Hey peeps. This is my second story that is published in Nifty. You might remember me, Jade from 'Mirror Mirror' and hope you all enjoy this story. Props out to Anh Hai, Jon kor kor, Zak, Angel(where are you?), Dayse, Bon, Ad and all others. All comments to melsleepy@hotmail.com.
This story is a figment of my imagination..okay..that's all.
Can I Keep You? ---------------
The phone rang loudly, startling Kevin from his drink-induced slumber. He groaned as he reached for the phone only to hear the automatic cold machine saying 'This is your requested wake-up call. Have a nice day,' Kevin slammed down the phone and started massaging his throbbing head.
'What am I doing drinking all that liquor?' he asked himself. He thought back on what had happened last night and a sharp pain returned to his chest. The pain of a broken heart.
The day before
"Brian, I don't think that this is such a hot idea," Nick worried his lower lip, looking at Brian. "Trust me on this, the expression on his face will be priceless," Brian coaxed Nick.
"But then,"
"No buts Nicky. I can just imagine what he will say when..." Brian giggled again.
'If only you know, Brian,' Nick thought to himself. After a while, Nick caved in and went along with Brian. Brian had informed AJ earlier on what they were planning but Howie was still left in the dark because he is only joining them tomorrow after his vacation in Hawaii with his long time girlfriend.
Kevin and AJ walked towards the room which Nick and Brian shared. Kev grumbled under his breath. "Those two are unbelievable. They are the ones who wanted to go out together for dinner and where are they now? Late again," AJ grinned, hearing what Kev had said.
As they stopped outside the hotel door, they could hear Nick's portable hi-fi blasting away. Even the door is vibrating from the loud noise. "I doubt that they could hear us even if we knocked. Maybe we should just use the spare key," AJ added. Kev nodded and took out the spare keys that were given to him by management.
Kevin allowed AJ to step in first before entering the room himself. "You guys..." Kevin's jaw dropped at the sight in front of him.
Nick was seated at the edge of the bed, bare-chested and jeans partially down while Brian is kneeling in front of Nick with his head bent down. AJ cut the music off, leaving a painful silence behind. Brian and Nick looked up and quickly stood up. Nick pulled up his pants while Brian wiped his mouth.
AJ reached over and closed Kevin's jaw for him, barely hiding a giggle. After a few minutes of blinking at them, Kevin finally found his voice. "You two..together?" his voice rasped out. Brian went and put his arm around Nick.
"I am sorry that you have to find out this way," Brian answered Kev. Nick just flushed lightly.
"I am happy for you, guys. Erm, I just remembered that I have to call management to set up tomorrow. So you all go on without me," Kev blurted out and proceeded out of the suffocating room.
Once Kevin had left, AJ burst out in laughter, followed by Brian and Nick. Admist the laughter, Nick thought of Kevin. He could swear that he could see Kevin's eyes watering a little. 'Nah, must be the trick of the light,' he brushed it off. "If he reacts like this now, wonder what will he do when we tell him that this is all a joke tomorrow," AJ gasped out, clasping his sides, exhausted from laughing.
"Guys?" Nick broke into the laughter hesitantly. 'Should I tell them now? I don't think I can keep this inside me anymore,' Brian and AJ quieted down. "Yes, Nicky?" Nick looked at the two earnest faces in front of him and chickened out. "Uh..nothing," Nick laughed it off. 'Kevin..'
Upon reaching his room, Kevin slumped down against the door, feeling the rush of hot tears rolling down his cheeks. 'At first when I thought he is unreachable, the pain wasn't so great because I know that I couldn't have him. But to know that I could have him but he have someone else..'
Kevin stood up after a while and walked over to the mini-bar. He downed a small bottle of vodka in an attempt to forget things, even for a night. "How could Brian know?" he laughed to himself bitterly. After emptying the stock of liquor in the mini-bar, he could barely walk to him bed, much less make a coherent thought of what had happened earlier.
He fell asleep to the image of a blond angel with blue eyes smiling down on him.
Present Day
Kevin tidied up the empty bottles, disposing them into the rubbish bin. At last the room smelt and looks free from liquor. The door knocked a few times. 'It must be the breakfast that I had ordered' Kevin thought as he walked towards to door. He opened the door to admit in an exhausted Howie.
"You're early," Kev said surprised. "Yeah, I miss you guys," Howie said, sprawled on the bed.
"A quarrel with Kelly?"
"That girl! She said that I flirt too much. Can you believe her?"
"You do flirt..." Kev broke off when Howie sat up, with an evil glint in his eyes. The door was knocked again and Kev rushed to the door, glad for the interruption. He admitted in the rest of the guys and the hotel bellboy who brought breakfast.
All of them helped themselves to the food. Kevin avoided looking at Nick who was eating heartily. "Bri? You gonna tell D?" Kevin asked quietly. "Tell him what?" Brian asked with his mouth full of sausage. Kev pointed to Nick. Brian gulped down his sausage as he remembered of the prank the day before.
"Oh Kev. I forgot to tell you. Gotcha,"
Kev didn't let the words register into his mind until a bit later. "GOTCHA? You put me through all that for a joke?"
"Don't get all mad about a faggot joke, Kev," entered AJ.
Kevin took a look at AJ in disgust and slammed the hotel's door as he left. Howie looked on in surprise. "Anyone want to let me in on what had happened?" he asked the three guilty faces in front of him.
Brian finally filled Howie on what had happened since it was his 'Bright' idea. After he finished, Howie shook his head. "How could you all be so stupid? And AJ, the last remark was really unnecessary," "What do you mean?" asked AJ. "HELLO! Don't tell me that I am the only who knows here," Howie yelled in frustration. "Know what D?" asked Brian.
"Kevin is GAY!"
"WHAT!" the three yelled in unison. "How do you know that?" Nick asked when he finally calmed down. Howie looked at Nick fondly, 'If you would only know how much he cares for you'. "My gay-dar of course," he replied. "WHAT! You are gay too?" AJ asked in surprise. "NO I am not. I just happen to have a gay-dar," Howie defended himself.
Nick ran out of the room, with one intention in his mind. To find Kevin. The shining eyes filled with tears last night are true. It must have meant that he could possibly feel something for me too? Please God, if there is something in the world that I want, it's Kevin. I live for the moment that I see him. Don't make him lost to me. Nick begged and half-cried as he ran aimlessly trying to find Kevin in the hotel. He stopped in front of the hotel map on the wall. 'Gym!' was the first thing he thought of. He stopped in front of the gym breathless. Sure enough he saw Kevin working the machinery with murder in his mind when he peeked into the room.
"What can I say? What if he run away and never talk to me again?" Nick mumbled to himself.
Kevin didn't know what to do. 'Oh God. If AJ is so against gays and he is the most open minded in the group. What will the others say..what will Nick say?'
Nick finally decided that he couldn't tell Kev. Just not yet. He pushed open the doors to find himself face to face with Kevin who was about to leave the place. "Kevin!" he gasped out while Kevin uttered out Nick's name in shock.
After a pause, both of them smiled at each other wanly. They walked together to Kevin's room, not saying a word but feeling completely at ease with one another. Both of them entered the room to have AJ, Brian and Howie fussed over them.
"Kevin, I am so sorry. I still love you, even if you are gay," AJ blurted out. "WHAT!" Kev shouted in surprise. AJ clasped his hands over his mouth. "I'm sorry..I didn't meant for that to come out," AJ gushed. "I guess there is little point in hiding things anymore. I am gay,"Kevin admitted. One by one came forward to hug him tightly. Kevin was surprised. This is totally different from what he had expected to happen. The last to hug him is Nick. Nick knew that this is the perfect opportunity to tell the guys about himself but he couldn't do it.
"Okay, enough of these mushy stuff. We have a meeting to go to," Kevin took charge of the situation. AJ and Nick laughed. "Kevin, always the father,"teased Brian. Kev surprised them by sticking his tongue at them before leading them to the waiting limo.
For the first time in eight years, Kevin felt completely at ease with the guys. Not having to hide anything except his feelings for Nick. He sneaked looks at Nick while Nick did the same when they thought the other wasn't looking. Howie looked on with a knowing smile on his face. AJ caught Howie. "What was that smile for?" "I am just happy today," he lamely replied, looking out of the window. Brian sat there. Kevin being gay is not a big surprise for him. Somehow Brian always felt that there was something that Kevin had been hiding from him. Even now after his admission.
That night they had dinner at an Italian restaurant before heading to a club. They returned to the hotel around two a.m. "I am so wasted,"AJ sing-songed. Brian shook his head and dutifully helped AJ back to his room. Kevin who was also drunk was leaning against Nick while Howie walked unsteadily towards the general direction of his room.
"Nick, I will help AJ back to his room and you to Kevin's room, okay? I meet you back in our room later," gasped out Brian. 'For someone so small in size, he is heavy,' Brian muttered under his breath, pulling AJ in tow.
"Kevin, where are your keys?" Nick asked Kevin who was giggling. Kevin didn't answer and started to grope Nick. Nick in shock, just stared at Kevin. He shook himself out of it and searched Kevin's body for the hotel key. Nick couldn't help but feel excited as he ran his hand through Kevin's body. 'GET A GRIP! He is drunk, that is why he lets you do that,'Nick scolded himself.
Founding the key at last, both of them fell through the door. Nick brought Kevin to the bed and laid him down. Kevin was already fast asleep on the bed when Nick got up to tuck Kevin in. As Nick stared at Kevin's peaceful profile, he sighed. The perfect cheekbones, the soft lips, the strength beneath the face. "Can I keep you?" Nick breathed out the famous words from 'Casper'. He stood there and stared at Kevin for a while longer before returning to his room where Brian is probably worried about him.
"HOW DID YOU ALL SLEEP LAST NIGHT?" bellowed out Brian. Kevin, AJ and Howie visibly winced at the loud voice. Their head pounded even more. "I SLEPT FINE," yelled back Nick. Both Brian and him wanted to get back at the guys for making both of them lug the rest back to the hotel.
Kevin slumped down in his seat, cradling his head in his hands. "Do you all have to talk so loud?" AJ whined. Howie stuck his fingers into his ear, wanting peace and quiet. "ARE WE TALKING LOUD?" Nick looked at AJ innocently. "Okay, we promise not to drink so much anymore. Stop the bellowing," Kevin asked for a truce. Finally Brian and Nick agreed.
"HELLO People," squealed Marianna. Everyone turned towards Marianna, their tour manager. She chirped around everyone, not noticing the death glares.
"Could you keep it down?"gritted Howie. Marianna ignored him and continued talking.
"The rest of them are joining us in about... an hour from now,"
"Others?"asked Nick.
"Yes, *N Sync,"
"WHAT? *N Sync is joining us?" yelled AJ, forgetting about his hangover.
"Kevin, didn't you tell the others?" questioned Marianna.
"Hehe, I wanted it to be a surprise,"
The rest of the Backstreet Boys are bustling with noise. They all couldn't wait to see the *N Sync guys. Contrarily to belief, they are all great friends.
"Guys..GUYS! Quiet, let me finish," Everyone turned towards Marianna, expectedly.
"There will be a guy who will be joining us. He is going to be my assistant,"
"I believe there is something that you are not telling us," Howie looked at her.
She smiled sheepishly. "He is my nephew. That doesn't mean I won't come down hard on him. He is 18 this year and has a good head on his shoulder, and.." "Marianna, don't worry bout it. If he manage to get through management, how bad could he be?" Brian tried to calm her down.
"The thing is, I have to go back to my hometown for a couple of weeks, so Jonathan will oversee you all and *N Sync for me. Although I know you all are older than him, cut him some slack, okay?" They slowly nodded, hiding grins all around. Marianna sighed in relief.
"Hey JC!" Howie called out. The *N Sync guys saw the Backstreet Boys, lounging on the couch and walked towards them. They hugged each other all around. "Long time no see, Fatone,"AJ hi-fived with Joey. They chatted about what had been happening for the past few months that they didn't see each other.
The door opened slightly and a head poked in. "Jon, calm down. How are you going to take charge if you don't calm down," he said to himself. He ran his hand through his black spiked up hair. He looked down at himself. He was dressed in a black sleeveless Abercromie and Fitch hooded sweatshirt and khakis. "Okay, I look presentable," he talked to himself. On the outside he looked calm but inside he is a jumble of emotions.
"Aunt Marianna is really great to let me come here as her assistant. God knows, how fast Mum and Dad wanted to get rid of me. I can't let her down," "Let's do it," and with that he pushed the door open. He nearly fainted with relief when he saw Aunt Marianna. She caught sight of him and jogged towards him, giving him a hug. "How are you doing, sweetie?" "Okay, Aunt Marianna," "They still not talking to you?" she mentioned about his parents. He shook his head moodily. "Give them time. Anyway, let's introduce you to the boys," she pulled him towards the guys.
"Guys!" she said once. Not getting any reaction, she walked towards the squabbling Chris and AJ and pulled both of them by their ears. They let out a scream, getting the attention of everyone. "Thank you, AJ, Chris. Anyway, I want to introduce you all to your assistant tour manager," she pointed at Jon who flushed slightly.
Lance looked at Jonathan with interest. "I guess I better introduce myself. I am Jonathan Loo, 18 years old from New York," One by one stood up and shook Jon's hand. Nick stuck his face in front of Jonathan and stared at him bluntly. "Do you play Nintendo?"
"Erm...yes," Jonathan answered hesitantly. "HAH! Brian, you owe me ten bucks. How many times have I told you that any red-blooded guy could not resist playing Nintendo?" Nick bounced back to Brian. Jon just looked at Nick's retreating back. "Welcome to the family," Lance greeted him warmly. Jon smiled and caught himself staring into the amazing warm green eyes. "You're quite short, aren't you?" AJ quizzically asked. Justin whacked AJ's head. "Oww..but that is the truth," he defended. Chris and Joey threw a pillow at AJ.
"I am 5'7 and half. I am tall for an Asian," Jonathan explained. "No wonder you have that great tanned skin,"exclaimed Howie. Jonathan blushed. "Where are you born?" asked Kevin. "I am a Chinese born in New York but my mother and father was from Singapore," "Hmm..interesting," murmured Lance.
"What you are leaving?" exclaimed Jonathan. "Yes. I have to fly back to Singapore to take care of something," Marianna explained. Jon brooded there. "I will be alone," "No, you will not. You will have a ball trying to keep the guys in line," Jonathan groaned. Marianna smiled as she got dressed in front of Jonathan. "How does this look?" she asked for his opinion. He wrinkled his nose. "Doesn't suit your color,"
"Don't you feel weird asking me for advice on what to wear, Aunt Marianna?"
"No, gay guys always have better taste in clothes," replied back Marianna. Jon just nodded and lay on his back, looking on the wall.
"So what do you think of the guys?"
"Cute,"
"Is that all? You sure have something more to say about your new employers,"
"They are an interesting bunch,"
"Johnny, what do you think about Lance?"
"Huh? What about him?"
"Don't you think he is the perfect boyfriend material?"
"Please, he has a girlfriend. He won't look at little old me,"
"Whatever you say," Jonathan cursed under his breath. Damn Aunt Marianna to making me curious about Lance.
"Boooo........." whined Nick, batting his eyelashes.
"What," asked Kevin resignedly.
"Make Brian stop bullying me," Nick stuck his tongue out at Brian.
"No, Kevin is on my side. I am family,"
Kevin pulled out the water gun under the table where he was doing some paper work and squirted water over both of them. "Happy now?" he asked, snorting in laughter at everyone's expression. Justin jumped up and wrestled the water gun from Kevin. He squirted the water on Kevin and then hi-fived Joey. Kevin calmly keeps the papers in front of him in the drawer before grabbing another water gun from the closet. Everyone was spraying water at each other.
JC was running away from the assault of Nick and Brian when he bumped into someone. The whole room quieted and JC recoil away. "Hi, Lou," Kevin softly said.