Copyright April 26-27, 2001 by Matthew Haldeman-Time

Rating: NC-17

Pairing: Brian Littrell/Jeff Timmons, since they're the only ones in the room

Disclaimer: The young men who comprise 98 Degrees and the Backstreet Boys are their own people.  The author has not met anyone here described, nor does the author mean to suggest that these people act this way in real life.  This writing is a work of fiction.  I make no money from this venture.

Dedication: Ewan, S.G. slashers, and Tomp.

Wherein Brian's on the toilet, Jeff's laughing, and Drew's been telling Brian's secrets.

Notice: I wrote "Together" Part Eleven.  Brian and Jeff leave the room and hide in the bathroom while Nick, Nick, and Drew are on the sofa.  Tomp asked the Drewboard what's happening in that bathroom.  I went to find out for myself.

        Jeff leaned back against the sink.  "So."

        "Hey."

        "Heard any good jokes lately?"

        "Three boy band members walk into a bar..."

        Jeff laughed.

        Brian scratched behind one ear.

        "They'll be okay out there," Jeff said, not quite asking.

        "Drew can handle it," Brian said.

        "Nick meets Nick," Jeff said, and shook his head.

        "Nick's been wanting this for a long time," Brian said.  "He loves Nick...  Looks up to him."

        "Really," Jeff said.  "I thought that you were the one who had a thing for Nick."

        Brian started.  Stared.  Began to blush.  "What has Drew been telling you?"

        "He mentioned that you have a crush on my husband."

        "You have a crush on mine," Brian said.

        "Don't change the subject.  You want my Nick."

        "You want mine."

        "You should want him," Jeff continued, refusing to be distracted from teasing Brian.  "Take everything about your Nick, everything about your Lachey, and put them together."

        "That's-"

        "Then multiply by two.  The mouth.  Muscles.  Dimples.  Confidence.  The way he kisses.  The way he..."

        ...

        ...

        "What?"

        "I have too much respect for Nick to brag about how hot he is in bed."  Jeff shifted his weight from one foot to the other.  "I know your Nick.  I've been with Drew.  I could compare my Lachey with yours.  But I don't kiss and tell."

        "You think Nick's better than Drew?" Brian demanded, not believing it for a second.

        "Not better.  Different.  Like the two of us - - we're probably both very good, but too different for anyone to say who's better.  So.  How long have you been lusting after my husband?"

        "I didn't, I'm not, I don't lust after him."

        "Why not?"

        "He's married, he's Drew's brother.  I already have-"

        "Brian.  We've all covered those issues already."

        Brian took a breath.  "I know."

        "You love Nick."

        "I do."  He looked at Jeff.  "I love him."

        Jeff smiled.  "You want him?"

        "Yes.  I want to touch everything in him that's a part of Drew, and see everything in him that's a part of you.  I want to make love with that beautiful, masculine, sexual being.  And when he licks his lips, I want to be there to taste them after him."  He caught Jeff staring.  "Jeff?"

        Jeff blinked.  "Drew said you did that, but I...  No wonder."

        "What?"

        "Drew said you talk like that.  We tried to get him to explain what he meant, but first he got starry-eyed and then he got hard and then we gave up."

        "Drew talks about me?"

        "All of the time.  When he's not talking about you, he's talking about Nick.  When he's not talking about you or Nick, he's talking about you and Nick.  It's okay.  Nick and I don't mind listening.  We don't know you very well, and hearing about you from Drew...he's a very enthusiastic speaker.  And Nick and I make an appreciative audience."

        "You like to hear about us?"

        Jeff smiled.  "Yes."

        "What has he told you, besides that I want Nick and I talk funny?"

        "I would hate to repeat gossip.  But from what he's said, and from what your Nick told me, I've definitely done the right thing in falling for you."

        "Thank you.  For helping Nick.  For being there for him."

        "I'm glad that he trusted me enough to talk to me.  I was lucky to be able to listen."

        "Everyone is beautiful.  But there's something about Nick."

        "He loves you."

        "He needs to love himself."

        Jeff stared.  Crouched before Brian.  Stared.  Slow, glittering tears fell from blue eyes.  Those eyes met his.  He saw fear, and pain.  Deep pain.

        "I'm not strong enough to help him.  I love him so much, but not enough for both of us."

        "Brian.  You can't love him for him.  He has to do it himself."

        "I don't know how to help him.  I don't know how to make him see how beautiful he is."

        "He has to do it himself."

        "I can't stand to see him in this much pain.  It's been there for so long..."

        "Brian."

        "I did this to him.  I did this to him-"

        "Brian, no.  It's not your fault.  You can't blame yourself.  It's not true and it won't help Nick.  Something inside of him was already damaged.  You've hurt him, yes, you know that, and he knows that.  But he'd been hurt before."

        "How did I ever do that to him?  How could I?"

        "You'll never do it again.  That's what's important."

        "How can I make him see that?  How can I help him to understand?"

        "You'll help him.  Drew will help him.  We all will.  We all love him."

        "Thank you."

        "Brian...  I've never seen you cry, and I never...  It's beautiful.  You're beautiful."

        Brian wiped at his tears and smiled.  "You're getting that look on your face.  Nick would say you're melting."

        "I think I am.  I never melt.  How do you do that?"

        "You never melt?"

        "Never."

        "Not even for Nick?"

        "Nick makes me do many things.  But melting isn't one of them."

        "What does he make you do?"

        "Smile.  Laugh.  Think.  Get really hard."

        "Really hard?"

        "Really hard."

        "Maybe it's a Nick thing."

        "Maybe it's a Lachey thing."

        "Maybe it's a Nick Lachey thing."

        "He knows you want him."

        "What?  Drew told you and him?"

        "Drew told me.  I told Nick.  I thought that he might like to know."

        "I'm going to hit you."

        "He turned red and got hard and walked away."

        "He got hard?"

        "Right there and then."

        "For me?"

        "For you."

        "You saw it?"

        "When Nick gets hard, I know he's hard.  And it's not like he has a small dick."

        "Does he touch himself?"

        Jeff blinked.  Brian had not just asked him that.  "Does Nick masturbate?"

        "Does he?"  Brian waited with parted lips and eager eyes.

        "You have a thing for that?"

        "Nick does it sometimes.  My Nick.  Sometimes he tells me about it afterward.  Sometimes he...shows me..."

        "He does it in front of you?"

        "Does Nick...do that?"

        Brian was almost panting.  Jeff was getting hard.  "Yes."

        "Have you seen it?  Does he let you watch?"

        "No."

        "He does it alone?"

        "When he's in the shower."

        "He touches himself."

        "I had no idea you were this perverted."

        "Are you hard?"

        "Yes."

        "Touch it for me."  Brian leaned closer.  Jeff's eyes closed.  "Touch it for me," Brian whispered, so close he could almost feel Brian's lips against his cheek.  His hand reached in between his thighs.  He moaned.  "Is it hard?"

        "Yes."

        "Make it harder.  I want it big and hard."

        "It," oh, "it is."  He shuddered and massaged his balls.

        "Jeff."

        "Brian..."

        A hand on his jaw.  He opened his eyes.  Brian was smiling, friendly, with eyes of sparkling blue.  "I want to check on how Nick and Nick are doing.  Come on."  Brian stood, moved past him, and opened the door.

        Jeff looked at Brian.  Looked down at himself.  Let go of himself.  Decided never to mess with Brian.  Wondered how the rest of the night would go.