11 comments/ 37958 views/ 32 favorites Everyone Knows But Them Ch. 01 By: les_sammy_0211 This is not my first story, but it is my first M/M story. I actually like how it came out and most of my gay guy friends thought it was hot. I hope you all think so too. Feel free to leave comments &/or send me feedback. Positive and negative criticism welcome. Good reading to all of you. S.J. Please note that all characters are of my own creation. If you relate to them, it is mere coincidence. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ It's not everyday that Julian sees the most gorgeous creature on two legs. That being said, he's still a totally chicken when it comes to making the first move so Julian just end up following this god around Central Park like some kind of puppy/stalker type of thing. When he bent over to tie his shoe, Julian tried to keep sight of him, but on a Saturday afternoon, the park was crowded. When Julian stood again, he began looking for the man, but to no avail. It was then Julian heard the chuckling behind him. He turned to find the person he'd been searching for. Before Julian could do anything more than gape at the gorgeous man, he said, "Why are you following me, dude?" Julian was more than a little shocked that he had known he was, but said, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to. I just couldn't seem to help myself." He extended his hand and with a smile said, "It's fine. Just kind of creepy, but I can tell you're harmless. I'm Derek." "Hi, Derek. I'm Julian." Julian said as he shook Derek's hand and then continued, "You're right. I am harmless. I didn't mean to creep you out." Derek laughed and said, "It's fine. It's a nice day though, I'm sure you have better things to do other than follow me around." Julian looked into Derek's green eyes. They captivated him and he almost tuned him out, but Derek's voice had the most melodious tone that it was like listening to a song. Julian shook his head realizing that Derek was trying to have a conversation and said, "No. I mean, it is a nice day, but I don't have anything to do. I live a few blocks away, but I decided to come and see what was going on in our illustrious city and ended up seeing you. Which completely through me. I really didn't mean to follow you so long. I'm sure you have places to be, so I'll leave you to it." Julian extended his hand again. When Derek shook it and let go, Julian turned to walk away. "Julian, wait!" Derek called out after Julian had begun to walk a few feet away. Looking over his shoulder Julian answered, "Yeah?" Derek walked over and said, "I ... Um, I was actually heading up to White Plains for a barbecue at one of my best friend's house. Would you like to come?" Julian raised his eyebrow and said, "You're inviting me, a complete stranger and the guy who just followed you around for the last 15 minutes, to go to a barbecue with you?" "Um, yeah. I mean, it's not a date or anything. I'm not gay. I just figured it'd be cool to make a new friend that actually lives in the city. I'm from White Plains, but when I moved here, most of my friends stayed. I don't hang out here as much as I'd like because I have no one to hang with, so I you know, figured I'd try now and it'll give you something to do." "I'd like that, Derek, but for the record, I am. Gay, I mean." "I figured. I have a ultra sensitive gaydar. It's crazy." Derek said with a laugh. Julian joined in and thought about being friends with this man. Julian's attraction to Derek was obvious, at least to him. It would be very tempting to get to know him more. Before either of them knew it, they were getting into a taxi and heading to the barbecue. Julian found out that the cook-out was being thrown by Jason, Derek's best friend, and Jason's wife, Callie. Standing outside the house, Derek pointed Julian towards his childhood home, that was down the street and where Derek's parents still lived, before they moved towards the two steps that lead to the front door of Jason's house. In the backyard, Julian watched Derek interact with a group of his friends. After the introductions, Julian just kind of moved away and let Derek enjoy being with them. It was like watching all the jocks engage each other back in high school. When Julian heard her voice, he nearly jumped out of his skin. "I'm so sorry, Julian. I didn't mean to startle you." "It's fine, Callie. I got scared because I didn't even know you were there." Callie laughed and said, "That's interesting and probably explains why I've been having a one-sided conversation for the last 10 minutes." "I'm sorry, Callie. What was it that you were saying?" "I asked how long you've known Derek." "Oh. We just met this afternoon actually." "Really? How?" Julian looked down. He was embarrassed, but answered by whispering, "Um .. I saw him and started following him. He snuck up behind me and caught me. Then after talking for a little while, he invited me here." "You were following him? Why?" "I don't really know. I just did." Callie looked at Julian for a little too long. Her gaze began to make him uncomfortable and she caught on. Then Callie said, "Oh! Wait!" Julian looked at her and said, "Yes?" "Are you? You know, gay?" "Yes." Callie grabbed Julian's hand and said, "Follow me." It wasn't as if Julian had much of a choice as Callie was already practically dragging him into the house. "Um, Callie, where exactly are we going?" Julian asked once they began walking down the hall. Callie stopped in front of a door and after looking at Julian, she walked in. They were in what appeared to be a hobby room. Several different activities were going on and Callie motioned for Julian to sit in one of few chairs in the room. When he did, she sat across from him. "Spill it." Callie said with a beaming smile on her face. "Spill what, Callie? I told you everything that happened." Julian said with a confused look on his face. "You're into Derek?" "Sorta, but he already told me he was straight and I don't do straight men, so no harm no foul." "Mmhmm ..."Callie looked like her mind was spinning. "What are you thinking about?" "You live in the city, right?" "Yeah. Why?" "I have a friend. A gay friend. A single gay friend." "Um, I don't need to be set up." "That's fine, honey. I'm talking about introducing you to a new friend. What ever happens is between you two." "Um, alright. I like having friends." Callie smiled and Julian blushed. He didn't know why, but the woman seemed like she could get him to agree to anything. "Well, how would you like to help me with the food, while I tell you about Victor." Callie stood and Julian did as well and said, "I'd love that. I love to cook." Callie laughed and said, "You're a dying breed. A man who can cook and actually lives in the city." Julian laughed as well as they headed towards the kitchen. When they got there, Derek was leaning against the counter, but turned when Julian and Callie walked in. "Hey! There you are. I thought you left or something." Derek said as they approached. "No. I didn't leave. Callie and I were just talking. I didn't want to bother you with your friends, so I'm just going to help Callie with the food." Julian said. Callie was smiling at him and the unneeded attention was making him blush. "Oh. Um, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to just abandon you like that. I know you don't know the guys. I wasn't thinking." Derek said as he twirled the bottle of beer on the counter. Julian tried to figure out if it was a nervous habit or if it was something that Derek, himself, didn't realized he was doing. "It's fine, really, Derek. I know you don't get to hang out with them often. So I'm going to help Callie and we can talk and hang later." Julian said as he moved over to where Callie had begun chopping lettuce for the salad. "Are you sure? I mean, I could help or something." Derek said as he watched Julian begin to peel the carrots. "Help? Can you cook?" Julian asked surprised at the invitation. He didn't know many straight men that could cook. "Well, no, but I could do that. Whatever that is." Derek commented as he watched Julian julienne the carrots. Julian laughed and said, "Then no. I don't need you losing any of those gorgeous fingers of yours. Just go out back and hang with your buddies. We can handle it." Derek looked at his hands. He couldn't believe Julian had called them gorgeous. No one had ever complimented his hands. Derek looked back at Julian to see the smile that had come onto his face and smiled back before saying, "Alright. Alright. But we'll hang when you're done. Promise." "That's fine. Off with you then." Julian said without looking at him. Callie just listened and watched the two interact. She could tell that outside from the fact that Derek didn't see himself as gay, the two were perfect for each other. She'd help them along. Get things moving and see where they landed. Callie smirked at the plan that was already forming in her wicked mind. Once Derek cleared out, Callie and Julian finished cooking dinner in no time. By 7 o'clock, the two were moving dinner onto the table outside near the grill. Jason and the rest of the boys were able to get all the meat grilled and Callie was happy. As everyone started digging in, Derek grabbed the plate of ribs to hand to Julian, who just shook his head no at the offer. "What's wrong?" Derek asked as he sat the plate back down. "No, nothing. There isn't anything wrong. I'm just a vegetarian." Julian said as he began eating the mac and cheese. "Oh. I'm sorry. I didn't know." "I didn't tell you. It's fine." Derek looked down at his plate and although his hunger was raging, he couldn't bring himself to eat it in front of Julian. "Derek ..." Julian began. "Yes?" Derek answered. "It's okay to eat. I just made the choice not to when I was still back in college. It'll keep me healthier. You like meat, so eat." Derek just looked him, until Julian nudged the plate closer and smiled. Derek smiled back and ate. Callie and the rest of the group had gone silent as they all watched the two interact. It was adorable and neither Derek or Julian realized it. By 9, Derek was more than a little tipsy and Julian had be up early the next day so they made their exit. Before they left, Callie handed Julian a piece of paper. Julian knew what was and just slid it into his pocket before giving her a hug. Derek said his goodbyes as well and the two got into the cab and headed back into the city. Halfway through the ride, Derek turned and asked Julian what Callie had handed him. Julian told him it was the number for her friend Victor who lived back in the city. Callie thought the two would get along. Derek didn't say anything else. He just looked out of the window and wondered why it bothered him so much. The cab pulled up in front of Central Park and let the two men out. Since they both lived within walking distance of the park, it seemed logical. Before they went in their respective directions, they men exchanged numbers and agreed to meet at a nearby sports bar on Thursday to watch the Patriots vs. Dolphins game. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ The next day, Julian woke up around 8:15. He had half an hour to get to the gym he owned just a few blocks away. As he searched through the pockets of his pants from the day before, he retrieved his keys and looped through them was the piece of paper that Callie had given him. Without giving it a second thought, Julian added Victor's number to his cellphone contact list. Julian decided he'd call in a couple hours. Making it to the gym, Julian opened up and went to his office. He had a few things to do before he could go home. Looking over the invoice for the new punching bags he ordered, his phone rang. "Hello?" Julian said. He put the phone on speaker and continued to look at the invoice. "Hi. Um, is this Julian?" the voice said a little hesitant. "Yes, it is. Who is this?" "Victor." "Victor? Callie's friend Victor?" "Yes. I'm sorry if I called too early. I guess I was just a little anxious to talk to you." "That's fine. I've been up for a little while. Why are you anxious to talk to me?" "Well, I don't get out that much. That is to say, I get wrapped up in my work. Callie called me last night and said I should give you a call because she thinks we'll be good together." "Hmm ... So you call a complete stranger looking for a boyfriend ... I must say, I'm flattered. I was going to give you a call later. I'm working right now." "Oh! I'm sorry. No. I wasn't looking for a boyfriend. I mean, if we hit it off and you want to be, I'm sure that would be fine, but I didn't mean it like that and I'm sorry to call you while you're working. I hope you don't into any trouble accepting personal calls on the clock." Julian laughed and said, "Well, being that I am the boss, I can't get in any trouble. Sweet of you to be worried about that though. Say, Victor, I'm going to be busy here for another few hours, what are you doing this afternoon?" "Um ... Nothing. I mean, I was going to grab something to eat and then probably just go to the market. Why?" "Would you like to do those things together? That way we can get to know each other better. If you want." "Sure! How about we meet for brunch at 11:30?" "Perfect. Do you know where Dream is?" "Know where it is?" Victor laughed and said, "If it weren't for that place, I'd have died of starvation during college." Julian laughed. "You too? Well, I'll meet you there at 11:30." "Okay. See you then. Bye, Julian." "Bye, Victor." ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ At exactly 11:30, Julian was walking into Dream. He realized he had no clue what Victor looked like, but there were only a few men sitting alone inside the restaurant. One stood up and Julian was caught complete off guard. If this man was Victor, he would have to kiss Callie next time he saw her. The man standing a few feet away was about 6'2" with an olive complexion. He had hazel eyes and was well muscled. Black hair that was cut low, just the way he liked it. This man looked like many of the patrons at his gym. Julian felt the man's eyes travel over his 5'11" stature. Julian was very blessed in the looks department. With his shaggy blonde hair and skin that was the shade of the perfect tan and sea blue eyes, he knew he turned more than a few heads. He often used his gym to keep his body perfectly muscled without over doing it. The plain black t-shirt clung to his body and the faded blue jeans gave him such a simple look, he knew the effect he had on men and women, for that matter. Julian walked over to the standing man and said, "Are you Victor?" The man smiled and said, "Yes. You must be Julian." Julian smiled back. Enchanted by the Spanish accent Victor had that didn't come through during their earlier call and said, "I am. It's a pleasure to meet you." "Likewise. Would you like to sit?" "Yes, thank you. Have you ordered?" "No. I was waiting for you." Victor smiled. "That's very sweet of you, Victor." "Thanks. You know, most people just call me Vic. You can if you'd like." "Vic it is. You can call me Jul or Jules." "Jul. I like that." The waitress walked over and took their orders. When she left, Jul and Vic got to know each other better. Both of them enjoyed many of the same things and Julian could feel that they would get along just fine. Once the two left Dream, they went to the open market in Soho. They two had really hit off since they met. "You know, you aren't what I was expecting." Vic said. "Hmm ... Really? What were expecting?" "I don't know. Just something else." "Well, what do you think of me?" "I think you are a intelligent, gorgeous, sexy, adorable, funny man." Jul's blushed and looked down. Vic moved closer and lifted Jul's face until they were looking each other in the eyes. Vic just looked as if searching for the okay to proceed. Jul just moved in closer and Vic covered his lips. The two stood there. Neither deepening the kiss, but merely seeing what was there. When Vic backed off, Jul said, "Wow." Vic chuckled and wrapped his arms around Julian, who seemed embarrassed about having said that. "It's fine, you know. It was a really good kiss." Vic said. "I know, but ... I don't know. I don't do this sort of thing." Julian said as he wrapped his hands around Vick. "Kiss guys or kiss guys in public?" Vic asked with a smirk. "No. Not that. I don't mind being in public. I don't care. And I am gay, smart ass. I don't kiss guys I just met." "Did you not like it, Jul?" "What? No. I mean, I did like it. I'm just saying. I don't go around doing this." "If I thought otherwise, I wouldn't have done it. Come on. I need to get a few things. Would you like to have dinner tonight?" "I'd love to, but I have to finish up a few things in a couple hours." "Aww. That sucks. Well, how about later this week? I'm free Thursday night. We could go for a movie and then have dinner." "Thursday sounds perfect." "Great." The two walked away heading towards the fruit stands. They ended up making out a few more times in the market before splitting up and heading home with the things they'd bought. It wasn't until Julian made it back home that he remembered he had plans on Thursday with Derek. He didn't know which man he should cancel with. Julian really wanted to see Vic again, but he didn't want to ditch his new friend either. Having no clue what to do, Julian decided he'd give himself a few days to figure out what to do. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ By the time Tuesday night hit, Julian had made his decision. As much as he wanted to hang with Derek, he had the potential of a relationship with Vic. Julian was sure if he explained it to Derek that he would understand, so before losing his nerve, Julian dialed Derek. "Hello?" "Hi, Derek. It's Julian." "Oh! Hey, man. I thought I imagined you until Jason told me that you really were at the barbecue." Julian laughed. Derek had clearly been more drunk than he appeared. Julian said, "Yes. I was there. I was calling because I need to cancel our plans for Thursday." "Plans? What plans?" "You really don't remember anything past a certain point, do you?" "No. The last thing I remember is eating at the barbecue. Did ... Did something happen between us?" "What?! No, Derek. You told me you are straight. I respect that. I wont do anything that way towards you." Derek was a little disappointed. He'd been dreaming about the blonde god for the last couple nights and although, he couldn't get his thoughts together about what they meant, part of him knew that he would have no problem with Julian making a move on him. It was just too bad that Julian hadn't gotten as drunk as him. He'd drank so much in hopes that he would be more open to things happening. "Hello? Derek? You still there?" "Huh? Oh, yeah. Sorry, Julian. Just got lost in my thoughts for a minute." "What were you thinking about?" "Um ... Nothing. You said you had to cancel our plans Thursday night, why?" "Oh. Yeah. I, um, have a date on Thursday." "Oh! I didn't know you were seeing someone." "I wasn't and well, technically, I'm not. It's with Callie's friend, Victor. We got together this weekend and really hit it off. He asked me out and I accepted before I remembered our plans. That's why I was calling. To see if we could hang out on a different night instead." "You're going on a ..." Derek didn't like the idea of Julian spending time with someone else and it worried him that he was so irritated by the idea. When did it become that Julian was only supposed to spend time with him. "Derek? Are you okay?" Derek was again snapped out of his thoughts by Julian's concerned voice. He answered, "Yes, Julian, I'm fine. We can hang out whenever you have the time. Just message me when you know when you'll have the time. I have to go now." Everyone Knows But Them Ch. 01 "Did I do ..." Julian didn't get to finish his question before the line went dead. Had he done something to upset Derek. He didn't get why Derek was upset with him. Before he had time to think about it or do anything about it, Julian's phone rang. "Hello, gorgeous." Julian smiled as he realized who it was on the other end. "Hey, Vic. I was just talking about you." "Really? To who?" "To my friend, Derek. I had plans with him Thursday, but I forgot until a little while ago and I needed to reschedule with him." "Oh. I'm sorry to have caused you to cancel on your friend, gorgeous. I don't think I can wait any longer to see you though. You're all I've been able to think about." Julian blushed at hearing this. "Aww, Vic, that's really sweet. Well, it's only a few more days." "I know, sweetie." "Yeah. What are you doing right now?" "Well, to be honest Jul, I'm laying in bed trying to get comfortable but I can't seem to." "Why not, baby?" "That's the first time you called me anything other than Vic or Victor." Julian hadn't realized and was about to say something, but Vic interrupted by saying, "I like it. I really like it. My cock just twitched." "Um ... Did you just say that?" "Yes. Sorry, baby. I can't get comfortable because every time I lay down, I start thinking about kissing you or you being here and I just get so hard." "Wow. I've never had a boyfriend say that to me." "Boyfriend?" "Oops. Sorry. I know you aren't but it's the only time I ever talk about sex." "No need to be sorry. I'd like to be, Jul. Just as soon as I know that's what you want." "Well, I can't say I haven't thought about it, but how about we see how Thursday night goes." "That's fine with me, baby. Unfortunately, it's only part of me." Julian laughed and asked, "Still hard?" "Yes. I think I've gotten even bigger since hearing your voice." "Hmm ..." "What are you thinking over there, Jul?" "How about I help you solve that little problem?" "I'm listening." "Ever had phone sex?" "No. I've heard of it, but never had a need to try it out." Vic looked down at his boner and continued, "Until now that it." "So you wanna try it?" "On one condition." "Name it." "You have to do it with me." Julian was alone in his apartment and was admittedly horny, so he said, "Deal." Both Julian and Victor got more comfortable. When Julian was ready he said, "You ready, Vic?" "Damn right I am. Are you a moaner?" "Under the right circumstances. You?" "Always." "Mmm ... I could get used to that. What are you doing right now, baby?" "Just grabbed the base of my penis." "Mmm ... Imagine that's by hand slowly moving up and down your shaft. Smearing your pre-cum into my palm and then wrapping it around you again." "Uhh ... Don't tease me, baby. Put it in your mouth." "Imagine me taking the head of your cock into my mouth. My tongue teasing the slit and then the underside of your shaft." "Oh, yeah, baby. That's it. Take more into your mouth." Julian's hand begins to move ferociously up and down his shaft. He leans forward and lets a glob of spit hit the tip of her cock and moves even faster. As he begins to moan, Vic does as well. "I wanna deep throat your cock, baby. Let you fuck my face." Victor groans at Julian's words. His cock throbbing in his hand as he thrust his hips forward. Victor feels his balls tighten and know he is close. "Oh, baby, I'm so close." "That's it, baby. Cum for me. I want your load to paint my mouth and throat." Victor whimpers and groans again, "Baby, I'm gonna cum." "Let go. I want to swallow all of you. Cum in my mouth, baby." "I'm cumming!!! Jules, I'm cumming!" Victor shots his load all over his hand and stomach. Julian soon follows. "Are you okay, Vic?" "I'm fine, baby. I just need to rest." Julian looked at the clock on his wall to see that it was almost 11:30. "Well, get some sleep, baby. I'll call you tomorrow." "Okay, gorgeous. I'll talk to you tomorrow. Good night." "Night, sexy." Julian and Victor end the call. As Julian moves to his bed, the last thought he has as he falls asleep is Derek. Julian still has no clue what's going on with him, but the realization that they wont see each other in a few days hits and Julian quickly finds that he misses his new friend. To be continued ... Everyone Knows But Them Ch. 02 Well, after much thought, I decided that I'd actually finish this story. I wasn't going to after the feedback I received on part 1, but as a writer, I could not leave the story unfinished. So after completing this series, it will be my final entry/attempt into the M/M world. Good reading to all of you. S.J. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ When Saturday rolled around, nothing had changed for Derek. He still didn't know what to do about his reaction. He couldn't talk to Jason about it and he definitely couldn't talk to Callie or even Julian. What was he supposed to say? By the way Julian, even though I told you I wasn't gay, I've been dreaming about you ever since we met. Ugh! He was disgusted in himself. Derek had no idea when he would be seeing Julian and no clue if the man would even call him back after his little episode. Derek had been spending all his free time in Central Park in hopes of seeing his blonde god, but with no luck. He was getting the feeling that he would have to swallow his pride and call him. Derek's ego wasn't prepared to do that just yet so he walked around for a bit. When he got near his apartment, he for some reason, stopped in front of the local gym. Punching things had always been his outlet during high school so he went in. As soon as Derek made it past the registration desk, he saw the man who had been captivating his thoughts. Julian was just a few feet away, but he wasn't alone. Who was the man he was with? Derek decided to walk over and say hello. As he grew closer, he heard part of their conversation. "... Dinner was wonderful this week and I can't wait for you to come over tonight." "Me either, baby. I hope you're as good of a cook as you claim to be or we'll be eating pizza." Julian laughed and leaned into the tall man. The tall man then looked as if he was about to kiss Julian. Derek knew that no matter his internal battles, he couldn't deal with seeing that. He walked over and knew the instant Julian spotted him. "Derek! What are you doing here?" Julian exclaimed. "Well, it's a gym. I work out a lot and this is closer to my apartment than my current gym, so thought I'd test it out. What are you doing here?" Derek answered. "I, um, I own this gym." Julian said, as Victor wrapped an arm around his shoulder. "Oh. I didn't know that. Small world. So ... Who is your friend, Julian?" Derek asked looking at the figure wrapped around Julian. "I'm Victor. Victor Gonzales. You are?" Victor asked as he extended his hand. Derek reached out and shook it. Then replied, "Derek. Derek Ellis." "Nice to meet you, Derek." Victor said. "Likewise." Derek said before returning his attention to Julian. "I haven't heard from you in a little while. Everything okay?" "Kinda perfect actually." Julian answered and leaned into Victor. "Oh. So ... Are you two a couple now?" Derek asked unsure if he'd be able to deal with the answer. "Well, not exactly, but we're well on our way. Right, Victor?" Julian countered. "That's right, baby." Victor said as he kissed the top of Julian's head. "Hey! Are you coming to Callie and Jason's house tomorrow night?" Julian asked Derek. "What? No. Are you?" "Well, yeah. They invited us over for dinner along with a few of their other friends. I assumed that you'd be there." "No. I didn't know anything about it. I, um, hope you two have good time. I'm gonna go spare with someone for a little bit. See you around." Derek walked away before Julian could reply. Julian thought that the man had an annoying habit of just ending conversations with him. It didn't make sense. None of it did. Why would Callie and Jason invite him and not Derek? Why did Derek always seem to be upset with him lately? Julian's thoughts were interrupted by Victor. "Baby? You okay?" "Huh? Yeah. Sorry. I was just thinking. Hey. I have to take care of a few things. Just come by my place at like 7, okay?" "Yeah. Okay. I'll see you then." Victor grabbed his bag off the bench behind them and kissed Julian deeply before heading out. Julian immediately went up to his office to call Callie and figure out what was going on. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ "What do you mean he isn't invited? He's your husband's best friend?" Julian was practically screaming into the phone. "Would you calm down, Jules? Please. Just listen. Tomorrow night is mostly couples. Derek has been single for a long time now. We didn't want him to feel like we were hinting at anything. That's why we hadn't invited him." Callie said. "Well ... That's logical, but you could've told me that. He's downstairs pounding on my punching bag. I can only imagine which one of he's imagining it is." "Well, I'll have Jason call him tonight. That way he isn't mad at you, okay?" "Alright. Um, Callie, can I ask you something?" "Sure. What's up, Jules?" "Has Derek, um, ever been with a guy?" "Not that I know of, Jules. Why?" "I don't know. It's just a vibe I get from him. He saw me with Vic a little while ago and he really seemed bugged by the idea, but he didn't seem homophobic when I told him I was gay. So just trying to put it together." "Oh. Well, I've noticed he isn't really himself around you. I can't say I know of him being interested in men before, but last weekend, he definitely seemed interested in you." "Are you serious?! No! He was just being considerate." "Hmm ... If you say so, honey. Not the way it seems, but if you think so. By the way, how are things with you and Victor?" "Great! I'm making him dinner tonight at 7." Callie laughed and said, "Just dinner? No dessert? Or are you dessert?" "Callie! I've barely known the man a month. I'm not going to sleep with him. No matter how long it's been." "Hey! You told me about the little phone sex episode so don't act like you aren't attracted. How long has it been anyway?" "That was a one time thing caused by extreme horniness and it's been nearly 3 years." "Wow, honey! You need to get laid!" Julian laughed so hard he could barely breath. Getting himself under control, he said, "I'm sure you think so when you and Jase are all over each other every night, but I don't need it like that." "Doesn't mean you can't take it when it's offered or should I say sitting at you dinner table." "We'll see, Callie. I still sorta have a thing for Derek and I just don't wanna have sex because I can." "Derek might be a lost cause, but it's your decision to make. You better get a move on though, hon. Didn't you say he was coming over at 7?" Julian looked at the clock on his wall and it read 6:04. He hadn't realized they'd been talking for that long. He still needed to head by the market to pick up everything for dinner and he needed to get ready. "You're right, Callie. I better go. I'll see you tomorrow night." "Have fun, honey. See you tomorrow." "Bye." "Bye, Jules." Julian hung up and gathered his things. Luckily his secretary would be closing up this weekend and he didn't have to worry about it. As he made it to the first level, he spotted Derek heading out. Part of him wanted to talk to the sweating man, the other part just wanted to get away. The way Derek has been acting towards him lately, he didn't know what to make of it. Deciding he didn't have time for a chat, Julian walked out of his gym. Just as Derek raised his head, he saw Julian turning away from him and heading out of the building. He didn't think about what he was doing, he just knew he had to apologize. Catching up with Julian at the end of the block, Derek said, "I'm sorry." Julian had been totally oblivious to him being there. With all of the people walking down the street on this particular Saturday, Julian was ignoring all of them. Going over the mental grocery list to be sure he'd pick up everything he needed. Derek's apology caught him completely off guard. "You have nothing to apologize for. I get it. You aren't comfortable around me or something. I'll leave you alone. I'm sorry if it felt like I was taking your friends. I was just being friendly. I wouldn't have accepted if I knew it wasn't okay with you. I can't really talk though. I have to get to the market." "Yeah. I heard. You're making dinner for your boyfriend." Derek said the last word as if he was going to vomit at the thought and Julian picked up on it. He didn't want to make the situation worse, so he decided to make an even quicker exit. "Victor isn't my boyfriend, Derek. Just someone I enjoy spending time with and who enjoys spending time with me. Now if you'll excuse me." Julian crossed the street and was on the other side before Derek fully processed anything that had been said between them. Derek couldn't let Julian just walk away with apologizing again. So he followed him into the grocery store and then around it. Julian had known he was being followed, but couldn't figure out what Derek wanted. This was a role reversal he hadn't seen coming. He weaved through the aisles until he ended up behind Derek. "You were right. That is creepy. What do you want, Derek?" Julian asked startling the man just as he'd been startled the week before. "Ah! Don't do that. Are you trying to kill me in the store?" Derek answered holding his hand over his heart. "No. I wasn't. Just trying to figure out why it is you're following me and what you want." "I want you, Julian." Derek said without even thinking about the question or his answer. Was that true? Did he want Julian? Based on the look on Julian's face, he was just as shocked at the answer as Derek was from saying it. "What?" Was the only thing Julian could say. "I'm sorry. That isn't ... Actually, no, it's exactly what I meant. I just can't figure out when I found myself so attracted to men. Or maybe it's just you, Julian, I don't know, but I do know that I don't like you being with Victor." Julian just stood there staring at Derek. This really isn't something he wanted to deal with because Julian knew from experience that the curiosity of straight men didn't last long. He was in no position to go down that road again. Not with the way he felt everytime he was around Derek. "Well ... Julian? Hello? Are you going to say something?" Derek was beginning to worry that Julian didn't even see him that way. "I ... I can't do this with you, Derek. I can't get hurt again. I'm sorry. Maybe you should just leave. I'm flattered, but I like Victor. A lot. I don't know where this attraction came from either, but I can't be the one to help you experiment with it." Julian walked away and continued his grocery shopping. He couldn't get his head around what Derek had said to him. Was this some kind of joke? Just last week, he'd told Julian he wasn't gay and now, the feelings were there? No. He wouldn't think about it. It would become another Grayson and that had taken him years to fully recover from. Shaking his head, Julian made it to the check out counter. He hadn't felt Derek following him and that made him sigh with relief. Now all he had to do was stop all the thinking and he'd be fine. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Derek walked out of the market and into the brisk New York night. He was finally honest with not only himself, but Julian as well and he had gotten slammed. Derek didn't understand his feelings, but he understood rejection just fine. Julian didn't want to be with him. Well! That's just fine with him! He'd go get drunk and forget it ever happened. As Derek walked down the crowded streets, he saw the rainbow neon flashing sign of a bar up ahead. He didn't care where the bar was, all he knew was that he need a scotch. Walking into the bar, it was wall to wall men. Young, old, thin, heavy, all various heights. He laughed to himself at the irony of the situation. He'd just been rejected by his gay crush and then he landed himself in a gay bar. Derek was still laughing when the bartender came over to talk to him. "What can I get you, sugar?" The bartender was a handsome and muscular dude and he felt a twinge in his cock. Derek looked down at his lap. Was it possible that he was attracted to this man too? He looked nothing like Julian. The bartender stood at 6'4", at the least. Bald head, black guy with muscles bulging out of his white t-shirt that seemed to have a glowing effect thanks to the lights. His thoughts were interrupted as a soft hand reached out and touched him. Derek looked at the hand and then up at it's owner. The bartender had the softest hands he'd ever felt. "Are you okay, sugar?" The bartender asked with what seemed like genuine concern in his voice. Derek cleared his throat and then said, "Yes. Sorry. Kinda having a bad night. Can I get a scotch?" "Sure thing." The bartender turned and made the drink for Derek. When he came back he said, "Don't let whatever happened stop you from having a good time. You're new here, I know, but the boys are going to be tripping over their feet to get a dance with you." "Thanks." Derek laughed and took a sip of the drink. The burning smoothness was just what he needed to settle his nerves. No sooner than he turned to look at the dance floor, did someone speak to him. "Ready to get out there already?" Derek turned to see the man on the next stool was the one talking to him. "No. Not really. Just looking." "Ah! Trying to decide which one to take home and bed?" "What?! No! That's not what I meant at all!" Derek was taken back by the forwardness of this man and his assumptions. "Relax! I was just messing with you." The man said to him and turned to the bartender. "His next round is on me, Mike." The bartender looked over his shoulder and said, "You got it, Petey." "So your name is Petey?" Derek asked as his neighbor turned back towards him. "Peter, actually, but just about everyone calls me Petey. You are?" "Derek." "Well, it's nice to meet you, Derek. Wouldn't have pegged you as gay though." "Well, technically, I'm not. I, well, it's a long story." Peter moved closer to him and said, "Lucky for you, I've got time. Let's here it." "Um, alright. Well, I met this guy last weekend. Before him, I'd never seriously thought about being with a guy. Now, he's all I think about. I tried telling him today, but it was after I saw him with the guy who I'm sure will be his next boyfriend. He blew it off because he thinks I want to experiment with him or something, but that it isn't it. I've had thoughts about men, but there's something about him that makes everything in me tingle. Is that completely ridiculous?" "No, it's not. I think it's really sad and sweet. There could be a hundred different reasons why he doesn't want to get involved with you and many of them probably don't even relate specifically to you. It could be a previous guy. There are some gay men who prey on others. It's not always easy to recover from." "So you think someone else hurt him? Someone who, in a way, is common to me?" "That's exactly what I think. Have you talked to him about his past at all?" "No. Like I said, we just met. These feeling hit me out of nowhere. Fast!" "Well, what about tonight? Try talking to him." "Can't. He has a date with the potential boyfriend tonight." Peter looked at Derek's expression and laughed lightly. This guy has it bad for this guy and probably doesn't even know it. Shaking his head, Peter decided to do something he didn't do often. Help. "Well, when can you and him be together alone?" Peter asked. "I don't know. He, Julian, and Victor, the potential, are going over to my best friend's place tomorrow night, but I wasn't invited so I guess it's some kind of couples thing. I don't know." "What if you had a date?" Derek looked over at Peter with a suspicious expression. "You? You want to be my date at this dinner thing?" "Sure. Why not? Make this Julian guy a little jealous and that way you could keep an eye on him and Victor." "Well ... I could call Callie and Jase to let them know. If you're sure." Peter nodded his head and said, "Make the call." As Derek made the call to Callie, he wasn't sure if he could go through with all this. A date with a guy other than Julian ... It was new, but he was actually excited to go out with Peter. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Julian had just walked into his house and he immediately at the clock. It was 6:30. He had essentially half an hour to cook and get ready. As much as he was looking forward to his date, Julian's mind couldn't get off of Derek and what he'd said to him. Making his way into the kitchen, Julian decided to focus on creating the perfect Chicken Parmesan Casserole. Putting the dish into the oven, Julian left to get ready. By the time the doorbell rang, dinner was ready and Julian was dressed casual. Opening the door, he took in Victor. No matter how many times Julian saw him, Victor would always take his breath away. Being this close made him think about Derek again. He had to shake his thoughts or he'd never get over this trivial crush. "Hey, gorgeous. Something smells delicious." Vic said as took off his coat. "Thanks, hon. I hope you like Italian." Julian replied snapping out of his thoughts. "Love it. What'd you make?" "Chicken Parmesan Casserole." "One of my favorites. Why don't we sit down and eat?" As Vic sat at the dinner table, Julian went into the kitchen to fix dinner. Going to the table was the last thing he could distinctively remember. Julian had no clue what happened last night. He looked out of his bedroom window and squinted his eyes. When did it hit morning? Where was Victor? Holy crap! Did I sleep with him?! Throwing the sheets from his body, Julian looked down at his still covered body and sighed. At least I didn't have to worry about that. Julian needed coffee and to remember what the hell happened last night. As he made it to the bedroom door, he spotted Victor asleep on his couch. What the hell happened?! "Vic? Victor wake up." Julian whispered as he knelt beside the sleeping god. Victor stirred and said, "Hey! You're up. Are you okay? I didn't want to leave you after last night." "Um ... What happened last night?" "Well, you spaced out while we were eating dinner. You were mumbling something about Derek and then you just walked into your room and climbed into bed. You cried for awhile and then you fell asleep. I cleaned up the table and crashed just in case you needed me." Julian was touched and horrified. What exactly had he said? "Um ... That was really sweet of you, Vic. I could make you some breakfast if you want." "No, Jules, that's okay. I think we should just talk," "Talk? About what?" Julian didn't like the idea of talking. He somehow had the feeling the topic of Derek would come up and that was the one thing Julian didn't want on his mind. "I think you know. Who is this guy to you?" "Who?" "Derek, Jules." "Derek? No one. I mean, he's a friend, but that's all. Why?" "You mumbled about not getting hurt by him last night. Why would a friend hurt you?" "Victor .. I really appreciate you helping out last night, but I really don't want to talk about Derek. Maybe you should just go on home and we'll talk later. Okay?" Julian had since the beginning of the conversation moved to the kitchen. He had his back to Victor so he didn't have to see the hurt look on his face. Victor moved around the living room putting on his boots and grabbing his shirt. Making his way to the door, Victor looked over his shoulder to see Julian still facing away from him. It irritated him, but he wouldn't force Jules to talk and said, "Fine. I'll pick meet you downstairs at 6 to go over to Callie's." Julian sank to the floor as soon as he heard the locks click when the door closed and wrapped his arms around his knees. How is it that everything is turned upside down just like that? It's Derek's fault! Julian thought as the first tears fell. Straight men! He thought and surged to his feet. He was going to get the bottom of Derek's so called feelings before going any further with anything. Everyone Knows But Them Ch. 02 Grabbing his phone, jacket and keys, Julian walked out of his apartment dialing Derek's number. As soon as he made it off the elevator, he bumped into Derek. Looking into his eyes, Julian was taken by surprise. Before he could say anything, Derek covered his lips with his own. The kiss was gentle and tender, but left them both breathless. Derek spoke first. "We need to talk. Here or we can walk." Julian turned and got back on the elevator waiting for Derek to join him. When they were both inside, Julian hit the button for his floor and looked over at Derek who, although the serious expression on his face, wore a smile. Once back in his apartment Julian said, "Were you serious about what you said yesterday?" Derek moved to stand in front of him and said, "You tell me how serious you think I am?" Before Julian could respond, Derek's lips were fused to his in a passionate kiss. Ignoring his need for an answer, Julian wrapped his arms around Derek and deepened the kiss. It seemed to go on forever and when they couldn't do without air, the two separated. Julian's face was flushed with heat and he was panting. Derek smiled smugly and said, "Bedroom?" Julian smiled and grabbing his hand lead the way. Everyone Knows But Them Ch. 03 Hey. Sorry. I know this has been a long wait, but I wanted to get it right to do justice to my characters. Not a lot of sex because I didn't feel I could do the M/M scenes right, but a lot of things get resolved and well, I like the overall story. You should read the first two just get why a lot of things happen, but that's just my opinion. I hope you all enjoy it. Feel free to leave comments, send feedback, and vote. As always, good reading to all of you. S.J. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ As Julian lead the way, Derek looked around his bedroom. The man seemed to have the organized chaos thing going on from what he could tell. Stacks of paper jumbled a small table next to the wall, clothes in various shades scattered the floor and the duvet hanging off an unmade bed. Julian smiled as he noticed Derek taking in his inner sanctum. "Had I known you were coming over, I would have cleaned up more." Julian said as he leaned against the doorjamb. Derek had wandered around the room, at Julian's words, he turned and smiled before saying, "More? What part of this is clean to you, Jules?" "Hey! All of it. Sorta. Okay. So the table could be in better order and I need to do my laundry, but haven't had the time for it." Derek's smile fell. Julian could only imagine where his mind was going and wanted to stop them before it ruined a new beginning. "Nothing happened." Derek looked back at his god. No matter what one look at the man could wipe his mind clean. "Nothing happened with what, Jules?" "Victor. I mean, something happened, but not physically between us. That's not why I haven't had the time lately." "I said nothing about Victor." "No, but you were thinking about he and I together. It was written all over your face so do me a favor and not lie to me." "Fine. I was thinking about it. I don't like him." "Why? You barely met and he was nothing but nice to you. So I have to assume that I'm to blame for your dislike." "Blame? No. No one is to blame. I told you how I felt about you. Now I'd like to know the same, Jules." "How I feel about you? I like you. A lot. I like you so much it scares me. You remind me too much of someone who hurt me in the past. I don't want to be an experiment to you, Derek. I want a relationship. One that means something." Derek moved to stand in front of Julian. He held the man's hands in his own. "You aren't an experiment. I've had thoughts about men in the past, but never had the balls to act on it. I met you and the connection I felt with you, I can't and won't ignore anymore. Let me show you that this is nothing like you're past. I would never hurt you. Jules. I've already started to fall for you." Julian still looked unsure, so Derek continued. "I'm really serious here. I want to date you and know everything there is to know about you. I spend all my time thinking about you. Um ... Can we leave your bedroom though? Now that I'm thinking clearly it's far too tempting." Julian laughed and walked back into the living room. Sitting on the couch, he thought about exactly what he wanted. He wanted to express that to Derek, but he also had to be sure. "I told that I really like you, Derek. I'd like to be in a real relationship with you, but I need you to be completely sure." "I am, Jules. Really. I ... I should tell you something though." "Uh oh." "No. It's not like that. Not really anyway. I was drinking last night and I, well, I have a date tonight." "You ... You have a date? With who?" "This guy Peter. I met him last night in the bar." "Um ... Well, I guess you can date whoever you want to, Derek. Tonight and tonight only. I still have the date with Victor tonight so I can't really tell you anything." Derek breathed a sigh of relief. He really hoped that Jules wouldn't be mad at him. He still didn't tell him everything though. "Jules, there's one more thing." "Omg. What now, D?" "I.. Nothing. I guess you'll find out sooner or later. I have to go though. I'll talk to you later on." "Alright. I'll talk to you later." Julian walked Derek to the door. Before Derek left, he pulled Jules into him and gave him a long kiss. When they separated, they both smiled. "I'll never get tired of doing that, Jules." "Glad to hear it, D. Now get out of here. I have to go to work soon." Derek smiled and left. Julian closed the door and had a huge grin on his face. Then as his thoughts began to hit him, he realized that he still had quite a few things to handle before everything would be as it should. Jules moved through his apartment and got ready to go to work. Everything else would have to wait until he got off of work. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Derek had been on cloud nine since he stepped off the elevator at the ground floor of Jules' building. He couldn't wait until he would be able to go on a actual date with his god without worrying about who he'll see once they aren't together. For all his emotions though, Derek hadn't stopped to think about what his newly discovered preference meant. He was sure the guys at work wouldn't care, but he didn't know how his parents were going to take it. They'd never discussed such things. Derek's head hung a little as he thought about all the ways that conversation could go wrong. Should he have Jules there when he told them? Would they think less of him? What would Jase think? Walking into Central Park, Derek made up his mind that he would tell them alone first. Tonight. He knew his feelings for Jules wasn't going anywhere. So the sooner they knew, the better for everyone. He could only hope that when his parents said they'd love him no matter what, they sincerely meant it. When Derek was about to head towards a empty bench, his phone rang. "Hello?" He answered. "Hey, Derek. It's Peter." "Oh! Hey, Peter. How are you today?" "I'm doing pretty well. I was calling to make sure we were still on for tonight." "Definitely. I'm really looking forward to it." "Me too. Well, I gave you the address last night and I'll be ready by 6." "Perfect. I'll pick you up then, but there's something I have to do before I go to dinner. I'll explain then, okay?" "Fine by me. See you then." "Bye." "Bye." Derek had a smile on his face because outside of all his fears, he was happy with everything that was happening. He just hoped Jules was dealing as well. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Julian had really needed work as a distraction. He had so much in his head that it'd taken 4 Tylenol's and 8 hours to get rid of it. It was 5 in the evening and although he didn't want to be around Victor after their disagreement this morning, he really wanted to see Callie. He showered and stood in front of his closet trying to decide what to wear. His sculpted body still glistening with water, only the fluffy white towel cover his bottom half. He decided on comfortable and casual. He pulled out one of his v-neck silk shirts, and a pair of his black slacks. He was sure Victor would enjoy the way the outfit presented his body. Part of him really did want to have fun with his Hispanic Adonis one more time, the other part wished that Derek could see him in the very outfit. Shaking the thoughts from his head, water dripped from his shaggy blonde hair. Turning away from his closet, Julian saw that it was just after 5:30. He'd been standing in front of his closet lost in thought way too long. He dried his body and dressed. After doing so, he moved to his bathroom to try and style his hair. By 5:50, he'd given up and decided to leave it as it was. Making his way to the elevator, he hoped this would be at least semi-pleasant. Victor was just walking into the building as Julian strode off the elevator. Meeting each other near the doors. Victor looked over Julian. "Hey. You look nice." "Thanks, Vic. So do you." Julian meant it. Victor was dressed in a long sleeve light blue button up and khaki slacks. He looked like he was ready to take on the corporate world or lunch at the country club. "We should get going, Jul." "Right." The two men exited the building and got into the waiting cab at the curb. They didn't speak and Julian could sense that this night was going to be very long. 20 minutes later, they were in front of Callie and Jase's place. As Julian got out, he sighed in relief. Making it to the porch and ringing the doorbell, Callie answered. "Jules! Vic! So glad you two could make it. Almost everyone is here. The guys in the living room watching some game. The girls are helping me in the kitchen." Callie told them as she took lead them down the main hall. "I'm going to see what they're watching." Victor said before taking off towards the living room. "Is he alright?" Callie asked. "Oh yeah. He's fine. He and I together ... Not so much." "Aww. I'm sorry, honey. Why don't you come into the kitchen and we'll talk about it." Callie and Julian walked into the kitchen where he was introduced to two other women. A tall African American woman named Stacy and a smaller India woman named Sharif. They were each at the stove stirring something in the pots. Callie handed Julian a knife and pointed towards the vegetables in a bowl on the countertop. He smiled and began to chop the vegetables. "So tell me. What's going on?" "Well, we had dinner last night, or we started to. I spaced out and left him at the table to cry myself to sleep in my bedroom apparently." Callie looked up from peeling a carrot and asked, "Why? Are you okay?" "Yes, yes. I'm fine. I guess it's just been a stressful and confusing week. Well, you know Derek came into the gym yesterday and you know how it went. I didn't see him again until I was leaving after we talked. He followed me out and apologized, I brushed it off because it's like I didn't get why he was acting so strange with me. I went into the market and he was still following me. I crept up behind him and scared him. Asking why he was still following me. He said it was because he wanted me." Julian stopped as Callie gasped. "Yeah, it was surprise to me too. Anyway, I told him I didn't want to be his experiment and left. Then this morning, Victor and I get into it because of something I said while I was out of it. He left upset. I was going to go find Derek, but he was already coming to see me. We ended up making out and in my bedroom. Nothing happened." Julian added after seeing the look on Callie's face, before he kept telling her. "Anyway, we ended up talking and agreed that after tonight we'd both start dating each other. He has a date with some guy named Peter tonight though." Before Callie could say anything, a voice behind him said, "That would be me." Julian turned to see a guy in a blue t-shirt and black jeans standing in the doorway. "You are?" The guy crossed the room and held out a hand to Julian. "Peter. Derek's date tonight." Julian shook it as he tried to put it all together in his head. "Wait! Derek is here?" "Well, he went to talk to his parents about something, but afterwards he will be, yes. You must be Julian." "Um, yes, I am. Sorry. Julian Fitzgerald." "That's fine. I seem to caught you by surprise. I'm Peter O'Maliey." "You did, but that's alright. Pleasure to meet you." "Likewise. I'm into sports much so I figured I'd give a hand here if you need it." "That's very nice of you, Peter. We've just about finished actually." "Oh, alright. Can I still hang out in here?" "Sure." Callie said and moved to shake his hand. "I'm Callie. The tall one is Stacy and the smaller one is Sharif." Peter shook Callie's hand and said hello to the other two women. Callie then turned to Julian and after seeing the look on his face said, "Hobby room?" Julian nodded and excused himself. Callie followed behind. As soon as the door was closed, I said, "Why didn't you tell me he was coming after all?" "I'm sorry, honey. He called late last night and told me he wanted to come and that he'd be bringing someone. I didn't know that someone was a guy and when I saw you tonight, you looked like you had something on your mind. I was going to tell you though." Julian sighed and said it was fine. Before they could continue, there was a knock on the door. Callie and Julian looked at one another before Callie went to answer. Julian was just walking into the room when he saw Derek taking off his coat. He smiled as he saw Julian. "Jules. How are you?" "I'm fine, D. How about you?" "I'm a hell of a lot better now." Julian blushed and then froze as he saw Victor come into the main hall. He looked from Julian to Derek and back, then said, "I was coming to see if we could talk, but I guess that's not going to happen." Julian's jaw dropped by the time he recovered, Victor was turning to leave. "Wait!" He shouted and Victor looked over his shoulder. Julian sighed and continued, "Can we go for a walk? We do need to talk. Dinner won't be finished for a little while longer right, Callie?" Victor looked at Callie who nodded her head and Victor said, "Sure." Julian and Victor walked outside so they could figure out what exactly was going on. It was time for Julian to tell the truth. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Callie looked at Derek as he watched Julian leave with Victor. The pain that was there was obvious. Before she could say anything about it, Derek walked into the living room. He'd told his parents and that was a conversation they hadn't seen coming, but once he explained, they were happy for him being able to be open about what he truly wanted. Now he had to tell the man who was like a brother to him. "Hey, Jase. Can we, um, talk alone for a minute?" Jase looked over his shoulder and smiled at his best friend before answering, "Sure, bro. Let's go into the den." Jase and Derek walked into the den. Jase took a swing from his beer while he watched Derek. His best friend seemed to be on edge lately. He didn't like it, and was hoping he could help, but Derek was just looking out of the window lost in thought. "You okay, D?" "Huh? Oh! Yeah, Jase, I'm fine. I just need to tell you something." "What is it?" "I ... Well, there's only one way I know how to tell you so I'll just say it. Jase, I'm gay. Or bi-sexual that hasn't really been determined, yet, but I like guys." Jase stopped the beer halfway to his lips and looked at Derek. "You ... Wow. She really is never wrong." "What? Who?" "Callie. She said that she got that vibe from you and that you liked Julian. I told her she was crazy, but damn. She really has a sense for this stuff." Derek blushed. He didn't get how Callie had seen something he'd tried so hard to bury, but he still needed to know something. "Um, so you're okay with it? We're good, right?" "Yeah, why not? You're not gonna try and hit on me or something like that, are you?" "What? You? No! I mean, no, dude. You aren't exactly my type and I already have someone in mind." "Ah! That Peter guy? Callie was telling me about him." "Peter? No. He's just a friend. I was actually talking about Julian." "Julian? Dude, you do know he's dating Victor, right?" "Well, yeah. I'm bi, dude, not blind." "Ah!" Jase walked over to Derek and hugged him before he said, "Good luck, bro." With a smile on his face, beer in hand, Jase left. Derek was smiling too. Everything was working out with him. He just hoped that Jules was doing as well. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Julian and Victor ended up in a little park not too far from Callie and Jase's place. Victor was sitting on bench waiting for Julian to explain what was going on. "Vic, you know I like you, but there is just something between Derek and I that I just can't let go of. I'm sorry. I never wanted this to happen. I never wanted to cause that look on your face, but I have to follow my heart." Victor didn't say anything for awhile. He just sat on the bench looking at Julian as if willing him to change his mind. When he realized that this was what Julian wanted, he stood as said, "Wow. You know, I actually really liked you, but I just want you to be happy. I can't say that I think it'll be with a guy who just admitted his feelings, but I wish you the best of luck. I just can't stay around you right now. I'll walk you back so I can say goodbye to Callie, okay?" "Alright. I understand." Victor stood and walked with Julian, back to the house. By the time he'd said his goodbyes, there was a taxi waiting outside. Victor didn't say bye to Julian, he just left. Callie came behind Julian and slipped an arm around his waist. "It'll be fine, honey. He just needs to get thinks straight in his mind." Julian smiled at her and said, "I know. I'll just give him some space. I guess I'll get going too. I hope you enjoy dinner." "What?! Why are you leaving?" "This is a couples thing, Callie. With Victor gone, I'm the odd man out. It's fine. We'll get together in a few days. Just the two of us." Derek had overheard their conversation and said, "No, Jules. Don't go. We all want you to stay. Come on. We'll still have a good time. Please." Julian was quiet for a minute as he thought about it and then said, "Sure. Fine. I'll stay." The smile on Derek's face was enough to make Julian light up as well. Everyone at the door looked on and thought it was the cutest thing. Ten minutes later, everyone was seated at the table. Derek and Julian sat next to one another with Peter on the other side Derek. Julian thought it was kind of weird because he felt like he was crashing Julian's date, so before the food was served, Julian moved to the empty chair that was meant for Victor. Derek felt kind of hurt, but didn't have time to ask about it because Callie began saying grace. Dinner was spent with everyone having a good time. Laughing and getting those whom they didn't. Julian watched as Derek and Peter seemed to really be hitting it off. Outside of their conversation that morning and their brief talk when Derek first arrived, Julian hadn't spoken to the man. The fact that he was now out made it better and worse. He needed to think. Derek could be with anyone now and he didn't know where that left him. He knew what he felt, but he couldn't be lead on that. Derek looked at Julian and could sense something was wrong, but he didn't want to bring it up in front of everyone. When dinner was over, Julian stood and said, "I had a great time, Callie, but I'm gonna head home now." The frown that formed on Callie's face clearly showed her disapproval. She voiced them next. "No. Why are you in a hurry to go?" "I'm just tired, Callie. I have a lot to do tomorrow and I'd like to just get home, shower and sleep." With a sigh, Callie replied, "Fine. I'll walk you out.' "Don't worry about it, sweetie. My cab should be here by now. I'll call you in a few days." Looking at everyone he said, "I hope you all have a pleasant evening and thank you for the company. Goodbye." Julian made it to the door before he realized he wasn't alone. He turned to see Derek standing behind him. Turning he was about to speak, but before he could, Derek covered his mouth with his own. The kiss took Julian by surprise, but after the initial shock wore off, Julian pulled back and said, "No. I have to go and your date is waiting for you. We'll talk in a few days, alright?" Without waiting for an answer, Julian turned and left. He knew that he'd have to deal with everything with Derek, but for now, he needed space and he was going to take it without pressure from anyone. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Derek had no clue what was going on with Jules. He'd attempted to show the man he was still interested in him, but that seemed to make him shut down more. When he'd walked away, Derek felt like he'd never see Jules again. That feeling scared him as much as the last words Jules said. Shaking his head, he went back to the table. Everyone Knows But Them Ch. 03 The rest of the evening had gone fine, but Derek just couldn't get his head into it. When he dropped Peter off home, he found himself agreeing to see the man again in two days. Derek was lost in a sea of thoughts and what they meant, but he was missing a very key set to factor in. Julian's. Thoughts he didn't have. When he made it home, he called Jules to see what was going on, but it went straight to voicemail after one ring. He tried again with the same result. Then decided to text. The only response was a message informing him that Julian needed time to think. Throwing his phone at the wall, Derek tried to sleep, but it didn't come until the wee hours of the morning. To be continued...