Tarantism

13

Sang

We ride the elevator all the way up to the top. I don't think I paid attention when we were here last time to notice they live on the top floor. No wonder they said no one would stop on their floor without them knowing. The elevator chimes as the door opens. Owen ushers me out with a hand on my lower back. I try to suppress the shiver his touch causes.
"Do you want to see the apartment first before we go in and talk to the others?"
"No I'm good. I'll see it later if I can." What I don't voice is, I don't want to get my hopes up and fall in love with the space if the others aren't ok with this arrangement. Owen looks at me with a slight frown on his perfect face as if he's disappointed. I avert my eyes to the floor and shuffle my feet. I don't know why he's disappointed but I don't like the feeling it gives me.
"Are the guys here already?"
He looks at one of the closed apartment doors and then back to me.
"They should all be here. No one had plans tonight." I nod and he takes the hint from the awkward silence and takes off down the hall. The closer we get to the door the louder the voices are. There are some muffled curses and a thud as Owen turns the knob. The door swings open and the madness that is the living room is ridiculous.
Luke is on the floor with a candy bar stretched out over his head as he holds the person on top of him off with one hand.  On closer inspection that person is North. Nathan and Kota are playing a video game while the others watch. They don't seem to be paying any attention to the two rolling around on the floor nor to the door being opened.
"You can't have fucking sugar every minute of everyday. You have to eat actual food idiot. You're gonna get fat and have diabetes. Give me the fucking candy!"
"Get off me! I can eat what I want! You see these?" He points to his abs. "That doesn't look like fat to me."
"Put your shirt down. No one wants to see your flabs." Luke gasps like a girl clearly offended by his brothers remark.
"I do not have flabs. How dare you." He scoffs as he shoves the whole candy bar in his mouth and tries to talk around it.
"Wor jus jewous."
North gets up off the floor and stomps to the kitchen as he's yelling over his shoulder. "Jealous of what numb nuts?"
Luke doesn't get a chance to reply since Owen chooses that moment to clear his throat gaining the attention of the guys. All eyes turn to us at once. Luke jumps up and walks to me with a smirk on his face.
"Cupcake," he takes my hand and pulls me towards the living room. "Tell North I don't have flabs." He lifts his shirt up and runs his other hand down his flat stomach.  I can feel my face turning red as he's grinning at me. I clear my throat and try to speak
"Uh...um I." I shake my head and look around. Gabe jumps off the end of the couch and stalks towards us.
"Oy put your fucking shirt down." He smacks Luke upside the head. "Don't put Trouble in the middle of your argument." Luke rubs his head and scowls at him. "But I'm not fat. Do you think I'm fat?" He turns his back to me and twists his upper body around to show me his butt shaking it a little. "I'm fit. No fat right Cupcake?"
I'm laughing at this point and Owen comes up behind me chuckling as he shoves Luke. "Get out of here with that." The others are all laughing now as well even North. The smell of Chinese fills the air as Sean comes through the door a minute later with his arms full. "Hey Pookie, I didn't know you were gracing us with your pretty self tonight." I clear my throat and look at Owen. He does a silent thing over my head that's way too fast to read. Sean just smiles at me and starts unpacking food.
"Can you help spread this out." We get to work laying out all the takeout containers and getting plates. Sean hollars into the living room that it's ready and I swear there is a stampede of elephants coming right for me. The guys are shoving and falling all over themselves trying to get into the kitchen first. Silas makes it to me first and picks me up as a gasp escapes my mouth at the sudden movement. Just as I settle against his chest, Luke and Nathan crash into each other right where I was standing.
"Didn't want to get you squished Aggele." His slight accented voice makes me sigh. He chuckles and I instantly turn red. Sean yells over the noise and wrestling. "Hey were you all raised in a barn? What is wrong with you? Cut it out. Now Sang goes first. Silas put her down."
"Oh I'm fine really." My stomach chooses that exact moment to let out the most awful growl. The guys laugh as Silas' chest vibrates beneath me. "Tell that to your stomach Aggele." He sets me on my feet and I put a little of everything on my plate. There's no way I'm going to be able to eat all this but they don't need to know that. I walk away from the table as the guys all swarm the food. I snicker to myself as I sit on the floor. Victor comes in and sits next to me as the others slowly trickle in. I'm busy stuffing my face with an egg roll as Sean looks up at me.
"So Pookie, to what do we owe a night of your wonderful company?"
I look at Owen and he nods his head slightly with a small smile on his face.
"Well umm. Well I've been looking for a place to live since I have to leave my apartment on the Southside, and I had asked Owen for help looking. He umm, he said that he knew of a place that wasn't being used for anyone to live in right now that I could rent it. Umm he said that I could live here." My voice trails off as I notice Nathan tense. He looks at me and at Owen. "Here, like Kota, Victor, and my's apartment?" Owen is shaking his head but I start to ramble as I knew they wouldn't be up for it but I really need a place.
"I don't need a lot of space. Really, I mean I can sleep on a couch. I've done it before. You wont even know I'm here. I don't make a ton of money at the studio, but I'll pay rent every month on time. I swear. I'll sign a contract or whatever you guys need me to do. I'll clean, and I'm a pretty decent cook. Owen had said no one lived in one of the apartments you guys own but I really can stay anywhere if that place is taken. I just can't go back to my old apartment. It's not saf..." I don't realize I have tears in my eyes until Owen is crouched in front of me with his warm hands on my cheeks.
"Sweetheart, breathe for me. In and out. That's it. It's ok." I sniffle and look into his steel grey eyes.
"I really need this Owen. What if they say no." I whisper. My chin trembles and his thumb strokes my cheek as he looks behind him. He looks back at me. "They won't." He slowly scoots around so he's sitting behind me with me braced between his bent knees. I can feel his warm chest at my back and try to pull my strength from him. I get the courage to look up at everyone and Gabe and Luke are grinning at me. I'm a little taken off guard. Owen starts talking from behind me.
"I told Sang she could have the 5th apartment. We aren't using it right now and it's got 3 rooms. I told her it wouldn't be a problem. She wanted to make sure everyone was on board before she accepted. Do any of you have an issue with Sang moving in?"
They all shake their heads. Nathan pipes up from his spot. "So she isn't sharing an apartment with anyone right? She gets the den?"
"That is correct."
He shrugs. "Fine by me."
North frowns amd looks at him.
"Would it have been an issue had she needed to share? I don't think I'm understanding your fucking issue right now. Had Sang Baby needed to share, you're saying you would tell her no? You have two other people that live with you. What about what they want?" His fists are clenched, and he looks ready to hit something. Nathan sputters and the look on his face as he looks around at the others for backup or what I'm not sure, makes this a little uncomfortable. "It would be hard to explain away a pretty girl sleeping in the apartment with us if we brought someone home. Wouldn't it?" I flinch not able to catch myself. I didn't think about causing them trouble in that regard. I'm not naive enough to think I could have them but it brings a not so gentle reminder that none of them are mine. I hear a monstrous growl and look up to see Gabe and North in Nathan's face.
"You bastard. How dare you."
"You are a fucking piece of work you know that."
I try to yell over them to get their attention but it's not working. Victor whistles and the sharp sound cuts through the noise and makes them stop. "He's right. I didn't think about you guys bringing people home with you. If you can shoot me a code word or something I can make sure to not be around, so you don't have to try and explain. I swear I don't want to cause trouble or fights between you guys. I really just need a place to sleep. I can spend all the rest of my time at the studio. I've actually lived there before, so it's nothing new. I just prefer a bed to the studio floor you know." I force a small laugh and shrug. "Nathan I swear I won't cause you trouble. I'll even explain to any girls you bring up here that I just live in an apartment here."
Luke scowls at him. "You are a freaking idiot man." Nathan throws his arms up and stomps off to his room. I feel Owen wrap his arm around me. "Well that went well." I mutter and they laugh. We sit and enjoy the rest of the evening. Nathan never came back out of his room.  I'm not sure how he will affect this living situation but the tension is still very much still alive in the air the whole night. I don't think I want to be around for that conversation

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Enjoy!