-Chapter Five-

 

 

 

Jonny looked at Chris. Chris didn't notice, his eyes stuck on the screen in front of them. The light danced across his face, reflected in his tired eyes.

 

“Jonny, you're dying,” he solemnly said.

 

“Chris, you're depressing,” Jonny replied without skipping a beat. “Listen, I'm the one who's supposed to be upset. And-”

 

“That pink ghost's gonna get you-”

 

“-even if I'm maybe not so upset, I still don't want you to be unhappy.” Jonny frowned at Chris. Chris lifted his sad eyes to Jonny.

 

“Now you're dead.”

 

Jonny sighed and looked around the room. Chris stared at him, trying to figure out why he felt this way. He actually really did like arcades, and since Jonny had brought him there he had begun to feel better. But somehow that had changed.

 

“Dance with me,” Jonny abruptly said, and Chris blinked at him a few times in utter confusion. Jonny, seeing this, pointed past Chris's head and repeated his command.

 

Chris turned; behind him a few feet away was a DDR machine. He wanted to say no, but the energetic five-year-old inside of him couldn't resist. To not seem too enthused, though, he calmly walked over to the machine.

 

“Come on, Buckland,” he said, stepping onto the hard mat, “you're going down.”

 

Jonny laughed, inserted two coins into the proper slot, and joined Chris on the opposite mat. “I do believe that's you, Mister Christopher.”

 

Again with the nickname. Chris felt a rush of something swoop over him, but he had a feeling it would only do him harm in the long run. Still, he stupidly allowed himself to forget and just live in the present moment.

 

Five minutes later Chris had been proven wrong; Jonny was much better at the game than he'd expected. He'd managed to score an entire thousand points higher than Chris. He started to do a victory dance, until he realized that maybe bragging like that wouldn't help Chris feel better.

 

“Sorry, I guess that's not helping,” he quickly said and stopped dancing. But Chris was laughing harder than he had been all day.

 

“No,” Chris said, “don't be sorry, I thoroughly enjoy seeing you make a fool of yourself.”

 

Jonny narrowed his eyes, then laughed along, the sound of his deep voice and the image of his bright smile invading Chris's soul without remorse. The sound of footsteps approaching was muffled by their laughter.

 

“I wouldn't be so cocky if I were you,” a manly voice said. “I've been watching, and you're nothin' compared to me.”

 

Jonny and Chris simultaneously looked back to find a short man behind them. The way he dressed made him seem as though he put on a tough facade in order to counteract his height. For a minute or so Jonny was even under the impression that he was being insulted by some teenage punk.

 

“Really,” Jonny disinterestedly replied. “Is that so?”

 

The short man took a large step forward, trying to appear intimidating by leaning very close to Jonny. “Yeah, that is so.” Chris couldn't help momentarily feeling a little jealous. “I'll bet I can kick your ass all around this dance mat.”

 

Jonny looked into the man's eyes, rather intrigued. “All right, you've got yourself a deal.”

 

Chris backed off his own mat and cautiously walked over to Jonny's side. The short man was soon joined by a group of his own friends, three other men who basically looked the same as he did, more or less.

 

“Oh, look, Matt's got himself into another dance-off,” one of them said.

 

Another replied, “Again? What a dork.”

 

“Shut up, guys!!” Matt snapped, and the three men laughed at him. Matt popped the collar of his shirt to rebuild his rough appearance, though it really didn't do anything but make him look increasingly phony. “Are you ready to do this or what?” he asked Jonny.

 

“Yeah, I'm ready whenever you are,” Jonny said.

 

Chris put his hand on Jonny's back and assured him he'd do well, though he quickly removed it and regretted the action just a little. It seemed like he was having a harder time now hiding his emotions than he had before, which was strange to him.

 

The music started and Jonny and Matt prepared themselves, Matt hopping up and down in place a few times and Jonny making sure his stance was all right. The arrows floated up the screen and both men hit them perfectly, until forty seconds in when Jonny missed one, bringing forth an eruption of “ohhhh!”s from his opponent.

 

“It's OK, Jonny, keep going. You're doing great!” Chris told him.

 

In truth, Chris would not have noticed Jonny's mistake had it not been for the outburst from the other side; Chris's eyes weren't on the screen, too busy darting back and forth between Jonny and the floor in shame.

 

The difficulty of the track escalated exponentially in the last thirty seconds, and the last ten forced the men to let their feet stay on the mats for no longer than a minuscule fraction of a second. Matt somehow fumbled and ended up being a little off, so he nearly missed the very last few arrows.

 

The men stopped, panting, and waited for their ultimate scores. Much to Matt and his friends' dismay, the totals appeared in Jonny's favor.

 

“OH!” Jonny shouted, as Matt thought of a way to redeem himself. “Oh!”

 

Jonny spun around and jumped off the mat, landing next to Chris and practically tackling Chris into a triumphant hug. Chris was smiling at Jonny's success, but the smile soon faded as he realized Jonny's sweaty body pressed against his was not a good idea.

 

And it may have only been Chris's fretfulness that made it seem so, but Jonny didn't appear to break the embrace for a very long time. Every tiny moment that went by was like blissful agony for Chris, and he tried, but failed, to distract himself by watching the losers sneer at them.

 

Then Jonny decided the situation also called for a double-handed high-five, because he and Chris had clearly not touched each other enough already.

 

 

Everything (When Green Meets Blue)

 

 

 

Green and blue

The earth

The sky and the vegetation

The simplicity of

When green meets blue

 

Blue nurtures green

Brings life to the pale color and turns it lush

Green relaxes the energy of the blue

With its cool calm demeanor

When green meets blue

 

The deep cold ocean and the sweet fresh grass

Come together in harmony

Sapphire and jade

Green eyes and blue eyes

When green meets blue

 

When all is right

Consuming each other

Blending into one

Two parts of a whole

When green meets blue

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ONE THOUSAND POSTS! :kiss:

 

Taking On Dreams

 

Chapter 3

 

 

The first thing he did was look at himself up and down. His body was composed of sketchy, yet somehow neat black lines, shaded in by the bright tones of colored pencil, which were identical in style to the ones he had drawn the mysterious man out of. The colors were a stark contrast to the background, which was completely white with the exception of the step that Chris had drawn.

 

He turned to the man then, who still had a firm grip on his hand. The man didn’t speak, but he flashed an encouraging smile. He picked up his guitar and swung it around his shoulder. Then he pulled Chris through a strange world of white until they reached a small door.

 

The man dug around in his pockets and pulled out a key. He inserted it into the lock and the door swung open slowly, revealing something that amazed Chris more than anything he had ever seen before.

 

There was a grassy hill. The long, healthy green grass swayed back and forth gently in some magical breeze. The sky was a beautiful mix of all the colors Chris could think of and more. The hues and shades were swirled around like ice cream, maybe chocolate swirl, but much more colorful.

 

Beyond that though, Chris could see more plain white. And he knew this spot must be very special. The man led Chris up the hill.. He stumbled numerous times, distracted by the beauty of the little patch of sky, or whatever it might have been called there.

 

He noted that as soon as he stepped on a section of the grass, it would disappear like magic. This led him to believe that this place was probably temporary and certainly very fragile. He was a bit nervous being here.

 

When they reached the top of the hill, the man stopped and Chris stopped beside him. The man looked at him and gave him a sideways grin. Then he pulled out of his pocket a thin, black writing utensil of some sort.

 

He began to draw the foundations of some sort of building. Somehow, it was inferred what the man wanted to create and after only a few sketchy lines, the drawing began to take shape on its own.

 

The lines twisted and curved and stretched until they all formed a single object, a fancy looking thing that Chris determined that it was a gazebo of some sort, like the kind of architectural piece one would place in their garden. It was beautifully designed and looked spectacular. But it seemed to be missing something.

 

Chris quickly realized what that one thing was when the man again began to draw. This time the lines joined to together in such a way that they formed a ladder. Its rungs went high up into the air, if there was air here at all.

 

Releasing his grip on Chris’s hand for the first time, the man speedily climbed the ladder. Chris wondered what he could be up to.

 

The man gave him a thumbs up. Then he reached out and touched the sky, or whatever it was, and took an armful of the color, then tossing it to the ground below. It slowly floated down in swirls to land gently on the plain gazebo. Then Chris knew what had been missing; the colors.

 

They splashed down from every angle and completely covered the white surface of the gazebo with bright and cheery colors. Once it was caked in the lovely hues, it began to give off a strange but not unpleasant glow.

 

The man carefully climbed down again, leaving a gaping white hole above him where colors had once been. Then he took Chris’s hand again, and with a smile led him up the steps and into the odd little gazebo.

 

 

ok, i wrote this for part of my french portfolio... i'm not sure how correct it is :P

but i will also post the english translation, and update the french one when i get the paper back. :awesome:

 

Les étoiles

 

 

Les étoiles sont brillantes ce soir quand je regarde par la fenêtre. Je vois dans le ciel toutes les choses que je veux, le bonheur, la compagnie de toi-

Toi. Tu es au loin ce soir, pas avec moi, mais je sais que nous nous rencontrerons bientôt. Le matin viendra avant que nous le savons.

Et alors, tu retourneras chez nous, souriant et brillant comme les étoiles. J’ai besoin de ton éclat, car sans ça je ne suis rien. Sans ta voix, il n’y a rien entendre.

Le ciel est noir maintenant, et mon âme est blanc. Mais quand le soleil se lève, et il peint le monde avec la lumière, le ciel unira à l’herbe, le bleu et le vert, et tu seras ici. Je serai complet car tu seras ici avec moi.

Je suis le ciel, et tu es l’herbe.

Tu es mes yeux verts, et je suis tes bleus.

 

---

 

The stars are bright tonight when I look out the window. I see in the sky all the things I want, happiness, the companionship of you-

You. You are far away tonight, not with me, but I know that we will meet soon. The morning will come before we know it.

And then, you will come back home, smiling and bright like the stars. I need your brightness, because without it I am nothing. Without your voice, there is nothing to hear.

The sky is black now, and my soul is blank. But when the sun rises and paints the world with light, the sky will unite with the grass, the blue and the green, and you will be here. I will be complete because you will be here with me.

I am the sky, and you are the grass.

You are my green eyes, and I am your blue.

 

 

 

:blush:

 

-Chapter Six-

 

 

 

Since it was usually Jonny who called first each day, and the sun had nearly set entirely without Chris receiving so much as a text, he was a little worried.

 

“Jonny, I'm just calling to check up on you because I haven't heard from you yet today,” Chris said. The fact that he had to leave a voicemail didn't assuage his worry at all. “And, you know, I just want to make sure you're OK-”

 

Suddenly there was a click, and Jonny's voice came through dull and monotonous, “Hey, Chris. Sorry... I haven't called all day. I kinda... forgot.”

 

Chris felt a stab of sorrow in his chest, due not to the idea of Jonny forgetting him, but the obvious distress Jonny was in. “What's wrong?” Chris pressed his shoulder against his ear to keep it in place as he put on a light jacket. Then he grabbed his keys.

 

“Oh, you know... I got dumped. Nothing... important.” Jonny sighed and the air crackled through Chris's speaker.

 

“Shit, man,” Chris sympathetically replied, turning the key in his door and making sure the lock clicked properly. Despite his desire over the last three weeks or so to hear Jonny say that he no longer had a girlfriend, Chris seemed to focus more on Jonny's well-being than his own personal feelings. “You want some company?”

 

“You don't have to. I'm... fine on my own.”

 

“Well, you don't sound fine. And actually, I'm coming over whether or not you like it.” Chris pushed open the door and entered the outside world. The sky was almost completely black, a few stars peeking out here and there.

 

“Thanks,” Jonny replied, and even through the phone Chris could tell he was smiling a bit. At least, he thought it sounded in Jonny's voice like he was smiling.

 

Chris was at Jonny's door in about five minutes, and as he waited for Jonny to answer he unconsciously tucked his curls behind his ears and even dusted his jacket off a bit. Jonny looked awful, his mouth turned down in a frown that made his cheeks look sunken and his eyes baggy.

 

“Do you want to go for a walk?” Chris asked him almost immediately. “It's a beautiful night, and it looks like you could do with some fresh air.”

 

Jonny stared at Chris for a while, and just when Chris began to feel uncomfortable he said, “All right.”

 

Jonny shut the door behind him and began to walk ahead of Chris. Chris caught up to him when they were out on the barely lit sidewalk, and to entertain himself he did a weird trick with his feet so that they were walking in step.

 

“Chris, you don't have a girlfriend, do you?” Jonny asked, rather randomly, and Chris was a little afraid of where this conversation would end up. But he kept his confidence regardless.

 

“No,” he answered. “And I never have.”

 

Jonny did a double-take, though that was in no way enough to convince him that he had heard correctly. “Wait, seriously, you've never had a girlfriend?”

 

Chris shrugged and looked off into the dark distance. “It's not something I'm interested in.” Jonny was silent for a while, thinking.

 

“Oh, so you've had boyfriends then?” he asked. Chris was a little surprised by not only Jonny's quickness to understand, but his seeming indifference to the subject.

 

“Yes,” Chris replied honestly. “I have been with other people before, just not girls.”

 

“How come you never said anything before?”

 

Chris thought briefly about telling Jonny the truth, but he decided against it. Maybe there would be a time for that in the future, but for now he just wanted to enjoy his time with Jonny. “I guess I just didn't think it was relevant.”

 

The men walked for tens of minutes without even realizing that much time had passed. As they strolled through the streets, Jonny further interrogated Chris. He mostly asked questions pertaining to Chris's sexuality and past relationships, but he wasn't judgmental; his questions seemed to suggest that he simply wanted to know more about Chris.

 

“Did you ever go to, like, a gay bar or something?” Jonny asked.

 

“Ah, no. I don't believe in going to bars to pick people up. I mean, you're probably just gonna end up meeting an alcoholic.”

 

Chris laughed a little, but Jonny kept a straight face. “So, you just go to weddings instead and hope the bride doesn't show?”

 

“What?” Chris asked not incredulously, but stunned. They both stopped walking, and Jonny stared at the ground, his eyes bulging and wondering what the hell had made him say that. Then Chris hesitantly stepped a little closer to Jonny. “I do like you.”

 

Jonny looked up, the confusion in his face washing away and revealing a new, unidentifiable emotion. “I want to like you,” he said in a low voice.

 

“You want to like me?”

 

“Yes. You're really nice and funny- you're a great guy.” Jonny smiled, but his mouth twitched after a few seconds and the grin was bittersweet. “But you're a guy.”

 

“Oh, well, that's, uh...” Chris flustered; he could feel his cheeks burning hot. “That's really...”

 

“There were actually a few times over the past couple of weeks when I wished Carla could be you. She... I don't know, I guess I thought she was a different person. She's not awful, mind, just not what I expected, I guess.”

 

Silence fell, and the two men were lost in their thoughts, the town around them beginning to sleep. Chris stared absentmindedly at a street sign nearby, and Jonny was watching a car that sat parked on the side of the road, but he quickly moved his eyes to something else. Chris felt odd for a second, and he realized why once he looked over and saw Jonny staring intently at him.

 

Then the next thing he knew their lips were locked together and sparks were shooting from everywhere in his body into the air. When it was over he hardly believed it was real, until he opened his eyes and saw that Jonny was still only about an inch away from him.

 

“Nothing?” Chris expectantly asked, patiently awaiting his disappointment.

 

“Um... more than you would think, actually.” The words hit Chris like some blunt force and made him lightheaded, though he really had trouble keeping his consciousness when Jonny's hands slid in the space between Chris's jacket and t-shirt. If Chris had fallen forward, Jonny would have been sure to catch him with his lips, which was basically what happened anyway.

 

As his tongue met Jonny's, Chris laid his hand on the side of Jonny's face, letting it rest near his ear and his fingertips brushed against Jonny's hair. His other hand rested on Jonny's hip, and if he had been aware of anything other than the kiss he would have thought how strange it was for him to finally be doing this.

 

 

A Funny thing happened on the way to the Pond (Short Story)

 

 

[

 

Once upon a time in a beautiful English countryside, a Prince wandered the forest.

He kicked rocks, and picked up sticks and threw them as he strolled down the path.

 

This Prince was very upset, for he had never found Love, he was 32 years old, and still looking.

 

The Prince was tall, and beautiful, with sparkling Green Eyes, any fair Maiden would have been out of their minds to deny him, but he just wasn't interested.

 

He came upon a pond, with beautiful rocks, and running crystal clear water. He sat on a rock, and noticed an amazing stone. It glowed with magical colors.

 

He decided it was the perfect size to skim across the pond, figuring he could skip it 5 or 6 times. As he touched the stone, a voice spoke out. Prince Jon, I shall grant you 3 wishes.

 

Prince Jon, dropped the stone, and backed away, thinking to himself he was losing his mind.

The stone seemed to glow even brighter and the voice said " Don't be afraid of me."

 

With much hesitation, he picked the stone back up. The stone spoke again, " The 3 wishes I grant thee, are this, you must picked the first 3 live creatures you lay eyes on and place a kiss on their head, one will be the one you are destined to be be with."

 

Prince Jon stood back up and held the stone and looked around to see if anyone was out there with him, knowing if there was, he would probably be hung and quartered for such behavior.

 

The coast was clear, and he spotted a doe drinking from the pond, he gently crept over and the doe stared at him and Prince Jon planted a kiss atop her head.... he waited, Nothing...

 

The Prince sighed......

The next creature he saw was a snake, "OH NOES" he thought, but it was the next creature to catch his eye, so off he went, and the snake slithered all over the place until Prince Jon, captured it, the snake hissed, but Prince Jon closed his eyes and "Smack" on the top of the snakes head.

The Prince sighed.........Nothing

 

"This is useless" The Prince Cried out..... "Only one more creature left, or it's a life of misery."

 

He walked across to the other side of the pond and sat on the ponds edge.

He thought to himself that his life would end if this magical stone was wrong.

 

He threw some small rocks into the pond and heard, "Owww, watch the rocks there buddy."

He didn't see anyone, so he threw some more, "Goddamit man, stop it, you nearly smashed my head in."

Jon laid eyes on an Ugly BullFrog, the most horrid looking thing he ever saw, it was skinny, with buldging eyes. "Did you just say something?" Prince Jon asked.

 

The frog swam up to the edge and spoke, "Who and what are you?" "Your the ugliest creature I have ever seen." Prince Jon's eyes flew wide open and said, "I beg your parden, you should talk, your one ugly bullfrog."

 

The frog tilted it's head and said, " You nearly killed me with that rock, what do you have to say for yourself."

Prince Jon thought, "Angry little frog isn't he." "Well if you must know, I believe I must kiss you."

 

"Oh NO you won't, you ugly Man you, stay away from me." The frog said.

 

Just as the frog tried to turn and jump off into the pond, Prince Jon grabbed him, and pulled him up. The frog was resisting and yelling... "No, No, put me down, put me down."

Prince Jon stared at the frog, and seriously thought of throwing him back, just in case his wish did come true, he didn't want to be stuck with an angry former bullfrog with issues.

 

The frog wiggled and kept shouting, "Don't you dare, don't you dare, your gross, your gross, oh the humanity of it all, I am doomed."

 

Prince Jon planted a kiss atop of the cranky diva and prayed he wasn't the one, and thought he'd be better off alone.

 

The frog dove out of Jon's hands and was cussing all the way down the pond, "Oh shit, I am going to get a wart on the top of my head, I am going to kill myself, that damn ugly man creature, how could he do this to me, I need to find the highest rock and leap to my death."

 

Prince Jon became so thank-ful that ugly bullfrog was gone and didn't turn into his to be life partner, he just couldn't picture being with someone so moody, arrogant, and most of all a Diva. Prince Jon shook it off and started to walk away from the pond, when he heard, "I'm gonna do it," I'm gonna end it all right now, I can feel the wart growing on my head."

 

The Ugly frog, on top of the highest rock, took a leap into the rough rocky area of the pond.

Prince Jon felt kinda sorry for the ugly frog, and turned to face the waters edge to say a prayer for the ridiuclous creature.

 

Prince Jon kneeled down and closed is eyes and started....

"I'm sorry Ugly Frog that you killed youself, I just wanted to find Love, was that so Bad?"

"I hope you find peace in your Frog Heaven, if that's where your going, you bastard."

 

Just then ripples were in the water moving towards the edge, Prince Jon saw a man swimming under the water towards him. The man came up for air right at The edge and let air out of his mouth and spewed some water on Prince Jon knocking him from the kneeling position onto his butt.

 

This man was naked, he was a tall man with curley hair, the ringlets laid on his shoulders. "Hi Jon, the man said. Jon's eyes were open so wide he thought they were gonna pop out.

Jon said, "Hello, are you who I am destined to be with?" The Man looked Jon up and down and claimed with a passion, "If you want me to be."

 

Jon and the mystery man kissed, Prince Jon asked his named, "Christopher" he cried, as Christopher moved in for another kiss, he whispered into Prince Jon's ear, "Thanks for bringing me to life, I Love You..........."

 

The End

 

 

-Chapter Seven-

 

 

“I can't believe you slept out here.” Chris looked up and blinked away his sleepiness. He smiled at the sight of Jonny leaning over the couch and staring at him.

“Me neither.” He sat up and brought his knees to his chest, though he still took up half the sofa. Jonny walked around and sat down on the now-empty portion.

“I mean, I would have gladly let you take my bed, and I'd have slept on this awful sofa,” Jonny said. Chris wrapped his arms around his legs.

“Water under the bridge now, isn't it? I didn't mind.” Chris leaned a bit and rested his chin on his knees. He watched Jonny, who was staring down at his feet and stretching his toes. “Good morning, by the way.”

Jonny slowly looked up and smiled kindly. “Good morning.”

“Did you even get any sleep?” Chris sweetly asked, though he was certain he knew the answer.

Jonny shook his head a little. “Nope,” he answered. “But... because I couldn't stop thinking about Jen. God, you look so much like her.”

“Well, we are twins,” Chris quietly said, and Jonny's eyes widened in response.

“What?” he nearly shrieked in his deep voice. “How is it that you've managed to hide all of this information from me until just now?”

“I don't know,” Chris said with a laugh. Then he dropped his legs down to the floor and scooted over next to Jonny. Their hands nearly touched. Chris just stared as Jonny kept his head down.

“Chris... I'm not sure that we should... I mean, it's not that I regret kissing you, I... I don't know if this...” Jonny taped his thumb against the upholstery of the sofa, searching for the right words. He sighed when he couldn't think of anything after a while.

“I understand,” Chris genuinely replied. “Like you said last night, I'm a guy. I get it.”

“You're not mad at me?”

“Of course not. Listen, I actually don't mind only being friends with you, especially since I know that you would like me... and, if I'm perfectly honest, it's a hell of a lot easier to accept us only being friends when you're single.” Jonny laughed and brought his green eyes in line with Chris's blue ones.

“All right,” he said. “But I do have to admit something. Usually when I'm unsure of whether or not I want to be in a relationship, it ends up being one of the more serious ones I've had. Like with your sister...”

Chris smiled at him and tried not to get his hopes up regardless of what he had just heard. “What do you want to do today, Jonny?”

“Nothing, really,” Jonny replied. “It's raining anyway, isn't it?”

Chris raised an eyebrow and looked up at the ceiling, as if that would help him clarify. He did indeed begin to hear the light patter of rain, though it was probably the rain hitting the window that he heard.

“So it is... Could we just hang out here, then?” Chris asked.

“Sure.” Jonny sat even further back than he was before, almost trying to sink into the sofa. He laced his fingers together and placed them on his abdomen, and Chris sadly moved his own hand from where it had been. “Here's an idea, why don't you tell me more about yourself? Because I get the feeling there's a lot I don't know.”

“Fair enough. Where should I start?”

For what seemed like hours, Chris went on and on about his childhood. He told Jonny about his elementary school experiences being teased by the bigger kids in his class for being as scrawny as he was, about his junior high school experiences being teased by the jocks in his class for being in the mixed choir, about his high school experiences being alienated from his family after coming out, and about his adult experiences learning that his family had excluded him from almost everything.

“I only heard about Jen's wedding- Jen's and yours- because I had to make the horrible trip to my parents' house to pick something up from my mum,” Chris explained. “I found the invitation posted on the fridge. So I wrote down the information and stuff when she wasn't looking and stuffed the paper into my pocket. Then I crashed the wedding, and no one seemed too happy about that.”

“I'm happy you did,” Jonny said, and Chris smiled a little.

“Right, the people on your side didn't care that I was there. But everyone else, I think, was trying to pretend I wasn't.” Chris stared at the wall across the room, and as he talked he didn't notice that Jonny was slowly sliding down in his seat. “I also discovered when I went to see my mum that my dad had died, and apparently I was not important enough to be informed. Or asked to attend the funeral.”

Jonny let his head fall to the side, and it stopped moving once it hit Chris's shoulder. Chris looked down at him and couldn't help grinning. He decided then to be silent until Jonny spoke, because he didn't want to ruin what was such a nice moment for him.

“I... I'm still not entirely sure...”

“It's OK, remember? I understand,” Chris said, though he felt as though there was nothing for him to understand. Things seemed to be going his way now.

“Yeah, but you saying that just makes me want you more.” Jonny shifted a little so that he was able to wrap both arms around Chris's stomach. Chris intended to move his arm and let his hand rest on Jonny's lower back, but he was stopped by the fit of giggles that burst from inside of him.

“I'm sorry,” he said through laughter when Jonny looked up at him with concern, “but that tickles.”

“It does, does it?” Jonny asked, sitting up, and Chris bit his lip and nodded. “Well, then, I wonder what it would be like if I do this-”

Jonny proceeded to actually tickle Chris, and Chris screeched howls of laughter into the air as he uncontrollably twitched and realized that at this point his life was wonderful.

 

 

-Guy-

 

 

Denmark 1943

 

He had an assigned time to arrive so that should something anything happen, it wouldn’t effect the whole group. Crouched extremely low to the ground the man was trying to see through the woods while also trying not to create any noise. It was of grave importance that he did this; he had taken the dark clothes that he now wore days earlier and rubbed them up against plants and trees to create a mask against his scent. He was also praying that the tiny bundle pressed to his chest under the cloak did not stir.

 

There were vicious, cold-hearted dogs that had been trained to pick up scent and noise in these woods and the men with whom they were led by were just the same. Brain washed and had no feelings left, just a ferocious hollow outer shell, trained to find the ‘impure’, the Jews.

 

Guy had been lucky for this long. The German’s had dwelled in Denmark for some time and so he had lived. At one point most Jews in other countries were marked, branded, often with the star of David. It was thanks to the King that he had not had to wear the mark, but times had changed and his dear loved ones were just disappearing. They would leave for work and then never come home. This was the case for Guy’s sister Ariel and her husband, Frank; they had asked Guy to watch their infant daughter for the day, while they went to work.

 

Guy had agreed whole-heartedly, he loved his niece Lisle. She had the same smoky eyes that he had and the same dark curls. He knew that his sister had only asked that day because his love was out with the sea for the next week. He waited and waited and soon it was past 11 at night and he knew that he had just seen the last of his sister. He was the only relative that Lisle had and he knew that he had to care for the tiny thing cradled in his arms.

 

Weeks went by and then October came and so did a change in the Germans. Guy knew he needed to leave to save his and his adopted daughters life too. He bid his love good bye and snuck off into the darkness of the woods and began his journey towards freedom he hoped.

 

 

 

-Chris & Jonny-

 

 

Jonny sat on the floor looking over hand drawn maps and plans that had been created just a few weeks prior. It was the 14th time he had done so that day, but it was only a fix to help keep his nerves under control.

 

Chris was not like Jonny, he needed to move and so he had been quietly pacing around the room. The normal joyous, cheerful man was pensive and timid. He would occasionally stop at a window and adjust the black out curtain and then continue moving about.

 

The first few were due to arrive soon and then they would all be on pins and needles. While the two men were not Jewish the Germans frowned them upon, at least their kind was. Regardless, they had targets painted on their foreheads along with the Jews, just not as noticeable. Jonny and Chris were first approached 2 months ago; they were asked if they would help the Jews escape from the terror? Without thinking Jonny blurted out a resounding yes and now two months later here they were, waiting for the inevitable to happen.

 

Jonny looked up and saw Chris peeking out a window while biting his nails. He saw the worry lines across his forehead and the rare glimmers of doubt in his eyes. Jonny called out to Chris and bid him join him on the floor. Chris hesitated for a minute and then agreed and wondered towards him. The two men didn’t have to say a word they just sat leaning on each other listening to the others heart beating while there hands lay intertwined together.

 

 

 

-Will-

 

 

It was eerily quiet on the pier; all that could be heard was the soft gentle caressing hiss that each wave brought as it crashed against the shore. The strong man sat looking out across the way, he was trying to get a reading of the water. He knew that while water could appear calm and friendly it could be incredibly deceiving and tonight was not a night to maneuver that kind.

 

Satisfied the man readied his fishing boat for some of the most important things he would be transporting in his life. His ear twitched as he heard a sound, the man was quick and he silently slid below as he waited for the sound to disappear.

 

Two pairs of tall black boots strolled past the boat along with four paws. Will prayed that the dog would not detect his scent. As soon as he had done that the dog franticly started sniffing, the two men with whom the boots belonged to started whispering German to each other. Soon the sound of a gun being cocked echoed down to Will. He stopped breathing waiting for the sound of the gun being fired in his direction. Then nothing. The Nazi’s had left.

 

Will crept into his tiny living quarters and looked up at the picture of his love that he had carried with him always. He kissed his fingers and placed upon the picture as he said a silent prayer, that the night would go well and the packages would be delivered.

 

 

 

 

-Chapter Eight-

 

 

 

“Chris,” Jonny slowly began, “I think you're my best friend.”

Chris set down the glass of water he was holding and said nothing, just blinking at Jonny contemplatively.

“Did you know I think you look very nice tonight, Jonny,” Chris mentioned.

“Yes, you told me that earlier.” Jonny shifted his eyes about the table for a while. His heart was starting to pound in his chest. “Did you hear-”

“Yes,” Chris replied with a smile, “and you're treating it like it's a love confession. I like it.”

Jonny flustered a little, spots of red bleeding through his cheeks; he hadn't meant for it to sound that way, but he knew that Chris was right. And Jonny sort of liked it, too.

Chris leaned across the table, laying one his hands over his chest. “You're my best friend, too,” he whispered very secretively. Then he laughed, sat back, and drank some more water. “Of course, it's not like I really have other friends.”

“Neither do I. I thought I did, but it seems that maybe they were all just Jen's friends.”

“That very same thing happened to me,” Chris said with a blank expression. “When I was a teenager, of course. I guess that's not so surprising, though, considering we're twins. But they were all her friends first, kinda like...”

Chris's voice faded into the air and he stared into the empty space before him. Jonny waited for a bit, then bent forward and said, “Kinda like...”

Chris looked at Jonny and shook his head a little. “Kinda like how you were her boyfriend first,” he finished.

“Oh, right.” Jonny lowered his eyes, staring at the table and actually looking ashamed.

“I don't mind,” Chris clarified, “I just thought it was... interesting.”

Jonny opened his mouth the speak, but he was cut off by the entrance of their waitress, there to take their orders. Chris rattled off a bunch of the fancy French food names- it was a French restaurant, after all- and suddenly Jonny became very intimidated. He had never even said so much as “bonjour” in his entire life, and the prospect of having to order something basically in French scared him greatly. For a split second he wondered what possessed him to pick this restaurant to dine in; it wasn't like he had ever thought to go there before with anyone else he had dated.

The waitress turned to Jonny, and he tried to use the same skill Chris had, but he fell short of his own expectations. Chris smiled kindly at the waitress as she turned to leave, and when he went to grab another drink he noticed Jonny had started fidgeting.

“Jonny, what's up?” he asked. Jonny looked up at Chris and blushed.

“I'm just nervous. I've never done this before.”

“What, you've never been on a date before?” Chris looked at Jonny disbelievingly and mockingly laughed a bit. Jonny stared back at him, unamused, and tilted his head to the side.

“Not with a guy,” Jonny said. He quickly brought his hand to his neck and began to scratch fervently.

“It's hardly different than with a girl,” Chris replied, absentmindedly running his finger around the rim of his glass. Jonny stopped the scratching and snorted.

“Like you would know?” Chris raised his eyes and smiled.

“Good point.”

“Anyway, I... I just want to impress you,” Jonny quietly added. Chris reached his arm across the table and laid his hand on Jonny's forearm.

“Jonny, I think I need to impress you far more than you need to impress me.” Jonny kept his eyes down, but he moved his other arm so that he could grab Chris's hand. “I mean, all you really need to do to impress me is sit there and breathe.”

Jonny wasn't entirely convinced, but he decided to at least try to believe Chris's words. He was still really anxious, and probably over-thought everything he was going to say much more than necessary. Chris intuitively picked up on this, but he thought Jonny's behavior was endearing.

The food was not as delicious as it sounded, though it didn't actually sound that great to begin with. But neither Jonny or Chris minded, because they were too busy focusing on each other to pay much attention to the quality of the food.

Once the dinner had been paid for, the two men stepped outside of the restaurant, and Jonny began to head in the direction of his car.

“Wait,” Chris said, gently grabbing Jonny's arm. Jonny cautiously turned around and looked at Chris expectantly. “We should walk around for a bit.”

“Well... OK.” Chris released his hold on the arm which Jonny then lifted and placed around Chris's shoulder. They began to stroll down the sidewalk, Chris with his hands in his pockets as he stared at Jonny and Jonny with his head down, watching the pavement move beneath them.

The sun was setting, its orange glow spreading and covering the earth like a blanket. Suddenly, halfway down the road, Chris began to talk, and kept going on and on until they had circled the entire block once. Jonny never once lifted his head, but he was always smiling at the sound of Chris's voice.

“You're still nervous, aren't you?” Chris asked Jonny as they stopped along the side of Jonny's car. Jonny looked up at him, stared for a few seconds, then shrugged.

“I can't help it.” Trying desperately not to move in any way, Jonny forced himself to make eye contact with Chris for an extended length of time. No longer was Chris's nose of any importance to him; now it was only those bright blue eyes, the same ones that shook him and made him feel safe all at once, that caught his attention.

Without breaking the stare, Chris glided closer to Jonny, took his hand, and the next thing Jonny knew Chris's lips were upon his and everything was all right.

“We can leave now, yeah?” Chris whispered, still less than an inch away from Jonny's face, and Jonny nodded.

He held the door open for Chris, then walked around to the driver side and sat himself in the car. The sound of Chris's buckle clicking into place was the only thing to be heard until the engine roared to life. Then Jonny put on his own seat belt and started to back the car up.

“You know,” Chris said as Jonny pulled out of the parking lot and onto the main road, “if we were the ones getting married, I wouldn't leave you.”

Jonny allowed himself to glimpse briefly at the other man, and he smiled brightly. “Well, that's always good to know.”

And they drove off into the summer night.

 

 

 

 

 

theeeeeeee ennnnnnd :blush:

 

 

Taking On Dreams

 

Chapter 4

 

 

A thick mist filled the structure as the two men entered to stand under its roof. Upon first glance it was colorless, but if you looked closely you could see hints of soothing pastel colors contained in it. Perhaps these were the leftovers of what the mysterious man had taken from above.

 

The mist grew thicker and all Chris could really see were the brilliant green eyes of the man. They stood opposite one another, arms stretched out, holding hands, fingers intertwined. Chris could feel more and more of the fog pressing in from somewhere on the outside.

 

It was an almost unbearable presence in the little shelter, and soon Chris felt compelled to step closer to the center in hopes of escaping the force of the mist on his back. The man’s green eyes grew closer, but startlingly so. Chris realized that the man must have had the same idea, and now they were both standing quite near the center of the gazebo.

 

Even as they moved closer, their hands remained interlocked tightly. Soon they were so close that they had no choice but to press their forearms together, letting their entwined fingers rest on each other’s shoulders.

 

The strange pastel tinted mist seemed to have other powers too. Or maybe that was what Chris told himself, to excuse himself for his next actions.

 

He found himself staring at the sketched outline of the man’s beautiful pinkish lips. And suddenly he had to know just how they felt. Could they be real? Were they a tangible thing?

 

Using his feet for leverage, as he was an inch or so shorter than the man, Chris leaned in to test out those lips. They were real alright. But they felt better than that. It was like experiencing wave after refreshing wave in the ocean after spending a boiling hot afternoon on the sands of the beach.

 

The man didn’t mind this at all. In fact, it seemed that this had been what he waiting for all along. He flung Chris’s arms away, and took to gripping Chris’s shoulders instead of his hands, pulling him in closer and wrapping his arms around Chris’s slender frame.

 

It was as though he was holding on for dear life as Chris’s kisses grew more and more passionate, nearly drowning the poor man in a storm of pure ardent emotion.

 

Chris didn’t like the way his hands felt at his sides and he instinctually reached out to grab the shoulders of the man in a similar way as the man had gripped his. But that just didn’t feel right either.

 

Perhaps it had to do with the cold aura given off by the clothing which covered the man’s skin. Despite its soft feel, it was not inviting.

 

Chris gave the shirt a little tug, and broke off the kiss just long enough to give the man a pleading glance with his eyes. Might he get permission to remove that unpleasant piece of clothing? Those beautiful green eyes shone ever so brightly. Permission granted, they uttered fervently.

 

Slowly, savoring every bit of soft skin as it was revealed, Chris removed the shirt. He stroked the man’s chest, lingered on his abs, and slowly slid his fingers down is sides, memorizing the depth and length of each curve.

 

He wrapped his arms around the naked top half of the man. He wanted to feel his muscles move as he began to kiss him again. But a firm shoulder grip stopped his lips from making contact this time. Now the green eyes were the ones doing the begging. Chris smiled in a way that let the man know he was free to do whatever his heart desired.

 

So the shirt was stripped just moments before the man began working on Chris’s pants. All the while the two kissed each other with a burning passion that could not seem to be extinguished. Their chests rose in and out at a high speed. Each could feel the others muscles ripple with effort. They were both still trying, to some extent, to control their desires.

 

But they were failing, and failing fast. Chris felt like he was falling; cascading down through a dark sky at top speed. He didn’t have a parachute. But he didn’t need one. He wanted to hit the ground hard and fast, and feel everything.

 

When the man finally rid Chris of all the offending fabric he pressed his body up against the naked, smooth skin and kissed it fervently. Chris bit his lip and squirmed with pleasure as the man moved down lower and lower and began to stroke Chris’s thighs with his fingertips. He wished his vocal chords worked in this world. He wanted to voice his appreciation for this experience.

 

Instead he opted to show his gratitude by way of action. But just as he was reaching for the pants of the man, two hands gripped his wrists firmly. Chris looked up, half in surprise and half in disappointment.

 

But the man’s eyes didn’t look unwilling or regretful. They looked scared. Releasing one of Chris’s wrists, he slowly pointed to the outside.

 

It was only then Chris noticed that the mist had almost completely dissipated. Another thing he noticed is that the bright colors of the sky like area were melting down and down. When it hit the grass it turned into black and white. The grass shriveled up and died. And behind the melting colors, stood hundreds of men in uniforms, carrying some kind of weapon.

 

Chris couldn’t move. He stood there, naked and shaking, until the man threw his clothes at him, his eyes pleading that he hurry. He stumbled into the clothing as fast as he could then looked to the man again. He pointed towards the door. Chris took his hand though, showing that he wanted to stay here with him.

 

But the man would not allow it. He ripped his hand away and shoved Chris down the stairs of the gazebo and towards the door. Chris ran up to it, but was reluctant to leave. He turned around again, in time to see the entire gazebo collapse. His eyes widened in horror. The man had still been inside it.

 

But to his relief, one strong arm poked through the rubble, followed by another, and then man pulled himself out. Then he pulled out his special black utensil and hurriedly sketched a weapon, much like the ones the men in uniforms carried, only this one was far bigger.

 

He gripped it tightly with both hands and aimed it at the men. He was about to pull the trigger when out of the corner of his eye he noticed Chris still standing there. He glared at him, gesturing wildly for him to leave. But Chris had decided that he just couldn’t leave the man alone like this.

 

Frustrated, the man strode over to Chris and gave a long kiss on the lips. Then he opened the door and shoved Chris through it. Chris stumbled backwards and began to fall. He kept falling and falling through white nothingness until finally he landed with a hard thud on what felt like a wooden floor.

 

He looked around and realized with heartbreak that he was back in his room. Immediately he turned to the canvas. He got a sinking feeling in his stomach when he saw that it was blank. Tears began to well up in his eyes. His one true desire had been in his grasp, and he had lost it.

 

He could still feel the man’s warm and strong hands on his body. The feel of that final kiss was still a tingling sensation on his lips. He reached up and touched them lightly with his fingertips. It hadn’t felt like a goodbye kiss. But he figured it was crazy to think otherwise. So with a heavy heart and tear streaked cheeks, he crawled into his bed.

 

He was startled awake by a sharp knock on his door. He stumbled out of bed to answer it, shaking his head. He recalled a weird, but wonderful dream he had last night. It was only a vague recollection though, and it faded from his mind quickly as he opened the door and felt the warmth of summer’s heat.

 

And then it the memories did a quick reverse and came straight back to him when he looked up and saw who was at the door. His eyes filled with tears yet again and he began to shake uncontrollably.

 

Standing on his front porch was the man from the canvas. The man who was his deepest desire. He reached his arms out and gripped Chris’s shoulders to stop his shaking. Then he took one hand and wiped away Chris’s tears.

 

“Hello. My name is Jonathon, but you can call me Jonny.”

 

Chris thought he had the most beautiful voice in the world. Jonny smiled and it took his breath away, because this time he knew it was real. He took Jonny’s hand in his own and held on tightly.

 

“You might already know this, but I’m Christopher, better known as Chris. And I do believe we have quite a bit of catching up to do. So many missed hours…”

 

He drifted off, and gave him a sly wink. Jonny returned the gesture. Then Chris lead him inside his house (and inside other things too), and to the beginning of the rest of their lives.

 

 

 

SOMETIMES....LIFE ISN’T EASY

 

A brief explanation:

I could never say exactly where I got this idea from. Let's just say it was inspired by people, for people. And it is just a little message to remind us all that even though we think our lives are hard sometimes, there are people who have had life much harder, maybe even those whom we talk to on a regualr basis. And more importantly, it is a reminder of how good friends can make things seem so much easier:heart:.

 

 

Part 1

 

 

A lone bench stood in the pouring rain. It was old and rickety with peeling paint. It was nearly impossible to tell what color it was. It could have been blue, it could have been green. Hell, it could have been hot pink.

 

As a lone man sat on the wet bench, equally as wet himself, he couldn’t help but think that this bench was quite a lot like people. You never really knew their true colors.

 

The man looked around until he noticed a tiny sign that marked this spot as a bus stop. He could hardly believe it was any such thing. If he had been an idle passerby he never would have guessed what it was. It was nothing like the bus stops in the city. But he was fairly certain the sign wasn’t a lie. So it was there, among the puddles and the peeling paint on the bench that he sat, waiting.

 

As was a habit of his, he began to think. Waiting, he had found over the years, was an ideal time for some good old-fashioned thoughts. Not enough young people around his age had thoughts these days. It was sad. He didn’t want to be like that.

 

So there he sat-cold, wet, alone, and bored, bored being the most prominent-and he wrote a little story. He often wrote fictional stories. But this one was more fact than fiction. And while the man had not paper nor a pen to write with, it didn’t make much difference.

 

This story was all in his head, written neatly and coherently for later use, if he ever did find someone who might care to hear it. But, running his fingers through his wet curls, he began to tell it to just himself for now. It went something like this:

 

 

 

Once upon a time there was a boy. He was a young thing, just nineteen years of age. Despite his limited years, he had already experienced more pain than any one person should ever have to experience in their entire lifetime. Nothing had ever come easy to him.

 

His family life had been hard, unimaginably so. He had no good experiences to speak of, like most children do. It had been one misery after another for him. That being said, it is no huge surprise that he left it all behind the day he turned eighteen.

 

And three months after that, he graduated high school. Up until then he had been living with a friend. But now that college was looming in the fall, he felt he should find a place of his own.

 

And yes, he did intend on going to college. Partially because he wanted to learn new things and meet new people. And partially because his mother never thought he could or would. He tried not to focus on the latter too much, though.

 

Instead he tried to make his college experience as great as he possibly could. Of course, it wasn’t easy. He was used to that. There were heavy books and harsh professors and seemingly endless examinations. But ironically, the thing that made finishing college the hardest might have been the easiest thing the young man had ever done.

 

Falling in love. If there was one thing in life the man could say was simple to accomplish, it would certainly be that. He fell so hard and so fast he barely knew what hit him.

 

It came about in this way: he found an apartment. It was small, but it was suitable for his needs. He moved into said apartment. His first week there, he was running up the stairs, two at a time, books in hand, lots of studying to do, and it was already past midnight. So surely you could understand the man’s rush.

 

Unfortunately, his feet couldn’t keep up with his schedule, and he missed a step and went sprawling onto the third floor landing. His books were spread out everywhere. And there was a horrible pain in his knee where it had collided with one of the steps.

 

And then there was a hand, not his own, who picked those books up. The hand stacked them all neatly in a pile by the man’s head.

 

The pathetic boy looked up and his big, blue, gullible eyes took in the sights of the most beautiful man he had ever seen. He was tall with a good build. And he had the kindest eyes in the world. They were green and they sparkled like diamonds.

 

Especially when he cocked his head to the right to grin at the man on the ground.

“Need any help?” he asked with a chuckle. Even his voice was kind. It was soft and sweet and sounded almost like a lullaby to the poor man’s ears.

 

“No…no…it’s alright.” The young man picked himself up quickly, ignoring the pain in his knee and trying to stop himself from blushing.

 

He didn’t think it was working too well, because the beautiful man then said “There’s no reason to be embarrassed. Those stairs are the devil. I’ve tripped up and down them countless times.”

 

The man smiled a sweet little innocent boy’s smile and reached down to grab his pile of books. But the beautiful man stopped him. This time the bumbling idiot of a man noticed another glint, coming from the man’s other hand. This glint was from a ring. A wedding ring. A perfectly fitting golden band wrapped possessively around his finger.

 

The poor boy, barely yet a man, felt his heart break. All his wild and crazy fantasies were shattered. He hardly heard the man’s beautiful voice introduce himself. Luckily he still caught the name “Jonny”. But he didn’t catch the question that followed. The man called Jonny had to repeat that.

 

“I said…..what do you go by?”

 

“Um…Chris,” the skinny young man managed to stammer out.

 

“Well Chris, let me help you by taking your books up to your room.”

 

Chris nodded and tried to remember to breathe. He could have sworn Jonny had just winked at him. All the way up to his room he tried to convince himself otherwise.

 

Taking the key out of his pocket, he opened the door and Jonny strode into the humble place and set the books down on a table near the door. Chris expected he would leave after that. But he just stood there, arms crossed. Chris got the feeling he was being watched, and he felt his face flush.

 

“So…..” he said stupidly.

 

“So….physics?” Jonny asked, gesturing towards the top book on the pile.

 

“Yeah….I kinda have a big exam I need to be studying for. I meant to do it earlier….but I just never got around to it. Until now, at least.”

 

He rubbed his head nervously. He had never been in a room alone with a man so beautiful and he had no idea how to act. Especially considering the fact that he was a married man.

 

“Well I know a thing or two about physics. Why don’t I help you?”

 

“Um…I don’t know…I’m sure I can manage…”

 

“Listen, Chris. I was a physics major in college. I really think you could benefit from my level of knowledge.” Again Chris could swear the man winked at him. He blinked a few times.

 

“Okay….if you are sure.”

 

“Excellent!” Jonny exclaimed. “Now…where would be the most comfortable place to get a serious study session on?”

 

Chris blushed in spite of himself but mustered up the courage to respond “my bedroom.” He was betting on the chance that he was being flirted with. It was a risky bet. But in the end Chris won the jackpot.

 

Jonny winked again, and this time Chris was sure it was for real. Then he followed Chris into the bedroom. Neither of them carried any books.

 

A Stupid Thing To Do

 

 

 

A simple look at those two will tell you all you need to know. Even when they're merely existing in the same room together, not actually interacting, it is so easy to decipher every little move they make. Jonny will be sitting on one side of the room, reading a magazine of some sort, and he'll cross his leg. Next thing you know, there's Chris on the other side of the room, strumming out some new melody on his guitar, and suddenly he decides it would somehow work out better if his legs were crossed.

 

Or Chris will be staring out the window, bored, tapping his foot mindlessly against the floor. Then a minute later it's joined by the sound of Jonny's feet lightly hitting the carpeted surface. It's enough to drive you mad, especially if you're trying to take a nap.

 

That's what happened to Guy one day. His eyes were closed, but he was still awake for the most part. He didn't want to be; the night before he'd been out drinking, and he wasn't exactly as young as he used to be.

 

Needless to say, he never got any sleep, and for the rest of the day he went on yapping about it. Everyone, even the security crew at the venue, was tired of hearing him complain.

 

“You could have said something,” Jonny told him, “and I would have stopped.”

 

It was really obvious that Guy was itching to fight, but he couldn't. No one could ever fight with Jonny, because he was too kind. So instead he took up the issue with Chris.

 

It's almost impossible to confirm the details, but their fight- which happened backstage after that night's gig- was bad enough from Chris's point of view to force him to lock himself in the bathroom. Maybe it was just that after the gig, Chris's spirits had been soaring, and so when Guy took him down, he really took him down. Chris had been shot multiple times and was now laying helplessly on the ground, a bloody mess sprawled out on jagged rocks.

 

But the paramedics had already gone home, or, at least, back to his hotel room. There seemed to be a very little chance of being able to drag Jonny back to the venue to sort this mess out, but everyone tried regardless. Otherwise, Chris might have just stayed in that bathroom until he starved to death.

 

Guy, of course, took none of the blame, merely letting everyone know that he wasn't as nasty as Chris made him out to be, just that Chris was too overly emotional and sensitive and that was why he was in the bathroom. Of course, no one pointed it out, but if Guy knew that Chris was that way then maybe he shouldn't have picked the fight in the first place.

 

Two hours later, Chris finally agreed to come out, having been coaxed by an extremely tired-looking Jonny. The red in his eyes and the strange dryness of his cheeks told that he'd been crying, and had tried to remove signs of it before he walked back out into public.

 

Neither Guy or Chris would say what words had been exchanged between the two that night that struck Chris so hard. Chris wouldn't even tell Jonny, which was utterly surprising. Chris told Jonny everything- everything. Even things Jonny would never have wanted to hear, though Chris didn't know that. They were both too blind.

 

So, for the next few days Jonny went around sulking a bit because he thought that maybe his best friend was drifting apart from him. Then what was he going to do? He didn't want another best friend, that was for sure; no one could ever replace Chris. Jonny searched for ways to reconnect and strengthen their friendship.

 

One night there was a carnival in town, and everyone was there. Everyone who had even the tiniest thing to do with the band went, including immediate family members and distant cousins and all sorts of crazy things like that.

 

It was no surprise that Chris and Jonny ran off together to play games and go on the rides. It was no surprise that they did it all blindly.

 

People even tell them how they both feel! Years ago they started doing that, because years ago it was obvious. Do they not believe the other people? Are they highly skeptical of what the others say, afraid that it all really is just a joke?

 

It's not a joke. It's not even remotely funny. It's more frustrating than anything else, most likely far more frustrating for either of them than for the rest of the world. So why do they feel the need to pretend none of it's real?

 

It's so real that it's almost a solid thing, something someone could physically touch. That night everyone watched as the two men came bustling down the boardwalk, arms linked- no doubt Chris's doing. They were both beaming. It was too good to be true; so good, in fact, that it wasn't true.

 

No one could say they were shocked, that they hadn't expected for them to go through their entire lives as “just friends” when they could be so much more. When they should be so much more.

 

Guy apparently felt very adamant about the situation. When Chris and Jonny were walking, he stormed up to them and forced them to stop.

 

“What the hell are you doing??” he nearly screamed.

 

“Um... walking?” Chris hopelessly replied.

 

Guy blinked incredulously at Chris, then shot his head in Jonny's direction. He was silent for a moment, then sneered and said, “And I thought at least you were intelligent.”

 

Then Guy walked away, leaving both of them bewildered and at a total loss for words, struggling to understand what had just happened. Jonny just shrugged, and Chris shook his head.

 

They weren't idiots for falling in love with each other. But the stupidest thing either of them did was keep it quiet.

 

 

SOMETIMES....LIFE ISN’T EASY

 

Part 2

 

 

Jonny had been right. He was full of knowledge. Chris had been with guys before, but not like this, and he had never gone all the way. But on that unforgettable day, as a young man of nineteen, he did just that.

 

And it was wonderful. It was the most amazing experience of his life. And when it ended when the sun came up, he cursed the star for all it was worth.

 

But Jonny made a promise. “Until next time,” he said to Chris, as he slipped on his shoes and left to return to his married life.

 

And he kept his word. Once a week, if not more, Jonny would show up at Chris’s door. Apparently his wife went on a lot of business meetings, and thus their relationship wasn’t going so well.

 

Jonny told Chris how lonely he got, sitting alone in his apartment. He whispered to Chris between kisses of how the young man filled that void. Jonny filled a void in Chris as well. The part of him that needed love and affection from someone, anyone. He had never received it at home. So, naturally, he searched for it in Jonny. And he found it, and much more.

 

Jonny was everything to him. His entire world. Whenever he ate, slept, and breathed, Jonny occupied his thoughts. Jonny told him that he was planning on leaving his wife. Chris felt his heart swell and he almost began to cry right there. Finally, someone that loved him enough to give up anything for him.

 

Until that fateful day when Jonny arrived at Chris’s door wearing a completely impassive expression. Without a word of explanation, Jonny told Chris that the relationship was over. When Chris asked why, Jonny acted as though it were obvious. “I have a wife,” he said.

 

“But…I thought…” the man broke off, tears forming in his eyes. He had yet to the value of not showing outwardly how badly someone was hurting him.

 

Jonny laughed. “Goodbye Chris. Don’t you tell anybody about this now, you hear?” he called out as he walked away. That was the last time Chris ever saw him. Jonny needn’t have worried about Chris telling anyone. At least not for a while. He was too ashamed.

 

He moved out of that apartment complex the next day. He moved to a new place, temporarily, until he could finish college. College. It quickly became torture. Every day was a struggle. Countless times he wanted to just give up and cry himself to sleep at night. There was indeed a lot of crying. But he never did give up.

 

He couldn’t. He still had something to prove. He wanted to have a diploma to wave in the face of his horrible mother. Unfortunately though, he never got that chance.

 

A few months before his graduation, his mom died. He drove out to the funeral and cried. But not for his mother. No, he cried only because she would never live to see him blow away all her expectations of him.

 

Feeling lower than ever, the poor man returned and graduated college. No one was there to cheer for him. Funny, he had once thought Jonny would be there with arms outstretched to congratulate him on this day. He shuddered to think how gullible and stupid he had been. Jonny was nothing but a tool.

 

A few days later, he packed a small suitcase, stuck some money in his back pocket, and left the city behind him. He took the first bus going south. He planned to stop at the next city over. But he fell asleep, and ended up at the bus’s final stop. A little bus station in the middle of nowhere with nothing but an old bench and a small sign to its name.

 

 

 

And that’s where the story left off. Because the rest had yet to happen. Chris heaved a sigh, and using his suitcase as a pillow, lay down across the bench. It was nearly dark.

 

He wondered when the next bus would come. Probably not until morning. Just as he closed his eyes in a vain attempt at sleep, he was startled by the sound of a loud horn.

 

His head shot up. His curls dripped water down his face. Stopped in front of Chris was an old red pickup truck. It was pulled to the side of the road. In it were two men. One rolled down the window and leaned out.

 

“Need a lift?” he asked, smirking at the image of a thin man, soaking wet, trying to turn a wooden bench and a suitcase into a bed. Chris nodded his now twenty-two year old head and climbed in the truck.

 

“I’m Will,” the man continued, “and this is Guy. He doesn’t say much. But he’s one of the nicest men you’ll ever meet.”

 

“I’m Chris,” he replied, suddenly feeling chipper. Though he had barely met the two men, he could already sense that someday it would be them who would hear his story.

 

“Are you alright?” asked Guy, averting his eyes form the road for just a moment to flash a kind look in Chris’s direction.

 

“Yeah,” Chris said. “As a matter of fact, I am more alright than I have been in a long time.”

 

He smiled despite all that he had experienced. It was true, sometimes life wasn’t easy. And in his case, it was certainly more often difficult than not. But sometimes, even if only very rarely, it actually was easy.

 

 

Hypnotic Confidence

 

 

 

Jonny rubbed his eyes. They felt dry, scratchy, his eyelids heavy and aching to close. The glowing numbers beside him taunted him and let him know that he had to get himself up in ten minutes. But he hadn't slept a wink all night...

 

Three weeks ago Jonny experienced something he'd never felt before- depression. He was always a happy guy, the kind you could tell all your problems to and know that he would listen and sympathize, but was never weighed down with his own problems. It was a surprise to him then when one morning he looked in the mirror and was utterly disappointed with what he saw.

 

His beard was far too thick, his hair was beginning to thin, his eyebrows were so long. And those were just the physical aspects. It seemed like no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't find a single thing about himself that he liked, inside or outside.

 

What made everything worse was that he had to go out that day. The band was working on their new album. Jonny couldn't bail, but he knew that he was going to suck and bring everyone else down.

 

Damn he thought this must be what Chris feels like everyday.

 

A thought struck the long-eyebrowed man. Chris, his best friend, could surely help out somehow. Chris was always putting himself down, there must have been some way for Chris to help Jonny.

 

“Fucking hell,” Chris agonized. He'd only missed one piano note, but it made a world of difference to him. He sighed and laid his head down on the keys. The room was silent as the other three men stared, watching as Chris's back rose and fell dramatically with every deep breath he took.

 

“All right,” Will spoke after a while. “I think we should take a break.”

 

Will and Guy both set off for the other room, probably going to get a bite to eat. Chris stayed exactly where he was, in the same position, and Jonny slowly walked around to his side.

 

Chris turned his head only a little as he felt Jonny sit down next to him.

 

“Jonny, don't worry about me. I'll be fine.”

 

“Um, OK.” Jonny paused, fidgeted. “But I wanted to ask you something.”

 

The awful mood Chris was in lifted instantly and he sat straight up, blue eyes piercing Jonny with concern and what even looked like excitement.

 

“What did you want to ask?”

 

“How will you be fine?” Jonny replied in an uncertain tone. “Only, I've been feeling kind of... bad. And I know you seem to be like this a lot, so... maybe you could give me some advice...”

 

Chris stared at Jonny pitifully, but he smiled a little. “Sure, I know just the thing.”

 

Chris went on to explain how every night he went to bed and listened to a specific CD. It was a hypnotic CD, meant to subconsciously boost Chris's self-esteem.

 

“I made it myself, so sometimes it's weird to listen to my own voice,” he said. “But I'm sure it'll work fine for you! I can bring it to you tomorrow, if you like.”

 

“That sounds great,” Jonny smiled. “Thanks.”

 

Chris beamed back at Jonny as Will and Guy reentered the room. From then to the end of the day Chris was in a much better mood, and Jonny hoped he would be feeling the same soon.

 

The CD was discreetly slipped into Jonny's guitar case during the next day's work. Just before they all left Chris winked at Jonny and smiled. Jonny wondered briefly what had possessed Chris to make his own self help CD, but he couldn't say he wasn't glad for it.

 

Fitted nicely in his blue silk pajamas, Jonny grabbed the dusty old CD player from his closet and plugged it in beside his alarm clock. He slid the disc out of its paper case and inserted it into the player, then quickly shut off his light and scampered back to bed.

 

Within five minutes he was asleep, the soothing tone of Chris's voice relaxing him. He didn't even know what Chris was saying, it was just nice to hear him speaking in such a soft voice.

 

The next morning he woke up not feeling much better than the day before. But he hadn't expected the method to work literally overnight. He knew it was going to take a while.

 

But here he was now, three weeks later, and he had just undone all of the progress he made.

 

Well, he didn't actually do it. The only thing he did was stay awake, and that was when it all went wrong. He wanted to sleep, but he had introduced into his system an amount of caffeine that it was not used to; that night he drank an entire can of Mountain Dew.

 

So he laid in bed, eyes wide open and pointed at the ceiling, listening to Chris telling him that he was worth something. The CD didn't work quite as well when he was actually listening to it.

 

“You are smart. You are a great person,” Chris's voice told him. It was mostly the same over and over. And over.

 

“You are kind. You are intelligent.”

 

Jonny sighed loudly and was about to close his eyes when suddenly-

 

“You love Chris. You love him.” And Jonny's eyes did the complete opposite. They went so wide that he thought for a second they might just pop out of his head.

“Whenever you see him, you smile and your heart beats a little faster. Whenever you talk to him, all you really want to do is grab him and kiss him like you've never kissed anyone before.”

It was just the caffeine, right? It was messing with Jonny's head. Plus, it had to be at least two in the morning. He had simply gone temporarily mad from the lack of sleep was all.

But he knew better, and he listened on.

“You love him. You want to hold him securely in your arms and never let go. You love Chris.”

Jonny sat straight up, confused and really, really tired. But mostly confused. He looked over to the CD player as if it would bring him any clarity, thinking that maybe Chris would continue on this spiel of his. Part of him actually wanted that.

“You are funny. You are kind.”

Jonny buried his face in his hands and collapsed backward onto his pillows. He stayed that way until the sun began to rise and peeked its rays through his curtains. The CD played another five times, and each time it came to that one part, Jonny's heart raced and he felt his cheeks get hot. For some reason it embarrassed him. Like, why would Chris say these things except that maybe Chris had feelings for him?

The last time Jonny had known about someone liking him was in the fifth grade. A girl called Andrea Winters walked up to him during recess one day and gave him a note. He threw up almost immediately after reading it.

He didn't feel nauseous this time, but he did get that same desire to hide, shrink away and disappear into thin air. Luckily he was alone, but it didn't help much. He still was rather uncomfortable.

Unless Chris was just trying to mess with him.

But then why say Chris? Why not pick Guy or Will to be the other victim of this twisted prank?

So that had to be it. Chris liked Jonny- no, he must have loved him. The way he spoke was so passionate. Jonny searched and searched, racking his brains for clues he may have missed. Clues that could have somehow suggested to him, Jonny, your best friend is in love with you.

Was that uncommon? He had often heard many fictional stories where two best friends fall in love, and all fiction must have some base in reality. His face turned redder when he caught himself thinking that- two best friends fall in love.

He didn't particularly want to fall in love with Chris. Chris was one of the greatest people Jonny had ever met, but he required enough cautiousness and attention as it was. Who knows what he would be like in a serious relationship?

The thoughts just kept running through his mind until he finally pulled himself out of bed and went to get dressed. With every second that passed he became more and more uncertain of how exactly he should react. He knew there was obviously no clear-cut way, but he found it hard to decipher his own feelings.

As he walked through the door and into the studio, he decided it was anger that he felt. It was strange being angry, though; Jonny couldn't even remember a time in his life where he had actually been angry. But he found no other emotion to better fit the strange sickness he felt.

During one of the songs, Chris briefly looked up at Jonny, who was shooting daggers at Chris from across the room. A mere second later Chris was frozen, staring, with a most apologetic look painted upon his face.

“Jonny, I'm so sorry!!” he cried, the sound of his voice and the sudden lack of piano made the other two men stop playing as well. “Please don't hate me.”

“I don't know, Chris,” Jonny said. “I mean, it's one thing to try to help me, but to control me like that...” Jonny shook his head, at a total loss for words. Standing there and looking at Chris, it was hard to believe that this man was the same one whose voice he'd heard trying to brainwash him.

“I just... I don't know why I did it.” Chris looked down at his piano. “Well, I mean, I know why I did it, but... I don't know what came over me. I knew it was a bad idea, but I did it anyway.”

“So you do...?”

“Yes,” Chris grumbled.

There was a small pause, then Guy asked, “What's going on?”

Jonny was prepared to answer, but his eyes were stuck on Chris's image, regretfully frowning at the piano. Then for some reason he felt bad, and the desire to hug Chris and tell him everything was OK overwhelmed him. And his heart beat faster, and he focused more on that frown, not for the emotion behind it but for those soft lips that formed it.

“Shit,” he said. Chris slowly looked up, sensing that something had changed. When he saw the look on Jonny's face, no longer resentful but now perhaps a little longing, he smiled.

“It worked, didn't it?” he asked.

“Is that really how you want all of this to happen?” Jonny replied, internally struggling against his feelings. “You have to brainwash me otherwise... nothing?”

“Jonny, did any of the rest of that work? You don't look like you're any more confident than you were three weeks ago.”

“What's your point?”

“My point is,” Chris said, “that maybe it wasn't brainwash, maybe it was just... bringing out what was already there.”

For the first time in well over a minute, Jonny's eyes shifted to the side and he remembered that Guy and Will were still there with them. Both men were staring at Jonny and Chris, trying to make sense of what was going on, but ultimately failing to come up with anything.

“Can we talk about this later?” Jonny asked, and Chris smiled condescendingly at him.

“No.” Chris stood up and made his way over to where Jonny stood. Without saying another word, Chris grabbed the guitar from Jonny and slipped the strap over his head. He rested the guitar against the nearby wall, then placed both hands firmly on Jonny's arms and pulled him close.

Jonny had expected more to happen, but all Chris did was just stare right into Jonny's eyes. It was almost a bit scary, and Jonny felt really exposed, but he went with it anyway. Finally Jonny grew far too impatient and decided that he would make the first move instead.

“Yeah, that's... I didn't do that,” Chris whispered giddily as they broke apart. “You've been wanting this for a long time. Longer than three weeks.”

“I guess so,” Jonny said.

“So have I.” Chris smiled brightly, and Jonny grinned back, and somewhere on the other side of the room Guy cleared his throat.

“Great, can we get back playing now?” he shouted, but Chris and Jonny ignored him.

“I really am sorry,” Chris sincerely told Jonny. “As soon as I gave you that CD I felt awful, but there was nothing I could do about it then. I just sorta hoped you wouldn't find out.”

“It's... all right, I suppose. Just don't do it again,” Jonny commanded, but he laughed a little as he said it.

“Can I do this again?” Chris leaned forward and softly kissed Jonny.

“Well, I don't mind it, but I think some other people do,” Jonny replied, nodding his head to the side, in the direction that Guy, tapping his foot impatiently and wearing the same angry look Jonny had before, was sitting.

“Come on, boys, let's get playing!” Chris exclaimed, clapped his hands together, and sat down at the piano again.

Jonny never noticed it, but his confidence immediately returned at that moment, though sometimes at night he would still listen to the CD just to hear Chris's voice.

 

 

$&Dv.tOShd

 

 

 

"YAWN," Chris said in an obvious tone. "Next!"

 

The young lady standing before him, who had barely been in the room for five seconds before being rejected, frowned and stalked off to the side. She was soon replaced by another girl of equal dullness.

 

"CLARICE!" he screamed, though the woman called Clarice was standing right next to him. "Clarice, what the hell is all of this? I thought I told you to get me girls, not trashy whores!"

 

"I wasn't aware that these girls were trashy whores, sir, I thought they seemed suitable and certainly in keeping with your standards-"

 

Clarice flipped through the pages on her clipboard as she spoke, but she was interrupted by Chris.

 

"Well, they're not." Chris sighed and rubbed his eyes. "Listen, unless you can come up with something creative in the next five minutes, then I'm calling it quits."

 

"But, sir, the shoot is tomorrow and we still need five models."

 

"Do I look like I care?" Chris asked her. "I don't need this job. I kindly accepted it because they know I'm the best around. If it doesn't work out, it's no skin off my back."

 

"Of course. I'll try my best to find someone." Clarice ducked her head and walked out of the room to where the other girls patiently awaited their chance to shine.

 

Just then, as Chris was groaning about his work again, a tall man stumbled into the room.

 

"Um, hello," the man said. "I was just looking for a, uh, Mr. Martin... there seems to be a package here for a man by that name... Would you happen to know him?"

 

Chris stared at the man, entirely frozen. He was perfect; tall, not too skinny, but not too big either. He seemed to be well-toned, and he flashed a smile at Chris that suddenly gave Chris the best idea he'd ever had.

 

"EUREKA!" Chris shouted, jumping up from his chair. He swooped over to the man, gathering the man's shoulder in his arm and walking him pointlessly around the room.

 

"Listen, how would you like it if I made you famous?" Chris asked him. The man looked confused.

 

"Uh... famous? How?" Chris stopped and turned to the man, who had also stopped walking.

 

"It's simple," Chris told him. "All you have to do is dress up tomorrow, and you're set. You just show up, and I'll handle the rest."

 

"Well... I guess," the man said. Chris smiled at him as the man looked down at the box he was holding. "Is this for you, then?"

 

"Of course it's for me, how the bloody hell could you not know who I am, you... you..." Chris fumbled to find a suitable insult, but as his eyes also wandered to the box he noticed the man was wearing rather tight shorts and a different package caught his eye.

 

"Listen," Chris said, bringing his eyes back up in order to prevent further distraction, "be here tomorrow at five sharp."

 

"All right. Do I need to bring anything?"

 

"No. Just bring your wonderful self," Chris replied, winking.

 

The next day the man showed up early, since he didn't want to upset Chris and ruin his chance at fame. He wasn't even sure really of what he was going to be doing, but it didn't matter to him. As long as he wasn't being lured into filming another porno, he was fine.

 

"Ah, you made it, uh... guy from yesterday!" Chris exclaimed as he walked into the room, firmly clasping his hands on the man's broad shoulders.

 

"It's Jonny, actually," the man said.

 

"Jonny," Chris contemplatively repeated. "I like it. Ah, but for today you're going to be..." Chris turned to his side, snapped at someone, and was soon thrown a long, blond wig. "Jenny."

 

"What?" Jonny asked. Maybe he wasn't fine with anything. He didn't really like the idea of dressing in drag.

 

"Come on, don't you wanna be famous?" Chris asked him, waving the wig in front of his face in a taunting way. "I can make all of your dreams come true, Jimmy."

 

"Jonny," he corrected, narrowing his eyes at Chris. "And for your information, my one and only dream in life was to drive the Oscar Meyer Wienermobile. Now, if you'll just excuse me, I have to be going now."

 

Jonny started to storm off, and Chris watched him in disbelief.

 

"You'll regret this, you know!" Chris shouted after him. "I could have made you a star! You could have been rich!"

 

Just before he reached the door, Jonny spun around.

 

"Money means nothing when you can't ride around in an oversized hot dog," he said, then turned again and left for good. Chris, still holding the wig, felt like he should have been put in his place by that statement, but he was shallow and forgot all about Jonny almost two minutes later.

 

THE ENDDDDD

 

 

 

oh, the things that can happen when you tell katie you're going to write a story for her and it's 1 AM. :laugh3:

 

 

my first fic in English about Buckin love.

 

What does it mean falling in love

 

Chapter 1 : In a little bubble

 

 

 

Chris had always considered himself as a geek. He couldn't really deny it, just because he felt everyday like he was living in his own bubble. He was 24 years old and he still lived with his mother who thought that her son, though he wasn't an idiot, a dorky or something like that, wasn't connected with the rest of the world. Chris spent all his days in his room, sitting at his computer and surfing on the web or in his workshop, painting some images of a world that he didn't really know or writing lyrics or poems on the wall, all those words who crossed his twisted mind.

 

Chris didn't have any job, he was still studying the history of art at the UCL. He wanted to be a famous painter or a song-writer but he had never managed to find the time or, most likely, the will. Chris wasn't confident in himself... No, not at all. His best friend, Guy, sometimes laughed at him, kindly, saying that he couldn't get a love story if he kept staying in his little bubble.

 

Unfortunately, Chris knew that Guy was right. However, he didn't consider that love was missing in his life. He really loved being as he was, dividing his time between painting, writing, his computer and, sometimes, getting out with his friends.

 

On this saturday night, Chris was preparing himself to join Guy and their friend Phil in a pub where they sometimes went together. In many ways, Chris felt strange and he didn't know exactly why. Sure, he knew, but he'd never confess that. He was really glad to see his two friends but he already knew how the night would passed by. Guy would go to dredge all the girls in the pub, Phil'd go to joke with everyone and Chris would go to stay here, looking at them and being invisible as well.

 

"Chris, Guy is here !" Chris' mother said from downstairs.

 

"Okay, I'm coming." his son replied.

 

Chris grabbed his black jacket and his keys, took a look at the mirror and winced ; he wasn't really satisfied with himself. To bad, he wouldn't find love tonight. He got out of his room and went downstairs where Guy was waiting for him.

 

"Hey how are you man ?" Guy asked.

 

"Fine." Chris just replied. "What about you?"

 

"Everything's okay, It's gonna be a crazy night !"

 

Chris smiled and said goodbye to his mother, just before getting out of his house. Guy and he decided to take the Underground and they left Bloomsbury, where Chris and his mother lived, to go to Camden Town.

 

The trip to Camden was silent, even Guy told his workweek to Chris.

 

"What do you work about ?" Guy asked his friend.

 

"I wrote a few songs this past week." Chris explained, looking pensive.

 

"Have you ever thought about creating a band ?" Guy questionned. "That's true... We had a band when we were in high-school. Even we had separated because we didn't have enough time, we could try again now... You write some lyrics and play the piano and the guitare, I always love playing the bass... And we could ask Will if he wants to join us... We don't see him how much as we want since we left high-school... But it might be an idea."

 

Chris stayed silent after Guy's words. Sure, he already thought about creating a band, as they were in high-school.... And he wasn't surprised by Guy's proposal. His best friend had always liked making projects that he would never realize. Guy's idea sounded great but Chris wasn't sure... This fucking missing of confidence again!

 

It seems like a good idea." he simply said. "I'm gonna think about it."

 

"I heard once 'If you never try, you'll never know'." Guy noticed. "If you don't try, Chris, you won't know if you're able to do it."

 

Chris looked at him for a while and shrugged. The underground stopped at this moment and the two guys got out of the subway. They walked down Parkway Road before coming in the "Dublin Castle" their usual pub. There were already a lot of people and they had to squeeze through the crowd. Then, they saw Phil, already sitting at a table and joined him.

 

"Hi guys !" Phil greeted while Chris and Guy were sitting beside him. "What's up ?"

 

"Nothing's new." Chris replied. "There are a lot of people tonight."

 

"Like every saturday nights." Phil nodded.

 

"And there are lovely girls too." Guy noticed, taking a look at the dance floor.

 

"You will never change Guy, won’t you ?" Phil joked, rolling his eyes.

 

"Why do you want me to change ?" Guy asked seriously. "Especially when girls are so beautiful."

 

"What do you wanna drink ?" Chris asked, feeling he was out of the discussion.

 

"Hm... A beer." Phil replied.

 

"Same here." Guy said.

 

"Well, I'm gonna get it." Chris informed, just before standing up.

 

He crossed the crowd and reached the bar soon. He expected that one of the waiters would notice him, typing the wooden counter with his fingers, as if it was a piano.

 

"Hello, what can I do for you ?"

 

Chris looked at the person who pronounced those words and his gaze put on two green eyes that he had already seen before. Chris grinned and answered.

 

"Three beers, please."

 

"Ok, here we go !" the man smiled.

 

Chris saw him going to prepare their beers. He had already seen this waiter before, "Jon" as indicated the badge, pinned down his shirt. He had always been kind and nice with him and they had already talked about music.

 

Thinking about music, Chris was listening to the song he could hear in the pub. He recognized "Where the streets have no name" by U2 and he smiled ; U2 was one of his favorite bands.

 

"Do you know this song ?" Jon asked,back close to him.

 

"Oh.... I do." Chris replied, surprised to see Jon just in front of him.

 

"I think U2 is a great band." Jon admitted. "Maybe one of the best ever."

 

"Yeah, I think so." Chris nodded. Even they're not the best, they're my favorite."

 

"I see what you mean. Same here."

 

"Really ?" Chris asked, looking interested.

 

Jon nodded and they started talking about their love for U2, exchanging their point of view about the band's songs. Surprisingly, Chris felt confortable while he was talking with Jonny. Usually, he was quite withdrawn and he rarely started a discussion with strangers. Was it the subject of their conversation - music was his greatest passion - or did it come from Jon ? It couldn't tell it but he felt as enthusiastic as he hadn't been for a long time. They didn't see time passing and they were surprised to hear someone interrupting them.

 

"Hey Jon, let's work !"

 

Jon recognized his boss' voice and turned back to Chris.

 

"I'm sorry but I've gotta go if I don't wanna get fired."

 

"I understand." Chris smiled.

 

"There are your beers. Good evening."

 

"Thanks and good luck."

 

Jon smiled a last time and Chris took the three beers before joining his friends. He put the glasses on the table while Phil was saying :

 

"Finally, you're back."

 

"Finally ? What do you mean ?" Chris asked.

 

"You've gone for almost ten minutes, you know." Guy added.

 

"Oh really ?" Chris blushed. "I didn't see time passing."

 

"We noticed that." Phil joked.

 

"And I think this dear Jon has fallen for you." Guy said.

 

"What ?!" Chris exclaimed.

 

"Everybody knows that he's gay." Phil goes on. "You talked with him during ten minutes and you come back here smiling... It seems that you enjoyed your discussion."

 

Chris was getting blush more and his two friends exchanged a sight. Indeed, Chris had already heard something about Jonny's preference for men... But he never thought about it during their conversation. What did Phil and Guy try to tell him ?

 

"Do you think that he dredged me ?" Chris asked finally.

 

"Well done ! You understand." Phil grinned.

 

"But it's impossible."

 

"Why is it impossible ?" Guy questionned.

 

"Because...." Chris started.

 

But he couldn't find a end to his answer. Jon, dredging him ? But no one have ever dredged him. Or he had never noticed it. He looked at Phil and Guy and he realized that he felt totally lost.

 

His two friends exchanged a last sight and shrugged just before starting a new discussion. Chris kept being silent for the rest of the night, listening to his friends casually. Sometimes, he took a look at the bar where Jon was always working and Chris was thinking about what Guy and Phil had told him. Were they right ? Could Jon be interested in him ? And, if he was, what would Chris think about it ? He didn't know if he was interested in Jon. A lot of questions but no answers...

 

Though, a thing was sure : Chris felt lost, surely because of a very nice waiter....

 

 

-Beginning-

 

 

 

Without any real means of light besides the faint glimmers from the moon, Guy was trying his absolute hardest to not trip over a root or rock. He had been wondering around the woods for a few hours looking for the little cottage. He was to arrive there at 1:15am. The tiny hands on his watch showed 12:50, and Guy was still unsure where he was in comparison with the cottage.

Stumbling on for a few more minutes he saw the outline of a stone cottage in a tiny clearing. He decided the safest plan was to hide in the shrubs until it was his time to go in. A fog crept in surrounding the area, creating a darker mood then was already present and sending shivers down Guy’s spine. He clutched the tiny girl closer to his chest to give her more warmth and protection from the cold. Every so often Guy swore he saw outlines of men, but then as soon as he blinked what he thought was there just seemed to evaporate. Guy blamed it on fatigue and stress, but something still lingered causing him to be slightly worried.

 

Finally his time came, and Guy followed his instructions very closely. He slinked around to the north side of the home, and stayed very low to the ground. Common outdoor objects were ‘casually’ strewn around the yard, but they were in such a pattern that a person could hide behind them on their way to the door of the home. Guy hid behind the first object of a wheel barrel. Waited a few seconds then continued on to a vast bush. This was the pattern until he was at the last object before the door. The instructions were very specific that he needed to make sure that no one was around, or he would risk not only his life, but also many others.

 

Guy was quick to cast his eyes around, looking deeply into the woods to see any thing. The fog prevented him from seeing much, but when he felt it was safe he ran to the door, two short knocks a pause and then one more knock. That was the code to let the people inside know who he was. What seemed like an eternity to Guy he stood there waiting? Then finally the door was opened a crack, no light was present just utter bone crushing darkness. Guy was swift; he pushed open the door and then silently closed it behind him. Leaning his back against the door he let out a heavy sigh of relief and then a small light was lit and ten pairs of eyes stared back at him.

 

“Are you Guy Berryman?”a voice whispered.

 

Guy swallowed hard and whispered back a timid “yes”

 

What followed next were about 3 more lights being lit and a warm drink placed in his hands.

 

“Well hello! I’m Jonny and this here is Chris and these are your new friends for a little bit of time!”

 

Guy cracked a tiny smile and thanked the men for the drink.

 

“Our comrade said you would not be alone? Said an infant would be with you?”

 

Lifting his cloak to the side he showed the two men the tiny sleeping infant girl in his arm. “She is a very good sleeper and will stay quiet for the journey.”

 

Chris wrinkled his brow and looked at Jonny, who in turn frowned.

 

 

 

Arrow & Bow

 

Chapter 1

 

 

If you had a choice between seeing in black and white or seeing in color which would you choose? I am certain that nearly anyone asked this would instantly reply “color.”

 

Unless, of course, they are some kind of furry critter who has never seen in color before and didn’t know the difference. But I think it is fair to say that once you have seen in color, you would never want to revert to black and white ever again.

 

But what if your vision wasn’t as good as it could be, without you even realizing it? What if you were one of those color blind folks who mix up their reds and their greens, but no one ever let you know?

 

What if you were missing something all along that you didn’t even know was there, or could be? And what if after many years, there came along a kindhearted soul who finally gave you the heads up? Look man, that’s not green, it’s red. Something along those lines.

 

Wouldn’t you be grateful to them? Certainly you would feel as though you owed them some large favor for enlightening you. Personally, if I was shown something better than what I already had, I would feel compelled to respond by showing them something better in return.

 

By now you might think I am a pompous man. But I speak only from my own experience. Because I was shown something better by someone. I once thought I had it all figured out. I thought I knew how life was, should, and could be. But one man proved to change all of that for me. And all it took was an autumn walk.

 

Funny how these things begin. You never expect when you wake up in the morning that a simple action will end up changing your life forever. Or maybe some of you do.

 

But I, for one, know that when I open my eyes in the morning, the first thing that comes to mind is not “I have a feeling that by performing a few typical human acts in succession, my entire existence will be altered today.” My first thoughts usually pertain somehow to sleep, specifically getting more of it.

 

But I think that is the beauty of it. Getting your eyes opened shouldn’t be something you can predict. In fact, I think an essential component in figurative eye opening is the surprise. There’s nothing like a good surprise. Surely our children can vouch for that.

 

Yes, an expected gift is nothing compared to an unexpected one. Just ask the screeches of a young child upon discovering a brightly packaged present hidden in the back of a closet after being sent on a scavenger hunt by his parents.

 

Yes, I am comparing my eye-opening experience to a gift. A most precious gift. In fact, I value it more than any of my possessions. Not that I have many of those to begin with. But I’ll get to talking about that later on.

 

I discovered my gift much the way a young child would-with instant and constantly escalating excitement. Have you ever received a wrapped present and somehow known instantly that you were going to love it, even before you really knew what exactly it was?

 

That is what happened to me, you could say. When I was presented with the gift, I knew immediately that I was going to adore it. I just didn’t know how.

 

At this point I assume you are losing your patience with me. Here he goes, rambling on and on about some gift. Well tell us what it is already, damn it! Probably something along those lines is what you’ve been thinking. Or, if you’re just a bit crazy, perhaps screaming them out loud.

 

Let me take this opportunity to apologize for the time out of your busy schedules that has been eaten up do to my lengthy story telling style. I know this might seem like a pain at the moment, but I assure you it is necessary.

 

Have no fear, by the end of this little tale you will know all about the present. First though, I need to discuss just how this present happened to fall into my hands.

 

This story’s beginning has three major components: a telephone call, a question, and a response in the affirmative, in that order.

 

First there was the call. It was around nine o’clock in the morning. I had been awake for some time, but had no particular desire to get out of bed. I had no reason to. It was Sunday and I was off from work. Work was the only reason I got out of bed at all. That and Madison. Which brings me to the second component.

 

I groggily answered the phone to hear my sister’s boisterous voice coming through the other end of the line. I squinted in the bright sun that streamed through my window. I loved my sister (and still do, mind you) but it really was too early for her to be this animated. And she knew better than to call me before noon.

 

I considered bringing this point to her attention, but was stopped short when she asked me the question. Apparently her husband, Jackson, had to be taken to the hospital.

 

I tried asking the reason for this, but she was in such a state that it was impossible. Instead I let her go on. I didn’t mean to, but after some time I lost focus on what she was saying at all. Until I heard the name Madison.

 

“Huh?” I questioned stupidly.

 

“I said,” she replied in a huff, “can you please watch Madison for a few hours?”

 

“Of course,” was my instant reply, and the third component of the beginning of this story.

 

Madison is my sister’s daughter, and thus my niece. I adore her, and always jump on an opportunity to spend any sort of time with her.

 

“Thank you Jonathon, you’re a lifesaver.”

 

“You’re welcome,” I replied as pleasantly as I could. But I rolled my eyes as I said it. I hated it when she called me Jonathon.

 

“I’ll bring her over right away, if that’s alright with you.”

 

“Absolutely it is.” I hung up the phone and hurriedly got out of bed to make myself presentable. This was one thing that would definitely get me up on a Sunday.

 

 

What does it mean falling in love?

 

chapter 2

 

 

 

I twas 2PM when Chris turned up his computer the following day. He felt exhausted because he didn’t sleep the previous night. He turned in his bed again and again, still thinking about the last events. Unfortunately, he didn’t get answer.

 

Though an old conversation with Guy came to his mind during the night. It was few weeks ago, they both were having a drink in a pub, talking about something that he couldn’t exactly remember. There was a silence and Guy asked him :

 

« When will you have a girlfriend ? »

 

That wasn’t the first time Guy questioned Chris about it and his friend didn’t reply because he didn’t knew the response. That was true, Chris could easily remember how many girlfriends he’d had. His longest love story had lasted three months. But he had never fallen in love so far.

 

« Maybe you love men. » Guy suggested.

 

Chris had looked at his best friend as he was mad.

 

Now he was reminding this conversation, he thought that Guy could be right. It was the first time that a man troubled him like Jonny did and he was wondering if he was falling in love or something like that.

 

As he had never fallen in love before, he decided to look for the meaning of « falling in love. » He couldn’t asked Guy because his best friend had never kept a girlfriend more than one night and Phil… Well he didn’t know his loved past. So, how did he get these informations ?

 

He thought about it and he found a solution : asking Wikipedia.

 

He connected on the web and went to Wikipedia and typed « Love, feeling » on the tool bar. He got several answers and started his researches. Wikipedia said, about « love ».

 

« Love is any of a number of emotions related to a sense of strong affection[1] and attachment. The word love can refer to a variety of different feelings, states, and attitudes…”

 

He kept reading the article even if there were some useless details like an overview of the hormonal and chemical basis of love. He mainly memorized the following:

 

“As an abstract concept, love usually refers to a deep, ineffable feeling of tenderly caring for another person.”

 

Well, now Chris knew the sense of the word « love » but it was still abstract. Wikipedia talked about an attachment, a strong link between two people. He also read something about sexual desire but he prefered not to think about it. It twas too much for the moment.

 

Chris thought again and again and he finally decided to test this definition in the real world. He took his keys and told his mother that he got out and leave Bloomsbury for Camden Town.

 

He left the subway and went to the Dublin Castle. When he arrived in front of the pub, he felt strange. What was he doing here ? He hadn’t thought that Jon probably wouldn’t work on this Sunday afternoon.

 

« No no no Chris ! » he said in his mind. « You went here, you’re not gonna turn back now. You’re gonna come in this fucking pub and see if Jon is here. You have to know if you’re falling in love with him. »

 

This thought seemed to be weird for Chris. Falling in love with Jon ? Oh he really had to come in this pub !

 

He opened the door and came in the Dublin Castle. He looked around him and didn’t see Jon. He could feel his heart beating so fast and he was getting to be confused. Where was Jonny ? Didn’t he work today ?

 

Chris was worried and disappointed. He really wanted to know what was happening with Jon. It seemed that he had to come back later.

 

Anyway, he decided to drink something. He sat down on a table and waited for someone. He was playing with his keys, looking pensive, when a voice could be heard.

 

« Hey what are you doing here ? Are you waiting for someone ? »

 

Hearing this mysterious voice, Chris looked up and, when he saw Jon in front of him, he was flabbergasted. He remained puzzled.

 

While he was still silent, Jon kept talking, smiling as well.

 

« If I could warn you, it’s not a good pub. I’ve heard that the beer was disgusting and waiters are dorky. »

 

Chris alwas looked at him, unable to say anything. He believed that Jon was away and now he was right here, in front of him. And he felt totally confused again. At that moment, Chris could feel something strange, deep in his soul. His heart was beating very quickly and he couldn’t do anything than blushing.

 

« I’ve heard the opposite. I thought that waiters were kind and sweet. » he finally replied.

 

Jonny grinned to him and, seeing his smile Chris realized something essential : he was falling in love with Jonny.

 

 

Love Unknown

 

 

 

It was dark. It was cold. The night felt like any other spring one should. The days warmed the earth with the light of the sun, but by the time the moon shone in the black sky, the heat was gone. Except in that tiny little clubhouse.

 

The clubhouse had not been used in years. They had grown too old, matured too greatly for that. What was once a refuge for their boyhood dreams and shenanigans was now just a useless pile of wood somewhere in the trees of that large estate the Martins owned. Except for tonight.

 

Tonight it was being occupied by the boys, now seventeen years of age, as they prepared themselves. There was a lot less room than either had remembered, but they were still able to fit inside with a relatively large amount of space left empty.

 

Chris sat in the far right corner. His one knee was brought up to his chest, his arms reaching around the leg to grab a hold of his shoelaces. Unlike most other days, Chris was not sporting his dirty trainers, but instead he wore sophisticated black dress shoes. When the laces were tied, he sprung up and walked to the middle of the space.

 

“All right, Jonny,” he said, rubbing his hands together nervously. “Teach me how to dance.”

 

“What is it exactly that you want to learn?” Jonny asked, stepping forward as well and scratching the back of his neck with uncertainty. Chris had called on him for help, but he was not much more schooled in the area than Chris was.

 

“Any dance, please,” Chris begged, his big, blue eyes wide and hopeless. In all the years that Jonny had known Chris, the color and passion in Chris's eyes had never been so intense as they were at that particular moment. Jonny nodded calmly.

 

“I could teach you to... slow dance.” Jonny shrugged, feeling less worthy of the task placed upon him than he had before. “That's about all I know.”

 

“That's good enough.” Chris held his arms out as if to tell Jonny to just do what he had to. Jonny hesitated, then took yet another step forward, and another, until the tips of their shoes touched. He reached out his hands, and placed one on either of Chris's hips.

 

“Right, so...” Jonny fumbled in his search for words; his confidence was almost entirely diminished. It was not that he did not want to look like an idiot in front of Chris, rather he did not want to teach Chris to look like an idiot and then be responsible for any and all possible repercussions.

 

“Wait,” Chris interrupted, pulling his arms back a little, “aren't you being the girl? Shouldn't I have my hands on your waist?”

 

Jonny wanted to smack himself in the forehead right about them. How could he be so senseless? “Oh, yeah. I forgot,” he said, trying not to let on that he just wanted to go home.

 

“Whatever, it doesn't matter,” Chris quickly said. He thrust his arms forward again, this time resting them on Jonny's shoulders. “Is this right?”

 

“Yeah, it's fine,” Jonny told him. At least he was teaching Chris what might have been the simplest dance of all. But Jonny still did not think himself apt to tutor Chris. “OK, so then we just start...”

 

Chris moved his feet a little in a clumsy, haphazard way. But at least he was moving. Jonny shifted, too, and soon it seemed like they were rocking to some sort of rhythm. Then Chris took a step and made the space between himself and Jonny impossibly smaller.

 

One of his feet was to the left of Jonny's right foot, and the other was in between both of Jonny's feet. Chris repositioned his arms so they encircled Jonny's neck, and soon their chests were pressed together.

 

And then something happened that had never happened before to either of them. There was some sort of spark, a jolt, and they both felt it. The electricity coursed through Chris's veins and into Jonny's; they both breathed shakily into each other's ears.

 

“Jonny, do you feel that?” Chris asked.

 

Jonny bit his lip and mumbled, “Mm-hmm.”

 

“What do you think it means?” Jonny made another noise to indicate that he did not know. Chris closed his eyes and brushed his cheek against Jonny's. “Whatever it is, I don't think I want it to stop.”

 

“Me neither,” Jonny whispered. His fingers curled tightly around Chris's waist. Chris breathed deeply, and, pressing his lips together, he lightly kissed the edge of Jonny's ear.

 

They were not moving anymore; both boys stood perfectly still, only allowing their chests to rise and fall as the heavy oxygen flowed through their systems.

 

“This is much better than dancing,” Chris muttered, finally allowing the tiniest bit of motion as he gently smoothed down the hair laying against the back of Jonny's neck. Jonny moved his hands, too, so that they were on Chris's back. He even pulled Chris closer, trying to eliminate fully the space between their bodies.

 

“Chris, I think...” Jonny did not finish his sentence, but he did not have to. Chris pulled back enough to pierce through Jonny with his intensely blue eyes, and to find the passion in Jonny's green ones as well. It was there, plain for him to see, and he said the rest of Jonny's words by locking their lips together.

 

It was a thousand times what they already felt. Chris was surprised at how easily it all came to him, from letting his fingers brush through Jonny's hair to slipping his tongue into Jonny's mouth. He had barely ever done any of this stuff with girls, but his inexperience did not seem to matter and his instinct just kicked in. Jonny met him with an equal force, an equal intuition, and for several minutes they just stood there, kissing, until there was a knock somewhere in the distant background.

 

“Chris!” a woman's voice called. “Mum says you've got to come in now, it's awfully late!”

 

Chris rested his forehead against Jonny's. With his thumb he traced Jonny's bottom lip, trying to catch his breath but finding it incredibly difficult to do so in the presence of the boy he had only known prior as his best friend, but who would now and forever mean so much more to him.

 

 

Forgiven

 

 

 

Category : Sonfic/Drama

Song : « Forgiven » Within Temptation

 

OOOOO

 

Xxx

 

 

Couldn’t save you from the start

Love you so it hurts my soul

Can you forgive me for trying again

Your silence makes me hold my breath

Oh time has passed you by

 

Xxx

 

 

It was a cloudy day, no light over London today. I was wondering when it would start raining. November was one of the worse month of the year for me… Especially this year.

 

I was in Hyde Park, sat on a bench looking around me. It seemed that I was out of this place, out of the world. The truth was anything didn’t exist for me anymore. All the essential things were gone away, just one feeling staid : the emptyness.

 

Even I felt out of the world, I didn’t come alone here. Near to me, my friends, people who I had always considered as my family, were talking, playing or laughing.. And I staid here, feeling so far away from this such cloudy day. My mood was sad and I couldn’t do anything than suffering in silence. The hardest thing seemed to be staying close to him. Close to this people that I loved… The one I loved most in the world. Looking him talking with our friends, his family and his wife sounded like a punishment. What did I do to deserve it ? Was I wrong ?

 

 

 

XXX

 

Oh for so long I’ve tried to shield you from the world

Oh you couldn’t face the freedom on your own

Here I am left in silence

 

XXX

 

It was strange because I had with him the best times of my life. When we were together, anything else existed, anything was more important than each other. I could lied beside him, just looking at him as he was the most beautiful thing in this world. I really loved him and I told him many times… But, today, it didn’t matter.

 

Today, we celebrated his happiness with another one than me. Maybe I was jealous… Surely anyway. But I couldn’t do anything else. Though, seeing his happiness was such a bitter pill. Unfortunately, I coudn’t do anything. He had chosen to leave me. He had chosen his wife and it was the end of our too short love story.

 

Did he realize he made me suffer ? Did he know that each beat of my heart was sore, as a painful bruise ? I suffered and the time passed. Even it seemed impossible, it passed, day by day hour by hour… Even for me.

 

Actually, he was playing with his daughter, making her dance. I always loved his little gorgeous daughter as she was mine. I knew that he did the same with my children. He was their Godfather and I could give him my children if I wouldn’t be able to keep them. I was so confident in him.

 

Maybe you think all those feelings were false. Indeed, he left me, he hurt me deep in my soul. You’re right. But he was always the one for me. From the bottom of my broken heart, I still loved him.

 

Xxx

 

You gave up this fight,

You left me behind

All that’s done’s forgiven

You’ll always be mine

I know deep inside

All that’s done’s forgiven

 

XXX

 

I believed that I had forgiven him. I was dividing by two states of mind. On the one hand, I wanted to go away, far from this fucking pain which hurt me, everyday that God made. I wanted to forget him, not see him anymore. On the other hand, I wanted to stay by his side and kept being his friend because that’s all I had ever been.

 

He already told me that he loved me. Maybe his words were true, maybe he really loved me. But now, after all, I couldn’t be sure. I let everything fall for him. I left my wife, I promised him that I would always love him, until the world’s end. I told him that I wanted to make his dreams come true,, stand by him everyday.

 

However, all my sacrifices were useless. Today, he was married and our story was definitly over. What was I going to do now ? What was I going to become without him by my side ? I didn’t know.

 

I would stay, probably. Living without him, completely , sounded too hard… Impossible. I would see him happy with his wife and his family. He was going to keep living and I was going to stay here as his best friend because I couldn’t never leave him.

 

It seemed to be desperate but he had chosen another life, without me… I had to accept it, even if I suffered, even if my heart sored… He made a choice. He didn’t want to go on with our story. I spent some beautiful days with him and now the curtain fell. The end.

 

I had to forgive him… ‘Cause whatever it would happen, I always loved him and I always will.

 

XXX

 

You gave up this fight,

You left me behind

All that’s done’s forgiven

You’ll always be mine

I know deep inside

All that’s done’s forgiven

 

OOOOO

 

 

What Does It Mean Falling In Love

 

Chapter 3 : Help, I need somebody's help

 

 

 

 

Chapter 3 « Help I need somebody’s help »

 

The next Monday, Chris asked Guy to meet him as soon as possible. Chris thought about his discovery of his feeling all over the following days and he decided to give a date to Jon.

 

Take this decision was quite hard for him. Indeed, he wasn’t also confident in himself with human relationships. He couldn’t told that social interaction was a real mystery for him but he wasn’t confortable either.

 

However, he really wanted to see Jon again, more than a friend. He wanted to know him better, spending time with him and talking about life, death and everything between as they had always been together. It sounded romantic but it was what Chris wished.

 

Unfortunately, he was totally clumsy and he needed some help, Guy seemed to be the best one. He had called his best friends on the Monday night and they both decided to meet each other the following day.

 

It was Tuesday afternoon and Chris arrived on Leicester Square. He looked around him, searching the pub where Guy fixed the rendez-vous. He finally found it and saw his best friend sat on a table on the terrace. The sun was shining and it was a beautiful spring day. Chris joined Guy and sat down in front of him.

 

« I asked an iced tea for you. » Guy told after greated his friend with a smile.

 

« Thanks a lot but I don’t feel like an old person. » Chris joked.

 

« You seem to be fine today. » Guy noticed. « Something’s up ? »

 

« Indeed. » Chris admitted.

 

Guy looked at his friend, waiting for him to go on. But Chris was still silent.

 

« What’s new ? » Guy questionned.

 

« I… I wanna ask you something special. » Chris started, a bit anxious. « I need your help. »

 

« What can I do for you ? » Guy curiously asked.

 

« I wanna… Give a date to somebody. »

 

Guy was speechless after Chris’ confession. Chris ? A date ? He looked at his friend with big surprised eyes.

 

 

 

« A date ? Who, where, when ? » Guy asked.

 

« I prefer to tell you later. » Chris replied, embarrassed. « I wanna be sure that the person will accept my request. »

 

« Oh okay. » Guy answered, looking disappointed. « And you need some help for ? »

 

« First, how can I ask the person if she or he was interested in a date ? » Chris started, carefuly.

 

He didn’t want to tell Guy that he wanted to invite Jonny. It was already difficult to organize all these things, he wanted to keep Jonny’s identity secret.

 

« What kind of date do you want ? » Guy asked.

 

« What do you mean ‘what kind of date’ ? »

 

« Something’s romantic, funny, classic, original ? »

 

Chris thought about Guy’s question. What kind of date Jon would like ? Not a dinner in a romantic restaurant. It sounded so cliché and pathetic… And weird as well.

 

« Well… The kind of date which allows to spend a nice time. » he finally replied.

 

« What do you think about… » Guy hesitated. « Taking a walk in London ? You could talk about things that you would see or visit. For example, if this person loves music, you could bring her at Picadilly Circus or Covent Garden, there’s always some bands playing there. »

 

 

 

Chris smiled and nodded.

 

« It seems like a good idea. »

 

« Well, something else ? »

 

Their discussion went on all over the day and Chris finally decided to see Jonny the same night. He knew that if he didn’t go to ask him this night, he would loose his new confidence and it sounded impossible.

 

It was 4PM and Guy and he were always at the bar. They were always about Chris’ future date.

 

« You’ve gotta be honest. » Guy told, seriously.

 

« Do you think I should ask him… Do you wanna meet me for a date ? »

 

« No no no… You have to be more subtle. » Guy informed. « You’ve gotta be confident in yourself, being sure that he or she won’t refuse your request. »

 

« But it’s impossible ! » Chris exclaimed.

 

« Oh I can show you that’s possible. » Guy said seriously.

 

He looked around them and kept explaining.

 

« Do you see those two girls ? »

 

Chris followed his indications and saw two lovely brunettes sat close to them.

 

« I do. » Chris replied.

 

« Well, I bet you that I’m gonna get one of their phone numbers before five minutes. »

 

Chris kept silent for a while. Even it sounded incredible for him, he knew that Guy was totally able to do it. He didn’t get time to answer that his friend got up and joined the two lovely girls. Chris looked at him, perplex and, less of five minutes after, Guy came back with a piece of paper.

 

« Belinda’s phone number. » he told, proud of him.

 

« I will never be able to do it. » Chris said, sadly.

 

« You will ! » Guy exclaimed. « I’m gonna learn you to do that… Listen carefuly. »

 

Chris swallowed hardly and nodded. He knew that he hadn’t any other solution, Guy was his last and only chance…

 

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

 

The next Tuesday night, so, Chris came in the Dublin Castle around 10PM. He was thinking about this meeting all over the day and now it was time to invite Jonny. Guy explained all the things that he had to know about the art of seduction. Chris wasn’t really sure that he would be able to do exactly what Guy learnt to him but he had to try.

 

He looked for Jonny just after coming in the pub. He saw him and he felt his heart beating. Jon was working behind the bar and Chris knew that it was time to go. He breathed and joined his lovely waiter.

 

« Hi ! » he said, smiling.

 

Jon looked up at him and grinned back when he saw Chris. He immediatly stopped what he was doing and give all his attention to Chris.

 

« You really like this place, don’t you ? » Jon teased him.

 

« You’re right. » Chris replied. « But something more particularly. »

 

« Oh, really ? It sounds mysterious. »

 

« It is. » Chris smiled.

 

« What would you like to drink ? »

 

« Hm… An iced tea and don’t laugh at me, even I know that it’s a drink for old people. »

 

Jon laughed and shook his head before adding :

 

« Ok an iced tea. »

 

« And I wanted to ask you something else. » Chris finally told.

 

Jonny turned back to him, surprised and Chris gave him a timid smile. It was time now.

 

‘Think like Guy. » Chris thought to himself. « What would Guy do ?’

 

« I wanted to know if you would like to see me again, out of this pub which, even it’s pretty nice, always sounds like job for you. »

 

Chris whispered lightly and waited for Jonny’s reaction. He saw a smile appearing upon his face.

 

« See you ? »

 

« Yeah… For taking a walk or something else as you wish. » Chris nodded.

 

« It sounds like a good idea. » Jonny admitted. « It would be a real pleasure to meet you out of here. »

 

Chris couldn’t do anything than smiling. Jonny accepted his request. He had a date with the man with whom he was falling in love.

 

‘Oh my God.’ He thought mentally. ‘He accepted, he really accepted’

 

« What do you think about Friday ? » Chris finally asked.

 

« It’s perfect. » Jonny answered. « And it’s my day off. »

 

« Great. 2PM at the Picadilly Circus tube station ? » Chris proposed.

 

« It’s okay. »

 

Chris smiled again and Jonny finally gave him his iced tea. Unfortunately, Jon had to work and he lChris, saying he was looking forward to meet him again on the next Friday afternoon. Chris drunk his glass and decided to go back home.

 

When he got out of the Dublin Castle, he felt lighter.

 

 

 

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