Danger Days; the True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys.

I slipped into the clothes Party had left out for me. My hair reaching my shoulders in it’s wet state, sure to go crazy again once it was dry. I bundled my clothes up, eager to clean them, and threw them in the hamper he had instructed me on doing. I cleaned up my mess before leaving the bathroom, and rejoining the guys. I earned four gleaming smiles when I approached them, sitting down in between Fun and Jet, each who offered me a white can of food, the Better Living logo on the front. I looked at the name in disgust before I finally took one of the cans, shoveling it into my mouth. I had been concentrating so hard on my food that I didn’t notice they boys had been talking.

“Sleeping arrangements,” Kobra said. I’m sure there were more words, like a proper sentence before that, but I didn’t catch it.

“I’m willing to give up my bed,” Party said, looking at me, and I shook my head.

“This is what I didn’t want. I’m sure you have a sofa or something…” I said, strongly against the thought of taking somebody’s bed away from them.

“We do have a sofa, which I will be sleeping on tonight,” Party insisted, and I groaned in disagreement.

“Why don’t you two just share it,” Jet interrupted, a smirk growing on his face.

“I’ll share with her,” Fun said, raising his hand, causing everybody to look at him.

“I’ll give my bed up, share it, it really doesn’t matter to me,” Party said, taking the conversation back to where it had originally been, and everybody’s eyes seemed to land on me, causing me to look fearfully at the four.

“It-it doesn’t matter to me,” I hesitated, the smirk growing on Jet’s face.

“So it’s settled,” he sung out, “you two are sleeping together,” he kept on, and I wanted to fall onto the floor and suddenly die. I didn’t even see why it had been a big issue if I’d take the couch or not. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I was far from being ungrateful about the four doing all of this for me. I just didn’t want to be a burden. Even though my mind kept telling me that, these guys insisted everything was perfectly fine, and they wanted me here. They were my friends. I smiled at the thought of having somebody there, now.

“Watcha’ smiling at,” Kobra asked, pulling me from my thoughts. I looked up at him, to see that once again, everybody’s eyes had managed to fall on me.

“I’m just happy, you know? To have friends now. I’m not walking along a road, slowly dying, having to watch my back all the time,” I answered, and Jet looked at me slyly.

“Are you sure it’s not because you’re going to be sharing a be-“

“Will you shut up with that,” Party interrupted him, causing the group to laugh.

“Why did you have to watch your back,” Kobra asked, and I shrugged.

“I’m not exactly sure. All I know is my mom said I have to run from BL, I’m never supposed to let them catch me,” I said, swallowing hard. They all exchanged a look. The same look. Like they knew something I didn’t. Party looked like he was about to say something, opening his mouth slightly, before closing it, and shaking his head.

“I’m going to go pass out, guys. I’ll leave you some room, Sunshine,” he said, getting up and leaving the table, disappearing into his room. I gave a questioning look to each of the guys, sensing that it had just gotten awkward in the room.

“Yeah, I think I’m going to go to bed, too. Long day,” Jet said, getting up, and retreating to wherever his room had been.

“I’m going to third that,” Kobra said, standing up, and throwing his can away before going in a different direction. I watched as he left, leaving me alone with Fun, who was the last person that my gaze fell on.

“Something’s going on, and I have no clue what it is,” I stated, and he situated himself into the booth so that he was directly across from me, leaning in a little, his voice going down.

“Do you know anything about BL? Who runs it? Anything?” he asked, and I shook my head, and a frown tugged at his lips, “Well, there’s a lot of things, I’m sure we’ll fill you in on, soon. But…you play a pretty big role in all of this,” he said, before getting up, starting to walk away. He turned back at me, giving me a smirk, “Goodnight,” He said, walking away. I huffed and slumped down into my seat. I was hopelessly confused, and thought somebody in this building was able to explain it to me, I’d have to wait for later.

I decided it would be best to get up, cleaning up the leftover mess, and find my way into Party’s room. The light was on, I saw as I entered, and his bed was emptied. My eyes darted to the desk, where he was doing something. I assumed from all of the pictures that maybe he was drawing. I sat down on his mattress, hugging my knees to my chest, and rested my chin on my knees.

“You have amazing talent,” I told him, and he looked back at me, a smile on his face.

“thanks,” he said, “I’m almost done, I won’t have this light on long,” he informed me, turning back to his desk.

“I…um….thank you,” was all I managed to get out.

“For what,” he asked, intrigued.

“Letting me stay here,” I told him, rocking back and forth.

“Really, it’s not as big of an issue as you’re making it out to seem,” he assured me, and I smiled into my knees.

“If you’re sure,” I told him, getting under the covers closest to the wall, huddling up in the blanket. I heard the creak of his chair as he stood up, and turned off the lamp. I listened to his footsteps as he made his way over to the mattress, getting under the covers, and facing me.

“I’m sure, Sunshine,” he assured me again, and I was happy that he wasn’t able to see the blush that managed to creep it’s way onto my face, “now, a few warnings. I have a tendency to cuddle. I think I snore, too, but if that’s true, it’s most likely cute,” he informed me, and a giggle escaped my lips.

“I don’t mind,” I told him, a smile playing on my lips .

“So,” he said, his voice going near a whisper, “tell me about your mom,” he said, and I wasn’t sure if I wanted to answer him or not, but if he knew something that I didn’t about myself, then what was the harm of telling him about what happened.

“Better Lives happened,” I informed him, “they took her away.”

“But I mean, why,” he asked, not quite getting it, “what was their reason?” he said, his voice going back to normal.

“She tried to hold them off, yelling at me to run and to never let BL find me. I think I’ve been doing a good job of that for the past 7 or so years,” I was proud of myself, I admit, “I think most of my drive is because my mom risked her life so I could live mine. I don’t give up because, she could be dead, and if so, it was to save my life,” I finished, and he was quite for a second.

“You know nothing of Better Lives?” he asked, and I shook my head slightly.

“I know they’re huge,” I stated, earning a small chuckle from Party.

“One last question,” he said, situating himself so he was comfortable.

“Yeah,” I asked, still looking at him as my eyes had adjusted in the dark.

“Do you happen to have a mark on your forearm,” he asked, and I swallowed hard. I nodded, and I guessed his eyes had also adjusted to the dark, as he replied.

“A circle over a horizontal line?” He continued the question, causing me to nod again, “Alright. Well, I think it’d be best if we both got some sleep,” he said, and I was unable to do anything but nod. I turned over, facing the wall again, happily resting my head against the comfort of one of Party’s pillows. It didn’t take long until I was passed out.

<<^v^v^v^>>

I woke up with Party’s arm snaked around my waist, his head nuzzled into my neck as he lay behind me. I didn’t know if I wanted to wake him up, getting out of this position, or just let him sleep. Though I couldn’t really see him, he seemed peaceful, something I didn’t want to disturb. I closed my eyes, resting a bit until he got up. I hadn’t been ready to get out of bed in the first place. It wasn’t long until he started shuffling around, and the bed squeaked as he got up, and I listened as the door opened and closed. I turned around, looking at the door, wondering if I should go out or not.

Daylight started pouring in faintly, not that I particularly cared if it came through. I’ve had enough sun for my lifetime, trust me on the that. Disregarding the light, it was my stomach that drug me out of bed, and to where Party and Kobra were in the kitchen talking. I walked in, yawning, not caring to sit and listen to what they had been talking about.

“Whatever he says is a lie,” I said as I started rummaging through things, trying to find something to eat.

“He didn’t say anything, but do tell me, what happened,” he asked, his blonde hair sticking to his face.

“I woke up to him spooning me hardcore,” I answered, finding a white can full of food laying around. I shrugged as I decided it was good enough, and started looking around for a spoon. I heard Kobra start to laugh, and looked back to see Party blushing. After finding a spoon, I propped myself up on a counter, starting to eat, “I mean, I didn’t mind. He smells nice,” I continued, watching as his face darkened a little bit with the crimson color.

“I’m going to go take a shower,” he said shortly, hauling ass, and nearly falling on his face as he left the kitchen, leaving Kobra to look at me.

“So did he tell you anything last night?” he asked, and I shook my head.

“No, but I’m really curious, and I think it would be cool if somebody would fucking tell me what was going on,” I said, a little upset at this information being held from me since apparently, it had to do with me.

“Alright, fair enough,” he said, pushing himself onto the counter next to me, “Obviously, you know about Better Lives Industry,” he said, and I nodded as I ate, “The Exterminator, CEO, basically, of BL, wants to change the world. There’s one key to do that,” he said, holding up his index finger. When I still didn’t get it, he used that index finger, placing the tip on my chest, “you’re they key,” he stated, and my eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

“I don’t get it. How would I be the key for somebody, as high up as he is, to change the world? I’m sure he could do it on his own. He’s the reason I’ve been running this whole time,” I said, realization slapping me in the face with a sock of bricks.

“That’s where it gets complicated. We don’t know, and we’re still trying to figure out,” he informed me, and I looked at him, again with a questioning look.

“So, I’m what you guys have been looking for,” I asked, trying to make sense of what he was telling me, and he nodded.

“Yeah. We’ve been referring to you as ‘the Key’, but now that we know you’re name, that makes it a lot easier,” he said, smiling, and a sudden horrifying thought hit me.

“Wait, so…are you going to turn me in to him,” I asked, ready to bolt if needed, and a laugh erupted from his lips. All he could do was sit there, shaking his head as he tried to regain composure.

“Hell no,” he finally said, wiping the tears from his eyes, “We’re here to make sure he doesn’t get to you at all costs,” he said, and my heart rate slowed down a little, “we’re the good guys,” he assured me, and I let out a sigh of relief, resting my head on his shoulder.

“How were you guys so sure you’d find me,” I asked, and I could feel him shrug.

“We knew that we had to find you before the Draculoids did, or we’d all be fucked,” he said, and I looked at him.

“Do you guys know what he plans on doing?” I asked, and he chuckled as he shook his head.

“You ask to many questions. I feel like I’m back in high school,” he said, hopping off the counter, “You’ll begin to understand everything soon, we’ll all be sure of that, but until then, calm down, and be patient. Now that we have you, we need to figure out exactly how we’re going to keep you from BL. You were doing fine before, but if you went beyond Battery City, you’d basically run right into their palms,” he said, and my shoulders slumped at the thought of that. Of the thought of not meeting this four amazing guys.

“I’m just curious,” I defended lightly, earning a smile from Kobra.

“Obviously,” he said, and the kitchen door swung open, Fun walking in, a smirk on his face.

“What are we talking about,” he asked, instantly joining in the conversation.

“I was trying to fill her in about Better Lives,” Kobra said, and Fun nodded his head, looking up at me.

“Whatever you do, don’t believe anything anybody tells you, unless it’s us,” he said, “that’s one of the biggest pieces of advice we can give to you. We’ve been looking for you as soon as we heard that there was a key; you. We don’t think he’s what he seems to other people,” he told me, and I nodded my head in understanding.

“We, as in you four,” I asked, and he smirked.

“Yeah, us four – five now – the Killjoys. It’s what BL knows us as,” he said, now rummaging through the kitchen, and I handed out my barely touched can, which he took thankfully.

“So the Exterminator knows about you?” I asked, and he looked up at me.

“Yes, he knows about us. He fucking hates our guts. We’d be dead if he wasn’t trying to hold his reputation,” he said. I was sure he almost accidentally at the can along with the food inside of it.

“If we were dead, you wouldn’t be alive much longer,” Kobra said, and I sat there, staring at the floor, unsure of what to say.

©Shannon.

Notes