Another Night on Mars

John was sitting on the steps outside his apartment, the Arizona sun kissing his exposed skin with its heated rays. He didn’t mind this kind of heat because he knew that there was a place with the AC cranked to sixty two just calling his name. Hunched over his phone, he started to mess with Garage Band. He was feeling creative and he had finally written a song that needed a second voice aside from his own. He was hoping that AJ was the missing void in the song but he wouldn’t know until he heard her place.

His head snapped up to the sound of tires against gravel, a wide smirk was sprawled across his face as he watched the jet black convertible pull into the parking lot. John was in love with AJ’s car, it was a beautiful Mustang A6 convertible with all black interior; never had he found a car so sexy than hers. He stood up from his spot and casually walked up to her, smirking as she opened her car door. “What? No top down?”

Her brown eyes squinted as the sun shined down, pursing her lips, she shrugged, “I did have it down but it started making my hair go crazy.” Stepping out of her dark car, she smirked, “It started to look like I had just gotten done having some wild, kinky sex.”

John chuckled, his eyes trailing down the length of her body as she reached in her back seat to grab her duffel bag. AJ made John’s hormones go into overdrive. He had a thing for legs and despite her being a little shorter than what he normally liked, she was all legs. He let his gaze dance on her right one, studying the tattoos that engulfed her skin. He had remembered the first time he had met AJ, shocked to see such an innocent face among the tatted friends of his. John was half way expecting their new singer to mirror Tess and was quite surprised to find that she was the exact opposite.

It took four days into their tour together for John to figure out that she indeed had tattoos of her own, they were just hidden underneath her skinny jeans. It took her four days to give up on the idea of wearing pants during the summer and forfeited the idea of ever wearing them again for the remainder of the forty seven days. They had made a stop at McDonalds’ for breakfast and it was reaching past the hundreds and while everyone made their way into the fast food joint, AJ stayed behind to change into something more comfortable and breathable.

Everyone aside from her bandmates, everyone gawked at her leg that was covered hip to ankle in ink as she walked on in. John being the first one to comment, not taking the time to think about what he was saying. But, it was no time at all until everyone agreed that it was “fucking hot” that she had a leg sleeve.

“So,” AJ snapped him out of his gaze, turning around, she propped a hand on one hip while the other supported her bag, “this better be a fun couple of weeks or I’ll hurt you.”

John smirked, “Oh, it’ll be fun alright. A pretty girl like you staying just a few feet away from me?” He wiggled his eyebrows and laughed as she playfully rolled her eyes. Holding out his hand, he offered to take her bag. “No, it’ll be fun. We’ve got a cool idea for Another Night on Mars and I needed my good friends here.”

AJ placed a hand on her heart, giving him a playful look, “Oh John.”

He pointed a crooked finger towards her as he led the way to his apartment, “Hey, don’t be an asshole now.”

She chuckled, following him. “Okay, okay.” Walking up the metal steps, she raised a brow, “Why didn’t you ask the others to come over?”

John turned his head and shrugged, “I mean I’m kind of friends with them by default because of you. When we met them in ’08 on Warped it was all fun and games until we went our separate ways. Then you joined and we really wanted to meet you and you just clicked better with us, ya know? If we called, you were ready to hop in your car and drive here.” Reaching his apartment door, he pushed it open and set her bag on the couch, “And I’m pretty sure Nina has a thing for me and things get awkward between us.”

AJ nodded, “Yeah, I suppose where I live in Coachella, it’s only two hours from you. It’s a bit easier to have spontaneous gatherings.” Laughing slightly, she winced as she looked at John, “Yeah, I’ve caught onto that.” Taking small steps, she reached for her bag and pulled out a hoodie. She was born and raised in the California sun and could not handle anything below seventy degrees.

“I mean, Nina’s cute, don’t get me wrong but she’s just not my type.” John flashed her a smirk, making a point to make it obvious that he was checking her out. “I like my girls like you, a lady in the streets and a freak in the sheets.”

AJ threw her head back and laughed, walking towards him and squeezing his cheeks together with her hand. “And what do you know about me and the sheets, O’Callaghan?” She waited for him to respond but all he gave her was a smug smirk, “Not a damn thing, that’s what.”

Pulling his face out of her hands, he leaned in, his breath tickling her nose, “I’ve got a pretty good idea.” His knuckle lightly nicked her chin, that famous smirk still on his lips. “But you know that room down the hall there?” John pointed in the direction of his bedroom, “We can use it to prove me right or wrong.”

She laughed, shaking her head, “In your dreams, boo.”

He laughed with her, straightening up and walking towards his kitchen. “Always, babe, always.” Bending down slightly to grab some beers, he popped his head up over the door, “Austin, Nick, and Eric are going to swing by.”

AJ’s face lit up, “Austin’s going to be here?!” She had gotten the chance to tour with Austin for a very brief amount of time before Aimless dropped off to do a few shows with Yellowcard for the remainder of their tour. But the little time she had spent with him was a blast, she adored his happy-go-lucky attitude.

John faked an upset frown, the hand that carried the two beers clutched his heart. “I’m so hurt, you didn’t sound that excited to see me.”

Holding out her hand, she accepted his beer offering and gave him a kissy face. “You should know that I’m always happy to be with you, babe.” With her keys still in her hands, she used her bright pink bottle opener to pop off the cap of her bottle. “It should be a given.” Taking a nice long swig, she shivered as the malt slid down her throat.

“I’m just kidding,” taking his turn to drink his beer, he motioned towards the front door, “although Austin’s pretty convinced that you two are going to get married.” John proposed another fake pout, crossing his arms as he gave her an upset expression.

“Yeah, okay.” She snorted while shaking her head. “Maybe in his dreams,” taking a seat on the couch, she looked up at John and smirked. “If I’m going to marry anyone, it’ll be you, I promise.”

Taking a seat next to her, “Careful.” John warned, grinning he nudged her as he brought the beer to his lips, “Don’t promise something you won’t be able to keep.”

AJ licked her lips, her eyes clouding with her flirtatious words, “How do you know I won’t keep my promise, hm? You’re the one that’s gotta plan it, all I have to say is yes.” Leaning forward, she could smell the faint smell of his cologne; probably from the day before, “And I’ll always say yes to you.”

John threw back his head and laughed, he truly did like AJ, one of the few girls he could joke around with and feel comfortable around. He knew from the minute he met her that she could be trouble but in a good way. The kind that would keep him laughing and holding his sides for days. Sipping on his beer, he gave her a sideways glance, “Watch it, Beckett. You don’t know what you’ll get yourself into with that kind of attitude.”

AJ could deny it to Lexy all she wanted but there was something about flirting with John that wasn’t entirely innocent. She wasn’t sure what she felt for him, if it was an actual attraction or if it was the fact that the connection between their flirting was invigorating. Or if it was both, all she knew was that if John made the first move, she wouldn’t stop it. And that kind of attitude would get her in trouble. “I’m sure I have an idea.”