devouredlamb

[devouredlamb]

josh yawned, letting his eyes finally open to look back at dakota. it was only when he realised that he wasn't exactly decent that josh let his lids close over again, " you stay, " he mumbled sleepily. colby could go with jude, that would be fine, but there was no way he'd agree to dakota, riley or kieran heading out with them. the cult may not have cared for the boys leaving, but they'd certainly leap at the opportunity to drag the three of them back, kicking and screaming. josh patted the bed beside him, " lie with me? "

he nodded his head, wiping his hands down his face before moving towards the bed, collapsing against that instead. he let his eyes close, not entirely thinking about keeping himself awake. josh drifted off pretty easy, only waking when he heard the bathroom door opened and close again. he rolled onto his back and blinked, " you done? " he mumbled sleepily without opening his eyes.

[devouredlamb]

the group weren't all that receptive to his greeting but he didn't exactly care, he'd already picked his lamb and that was all he was interested in. " hey, don't worry about it, " he waved his hand, " c'mon, I'll get you a drink. you want a beer? " he moved away, figuring dakota would follow if nobody else. " you guys on a road trip or something? "

he chuckled, nodding his head, " not smug, happy, " he hummed softly, " hoped you'd take me up on the offer, is all. " isaiah's gaze lifted, looking around the small group standing a little distance away, one paying much more close attention than the others. he moved towards them, " what's up? I'm isaiah, " he greeted casually, eyes glinting with amusement for some unspoken joke they'd never hear, " help yourself to whatever, we're all real friendly. "

[devouredlamb]

maybe he should have been less obvious, they were going to have to get used to seeing each other like this, but growing up where they did meant this wasn't exactly the typical attire that he was used to seeing kieran in. ash's brows jumped at her question, a laugh fleeing his lips as he shook his head, " you're so beautiful, " he muttered, pushing himself up to move towards the bathroom, " and I should give you some privacy. "

ash flipped through the channels on the tv, almost expecting to see their pictures on a news channel, but he knew the cult weren't that dumb. drawing attention to missing people only invited people to look into what was going on behind their closed doors and brian would never allow that. he fought the urge to fall asleep, wanting to at least be clean before that happened. he glanced up when the bathroom door opened and kieran padded out into the room. his lips parted as he looked her over, although he was trying not to stare too much. it wasn't as if he'd ever really seen her in this little coverings, " damn. "

[devouredlamb]

" aren't you? " he wondered, brow perking. he didn't know riley all that well, but what he did know of her, she was something of a wild card. she was adorable, stunning, really, and small, often underestimated. he wouldn't be that reckless. jude nodded, holding open the door for riley and leading her towards the rooms everybody had disappeared into, " uh, matteo's in there with kieran and ash, josh is in there with colby and dakota. dealers choice. "

" what? because you're little, you get to be the little spoon? " jude taunted, nudging riley in the side, " I'm not stupid enough to try and cuddle you, you could easily beat my ass, so you'll have to put the spoon moves on me. " he was mostly kidding, he wasn't totally afraid of any of the shelbys, mostly because they were loyal to one another and colby, at least, liked jude plenty. they climbed into the van and set off, jude didn't even really remember drifting off until he woke up to the movement of the others climbing out of the van. he glanced to his shoulder, riley's head resting against it. he gave a small smile, then gently shook her awake, " come on, you need a real bed. "

[devouredlamb]

she nodded, twisting her hands around one another, a bundle of nerves as ever, before looking back over her shoulder. " yeah, I -- you know, we're just a little wary, it's still the midwest, s'pretty rough back home for us, we're a diverse group. " matteo straightened up, " come on, I'll introduce you. " she walked back to the group, josh and ash looked pissed off, if nothing else. jude and colby managed to look at least more neutral. " this is salem, " matteo introduced, " salem, this is joshua, colby and riley, jude, ash and my sister, kieran. "

it took some time to convince the others to head to a party, they'd all slept for some time and had bathed and felt a little more human, but the idea of letting their guard down this soon when they weren't so far from home was a hard sell. matteo had pointed out that there'd at least be food and it seemed as if dakota had met a guy too, someone who'd only reiterated that point. she was certain it was that reason, and that reason alone, they found themselves heading down to the bonfire. she climbed out of the car and looked around, lingering close to riley and dakota as they approached the group. matteo paused when she saw salem, giving a faint smile and a wave, " I'll say hi then, " she muttered, slipping from the group despite josh's immediate grunt.

[devouredlamb]

he nodded his head, wiping his hands down his face before moving towards the bed, collapsing against that instead. he let his eyes close, not entirely thinking about keeping himself awake. josh drifted off pretty easy, only waking when he heard the bathroom door opened and close again. he rolled onto his back and blinked, " you done? " he mumbled sleepily without opening his eyes.

josh watched as dakota stripped out of his shirt, watched how his ribs pushed up under his skin and the muscles in his arms and back flexed before relaxing. he didn't mean to linger there, but he really did love dakota's body. josh forced himself to look away and nodded, " yeah, I am, we needed to get you out of there, riley and kieran too. "

[devouredlamb]

he chuckled, nodding his head, " not smug, happy, " he hummed softly, " hoped you'd take me up on the offer, is all. " isaiah's gaze lifted, looking around the small group standing a little distance away, one paying much more close attention than the others. he moved towards them, " what's up? I'm isaiah, " he greeted casually, eyes glinting with amusement for some unspoken joke they'd never hear, " help yourself to whatever, we're all real friendly. "

he nodded his head, looking him up and down shamelessly before grinning, stepping around dakota to head back towards his car. " hope I see you there, dakota, " isaiah winked, turning to climb into the truck and head off. he wasn't sure if the other was going to take him up on it, but salem was fairly confident about his own catch and he sincerely doubted a bunch of guys would let a girl come alone. he rested up against his truck door, talking to one of his friends when he glanced over his shoulder, lips twitching ever so slightly as he tried to avoid looking too smug, " you came. "

[devouredlamb]

ash flipped through the channels on the tv, almost expecting to see their pictures on a news channel, but he knew the cult weren't that dumb. drawing attention to missing people only invited people to look into what was going on behind their closed doors and brian would never allow that. he fought the urge to fall asleep, wanting to at least be clean before that happened. he glanced up when the bathroom door opened and kieran padded out into the room. his lips parted as he looked her over, although he was trying not to stare too much. it wasn't as if he'd ever really seen her in this little coverings, " damn. "

ash tipped his head to the side, " can't blame her, " he muttered. josh wasn't exactly his friend. they got along fine but there were other shelbys that ash much preferred. maybe josh's behaviour was something of a mirror for ash, but either way, they didn't often see eye to eye. he smiled back at kieran, " I'll be here. "

[devouredlamb]

" what? because you're little, you get to be the little spoon? " jude taunted, nudging riley in the side, " I'm not stupid enough to try and cuddle you, you could easily beat my ass, so you'll have to put the spoon moves on me. " he was mostly kidding, he wasn't totally afraid of any of the shelbys, mostly because they were loyal to one another and colby, at least, liked jude plenty. they climbed into the van and set off, jude didn't even really remember drifting off until he woke up to the movement of the others climbing out of the van. he glanced to his shoulder, riley's head resting against it. he gave a small smile, then gently shook her awake, " come on, you need a real bed. "

" I actually think you're the most important thing he has to worry about, " he pushed himself up, brushing off his own pants and made his way towards the van. " hey, that's not my argument, if we're sharing, you'll just have to spoon me, short stack. " he was half kidding, jude would obviously give up the bed if it came to it.

[devouredlamb]

it took some time to convince the others to head to a party, they'd all slept for some time and had bathed and felt a little more human, but the idea of letting their guard down this soon when they weren't so far from home was a hard sell. matteo had pointed out that there'd at least be food and it seemed as if dakota had met a guy too, someone who'd only reiterated that point. she was certain it was that reason, and that reason alone, they found themselves heading down to the bonfire. she climbed out of the car and looked around, lingering close to riley and dakota as they approached the group. matteo paused when she saw salem, giving a faint smile and a wave, " I'll say hi then, " she muttered, slipping from the group despite josh's immediate grunt.

matteo sighed softly, she didn't mean to do that so obvioulsy but he really was pretty. she turned away from the man, however, at the sound of her name. " okay, " she hummed, " maybe I'll see you, salem. " she started to move back towards josh, glancing back at the other over her shoulder. the promise of food may ahve been enouigh to win the others over.

[devouredlamb]

ash tipped his head to the side, " can't blame her, " he muttered. josh wasn't exactly his friend. they got along fine but there were other shelbys that ash much preferred. maybe josh's behaviour was something of a mirror for ash, but either way, they didn't often see eye to eye. he smiled back at kieran, " I'll be here. "

ash chuckled, shrugging a shoulder, " thought she might wanna cuddle up to you versus josh, but hey, what do I know? " his lips twitched. he figured the shelbys would all stick together, and maybe dakota would get somewhere in there, which left them in a room together. but ash was no longer confident, matteo and dakota were getting closer these days.

[devouredlamb]

josh watched as dakota stripped out of his shirt, watched how his ribs pushed up under his skin and the muscles in his arms and back flexed before relaxing. he didn't mean to linger there, but he really did love dakota's body. josh forced himself to look away and nodded, " yeah, I am, we needed to get you out of there, riley and kieran too. "

josh made his way into the room and took a seat on the chair, rubbing at his eyes, " you can take a shower first, " he murmured, stretching out his legs and slipping down the chair, heavy eyes. he glanced towards dakota, giving a small smile, " you're feeling okay, right? about the choice? "

[devouredlamb]

he nodded his head, looking him up and down shamelessly before grinning, stepping around dakota to head back towards his car. " hope I see you there, dakota, " isaiah winked, turning to climb into the truck and head off. he wasn't sure if the other was going to take him up on it, but salem was fairly confident about his own catch and he sincerely doubted a bunch of guys would let a girl come alone. he rested up against his truck door, talking to one of his friends when he glanced over his shoulder, lips twitching ever so slightly as he tried to avoid looking too smug, " you came. "

he chuckled, " well, I can't speak to that, I ain't him and we ain't all that close, " isaiah lied with a smirk. he looked around them, and then back to dakota, " yeah? " he straightened up and sighed, " well, if you change your mind, there's free booze, free food, just head down the road, you'll see a few cars, that's us. " he stepped closer to dakota and held out his hand, " isaiah, by the way. "

[devouredlamb]

ash chuckled, shrugging a shoulder, " thought she might wanna cuddle up to you versus josh, but hey, what do I know? " his lips twitched. he figured the shelbys would all stick together, and maybe dakota would get somewhere in there, which left them in a room together. but ash was no longer confident, matteo and dakota were getting closer these days.

the room wasn't anything grand but it certainly would do . he took in a breath and glanced around before looking back at ash . " assuming she's not going to try and room wherever dakota goes ? " she asked with a light smile before moving to push open the bathroom door .

[devouredlamb]

he huffed softly then nodded, moving back towards the car and opening up the door, " I guess... at least riley doesn't have to marry some creepy old pervert and dad can't beat the dog shit out of us whenever he wants. " they were too old to still be living under luke's thumb, too mature to still be fearful when they could probably take him. the man rolled back his shoulders, " let's just go. "

" probably , " colby hummed , offering a small smile . a soft sigh escaped him , " i think we all are but what other choice was there ? " they didn't have many options here if they wanted something more or better whether it was for themselves or the people they cared about .

[devouredlamb]

matteo sighed softly, she didn't mean to do that so obvioulsy but he really was pretty. she turned away from the man, however, at the sound of her name. " okay, " she hummed, " maybe I'll see you, salem. " she started to move back towards josh, glancing back at the other over her shoulder. the promise of food may ahve been enouigh to win the others over.

salem's lips twitched at her response . " a few miles that way . " he lifted a hand to point in the direction . " you'll see the cars , it won't be hard to spot . " he half wondered if her and her friends would actually show up . " it'll be fun . drinks . bonfire . probably food . "

[devouredlamb]

" I actually think you're the most important thing he has to worry about, " he pushed himself up, brushing off his own pants and made his way towards the van. " hey, that's not my argument, if we're sharing, you'll just have to spoon me, short stack. " he was half kidding, jude would obviously give up the bed if it came to it.

riley couldn't help but actually laugh at that . " something tells me colby has like twelve other bigger things to worry about than that . " and that was probably true . she shifted to get up , brushing off her pants . " all i know is i'm not sleeping on the floor . "