fic: i could break your heart any day of the week (miley/everyone, pg)
Title: I Could Break Your Heart Any Day of the Week or Five Times Miley Broke Someone’s Heart Without Even Trying and One Time She Didn’t
Author: empressearwig
Pairing: Nick/Miley, Justin/Miley, Joe/Miley, Demi/Miley, Taylor/Miley
Rating: PG
Word Count: 4900
Warnings: None
Disclaimer: I own nothing, this is all for fun. Etc.
Summary: Everyone falls a little bit in love with Miley.
Author's Notes: This started out as one thing and became something else instead. For leobrat, belatedly.
I. Joe
Joe loves his brother.
In fact, Joe probably loves Nick more than anyone else in the world, and he definitely knows him better than anyone else. He knows just how much Nick loved (loves) Miley. He remembers what it sounded like to listen to Nick cry the day they broke up, to know that there was nothing he could do to make it better for him.
But Joe loves Miley too. She’s been like a little sister to him for years, since the day that they met practically. He knows just how much Miley loved (loves) Nick. He saw how hard Miley struggled to keep things together those last few weeks of the tour after she and Nick had broken up, but Joe was too preoccupied with making sure Nick was okay to even attempt to be there for her too. Besides, Nick’s his brother. He had to be there for him. He was pretty sure Miley understood that. And after that, well, he just lost track. When the crap about the pictures happened, he stood up for her the best he could and talked to her for about five seconds, but it wasn’t like he saw her every day anymore.
And Nick still needed him to be his big brother.
But now Miley’s walking out onto stage with them and Joe can see the strain on her face, buried behind the layer of exhaustion and the smile that Miley’s always been better able to fake than the rest of them. He sees her raise her hand to send a tentative wave down to the other end of the stage where Nick is standing with Demi, and Joe gives a mental sigh of relief when he sees Nick at least acknowledge the gesture. And he can see Miley relax just a little, enough so that as she comes closer to him, she kicks him like it’s a year ago and they’re onstage together every night, and it’s the most natural thing in the world for him to wrap his arm around her, hugging her tightly. She leans her head against his shoulder for just a second and then steps away.
Joe watches her separate herself from them again, standing just a little bit apart. Like she knows she’s not welcome, and he knows that if he looked down at the other end of the stage Nick’s face would be in complete agreement, but now, looking at Miley, all he wants to do is pull her back into the circle of his arm and make her part of the whole.
Because Miley belongs with them. She’s a part of them, and it’s time they all remembered that.
Joe looks at the look on Miley’s face for just a second more, sees her put that mask back on, and makes himself a promise.
If he can help it, if he has anything to say about it, he’s never going to see Miley look like that again. Because she’s like his sister, and he’s sick of seeing the people he loves with their hearts broken.
Especially by each other.
II. Nick
Nick's not stupid, he knows something is going on.
Ever since that damned concert, Joe and Demi have been having hushed conversations that he knows have to be about Miley. There's no other topic that would make them stop whenever he comes close enough to overhear, and really, both of them are pretty crappy liars. Whatever, if they want to talk to her or about her that's fine. He doesn't care. He's got a girlfriend, and he totally didn't have an irrational urge to punch Joe in the face when he hugged Miley at the end of the show or anything. He just doesn't like that they're keeping secrets from him is all.
But then they start throwing him vaguely pitying looks too, and he just can't stand it anymore.
"Just tell me already," he demands of Joe in his bedroom one night.
Joe shakes his head, and doesn't quite look him in the eye. "What are you even talking about, man?"
Nick just rolls his eyes. God, he hates his brothers sometimes. "Whatever you and Demi haven't been telling me. If it's about her, whatever, I won't care."
Joe raises his eyebrows at him and Nick has to fight down the urge to punch him again. "Really?" Joe asks skeptically.
Nick sort of shrugs and crosses his arms over his chest. "Really. She's not - I mean, she's just, whatever. I'm over it. So just tell me already."
"I can really tell you're over it," Joe says dryly, and Nick can feel his fists clenching. But then Joe shrugs and says, "Well, I suppose you were going to find out eventually. She's got a new boyfriend."
There's sort of a stabbing pain in his heart and Nick ignores it, because it's not like he's jealous or anything. "Is that all?" He shrugs again, trying to act like everything is fine. Which it is. "Good for her."
Joe eyes him warily and that stabbing feeling is back. There must be more. "Really?"
Nick never realized how much he hates that word. "Can you please stop saying that!"
Joe holds up his hands. "Yeah, sorry, we should have told you sooner, I guess. But me and Demi, we weren't sure how you'd handle it. I mean, I think it's pretty sketchy, but whatever, it's her life."
"What's sketchy?" Nick asks before he can stop himself. He never claimed he didn’t still care about her, after all. So it's fine.
Joe winces. "I didn't mean to say that." He sighs, a look of resigned dread on his face. "The guy, I guess he's twenty? I don't have all the details or anything. Miley and I just talked a little after the show, and yeah..."
"Twenty?" Nick asks incredulously. "She remembers she's still fifteen, right?"
Joe shrugs. "Like I said, I don't know what she's thinking or anything." He gives Nick a hard look. "But it's not like it's a big deal, right? It's her life and it’s not like you care. You made that pretty clear when you wouldn't even say hi to her at the concert."
Nick frowns. "I did so say hi to her." Didn’t he? Honestly, that night is a blur and all he can really remember is seeing Joe hug her like nothing had changed. Which, if he cared, might be something that he still hasn’t completely forgiven Joe for.
"If by say hi to her you mean kind of sort of wave awkwardly from across the stage, sure."
"Whatever." Nick can feel himself getting angry and whether it's at Joe for being obnoxious or at Miley for doing something so stupid or himself for being upset at all, he's not really sure. He hopes it's the first one, because he really shouldn't feel either of the other two things. "But really, a twenty year old?"
Joe shrugs again and gives Nick another look. "But it's not like you care."
"Shut up, Joe. It's not like if it were, say Demi, you'd be at all pissed that she's being stupid enough to date someone that's twenty. Right?"
"And that's all this is about, the fact that you think Miley's being stupid and making a mistake?"
Nick really hates Joe right now. "What else would it be about?"
Joe just stares at him, unblinking. God, his brother is such an asshole. Why can't Joe just be on his side and let this go? Nick stares back, not speaking. He knows Joe will cave, he always does.
And sure enough, Joe blinks first, looking away and sighing. "Nick, just admit it," he says, voice heavy with something Nick can’t identify. "It's fine."
"Admit what?"
Joe shakes his head. "Fine, you know what? I give up. Don't admit it. Just sit here and brood and write a song or whatever. I just can't deal with you right now."
Nick watches Joe stalk to the door and slam it shut behind him. He winces a little at the sound and scrubs his hands over his face, sinking down on his bed.
The worst of it is that he knows Joe is right. Yeah, he's pissed at her for doing something stupid, because if she thinks the press isn't going to have a field day with this she's insane and the last thing she needs is another scandal. But okay, yeah, he can admit it to himself.
He's jealous.
Which is really fucking annoying and he'd like that to stop. He has a girlfriend. He's moved on. So when the hell is the seeing red at the thought of Miley with another guy going to end?
It's not just because this guy, whoever he is, is so much older than her, either. Last spring, when he'd heard rumors about Miley and her co-star, he holed himself up in his room for a day and refused to talk to anyone, not even Joe. He's moved on, she's moved on, she shouldn't still be getting to him like this.
And yet.
Nick's not willing to entertain the idea that he's not over his ex-girlfriend. That he might still love her; which okay, he does, but just as a friend. That's allowed. Or would be if they were actually friends, which they're really not. And he kind of wishes they were sometimes, because there are times when he really misses Miley.
Misses the way that she could always make him laugh, even when no one else would try. Misses the sound of her laugh, the way it takes over and fills a room. Misses the way her hair smells. Misses the way she just gets him, can tell his mood without him having to say a word. Selena’s great and he likes her a lot, but there isn’t the history. He just really misses their history.
He digs his phone out of his pocket and flips it open. He scrolls through his contact list till he gets to Miley's name. He can't remember the last time that he called her or texted her, and he's thought about deleting her more than once. But somehow he's never been able to bring himself to do it.
He wants to call her now. Even if they end up fighting, which he thinks they probably would, he just wants to hear the sound of her voice.
But he can’t call her. Or maybe it’s that he won’t, it doesn’t really make a difference. Calling wouldn’t change anything. It wouldn’t erase the time and distance and hurt they’d caused each other.
He gives a final look at her name and closes the phone. He slips it back into his pocket and sighs.
He reaches for the guitar that is propped up against the bed and pulls it into his lap. If he can’t talk to Miley, he can do what he’s done a thousand times before.
He can write her a song.
He closes his eyes and begins to play.
III. Demi
Demi's pretty sure that everyone falls a little bit in love with Miley.
There's just something about her. About the way that she looks at people so that they feel like they're the only one in the world that matters. About the way that she fills up a room with her personality, but not in a way that makes it seem like she's full of herself or trying to upstage everyone else. One day when she thinks about it after a science class, she realizes it's kind of like Miley's the sun and everyone else is just drawn into her orbit. It's impossible to resist, but no one really wants to anyway, because being a part of her is just something that seems so right.
Thinking about it that much makes Demi feel kind of lame, but it's just one of those Miley things that can't be helped.
It's sort of hard to remember, but there was a time when she didn't exactly like Miley. Well, that's not true. She didn't know Miley, and all she had to go on was the way that the boys would kind of clam up whenever her name was mentioned, especially Nick, and the way that Selena would get this tight lipped frown and roll her eyes, like she wished Miley didn't exist. And really, maybe even more now, Demi gets why Selena felt that way. She wishes that her two favorite girls could be friends, but the reality is that they shared the same boy and that the boy was never really over the girl he loved first, and that pretty much makes it impossible. Which really sucks for Demi, because she just wants everyone to get along.
But once she got to know Miley better, started hanging out at each others’ houses and having breakfast and everything, she realized why Nick had never completely gotten over Miley. Because really, how do you get over someone who just consumes you like that?
And it's not like Demi has a crush on Miley exactly. She just really loves being around her and wishes she were more like her and if she notices sometimes how pretty Miley is, it's only because Miley is really pretty. No one would deny that, and if they would, clearly they don't have eyes. It's not a crush, Demi assures herself. She would know if it was.
If it were a crush, she'd be all tongue tied around Miley, like she is every time there's a boy that she likes. She'd worry about how she looks every time she sees Miley, about what she's wearing and how her hair is. She'd be trying to impress Miley, to make her like her. And Demi's not doing any of those things; Miley makes her more comfortable in her own skin than almost anyone she knows.
It's not till the premiere of Miley's movie in London that Demi realizes that all the reasons she doesn't have a crush on Miley are probably the reasons that she does.
They're just laughing and goofing off like the sixteen year olds they almost never get a chance to be, and Demi thinks that she's never had a better time on the red carpet. But then Miley's hand grazes her arm in a way it has hundreds of times before, and suddenly Demi's heart starts pounding like it's going to come out of her chest. All she can feel is the tingle on her skin, and all she can wish is that Miley's hand was still there. She smiles and poses for the cameras like nothing has changed, but she’s pretty sure that things won’t be quite the same ever again.
Later that night in her hotel room, Demi leans back against her pillows and tries to make herself understand. She can't kid herself - there's no way that Miley feels the same way about her. If there wasn't Justin, there would still be Nick, and anyway, Demi's not exactly sure what it is that she does feel about Miley. Maybe it's not actually a crush, maybe it's something else, maybe it's just the way that Miley makes everyone feel. Yes, she thinks to herself. That has to be it.
As she falls asleep, she comforts herself with that thought.
Everyone falls a little bit in love with Miley, and Demi can't help but do the same.
IV. Justin
Justin knows that he's never had all of Miley.
From the beginning, he'd known that there was a part of her that would always belong to Nick Jonas. He wasn't even sure Miley was aware of it, but it was obvious in everything she did and said. She gave Nick her heart when she was thirteen years old, and he kept the best part of it for himself even after he didn't want it anymore.
Justin kind of hates Nick.
Because all Justin wants to do is love Miley the way she deserves. He thinks that if she'd just let him, he could do that for her. Be the guy she needs, even if it's not the guy she wants. He'd settle for that half of her, because having half of Miley is better than having none at all.
It's not that Miley doesn't try. When she's with him she's really with him, totally in the present and there are times that he thinks he's chased the thoughts of ex-boyfriends past away from her mind, but then a song will play on the radio or she'll see a picture and he can see the memories flash in her eyes. She tries to hide it, to come back to the present, to him, but she never quite manages. When she says that she loves him, he believes that she means it, but he knows that it will never be the way she loved Nick. The way she still loves Nick.
But he can't tell Miley any of this. Partly because it wouldn't do any good; she'd deny it and swear that she's over Nick, and they'd end up fighting about something that there's no way to fix. Mostly, though, Justin can't tell her because he's selfish. He wants Miley for as long as he can have her, and if he tells her any of what he's thinking, he's afraid he'll send her straight back into Nick's arms. If he can't have Miley, he sure as hell doesn't want Nick to have her either.
In the end, though, Justin knows before Miley that their relationship is over.
He knows it the day that Miley goes to lunch with Nick without telling him about it beforehand, knows it when he sees the paparazzi pictures of them together. There's a smile on Miley's face that he's never seen before, that she's never smiled for him, and he can't help but be angry that all Nick has to do is finally agree to go out in public with her to earn that smile. He's done that, he's been the guy that's there whenever she needs him, and it's not enough. Will never be enough. Because his name isn't Nick Jonas, and he'll never be the one Miley loves best.
He's always known that, but it doesn't make having it thrown in his face any easier.
When Miley calls him later that night, all bubbly and happy about her lunch, and recording, and just how nice it is to be friends with Nick again, Justin says all the right things at all the right times. That he's proud of her for getting past everything and of course he's happy for her, he knows how much she missed Nick, missed all the Jonases.
It's the truth but it's also a lie. He wants Miley to be happy, and she sounds happier than he's ever heard her, but he knows that he's already lost her and she doesn't even know it yet.
He wishes he didn't know it either.
V. Taylor
When the rumors of Nick and Miley’s reconciliation reach her, Taylor’s happy for her.
She knows that if she were asked no one would believe her, but it doesn’t make it less true. The one thing that Taylor has always known with absolute certainty about Miley is that she loves Nick Jonas. That if given the choice between Nick and anyone else in the world, Miley would choose Nick every day of the week and twice on Sunday.
Taylor’s always understood that, because she loves just as deeply as Miley.
It’s just funny that the boys that brought them together are the boys that are now pulling them apart.
Taylor doesn’t regret the things she did or said after she and Joe broke up. She’s never seen the point in hiding what she’s feeling, and she personally thinks that actually expressing emotion is better than denying that it ever happened in the first place, like certain people insist on doing. And her break up with Joe made her friendship with Miley about a million times stronger, and Miley’s a pretty amazing friend to have. Miley knew better than anyone else what it was like to have a Jonas break your heart, how to pick up the pieces afterward.
Miley was the one good thing to come out of that twenty-seven second phone call.
But even then, Miley hadn’t hated Nick anymore, not like Taylor had hated Joe. To be honest, Taylor’s not sure Miley ever hated Nick. When she’d talk about him, the love she still felt was always in her eyes, even if it was buried behind layers of sadness and regret that made her seem so much older than sixteen. Taylor watches Miley try to fall in love with Justin, and knows that it will never happen.
Not when Miley is still so obviously in love with Nick.
So it’s a surprise and it isn’t when Miley and Nick start hanging out again. It’s a surprise, because for all that it was obvious that Miley wanted nothing more than to be in his life again, Nick had done his absolute best to make it seem like he didn’t want anything to do with the girl that he’d loved for two years. But whatever the reason, every time Taylor talks to Miley and sees the new sparkle in her eyes, she’s sure it’s because of Nick. Taylor can tell that Miley is trying to keep that part of her life away from Taylor, trying not to bring back painful memories, but one of the best things about Miley is that she can’t help but wear whatever she’s feeling on her sleeve, and Taylor can just tell. She’s pretty sure she used to look that way when she’d think about Joe.
She just wishes that Miley didn’t feel like she had to hide it from her.
The night of the Grammy’s, Taylor’s too caught up in what she’s feeling to really notice the look on Miley’s face when she sings about thinking she’d marry him someday, but when she watches the playback the next day, she knows it’s only a matter of time before Nick and Miley are more than friends again. Miley still thinks that she’s going to marry that boy someday, and seeing that, Taylor’s heart can’t help but ache.
Believing in happy endings gets harder every day, but Taylor thinks that if Miley can get the one she wants so badly, that maybe there is hope for everyone else.
But bit by bit, after that night, Taylor can feel Miley pulling away from her. And Taylor knows that it’s not a coincidence that it is happening as Nick and Miley are growing ever closer. She knows that Nick only ever tolerated her for Joe’s sake and that he was glad when she was gone. She’s certain that if he has his way, she’d be the first person to go from Miley’s life, well okay, probably the second after Justin. And even though she’d always known that Miley would choose Nick, that doesn’t take away how much it hurts when it happens.
It’s stupid, but it’s the day that Miley stops following her on Twitter that Taylor knows that it’s over. She’s not sure how, but she’s certain that Miley’s taken sides and Taylor is out in the cold. Oh, it’s not like what happened with Joe, and she knows that whenever she sees Miley that they’ll still be friendly and that she’ll be pulled into the Miley’s orbit, just like everyone who meets her is, but it won’t be the same.
But that doesn’t mean Taylor isn’t happy for Miley.
How can she not be, when this is everything Miley has always wanted? How can she not be, when this is everything that she wants for herself and fears she’ll never have?
Taylor just wishes Miley had found it with someone else.
VI. Nick
Nick can't wait to see Miley.
The entire plane ride to Savannah all he can think about is her: what it means that she asked him to come to visit, what it means that she finally broke up with the loser, what it means that his palms haven't stopped sweating since the plane took off. The ways Miley makes him feel like a thirteen year old boy with his first real crush are pretty lame, but then she was his first real crush, so it's probably okay.
He just really hopes he's not wrong about what's going on. He's pretty sure that Miley knows how he feels about her; he's done everything but say the words. And really, the words between them had never been their problem. It had been everything and everyone else, the way the whole world felt that they had a right to know things that were none of their business. Nick's not kidding himself; he knows that won't have changed. But he thinks that he has, that he's grown up enough for it to be okay.
He's willing to sacrifice some of the privacy he wants so badly if it means that he gets to have Miley, because he wants her more than anything in the world.
He knows now that it was stupid to deny that for the last year. He's always loved Miley and probably always will love Miley, and trying to give her up was one of the worst decisions he ever made. He's happier when she's in his life, he laughs more and feels more. He is more. It's strange in a way; people think of Miley as flighty and immature and can't understand why, when he's so serious, that he would want to be with someone like that. But really, what they don't understand is that Miley grounds him enough so that he can be the immature one sometimes. She lets him just be himself, and reminds him that sometimes it's okay just to be sixteen and stupid.
It's one of the reasons he needs her so much.
When he finally gets to Savannah it's a relief, because at least now he'll know one way or another. He won't just be living in his head, wondering what's going to happen, if he did and said the right things, if he's managed to convince her that he deserves another chance. He knows that it's absolutely the wrong time for both of them to try to make this work, but somehow that just doesn't matter. He's afraid if he lets this opportunity pass him by he won't get another one, and he couldn't live with himself if he let that happen.
He refuses to think that could happen.
The cab finally pulls up outside the house the Cyrus’s are renting, and he nearly hits his head on the door in his hurry to get out of the car. Apparently he can add "makes him clumsy" to the list of things that Miley does to him. He takes his bag and pays the driver, and heads up the walk to the front door. He rings the door bell and waits, and he wipes his palms on his jeans, trying to at least look like he's not nervous, even though his heart feels like it's about to beat out of his chest.
The door opens and Miley's standing on the other side, and he's sure that he can feel his heart stop. There's nothing special about the way she looks - he's seen her in faded blue jeans and a tank top a million times before - but he can't help but think that she's never looked prettier than she does right now. And she's smiling at him, smiling his smile, but in her eyes he can see that she's just as nervous as he is and his heart starts beating again. He wasn't wrong. Whatever he's feeling, she's feeling too, he knows it.
"Hi," she says sort of shyly, as she reaches out to hug him, wrapping her arms around his neck.
He pulls her closer to him, spreading his hands out across her back. He can feel the warmth of her skin through the thin material of her shirt, and he breathes in the scent of her hair. It smells exactly like he remembers, and it's all he can do to not kiss her. "Hey," he whispers against her hair.
They stand there like that for what seems like forever, but isn't nearly long enough. Too soon, Miley's pulling back, and he reluctantly lets her go.
He's surprised to see a sheen of tears in her eyes, and he automatically brings a hand up to cup her face, brushing them away from her cheeks. He can't stand to see Miley cry, especially when it's his fault. "What's wrong?" he asks, a hint of panic in his voice. If he's ruined things already... well, he's not sure what he'll do.
Miley closes her eyes and leans into his hand, and he can feel her breath against his skin. When she opens her eyes again, they're clear and she smiles up at him and this time it reaches her eyes. She reaches for his other hand and laces their fingers together.
She looks down at their joined hands and then back up at him and says, "Come inside, Nicky," and she pulls him along behind her.
There's something in her voice, and he's not sure how he knows that she's just told him everything he wants to hear, but he does.
He follows her into the house.
He'll follow her anywhere.
Author: empressearwig
Pairing: Nick/Miley, Justin/Miley, Joe/Miley, Demi/Miley, Taylor/Miley
Rating: PG
Word Count: 4900
Warnings: None
Disclaimer: I own nothing, this is all for fun. Etc.
Summary: Everyone falls a little bit in love with Miley.
Author's Notes: This started out as one thing and became something else instead. For leobrat, belatedly.
I. Joe
Joe loves his brother.
In fact, Joe probably loves Nick more than anyone else in the world, and he definitely knows him better than anyone else. He knows just how much Nick loved (loves) Miley. He remembers what it sounded like to listen to Nick cry the day they broke up, to know that there was nothing he could do to make it better for him.
But Joe loves Miley too. She’s been like a little sister to him for years, since the day that they met practically. He knows just how much Miley loved (loves) Nick. He saw how hard Miley struggled to keep things together those last few weeks of the tour after she and Nick had broken up, but Joe was too preoccupied with making sure Nick was okay to even attempt to be there for her too. Besides, Nick’s his brother. He had to be there for him. He was pretty sure Miley understood that. And after that, well, he just lost track. When the crap about the pictures happened, he stood up for her the best he could and talked to her for about five seconds, but it wasn’t like he saw her every day anymore.
And Nick still needed him to be his big brother.
But now Miley’s walking out onto stage with them and Joe can see the strain on her face, buried behind the layer of exhaustion and the smile that Miley’s always been better able to fake than the rest of them. He sees her raise her hand to send a tentative wave down to the other end of the stage where Nick is standing with Demi, and Joe gives a mental sigh of relief when he sees Nick at least acknowledge the gesture. And he can see Miley relax just a little, enough so that as she comes closer to him, she kicks him like it’s a year ago and they’re onstage together every night, and it’s the most natural thing in the world for him to wrap his arm around her, hugging her tightly. She leans her head against his shoulder for just a second and then steps away.
Joe watches her separate herself from them again, standing just a little bit apart. Like she knows she’s not welcome, and he knows that if he looked down at the other end of the stage Nick’s face would be in complete agreement, but now, looking at Miley, all he wants to do is pull her back into the circle of his arm and make her part of the whole.
Because Miley belongs with them. She’s a part of them, and it’s time they all remembered that.
Joe looks at the look on Miley’s face for just a second more, sees her put that mask back on, and makes himself a promise.
If he can help it, if he has anything to say about it, he’s never going to see Miley look like that again. Because she’s like his sister, and he’s sick of seeing the people he loves with their hearts broken.
Especially by each other.
II. Nick
Nick's not stupid, he knows something is going on.
Ever since that damned concert, Joe and Demi have been having hushed conversations that he knows have to be about Miley. There's no other topic that would make them stop whenever he comes close enough to overhear, and really, both of them are pretty crappy liars. Whatever, if they want to talk to her or about her that's fine. He doesn't care. He's got a girlfriend, and he totally didn't have an irrational urge to punch Joe in the face when he hugged Miley at the end of the show or anything. He just doesn't like that they're keeping secrets from him is all.
But then they start throwing him vaguely pitying looks too, and he just can't stand it anymore.
"Just tell me already," he demands of Joe in his bedroom one night.
Joe shakes his head, and doesn't quite look him in the eye. "What are you even talking about, man?"
Nick just rolls his eyes. God, he hates his brothers sometimes. "Whatever you and Demi haven't been telling me. If it's about her, whatever, I won't care."
Joe raises his eyebrows at him and Nick has to fight down the urge to punch him again. "Really?" Joe asks skeptically.
Nick sort of shrugs and crosses his arms over his chest. "Really. She's not - I mean, she's just, whatever. I'm over it. So just tell me already."
"I can really tell you're over it," Joe says dryly, and Nick can feel his fists clenching. But then Joe shrugs and says, "Well, I suppose you were going to find out eventually. She's got a new boyfriend."
There's sort of a stabbing pain in his heart and Nick ignores it, because it's not like he's jealous or anything. "Is that all?" He shrugs again, trying to act like everything is fine. Which it is. "Good for her."
Joe eyes him warily and that stabbing feeling is back. There must be more. "Really?"
Nick never realized how much he hates that word. "Can you please stop saying that!"
Joe holds up his hands. "Yeah, sorry, we should have told you sooner, I guess. But me and Demi, we weren't sure how you'd handle it. I mean, I think it's pretty sketchy, but whatever, it's her life."
"What's sketchy?" Nick asks before he can stop himself. He never claimed he didn’t still care about her, after all. So it's fine.
Joe winces. "I didn't mean to say that." He sighs, a look of resigned dread on his face. "The guy, I guess he's twenty? I don't have all the details or anything. Miley and I just talked a little after the show, and yeah..."
"Twenty?" Nick asks incredulously. "She remembers she's still fifteen, right?"
Joe shrugs. "Like I said, I don't know what she's thinking or anything." He gives Nick a hard look. "But it's not like it's a big deal, right? It's her life and it’s not like you care. You made that pretty clear when you wouldn't even say hi to her at the concert."
Nick frowns. "I did so say hi to her." Didn’t he? Honestly, that night is a blur and all he can really remember is seeing Joe hug her like nothing had changed. Which, if he cared, might be something that he still hasn’t completely forgiven Joe for.
"If by say hi to her you mean kind of sort of wave awkwardly from across the stage, sure."
"Whatever." Nick can feel himself getting angry and whether it's at Joe for being obnoxious or at Miley for doing something so stupid or himself for being upset at all, he's not really sure. He hopes it's the first one, because he really shouldn't feel either of the other two things. "But really, a twenty year old?"
Joe shrugs again and gives Nick another look. "But it's not like you care."
"Shut up, Joe. It's not like if it were, say Demi, you'd be at all pissed that she's being stupid enough to date someone that's twenty. Right?"
"And that's all this is about, the fact that you think Miley's being stupid and making a mistake?"
Nick really hates Joe right now. "What else would it be about?"
Joe just stares at him, unblinking. God, his brother is such an asshole. Why can't Joe just be on his side and let this go? Nick stares back, not speaking. He knows Joe will cave, he always does.
And sure enough, Joe blinks first, looking away and sighing. "Nick, just admit it," he says, voice heavy with something Nick can’t identify. "It's fine."
"Admit what?"
Joe shakes his head. "Fine, you know what? I give up. Don't admit it. Just sit here and brood and write a song or whatever. I just can't deal with you right now."
Nick watches Joe stalk to the door and slam it shut behind him. He winces a little at the sound and scrubs his hands over his face, sinking down on his bed.
The worst of it is that he knows Joe is right. Yeah, he's pissed at her for doing something stupid, because if she thinks the press isn't going to have a field day with this she's insane and the last thing she needs is another scandal. But okay, yeah, he can admit it to himself.
He's jealous.
Which is really fucking annoying and he'd like that to stop. He has a girlfriend. He's moved on. So when the hell is the seeing red at the thought of Miley with another guy going to end?
It's not just because this guy, whoever he is, is so much older than her, either. Last spring, when he'd heard rumors about Miley and her co-star, he holed himself up in his room for a day and refused to talk to anyone, not even Joe. He's moved on, she's moved on, she shouldn't still be getting to him like this.
And yet.
Nick's not willing to entertain the idea that he's not over his ex-girlfriend. That he might still love her; which okay, he does, but just as a friend. That's allowed. Or would be if they were actually friends, which they're really not. And he kind of wishes they were sometimes, because there are times when he really misses Miley.
Misses the way that she could always make him laugh, even when no one else would try. Misses the sound of her laugh, the way it takes over and fills a room. Misses the way her hair smells. Misses the way she just gets him, can tell his mood without him having to say a word. Selena’s great and he likes her a lot, but there isn’t the history. He just really misses their history.
He digs his phone out of his pocket and flips it open. He scrolls through his contact list till he gets to Miley's name. He can't remember the last time that he called her or texted her, and he's thought about deleting her more than once. But somehow he's never been able to bring himself to do it.
He wants to call her now. Even if they end up fighting, which he thinks they probably would, he just wants to hear the sound of her voice.
But he can’t call her. Or maybe it’s that he won’t, it doesn’t really make a difference. Calling wouldn’t change anything. It wouldn’t erase the time and distance and hurt they’d caused each other.
He gives a final look at her name and closes the phone. He slips it back into his pocket and sighs.
He reaches for the guitar that is propped up against the bed and pulls it into his lap. If he can’t talk to Miley, he can do what he’s done a thousand times before.
He can write her a song.
He closes his eyes and begins to play.
III. Demi
Demi's pretty sure that everyone falls a little bit in love with Miley.
There's just something about her. About the way that she looks at people so that they feel like they're the only one in the world that matters. About the way that she fills up a room with her personality, but not in a way that makes it seem like she's full of herself or trying to upstage everyone else. One day when she thinks about it after a science class, she realizes it's kind of like Miley's the sun and everyone else is just drawn into her orbit. It's impossible to resist, but no one really wants to anyway, because being a part of her is just something that seems so right.
Thinking about it that much makes Demi feel kind of lame, but it's just one of those Miley things that can't be helped.
It's sort of hard to remember, but there was a time when she didn't exactly like Miley. Well, that's not true. She didn't know Miley, and all she had to go on was the way that the boys would kind of clam up whenever her name was mentioned, especially Nick, and the way that Selena would get this tight lipped frown and roll her eyes, like she wished Miley didn't exist. And really, maybe even more now, Demi gets why Selena felt that way. She wishes that her two favorite girls could be friends, but the reality is that they shared the same boy and that the boy was never really over the girl he loved first, and that pretty much makes it impossible. Which really sucks for Demi, because she just wants everyone to get along.
But once she got to know Miley better, started hanging out at each others’ houses and having breakfast and everything, she realized why Nick had never completely gotten over Miley. Because really, how do you get over someone who just consumes you like that?
And it's not like Demi has a crush on Miley exactly. She just really loves being around her and wishes she were more like her and if she notices sometimes how pretty Miley is, it's only because Miley is really pretty. No one would deny that, and if they would, clearly they don't have eyes. It's not a crush, Demi assures herself. She would know if it was.
If it were a crush, she'd be all tongue tied around Miley, like she is every time there's a boy that she likes. She'd worry about how she looks every time she sees Miley, about what she's wearing and how her hair is. She'd be trying to impress Miley, to make her like her. And Demi's not doing any of those things; Miley makes her more comfortable in her own skin than almost anyone she knows.
It's not till the premiere of Miley's movie in London that Demi realizes that all the reasons she doesn't have a crush on Miley are probably the reasons that she does.
They're just laughing and goofing off like the sixteen year olds they almost never get a chance to be, and Demi thinks that she's never had a better time on the red carpet. But then Miley's hand grazes her arm in a way it has hundreds of times before, and suddenly Demi's heart starts pounding like it's going to come out of her chest. All she can feel is the tingle on her skin, and all she can wish is that Miley's hand was still there. She smiles and poses for the cameras like nothing has changed, but she’s pretty sure that things won’t be quite the same ever again.
Later that night in her hotel room, Demi leans back against her pillows and tries to make herself understand. She can't kid herself - there's no way that Miley feels the same way about her. If there wasn't Justin, there would still be Nick, and anyway, Demi's not exactly sure what it is that she does feel about Miley. Maybe it's not actually a crush, maybe it's something else, maybe it's just the way that Miley makes everyone feel. Yes, she thinks to herself. That has to be it.
As she falls asleep, she comforts herself with that thought.
Everyone falls a little bit in love with Miley, and Demi can't help but do the same.
IV. Justin
Justin knows that he's never had all of Miley.
From the beginning, he'd known that there was a part of her that would always belong to Nick Jonas. He wasn't even sure Miley was aware of it, but it was obvious in everything she did and said. She gave Nick her heart when she was thirteen years old, and he kept the best part of it for himself even after he didn't want it anymore.
Justin kind of hates Nick.
Because all Justin wants to do is love Miley the way she deserves. He thinks that if she'd just let him, he could do that for her. Be the guy she needs, even if it's not the guy she wants. He'd settle for that half of her, because having half of Miley is better than having none at all.
It's not that Miley doesn't try. When she's with him she's really with him, totally in the present and there are times that he thinks he's chased the thoughts of ex-boyfriends past away from her mind, but then a song will play on the radio or she'll see a picture and he can see the memories flash in her eyes. She tries to hide it, to come back to the present, to him, but she never quite manages. When she says that she loves him, he believes that she means it, but he knows that it will never be the way she loved Nick. The way she still loves Nick.
But he can't tell Miley any of this. Partly because it wouldn't do any good; she'd deny it and swear that she's over Nick, and they'd end up fighting about something that there's no way to fix. Mostly, though, Justin can't tell her because he's selfish. He wants Miley for as long as he can have her, and if he tells her any of what he's thinking, he's afraid he'll send her straight back into Nick's arms. If he can't have Miley, he sure as hell doesn't want Nick to have her either.
In the end, though, Justin knows before Miley that their relationship is over.
He knows it the day that Miley goes to lunch with Nick without telling him about it beforehand, knows it when he sees the paparazzi pictures of them together. There's a smile on Miley's face that he's never seen before, that she's never smiled for him, and he can't help but be angry that all Nick has to do is finally agree to go out in public with her to earn that smile. He's done that, he's been the guy that's there whenever she needs him, and it's not enough. Will never be enough. Because his name isn't Nick Jonas, and he'll never be the one Miley loves best.
He's always known that, but it doesn't make having it thrown in his face any easier.
When Miley calls him later that night, all bubbly and happy about her lunch, and recording, and just how nice it is to be friends with Nick again, Justin says all the right things at all the right times. That he's proud of her for getting past everything and of course he's happy for her, he knows how much she missed Nick, missed all the Jonases.
It's the truth but it's also a lie. He wants Miley to be happy, and she sounds happier than he's ever heard her, but he knows that he's already lost her and she doesn't even know it yet.
He wishes he didn't know it either.
V. Taylor
When the rumors of Nick and Miley’s reconciliation reach her, Taylor’s happy for her.
She knows that if she were asked no one would believe her, but it doesn’t make it less true. The one thing that Taylor has always known with absolute certainty about Miley is that she loves Nick Jonas. That if given the choice between Nick and anyone else in the world, Miley would choose Nick every day of the week and twice on Sunday.
Taylor’s always understood that, because she loves just as deeply as Miley.
It’s just funny that the boys that brought them together are the boys that are now pulling them apart.
Taylor doesn’t regret the things she did or said after she and Joe broke up. She’s never seen the point in hiding what she’s feeling, and she personally thinks that actually expressing emotion is better than denying that it ever happened in the first place, like certain people insist on doing. And her break up with Joe made her friendship with Miley about a million times stronger, and Miley’s a pretty amazing friend to have. Miley knew better than anyone else what it was like to have a Jonas break your heart, how to pick up the pieces afterward.
Miley was the one good thing to come out of that twenty-seven second phone call.
But even then, Miley hadn’t hated Nick anymore, not like Taylor had hated Joe. To be honest, Taylor’s not sure Miley ever hated Nick. When she’d talk about him, the love she still felt was always in her eyes, even if it was buried behind layers of sadness and regret that made her seem so much older than sixteen. Taylor watches Miley try to fall in love with Justin, and knows that it will never happen.
Not when Miley is still so obviously in love with Nick.
So it’s a surprise and it isn’t when Miley and Nick start hanging out again. It’s a surprise, because for all that it was obvious that Miley wanted nothing more than to be in his life again, Nick had done his absolute best to make it seem like he didn’t want anything to do with the girl that he’d loved for two years. But whatever the reason, every time Taylor talks to Miley and sees the new sparkle in her eyes, she’s sure it’s because of Nick. Taylor can tell that Miley is trying to keep that part of her life away from Taylor, trying not to bring back painful memories, but one of the best things about Miley is that she can’t help but wear whatever she’s feeling on her sleeve, and Taylor can just tell. She’s pretty sure she used to look that way when she’d think about Joe.
She just wishes that Miley didn’t feel like she had to hide it from her.
The night of the Grammy’s, Taylor’s too caught up in what she’s feeling to really notice the look on Miley’s face when she sings about thinking she’d marry him someday, but when she watches the playback the next day, she knows it’s only a matter of time before Nick and Miley are more than friends again. Miley still thinks that she’s going to marry that boy someday, and seeing that, Taylor’s heart can’t help but ache.
Believing in happy endings gets harder every day, but Taylor thinks that if Miley can get the one she wants so badly, that maybe there is hope for everyone else.
But bit by bit, after that night, Taylor can feel Miley pulling away from her. And Taylor knows that it’s not a coincidence that it is happening as Nick and Miley are growing ever closer. She knows that Nick only ever tolerated her for Joe’s sake and that he was glad when she was gone. She’s certain that if he has his way, she’d be the first person to go from Miley’s life, well okay, probably the second after Justin. And even though she’d always known that Miley would choose Nick, that doesn’t take away how much it hurts when it happens.
It’s stupid, but it’s the day that Miley stops following her on Twitter that Taylor knows that it’s over. She’s not sure how, but she’s certain that Miley’s taken sides and Taylor is out in the cold. Oh, it’s not like what happened with Joe, and she knows that whenever she sees Miley that they’ll still be friendly and that she’ll be pulled into the Miley’s orbit, just like everyone who meets her is, but it won’t be the same.
But that doesn’t mean Taylor isn’t happy for Miley.
How can she not be, when this is everything Miley has always wanted? How can she not be, when this is everything that she wants for herself and fears she’ll never have?
Taylor just wishes Miley had found it with someone else.
VI. Nick
Nick can't wait to see Miley.
The entire plane ride to Savannah all he can think about is her: what it means that she asked him to come to visit, what it means that she finally broke up with the loser, what it means that his palms haven't stopped sweating since the plane took off. The ways Miley makes him feel like a thirteen year old boy with his first real crush are pretty lame, but then she was his first real crush, so it's probably okay.
He just really hopes he's not wrong about what's going on. He's pretty sure that Miley knows how he feels about her; he's done everything but say the words. And really, the words between them had never been their problem. It had been everything and everyone else, the way the whole world felt that they had a right to know things that were none of their business. Nick's not kidding himself; he knows that won't have changed. But he thinks that he has, that he's grown up enough for it to be okay.
He's willing to sacrifice some of the privacy he wants so badly if it means that he gets to have Miley, because he wants her more than anything in the world.
He knows now that it was stupid to deny that for the last year. He's always loved Miley and probably always will love Miley, and trying to give her up was one of the worst decisions he ever made. He's happier when she's in his life, he laughs more and feels more. He is more. It's strange in a way; people think of Miley as flighty and immature and can't understand why, when he's so serious, that he would want to be with someone like that. But really, what they don't understand is that Miley grounds him enough so that he can be the immature one sometimes. She lets him just be himself, and reminds him that sometimes it's okay just to be sixteen and stupid.
It's one of the reasons he needs her so much.
When he finally gets to Savannah it's a relief, because at least now he'll know one way or another. He won't just be living in his head, wondering what's going to happen, if he did and said the right things, if he's managed to convince her that he deserves another chance. He knows that it's absolutely the wrong time for both of them to try to make this work, but somehow that just doesn't matter. He's afraid if he lets this opportunity pass him by he won't get another one, and he couldn't live with himself if he let that happen.
He refuses to think that could happen.
The cab finally pulls up outside the house the Cyrus’s are renting, and he nearly hits his head on the door in his hurry to get out of the car. Apparently he can add "makes him clumsy" to the list of things that Miley does to him. He takes his bag and pays the driver, and heads up the walk to the front door. He rings the door bell and waits, and he wipes his palms on his jeans, trying to at least look like he's not nervous, even though his heart feels like it's about to beat out of his chest.
The door opens and Miley's standing on the other side, and he's sure that he can feel his heart stop. There's nothing special about the way she looks - he's seen her in faded blue jeans and a tank top a million times before - but he can't help but think that she's never looked prettier than she does right now. And she's smiling at him, smiling his smile, but in her eyes he can see that she's just as nervous as he is and his heart starts beating again. He wasn't wrong. Whatever he's feeling, she's feeling too, he knows it.
"Hi," she says sort of shyly, as she reaches out to hug him, wrapping her arms around his neck.
He pulls her closer to him, spreading his hands out across her back. He can feel the warmth of her skin through the thin material of her shirt, and he breathes in the scent of her hair. It smells exactly like he remembers, and it's all he can do to not kiss her. "Hey," he whispers against her hair.
They stand there like that for what seems like forever, but isn't nearly long enough. Too soon, Miley's pulling back, and he reluctantly lets her go.
He's surprised to see a sheen of tears in her eyes, and he automatically brings a hand up to cup her face, brushing them away from her cheeks. He can't stand to see Miley cry, especially when it's his fault. "What's wrong?" he asks, a hint of panic in his voice. If he's ruined things already... well, he's not sure what he'll do.
Miley closes her eyes and leans into his hand, and he can feel her breath against his skin. When she opens her eyes again, they're clear and she smiles up at him and this time it reaches her eyes. She reaches for his other hand and laces their fingers together.
She looks down at their joined hands and then back up at him and says, "Come inside, Nicky," and she pulls him along behind her.
There's something in her voice, and he's not sure how he knows that she's just told him everything he wants to hear, but he does.
He follows her into the house.
He'll follow her anywhere.