FicWad

Jim is alone in the apartment watching television and smoking, having been sent home from work since five in the afternoon. It’s a little after nine-thirty now, and he’s pretty bored and lonely, to be honest, wishing time and time again that he had brought his guitar with him from Florida. Speaking of which, he had not heard of his friend that moved to New York, and there are times when he’s beginning to wonder if those guys tracked him down yet. It’s most likely. He’s just glad that no one has got to him yet. And even if they didn’t, he wonders if they’ll track down his family. As much as he dislikes them, they are his family, after all, and none of them (maybe except Uncle Scott) should be hurt for something that he was framed for. He still hasn’t talked to him, though his niece called.

He looks over at the sink, and figures that he should wash the dishes. Except he already did. And he even cleaned up the rest of the kitchen to take his mind off things. He’s looked over at photo albums of the guys and friends (Sid finally told Jim about his old roommate Paul, and even had to reassure him that Paul did not die in the room), and he got so bored that he even watched episodes of the L Word. He’s almost desperate enough to call Charlie over.

At least Sid is on his way home from doing whatever. Because he’s hungry. Maybe he’ll listen to some George Harrison later.

Someone knocks on the door loudly, and he’s pretty startled at that. He sighs and calls out, “Who is it?”

“If you don’t open the door, Jim, I’m gonna fucking puke on it, and I’m not cleaning it up,” comes a somewhat slurred and irritable voice...that actually sounds like Corey. Jim sighs and walks up to the door trying to figure out why Corey is back so early. As soon as Jim opens the door, Corey doesn’t even say anything to Jim as he walks quickly to the bathroom and shuts the door. Jim can only blink at that as he hears retching in the bathroom, and he sighs and goes to get a glass of water for Corey to wash the junk out of his mouth. He also takes out a can of ginger ale. It’s said that that brings the contents down for a bit.

Eventually, Corey comes out, but not completely. He glances at Jim, who turns around and sees him. “You all right?” the latter asks, hading the man the glass of water.

Corey sighs and shakes his head, leaning his head against the doorframe and looking at the man with droopy eyes. “Can I take a shower? Have extra clothes?” he asks quietly and in a very low tone, taking the glass. “I don’t feel like going upstairs for clean clothes, and I threw up on my shirt on the way home so I kinda stink right now.”

Jim curls his lips at that, and he nods before Corey heads back in, shutting the door. Thankfully the man didn’t lock the door, so Jim is able to put a towel and something that he can wear (nevermind how big they are) near the bathroom sink while Corey is showering. He steps back out and sits on the couch again, waiting for his shorter friend to come out.

Fifteen minutes later, Corey comes out of the bathroom in Jim’s clothes, not even caring that he looks a bit ridiculous, and he takes his old clothes out with him, setting them on the counter (...) before spotting Jim and moving to sit by him. Jim looks up at Corey as the latter takes out his cigarette and lights it, taking a drag off it before setting it down on the ash tray. He sighs, taking the can of ginger ale and drinking it, thanking Jim quietly. Jim decides to finally speak, “So, what’s been going on with you?”

Corey shrugs. “I dunno, home skillet, you tell me.” He sips his ginger ale again before resting his head on the couch.

Jim really wonders why Corey would ask him that, and he replies, “Well, you should still be at your job.” Plus Corey’s never called him “home skillet” before.

Corey suddenly chuckles at that. “That’s funny.” He sits up. “But no, you don’t understand James; I don’t have a job anymore.” Jim immediately glances at the guy with widened eyes. “It’s gone, kaput /no existe/. That’s in Spanish.”

Jim still blinks at that, unable to comprehend that. “C...how the fuck did you lose your job?”

Corey rolls his eyes. “Funny you should ask that. You remember that guy, Dan? He thought he’d make some money and have some fun in Hawaii, soooo....he sold the station to some guy from Mexico and the station plays Tejano, and they even got a new deejay and producer.” He glances at Jim. “You like Tejano music?”

Jim shakes his head, not even answering that last bit. Honestly concerned, and angry at Dan, he asks his friend, “Corey, I can’t believe this. I...how the hell are you gonna support yourself, and your kids?”

Corey in response sighs exasperatedly. “I don’t fucking know, James! I don’t even know why the fuck this shit happened!” He sighs angrily. “God, I really did not want to be reminded that I have people to support. Thank you so much, James,” he mutters.

Jim sighs and replies, “Sorry. I’m just worried about you. No one deserves shit like this.”

Corey looks over at Jim for a moment before he sighs. “No, they don’t.”

“If you need anything, just ask me, okay?”

“I don’t wanna burden you.”

Jim nods. “Well, you’re not.”

Corey shakes his head. Thankfully he isn’t able to cry anymore since he cried all that he could out at a bar. “You know how shit happens, and everything you wanted to do with your life never happens?” Jim nods. “I mean, I wanted to be up on stage, rocking it out and shit.”

“Think we both did,” Jim simply whispers.

“And, I mean I wanted a new life. And...I’m fucking stuck here.” Corey then lets out a shakily sigh, trying not to break down again. To be honest, even though his potential music career ended, he still wrote songs from time to time. Still...

Jim hasn’t looked at Corey since this conversation began, and he shrugs. “Yeah, I kinda realized that I needed a new life and start over.”

Corey takes a drag of his cigarette blows the smoke away. And then he sets down the cigarette. He looks over at Jim, kind of unsure how he should say this. “Is that why you left here?” Jim then glances at Corey and shrugs, but basically saying that was the reason. “I see,” the younger man whispers before he glances at the television. Jim remembers his cigarette and goes on to takes a drag off his. Just when the tall man puts his back down on the ash tray, Corey asks very softly, “Why didn’t you tell me you were leaving?”

Well, the other guy blinks before he looks over at the jobless man, whose eyes are still glued to the television. Obviously Jim really has no way of responding to that, and he could only shrug. “You knew I was leaving,” he can only respond, feeling a bit nervous at where this might go.

Corey shakes his head. “Yeah, I did know, but that was only because Josh Rand told me, and I tried to call you and ask what was going on, but you were gone.” He’s not too sure why he’s bringing this up. “I would’ve been okay with you leaving somewhere else, but...” he sighs exasperatedly, “but why would you tell Josh that you were leaving, and not me? And I’m just wondering about because you were kinda like my best friend and I really thought that you could come to me.” Jim’s hands feel a bit funny as he listens to this. “I’m not mad or anything,” Corey concludes. “I just wanna know what went on with you.”

“I don’t know,” Jim whispers, swallowing and closing his eyes.

Corey raises an eyebrow at that. “Why don’t you know?”

Jim shakes his head and replies, “I just don’t know,” as he gently squeezes three of his fingers, and Corey can actually see this, blinking for a moment.

“Why are you so nervous?” he whispers.

Jim sighs, kind of wanting Corey to just shut up now. “I’m not nervous.”

“Stop lying to me, Jim.” Corey moves a bit closer. “You’re always a terrible liar. I just...I don’t care that you left, man. I’m not mad at you. Maybe some shit happened and you needed to leave. I don’t know why you wouldn’t come to me about it, though so I can help you.” Corey’s hands suddenly feel funny as well, as well as his jaw, and he still isn’t sure why he’s spilling this out to the taller man. “I felt like you didn’t trust me anymore, and the fact that you’d...you didn’t even stay in contact with me, Jim. And then it makes me think,” he takes a deep breath as his heart begins to race, “that maybe I did something wrong.”

Jim wants to go outside, because it’s really getting too hot in this apartment. He shakes his head quickly and turns around and looks for his keys. “I need to go outside...”

Corey blinks at that, frustrated at the other guy and concerned about why he’s acting this way. “Why?” he whispers.

“Because I just /do/, okay?” Jim replies a little angrily. Corey’s heart beats faster and he gulps.

“I was just worried about you back then, and I couldn’t stop thinking about what you were doing and shit,” he whispers, shaking his head. “Don’t get mad at me. Was I not supposed to care about you and wonder what you were doing, wherever you were going to?”

Jim simply takes a drag of his cigarette and looks over at the television, to distract himself. And Corey sighs and reaches for the remote to turn off the television.

“Was I not supposed to?” he repeats.

Jim sighs. “No, Corey. You were not. Whether you knew about it or not, I was okay after I left. I just needed to get away, and stuff.” However, part of him realizes that he probably should’ve told Corey himself. The problem is, would the shorter man have let him go? “I’m not mad at you.”

Corey’s brain can’t take much more of this, so he just sighs and whispers, “The more we’ve been hanging out lately, the more I keep remembering how you left, Jim. I just wanna know why you had someone else tell me, and why you never kept in touch with me. I got so upset about it over time, whenever I need you the most. And I keep turning around and thinking that you didn’t want to be around me anymore,” he whispers, the last part coming out shakily, squeezing his fingers with his other hand. “I mean, the other guys, I was pretty much forced to get close to them, and shit. They’re really nice people Jim, but you...I fucking needed you back because you were the only person I really trusted in this world.”

Jim gulps at that, and he tries to calm himself down, feeling oh so guilty about his words from earlier. He really wants to go outside now. But he’s sure that Corey won’t let him leave. He kind of feels trapped, forced to listen to something that he really doesn’t want to hear. “I’m sorry,” he whispers shakily, his jaw feeling so funny that maybe he shouldn’t speak again.

Corey notices how nervous the man has become again, and he shift closer to him, placing his hand on his arm. Jim tenses at the touch and closes his eyes, and the younger man sighs. He doesn’t bother asking why Jim is so tense, and to be honest, he really doesn’t know why he’s been saying these things. He figures that it’s probably because of the alcohol in his brain and the fact that sometimes it makes him act this way. Part of him doesn’t really care, though; this has been lingering on his mind for a long while. “What’s wrong?” he whispers, despite deciding not to ask that.

“I don’t know what’s wrong with me,” Jim immediately replies, looking down on the table.

Corey looks at the man’s hair and earrings, as well as his eyes and lips, noticing that the man really hasn’t changed that much, but he just looks a bit older. Before Corey even realizes it, he has already whispered, “I missed you.”

Jim gulps at that, but then he just gives in, knowing that the younger man isn’t going to leave him alone. He just despises himself now, for not being able to hold back and keep himself calm and relaxed. But then the fact that Corey missed him, well, it does shock him. He is half-relieved that the former musician was actually worried about him, and then it begins to confuse him. But he wants to start over with Corey, and do things and go places with him. He’s happy that they’re doing that right now. Jim decides to just drop it, and comes to a conclusion that he’s just overreacting and that he should just focus on now, not then. He nods and whispers, “I missed you too.” Not a lie at all.

Corey’s heart warms up at that, and he smiles. He carefully wraps his arm around Jim’s and moves even closer. “I’m so fucking glad that you’re back,” he whispers, hoping that maybe Jim can trust him again and that they can be as close as they were again.

He was going to say more, but then they hear the door being unlocked. Corey immediately pulls away from Jim before the door opens. In comes Sid with his bag of groceries, followed by Joey. The DJ grins. “Hey, hey, hey, hey! Smoke weed everyday!”

Corey looks over at Sid at that and rolls his eyes before he takes the remote and turns back on the television. “How cute,” he mutters, “he made a rhyme.”

Jim blinks at Sid, but then smiles a bit as he walks over to grab some of the bags, instantly relieved that someone else is here. He takes three of them and sets them on the counter. “Is that really the motto you live by?” he asks his roommate, smirking and raising an eyebrow.

Sid rolls his eyes and replies, “Jim, I was /joking/. I don’t smoke weed everyday.” He pauses. “At least not anymore.”

“Right...”

Sid sets the other bags down and begins to takes the food and things out. He turns to Joey. “So, anyway, I’m not sure what we’re gonna do, man. It’s really up to Shawn.”

Joey sighs, leaning against the counter. “I know. But you still have the mail, right?”

Sid holds a rather small stack of mail in his hands. “Got it.”

“Well, yeah you should have received that invitation, then, because Mick and I got one, and I think Chris called about his.” The drummer then turns to Corey, who’s watching the television, but not really. “Hey Corey, you and Craig should have one, too.”

The slightly taller man shrugs. “Craig’s at home. He regularly looks at that, whatever the fuck you’re talking about.”

Joey shrugs as Sid raises an eyebrow. “He’s quiet today,” the latter speaks.

Joey nods, but then just happens to glance at the clock on the stove. He immediately turns back to Corey. “Wait a minute, what the hell are you doing here? It’s still like ten-forty. You’re usually not back until almost an hour later.” Jim looks at the three, before sighing and putting the milk in the fridge.

Corey tips his head back and answers, “You know it’s hard out there for a pimp, right?”

Joey simply stares at that, and he rolls his eyes. “Whatever,” he replies finally.

Sid looks over through the mail until he spots what the drummer is talking about. “Ah, here it is.” He begins to open it.

Jim leans against the fridge. “What invitation are you talking about?” he asks the two youngest people in the apartment.

And then Corey decides to say it, because he just needs people to know what he’s up to, “I lost my job.”

Obviously there is no way the two people could prepare themselves for that. Sid gapes and exclaims, “How the fuck did you lose your job?!”

“What, did Dan get tired of you or something?” Joey asks.

Corey turns around and explains, “He sold the station to someone else, so...”

Sid’s face falls. “Oh man, I’m so sorry...” He sighs and then tries to be optimistic. “Well, hey...you can find another one. A better job.” He turns to Jim, “Right?” The tall man simply nods. “I mean, you’ve got great work experience, and you got great qualities and stuff.”

Corey simply shrugs.

Sid sighs. “Well, just don’t stay in your apartment all day and night. Apparently our ‘friend’ Geraldo sent invitations to us to come to this early Christmas thing at the Flashing Lights, and I think it’s because he wants to reconcile his differences with Shawn or some shit like that. Doubt it, though.”

Corey turns to Sid and replies, “So what the fuck does that have to do with me?”

Joey adds, “If Shawn decides to go, then we’re gonna be there for him. Not sure why he’d wanna do that since the asshole basically shut down the Safari, but still.”

Jim blinks at the conversation, and he takes the envelope and opens it up, trying to look over the letter. Sid looks over at Jim and asks, “What does it say?” Joey walks over by Jim and Sid.

“Says that we’re invited to that thing next Saturday at nine o’clock, and it’s preferred that you wear red and or green,” the older man replies.

Sid snort. “I’m wearing blue.” Jim can only shake his head and smile at that.

“Why, so you can stand out?”

“Duh.”

“We’ll just wait for Shawn,” Joey says, and he sighs. “I’m so tired, and I have to fucking wake up to get that gift for October in the morning.”

Sid nods. “Maybe we can get Brenna to come with us.”

“Doubt it.”

Corey groans and slowly lies on the couch, still not feeling so good. “Well I ain’t even going,” he mutters. “The whole thing sounds retarded, and why fucking waste my time on retarded shit like that?” Jim sighs exasperatedly and drops the letter on the counter to resume putting things away.

Sid shrugs. “It’ll get you out of the apartment and distract you? Seriously, you really shouldn’t dwell on the job thing right now, Corey. It’ll only make you feel worse.”

Jim spots a box of Zataran’s and he sighs, thinking that maybe he should make this tonight and take some for lunch tomorrow. “Well, I’m going,” he speaks, half-hoping that since he’s going, maybe Corey will reconsider.

“See? Jim’s going!”

“Am I supposed to care?” is Corey’s response, and Sid sighs and turns back to Joey. Jim bites his lip, and after setting his pot on the stove, he walks over to sit by Corey.

“Can you at least reconsider?” he asks softly. Corey blinks at him and shrugs.

“I don’t even know why you would wanna go,” the younger man replies.

“Because maybe I’m just giving myself a reason to stay here.” He takes a deep breath. “And...and, you know, I don’t want to see you lay in your apartment all day and night while drinking and puking your guts out. I really want you to come with me, you know?”

Corey sighs at that, especially at the way his old friend said the last bit. He shakes his head. “I really don’t know, man...”

Sid watches the two and glances at Joey. “See, Jim can make Corey do anything.”

Joey shrugs, but then he takes a closer look at what the jobless man is wearing. “Is he wearing Jim’s clothes?”

Jim’s face falls. “I think that you’d be happier if you go out somewhere. And I’d be really happy if you hung out with me to this,” he whispers. Now, Corey bites his lip at that, because it’s like Jim’s really willing to stay with him despite their earlier, pretty tense conversation. “I only feel comfortable going out to places with these guys if you’re here with me, and, you know, I’ll do anything with you, even get drunk and puke my guts out.” He’s kind of surprised that he’s said this, and before he knows it, his heart begins beating rapidly.

Corey’s heart races at that as well. He breathes in and out deeply, and he whispers, “Whatever. I guess.”

Jim grins at that. “I’m glad,” he whispers, before he stands up and goes back to preparing the meal. Corey sighs, feeling somewhat nervous. But at the same time, he’s just overjoyed that Jim really does want to hang out with him still, and that he does want to cheer him up or make him feel better. He smiles a bit down at his hands.

Joey sighs. “Well, look, I gotta go,” he says, beginning to walk out to the door.

Sid waves. “See ya. Call me when you hear anything from Shawn.”

“Will do,” Joey speaks as he opens the door and walks out.

Corey sighs and lies back down on the couch, figuring that maybe it’s best to just eat with Sid and Jim before he goes back to his own apartment. It’s not his fault that the two (especially Sid) can cook worth a damn.

___

Some days later, Chris and Melissa are shopping at a local grocery store, having forgotten to buy things earlier. They’re actually in a hurry because Melissa has to pick up her son from school after this. Now, Chris has finally decided that he wants to propose to her. He just haven’t found the right day or time to do it. Preferably when they’re alone and are having a great time already. If she says yes, he really doesn’t see how this can get bad. Jayden really likes Chris, and maybe in a couple years they can get their own house. Oh, now he’s just thinking too far ahead. He really should stop that. His thoughts are broken when he spots Mick looking through the cereal aisle. Actually Joey is at the store, too, but around the front.

Melissa spots Mick as well, and she grins, walking over. “Hey Mick! How are you?”

“M’tired?” is his response.

Chris sighs. “Seriously, I think you really should, you know, sleep more.”

Mick rolls his eyes. “Well sometimes you can’t,” he mutters.

Melissa then asks, “Is Joey with you? Because I really need to ask him if Shawn said anything or not.”

“He’s at the front. Where the magazines are.”

She grins. “Thank you so much!”

___

Joey decides to get the magazine he was reading, because number one; it has an article on a black metal musician named Gaahl, and secondly because another band that he likes is stopping in Des Moines in February, and /he wants those fucking tickets/! The ad for the tickets is in the magazine.

Well, he just happens to turn to his right, and there is woman with brown hair looking over at some magazines as well. It doesn’t take him that long to figure out who she is. He smiles and walks over to tap on her shoulder. “Hey Brenna.”

And Brenna immediately looks over at Joey and smiles. “Hey!” She replies, hugging him. She pulls back and says, “How are you guys? Is the Safari going to open up yet?” Of course she’s heard of what had happened, including the situation with Flashing Lights.

Joey sighs. “We honestly don’t know when it’ll open back up. Shawn has to clean the place up, and have a bunch of fucking inspections.”

Brenna nods. “I see...”

“Yeah.” He sighs then, having not expected to see her. Obviously, although he told her that he’s getting a gift for October, he can’t really tell her what it is right now. He then says, “You know, that Geraldo guy is inviting us over to this party over there, and it’s on next Saturday.” Brenna looks on at the drummer as he continues, “And I know you’re not invited, but you can come under me, or one of us.” She bites her lip at that. “I mean, it’d be really nice if you came with us. It’s probably gonna be boring as shit, but at least you’ll be out of the house. Now if there’s no one to watch October, then nevermind.”

Well, the reason why Brenna has been so hesitant in being out is that, well, it just isn’t the same without Paul around. These people are family to her, and the guys and Melissa are all the baby girl’s godfathers/uncles and godmother/aunt. And to be perfectly honest, she does mentally curse herself for not being around them more. Still she replies, “I don’t know. My sister will be there, but...”

Suddenly, Melissa comes by and spots Joey, and she opens her mouth to speak, but then she sees the other woman, and she blinks. “Oh...oh hey, Brenna.”

Brenna looks over at Melissa and waves a bit, smiling faintly.

Joey looks between the two and sighs. “I’m trying to get her to come with us to the thing. Shawn’s decided to go, and you know, I just didn’t think it’d be bad.”

Melissa blinks at that, and then she smiles gently at the other woman. “That’s a great idea. You really need to hand out with us more. At least a little. Like you’re only with Joey and Corey sometimes, but we all really miss you.”

Okay, the last thing Brenna really needs is something like that. “I just really haven’t wanted to come over lately, so...I didn’t mean to make you think that I didn’t want to be around you guys, and I miss you too.”

Joey looks between the two and sighs. “It hasn’t been the same without him,” he says softly. “It really hasn’t. It’s pretty much why we’ve been hanging out more and more with each other lately, and we want you to be there with us, when you can.”

She sighs. “Can at least give me a chance to reconsider?”

Melissa blinks at that. “Oh of course! Take all the time you need. Just let me know by Friday if you wanna come. You still have my number, don’t you?” Brenna nods, smiling a bit. “Great!” She then sighs. “It really sucks being the only woman with these guys. Because sometimes I wanna share things and there’s no one I can share it with. There’s Lorraine, but she’s kind of hit menopa—”

“I’m not hearing this,” Joey mutters as Brenna laughs. Joey smiles back at her and says, “I gotta head out and look for Mick. See you guys.” And at that, he heads out.

The two women wave goodbye, before Melissa turns to Brenna, thinking that it wouldn’t hurt to make a little girl talk.

___

For some odd reason, Mick is over at the women’s hygiene aisle. It’s not like he has anything to buy from here. But then he remembers his last girlfriend wanting to actually get things for him in this aisle. You can imagine how embarrassed he was. Joey pretty much passes the aisle, but then he walks backward, having just noticed that his roommate is standing there. He looks over at the products and raises an eyebrow at Mick. “Um...what are you doing here?”

Mick glances at Joey and sighs. “I have no idea.”

Joey lets that go, shrugging. “Well, I think I got everything, so we should go.” At that, he begins to go down that aisle.

And then Mick says it, “I think I’m curious about men.”

Joey stops in his tracks and blinks at Mick, trying to figure out if he heard him right. His voice eventually returns with, “W-what?”

Mick sighs at his roommate. “I don’t know, man...”

Joey slowly steps over to the larger man. “No, nonono Mick. You said, um, you said that you were curious about men...is that it?” Now the other man bites his lip, unsure of how to respond to that, or of Joey’s reactions.

He nods, and Joey blinks again.

The drummer realizes that maybe that approach wasn’t a good idea. If Mick isn’t fucking with him, then maybe he should be a little more sympathetic? He nods, trying to think back to when he first realized he liked men. Sadly, he had to deal with it almost on his own, not that he was the only one in that situation. “So, um...when did this happen?”

“S’been like this for awhile,” the large man answers, shifting a bit uncomfortably. Maybe he shouldn’t have uttered this out at a grocery store. “Yeah, I don’t know what caused it, but I couldn’t help but look at the...um, that bar that Sid plays at.”

Joey’s eyes widen. “The gay bar? Have you been inside?”

“No, I didn’t have the balls to.”

The drummer sighs then. “You could’ve told me you were having this problem. I could’ve helped you out, you know?”

Mick stands up straight. “Well I didn’t.” He turns to Joey then. “How would you have helped me out?”

The guy shrugs. “I dunno, like take you somewhere and get you with a guy and see if you really like it, you know?” He slowly looks up at Mick, who looks back at Joey, uncomfortable. “Unless you’re not ready for that...”

“I really don’t know, man.”

“Well, if you don’t find out something soon, you’re gonna end up feeling like this until it’s too late. You know that, right?”

Mick decides to look down to see if there’s any men’s deodorant, and when he does, he picks two and tosses them into the grocery cart. “I guess. So what the hell do you want me to do, then?” He sighs exasperatedly, thinking that he shouldn’t have uttered this out.

“I can take you to this other place that I go to...”

“Wait, what other place?”

“It’s more secluded, so it’d be a lot more helpful.”

“...So when are we doing this?”

“Whenever you want, Mick. Really, with stuff like this, I really have no problem helping anyone about this at all. No qualms.” He pauses. “And you’re my roommate and a friend, so actually you should really trust me anyway.” He smiles faintly. “I didn’t mean to rush you about it a minute ago, but I really don’t want you to feel like this forever.”

Mick thinks about it for a bit, trying to find out a best time to really get his shit together and grow some balls about this. “Maybe after this thing with Shawn?”

Joey grins. “That’s great, man. We can do that.”

“Good.” Mick then takes hold of the cart. “I’m getting the fuck out of here,” he mutters as he pushes the cart toward the front.

Joey smiles a bit and follows.