Burnt Flowers Fallen - Peter Steele (one-shot and short story collection)

Halloween in Heaven

A/N: I had to crop the picture above to remove the fake blood on Slitzy. Hoepfully it doesn't get flagged by Wattpad.

Josh flipped his long curls as he stepped inside the rented lodge in upstate New York after finishing the cigarette he had been smoking out on the porch. He couldn't remember whose idea it was to throw a party that year for Halloween rather than play their usual annual show, but he wasn't complaining. He knew his bandmates had their motives and he'd be lying if he said he didn't have one as well.

Sunny would be coming to the party.

The band had settled in the lodge earlier that day, both Kenny and Peter claiming rooms with their respective girlfriends. Johnny's date would be arriving the next night and so would Sunny, and Josh was looking forward to it.

Things had been going well between the two of them, or so he thought, going out on dates, smoking pot, and having an occasional romp if he got lucky. Still, he was wanting to take things to the next level between the two of them...but he wasn't quite sure how to make that happen. He frowned to himself as he wiped his sneakers on the doormat before meandering through the foyer to the living area where he paused. To his left he saw Peter's hulking frame laying on his side on a rug before the fireplace. A fire crackled inside as flickering orange light filled the room. Josh could bet his left nut that Pete wasn't alone. He had half a mind to just head up to his room and leave them be, but thought it might be the perfect opportunity to get a little advice on the sly, so he moseyed over to the fireplace.

"You guys aren't fucking over here, are ya?" Josh asked with half a smirk as he wandered over.

"If you're looking for a show, I hate to disappoint you," Peter grumbled back, before he raised his head and glanced up at Josh, "But keep your voice down, she's asleep."

Josh plopped down on one of the armchairs that framed the space in front of the fireplace. The chair he picked was closest to Peter. He leaned forward to see Lizzy's sleeping form curled up in front of Peter's strong frame, one of her arms tucked beneath her head. He could see her chest rise and fall rhythmically as she slumbered.

"Oh, shit, sorry man," Josh frowned as his brows furrowed, "Is she alright?"

"She just got over being sick a couple of weeks ago, but she's still got this lingering cough that wakes her up in the middle of the night. I gave her some peppermint tea to see if that would help and so far it seems to be doing so," Peter responded before he reached and stroked his fingers through her ginger waves that glowed orange in the reflection of the fire light.

"So you're just gonna lay there and hold her while she sleeps?" Josh asked with a smirk and raise of his eyebrow.

"What else would I be doing right now? We spend so much time apart so to me even this is quality time," Peter shrugged before looking up at Josh with a sheepish grin, "I'd take her up to our room but now I'm kinda afraid to wake her. My angel is so tired."

Josh smirked with a subtle shake of his head, "God, you're so-"

"Disgusting," Peter sighed with a roll of his eyes, "Yes, I know, I know."

Josh chuckled with another shake of his head before he responded, "I was gonna say devoted."

Peter glanced up at Josh with a surprised look before he nodded and looked down at Lizzy's slumbering form again, "She's my queen and my compass...I'd be completely lost without her," Peter then looked up at Josh suspiciously, "You okay, man?"

"Me? Psssh," Josh leaned back and the chair creaked.

Josh froze  and Peter looked down at Lizzy with eyes wide as she grumbled and groaned. She shifted sleepily on the rug before turning and facing into Peter's chest, burying her head against it. Peter swallowed as he snaked a protective arm around her waist and he whispered, "It's okay, Angel. Sleep a little more..."