Blush

Brian POV

As soon as we slid into her car, me on the drivers side, Amber started laughing wildly, doubling over. I looked at her, shocked, not even putting the key in the ignition.
"What the fuck are you laughing at? You almost got the shit beat out of you behind a bar. That's funny?" I snapped, but a smile was starting to spread across my face. She didn't say anything, but took a minute to get her laughter under control. When she could finally breathe and the color was fading from her face, Amber grinned at me.
"Thanks." There wasn't a trace of laughter on her face; her smile was a grateful one.
I scowled. "You could've gotten killed. That was the dumbest fucking idea you've every had, and that says a lot."
Amber laughed again, and I started the car. "C'mon, I could've held my own. You think that's the worst situation I've been in, bodyguard or not?"
"Calloway had you pinned against a wall with a fist in your face. Enlighten me to the last time you were in a stickier situation than that." I rolled my eyes, glancing at her. Her face was illuminated by passing headlights, glinting off the small gold ring in her nose.
"Well, there was that time when I went to New York and Isabel and I, you remember Isabel? She came around a few times." I nodded, motioning with one hand for her to continue. "Well, we went to this club and some guy slipped something in her drink while she was dancing and I saw and dumped it on the guy, he shoved me and cracked my head against a bar stool. Whacked him in the dick with my beer bottle. Isabel had to take me to the hospital, y'know, because my head was bleeding all over the place. Got seven stitches right here." Amber tapped a finger against a scar I'd never noticed along her hairline.
"Shit, why didn't I know about that?" I asked, feeling like some asshole bashing her head against a bar stool would've made it's way back to me at some point.
She shrugged. "I didn't tell you. You're not exactly my number one fan. Didn't think you'd care."
"Do the guys know?"
"Yeah, Matt's my emergency contact, so he knew after it happened. I'd assume they didn't tell you for the same reason."
"God, am I really that big of an asshole that people think I wouldn't care at all?" Amber didn't answer, and the silence was deafening. "Well, shit." I turned onto Zack's street, without protest from Amber. Something told me that they'd waited up; I was right. Zack's driveway was full.
"Oh shit." Amber said, voice sour. She was looking forward to this as much as I was. As soon as we told them what happened, they'd be mad at Amber and mad at me and mad at Jimmy and Jeff and themselves.
"Here goes nothing." I said, turning off the car and bracing myself. Amber clung to the seat, reluctant to get out. "C'mon, what's the worst thing that could happen?"
Amber looked at me like I was crazy. "They beat the shit out of Jeff and start some shitty Huntington Beach mob war." I rolled my eyes and unbuckled her seatbelt, picking her up and setting her on the pavement. "This feels like the first time I snuck out of the house and I came home and my mom was waiting for me."
Amber looked crazy nervous but she walked up the driveway and opened the unlocked door,

Matt POV

For the last hour and a half, we'd all sat around the living room, exchanging stories about worst case scenarios that only made us feel worse. The whole roof heaved with a collective sigh of relief when a sheepish Amber pushed open the door, Brian behind her. Val got up and hugged her, asking, "Are you okay?"
Amber laughed. "I went to dinner, not off to war." Behind her, Brian looked dark, more brooding than usual. I noticed he had smudged eyeliner around his eyes and across his face. He caught my eye and grimaced.
"What happened?" Zack asked. Amber came and sat between him and Jimmy, giving my shoulder a pat as she went past.
"Nothing happened. We ate, I said what I needed to say, and we left."
Brian barked out a humorless laugh from the doorway he was leaning against. "Nothing happened? He had you pinned in a dark alley -- that's nothing?" Amber shot him a look, but it was too late.
"What the hell do you mean? Amber Dawson, you better tell me what the fuck happened or I'm tracking Calloway down and getting it from him."
Amber winced and Jimmy put a hand on her knee. "Okay, so something happened. But I didn't get hurt or anything."
Brian scowled at her before addressing the rest of us. "He didn't take bring his eyes above her neck the whole time. Asshole probably doesn't know what color her eyes are. After Amber said her shit, he grabbed her and pushed her into the alley and was about to knock the shit out of her. Called her a slut and everything."
Amber was a mix between fuming and cowering. "Yes, and then Brian oh so chivalrously stopped him and punched him in the face and defended my honor. God, what a knight in shining armor."
Jimmy looked at me, worried. This was going to end up way out of hand, now that Amber and Brian were at each other's throats again.
"Do something!" Val hissed. I looked at her helplessly.
"Oh, would you have rather me order a drink while he beat the shit out of you beside a trashcan? Because that could've been arranged. Next time, I'll go use the bathroom when someone's assaulting you behind a bar." Brian spat, face not red but getting there.
"Like I'm incapable of taking care of myself? I didn't need you there. I would've been just fine without your damn help, Haner."
"Guys-" Zack began hesitantly, but Johnny shook his head wildly. When they got like this, it was better to wait to get involved, let them yell it out and separate them when they started lunging for each other.
"Jesus Christ, Dawson. Why can you never say thank you and move the hell on? It's like you've got something to prove. Just shut up."
Amber was flushing darker by the second, her fists balled tightly in her lap. Jimmy was mumbling something to her, but she shook him off.
"I said thank you. I was very gracious, and now you're throwing it in my face. And yeah, I do have something to prove. I'm a grown ass woman, quit treating me like a fucking child."
Brian started to retort but Jimmy shushed him with a curt wave of his hand. "Both of you, shut the hell up. Zack, take her home." Amber started to protest, saying she had her car, but Jimmy wasn't having it. "And Brian, maybe you should head home, too. Go to bed, chill out, and everything'll be totally okay in the morning. You'll both see that you're acting like babies." He stood up, weary, and walked into the kitchen, probably pouring himself a drink. I didn't stop him ; he deserved it. Amber gave Brian a final glare before letting Zack drag her out. Brian sat there for a minute, head in his hands. Johnny hesitantly put a hand on his back.
"It's okay, dude."
Brian pushed Johnny off. "What a bitch." He snapped before letting himself out of the house, car roaring to life a minute later.
Jimmy returned, bottle of Jack in one hand and four shot glasses in the other. "I think we deserve this."

Zack POV

Amber was silent on the way home. Not 'caught-up-in-the-radio-and-scenery' silent, but 'moody-and-brooding' silent. I didn't try to make her talk. When she got like this, it was best to leave her alone if you ever wanted to have kids. As we pulled into her driveway, she turned to me, eyebrows furrowed.
"Why do I care, Z? Why do I care if asshole and I aren't getting along?"
"I don't know, Bambi." I sighed. She unbuckled her seatbelt and pressed a kiss to my cheek, and was out of the car and to the door within seconds. Halfway laughing, I pulled out of her driveway and promised myself I'd come check on her in the morning.
--
It was a good thing I did. When I walked in the next morning, I was almost knocked back by the smell of alcohol. I was instantly worried when I saw the empty bottle of vodka on the carpet, but not as much when I noticed the huge stain beside it. Amber probably hadn't drank that much, just made a mess. Muffled music floated down from upstairs, growing in clarity as I went up the steps. When I opened her door, the angry words hit me like a freight train. It wasn't anything hard rock, but heavy and angry and angsty all the same.

Stop burning bridges
And drive off of them
So I can forget about you

"Tell Mick He Just Made My List of Things to Do Today. Fall Out Boy. Their first album is very angry." Amber said, voice groggy and muffled into her pillow.
"How long've you been up?" I asked, switching off the CD and sitting next to her on the bed. She didn't sit up.
"Since you slammed my front door when you unceremoniously let yourself in." She didn't sound mad, just tired.
"Wanted to make sure you hadn't drank yourself into oblivion, y'know."
She groaned. "I wanted to. Just so happened to drop my vodka right after opening it. I couldn't bring myself to pick it up. Went to bed instead."
"I'm just impressed you're able to form semi-coherent sentences at nine in the morning. C'mon, let's go get breakfast."
It took half an hour and a promise of donuts to get her to sit up, and another ten and assurances of Starbucks to get her out of bed. "I'll get your clothes. You need a shower, and please don't forget to brush your teeth."

Notes

If you're not into 50's/60's blues (Otis Redding, Etta James, B. B King, etc), I recommend you do. I also recommend you read my other story.