CHAPTER 34: GETTING BUSY

"Stop pouting your lips! It's not sexy!" Chuck groans as he stomps ahead of me, carrying my bags and some equipment I need for decoration.

"You know it's sexy it makes you want to kiss me!" I smirk at him shamelessly, pouting my lips even more.

"It's so true I'm ashamed of myself," Chuck groans again without even turning back, making me giggle, yes, I giggle now. Marsha who walks beside me also giggles and shakes her head.

"Stop stomping!" I yell at Chuck, annoyed. "And give me my bag! I'm not sick anymore I can carry my own damn stuff!" I run up to him but Kenneth pulls on my shirt, stopping me which earns him a glare from me.

"No running," Kenneth says calmly.

"I'm fine for fuck's sake! I'm getting my stitches off in a few days! Stop pestering me!" I yell at them.

"They just want you to take it slowly, Levi," Allen comes up behind me.

"I don't care what they want!" I snap at him, a little too harshly but he doesn't seem to mind for he knows that I'm way too annoyed for courtesy.

"Don't be a brat," Chuck turns around and glares at me and I glare back.

"Well, the doctor did tell you to take it easy, didn't they? Or you'll reopen your wound," Joy says and I roll my eyes at her.

"So not helping Joy," I groan.

"Wasn't trying to," She grins and shrugs casually, making the others laugh while I pout even more.

"It's the opening day! I can't take it easy even if I want to!" I tell them, well, remind them. Shouting especially at Chuck who has been overly stubborn about getting on my case ever since I got back from the hospital. Chuck stops again then turns around, stomping towards me.

"You gotta!" he hisses between gritted teeth making me flinch in fear and surprise.

"What the hell is your problem?" I ask more in surprise and less pissed.

"I'm worried, you asshole," Chuck, still hissing and gritting his teeth but with a softer expression stares at me.

"Well, don't," I growl at him.

"Maybe I won't have to if you stop hurting yourself," Chuck says softly, taking his free hand to touch the crown of my head and brushes it gently. "Stupid jackass," Chuck adds even softer. Now I'm between pissed off and touched and well, pissed off.

"Do you think I like getting my own self into accidents? Do you think I like getting pieces of glass stuck in my arm? Or a fucking metal pipe bashed my fucking head?" I grit my teeth and say all of those things and immediately regret them.

"You could've died," Chuck says after a long silence. The others just stare at us.

"I didn't, did I? Not this time! Not even last time!" Now it's me who hiss as I glare at my best friend who glares back at me, I can feel his fist clenches and I can even hear him gritting his teeth in anger.

"Levi. Charles," Marsha calmly calls our names. She's pissed. And both Chuck and I are scared.

We both turn to her, anger still flashing in our eyes and also hers. Though angry Marsha is hundred times worse than the devil on a bad day.

"Don't say anything you will regret," She says calmly though her eyes still flashing dangerously. Both Chuck and I got silent. We know what she means. I've brought up my previous near-death experience knowing perfectly well that that will make Chuck ticks.

Chuck cares so much about me. I know that perfectly well. Chuck couldn't help feeling helpless when that accident happened and he also blamed himself for what happened to me. But that's for another time. What I'm trying to say is that I made a mistake by bringing that up.

"I'm sorry," I can't help but feel pain when I thought about what I said. "I didn't mean it," I turn back to Chuck. He's staring at me with a more softer expression before pulling me into a hug.

"I know baby, I'm sorry too," Chuck says softly, kissing my head as I bury my face on his chest, clutching his shirt as I hug him back. I feel like crap now. A total jerk.

I pull away from Chuck and sigh, "Okay, let's compromise, okay?" I say to them seriously. "I'll still do my job but no hard labor or when they actually really need me. And I will eat and take my medicine on time. I'll even set a reminder on my phone," I take out my phone and make the reminder and exclaim loudly, stopping their blooming smiles. "But! I will only have one, just one person to check up on me at a time, no crowding me so decide between yourselves before barging in like some crazy fangirls," I grin at them.

I have to admit that I'm liking all this attention on me. Heheheheh.

Chuck opens his mouth, about to say something but Marsha shuts him off with her glare. How can a woman be so beautiful and terrifying at the same time? "We'll take that," Marsha says.

"Now that's settled, let's get this prick to the main hall so we can decide which turn is whose," Chuck says obviously not satisfied but still he takes my hand gently and guides me to the main hall with the others following closely behind.

I chuckle triumphantly and am highly satisfied with myself right now. Heheheheh.

But sure enough, even with restriction, they couldn't help themselves being overly cautious and wary of me getting killed by a bunch of eyeshadows and leather pants (though the latter could probably actually kill me by how tight they are). I keep trying to chase them away and reminding them of the agreement from before which I think they chose to either forget or ignore completely.

They do restrain themselves, though, and not meddle to much in my work, which I appreciate though they do hover like those helicopter parents or whatever.

The worst thing is probably Chuck. Ever since I got hurt, he ahs been fidgety and hovery (I know it's not a word, I'm injured, bite me) and jumpy and nervous evert time he's near me which almost drive me crazy. And also makes my heart hurt so much.

"Chucky..." I call out to him as we walk to my next job. Him walking in front of me with uneven steps. Sometimes fast sometimes slow. So frustrating.

Chuck turns to me with a startle and I sigh internally. He looks at me and waits nervously but patiently for whatever may come out of my mouth. I stare at him, debating on whether or not I should tease him. But being the good guy I am, of course I only sigh once again before giving him a smile and choose to be benevolent.

"Hug," I tell him. I smile bigger and raise my arms when he just stands there looking like a lost puppy which is super cute. Heheheheheh.

He strides towards we hesitantly and stops just in front of me, looking down at my face (which makes me feel hella short, but whatever). This guy is truly too anxious. I step up and put my arms around his neck, pulling him to me gently half afraid to agitate my injury and to agitate him.

Stiffly, Chuck bring his arm around me, pulling me even closer, hesitantly.

"Hug," I tell him again and the he does. He hugs me tightly, burying his face in my neck and exhale heavily and we stay that way for a little while, ignoring the passing people and inquiring eyes, just taking comfort in one another.

I truly get him, though. If he or Marsha were to be the one injured, I too would behave like this. Probably even worse.