Title: Last Chance, Right Choice
Author: Paula K.
Fandom: Knockaround Guys
Pairing: Marbles / Taylor
Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: These Knockaround Guys belong to writers Brian Koppelman and
David Levien.
Warnings, Spoilers, Summary and/or Author's Notes: Plenty of spoilers
for the movie. Marbles/Taylor comfort story - the big guy helps the
little guy out. I wrote this from an idea that Ms. Mary threw in my
general direction (so I asked for it! sue me!) and I caught the
damned thing and ran with it. I go back and forth using Johnny and
Marbles for Seth Green's adorable character - I heard both when I was
writing it…I'm weird that way.
~~Last Chance, Right Choice~~
Matty handed Chris the keys, walking off with Teddy towards the
drive-
in. Marbles stood and watched the Town Car drive up a little. He
could feel every beat of his heart as he got in the back of the Jeep
and was unusually silent. Taylor watched him over his shoulder as
they drove back to the motel. The kid was pale as a sheet and shakin'
like a leaf. Both Taylor and Chris were kind enough not to mention
it, even though they both knew what was happenin' with `im. When
Chris pulled up in front of the motel, he and Taylor got out of the
Jeep but Marbles didn't move. Taylor nodded for Chris to go ahead.
Chris wasn't sure, but went anyway. Taylor would fix Johnny, of this
he was sure. Chris was pretty shaken up by Teddy's attitude, too.
Probably could use a drink and Taylor knew he had a stash in their
room.
Taylor moved to the driver's side, pulling open the passenger door.
Marbles looked bad. Real bad. Easing him real slowly out of the car,
Taylor pulled the kid in close to him, managing to shut the door
behind him and get Johnny into his and Matty's room without too much
effort. The kid was tryin' hard to keep it all inside. Taylor wanted
him to know he didn't have to. He shut the door behind them and
pulled Johnny in closer, wrapping his arms around him in a serious
hug. Even now, as pissed as Taylor had been at Marbles, he knew that
*this* was more important. To not be there for Johnny would be wrong.
He wouldn't turn his back on his friend and Marbles was always that,
even with all the stupid shit he'd pulled.
He held him for what felt like a long time. He wanted Johnny to let
some of this go. He couldn't be there tonight with this hangin'
over `im or Taylor'd never let him stand up with `em. `Finally, the
waterworks', Taylor thought, knowin' his friend. He'd never say
nothin', but while Johnny wasn't a crybaby, he wasn't the toughest
kid on the block, either. Taylor just kept holdin' him, rubbin' his
back. Finally, Johnny stopped cryin', but couldn't seem to stop the
shakin'. Taylor eased off the hideous tan jacket he told the kid time
and again that he hated and moved them to the double bed, sitting
them down. Marbles wouldn't let himself be pulled away from the
larger man, but somehow Taylor got his own jacket off.
He lay down and kept Johnny close to him, trying to get him to stop
shaking. He knew the kid was scared shitless. And he knew he had
every reason to be that way. Teddy Deserve didn't play. He was the
real deal, Teddy was.
"He's gonna kill me, Taylor. I know it. Matty ain't gonna be able to
stop `im either," Johnny whispered, his face buried in the crook of
Taylor's arm. "No one is. Teddy hates me."
"He's not gonna kill ya, Marbles. And Matty won't let anythin' happen
to ya. You're his cousin for Christsakes. Family still means
somethin'. You gotta know that," Taylor said, matter-of-factly. That
was Taylor. He was able to hide his insecurities - his self-doubts.
Only Taylor knew what Taylor was thinking.
"I don't wanna die," Johnny said, not listening to his friend.
Taylor pulled Johnny's face up to his, making him look at him.
Marbles was lost. Lost to the fear. Taylor flinched when Teddy had
backhanded Marbles and his first reaction was to move up and defend
him. Matty catchin' Johnny before he could fall was the only thing
that kept Taylor still. That and the look Matty gave him. That
pleading in his eyes kept him where he was. Moving would've been real
bad for Taylor. Friend or no, Teddy's guys would've taken him out,
easy peasy.
Marbles looked so sad. Taylor put both his arms around the kid again
and held his gaze. Time seemed to freeze. This wasn't new. Marbles
always came to Taylor when he was afraid. It killed the kid to do it,
yet who else was there? Taylor was the only one who could say
somethin' and have it be that way because he said so. Sure, Chris was
his best friend, but Taylor and Matty were Go-To guys. And neither
ever held it against him when he showed up at the doorstep with
trouble right behind him. Marbles knew he made Taylor laugh more
times than not. That he amused him and kept him good company whenever
they hung out. Hell, he was a funny guy.
But sometimes, not like now - when absolutely everything was in the
shitter - when he'd spent all night writin' checks his puny ass could
never cash in a million years, Taylor stood up for `im and things had
a way of gettin' worked out. And later, he always made like nothin'
ever happened. Matty didn't even mind, knowin' that Marbles was
always havin' some sort of problem and Taylor was everyone's answer,
not just Johnny's. But sharing Taylor and *sharing* Taylor was two
different things. And the latter didn't sit well with Matty. Just
with Johnny. Because it wasn't like he hadn't comforted the kid
before himself.
Without saying another word, Taylor pressed his mouth to Johnny's.
The scared kid against him was still shakin' and Taylor couldn't take
those puppy-dog eyes for one more second. This was what Johnny
needed. To know things was okay between `em. Those strong hands came
down to hold him at his waist, pullin' him up and on top of his long,
muscular frame. A choked, fear-filled sob came from within him and
Taylor continued to try to soothe him with his hands. He kissed him
softly, coaxing some of the tension out of him. As the shame and
dread seeped out of `im, Johnny seemed to sink down, heavy as if he
were dead weight, letting Taylor feel just how scared he really was.
Taylor needed to assure him. He liked this job. Was good at making
things better. He rocked the kid against his firm body, hoping the
fear Johnny felt inside would shift into something different. Taylor
was kissing him and it was nice, too. Marbles liked that Taylor was
kissing him. Made him think that maybe it was a little like the way
he kissed Matty sometimes. Marbles had caught `em doin' it one time
and while he never thought anything of it, he couldn't turn away. He
just…watched. Never said nothin' about that to anyone. And he
couldn't help thinkin' about it sometimes.
Taylor liked to kiss. Marbles didn't know it, but he was the third
person he'd ever kissed. When he was 16, Marbles was 14 and there had
been a fight and sure, Taylor had settled it, but Johnny'd gotten
hit. Hard. And history seemed to be repeating itself. Things then
weren't so different than now. Taylor'd never tell Johnny about
that `cause the kid looked up to him. Made him out to be a player.
Half of it was a joke, but Taylor wasn't like that and Marbles knew
the truth. Everyone knew the truth. Taylor belonged to Matty.
Taylor was half-grinning now, not that Johnny could see - his eyes
were shut tight. But from the way Marbles was grindin' against him,
Taylor guessed the kid liked the way he kissed. Well, he *had*
improved with age. And practice. Lot's of practice with Matty. And
Rosemary Connelly every Saturday before Temple for a month when he
was thirteen. What could he do? He owed her from a game that went
sour and she wouldn't take money for payment. She was a shark, that
Rosemary Connelly. A helluva kisser, too.
That being neither here nor there, Taylor pushed the thought to the
very darkest corner of his mind. And he pulled away from Johnny to
nuzzle his neck. Too much kissing. Taylor was startin' to get…well,
Matty wouldn't like how Taylor was starting to get and that was
enough to make Taylor stop. But now Johnny was shakin' for a whole
new reason. Taylor had found a hot spot and the kid was now rubbin'
against him but good. Johnny let out a cry when, after shivering as
his zipper came down, Taylor's hand eased inside a little. Still
kissing his neck, Taylor tugged at Johnny's shirt with his free hand,
tryin' to pull it out of his jeans so he could slip his hand further
down inside.
Johnny slid one thigh over Taylor's, spreading his legs a little to
give the fist closing around his hardening shaft more room to move.
Slowly, he felt that hand squeezing just right. Taylor did everything
right. No one knew that about him, either. How good Taylor truly
was -
and as good as Johnny was feelin', this wasn't what it was about. A
lot like an M&M, Taylor was. Soft and sweet inside. Getting there was
a bitch, though. Marbles didn't care. He was *there* now and Taylor
was still holding him. Makin' him feel like things would work out. He
was givin' him protection in the only way he could right now.
When it was over, and Johnny was just layin' there against Taylor, he
felt that arm over his shoulder and let out a big sigh. He felt the
rumble of Taylor's low laughter. Saw his hand reachin' for the
Kleenex next to the bed so he could clean `im up. And for a minute,
Marbles sort of wished that Taylor had let him touch him back. But
that was just for Matty. And Johnny wouldn't ever want to come
between `em.
Taylor was really good at makin' him feel better. He lay there
thinkin' that maybe he *was* wrong about Teddy. Maybe they *would*
all go home together. He didn't feel so isolated now. Somethin'
inside told him to believe he'd be okay. He'd go out with Scarpa and
they'd get some drinks and then head out to meet the Sheriff
together. He could see that happening now in his mind. The edge was
off and he could see tomorrow again. Maybe even the day after that.
********
"Guess it's just you, den."
Johnny heard the gun cock. He knew he'd done the right thing for
once. At the last, he'd made the right choice. It had taken a long
time, but he'd finally managed it. He'd been true to Chris and now
his cousin - his best friend - wouldn't get hurt. And even though
Taylor wouldn't ever know it, Johnny's last thoughts were of him
wonderin' if Taylor woulda been proud of `im.
(This is BY FAR my favorite of ALL the KG fic I've ever written. I
love this fic - which I cannot say for even *half* the fic I write,
regardless of fandom/pairing/content. That being said, I hope you
guys enjoy it, as well!)