Rabbits and Roses

Chapter Nine

I groaned and tried to turn over to find I couldn't move. Panicking, I opened my eyes and looked around. There were people. In my bed. With me. Asleep.

I relaxed when I realized it was just Matthew on one side and Arthur on the other. I sat up to look around. But there were two other people in the bed too.

"How in the fuck did Alfred and Francis get in here?" I wondered. Francis was sprawled across our legs and Alfred was clinging to Arthur, nearly falling off the bed.

My mind was completely full of fuck. Was there a reason they were all piled in my bed? I sighed quietly and began my attempt to get out of bed. I ended up having to crawl over Matthew and hoped to God that he didn't wake up to see me in this compromising position.

It must have been my lucky day. No one moved or anything. I tip toed to the bathroom and grabbed the complimentary robe from the back of the door.

Slipping it around my shoulders, I walked out of the room. The window at the end of the hall showed a lightening sky. I figured it was around five thirty.

The hallway was dimly lit by faux candle lights. Shadows danced eerily across the walls as I walked to the staircase to the roof pool.

I was ecstatic to find it was unlocked, then I remembered that Uncle Jackie wakes up at four and swims for an hour. Luckily, he was already gone, and the footprints were nearly dry.

I removed the robe and slipped my shorts down my long legs. The cold wind made goosebumps rise on my body. Knowing I probably shouldn't get my bandages wet, I just sat on the edge of the hot tub and swung my legs back and forth.

I heard the door open behind me and looked to find that Arthur had followed me up.

"Bollocks, it's freezing up here!" Arthur exclaimed and ran his hands over his nude arms.

"Maybe putting your shirt on would've helped, eh?" I grinned.

"Yes, I suppose." He removed his pants and slipped into the hot tub. "Ah, that's nice."

"How're you feeling?"

"Mm, thanks to you, I awoke without a splitting headache or anything." We smiled at each other, then watched the sky light up with the beginning flames of morning.

Again, the door opened. I didn't need to look up to know who it was. The last of our group stalked over to the tub with bare feet. Francis, already in nothing but his boxers, slipped in and hissed in enjoyment. Alfred hopped in after removing his shirt and splashed us all.

"Really?" Francis scolded, but couldn't hold back his smile. Matthew kept his shirt on and sat next to me, mimicking my feet swinging.

"Oh, come on, Matthew." Alfred groaned. "Still too shy to take off your shirt in front of a girl?"

We all chuckled except Matthew. "Even Jurene's shirtless in front of us!" He laughed lewdly.

I looked at him disapprovingly. Matthew groaned loudly. "But it's cold out here!" Despite his complaint, he leaned back and slipped the shirt over his blonde hair.

I noticed he had scars crisscrossing his body. Looking at the others, I realized they all did. Some were more faded than others,

and some looked fairly new. I grabbed Matthew's arm and lifted it.

He was startled and let out a "Wha-"

"Where did you all get these scars?"

No one said anything for a moment, but then Arthur spoke. "Fighting for our countries." He said softly.