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So! Once upon a time I signed up for the popslash sesa for the first time ever, and freaked out a lot and had a ton of beginnings until I finally wrote something I thought was okay. And then a number of months later I looked at one of my tossed beginnings and said "Well, maybe I can finish this now that it's not a gift."
So, ladies (and gents?), my It's Gonna Be May entry. With some JC/Nick, Brian/Chris, and JC/Chris, though the point is Brian/Nick.
This was AJ's fault, Brian thought, as he backed out of the breakroom. AJ AJ AJ, he thought to himself, and tried to think of that and how much he'd like to punch the jackass in the head, instead of Nick's tongue in JC Chasez's ear and JC's hand down Nick's pants, all while next to the sandwich table. The sandwiches.
Because the thing is, if AJ hadn't got Eric as a manager then he wouldn't have got in touch with JC for his solo album and they never would've incidentally written something for the group and JC wouldn't have come by when they were recording and Nick's eyes wouldn't have lit up and they wouldn't be making out (and who knows what else) in the breakroom and, shit, there was going to be semen in his turkey.
He backed out straight into AJ. "Hey! Watch where you're going, Rok."
Brian whirled around. "You! This is your fault."
AJ blinked. "Er."
Brian sighed, and tugged AJ to the door. "This," he said, waving at the travesty.
"Oh," said AJ. He tilted his head. "I don't know, I think Nick and JC might've had a hand in it as well." Nick's hand slid under JC's tshirt, and AJ made a low hum of approval. "Though I certainly don't mind taking credit."
Brian smacked AJ's arm. "Not cool, man. You need to stop this."
"What?" AJ tore his eyes away to look at Brian. "Why?"
"It's unprofessional! And not respectful. And dangerous and shouldn't be allowed. And they're ruining the sandwiches." Brian cleared his throat, trying to bring his voice back down to normal. There was an audible thud from behind him, and JC moaned.
AJ waited a beat. "Right," he said. He patted Brian's arm gingerly. "I'll work on that." And he walked away.
"Wait, don't you want food?" Brian called after him.
"I'm getting McDonald's, man," AJ answered back, "Like hell I'm touching the stuff in there." As though to underscore his point, there was a crash that sounded like a pile of silverware had fallen to the floor.
Brian ran to catch up.
*
Brian leaned his head back on the armrest and tugged the blanket farther up. "So that's why," he said into the phone, "I think you ought to call a group meeting and ask for a vote. Then we can get the message across and he'll realize how thoughtless he's been.”
“Brian, I’m not coming back so Nick’ll break up with JC.”
“But he only did it because he misses you!”
“Is that so?” Brian decided he was not, in fact, hearing Kevin's eyes roll to the back of his head.
“Because, see," he continued gamely, "we have no tall, dark, handsome men around. He’s just doing what he must to fill the void, rather unsatisfactorily if you ask me. But if you came back he wouldn’t have to prostitute himself like a common trollop. Come on, Kevin.”
“JC is not tall, dark, or han-well, I’ll give him handsome. But tall and dark, no.”
“He’s tall and dark enough.”
“Sounds like the void is filled enough, then,” Kevin answered rather testily. “This is not my problem to fix, Brian.”
“But Kevin,” Brian tried to say, but Kevin had moved on to delightedly complaining about Mason’s baby habits. Brian wondered idly why hearing about Mason’s vomit was so much less interesting than hearing about Baylee’s.
He sighed. And sat straight up on the couch when Nick popped his head into the room. Nick looked around cursorily, probably searching for JC, and Brian could see a garish red mark on his throat. How tacky. Nick gave Brian an absentminded wave, and was turning to leave when Brian called out, "Nick, wait."
Nick stopped and arched an eyebrow. "Yeah?"
Brian blinked. "Er. Kevin wants to talk to you," he said. He handed Nick the phone and fled.
Just cause Brian was the first dad in the group didn't mean he found detailed descriptions of Mason's post-burp breath any more interesting than the next person. Nick had it coming anyway.
*
Brian wondered idly how long they'd spent in here, anyway. He kind of liked that yodel he'd put in the middle of that last take.
"That's cool, man. That was good, it was its own thing, but let's try it again, man, maybe a bit faster? So that it jives with the rest of the guys?" JC was a nice guy, but his impatience was starting to show. Brian watched him rub tiredly at his eyes, and flick a quick glance at his faint reflection in the recording booth glass.
Brian didn't say anything, but, really, if JC spent his nights sleeping maybe he wouldn't be so irritable now, nevermind worrying over the bags under his eyes. Brian harrumphed softly to himself, and sang the verse again, putting a few runs (alright, a lot) in at the end. He saw JC close his eyes for a moment, before opening them and asking with a smile for Brian to try a clean cut. "Just need one, man, and then you can flourish all you want."
Brian opened his mouth to answer, he didn't know with what, when Nick entered the soundbooth. "S'up Brian," he said into JC's mic, and moved in to give JC a reasonably chaste kiss. He looked up and gave Brian a nod, his hand still resting on the small of JC's back.
Brian made himself smile back. "Hey Prick."
Nick grinned at that. "How's it going? You been here a while, dude," he said, and grinned more when Brian's nostrils flared.
"I'd be done if you'd shut up and let me sing."
"Alright, man," he said, raising his hands. "Not stopping you," he said, and stepped back.
Brian clenched his jaw, and finished in one take. He ignored Nick's smirk.
*
"Howie, seriously, someone's gotta talk to him. He's your guy, you do it."
"He's not my guy," Howie said, scowling, and muttered something like "albatross, maybe."
Brian frowned a bit at that. "What did he do to you?" he asked.
Howie looked up, surprised. "Uh, the usual?" he said. When Brian continued to look at him with concern, he continued, "Annoying brat, you know? You must've met him." He paused. "But seriously, he stole my lube. Number one, that's gross, number two, that shit was expensive."
"So you're saying since he started his, you know," Brian shifted uncomfortably, "his whatever with JC, he's started to engage in larceny? And lost his bounds of propriety? See, I think that is something to be worried about. Maybe we should be more careful about who we choose to work with. Somebody should talk to him." Brian looked earnestly at Howie, trying to convince him through sheer will. "Someone like you."
"Oh my god, Brian, no. No, JC is not a bad influence on Nick. No, I don't need to talk to Nick. Nick's as bad as he ever was." Howie shook his head, and then stopped to stare at Brian. "Wait, bounds of propriety? Brian. Are you or are you not the guy who chilled in AJ's bathroom eating pizza while he was occupied with a groupie?" Brian chose this moment to examine an interesting freckle on the inside of his wrist.
*
Brian came in the next day feeling a bit smug. "Hey fellas," he said in greeting, grabbing a jelly filled donut for himself and, after looking for confirmation, grabbing an éclair for Chris Kirkpatrick as he came through the door and handing it over.
Howie, ever the gentleman, gave Chris a smile and came over to shake his hand, "Chris! How're you doing? I haven't heard from you in ages."
Chris shrugged, and gave him a hug. Howie showed a second's surprise at the response, but recovered smoothly. AJ waved at Chris over his vat of coffee, and Nick just gave him a nod and a "S'up, Kirkpatrick."
JC had paused at the entrance of his band mate, but came over to give him a hug of welcome naturally enough. "Hey, man. What brought you here?"
Chris nodded his head in Brian's direction, where Brian was adding his fourth sugar to his coffee. Brian answered for him. "Wanted to see if he was up for chilling, and he was! So here we are. Chilling."
"What," JC said, "he can't say that himself?"
"As a matter of fact, no. He's taken a Vow of Silence." After some consideration, Brian added a fifth sugar.
"That was cool," Nick said. "I could hear the capital letters. Do that again."
Brian stood very straight. "Vow of Silence," he repeated. He followed with a grin. "I'm not at liberty to say anything more, sadly enough. You are free to question him yourself, of course." AJ snorted.
JC looked thoughtful.
*
The next few days were some of the most distracting and infuriating Nick had ever lived through. If this is what it was like when he and Brian had gone pranking in the early days, he suddenly found himself overwhelmed with pity and apology for Johnny. And they were all so stupid - buckets of paint balanced over doors, lube replaced with toothpaste, fake food, gum that turned your mouth black, exploding pens (and he'd liked those pants), condoms that turned a penis green - and through all of it, silent, staring Kirkpatrick, half the time with a polaroid camera. The green penis had stayed off camera, but Nick wasn't sure that wasn't for lack of trying. And anyway, after the green penis, it'd had gotten really hard to pin down JC for fun time. Instead he was just thoughtful, and would look towards the corner of the room where Brian would be saying things in a low undertone to Kirkpatrick, while Kirkpatrick's face blossomed in unholy glee.
Nick wasn't entirely sure he liked Chris anymore. He hogged Brian, for sure, since Brian had somehow become his translator. You couldn't ever find him without Chris now. Not that it mattered, Nick supposed. He shouldn't have any reason to care. He didn't care! Brian could do whatever he wanted, as long as he stayed away from Nick's penis. Nick's penis didn't care for what Brian might do to it.
Nick shoved down the niggling thought that that didn't sound right.
*
"Are you - really? It has to come to that?" Brian groaned when Chris nodded in response. "I don't understand why boys have to be so stupid," he muttered, viciously crushing Chris's empty can of soda. Chris rolled his eyes in agreement.
"I can't believe JC was that stupid," Brian went on. "Look at you! You're charming, clever, hot, funny, loyal," Chris lowered his eyes demurely as Brian concluded, "and a fantastic conversationalist." Chris smiled at Brian.
"And you make damn good coffee. Instead he goes for the stupid, gross, fat, dumb, giant, ugly slob."
Chris frowned a bit at that.
"What?" Brian's eyes widened. "No, don't tell me you think he's -"
Chris shrugged a shoulder.
"Kirkpatrick! Don't believe the rumors. I can tell you on personal authority, he is not as impressive as you may think," Brian said, blushing a bit as he spoke.
Chris raised his eyebrows.
"This is not a case of 'the lady doth protest too much'. Shut up."
Chris kept looking at him.
"I said shut up."
Chris sighed and looked down at his hands.
Brian sighed too, following suit. "Alright, I'm sorry. I, just, it's not...it's not like that."
Chris didn't say anything.
Brian continued, "I just wish he was looking at me instead, the way he used to, you know? Like I was amazing." He scraped at the ragged edge of a bitten nail. "I just miss the way it used to be. I don't," he added forcefully, "want anything more." He looked up to meet Chris's gaze.
Chris yawned.
Brian sighed again. He stood up. "Alright, we ought to get to our places. I think they'll be coming around soon."
They headed to just beside the door, and Chris put his hands on Brian's waist. They were nearly the same height, and Brian felt a momentary pang as he thought of Leighanne - but that was in the past. He looped his arms around Chris's neck, and whispered, "Let's see if you kiss as well as you talk," and leaned in.
Chris kissed pretty damn well. Brian hadn't had a good make out session in longer than he cared to recall, and this was nice. Before he realized it, his hands had crept up to tangle in Chris's hair, and Chris had somehow slipped under his shirt, and the feel of soft hands on his skin was so unexpectedly nice he let out a small moan. Which was around the time Nick and JC walked in on them.
"Dawg, what the fuck," Nick said, and Brian and Chris sprang apart.
"Cat, you've been busy," JC said to Brian with a strained smile. He didn't look at Chris.
*
So after walking in on Chris and Brian, JC hadn't actually been able to get it up. He would've felt bad for Nick, except that Nick seemed to have the same problem. Apparently two short people together was really gross and they couldn't get it off their brains. Or something. He lay back in the bed and stretched, accidentally nudging Nick with an elbow. Nick made a huffing noise in his sleep and rolled onto his back.
The thing is, Chris wanted to be exclusive, which, like, okay, that was gross. Cleveland Steamer he could handle, maybe, but there were some places where you had to draw the fucking line, man. Fucking, like, shit. Yeah, Chris was awesome, and actually seemed to understand what JC was saying more than half the time, and was up for most things, and made him laugh, but if he was fucking only Chris, imagine all the things he wouldn't be fucking. Like Nick.
Not that they were fucking much at the moment anyway. He looked at his penis, and flopped it around a little with his hand. Poor little guy.
"Fucking Brian," Nick said suddenly, in a voice rough with sleep. JC started and glanced at him. Nick was staring at the ceiling mournfully. "He broke my cock. I didn't even know he was gay."
"Oh, man," JC said, "I know. I don't know what Chris did to mine." He rolled onto his side to face Nick. "And it's totally fucking weird, right? Like, you think of them, and you're like, 'shit, that's hot' - "
"Which doesn't even make sense," Nick interrupted, "because they're both short. And annoying. And Brian has huge nostrils - "
" - and Chris is hairy - "
"Yeah! And they both constantly act like someone stuck them with a sugar IV - "
JC groaned, "I know. It's like bumblebees, how according to all known natural laws they shouldn't be able to fly, but they still do."
Nick turned his head to face JC. "Wait, really? Dude, that's cool. I got stung by a bee once. Over here," he pointed to the elbow nearest JC.
JC dropped a light kiss on it. "Totally. And so you see them together, and it's totally hot even though it shouldn't be, and I don't know about you, but my cock gets all 'Hey! Hi there!' and then my brain is like 'That's Chris. With someone else' and, fuck, it's like a punch to the gut and my prick just dies."
Nick nodded vigorously, "Dude! It's exactly like that."
"It sucks," JC said, and rolled back on his back.
They stared at the ceiling in silence.
"He has, like, no lips. What are the blowjobs gonna be like?" Nick asked fretfully.
"Chris gives great blowjobs," JC said.
"I'm happy for you," Nick said, a bit stiffly.
"Aw, shitty, don't be like that. Brian's a quick learner." JC lay a comforting hand on Nick's thigh.
"I guess," Nick said. He sighed, and they lay still for a moment. Then he rolled over unexpectedly, pinning JC down. He gave JC's collarbone a long slow swipe with his tongue, and JC was happy to find that familiar shiver had returned. "Let's try this one last time, see if we can get our cocks to say goodbye properly."
JC closed his eyes and arched his neck. "No argument here."
*
Brian sat on the couch next to Chris. "So," he said.
Chris leaned his head on his hand and looked at Brian.
"You're a really good kisser," Brian said.
Chris nodded his head in acknowledgement.
"I think you made me gay."
Chris feigned shock.
Brian blushed, and quickly added, "I still don't want Nick that way, though! I just want him back."
Chris shook his head and smirked.
Brian ignored him. "JC looked pretty shocked. And kind of jealous, I think. You may be talking again soon."
Chris made a fist of victory. Brian smiled, then sighed and slumped forward. "I don't know what I'm supposed to do though," he muttered.
Chris frowned a bit, and nudged him. Brian looked back at him. "Oh! I know, the point was to break them up. But it doesn't feel... I don't know. Complete? I thought there'd be more." Chris patted him on the back in commiseration.
"Hey Brian, Chris," JC nodded at both of them from the door. "You guys busy? Or can I borrow Chris?"
Brian exchanged looks with Chris. "No, we're good." He stood up when Chris did, and gave him a hug. "Nice work, man," he mumbled in Chris's ear. "If he messes with you, call me." Chris pulled back, looking amused. He patted the top of Brian's head, and Brian swatted him away. Chris grinned, and followed JC out the door, giving Brian a small wave goodbye.
Brian stood a moment longer, and then sat back down, resting his head in his hands.
Someone came into the room and sat down next to him. Someone nudged him with his shoulder. "Why so glum, chum," someone said.
Brian laughed, softly. "I don't know. I think I lost my sidekick."
"If what I saw in the hallway was any indication, yeah, you did," Nick said.
Brian shifted on the couch, bringing his legs up and leaning against the armrest. "I take it you lost a fuck buddy."
Nick shrugged. "I guess." He fiddled absently with the hem of Brian's jeans. "It was kind of burned out anyway."
"Oh," Brian said. He had a good view of Nick from this angle. Nick bit his lip and looked up, meeting Brian's gaze. Brian, unaccountably, blushed, and looked away.
"So I guess you got what you wanted," Nick said.
"Huh?" Brian asked.
"Me and JC aren't together anymore. You have me all to yourself," he said, and, to Brian's embarrassment, gave him a lascivious smile.
"Oh." Brian was mortified. "Oh no no no. That's not - I don't - I just wanted you back. I don't - not - not like that," he stammered.
Nick's smile turned into a grin. "Oh really," he said, and, to Brian's horror, began to lean over.
Brian sat up quickly, trying to avoid him, and they bumped heads. "Ow," Brian said.
Nick looked annoyed. "Okay, Brian, come on. Stop playing,"
"I don't want you!" Brian said.
Nick pursed his lips. "The fuck you don't. Kiss me and say that again."
Brian closed his eyes. "No."
Nick sighed, and stood up. "You turned my cock green, Brian, and then you broke it. The least you could do is try and fix it, but whatever. I'm gonna ask Howie for Lance's number."
"Wait, wait, wait, okay," Brian said, scrambling to stand. "Okay, let's try it," he took a deep breath.
"Okay," Nick said, and came closer to Brian. Nick wrapped his arms around Brian's waist. Brian shivered. "Brian," Nick pleaded, softly. He leaned in and his nose brushed Brian's cheek. "Why are you so scared? You looked pretty cozy with Kirkpatrick."
Brian closed his eyes. "I don't know," he whispered hoarsely.
Nick lipped at the side of his mouth. "I promise you, Kirkpatrick is three times the monster I ever could be."
"Yeah, but I know you," Brian breathed.
"Yeah," Nick said. "You do," and kissed him.
This was, Brian had to admit, approximately thirty seven times better than making out with Chris. The butterflies in his stomach had flown to just under his skin, and he tingled when Nick's tongue first made contact with his. Nick's hands, too, were bigger than Chris's, with lovely clever fingers, and Brian had to tilt his head back, and was surprised when he felt a tear slipping down the side of his face. Nick wiped it away with his thumb, and kissed where it had been, and then his mouth found Brian's again, until Brian pulled away.
"Okay," he said. "Okay, you're right. I want you. And I've wanted you, and I didn't think I could have you, but now I do, and, I want you." He sounded surprised.
Nick laughed and rolled his eyes. "Of course you do," he said.
-fin-
So, ladies (and gents?), my It's Gonna Be May entry. With some JC/Nick, Brian/Chris, and JC/Chris, though the point is Brian/Nick.
This was AJ's fault, Brian thought, as he backed out of the breakroom. AJ AJ AJ, he thought to himself, and tried to think of that and how much he'd like to punch the jackass in the head, instead of Nick's tongue in JC Chasez's ear and JC's hand down Nick's pants, all while next to the sandwich table. The sandwiches.
Because the thing is, if AJ hadn't got Eric as a manager then he wouldn't have got in touch with JC for his solo album and they never would've incidentally written something for the group and JC wouldn't have come by when they were recording and Nick's eyes wouldn't have lit up and they wouldn't be making out (and who knows what else) in the breakroom and, shit, there was going to be semen in his turkey.
He backed out straight into AJ. "Hey! Watch where you're going, Rok."
Brian whirled around. "You! This is your fault."
AJ blinked. "Er."
Brian sighed, and tugged AJ to the door. "This," he said, waving at the travesty.
"Oh," said AJ. He tilted his head. "I don't know, I think Nick and JC might've had a hand in it as well." Nick's hand slid under JC's tshirt, and AJ made a low hum of approval. "Though I certainly don't mind taking credit."
Brian smacked AJ's arm. "Not cool, man. You need to stop this."
"What?" AJ tore his eyes away to look at Brian. "Why?"
"It's unprofessional! And not respectful. And dangerous and shouldn't be allowed. And they're ruining the sandwiches." Brian cleared his throat, trying to bring his voice back down to normal. There was an audible thud from behind him, and JC moaned.
AJ waited a beat. "Right," he said. He patted Brian's arm gingerly. "I'll work on that." And he walked away.
"Wait, don't you want food?" Brian called after him.
"I'm getting McDonald's, man," AJ answered back, "Like hell I'm touching the stuff in there." As though to underscore his point, there was a crash that sounded like a pile of silverware had fallen to the floor.
Brian ran to catch up.
*
Brian leaned his head back on the armrest and tugged the blanket farther up. "So that's why," he said into the phone, "I think you ought to call a group meeting and ask for a vote. Then we can get the message across and he'll realize how thoughtless he's been.”
“Brian, I’m not coming back so Nick’ll break up with JC.”
“But he only did it because he misses you!”
“Is that so?” Brian decided he was not, in fact, hearing Kevin's eyes roll to the back of his head.
“Because, see," he continued gamely, "we have no tall, dark, handsome men around. He’s just doing what he must to fill the void, rather unsatisfactorily if you ask me. But if you came back he wouldn’t have to prostitute himself like a common trollop. Come on, Kevin.”
“JC is not tall, dark, or han-well, I’ll give him handsome. But tall and dark, no.”
“He’s tall and dark enough.”
“Sounds like the void is filled enough, then,” Kevin answered rather testily. “This is not my problem to fix, Brian.”
“But Kevin,” Brian tried to say, but Kevin had moved on to delightedly complaining about Mason’s baby habits. Brian wondered idly why hearing about Mason’s vomit was so much less interesting than hearing about Baylee’s.
He sighed. And sat straight up on the couch when Nick popped his head into the room. Nick looked around cursorily, probably searching for JC, and Brian could see a garish red mark on his throat. How tacky. Nick gave Brian an absentminded wave, and was turning to leave when Brian called out, "Nick, wait."
Nick stopped and arched an eyebrow. "Yeah?"
Brian blinked. "Er. Kevin wants to talk to you," he said. He handed Nick the phone and fled.
Just cause Brian was the first dad in the group didn't mean he found detailed descriptions of Mason's post-burp breath any more interesting than the next person. Nick had it coming anyway.
*
Brian wondered idly how long they'd spent in here, anyway. He kind of liked that yodel he'd put in the middle of that last take.
"That's cool, man. That was good, it was its own thing, but let's try it again, man, maybe a bit faster? So that it jives with the rest of the guys?" JC was a nice guy, but his impatience was starting to show. Brian watched him rub tiredly at his eyes, and flick a quick glance at his faint reflection in the recording booth glass.
Brian didn't say anything, but, really, if JC spent his nights sleeping maybe he wouldn't be so irritable now, nevermind worrying over the bags under his eyes. Brian harrumphed softly to himself, and sang the verse again, putting a few runs (alright, a lot) in at the end. He saw JC close his eyes for a moment, before opening them and asking with a smile for Brian to try a clean cut. "Just need one, man, and then you can flourish all you want."
Brian opened his mouth to answer, he didn't know with what, when Nick entered the soundbooth. "S'up Brian," he said into JC's mic, and moved in to give JC a reasonably chaste kiss. He looked up and gave Brian a nod, his hand still resting on the small of JC's back.
Brian made himself smile back. "Hey Prick."
Nick grinned at that. "How's it going? You been here a while, dude," he said, and grinned more when Brian's nostrils flared.
"I'd be done if you'd shut up and let me sing."
"Alright, man," he said, raising his hands. "Not stopping you," he said, and stepped back.
Brian clenched his jaw, and finished in one take. He ignored Nick's smirk.
*
"Howie, seriously, someone's gotta talk to him. He's your guy, you do it."
"He's not my guy," Howie said, scowling, and muttered something like "albatross, maybe."
Brian frowned a bit at that. "What did he do to you?" he asked.
Howie looked up, surprised. "Uh, the usual?" he said. When Brian continued to look at him with concern, he continued, "Annoying brat, you know? You must've met him." He paused. "But seriously, he stole my lube. Number one, that's gross, number two, that shit was expensive."
"So you're saying since he started his, you know," Brian shifted uncomfortably, "his whatever with JC, he's started to engage in larceny? And lost his bounds of propriety? See, I think that is something to be worried about. Maybe we should be more careful about who we choose to work with. Somebody should talk to him." Brian looked earnestly at Howie, trying to convince him through sheer will. "Someone like you."
"Oh my god, Brian, no. No, JC is not a bad influence on Nick. No, I don't need to talk to Nick. Nick's as bad as he ever was." Howie shook his head, and then stopped to stare at Brian. "Wait, bounds of propriety? Brian. Are you or are you not the guy who chilled in AJ's bathroom eating pizza while he was occupied with a groupie?" Brian chose this moment to examine an interesting freckle on the inside of his wrist.
*
Brian came in the next day feeling a bit smug. "Hey fellas," he said in greeting, grabbing a jelly filled donut for himself and, after looking for confirmation, grabbing an éclair for Chris Kirkpatrick as he came through the door and handing it over.
Howie, ever the gentleman, gave Chris a smile and came over to shake his hand, "Chris! How're you doing? I haven't heard from you in ages."
Chris shrugged, and gave him a hug. Howie showed a second's surprise at the response, but recovered smoothly. AJ waved at Chris over his vat of coffee, and Nick just gave him a nod and a "S'up, Kirkpatrick."
JC had paused at the entrance of his band mate, but came over to give him a hug of welcome naturally enough. "Hey, man. What brought you here?"
Chris nodded his head in Brian's direction, where Brian was adding his fourth sugar to his coffee. Brian answered for him. "Wanted to see if he was up for chilling, and he was! So here we are. Chilling."
"What," JC said, "he can't say that himself?"
"As a matter of fact, no. He's taken a Vow of Silence." After some consideration, Brian added a fifth sugar.
"That was cool," Nick said. "I could hear the capital letters. Do that again."
Brian stood very straight. "Vow of Silence," he repeated. He followed with a grin. "I'm not at liberty to say anything more, sadly enough. You are free to question him yourself, of course." AJ snorted.
JC looked thoughtful.
*
The next few days were some of the most distracting and infuriating Nick had ever lived through. If this is what it was like when he and Brian had gone pranking in the early days, he suddenly found himself overwhelmed with pity and apology for Johnny. And they were all so stupid - buckets of paint balanced over doors, lube replaced with toothpaste, fake food, gum that turned your mouth black, exploding pens (and he'd liked those pants), condoms that turned a penis green - and through all of it, silent, staring Kirkpatrick, half the time with a polaroid camera. The green penis had stayed off camera, but Nick wasn't sure that wasn't for lack of trying. And anyway, after the green penis, it'd had gotten really hard to pin down JC for fun time. Instead he was just thoughtful, and would look towards the corner of the room where Brian would be saying things in a low undertone to Kirkpatrick, while Kirkpatrick's face blossomed in unholy glee.
Nick wasn't entirely sure he liked Chris anymore. He hogged Brian, for sure, since Brian had somehow become his translator. You couldn't ever find him without Chris now. Not that it mattered, Nick supposed. He shouldn't have any reason to care. He didn't care! Brian could do whatever he wanted, as long as he stayed away from Nick's penis. Nick's penis didn't care for what Brian might do to it.
Nick shoved down the niggling thought that that didn't sound right.
*
"Are you - really? It has to come to that?" Brian groaned when Chris nodded in response. "I don't understand why boys have to be so stupid," he muttered, viciously crushing Chris's empty can of soda. Chris rolled his eyes in agreement.
"I can't believe JC was that stupid," Brian went on. "Look at you! You're charming, clever, hot, funny, loyal," Chris lowered his eyes demurely as Brian concluded, "and a fantastic conversationalist." Chris smiled at Brian.
"And you make damn good coffee. Instead he goes for the stupid, gross, fat, dumb, giant, ugly slob."
Chris frowned a bit at that.
"What?" Brian's eyes widened. "No, don't tell me you think he's -"
Chris shrugged a shoulder.
"Kirkpatrick! Don't believe the rumors. I can tell you on personal authority, he is not as impressive as you may think," Brian said, blushing a bit as he spoke.
Chris raised his eyebrows.
"This is not a case of 'the lady doth protest too much'. Shut up."
Chris kept looking at him.
"I said shut up."
Chris sighed and looked down at his hands.
Brian sighed too, following suit. "Alright, I'm sorry. I, just, it's not...it's not like that."
Chris didn't say anything.
Brian continued, "I just wish he was looking at me instead, the way he used to, you know? Like I was amazing." He scraped at the ragged edge of a bitten nail. "I just miss the way it used to be. I don't," he added forcefully, "want anything more." He looked up to meet Chris's gaze.
Chris yawned.
Brian sighed again. He stood up. "Alright, we ought to get to our places. I think they'll be coming around soon."
They headed to just beside the door, and Chris put his hands on Brian's waist. They were nearly the same height, and Brian felt a momentary pang as he thought of Leighanne - but that was in the past. He looped his arms around Chris's neck, and whispered, "Let's see if you kiss as well as you talk," and leaned in.
Chris kissed pretty damn well. Brian hadn't had a good make out session in longer than he cared to recall, and this was nice. Before he realized it, his hands had crept up to tangle in Chris's hair, and Chris had somehow slipped under his shirt, and the feel of soft hands on his skin was so unexpectedly nice he let out a small moan. Which was around the time Nick and JC walked in on them.
"Dawg, what the fuck," Nick said, and Brian and Chris sprang apart.
"Cat, you've been busy," JC said to Brian with a strained smile. He didn't look at Chris.
*
So after walking in on Chris and Brian, JC hadn't actually been able to get it up. He would've felt bad for Nick, except that Nick seemed to have the same problem. Apparently two short people together was really gross and they couldn't get it off their brains. Or something. He lay back in the bed and stretched, accidentally nudging Nick with an elbow. Nick made a huffing noise in his sleep and rolled onto his back.
The thing is, Chris wanted to be exclusive, which, like, okay, that was gross. Cleveland Steamer he could handle, maybe, but there were some places where you had to draw the fucking line, man. Fucking, like, shit. Yeah, Chris was awesome, and actually seemed to understand what JC was saying more than half the time, and was up for most things, and made him laugh, but if he was fucking only Chris, imagine all the things he wouldn't be fucking. Like Nick.
Not that they were fucking much at the moment anyway. He looked at his penis, and flopped it around a little with his hand. Poor little guy.
"Fucking Brian," Nick said suddenly, in a voice rough with sleep. JC started and glanced at him. Nick was staring at the ceiling mournfully. "He broke my cock. I didn't even know he was gay."
"Oh, man," JC said, "I know. I don't know what Chris did to mine." He rolled onto his side to face Nick. "And it's totally fucking weird, right? Like, you think of them, and you're like, 'shit, that's hot' - "
"Which doesn't even make sense," Nick interrupted, "because they're both short. And annoying. And Brian has huge nostrils - "
" - and Chris is hairy - "
"Yeah! And they both constantly act like someone stuck them with a sugar IV - "
JC groaned, "I know. It's like bumblebees, how according to all known natural laws they shouldn't be able to fly, but they still do."
Nick turned his head to face JC. "Wait, really? Dude, that's cool. I got stung by a bee once. Over here," he pointed to the elbow nearest JC.
JC dropped a light kiss on it. "Totally. And so you see them together, and it's totally hot even though it shouldn't be, and I don't know about you, but my cock gets all 'Hey! Hi there!' and then my brain is like 'That's Chris. With someone else' and, fuck, it's like a punch to the gut and my prick just dies."
Nick nodded vigorously, "Dude! It's exactly like that."
"It sucks," JC said, and rolled back on his back.
They stared at the ceiling in silence.
"He has, like, no lips. What are the blowjobs gonna be like?" Nick asked fretfully.
"Chris gives great blowjobs," JC said.
"I'm happy for you," Nick said, a bit stiffly.
"Aw, shitty, don't be like that. Brian's a quick learner." JC lay a comforting hand on Nick's thigh.
"I guess," Nick said. He sighed, and they lay still for a moment. Then he rolled over unexpectedly, pinning JC down. He gave JC's collarbone a long slow swipe with his tongue, and JC was happy to find that familiar shiver had returned. "Let's try this one last time, see if we can get our cocks to say goodbye properly."
JC closed his eyes and arched his neck. "No argument here."
*
Brian sat on the couch next to Chris. "So," he said.
Chris leaned his head on his hand and looked at Brian.
"You're a really good kisser," Brian said.
Chris nodded his head in acknowledgement.
"I think you made me gay."
Chris feigned shock.
Brian blushed, and quickly added, "I still don't want Nick that way, though! I just want him back."
Chris shook his head and smirked.
Brian ignored him. "JC looked pretty shocked. And kind of jealous, I think. You may be talking again soon."
Chris made a fist of victory. Brian smiled, then sighed and slumped forward. "I don't know what I'm supposed to do though," he muttered.
Chris frowned a bit, and nudged him. Brian looked back at him. "Oh! I know, the point was to break them up. But it doesn't feel... I don't know. Complete? I thought there'd be more." Chris patted him on the back in commiseration.
"Hey Brian, Chris," JC nodded at both of them from the door. "You guys busy? Or can I borrow Chris?"
Brian exchanged looks with Chris. "No, we're good." He stood up when Chris did, and gave him a hug. "Nice work, man," he mumbled in Chris's ear. "If he messes with you, call me." Chris pulled back, looking amused. He patted the top of Brian's head, and Brian swatted him away. Chris grinned, and followed JC out the door, giving Brian a small wave goodbye.
Brian stood a moment longer, and then sat back down, resting his head in his hands.
Someone came into the room and sat down next to him. Someone nudged him with his shoulder. "Why so glum, chum," someone said.
Brian laughed, softly. "I don't know. I think I lost my sidekick."
"If what I saw in the hallway was any indication, yeah, you did," Nick said.
Brian shifted on the couch, bringing his legs up and leaning against the armrest. "I take it you lost a fuck buddy."
Nick shrugged. "I guess." He fiddled absently with the hem of Brian's jeans. "It was kind of burned out anyway."
"Oh," Brian said. He had a good view of Nick from this angle. Nick bit his lip and looked up, meeting Brian's gaze. Brian, unaccountably, blushed, and looked away.
"So I guess you got what you wanted," Nick said.
"Huh?" Brian asked.
"Me and JC aren't together anymore. You have me all to yourself," he said, and, to Brian's embarrassment, gave him a lascivious smile.
"Oh." Brian was mortified. "Oh no no no. That's not - I don't - I just wanted you back. I don't - not - not like that," he stammered.
Nick's smile turned into a grin. "Oh really," he said, and, to Brian's horror, began to lean over.
Brian sat up quickly, trying to avoid him, and they bumped heads. "Ow," Brian said.
Nick looked annoyed. "Okay, Brian, come on. Stop playing,"
"I don't want you!" Brian said.
Nick pursed his lips. "The fuck you don't. Kiss me and say that again."
Brian closed his eyes. "No."
Nick sighed, and stood up. "You turned my cock green, Brian, and then you broke it. The least you could do is try and fix it, but whatever. I'm gonna ask Howie for Lance's number."
"Wait, wait, wait, okay," Brian said, scrambling to stand. "Okay, let's try it," he took a deep breath.
"Okay," Nick said, and came closer to Brian. Nick wrapped his arms around Brian's waist. Brian shivered. "Brian," Nick pleaded, softly. He leaned in and his nose brushed Brian's cheek. "Why are you so scared? You looked pretty cozy with Kirkpatrick."
Brian closed his eyes. "I don't know," he whispered hoarsely.
Nick lipped at the side of his mouth. "I promise you, Kirkpatrick is three times the monster I ever could be."
"Yeah, but I know you," Brian breathed.
"Yeah," Nick said. "You do," and kissed him.
This was, Brian had to admit, approximately thirty seven times better than making out with Chris. The butterflies in his stomach had flown to just under his skin, and he tingled when Nick's tongue first made contact with his. Nick's hands, too, were bigger than Chris's, with lovely clever fingers, and Brian had to tilt his head back, and was surprised when he felt a tear slipping down the side of his face. Nick wiped it away with his thumb, and kissed where it had been, and then his mouth found Brian's again, until Brian pulled away.
"Okay," he said. "Okay, you're right. I want you. And I've wanted you, and I didn't think I could have you, but now I do, and, I want you." He sounded surprised.
Nick laughed and rolled his eyes. "Of course you do," he said.
-fin-