It was nearing 2 a.m.; most of their friends had turned in for the night, Apocalyptour finally closed and a month's worth of performances seemed to drain them all of energy. This left Joe, Lauren, and Dylan awake. The latter rummaged around for a late night snack, Walker and Lauren sat jumbled on the tiny couch. He lay sprawled out, half on his side half on his back, while she had sunk her rear end in a small crevice between his spine and the couch's back cushions, her legs bent over his body, as she sat up straight.
The pair lounged in comfortable silence. She sat checking email and listening to music on her iPhone, as he surfed through endless amounts of bad late-night television.
They both turned to the right, towards the kitchen, when they heard a loud clank! and a string of choice vocabulary words from Dylan.
Joe was just about to return to his blank staring at the magical box before them, when Lauren pulled out one of her ear buds and spoke.
"Hey..." nudging his stomach with the heel of her foot, Joe let out a very unmanly giggle before responding.
"What?"
"Have you ever thought about what you want to name your kids?"
She felt his body shift around below her, and he turned his head to face her, eyes squinting behind his glasses, in a look that screamed 'where the fuck is this coming from?'
"So you have never thought about it?" she gave him a pointed look, knowing full well he was lying if he said no.
He turned to face the TV once more, he started flipping through channels again, and Lauren nearly gave up trying to get an answer from him. But soon enough he spoke again.
"Yea, I guess I have... A bit."
"And?" she raised an eyebrow at him, even though he wasn't looking at her.
"Luke." Lauren laughed, and Walker smiled at the sound. Turning to face her, he now lay on his back, the TV, muted and forgotten.
"And what about for a girl?" she inquired, her breathing still labored.
He pondered for a moment, racking his brain for the name he had chosen, "I like the name Valerie... Don't look so surprised, Lo, I have thought seriously about my future at one point!" He reprimanded her playfully.
"Now what about you, Miss Curious! What are the even littler Lopez's going to be called?" he smiled at her rolling eyes.
Lauren stared blankly off into the space in front of her, "I think I like Matthew... And Ava for a girl." she brought herself back to reality and looked down, waiting to judge his reaction.
"I like yours." He stated simply.
She smiled, "Thanks, I like yours too."
He laughed, "Now if we end up getting married and having kids, that is one thing we won't have to compromise on!" She smiled and agreed, and suddenly, as the two thought more about what they both agreed on, the air turned thick and each of them were at a loss for words.
Joe cleared his throat, "I am not saying that we are going to-"
"Right."
"I was just saying if, you know, down the line-"
"I know."
"Because it's not like Brian and Mere planned on falling-"
"I understand, Wox..."
Awkward silences were new to the pair. And just as Joe opened his mouth to try and fix the situation once more, Dylan came strolling through that particular portion of the bus.
"You guys are still up? Well... I'm going to bed..." he bent of the place a kiss on the crown of Laurens head, and lazily completed the guys' handshake with Walker before turning off the TV, casting the pair in complete darkness, and walking sleepily over to the aisle with their pods lining the walls. Shooting Lauren a flirtatious look and gesturing to whom she was sitting on before falling ungracefully into his bed on the wall.
The awkward silence remained before Walker turned to Lauren again, "Do you think it will happen to us one day? You know falling in love with each other?"
"Why? Do you want it too?" she asked him, her voice was kind, asking merely out of curiosity than anything else.
"Do you?"
"I asked you first!" She whispered to him through the darkness.
Joe didn't answer, and she wasn't going to make him. She wasn't sure if she even wanted to hear the answer.
The pair returned to silence, this silence however was not one of tension but one of comfort, one of mutual understanding. Each found peace in the rattling tour bus, in Joey's snores from down the hall, and in each other's familiar, soft breathing.
"You know… if that ever happens to us, I think things would go perfectly."
His eyes moved from the ceiling to her face. Softly illuminated by street lights outside the window behind them, he could still see the sparkles in her eyes and he could trace the sweet smile on her lips.
She let out a small, breathy laugh, and nodded her head, "I think it would too... Not to mention how happy the fans would be!" she giggled again just thinking about it.
"Oh, yea! All those fans with their 'LaurWalk is real!'" both tried to stifle their laughter as not to wake their friends.
"Maybe one day... But until then, I think I'm going to go to sleep." Trying her best not to hurt him, Lauren scrambled off Joe and off the couch. She stretched her back, causing her shirt to rid up and giving Walker a nice view of her flat stomach.
As she reached the entrance of the aisle with the pods she heard his voice again.
"Lo? How soon do you think it will happen?" his blue eyes were wide and his voice resounded in the darkness so innocently.
"Whenever you start to feel the way I feel about you." She smirked at his surprised expression, but that of surprise soon spread into a delighted grin.
"I'll see you in the morning, Wox."
"Good night, Lo."
Joe smiled softly to himself, so she felt that way too? As the clock struck three, Walker's eyes slid closed: a plan of action, already in place for the next day, was fresh in his mind.
