Jay and Bobby

[x-icarus.livejournal.com]

In the aftermath of the whole pregnancy mess, Jay finds Bobby and they talk about what happened. And then Bobby crosses a line. Jerk.


Bobby hauled himself up the rope hanging from the ceiling, hand over hand, using his feet occasionally to rest his arms. He touched the ring at the top and half climbed, half slid back to the mat with a sigh. Three more times, and then he could move on to the heavy bag and do some punching and kicking of things as a reward.

Jay never really understood why working out at the gym was such a popular activity among gay men. The anonymous sex in the sauna made sense (at least, Queer as Folk suggested that that's what happens), but the actual exercise? Who devotes half their lives to climbing and punching and lifting things?

Occasional (read: once or twice a month) exercise was something Jay could do. After all, while his mutant metabolism was mostly responsible for keeping up his physique, a little bit of extra help was nice. Plus, Warren said that lifting help with flying.

He wasn't expecting anyone to already be in there. But at least it was someone whom he could stand. And who looked really good in mesh shorts. "Hey, Bobby," Jay said as he entered.

Bobby glanced over as the door opened, rubbing his palms on his shorts. "Oh. Hey." He wasn't quite sure what to say to Jay--so much had happened since their last talk. Had it really only been a week ago? And if he and Terry were becoming friends again, Bobby didn't want to do anything to endanger that. "...What's up?"

Jay shrugged, looking around for the machine that Warren said would be good for his back muscles. "Nuthin' much. Just takin' advantage of the quiet again." Finding the machine in question, he sat down and fiddled with the weight setting. He glanced at Bobby out the corner of his eye before asking what he really wanted to ask. "How'd she take it?"

"Take what?" There was no question of who 'she' was, obviously. But so much had happened between he and Terry, and he didn't know what Jay knew of it. He grabbed hold of the rope again but didn't start climbing, just kind of half-hung from it. It was hard to talk and climb, after all.

"Well, you tellin' her you knew somethin' she'd been tryin' ta hide from you, for starters." As that was all Jay knew for sure had happened. He'd have to be filled in on the rest.

"She, uh..." Bobby sighed and let go, walking over to plop down on a stack of mats near Jay. "It seems like that happened so long ago." And the clearest memory was of Terry refusing the ring. "Have you talked to her at all this past week?"

That's not good. Jay frowned and set the weights down after only a couple of reps so he could turn to face Bobby. "Naw. Ah don't think she's happy that you found out through me."

"I didn't tell her," Bobby was quick to say. He'd kept his word as best he could, anyway. He took a deep breath and combed his fingers through his hair, trying to figure out where to start. "I proposed to her." That was one of the big details, so may as well get it out of the way.

Good thing Jay hadn't been lifting weights, because he'd have dropped them at that revelation. "You did what?" he asked incredulously.

Why did everyone say it like that? Was it such an awful thing to be honorable, these days? Yeesh. "I proposed to her. I love her, I got her pregnant...I wanted to do the right thing." Which hadn't worked quite spectacularly, all things considered.

"Well, at least no one can say you're not the romantic," Jay replied. A man after his own heart, really. "So she said no?" Obviously. "Then what?"

"Yeah, she said no," Bobby muttered, staring at his feet for a minute. "Then...Jean did a blood test and found out it was a false alarm."

"Oh." Jay blinked. After all that excitement, he didn't know if this was cause of celebration or mourning. "So now why aren't you two talkin'?"

"Because she 'needs some time'," Bobby mimicked, making quote marks with his fingers. He groaned and laid back on the mats, kicking the side absently with his heel. "At least she didn't use 'it's not you, it's me'..."

"Oh, that's complete bu . . ." Jay shut his mouth. His comment wasn't going to help Bobby feel any better. "Not like that's any better. Ah'm sorry, man. Ah have no idea what's been goin' through her head the past few months."

Bobby shrugged, looking over at Jay. "It's not that I can't understand her needing to sort shit out--I mean, I'm still trying to myself. Almost becoming a parent is some heavy-duty stuff. But..." He growled, frustrated, and admitted, "I don't know what she expects from me. She wanted some time, some space. Fine. I gave it to her. Then she tracks me down and bitches at me for avoiding her!" He gave Jay a 'WTF?' look.

"Ah reckon that's girl-speak for 'Ah want you ta keep pushin' so Ah know how much you really love me,'" Jay answered cynically, frowning. "Or some loony shit like that."

Bobby blinked. The thought had never even occured to him. "...Damn it!" he snapped, slamming his fist onto the mat. "Why do girls play these stupid games? I'm tellin' you, Jay--I'm about ready to just swear off women altogether."

"Oh really?" Jay couldn't help but raise an eyebrow and grin just a little. After all, Bobby was one of the most attractive men in the mansion, and that's saying something. And then he shook himself back to reality because he's taken already. Bad Jay. "You just need ta find someone who actually wants ta be in a mature relationship, not someone who just likes ta fake it."

"Or maybe I should just not be in a relationship at all," Bobby retorted, grinning back at Jay.

"Ah suppose, but they have their perks." Oh good, Bobby's smiling. At least he's not a complete wreck. "Ah've never been one for the random hook-ups mahself. Ah need a connection of some kind."

Bobby shrugged, the smile fading. "Yeah, well..." He wasn't sure what else to say. What he really wanted was to be back with Terry, but she'd made it clear she didn't want that. Not now, and who knew when...or even if. "I just dunno what to do." He sighed and sat up. "I just want a distraction right now." And an outlet. That'd be nice. Punching stuff wasn't quite taking care of all of his...tension.

No more smile. What did he say? Sighing, Jay got up from the machine and joined Bobby on the mats. "Ah'm sorry, man. Can't say's Ah've ever been in a situation like this. Ah dunno what ta do."

Bobby shifted closer, his shoulder touching Jay's. "I seem to be in this situation far too often, since I started dating her," he mumbled. The warmth of Jay's body next to him was nice, if a bit distracting.

Jay put a hand on Bobby's shoulder and squeezed it. "S' the trouble with women, man. All those dang hormones, Ah reckon."

Bobby turned to give Jay a grateful smile--and found his eyes drawn to Jay's mouth. Before he even thought about what he was doing, he leaned in and pressed his lips to Jay's, eyes closed.

Now Jay knew how Forge must have felt. Kind of. Not that he didn't appreciate the kiss (hadn't he fantasized about Bobby once or twice when he returned all those months ago?), but he was not expecting anything of the sort. And maybe fortunately for him, the voice in his head that told him that this was wrong was very adamant, so Jay gently pushed Bobby away before that voice was silenced. "Bobby, Ah really don't think this is a good idea . . ."

Bobby blinked, then buried his face in his hands. "Shit, shit, I'm sorry..." Well. That ought to make Terry happy...

"Ah'm flattered," Jay assured Bobby. "A few months ago and we'd be back in mah room, but Ah can't now." He tried to smile, but found himself unable to do it convincingly. Goddamn lust, it always ruins stuff.

Bobby nodded without raising his head. "I know, that was way out of line." Not only was Jay Terry's best friend, but Bobby knew he had...something or other with Kyle. Anyway, poaching was really not his style. He slowly raised his head, staring across the gym. "Y'know, monkhood is really starting to sound appealing." Too bad there weren't a whole lot of Presbyterian monasteries in the New York area.

Jay reached to pat Bobby's knee, then thought better of it, and put his hand back on his lap. "Those burlap robes totally wouldn't flatter your colorin'," he teased. "And the whole no meat thing? Pfft."

Bobby laughed and got to his feet. "Thanks," he told Jay, softly. He licked his lips and then nodded toward the ropes. "I think I'm gonna get back to my workout."

"Oh right, that thing." Jay got up as well and returned to his abandoned machine. "So, you been checkin' out the Olympics any? Ah swear, those speed skaters can't be at all comfortable in those tight suits . . ."