megatrash

In Bloom [HangYourSecrets x megatrash] [18+]

It was either the comfortable couch, or the two joints she had smoked, but Jane had found herself drifting in and out of light sleep as the music still played throughout the empty bus. The only thing that had brought her to complete lucidity was the sensation of a body sitting next to her, and after a quick wave of shock, her body loosened once again and she smirked, rubbing her eyes.

“Well,” she began lazily, her finger tapping a button on the small speaker remote to silence the music, “we’ll see what’s on the way, yeah?” Based on feeling alone, Jane knew her eyes were probably half way open and a deep shade of red. “I got a few more joints from Andy for later.”

She sat up straight and stretching, groaning quietly as her eyes remained on Rob. He looked… different. Jane had grown accustomed to the brooding demeanor that he’d taken on, but now, he seemed relaxed. Happy, even. It would be a bit far-fetched to think that the anticipation of the night ahead was what brought him out of a seemingly permanent funk, but she decided not to question it.

Instead, Jane inched towards him, but not I her usual manner. It was one in which showed her both physical and mental exhaustion caused by the current events. Once close enough, she nuzzled herself against him and sighed as an arm wrapped around his torso. "My shits ready to go," she explained quietly. "I'm ready when you are."

Her words betrayed her actions; Jane remained curled up next to him without allowing him the room to get up. It was of her mind was forcing her to cling on to whatever peaceful moment she had with Rob before everything got inevitably fucked up again. Negative thinking? Yeah. But Jane was never one to be optimistic. If anything, she felt as if she was just heeding the warnings the universe was throwing at her, that her intuition was right: that what she had to offer Rob just wasn't what he needed.

Jane squeezed him tightly, then sat up straight, nodding at him in approval for getting up off the couch. She grabbed a few last minute items - phone chargers, a water bottle, and an apple - before they both exited the bus out into the gloomy day Oslo had to offer them.

*****

On the ride to the hotel, the driver ranted and raved about the restaurant that it had on the ground level, and they decided that they would just eat there for convenience instead of trying to find somewhere in the city to grab lunch. Jane rested her head on his shoulder, and both looked out the window as the towed zipped past them. It was a quiet ride, but she didn't mind. As long as silence wasn't caused by any unspoken tension or awkwardness, she was satisfied enough.
Jane tried her best to not allow her mind to wander, mostly regarding the subject of Rob and what contributed to the mood he was in. The last thing she wanted to do was ruin the mood, whatever caused it, but she was still lost in confusion as to what the ‘rules’ were. Was she supposed to tell Rob about Andy? Honestly, part of her really wanted to. The love she had for Rob was changing her, and the fact that Jane wanted to be honest with him was a prime example. In the past, she had no problem keeping things in to avoid problems, but now, it didn’t seem right.

After arriving, check in went as usual – a few corny jokes passed back and forth along with a compliment on their music from one of the girls behind the desk – and soon, they were on the 8th floor of the posh hotel Harold had booked for them. The anticipation was killing Jane, making the elevator ride feel like it stretched on for minutes.

The room itself was small, but cozy: one room with a king-sized bed wrapped in a large, tan comforter, a living room area, a balcony, and a kitchenette. It mirrored a lot of the hotel rooms the band had stayed in previously once revenue started rolling in. Jane didn’t take much time to soak in the view, though, and instead, she tossed her bag onto the ground and turned to Rob, flashing a faint smirk before jumping up into his arms and wrapping her legs around his waist.

Jane’s usual rough and urgent nature in regards to her sexuality was replaced in that moment with a mood much more gentle and… romantic?

Whatever it was, it was a nice break from the normal routine. She kissed his lips slowly before trailing down to jaw, ears, and neck, but when her eyes briefly opened for a moment, they noticed something on his neck that hadn’t been there the day before.

A mark. A mark not made by her.

An adrenaline rush washed through her, and in pure panic, she hopped down from Rob’s grip and began to pace in front of him nervously, a hand weaved through her hair at the top of her head.

“I slept with Andy,” she blurted out as she walked back and forth. “And I don’t know if I’m not supposed to tell you, or if I am supposed to tell you. Or what’s okay and what’s not.” Her hand began to scratch at her scalp as she paused in front of Rob and stared at the marble floor beneath them.

“I enjoyed it, the sex. I mean, I always enjoy sex. But it wasn’t the same, I…” her voice trailed off as her mind begged her to just shut up already. “Sorry.”

She walked over to the island that sat in the center of the kitchen and leaned on it. “We just kinda decided on something and didn’t really discuss it that much.” Jane sighed, both relieved and anxious at once. This wasn’t how she imagined her time with him to go, but it would have happened eventually. Jane would eventually explode with all of the questions she had.

“I’m fine keeping shit the way it is if you’re happy. Really. I just wanna know what I’m supposed to do.” She finally worked up the courage to look at him, and as always, it was hard for her to read his emotions, so she decided to take a deep breath and remain quiet.

Jane didn’t want to tell him how unappealing everyone else seemed now. How the reason she was all over him any chance she got wasn’t to satisfy her own appetite, but a fucked up way of showing how she felt. That the fact that he probably slept with Zoe made her feel unrightfully jealous.

“I’m sorry,” she began in a near whisper, “I started off the night this way. I didn’t plan to talk at all for the first few hours we were here.” She chuckled lightly as she ran a hand through her hair as far as she could before her fingers were greeted by knots.

Hopefully, the night wouldn’t be altered by Jane’s outburst, but with a situation this complicated, it was hard to tell. She could only hope that Rob would be receptive, and that he would be fine with what she had done along with explaining what he expected from her.

Promises left on the sand(megatrash/freedom)

No problem! And as always, you've jinxed me, because now I'm busy today, haha.

In Bloom [HangYourSecrets x megatrash] [18+]

Jane’s phone began to vibrate under her, and she quickly hit snooze without a second thought. After rolling over, her blurry eyes saw Rob lying next to her on his back, his arm stretched out underneath her pillow. She gently nuzzled up to him and laid her head on his chest as her hand rested on his stomach. She missed him, which felt strange, because they had been in close quarters together for the past few days. But, they hadn’t been able to have a decent conversation, mostly because any alone time they did get, Jane wanted to do much more than talk.

Her lips gently pressed into his skin, making sure not to wake him, although she wanted to. She would have to settle for the fact that they’d be alone together tonight. But if Jane had learned anything on this tour, it was that a lot could change in a day.

She eventually forced herself out of the bunk, and after getting dressed in a black hoodie, jeans, and sunglasses, she brushed her teeth and left the bus to meet with Andy, who was smoking a cigarette outside of his bus with his guitar hanging off his back.

It was another overcast day, and the breeze carried a chill that made Jane shiver as it passed through her clothing. The bad weather didn’t help her case of homesickness; all she could think about was longboarding on the boardwalk as the palm trees rustled around her. She had noticed the effects of not surfing and skating: her muscles were disappearing, making her almost appear a sickly type of thin, and the lack of time in the sun had caused her skin to lighten.

They greeted each other, ran through the song quickly, making sure that they knew each part, and after a bit of banter back and forth, the cab arrived to take them to the radio station.

“Your throat sounds better,” Andy observed as he tilted his head to face her. “Does it hurt?”

“A little,” Jane accidentally whispered. “I’ll drink some warm water when we get to the station. Sorry I missed your set last night. I laid down for a nap after I left your bus and almost missed mine..”

Andy laughed. “Yeah, I passed out for a bit, too. That was some good clean fun, huh?”

“Something like that,” Jane smirked as she nudged his arm. Words couldn’t describe how relieved Jane was that there was no awkwardness between them. Although she felt strange after, there was a comfortable familiarity to sleeping with someone without any attachment.

“Well,” he started, squeezing the hand he had placed on her thigh, “whenever we’re not both fuckin’ someone else, we should do it again.” His expression showed the light-heartedness of his words, no matter how much he actually meant them.

She was a sucker for forwardness, both in action and words, and as his hand continued to inch upward, she felt goosebumps begin to rise. “Jesus, Andy,” she whispered, but before she could continue, their driver made the announcement that they had arrived.

*****

[b]Alexander]: [/b The American bands Vicarious and In Bloom had both been making a big name for themselves across the pond, and Radio One was lucky enough to get both of their vocalists this morning as they are in the beginning stages of their European tour. Guys, go ahead and introduce yourselves.

Jane: I’m Jane Molloy from In Bloom.

Andy: I’m Andy Ramirez from Vicarious.

Alexander: Okay, well Andy, I will start with you. Tell me a bit about where you’re from.

Andy: I was born and raised in Denver, Colorado. That’s where Vicarious was formed and where we live currently.

Alexander: And you, Jane?

Jane: Long Beach, California.

Alexander: So you both are a long way from home, yes?

Jane: [laughs] Yes. I’m starting to get homesick.

Alexander: Already?

Jane: Well, we’ve only been over here for a couple days, but I haven’t been home in a long time. We were touring in America before we came over here.

Andy: Same with Vicarious.

Alexander: Ah, I see, I see. Well I hope we welcome you enough over here so that you feel at home.

Jane: Thank you.

Alexander: So, one question I am dying to ask, how is it touring so closely with another band? I am sure you guys don’t have much personal space.

Andy: I mean, I would say that it depends on what type of person you are. Usually, I enjoy my alone time and would rather sit and work on music 99% of my day. And it’s kinda hard to do that now, so you just have to adapt. Touring in general hasn’t been easy, but I’ve made a few good friends along the way that make it easier.

Alexander: Are you talking about Jane over here? [laughs]

Andy: She is definitely someone I’ve grown closer to since we’ve been doing the circuit together. She’s low maintenance and relaxed, and we vibe really well together as both musicians and people.

Alexander: Any input, Jane?

Jane: Andy is totally awesome, super chill. It’s nice having another vocalist out here with us that I get along with so well. You never know who you’re going to be playing with, and they could end up being amazing or awful.

Andy: Definitely.

Alexander: So, Jane. Are either of your parents musicians? Did they have any impact on your taste or style?

Jane: Well, my mother always loved classic rock. She had this old record player in the house that was constantly spinning and would sing along so loudly that the neighbors would complain. I guess I picked up a lot of my favorite oldies from her.

Alexander: You talk about her in the past tense. Did she pass away?

Jane: Yes. Two years ago.

Alexander: I’m sorry to hear that. How about your father?

Jane: Well, my mom had a one night stand during a fight between her and her husband. I guess she went to a show and slept with the front man of some big band, and nine months later, I was born. She would never tell me what his band’s name was, or his name. I guess when she told him she was pregnant, he lost all contact with her. She always said I was better off not knowing who he was.

Alexander: Wow, that’s fascinating. Maybe it’s in your blood.

Jane: [laughs] Could be.

Alexander: Do you ever wish to find out who your father is?

Jane: Eh, not really. I’ve made it this far without him. If he was in such a big band like my mom said, then he’s probably either dead or burnt out by now.

Alexander: Well, who knows. Maybe with all of this exposure you’re getting, you’ll be approached by him. [laughs]

Jane: Oh, god. I wouldn’t even know how to react.

The interviewer began to dive more into Andy’s home life, how each band was formed, and where they saw themselves in the future, and much to Jane’s approval, Alexander didn’t ask once about any personal relationships or drama that had been speculated on others news sites. For the first time during an interview, she was actually having fun, so much so that the hour block that was dedicated to them seemed to speed by.

Alexander: Before we wrap this up, do you guys have anything that’d you’d like to play for us?

Andy: We do. You ready, Jane?

Jane: Yep.

Alexander: Alright, everyone, this is Andy from Vicarious and Jane from In Bloom, performing….

Jane: Murder Song by AURORA

Alexander: Ah, very nice choice.

Andy began to pluck the guitar lightly, and Jane, behind her sunglasses, closed her eyes and swayed gently back and forth before coming in.

5, 4, 3, 2, 1
5, 4, 3, 2, 1
He holds the gun against my head

Jane’s voice had always possessed a smoky tone which she remained true to with any song she covered, but because of the performance she gave the night before, it was very pronounced, especially with how quietly she was singing.

I close my eyes, and bang, I am dead

Andy began to sing along with her on the next part, his lower harmonies meshing perfectly underneath her voice. It was impressive, honestly, since Jane was fairly certain that Andy had never heard the song before last night, but there wasn’t one hint of it.

I know, he knows, that he’s killing me for mercy

Jane popped her eyes open for a moment and looked at him momentarily, and based on his expression, it seemed as though as he was enjoying it as much as she was.

A louder, higher part was coming up, and Jane winced a bit as she forced her sore throat to hit the notes.

and he holds me tight

Luckily, her voice only cracked slightly.

Oh, he did it all to spare me from the awful things in life that come, and he cries and cries

Their voices matched each other’s as they lowered their volume back down to the quiet tone they had been singing in before, and after a few more lines, the song finished.

Alexander: That was great, guys. Thank you so much for coming in to chat with us. Vicarious and In Bloom will be playing tomorrow night in Oslo. Venue and ticket information will be on our website.

*****

The two arrived back where the busses were parked and said their goodbyes. Jane had explained on the way that she and Rob were getting a hotel room that night so that they could get some alone time together, and Andy was surprisingly supportive, stating that he thought it’d be good for them both to get away from all the madness. “Thanks for saying that,” Jane spoke quietly.

“Of course, Jane. At the end of the day, I’m still your friend.”
Jane smiled faintly and nodded before kissing his cheek and heading back to the bus, which she found to be completely empty. She walked to the back to pack a bag for the hotel, throwing in a bikini, her tooth brush, and a few articles of clothing.

She took out her phone to shoot a quick text to Rob.

Jane, 10:36 AM: Hey, I’m back. Check is at 2. Maybe we can grab a bite to eat or something on the way.

It was eerily silent in the bus, far too quiet for Jane to be comfortable, so she began to play Killing Time in Hawaii by The Money Pit over the speakers and grabbed a joint and a beer. It was a bit early, maybe even for Jane, but with no performance tonight, who cared?

Jane mumbled along to the words as the lit joint bobbed in her mouth, and her feet swiveled her body side to side as she rummaged through the cabinets for something to eat. Settling on some crackers and peanut butter, she sat down on the couch and finished her joint.

For the first time since they had landed, Jane felt excited for the night ahead of her. Hopefully, Rob felt the same way. He was always so hard to read, and how he felt about her was always a mystery, but she crossed her fingers that a night with her would make any lost feelings of his return. It felt childish – to desperately want someone to love you like you love them – but it was, at this point, impossible to control. Albeit it was through physicality, Jane had no problem expressing how she felt, and hopefully Rob knew that for each time she came on to him, it wasn’t only for selfish reasons.

After she put out the joint and finished her snack, she sunk back into the couch, letting herself be engulfed by the plush leather. Maybe the night could truly be the cure for all of the tension between them. But perhaps it was something incurable. Fate.

In Bloom [HangYourSecrets x megatrash] [18+]

”We go on in an hour.”

The words sounded as if they were spoken underwater as Jane started to become lucid. She instantly became aware of Rob’s presence engulfing her, or more specifically, the warmth she felt from it. Her mind was still in a haze, along with the feeling of sleep paralysis plaguing her, so all that she could manage as a response to Rob’s words was her fingers lacing up in his, which gripped her chest like it always did.

This had easily became her favorite way of waking up, which was odd to Jane, because she had never been one to cuddle. She usually took on the supposed ‘man’s’ role of wanting to leave the second she was done with her fun. But, this was different. When Rob was wrapped around her, she felt at peace no matter what happened before or after. It was as if all of the bullshit that they had already gone through during this tour didn't matter at all.

As he began to leave the bunk, she groaned in disapproval and grasped his hand. The rough texture caused an eye to pop open, and that was when she saw the blisters that had formed. Instead of commenting, her gravelly voice pushed out a “see you in there.” It was much, much less than she wanted to say to him, but it would have to do, because her barely-awake mind wouldn’t have been able to formulate much more than that. But once the warmth was gone and she was left alone in the bunk, it didn’t take her but a few minutes to get up and begin to meander around the bus after putting on a pair of shorts.

Down the block, Jane noticed the line of patrons waiting to get into the venue and sighed. She never thought she’d see the day, but playing sets night after night was beginning to seem like a monotonous task. All of the passion that was put into it now was being replaced with the purpose of just getting the set over with. It saddened Jane because, all her life, this was her dream. She had never planned ahead for anything other than singing. No college. No ambition. No idea bout what the future would hold. And now, the twenty-three year old girl already achieving her dreams wasn’t even enthralled by the experience.

Jane grabbed a beer from the fridge and chugged it immediately before grabbing another and getting ready to step out onto the street, but her phone buzzing in her back pocket stopped her.

“What’s up, Harold?” Jane answered, her words a bit mumbled from the unlit cigarette dangling out of her mouth.

“Jane,” he replied, in his usual, business-like tone, “I booked a hotel room for you and Rob tomorrow in Norway for your night off.”

Jane smiled. “Thanks, Harold. I appreciate it.”

“Yeah, no problem. Another thing. Radio 1 is asking for you and Andy to come in for a quick interview and an acoustic song. I’ve been working with their tour manager on it. You guys will be entering Norway overnight, and the station wants you and him there by 9:00 AM.”

“Uh,” Jane took a second to process all that Harold had said. “Yeah, yeah, okay. What song are we doing?”

“They usually ask that all the artists pick a cover to perform. I suggest something that would be popular there, maybe a Norwegian artist or something.”

“Okay, I’ll figure it out,” Jane mumbled. “Thanks, Harold.”

“Yep. I’ll have a cab come pick you guys up at 8:30,” he said sternly. “Take it easy on the partying tonight. That last set was shit.”

Even though Jane had never cared about what Harold had thought of her before, his words stung. “Yeah, I know. Won’t happen again.” She disconnected the call and immediately navigated to her text messages as she plopped onto the couch.

Jane, 8:32 PM: You hear about the interview?

Andy, 8:34 PM: Yeah, I’m down. What song should we do?

Jane then moved to her music files to find something, and after she spotted a song by Aurora, she knew immediately that it would be their best bet.

Jane, 8:39 PM: I’m gonna send you the link. We’ll do a run-through after the show if that’s cool.

Andy, 8:41 PM: Sounds good. See you soon.

Jane took a moment to take a deep breath before standing up again. Did she need to tell Rob about what happened with Andy? Was she supposed to? She couldn’t exactly imagine Rob telling her all the details of what happened or what might happen between him and Zoe, so she figured it might be best to just leave it alone for now. This was the arrangement, after all.

”His hands,” she thought to herself just as she was about to exit the bus onto the busy sidewalk, and she swiveled around, searching the kitchenette’s cabinets quickly until she located a first aid kit. The gauze and tape were shoved into her purse, and she dashed out of the bus and into the side door of the venue before anyone could recognize her.

It was dimly lit and loud, just as all of the other venues had been, and Jane weaved her way to the side stage to see the rest of the band getting ready to go on. She spotted Rob, and after saying her hellos to the others, she approached him and told him to sit on the steps as she got out the gauze and tape.

“I’ve had my fair share of fucked up hands,” she mumbled with the roll of tape her her mouth. Her hands words to remove the reddened wrap he had on, and then she began to cover them tightly, unraveling the roll of gauze around a few times. “I remember this one time, I ate shit bombing that hill by your house. My board must have shot out like a hundred feet.” She grabbed the tape from her mouth and secured the gauze on one hand in place before moving to the other. “Anyway, I scraped my hands so bad, I thought the skin would never grow back.” The tape was removed again from her mouth, and she used her teeth to rip off a piece for the gauze on his other hand, then a few more little pieces to cover a few of the blisters on his fingers.

Once she was done, Jane put the supplies back in her bag and smiled at Rob. “Thanks for calling Harold for the room. I really – “

“In Bloom, you’re up!” a venue-hired stage hand yelled in a thick accent.

She rolled her eyes. “I guess we’ll talk later then, yeah?” Both of her hands went to the side of Rob’s face delicately, and although she could think of a million words she would like to say, she leaned in and kissed him softly, unconcerned with who was around. Jane wished so often that things would stabilize between them, that they could just have a normal, non-eventful day, but in simple moments like this, she was happy with the way things were.

*****

“How’s everyone doing tonight?” Jane yelled into the microphone.

The crowd replied in its stereotypical way. “Wooooo!”

“Alright. We’re In Bloom from California. Long way from home.” Her fingers were straining to adjust the stand to shorten the mic a considerable amount. “I’m way too sober right now. Andy… say hi Andy,” she called as she pointed to the side stage.

Andy’s head popped out from the side and he waved.

“He and I will be on Radio 1 tomorrow at 9:00 AM. So, if you wanna tune in, that’d be cool.” Jane finished with the mic and nodded behind her to the rest of the band to signal that she was ready.

*****

“Thank you, everyone,” Jane waved and left the stage, leaning against the brick wall that lined the venue. To make up for her last set, Jane gave her all, and she knew that was the adrenaline wore off, she’d be exhausted. She didn’t even want to hear her voice after how much power she tried to deliver for the set.

Andy was the first to approach her, and he handed her a bottle of water. “You killed it.”

Jane looked up and smiled. “Thanks.” Her voice was extremely hoarse, and the words felt like glass coming out of her throat.

“Shhh,” Andy waved. “We’ll do a run-through of that song in the morning. Just rest tonight.”

She nodded – he was right. She’d need to drink tea and get a good night sleep, if that were even possible on a bus with six others. It was only 9:45, so hopefully, after showering of course, perhaps she could be asleep by 10:30.

Jane silently thanked a few fans that saw her on the way to the bus, but once she entered the bus, she immediately darted to the back of the bus and took a five minute shower, then made a quick cup of cheap tea that was in one of the cabinets. The rest of the band hadn’t made their way back to the bus yet, so Jane crawled into Rob’s bunk once again, deciding to send him a quick text before she fell asleep.

Jane, 10:14 PM: Voice is fried, so I’m gonna go to bed. Hope your hands are okay.

She then switched screens from her texts to her alarm clock and set it for 8:00 AM, then went back to send a text to Andy.

Jane, 10:15 PM: Wanna meet at 8:15?

Andy, 10:17 PM: Sure thing.

Jane pulled up Rob’s blanket around her, and she wiggled her body to a comfortable position as she shut her eyes. Thoughts of telling Rob about Andy crossed her mind as it drifted off. To be honest, she was still unsure of what was expected of her with their new arrangement, and not knowing how Rob would feel about it worried her far more than having to actually tell him about it. If she even had to.

She fell asleep to the noise of the bus driver rummaging around, probably getting ready for their drive to Norway. Maybe once it set in that the band was in Europe, Jane would retrieve some of her excitement back. But for now, she was homesick. She fell asleep with the blanket completely covering her, only showing a few pieces of blonde hair strewn about one of the pillows.

Promises left on the sand(megatrash/freedom)

Sall good! Good luck!

[18+] The Motorcycle Club

Jeremy’s eyebrows furrowed, and his eyes scanned her face as she spoke about the effect Cameron’s death had on her. He felt partially responsible – he should have been the one to handle it. After a while, a person will become numb to the blood on their hands. But, in reality, Tallis would have never let him step in for her. She was determined to be the one to finish what he had started.

The mood shifted, though, when she brought up Taylor. Jeremy had fantasized about the day they he killed the man that was responsible for the accident, but had long ago decided against to acting on it. It had taken such a long time to conjure up the small amount of peace he had now about Taylor’s death, and reopening old wounds to put an end to the guy would only take him back to the dark place he was in. But now, Tallis was talking about doing just that. And he would have to step in. He couldn’t let her feel anymore guilt than she was already experiencing.

But he remained quiet, and when she rested her forehead on his, he ran his rough fingers through her soft hair. “It’s okay, babe. I went through it, too.” Jeremy pressed a kiss into her forehead, then moved to sit next to her on the couch, pulling her towards him so that he could wrap his arms around her, just as they were before.

“You’ll get through it.” His hand was now rubbing her back. Even with that fucker dead, he was still tormenting her. Jeremy felt rage bubbling inside of him, but it was futile – there was nothing he could do to Cameron at this point.

“Let’s get you in the bath,” he spoke quietly, lifting her off of him, standing up, and reaching a hand down to help her off the couch. “I’ll get you a drink, and you can relax for a bit. I’ll get you whatever you need, okay?”

*****

“Oh, shit,” Solomon mumbled as he watched Kaci’s demeanor change, and he backed up slowly as she began to yell. He never expected to have to deal with any blowback from what happened on a run – usually the girls were smarter than that.

Once Kaci began to sob, Solomon inched forward slowly. “K, I’m sorry,” his voice was quiet, but stern. “It was when everything was still a secret.” He began to reach a hand out, but he could tell Kaci didn’t want him to touch her, so he recoiled. “All the guys were getting suspicious, wondering why I wasn’t fuckin’ around.” His fingers rubbed the bridge of his nose forcefully as his mind raced.

“It was only once, K. I had no idea she’d fuckin’ show up here.” Solomon scratched at his head in frustration, not knowing what to do. “I love you, K. More than anything or anyone. You gotta believe me.”

He plopped down on the couch with his head in his hands. He knew he was at her mercy, and he’d have to accept whatever she decided, but the thought of losing her felt like it’d be enough to kill him.

Promises left on the sand(megatrash/freedom)

Congrats on your last day!!! I'm sure it was bittersweet. Maybe mostly sweet lol.

Promises left on the sand(megatrash/freedom)

As Connor spoke, Cameron’s mind couldn’t help but link the information he was giving them to the settlement that was opening their doors to Omega’s remaining survivors. The logic behind it all, though, she was unable to really put together. Why would Avery and her people choose them, but not Hartford? They seemed like such wholesome people – would they really deny the rest of the world food when they showed such compassion towards her and Justin?

When he finished his explanation, she straightened her posture and took a step forward. “I understand your frustration with the, uh, Harbingers, but us,” she signaled to Justin and herself, “and the rest of our people are in no position to assist in battle. They’ve been through enough.” She scratched at her head in thought. “I’m barely able to travel as it is,” she explained as she lifted up her shirt enough to show the bandage wrapped around her torso.

If her injury wasn’t enough to conjure any sympathy from Connor, Cameron decided to play up her exhaustion from the trip so far, and she spoke in a pathetic, feminine voice. “It’s a lot of information to take in. Do you mind if I have a word with him?” She pointed to Justin.

Connor’s eyes narrowed as he paused for a moment, but he eventually nodded and waved at his men to exit the room. Cameron forced a thankful smile until the two were alone, and it drooped back to a concerned expression.

“Justin,” she whispered as she positioned herself to directly face him, “I think they’re talking about Avery’s group. The food, the machinery…” Cameron’s head swiveled around to make sure no one was listening. “We can’t let them know that’s where we’re heading. They’ll definitely kill us if they don’t decide to already.”

She used her forearm to wipe the sweat off of her forehead as she began to pace the room. “And, we gotta figure out why Avery chose us and not all of them. It could be for much worse reasons than we thought.”

Cameron didn’t enjoy being so paranoid, but at this point in her life, she had learned it served her more than being naïve and trusting those she met. Now, they’d have to figure out a way to leave Hartford whole, without an army behind them.

“I think you should handle the diplomatic shit with them. You’ve got a poker face like I’ve never seen.” Cameron couldn’t help but flash a faint smile as she said it. “Feel free to tell me if I sound crazy, but I think there are too many coincidences to ignore them.”

In Bloom [HangYourSecrets x megatrash] [18+]

After what felt like hours of mindless wandering and people watching, Jane decided to try to find the group. Being alone with her thoughts and constantly checking for Rob’s reply to her text wasn’t doing any good.

It took a few minutes, but she located the band leaving a tall rollercoaster that the sight of alone made Jane’s stomach flip. She immediately scurried over to to Austin and nudged his side. “Hey.”

"I was getting worried about you," Austin replied as he wrapped an arm around Jane's shoulders.

She rolled her eyes. "You know how much I hate amusement parks. Remember that time you and Rachel made me go back in the day?"

"Yeah," Austin nodded as he looked down at her, "but you still had fun. You've been so quiet lately."

Jane sighed. "I know, I know. I'm sorry. Just got a lot going on right now," she pointed to her head. "I feel like I'm going fucking insane. Where's Rob?"

"Walked off about a half hour ago, figured he was going to find you." Austin smirked as he began walking slowly with his arm around her, following the group in front of them. "You need to fuck someone else."

Her eyes widened, and her head snapped up to look at him.

"Oh, don't act all polite now. Look, you wanted things to be like the old days with Rob, right?"

Jane nodded in silence.

"Okay, well, how are you gonna manage that if all you want to do is jump on top of him every second of alone time you get, huh? When are you guys just going to hang out? Talk?"

She groaned and pinched the bridge of her nose between her fingers. "You're right," she mumbled.

"I miss my crazy, carefree, sex-addicted friend," Austin said with a snort. "Now, you're just a sad, nervous, sex-addicted friend."

"Fuck off," Jane laughed as she squeezed his torso. "Thanks, Aust."

"Anytime, J," he pressed a kiss into the top of her head and squeezed her back. “Go,” his voice boomed dramatically while he waved a hand.

Jane stuck her tongue out at Austin, then waved to the rest of the group before grabbing her phone out of her bag and calling Andy.

“Hello?” he asked, his voice giving away that he must had been asleep.

“Hey,” Jane replied quietly. “Sorry if I woke you up. Do you still wanna hang out?”

“Sure thing. Not sure where the rest of the guys are, but I’m in the bus.”
“Got it. Be there soon.”

Jane then called a ride back to the lot where the busses were parked. She wasn’t sure how she felt at the moment, but that wasn’t news, seeing how each day brought more and more uncertainty. If this is what Rob really wanted – an open relationship – then she probably should give him the space that it included. Jane doubted he would ever openly ask for it, but she wasn’t stupid. She knew she was a lot to handle, physically and mentally, and it Rob wasn’t worn out yet, he probably would be soon.

Jane arrived twenty minutes later to the lot and knocked on the door of the Vicarious bus to be greeted by shirtless Andy with a toothbrush hanging out of his mouth. His hand signaled for her to come in, and with a full mouth, he mumbled something about giving him a minute.

She nodded and sat down on the couch, similar to theirs, in the ‘living room’ area of the bus. Andy’s guitar was leaning against the small coffee table, and atop it, a journal with scribbles covering the lined pages and a pen. Part of her wanted to lean in and read the words, but she knew how sacred an unfinished song could be, so instead, she leaned back to make herself comfortable as she waited for Andy to return.

After a minute or so, he returned, still in only a pair of jeans, and he sat down next to her on the couch, each of them facing each other and leaning against its arms. “What’s new, babe?” he asked as he worked to clean up the table.

Jane rested her head on a fist. “Same shit, different continent,” she laughed. “New song?”

He looked up and smiled. “The start of one. It needs some work.”

“Can I hear it?” Jane asked excitedly.

Andy paused for a minute, unsure if he should play an unfished song to her, but he nodded. “Of course.” He grabbed the guitar and opened the notebook once again and cleared his throat before beginning to strum the chords out gently.

Jane’s eyes closed as he began to sing, enjoying its deep tone and richness. It was the first time she was able to hear him without amplified guitars, bass, and drums accompanying him, and to say she was impressed would be an understatement. The way he performed it was dripping in a sense of quiet confidence, and Jane found herself almost disappointed when he stopped.

“That’s all I got for now,” he spoke as he cleared his throat, placing the guitar back in its spot against the table.

Jane opened her eyes and smiled. “I liked it. A lot.”

He sheepishly returned the smile. “Thanks. If you’re down, you can help me finish it sometime.” After wiggling his body a bit, he was facing Jane once again.

“I’m definitely down,” she nodded. “So how’ve things been with the band?”

Andy sighed. “It’s been alright. We’re all doing our own thing. Zoe and I have been butting heads lately.”

“That sucks,” Jane replied as she dug through her purse for a joint, and once she found it, she lit it carefully and exhaled a cloud above them. “Why are you guys fighting?”

“Stupid shit,” Andy shook his head as he took the joint from her fingers. “The band. Opinions on meaningless topics. Little annoyances. I don’t know how we ever tried to make things work between us.” He took another hit and passed it back to Jane. “How are you and Rob?”

Jane squeezed her eyes shut. “I don’t know. I don’t wanna talk about it anymore. You’ve listened to enough of my bullshit.”

“True,” Andy joked, a smirk on his face. “Well then, Ms. Molloy. What would you like to do then?”

Her eyes lingered on his on a moment as she blew out the smoke. Her mind was racing of all the things that could come out of making a move, and it made her pause in silence for a moment. There could be loads of backlash from this, not only with Rob, but maybe even Zoe. The two bands. Andy himself.

But, in the end, Jane’s desires always took over any willpower she attempted to have. It always did. She came to the conclusion that it was pointless to try to fight her urges, whether it be drugs, booze, or another person.

Jane moved towards him slowly on the couch, his widening eyes causing her to smile. Once close enough, she leaned in and kissed him, moving her small hand behind his head. After a few minutes, she pulled away and looked at him only a few inches away from his face.

“Jane,” he whispered, “are you sure you’re ready for this?” He moved a strand of blonde hair away from her face and gazed up at her.

Instead of replying verbally, Jane leaned back in and kissed him again, this time with much more force than before, as if to get her message across. And it did.

*****

It was around 5:00 pm when Jane finally exited the other band’s bus and headed for her own. After noticing no sign of life inside the bus besides their sleeping driver, Jane made her way to the back of the bus and hopped into the shower.

She had nothing to complain about in the physical realm regarding the time she had just spent with Andy. It was satisfying and fun. But emotionally, Jane felt a void that she didn’t experience after being intimate with Rob. She knew it was because she had no romantic feelings for Andy, which was completely okay, but it felt weird to sleep with someone without the intense passion behind it. The meaningless sex that Jane once loved now left her with a weird feeling in her stomach.

But now, if she started finding other ways take care of her needs, maybe she wouldn’t jump Rob’s bones every chance he got. If Jane had be honest, imagining her and Rob hanging out without sex didn’t sound awful. Although she’d never admit it, it would be nice to just be held by him. To talk about bullshit. To lay on his chest. Not to mention, she absolutely loved it when Rob was the one that came on to her for a change, but she knew that she never really gave him the chance. Not anymore, though. Jane was going to really try to respect the space that he probably craved.

She exited the shower and quickly got dressed in one of Rob’s t shirts, which landed mid-thigh, and a pair of boy shorts, and after a moment of debate, she crawled into his lower bunk and closed the curtain. Maybe he’d want to nap before their set at ten.

In the silence of the bus, guilt began to creep into the back of Jane’s mind, but she kept fighting the thoughts with the argument that Rob was the one who had asked for this in the first place. That Rob was the one hanging out with Zoe. He couldn’t blame her for sleeping with someone else, could he? Especially when it would probably lessen the tension rising between them.

Jane groaned as she pulled the blanket up over her shoulders, and after a few minutes of more internal dialogue, she checked her phone once again to see if Rob had ever texted her back. Nothing. And after a few minutes of trying not to over analyze the situation, she drifted off in his bunk.

[18+] [Ophelia x megatrash]

Caleb raised an eyebrow at Lola’s question. Obviously, she wasn’t wrecked with guilt or regret like he feared she might be, but she was on the opposite end of the spectrum. It was a pleasant surprise to say the least. He couldn’t help but admire a girl that was confident enough to vocalize what she wanted from him, especially if it was something physical.

His voice, gravelly with sleep, spoke lowly. “Yeah, it would be.”

He was going to talk to her about their issues with the Nines, see if maybe she could help him get information from Jack, but part of him felt like it may be too much to ask. He ruined the poor girl’s life, and now Caleb was going to ask her to go back to the same man to get some information for him over a turf war? It was cold-hearted, and it would usually line up with who he was, but right now, he was realizing the soft spot he was developing for the girl in bed next to him.

Maybe he’d wait for a little while, then ask her. He’d have to get a better read on her to see if it would be something she would be open to doing it. He didn’t want to ruin the good rapport he had built with her. At least not yet. He was enjoying it too much.

One hand was underneath his head, and the other one was on the back of hers, running his fingers through it gently. “So,” he began with his eyes closed, a smirk tugging at his lips, “if we’re staying in bed, what do you wanna do?” Caleb’s hand trailed down from her hair to the top of her back, lightly grazing it. “I have a few ideas, but…” his voice trailed off.