Title: Unexpected Places 6/?

Author: SP

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Nickelodeon and Dan Schneider and whoever else own everything.

Rating: K+

Summary: Because of the evil Mrs. Hayfer, Drake is stuck doing a project with that dorky Josh Nichols. But it turns out to be not so bad after all…AU.

Special Note: Tons and tons of thanks to folkloricfeel (justinebeckoning for you FFN types) for the awesome and helpful beta. Without her, this chapter would not be half as good.
Author's Notes: Slight changes to chapter four. Instead of Thursday, it's now Saturday. They've been at it for six days, not four. Only because I was annoyed with my timeline.

There's something in here that reveals that Josh is a fellow slasher/fic reader. Yay if you know what it is.

As Drake neared Josh's house, he saw a curtain move in an upstairs window and a face look out. He guessed it was Josh's bedroom and Josh's face, but he was too far away to tell for sure. He sighed. He still didn't know how to go about having this conversation, and he was still worried about all the possible consequences.

Drake looked up at the window again, but the face was gone and the light was out. He wondered about it for a second, before Josh's front door opened and someone who was unmistakably Josh stepped outside, holding the door open. He just stood there on the top step, silently, watching as Drake drew closer.

When Drake reached the bottom of the stairs, he licked his lips nervously, then looked up at Josh. He didn't know what to say.

"My dad's out," Josh began. "He won't be back for another half an hour. We can talk in the kitchen. Or the living room."

Hoping it didn't sound as bad as it could, Drake replied, "Actually, could we go somewhere more private? I don't know how long we'll be, but just in case."

Josh nodded slowly. "Okay. Then follow me, we can go up to my room."

Drake followed Josh through the house and up to the second floor, not reassured at all. It wasn't lost on him that their conversation so far had sounded strained and sort of formal, like they hadn't spent the past six days becoming steadily closer. He wondered if that meant Josh was angry or upset. Or both.

Josh pushed open a door at the top of the stairs and flicked on the light. The room was furnished pretty simply, with a bed, bureau, bedside table, desk and an armchair. And bookshelves--two of them. It was very Josh, Drake thought, especially with the many awards hung on the wall, mixed in with posters of musicians and various movies. He smiled inwardly when he saw the framed picture of Oprah Winfrey sitting on the desk, beside a laptop. That seemed like an extremely Josh thing to have, somehow.

Josh gestured to the armchair. Drake sat, while Josh retrieved the desk chair and moved it opposite the armchair, but not before surreptitiously turning the Oprah picture facedown.

Drake opened his mouth, not sure what was going to come out. But before anything could, Josh beat him to it.

"Drake, I'm sorry."

"Why are you sorry? I'm the one who freaked out and told you to leave for no good reason."

Josh closed his eyes and leaned back in his chair. "It wasn't for no reason. You figured it out, didn't you?"

"I figured lots of things out," Drake replied carefully.

"Like what, that you hate me?" Josh asked, opening his eyes again.

Drake leaned forward. "Josh. I do not hate you. Yeah, I realized that you have a crush on me--" Josh started to say something, but Drake continued, not letting him speak. "And I realized that you were flirting with me--"

This time, Drake didn't manage to talk over Josh. "I was that obvious? I'm sorry."

"Don't be," Drake said firmly. "And I don't think you were that obvious. Because…" This was it, Drake realized. This was the scary part. "…Because I didn't realize that you were flirting until I realized that I was flirting. And um, had been the whole time."

"I thought I was imagining that," Josh said quietly, looking down at his hands.

Drake shook his head. "No, that was definitely me. But--"

"But you didn't mean anything and you just flirt with everyone," Josh said resignedly.

Drake frowned. "Hey!" he answered, somewhat offended.

"Sorry. But it's true, right? It didn't mean anything."

"I don't--no. It's not true."

At that, Josh finally looked up. "So…what are you saying?"

It was Drake's turn to look away. He shrugged.

"Drake." Drake looked back at Josh. "What are you saying?" Josh repeated softly.

"I don't know. Just…Josh, when I realized you were flirting with me, and I realized that I was flirting with you, I just freaked out. And…God Josh, you don't understand--or maybe you do--but this is just…scary. I figured out that I maybe…not maybe…"

Josh frowned. "What? I don't understand."

Drake shook his head. This conversation wasn't going well at all. How could he possibly convey everything he'd felt earlier that night to Josh in an understandable way? Especially when he still didn't understand it himself.

An idea entered Drake's head, and before he could tell himself it was a stupid one, he leaned forward and pressed his lips against Josh's.

It was a chaste kiss. Barely there contact; lips to lips, no tongue. It only lasted a few seconds. But when Drake pulled away, Josh was left stunned and speechless.

Finally, he managed to stammer out, "Wh-what was that?"

"A kiss?" Drake suggested.

Dazedly, Josh nodded. "Yeah, I got that…what was it for?"

"I don't know?"

"Well, I can die now. My life is complete," Josh said. "Or it will be when I get an explanation."

Drake blushed a little, shifted his gaze. "I don't know when that will be."

"Drake," Josh said again. "I think I deserve an explanation."

"I know, but I don't have one. Not that will make sense. I already tried, remember? I'm no good with words."

"That's not true," Josh contradicted him, leaning forward to make his point. "Your song lyrics are amazing."

"Well, that's different," Drake answered.

Josh raised an eyebrow and started speaking. Drake wasn't paying attention. That eyebrow thing was way too interesting. "…and you're focusing on my eyebrow, not my words, aren't you?"

Drake jumped. "Yes. Sorry."

Josh shook his head tolerantly. "I said, how is that different? I'd say you have be even better with words to write songs than to speak."

"I don't think so. "

"Let's agree to disagree, then," Josh suggested. Then his expression turned serious again. "Can you just answer one question for me?"

Drake nodded slowly.

Josh nodded too. "Okay. That kiss--was it just because you know I like you, and you were curious about kissing a boy?"

"No!" Drake practically yelled. Then he lowered his voice and continued, "No. I wouldn't do that."

Josh looked at Drake appraisingly. Then he nodded again. "No, you wouldn't. So why did you kiss me?"

Drake froze, unsure of the answer himself.

"That's two questions," Drake answered finally, standing up and starting to pace.

"You're avoiding the question," Josh said, exasperated. "Can't you just answer it?"

Drake wheeled around and threw up his hands. "Why do people ever kiss other people, Josh?"

"For lots of reasons," Josh replied.

Drake resumed his pacing. "Well, there you go."

"You really don't know, do you?" Josh asked suddenly.

Drake flopped back into the armchair on his next pass by. "I…maybe. I…I thought a lot, after I--you left. But I didn't come up with a good answer. Just that I needed to talk to you." He snorted. "I haven't done much talking, though, have I?"

Josh reached out and put a hand on Drake's arm. "Maybe you could explain what you thought about?"

"I don't know." Josh just gave him a look. "All right, all right. Lots of things. Girls. Guys. You. Flirting. Relationships. Lots of stuff."

"Are you bisexual?" Josh asked gently.

Drake shrugged helplessly. "Maybe. I think so. I don't know. Yes."

Josh sat back in his chair. "So, what, are you going through some sort of a crisis?"

"What? No, I'm…a crisis?"

Josh blushed slightly. "Never mind." He sighed. "So, would it be fair to say that you're confused?"

"Didn't I say that?"

With a small smile, Josh shook his head. "No, not really."

"Oh. Well then, I'm confused."

"What are you confused about? Your sexuality?"

Drake paused to think about it. Was he confused about his sexuality? No, not really, he decided. He wasn't sure how he felt about it, but it was pretty clear. What he was confused about was Josh, and his liking Josh. Because yeah, he'd liked guys before--but it had always been because they were hot, or talented, or both.

But Josh was different, somehow. It wasn't that he wasn't either of those things, he was--although Drake would definitely use the word "cute" instead of hot, and his talents weren't the kind that Drake was usually drawn to--it was something else.

And then, he realized the difference between Josh and those other guys--and the girls, even. He'd gotten to know Josh. Josh had gotten to know him. And he wasn't just attracted to the outer, physical parts of Josh.

He was attracted to the inner, emotional parts of him too. There were definitely feelings involved, that hadn't ever been involved before.

That explained why it was so weird and scary.

"Oh man," Drake said aloud.

"What?" Josh asked.

Drake shook his head. "Oh man," he said again. "Josh, I--I'm kind of--"

"Freaking out again?" Josh suggested. "I can tell. Was it that you're confused about your sexuality? Or should I not expect coherent words right now?"

"No." Then, realizing that in fact, that wasn't a coherent answer, Drake added, "To both."

"Well, I'll try talking to you anyway. Because I'm confused too. If you didn't kiss me out of curiosity, then why?"

Drake, defensive without knowing why, snapped, "You're smart. It's not that hard to figure out."

Josh looked hurt. "You don't have to snap."

Instantly, Drake regretted doing it. "I'm sorry. This is just…hard. And scary."

"It's okay." Josh was quiet for a moment, then continued, "The only reason I can see for you kissing me, aside from curiosity, is that, maybe, you like me too. But then I keep telling myself that that would never happen."

"Why wouldn't it?"

Josh shrugged. "Because I'm me."

"Well, maybe I…" Drake trailed off, suddenly unsure again.

Josh pressed, "Maybe you what?"

"Maybe I like you," Drake admitted in a whisper.

"Do you?" Josh whispered back, with an half-hopeful expression.

Drake nodded.

And then, suddenly, he was kissing Josh again, without knowing who started it, or really caring, because this one was a little less chaste, and it just felt…right.