Fic: Just Like One of Those Movies, PG-13, Gustav/Georg, 1/1
Title: Just Like One of Those Movies
Author: ???
Pairing(s): Gustav/Georg
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: I own nothing in this fic and am making no profit from it.
Warnings: One scene of brief violence and minor bleeding
Summary: Gustav worries that best friends who finally fall in love only ever happens in the movies.
Recipient: asa_nanica
Author's notes: I really hope you enjoy this, asa_nanica! Have very happy holidays!
“So, tell me how you two finally got together, because honestly? I thought I’d go bald before you ever figured it out,” Bill thought for a moment. “Well, I figured Tom would go bald first, but whatever.” He ignored his twin’s outraged “Hey!” and continued. “I want to hear all the juicy, dirty details.”
When Tom slapped his arm and Bill was distracted slapping back, Gustav shrank down into the booth a little. Georg just smirked and slouched a little too, spreading his knees wide under the table but keeping his arm slung over the back of the seat, tapping Gustav’s far shoulder until he looked at him. They shared a little smile - a private one, full of conversation just for the two of them until Bill noticed and cooed.
“See? That’s what I mean! How did the two of you finally realize you were meant to be together?” Bill beamed at them.
Georg laughed, but Gustav just pushed up his glasses and was saved from answering by the server delivering their drinks. He gratefully accepted the beer Georg slid over before taking his own. Bill fussed over his glass of wine while Tom stirred a surprisingly bright pink frozen cocktail adorned with some sort of fruit and a tiny paper umbrella. Both Georg and Gustav took a moment to raise an eyebrow at him, but Tom only shrugged. “It’s really good,” he defended before answering another text on his phone.
Georg shrugged too. “Living in LA must have made you even more girly, man,” he said.
“Says the guy with the boyfriend,” Tom shot back. “No offense, Gustav.”
Gustav grunted and took a long pull of his beer, but Georg opened his mouth right as Bill reached out a long arm and slapped Tom hard upside the head. While Tom tried to pull back, Bill whacked him again. “That was the most insensitive thing to say, you dumb fuck!”
“I said ‘no offense,’” Tom whined, and Bill hit him hard on top of the head.
“That’s no excuse! Now apologize, you homophobic prick!”
“I’m sorry,” Tom sing-songed in a sarcastic voice. “Ow, Bill! How many fucking rings are you wearing?”
Bill shoved an impressive fistful under his nose and shook it. “Apologize to both of them and mean it, asshole.”
Tom sighed. Both Georg and Gustav were far from offended at that point, used to the moronic things that came out when Tom opened his mouth. But watching a Kaulitz spat, particularly with the newly beefed-up Bill, was always entertaining.
Bill threatened with his fist again and Tom said, “Okay! Okay. I’m sorry you guys.”
“It’s fine,” Georg said quickly when it appeared Bill would pursue a more forthcoming, sincere apology with renewed and greater violence. “Really, he’s a douche, we all know it, Bill. It doesn’t change the fact that he drinks pansy-assed cocktails.”
Georg underscored his insult by delicately sipping his beer, with his pinkie finger fully extended. It broke the ice and made Gustav snort out a laugh. Bill finally cracked a smile and let Tom escape his wrath.
“Well, then, lover boys. Spill. We leave Germany, and you two finally admit your love for each other, get together and don’t even tell us until we move back. You owe me a romantic story, and I want to hear it.”
“Well, it wasn’t quite like that, Bill,” Georg started, tightening his arm a little around Gustav’s shoulders. “I mean, I didn’t really know… It wasn’t all that long… You make it sound like this has been going on forever.”
Bill and Gustav snorted at the same time, and Gustav leaned forward with his elbows on the table.
Bill leaned forward a little too. “Tell me the truth, Gustav. I want to know everything.”
“Well,” Gustav took a few moments to collect his thoughts and take another swig of beer. Tom continued tapping out texts, sipping his pink drink and appearing disinterested. Georg drummed his fingers along the booth since Gustav’s broad shoulders were now out of reach. “It went a little something like this.”
______________________________________________
It was a dark and stormy night, and Gustav was more than happy to stay in with his dog and some movies and beer. But, Georg had been calling all day, begging him to get together - again. Gustav had been putting up with his extreme clinginess for two weeks, ever since Georg had broken up with his girlfriend - again. They tended to do this every few months, for whatever reason one of them could dream up. Then Georg would want to hit the clubs and celebrate the single life, even though he never took advantage of the women throwing themselves at him. After a few nights of going home alone and a few mornings waking up with violent hangovers, Georg would be more than ready to grovel back to his girlfriend, ready to forgive her or beg forgiveness for whatever the imagined, and often forgotten, slight was.
This time seemed different, though. Gustav realized it had gone on far longer than usual, for one. And Georg wasn’t acting as frivolous and crazy as usual. In fact, Gustav hadn’t seen him do a single body shot off a single groupie. He was actually more content to hang out at Gustav’s place - since it was usually slightly cleaner - and drink, eat and play video games or watch movies. When Gustav had forced him to their favorite bar, he’d stayed back in a corner booth and sucked down drink after drink with just Gustav before allowing Gustav to drive him home alone.
Gustav could almost believe that Georg was serious this time that his relationship was over. When Georg had wanted to come over again for another night in, Gustav decided he’d help his best friend get back on his feet. That’s why he put on his good shorts and, with a final scritch behind the dog’s ears, left his comfortable house to pick up Georg for a night on the town.
His friendship with Georg was uncomplicated. They were friends who loved music, loved cars, loved girls, loved booze, loved their band and pretty much loved their lives. Their friendship wasn’t complicated, but Gustav was realizing that his feelings for Georg were.
He hadn’t admitted it to himself for years that he was falling in love with Georg. It lasted through girlfriends, through groupies, through tours around the world. It only got deeper and stronger the older he got, leaving him reeling when he realized it wasn’t a simple teenage crush. It was manageable, of course, and he still dated other people, but he would always cancel a date if something with Georg was another option.
He wasn’t sure at what point his love life had turned into one of those melodramas his sister liked to watch. Not that he’d ever seen any, but it sure did seem like a likely plot to that crap. Boy falls in love with his best girl friend and pines away. Only in those movies he was sure - well, pretty sure since he’d never actually watched any, mind you - it ended with the best friend realizing the boy was her one true love all along. Then she broke up with other guys and they all lived happily ever after.
Until the girl took up with the pool boy and had an affair, but maybe that was just in that one American TV show his sister had been hooked on.
Whatever, Gustav was sure he could deal with his feelings for Georg. They were always there for each other as friends, and so he would remain until someone else caught Georg’s eye. Because, really, happy endings only existed for people in movies and not even those in serial TV dramas.
Georg was waiting outside his front door, ignoring the rain, when Gustav pulled up. He got in and buckled up while Gustav watched.
“Hey, how are you?” Gustav said. Georg just shrugged and looked out the window. “Are you ready to have some fun?”
Georg shrugged again. Gustav was a little confused by Georg’s silence and attitude. “Are you okay? Did you talk to Karla again?”
Georg sighed and let his head fall back against the headrest. “It’s nothing. Let’s just go get smashed.”
“Are you sure?” Gustav hesitated, but when Georg waved his hand, he put the car in gear and drove away.
Even though they didn’t always make a lot of small talk, Georg’s total silence was unnerving to Gustav. He was relieved to park and follow Georg through the rain toward the bar. When Georg hopped over a puddle, Gustav couldn’t help but put out his hand to steady his lower back. Georg jerked away and whipped his head to look at Gustav, who held up his guilty hand.
“Sorry, just didn’t want you to trip,” Gustav said.
Georg shook his head, making shorter pieces fall out of his messy ponytail and frame his face. “Yeah, I’m not drunk yet. I can walk fine.” He pulled ahead to reach the door first.
Gustav gave a deep sigh and rolled his eyes when Georg couldn’t see. It had been like this for the past two weeks. Georg didn’t really want to talk, not like they’d used to, and he seemed almost skittish about getting close to Gustav or touching him. They’d never been overly close like the Kaulitz twins - then again, anyone short of conjoined twins or honeymooners wasn’t overly close like those two - but there’d always been a sort of attachment that Gustav had secretly enjoyed.
All he could do was let Georg lead them in whatever sort of friendship he needed right now. And if he needed Gustav to back off, he would.
He was surprised to see Georg march directly up to the bar and order a shot with a beer chaser. Gustav would limit himself to one beer over the evening since he was driving, but it seemed Georg wasn’t going to hold back. He threw back the shot, and Gustav had to gulp along with him as Georg left his head tilted back, revealing his neck with the prominent Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallowed.
Gustav turned back to the bartender and ordered quickly, not wanting his lustful feelings written all over his face if Georg were to open his eyes. Although, after all the years he’d hidden them, Gustav felt pretty safe that his feelings did, in fact, remain secret.
Just as he raised his beer for a sip, he noticed Georg was looking straight at him. “Everything okay?” Gustav asked again.
Georg just grunted and started drinking his beer. Gustav sighed again and decided he’d better hit the men’s room before he got started. “I’ll be right back. Find us a booth if you want.”
“Nah, I’m fine right here,” Georg said.
Gustav let it go and walked to the back corner where the restroom was located. After he finished up, he heard some loud voices raising in the bar. Not wanting to miss a good bar brawl, he hurried out the door and was honestly shocked to find Georg nose to nose with another man, both swearing loudly. Gustav started towards them just as Georg pulled back and jammed his index finger into the man’s chest while intimately insulting his mother. The other guy didn’t pull back except to raise his right fist and punch Georg squarely in the mouth.
Now Gustav was swearing too, as he got in between them and grabbed Georg bodily, forcing him away from the stranger. The other man took one step closer until a blonde woman latched onto his arm, crying, and trying to pull him away. He spat in Georg’s direction, but let her lead him out of the way.
Gustav turned his full attention to Georg who was rubbing his mouth and gingerly touching his split lip. When he pulled his fingers back and saw blood, he swore again. Gustav hadn’t released his tight grip around Georg’s waist and found himself backing him into the bar stool a little harder.
“Damn it, Gustav, let go. You’re bruising me more than that asshole did,” Georg started to struggle and push at Gustav.
“Are you going to stay calm and not go after him?” Gustav had to know before he let go.
“Yes, I don’t give a fuck about him. Just let go!” Gustav stepped back as Georg pushed again, making himself stumble. But when Gustav tried to hold his elbow to steady him, he pulled back as if he’d been burned.
By then, the bartender had sent over a very large, intimidating-looking bouncer who politely asked Georg and Gustav to leave. Georg began to bluster about them being regular customers and having a right to stay, but Gustav nodded and got in Georg’s face. “We are going to leave - now,” he said.
Georg turned away and rubbed at his mouth again. He didn’t raise any more fuss as he followed Gustav outside until Gustav rounded on him outside the passenger’s door of the car.
“What the fuck were you thinking back there? What happened? Why in hell would you pick a fight with some random asshole?”
Georg got the stubborn look on his face that Gustav knew too well. “I didn’t pick a fight. He was just too sensitive.”
Gustav gave a sarcastic laugh. “Sensitive about what?”
Georg shrugged and reached for the door handle. Gustav put himself in front of it. “Come on, Georg, tell me what’s going on. You don’t pick fights in bars, especially our place. And you know better.”
“At least I wasn’t stupid enough to get hit over the head with a fucking beer bottle!” Georg taunted and pulled his chest up, looking as though he was raring for another fight. Gustav narrowed his eyes and briefly thought about yielding to temptation and hitting him. Then he decided to be the bigger man and step away, letting Georg open the car door with a huff and get inside.
Gustav got behind the wheel but didn’t turn on the ignition. “Georg, there is something wrong with you. If you’re not going to admit it, at least tell me what you did in the two minutes I was gone to piss off that guy so badly that he decked you in front of everyone.” When Georg crossed his arms over his chest and looked for all the world like a stubborn child, Gustav added, “I’m not driving you home until you tell me.”
“Damn it, Gustav!” Georg rubbed at his mouth absently and wiped the blood on his jeans. Gustav found himself wanting to take care of it, but he wouldn’t back down this time.
After a few long moments of silence broken only by the steady rain hitting the roof of the car, Georg gave a growl. “All right, you win. I saw that pretty blonde sitting at the bar and thought I’d go introduce myself. I’d just started talking when her boyfriend interrupted me and told me to take a hike. I guess I got a little upset about it. He just really bugged me, okay? Next thing I know, he hit me.”
“I think you missed the part where you were shouting insults about his girlfriend and his mother,” Gustav said.
“Well, I don’t really remember everything I said. It just started coming out,” Georg admitted.
“You are one of the most laid-back people I know. How did the guy get you that worked up in all the longer it took me to piss?” Gustav still couldn’t believe it.
Georg shrugged. “I guess he just didn’t like my face.”
“Oh, Georg,” Gustav finally started the car and got them on the road. He knew there was something else going on, could read it all over Georg like a billboard. Georg wasn’t one to lose his temper, but if he’d been angry or upset already, he’d probably been spoiling for a fight that the jealous boyfriend was all too happy to dole out.
“Just … don’t take me back to my place. Can we go to yours?” Georg said suddenly. Gustav spared him a quick glance and saw him pulling up the bottom hem of his T-shirt to rub at his bloody lip. Gustav looked away before he could make out any skin.
He cleared his throat. “Yeah, I guess. You’ll need to get something on your mouth and lip or it’ll swell.”
“At least I don’t need stitches,” Georg said pointedly but then he asked, “You don’t think I’ll need stitches, do you?”
Gustav laughed. “No, your lip will be fine. It’ll be sore for awhile but you’ll survive. You’ll be back to kissing in no time.”
His attempt at a joke fell flat when Georg just grunted and focused his attention out the window. Gustav didn’t try again but got them back to his place as quickly as possible. Georg made himself at home on the couch and had the TV on before Gustav had kicked off his shoes and greeted the dog who begged to be let out.
He watched Georg obviously ignoring him in favor of a football match that he didn’t even like, so he went to the kitchen and got a wet towel, a couple dry ones and a bag of something that had been in his freezer since he’d moved in. He was pretty sure his mother or sister had put some frozen vegetables in there, hoping he would eventually eat them, but Gustav had only found them good for applying as convenient ice packs.
He joined Georg on the couch, sitting close beside him so he could see his injuries. Georg jumped and practically crawled onto the arm of the couch.
Gustav sighed in irritation. “This has got to stop. I know I’m pretty shitty at nursing and giving comfort, but I’m just trying to help you here. You don’t have to act like I’m an axe murderer.”
Georg rolled his eyes, but he did slide off the arm back on to the cushion.
“Good,” Gustav said in the same tone he rewarded his dog for obedient behavior. “Now, let me see your lip.”
“It’s really not that -” Georg was cut off by a wet kitchen towel pressed against his lips, and truth be told, partly in his mouth, thanks to Gustav’s desire to shut him up.
“Wipe all that blood off,” Gustav instructed. When Georg obeyed, he handed him a dry towel. Georg dabbed at the cut, but the bleeding had stopped. Gustav busied himself wrapping another dry towel around the bag of unknown vegetables. “You’ve managed to get blood all over your clothes. Take off your pants and shirt and I’ll toss them in the washer. They’ll be dry by the time you’re ready to go home.”
When Gustav had the bag wrapped to his liking, he glanced up at Georg, expecting to see him obeying. Instead, Georg was staring at him with wide eyes, clutching the towel to his chest, and not undressing at all. Gustav frowned. “Come on, you’ve got to get blood out before it stains or it’s a bitch to remove.”
Georg held the towel closer and edged away. “No, that’s all right. I’ll take my chances. I can wash them later.”
“But that’s one of your favorite shirts,” Gustav pointed out.
“Really, I don’t need you to wash my clothes or take care of me. I am fine,” Georg said with a kind of finality to his voice that Gustav wasn’t sure really applied to the situation they were in.
“Are you going to tell me what’s going on with you?” Gustav asked straight out.
Georg sighed and dropped the towel to his lap. He absent-mindedly brushed some hair away from his face in a gesture Gustav recognized as his way of stalling. He waited, frozen vegetables slowly thawing in his nervous grasp.
“Gustav, I don’t want you to hate me,” Georg started, immediately making Gustav want to butt in with “But I could never hate you!”. Georg held up his hand to silence him. “I guess I’m afraid of what you’ll say. I don’t want to … disappoint you or make you feel uncomfortable. It’s just, I’ve been thinking.”
He looked up to meet Gustav’s eyes finally. If Gustav had been a smartass like Tom, he would interject some stupid comment about Georg causing himself permanent damage by thinking for once. But Gustav knew this wasn’t a joking matter, so he stared back at his best friend.
Georg kept looking at him. “I’ve been thinking a lot since Karla and I broke up, and I realized something really important. It’s been in front of me for a long time, but I’ve never really noticed it until recently. I don’t know what to do now, but maybe you’re right. Maybe you do deserve to know.” He took a deep breath. “Gustav, I think I have feelings for someone in the band.”
Gustav immediately thought of Bill’s long legs and recently toned shoulders and luscious ass. Then he remembered Tom and Georg exchanging lingering, smoldering looks in Russia, in front of the media, and a blown kiss. His fist tightened until thawing peas shot out of the bag, all over the couch and their laps.
When Gustav finally thought he could speak in a neutral voice, he said, “Well. Which one is it?”
Georg suddenly looked down and found the frozen peas fascinating as he began to pick them off his lap, one by one, and place them on the coffee table.
“Georg, which one is it?” Gustav’s voice sounded more strained than he’d like, but he really wanted - no, needed - to know. So he could plot Bill’s demise. Or ready a lecture for Tom on how delicately Georg needed to be treated. Or what if Georg had fantasies like some of the fangirls and … “Oh, god, it’s not both, is it? Is it?!”
Georg put down the last of the peas he’d found and wiped his hands on his lap. “Gustav, I don’t know how to tell you this. I thought I could get by keeping it to myself. It just hit me last week, after Karla kept complaining about the band being the most important thing in my life. Then really thinking about what I wanted in life - settling for a relationship with her that was okay or trying out a relationship with someone who had stuck by me for a decade, through good and bad. Someone who understood what we went through and why it felt so good to celebrate it now. Someone who was always there for me, always, and knew me better than I know myself. That’s when it hit me that I wanted more than just a friend. I think I’m in love.”
Tom would never know how to handle Georg when he got all fussy and melodramatic because he felt insecure about something as silly as his hair, Gustav thought furiously. And if Georg ever declared himself, Bill would probably just write another confusing song mixing meteorological terms with outer space metaphors and try to convince Georg he was an alien. Neither twin was good enough for him. No one understood Georg.
“Which. One. Is. It,” Gustav asked one more time, heart sinking down through his body until it hit his toes.
Georg shut his eyes and turned his head away from Gustav. “It’s you.”
Through the blood rushing in his ears - which he thought distractedly should be impossible because he was pretty sure his heart had stopped - Gustav thought he heard in English, “It’s two.”
He never stood a chance. Two otherworldly, beautiful twins entrapping a mere mortal man with their demonic wiles, Gustav never could compete with that. He twisted the warming plastic bag between both hands and watched as the crystallized peas fell to the floor in a stream.
Georg had opened his eyes and was looking at him, gaze going from his tightened face to his tighter fists and back. “I’m really sorry I said anything. I should have known better. Please, can we just forget I said anything and pretend I’m really, really drunk right now?”
Gustav cleared his throat and tried to stop strangling the bag. “It’s okay. I … needed to know. But how are you going to break it to the twins? Are you going to go for both of them? Because I think Tom is still dating that one girl.”
Georg was looking at him strangely now. “What are you talking about? Why would I tell Tom?”
“Well, you just said you didn’t want to hold it in anymore. You need to tell them how you feel. I’m sure it will mean something to them if you’re honest that you…” Gustav choked for a second, “are falling in love with them.”
Georg was staring at him and didn’t appear to be able to blink. He tilted his head and stared some more. Gustav blinked enough for both of them and twisted the ruined bag until the last remaining peas dribbled out. Georg reached over and pulled the soggy plastic out of his grasp and let it drop to the floor.
“Gustav,” Georg said very slowly. “I’m not in love with the twins. I said I’ve been falling in love with you.”
“Oh,” Gustav said. That was all he could think for a long moment. “Oh. Oh! Okay.”
“Okay? Really?” Georg said. “I confess that I’ve been thinking about you in a lustful way for the better part of two weeks, and all you can say is okay?”
“You didn’t mention lustful before,” Gustav pointed out.
“I didn’t want to scare you off,” Georg retorted before he thought about what he’d just said. Then he bit his sore lip and winced.
“Scare me off? It would take a lot more than that to scare me off,” Gustav tried to joke. “Now, your morning breath combined with a hangover and your bed-head is almost enough to make me afraid, but I’ve been through that. A lot.”
“Yeah, you have. You’ve been a great friend, Gustav. And I hope you’ll stay my friend even after this,” Georg said.
“You’re my best friend,” Gustav said quietly. “You’ll always be my best friend.”
“Besides, this is probably just a crush or something because Karla and I broke up. I’m sure in enough time, it’ll go away…”
“Don’t say that!” Gustav interrupted. He leaned closer and put his hand on Georg’s knee without thinking. This time, Georg didn’t pull back. “Don’t make light of this or think that it’s only a crush. Maybe this has been a long time coming. Maybe you’ve been feeling things for a while, but you didn’t have the courage to say anything. Maybe this is just the kick in the ass you need to admit you want to be more than friends.”
Georg squeezed his eyes shut and gave a little humorless laugh. “You’re putting a lot into this.”
“Yeah, I am.” Gustav took a deep breath and decided to go for it. If nothing else, he could claim the punch to Georg’s face had caused enough brain damage that he hallucinated it all. “I am because I feel the same way about you.”
Georg’s eyes popped open so fast Gustav thought they made a noise. “Don’t make fun of me, man. That is not cool.”
“No! I’m not making fun of you.” Gustav swallowed. “I really do. I’ve felt that way about you for a long time. But I never thought you’d go for it, so I was resigned to being your best friend. I still want to be your best friend. Just more.”
Georg reached down and touched the hand that Gustav had forgotten was still resting on his knee. “You really feel like that about me? You think about me? You dream about touching me and kissing me?”
Gustav nodded, even as Georg took his hand off his knee and examined it. “I’ve thought about you for years, but lately, I just want to hold you.”
Georg barked out a laugh. “I want to do more than hold you. But every time you touch me, I have to pull away before I grab you and do unspeakable things.”
“Oh, really? Unspeakable, huh?”
Georg nodded. “I guess it wasn’t that big a stretch going from you being the one person in the world I trusted the most. The one I love to be around. My best friend in every way. To being more. Suddenly, you’re all I can think about. And when I see you, I want to do more than just have fun with you.” He squeezed Gustav’s hand. “It’s like one of those movies where the guy is best friends with the smartest, funniest girl, but it’s only after he dates a bunch of other women that he realizes his best friend is the perfect match for him after all.”
“Oh shit, that’s what I’ve always thought, only I’m the guy pining for his best girl friend until she realizes what’s right in front of her,” Gustav said.
Georg crinkled his nose and squeezed his hand again. “I don’t think either of us is the girl in this relationship.”
“Are we going to have a relationship?” Gustav squeezed back.
“Would you like to?”
“I’ve already told you how I feel,” Gustav said quietly, meeting Georg’s eyes. “Do you think I would take that back?”
Georg shook his head. “I don’t want you to take it back. I still can’t believe you think you feel the same way. I was afraid … well, let’s just say I’d rather face down that guy from the bar again than go up against you if I pissed you off.”
Gustav laughed and pulled his hand free, then shoved Georg in the shoulder with it. “I do love you, Georg. More than as a best friend. Now, are you going to believe me?”
“Maybe. Or maybe you’d better show me some proof,” Georg said, and smiling, leaned his face closer to Gustav who could take a hint when it slapped him in the face. Or brushed against his lips. He tilted his head for better positioning and reached up to softly curve his fingers around Georg’s cheek. Georg let out a little sigh into the kiss and started to open his mouth harder when he pulled back suddenly.
“Damn! I forgot my lip hurts!” He touched it and grimaced. Gustav licked his own lips and leaned closer.
“If you hadn’t gotten into that ridiculous argument, we could be kissing a lot more right now,” he breathed against Georg’s mouth, making him shiver.
“I’m a fast healer. Give me a day. Maybe a couple hours.”
Gustav chuckled and offered, “Do you want some more ice because I think Mom left some other vegetables I don’t like in there?”
“I’ll be fine,” Georg promised. “But, Gustav, if we do this … since we’re doing this, how will we break it to Bill and Tom? How will this affect the band?”
Gustav felt his irrational jealousy rise again at the thought of the twins, then he tried to realize that this time - he got Georg. “This - us - we won’t affect the band at all. It’s always come first, no matter what else is going on in our lives. We’ll keep it that way. And the twins shouldn’t care in any case. They have no right to dictate our personal life, and if I know Bill at all, he’ll be pleased that someone has found true love.”
“Wow. You do think this is serious?” Georg continued to look a little awed, and Gustav completely understood. The entire evening felt like a wonderful and unbelievable dream that he would wake from eventually.
“Yeah, I want to be serious with you.”
“You know, my lip is feeling a little better all of a sudden,” Georg said, leaning closer and brushing a string of kisses across Gustav’s cheek toward his mouth.
“You know what they say. Kisses are good for making pain go away.” Gustav captured Georg’s top lip then licked gently into his mouth.
“Mm, it’s working,” Georg managed to say before he eagerly returned the kiss, the first of many that night and in the next weeks.
______________________________________________
“So, that’s what happened.” Gustav looked up from his beer to see Bill’s eyes shimmering with emotion. He clasped his hands together under his chin.
“That’s the kind of love I’m looking for. My soul mate,” Bill sighed.
Tom actually looked up from his phone and smirked. “Holy fuck, that was sappy.” Bill didn’t take his eyes or smile off Gustav as he casually backhanded Tom in the mouth.
While Tom tried to wrestle Bill into a headlock in the narrow confines of the booth, Georg cleared his throat. Gustav looked over to find him chewing his own lip. “Was I really that stupid?”
The twins broke apart to stare, Bill looking shocked and Tom looking amused even though Bill’s palm was still squishing his nose.
Georg went on. “Uh, you know, I never meant to be oblivious or take you for granted. I didn’t realize that you felt like that all along…”
Gustav shut him up by leaning over and kissing him, a quick peck on the lips that Georg swayed to follow when Gustav pulled away just as quickly.
“We don’t have to talk about it. We have what we have now. If you’re happy,” Gustav shrugged.
Georg smiled and grabbed the back of Gustav’s head, carding his fingers through the short hair and pulling him closer. “I’m very happy.” He leaned his forehead into Gustav’s and breathed out on his lips. Just when Gustav opened his mouth for a kiss, Georg pulled back and frowned. “But are you really happy with me? You sure you want to do this?”
Gustav had quickly learned the most effective way to quiet his boyfriend was to kiss him, so he did, kissing a little longer and slipping a little more tongue than he normally would be comfortable sharing in public. He figured it was just the twins, and they didn’t matter. In fact, no one mattered as long as he and Georg were together.
“Does that answer your question?” he asked with a huskiness to his voice when he pulled back.
“Mm-hm,” Georg agreed. As they leaned back together, Tom extricated himself from Bill’s grasp and slapped his hand down on the table.
“Well, not that this wasn’t fun, but I’m late for a date. I think I’ve had enough of the romantic comedy for the night.” He slugged back the rest of his cocktail and stood up. “I’m happy for you two,” he said, with a sincere tone to his voice for the first time.
“Thanks,” Georg smiled up at him and Gustav nodded. But, Gustav noticed Georg never let go of him to do his usual handshake-thing with Tom. Bill noticed too, and gave Gustav a wink.
“I think it’s really romantic. And I am happy for you. And jealous. Maybe it will rub off,” he said wistfully. Tom rolled his eyes and pocketed his phone as he headed for the door.
Bill watched him leave then turned back to the couple across from him, bracing his elbows on the table and cupping his chin in his hands. “Now that assface is gone, tell me the rest. I want to hear about how you finally did it.”
Both Georg and Gustav choked for a second. Georg recovered first, saying, “Bill, there’s no way we are going to tell you about that. That’s very personal.”
Bill turned big eyes to Gustav who shook his head. Bill pouted a second, but when it didn’t work, he shrugged it off. “It was worth a try! Now, I’d better leave you lovebirds alone. Stay as long as you want. I put the tab on Tom’s card,” he said with a laugh as he gathered up his coat and handbag.
“Thanks, man,” Georg said and waved a server over to order another drink.
“Thanks, Bill,” Gustav said, and he knew from Bill’s widened eyes and bigger smile that Bill understood. It might take a while for others to accept what he and Georg had decided to try, but instead of worrying about the band or its image, Bill had immediately sided with them and encouraged them.
“You’re most welcome,” he said. “Have a good night.”
After Bill left and Georg had his new drink, Gustav settled back into the curve of his arm. “Was it as bad talking to them as you feared?” he asked.
Georg thought for a second. “No, I figured they’d be cool, but I didn’t know Bill would want all the dirty details.” He snickered. “Not that we gave him all the dirtiest details.”
Gustav leaned over to his ear. “What do you say we go back to my place and come up with more dirty details?”
Georg’s eyes widened and his grin turned naughty. “That can be arranged.”
And so it was. And try as he might, Bill never found out those details.
The end.
Author: ???
Pairing(s): Gustav/Georg
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: I own nothing in this fic and am making no profit from it.
Warnings: One scene of brief violence and minor bleeding
Summary: Gustav worries that best friends who finally fall in love only ever happens in the movies.
Recipient: asa_nanica
Author's notes: I really hope you enjoy this, asa_nanica! Have very happy holidays!
“So, tell me how you two finally got together, because honestly? I thought I’d go bald before you ever figured it out,” Bill thought for a moment. “Well, I figured Tom would go bald first, but whatever.” He ignored his twin’s outraged “Hey!” and continued. “I want to hear all the juicy, dirty details.”
When Tom slapped his arm and Bill was distracted slapping back, Gustav shrank down into the booth a little. Georg just smirked and slouched a little too, spreading his knees wide under the table but keeping his arm slung over the back of the seat, tapping Gustav’s far shoulder until he looked at him. They shared a little smile - a private one, full of conversation just for the two of them until Bill noticed and cooed.
“See? That’s what I mean! How did the two of you finally realize you were meant to be together?” Bill beamed at them.
Georg laughed, but Gustav just pushed up his glasses and was saved from answering by the server delivering their drinks. He gratefully accepted the beer Georg slid over before taking his own. Bill fussed over his glass of wine while Tom stirred a surprisingly bright pink frozen cocktail adorned with some sort of fruit and a tiny paper umbrella. Both Georg and Gustav took a moment to raise an eyebrow at him, but Tom only shrugged. “It’s really good,” he defended before answering another text on his phone.
Georg shrugged too. “Living in LA must have made you even more girly, man,” he said.
“Says the guy with the boyfriend,” Tom shot back. “No offense, Gustav.”
Gustav grunted and took a long pull of his beer, but Georg opened his mouth right as Bill reached out a long arm and slapped Tom hard upside the head. While Tom tried to pull back, Bill whacked him again. “That was the most insensitive thing to say, you dumb fuck!”
“I said ‘no offense,’” Tom whined, and Bill hit him hard on top of the head.
“That’s no excuse! Now apologize, you homophobic prick!”
“I’m sorry,” Tom sing-songed in a sarcastic voice. “Ow, Bill! How many fucking rings are you wearing?”
Bill shoved an impressive fistful under his nose and shook it. “Apologize to both of them and mean it, asshole.”
Tom sighed. Both Georg and Gustav were far from offended at that point, used to the moronic things that came out when Tom opened his mouth. But watching a Kaulitz spat, particularly with the newly beefed-up Bill, was always entertaining.
Bill threatened with his fist again and Tom said, “Okay! Okay. I’m sorry you guys.”
“It’s fine,” Georg said quickly when it appeared Bill would pursue a more forthcoming, sincere apology with renewed and greater violence. “Really, he’s a douche, we all know it, Bill. It doesn’t change the fact that he drinks pansy-assed cocktails.”
Georg underscored his insult by delicately sipping his beer, with his pinkie finger fully extended. It broke the ice and made Gustav snort out a laugh. Bill finally cracked a smile and let Tom escape his wrath.
“Well, then, lover boys. Spill. We leave Germany, and you two finally admit your love for each other, get together and don’t even tell us until we move back. You owe me a romantic story, and I want to hear it.”
“Well, it wasn’t quite like that, Bill,” Georg started, tightening his arm a little around Gustav’s shoulders. “I mean, I didn’t really know… It wasn’t all that long… You make it sound like this has been going on forever.”
Bill and Gustav snorted at the same time, and Gustav leaned forward with his elbows on the table.
Bill leaned forward a little too. “Tell me the truth, Gustav. I want to know everything.”
“Well,” Gustav took a few moments to collect his thoughts and take another swig of beer. Tom continued tapping out texts, sipping his pink drink and appearing disinterested. Georg drummed his fingers along the booth since Gustav’s broad shoulders were now out of reach. “It went a little something like this.”
______________________________________________
It was a dark and stormy night, and Gustav was more than happy to stay in with his dog and some movies and beer. But, Georg had been calling all day, begging him to get together - again. Gustav had been putting up with his extreme clinginess for two weeks, ever since Georg had broken up with his girlfriend - again. They tended to do this every few months, for whatever reason one of them could dream up. Then Georg would want to hit the clubs and celebrate the single life, even though he never took advantage of the women throwing themselves at him. After a few nights of going home alone and a few mornings waking up with violent hangovers, Georg would be more than ready to grovel back to his girlfriend, ready to forgive her or beg forgiveness for whatever the imagined, and often forgotten, slight was.
This time seemed different, though. Gustav realized it had gone on far longer than usual, for one. And Georg wasn’t acting as frivolous and crazy as usual. In fact, Gustav hadn’t seen him do a single body shot off a single groupie. He was actually more content to hang out at Gustav’s place - since it was usually slightly cleaner - and drink, eat and play video games or watch movies. When Gustav had forced him to their favorite bar, he’d stayed back in a corner booth and sucked down drink after drink with just Gustav before allowing Gustav to drive him home alone.
Gustav could almost believe that Georg was serious this time that his relationship was over. When Georg had wanted to come over again for another night in, Gustav decided he’d help his best friend get back on his feet. That’s why he put on his good shorts and, with a final scritch behind the dog’s ears, left his comfortable house to pick up Georg for a night on the town.
His friendship with Georg was uncomplicated. They were friends who loved music, loved cars, loved girls, loved booze, loved their band and pretty much loved their lives. Their friendship wasn’t complicated, but Gustav was realizing that his feelings for Georg were.
He hadn’t admitted it to himself for years that he was falling in love with Georg. It lasted through girlfriends, through groupies, through tours around the world. It only got deeper and stronger the older he got, leaving him reeling when he realized it wasn’t a simple teenage crush. It was manageable, of course, and he still dated other people, but he would always cancel a date if something with Georg was another option.
He wasn’t sure at what point his love life had turned into one of those melodramas his sister liked to watch. Not that he’d ever seen any, but it sure did seem like a likely plot to that crap. Boy falls in love with his best girl friend and pines away. Only in those movies he was sure - well, pretty sure since he’d never actually watched any, mind you - it ended with the best friend realizing the boy was her one true love all along. Then she broke up with other guys and they all lived happily ever after.
Until the girl took up with the pool boy and had an affair, but maybe that was just in that one American TV show his sister had been hooked on.
Whatever, Gustav was sure he could deal with his feelings for Georg. They were always there for each other as friends, and so he would remain until someone else caught Georg’s eye. Because, really, happy endings only existed for people in movies and not even those in serial TV dramas.
Georg was waiting outside his front door, ignoring the rain, when Gustav pulled up. He got in and buckled up while Gustav watched.
“Hey, how are you?” Gustav said. Georg just shrugged and looked out the window. “Are you ready to have some fun?”
Georg shrugged again. Gustav was a little confused by Georg’s silence and attitude. “Are you okay? Did you talk to Karla again?”
Georg sighed and let his head fall back against the headrest. “It’s nothing. Let’s just go get smashed.”
“Are you sure?” Gustav hesitated, but when Georg waved his hand, he put the car in gear and drove away.
Even though they didn’t always make a lot of small talk, Georg’s total silence was unnerving to Gustav. He was relieved to park and follow Georg through the rain toward the bar. When Georg hopped over a puddle, Gustav couldn’t help but put out his hand to steady his lower back. Georg jerked away and whipped his head to look at Gustav, who held up his guilty hand.
“Sorry, just didn’t want you to trip,” Gustav said.
Georg shook his head, making shorter pieces fall out of his messy ponytail and frame his face. “Yeah, I’m not drunk yet. I can walk fine.” He pulled ahead to reach the door first.
Gustav gave a deep sigh and rolled his eyes when Georg couldn’t see. It had been like this for the past two weeks. Georg didn’t really want to talk, not like they’d used to, and he seemed almost skittish about getting close to Gustav or touching him. They’d never been overly close like the Kaulitz twins - then again, anyone short of conjoined twins or honeymooners wasn’t overly close like those two - but there’d always been a sort of attachment that Gustav had secretly enjoyed.
All he could do was let Georg lead them in whatever sort of friendship he needed right now. And if he needed Gustav to back off, he would.
He was surprised to see Georg march directly up to the bar and order a shot with a beer chaser. Gustav would limit himself to one beer over the evening since he was driving, but it seemed Georg wasn’t going to hold back. He threw back the shot, and Gustav had to gulp along with him as Georg left his head tilted back, revealing his neck with the prominent Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallowed.
Gustav turned back to the bartender and ordered quickly, not wanting his lustful feelings written all over his face if Georg were to open his eyes. Although, after all the years he’d hidden them, Gustav felt pretty safe that his feelings did, in fact, remain secret.
Just as he raised his beer for a sip, he noticed Georg was looking straight at him. “Everything okay?” Gustav asked again.
Georg just grunted and started drinking his beer. Gustav sighed again and decided he’d better hit the men’s room before he got started. “I’ll be right back. Find us a booth if you want.”
“Nah, I’m fine right here,” Georg said.
Gustav let it go and walked to the back corner where the restroom was located. After he finished up, he heard some loud voices raising in the bar. Not wanting to miss a good bar brawl, he hurried out the door and was honestly shocked to find Georg nose to nose with another man, both swearing loudly. Gustav started towards them just as Georg pulled back and jammed his index finger into the man’s chest while intimately insulting his mother. The other guy didn’t pull back except to raise his right fist and punch Georg squarely in the mouth.
Now Gustav was swearing too, as he got in between them and grabbed Georg bodily, forcing him away from the stranger. The other man took one step closer until a blonde woman latched onto his arm, crying, and trying to pull him away. He spat in Georg’s direction, but let her lead him out of the way.
Gustav turned his full attention to Georg who was rubbing his mouth and gingerly touching his split lip. When he pulled his fingers back and saw blood, he swore again. Gustav hadn’t released his tight grip around Georg’s waist and found himself backing him into the bar stool a little harder.
“Damn it, Gustav, let go. You’re bruising me more than that asshole did,” Georg started to struggle and push at Gustav.
“Are you going to stay calm and not go after him?” Gustav had to know before he let go.
“Yes, I don’t give a fuck about him. Just let go!” Gustav stepped back as Georg pushed again, making himself stumble. But when Gustav tried to hold his elbow to steady him, he pulled back as if he’d been burned.
By then, the bartender had sent over a very large, intimidating-looking bouncer who politely asked Georg and Gustav to leave. Georg began to bluster about them being regular customers and having a right to stay, but Gustav nodded and got in Georg’s face. “We are going to leave - now,” he said.
Georg turned away and rubbed at his mouth again. He didn’t raise any more fuss as he followed Gustav outside until Gustav rounded on him outside the passenger’s door of the car.
“What the fuck were you thinking back there? What happened? Why in hell would you pick a fight with some random asshole?”
Georg got the stubborn look on his face that Gustav knew too well. “I didn’t pick a fight. He was just too sensitive.”
Gustav gave a sarcastic laugh. “Sensitive about what?”
Georg shrugged and reached for the door handle. Gustav put himself in front of it. “Come on, Georg, tell me what’s going on. You don’t pick fights in bars, especially our place. And you know better.”
“At least I wasn’t stupid enough to get hit over the head with a fucking beer bottle!” Georg taunted and pulled his chest up, looking as though he was raring for another fight. Gustav narrowed his eyes and briefly thought about yielding to temptation and hitting him. Then he decided to be the bigger man and step away, letting Georg open the car door with a huff and get inside.
Gustav got behind the wheel but didn’t turn on the ignition. “Georg, there is something wrong with you. If you’re not going to admit it, at least tell me what you did in the two minutes I was gone to piss off that guy so badly that he decked you in front of everyone.” When Georg crossed his arms over his chest and looked for all the world like a stubborn child, Gustav added, “I’m not driving you home until you tell me.”
“Damn it, Gustav!” Georg rubbed at his mouth absently and wiped the blood on his jeans. Gustav found himself wanting to take care of it, but he wouldn’t back down this time.
After a few long moments of silence broken only by the steady rain hitting the roof of the car, Georg gave a growl. “All right, you win. I saw that pretty blonde sitting at the bar and thought I’d go introduce myself. I’d just started talking when her boyfriend interrupted me and told me to take a hike. I guess I got a little upset about it. He just really bugged me, okay? Next thing I know, he hit me.”
“I think you missed the part where you were shouting insults about his girlfriend and his mother,” Gustav said.
“Well, I don’t really remember everything I said. It just started coming out,” Georg admitted.
“You are one of the most laid-back people I know. How did the guy get you that worked up in all the longer it took me to piss?” Gustav still couldn’t believe it.
Georg shrugged. “I guess he just didn’t like my face.”
“Oh, Georg,” Gustav finally started the car and got them on the road. He knew there was something else going on, could read it all over Georg like a billboard. Georg wasn’t one to lose his temper, but if he’d been angry or upset already, he’d probably been spoiling for a fight that the jealous boyfriend was all too happy to dole out.
“Just … don’t take me back to my place. Can we go to yours?” Georg said suddenly. Gustav spared him a quick glance and saw him pulling up the bottom hem of his T-shirt to rub at his bloody lip. Gustav looked away before he could make out any skin.
He cleared his throat. “Yeah, I guess. You’ll need to get something on your mouth and lip or it’ll swell.”
“At least I don’t need stitches,” Georg said pointedly but then he asked, “You don’t think I’ll need stitches, do you?”
Gustav laughed. “No, your lip will be fine. It’ll be sore for awhile but you’ll survive. You’ll be back to kissing in no time.”
His attempt at a joke fell flat when Georg just grunted and focused his attention out the window. Gustav didn’t try again but got them back to his place as quickly as possible. Georg made himself at home on the couch and had the TV on before Gustav had kicked off his shoes and greeted the dog who begged to be let out.
He watched Georg obviously ignoring him in favor of a football match that he didn’t even like, so he went to the kitchen and got a wet towel, a couple dry ones and a bag of something that had been in his freezer since he’d moved in. He was pretty sure his mother or sister had put some frozen vegetables in there, hoping he would eventually eat them, but Gustav had only found them good for applying as convenient ice packs.
He joined Georg on the couch, sitting close beside him so he could see his injuries. Georg jumped and practically crawled onto the arm of the couch.
Gustav sighed in irritation. “This has got to stop. I know I’m pretty shitty at nursing and giving comfort, but I’m just trying to help you here. You don’t have to act like I’m an axe murderer.”
Georg rolled his eyes, but he did slide off the arm back on to the cushion.
“Good,” Gustav said in the same tone he rewarded his dog for obedient behavior. “Now, let me see your lip.”
“It’s really not that -” Georg was cut off by a wet kitchen towel pressed against his lips, and truth be told, partly in his mouth, thanks to Gustav’s desire to shut him up.
“Wipe all that blood off,” Gustav instructed. When Georg obeyed, he handed him a dry towel. Georg dabbed at the cut, but the bleeding had stopped. Gustav busied himself wrapping another dry towel around the bag of unknown vegetables. “You’ve managed to get blood all over your clothes. Take off your pants and shirt and I’ll toss them in the washer. They’ll be dry by the time you’re ready to go home.”
When Gustav had the bag wrapped to his liking, he glanced up at Georg, expecting to see him obeying. Instead, Georg was staring at him with wide eyes, clutching the towel to his chest, and not undressing at all. Gustav frowned. “Come on, you’ve got to get blood out before it stains or it’s a bitch to remove.”
Georg held the towel closer and edged away. “No, that’s all right. I’ll take my chances. I can wash them later.”
“But that’s one of your favorite shirts,” Gustav pointed out.
“Really, I don’t need you to wash my clothes or take care of me. I am fine,” Georg said with a kind of finality to his voice that Gustav wasn’t sure really applied to the situation they were in.
“Are you going to tell me what’s going on with you?” Gustav asked straight out.
Georg sighed and dropped the towel to his lap. He absent-mindedly brushed some hair away from his face in a gesture Gustav recognized as his way of stalling. He waited, frozen vegetables slowly thawing in his nervous grasp.
“Gustav, I don’t want you to hate me,” Georg started, immediately making Gustav want to butt in with “But I could never hate you!”. Georg held up his hand to silence him. “I guess I’m afraid of what you’ll say. I don’t want to … disappoint you or make you feel uncomfortable. It’s just, I’ve been thinking.”
He looked up to meet Gustav’s eyes finally. If Gustav had been a smartass like Tom, he would interject some stupid comment about Georg causing himself permanent damage by thinking for once. But Gustav knew this wasn’t a joking matter, so he stared back at his best friend.
Georg kept looking at him. “I’ve been thinking a lot since Karla and I broke up, and I realized something really important. It’s been in front of me for a long time, but I’ve never really noticed it until recently. I don’t know what to do now, but maybe you’re right. Maybe you do deserve to know.” He took a deep breath. “Gustav, I think I have feelings for someone in the band.”
Gustav immediately thought of Bill’s long legs and recently toned shoulders and luscious ass. Then he remembered Tom and Georg exchanging lingering, smoldering looks in Russia, in front of the media, and a blown kiss. His fist tightened until thawing peas shot out of the bag, all over the couch and their laps.
When Gustav finally thought he could speak in a neutral voice, he said, “Well. Which one is it?”
Georg suddenly looked down and found the frozen peas fascinating as he began to pick them off his lap, one by one, and place them on the coffee table.
“Georg, which one is it?” Gustav’s voice sounded more strained than he’d like, but he really wanted - no, needed - to know. So he could plot Bill’s demise. Or ready a lecture for Tom on how delicately Georg needed to be treated. Or what if Georg had fantasies like some of the fangirls and … “Oh, god, it’s not both, is it? Is it?!”
Georg put down the last of the peas he’d found and wiped his hands on his lap. “Gustav, I don’t know how to tell you this. I thought I could get by keeping it to myself. It just hit me last week, after Karla kept complaining about the band being the most important thing in my life. Then really thinking about what I wanted in life - settling for a relationship with her that was okay or trying out a relationship with someone who had stuck by me for a decade, through good and bad. Someone who understood what we went through and why it felt so good to celebrate it now. Someone who was always there for me, always, and knew me better than I know myself. That’s when it hit me that I wanted more than just a friend. I think I’m in love.”
Tom would never know how to handle Georg when he got all fussy and melodramatic because he felt insecure about something as silly as his hair, Gustav thought furiously. And if Georg ever declared himself, Bill would probably just write another confusing song mixing meteorological terms with outer space metaphors and try to convince Georg he was an alien. Neither twin was good enough for him. No one understood Georg.
“Which. One. Is. It,” Gustav asked one more time, heart sinking down through his body until it hit his toes.
Georg shut his eyes and turned his head away from Gustav. “It’s you.”
Through the blood rushing in his ears - which he thought distractedly should be impossible because he was pretty sure his heart had stopped - Gustav thought he heard in English, “It’s two.”
He never stood a chance. Two otherworldly, beautiful twins entrapping a mere mortal man with their demonic wiles, Gustav never could compete with that. He twisted the warming plastic bag between both hands and watched as the crystallized peas fell to the floor in a stream.
Georg had opened his eyes and was looking at him, gaze going from his tightened face to his tighter fists and back. “I’m really sorry I said anything. I should have known better. Please, can we just forget I said anything and pretend I’m really, really drunk right now?”
Gustav cleared his throat and tried to stop strangling the bag. “It’s okay. I … needed to know. But how are you going to break it to the twins? Are you going to go for both of them? Because I think Tom is still dating that one girl.”
Georg was looking at him strangely now. “What are you talking about? Why would I tell Tom?”
“Well, you just said you didn’t want to hold it in anymore. You need to tell them how you feel. I’m sure it will mean something to them if you’re honest that you…” Gustav choked for a second, “are falling in love with them.”
Georg was staring at him and didn’t appear to be able to blink. He tilted his head and stared some more. Gustav blinked enough for both of them and twisted the ruined bag until the last remaining peas dribbled out. Georg reached over and pulled the soggy plastic out of his grasp and let it drop to the floor.
“Gustav,” Georg said very slowly. “I’m not in love with the twins. I said I’ve been falling in love with you.”
“Oh,” Gustav said. That was all he could think for a long moment. “Oh. Oh! Okay.”
“Okay? Really?” Georg said. “I confess that I’ve been thinking about you in a lustful way for the better part of two weeks, and all you can say is okay?”
“You didn’t mention lustful before,” Gustav pointed out.
“I didn’t want to scare you off,” Georg retorted before he thought about what he’d just said. Then he bit his sore lip and winced.
“Scare me off? It would take a lot more than that to scare me off,” Gustav tried to joke. “Now, your morning breath combined with a hangover and your bed-head is almost enough to make me afraid, but I’ve been through that. A lot.”
“Yeah, you have. You’ve been a great friend, Gustav. And I hope you’ll stay my friend even after this,” Georg said.
“You’re my best friend,” Gustav said quietly. “You’ll always be my best friend.”
“Besides, this is probably just a crush or something because Karla and I broke up. I’m sure in enough time, it’ll go away…”
“Don’t say that!” Gustav interrupted. He leaned closer and put his hand on Georg’s knee without thinking. This time, Georg didn’t pull back. “Don’t make light of this or think that it’s only a crush. Maybe this has been a long time coming. Maybe you’ve been feeling things for a while, but you didn’t have the courage to say anything. Maybe this is just the kick in the ass you need to admit you want to be more than friends.”
Georg squeezed his eyes shut and gave a little humorless laugh. “You’re putting a lot into this.”
“Yeah, I am.” Gustav took a deep breath and decided to go for it. If nothing else, he could claim the punch to Georg’s face had caused enough brain damage that he hallucinated it all. “I am because I feel the same way about you.”
Georg’s eyes popped open so fast Gustav thought they made a noise. “Don’t make fun of me, man. That is not cool.”
“No! I’m not making fun of you.” Gustav swallowed. “I really do. I’ve felt that way about you for a long time. But I never thought you’d go for it, so I was resigned to being your best friend. I still want to be your best friend. Just more.”
Georg reached down and touched the hand that Gustav had forgotten was still resting on his knee. “You really feel like that about me? You think about me? You dream about touching me and kissing me?”
Gustav nodded, even as Georg took his hand off his knee and examined it. “I’ve thought about you for years, but lately, I just want to hold you.”
Georg barked out a laugh. “I want to do more than hold you. But every time you touch me, I have to pull away before I grab you and do unspeakable things.”
“Oh, really? Unspeakable, huh?”
Georg nodded. “I guess it wasn’t that big a stretch going from you being the one person in the world I trusted the most. The one I love to be around. My best friend in every way. To being more. Suddenly, you’re all I can think about. And when I see you, I want to do more than just have fun with you.” He squeezed Gustav’s hand. “It’s like one of those movies where the guy is best friends with the smartest, funniest girl, but it’s only after he dates a bunch of other women that he realizes his best friend is the perfect match for him after all.”
“Oh shit, that’s what I’ve always thought, only I’m the guy pining for his best girl friend until she realizes what’s right in front of her,” Gustav said.
Georg crinkled his nose and squeezed his hand again. “I don’t think either of us is the girl in this relationship.”
“Are we going to have a relationship?” Gustav squeezed back.
“Would you like to?”
“I’ve already told you how I feel,” Gustav said quietly, meeting Georg’s eyes. “Do you think I would take that back?”
Georg shook his head. “I don’t want you to take it back. I still can’t believe you think you feel the same way. I was afraid … well, let’s just say I’d rather face down that guy from the bar again than go up against you if I pissed you off.”
Gustav laughed and pulled his hand free, then shoved Georg in the shoulder with it. “I do love you, Georg. More than as a best friend. Now, are you going to believe me?”
“Maybe. Or maybe you’d better show me some proof,” Georg said, and smiling, leaned his face closer to Gustav who could take a hint when it slapped him in the face. Or brushed against his lips. He tilted his head for better positioning and reached up to softly curve his fingers around Georg’s cheek. Georg let out a little sigh into the kiss and started to open his mouth harder when he pulled back suddenly.
“Damn! I forgot my lip hurts!” He touched it and grimaced. Gustav licked his own lips and leaned closer.
“If you hadn’t gotten into that ridiculous argument, we could be kissing a lot more right now,” he breathed against Georg’s mouth, making him shiver.
“I’m a fast healer. Give me a day. Maybe a couple hours.”
Gustav chuckled and offered, “Do you want some more ice because I think Mom left some other vegetables I don’t like in there?”
“I’ll be fine,” Georg promised. “But, Gustav, if we do this … since we’re doing this, how will we break it to Bill and Tom? How will this affect the band?”
Gustav felt his irrational jealousy rise again at the thought of the twins, then he tried to realize that this time - he got Georg. “This - us - we won’t affect the band at all. It’s always come first, no matter what else is going on in our lives. We’ll keep it that way. And the twins shouldn’t care in any case. They have no right to dictate our personal life, and if I know Bill at all, he’ll be pleased that someone has found true love.”
“Wow. You do think this is serious?” Georg continued to look a little awed, and Gustav completely understood. The entire evening felt like a wonderful and unbelievable dream that he would wake from eventually.
“Yeah, I want to be serious with you.”
“You know, my lip is feeling a little better all of a sudden,” Georg said, leaning closer and brushing a string of kisses across Gustav’s cheek toward his mouth.
“You know what they say. Kisses are good for making pain go away.” Gustav captured Georg’s top lip then licked gently into his mouth.
“Mm, it’s working,” Georg managed to say before he eagerly returned the kiss, the first of many that night and in the next weeks.
______________________________________________
“So, that’s what happened.” Gustav looked up from his beer to see Bill’s eyes shimmering with emotion. He clasped his hands together under his chin.
“That’s the kind of love I’m looking for. My soul mate,” Bill sighed.
Tom actually looked up from his phone and smirked. “Holy fuck, that was sappy.” Bill didn’t take his eyes or smile off Gustav as he casually backhanded Tom in the mouth.
While Tom tried to wrestle Bill into a headlock in the narrow confines of the booth, Georg cleared his throat. Gustav looked over to find him chewing his own lip. “Was I really that stupid?”
The twins broke apart to stare, Bill looking shocked and Tom looking amused even though Bill’s palm was still squishing his nose.
Georg went on. “Uh, you know, I never meant to be oblivious or take you for granted. I didn’t realize that you felt like that all along…”
Gustav shut him up by leaning over and kissing him, a quick peck on the lips that Georg swayed to follow when Gustav pulled away just as quickly.
“We don’t have to talk about it. We have what we have now. If you’re happy,” Gustav shrugged.
Georg smiled and grabbed the back of Gustav’s head, carding his fingers through the short hair and pulling him closer. “I’m very happy.” He leaned his forehead into Gustav’s and breathed out on his lips. Just when Gustav opened his mouth for a kiss, Georg pulled back and frowned. “But are you really happy with me? You sure you want to do this?”
Gustav had quickly learned the most effective way to quiet his boyfriend was to kiss him, so he did, kissing a little longer and slipping a little more tongue than he normally would be comfortable sharing in public. He figured it was just the twins, and they didn’t matter. In fact, no one mattered as long as he and Georg were together.
“Does that answer your question?” he asked with a huskiness to his voice when he pulled back.
“Mm-hm,” Georg agreed. As they leaned back together, Tom extricated himself from Bill’s grasp and slapped his hand down on the table.
“Well, not that this wasn’t fun, but I’m late for a date. I think I’ve had enough of the romantic comedy for the night.” He slugged back the rest of his cocktail and stood up. “I’m happy for you two,” he said, with a sincere tone to his voice for the first time.
“Thanks,” Georg smiled up at him and Gustav nodded. But, Gustav noticed Georg never let go of him to do his usual handshake-thing with Tom. Bill noticed too, and gave Gustav a wink.
“I think it’s really romantic. And I am happy for you. And jealous. Maybe it will rub off,” he said wistfully. Tom rolled his eyes and pocketed his phone as he headed for the door.
Bill watched him leave then turned back to the couple across from him, bracing his elbows on the table and cupping his chin in his hands. “Now that assface is gone, tell me the rest. I want to hear about how you finally did it.”
Both Georg and Gustav choked for a second. Georg recovered first, saying, “Bill, there’s no way we are going to tell you about that. That’s very personal.”
Bill turned big eyes to Gustav who shook his head. Bill pouted a second, but when it didn’t work, he shrugged it off. “It was worth a try! Now, I’d better leave you lovebirds alone. Stay as long as you want. I put the tab on Tom’s card,” he said with a laugh as he gathered up his coat and handbag.
“Thanks, man,” Georg said and waved a server over to order another drink.
“Thanks, Bill,” Gustav said, and he knew from Bill’s widened eyes and bigger smile that Bill understood. It might take a while for others to accept what he and Georg had decided to try, but instead of worrying about the band or its image, Bill had immediately sided with them and encouraged them.
“You’re most welcome,” he said. “Have a good night.”
After Bill left and Georg had his new drink, Gustav settled back into the curve of his arm. “Was it as bad talking to them as you feared?” he asked.
Georg thought for a second. “No, I figured they’d be cool, but I didn’t know Bill would want all the dirty details.” He snickered. “Not that we gave him all the dirtiest details.”
Gustav leaned over to his ear. “What do you say we go back to my place and come up with more dirty details?”
Georg’s eyes widened and his grin turned naughty. “That can be arranged.”
And so it was. And try as he might, Bill never found out those details.
The end.