Disclaimer: Characters are Sutter's property as well and the show's. It's just fictional fun with fictional characters.

Chibs is a simple man. He only needs his club, his family and good whiskey. A fine woman with thick curves from time to time suffices as well but Chibs sticks to simplicity. He's lasted this long being the way he is so why change now?

Except something has happened to throw him off kilter and he doesn't know what to do. In the beginning he ignores it, chalks it up as being stressed with all the shit with Jimmy, the IRA and Abel missing and essentially just needing someone to share a smoke and laugh with. He didn't think of it as anything more, nothing beyond shooting the shit with a brother.

But somewhere along the lines he finds himself wondering why he wants to traces his fingertips along Juice's mohawk instead of pushing him away when he does something stupid. And why he finds himself gravitating to the young man whenever he can, especially when he sees something is troubling him. Out of all the members of MC, Juice is his best friend, he really is. Chibs just doesn't know when this happened.

{*}

"A'right, Juicy Boy, time to call it a night."

Juice just waves his hand before taking another long swig of his whiskey straight up. He's been more quietly lately, sticking to himself and Chibs notices that his usual bright smile is dulled and muted. When he doesn't make a move, he walks over and places a hand on his shoulder.

"Come on, Juicy."

Chibs moves his hands to haul him out of the chair when Juice reacts and not favourably for him. Within seconds, he pushed him away, no out of his chair.

"I don't fucking need help."

His words are slurred beyond reason, indicating damn well the opposite of his statement but Chibs doesn't argue. He just puts up his hands in surrender instead.

"Look, Juicy Boy-"

He is promptly cut off as Juice comes at him full force, fingers curled around his neck as he backs him into a wall.

"Don't fucking 'Juicy Boy' me, okay? I don't need your bullshit. I don't need any of this."

His outburst catches Chibs completely off guard and though he just wants to chalk it up as Juice being completely trashed and out of his mind. Chibs reaches out and places a hand on top of Juice's arm.

"A'right. A'right. Just take it easy."

And like that, it's like something snaps in his mind and Juice backs away quickly, like he's been burned.

"Oh shit. Oh shit," Juice mutters as he takes a seat once again and finishes off his drink.

Chibs is cautious as he approaches him, not sure why the younger man just exploded like he did. "Look, I didn't mean to piss you off. If you want to be left alone, I'll go."

"No, no. Stay." His voice is quite but Chibs hears him clearly, his pain too.

"What's going on?"

Juice shakes his head, his body slumped forward and when he turns his eyes to him, Chibs slings an arm around his shoulders immediately.

"Whatever it is, Juicy, just fuck it, okay? Fuck it all and don't forget I'm here for you. We all are."

There's a moment – a quick second perhaps – where Chibs thinks Juice is going to kiss him because his eyes flicker down to his lips and back right before he leans in. And when they hug, he cannot help but feel a little disappointed.