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Chapter Nine: Lightning Bugs


"I... am the barbeque king..." Nick was saying as he dumped the steaks he'd bought onto his colossal grill in the backyard. He'd tied a kiss the cook apron around his chest and had a can of Coke in his fist as the steaks sizzled and hissed. He grinned over at Desmond and Kelsey, who were sitting at the table on his deck, and he closed the lid on the grill and meandered back to the table, where he put down the tongs he'd used to put the meat onto the grill on a tray. He sat and leaned back in his chair. "You ever barbeque, Des?" he asked.

Desmond shook his head, "I'm not a real good cook."

"By that he means his specialty is toast," Kelsey said.

Desmond laughed, "I made grilled cheese with an iron once."

Kelsey grinned, "I remember that. That was good." She looked at Nick, "It really works, just like in the movies."

"Do you cook?" Nick asked Kelsey.

"She's a great cook," Desmond answered.

Kelsey laughed, "Says the guy who can't boil water." She shook her head to Nick, "I can get by, but it's definitely not Che Kelsey or anything."

"She makes a mean Shepherds Pie," Desmond said, "With taco seasoning." He rolled his eyes in mock ecstasy. "I could eat that everyday 'til the day I die, I swear. And this meatloaf with feta cheese. Oh Lord almighty."

"He exaggerates." Kelsey laughed, "It's not that good."

"Yes it is," Desmond injected.

"I fuckin' love meatloaf," Nick commented. "You need to come over and make that sometime." He grinned.

Desmond glanced at Nick and a pang of jealousy went through him as Kelsey blushed and giggled and agreed to make the meatloaf sometime for him. "Only if I'm there, too," he said quickly. "You can't make my meatloaf and not include me."

Nick looked over at Desmond and their eyes met. There was a moment of tension that passed between the two that went unnoticed by Kelsey. Nick cleared his throat and broke the stare down first, breathing deeply through his nose and turning away. "Maybe we'll have some mashed potatoes with it."

"Or scalloped potatoes," Desmond said.

Nick glanced at him again. Desmond was still staring at him with the same intensity as before. He wondered if Desmond had a clue that Kelsey had called him her brother the night before and had laughed and said never when he asked if they were a thing. He wondered if Desmond knew he was fighting a losing battle: Backstreet Boy versus guy that had been categorized as a brother? There was no fight there.

Nick almost (almost, mind you, not quite) felt bad for Desmond.

Nick got up and went over to check on the steaks and the vengeful part of Desmond hoped they'd burn just since Nick had been so gloaty over his barbeque skills, but Nick flipped the steaks and everything looked fine, and the smell wafted over and Desmond felt his mouth water.

Despite how much Nick was annoying him with his obvious infatuation with Kelsey, Desmond couldn't deny that Nick did have some serious grilling skills. The steak tasted like food he'd expect to be served at the Taj Mahal. He found himself almost literally wanting to lick the plate when they'd finished dinner. Kelsey had enjoyed the steak too, and moaned in joy as the flavor had hit her tastebuds in a way that made both Nick and Desmond squirm in their seats.

After they'd finished eating and the sun had gone down, the fireflies came out and were buzzing around Nick's yard, dancing and twirling around each other. Kelsey's eyes twinkled, "I love the fire bugs," she sing-songed as she got up and pranced into their midst, spinning like a toddler, her hair flying out around her, hands in the air as she spun.

Desmond and Nick both stared after her as she went. She was across the yard when Desmond glanced over at Nick. "She's an incredible person," Nick commented.

"Yeah, I know."

Nick looked over at Desmond. "Did you beat the shit out of him?"

"Who?"

"The jackass that hurt her back home?" Nick said.

"Luke? No." Desmond took a deep breath, "I wanted to."

"I would've."

"He wasn't worth going to jail for," Desmond replied. "That's the only reason I didn't. Well that and he's a big guy. Big, big guy. And well." He indicated his arms, "I'm not."

Nick chewed the inside of his lip. "I think I love her," he confessed.

Desmond looked over at Nick, eyes wide. "What?"

"I think I'm falling for her, man," Nick said. He looked at Desmond, their eyes connecting. He knew exactly what he was doing: Kelsey had told him herself that Desmond was a giver, he gave things up for people, he helped others before he helped himself... if that was true then this would work, Nick thought. "Like I feel it in my gut somewhere. I've never... felt like this before. She just hypnotizes me or something. I could watch her spin like this forever. It's like watching an angel fly or something."

Desmond felt his mouth go dry. He looked back at Kelsey. "That's 'cos she is an angel," he answered quietly.

"I'll take good care of her," Nick said. "She deserves better than she'd had in the past, and I know you're afraid of her never getting it, but... Desmond, if you help me get her... I'll take good care of her. She'll have the best of everything. Pretty clothes, pretty jewelry. Flowers. I'll give her the moon if she wants it, anything."

Desmond's heart pounded in his chest. "You don't need me to get her for you, you're a freaking Backstreet Boy," he said.

Nick stared at Desmond. "Your approval means the world to her, though, more than anything I could give her to convince her to be with me. I can tell."

Desmond clutched the arm rests of the chair.

"You're like a brother to her," Nick said. He knew the words would sting, knew they'd hit Desmond exactly where he needed to be hit to weaken him. "She won't trust me unless you do."

Desmond felt sick.

"I do need you. I need your approval, and you know it, Des." Nick's eyes were all bur boring a hole through Desmond. He searched Desi's face with them. "Please. Just think about it, okay?" Nick asked.

Desmond nodded.

Kelsey came dancing back to them, her eyes sparkling as she landed in her chair, laughing. "You two should've come and spun around the lightning bugs with me," she said. "It was so beautiful."

"It was beautiful from here, too," Nick commented, and he winked at Desmond, who was staring at Kelsey, a look of sad resignation on his face as she blushed at Nick's words and her hair fell across her eyes.