Encino-M.J

Rapture

Ice cubes jiggled in his glass as he watched her from across the room.

Her body was divinity in motion- curving and twisting to the rhythm, bright lights burning a kaleidoscope of magenta and aquamarine down on her skin and hair. She was Venus in the flesh, commanding attention with every swing of her hips.

Every eye in the room seemed to be on her but she had eyes only for him.

She seemed to move in slow motion as sauntered towards the bar, a subtle smirk settling on her lips whilst she tugged at the hem of the short lavender dress. Gracefully yet brashly she perched herself on his lap and snatched the glass out of his hand, taking a long sip for herself.

His heavy hand traveled up her thigh.

"Havin' fun?"

A giggle left her red lips.

"Lots. Michael never lets me have this much fun,"

The mention of his brother's name caused his stomach to sour and he snatched the glass back. He thought it was understood that in this world Michael had no place, that she'd realized he had been the better brother after all and it would only be him and her.

"That's because he can't understand that a beautiful woman like yourself shouldn't be locked away in a pumpkin. You should be marveled at. It's a privilege to get to show you off,"

"You really think so?"

Suddenly a familiar, slender figure stormed up to them, his brown eyes glowering at them under the lights.

"Get up, Thea! We're going home!" Michael barked, snatching the woman off his brother's lap.

"Michael, please try to understand," She pleaded.

Growing angry he sprang from his seat, her large hand tugging at her free arm.

"You don't get to tell her what to do. She's mine now,"

"Yours? I'll kill you before that happens,"

Michael gave Althea a tug in his direction and feeling jealous and ever-competitive, Jermaine jerked back. It wasn't long before the two brothers were engaging in a childish game of tug of war, stretching their beautiful object of affection like she was Stretch Armstrong. Her pleas for peace went unheard by both men and with another tug, he noticed she'd turned to fine grains of sand that slipped through the gaps of his fingers.

Frantic, he sank to his knees trying hard to mold the mess back into her form with no success. This is how it always was with him. Every time he got close to something beautiful he ruined it.

"Maine,"

The gentle, ethereal voice caused him to look up and a soft gasp left his mouth at the sight of the figure standing above him. He hadn't seen that face in seventeen years. The final time he'd laid eyes on her she was bloodied and maimed but now she stood before him beautiful as the day they first met.

"Dee-Dee?" he breathed.

"Maine,"

"Maine,"

Her dreamy voice had suddenly been replaced by a smack on the chest and an agitated groan from the woman who lay beside him in the large bed.

"Dee-Dee?" Jermaine asked sleepily as he blinked the sleep out of his eyes.

"Dee-Dee?" Hazel scoffed whilst pressing a hand to her aching back. "Who the hell is Dee-Dee?"

His eyes fell to the digital alarm clock at their bedside table as his wife moaned in pain. There was at least an hour and a half left before he'd have to get up to prepare for a day at the office but Jermaine quickly remembered that if he even dared to step foot on Jacksounds's campus, human resources was bound to call the police.