Dark Magick

The next three months or so passed pretty peacefully, and they were soon back on tour once again. Even though Ash was now closing in on five months pregnant with the twins, and quite obviously showing, he’d insisted on flying overseas with the others for their UK tour. Dr. Shepard hadn’t seen any reason why he couldn’t and he was feeling great, so he didn’t want to be stuck at home while the others were touring.

Since he’d already sent out a Tweet to the fans, none of them were surprised when he ran out on stage with his bass wrapped around him, despite being so obviously pregnant. There was one incident early in the tour that nearly led Andy to murdering someone that involved him having a beer bottle thrown at his belly, though. Thankfully, he’d seen it coming before the bottle ever left the culprit’s hand, and therefore was able to turn around in time so it struck him in the back. Granted, that hadn’t felt good either, but it was better than having either or both of the twins hurt instead.

However, the tour madness didn’t stop there. Being the active goofball he always was on stage, Andy pretty much did a back-bend that resulted in him laying on the stage right in front of CC’s drum riser. When he went to get back up, he ended up head-butting it and not only nearly knocking himself out, but breaking his nose, too. And to think it’d only been a few months since he thought he was Batman and could fly, as he jokingly said, which had resulted in several broken and shatter ribs right before embarking on Warped.

“You okay, Ash?” Jinxx asked, gently resting a hand on his shoulder as they stood side-stage awaiting their cue.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” he answered, nodding. “I mean, other than being a little tired, that is.”

“You look like something’s bothering you, though,” his friend said.

“Well, after that beer-bottle incident, can you really blame me for being a bit wary of going on stage?” The bassist gently rubbed his belly, attempting to settle the children within it.

“True enough, I suppose,” the multi-instrumentalist agreed. “I’d probably have a bit of a sense of foreboding, too, if I were you.”

“All right, guys!” CC yelled, bouncing over to them like a kid on a sugar rush. “Showtime!”

After their typical pre-show chant, they started storming the stage in their typical order. First was CC, who waved his sticks in the air as he ran up to his kit and took a seat behind it, pounding out a mini-solo as the others prepared. Next were Jake and Jinxx, who were shredding mini-solos as they ran out.

The next to get their cue was Ash, who did the same as his brothers and shredded out his own little mini-solo as he ran on. Finally his best friend got his cue and ran out behind him, screaming his greetings to the crowd as he headed front and center. They kicked off the show with their opener, All Your Hate, which was almost always a crowd pleaser. Granted, it didn’t get quite the same reception as songs like Fallen Angels or The Legacy, but that was okay with them.

Halfway or so through the show, everyone but CC vacated the stage for a short break and guitar change. The drummer remained so he could pound out his actual solo, which was how the show had been planned. It would give Andy, Ash, and Jinxx a chance to rest their voices for a few minutes, as well as give Ash, Jinxx, and Jake a chance to change their guitars and bass, which they always did before the second half.

Just as the drummer was bringing his solo to a close, while the others were gathered side-stage and preparing to join him again, he lost his grip on one of his sticks. Everyone backstage and even in the crowd saw it go flying, but nobody knew where it went…until Ash dropped onto his side, laying halfway on stage, halfway backstage. Thankfully, he hadn’t landed on his belly, meaning that the chances of the twins being hurt were slim to none, but he was still unconscious. With a startled and anguished cry, Andy dropped to his knees beside him, gently cradling his torso in his lap.

“Ash! Ashie!” he screamed desperately, not realizing that the bassist’s headset was still on till afterward.

“Ugghhhh,” Ash groaned, scrunching his eyes shut for a moment before slowly opening them. “Wh-what h-happened?”

“Oh, thank Godsmack,” the frontman sighed, helping him sit up. “You got hit in the head with one of CC’s drumsticks. You all right?”

“Well, my head hurts now,” he answered, gently rubbing at the sore spot. There was a right good-sized goose egg already, meaning he’d gotten hit pretty hard.

“Yeouch,” his best friend hissed. “Jeez, no wonder it knocked you out.”

“Is the knot really that bad?” the bassist asked.

“Yeah, it is. You go get yourself—and the twins—checked out by the medics. I’ll cover bass for the next song or two,” Andy told him.

“I’m fine, Ands,” he insisted.

“Just do it for me. Please,” the younger man begged him.

“All right, all right. Fine,” he agreed reluctantly. He unwrapped his bass from around himself and handed it to him. “I’ll be back in a bit.”

“All right, guys. I’m pretty sure you saw what just happened,” Andy called into the headset he’d been given, nodding at him. “I’m gonna cover bass for the next song or two while Ash gets checked out by the medics.”

The bassist could hear the crowd calling out their concern for him and the twins as one of the roadies led him over to a pair of EMTs. The pair had him sit down on an exam table to take a look at his head, but had him lay back to check on the twins. Aside from the woman prodding at the twins to get them to move, the most odd sensation he’d ever experienced was when she pressed a handheld Doppler to his belly.

Within moments, he heard the baby A’s heartbeat, reassured by how loud and strong it sounded. The EMT then moved the wand of the Doppler to the other side of his belly, quickly finding baby B’s heartbeat. Like its twin, its heart was racing strong and fast, just as it should be, which reassured him further.

After determining that the babies were fine since he hadn’t fallen on his belly, and the worst he’d suffer himself was a goose egg and a bit of a headache, Ash was released. The EMTs helped him sit up and off the exam table, turning him over to the roadie who’d escorted him over here in the first place. The man kept a hand between his shoulder blades as he escorted him back side-stage, where he waited until the band got through Beautiful Remains to rejoin them.

“Everything all right?” Andy asked as he handed his bass back to him.

“Yep, we’re all good,” he answered, grinning as he rubbed his belly after readjusting his bass strap.

“What about you?” he asked.

“Just gonna have a goose egg and a minor headache for a while,” Ash chuckled. “Thanks, Ceese!”

“Not a problem, Ash!” the drummer answered, using the mic they had set up for when he needed to join in on gang vocals.

“All right, guys,” the frontman screamed into his headset, which he refused to take off now that he’d needed it. “Now that we know Ash and the twins are okay, let’s start praying to our New Religion!”

Everybody but Andy dove right into the song, the frontman running down and touching the hands of the crowd as he awaited his cue. When it arrived, he launched into the vocals as he always did, Ash and Jinxx providing backing like always. It wasn’t long until they finished the song and kept on trucking through Youth and Whiskey. Before they knew it, they were closing with The Mortician’s Daughter, which earned the bassist a tender glance or two from his best friend, and the show was over.

Now able to exit the stage again, Ash was grateful since his head was really hurting. That bump to the noggin he’d taken when CC lost his grip on his drumstick really hurt, but he was just glad that nothing had happened to the twins when he passed out and fell. Other than that, the only complaint he really had was that his feet were sore, but that was normal.

After making use of the venue’s showers and getting all the sweat and war paint off them, the hairspray out of their hair, they headed back to their bus. Jake and Jinxx stole the couch in the living area, and CC practically passed out in the only lounge chair they had. Shaking his head, Andy picked his best friend up and carried him to the back room, where they settled onto the couch in the back lounge.

The bassist sighed as he put his feet in the younger man’s lap, glad to finally be off them for a while. It wouldn’t be long before he was requesting a stool to sit on while performing, as there was no way he’d be standing for hours on end, much less running around like a chicken with his head cut off, the closer he got to his due date. Sensing his pain, the frontman gently pulled off his cowboy boots and set them in the floor at his feet, then stuffed his socks down in them. Ash groaned and sighed as he began digging his thumbs into the soles of his feet in a desperately needed foot massage.

“That feel good, Ashie?” he asked softly, his voice a low rumble.

“Mmm hmm,” the bassist hummed, groaning again in relief.

“How’s your head feel?” Andy asked, sounding concerned.

“Nothing I can’t handle,” he answered, smiling. “I mean, yeah, it hurts a little, but who wouldn’t have a headache after getting knocked out by a flying drumstick?”

“I guess that’s true enough,” his best friend conceded, chuckling.

“Mmmm,” Ash moaned, squirming slightly. “Damn it…”

“What’s wrong?” the frontman asked, immediately concerned.

“Damn hormones,” he grumbled.

“Oh?” Andy asked, confused.

“Between your foot rub and my hormones going crazy, I’m…well…”

“Horny?” the younger man guessed, chuckling.

“Sadly, yeah.” The bassist blushed at his admission.

“Ashie, it’s okay,” his best friend reassured him. “Mom said it’s perfectly natural to get turned on easier than normal while you’re pregnant.”

“Really?” Ash asked, curious.

“Mmm hmm. And if you’re really up for it, I’m not gonna deny you,” he answered, nodding. “I just didn’t wanna seem pushy like I was the night I took your virginity.”

“Mmm… I could really use a good romp,” he said, sitting up so he could crawl into his lap and straddle him.

So horny he was already wet and throbbing, the bassist couldn’t resist grinding against his best friend as he fit their lips together. If he’d ever thought he had a high libidio before, he’d been crazy when it was compared to his libido now. It seemed like he couldn’t ever get his rocks off enough now that he was pregnant.

Andy eagerly kissed him back, gently licking at the seam of his lips in a silent plea for entry as he ground up against him. He couldn’t bring himself to deny him, even though he was notorious for wanting to tease a lover, because he was just too horny. His lips parted on a sigh and allowed the younger man’s tongue entry, especially when he began to rub his hands up and down his torso. The sensation of his hands gently cupping and caressing his swollen belly was almost as big a turn-on as having his clit thumbed, and he squirmed.

Just a few minutes later, the young frontman moved so that he had to wrap his legs around his skinny waist before rising from the couch. Ash held on tight with his arms and legs, his best friend’s hands gripping his thighs and ass for support, their make-out session continuing as he headed for the bassist’s bunk. Once there, he gently set him down before ending their kiss, grinning as he moved to lock the back room door.

“I don’t think you want Chuppy or the others to walk in on us,” he chuckled.

“Not really, but I’m honestly too horny to care,” the bassist admitted.

“Mmm… Sounds like we’re gonna have fun,” Andy growled, crawling over him after walking back to his bunk.

“When do we not?” he chuckled, wrapping his arms around his neck.

“Good point, but I’m not letting you regret even a second of this,” his best friend said, then began to pleasure him into the wee hours of the morning and his eyes rolled back in his head.

Notes