If you’d like to read this in an easier colorized version, it’s up on my webpage.
Title: Unknowingly Chapter Six
Author: Granitite Stone < granitite@yahoo.com >and CandyGurl
Summary: They were just looking for someone to write with. They never thought it would be each other.
Web Address: www.angelfire.com/weird/cobalite/index3.html
Pairing: Nick/AJ
Rating: NC-17
Kevin knew they were hiding something from him. Something big. Brian and Howie were grinning like idiots. AJ and Nick seemed to be acting reasonably normal, but that only made him more suspicious. The last time the four of them worked together, he ended up in a skirt on national television. It was best to keep them paired off. AJ and Howie, Brian and Nick. At least then, the pranks were somewhat predictable. The damage when that dynamic changed was always messy.
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KaosShark: Freak? Freak, you’re scaring me. Is something wrong?
"He doesn’t know. He doesn’t know, and I even called Ryan by name." AJ felt like he was going to throw up. "I gotta tell him."
KaosShark: Hey, man, you even there?
"Eternally in your debt." AJ’s fingers rested over the keys, and something suddenly occurred to him. ‘Kaos is in love. Love, not lust. Nick is in love…with me.’ AJ let that sink in for a moment. "I can’t tell him. I can’t. What will he say? I know everything, everything. It will destroy whatever we started last night." He needed to ask a question, and chose something completely out of context.
BSBFreak: Are you really planning on sending me a fruit basket?
Nick just smiled. "Yellow. That’s your favorite color, after all."
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"AJ, you okay?" Howie found him staring at the ceiling when the bus rolled into the next venue. "Anybody home?"
"Did you know?" AJ sat up, anger raging across his face. "Did you know that Kaos was Nick?"
Howie hated it when Brian was right. He took a deep breath, and told himself AJ would never hit him. "Not until after Brian had contacted you. I didn’t put it together until Nick told me he was working on a story with someone he called Freak. We thought… It was too late to say anything."
"It wasn’t too late! Now it’s too late." AJ looked at last night’s printouts. "He’s in love with me. I shouldn’t know that, but I do. I know all his little fantasies, his fears about why it took him so long to do anything. You two did this to us. Pushed us together, and now I have to figure out a way to keep Nick from realizing just who he’s been dishing on his crush to!"
"You didn’t tell him?" Howie was surprised.
"No! It scared the hell out of me, but I wasn’t going to say anything. He finds out, everything is over. I want to keep Nick as long as I can." AJ touched the folder lightly, before throwing it into a drawer. "He can never know. Now that I have him, I’m not letting go."
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Brian found Nick engrossed in his sketch pad. "What’cha drawing?" He snatched the notebook away before Nick could stop him. It was Brian’s turn to blush. "Oh."
"No looking at nude drawings of my boyfriend." Nick closed the book, still grinning like a madman. "You’ll be happy to know, I’ve decided not to reek a horrible revenge on you. Instead, if you ever need a organ, I’ll be the first in line to donate."
Wow. That was some heavy gratitude. "Thanks. So, where is AJ anyway?"
"On his own bus. I needed to IM Freak, and I think AJ needed some time to think things over. You know, I feel like one of our fans, obsessing over a favorite Boy, planning out an elaborate seduction."
"You’re planning an elaborate seduction? Didn’t you two…" Brian really didn’t want to ask, because Nick always went into detail.
"Mostly. But we haven’t actually-" Nick stopped when Brian turned the color of a tomato. "Alright, alright, I’ll shut up. And to top it all off, our story is going along great."
"You talked to Freak last night?" They hadn’t figured it out yet? How was that possible?
"Yeah. You know, he was all set to tell that guy how he felt, and he got jumped." Nick laughed, shaking his head. "I used some of the actual dialog in the story. I hope AJ never sees it. He’d probably kill me."
"You used actual… words from when you and AJ…" Brian was feeling sick again, worse than before. Even if Nick didn’t know, AJ must. And he hadn’t said anything.
"Yeah. I still haven’t figured out what had Freak so…well, freaked last night. I’ll figure it out eventually." Nick finally noticed the bus had stopped. "Oh. Are we there?"
Completely oblivious. "Yeah. We’re here." And Brian knew, just knew, that everything was about to go to hell.
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AJ found Nick’s keycard on his nightstand. He got the hint. Looking both ways down the hall, he unlocked Nick’s door, and slipped inside. "Hey."
"Hi." Nick quickly closed his laptop. "I was looking for a friend, but he’s a no show tonight. Is Daddy Kevin making us stay in tonight?"
"I think we can slip past him. Grab a bodyguard." He wanted to dance with Nick, for real this time.
"Five minutes."
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"Cause I want it all, or nothing at all!" Nick was bellowing at the top of his lungs as they rode up in the elevator, sing. "There's no where left to fall, when you reach the bottom it's now or never. Is it all, or are we just friends?"
AJ smacked him across the back of the head. "I think we’re a little more than friends, Nick."
"Just as long as you’re clear on that." Nick dug into his pockets, searching for a key.
AJ pushed him out of the way, and opened the door. "You probably woke up half the hotel. Having Kevin catch me sneaking into your room isn’t on my list of fun night maneuvers."
"Good point." Nick shut and locked the door. "Strip."
"Don’t I even get a kiss?" AJ untied his shoes.
"Nope. Not until you’re naked."
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"AJ’s not going to tell him?"
"No." Howie sounded just as surprised as Brian did. "The plan is to finish the story and then Freak will just disappear. It happens all the time, apparently."
"What if Nick figures it out?" Brian wasn’t sure this was such a good idea. If fact, he was sure it was a bad one.
"Then we hope he takes it like a reasonable mature adult."
"Howie, when has Nick acted like a reasonable mature anything?"
"I hate it when you’re right." Howie stared at the wall adjacent to Nick’s room. "Jesus, Brian, we’re millionaires. Why are we still staying in rooms with paper thin walls?"
"Because Kevin’s a cheapskate." Brian just shook his head. "God, I don’t want to hear this. I mean, Nick’s like my little brother. I don’t need to hear him getting laid."
"Thank god it’s not my room." Howie patted Brian on the back. "I’m going to bed. Enjoy the live gay porn."
Brian started looking for his earplugs.
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AJ laid awake afterwards, running his fingers through Nick’s hair. ‘I don’t deserve you. And I should have said something the moment I figured it out. Face it, AJ, you’re a horrible person.’
"You still awake." Nick rolled over, and looked at him. "I thought I wore you out. I’m going to have to try harder."
"Nick Carter, the drugless cure for insomnia." AJ pulled Nick close. "Trust me, you don’t have to try harder at anything. You are everything the groupies claim you are."
"I think I’ll take that as a compliment." Nick poked him in the ribs. "Do we have a concert tomorrow?"
"Yup. And then two days off as we drive to the middle of nowhere."
"Hmm." Nick curled around him. "Afterwards, come to my room."
"For what?" AJ was just joking, but Nick’s answer surprised him.
"I want you to fuck me. I just don’t want to have to dance the next morning." AJ went still in Nick’s arms. "How come you’re awake still?"
"I was thinking about you." The truth was always the best diversion.
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BSBFreak: Hey man.
KaosShark: Hello. Can’t talk long, we’re going out.
BSBFreak: Anyplace good?
KaosShark: He’s taking me and some of our friends bowling. Of course, going out anywhere with him is always a thrill.
BSBFreak: And I detect no sarcasm in that for the first time. Actually, I just wanted to say hello. I have a date tonight.
KaosShark: How’s that going?
BSBFreak: Too good to be true.
KaosShark: I can understand that. When you get what you never thought you could have, there’s always going to be a little disbelief.
BSBFreak: It’s not that. I feel sorta guilty about something.
KaosShark: Tell me you aren’t cheating on that, and I quote, "beautiful little blond boy.’
BSBFreak: God, did I really say that? And I’m not cheating on him. I’m just keeping a secret.
KaosShark: Is it a bad secret?
BSBFreak: I don’t know if he’d forgive me if I told him.
KaosShark: Would it hurt him to find out?
BSBFreak: Probably.
KaosShark: Keep it to yourself. Tell him later, when he’s willing to forgive you anything. Is that good advice?
BSBFreak: I guess. Meet you in a few days, see if we can’t get some work done on this story we’re writing?
KaosShark: See ya then. *click*
BSBFreak: Have a good time tonight, Kaos. I know I will. *click*
A few minutes later, AJ knocked on Nick’s door. "Ready to bowl?"
"Yeah." He grabbed his coat. "Do we really have to bring Kevin?"
"I think he’d be a little suspicious if we didn’t." AJ took a second to kiss Nick. "Come on. A few hours, and then you can have me all to yourself."
"Actually, you can have me." Nick smacked AJ’s ass as he walked out the door.
End of Chapter Six
~ When I look into the mirror and see a face I don’t recognize, I am no longer surprised.