I Know It's Hurting You, But It's Killing Me (A7X Fan Fiction)

Chapter Twenty Five: Surprises

First off - I have 31 fans and this story has 132 votes and over 4,000 reads... so thanks to those who are still reading! it means a lot to me! 

Secondly - this was orignially going to include Christmas and stuff... but i got up WAY too early this morning, and wanted to get this posted before i go to bed, so i figured i'd give you what i have done.

Enjoy (:

            The next month of tour went better than everyone had imagined. Rory was winning everyone over every night, practically nailing each solo, leaving Brian beyond impressed; Johnny kept disappearing randomly and making mysterious phone calls, but they everyone figured he had a girl back home; and Jimmy wouldn’t stop making jokes about Matt and Val. Poor Val would blush like a school girl whenever Jimmy said anything, while Matt would slap Jimmy upside the head at the mention of any sexual comment.

            Matt stumbled sleepily from his bunk, leaving Val peacefully sleeping under the covers. Rubbing his tired eyes with his fists, he walked out into the living room area of the bus in nothing but his boxers.

            “Good morning sunshine. How was your night?” Jimmy asked, trying to hid his growing smile.

            “Great,” Matt announced groggily. “Slept like a baby,” he added before opening the fridge door, looking for something to eat.

            “Yeah, you’re the only one, bro,” Johnny muttered.

            “Don’t know what you’re talking ‘bout,” Matt lied, putting some Eggos in the toaster.

            “Bullshit,” Zack snorted before leaving the bus, his acoustic guitar in one hand, a beer in the other.

            “Dude, I’ve gotta hand it to ya, I’ve never heard a girl scream like that before,” Jimmy laughed, patting Matt on the back.

            Matt just hid his face from everyone and ate his breakfast in silence.

            Lyric looked up from her book to scan the bus. All of the boys were celebrating with the three members of Seether. Only about an hour ago they had finished the last concert before Christmas. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania had put on a good last show that night.  Not to mention the surprise the band had planned for Rory was pretty amazing.

            “I’d like to take a few moments to thank someone who is very special to this band. This person has helped us so much over the past month, and without her, we would have had to cancel the first half of this tour. So let’s fucking give up for Rory!” Matt screamed into his microphone. The crowed went wild. Everyone had absolutely adored Rory, despite the fact that they were expecting Brian to play.

            As Rory made her way to center stage, not quite as shy as she was at the beginning of tour, Matt greeted her with a big hug.

            “Rory, we couldn’t ever possibly thank you enough, so as a start, we’d like to give you a little gift. Jimmy?”

            Jimmy, who earlier had slipped away from behind his drum kit unnoticed, walked back out on stage, something poorly hidden behind his back, followed by the rest of the boys.

            “Baby, having you out on tour with us was fucking fantastic, but having you out here playing with us was even better! And on behalf of the entire band,” Jimmy started before he was cut off.

            “But mostly me,” Syn added jokingly.

            “We’d like you to have this,” Jimmy said, pulling a guitar from behind him. It was a beautiful Synyster Gates Custom Schecter, black with red pinstripes and the inlay said “RORY” instead of “SYN.”

            Rory carefully took the guitar from his hands, glancing over all of the features as tears of happiness somewhat blurred her vision. “Guys, it’s perfect! Thank you!” She cried before accepting the microphone from Jimmy. “I’d like to thank all of you guys, Matt, Johnny, Zacky, Brian, and Jimmy, for letting me play for you guys. It has been such a great experience.

            “Jimmy, without you, I never would have met the rest of the band, and Brian, without you falling and breaking your wrist, I would’ve gotten the chance to play on stage, so thanks!

            “And a big thanks to all of you fans! You could have easily booed me off of the stage, and demanded that Syn play, but you gave me a chance, and that’s the best gift I could ever receive. Thank you so much to absolutely everyone!” she announced before going around and hugging each of the guys.

            Handing her guitar to Brian, she went to go hug Jimmy last. Wrapping her hands around his neck as he placed his at her waist, they shared a kiss on stage. A chorus of “awww’s!” could be heard echoing throughout the crowd.

            “Merry early Christmas,” Jimmy whispered in her ear.

            “Hey Lyric! Come have a few drinks with us!” Shaun Morgan, lead singer of Seether, said to her as Brian drunkenly threw his arm around Shaun’s shoulder as he downed another shot.

            Shaun and Lyric had become good friends the first half of tour, and Lyric was glad. Seether was probably her second favorite band and she thought Shaun’s voice was just as good, if not better than Matt’s. So when Brian introduced her to Shaun, she was star struck for the first few minutes, but after a while she warmed up to him.

            Lyric hesitantly set her book down before joining the guys and Rory. Picking up a shot of whatever Zacky had poured for her, she quickly drank it, ignoring the slight burning sensation in her throat.

            “I’d like to make a toast!” Syn announced, and everyone shut up and turned to face him. He raised his glass, almost spilling it. “To the best fucking girlfriend in the world. Lyric, dammit I love you!” he cheered before taking a drink, slopping half of it down his shirt.

            “Thanks, love you too, Bri, but I think it’s time for you to call it quits,” she tried convincing him, setting his drink down and attempting to pull him back to the bunks.

            “But the party’s just begun!” he argued, reaching for his cup, but thankfully Matt put it out of Brian’s reach before he could grab it.

            “Come on, I have surprise for you,” Lyric lied, leading him to their bunk.

            “Oh really? What?” he asked excitedly, jumping around like a little kid.

            “You’ll have to wait and see. Why don’t you lie down and I’ll go brush my teeth. Be right back,” she winked, hoping she could trick him.

            And sure enough, when she returned from changing and brushing her teeth, Brian was sleeping peacefully in his bunk. Climbing in next to him, she snuggled up against his warm body. “Good night, Brian,” she whispered before drifting off to sleep.

-- For Johnny's birthay, I am writing a oneshot and I only have about 9 days to write it, so it might take me longer to get the next chapter of this story up because as of now, Johnny's oneshot takes priority. --