cutting off my thoughts.

I could not get away if I tried. My legs felt weak, barely able to hold myself up let alone kick him and my hands were held in his, pressed against the wall. My body was limp; I did not know what to do as he kissed me gently. Breaking the kiss he cupped my cheeks a playful smirk on his face.

“You’ve got a lot to learn. For starters, don’t blush when you’re trying to convince someone that you don’t like them.” With another delicate peck on my lips he left the room and after a deep breath I followed, my head spinning and the plaguing thought wondering if maybe I did like him.