Last Man Standing Chapter 9

[legna_angels]

Title:  Last Man Standing
Rating: NC-17
Pairings: Benji/Joel
Summary:  Benji challenges his other four band mates to test their 'prowess' in a contest.  A lot of money is at stake and all five men are determined to win...just as long as no one EVER finds out...

And cue the Disclaimer:  I don’t own or know the Madden twins. This never happened. I have not, did not, and will never ever make any money off of this. The story is purely a work of fiction.

Notes:  All music used in this chapter belongs to GC.  That's all I'm telling you.  Don't want to spoil it :D

Chapter 1 Money Shots   
Chapter 2 Dirty Dream   
Chapter 3 Anything   
Chapter 4 Anxiety  
Chapter 5 Shattered
Chapter 6 TKO 
Chapter 7 EMO Humpty Dumpty 
Chapter 8 Just Like An Elevator

Chapter 9 -  Punk Rock-a-bye Baby

“You ready, Jim?” Bob the elevator technician yawned as the exited Billy’s suite.

“Not really,” Jim joked good-naturedly, pulling the door closed behind him. “Can’t believe we stayed here all night!”

“It was a great hang,” Bob scratched his head. “Those guys are awesome! Did Billy give you those tickets for tonight’s show?”

“Yep, complete with backstage passes,” Jim said smugly, patting his shirt pocket. “You know that Paul dude was okay too…once he stopped being so gassy.”

“Dude! I know!” Bob shook his head as they headed toward the broke down elevators. “He needs some serious colon cleansing or something.”

“I thought all those rock stars already did that kind of stuff,” Jim shrugged and reached for his tools. “Okay, let’s get this elevator moving.”

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Joel blinked and slowly came awake in the floor of the elevator, snuggled on his side, into his older brother, who was lying on his back. For the first time since he was a little kid, he wasn’t ashamed of his ’snuggle disorder.’ Instead of moving now that he had woken up, Joel moved in closer. Benji tightened his arm around him and pulled him more up on to his body, still sound asleep. Joel smiled at the feeling of his twin keeping him so close even though he was lightly snoring. Right now, he wanted nothing more than to be Benji’s ’cuddle bunny’ from now on. Nothing had ever felt more right.

As he thought back over the night’s events, Joel had never been more thankful they had been stuck in an elevator like this. He and Benji had stayed up talking almost all night long. It had been exactly what they both needed. Things that should have been said, years ago, were now out in the open. Benji had admitted to having an attraction to him as well back in high school but he had pushed it even further down than Joel had done. Until their bet, Benji hadn’t thought about that in years. Together, they literally went through the major events of their lives thus far and supplied the content that neither of them had known about the other. When they were finished, no more words were needed between them. They had closed the gap existing between them, the one that had kept them from being as close as they should have been to each other. It was as if the universe was now in perfect alignment.

The lost years of closeness they might have shared, did bother Joel a little. He didn’t like waste of any kind, least of all, time. There was a lot of it they could never make up and Joel couldn’t help but feel sad. Benji had said that they should concentrate on the present and let the past go. The future, he had philosophized, would get here soon enough, so they shouldn’t bother with it either. Joel sighed softly. He wished he could believe that the way his twin did.

Of all the things they discussed, one of the more interesting pieces of information Joel had obtained was the fact Benji was a true ‘top’. Whether it had been with girls, or guys, his twin had always been the ‘man’, in the bed. That had genuinely surprised Joel. He had always thought Benji would embrace a more ‘give and take’ attitude about sex. When he had expressed that thought to Benji, his twin dropped a bomb on him: he had waited on purpose. He told Joel he had only wanted to give that part of himself to the person he decided to spend his life with, if he did indeed decide that would be a guy. His promiscuity, after their explosion of success, had made him decide he had to keep something and he chose that. Although he’d gotten close to doing it a few times, something had always made him hold back.

Joel swallowed as he remembered the turn the conversation had taken. He had had to admit the truth, it would not have been right to lie and he really didn’t want to in the first place. When their band had first gotten signed, Joel had gotten very drunk one night, and slept with a male groupie. He couldn’t look at Benji as he told him how he had given a precious part of his body to a complete stranger. It was such a horrible contrast to the beautiful way Benji had held on to that same thing, while Joel had flippantly, in a drunken stupor, thrown it away. Joel felt sick by the time he finished telling him and wanted desperately to get away from what he knew would be the look of disgust on his twin’s face.

But Benji had thrown his arms around him and held him tight.

After a few moments, Joel felt his brother’s body shake. Benji was crying. Joel had wanted to die when he had looked into his tearstained face. Apologizing profusely, he tried to move away. His twin would have none of that and pulled him even closer. Speaking softly into his ear, he told Joel it was all right. That he didn’t have to be ashamed. Benji said if forgiveness from him is what he needed, it was already given before he‘d even asked, and that the only person Joel really needed to ask forgiveness from was his own self. He wasn’t sure when he started crying but all too soon, he was clinging to Benji and finding the absolution he had needed from it all, for years.

Now, here he was, on the floor. No pillows or covers, just him and Benji keeping each other warm. Very little sleep had occurred for him, yet it was the best rest he had ever gotten in his life. Part of him didn’t want this elevator to ever open again.

The second that thought entered Joel’s mind, the elevator started to move.

“Shit,” He murmured softly and sat up, shaking his brother. “Benji, get up!”

“Gimme 5 more minutes,” Benji muttered, trying to turn on to his side.

“Dammit, Benj!” Joel hissed. “The elevator is moving!”

“What elevator?” Benji mumbled, his back now to Joel.

Joel rolled his eyes, shaking his head as he smiled. “You know the one we got stuck in and had an emo party in last night?”

Benji opened his eyes, disoriented. “You mean that wasn’t a bad dream? Aw, fuck! All of that shit really did happen!”

Joel looked at the back of his head, stricken. A bad dream? All of that shit really did happen? His stomach knotted up and Joel felt like his chest was excessively tight. He fought his emotions hard. Breathing in slow and deep, he went into shutdown mode. The time to die a little about this, was later. Any minute, the doors would open and he had to be composed. It wouldn’t do to have a hotel employee or electrician selling a story to the tabloids: ‘Madden’s Massive Meltdown.’ No, he would wait and lose it in private.

The elevator dinged, thankfully, allowing Joel to skip giving Benji a response. Scrambling to his feet, he grabbed his duffle bag and started picking up the trash they had strewn around. He did his best to ignore Benji as he sat up groaning. Just as Joel grabbed the last piece of wrapper, the doors opened.

“Holy crap!” Jim yelped, jumping back from the doors he was about to enter. “You guys scared me to death! Dudes! Didn’t you see the sign downstairs? This elevator is out of order and it’s pretty dangerous of you two to jump on it like that this morning. You could have gotten stuck inside it.”

“We did get stuck inside,” Benji said flatly, grabbing his own bag and getting to his knees. “And there was no sign when it happened last night.”

“Last night?” Bob said, behind Jim now. “You two have been stuck inside there all night?”

Joel sighed, sensing that Benji was about to go off on the guy’s head. He never had been a morning person and seemed extra grumpy this morning. Joel did his best not remember the reason why as he intervened. “Yes, we got on and halfway up, the elevator stopped, like the power had been shut off or something.”

Benji’s head was pounding, his back was out, and Joel…he wasn’t sure what was up with Joel. All he knew was that he wanted his fucking bed and he wanted it now! Oh and some coffee wouldn’t hurt either. Maybe some doughnuts. Dammit! No doughnuts; he was building his physique. It would have to be oatmeal…again. The thought of no doughnuts, put him in an even worse mood. His knees had started hurting him so he decided it was time to stand up and looked for a rail, not wanting to bother Joel.

Turning around, Joel offered his hand to Benji, but his twin had grabbed the rail on the side of the elevator wall. Joel’s stomach rolled as he tried to ignore what he felt was a slight. He forced himself to listen to what one of the technician’s was saying.

“We sure are sorry, guys,” Bob said, shaking his head. “If we would have known…”

“No problem,” Benji mumbled, surprising Joel. “It’s not like you did it on purpose. We‘re just glad we are out now. You guys have a good one.”

Benji starting heading down the hall, Joel trailing behind.

Jim looked at Bob and then at the towel still in front the door at the end of the hall. Bob mouthed oh shit. Jim nodded in full agreement, wide eyed. Craning his neck toward the stairs, Bob immediately caught the hint and the two techs wisely slipped out. Neither of them wanted to be around when the twins opened the door to that suite!

Benji swiped his key and tried to open the door. “What the fuck! The damn door won’t open…hey, who put a towel down here like this?”

Joel and Benji both turned around, realizing the techs were gone. “They probably wouldn’t have known either.” Joel offered, not looking Benji in the eye.

“Okay Joel,” Benji growled. “What’s your fucking problem?”

“Nothing,” Joel said, his voice even and his face a blank mask. “I’m tired and I want my bed.”

“You know what?” Benji huffed, ripping the towel away from the threshold. “I am not stupid and I know something is up, but I decided I ain’t even gonna argue with you. You want to be all emo at this ungodly hour of the morning after the terrible night we‘ve had? Well then, knock yourself out! Just don’t wake me up once my head hit’s the pillow until we have to do the show. Maybe then I can be a bit more brotherly and understanding. Got it?”

Each word Benji spoke felt like a slap in the face to Joel. “Yeah, I do. Basically leave you the fuck alone so you can sleep and forget all the shit that happened last night. No problem, Benji.”

Joel turned on his heel and headed for the stairs. Benji had his back to Joel and didn’t realize he had left as he was trying again to swipe the key card.

“Good, glad you see it my way,” Benji muttered, not knowing he was talking to thin air instead of Joel. “That’s all I ask.” Getting the door open, Benji turned. “And another thing…Joel?”

The hallway was empty. “Ah dammit!”

Finally realizing that Joel was no longer there, he threw his bag on the couch and Benji slammed the door behind him. “Shit, shit, shit! Why can’t he just understand I am fucking tired, in a bad mood, and desperately in need of food and sleep? But NOOOO! He’s gotta go get his boxers in a wad over…well…I don’t know what, but I am sure it’s dumb shit, knowing him! I can’t take this shit, I’m going to…”

He paused, sniffing the air. “What the hell is that smell?”

Walking into the master bedroom, his nose led him to the closed door of the bathroom, which he unceremoniously opened.

“MOTHERFUCKING SHIT! SOMETHING DIED IN HERE!”

Billy, Paul, and Deano froze in the hallway as the door to their suite shut, having heard Benji yelling.

“I say we go get our breakfast, pronto,” Deano whispered and started edging toward the elevators.

“AW HELL, THE FUCKING TOILET IS STOPPED UP!” Benji shouted, being clearly heard through the walls by the three in the hall.

“Wait, the toilet got stopped up?” Billy asked.

“Uh, yeah,” Paul stared at his feet. “I guess I was just too much for it.”

“That is so gross, dude,” Deano said, shaking his head. “Seriously, you could have at least called the front desk.”

“And told them what?” Paul defended. “I wasn’t even supposed to be in there cause it isn’t my room!”

A door slammed and then another. “SO HELP ME GOD, I WILL FIND THE FUCKER WHO DID THIS AND THEY ARE DEAD!”

The handle on the Presidential Suite turned.

“Shit, he’s coming,” Deano whispered and started to run but Billy grabbed him.

“Act normal,” Billy hissed softly. “He doesn’t know it was us.”

“Guys!” Benji called, coming out of the room and slamming the door with force. “You won’t believe what somebody did in our suite’s bathroom! Some low-life totally desecrated it! That toilet will never work again, I swear!”

“It’s not that bad,” Paul said under his breath and Billy fairly stomped the piss out of his toe, making Paul cry out. “Sweet Rutabaga Pie!”

“You okay?” Benji asked concerned, not having seen what happened.

“Oh yeah,” Billy answered for him. “He’s just been having Charlie Horses in his feet and toes. He’ll be fine, just give him a second.”

Paul fairly glared at Billy, red faced.

“Told you that you need to work out with me, Paul,” Benji said, shaking his head, then went back to the matter at hand. “Anyway, I need to use your phone to report the problem and, if I can, is it alright if I crash in one of your beds?”

“Sure,” Deano answered opening the door for Benji. “Dude, you really look like hell.”

“That’s because Joel and I were stuck in the fucking elevator all night last night,” Benji ran his hand over his tired eyes and missed the shocked look on their faces. “Speaking of which, I am still gonna bitch you guys out later for missing the gig, but right now all I want is sleep.”

Billy decided a little sucking up wouldn’t hurt. “Use my bed if you like and is there anything we can get you? We are heading out for some breakfast.”

“Yeah, get me anything as long as it comes with coffee,” Benji said gratefully, reaching for his wallet.

“No need,” Paul waved away the offered money, catching on to Billy’s brown nosing. “We got it. You just get some sleep.”

“Thanks,” Benji smiled sleepily.

“No problem,” Deano smiled.

Billy looked around and his brow furrowed. “Um, where’s Joel?”

Benji’s eyes turned an ominous shade of midnight. “I don’t know and at this moment, I don’t care. Good night.” He shut the door.

“That doesn’t sound good,” Paul said softly and noted the equally concerned looks on the faces of his friends.

Walking toward the elevators, Deano cracked his neck. “No, it sounds like the fight those two had isn’t over yet.”

Paul hit the button to the elevator they had spent so much time in.

“Paul?” Billy asked incredulously. “What the hell are you doing?”

“Using the elevator, Wilma,” Paul scoffed. “What does it look like I’m doing?”

“Looks like you are being a dumbass: per the usual,” Billy retorted. “Come on, we are all taking the stairs. Those fucking elevators are cursed!”

* * * * * * * * * * * *

“Hello?”

“Joel?”

“Yeah?”

“How the hell did you end up with my phone?” Benji asked perplexed, still not completely awake and in a near panic when he’d realized his phone was missing. He’d dialed the number from the phone in Billy’s room, not expecting to get an answer. Benji had thought he had dropped it in the suite.

Joel sighed. “I put it in my bag by mistake when we were leaving the elevator. I guess I thought it was mine.”

“Oh,” Benji said, realizing that was a highly probable truth. Awkward silence descended and Benji struggled with what to say, not wanting to make this current situation with Joel worse. Hell, he wasn’t even sure ‘what’ the fucking situation was in the first place! Rubbing his eyes, he chose what he thought was the course of less importance and least resistance. “Well, um, can I come get it from you?”

“Yeah,” Joel said after a second, not really wanting what would be a confrontation with his twin, but knowing it was inevitable and best to go ahead and get it out of the way. “I’m on the bus.”

That sent Benji into a worse panic. “Shit! Did I oversleep?”

“No, Benji,” Joe said exasperated. “We still have a couple hours before we have to go. Quit hitting the panic button. I‘ll be waiting for you. Hurry up, I want to catch some more sleep before we have to leave later.”

“Okay,” Benji responded but Joel had already hung up. Benji stood up and stretched, upset with how the call had ended. Joel’s rudeness spoke volumes to Benji, as did the fact his twin had evidently been sleeping on the bus. He knew that his baby brother despised having to sleep in it unless they were traveling. Joel had once slept on the pavement beside the bus before one of their concerts because he simply couldn’t stand his bunk any longer. If Joel had decided to sleep there, this was a lot more serious than Benji had realized.

Trudging out the guys’ hotel suite, he walked up to the elevator…and gave it the finger.

“Next time I want a fucked up trip: I’ll do bad drugs,” Benji spoke to the shiny doors as though it would be able to feel/hear the insult. Turning toward the stairs, he pulled up short as the memories from last night flitted through his mind. He and Joel had finally come to terms with each other…only to somehow screw it up before they even got a chance to enjoy it. Grimacing, he looked back at the elevator again. “And thanks for giving me and Joel the world then fucking it up at the last minute!”

During his long trip down the flights of stair, Benji did his best to figure out what had upset Joel. Sure, he’d been in a bad mood when he had woke up, but that wasn’t anything Joel hadn’t seen before. Benji honestly couldn’t remember a time when he’d been in a good mood waking up. His twin knew this, so what had happened that was so bad this time? On the other hand, maybe, Joel was regretting their conversation. Benji paused in mid-step, his stomach knotting up. God, he hoped that wasn’t it.

Continuing on through the lobby, Benji felt his trepidation growing with every step. By the time he had made it to the bus, he was nervous wreck. All that kept going through his mind was the possibility that maybe Joel had changed his mind. Pain seared his soul as he remembered the beautiful, intense intimacy they had shared together. It had been much more than physical; a meeting of the minds; a new depth they could never have reached alone. Benji had never given so much of himself to anyone. His thoughts, his dreams, and his true self; if he lost that now…

“Benji?”

“Hey,” Benji said his voice uneven as he closed the bus door behind him. Joel stood halfway between the bunks in his black boxers and wife beater, arms crossed over his chest as he leaned against the bunks.

“Hey,” Joel answered, his voice controlled and cautious. Looking at Benji, he immediately felt his twin’s distress. His stomach fluttered, knowing Benji was upset about him. The fear in his older brother’s eyes was palpable. Joel had to fight the urge to reach out to him, reminding himself he was still very angry. If Benji wanted him, then he was going to have to anny up and figure out what was wrong, because he could clearly see Benji didn‘t have a clue as to why he was upset. He wasn’t going to tell him. Joel was tired of making it easy and he was going to make his twin go through hell before he gave in. Strengthening his resolve, he made sure there was a fortress around his heart that would be impossible to penetrate. And it worked: for all of two seconds, before Benji began pleading.

“Joel, I’m sorry,” Benji rushed out, his throat hurting as he tried very hard not close the distance between them. “Whatever I said or did, or didn’t say or do, I am so fucking sorry. Please don’t let this be the end…I need you…we can’t fall apart after we just found what‘s been missing all of these years…I have to have you; I have to be with you!”

The words were from the core of Benji’s soul and they melted all the walls Joel had so recently erected.

“You hurt me,” Joel whispered, his arms twitching as he hugged his own waist, trying desperately not to reach out and grab Benji. “You made me feel like all of it was just a mistake.”

Benji gaped, his face drowning in sorrow. “How?”

“You said you hoped it was a bad dream and didn’t want to believe it had happened,” Joel forced out, his breathing erratic.

“Fuck,” Benji ran his hand over his face as he recalled their conversation. “Joel, I was talking about the circumstance, the elevator, not you; not us! Last night was the best fucking thing that’s ever happened to me. The only mistake I see when I look back at it, is that we should have done it years ago. It would have saved us both a lot of time, trouble, and heartache.”

Joel held his breath. The twin thing was working. That sincerity was genuine in Benji’s words and voice. Exhaling harshly, he let go of his own body and pulled Benji to him. Joel was moving on pure instinct and that instinct lead his mouth to his brother’s with awesome precision. The instant their mouth’s touched, Benji stiffened and clamped his lips together reflexively, but Joel would not be denied. Reaching for his twin’s face, Joel pulled his bottom lip open with his teeth, roughly, before running his tongue over it.

Still licking the now protruding bottom lip, Joel murmured, “Open your mouth for me so I can taste you…like I am supposed to.”

The damn burst and Benji wrapped his arms around Joel’s waist as he opened his mouth. Their tongues met in a wild duel, laving each other with fire. Whimpers and groans were swallowed up as their bodies moved as one down to the floor. Benji lay back, pulling Joel on top of him and never once breaking contact with his mouth. The hungry kisses fed their ravenous desires as Joel instinctively ground his hips into his twin’s groin. Parting his legs, gave him complete access, letting his thin pants rub against Joel’s boxer clad erection. Sliding his hands down, Benji cupped his ass and moved with him as Joel continued his passionate assault on his twin’s mouth.

During the next frantic moments, somehow clothing was removed, though later neither man remembered undressing themselves or each other. A fine sheen of sweat coated their skin as they pressed their bodies together in different ways. Every new position, each new touch, they ached and pushed for more. Their hard cocks leaked precum freely on to each other, making their constant friction increasingly more pleasurable. Vaguely aware that they were now off the floor and sitting upright, both twins gasped as their cocks rubbed together with a renewed vigor.

“Pull me closer,” Benji breathed in Joel’s ear, his legs on either side of Joel’s as his twin sat on the couch. Joel grasped Benji’s ass and forcefully thrust against the throbbing underside of his cock.

“Like this big brother?” Joel asked, doing it again, causing Benji to grab his shoulders and retaliate.

“No, more like this, ‘baby‘ brother,” Benji rasped and used his stronger body to press Joel deeper into the back of the couch. The effect left both twins crying out. Their bodies were so tight against one another that every thrust given was far more intense than before. Cock to cock they ground into one another, both men very vocal about their impending release.

“Hold me tighter,” Benji begged Joel as their cocks each hardened more than before, signaling the pinnacle was at hand.

“Almost there,” Joel looked into his twin’s eyes. “Need you.”

“Few more seconds,” Benji pleaded, his body shaking with need just like his brother’s. He knew what he needed. His heart knew Joel needed it too. “Ready?”

“Yes,” Joel responded his face grimacing with his nearing bliss.

“Just one thing,” Benji gasp out. “Then we cum.”

Joel closed his eyes and nodded, moaning his agreement, his body jerked almost as hard as they were thrusting in his effort to hold back.

“Look in my eyes,” Benji ordered, his thrusts short and fast, joining his sensitive sweet spot to his twin’s. Joel looked in his eyes, his lips parted and panting. Benji waited until he knew Joel was focused on him completely, then spoke clear and sweet.

“I love you.”

Joel’s eyes blazed into Benji’s and his jaw gaped as his face contorted in mind-blowing ecstasy.

“I love you too!” Joel returned to his twin with the very depths of his heart and soul.

A rush of noise that was both beautiful and terrible exploded in Benji’s ears upon hearing Joel’s voice. His body released but he gave far more than just a physical token of himself. Benji offered all that he was and the soft promise of all that he would ever be, without even an instant of hesitation. This was how it should be and he could no longer see anything except his brother’s eyes. He felt everything break away, leaving only the person he loved more than his own life. The pleasure and physicality of it all, was just an extra. The true joy was staring back at him in his twin’s eyes.

Warmth invaded Joel, deep inside. All the pain, fear, and loneliness he had known in his life, vanished. The pieces that had been ripped away from his heart and life, were suddenly made whole once again. He felt Benji more than physically. From the window’s of his soul, Benji was pouring himself into Joel, and Joel knew it was what he needed; what he had always needed. The hurt and ache that had been his battered heart, became the greatest happiness he had ever known, filled with love. Sex; making love; they were trivial in comparison, just a lovely melody. Yet this, was true harmony. The most beautiful symphony Joel had ever heard in his life.

Best of all, was the voice that had never stopped saying I love you to him.

Neither twin was aware that time passed. The outside world paused for them. Nothing more needed to be said except their constant declarations of love. It was all they needed. That is why it came as surprise to both men when they realized Benji’s phone was ringing. The sound brought them back to the present as Benji went to answer the call.

“Yeah?” He said, then his eyes widened at Joel and his mouth quivered in amusement. “Oh sure. Um, yeah we were just talking. Really? Okay, we can do that. Give us a couple more minutes. Okay. Bye.”

“Was that the guys?” Joel asked, heading toward the bathroom.

“No, it was Mom,” Benji answered, following Joel inside. His twin turned his eyebrows raised in question, so Benji continued. “It seems you forgot to call your daughter last night to say Goodnight.”

“Fuck!” Joel slapped his head and finished cleaning himself up quickly. “I can’t believe I…wait…it was everything that happened and it slipped my mind. Shit, that’s no excuse!”

“Calm down, Joel,” Benji chuckled as he finished up at the sink. “Don’t have an aneurism. My niece has the perfect solution. She wants us to sing to her and her brother over the phone. And since tomorrow is Valentine’s Day, she has put in the perfect song request.”

Joel grinned. “Mom is not happy about that I take it.”

“No, she isn’t,” Benji grinned back. “She asked if we could tweak it a bit; make it more kid friendly.”

“That we can do,” Joel rummaged around until he found some clothes, tossing some to his twin. “You know, I honestly didn’t realize tomorrow is V Day. Hell, I didn’t realize it’s February!”

“What have I been telling you? You’ve been zoned out for the last few months,” Benji sighed, straightening his clothes and sitting down on the couch.

“I really am sorry about that,” Joel apologized, pulling on his shirt and sitting down beside Benji.

“Don’t sweat it,” Benji looked his brother. “You couldn’t help it. Everything takes time. Besides, if things hadn’t gone down the way they have, we might not be sitting here right now.”

Joel smiled and kissed Benji‘s lips softly. “I like where we are sitting.”

“Me too,” Benji breathed back and touched Joel’s cheek with a smile. “But I’m gonna like it a whole lot better once we are through with all our obligations tonight.”

“Mmhmm,” Joel murmured, leaning into Benji’s arms for another kiss. His mind began working on the lyrics and also on a plan for ringing in Valentine’s Day, later tonight. Nuzzling Benji’s neck, he knew exactly what he wanted to do. It would be perfect.

“You keep doing that, and I’m never gonna be able to think of new lyrics,” Benji groaned, tightening his arms around his brother as Joel nipped his ear.

“That’s okay because I think I’ve gotten the lyrics re-written already,” Joel grinned and recited them to his brother. They both agreed it was the best version they could make on spur of the moment. It would satisfy the kids and mollify their Mom.

“Mom?” Joel said, putting his phone on speaker. “Put the kids on.” He apologized to them both for missing the call time the night before and then he and Benji launched into their special request song.

I ripped off

My coat

And called you on the telephone to

Sing to you

This reprise

Just before we say good night when you

Go to sleep for me Baby Valentine

Close your eyes and you

Go to sleep for me Baby Valentine

One more time singing

Oh my love

Please don’t cry

I’ll see you in your dreamland, each and every night

I don’t know much at all but I’ll always treat you right

Sleep and know that I love you tonight.

The twins finished to tiny applause and their Mother’s voice. “I used to sing you two to sleep and little did I know one day you’d return the favor to my grandchildren. But I am so glad you did. Even if it is a different kind of lull-a-bye.”

Joel smiled and quipped into the phone. “Trust me Mom, it‘s going to catch on. Benj and I are thinking about doing a whole album of Rock-a-bye Baby!”

Benji didn’t miss a beat in correcting his twin to the laughter of them all. “Joel, you mean Punk Rock-a-bye Baby!”