On the Streets

On The Streets - Season Two - Part Eight

The Wedding Chapter

Kevin's Point of View<<< Saturday, 8 a.m.

I woke up, and stretched my arms out. A shaft of sunlight came in through the gap in the drapes, and laid across the bed with me. Then I noticed that someone else wasn't laying on the bed with me. I sat up, and listened for any sounds, coming from the bathroom or the upstairs hallway, but there were none. I really didn't want to get out of bed yet - today's my wedding day, I should get to lie in, at least a bit. I thought about lying down again, but changed my mind at the last moment, and stood up and stretched. My fingers brushed the ceiling, and then I relaxed and took a deep breath. I was calm, surprisingly calm actually. When I had to go through the whole thing with Kristin, I was practically wetting my pants, maybe that's what making the wrong choice does to you. I pulled on a robe over my pyjama pants and walked out the bedroom as I tied the cord. I was still listening for Jared, where had he run off to? I walked down the stairs and into the living room, this is where Jared normally sat when he woke up before me, if he didn't feel like lying in. It was empty. The TV had been turned on this morning - the standby light was on and I always turn the TV off properly before I go to bed. I walked into the kitchen, but once again, found it empty, and decidedly cold. I think the back door had been opened at some point, and the heating hadn't come on yet. I was getting a little concerned.

"Jared?" I called out.

"I'm in here." Jared's voice echoed from the dining room. I walked in, and found Jared sitting on one of the dining room chairs, his knees pulled up to his chest, and he was just looking out the window. When he heard me come in, he stood up quite quickly and turned to look at me, with a forced smile on his face.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"Nothing." Jared answered immediately.

"Jared..."

"Nothing's wrong Kev, I'm fine." Jared forced another smile, even weaker than the previous one. Then I saw the look in his eyes, I don't think he'd slept too well, but his eyes were getting misty, almost teary. I walked towards him, and held out my arms.

"Jared..."

"Nothing's wrong!" Jared said a little more desperately.

"Jared..." I said again, more insistently. Jared released a heavy breath, and looked down at the floor, his body shook once, then stopped. I stepped forward, and grabbed him around his shoulders. He clutched onto my back, and I held him. "Jared, tell me what's wrong, please?" I begged him, as my eyes started to mist up too. Jared pulled back, and wiped his nose on his bare wrist. He wouldn't look me in the eye. "This is about the wedding right?" He nodded. Then he turned and looked out the window. "Jared, if you don't want to go ahead with it, I'll just cancel it. You know I would." Jared still looked away. I walked up closer to him again, and laid a hand on my back.

"I don't want you to cancel it." Jared said quietly over his shoulder.

"Then what's wrong?" I asked back, just as quietly.

"I'm fucking scared, ok?" Jared yelled at me. I was taken aback for a second, then I saw the tears building up in his eyes. I went over to him and he grabbed hold of me again. "I'm not supposed to be scared. I haven't been scared about any of this, about any part of being with you, and now I'm scared!" Jared was crying. "I didn't think I put as much in this wedding as you did, but I... I just I don't know, this morning when I woke up I just couldn't stop thinking about it. I thought I was ok, but it's just so much." Jared's sobs were stopping.

"Jared, remember anytime you can say stop. The wedding doesn't have to go on, it can be cancelled." I told him.

"What about all the people, the stuff we've arranged? What about all of it?"

"I don't care. Jared, if you want to stop the wedding we will stop it." Jared shook his head slightly, and laid it back onto my shoulder.

"I love you Kevin."

"I love you too Jared." I mumbled into his shoulder, as I lay my chin against his neck. We stood there holding onto each other for about quarter of an hour, before Jared finally pulled back.

"I'm sorry Kevin. I really tried to get over it before you came down, but I just couldn't." Jared said, blushing.

"Hey, it's ok, I want you to tell me this sort of thing." I said as I reached up and helped him to wipe away his tears. "So, shall we stop it?"

"No. We've come so far, I won't give up now." I couldn't help but smile, partially because I was glad the wedding was going ahead, and partially I was proud of Jared for getting over his fear.

"Shall we go get something to eat?" Jared nodded his head slowly, and as I turned, he reached out and took my hand, interlocking our fingers. We'd never done that, well not really, we just weren't the sort to get so 'touchy feely', but Jared took my hand and held it, he looked at it, and then we walked together into the kitchen. I guess he just needed to be held for a bit. Jared and I got together some breakfast, well actually, Jared cooked it for me. Poached eggs on toast - I realised I'd never really eaten it until Jared cooked it for me, but it was really, really nice. We sat in the living room on the couch, and watched TV while we ate it. The news came on.

"In entertainment news, Kevin Richardson, the eldest member of the Backstreet Boys, is due to be married later today, to another man. Richardson's former marriage to dancer Kristin Willits was ended earlier this year, when he admitted that the marriage was a hoax, and that he is in fact gay. Our resources suggest the wedding is due to take place in Lakeland, Florida..." I muted it.

"Shit."

"What's the matter?" Jared asked.

"I was hoping the local networks wouldn't report this, and that they wouldn't give the location." Jared thought about this for a second, then I could see it click.

"Oh, you think some people might turn up, uninvited?"

"Well, yeah, and there might be some people who don't approve." Jared laid his hand on my back. I turned and looked at him.

"C'mere." He said with a grin, as he held his arms open for me. I fell into them, and laid my head on his chest. We just snuggled like that for about an hour.

At around 9:30, I started to lift my head, Jared groaned slightly, and held me there. I looked up, and realised he was asleep. He must have woken up really early, he hardly ever falls asleep once he's woken up. "Jared?" No response. "Jared?" I nudged him, and his eyes opened wide, and looked around.

"Oh, sorry." He smacked his lips together.

"It's ok." I smiled at him. "We'd better go get dressed though, we're going for lunch with Kristin and Britney remember?" Jared nodded, and we stood up. Once upstairs, we both dressed casually. I decided I liked summer with Jared, the hotter it got, the less clothes he wore, and hence the more skin he had exposed. Jared was now wearing a sleeveless t-shirt, and a pair of knee-length shorts, the sleeveless t-shirt had buttons down the front which he left open, so I could see the top of his chest. It was probably the least he could get away with wearing in a restaurant. I pulled on a pair of trousers, and a t-shirt, and threw a hat on to complete the appearance. I took it off again, and carried it downstairs. So we were waiting for the girls to arrive.

At 10, the doorbell rung, and Jared and I both stood to answer it. When we opened it, rather than seeing our best women, it was a short, dark-haired guy. It was the guy who was going to take our luggage for our month long honeymoon. I was having it shipped early, so that it would save us the hassle of carrying it with us. He and the guy who came with him started carrying it out to their van. As they took each piece, Jared and I checked it to make sure it was properly labelled.

"You know, you still haven't told me where we're going." Jared said once we'd shut the door on the luggage people.

"And I'm not planning on telling you until we get there."

"But there won't be any point in telling me once we're there!" Jared said in a whiny tone.

"I know." I replied with a grin. Jared started pouting. "No! No, no, no. I'm not gonna tell you!" I said as I held up a hand to shield his face. Jared took my hand, and pulled it down and then stuck out his bottom lip so far, it actually looked quite gross. "Stop it!" I said with a grin. Jared smiled. "I'm not telling you." Jared's smile gradually faded, and he walked into the sitting room. I frowned, he was acting kinda out of it. "Jared?" I walked into the sitting room, and found him sitting on the couch. He turned towards me, and smiled weakly. "Jared, are you still scared?" I asked, swallowing.

"Not scared, well, just nervous, I guess." I went over and sat next to him. "I love you Kevin." He said as he leant into me. We spent another hour or so just sitting there.

Jared's Point of View<<< Saturday, 11 am

Ok, I felt kinda pathetic, and I can't explain why I've been so scared all morning. Kevin has been wonderful, I couldn't ask for a better person to love and be loved by, but there's just something out of place, and I couldn't put my finger on it. Or rather, I just felt like I was out of place.

"Do you want to cancel the wedding?" Kevin asked me. He'd asked me this morning once already. I sighed, I couldn't cancel the wedding, I know people say you should never get married unless you're absolutely sure, but you're supposed to get nervous before your wedding right? Kevin stiffened under me. "Jared?" I'd forgotten to answer his question.

"No Kevin, I don't want to cancel." Kevin relaxed slightly. He was so looking forward to the wedding, he looked so happy today, everything about him just said that he was excited, and I couldn't help but feel bad that I was bringing him down.

"I don't understand Jared, why did you get so nervous so suddenly? You haven't been nervous before now have you?" I shook my head. "Then what is it? Did something happen?" I shook my head again. Kevin just kissed the top of my head. "Jared, I want you to tell me the truth if something's wrong, I want to know why you're suddenly so nervous." I took a deep breath. I wanted to be honest to Kevin, I wanted to be truthful, I decided to just come out with everything I'd thought about so hard that morning.

"Kevin, I... I, err..." Kevin looked at me expectantly. "Kevin, have you ever felt something here?" I pointed to just above my stomach. "When you think about me, do you feel it here?" Kevin frowned, and I knew he didn't understand. "Have you ever heard the expression 'to love someone so much it hurts'?" Kevin's frown disappeared, and he got a slightly upset look on his face.

"It hurts to love me?" Kevin asked, with a hurt expression on his face.

"No! No, that's not what I meant. It's not a bad pain, most of the time, it's just I can feel it, but when you're not there, not with me, it hurts physically, it feels like I'm not there, I can't concentrate, I can't do anything. It's like I'm only half a person without you." Kevin's eyes turned misty all of a sudden, and he couldn't seem to catch a breath. I see now, that it does sound kinda romantic. "And I guess I realised this morning, that I've been like this for a couple of months at least now, maybe more, and I guess it just shows me that my old life, where I was alone a lot, is over. I can't possibly go back, not now. But..." I shook my head, I couldn't say the next bit without hurting Kevin.

"Go on." Kevin urged me.

"Kevin, I still feel kinda out of place here. Not here, as in in this house, because I love it here, but here as in in Orlando, in this job, in this life. And without my old life to go back to, because without you, I can't, I guess I feel, well, a bit lost." I was confused, about my own feelings, and about the expressions crossing Kevin's face. There was definitely hurt, but he also seemed determined somehow. Kevin reached across and took my hand. He held it up to his lips, and kissed my palm.

"Jared, I love you. Maybe it's different for different people. But I know I'm never happy, truly happy, unless you're there with me. As for you feeling out of place, well, I don't know what to say. I thought you would've been happy with this as your home." Kevin started.

"No, I am happy, I love this home, this is my home, and I'm so happy I have it. The only thing is I guess I lived too long on the streets, and then you gave me everything - a job, a home, friends, and it still seems... unreal. Please don't think I'm like saying I don't want it or anything, I think it's just gonna take me a long time to get used to having everything again." Kevin nodded.

"I'll always be here for you, I'll do anything to make it easier for you, trust in me." Kevin said, then leant across and kissed me. I kissed him back, and we went back and forth like that. We started getting hotter on the couch, I was on top of him now, and one of his legs was wrapped around mine, when the doorbell rung. I sighed, and looked up at the clock on the side table. 11:30.

"It must be the girls." I said as I looked down at Kevin. "Guess we'll have to carry this on tonight." I smiled at him, and he smiled back. We stood up, and straightened each others' clothes out, then we answered the door.

"Hey Kristin!" Kevin said as we opened the door, and Kristin stood there. Just behind her stood the shorter figure of Britney.

"Britney!" I said, we both hugged our respective best women, and Kevin went to grab his wallet and things. Kristin grabbed Kevin's arm as he walked away, and turned him around.

"Kevin." He looked at her expectantly. "Do up your zipper." She smirked, and looked at me, I could feel my cheeks getting red, even though I knew she couldn't pin anything on us, that is, until she saw my cheeks getting red. "You two - you'll be on your honeymoon tonight, couldn't you wait until you get there before you start getting freaky on each other?"

"I'm driving!" Britney said as she held up her keys, and I started to follow her out. Kevin grabbed my arm and whispered in my ear.

"Is there any way you can persuade your best woman to let someone else drive?" He asked.

"Why?" Kevin shuddered slightly, and I couldn't help but smirk. "It can't be that bad, besides with all these other American drivers around, I'm surprised you can even tell that she's a bad driver!" Kevin shook his head, and we climbed into the car, me in the front next to Britney, and Kevin behind Britney with Kristin next to him.

"You know Jared..." Kristin started. "You're going to have to stop referring to us as 'those Americans'." She smirked. "After all, you're going to be living over here aren't you? So, you're applying for citizenship?" I turned to look at Kevin, I hadn't even thought of that. I'd been over here on a visa, which would expire before the end of June, that would put it during the tour. Kevin raised his eyebrows.

"I hadn't thought about it, but if that's what it takes to stay over here, then yeah, I guess." I smiled at Kevin, and he smiled back.

"Woah! Shit!" Kevin shouted as we ran through a light which had just turned red, then taken a sharp left. My throat had closed up as I gripped onto my seat, Kevin was laying across the back seat, his head in Kristin's lap. He quickly picked himself up and made a huffing noise.

"Oh stop complaining, we'll be there soon." Britney said in a perky voice.

Nick's Point of View<<<

"So what time are we heading over to Lakeland?" I heard Leo ask from the kitchen.

"Not until three, that'll get us there in time to get settled and everything." I replied.

"And Laura?"

"Kevin arranged a babysitter. He knew that it would be difficult enough for us without having to worry about Laura as well, so the babysitter will be here about 2:30." Leo nodded. "We're gonna have fun ok? I know we can't actually do anything together, cos I'm not out, and I'm sorry, I mean, I wish I could be and not worry about the repercussions, but I'm not Kevin. I know that my fans in particular aren't married women and gay men, and I'm stuck with pubescent girls. I wish I could come out, for us, then we could dance at the wedding." Leo nodded again, pursing his lips. "You're ok with a babysitter right?"

"Yeah. That's ok." Leo sat by me on the couch, and looked me in the eyes. Then he reached across, and laid his hand on my cheek. "God, you're beautiful." I couldn't help but blush slightly, as his hand made its way down my jawline, and then from my chin, down my neck. He moved his hand from the top of my chest back around my neck, and he pulled me to him. As we were on the couch, I ended up mostly on top of him. We started kissing passionately. I supported myself on my arms on either side of him, and he ran his hands up and down my back as my tongue forced its way into his mouth. I started to take off the quite tight long-sleeved t-shirt he had on, and attacked his neck, sucking and biting. He was moaning as if he was practically orgasmic, I reached down and felt his cock through his jeans, then he moaned really loudly, and I felt the front of his jeans get damp. I pulled back, and looked at him, and he had this blissful look in his eyes. "Sorry."

"There's nothing to be sorry for, I just wasn't expecting that, quite so quickly I mean." I looked down with a frown. I'd never had a guy cum prematurely on me before. It was kinda strange. "I wasn't expecting it to be over so soon."

"Nick?" Leo said questioningly. He took my hand, and placed it on his crotch again. "Do you feel me?" I nodded. "I'm ready." He was still hard. He wanted to go again. I grabbed him by the waist, driven by this new-found lust, which he'd never displayed before, and I pulled him up to me. I grabbed a hold of his butt and squeezed, hard. He moaned into my lips, and my tongue felt the vibrations coming from the back of his throat. I squeezed harder, and he jumped slightly. I held him up, and he wrapped his legs around my waist. He was grinding his still hard cock into my abs, and I could feel the moistness, a mixture of pre-cum and cum coating my abs, even through his jeans. I slowly moved around, and took him through the kitchen. I was planning on walking through the kitchen, and taking him upstairs, but I couldn't make it - my cock was aching in my jeans. I had both hands on his butt, and was partially holding him up.

I headed towards the large, wooden kitchen table, and dropped his butt onto it. Our mouths separated, and I tore off the wife-beater I was wearing. He attacked my pecs, sucking and biting on the muscle there. He started sucking on my left nipple, and I held his head there for a second. Then I pushed him back, and undid the buttons on his jeans. I yanked them off hard, almost making his butt fall off the table. He was wearing a pair of Calvin Klein briefs underneath. I stripped them off him a little more slowly, and his cock rebounded from the pull of the elastic waistband and slapped him in the stomach. He moaned slightly as his cock was exposed to the air. I dropped my jeans as well, and we were both naked. I pulled him to me, and just ground our cocks together, and our bodies together. My mouth was right next to his ear.

"What do you want?" I said in a husky voice into his ear.

"I want the hardest fuck you've got, I want you to ram me full of that thick meat over and over, I want everything you got." I breathed heavily into his ear.

"Turn over." I ordered him. He did as he was told and his butt was beautifully exposed. His legs were mostly hanging over the edge of the table, and I separated them, and walked in between. Then I picked up his lower half and lifted it upwards, I wrapped my arms around his hips, and buried my face straight into his crack. He was almost completely off the table, his arms supported the top part of his body, and I ate him out ferociously. My tongue plunged in and out of his tight hole. I licked around and around, sucking, chewing and biting on the sensitive orifice. Leo started moaning again, but I didn't want him to cum yet, so I slowly lowered him. He was lying on his front still on the table, with his legs hanging over the edge now. I pushed him so that he was completely on the table - it's a very big table. Then I held him by his hips and spun him around, so that his head was down my end. Then I pulled him towards me, and flipped him over, so that he was looking up at me, and his head was hanging over the edge of the table. "You'll get me nice and wet too won't you?" I said with a grin. Leo just nodded, and opened his mouth. Then I took my cock and slowly fed it into his mouth. Leo had told me how much he loved my cock over and over again the first night we did it. I'll admit, I'm kinda vain about it - I'm hung, and damn proud of it! Leo is uncut, which is something I've never seen on a guy before, but something I did notice is that the smells coming from his crotch are more... masculine, sexier somehow, and I reckon it's cos he's uncut.

My cock was feeding in and out of his mouth, I felt his teeth scraping against the underside of my cock sometimes. He was in a perfect position. My cock was pushing down his throat and he wasn't gagging at all because of the angle of entry. I could see the head of my cock going down his throat, and his Adam's apple bobbed as I pushed in and out. It was almost as if he was swallowing my cock each time. Finally, I felt I was ready.

I pulled out, and ordered him to turn over again. He did, and even lined himself up so that his ass was hanging slightly over the edge of the table, and his legs were spread wide - that's one thing Leo had which I admired - flexibility. I lined up my cock at his hole, and started to push. At first I could feel his hole gripping my cock, and his ass seemed to close in on itself, but finally, the friction gave, and I entered him. My head is somewhat wider than the shaft of my cock and once the head was in, I started to slide in easier. Leo was moaning softly, but after two or three pumps, and swivels of my hips, the moaning escalated, and it was almost full out porn movie style moaning.

"Oh God! Yes! Yes! Nick! Fuck me! Please! Just take me! Oh fuck! You're so big! Oh God! Yes!" Leo was out of breath sporadically, and then seemed to come back with pleas for me to fuck him harder, or faster, or just to make it rougher. "I need to see your face!" He begged me. I grabbed his right leg with my left hand, and started to lift it. Leo helped with his arms, and he literally screwed himself on my cock, so that he was now facing up towards me. I leant down to kiss him for a second, then came up, grabbed his ankles, and started fucking hard and fast again. Leo was clenching his fists over his eyes, and biting his bottom lip, trying to hold in the moans and screams he was making. He took his fists, and beat them two or three times against my chest, something he knew turned me on and just made me pump harder. I filled his ass over and over again, and he could feel my cock start to swell with the ensuing orgasm. I leant forwards, and his feet touched the table behind his head. This position gave me easier access to his hole, and I could pump deeper. The sweat dripped off my short, spiky hair, and over his lightly stubbled face. His chest had a sheen of sweat on it, and my hands slipped occasionally on his ankles which were also dripping. Leo started screaming, and moaning, and I felt his ass clench on my cock as his load was sprayed across his abs. I pumped for another thirty seconds or so, then grabbed his left leg, and licked from the knee down to the ankle, over his calf muscle. My cum spewed into his ass, and Leo reached up and massaged my six-pack as I filled him with my juicy cum. I released his legs, and they wrapped around my butt, holding me in until I had finished. I laid down on top of him, and licked his neck, tasting the salty sweat. Then I bit lightly on his chin, and then sucked on his bottom lip.

"I love you Nick."

"I love you too Leo." We kissed passionately.

Jared's Point of View<<<

I didn't want to leave Kevin, but our best women were taking us in separate cars so that we could get ready at their houses. I saw Kevin's back disappear off across the car park towards where Kristin had apparently left her car earlier, ready, and I started to follow Britney. Now I was really nervous, I know, I shouldn't still be nervous, I haven't been nervous up till today, I just wished I felt more like Kevin, like I knew that this was it, and we were meant for each other. I knew that what we shared was special, but could I... well, make it? Just as I was getting close to Britney's car, I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned around and there was Kevin with a slight smile on his face. He leant in and hugged me and started whispering in my ear.

"Don't worry Jared, we'll be back together again soon. I'm sorry I forgot that you were nervous. I love you Jared, everything's going to be ok." Kevin kissed me softly on the lips. I nodded slightly and smiled at him as he pulled back. We said goodbye again just as Kristin pulled up in her car which she had fetched whilst we were talking. He jumped in, and with a wave they sped off into the distance.

"You comin' Jared?" Britney called from the other side of her car. I nodded, and climbed in. We drove over fairly quickly to Britney's house, my arm banging against the door every time we made a left turn. Thank God Britney had an automatic, dealing with a manual car may have killed her, or everyone else in the car! "Right, it's almost 2 now, we've got till 3 to get you ready, then we drive over to Lakeland and get you hitched!" Britney said with a smile of pure glee. "What's wrong?" She asked suddenly.

"I'm nervous." I said, rubbing my chest slightly. "I don't know, it just came on this morning."

"Are you sure you're ok to go ahead with this?" She said sternly. I nodded slightly.

"I think so. I want to go ahead with it, I guess it's just normal pre-wedding jitters. I think this is the right thing to do, to get married to Kevin and everything, but I just, I guess some of my insecurities, about everything, my past life, how I could hurt Kevin, well, just everything, it's playin' on me." Britney nodded slightly. She sat down on one of the lower steps of her staircase and patted the step beside her.

"Jared, everyone gets nervous before their wedding day, that's normal, it's a big event. But you love Kevin don't you?" I nodded instantly. "Then there's nothing to worry about. Things might seem scary, they might seem downright terrifying, but things will all work out." Britney paused. "Do you remember before my wedding, when I came to your room and you helped me a bit?" I nodded, not trusting my own voice. "Well even though I was ok when I left you, throughout the day, I got scared again, and when I was in with my bridesmaids, I was practically crying my eyes out I was so scared." Britney took a deep breath.

"But the important thing is Jared that you know you love him, and that will keep your relationship strong and happy." I smiled at Britney.

"We'd better go get ready." I said, practically biting my tongue, trying not to show the fear I was feeling. Britney nodded. I took a big swallow, and spoke again. "Thanks Britney." She turned around and beamed at me. We walked up the stairs in hers and Justin's house, and ended up in a large spare bedroom. My outfit was laid out neatly on the bed. The grey dress slacks hung over the edge of the bed, and the deep blue shirt where the buttons were hidden by the flap was laid out neatly. As was a fresh pair of Calvin Klein boxer shorts and some socks. I picked up the boxers, and frowned slightly. "Is there something wrong with my own underwear?" Britney smirked and shrugged.

"What? That's what Kevin gave me!" I smirked and shook my head. "Go have a shower, and wash up, and be out here within twenty minutes." Britney ordered. I walked in and stripped off before climbing in the shower, and shampooing my hair and everything. We'd had it cut again, and this was probably the shortest I'd had it in over ten years. It was probably at most a couple of inches long, and we dyed it blond again, but left the roots darker, apparently it looked more 'natural' or something like that. I brushed my teeth and everything, and made sure I was clean shaven, before wrapping a towel around my waist and heading out. Britney was still there, waiting on me.

"Did you want something?" I asked with a grin. She looked up with raised eyebrows.

"What?"

"Well, I'd like to get some clothes on."

"We need to put some of this on first Jared." I looked confused at the two pots she held in her hand.

"What's that?"

"Stage make-up." She answered as if it was the most natural thing in the world!

"I'm not gonna wear no make up."

"You're right, you're not."

"Huh?"

"You're not going to wear no make up." I shook my head at her, and glared at her. "Look Jared, Kevin will be wearing it. He gave this stuff to me, to put on you. He wears it all the time when he's on TV or on stage, and when you've got one and a half thousand people watching you on the stage of a theatre, it's natural to wear make up. You won't even notice it, I'm just gonna put on a foundation, and something to make your eyes stand out a bit more." I shook my head.

"You're sure Kevin's wearing it?" I asked sceptically.

"Yes Jared!" She sighed. "Look, in a theatre the size of the one you're gonna be in, it's necessary." I sighed. I sat down on the bed. "You're not gonna be able to touch your face for a bit, so scratch any itches you got now, and sneeze if you have to." Britney said sniggering slightly. She started to apply this pinkish cream to my face. I was so worried that my face was going to be a horrible pink colour when I looked in the mirror, but she just carried on smoothing it in. I groaned slightly, and then just tried to relax. It took her ten minutes but eventually she was done, and handed me a mirror. "See? You can hardly tell you've got it on!" She was basically right - my skin had a slightly healthier tone to it - slightly darker, but still basically my skin tone. The white of my eyes looked slightly paler as she had put some sort of eye-liner on, though that also hardly showed. "It's a pity we don't have time to do anything about your teeth." Britney said as she looked over her handiwork.

"What's wrong with my teeth?" I asked.

"Well, nothing's actually wrong with them, but, well, dentistry isn't quite so... perfectionist in Britain is it?" She said carefully.

"Oh you mean I haven't had my teeth capped like Kevin?" I asked, running my tongue over my front teeth suddenly very self-conscious.

"Well, yeah, and you could probably do with braces on those bottom teeth, they're impacting." My two lower front teeth were pushed against one another, and they had a dip in the middle of them, the rest of my lower teeth were fine, just not those two. I sighed again, Britney wasn't helping with the worrying about the wedding thing. "Look, sorry, I shouldn't be saying this stuff now. Jared don't you remember how I... well, you know, I had a little crush on you, when we first met."

"Yeah." I answered quietly.

"Well, you're obviously very good looking then, I don't fall for many guys, but I actually envied Kevin when he introduced you as his boyfriend." I smiled slightly, it was kinda sweet, and it did get me to stop running my tongue over my teeth.

"Thanks Brit."

"Come on, let's get you dressed." She picked up the pants. "We've got a wedding to get to." She turned around while I pulled on the boxer-briefs. She turned back and handed me the socks, then the trousers. "Ummm... Kevin said you might want to wear... this." Britney said tentatively. She held from her left hand my rosary beads. I'd left them in the hall drawer when we'd come home from church last time Kevin and I had been there together. I guess Kevin thought that maybe I would want some sign of my faith to wear, but I don't need signs.

"I don't need signs." I mumbled under my breath.

"Sorry?"

"Never mind, err... no thanks, I don't need that." I said, and turned to pick up the shirt. Britney put the rosary down on the side table. She then picked up a pot of hair product while I buttoned up the shirt, and folded the flap over. The flap was stiff so that it stayed over the buttons.

"Right, sit down again, I need to do your hair."

"I'm sure I can manage!" I said with a grin.

"Hey, I'm your best... man, I should be helping you. Now sit down." I sat down just as I had done for the make-up. She started running her fingers through my hair, her fingernails lightly scratching my scalp, it actually felt really good, really relaxing. I could feel my eyes closing, and I moaned slightly. "Does Kevin know how sensitive your scalp is?" She asked when she stopped to get some more stuff.

"Uh huh." I answered dozily. Britney just sniggered, and applied the rest, styling my hair slightly messily, but somehow neatly at the same time. It looked kinda like Kevin's but obviously with blond going through it. Finally, she was done.

"Thanks Britney." I said with a smile.

"That's ok. I've got to finish getting ready ok? I'll be about ten minutes, do you want to come on through?" Britney motioned me out of the spare room we were in and into hers and Justin's bedroom. It was decorated lavishly, maybe a little over the top. I looked up, and the ceiling was vaulted like a church or something, the bed was a huge four poster, and the dressing table which had a large oval mirror on it was obviously an antique. Britney combed through her hair, and started taking off her clothes. I turned at the last moment. "Jared, you're gay! Do you think I have a problem about undressing in front of you?" Britney started laughing as I faced the opposite direction.

"Do you think gay men are never attracted to women Britney?" I asked slowly.

"Well, yeah, obviously sometimes, but... I mean, you're not like bi or anything are you? You're gay right?"

"I've slept with women and men Britney, so has Kevin, though I've been with more women than him, and, unsurprisingly, more men." I scratched my nose.

"Yeah, but you'd have to have strong feelings for the woman you were with wouldn't you? I mean you're mostly gay right? You just slept with a couple of women right?"

"Well, no it was more than a couple. And, what makes you think I don't have strong feelings for you?" I answered.

"Well..." I turned my head to the side. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Britney pause, slightly flustered.

"Britney, you remember when I ran away?"

"Yeah." She said warily.

"I did it because I thought I'd slept with you. I wouldn't sleep with anyone, even if I was drunk unless I had some sexual, and emotional feelings for them." I said, taking deep breaths. "You're a very beautiful woman Britney, it's hard not to think of some people that way." I stood up and walked towards the door.

"Jared, you already know I had feelings for you. I know this isn't the best time to admit this, but I have thought about you that way too. But, I just want to be friends." She sighed.

"I don't want anything more than that either, I was just saying, that's one of the things which is playing on me now. I'm nervous because of things like that. I'm sorry I made you feel awkward." Britney didn't say anything. "I'll let you finish getting ready. I'll wait downstairs." I walked out the room and down to her living room.

Kevin's Point of View<<<

I let out a gasp, Kristin and I had pulled up in our limo to the front of the theatre. All of the guests should have been seated by now, even though it was another twenty minutes or so to the start of the ceremony. Jared's limo had arrived about five minutes before, I got AJ to call me when he arrived and was in the room we'd sorted out for him to wait in. The reason I gasped was the press - we'd made an arrangement that none of them would try to get in, and none of them would bother us at the reception, and in exchange, we would give photos to every newspaper that asked for them, taken by the professional photographers. I stepped out the limo, and then helped Kristin out - the flashes went off in waves, our best 'people' hadn't been announced, so it must have been a shock to see my ex-wife as my new best man. I stood there for a second, just allowing them to take pictures of us, and then started slowly up the carpet. It could have passed for a premiere or something. I didn't like it at all, but I guess we have to put up with it. I just hoped that they wouldn't bother us on the way out too much. In the hopes of ensuring this, I started answering a few questions.

"Yes, I'm very happy to be getting married today."

"Yes, I do believe gay marriages should be endorsed by the state and the church."

"Yes, I love him very much."

"Valentino." Man, they want to know everything about you, even where your tux comes from.

"Otura Kanabe." Kristin answered to the same fashion editor. She had on a beautiful black slinky number that clung to her figure in all the right places, I couldn't help but smile as the cameras went off in her direction. She could always attract the attention.

"I'm sorry, we've got to get inside, we haven't got long till the ceremony starts." I said with a smile and a wave as we headed in. The cameras continued flashing until the doors closed, and we headed across the lobby. A couple of late stragglers caught sight of us and we waved appreciatively as we walked into a side room. Just after we walked in though, the door burst open again, and there was Britney, in a shimmery form-fitting outfit. "Britney? Where's Jared? What's wrong?" Britney gritted her teeth, and bit her bottom lip, and looked really upset.

"I'm sorry Kevin! I lost him!" She said so quickly it didn't sink in straight away.

"You did what!" I shouted at her.

"Kevin! Calm down!" Kristin shouted back at me.

"How can I calm down? We're supposed to get married in a few minutes, and I don't have a man to marry." Then I thought about it, and I started to get upset. "I thought Jared was ready, I shouldn't have... I shouldn't have forced him, I mean, I should have waited till later, or a lot later, I don't know... this was a bad idea. Oh God, where is he. Damn! Why can't he have been ready? I really wanted to marry him." I could feel the burning tears in my eyes.

"I am ready." I heard Jared's voice. The room had an adjoining bathroom, and when I quickly looked in, I saw Jared sitting on the toilet. He was sniffing and I could see a black tear stain that clung to his lower eyelid.

"What? What's the matter Jared?" I came over and knelt in front of him. He was sitting on the toilet seat cover. He looked up and saw Kristin and Britney in the door. He continued to watch them, and then I turned around. Finally, they got the idea, and ducked out, shutting the door behind them.

"I just wanted to see you again. I'm still scared Kevin, I feel I'm gonna throw up half the time, and the rest of it, I'm worried... I'm worried, I'm... never mind." Jared took a deep breath.

"What is it?"

"I can't Kev." I felt my face droop. "No, I didn't mean that, I didn't mean the wedding. I meant, I can't live up to you. I can't... I can't be anymore than I am, and I'm scared that's not enough for you." Jared was almost crying again.

"Jared... I don't... I mean, I've run out of ways to say this, so I'm just gonna pray that you believe me this time... Jared, I love you... I don't want you to be anyone apart from who you already are. I love you for you. The first night I met you, I knew what we would have would be special, and I know you feel something here too." I pointed to his heart. "Jared, if you want to stop this now, we will. But I am gonna love you as long as I live. I can't imagine not being yours, and you not being mine. It's fine to be scared Jared, but I know that you're more than I could ever ask for, I just wish you could see yourself as I do. If you're unsure about this though, then we're not going through with it." I stood up slowly.

"No!" Jared said. He grabbed my hand, and held it to his face.

"I'm sorry Kevin, I shouldn't be doing this. I love you. You've been everything to me. A second chance, a protector, a lover, a provider, a friend and I hope in about an hour, a husband. Kevin, I love you. I'm sorry I'm being so pathetic."

"You're not Jared, you're being like any other person who's going to get married, you're nervous and that's normal, but as long as you know in your heart that you want to marry me than that's all that's important. I love you Jared." Jared nodded, and stood up too. He kissed me softly on the lips, then looked down. I put a finger under his chin and lifted him to look at me. "I love you."

"I love you too." He paused. "Shall we go get married?" Jared said with raised eyebrows.

"Sure." I said with a chuckle. "But first, we need to sort this out. I reached over to the wash basin, and ran some cold water through, and with some tissues, started wiping off the makeup which had run. "Britney!" I shouted through the door. It opened, and she popped her head in. "Do you have any spare foundation or something?" She reached into her purse and pulled out a compact which she handed to me. I started reapplying it.

"Sit down." She told Jared, and while I was applying the foundation to his left cheek, she put some eyeliner over his right eye.

"God, I hate this stuff." Jared mumbled through clenched teeth.

"Yeah well, the best of us have to wear it." I said with a smirk, and finished it off, and so did Britney.

"Thanks Kevin." Jared stood up and kissed me again. Then he headed for the door. "I love you." He said, just as he was heading towards his own waiting room. We were supposed to head out of our own waiting rooms and proceed towards the theatre itself, and then we would each walk down one of the aisles, out of our own passageways. So there I stood. The two best women had already made their way to the front of the theatre, and were now stood on stage. The passageway I stood in was dark, and I could see the house lights were on in the theatre. So as Britney and Kristin both nodded their heads simultaneously to Jared and I, I stepped. Out of the darkness, and into the light.

TBC... End of Chapter Eight