2024-12-10 - Oh Crap I'm Sedated

We keep it rockin', we keep it rockin'

The strains of Tupac dance through Bam's ears and for a moment he is transported back to his childhood, swaying back and forth to the rhythms of a song whose lyrics he could not possibly understand. It sounded so upbeat, with a certain fierceness to it. How was he to know what would happen to its creator such a short time later. Bam would come to study Tupac in the years that followed, coming a bit too late to have grown up with the man in his prime. Ultimately, he was a lesson to Bam that being a creative genius is nice, but longevity, time spent with your family and loved ones, was so much more important.

That is what brought him back to his family after his brief tenure in New York. Family. And there were times when he wondered if coming back was the right move. As much as he loved his family, even the annoying members, was that really what he wanted? A life like his parents, brilliant, creative, with potential to show the world what they could do, but content also to enjoy life, enjoy love, enjoy peace.

There were times when he wondered.

This was not one of those times.

As the the chorus abruptly cuts off, the power of Tupac is replaced by the tranquilty of the realization that a thigh is resting across his, and the events of the prior night flood back into his conscious memory.

Tupas was the dream.

Avery was the reality.

He slowly stirs, opening his eyes to confirm that yes, in fact, Avery, his video game buddy, partner in shenanigans, and the chillest person he had ever been lucky enough to hang around, was the owner of that naked thigh. Confirmation that the prior evening in which they realized the amount of appreciation that they had for each other was real. As real as it gets.

His lips curl into a smile.

California love
California knows how to party

There it was again. Tupac. Why was Tupac here?

He slowly turns his head towards the source, trying his best not to dislodge Avery, and stretching out with all of his wingspan to try to nudge the source on the stand next to the bed. It tips to the side, and he peers at it.

14 text messages.
3 missed calls.

Someone clearly wanted to get a hold of him, he thinks. He squints for a moment, pushing the sleep from his haze. He couldn't still be high, could he?

He looks down the length of that thigh, that leg, to the foot resting along the inside of his calf. Well, he could be high on something.

He wanted felt like he could float. Like he wanted to march in a parade.

Like....

"Oh shit."

The Warner family was building their float for the parade ... he glances at the phone ... starting ten minutes ago.

Avery slept like the dead. When had they gone to sleep? How long had she been sleeping? These are the questions that she didn’t have the answer to nor did she really care. If she was supposed to be somewhere this morning or was it afternoon…? She’d forgotten.

With blackout curtains in her room, purposely keeping the sun out kept it nice and dark and cozy in her bedroom. But if you looked at those curtains, you could see hints of light trying to break through the sides.

Something moved beneath her, and her subconscious started to lift from the depths of sleep. There was muscle, there was bare skin. There was a gentle rise of a chest beneath her cheek. There was a body underneath her. She’d fallen asleep, curled against Bam’s side. Her leg draped over his, the bottom of her foot curled up against his calf. Her head laid on his chest, and her arm was slung over his waist.

Bam moved, feeling those muscles stretch beneath her. The lyrics of Tupac slowly registering in her mind. “… love.” She murmured in a haze of sleep with her eyes still closed. Blissfully unaware of what was going on. Wanting to hold on to what she thought was the greatest dream she’d ever had.

That was until Bam cursed and Avery‘s eyes are lifted in alarm “what? What is it?” The arm that had been slung over his waist was brought up sharply and her hand went to her face rubbing at her eyes and forehead. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes she lifted her head and looked down at Bam.

Suddenly, the events of last night flooded her mind. The body beneath her, the muscles, tight, and strong, the thigh that her own rested upon. It was Bam. It hadn’t been just a dream. It was real.

Realizing that his knee jerk reaction was causing concern, Bam laughs and shakes his head, slipping an arm around Avery and laying back down, drawing her with him.

"Nothing. I was supposed to do something with the fam, and well, I got a bit distracted." He leans over to give Avery a gentle kiss on the forehead. "But luckily, they're used to me disappointing them, and it wasn't really anything important like the photo shoot for our mom. Just some silly parade thing, that I couldn't have contributed much to anyway." He sideyees his phone, which finally seems to have receded as no doubt his sister has given up on him.

"Don't worry about it. I'll just tell them that I had the most incredible night of my life and wasn't quite ready to be done with it yet, and some of them will happy for me and some of them won't believe me, and we'll just keep rolling on as we do." He leans over and brushes his lips against Avery. "But I'll bet you a dollar that when I bring you around and you meet Callie, she'll give me a smirk and ask me if this is the parade I was saluting." He gives her a one armed squeeze. "And of course, that answer is yes, and I don't mind it."

Then he tugs gently, guiding her over if willing so she can lay on top of him, to get as much of her touching as much of him as possible. "Not a chance in hell I would pass this up for anything."

Panic was not the greatest way to wake up. That sudden gut punch feeling that something bad happened. Avery happily releases that feeling when Bam tells her it's nothing. Muscles relaxed, gladly allowing Bam to maneuver her around to lie on top of him "So you don't need to leave? Mmmm ok." she was not even going to try to convince him that he should go or hurry up since he was late. Nope, she yawns and snuggles back against him.

Doing exactly what he said and not worrying about it.

Avery's eyes close for a moment relishing in the warmth of Bam's body against hers, smiley happily when his lips find hers gently kissing him back. Opening an eye she looks back at him, "Not exactly how I wanted to come off to your family as first impression. Being the one that kept you from doing something, but it was an honest mistake. It couldn't be helped, I was just too irresistible to you." she teases, "A mistake that I would make again. And again. And again." The second eye opens making the decision to commit to being awake now.

cat stretching out a bit, her entire body caresses his with another yawn, "Hi, by the way."

"Nah," comes the quick reply. "I mean, I wouldn't get there in enough time at this point, and like I said, wouldn't help all that much if I was there anyway, so..." Bam runs his fingers slowly up and down Avery's arms. "Besides, if I had been awake at the first, I'd have probably ignored it anyway." He grins. "Callie's anger is fierce, but I am pretty sure you can kiss any of those wounds and make them feel better."

His arms slip around her to rest lazily at the small of her back. "They're grownups. We're products of a poly family that believes strongly in the power of love. Ghosting them on a project to find..." Bam pauses for a moment, reflective. "Let's just say that this is on brand for me, and on brand for us, and it is just..." He grins. "I hope it's a mistake that you will make again. And again. And again."

As she stretches, he gives a bit of a shiver before he replies. "Hi." He leans up to kiss her lips again. "Best. Wakeup. Ever."

He lets his head rest back on the pillow. "So. Do we want to hang out here, make our way into the world, or..." He shrugs slightly. "To be clear, I'm not suggesting anything where we separate. Just I'm not sure if you're hungry and want to eat, or just lay in bed for another few hours." He glances sidelong for a moment. "Or I could go back to saving your ass in Diablo. Whatevs."

His tone may be nonchalant, because that was the way both of them were. But from the way his hands were moving against her, clinging to her, he may be relaxed, but not because he did not feel the importance of the moment. He just wasn't worried about it.

That feline stretch had revealed sore spots from their night together - It felt amazing. "Mmmm..." sounded as she wiggled her lower body to get every last feeling from those sore spots. "I'll kiss each and every wound and every inch of your body just to be thorough." Avery tells him.

Her attention falls back to Bam as he explains his family, her eyebrows go up at the 'to find...' part, waiting to see how he is going to finish that sentence, then he moves on and she laughs. "You'll soon learn that I'm insatiable and you'll soon be pushing me away and begging me for a break." Teasing? Maybe.

Contemplating the decision that lays ahead of them, turning her head and looking around the room, "I'm too relaxed right now to play Diablo and keep pretending to let you save my ass when it doesn't need saving." Her index comes up and she traces the outline of his lips with the tip of it, watching her fingertips slide over that delicate skin there.

"I could eat," the mention of food made her realize that she'd used allllll of her fuel last night and was starving. "I could make us something or we could go out and grab something." There were endless options, but food, food was a good idea. "What sounds good to you?"

"Well, just as a warning, I have been known to fall and bruise myself a lot when doing choreography." Bam laughs as he feels her body move against his, relishing in the sensation. And maybe he will acquire an extra wound or two. Just in case.

He watches Avery pause. He knows it was ripe for an awkward moment, but then she continues and it seems easier. "I cannot possibly imagine wanting a break from you." He sighs softly, and then leans up to give her a kiss. "My family believes in connections. Love. It's a bit unorthodox, I will admit, because a lot of people, you know, might look at our parents and wonder how it all works. How can one person love more than one person with their heart, but really what they should be asking is why don't people love anyone with all their heart?" He reaches up to brush his fingers against her temple. "My mother has more love for each and everyone of our fathers than most people have for anyone person. So, you know, that's really the key. Find connection and foster love, and then it's just...it just works."

He lets that sit with Avery for a moment. The poly thing was often difficult to explain, but it was second nature to Bam. What was his take on it, for him? In truth, it had never before been put to the question because he had never found anyone who he found that connection with.

Food. His stomach grumbles now that the topic is broached. "Whatever you want. We can whip something up here and stay in, we can brave the cold, we can..." He shrugs again and just wraps her up in his arms. "As long as I'm doing it with you, and we end up back here after we eat, I'm golden."

He pauses. "I should text my sister at least to let her know that I am not dead, that way she can tell me she's going to kill me."

Avery removes her fingertip from his mouth and replaces it with her lips, pressing a kiss there, then moving her head and tilting it down to press a kiss to the side of his neck, and then another on his chest. "Just practicing for all those bumps and bruises I'm going to have to make better." murmuring against his chest.

Listening intently to his family dynamics, Bam would have probably figured out by now, that she didn't judge anyone for the lifestyle that they chose to have. It was theirs to do with what they wanted. Which is why she'd never judge him and they'd establish that when he told her the truth about his career. "I guess... Yeah, I'd wonder too, if I didn't know from you how it works. It's sweet though, that your mom loves so much, that she can love that much. Look at the family she's created because of it? Thats something special."

It might be a touchy subject and maybe a little soon to even be questioning him on it, but she can't help but ask anyway. "Is that what you want?" Lifting her face up so that she can look down at him. "I mean..." starting and then stopping, sighing softly, laughing a little, "Never mind."

Slinking back she starts to get up and off of him, "I'm going to see what we have in the fridge and cabinets, 'cause I don't feel like putting on clothes and braving the cold." Once on her feet she walks over to her walk-in closet and opens the double doors, pulling on an oversized t-shirt and slipping on some fitted workout shorts. Shorts that she rarely used for working out in and mostly just to lounge in because of the comfiness and stretchiness of them.

Stepping out of the closet and shutting the doors again, "You wanna text her and then meet me in the kitchen?"

Shifting to give Avery full reign to practice as much as she wants, Bam feels himself continue to relax further. Amazing what a balm having someone like Avery caring for you can be. He can tell as he explains the simple, and yet complex nature of his family, as she follows along. And seems to appreciate it. And accept. Which is, of course, exactly what he would expect, as far as accepting it when hearing about others.

The question that comes up next is one that he knew was going to come eventually. And not unrealistically. It is certainly a lifestyle that is fine to accept, but to embrace? He starts to respond, but then she pulls out the nevermind card. So he nods, and settles back on the bed as she slips off. He takes full advantage of the moment to watch her go, and then continues even as she saunters out there wearing the shorts. Even in shorts, an impressive sight.

"Yeah."

As she heads to the kitchen, he reaches for his phone, and peers at it. There is a lot he wants to say. But Callie probably deserves more. He shoots back a quick apology, confirms he's alive, and he'll explain later, and then sets the phone down before seeing to throwing on some measure of his clothes. He doesn't imagine he will be in them long.

He slips out from the bedroom, and spotting no one else there, slips up behind Avery, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her back so he can brush a kiss against her neck.

"What I want is not nearly as important as who I want," he affirms, giving her a strong squeeze. "Nothing wrong with having conversations about it, but also nothing wrong with...just feeling things out."

He rocks absently side to side with her as if they were dancing to the beat of some imagined song. "Do you know what you want?" That's as good a place to start as any.

Avery knew that by throwing that Nevermind Card out there she was only pausing the conversation from happening. Not stopping it from happening. She'd thrown that card out because she got nervous, she'd realized how that sounded and didn't want to do anything or say things to ruin this. To scare him off.

Feeling embarrassed that she'd put the pressure of that question on him retreating to the kitchen and giving her a minute of space helped calm her down. She'd opened the fridge and looked around for what they had in there, trying to get ideas to spark. Then she closed it and went to the pantry and opened the door to see what shelf-stable foods they had in here.

That was where she was when she heard and felt Bam join her in the kitchen. Leaning back against him, her arms moving to rest ontop of his that were wrapped around her. Easily, Avery's head fell to the side to expose her neck and welcome the kiss that was placed there. A warm and fuzzy filling filled her and she felt so good in his arms.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to put you on the spot like that." even if he was ok with having that conversation. Slowly they rocked together a small intimate dance with her resting against his chest. "You," Avery answers his question with a single word initially. "I want you. And I don't know in what form that looks like that I have you. But I know I just want you to be happy."

"Mmmm hmmm."

Bam gives Avery another squeeze from behind as he continues to rock back and forth with her. "Well, I want the same, so..."

He leans forward and gives a brief nibble to her ear. "I get my parents and the way they do things. It works for them. Me?" He gives her a bit of a shrug. "I'm too lazy to even attempt to make more than one woman as happy as I can make her, so I'm pretty sure you're stuck with all of my attention."

His lips cross over the back of her neck as they move to the other ear. "And my brothers and sisters, I dunno, none of 'em have gone off and gotten married yet, so I have no idea how they do, but it doesn't matter."

Back and forth, back and forth.

"It's you and me until you get tired of me. And if that doesn't happen, well, guess I'm a big winner."

He reaches down and slowly turns her around in his arms so he can look down into her eyes.

"I say we grab a snack and bury ourselves back in the room for a bit. The premiere of our show is in a few days, so after today I'm going to be stuck in the final rehearsals, but..."

He pauses. "You should come to the premiere. There will be a party afterwards, some snacks, a good time will be had by all. And you can meet my crazy family when they are otherwise preoccupied and coming off a performance high, nice and light, instead of showing up for family dinner and getting grilled."

He leans back, lacing his arms behind your back. "We don't have to be anything or anyone, Avery, just two people who have found each other. The labels?" He shrugs. "They're for people who aren't confident in what they have."

He looks into her eyes. "Me? I'm very confident."

Her response to that will have to wait, as his lips cover hers almost as soon as the statement is made...

Avery swayed against him, back and forth, back and forth, it was a soothing motion with even more soothing words coming out from the handsome man behind her. She'd been so nervous that she was bringing up what she wanted too soon. That he'd tell her something she wasn't ready hear or ready to figure out how to deal with.

She should have known better.

Everything with Bam had just flowed and rolled nicely from the moment his lips touched hers for the first time less than 24hrs ago. The nibbling of her ear causes a shiver and goosebumps appear across her arms, and then the other side, she turns her head and lets him nibble anywhere he wants to while she listens to him.

Turning towards him, Avery leans in and tilts her head back so she can look at him. He's making suggestions and not putting labels on anything. She didn't know where to start to respond to all of what she'd just heard, and she was given the gift of time when he pressed his lips to hers and allowed her to gather her thoughts while softly kissing him in return.

A little dizzy from everything that was said and the kiss, when Avery looks up at him again she says, "The only title I really want you to have is 'mine'." And it'd already been established that he was that. Hers.

As far as coming to the premier, "Uhhh, ok." The nervousness was coming back again. "Ok." Saying the word again to talk herself into it. Blowing out a breath, "I'm going to need food to process that part, But yeah I'll come and meet your family."

Bam grins. "It'll be fine. Trust me."

He leans forward to place a kiss against her forehead. "You and Callie will get along great."

They can both eat and process together.

Bam already felt totally relaxed about this.

This was going to be great.