Mutual

Chapter twelve

It's currently early morning and we're all drunk as fuck, though no one would admit it. We'd been playing truth or dare for the past hour and Sonny and Kathryn have just done a very fancy ballroom dance. Sonny had been dared to do a Strictly Come Dancing style dance with a partner of his choice. I didn't know he could dance like that. Kathryn ran towards him giggling and he caught her and lifted her above his head whilst she extended her arms and pointed her toes. It actually looked good until Sonny lost his balance being his drunk self and toppled backwards. Rye, who was stood next to them, tried to catch Sonny but ended up slipping underneath him. Kathryn came crashing down onto Sonny, screaming. Once landing, however, she started laughing about how they should do it again. Clearly Rye had impacted both of their falls, and as they both moved off of him, he sat up groaning and clutching his lower back.

"RYE ARE YOU OKAY MATE." Jack shouted drunkenly.
"Yeh I'm okay, I think I just need to crack my back."
"Ooh I KnoW hOw tO do ThAt! My aUntIe wAs a ChirOpRActOr." I exclaimed rushing over to Rye.
I get him to lay down flat on his stomach, before sitting on him.
"Are you sure you know what you're doing?" He asks hesitantly
"oF coUrSE!" I put two hands on either side of his lower spine, pointing outwards. I knew what I was doing even though I was drunk. I pressed down gently but firmly a few times, earning some groans from Rye and not much else. I change the angle slightly, lock my elbows and try again. Rye's back creates a large cracking sound and he moans in relief.
"Right now put your hands next to your head flat against the floor and push the front half of your body of the floor into a cobra position." I get off him slowly and Rye follows my instructions. As his back gives a series of clicks he stands up, hugging me.
"Thanks so much. It feels loads better." He grabs a drink for himself and I. 

I grab the bottle of vodka vk mix I'd been presented with and take a large swig. I go back over to the group who are dancing wildly to 'Wannabe' by Spice Girls. I notice Kathryn suddenly freeze and I catch a glimpse of her pale white face before she runs off, heading towards the bathroom. I groan and go after her. I get there just as she finishes vomiting.
"I'm so sorry Hannah."
"It's okay don't worry."
She shakes her head no before turning back towards the toilet. I grab her hair swiftly out of the way as she vomits a second, and then a third time. "I'm done. Is it okay if I have a shower?"
"Are you sure you're done?"
Kathryn nods but then a look of terror crosses her eyes. I grab the bin from under the sink and put it under her chin knowing she won't have time to make it back to the toilet. Thankfully, it's close to empty. I sit her on the toilet and she gathers herself together. I turn on the taps to run her a bath as it will be easier. Once it's ready, I help undress her and she sits in the bath. I help her clean herself and once I know she's clean and not likely to vomit again, I hand her a toothbrush with some paste on and tell her to clean her teeth. I slip out of the bathroom to get her some pyjamas.

Twenty minutes later and Kathryn is tucked up in bed falling asleep. I walk back into the living room to the boys. They don't see me walk in the room as they are harmonizing '10000 Hours' very drunkly. I whip out my phone to record it as it still sounds so beautiful. They move onto 'In My Blood' and I decide to join in. They all turn around and see me standing there.
"Wow Hannah! That was so good. Join us?" Jack slurs.
I accept and go to stand with them. The only experience I've had with harmonizing was at choir in school. I quit seven years ago. I'm awoken from my daydream as Rye starts to sing the opening.

"Help me, it's like the walls are caving in.
Sometimes I feel like giving up,
no medicine is strong enough.
But I can't, it isn't in my blood."

Me and brook set off the verse.

"Laying on the bathroom floor, feeling nothing.
Overwhelmed and insecure, give me something.
I can take to ease my mind slowly."

Jack joins in.

"Just have a drink and you'll feel better, just take her home and you'll feel better. Keep telling me that this gets better.
Does it ever?"

The three of us stop singing and Rye and Sonny start.

"Help me, it's like the walls are caving in. Sometimes I feel like giving up no medicine is strong enough."

Everyone joins in.

"Someone help me, I'm crawling my skin.
Sometimes I feel like giving up but I just can't."

I look at Andy and he nods. We sing the final line with Sonny as base, Rye doing some fancy trills, me doing a riff and being accompanied by Andy's falsetto.

"It isn't in my blood!"

We all high five but Brook just stares at me in awe. "You didn't tell me you could sing like that!"
"Because we were just messing around, I wasn't actually trying."
"Hannah, that was so good though! If that was you messing around, I'd love to see what you can do actually trying."
"Maybe." I shrug.
"You're too hard on yourself. It was good. Also your voice blends together really nicely with Brook's. You should sing together more often." Andy says.
Brook high fives me and kisses my cheek, wrapping his strong arms around me.
"Thanks. What time is it?"
"It's... just gone half four in the morning." Sonny chimes in.
"We should probably get some sleep."
Rye agrees, "That sounds like a plan. I really enjoyed tonight and I don't want it to end but I'm exhausted!" I hug him.
"Tell me about it! Okay, so Brook can sleep in with me, obviously if you're okay with that? Rye and Andy can go in the first guest room. Jack and Sonny can go in the other guest room unless Sonny wants to bunk in with Kathryn. She may be in a bit of a state in the morning though. Sort it out between yourselves I'm going to bed. Night guys!"
"Night!"

They walk off to their allocated rooms. Brook is about to walk to our room when I jump on his back.
"Oof!" He adjusts himself.
"Sorry!" I giggle.
"You'll pay for that!" He laughs and charges into the bedroom before chucking me on the bed and tickling me. I squeal with delight.
"Shhh, you're being too loud you'll wake the neighbours!"
"Oh shut up you dumpling." I wack him over the head with a pillow knowing he was being sarcastic and joking about the night before.
"Can't have old Marge stumbling in here to whack us with her hand bag!"
"Good point. I'll do it for her."
Brook picks up another pillow to defend himself and it soon turns into a big pillow fight. I manage to get Brook to stumble over with my pillow and he goes sliding across the floor. I burst out laughing but the laughter quickly subsides as he stands up looking like he's going to murder me.
"Right" he takes a few steps towards me.
"It was just a joke, Brooky."
"You're in for it now, Hannah!"
He bends down and picks me up bridal style. He throws me back on the bed for a second time and I shriek as he looms over me. He lifts up my top partway and blows a raspberry on my stomach. He legs shoot out from laughter and I accidentally kick him in the balls. He stumbles backwards, doubled over.
"Oh my God I'm so sorry!"
Brooklyn looks up at me and pulls me into a big teddy bear hug, showing that he wasn't really hurt.
"At least you know now not tickle me or blow raspberries on me."
"Oh I think the punishment was worth being able to blow a raspberry on you."
I pull out of his arms and push him on to the bed. I crawl on top of him and he looks at me with his big snake-green eyes, unsure of what I was about to do. His breathing quickened. I leant over and turned his head to the side, only to blow a raspberry on his cheek. I scramble off him and he jumps up with me. I grab my fluffy PJs off the end of the bed and run into the connecting bathroom whilst he chases me. I manage to get there before him and I lock the door before he can get in.
"I'm getting dressed I'll be out in two minutes." I say through the door.

After putting on my pyjamas, washing my face and tying my hair back I walk back into the bedroom. Brooklyn eyes me as I walk past him and clamber into bed. He picks up a towel and walks into the bathroom. Ooh, I'd like to see what he looks like in just a towel. I never find out as I fall asleep before he re-enters the room. 

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