bingo fic: The Lost Boys
Title: The Lost Boys
Words: ~1700
A/N: Flash-fic for the bingo challenge, so sorry, not beta-read. And I finally get started on my card! :)
Bingo Square: Huddle for warmth
Kevin wished he knew some better swearwords, so he could try them out on his brothers, first one at a time, and then all together. His brothers had abandoned him hours ago, laughing as they ran ahead, and the path he was on seemed a lot more twisty than the one he remembered coming out on.
Also: the sun was going down.
Kevin shivered and tried in vain to tug his light jacket tighter around him. The path was getting narrower, the air colder, and Kevin had no idea which direction was up, let alone back to the cabin retreat.
The path widened slightly, and a fallen tree provided a crude bench. Kevin sat down grumpily and tried to hold onto his anger at his brothers so he wouldn’t feel so alone and afraid.
Over the treetops, the sky flared and darkened as the sun slipped below the horizon. In the distance, a wolf howled.
Kevin jumped to his feet. “Oh come on,” he yelled in protest. “That’s a bit much!”
“Who are you talking to?” a shadow asked.
Kevin leapt into the air and said the worst word he knew.
~//~
The first thing Kevin learned after a figure sheepishly emerged from the shadow and introduced himself as Mike Carden, was that Mike Carden had no sense of direction.
The second thing he learned was that Mike Carden was in a band, and they too were staying at one of the cabins further down the road, also writing and demo-ing an album.
The third thing he learned was that Mike Carden’s band knew Mike had no sense of direction, and so had given him a handheld GPS on a string to take with him when he went for walks.
The fourth, and perhaps most important thing, Kevin learned was that Mike Carden’s GPS unit had run out of batteries.
“So you’re lost too,” Kevin said as he slumped dejectedly back onto the fallen log.
Mike shrugged. “I guess.” He was in jeans and a t-shirt, and his bare arms were goose-pimpled by the cold. “The guys will figure it out when I don’t show for dinner and come find me.” He sounded utterly confident.
Kevin snorted. “My brothers are probably still laughing it up as they make s’mores for the fire.” At the thought of food, his stomach growled. Lunch had been hours ago, and Kevin had probably been walking in circles all afternoon.
Mike shifted on the log and dug something out of his pocket. “Uh, tic-tac?”
Kevin laughed, but accepted the little treat. “We may starve to death, but at least we’ll have fresh breath.”
Mike grinned around his cigarette as he flicked the lighter. Kevin stared at the little flame. “Maybe we can make a fire?”
Mike sucked in a deep drag and blew it out in a long, contemplative stream. “Hey,” he said with a shrug as he tossed Kevin the lighter. “If you can make wet leaves and damp twigs burn, go right ahead.”
Kevin sighed and handed the lighter back. He rubbed his arms vigorously, trying to ward off the cold. Now that true night had fallen, his cheeks were stinging with the icy bite in the air.
Next to him, Mike made a resigned noise. “Come here,” he said, shuffling along the log and slinging his arm over Kevin’s shoulder. “I think the boy scout’s say conserve body heat or some shit.”
Kevin was too cold to pull away, but Mike didn’t miss the way he wrinkled his nose. He sighed, but stubbed out the cigarette. “Better?” Kevin nodded and tried to resist the urge to push in. Somehow, despite the t-shirt, Mike’s chest was still warm to the touch. Mike laughed, and Kevin felt the rumble along Mike’s ribs. “It’s okay,” he said softly. “Us directionless types have got to stick together.”
Kevin relaxed slightly and shuffled slightly until they were pressed together more comfortably. Mike turned into the contact, his head falling sideways as his other arm came around to ward off the cold on their bellies.
Kevin blinked at the faint little sound. “Mike,” he said evenly, not moving a muscle. “Did you just sniff my hair?”
Mike laughed. “What do you wash it in, Kevin Jonas?” He actually nuzzled into Kevin’s curls for a second, startling a laugh out of Kevin. “No, seriously, it’s like the best thing I’ve smelt all day.”
Kevin pinched Mike’s ribs lightly. “Well, you live with, what did you say, four other guys? Can’t say I’m surprised.”
Mike laughed and shifted slightly, leaning into Kevin. They lapsed into a comfortable silence as the stars came out.
~//~
Kevin was learning a lot about his new friend, from his strangely not-creepy sniffing habits to the fact that he snored, a soft, gentle, easy rhythm of breathing.
Mike had fallen asleep about an hour ago, his restless doze somehow shifting into proper sleep. Kevin envied him. He’d pretty much lost feeling in his toes, and every little noise in the woods surrounding them had him snapping to full attention.
Also, Kevin was starting to feel pretty certain that Mike was drooling on his shoulder.
Even this close, Mike’s face was little more than an outline in the faint starlight. He looked relaxed and comfortable, and Kevin had little inclination to wake him. Instead, moving as gently as he could, he shifted limbs until Mike was leaning more firmly against Kevin’s back. Mike was the oddest blanket imaginable, but he was warm and Kevin was feeling more comfortable than he might have expected.
He was secretly, guiltily glad that Mike had gotten lost too.
~//~
Mike woke slowly sometime after midnight. He looked around, bleary and disorientated.
“Still lost,” Kevin said helpfully.
Mike laughed and slumped forward until he was plastered to Kevin’s back pretty much from hips to neck. “My friends and your brothers suck.”
“Amen,” Kevin said fervently. “They need to be taught a lesson.”
Mike’s chin was pointy as it dug into Kevin’s shoulder. “I’m listening,” he drawled.
Kevin sketched a few ideas that had occurred. “Of course,” he added balefully. “All this requires us to find our way back to the cabins when it’s light.”
Mike gave him a gentle squeeze. “Or we could just head south and leave them wondering.” He laughed softly, a gentle puff of air against the cold skin on Kevin’s neck. “Run away and start a life of crime.”
Kevin grinned. “Or join the circus.”
Mike’s stubble grazed lightly across the back of Kevin’s neck, catching his hair. “Or be real rebels and get day jobs.”
Mike’s face was right there. It seemed the most natural thing in the world to lean in and kiss him.
The angle was awkward, and it was little more than a brush of lips against the corner of Mike’s mouth. This close, even in the dark he saw Mike’s tongue dart out to lick his lips. “Or we could do that some more,” Mike said slowly.
“Better than a day job,” Kevin agreed and kissed him again.
~//~
The sun creeping over the horizon painted the sky in beautiful, soft colours and caught in the beads of dew along the edge of the leaves that encircled the clearing.
Kevin exhaled softly, eyes drifting closed as he sat perched between Mike’s thighs, hands folded over where Mike’s arms encircled his waist, head tilted to give Mike access as he nibbled and suckled a row of marks down Kevin’s throat. “You’re evil,” he said with a grin.
Mike finished his work with a lick, the broad stripe of his tongue dragging over the lines of Kevin’s throat. “It was your idea,” he reminded Kevin. “And its definitely better than creeping outside their window making ghost noises. Okay,” he added, giving Kevin a little squeeze. “Ready to try find our way back?”
In the bright early morning, it seemed ridiculously easy to find the gravel road that was access path for the loose cluster of cabins scattered across the hillside. Mike and Kevin walked hand in hand, listening the crunch of the gravel underfoot and the dawn chorus above their heads.
Mike scowled at the sky. “Bluebirds are singing. This is your doing, isn’t it?”
Kevin laughed, tired and happy, and just swung their joined hands in response.
They found Mike’s cabin first, one of the tiny ones set on the edge of the gully, away from the views down into the valley. A tall, skinny man emerged as Mike climbed up onto the porch. “GPS and cellphone!” He brandished the phone at Mike. “How hard is it to remember to take both?”
Mike just grinned. “Bill, Kevin. Kevin, this is William Beckett.”
“You’re a Jonas,” William said blankly. “Michael,” he added sharply. “What were you doing lost in the forest with a Jonas?” he asked fiercely.
Mike rolled his eyes and snatched the phone from William, handing it to Kevin. He dutifully punched the number in, and grinned at Mike, giving him a split-second warning before he tossed the phone at William and leapt up, wrapping his legs around Mike’s hips, scrambling for leverage as he ravaged Mike’s mouth in a fierce, hard kiss. He slid down, landing lightly on his feet. “Later,” he said with an easy smile as Bill stared at them both. “Nice to meet you, William Beckett.”
He grinned as he heard the sounds of the interrogation start up behind him as he skipped down the steps and up the gravel path.
~//~
Frankie was curled up on the swing seat on the porch as Kevin turned the corner, and he jumped the stairs two at a time. “Kevin!” he shrieked, flying out of the seat to tackle-hug him. “Guys, guys, Kevin’s back!”
Nick and Joe tumbled through the front door, almost on top of each other, stumbling to a halt to stare. Kevin stuck his tongue out at them. “I told you I didn’t know the way back,” he said, pre-empting them.
Joe’s eyes were wide. “Dude,” he breathed, staring. “What happened to your neck?”
Nick was already scowling. “They look like hickies. Where were you really, Kevin?”
“Getting close to nature,” he said, grinning wider as he sauntered by them and went to find breakfast.
Words: ~1700
A/N: Flash-fic for the bingo challenge, so sorry, not beta-read. And I finally get started on my card! :)
Bingo Square: Huddle for warmth
Kevin wished he knew some better swearwords, so he could try them out on his brothers, first one at a time, and then all together. His brothers had abandoned him hours ago, laughing as they ran ahead, and the path he was on seemed a lot more twisty than the one he remembered coming out on.
Also: the sun was going down.
Kevin shivered and tried in vain to tug his light jacket tighter around him. The path was getting narrower, the air colder, and Kevin had no idea which direction was up, let alone back to the cabin retreat.
The path widened slightly, and a fallen tree provided a crude bench. Kevin sat down grumpily and tried to hold onto his anger at his brothers so he wouldn’t feel so alone and afraid.
Over the treetops, the sky flared and darkened as the sun slipped below the horizon. In the distance, a wolf howled.
Kevin jumped to his feet. “Oh come on,” he yelled in protest. “That’s a bit much!”
“Who are you talking to?” a shadow asked.
Kevin leapt into the air and said the worst word he knew.
~//~
The first thing Kevin learned after a figure sheepishly emerged from the shadow and introduced himself as Mike Carden, was that Mike Carden had no sense of direction.
The second thing he learned was that Mike Carden was in a band, and they too were staying at one of the cabins further down the road, also writing and demo-ing an album.
The third thing he learned was that Mike Carden’s band knew Mike had no sense of direction, and so had given him a handheld GPS on a string to take with him when he went for walks.
The fourth, and perhaps most important thing, Kevin learned was that Mike Carden’s GPS unit had run out of batteries.
“So you’re lost too,” Kevin said as he slumped dejectedly back onto the fallen log.
Mike shrugged. “I guess.” He was in jeans and a t-shirt, and his bare arms were goose-pimpled by the cold. “The guys will figure it out when I don’t show for dinner and come find me.” He sounded utterly confident.
Kevin snorted. “My brothers are probably still laughing it up as they make s’mores for the fire.” At the thought of food, his stomach growled. Lunch had been hours ago, and Kevin had probably been walking in circles all afternoon.
Mike shifted on the log and dug something out of his pocket. “Uh, tic-tac?”
Kevin laughed, but accepted the little treat. “We may starve to death, but at least we’ll have fresh breath.”
Mike grinned around his cigarette as he flicked the lighter. Kevin stared at the little flame. “Maybe we can make a fire?”
Mike sucked in a deep drag and blew it out in a long, contemplative stream. “Hey,” he said with a shrug as he tossed Kevin the lighter. “If you can make wet leaves and damp twigs burn, go right ahead.”
Kevin sighed and handed the lighter back. He rubbed his arms vigorously, trying to ward off the cold. Now that true night had fallen, his cheeks were stinging with the icy bite in the air.
Next to him, Mike made a resigned noise. “Come here,” he said, shuffling along the log and slinging his arm over Kevin’s shoulder. “I think the boy scout’s say conserve body heat or some shit.”
Kevin was too cold to pull away, but Mike didn’t miss the way he wrinkled his nose. He sighed, but stubbed out the cigarette. “Better?” Kevin nodded and tried to resist the urge to push in. Somehow, despite the t-shirt, Mike’s chest was still warm to the touch. Mike laughed, and Kevin felt the rumble along Mike’s ribs. “It’s okay,” he said softly. “Us directionless types have got to stick together.”
Kevin relaxed slightly and shuffled slightly until they were pressed together more comfortably. Mike turned into the contact, his head falling sideways as his other arm came around to ward off the cold on their bellies.
Kevin blinked at the faint little sound. “Mike,” he said evenly, not moving a muscle. “Did you just sniff my hair?”
Mike laughed. “What do you wash it in, Kevin Jonas?” He actually nuzzled into Kevin’s curls for a second, startling a laugh out of Kevin. “No, seriously, it’s like the best thing I’ve smelt all day.”
Kevin pinched Mike’s ribs lightly. “Well, you live with, what did you say, four other guys? Can’t say I’m surprised.”
Mike laughed and shifted slightly, leaning into Kevin. They lapsed into a comfortable silence as the stars came out.
~//~
Kevin was learning a lot about his new friend, from his strangely not-creepy sniffing habits to the fact that he snored, a soft, gentle, easy rhythm of breathing.
Mike had fallen asleep about an hour ago, his restless doze somehow shifting into proper sleep. Kevin envied him. He’d pretty much lost feeling in his toes, and every little noise in the woods surrounding them had him snapping to full attention.
Also, Kevin was starting to feel pretty certain that Mike was drooling on his shoulder.
Even this close, Mike’s face was little more than an outline in the faint starlight. He looked relaxed and comfortable, and Kevin had little inclination to wake him. Instead, moving as gently as he could, he shifted limbs until Mike was leaning more firmly against Kevin’s back. Mike was the oddest blanket imaginable, but he was warm and Kevin was feeling more comfortable than he might have expected.
He was secretly, guiltily glad that Mike had gotten lost too.
~//~
Mike woke slowly sometime after midnight. He looked around, bleary and disorientated.
“Still lost,” Kevin said helpfully.
Mike laughed and slumped forward until he was plastered to Kevin’s back pretty much from hips to neck. “My friends and your brothers suck.”
“Amen,” Kevin said fervently. “They need to be taught a lesson.”
Mike’s chin was pointy as it dug into Kevin’s shoulder. “I’m listening,” he drawled.
Kevin sketched a few ideas that had occurred. “Of course,” he added balefully. “All this requires us to find our way back to the cabins when it’s light.”
Mike gave him a gentle squeeze. “Or we could just head south and leave them wondering.” He laughed softly, a gentle puff of air against the cold skin on Kevin’s neck. “Run away and start a life of crime.”
Kevin grinned. “Or join the circus.”
Mike’s stubble grazed lightly across the back of Kevin’s neck, catching his hair. “Or be real rebels and get day jobs.”
Mike’s face was right there. It seemed the most natural thing in the world to lean in and kiss him.
The angle was awkward, and it was little more than a brush of lips against the corner of Mike’s mouth. This close, even in the dark he saw Mike’s tongue dart out to lick his lips. “Or we could do that some more,” Mike said slowly.
“Better than a day job,” Kevin agreed and kissed him again.
~//~
The sun creeping over the horizon painted the sky in beautiful, soft colours and caught in the beads of dew along the edge of the leaves that encircled the clearing.
Kevin exhaled softly, eyes drifting closed as he sat perched between Mike’s thighs, hands folded over where Mike’s arms encircled his waist, head tilted to give Mike access as he nibbled and suckled a row of marks down Kevin’s throat. “You’re evil,” he said with a grin.
Mike finished his work with a lick, the broad stripe of his tongue dragging over the lines of Kevin’s throat. “It was your idea,” he reminded Kevin. “And its definitely better than creeping outside their window making ghost noises. Okay,” he added, giving Kevin a little squeeze. “Ready to try find our way back?”
In the bright early morning, it seemed ridiculously easy to find the gravel road that was access path for the loose cluster of cabins scattered across the hillside. Mike and Kevin walked hand in hand, listening the crunch of the gravel underfoot and the dawn chorus above their heads.
Mike scowled at the sky. “Bluebirds are singing. This is your doing, isn’t it?”
Kevin laughed, tired and happy, and just swung their joined hands in response.
They found Mike’s cabin first, one of the tiny ones set on the edge of the gully, away from the views down into the valley. A tall, skinny man emerged as Mike climbed up onto the porch. “GPS and cellphone!” He brandished the phone at Mike. “How hard is it to remember to take both?”
Mike just grinned. “Bill, Kevin. Kevin, this is William Beckett.”
“You’re a Jonas,” William said blankly. “Michael,” he added sharply. “What were you doing lost in the forest with a Jonas?” he asked fiercely.
Mike rolled his eyes and snatched the phone from William, handing it to Kevin. He dutifully punched the number in, and grinned at Mike, giving him a split-second warning before he tossed the phone at William and leapt up, wrapping his legs around Mike’s hips, scrambling for leverage as he ravaged Mike’s mouth in a fierce, hard kiss. He slid down, landing lightly on his feet. “Later,” he said with an easy smile as Bill stared at them both. “Nice to meet you, William Beckett.”
He grinned as he heard the sounds of the interrogation start up behind him as he skipped down the steps and up the gravel path.
~//~
Frankie was curled up on the swing seat on the porch as Kevin turned the corner, and he jumped the stairs two at a time. “Kevin!” he shrieked, flying out of the seat to tackle-hug him. “Guys, guys, Kevin’s back!”
Nick and Joe tumbled through the front door, almost on top of each other, stumbling to a halt to stare. Kevin stuck his tongue out at them. “I told you I didn’t know the way back,” he said, pre-empting them.
Joe’s eyes were wide. “Dude,” he breathed, staring. “What happened to your neck?”
Nick was already scowling. “They look like hickies. Where were you really, Kevin?”
“Getting close to nature,” he said, grinning wider as he sauntered by them and went to find breakfast.