Sad_Girl
Blue Crack Supplier
**The following is a work of fiction. No offense intended to anyone, it’s all meant in good fun. Strong language, some adult themes
Chapter Seventeen
“So, what was it you wanted to talk to me about?” Alyx asked as she settled into the booth across from Larry. She let his coat slip off her shoulders and folded it neatly and rested it in the seat beside her.
“Uh…” Larry chuckled nervously, running a ring-clad hand over his face.
“Hi, here you guys go, a couple of lunch menus for you there.” The peppy waitress chattered as she placed two menus in front of them and gathered up the two extra sets of silverware. “Can I get you something to drink while you take a look at the menus?” She asked, flashing a bright smile at Alyx and then Larry.
“Just water, please.” Alyx replied, and Larry said he wanted the same.
“Oh, wow! Great accents. Are you guys from, like, Scotland or something?” The waitress asked, her eyes widening with interest.
“Ireland.” Alyx informed her dryly.
They were then informed that the waitress had ancestors from Ireland, or so she thought. She described what she knew of her great, great, great uncles history as she had been told it by her grandmother. Apparently, according to her, there had been some sort of famine or something, and so he and his thirteen children made the journey to America. Of course, she was fuzzy on the details. Finally, the girl remembered that she was supposed to be getting them water and hurried off to the kitchen to collect it.
Alyx glanced over at Larry and smirked at him, making him lose his irritation and chuckle. He hid his amusement behind his hand as he rubbed at his seemingly always itchy nose, and Alyx looked away to keep from laughing out loud. She didn’t want to be rude to the girl, who she was sure, was simply very friendly and slightly naïve.
They spent the next few minutes staring silently at the paper menus she had given them to peruse. The grease stains and ketchup smudges on the paper said a lot about the food before they even read the list of sandwiches and prices. When the girl returned with their water, she simply took their orders and retreated to the kitchen. Alyx wondered if she’d been scolded for spending too much time talking and neglecting other tables.
“So, where were we?” She joked as the silence stretched on even now that they did not have menus to hide behind. Larry shifted in his seat, slouching down, his legs spread in a rather macho pose. He cleared his throat and Alyx watched his face carefully for some sign of what was about to happen.
“Right. Well, I wanted to ask you something, really. It may seem a bit – unorthodox.” He replied, and Alyx arched a slender blonde eyebrow at him in curiosity. “I’m not really much for taking the long way around an issue…”
“Usually, no you’re not. This time, however I believe we’ve circled it two or three times, at least.” She laughed, noting the skin in his cheeks as it grew pink.
“Well, I guess what I wanted to ask is sort of like – a partnership. I want to skip the flirting and dating and stupid games that people usually play and just be honest and straightforward about things.”
“I’m not sure what you’re getting at…”
“I’m asking if you would want to be my partner, in… you know… To make a home, a family together. Not right off, of course, but if you know now you wouldn’t want that then there’s no sense in really pursuing this… attraction between us.”
“Larry?”
“What?”
“That has got to be the most frightening, unromantic thing I’ve ever heard.” Alyx said, watching Larry’s expressive mouth pucker into a worried pout. She laughed out loud, having to lay her head on her arms, folded on the tabletop. Her shoulders shook. The entire table, in fact, shook with her laughter. She heard him slide out of his seat and hurried to catch him, reaching out to grab his wrist before he’d stepped away from the booth.
He turned back to scowl at her, his stormy gray eyes betraying his wounded pride. He tried to make it an impersonal contract, but nothing could ever be more personal than the things he’d told her in the process. Her laughter was a hurtful reaction, and his defenses had gone up to keep him from any further insult. He was, however, completely unprepared for what she did next.
She leaned in and caught his mouth with her own, kissing him as she had been wanting to since the first time she saw him. She pulled back slightly to exhale, a murmur of pleasure on her tongue as she advanced again, tasting his full lipped smile again. She gasped slightly when he reciprocated, opening his mouth this time; his tongue lapping out at her lips and begging entrance.
His hands found her hips and held her firmly as he aligned his own to them, their chests brushing teasingly. It was the surprisingly bold thrust of his tongue past her slightly parted lips which stole away all control over the kiss she had initiated. As well as Alyx’s ability to breathe or think or anything but be swept away on a flood of desire.
When he pulled away and returned to his seat, he left Alyx dazed and breathing heavy beside the table. It was his satisfied smirk which brought her mind back to the reality of who and where they were. She could feel her face burning and knew her pale skin must’ve turned bright red. This of course, only served to make her blush even more. She slid back into her seat, keeping her head down to avoid the way the other customers in the restaurant were looking at them.
It was at that exact moment that their waitress returned with their plates. Alyx doubted anyone had ever been quite so happy to see their waitress. She provided a few moments distraction, at least, in which Alyx could make some attempt at gathering her wits.
“I didn’t say I wasn’t … interested in what you were asking. Just that it was a rather strange way of going about it.” She finally said, pushing her salad around with her fork. She had lost any desire she might’ve had to eat. Her stomach was twisted up like a balloon animal. She glanced up at him and he flashed her a cocky smile. He might as well have said ‘Oh, you want me and you know it!’
“I don’t entirely object to what you’re trying to do, making things more clear and stripping away the stupid little games and that. I… I don’t know what to say, Larry. Until four minutes ago I didn’t know you had any interest in me, really. How do I go from that to saying ‘yeah, sure, let’s buy a house and start having kids’?”
“I’m not saying we should do that stuff right now. I’m just… I wanted you to know that what I want, someday. I’m not just looking for someone to pass the time with until something else comes along, or just someone to keep me warm at night. I want to be with someone I can trust with that sort of thing, though. Someone I can see being with ten years from now. It’s not romantic, but it’s honest at least.”
“You really think we could have something like that? I mean, there’s so much we don’t know about each other.”
“I’m not asking you to sign a lifetime contract.” Larry chuckled.
“Coulda fooled me.” Alyx laughed in response.
“What do you want, Alyx? What do you want right now?”
“I want…” Alyx replied, sighing deeply as she considered the question. “…I want to paint your portrait.” She told him finally, and he smiled at her.
“Alright. But just for you, not for an exhibition or something like that, ok?”
“Alright. And what about you? What do you want right now?”
“I want to kiss you again.” He told her, those smoky blue-gray eyes catching hers across the table and holding them. Her heart skipped a beat and her skin tingled in excitement at his words.
“Alright.” She replied, her voice a raspy whisper, her throat growing dry.
“Later.” He added, smiling impishly at her. “When there aren’t so many people looking at us.”
*****************************************************************************
She wasn’t sure what she had expected it to be like, kissing Larry. The truth of it was, she had never really allowed her imagination to get that far. She’d spent a great deal of concentration on memorizing his features; had wondered many times about how his skin would taste to her kisses. She had never dared imagine him wanting to kiss her.
The aggression in his kiss had taken her so completely by surprise that she felt almost as if she were seeing him for the very first time. Not just in that first kiss, either. Once they were in the cab on the way back to the hotel, he’d kissed her again. He’d kissed her until her lips were swollen and red, her breathing deep and ragged. Again and again his tongue had lain claim to her mouth; tracing her lips sometimes and tasting every curve and angle inside; sliding against her own tongue in a dance which sometimes more resembled a battle for dominance.
Passion. She’d seen it in his face when he was at the drumkit. She’d suspected it lay within him, a sleeping cat which it was potentially dangerous to waken. Now she had tasted it, been attacked by it and knew it was more than she had ever expected. It was overwhelming and addictive, and she felt a strong possessiveness. It was his secret, and now it was hers as well. No one else ever needed to know about this facet of Larry. Her Larry.
She scolded herself internally for this urge. She knew jealousy was dangerous, and it was far too early to be so possessive. She was still afraid this was something which would fade quickly the nearer she drew to it. She thought it might be far worse to know him this way and to lose it than to never have felt his touch.
Again in the lift, he’d kissed her. She’d stolen a peek at herself in the mirrors which lined the walls, her short blonde hair was mussed as if she were just getting out of bed, her lips red and puffy. She looked thoroughly seduced, she thought with a smile. It was true; and he knew it. He liked the power he’d discovered, too. He smiled at her smugly, knowingly. Desire was a powerful thing, and he wielded it over her without hesitation.
She didn’t like the feeling entirely. She’d never been the sort to give power over herself to another person. She panicked when she felt herself losing control. There was a promise in his eyes, though. Without words he told her that she could trust him; he would not hurt her. She was more tempted to believe that of him than she had been to trust anyone since she was a child.
They’d spent the entire afternoon together, sitting first in her hotel room and then in his when Holly wanted to get ready for her date. In her room, it had been much the same as the night before, with him seated in the chair and her on the bed. They talked about a lot of different things, all the while Alyx wishing he would come over next to her on the bed and kiss her again.
In his room, he had unzipped the sleeping bag he used at night and invited her to sit on the bed beside him. This was after explaining the need for the sleeping bag, at her request. She laughed and told him she didn’t think she’d be able to sleep in her own bed, now, without feeling a bit dirty.
They’d fallen into a rhythm, well before they were settled in Larry’s room, of question and answer. Nothing seemed to be off limits, though each of them remained cautious about the subjects they brought up.
Finally, Alyx asked him something she’d thought of the very first time they’d met.
“Who gave you those sad eyes?” She asked, the words spilling out of her mouth before she thought better of it. Larry’s eyes darkened, looking less like sterling silver and more like rain cloud gray. For a moment, she thought he was going to refuse to answer. She wouldn’t have blamed him, it was a personal question, and she’d only known him a couple of months.
Of course, he was the one who had asked her if she wanted to marry him and bear his children over lunch. She reminded herself, smiling at the bizarre nature of their friendship. With a sigh, Larry stretched out on the bed beside her, folding his hands behind his head and staring up at the ceiling.
“I suppose it was when my sister died, and then my mum as well.” He told her matter-of-factly. Alyx felt her blood run cold, her eyes widening in shock and her heart aching for the little boy who had become too familiar with such loss.
“I’m so sorry, Larry. I … I didn’t realize… Bono talks about losing his mum, but I never knew…” Alyx stammered, sitting straight up to look at him lying there. His eyes were still fixed on the ceiling.
“I don’t like to talk about it. Doesn’t do any good, does it?” He replied, a sharp edge to his voice. The subject was a wound in his soul, still raw and painful to the touch. “She helped us get the band underway. Without her, I don’t know that we could’ve gotten off to the start we did.” He added, bringing the subject back around to more familiar territory. The band was safe to discuss. Alyx got the picture clearly. His family was still off limits.
“I’m very grateful to her for more than one thing, then.” Alyx told him gently, her green eyes finally catching his attention. He smiled sadly at her, accepting her compliment silently.
“Is it my turn?” Larry asked, rolling onto his side and propping himself up on one elbow. Alyx mirrored his pose, her body running parallel to his on the bed, leaving nine or ten inches of space between them. She nodded in agreement, and Larry’s hand slid smoothly over her hip and under the bottom of her shirt to stroke the ultra soft skin on her side.
“What was it you needed protection from so badly that you got that tattoo?” He asked, his eyes shining silver again, interest gleaming in the failing evening light.
“Ah.” Alyx muttered, her eyes breaking away from his and falling to study the sleeping bag beneath them. “Alright.” She sighed deeply, steeling herself for the emotions the memory always evoked and for the reaction it would elicit from him. She turned and sat on her side of the bed, her legs over the side, her back half turned to him.
“You know I lived in Ballymun. In the towers.” She started, and he nodded for her to continue. “By the time we’d moved in, it was already apparent that they weren’t the glorious living conditions so many thought they were going to be when they were first built. The police were loath to come out to the towers for anything, there was so much trouble there that they were overwhelmed in the face of it.”
“I did my best to make it home before dark. I tried to stay in groups of people, all of the things which are supposed to help you stay safe. The neighbors knew my father’s temper, too. That helped keep away some of the bullies. One night, though, my brother was with a bunch of boys my father didn’t like, having a grand old time of it. He lost track of time, and I went to get him before my father got home.”
“Because they were drinking, some of the boys who would have been afraid of my father normally did not consider him enough of a threat. They used to say things to me, rude things, but none of them had ever dared lay a hand on me.” Alyx’s voice broke and she cleared her throat, shifting her weight nervously. Larry frowned, fear wrapping around his heart. In many ways, he wanted to tell her to stop. He didn’t want to hear this. But she had lived it, and he wanted to know who she was. So, he remained silent and listened.
“There were several of them. I don’t remember every one. I remember mostly their hands, grabbing at me. Holding me, touching me… I fought. I bit and kicked and scratched. It was my brother who managed to get me away from them, though. His temper was nearly as bad as the old mans. Those boys looked a bit like a pack of whipped dogs as he led me out the door.” She chuckled sadly here, remembering the moment vividly.
“We got home right after my father. He saw the state I was in – my shirt was torn open and my eyes were swollen from crying. I was only fourteen, at the time. He demanded to know what had happened and who was responsible. First he fought with my brother. Jimmy didn’t want to tell him who it was, he still thought of them as his friends. Besides that, he said – and I’ll never forget this – he said it wasn’t their fault. He pointed at me and said ‘look at her, Da! She doesn’t look like a little girl!’.”
Alyx absently wiped away a tear as it spilled over her long eyelashes.
“It was my fault. I dressed the wrong way, wore my hair long, looked them straight in the eye rather than playing coy – I was asking for it.” She summarized bitterly. “I was fortunate all I got was felt up, and not completely ravaged. After all – look at me.”
“Alyx –“ Larry started to reach out to her but she waved him off. She didn’t need him to tell her it wasn’t true. She’d been told that, and had realized it a long time ago. She was simply reliving the moment so that he understood.
“Eventually, I couldn’t take them yelling at each other, saying shite about me as if I weren’t even there. I told da the names of the boys I knew for sure. I didn’t know – maybe I should have – but at that moment I thought I could make it stop by telling him. I didn’t think it through to it’s potential conclusion.” Alyx sighed deeply and lay back against the pillows, staring at the ceiling.
“My father was a big man with a bigger temper. He beat two of them to death. A third was scarred severely. He was never the same. My father went to prison, where he was eventually killed. He never knew when to back down from a fight. My mother was already a drunk, but she was completely lost to us after that. Both she and Jimmy made it perfectly clear to me that it was all my fault.”
“So, I guess I needed protection from everyone. The people I lived around, my family, and even myself.” She concluded, looking over at Larry. The sympathy in his eyes hit her like a punch to the gut. She felt her lip quiver and fought back unwelcome tears. She’d promised herself a long time ago she would never cry over this again. It was over and done.
“That’s why you try and hide how beautiful you are.” He said, not asking a question at all but stating it as a realization. He reached out and stroked her cheek gently, the pad of his thumb wiping away the defiant tear which had managed to escape.
“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” She laughed dryly, sniffling slightly.
“You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever known.” He told her gently, brushing a whispery kiss over her lips. He was trembling, she realized with a start. He was still as much a boy as he was a man. He was as overwhelmed by this connection between them as she was. She slid down a bit to rest her head against his chest, her palm over his heart, feeling it’s strong, steady rhythm.
“I’ve never told anyone that before.” She told him.
“Thank you.” He told her, his arms wrapped around her protectively. “I’m glad to be the person you could tell that.” There was a long period of silence and Alyx found herself nearly lulled to sleep by the soothing rhythm of his heartbeat.
“It’s your turn.” He told her eventually, and she drew a deep breath and considered what to ask him. She wasn’t sure either of them was ready for anymore deep revelations. Something light hearted was in order. Something which would change the mood.
“Are you a virgin?” she asked, propping herself up on her elbow so she could see his reaction. She watched his eyes darken and his brow furrow, his lips parting in offense. She had to fight the urge to giggle.
“Am I…? No! Why would you even ask me that?” He demanded, and she did giggle.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t realize I was in the presence of such an experienced man.” She teased. “A regular Don Juan, are you, then?”
“I didn’t say that.” He told her, scowling at her teasing. He looked young when he pouted, but he was so terribly cute that she could not help but grin. “And what about you?”
“Me? No, I’m not a virgin. Does that surprise you? Disappoint you?” She asked, growing more serious.
“No.” he told her honestly. “I didn’t suspect you were. Of course, I didn’t think you would suspect I was, either.” He complained, making her choke back another round of giggles.
“So how many young women have known the love of Larry Mullen, Jr.?” She asked, tilting her head to one side and batting her eyelashes at him coyly.
“Just one.” He told her warily. “And in case you’re thinking of asking, yes, it was more than just once.” She burst into laughter at the defensive way he addressed her. She hadn’t meant to insult his manhood, but apparently she had.
“And what about you, then? Since you started asking.” He said, taking the offensive now.
“Me? I’ve never been with any young women, meself. I’m surprised and offended you would ask.” She replied smartly, receiving a smack in the head with a pillow.
“You know that wasn’t what I was asking.”
“Three. Alright? I’ve had three boyfriends in my life who I … have known.” He smiled at her, and she sighed with relief. She had been afraid he would think less of her. “Hmm. What to ask?” she said playfully, rolling over onto her belly, their sides touching. He was still on his back and this way they could comfortably look into each other’s eyes.
“Can I see your tattoos?” He asked suddenly, taking her by surprise.
“It’s not your turn.” She replied with a smile, but she nodded in agreement, sitting up and turning away. As she lifted her shirt off her shoulders, her heart began to race and her entire body was suddenly alive and aware of their proximity. Her hands were shaking as she reached behind her back to release the clasp on her bra. She could feel his eyes on her, studying her exposed skin. She licked dry lips, but her mouth had gone dry as well. She covered her breasts with her arms as she moved to lie face down on the bed, suddenly feeling the need to be modest.
His fingers were tracing the pattern of the first tattoo even before she had come to rest on the bed, a pillow obscuring her breasts, her chin resting on her folded hands. She let her eyes drift shut as she concentrated on the feeling of his hands on her back. The second tattoo was much lower, near the waistline of her jeans, and it tickled when he traced it. He felt her flinch and bent to kiss her skin. She whimpered at the feeling of his breath, her back arching instinctively.
He ran the palm of his hand along her spine and felt her shiver, smiling to himself in satisfaction. He kissed her again, in the small of her back. Then he took the time to trace the lines of her tattoo with the tip of his tongue, making her start to squirm underneath him. He straddled her legs, pinning her to the bed, his hands against her shoulders as he traced the other tattoo with kisses.
She arched her back, her shoulders straining against his firm grasp, her backside pushing up against his groin. He moaned and instinctively pressed back. She was not fighting him, not afraid in the least, all movement were instinctive and without thought. There was no room for thought, no need. They just needed to follow the desire, it would lead the way.
Larry’s hands slipped down from her shoulders and slid under her to cover her breasts, squeezing gently as he leaned down to close his mouth over the soft skin on the back of her neck. Alyx cried out, gasping and panting as she tried to turn over. Larry leaned slightly to one side and kissed her as she pushed herself as far back off the bed as she could with his weight still on her legs. Their mouths meshed deeply. Their teeth and tongues and lips wrestled for dominance, in a series of hot, wet, deep kisses.
They barely heard the sound of the door swinging open over the noise of their own heavy breathing and racing hearts. They did, however, hear Bono’s voice quite clearly.
“Oh, fuck!” He exclaimed, laughing out loud in surprise. Alyx squeaked in dismay, falling back against the bed covers and using them to cover her naked chest.
“Uh… Sorry.” Bono said, laughter still apparent in his voice. Despite the awkward situation, Bono did not simply step back out, closing the door and leaving the amorous couple to continue their pursuit. He held one hand up by his eyes as a blinder and plunged into the room, riffling through one of his open suitcases.
“Get the fuck out of here!” Larry demanded indignantly.
“I will, I will!” Bono replied, still searching. “Ah-ha!” He exclaimed, finding whatever it was he’d come to the room in search of. He held his hand up once again and headed for the door. “Sorry for the interruption.” He told them as he opened the door and stepped out into the hall. Just before the door shut, he poked his head back inside the room and added, “Oh, and Lar? It’s about fucking time!”
“Fuck off!” Larry screamed, picking up the closest thing he could get his hands on (his shoe, as it turned out) and throwing it at the door. It made a satisfying thump as it hit, and another as it bounced to the floor. He could feel Alyx’s body shake with laughter and both of them knew the moment had passed. He sighed and crawled over onto the other side of the bed again, and she rolled over, her arm draped over her full breasts as she smiled up at him.
“I really hate him sometimes.” He told her, but his smile betrayed his true feelings. Alyx laughed lightly, taking a moment to study him from this angle. He was more beautiful than ever, she thought, with his hair mussed up and his lips kiss swollen. Finally she sighed and sat up, slipping her shirt back on.
“I’ll be right back.” She told him, kissing him gently before slipping out of the room to retrieve her sketch pad and pencils.
Chapter Seventeen
“So, what was it you wanted to talk to me about?” Alyx asked as she settled into the booth across from Larry. She let his coat slip off her shoulders and folded it neatly and rested it in the seat beside her.
“Uh…” Larry chuckled nervously, running a ring-clad hand over his face.
“Hi, here you guys go, a couple of lunch menus for you there.” The peppy waitress chattered as she placed two menus in front of them and gathered up the two extra sets of silverware. “Can I get you something to drink while you take a look at the menus?” She asked, flashing a bright smile at Alyx and then Larry.
“Just water, please.” Alyx replied, and Larry said he wanted the same.
“Oh, wow! Great accents. Are you guys from, like, Scotland or something?” The waitress asked, her eyes widening with interest.
“Ireland.” Alyx informed her dryly.
They were then informed that the waitress had ancestors from Ireland, or so she thought. She described what she knew of her great, great, great uncles history as she had been told it by her grandmother. Apparently, according to her, there had been some sort of famine or something, and so he and his thirteen children made the journey to America. Of course, she was fuzzy on the details. Finally, the girl remembered that she was supposed to be getting them water and hurried off to the kitchen to collect it.
Alyx glanced over at Larry and smirked at him, making him lose his irritation and chuckle. He hid his amusement behind his hand as he rubbed at his seemingly always itchy nose, and Alyx looked away to keep from laughing out loud. She didn’t want to be rude to the girl, who she was sure, was simply very friendly and slightly naïve.
They spent the next few minutes staring silently at the paper menus she had given them to peruse. The grease stains and ketchup smudges on the paper said a lot about the food before they even read the list of sandwiches and prices. When the girl returned with their water, she simply took their orders and retreated to the kitchen. Alyx wondered if she’d been scolded for spending too much time talking and neglecting other tables.
“So, where were we?” She joked as the silence stretched on even now that they did not have menus to hide behind. Larry shifted in his seat, slouching down, his legs spread in a rather macho pose. He cleared his throat and Alyx watched his face carefully for some sign of what was about to happen.
“Right. Well, I wanted to ask you something, really. It may seem a bit – unorthodox.” He replied, and Alyx arched a slender blonde eyebrow at him in curiosity. “I’m not really much for taking the long way around an issue…”
“Usually, no you’re not. This time, however I believe we’ve circled it two or three times, at least.” She laughed, noting the skin in his cheeks as it grew pink.
“Well, I guess what I wanted to ask is sort of like – a partnership. I want to skip the flirting and dating and stupid games that people usually play and just be honest and straightforward about things.”
“I’m not sure what you’re getting at…”
“I’m asking if you would want to be my partner, in… you know… To make a home, a family together. Not right off, of course, but if you know now you wouldn’t want that then there’s no sense in really pursuing this… attraction between us.”
“Larry?”
“What?”
“That has got to be the most frightening, unromantic thing I’ve ever heard.” Alyx said, watching Larry’s expressive mouth pucker into a worried pout. She laughed out loud, having to lay her head on her arms, folded on the tabletop. Her shoulders shook. The entire table, in fact, shook with her laughter. She heard him slide out of his seat and hurried to catch him, reaching out to grab his wrist before he’d stepped away from the booth.
He turned back to scowl at her, his stormy gray eyes betraying his wounded pride. He tried to make it an impersonal contract, but nothing could ever be more personal than the things he’d told her in the process. Her laughter was a hurtful reaction, and his defenses had gone up to keep him from any further insult. He was, however, completely unprepared for what she did next.
She leaned in and caught his mouth with her own, kissing him as she had been wanting to since the first time she saw him. She pulled back slightly to exhale, a murmur of pleasure on her tongue as she advanced again, tasting his full lipped smile again. She gasped slightly when he reciprocated, opening his mouth this time; his tongue lapping out at her lips and begging entrance.
His hands found her hips and held her firmly as he aligned his own to them, their chests brushing teasingly. It was the surprisingly bold thrust of his tongue past her slightly parted lips which stole away all control over the kiss she had initiated. As well as Alyx’s ability to breathe or think or anything but be swept away on a flood of desire.
When he pulled away and returned to his seat, he left Alyx dazed and breathing heavy beside the table. It was his satisfied smirk which brought her mind back to the reality of who and where they were. She could feel her face burning and knew her pale skin must’ve turned bright red. This of course, only served to make her blush even more. She slid back into her seat, keeping her head down to avoid the way the other customers in the restaurant were looking at them.
It was at that exact moment that their waitress returned with their plates. Alyx doubted anyone had ever been quite so happy to see their waitress. She provided a few moments distraction, at least, in which Alyx could make some attempt at gathering her wits.
“I didn’t say I wasn’t … interested in what you were asking. Just that it was a rather strange way of going about it.” She finally said, pushing her salad around with her fork. She had lost any desire she might’ve had to eat. Her stomach was twisted up like a balloon animal. She glanced up at him and he flashed her a cocky smile. He might as well have said ‘Oh, you want me and you know it!’
“I don’t entirely object to what you’re trying to do, making things more clear and stripping away the stupid little games and that. I… I don’t know what to say, Larry. Until four minutes ago I didn’t know you had any interest in me, really. How do I go from that to saying ‘yeah, sure, let’s buy a house and start having kids’?”
“I’m not saying we should do that stuff right now. I’m just… I wanted you to know that what I want, someday. I’m not just looking for someone to pass the time with until something else comes along, or just someone to keep me warm at night. I want to be with someone I can trust with that sort of thing, though. Someone I can see being with ten years from now. It’s not romantic, but it’s honest at least.”
“You really think we could have something like that? I mean, there’s so much we don’t know about each other.”
“I’m not asking you to sign a lifetime contract.” Larry chuckled.
“Coulda fooled me.” Alyx laughed in response.
“What do you want, Alyx? What do you want right now?”
“I want…” Alyx replied, sighing deeply as she considered the question. “…I want to paint your portrait.” She told him finally, and he smiled at her.
“Alright. But just for you, not for an exhibition or something like that, ok?”
“Alright. And what about you? What do you want right now?”
“I want to kiss you again.” He told her, those smoky blue-gray eyes catching hers across the table and holding them. Her heart skipped a beat and her skin tingled in excitement at his words.
“Alright.” She replied, her voice a raspy whisper, her throat growing dry.
“Later.” He added, smiling impishly at her. “When there aren’t so many people looking at us.”
*****************************************************************************
She wasn’t sure what she had expected it to be like, kissing Larry. The truth of it was, she had never really allowed her imagination to get that far. She’d spent a great deal of concentration on memorizing his features; had wondered many times about how his skin would taste to her kisses. She had never dared imagine him wanting to kiss her.
The aggression in his kiss had taken her so completely by surprise that she felt almost as if she were seeing him for the very first time. Not just in that first kiss, either. Once they were in the cab on the way back to the hotel, he’d kissed her again. He’d kissed her until her lips were swollen and red, her breathing deep and ragged. Again and again his tongue had lain claim to her mouth; tracing her lips sometimes and tasting every curve and angle inside; sliding against her own tongue in a dance which sometimes more resembled a battle for dominance.
Passion. She’d seen it in his face when he was at the drumkit. She’d suspected it lay within him, a sleeping cat which it was potentially dangerous to waken. Now she had tasted it, been attacked by it and knew it was more than she had ever expected. It was overwhelming and addictive, and she felt a strong possessiveness. It was his secret, and now it was hers as well. No one else ever needed to know about this facet of Larry. Her Larry.
She scolded herself internally for this urge. She knew jealousy was dangerous, and it was far too early to be so possessive. She was still afraid this was something which would fade quickly the nearer she drew to it. She thought it might be far worse to know him this way and to lose it than to never have felt his touch.
Again in the lift, he’d kissed her. She’d stolen a peek at herself in the mirrors which lined the walls, her short blonde hair was mussed as if she were just getting out of bed, her lips red and puffy. She looked thoroughly seduced, she thought with a smile. It was true; and he knew it. He liked the power he’d discovered, too. He smiled at her smugly, knowingly. Desire was a powerful thing, and he wielded it over her without hesitation.
She didn’t like the feeling entirely. She’d never been the sort to give power over herself to another person. She panicked when she felt herself losing control. There was a promise in his eyes, though. Without words he told her that she could trust him; he would not hurt her. She was more tempted to believe that of him than she had been to trust anyone since she was a child.
They’d spent the entire afternoon together, sitting first in her hotel room and then in his when Holly wanted to get ready for her date. In her room, it had been much the same as the night before, with him seated in the chair and her on the bed. They talked about a lot of different things, all the while Alyx wishing he would come over next to her on the bed and kiss her again.
In his room, he had unzipped the sleeping bag he used at night and invited her to sit on the bed beside him. This was after explaining the need for the sleeping bag, at her request. She laughed and told him she didn’t think she’d be able to sleep in her own bed, now, without feeling a bit dirty.
They’d fallen into a rhythm, well before they were settled in Larry’s room, of question and answer. Nothing seemed to be off limits, though each of them remained cautious about the subjects they brought up.
Finally, Alyx asked him something she’d thought of the very first time they’d met.
“Who gave you those sad eyes?” She asked, the words spilling out of her mouth before she thought better of it. Larry’s eyes darkened, looking less like sterling silver and more like rain cloud gray. For a moment, she thought he was going to refuse to answer. She wouldn’t have blamed him, it was a personal question, and she’d only known him a couple of months.
Of course, he was the one who had asked her if she wanted to marry him and bear his children over lunch. She reminded herself, smiling at the bizarre nature of their friendship. With a sigh, Larry stretched out on the bed beside her, folding his hands behind his head and staring up at the ceiling.
“I suppose it was when my sister died, and then my mum as well.” He told her matter-of-factly. Alyx felt her blood run cold, her eyes widening in shock and her heart aching for the little boy who had become too familiar with such loss.
“I’m so sorry, Larry. I … I didn’t realize… Bono talks about losing his mum, but I never knew…” Alyx stammered, sitting straight up to look at him lying there. His eyes were still fixed on the ceiling.
“I don’t like to talk about it. Doesn’t do any good, does it?” He replied, a sharp edge to his voice. The subject was a wound in his soul, still raw and painful to the touch. “She helped us get the band underway. Without her, I don’t know that we could’ve gotten off to the start we did.” He added, bringing the subject back around to more familiar territory. The band was safe to discuss. Alyx got the picture clearly. His family was still off limits.
“I’m very grateful to her for more than one thing, then.” Alyx told him gently, her green eyes finally catching his attention. He smiled sadly at her, accepting her compliment silently.
“Is it my turn?” Larry asked, rolling onto his side and propping himself up on one elbow. Alyx mirrored his pose, her body running parallel to his on the bed, leaving nine or ten inches of space between them. She nodded in agreement, and Larry’s hand slid smoothly over her hip and under the bottom of her shirt to stroke the ultra soft skin on her side.
“What was it you needed protection from so badly that you got that tattoo?” He asked, his eyes shining silver again, interest gleaming in the failing evening light.
“Ah.” Alyx muttered, her eyes breaking away from his and falling to study the sleeping bag beneath them. “Alright.” She sighed deeply, steeling herself for the emotions the memory always evoked and for the reaction it would elicit from him. She turned and sat on her side of the bed, her legs over the side, her back half turned to him.
“You know I lived in Ballymun. In the towers.” She started, and he nodded for her to continue. “By the time we’d moved in, it was already apparent that they weren’t the glorious living conditions so many thought they were going to be when they were first built. The police were loath to come out to the towers for anything, there was so much trouble there that they were overwhelmed in the face of it.”
“I did my best to make it home before dark. I tried to stay in groups of people, all of the things which are supposed to help you stay safe. The neighbors knew my father’s temper, too. That helped keep away some of the bullies. One night, though, my brother was with a bunch of boys my father didn’t like, having a grand old time of it. He lost track of time, and I went to get him before my father got home.”
“Because they were drinking, some of the boys who would have been afraid of my father normally did not consider him enough of a threat. They used to say things to me, rude things, but none of them had ever dared lay a hand on me.” Alyx’s voice broke and she cleared her throat, shifting her weight nervously. Larry frowned, fear wrapping around his heart. In many ways, he wanted to tell her to stop. He didn’t want to hear this. But she had lived it, and he wanted to know who she was. So, he remained silent and listened.
“There were several of them. I don’t remember every one. I remember mostly their hands, grabbing at me. Holding me, touching me… I fought. I bit and kicked and scratched. It was my brother who managed to get me away from them, though. His temper was nearly as bad as the old mans. Those boys looked a bit like a pack of whipped dogs as he led me out the door.” She chuckled sadly here, remembering the moment vividly.
“We got home right after my father. He saw the state I was in – my shirt was torn open and my eyes were swollen from crying. I was only fourteen, at the time. He demanded to know what had happened and who was responsible. First he fought with my brother. Jimmy didn’t want to tell him who it was, he still thought of them as his friends. Besides that, he said – and I’ll never forget this – he said it wasn’t their fault. He pointed at me and said ‘look at her, Da! She doesn’t look like a little girl!’.”
Alyx absently wiped away a tear as it spilled over her long eyelashes.
“It was my fault. I dressed the wrong way, wore my hair long, looked them straight in the eye rather than playing coy – I was asking for it.” She summarized bitterly. “I was fortunate all I got was felt up, and not completely ravaged. After all – look at me.”
“Alyx –“ Larry started to reach out to her but she waved him off. She didn’t need him to tell her it wasn’t true. She’d been told that, and had realized it a long time ago. She was simply reliving the moment so that he understood.
“Eventually, I couldn’t take them yelling at each other, saying shite about me as if I weren’t even there. I told da the names of the boys I knew for sure. I didn’t know – maybe I should have – but at that moment I thought I could make it stop by telling him. I didn’t think it through to it’s potential conclusion.” Alyx sighed deeply and lay back against the pillows, staring at the ceiling.
“My father was a big man with a bigger temper. He beat two of them to death. A third was scarred severely. He was never the same. My father went to prison, where he was eventually killed. He never knew when to back down from a fight. My mother was already a drunk, but she was completely lost to us after that. Both she and Jimmy made it perfectly clear to me that it was all my fault.”
“So, I guess I needed protection from everyone. The people I lived around, my family, and even myself.” She concluded, looking over at Larry. The sympathy in his eyes hit her like a punch to the gut. She felt her lip quiver and fought back unwelcome tears. She’d promised herself a long time ago she would never cry over this again. It was over and done.
“That’s why you try and hide how beautiful you are.” He said, not asking a question at all but stating it as a realization. He reached out and stroked her cheek gently, the pad of his thumb wiping away the defiant tear which had managed to escape.
“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” She laughed dryly, sniffling slightly.
“You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever known.” He told her gently, brushing a whispery kiss over her lips. He was trembling, she realized with a start. He was still as much a boy as he was a man. He was as overwhelmed by this connection between them as she was. She slid down a bit to rest her head against his chest, her palm over his heart, feeling it’s strong, steady rhythm.
“I’ve never told anyone that before.” She told him.
“Thank you.” He told her, his arms wrapped around her protectively. “I’m glad to be the person you could tell that.” There was a long period of silence and Alyx found herself nearly lulled to sleep by the soothing rhythm of his heartbeat.
“It’s your turn.” He told her eventually, and she drew a deep breath and considered what to ask him. She wasn’t sure either of them was ready for anymore deep revelations. Something light hearted was in order. Something which would change the mood.
“Are you a virgin?” she asked, propping herself up on her elbow so she could see his reaction. She watched his eyes darken and his brow furrow, his lips parting in offense. She had to fight the urge to giggle.
“Am I…? No! Why would you even ask me that?” He demanded, and she did giggle.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t realize I was in the presence of such an experienced man.” She teased. “A regular Don Juan, are you, then?”
“I didn’t say that.” He told her, scowling at her teasing. He looked young when he pouted, but he was so terribly cute that she could not help but grin. “And what about you?”
“Me? No, I’m not a virgin. Does that surprise you? Disappoint you?” She asked, growing more serious.
“No.” he told her honestly. “I didn’t suspect you were. Of course, I didn’t think you would suspect I was, either.” He complained, making her choke back another round of giggles.
“So how many young women have known the love of Larry Mullen, Jr.?” She asked, tilting her head to one side and batting her eyelashes at him coyly.
“Just one.” He told her warily. “And in case you’re thinking of asking, yes, it was more than just once.” She burst into laughter at the defensive way he addressed her. She hadn’t meant to insult his manhood, but apparently she had.
“And what about you, then? Since you started asking.” He said, taking the offensive now.
“Me? I’ve never been with any young women, meself. I’m surprised and offended you would ask.” She replied smartly, receiving a smack in the head with a pillow.
“You know that wasn’t what I was asking.”
“Three. Alright? I’ve had three boyfriends in my life who I … have known.” He smiled at her, and she sighed with relief. She had been afraid he would think less of her. “Hmm. What to ask?” she said playfully, rolling over onto her belly, their sides touching. He was still on his back and this way they could comfortably look into each other’s eyes.
“Can I see your tattoos?” He asked suddenly, taking her by surprise.
“It’s not your turn.” She replied with a smile, but she nodded in agreement, sitting up and turning away. As she lifted her shirt off her shoulders, her heart began to race and her entire body was suddenly alive and aware of their proximity. Her hands were shaking as she reached behind her back to release the clasp on her bra. She could feel his eyes on her, studying her exposed skin. She licked dry lips, but her mouth had gone dry as well. She covered her breasts with her arms as she moved to lie face down on the bed, suddenly feeling the need to be modest.
His fingers were tracing the pattern of the first tattoo even before she had come to rest on the bed, a pillow obscuring her breasts, her chin resting on her folded hands. She let her eyes drift shut as she concentrated on the feeling of his hands on her back. The second tattoo was much lower, near the waistline of her jeans, and it tickled when he traced it. He felt her flinch and bent to kiss her skin. She whimpered at the feeling of his breath, her back arching instinctively.
He ran the palm of his hand along her spine and felt her shiver, smiling to himself in satisfaction. He kissed her again, in the small of her back. Then he took the time to trace the lines of her tattoo with the tip of his tongue, making her start to squirm underneath him. He straddled her legs, pinning her to the bed, his hands against her shoulders as he traced the other tattoo with kisses.
She arched her back, her shoulders straining against his firm grasp, her backside pushing up against his groin. He moaned and instinctively pressed back. She was not fighting him, not afraid in the least, all movement were instinctive and without thought. There was no room for thought, no need. They just needed to follow the desire, it would lead the way.
Larry’s hands slipped down from her shoulders and slid under her to cover her breasts, squeezing gently as he leaned down to close his mouth over the soft skin on the back of her neck. Alyx cried out, gasping and panting as she tried to turn over. Larry leaned slightly to one side and kissed her as she pushed herself as far back off the bed as she could with his weight still on her legs. Their mouths meshed deeply. Their teeth and tongues and lips wrestled for dominance, in a series of hot, wet, deep kisses.
They barely heard the sound of the door swinging open over the noise of their own heavy breathing and racing hearts. They did, however, hear Bono’s voice quite clearly.
“Oh, fuck!” He exclaimed, laughing out loud in surprise. Alyx squeaked in dismay, falling back against the bed covers and using them to cover her naked chest.
“Uh… Sorry.” Bono said, laughter still apparent in his voice. Despite the awkward situation, Bono did not simply step back out, closing the door and leaving the amorous couple to continue their pursuit. He held one hand up by his eyes as a blinder and plunged into the room, riffling through one of his open suitcases.
“Get the fuck out of here!” Larry demanded indignantly.
“I will, I will!” Bono replied, still searching. “Ah-ha!” He exclaimed, finding whatever it was he’d come to the room in search of. He held his hand up once again and headed for the door. “Sorry for the interruption.” He told them as he opened the door and stepped out into the hall. Just before the door shut, he poked his head back inside the room and added, “Oh, and Lar? It’s about fucking time!”
“Fuck off!” Larry screamed, picking up the closest thing he could get his hands on (his shoe, as it turned out) and throwing it at the door. It made a satisfying thump as it hit, and another as it bounced to the floor. He could feel Alyx’s body shake with laughter and both of them knew the moment had passed. He sighed and crawled over onto the other side of the bed again, and she rolled over, her arm draped over her full breasts as she smiled up at him.
“I really hate him sometimes.” He told her, but his smile betrayed his true feelings. Alyx laughed lightly, taking a moment to study him from this angle. He was more beautiful than ever, she thought, with his hair mussed up and his lips kiss swollen. Finally she sighed and sat up, slipping her shirt back on.
“I’ll be right back.” She told him, kissing him gently before slipping out of the room to retrieve her sketch pad and pencils.
at Bono walking in and his comment
In fact, you just letting me know that made me feel a lot better. 
