We Fight, We Fall

by Nicole Callesto

  “Ugh, Aiden! You sure know how to make me feel even more disgusting!” I say playfully at him. I’m just happy that we got that horrible dream out of our minds and behind us.

  “I didn’t say that I minded it. It’s kind of hot actually,” he says grinning.

  “Ok you. Let’s go shower so we can start the day. I’m still very much looking forward to playing music with you,” I say getting off of the bed, grabbing his hand.

  “Are you sure you’re okay? We can always play tomorrow if you want to take it easy today. I know that nightmare rattled you. It fucking pissed me off more than it should have. I know that he didn’t actually do that to you, but you triggered my protectiveness,” he says truthfully.

  “I really don’t want to dwell on it. It was just a dream, Aiden. As much as it scared me, I know that you would never let me get hurt. I kind of want to erase this morning and making music with you is the only thing I can think of to take my mind off of it,” I say. I start the shower and take of my clothes.

  “I guess that makes sense. I was really looking forward to it too, Emma. We’ll do anything you want to do today,” he says, taking off his clothes as well. I look over at him, blatantly ogling him. I swear to God, I will never get over seeing him undressed. He sees me checking him out, and I wiggle my eyebrows at him, licking my lips.

  “I like what you have going on there. Very nice,” I say smirking, motioning to his body with my hands. He chuckles at my comment. He looks my figure over too, obviously liking the view that I’ve presented.

  “I’m nothing compared to you, baby. When I said that you were the perfect woman for me I meant it; the creamy pale skin and dark hair really do it for me. The piercings and tattoos don’t hurt either, if you can’t tell,” he says, looking down. I follow his eyes and notice a growing fascination in a certain southern region. Wow! Nicely done, Emma!

  I move past him, feeling the temperature of the water in my palm. Just right! I look over at him smiling.

  “The water is ready, Aiden,” I say to him sweetly. I go into the shower, and he follows in behind me. I get under the showerhead, the water cascading over my body. Aiden comes closer to me, putting his hand on my hips. I didn’t notice him remove his prosthesis, but he obviously did before he got in the shower. He moves his face closer to mine kissing me softly, water running between our lips. I go to reach for him, but he stops me with his hand. He pulls away from me smirking.

  “As much as I would love to fuck you against the shower wall, we can’t. We’ll be exhausted and not want to do anything the rest of the day. It will give us something to look forward to later on tonight, baby,” he says firmly but regretfully. Damn him for making sense! I know that we would probably just collapse after we were done. I really don’t want to waste the day over a good fuck. Did I just think that? I must be delirious.

  I groan, looking up at him. “Okay, okay. You’re right. But just so you know, this jam session better be fucking amazing, because I’m not giving up sex for nothing,” I say smirking.

  “It will be, I promise,” he says confidently. “Let’s get you washed up, baby.” He grabs the shampoo bottle, depositing some into his palm. He comes closer to me, massaging it generously into my hair. I close my eyes as his fingers run circles around my scalp. I moan, loving the sensation. I am all about scalp massages!

  “Emma, no more noises. You’re fucking killing me,” he says pleading. I smile and try to keep quiet. Don’t want to torture the poor guy. He stops massaging me and puts me underneath the water, rinsing away the suds. I open my eyes, dazed from the incredible shampooing action that just took place. Who knew having your hair washed by another person could feel so good?!

  He grabs the conditioner and then kneads that in as well. I smile and reach around him to grab the shampoo, wanting to return the favor.

  As I’m washing his hair he says, “I like showering with you, baby. I’ve never done it before.”

  I freeze, shocked by his disclosure. It’s hard to believe that he’s never showered with a woman before. Is he including shower sex or just washing someone? I wonder…

  He notices my pause, but he doesn’t say any more about the comment. I’m guessing by his silence that he has had sex in the shower. I’m not angry, because I understand that he’s been with women before. I’m just happy that he shared this first experience with me.

  “I like showering with you too. We should do it more often,” I say to him honestly. He smiles down at me, and we start washing each other’s bodies.

  We finally get out and dry ourselves off, putting on fresh clothes for the day. I dab on some light makeup, and we both brush our teeth. After we’re through, we go back into the bedroom, and Aiden sits down on the piano stool with his prosthesis back in place. I sit on the bed anxiously watching him.

  “Okay. Here it goes,” he says touching the piano with both hands. He starts playing slowly, and I hear the familiar piano notes to Colorblind. I smile, enjoying his song choice. I hear him stumble on a note, clenching his prosthetic fingers in the process. His jaw tightens, and I come up behind him, placing my hand on his shoulder.

  “Keep going. You sound beautiful, Aiden,” I murmur to him. I think my words do the trick and encourage him, because he starts the song over, playing a little quicker. I’m silently cheering him on, loving the music that is flowing from his fingertips. I start humming along to the song and decide to join in. I sit down beside him, singing the lyrics that have practically been burned into my brain. Aiden looks over at me smiling and starts singing too. We barely have to harmonize our voices. They fit together so perfectly. Mine is higher and melodic, and his is deep and rich. I close my eyes, feeling the notes move through me. I haven’t felt so much at peace in a long time. I never want this moment to end.

  Aiden plays the last part of the song, and we look over at each other, amazed at how decent it sounded. I know how amazing he would be, but I definitely doubted my skills.

  “Damn,” he says smiling. My thoughts exactly.

  “Trust me; that was all you, Aiden. You were worried for nothing. You’re a natural musician,” I say proudly.

  “Baby, your voice is what kept me going. I just wanted to hear you. It’s so fucking incredible. I have no doubt in my mind that if you were to make an album, you could be the next Adele,” he says honestly. The next Adele? Hmmm…I like the sound of that. Highly doubtful, but a girl can dream.

  “Ok, enough flattery, Aiden. Let’s play another song,” I say enthusiastically. I’m really enjoying this jam session with him.

  “There’s this song I like by a band called Stars. It has duel vocals and a pretty basic piano part. I can bring the vocals up on my phone so you can read them. I’ll play the entire song in order for you to can get the tune down, and then we’ll play together. Sound good?” he says looking at me.

  “That sounds great,” I say excited. I’ve never heard of them, but I’m always eager to be introduced to new music. He pulls out his phone and types in what he wants. He hands it to me, and I glance over it quickly. I can see where the dual vocals come in, and I’m definitely amped to collaborate with Aiden.

  He notices me halt my reading, and he jumps in, starting to play. The notes are very soft and melodic. He begins singing, and I read along with the lyrics, following him.

  The song is about a man who puts out a personal ad looking for a woman. They plan to meet up, but he ends up standing her up. It’s kind of a sad song actually, but it’s unquestionably realistic. It shows how difficult the entire dating process can be and how people don’t give others a chance and judge them before they really get to know them. It makes me appreciate the relationship that has blossomed between Aiden and me. He could’ve just left me to deal with those drunken guys at Leo’s when we first met, but he didn’t. He saved me. He gave us a chance.

  He concludes the song and looks over at me, arching his eyebrow. “Well?” he asks me.

  “I loved it, Aiden. It was a very unique duet because, it w
as kind of on the depressing side. You seem like you feel more comfortable on the piano. I’m beyond in awe of you, actually,” I say to him.

  “Thank you, baby. I didn’t realize how much I’ve missed it until I played again. I feel like a complete dumbass for not trying it sooner. The only reason I even considered it was because of you,” he says smiling.

  “Well, I kind of like being your muse. It’s a good role for me,” I say winking at him. He laughs, starting the song over again. I put on my game face, determined to follow along and make the song sound awesome.

  He starts singing the male part, and I wait for my chance to take over, singing the female portion. He nods at me, letting me know that it’s my time to come in. I sing as he plays, and we go back and forth, singing our parts. As the song ends, we sit, grinning ridiculously at each other.

  “It’s weird how in-tune we are with each other. I’m really not a huge fan of duets, because two voices can be hard to complement one another. One person usually dominates the other,” he says happily.

  “It’s because were fucking awe-inspiring and talented,” I say, equally relieved that we flow together.

  “Why don’t we play a few more songs, and then I’ll take you out to eat before work,” he says.

  “You’re taking me out to eat?” I say confused.

  “Yeah. I just thought about it recently, but I’ve never even taken you out for food. On your next day off I am taking you on an official, proper date. Dinner and a movie or something,” he says smiling at me.

  “I like the way you think. Throw in some bowling, and we have a deal,” I say laughing. Hey, this girl needs her bowling fix!

  “Ok, brat. Whatever you want,” he says playfully. He leans over on the piano bench, putting his hands on both sides of my face. I lean closer to him, inhaling his scent, and he kisses me thoroughly. I suck on his lower lip as he pushes himself intimately against me. I start to reposition myself, trying to straddle him, but he stops me, pressing his forehead against mine. The sound of our labored breathing fills my ears, as we attempt to compose ourselves.

  “You’re bad, Emma. You keep testing my limits,” he says kissing my forehead. Hey, you were testing my limits too, buddy!

  “Hypocrite! You’re worse than I am, because you keep denying me. Didn’t you ever learn that when you say no to someone, they just want it even more? You’re being a total cock-block, Aiden!” I say in frustrated lust. He chuckles at my rant.

  “Yeah, I have heard that theory. But regardless, we’re still waiting until tonight, baby,” he says laughing at me. What a tease! I don’t respond to him. I’m trying to stay angry. He keeps smiling broadly and starts playing a few tunes that I recognize. Being a team player, I join in, assisting him on vocals.

  An hour later, we decide to go and grab a bite to eat. He takes me to a seafood place near his house, telling me that he’s never been before but always wanted to. The hostess does a once over on him, and I just chuckle. She looks really young, with cute little braces lining her teeth. Awe, how sweet! Aiden has his very own fan girl crushing on him.

  I peek over at him as she’s seating us, and I see how uncomfortable he is. I’m assuming he senses the teenage yearning she’s putting off. God, I’m loving this!

  “Thank you,” I say to her as we sit down. She pointedly ignores me, beholding only Aiden as she walks away. He looks over at me embarrassed, and my lips crack a smile.

  “Looks like you have a wannabe groupie. If she was any older, I’d make sure that no amount of braces would repair the damage that I’d do to her pearly whites,” I say trying to keep a straight face. He realizes that I’m really enjoying myself, and he starts laughing.

  “Real cute, Emma. I feel like a piece of meat over here, and you’re just making fun of the entire situation. Brat,” he says smirking. We look down at our menus and decide to get different plates and share them.

  We talk about my job a bit, and he tells me more minor details about his. He says that he’ll have to go back to L.A. soon to work on some contemporary albums. My face falls, hating the thought of him leaving. How will I manage without him? He notices my dejected expression.

  “Emma, I want you to come with me. I’m not leaving you here by yourself, baby. There’s no reason for us to be apart, even if it’s for a small period. You could hang out and help around in the studio. You’d be my unofficial assistant, I guess,” he says smiling.

  “That sounds great, Aiden. Although, I’d have to talk with Leo and see if I could take a vacation or something. I wouldn’t want to just up and leave him without giving any notice,” I say, thinking about how to approach Leo.

  “Well, if you can’t get the time off, I just want you to quit. I’m not going anywhere without you. That’s just not an option for me,” he says seriously. Damn, I love the fact that leaving me behind is the very last thing on his mind.

  “I think I can handle that, Aiden,” I say, grinning from ear to ear. He looks over at me, blatantly shocked by my acceptance of his comment.

  “Fuck, I’d have thought that you’d put up a fight about quitting. If only I would have known it was going to be this easy; could’ve saved me a lot of anxiety. I was kind of looking forward to an argument, actually,” he says smirking.

  “Yeah yeah, Aiden. It might shock you to know, but there are times when I can be reasonable like a normal human being,” I say trying to sound offended. “Dick.” I mutter under my breath, smirking at him. He chuckles, reaching across the table to place my hand in his.

  “This is nice. It’s so normal,” he says looking at me.

  “I know. It’s weird, us doing ordinary couple stuff. We’ve had so much shit happen lately, I never thought we’d finally reach a peaceful stage,” I say, trying to convince myself that it will continue to be this way. Before he can reply, our waitress brings out our steaming plates of heaven. I look down at mine, my mouth watering from the delightful scent wafting from the food. I hear him laughing, and I look up at Aiden with a puzzled expression. What did I miss?

  “Baby, you look like a lion stalking its’ prey. I’d hate to be that lobster; poor little guy,” he says smirking. Damn, I guess I was hungrier than I originally thought. I laugh at his remark, grabbing a large chunk of it and putting it in my mouth. I would reply and put him in his place, but this meal is too fucking good to put off. I see him dig into his food too, and we both settle into a comfortable silence.

  All of a sudden, I stop eating and get this really unsettling sensation. I’ve had moments like this from time to time. Almost like a strong foresight for bad things to come. It freaks me the fuck out, because it’s this unpleasant feeling in the pit of my stomach.

  “Emma. Baby, what is it?” I hear Aiden ask concerned. I look up at him and try to control my emotions.

  “I just got a bad feeling. I don’t know what it was, but it just came out of nowhere,” I say, trying to downplay it.

  “You just froze and had this shocked expression on your face. It freaked me out,” he says uneasily. Maybe I should come clean and tell him the truth.

  “What if I told you that I have a really strong intuition? That sometimes I get this unexplained foresight right before something bad happens,” I say glancing at him. Please don’t think I’m cracked.

  “I guess I would say that makes sense. I’ve never experienced anything like it, but my mom used to. I always thought she was just paranoid, because bad things were a normal occurrence in our house. Maybe there was more to it than I thought,” he says. I try to relax myself and just enjoy the meal.

  “Hey, sorry I weirded out on you. Let’s just finish eating and get out of here, ok?” I say, hoping to distract myself and pacify Aiden simultaneously. He smiles tightly but nods back in agreement.

  We finally leave the restaurant, and I notice that Aiden seems faintly distant and distracted. Me and my big fucking mouth! He’s probably still apprehensive about what I said. We start walking towards the truck and before we get there, I wrap my arms around hi
s back, squeezing him in a death-like grip from behind. He freezes and quickly turns around to look at me, capturing my face in the palms of his hands.

  “Emma baby, everything will be fine. If something bad happens, we’re in this together; no matter what. Do you understand? Do you trust me?” he asks, deadly serious. I nod my head, and he runs his finger along my lower lip. He crooks his head towards me and rests his forehead against mine, looking profoundly into my eyes.

  “I’m so lucky to have found you, baby. There’s no way in hell I’m letting anything ruin what we have. I just want to take care of you…forever,” he says. Holy shit! Um, if that wasn’t as close as you could get to a declaration of love, then I don’t know what is. My jaw battles gravity, dropping slightly, trying to comprehend the words that were expressed. Aiden smiles at me gently, getting a kick out of my reaction. I clear my throat and smile back at him. I know exactly how I want to reply to him.

  “I want to take care of you forever too,” I say. Before he can reply, I press my lips to his, taking both of our breaths away. He kisses me back, crushing me close against his chest. I move my hands up his back and wrap them around his neck, lacing my fingers together. Be both moan, and he pulls away from me slowly. We’re both breathing heavily, trying to maintain some small level of composure.

  “I swear, whenever I’m with you, I forget everything and everyone around us,” he says laughing. I realize that we’re on the side of the street by his truck, making out for the entire world to see. Real classy! I smile back at him, all of a sudden coy and at a loss for words. God, I’m turning into such a girl!

  He reaches out for my hand, opening the truck door to help me in. He goes around the truck and gets in the driver’s seat. I smile up at him, and notice an uneasy look blemish his expression.

  “Aiden, what’s wrong?” I ask concerned.

  “I just…I hope I didn’t freak you out about what I said; about taking care of you forever. If it’s too much too soon, I get it,” he says, looking self-conscious.