When I woke up the next day, the sun was streaming in the window. X-ray stood at the end of my bed.
"Shouldn't you be digging?" I asked, hiding my smile under the sheets. He grinned back.
"I'm done,"
"What time is it?"
"Only about eight, the guys are finishing my hole," I frowned, "they offered, I couldn't concentrate,"
I smiled and moved my feet so he could sit down.
"How long have you been standing there?" I asked as he sat down, and pulled my legs onto his lap.
"Not long, about an hour,"
"You should have woken me!" I cried.
"I couldn't, you looked so peaceful," he said, playing with my toes.
"You look so tired," I said, and moved so he could lie down. He did so gladly, but he turned me around so I was facing away from him. He leant his head on my bare shoulder. As all the guys wear their underwear to bed, I did too. Though I don't remember getting undressed last night.
X-ray started stroking my hair. I pushed myself against him.
"Did you undress me last night?"
"Yes," he said hesitantly, "After Mr Sir left,"
"Mr Sir was here?"
"You don't remember?" I shook my head, "You were talking to him,"
"What did I say?"
"That he was 'fucking dead and everyone could stop worrying' we had a hard job covering for you. Told him you'd hit your head. And he said he could see that. You don't remember?"
"No," I said, worrying now.
"You were half asleep," X-ray said. He kissed my shoulder and I closed my eyes, "Anyway," I looked at him, "Your little act the other night has left me as hard as a bone,"
I laughed and turned to kiss him. But while I was kissing him I thought of how different this was. I wasn't supposed to like this; it was just to fool the others. I couldn't imagine them 'wanting a shot'. But maybe that was because if they tried just now X-ray would rip their heads off. If I wasn't with X-ray, maybe they would change.
I stopped thinking when X-ray undid the clasp of my bra.
"Who said we were doing anything?" I asked, pulling away and looking at him innocently. He smiled. With a growl he rolled over so he was on top of me. It wasn't easy to roll on these beds, and we ended up right at the edge. With a sweet smile and a peck of the lips, I pushed him off. Then I laughed and got off the other side. He came back up with a smile on his face. I started backing away, and I felt X-rays cot behind me. I knew what he was going to do.
"Don't y..." I said, but I got no further. X-ray jumped over my bed and pushed me down. He leant over me.
"What was that?" he asked, cupping a hand to his ear, "Didn't quite catch that,"
I growled at him, but he silenced me by kissing my lips. I would my arms around his neck and pulled him down to me. I started undoing the buttons on his suit. When I was done, he lay on top of me, and I wound my legs around his waist. I moaned quietly.
We didn't see Magnet until he sat on his bed. X-ray jumped off of me and I pulled the cover over myself, re-doing my bra.
"Um... Magnet?" X-ray said.
"Yeah?" Magnet asked, looking up from a magazine.
"We're kind of, you know, busy here,"
"No we're not, X-ray, what are you talking about?" I said, smiling. X-ray turned to look at me desperately. I smiled and tied my hair up, "Magnet, I'll be back in a minute, just going for a shower,"
X-ray smiled and got up. I shoved on my suit. When I was done, X-ray picked me up.
"Hey!" I said. He carried me out of the door.
"Trust me," he said, "They'll never let us in together unless I'm helping,"
When we were in the shower, X-ray's excitement died down.
"Damn cold water!" he growled. I laughed.
"I never thought of that," I said. He narrowed his eyes at me, and started coming towards me, "Stay where you are!" I said, holding my hands out to stop him. But my hands hit his chest, and he kept going. I tried to push him back, but he was just stronger than me.
"You're quite strong," he said. We were out of the spray now. He wound his arms around my naked waist, "Kinda hot," I looked up at him through my lashes and smiled.
He was hard again, because we were away from the cold. He lifted me up onto the little shelf for shampoo bottles.
"Beautiful," he whispered, kissing my legs. I blushed and looked down at him. He kissed all the way up my leg, until he got to my thighs. He opened them and kissed the inside of them. I moaned low in my throat and felt him smile against my skin. I grabbed onto his hair for support. He got higher and higher, and I got wetter and wetter. Finally he stuck his tongue out to touch my clit, and I almost pulled his hair out. He did it again and again. Then he slid his finger inside of me and started pumping in and out. Then he added another finger and another. I gasped, and finally, my orgasm came. I managed to choke out his name at the same time as feeling fireworks go off in my belly.
I jumped off the shelf, but X-ray caught me before I could fall. The water had long gone off.
"You ok?" he asked, smirking.
"I'm fine," I said. He led me out of the shower. He helped me get dressed, then went to do himself. My head was spinning. I sat on the chair and closed my eyes.
But when I did that, all I could see was Zigzag's face. And then the attacks again. I didn't know I was screaming until X-ray started shaking me.
"Jodie! Jodie! What's wrong!" he said. I started crying and put my head on his shoulder. I didn't even realise we were in the wreck room with the others until I looked up.
"How long was I out?" I mumbled to X-ray. He was still looking at me, worried.
"Two hours or so," he said. I nodded and put my forehead back on his shoulder. I knew Magnet and X-ray would be exchanging worried looks. I felt X-ray move his arm to put it protectively around me, "Want to play cards?"
I looked up at him. He should have known better than to ask a grifter to play cards. I nodded and he handed me his pile. He sat back on the sofa, and I leant forward.
"It's your turn," Armpit said. I smiled. This would be easy.
We won. Well, I won, but X-ray decided we were a team. After the others had all left, he turned to face me.
"Ok, what happened?" he asked. I shrugged.
"Don't remember," I said.
"I can't tell wither you're lying!" he said. I shrugged again.
"So... what happened here?"
"We were playing cards, and you started muttering in your sleep. We were all laughing, and then you started saying 'get off me' and 'leave me alone' and stuff like that. And then you started screaming," he paused, "Can I ask you something?"
I nodded.
"Was it about Zigzag?"
I nodded, then sighed and leant against his chest.
"I promised I wouldn't let him hurt you," he muttered.
"It's not your fault," I murmured, standing up. He looked at me, and I pulled him up.
"You really are, like, really strong," he said, looking at my arms. The muscles didn't look that much, but they got me by.
"It comes in handy in my line of work," I said. I was thinking of all the fights I had fought.
"Do you think you'll go back?" he asked, "To grifting?"
I nodded. I couldn't really do anything else, "What are you here for?"
"Wrong place at the wrong time," he said quietly, as we walked hand in hand to the bedroom. The moon shone down on us, making it easy to see. We walked in and everyone looked up. When we got to our bed, we saw mom.
"Hey mom," I said, sitting on my bed.
"Hey Jodie," he said, looking at X-ray, "Can I speak to you outside, please?" When they were gone, I saw Armpit and Magnet in the corner. I walked over to find them drooling over the latest 'playboy' magazine. I laughed over their shoulders and they tried to hide it behind their backs.
"It's not our fault," Magnet muttered, "We don't have a hot girlfriend to fuck when we want, like X-ray"
"Ouch, is that all I am?" I said, laughing, "Shame," I added and he grunted and went to put it under his pillow. I walked away and called over my shoulder, "Disgusting habit,"
I was almost at my bed when Armpit lifted me up over his head. I shrieked, but he just laughed. While he spun me around, I caught Magnet laughing his head off, so decided to join in. Then I saw someone leaning against the doorframe grinning up at me.
I almost fell when I was put down. But strong arms caught me. I looked up at X-ray.
"Seriously, Jodie, why X-ray?" asked Magnet, "I mean, it's obviously not for the looks," X-ray thumped him, hard, but I just laughed.
"So, why do you like Sapphire? Or whatever their names are?" he wrinkled his nose.
"Because they're hot," he said. I shrugged and leaned my back against X-ray.
"Matter of opinion," I said. Magnet shook his head, "It is. If you like the fake, implanted look, then they're hot,"
"Face it bro," X-ray said suddenly from behind me. I closed my eyes as I felt the rumble against my back, "They'll never be as hot as Jodie," I felt myself blush, and kept my eyes closed.
"Granted, but I have to make do with what I have. And I didn't hear you complaining a few months ago before Jodie even got here," Magnet said. X-ray stiffened behind me, but I just laughed anfd Suddenly the lights went out. I sighed and headed in the general direction to my bed. X-ray followed, his hand on the small of my back. I got distracted when he started drawing patterns there, sending sparks up my back.
"Shit!" I cursed as I walked into the end of my bed.
"Language," X-ray growled in my ear.
"I'm sure you've heard worse," I muttered. I threw the blanket of my bed to the side and lay on the scratchy mattress.
X-ray chuckled and climbed in with me. I moved over and he started taking off my suit.
"We can't!" I whispered quietly.
"I'm not doing anything, just helping you undress," he said, sliding it off my feet. When I was only in my underwear, I took off his suit so he was in the same situation. He wound his arms around my waist and pulled me close to him. I pushed myself closer still and kissed him softly. He groaned and tried to undo my bra.
"No," I said, pulling away. He sighed and spun me around, and pressed up against my back. I could feel his erection on my thigh. I closed my eyes and concentrated on the hands on my stomach.
And then I was outside. In my underwear. I shivered and crossed my arms over my chest. It was cold, which was unusual. I looked behind me, but I was in the desert, surrounded by hundreds and hundreds of holes. I could see the buildings in the distance, and headed towards them.
But then someone climbed out of the nearest hole. I jumped out of the way just before he grabbed my ankle. Zigzag spun around and stood in front of me. His wild hair stuck out everywhere.
"Well," he said. I shivered again, "You've done half of the work for me," I turned and ran, jumping over holes. But he tackled me down and we both toppled into a hole, out of sight for anyone looking for me, "It's ok, Jodie, I've killed him, we're ok,"
"What are you talking about, you crazy bastard?" I asked, backing away. I hit a wall and jumped. I got a hold of the ground, but Zigzag pulled me back down.
"I've killed X-ray! We can be together, and it'll be ok!" I looked up at him then, tears filling my eyes.
"You... killed... X-ray?" I asked, my heart breaking. He nodded wildly and I broke into hysteric sobs.
"It's ok baby," he said, coming closer. I screamed, and he started shaking me.
"Jodie! Jodie! Wake up!" that voice was familiar. I opened my eyes to see X-ray staring at me worriedly. It looked like the whole group was behind him, but I barely saw them.
"You're ok!" I cried, flinging my arms around him neck. I pulled him down to me and closed my eyes. When I opened them, I saw Armpit and Magnet exchange worried and confused looks. They were all dressed, except X-ray.
"Jodie, why wouldn't I be ok?" he asked.
"Because Zigzag killed you!" I said, bringing it all back. He hugged me tighter and rubbed my back.
"It was just a dream. It's ok," he said, laying me back down. I closed my eyes.
"What you gonna do, mate?" Squid asked.
"I don't know!" he said, "I can't leave her alone, but I have to dig my hole!"
"Dig some of your hole, and we'll cover for you after," Magnet suggested.
"But what about while I'm away. I can't let mom or Sir find out about Zigzag, and that's more likely to happen when I'm not here,"
"Well," I muttered, "I'm not going to tell them!"
"She has a point,"
"You might not mean to, but you talk in your sleep," I frowned in frustration. I knew I talked in my sleep, but I hated it when people mentioned it. It was a sign of weakness.
"Then I'll stay awake," I said, sitting up. He frowned, but shrugged. He got up and went to get changed. I pulled the blanket back over me, and lay back down.
"For god's sake, Jodie," Magnet hissed, "Wait until he's gone at least!" I nodded and sat up. X-ray kissed me goodbye and I just managed to keep my eyes open and mumble a goodbye before he left. As soon as he did, I sank onto my pillow and fell back asleep.
I prayed for no more dreams about Zigzag, and it worked. When I woke up, X-ray was watching me from his bed.
"Hey beautiful," he said, coming over.
"What time is it?"
"About one,"
"One?" I asked.
"Make the most of it. This is your last day off. Mr Sir is getting jumpy because not enough holes are being dug,"
I rolled my eyes.
"You were talking in your sleep again," he said. I looked at him, confused. I didn't remember having any dreams.
"What did I say?" I asked, frowning.
"My name. A lot,"
"Oh, ok," I said.
"Yeah, apparently, I'm 'your X-ray'," I grinned at that.
"Aren't you?" he laughed at this, and picked me up, "Anyone else I should know about?"
"No, no," he said, putting me on my feet, "but, just so you know, we are all alone,"
I faked astonishment, "Really? I thought we were surrounded by people! No, X-ray, I need to go and have a shower,"
"Fine," he said. He didn't try and carry me this time, just walked beside me. We met Mr Sir on the way there.
"Where are you going?" he barked at us.
"Well," I said, "I'm going to the showers, but I don't know where X-ray's going," I turned to look at him.
"Me? Well, um..."
"Get into the mess room!" he ordered him. I laughed as X-ray was marched away. I ran into the showers and made it take ages.
After about an hour, I decided he had waited enough. I shoved on my clothes, and brushed my teeth. I left my hair, as always, to Mother Nature.
I walked into the wreck room and was bombarded with noise. Someone had found money, and the jukebox was blaring out old Kylie classics. People were shouting and shoving. Someone accidently groped my boob at one point. Finally I'd had enough.
"Shut up!" I yelled. The noise died down, and the song came to an end, "Move!" they made a path and I walked to the sofa with camp D at it, and turned around, "thank you," I said. When I got to the sofa, X-ray was grinning.
"Whoa," Magnet said, "Powerful," I shrugged and sat on the floor at X-ray's feet. He played with my hair, and then after a while he pulled me onto his knee. I rested the back of my head on his chest. I could feel his excitement underneath me, and made seemingly innocent gestures of moving slightly, or reaching over to get something, making him swallow a moan every time.
After a few hours, the guys decided they could beat me at any game. X-ray tried to talk them out of it, but they wouldn't listen. Then they added to the prize by deciding to make bets. I bet twenty pounds, and everyone followed my lead. Except X-ray.
"Not playing?" I asked.
"No," he said, then leant forward to whisper in my ear, "Armpit's been reading up on card cons all afternoon," I nodded, and made myself blush so the others wouldn't ask.
It was instantly obvious what trick Armpit was trying, to me anyway. The others fell into his trap, and resigned before they'd even thought about it. When they realised, they felt outsmarted. Been there, done that, on both sides. But this was an amateur's trick, and there were serious flaws. The biggest one being, if you didn't drop out, you won. Simple.
So I didn't fold, and it worked.
"But, how did you know!"
"Armpit, I'm a grifter. You won't catch me out," he laughed and shrugged, "I'll teach you some if you like,"
They all liked the sound of that, so I showed them some party tricks, not complex or big money makers.
"But surely you know better ones than that," X-ray said over my shoulder.
"Sure I do, but they're very hard," but everyone wanted to see them, so I drew a plan on a bit of paper. They all looked very confused by the end of it, "I warned you," I said, removing the paper and ripping it up. They sighed and leant back.
Jodie shoved the paper in her pocket and leant against X-ray's chest. I felt my eyes drooping, and then something kissed the top of my head. I smiled and snuggled into him, and he put his arm around my shoulders.
"How can you still be sleepy, Jodie?" Armpit asked. I kept my eyes shut while I looked at him.
"Just makin' the most of it," I mumbled. I felt X-ray laugh behind me. I loved the feel of the rumble on my back. They started talking, but I was too out of it to reply, or even listen. I fell asleep to everyone talking and laughing.