Chapter 14
Dinner was served, spaghetti, something simple and July's favorite dish. Everyone ate in silence, each in their own thoughts, including July. What was going to happen now besides preparing for the death of her beloved cousin Shane? She bit back a snort, taking another bite of her food, not believing how incredibly hungry she was. Then again, the last time she ate was over a day ago. She was due and had to stop as she sipped down some milk.
Christian made sure to refill her glass whenever she wasn't looking, grinning when Edge snickered. He just shrugged, knowing some fresh milk would be one of the best things for July.
"Jackass." Bradshaw snorted, shaking his head.
'Taker watched amusedly as Christian calmly arranged a meatball on his fork and launched it directly at Bradshaw, hitting the Texan square in the face.
Christian was eating when Bradshaw looked up.
July's eyes were wide as saucers, having seen the whole thing, and knew not even she could save Christian from what was about to happen. At that moment, a meatball came sailing over the table and clocked Christian in the nose, causing sauce to splatter all over, including on her. July took the napkin and dabbed at her tank top, groaning inwardly, knowing she would have to change now and sighed resignedly before taking another bite.
He arched an eyebrow as Christian calmly dabbed his nose with his napkin before picking up his plate.
"You wouldn't..."
Paul was already retreating from the table.
Viscera and Mideon were both looking amused as Edge sighed, watching as Christian ever so calmly tossed his entire plate of spaghetti into Bradshaw's face.
"Food fight."
July squealed as she jumped up from the table, ducking as the spaghetti began flying all over the place, having had her fill. She was NOT amused when she was pied in the face by Edge and immediately jumped on his back before planting his own plate right in his face, giggling. She ducked when Edge tossed a big handful of noodles and ended up clocking 'Taker in the face, causing everyone to stop abruptly. She was by now covered from head to toe in spaghetti.
He blinked, a spaghetti noodle covered in sauce sliding down from his forehead, past his eyes and landed on his nose, dangling there. His green eyes narrowed slightly before he shook his head, sending the noodle flying.
"'Taker..." Edge began nervously.
Christian choked on the meatball he'd been chewing when 'Taker actually threw his own plate of food at Edge, covering his brother in noodles. He tried not to laugh at the shocked expression on Edge's face, knowing that hadn't been the reaction anyone was expecting.
The food fight commenced as July managed to escape, heading up the stairs as the noodles dropped everywhere, knowing that would be a hell of a mess to clean up later on. Two showers in one day, who would've thought? She walked into 'Taker's bedroom, hearing footsteps behind her, and peeled her tank top off before dropping it on a nearby towel.
"How the hell am I going to get this out of my hair?" She wondered aloud, her back to the door, clad in a black bra with her pajama pants, shaking her head and laughed when noodles began falling out of it.
"Enough, ENOUGH!" 'Taker roared, literally running up the stairs as his Ministry took advantage of his apparent lapse in judgment, pelting him with spaghetti and meatballs. Growling, he walked into his room, halting when he seen July. He cleared his throat, shaking noodles from his hair, knowing he'd have to remind them later that he was STILL the Undertaker, not some high school child.
She laughed when he kept getting pelted until he slammed his bedroom door shut, shaking her head, and walked over to pull the noodles out of his long black hair. That was the most fun she'd had in a long time...actually that WAS the most fun she'd ever had in her life. July was all smiles and shook her head.
"Look at you." She was giggling uncontrollably while still pulling noodles out of his hair. "They did quite a number on you."
"I'll get them back." He said, beginning to pull noodles from her hair as well, already envisioning his revenge. A smirk on his face, he took July's hand and guided her into the bathroom, turning on the shower. "This is the only way we're going to get clean." 'Taker sighed, pulling off his shirt, muscles flexing as he tugged it over his head, groaning when noodles fell around him.
July smiled back at him, giggling when she seen the annoyed look on his face, shaking her head. "Come in here and get cleaned off." She was already under the sprays, the noodles falling out of her hair, scooting over when 'Taker joined her. She knew she was probably ruining her pajama pants, but...she discarded them, leaving her clad in a matching pair of black panties that went with her bra. "Is it always like that with dinner?" She asked softly, shaking her head a little to get the noodles out before washing her hair. The spray was big enough and wide to where 'Taker could do his hair as well, though the noodles from his were falling on her.
"No." He said flatly, rubbing spaghetti sauce out of his hair along with the damn pasta. Long hair was not a hiding ground for spaghetti damn it. His eyes automatically raked her body, though he managed to keep his body from reacting, knowing the black slacks he wore wouldn't hide a damn thing. That and he honestly didn't believe she was ready for THAT step just yet.
July giggled at how disgruntled he was and turned around, letting him have the sprays momentarily while she poured shampoo in her hair, rinsing it out along with the sauce and more noodles. She knew she'd be running a comb through it to make sure they were all out before getting out of this shower, hoping there was enough hot water. It took nearly an hour for both of them to get the noodles and food out of their hair before stepping out, July wrapping in a black towel to dry herself off before doing her hair. She knew she'd have to change her garments and walked into the bedroom to retrieve some along with a pale blue nightgown Paul had picked up for her. They swapped places so she could change and came out a few minutes later, brushing her long black hair out, and seeing 'Taker was still towel drying his hair.
He peered at her from an upside down vantage point, raising his eyebrows and sighed when she continued giggling at him. "July, I would really hate to have to tickle you." 'Taker said seriously, flipping his hair back over his shoulders as he straightened.
"Hey, 'Taker...um..." Christian called from outside the door. "Quit it, Rooq, I'm asking! Um...me and the guys -Shaw, stop it- want to know if um, you're, well. Are you mad at us?"
"Children."
She couldn't stop giggling and hearing Christian just sent her over the edge as she collapsed on the bed, laughter echoing around the room. "'Taker, no!!" She squealed out when he pounced on her, beginning to tickle her, knowing he meant it when he said he would if she didn't stop. She squirmed away from, laughing even harder, not able to get the vision of him with spaghetti in his hair out of her mind. That was definitely a camera moment and July wished she'd had one to snap a picture.
Christian stood outside the door with the rest of the Ministry, all of them getting as close to the door as possible, listening to July laughing, wondering just what the hell was going on in there. "Is he sick?"
"Maybe."
"Food poisoning."
"Brain damage?"
"You fools better knock it off before the boss comes out here and maims us all." Viscera stated, walking up, having just gotten out of the shower from the spaghetti war. "Paul is downstairs cleaning up the mess..."
"Shit, we'd better go help him." Edge felt bad, especially since the man hadn't even been involved or started it. "I think Christian should do the honors." He smirked when his brother gaped at him and slapped him hard on the shoulder. "Have fun with that bro."
July was too busy laughing to overhear them as 'Taker kept tickling her, feeling her sides start to ache and it was the most wonderful feeling in the world.
Grumbling to himself, Christian headed downstairs, sighing when he seen the mess. "Paul, I'll take it from here." He said, gently pushing the older man away, knowing 'Taker would kill someone if he found out Paul was doing this.
When July began turning red, he finally stopped, waiting patiently while she calmed down then started the process all over again, July's laughter sweet music to his ears.
"I-I can't breathe!!" She rasped out through another fit of giggles. "'Taker, I give up!!" A huge breath of relief escaped her when he finally stopped, but she couldn't stop laughing. Her sides hurt along with her stomach as she curled up on the bed, black hair splayed around her while 'Taker hovered over her. She finally calmed down and sat up before wrapping her arms around his neck, giggling when she pulled a spaghetti noodle out of his hair. "I think you need another shower..."
Groaning, he stared at the noodle, automatically raking his hands through his hair to check for more. Someone was going to have to suffer. He wasn't a vain man except for the hair, it was his HAIR damn it. "Still hungry?" He teased, taking it and dangling it in front of her face, smirking when she shook her head no.
"No, I'm stuffed." She smiled at him, taking the noodle and tossing it in the nearby trashcan. "Go shower. I'm going downstairs to help clean up the mess." She kissed his cheek before bounding off the bed and walked out, running a hand through her hair. Pleased to find she didn't have anymore food or noodles in it. July sighed when she seen Christian downstairs with nobody else helping him and immediately began the cleaning process. The place was COVERED.
Groaning, he did, turning the water to cold before stepping in. 'Taker had to keep reminding himself July could basically have the mindset of a child considering she hadn't had any life experiences at all. She wasn't ready for the one he was currently thinking about offering.
"You don't have to help; in fact, I think 'Taker would prefer you didn't." Christian said, glancing over at her. He had removed his shirt to avoid staining it, his long blond hair pulled back, though there was spaghetti sauce all over him regardless.
"I don't mind helping. We all made this mess, Christian. I don't feel right if I don't help you." She softly replied, ignoring his knowing eyes and continued cleaning up the place. There was no way she was letting him clean this up by himself. Even though he started it, they all contributed. Though she knew 'Taker wouldn't help because he was currently trying to get the spaghetti out of his hair. Soft giggles erupted from her as she shook her head, swiping the spaghetti off of the table and into the trashcan.
"What're you giggling about?" He asked, always astonished whenever July laughed, smiled, anything.
He still was haunted by the first time he had met her, seeing the pain and despair in her eyes. Christian had to shake his head to clear that image away, focusing on her happy face. He smiled to himself, climbing onto the table to start wiping down the ceiling with a damp cloth, wondering just how in the blue hell had spaghetti gotten up there.
"'Taker." July knew she was probably freaking everyone out because of her happiness, but she couldn't help it.
After everything that happened to her, she was finally with a family who actually wanted her there and she didn't feel like a burden. 'Taker had been so sweet to her along with the other Ministry members. July felt comfortable and safe as she stared up at the ceiling, raising a slow eyebrow. She wasn't that surprised considering how tall most of the men were.
Christian halted in the middle of peeling a cluster of noodles off the ceiling, staring down at her in surprise. He grimaced when said cluster dropped right onto his head. Sighing, he picked it out of his hair and dropped them into the open trash bag, turning his gaze back onto her. "The Undertaker?" He echoed finally, wondering if they could possibly be talking about the same guy. Then it dawned on him, his mouth dropping into a perfect O of surprise.
"Yeah, he took a shower and still had spaghetti noodles in his hair afterwards. He's currently taking a second one." She informed, causing Christian to start laughing as they both pictured it. July shook her head, being careful not to get anything on her pale blue nightgown, not wanting to ruin it. "He said he's going to get you all back too." She smirked, blue eyes flashing wickedly when Christian gulped nervously before swiping more spaghetti into the trash.
"Uh, he didn't say how exactly, did he?" He asked nervously, hopping down from the table. Christian groaned when he slipped in another mess, landing face first on the carpet, face inches from the sauce and meatballs, glad he hadn't landed in them. They looked like they'd been chewed then spewed out. "That is just gross." He muttered.
July shook her head and finished cleaning up the mess. With her and Christian, it took two hours, every noodle and bit of sauce cleaned up. July walked out after sending Christian to take a shower, walking into the kitchen, and sighed at the mess. Cracking her neck, she got to work, knowing Paul had done enough for one night and needed to rest.
Paul appeared in the kitchen behind her, having eaten his dinner upstairs after Christian had sent him off, considering supper had been a fiasco. He watched July start running water for dishes, seeing her hesitate over a box of powered detergent and liquid. He arched an eyebrow, realizing she had basically been locked away her entire life. Simple things he took for granted and was more then used too, she really had no clue.
"Liquid." He said, trying not to smile as she read the labels.
"Thanks." She felt like an idiot, pulling her hair back in a loose ponytail, shaking her head when he began lifting dishes. "You need to rest. You look exhausted. I...have to learn sometime." She smiled uneasily at him, wondering what the man thought of her, sighing heavily when he began helping her. There were so many things she didn't know how to do and it was frustrating. Though she would learn in time, everything came with time as she nodded, listening to what Paul told her before beginning to do it.
Honestly, if someone had told him only days ago that he would be explaining how to do something as simple as washing the dishes, he would have laughed them to hell and back. Seriously, Paul would have keeled over and died. But...that was until he met July. He knew 'Taker would destroy the McMahon family and wanted to watch, not believing people could be so cruel to a child as they had been to their niece.
It was a sense of accomplishment when July finished, having caught on really fast, and dried her hands off with a smile on her face. She didn't let Paul do them, but let him watch incase she made a mistake. It took her an hour, but it was done as she hung the towel on the oven rack to dry. "Thank you Paul." She quietly said before walking out, looking around the house for the first time, admiring the dark beauty of it all.
Having decidedly taking a shine to July, Paul followed her, lagging into step with her. Despite his on-screen persona, he really was nothing more than a teddy bear. His slipper covered feet shuffled on the carpet, stopping to point out a painting. "Van Gogh." He said, watching her examine it. "Wheat Field with Crows, 'Taker picked it out himself." He shook his head as if hardly believing the man had taste this fine.
"Wow, what is this?" July was stunned as she stared at the next painting, seeing the swirls in it. It looked like a small town with swirls for a night sky and leaned forward, having been able to read since Linda had taught her. Though she never learned much about artists, just enough to where she wouldn't be a complete vegetable through life. "Starry Night." It was possibly the most beautiful painting she'd ever seen in her life as July's eyes reluctantly pulled away to look over at Paul. "Will you show me more?" She asked softly, taking his hand as he guided her through the house. She knew this man was a well of knowledge and she could learn a lot from him, not to mention he was very comforting to be around.