Imagination to Reality
By: Priya LaLita
Rated: M
Pairing: Drake/JJ (Minor: Dee/Ryo, and allusion to a past relationship w/ Dee/JJ)
Drake looked up from a copy of Pixies' B-Sides, as his partner made an honest to god purring sound. He shot JJ a look and watched him ogle the pages of a magazine.
"Did someone misfile the porn?" He asked as the magazine was shoved in his face.
"Oh my god. Look how gorgeous." JJ said as Drake leaned back and took the magazine, inspecting the offered photo. The boys of Panic At The Disco were lounging around in a very vintage looking hotel parlor, decked out in their own very vintage outfits.
"What the fuck?" He wondered aloud. "I have never seen anything look so gay." He said honestly, then blushed a little at his faux pas. "Er, no offense."
JJ laughed warmly. "Oh, no, it needs to get gayer." He grinned and tapped his index finger above one of them, purring again. "Ryan Ross and his hot little girl pants. Oh, my god." He nodded. "I want that man. And that one. And that one. Hell, I'll take them all." He grinned as Drake shook his head.
"He's probably not even gay. It's like…stage-gay…" He said as JJ shrugged.
"And I care…why? Gorrrgeeeouuuuuussss…." He sighed happily petting the leg of one of their pants.
"Those look uncomfortably tight." Drake commented, as JJ shook his head.
"Not really, a big snug, but very worth it. Girl's jeans on boys are the best fashion trend since…ever." He nodded matter-of-factly.
"Why would anyone…except a girl, I guess, want to wear girl's jeans?"
JJ covered his mouth as he laughed, trying to keep himself quiet as he leaned against Drake. "Tight pants are very flattering on some people."
"If you say so."
"What? You don't believe me?" He asked as Drake shrugged. "Don't you like when girls wear tight jeans?" He nodded. "Well, same thing. It leaves nothing to the imagination." He said as Drake felt his cheeks redden as he thought of JJ's perfect ass and long skinny legs clad in a pair of skintight jeans.
He got a funny feeling in the pit of his stomach when a mischievous smile passed JJ's lips, plucking the cd from his hand and putting it back. He let himself be dragged out of Virgin Megastore and up 14th street towards Fifth Avenue.
"Where are we going?"
"Shopping." He said simply, as Drake rolled his eyes.
"Why?"
"So we can go out tonight."
"What's wrong with what you're in now?" He asked, looking him over in what remained of his suit (he was down to his dress shirt and slacks, having ditched the tie and jacket in the car.) "And we're just going to the bar to meet Ryo and Dee."
"I wore this to work is what's wrong with it. Besides, I want to look nice." He said, dragging him into a store, literally by the arm.
"Why? For Dee?" He frowned, crossing his arms once they'd finally stopped as JJ let out a huff.
"Can't I be nice for me?"
"What's the point?"
"Well, maybe, I was going to like, I don't know, try and meet someone." He sighed, wandering through the racks. "Being tragically single means always being ready. Can't be caught off guard you know…what if, like, the hottest guy ever walks in and here I am in this."
Drake wondered why he felt a little jealous at the comment, and clamped his mouth shut.
"Stop sulking." JJ said, as he checked tags.
"I'm not sulking." He said, looking up, realizing they were in the misses section. This was like…foreign, illegal territory. It felt almost as awkward as stepping into the Ladies Room. Oh my god, we must look like such freaks. Especially me. Oh my god, I must look like some sort of pervert. He groaned as JJ chatted up a cute 20-something with a pierced nose and red streaks in her blonde hair.
"JJ, you're going to make us late, can you hurry up?" He hissed as JJ laughed with the girl and parted ways.
"You are so impatient. I just have to try them on."
"Try them on?" He groaned. "Why? You hold them up, go, I think so, and buy them."
"You are such a man." JJ laughed, heading down an aisle, leaving Drake stranded, alone in the misses section. He ran after him and followed closely.
He grumbled about various things; women's pants, women's sections, perverts, and the likes until he found himself in the (men's) dressing room with JJ. He vaguely wondered if it was weird to be trying on women's jeans in the men's dressing room, and decided that no matter what, it was bizarre.
"I'll be out in a minute." JJ said as Drake leaned against the wall, looking around, noticing the dressing room was deserted.
"We're the only one's in here." he said, as JJ laughed.
"Of course, you said it yourself, men don't try things on. You wouldn't understand the girl pants thing anyway, because you're not gay, therefore, how great I, or anyone, looks stuffed in them is not any concern."
He huffed and crossed his arms against his chest, sulking, listening to the sounds of JJ changing. The musical sound of his belt jingling as his slacks hit the floor, the swishing of fabric… Drake closed his eyes a moment, trying to block out the sounds and conjured images of JJ in his various stages of undress. Ever since that kiss on the rooftop his curiosity had gotten the better of him. JJ had tasted so sweet and his lips were so soft and full… He fought off the mingling fantasies, finally snapping his eyes open as the door opened with a squeak.
JJ was shirtless, shamelessly fumbling with the button of the fly, not paying attention to his partner as he stood in front of the mirror. Drake's hands gripped at the wall, begging for something to hold him in place as he stared. Drake's imagination was happy to say that it no longer had as many mysteries about the expanses of JJ's body he'd yet to discover. It was also then that he realized that he'd never seen JJ shirtless. Upon closer thought, now, JJ had never showered at the Precinct and managed to change under his clothes like a self conscious high school kid, which now seemed strange since he was walking around in a pair of girl's pants and nothing else.
"JJ…" He said, cursing his voice that came out a little breathier than he'd have liked.
JJ was posing in front of the mirror, giving him an innocently seductive little display.
"Yes?" He said, a little lilt in his voice as he inspected himself in the mirror, checking out his ass, noticing the subtle embroidered gold star design across the back pockets.
Drake's teeth worried at his bottom lip as he stared. JJ's slender neck melded into strong, defined shoulders, with some of the most gorgeous collarbones he'd ever seen. He followed the curve of his spine, counting eight tattooed stars down, disappearing slightly beneath the dark denim. His eyes studied his perfect rear, perfectly contained in the skintight jeans, following the line of his legs, down to his bare feet with his long, dainty toes. JJ turned as he made his way back up his front, his eyes lingering shyly over the fly. The dark denim, the kind a designer would call 'gabby wash', with its low-rise cut displayed another star tattooed under JJ's navel, the black outlined baby blue in startling contrast to his pale skin.
"What?" He said, finally looking up, his annoyed expression quickly fading into confusion. He looked himself over again quickly and looked back up at Drake who was holding onto the door to the other dressing room, fidgeting nervously. JJ stepped closer, putting one hand on his hip, naturally jutting out his hip as he looked up at him. "What?" He repeated. "What, are they that bad? God, am I getting fat?" He sighed, moving to turn back to the mirror to pinch invisible flab, as Drake's hand touched his side. He froze and looked back up at him, but Drake's eyes were focused on his chest as his fingers traced the curves of his torso, his other hand still holding onto the dressing room door, like a lifeline to his sanity.
Drake didn't know what he was doing, touching him like this. It was wrong, for many reasons. Wrong, wrong, wrong…but, not, all at the same time. He raised his eyes a little to watch those perfectly pouty lips whisper his name, feeling his face get hotter as his hand on the door slowly released and gripped JJ's hip. He watched JJ's lips move, but he couldn't hear him over his heartbeat pounding in his ears as he traced the star above the waist of his jeans slowly. All he could think of was the kiss on the rooftop, and how cheated he felt. Such a tiny kiss…Dee got bigger kisses on sneak attacks. And for the first time ever, he realized he was jealous of Dee, not because he was happy, or had better luck, but because he had something that he wanted. Dee had JJ's love. Sure, JJ had let up quite a bit, but, still. He wanted JJ to feel that way about him. He'd never felt this way about anyone, let alone another man, but, Drake wasn't one to think much about feelings.
Those lips were still moving as he bent his head and captured them, feeling JJ tense against him as he pulled him close, trapping him against him. He slipped his free hand into JJ's hair, amazed at how soft it was, how smooth his skin was as he brushed his thumb over his cheek… How could Dee have rejected this? Drake wondered, as the most wonderful noises escaped JJ's mouth, head tipped back in ecstasy as he kissed his throat.
Shivers slipped down Drake's spine as JJ's fingers tightened in the hair at the nape of his neck, his other hand gripped his shirt. He couldn't believe how turned on he was just from a kiss as he scraped his teeth over JJ's perfect collarbone before releasing him a little, allowing a little space between them. The sound of their panting was drowning out the store's subtle radio feed as JJ stumbled back a step, staring up at him with those big, blue eyes.
Drake tried to catch his breath as he waited for a sign from JJ of what to do. He watched JJ's bare foot take another step back, before moving back to the dressing room, giving him a nod to follow.
He grinned to himself and crossed the small space of the aisle and latched the door shut behind him. They met again, hands exploring as they kissed, Drake pressing JJ up against the mirror that was against the one solid wall. Drake guided JJ's hand across his stomach, helping him tug his shirt from his pants, whispering sweetly into his ear.
JJ shot him the sexiest smile Drake had ever seen and slid down the mirror onto his knees, staring up at him, waiting for a yes or no, as Drake stroked his hair.
JJ's slender fingers were waiting on the button of his fly as a muffled version of 'Sugar, We're Goin' Down' by Fall Out Boy interrupted his answer from somewhere in JJ's pile of clothing.
They both hissed an obscenity in unison, JJ's fingers hooked in the belt-loops of Drake's pants, an annoyed little growl escaping him.
"Get it." Drake sighed as one of JJ's hands dropped, digging through the mass of his clothing, glaring at the caller ID on the Blackberry.
"Adams." He said tersely, his other hand retreating as well, sitting back on his heels.
"Where are you?" "Dee…Drake and I are shopping." He said, trying to catch his breath.
"Are you okay? You sound weird--"
"I have like one bar. You're breaking up. We're on our way." He pulled the phone away and shook it to imitate static and hung up. He sighed and sat back, his head hitting against the mirror with a loud thump.
Drake shifted nervously and sat on the little chair, looking down at JJ, who looked up. They stayed silent a minute, staring at each other before finally smiling. JJ's laughter echoed in the small space as Drake blushed.
"That was so smooth." He said as JJ grinned.
"Shut it." He told him as Drake got up, offering him a hand.
He pulled JJ up and held him around his waist. "Make me."
He felt JJ fall against him kissing him on the mouth softly. "Come on, before he calls again."
"Gimme a minute…" Drake sighed, holding him tighter, going in for another kiss, one hand migrating from his waist to give his ass an affectionate grope.
JJ squirmed playfully and gave him a little shove. "Out."
"But…"
"Out."
"But…"
JJ narrowed his eyes at him, but with no malice.
He pouted before he was sent tumbling out of the dressing room after another shove from his partner.
He smiled, leaning against the partition of another dressing room, tucking his shirt back in. He took a deep breath and waited for JJ. That feels good to get off my chest…He thought as the door swung open and JJ came out, straightening his shirt, the jeans hanging over his arm.
"Let's go." He said, Drake following him out, still smiling.
Drake grabbed JJ's arm as he went to go put the pants back where they belonged.
"What?" He asked as Drake grabbed the pants and tugged him to the register. "What are you doing?" JJ hissed as Drake smiled at the cashier who looked just a little confused.
"Aw, now you're being shy?" He swiped his debit card.
"That'll be 182.28." She said, smiling politely as Drake glared at JJ.
"Are you kidding me?" He whined as JJ shot him an innocent look.
"Oh, trust me, that's nothing." He stated as Drake fake cried. "Move, I'll get it."
"No." He nudged him out of the way, punching in his pin. "Just to let you know, I have 17 dollars and change left to eat for the rest of this week and next week." He sighed as JJ patted his arm sympathetically.
"I said I'd buy them, but, don't worry, I'll cook for you."
Drake fiddled with his keys as JJ buckled up, the telltale pants resting on his knees folded in a black plastic bag with the store's logo painted across it. He slowly turned the key in the ignition and pulled into traffic while JJ flipped through the CD wallet.
He kept looking over to his partner who was thoroughly ignoring him, pouting to himself. He navigated through the light traffic easily.
"Hey, we're already late, can we stop at my place? I'll be quick." JJ said, putting a new CD into the stereo, which was arguably the only redeeming feature to Drake's beat-up Honda Civic.
"Sure." He said, heading southwest on Fifth Avenue.
He waited in the car, chain-smoking nervously. What now? What happened next? Did JJ just think this was a joke? Did he think this was just a joke? He puffed hard on his Newport, flicking the butt out the window and lighting another. Were they just fooling around? Did this mean something? He rested his head on the steering wheel for just a moment, holding his cigarette away from him. What am I going to do? He asked himself, as he jerked up at the sound of the door opening, nearly dropping his Newport.
"You okay?" JJ asked, poking his head in. "There's like half a dozen cigarette butts outside there."
Drake's mouth opened and closed, rather fish-like as he stared at JJ, who was wearing the pants, along with a fitted black blazer, with a white and gray striped T-Shirt reading "Empires" underneath.
"What?" He said, settling into the seat, tossing a small backpack in the backseat as Drake blushed and looked away.
"Nothing." He mumbled, pulling out of the garage and headed back uptown.
Dee finished his second beer and picked at the basket of fries.
"What the hell is going on?" He griped as Ryo sighed and took his hand.
"Drake is always late, you know that."
"But he's with JJ. JJ is always on time, if not early."
"So? He said they were shopping. It's not a big deal."
"Something is going on. I can tell." He said, pointing at Ryo with a French Fry.
"Why do you care so much?" Ryo asked as he shrugged.
"Dunno." He mumbled, staring into his empty bottle.
"Hey, so sorry we're late!" He looked up, seeing JJ all smiles and damn near glowing, looking incredible in his tailored blazer that hugged his torso, just short enough to accentuate the snug jeans.
"Hello, it's no problem at all--" Ryo started to say.
"Refill." He said brusquely, cutting off his partner, holding his beer out to JJ with a look.
He watched JJ's nose crinkle, eyes narrowed, in a stare that just said make me, one hand on his skinny hip the other hanging by his side, making no motion to move. Dee watched Drake's hand take the beer nervously, his other taking JJ's arm.
"Ryo can I get you a refill, too?" He asked as he shook his head politely.
"No thanks, I'm good still."
"Ok, come on, JJ." He gave his partner a little tug towards the bar.
"Something's going on." Dee said as Ryo sighed and rolled his eyes.
"Look, I know we're detectives but turn it off for the night, baby." He sighed. "Leave them alone."
"So there is something going on?" He asked, as his lover pinched him.
"Enough. I'm just saying no matter what, leave them alone. I'm as clueless as you are." He was frowning in annoyance and Dee squirmed like a schoolboy being punished. "And what's with you talking to JJ like that?"
"I always talk to JJ like that." He smiled as Ryo's frown got deeper.
"Well, you should knock that off too." He sighed, sipping on his Michelob Ultra.
Dee sulked in the booth, staring at the two at the bar.
Drake found an open space at the end of the bar and shared it with JJ, sitting him on the barstool.
"I'm sorry."
"Why?" JJ asked, looking at the big screen TV, pretending to be interested in whatever sports game was on.
"For Dee. I…I don't know what his deal is."
"Not your fault." He said, still ignoring him.
"Jemmy…" He begged, finally getting the blonde to look at him. "I'm sorry. I'll make it up to you."
"That's a start. Manhattan on the rocks, please." He smiled boldly as Drake laughed, his hand still resting on his sleeve.
"You look nice." He said finally as JJ pouted.
"Nice? Just nice?"
"Very…very nice." He corrected as JJ nodded.
"That's better." He grinned happily as Drake blushed and caught the bartender's attention.
Dee watched the two intently all evening. Something was going on between them. Something had changed. He knew that look on JJ's face. That lingering, warm smile, that playful, charming look in those stunning blue eyes. He knew that look. He'd caused that look hundreds of times before. He watched him finish off his second Manhattan, leaning against the wall, crunching on the melting ice. Dee kept his sights on him as he headed back to the bar, catching the eye of a tall brunette. He directed his attention back to Drake, losing miserably to Ryo in a game of pool. Drake had four balls left on the table when Ryo sank the eight ball in a triumphant display.
"Yeah, well you try and beat him." Drake said, handing Dee the pool cue, as the dark haired man laughed. He accepted the stick only after a flirtatious look from his lover, distracted by the promise of a challenge.
Drake turned around to look for JJ and frowned not seeing him anywhere nearby. He headed towards the bar and stopped, half hiding behind a pillar, watching JJ chat up some tall, dark, handsome guy. He swallowed hard, watching JJ flirt subtly with the other man, the way he moved, the way he looked up at him… He took a deep breath, overwhelmed by a sudden wave of jealousy, feeling severely ordinary in the remains of his off-the-rack clearance suit, not Armani, smoking Newports, not Nat Shermans. There was no going back from here. He had two options: admit defeat or go for it. He peeked again, as the brunette bought a round of shots, observing him eye JJ like a piece of meat. Oh, hell no.
He stalked over possessively and stood close behind JJ. He let his hand rest gently on JJ's arm, resting on the bar, smiling spitefully at the intruding brunette.
"Hey there, was wondering where you went." He said casually, catching JJ's eye. Oh, that impish twinkle in those baby blues amplified the spark of courage in him.
JJ's smile was charming and surreptitious as he looked up at Drake, then to the other man. "You have wonderful timing. Gregory, this is my partner, Drake." He raised the shot glass, brimming with amber liquid. "Cheers." He said, knocking it back with ease. For once, Drake wasn't uncomfortable with the multiple meanings of the term "partners" at all, in fact, found the word quite appropriate.
JJ's potential lover gave a polite nod, excusing himself soon after, pretending he had a call to take.
"It was nice to meet you." JJ told him, watching him leave, as Drake slipped into his spot at the bar, standing with JJ's knees brushing the fronts of his thighs.
"What was that?" He asked as his partner gave him a questioning look. He wondered how he could look so devious yet innocent all at once. "JJ…" He gathered all of his courage and said it flat out. "I don't want you going home with him tonight. Or anyone else. I want you to come home with me." He let out a small sigh of relief as JJ's smile turned into a full fledged grin.
"I've been waiting for you to say that all night." He told him as Drake smiled bashfully.
"Please." He tipped his head down, resting his forehead against JJ's. "You know, I really kind of love you."
JJ laughed against his lips. "You really kind of love me?" Their lips brushed as he spoke.
"Yeah." Drake whispered as JJ kissed him softly.
"Well, I really kinda love you too." JJ said quietly, a smile on his pretty mouth.
"One more." Drake said, signaling to the bartender for a refill, signaling for two. The bartender brought over two more with a polite smile.
JJ grinned at him as he raised one of the shot glasses. "What should we drink to?"
"Getting the hell out of here?" Drake suggested with a smile as JJ downed the shot, swatting his hand away when he reached for the second. "You're driving." JJ told him, drinking the shot himself, laughing as he slid off the barstool.
Dee scowled at the ball on the table that read 4, as he lined up his shot, cigarette poking out of the corner of his lips. Why did Ryo have to be so good at pool? It was embarrassing. It was bruising his manly ego. He had to win. He sulked as he scratched on the shot, seeing Drake and JJ return from their journey to the bar.
"Hey, man, we're out. JJ's had a bit too much to drink." He said, smiling. Dee knew that smile, it was the same smile Drake had plastered all over his face when he got lucky with one of his now former girlfriends. That sheepish, contented, sleepy smile. He stood up straight and glared at JJ who was clinging to Drake's arm, that same grin on his face.
"Don't worry, I got the tab." JJ giggled as Dee held the pool cue tighter.
"Okay, be safe, you two." Ryo said sweetly as he chalked up.
"I'll call you tomorrow, Dee." Drake said as he nodded.
"Please do." He grumbled as JJ waved.
He sat on the edge of the pool table watching them go, watching Drake's arm slip around JJ's hips, whispering in his ear as they walked.
"Why do you look so jealous?" Ryo asked, sipping on his beer as Dee jerked back to attention.
"What? I do not."
"Just leave them alone."
"Ryo, why him?"
"Why who?"
"Drake. Why did JJ have to go after him?"
"Sure doesn't look like Drake was fighting it."
"Well, he should know better too."
"What? I thought that nothing went on between you and JJ." He crossed his arms, staring him down as Dee looked away.
"Never said that anything did happen--"
"What? So now dating your best friend's admirer is off limits too? What's next, not being able to date your best friend's UPS guy?" He rolled his eyes and jabbed him lightly with the end of the pool cue, leaving a small blue dot. "Get over it, you look like you've been cheated on. Let those two be happy. You got what you wanted, remember?" His voice was steady, almost a lighthearted tone in his voice, but his eyes were filled with worry.
Dee blushed and hopped off the edge of the pool table. "Of course I did." He said leaning in for a kiss.
"Then stop being so jealous." Ryo told him before leaning in himself.
"I don't want him to hurt Drake--"
"That's funny. You're talking about the man who loved you endlessly for, what, six years, dumping Drake?"
"Well Drake can be a jerk."
"Well, JJ loved you after all…it must be a reoccurring trend." Ryo smiled as Dee sulked.
"You're so mean. Why do I love you again?"
"Because I'm hot?"
"Yep." He grinned as Ryo rolled his eyes, resting his cheek on Dee's shoulder.
"If you keep being a cheeky brat, I'm not going to let you win." Ryo said, always happy to have the upper hand.
Author's Note:
This is a gift for Daxemon, who just loved my random plot bunny. This fic was a while in the making sadly, my original idea kinda poofed but….the pants part is the same :B
This was an agonizingly fun piece to write, and in the process I somehow found a fondness for Fall Out Boy. (I'm still wishing I didn't…my friends won't let me live it down lol, one for liking them and the other doing a dance of triumph) I also got dragged to warped tour and discovered that the singer for The Academy Is…is very, very, very, (again, very) pretty.
So: play list for this: The Academy Is, Cobra Starship, The Dollyrots, Empires, Fall Out Boy, My Chemical Romance and Panic at the Disco. I dug down into the emo archives (with the dolly rots thrown in to keep me balanced). SO Hope you enjoyed, and all that jazz. Reviews appreciated.
Thanks Daxemon for all of your support :) also thanks to Poshu! And everyone else who has given me kind words (which would be all of you!) and I promise I'm going to check the formatting on this bebe before I upload lol. (ok, so im learning to just do my final edit on here instead of doing it twice, once in works and once again here.)
xoxo
PriyaLalita.