Title: Calm Before the Storm
Pairing: Pauly D/Vinny
Rating: T
Summary: Mike's wandering eyes leave a bad taste in Pauly's mouth.
Disclaimer: I don't own shit.
Author's Note: Since this got taken down, and it is an integral piece of the damn story, I figured I'd go ahead and re-post it. Ha.
Warnings: Drama.
Mike's staring at Vinny again. It's the first thing Pauly notices when he makes his way to the bar at the club. Well, he's not really staring so much as he's outright glaring at the younger. And he's been doing it all night. It's one of their last club nights in Italy, and Mike's eyes have been locked tight onto Vinny ever since he and Pauly had wandered off to go dance. That was about an hour ago, Pauly thinks, checking his watch, and Mike's still doing it. Vinny's still out on the dance floor with Ron and Sam, and Mike's glaring a hole in the kid.
Pauly frowns, leaning on the bar and sipping his drink. He can't figure it out. If the DJ really thinks about it, Mike's been doing this shit for the last few weeks, shooting these odd little looks Vinny's direction that are full of almost rage. Pauly just can't think of a single thing Vinny has done to piss off their roommate this badly. Even if he did, Pauly can't imagine why Mike wouldn't have said something to him about it. Yet, here stands, sneering at Vinny across the club like a creeper.
"I know, right?" Jenni's voice sounds off beside him, and he startles, spilling some of his drink as he's spinning around to face her.
"What?" he's asking, grabbing a napkin off the bar to wipe his arm off.
"Mike! He's been trying to kill Vinny with his eyes all night. It's fucking creepy." the girl explains herself, leaning back against the bar and staring in the Situation's direction.
Pauly follows her gaze, nodding slowly as he leans back once more.
"I just don't fucking get it." Pauly replies.
"What's to get? Vinny's had you preoccupied all night and Mike hasn't even bought you a drink." Jenni tells the DJ with a laugh.
The older's brow furrows, and he turns toward the girl with a puzzled expression.
"Wait, what?" he questions, completely lost. The look on her face is one of almost shock.
"Wait..." she repeats, "You don't know?"
"Know what?" Pauly demands almost angrily, staring Jenni down now. All of this beating around the bush shit is childish; he's over it. He just wants to know what beef Mike apparently has with his boyfriend, and squash it.
"Pauly, Mike's been pissed off for a while now about how much time you and Vin spend together. Saying he feels like he lost his best friend or whatever." Jenni explains slowly. "Seriously, you didn't know?"
Pauly shakes his head, "No, I had no idea."
"Man. Well, it's been at least since...Miami? Not long before we left, I guess. Although, really, that was just me he was bitching to. Me and Ron." the girl trails off talking more to herself.
The DJ, however, is off in his own head. If Mike has been mad since Miami...the night the Situation drunkenly came onto him flashes through his brain. Sure, for a while after that particular Incident in Miami, he'd certainly avoided the kid. It's not like he hadn't had sufficient reason, though, Mike's completely unwarranted advances and Vinny's totally erratic behavior during that time-frame keeping him at a distance. And besides, he'd gotten over that a long time ago, letting bygones be bygones and spending more than enough time with the Situation ever since. He doesn't know why Mike has such an issue.
"I still can't believe he didn't say anything to you." Jenni says, her voice interrupting his thoughts once more. Pauly shakes his head quickly once more.
"Not a word, to me or Vinny." the older returns.
"Wow. That's weird. He's seemed really mad. He was even talking about trying to share a room with you guys when we get back." she tells him, and his stomach sinks just enough for him to notice. "I don't know if you should say something to him or not. I don't think I would."
"Nah. Fuck that. If he has such a problem, let him come to me about it." the DJ snaps sternly. He might be worried, but if Mike wants to be a bitch about it, let him. Unless...,"Unless, you don't think he'd do something to him do you?"
"I dunno. I want to say know, but...it is Mike." Jenni says. Pauly nods, turning around and letting his eyes seek out the man in question. The Situation is out dancing with a girl now, letting her grind all over him. Every few minutes, though, his eyes are back on Vinny, fire in them.
"You're right," he replies, "It is Mike."
"I'd keep an eye on him if I were you." Jenni tells him. Then, she's wandering off through the crowd to find the others, continue dancing where she'd left off.
Pauly kills the rest of his drink and orders two more, grabbing them before making his way back to his boyfriend. He stays close to the younger all night, touching Vinny whenever he can. He hopes the younger doesn't notice that he checks to make sure Mike's preoccupied before he does, though, doesn't want the Situation to see. He feels like his privacy has been invaded; if Mike has been watching Vinny this much, how often have eyes been on him? Pauly wonders how much Mike knows, how much he's really seen. That, coupled with the sheer anger that seems to resonate from Mike whenever Vinny is around makes the DJ almost wish that the Situation really would leave the Shore house when they return. It certainly would make the place quieter, he thinks. Still, if Mike's not leaving, then Pauly will just have to keep his eyes open, he tells himself, pulling Vinny closer. The last thing they needs is for Mike to do something stupid. And Jenni's certainly right: it is Mike.