Trapped In Your Bleeding Heart (Riff x Reader)

Chapter Thirty Four - Crash

"Please, don't tell Maria."

This changed everything. I had joked about Tony, about his cheesy poetry and inflated words of love. But what was to become of him now? Of Maria? They wanted to get married - to be happy for the rest of their lives. They wanted to grow old together.

How could they do that when Tony wouldn't make it through the year?

Overcome with emotion, I climbed onto the bed and took one of Tony's hands in mine. Don't cry, don't you cry, Rose. Back in school, all you did was cry. It was no wonder no one took you seriously.

I held onto his hand tightly, trying hard to restrict the spastic shaking. Then I had an idea. "Would one of you get the dog?" I asked.

Mouthpiece and Snowboy exchanged a brief look before branching off into the living room. I looked back down to Tony. "She would want to know, Tony. Maria would want to see you."

With what strength he could muster, Tony shook his head. "She's too good—she's so soft. I couldn't—couldn't bare to see her look at me..."

I opened my mouth, but had nothing worthwhile to say. Mouthpiece returned with Squinty. "Could you put him up here?" I asked.

Despite looking confused, Mouthpiece obliged with no questions, and set the dog on top of Riff's bed. As if he knew what was happening, Squinty stayed low and alert as he approached Tony and I, the tip of his tail wagging.

I smiled. "Pet Cash, Tony. It helps."

Well, in theory it would. The science behind the nervous system was complicated and contradictory, but there were patterns. Theories. And sometimes, when the brain was occupied with something stress relieving, neurons would carry less stress through the nervous system, which would cause the tremors to...

Calm. His tremors calmed. Squinty laid down on top of Tony's long legs, and accepted the love gladly. Tony's face lit up. "Look—look." He breathed.

I nodded. "Good."

We sat like that for a while, Tony and I. Despite having more opportunities to speak, to argue on Maria's behalf, I stayed silent. That was, until Riff came out of the bathroom.

"Well ain't this cozy." He satirized, though there was a sincerity behind his joking.

Tony smiled. "Dolly has some sort of magic."

I smiled proudly at my title. My nickname. Riff chuckled. "Then I'll excuse the dog on my bed."

Mouthpiece and Snowboy came back into the room not long after, and with once glance at Riff, they were next to Tony, helping him up. "You good enough to walk to the couch?" Mouthpiece asked. "We're gonna put a tape on."

Even when Tony nodded, the two boys supported him from either side, and led him out of the bedroom. Squinty followed.

Riff closed the door behind them.

Riff.

He stood leaned against the door, wet hair trailing down his forehead.

Nothing but a towel hung from his rippled body.

Droplets of water sprinkled over his lean muscle. His eyes found mine. Dark, starving eyes.

Heat flushed through my veins and burst into my heart. Thunder and lightning shattered through the sky. It was a welcomed excuse to look out the window, away from Riff's flustering features. "Does this change anything?" I asked, trying to focus on anything but the heavy tension hanging between us.

"Nah, we already agreed on a time and place."

"But if the storm starts earlier than we thought..."

Does this really have to get even more risky?