Summertime Madness

It's Gonna Be A Long Night

~Five Years Ago Pt.2~

"Roy?" Kori inquired, blinking slowly.

"Kori?", Roy questioned, squinting at her, "What the hell? Are you drunk?" He put the kickstand down on his bike and got up so he could move closer to her. His nose wrinkled as he did so. "Oh, yeah, you're drunk", Roy muttered, "The hell did you have, Jungle Juice and a Zombie?"

"Not in that order", Kori answered giddily.

"Shit", Roy cursed, eyes roving over her form. He paused in his observations to address the men still surrounding the area. "What are you waiting for?", he spat, "Fuck off."

Each of the men took a daring step closer.

Roy rolled his eyes and pulled his shirt up, revealing a... Ruger?

"What the hell?", Kori mumbled.

The men put their hands up defensively and hurried away.

"Idiots" Roy muttered, pulling his shirt down and shaking his head before returning his attention to Kori, "Are you bleeding? What the hell have you been doing? Cashmere's gonna have a cow."

"That would be funny to see...", Kori replied quietly, "I didn't know you owned a gun."

Roy skillfully ignored her in favor of pressing the back of his hand to her face and neck. "Kori", he groaned.

"Hey, that tickles", Kori laughed, pushing his hand away, "So, we're not gonna talk about the-"

"No, we're not talking about the gun", Roy interjected.

He fought the urge to scowl at the state she was in, hurriedly taking his jacket off and helping her put her arms through it.

"You're not cold?", Kori inquired, almost sounding sober.

But, by the way that she dropped the original topic, it was clear that she wasn't.

"I've got a thermal on underneath this", Roy dismissed, "Come on, let's get you home."

He held his hand out for her to take.

Kori studied him for a moment, unable to care about the way it looked while in this state.

Roy was in a turtleneck and he looked damn good.

"Can I come home with you instead?", Kori questioned boldly, withholding her hand.

"Wouldn't dream of leaving you in the house alone after this", Roy scoffed quietly, though his tone was filled with amusement, "Come on. Before those idiots come back."

Kori gave him a smug smile, placing her hand in his. "Okay, but do we have to get on the bike?", she asked.

"How else are we gonna get home?", Roy snorted lightly.

"I like the way that sounds out of your mouth", Kori noted absentmindedly, tilting her head.

"...What?", Roy asked confusedly.

"Nothing", Kori grinned drunkenly, "We could walk or something. I don't want you to put the helmet back on. You're too pretty."

Roy huffed out a laugh at that, his cheeks turning the slightest hint of red. "Well, I wasn't gonna put it on anyway", he told her, "I was gonna give it to you. Precious cargo and all."

"Helmet hair", Kori shuddered, "Yuck."

Roy laughed even harder at that, sitting on the bike and tugging her so that she would come to sit in front of him. He handed her the helmet. "Try not to throw up in it, yeah?"

"Bleh", Kori gagged mockingly, putting the helmet on with a wicked smile.

Roy grinned down at her, making sure she was secure in between his legs before he drove off.

Kori was quiet for most of the time they traveled through the city.

Roy almost thought she was asleep.

But, he was proven wrong when they were stopped at a stoplight and Kori reached out to take his hand off of one of the hand grips of the bike and put it in her lap so she could play with it.

Roy knew the touch was anything but innocent.

It was in the way she wouldn't let go for a long moment after the light turned green.

In the way she kept pushing back against him because she was "afraid she'd fall".

And, lastly, it was in the way she got up from his bike and sauntered to his front door like it was their house.

The way she looked at him over her shoulder.

'Fuck, it's gonna be a long night', Roy thought.

He let out a quiet exhale, tucking his helmet under his arm as he dug in his pocket for his keys. He was tempted to make up an excuse about making sure his bike was secure and toss Kori the keys so she could let herself in. He needed a moment to breathe without those calculating eyes on him.

Instead, however, he took his key out, unlocked the door, and guided Kori inside like a good friend ought to.

A feeling of entrapment settled over him as he closed the door behind himself but he powered through it.

He dropped his keys in the bowl next to the door and turned to see Kori shedding his jacket.

He swallowed thickly. 'A really long night.'