We're Nothing but Trouble

He bit his lip, biting down gently on the tender skin. God, he looked gorgeous. His lips were a few shades darker than his tanned skin, his just-past shoulder length brown hair curling slightly at the ends, stuffed under a backwards-facing hat. Chocolate eyes roaming my body, long dark lashes framing them. He took a step forward, reaching out and running his hands down my arms. He licked his lips subconsciously, looking up at me. He was so short, but he loved being the more dominant.

He tangled his fingers with mine, still coming closer. Soon, we were standing chest to chest. I leaned down and kissed the side of his face, gently placing kisses in a trail until I reached the corner of his mouth. He turned his head sideways, our lips brushing against each other. A shiver ran through me, reaching my toes and leaving the hairs on the back of my neck standing up.

Why do you have this effect on me?

He smiled, eyes flicking up briefly before closing and kissing me sweetly, untangling our fingers and moving his hands to my hips. He started moving us backwards, still slowly kissing me, our noses brushing, until I hit the wall.

So wrong, yet so right.

I deepened the kiss, moving his hands from my hips to around my neck, so that I could then pull him closer to me. His hands crept lower from around my neck, tracing circles on my chest and toying with the hem of my shirt. He pulled it off, breaking our kiss for a second.

'You're beautiful,' he said huskily, his voice low.

- - -

The sheets were tangled around our legs, and I was lying on my stomach as he traced patterns across my back. Guilt filled my stomach, and I flipped myself over, crossing my arms.

'I got engaged.' I whispered, staring at the stark white ceiling. Vic's trailing fingertips, which had moved to my bicep, stopped. I heard the springs squeak, and Vic's knotty hair entered my vision.

'Is this the end of us?' He asked, his voice just as low. His fingertips became restless against my skin again, as though he itched to touch me. I shook my head, unsure.

'I don't know.'

'To who?'

'Jack.' Vic's eyes flashed, quickly returning to a normal gaze. It had always been a competition between them. Jack, my high school sweetheart, or Vic, my friend with benefits. Jack had constantly won between them, his humor and quick wit making me fall for him time and time again. But Vic always had me coming back, the allure of his husky voice and the memories of crazy, drunken-hazed nights making him irresistible to me.

Vic had fallen silent, laying back down next to me and draping an arm over my body. He squeezed himself closer to me, kissing below my ear, where my skull tattoo was placed.

'Or just the means to start again?' Vic asked after a few minutes, nuzzling his head into my shoulder and nipping at the skin. I shivered at his touch.

Make a decision.

Vic now hovered over me, his strong arms holding his body weight off me. His kisses had moved from my neck to chest, his tongue now joining in on the fun, tracing small circles. He paused in his movements, glancing up at me. I pushed myself forward, connecting our lips.

- - -

I pulled my jacket on and left the apartment, leaving my keys on the bench with a note. Vic had fallen asleep, and I didn't want to worry him. I shoved my hands in my pockets, reviewing my options once again.

Jack, Vic, Jack, Vic.

It was an endless rotation of names, both tugging at my heart strings. The cool breeze outside helped me clear my head, and the fifteen minute walk to Jack's flat suddenly didn't take as long as I thought it would. One moment I was on Thames Street, the next, South Broadway. I knocked on the door, slipping the silver band around my finger as I went back a half step.

The engagement had seemed quite rushed, now that I thought about it. It was as though the tiny word that I had spoken the other day - yes - was a promise, not to Jack, but to myself. That I wouldn't be unfaithful. I thought I could delude myself with one word deciding my actions. Oh, how I was so wrong.

'Alex,' the skunk haired man behind the door greeted me with a kiss, almost knocking me off my feet.

'Jack,' I replied, pulling out of the kiss. I followed him into the house, and slipped off my ring, becoming nervous. What would he say? Would he hate me?

'Jack, I-' I stared, before being cut off by him.

'Don't say it.' Jack said, spinning around and fixing me with a stare. I gave him a half smile which fell in a few seconds. 'You think I don't know it? You've been fooling around with Vic for years.' He walked around the kitchen bench, tapping his fingers as he did so.

'How?' I asked, my heart plummeting. The expression on Jack's face was one of immense pain. Knowing I was the one who had caused it strengthened my resolution not to, as he put it, fool around with Vic again.

The look on his face, however, was not by my wavering feelings. 'It's not just you though.' He was scared he was going to hurt me. My face was one of shock, and I felt my jaw hit the floor. 'I know how much you love, and it was just a back-up so that if you did go off with someone else, the pain wouldn't be as much.'

'You got engaged to me... So you wouldn't cheat?' I asked, my voice small. My heart ached once again, but only for the love I felt for this man. He nodded, his doe eyes locking with mine.

'I'm sorry.' He mumbled.

'No foul.' I murmured back. I took off my ring, setting it on the bench. 'Do you want to call us off?' Jack nodded, placing his own ring next to mine.

'Seven years.' Jack said absentmindedly, admiring the silver rings.

'It's our anniversary,' I jumped in, remembering. Jack made a noise of agreement. 'I've got to go.' I said, walking over to Jack, who was lost in his own thoughts. 'I love you.' I said. It was the first time I'd ever said it.

'Love you too.' Jack said, returning the embrace. I walked back out of his house, scurrying to Vic's. My heart was still heavy, but I felt free. No more boyfriend. When I reached Vic's house, the door was locked, and a note was jammed into the wire door. I wrangled it out, reading Vic's loopy writing.

For the thrill of your touch I was shamefully lust. As you tell me we're nothing but trouble. My heart's on fire tonight, I felt my bones ignite. I love you - Vic

My heart started thudding. Yet another "I love you" in the space of thirty minutes. I rang Vic, hearing his mobile go off from inside his house. The pace picked up, and my mouth went dry, I ran. I had to find him.

On the back of the note, it said, It feels like war. And one always goes down.

- - -

There he was, standing at the freeway. A drink in his hand and a smoke in the other. The cars were flying by, faster than ever.

'You came.' He said, wonderously. He dropped the cigarette and stamped it out with his foot.

'Of course.' He took a long drink, placing the empty bottle beside him.

'We go together.' I blurted suddenly, as Vic stepped closer to the edge of the bridge. 'Or we don't go at all.'

'No, you and Jack are meant to be. I can see it. You always run back to him. I'm the rebound.' Vic said, his words noting but the truth. 'I can't come between you again, as much as I may like to.' Vic smirked at me.

'No!' I shouted, him taking another step.

'Love you, Lex.' Vic said, stepping out instead, in front of a bus. A few seconds was all he had before it slammed into them. Everything slowed down and I felt myself break into a sprint. The bus was screeching, the driver spinning the wheel and slamming on the brakes, but it was too late. Vic held his arms out, a look of bliss on his face. My own arms were outstretched, my long legs propelling me to Vic.

- - -

I opened my eyes, coughing. Everything was blurry, and draped in shadows. I felt a kiss placed on my lips.

'Thank you.'

My arms were outstretched, and I pushed Vic out of the way, taking the brunt of the crash. Vic stumbled backwards, yelling, and my own "no" was ripping through the air. Vic wavered in my vision, and I blacked out to the sound of sirens.

'Don't do it again.' I mumbled, my tongue heavy.

'Wouldn't dream of it.' Vic replied, his thumb rubbing circles into my palm. A consistent beep attracted my attention, and I looked around to see a heart moniter, counting out the beats of my life. I only now realised my laboured breathing, and how much my ribs hurt. I looked down at my chest and saw a bandage wrapped around it; not unlike an Eygptian mummy's.

'Ow,' I said absentmindedly, my vision clearing. I gingerly touched the dressing, wincing as I touched the spot where the bus had rammed into me. I looked up at Vic. 'My legs!' I said, panicked.

'They're fine.' Vic assured me. 'Broken, but fine.' I sighed in relief, relaxing. 'You're allowed out in a few days, but you're wheelchair bound for a few months.'

'That's okay, at least I'm with you.' I brought Vic down for another kiss.