If you’d like to read this in an easier colorized version, it’s up on my webpage.
Title: Unknowingly Chapter Eight
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
"Oh god." Nick was bright red again. "Um, good morning Kevin."
"There is nothing good going on in this bus." Kevin tossed AJ his jeans. "Get them on, and come outside. Nick, get dressed. I’ll be back in a few minutes." As soon as AJ had his pants on, Kevin was dragging him out of the bus.
"Kevin, don’t you think someone is going to notice you’re dragging a half nude boyband member off his bus?" AJ jerked his arm out of Kevin’s grip.
"Nick’s bus blew a tire. We’re in the middle of nowhere." Kevin rubbed his forehead. "Except Nick wasn’t on his bus. He was on yours. Let me ask you, are you insane?"
"I’m not crazy! Why do you care who I’m with?"
"Because I have watched you fuck your way through America since you were seventeen, and I won’t let you do that to Nick!" Kevin was in his face now. "I laid down the law a long time ago. You keep your hands to yourself. Leave Nick alone."
"No." AJ was a grown man now. He had to remember that, in the face of Kevin’s wrath.
Kevin grabbed him by the shoulder, slamming him against the bus. "What have I always told you? What have I always told you?"
"Kevin, are you nuts?" Nick was off the bus in a hurry, and Brian and Howie were coming from the back of the convoy. "Let him go! It’s none of your business what we do."
"But it is. I have watched him try and destroy himself for more than a year, and he isn’t taking you with him." Kevin turned back to AJ. "Say it."
"No." AJ suddenly looked terrified. "Kevin, not now."
"Say. It." Kevin’s face was contorted with rage.
AJ looked at Nick over Kevin’s shoulder, and he took a shaky breath. "You do not fuck your bandmate."
The instant the sentence was out of his mouth, Nick went rigid. "You bastard. You fucking bastard. How long have you known?" AJ didn’t answer. "How long, AJ? A month, two?"
"A week." Kevin stepped away, and AJ slid down the side of the bus. "Nick, I was trying to tell you-"
"Shut up." Nick turned around, and ran to his own bus, not even bothering to get his stuff of AJ’s. He didn’t see AJ break down.
Howie was on the ground, trying to get AJ to calm down. Kevin wasn’t sure what he’d just done, but AJ, AJ was crying, and Brian was looking at him like he’d just murdered someone. "What did I do?"
"Congratulations, Kevin. I’d say you just broke the group up." Brian touched AJ’s shoulder, looked at Howie, and then chased after Nick.
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AJ was staring blankly at the ceiling, ignoring Howie. "You said you were trying to tell him, AJ. It’s not your fault Kevin interrupted you."
"I should have told him the moment I knew. I would have, but he talked me out of it."
"What are you talking about?" Howie wondered if AJ was delirious
"A couple days ago, we were talking online. I was ready to tell him right then and there, but he said to wait. Wait until the relationship was stronger. And then, right before Kevin busted in, I tried again." AJ took the tissue from Howie, and blew his nose. "Thanks."
"I hate it when Brian’s right." Howie looked at AJ’s computer. "Hey, I have an idea."
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Nick was sitting cross-legged on his bed, wrapped in a quilt. Brian was watching him. Nick spoke. "So, how long have you known?"
Oh, Brian did not like that look. "Longer than AJ." And that one was even worse. "Howie and I thought-"
"So Howie was in on it too. How nice that you all conspired to ruin whatever privacy Kaos gave me. I just wanted to write, damn it! And it turns out the guy I’ve been bonding with is the one I’ve been lusting after since puberty. And everyone, everyone but Kevin knew before me." Nick got up, and opened the door. "Get back on your own bus. I want to be alone."
"Nick…"
"I don’t want to hurt you, Brian, but I might if you stay here. You saw what I did over the summer." Brian remembered all too well the bones in Nick’s hand shattering against the bus after AJ had gone into rehab.
"Alright."
He left Nick alone, and Nick turned on his computer. He logged onto IM, and found who he was looking for.
KaosShark: I need to talk to someone. Are you busy?
KaosShark: I don’t think you’ll be getting your story any time soon.
KaosShark: Freak is a lying bastard, that’s what happened.
KaosShark: Two things.
KaosShark: Freak and I have met. We’ve known each other for years.
KaosShark: That’s what he claims.
KaosShark: It’s not fate. I didn’t know. I didn’t find out until my brother walked in on us this morning and started lecturing. He used a piece of the ‘hands off’ lecture in the story.
KaosShark: I don’t want to get into it. And… he’s known for at least a week.
KaosShark: Oh yes. I was wearing BSB boxers when we had sex the first time. I made fun of it in the story, made them O-Town. I talked about an ex-boyfriend in detail. He must have known.
KaosShark: In the other IM window, desperately begging for forgiveness.
KaosShark:
BSBFreak: I know you’re there.BSBFreak: Please, you have to forgive me. I was trying to tell you! You’re the one that talked me out of it. I wanted to tell you then.
BSBFreak: Please, please. Just say something. Anything. Tell me to drive off a bridge. Say you want to kill me. Just say something.
BSBFreak: I’ll do anything. Don’t leave me. Please, don’t leave me.
BSBFreak: I love you. You know that. Please, say something!
Candy2001: Wow. That’s devotion.
KaosShark: Devotion? He betrayed me!
Candy2001: You’re willing to waste this once in a lifetime? This perfect twist of fate that brought you together?
Candy2001: Oh, cut the Carteresque bull.
Candy2001: You are not a twenty something member of a boy band. Real relationships aren’t perfect. Friends hurt each other.
Candy2001: You know, my last boyfriend cheated on me with one of my best friends. I forgave her. I don’t think that’s any worse than what Freak did to you.
KaosShark: Were you?
Candy2001: God, all men are the same, gay or not. NO!
Candy2001: You’re willing to throw it away?
Candy2001: You love him, right?
Candy2001: Yes or no.
Candy2001: You did this to yourself, Kaos.
Candy2001: I will tell you whatever I want! I have a twelve hour drive today, and when I come back from that concert, I want a happy couple greeting me.
Candy2001: Thank you.
Candy2001: Sometimes. Now, will you go make up?
Candy2001: Floor section seven, back row, end seat. When they come out onto the small stage, I will be front row.
KaosShark: Once or twice.
KaosShark: K. TTYT?
KaosShark: Hey, you never know.
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BSBFreak: Nick, please answer me.
End of Chapter Eight
~ When I look into the mirror and see a face I don’t recognize, I am no longer surprised.