They had come back from yet another meet and greet where they had chatted and took pictures with the fans before the concert was to start. The media had been there interviewing the guys about all kinds of private stuff. 'God I wish that they can at least one person show some interest in our music and not just if we have a girlfriend or not,' AJ thought grumpily as he entered the small dressingroom at the venue. To tell the truth he was more than happy that the tour was coming to an end. Part of his bad mood was also because his girlfriend hadnīt called him back even if he had showered her with messges on her answering machine.
With a sigh he tossed todays harvest of stuffed animals on the floor before throwing himself down on the black leather couch. "Kiddie toys! How cool is that?" Muttering he continued, "Why the hell canīt they ever give us something useful? " Picking up a brown teddybear with a red bow he said with disgust,"these just look plain stupid."
"What are you talking about?" Brian asked, his arms full with beanies, roses and cards, all gifts that the fans had been giving to them. He placed them on the table, "Arent you happy with the gifts that they give to you?"
"Yes very." There were sarcasim in his voice. "but I would be much happier if they could give me subscription to Playboy or bodylicking paint or even better, a night in a stripclub!"
Brian looked at him in disgust, holding a hand up he said, "Ok I donīt wanna hear about your sexual fantasies."
The younger man shrugged, "Then why did you ask?"
Not answering Brian continued, "I hope you donīt talk like that infront of the fans. Management would have a fit."
"Well screw them," AJ sneered.
"Bone!" There was accusation in his friends voice as well as dislike in his eyes.
"What?" AJ looked up from his study of the teddybear, "seriously B-rok, who in their right mind appreciates and collects this kind of stuff?"
"Nick."
"He doesnīt count. I said in his RIGHT mind dude." His attempt to make a joke failed when Brian showed no amusement so quickly he changed subject, "Speaking of that dude..I canīt freaking believe him!"
"Huh?" Brian raised an eyebrow, "What do you mean?"
"Didnīt you see him?" AJ groaned, "One sec he is acting like he is about to get buried ten feet under ground, moaning and stuff. He even begged us to take him to a doctor and just when I have counted him off he starts to act like a frigginī three year old kid." He shook his head,"I swear that the kid is a basketcase."
"Whos a basketcase?" Howie asked entering the room.
"Who do you think?"
"Umm..Lou?" Howie answered the younger man.
"Close, but nope..itīs Carter."
"What did he do now?" Howie sat down next to the others leaning his head against the headrest, closing his eyes in the process.
"What didnīt he do?" AJ groaned. "Man didnīt you see the way he acted? He is high as a kite!"
"High? More like hyper," Howie stated calmly, his eyes still closed.
"High? Hyper? What different does it make? The guy made a total ass out of himself." AJ was in battle mode.
"Iīm sure itīs from the medication," Brian offered, "didnīt that doctor say that he was either going to get sleepy or hyper?" He let out a small chuckle, "didnīt we all know how it would effect him in the end? I mean after all he is Kaos!"
"Yeah but pretending to be Superman when youīre eighteen years old is a bit wierd, even for Carter!" Shaking his head he continued, "Man and the worst part is that we will have to perform with him too. The state he is in right now I wouldnīt be surprised if he actually went and fell of the stage or something."
"Oh my godness," Howie snapped his eyes open, "maybe we should really try and talk to either Johnny or Lou so he gets out of the show tonight. After all he was looking like shit earlier." It was clear that Howie wasnīt too pleased of the situation. "If he keeps up with this he will make a total fool of himself...and us."
"Now youīre not being fair." Brian was defending his friend. "He canīt help that he acts like that with the medication, beside the doctor said that he would be feeling better in no time."
"Dude, Carter doesnīt need any pills to act hyper. He is strange as it is without anything."
"Bone, he was just sharing his love."
"Love? My ass" the tatooed man grunted, "Itīs a rather strange way to show that..I donīt know about you but I donīt find it too funny that someone his weight wants to go for a piggy back ride on my back."
"He did that?" Now Howie was really showing interest, smiling.
"Yeah, you didnīt notice? Man he was attacking me from behind so I nearly fell on top of a girl."
"He did what?" Both Brian and Howie burst out laughing. AJ however looked crossed.
"He wanted me to give him a piggy back ride!"
More exploding laughter filled the room.
"Ok I donīt know what so funny but you know people can start talking, rumors, and before we know it they will call us the backdoor boys."
"Eww thatīs sick," Brian grinned.
"Whatīs sick?" Kevin opened the door, entering in the room.
"Nick being a backdoor boy."
"Huh?" Kevins expression was a cloud of confusion. "What are you saying?"
"Oh nothing," Howie filled in fast. "Just an internal joke."
"Oh..Ok..wathever." Sitting down the older man continued, "Iīve tried talking with Nick, but itīs like speaking to a brick wall. He is so hyped up that itīs not even funny. Lou and Johnny are scared as hell that the press will get wind of this since he acts like heīs punch drunk. Bad publicity is the last thing we need right now on top of everything."
Brian caught an irritated glare at his cousin, "Man is that all you care about? Publicity?"
"Um, what do you mean?" the dark man turned on his head, "why do you say that I just care about that?" There was a challenging threat in his voice.
"Because you know that Nick is sick and that he is acting all hyper because of the meds and all you can bitch about is what if the media founds out. Everytime Nick steps out of his bounds you get all worked up about it." Glaring at Kevin he continued, "If you really cared you would tell Lou and Johnny to stop using him all the time instead."
Now Kevins face was getting all red, "What? So you donīt think I do that?" Drawing back his breath he went on, "For your information Iīve tried talking to them on several occasions, but do they care? NOOO." Looking at Brian he continued, "That is alot more than I can say that Iīve seen you do lately."
"What do you mean?"
"You donīt spend anytime with Nick anymore, just sits by the phone talking to Leigh and then complaining that itīs so long before you get to see her. Canīt you see that he is looking hurt everytime you turn him down?"
"That was a low blow," Brian sounded hurt. "You if anyone knows that I both care and wanna spend time with Kaos and you know that I really miss Leigh too."
"Umm yeah,Youīre right that one was bad. Iīm sorry." There was honest regret in his tone. "Just donīt come telling me that I donīt do anything for Kaos cause itīs NOT true and you know it." With a deep sigh he continued, "I know very well that he has no business doing a concert tonight so you donīt have to rub that one in." With a tired gesture he swept a hand over his face, "but without him getting a red card I can do nothing about it. Nada."
"Calm down you guys." Howie said when things were getting really heated in the room. Both cousins glared at him, yet continued with their argument which was anything but calm. The exhaustion that came with being on tour too long was catching up with them and in turn it was effecting their mood.
AJ was the one to change the conversation, if not for the good but to a different direction and target. Trying to lit up the situation he cracked a joke, a bit carelessly, "I guess we will have to be stuck with Mister hyper after all. Letīs hope that he doesnīt do a stage dive or anything. He will crush the girls with how much he weighs." Grinning he looked at them noticing that the result didnīt quite come out as he expected. Howie stared at him with fear in his eyes, like if he wanted the words to be left unsaid. Kevin shook his head while Brian was litting on all four engines.
"Thatīs it!" he snapped. "Youīre acting like you donīt care about him at all. You just nag, saying that heīs immature and should clean up his act and that he will make you guys look bad. Canīt you see that he is having a really hard time touring? Being sick and all?
"Chill out man, canīt you take a joke? Besides heīs not here in the room, is he?" AJ was doing his best not to get too worked up since he sensed that Brian was just as tired and troubled as the rest of them. But Mr. Littrell was ready for a fight.
"A joke? Those jokes that you keep telling him is really hurting. Havenīt you noticed? Canīt you see that he doesnīt want you cracking things about his weight all the time?" Drawing back his breath he continued, "If you really cared you wouldnīt keep making a fool out of him all the time."
This time it was AJ that got seriously irritated, "What the fuck are you saying? Do you really think that I would spend my whole fucking night.. no wait two nights..babysitting that kids ass if I didnīt give a shit about him?" Staring with fire in his eyes he continued, "I didnīt see YOU out there taking care of the kid when he was puking so much that it looked like his toenails were coming up, so donīt come preaching to me about caring!"
"Yeah?" Brian sneered back, "You just did it because you were using him as a chaperone so you wouldnīt get caught clubbing. So donīt come talking to me about being mr. perfect."
"Well I donīt need to sit here and listen to your shit," AJ stood up, getting caught by Howies hand on his arm, "Bone relax."
Shrugging the hand off with a glare he continued, "I have news for you Brian. Think what you want. Walking up he opened the door, hissing, "I donīt give a fuck anyway." With that he slammed the door shut in the process. With a bang.
Watching his friend leave the room Howie turned towards Brian with a deep sigh, "Was that really nessesary?"
"Yes cus, whatīs the matter with you?" Kevin wanted to know, a worried frown etched on his forehead. "this is not like you at all."
To their surprise Brian stood up too, "Iīm just so sick and tired of all of you. All you think about is your own problems when someone..someone can be feeling like shit. Maybe dying or something." With that he ran out of the room too, leaving the two of them sitting with susprised expressions in their faces.
"What was all that about?" Kevin wanted to know, just getting a headshake back from Howie.
"I donīt know..but I think that Brian has been acting really moody lately."
"Yes," the older man nodded, "maybe it has something to do with him going in for surgery."
"Yes could be." Howie twisted his hands, "anyway we are in deep shit now. Two of the guys gone and the third one is acting like a drunk. What are we going to do?"
Rubbing his temples in a circular motion Kevin acted like he carried the whole world on his shoulders, "We have to talk with the Lou and Johnny. Get them to cancel tonights show." He frowned. This was not going to be easy.
