Fic: You're one big sugar rush (I've always dreamt that I'd be your favorite) [5/14]
Title:‘You're one big sugar rush (I've always dreamt that I'd be your favorite)’ [5/14]
Author: jen_jm
Pairing: Gabe/William, Butcher/Sisky, Ryland/Vicky-T, Alex/Nate vs Alex/Tom, others minor pairings.
Rating: NC-17 overall
Word count: 80,000 total words
Warnings: Upper East Siders AU (it needed a name, didn’t it?), but this is NOT a Gossip Girl AU.
POV: third
Disclaimer: Completely not true. I doubt Gabe can actually write softwares, anyway. It’s all fiction.
Author’s Notes: title from Cash Cash’s ‘Sugar Rush’ and Cobra Starship’s ‘The scene is dead - Long live the scene’
As ever, feel free to report any mistake. Constructive criticism is welcome, feedback makes me happy!
Summary:“Can I offer you a coffee, then?” Gabe tried once again, not too hopeful, but to his surprise, the singer didn’t flip him off.
“Why?” William asked, genuinely curious about all that interest.
“Because,” Gabe just said, shrugging a little, but at the boy’s stubborn look, he gave in and smiled. “I like your voice.” - Gabe Saporta is a rich 26 years old computer nerd who lives in the Upper East Side. William Beckett is a broke 22 years old musician who works as a bartender and lives with his best friend in Brooklyn. When they meet in the subway where William is playing their worlds collide in more ways than one.
Crossposted
Chapter 1 || Chapter 2 || Chapter 3 || Chapter 4
Chapter 5 - The one with the ‘innocent’ phone call
The following morning
“Hey,” Tom whispered as Alex stirred next to him, still sleepy. “Good morning.”
“A very good one,” Alex agreed with a smile, supporting himself on an elbow.
Tom looked up at him, but didn’t move to stand or reach him. “So, d’you think it’ll work?” he asked with both his eyebrows arched. At Alex’s confused glance, he shrugged, unsure. “Weren’t you trying to make someone jealous, last night?”
For a few seconds Alex just stared at him like a deer caught in the headlights, then swallowed around the knot in his throat and looked away. “I’m sorry.”
“I’m not,” Tom replied, then brought his hand to Alex’s chin and forced him to look up. “I’ve done stuff like this myself,” he added with a brief shrug, then he smiled a little. “But my problem here is that I also really like you.”
“Do you?” Alex asked with a skeptical chuckle, much to the other’s confusion.
“I do,” Tom confirmed as he sat up, still keeping their gazes locked. “What’s not to like? You’re incredibly smart, damn funny, really hot, and kind of amazing in bed.”
“At least I know you’re not saying that just to get laid,” Alex remarked and smiled a little, then looked away and sat up as well. “I’m gonna be late for work.”
“Hey,” Tom stopped him with a hand on his arm and waited for him to look up. “I don’t know who kicked your ego hard enough to make you feel so bad about yourself, but they don’t deserve you.”
“You’re observant, aren’t you?” Alex didn’t try to move away and the other boy felt relieved about that.
“I try my best,” Tom admitted with a little smile at his choice of words. “I wasn’t observant enough the last time and I ended up losing someone I really cared about,” he added with a shrug, trying to look unconcerned but failing. “I learned my lesson.”
“I’m sorry,” Alex said, maintaining eye-contact. “What happened?”
“Long story, I said terrible things to him,” Tom just said, obviously not too keen on telling the entire story. “Only, I was the one who deserved them,” he paused, then shook his head briefly and the smile came back to his lips. “What I’m trying to say is that I think you shouldn’t try to make that guy jealous, you should move on with your life. Find someone who appreciates you.”
“And I bet you have someone in mind,” Alex replied with a brief laugher, but didn’t move away when the boy shifted closer.
“Of course I do,” Tom said as his lips stretched in a wicked grin. “I’m not into false modesty, so I’m just gonna say it,” he paused as he leaned closer, trailing his hand in Alex’s hair. “I think you should give me a chance.”
Alex looked at him in the eye for a few seconds, unsure, then looked away, moving back. “I’m sorry, I really have to go.”
Tom let him go without protesting and let his hand fall on the bed as Alex stood and retrieved his clothes. He lay down and closed his eyes as he heard the door close after the boy a couple of minutes later.
~
William woke up and it took him a couple of seconds to recognize the room he was in. Gabe’s bedroom. Which was largely illuminated by the sunlight that entered from the big windows.
“Is this place always so fucking bright?” he moaned in the pillow, trying to hide from the light.
Gabe laughed and stood lazily from the bed with a yawn. “Only when I forget to close the curtains,” he replied as he did exactly that, much to the other boy’s relief. “Sorry about that.”
“C’mere,” William muttered instead, catching Gabe’s hand when he walked closer, and pulled him down on the bed again. “What time is it?”
“Nine-thirty,” Gabe answered as he lay down next to the boy, tangling their legs. “Wanna go back to sleep?”
“No,” William huffed out, slightly annoyed, then turned to look at him and his expression changed. “Actually, I wouldn’t mind something to eat, yes?”
“Enough with the puppy eyes, I’ll make you pancakes,” Gabe replied, highly amused by the innocent and pleading gaze the boy had addressed him. “Honey pancakes, how does that sound?”
“Mmh, careful, I might get hard again,” William muttered against his neck, smirking, then bit down playfully.
“You’re unbelievable,” Gabe declared, laughing out loud as he stood from the bed again.
He walked out and heard William laugh as well, then the bathroom door close. He went to the second bathroom and washed his teeth, face and hands, then headed for the kitchen with only his boxers on, knowing Vicky wasn’t gonna be home until afternoon. He turned on the radio nearby and started preparing their breakfast, humming to himself.
William walked in the room as quietly as he could, looking around once again at the big, elegant apartment. New York was wide awake outside the large windows and the sunlight was even brighter than in the bedroom. Without making a sound he sat down at the kitchen counter, watching as Gabe worked on the pancakes.
“So, this is your house, uh?” William suddenly asked, causing the other boy to jump in surprise.
“Fucking hell, don’t ever do that again,” Gabe muttered with a glare, much to William’s amusement. “And yes, this is my house.”
“All yours?” William insisted with a perplexed look on his face.
“I guess,” Gabe replied with a shrug. “Vicky has her own down the street.”
“You’re richer than I thought,” William pointed out and his voice sounded uncertain, almost worried.
Gabe put the just-made coffee down on the counter and reached him on the other side, frowning. “Does it make a difference?”
“Are you trying to buy me?” William asked without looking up at him, but felt the boy tense for a few seconds.
“Why would I use money when I can use candies?” Gabe said after a moment of hesitation, but there was an edge of worry in the light tone he used. “The answer’s no, by the way.”
“Good,” William declared, then turned to look at him with a wide smile. “But feel free to use candies.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.” Gabe laughed, visibly relieved, and walked back to the sink to resume preparing the pancakes. William reached for his mug and sipped, only to jerk back as a disgusted sound left his lips. Gabe turned and smirked, passing him the sugar and a spoon.
“You know, I was thinking,” Gabe started, throwing him a careful glance. “We could go somewhere, this weekend.”
“Actually, I won’t be home, Mike’s girlfriend is playing a gig in Washington and I promised him I’d be there,” William replied with a little shrug, then stopped to blow on the hot coffee. “Monday, maybe?”
“Can’t. I have a meeting in the morning,” Gabe informed with a smirk. “And I’m buying a wedding dress in the afternoon.”
“Aren’t you rushing things a little too much?” William asked with a playful glare.
“With Vicky,” Gabe added and rolled his eyes, amused. “Tuesday?”
“Tuesday’s good for me,” William declared, then stood and reached him, resting his hip against the sink and watching him work.
~~
“Hey, Ryland,” Alex greeted him as he walked in his studio, closing the door after himself. “D’you have a minute?”
“Sure,” the other said with a nod, perplexed. “Something’s wrong?”
“I slept with Tom,” Alex admitted as he sat down in front of his friend.
“I figured that much,” Ryland replied with an arched eyebrow, then rested both his elbows on his desk. “Was he that bad?”
“What?” Alex laughed a little and shook his head no. “He’s awesome, and sweet,” he paused, taking a deep breath, all amusement gone once again. “And he likes me.”
“And since you were only using him to make Nate jealous, now you have no idea how to dump him?” Ryland asked with a reproachful glare.
“I don’t want to dump him, that’s the problem,” Alex confessed and looked at his friend in the eye, unsure. “I like him. I like the way I feel when he looks at me.”
“What about Nate?” Ryland asked, genuinely surprised by his words, but regretted asking when Alex’s expression hardened.
“He’s not my problem anymore,” he replied with an even tone, trying to hide the edge of bitterness.
“Okay, I get that, but then, why are you here?” Ryland frowned, even more confused by his friend’s behavior.
“Because I need advice from a friend, you dumbass,” Alex replied and rolled his eyes, then rested back against the back of his chair. “And you’re good with relationships.”
“Men and women are kind of different, you know?” Ryland pointed out with a raised eyebrow, but at his friend glare, he sighed. “What did you do?”
“Tom asked me to give him a chance,” Alex explained and flinched a little as he remembered what had happened. “And I just ran like a pussy.”
“You owe him an answer, so you’d better go back to him and apologize,” Ryland suggested without thinking too much about it. “Whatever your answer will be.”
“What if he doesn’t want to listen to me?” Alex asked, standing from his chair. “I’ve acted like a jerk.”
“Then he doesn’t like you enough,” Ryland replied with a smile, then stood as well. “You must really like this guy if you’re being such a drama queen about something like this.”
“Am I overreacting?” Alex flinched a little, looking at his friend, who just laughed.
“Definitely,” Ryland confirmed and reached him. “You just panicked, he’ll understand. No big deal,” he paused and squeezed his friend’s shoulder. “But hey, Gabe always says you’re a drama queen, so.”
“No, he calls me a drama queer,” Alex corrected him, then rolled his eyes. “Which isn’t really that much better.”
Ryland laughed out loud and patted him on the shoulder. “Go talk to Tom. Right now. I have patients here.”
“Okay, I’ll go,” Alex opened the door and smiled widely at him. “Thanks, Ry.”
Ryland nodded and the boy closed the door, noticing the young patients already waiting in line to see his friend. He told himself Ryland was right, he needed to calm the hell down and talk to Tom like an adult.
“Alex, can I talk to you for a minute?” Nate asked from behind him and the boy almost jumped, but managed to keep a straight face as he turned. “Just a minute.”
“Lead the way,” Alex replied with a cold tone, trying to ignore how much he wanted to just walk away.
They reached one of the emergency staircase and once they were sure they were alone, Nate looked at him, trying to lock their gazes.
“I’m sorry about everything,” Nate said when Alex finally looked at him as well. “Really.”
“Okay,” Alex just said, then turned to leave.
“Listen,” Nate said, sneaking between him and the door. “I know you hate me right now, but if you--”
“I don’t hate you,” Alex objected, unbelieving, but didn’t try to walk away. “I’m just tired of feeling like a piece of idiot every time you look at me.”
“Is that how I make you feel?” Nate asked as his eyes widened a little.
“Lately, yes,” Alex replied, shrugging, then looked away. “Actually, I can’t even remember a single time you said you had a good time with me, not a single time that you said we’re friends.”
“But we are,” Nate immediately replied, hurt. “That’s what I was asking you,” he paused, taking a deep breath, then added, “If everything else is fucked up, can we at least save the friendship?”
Alex took a deep breath and kept silent for several seconds, but when he saw Nate ready to say something else, he raised his hand to stop him. “I need time, okay?” Alex said with a sigh. “And right now I need to see someone.”
“That Tom guy?” Nate asked without managing to keep the bitterness from his voice.
“Yes, that Tom guy,” Alex replied, annoyed by his tone. “And you should get used to have him around,” he added, than took advantage of Nate’s surprise to reach the door and walk away.
~~
Later that day
“Hey, looks like someone got lucky,” Sisky announced as soon as William walked in their living room. “How was your date?”
“Sweet,” William replied with a wide smirk.
“Does that mean there’s a chance you two will be getting serious?” Butcher asked as he walked out of the kitchen.
“I don’t know, maybe,” William answered as he walked to his room, but stopped as soon as he noticed an open suitcase on the floor. “Uh, is there something I need to know?”
“Butcher will be featured in an art exposition in LA, he asked me to go there with him,” Sisky informed with a beaming smile. “We’re leaving tomorrow.”
“Congratulations!” William hugged his best friend and patted Butcher on the shoulder, smiling. “Even if this means Mike’s gonna kill you both,” he pointed out with an amused smirk.
“Fuck, the gig!” Sisky covered his mouth with a hand, unbelieving. “I totally forgot about that.”
“I’m sure Hayley will understand,” William reassured him, then tried to ruffle his short hair, gaining a slap on the hand. His smile faltered when he remembered what he had to ask his friends. “Have you heard from Tom, lately?”
“No, why?” Butcher frowned, confused, while Sisky bit on his lower lip.
“We met Gabe’s friends at the pub last night,” William explained with a brief shrug. “Apparently, one of them went home with Tom before we got there.”
“Is that okay with you?” Sisky asked with a careful tone, knowing Tom was still a tough subject for conversation.
“It’s weird,” William admitted with a sigh. “But, you know, I guess it’s good that he’s seeing someone.”
“You’re not swearing at the mere mention of his name,” Butcher remarked, visibly impressed. “I think this Gabe is good for your moods.”
“Fuck you, Mrotek,” William retorted, glaring at him, but then just shook his head and walked to his room.
“You really are an idiot, sometimes,” Sisky said, but there was no real anger in his voice, just resignation.
“You wouldn’t love me if I weren’t,” Butcher replied and placed a kiss on his cheek, which prompted Sisky to relaxed back against his chest. “D’you think Bill will be alright in Washington? Tom’s probably gonna be there.”
“It’s gonna be fine,” Sisky reassured him, then glanced at the suitcase. “Mike will keep an eye on them.”
“Let’s hope so.” Butcher sighed and broke the hug, walking back to the kitchen.
~
“Yes, I do like you,” Alex announced when the door opened and Tom stared at him, surprised. “And yes, it does astonish me how much of an idiot I can be.”
“You mean when you stormed out of here about three hours ago?” Tom asked as he tried to bite back a smile. “Yeah, it wasn’t your brightest moment.”
“Can I come in?” Alex asked with an apologetic look on his face.
“It depends,” Tom said and arched an eyebrow, still looking at him.
Alex rolled his eyes and moved forward, pulling him in a kiss before he had a chance to move away, which Tom didn’t even try, much to his relief. He pulled back after a few seconds, but kept his arm around the boy’s neck. “Can I come in?”
“Much better,” Tom admitted with a wide smile. “I was making lunch, want some?”
“Sure, I’m starving,” Alex replied as he walked in and closed the door. “Need some help? I’m good in the kitchen.”
“Don’t worry, it’s almost ready,” Tom said as they walked in the kitchen and Alex stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Mike sitting there.
“Uh, hi.” Alex waved at him, unsure. “Mike, right?”
The boy nodded and gestured him to sit down. “So, if you’re back I guess I won’t be having Tom as my guest,” Mike said with a glare in his friend’s direction.
“What d’you mean?” Alex asked, visibly confused.
“Mike wants me to go to Washington for the weekend to see his girlfriend play,” Tom explained as he rolled his eyes. “But I’m not going.”
“Why?” Alex and Mike both asked, then looked at each other.
“Mike knows why,” he just said, then looked at Alex. “It’s a long story and it involves the ex-boyfriend I mentioned this morning.”
“You should stop avoiding William,” Mike suggested, halfway between disappointed and exasperated.
“Do we need to have this conversation right now?” Tom glared at his friend, obviously uncomfortable talking about that with Alex in the room.
“Maybe I should let you two discuss this,” Alex suggested with a nod in the direction of the door.
“There’s nothing to discuss, he doesn’t want to see me and, honestly, I don’t want to see him either,” Tom replied with a calm, determined tone. “I can think of much better things to do this weekend,” he added with a grin in Alex’s direction.
“Keep it pg-rated while I’m still here, okay?” Mike grimaced and both Tom and Alex laughed, amused. His phone rang in that moment and he excused himself as he walked out of the room.
“I’m sorry about all that,” Tom apologized when his friend was gone.
“Don’t be,” Alex said as he reached the boy, smiling. “I’m sure that sooner or later things will work out between you and that William,” he added, but when he saw Tom’s skeptical glance, he added, “I mean, I’m best friends with my ex, I would know.”
“Of course you are.” Tom laughed a little and pulled him closer. “No sane guy would want to let you go,” he whispered on his lips, then kissed him to stop any protest Alex might have had.
“Where the fuck have you been all this time, uh?” Alex asked once he managed to pull back, a little flushed.
“In your dreams, baby,” Tom replied as he wriggled his eyebrows suggestively.
“Fuck off,” Alex retorted, but laughed anyway when Tom kissed him on the cheek.
~~
Three days later
Gabe sat at the table in the conference room, only half listening to what Pete was saying to the group. He toyed with his pen as he glanced at the papers in front of him, not really caring much about that. He was already planning his afternoon with Vicky when his cell phone suddenly rang and everyone turned to look at him.
Gabe mentally cursed at himself for not turning it to silent, but relaxed when Pete just arched an eyebrow at him, curious.
“Take that call, Saporta, let’s all take a break,” Pete announced and suddenly the air got lighter in the room.
Gabe addressed him a smile and flipped his phone open, resting back against his chair while everyone else walked out to go get a coffee.
“What?” he asked with a not-too-gentle tone, not even looking at the caller ID.
“Mmh, sounds like I’m interrupting something,” William considered from the other end, but his voice showed amusement.
“Hey, Bill, I-- uh, I’m in the middle of a meeting right now,” Gabe replied with a grimace.
“I know,” the boy confirmed, still unconcerned. “You told me the other day that you’d be busy.”
“Oh, okay,” Gabe just said, a little confused, then waited for him to say something else.
“I just thought you’d like to know that I’m lying here on my bed with my hand in my pants, and I’m thinking about you,” William purred into his ear and Gabe blinked a few times, not sure he’d heard right.
“You’re trying to talk me into phone sex, aren’t you?” he asked after a few seconds of complete silence and immediately he could hear the boy huff out a laughter.
“What if I am?” William sounded a little breathless and Gabe had to swallow even if his mouth had gone dry.
“I’m in the middle of a meeting,” he repeated, almost desperate, then tried to sound a little more dignified as he added, “You’re gonna pay for this tomorrow.”
“Really? How?” William challenged him, sounding way too amused by the whole thing.
“Well, I could come over and hide all the sugar in your apartment,” Gabe proposed with a smirk, closing his eyes as he relaxed back against his chair once again. “Or I could tie you down, do unspeakable things to you and only let you come when I decide you’ve earned it.”
“Touch the sugar and you’re a dead man walking,” William threatened him and his voice turned dead serious.
“What?” Gabe laughed out loud at those words, unbelieving. “And the second option is okay?”
“It might turn out to be interesting,” William replied, then chuckled into the phone. “Fine, I’ll let you go back to your job, geeky boy.”
“Don’t have too much fun without me,” Gabe said and heard William laugh just before the line went dead.
Gabe flipped his phone closed and took a deep breath, trying not to focus on the mental image William had just given him over the phone.
“Was that your new boyfriend?” Pete asked with a smirk from the doorstep and the other boy almost jumped. “William, right?”
“Vicky talks too much,” Gabe said with a glare, then nodded and put the phone back in his pocket. “But yes, his name is William.”
“Will he try to talk you into phone sex every time you have a meeting?” Pete addressed him a wicked smirk and Gabe just stared at him, incredulous. “What, I’m your boss, I’m entitled to eavesdrop your conversations.”
“Work really is a relative concept for you, isn’t it?” Gabe laughed and shook his head. Somehow, he’d always been unable to really get mad at Pete and maybe that was why they were friends.
“Let’s finish this meeting, I have a wife waiting for me,” Pete just replied, then went to call the others.
~
Later that night
“Please, marry that boy,” Ryland said as soon as Gabe told him and Vicky about the phone call. That night they had settled once again for Mike and Tom’s pub, the Sunlight, which Gabe though was an appropriate name for a place on Summerset Street.
“Yeah, well, I’ll do my best,” Gabe promised, then took a sip from his beer.
Before they could say anything else, they saw Alex walk in and he headed their way as soon as he spotted them.
“Hey, where have you been? We haven’t seen you all weekend,” Vicky asked him with a half confused half worried frown.
“Oh, nowhere in particular,” Alex said with his best unconcerned tone, then gave in and smirked wickedly. “Just home having the best sex I’ve had in my entire life.”
“Well, that’s the longest one night stand the world has ever seen,” Gabe pointed out with a wholehearted laughter.
“Not a one night stand,” Alex corrected him with a nod. “We’re dating, kinda.”
“That’s a new one,” Vicky admitted with a surprised smile, then patted him on the shoulder.
“What about Nate?” Gabe asked, voicing the silent question that was hanging right above them. “Did you two talk?”
“We did,” Alex confirmed, but he didn’t sound angry or annoyed at the mention of the Nate-thing. “He asked if we can save the friendship, and now I have an answer for him.”
“I hope it’s a yes,” Vicky said and looked at him in the eye.
“It’s a yes,” Alex admitted, then glanced at the counter, where Tom had just arrived. “I owe him. After all, if I hadn’t been so angry at him, I probably wouldn’t have hooked up with Tom,” he added with a reasonable tone, which surprised the others. “And believe me, he’s one of a kind.”
“I don’t want to be the killjoy here, but,” Vicky stopped, looking at Gabe for a few moments before she spoke. “D’you think Nate will be alright with this?”
“Why wouldn’t he?” Alex looked genuinely unconcerned about it and relaxed against his chair. “It’s what he wanted, I’m off his back.”
“I’m not sure that’s what he wants now,” Gabe considered, not really sure they were supposed to push their luck so much.
“Well, I have other priorities now,” Alex replied with a shrug, then smiled when he saw Tom head in their direction. “Hey.”
“Hey, everyone,” Tom greeted them with a wide smile, then leaned down to put a beer in front of Alex and kissed him on the cheek. “On the house.”
“Is Mike okay with this?” Alex laughed a little, turning his head to look at him.
“Mike’s home, hangover and still recovering from the weekend, so he’d better be okay if he likes his prissy ass the way it is,” Tom replied and rolled his eyes, exasperated, causing them all to laugh.
Gabe felt the urge to ask him how he knew William, why they weren’t talking to each other, but his guts told him to shut up and, for once, he listened. A few moments later Tom excused himself and went back to his work.
“He’s a sweetheart,” Vicky declared as she followed him with her eyes. “You have to bring him to the party,” she added, now looking at her friend.
“Friday night, right?” Alex nodded and pursed his lips, thoughtful. “Depends, work is a living hell right now, but if I manage to get the night free, we’ll be there.”
“You’d better,” Ryland pinched him on the arm, threatening. “After all it took to redecorate the house, we want all of you there for the housewarming party.”
“And that includes your sweetheart, too,” Vicky added in Gabe’s direction, getting a smirk and a nod in reply.
~~
The following day
“I hate that guy,” Butcher muttered as he glanced once again at the brunette, thin boy who had been arranging the drawings in the stand in front of Butcher’s before the opening.
“Why?” Sisky glanced at the boy as well, then back at his boyfriend, confused. “He looks nice.”
“Maybe eventoo nice,” Butcher replied with a sarcastic smile, then circled Sisky’s waist with an arm. “He’s been checking you out since we got here.”
“Oh, c’mon, stop being a jealous freak,” Sisky said with an exasperated laughter. “Even if that was true, let him watch all he wants, I’m going back to the hotel with you tonight, aren’t I?”
“It’s just that I don’t like people undressing my boyfriend in their head,” Butcher insisted, sulking a little, much to the other’s amusement. “Don’t laugh at me.”
“Then stop worrying over that guy and get me something to drink,” Sisky retorted, slapping his ass playfully.
Butcher shook his head and without another word he went to the buffet to get them drinks. Right in that moment the boy, whose pass said ‘Michael Way’, reached Sisky with a wide smile. Suddenly, Sisky regretted sending his boyfriend off.
“Hey, I’m Mikey,” the boy introduced himself, holding his hand out.
“Your pass doesn’t agree,” Sisky joked, pointing at the little piece of plastic hanging from the boy’s pocket.
“Yeah, they only accept birth names, not nicknames for those,” Mikey said with an almost shy shrug.
“I know, no one ever calls me Adam either,” he agreed, then smiled a little and finally shook the boy’s hand. “I’m Sisky.”
“You’re here with Andy Mrotek, right?” Mikey asked as he gestured towards the paintings hanging on the wall beside them.
“Never call him that, just Butcher,” Sisky suggested, smirking a little, then saw the interrogative look on the boy’s face and added, “Don’t ask.”
“Okay,” Mikey conceded with a brief frown, then shook his head. “I’m a huge fan of his works.”
“Really?” Sisky’s smile lit up at those words and glanced at his boyfriend, who was walking back towards them. “He’s gonna be happy to hear that.”
“What did I miss?” Butcher asked with a raised eyebrow in Mikey’s direction.
“Butcher, this is Mikey,” Sisky introduced them even though there was no need. “He’s a fan of your works.”
“You’re Gerard Way’s brother, right?” Butcher asked as they shook hands. “He’s an inspiration.”
“He really is,” Mikey agreed with a wide smile as he glanced at his brother, who was talking to someone not far from them. “Gee, Frank, come over here.”
The two boys reached them and Butcher felt a little less annoyed. His annoyance completely disappeared as soon as Frank kissed Mikey square on the lips, reassuring him that maybe the boy wasn’t after Sisky’s ass, after all.
Mikey introduced them all, smiling, and confirmed that Frank was his boyfriend, which prompted a ‘told you so’ look from Sisky. Gerard had a wedding ring on his left hand and, not long after they started chatting, a tattooed girl reached them.
“Hey, what about we all get a drink together after the exhibition?” Mikey proposed as he looked at the group and Sisky noticed he looked way less shy now that Frank was there beside him.
“That’d be great,” Butcher replied, gaining a smile from his boyfriend.
~~
A/N: yes, those of you who thought Tom was William’s ex-boyfriend, you got it right. And apparently, there will some trouble at the party, since Alex hasn’t met William yet, which means Tom doesn’t know about Gabe and William.
But until then, let’s focus on what already happened. So, Tom doesn't seem to be all that bad for Alex, does he? I'm curious to hear what you think. Oh, and how did you like the phone call? Just to add almost phone sex to the list of kinks. LOL
And now to the bad news. Next week I will be on hiatus. That’s right, there will not be an update next Sunday, due to work, but I’ll be back in two weeks and it’ll be worth the wait. Anyway, if you comment, you won’t have to worry about knowing where the chapter is up, since you’ll be warned by my reply as ever.
Well, I’m done for today, let me know what you think. And remember, if you want the soundtrack, just say so and I’ll make sure you get it.
See you in two weeks, folks.
Author: jen_jm
Pairing: Gabe/William, Butcher/Sisky, Ryland/Vicky-T, Alex/Nate vs Alex/Tom, others minor pairings.
Rating: NC-17 overall
Word count: 80,000 total words
Warnings: Upper East Siders AU (it needed a name, didn’t it?), but this is NOT a Gossip Girl AU.
POV: third
Disclaimer: Completely not true. I doubt Gabe can actually write softwares, anyway. It’s all fiction.
Author’s Notes: title from Cash Cash’s ‘Sugar Rush’ and Cobra Starship’s ‘The scene is dead - Long live the scene’
As ever, feel free to report any mistake. Constructive criticism is welcome, feedback makes me happy!
Summary:“Can I offer you a coffee, then?” Gabe tried once again, not too hopeful, but to his surprise, the singer didn’t flip him off.
“Why?” William asked, genuinely curious about all that interest.
“Because,” Gabe just said, shrugging a little, but at the boy’s stubborn look, he gave in and smiled. “I like your voice.” - Gabe Saporta is a rich 26 years old computer nerd who lives in the Upper East Side. William Beckett is a broke 22 years old musician who works as a bartender and lives with his best friend in Brooklyn. When they meet in the subway where William is playing their worlds collide in more ways than one.
Crossposted
Chapter 1 || Chapter 2 || Chapter 3 || Chapter 4
Chapter 5 - The one with the ‘innocent’ phone call
The following morning
“Hey,” Tom whispered as Alex stirred next to him, still sleepy. “Good morning.”
“A very good one,” Alex agreed with a smile, supporting himself on an elbow.
Tom looked up at him, but didn’t move to stand or reach him. “So, d’you think it’ll work?” he asked with both his eyebrows arched. At Alex’s confused glance, he shrugged, unsure. “Weren’t you trying to make someone jealous, last night?”
For a few seconds Alex just stared at him like a deer caught in the headlights, then swallowed around the knot in his throat and looked away. “I’m sorry.”
“I’m not,” Tom replied, then brought his hand to Alex’s chin and forced him to look up. “I’ve done stuff like this myself,” he added with a brief shrug, then he smiled a little. “But my problem here is that I also really like you.”
“Do you?” Alex asked with a skeptical chuckle, much to the other’s confusion.
“I do,” Tom confirmed as he sat up, still keeping their gazes locked. “What’s not to like? You’re incredibly smart, damn funny, really hot, and kind of amazing in bed.”
“At least I know you’re not saying that just to get laid,” Alex remarked and smiled a little, then looked away and sat up as well. “I’m gonna be late for work.”
“Hey,” Tom stopped him with a hand on his arm and waited for him to look up. “I don’t know who kicked your ego hard enough to make you feel so bad about yourself, but they don’t deserve you.”
“You’re observant, aren’t you?” Alex didn’t try to move away and the other boy felt relieved about that.
“I try my best,” Tom admitted with a little smile at his choice of words. “I wasn’t observant enough the last time and I ended up losing someone I really cared about,” he added with a shrug, trying to look unconcerned but failing. “I learned my lesson.”
“I’m sorry,” Alex said, maintaining eye-contact. “What happened?”
“Long story, I said terrible things to him,” Tom just said, obviously not too keen on telling the entire story. “Only, I was the one who deserved them,” he paused, then shook his head briefly and the smile came back to his lips. “What I’m trying to say is that I think you shouldn’t try to make that guy jealous, you should move on with your life. Find someone who appreciates you.”
“And I bet you have someone in mind,” Alex replied with a brief laugher, but didn’t move away when the boy shifted closer.
“Of course I do,” Tom said as his lips stretched in a wicked grin. “I’m not into false modesty, so I’m just gonna say it,” he paused as he leaned closer, trailing his hand in Alex’s hair. “I think you should give me a chance.”
Alex looked at him in the eye for a few seconds, unsure, then looked away, moving back. “I’m sorry, I really have to go.”
Tom let him go without protesting and let his hand fall on the bed as Alex stood and retrieved his clothes. He lay down and closed his eyes as he heard the door close after the boy a couple of minutes later.
~
William woke up and it took him a couple of seconds to recognize the room he was in. Gabe’s bedroom. Which was largely illuminated by the sunlight that entered from the big windows.
“Is this place always so fucking bright?” he moaned in the pillow, trying to hide from the light.
Gabe laughed and stood lazily from the bed with a yawn. “Only when I forget to close the curtains,” he replied as he did exactly that, much to the other boy’s relief. “Sorry about that.”
“C’mere,” William muttered instead, catching Gabe’s hand when he walked closer, and pulled him down on the bed again. “What time is it?”
“Nine-thirty,” Gabe answered as he lay down next to the boy, tangling their legs. “Wanna go back to sleep?”
“No,” William huffed out, slightly annoyed, then turned to look at him and his expression changed. “Actually, I wouldn’t mind something to eat, yes?”
“Enough with the puppy eyes, I’ll make you pancakes,” Gabe replied, highly amused by the innocent and pleading gaze the boy had addressed him. “Honey pancakes, how does that sound?”
“Mmh, careful, I might get hard again,” William muttered against his neck, smirking, then bit down playfully.
“You’re unbelievable,” Gabe declared, laughing out loud as he stood from the bed again.
He walked out and heard William laugh as well, then the bathroom door close. He went to the second bathroom and washed his teeth, face and hands, then headed for the kitchen with only his boxers on, knowing Vicky wasn’t gonna be home until afternoon. He turned on the radio nearby and started preparing their breakfast, humming to himself.
William walked in the room as quietly as he could, looking around once again at the big, elegant apartment. New York was wide awake outside the large windows and the sunlight was even brighter than in the bedroom. Without making a sound he sat down at the kitchen counter, watching as Gabe worked on the pancakes.
“So, this is your house, uh?” William suddenly asked, causing the other boy to jump in surprise.
“Fucking hell, don’t ever do that again,” Gabe muttered with a glare, much to William’s amusement. “And yes, this is my house.”
“All yours?” William insisted with a perplexed look on his face.
“I guess,” Gabe replied with a shrug. “Vicky has her own down the street.”
“You’re richer than I thought,” William pointed out and his voice sounded uncertain, almost worried.
Gabe put the just-made coffee down on the counter and reached him on the other side, frowning. “Does it make a difference?”
“Are you trying to buy me?” William asked without looking up at him, but felt the boy tense for a few seconds.
“Why would I use money when I can use candies?” Gabe said after a moment of hesitation, but there was an edge of worry in the light tone he used. “The answer’s no, by the way.”
“Good,” William declared, then turned to look at him with a wide smile. “But feel free to use candies.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.” Gabe laughed, visibly relieved, and walked back to the sink to resume preparing the pancakes. William reached for his mug and sipped, only to jerk back as a disgusted sound left his lips. Gabe turned and smirked, passing him the sugar and a spoon.
“You know, I was thinking,” Gabe started, throwing him a careful glance. “We could go somewhere, this weekend.”
“Actually, I won’t be home, Mike’s girlfriend is playing a gig in Washington and I promised him I’d be there,” William replied with a little shrug, then stopped to blow on the hot coffee. “Monday, maybe?”
“Can’t. I have a meeting in the morning,” Gabe informed with a smirk. “And I’m buying a wedding dress in the afternoon.”
“Aren’t you rushing things a little too much?” William asked with a playful glare.
“With Vicky,” Gabe added and rolled his eyes, amused. “Tuesday?”
“Tuesday’s good for me,” William declared, then stood and reached him, resting his hip against the sink and watching him work.
~~
“Hey, Ryland,” Alex greeted him as he walked in his studio, closing the door after himself. “D’you have a minute?”
“Sure,” the other said with a nod, perplexed. “Something’s wrong?”
“I slept with Tom,” Alex admitted as he sat down in front of his friend.
“I figured that much,” Ryland replied with an arched eyebrow, then rested both his elbows on his desk. “Was he that bad?”
“What?” Alex laughed a little and shook his head no. “He’s awesome, and sweet,” he paused, taking a deep breath, all amusement gone once again. “And he likes me.”
“And since you were only using him to make Nate jealous, now you have no idea how to dump him?” Ryland asked with a reproachful glare.
“I don’t want to dump him, that’s the problem,” Alex confessed and looked at his friend in the eye, unsure. “I like him. I like the way I feel when he looks at me.”
“What about Nate?” Ryland asked, genuinely surprised by his words, but regretted asking when Alex’s expression hardened.
“He’s not my problem anymore,” he replied with an even tone, trying to hide the edge of bitterness.
“Okay, I get that, but then, why are you here?” Ryland frowned, even more confused by his friend’s behavior.
“Because I need advice from a friend, you dumbass,” Alex replied and rolled his eyes, then rested back against the back of his chair. “And you’re good with relationships.”
“Men and women are kind of different, you know?” Ryland pointed out with a raised eyebrow, but at his friend glare, he sighed. “What did you do?”
“Tom asked me to give him a chance,” Alex explained and flinched a little as he remembered what had happened. “And I just ran like a pussy.”
“You owe him an answer, so you’d better go back to him and apologize,” Ryland suggested without thinking too much about it. “Whatever your answer will be.”
“What if he doesn’t want to listen to me?” Alex asked, standing from his chair. “I’ve acted like a jerk.”
“Then he doesn’t like you enough,” Ryland replied with a smile, then stood as well. “You must really like this guy if you’re being such a drama queen about something like this.”
“Am I overreacting?” Alex flinched a little, looking at his friend, who just laughed.
“Definitely,” Ryland confirmed and reached him. “You just panicked, he’ll understand. No big deal,” he paused and squeezed his friend’s shoulder. “But hey, Gabe always says you’re a drama queen, so.”
“No, he calls me a drama queer,” Alex corrected him, then rolled his eyes. “Which isn’t really that much better.”
Ryland laughed out loud and patted him on the shoulder. “Go talk to Tom. Right now. I have patients here.”
“Okay, I’ll go,” Alex opened the door and smiled widely at him. “Thanks, Ry.”
Ryland nodded and the boy closed the door, noticing the young patients already waiting in line to see his friend. He told himself Ryland was right, he needed to calm the hell down and talk to Tom like an adult.
“Alex, can I talk to you for a minute?” Nate asked from behind him and the boy almost jumped, but managed to keep a straight face as he turned. “Just a minute.”
“Lead the way,” Alex replied with a cold tone, trying to ignore how much he wanted to just walk away.
They reached one of the emergency staircase and once they were sure they were alone, Nate looked at him, trying to lock their gazes.
“I’m sorry about everything,” Nate said when Alex finally looked at him as well. “Really.”
“Okay,” Alex just said, then turned to leave.
“Listen,” Nate said, sneaking between him and the door. “I know you hate me right now, but if you--”
“I don’t hate you,” Alex objected, unbelieving, but didn’t try to walk away. “I’m just tired of feeling like a piece of idiot every time you look at me.”
“Is that how I make you feel?” Nate asked as his eyes widened a little.
“Lately, yes,” Alex replied, shrugging, then looked away. “Actually, I can’t even remember a single time you said you had a good time with me, not a single time that you said we’re friends.”
“But we are,” Nate immediately replied, hurt. “That’s what I was asking you,” he paused, taking a deep breath, then added, “If everything else is fucked up, can we at least save the friendship?”
Alex took a deep breath and kept silent for several seconds, but when he saw Nate ready to say something else, he raised his hand to stop him. “I need time, okay?” Alex said with a sigh. “And right now I need to see someone.”
“That Tom guy?” Nate asked without managing to keep the bitterness from his voice.
“Yes, that Tom guy,” Alex replied, annoyed by his tone. “And you should get used to have him around,” he added, than took advantage of Nate’s surprise to reach the door and walk away.
~~
Later that day
“Hey, looks like someone got lucky,” Sisky announced as soon as William walked in their living room. “How was your date?”
“Sweet,” William replied with a wide smirk.
“Does that mean there’s a chance you two will be getting serious?” Butcher asked as he walked out of the kitchen.
“I don’t know, maybe,” William answered as he walked to his room, but stopped as soon as he noticed an open suitcase on the floor. “Uh, is there something I need to know?”
“Butcher will be featured in an art exposition in LA, he asked me to go there with him,” Sisky informed with a beaming smile. “We’re leaving tomorrow.”
“Congratulations!” William hugged his best friend and patted Butcher on the shoulder, smiling. “Even if this means Mike’s gonna kill you both,” he pointed out with an amused smirk.
“Fuck, the gig!” Sisky covered his mouth with a hand, unbelieving. “I totally forgot about that.”
“I’m sure Hayley will understand,” William reassured him, then tried to ruffle his short hair, gaining a slap on the hand. His smile faltered when he remembered what he had to ask his friends. “Have you heard from Tom, lately?”
“No, why?” Butcher frowned, confused, while Sisky bit on his lower lip.
“We met Gabe’s friends at the pub last night,” William explained with a brief shrug. “Apparently, one of them went home with Tom before we got there.”
“Is that okay with you?” Sisky asked with a careful tone, knowing Tom was still a tough subject for conversation.
“It’s weird,” William admitted with a sigh. “But, you know, I guess it’s good that he’s seeing someone.”
“You’re not swearing at the mere mention of his name,” Butcher remarked, visibly impressed. “I think this Gabe is good for your moods.”
“Fuck you, Mrotek,” William retorted, glaring at him, but then just shook his head and walked to his room.
“You really are an idiot, sometimes,” Sisky said, but there was no real anger in his voice, just resignation.
“You wouldn’t love me if I weren’t,” Butcher replied and placed a kiss on his cheek, which prompted Sisky to relaxed back against his chest. “D’you think Bill will be alright in Washington? Tom’s probably gonna be there.”
“It’s gonna be fine,” Sisky reassured him, then glanced at the suitcase. “Mike will keep an eye on them.”
“Let’s hope so.” Butcher sighed and broke the hug, walking back to the kitchen.
~
“Yes, I do like you,” Alex announced when the door opened and Tom stared at him, surprised. “And yes, it does astonish me how much of an idiot I can be.”
“You mean when you stormed out of here about three hours ago?” Tom asked as he tried to bite back a smile. “Yeah, it wasn’t your brightest moment.”
“Can I come in?” Alex asked with an apologetic look on his face.
“It depends,” Tom said and arched an eyebrow, still looking at him.
Alex rolled his eyes and moved forward, pulling him in a kiss before he had a chance to move away, which Tom didn’t even try, much to his relief. He pulled back after a few seconds, but kept his arm around the boy’s neck. “Can I come in?”
“Much better,” Tom admitted with a wide smile. “I was making lunch, want some?”
“Sure, I’m starving,” Alex replied as he walked in and closed the door. “Need some help? I’m good in the kitchen.”
“Don’t worry, it’s almost ready,” Tom said as they walked in the kitchen and Alex stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Mike sitting there.
“Uh, hi.” Alex waved at him, unsure. “Mike, right?”
The boy nodded and gestured him to sit down. “So, if you’re back I guess I won’t be having Tom as my guest,” Mike said with a glare in his friend’s direction.
“What d’you mean?” Alex asked, visibly confused.
“Mike wants me to go to Washington for the weekend to see his girlfriend play,” Tom explained as he rolled his eyes. “But I’m not going.”
“Why?” Alex and Mike both asked, then looked at each other.
“Mike knows why,” he just said, then looked at Alex. “It’s a long story and it involves the ex-boyfriend I mentioned this morning.”
“You should stop avoiding William,” Mike suggested, halfway between disappointed and exasperated.
“Do we need to have this conversation right now?” Tom glared at his friend, obviously uncomfortable talking about that with Alex in the room.
“Maybe I should let you two discuss this,” Alex suggested with a nod in the direction of the door.
“There’s nothing to discuss, he doesn’t want to see me and, honestly, I don’t want to see him either,” Tom replied with a calm, determined tone. “I can think of much better things to do this weekend,” he added with a grin in Alex’s direction.
“Keep it pg-rated while I’m still here, okay?” Mike grimaced and both Tom and Alex laughed, amused. His phone rang in that moment and he excused himself as he walked out of the room.
“I’m sorry about all that,” Tom apologized when his friend was gone.
“Don’t be,” Alex said as he reached the boy, smiling. “I’m sure that sooner or later things will work out between you and that William,” he added, but when he saw Tom’s skeptical glance, he added, “I mean, I’m best friends with my ex, I would know.”
“Of course you are.” Tom laughed a little and pulled him closer. “No sane guy would want to let you go,” he whispered on his lips, then kissed him to stop any protest Alex might have had.
“Where the fuck have you been all this time, uh?” Alex asked once he managed to pull back, a little flushed.
“In your dreams, baby,” Tom replied as he wriggled his eyebrows suggestively.
“Fuck off,” Alex retorted, but laughed anyway when Tom kissed him on the cheek.
~~
Three days later
Gabe sat at the table in the conference room, only half listening to what Pete was saying to the group. He toyed with his pen as he glanced at the papers in front of him, not really caring much about that. He was already planning his afternoon with Vicky when his cell phone suddenly rang and everyone turned to look at him.
Gabe mentally cursed at himself for not turning it to silent, but relaxed when Pete just arched an eyebrow at him, curious.
“Take that call, Saporta, let’s all take a break,” Pete announced and suddenly the air got lighter in the room.
Gabe addressed him a smile and flipped his phone open, resting back against his chair while everyone else walked out to go get a coffee.
“What?” he asked with a not-too-gentle tone, not even looking at the caller ID.
“Mmh, sounds like I’m interrupting something,” William considered from the other end, but his voice showed amusement.
“Hey, Bill, I-- uh, I’m in the middle of a meeting right now,” Gabe replied with a grimace.
“I know,” the boy confirmed, still unconcerned. “You told me the other day that you’d be busy.”
“Oh, okay,” Gabe just said, a little confused, then waited for him to say something else.
“I just thought you’d like to know that I’m lying here on my bed with my hand in my pants, and I’m thinking about you,” William purred into his ear and Gabe blinked a few times, not sure he’d heard right.
“You’re trying to talk me into phone sex, aren’t you?” he asked after a few seconds of complete silence and immediately he could hear the boy huff out a laughter.
“What if I am?” William sounded a little breathless and Gabe had to swallow even if his mouth had gone dry.
“I’m in the middle of a meeting,” he repeated, almost desperate, then tried to sound a little more dignified as he added, “You’re gonna pay for this tomorrow.”
“Really? How?” William challenged him, sounding way too amused by the whole thing.
“Well, I could come over and hide all the sugar in your apartment,” Gabe proposed with a smirk, closing his eyes as he relaxed back against his chair once again. “Or I could tie you down, do unspeakable things to you and only let you come when I decide you’ve earned it.”
“Touch the sugar and you’re a dead man walking,” William threatened him and his voice turned dead serious.
“What?” Gabe laughed out loud at those words, unbelieving. “And the second option is okay?”
“It might turn out to be interesting,” William replied, then chuckled into the phone. “Fine, I’ll let you go back to your job, geeky boy.”
“Don’t have too much fun without me,” Gabe said and heard William laugh just before the line went dead.
Gabe flipped his phone closed and took a deep breath, trying not to focus on the mental image William had just given him over the phone.
“Was that your new boyfriend?” Pete asked with a smirk from the doorstep and the other boy almost jumped. “William, right?”
“Vicky talks too much,” Gabe said with a glare, then nodded and put the phone back in his pocket. “But yes, his name is William.”
“Will he try to talk you into phone sex every time you have a meeting?” Pete addressed him a wicked smirk and Gabe just stared at him, incredulous. “What, I’m your boss, I’m entitled to eavesdrop your conversations.”
“Work really is a relative concept for you, isn’t it?” Gabe laughed and shook his head. Somehow, he’d always been unable to really get mad at Pete and maybe that was why they were friends.
“Let’s finish this meeting, I have a wife waiting for me,” Pete just replied, then went to call the others.
~
Later that night
“Please, marry that boy,” Ryland said as soon as Gabe told him and Vicky about the phone call. That night they had settled once again for Mike and Tom’s pub, the Sunlight, which Gabe though was an appropriate name for a place on Summerset Street.
“Yeah, well, I’ll do my best,” Gabe promised, then took a sip from his beer.
Before they could say anything else, they saw Alex walk in and he headed their way as soon as he spotted them.
“Hey, where have you been? We haven’t seen you all weekend,” Vicky asked him with a half confused half worried frown.
“Oh, nowhere in particular,” Alex said with his best unconcerned tone, then gave in and smirked wickedly. “Just home having the best sex I’ve had in my entire life.”
“Well, that’s the longest one night stand the world has ever seen,” Gabe pointed out with a wholehearted laughter.
“Not a one night stand,” Alex corrected him with a nod. “We’re dating, kinda.”
“That’s a new one,” Vicky admitted with a surprised smile, then patted him on the shoulder.
“What about Nate?” Gabe asked, voicing the silent question that was hanging right above them. “Did you two talk?”
“We did,” Alex confirmed, but he didn’t sound angry or annoyed at the mention of the Nate-thing. “He asked if we can save the friendship, and now I have an answer for him.”
“I hope it’s a yes,” Vicky said and looked at him in the eye.
“It’s a yes,” Alex admitted, then glanced at the counter, where Tom had just arrived. “I owe him. After all, if I hadn’t been so angry at him, I probably wouldn’t have hooked up with Tom,” he added with a reasonable tone, which surprised the others. “And believe me, he’s one of a kind.”
“I don’t want to be the killjoy here, but,” Vicky stopped, looking at Gabe for a few moments before she spoke. “D’you think Nate will be alright with this?”
“Why wouldn’t he?” Alex looked genuinely unconcerned about it and relaxed against his chair. “It’s what he wanted, I’m off his back.”
“I’m not sure that’s what he wants now,” Gabe considered, not really sure they were supposed to push their luck so much.
“Well, I have other priorities now,” Alex replied with a shrug, then smiled when he saw Tom head in their direction. “Hey.”
“Hey, everyone,” Tom greeted them with a wide smile, then leaned down to put a beer in front of Alex and kissed him on the cheek. “On the house.”
“Is Mike okay with this?” Alex laughed a little, turning his head to look at him.
“Mike’s home, hangover and still recovering from the weekend, so he’d better be okay if he likes his prissy ass the way it is,” Tom replied and rolled his eyes, exasperated, causing them all to laugh.
Gabe felt the urge to ask him how he knew William, why they weren’t talking to each other, but his guts told him to shut up and, for once, he listened. A few moments later Tom excused himself and went back to his work.
“He’s a sweetheart,” Vicky declared as she followed him with her eyes. “You have to bring him to the party,” she added, now looking at her friend.
“Friday night, right?” Alex nodded and pursed his lips, thoughtful. “Depends, work is a living hell right now, but if I manage to get the night free, we’ll be there.”
“You’d better,” Ryland pinched him on the arm, threatening. “After all it took to redecorate the house, we want all of you there for the housewarming party.”
“And that includes your sweetheart, too,” Vicky added in Gabe’s direction, getting a smirk and a nod in reply.
~~
The following day
“I hate that guy,” Butcher muttered as he glanced once again at the brunette, thin boy who had been arranging the drawings in the stand in front of Butcher’s before the opening.
“Why?” Sisky glanced at the boy as well, then back at his boyfriend, confused. “He looks nice.”
“Maybe eventoo nice,” Butcher replied with a sarcastic smile, then circled Sisky’s waist with an arm. “He’s been checking you out since we got here.”
“Oh, c’mon, stop being a jealous freak,” Sisky said with an exasperated laughter. “Even if that was true, let him watch all he wants, I’m going back to the hotel with you tonight, aren’t I?”
“It’s just that I don’t like people undressing my boyfriend in their head,” Butcher insisted, sulking a little, much to the other’s amusement. “Don’t laugh at me.”
“Then stop worrying over that guy and get me something to drink,” Sisky retorted, slapping his ass playfully.
Butcher shook his head and without another word he went to the buffet to get them drinks. Right in that moment the boy, whose pass said ‘Michael Way’, reached Sisky with a wide smile. Suddenly, Sisky regretted sending his boyfriend off.
“Hey, I’m Mikey,” the boy introduced himself, holding his hand out.
“Your pass doesn’t agree,” Sisky joked, pointing at the little piece of plastic hanging from the boy’s pocket.
“Yeah, they only accept birth names, not nicknames for those,” Mikey said with an almost shy shrug.
“I know, no one ever calls me Adam either,” he agreed, then smiled a little and finally shook the boy’s hand. “I’m Sisky.”
“You’re here with Andy Mrotek, right?” Mikey asked as he gestured towards the paintings hanging on the wall beside them.
“Never call him that, just Butcher,” Sisky suggested, smirking a little, then saw the interrogative look on the boy’s face and added, “Don’t ask.”
“Okay,” Mikey conceded with a brief frown, then shook his head. “I’m a huge fan of his works.”
“Really?” Sisky’s smile lit up at those words and glanced at his boyfriend, who was walking back towards them. “He’s gonna be happy to hear that.”
“What did I miss?” Butcher asked with a raised eyebrow in Mikey’s direction.
“Butcher, this is Mikey,” Sisky introduced them even though there was no need. “He’s a fan of your works.”
“You’re Gerard Way’s brother, right?” Butcher asked as they shook hands. “He’s an inspiration.”
“He really is,” Mikey agreed with a wide smile as he glanced at his brother, who was talking to someone not far from them. “Gee, Frank, come over here.”
The two boys reached them and Butcher felt a little less annoyed. His annoyance completely disappeared as soon as Frank kissed Mikey square on the lips, reassuring him that maybe the boy wasn’t after Sisky’s ass, after all.
Mikey introduced them all, smiling, and confirmed that Frank was his boyfriend, which prompted a ‘told you so’ look from Sisky. Gerard had a wedding ring on his left hand and, not long after they started chatting, a tattooed girl reached them.
“Hey, what about we all get a drink together after the exhibition?” Mikey proposed as he looked at the group and Sisky noticed he looked way less shy now that Frank was there beside him.
“That’d be great,” Butcher replied, gaining a smile from his boyfriend.
~~
A/N: yes, those of you who thought Tom was William’s ex-boyfriend, you got it right. And apparently, there will some trouble at the party, since Alex hasn’t met William yet, which means Tom doesn’t know about Gabe and William.
But until then, let’s focus on what already happened. So, Tom doesn't seem to be all that bad for Alex, does he? I'm curious to hear what you think. Oh, and how did you like the phone call? Just to add almost phone sex to the list of kinks. LOL
And now to the bad news. Next week I will be on hiatus. That’s right, there will not be an update next Sunday, due to work, but I’ll be back in two weeks and it’ll be worth the wait. Anyway, if you comment, you won’t have to worry about knowing where the chapter is up, since you’ll be warned by my reply as ever.
Well, I’m done for today, let me know what you think. And remember, if you want the soundtrack, just say so and I’ll make sure you get it.
See you in two weeks, folks.