automatic stop, bradley bradshaw

thirty-two

she rolled her eyes, lifting her middle finger. she kept it up for a moment before pretending to be shocked, covering it up. "oh, i'm sorry, i hate when it does that."

rooster chuckled over at her before he refocused on hangman, who was still standing close to him. "what's that supposed to mean, hangman?" he asked, tensing as if he was trying to square up to him.

hangman only shrugged, a wicked smile on his face. "i love this song." with that, he walked away, leaving rooster to shake his head.

"well, he hasn't changed." katia commented.

"nope." rooster replied, looking to her for a second before moving his focus back to skye, who stood up. 

"hey, what do you say we shut it off during his favorite song?" she asked with a smirk.

"what, you mean.."

skye nodded. "jukebox heroes back at it again?" she held up a fist that he immediately bumped, a smile spreading on his face. 

rooster unplugged the jukebox, chuckling as the people around him groaned and complained. he then joined skye, who was already sitting on the piano bench. "what song are we feeling, honey?" he asked, the nickname falling from his lips with ease. 

she only shook her head. "what song do you think?"

he began to play a miscellaneous run of notes, smiling as he put his sunglasses back onto his nose. "are we doing the classic?" 

"sometimes you gotta give the people what they want." skye replied, shrugging her shoulders. she smiled as katia and phoenix lead some of their fellow aviators to the piano, giving her blonde best friend their handshake from behind the piano. 

she turned her head at the sound of the bar bell, hearing people begin to chant their typical 'overboard'. she felt bad for her father, who was definitely the person getting tossed outside, but her gaze was shifted back over to the piano when rooster nudged her arm with his to get her attention.

once rooster had finished amping up the crowd, and the chanting had ceased, he began the actual song. "you shake my nerves and you rattle my brain. too much love drives a man insane. you broke my will," he smiled down at skye, "but what a thrill."

"goodness, gracious great balls of fire!" they sang together, laughing as the entire bar yelled along.

"i laughed at love 'cause i thought it was funny," rooster continued, "but you came along, and you moved me, honey." he looked back down at skye. "i changed my mind, this love is fine. goodness, gracious, great balls of fire! kiss me baby," he sang, turning to skye, who just rolled her eyes at hime, "oo, that feels good." he finished, focusing back on the piano. "hold me, baby. i wanna love you like a lover should."

"you're fine. so kind. imma tell the world that you're mine mine mine mine!" skye practically yelled the words, her head thrown back in laughter. 

rooster admired her for a moment. "i chew my nails, and i twiddle my thumbs. i'm real nervous, but it sure is fun. come on baby, you drive me crazy."

"goodness, gracious, great balls of fire!" the entire bar yelled, a few people whooping and cheering. 

once the song had ceased, everyone started chanting for rooster and riot, who both started doing joking dances before giving each other a hug. skye had never felt so content, so entirely surrounded by him. his cologne hadn't changed, and neither had his warmth. the man was like a heater, and it made his hugs so comforting. 

skye giggled against his chest as he squeezed her tighter, moving them in a side by side dance. "roost, let go." she said, though she was still giggling.