Best Man

As the hours passed, they recalled past moments with ever-increasing ease thanks to good food, good drinks, and good company. The gentle patter of raindrops against their window was soothing, but Jared prayed it stopped in time for the wedding.

"Michelle will be so upset if it rains. I bet her twenty bucks it would be sunny."

Avery was clearing the paper napkins and glasses, throwing them in the trash as he and Jared finished the last of the vodka. "I hope it's sunny, too. I hate traveling in the rain."

They left the radio on as each took turns getting ready for bed. While Jared used the toilet, brushed his teeth, and stumbled about in the bathroom, Avery changed into boxers and a T-shirt, dead set against sleeping under the blankets with Jared no matter how chilly he might get.

Jared emerged from the bathroom, pausing to turn out the lights as he went. The room was plunged into darkness and a distant flicker of lightning lit up the black sky.

Somewhere, Stone Temple Pilots were singing "Big Empty" and, stranger still, Avery felt really cold. He struggled with the heavy veil of sleep enough to recall that he was in bed with Jared. But his skin was covered with gooseflesh and he longed for warmth. With only the instincts of the mostly asleep, he slid out of bed long enough to slip beneath the blankets, then let his head fall back against the pillow. Comfortable and grateful for the warmth, he blurrily wondered what had awakened him. While he didn't like being cold, there were plenty of nights he left the air conditioning running when it wasn't necessary in his own apartment and woke up shivering. Then, save for the music, the perfect silence unfolded and his breath caught.

Jared always snored. From the instant his head hit the pillow, he only mumbled something about the wedding, then settled into a rhythmic pattern of lusty snoring. Now he was still, and the lighting was too poor for Avery to clearly see his face. An intake of breath followed by a long sigh sounded loud as a shout, and Jared reached over, one hand resting against his shoulder.

"I knew you were awake. Is everything okay, Jared?"

"I can't do this." Jared's response was a choked whisper, and in a moment of shock, Avery realized he was crying. "I love her, but I can't make her happy forever. What about when I get gray hair and wrinkles ... what if I lose this job and we have to live in a crappy neighborhood? Fuck," he cursed, his hand falling away.

Without a second thought, Avery slid closer to his friend, offering an embrace before Jared had to ask. His hurt was so raw and hot Avery imagined he could feel it rolling off him in waves.

"You're okay," he whispered as Jared shook in his arms. "I promise, Jare. It's going to be okay."

Jared was a dichotomy in Avery's arms. A well-muscled and solidly built young man with a confidence born of personal strength and loyalty he didn't need to assert. And yet, alongside this athletic and analytical bravado, there existed an uncertain man still trying to find his way. Avery understood. He'd been there. But unlike his own often painful and lonely journey of self-discovery, Jared would make his way in the arms of a loving wife and with the support of a treasured and proud family. It would just fall upon Avery's shoulders this night to remind him of this.

"I love you." Avery's words were barely a whisper, slipping through Jared's thoughts like silk. He moved in closer, tucking his head beneath Jared's chin as rain began to beat against the panes. Every cell in Avery's body screamed for this, but he would do what went against his nature. He would remain passive and let Jared lead. There was no doubt now that this was what he wanted and needed; he had just been too frightened and uncertain to put it into words. A gentle shift of the hips or sigh carries so much more weight than even the most sacrosanct of declarations, and this was a lesson Avery enjoyed learning again and again.

Jared's embrace tightened and Avery shivered, though from the cold or anticipation he could not say. He could visualize the pure unblemished skin of Jared's back. He'd seen it so many times before when they went to the swanky neighborhood pool in the summer or contemplated where they'd get a tattoo someday.

Heart beating frantically in his chest, Avery dared move a hand down Jared's spine, waiting to be rebuffed. Nothing happened. With great slowness, he drew his hand back up to join his other and Jared sighed but said nothing.

"Oh, God..." Avery's whisper was awestruck as one of Jared's hands traced the span of his ribs to his waist where it lingered. "You have to tell me to stop, Jared. Please. I love you and don't want to fuck things up. Please tell me to stop."

"If I need to, I will." Each word fell into the warm pool of Avery's soul, glittering there like gold.

Seized by years of concealed desire, Avery lifted his lips to Jared's jaw, gently brushing along his friend's chin as his grip tightened for a moment, then relaxed with an influx of euphoria. He just wanted to rest his ear against Jared's chest, listening to the echo of his beating heart as both men realized the magnitude of the situation.

Avery's flesh was warmed and finely tuned to pick up even the most minute of sensations. The weight of the blankets atop them made him feel secure, but the high-pitched need spilling into his hardening cock was on the verge of being a distraction. With a sigh, he let his lips linger on Jared's throat, and at the same moment, felt a tentative stroking upon the nape of his neck by Jared's large fingertips.

"I love you too." Jared's words were breathy and woven through with a thin silvery thread of panic. "Avery ... I don't—"

"Shhhh."

The guitar-heavy music they'd put on was a mere droning in the background. Here, there was only Avery's certain hands and Jared's unsteady breaths. Avery longed to kiss his friend's sensual lips, but couldn't bring himself to cross that boundary of intimacy for fear of things going where they dared not go.

Avery groaned softly as Jared's knee shifted, pressing momentarily against his groin. With a start, Jared drew back, his touch growing hesitant. "No. That was fine," Avery reassured. "Don't worry, Jared. You won't hurt me."

Desperation made their gestures tense. Avery wanted the most of this moment, honored that he would likely be the only man to know this aspect of Jared's personality. Jared moved out of confusion and desire, his mind still fogged with sleep and alcohol. With the decision that he was in for a pound and way beyond the penny, he drew lingering fingers down over Avery's chest. There was no conflict as his instincts took over, his fingertips seeking then finding the elastic band of his friend's boxers. Diving past that, he sought the hot velvety shaft of Avery's cock and the blond winced and let out a long, shuddering breath.

In the near pitch darkness, Avery let his hands seek Jared under his clothes as well, his ability to think becoming more blurred with desire as Jared began to jerk his cock with a modicum of roughness. The sensation was almost painful, but still he was overwhelmed by the consuming flame of forbidden pleasure.

block quote Jared hissed through gritted teeth, tightening his grip on Avery as they both drew nearer to climax. block quote end

"Fuck," Jared hissed through gritted teeth, tightening his grip on Avery as they both drew nearer to climax. "Oh, my God, Avery..."

Avery moved in to kiss Jared's neck and they both tensed, one another's cocks throbbing and spilling hot bursts of semen against their palms. The earnestness in Avery's eyes was concealed by darkness, emboldening him to move up Jared's body and give him a soft kiss on the lips. "I love you so much, Jared. I want you to remember that. No matter how you feel in the morning."

Jared reached for Avery, taking him in his arms and pulling him close, his voice already low with exhaustion.

"I love you too, Avery. More than I can say."

"You look good," Trace reassured. "Michelle's going to cream her—" Jared gave him a warning look. "She's going to be really glad she picked you."

The two men stood before the bureau in their black tuxedos and boutonnières, both obviously nervous.

In the commotion of putting on shoes, taking one last look at their hair, and taking a swig of liquid courage to take the edge off, neither noticed Avery's silent exit from the bathroom until he stood directly behind them. An arrestingly handsome figure in the same suit, his looks made him look like a Greek god in his Lauren tux. "Well, are we ready to go?"

They all offered each other reassuring pats on the back, and then Avery picked up his suitcase and took one last glance around his room to make sure he had everything.

How different things seemed in the stark morning light. All professional and business like. Trace and Jared were waiting by the door as Avery followed, flicking off the last light as he stepped into the hall. Dressed in half shadow, the room where he and Jared had shared touches most friends never know would forever be frozen in time through the lens of his mind's eye. Yes, in an hour he was going to give away his best friend and the love of his life, but there was a piece of him that would always be held in his fragile and cautious embrace.