If you’d like to read this in an easier colorized version, it’s up on my webpage.

Title: Unknowingly Chapter Seven
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 kept score, and harbored his suspicions about Nick. The sullen attitude was gone. ‘He’s met someone, and they’re all in on it.’

Things were just a little bit off, something that wouldn’t even be noticeable to outsiders. That slight change in group interaction he always watched for. Usually, it meant a fight, but not today. It seemed to involve AJ too, he was less tired, less burdened than before. ‘No, they wouldn’t be that stupid.’

Nick bowled a strike, and AJ smiled at him. A real smile. ‘They would. And of course Brian and Howie would approve, stupid romantics that they are.’ Kevin decided to keep his mouth shut until he had proof.

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Nick had a rating scale for kisses, ranging from one to ten. Through the years, (and the groupies) he’d had quite a few ones and not many tens. Men usually fell higher on the scale than women, but the last truly great kisser he’d been with was Manda, over a year ago.

Now AJ, AJ was a ten. His kisses were deep, possessive. Nick didn’t mind being possessed, especially by AJ.

"Did you mean it?"

"Huh?" Nick was surprised he was that lucid.

AJ was stroking his hair, ‘So soft. Not bleached dead like mine.’ "Can I really have you?"

"Yeah." AJ could do anything he wanted to Nick’s body. He already had Nick’s heart.

Nick found himself looking up at short cropped copper hair and a heated gaze. Face to face. A finger slid inside him, and Nick moaned. AJ stroked gently, loosening tight rings of muscle, watching Nick melt into the mattress.

AJ slid in a second finger, and considered what was happening. ‘He’s going to let you, and you still haven’t said anything you bastard.’

AJ told his conscience to fuck off, and gave Nick a third finger. He had to make this good for Nick. He’d done damage to Nick in ways he didn’t even know, and AJ wasn’t going to add physical pain on top of all that.

Nick’s mind was racing, his cock hard between their bodies, staring up at AJ. ‘So good.’ He almost didn’t hear AJ’s question. "I’m ready."

"You sure?" AJ’s fingers would still pressing against Nick’s prostate.

"Oh yeah." Nick moaned as AJ withdrew his fingers. He could feel it, hot and hard, pressing against his entrance, and then inside. There was that long slow push, and then AJ was all the way in. Nick admired his restraint in not coming in the first ten seconds. That was all shot to hell when AJ started talking.

‘You have to tell him. Even the playing field.’ AJ kissed Nick’s neck, and started to whisper, his hand curled around Nick’s cock, thrusting with hard even strokes inside him. "You always seemed so unattainable to me. I never thought you would want me back. That you would even care how I felt about you. I have been in love with you so long, I can’t even remember feeling another way anymore."

Nick made a shocked noise, and came in AJ’s hands. He could feel AJ finish with a final push, and collapse on top of him. "AJ, I-"

"Shh." He couldn’t let Nick say it. Not right now, with his guilt so fresh. "It’ll keep. I just want to sleep."

"Okay." Nick was still too stunned to argue. He wrapped his arms around AJ, closed his eyes, and drifted off.

AJ rested his head on Nick’s chest. "I’m a horrible person. I don’t deserve what just happened. If you knew…I’m going to tell you. I have to."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Nick woke up first. Sometime during the night, AJ had rolled to the side, and they were twisted together. ‘He loves me. Me. Holy shit.’ He didn’t want to get up, but he had to talk to someone. Nick opened his laptop, and checked his buddy list. No Freak. Email would work. Freak would understand what this meant to him. He clicked send, crawled back into bed, and kissed AJ awake.

AJ awoke to deep tongue. He gave Nick a crooked smile. "Can I do something for you?"

"Maybe." Nick attached himself to AJ’s collarbone. "You were so good, last night, AJ."

"You think?" AJ suppressed a moan, and started talking again. Based on Nick’s reaction last night, he got off on it. "Well, you’ll be riding my bus today."

"I will?"

"Uh huh. Because I want to feel what you did. God Nick, do you know what you feel like inside? So soft, so hot. Tight. I want you to take me, Nick. Push so deep inside me, I’ll see stars. Hold me down, and kiss me senseless." AJ stopped his monologue when Nick’s eyes glazed over. "Nick, you okay?"

Nick swallowed. "Mind getting me a wash cloth?" AJ laughed. "No, seriously. When this all ends, we’re getting you a job at one of those phone sex places."

"Wash cloth." AJ pressed in into Nick’s hand. "So?"

"Yeah. If my bones ever deliquefy."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------AJ checked his email as Nick got a few things from his bus.

From: KaosShark@xxxx.com
To: BSBFreak@yyyy.com

AJ stared at the ceiling. "Oh damn. Don’t tell me things like that. I don’t need anymore angst."

"Talking to yourself is the first sign of insanity, you know." Nick bounded onto the bus. "The second sign is when you answer."

"Thanks for the tip." He powered down his laptop. "What did you go get anyway?" Nick held up a bottle, and AJ managed to keep his eyes from bugging out. "And…and what are you planning to do with that?"

"You’re about to find out." Nick set the bottle of flavored lube on the table, and kissed AJ, unbuttoning his shirt. "I’m trying to figure out what’s with you and all these little buttons lately."

"You don’t need to pull button downs off. You can just slide them off." He let Nick back him towards the bed as the bus started to roll. His pants were suddenly down around his ankles, and Nick was tugging them over his sneakers.

"Sit on the edge of the bed and lay back." Underwear next, and AJ was nude under his touch. He reached back for the bottle, and poured the slippery liquid over his fingers. He gave AJ one finger, flicking his prostate as he loosened him up. After a minute he added a second, then pulled them both away.

"Nick, what are you-" AJ had been in the process of sitting up, but he let his head drop back onto the mattress. "Nick. Oh yeah."

Nick’s tongue was pushing inside him, licking sensitive tissue. He smiled at AJ’s moans, and pushed a little deeper. Pulling back, he gave AJ’s entrance a final lick before returning with three fingers. "Good?" AJ could only nod. "You ready?" There was that nod again.

He kissed AJ, sliding inside a slick channel. So tight, Nick’s eyes almost crossed. He gave a first tentative thrust. AJ groaned, and Nick pulled his ankles up over his shoulders, pushing in at a different angle. Just that little bit deeper. AJ made a strangled noise as Nick hit his prostate, and Nick noticed his eyes were closed. "You okay in there?"

"Ohh." AJ couldn’t bear to look. "Yeah, I’m fine. Keep going."

Nick sealed their mouths back together, his hands supporting the small of AJ’s back as he thrust inside. "I can’t…" Too good. Nick came, staring at closed eyelids. "AJ, AJ?" He stretched out behind him on the bed, reaching around for his cock. He set up a good rhythm, listening to AJ’s moans to figure out what he liked best. He stoked that place behind AJ’s balls, and felt him shudder and go limp. "AJ, you in there? Look at me. Come on."

AJ rolled over, and chocolate eyes opened. "Nick."

"You sure I didn’t hurt you?" Nick was actually kind of embarrassed. He’d wanted to last longer.

"You didn’t hurt me." AJ knew now was the time. "Nick, I have to tell you something."

"Alright." AJ saw that confused look, and felt sick. "Get under the covers first, at least."

"Nick," AJ let Nick tuck them both in and took a deep breath. "Nick, I’m-"

Neither of them had noticed the bus convoy roll to a stop. But they sure as hell noticed when Kevin flung the door open. "AJ, have you seen… Well. I guess you have seen Nick."

"I guess I have." AJ was suddenly grateful Nick had covered them up.

Kevin did not look amused. "Get your pants on, Alexander. We’re going to have a little talk."

End of Chapter Seven

~ When I look into the mirror and see a face I don’t recognize, I am no longer surprised.