So Everything

So Everything

Rating: NC-17

Pairing: Nick Carter/Elijah Wood

Disclaimer: The The Lord of the Rings actors and the young men who comprise 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.

Notice: This story began, a year and a half ago, as my attempt to explain why Nick’s wearing a Goonies shirt in the “What’s Going On” video. It’s been through a fairly large revision since then, though, so that’s gone. Here’s what’s left. (Also, I know that "so" shouldn't be used as an intensifier, but I keep doing it, anyway. Sorry.)

Nick was on the couch, flipping through channels, when the phone rang. He reached for the phone, an automatic gesture, then decided against it, sitting back again. He knew that pop star A answering the phone at movie star B’s house was only asking for trouble. Sure, if pressed, he could make up a dozen reasons why he was hanging out at Elijah’s house, but it was better not to make anybody ask in the first place.

The phone rang again. “Can you get that?” Elijah called.

Oh, hell, why not. It wasn’t like anyone was going to recognize his voice, anyway. And if someone did, what, he and Elijah were friends. No big deal. Nick picked up the phone. Caller ID would have been helpful in this situation. “Hello, Elijah’s house.”

“Greetings, Elijah’s house, this is Dominic’s car.”

Nick laughed, changing the channel again. “Hi, Dom. This is Nick.”

“Is he ready?”

“No, he’s still splashing around in the bathroom. I can tell him to hurry up.”

“Are you coming with us?”

He hadn’t expected that. He wouldn’t mind tagging along, but he didn’t want to be a third wheel. Or, what, a sixth wheel. “No, I’m cool, I don’t want to crash.”

“You should come,” Dom said. “Sean hasn’t met you yet. You know you won’t get to be Elijah’s boyfriend for good until you pass inspection with Daddy Astin.”

He’d kind of figured that out already. Maybe that was why he hadn’t made a real effort to meet Sean yet. “He won’t make me sing, too, will he?”

“No, that was just us putting you through humiliation rites,” Dom said. “If you’re not willing to mortify yourself, you’re not in love. What? Oh, that’s the way things are, is it? Billy says I shouldn’t toss around the word ‘love.’ Haven’t gone down that road just yet, have you?”

“It hasn’t come up,” Nick said, shifting uncomfortably, casting a nervous glance towards the bathroom like Elijah could overhear from there.

“Just as long as you keep him happy. Billy, what?! No, this is my phone, use your own. Nick, I have to go. Hitch a ride with Elijah and join us.” Dom was gone.

Nick hung up and turned off the TV, getting to his feet. He walked back to the bathroom, where Elijah was still in the tub. “Hey,” he said, lounging in the doorway.

“Anybody good?” Elijah asked, leaning back a little, looking up at Nick. His wet hair was spiked across his head, and at first glance Nick saw over a dozen places on his naked body that were just begging to be marked by Nick’s mouth. There was a drop of water sliding down one strong cheekbone that needed to be licked up. The water beading around Elijah’s nipples beckoned Nick’s tongue. The water lapping at Elijah’s waist drew Nick’s attention down, and he stepped forward, feeling his own dick stiffen up a little. Sucking Elijah’s dick was his new favorite hobby. He usually made it last as long as possible, because Elijah would get pissed off and start twisting and cursing and pulling his hair, Elijah’s dick riding his mouth until Nick got high from the feeling. Fucking Elijah, hell, he did that so often it was easier to count the number of hours in a day they weren’t screwing.

Elijah had somewhere to go, and he was already late, so Nick decided to answer the question and not start something they didn’t have time to finish. Despite what his body wanted. “Just Dom, calling from his car, telling you to get moving.” Elijah’s little crew of Dom, Billy, Sean, and Orlando made Nick slightly nervous, because he wanted to impress them; he wanted them to like him, because they mattered to Elijah. He was beginning to see how people who dated him might feel about the fellas.

“You should come with us,” Elijah said.

Nick said the same thing he’d said to Dom: “I don’t want to crash.” He didn’t. The five of them were getting together to be together, and they didn’t need someone coming in, breaking the flow. Nick knew from personal experience how the presence of significant others changed the dynamic.

“You won’t be crashing. Come with us,” Elijah said.

Nick crouched beside the tub and trailed his fingers in the water. He thought about joining Elijah in the tub. Or about coaxing Elijah out, stroking warm, damp skin, licking the drops of water away, making Elijah dirty again. When Elijah was clothed, Nick’s fingers itched to undress him. It was such a constant urge, it was kind of disturbing. When Elijah was naked, Nick found it almost impossible not to touch him. Stroke his skin, kiss his neck, lick his hipbones and stroke his thighs. Kissing Elijah’s chest made Elijah’s back arch. Licking Elijah’s nipples made Elijah’s breath stutter crazily. Stroking Elijah’s cheekbones, with his fingers or with his tongue, made Elijah’s lashes flutter. Once Nick had learned those things, he wanted to do them again, and again, and again. Once Nick had fucked Elijah, he wanted to do it again, and again, and again. Sex with Elijah was addictive. Elijah himself was addictive.

Elijah touched Nick’s fingertips with his own.

Nick stroked Elijah’s fingers. He knew, without raising his eyes, that Elijah was looking at him. He felt the heat of Elijah’s gaze, felt the slow-burning desire. Elijah’s hand turned; their fingers laced; their palms pressed together.

His own sexual triggers were easy and obvious, but Nick never knew what was going to turn Elijah on. Half of the time he wasn’t even doing it on purpose. Sometimes it seemed like Elijah got turned on by him just because he was him, got turned on by him just being himself, and that was cool. Weird, but cool.

“I’ll finally get to meet Sean,” Nick said.

Sudden intake of breath; quick throat-clearing; Elijah disengaged their hands. “Yeah.” He sat up a little straighter. “Yeah, I’ve been wanting you guys to meet.” As the haze of desire lifted, Elijah became more engaged. “It’s going to be great, he’s really going to like you. I know he’s been worried, but that’s just Sean. Once he gets to know you, he’ll really like you. I know you’ll like him.”

“Yeah.” If Sean liked him, he’d be in. Not that Elijah would get rid of him if Sean didn’t like him; not that Elijah would stick with him just because Sean liked him. But, with Sean’s seal of approval… It was just one more thing to cement their relationship. They’d been dating for a while, fucking for a while, spending the night for a while. But a relationship?

Nick had a tendency to get too involved, too fast. He knew that, and he’d been making an effort to hold back, lately, to go slower. But it was hard to do that with Elijah. Something about Elijah just sucked him right in. He didn’t know what it was, why he found it damned difficult to slow down, why all of his instincts were rushing him ahead. Those huge eyes, those fine bones, that oddly innocent trust, Elijah was like a kid or a girl or something. But knowing, and tough, and passionate. When Elijah was into something, Elijah was really into it, not just interested in it but attached to it. When he made a friend, that person was a best friend for life. When he had sex, he was making intense, passionate love.

Hooking a hand under Elijah’s knee, Nick pulled; Elijah slid forward with a startled laugh, putting a hand on the edge of the tub for balance. Skimming a thumb along the hard, strong line of Elijah’s jaw, Nick leaned in, pressing a kiss to Elijah’s lips, slicking his tongue inside Elijah’s mouth, kissing a little harder as Elijah started to kiss him back. The noises Elijah made were surprised but aroused, and the hands sliding back over Nick’s shoulders were gathering up the cotton of Nick’s T-shirt and pulling Nick forward.

Elijah was already late; being a little later wouldn’t hurt. Nick started to climb into the tub.

Nick scratched the back of his neck.

Elijah rang Orlando’s doorbell.

Nick ran his fingers down Elijah’s back to reassure himself.

Elijah smiled up at him over one shoulder.

Billy opened the door. “It’s about time. I know you’re a big-shot movie star now, dating rock stars and all, but that doesn’t mean you can stand up the little people.”

Dom appeared over Billy’s shoulder. “You’re not the pizza man.”

“Could you let us in?” Elijah asked.

“Orlando, your boyfriend’s here,” Dom called.

“Brilliant!” Orlando dashed up, pushing Billy and Dom out of the way, reaching past Elijah to pull Nick into the house. “Come along, I want to talk. Do you want a beer?”

“Hi, Elijah, it’s good to see you,” Elijah said to himself, alone in the doorway. “Thanks, it’s great to see you, too,” he replied. “Oh, please, come in.”

“Shut up, we’re all happy to see you,” Dom said, dragging him into the house.

“Hello, Elijah, we’re happy you could make it,” Billy said, shaking his hand.

“Well, thank you, Billy, it’s great to be here,” Elijah said, shaking Billy’s hand vigorously in return.

“All right, what have I missed?” Sean asked. “Take one bathroom break and all of the fun happens while you’re gone.”

Elijah stepped forward, giving him a hug. “How’ve you been?”

“I’ve been fine. Are you skinnier?”

“We’ve been starving him,” Billy said.

“It keeps him in line,” Dom said.

“Oh, we feed him now and again,” Billy said.

“On the weekends, mostly,” Dom said.

“Crust of bread and all that.”

“Drop of water.”

“Nick’s here?” Sean asked Elijah, deciding to ignore the inanity.

“Yeah, come and meet him,” Elijah said, an arm around Sean’s shoulders, walking in the direction Orlando had taken Nick. “God, you’re going to love him. He’s so everything.”

“He’s so everything?” Sean repeated. “What does that mean? So what?”

“So…god, everything,” Elijah insisted, and laughed. “So real and so funny and so warm and so - - he’s a good person, he’s not at all like I expected. And I think he can exude pheromones at will. I’m going to finance a scientific study on it.”

“Well, that sounds like a worthwhile pursuit,” Sean said.

“Nick, it doesn’t count if you don’t sign your own name,” Orlando was saying. “Who’s going to believe you even signed it if - - what is that, my name? I can’t sell it off like that, no one’s going to believe me.”

“It’ll be a rare collector’s item,” Nick said. “You want me to sign Brian’s name? I can do Kevin’s or AJ’s, too. I’m not that good at Howie’s, so any real fan would know it was fake.”

“Sounds like you’re foiling Orlando’s get rich quick scheme,” Elijah said.

“You can do their signatures, too?” Orlando asked Nick. “You can make it look like four out of five Backstreet Boys signed it? That’s great! Here, let me - - sign my shirt.”

“Keep your clothes on,” Sean said to Orlando. “Hi, I’m Sean.”

“I’m Nick,” Nick said, shaking his offered hand.

“I’m Dom,” Dom said, walking into the room to shake Nick’s hand. “Short for let me dominate your wildest fantasies.”

Sean was still looking at Nick. “So, you’re…”

“Not bad-looking,” Dom said.

“Tall,” Billy said.

“Dating Elijah,” Sean said.

“I think I just heard the doorbell,” Elijah said, a little too quickly.

“I didn’t hear anything,” Orlando said innocently, unable to hide a grin.

“What do you think of him so far?” Dom asked Sean.

“I just met him,” Sean said. “We’ve barely said two words to each other. If you all could shut up, maybe we could get to know each other.”

“You were great in the trilogy,” Nick said, figuring it was a safe place to start.

“Thanks,” Sean said.

“Sean was really the one who got me through it,” Elijah said, sliding his hand into Nick’s like it was the most natural thing in the world. He was gazing at Sean with a warm, loving smile, but he was twining his fingers through Nick’s and leaning a little on Nick’s arm. “I told him every day, I couldn’t do it without him.”

“You carried every scene,” Sean said. There was a slight, modest blush creeping into his cheeks. “I was just there for back-up.”

“You were the hero of the whole movie,” Nick said to Sean. He wasn’t worried about offending Elijah; he knew that Elijah agreed with him.

“That’s one interpretation,” Sean said, but he looked at Nick with a little more respect.

“Now you’re just kissing ass,” Dom said to Nick. The doorbell rang. “Pizza’s here. Last one there gets stuck with the crusts.”

While everyone else left the room, Elijah tugged on Nick’s hand to keep him in place. “Stop being nervous,” he whispered.

“I’m not,” Nick whispered back defensively. “He’s just a guy.” Just Elijah’s best friend. Just Elijah’s protective older brother. Just the person who, at the end of the night, would be telling Elijah to stop seeing him and find someone better.

Elijah’s hand slid around to the back of Nick’s neck, pulling him down for a kiss. The warm press of Elijah’s lips made Nick close his eyes and wrap an arm around Elijah’s waist, bringing Elijah up against his body. Elijah’s hand slipped under the collar of his shirt, and Elijah’s mouth-

“No, they’re just making out,” Orlando called. “You want to come and see?”

Nick stepped back, releasing Elijah, wiping his mouth with the back of one hand. “Hey.”

“Sorry about that,” Elijah said, turning red but playing it cool. “Where’s the pizza?”

Conversation during the pizza-eating centered mostly around Orlando, and his latest movie, and his latest crush. Nick managed to participate in the conversation without drawing much of Sean’s attention, although he did notice Sean watching when he starting sneaking Elijah’s pepperoni and Elijah started stealing them back and Elijah ended up sitting close enough to be considered pretty much in his lap. Sean wasn’t eyeing them with jealousy, just watching, like he was taking notes to make a decision later.

Orlando wanted to get Elijah’s opinion on something, so they left the room, and then Dom took Billy off to mess with something else in another room, so Nick was alone with Sean. He liked Sean, and he’d heard all of Elijah’s Sean stories at least twice, so he knew Sean was an okay guy. He didn’t know what Sean thought of him, but unless he acted like a complete asshole Sean wouldn’t have a lot of reason to dislike him, so he decided to relax. When Sean started cleaning up, Nick helped, gathering up pizza crusts.

“Elijah really seems to like you,” Sean said. His voice was casual, but his eyes weren’t.

“I really like him,” Nick said.

“He’s been in Hollywood for some years now, but he’s never experienced fame anything like what he’s been going through lately. He’s not always sure what people want from him,” Sean said.

That made sense. Nick had been there and done that. “I don’t want anything from him,” Nick said. “I want to spend time with him and be with him, but I’m not looking for something from him.”

Sean nodded.

“I’m not - - I don’t know if you’re trying to say this, but I’m not latching onto him for his fame. I have fame and I have success, and I’ve never hung onto anybody else. People try to use me for that. I wouldn’t do that to somebody else.” Nick wasn’t comfortable being accused of that, but he wasn’t sure that Sean was trying to accuse him, either. It was more like Sean was trying to feel him out.

“Are you serious about him?” Sean asked Nick, his gaze probing.

Nick wasn’t used to being asked his intentions. He was Nick Carter. He wiped crumbs from his hands and stood. Sean stood, too, waiting for his answer.

“Ouch! Ssshhh! Damn it, Billy!” Dom stumbled through the doorway, glaring over one shoulder. “Sorry about that, carry on, as you were,” he said, ducking back out of sight again.

“What’s going on?” Elijah asked, coming into the doorway, Orlando right behind him.

“Ssshhh,” Dom said. “This is important, Elijah, get back here, don’t interrupt,” he insisted, reaching for Elijah’s arm, tugging him back.

Watching Elijah twist to pull free of Dom’s grasp, Nick couldn’t help but grin. He was familiar with every flex and writhe Elijah was capable of; he was familiar with the wiry strength in Elijah’s body. “Yeah,” he told Sean. “I am.”

“I told you!” Dom told Billy, releasing Elijah.

“That’s good,” Sean said. “That’s good.” He looked a little impressed, a little more relaxed.

Elijah rubbed his upper arm where Dom had grabbed him, looking around the room. “What are we talking about?”

“Nothing,” Nick said, hoping that he sounded casual enough.

Orlando ran his fingers through his hair, looking ready for a change. “Let’s go out. Nick, what kinds of clubs do you like?”

“Out?” Sean asked.

“Nick and Orlando on the same dance floor,” Billy said. “This could be good.”

Elijah sat down with a smile, taking a quick drink from Sean’s glass. “Can I say, whew?”

“I told you not to dance with Dom,” Sean said. “You knew better.”

“That was a workout,” Elijah said.

“I haven’t seen you dance with Nick,” Sean said in a deliberately casual tone.

Elijah barely missed a beat. “He’s out there with Orlando and they are looking good.” He whistled. “Hope I don’t go home alone tonight.”

“You didn’t want to come here, did you?”

“Are you crazy? I love you guys. Everything we do together is great. And I’ve wanted you guys to have a chance to spend more time with Nick.”

“What’s going on?” Sean asked. “You don’t want to be in public with him? You’re afraid someone’s going to notice?”

“No, it’s not that,” Elijah said. “That’s… God, now I feel stupid, that barely occurred to me.”

“Then what is it?” Sean asked.

“It’s nothing,” Elijah said. “I’m an ass, I’m stupid, it’s nothing.”

“If it’s nothing, then you can tell me about it,” Sean said.

“Do you want to dance?” Elijah asked.

“I’ll dance with you if you’ll tell me why you don’t want to dance with Nick.”

“He’s six fucking two,” Elijah said, his voice soft and explosive. Sean stared. “That’s eight inches. It’s not bad enough that I’m built like a prepubescent girl while he’s built like a lumberjack, he’s eight inches taller. I can climb him like a fucking tree. We can’t bump and grind, what am I going to do, hump his kneecap?”

“Lumberjack?” Sean repeated.

“You know what I mean,” Elijah said, not amused.

“You dance with Orlando.”

“Orlando’s five eleven. And Orlando’s skinny. Nick’s big, broad, solid. Look at me, I have bones like a bird.”

“You’re right,” Sean said. “You’re absolutely right. You’re an ass.”

“What?”

“You are an ass, and you are stupid. Who do you think Nick dances with most of the time he’s in clubs?”

“Is this a trick question?”

“Who does Nick usually dance with?”

“Girls. Women.”

“Are most of those women six fucking two? Most of those women are, oh, I’d say about five six. Maybe shorter.”

Elijah blinked.

“Nick’s spent years dancing with those women in clubs. Years. He does it all of the time. He’s probably very good at it. I’d bet if you’d ask them, a lot of them enjoyed the experience thoroughly.”

“I can imagine.”

“Yeah, they’re probably about five sex. Probably a little delicate-looking, small-boned. They probably look up at him with big blue eyes. And the last body part they’re thinking about is Nick’s kneecap.”

“What are you saying?” Elijah asked, smiling.

“I’m saying get out there and dance with your boyfriend. You can’t let Orlando have all of the fun.”

Before Elijah could process “boyfriend,” Orlando and Nick appeared at the table. “Come on,” Nick said to Elijah. “I need a new partner. This guy can’t keep up.”

“Are you coming out for a dance or do I have to drag you?” Orlando asked Sean.

“Hey, hey,” Dom said, crowding into the group. “I want to dance with Nick next. My turn, my turn.”

“My turn,” Elijah said, slipping out of the booth to stand.

“My turn,” Dom disagreed. “One little dance. I just want to grab his ass real quick and you can have him back.”

“Go grab Billy’s ass,” Elijah said.

“Been there, done that. This is new ass, and much hotter.”

“I think I resent that,” Billy said. “What are we all clumping up for?”

“I’m dancing with Nick,” Dom said.

“I’m dancing with Nick,” Elijah said. “Grab Orlando’s ass.”

“Too small,” Dom said.

“Grab Sean’s ass,” Billy suggested.

“Whoa, hey, no,” Sean said.

Dom chuckled maniacally and tried to drag him out of the booth.

Elijah left them to their deviancy, taking Nick’s hand and finding a spot among the dancers.

It started out as just dancing. Regular dancing. Then they moved into each other’s personal space more, and more, and it wasn’t just dancing, wasn’t just fun and music and flirtation. There was a look in Nick’s eyes that said, without question, “I could fuck you right now and you’d love it,” and Elijah believed it, knew it was true.

Elijah could feel how hard Nick was, and that brought a new heat to his own arousal, and that made him reckless. He turned, dancing back against Nick, waiting for it, asking for it. God! There it was, right there, Nick’s hard-on against his ass. Nick was working it back there, rolling and grinding, and Nick’s right arm came around him, Nick’s hand on his chest. That hand slid down, down, low on his stomach, bringing a new urgency to his bloodstream. He wanted to beg. He tipped his head back on Nick’s chest, looking up; Nick looked down in return, and Nick’s fingers traced a line along the edge of his waistband, teasing, taunting. Elijah brought his arm up and back, his fingers finding a home in Nick’s hair, his ass riding Nick’s erection.

“Okay, time to break this up,” Billy said, coming around in front of him.

“Simulated sex is much more appropriate inside the home,” Dom agreed.

Nick’s hand slid back up Elijah’s chest, his thumb deliberately rubbing over a nipple. Elijah couldn’t help it; he moaned, closing his eyes.

“Elijah, if you don’t stop this right now, you’re going to be a headline tomorrow,” Billy said. “Take a break.”

“One more minute,” Elijah said.

“Now,” Dom insisted.

Elijah opened his eyes, tilting his head back once more, looking up at Nick, wanting, lusting. He always wanted Nick, all of the time, no matter what they were doing. It was new for him, and a little disturbing, to want someone constantly, to feel a continual low-grade hum of desire that was ready to snap into all-out lust at the slightest provocation.

Nick turned him quickly, spinning him into place, face-to-face, one thigh between his legs, one hand splayed at the small of his back on the verge of sliding down to his ass. It took only a few X-rated seconds before Elijah felt his lashes start to flutter, felt his thighs start to tense, felt his body pushing towards orgasm.

“Do something!” Billy said to Dom in the background, unimportant to Elijah’s moment.

“Nick,” Elijah whispered, knowing Nick couldn’t have heard him, not sure what to hold onto, feeling the pleasure start to prepare itself for one final run.

Dom was cursing.

Elijah felt it coming.

“Start a fight!” Billy urged Dom.

“Kiss me!” Dom said.

“What?!” Billy asked.

Nick’s hand was on his ass, squeezing, guiding his hips.

“Kiss me!” Dom repeated.

“What?!” Billy demanded.

“You - - here!”

Nick’s hips were doing a roll, snap!, roll, snap! combination that was decimating his higher functions. It was like Nick was fucking him, fucking him live on the dance floor, and he wanted to ride Nick’s dick, offer Nick his ass, bend over and take it. He was about to come and he didn’t care, no, he did care, he wanted to come, he was eager for orgasm, and Nick gave up on all more complex movement and just thrust, delivering each forward movement right against his dick. Elijah adjusted his stance and took it, rocking against Nick, and there was no more waiting, there was no more wanting, there was just a tidal wave crashing, crashing, hitting down, whirling and foaming, then gradually receding, receding, receding…

Elijah realized that all of the noise in his ears was the club, the music and voices, the bass beat.

Nick stepped back, and Elijah found his balance. He knew that he should feel shame, among other things, but that would come later. He was still suffering from an echoing rush of pleasure, and he really wanted to kiss Nick, and he needed to change his clothes. His thoughts were blurry; his body was high.

He turned, to make his way back to the table, or maybe out to the car, and stopped.

Dom was kissing Billy.

Billy was kissing Dom.

Kissing.

He tapped Dom’s shoulder.

Dom waved him away without making the slightest attempt to stop licking Billy’s tonsils.

He tapped Billy’s shoulder.

Billy stepped back from Dom, turned aside, and bowed. “Yes, yes, we’ll be here all week. Thank you for coming. Hope you enjoyed it. All right then.” He grabbed Elijah’s elbow and forced his way through the crowd. He was muttering something, but since he was flustered, and mad, his accent was thicker, besides which the club noise was drowning out most of his words. Elijah got the gist of it, which was that Billy was pissed off, but he didn’t know which of them was Billy’s primary target.

Billy shoved him into the booth, then sat down beside him and smacked at him a few times.

“What part of ‘dance’ sounded like ‘hump like an animal’ to you?” Sean demanded. “Get up. I’m taking you home.”

“Where did Nick learn to move like that?” Orlando asked, looking dazzled.

“God, Billy,” Dom said, sitting beside him. “I-”

“That was incredible,” Orlando said. “It was fantastic.”

“It was stupid,” Sean said. “It was dangerous!”

“Billy-” Dom said.

“Elijah,” Nick said, taking a quick seat beside Orlando, leaning across the table to talk. “Are you-”

“I’m taking him home,” Sean said. “Now.”

“Billy! Will you look at me?” Dom demanded. “Are you angry? At me?!”

“I’ll take him,” Nick said. “We’ll go right now.”

“I don’t know if that’s the best idea right now,” Sean said. “What just happened was very serious, and both of you should take some time to think about it.”

“It was just a kiss! It was just a kiss! It was a great kiss, but Billy - - will you look at me? Could you do me one big favor and just look at me?!”

“What happened was serious,” Nick said. “It was between me and Elijah.”

“Billy-”

“Parking lot,” Billy said, pushing Dom out of the booth, standing. “Now.” He stormed off. Dom went after him.

Elijah rested his forehead on one hand, closing his eyes. “It’s time for me to go home. I need some fresh air, I need a shower…”

“I’ll take you home,” Sean said.

“I’ll take you home,” Nick said, not competing, just offering.

Elijah opened his eyes, raising his head. “Sean, thank you.” He reached over and squeezed Sean’s hand. “I love you and I always appreciate your help. But I think Nick should take me home.”

“I don’t-”

“I’ll call you tomorrow,” Elijah promised. He gave Sean’s hand another squeeze and slid out of the booth. Nick rose, too; he followed Nick to the door.

Between the club and the car, everything hit Elijah, the panic and fear crowding into his brain. He realized what he’d just done. But the club had been crowded, it probably had been hard to get a clear look at just what they’d been doing, anyone looking would have been drunk… He could explain any rumors away, he could dismiss any accusations. He’d be okay. It would be easier to deal with had it been Orlando or Dom or Billy or Sean, but he could still handle it.

But what if the club had surveillance footage? What if, what if-

“It’s your eyes,” Nick said. Startled, Elijah looked at him from the passenger seat, under the dark of the night sky and the light of the streetlamps. “They ask things. They want things,” Nick said. “When you look at me… You have amazing eyes. When you look at me, it’s different from the way you look at other people.”

“The way I feel about you and think about you is different,” Elijah said.

“Tonight, in the club, when you looked at me, I knew what you wanted. I wanted to give it to you.”

Elijah could remember Nick’s hands on his body, Nick’s hips rocking against his, Nick’s erection, his driving pleasure…

“You’re looking at me now,” Nick said, one warm hand cupping Elijah’s jaw, gaze burning heat into him, desire drawing him closer. “I can see it in your eyes right now.”

Elijah took what he couldn’t have in the club, putting all of himself and his lust into it, finally getting the kiss he’d been wanting, taking full advantage of Nick’s mouth. The way Nick kissed, the way Nick’s fingers stroked up his jaw and behind his ear, then back into his hair, it made him shudder, it made him kiss back with sexual greed and start to climb over the gearshift to-

Knock, knock.

Elijah turned his head quickly, breaking the kiss to gaze with startled fear at the window.

Dom waved at them. “Go. Home,” he said through the glass.

Elijah swallowed, easing back into his own seat. “That’s probably a good idea,” he admitted, rubbing one hand over his hair.

“Easy for you to say,” Nick said, starting the car. “You don’t have to drive with a fucking hard-on.”

Elijah had no idea how Nick had managed not to come in the club. He’d been so turned on, he’d been doing everything but getting naked. “Sorry.”

“I’ll live,” Nick said. “As long as I can fuck you when we get back to your place.”

That wicked smile made lust growl through Elijah’s body. “We can probably work something out,” he said, trying not to do anything too obvious like jump right on Nick’s dick.

Nick gave him one last grin, then put the car in reverse. Hesitated, and put it back in park. Elijah watched Nick’s fingers stroke absently over the steering wheel. “What?”

“Sean was asking me questions earlier,” Nick said, and met his eyes. “I didn’t tell him everything, because it’d be stupid to tell him and not tell you.”

“Tell me what?” Elijah asked.

Nick took one hand from the steering wheel and reached out, his fingers almost brushing Elijah’s face before his hand dropped. He sighed. “I’m in love with you.”

Elijah didn’t know what to say. He knew exactly how he felt about Nick, but he hadn’t been sure how Nick felt about him. He hadn’t expected this. “You could sound happier about it,” he suggested with a small smile, trying to lighten the moment in case Nick wanted to take it back.

“It happened so fast I couldn’t stop it,” Nick said. “I didn’t even have a chance to think about it, it was just…there.”

“I know exactly what you mean,” Elijah admitted. “It was the same way for me. I think I fell in love with you in the first half hour.” He put his hand over Nick’s on the gearshift, idly stroking Nick’s wrist. “Maybe you guessed, I don’t let everybody fuck me the first night we’re introduced.”

“Yeah, I figured.” Nick’s smile was small, but real.

“Sean called you my boyfriend,” Elijah said, feeling the thrum of the engine vibrate up through Nick’s hand on the gearshift.

“I guess that would make us monogamous,” Nick said.

“I haven’t been seeing anyone else,” Elijah said. He knew that Nick hadn’t, either.

Nick grinned. “Can I start leaving more shit at your house?”

“If I can leave more shit at yours,” Elijah said, grinning back.

“I’m kind of a possessive boyfriend,” Nick said.

“That’s okay,” Elijah said. “I’m kind of a lazy boyfriend. Once I’m actually in a relationship, I stop trying to impress, and I get a little too comfortable.”

“That sounds perfect,” Nick said, and kissed him. It was a slow, hot kiss, and Elijah had to moan a little, sliding one hand up into Nick’s hair, sucking on Nick’s tongue while arousal hummed up through his body, making-

Knock, knock.

“Fuck it,” Nick muttered, and kissed him again before straightening up and glaring at Dom and Billy through the window.

Dom waved cheerfully. “Good night!”

Nick put the car in reverse and backed up. Elijah waved at Dom and Billy, then sat back with a contented sigh, putting on his seatbelt. He’d just done something incredibly stupid in public, Sean was upset, and drying cum was gluing him to his underwear. But he was in love, and he was about to get laid, and he couldn’t ask for more than that.

matthew@matthewtime.com

Short stories

Boyslash

Home

MatthewHaldemanTime.com