THE CHASE CHAPTER: 12 RATED: PG-13+ FOR INNUENDOS, LANGUAGE & MENTION OF DRUG USE
DISCLAIMER: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and storyline/plot are the property of september(25). No copyright infringement is intended. *A Special shout out to My Beta, OnceInALifetime, Who Puts Up With My Grammatical Errors Et Al Mistakes. A Huge THANK YOU For Your Time, Energy and For Accepting the Task at Hand.
SUMMARY: KRIS COMES HOME BACK AFTER LEAVING FOR THE DAY, NOAH GETS INTO TROUBLE, LUKE TURNS TO TAYLOR FOR COMFORT & VICE VERSA
Taylor and Noah came home around supper time with 2 large pizzas and a few movies to watch as well.
"I'll go grab Kris." Luke said. He went to Kris's bedroom and knocked on the door, but he was received with silence. He opened the door and found the room empty. He walked back out to the living room and said, "I don't know where he is. Did he say anything to either one of you this morning?"
Noah shook his head. "No. we didn't really think to ask him about what he was doing today."
"Maybe he went to work or out with friends?" Taylor shrugged.
"I'm surprised he didn't say anything to me when he left. I didn't even hear him leave. I was so into writing my book." Luke said worriedly. "I hope he's alright."
"Why wouldn't the kid be ok?" Taylor asked, taking a bite from a slice of veggie pizza.
Noah stared at Taylor and said, "Because, of the way you blew him off this morning at the breakfast table." He took Taylor's pizza out of his hand and took a bite as he narrowed his eyes at his roommate.
"I did not." Taylor declared and grabbed another piece of pizza.
"Did so!" Luke commented, snatching Taylor's new pizza slice and eating it.
"Hey!" Taylor looked at Luke, then at Noah. "What is wrong with you two? There's a whole pizza on the coffee table. Get your own or is it too much to ask you to bend over?" Taylor laughed and picked up another piece.
"Luke!" Noah teased, "He's asking us to bend over. You want to go first?"
"We're just messing with you Taylor." Luke laughed, "But you were a dick to Kris. You better be nice to him from now on. He's a person just like you and Noah and me."
"I know. I don't know where my head is at." Taylor said, putting his pizza down and putting a movie in the DVD player. He sat on the couch and got comfortable. "Join me?" he asked and patted the couch.
After 2 movies and only 4 slices of pizza left in the cardboard box, the three decided to go to their respective bedrooms and relax. Before they got up off the couch, Kris came through the door with a guy his own age.
Kris said a quick, slurred hello, then led the guy to his room.
"Hey!" Taylor called out irately. "Hey!!!"
Before Kris could open his bedroom door, Taylor ran to him and questioned, "Who is this schmuck?" He jabbed his finger on the young guys chest.
Kris snickered with and asked drunkenly, "Jealous?"
Taylor huffed, crossed his arms, and said with sarcasm, "No, I want to know whose name you're going to be calling out in the middle of the night." all the while glaring at Kris.
Kris giggled and asked his 'friend' jokingly, "What is your name again?"
"You're drunk." Taylor muttered angrily. He addressed the other guy, "Whoever you are, you better leave."
"His name... is Trent." Kris said and draped his arm across Trent's shoulders. "And he's not leaving."
Taylor pursed his lips and furrowed his brow. "Trent, go away. Kris, come with me."
"What if I don't want to." Kris asked with a smile, followed by a laugh.
"Do it." Taylor ordered with a stern look.
"Trent, go in my bedroom." Kris looked at Trent as he lowered his arm. "I'll be in there in a bit."
Trent quickly went into Kris's bedroom and shut the door as Taylor grabbed Kris's arm and pulled him into his room. He turned Kris around and asked, "What are you doing with that jerk?"
"Nothing.... yet." Kris grinned mischievously and gave a chuckle.
Taylor shook his head. "Are you going to sleep with him? Never mind. It's none of my business. Do what you want to do!"
"I will!" Kris yelled. "You can't tell me what to do. You don't want me, so I'm going to find someone that does- if it takes me forever."
Taylor's eyes softened as he stepped forward. He caressed Kris's cheek and said, "You're a terrific guy. It won't take you forever to find someone."
Kris reached up and pulled Taylor's hand off his face. "Don't touch me! You can't touch me anymore." he said, backing up to the door. "Leave me alone Taylor. I'm going to get over you somehow, someway." then he turned his back on Taylor and left.
Taylor heard the other bedroom door shut, then laughter. He sat on the bed and scowled.
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Luke and Noah exchanged a worried look.
"Should we go check on them?" Luke asked.
"No, let them deal with it, but I do feel bad that Kris brought someone home just to make Taylor jealous."
"It worked." Luke said, lying on Noah's chest.
"The poor guy he picked up thinks he's going to get lucky though." Noah commented and rubbed Luke's back.
"Maybe he will."
"I hope not! He's the rebound guy and he's going to get hurt." Noah explained. "He's going to feel used."
"Not if he knows what he's getting into to begin with."
"Yea, I guess that could be the case."
" Let's go to bed. We have to get up early because the guy that's going to put up our wall is coming in the morning." Luke said and sat up. He smiled at Noah and patted his thigh. "Wanna do it one last time without a wall and a door shutting us in?"
"Of cou-" Noah's cell phone rang. He looked at the number and mumbled a curse word and looked at the time. It was after 10pm.
"What? Who is it?" Luke wondered out loud.
"Just wait." Noah said to Luke and answered his phone. "Hello?"
"Tonight? Now?"Noah asked.
"Why? I thought they were good." Noah said with annoyance.
"You have got to be kidding me!" Noah shook his head in frustration.
"Yea, fine. In twenty. Bye." Noah hung up and cursed again.
Luke sat back down and said, "You have to work?"
"Yes. That damn Zachary didn't like how the photos came out. He called the photo director at GQ and demanded that I do them again."
Luke was silent, anxious and apprehensive.
"He told her that the pictures weren't very flattering and if I don't do them again he's going to demand that I be fired." Noah sighed and stood up. "I have to get my things and go. See you when I get home."
Luke stood up and hugged Noah. "What time will you be done?"
"I don't know. Depends how cooperative he is. You've met him. He can be an ass." then he said with a smile, "I love you. Go to bed and I'll wake you up when I get in for some lovin'."
Luke nodded, "Alright. I'll be waiting."
Noah got his camera, flash and film for the shoot and left. Luke stomped up the stairs to the loft and undressed. He pulled back the blanket and tried to go to sleep.
Downstairs, Taylor was almost asleep when he heard a mattress squeaking and someone moaning. He clenched his teeth and fought the urge to go to Kris's bedroom and yank him out of there. He turned over and squeezed his eyes shut, trying to block out the sounds. It didn't help; he could still hear Kris's enticing moans. Finally, more than 20 minutes later, it was quiet. Taylor breathed out and decided to try to go to sleep when he heard Kris and Trent talking.
Realizing he wasn't going to get any sleep, Taylor got out of bed and went to the couch in the living room and turned on the tv. He found a channel to watch and was immersed in a movie when Trent walked into the living room, gave Taylor a nervous glance and left. Taylor muttered, "Ass." and turned back to the tv. He sighed and wondered if Kris was alright. He wanted to check on him, but he didn't want to give the impression that he was worried about him, even though he genuinely was concerned. 'The guy had sex with Kris and didn't even stay the night. He probably didn't even cuddle with him. God Kris, what did you get into? Stupid kid.' Taylor felt really low that Kris would bring someone here and have sex right across the room from him. He was still wondering what to do when Noah burst into the house and muttered a string of swear words.
"What happened?" Taylor asked and stood up.
Noah shot Taylor a 'mind your own business' look and went upstairs. Noah sat on the bed and looked at Luke with trepidation in his eyes, debating whether he should wake him or not. He decided he'd better. He gently shook Luke's shoulder.
"Huuuhh?" Luke opened his eyes and smiled. He looked at Noah and instantly his heart stopped. "What? What happened?" he asked fearfully.
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Luke ran down the stairs and saw Taylor on the couch. Having nowhere else to go, he sat next to him and wept. Taylor looked to the loft, then to Luke and asked, "What's the matter?"
Luke lifted his head and leaned on Taylor, who hugged him.
Noah sat on the bed, fighting his tears. He undressed and made the decision not to go after Luke because he wanted to give him time to digest what he'd told him. He took a shower to rid himself of the shame before crawling into bed, lying there- wondering how his night had gone all wrong.
Downstairs, Luke whispered so Noah couldn't hear. "Noah... left to do a photo shoot with his ex. He got there and no one else was there except Zachary. Noah thought he was the first to arrive, but he found out later he wasn't. Zachary had sent everyone home, the lighting guy, the set people, all of them, before Noah got there." Luke hugged Taylor tighter as he cried quietly.
Taylor closed his eyes. He needed this hug too because of what Kris had done. He would have never thought he'd push the kid so far as to sleep with another guy, but he had, and now he regretted it.
Luke continued with a muffled sob into Taylor's shoulder. "Noah told me Zachary gave him a joint to smoke before the shoot. Zachary left to get ready or change or something and when he came out of the dressing room he was naked. He..... ohgod...."
"Shhhh... tell me." Taylor said, lifting Luke's face. He looked into his hazel eyes and felt like he knew what Luke was about to say by the pained look in them.
"Zachary.... that fucking sleazy..... fuck! He..... I can't say it!" Luke sobbed.
Taylor pulled Luke's head to his chest and ran his hand down his head to his back. "It's ok." he tried to console Luke.
Luke shook as he sobbed. "Taylor... they kissed." he mumbled.
"Luke," Taylor smiled, "Is that all? That's nothing. I'm sure Noah pushed him away."
Luke shook his head. "No, you don't know it all. Noah let him.... let him-"
Taylor frowned. 'This sounds bad. Real bad. Oh no!'
"He let that fucking model give him a blow job!" Luke cried.
"What??" Taylor said angrily. "Why? I don't get it!"
"Noah told me he accepted the joint because he was so angry at Zachary for having to redo the shoot and he thought it would calm him down. He... was high, but it still counts as cheating, right? Right Taylor?" Luke cried.
Taylor didn't know how to answer. "I don't know Luke. At least he told you."
"Noah said Zachary knows he smokes sometimes when he's stressed. I didn't know he smoked! Taylor, the whole photo shoot was a ruse to get Noah there so he could seduce him-- and it worked!"
Noah could hear Luke now because he was practically yelling and sobbing at the same time. Noah felt so bad, but he hadn't known what he was doing with Zachary until after he came, and only then did he realize what he'd done and felt incredibly guilty. He didn't tell Luke he yelled at Zachary and pushed him. Maybe he should now. He got out of bed.
Taylor looked into Luke's eyes and felt as desperate as Luke looked. He leaned forward and kissed Luke's full lips. Luke closed his eyes and kissed Taylor back with as much need as he felt on his roommate's lips.
Noah's heart broke. He watched Luke and Taylor for a minute, thinking they would realize what they were doing and stop, but they didn't. He couldn't blame either one of them. He cheated and he didn't deserve Luke. He turned away and went back to bed, hoping Luke would come up soon so they could talk.
Luke pulled away from Taylor, smiled at him and went back in for a kiss. Taylor moaned and added his tongue to their kiss. Luke wanted to crush his mouth against Taylor's, but he knew his swollen lip had to be hurting.
Taylor broke the kiss when he heard Kris open his bedroom door and close the bathroom door. He's probably taking a shower after getting fucked! UHH! Why do I care? I shouldn't.
"Taylor? What are we doing?" Luke sat back.
"You're hurting, I'm hurting. We're comforting each other, that's all. I'm not sexually aroused, are you?"
Luke laughed and shook his head. "No, you're my roommate. You're attractive, but I'm not attracted to you like that."
"Same here. I guess we should stop." he said and looked to the loft. "He might see us and-"
"I don't care if he does see us. He had another guy's mouth on his dick!" Luke's tears began to flow again. "I'm never getting involved with anyone again. He lied to me. He said he'd be faithful. He's just like all the rest. All men are scum."
"Hey, I'm a man." Taylor smiled and wiped the tears from Luke's face. "Am I scum?"
Luke shrugged. "I bet Kris thinks you are. Did that guy he brought home leave yet? Did they screw?"
Taylor looked down and said softly, "Yes, and I am scum. I shouldn't have pushed him into another guy's arms."
"Maybe that's what I did too? Maybe I pushed Noah into Zachary's arms." he sighed and rested his head on Taylor's shoulder.
"No you didn't. You are great. You didn't do anything wrong, but if you don't talk to Noah, you may lose him."
Luke sat up and said, "Lose him? I lost him when he let that bastard suck him off!"
"I don't think so. I think he's sorry and will want to make this up to you somehow."
Luke stated without a doubt, "I don't want him back Taylor. I don't trust him. I'll never trust him again!"
Noah turned over and felt the effect of Luke's harsh words overcome him. His body felt heavy with guilt and sorrow for hurting the person he was in love with.
"You should go talk to Kris." Luke stated, looking at Taylor's face. "You said you're hurting too."
Taylor nodded and looked down. "I am, but he seems to have moved on."
"I doubt that very much. He told me.... uh..." Luke promptly closed his mouth.
Taylor's head shot up. "What did he tell you?" he asked, curious about what Luke was about to say before he abruptly stopped speaking.
Luke averted his eyes. "He can tell you himself." he answered. "Ah, Taylor? I'm sleeping on the couch, so if you don't mind leaving now I think I'll try to cry myself to sleep."
Taylor hugged him and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "I'm sorry Luke. Will you be fine out here? You can take my bed and I'll sleep on the couch."
"No, I can't ask you to do that." Luke said. "Go to your own bed."
Taylor stood up, looked at Luke, then at the loft. "Just talk to him, when you're ready."
"I'm not ready nor do I think I ever will be. I'm considering kicking him out."
"You can't do that based on him cheating on you." Taylor said, "He could sue you."
"He wouldn't dare." Luke growled, thinking about Noah. He looked up at Taylor and said, "Goodnight."
" 'Nite." Taylor walked away shaking his head- angry at Noah for being such an imbecile. He walked down the hall and was about to head into his room when he heard crying coming from Kris's room. He rolled his eyes, but his heartstrings tugged for the kid at the same time. 'Everyone in this house is messed up tonight, including me!'
Taylor knocked on the door and asked, "Kris?"
Kris was sitting cross legged on his bed, crying with his head in his hands. "Come in." he said in a tiny voice, then looked up and saw Taylor's concerned face. He wiped the tears off his cheeks and tried to smile at the brunette, but failed and ended up crying again.
Taylor sat on the bed. In an instant, Kris moved forward and threw his arms around Taylor. "I'm sorry." he cried.
Taylor pulled back to look at Kris. He was somewhat confused. Sorry for hugging me? "What do you have to be sorry about?" he asked, then brushed Kris's hair back. He saw the blond close his eyes and sigh at the gesture, but Kris quickly recovered and with a sad, ragged breath said, "I slept with Trent. I did it to spite you, but you didn't care did you? I used him to make you jealous and it didn't work. I have to move. I have to leave here. I can't live under the same roof as you. I get it now. I fulfilled a need in you and now you have another need that someone else will fill-- and another guy after that. See? I'm not as stupid as you think." Kris's lips trembled and he moved away from Taylor. He nervously bit his fingernail and stared down at his blanket.
"I never thought you were stupid Kris, but I am." Taylor admitted. "I led you on and let you down. I pushed you too far and look what you thought you had to resort to just to get my attention. I should have went with my instincts and admitted my feelings for you."
Kris looked up and raised his eyebrows in anticipation.
Taylor opened his arms and said, "Come here."
Kris's heart sped up and he lurched forward into Taylor's embrace. Taylor kissed him on the head and said, "You know I care about you and what happens to you."
"You're not just saying that?" Kris had to ask to be certain. His heart soared when Taylor answered, "I mean it kiddo."
Kris let out a happy moan and rested his head against Taylor's body.
"Kris, before you go to sleep, I need you to move your stuff into my room. I'll help."
Kris sat up and grinned, "Really?!"
Taylor nodded, "Yes, but not for the reason you think. Luke and Noah broke up and Noah will need his room back."
"Why did they break up? They seemed so happy and in love." Kris frowned.
Taylor started cleaning out Kris's dresser and answered, "Noah cheated on Luke with his ex. That guy you saw me with at the club, Zachary. He's a model Noah was supposed to take pictures of tonight. Long story, short, Noah was high and let him give him a bj."
"Poor Luke!" Kris said sadly as he carried a bundle of clothes to Taylor's room. "What is he going to do?"
"I'm not sure. I don't think he's sure either."
Kris looked at Taylor and asked, "Where should I put my things?"
"Ah...." Taylor looked around. "In a pile on the floor for now until I can make room for you. You don't mind sleeping on the floor do you- just until I can buy a cot?" Taylor looked away form Kris's shocked face and laughed.
Kris gasped and said, "On the floor?"
"I'm joking." Taylor laughed harder. "You are going to be fun to pick on that's for sure." Chuckling some more, he went back to Kris's bedroom. They moved all of his clothes and belongings. Afterwards they were exhausted and crashed on the bed.
Taylor turned his head and asked, "How was he?"
"Who?"
"Trent." Taylor smiled and touched Kris's cheek.
"Oh him?" Kris blushed. "Um, alright I guess. He wasn't you. He wasn't experienced. He wasn't you. Oh, I said that already." he smiled.
"Hm."
"Hm?"
Taylor kissed Kris's forehead and said, "Yea, hm."
"What's hm?" Kris asked and sat up to look at Taylor's face.
Taylor smiled and stated, "You love me, don't you."
"I told you I did already. Days ago in fact." Kris said.
Taylor nodded and said, "I remember, I was wondering if you still do."
"Yes, I love you." Kris bent down and kissed Taylor's lips gently, mindful of the brunette's bottom lip, then he rested his head on his chest and exhaled happily.
"Kris," Taylor said as his hand touched his blond hair.
"Yea?" he asked sleepily.
"I love you too." he said and kissed the top of his head. He waited for Kris to react, but he didn't.
"Did you hear me?" Taylor wondered aloud. He could hear Kris hitch his breath.
"Yes. You love me. You said you love me." Kris turned so he was facing Taylor. "You DO care!"
"Yes, I do care." Taylor laughed and hugged Kris.
"You love me!" Kris grinned and hugged back. His dream had come true. "Are we boyfriends now?" he asked excitedly.
"Well... I suppose we are." Taylor's hand strayed and cupped Kris's butt. "No more bringing strange guys home, right?"
"Never!" Kris laughed. "I'm so happy! I want to tell Luke and Noah."
"Not a good idea. Let's not tell them right away. We don't want to throw it in their face when they're not doing so well."
"You're right. Too bad they're broken up. We could have double dated." Kris pouted.
Taylor laughed and pulled Kris closer. "Lets go to sleep. I'm so tired I don't even want to get undressed." he yawned.
Kris watched Taylor fall asleep, then he got up, turned off the light, and wiggled his way back into his boyfriend's embrace. He fell asleep extremely happy.