DISCLAIMER: This story is not for those under the age of 18 years (21 in some areas). It includes discriptions of male/male sexual acts. This story includes celebrity persona; however, it is not meant to imply or suggest the sexual orientation of those celebrities.
------------------- Getting Reaquainted ------------------- by Neil Please e-mail me at GrapeNeil@aol.com
Part XI -------
Oh yeah, this is definitely the most annoying alarm clock I've ever heard. 6:30. Decided to start my day early. I quickly get ready, then I head out onto the streets. I stop to get some coffee and a bagel. I read the newspaper as I eat. I guess I needed some alone time; it's really helping relieve some stress. I laugh as I think about last night. They are going to kill me. I look at the date on the newpaper. March 29th. I look at their schedule. They have a concert on April 1st, April Fools' Day. Perfect! Just as soon as the packages arrive....
I open the door to my room to find everyone in there. "Hey, what is this? A meeting I didn't know about?"
Nick says groggily, "See, Brian, we told you he was fine."
"You were worried about me?" Brian nods his head. "That's sweet and all, but I'm quite capable of taking care of myself." AJ laughs just a little.
Kevin says, "Brian woke us all up, asking us if we knew where you went. Then he practically drags us to your room. Poor Howie here apparently didn't get enough sleep." He motions to Howie, who is on my bed asleep.
"So two Backstreet Boys have slept in my bed, and neither of them has been Brian." He gets a shocked look when I say it. "It's alright. I guess after Nick and Kevin, it can be your turn."
Nick says, "Oh, good. I'm counting that as an invitation." He lays on my bed beside Howie and gets under the covers. The rest of us leave them to sleep and go to Brian's room.
Brian asks, "So where did you go?"
"Just for a walk. Blow off some steam." He lowers his head when I say this. Then I laugh. "No, I wasn't that mad last night. Don't worry about anything. I mean, you're all still going to get it. But it's not so soon that you have to worry about it right now."
"Strangely, that's not comforting at all" Kevin says.
I say, "It wasn't meant to be." AJ falls onto Brian's bed and covers up. "Great, are you going to sleep with him too?" I ask Brian. "You look exhausted still. Go back to bed." I kiss him quickly on the lips, then he gets into the bed and grabs some of the covers back from AJ, who was hogging them.
Kevin: "Well, Chris, I'm not sleepy any more. You wanna join me for breakfast?"
"I already ate." My stomach grumbles. "But I guess one bagel isn't good enough."
"Come on, tell me what it is."
"No, Kevin. Sorry, but you're a victim too. You're just going to have to wait and see, and then die from it." I laugh. He gives me a sad look. "Oh, now, once it's over, it won't be so bad. At least I don't think it will be."
[*Author's Note: Fine, I won't keep you all in suspense. Instead of doing this day-by-day, like I have been, I'll go ahead and lump a few days together.]
The rest of the day went fairly well. We only had one meeting. And they had a photo shoot; the "Got Milk?" people wanted them again since they have a new album out. The Boys were still wanting to know what I had in store for them; I told them that they would just have to wait.
That night Brian and I slept together. Just slept. It was very...'nice' doesn't cover it. I'm not sure any word does. We held each other close. We kissed a few times. We talked a little about us and what great things were going to happen. I could have laid there forever, in his arms, and be perfectly happy. I almost didn't want to go to sleep.
The next morning (March 30), we successfully had breakfast together, just the two of us. Barely a word was spoken between us; words weren't necessary. It was just the most wonderful 12-hour period of my life. I got a call that I had to be in a few meetings that day. I wasn't too happy about it, neither was Brian. "Duty calls, Brian. Let go of my leg."
The meetings were about adjustments in the tour schedule; new album and song concepts (already?); advertising campaigns; and other various things. Altogether not that boring, surprisingly. I went back and told the guys what the meetings were about and how it all pertained to them and their schedules.
The six of us spent the rest of the day together in AJ's room. We just hung out. We ordered a bloody action movie. I guess we got a bit too loud because the people down the hall called our room to tell us to shut up, in not-so-nice language. Fortunately, my ability to be a smart-ass was on full blast, and in the end it was they who shut up and hung up on me. I got an extremetly loud applause for my actions, which I took graciously. Before we knew it, it was dinner time. We decided to just get room service; Brian ordered. Imagine my surprise when I uncovered a plate of lasagna and garlic bread.
"Brian, this is supposed to be a special meal. Not to be had every day." I take a bite, then spit it out in my napkin. "And this shit isn't meant to be had any day." Brian offered to share his chicken and macaroni and cheese with me. I once again told him how sweet he was, and once again, everyone groans. "You're all just jealous that you don't have such a dear boyfriend...girlfriend...you know what I mean." We all laugh. After dinner, they decided that they were going to the game room to play. Yawning, I told them that I guessed I was still on NY time and was really sleepy. So Brian saw me to bed before joining them in the game room.
March 31st. After breakfast with everyone, I excuse myself to my room to make a call. "Hey, Stacy, any messages or mail?" Stacy is the receptionist at the company; we've gotten to be friends this week.
"Yeah, you got 5 Fed-Exes." I let out a sigh of relief. "What is it?"
"I can't tell even you, Stacy. But are you going to be at the concert tomorrow?"
"If I can just find someone to get me and my two girls tickets...."
"You got'em."
"Thank, Chris."
I tell the guys I have another meeting at the company today. I'm so excited about this that I can hardly stand it. I practically run into the reception area to see Stacy. I pick up the Fed-Exes and open them. Oh yeah, perfect. Just one more stop, then I'll have to come back tomorrow.... It's going to be tight. And I still have to tell the video crew....
"How'd the meeting go?" Howie asks as I join them for lunch. They had left a message on my voice mail telling me where they went.
"Oh, just great, I suppose. You know how those things go." After lunch, we went to a zoo. And they were even nice enough to show me to the snake pit. Nick learned not to pretend to push me into a snake pit. I think that bruise will heal up nicely before the show. We discovered that Brian does a good impression of an African baboon, but Howie's laughing hyena tops it. And I myself learned to watch my step when I am around grazing animals. They have a hose set up just for people to spray off their shoes. We were there an awfully long time, because it started to get dark. We decided to head back to the hotel, where we got room service dinner in Nick's room (we couldn't go to a restaurant smelling like the zoo).
After showering, Brian and I spent the night together again. Just as wonderful as the other night. We talked more. And I thought it wasn't possible to love the man any more. We put on a slow CD and danced. I lowered the lights, which set the mood even more. But we didn't do anything. By the time we thought we might have, we discovered that we were both really happy just being together. And we were both tired because it was after midnight. So we snuggled up in bed, and were fast asleep.
It's the first thing on my mind when I wake up: Oh yeah, time for payback. Brian's not in the bed. I get up and open the connecting door to his room. He's getting some clothes out of his closet. "I didn't wake you up, did I?"
"No, Brian, you didn't. What time is it?"
"After 9."
"Crap. I have to get ready, and fast! I have to go by the studio, then go to the arena. I shouldn't take long." I closed the door and covered my mouth to stop laughing. I get ready as fast as I can, then bolt out the door without so much as a 'Goodbye' to Brian. Yeah, I know, he's the best guy in the world, but the excitment of the moment took me over.
I run into the printer's shop. "Did you get the Paige order finished?"
"Yes, Mr. Paige. Here you go."
Then to the arena. Already the crews are setting up. "Hey, Jim! Wait up!" Jim is head of the video crew. He will be the only person to know what I'm planning, until tonight of course. After he's done laughing, I hand him the items and order him not to let them leave his hands until the show tonight. He swears to me, then I leave.
"You must have been in a real hurry, Chris" Kevin says, noticing I'm out of breath. He scoots down the couch to let me sit between him and Howie.
"Where's Brian?"
"He's in his room, practicing his parts or something. Nick's there with him."
"And AJ?"
Howie answers, "He's sleeping. Apparently he had a rough night. He doesn't know why. We thought it'd be best if he got some sleep, so we slipped him sommmme...uuhh...."
"Sleeping pills."
"Yeah."
"Listen. It's alright to mention them. It's not going to send me into some withdrawal rage or anything. Okay?" They both nod. "Good." I put my arms around the two of them and say, "Now, what can the three of us do?"
Kevin: "I hope you have more ideas than Howie and I have. We've just been sitting here for about 20 minutes trying to think of something to do."
"Well, that's a good way to waste 20 perfectly good minutes." Just then my cell phone rings. "Hello?"
"Hey, Chris!"
"Dr. Miller! Wow, I haven't talked to you for some time now."
"I know. I got your number from your parents. I just wanted to check up on you."
"I'm doing fine. Better than fine. I'm really...just really happy, Dr. Miller." I notice Kevin and Howie are waving their hands. "Kevin and Howie say Hi."
"I cannot believe you're with the Backstreet Boys. And with one of them."
"Yeah, sorry again for not telling you, but I think you understand why I didn't."
"Yes, of course I do. But it is a bit depressing."
"Why's that?"
"Brian's my favorite. He's supposed to be my boyfriend."
"Over my dead body, bitch." We both laugh. "How are your kids?"
"They're great. They were ecstatic, freaking amazed, when I gave them that autographed picture. Now they rever me like some goddess."
"And of course, you've used this to your advantage."
"Of course. I'm a psychiatrist. I know when I have to use something to my advantage." Again, we both laugh. "You know, you were my favorite patient."
"Were? I still am, dear. It's just going to have to be a long-distance relationship. By the way, why am I your favorite patient? I hope it's not just because I know the biggest 'boy-band' in the world." Kevin and Howie each slap a leg when I use that term. "Ouch!"
"What is it, Chris?"
"They're physically abusing me, Dr. Miller. I feel controlled and used by them." I fake some sniffles, causing Dr. Miller, Kevin, and Howie to laugh.
"That is why you're my favorite patient, Chris. You're just so...so...you know what you are. And you make my job fun sometimes."
"Well, I'm flattered. And while you run up my bill...."
"Oh, right. Sorry. I guess I'm done checking up on you. Chris, remember that you can call me whenever you need to."
"I know, Dr. Miller. And I promise that I will. Goodbye."
"Bye."
I sigh. "Golly, it was good to talk to her again. Even though we didn't talk about anything major, I just feel so good all of a sudden."
Kevin: "The members of this group are like that. All of us are there for each other. I hope in time we can be that for you, too."
I thought for a minute. "You guys are already like that for me."
Howie laughs. "Yeah, right. You just hang around us to be with Brian."
"Oh, you're wrong. I like being around all of you also. I asked you where Brian was, and you told me. But I didn't leave you two to be with him. So there, proof that you're all my best friends."
Howie looked at me with satisfaction. Then he says, "Oh, no, Chris, you're not going to...."
The tears fell. Just a couple. I quickly wipe them with my hands. "I'm sorry, I don't know where this is coming from." I laugh a little, hoping it will make me stop.
Howie: "Oh, no." His voice is shaky. I look at him to see him start to cry also.
Kevin: "Howie always cries when someone else does."
Just then Brian walks into the room and sees me and Howie in tears. "What is going on?" We all laugh.
Kevin answers him. "Well, you know why Howie's crying. And not even Chris knows why he is. Something about all of us being there for each other and for him." When he says it, more tears fall. Kevin gets up off of the couch and lets Brian sit. Brian puts an arm around me and hugs me close. He doesn't say anything; he knows I know what he's going to say. We all sit in silence until I, and Howie, stop crying. Then I start to laugh.
Brian asks, "What is so funny?"
"Four grown men in the middle of a touchy-feely moment. Sorry, I just thought it was funny."
For a late lunch: "Ugh, fine with me, just as long as it's not McDonald's. Find another fast-food place to subject us to." Kevin and Howie had already given up. AJ, Brian, and Nick are happy now.
"Booger King?" asks Brian.
AJ and Nick look at each other and nod, then say simultaneously, "Booger King."
"Oh, yeah, that sounds appetizing." My cell phone rings. "Hello. Chris Paige speaking."
"Yeah, Chris, this is Stacy. I just called to tell you that you and the guys don't need to come to the meetings tomorrow. There's been an agenda change, so we don't need you to come."
"Alright. Thanks." I decided to wait until tomorrow to let them know.
"Why do you always do that?" Brian asks when he sees me lift the bread off of my burger.
"I just want to make sure it's dead."
"And how does this place measure up?"
"Well, the vegetables and variious sauces are actually distinguishable instead of being all slopped together, so that's a good thing. Now I'm not so hesitant about the taste test." They all watch initently as I take a bite. After chewing and thinking about it, I say, "Not bad, not bad at all." And I smile. Nick, AJ, and Brian smile at this.
AJ: "I think we have ourselves a changed man."
Nick says, "I can't believe you've never eaten at Burger King before."
"Well, you know, back at my house you met these two people named Miles and Amy. They're what we like to call 'cooks'. They fix actual food. I think you in particular experienced it more than a few times while you were there."
"Yeah, yeah, funny man. But we don't have travel-cooks, so you're going to get used to this stuff" Nick says as he pops a curly fry into his mouth.
"Well, guys, they told me to be at the concert half an hour earlier, so I guess I'll see you all when you get there." I've peed two times in the past hour just thinking about this. And now I feel like I have to go again.
Brian gets up and shows me to the door. We kiss, then I have to go.
At the arena. "Chuck, I need you to do me a favor." Chuck does the introductions and announcements.
"Sure, Chris, what is it?"
Almost an hour later. Chuck takes the microphone. "Ladies and Gentlemen." The crowd goes insane. "Before the concert, we have a few words from somebody very close to the Backstreet Boys." The crowd doesn't like this very much. I've avoided running into the Boys this whole time. I enter the stage from the left, and I can see them peering from the right side. I take the microphone from Chuck and begin.
"Hello everyone. You probably don't know me, unless you're stalking the Backstreet Boys. Then that's just got to stop." The crowd laughs a little. "I'm Chris Paige, personal assistant of the Backstreet Boys. I do all the dirty work for them." In a lower voice: "And I know all the dirt on them." Some people scream loudly. I look at the Boys to see them giving me weird looks. "Well, anyway folks, I saw today was April Fools' Day, and I just thought we couldn't have a Backstreet Boys concert on April Fools' Day without playing something of an April Fools' joke on them." The crowd cheers. "So I was thinking about what to do, what to do, when I got to thinking about the group members themselves. Let's see, we've got an age range from 19 to 27. Most, if not all, of us have seen what they look like now. And more hardcore fans know what they looked like six years ago when the band first came together. But I was thinking, nobody has seen what they looked like when they were just wee little tikes." The crows laughs and claps loudly.
"So I call their parents and ask for some baby or toddler pictures. Which I have." A pause. "Now, maybe I said something about it, maybe it was brought up, I don't know, but each mother sent me a picture of her Backstreet Baby....naked." The crowd was so loud I believe the Martians could hear them over those signals we send into space. I again look over to the guys to see five sets of wide (we're talking WIDE) eyes and gaping mouths.
"Now, how should we do this thing? I think alphabetically works best. So, I guess that means America's Cutie is up first. Mr. Nick Carter." The three huge monitors then showed three pictures of Nick as a baby and toddler. The nudey picture was reserved for the middle, and largest, monitor. A lot of fans 'aaahhh'ed, and some laughed. "Mr. Howie Dorough." "Mr. Brian Littrell." "Mr. AJ McLean." "And last but not least, Mr. Kevin Richardson." I look to see how they're reacting to this. They're all smiling, but clenching fists or shaking heads.
"Now weren't they just the cutest little things you've ever seen? Now you see, that wasn't too much of a disappointment, was it?" More laughter. "So I guess my job is done. And without further ado, the moment you've all been waiting for. Here they are, the Backstreet Boys!!!" The crowd cheers as I run off stage and the Boys come on and start the show. As I head backstage, several workers congratulate me on my trick. "Thank you, thank you all. Now if you will all be so willing to protect me from their wrath." The workers laugh. Bill, a stagehand, says, "Ah, now, we had nothing to do with this. We're not putting ourselves up against them."
The arena the other night had the front row up against the stage, so there was no room. This was a concert hall, so there's a pit for an orchestra. Since the Boys didn't require an orchestra, the pit was open for security officers to watch the crowd and workers to watch the show. I make my way there, to the center of the pit. They finished the song before they noticed I was there. Nick saw me first. He pointed to me then made a slit across his throat. I motioned my fingers towards me and mouthed "Come on, wimp." But he and the others had to change.
I take a cab back to the hotel before the last song is over. I'll wait for them in the lobby. Public place, lots of witnesses to my murder. I grab a copy of Time and start reading. I'm totally engrossed in an article about the current wars going on in the world when I hear someone clear their throat in front of me. I move the magazine down to see them standing there. I close the magazine and place it back on the table. I cross my right leg over my left and smile. "Hey, guys, great show tonight. Totally blew me away."
"You are going to die" Kevin started.
Nick: "Slowly."
AJ: "Painfully."
"Oh, now, it wasn't so bad, was it? I mean, you're all down-to-earth guys, and all down-to-earth guys' mothers' show his baby pictures"
Brian interrupts, "Not to thousands of people."
"Well, I just figured get them all in one big swoop and save your parents all that time."
Howie speaks, "You are so going to die."
"I keep hearing that, but I don't see it happening. Because you all know it's your fault. Don't give a reason for payback, and I promise nothing like this will ever happen again. Next time it could be worse."
Nick asks, "Just how could it get any worse?"
"Well, your next concert is being shown live on cable television. I could just as easily have done it then. That way, millions could have seen the Backstreet Babys."
After a few seconds, AJ kneels down and puts his hand on the coffee table. "Truce."
I peer at him for a second, then cover his hand with mine. "Truce." The others do the same. "Fine, now that I can stop worrying about you guys killing me, I think I'll go to my room. I do have some work to be doing." I get up and push the button for the elevator. The Boys follow me in. When the doors shut, AJ grabs my arms and pulls them behind me (we're the only ones in the elevator). "Hey! I thought we called Truce!"
Brian says, "I guess it just doesn't work when five of the six people have their fingers crossed behind their backs."
"Dirty traitors! This isn't fair! HELP!" Brian covers my mouth with his hands. I give up struggling. When the elevator doors open, Kevin and Nick pop out first and scope out the hallway. They signal that the coast is clear. Howie and AJ drag me to Nick's room, which is closest. There they put me in a chair and use some belts to keep me there. "Can't we just say that you got me. I'm not going to fight it. And I really do have some business to be taking care of."
Kevin: "Now, what fun is that?"
Nick says, "Besides, I think you like being tied up."
"Well, heck, Brian could tell you that."
AJ looks to Brian, then to me. "Huh?"
"Oh, you mean you guys don't know that Mr. Goody-Good here is into a little bit of bondage?"
Brian almost yells, "Don't change the subject! We're here to punish you!"
Howie: "Really, Brian? I couldn't picture that."
AJ adds, "Yeah, that is kinda weird."
"Oh, yeah. I'm not sure which he likes better, tying or being tied. And the strip shows he can put on, whoa, let me tell you what." I was shifting their interest, hopefully they'd start making fun of Brian.
Nick asks, "Really? But he's so shy...."
"Not when it comes to...certain things."
Brian: "Hey! See, he's doing it! He's just stalling us."
AJ: "Yeah, right. Back to our revenge." Drat.
"Okay, what's it going to be this time?"
Nick says, "Good question."
"What? You guys don't have a plan?"
AJ says, "Um...not really. We just figured we could capture you, then think about it."
"Geez! No, I'm serious guys, I really don't have time for this. I really do have a lot of stuff to be doing."
Kevin says, "We can't just let you go without doing something. It's just not right."
"Okay, I'll tell you what. Get that small, complimentary bottle of shampoo from the bathroom and"
Nick: "Whoa! We'd better leave that up to you and Brian." Everyone laughs.
"Not what I had in mind. Besides, upgrading to something so_large after being with Brian...." AJ busts out laughing. Nick covers his mouth with one hand and points at Brian with the other. Howie covers his eyes and laughs. From where I'm sitting I can't see Kevin. And Brian is standing there with his mouth wide open. Then he starts to laugh.
"Christopher Paige, you didn't just...no, no.... You have to be punished for that one."
"Come on, guys. Just let me go. You're all exhausted; I can see it in your eyes. And you know very darned well I'll get you back if you do something to me. And I can guarantee it'll be bad. Very, very bad. And we wouldn't want that now, would we?"
Kevin answers, "Sheesh, alright already." They others don't protest as he undoes the belts. I stand and stretch.
"Good night, everyone. See you in the morning." And I leave.
I expected Brian to come to my room, but I guess he was too tired. I did hear him in his room. Anyway, he won't be distracting me from this paperwork.
As soon as that is taken care of, I change into some bed clothes and lay down. Oh yeah, that was good.
To Be Continued....