Waste All My Time Just Thinking of You, Part Three
Part Two
Nick kicked off his shoes with a sigh the moment Joe closed the apartment door behind him. “If I ever do this with you again, I’m getting some bigger shoes. I think those ones were like, half a size too small or something.”
Joe winced. “Sorry. It was all I could do on such short notice.”
Nick shrugged. “I’ll live. No harm done.” Then he smiled. “That was a lot of fun. I can see why you like to do it so much.”
Joe smiled back. “Good. I’m glad it took your mind off of what was bothering you before.”
They made their way down to Joe’s bedroom, where Nick scooped up his clothes from the floor. “I guess I’ll go change in the bathroom?”
“You don’t have to,” Joe blurted out before he could stop himself. Then he blushed. “I mean, um, you changed in here before, so…yeah,” he finished lamely.
Nick’s face seemed pretty red too, but he just nodded. “Yeah, okay,” he said. Then he angled himself away from Joe and started undressing quickly.
Joe knew he should be doing the same thing, but he couldn’t keep from watching Nick, like he hadn’t really thought to do in their mad dash to be ready in time earlier that day. Nick had surprisingly broad shoulders, Joe mused, tapering down to a slim waist. He was small, but with a hint of muscle that Joe suspected would fill out more, and soon. And his ass…oh great, he just stared at a minor’s ass, he was so going to jail.
“Ahem.”
And oh god, Nick had totally just caught him checking him out.
“My eyes are up here,” Nick said, and Joe snapped his own up to meet them, just in time to catch Nick’s smirk.
“Uh-right,” was Joe’s brilliant comeback, before he spun around and unzipped his Jojo outfit, face burning. He kept his eyes resolutely averted after that, not sparing a glance in Nick’s direction to watch him put his jeans back on, or to see if he was staring back (yeah, right). He finally turned around again when all the pieces to Jojo’s outfit were put away and he was redressed in regular clothes.
Nick stood waiting for him, holding the button-up he’d been wearing over his v-neck, and he gestured to his face. “I’m assuming you have something to wash this off with?”
Joe nodded. “In the bathroom,” he said. “Come on.” He waited for Nick to toss his shirt over the back of the chair at the vanity, then led the way down the hall, though he was sure Nick must have remembered where the bathroom was; it wasn’t like his apartment was huge or anything. Once inside, Joe pulled out the makeup remover and a cloth. “Here, hop up on the counter and close your eyes,” he instructed.
Nick frowned. “I can do it myself,” he protested, but Joe shook his head.
“Just let me do it, okay? It’ll probably be quicker that way.”
Nick sighed, but hopped up to sit on the sink and closed his eyes obediently.
Joe moved close, standing between Nick’s knees, as he gently wiped away the makeup around Nick’s eyes, making sure to get all the white out of his eyebrows. From there, he removed the clown nose and wiped at the dried adhesive on the tip of Nick’s. Finally, he rubbed at the fake stubble adorning Nick’s jaw.
As Joe removed the last of the makeup from Nick’s mouth, he suddenly realized how close he was to Nick, standing between his thighs, one hand cupping Nick’s cheek so he could tilt his head the way it needed to go. He set the cloth down and swiped his thumb over Nick’s bottom lip, echoing what he’d just done with the cloth. It would be so easy to kiss him right now. Joe leaned closer, so close that he could feel Nick’s breath hitting his face in little puffs. But he hesitated there, because what if he ruined everything?
“Are you gonna kiss me or not?” Nick suddenly asked, and Joe looked up from his mouth to his eyes, which had opened at some point in the last few seconds.
“I-uh-well-” Joe stammered, frozen there, still cupping Nick’s cheek, still a breath away from Nick’s mouth.
“I’ll take that as a no,” Nick teased, before he leaned forward to close that little bit of distance between them.
As kisses went, it was pretty chaste, just soft little presses of their lips. Almost as soon as it began, it was over, and Nick pulled back just far enough to rest his forehead against Joe’s.
Joe stroked Nick’s cheek with his thumb. “Should we talk about this?” he murmured, still so close that his lips nearly brushed against Nick’s with every word.
“Do we have to?” Nick replied.
“Well,” Joe said consideringly, “I do want to know one thing.”
“Hm?”
“Do you want to go out with me on Saturday?”
“I’d love to.”
“Then no, I think that’s all the conversation we have to have.”
Nick chuckled and kissed Joe again quickly, before pulling fully away from him. “We should probably finish getting dressed,” he pointed out, and Joe sighed.
“You’re probably right,” he agreed, stepping out of the cradle of Nick’s thighs and leaning close to the mirror so he could remove his own makeup. “I guess you should go put your shirt back on now.”
Nick jumped down off the counter. “I guess so,” he said. “I’ll be right back.”
While Nick was gone, Joe finished removing his makeup and started applying moisturizer. He was just about finished when Nick reentered the room and stepped up behind Joe, hooking his chin over Joe’s shoulder. “What are you doing?” he asked.
“Moisturizing,” Joe replied. “This clown gig can be a bitch on your skin.”
Nick chuckled, then sighed. “I’m gonna be in so much trouble when I get home.”
“For having an argument with your dad?” Joe asked, surprised.
Nick shook his head, rubbing his hair against Joe’s cheek. “No, for leaving the house and not telling them where I was going. Actually, I bet they’ve tried to call, but I left my phone here while we were gone. Damn it!”
Joe jumped at Nick’s outburst, then turned around, wrapping his arms around Nick’s waist in a half-hug, half-hold. “Hey, what’s wrong?”
Nick groaned and dropped his head to rest on Joe’s shoulder. “This is just gonna be more reason for him to keep telling me how irresponsible I am,” Nick mumbled into Joe’s t-shirt.
“Nick,” Joe began hesitantly. “I don’t-you work hard in school, you’re going to graduate early, you have the dedication to have learned not one but two instruments-and you’re working on a third, you stay on top of a serious disease…I don’t understand how anyone could possibly think that you’re irresponsible.”
Nick sighed and looked up. “I really did put myself in the hospital.”
“I thought you said you were in because of your diabetes?” Joe asked, confused.
“I was,” Nick mumbled, not meeting Joe’s eyes. “But it was my fault. I didn’t-I knew my blood sugar had been fucked up for days. It was way too high, and I know how to get it to level out, but it just wasn’t working. Even so, I was convinced I could handle it myself, I could take of it myself, I was in control of myself. And I just. Wasn’t. So I almost ended up in a coma, I got rushed to the hospital, it took even the doctors a couple days to get everything straightened out, and I was too ashamed to admit to my parents that I’d known something was wrong but didn’t say anything, so I just. Let them think that I hadn’t been taking care of myself. And in a way, I wasn’t. Just not the way they think. So I guess maybe I really am irresponsible.”
“Oh, Nick,” Joe said, pulling him into a proper hug. “That doesn’t make you irresponsible.”
“Yes, it does,” Nick argued, his voice muffled against Joe’s neck. “I should have known I couldn’t handle it on my own after the first day of not being able to. But I hate that there’s this part of me I can’t control, and I guess I just-”
“Nick,” Joe interrupted, pulling back a little to make Nick look at him. “You made a mistake. But you don’t have to keep beating yourself up about it.”
“I guess,” Nick said, looking unconvinced as he stepped out of Joe’s arms. “But either way, my parents and especially my dad still think I’m irresponsible, and I seem to be proving him right lately.”
Joe smirked. “You’re a teenager, Nick, getting in fights with your parents and storming out of the house is what you’re expected to do.”
“Did you do that?” Nick asked.
“Nah,” Joe replied. “I just moved several states away and broke my mother’s heart.”
Nick chuckled, then he sighed. “I should get home.”
“Yeah,” Joe agreed. “You probably should. Come on, I’ll walk you down.”
“Such a gentleman,” Nick teased as they walked through Joe’s apartment and out into the hallway outside.
Joe stuck his tongue out at him. “Hey, I’m just trying to be nice. For that, I’m treating you like a girl on Saturday.”
Nick stopped dead in the middle of the hallway. “Shit, Joe. I don’t know if I’ll be able to make it after all.”
“Having second thoughts?” Joe asked, his tone light and teasing but fueled by genuine worry.
Nick shook his head vehemently. “No, of course not. I just might be grounded for this, I don’t know. I’ll let you know later tonight though, okay?”
“Okay,” Joe agreed, beginning to move again. “But if you’re grounded and can’t make it, then you owe me two dates.”
Nick grinned. “I think I can handle that.”
They arrived at the front door then, but Nick didn’t leave immediately; he stood sort of awkwardly for a moment before saying, “So um, I’ll call or text you.”
Joe nodded.
“And, um…”
Joe took pity on Nick then and stepped closer and kissed him. This kiss was just as chaste as their first, and Joe really wanted to push Nick up against the wall and kiss him properly, but it wasn’t really the time or place for that. Joe pulled back regretfully and smiled. “Bye, Nick.”
Nick smiled back. “Bye, Joe,” he said, then pushed open the door and left, pausing when he hit the sidewalk to turn and wave through the glass.
Joe waved back, then turned and walked back up the stairs to his apartment. He flopped down onto the couch when he got there and grinned stupidly to himself. He couldn’t wait for Saturday. Well, assuming Nick wouldn’t be grounded. He’d have to plan something really awesome, he thought. “Although not much can top a picnic-slash-food fight,” he mumbled aloud. “And dinner and a movie is so cliché. And speaking of dinner…”
Joe got up and started rummaging around in his cupboards and refrigerator, looking for likely possibilities for his own meal that night. Finally deciding that he was lazy and didn’t feel like cooking, Joe popped a frozen pizza in the oven and set the timer before settling down at the kitchen table with some work for his class the next evening.
Before he’d finished reading even one article, and before the timer for his pizza went off, his phone rang. Seeing that it was Nick, Joe answered right away.
“I’m grounded for a week,” Nick said, before even a greeting. “So I’m gonna have to cancel Saturday. I’m sorry, Joe.”
Joe’s stomach sank with disappointment, but he tried not to let it show in his voice. “It’s fine, Nick. We can do it another time.”
“Next Saturday?” Nick suggested hopefully, and Joe grinned.
“Next Saturday would be great,” he said. “So how much trouble are you in?”
“Not as much as I thought I’d be,” Nick replied. “I think when my parents heard what I’ve been doing this afternoon, it made them go easier on me.”
“What, kissing boys?” Joe asked with a grin.
“No, Joseph, not kissing boys,” Nick returned, and Joe could almost see him rolling his eyes. “But I’m still in trouble for storming out like I did and not telling them where I was going.”
“That sucks,” Joe said.
“Yeah,” Nick sighed. “Um, and also, if you don’t hear from me much in the next week, it’s because my parents remembered that they haven’t taken my phone away yet.”
“Ni-ick,” Joe whined. “Don’t get in trouble anymore, it punishes me too.”
Nick chuckled. “Sorry. I’ll try not to.”
“You better,” Joe replied. The timer started beeping then, and he stood up to shut it off.
“What’s that noise?” Nick asked.
“My dinner,” Joe answered, donning an oven mitt on his free hand and taking the pizza out.
“Oh. I’ll let you go then,” Nick said. “Talk to you later, I hope.”
“Later,” Joe echoed, and then hung up.
He cut the pizza and put two pieces on a plate before heading back to the table, food in one hand and phone in the other.
Nick tossed his phone from one hand to the other nervously as he walked. He didn’t know why he was so nervous, he was only going to meet Joe. Just the guy he’d been talking to nearly every day for over a month, the guy he’d hung out with three times in the past three weeks, the guy he’d made out with at the park two days before when he met him heading home from his shift at Starbucks…just Joe.
Nick groaned. Who was he kidding? Maybe it was just Joe, but it was also a date with Joe, and that was kind of a big deal.
Joe himself nearly gave Nick a heart attack, though, when he stepped out of the shadows at the edge of his building and said, “Boo!”
“Jesus, Joe!” Nick gasped. “Are you trying to kill me?”
Joe laughed. “Not really, no.”
Before Nick could think of a good comeback, Joe was kissing him. It was no doubt meant to be a short hello kiss, but Nick snaked his arms around Joe’s waist and parted his lips invitingly, and it turned into a much wetter and longer hello than Joe had intended. He didn’t seem to be complaining though, since one hand was fisted in the back of Nick’s shirt, the other resting on his neck, his tongue moving slow and dirty against Nick’s. Finally, Nick pulled away.
“Hi,” he said, and Joe grinned.
“Hi,” Joe replied. “You look great, by the way.”
Nick didn’t think he looked all that amazing, himself. He was just wearing a black polo under a gray cardigan, faded jeans and a pair of red Converse. “Thanks,” he said though. “So do you.” Joe, on the other hand, was wearing a tight red and black button up plaid shirt, black skinny jeans, and black Converse, and he really did look amazing.
“Thank you,” Joe replied. “You ready?” He started walking without waiting for an answer.
Nick raised his eyebrows as he jogged to catch up. “I might be, if you’d told me what I’m supposed to be ready for.”
Joe shook his head. “Nuh-uh. It’s a surprise.”
Nick sighed. “Does it at least involve food? I need to eat soon, my levels are a little out of whack.”
Joe immediately froze and looked at him seriously. “Are you okay? Do we need to cancel?”
“No!” Nick said immediately. “I’ll be fine, I promise. We’ve already cancelled once, we’re not doing it again.”
Joe resumed walking. “Okay, if you’re sure. And yes, if you must know, it does involve food. To start with, at least.”
Nick grinned. “So what comes after that?”
“No,” Joe replied. “It’s a surprise, and I’m not telling you anything else. You’ll just have to wait and see.”
Nick sighed exaggeratedly. “Fine, I guess I can wait. …If you give me a hint.”
“No hints,” Joe said firmly.
“You’re no fun,” Nick replied, a mock-pout on his face. But he didn’t mind, really. He liked that Joe wanted to take him out and surprise him. And his levels were fine. Really. He’d eat and they’d fix themselves, and then he and Joe would have a great time the rest of the night.
They stopped walking outside a shabby little diner-type restaurant, and Nick looked at Joe skeptically. “This is where we’re going?”
“Let me guess,” Joe said with a grin, “You’ve never been in because it looks like crap, right?”
Nick blushed.
“Trust me, Nick, they have the best food here. And if you hate it, I’ll take you to. I don’t know. That really expensive Italian place with the name I can’t pronounce.”
Nick couldn’t help but laugh. “Okay, if you say it’s good, I’ll give it a shot.”
Joe grinned and led the way inside. “You have to try their chocolate shakes,” he said, choosing a seat in the back corner.
Nick sighed and bit his lip. “I’d better not,” he said, sliding into the booth across from Joe. “My levels are already high.”
“Oh. Right. Sorry,” Joe mumbled.
Nick shook his head. “No, it’s okay. I can have stuff like that once in awhile, I just have to be careful about it. But since my levels are already screwed up, it’s better if I don’t.”
A waitress comes over then and hands them menus. “Hi there, I’m Debby and I’ll be your server tonight. Our special is meatloaf, and our soup of the day is chicken noodle. Can I start you off with something to drink?”
“I’ll have a Diet Coke,” Nick ordered.
“Could I get an iced tea?” Joe requested, but before Debby could write it down, Nick frowned. He thought he knew what was going on, and he didn’t like it at all.
“I thought you were gonna get a milkshake?”
Joe shrugged. “Yeah, but since you-well, I changed my mind.”
“He’ll have a milkshake,” Nick told Debby firmly.
Debby looked at them, a little confused, but finally she nodded. “Okay. I’ll be right back with those.”
When she’d gone, Nick turned to Joe with a steely expression. “Don’t ever do that again.”
Joe looked back, hurt. “I was just-”
Nick sighed and held up his hand. “No, Joe, I’m sorry. You didn’t mean anything, I kind of overreacted. My levels are off, and I really hate it when people do that, treat me different or act like eating candy in front of me is a crime, but that’s no excuse.”
“You’re forgiven,” Joe said, giving Nick a small smile and kicking his ankle lightly under the table. “Now, what are you thinking about eating?”
Nick opened his abandoned menu, still a little embarrassed. “This looks good,” he mused aloud. “The BBQ Bacon Cheeseburger.”
“It’s incredible,” Joe chimed in enthusiastically. “They use this homemade barbeque sauce and fried onions and it’s so good.”
“Yeah? I’ll probably get that, then. What are you gonna get?”
“Chicken tenders,” Joe replied immediately, and Nick noticed that he hadn’t touched his menu. “With onion rings.”
Nick chuckled. “Come here often?”
“You’ve already got me you know, you don’t need cheesy pick up lines.”
Nick was saved from having to reply as Debby brought their drinks to the table, Nick’s in a typical Coke glass, Joe’s in a fancy dessert glass, with the metal cup from the milkshake mixer on the side with the part of his shake that wouldn’t fit in the cup. It was served with whipped cream, a cherry, and a dessert spoon in addition to the straw. It looked just as awesome as Joe had said.
“Are you ready to order?” Debby inquired, notepad in hand.
“I’ll have the chicken tender platter, with onion rings instead of fries, and barbecue sauce for dipping. And he’ll have the BBQ Bacon Cheeseburger,” Joe spoke up for both of them, which Nick supposed was only fair since he had hijacked the drink order.
“Fries okay for the side?” Debby asked, and Nick nodded. “And how did you want that cooked?”
“Medium,” Nick answered.
Debby made another note on her pad. “Okay, I’ll put that in and it should be out in a few minutes.”
As soon as she’d left, Joe took a sip of his milkshake, closing his eyes and making a face that shouldn’t even have been legal, if Nick had anything to say about it.
“Good?” he asked, raising his eyebrows.
Joe blushed a little bit. “So good,” he agreed. “We’ll have to come back soon so you can try for yourself.”
Nick hesitated, before saying, “One sip probably won’t kill me. If you don’t mind.”
Joe immediately pushed the glass over to him. “Go ahead.”
Nick took a small sip, and suddenly he understood Joe’s practically orgasmic reaction. “Oh my god.”
Joe grinned knowingly. “They make it with chocolate ice cream, and add chocolate syrup, so it’s extra-chocolatey, and it’s more ice cream than milk so it’s extra-thick,” he explained.
“I see why you wanted me to try it now,” Nick said, taking a sip of his (sadly incomparable) Diet Coke.
“I told you,” Joe singsonged. “Wait till the food comes, and you’ll see why I brought you here at all.”
“So…where are you bringing me next?”
Joe shook his head. “Nuh-uh,” he said. “It’s still a surprise.”
“Oh, come on,” Nick wheedled. “Just tell me.”
Joe shook his head harder.
“What if I’m allergic to it?” Nick demanded.
Joe snorted. “I’m pretty sure you’re not.”
“Yeah, well, what if…what if I hate it?”
Joe suddenly looked stricken. “I didn’t think about that.”
Nick groaned. “Joe, no, I’m sure I won’t hate it. I’m just being kind of a douche tonight.”
Joe shot Nick a small smile. “It’s okay, Nick. I like you anyway.”
“I’m sorry I’m not exactly fun to be around right now,” Nick mumbled. Maybe he should have cancelled, he thought angrily. All he was doing was being a dick to Joe. That was a great first date activity.
“Hey,” Joe said seriously. “It’s okay. I told you. I like you anyway.”
Nick finally returned Joe’s smile. “That’s good. ‘Cause I like you too.”
Joe was just reaching for Nick’s hand when Debby returned with their food, and Joe pulled his hand back to make room. “Okay, here’s your chicken tenders,” she said, setting one plate down in front of Joe. “And your burger,” she added, setting the other plate in front of Nick. “Is there anything else you need?”
Joe shook his head. “No, I think we’re all set. Thanks, Debby.”
“You’re welcome. Enjoy your meals.”
When Debby had left, Joe stared at Nick expectantly. Nick raised an eyebrow. “Can I help you?”
“I just wanna make sure I don’t miss your expression when you take the first bite,” Joe replied. “Don’t mind me.”
Nick rolled his eyes, but couldn’t help but grin. He picked up his burger and took a bite. “Omagaw,” he said thickly through his mouthful. He chewed and swallowed, ignoring Joe’s knowing grin. “That’s amazing.”
“I told you so,” Joe said gleefully, tearing the end off one of his chicken tenders and dunking it in his barbecue sauce. “The food here is the best.”
“You were right,” Nick admitted. “I’m sorry I ever doubted you.”
Joe finished chewing the piece of chicken, then grinned. “As you should be.” He tore off another chunk, dipped in his sauce, then offered it to Nick. “Here, try this.”
Nick obediently opened his mouth and let Joe feed him. The chicken was just as amazing as the burger, not dry and fried in some kind of delicious homemade batter, and the barbeque sauce really added to it, rather than just covering it up.
“Officially my new favorite restaurant,” Nick declared when he’d swallowed, and Joe sipped at his milkshake smugly.
“I told you so.”
Part Four