Nothing Personal

“New York! You’ve been amazing! This is our last song, it’s called Dear Maria,” Alex said into the mic as the crowd started to cheer more.

The first few notes started to play and Alex could see Jack in the corner of his eye jumping up and down. The crowd in New York was always one of his favorites, they were loud and energetic and it was always sold out almost as soon as the tickets went on sale. It had always been one of their bands favorite places to play, and by the looks of the crowd, that wasn’t going to change any time soon.

When the song finished, they made a few comments before walking off stage and handing their guitars back to their techs. They made their way back to their dressing room and grabbed something to drink since they were all sweaty and gross from messing around on stage so much.

“I need a shoooower,” Jack whined as flopped down on a couch and leaned up against Alex, who groaned and shoved him off.

“You stink,”

“Hence the shower,” Jack muttered as he stood and went over to where he had left his bag and started to go through it.

“Yeah, I probably should go too. I know for a fact that as soon as I see the bed I’ll be asleep.” Alex replied as he stood also and went to his bag. Grabbing his shampoo and a change of clothes, he followed Jack down the hall to where the stalls for the showers were.

He turned the water on cold since he was still really warm and sweaty from the concert and just as he stepped under the spray; Jack started to sing a few stalls down from where he was. He ended up singing along with Jack and a few moments later, they started to hear snickers.

“So much for staying on key Jack,” Rian said as Alex laughed and heard another shower start up. “This is the reason why we leave singing to Alex.”

“Psh, I’m so much better at singing than that Diva.” Jack replied as the other two chuckled.

“Yo! Diva’s,” Mickey’s yelled loudly over their voices.

“Ooh! It’s Mickey!” Jack yelled as the sound a curtain being drawn back was heard. “I have some room in here if you want to come join me! I have Mickey mouse shaped soap that you can use! But my Disney towel is still in the bus,”

“Bite me Jack,” he replied as Jack just laughed. “Anyway, I came to tell you diva’s that we’re ready whenever you are. Everything’s packed. We’re just waiting on you. So finish being girls and get ready to leave.”

Alex finished first and pulled on a Glamour Kills shirt and a pair of jeans and then went back to his bag and stuffed all his things inside. Rian and Zack came back a while later and then finally Jack came in with just a towel around his waist, carrying the clothes he had taken with him to change.

“Flyzik’s going to kill you,” Zack mumbled as Jack just smiled to himself and started to get dressed.

Once he threw everything in his bag, they all got their stuff and then made their way out to the bus. When they walked in, Flyzik was indeed mad but Jack just waved him off. The trip to the hotel only took about fifteen minutes, in which was spent talking and drinking. When they got to the hotel, they all grabbed their bags and made their way inside and waited for Flyzik to check in.

When he came back, he distributed the room keys and then told them that it was the usual roommates. Alex took his key and went to the elevator as soon as he could. At the moment, nothing sounded better than lying down in a warm bed instead of the bunks all the time. When they got to their room, he opened the door and Jack pushed past him running into the room.

“I call window!” Jack yelled as he flopped onto the bed next to the window. Alex just rolled his eyes not bothering to argue. He was too tired. All he wanted to do was sleep.

*What are you still doing up?* Zo asked as Jack disappeared into the bathroom while he was opening his bag and grabbing a few things.

*Shit, sorry Zo, I didn’t mean to wake you up. We just got to the hotel,* Alex replied as he grabbed his phone from his pocket and set it on the nightstand.

*Mm, it’s fine. It’s not as if I was sleeping that much anyway.*

*Worried about Do?* He asked even though he already knew the answer.

Tomorrow was the day when Zo and her family found out if the chemo treatment Do got was actually working or not. If it was, then they would see if they even needed to continue. But if it didn’t, they were going have to make some decisions that they didn’t like. It really didn’t surprise Alex that she couldn’t sleep. He couldn’t imagine what it would be like to go through something like that. Let alone be the one who had cancer.

*Zo, it’ll be fine. I promise. He looks like he’s doing really well. Everything’s going to be fine.* He promised.

The bathroom door opened and Jack walked out in nothing but boxers and smiled tiredly to Alex. “Night dude,”

“Night,” was all he said in reply as Jack got into the bed and flopped over on his side facing the window. Alex reached over and flicked the light off. *Go to bed, try and get some sleep, I know you need it.*

*You’re just saying that because you want to go to bed and get rid of me.*

*What are you talking about? I would never do such a thing to you.* She just snorted in response and he laughed. *Seriously Zo, go to bed. I’ll talk to you in the morning. Ok?*

*Ok, night.*

*Goodnight Zo,* she hummed in response and took a deep breath as she willed herself to sleep. By the time Alex was starting to feel himself fall asleep, Zo was still up. He wanted to try and stay awake to make sure that she would fall asleep, but he couldn’t keep himself awake anymore.

Then next thing he knew was that music was blasting from somewhere and a bright light was coming through his closed eye lids. He groaned and rolled over burying his head in a pillow as he heard an annoying voice start to sing along with the music.

“Jack! Shut up!” Alex yelled as he threw the pillow across the room and it hit Jack’s head. He stopped dancing and gave Alex a goofy smile when he saw he was awake.

“You’re up!”

“Not by choice,” he replied as he rubbed his eyes and stretched. “What time is it anyway?”

Jack shrugged, “nine.”

Alex stared at his best friend for a few moments in disbelief. “Are you freaking kidding me? Jack, why the hell did you wake me up at nine on our first day off since forever? I don’t even wake up this early when we don’t have a day off.”

“I was bored. There was nothing to do.”

“You’re a dick. I’m never rooming with you again.”

“Oh stop whining.” Jack laughed as he threw the pillow back at him and Alex rolled his eyes. “You’re phones ringing.”

“Thank you Jack,” Alex replied sarcastically as he reached over to the nightstand to where he had put his phone the night before and checked the caller id. “If you’re not calling because two hot girls are in the lobby asking for me then I’m hanging up.”

“Shut up dick and no I’m not calling because of that. But if that was happening I sure as hell wouldn’t be telling you about it. I’d be taking them up to my room myself.” Flyzik replied as Alex laughed.

“You ass,”

“Anyway, the reason I’m calling is to tell you and Jack to get your asses down in the lobby in a half hour, Colussy has plans.” With that, their tour manager hung up leaving Alex frowning at the phone.

“What the hell was that!?” Alex asked as Jack quirked an eye brow at him. “Flyzik is making us get ready. Apparently Colussy has something going on today.”

“How long do we have?”

“A half hour,”

“Shit,” Jack muttered as he grabbed a few things from his bag and then made his way to the bathroom. Alex figured he mind as well get up too and followed suit grabbing something’s and going to the bathroom to do his hair after he changed.

When they were finally done, they just had enough time to grab the last things they needed before rushing out the door and getting to the lobby on time or deal with the wrath of Flyzik and Colussy. They got off the elevator and found the others already there with the same annoyed faces that Alex and Jack had.

“Ok, the diva’s are here. Now what the hell was so important that you had to get us up at nine in the morning Flyzik?” Rian asked glaring at their tour manager.

“Well, it’s not me, it’s more Colussy,” Flyzik replied as everyone turned to look at the assistant tour manager with the same glare.

“Ok guys, I know its early but since it’s my job to find something to entertain you lot, I’ve decided to have a little fun around the city.” Colussy said giving a dramatic pause.

“Well?” Even asked as they all waited for his response. Flyzik shared a knowing look with Colussy before he continued.

“Two words gentlemen,” Colussy continued. “Scavenger. Hunt.”