Chapter Thirty-seven, Late Summer Heat
Posted by DiF on Tuesday, September 9, 2014
Title: Angels in a Cage: Chapter Thirty-seven, Late Summer Heat
Rating: R [sexual situations, alcohol, drugs]
Summary: Touring really was not fun. At all.
After being on tour forever, Alyssa knew why Chris hated it. She hated it too. She loved spending all of that time with Chris. She did not love spending all of that time with his band. Fart jokes became as annoying as the farts themselves. And sharing a room with one of them? That was not supposed to happen after the first stop — but it did two more stops.
Maybe her hopes had been too high. She had thought she was going to spend time with Chris, get to see a few great shows, spend some time seeing more adult places in California. It had not been like that at all. She was ready to return back to Seattle, to go back home.
She even missed her family a little. And David.
“Lyssie?” Chris sat down beside her, quickly kissing her cheek.
Her eyes went to his, “Yeah?”
“Are you okay?”
She smiled slightly, “Yeah, of course, why?”
“Well,” his fingers laced with hers, “you haven’t said a word in the past fifty miles.”
“Just tired, I guess,” Alyssa responded.
“Last night?” his eyes sparkled.
She flushed, “No, not really.”
“Road tired?”
She nodded slightly, “Yeah. It’s been fun but…”
He kissed her softly, “I told you that touring sucks.”
“But I wanted to be with you.”
“I know,” he touched her cheek gently. “But it’s the rest of the guys who suck.”
“And the not really having any time to do anything outside of the hotel room,” she muttered.
Chris sighed, “I’m sorry about that. If we weren’t on a festival tour, it would have been different.”
“I guess.”
“How can I make it up to you?”
She shrugged.
“Lyssie…”
“I don’t know, Chris. I don’t.”
“You could take her into the back and ba—”
“Shut up, Kim,” Chris quickly replied.
The guitarist smirked and scratched his balls, “Whatever.”
“We’ll have a nice dinner tonight when we get home,” he stated, turning his attention back to Alyssa. “Anywhere you want in the city.”
While her thoughts quickly raced through all of the nice restaurants in Seattle, she quickly squashed them. She did not need to risk running into her family or friends.
“Home, let’s just stay at your house.”
He nodded, “I’ll cook you something special then.”
“Pizza would be fine too.”
He chuckled, “We have already eaten a lot of pizza.”
Barely able to remark that all teenagers live on pizza, Alyssa merely shrugged, “But it would be different at home.”
“I’ll figure something out by the time we’re there,” he nodded. “And no more touring for you.”
“But—”
“At least for now.”
Though not entirely pleased with his response, Alyssa silently accepted it and turned her eyes back to the blurring landscape out the bus windows as he got up for a beer. The tour really had not been what she expected, but maybe she had expected too much. If anything, it seemed more like a frat party, on wheels, in multiple cities. Chris had seemed to have fun with the guys, so she did not understand why he complained about touring so much. He was confusing. Or maybe she was just tired. Pressing her forehead to the glass, Alyssa closed her eyes and tried to focus on the sounds of the bus on the pavement. Slowly she drifted to sleep.
Sitting across from Alyssa, Chris sucked on the beer. He knew the tour had not been what she expected, not that he had any idea what she had expected. They had fucked all over California, which is something he never did with anyone else. But then again, he never had a girl with him on tour before. Susan rarely came with them and then only for like a day or two before flying off to do whatever. Having a girl on the tour had been… weird.
And he felt bad about that. Most of the guys continued on just the same as before. He tried to as well, but that must have made Alyssa feel out of place. He could not do that to her again. He could not let her be wrapped up in the constant party that touring seemed to be. Next time, he would focus on her and just let the concert be a work shift. The rest of the time he would… but why would she ever want to go on tour with him again? All he had done was treat her like a sex slave.
He suddenly felt horrible.
Getting to his feet as he finished the beer, Chris weighed his options quickly. He wanted to sit next to her and swear he was going to make it up to her, to make everything better. But she looked peacefully as she dozed. He did not want to wake her.
Instead, he tossed his bottle in the bin and pulled out another from the mini-fridge. After popping the cap off, Chris fished around his jeans pocket and pulled out a white pill. If he couldn’t make her feel better, at least he could numb himself for the rest of the drive. He would deal with the consequences later, much later.
“Lyssie?” Chris sat down beside her, quickly kissing her cheek.
Her eyes went to his, “Yeah?”
“Are you okay?”
She smiled slightly, “Yeah, of course, why?”
“Well,” his fingers laced with hers, “you haven’t said a word in the past fifty miles.”
“Just tired, I guess,” Alyssa responded.
“Last night?” his eyes sparkled.
She flushed, “No, not really.”
“Road tired?”
She nodded slightly, “Yeah. It’s been fun but…”
He kissed her softly, “I told you that touring sucks.”
“But I wanted to be with you.”
“I know,” he touched her cheek gently. “But it’s the rest of the guys who suck.”
“And the not really having any time to do anything outside of the hotel room,” she muttered.
Chris sighed, “I’m sorry about that. If we weren’t on a festival tour, it would have been different.”
“I guess.”
“How can I make it up to you?”
She shrugged.
“Lyssie…”
“I don’t know, Chris. I don’t.”
“You could take her into the back and ba—”
“Shut up, Kim,” Chris quickly replied.
The guitarist smirked and scratched his balls, “Whatever.”
“We’ll have a nice dinner tonight when we get home,” he stated, turning his attention back to Alyssa. “Anywhere you want in the city.”
While her thoughts quickly raced through all of the nice restaurants in Seattle, she quickly squashed them. She did not need to risk running into her family or friends.
“Home, let’s just stay at your house.”
He nodded, “I’ll cook you something special then.”
“Pizza would be fine too.”
He chuckled, “We have already eaten a lot of pizza.”
Barely able to remark that all teenagers live on pizza, Alyssa merely shrugged, “But it would be different at home.”
“I’ll figure something out by the time we’re there,” he nodded. “And no more touring for you.”
“But—”
“At least for now.”
Though not entirely pleased with his response, Alyssa silently accepted it and turned her eyes back to the blurring landscape out the bus windows as he got up for a beer. The tour really had not been what she expected, but maybe she had expected too much. If anything, it seemed more like a frat party, on wheels, in multiple cities. Chris had seemed to have fun with the guys, so she did not understand why he complained about touring so much. He was confusing. Or maybe she was just tired. Pressing her forehead to the glass, Alyssa closed her eyes and tried to focus on the sounds of the bus on the pavement. Slowly she drifted to sleep.
Sitting across from Alyssa, Chris sucked on the beer. He knew the tour had not been what she expected, not that he had any idea what she had expected. They had fucked all over California, which is something he never did with anyone else. But then again, he never had a girl with him on tour before. Susan rarely came with them and then only for like a day or two before flying off to do whatever. Having a girl on the tour had been… weird.
And he felt bad about that. Most of the guys continued on just the same as before. He tried to as well, but that must have made Alyssa feel out of place. He could not do that to her again. He could not let her be wrapped up in the constant party that touring seemed to be. Next time, he would focus on her and just let the concert be a work shift. The rest of the time he would… but why would she ever want to go on tour with him again? All he had done was treat her like a sex slave.
He suddenly felt horrible.
Getting to his feet as he finished the beer, Chris weighed his options quickly. He wanted to sit next to her and swear he was going to make it up to her, to make everything better. But she looked peacefully as she dozed. He did not want to wake her.
Instead, he tossed his bottle in the bin and pulled out another from the mini-fridge. After popping the cap off, Chris fished around his jeans pocket and pulled out a white pill. If he couldn’t make her feel better, at least he could numb himself for the rest of the drive. He would deal with the consequences later, much later.
Sprawled out on the grass in Chris’s backyard, Alyssa giggled while his dogs licked her face. They barked and circled her, enjoying the attention as much as the young woman did. Nearby Chris flipped over three burgers, a beer bottle in hand. Hearing her relaxed laughter made him feel… better than he had in days. That was a bit concerning, since the past few days had been good by all means. Being on tour was never great, but together it had been bearable. Yet right then, in that moment, he grilling and she playing with the dogs, Chris felt like a million bucks.
Smirking to himself, he muttered into his beer bottle, “I guess this is what it feels like.”
“What feels like?” Alyssa piped up, reaching for his bottle.
Chris jumped slightly, not realizing she was next to him, “Being in love.”
“Whoever it is, is a lucky girl,” she stated, taking a swig of the beer.
His green eyes met hers, “I think I’m luckier.”
“Is dinner about ready? I’ll go get the salad,” she said.
He glanced back at the grill, “Yeah, we’re good to go. Just going to melt some cheese on them.”
She quickly stole a kiss and returned his beer, “I’ll be right out then.”
When she skipped down the steps a few minutes later, Chris grinned like a goon. This was exactly what love was. Sure, they had only known each over for a few short months —five and a half to be exact — but he was certainly in love with her. It had not been in jest when he muttered it to her weeks before. He was seriously in love with Alyssa.
“What are you smiling about?” she asked, setting the sides down on the patio table.
“You,” he declared, setting the cheeseburgers on the table.
Alyssa plopped down at the table, a slight flush to her cheeks, “That’s just silly.”
“Not at all,” he replied as he spread condiments on his bun. “Not at all.”
Shaking her head, she reached for the salad, “I don’t really think that I’m the cause of your dopey smile. Must be this weird late summer heat.”
“It is warm,” Chris agreed before taking a bit of his double patty cheeseburger. “But you are totally why I’m smiling.”
“Okay, whatever,” she muttered, still smiling herself.
“After dinner, want to go swimming?”
Her eyes found his through his sunglasses, “It may be warm out here, but I don’t think its warm enough to go get in that water. And I don’t have a swimsuit with me.”
“Oh… well then what should we do?”
“Watch a movie?” she suggested, dropping pieces of hamburger to the dogs.
“Sure,” he nodded. “Anything you want.”
A few hours later, after watching two movies, the couple crawled into the large king bed. With the dogs snoring in their beds two flights down, they were finally alone. While Chris stripped down to his boxers, Alyssa remained in a borrowed Nirvana tee and her panties. He had not really expected sex, but her slipping between the sheets mostly clothed definitely put a damper on that. As it was their last night together for however long he was uncertain, Chris had — no, that was wrong. He needed to not let his cock drive all of his actions. That was why he had felt so guilty when they returned from the tour.
Feeling his body tense as she snuggled against him, Alyssa muttered, “Is something wrong?”
“No, of course not. I just realized that tonight is our last night together,” he replied softly.
“So does that mean you want to…” her hand slipped down his chest.
His hand quickly circled her wrist, “Actually no.”
“…no?”
“Lyssie, I love you. It has never just been about the sex. And I let that overtake everything else while you were on tour with us. I will not take advantage of that, of you, like that again. We are not just about sex,” he declared softly.
“I’ve never thought that we were. We haven’t even been active that long,” she pointed out.
“True but—”
Alyssa pulled her hand free and gently groped him, “I know we’re not all about sex, but since I don’t know the next time I’m going to feel you inside of me, I want it tonight.”
“Are you sure?”
Not saying anything else, she slipped her hand into his boxers and leaned over to kiss him.
Heaven, she was heaven to him.
Smirking to himself, he muttered into his beer bottle, “I guess this is what it feels like.”
“What feels like?” Alyssa piped up, reaching for his bottle.
Chris jumped slightly, not realizing she was next to him, “Being in love.”
“Whoever it is, is a lucky girl,” she stated, taking a swig of the beer.
His green eyes met hers, “I think I’m luckier.”
“Is dinner about ready? I’ll go get the salad,” she said.
He glanced back at the grill, “Yeah, we’re good to go. Just going to melt some cheese on them.”
She quickly stole a kiss and returned his beer, “I’ll be right out then.”
When she skipped down the steps a few minutes later, Chris grinned like a goon. This was exactly what love was. Sure, they had only known each over for a few short months —five and a half to be exact — but he was certainly in love with her. It had not been in jest when he muttered it to her weeks before. He was seriously in love with Alyssa.
“What are you smiling about?” she asked, setting the sides down on the patio table.
“You,” he declared, setting the cheeseburgers on the table.
Alyssa plopped down at the table, a slight flush to her cheeks, “That’s just silly.”
“Not at all,” he replied as he spread condiments on his bun. “Not at all.”
Shaking her head, she reached for the salad, “I don’t really think that I’m the cause of your dopey smile. Must be this weird late summer heat.”
“It is warm,” Chris agreed before taking a bit of his double patty cheeseburger. “But you are totally why I’m smiling.”
“Okay, whatever,” she muttered, still smiling herself.
“After dinner, want to go swimming?”
Her eyes found his through his sunglasses, “It may be warm out here, but I don’t think its warm enough to go get in that water. And I don’t have a swimsuit with me.”
“Oh… well then what should we do?”
“Watch a movie?” she suggested, dropping pieces of hamburger to the dogs.
“Sure,” he nodded. “Anything you want.”
A few hours later, after watching two movies, the couple crawled into the large king bed. With the dogs snoring in their beds two flights down, they were finally alone. While Chris stripped down to his boxers, Alyssa remained in a borrowed Nirvana tee and her panties. He had not really expected sex, but her slipping between the sheets mostly clothed definitely put a damper on that. As it was their last night together for however long he was uncertain, Chris had — no, that was wrong. He needed to not let his cock drive all of his actions. That was why he had felt so guilty when they returned from the tour.
Feeling his body tense as she snuggled against him, Alyssa muttered, “Is something wrong?”
“No, of course not. I just realized that tonight is our last night together,” he replied softly.
“So does that mean you want to…” her hand slipped down his chest.
His hand quickly circled her wrist, “Actually no.”
“…no?”
“Lyssie, I love you. It has never just been about the sex. And I let that overtake everything else while you were on tour with us. I will not take advantage of that, of you, like that again. We are not just about sex,” he declared softly.
“I’ve never thought that we were. We haven’t even been active that long,” she pointed out.
“True but—”
Alyssa pulled her hand free and gently groped him, “I know we’re not all about sex, but since I don’t know the next time I’m going to feel you inside of me, I want it tonight.”
“Are you sure?”
Not saying anything else, she slipped her hand into his boxers and leaned over to kiss him.
Heaven, she was heaven to him.
“I’ve been thinking a lot the past few weeks,” David declared as he entered Alyssa’s house.
“Do you even know how to knock?” the girl asked, looking up from the video game she was playing with her sister.
“Oh hey, Jude,” he smiled at the younger girl before plopping down on the couch. “Sure, I know how to knock, but I figured you wouldn’t let me in.”
“Why?”
“Because I know the truth about you and Chris.”
Her eyes widened and she set down the game controller, “You win, Judi. I’m going to help David get us a snack.”
Before either could protest, she pulled her friend into the kitchen. Her hazel eyes glanced back at her sister, making sure the younger girl wasn’t paying any attention to the two teenagers. David grinned, opening his mouth to continue his declaration, but Alyssa grabbed his arm and pulled him out of view of her sister.
“Whatever you think you know, you don’t,” she declared softly.
“Bullshit,” he responded in the same soft tone.
Her eyes held his, “I don’t think you—”
“You introduced me to him,” David pointed out.
“What? No, I didn’t. You’re mistaken.”
“Nope, I’m not. You introduced him to me when you worked at the coffeehouse. That fuck Zack was still on the run, so it was obviously an oversight by you. And I was pretty stoned that day so it wasn’t until I was flipping through Rolling Stone the other day that I realized you’re fucking Chris Cornell of Soundgarden,” he declared.
Her eyes widened slightly, “No, I’m not.”
“Bullshit,” he repeated. “Turns out your little trip with your boyfriend corresponded with the California leg of Lollapalooza. I’m not wrong.”
“David…”
“I mean, I thought the guy was familiar, now that I think about it, but Chris Cornell? Your dad can not be happy about you being with a married man twice your age.”
“You can’t tell anyone. If anyone were to find out –”
“He would go to jail in the very least,” he interrupted.
Her shoulders slumped, “I didn’t… I…”
“Aly,” he tilted her face back up to look at him, “your secret is safe with me.”
Her eyes widened again, this time in surprise, “What?”
“He makes you happy. He makes you feel safe. I’m not so stupid that I would do anything to take that away. Zack did a number on you. If Cornell is healing you, then I am all for it,” David claimed.
“Really?”
He nodded slowly, “But if he ever hurts you…”
“He won’t,” she quickly stated. “He won’t.”
“Good,” he paused, before grinning. “Does this mean you can introduce me to Pearl Jam?”
Smiling crookedly, Alyssa shook her head and turned away to quickly get out the snack they were supposed to be getting, “Maybe. If you’re good.”
“Do you even know how to knock?” the girl asked, looking up from the video game she was playing with her sister.
“Oh hey, Jude,” he smiled at the younger girl before plopping down on the couch. “Sure, I know how to knock, but I figured you wouldn’t let me in.”
“Why?”
“Because I know the truth about you and Chris.”
Her eyes widened and she set down the game controller, “You win, Judi. I’m going to help David get us a snack.”
Before either could protest, she pulled her friend into the kitchen. Her hazel eyes glanced back at her sister, making sure the younger girl wasn’t paying any attention to the two teenagers. David grinned, opening his mouth to continue his declaration, but Alyssa grabbed his arm and pulled him out of view of her sister.
“Whatever you think you know, you don’t,” she declared softly.
“Bullshit,” he responded in the same soft tone.
Her eyes held his, “I don’t think you—”
“You introduced me to him,” David pointed out.
“What? No, I didn’t. You’re mistaken.”
“Nope, I’m not. You introduced him to me when you worked at the coffeehouse. That fuck Zack was still on the run, so it was obviously an oversight by you. And I was pretty stoned that day so it wasn’t until I was flipping through Rolling Stone the other day that I realized you’re fucking Chris Cornell of Soundgarden,” he declared.
Her eyes widened slightly, “No, I’m not.”
“Bullshit,” he repeated. “Turns out your little trip with your boyfriend corresponded with the California leg of Lollapalooza. I’m not wrong.”
“David…”
“I mean, I thought the guy was familiar, now that I think about it, but Chris Cornell? Your dad can not be happy about you being with a married man twice your age.”
“You can’t tell anyone. If anyone were to find out –”
“He would go to jail in the very least,” he interrupted.
Her shoulders slumped, “I didn’t… I…”
“Aly,” he tilted her face back up to look at him, “your secret is safe with me.”
Her eyes widened again, this time in surprise, “What?”
“He makes you happy. He makes you feel safe. I’m not so stupid that I would do anything to take that away. Zack did a number on you. If Cornell is healing you, then I am all for it,” David claimed.
“Really?”
He nodded slowly, “But if he ever hurts you…”
“He won’t,” she quickly stated. “He won’t.”
“Good,” he paused, before grinning. “Does this mean you can introduce me to Pearl Jam?”
Smiling crookedly, Alyssa shook her head and turned away to quickly get out the snack they were supposed to be getting, “Maybe. If you’re good.”
Padding into the kitchen to get a drink, Chris stopped as the dogs suddenly took off running to the front door. Brows furrowed, he turned and followed them, hearing the rapid knock at the door that made them bark. As he was not expecting anyone, though if Alyssa wanted to come over that would be a pleasant surprise, Chris had no clue who would be pounding on his door.
He turned the deadbolt and cautiously opened the door, not taking the time to look through the peephole, “Susan?”
“Who is she?” she demanded, pushing her way into his house.
“I didn’t invite you in.”
“Who. The. Fuck. Is. She,” she seethed.
Closing the door so that passersby did not witness what was sure to be a screaming match, “Susan, calm down.”
“I am not going to CALM DOWN. WHO THE FUCK IS SHE!?”
“What are you talking about?”
Her eyes narrowed, “Everyone saw you with her. Did you think I wouldn’t find out?”
Chris stared at her blankly.
“For fuck’s sake, Chris, you—”
“Before you say another fucking thing, we are legally separated. Separated,” he interrupted. “This means, what I do and who I do it with is my business. You have zero right to come storming into my house, screaming like a banshee. We are separated. The only reason we haven’t started divorce proceedings is because of the band.”
“We’re still married.”
“And you’re still with Jerry,” he stated blankly.
Susan’s mouth snapped shut.
“You have no right to come here, to my home, and yell at me on something you think you know, all the while shacking up with him. We are separated. We are not together. My life is my life.”
She still glared at him, “You flaunted her in front of—”
“Anyone who knows who you are and knows who he is knows what you’re doing. My being seen with someone else says nothing of you at all. Calm the fuck down.”
“You—”
Chris pulled the front door open again, “You are leaving.”
“But I’m not—”
“And never coming back,” he declared definitively, grabbing her elbow and pulling her out the door.
Before Susan could screech again, Chris closed the door and locked it. The dogs sat nearby, staring at him. Saying nothing, not like they would understand anyway, Chris headed back to the kitchen. He had only been intending to drink water before his estranged wife’s unwelcome visit, but now he reached for a beer — and quickly chased down a small white pill. He did not this shit hanging over his head right at that moment, not while he was working on a new song. He would just chase Susan out of his mind and go back to focusing on Alyssa.
If only he could.
He turned the deadbolt and cautiously opened the door, not taking the time to look through the peephole, “Susan?”
“Who is she?” she demanded, pushing her way into his house.
“I didn’t invite you in.”
“Who. The. Fuck. Is. She,” she seethed.
Closing the door so that passersby did not witness what was sure to be a screaming match, “Susan, calm down.”
“I am not going to CALM DOWN. WHO THE FUCK IS SHE!?”
“What are you talking about?”
Her eyes narrowed, “Everyone saw you with her. Did you think I wouldn’t find out?”
Chris stared at her blankly.
“For fuck’s sake, Chris, you—”
“Before you say another fucking thing, we are legally separated. Separated,” he interrupted. “This means, what I do and who I do it with is my business. You have zero right to come storming into my house, screaming like a banshee. We are separated. The only reason we haven’t started divorce proceedings is because of the band.”
“We’re still married.”
“And you’re still with Jerry,” he stated blankly.
Susan’s mouth snapped shut.
“You have no right to come here, to my home, and yell at me on something you think you know, all the while shacking up with him. We are separated. We are not together. My life is my life.”
She still glared at him, “You flaunted her in front of—”
“Anyone who knows who you are and knows who he is knows what you’re doing. My being seen with someone else says nothing of you at all. Calm the fuck down.”
“You—”
Chris pulled the front door open again, “You are leaving.”
“But I’m not—”
“And never coming back,” he declared definitively, grabbing her elbow and pulling her out the door.
Before Susan could screech again, Chris closed the door and locked it. The dogs sat nearby, staring at him. Saying nothing, not like they would understand anyway, Chris headed back to the kitchen. He had only been intending to drink water before his estranged wife’s unwelcome visit, but now he reached for a beer — and quickly chased down a small white pill. He did not this shit hanging over his head right at that moment, not while he was working on a new song. He would just chase Susan out of his mind and go back to focusing on Alyssa.
If only he could.
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