New News [Alex+Nick]

Alex sat on a park bench just on the edge of Garland Forest. He bit his lip as he watched Joe run around in the children's play area. On the swings, down the slide, across the monkey bars. He had tried to rope his big brother into it, but Alex had refused point blank to ridicule himself in front of the group of girls who were having a picnic on the grass. Joe ran around happily and one girl had even ventured up to ask if Alex was the father. He had laughed and politely told her that Joe was his brother, she had returned very red in the face. Now all they needed was Nick, his boyfriend - no - he was more that that. That was why they were here, to tell Joe. But after the reaction to Joe finding out they were a couple, he doubted the little boy would take it very well. But they could only try. They were taking him on holiday as well, so it balanced out. They just hoped the social worker would let them take him home permanently.

Walking in the forest was pleasant at the most average of times, but this was certainly more than that. Nick was grinning from ear to ear at the thought of seeing Alex and Joe, the latter having stolen quite a large chunk of his heart since he'd started living with him. Nick spotted them in the play park and jogged the last few metres, catching a few glances from the picnicking girls as he did; he looked quite dashing today, in dark blue skinny jeans, a tight black t-shirt and a red checked shirt over the top, open with the sleeves rolled up to the elbow. His hair had been cut recently and his fringe looked surprisingly neat for once, and the smile on his face made his lips look incredibly kissable. He sat down on the bench next to Alex and kissed his cheek in greeting, slipping his hand over Alex's and stroking it with his thumb. Joe smiled and waved at him, and he waved back.

"Ready?" he whispered, biting his lip.

Alex smiled brightly as Nick came and sat next to him, he looked over to the girls who were muttering darkly. He blushed brightly and leant his head on the other boy's shoulder, "It's too late to turn back now," he said as Joe came running over and sat down next to his brother.
"Hey Nick!" the little boy exclaimed as he rested against Alex. The thinner boy bit his lip and looked at Nick, not wanting his little brother to see his worry, though he could just read their minds. But Joe had promised he wouldn't, unless he was allowed.

"Hey Jojo," Nick said, using his nickname for the little boy, and scooping him up in his arms as he approached, placing him on his bony knees. Joe struggled for a moment, but soon made himself comfortable and leaned back against Nick's chest, snuggling into him.
"You're too skinny," he muttered darkly as he fidgeted around Nick's ribs. "Should be fat like a pillow..."
Nick laughed. "But then your brother wouldn't like me, would he? No. And then you wouldn't live with me, would you? No. So be thankful for what you've got," he teased, poking Joe in his stomach. "Now, we've got some things to tell you. Exciting things. Listening?"
"No."
"Good. Well, we're going to go on holiday together. I already sorted it out with the orphanage people. We're all going on holiday, like a family. And do you know why?"
"No."
"Because..." He took a deep breath, and glanced at Alex for support. "Alex and I...are going to get married."

Joe frowned and wriggled off Nick's lap and stood with his arms crossed, a very angry expression on his face.
"What makes you think I want to live with you?"
"Joe -" Alex began,
"I don't want to go on holiday. I'm fine here."
"Joe!" Alex said frowning at his brother, "How dare you! Nick's looked after you all this time and now you're just going to throw it back in his face? Maybe we should have just left you at that dump," he said, instantly regretting it, "Joe I-"
But the boy had already run off.

"I'll go," he said to Alex, sighing, and dashed after Joe with lightning speed he'd stolen from some woman he'd known ages ago, and gathered him up in his arms. He kept running for a while, carrying the struggling little boy until they were deep in the forest. There he stopped, and held Joe up against a tree trunk so he couldn't run away again.
"Get off!" Joe shouted, squirming in his grasp.
"Jojo," he scolded, the nickname sounding much more sinister now he was telling him off. "Stay still." The boy obliged. "Now. I am marrying your brother whether you like it or not, because I love him, and if I don't he will leave. You can't stop me getting what I want. You can stay with us, or you can go back to the orphanage. If you stay with us, I can treat you - but only when you behave well. You have been very troublesome of late, dearest Jojo, and if you continue to misbehave, I will not be impressed. Do you understand me?"
"Yes," Joe mumbled miserably. Nick felt a slight pang of guilt for speaking to him so harshly, but sometimes that was needed in parenting, wasn't it?
"Good." He put him back down on the floor.
"Sorry, Nicky," Joe said reluctantly, hugging his legs.
"So," Nick said, a smile on his face and his voice much brighter as he picked Joe up again and they began to wander back to Alex at the park. "Where shall we go on holiday?"

"Everywhere," Joe answered immediately, a little happier than he had been a few moments ago. They finally got back to Alex and Joe ran up and hugged his brother tightly, "Sorry," he mumbled when Alex hugged him in return.
"Thanks," Alex said to Nick as the girls who were sitting on the grass began to laugh, "You're not very good parents," one called out and they laughed again. Alex winced slightly but tried to pay no attention to it. He just dropped Joe lightly on the floor and stood up, taking his brother's hand, "Lets go home," he mumbled as one of the other girls said something equally as mean.

"Yeah, well, one of you is pregnant," Nick said casually in reply to the girls' insults. They all suddenly stared at each other's stomachs and began desperately trying to remember the last people they'd slept with to work out which one he was talking about. Nick just smiled and winked at them, and took Joe's other hand, so the little boy was stretched out between his two surrogate parents.
"Nicky, can we have ice cream?"
"Yeah, I suppose so," he shrugged, handing Joe a few coins to go to the stand with. "I'll have mint choc chip." Joe ran off happily and Nick grabbed Alex quickly and kissed him while the girls wolf whistled. Nick smiled; he liked the attention, and he could see - in their minds - that they were all either enjoying the sight, or were jealous of one or both Nick and Alex.

Alex blushed as Nick pulled him into a kiss, smiling he pulled away. He watched Joe run to the ice cream man and order himself and Nick an ice cream. Alex shook his head when Joe looked over, he didn't feel like ice cream. That comment had worried him a lot - what if they couldn't look after him? What if something happened, what would they do? At least Nick knew how to handle a situation. Alex just got angry and shouted. They were right. He was going to be a terrible parent.

"I'm so glad we're finally sorted," Nick said, pulling him into a warm hug and kissing Alex's forehead affectionately. "It's all going to be alright. But I think we need to have a few parenting talks - you know, work out who's going to be good cop and bad cop..." He smiled, and Joe came waddling back with the two melting ice creams. Nick quickly took his and licked around the edge to stop it dripping, raising his eyebrows at Alex as he did so. "Thank you, Jojo," he muttered, running his fingers through Joe's hair. Joe scowled and stuck his tongue out at Nick, which made him laugh a little, which in turn made Joe punch his legs lightly.

Alex smiled and watched the two boys, his arms crossed over his chest as he went and sat down on a bench nearby. Nick was obviously going to be the good cop - even if Joe didn't show it he loved Nick already. Alex was his annoying older brother. He wouldn't listen to Alex for anything. But it didn't matter. As long as Alex had them both he would be happy. He smiled at the two eating their ice creams, they would be fine. Like one big happy - if, slightly dysfunctional, family.

Joe stopped trying to hurt Nick when he realised it was futile and instead ran over to Alex, jumped on the bench and buried his head in his brother's lap. "He's being a meanie," he grumbled, hoping his brother would put his boyfriend in his place.
"I didn't do anything!" Nick protested, in mock offence at the suggestion.
"Yes you did, you're nasty," Joe said, but with a smile on his face at the prospect of getting Nick into trouble. Nick pouted and continued to eat his ice cream, licking it slowly. Perhaps, if Joe slept very soundly, he and Alex could have some time to themselves tonight... It wasn't likely though; Joe had taken to waking up in the early hours and walking into their room complaining of nightmares. But Nick could see in his head that there had been no such dreams - he'd just made it all up so he could come in their room and snuggle down in their bed between their two warm bodies.

Alex grinned and winked at Joe, "Is he really? Well I suppose I'll have to suspend him from the cookie jar forever!"
Joe grinned at his brother and then stuck his tongue out at Nick cheekily. Alex smiled and turned to look at Nick, biting his lip as he watched Nick's tongue move around the mint ice cream. Blushing he had to look away, luckily he still had his mind on Joe so his brother wouldn't notice. If only they could get Joe out of the house for one night...maybe he could stay round a friend's house. But Alex doubted anyone would offer. It was them that usually got roped into looking after all of Joe's friends. They were all in awe of Nick's apartment and all came around to visit at least three times a week. Alex didn't have the heart to say no.

Nick was having similar thoughts. "Joe...are any of your friends free tonight? Only, well, we have to sort out some things for the holiday but we want it to be a surprise for you, my darling. So is there anyone you can ask to stay over with? How about Anthony?"
"Don't like Anthony."
"Why not?"
"He's got new Transformer toy, and I haven't."
I'll buy it tomorrow, he told Alex. "Well, how about Tom? Or you could visit your friends at the orphanage? I'm sure they'd be happy to see you, and you could show them the things we bought you yesterday."
Joe frowned and turned his head away, hiding his face near Alex's crotch. Nick raised his eyebrows at Alex and began to crunch on the cone of his ice cream.

Alex thought for a moment, "Yeah, actually that's a good idea. You haven't seen James in a while - I'm sure he'd like to see you, then you can finally have someone to play Mario Kart with! I'm sure he's a lot better at it than we are," Alex said, tickling his little brother.
Joe sat up giggling and licked Alex's cheek like a puppy, "Okay, I can show him world of warcraft too and my new playstation. Then I can tell him about the apartment and then he can come over and stay tomorrow?" Joe asked expectantly.
Alex sighed but finally agreed after some serious compromising. Taking his brothers hand and Nick's, Joe lead them out of the park as fast as he could, already excited to see his old friend.