Crush
by 1Grrl4Vic

Summary: Victor can't find the words to tell Birdy how he feels. So he let's the Dave Matthews Band do it for him.

Disclaimer: Victor Creed and Birdy belong to Marvel. The song, 'Crush' is from the Dave Matthews Band album, "Before These Crowded Streets," and belongs to those wonderful bunch'a guys. I'm not makin' money from this.

As always, contructive feedback accepted while all flames will be given to St. John. He's so much better at handling those things than I.






It's rare. Times like this when I bring Birdy along for the ride. Usually she just stays at my big ol' house in Seattle or Vancouver or wherever I've decided to put my feet up between jobs. Tonight we're in.. West Virginia, I think. The job wasn't anything bigtime. Some chump wanted some other chump dead. Pretty much the way they all go. After Mister Whatshisname handed me my check, he gives me a little, white envelope. A party invitation. Tells me ta stop by, if I get the chance, an' he'll introduce me to some buddies o' his. Might could get me s'more business in the area, if I'd like. As long as their checks clear, I'll take all the business they wanna give me.


So here we are, at this big wig's party. Had to go out an' buy a damn ol' tux fer the damn thing, too. Birdy found herself a dress in one o' them ritzy shops downtown. She didn't tell me how much it cost, but I'll bet it drained her personal account a considerable amount. Nothin' but pink an' white sequins from her neck to the floor.


I'm leanin' with my back against the bar, a scotch in one hand, cigar in the other. There's a smooth jazz quintet playin' up on the stage an' I'm just people watchin' fer right now. I look over to where Birdy's at about 20 feet away, surrounded by a bunch'a hormonal frat boys, from the looks of 'em. An' she's just flirtin' away. Just'a gigglin' an' blushin' at every little thing them boys say. I kinda smile at that. Even without her mind powers, Birdy's got them boys eatin' right outta her hand.


Some fat man gets in my line o' sight, blockin' me from seein' Birdy. He walks up to me, jawwin' about somethin' an' hands me his card. Yeah, yeah, whatever. Yer blockin' my view, lardass. He moves on ta shake hands with some other schmuck just in time for me to see one'a them pretty boys leanin' in towards Birdy, whisperin' somethin' ta her. Ta her credit, she's a great actress. She gets this shocked look on her face an' gasps then smiles that smile an' he starts laughin'. The other boys start laughin' and Birdy giggles along with 'em. She gives a quick glance an' a smile over ta me at the bar an' I nod, then she gives her attention back to the boys. I could'a turned up my hearin' a bit to find out what he was sayin' but I'm enjoyin' myself too much right now to hafta defend Birdy's honor if he'd been sayin' somethin' I wouldn't'a approved of.. had I bothered, o' course.


I toss back the last o' my drink and take a few pulls on my stogie before snuffin' it in an ashtray. I check my reflection in the mirror behind the bar. I roll my shoulders to pop the joints and straighten my jacket before runnin' my hands through my hair ta comb it a bit. The band strikes up a new song with a strong bass riff until an electric guitar and saxophone join in. The drums also make their appearance just as the violin slowly makes a pull through the whole thing. That twenty I stuffed inta the bandleader's hand gave him the right motivation ta play somethin' cool and smooth. I find my way through the crowd to Birdy.



Crazy
How it
Feels tonight
Crazy
How you
Make it all alright love


Crush me
With the
Things you do



"Time fer you boys ta scram. The lady's with me." My tone doesn't leave room fer argument an' they wander off inta the crowd. I take Birdy's hand an' pull her behind me as we head to the dance floor. Party guests part the way an' I don't hafta push anyone ta get where I wanna go. At the edge of the dance floor, I turn, pullin' Birdy close ta me.


"Dance with me?" I was hopin' I could make that more of a command than a request but she won't say no. She just smiles and puts her hand on my shoulder while mine finds the curve of her waist to settle into.



An' I'll do for you
Anything, too
Sitting
Smoking
Feelin' high
And in this moment
It feels so right




"I didn't know you could dance, Mister Creed," she says softly.



"Lot'a things you don't know about me, Birdy. But what'd you expect? You comin' here with that dress on, huggin' every curve you got. Ya gotcher hair all done up, showin' off the smooth skin of yer neck, of yer shoulders." I bow my head down a little bit, lowerin' my voice so only she can hear, "Lookin' the way you do. Smellin' the way you do." I reach up an' my knuckle brushes her cheek, "Feelin' as soft as you do. Were you expectin' me not to notice?" I close my eyes and inhale her scent, bringin' it in deep like she's the last breath I'll ever take.



Lovely lady
I am at your feet
God, I want you so badly



"Why? Why do you do this to me?" Birdy looks up at me, a touch o' somethin' sad in her eyes.


"Do what?"


"Why do you talk to me like this and hold me like this when tomorrow you won't?" I wish I had an answer good enough for her, but I don't.


"I dunno, darlin'. I'm just tryin' ta give ya somethin' for ta'night. Somethin' special. I'm sorry."


"No. It's alright. I just wish you weren't so hot and cold sometimes. I like you this way." Her quiet confession reaches deep inta my chest, tearin' at my guts. She rests her head on my shoulder an' puts her arms around my waist, holdin' me to her. I keep my mouth shut, too afraid to spoil this moment.



Lovely lady
Let me drink you please
Won't spill a drop, no
I promise you
Lying under this
Spell you cast on me
Each moment
The more I love you



The song picks up a decidedly Southern accent as the violin shreds through notes that I swear I can feel in my toes. An' that boy up on stage is singin' every word I wanna tell Birdy but I ain't man enough ta say ta her. Because she's right. Tomorrow I won't be this way. Somethin'll set me off an' I'll start tearin' and clawin' at whatever's in reach. An' maybe I'll say somethin' ta her that'll hurt her feelin's an' I won't care 'cause I won't be who I am now.



Lovely lady
I will treat you sweetly
Adore you
I mean
You crush me
It's times like these
When my faith I feel
And I know
How I love you




I tighten my arms around her, prayin' she won't let go. Whatever fears I may have, it's all because of her. Fear o' losin' her, fear o' her outright leavin' me. Leavin' me with these demons an' the nightmares that she helps me forget. Maybe it ain't right o' me to blame her for the way I feel, but I swear, if I ever lost Birdy I'd tear my own heart out. Livin' without her ta help me through it all.. it just ain't worth the pain o' livin' without Birdy.



It's crazy I'm thinking
Just as long as you're around
Here I'll be dancing on the ground
Am I right side up or upside down
To each other we'll be facing
By love we'll beat back the pain we've found




I cup her face with my big hands and make her see me. My thumbs rubbing back and forth lightly over her cheeks. Quietly I whisper, "You make me like this, Birdy. You make me this way. You make me want you an' you make me want to hold you an' love you 'til it hurts an' I don't know what to do 'cause I don't know how to love you. You make me sick an' crazy an' wild." I close my eyes tight, fightin' this lump in my throat's makin' my jaw hurt and I rest my forehead to Birdy's. "Why do you do this to me?" I whisper to her. My hands trail down to her shoulders, restin' there lightly. Her voice answers me in the same quiet whisper.


"Because you told me to."



You know
I mean to tell you all the things I've been thinking
Deep inside, my friend
Each moment
The more I love you



There's nothin' I can say that'd make her wrong. I did tell her. Told her to make the pain stop, to try an' make things normal fer me inside. But now I gotta ask myself, is the way I am now because Birdy makes me this way or is this the man I could be if it weren't for the monster inside o' me? An' do I really wanna know?


"Mister Creed?" Her sweet voice carries concern with it. She's never seen me like this. No one has. No one's made me feel this way. Ever. I think she knows her question struck me deep an' hard. She can see the play o' fear an' hurt an' confusion on my face. Her delicate hands frame my face and she asks me, "Do you wanna go? We don't hafta stay." I pull back a little, offerin' up a half-hearted smile.


"Nah. I'm good. It's just.. I dunno what got inta me."


"I think maybe I got into you, huh?" she says with a smile tryin' to lighten the mood an' gettin' a chuckle outta me.


"Yeah, I think maybe so." I wrap my arms around her as she settles her head back on my shoulder.



So much you have given love
That I would give you back
Again and again
Meaning I'll hold you
And please
Let me always



"Darlin'?"


"Hm?" She's lost in the moment fer now an' I'm just lettin' the music say fer me what I can't. I wonder if she knows that.


"You can get inta me anytime."


"Yeah?" she asks without lifting her head to look at me.


"Yeah." I hold her body to mine 'til the song ends an' then, without a word said, we both decided it's time to go. I don't really want this time with Birdy to end. This night. So when we get back to the hotel, she'll stay in my bed an' I'll hold her until the mornin' comes and thing's'll get back to the way they were before she went inside and touched my mind with hers. If nothin's ever the same fer us after tonight, at least I'll remember when she crushed me.