Collaboration

Collaboration 35

*NOTE* I do not claim to know the celebrities mentioned below or their sexual preferences. This fictional story was written solely for entertainment purposes only and does NOT imply the sexual preferences of said celebrities or anything about their personal lives. Enjoy!

Nelly quickly paced through the hotel, both because he was running late and he didn't want to be recognized by anyone, to his limo. The limo ride back to his hotel garnered a call from Murphy, checking to make sure that they were still on for tonight. Showering and getting redressed took him shorter than usual to conserve time. He didn't want to take off T.I.'s clothes because he felt so good in them but it would look weird on him if he went out to a public place wearing his man's clothes. People would definitely notice it because they were so small on him. His best friend was already waiting for him at a different recording studio than he used to record his album in the heart of Los Angeles as the limo made its way there. He already missed T.I. as he reached for his phone and looked through his phonebook. He dialed the number of his love.

"Hey Tip baby," he sweetly said.

"Hey you. Missed me already?"

"Can't help it."

"You at your room now?"

"Nah. In the limo almost to the studio. When you gonna be leaving to go record tonight?"

"In a few hours. Why?"

"I wanted to come through again."

"Baby we can't. You know you could get caught plus I'm not sure when I'm gonna get out."

"Tell that to my heart. My brain understands that just fine but my heart is a different story."

"Well tell your heart that they next time we're together I'll find some way to make it up to him."

"You already did that by taking me back. He's happy now and just missing you."

"He's always missing me. I do love him though. And the body he's attached too."

"I love you too. I just called you to let you know that I was thinking of you and that I missed you."

"You're a sweet guy Cornell. Don't ever let anyone take that away from you."

"I won't and it's all for you baby."

"Promise me that no matter what happens you'll always be the man I know and fell in love with."

"What? Why did you just say that?"

"Just promise me."

"Okay. I promise baby," Nelly said, slightly confused.

"I just want you to be at your best always and I know that when you're with me you are."

"That's true. This is one promise I intend to keep."

"I believe you. You're a special man Cornell. You're my special man."

"Say my name again."

"Why?"

"I just love my name on your lips."

"You've had enough of my lips all over your body baby."

"Yea. Well I'll hit you back later before I become tempted to skip this recording session and pay you another visit."

"Okay. Peace shawty."

"One."

The two rappers reluctantly hung up as a warm feeling overcame Nelly. It was like nothing else mattered in the world but his love for the caramel colored rapper. The limo was on a steady path to its destination as the sun started to set on the horizon. The bold color created by this effect made the older rapper feel even calmer than before. As he was looking through his phone, his mother ran on his mind so he decided to call her. He dialed the number, switched it to speakerphone, and placed it next to him on the seat as he rested his head back and stared up at the limo's black ceiling.

"Hello?" he heard his mom ask a she voice filled the back of the limo.

"Hi mom. It's me."

"Hey baby! How are you?"

"A lot better mom. A lot better," he trailed off.

"And why is that?"

"I dunno. I just am I guess."

"Cornell Hayes Jr. why are you lying to your mother? You know I know you better than you know yourself baby boy."

"I know. I just don't know how to explain it."

"It's okay. I won't force you. You'll tell me when you're ready."

"Thanks mom. You're always there for me."

"It is my job after all."

"Yea. So how are you?"

"I'm fine. A little stressed. I need a vacation."

"I know the feeling."

"Cornell, are you sure there isn't something you want to tell me son?"

"Not really. Why?"

"Just checking. I don't ever want anything bad to happen to you baby boy."

"I know. Listen, I have to go."

"What are you up to?"

"Recording with Murphy tonight. I'm almost at the studio now."

"That's good son. Give him a hug for me would you? I miss him."

"No problem. I love you mom."

"I love you too son. Behave yourself!"

"I always do."

"I'm so sure. I'll talk to you later."

"Sure mom. Bye."

"Bye."

No sooner did he hang up did the limo pull up to a recording studio that he had never used before. The talented rapper tipped the driver, asked the receptionist which studio his best friend was using, and quickly made his way to the elevator and up to the second floor. Before he entered the studio his phone vibrated in his pocket, signifying that he just received a text message. It was from T.I. and said "I miss you. I love you." The message was short but it meant everything to Nelly. It meant so much to him that he replayed the six words over and over again in his mind. They resonated within him as he replied back with basically the same words of love to his man. After stuffing his phone back in his pocket he went into the studio.

"About damn time man," Murphy said as he stopped talking to a producer and came up to his best friend.

"Sorry man. I got caught up in something," he said as he hugged his best friend tightly.

"What was that for?"

"It's from my mom. She misses you but I don't know why."

"Shut up nigga! So where were you?"

"I just had to do something. Come on let's get started."

"Why won't you tell me what it is?"

"Because it's not important," Nelly lied to his best friend.

"You always do that. You say shit's not important but you know that's a damn lie. Why have you been acting like this?" Murphy asked, trying to hold back his anger. He looked his best friend in the eyes. "Cornell talk to me!"

That hurt Nelly. He wanted to tell him everything but he just couldn't bring himself to do it. "Can we not do this now man?"

"Whatever Cornell. Let's get to work."

"If you say so."

Though it looked like they would, they didn't let the conversation that just took place interfere with their work. Nelly's mind was constantly on T.I. and hurting Murphy but he had to force himself not to think about them because he was sure that it would have affected his work. Though they were being professional throughout the session, he felt the chilliness emanating from his friend. Murphy was upset because he and Cornell always fought over the same thing. It was hard for them both.

The recording session was successful as Nelly, Murphy, and the two producers laced five tracks that they all knew would be instant hits. Murphy lightened up a little during recording but Nelly still felt awful about the whole situation. It was close to three in the morning when they all decided to call it a night. The two producers left shortly after that as Murphy grabbed his leather jacket and put it on. Both men had not said a thing to each other and Nelly had enough of this. He was about to leave, without saying anything to his best friend, until the older rapper grabbed his arm and he turned around.

"Can we talk?" he asked his best friend sincerely.

"What about?"

"Let's go back to my place."

Murphy silently agreed as they walked out of the studio and into the awaiting limo. The Los Angeles air was crisp as the limo sped off to the hotel where Nelly was staying at. He was nervous and nothing was said during the ride. He had to fix this problem somehow but he didn't know what to do. Nothing was said in the elevator either and Nelly reached for his wallet to get his keycard. Murphy was worried about his friend because in all the time he has known Nelly, he never heard such concern in his voice as he did when he was about to leave the studio earlier.

"You want something to drink man?" he asked from the kitchen.

"I'm good. What is it?"

"Let's go sit in the dining room."

"Okay," Murphy said as he followed Nelly into the dining room. He took a seat directly across from his best friend.

"What is it Cornell? You have me worried now."

"No, no. It's nothing like that. I just don't want us to have the same argument over and over."

"I don't either but I don't know what to think about you anymore."

"What do you mean?"

"Ever since the tour started you've been different. You never have time for anything anymore. You're always disappearing---"

"I'm sorry. I've just had a lot on my plate lately."

"You always say that Cornell. We don't click like we used to."

"I'm sorry. It's jus---"

"There are only so many times you can say sorry before it starts to lose its value you know."

"What do you want from me?"

"The truth! Why have things been like this between us for the past couple of months?"

"I don't know."

"You said you wanted to talk to me. You backing out again?"

"I just wanted us to be okay again. You know that you're my best friend."

"So why don't you act like it every once in a while?"

"I'm trying my best man. Cut me som---"

"Try harder!" Murphy said harshly.

"Why are you being so cold?"

"You're one to talk. Let me see. Since the beginning of the tour until right now how many times have we hung out? And how many times have you disappeared on me?"

"I've just had a lot of things to do lately."

"So you say but when I ask you what these `things' are, you never have an answer."

"Because I wasn't ready to say anything. I can't lose your friendship. It means a lot to me."

"Why are you talking like this? What's going on with you?" Murphy questioned his friend in a concerned voice.

"I don't know."

"If you don't want to lose me then why are you keeping things from me? Cornell I love this friendship. You're my brother!"

"And you're mine too."

"So why all the secrets?"

"I don't have any secrets."

"You're lying to me! Stop denying it!"

"Listen to me, I do have something to tell you but I don't know how to."

"What is it? Just say it."

"It's not that simple," Nelly nervously said. He didn't want to do this right now, or ever for that matter.

"Cornell stop it! What's wrong?"

"I, uh---"

"Just say it. You can trust me. You know that."

"I found someone okay!" Nelly said, getting a little loud. "I'm in love."

"What?" Murphy asked, taken aback. "What was so hard about that?"

"It's complicated. I---"

"Am I missing something here?"

"I don't know how to say it."

"You say that one more time and I'm going to hit your ass. Who is she? Do I know her?"

Nelly swallowed hard. This was it. "You don't know her because it's not a her," he trailed off.

"What?" he stumbled over his words.

There was a long pause. "Do you understand what I'm saying?"

"No. And I don't think you do either."

"No! I do understand! I found someone who I want to be with and it's a man."

"What the fuck? Where are the cameras because I know I'm being punk'd right now!"

"Calm down. It's not like that."

"How can you ask me to calm down? You're fucking gay?" he asked incredulously.

"Um---"

"Oh my God! It's true. It's fucking true. You're a fag?"

"Don't call me that! Please calm down."

"It's what you are isn't it? You're kidding me right? You've fucking got to be joking."

"Listen to me. It's not a joke okay. I am in love!"

"You're fucking gay! That's not love! It's nasty! Who is it huh?"

That stung Nelly. He was hurt and knew this was a bad idea now. "I can't say. At least not yet."

"I don't believe this shit. My fucking best friend is a homo!"

"Just calm down and I'll explain everything."

"No!" Murphy Lee said as he got up from the chair. "I don't want to hear this bullshit! I'm out of here!"

"Don't go man. I need you. You're the only person I've told. You're supposed to be my best friend!" Nelly said, getting angry.

"Fuck you! You lied to me all this time and now you wanna play the best friend card? That shit's gone now."

He started walking towards the door as Nelly followed him. "Stop overreacting. Just chill and talk to me."

"Fuck you! You fucking faggot. I don't know you anymore!"

Murphy stormed out of the suite and slammed the door behind him as Nelly stood there in a complete state of anguish and shock over what just happened. His best friend just hurt him bad and he didn't know what to do. It felt like his knees were going to give way underneath him and he quickly walked to the door and leaned on it to keep himself up. This wasn't happening to him right now. It was all a dream, or rather a nightmare. He needed support right now. He needed T.I. to be his support system because he didn't think he could get through this night being alone. After calling for the limo, he grabbed a jacket and a hat and raced down to it. He told the driver what hotel T.I. was staying at and they were on their way. Nelly easily made his was up the hotel and to where his man's room was and hesitated before knocking. Anyone could tell by looking at him that he was upset and hurt. T.I. stirred at the loud knock that echoed throughout his room and was startled awake by the second one. He was in a light sleep because he'd only returned from the studio a short while ago. He quickly grabbed a robe as he made his way to the door.

"Baby? What are you doing here? What's wrong?"

Nelly's exhausted body fell on top of his man's as T.I. did the best he could to support the older rapper while keeping himself from falling. He wrapped his arms around the older man and they stayed there for a while. "I need you," he managed to say in a severely weakened voice.

T.I. was able to get himself and his man into the room and on the couch, where he rested him. He was worried as he went back and closed his door and then went to make some tea for the older man in his life. Nelly rested on the sofa, still in a dazed and weakened state. This was all a dream. Or at least he really wanted it to be. After T.I. prepared some tea, he set it on the glass table and sat next to his man. He didn't know what to think right about now as Nelly began stirring next to him. Seeing T.I. right next to him, he lifted his head and rested it on his man's lap. T.I. had enough of this.

"I made you some tea baby."

Nelly slowly sat up and took the hot cup from the table and sipped it as T.I. watched him intently. "Thanks. Don't look at me like that. I'm okay."

"I'm so worried about you Cornell. What happened? What's going on?"

"I'm sorry. Did I wake you up?"

"Not really. I just got back from the studio a few minutes ago but I don't care about that. I care about you now are you going to tell me what's going on or not?"

"Do you love me?"

"You know I do. Why are you even asking me that?"

"I fucked up!"

"What? What did you do?"

"Murphy hates me baby. I lost my best friend," Nelly fought back the tears, put the tea down, and rested his head back on the younger man's lap.

"Why? I thought you two were working together tonight?"

"We did. I got there kinda late and we got into an argument about where I was and what I was doing again."

"So it's over me again?" T.I. said in a distracted voice.

"No. It was my choice to spend time with you and I don't regret it."

"But if you didn't stay with me then this wouldn't be happening. I'm sure he'll cool off and you two will work it out baby."

"That's not the problem."

"What do you mean?"

"I was tired of all the fights over the same shit."

"What are you saying here?"

"I told him what he wanted to know baby. He asked where I kept disappearing to on the tour and why I didn't spend any time with him so I told him. I felt it was about time to be honest with him."

"Why did you do that baby?"

"He's my best friend and I really hated lying to him all the time like that. He's like my brother."

"I understand that. What exactly did you say to him?"

"He accused me of keeping secrets and at first I was scared to tell him anything but then I just said that I was in love with a man," he said as he recalled the moment.

"Baby you're shaking," T.I. noticed.

`I'm scared. It wasn't supposed to be like this."

"What do you mean?"

"I always imagined that when I told him about me that he would be a little upset but he would accept me because of how close our bond was. But now that's gone and I don't know what to do. I'm drained."

"You told him about me too?"

"No. I just told him that I was in love with another man. It wasn't my place to out you like that."

"So what happened?"

"He went on a rampage. He yelled at me and called me all these names."

"Like what?"

"A liar. A homo. A faggot. The he basically said he didn't want to be my friend anymore and stormed out. I lost him."

"That was rough. Why did he act like that when he's supposed to be your best friend?"

"I don't know but that's what hurt the most. Before you, he was the only one who knew me as well as I knew myself. I don't know what to think or do anymore."

"I'm sorry baby."

"I thought being honest about my relationship with you would only make my friendship with him stronger. Guess I was a fucking idiot huh?"

"Don't say that. You thought it was the right thing to do."

"I should've just kept my mouth shut. Why can't he see how happy you make me?"

"He's just set in his ways I guess. I'm worried though."

"About what?"

"What if he goes to the press? What if he tells everyone? You'll be finished."

Nelly let a tear slide down his face and crash onto T.I.'s robe. "I can't think about that right now. I can't manage with it all baby. I'm falling apart here. Why did he do this to me?"

"Maybe it was just a reaction. He wasn't expecting it and reacted the first way he knew how."

"I don't know."

"Let's go on the bed. You'll have more space to relax there."

The slowly walked to T.I.'s large bed. "What am I going to do baby?"

"I don't know. I honestly don't know," he said as they settled into the bed. T.I. went and fetched two aspirin to numb out the pain of Nelly's headache though he knew it was far worse than a simple headache.

"Why is this so hard? Why is what we have so wrong?"

"People have closed minds. I can't speak for them. I can only speak for me and I know what I feel for you Cornell. What we have together is the best thing in my life."

"Yea. I feel it too. I felt it since we first met in the recording studio that night. I just didn't want to accept it. You're made for me Tip. There'll be no one else for me."

"This has to work out. I can't stand seeing you like this. Why would he do something like that to you?"

"I don't know. I miss him already. I wonder what he's doing right now."

"Probably trying to come to terms with what you just told him," T.I. said as he leaned back so Nelly could rest his head on his chest. The steady rise and fall of the younger rapper's chest with every breathe he took was greatly helping in calming Nelly down. "He just needs time I think baby. He was caught off guard by it."

"I'm fucking stupid for thinking that he would be cool with me. I just really wanted him to be though."

"You couldn't have known that he would lash out at you the way he did."

"Maybe I deserve it," Nelly said as he yawned.

"Why do you say that?"

"Maybe I'm not meant to be happy."

"Stop it okay! We'll get through this together and move on with or without him."

"I don't want to. He's my brother. I can't leave him," Nelly said as vision started becoming blurry.

"I don't want you to either but he has to accept what you are baby. He has to accept you. I don't know why he blew up on you like that and I can only imagine how much that hurt you. I'm sorry about that. When I opened the door and saw the look on your face, my heart stopped. I knew something was wrong with you. And I got even more scared when you fell on top of me. I don't know what I would do if I ever lost you. Cornell?"

T.I. shifted his body to see his man asleep on his chest. Nelly's body was exhausted both physically and mentally and it showed. He did look like he reached a state of tranquility in his sleep though as T.I. replaced his body with a pillow. He stirred slightly and fixed his lips like a cute little boy's because of the sudden movement. He looked so cute; the caramel colored rapper though, as he got up, took his robe off, turned off the lights, and hopped back into bed next to his man. Their warm bodies pressed together as T.I. covered them with the blanket. This was unfair to Nelly and he didn't deserve to be treated like that, T.I. thought. He wanted desperately to help his man, to have him smile again, but he didn't know what to do. His index finger ran along the older rapper's smooth face, jaw, and forehead.

"Relax baby. Just rest. I'm here. You'll always have me and we'll get through this together. I love you so much and no one's ever going to change that." T.I. said as he softly kissed his check.

If you have any questions or comments you can e-mail me at jc71883@hotmail.com or hit me up on AIM ~ Dragon93085.