Buttered Popcorn

Chapter 14: May 14, 1987

"Holy Christ."

Upon opening my eyes, my entire body was engulfed with agony. My head throbbed, muscles ached, and my legs. Oh, God, my fucking legs—

"She's up."

Mick was sitting comfortably on a chair that was placed snugly in the corner of the hotel room. With a book in hand, he lazily cast a glance toward me in greeting. I held my forehead in my warm hands in a pathetic attempt to numb the pain, "Hey, Mars."

"How was your night?" The guitarist was clearly amused by the state I was in- completely disheveled. "Fucking crazy. You guys are insane- I don't even know what happened." He shrugged, "Take a ride on the wild side."

"Heyo! Rise and shine, fuckers!"

Tommy bursted into the room with nothing less than a gleaming smile across his lips, partnered with a bottle of Jack Daniels. It was beyond me how he could act like this so early.

"Ooh, first time partying?"

The lanky drummer grimaced at my state, complete with a nod to the bottle in his hand. "No thanks. I can't drink anymore after last night." I swallowed back the bile threatening to rise in my throat as my head spun violently. "Ah, the ole hangover. We've all been there, babe. Gotta get used to it if you're gonna start hanging with us."

The mere thought of revisiting the feeling had me dreading ever hanging out with The Crüe again, but it was safe to say it was worth it. With my cheeks sore from smiling and my stomach in pain from laughing, they'd provided a good time.

"Where's Nikki?"

Before I could even mute the thought bouncing around my head, it stuttered from my lips. Though I'd hate to admit it, Nikki was on my mind since I'd opened my eyes. The way his hand rested on the small of my back as he lead me into the room. The thought of him sent butterflies through my stomach. Butterflies? Butterflies?! Oh, fuck!—

"Not sure, but I saw him head to the bus to grab somethin'. Want me to go get him?" Tommy asked, wiping his whiskey-covered lips with the back of his large hand. I softly shook my head, just enough before it caused immense pain, as I responded, "Uh, that's okay-"

"Nah, I'll go get him. I gotta talk to him anyway."

Tommy was out the room just as fast as he had come in, slamming the door behind him and off down the hall. I stared at my bare legs, only covered with the thin white sheet provided by the hotel, and shivered at the now-noticeably cold air. The sudden chill across my skin sent goosebumps across my arms and legs, getting the Mötley guitarist to catch notice of the shudder. He was always very observant, Mick.

"Cold?"

There was an underlying tone of amusement in his question, though I shook my head in response. "No, not really." I lied. He stared incredulously before his eyes quickly shifted down and back up, "You sure? I don't think I believe you."

"Why is that?"

Again, his hazy grey eyes dropped a bit lower from my own just as Nikki walked in. I followed his gaze down to my chest just as Nikki and Tommy returned. Realizing what Mick was referring to, my hands shot to cross over my chest in an attempt to cover myself. Silently wondering where my bra could possibly be and who's shirt I was wearing, Nikki sat on the edge of my bed.

"Tommy tells me you had a wild night. Do you remember anything?" I connected my brown eyes with his own green ones and shrugged, "Uh, not exactly. I'm really sore and my head's killing me, but I don't know what happened." I unconsciously rubbed my aching muscles up and down my legs. He nodded with a small smirk across his lips. Noticing this, I frowned, "What?"

"Nothing.." he trailed off. Tommy was leaning against the wall next to Mick with the same goofy smile. "Nikki! Seriously, what?" He threw his hands up in surrender, "Nothing! Nothing, just.. are you cold?"

The boys howled out in laughter without missing a beat, Tommy doubling over and snorting. Mick shook his head while his smile grew, piling his own chuckles above the rest of his band's rambunctious yodeling. My eyes widened and arms crossed over my chest yet again, groaning, "Oh my God! You guys are dogs!"

"Sleaze dogs." Nikki added through his gasps for air. "Seriously? Have you guys never seen a girl without a bra before?" I grumbled. Tommy ceased his laughter to speak, "No we have, babe, believe that. Just not you. Well, not yet."

My cheeks flushed bright red with embarrassment, scolding myself for not covering up sooner, knowing how they acted. "Yeah, funny joke, guys. Christ." I huffed. Snatching a shirt from the floor and holding it across my chest, I made an attempt to storm out, though my sore core and aching legs held me back. Nikki quickly hopped to his feet at the sight of me wobbling, grasping at my waist to steady me.

"No, no I'm fine Nikki." He mockingly pouted a bit and cocked his head, "Aw, we're just joking, Jimmie. No hard feelings?" Glaring back, I held the stare for as long as possible before giving into his puppy eyes, "You're lucky you're cute, Sixx." His face brightened and he gave a sloppy kiss on my cheek, "That's the spirit."

Tommy followed shortly behind after talking to Mick for a bit, who had decided to hit the hotel bar that was in the lobby. The drummer hooked his arm around my neck and smiled, "Hey, look at her smilin'! You've done it now, Sixx!" "Man, I might have to join Mick at the bar after last night. My fuckin' body's killing me!" I whined.

"Get used to being sore when you're around us." Tommy winked. I giggled at the stupid comment as we began to waltz down the hallway before Nikki's steps faltered while he turned around. "Oh, hey Steve." Tommy gave a casual wave behind us to the Guns N' Roses drummer as well.

I peeked over Tommy's arm around me to see the blond standing outside of their door, his blue eyes staring back with a certain look I could only assume as a hangover.

What I didn't know was that Steven knew the way I was walking far too well, for he had given a number of girls the same ache in their core. That he'd heard the dumb comments we made as we tumbled out of the room. The jokes that Steven would end up taking seriously. To him, it seemed that the Mötley Crüe boys had their way with me last night.

Seeing Nikki and Tommy wrapped around me- holding a shirt and without pants- made his heart stutter with envy. It wasn't a hangover in Steven's eyes, it was pure sorrow. That they'd gotten what he'd only prayed for.

And the blond drummer would be damned if he'd let that happen again.