Brian’s POV

“I don’t have any fucking service…come I have to call MJ.” I saw him looking over his phone with a small smirk, which irritated me only more. When I was drunk, it wasn’t a smart choice to make if you came up with an idea to piss Brian Haner off. “Come on!”

„Syn, you’re drunk. It’s probably not the wisest to call her being like this,” Zacky replied, his eyes still on the screen of his phone. What the fuck was he talking about?

„What?” I frowned. Me calling people while I’m drunk is the best thing I could ever do, ‘cause when I’m drunk, I’m usually less of a dick. Or so I think when I’m slightly intoxicated. „Give me the goddamn phone Vengeance! Come on, man, I promise I won’t look at those naked selfies...”

„Look, why don’t you go and ask for Jimmy’s phone?” What the hell was his deal? I could care less for his texts or those disgusting dick photo’s he took to boost up his ego. Or maybe that was short-shit, could never remember which one of them.

„Are you fucking kidding me?” My eyebrows shot up. „Just give me the goddamn phone!”

„Gates—„

„Don’t you ‘Gates’ me, Baker! Either you give me that piece of shit of a phone or I’ll fucking... fucking punch you, man... I swear I’ll hit you so hard, I’ll hit you back to our first Warped tour!”

His chest dropped as he sighed, holding out the phone for me, „Just... please don’t drown it in the lake, okay?” Who even said I was gonna go anywhere near the lake? But then again...

„I fucking love you, man!” I leaned over and pushed a sloppy and wet kiss on his lips as I rushed out of the cabin, attempting to dial MJ’s number, but instead somehow opening a picture of two chicks... Shit, I promised! I promised I wouldn’t look! Close, fucking close you piece of shit... I just need to call MJ. Even tho I should shake Zack’s hand if he’s fucking the girls who were in the picture. Didn’t see their faces, because I’m on a fucking merry-go-round, but hey. They looked like I would like to fuck them.

I brushed my hand through my hair, finally getting her number right, but then again... I could’ve just as well searched her up in Zack’s contact list... I’m drunk. Fuck, Gates, stop drinking and get your head out of your ass!

My eyes dropped over the screen – Calling MJ <3 .

I had to make a double check. Why the fuck was there a heart at the end of her initials? Fuck, man, I’m never drinking vodka ever again. Did those symbols actually stand for something more than a plain heart? Maybe I was truly going crazy. Why would Vengeance put a heart at the end of her name... right? That’s probably nothing.

„Hello?” Oh shit, was she sleeping? What was the actual time?

„Babe, I’m so, so, so fucking sorry I didn’t call earlier,” I slurred out nevertheless, leaning over the banister of the small outside terrace.

„Bri?” her voice was throaty and was that the bed creaking under her? „Baby, why are you calling from Zack’s phone?” Why was she whispering? I wasn’t sleeping you know... or is she... Is she sleeping with someone else? I swear I’d die if she cheated on me. Or kill someone, in either case someone would in fact die.

„Why the fuck are you whispering?” I tried fixing my eyes somewhere on the woods in front of me, feeling the endless spin sucking me in and just growing in force as I lit up my cigarette, „I swear to god MJ if you’re sleeping with someone else, I’ll... I’ll, fuck... Don’t make me think what I’d do...”

„Brian, are you drunk?” Was it that fucking obvious? Yes, I was fucking drunk, only because she wasn’t with me. I was lonely and sad and missing her. And apparantly don’t know how to light a cigarette anymore.

„You could say that,” I puffed the smoke a couple of times, hoping it would lit up since I just kinda dropped the lighter over the railing. As I looked where the Zippo lighter landed, my head almost accompanied my lighter in it’s journey, feeling too heavy to keep it upright. „Who are you sleeping with, MJ?”

„...what? Wh-what do you mean, baby?”

„Right now... who the fuck’s in my bed...” I whispered angrily, „And why the fuck were you whispering earlier...”

„It’s Dice... Didn’t you see the picture I sent?” What kinda picture? And why would she send me a picture of Dice? I still remember the way Red looks, thank you very much.

„... no? I don’t know... Probably not, my phone’s being a little bitch and refuses to cooperate. I’m basically cut off the civilization.” I explained with a little slur to my words as I flicked the ashes, seeing the bright amber like flames dance their way from the white coffin nail and down to the ground.

„Oh...” She let out and I really wanted to punch myself, because she just sounded so sad. I really am acting like a little shit right now. I pinched the bridge of my nose, still holding the cigarette in my fingers.

„I’m sorry, MJ... I’m drunk... You don’t have to listen to what I say.” I sighed, wishing to just pull MJ out of the phone and put her in front of myself so I could cuddle the absolute shit out of her, kiss her breathless and finally fall asleep next to her.

„Drunk or not, I don’t care, Bri. It’s nice to hear your voice.” She said getting a drunken tear roll down my cheek. Too. Much. Vodka. I sniffed, brushing the wetness away.

„Dito.” I smiled raising the cigarette to my lips. „I could bail, you know... Walk back to Huntington Beach... to you...”

„Walk back?”

„Sure.” I said, „In fact I should start right now, maybe could catch a ride with a bear.” I heard her laugh at the other end of the conversation. Good. The corners of my lips raised in a smile too. Even tho I felt like crying. Why did she have to be so far away and me so fucking drunk on vodka? Like it hadn’t made enough with Smirnoff’s that one time when Johnny decided he could take on Zack. Sure, we kinda planted that sick seed in his head, but still... Vodka does stupid shit to people, and I apparently have to learn by my own mistakes.

„You’re not serious,” She chuckled.

„Why not? Could be almost as an adventure.” I laughed. So now I’m laughing. Cool. Okay. I guess I’ll just roll with it. „Have you ever ridden a bear?”

„Of course,” She snickered.

„yeah?” My eyebrows shot up as I straightened up to look over the night. She really has? Well tickle me surprised. Or drunk, either’s fine. Really.

„Sure.”

„When?” I questioned, kicking the cigarette butt away.

„Last night.” Oh, well that’s just nice. If she’d be here, I’d bent her over my knee and spank the shit out of her. In what sense did I remind her of a bear? I wasn’t even hairy, for fuck sake!

„Remind me to spank you when I get home,” I smirked, barely being able to stand still. Crap... The booze really didn’t want to leave my fucking body. Well... What am I supposed to do now?

„Why? I didn’t roll my eyes!” She protested.

„Well, I wouldn’t know that. But you did insult me, whichs also gets you a spank,” I grinned in the night and suddenly out of nowhere Zack appeared by my side, gesturing for me to give his phone back. I raised my finger up, bargaining for another minute... or an hour. He couldn’t know what my finger stood for. Not even I knew!

„That’s not fair!” She exclaimed as Zacky sighed heavily and with a glare walked back in the cabin.

„it is fair,” I smiled, „But fine, I need to stop talking to you, Zack’s demanding his phone back.”

„Okay. Get some sleep, Bri. And drink some water so you don’t feel like dying in the morning,” Water? Yeah, as if!

„Thanks, mom.” I rolled my eyes still smiling, „But I think I’ll just drink a bit more and when I wake up in the morning I’m drunk still and those three days just kinda blow over, since this is the plan I’m sticking to.”

„That sounds like a stupid plan...” She sighed. No, that sounds like a fucking brilliant plan. This way I won’t do anything that falls under the category of outrageous stupidity and maybe even write a song or two in my drunk stupor.

„It’s that or I’m fucking everything and going back to you...” My shoulders twitched lightly as I turned with my back towards the banister, looking over the dimly lit living room of the cabin.

„If they have to get you to the hospital, don’t tell me I didn’t warn you,”

„MJ, you obviously don’t know what goes down when we go on tour,” I tried reasoning, „You actually think there’s a day when we’re sober?”

„I hope so!” She yelled. Okay... Note to self – MJ does not have to know what happens when we’re on tour.

„Okay, MJ, I’ll talk to you tomorrow, okay?” I tilted my head back, looking over the stars. Realizing in Huntington Beach you won’t have a luxury like this one. Seeing stars was almost as rare as Jimmy being serious for an instant.

„Fine. I love you, Brian,”

„Love you too.” I smiled and hung up, my eyes lingering on the screen for a good second. „Okay, how do you lock this thing?”

Aaand like that I did something and I strongly believed it ended in me breaking Zack’s fancy ass little phone, but no, I ended up scrolling through texts... Texts he shared with MJ. He’s fucking calling her ‘babe’ and missing her? What the fuck was this? My eyes went wide and my eyebrows puckered together as I fixed my vision and reread a couple of texts five times too many to really understand that it’s not the booze telling me Zack’s trying to get my fucking girlfriend. This was actually happening.

„Are you done?” Zack’s irritated voice came from the doorway.

„I believe I’m just getting started,” I mused, getting through those ‘smooth’ texts that will probably get him a fucking broken jaw in the next five minutes. „You care to fucking explain what the hell’s going on between you and my girlfriend?” I threw the phone back to Zack, him catching it and in response running his fingers through his hair as his eyes scanned over the texts I just read.

„Syn, we’re just friends,” He sighed.

„Zack, speak up! I’m a bit drunk, I can’t quite hear what’s that bullshit coming from your mouth,” I hissed angrily on which he replied with a maddening silence, „How dumb do I honestly look?”

„I’d say you look drunk, not dumb,” Was he fucking taunting me?

„Baker, don’t get smart with me. Are. You. Fucking. Sleeping with MJ?” I barely got that through my teeth and that dick better not be lying to me. Those texts didn’t look innocent enough for me to believe the whole thing’s just one sided. And since vodka’s running through my veins and I feel fucking immortal right now, I feel like killing a certain someone.

„No.” He replied after a long ass stare down.

Okay, let me rephrase that, since he’s a fucking know-it-all smarty-pants and soon to be teeth-less. „Have you slept with her?” I asked very slowly. Hoping for a fucking ‘no’ so we could all kiss and make up.

I saw him take a deep breath. I looked at him, gaping. „WHAT?!” I yelled, not really controlling myself anymore as I bit down on my knuckle, spoon around and then spoon back towards him, „what?!” I repeated, knowing exactly what that shit meant! „Are you fucking KIDDING ME!” Explains the fucking texts then... Vengeance never texts anyone if he doesn’t want something. Now I know what he’s getting out of my fucking girlfriend. The depths of her vagina.

„Gates, let me fucking—„ Boom, my fist cut him off and left me stumbling my way forward, before someone pulled me back.

„What the hell’s going on here?!” Matt raged holding me against himself, his eyes on Zack who, thank god, had a bleeding nose.

„That dick’s fucking MJ!” I yelled, pointing out to Baker. Was it just me, or did Matt’s stare say ‘I told you so’? „Fuck!” I pushed him away, „You fucking knew?!” Now my rage was directed towards Matt. How the hell could he hide this shit from me? Why didn’t he tell me that Zack was sleeping with MJ? Wasn’t it enough with Michelle back in the fucking day?

„I didn’t know!” He yelled back, brushing his hand over his head.

„then what the hell did that stare mean just now? Or please, you too write it off on me being fucking drunk, as per fucking usual!”

„Syn,” Zack started and I immediately threw myself forward, Shads catching me only in the last second.

„Why? Fucking why, Vengeance?” I raged, trying to break free from Matt’s grip, „You can get any girl, why the fuck you need to take the only thing that means the most to me?”

Zack cleaned his nose in the sleeve of his jacket, „You don’t fucking deserve her.”

Dice’s POV

When will I actually learn that alcohol is the real reason behind my misery and the fucking daily morning delusions I go through? Like waking up next to a chick and talking to what it seemed like Matt over the phone, who was extremely worked up and tried to squeeze that little drop of information out of me of where exactly I was. Yeah, buddy, if I knew...

Usually I didn’t blacken out and I remembered most of my drunk adventures, but there were two options of how the evening can end – either I get purposely shitfaced to a level where I pass out and I don’t remember anything that follows afterwards or I walk away like I haven’t even touched booze even tho I just drank two bottles of pure, stiff whiskey.

Struggling with the vomit, and my stomach who was being a fucking bitch, I stepped out of the bed as quietly as I could with Matt still screaming in my ear, „Can you give me a fucking sec?” I whispered, feeling the endless spin. Oh god, this time seemed to top them all. I was still drunk, but already feeling nauseous. Only then I remembered a little something from the evening, okay, fine maybe I didn’t remember, but I saw to whom I was sleeping next to. MJ. Cool... so where was I? At Matt’s? Nah, his interior didn’t scream – dick – this much. Okay. I’m at Gates’. Cool.

„Are you still drunk? You’re still at Gates’?” Whoa, already with the hard questions? Can we please, let a lady at least put on her boots since I feel like this is going towards – get your ass out of there and go home kinda thing.

„Uhmm... Yup,” I popped the ‘p’ and tried my best to close the bedroom door silently as I stumbled my way down the stairs.

„’Yup’ what?”

„’Yup’ to both of those,” I nodded my head, spotting my bag on the kitchen island. What the actual hell was it doing there?

„Come out.” He said simply. Come out? Like... come out, come out where ever you are? Are we playing hide and seek now? Wasn’t he supposed to be away for three days? I took my bag and struggled with the lock for quite some time until I realized it probably needs a fucking key, which I didn’t have and knowing how MJ’s sleeping and I’m doing a little sorta hit and run and I didn’t know where’s her bag – I jumped out of the kitchen window. Yes. Exactly. Because the patio door was locked too. I, myself, thought it looked fucking cool, but someone else if they saw it, probably would tell Syn that I broke his fucking glass table. Sorry for that.

When I walked around the house, I noticed a black Escalade in front of the house. Where’s his Audi? And he whines that I spend all his money? Such a fucking hypocrite. I opened the passenger side door and hopped in, the strong scent of someone being too fucking drunk instantly hitting my nose. And that’s when I saw Brian passed out on the back seats with a shit load of bottles around him.

„Where’s your pants?” Matt questioned with a cocked eyebrow, forcing me to look at my legs, which truly were bare. Oh hey. Cool. Nice one. I looked back at him and shrugged.

„Probably... somewhere,” I sighed heavily, feeling very much lost this morning. What was going on? „Why is he... uhmm... you know,” I pointed to Gates with a nod of my head.

„Found out Vengeance slept with MJ,” Matt pinched the bridge of his nose, before brushing his hands over his face and locking his eyes on me again. Oh... should I react in any sense? Should I be surprised? ‘Cause I kinda knew that one.

„So what now?” I asked after he had leaned in for a soft kiss.

„he stays with me until we sort this shit out.”

„Shouldn’t I stay with MJ then?” I pointed to the house. She’ll be devastated if she finds out Brian’s like really drinking his life away.

„No.” He stated simply. What? No? Why? „She doesn’t need to know we’re back. I give him two days and he’ll run back to MJ so just let’s keep a low profile.”

„Okay, that’s all fine and dandy, but why the hell did you wake me?” I frowned.

A devious smirk mirrored on his face, „Because I’m back. And I missed you.”

Notes