Andy.
My mind wakes up before my eyes open. I stretch my legs as I feel around for my girl, but I don't feel her in my arms. I groan as I open my eyes to the high ceiling, quickly turning my gaze around to see if Niki's in the same room. She isn't.
I sit up and roll my head around. I check the time on my phone, nine thirty-seven, and light a cigarette. As I shake my hair out I feel the slight aggitation at my scalp and remember the night before.
Niki was so fucking beautiful. We were each others last night, totally and completely. My moans and my body was hers as hers was mine.
After putting my cigarette out, I pick up the clothes around the bed and toss them into the laundry bin next to our closet. I pull out a random pair of boxers from the dresser, pull them on, grab my phone, then I begin my descent downstairs. As I continue, the smell of bacon gets that much stronger and I smile. She is honestly so perfect. I round the corner and stop at the door way to the kitchen.
Niki, my beautiful, beautiful Niki, is standing in front of the stove, wearing a pair of Joker underwear that she got from Riot on her birthday, peeling strips of bacon off of a frying pan. I stand against the door frame and watch as Niki then swishes out the pan and starts pouring pancake mix into the pan. She's so completely oblivious to me for some reason, but it's somewhat sweet. I watch as she starts humming something softly, then starts sprinkling chocolate chips over the pancake mix. She starts the coffee machine as she waits, and I notice an earbud in her left ear, her iPhone tucked so it won't fall out in just the stretchy hem of her panties. The bandage over her side is starting to peel at the edges and I know it's almost time for her to take it off.
I'm about to speak when she does. "That's fucking shitty, Tim. I'm sorry. Do you need me to come get you?" She pauses and listens to Tim on the phone. "Okay. Where are you staying tonight?... Of course, Tim. Both places are always open... You don't have much of a choice. I'm legally your guardian now... Yeah, you turn eighteen soon but-... Yeah, well for right now you have to crash at one of our places. Where do you want to crash?... Fine. I'll call Riot, okay? Let me know when you're driving back down here... Love you too, bud. I'll see you soon... Bye."
I finally break my silence. "Baby?"
Niki's head snaps up. "Hi, Andy," she says, smiling at me. She walks forward and wraps her arms around my neck as she stands on her toes. I peck her lips before I wrap my arms around her waist and hug her. She smells like her fancy soap and that reminds me of the shower we took last night and how cold she was afterwards. I held her so close under the covers.
"What's going on?" I ask.
She sighs. "You've been standing here a while, huh? Well, Tim got a DNA test on the baby because it didn't look like him, and it turns out that he isn't the father. So, Sandra's dad is driving him back down here and he has to technically live with me since I'm his guardian, but he said he wants to live with Riot because it would be weird to sleep in my house I guess?" She sighs. "He's a weird kid. I'm legally his guardian for another few months, though, so he's supposed to stay here. I can't make that kid do anything though. But Dad left money for all of us in his will, but he left a lot for Tim, so when Tim turns eighteen he wants to start paying rent and live with one of his friends that graduated last year." She sighs again. "Afer that I can't stop him. I told him I'd call Riot though. We have so much room in this house, I don't see the big deal."
I rub over her hip because she's obviously taking this task too seriously. She's the guardian, sure, but it is her brother and she could make him live here if she wanted. She just doesn't want to force him to do anything. "Well, we certainly have plenty of room here," I say.
"Yeah," she sighs. She shakes her head though and puts on a smile. "So, I'm making pancakes and I already made bacon," she says, pulling down so she's back on her heels.
"I noticed," I say, my hands sliding to her hips as I glance up at the kitchen. I look back down at her and kiss her small nose.
"Funny," she says.
"Hmm?" What's funny?
"You're wearing Batman boxers, and I'm wearing Joker under clothes," she says.
I smile a little and chuckle once. I hadn't even noticed which pair I'd gotten out of the dresser. "I guess we really are Batman and Joker." I kiss her once. "It makes sense that you'd be the enemy, though."
She raises a brow. "Other than what we've previously discussed? Why?" she asks.
"You're my enemy for getting out of bed everyday while you're in it!" I pick her up and start twirling her around.
She giggles as she holds onto me tightly. "Andy!" she squeals.
I set her down and immediately lean in to kiss her again. But, she pulls away playfully and goes back to the stove to flip the few pancakes. I walk past her and to the fridge, where I get out my pumpkin creamer as the coffee pot finishes. I pour myself a cup and kiss Niki's hair before I walk out to the dining room and sit at the table we bought.
A few minutes later, Niki comes walking in, a big plate of chocolate chip pancakes, several pieces of bacon layered on top, in one hand, a Monster can in the other. She sets them down then runs back to the kitchen, bringing back paper towels, two small plates, and forks and knives. I smile at her in appreciation as I start picking out a few and cutting them up. I see Niki snap a picture of the pancakes, probably sending it to Instagram.
We finish up breakfast, making normal conversation as we always do, but then I tell Niki to scoot over here so we can take a picture. I love taking pictures with her. She's so beautiful and photogenic. So she scoots her chair over and leans into my arm as I hold out my iPhone. Just a few seconds before I snap the picture above our heads, she leans in and kisses my cheek. I smile a little as my thumb presses the screen, and that picture gets saved. I show Niki, who smiles at it then leaves to start cleaning up. I post it on both my Instagram and Twitter accounts too, tagging her in the post and naming it, "Joker and her Batman." After posting it, I reply to her picture of the pancakes, saying, "Those were fucking delicious, babe <3"
"Thank you!" Niki calls from the kitchen a few moments later. I smile as I continue to scroll through latest Tweets, until I get a reply from Niki on our picture. "Best enemies forever <3"
Today I have a lunch with my John Feldman and a meeting with my band, Blasko, Jon, and Jason Flom (our guy for Universal), so I have to go upstairs and get ready. Niki has some sort of doctor's appointment so we get ready beside each other and relax listening to music until we have to go. When we depart, it's with a small kiss and a promise of seeing each other when we get home.
Several hours later, around six o'clock, I return home. Baby Doll is already home, as shown by her Jeep in the garage. I step out of my car and immediately, though I'm in the garage, I can hear loud music coming from inside our house. Our home.
It feels incredible. That feeling where you share a home with someone and not just a house. I have a home here with Niki, and that's something I'm going to cherish for a while.
I can hear the end of "Ritual" playing as I walk to the door, and when I step in "Youth and Whiskey" starts playing. I walk by the kitchen to set my keys and wallet down on the end table next to the couch, and I hear Niki singing along. I walk in just enough to lean against the door jam.
Niki's lightly headbanging as she stirs something in the big pot, which one man can only hope is her chicken soup. When the chorus starts she sets the spoon down and starts singing and gesturing, like she always does, but also does other things. She washes her hands and headbangs more and puts little things away. She exaggerates too and will make crazy, huge gestures to the words. When she returns to the pot, I step in with a smile on my face.
I rest my hand on Niki's hips from behind her as I peer into the pot that indeed holds chicken soup. She jumps a little, not expecting me, and looks back. "Hi, honey," I say, kissing the surprise out of her face.
"Hi, my love," she says. "I didn't hear you come in." She looks over and turns down the radio.
"It's as if you read my mind on what I wanted for dinner tonight," I say, getting a bowl down. She simply smiles in return.
"How'd your doctor's appointment go?"
"Good," she replies, turning back as to stir the concoction with her ladle. "I went to go see my, uh..." she clears her throat, "feminine doctor today. She said she thinks it would be a good idea to take me off of the pill and give me an IUD."
Although I like that Niki doesn't mind telling me this, I have no idea what that means. "What is that?" I ask.
"It's a form of birth control," she explains. "I don't know, though. I've been taking birth control everyday for the last four years or so and I don't mind it at all."
"Why so long?" I ask, leaning against the other counter.
"Because I used to get, like, really bad periods," she says timidly. "Like, I'd get the worst cramps and they were always pretty heavy. So my doctor put me on birth control because the hormones in them basically stop you from having your period so that you don't get pregnant. Having great sex thereof is just a side effect."
I chuckle at her joke. "Well what does an IUD do?"
"It's some device that they'd put in my uterus that has a little string attached. There's a hormonal one that could probably stop my period but my doctor thinks it would just make it lighter. I don't really want that though." She gets down two bowls and starts pouring us soup. "I'm sorry, you probably don't want to hear about this stuff."
I grab us spoons. "It's okay, baby. I love that you don't mind telling me."
She shrugs as we walk to the dining room table. "I mean, of all people I can tell anything to you're the person."
I sit down with her. "Exactly." I take a spoonful of soup in my mouth and give her a look. "It gets better every time you make it. How can a guy get luckier with a hot cook who can sing her lungs out for a girlfriend?" I ask as the music dies off.
We sit and eat our soup, talking about today's events and what's going on tomorrow. After interviews, we're all going to the infamous boardwalk in Santa Monica to hang out tomorrow, all meaning BVB and VtR. It's kind of going to be our last big thing together before we start touring again.
Before we do a big thing tomorrow, though, Niki and I share a pretty uneventful night together, and it's nights like these, un-special and cozy, that I'll miss.
Niki.
It takes a few hours until press is over, and once we're done all of us girls pile into my Jeep, Riot volunteering to sit in a dangerous position. He sits just between Ana and Marissa in the back on top of their head rests. I, of course, am against the idea, as is Ashley, but it's not too terribly far of a drive and I won't go on the freeway.
As we're driving down the busy streets of the Santa Monica Pier, looking for a parking spot, I see people pointing and staring at us. I finally find a spot and quickly pull in before someone else can steal it, and we all either lock up our things in my bigger dashboard or put it in our bags. I don't have one, so I just loop my keys to my belt loop and slide my phone in my back pocket. We find the guys in front of the sign and all start walking down the paved way to the pier.
The pier is playing songs as we walk through. Currently, it's "London Calling" by the Clash which surprises Andy, but we sing along anyway. We walk through all of the attractions. There's little games, rides, different things, and somehow I'm talked into recording it with my iPhone. I tape a few different things, Riot and Ashley sharing cotton candy and running away from each other, Jake and Ana standing next to each other, watching the ocean as the sun sinks lower in the heavily clouded sky, and then there was me taping Andy as he threw a ball towards stacked milk bottles and won me a giant, black teddy bear. He threw the ball so hard that one of the bottles broke and all of them fell down. It was sweet and funny at the same time. Andy made it seem like it was no big deal, but it's always cute when the person you love gets you something.
We all sit around a wood table as the sun starts to fall, and we all decide to start the rides after sharing quite possibly the greasiest pizza ever. There's a regular roller coaster that isn't too amazing, a Ferris wheel, a merry-go-round, and then there's the main attraction. A ride that you have to be strapped into and put into a metal cage after signing a wavier. It shoots you up at eighty miles an hour, and when you're up you spin around as you plummet back down. We all do the roller coaster and merry-go-round, but when we approach the main attraction, no one but me, Riot, and Andy want to do it. Jake goes with Riot, just so someone will do it too. When they come back, Riot's smiling like crazy and Jake looks like he's gonna' be sick. So, Andy and I smile widely at each other and quickly board the two-person ride. We strap ourselves in and get the cage secured, then we just sit there, our backs to the ground from the way the seats are. One of the greatest things about this ride is you don't know when you're going to go. They do it by surprise for the greatest thrill.
Andy looks over at me. "You ready, Baby Doll?"
I nod, swallowing that initial fear in my stomach that everyone gets. I look over at him. "Are you?"
He chuckles. "The only thing is you don't know when it's gonna-"
The ride suddenly lurches forward, shooting us into the air. I scream, a smile widely spread on my face. It spins us at the top, and then we're falling back down. I hear Andy laughing, sounding something that's really fucking cute, and then the ride suddenly lurches to a stop, making us jolt as it ends. We're lowered back to the ground, then the cage is opened and our seat restraints are released.
I smile over at Andy as we roll out and we're back on the ground. He stumbles a little, getting his composure before he slides an arm around my waist. Riot hugs me and cheers excitedly, "It was so fun, huh?!"
I nod and hug him back. "That was super fun," I say, smiling. I look over at Andy. "You okay?"
He nods, stealing me back with an arm around me. "Yeah. I fuckin' knew that the ride would do that just as I said it. I fuckin' knew it."
I smile and kiss his bare shoulder. He's wearing another exposing tank top today.
After a moment of discussion, and watching the video that Riot took of us going, we all decide to do the Ferris wheel then go home. We all get our own car with our significant others.
And, my life being the dumb cliche that it is, Andy and I get stuck up near the top. I look out the window and see that we're above everyone, the entire park. I feel Andy pull me into his side as I look back out towards the front. He kisses my head as his left hand finds my right and intertwines our fingers. I look up at him. He smiles down at me, then he leans in and presses his lips to mine. I feel Andy bring me closer, so close that I'm almost on his lap. His lips pull from mine and brush against my cheek, then to my throat. He holds me even tighter to himself.
"I'm gonna' miss these," Andy murmurs. He slowly opens his eyes at me, waiting for me to reply, but when I don't he continues. "I have to leave soon," he says, rubbing his thumb over my knuckles. I know he's referring to his upcoming tour, The Church of the Wild Ones. He leaves in a month.
He continues further after he licks his lips. "I'm going to miss you," he says, bringing our intertwined hands closer to his chest. Our eyes lock, starting my instant hypnosis. His eyes glance down at my lips before returning to my eyes. "I love you," he says. "More than... More than anything and I can't..." He looks down, shaking his head as he tries to word his thoughts. "I can't define it," he says, his head still down. He kisses our hands. He glances up at me through his hair, trying to read my emotions.
I don't know how to explain my feelings either. I lift his chin and kiss him. "Andy... This entire year has been one of the best years of my life and it's all because of you," I say. "I don't know how I went so long without knowing this kind of euphoria. You're... God, I literally can't tell you how much you mean to me."
"Then tell me the only way you know how," he says, leaning in again. His lips meet mine in a rushed, perfectly tender way and I melt into his being. I can't tell where he begins and I end anymore and all I can feel is our lips and our breath. The space outside of us no longer exists. The car doesn't exist, the ride doesn't exist, Southern California doesn't exist... Nothing does but me and him.
It takes a few minutes for us to get down again, but we're finally on the ground. Before I can even pull my lips from Andy's as our car comes to a stop, I hear Riot- in his usual gossip girl voice- squeal, "Dayum! Wait 'til you get home, won't you?! I'm not sure that the car can handle all of that rocking!"
I sigh and pull my lips from Andy's, but I rest my forehead against his. When I look up at him I flip him off, but I notice he's taking a picture of us. I hear something like, "Well that was uncalled for" in response before he starts sending it to me.
I sigh and lift my head, opening my eyes to Andy's. His eyes are already open. He gathers his leather jacket and my stuffed teddy bear and throws his jacket over my shoulders. "You gonna' be okay driving home?"
"Mm-hmm." I nod as we step out of the car, being the last two people in our group to exit. We all say our goodbyes, and all the girls then get rides home with their boys since they all drove with me. I sigh as I run up the paved walkway back to the street to get my car. Andy and I break so he can get his own and we split. I make my way out from the pier, being so fast that I actually beat Andy home. When he arrives a few minutes later, he's just as surprised as I am.
"Driving a little fast?" he asks as he gets out.
"Just a little," I say, collecting my things. "I was fucking freezing."
I suddenly feel Andy's warm chest against my back. When I shiver from the sudden change in temperature, he chuckles, his voice rich and deep. "I can warm you up." His large, surprisingly warm hands glide up my sides, making me melt again.
I straighten up and turn around to hold his face in my hands as I kiss him. His lips show mine the same eagerness, and I almost moan from how close he brings my body to his. We kiss for another few moments before he slides his hands down my thighs and picks me up, having me wrap my legs around him, before he carries us into the house where we do indeed "warm up."
Andy.
I come home from the celebratory end-of-the-record dinner to Christmas music. I smile as I make my way upstairs where the sound is coming from. Niki is always a sucker for Christmas music.
When I near the top, I can see Niki dancing around in her underwear, her hair looking nearly dry, to "Rocking Around the Christmas Tree." I smile and lean against the wall to watch her, and although the dancing is childish it's cuter than anything I've ever seen. I can't help my smile watching my girl like this, so carefree and cute. I don't even say anything, not wanting to stop her.
The song changes to "Santa Claus Is Back In Town", one of Niki's favourite Elvis songs, and she gets a little less cute and a little more hot. The song isn't as innocent as others, although it's not dirty or anything of course, but the rhythm and guitar makes it more of an adult's Christmas song. Her hips move to that rhythm and it makes me need her body against me. I finally clear my throat after a minute or so to get her attention. I need to stop sneaking up on her so much.
Niki stops immediately and looks surprised as hell. "Andy," she says.
"Hey, honey," I laugh off. "In the Christmas spirit?"
She laughs and looks away. "Just a little."
I finally stand straight and walk to her, kissing her once and holding her waist. "You're cute," I say.
She rolls her eyes, smiling. "And you're a creep, just watching me dance." She raises her brow at me, but she laughs it off.
"What can I say? You're cute when you dance," I say simply, smiling at her. I lean into kiss her a little heavier.
"Nooope," she says, pulling away. "I have to get ready. We have to get your parents in a little bit."
"Yeah, but that's in a little bit," I say, pulling her closer.
"You're so difficult," she says.
"I know. I'm a menace." I kiss her before letting her go.
She walks away after picking up her favorite sweater off of the dresser. "Andy Dennis the Menace," she jokes.
I rest on the bed until she's ready. She does her eyeliner and puts on pants and runs her fingers through her hair, but then she's ready. She doesn't really put on a lot of make-up. I love that about her.
We drive to the airport to get my parents, and they meet us at the terminal. We both get out to help them with their bags, but it winds up being them hugging me for a long time. I think they miss seeing me. I don't go back to Cincinnati ever. This year after my grandfather passed is the first time in forever that I actually went because I wanted to. Even when we tour In Ohio, I stick to Cleveland.
After they give Niki hugs too, we drive them home. I talked Niki into making chicken noodle soup for them, since it's the greatest thing she's ever made, so she makes it again for all of us.
Catching up is so weird for me. If we didn't talk about how nice the house we bought is, I would almost forget that we're here and I'm no longer in my parent's house. I try to stay out of my head, though. Seeing my parents is great because they were my closest friends when I was a kid. Although I talk to them on the phone all the time, seeing my mom smile at Niki's jokes or having my dad laugh as loud as he does makes me feel at home in my heart. I really did miss them.
The next three days pass in a blur. My parents wanted to do some tourist-y kind of things while they're here, so Niki and I took them around LA. My dad got to see the strip and Mom got to see the ocean the first day here.
The second day was Christmas, so we all opened presents with each other. My parents gave me all of the rare comics my dad was holding onto, which was really, really, rad. Niki bought me this leather jacket I'd set my eyes on before and handmade me a patch for the back of an old vest I found again. I gave her a kiss and told her how much I love it.
Niki and I got my mom a little necklace with her initials on it and my dad a Reds jersey with our last name on the back. They were both really happy with their presents, my dad for sure. He's very roots-oriented.
They got Niki this make-up palette she'd been telling me about and this cool Nightmare Before Christmas blanket, which kind of went along with my present. She's a huge Tim Burton fan. I spent a little extra and bought one of the Jack Skellington figures that was actually used in the movie. She was stoked to say the very least. She couldn't even stop holding onto the certificate of authenticity.
After that, we were all having Niki's family over for dinner. It was us four, Tim, Riot, and Ashley. The others were all having dinner with their own families. It was really fun and actually kind of relaxing to have this again. I spent last Christmas morning with Juliet at IHOP. Today was so much more fun.
The next day is my birthday. I woke up to eggs and bacon from my girl. Niki got me vinyls of all of my favorite records. There was Social Distortion, Bruce Springsteen, Misfits, Alkaline Trio, Kiss, and a few others. It's actually one of the coolest things in the world that this is what she got me. Yes vinyls are cool, but they're nice copies of my favorite records and not just something easy like buying me a Motley Crue record. I thank her profusely because of it. It's so sweet. My parents got me another Batman thing. They bought me an actually Batman mask. It's a replica from the Dark Knight. It's really fucking cool.
After going to lunch, we take my parents back to the airport.