Pain thundered in my head the second my brain registered that there was even pain there. It was an insistent pain that left me moaning in agony. Oh God I felt like dying... The pain was so severe, so extreme, that I didn't want to face it or be bothered by it.

But I had to as I awakened and my eyes slowly opened. The shades in front of the window were closed together, to prevent sunlight from peeking and disturbing me. Thank fucking God.

But then I saw the hump sleeping in the next bed, the long dark hair a wild mess and I remembered the night before. I remembered why exactly I hurt so much....

I'd gone back to the party to find Munky chatting drunkenly with Kare Bear and Caco. Head was nowhere in sight and I was glad, needing to talk to Munky privately since he was the only one who knew about me and David. I'd made my way through the crowd towards where he, Kare Bear and Caco were, oblivious to the people greeting me and calling me over to chat with them. Munky had noticed me once I was nearly there and he'd immediately came up to me, asking me what was wrong. I'd begun to cry again, too tired and too weak to stop myself or hide it from anyone who was sober enough to be curious. Munky had pulled me away from the crowd the second I'd stuttered out David's name in between my hiccups and sobs and led me into the hallway.

The second we were out in the hallway, out of earshot of any of the party-goers, I'd began to cry harder, and he'd wrapped his arms around me. Leave it to James to know exactly how to comfort someone.

"Come on..." he'd said softly into my ear. "We're going for a walk."

I had wanted to object, but I didn't have the energy to and so let him lead me into an elevator and out of the hotel. It was pretty late - or early, whichever you want to call it - probably almost 5:00 in the morning and the sky was beginning to lighten to the East. But I didn't care... I didn't care...

Munky and I walked for a few minutes in silence, hearing the sounds of early morning traffic in the far off distance. Finally, I couldn't take it anymore and just spilled out the whole story to Munky, everything that I'd said to David, everything he'd said to me... The way we'd begun to yell at each other, the fact that David wouldn't let me touch him, him crying like a baby. Everything.

James had listened tentatively the whole time, never once interrupting to put his two cents in or state his opinion on a comment or telling me I should have done this or shouldn't have done that. And I was grateful, I didn't need to feel any worse than I already did by hearing criticism directed at me.

We'd talked for a bit longer, circling the block at least five times, before he suggested we go back in. By then, I'd calmed down slightly and the world was slowly spinning. I'd drank too much at the party and I'd had a headache by then, from the drinking and from crying so much. So we'd headed back to the floor where all our hotel rooms were and he'd suggested I sleep in his room - on a separate bed of, course. Fuck he just HAD to add that...

"Gotta make you smile somehow..." he'd said.

I'd wondered about Head, since I knew that Brian and James were sharing a room, but he'd explained that Rebekah had showed up as a surprise and had already gotten herself a room, so the two of them had left the party earlier. So James had the room all to himself and he'd said that I should sleep in his room, to give David time alone to think. To give myself time alone to think...

And so here I was, sleeping in the extra bed in Munky's room, suffering from the single worst headache man could ever experience. It didn't just pound in the typical spots that ached from a hangover, but also throbbed around my temples and that, I knew, was from all the crying I'd done the night before.

I clutched my head for a second, moaning at the pain and begging it to go away and leave me alone. I layed there until it became slightly less agonizing, as I became used to it, and got out of the bed. I left Munky's room and stared for a moment or two at the door to mine and David's hotel room before sighing and making my way to the elevator. I needed more time to think about this before I faced him.

I took the elevator to the first floor and made my way to the hotel restaurant. I wasn't going to eat, I wasn't in the mood for food, but I needed to go somewhere and my weak, hungover body just didn't want to walk too far. So the hotel restaurant it was. I sat myself down at a small table and ordered a cup of coffee and a bagel just for the Hell of it.

I sat for a long time, my mind wandering and replaying the fight between myself and David over and over. I thought about the things that he'd said to me, the things I said to him. I know that I'd been hard on him, I hadn't seen it the way he did until it was too late and I began wondering if would be too late forever...

A hand suddenly came into my view and the fingers snapped, startling me and causing me to jump slightly. I looked up and found Munky standing beside me, a sympathetic expression in his eyes.

"You look like some heart broken love sick teenager, Reg, you know that, dontcha?" he told me jokingly and then had a seat across from me.

I merely shrugged, not really in the mood for jokes. "I guess..." I mumbled.

A waitress came up to take Munky's order and he ordered a cup of coffee and BLT sandwich. I swear, Munky could be the most hungover mother fucker in the world and he'll still eat and not get sick...

Once the waitress left, Munky turned back to me and sighed. "Ummm, Reg, there's something you should know..."

I immediately turned a laser like gaze on him and he quickly continued.

"They know, Reg..." he simply told me.

My mouth dropped open and I felt my eyes widen in fear. "What?!" I cried and blushed when people at nearby tables turned to scowl at us. I lowered my voice. "How? How do they know? You promised you wouldn't tell!"

"I didn't tell them! At least... not entirely..." Munky's voice trailed off.

"What do you mean, 'at least not entirely'?" I demanded to know.

"Jon heard you and David arguing last night." Munky replied. "He stopped me when I was on my way down here, figuring you were here. He said he was sleeping, but that he'd awoken when he'd hurt yelling and realized that it was you and David. He heard everything, Reg. Everything you guys said to each other and... and he heard you guys mention my name... So they figured it out that I knew something that they didn't... They MADE me tell them, Reg! I didn't mean to..." His voice was apologetic and I found I couldn't be mad at him. He'd helped me out last night, he'd kept it a secret for this long. I guess I couldn't blame him.

I whined suddenly and put my head in my hands. I could only imagine what Jon and Head must be thinking now, now that they, too, knew about me and David.

The waitress brought Munky his order and he began to devour his sandwich as soon as the plate was set before him. I watched him for a moment, before the question that I was almost afraid to find out the answer to slithered out.

"What... what did they say? Are they mad?" I wanted to know.

Munky looked up at me and a sincere look appeared in his eyes. He chuckled slightly. "No, they're not mad. They're a little shocked, I guess, but they'll get over it. They'll accept it. I did."

I sighed in relief as he said that. The last thing I wanted was more people hating me...

"Fuck, James, what am I gonna do about this fucking mess with David?" I asked, feeling as though I was at an end of a rope, physically, emotionally and mentally.

"You know what you have to do, Reg." James replied.

"No, James, I don't... Humor me, please..."

Munky merely raised an eyebrow and took a sip of his coffee. Once he was done, he spoke. "It's obvious why David is upset. He wants to know if you truly love him or if you're still having second thoughts or doubts about what has come to be between the two of you. You need to figure out where you want this to go, Reg, cuz it's pretty obvious that David feels he's just being led on and that's not cool."

"But he's not! He's not being led on!" I insisted.

"You're not having second thoughts about this at all?" Munky continued, his voice low and trying to understand.

"No!"

"And you love him, don't you?" Munky was on a roll.

I opened my mouth to answer, but to my horror, no sound came out. No response. I hesitated. I knew what I was feeling. I knew what that feeling was inside of me. I knew what I wanted...

"Yes, I do..." I finally was able to answer. There. I'd said it. Kind of.

Munky nodded and took another sip of his coffee before he finally continued again. "You know, Reg, I'm not the one you should be telling this to. David obviously wants to be with you, but if you're going to continue to deny it to yourself that this is where you belong, you'll never make it. You'll fuck everything up between the both of yous. You need to listen."

I heaved a heavy sigh and gazed tiredly at my friend. "Listen to what?"

He leaned across the table and tapped my head with his index finger. "This," he said and then pointed his index finger to my chest. "And to that. That's the only fucking way it'll ever work between yous. If you can't listen to what you're feeling inside, if you can't admit to yourself that David has your love, then you're both fucked."

I sighed again and nodded. There were times when I found that Munky was wise beyond his years and this time was one of them. He sometimes reminded me of some wise old man, for he always had the best advice or the answer to anything.

So according to him, I just had to listen... Listen... Right... Got it...

But was I ready to listen?

******************************************************************************

I slowly closed the door to mine and David’s hotel room, seeing that the blinds were closed and I heard his light snoring. I walked slowly over to the bed he was curled into a ball on. The blankets were tumbled in a heap on the floor and he was still wearing the track pants he'd been wearing last night. I walked to the side and slowly sat down beside him. I wanted to touch him, put my arm around his body, but I wasn't sure if that was a good idea at the moment. Not after what had happened and how last night he didn't even want me to touch him.

As the mattress sank underneath me and the springs groaned a bit, he began to stir. His eyelids fluttered against his cheekbones and then he murmured "Reggie?"

"Yeah, it's me..." I whispered and took my chance. I rested my hand on his back and rubbed.

He didn't object, to my gratitude and I waited as his eyes slowly opened and looked up at me. I noticed the relief that filled his eyes and I could've done cartwheels right then and there with how grateful I was. I took that as a good sign.

He rolled over until he was lying on his back and stared up at me. "I... I thought you hated me..." he mumbled, his voice barely audible.

I was taken aback by his words. "What? Why the fuck would you think that? What makes you ever fucking think I'd hate you?" I wanted to know.

"The way you left. You seemed pissed. It was like you were fucking disgusted and fed up with me, with the fact that I was crying like a fucking baby." he told me, looking away for a moment as tears once again filled his eyes. It was like he was ashamed that he was starting to cry again.

Then he continued, his voice a tad wobbly. "You just fucking stormed outta here and you never came back. What was I suppose to think?" He looked at me, a sad, pleading expression on his face.

I sighed and bowed my head. He was right about that. What would I have thought if the roles had been reversed? Hell they didn't need to be reversed, I WAS thinking the same things that he was last night. I nearly chewed Munky's ear off with all my fears and worries that I had officially screwed up and that David hated me.

I lifted my gaze to look at him. "Would it surprise you if I told you that I was thinking the same thing last night after I left?" I asked.

He stared at me, as if searching for some sign that I was bullshitting him. I didn't have to worry, for I wasn't.

"You were?"

I nodded. "After I left, I went back to the party that me, Munky and Head had gone to earlier. I found Munky and just started crying like you wouldn't believe. He dragged me out of the room and the hotel and then we went for a walk around the block a few times." I told him. "The entire time I was crying, all I felt was like I'd failed you. Like I'd fucking screwed up big time and that any chance of being with you had been shot straight to Hell. I though I'd lost you..." my voice trailed off. This was probably the most personal I'd ever gotten with David and judging by the look on his face, he knew it too.

He sighed and sat up, leaning his back against the head rest of the bed. "You have to understand something Reggie. I love you, and I want to be with you, and you'd never lose me like that... but you have to understand why I was so fucked up last night." He paused for a moment to collect his thoughts and then continued.

"While I was talking to Shannon last night, I'd realized that the desire in me was more for you than for her. And that scared the crap outta me. That made me think about who exactly I wanted to be with. I still love Shannon and I probably always will, but I love you too. Maybe more. And then, that got me thinking about how you weren't showing me anything like that. You weren't making me feel loved the way Shannon made me feel loved. It scared me, cuz then that made me wonder if I really should follow this. But I knew inside who I wanted to be with and that was you. But you have to let me know, otherwise I feel like I'm being led on, like you don't mean this at all..."

I exhaled, only realizing then that I'd been holding my breath. My mind whirled around what David had just told me. It sounded exactly like what Munky had told me at the restaurant. And now I understood completely what he meant. Why he was in the state he was last night. He was scared, like I was. But the difference was, he may have been scared, but he was ready to face that fear and listen. I wasn't and I didn't.

It was silent for a moment or two before I knew I had to tell him. I had to listen.

"You weren't being led on, David. I do care. I do, a LOT. Maybe more than you know..." I told him softly. And I meant it.

His eyes teared up a bit more, but he seemed to be holding it back successfully. Then, he whispered, "Show me?"

I knew what he meant by that and I nodded, more than happy to oblige. I moved over until I was closer to him and brought my face closer to his. Our eyes locked and it was like we were gazing into each others souls. There was just this vulnerability in his eyes that I'm sure mirrored mine and I leaned even closer, wanting to kiss him and wanting his kisses at the same time. I could tell he felt the same.

His eyes were wide and innocent, almost begging me to embrace him, kiss him, love him. I leaned even closer and his breathing became deeper. The closer I got, the more I tasted his yearning, his desire and then our lips touched. There were no two second pecks this time, we went in completely, kissing passionately like it was something we'd both been longing for. The taste of each other's love. Of each other.

I ran my tongue along his lower lip and he whimpered lightly. I pressed my body into his and he layed down on his back on the bed, while I layed on top of him. I nibbled slightly on his lower lip, tickling his lips at the same time with my tongue and he opened his mouth, letting me in. He moaned as I used my tongue to manuver inside his mouth and then, I came out and began to run my tongue along his sharp jaw line. I felt him shivering with pleasure and that only motivated me more. My tongue made it to his ear and I licked behind his ear lobe. He gasped and I felt his body constrict in pleasure. Moans slithered out of his mouth periodically and I felt the poking against my thigh. He probably felt the same, for I couldn't ignore how hard I was getting.

"Reg..." was all David was able to gasp out and I nearly went crazy by the pleading tone in his voice. In his gasp. It excited me like nothing before ever had.

I stopped. "Are you sure you want this?" I asked and blew hot air into his ear. He shivered and could only answer with a moan. I smiled and slowly trailed my hand down to the waist of his track pants, making sure to have my palm softly tickle his bare upper body. He twitched and shivered and I watched as a look of pure pleasure swept across his face. I slipped my finger beneath the elastic waist and ran it along the inside, tickling his abdomen area and he moaned again, his closed eyelids fluttering wildly. As I continued to tease and tickle him with my finger, I leaned closer and kissed his neck over and over, which caused him to moan and whimper more and his breath to go heavy and ragged.

I couldn't help but smile, loving how much pleasure I was giving him and then I grasped the waist and slowly lowered his track pants. I kissed his neck some more and then started on his chest. He could only moan, his breath rapid and I dotted my finger tips lightly on his pecs, which caused him to shiver. I trailed feathery kisses down his chest, to his stomach and then, taking a deep breath, without hesitating, wrapped my mouth around him. He gasped and let out a deep moan and I watched him as I pleasured him orally. He squirmed, his face contorted in pleasure and his breathing became deeper as I lightly tickled his abdomen with my fingertips while I kept him in my mouth.

Within a few minutes, his breathing became even more rapid and I saw his back beginning to arch. He began to reach for me, but I grabbed his wrists and held them pinned against the mattress, while with my upper arms, I kept his legs pinned. He began to moan and whimper loudly, gasping out my name, as he squirmed and twitched and he arched up, his breath short and quick and nearly labored.

After he came, I rested my chin against his stomach and stared up at him. He was staring up at the ceiling, gasping for air, his body shimmering with sweat. I smiled, happy that I'd pleasured him so much, but also because I knew I wasn't done. He was going to be pleasured more and I was going to take his breath away until the only air he was going to be breathing was going to be filled with my love.

I crawled up to lay next to him and there was a dazed grin on his face. I decided to let him catch his breath before I stole it again and laughed.

"You enjoyed that didn't you?"

All he could manage was a nod and a slight chuckle. I decided to tell him what I'd found out that morning.

"You know, Jon and Head know about us..." I told him.

He nervously turned his gaze to me and bit his lower lip. "And...?" he managed to whisper.

I shrugged. "Munky said they're okay with it. Said that they were a bit shocked, but that they'd get over it."

"How'd they find out?" He wanted to know, his voice still low and breathless.

"Jon heard us last night. He heard everything we said and put two and two together. He caught Munky and told him and Head what he heard. He'd also heard you mention Munky, so they both nagged him and nagged him until he told them..."

He nodded and closed his eyes for a moment. He heaved a heavy but wobbly sigh and then asked, "what would you have done if they'd gotten mad? What would've happened?"

I stared him straight in the eye and didn't hesitate to answer. "Nothing. I would have done nothing. I wouldn't have cared - and I don't care - what they think." Then to prove I meant it, I kissed him again. And again. Our tongues met and intertwined and then he wrapped his arms around me and pulled me over him. As we continued to kiss, his hands moved to my pants and I felt him unbuttoning them and slowly trailing down the zipper. His knuckles brushed against my hardness and I moaned, feeling it harden even more.

I was surprised. I'd planned on suggesting it, asking him if he wanted this, but he was beating me to it. I stopped kissing him and looked into his deep brown eyes, while they stared in longing and dejection at me for stopping.

"Are you sure about this? Is this what you really want to do?" I asked him.

He nodded insistently and that was all I needed. I leaned forward and planted kisses on his neck and jaw line, and he couldn't suppress the moan that made its way up his throat and out of his mouth. I kissed his lips and then pulled away again.

"Hang on," I whispered and he whimpered. I snuck into the bathroom and oiled up on some lotion and quickly made my way back. I marveled for a moment at his muscular, naked body lying on the bed, waiting for me. My heart raced in wanting him and I crawled back across the mattress towards him. We kissed for a few minutes, then slowly, I turned him over onto his stomach. I licked the back of his neck and nipped at his ear lobe to excite and tease him even more and then whispered "are you ready?" into his ear.

He nodded quickly and so I grasped his shoulders and entered him. He gasped and I felt his muscles tighten up as I moved inside. He let out a groan and a whimper and I felt his legs curl beneath me, while I saw the muscles in his back tense up. He arched his shoulder blades as I pumped and it felt like he was pulling away.

"Are you okay?" I asked, concerned.

He nodded and let out another whimper.

"Am I hurting you?" I asked.

He nodded slightly again and I saw his lips curl from trying to suppress a sob. His face scrunched up.

"Do you want me to stop?" I asked. If he said yes, I would.

He shook his head no and so, I continued, pumping slower and more gentle to ease him. It worked. Within a few minutes, I felt his muscles becoming less and less tense and he wasn't whimpering as much. His breathing became more rapid and he began to moan in pure ecstasy, and even began to beg me to go harder. And so I did.

As I continued, I began to feel light headed. My lower body began to tingle and I felt myself reaching my climax. I moaned loudly, feeling as though I was going to explode and he echoed it with his own moan.

Less than a minute later, I came and I felt my body sag in pleasured exhaustion. I felt David's body also sag as he came. I leaned against him to maintain and then I pulled out and collapsed beside him, light headed and on the best high ever. No beer buzz or joint could produce a better high than the high I had at that moment.

I sighed and turned to him. He was still on his stomach and his eyes were glassy and his face was flushed. He grinned tiredly at me and I grinned back. I brought myself closer and kissed him again, before I stopped and gazed into his eyes. I'd listened. I'd finally listened and I liked what I was hearing. I liked what had come out of listening and at the moment, I felt that if the world stopped, I'd be okay as long as David was there beside me when it all ended.

David's glassy, happy eyes drooped heavily and I saw that he was slowly drifting off. But I needed to tell him something first. I needed to tell him that I'd finally listened, as Munky had told me to, and that I had no hesitation or regrets about whatever happened or will happen from then on. And so, I took a deep breath and told him that I'd listened in a way that would go with him into his dreams.

"I love you, David."