The Aviators

“Valary...Valary...Valary...Vaal...wake up!”

Someone is poking me in the side of my head. I groan in protest, rolling over, wishing they’d just let me alone, I’m very comfortable here in...thud.

“Hey...don’t fall off the stool, Valary...”

Too late. I blink and find myself staring up into Jimmy’s stunning blue gaze. “Uh...hi? What happened?”

Jimmy smirks, not unkindly. “You fell asleep back here...getting bored, already?” He tilts his head at me, and then makes to poke me again. I hold my hands up and back into the corner.

“Stop, please...I’m awake...” A soft giggle slips past my lips. He grins at me, blue eyes sparkling.

“Good. ‘Cause someone wants to meet you.”

I frown; if he means the guitar tech, I’m not really sure I want to put myself anywhere near him. I still have this niggling thought that he is the same guy from the mall, and if he is then I don’t know whether that should scare me, or not. I don’t easily trust people...particularly if they seem suspicious. Like Jason Denmore. If that’s even his real name.

Jimmy waves his hand in front of my face, drawing my attention back to him. “Val, you still with me?”

“Yeah, sorry...just thinking...”

“Well, stop thinking and come meet Denny.”

Gee that was quick...he’s already got a nickname for him... “Uh...well does...”

“Does Matt know? Yeah, he’s over with him. Don’t worry, he’s not gonna bite you.” Jimmy leans in close, squinting at me, and then it’s as if something seems to dawn on him. “Hey, you’re not scared are you? We’re all here, we’d never let anything happen. I mean, you heard Matt before, right? He’d stick up for you, no fucking worries.”

I look away, biting at my bottom lip. I find I do that a lot these days. After a moment, I give a slight nod.

“Okay...but, uh...why would he want to meet me, anyway?” I know, I’m acting all reluctant, but it’s just a habit, for the sake of self-preservation. It pays to be cautious, and to know what’s going on. Always.

Jimmy rolls his eyes and holds his hand out to me. “Because he’s being friendly.”

Yeah, right. He just wants to be a sticky-beak. But, I guess I should give him a chance. I mean, if Matt’s over there with him, it can’t hurt, can it? But, then Matt doesn’t know that the guy is who I think he is...because he wasn’t at the mall with us. He’s just suspicious because he has some kind of intuition about him. Well, if I go over there...the truth will most likely out. And maybe that will make all of this a lot easier.

I sigh, finally taking hold of Jimmy’s hand. He grins as he tugs me from the corner over to where the guys are lounging in front of the computer. Matt is the first to look up; a tight expression dominates his face. He isn’t comfortable with the situation, but he doesn’t say anything. He just nods to me and glances at the others. Brian lifts a hand; Zacky grins, but I don’t have eyes for them.

Time seems to freeze as my gaze settles upon the man sitting between the two guitarists. Deep black eyes stare at me from beneath the peak of a ball cap. His gaze seems all-knowing as if he can look into my soul and figure me out with a single glance.

Yep. It’s definitely him. I’d recognise those eyes anywhere. I mean, sure...I’ve only met him once, but sometimes it’s the ones you meet just in a single fleeting moment that imprint on your memory the strongest. And, at any rate, his eyes are so damn intense it feels like he’s drilling a hole into you when he focuses his gaze in your direction.

I swallow hard, but he speaks first. “Hey, you’re that girl from the mall. Don’t you have a twin?”

From the corner of my eye I see both Matt and Zacky stiffen, faces darkening. For a second I wonder if they’ve figured it out. The connection. Because I definitely have.

Before I can answer, Matt shifts on his chair and answers for me, “Yeah, she does. What’s it to you?”

A frown flickers across JD’s face as he turns his head toward my master. “I just thought I recognised her. She was with another woman who looked helluva lot like her.” He shrugs, speaking casually. “I was with a buddy of mine, just taking a break from work.”

Matt gives a terse nod, his mouth set hard. “Right. Yeah, she has a twin. Brian’s girl.”

The tech tilts his head, glancing at Brian. Brian lifts a shoulder, but doesn’t speak. JD looks back at Matt, crossing his arms over his chest. I try not to stare. He’s bigger than Matt, which says something, doesn’t it? I don’t know many men who are, y’know...bigger...more powerful looking... Before Matt, I didn’t think anyone could be that muscled. But, obviously, JD tips the scales there. Not that he looks like one of those wrestlers or body builders. He’s just taller, and more built...okay, I should stop thinking about that now...

“Yeah, anyway, I just saw them at the mall. No big deal.” JD rubs a hand against a bicep, before unfolding his arms and leaning forward.

Jimmy, who’s still standing next to me, snorts. “Of course it’s a big deal; it’s always a big deal.”

JD gives the drummer a weird look. Brian lets out a bark of laughter.

“Everything’s a big deal to Jimmy.”

“Very true,” Jimmy chuckles, then walks back over to his drums.

JD smirks, the corners of his lips twitching upward, but he says nothing, just inclines his head toward me tilting his fingers to the peak of his cap. I blink at him in answer. He just smiles more, and then swivels round on his stool back toward the monitors. I stare at his broad back then look at the others. They all have various different expressions on their faces, but it’s Matt I focus on. His eyes are dark, and it’s nothing to do with their colour. Whatever thoughts are going through his mind can’t be pleasant.

He stands pushing back his chair in an abrupt motion then jerks his head at me toward the exit. Brian frowns.

“Where’re you going?”

Matt shakes his head, but says, “Need to talk to Val about something; won’t take long.”

He looks to me then at the door. I get the hint and head for the exit, not arguing and ignoring the curious glances the other guys are giving the both of us. Matt follows me out, dismissing the guys’ questions, telling them just to get on with their work, before joining me outside.

Closing the door over, he approaches coming to a halt in front of me; his eyes stare downwards, one eyebrow lifting a little. I peer up at him, unable to gauge his expression.

“What is it, Master?”

Matt works his jaw for a moment, and then answers, “He’s the guy who gave you that card, isn’t he?” The end of his phrase curls up in question.

Biting my lip, I incline my head to the side, before giving a single nod. Matt sighs, smearing a hand over his face.

“Fuck, what does this mean?” His tone is low, as if he’s speaking more to himself, than to me. I wait, not responding.

He eyes me, face serious. I look away, rubbing at my arms. He reaches out to me; I see the movement from the corner of my eyes. I lean toward him as he strokes a finger down the side of my neck, his touch tender. Shuffling closer, I let myself relax into the soft caress of the calloused pad against my skin. His lips twitch in a warm smile. But then it disappears and he drops his hand to his side.

I blink at him, not comprehending his actions. He averts his gaze and stares back toward the garage. “Do you think I should talk to him?”

“I don’t know, Master.”

No one has ever asked my opinion on anything. As a slave it’s not my place. I’m sure if that man from the Guild heard Matt asking me this, he’d say that was against regulations. But, then again, I doubt Matt cares for rules. Jimmy told me one time that he and Matt were always getting trouble in high school, even got kicked out a couple of times.

“Talk to who?”

We turn our heads to see Zacky leaning out of the doorway eyebrows raised in curiosity. I tilt my head; I don’t remember hearing the door open. Matt scowls at his friend.

“JD.”

Zacky comes out, shutting the door behind him. “Why you need to talk to him?”

Matt begins to shake his head, before changing his mind, and shoving his hands in his pockets. I see myriad thoughts pass over his face while he decides how to respond. But, Zacky seems to be thinking as well, because he comes to a sudden conclusion.

“You think he’s the guy who gave Val that card.”

“He is the same guy, right, Val?” Matt looks to me. I nod ‘yes’. He glances back at the guitarist.

Zacky rubs his jaw, thinking. Then he leans back against the wall staring hard at Matt. Neither of them says anything, though. They’re both pondering the implications of the information. At least, that’s what I assume they’re doing, ‘cause that’s what’s going through my mind. I mean, for one, the fact that he calls himself Jason, but it says on the card that his name is Joshua Douglas, who’s to say he’s trustworthy? It calls him out for being a liar. And I know for a fact that Matt hates any form of deceitfulness.

“Well, fuck...I don’t know what to say to that,” Zacky finally mutters.

Matt rolls his eyes. “That would make two of us, V.”

They fall quiet again. I shuffle my feet about. Matt looks at me, his eyes shadowed. Halting in my motion, I lower my eyes then hear him sigh a little.

“What do you think, Val?” He repeats his earlier question.

I tilt my head, looking incredulously at him. “What do I think?”

“Yeah, should I talk to him?”

Zacky is looking at me as well, his green eyes intense, causing my skin to tingle beneath his gaze. I look anywhere but at either man, eyes darting around the yard. But, then I decide to say something, even if it doesn’t make any real sense. Because, to be honest, I know what I would do if I had the choice.

“I don’t think so, Master. I think...maybe you should just wait. Um...let him mention it.”

Matt nods, slowly. “Yeah, that would make sense. Zack?” He looks at the guitarist.

Zacky toys with the labret on the left side of his bottom lip, brow creasing in an uncharacteristic frown. I glance at him wondering how he’ll answer.

He looks between us, before nodding. “I agree. He’s the one who said he’d seen Val and Chelle at the mall. If he thinks it’s important enough, he’ll mention it.” Folding his arms, he smirks as he adds, “At any rate, since we know he’s the same guy, perhaps if we search the name ‘Jason Denmore’ in connection with the card...maybe we’ll find something on the net.”

Matt chortles. “I hadn’t thought of that. Y’know, sometimes you’re not as dumb as you act.”

Zacky gives him the finger, pushing away from the wall. “Don’t stay out here too long. Brian was wondering what the fuck you two were doing.”

I giggle a little as Matt smirks and states in a mocking tone, “Tell him we’re out here fucking. That’ll shut him up.”

Green eyes taking on an amused glint, the guitarist snorts, lips curving in a smirk. “Yeah, or he’ll rib you on it for days.”

Matt shakes his head. “Get back in there, Baker. We won’t be long.”

Zacky wiggles his fingers at us and heads back into the studio, leaving us alone again. I peek at Matt who is frowning to himself, dragging his fingers through his hair. He lowers his hand and looks back at me.

“This is going to be awkward. But, we’ll manage, won’t we?”

I tilt my head. He frowns more.

“I mean, pretending that nothing’s doing.”

I nod in understanding.

He sighs, the sound heavy, tired. Holding his hand out to me he forces a smile on his face. I place my hand in his, gripping it firm. He pulls me close, into his arms, wrapping me up in his warm embrace, nuzzling into my hair. I lean into his body, feeling secure in his strong arms.

He keeps nuzzling then lifts his head murmuring low, “We’ll work all this out...”

I smile in answer, relaxing into his hold, comforted by the contact between us.

And, for a long while we just stand there, knowing that the guys won’t miss us, and will come and get us if they really need to.

Notes