What Will Be (Chibs and Juice)

59

Venus woke Juice carefully, knowing he'd probably have a raging hang over. Today was important though, he was meeting with Chibs at Stockton, Lowell would also be there. They'd get the news of the plea, and a release date. Venus being the wonderful person that she was, wanted to make sure Juice was awake before her beloved Tig.

"Let's get some breakfast in you before we wake the Tiger huh?" She whispered as he fumbled out of the bed.

His eyes were blurry, he rubbed them in vain trying to clear the fog. His mouth tasted like stale beer, a wave of nausea washed over him. He took a breath fighting it down, stepping quietly into the hallway heading towards the bathroom.

He could smell breakfast cooking when he stepped back into the hallway, making his mouth water a little.
"It's seven thirty Venus, Tig said eight." He grumbled despite his smile.

"Sit. Thought it would be better this way. So, do eggs count as meat?" She pointedly changed the subject.  He could tell by her tone something was off with her.

"Is everything okay?" He asked timidly, but still very blasé.

"Everything is fine... on the surface. You seem more like... mmm yourself." His face dropped a little, crinkling his brow in confusion. He did feel a little more like himself, his confident self. He did have a strong ego, before the club started to tear him down. He'd liked himself in spite of his doubts and his flaws. Now, he just felt like a fuck up most of the time, and the things he was into didn't exactly make him feel like less of a fuck up.
"Venus, did I do something to upset you?" He asked almost bluntly.
She looked at him with a very serious expression. Sighing she figured it was better to just get it off her chest and be honest.
"You've got an arrogance about you that's always been a slight put off, to me. I know it gets you points with the guys. I used to worry what you actually thought of someone like me, the way you'd look at me, like you're doing now. Confused and disgusted though tolerating me. I've gotten to know you in a way that tells me there's more to you than that. You're not so shallow. Underneath that person you're a sweetheart, a good guy, but this you, guarded, closed off, the guy that makes girls cry cause he doesn't call them back... I'm not a big fan of him."

He felt totally dumbstruck, he wasn't sure what he'd done to make her feel that way.
"I, um... Venus, I'm sorry that I've ever made you feel that way. I don't even know what to say to that. I don't have any issue with who you are." He swallowed trying to think of words that wouldn't be offensive.
"I love you, and Tig." A blush spread over his face. "Going out last night, feeling like things were getting back to a good place, like Opie night even like me... it made me feel good. I want the guys to like me, like for real and not just tolerate me. Ya know?" He had felt good about last night, he even felt good about getting laid, excited even. He wanted to tell Chibs it had happened because for the first time in a long while he hadn't felt lost.

She rubbed his back, and then plated his food.
"I know what you mean. I just hope that as you find your footing again, you maybe learn how to co-exist with in yourself. You can be cool and still be a nice guy. You and me, we got more in common than you might think." She dropped a kiss on his head.

"Eat your breakfast, I'm going to wake the beast." She sashayed out of the kitchen.

Juice laughed as he heard Tig waking up. He sounded less than pleased, and Juice knew he'd get some sort of retribution for last night.

Tig stalked into the kitchen, Venus hot on his heels, he glared at Juice when he saw him smiling up at him.
"Mornin sunshine!" Juice greeted him.

Tig grunted in response, he grabbed Juices short hair in his fingers and pulled his head slightly to the side.
"You had an eventful night." He flicked the bruise on his neck.
Juice had forgotten about it actually, he lifted his hand and rubbed the spot on his neck. He couldn't stop the grin on his face.
"Something like that. Didn't want to be rude, can't wait to tell Chibs."

Tig raised a brow and then shook his head. He didn't know all the details of their relationship, he wasn't going to pry.

"You think the lawyer will have good news? I'm so ready for this nightmare to be over." Juice sipped his milk, looking at Tig over the glass.

Tig was never very chatty in the morning, and Juice knew he was tired.

"I'm sure she will. I'm sure the guys inside are more ready than we are." He moaned in happiness as the warmth of the caffeinated heaven settled in his belly.

"Also, um... I'm sorry about last night. I should have just had them take me to my place, but I didn't want you to worry."

Tig smirked at him, looking devious and pleased simultaneously. 
"We will deal with your behavior later, but I am glad you came here. We would have been concerned if you hadn't shown up. Also, it's good you had a good time with some of the guys. I'm sure you needed it."
He didn't speak again until he'd finished his breakfast, Juice didn't interrupt him.

"Thank you for breakfast Venus." Juice offered for the both of them. She smiled sweetly at him, and took their plates.

"You're most welcome, I enjoy the days I get to be simply domestic, I know it's right traditional. The chaos the club life brings into our lives though, makes me cherish it even more."
Tig beamed at his love, he enjoyed her being his traditional homemaker, it was a life he wanted to provide for her full time.

"May I be excused? Gonna get ready." Tig and Venus both nodded.

"What the hell are we gonna do with that boy?" Tig sighed, stifling a smile.

"Keep him whole till Chibs gets back. He's making progress, he just doesn't seem as hollow as he was. I don't know exactly what happened last night, but it seemed to help his confidence." Venus quipped.

Tig rubbed his hands over his face. "I know, it's almost a shame I'm going to have to punish him for being out so late and being so loud when he came in."

Venus laughed now, shaking her head. "Do you have too? I mean we knew he was going out with Opie, that he'd be out late and probably drunk. Why do you have to punish him?" She didn't understand what they got out of this arrangement nearly as much as she understood the arrangement itself.

Tig didn't know how to really explain, so he just started to ramble.
"He needs me too. That confidence will crumble like a house a cards in front of a box fan if I don't enforce the rules. He knows he was naughty according to our agreement, to their agreement. If I ignore it, let him off the hook because I'm actually glad he went out, will just confuse him. That's how this works. If I don't do it, it will eat at him, waiting for something to happen. Like a festering wound. By the time Chibs gets home to handle it, boy will be a nut case."

Venus sort of understood what he meant, but mostly she just supported him. "I think that boy is going to be nut case when he comes home regardless. If he doesn't explode from happiness first."

Juice froze in the doorway as he heard them talking about him. He wasn't worried, he was relieved if anything, to hear them talking about him.
"Tiggy you better go get ready! It's almost time to go. Also I might explode Auntie Venus, I keep praying that they will get to come home."

Venus looked surprised. "You pray?"

Juice blushed deep red as he nodded. "Raised Catholic, very Catholic. I've struggled with my faith over the years, but it's not something that ever goes away. That Catholic guilt thing is something Chibs and me have in common." He laughed uncomfortably.

Tig and Venus both looked at him with similar expressions of surprised acceptance on their face.
"Alright then. Just didn't expect that. I'll be back in a few, then we can head out." Tig kissed Venus on the cheek and walked down the hall to the bathroom.