This is the thirty-eighth story in the Rewriting History series, and it follows Style Always Wins.

Warnings: m/m, humor, AU, occasional bad language. No spoilers for the movie.

~Silk

*****

Naughty Sneaky

By Silk


"Ssh...keep your voice down, man," Curt warned.

Jack glared at Curt, his dark eyes stinging the younger man like the lash of a whip. "Do you know how *hard* I worked to bring you two together? And this is how you *repay* me? By taking up with this...this *leather boy*?"

"Jack! Get a grip, man," Curt said, his expression turning grim. He was aware of how this all must sound to Brian, and he didn't want his lover to think that he'd done anything wrong. "I can explain."

To Jack's utter amazement, it was *Arthur* who jumped in between them with a softly voiced, "It's *not* what you think, Jack."

Jack whirled around, prepared to chastise Arthur for making such an outrageous statement. Then all at once, the wheels in his head turned with, what was for him anyway, irritating slowness.

Suddenly he looked, *really* looked, at Brian. Longish dark hair, even darker glasses covering God only knew what color eyes, and of course, tight black leather, clearly emphasizing what must be some of his best attributes.

Brian pulled the glasses down his nose and peered over the top of them at Jack. "Hello, Jack."

Jack's eyes widened as his lips curved into a reluctant smile. "You sneaky bastard!" he whispered with grudging admiration.

"Can I take that as a compliment then? Coming from the competition and all?"

It took some getting used to, hearing Brian, no, wait, *Tommy*, speaking with that foreign accent. But he liked it. "Yeah, you bloody well can."

Brian took off his sunglasses, holding them in one hand while he ran his fingers through his hair with the other. "I learned a lot from you, y'know."

"Yeah, well, not enough, apparently. Who the hell did your eyeliner?"

"I did. Why, what's wrong with my eyeliner?"

"Babe..." Curt put a hand on Brian's shoulder and watched those blue eyes slant in his direction.

"It's okay, Curt. Jack and I are just having...artistic differences," Brian said with a wicked grin.

"You're having way too much fun here, Br-babe."

"And you almost forgot who you're talking to," Brian reminded Curt cheekily.

"I'm going to get you for that."

"I was rather hoping you would."

"Jack?"

Arthur's low murmur caught Jack's ear despite everything else that was going on. "What is it, sweetling?"

"The whole day's been so exciting, but-" Arthur managed to say without stammering once.

"You want to go home?"

"He lives with you?" Curt asked incredulously. Brian jabbed his lover in the ribs with his elbow and smiled sweetly when Curt narrowed his eyes in mock anger. "Um, you need to tell us the whole story, Jack. I'm sure it's...," he glanced quickly at Brian, "...very interesting." Curt resisted the urge to stick out his tongue at Brian. Clever boy. He was likely to nibble on it in his present mood.

"I was looking for a room," Arthur explained.

"Arthur takes care of me," Jack offered.

"I bet he does," Curt quipped. Another jab in his ribs caused him to exclaim, "Ow, dammit! What's wrong with that?"

"You were being mean."

"I was merely making an observation, babe," Curt said, wincing as he rubbed his chest.

"Reputations have been lost for less," Brian said, obviously thinking of another time and place.

Suitably chastened, Curt mumbled, "I apologize, man. I wasn't trying to rain on your parade. I swear."

Brian murmured affectionately, "Don't swear."

That's when Curt knew things were going to be all right. Brian had re-discovered his sense of humor. More than that, he was happy. That made everything right in Curt's part of the world.

"I had a thought-"

"Brave boy," Brian teased.

"I was thinking dinner. What about it? You guys want to join us?"

"Good idea," Jack agreed, rubbing Arthur's neck affectionately.

"So where shall we go then?" Brian asked, leaning on Curt.

Arthur's stomach growled loudly. "Sorry. I'm a bit famished."

Brian regarded the young man with sympathetic eyes. Then he stared down his former mentor. "Don't you believe in feeding him, Jack?"

Jack looked startled, as if the last person he expected to challenge him was Brian, in any incarnation. Then he ruffled Arthur's hair lovingly. "I'm sorry, cherub. What would you like to eat?"

"Food," Arthur dead-panned.

"Food it is. Can't argue with the growing boy," Curt laughed.

This time, both Brian and Jack glared at Curt. "What? What'd I say now?"

"If you think Arthur's too young for Jack, why don't you come out and say so? Y'know, you came *this* close to sleeping with him yourself, Curt. Isn't that like the pot calling the kettle black?"

Curt's mouth dropped open. Brian had just had a fucking breakthrough, whether he knew it or not, and he wanted to applaud. He'd gotten angry, he'd criticized Curt without flying out of control, and he'd expressed his feelings. Quite well, actually.

"Tommy," Curt drawled the name that would never come naturally to him. "Did I mention how much I love you today?"

Brian bit back his initial sound of surprise and relaxed into a warm smile. "You'd better."

"Does this mean we can eat now?" Arthur asked.

"As soon as Curt says he's sorry, Arthur," Brian said, glancing back over his shoulder. "Thought I forgot about that, didn't you?"

"Nah, you never forget the important stuff, babe," Curt said huskily, his blue-gray eyes warming themselves on Brian's beloved face. He didn't care how it made him look. He *was* every bit as besotted as he appeared.

And he always would be.

"Sorry, man," he addressed Arthur. "I owe you. You could've crushed me with one word to, well, you know." His eyes flickered in Brian's direction. "Anyway, I'm glad you're with Jack. I'm sure he's treating you better than I would've."

Brian grabbed Curt around the neck and pulled him into his arms with a growl. "Now that was a little bit *too* far, but I'll forgive you if you pay for dinner."

Curt plucked the dark glasses out of Brian's hand and settled them atop his head. "I'll buy you anything as long as you forgive me."

"Already done."

They kissed, so passionately that Jack realized that they were well and truly together again. It was readily apparent that they'd been waiting with breathless anticipation all day for this moment.

"I used to dream about you two," Arthur whispered. "I wanted someone to love *me* that way someday," he added wistfully.

Jack kissed the top of his head. "Oh, my angel, but you *are*."

End