Something More

Chapter 8

"Remember when we were little and this bed seemed so big?" Justin asked as a sixteen year old Brian slipped under the covers with him, moonlight flooding the room.

"Everything seemed so big when we were little," he replied, snaking his arms around Justin's small torso. "Now we're big and life just seems so small."

"What's wrong?" Justin asked upon hearing the tone of his voice, turning his head to the side as Brian laid his head on Justin's bare shoulder. Brian sighed, blowing hot air against Justin's cool flesh.

"Everything just keeps changing." He paused, fingers idly tracing patterns only he could see on Justin's stomach. He looked up into Justin's eyes. "Promise me you'll never change, okay? Promise me this will never change."

"What makes you think this would change?" Justin asked, sliding his knuckles along Brian's cheek. The taller boy sighed.

"Everything else changes. Our friendship is the only thing I'm sure of. The only thing I'm absolutely positive of is that you are my best friend…and I love you."

"I love you too."

"Then promise me things will never change." Brian looked into Justin's eyes hopefully and the blond smiled.

"I promise."

Justin watched sunlight flood his bedroom, trying not to think of broken promises and teenage angst.

Teen angst was so cliché. But also so…real.

"Morning," Jake whispered. Justin nearly jumped out of his skin. He had forgotten Jake was there.

Jake was cute. Jake was sweet. Jake was sexy. Jake was wonderful.

Jake was not Brian.

The taller boy sat up and rubbed his eyes, smiling sleepily at Justin.

"Jake, we need to talk."

"About?"

"Last night. It was a mistake."

"Oh that? Yeah I know. Have you seen my jeans?" Jake got out of the bed and pulled his underwear up over his hips, scanning the floor for the articles of clothing that were torn off his body in the flurry of lust and kisses. Justin stared at him in disbelief.

"Huh?" Jake looked up, smiling that sexy smile at Justin's expression. He climbed back into the bed in just his underwear, sitting cross-legged in front of Justin.

"Justin, I think you're great. But, that wasn't me you were fucking last night. Hell, you were barely in the bed with me." Justin shook his head and blinked slowly. "I believe you were thinking of someone whose name starts with a B." Jake winked and Justin blushed.

"You heard that little slip, huh?"

"Yeah, and I saw it in your eyes." Jake sighed and took Justin's hands in his own. "You and I can be really good friends, I think. But until Brian gets out of the dumb tree, I'm going to be your boyfriend."

"I'm…not following." Jake laughed and let go of Justin's hands.

"Brian is crazy about you, and is jealous as hell."

"Yeah sure."

"Oh my god. Are you blind? Were you there at the diner yesterday? He wanted to rip my throat and we were just talking. Imagine what he'll do if he sees me holding you, kissing you." Justin's eyes lit up with realization.

"He'll pop a vein."

"Exactly! And realize what he's missing. Just, um, protect me okay because I think he could beat my ass." The two boys started laughing together, friendship blossoming.

"I will."

"Good. So we start tonight."

"Let the games begin." The two blonds shook hands, devious grins in place.

"Seriously though, where the fuck are my jeans?"

*************************************

"Brian." Emmett stared down at the teen sleeping in a little ball on his bedroom floor. "Brian!"

"Hmph. What?" He asked sleepily, curling himself into a tighter ball. Emmett rolled his eyes and nudged his hip with his toe.

"If you're going to sneak into my bedroom through my window in the middle of the night and pass out on my floor, please inform me so I don't trip over your dumb ass on my way to the little girl's room, kay?"

"Oh," Brian mumbled, extracting himself from the hard floor. "Sorry."

"You have a real problem with sleeping at home don't you?"

"Yes. I usually sleep at Justin's but oh no I couldn't because he was fucking that hot guy. That and we're not even really speaking to each other." He got up and dusted himself off. Suddenly he stopped and reached out, grabbing Emmett by the shoulders. "Oh god. Do you think he was fucking that Jake guy? I didn't really think so but I just said it out loud and oh god they were, weren't they?"

"Brian, stop," Emmett told him, grabbing his shoulders and shaking him. "You're acting like a prepubescent little girl."

"Right," Brian replied, squaring himself. "That's your job."

"There's the asshole we all know and feel ambivalent about." Emmett kissed Brian's cheek and dusted some invisible lint from his shoulders. "By the way, never talk all fast and high pitched like that again. You were really freaking me out."

"Okay." Brian replied, nodding his head. "Can I use your shower?"

"Sure. You know where it is." Brian nodded and stripped, throwing his pants at Emmett's face. "Charming." Brian laughed and disappeared into the bathroom.

A few minutes later Emmett heard music coming from the pile of Brian's clothes.

I can't wake up to these reminders of who I am

A failure at everything... 18 going on extinct

I know my place it's nowhere you should roam

"That boy goes through ring tones like I go through boyfriends," Emmett muttered to himself, digging through Brian's pockets until he found the phone. He frowned at the choice of lyrics as he brought the phone to his ear.

"Hello?"

"Em? Why are you answering Brian's phone?"

"Hey Justin. He's in the shower. He crashed here last night. Of course he didn't tell me and let me trip over him this morning. Bitch made me twist my ankle." Justin laughed and Emmett smiled.

"Actually I'm really glad you answered because I was trying to get a hold of you. Your phone is off."

"Is it? Oh. What's up, baby?"

"Okay, well, remember that guy yesterday? Jake?"

"Please. Are you kidding? I never forget a boy like that." Justin laughed again. Emmett noticed he sounded really happy, and really relaxed…and oh shit. "You fucked him!"

"Okay Emmett, why don't you take out an ad in the newspapers?"

"Okay fine. I'll shut up, on one condition."

"What?"

"Tell me everything!"

"Emmett!"

"Fine. Spoilsport."

"Jake and I-"

"Jake and I? Jake and I? What happened to Brian and I? Don't give up!"

"Emmett shut the fuck up and listen to me!"

"Okay, okay. Shoot…again."

"Jake and I have devised a plan, and I need to enlist your services."

"Go on."

"I told Jake about my situation, and he wants to help me. So, basically, Jake is going to pose as my boyfriend to make Brian jealous."

"Okay, that's just mean."

"What? No it's not. It will make Brian realize he wants to be with me."

"No, it's mean to me. I'm the one that's going to have to deal with his shit after he combusts with anger and rage. That's fucked up, Justin. I'm taking your Christmas present back."

"Um…"

"I'm kidding. Go on." Justin laughed and Emmett sat cross-legged on his bed, waiting to hear more.

"Okay, so I need you to get Brian to Babylon tonight."

"Not a problem."

"Jake and I will be there. You point us out, and say how hot we look together or something, okay? Just act like you don't know it's all a sham. The Farce, as we like to call it."

"Deal. What time?"

"Ten. See you later."

"Bye." Emmett hung up the phone and deleted Justin's number from the recent calls list. He put the phone back in Brian's pants and jumped on the bed just as Brian was coming out of the bathroom. He changed back into his clothes and fell back onto the bed with Emmett.

"So, up for Babylon?" Emmett asked casually. Brian turned and stared at him.

"It's noon."

"Not now. Tonight." Brian sighed and ran his fingers through his wet hair, shrugging.

"I don't know. I was just there last night." Emmett gave him a knowing look.

"Yeah…but tonight you'll see more than the backroom. Oh don't look at me like that. I know you." Brian laughed and stared up at the ceiling. "Come on. It'll be fun. Just you and me. We'll dance and drink, and you can forget all about Justin." Brian looked over at Emmett and smiled sadly.

"You're on."

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