8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy8sCl8S3jH
~Billie~
“Are you sure you aren’t hungry?” Arwen asks for the third time at least as I lounge on his couch. As much as he’s helped me during the past week while I’ve been sick he’s been mothering me.
“Yes Arwen, I’m ok.” I roll my eyes and he sighs exasperated. I truly am grateful for everything he’s done for me recently. He doesn’t treat me as different when I told him about my brother and for that I appreciate it.
“What are you writing?” He inquires, peaking over my shoulder, his hair tickling my neck.
“Oh nothing really, just dabbling with some song I wrote a while ago.” A while as in three days ago. His brows raise and he motions to see my leatherbound songbook.
“May I?” I grimace thinking about how I wrote it in a rush of half-lucid thoughts.
“Uhhh.” I trail off rubbing the back of my neck and he pouts, reluctantly I pass it to him and he flips through the scribbled-out words and harsh handwriting. I wrote this sort of after Othello just iced me out, so it’s rather bitter.
“Can you sing it for me?” I bite my lip not really having made a melody for it yet but shrug. It’s not like he hasn’t heard me sing before.
“I’m not angry anymore, well sometimes I am.
I don’t think badly of you, we’ll sometimes do.
depends on the day the extent of all my worthless rage,
I’m not angry anymore.
I’m not bitter anymore I’m syrupy sweet,
I rot your teeth down to their core if I’m really happy.
Depending on the day, if I wake up in a giddy haze, well I’m not angry, I’m not totally angry, I’m not all that angry anymore.”
Arwen smiles at me, his eyes showing that adorable appreciation he somehow always has.
“This is great, Billie, you really are talented.” I shrug again just as Nash stumbles from his and Luke’s room half naked and yawning.
“It’s midnight, what are you guys still doing?” Nash says as if he doesn’t stay up till the sun rises and sleeps all day. But Arwen just rolls his eyes and dramatically throws himself onto the cramped couch causing me to almost get knocked off.
“Hey!” I yelp, half flung over the side and Arwen chuckles, pulling me back up with surprising ease, arms wrapped around my waist.
“There ya go, you clumsy girl.” My cheeks burn but I only stick my tongue out shoving him away.
“I wouldn’t have almost fallen if you didn’t feel the need to jump on the couch.” He sighs dramatically and throws his legs over my lap tossing an arm over his eyes.
“Oh Billie, sometimes you just don’t get it. Couch jumping is a right of adulthood.” I press a palm to my forehead and Nash only groans in annoyance.
“Hey, have any of you seen Luke? He hasn’t been here since this morning.” Arwen perks up and glances around.
“I’m not really sure, I thought he was with you?” Nash flowers and pulls out his phone.
“Did you all really lose luke?” I gape and Nash sends me a glare, but I only smile sweetly at him. Although Luke is 18, he’s the youngest in the band and definitely acts like it. It also happens that Luke gets lost a lot, not very hard to believe.
“He turned his location off.” Nash snaps not directed at anyone but Arwen raises his brow.
“Do you have his location?” A sly smirk starts to creep on his lips but Nash’s glare makes it falter.
“He always gets lost, fuck off.” And yet his cheeks are the slightest shade of pink. I raise my brows at Arwen and he gives me a suggestive look.
“Should we go out and look for him?” I ask as Nash starts pacing around like a worried mother. Arwen shakes his head, sending a text to Luke.
“No, he’s a big boy. I’m sure he’s fine, nash.” His reassurance does nothing to stop the pacing. Oh man, where could he be?
Nash lasts about 15 more minutes of angry pacing before he snaps.
“That’s it, I’m going to hunt down that child.” He shoves on his shoes and throws on a hoodie getting ready to open the door but before he does Luke stumbles in carrying an obscene amount of bags.
“Where the hell have you been?” Nash grinds out through clenched teeth and I glance at Arwen who’s just watching this exchange with giddy excitement. He loves the drama, after all, he does watch the Kardashians for fun.
“Uh, shopping?” He holds up the bags and then sets them on the floor, a blue-striped party tumbling out. Luke blushes and suspiciously kicks it behind him.
“What was that?” Nash says going for the bag but Luke steps in front and gives him a sheepish grin.
“Nope, not for you.” It only makes Nash glower even more and with swift precision pulls Luke to the side easily holding him back with one arm. He dumps the contents of the bag on the floor.
“…party hats?” Nash glances at Arwen, Luke and me with surprise. Luke nods excitedly, grinning ear to ear.
“We couldn’t let you not have a party, you old man.” Arwen grins, going over to pat his best friend's shoulder.
“My birthday?” He seems surprised as if anyone would remember and glances at me to see if I was in on it too. I only give him a sheepish smile.
“Hey, birthdays are big things and you deserve a party.” Nash rubs the back of his neck and legs Luke did not realize he was still holding him.
“You were out shopping for me this whole time?” Nash’s eyes are wide as Luke shrugs, picking up all the bags.
“Of course, I had to find the right gifts and cake for you. I wanted to make it the best.” To our surprise and Luke’s, Nash pulls him into a hug, griping so tightly a couple of bags fall to the ground as Luke stands still with his mouth open in shock.
“You-you’re hugging me?” He stammers knowing Nash doesn’t hug very often and when he does it’s usually by persuasion. Arwen stares gaping and Luke’s arms slowly wrap around his waist.
“Thank you,” Nash whispers so quietly I can barely hear it but Luke’s cheeks flair red.
“You deserve it.” They break apart and Nash clears his throat, not quite sure what to do next. Luke does, he giddily forces Nash into a birthday hat, then Arwen, and me, placing one on his own.
“Well, what are you guys waiting for? We have a birthday to celebrate!” He goes hoist the bags but Nash gets them first effortlessly carrying them all to the kitchen.
“Wow, that was unexpected,” Arwen whispers to me, and I nod. Feeling the tension between Nash and Luke. I don’t think I’ve ever really noticed it before.
“Yeah tell me about it, I almost choked on all that tension.” Arwen chuckles as we all sit around the table. Luke sets everything up and lights the candles.
“How’s it feel to be 22?” I ask and he rolls his eyes.
“Old, my joints hurt.” I chuckle as Luke sits down.
“Make a wish, Nash.” He smiles softly. Nash looks around at all of us, grinning and Luke holds the cam recorder making sure to capture this memory.
Nash closes his eyes for a second and blows the candles out, smoke wafting up in the air.
Luke is practically thrumming with excitement and bounces up and down as he places pieces on each of our plates.
“I got the same cake that we got after our first gig in high school, that you stole all the leftovers of. I know how you love your chocolate hazelnut.” Arwen says, his voice muffled by cake and Nash can only stare at the cake and presents on the table, his eyes silvery.
“I can’t believe you guys did all this.” He says, rubbing the back of his neck and Luke nudges him in the ribs.
“C'mon I want to watch you open your gifts! Hurry up and eat you big baby.” Nash rolls his eyes but smiles slightly as he shoves a big chunk into his mouth, closing his eyes in ecstasy.
“So fucking good.” He groans and Arwen practically glows with pride. I’m glad I could be here with them, celebrating this day.
“Ok ok, can we do presents now pleaseee?”Luke begs and I giggle as Nash nods reluctantly.
“Here, open mine first.” He practically thrust the poorly wrapped gift into his lap. Nash gently, almost lovingly opens the present and stares at it for a solid 30 Seconds. Luke bright and hopeful glances at him with wide eyes.
“Well? Do you like it?” Nash’s mouth parts as he looks up at luke.
“Well let us see.” Arwen rolls his eyes as Nash holds up the most beautiful drumsticks engraved with all our names and cool lightning bolts.
“I know I’m not an artist in the slightest but I wanted to do something personal and well you like drums and us so I figured I might as well put them all together.” Luke rambles and to our surprise once again Nash breaks into the brightest grin I’ve ever seen on his face and well, laughs. A booming laugh echoes throughout the apartment.
“This is the best thing anyone has ever given me.” Luke beams with pride and the rest of the party goes on filled with laughter and much more cake.
“Thanks for this guys,” Nash says as we’re all lying on the floor stuffed and worn out from excitement. Nash even glances at me and offers a smile.
“I know I haven’t been here super long but happy birthday.” I’ve only known them for a little over a year but they’re my best friends.
“We love you man,” Arwen says, nudging him with his foot.
Nash sighs as Arwen raises his brows waiting for the words to be repeated.
“C'mon you know you love us.” Luke grins, laying on the floor and kicking his feet like a child.
“Ughh, fine. I love you guys too.” Arwen grins and throws a pillow at him while Nash dodges it only to throw one back.
“See? Wasn’t that hard.”
“Yeah, whatever.”
8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdk82UZQpUD
