Catfish and the Bottlemen Imagines

Under My Skin 7 - Bondy

I stood awkwardly in the lobby, leaning against the side of the concierge desk. I was irritable, frustrated with the early lobby call. We had a day off today, we should get to sleep in, but nooo, the schedule was the schedule and we had to leave at the ass crack of dawn.

"You look like shit." Van appeared by my side, lugging his suitcase, his mouth curled into something between a smirk and a sympathetic smile. He held two coffees, and handed me one.

"And a good morning to you too, mate." I peered at him through my sunglasses while I sipped the warm liquid. I hadn't drank too much, but with the night of sleep I got, I still felt hung over.

We watched people move through the lobby, sunlight streaming through the hotel's large glass walls, neither of us quite awake enough yet for chitchat.

The elevator dinged and a group of people flooded out. And suddenly she was there, pulling a hardside pink suitcase over the lobby's shiny marble floor.

The now-familiar lump formed in my throat. Even though she had completely transformed from last night -- then in her glamorous, glittery stage outfit and thick black makeup, now bare-faced in leggings and an oversized grey hoodie -- she still made my pulse quicken. Her tinkly laugh lilted through the high-ceilinged space as she laughed at Artemis animatedly telling some story. Miriam and Cassie followed behind. They found a couch next to the window and sat.

Van's voice was loaded as he, too, watched them cross the room. "You and Y/N...get back ok last night?"

I chuckled. "If 'ok' means she tore me a new one and left me feeling like a right arsehole in the hotel parking lot, then yes, we got home ok."

"Ah." Van's eyes were sympathetic. A beat, then he spoke carefully. "You talk to Martha? She still meeting us in Birmingham?"

I shifted my weight, cleared my throat. "Yeah, she's finishing up in New York Thursday, flying back Friday."

Van nodded slowly, but said nothing.

"Gents! Circle the wagons, please!"

How Larry has such a booming voice with so small a body, I'll never understand. He swaggered up to us, Bob and Benji in tow. I snorted. Larry took his duty to run our checklist of bus cabin necessities very, very seriously.

I nodded absently as Larry barked out items and checked them off, but I was focused on her. She'd obviously just rolled out of bed, but how did she still look so lovely? Half-mast eyes, pouty lips, hair in a messy bun, knees drawn up under her chin, white and yellow trainers. The four of them were lolling about, looking tired but happy as they talked and laughed. Aretmis twirled an errant strand of Y/N's hair in her finger, and I couldn't help but picture myself doing that, feeling its softness and smelling its sweet scent, before leaning in to place a kiss on her smooth neck...

"Bonds! House music?"

I snapped back to attention. "Um, yeah, I've got my phone, haven't I? Chill out, mate."

Because I have the widest music taste of the guys, I'm always in charge of the pre-show house music. It's something I've always enjoyed, even if Van thinks I get too psychedelic sometimes.

Larry grumbled and made a perfunctory check on his clipboard.

I looked back at her. They were gathering their things now, their tour manager escorting them out to the curb to meet their van.

I needed to try one more time to talk to her. To apologize for my horrible behavior. I could probably catch her if I went for it now.

I leaned in and whispered to Van. "Fill in for me, yeah?"

He nodded subtlely so as not to draw Larry's attention. I nodded in thanks and peeled off.

I felt like I was approaching a girl at a school dance as I crossed the lobby toward her, flanked by her friends.

"Y/N!"

Four pairs of eyes turned to me and instantly narrowed. I gulped.

"Morning ladies, hope you're all well." Nobody replied, but I carried on. I looked plaintively at her.

"Got a minute, Y/N?"

Artemis placed a hand on her arm and looked at her, I'm sure quite ready to tell me to fuck off. But Y/N smiled tightly, then looked to her friends.

"I'll catch you in the van, yeah?"

They grumbled, but acquiesced, filing through the swinging door to the curb, until I stood alone with her.

I tried for my meekest, most apologetic smile.

"How are you this morning, love?"

"I'm good thanks, and you, Bondy?" She used my nickname. It made me pine for the delicious sound of my first name rolling off her lips.

"Been better lass. Feel like a right nobhead." I stepped a bit closer and she smiled up at me again, but it didn't reach her eyes.

"I hope we can move on from last night, yeah? No hard feelings, like? Still want to hear you play sometime, we can have a laugh."

"Of course I have no hard feelings, Bondy." Her voice was tight. "In fact," she nodded as she spoke, "it's me who should be apologizing to you. Carrying on like that, being so dramatic. Don't you worry, it won't happen again." A placating smile below vacant eyes.

Something in the way she said it made my heart sink. Made everything so much worse. I furrowed my brow at her, searched her nonchalant expression in confusion.

I opened my mouth to speak, but got cut off by someone calling her name from behind me.

It was their crew manager. He was out of breath, like he'd been running, and was red in the face.

"Y/N, it's the van. It's... it's totaled."

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