The Connected

Chapter 7

Oh man, this chapter did not want to get written, but I made it happen! Update as promised, though it's a lot of explanation vs. guy time but after this the fun stuff can begin. Happy Reading :)

*Sang*

I'm freaking out right now.

What was supposed to be a routine trip to the mall for the boys turned into a full-on sci-fi movie moment, complete with the abnormally attractive actors and movie magic special effects. Those boys, men, aliens, superhero...whatever they are, turned my entire worldview completely upside down. Although considering how right it felt to be near them, to lay my hand on the chest marking of that Abercrombie model, Luke, I know that this has to be real. My imagination isn't that good.

Back to now where I'm frantically running about the apartment, cleaning up the boys' messes and making sure none of the laundry was left out on the couch where I'd been folding this morning. I'm glad I checked, one of my new lacy pink bras had fallen and gotten wedged underneath the couch, nearly tripping me in my frenzy. It had been a last minute find when I'd thought that everything was safe in my bedroom, can you imagine one of them spotting that while we had the type of conversation I think we will? The thought makes me blush, so I refocus on the task at hand.

Just as I'm putting the last of the boys' new toys away, making a mental note to better organize them later, a loud knock comes at the door. An inelegant squeak leaves my mouth with the knowledge that they've arrived, nine of them in total just like in my dreams, and I do a quick fix in the mirror before answering. My cheeks are flushed and my hair is a mess from my clean sweep so I clip it back and take a deep breath before opening the door.

I can just barely prevent another squeak from escaping when I take in the pure masculine beauty standing en masse before me. I thought it had been intimidating when just Luke and North had approached me, but that was a drop in the bucket compared to all nine.

Deep chuckles bring me out of my observance of them and I flush, all the way down to my toes, closing my eyes and praying for a black hole to swallow me whole.

"I hope not, Peanut, though if you'd like to be swallowed whole I'm sure that could be arrang-ow fuck North, what the hell man?" I open my eyes to see Nathan rubbing the back of his head and glaring accusingly at North, who glares right back.

"You can't fucking say things like that to Sang Baby, you're going to scare her off before we even get in the door." North growls and my heart melts a little at his protectiveness, only my boys have ever cared enough about me to jump to my defense like that.

"And you calling her Sang Baby before we've even introduced ourselves properly isn't going to scare her away?" Nathan retorts and I can see this heading towards a fight. Also, his original statement finally computes and I blush harder, I guess must have vocalized my thoughts earlier.

"I said that out loud didn't I?" I ask sheepishly, ending their argument before it even truly began exactly as I'd hoped.

Their shoulders relax almost in reaction to my voice, before my words even reach their ears and I'm gifted with nine highly amused smile, though Owen's is more of a millimeter one. "That you did, Sang." He says and I'm drawn into his silvery grey eyes for several long moments before I realize they're still outstanding in the hallway like a pizza delivery guy.

"Oh my, where are my manners? Please, come in, make yourselves at home, can I get you anything?" I'm staring at my hands, twisting them together as they pass by me and settle on the couch, floor, and chairs, anywhere their large bodies can fit really. A hand even larger than North's, with an olive skin tone that speaks to me of beach days and sunshine, stops my fidgeting and I look into the soulful dark eyes of my Greek god, my Silas.