The Throw-Aways

We were on the bus, getting ready to leave. Our driver was going to be following the All Time Low bus, but the boys weren’t in their vehicle. Instead, they decided to spend a night in ours. I was currently lying in out on the front longue, feet up by the window. The curtains were pulled up, exposing the bare night sky and horizon zooming around us. I had my head on Austin’s knees. He sipped from a water bottle as I closed out of Twitter. Austin, on the other hand, was just logging in.

“Hey, do you have a boyfriend?” He asked me curiously, eyebrows furrowed together. He peered over his phone screen to me. I shook my head, sighing. I knew that tweet he was reading, and I knew that person who sent it.

“No, of course not. I’m a single pringle and ready to mingle.” I laughed. Austin smiled. Jack and Alex came bouncing from the back lounge to where we were. While everyone else was in bed or attempting to sleep, the four of us were awake.

“Hey! Do you want to play Would You Rather?” Jack asked excitedly. I yawned. It was about time for me to fall asleep.

“You don’t really have a choice. Jack just made Rian play it for the last half hour until Rian passed out.” Alex rubbed the back of his neck. He looked exhausted, but the other boy was like a playful child. Austin glanced and me and I shrugged.

“What the heck. Sure.” I responded and sat up. We all sat around the table by the small sink and Jack passed out cards. It was an actual Would You Rather card pack, complete with Do-It-Yourself cards, and other suggestions.

“Okay, so we don’t really play by the actual rules. Just take a card and only one person answers it. It’s more fun like that. But we’ll play with a twist.” Jack explained, clasping his hands together joyously. Austin sat next to me and glanced over. I could feel his gaze burn through the side of my head.

“What’s the twist?” I asked curiously. Alex sighed and shook his hand. In a relationship, Alex could be like the mom and Jack was the excitable child.

“We’re doing truth or dare as well. You roll the dice and if you get a one or a two, you get to pull a Would You Rather card. A three or a four is a Truth, and a five or six is a Dare.” Jack bounced in his seat. He pulled out a dice and set it on the table by the card deck. I rubbed my eyes sleepily. I nodded, trying to stay awake and Austin pulled took the chipped white die. It was a three.

“Last time you cried.” Alex said immediately. He thought for a moment before answering.

“When a fan told me her mom died of breast cancer and she didn’t know if she could make it.” He stated firmly. Taking the little cube, I shook it in my hand and let it bounce on the plastic table top. It was a five. Austin’s eyes lit up.

“Go take a sharpie and a mustache on Tino.” He handed me a marker and I got up, grumbling that Tino was too kind to abuse. I found the drummer snoring in his bunk. Jack followed me to make sure I did it.

A minute later, I returned with the sharpie, successful in my mission. I would receive hell for this tomorrow morning when he looked in the mirror. Jack took his turn and rolled a five as well. Austin and I looked at each other. I had the perfect idea.

“Cup Alex’s butt.” I could barely contain my giggled. Jack’s eyes went wide and Alex stared at me. His jaw dropped as Jack attacked him.

“LET ME CUP YOUR BUTT!” The man screamed. Alex yelped and leapt up. Jack managed to finish the task after Alex swatted him a couple of times.

“You’re going to pay.” Alex grumbled, staring me down. I laughed as he took the dice. It was a one.

“Would you rather bath in bathe in ketchup or mustard?” He squinted at the words and thought for a moment.

“Mustard. I don’t want to sit in tomatoes that are all squishy for a while. Mustard just calls my name.” We all laughed at that. I leaned against the bus window as we all started the second round. After an hour, Jack had managed to go and attempt to seduce Zack, Alex said he would rather be bitten in half by a shark than be attacked by snakes, Austin had to go and plank on Alan while he was sleeping, and I said I had never kissed anyone.

So of course, on my next turn, I got a Dare. Alex smirked at me, holding up his hand for silence. I closed my eyes in mock fear and awaited my punishment. So far, I had evaded every five and six and now the man was looking for vengeance.

“Oh no, just say it already.” I moaned after a moment of silence. Austin had fallen asleep with his head on the table and arms wrapped around it. He leaned away from me, snoring softly into his tattooed arms.

“I dare you to….kiss Austin.” Alex stuck out his tongue. All the color drained from his face. Okay, I had to play this cool but my blood was starting to freeze over. Everything went numb.

I glanced at the man. His eyelashes fluttered quietly, but I knew he was dead asleep. Austin could’ve slept through an armed robbery. His hair was messed up and the brown halo of soft strands spread out in every direction. His chest rose and fell with each breath.

“Can I roll again?” I asked weakly. Jack smirked and looked away, blushing at Alex’s dare. The man shook his head and pointed to Austin.

The longer I glanced down to my fellow band member, the more I got lost at the sight of him. NO! I can’t fall for him! He probably doesn’t feel the same.

It’s just a little dare…

“Screw it.” I grumbled. Tucking a black strand of hair behind my ear, I leaned down to Austin’s cheek turned towards me. Hesitating a moment to the glow of his skin, I then pressed down, lightly kissing his cheek. It felt good and warm and spine tingling all at the same time.

Part of me was glad Aus wasn’t awake to see me blush, but…

Part of me wishes he had been awake so I could’ve actually kissed him.

Pushing that nonsense out of my brain, I scowled at Alex who grinned triumphantly. Our rounds continued to go around until Alex passed out and it was Jack and I left. Alex was snoring on Jack’s shoulder, mouth partially open.

“Truth.” Jack grumbled.

“When you kissed Alex did you like it?” I asked, referring back to some of the videos I had seen. Jack thought for a moment.

“Yes.” He finally admitted with a chuckle. Alex groaned and moved a little before starting to snore again. I picked up the dice and rolled a Would You Rather card.

My hand slipped over to the middle of the table and grasped a fresh card. Flipping it over, big letter pronounced, MAKE YOUR OWN!

“Ugh, okay, so it’s a make your own.” I rolled my eyes. Knowing Jack, he would make it personal and intimate. But I was a good sport and would play along. Really, I was a pretty open book. There were very few things that I wouldn’t say because they were too personal. Jack thought for a moment before

“Would you rather lose your left arm or your right leg? Also, explain your answer.” He asked, eyebrows wiggling at me. I pondered this question for a moment. All over the vehicle, people were passed out and dreaming. It was just the two of us up.

“I would rather lose my right leg.”

“Why? I mean, I know you’re a right handed person, but still…”

“Well, I actually play a lot with my left hand. The right carries the melody, but it would be nothing on a piano if I didn’t have my left hand. With just the right hand, the song would sound a little empty and not as emotional. The left hand parts fill in the song and make it sound less blank. Plus, even though I play just a lot of repetitive parts or chords in with the left side, the keyboard part sounds more emotional, more entertaining with both hands. Losing my leg wouldn’t affect my playing much.” I explained.

“So basically, you couldn’t play live without your left hand?” Jack asked, wrapping an arm around Alex’s shoulders.

“Well, I couldn’t really play keyboard without my left hand, and if I can’t play, then I can’t live. So yes, I can’t really live without it.” I laughed quietly. Jack nodded, eyelids drooping.

“Well I just hope you don’t lose your left arm, then. I still want to learn to play keyboard as good as you.” He yawned. I smiled and leaned against Austin, who stirred a little, but kept on dreaming. I wonder where his mind was right now. Jack stood up from the table, pulling Alex with him. Barakat basically dragged Gaskarth onto the couch where both of them immediately curled up against each other and started to sleep once again. Austin was blocking my way out, so I just put my arms on his arched back and tucked my head into the crook of my elbow.

As soon as I closed my eyes, I was dead in my mind. It seemed like only a second before I was jolted awake. I must’ve fallen asleep on Austin’s back. All that lingered on my mind was the stolen kiss. I had managed to brush that off pretty well, but it was engraved in my memories.

“Oof!” I grunted as my head slipped off Austin’s back. He had sat up and I was flipped awake.

“Oh, sorry.” He murmured quietly. I brushed it off and stretched. He held out his hand and pulled me out of my seat as we walked to the bunks.

“So what did I miss?” He asked. I froze, about to climb into my bunks again.

“Oh, um, nothing.” I quickly responded before throwing myself past the curtain and onto my mattress. All I left the man with was a confused look. Pulling my new blanket over my head, I turned away from the curtain and closed my eyes.

That was close.

Notes

OOOOHHHH AUSTIN AND RAVEN!!!

Who ships them???

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