Chapter 47 #2
Everything is going to be dimmer, duller, darker, but I know I can survive. The sooner they leave, the sooner I can get started on healing. If that’s even fucking possible.
“Please, don’t fall,” they all mutter. Four sets of hands dart out to grab me, but I slip out of their grips again.
“I’m going to go to the other room.” I point with a shaky finger towards the bedroom I know isn’t set up in the slightest. Hopefully there’s a mattress I can collapse on. “And by the time I get back, I expect you all to be gone.”
I turn my back on the four sets of eyes filled with hurt, disappointment and the quiet flame of determination that I know says that my dismissal of them only makes them want to fight more.
“Groceries are here!” I’m yanked from sleep by Markus calling through the apartment and the front door closing. The resounding ‘Shhhh’s’ I hear make me chuckle before my brain fully wakes up and I remember that I’m fuming at them.
And now they’re not listening to me?! Not respecting my choices?!
I push up off the bare mattress I was sleeping on, on the floor, and fight the wave of darkness threating to pull me under again. I need to eat. I need to drink something.
I need to get high to escape this bullshit.
Yanking open the bedroom door, I snap, “What are you all still doing here?! I told you to get out!”
“Not happening, Sync,” Kai quips with a shrug, sitting back on the couch with his feet up on a box.
They’ve set up the TV and I see all my dead electronics are on chargers.
Adam turns from the kitchen quickly to look at me, his hands pressing flat onto the small kitchen island.
Reis stands straighter, turning quickly at the sound of my voice from where he stands at the window.
My hands twist at my sides as my gaze locks onto Markus, standing at the kitchen island with three bags of groceries and a sheepish look on his face.
“We talked about it, and we’re not leaving you.
You think we abandoned you? We’re going to prove that we didn’t. And that starts now.”
“We aren’t leaving, not until we’re ripped from you,” Reis adds, coming to stand in front of me with his arms still crossed.
“You’re not going to give up, are you?” I tip my head up to glare at him.
“Nope. Not even for a moment. You’re it for us, baby. Always have been, always will be.” He smiles at me, a soft-eyed smirk that promises trouble and I narrow my eyes at him in return.
“You’ve said that before,” I say darkly, letting the gravel and glass thread through my voice.
“Ouch,” Kai gruffs, his head falling against the back of the couch like I’d shot him.
“It’s true, though,” Markus mutters, shaking off the pain of my words and pulling the food out of bags. “I got some stuff, not a lot, but enough to get us through today.” He pulls out some bread, stuff to make sandwiches, a plethora of energy drinks and water.
“You’re not staying here.” I cross my arms and my stomach growls loud enough that the whole room turns to face me. They all have stupid confident smirks on their faces now.
“We are,” Adam argues, crossing his arms over his chest and using his tongue to twist his lip ring.
“You need help, and we’re the ones that are going to help you.
Us, Echo. So come on,” he waves me over, “you can rage and push us away, you can be pissed off and sad at the same time, but we’re going to show you that you're ours. Fully. Totally. Forever. And we take care of what’s ours. ”
I stay rooted where I am, intent to keep them all at arms length, but Kai just chuckles, standing up from the couch and looking at me with that infuriatingly attractive smirk on his face.
“You better listen, Sync. We won’t stop saying it until you believe it, heart and soul,” he mutters soft enough for my ears, but strong enough that I feel his words in my chest. “We decided that you’re not to be alone.
At least, not until you’re okay to stand on your feet. ”
“Oh” I cross my arms in annoyance, cocking my head to the side and daring him to fucking say that again. “You’ve decided for me now. Huh. How galant. How kind. How fucking considerate.”
“Wait, wait, wait.” Markus steps towards me. “That’s not what he meant.”
“No, that’s exactly what I fucking meant. Don’t speak for me.” Kai looks unashamed, staring right at me.
“You’re speaking for us ,” Markus says pointedly.
“Touche,” Kai says with a nod. “But it’s true, baby. We’re not leaving you. Ever again. That starts now.”
“I’m going to throttle you all, starting with you.” I point angrily at Kai and shuffle over to the bathroom, but I stumble.
“Woah, Reverb,” Reis says quickly, stepping towards me and catching me before I hit the floor. “You haven’t been eating, have you? You’re tiny, baby.”
“I’ve been busy.”
His eyes rake over my body and I’m suddenly very aware of how gross I must look.
My skin feels slick from days of oils that should’ve been washed off.
Running my hand over my hair quickly, I wince from how gross it feels.
It’s matted from sleeping so hard and so long without brushing it.
I don’t even want to think about how disgusting I smell.
“Can I help you shower?” Reis asks me softly. “I promise, I won’t look or try anything, but you can barely stand up for longer than a few minutes.”
“I’ve got it,” I snap, but I really don’t think I have it. My mind is set on getting to the bathroom by myself, but my body… my body decides to betray me.
Fucking bitch.
The dark spots enter my vision again and I hold onto the wall, pushing my back to it to try and gather my bearings, but all that does is make it worse. I’m going to fall, I know it and there’s nothing I can do.
Reis' arms come around my sides, holding me up and against him.
“Please, Melody. Let us help you. You know we’re going to regardless of your answer. But we might not feel like such massive assholes if you give us permission.”
“Don’t lie,” I say weakly as I swallow, “You’re going to feel like that no matter what I say. And you deserve it.”
“We do. I do,” he admits softly, and I can hear the hurt in his voice. “Come on, baby. Let’s get you cleaned up.” His strong arms come around my waist and I lean into him, somewhat consciously, somewhat unconsciously. It just feels so good to be back in his arms again.
“Just to help. And you’re not looking.”
“Scouts honor,” Reis chuckles. “Adam, a hand?”
Adam nods quickly and walks toward me, gently taking my other side and they help me walk into the bathroom. Together, they undress me and I let them while I watch their controlled expressions.
Adam’s eyes widen slightly, just for a moment before he forces himself to look to the side, his eyes glazing over. Reis' jaw clenches and he breathes in sharply through his nose when he sees me. I knew they wouldn’t be able to not peek.
“Have something you wanna say?” I say weaker than I meant for it to sound.
“What do you mean?” Adam asks, feigning innocence as he turns to turn the shower on.
“You look like you want to comment. Please, go right the fuck ahead.” I roll my eyes.
Adam freezes and he looks at Reis out of the side of his eye before he takes a deep breath and nods.
“I’m fucking twisted up about how you’ve been.
We… You’ve been alone and you look like you’re next to death.
That’s on us. We should’ve figured it all out sooner.
I’m so sorry. I wish I could fix it but the only way you’re going to understand that we’re serious is if we stay.
And we will.” There’s steel in his words, and maybe one or two bricks fall from the wall around my heart.
“Come on, in you go.” Reis gently moves me into the water. When his hands touch my bare skin on my hips, I feel goosebumps break out all over my body.
The water wets my hair as I lean back, almost physically knocked over with what Adam means.
The hot spray feels heavenly. Wait—how’d I get the water turned on?
I don’t remember calling to set it up yet.
Reis nods to the side of me and I realize that these four very famous men probably have something to do with why I have water and power.
“We’re going to stay right here. Do you want us to talk, or do you need silence?” Reis asks as he shuts the glass door to the shower.
“Talk,” I say softly, the cool tile hitting my back as I slide down to sit. “Please, talk.”
“You got it,” Adam says and I can hear the smile in his voice.
“So, we were on the way back and George asked about you,” he shares quickly, launching into story-telling mode.
My brain shuts off in the best way, just listening to the way they sound talking about anything, and it's like I can breathe a little easier.
When they’ve told me every small little story they can think of, Reis turns to look at me and tells me it’s time to soap up.
On shaky feet, I stand and cleanse myself before the water turns cold and they force me out.
I don’t know where they found towels in the boxes, but the one that’s wrapped around me is fuzzy and warm.
“Food!” Kai calls out, and my stomach growls loudly again.
“Let’s get you fed.” Reis guides me out of the bathroom.
I don’t have any energy to fight him, to tell him I need to be clothed before walking out, so the moment we step out of the shower, Markus and Kai get an eyeful too.
There’s heat and tension in their gazes, but the most overpowering expression is concern.
“Melody,” Markus says softly. “Why didn’t you call us?” Kai’s fingers curl into fists against the kitchen island and his shoulders rise.
“Do I really need to answer that?” I ask exhaustedly.
“She needs food,” Adam interjects quickly.
“She needs a lot of food.” Kai smacks the counter. “This wouldn’t have happened if we were paying more attention. She wouldn’t look like she’s in medical danger had we been smarter. This is on us!” He growls and each word feels like a hit to my sternum, knocking the breath from my lungs.
I gear up for a session of verbal sparring with him, but Reis steps in.
“Now is not the time. She needs food, water, and rest. Let’s get her healthy and then the four of us can wrestle with the guilt. Alright?”
Kai’s nostrils flare as he takes a deep breath in and nods once, rolling his shoulders back.
“We made sandwiches and got the TV up and running. Dinner and a movie?” Kai asks.