Justin was touching Lance. In the swirl of the after-party, people chattering and shouting and peering at each other through dark and smoke and too many Cosmos, AJ could see. Justin never let his hand leave Lance's side, his hip, his shoulder. AJ would have wandered over and given them the high sign to cool it, but he was too busy watching Nick try to bite through his lip, as he watched the same thing. Nick's long hand was clenched too tight around the stem of his glass, and his shoulders were hunched over and tight. AJ propped a hip on the stool next to him, at the long dark bar, and shoved him with a shoulder.

"Nick, punkass, knock it off."

"Knock *what* off?" Nick muttered, running his thumbnail along the creases in the crystal. His knuckles were still white, and AJ suspected that if he could, he would have shattered it a long time ago spraying red wine all over his shirt, the bar and AJ. "I'm just sittin' here. Not getting into any trouble. So what's it to you?"

AJ sighed and rolled his eyes, then realized Nick couldn't see it through his shades. "Knock off acting like a little bitch, just because fucking Timberlake won't give you the time of day. Get over it, man. You're sulking over here like your dog just died." He shoved Nick with his shoulder again, hoping to spill some of that wine, knock Nick out of the funk he'd been in ever since that Bass kid had squeezed Justin backstage and Justin had squeezed back, a little too long. "Be a man. Go find someone else, for God's sake. This shit's just getting OLD."

"I'm not sulking," snapped Nick, shoving back. A few drops of wine fell on his wrist and he let go of the glass to lap them up "I'm just ... observing. Figuring out how to approach this. For fuck's sake, AJ, you can hardly give me shit about *that*."

"You're sulking," AJ snapped right back, "and it's pathetic. What the fuck, Nickolas? I'm about to cue the fucking string quartet over here. Pity party for one, please, in the dark corner of what could be," he glanced around ostentatiously, "A fairly kickin' party. Dance, at least. And stop staring at him, because you're makin' me want to smack you."

AJ's tolerance for Nick's little crush had run out fairly quickly. They'd all thought it was cute, at first, when Nick would sit glued to TRL or the Today Show, and sigh over Justin's new haircut or Justin's stomach or Justin's "totally amazing" wardrobe. For AJ, at least, that cuteness had only lasted a few weeks. Now, he was just annoyed. VERY annoyed. He hoped Nick could tell, so he wouldn't have to spell it out.

"Fine," said Nick, gripping the glass again and at least looking like he belonged at the bar. "I'm sulking. Happy now? I mean ... what the fuck's he got that I don't have, huh? He's a dork. He's a geek. He even smiles weird ... what's the appeal anyway?" AJ figured that even when Nick looked away he was still watching the pair out of the corner of his eye, safely hidden behind dark glasses. "I'm smarter than him, I'm hotter than him and I dance better than him."

That startled a bark of laughter out of AJ. "Christ, kid, at least this isn't hurting your ego. You want him so much, you're so perfect for him," Aj shrugged elaborately, leaned back on the bar, got comfortable, "go get him. Go'wan. I'll watch from here." He grinned at Nick, hoping it looked as insincere as it was. "Just think of me as your cheerleader."

"Would you mind not laughing at me when I do it?" asked Nick, nudging him again. "Christ. Maybe the guy just has no taste. I mean, he has to have *some* failing, right? And falling for Lance must be it. Just look at them." He lifted his glass to point with it, and AJ saw Justin's fingers just barely graze across the nape of Lance's neck. "It's pathetic, is what it is." But Nick didn't even sound like he could convince himself of that, let alone AJ.

And looking at the way Lance's head tilted up at the light touch, the way his pretty face lit up to see Justin standing there, AJ wasn't convinced either. AJ tilted his head, considered the happy (he assumed) couple.

"It's kinda cute, actually." He caught Nick's poisoned look, and held back another laugh, barely. "Oh, come on. You ain't getting in there, Carter, so move on." AJ gestured widely with his own glass. "Look around! It's a whole wide world of willing cocksuckers out there! What about her?" He indicated a tall blond who looked like she hadn't eaten in three weeks. "She looks hungry. Or him?" A pale boy with dark hair and shocking blue eyes. Hmmm. AJ made a note of him on his own behalf. "That one's pretty."

"Pretty isn't good enough," muttered Nick, finally turning his head towards AJ and away from Justin and Lance who were now laughing happily together as they grabbed fresh drinks. Anyone who didn't know they were a couple was an idiot. "I can have pretty any night of the week. And have. I need something more than just pretty."

AJ arched a disbelieving eyebrow at Nick, turning at the same time, trying to hold his attention. "Oh, and you're in love with the Timberfreak because, what. He's so fuckin' SMART? The quality of his conversation? Gimme a break, here, Nick. You're just jonesin' for that tight little ass. Not that I blame you-" Nick looked startled "-but don't feed me shit, man. I ain't biting. You barely know that kid."

"LIke you'd know the quality of his tight little ass if it came and rubbed itself in your face," muttered Nick in disbelief, glancing back over his shoulder again. But Justin and Lance were moving on, mingling and losing themselves in the crowd. "Besides, I didn't say *not* pretty, just ... more than just pretty."

AJ grinned. "Oh, I know a fine ass when I see one, never you worry. But he's gone, Nick. Left the premises with a boytoy of his own, an' you're all high and dry. And what are you gonna do? Sob into your wine like a bitch, or get out there and find someone pretty AND...whatever else you're looking for? I mean." He looked around again, noticed that they were attracting some attention, and stretched a little. He KNEW he looked good tonight. "It's not like you've got a shortage of willing possibilities, here. One of 'em at least has to have some kind of personality."

"Have you forgotten where we are?" said Nick dryly, lowering his glasses just enough to look around the room. "Since when is a personality required to get in. I'm not gonna hold my breath. So, if you don't mind, I *will* sob into my wine and then go back to my room and get falling down drunk so I don't have to worry about getting it up for anyone. Got a problem with that?"

"Nick, for fuck's sake. You are gonna make me tear out my hair, and I ain't got any to spare." AJ sighed, gave the bartender a high sign. "When was the last time you got laid, anyway? Please. Relax. Don't make me get medieval on your ass." This had been going on for months, now. One more sigh, one more lingering glance, one more slumped shoulder, and AJ WOULD have to kick the kid's butt. "Getting drunk alone? You are a STAR, man! You are the shit! You should be out playin' it, not sitting around with the room service bar pining over some kid. Come on, Nick. Throw me a bone." He handed Nick another glass, praying the wine wouldn't make him maudlin.

"Why do you care so much?" asked Nick, accepting the drink without a word. "Why don't you go pick out someone to fuck and leave me to my bad wine and worse taste in men and now-public masturbation habits? No one asked you to take care of me, AJ. No one asked you to torture yourself by being around pathetic little me." He slid the glasses back up and sipped the wine almost delicately, which just served to frustrate AJ more.

He smacked the bar with his palm, scowling. "Don't you get pissy with me, Carter, I've known you since you were still getting your big-boy teeth. And..." he paused, still scowling. "I don't know. But you being all sulky and whipped is pissing me off. So go with it. Come on." He made a sudden decision, and grabbed Nick's free hand, ignoring the yelp of surprise. "Let's get out there and shake some booty. Show 'em how it's done."

"Jesus, AJ," said Nick as he slopped wine onto his hand. He had to let go of the glass again to lick it up. "A little warning next time before you decide to assault and abduct me? Sheesh. If I'd known that falling for someone would piss you off I would have kept it to myself in the first place." It was all that AJ could do not to laugh at that, though, because if there was one thing Nick *couldn't* do, it was make a secret of who it was he had the hots for.

"Kept it to yourself? Nuh-uh. Nice try. And it's not so much the falling for someone, it's the way it drains all the personality out of you that yanks my chain." He tugged Nick's hand insistently. "C'mon. Daaaance with me, Nicky." He swiveled his hips, did a short dirty bump and grind. "Get your head out of your ass, it can't be comfortable in there. At least try to PRETEND you're having a good time."

"Why?" asked Nick, looking him up and down with a smirk on his face. "Why cares if I'm having a good time or not? Least it'll give the gossip rags something to talk about in the middle of this dull, dull, *dull* party." He leg himself be dragged out, though, even if he didn't dance right away.

"How could you be having anything BUT a good time?" AJ grinned up at him, and strutted. "You're dancing with THE AJ McLean. The one." He grooved. "The only." He moved. "The man." He swiveled his hips. "The legend." He threw his arms out dramatically, and shimmied up against Nick. "AJ McLean." The music picked up a dark drum and bass riff, and he could feel the deep thumping throb all the way to his bones, and Nick's hair was shining blue and red and gold under the laser lights. "C'mon, Nick. DANCE!"

"The guy I've known since he was a dork with a puppet," Nick retorted, but that didn't stop him from starting to move to the beat, with all the rhythm and grace and raw sexuality that AJ knew was in him. "Fine, I'll dance. But don't expect me to have a good time or anything. You may be *the* AJ McLean, but *the* AJ McLean is a long way from *the* Justin Timberfuck. All right?"

AJ almost let Nick see him wince, at that. Almost. Instead, he pinned a smile on his face, placed a dramatic hand on his chest, and sighed, "You wound me, Nicky. You do." He knew Nick could barely hear him, over the music, but he didn't really care. He was moving, the beat had him, and it had Nick too, for all his pouting and whining. And Nick looked good, his head thrown back, the light catching one blade of cheekbone, the curve of his lower lip, eyes fluttering shut as he moved. Just moving, no choreography, and AJ did love to watch that boy dance. And he could almost swear that Nick was looking less miserable.

"At least you aren't all drama queen like those two," said Nick, making AJ roll his eyes at that utterly one-track mind. "I mean them, they would *have* to be the center of attention, all the time." He wondered if Nick realized that was exactly what they were doing, right then, the realized that was a stupid question. Nick wasn't noticing anything that didn't have to do with the object of his affections. Still, It was AJ he was dancing with, and he was definitely dancing *with* him.

"Nick. Give it up." He put a hand on Nick's hip, feeling how it curved neatly into his palm, and pushed Nick into a quick spin, which Nick managed to fit neatly into the beat. "Think of something else. TALK about something else. Better yet, shut the fuck up and dance!" AJ threw his hands up into the air, ignored Nick's face, which was threatening to sink into a pout, and let his eyes fall shut against the flash of the strobe light.

He didn't think he'd be so lucky that Nick was actually thinking about something else, but at least he did shut up and start paying a little more attention to the dancing, actually smiling -- even though it looked at least half forced -- and focusing on AJ for once. "How come you haven't found someone to fuck yet?" he asked finally, which wasn't quite what AJ'd had in mind when he'd pushed him to change the subject already.

AJ shrugged, incorporated it into a slick pop-and-lock move he was gonna have to show the choreographer tomorrow. "Just haven't seen the right one yet, I guess. Plus, you know," he widened his eyes, "I've been babysitting the resident Backstreet Girl all night." He really didn't feel like bringing an anonymous stranger to his room. Again. But there was no way in hell he was going to let Nick know that, not after the lecture's he'd been spouting all night.

"Again," said Nick, showing at AJ's shoulder and throwing himself awkwardly off-balance but doing nothing to AJ, "no one asked you to. Fuck. Just because I'm into someone doesn't make me a *girl* AJ. Not that you would know *anything* about what it's like." His eyes strayed over AJ's shoulder and when AJ looked himself he realized that the duo he'd dragged Nick out here to avoid were now on the dancefloor together.

AJ groaned, and grabbed Nick, and swung him around, so his back was to Justin and Lance. Who were apparently not concerned about outing themselves, if they were dancing like THAT in public. "No, Nick, being into someone doesn't make you a *girl,* and yes I would know about it, thankyouverymuch. Sighing and whining and sulking around makes you a girl, and NO," he grabbed Nick as Nick went to turn around again, "don't do that. Come on. We've danced enough for tonight." He batted his eyelashes up at Nick, saw unhappy blue, and softened a little, despite himself. "We can go, if you want."

"No, we can't go yet," said Nick, shaking his head and continuing to dance, if a lot more subdued than before. "We haven't put in enough of an appearance. Even if no one's even gonna know we're here, after spotting *those* two. Shit. At least I don't have to be worried about being the sole source of gossip now." AJ couldn't keep him from looking that time, and at least Nick didn't make any motion to go toward them.

AJ scoffed. "You? Baby child, you're not a source of gossip. What have they got to gossip about? 'Nick Carter appeared to be sulky at the awards show after party.' Whatever. Don't worry about it. And look, Howie's over there making nice, and so's Kevin, and Brian's here too. We can go whenever you want." He tried to pull Nick's attention away from the way Justin seemed to be licking Lance. Whoo, that was hot. "Nick. HEY. Nick! Down here! Remember me?" He poked Nick in the shoulder.

Nick finally allowed his attention to be drawn downward. "You dance better than them anyway," he said, moving in closer. "All they do is grind and touch and ... fucking whatever." Then he sighed and looked down even further, at their feet. "Whatever we do, just promise you'll get me drunk, all right?"

AJ turned the poke into a gentle pat. "I promise, baby." Then he looked indignant. "Hey! Of course I dance better than them! Look who you're talkin' to, here!" They danced in silence for a minute, then AJ looked up again. "Want me to kick Bass's ass for you?" He grinned.

"Would you?" said Nick, almost looking seriously. "Then maybe Justin wouldn't think it was prettier than mine. Hell, at least I know what to *do* with mine, not that he'll ever find that out." He shook his head, then threw it back and started dancing with more abandon. AJ didn't know what was going through his head, but knowing Nick he was probably still moping on the inside.

Daring greatly, AJ reached out and patted the ass in question fondly. "Nobody's got a better ass than you, kid, especially not some N Sync boy. He's just not for you. Quit thinking about it. Redirect your energies, isn't that what y'all told me when Stephanie dumped my butt?" He admired Nick's groove for a minute, then got back into dancing, considering heading back to the bar soon. All this comforting shit was giving him a headache. Nick wasn't the only one who needed to get drunk tonight.

Nick turned and showed off his ass for a minute, moving it like nobody's business while AJ watched on admiringly. The kid needed to stop wasting time on people he didn't have and focus a bit more on getting a life again.

"Justin has a nice ass," said Nick a few moments later. "It's nicer than Lance's."

"Yeah, well, Justin's the Hottie of the Year, don't forget. He's got to have SOMETHING." AJ winced. Probably not the right tack to take, right now. "He's probably bulimic or some shit." He winced again. Brain, AJ, use the BRAIN! "Yeah, it's a decent ass," he finished lamely. "Not as good as yours, though, don't forget!"

"Whatever," said Nick, and AJ winced a third time. Nick had picked a fine time to actually start *listening* to him, and of *course* taking things is ways other than how he'd meant them. As always. "It's time to get me drunk now. All right?"

AJ sighed. There was no hope for it. He had obviously committed some heinous sin in a previous life, to be saddled with a pouting and oh-so-sexy and unobtainable Nick Carter for an entire evening. Time to pay the piper. "Yeah. Back to the bar? You wanna go someplace else?" He was hopeful. Out of sight often meant out of mind, for Nick, and if he could just keep the boy away from MTV, he might be able to avoid more moping over the Timberpunk.

"Just get me out of here, all right?" said Nick, much to AJ's relief even though Nick gave him a dark, defeated look when he said it, a look that might have been smoldering under different circumstances.. "I don't care where as long as it's not here anymore."

"Out of here. Right." AJ turned in a slow circle, looking for other bandmates. There was Kevin, by the buffet. Bzzt, wrong, he'd never let them go. Howie was, holy shit, dancing with Chris Kirkpatrick. That one had flown under his radar. Brian, Brian, where was- Ah. There. He grabbed Nick's hand and dragged him over. "B-Rok, hey. We're outtie, we're gone, we're making tracks. Tell Kev, ok? Thanks babe, you're the best. Bye!" He dragged Nick away again, towards the door, leaving Brian open-mouthed behind him. No time for arguments now. Nick wanted to be drunk, and by God, drunk Nick would be.

"You're smooth," muttered Nick, hurrying out the door almost faster than AJ. "We're gonna catch hell from them tomorrow, you know that right?" Which he did, but didn't give a fuck. It was worth it, to ditch the place and get Nick an nice bottle of something to numb him enough to forget Timberflake's face. Or ass, as the case may be.

"What's your poison tonight, Nick, huh? Vodka? Rum? Oh, hey. Tequila. Nothing makes you feel better faster than a little party with Senor Cuervo." He hustled Nick into the limo, deliberately cheerful, hoping some of it would rub off. Nick was a sprawl of long limbs and dark leather and sullenness in the corner of the limo, and AJ swallowed hard as he tapped the glass and told the driver to take them back to the hotel. "Nick, I'll even let you use lemons instead of limes for the shots, you little heathen."

"You're so generous," said Nick, and AJ suspected his eyes were now closed behind those dark glasses. "Just remember, you're the one who taught me to drink. Well, you and that girl ... what was her name? Hilda? Greta? Something like that."

"Brunhilda. And don't go blaming me for your strange taste in fruit." He jostled Nick with a knee, hoping at least to get opened eyes. "So, ok. Tell me. Vent. Get it out. What's so amazing about Justin Timberfuck, that you can't get over it? Tell me, and I'll shoot your reasons down, and you'll feel all better. Talk to me, baby." Nick smirked, but again AJ couldn't tell if the bugger was looking at him or not. "Trust me, my taste in 'fruit' has nothing to do with you," he said, licking his lower lip right to the corner. "Justin? Don't even know where to start. Fucker is hot, that's all. Even you must have noticed that much."

"Yeah? And? There's hotter out there. And I thought you were all nobly looking for more than pretty? Right? Wasn't that you saying that, a half hour ago?" He reached out and snagged Nick's sunglasses off his face. "And that's my look, and you ain't workin' it right." Nick looked startled, then pissed, then reached to snatch them back. "Eh eh eh! Nope. Wanna see those pretty blue eyes of yours. So enlighten me about Justin's charms."

Nick blinked at him a couple times, then squinted as he stared him in the eye. "He gets what it's like to be me. That's what I need more than pretty, okay AJ? He *gets* it. That and the ass ... isn't that enough for you?" AJ didn't believe that was it for an instant, but getting Nick to explain it was like pulling teeth.

"Nope. There are plenty of people who get it. And that place back there was full of fine asses." He reached down to the underseat bar, and pulled out a bottle of tequila. Oh, yeah, that was the stuff. "Tell me what it is, and I'll give you a shot." He waved the bottle enticingly. "C'mon. I really wanna know. What's got you in knots?"

"There isn't this magical thing, AJ," said Nick, closing his eyes as he shook his head. AJ could just barely see his lashes curl against his cheek before he forced himself to stop looking. "There isn't gonna be some eureka moment here. I always just figured he would get me, more than anyone else. Gonna call me a girl again, huh? Cause I want someone who *understands* me?" He snorted and opened his eyes again. "Wouldn't blame you."

"Nope. I may be an insensitive bastard, but I ain't stupid." He took a drink straight from the bottle, and handed it over. Nick looked at it, contemplated. Shook his head. Paused. Thought 'what the fuck' and took a swig. AJ smirked when he choked. "Easy there, killer. Anyway. You think just because he's the baby, he's blond, what, he's the heartthrob? That he gets you better than anyone else? Nick, he doesn't even know you. You don't know him. You made him up into this big ideal soulmate in your head, without even figuring out if it would be possible. And yeah, he's hot. But he's kinda a dumb little fucker, you know?" AJ tilted the bottle in salute, took another mouthful. "So don't go breaking your heart over might-have-beens. You're just wasting your time."

Nick shrugged his shoulders, looking awkward like AJ knew he did when he was feeling young again. "Maybe I did," he said after a moment, licking his lower lip again and tasting the remains of the tequila. "Hey, ten million teenage girls can't be wrong, right? Everyone with their own fantasies of who he might be? But don't tell me I don't have a better idea than any of them."

"Dude." AJ shook his head, frustrated. "You two have some experiences in common, sure. You also have experiences in common with everyone who shares your fuckin' enormous shoe size. You think you know him better than those girls? Yeah, probably. You think you know him better than Lance?" He met, and caught, Nick's eyes. "Hell no." He leaned forward, intent. "You think he 'gets' you better than me or Howie or Brian or even Kevin? No way. Sure, if you sat down you could find common shit to talk about. That don't make him The One."

Nick's look had definitely turned into a glare. "How do I know that?" he said, with equal tension in his voice. "We never had a chance to find out." But there wasn't the kind of confidence there that AJ would expect if Nick was sure of what he was saying. Because he *did* know him better than that, and a *lot* better than fucking Justin Timberlake ever could. "And yeah, yeah, I know. We never will. You *could* just leave me and my crush and that bottle of tequila alone, you know."

AJ rolled his eyes hugely. "What, and miss all this?" He waved a vague hand around the interior of the limo, which currently seemed to be stuck in traffic. Fuckin' LA. "Yeah, let me just hop out into traffic, you fucker." He got serious, just one more time. "Look. It sucks, you've got a crush and someone else beat you to him, and you have to see him all the time. Dude, I know about how much that sucks, trust me. But if you don't either get over it or figure out a way to deal that doesn't have you miserable all the time, it's gonna fuck up your life. So have a drink, try on a smile, have some fun." He handed the bottle back.

"The drink part sounds good," muttered Nick, snatching the bottle out of his hand even though it wasn't necessary. "About the rest? Yeah. Maybe. But I mean ... it's still possible right? Him and me?" Nick had to know that wasn't true, but his eyes plead with AJ to tell him it was.

AJ hesitated. So unbelievably torn. This was Nick, and he'd been watching out for Nick, protecting him, since before he could remember. But part of him wanted to scream at Nick that no, it wasn't possible, you stupid shit, and look right in front of you! That wouldn't really help anything, though. Not really. And those eyes, looking at him. It wasn't possible, it just wasn't, but..."Someday." He smiled weakly at Nick. "Maybe someday. But don't let me catch you moping around waiting for it, Carter, or I will so kick that fine ass from here to Orlando and back."

"You're lying," said Nick with a tiny, tiny smile. "But thank you. We almost there yet?" He swiveled his head to glance out the tinted window, and didn't seem particularly pleased with what he saw. "Nevermind." He took another swig of the tequila, admirably not choking on the damn stuff this time, and handed it back.

AJ slid across to the other seat, so he could bump shoulders comfortably with Nick, and not have to reach for the bottle any more. Warm, warm big body. Nick always ran hotter than he did, and that leather sure wasn't helping. He basked in the feeling for a moment, then straightened up a little. AJ, you pussy, pull it together. "So." Brightly. "What's the big plan?" He could already feel the tequila, making his knees a little liquid, his head a little light. He needed a lime. Lemon. Whatever. "We just gonna get drunk and stupid in your hotel room and pass out? We could wait a while, an' shave Howie's head when he comes home." He grinned up at Nick, and took another pull at the bottle. Oh, he really needed that lime, now. "You seen any citrus in here?"

"Ain't been looking," said Nick, rocking as the car suddenly started moving faster again. "Drunk and stupid sounds good to me. We didn't get stuck with doing anything tomorrow, did we? They promised we'd have the day to recover ... " He seemed to be expecting an answer that AJ didn't have. As far as he knew they didn't have shit to do tomorrow, but who knew when something would be thrown at them.

"As far as I know, we're free." He glanced out the window again. "Hey, we're there. Home sweet hotel. Move your butt, Nick, I gotta pee." And he really needed to find a lime. The tequila was sour in his throat, right alongside the disappointment. One was more than enough, thanks. He thumped Nick's shoulder. "Outta my way, boy. There's a real man coming through!"

When the door was open, Nick hauled himself out, out of AJ's way and almostout of sight of the fans that lined the walk up to the hotel. Great, just great. "Just hurry," said Nick. "I doubt anyone here wants to see me falling-down drunk. And I doubt there's anyone I would want to *see* me like that ... 'cept you."

"Awww." AJ staggered a little himself as he dragged himself out of the limo, remembering just in time to leave the bottle behind. "So sweet you are. I get Drunk Nick, the world gets Sober Nick." He paused, reflected. "Actually, that ain't so bad. Forget I said anything." Slinging an arm UP over Nick's shoulders--damn, the kid was big--he waved and smiled hugely at the crowd as they walked in, trying very hard not to show how much of Nick's weight he was actually supporting. How many glasses of wine had he had at the bar, anyway? Damn. And there was the doorman, and there was the elevator, and there were a thousand Nick and AJ's, arms around each other, reflected back at him in the mirrors.

"Almost there," murmured Nick, so softly AJ wasn't even sure he was meant to hear. "Just a few more floors." Then he turned to AJ, with wide, blue eyes, his full attention unmistakable. "Last chance to back out," he said. "I know where the minibar is. I know how to get drunk off my ass. I've done it by myself enough times now; I can take care of *that* at least without you watching over me."

"Oh, but Nicky," AJ cooed, "then I won't get to hold your hair when you're puking your guts out." The elevator lurched and Nick went with it; AJ caught him deftly, straightened him up, and held him there. "Nah, I think I'll ride this one out with you. Nobody should drink out a crush alone." And if that went more than one way, he thought silently, Nick never had to know. "No one should be drinkin' that much alone, period. So don't do it, moron." The elevator dinged, and the doors slid open with that sterile hiss. "Lead the way, big guy."

"Great, so I'll drink that much with you watching," said Nick, heading straight for his room leaving AJ to trail after him. He probably never even noticed that AJ had all but had him in an embrace in the elevator, because Nick *never* seemed to notice. Notice anything except Justin fucking Timberlake, anyway. "And knock it off with the girl shit," he added, breaking through AJ's musings as he fingered his shortish hair. "I may puke my guts out in a few hours but I can do it without making a mess of myself."

"Hey. If you drink that much with me watching, at least I'll flip you on your side when you pass out." He wandered after, watched Nick fiddle with the key for his door. "I'm sure you're quite the experienced drunk, but humor me on this. As a former longtime solo drinker, I know whereof I speak." He was drunk, yeah, but nowhere near Nick, who was scowling at the door handle. "Gimme that card. Jesus." He slid it in, and popped the door open, ushered Nick in with one extravagant arm. "My prince, your boudoir awaits."

"Jesus, AJ," said Nick, chuckling. The sound was a surprise, and AJ realized he hadn't heard Nick laugh in a long time. "You make it sound like we're walking into a porno or something." AJ rolled his eyes. Uncultured freak. "And gimme that card. I woulda gotten it. You just didn't gimme enough time ... "

"I dunno about you, but I thought the scene in the hallway was getting a little old." AJ shrugged, and headed for the minibar. "Not to talk bad about your manual dexterity right now or anything, but dude, you're wasted. Want a shot? Look! Lemons!" He held them up triumphantly, and did a little dance for Nick, who was now grinning widely, turning on lights and hitting the stereo.

"Yeah, lemme at it," said Nick, stumbling only slightly. He was too familiar with this -- they all were -- to make too much of a spectacle of himself. "Okay ... still thinking about Justin's ass. I mean, fuck, wouldn't you like to just grab that thing and hold it? And see it without those ugly-ass pants covering it. Wouldn't you want to know what it was like to fuck that ass?"

AJ stared at him. "Um....no? Not particularly. Sorry kid, you lost me there." He grabbed the shot glasses out of Nick's hand. "So, how 'bout them Lakers? And no, you are NOT cutting the lemon, gimme that knife. You'd probably cut your fucking hand off or something."

"You still haven't forgotten that *one* time I nicked my finger," he complained, handing over the knife. "Okay fine, so you haven't thought about fucking that fine ass. But what about me fucking that fine ass? I mean, at least that's not as far outside the realm of possibility. Or ... well fuck." Nick chewed on his thumbnail and snorted in bitter amusement. "Now I'm thinking about Justin fucking Lance's ass. That's ...it *sucks* is what it is."

"Frankly, the thought of anyone fucking the Timbertwink kinda makes me feel ill. But hey, that's just me." AJ sliced the lemons deftly, handed one to Nick along with a shotglass. "There are many fine asses in the world, Nick. A large percentage of them would probably be thrilled to have you fucking them. So don't get too fixated." He licked his hand, salted it, and looked up to find Nick staring at him. "What? Shot. Lick, shot, suck. I know I taught you that, at least."

"Yeah, yeah," said Nick, his eyes still on AJ's hand. "Just watching. Go ahead, lick, shoot and suck. At least one of us will be getting some tonight." He snickered, again bitterly, but it wasn't quite as venemous as the last time, he thought. Not that AJ could perceive for shit, right then.

"Yeah, me and my good right hand. Don't get too jealous. You're supposed to do the shot WITH me, dumbass. We'll drink to unrequited lust or something." He watched as Nick obediently licked and salted, and shivered just a little at the sight of pink tongue on white skin. Fuuuuck, he was far gone. "Ready?" He looked right into Nick's eyes, and smiled. "To unrequited lust." Their glasses clinked together, and AJ licked the salt off his skin, downed the shot and oh did it burn, and popped the lemon slice into his mouth. Now that. THAT was a shot. Nick had water standing in his eyes, and AJ couldn't tell if it was the shot or the misery. "Nick?"

Nick spat the lemon into his hand and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "Yeah," his said, his eyes downcast so that AJ couldn't read them. And that was assuming he *could* read them, even if he had the chance. "What?" AJ could also easily have been imagining that Nick's voice sounded thicker than before.

"Dude, you ok?" He let his hand fall tentatively to Nick's forearm. "Hey, Nick, look at me, bro. You doin' ok? You too wasted? Sad? What?" He was drunk enough now, that last shot joining its brothers in his stomach, that he'd gone completely over to Keep Nick Happy mode. They all had them, it came from growing up with an oversensitive teenager who'd hit the spotlight too early. AJ knew they all spoiled Nick. He also knew that he himself was the worst offender.

"Yeah, thanks," muttered Nick, not looking up at him but not shaking him off either. "Like I"m gonna tell you if I am. Get you telling me what a loser I am again over this whole thing." Which AJ hadn't once done, the whole time. "Telling me what a fucking girl I am, to get wrecked over this. Yeah. Whatever. Pour me another, would you?"

"Don't be such an asshole." AJ turned away, finally starting to get really pissed. "I never called you a loser, you fuck. And I gave you reasons why I was calling you a girl. You wanna sit around and wallow in your fucking misery? You wanna be a dick to your friends, the ones that want to stand by you, who actually care enough to ask what crawled up your ass and died? Fine. Pour your own fucking shot, I'm out of here." He moved towards the door. Crush or no crush, AJ didn't take that kind of shit from anybody.

"I'm not an asshole," said Nick, practically falling onto his ass on the bed. And almost falling onto his ass on the floor, shortly after. "And who was being a dick to who earlier, huh? Who was making me feel like a little creepy crawly thing that Prince Justin would never even look at? Huh." He snorted indelicately and let his shot glass slip through his fingers to the floor. "At least you like my ass."

AJ cast a contemptuous look over his shoulder, then sighed and backtracked. The least he could do was put the little fucker to bed. "Little creepy crawly thing? When exactly, in this evening of ego-boosting, did that occur?" He hauled Nick back up onto the bed, settled him, then started unlacing his shoes. "Was it when I said you were gorgeous? When I said you had the finest ass in the room? Maybe it was when I was telling you about the people lined up, just waiting for a chance at you. God, Nick, your revisionist history is a pain in my ass." He started on the other shoe. Nick was peering down at him, his flushed face making his eyes seem even brighter.

"Yeah, people," Nick said with a soft sigh. "But not him. Never him." He just wouldn't fucking give *up* on the Timberlake thing, no matter what AJ did. "And the fucked up thing? Is that I believe you, when you say I don't know him. And that he doesn't know me. And my dick doesn't seem to care. Maybe I *am* a fucking teenage girl. I sure as hell am feeling like it." He finally really looked at what AJ was doing. "Why are you taking my clothes off? I thought we were drinking."

"Kid, you are DONE. You just about fell on your pretty face, an' that's a clear sign that the drinking's over." AJ cast a wistful glance at the tequila bottle. He and it had a date, later tonight, oh yeah. He planned to be fully obliterated before he passed out. This night had just fucking sucked, beginning to end. He looked back up at Nick, successfully tugging off the second shoe. "And you've got a crush, Nick. We know this. It'll pass, they do. And you'll find somebody else, with an even FINER ass, and this one'll get you and like you and crush right back. In the meantime, just focus on all the annoying shit the Timberdick says on TV. Sometimes that helps."

Nick shook his head. "More, okay? I'm not smashed yet." AJ made sure the tequila was out of his reach, though, even though he didn't say no. "Okay, why did I have to crush on *him* of all people? Shit. I mean, I have a *little* orig ... um ... originality, don't you think? Fucking Timberlake. Ass or not, it's a stupid, stupid thing."

AJ rolled his eyes again. This had gone past annoying and into surreal. Maybe Nick really WAS a teenaged girl. He surreptitiously checked Nick's crotch. Nope. Not a girl. And apparently the thought of the fine Timberlake ass, even in this context, was giving the kid a happy. He sighed, and let his hand rest on Nick's calf. "He's young, talented, and hot. What's not to like? Don't beat yourself up about it, idiot. Just work on getting over it."

"I'm *not*," complained Nick. "All I'm doing is asking for more tequila. Now is that really too much?" AJ barely kept from saying "bullshit" aloud at that; it was only the look on Nick's face that stopped him. "You were right in the first place. I should have just looked for someone else to fuck. Or be fucked by."

"Yeah, that generally helps me." AJ bit his lip and glanced up at Nick, but Nick seemed to let it pass. "Too late now, anyway. Here." He reached, poured a smallish shot, and handed it over. He felt a little bad, but Nick was well on his way to dreamland anyway, and wasn't dangerously drunk. The faster he stopped babbling about Justin, the happier AJ would be. "One more shot, then bedtime for all teen girls." He smirked, and poured himself a much larger shot, heaving himself up to retrieve lemons and salt, and then sitting back down by Nick's knees.

"Bedtime?" said Nick, looking at him incredulously. He might have missed the fact that he was swaying, but AJ didn't. "What-the fuck-ever." He squinted at the shot glass that AJ had handed him. "Shit, AJ, I practically need my glasses to see that itty bitty shot of tequila in the bottom there. What do you take me for?"

"I take you for a drunk boy who's lucky he's getting a shot at all," AJ snapped. "You're sitting on the bed, and you can barely stay upright. Now do your fucking shot and go the fuck to sleep. The hangover's bound to distract you from any N Sync asses tomorrow, so hey. You win." He licked the v of his hand, where the thumb met his wrist, tasting the remnants of salt from the last shot. Shit, his nail polish was really peeling.

"Sorry," said Nick softly, almost pitiful enough to make AJ want to apologize. But not quite. "Didn't mean to fuck up your night. I told you I could take care of myself, though. I could have gotten drunk and cried over pretty boys that I can never have all on my own."

"Yeah, you told me. I heard you. And what kind of shitty friend would I be if I let you do that?" He patted Nick's knee. "I had some cryin' to do myself, so it wasn't no big thaaang." He drawled deliberately, hoping to make Nick smile. "Now c'mon. Shoot your shot, drink your water, go to sleep, baby. It'll be ok."

"I'm not *sleepy*," protested Nick, sounding like a little kid. "And what do *you* have to cry 'bout. 'Cept that I kept you from picking up that hot chick in red that was eyeing you up at the party. She was *so* into you, AJ. She woulda done you till you passed out, I bet."

AJ just stared. Could one person really be THAT oblivious? Wait, he was talking about Nick, here, who hadn't seen or thought about anything without the initials JRT in about, oh, two months. Speaking of shitty friends. "Yeah, that's what I was crying about. Sure, Nick." He turned away, till he knew his face looked normal. "You might not be sleepy, but that's your last shot, so make the most of it." He'd just about reached his limit for Nicksitting for the evening. He slammed back the shot, not even bothering with the salt, and sucked the lemon dry. Damned if he was gonna be the only sober one in the room.

"Well then what?" asked Nick, still holding onto his shot and tugging on AJ's arm with his other hand. "Wassup, AJ. Wanna tell Nicky all about it?" The whole was so ludicrious, AJ almost laughed. But he knew if he did it would have come out bitter and desperate. "You never tell me *any*thing."

"Nothing to say, baby. Nothing to say." But he couldn't meet Nick's eyes. "Just got a couple little issues of my own. Nothing to worry your pretty head over. You gonna drink that shot or just keep staring at it?" Nick's hand was hot, where it was holding his bare arm. Covering one of his tattoos. He was suddenly desperate for a diversion. "Hey, didja see D getting it on with Kirkpatrick, back there? Never woulda thought those two, huh?"

"You didn't know?" said Nick, gripping his arm even more tightly. He finally drank his shot; like AJ, it was without any ceremony to it. "I thought everyone knew about them. Well, not about them being a *them*, but them being a maybe wanna be them, anyway."

AJ quirked an eyebrow. "'Them being a maybe wanna be them?' No wonder you don't write the lyrics. Nope, I had no idea. Good for them, though. D needs someone a little nutty, to shake him up sometimes." AJ wondered idly if he could pour himself another shot without having to give Nick one. Probably not. But he really kind of needed one. He groped for the bottle, below the edge of the bed. "And the singers go marching two by two, hurrah, hurrah..." he sang under his breath. Pairing off all over the place. And eveyone else with stupid unrequited crushes. Fucking ironic. If only "Out" magazine knew.

"Yeah, 'cept you and me," said Nick, holding out his shot glass like AJ had expected. "But we did two, kinda, we just didn't two like *they* two-ed. We just two-ed to, I guess, be miserable and drunked together. Kinda. And we're definitely drunk. But I don't think I'm so miserable now."

AJ flashed him a smile, ignored the outstretched glass, and poured himself another generous shot. "Good. I'm telling you, man. Jose can make any situation better." He pounded the shot back, sucked the lemon, fought his stomach and won. His fingers and toes had disappeared, which was expected and pleasant. Nick's return smile made him glow. "You can two with me whenever you like, baby." He giggled. Drunked! He was drunked, and so was Nick! He went to flop back on the bed, encountered Nick's leg, and thought better of it. No drunken touching of the boy. That was an old rule, and well-remembered.

"But not like Howie and Chris two-ed," said Nick solemnly. "Because you don't like pretty boys like that." He sounded almost like he was reciting something that he'd said many times before, or had been said to him. "You forgot my glass. See? It's right here." He waved the shot glass in AJ's face, making sure he noticed it this time.

AJ giggled again, forgetting why he'd been mad at Nick before. Ob-somthing. Obsequious? Obnoxious? OBLIVIOUS, that was it. "I like pretty boys. Pretty, pretty boys. Pretty. Yeah. With pretty mouths and pretty eyes and pretty asses..." he trailed off, and peered at Nick's glass. "Nicky, why are you holding your glass? You're all done. I know you're all done. I said so. I'm never wrong."

Nick's shot glass slipped from his fingers again, tumbling with a thunk to the floor. "You like boys?" he asked softly, his hand still curled as though he hadn't even noticed he'd lost the glass. "You like pretty, pretty boys, AJ? Pretty boys with nice asses like me and Justin and Lance?"

"Nick, you dropped something." AJ bent down to reach it, almost tilted off the bed, giggled and righted himself. "Mmm. Yeah. Pretty boys. Not like Justin, though. Don't like Justin at all." He suddenly snapped back to almost-coherence, and peered at Nick. "You're supposed to be asleep before I get drunk. That was the plan. You're not asleep, so I have to go." He braced his hands on the bed, ready to push off and stand.

Nick draped himself over AJ's body, pinning him where he was. "No!" he says sharply. "AJ's not goin' nowhere. Gonna tell me about liking pretty boys all suddenly." If AJ tried to move now, not only would he tumble Nick off the bed, but he'd be pressing his groin against Nick's chest. Rock 'n a hard place. "Stay," Nick added for good measure."

"Fuck!" The sudden movement of the bed sent his stomach rolling. Those shots had hit fast and hard, the little part of his brain that stayed sober informed him. He breathed deep, and it settled. He was draped in a whole lotta Nick, though. That hadn't changed. "Not suddenly, numbnuts. I always liked pretty boys. Pretty, pretty. And pretty girls. All the more for me!" He laughed a little, softly, and let his fingers sift through Nick's blond hair, suddenly, conveniently, right there. And so. fucking. soft... "Pretty." He said, apropos of nothing. He just liked the way it sounded.

"You never *said*," muttered Nick into the blankets, his voice slurred and muffled. "How'm I s'posed to know if you never *said*. Silly fuckin' AJ." It sounded so absurd that it had to be one of the truest things said all evening. "And my nuts aren't numb," he added, shoving his hand down his pants as though to verify that.

"JESUS." AJ almost bucked Nick off the bed, at the sight of that long hand disappearing under dark leather. "Whoa. OK, no numb nuts for you. Good. 'M happy for you really. Never said cuz I thought you knew. I never HID it, Nick, god!" There was something wrong with his breathing, it was coming too short and choppy, and his heart was racing. He was pretty sure it had something to do with Nick being sprawled across his lap, half on his side, looking flushed and rumpled and drunk and *hot*. AJ took himself in hand. Drunk or sober, he'd had a lot of practice. And one more minute, just one, and Nick was going to find out just how happy AJ was to have him there. "Get off. Go on. Bedtime for good boys." He peered down at Nick, gave him what he hoped was a brotherly smile.

"Then I'm glad 'm not a good boy," said Nick, giving AJ a lopsided smile and not moving a bit. "'N I bet you're not neither." Far from getting off him, Nick actually wriggled. *Wriggled*. If AJ wasn't so fucking turned on he would've smacked him, and even then it was a close call. When he saw Nick's hand moving inside his pants, though, everything else.was forgotten.

"Oh..." Not quite a sigh, not quite a groan. His fingers tightened in Nick's hair, involuntarily, and the other arm, the one behind him bracing him up, shook a little. "Nick...come on. Be good. Get...ooooh." Nick had moved a little further into his lap. Nick now had hard evidence that AJ wanted him. AJ's dick was very happy, and his hips rolled up without any urging from his brain. He couldn't tear his eyes away from Nick's hand, stroking himself behind black leather. It looked...confining. He looked up, caught Nick's eyes. "Nick..." more of a breath than anything else. He held hard to Nick's hair, like it was a lifeline, careful not to pull.

"*Wow*, we're drunk," said Nick with a short laugh as he met AJ's eyes. But that didn't really matter, in the moment, when Nick was still moving on his lap and not backing away from him at all, even knowing now exactly how AJ was feeling. "And *wow* are these pants tight. C'n I take them off? That okay?"

Yeah, they were drunk, but AJ was willing to be philosophical about that. His one chance with Nick Carter, and was he gonna say no? AJ's mom hadn't raised a single stupid child. So he let his fingers untwine from cornsilk hair, and trailed them down Nick's face, tracing high cheekbones, pausing to thumb his lip, lightly. "Yeah, you go ahead and do that, Nick." He grinned. "Trade you. Pants for a kiss." "You can have a kiss *any*way," said Nick, rolling his eyes with that same lopsided smile on his face. "Silly AJ. Shoulda told me afore 'bout liking pretty boys." He snaked his hand out of his his pants and unbuttoned them even as he leaned up for AJ's lips.

"Thought you kne-mmmg." He suddenly stopped caring about defending himself. Nick's mouth was sweet with lemon and alcohol, Nick's tongue was pressing gently against his own, then sliding inside to trace his teeth, and he was tasting NICK. Nick, who was wriggling out of his pants, even as he sucked AJ's tongue out of his mouth, even as he was moaning just a little in a way that made AJ's blood thud heavily in his pulse points. His head was swimming. He was on overload. Oh, motherfucker. He was kissing Nick.

Nick, who was wriggling out of his pants, even as he sucked AJ's tongue out of his mouth, even as he was moaning just a little in a way that made AJ's blood thud heavily in his pulse points. His head was swimming. He was on overload. Oh, motherfucker. He was kissing Nick.

"You knew I didn't know," murmured Nick against AJ's lips, his words still slurred both from the alcohol and from the kiss. "Don't lie. You prob'ly didn't even want me to know or somethin' silly like that." Mostly AJ just wanted Nick to be quiet and stop tryin' t'be so perceptive when he was this drunk. When *they* were this drunk.

"Why? What?" AJ pulled a little away. "What are you...oh, shut the fuck up anyway. That's just dumb, 'specially since you're all out an' proud to us now. Why would I do a thing like that?" He scowled down into bright blue eyes. Then--oh holy shit oh mother oh no--his eyes moved and he saw that Nick had kicked free of his pants. Long, long legs, pale soft skin, light hair, and oh. Nick wanted him, too.

"Dunno," said Nick, crawling up over him. "Maybe cause you didn' want me to know I make ya hard?" 'Sides .. I've been out an' proud to y'all for a while now ... you *know* I like boys. Pretty boys ... and rough boys, too." His wandering hands reached for AJ's pants, fumbling with them helplessly.

"Nick..." AJ scraped up the last vestiges of conscience. "Hey, baby. Nick. Drunkboy. Yeah, you, with the jones for the competition. Remember him?" He tilted Nick's chin up, and shook his head a little, back and forth. "You sure you want this? Yeah, you've been making me hard for a while now, but..." AJ paused, tried to remember his point, shook his own head. "Don't wanna do this if you're gonna feel shitty about it tomorrow."

"As y'kept tellin' me ... Justin ain't possible," said Nick, his head still moving back and forth. "Justin's fuckin' Lance ... prob'ly ev'ry night. I mean ... *I* would, if I could. But they're a two and you an me ... tonight we're at two, too. I'll even let you do me, f'you want ... "

"Nick...fuck." AJ's mind was spinning, tequila and hormones and love and lust. 'Protect Nick' was fighting with 'pound him into the fucking mattress, moron!', which was doing battle with 'he's gonna break your heart, idiot.' "You can't...your words...you're not making 'em right. Word. SLURRING. You're slurring. This ain't right. Not just a two for tonight, that ain't right for us." AJ's dick was begging for mercy, and Nick's hands were right. THERE. "You don' want me. You DON'. But I'll help. Yeah." He'd found the perfect solution. One quick desicive shove, and Nick was flipped onto his back, head on the pillows, spread out like some lush buffet. AJ licked his lips. He'd get a taste. Not enough to get him addicted. "Just sit still. No touching me. I'll help." He lowered his head, and licked one long sweep, from root to tip, and Nick screamed.

"Every night," he gasped out. "We'll two every night, AJ. Promise. S'long as you put up wit' me gettin' over Thrusty Justy." He groped for AJ and finally managed to tug him closer, his head hovering over Nick's chest. "Wanna hear a secret?"

AJ hung his head in defeat, hanging over Nick, supported on his hands and knees. Nick wasn't letting him...wouldn't just...he didn't know what to do anymore. "Yeah, sure. Secret." He could have just given Nick a fast, good blow job, knocked him out, and been gone. Why was Nick fucking with him like this? Sure, sure. Two every night. Sure, Nick. Drunken promises weren't worth shit, not when someone had your dick in his mouth. AJ knew.

"Before Justin it was you," he whispered loudly, a secret for AJ alone. "Cept I thought you didn't like boys like that. Silly, silly AJ." Nick shook his head, smiling at him and letting go so, presumably, he could go back to what he was doing.

AJ looked at him blankly, pretty much unable to process that at all. Before Justin. Yeah. Before. He shook his head to clear it, and slid back down Nick, settling into the V of his naked thighs, sprawled all wanton. And there was Nick's cock, yeah, right there for the taking. AJ's mouth watered. Nick was making little needy mewling sounds, so damn sexy, and grabbing at his shoulders. This boy was desperate, all right. AJ smiled a little, and closed his mouth over the tip, letting his tongue out to play, catching the up-buck of Nick's hips with his hands. Such soft skin...

"Good with boys," murmured Nick, letting himself be pushed back into the bed. Thankfully, too, 'cause no matter how pretty and spread out he was AJ wasn't gonna put up with him thrusting into his throat. "Pretty mouth on me. Yeah ... like that, AJ ... "

AJ smiled around his mouthful as best he could, as Nick trailed off into sweet little babbles and moans. Oh yeah. Nick was VERY grateful, AJ could tell; he had to tighten his hands, careful not to bruise, as Nick writhed under him, desperate to move. His tongue danced. AJ knew this, knew he was good at this, drunk or sober, any time, he was willing to eat Nick alive. Salt and musk and sex on his tongue, hot smooth skin against his lips, and Nick's voice filling his ears. He relaxed, took a deep breath, and swallowed Nick down.

Nick was incoherent, gasping and moaning and clutching at AJ as though he was unsure whether to pull him off or push him down further. AJ ignored him other than to note that this was still 'good', that Nick was still hot for it. His fingers pressed white lines into that soft flesh as he held him still enough to be able to keep him inside.

He felt fingers digging into his shoulders, grabbing at his head. OK, kid, remember your manners...he let his teeth graze Nick just slightly, a wordless warning, and was astonished when that wrung an even deeper groan out of the boy. Oh, brother. Teeth? He was not sober enough for that.

Nick's fingers finally settled on his shoulders, gripping him tightly but not keeping him from doing whatever the hell he pleased with him. He tried to shake them off anyway, but Nick was a strong one and held him even tighter. Whatever, it wasn't worth his attention, not when Nick was hot and hard and practically twiching in his mouth.

He'd known Nick would be a handful, a mouthful, and he settled to his work, sucking hard, then letting his tongue swirl around the shaft. His blood was humming in his ears, he wasn't getting quite enough air, but his focus narrowed completely down to Nick, in his mouth, under his hand. He tasted salt...Nick was close, he let his hands run down to those long, bare thighs, felt the muscles bunch and tremble. The boy was coming apart underneath him, so pretty...

"AJ," Nick moaned out, or at least AJ thought it was his name. It could have been a mere grunt, or a groan, or an offering to the gods of orgasm just to let him *come* already. Which was exactly what AJ was trying to do. Nick's whole body trembled and his head rocked from side to side helplessly as he let out little incoherent sounds, little gasps and cries and gutteral moans.

He tightened his throat again, gave up on breathing, and *sucked*. And there...there it was, Nick shuddering and going stiff in his hands, pulses of wet down his throat, and Nick went limp, with a long, low sigh. AJ licked him clean and looked up. Nick was smiling, sheened lightly with sweat, eyes half-lidded. He looked like a debauched angel. AJ let his hands stroke one more time, feeling softness. Dropped a light kiss on Nick's belly, one last taste. And he sat up on his heels.

"Sweet AJ," Nick murmured, still making soft sounds with every breath. His hands slipped off AJ's shoulders and fell limply to his sides as he heaved in breath after breath, trying to return to normal. Slowly his eyes widened and stared, wide, at AJ. He could read surprise and lust in them, but anything else was masked by the drunken glaze on Nick's eyes ... and on his own as well.

"Sweet Nick." AJ grinned, trying to lighten the moment. "Feel better, now?" He felt a little strange, sitting between Nick's legs, fully clothed, so he slipped back, and off the side of the bed, only staggering a little. Nick had to have boxers around here somewhere. Surely he wore underwear *sometimes*. And AJ would feel a lot calmer if Nick wasn't...wasn't...just sprawled outt here, looking good enough to eat. Shirt open, naked from the waist. AJ was still painfully, achingly hard, but he knew better than to do anything about it now. Tuck the boy in, run for his room, and jerk off. What a plan.

But his eyes remained on Nick as Nick reached down and cupped his softening dick with a wide smile in his face, chest rising and falling visibly. And no matter how much he tried, he wasn't going anywhere yet, not while Nick still looked so ... fuckable. Crude, but true. Then, with his other hand, Nick reached out for him, his eyes meeting AJ's and holding them way the fuck too easily.

"C'mere," he mumbled, and gestured with his hand.

"Ah, fuck." AJ went, standing by the bed, staring down at Nick. "Look at you. So fucking pretty. Dammit." He scowled, but gave in when Nick grabbed his hand and tugged him down to sit on the edge of the bed. "OK, OK. Here I am. I got you off, what now?"

Before he could react -- and he DID try -- Nick's fingers wrapped around his erection. "Silly AJ," he said again, that infuriatingly foolish grin not leaving his face as he shook his head at at him, his fingers moving slowly, lightly. "Not goin' nowhere afore you get off. 'Sides, what ELSE are you gonna do?"

"Nick, you sound like an idiot. You are WASTED, boyo, and I ain't letting those pearly whites anywhere near my dick. No offence. I'm gonna...ooooh...go back, have another shot and-JESUS, Nick, ahh-jerk off." Nick wouldn't stop moving that maddening hand. He arched his back into the touch, helpless for a second, closing his eyes so he couldn't see that smug grin. "An--oh god--stop calling me silly."

"You *are*," insisted Nick, and now instead of seeing it, AJ could *hear* the damn smugness. "And you're calling *me* an idiot? Huh? You're the one gonna jerk off 'stead of doin' somethin' with me ... " Turned out Nick's hand was about the only part of his body with any coordination left in it ... just his luck.

"Ass, I'm not doing anything with you cause you're out of your SKULL hammered, and I ain't risking your fuckin' regrets tomorrow. Now let--ohhhh--let go of my dick. Oh Nick." Nick had managed, rather deftly, to unbutton his pants in one twist of his hand, and get the zipper down at the same time. And now there were long fingers stroking him...AJ didn't want to open his eyes and see that. He was too close to coming already, way too fucking close, and ohhhh....

"You're jes as hammered as me," said Nick, finally fucking *touching* him and somehow his own hand wouldn't move to push him away. It was too busy trying to keep him from falling over. "Still blew me like a pro, AJ ... made me yell 'n stuff." And Jesus if he didn't stop Nick right *now* there was gonna be a hell of a mess in about two seconds. One second.

He grabbed, convulsively, at Nick's wrist, and managed to shove his hand away. Sat still, sucking in deep breaths for a few seconds, before raising his head and opening his eyes. Nick had his head cocked, a bright, inquiring look on his face, looking about 12 years old. Little fucker. Like AJ didn't already have enough issues with this.

"NOT-" he moderated his voice. No need for Brian next door to hear all of this. "Not as hammered as you, an' probably better at sucking cock anyway. You'd prob'ly pass out halfway through and bite it off or some shit." AJ batted Nick's hand away again, irritably, as it came for his crotch again. "Fuck, Nick, take a fucking hint!" He just couldn't put the normal bite into it though. Damn, that hand had felt good.

Nick finally curled away from him, the brightness that had been in his eyes dimming. "S'okay," he said a moment later, rubbing his palm against his thigh. "S'okay to not want me. Nothin' new." He leaned over the side of the bed, almost falling, and groped for something that AJ couldn't quite see. "More t'quila, k?"

Oh, for fuck's- AJ jumped off the bed, and stood by it, kicking the bottle away, uncaring that his pants were still open, that he was still hard. "YOU MORON!" He didn't give a shit if the entire hotel heard. "I have wanted you for MONTHS! MONTHS! I fucking think about you in the shower, when I'm jerking off! I get hard on stage! I drop hints all over the fucking place! And you never even noticed! So don't you DARE pull that 'I'm so sad I'm so sorry nobody wants me' BULLSHIT, because it ain't true and you KNOW IT!" He stomped away, then back, paused, clenched his hands, then reached and yanked Nick up to meet his kiss. Dumb. Fucking. Kid. He'd show him what want was.

Nick clutched him desperately as they kissed, opening and closing his hands and catching AJ's shirt, his flesh underneath. And he didn't care. "Fuckin' moron," Nick echoed back at him between filthy, wet kisses that left them both gasping "Stop fuckin' saying no, then."

"Fine." AJ was over it. He sucked Nick's tongue into his mouth, even as he leaned all his weight down, moving Nick back across the bed, back down onto the comforter. Only this time AJ was right there, body to body, following him down and sprawling all over him. His hands ran over Nick's shoulders, his chest, down his arms to link their fingers. Grasped hard, as AJ jacked his hips down into Nick's groin, and swallowed his moan. "Oh, fuck, Nick...you feel so fucking good...oh god." He broke off the kiss and threw his head back, teeth clenched against the feel of Nick's body against him.

Nick tried to wrap his whole body around AJ, mouth open, lips shiny and oh-so-fucking-red. "Not silly no more," he murmured breathlessly, his body moving restlessly, rubbing against AJ's. "Bout time, too."

AJ felt hands roaming his back, down to his hips, squeezing and pulling, and suddenly he wanted very much to be naked. And for Nick to be naked. Because why have all that gorgeous skin right there, if you weren't gonna get to roll all over it? He lifted up, started tugging at the cuffs of Nick's shirt, his tongue held between his teeth in concentration. The fact that his new position was pushing his hips even harder down into Nick's wasn't helping either. "C'mon, c'mon, goddamn buttons..." he muttered under his breath. "C'mon, Nick, be naked already!"

"Be naked!" giggled Nick, and tried to help him but did more to get himself hopelessly tangled. "Stupid shirt," he muttered, falling back against the bed, still grinning. "You do it. And then I'll do you."

"Right. Or I'll do you." AJ grinned at him, all teeth. "We'll just work that out." He finally just yanked at the cuffs, and buttons flew. But strip and roll, and Nick was naked. FINALLY. He bent, and sucked at Nick's collarbone. It was delicious. Perfect.

Nick pushed at him, but hardly enough to feel let alone move him. "Naked!" he insisted as he kissed wetly at AJ's temple. "Get naked, you too." He pushed again and thrust his hips upward, groaning right against AJ's ear as he did. It was *so* fucking wanton, so fucking *hot*.

He was all wrapped up in Nick, who was clinging like a monkey now and trying to lick his throat. How was he supposed to get naked? "Nick...get off...let go...come on." He shoved a little harder at Nick's arms, pushing them back onto the bed, and was startled by the shocked look on Nick's face. Oh, come on, he'd just about busted a gut getting the kid out of his clothes, he couldn't still think AJ didn't want-? "I'm getting my CLOTHES off. Moron."

"Well fuckin' hurry, then," said Nick, pouting at him and looking even prettier. Dammit. "Then maybe you can lemme know just *how* much you think my ass is nicer than Justin's, huh?" Oh sweet Jesus. Was *that* what the kid was looking for, here?

AJ shook his head. Fucking, yeah, he was good at it. He gave a kickass blowjob. But when it came time for the pretty words, he wasn't the master. Brian had that shit down cold, but AJ? He couldn't remember ever even trying. He sat up and back, stripping out of his sleeveless shirt, his ribbed undershirt. Thinking hard. He couldn't be Nick's one-man ego boost. He just didn't think he could pull it off. Though, damn, that was one fine ass. "It's a nice ass," he offered, as he started to shimmy his pants past his hips. "Very hot."

"Don' tell me," said Nick, writhing in place so that AJ couldn't keep his eyes off him. "*Show* me. Just ... 'preciate it, s'all." Oh. Oh! Christ, yeah, he could do *that* all right. Actually, there wasn't much right now that could *keep* him from doing it.

"That ass-" he paused, stared into Nick's eyes, to make sure he was paying attention, "-'s MINE. An' it's gonna be appreciated like you've never felt." Finally naked, he slid back down, chest to broad smooth chest, and let one of his hands wrap around to hold Nick's hip. Nick lifted a leg and hooked it over AJ's, sucked in air when AJ growled appreciatively, and pushed their erections together, hot wet dirty slide of skin on skin.

"Yours," agreed Nick, rubbing himself up against him with a grin on his face that might have been innocent if it didn't have that little mischievous quirk to it that AJ did *not* miss. Nick was hard and ready again, despite the tequila, and AJ could only *wish* for that kind of stamina. "Better use it good, then."

AJ chuckled, as unable to resist Nick being mischevious as he'd been when Nick was doing his sultry boytoy routine. Well, hey. His goal for the night had been to cheer Nick up, right? Get him to stop sulking? He looked pretty damn happy now. AJ'd been hard for way too long now. He wanted IN. He gasped as Nick rubbed up harder, bit his lip. "Lube? Condom? Help me out, here, I'm in your pad...Nick...hurry..."

"Aw geez," groaned Nick, rolling his eyes. "Goody goody. K ... in my bag still. Shavin' kit I think ... " What, Nick had expected him to go without or something? AJ knew better than *that* at least, even now when he was so fucking desperate he almost couldn't move away.

"You THINK? Fuck." He had to get off the BED? "An' you know better than that, Nick..." Shit. He braced himself, tore away, and ran for the bathroom, not caring how he looked. Besides, Nick's wasn't the only fine ass in the room. 'Bout time someone remembered that. He rooted through the bag, tile cold on his bare feet, and found what he was looking for. Lube, almost new. Been saving it for Justin, Nick? And a condom. He grabbed two, just in case. The cold and movement had calmed him down a little, and he strolled back to the bed with all his old swagger.

Nick was touching himself, just lightly, legs spread wide and eyes half-lidded. He was making those soft, irresistable sounds again, the ones that made AJ just want to take him right then and there.

"Lookin' good," he murmured as AJ got closer and closer, his voice lower than usual. Rougher. Hotter.

"Yep." He knew it. He tiger-crawled up the bed, until he was hovering over Nick, grinning his best hungry grin. "You too. Lookit that. Little Nicky, all ready to go." He dipped his hips, dragged his cock over Nick's in a slow grind, then came up again. Nick made a shocked little sound in his throat. "Here." He put the condom and lube into Nick's open palm. "Sounds like you need the practice more'n me anyway."

Nick looked at the items blankly, his body stilling. "What?" he said softly."No, no ... " He held out his hands and tried to make AJ take them back, his eyes pleading with him. For what, AJ wasn't absolutely sure.

AJ drew back, confused. "Nick, what? You can't put 'em on me?" Nick had gone completely still, all the sex-kitten wriggles and moans gone like they'd never been there. "Nick?"

Nick sighed dramatically and shifted his hips so he could actually reach down and do as AJ was demanding of him. "*Your* idea," he muttered, bringing a bit of a smile to AJ's lips. Served the kid right for thinking they could be *totally* irresponsible. "C'mere. Don' make it *hard* for me or nothin' ... geez ... "

"Yikes! Careful, don't pull it off. Christ, you'd think you didn't really want me to use the thing." AJ kept grumbling as Nick's hands gentled. "An' you better not be barebackin' it with strangers. I will whup your ass, I ever hear of you doing that again." He tried to look fierce and probably failed, since Nick's long fingers were rolling the condom down over his cock, and it felt good, good...

He noted Nick's faint, guilty flush but filed it away for a future lecture; right now his dick didn't much care. "Big," murmured Nick, caressing him lightly before coating him with lubricant. He was very, very thorough, leaving a satisfied smile on AJ's lips. Then Nick handed the rest over and lay back on the bed, spreading even wider. "*Now* we ready?" he asked faintly, smiling again.

"Now-" He grabbed the lube and got some on his hand, "now, Nick, we can play." No more talking, no more drama, just down and in with two fingers into dark clutching heat, and Nick's eyes going all-pupil-black, shocked and aroused, his legs jerking up so his feet were flat on the bed. AJ let his hand do its work, finding that little sweet spot, and leaned down and licked a wet trail up to a pink nipple. Watching the reactions.

Nick cried out again and again, sometimes soft, sometimes loud but always making little noises that let AJ know just *how* into this he was. His breathing was ragged and he struggled to suck in enough air as AJ continue to move his hand inside him. Nick's body quivered, shook, and moved against him, eager for more.

And every breathy little gasp cranked AJ one turn higher, till he was sweating and shaking and desperate, and almost didn't care if Nick was ready. "Nick...baby, sorry...gotta..." He slid his hand away, moved his hips into place, and with one long, slow push, sank deep into Nick. FUCK. Like coming home, tight and hot, perfect, Nick's legs up around his waist, Nick's eyes fluttering as he arched his back into AJ's thrust and keened.

Nick wasn't speaking in words, but what he was saying with motions and gestures and incoherent sounds was more, more, more. His legs tried to climb higher on AJ's torso and the rest of his body writhed in blatant need. As if AJ needed any more prompting to do what his own body was so desperate to do to him.

He started moving. Slow at first, just rocking his hips gently. Nick was so fucking tight, it had to have been a while...Nick was just about humming with pleasure at that, so he picked up the pace. He could feel sweat break out across his shoulders, his belly, at the effort of holding himself back. He wanted to make this good, but his spine was aching with the need to just drive into that sweet willing body. He clenched his teeth, felt Nick's hands on his hips, pulling him closer, and he almost howled.

"You c'n just fuck me," Nick murmured softly, sending another bolt of arousal through him. It was hard enough to hold back without Nick telling him ... telling him he didn't *have* to was what Nick was doing. And when Nick writhed against him again, drawing him in deeper, he couldn't help but take him up on it.

He let his hips snap forward, jolting Nick's whole body up toward the headboard. His mind was gone, just red head and the feeling of sinking into dark velvet and the pleasure sparking through his entire body. He'd been hard so long...he was so close...he freed one hand, and fisted Nick's cock almost roughly, pulling at it, wanting it to be good for him too. Again, and again, and he felt like he was crawling inside Nick, and Nick was just TAKING it, loving it, from the sounds he was making.

"AJ!" Nick shouted and there was absolutely *no* mistaking his name this time, not after hearing it echo off every wall. Nick's body moved with his, more flexible than AJ had every imagined except in his very dirtiest of thoughts. Then suddenly Nick started bucking back against him, drawing him in to the hilt and very nearly beyond.

Nick was holding him hard, biting at his shoulder, sweat-dark hair sticking to his forehead, eyes clamped shut, and AJ could feel him reaching for it...when he came, every muscle tightened, clamped down, and AJ's mind dissolved in a wash of sparks and light, as he pumped his hips one, two more times, and followed Nick over the edge. His body was humming, singing, just one big happy nerve ending, when he eased himself down so he was lying against Nick's chest. He didn't want Nick to see his eyes, see that that was the most amazing, most intense...AJ shook his head, rubbed his lips over the hollow at the base of Nick's throat. Felt Nick's arms lying heavy and limp on his back.

"God," murmured Nick into AJ's hair, his voice utterly raw and open. Nothing was masked in it. Nothing. "Jesus God AJ." His hands began moving, restless, along AJ's slick skin, tracing random lines and swirls into it. They rest of his body, though, lay still under AJ's, the only motion the up and down of his chest as he sucked in harsh breath after harsh breath.

"Jesus God, Nick." AJ muttered, in conscious echo. "Wow." He couldn't really think of anything else to say that didn't involve words like "love" and "mine" and "stay with me forever," so he figured silence was probably better. He could feel stickiness between their bodies. He was slipping out of Nick as he softened, no matter how much he wanted to stay. He shifted minutely, so he could get his hands onto Nick's sides, where the skin was softest. His thoughts were slow, with the remnants of the tequila and the post-orgasm haze, but even so, he was pretty sure that this was just about a perfect place to be.

"AJ," Nick said again, and AJ found himself relief -- no, more than relieved, happy -- that Nick had never forgotten who he was with. Had never seemed to wish he was with anyone other than AJ. Nick pushed at him just lightly with one hand, not enough to move him much, just enough for AJ to finish sliding out of Nick's body, then his arm came around his back again as his legs slipped to the bed. "Mmm, AJ." AJ wasn't sure he would even mind if the only thing that Nick could say from now on was his name.

He reached down, got the condom off and tossed it in the general direction of the garbage can, then curled himself further into Nick. Naked and sticky, yeah. Also warm and comfortable, and his eyelids were heavy, and Nick was already breathing deep, solid and sweet in his arms. "Night night, Nicky," he mumbled. "Sweet dreams." And AJ slept, and didn't dream about tomorrow.