Jersey Boy Chapter Two
Title: Jersey Boy
Rating: PG-13
Author: alifeofourown
Pairing: Kevin/Joe
Summary: "Don't worry Joe. We'll explain it all to Kevin. You're going to get your happy ending."
A/N: Here's Chapter two! I really hope you enjoy and I snuggle adored the reviews for chapter one. Awesome stuff man, awesome. So I went to school today and I was working on chapter six. This nosy girl in my class kept trying to read it and I was about to shoot her.
And then she figured out it was about the Jonas Brothers. She called me a freak and needless to say I hate her.
Well, on with the chapter!
Kevin was lost in his own little world once more. He hadn’t seen his younger sibling since that fateful day seven years ago, and now, there he was. Joe was standing right in front of him, rubbing his neck and glancing at the damage done to his car. “This is great,” he muttered as he took in the giant dent in the back of the car, the smashed windows and the overall look of the almost destroyed vehicle. “My insurance is never going to cover this…” he grumbled, hoping that Kevin wouldn’t push the matter.
“I’m sorry,” Kevin admitted softly. “Look, I’ll pay for the repair, since it was my fault.” Joe looked up at his brother with a small smile, yet Kevin could see the regret and sadness behind it. “I’m sorry,” he repeated once more, not sure what to say that would make it better.
“It’s fine,” Joe replied almost silently. “It’s not like you did it on purpose or anything.” Kevin nodded in agreement as he pulled out his cell phone. Within the next few minutes, Kevin made sure to call a tow truck, get Joe’s car into a good repair shop and convince Joe to let him take him out to dinner.
“You really don’t have to,” Joe murmured as he tried to politely decline Kevin’s dinner request. After all, eating with someone who’s probably hated you for years is awkward. It’s even worse when it’s your brother.
Kevin reached out to Joe with a gentle, but firm touch. “It’s no problem.” Joe sighed and nodded as they get into the rental car that had been dropped off. “Besides, I owe you after all.”
Joe couldn’t help but agree as he slid down into the leather seats of the replacement car. It was obvious to him that Kevin was now able to afford whatever he wanted, and deep down that made Joe happy. Kevin had finally lived up to his dream of becoming a…whatever he was. At the sound of awkward silence, Kevin turned on the car and the radio, trying to keep the air from being any more awkward and confusing than it already was.
The song that pushed its way through the speakers shocked them both.
I don’t want this moment to ever end
Where everything’s nothing without you
I want you to know
With everything I won’t let this go
These words are my heart and soul
I hold on to this moment you know
Cause I bleed my heart out to show
That I won’t let go
Immediately, Joe shut off the radio, but not before he heard the words that stuck to him all those years in his head.
I bet when you told me ‘I love you’ it wasn’t true.
Goodbye Joe. Have a fucking nice life.
Joe shuddered as the harsh words wound their way around his mind once more. He was severely struggling to keep from crying, but it seemed that every time the words echoed, tears fought to be released. It was too much for him, and he silently shed a tear, hoping like hell that Kevin wouldn’t see it.
On the other side of the car, Kevin was also struggling to keep from crying. That night was coming back to him completely. The fight replayed itself in his mind, and he wished more than anything that it would all just go away. The day after the fight, Kevin had rejected a call from Joe, and he avoided the voicemail, figuring that it was nothing more than a stupid excuse on Joe’s part. Months later, after he had almost forgotten about the entire ordeal, he opened his phone and checked the voicemail.
All that had been left was that exact part of the song. That song and four words.
I love you Kevin.
That voicemail had made Kevin cry more than he ever had before, and it was the one voicemail that he refused to delete from his phone.
In the driver’s seat, Kevin bit his lower lip as he let a single tear roll down his cheek. The two brothers silently cried the entire drive to Anzalone. Each of them wiped their tears away through veiled gestures, but it didn’t really hide the action. Both Kevin and Joe knew that the other had cried because of the song.
Kevin pulled into the parking lot of the restaurant and sighed before burying his face in his hands. “Are you okay?” Joe asked softly, placing a hand on his knee. At this slightest gesture of kindness, Kevin pulled away.
“I’ll be fine in a bit,” he replied in barely a whisper. “Just, don’t touch me.” Joe sighed and pulled his hand away, assuming that Kevin was struggling through the same memories that he himself had been subject to just moments before.
“Kevin,” Joe whispered as he watched his brother. Silence met Joe’s voice as Kevin struggled to pull himself together.
“Just, we’ll let it go okay?” Kevin turned to look at Joe, although he refused to meet his eyes. “Now come on. We’re going to have a nice dinner, and then I’ll take you home.” Joe nodded slowly, hoping that they would be able to rekindle something of a friendship over this meal.
Maybe it would cushion the rest of his problems.
The two men clambered out of the car and walked towards the restaurant. Joe kept a safe distance away from Kevin, trying not to add any more stress to the situation. It was for the best.
Anzalone was a tiny restaurant hidden in the backstreets of the city. Only a true New Yorker would know about this little slice of Italian history. Kevin had found Anzalone one day by accident. He was driving home after his very first day of work, and he made a wrong turn on the way. It was then that he pulled into the parking lot of the restaurant to find his way back home, and that’s when the magic happened.
“Kevin!” In the doorway, the owner of the restaurant, Lorenzo, was waving excitedly. “It’s been a while.” Kevin chuckled softly as he waved back. The two walked up to each other and shared a strong hug. “It’s nice to see you again,” Lorenzo said as he pulled back from the hug.
Kevin smiled and patted the man on the back. “It’s really nice to see you too. Lorenzo, tonight we celebrate.”
“Why?” Lorenzo asked as he gestured for Kevin to follow him.
Kevin giggled rather girlishly as he clapped a hand down on the owner’s shoulder. “I did it. I made partner!” The second the words left Kevin’s mouth, Lorenzo jumped on him.
“NO WAY!!!” Joe watched as Kevin was tackled by the shorter man. He bit back a smile as he remembered doing this himself. Then the smile faded and the solemn face of Joe returned. “I can’t believe you did it! We’re definitely celebrating.”
With that, Kevin was pulled back up and dragged into the restaurant. Behind the two of them was the easily forgotten Joe. He shuffled along behind them quietly. “Joe!” Kevin called from in front of him. “Get up here!” At this Lorenzo turned to look at the man they had left behind.
“Kevin, is that your new boy toy?” Lorenzo asked, giggling softly. It was no secret that Kevin was gay, and Lorenzo occasionally had the opportunity to meet the “boy toys” even though none of them were more than just friends of Kevin’s.
This time, Kevin didn’t know what to say. He knew that somewhere deep down he hated Joe, but he also would still admit that deep down he loved Joe more than anything else in the world. “No Lo, he’s not my boyfriend. He’s just a-“
“-business associate. We’re just discussing an issue that happened earlier today.” Joe said softly as he appeared next to Kevin. Lorenzo sighed softly as he led the two into the restaurant. He had been friends with Kevin for a number of years now, and he wanted more than anything to see Kevin find the man of his dreams. It looked like that wasn’t going to happen this time either.
Kevin noticed the sad silence coming from Lorenzo and it was bothering him. “I’m sorry,” Kevin said softly as they walked into the back room that was always saved for Kevin’s dining trips. “Someday, I’ll find Mr. Right, but not today.” This seemed to cheer Lorenzo up a bit, but it put a tremendous damper on Joe’s spirits. The two of them sat down in the quiet, calming booth and took their menus from Lorenzo without a word.
“Can I get you anything to drink?” The owner asked softly, wondering if he had caused a rift to form between the two men. Neither male answered, so Lorenzo left the back room anxiously to retrieve some complimentary water. Joe flipped through the menu, although he already knew what he wanted. Italian food always led him back to the Alfredo noodles with broccoli.
Kevin didn’t even bother opening his menu up. He got the same thing every time he came there, and it wasn’t going to change. Alfredo noodles with broccoli would always stick to him like glue, especially since Anzalone had the best pasta ever.
A few minutes later, Lorenzo appeared in the room with the water. “Are you ready to order?” They both nodded, cueing the order pad and pen to make their way to Lorenzo’s hands. “Go ahead.”
“Alfredo noodles with broccoli.” They both stated at the exact same time. Once the statement was out of their mouths, the brothers turned to look at each other; shocked expressions covered their faces.
“Sounds right,” Lorenzo stated, marking it down. He left almost as quickly as he came, so neither of the men could actually ask him if he had noticed the shocked glances.
Kevin snapped out of it first. “Still the same?” He asked softly, not sure if he was actually asking or stating the words. Joe nodded slowly, unable to find the words to actually speak. Kevin slowly closed his mouth and looked down at the table, not sure what to say now.
“I never changed Kevin,” Joe stated as he looked around the room. So much could have been said in the fifteen minutes of silence that spread between the two boys, but words were forgotten. The dinner came right when Kevin decided he wanted to reply to Joe’s comment.
Lorenzo entered the room just as Kevin opened his mouth to speak. “Dinner is served,” the man said softly as he set the two steaming plates of noodles in front of the gentlemen.
“It looks delicious sir,” Joe replied as he inhaled the warm cheesy scent that he had long been deprived of. A smile spread across Lorenzo’s face at being called sir. It was a term of respect that he didn’t receive often enough, so hearing Kevin’s business partner say it made him happy.
He leaned towards Kevin with a smile. “This one’s a keeper.” Kevin grunted and dug his fork into his bowl, ignoring his friend. “Well,” Lorenzo said, straightening. “Enjoy your meal.”
The door shut once again, leaving Kevin and Joe in the room alone. “What more do you want me to say Kevin?” Joe asked as Kevin dug into his pasta, avoiding talking to his brother. “What can I say actually? I’m sorry? Does that work for you? I didn’t cheat on you all those years ago, and I never ever stopped loving you. Is that what you wanted to hear?”
“No,” Kevin said quietly. “I didn’t want to hear those lies again. It’s been seven years since that fight Joe, and you think you would’ve admitted the truth by now.”
Joe stood up and abandoned his untouched meal. “I was telling you the fucking truth Kevin. I would think that you would know this by now.” With that, he stormed out of the restaurant.
Kevin stood up and followed him, abandoning his pasta as well. “Joe!” he shouted as he watched his brother run down the street. Kevin jumped into the rental car and sped after him, but he was too late.
Joe got to the main street, hailed down a taxi and sped off without another word.
There went the chance to rekindle a friendship.
Rating: PG-13
Author: alifeofourown
Pairing: Kevin/Joe
Summary: "Don't worry Joe. We'll explain it all to Kevin. You're going to get your happy ending."
A/N: Here's Chapter two! I really hope you enjoy and I snuggle adored the reviews for chapter one. Awesome stuff man, awesome. So I went to school today and I was working on chapter six. This nosy girl in my class kept trying to read it and I was about to shoot her.
And then she figured out it was about the Jonas Brothers. She called me a freak and needless to say I hate her.
Well, on with the chapter!
Kevin was lost in his own little world once more. He hadn’t seen his younger sibling since that fateful day seven years ago, and now, there he was. Joe was standing right in front of him, rubbing his neck and glancing at the damage done to his car. “This is great,” he muttered as he took in the giant dent in the back of the car, the smashed windows and the overall look of the almost destroyed vehicle. “My insurance is never going to cover this…” he grumbled, hoping that Kevin wouldn’t push the matter.
“I’m sorry,” Kevin admitted softly. “Look, I’ll pay for the repair, since it was my fault.” Joe looked up at his brother with a small smile, yet Kevin could see the regret and sadness behind it. “I’m sorry,” he repeated once more, not sure what to say that would make it better.
“It’s fine,” Joe replied almost silently. “It’s not like you did it on purpose or anything.” Kevin nodded in agreement as he pulled out his cell phone. Within the next few minutes, Kevin made sure to call a tow truck, get Joe’s car into a good repair shop and convince Joe to let him take him out to dinner.
“You really don’t have to,” Joe murmured as he tried to politely decline Kevin’s dinner request. After all, eating with someone who’s probably hated you for years is awkward. It’s even worse when it’s your brother.
Kevin reached out to Joe with a gentle, but firm touch. “It’s no problem.” Joe sighed and nodded as they get into the rental car that had been dropped off. “Besides, I owe you after all.”
Joe couldn’t help but agree as he slid down into the leather seats of the replacement car. It was obvious to him that Kevin was now able to afford whatever he wanted, and deep down that made Joe happy. Kevin had finally lived up to his dream of becoming a…whatever he was. At the sound of awkward silence, Kevin turned on the car and the radio, trying to keep the air from being any more awkward and confusing than it already was.
The song that pushed its way through the speakers shocked them both.
I don’t want this moment to ever end
Where everything’s nothing without you
I want you to know
With everything I won’t let this go
These words are my heart and soul
I hold on to this moment you know
Cause I bleed my heart out to show
That I won’t let go
Immediately, Joe shut off the radio, but not before he heard the words that stuck to him all those years in his head.
I bet when you told me ‘I love you’ it wasn’t true.
Goodbye Joe. Have a fucking nice life.
Joe shuddered as the harsh words wound their way around his mind once more. He was severely struggling to keep from crying, but it seemed that every time the words echoed, tears fought to be released. It was too much for him, and he silently shed a tear, hoping like hell that Kevin wouldn’t see it.
On the other side of the car, Kevin was also struggling to keep from crying. That night was coming back to him completely. The fight replayed itself in his mind, and he wished more than anything that it would all just go away. The day after the fight, Kevin had rejected a call from Joe, and he avoided the voicemail, figuring that it was nothing more than a stupid excuse on Joe’s part. Months later, after he had almost forgotten about the entire ordeal, he opened his phone and checked the voicemail.
All that had been left was that exact part of the song. That song and four words.
I love you Kevin.
That voicemail had made Kevin cry more than he ever had before, and it was the one voicemail that he refused to delete from his phone.
In the driver’s seat, Kevin bit his lower lip as he let a single tear roll down his cheek. The two brothers silently cried the entire drive to Anzalone. Each of them wiped their tears away through veiled gestures, but it didn’t really hide the action. Both Kevin and Joe knew that the other had cried because of the song.
Kevin pulled into the parking lot of the restaurant and sighed before burying his face in his hands. “Are you okay?” Joe asked softly, placing a hand on his knee. At this slightest gesture of kindness, Kevin pulled away.
“I’ll be fine in a bit,” he replied in barely a whisper. “Just, don’t touch me.” Joe sighed and pulled his hand away, assuming that Kevin was struggling through the same memories that he himself had been subject to just moments before.
“Kevin,” Joe whispered as he watched his brother. Silence met Joe’s voice as Kevin struggled to pull himself together.
“Just, we’ll let it go okay?” Kevin turned to look at Joe, although he refused to meet his eyes. “Now come on. We’re going to have a nice dinner, and then I’ll take you home.” Joe nodded slowly, hoping that they would be able to rekindle something of a friendship over this meal.
Maybe it would cushion the rest of his problems.
The two men clambered out of the car and walked towards the restaurant. Joe kept a safe distance away from Kevin, trying not to add any more stress to the situation. It was for the best.
Anzalone was a tiny restaurant hidden in the backstreets of the city. Only a true New Yorker would know about this little slice of Italian history. Kevin had found Anzalone one day by accident. He was driving home after his very first day of work, and he made a wrong turn on the way. It was then that he pulled into the parking lot of the restaurant to find his way back home, and that’s when the magic happened.
“Kevin!” In the doorway, the owner of the restaurant, Lorenzo, was waving excitedly. “It’s been a while.” Kevin chuckled softly as he waved back. The two walked up to each other and shared a strong hug. “It’s nice to see you again,” Lorenzo said as he pulled back from the hug.
Kevin smiled and patted the man on the back. “It’s really nice to see you too. Lorenzo, tonight we celebrate.”
“Why?” Lorenzo asked as he gestured for Kevin to follow him.
Kevin giggled rather girlishly as he clapped a hand down on the owner’s shoulder. “I did it. I made partner!” The second the words left Kevin’s mouth, Lorenzo jumped on him.
“NO WAY!!!” Joe watched as Kevin was tackled by the shorter man. He bit back a smile as he remembered doing this himself. Then the smile faded and the solemn face of Joe returned. “I can’t believe you did it! We’re definitely celebrating.”
With that, Kevin was pulled back up and dragged into the restaurant. Behind the two of them was the easily forgotten Joe. He shuffled along behind them quietly. “Joe!” Kevin called from in front of him. “Get up here!” At this Lorenzo turned to look at the man they had left behind.
“Kevin, is that your new boy toy?” Lorenzo asked, giggling softly. It was no secret that Kevin was gay, and Lorenzo occasionally had the opportunity to meet the “boy toys” even though none of them were more than just friends of Kevin’s.
This time, Kevin didn’t know what to say. He knew that somewhere deep down he hated Joe, but he also would still admit that deep down he loved Joe more than anything else in the world. “No Lo, he’s not my boyfriend. He’s just a-“
“-business associate. We’re just discussing an issue that happened earlier today.” Joe said softly as he appeared next to Kevin. Lorenzo sighed softly as he led the two into the restaurant. He had been friends with Kevin for a number of years now, and he wanted more than anything to see Kevin find the man of his dreams. It looked like that wasn’t going to happen this time either.
Kevin noticed the sad silence coming from Lorenzo and it was bothering him. “I’m sorry,” Kevin said softly as they walked into the back room that was always saved for Kevin’s dining trips. “Someday, I’ll find Mr. Right, but not today.” This seemed to cheer Lorenzo up a bit, but it put a tremendous damper on Joe’s spirits. The two of them sat down in the quiet, calming booth and took their menus from Lorenzo without a word.
“Can I get you anything to drink?” The owner asked softly, wondering if he had caused a rift to form between the two men. Neither male answered, so Lorenzo left the back room anxiously to retrieve some complimentary water. Joe flipped through the menu, although he already knew what he wanted. Italian food always led him back to the Alfredo noodles with broccoli.
Kevin didn’t even bother opening his menu up. He got the same thing every time he came there, and it wasn’t going to change. Alfredo noodles with broccoli would always stick to him like glue, especially since Anzalone had the best pasta ever.
A few minutes later, Lorenzo appeared in the room with the water. “Are you ready to order?” They both nodded, cueing the order pad and pen to make their way to Lorenzo’s hands. “Go ahead.”
“Alfredo noodles with broccoli.” They both stated at the exact same time. Once the statement was out of their mouths, the brothers turned to look at each other; shocked expressions covered their faces.
“Sounds right,” Lorenzo stated, marking it down. He left almost as quickly as he came, so neither of the men could actually ask him if he had noticed the shocked glances.
Kevin snapped out of it first. “Still the same?” He asked softly, not sure if he was actually asking or stating the words. Joe nodded slowly, unable to find the words to actually speak. Kevin slowly closed his mouth and looked down at the table, not sure what to say now.
“I never changed Kevin,” Joe stated as he looked around the room. So much could have been said in the fifteen minutes of silence that spread between the two boys, but words were forgotten. The dinner came right when Kevin decided he wanted to reply to Joe’s comment.
Lorenzo entered the room just as Kevin opened his mouth to speak. “Dinner is served,” the man said softly as he set the two steaming plates of noodles in front of the gentlemen.
“It looks delicious sir,” Joe replied as he inhaled the warm cheesy scent that he had long been deprived of. A smile spread across Lorenzo’s face at being called sir. It was a term of respect that he didn’t receive often enough, so hearing Kevin’s business partner say it made him happy.
He leaned towards Kevin with a smile. “This one’s a keeper.” Kevin grunted and dug his fork into his bowl, ignoring his friend. “Well,” Lorenzo said, straightening. “Enjoy your meal.”
The door shut once again, leaving Kevin and Joe in the room alone. “What more do you want me to say Kevin?” Joe asked as Kevin dug into his pasta, avoiding talking to his brother. “What can I say actually? I’m sorry? Does that work for you? I didn’t cheat on you all those years ago, and I never ever stopped loving you. Is that what you wanted to hear?”
“No,” Kevin said quietly. “I didn’t want to hear those lies again. It’s been seven years since that fight Joe, and you think you would’ve admitted the truth by now.”
Joe stood up and abandoned his untouched meal. “I was telling you the fucking truth Kevin. I would think that you would know this by now.” With that, he stormed out of the restaurant.
Kevin stood up and followed him, abandoning his pasta as well. “Joe!” he shouted as he watched his brother run down the street. Kevin jumped into the rental car and sped after him, but he was too late.
Joe got to the main street, hailed down a taxi and sped off without another word.
There went the chance to rekindle a friendship.