Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Denial ❯ Chapter 13
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: priscel 
Anime/Manga: Gundam Wing Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 07.10.2006 | Pages: 4 | Words: 6.4K | Visits: 201 | Status: Work In Progress
Anime/Manga: Gundam Wing Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 07.10.2006 | Pages: 4 | Words: 6.4K | Visits: 201 | Status: Work In Progress
Disclaimers: Gundam Wing and the g-boys aren’t mine. I gain no profit from this fic, but the story is mine and unfortunately so is Quin. ‘nuf said.
Warnings: POV shifts, nc acts, shounen ai, angst, language see first chap for full spiel.
Pairings: eventual 1x2, 3x4, 5xS, Solox?. . .
“~ . . . ~” or italics denotes song lyrics
---xXxXxXx--- means transition or scene change
AN: This is still needs some editing, if you spot something that sounds weird let me know. Surpisingly enough this is still part of chapter 11. *smiles*
Denial
by priscel
eleven.2 the beginning is the end
He knew the beat. With his head bobbing slightly, he whispered “ONE. Nothing wrong with me. Two. Nothing wrong me. Three. Nothing wrong me. Four. Nothing wrong me... Come on, So!” Charlie whined, bending at the waist and tugging on Solo’s hand with both of his to emphasize his impatience as they neared the club.
Solo chuckled. “Ok. I’m coming. Why do I feel like some shinny new bobble that you’re showing off to your ex.?” He smiled, ignoring the pang of something to keep the comment light and teasing. He caught up to his scantily dressed friend and dropped an arm over his shoulders when Charlie shivered, walking the rest of the way side by side.
“Because in a way you are. But more than that, So’, you are helping me prove to that jackass, that I do have friends that care about me . . . The prick. Whatever, we’re here to have a good time and not dwell on my shitty relationship.” Charlie said, forcing the bounce back in his step. After a while the bounce became more natural and soon matched the rhythm and beat they could feel the closer they got to the open entrance to the club. “Besides you look hot.” He muttered as an after thought, sparing another of his many appreciative glances at Solo’s jean clad form. His face heated when he realized Solo was staring at him and shrugged his shoulders as if it were common knowledge.
Solo was glad it was dark or else Charlie would’ve teased him about his pinking cheeks and offered no response to his compliment.
“Raze.” Charlie said, smiling as the music boomed through the open door of the club.
Solo blinked at him with a clueless expression.
Charlie chuckled, patting his friend’s hand in his. “The name of this club. It’s gotten better since the new owner took over. He seems to have your brother’s love of old Earth music.”
Solo nodded absently listening to the music, he felt oddly anxious watching the throng of bodies moving and feeling the heat that was radiating off of them. To his surprise, they were not carded at the door, as he took in the room he automatically knew why; the clubgoers were of varying ages the youngest looking was around 14 and the oldest were in the mid twenties. He arched a brow at this odd mixture, with all the laws and statutes in place to protect the young and keep the legal drinking age at 21, this club was sure breaking every single one. In Sanc of all places. He knew one couldn’t guess age by appearance because he had been told that he could pass for twenty.
His eyes flitted back to Charlie as he waved to a group of teens, three girls and two guys, that were coming toward them. Solo remembered them from Mr. Kushrenadad’s class and one was on the track team with Duo, Nanaki. Nanaki and the girl he was draped over was a study partner of his, Claire. He smiled and greeted them, his eyes took in the disappointed look on Charlie’s face, putting two and two together when he noticed how close Nanaki and Claire were getting. He knew that Charlie had an interest in Nanaki for a while now, and knew it was best that Nanaki was unavailable. Charlie was vulnerable. He didn't want to see his friend hurt, even though he had told him that he was already over his ex, Jason, he knew that couldn’t be true. Charlie bemoaned him too much for that to be the case.
They ordered some drinks, and Charlie tried to order alcohol but the waitress had him press his thumb to a palm-sized scanner. It blinked red and Charlie pouted as he mumbled, “I’m still not old enough?”
The waitress smiled and shook her head before suggesting the fruit cocktail and then left to fill their orders. Solo rubbed his chin and smiled when he thought about how this club had managed to be so successful: in order to be a club for all ages, the club was a restaurant of sorts and had lots of security and scanners.
Solo had to give the club owner credit, it was an ingenious idea. He pouted, then sighed when they remained seated at the table and he watched others enjoying themselves while Charlie kept up the conversation with Nanaki and Claire. He was getting bored. They had come there to dance, have fun and forget their troubles for a while. He itched to move.
‘If I wanted to come all the way over here just to sit, then I coulduve stayed at home to do that.’ He grumbled to himself, huffing as he rose to his feet, snagged Charlie’s wrist and pulled him from the table. He pulled his surprised friend into the miasma of moving heat and sound when he heard a familiar beat. It was a song that Duo had introduced him to once when they were all stuck at the dorm and decided to make the most it with some music. It was reggae, it had a pulse and it made him want to move. Unfortunately, he wasn’t much of a dancer but he could move a little. He stuck his bottom lip at the memory of his brother’s taunt: So’ you move like a geriatric old man.
“~[Intro:] The gal dem Schillaci...Sean da Paul So me give it to...so me give to...so me give it to...~”
He laughed at himself and Charlie looked at him suspiciously.
“~ ...shorty... Baby girl...baby girl...Sean da Paul sey... ~”
“Are you sure you want to dance with me? People will think that your gay.” Charlie looked at their joined hands, feeling edgy, and afraid of hurting his friend’s reputation but wanting to dance with him.
“~[Chorus:] ...time cold I wanna be keepin’ you warm I got the right temperature to shelter you from the storm..~”
“Or bi.” He laughed with a shrug. “Don’t tell me you’re backing out now?” Solo arched a golden brow at his friend who looked down at his feet. “I don’t care. You are my friend. We came here to have fun. So show me how to dance to this you club bug.” Solo teased with a smile.
“~...turn you on, and girl I... Wanna be the Papa...You can be the Mom....oh oh! ~”
Charlie let out a short laugh. “Oh gods, So’, you are so corny.” He smiled and pulled Solo further out on the dance floor.
“Show me whatcha got.” Solo shouted standing in front of Charlie and moving to the beat.
Charlie flushed and glared as Solo laughed at his dispense. He hardly ever felt self-conscious but he did, he realized, with Solo watching his every move.
An hour later, Charlie felt foolish for thinking that dancing with Solo would involve their bodies touching. He blamed his need for contact on his withdrawal from Jason. They always touched or kept in close contact with each other. He laughed when Solo made faces and started doing something he called the ‘Pee wee Herman.’ He stopped dancing, holding his sides. “Gods, So’! Where the fuck did you see that?”
Solo shrugged, “TV, when I was a kid.” The jovial spark dulling in his eyes on the subject, “On L2... well the poorer sects, I have to remember not all of L2's colonies are poor even though where we lived it... poverty made up our whole world.” At some point he had stopped moving to the music, he voiced dropping to a whisper as he stared off at nothing. “What we saw on TV were usually broadcasts that looped off the moon. Duo and Qu- they rigged up a receiver for it.” He smirked at Charlie’s thoughtful look, “Hey how about I get us something to drink and you keep dancing?”
Charlie nodded, quickly losing sight of Solo as the crowd continued to move.
"~Oye Loca! Ven páca! Come here!~"
Before he realized it the song changed and the majority of the people around him were in grinding groups of two. With a startled yelp, he stumbled forward into the person in front of him.
"Sorry. I-" His eyes were the size of silver dollars as he realized who he'd bump into.
"You know I've missed you..." The man standing before Solo said with hollow sincerity, cupping the side of his face and running his thumb over his cheek. "Lets go somewhere."
Charlie blinked, the spell of what used to be broken by the reality of his memories but that didn't stop his heart beat harder in his chest. "N-no."
"~... Come here!~"
He shivered, the guy singing sounded eerily like the man standing in front of him. He turned to go but was pulled back to stand uncomfortably close to the familiar man. Charlie winced as the grip on tighten when he tried to pry the fingers from his arm.
"Jason. Let go of me." He yanked at his arm to no avail and glared when Jason, a delicate looking man with dark brown hair and only a few inches taller than him, cupped the side of his face again and pressed his forehead to his.
"Don't make a scene. Do you want that friend of yours to worry your friend?" Charlie glanced in the direction Solo had walked off in, letting Jason move him so they swayed with the crowd. He kept his eyes downcast, the frown on his face deepening when Jason let go of his arms and pulled his body flush against him. "Maybe you were thinking we could do a threesome together. As much as I've seen you hang all over that kid, bet you've been wondering..."
Jason's voice dropped to an intimate whisper, his lips toying with his ear more than saying anything that made sense. Charlie glared, punching Jason back. 'I miss you, God do I, but you have changed so much.' "I don't know what you think you're doing but its not going to work. I-I..."
He trailed off, pissed at himself for not being able to keep the pain out of his face or tell Jason it was over.
"Charlie?" He unconsciously moved toward Solo's voice. Jason grabbed him and forced him into a kiss. Charlie's eyes widen as he choked.
"~Hah, Hah...~"
"J-Jason...wha-" He coughed out, his shaking like they could barely hold him up and the music taking on different meaning. 'So loud! Who's panting?'
Jason smiled, looping his arm around Charlie's waist and sliding a small vial into his back pocket as he stared down at Charlie's drowsy but lustful looking face. His eyes lingering on his slightly open mouth as he panted. "Told you you'd like it. We could've had a little more fun in private the last time you were over."
Charlie gave him a lazy look, not hearing half of what he was saying. Jason snatched a full wine glass out of the hand of a passerby and forced it to Charlie's mouth. He glared at the owner who grabbed his shoulder as he struggled with both of Charlie's hands trying to pull the glass away from his mouth. He elbowed the man behind him in the face and laughingly whispered in Charlie's ear. "This should speed it up a little."
Charlie choked it down, fighting the dual sensations of pleasurable heat and quaking pain. He swooned when Jason was pulled away from him by the guy Jason had bowed moments ago. He blindly reached out for something to steady him, pulling at the collar of his shirt from the heat he felt when he found himself grabbed about the waist again. His face was flushed, his eyes half open as he tried to get words to form but instead he moaned from the intense pleasure of his savior's hand squeezing his butt. He looked up into a pale, handsome face shrouded by long auburn hair.
"Here, have some of my drink, you look like you need it."
Charlie nodded numbly, shivering at the pleasure he felt from the man kneading his butt cheek but in his mind it wasn't registering where the man's hand was, only that it felt good. 'What the hell is wrong with me! I'm about to come in pants. SHIT!' His eyes widen once more as more alcohol was poured down his throat. He reached up, with all the strength he could muster, and knocked it away. No one seemed to care or notice. He sent a pleading look through half open eyes to the stranger who held him and then sent a side ways glance to where he thought he had last seen Jason. The man, who had light-colored eyes he thought were like his own, looked in that direction as well and made a face.
"It'll be all right." Charlie couldn't help himself as he relaxed to the man's kind tone. He involuntarily leaned into the gentle touch as the stranger smoothed the crease of worry from his brow with his fingers. He jerked in the man's arms, his face crashing into the broad planes of his chest as another panting, hard body collided with his back.
"I don't mind sharing." Charlie tried to curse ineffectively, seeing as how a groan that sounded more pleased than pissed. And on top of that, his heart was beating too fast and it felt like a strangled thing in his chest as he heard Jason's words replay in his ears. He shivered when he felt Jason's breath, then his tongue lapping at the alcohol that had pooled in the hollow between his neck and shoulder. He gripped the front of the auburn haired man's silk shirt and gasped in pain as Jason twisted his nipple.
Charlie's scream was smothered by the stranger's lips when Jason bit down on his shoulder and dug his nails into his sides to keep him in place as he rocked against him. His head was swimming, the stranger was being so gentle and Jason would have been drilling him from behind if it wasn't for his jeans.
~~~~~~X~~~~~~~
Solo thanked the barkeep as he grabbed the drinks and turned to find Charlie wasn't where he'd left him. He pushed through the dancing people looking for Charlie. He called his names a few times and got no response. He was nearing the back of the club where there was a second bar and a downstairs area when he glimpsed the tail end of a long braid. He blinked, seeing the tufted end disappearing through two pairs of dancers.
"Duo?" He followed, thinking that there were probably other people who wore their hair long and in braids but because of the low lighting he couldn't be certain of the color.
He broke through the crowd toward the back of the club and stopped dead in his tracks. Charlie was.dancing with two men, one of which was the owner of the braid he saw earlier, if one could call that dancing. It looked like they were about to do each other. He glanced around, feeling uncomfortable with the display before him. His brow twitched when he realized a lot of the paired dancers on the floor were doing the same thing to a slow, sensual sounding song called 'Lick'. He felt kind of disappointed. He really didn't know why but Charlie had brought him there. He couldn't help the glance he sent to the three and nearly dropped the drinks in his hands. He could see the face of the braided man, it was Quin and then the other guy arched backward with a laugh before burying his face to the side of Charlie's neck. That was Jason. He was moving before he could wonder why Quin was there when Charlie let out a strangled sob, his hand sluggishly reaching out.
Charlie shook his head against the black silk-covered chest and forced his eyes open to find Solo gone, the two drinks he was holding crushed beneath the feet of the crowd. 'Didn't he hear me call him?! He left me...' He let his heavy head fall forward. It was getting harder to resist the drug as it worked through his body. He could hear himself chuckle but he couldn't tell if he was doing it out loud or if it was just in his head.
'You did want to forget all your problems with sex.' He told himself darkly, going limp between the two men. 'This is what I wanted.' He shivered as cool metal pressed against his back and warm lips teased the skin it exposed. He bit his lip when the fear of what was coming next was drowned out with excited anticipation.
He fought with the sensation, wanting the hurt and fear he felt that were his real emotions and not the drug induced ones. He groaned when those lips were gone and air touched his exposed skin. He struggled to glance behind him when he heard Jason let out a startled gasp. Solo was there. He watched as Solo yanked Jason off of him by the back of his shirt and blinked when Solo's fist connected with Jason's face.
Jason yelped when he was thrown to the floor. Too stunned to move, he lay there staring up at nothing. Quin watched in amusement and wished he had time to gloat but he had an angry Solo to tend to. Before Solo could deal any blows his way, Quin wrenched Charlie around. He smiled when Solo's movements were stilted with hesitation. He grabbed Charlie's chin and forced him to hold his head up, showing Solo his tear streaked face.
"Quin." Solo called out in warning. Quin smiled up at him and nuzzled Charlie's ear while looking Solo straight in the eyes. He had seen Charlie's miserable looking face and wondered if that was what he looked like three years ago when he had been their party favorite.
Solo tried to keep anything other than anger from showing on his face when Charlie's expression became wanton, his gray eyes losing their pleading look for a moment as they rolled upward in pleasure. Solo had his hand extended but stood still glancing around the room, then narrowing his eyes at Quin. Charlie jerked in Quin's hands, his eyes becoming wide with pain as tears coursed down his face.
"Stop it." Solo gritted out, his ears twitching as he tracked Jason's movements even through the loud music.
"Why are you so sure he doesn't want what I'm giving him?"
"Because he doesn't." Solo smiled when Charlie jerked his chin out Quin's hands.
Quin gripped Charlie's chin again and turned his face so Solo could see the expressions that crossed it said nothing of dislike. "Does it look like he objects?"
"Give him to me. You did something to him to make him like that."
"Did I?" Quin tilted his head to the side in question and then pushed his finger into Charlie's mouth. He brushed his nose along the shell of one of Charlie's pierced ears and whispered, "Suck it."
Charlie shivered bitting the finger but quickly sucking it to stop the pain that shocked him when he tried to disobey. Quin licked his lips and looked back into concerned green eyes. "But giving him back to you means I won't have anyone to entertain me tonight. And-" Quin smirked, eying Solo thoughtfully before he continued, "who's to say that I want anyone else. He tastes really good actually."
Solo glared, hating his body for responding to how Quin was molesting his friend.
Quin smiled seductively, blinking when Solo's hand suddenly whipped out behind him and Jason went flying into the crowd with a pained grunt.
"Solo." The husky way Charlie called his name, brought his attention back to Quin who was now sitting on the barstool and holding Charlie astride one thigh by his hips as he bounced it between his legs. Charlie's head dropped back to Quin's shoulder, exposing the long line of his neck as he tried in vain to get free of the hands holding him. He closed his eyes in embarrassment as his body shivered and a moan broke free from his throat.
"Release him." Solo demanded, his hands fisted at his sides when Quin ran his tongue over an angry red mark on the side of Charlie's neck.
"Why would I do that?" Quin facial expression changed so completily that Solo felt he could believe the confused innocence there. "I like Charlie. He's as responsive as Jason said he was and you look like you like his responses too."
Solo dug his fingernails into his palms, his expression unfaltering at Quin's smug look.
"I'm sure Jason wouldn't mind if you kissed him. I think Charlie, here, would come in his pants, again, if you did." Quin chuckled at the moan he elicited from Charlie when he stopped bouncing his thigh and made Charlie rock his hips instead.
"What do you..."
"Want? Huh, I'm happy with what I have."
"Let him-"
"Go!" Quin shouted mockingly, cutting him off with a pleased smile. "No." Quin chuckled at Solo's irate look. His smiled smugly when Jason sat beside him nursing a dark bruise on the side of his face.
"You can take him from me anytime you want." He waited and then inclined his head in a small nod of approval when Solo didn't move. "A man who's aware of his surroundings, I like that. I'm sure poor Charlie here noticed it too when no one came to rescue him from his obvious distress." He ran his hand up under Charlie's shirt and then hugged him so tight that Charlie wheezed.
"If he'd stayed up front with all the good little boys and girls, you two probably wouldn't be in this situation." He smiled wolfishly and Solo couldn't stop himself from cringing.
Quin sighed, tiring of his little game when Solo again demanded he release his friend. "No... well if you take his place."
"Quin. What are you doing?" Quin shot Jason a heated look, rubbing his face in Charlie's hair before sending Jason a glare that said 'later' through narrowed eyes.
Jason shut his mouth, his jaw working as he dragged his eyes away from the arousing show Quin was putting on with his former boyfriend. He shifted in his seat, trying to ease his discomfort as he pressed a glass of ice against the side of his face. He stared at the mirror above the bar and imagined strangling the angry blond.
"Fine." Solo bit out.
Quin smirked and held his hands up and off to his sides.
Charlie gasped as the room shifted and he slid with a closed mouth groan off of Quin's thigh and onto weak knees. 'This is going to hurt.' He thought as he felt his body's downward motion before his knees gave out. He swallowed the stingy alcohol that bubbled up in his throat back down when his nose pressed into a cotton shirt and he could smell a smell that was uniquely Solo.
It was comforting. It was calming. It was making him sick. 'I hope Solo moves soon,' he hoped, feeling lightheaded, short of breath and slightly annoyed that he couldn't enjoy being next to Solo because he could smell too much.
Solo kneeled with Charlie half on his lap and half on the floor. Charlie shook in his arms as he tried to get him to respond to him. He tilted Charlie's head up, only to see him jerk his head away and back to his shoulder when the over head lights pulsed to the music in the background. Charlie's head lolled, his sweaty forehead coming to rest against the side of his neck as he stood with him leaning heavily on his side. He glared at Quin.
Quin shrugged, a smirk playing on his lips. "Hey you said 'let him go'. You can leave him and let Jason-"
"No. I'll take him back to our friends."
Quin nodded his accent. He smiled at Solo's dismissive turn of his head and watched as he disappeared into the sea of bodies.
"Quin, you're seriously going to let him just walk off and take Charlie with him?"
"Jealous."
Jason's nose flared in anger. He shifted his gaze away from Quin's smug face, tapping the bar and shaking two fingers with a downward motion as he put the glass back to his face. Calm and more collected then he was a few moments earlier, he daringly reached out and took hold of Quin's braid. "Heh, you kept it long because it's his latest fetish, right... You know what the boss said. Charlie's our objective."
"You mean your lover's our objective."
"That doesn't matter." He said stiffly.
"Right, that's why you gave him the booze."
He really hated that smug look but those eyes always made him linger, caught in their trap. He wound the braid around his hand and pulled. They both knew the alcohol would not only speed up the drug's effect but counter it, making it mostly insoluble to the body. Which meant Charlie would experience one hell of a hangover for a few days and be none the worser. He sighed, frustrated enough to try him and more than willing to play the little games he always did to get what he wanted.
He stroked his thumb over the woven hair, he was jealous ... jealous that only their boss touched or got to experience what everyone wanted. He stared into those hazel eyes set in an equally appealing face and felt his own breath hitch when the smug look turned sultry and those red lips parted just so. Jason let go of Quin's braid as if it stung him and turned to him fully in his seat. "He could just leave with Charlie."
"He'll be back."
"Good I expect something out this." He gestured at his bruised face and bleeding mouth. He pretended not to notice when the smug look slipped fromQuin's face. He wasn't a complete idiot, he figured that Quin wouldn't want their boss to know of his little indulgence here tonight. He'd take what he could get and as far as he could push it.
Quin glared and Jason turned back to bar and took a sip from his drink with a satisfied smirk on his face.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Solo shouldered most of Charlie’s weight but put an arm around his waist as they made their way through the crowd on the dance floor. He grunted in annoyance when people kept pushing into him and saw Charlie bit his lip to the point of bleeding to keep quiet. He slapped a girl and punched a guy who had pulled them apart. Fed up with the pretense of helping a friend find his feet, he hoisted Charlie up into his arms and bumped into Claire by the time he made it to their old booth.
“Hey Solo. What happen to Charlie?”
“Oh hey Claire.” He smiled, unlike his brother he had no problem with lying. “He finally got one of the waitresses to slip him a beer, but she gave him a lot more then he could handle.”
She laughed and cooed. “Aww he got sloshed.”
He smiled. “Yea, something like that. Listen could make sure he gets back all right, I gotta go find my keys. I dropped them back there somewhere.” He waved his hand toward gyrating, grinding crowd before letting it flop to his side.
“Uh.” She eyed Charlie and then watched his usually frowning face continue to hold a smile. ‘This is the most I've ever heard him talk. And wait ‘til I tell girls I saw him smile. Sweet! Maybe...’ “Y’know I can help you look for them and get Nanaki to watch Charlie.”
Solo really didn't want to go back there but he didn't want Charlie or any of his friends to be targeted. They were being watched. And even though things got weird over there, he knew Charlie could handle that. He didn’t want him to have to experience what’s it’s like to be used like that. Charlie only knew the good things about his sexuality, he didn't need to know how bad it could be. He cringed internally at the flash of images that went through his head. Charlie slumped in his seat but Solo caught him before he slid down to floor beneath the booth, arranging his arms so his head rested on them. Besides, there were several questions he wanted answered, one of which was why Jason hooked up with Quin. Whatever happened he'd get some answers.
Claire watched curiously as Solo reached down and rubbed Charlie's head.
“Thanks for the offer, but I'll be fine.” He said with a smile that had her smiling back. He walked off without another word and she stared after him with a quizzical look on her face. She started to follow him when Nanaki caught her arm.
“Hey you said- oh what’s wrong with Charlie?”
It was her turn to stop him from moving as she looped her arm around his and smiled. “Oh nothing to be concerned about, he got slipped a few too many drinks. Solo said he’d be back.”
“‘Kay.”
She tugged him away from the bench when he started to sit. “Come on, I’m tired of standing around here lets go dance.”
“But I thought you were waiting for Solo to-”
“There he is! See he’s already back. Solo!” Nanaki saw her wave off to the left, getting a glance of a tall blond before Claire pulled him off in the opposite direction.
“But shouldn’t we-” He started still not convinced that the person he glimpsed was their friend.
“Yea. Oh look there’s Ab and Delphi!”
He reluctantly followed, sending an apologetic look at Charlie’s slumped over figure at the table.
After ten minutes of pushing through the milling bodies, he had broken out into a sweat. Why couldn’t he find Solo? Charlie knew Solo wouldn’t leave him behind, and he began his search again.
“~ Push my fingers into my eyes... It’s the only thing that slowly stops the ache... ~”
A new song started. He thought that it aptly described how the pain in his head and the nausea was making him feel, along with his frustration. His head was becoming heavy and uncertainty was slowly creeping up on him, until he came to a door in the hollow beside the bar in the back of the club. He smiled in relief when he saw a blond head emerging from the hall below. He blanked out for a few moments to find Solo pushing him up right and looping his arm around his waist as he took him back up the steps. ‘I must have-’ he let his head drop to Solo’s shoulder unable to finish his thought, the throb in his head making him groan.
“God,” he mumbled aloud, cursing himself for being an idiot as memory served him an eyeful of the shit that had happened earlier. A lot of it was questionable and his chest, more specifically, his heart hurt from the drug Jason had forced on him. He cradled his head at the memory of Solo hitting Jason at some point and he smiled. "The bastard deserved that and then some." He muttered to himself, gritting his teeth against the pain he felt from his Ex's betrayal.
He tried pulling away from but Solo only pressed his head back into the curve of his neck. He smiled sadly, grateful to have a friend like Solo. He looked up awkwardly to him, taking in his face in the dimly lit club. Solo had a faraway look in his eyes, his hair was tousled and he smelled of sweat and alcohol.
“~I have screamed until my veins collapsed I’ve waited ‘till my time’s elapsed Now, All I do is live with so much hate ...~”
Solo looked at him with a blank face, rigidly so with a brow arched in question as they stumbled toward the door. Charlie answered with a confused look, nodding his head at their limping movement, then wincing when Solo’s response was to squeeze his elbow and made them to walk faster. The forced movement made Solo’s limp more pronounced.
“~ ...And then I swear I’ll go away But I can’t promise you’ll enjoy the pain~”
He didn’t remember limping when he tried to find Solo. The up and down motion was too much for him and he pushed out of Solo’s arms as they exited the club. He stumbled and fell, throwing up on the side of the building and partially into the alley.
“~ But it’s made of all the thing I am today Jesus, it never ends, it works it’s way inside If the pain goes on, I’m not gonna make it!~”
Solo watched numbly. ‘At least I can feel something,’ he thought morosely. The things he had done back there... he had to admit he didn’t have to do much of anything, just lie there and let Quin do what he wanted. He felt sick to his stomach as he lapsed into memory. He tried to reassure himself that it was all worth it to make sure his brother was safe; it was worth it because he got his friend out of a very dangerous situation. Yet doubt flared up in his mind and bringing with it morose thoughts. Solo made himself move, offering support by resting his hand on Charlie’s back as he dry heaved.
Charlie wiped his mouth across his sleeve, his vision spun as he looked up to Solo. “So’?”
Solo just shook his head in response and helped his friend to stand. “Do you think... think that walking will be too much for you Chuck?”
“Mm... I d-dunno.” After a hard swallow, he grimaced then continued, “Please, So’, don’t make fun of me, with the use of ‘up-chuck’ because I really did.” Charlie said pitfully with his head bowed and his mouth pressed against the back of his sleeve.
In that moment, Solo thought Charlie actually looked his age if not younger. Solo rubbed his back and gave him a tight smile. “Don’t worry about that, I feel the need to myself.” ‘I need to get away from here.’ “We’ll take a cab.”
Solo helped his friend, trying to ignore the pain that shot through his backside as they limped toward a payphone.
tbc..
These are the songs at Quin’s club *snickers* music list... bodies (drowning pool), ‘temperature’ (Sean Paul) fades to ‘Can’t Take me Down’ (the Protoculture Mix) as low background music then ‘Toma’ (Pitbull), ‘Lick’ (Joi), and the song at the end of this chapter - ‘Duality’ (slipknot).
^_^ I had to share my love of music, didn't I?
Warnings: POV shifts, nc acts, shounen ai, angst, language see first chap for full spiel.
Pairings: eventual 1x2, 3x4, 5xS, Solox?. . .
“~ . . . ~” or italics denotes song lyrics
---xXxXxXx--- means transition or scene change
AN: This is still needs some editing, if you spot something that sounds weird let me know. Surpisingly enough this is still part of chapter 11. *smiles*
Denial
by priscel
eleven.2 the beginning is the end
He knew the beat. With his head bobbing slightly, he whispered “ONE. Nothing wrong with me. Two. Nothing wrong me. Three. Nothing wrong me. Four. Nothing wrong me... Come on, So!” Charlie whined, bending at the waist and tugging on Solo’s hand with both of his to emphasize his impatience as they neared the club.
Solo chuckled. “Ok. I’m coming. Why do I feel like some shinny new bobble that you’re showing off to your ex.?” He smiled, ignoring the pang of something to keep the comment light and teasing. He caught up to his scantily dressed friend and dropped an arm over his shoulders when Charlie shivered, walking the rest of the way side by side.
“Because in a way you are. But more than that, So’, you are helping me prove to that jackass, that I do have friends that care about me . . . The prick. Whatever, we’re here to have a good time and not dwell on my shitty relationship.” Charlie said, forcing the bounce back in his step. After a while the bounce became more natural and soon matched the rhythm and beat they could feel the closer they got to the open entrance to the club. “Besides you look hot.” He muttered as an after thought, sparing another of his many appreciative glances at Solo’s jean clad form. His face heated when he realized Solo was staring at him and shrugged his shoulders as if it were common knowledge.
Solo was glad it was dark or else Charlie would’ve teased him about his pinking cheeks and offered no response to his compliment.
“Raze.” Charlie said, smiling as the music boomed through the open door of the club.
Solo blinked at him with a clueless expression.
Charlie chuckled, patting his friend’s hand in his. “The name of this club. It’s gotten better since the new owner took over. He seems to have your brother’s love of old Earth music.”
Solo nodded absently listening to the music, he felt oddly anxious watching the throng of bodies moving and feeling the heat that was radiating off of them. To his surprise, they were not carded at the door, as he took in the room he automatically knew why; the clubgoers were of varying ages the youngest looking was around 14 and the oldest were in the mid twenties. He arched a brow at this odd mixture, with all the laws and statutes in place to protect the young and keep the legal drinking age at 21, this club was sure breaking every single one. In Sanc of all places. He knew one couldn’t guess age by appearance because he had been told that he could pass for twenty.
His eyes flitted back to Charlie as he waved to a group of teens, three girls and two guys, that were coming toward them. Solo remembered them from Mr. Kushrenadad’s class and one was on the track team with Duo, Nanaki. Nanaki and the girl he was draped over was a study partner of his, Claire. He smiled and greeted them, his eyes took in the disappointed look on Charlie’s face, putting two and two together when he noticed how close Nanaki and Claire were getting. He knew that Charlie had an interest in Nanaki for a while now, and knew it was best that Nanaki was unavailable. Charlie was vulnerable. He didn't want to see his friend hurt, even though he had told him that he was already over his ex, Jason, he knew that couldn’t be true. Charlie bemoaned him too much for that to be the case.
They ordered some drinks, and Charlie tried to order alcohol but the waitress had him press his thumb to a palm-sized scanner. It blinked red and Charlie pouted as he mumbled, “I’m still not old enough?”
The waitress smiled and shook her head before suggesting the fruit cocktail and then left to fill their orders. Solo rubbed his chin and smiled when he thought about how this club had managed to be so successful: in order to be a club for all ages, the club was a restaurant of sorts and had lots of security and scanners.
Solo had to give the club owner credit, it was an ingenious idea. He pouted, then sighed when they remained seated at the table and he watched others enjoying themselves while Charlie kept up the conversation with Nanaki and Claire. He was getting bored. They had come there to dance, have fun and forget their troubles for a while. He itched to move.
‘If I wanted to come all the way over here just to sit, then I coulduve stayed at home to do that.’ He grumbled to himself, huffing as he rose to his feet, snagged Charlie’s wrist and pulled him from the table. He pulled his surprised friend into the miasma of moving heat and sound when he heard a familiar beat. It was a song that Duo had introduced him to once when they were all stuck at the dorm and decided to make the most it with some music. It was reggae, it had a pulse and it made him want to move. Unfortunately, he wasn’t much of a dancer but he could move a little. He stuck his bottom lip at the memory of his brother’s taunt: So’ you move like a geriatric old man.
“~[Intro:] The gal dem Schillaci...Sean da Paul So me give it to...so me give to...so me give it to...~”
He laughed at himself and Charlie looked at him suspiciously.
“~ ...shorty... Baby girl...baby girl...Sean da Paul sey... ~”
“Are you sure you want to dance with me? People will think that your gay.” Charlie looked at their joined hands, feeling edgy, and afraid of hurting his friend’s reputation but wanting to dance with him.
“~[Chorus:] ...time cold I wanna be keepin’ you warm I got the right temperature to shelter you from the storm..~”
“Or bi.” He laughed with a shrug. “Don’t tell me you’re backing out now?” Solo arched a golden brow at his friend who looked down at his feet. “I don’t care. You are my friend. We came here to have fun. So show me how to dance to this you club bug.” Solo teased with a smile.
“~...turn you on, and girl I... Wanna be the Papa...You can be the Mom....oh oh! ~”
Charlie let out a short laugh. “Oh gods, So’, you are so corny.” He smiled and pulled Solo further out on the dance floor.
“Show me whatcha got.” Solo shouted standing in front of Charlie and moving to the beat.
Charlie flushed and glared as Solo laughed at his dispense. He hardly ever felt self-conscious but he did, he realized, with Solo watching his every move.
An hour later, Charlie felt foolish for thinking that dancing with Solo would involve their bodies touching. He blamed his need for contact on his withdrawal from Jason. They always touched or kept in close contact with each other. He laughed when Solo made faces and started doing something he called the ‘Pee wee Herman.’ He stopped dancing, holding his sides. “Gods, So’! Where the fuck did you see that?”
Solo shrugged, “TV, when I was a kid.” The jovial spark dulling in his eyes on the subject, “On L2... well the poorer sects, I have to remember not all of L2's colonies are poor even though where we lived it... poverty made up our whole world.” At some point he had stopped moving to the music, he voiced dropping to a whisper as he stared off at nothing. “What we saw on TV were usually broadcasts that looped off the moon. Duo and Qu- they rigged up a receiver for it.” He smirked at Charlie’s thoughtful look, “Hey how about I get us something to drink and you keep dancing?”
Charlie nodded, quickly losing sight of Solo as the crowd continued to move.
"~Oye Loca! Ven páca! Come here!~"
Before he realized it the song changed and the majority of the people around him were in grinding groups of two. With a startled yelp, he stumbled forward into the person in front of him.
"Sorry. I-" His eyes were the size of silver dollars as he realized who he'd bump into.
"You know I've missed you..." The man standing before Solo said with hollow sincerity, cupping the side of his face and running his thumb over his cheek. "Lets go somewhere."
Charlie blinked, the spell of what used to be broken by the reality of his memories but that didn't stop his heart beat harder in his chest. "N-no."
"~... Come here!~"
He shivered, the guy singing sounded eerily like the man standing in front of him. He turned to go but was pulled back to stand uncomfortably close to the familiar man. Charlie winced as the grip on tighten when he tried to pry the fingers from his arm.
"Jason. Let go of me." He yanked at his arm to no avail and glared when Jason, a delicate looking man with dark brown hair and only a few inches taller than him, cupped the side of his face again and pressed his forehead to his.
"Don't make a scene. Do you want that friend of yours to worry your friend?" Charlie glanced in the direction Solo had walked off in, letting Jason move him so they swayed with the crowd. He kept his eyes downcast, the frown on his face deepening when Jason let go of his arms and pulled his body flush against him. "Maybe you were thinking we could do a threesome together. As much as I've seen you hang all over that kid, bet you've been wondering..."
Jason's voice dropped to an intimate whisper, his lips toying with his ear more than saying anything that made sense. Charlie glared, punching Jason back. 'I miss you, God do I, but you have changed so much.' "I don't know what you think you're doing but its not going to work. I-I..."
He trailed off, pissed at himself for not being able to keep the pain out of his face or tell Jason it was over.
"Charlie?" He unconsciously moved toward Solo's voice. Jason grabbed him and forced him into a kiss. Charlie's eyes widen as he choked.
"~Hah, Hah...~"
"J-Jason...wha-" He coughed out, his shaking like they could barely hold him up and the music taking on different meaning. 'So loud! Who's panting?'
Jason smiled, looping his arm around Charlie's waist and sliding a small vial into his back pocket as he stared down at Charlie's drowsy but lustful looking face. His eyes lingering on his slightly open mouth as he panted. "Told you you'd like it. We could've had a little more fun in private the last time you were over."
Charlie gave him a lazy look, not hearing half of what he was saying. Jason snatched a full wine glass out of the hand of a passerby and forced it to Charlie's mouth. He glared at the owner who grabbed his shoulder as he struggled with both of Charlie's hands trying to pull the glass away from his mouth. He elbowed the man behind him in the face and laughingly whispered in Charlie's ear. "This should speed it up a little."
Charlie choked it down, fighting the dual sensations of pleasurable heat and quaking pain. He swooned when Jason was pulled away from him by the guy Jason had bowed moments ago. He blindly reached out for something to steady him, pulling at the collar of his shirt from the heat he felt when he found himself grabbed about the waist again. His face was flushed, his eyes half open as he tried to get words to form but instead he moaned from the intense pleasure of his savior's hand squeezing his butt. He looked up into a pale, handsome face shrouded by long auburn hair.
"Here, have some of my drink, you look like you need it."
Charlie nodded numbly, shivering at the pleasure he felt from the man kneading his butt cheek but in his mind it wasn't registering where the man's hand was, only that it felt good. 'What the hell is wrong with me! I'm about to come in pants. SHIT!' His eyes widen once more as more alcohol was poured down his throat. He reached up, with all the strength he could muster, and knocked it away. No one seemed to care or notice. He sent a pleading look through half open eyes to the stranger who held him and then sent a side ways glance to where he thought he had last seen Jason. The man, who had light-colored eyes he thought were like his own, looked in that direction as well and made a face.
"It'll be all right." Charlie couldn't help himself as he relaxed to the man's kind tone. He involuntarily leaned into the gentle touch as the stranger smoothed the crease of worry from his brow with his fingers. He jerked in the man's arms, his face crashing into the broad planes of his chest as another panting, hard body collided with his back.
"I don't mind sharing." Charlie tried to curse ineffectively, seeing as how a groan that sounded more pleased than pissed. And on top of that, his heart was beating too fast and it felt like a strangled thing in his chest as he heard Jason's words replay in his ears. He shivered when he felt Jason's breath, then his tongue lapping at the alcohol that had pooled in the hollow between his neck and shoulder. He gripped the front of the auburn haired man's silk shirt and gasped in pain as Jason twisted his nipple.
Charlie's scream was smothered by the stranger's lips when Jason bit down on his shoulder and dug his nails into his sides to keep him in place as he rocked against him. His head was swimming, the stranger was being so gentle and Jason would have been drilling him from behind if it wasn't for his jeans.
~~~~~~X~~~~~~~
Solo thanked the barkeep as he grabbed the drinks and turned to find Charlie wasn't where he'd left him. He pushed through the dancing people looking for Charlie. He called his names a few times and got no response. He was nearing the back of the club where there was a second bar and a downstairs area when he glimpsed the tail end of a long braid. He blinked, seeing the tufted end disappearing through two pairs of dancers.
"Duo?" He followed, thinking that there were probably other people who wore their hair long and in braids but because of the low lighting he couldn't be certain of the color.
He broke through the crowd toward the back of the club and stopped dead in his tracks. Charlie was.dancing with two men, one of which was the owner of the braid he saw earlier, if one could call that dancing. It looked like they were about to do each other. He glanced around, feeling uncomfortable with the display before him. His brow twitched when he realized a lot of the paired dancers on the floor were doing the same thing to a slow, sensual sounding song called 'Lick'. He felt kind of disappointed. He really didn't know why but Charlie had brought him there. He couldn't help the glance he sent to the three and nearly dropped the drinks in his hands. He could see the face of the braided man, it was Quin and then the other guy arched backward with a laugh before burying his face to the side of Charlie's neck. That was Jason. He was moving before he could wonder why Quin was there when Charlie let out a strangled sob, his hand sluggishly reaching out.
Charlie shook his head against the black silk-covered chest and forced his eyes open to find Solo gone, the two drinks he was holding crushed beneath the feet of the crowd. 'Didn't he hear me call him?! He left me...' He let his heavy head fall forward. It was getting harder to resist the drug as it worked through his body. He could hear himself chuckle but he couldn't tell if he was doing it out loud or if it was just in his head.
'You did want to forget all your problems with sex.' He told himself darkly, going limp between the two men. 'This is what I wanted.' He shivered as cool metal pressed against his back and warm lips teased the skin it exposed. He bit his lip when the fear of what was coming next was drowned out with excited anticipation.
He fought with the sensation, wanting the hurt and fear he felt that were his real emotions and not the drug induced ones. He groaned when those lips were gone and air touched his exposed skin. He struggled to glance behind him when he heard Jason let out a startled gasp. Solo was there. He watched as Solo yanked Jason off of him by the back of his shirt and blinked when Solo's fist connected with Jason's face.
Jason yelped when he was thrown to the floor. Too stunned to move, he lay there staring up at nothing. Quin watched in amusement and wished he had time to gloat but he had an angry Solo to tend to. Before Solo could deal any blows his way, Quin wrenched Charlie around. He smiled when Solo's movements were stilted with hesitation. He grabbed Charlie's chin and forced him to hold his head up, showing Solo his tear streaked face.
"Quin." Solo called out in warning. Quin smiled up at him and nuzzled Charlie's ear while looking Solo straight in the eyes. He had seen Charlie's miserable looking face and wondered if that was what he looked like three years ago when he had been their party favorite.
Solo tried to keep anything other than anger from showing on his face when Charlie's expression became wanton, his gray eyes losing their pleading look for a moment as they rolled upward in pleasure. Solo had his hand extended but stood still glancing around the room, then narrowing his eyes at Quin. Charlie jerked in Quin's hands, his eyes becoming wide with pain as tears coursed down his face.
"Stop it." Solo gritted out, his ears twitching as he tracked Jason's movements even through the loud music.
"Why are you so sure he doesn't want what I'm giving him?"
"Because he doesn't." Solo smiled when Charlie jerked his chin out Quin's hands.
Quin gripped Charlie's chin again and turned his face so Solo could see the expressions that crossed it said nothing of dislike. "Does it look like he objects?"
"Give him to me. You did something to him to make him like that."
"Did I?" Quin tilted his head to the side in question and then pushed his finger into Charlie's mouth. He brushed his nose along the shell of one of Charlie's pierced ears and whispered, "Suck it."
Charlie shivered bitting the finger but quickly sucking it to stop the pain that shocked him when he tried to disobey. Quin licked his lips and looked back into concerned green eyes. "But giving him back to you means I won't have anyone to entertain me tonight. And-" Quin smirked, eying Solo thoughtfully before he continued, "who's to say that I want anyone else. He tastes really good actually."
Solo glared, hating his body for responding to how Quin was molesting his friend.
Quin smiled seductively, blinking when Solo's hand suddenly whipped out behind him and Jason went flying into the crowd with a pained grunt.
"Solo." The husky way Charlie called his name, brought his attention back to Quin who was now sitting on the barstool and holding Charlie astride one thigh by his hips as he bounced it between his legs. Charlie's head dropped back to Quin's shoulder, exposing the long line of his neck as he tried in vain to get free of the hands holding him. He closed his eyes in embarrassment as his body shivered and a moan broke free from his throat.
"Release him." Solo demanded, his hands fisted at his sides when Quin ran his tongue over an angry red mark on the side of Charlie's neck.
"Why would I do that?" Quin facial expression changed so completily that Solo felt he could believe the confused innocence there. "I like Charlie. He's as responsive as Jason said he was and you look like you like his responses too."
Solo dug his fingernails into his palms, his expression unfaltering at Quin's smug look.
"I'm sure Jason wouldn't mind if you kissed him. I think Charlie, here, would come in his pants, again, if you did." Quin chuckled at the moan he elicited from Charlie when he stopped bouncing his thigh and made Charlie rock his hips instead.
"What do you..."
"Want? Huh, I'm happy with what I have."
"Let him-"
"Go!" Quin shouted mockingly, cutting him off with a pleased smile. "No." Quin chuckled at Solo's irate look. His smiled smugly when Jason sat beside him nursing a dark bruise on the side of his face.
"You can take him from me anytime you want." He waited and then inclined his head in a small nod of approval when Solo didn't move. "A man who's aware of his surroundings, I like that. I'm sure poor Charlie here noticed it too when no one came to rescue him from his obvious distress." He ran his hand up under Charlie's shirt and then hugged him so tight that Charlie wheezed.
"If he'd stayed up front with all the good little boys and girls, you two probably wouldn't be in this situation." He smiled wolfishly and Solo couldn't stop himself from cringing.
Quin sighed, tiring of his little game when Solo again demanded he release his friend. "No... well if you take his place."
"Quin. What are you doing?" Quin shot Jason a heated look, rubbing his face in Charlie's hair before sending Jason a glare that said 'later' through narrowed eyes.
Jason shut his mouth, his jaw working as he dragged his eyes away from the arousing show Quin was putting on with his former boyfriend. He shifted in his seat, trying to ease his discomfort as he pressed a glass of ice against the side of his face. He stared at the mirror above the bar and imagined strangling the angry blond.
"Fine." Solo bit out.
Quin smirked and held his hands up and off to his sides.
Charlie gasped as the room shifted and he slid with a closed mouth groan off of Quin's thigh and onto weak knees. 'This is going to hurt.' He thought as he felt his body's downward motion before his knees gave out. He swallowed the stingy alcohol that bubbled up in his throat back down when his nose pressed into a cotton shirt and he could smell a smell that was uniquely Solo.
It was comforting. It was calming. It was making him sick. 'I hope Solo moves soon,' he hoped, feeling lightheaded, short of breath and slightly annoyed that he couldn't enjoy being next to Solo because he could smell too much.
Solo kneeled with Charlie half on his lap and half on the floor. Charlie shook in his arms as he tried to get him to respond to him. He tilted Charlie's head up, only to see him jerk his head away and back to his shoulder when the over head lights pulsed to the music in the background. Charlie's head lolled, his sweaty forehead coming to rest against the side of his neck as he stood with him leaning heavily on his side. He glared at Quin.
Quin shrugged, a smirk playing on his lips. "Hey you said 'let him go'. You can leave him and let Jason-"
"No. I'll take him back to our friends."
Quin nodded his accent. He smiled at Solo's dismissive turn of his head and watched as he disappeared into the sea of bodies.
"Quin, you're seriously going to let him just walk off and take Charlie with him?"
"Jealous."
Jason's nose flared in anger. He shifted his gaze away from Quin's smug face, tapping the bar and shaking two fingers with a downward motion as he put the glass back to his face. Calm and more collected then he was a few moments earlier, he daringly reached out and took hold of Quin's braid. "Heh, you kept it long because it's his latest fetish, right... You know what the boss said. Charlie's our objective."
"You mean your lover's our objective."
"That doesn't matter." He said stiffly.
"Right, that's why you gave him the booze."
He really hated that smug look but those eyes always made him linger, caught in their trap. He wound the braid around his hand and pulled. They both knew the alcohol would not only speed up the drug's effect but counter it, making it mostly insoluble to the body. Which meant Charlie would experience one hell of a hangover for a few days and be none the worser. He sighed, frustrated enough to try him and more than willing to play the little games he always did to get what he wanted.
He stroked his thumb over the woven hair, he was jealous ... jealous that only their boss touched or got to experience what everyone wanted. He stared into those hazel eyes set in an equally appealing face and felt his own breath hitch when the smug look turned sultry and those red lips parted just so. Jason let go of Quin's braid as if it stung him and turned to him fully in his seat. "He could just leave with Charlie."
"He'll be back."
"Good I expect something out this." He gestured at his bruised face and bleeding mouth. He pretended not to notice when the smug look slipped fromQuin's face. He wasn't a complete idiot, he figured that Quin wouldn't want their boss to know of his little indulgence here tonight. He'd take what he could get and as far as he could push it.
Quin glared and Jason turned back to bar and took a sip from his drink with a satisfied smirk on his face.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Solo shouldered most of Charlie’s weight but put an arm around his waist as they made their way through the crowd on the dance floor. He grunted in annoyance when people kept pushing into him and saw Charlie bit his lip to the point of bleeding to keep quiet. He slapped a girl and punched a guy who had pulled them apart. Fed up with the pretense of helping a friend find his feet, he hoisted Charlie up into his arms and bumped into Claire by the time he made it to their old booth.
“Hey Solo. What happen to Charlie?”
“Oh hey Claire.” He smiled, unlike his brother he had no problem with lying. “He finally got one of the waitresses to slip him a beer, but she gave him a lot more then he could handle.”
She laughed and cooed. “Aww he got sloshed.”
He smiled. “Yea, something like that. Listen could make sure he gets back all right, I gotta go find my keys. I dropped them back there somewhere.” He waved his hand toward gyrating, grinding crowd before letting it flop to his side.
“Uh.” She eyed Charlie and then watched his usually frowning face continue to hold a smile. ‘This is the most I've ever heard him talk. And wait ‘til I tell girls I saw him smile. Sweet! Maybe...’ “Y’know I can help you look for them and get Nanaki to watch Charlie.”
Solo really didn't want to go back there but he didn't want Charlie or any of his friends to be targeted. They were being watched. And even though things got weird over there, he knew Charlie could handle that. He didn’t want him to have to experience what’s it’s like to be used like that. Charlie only knew the good things about his sexuality, he didn't need to know how bad it could be. He cringed internally at the flash of images that went through his head. Charlie slumped in his seat but Solo caught him before he slid down to floor beneath the booth, arranging his arms so his head rested on them. Besides, there were several questions he wanted answered, one of which was why Jason hooked up with Quin. Whatever happened he'd get some answers.
Claire watched curiously as Solo reached down and rubbed Charlie's head.
“Thanks for the offer, but I'll be fine.” He said with a smile that had her smiling back. He walked off without another word and she stared after him with a quizzical look on her face. She started to follow him when Nanaki caught her arm.
“Hey you said- oh what’s wrong with Charlie?”
It was her turn to stop him from moving as she looped her arm around his and smiled. “Oh nothing to be concerned about, he got slipped a few too many drinks. Solo said he’d be back.”
“‘Kay.”
She tugged him away from the bench when he started to sit. “Come on, I’m tired of standing around here lets go dance.”
“But I thought you were waiting for Solo to-”
“There he is! See he’s already back. Solo!” Nanaki saw her wave off to the left, getting a glance of a tall blond before Claire pulled him off in the opposite direction.
“But shouldn’t we-” He started still not convinced that the person he glimpsed was their friend.
“Yea. Oh look there’s Ab and Delphi!”
He reluctantly followed, sending an apologetic look at Charlie’s slumped over figure at the table.
- - - xXxXxXx- - -
He awoke to his head throbbing like it was swollen in a bandaged pulled really, really tight. He felt disorientated and sat up from the rounded bench seat he lay on. He braced his head in his hands as double vision forced his eyes closed to the flicker lights of the club. He looked at his watch and blanched. ‘It was one in the fucking morning!’ His mind screamed through his headache and he noted secondly that he had been sitting alone in the booth. He levered himself up, fighting his stomach’s wish to expel all it contained on the floor before him. Once the room stopped spinning, he flushed in embarrassment when he realized what the sticky mess was that he felt in his pants. It was very uncomfortable but he decided he'd take care after he found Solo.After ten minutes of pushing through the milling bodies, he had broken out into a sweat. Why couldn’t he find Solo? Charlie knew Solo wouldn’t leave him behind, and he began his search again.
“~ Push my fingers into my eyes... It’s the only thing that slowly stops the ache... ~”
A new song started. He thought that it aptly described how the pain in his head and the nausea was making him feel, along with his frustration. His head was becoming heavy and uncertainty was slowly creeping up on him, until he came to a door in the hollow beside the bar in the back of the club. He smiled in relief when he saw a blond head emerging from the hall below. He blanked out for a few moments to find Solo pushing him up right and looping his arm around his waist as he took him back up the steps. ‘I must have-’ he let his head drop to Solo’s shoulder unable to finish his thought, the throb in his head making him groan.
“God,” he mumbled aloud, cursing himself for being an idiot as memory served him an eyeful of the shit that had happened earlier. A lot of it was questionable and his chest, more specifically, his heart hurt from the drug Jason had forced on him. He cradled his head at the memory of Solo hitting Jason at some point and he smiled. "The bastard deserved that and then some." He muttered to himself, gritting his teeth against the pain he felt from his Ex's betrayal.
He tried pulling away from but Solo only pressed his head back into the curve of his neck. He smiled sadly, grateful to have a friend like Solo. He looked up awkwardly to him, taking in his face in the dimly lit club. Solo had a faraway look in his eyes, his hair was tousled and he smelled of sweat and alcohol.
“~I have screamed until my veins collapsed I’ve waited ‘till my time’s elapsed Now, All I do is live with so much hate ...~”
Solo looked at him with a blank face, rigidly so with a brow arched in question as they stumbled toward the door. Charlie answered with a confused look, nodding his head at their limping movement, then wincing when Solo’s response was to squeeze his elbow and made them to walk faster. The forced movement made Solo’s limp more pronounced.
“~ ...And then I swear I’ll go away But I can’t promise you’ll enjoy the pain~”
He didn’t remember limping when he tried to find Solo. The up and down motion was too much for him and he pushed out of Solo’s arms as they exited the club. He stumbled and fell, throwing up on the side of the building and partially into the alley.
“~ But it’s made of all the thing I am today Jesus, it never ends, it works it’s way inside If the pain goes on, I’m not gonna make it!~”
Solo watched numbly. ‘At least I can feel something,’ he thought morosely. The things he had done back there... he had to admit he didn’t have to do much of anything, just lie there and let Quin do what he wanted. He felt sick to his stomach as he lapsed into memory. He tried to reassure himself that it was all worth it to make sure his brother was safe; it was worth it because he got his friend out of a very dangerous situation. Yet doubt flared up in his mind and bringing with it morose thoughts. Solo made himself move, offering support by resting his hand on Charlie’s back as he dry heaved.
Charlie wiped his mouth across his sleeve, his vision spun as he looked up to Solo. “So’?”
Solo just shook his head in response and helped his friend to stand. “Do you think... think that walking will be too much for you Chuck?”
“Mm... I d-dunno.” After a hard swallow, he grimaced then continued, “Please, So’, don’t make fun of me, with the use of ‘up-chuck’ because I really did.” Charlie said pitfully with his head bowed and his mouth pressed against the back of his sleeve.
In that moment, Solo thought Charlie actually looked his age if not younger. Solo rubbed his back and gave him a tight smile. “Don’t worry about that, I feel the need to myself.” ‘I need to get away from here.’ “We’ll take a cab.”
Solo helped his friend, trying to ignore the pain that shot through his backside as they limped toward a payphone.
tbc..
These are the songs at Quin’s club *snickers* music list... bodies (drowning pool), ‘temperature’ (Sean Paul) fades to ‘Can’t Take me Down’ (the Protoculture Mix) as low background music then ‘Toma’ (Pitbull), ‘Lick’ (Joi), and the song at the end of this chapter - ‘Duality’ (slipknot).
^_^ I had to share my love of music, didn't I?