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mayqueen517So this fic hasn't seen the light of day since at least 2010. Uh, yeah.
Also, remember that fic I wrote about the small-town AU? Called Tiger Hammock? This one to be exact. Basically, this is an AU of THAT AU, 'cause that's how I'm gonna roll.
Basically, all you need to know is that Kevin lives in a place called Tiger Hammock in Florida (which is, in fact, a real place) and he lives by himself but occasionally produces albums. Bill Beckett is a giant Kevin Jonas fan here. Because it's my universe and what I say goes.
Anyways, I cleaned it up, finished it up and decided to post it! XD (the end is SUPER sappy, 'cause I don't care.)
Title: In The Quiet, In The Crowd
Pairing(s): Mike/Kevin
Rating: PG-15ish
Warnings: None
Disclaimer: I OWN NOTHING, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. Title comes from Where Are You Now by Mumford & Sons!
Word Count: 4,485 (JESUS CHRIST, WHAT.)
Summary: Mike holds onto his tea, wondering when he became so invested in the opinion of this guy he barely knows.
Tiger Hammock is possibly the strangest place that Mike's ever been in. He tells William as much and watches him roll his eyes.
"You'll live, Michael," William says, sounding exasperated. Which, okay, Mike knows he's been kind of shitty about this whole thing; going to stay with some producer who used to be in some boyband in a place none of them had ever heard of. And okay, so they can see the ocean and it's gorgeous, warm, and Mike likes the way the town looks.
Still, it's strange.
"Fuck you. Where's this guy's place?"
"Keep going straight, he said we can't miss his it," William says, reaching behind Mike to grab one of the sodas in the cooler. Mike's legs hurt, his ass hurts, his back is aching, and all he can think is that he's going to smother Siska in his sleep for suggesting they drive down from Chicago. Mike flexes his fingers on the steering wheel before slowing down.
There's a house at the end of the street, the road curving around. The house is big, a rounded porch with rocking chairs (fucking rocking chairs, Mike thinks incredulously) and plants all over the place. On the steps is a guy with curly hair that Mike recognizes.
"You did not tell me that we were recording with Kevin fucking Jonas, dick-smack," Mike says, turning to William who smiles serenely and directs Mike where to park and there's a moment where Mike wants to punch the shit out of William, just once. Mike sighs and turns the van off, grateful to at least be stopped and be able to climb out.
"We need a different voice, I told you," William says quietly, looking over at him before he climbs out of the van. Mike groans to himself, scrubbing his hands over his face and through his hair, thinking idly, he needs to get his contacts out and glasses on.
Instead, he’s introducing himself to Kevin Jonas, what the fuck.
Kevin’s a nice enough guy, Mike thinks as they clasp hands and exchange pleasant smiles, but Mike’s been through the smile pleasantly and act nice routine before. It’s never the same as when you first meet someone, but Kevin offers up actual rooms and beds for them, and Mike spares a thought at why he has such a huge house before he flops down on the bed. His back is killing him, but he can actually bury his face in a real pillow and stretch out and the window’s open, letting in enough of the breeze to be comforting, rather than annoying.
He’s barely awake when someone tugs his shoes off and Mike manages to pry an eye open. Butcher’s pushing his shoes up against the wall and Mike smiles sleepily at him, settling down and going to sleep as the ocean roars outside the window.
===
When Mike wakes up later and looks out the window, it’s dark, and without meaning to, he groans. There’s sound coming from downstairs, like someone’s rattling around the kitchen and when Mike sits up, the blanket falls off of him slowly.
He sits on the bed, resting his arms on his legs, feeling his head slowly clear as he wakes up. His door's cracked, just enough to let in a sliver of light from downstairs slip through, and Mike can hear soft guitar. Standing, he stretches, letting out a strained groan as his back pops.
The window in the bathroom's open, he notices, smiling as he washes his hands after using the toilet. It's a nice bathroom, he thinks idly. Neat, almost compulsively so; Mike wonders if the rest of the house is like that. He digs in his bag, pulling out battered sweats and an old t-shirt before tugging them on just to get out of the jeans.
Comfortable finally, he pads downstairs, yawning widely, as his toes curl into the soft carpet. The guitar's stopped and when Mike walks into the living room, an acoustic is resting against the couch. Around the living room there are pictures put up everywhere, some haphazardly, some methodically.
He recognizes a few of them as he leans closer to look at one. In it, a kid with a bowler hat is perched on Kevin's back and Kevin looks happy, smiling widely. Mike doesn't recognize the kid, not really, and when he looks at other pictures he figures it must be one of Kevin's brothers.
"That's Frankie," Kevin says from behind him. It's only by the nature of having lived with William that he doesn't jump. Mike straightens up, looking over his shoulder.
"Yeah?"
"Yeah. He's my youngest brother. That's when his band got invited to headline some stuff," Kevin says, taking a quiet sip of his tea. Mike meets his eyes and he wants to ask about why he's the only one up, playing guitar quietly.
"That's cool, though," Mike says, watching Kevin smile softly into his tea. Something about Kevin seems lonely, makes Mike wonder just why he's living out in Florida, in some town that nobody's ever heard of.
"I guess. C'mon, we can go sit out on the porch, it's a nice night," Kevin says, reaching down and grabbing the acoustic guitar. It's battered, and Mike wonders if it was his first one. Mike still has his first one, safe in his apartment back in Chicago. His own has scars on it, nicks and scratches across it that Mike doesn't admit to liking. It gives it character.
He can look at the scratch on the back and know it's from when it scraped across his belt and he knows who caused that scratch. (William, trying to prove a point.) There's another scratch on the front, almost a gouge, from Tom. That one had been an accident.
Mike likes the character it gives the guitar though. He doesn't mind them, and he thinks that Kevin might be the same way. Mike nods, smiling a little as he settles down on the porch, not bothering with one of the chairs as he presses his back against the wooden post.
“What were you playing earlier?” Mike asks, stretching his legs out, listening to the ocean and the way it makes the porch feel like the only place in the world with people awake. Kevin smiles a little, ducking his head as he messes with the strings on the guitar.
“Nothing, really,” Kevin says, shrugging as Mike arches an eyebrow at him. There are slats of light falling on the porch, on Kevin and Mike, from inside and through the blinds. It leaves Mike feeling disoriented, but he likes the way it catches the shine of the guitar.
“Why’d you guys come here?” Kevin asks after a moment of easy silence.
“Needed a different sound. Someone new,” Mike says, feeling the breeze pull the strands of his hair across his face. He needs a haircut, he thinks as Kevin laughs softly. Mike looks over at him, arching an eyebrow as Kevin plays an easy run of notes that fall into a quick arpeggio.
“And I’m as new as you could get?”
“You know, William played that solo album about a million times when it came out. So I don’t think it was so much of needing something or someone new, but maybe it was that William thought you’d fit,” Mike says, clearing his throat. In the sliver of light coming through the glass door,Mike thinks he can see the hint of a blush on Kevin’s cheeks. It’s...cute, he thinks.
Kevin clears his throat a few times, ducking his head as he strums out a soft melody that Mike recognizes in a slowly dawning sort of way.
“Why’d you say yes to us?”
“I really just honestly loved listening to William talk about music. I figured that it couldn’t hurt,” Kevin says, smiling as Mike tilted his head back, feeling the breeze and hearing the roar of the ocean.
“After the break up, William and I didn’t talk for almost a year, you know. He had his solo stuff, I had swimming. Sometime last year, we started talking again and he sent me this song and. I think for the first time since the two of us met, it wasn’t a fight to get the song down. He said you’d understand that,” Mike says, stretching his legs out in front of him. Kevin hugs his guitar to him, nodding.
“My solo album was the music I always wanted to create but it turned out that nobody else wanted to hear it.”
“Not true. I’ll have you know that William Beckett played that cd so much that our dear Andy threatened to throw it out of the bus window,” Mike says, knocking his foot into Kevin’s leg. Kevin blinks, laughing after a moment, face lighting up.
“Tiger Hammock, huh?”
“I figured you couldn’t go wrong with a place named that. Best decision I’ve made,” Kevin says, fond and open as anyone that Mike has known for years.
“Indeed,” Mike murmurs, smiling to himself as Kevin begins to play something that winds in and out of Mike’s thoughts like it’s always been there. Mike closes his eyes, listening to the surf and Kevin’s strumming and lets himself wonder if this is what peace is.
===
“You and Kevin are getting along,” Adam says easily as Mike shrugs. His notebook in front of him is mocking him with a blank page; Mike is sure of it. The acoustic guitar that’s constantly floating around the house sits plainly in his lap as he looks over to Adam sitting down on the couch.
“What? You thought we wouldn’t?”
“Nah, it was just an observation. He’s pretty cool,” Adam says, giving Mike an easy smile like no time has passed and Mike rolls his eyes, reaching over to flick Adam’s ear like he always used to. Adam laughs, reaching out to do the same.
“I like it here,” Mike says, looking out at the patio to where Kevin’s taking the time to water the various plants out there. He meets Kevin’s eyes and gives him a smile that’s easily returned as Adam snorts.
“I bet you do.”
“Fuck off, Adam,” Mike says with rancor, laughing as Adam shoves his feet under Mike’s leg as Mike starts to play.
===
“Gimme another run through of that verse, Mike,” Kevin says, fiddling on his computer as Mike makes a face, sighing before he nods. He plays through it quickly, something like exhilaration flying through him as he finishes, grinning as William gives him a thumbs up. Kevin beams at him and Mike doesn’t know if he wants to ruffle his hair or roll his eyes. He settles from pulling his guitar off and grinning when Kevin plays it back for them.
“Hey, Adam, what was that idea you had yesterday?” Mike asks, walking over as Adam fiddles with his bass. He looks up at Mike from his seat and Mike is reminded all over again the first time he met this gangly kid who barely knew an E from a D but was so willing to learn. He ruffles Adam’s hair, listening to Butcher and Adam play off of one another for a few minutes.
It doesn’t inspire him in the same way it does William, so he finds himself going over to sit down beside Kevin. They’ve had this frisson on tension that even Adam’s noticed recently. Mike can’t put his finger on it or why, but he knows that he’s not willing to examine it too closely.
“Ready to turn to auto-tune yet?”
Kevin rolls his eyes as Mike snickers, leaning back in his chair as William starts gesturing wildly; it’s so familiar and Mike shakes his head, scrunching himself further into the chair before propping his feet on the edge of the table. Kevin gives him a look.
Grumbling, Mike shifts himself, taking his feet off the table, resting them beside Kevin’s with an ease that he doesn’t think about too much.
“What are you guys going to do about a second guitarist?”
“I don’t think we’re gonna need one this time out,” Mike says, “I guess it’s...the sound we’re going for this time out, it doesn’t need one. I like having a more full guitar sound, but right now, we’re just trying to get songs down.”
“Makes sense,” Kevin says as William throws his hands up and Mike can’t help the snort of laughter at Adam’s smug grin.
“Is it different now?” Kevin says quietly.
“Not really,” Mike says, smiling softly. Butcher catches his eyes, flashing a wide grin that is achingly familiar and welcome and Mike returns it easily.
“Mike! Back me up on this,” Adam calls as Mike rolls his eyes, standing.
“Back to work,” he says as Kevin laughs.
===
Mike finds himself wandering the beach, later that night. The waves hit his ankles as he walks the edge, flashlight in hand. The sand is soft as he walks, the easy strain on his calves a welcome feeling as he finds himself sitting down to watch the waves under the moonlight. He thinks about Kevin and the sad way he seems to smile sometimes. He wonders about it, but he knows that now isn’t the time to ask.
It doesn’t take long before he hears footsteps behind him. He expects William or even Kevin, but when he turns and sees Butcher, he smiles, jerking his head to the seat beside himself.
“You okay?” Butcher asks, flopping down and digging his feet down into the sand. Mike tilts his head back, looking at the stars that he can make out through the clouds. The moon is bright and something like peace is settling over him.
“Yeah, why?”
“You seem, I dunno, quiet. I mean, you were never really talkative, but more than this.”
“I dunno. Kind of realizing how much I missed this,” Mike says, turning his head to meet Butcher’s eyes. Butcher flashes a grin.
“Obviously. I’ve never seen you and William work together like that,” he says, sifting sand through his hands. Mike pulls his legs up, hooking his arms around his knees as he looks out over the ocean.
“Because we’ve never worked like this. It’s never been easy; you know that,” Mike says as Butcher hums in agreement, “I dunno. Maybe we just grew up.”
“Enh, I wouldn’t say that,” Butcher says, laughing as Mike snorts, shoving his arm. Butcher pulls himself up, offering Mike his hand.
“C’mon, you gotta hear Adam and Kevin trying to outdo each other on Disney trivia. I kinda wanna introduce Jon to Kevin and see who explodes first,” Butcher says as Mike laughs. They walk back together and Mike lets himself lean into Butcher briefly, pressing their arms together as they share a grin.
William meets his eyes and Mike gives him a grin. The returned smile is blinding and it Mike doesn’t know why he’s so nostalgic, but he also knows that it’s like nothing has changed and nothing will.
===
Another late night and Mike finds himself up, padding through the house quietly. He pads into the kitchen, pulling a mug from the drainer as he digs around in Kevin’s tea collection for that one he likes. He doesn’t know the name of it, but he knows that Kevin tends to keep it in the back for him.
He makes a face, putting water on for the tea as he keeps digging. He hears the sound of a mandolin from somewhere in the house; blinking Mike puts a teabag at random into his cup before he follows the sound.
The sound is sweet and soft, a little sad, and Mike knows in his gut that it’s Kevin. He finds Kevin in his instrument room, sitting on the floor, playing this melody over and over. Mike wonders at how sat Kevin seems and he stays in the doorway, listening.
“That’s really beautiful,” Mike says, leaning against the doorframe, wishing he had his glasses. Kevin looks up at him, smiling.
“Thanks. It’s easier to come in here and play something than trying to go back to sleep,” Kevin says, standing and gently putting the mandolin back on the wall.
“I’m fixing some tea, if you want some,” Mike says softly, following Kevin into the kitchen. He doesn’t wait for Kevin to pull down a coffee cup but instead goes for the one he knows that Kevin always uses. He puts Kevin’s favorite in there and wonders when exactly he learned these things about Kevin. Kevin smiles at him, an expression on his face like he’s wondering the same thing.
Mike shrugs, laughing to himself as he pours the hot water into the cups to let the tea steep. In the meantime, he finds himself leaning against the counter, beside Kevin. Their arms touch, a warm point along one side of Mike’s body.
“So are we just going to consider this insomniac’s corner?” Kevin asks wryly. Mike snorts, leaning into Kevin just a touch more. He’s warm and it’s kind of comforting, Mike thinks, to be up with someone else in the middle of the night.
“We could have t-shirts,” Mike says, yawning as he runs a hand through his hair, “why can’t you sleep?”
“Sometimes I wake up for no reason; that’s all. What about you?”
“Mostly ‘cause I can’t stop thinking,” Mike says as Kevin nods, reaching over to slowly start spooning sugar into his cup.
“Are you okay? The others seem like they’re excited but you...I dunno. I can’t put my finger on it,” Kevin says, holding his cup close to himself before he takes a careful sip. Mike makes a face, shrugging. He lets his tea steep longer as he thinks.
“I guess. I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop. When we were younger, the only way William and I could write songs was when we fought about it. It was frustrating. So now that it’s working really organically, I don’t know how to feel, I guess? I mean, they all stayed in music while we were apart. I went to college and joined the fucking swim team,” Mike says laughing a little. He pulls the honey out of the cabinet, setting it onto the counter as Kevin nods.
“You wonder if it’s ‘cause both of you just grew up while you were apart?”
“Honestly? I think it’s ‘cause William doesn’t want us to have a fight and decide this was a dumb idea,” Mike says, slowly stirring honey into his tea. Kevin hums softly, reaching out to put a hand on Mike’s shoulder, tentative but noticeable.
“For what it’s worth, Mike, I think that all of you had to grow up and if realizing that you don’t want to fight is the worst that comes of it, then you’re better off,” Kevin says, squeezing Mike’s shoulder.
Mike gives him a look, thinking of it as he nods wordlessly. He shifts, taking a sip of his tea before he leans back into Kevin’s hand for just a moment in thanks.
“I’m going out on the porch. You coming?” he says, turning as Kevin gives him a smile, nodding. They walk out and Mike finds himself humming softly as they sit down, the back porch heading straight onto the beach as Kevin starts talking about his brothers. Mike holds onto his tea, wondering when he became so invested in the opinion of this guy he barely knows.
Kevin gestures with one hand, a grin on his face and Mike finds himself smiling in response, not really caring why he’s so invested anymore.
===
It takes two and a half weeks before Mike finds himself having an argument with William. All things considered for the course of writing and recording, it’s kind of a record.
It’s how he finds himself going for a long, angry swim in the ocean that was maybe not his best idea. He pulls himself onto the beach, sitting in the wake of the tide, breathing hard with water still crashing into him. He looks back to the porch, seeing a bottle sitting on the steps and nobody else out. He blinks, standing as he makes his way up.
Mike laughs once upon seeing the bottle of beer, uncapping it to take a long swallow as he sits on the steps. It’s sort of nice, he thinks, leisurely sipping at the beer as the door opens. The air from inside is a blast of cold on his still wet back, sending a shiver through him. He looks up and sees William standing there, looking down at him.
“I don’t think we should have a last song. I think eleven is enough, but I think that I’d rather see what you come up with before being an ass,” he says easily as Mike blinks at him.
To save face, he takes a long swallow of his beer, looking out over the beach as William sits down. His bare toes curl around the edge of the step and Mike sighs.
“Are you really for that or are you just giving to keep the peace?”
“Once you’ve been lectured by Kevin Jonas, you gotta realize you’re being an ass,” William says as Mike snorts. He leans back against the warm wood of the steps. The sky is bright, the oranges and pinks of sunset growing darker as Mike sighs, looking up at William and something settles.
“I’m sorry that I was a dick,” Mike says, as William snorts, knocking his knee into Mike.
“If you weren’t, I don’t think I’d know you,” William says fondly.
===
It takes two more weeks before Mike finds himself holed up in Kevin’s studio, writing furiously and trying to find the right sound.
Two weeks of fighting with it and wondering why he thought this was a good idea. He holds his guitar close, closing his eyes and wishing idly that he hadn’t said he’d go off on his own and figure it out.
He doesn’t hear the door open and when Kevin’s hand lands on his shoulder, he definitely does not jump. He was just frustrated and hit the guitar in a discordant clash.
“You okay there?” Kevin asks, grinning.
“Shut up,” Mike says, scrubbing his hands over his face. His contacts are itching like a motherfucker and he puts his guitar down, spinning in the chair to face Kevin. He’s holding a mug that he soon pushes into Mike’s hand.
“I take it back, you’re the best,” Mike says, taking a long swallow of almost too-hot coffee gratefully. Kevin snorts, sitting in the chair across from him. He looks rumpled and tired and Mike settles back into his own chair.
“Can’t sleep?”
Kevin shakes his head, sighing, “Not really. I sleep better than I did when I first moved here, but I don’t know if that’s saying too much.”
“Why’d you move here in the first place?”
“Thought it’d be a nice place to settle down. It was, but in the end, she got the house in LA and I kept the house here,” Kevin says easily as Mike nods. He doesn’t know about the marriage aspect, but he definitely remembers his last relationship ending in a flurry of shouted words and the final door slamming in his face.
“What are you working on?” Kevin asks as Mike shrugs, pushing the notebook over to him. Mike idly plays a strain of some melody that’s been running through his head for most of the night but doesn’t fit. Something about it is easy and fun to play, so he lets his fingers do what they will on the guitar. Kevin hums to himself, looking up and holding his hands out for the guitar. Ordinarily, Mike wouldn’t let anyone touch the instrument, but he finds that he actually trusts Kevin.
“I think if you try this,” Kevin says, changing a few notes and Mike can already hear the difference, “it works better. Sounds more like you,” Kevin says, playing through a few more times. He looks over to Mike and Mike shifts over, sitting on the stool beside Kevin. His knees knock into Kevin’s gently as he takes the guitar from Kevin.
“Like me, huh?”
“I think so,” Kevin says, watching Mike play through the notes easily before Mike makes a couple of notations on the paper, grinning.
“And you wonder why we came down here,” Mike says teasingly, watching Kevin shrug.
“I’m just an outside view, that’s all,” Kevin replies. Mike watches him, wondering what to say and if there is anything to even say at this point.
“Somewhat. It’s more than that, though. You understand us,” Mike says, standing and putting his guitar carefully into it’s stand. He picks the coffee cup up, finishing it in one go with a brief grimace. Kevin rolls his eyes, standing and they’re closer together than Mike would have thought. Mike looks at him, arching an eyebrow.
“Am I...reading this wrong?” Kevin asks slowly, shifting. Mike has a moment to blink before he realizes that Kevin is leaning in. He carefully sets the coffee cup onto the stool beside him, stepping closer to Kevin.
“Not at all,” he says carefully, feeling nerves well up in his stomach in the moment before Kevin’s lips are pressing against his. They’ve spent the months leading to this, Mike thinks; to this press of lips and the warm of Kevin against him. Kevin’s arms are around him and kissing him is a lot like playing guitars with him. Mike sighs into it, kissing him harder as Kevin lets out a soft sound that has Mike nipping at his lips.
Mike loses track of time and how long they spend, standing in the studio, making out like teenagers. Mike’s lips are swollen and tender and Kevin’s haven’t fared much better, but there’s something like satisfaction in his eyes. Kevin stays close, watching him as Mike grins at him.
“I can’t believe you thought you were reading that wrong,” Mike says as Kevin laughs, leaning in to kiss him again. Mike hums against Kevin’s lips, setting his teeth against Kevin’s bottom lip to hear the sound he makes.
“You never know,” Kevin says, pulling back just enough to meet Mike’s eyes. Mike can feel the nervous twitching of Kevin’s fingers through the hair at the nape of his neck. It leaves a shiver against his skin as Kevin kisses him chastely.
“Do you know now?” Mike asks, grinning.
“Shut up,” Kevin says, laughing as he kisses Mike again. Mike kisses him and thinks of his stay at Kevin’s house, of the ease of living there and simply being with his band and meeting Kevin. He loses himself in the taste of Kevin and the feel of his lips and he’s reminded of sitting out on the porch and playing guitars and for the first time he recognizes that this is what peace actually feels like.
Also, remember that fic I wrote about the small-town AU? Called Tiger Hammock? This one to be exact. Basically, this is an AU of THAT AU, 'cause that's how I'm gonna roll.
Basically, all you need to know is that Kevin lives in a place called Tiger Hammock in Florida (which is, in fact, a real place) and he lives by himself but occasionally produces albums. Bill Beckett is a giant Kevin Jonas fan here. Because it's my universe and what I say goes.
Anyways, I cleaned it up, finished it up and decided to post it! XD (the end is SUPER sappy, 'cause I don't care.)
Title: In The Quiet, In The Crowd
Pairing(s): Mike/Kevin
Rating: PG-15ish
Warnings: None
Disclaimer: I OWN NOTHING, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. Title comes from Where Are You Now by Mumford & Sons!
Word Count: 4,485 (JESUS CHRIST, WHAT.)
Summary: Mike holds onto his tea, wondering when he became so invested in the opinion of this guy he barely knows.
Tiger Hammock is possibly the strangest place that Mike's ever been in. He tells William as much and watches him roll his eyes.
"You'll live, Michael," William says, sounding exasperated. Which, okay, Mike knows he's been kind of shitty about this whole thing; going to stay with some producer who used to be in some boyband in a place none of them had ever heard of. And okay, so they can see the ocean and it's gorgeous, warm, and Mike likes the way the town looks.
Still, it's strange.
"Fuck you. Where's this guy's place?"
"Keep going straight, he said we can't miss his it," William says, reaching behind Mike to grab one of the sodas in the cooler. Mike's legs hurt, his ass hurts, his back is aching, and all he can think is that he's going to smother Siska in his sleep for suggesting they drive down from Chicago. Mike flexes his fingers on the steering wheel before slowing down.
There's a house at the end of the street, the road curving around. The house is big, a rounded porch with rocking chairs (fucking rocking chairs, Mike thinks incredulously) and plants all over the place. On the steps is a guy with curly hair that Mike recognizes.
"You did not tell me that we were recording with Kevin fucking Jonas, dick-smack," Mike says, turning to William who smiles serenely and directs Mike where to park and there's a moment where Mike wants to punch the shit out of William, just once. Mike sighs and turns the van off, grateful to at least be stopped and be able to climb out.
"We need a different voice, I told you," William says quietly, looking over at him before he climbs out of the van. Mike groans to himself, scrubbing his hands over his face and through his hair, thinking idly, he needs to get his contacts out and glasses on.
Instead, he’s introducing himself to Kevin Jonas, what the fuck.
Kevin’s a nice enough guy, Mike thinks as they clasp hands and exchange pleasant smiles, but Mike’s been through the smile pleasantly and act nice routine before. It’s never the same as when you first meet someone, but Kevin offers up actual rooms and beds for them, and Mike spares a thought at why he has such a huge house before he flops down on the bed. His back is killing him, but he can actually bury his face in a real pillow and stretch out and the window’s open, letting in enough of the breeze to be comforting, rather than annoying.
He’s barely awake when someone tugs his shoes off and Mike manages to pry an eye open. Butcher’s pushing his shoes up against the wall and Mike smiles sleepily at him, settling down and going to sleep as the ocean roars outside the window.
===
When Mike wakes up later and looks out the window, it’s dark, and without meaning to, he groans. There’s sound coming from downstairs, like someone’s rattling around the kitchen and when Mike sits up, the blanket falls off of him slowly.
He sits on the bed, resting his arms on his legs, feeling his head slowly clear as he wakes up. His door's cracked, just enough to let in a sliver of light from downstairs slip through, and Mike can hear soft guitar. Standing, he stretches, letting out a strained groan as his back pops.
The window in the bathroom's open, he notices, smiling as he washes his hands after using the toilet. It's a nice bathroom, he thinks idly. Neat, almost compulsively so; Mike wonders if the rest of the house is like that. He digs in his bag, pulling out battered sweats and an old t-shirt before tugging them on just to get out of the jeans.
Comfortable finally, he pads downstairs, yawning widely, as his toes curl into the soft carpet. The guitar's stopped and when Mike walks into the living room, an acoustic is resting against the couch. Around the living room there are pictures put up everywhere, some haphazardly, some methodically.
He recognizes a few of them as he leans closer to look at one. In it, a kid with a bowler hat is perched on Kevin's back and Kevin looks happy, smiling widely. Mike doesn't recognize the kid, not really, and when he looks at other pictures he figures it must be one of Kevin's brothers.
"That's Frankie," Kevin says from behind him. It's only by the nature of having lived with William that he doesn't jump. Mike straightens up, looking over his shoulder.
"Yeah?"
"Yeah. He's my youngest brother. That's when his band got invited to headline some stuff," Kevin says, taking a quiet sip of his tea. Mike meets his eyes and he wants to ask about why he's the only one up, playing guitar quietly.
"That's cool, though," Mike says, watching Kevin smile softly into his tea. Something about Kevin seems lonely, makes Mike wonder just why he's living out in Florida, in some town that nobody's ever heard of.
"I guess. C'mon, we can go sit out on the porch, it's a nice night," Kevin says, reaching down and grabbing the acoustic guitar. It's battered, and Mike wonders if it was his first one. Mike still has his first one, safe in his apartment back in Chicago. His own has scars on it, nicks and scratches across it that Mike doesn't admit to liking. It gives it character.
He can look at the scratch on the back and know it's from when it scraped across his belt and he knows who caused that scratch. (William, trying to prove a point.) There's another scratch on the front, almost a gouge, from Tom. That one had been an accident.
Mike likes the character it gives the guitar though. He doesn't mind them, and he thinks that Kevin might be the same way. Mike nods, smiling a little as he settles down on the porch, not bothering with one of the chairs as he presses his back against the wooden post.
“What were you playing earlier?” Mike asks, stretching his legs out, listening to the ocean and the way it makes the porch feel like the only place in the world with people awake. Kevin smiles a little, ducking his head as he messes with the strings on the guitar.
“Nothing, really,” Kevin says, shrugging as Mike arches an eyebrow at him. There are slats of light falling on the porch, on Kevin and Mike, from inside and through the blinds. It leaves Mike feeling disoriented, but he likes the way it catches the shine of the guitar.
“Why’d you guys come here?” Kevin asks after a moment of easy silence.
“Needed a different sound. Someone new,” Mike says, feeling the breeze pull the strands of his hair across his face. He needs a haircut, he thinks as Kevin laughs softly. Mike looks over at him, arching an eyebrow as Kevin plays an easy run of notes that fall into a quick arpeggio.
“And I’m as new as you could get?”
“You know, William played that solo album about a million times when it came out. So I don’t think it was so much of needing something or someone new, but maybe it was that William thought you’d fit,” Mike says, clearing his throat. In the sliver of light coming through the glass door,Mike thinks he can see the hint of a blush on Kevin’s cheeks. It’s...cute, he thinks.
Kevin clears his throat a few times, ducking his head as he strums out a soft melody that Mike recognizes in a slowly dawning sort of way.
“Why’d you say yes to us?”
“I really just honestly loved listening to William talk about music. I figured that it couldn’t hurt,” Kevin says, smiling as Mike tilted his head back, feeling the breeze and hearing the roar of the ocean.
“After the break up, William and I didn’t talk for almost a year, you know. He had his solo stuff, I had swimming. Sometime last year, we started talking again and he sent me this song and. I think for the first time since the two of us met, it wasn’t a fight to get the song down. He said you’d understand that,” Mike says, stretching his legs out in front of him. Kevin hugs his guitar to him, nodding.
“My solo album was the music I always wanted to create but it turned out that nobody else wanted to hear it.”
“Not true. I’ll have you know that William Beckett played that cd so much that our dear Andy threatened to throw it out of the bus window,” Mike says, knocking his foot into Kevin’s leg. Kevin blinks, laughing after a moment, face lighting up.
“Tiger Hammock, huh?”
“I figured you couldn’t go wrong with a place named that. Best decision I’ve made,” Kevin says, fond and open as anyone that Mike has known for years.
“Indeed,” Mike murmurs, smiling to himself as Kevin begins to play something that winds in and out of Mike’s thoughts like it’s always been there. Mike closes his eyes, listening to the surf and Kevin’s strumming and lets himself wonder if this is what peace is.
===
“You and Kevin are getting along,” Adam says easily as Mike shrugs. His notebook in front of him is mocking him with a blank page; Mike is sure of it. The acoustic guitar that’s constantly floating around the house sits plainly in his lap as he looks over to Adam sitting down on the couch.
“What? You thought we wouldn’t?”
“Nah, it was just an observation. He’s pretty cool,” Adam says, giving Mike an easy smile like no time has passed and Mike rolls his eyes, reaching over to flick Adam’s ear like he always used to. Adam laughs, reaching out to do the same.
“I like it here,” Mike says, looking out at the patio to where Kevin’s taking the time to water the various plants out there. He meets Kevin’s eyes and gives him a smile that’s easily returned as Adam snorts.
“I bet you do.”
“Fuck off, Adam,” Mike says with rancor, laughing as Adam shoves his feet under Mike’s leg as Mike starts to play.
===
“Gimme another run through of that verse, Mike,” Kevin says, fiddling on his computer as Mike makes a face, sighing before he nods. He plays through it quickly, something like exhilaration flying through him as he finishes, grinning as William gives him a thumbs up. Kevin beams at him and Mike doesn’t know if he wants to ruffle his hair or roll his eyes. He settles from pulling his guitar off and grinning when Kevin plays it back for them.
“Hey, Adam, what was that idea you had yesterday?” Mike asks, walking over as Adam fiddles with his bass. He looks up at Mike from his seat and Mike is reminded all over again the first time he met this gangly kid who barely knew an E from a D but was so willing to learn. He ruffles Adam’s hair, listening to Butcher and Adam play off of one another for a few minutes.
It doesn’t inspire him in the same way it does William, so he finds himself going over to sit down beside Kevin. They’ve had this frisson on tension that even Adam’s noticed recently. Mike can’t put his finger on it or why, but he knows that he’s not willing to examine it too closely.
“Ready to turn to auto-tune yet?”
Kevin rolls his eyes as Mike snickers, leaning back in his chair as William starts gesturing wildly; it’s so familiar and Mike shakes his head, scrunching himself further into the chair before propping his feet on the edge of the table. Kevin gives him a look.
Grumbling, Mike shifts himself, taking his feet off the table, resting them beside Kevin’s with an ease that he doesn’t think about too much.
“What are you guys going to do about a second guitarist?”
“I don’t think we’re gonna need one this time out,” Mike says, “I guess it’s...the sound we’re going for this time out, it doesn’t need one. I like having a more full guitar sound, but right now, we’re just trying to get songs down.”
“Makes sense,” Kevin says as William throws his hands up and Mike can’t help the snort of laughter at Adam’s smug grin.
“Is it different now?” Kevin says quietly.
“Not really,” Mike says, smiling softly. Butcher catches his eyes, flashing a wide grin that is achingly familiar and welcome and Mike returns it easily.
“Mike! Back me up on this,” Adam calls as Mike rolls his eyes, standing.
“Back to work,” he says as Kevin laughs.
===
Mike finds himself wandering the beach, later that night. The waves hit his ankles as he walks the edge, flashlight in hand. The sand is soft as he walks, the easy strain on his calves a welcome feeling as he finds himself sitting down to watch the waves under the moonlight. He thinks about Kevin and the sad way he seems to smile sometimes. He wonders about it, but he knows that now isn’t the time to ask.
It doesn’t take long before he hears footsteps behind him. He expects William or even Kevin, but when he turns and sees Butcher, he smiles, jerking his head to the seat beside himself.
“You okay?” Butcher asks, flopping down and digging his feet down into the sand. Mike tilts his head back, looking at the stars that he can make out through the clouds. The moon is bright and something like peace is settling over him.
“Yeah, why?”
“You seem, I dunno, quiet. I mean, you were never really talkative, but more than this.”
“I dunno. Kind of realizing how much I missed this,” Mike says, turning his head to meet Butcher’s eyes. Butcher flashes a grin.
“Obviously. I’ve never seen you and William work together like that,” he says, sifting sand through his hands. Mike pulls his legs up, hooking his arms around his knees as he looks out over the ocean.
“Because we’ve never worked like this. It’s never been easy; you know that,” Mike says as Butcher hums in agreement, “I dunno. Maybe we just grew up.”
“Enh, I wouldn’t say that,” Butcher says, laughing as Mike snorts, shoving his arm. Butcher pulls himself up, offering Mike his hand.
“C’mon, you gotta hear Adam and Kevin trying to outdo each other on Disney trivia. I kinda wanna introduce Jon to Kevin and see who explodes first,” Butcher says as Mike laughs. They walk back together and Mike lets himself lean into Butcher briefly, pressing their arms together as they share a grin.
William meets his eyes and Mike gives him a grin. The returned smile is blinding and it Mike doesn’t know why he’s so nostalgic, but he also knows that it’s like nothing has changed and nothing will.
===
Another late night and Mike finds himself up, padding through the house quietly. He pads into the kitchen, pulling a mug from the drainer as he digs around in Kevin’s tea collection for that one he likes. He doesn’t know the name of it, but he knows that Kevin tends to keep it in the back for him.
He makes a face, putting water on for the tea as he keeps digging. He hears the sound of a mandolin from somewhere in the house; blinking Mike puts a teabag at random into his cup before he follows the sound.
The sound is sweet and soft, a little sad, and Mike knows in his gut that it’s Kevin. He finds Kevin in his instrument room, sitting on the floor, playing this melody over and over. Mike wonders at how sat Kevin seems and he stays in the doorway, listening.
“That’s really beautiful,” Mike says, leaning against the doorframe, wishing he had his glasses. Kevin looks up at him, smiling.
“Thanks. It’s easier to come in here and play something than trying to go back to sleep,” Kevin says, standing and gently putting the mandolin back on the wall.
“I’m fixing some tea, if you want some,” Mike says softly, following Kevin into the kitchen. He doesn’t wait for Kevin to pull down a coffee cup but instead goes for the one he knows that Kevin always uses. He puts Kevin’s favorite in there and wonders when exactly he learned these things about Kevin. Kevin smiles at him, an expression on his face like he’s wondering the same thing.
Mike shrugs, laughing to himself as he pours the hot water into the cups to let the tea steep. In the meantime, he finds himself leaning against the counter, beside Kevin. Their arms touch, a warm point along one side of Mike’s body.
“So are we just going to consider this insomniac’s corner?” Kevin asks wryly. Mike snorts, leaning into Kevin just a touch more. He’s warm and it’s kind of comforting, Mike thinks, to be up with someone else in the middle of the night.
“We could have t-shirts,” Mike says, yawning as he runs a hand through his hair, “why can’t you sleep?”
“Sometimes I wake up for no reason; that’s all. What about you?”
“Mostly ‘cause I can’t stop thinking,” Mike says as Kevin nods, reaching over to slowly start spooning sugar into his cup.
“Are you okay? The others seem like they’re excited but you...I dunno. I can’t put my finger on it,” Kevin says, holding his cup close to himself before he takes a careful sip. Mike makes a face, shrugging. He lets his tea steep longer as he thinks.
“I guess. I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop. When we were younger, the only way William and I could write songs was when we fought about it. It was frustrating. So now that it’s working really organically, I don’t know how to feel, I guess? I mean, they all stayed in music while we were apart. I went to college and joined the fucking swim team,” Mike says laughing a little. He pulls the honey out of the cabinet, setting it onto the counter as Kevin nods.
“You wonder if it’s ‘cause both of you just grew up while you were apart?”
“Honestly? I think it’s ‘cause William doesn’t want us to have a fight and decide this was a dumb idea,” Mike says, slowly stirring honey into his tea. Kevin hums softly, reaching out to put a hand on Mike’s shoulder, tentative but noticeable.
“For what it’s worth, Mike, I think that all of you had to grow up and if realizing that you don’t want to fight is the worst that comes of it, then you’re better off,” Kevin says, squeezing Mike’s shoulder.
Mike gives him a look, thinking of it as he nods wordlessly. He shifts, taking a sip of his tea before he leans back into Kevin’s hand for just a moment in thanks.
“I’m going out on the porch. You coming?” he says, turning as Kevin gives him a smile, nodding. They walk out and Mike finds himself humming softly as they sit down, the back porch heading straight onto the beach as Kevin starts talking about his brothers. Mike holds onto his tea, wondering when he became so invested in the opinion of this guy he barely knows.
Kevin gestures with one hand, a grin on his face and Mike finds himself smiling in response, not really caring why he’s so invested anymore.
===
It takes two and a half weeks before Mike finds himself having an argument with William. All things considered for the course of writing and recording, it’s kind of a record.
It’s how he finds himself going for a long, angry swim in the ocean that was maybe not his best idea. He pulls himself onto the beach, sitting in the wake of the tide, breathing hard with water still crashing into him. He looks back to the porch, seeing a bottle sitting on the steps and nobody else out. He blinks, standing as he makes his way up.
Mike laughs once upon seeing the bottle of beer, uncapping it to take a long swallow as he sits on the steps. It’s sort of nice, he thinks, leisurely sipping at the beer as the door opens. The air from inside is a blast of cold on his still wet back, sending a shiver through him. He looks up and sees William standing there, looking down at him.
“I don’t think we should have a last song. I think eleven is enough, but I think that I’d rather see what you come up with before being an ass,” he says easily as Mike blinks at him.
To save face, he takes a long swallow of his beer, looking out over the beach as William sits down. His bare toes curl around the edge of the step and Mike sighs.
“Are you really for that or are you just giving to keep the peace?”
“Once you’ve been lectured by Kevin Jonas, you gotta realize you’re being an ass,” William says as Mike snorts. He leans back against the warm wood of the steps. The sky is bright, the oranges and pinks of sunset growing darker as Mike sighs, looking up at William and something settles.
“I’m sorry that I was a dick,” Mike says, as William snorts, knocking his knee into Mike.
“If you weren’t, I don’t think I’d know you,” William says fondly.
===
It takes two more weeks before Mike finds himself holed up in Kevin’s studio, writing furiously and trying to find the right sound.
Two weeks of fighting with it and wondering why he thought this was a good idea. He holds his guitar close, closing his eyes and wishing idly that he hadn’t said he’d go off on his own and figure it out.
He doesn’t hear the door open and when Kevin’s hand lands on his shoulder, he definitely does not jump. He was just frustrated and hit the guitar in a discordant clash.
“You okay there?” Kevin asks, grinning.
“Shut up,” Mike says, scrubbing his hands over his face. His contacts are itching like a motherfucker and he puts his guitar down, spinning in the chair to face Kevin. He’s holding a mug that he soon pushes into Mike’s hand.
“I take it back, you’re the best,” Mike says, taking a long swallow of almost too-hot coffee gratefully. Kevin snorts, sitting in the chair across from him. He looks rumpled and tired and Mike settles back into his own chair.
“Can’t sleep?”
Kevin shakes his head, sighing, “Not really. I sleep better than I did when I first moved here, but I don’t know if that’s saying too much.”
“Why’d you move here in the first place?”
“Thought it’d be a nice place to settle down. It was, but in the end, she got the house in LA and I kept the house here,” Kevin says easily as Mike nods. He doesn’t know about the marriage aspect, but he definitely remembers his last relationship ending in a flurry of shouted words and the final door slamming in his face.
“What are you working on?” Kevin asks as Mike shrugs, pushing the notebook over to him. Mike idly plays a strain of some melody that’s been running through his head for most of the night but doesn’t fit. Something about it is easy and fun to play, so he lets his fingers do what they will on the guitar. Kevin hums to himself, looking up and holding his hands out for the guitar. Ordinarily, Mike wouldn’t let anyone touch the instrument, but he finds that he actually trusts Kevin.
“I think if you try this,” Kevin says, changing a few notes and Mike can already hear the difference, “it works better. Sounds more like you,” Kevin says, playing through a few more times. He looks over to Mike and Mike shifts over, sitting on the stool beside Kevin. His knees knock into Kevin’s gently as he takes the guitar from Kevin.
“Like me, huh?”
“I think so,” Kevin says, watching Mike play through the notes easily before Mike makes a couple of notations on the paper, grinning.
“And you wonder why we came down here,” Mike says teasingly, watching Kevin shrug.
“I’m just an outside view, that’s all,” Kevin replies. Mike watches him, wondering what to say and if there is anything to even say at this point.
“Somewhat. It’s more than that, though. You understand us,” Mike says, standing and putting his guitar carefully into it’s stand. He picks the coffee cup up, finishing it in one go with a brief grimace. Kevin rolls his eyes, standing and they’re closer together than Mike would have thought. Mike looks at him, arching an eyebrow.
“Am I...reading this wrong?” Kevin asks slowly, shifting. Mike has a moment to blink before he realizes that Kevin is leaning in. He carefully sets the coffee cup onto the stool beside him, stepping closer to Kevin.
“Not at all,” he says carefully, feeling nerves well up in his stomach in the moment before Kevin’s lips are pressing against his. They’ve spent the months leading to this, Mike thinks; to this press of lips and the warm of Kevin against him. Kevin’s arms are around him and kissing him is a lot like playing guitars with him. Mike sighs into it, kissing him harder as Kevin lets out a soft sound that has Mike nipping at his lips.
Mike loses track of time and how long they spend, standing in the studio, making out like teenagers. Mike’s lips are swollen and tender and Kevin’s haven’t fared much better, but there’s something like satisfaction in his eyes. Kevin stays close, watching him as Mike grins at him.
“I can’t believe you thought you were reading that wrong,” Mike says as Kevin laughs, leaning in to kiss him again. Mike hums against Kevin’s lips, setting his teeth against Kevin’s bottom lip to hear the sound he makes.
“You never know,” Kevin says, pulling back just enough to meet Mike’s eyes. Mike can feel the nervous twitching of Kevin’s fingers through the hair at the nape of his neck. It leaves a shiver against his skin as Kevin kisses him chastely.
“Do you know now?” Mike asks, grinning.
“Shut up,” Kevin says, laughing as he kisses Mike again. Mike kisses him and thinks of his stay at Kevin’s house, of the ease of living there and simply being with his band and meeting Kevin. He loses himself in the taste of Kevin and the feel of his lips and he’s reminded of sitting out on the porch and playing guitars and for the first time he recognizes that this is what peace actually feels like.
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Date: 7 Apr 2013 21:37 (UTC)