(no subject)
Here are three ficlets, all Brian/Nick, of the six promised to inadownpour in return for making these lovely icons! Not nearly as soon as I thought they would be finished... but three more are coming!
One.
Nick had forgotten how small these bunks were. It wasn’t so much that he himself had gotten taller and took up more room, but when they contained a squirming six-year-old in addition to himself, the bed was decidedly more than cramped. Springs creaked as Baylee bounced excitedly, taking up much more room than a child of his size should, and he let out a giggle. Nick brought a finger to his lips, motioning to keep quiet. Baylee clumsily slapped both hands over his mouth.
Baylee’s excitement swelled as they heard footsteps, muffled by thin carpet. Nick was almost relieved. Underneath the curtain he could see white tennis shoes drawing closer.
“Are you guys in here?” There was a note of anxiety in Brian’s voice, but it wasn’t quite that tight, frantic pitch that Nick knew it could reach. They hadn’t even been gone for that long. Brian’s patience had definitely shortened since he had a kid. Although Nick supposed that was understandable.
The shoes stopped, shuffled once. Brian sighed heavily. Nick turned to Baylee, who could barely contain himself. Mouthing the words, he held up one finger, two, three, and-
“Aaaahhh!” Baylee shrieked as the curtain was thrown back and he launched himself directly at Brian, whose face was the picture of surprise, all round lips and even rounder eyes. It didn’t seem exaggerated, either. Luckily he recovered enough to catch the squirming child, who then pretended to chew on Brian’s arm.
“What in the world-what is this?” Brian plucked at the toilet paper that was draped over Baylee’s shoulders, surprise sliding into confusion.
“We’re playing monsters.” Nick grinned. “Bay decided he wants to be a vampire for Halloween.”
“A vampire, huh?” Brian grinned. He swung the squealing child around in his arms, much to Baylee's delight. "And where would he get an idea like that, I wonder?" He looked pointedly in Nick's direction.
Nick shrugged, smiling. "Maybe he saw a really cool one on TV?"
Brian just shook his head, chuckling, and unwrapped the toilet paper.
*****
Two.
It didn’t take long for the combination of flashing lights and loud music to remind Brian why he hated coming to these things. It felt like his skull was throbbing right along with the bass line. Brian pressed his fingers to his temples and sighed. He wasn’t even near the mass of people out on the dance floor, and he was still unbearably hot. The heavy cotton of his shirt was suffocating, making him itch as sweat beaded up on the back of his neck. These costumes were the dumbest idea.
Strangely, the intensity of the lights didn’t make it any easier to see. Brian had to squint down at the neon watch face on his wrist, only to see that he hadn’t been here nearly long enough to make a graceful exit. When he looked up again Nick was standing in front of him.
Outlined by flashing lights, Brian could see his blonde hair spiked up and his white t-shirt stretched across his chest. He was suddenly jealous, that Nick had been smart enough to pick a costume that would actually fit in. He swiped a hand over the back of his neck.
“It’s Sprite,” Nick said when he caught Brian staring at the glass in his hand. Brian almost wouldn’t have heard him over the music, but he recognized the movement of his lips.
“No, I know.” He couldn’t even hear his own voice now. Nick smiled, and Brian caught the point of incisors as his lips curved up. He was still surprised they let him keep the teeth from that video shoot.
“Having fun, Prince Brian?” Nick laughed, leaning in this time, and his face was almost ethereal under the strobe light. Brian just shook his head. He couldn’t even find an excuse.
Nick’s mouth is moving again, red lips sliding over white fangs. “Maybe I can help.”
Then he smiles roguishly, right before he leans forward and sinks his teeth into Brian’s neck.
*****
Three.
Brian was just about to give up. This venue was way too big, and Nick was probably cheating anyway. Ducking down another dark hallway took him to the back of the stage, where Kevin and several crew members were standing. They seemed to be arguing over something, and even if they weren’t arguing Brian still knew better than to let Kevin see him, and he quickly turned back the way he came.
He sighed softly, peering through the darkness for any other hidden corners he could have missed. They didn’t have much longer until rehearsal, and if Nick didn’t show himself for that, well, Brian wouldn’t be responsible. He leaned against the wall, eyes closing briefly. Almost as soon as he did so a hand grabbed hold of his arm, startling him awake.
"Geez, Nick! What are you doing?"
Nick’s face was slightly perturbed, eyebrows drawing together. "Is this how you play hide and seek? Cause when I play, you actually look for the other person."
Brian couldn’t help snorting with incredulity. "I was! You know how big this place is? How’m I supposed to find you when you totally disappear?"
Nick huffed slightly, shoulders slouching. “Well, fine, I wanted to show you something, but I guess you don’t care then.”
“Hey, Nick, c’mon. Don’t do that. Show me what?”
Nick didn’t respond at first, instead just watched as one of the crew members from the stage brushed past. Then he was quick, his nose and mouth tracing delicately over Brian’s ear and along his jaw line, warm breath imperceptible. Brian inhaled sharply, and it was still disorienting how Nick was tall enough to do that now.
"Nick- " and before he could even finish his breath Nick drew back, and slid a hand over Brian’s hip.
"I’d rather show you in private." His whisper was barely audible, but Brian didn’t miss a word. When Nick turned to disappear into the darkness again, Brian wasn’t far behind. Maybe hide and seek could be fun after all.
*****
Revised 1/4/2010
One.
Nick had forgotten how small these bunks were. It wasn’t so much that he himself had gotten taller and took up more room, but when they contained a squirming six-year-old in addition to himself, the bed was decidedly more than cramped. Springs creaked as Baylee bounced excitedly, taking up much more room than a child of his size should, and he let out a giggle. Nick brought a finger to his lips, motioning to keep quiet. Baylee clumsily slapped both hands over his mouth.
Baylee’s excitement swelled as they heard footsteps, muffled by thin carpet. Nick was almost relieved. Underneath the curtain he could see white tennis shoes drawing closer.
“Are you guys in here?” There was a note of anxiety in Brian’s voice, but it wasn’t quite that tight, frantic pitch that Nick knew it could reach. They hadn’t even been gone for that long. Brian’s patience had definitely shortened since he had a kid. Although Nick supposed that was understandable.
The shoes stopped, shuffled once. Brian sighed heavily. Nick turned to Baylee, who could barely contain himself. Mouthing the words, he held up one finger, two, three, and-
“Aaaahhh!” Baylee shrieked as the curtain was thrown back and he launched himself directly at Brian, whose face was the picture of surprise, all round lips and even rounder eyes. It didn’t seem exaggerated, either. Luckily he recovered enough to catch the squirming child, who then pretended to chew on Brian’s arm.
“What in the world-what is this?” Brian plucked at the toilet paper that was draped over Baylee’s shoulders, surprise sliding into confusion.
“We’re playing monsters.” Nick grinned. “Bay decided he wants to be a vampire for Halloween.”
“A vampire, huh?” Brian grinned. He swung the squealing child around in his arms, much to Baylee's delight. "And where would he get an idea like that, I wonder?" He looked pointedly in Nick's direction.
Nick shrugged, smiling. "Maybe he saw a really cool one on TV?"
Brian just shook his head, chuckling, and unwrapped the toilet paper.
*****
Two.
It didn’t take long for the combination of flashing lights and loud music to remind Brian why he hated coming to these things. It felt like his skull was throbbing right along with the bass line. Brian pressed his fingers to his temples and sighed. He wasn’t even near the mass of people out on the dance floor, and he was still unbearably hot. The heavy cotton of his shirt was suffocating, making him itch as sweat beaded up on the back of his neck. These costumes were the dumbest idea.
Strangely, the intensity of the lights didn’t make it any easier to see. Brian had to squint down at the neon watch face on his wrist, only to see that he hadn’t been here nearly long enough to make a graceful exit. When he looked up again Nick was standing in front of him.
Outlined by flashing lights, Brian could see his blonde hair spiked up and his white t-shirt stretched across his chest. He was suddenly jealous, that Nick had been smart enough to pick a costume that would actually fit in. He swiped a hand over the back of his neck.
“It’s Sprite,” Nick said when he caught Brian staring at the glass in his hand. Brian almost wouldn’t have heard him over the music, but he recognized the movement of his lips.
“No, I know.” He couldn’t even hear his own voice now. Nick smiled, and Brian caught the point of incisors as his lips curved up. He was still surprised they let him keep the teeth from that video shoot.
“Having fun, Prince Brian?” Nick laughed, leaning in this time, and his face was almost ethereal under the strobe light. Brian just shook his head. He couldn’t even find an excuse.
Nick’s mouth is moving again, red lips sliding over white fangs. “Maybe I can help.”
Then he smiles roguishly, right before he leans forward and sinks his teeth into Brian’s neck.
*****
Three.
Brian was just about to give up. This venue was way too big, and Nick was probably cheating anyway. Ducking down another dark hallway took him to the back of the stage, where Kevin and several crew members were standing. They seemed to be arguing over something, and even if they weren’t arguing Brian still knew better than to let Kevin see him, and he quickly turned back the way he came.
He sighed softly, peering through the darkness for any other hidden corners he could have missed. They didn’t have much longer until rehearsal, and if Nick didn’t show himself for that, well, Brian wouldn’t be responsible. He leaned against the wall, eyes closing briefly. Almost as soon as he did so a hand grabbed hold of his arm, startling him awake.
"Geez, Nick! What are you doing?"
Nick’s face was slightly perturbed, eyebrows drawing together. "Is this how you play hide and seek? Cause when I play, you actually look for the other person."
Brian couldn’t help snorting with incredulity. "I was! You know how big this place is? How’m I supposed to find you when you totally disappear?"
Nick huffed slightly, shoulders slouching. “Well, fine, I wanted to show you something, but I guess you don’t care then.”
“Hey, Nick, c’mon. Don’t do that. Show me what?”
Nick didn’t respond at first, instead just watched as one of the crew members from the stage brushed past. Then he was quick, his nose and mouth tracing delicately over Brian’s ear and along his jaw line, warm breath imperceptible. Brian inhaled sharply, and it was still disorienting how Nick was tall enough to do that now.
"Nick- " and before he could even finish his breath Nick drew back, and slid a hand over Brian’s hip.
"I’d rather show you in private." His whisper was barely audible, but Brian didn’t miss a word. When Nick turned to disappear into the darkness again, Brian wasn’t far behind. Maybe hide and seek could be fun after all.
*****
Revised 1/4/2010