Call it Fate, Call it Karma

Appropriate Punishment

I was cuddled up to a blanket and some cushions on the couch, watching TV, when Albert, Julian and Nick stumbled in. I checked the time and huffed, as it was almost 1 in the morning.

"Honey, I'm hooooome!" Julian sang out, his arm around Nick's shoulders for support. Nick laughed and hoisted him up, almost falling over himself.

I turned around to look at the three guys. They were all obviously pretty drunk. Even Albert was, which shocked me a little.

"Why are you three wasted?" I asked with a heavy sigh. I then noticed the absence of Fab and Nikolai. "And where are the other two?!"

"Why aren't you wasted?" Nick pointed a finger at me.

"Go the fuck to bed, moron." I said, shaking my head annoyedly. Nick refused and instead, let go of Julian and flopped onto the couch beside me.

"Ryan took us out for drinks because he's so happy with our progress!" Albert slurred, then sitting on the floor in front of me as he held his head in his hands. "I d-drank too much."

"I can see that." I rolled my eyes. I nudged Nick, preventing him from falling asleep on the couch. "Help Albert to bed."

Nick surprisingly complied without putting up a fight and the two stumbled into Albert's bedroom.

I patted the couch cushion beside me. "Jules, c'mere."

Julian walked over and fell onto it, planting his head in my lap.

"Are Fab and Niko okay?" I asked, placing my hand atop his head and beginning to run it through his hair.

"They went with Ryan." he said as he closed his eyes.

"Do you wanna go to bed?"

He shook his head. "I wanna stay up with you. I'm sorry for leaving you alone."

"Duty calls, Julian. You've gotta get your album done." I said, smiling down at him. "And I'm a big girl, I can handle being alone for a few hours."

"Let's go for a walk."

"It's one in the morning and you're drunk," I chuckled. "...no chance."

"Come smoke with me on the balcony then?"

"Alright, but if you fall off I'm going to bed." I said with a yawn.

"If I fall off I'll be dragging you down with me."

"That's so romantic." I chuckled as we both rose to our feet, Julian much more gracelessly than I.  "I'm gonna go get you some water, I'll meet you out there."

"I love youuuuu! So much!" Julian slurred in a sing-song tone as he danced like a complete goof away into the bedroom. "Thank youuuuu!"

I laughed to myself as I grabbed a glass, filling it with water, before turning all the lights off and making my way into my room.

Julian had already lit a joint and was puffing on it as he stared out at the dimly lit streets below.

"Jules, I thought you meant cigarettes!" I said with a frown as I joined him on the balcony.

"Oops!" Is all he managed to say, as he'd just taken an abnormally large hit, almost choking as he exhaled. I snatched it off him, shaking my head as I shoved the glass of water in his hands.

"Are...are you mad at me?"

"No, Jules."

"Good." Julian said, watching me take a drag of the joint. "I hate when you're mad at me. It hurts.

"Stop being such a dumbass all the time then."

"I can't! It's in my nature."

"Clearly!" I huffed, then laughing a little. "Nah, I'm just kidding, I love you."

I stepped forward to lean on the railing, shivering a little as a breeze swept past. Julian must have noticed, because he put his glass down and wrapped his arms around my waist from behind, instantly warming me. "I love you more." he said, resting his chin on my shoulder. "I wanna take you out tomorrow. Just you and I."

"While I'd like that a lot, Julian, you're gonna be quite hungover."

"I don't care."

I rolled my eyes. "Whatever you say, man."

He planted a very sloppy kiss on my cheek, leaving it wet with his saliva. "Gross!" I giggled as I wiped it off, then turning around to blow smoke in his face.

"Touché!" he exclaimed, laughing into my shoulder.

I stubbed the joint out on the balcony railing. "Okay, time for bed."

"Noooo!" Julian whined, tightening his arms around me. "I like it out here."

"Me too, but we've gotta go to sleep some time."

"Just a little longer." he pleaded.

"Fine." I leaned back into his touch with a smile as I placed my hands over his. He was incredibly hard to say no to in that moment.

"Will you two just fuck already!"

We let go of eachother and turned around to see Nick standing in the doorway.

"Valensi!" I hissed, a haunting scowl appearing on my face.

"Uh oh!" Nick turned around, ready to run. But he was no match for me. I had him pinned to the floor in milliseconds.

"Jules! Get a permanent marker and the camera!"

Julian, smirking, as he knew what was about to happen, ran out of the room and returned seconds later with the required equipment.

Nick struggled under my grip. If he was sober, he'd easily be able to push me off of him, but in his drunken haze, he groaned, laying motionless with his face pressed against the floor as he chose to accept his fate.

"What'll it be tonight, Jules?" I asked as I removed the cap from the marker.

Julian, who was crouched in front of Nick with the camera ready, took a second to think before he grinned. "Dickhead. Right across his forehead!" he cheered.

"Noooooo!" Nick wailed.

"What the fuck is going on in here?" Albert appeared in the hallway, peering inside the bedroom. He rubbed his eyes and yawned, placing his hands on his hips once he'd realised he should probably be mad at us.

"Appropriate, mature punishment." I replied as Nick began to kick his legs. "Help me hold him down, would 'ya?"

After laughing along too, Nick yelped. "This is bullying, y'know!"

I handed the marker to Albert with a wicked grin. "Mind doing the honors?"