Rock Bottom (Sequel to How it Happened is Irrelevant)

11

*One month later*

Thrasher's POV:

I gave Robert one look and we were both out of there. Tour just started a day ago, and Craig and TJ were already driving us insane. Not only were the rules originally set broken, but it seemed as though every morning, day, and night were dedicated to aggressively working out the tension that was between the two of them. None of us can take it anymore. 

"We've gotta get them back together," He told me once we'd run far enough away from the fans and the fighting. 

"I know. I know." I ran my fingers through my hair. "I just don't know how."

"Well, we could always try convincing them that they still love each other."

"How?" I raised an eyebrow, though I assumed the answer. 

"We could come up with things they'd 'said,'" He used air quotes, "about each other."

I shuttered. "So we're flirting with them?"

"Exactly." He cringed as well. "Whoever gets TJ has to say really dirty things, and whoever gets Craig has to say hopelessly sweet things, right?" We looked at each other for a moment. "DIBS ON CRAIG!" We both shouted at the same time. 

"Okay, okay. Rock, paper, scissors?" I held out my hand for him. We brought down our fists three times, both producing scissors, then rock, and finally I won with paper over his rock. 

"Dammit!" He swore, snapping his fingers. We looked at each other for an awkward moment. "You wouldn't happen to have any lines, would you?" He asked.

"Was just about to ask you the same thing," I agreed. 

We spent most of the afternoon coming up with the most ridiculous things to say to our friends. I thought I came up with some good ones, as did Robert. But neither of us wanted to put them into action. It would be an awkward situation altogether. I managed to catch Craig alone while he was getting ready for the show. 

I forced myself to execute the plan. "I overheard something earlier," I started, feeling a little sick. "That TJ said."

"Oh, yeah? I don't want to hear anything that bastard has to say," Craig looked over at me and crossed his arms. 

"I think you might wanna hear this one," I plowed on. Why was I doing this? I'm going to get myself killed! "He said that...... He said that.....He said that your voice sounds so amazing that he wishes you would talk to him like that again. He said he misses you."

Craig chuckled. "No, he didn't."

"How do you know?"

He uncrossed his arms. "Even if we were still dating, which we aren't, he would never say something like that. He's not a hopeless romantic. Sweet lines like that just aren't his style." He tipped his head to the side as though he was thinking. "You shouldn't try to meddle though. What if I'd believed you? He would've been pissed off, and there would've been a whole thing." He shook his head. 

So much for that.

TJ's POV:

"I have to tell you something," Robert started. It was just after the show, so I was enjoying a can of soda to cool off just a bit. "Something I heard Craig say."

"Well you can fuck off then," I said. "I don't give a fuck about his words."

"You might give a fuck about these ones," He argued, wringing his hands. Something was up with him, but I couldn't figure out what. 

I sighed. "Out with it then."

 "Hesaidhemisseswhenyouusedtomakehimfeellikeashootingstar," He blurted really quickly. 

"A shooting star?" I raised an eyebrow. "You mean, like, sexually?"

"Exactly!" He looked relieved to have it off his chest, though his face looked pretty red. 

I laughed. "I'm sorry; Craig did not say that."

"What makes you so sure?" He asked defensively. 

"Because Craig won't even talk dirty to me in bed," I explained. "But that was a nice try." I patted him on the shoulder. 

As I was walking away, I thought I heard him say something about a drawing board. What an odd thing. Why would he of all people come up with a line like that? Thrash, maybe, but Robert? I'm not quite sure what to make of it at all. 

When it all came down to it later, I drunkenly decided to ask Craig about it. "Heeeey, buddy." I stumbled about, taking a seat on the floor in front of him. "I've got somethin' to ask ya."

He rolled his eyes. "What?" The question was aggressive. 

"Did you say anythin' to Robert earlier about me?"

His expression softened. He pulled on the collar of his black tee shirt. "No. Did he say I said something about you?"

I nodded. "I didn't think you said it though." I could no longer hold myself up, so I crashed to the floor gracelessly. 

"What did he say?"

"Something about me making you feel like a shooting star?" I struggled to remember. "I dunno."

"That's so weird, because Thrasher told me you said something too."

"What?" I looked at his shoes. "What did I say?"

"Something along the lines of missing the sound of my voice?"

"They really don't know us at all," I laughed.

"Oh my God," Craig said. "They're trying to get us back together with hopeless lines!"

"Aww," I cooed. "Thrash and Robert are flirting with us." I shot back up. "THRASH AND ROBERT ARE FLIRTING WITH US?!?!"

"Afraid so," He sighed, shaking his head. 

"W-w-what do we do? They can't keep this up!" I ran my fingers through my hair. 

"Chill out, dude. It's not that big of a deal." He bit his fingernails. "We could always just ask them to stop."

I pulled at his shoelace. "I do miss your voice a little bit...." I whispered. "When you used to tell me you loved me."

"Are you still popping pills?"

"You know the answer." I let go of his shoelace, knowing where this conversation was going immediately. 

"Then I don't love you."