Memory Lane - Chase -

[Chase McKinney-Jackson]

Chase coudn't really understand the tone to Alex's voice. It seemed diferent to him. Not like the normal Alex. "Yeah. Since first year. I met Brent on the train going. But I've ben crushing probably since about halfway through the year. I gave it up for a while during schhol. Or tried to. Mainly because I didnt think Brent would ever swing my way." He admitted with a sheepish smile. He'd only ever told Brent this, and not even the full story.

"I tried giving up again after we broke up... But I couldn't get myself to do it. I just loved him too much." Chase smiled while looking down, deep in thought about everything he loved about Brent.

He looked up when he heard Alex talk again though. "I'm sure you won't mess it up, Jay. Just stay positive. You and Reid really seem like you love each other, and I'm a big person to believe that love conquers all." itwas true. That was what got him through all those years of waiting for Brent. Even when Brent had married Maryn. Chase still had hope.

"We're all close enough that I dont think we'd split. We all love the band too much too. It's been our life since we were in Hogwarts." Chase didn't know where his life would be right now if it wasn't for the band and the guys.

[Alexander Jay García Torres]

_{"I swung your way." Alex blurted out. When he did he thumped his elbow on the table and rested his hand on his forehead, bowing his head and staring at the table. Mierda...mierdamierdamierda.}

[/color] This slip of the tongue had been... awkward. And dangerous. Alex tensed his jaw and clenched his teeth, mentally fumbling for a way out of this but his mind resembled that of a pool of watery thoughts right now. His glass was empty yet again. There had been nothing to stop him this time around.

"Its like... ay jo-joder." Alex stuttered. He guessed he couldn't exactly leave it like that. "Love... does not conquer all." The young man looked up, pain visible in his deep amber eyes. "If it did... things would of been much... much different." Alex was unable to hold Chase's gaze for long and he was quickly looking at his empty glass again. He pressed his fingertips on the rim and rolled it around on the spot while he motioned for another. He was going to ride this trainwreck in style. He planned to get pissed and get it out of his system. All those stupid little thoughts that had eaten at him since turning eighteen.

"You really didn't try hard to find someone to help you forget Brent..." Alexander muttered, handing the waitress another couple of sickles. "I was.... always there."[/sub][/blockquote][/blockquote]

[Chase McKinney-Jackson]

Chase honestly didn't know what was going on. Alex was being... weird. Obviously Chase knew he swung his way. He was dating Reid, wasn't he... He wouldn't be if he didn't like guys. Chase thought that was kind of clear and didn't need to be said.

Then as Alex continued to talk, Chase had a flashback from band practice. During their fight, Alex had said something... Something that Chase hadn't understood until now. Something that Chase never wanted to understand, yet it didn't look like he had a choice. "You... You used to like me. Didn't you...?" Chase asked him, confusion clear on his face still. He didn't understand it.

"I never wanted to forget about Brent, Alex... I was in love with him!" Chase said... slightly take aback. Had he not been paying attention to anything Chase had said. Brent was his everything. He was the reason Chase was living. Didn't Alex understand that.... "You never said anything..."

[Alexander Jay García Torres]

<sub>Alex stole a nervous glimpse at Chase and immediately looked down again. He answered him with a single, awkward bob of his head. He used to like Chase. But his unrequited feelings had torn him up. Now he had Reid, someone that he doted on with all his heart, but Alex still felt the need to talk this out. The final page of closure.

"I did say something...sort of." Alex whispered, raising his glass to his lips. He could feel his hand wanting to tremble from nerves yet he forced it still. "After you and Brent... y'know... and after my whole parents thing... I-I wrote you a song." And Chase hadn't liked it. That had been what had broken Alex. The guy had been so blinded by infatuation for Brent that he probably hadn't suspected the possibility that Alex felt that way about him. The Spaniard, on his good days, liked to pretend that Chase had just ignored it, so not to make things more awkward that they already were.

But nevertheless, it had torn him. The months that had ensued that day had been mighty dark for Alex. He had quite literally thrown himself into the arms of anyone that would take him. Thinking back on it, it made him cringe. He had done many things that he regretted.
"For me it had been as if you had turned me down. And I wasn't going to say anything else... all you ever wanted was Brent so..." Alex shrugged and took another long slew on his drink. "Besides... I've pretty much moved on. It was just... kinda tough to stomach back then."</sub>

[Chase McKinney-Jackson]

He had written a song... Didn't... didn't Alex show him a song when they were younger? Chase was trying to remember what it was about. He faintly remembered it mentioning something about I tried to love you, but you loved him so. Could that song really have been about him.... No... Not possible.

"Alex... you know how oblivious I can be at times... do you really think I would have gotten what you felt because you showed me a song? It could have been about anyone!" Chase said, trying to make an excuse for his idiocy.

Chase kind of forgot about his drink. This very awkward conversation was more important. "Well... I'm glad you moved on... but I still wish you would have talked to me, Alex." Chase didn't know if anything would have changed from that. Chase did know that the main reason he had liked Brent so much was because he could tell him anything. Chase could tell Alex anything... would something have happened between them if Chase hadn't been so stupid?

[Alexander Jay García Torres]

<sub>"Yeah but... I only ever showed it you. And if you had even liked me a bit, well, you would of suspected something." Alexander mumbled, downing the rest of his pint and setting it on the table with a firm knock. He was pretty light-headed now and spoke with a confidence that he didn't usually have for these situations. Hopefully he wouldn't go too far with it tonight though.

"But... you didn't. You didn't even like it that much. So it was pretty obvious that you never thought of me that way." This was pretty true. When his feelings started to bloom for Reid anything the guy had wrote or suggested for lyrics Alex had played with them in his head about a thousand times over, trying to figure out if there was any possible hidden meaning to them. And why? Because he wanted them to have another meaning. If Chase had felt a teeny bit that way to Alex he would of done the same with the song. But he hadn't. He'd been oblivious. Alex bet that if Brent had done the same thing Chase wouldn't of thought the same way though, because Chase so obviously lived and breathed for that guy.

"And what was I meant to say anyway? Hey Chase, I know you're "head over heels in love" for Brent but... I am for you! Sorry if I make things awkward for you now, heh." The young man just rolled his eyes. It would of been a highly stupid thing to do. "I preferred to get pissed and forget about it. Like I'm about to now with this whole conversation." And, on cue, he pointed out to the waitress that he was in need of another beer. He was heavily out drinking Chase tonight. But Alex didn't care. These had been his plans anyway. Shouldn't Chase be with him, he'd be doing the same, just alone and watching people play in his local music bar.</sub>

[Chase McKinney-Jackson]

Chase didn't know what to say. He was at a complete lost for words. One of his best friends had liked him... a lot... and he never noticed. Throughout all those year when he had apparently liked him, Chase had been oblivious. Wow. He didn't know what to say other than how stupid he was, and Alex probably already knew that.

"I'm sorry, Alex... I didn't know. I was blinded by Brent. I know I was... But I don't think anything would have came out of us if I had known. Nothing long term at least... I would have always gone back to Brent because he's my soul mate." Chase wanted Alex to see that...

"Is that why you would always get drunk?" Chase asked him, that would be horrible if that were the case. Taking a deep sigh he finished off his beer before motioning for the waitress and ordering a round of firewhiskey. Paying for it quickly then waiting for it to arrive. "Can we just move past this? You have Reid now..."

[Alexander Jay García Torres]

<sub>Ouch. Chase's words cut like glass. Alex thought it was highly unnecessary that he said that they wouldn't of lasted. He just narrowed his hardened chocolate eyes slightly and drank. Some things... were just better left unsaid. And that was one of them.
"Your loss. You've missed out on the best sex and pancakes a teenager could've offered." Alexander shrugged. He was saying it for a joke, just to try and lighten the mood, yet he liked to believe his words held certain truth.
"Its all for Reid now." The young man snickered cheekily and set down his empty glass.

Alex just rolled his shoulders when Chase asked if he was the reason the teenage Alex would usually drink.
"I'd had other things on my mind too..." He didn't want his friend to feel bad but he had pretty much been the icing on the cake. After the deal with his mum and dad a little love would of done Alex the world of good. And he'd been denied it. "I didn't know how else to cope with it all... and it wasn't like I was going to go to you or Brent about it. I ended up going to Reid." The man was about to get himself a refill when Chase ordered them a round of Firewhiskeys. Now, Alex wasn't about to refuse this. It was the least his friend could do for having his butt saved back in the forest.

"I'm over it now. Really, Chase, I am. I just... kinda needed to get it off my chest. It was one of those things that had been bugging me." As if to prove his point, Alex straightened up and drew a long, airy breath, cleansing his lungs. He truely felt lighter after talking about this. "I have Reid... I don't think he honestly knows how much me means to me... he got me through alot of shit."</sub>

[Chase McKinney-Jackson]

Chase was happy to see the mood lighten up a bit. He wanted to have fun, not talk about something this serious. But like Alex had said, he probably just needed to get it off his chest, and if that were the case, then Chase was happy to help in anyway he could. Even if it was awkward for him.

He wasn't going to bother mentioning how Chase had been a virgin until a couple weeks ago when he and Brent had done it. He thought it had been special since he waited for Brent. He wouldn't have it any other way, honestly. But he thought maybe he should stop talking about Brent now. It might make Alex uncomfortable.

"Well. Then I'm glad I helped you get it off your chest. You know you can tell me anything Alex. I might be the closest with Brent. But you're still my best friend. Along with Reid too. That's never going to change." Chase gave his friend a sheepish smile before taking a long drink of the firewhiskey that was just delivered to them. It burned going down his throat, but it kind of felt good.

"I'm glad you're happy with him. It's obvious he's happy with you too. You two deserve each other."Chase meant that. He might have overreacted when he saw them making out in the kitchen, but it just came as a surprise, honestly.

[Alexander Jay García Torres]

<sub>"Anything? Are you sure you can handle anything?" Alex repeated with a hint of a smirk, snickering lightly. "No but I know I can always count on you if I need you, Chay." The Spaniard raised his serving of Firewhiskey at his friend before taking a long sip. The alcohol in his system was already numbing him, the usual burning sensation that accompanied the spicey alcoholic drink wasn't as strong as it normally was at the start of a night. Alex preferred it this way. He thought it tasted nicer without the burning.

"I just wish I could see him more... his job keeps him busy, and so does my job..." Alex brought his shoulders up to his ears and fell back into his chair heavily. "Every moment we manage to steal... its never enough. You and Brent are kinda lucky that way." The man wondered when it wasn't considered "too early" to ask someone to move in... it had to be more than a couple of weeks, that was for sure. But then Alex's flat was pretty small - would it be comfortable for two people and a cat? He scratched his head in thought while he pondered it over the remainder of his whiskey. It wasn't like he could ask Chase for advice. The guy had only ever fawned over Brent and had never reached that stage of a relationship. Maybe he'd ask for his opinion later, and speaking of later...

"Go out with me!" Alex grinned, slamming his empty glass on the table. "Y'know... not in that way but if you really wanna cheer me up, come downtown with me. You're in good enough state to apparate... I needs you, Chay."</sub>

[Chase McKinney-Jackson]

Chase was glad that even though all that Chase and Alex had been through in the past week or so, Alex still knew that Chase was there for him no matter what. They were best friends after all. That's all that counted.

"Yeah. I know me and Brent are lucky in that aspect. And maybe you should surprise him at work sometime." Chase said with a smile, not really knowing if that was honestly a good idea or not, but suggesting it anyways. "And he has to have days off sometime... make sure your days off and his match up." He also knew that maybe that wasn't possible, but that didn't matter.

When Alex asked Chase to go out with him, he didn't know if he should. It was the weekday. Should he really get completely smashed... Probably not. But it sounded good to him. He just might have to hide it from Brent. Chase didn't think he would like it very much if he went out drinking without him. But it wasn't like this was planned or anything. "I'd love that, Alex. Let's do it." Chase smiled brilliantly. This was going to be an awesome night. He knew Alex loved to party.

[Alexander Jay García Torres]

<sub>"I've already surprised him at work." Alex said with a coy smile, he could feel his cheeks pinkening, he wasn't too sure if it were the product of alcohol or the fact that he was mentioning Reid. Probably both. "I can be pretty sweet, y'know. He was doing overtime so... I brought him some cooked food and coffee. I slept on his office sofa while he finished work. Then in the morning we went to my place and...we..." The young man was beginning to talk rather fast, he'd even brought his hands up to his cheeks that burned as hotly as the Firewhiskey in their throats. "...we, uh, showered. Then I made waffles."

The smile on Alex's face almost literally stretched from ear to ear. He could feel himself getting all flustered. Alex flailed his hands about and giggled. Reid was the only person that could make him get like this. In that moment he probably did look like a silly, little school boy. He was wearing a Claw's uniform and he was getting all giggly over some guy.
"Chase!" Alex finally said, his face serious and he placed his hands flat on the table. "You ever seen Reid with no clothes?" He then mouthed "oh my god" with widened eyes. And then he succumbed to another bout of titters and waved his hand at Chase while shaking his head. "Ignore me" it said.

"Anyway!" Alex clapped his hands once and looked around. "What're we waiting for? La noche no nos va a esperar"


ooc: "the night isn't going to wait for us"</sub>

[Chase McKinney-Jackson]

Chase didn't think it surprised him that Alex had already surprised Reid at work. He was sure that Alex was going to do everything he possibly could to make sure they both spent time with one another. Chase thought it was incredibly sweet. "That's good then" Chase chuckled with a smile. Then Alex started gushing about Reid. With his clothes off... Oh god

"N-no. I haven't seen him without his clothes." Chase said, the answer was kind of obvious. Why would Chase have seen him without his clothes. Then Chase began to think that Alex did that on purpose. Two can play that game. "But I'm sure it's nothing compared to Brent without his clothes, my dear friend." Chase smirked at him before grabbing his firewhiskey and downing the rest of it with ease. He was starting to get a tad more drunk, but he knew he'd be getting completely wasted tonight.

"Let's go then, Spanish boy." Chase said as he grabbed a few coins from his pocket and left it on the table for a tip before getting up from his seat. "Give me where we're going, and I'll apparate us there."

[Alexander Jay García Torres]

_{"Hmm..." Alex seemed to be deep in thought as he mulled Chase's comment over the remainder of his whisky. He swirled the last mouthful around in the bottom of his glass with slow, careful circular movements. He shrugged and downed it.
"Brent's got a fine behind in those tight jeans of his. Probably not surprised that you say that." Alex spoke with a nonchalant air. It wasn't like he hadn't already sized up all of his friends. He was a guy. That was attracted to guys. "Apple bottom." Alex flashed Chase a cheeky grin while he got himself to his feet. He then shook his head and gave his friend a hearty tap on the shoulder. "Nah. We both know that I'm the one who looks best without kit on." The eye roll that ensued his words proved that he was joking. Alex really wasn't that cocky. He wouldn't have it in him. But, strangely enough, he wouldn't put it past himself to of ended up in just his boxers or, Merlin forbid, completely undressed infront of his bandmates. Drink tended to do that.
"I'm going to take you to Heaven." Alex snickered, linking his arm into Chase's and dragging him out of the door to The Three Broomsticks. "Charing Cross, London, please. I know the way from there."}

[Chase McKinney-Jackson]

It took a second for Chase to comprehend what Alex was saying to him. Was he actually agreeing with him that Brent looked amazing without clothes on? Alex was so playing dirty... well. Two could play at that game. Couldn't they? "Oh yes. That is one of his best features. Second best, if ya know what I mean." Chase sent him a wink, hinting at what he was getting at.

"Beards are sexy too, though. But definitely not for me." Chase smirked before getting dragged out the door by Alex. Chase actually didn't think he would like a beard on a guy. He wouldn't like kissing that. Stubble was one thing... but a full beard? Naww.

Chase listened to where he would be apparating them carefully. Making sure he knew where it was and would be able to apparate there. "Heaven it is, Little Spaniard." Chase said before closing his eyes and apparating them away. The familiar vomiting sensation erupting in his stomach. Chase is used to it by now, but it still isn't pleasant.