Gently pushing Mojito off the couch, Stella sat up - searching between the cushions to find the remote. Clicking the off button she tossed it onto the coffee table, standing so that she could find her shoes. Lacing the green vans over her feet, she walked into the kitchen - straining her eyes while she made her way over to the marble island. Glancing down at the array of orange pill bottles, the blonde blinked as she tried to read the labels - grabbing three before dropping them into the pocket on the front of her hoodie, well really Mike’s hoodie. If there was anything Stella hated, it as being surprised. However, for the tattooed drummer she’d make an exception. Opening the fridge she took a bottle of water, sliding her keys and her phone into the palm of her hand before slipping out the front door. Shoving the key into the lock, she turned it to the right and pulled it back out, wrapping the lanyard around her wrist. Walking to the driveway she pulled up the passenger door of Mike’s SUV - reaching over to drop her phone into the cupholder. Before she buckled her seatbelt, she pulled the pill bottles out from her hoodie, dropping them into Mike’s lap. “They’re child proof, so I guess I’m a child.” Stella smirked, reaching up to pool her hair over one shoulder - rubbing at her temples after opening the bottle of water she’d brought.
Mike had his head laid on top of the steering wheel, the only sound coming from his shallow breathing. At the sound of a door being closed he brought his head up, his eyes landing on Stella’s petite frame, illuminated by a few dim streetlights. Michael watched as Stella walked down the driveway, his hand moving to turn the ignition over. With a tilt of his head he caught her gaze when she pulled open the passenger side door, offering her a small smile. He pulled his seat belt on as he listened to what she had to say. “I told you. You’re just a little baby.” He said, with a short laugh after she dumped the orange prescription bottles onto his lap. He pressed down on the cap of each one, twisting them open with absolute ease. Mike placed them upright on the center console, raising an eyebrow at Stella in amusement. He held an arm up, flexing his bare bicep. “I got them open using the sheer power of my guns. Give ‘em a kiss.” He said, leaning over in his seat.
Stella rolled her eyes with a laugh at the boy’s words, taking each bottle from the center console once Mike had opened them. Glancing down at the labels, she swallowed each required dose with a sip of water; twisting the caps back on before setting them inside the compartment of the passenger door. “My hands might be baby size, I guess. But I am not a baby. Meanie.” She scoffed jokingly, shaking her head when he flexed. Leaning over, Stella pressed a kiss to his arm, biting him playfully - pressing a series of kisses across the rest of his bicep. Quickly, she sat back in her seat - fast enough so that Mike didn’t have a chance to react. “How come you’re not wearing any clothes, when you told me to dress warm?” She asked, taking her phone from the cup holder - replacing it with the bottle of water. Scrolling through a few new text messages, she replied to Chandler; keeping the phone away from the drummer’s view, knowing he’d have something smart to say if he saw.
“You say you’re not a baby, yet I’m pretty sure you call me a cradle robber every chance you get.” Mike retorted, a smirk laid on on his lips. The blood drained from his face when she bit and kissed his arm, he cleared his throat not wanting Stella to catch the change in his behavior, as that had turned him on slightly; not that it was a difficult task to accomplish. Mumbling the word tease under his breath, he put the car into reverse, backing off the curb. His tongue darted out of his mouth to smooth over his bottom lip as he switched gears, his hand working to push the bill of his hat around. “I’m a Mexican and we retain heat pretty well, plus I came prepared. Check the back if you don’t believe me.” Switching gears once more Mike began the short drive to the secret location, his eyes moving up to look into the rear view mirror. After what seemed like an eternity spent trying to lower the seats in the back, Mike had finally managed to collapse all six of them while he was waiting for Stella to come out of her house. He had a backpack and a cooler filled the the brim with items, resting against the trunk door nearly invisible due to how dark it was in the car.
Stella glanced up from her iPhone, a smile spreading over her features. “I don’t think you’re a cradle robber or a baby toucher. You don’t even look twenty-seven.” She teased, pulling her bottom lip between her teeth. “Obviously, I’m just as guilty as you are.” Resting her phone against her leg, she jokingly ran her fingers over Mike’s thigh and across his knee - having caught the way he’d reacted out of the corner of her eye, and heard the word ‘tease’. “You are ridiculously sensitive.” She smiled, snapping her hand back into her lap. Once her phone lit up again, she ran her thumbs over the touchscreen, typing a message before looking over at the drummer again. Stella furrowed her brow slightly in curiosity as he spoke, twisting behind the seatbelt to glance into the back of the SUV. Narrowing her eyes in the darkness of the car she noticed the faint silhouette of a cooler and a backpack. With a smile she turned back around to face forward, shaking her head as she tucked her phone into the pocket of the hoodie she was wearing. “You’re sneaky.” The girl mused with another laugh, grabbing the bottle of water again - swallowing carefully, thankful that the pounding behind her eyes was already starting to subside.
“What is it even called when a girl is into older men?” Mike asked, looking at Stella through his peripheral vision. He bit down on the inside of his cheek, as Stella’s fingers brushed over his thigh and knee. His stomach knotted up, as he pressed down on the gas. “You call me sensitive yet here you are making things worse.” He mumbled under his breath. Rolling his eyes gently, he went back to devoting his attention to the road in front of him, trying his hardest to keep his hormones in check. Honestly riling Mike up wasn’t the hardest thing to do, you could almost say that he was obsessed with the thought of sex. “Sneaky isn’t the word I’d use, but I’ll take it.” He gripped the steering wheel once he hit the dirt trail that lead into the forest. It was bumpy and uneven which caused the cooler and backpack to slide around in the back.
“I don’t know.” Stella shrugged, glancing out the window to try and get an idea of where it was they were actually going. Reading unfamiliar street signs, she dropped her eyes down to her hands - noticing her phone illuminate the inside of her hoodie; yet she ignored it. “It’s probably called like, filthy-rapper-sweeps-little girl-off-her-feet syndrome or something.” She laughed softly, looking over at Mike when she felt the gradual change in speed. Running her fingers through her hair, she rolled her eyes at his words. Stella knew it wasn’t that hard to set Mike off, but then again she’d never really been with someone who reacted to her the way that he did. Nor had she been with anyone who tried to make her as happy. “I’m not trying to make it worse. I thought I was making it better. My bad, cuchara grande.” She told him, pouting slightly before leaning over to kiss his cheek.
Mike laughed sarcastically at Stella’s answer, reaching the final destination. He switched the car into reverse and parked underneath a tree. Turning the ignition off, he undid his seat belt and turned to look at Stella before he jumped out of the car quickly. Going around the front of the car, he pulled open the passenger side door, and rested his arms against the door frame. “Alright so I guess I should explain why I brought you out here.” He said cocking his head towards the lake. He had driven them both to a clearing in a forest, where the moon hung perfectly above them, illuminating the lake and the surrounding area. “When I was younger I used to sneak out here every now and then to do drugs or have sex,” he paused and let out a small chuckle, “and no that’s not why I brought you here.” He took Stella’s hand and laced their fingers together, his eyes glued to the way her fingers fit perfectly in between his. “The reason I brought you out here was to give this place meaning. I didn’t want to remember this place by how many pills I popped or how many girls I railed. Because none of that matters to me anymore. Instead every time this place comes to mind I want to think about how I laid out here with you, and how perfect you looked underneath the moonlight.” He shook his head at how cheesy he was sounding, “I sound like a dweeb, but anyways, that’s why we’re here, in the middle of the night.”
Stella leaned up slightly to look out the window again, once Mike had parked - fumbling with the buckle of her seatbelt before it finally released. Once he got out and came around the other side, she turned to face him, letting her legs dangle over the edge of the seat - between him and the frame of the car. Looking up at Mike while he spoke, she couldn’t help but laugh occasionally at what he said. She opened her mouth to say something, but shut it just as quickly. Tracing her thumb over the inside of his palm when he laced their fingers together, she tilted her head back. “I’m trying not to cry.” She laughed, leaning her head down again - letting go of his hand so that she could wrap her arms around Mike’s middle. “You don’t sound like a dweeb. I promise.” Stella nodded, running her hands over his back. “I love you, and that sounds so cliche to say after everything you just told me. But that’s it. You’re just, I really don’t have any words for you. I don’t think I’ve ever loved anyone as much as I love you. Don’t ask me why, because I won’t be able to tell you. And I probably won’t ever be able to give you the cold hard facts.” Taking a deep breath she leaned up to press an appreciative kiss against his lips, one hand gripping them hem of his shirt so that she didn’t lose her balance. “You’re something else, Michael Christopher Fuentes.”
Dropping her phone into her lap, Stella carefully slid a pair of wedges back onto her feet. The shoes only lifted her height a few inches, considering she barely reached Mike’s chest on her tiptoes. Fixing the hem of her jeans so that they slipped over the ankle straps, she stood up again. Despite how nervous she’d been earlier that day, dinner with Mike’s parents had gone surprisingly well. Stella thought she’d feel awkward, or out of place, but it was the complete opposite. Honestly, it was the first time she felt a sense of family, and togetherness, in a very long time. After saying goodbye to Mr. and Mrs. Fuentes, she slipped out the front door - clenching her teeth at the sudden change in temperature. Rolling her eyes at the fact that Mike really was just sitting in his car, she couldn’t help but laugh when she opened the passenger side door. “You missed out, buddy.” Stella mused playfully, leaning over the center console to kiss the side of the drummer’s cheek. Reaching down to kick her shoes back off, she pouted slightly at the dull pain in the soles of her feet, sliding the seatbelt across her chest.
Mike sat in his car, rubbing the sleep from his eyes gently. He knew that if he had went back inside after being locked out in the backyard that he’d be stuck at his parents house for another few hour. Anytime he came over for whatever reason, they’d tried to keep him for as long as possible. This annoyed him a bit, but he understood that it was only because they missed him. He sat up when he saw Stella emerge from the front door. Mike reached around and re-adjusted the car seat. Checking to make sure his keys were already in the ignition, he tapped his thumbs against the steering wheel as he waited for Stella to get in. When she opened the passenger door, he glanced over to smile at her quickly, before turning over the ignition. His black Escalade rumbled to life as Mike’s hand moved to turn the AC off. “Missed out on what?” He kept one hand on the steering wheel while the other worked to put his seat belt on. He backed up off the curb, and started down the street, thankful that he didn’t live too far away from his parents house.
Running her fingers over the bracelet on her wrist, Stella slid down in her seat - stretching her legs for a moment before glancing over at Mike. “Well you weren’t there to defend yourself while your mom told embarrassing stories about you.” She teased, sitting up again as she combed her fingers through the ends of her blonde hair. “There were so many pictures of you and Vic naked in the bathtub together when you were like, two. So you missed that.” Laughing softly, she pulled the visor mirror down; gliding her index finger underneath her eyes to wipe away any smudged makeup. Letting it snap back up, she reached over to find his hand, lacing their fingers together. “And then your dad told me that you must really love me a lot because you let me sit up front. And not in the trunk.” Biting down on her bottom lip to keep from laughing again she shook her head. “Just kidding he didn’t say that. But thanks for taking me to meet your family, Mimi.” The girl told him, voice full of sincerity as she let her thumb slide over his tattooed knuckles.
Mike listened closely as Stella spoke, chuckling in response every now and then. He squeezed her hand tightly, keeping his eyes on the road in front of him. “So, I take it that you had a good time?” He asked, leaning back in his seat. Mike would probably never tell Stella just how much this night meant to him. Though he figured that it probably meant more to her since this was her first time meeting anyone’s parents. He actually found that pretty funny because Stella was the perfect girl to him, and he couldn’t believe that no one ever took her to meet their parents. When he reached a stop sigh, he used the hand that was on the steering wheel to cup Stella’s face, pulling her close enough to press a gentle kiss on her lips. Putting his hand back on the proper place of the steering wheel, he stepped down on the gas gently, his eyes wandering over to the digital clock that sat above the cars stereo.
“No, it was terrible.” Stella smirked with obvious sarcasm, reaching down with her free hand to smooth out the buttons of her shirt - not that it really mattered because of the seatbelt. “Honestly, it was perfect. Minus you hiding out in the backyard.” She told him, looking up just in time to feel Mike’s fingers against her cheek. Returning his kiss before he pulled away, she sighed quietly; her blue eyes wandering over his features, admiring the way he looked in the darkness of the car. “I love you. A lot. Even though I’m really mean to you.” Stella nodded, letting go of his hand so that he could focus on driving. It had been a long time since she felt close to anyone like the way she felt with Mike. As scary as that was, it was also extremely comforting. Regardless if she wanted to or not, he made her feel like she could tell him anything - the only other person that really made her feel like that was Chandler. Turning her head to look out the window, she noticed familiar street signs.
Mike rolled his eyes playfully, moving his hand up flip his baseball cap around. “I only hid out in the backyard because I wanted to smoke the rest of this blunt I found in my cup holder. But then, someone had to go and lock me out.” He muttered under his breath. His eyes slowly made their way down to rest on the speed gauge as he took note that he was a bit over the speed limit. It wasn’t anything out of the ordinary considering that he was usually gone half of the time he drove anywhere. “I love you too. You’re the only person who can get away with it, anyone else would get bapped.” Letting out a yawn, he sped up considerably once the entrance of his neighborhood came into vision. Reaching the end of the cul-de-sac, he parked on the curb in front of his house, looking to check if any of the lights inside the house were on. Turning the car off, he shoved his keys into his pocket and grabbed his iphone out of the cup holder, before getting out and going around the car to open the door for Stella.
Stella laughed as she reached up to push the hair away from her face, shaking her head at Mike’s words. “I’m kinda jealous of your relationship with Mary Jane.” She joked, glancing at the other houses in the neighborhood as they drove by. When he mentioned someone getting bapped, she looked over at him and clicked her tongue against her teeth - walking her fingers over his upper arm teasingly. “Whoa, whoa, settle down, guapo. You don’t need to hit anything but the sheets.” With another smirk she unbuckled her seatbelt, only after Mike had parked the car - swiveling around to grab the package of new bedsheets in the backseat. Looking up when he opened the door for her, she pouted slightly, tugging on the collar of his shirt so that he’d lean in closer. Stella kissed him deeply, nipping at the piercing in his bottom lip before sliding out of the car. Shrinking past Mike’s tall frame and up the front steps of the drummer’s house.
“I planned to.” He said told her placing his arm against the cars door frame. Mike leaned into Stella, resting a hand on her hip to keep himself from tumbling into the car. The kiss ended a lot sooner than Mike would have expected, a small whine escaping his lips as he watched Stella walk away. Rolling his eyes, he closed both doors and made sure they were locked before jogging up the walk-way after her. Meeting her up on the porch, he smirked gently, grabbing the bedsheets from her hands and dropping them onto the ground. He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her into his chest. “You don’t get to kiss me like that and just walk away chiquita.” He mumbled, pressing a swift kiss to the bridge of her nose. “I’ve been waiting all day and you’re just teasing me now.” Mike caught her lips in a soft kiss, his hands smoothing down her sides to rest on her behind where he squeezed it lightly. He brought a hand up to cup her cheek, as he deepened the kiss, his breathing starting to become uneven.
“Okay, well, now you’re just being rude, Mike.” Stella protested, wrinkling her nose in a girlish manner when he tossed the sheets from her hands. Skimming her hands over his stomach when he pulled her closer into his body, she slowly moved her arms around his neck. “I’m sorry, baby.” The blonde murmured quietly, running her fingers over the back of Mike’s neck - matching the intensity of the kiss when she felt his lips against her own. Leaning into him, she slid her hands over his chest, dropping them the rest of the way to his belt loops. Linking her fingers into the first two that she could find, she smirked against his lips; leaving several quick kisses there before she spoke again. “But at the same time I’m really not.” She grinned innocently, pulling away when his breathing sped up - letting go of him completely, once again. Leaning down to pick up the sheets Mike had pushed out of her hands, Stella tucked them under her arm. “Are you going to unlock the door, or what?”
“Yeah I’m going to unlock the door.” Mike said with a slight smirk. He shoved a hand into his pocket, and pulled out his keys. Sorting out the right one he undid the lock and looped his finger in the key chain. He turned around and raised his eyebrows at Stella before crouching down to throw her over his shoulder. He kept an arm wrapped over her legs to make sure she didn’t fall off before stepping into the house, locking the door behind them. Carelessly throwing his keys into the living room, he patted Stella lightly on her back, knowing that he’d forget where he put his keys in the morning. He chuckled under his breath as he made his way to him room, gently dropping Stella on the bed, before moving to lock his door. Running his tongue across his bottom lip, he took his hat off placing it on a set of drawers beside him. He pulled his shirt over his head, tossing it over in Stella’s direction.
Before Stella knew what was happening she felt Mike’s boney shoulder pressing into her stomach. “Mike!” She said with a squeal of surprise, managing to keep her voice low so that no one would wake up. Accepting the fact that he wasn’t going to put her down, she twisted her fingers into the back of his shirt for support. With a whisper she pouted, regardless if he couldn’t see it: “I have legs just so you know, jerk.” Once they made it to his bedroom, and he dropped her down onto the mattress, she slid onto her side. Slipping her arm underneath her head, she laughed when he threw his shirt in her direction, pushing it onto the floor. “Why are you so feisty?” She asked in a rhetorical manner, fumbling with the opening of the bedsheets before pulling them out of the package. Finally, Stella climbed back off the bed - shaking out the sheets, glancing up at Mike’s shirtless torso. “You’re so distracting, it’s not fair.”
Stella leaned against the glass door of her patio, watching as Mojito sniffed around the small backyard. Pushing her phone into the back pocket of her jeans she whistled - and the tall dog came bounding back inside. After sliding the door closed, she pulled the lock down and grabbed her keys off the kitchen counter; scratching behind the great dane’s ears affectionately before leaving. Once she’d started her car and backed out of the driveway, at a painfully slow pace, she couldn’t keep her mind from wandering back to what Mike had told her earlier.
Honestly, she wasn’t sure how she felt about any of it. She couldn’t bring herself to be afraid, and that’s what bothered her the most. Had it been anyone else, other than Mike, she’d feel completely different. Then again, maybe she wasn’t giving it enough time to sink in. Finding an empty spot on the street she pulled her keys from the ignition, flicking the lights off with a ‘click’. Pulling the visor down she checked her make up in the mirror, tucking her blonde hair behind her ears while she swallowed the lump of nervousness in her throat. As soon as Stella deemed herself presentable, she climbed out of the car and up the walkway - pushing the door open before she changed her mind.
Mike eventually found his way out of bed, feeling around as he tried to make his way to the bathroom without falling over in the process. He hunched over the sink, his fingers clutched around the corners of the granite counter. He cleared his throat and glanced into the mirror, his clouded brown eyes staring straight back at him. He flipped the faucet on, cupping his hands under the running water. He slpashed his face with the cold water, recoiling back from the sink when the droplets of water hit his bare chest. He stumbled back, taking a few seconds to recover while his head stopped spinning.
He reached over and reached for a towel that hung over the shower rod. Wiping his face and chest he dropped it back onto the ground, before walking out of his room. Using the walls as support he entered the kitchen, opening one of the kitchen cupboards to pull out a bag of bread. He groaned as he struggled with the knot that had been made, deciding it was easier to tear a hole in the plastic bag. Mike had heard somewhere that eating bread would help absorb the alcohol in your body. He wasn’t quite sure if it was true, but all he wanted was to make sure that he wasn’t a complete mess in front of Stella. He had spilled quite a few secrets of his, moments before. And being drunk while she came over wasn’t a good thing. He looked up from the white linoleium when he heard the front door open, swallowing the bread he had been chewing.
Stella turned to shut the door behind her, glancing into the empty living room before noticing the light that flooded in from the kitchen. The moment she crossed the threshold from hardwood flooring to linoleum, she saw Mike, offering him a smile as she dropped her keys onto the table. “Hola, papi chulo.” She smirked, closing the gap between the two of them with a tight hug. Mike reeked of alcohol, but honestly that wasn’t out of the ordinary. After the secrets he’d spilled earlier, Stella empathized - he deserved a drink. She pressed a kiss to his bare chest, instead of his lips, leaning back slightly so that she could look up at him. “You should be grateful I came over, it’s totally past my bedtime.” The girl teased, running her fingers over his back.
Mike blinked a few times, his head beginning to feel light. It was almost as if things were moving in slow motion, but he knew better than that. He knew that this was just the effect of the bottle of whiskey he had consumed in one sitting. Shaking his head gently, he snapped back into reality, placing his hand on the small of Stella’s back. “Hey baby.” He muttered, pressing a kiss to the crown of her head. “I really need you right now.” He told her gently, almost hoping that she couldn’t hear what he was saying. He squeezed her small frame gently, resting his chin on the top of her head. “I know, I know. I love you. Thanks.” He said with a chuckle, linking his hands behind her back, as a mode of keeping her close, and keeping him balanced.
Stella traced her fingers over Mike’s spine, slowly bringing her hands around front to rest against his abdomen; sighing when she felt his lips against the top of her hair. “I know you do, that’s why I’m here.” She told him reassuringly, closing her eyes momentarily while she listened to him speak, reveling in the way that his body felt against her own. “I love you too.” The blonde murmured without hesitation, leaving several, long, kisses against his unshaven jaw. Taking a step back from Mike’s tall frame, she offered him her hand - considering it was obvious that he was having trouble staying balanced. “In fact, I love you so much so, that I’m going to take you to bed - because you’re too faded to stand up, chico.” She laughed softly, tickling her free hand over his side.
When Stella started speaking again, Mike smiled lazily to himself. To him, it was the most beautiful sound in the universe, that and the gentle sound of her steady breathing when she was asleep with her head perched upon his chest. He took her hand, his eyes moving down to rest on her face. He opened his mouth to speak, but closed it shortly after, once he realized he couldn’t form a single thought into coherent words. Intertwining fingers with hers, Mike pushed against the counter behind him with his foot. Using his free hand to rest on the walls as he drug himself and Stella back to his bedroom. He let go of Stella and made the rest of the way back to his bed by himself. Plopping down on the mattress, he let out a slight groan when he felt something poke his back. Pulling the object out from underneath him, he wrapped his thin fingers around the cellphone charger, dropping it in the space between his bed and the wall. “Can you open up the window? Arella hates when I play with the thermostat.” He slurred, rolling over to rest on his stomach.
When she felt Mike take her hand, Stella was more than willing to walk him back to his bedroom. Instead, he tugged her along, and she would’ve complained but the distance between the kitchen and his room couldn’t have been more than twenty feet. Pouting slightly, she just rolled her eyes - biting down on her bottom lip to stifle laughter as the two of them moved past the other closed doors. She watched him dive against his mattress, nudging the door closed with her foot. With his request she walked over to open the window, standing on her tiptoes to unlock the latch at the top - pulling it up half way. Before joining Mike in bed, she took her shoes off and slipped her phone out of her back pocket, placing it against the top of his dresser. Finally, Stella crawled over his slim form, straddling his hips as she slid down against his back - wrapping her arms around his sides. “I worry about you.” She admitted quietly, kissing between Mike’s shoulder blades. Finally, she let her cheek rest against his warm skin, scaling her fingers up his bare sides.
Feeling Stella’s weight on his back relieved that piercing pain he had been feeling in his spine all day long, if that made any sense. And knowing that she was here with him made him feel a hell of a lot better. He sighed into his pillow, tilting his head so that his cheek rested on the thin sheets of the bed. He let out a deep breath, pulling his hands out from underneath one of his pillows. He moved an arm behind his back as he felt around for Stella’s hand. Linking his finger with hers, he cleared his throat. “I’m okay now, I promise.” He said, mostly to himself. He squeezed her hand in what he deemed a comforting manner. Mike’s thumb caressed the top of her hand slowly, as he felt the slight breeze enter his previously stuffy bedroom. “Everything’s okay now that you’re here.” His words rolled out of his mouth in a slur as he kept from rambling on about how much he needed her.
Stella sighed softly, listening to the sound of Mike’s voice she let her eyes flutter closed. She laced her fingers blindly with his own, wrapping her free arm tighter around his body. “If you say so.” She said, her voice laced with uncertainty. Letting her thumb glide over the inside of his wrist, she opened her blue eyes again - pushing the hair away from the back of his neck. “Just, do me a favor and try not to drink so much when you’re sad, okay? That’s a terrible habit, and I don’t want to be responsible for finding you a new liver.” Stella laughed quietly in an attempt to make the heavy mood a bit lighter, leaning up to kiss the side of Mike’s neck. Nipping at his tattoo, she kissed the spot immediately after - as if to apologize. “I love you too much for that shit.” She teased, letting go of his hand so that she could massage small circles into his sore, lower back.
“I wasn’t drinking because I was sad, or I wasn’t sad to begin with.” Mike said, squirming underneath her as he tried to re-adjust himself in a more comfortable position. He pushed the ring in his bottom lip around with his tongue for a moment, “I was drinking because it’s all I do. It’s all I’ve ever known, and I’m tired of it. All drinking ever gives me are situations where I react like a shit person.” He swallowed the ever-growing lump in his throat, squeezing his eyes shut. “I love you, and I don’t want to live like this anymore.” Mike closed his mouth, and buried his face in his arm. He wasn’t sure if this was just the alcohol talking or if he was being honest. But you know what they say, a drunk mind speaks a sober heart. He was growing more frustrated with himself as seconds went by, not knowing whether speaking up was the best option. With a soft groan he gave up, deciding to deal with all of his thoughts at a later time. Much, much later.
“Shh, baby stop, it’s fine, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said anything.” Stella told him quietly, watching as he hid his face in the crook of his arm. Taking the hint that he was obviously upset. Climbing off of his back, she unbuttoned her jeans - pushing them off her hips and onto the floor. In another quick movement, she pulled the blanket back up, wedging herself between Mike and his bedroom wall. “We don’t have to talk about this right now.” She sighed, nuzzling into his much bigger form. Lifting her hand, she walked her fingers over his bicep, tracing over the various outlines of his tattoos. It was obvious that Mike was harboring a lot of emotions, and she wasn’t going to pry - especially in his current state. That was just asking for trouble. “I love you. Think about feeding giraffes and the fact that I’m not wearing any pants.” She teased, kissing between his tan shoulder blades again, before dropping her head against the pillows.
“Don’t be sorry. I’m sorry. I know that’s all I ever say but I mean it. I love you.” Mike told her once she was completely situated into his side. Slowly but surely he could feel the the sickening feeling in his stomach fade away. That was the effect Stella had on him, she could make everything better with just a single look. If you told Mike that he’d fall head over heels in love with someone a little over a year ago, he’d laugh and ask you where you kept the good shit. But as he laid in bed with Stella, his mind still in a vulnerable state, he was glad he took the chance. The things that life threw at him never made much sense, but in this exact point in time Mike was positive that this was where he belonged. His hand dove under the sheets, creeping up her thigh to rest on her hip bone. He moved his head to press a kiss against what felt like her forehead. Sucking in a shaky breath, he hooked his index finger around the waistband of her underwear, rubbing his finger against the skin underneath before pulling his hand back up to rest on her shoulder.
Running her hands over her cheeks, Stella frowned slightly at the pinkish hue of her skin - being outside in the sun all day was probably to blame. She reached up to run her fingers through the part of her hair, glancing down at the granite sink top when her phone lit up with a notification. Responding to the ‘Happy Birthday!’ text she opened the bathroom door, flipping the light off. She expected to see Mike lounging around somewhere, but her eyes moved across the empty hotel room when he was nowhere to be found. Curiously, she watched the curtains blow through the opening in the sliding glass door. Hesitating for a moment, the brunette slipped outside onto the balcony - wrapping her arms around Mike’s middle from behind, standing on her tiptoes to press a kiss to his shoulder blade. “What are you doing out here, weirdo?”
The youngest of the Fuentes brothers let out a quiet sigh, hunching over to rest his arms against the balcony railing. His eyes moved underneath his sunglasses as they followed the seemingly tiny people a couple floors below him. He heard the sound of slight shuffling come from behind him, without even having to check he knew that it’d be Stella. Mike spoke with the other girls prior to leaving for Disneyland to ensure that they’d stay out of his hair just long enough for him to give Stella her final gift. He felt her warm arms snake around his torso, and her gentle lips on his shoulder, which caused the corners of his lips to twitch upward involuntarily. “Just thinking.” Mike placed his hands on top of hers, and turned around in her arms, leaning down to press a kiss on the crown of her head. “I have something for you.”
Stella let her cheek rest against the back of his shirt, smiling when she heard his quiet voice. The girl opened her mouth to ask what he was thinking about, shutting it just as quickly when he spoke again. Lifting her head when the drummer turned around, she looked up at him - pulling her bottom lip between her teeth. “You didn’t have to get me anything else, papi chulo.” She smirked, lacing their fingers together before she ran her thumbs over his tattooed knuckles. It was already hard enough for her to wrap her brain around everything Mike had already done for her, but there was time to figure out why later. “I owe you big time already.” Stella teased, leaning up to kiss his chin.
Mike smiled down at Stella, giving one of her hands a comforting squeeze. “You don’t owe me anything princess, absolutely nothing.” He took in a deep breath, his nerves starting to get the best of him. He had it all planned out; down to the exact words that he wanted to flow off the tip of his tongue at this exact moment. But now that he was standing with Stella pulled up against his chest, the proper words escaped him. His tongue darted out of his mouth quickly, and glided along his bottom lip as he struggled with putting his thoughts into words. Mike cleared his throat in hopes that his voice wouldn’t crack or strain when he began to speak.
“Y’know.” He started, sucking in a breath. “Every thug needs his lady, his baby goon that’s his eternal down to ride or die. All thugs need a reason to get up in the morning and hustle to make some bread.” He paused and chuckled lightly, lifting her hand up to his lips. “And I thi- well, I know that you’re my reason.” He gently released her hand and reached into the pocket of his black shorts, fishing around before his fingers curled around the necklace. “I wanted to be incredibly cheesy and ask you to be my girlfriend on your birthday, partly so I don’t forget our anniversary.” He said jokingly, kissing her forehead. He brought the sterling silver Minnie Mouse necklace to the level of her eye and pursed his lips tightly. “Stella Grey Hanson, will you be my girlfriend, aka my lady thug?”
Stella bit down on the inside of her cheek, fighting the urge to protest the fact that, yes, she did owe him for everything he’d done. She watched Mike carefully, her brow furrowing slightly at the sudden change in his demeanor. Her stomach sank when she heard him clear his throat, realizing that he was busy processing thoughts into words - a familiar sense of nervousness crawling over her spine. When Mike started talking the anxiety disappeared, and instead she looked down momentarily to stifle a fit of laughter. Amused she shook her head when she felt his lips against the back of her hand, dropping her arms behind her back once he dug through into his pocket.
“So typical, Wasty.” Stella joked, reaching one of her hands back up so that she could view the pendant dangling in front of her blue eyes. “You just-” her voice trailed off before she wrapped her arms around his neck, “I think it’d be pretty fresh to be able to call myself your lady thug, Michael Christopher Fuentes. I don’t even know what the hell a baby goon is, but I guess I’ll be that too.” She grinned, nudging his hand so that she could press an affirmative kiss to his lips. “You’re something else cuchara grande.”
John yawned sleepily, flipping through the channels on the hotel’s television. His thumb pressed against the up button, pausing to watch the images flash across the screen. Obviously bored, he tossed the remote onto the opposite side of the bed. He’d stopped clicking when he came across a local news station, taking a mental note at the cold forecast for the next day - not that it really mattered since they’d be leaving in the morning. John didn’t mind flying across the country to be with Lights, even if the two of them were only promised a handful of days together. The only thing he hated was waiting, but next to everything else, music came first - for both of them. Letting his eyes wander from the TV, he couldn’t help but shake his head at the puppy who was currently taking residence on his chest. John frowned slightly when he realized how much dog hair was going to end up on the green button up he was wearing, walking his fingers over the pug’s fur. A smirk crossed over his features when the dog wagged his tail, patting Winston’s head in amusement.
Lights sat in the back of the van, tracing shapes into the condensation on the window. There was only a few cars scattered on the road, which made her agitated that it was taking so long to get back to the hotel. She sighed and leaned back, propping her legs up on the arm rest of the seat in front of her. The van came to a complete halt, causing Lights to perk up. She got up only to have the members from her touring band rush out before she did. She plopped back down with a sigh as they carried their stuff out, taking their absolute sweet time with it. Eventually she was allowed out, walking quickly towards the hotel’s front doors. Ignoring the front desks polite greeting, she walked straight into the first elevator that was open, pressing the button that belonged to her floor. The elevator could not have reached the eighth floor faster. As soon as she heard the ever so familiar ding, she darted out, running her fingers through the long dark hair, smoothing out the knots. She pulled her room card out of her back pocket as she got closer to the door. Sliding the card into the designated slot, she pushed the door open, closing it quietly behind her. Lights made her way onto the bed, lying down beside John and Winston.
John looked up when he heard the door open, a crooked grin plastered across his face at the sight of the dark-haired girl. “Look who finally decided to join us.” He teased, moving Winston back onto the mattress when he felt her weight on the opposite side of the bed. He smoothed his hands over his shirt, letting out a small noise of frustration at the hair that clung to the fabric. Ignoring it, he quickly enveloped his arms around Lights’ tiny frame - pressing a flurry of kisses over the bridge of her nose and across her cheeks. He kissed her forehead, letting his lips linger there for a few moments before pulling away. “Missed you,” John half-murmured, leaning down again to run his lips over the side of her neck; grazing his teeth over the soft skin, breathing out as his hands skimmed over her sides. “A lot.”
Biting down on his bottom lip, the singer pushed open the door of the hotel lobby - bracing himself when he felt a blast of frigid air. He closed his eyes briefly, taking in a deep breath before he tugged his leather jacket taut around his thin frame; a small lump wiggling against his chest. Nearing a grassy area of the hotel’s parking lot, a barely audible whimper left the inside of his coat as he walked. A tiny pug wiggled halfway out of John’s jacket - making it obvious that he’d been the source of the noise. “Winston,” He mumbled with a roll of his eyes, leaning down and placing the tiny puppy in the grass.
John watched as the pug just sat there, tilting his head with a laugh at how pitiful he looked. “C’mon, little buddy.” He cooed in a coaxing manner, that didn’t seem to fit his stature, leaning down to run his hands over Winston’s soft fur. The attempt at warming him up seemed to work because the puppy quickly carried out his business. As soon as he was done, John scooped him back up into his arms - tucking him underneath the zipper of his jacket. He wasn’t really sure if they were allowed to have animals or not, considering the level of elegance the hotel seemed to maintain - he was going to go out on a limb and assume no. After slipping past the front desk unnoticed and into the elevator, he leaned his head back against the mirrored paneling.
Once the elevator doors opened again, he paused for a second - trying to remember whether his room was to the left or the right. After a moment of hesitation his turned to the right, and then a quick left, recognizing a few room numbers before he slid his keycard into the correct slot; opening up the room. Setting Winston down onto the bed, John followed suit - sliding down against the mattress on his stomach. It was somewhat of a relief not to have any shows to rush off to, but waiting for Lights to return was just as time consuming. He’d gone out to her first show, but honestly - he’d been exhausted the entire time the band was in Europe, not quite getting over what seemed like permanent jet-lag. Pushing his fingers through his hair, John let his cheek fall against the cold side of the pillow, watching as the puppy trotted over to climb on top his back.
Lights walked alongside of her touring band, not really paying attention to what the men were talking about. She pulled her beanie off of her head, tucking her hair in place. Her stomach was uneasy with anticipation, all she really wanted to do was run the rest of the way to the hotel. Tired and almost out of breath from the show and the walk back, she quickly dismissed the idea from her head. Placing her grey beanie back over her hair carefully, she crossed the road in front of the hotel. One of her band mates held open the door for her, thanking him with a curt nod, she picked up the pace and entered an empty elevator. Lights stopped herself from rushing the rest of the guys, slightly annoyed with how it seemed like they were taking their sweet time to spite Lights for their shits and giggles.
Her hunch was answered when one of the guys let out a small laugh. She rolled her eyes playfully and pressed the button that belonged to her floor. She took a deep breath, waving goodbye when the guys got off a floor before her. The elevators doors couldn’t slide open fast enough for her, looking to her left and then her right, Lights made sure there was no one lounging around the hall before breaking into a sprint towards the room. She slowed down abouut a foot away from the room, trying to even out her breathing as she pulled the room key out of her back pocket. Pulling the door open, she entered the room, spotting John and Winston on the bed. She slipped her jacket off, dropping it on top of a chair. She moved to the bed and laid down on top of John, running her fingers over the top of the pug’s head. “Hey sweetie.” She whispered, pressing a kiss to the side of John’s head.
John lifted his head slightly when he heard the door open, his expression changing for the better when he noticed Lights walk through the doorway. He opened his mouth to protest, as he watched her slip her jacket off, but instead he yawned - running another hand through his hair before he felt her weight on the edge of the mattress. The singer couldn’t help but laugh when she climbed on his back, letting out a faux groan of frustration before he slid his arms underneath his chest. “What are you doing?” He asked playfully, his tone something between a scoff and a half-whine. He reached behind him, gently nudging Winston off his shoulder blades. In a swift, somewhat difficult movement, John slipped onto his back - running his hands over Lights’ sides. “You look cold.” He smirked, offering her a crooked smile. “But, hey - that’s what you get for leaving me.” He laughed softly, “And Winston.”
“I’m stealing your warmth, that’s what.” She answered, watching as John shrugged Winston away. The pug moved over to the top of the bed making himself comfortable on a pillow. Lights gripped the sheets when John moved underneath her, scared that she’d be knocked off the bed. Once John was settled on his back, she let out a breath, smiling softly to herself. She rested her elbow beside his shoulder, holding her head up with the palm of her hand. “Sorry I work part-time as a singer when I’m not busy saving the galaxy. I’ll be sure to quit since it’s just something to keep me busy.” She teased, “My boots are killing me, I would take them off but I know you hate my hobbit feet.” Lights ran her left hand up John’s arm, stopping when she reached his face. She pushed her bottom lip out in a small pout, caressing his jaw line with her thumb.
Lights wove through all of the people in the airport, tugging her suitcase behind her. For a second she was confused as to why there were so many people, but then she realized that it was after Thanksgiving. With the automatic sliding doors in sight she sped up, nearling knocking herself over in the process. She walked through the doors, pulling her sweater closer to herself. She looked to her right, and then to her left before spotting John. She took a deep breath, and walked towards him, glancing at his truck. “It’s even uglier in person.” she muttered to herself, flashing him a smile.
John shoved his iPhone into the back pocket of his jeans, leaning against the passenger door of his truck. He would’ve been hiding inside with the heat blasting, but since Lights wasn’t exactly gifted in the height department - he was bracing himself against the dropping desert temperature. He glanced down at the buttons of his flannel, absentmindedly checking to make sure he hadn’t skipped one, before he heard her familiar voice. “You can walk if you want.” He teased, grabbing her suitcase after he leaned down to kiss underneath her ear. Almost in a teasing fashion, instead of an ‘I miss you’ gesture. Swinging the girl’s luggage into the bed of his truck, he pulled open the passenger door; letting her climb inside before he headed to the opposite door.
Lights rolled her eyes at john, giggling lightly when he had kissed on the spot under her ear. “I might as well walk, because then I wouldn’t be seen with you.” She scrunched her face up, “And that’s like social suicide.” She hopped into his truck, “But it’s too cold, and I don’t want to get lost.” Lights put her seat belt on and crossed her legs, pushing her hair out of her face. She tilted her head to take a look at John, “I’m so excited to meet Lucy.”
“Oh, social suicide. Well.” John laughed softly, pushing his foot onto the break before shifting the old truck into drive. While he maneuvered away from the curb, he tugged at his seatbelt, leaning back when he heard it click. “You’re lying. If you think my truck is ugly…” He trailed off teasingly in reference to Lucy, raising his eyebrows playfully before flicking on his turn signal. He hardly knew how to manage his excitement, considering Lights was finally in Arizona. He decided to keep his mouth shut instead of bombarding her with ‘look at that’ and ‘see here’. “So, how many airports is this now?” He asked jokingly.
“Your truck is ugly.” She leaned back in her seat, and ran her hands down her thighs to rest them on her knees. “How many airports?” She repeated the question to herself under her breath. “One too many.” She replied, scrunching her face up. Lights played with a frayed string on the hole of her jeans. “Way too many.” She sighed and looked at John for a quick second, “But it’s all worth it.”
John couldn’t help but laugh as he turned his head to merge onto the highway. “One too many.” He repeated with a sigh, another crooked smile still fixed against his features. He watched her hands slide down her knees out of the corner of his eye, moving his gaze from the road once he was at a comfortable speed. “You’re crazy, you know. Getting on a plane just to visit a stupid boy.” The singer smirked, his eyes shifting in Lights’ direction.
“Getting on a plane to see a stupid boy.” She bit down on her bottom lip, nodding in agreement. “I am pretty crazy.” She turned around in her seat, completely facing John. “Crazy in love.” She said batting her eyelashes at him exaggeratedly. “I don’t know John, I keep wanting to be an asshole to you but I can’t really think of anything. I missed you.”
“That’s just part of my charm I guess.” John mused sarcastically, shifting his truck into second gear. He laughed at her words, shaking his head before he turned his head to look at her. “I missed you too.” He told the tiny girl, in all seriousness. “And I love you. Twice as much.” He nodded, resisting the urge to lean over and kiss her lips; instead, he focused on the road again. “I’m still trying to wrap my brain around the fact that you’re here. In Arizona.”
“Well I am, I came all the way from my motherland, and I’m tired, very, very tired.” She sighed softly, pushing her hair off of her shoulder. “I just want to cuddle with you, and kiss your face, and just be all cute with you for once.” She looked down at her boots and ran her thumb over a scuff mark, rubbing at it a few times before taking note that it was permanent. “So how much longer ‘til we get to your house?” She asked cocking an eyebrow at him.
“The motherland?” John asked rhetorically with a small chuckle, reaching over to tickle her leg before he snapped his hand back toward his own lap. Narrowing his eyes at a green interstate sign, he spoke again - “Probably ten, fifteen minutes.” He nodded, looking over at her again. “Are you in a rush, missy?” He smirked, laughing again before switching into the right hand lane.
