Fic: Feels Like Home, Part 5/5
Feels Like Home
Part 5/5
Pairing(s) in the story: Jemaine/Bret (Flight of the Conchords)
Author Name/Pen Name: she_burns1
Beta: lordstarfish
Disclaimer: I do not own Flight of the Conchords, or Hbo, or Bret, or Jemaine…though I will glad take donations of Bret/Jemaine!
Rating of story: PG-13
Word Count: 2,750
Warnings: The end!
Brief summary: A man travels the world over in search of what he needs and returns home to find it. - George Moore
Jemaine was still in the restroom when Bret returned, a small brown paper bag in his hands. He could hear running water and the sound of teeth being brushed. There was a tiny table in the room with two chairs and Bret sat down in one of them. He emptied the bag, pulling out two bottled waters, two bagels, and a small packet of aspirin.
Jemaine finally emerged from the bathroom, pale and shaken. Bret gave him a wave, then, unable to help himself, asked quietly, “You being bulimic in there?”
The look that Jemaine shot him was withering and Bret felt almost a little offended, but decided what he had said might have been a bit rude so he overlooked it, “Come have a seat. I got you a few things. Cashier said these pills would make your head feel smaller.”
“What does that mean?” Jemaine choked out, voice raw.
“Dunno.”
“Whatever.” Jemaine took the pills and grabbed the water, slugging them down. He looked at the bagel, “That for me too?”
Bret nodded, “She said it would help.”
Jemaine shrugged and took a few bites, forcing them down with sips of water. He had to admit, it did make him feel slightly better.
“Never drink again.”
“That’s no good. You need to drink water or you’ll die in like,” Bret squinted as he thought deeply, “Six days or something.”
“No, meant beer. Never drinking it again.”
“What about that other stuff you drank?”
“What other stuff?”
“The bright colored thing you drank with those girls.”
“Don’t remember that.”
“Oh. You drank something with them too.”
“Well, I’m not drinking that ever again either.”
“Good. Good.” Bret looked at Jemaine, then away, then back again. He wanted to bring up last night, outside the bar. All the things said and done but he wondered what would happen, if anything. Maybe Jemaine was still clinging to the whole ‘It-Didn’t-Happen’ scenario he’d clung to the past two times or maybe-
“Bret.”
Bret looked at Jemaine. Jemaine looked back and his eyebrows were pushed together. He seemed to be thinking about something. Thinking about it very deeply and in a way, he also looked as if he was about to be sick again.
He sucked in a deep breath through his nose and let it out, then ran a hand through his hair. He licked his lips and looked away, then back again and finally spoke, “Bret, I don’t like like you.”
Bret felt as if he’d been electrocuted. His whole nervous system felt shot and he didn’t move a muscle. He was suddenly so cold and he wasn’t breathing.
Jemaine fidgeted in his seat, looking away again, “I don’t like like you, because I…because I…I’m, you know. I’m,” he let out a heavy breath, “With you.”
Bret felt power return to his body as he blinked, suddenly confused, “You’re…what?”
“I don’t like you because I…’s more than that.”
“Okay.”
There was a terse silence and with each minute Jemaine looked more agitated.
“Well?”
“Well what?”
“Don’t you…did you just hear what I said?”
Bret nodded.
“Don’t you know what I meant?”
“Not really, no.”
Jemaine groaned and buried his face in his hands. When he pulled away from them he wouldn’t look at Bret as he struggled to speak, “I’m…you know…I’m in with you.”
“I’m…not catching all of that.”
“…why is this so difficult? Should just say it already!”
“Say what?”
Jemaine was breathing funny and now Bret truly was worried he would be sick again. Instead, Jemaine closed his eyes and when he spoke again it flowed more easily, “Bret…I…know last night happened.”
Bret was even more lost now, as Jemaine seemed to change subjects but he went with it, “Good. It did.”
“Yeah…about it…I mean… and, about the last two times…”
“You mean Top Gun and the elevator.”
“Yeah. Yes, them…look, I couldn’t - I didn’t want…you…you’re,” Jemaine’s eyes opened and he felt so uncomfortable and awkward and he just wanted to run away from this, but he knew he couldn’t, not only for his own sake, but especially for Bret’s.
Now he understood what Bret had meant about high pressured situations.
“Our friendship and the band and…it’s…I do right by them.” Bret nodded and Jemaine looked at him to see if he had understood, but it was obvious he hadn’t, so he flushed and tried again, embarrassed, “I maybe don’t…do so good…at other things. But…I’m good at…the things I just said.”
“I…understand?”
“I don’t…I don’t want to risk the things I’m good at for…for something that you might…you know, you might change your mind about.”
Bret did understand this and he scowled, “That’s a bit insulting.”
“In what way?”
“You’re saying that if you and I had…if we were more….I’d get bored or something and want to get out of it.”
“Hnn - well…yeah.”
“’S bit insulting. And a bit rude. Says you have no faith in me.”
“You quit the band all the time.”
“The band is different-”
“The band is like…a metaphor, or something…it’s similar.”
“You dropped me for Todd, you don’t see me bringing that up.”
“That’s totally different.”
“Don’t see how it is. And I don’t much like you making decisions for me.”
“How so?”
“You’ve basically decided that we can’t…that we can’t be together solely on the possibility that I may leave you and that’s just…it’s stupid.”
“Oh!” Jemaine said hotly, hurt, “It is not!”
“It is! You’re not even giving me a chance! We’d be good together…great together.”
“Bret.” Jemaine said, then, unable to think of something else, said his name again.
This was more than enough time for Bret to get really worked up, “I mean, I don’t know what you want from me to prove to you…I mean, Dave said we should just get married but we haven’t even dated, basically because you won’t let us date and-”
“I don’t want to be like the paper cranes!”
Bret blinked, lost at this abrupt outburst, and could only manage, “Huh?”
“…Bret, you…you’re not very…dedicated. You like something for a while…like a person for a while, and then you push it…them, aside. Oh, you’re fixated at first but then…”
“I’m not like that!”
“Bret, you would have dumped Coco in a split second if Sally would have had you back-”
“That was different.”
“How so?”
“Coco wasn’t…and Sally…neither of them…they, they weren’t,” Bret swallowed and suddenly he was nervous, shy as he avoided Jemaine’s eyes, “they weren’t you.”
Jemaine sat up a bit, looking intently at Bret, who’s voice was very quiet, “Jemaine…how long have I been with you?”
“A…while.”
Bret nodded, “A long while. You’re…you and me…we go together. I…I don’t think I could get by without you. Girls, like Coco and like Sally, I may like them and they may like me but, I mean, I told you. I told you. After a few weeks, they find me boring…you don’t.”
Jemaine shrugged. Truthfully, there were a few times Bret had been boring, but Jemaine hadn’t really minded so much. After all, he was Bret. Jemaine couldn’t get by without him…despite the decision he had made…the one he was trying to follow through with, he couldn’t really…
Bret was still talking.
“You know me, Jemaine. You probably know me better than anybody. And…I mean, I suppose I do get fixated on some things from time to time and then drop them. I can’t think of what exactly but,” Bret stopped, eyes narrowed in thought and then it hit him, “Oh. Wait. Paper cranes…the hula hoop. That’s…that’s why you brought those up last night.”
Jemaine frowned, “I did?”
“Yeah, you said…well, ok, yes, those are some examples then, those are things I dropped but they were just passing fancies and…everybody has that, Jemaine. But, not everything I like is like that. I can be consistent. I haven’t stopped liking animals or my mold farm or David Bowie or…you.”
Jemaine blinked, a little overwhelmed, and found himself muttering futilely, “But…the band…”
Bret groaned, aggravated, “You’re not back on that again, are you? Who cares if I quit the band one or two times?!”
“Because the band, it,” Jemaine sighed, “Look, I’ve never quit the band and…and I wouldn’t quit if, if we were…I wouldn’t quit because…I mean, I-I think I…’m more in it than you are.”
“What?”
“I….you know…I…more than you.”
“I think you’re leaving stuff out. ‘Sides, you’re the one who keeps denying these things happen. You’re the one who runs away.”
“I don’t run away! But if I do, it’s because I don’t want to…you know…with you and then you back out and quit.
“I wouldn’t back out,” Bret whined stressfully, “Why would I be trying so hard if I planned on not committing to it?”
Jemaine seemed at a loss for words and Bret, feeling like he was close to winning him over, seeing his resolve slipping, pressed on, “I can’t promise you everything will be perfect, Jemaine…but…don’t you think we should at least…try?”
Jemaine shook his head, “It’s-it’s different for you. You just like me…I do more than…like you. I…I lo-I lo-”
Bret raised an eyebrow as Jemaine fought with his words to the point where it was almost more physical than verbal. Eventually he tried to help him along, “You…what? Loathe? Lost? Lov…”
And right as Bret said ‘love’, Jemaine took in a deep breath and, starting at the top, worked it out, his voice starting high and finally getting lower, “I’m in lo-ov-love-love-love-love…with you. Love you.”
Bret sat there a moment as it sank in.
“I love you.”
Jemaine said it once, singularly and clear, and he looked as if he would shatter into a million pieces. He hid his face behind his hands again. The silence was short and then it snapped as Bret jumped to his feet, the movement so quick that his chair knocked over to the floor.
Bret threw his arms around Jemaine’s neck and hugged him tightly. Jemaine made a choked noise, followed by a low groan of strained words, “…gonna be sick again.”
Bret didn’t care. Jemaine could puke all over him (he flipping hoped he didn’t), he didn’t care because Jemaine loved him. He loved him. He loved him. He loved him. Jemaine loved Bret. He burrowed his nose into the crook of Jemaine’s neck.
Bret pulled back just a little and Jemaine finally uncovered his face, wondering what was happening but scared to look and then he could see that Bret was going to try and kiss him on the mouth. He veered away from it, his hand rising up protectively, “Ah, Bret, no! I was just sick with that! I mean, I brushed my teeth and all and I want to but…tryin’ to look after you here.”
Bret’s heart just squeezed more at those words. His whole body felt so warm and tight he wasn’t completely sure that he wouldn’t just explode with happiness. He settled for kissing the top of Jemaine’s head several times, as well as his forehead. When he finally pulled away he righted his chair and sat back down. Jemaine’s hand rested on the table and he took it, squeezing it and grinning.
“I love you too, you know,” Bret tossed out conspiratorially, grinning.
Jemaine looked a bit stunned now, “What? But you said…you only-”
Bret shrugged, “Yeah but that was then. ‘S been like, a while now.”
“So…what? Now you…you…”
“I love you, Jemaine.”
“…you-you can say that again. If you want.”
Bret brought his and Jemaine’s clasped hands closer and kissed them, “I love you, Jemaine.”
Jemaine blushed and he cleared his throat, “Oh. Good then.”
“Is that what you needed, Jemaine?” Bret asked, quietly amused, “Is that all you needed? For me to tell you that I love you? Is that commitment enough?’
“No…uh…actually,” Jemaine looked at Bret thoughtfully, “You really do love me?”
“Really, really.”
“So…so does that mean you…you want to be my…girlfriend?”
“Um. Well, you’re close.”
“Yeah?”
“You’ve got one word wrong there.”
“Oh?”
“I’m not a girl, Jemaine.”
“Right,” Jemaine nodded, “So…boyfriend, then?”
“Yes, that would be correct.”
“And…I’d be…I’m your boyfriend, too?”
“That’s the idea.”
“Really...so…like, we’d both be boyfriends.”
“Of each other, yes.”
“…I…I think I’d like that…and you?”
Bret squeezed Jemaine’s hand, “What do you think?”
Jemaine squirmed in his chair, his cheeks blossoming from pink to red, “I…think if I hadn’t been sick you’d…kiss me.”
“That’s what boyfriends do,” Bret said shyly and then they sat around in happy silence for quite sometime before starting another, completely different conversation. While neither would admit it, it was something of a relief to see that, even with all love proclamations finally said aloud and relationship status changes, things were exactly the same.
Nothing in their interaction with each other seemed different, aside from the fact that they were now holding hands a lot more and giving each other secretive little looks. But then, maybe that wasn’t really all that new either.
Bret suggested they go and visit Jemaine’s Mum again and, after some coaxing, Jemaine agreed that it was a good idea. It actually turned out to be an excellent idea. Jemaine’s Mum seemed in much better spirits than when he had last seen her, both physically and mentally.
Though secretly Jemaine thought a large part of it was due to Bret. The moment his mother saw him she was infatuated. She went on and on about what a nice boy he was and how, now, it didn’t seem such a bad idea that her son had gone to America, if it was with Bret.
Jemaine was a little miffed that his mother now seemed more into the idea of the band after meeting Bret (as if he couldn’t do well on his own) but overall he had to admit he was rather pleased by how the whole thing went.
Eventually they returned to their hotel and packed. Murray called their room and told them he was on his way and that he would meet them at the airport. His call gave Bret a thought and as they entered the airport he voiced it.
“So, when are we going to tell Murray?”
“Hmm? ‘Bout what?”
“About,” Bret poked Jemaine’s arm, then poked himself.
Jemaine caught the gesture and shrugged, “Dunno. It should probably be you that tells him.”
“Why me?”
“You’re the one who wanted us to be gay.”
“What? And you didn’t?!”
“No, actually, if you remember, I was quite against it-”
“Yes. For some pretty silly reasons.”
“Aw! No, they weren’t!” Jemaine gasped, insulted.
“Yeah, pretty silly.”
“No!”
“They were though. Should have gotten over them sooner, could have gotten to this,” Bret poked Jemaine’s arm and then himself again, “Quicker.”
“Mm. Yeah. Maybe. But, still, you should tell him, you were the one who kept pushing it-”
“You still started it though…none of this would have happened if you hadn’t attacked me on the couch.”
“I didn’t attack you…besides, if you want to play it that way, none of it would have happened if you hadn’t bugged me into watching that movie with you.”
“’Top Gun’ is an awesome movie.”
“Ehhh, it was all right.”
“It’s the best.”
“Never did get to see the end.”
“We…could watch it when we get home.”
Jemaine raised an eyebrow, “On the couch…”
Bret didn’t look at him, tone innocent, “We could pick up where we left off.”
“…in…in the film or-”
Bret shrugged, voice still oh so casual, “Guess that’s up to you.”
Jemaine took in a deep breath, “That sounds…promising.”
Bret did leer at him now, “I certainly think so.”
Jemaine scratched at the back of his head and reached out, taking Bret’s hand in his. Bret gave him a dazzlingly smile and he swung their clasped hands back and forth happily, “So, you ready to go home?”
Jemaine looked at their joined hands and, while it was tempting to say aloud that he already was home, he resisted it because it seemed too girly and silly. Instead, he leaned over and gave Bret a quick kiss, mumbling a quiet ‘yes’.
~fin~
I think later tonight I shall post the epilogue. I will wait for later tonight, not only because I've got bunches to do today, but also because it's a steamy/nightime kinda fic...ohhh yeah, it'll be business time!
*cries* It's all over now! I'm gonna miss my EPIC. Sure, I was a super worrier about it, but super worrying is just in my nature and as I look back over it now I really like what I wrote. You all seemed to enjoy it too, which is a bonus, but seriously, I like what I wrote and that makes me happy! :D
ALSO HUGE ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR MY BETA lordstarfish!!! Caps necessary to show how much I appreciate her help. Hand to god, this fic wouldn't have been anywhere near as lovely were it not for her divine intervention!
Part 5/5
Pairing(s) in the story: Jemaine/Bret (Flight of the Conchords)
Author Name/Pen Name: she_burns1
Beta: lordstarfish
Disclaimer: I do not own Flight of the Conchords, or Hbo, or Bret, or Jemaine…though I will glad take donations of Bret/Jemaine!
Rating of story: PG-13
Word Count: 2,750
Warnings: The end!
Brief summary: A man travels the world over in search of what he needs and returns home to find it. - George Moore
Jemaine was still in the restroom when Bret returned, a small brown paper bag in his hands. He could hear running water and the sound of teeth being brushed. There was a tiny table in the room with two chairs and Bret sat down in one of them. He emptied the bag, pulling out two bottled waters, two bagels, and a small packet of aspirin.
Jemaine finally emerged from the bathroom, pale and shaken. Bret gave him a wave, then, unable to help himself, asked quietly, “You being bulimic in there?”
The look that Jemaine shot him was withering and Bret felt almost a little offended, but decided what he had said might have been a bit rude so he overlooked it, “Come have a seat. I got you a few things. Cashier said these pills would make your head feel smaller.”
“What does that mean?” Jemaine choked out, voice raw.
“Dunno.”
“Whatever.” Jemaine took the pills and grabbed the water, slugging them down. He looked at the bagel, “That for me too?”
Bret nodded, “She said it would help.”
Jemaine shrugged and took a few bites, forcing them down with sips of water. He had to admit, it did make him feel slightly better.
“Never drink again.”
“That’s no good. You need to drink water or you’ll die in like,” Bret squinted as he thought deeply, “Six days or something.”
“No, meant beer. Never drinking it again.”
“What about that other stuff you drank?”
“What other stuff?”
“The bright colored thing you drank with those girls.”
“Don’t remember that.”
“Oh. You drank something with them too.”
“Well, I’m not drinking that ever again either.”
“Good. Good.” Bret looked at Jemaine, then away, then back again. He wanted to bring up last night, outside the bar. All the things said and done but he wondered what would happen, if anything. Maybe Jemaine was still clinging to the whole ‘It-Didn’t-Happen’ scenario he’d clung to the past two times or maybe-
“Bret.”
Bret looked at Jemaine. Jemaine looked back and his eyebrows were pushed together. He seemed to be thinking about something. Thinking about it very deeply and in a way, he also looked as if he was about to be sick again.
He sucked in a deep breath through his nose and let it out, then ran a hand through his hair. He licked his lips and looked away, then back again and finally spoke, “Bret, I don’t like like you.”
Bret felt as if he’d been electrocuted. His whole nervous system felt shot and he didn’t move a muscle. He was suddenly so cold and he wasn’t breathing.
Jemaine fidgeted in his seat, looking away again, “I don’t like like you, because I…because I…I’m, you know. I’m,” he let out a heavy breath, “With you.”
Bret felt power return to his body as he blinked, suddenly confused, “You’re…what?”
“I don’t like you because I…’s more than that.”
“Okay.”
There was a terse silence and with each minute Jemaine looked more agitated.
“Well?”
“Well what?”
“Don’t you…did you just hear what I said?”
Bret nodded.
“Don’t you know what I meant?”
“Not really, no.”
Jemaine groaned and buried his face in his hands. When he pulled away from them he wouldn’t look at Bret as he struggled to speak, “I’m…you know…I’m in with you.”
“I’m…not catching all of that.”
“…why is this so difficult? Should just say it already!”
“Say what?”
Jemaine was breathing funny and now Bret truly was worried he would be sick again. Instead, Jemaine closed his eyes and when he spoke again it flowed more easily, “Bret…I…know last night happened.”
Bret was even more lost now, as Jemaine seemed to change subjects but he went with it, “Good. It did.”
“Yeah…about it…I mean… and, about the last two times…”
“You mean Top Gun and the elevator.”
“Yeah. Yes, them…look, I couldn’t - I didn’t want…you…you’re,” Jemaine’s eyes opened and he felt so uncomfortable and awkward and he just wanted to run away from this, but he knew he couldn’t, not only for his own sake, but especially for Bret’s.
Now he understood what Bret had meant about high pressured situations.
“Our friendship and the band and…it’s…I do right by them.” Bret nodded and Jemaine looked at him to see if he had understood, but it was obvious he hadn’t, so he flushed and tried again, embarrassed, “I maybe don’t…do so good…at other things. But…I’m good at…the things I just said.”
“I…understand?”
“I don’t…I don’t want to risk the things I’m good at for…for something that you might…you know, you might change your mind about.”
Bret did understand this and he scowled, “That’s a bit insulting.”
“In what way?”
“You’re saying that if you and I had…if we were more….I’d get bored or something and want to get out of it.”
“Hnn - well…yeah.”
“’S bit insulting. And a bit rude. Says you have no faith in me.”
“You quit the band all the time.”
“The band is different-”
“The band is like…a metaphor, or something…it’s similar.”
“You dropped me for Todd, you don’t see me bringing that up.”
“That’s totally different.”
“Don’t see how it is. And I don’t much like you making decisions for me.”
“How so?”
“You’ve basically decided that we can’t…that we can’t be together solely on the possibility that I may leave you and that’s just…it’s stupid.”
“Oh!” Jemaine said hotly, hurt, “It is not!”
“It is! You’re not even giving me a chance! We’d be good together…great together.”
“Bret.” Jemaine said, then, unable to think of something else, said his name again.
This was more than enough time for Bret to get really worked up, “I mean, I don’t know what you want from me to prove to you…I mean, Dave said we should just get married but we haven’t even dated, basically because you won’t let us date and-”
“I don’t want to be like the paper cranes!”
Bret blinked, lost at this abrupt outburst, and could only manage, “Huh?”
“…Bret, you…you’re not very…dedicated. You like something for a while…like a person for a while, and then you push it…them, aside. Oh, you’re fixated at first but then…”
“I’m not like that!”
“Bret, you would have dumped Coco in a split second if Sally would have had you back-”
“That was different.”
“How so?”
“Coco wasn’t…and Sally…neither of them…they, they weren’t,” Bret swallowed and suddenly he was nervous, shy as he avoided Jemaine’s eyes, “they weren’t you.”
Jemaine sat up a bit, looking intently at Bret, who’s voice was very quiet, “Jemaine…how long have I been with you?”
“A…while.”
Bret nodded, “A long while. You’re…you and me…we go together. I…I don’t think I could get by without you. Girls, like Coco and like Sally, I may like them and they may like me but, I mean, I told you. I told you. After a few weeks, they find me boring…you don’t.”
Jemaine shrugged. Truthfully, there were a few times Bret had been boring, but Jemaine hadn’t really minded so much. After all, he was Bret. Jemaine couldn’t get by without him…despite the decision he had made…the one he was trying to follow through with, he couldn’t really…
Bret was still talking.
“You know me, Jemaine. You probably know me better than anybody. And…I mean, I suppose I do get fixated on some things from time to time and then drop them. I can’t think of what exactly but,” Bret stopped, eyes narrowed in thought and then it hit him, “Oh. Wait. Paper cranes…the hula hoop. That’s…that’s why you brought those up last night.”
Jemaine frowned, “I did?”
“Yeah, you said…well, ok, yes, those are some examples then, those are things I dropped but they were just passing fancies and…everybody has that, Jemaine. But, not everything I like is like that. I can be consistent. I haven’t stopped liking animals or my mold farm or David Bowie or…you.”
Jemaine blinked, a little overwhelmed, and found himself muttering futilely, “But…the band…”
Bret groaned, aggravated, “You’re not back on that again, are you? Who cares if I quit the band one or two times?!”
“Because the band, it,” Jemaine sighed, “Look, I’ve never quit the band and…and I wouldn’t quit if, if we were…I wouldn’t quit because…I mean, I-I think I…’m more in it than you are.”
“What?”
“I….you know…I…more than you.”
“I think you’re leaving stuff out. ‘Sides, you’re the one who keeps denying these things happen. You’re the one who runs away.”
“I don’t run away! But if I do, it’s because I don’t want to…you know…with you and then you back out and quit.
“I wouldn’t back out,” Bret whined stressfully, “Why would I be trying so hard if I planned on not committing to it?”
Jemaine seemed at a loss for words and Bret, feeling like he was close to winning him over, seeing his resolve slipping, pressed on, “I can’t promise you everything will be perfect, Jemaine…but…don’t you think we should at least…try?”
Jemaine shook his head, “It’s-it’s different for you. You just like me…I do more than…like you. I…I lo-I lo-”
Bret raised an eyebrow as Jemaine fought with his words to the point where it was almost more physical than verbal. Eventually he tried to help him along, “You…what? Loathe? Lost? Lov…”
And right as Bret said ‘love’, Jemaine took in a deep breath and, starting at the top, worked it out, his voice starting high and finally getting lower, “I’m in lo-ov-love-love-love-love…with you. Love you.”
Bret sat there a moment as it sank in.
“I love you.”
Jemaine said it once, singularly and clear, and he looked as if he would shatter into a million pieces. He hid his face behind his hands again. The silence was short and then it snapped as Bret jumped to his feet, the movement so quick that his chair knocked over to the floor.
Bret threw his arms around Jemaine’s neck and hugged him tightly. Jemaine made a choked noise, followed by a low groan of strained words, “…gonna be sick again.”
Bret didn’t care. Jemaine could puke all over him (he flipping hoped he didn’t), he didn’t care because Jemaine loved him. He loved him. He loved him. He loved him. Jemaine loved Bret. He burrowed his nose into the crook of Jemaine’s neck.
Bret pulled back just a little and Jemaine finally uncovered his face, wondering what was happening but scared to look and then he could see that Bret was going to try and kiss him on the mouth. He veered away from it, his hand rising up protectively, “Ah, Bret, no! I was just sick with that! I mean, I brushed my teeth and all and I want to but…tryin’ to look after you here.”
Bret’s heart just squeezed more at those words. His whole body felt so warm and tight he wasn’t completely sure that he wouldn’t just explode with happiness. He settled for kissing the top of Jemaine’s head several times, as well as his forehead. When he finally pulled away he righted his chair and sat back down. Jemaine’s hand rested on the table and he took it, squeezing it and grinning.
“I love you too, you know,” Bret tossed out conspiratorially, grinning.
Jemaine looked a bit stunned now, “What? But you said…you only-”
Bret shrugged, “Yeah but that was then. ‘S been like, a while now.”
“So…what? Now you…you…”
“I love you, Jemaine.”
“…you-you can say that again. If you want.”
Bret brought his and Jemaine’s clasped hands closer and kissed them, “I love you, Jemaine.”
Jemaine blushed and he cleared his throat, “Oh. Good then.”
“Is that what you needed, Jemaine?” Bret asked, quietly amused, “Is that all you needed? For me to tell you that I love you? Is that commitment enough?’
“No…uh…actually,” Jemaine looked at Bret thoughtfully, “You really do love me?”
“Really, really.”
“So…so does that mean you…you want to be my…girlfriend?”
“Um. Well, you’re close.”
“Yeah?”
“You’ve got one word wrong there.”
“Oh?”
“I’m not a girl, Jemaine.”
“Right,” Jemaine nodded, “So…boyfriend, then?”
“Yes, that would be correct.”
“And…I’d be…I’m your boyfriend, too?”
“That’s the idea.”
“Really...so…like, we’d both be boyfriends.”
“Of each other, yes.”
“…I…I think I’d like that…and you?”
Bret squeezed Jemaine’s hand, “What do you think?”
Jemaine squirmed in his chair, his cheeks blossoming from pink to red, “I…think if I hadn’t been sick you’d…kiss me.”
“That’s what boyfriends do,” Bret said shyly and then they sat around in happy silence for quite sometime before starting another, completely different conversation. While neither would admit it, it was something of a relief to see that, even with all love proclamations finally said aloud and relationship status changes, things were exactly the same.
Nothing in their interaction with each other seemed different, aside from the fact that they were now holding hands a lot more and giving each other secretive little looks. But then, maybe that wasn’t really all that new either.
Bret suggested they go and visit Jemaine’s Mum again and, after some coaxing, Jemaine agreed that it was a good idea. It actually turned out to be an excellent idea. Jemaine’s Mum seemed in much better spirits than when he had last seen her, both physically and mentally.
Though secretly Jemaine thought a large part of it was due to Bret. The moment his mother saw him she was infatuated. She went on and on about what a nice boy he was and how, now, it didn’t seem such a bad idea that her son had gone to America, if it was with Bret.
Jemaine was a little miffed that his mother now seemed more into the idea of the band after meeting Bret (as if he couldn’t do well on his own) but overall he had to admit he was rather pleased by how the whole thing went.
Eventually they returned to their hotel and packed. Murray called their room and told them he was on his way and that he would meet them at the airport. His call gave Bret a thought and as they entered the airport he voiced it.
“So, when are we going to tell Murray?”
“Hmm? ‘Bout what?”
“About,” Bret poked Jemaine’s arm, then poked himself.
Jemaine caught the gesture and shrugged, “Dunno. It should probably be you that tells him.”
“Why me?”
“You’re the one who wanted us to be gay.”
“What? And you didn’t?!”
“No, actually, if you remember, I was quite against it-”
“Yes. For some pretty silly reasons.”
“Aw! No, they weren’t!” Jemaine gasped, insulted.
“Yeah, pretty silly.”
“No!”
“They were though. Should have gotten over them sooner, could have gotten to this,” Bret poked Jemaine’s arm and then himself again, “Quicker.”
“Mm. Yeah. Maybe. But, still, you should tell him, you were the one who kept pushing it-”
“You still started it though…none of this would have happened if you hadn’t attacked me on the couch.”
“I didn’t attack you…besides, if you want to play it that way, none of it would have happened if you hadn’t bugged me into watching that movie with you.”
“’Top Gun’ is an awesome movie.”
“Ehhh, it was all right.”
“It’s the best.”
“Never did get to see the end.”
“We…could watch it when we get home.”
Jemaine raised an eyebrow, “On the couch…”
Bret didn’t look at him, tone innocent, “We could pick up where we left off.”
“…in…in the film or-”
Bret shrugged, voice still oh so casual, “Guess that’s up to you.”
Jemaine took in a deep breath, “That sounds…promising.”
Bret did leer at him now, “I certainly think so.”
Jemaine scratched at the back of his head and reached out, taking Bret’s hand in his. Bret gave him a dazzlingly smile and he swung their clasped hands back and forth happily, “So, you ready to go home?”
Jemaine looked at their joined hands and, while it was tempting to say aloud that he already was home, he resisted it because it seemed too girly and silly. Instead, he leaned over and gave Bret a quick kiss, mumbling a quiet ‘yes’.
~fin~
I think later tonight I shall post the epilogue. I will wait for later tonight, not only because I've got bunches to do today, but also because it's a steamy/nightime kinda fic...ohhh yeah, it'll be business time!
*cries* It's all over now! I'm gonna miss my EPIC. Sure, I was a super worrier about it, but super worrying is just in my nature and as I look back over it now I really like what I wrote. You all seemed to enjoy it too, which is a bonus, but seriously, I like what I wrote and that makes me happy! :D
ALSO HUGE ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR MY BETA lordstarfish!!! Caps necessary to show how much I appreciate her help. Hand to god, this fic wouldn't have been anywhere near as lovely were it not for her divine intervention!