Title: Time Bomb
Pairing: Pauly D/Vinny
Rating: Hard M
Summary: Alternate Season 5. Pauly and Vinny have returned from Italy relationship intact, and things are better than ever. As they move back into the Shore house with everyone, they plan to keep it that way. But when Mike crosses a line that can't be uncrossed, can things be salvaged, or were they due to crumble from the start?
Disclaimer: I don't own shit.
Author's Note: So here it is, the moment you've all been waiting for! My 50th fic! Whoo! Lol, I'm kidding, I don't really know if anyone else is as excited about this as I am, but either way, here it is! It's still not quite finished, but I've got a lot done, so I'll be updating (hopefully) pretty regularly. Anyway, this fic means a lot to me because of how in-depth it gets psychologically at some points. It's gonna be a bumpy ride, so hang on, boys and girls. I hope you enjoy. =)
Warnings: Violence, rape, emotional trauma, gay sex, much sadness.
`~From the get-go I knew this was hard to hold
Like a crash, the whole thing spun out of control
Oh, on a wire, we were dancing
Two kids, no consequences.
Pull the trigger, without thinking
There's only one way down this road.~
Moving back into the Shore house is always a hectic time, but coming back from Italy is almost a relief. Part of Vinny is going to miss being in another country, sure, but mostly, he's just looking forward to coming back to his and Pauly's very private room, in a completely closed, committed relationship for the first time on the Jersey Shore. He's unsure when, exactly, they're going to inform everyone (save Deena) that they're in said relationship, but he knows it's inevitable. Eventually, someone's going to want to know why they're not hooking up with girls, especially since they're at the Shore. Pauly has assured him that whatever happens, they'll come out of it intact, so he's managed to push it to the back of his mind and just focus on being back, having a good time.
And, so far, it's been a blast. They'd gotten re-adjusted to the Shore, and gone to the clubs a few times, and even had a completely drama-free Sunday dinner. Now, it's Thursday night once more, and the house is out enjoying another night at the bars, having the time of their lives. Finally, Vinny thinks, this might be the best summer at the Shore yet, nudging Pauly's knee with his own where he sits on a couch at Karma. Pauly turns to him with a huge grin, opens his mouth as if to say something, but before he gets a sound out, they hear loud yelling across the club. What is a club night without drama?, Vinny thinks, rolling his eyes as he and Pauly stand and make their way toward the sound. Of course, it's Ron involved in the fight, couldn't just be some nameless punks, and Pauly curses as they get close.
"Man, are you fucking kidding me? We've been home for one week!" he exclaims, and Vinny sighs.
"It's probably leftover rage from Italy." the younger mutters. It makes sense, after all. Ron hadn't ever really gotten a chance to lay his hands on Mike the way they all knew he'd wanted to.
"Well, whatever it is, he needs to cut it out before he gets us thrown out." Pauly replies, moving toward the fight to try an extract their roommate from it.
Vinny freezes, snatching his boyfriend back by his bicep as he notices that someone is beating them to it.
"Shit. It looks like it's gonna be worse than that. Pauly, look." Vinny says hurriedly, pointing at the Seaside police officers that are making their way into the crowd to disperse the fight themselves. The second two of them grab Ron, Vinny feels his stomach sink. This is just what they need right now.
"Oh, fuck," Pauly curses even louder, "Wait here."
Then, the DJ is rushing into the fray, following the police officers out the door alongside a hysterical Sammi. Jenni and Roger aren't far behind, Vinny notices, and he lets out a harsh sigh. Wonderful, he thinks. What a way to start the summer. But, Vinny's determined at least to not let the crap ruin his night, so he heads to the bar for another drink. Not ten minutes later, Pauly appears by his side once more, resting a hand on his shoulder to get his attention where he sits at the bar.
"Hey, they took Ron to jail, even though it turns out, it really wasn't his fault." the DJ explains, tone rushed.
"Holy hell, really? Shit." Vinny mutters in response.
"I know. Sam's freaking out, so I'm gonna go with her and Jen to get it straightened out. You want to come with?" Pauly asks, rubbing a discreet hand up and down his boyfriend's arm. Vinny relaxes into it with a slow exhale.
"I'm gonna be perfectly honest with you, Pauly. The absolute last place I want to be on a Thursday night is the Seaside Heights jail with a hysterical Samantha." Vinny informs the older very matter-of-factly. "You can go and have fun with all that if you want. I think I'll kick it here. Nicole and Deena are still around here somewhere, right?"
"Nah, I think they dipped out to go somewhere else a while ago." Pauly replies, and Vinny's face falls. That leaves..."I think Mike's still here though?"
"Oh." is all Vinny can manage.
Pauly almost laughs out loud, the younger can see it.
"Are you sure you don't want to go?" the DJ offers, and for a moment, Vinny actually thinks about it. Instead, he shakes his head, meeting his boyfriend's eyes with a light smile.
"Nope. Sorry. Much as I hate to say it, Mike is still better than a drunk, screaming Sammi. I'm gonna have to pass." Vinny says, and there's a second where Pauly thinks the older is actually going to try and stay with him.
"You sure you're good?" Pauly tries again, but Vinny's adament this time, shaking his head again with a laugh.
"I'm sure. Go on! Sam's probably wigging out wondering where you went. She probably thinks they're gonna kill Ron in jail or something." he tells the DJ. Pauly still seems to hesitate, so Vinny looks around before placing a careful hand on his lower back, just to calm him down. "Seriously. I'm fine. I'm just gonna have another drink or two, and then go right home. I'll be back before you are, even. Besides, it's me we're talking about. How much trouble could I possibly get in?"
And Pauly does laugh out loud at this, instantly relaxing.
"You have a point." he finally responds. Then, he looks around, double checking to make sure no one's watching before he drops a quick kiss on the younger's temple. "Alright. I'll see you when I get home, okay?"
Vinny just nods, face bright red, smile intact. He waits until Pauly has completely vanished from sight before flagging down the bartender for another drink. Just a few more, and then he'll head home, he tells himself, just like he told Pauly. No big deal. Right?
III
He never should have had this much to drink. Never, ever, he thinks, another wave of nausea coursing through his entire body. He's pretty sure he's never even been this drunk before, literally completely unable to move a single part of his body on his own. He feels so helpless, but more than that, he just feels stupid, standing here propped against a club wall struggling to hold himself upright. He would try and make it to the door, hail a cab and just get home, but he can't even really tell where he's at in relation to the entrance, everything coming at him in flashes of light and sound. He's so dizzy. He just wants to sit down, gather his thoughts for a moment, collect himself, but he knows he can't. Not here, not in the floor of Karma (and how ironic, he thinks that this seems to be his own karma for drinking so much in the first place, completely abandoned at the club by the others in favor of attending to Ron's equal intoxicated, but significantly more violent, shenanigans). He lets out a low noise that could almost be constituted as a whine, squeezing his eyes shut tight to try and block out his surroundings for just a minute, just long enough to breathe. Suddenly, however, a voice is cutting through the noise, making its way to his ears like a siren song over the ocean waves.
"Vinny!"
Vinny turns carefully toward what he hopes (and he can't believe he's even thinking that) is Mike's voice, his whole body swaying with the effort. Mike is instantly by his side, catching him with a loud, "whoa!" and holding him there. The older laughs, right in his ear, and Vinny feels the wave of embarassment wash over him. When Mike, of all people, is actually entitled to laugh at your level of intoxication, you know there's a problem, he thinks. He stops, though, reconsiders for a moment. The very fact that he's able to think so very clearly should indicate just how intoxicated he isn't. But why won't his body just move? He heaves out a frustrated sigh, and Mike laughs again, pulling the younger further into his side.
"Alright, kid. You've had enough. Let's get you home." the Situation tells him, and he thinks, thank God, for a brief moment before he goes back to feeling like a complete idiot.
To his credit, Mike somehow manages to wrangle Vinny to the exit with no complications. Vinny's impressed, to say the least. Normally, it's the older that they're having to finagle home. It makes him feel even worse, especially as Mike's stride stays steady even as they make their way through the crowds and into a cab. Vinny feels even worse when he can't even seem to hold himself up in a sitting position, instead having to lean on Mike for support even in the cab. He feels his face flush in what he's fairly certain is embarassment, considering how low his head is hung in pure shame, and the fact that he's pretty sure the body temperature rise from the alcohol set in long ago. For the first time in his entire life, he's glad that Mike's here, sure he wouldn't be able to get home otherwise. It's not until the cab starts moving that he really starts to feel uncomfortable.
The forward motion of the vehicle sends Vinny sliding forward the slightest bit as well, and Mike wraps an arm around him, pulling him close to keep him from falling out of the seat entirely. It wouldn't normally be something the younger would object to, grateful to even have someone taking care of him like this in such a bad situation, but out of nowhere, Mike's hand starts moving against his side, rubbing up and down it slowly. Vinny doesn't think anything of it at first, trying to brush it off. Suddenly, though, the older's hand has worked its way slightly under his shirt, right at his belt line, and his fingers have begun rubbing small circles into the skin of his hip. Vinny tries to shift away, but his body won't fucking listen, and he hates it. He couldn't possibly be more relieved when he feels the cab come to a complete stop, Mike moving away to help him out of the SUV instead.
When the older walks him up the stairs and into the house in the most simple, platonic fashion, Vinny pushes the earlier movements aside, convinces himself that it was just Mike being over-liquored and over-friendly. They get inside safely, Mike maneuvering him across the living room with a swift kind of ease that almost makes Vinny second-guess his sobriety. The younger gets increasingly more nervous as Mike completely by-passes the hallway, heading toward the stairs. Vinny does try to push away, now, turns to look Mike in the face.
"Hey, man, what are you doing?" he manages to question sloppily, nervous laugh on the edge of it. "My room's downstairs. You know that."
"Yea, but we're going to my room right now." Mike informs him, smile on his face. Vinny swallows thickly.
"Man, what are you talking about? I just want to go to sleep." Vinny objects, slur evident in his voice.
"You'll go to sleep, in a little bit. We're gonna have a good time first." the older says with a smirk, and Vinny feels a chill run up his spine at the words.
"Mike, seriously, I just want to go to bed. Take me to my room." Vinny demands, trying harder to get away from his roommate.
He succeeds this time, Mike letting him go right as he finally gets enough strength in his arms to push away. The Situation just laughs as the younger falls swiftly onto his bed. Vinny struggles to just make his arms and legs work, push himself up and off the bed, but to no avail. He feels himself almost sob as Mike drapes his lanky body over his own. Any other time, Vinny's more than sure he could not only fight Mike off, but beat him within an inch of his life for good measure. Now, though, the older man kissing his way down his neck, hands on his hips, he can't even move, too much liquor swirling in his system. He hates himself for it, the harshest wave of nausea yet crashing into him as the reality of what's going on sinks in. He twists his eyes shut tight, his breathing quickening.
"Mike, please, stop. You-you don't know what you're doing. You're just really drunk, dude." Vinny tries desperately to reason with him, and he wants to cry at the way it's increasingly difficult to form words with each passing second.
Mike chuckles, running a hand under his shirt that he wants so desperately to squirm away from. He can't believe his body is rejecting him like this. He is thankful that it's still nearly impossible to see, his vision completely blurred. He's not sure if he could handle watching what's going to happen as well. He can feel his whole body trembling from the sheer amount of mental anguish he's befalling, his breathing quickening even further as the shock begins to set in that holy shit, this is real life right now. And it's not as if anyone is going to even come home in time to help him, he thinks bitterly, Sam, Jenni, and Pauly too busy dealing with Ronnie getting arrested and Nicole and Deena too busy trying to get even more smashed than he apparently is. At the thought of Pauly, he makes one last ditch effort.
"Mike, please, you have to stop. I-I can't, I'm with Pauly, Mike, and I love him, so I can't, I can't cheat on him like this." And Vinny can't believe that he's admitting that to Mike before he even admits it to Pauly, but he can't help it, too desperate to just make it all stop. It doesn't, though, Mike ridding him of his clothes even as he speaks. He takes in another trembling breath, the words slipping out as almost a whimper. "Mike, s-seriously, I love Pauly, a lot, s-so you, you have to stop, please. I-I don't want this, Mike."
Suddenly, he feels Mike's hands on him in places he's never let the older touch him before, body pressing into him firmly, almost sealing him to the bed. Mike's voice, hot on his ear, makes him want to vomit once more.
"C'mon, Vin, relax. I'm gonna make you feel like Pauly never could." the Situation whispers.
Vinny only has to wait a moment before he realizes that the older's words aren't an offer, but a promise, in all the worst possible ways. Then, the pain is too much, taking over his every thought process. Mike's right, he thinks, because Pauly would never hurt him like this. All he can do is wait until it's all over. He's not sure how much time passes before Mike's had his fill, the whole thing going by in an inebriated blur. The next thing he's consciously aware of is Mike wiping him off, slipping his boxers back on, and gathering his clothes, walking him back down the stairs to his room. He wants to throw himself down the stairs for a moment as they descend them, end the whole thing here and now before the shock wears off and the brutal reality sets in. Mike gets him all the way into the bedroom, though, sliding him delicately into the bed, as if he hadn't just been manhandling him mere moments before. Vinny wants to cry, but he doubts he has any tears left. Mike goes so far as to tuck him in, folding his clothes and putting them in their respective piles. He stops by Vinny's bed on his way out the door, leaning down into the younger's personal space once more. Vinny flinches away successfully this time, thinking to himself, of all the times for the alcohol to wear off. Mike just smiles at him.
"I had a good time tonight, Vinny, baby. We'll have to do it again sometime." the older mutters, kissing him on the cheek. Vinny blanches, barely restraining himself from throwing up in the bed.
With that, Mike straightens back up, waltzing out the door and shutting it behind him. Vinny doesn't even move, just tries to force himself to block out the entire evening, just go to sleep. He does a good enough job faking it that when Pauly comes tip-toeing in a little while later, the DJ doesn't even notice that he's still awake, even as he leans down and drops a kiss of his own on Vinny's cheek. The younger has to make an actual effort to not whimper at that, especially when Pauly mutters a soft "buonanotte" against his temple before backing off entirely to get ready for bed himself. He spends the rest of the night in a fitful half-awakened state, images from earlier dancing across his eyes every time they're closed for too long. He finally manages to get up in the middle of the night and take the longest, hottest shower of his life, just to try and rid himself of the feeling of Mike's hands all the fuck over him. It helps the slightest bit, and he drags himself back to bed, exhausted.
As he drops back to the mattress, he lets out a sigh. He has no idea what to do. He certainly doesn't want to own up to it, especially when it's largely his own fault for being so damn drunk in the first place. And admitting it to Pauly? Yea, that'll go great. At the same time, Mike...he can't even think it, can't stomach it at all. Either way, everyone has a right to know. The fucker can't just stay there with them, not after this. They have girls living there, and if he'll sink to this level, god knows what else he'd do. Suddenly, though, Pauly shifts in the other bed, turns to face Vinny's general direction, and the sound of the movement jerks the kid out of his thoughts. Vinny's eyes land on him solidly, lock on tight. It's like his decision has been made for him. He can't tell Pauly. He can't tell anyone. He just can't.
