CC rubbed his back along the hard edge of a support beam hoping it would help the god-awful knots twisting his shoulders. No hope there. Sighing he stepped away from it and started doing some small shoulder stretches. Second week of tour and it felt like his body had been twisted into a pretzel and then glued that way. His neck was so sore he could hardly turn it without wincing and the muscles of his shoulders and upper back were dreadlocked and stiff; and his lower back? He didn’t even want to touch on that particular agony. Every night he lay down in his bunk he could feel his vertebrae settling into new and painful positions.

“You ready, Chuppy?” Andy asked draping an arm over CC’s shoulder. The added weight made him want to cry but he nodded and flashed the singer a smile. Another two weeks and his body would be back in tour condition. He just had to survive until then.



CC sank down on the floor in front of the couch in the back lounge. His back snarled at him and he arched his spine hoping to appease it which made his shoulders twinge and cramp. Two months into the tour he should’ve been feeling better, but if anything it felt like his muscles were cranking tighter and tighter. He’d been hoping changing into pajama pants would give some illusion of comfort, but his body didn’t believe it. Giving up with the most pathetic whimper he had ever uttered he slumped to his side. He was so tight, so cramped. Breathing was starting to hurt. He couldn’t sleep, which wasn’t anything really new, but now he couldn’t sleep because he couldn’t move without feeling like his muscles were being ripped out.

Whimpering again he tried to stretch out his arm and gave up before his hand got past his forehead. With another pathetic groan he rolled onto his stomach and felt his vertebrae misalign for the thousandth time.

“Chuppy?” Ashley poked his head in the back lounge, also dressed for sleep, and then walked the rest of the way in. “What’s wrong? Did you pull something?” Ashley kneeled down next to him.
With a quiet hiss CC pushed himself into a sitting position again. “I’m okay,” he grumbled. “Just sore.” His shoulders chose that moment to spasm and he couldn’t hide the pained grimace twisting his face.
Ashley’s eyes widened and he pulled CC into a warm hug, “Chuppy, Christian, what’s wrong?” he whispered.

CC squeezed his eyes shut. “I-I hurt. My back, my shoulders; I just…I hurt so bad.” His muscles twisted and cramped and he bit his lip to hide any wayward sounds of pain.

“Christian,” Ashley murmured, “lay down again, okay. I’ll be right back.” He supported CC as he collapsed on his side again whimpering. Ashley brushed his hair off his cheek. “I’ll be right back.” He was up and out of the room a moment later.


Ashley rummaged through his bag frowning, he knew he had packed it but he couldn’t remember what pocket he had tossed it in. Tossing a clump of bandannas over his shoulder he felt them hit the back of his head a second later. Turning around he found Jinxx with a cheeky smile on his face. Ashley swiped his bandannas off the floor and put them in his bunk. “Hey, will you make some tea or something? Chuppy’s hurting pretty bad.” His fingers found the bottle he was looking for and when he turned around Jinxx’s smile had been replaced with a concerned frown.

“What happened? How did he get hurt?”

Ashley shrugged. “Tour, stress. His muscles are all knotted.” He headed to the back again and sighed when CC’s red-rimmed eyes looked up at him from the floor. “Chuppy,” he sighed, dropping to his knees next to the drummer. “Why didn’t you say anything?” He bit his tongue after he asked, why hadn’t any of them noticed his pain? “I’m sorry, Christian,” he murmured. “I should’ve paid more attention.”

“It’s fine, I’ll just take some aspirin and sleep it off.” Christian started to push himself up and then winced again and lay down.

Ashley shook his head. “Chuppy, roll over,” Ashley said nudging him onto his stomach. Christian groaned and bit by bit, like rusted gears, his body sank into the new position.

“What are you doing?” the drummer mumbled, his voice thick with pain. Ashley rubbed his hands together to warm them before unscrewing the cap of his massage oil. CC watched him with one eye. “Purdy, I don’t want your sex grease on me,” he growled.

Ashley smiled as he dumped a fair amount in his palm. “I don’t use it for sex. Jinxx gives the best neck massage.” Spreading the oil on both hands he did a quick pass over CC’s lower back and then slower, pressing a little harder. A soft sound of pain escaped the drummer and his muscles clenched. “It hurts at first, but it’ll feel better in a minute,” Ashley murmured, still using the same pressure.

CC tried to laugh but the sound was forced. “I bet you tell that to all the girls.” He tensed again when Ashley tried to apply more pressure. “Ash, it hurts,” CC whimpered.

Ashley stopped and rested his forehead against the drummer’s knotted shoulder. “I know, Chuppy, but it will help. Just try to relax.”

“Chuppy?” Andy’s voice was still hoarse from the show.

Ashley turned his head so his cheek was still on CC’s shoulder and gave Andy a pleading look. “Do you have anything you can give him?”

Andy sighed and shook his head. “Aspirin, the usual.” Jake and Jinxx padded in behind him, Jinxx with a steaming mug and Jake rattling an aspirin bottle.

Ashley finally lifted his head and let CC get to his knees. “What are you guys, my mother?” he mumbled taking the mug and pills from the two guitarists. Andy sat on the floor next to Ashley.

“Come on Chuppy, lay down again,” Andy said after CC downed the aspirin.

“It hurts,” he said between sips of tea. He didn’t like the whiny tone to his voice but, the little bit that Ashley had done already was beginning to throb and he was afraid of what would happen if he did more.

Andy rolled his shoulders. “Give the meds a few minutes to work and it won’t hurt as much.” Leaning back into Ashley’s lap he leaned his head against the bassist’s shoulder. “Until then, Ashley can put his hands to use.”

“I can’t do anything with you leaning against me,” Ashley said. Andy sat forward again and stripped his shirt off. Ashley rubbed his hands together again and slid them over the vocalist’s shoulders.
“Why are you so tight?” he asked as Andy’s muscles unclenched and smoothed under his fingers.

Andy sighed and let his head hang. “I dunno…I just, ah-fuck, right there.” He twisted a little trying to get Ashley to rub over the hard knot under his shoulder blade again. A soft moan left him as Ashley kneaded the tension out. Ashley pressed his lips against the vocalist’s shoulder. “You feeling a little looser, Chuppy?” he murmured.

CC lay down again. “Not really.” He bit his lip and closed his eyes, “I feel like, like…I don’t know, I just can’t find a way to make the pain go away.”


CC breathed through his mouth hoping he could fall asleep. He always slept better with the guys around and the tea and medicine was starting to work a little magic on him. Calloused hands brushed across his lower back and before he could tense up they started moving in gentle circles under his ribs. Sharp pain hit him first and he wanted to squirm away but someone sat on his other side and Ashley moved to sit on his thighs.

“Relax,” Jake murmured. He picked up CC’s arm and his warm hand was velvety with its covering of oil. His hands glided up and down CC’s outstretched arm from shoulder to the ends of his fingers. The slow caresses loosening knotted muscles a little at a time. The pain started to fade, like Ashley promised, and it was easier to focus on the smooth strokes over his skin and not the throbbing pain or muscle twitches.

Warm, soft hands rubbed along his lower back gently kneading the muscles that constricted his spine. Ashley’s hands slid up to the middle of his back and down again, thumbs running parallel to his spine. His fingers fanned out over his back cutting trails of soothing warmth down twisted muscles.

“Feeling better?” the bassist asked softly. CC managed a soft sigh but his nod was cut off when strong fingers stroked up the back of his neck. His sigh turned into a pleasant groan and Andy’s deep laughter had a smile twitching his lips too. Ashley hadn’t been exaggerating when he said Jinxx was good with a neck massage. Years of playing the guitar left the pads of his fingers rough but the gentle strength pushed out days of built up tension and stress. He finally relaxed completely against the floor. Ashley continued to rub his lower back while Jake massaged his fingers on one side and Andy rubbed his other arm.

He was going to be asleep soon. It felt so good. Not even at home was he this relaxed. Still, even though he was already a puddle on the floor, more tension leaked from him as they continued to work. It was too much work to even keep his eyes open. Jinxx’s thumbs rubbed small circles at the top of his shoulders and moved outward until his motions overlapped with Andy’s and Jake’s. Ashley’s hands slid up to the middle of his back again, his palms pushing out lingering pockets of tension. If this kept up he would be too relaxed to even breathe.

Ashley’s fingers slid under his shoulder blades and down his ticklish sides. CC could only muster a smile, his body stayed a loose mess on the floor. Ashley chuckled and ran his skilled fingers up his sides again. Jinxx’s fingers worked through his long hair along the back of his head and the sides of his neck. CC let out a final breath and slipped into his first relaxed sleep in months.

Notes

I can't remember if I posted this on deviantart.com or adultfanfiction.net. Either way, if you see it on those two sites, my usernames are HarlotQuinn777 and ZipFlopOhMyGod respectively. Anyone else posting it is a fraud.