True to You

Sharing Drinks

1999

It was without a doubt the greatest morning of his life. Hands down. No competition. The. Greatest. Waking up with his arms full of Elliot? It was like a dream come true. Even the sound of ragged snores occasionally interspersed with moans that came from the spot where Brian lay sprawled on the floor hadn't ruined it. The moment when Val and Michelle had stormed the fortress of his bedroom to drag her off to do whatever it was that girls do had made his smile waver slightly but it wasn't for long. The memory of holding Elliot all night swiftly restored his good cheer. That and the sight of Michelle sticking the toe of her boot into Brian's ribs.

Days later Jimmy still found himself thinking about that night. He'd even lied to his mom when she'd gone to change the sheets on his bed and told her that Brian had been sick on his pillow case so he'd thrown it in the trash. The look she'd given him signalled that she found his claim dubious although that was probably because she assumed that it was Jimmy who'd hurled on the pillow case and not Brian. In reality the pillow case was now tucked all the way in the back of his t-shirt drawer. He swore he could still smell the scent of Elliot's shampoo on it. She'd promised to return the clothes of his that she'd borrowed. He could only hope that she returned them unwashed. There were several reasons why he hadn't asked Brian if he'd sneak into her room and steal them back from her before they found their way into the laundry. One being he was convinced that Brian would be absolutely merciless in giving him shit if he asked him – not to mention his extreme reluctance to discuss anything to do with Elliot with her cousin - and the other, and main reason if he was being truthful, was because he had a sneaking suspicion that this was how stalkers and serial killers started.

He'd felt like he and Elliot had been on the brink of something when Brian interrupted them with his drunken escape from Michelle. It felt for the briefest of moments like the end of the friend-zone, like if he'd kissed her she wouldn't have minded. But since then? Nothing. Friends, friends, friends. Like he and Elliot were dancing around a stupid fountain singing a stupid earworm of a theme song.

Jimmy took a swig of vodka before picking up a rock and tossing it at the bushes in frustration. Matt's parents had guests and had asked if they could lay off the noisy music for an afternoon. Seeing as Val, Michelle and Elliot had plans Jimmy, Matt, Brian and Zacky had decided to indulge in some good old-fashioned male bonding. In other words they were going to hide from their parents and get wasted. It worked for him. He took another swig and tossed another rock as he waited for his friends to join him. If they didn't hurry he'd have finished his alcoholic contribution before the others arrived.

"Hey! Watch out!" Matt protested pushing his way through the undergrowth as he dodged flying rocks. "Are you trying to kill me or something?"

"Or something," Jimmy muttered as Matt sat down next to him.

Matt dug a bottle of tequila out of his backpack and said, "You want some of this?"

Hell yes he wanted some of that. If he was going to be a fucked up confused mess over Elliot he may as well be a fucked up, confused and drunk mess over her. After all, wasn't it one of life's great truths that it was women that drove men to drink?

"Gimme." He took the bottle from Matt and handed him the vodka. Taking a long sip he sat with his eyes closed for a moment enjoying the burn.

When he opened his eyes again Matt was lowering the vodka bottle from his own lips and watching him closely. "What's up man? You seem bummed."

Trust Matt to notice. It was freaky how mature the guy could be at times. "Nothing really." Jimmy gave Matt a sidelong glance, Matt wasn't buying it. "It's just Elliot," he finished in a rush, admitting something he'd never have admitted to Brian. Brian was his brother from another mother but then so was Matt and when it came to his feelings for Elliot he just couldn't discuss them with Brian. On the whole Brian had chilled when it came to Elliot and you could even say that, after the night he Jimmy and Elliot had spent drinking and laughing in Jimmy's bedroom, they were almost friends. Competitive as fuck friends who hated each other half the time, but yeah, almost friends. But weird friendship with Elliot aside, Jimmy just knew that Brian would hate the idea of Jimmy and Elliot being together. He wasn't sure if it was because as her cousin Brian felt protective of her or if Brian just hated the idea of Jimmy with a girlfriend. Brian was heavily invested in the idea of him and Jimmy being single, professional musicians living the dream with all the women. And Jimmy never wanted to disappoint Brian so he'd keep quiet about his feelings for Elliot around Brian.