Title: Yesterday, When We Were Young

Author/Pseudonym: Tinnean

Fandom: The Big Chill

Pairing: Harold/Nick

Rating: PG-13

Feedback email: Tinneantoo@aol.com

Disclaimer: Not mine, unfortunately. They belong to Lawrence Kasdan and I've just taken them out to play with. No money is being made here, even more unfortunately.

Archive: If I sent it to you, feel free. Otherwise, just let me know.

Summary: Harold is having trouble dealing with Sarah's desire for Alex.

Warnings: m/m, implied m/f, minor spoilers for the movie

"Hey, Ha!"

Harold looked up from the textbook he had propped on the library table. Most of his classmates would have had the good sense to accept the warning signals he was flying: *one step closer and
I'll fucking tear your head off*! All he wanted was to be left alone, and allowed to brood over the unfair turn his life had taken.

He scowled and raised his eyes, prepared to send the intruder on his way with a few scalding words.

The frown between his eyes relaxed into a slow, welcome smile as he saw who was daring to disturb him.

"Nick! Hi!"

"What's wrong, man?"

Harold's mouth twisted into a moue. He could never keep anything from the oldest of all the friends he had made at Northwestern. But he was willing to try.

"What makes you think something's wrong?"

"C'mon, Ha, this is me! You may be able to fool all those others, but give me a break! We've been roommates since freshman year, and I can tell when something's bothering you. Spill!"

Harold quietly shut the book. He hated the idea of following his father into the business the old man had run for all of his adult life, but he couldn't bear the thought of disappointing him. So here he was, studying business administration, while his friends majored in really interesting stuff, like architecture and law and medicine.

And psych.

Nick ruffled Harold's shaggy brown hair, running his hand through the stick-straight strands. His fingers flexed, burrowing in the thick mass, massaging the scalp beneath. For a brief moment he
lost himself in that sensuous glide. Clearing his throat, he remembered he was trying to get to the bottom of Harold's blue funk. "It can't be as bad as all that!"

"Oh no?"

"No." Nick smiled, and Harold was lost in the warmth of eyes normally icy blue. Nick kept everything deep within, which made him the perfect match for Karen, his girlfriend, the cool,
tight-assed brunette who was the newest member of their clique.

Nick pulled his eyes from his friend and his gaze bounced, seeking, around the empty library.

Empty.

"Where's Sarah, Ha?"

Harold sighed. "Three guesses, Nick."

The psych major groaned and dropped into the seat next to the other man. "Don't tell me she's with Alex!"

"All right, I won't." Harold waited a beat, then continued, reluctantly. "But she is."

"Oh, *man*!" Nick sounded annoyed. Before Harold could defend himself on his choice of lover, his friend began speaking again. "If she loves you so much, how come she's always trading those heated glances with the boy architect?"

"She *knows* I trust her. *I* know she wouldn't do anything to endanger what we have together."

"Do you?"

Harold was on his feet, his hands fisted at his sides. "Shut your fucking mouth, Nick! You're not having any more success with Karen than I am with Sarah!"

They both knew that Karen had major family issues. She was attracted to Nick because he was so much like her irresponsible father. And she constantly tried to change him *because* he was
so much like her irresponsible father. His knowledge of psychology aided Nick in understanding his girlfriend, but it didn't make dealing with her any easier.

He sighed. "C'mon, man, I don't want to fight with you. Sarah's making sheep's eyes at Alex, Karen is sniping at Sam every time he makes one of his cracks. What can we do about it?"

Harold smiled crookedly. "Why don't we go get drunk?"

"And screw?"

They both froze. Nick closed his eyes in horror at what had come out of his mouth. This was the Age of Aquarius, of sexual freedom, but Harold was his friend, for chrissakes! How could he have said something so stupid?

Okay, sure, he had been having fantasies about that fit body since junior year, but he was so sure he had it under control.

"Harold..."

His friend interrupted him before he had any idea what he could possibly say to excuse such an outrageous statement.

"Nick. Do you mean it?"

Nick's eyes grew wide, and his mouth went dry. "No. Of course not. I was just kid..." The desolate look on the other man's face pulled him up short. "Only if you want me to," he admitted. "Your friendship means too much to me to lose because I have a letch for your body!"

Harold's long fingers stroked the curve of Nick's cheek to cup his chin. "You won't lose it, Nick. But...I want to try this."

"I have to ask why, Ha. Why now? Because if it's to get back at Sarah, then I won't do it; I won't be your revenge fuck!"

Harold leaned his weight against his friend's lanky frame, and pulled Nick's head down so he could reach his lips. He had never considered kissing a man before, and he tentatively pressed his mouth to his friend's. Nick moaned softly and parted his lips, letting Harold control the kiss.

"Not revenge, Nick. Something's been missing between us for a while now. I need something more, something she can't give me." Harold took the other man's hand and placed it on the front of his jeans, which were snug against the bulge of his cock. "Now, shut up, Nick, and kiss me!"

Nick traced that intriguing shape. He wanted this more than he had realized. His arms closed around the shorter man and he drew him close enough to nudge Harold's arousal with his own.

And he realized something else as well: when Harold had moved to kiss him, he hadn't looked to make sure they were alone.

Harold's warm brown eyes smiled into Nick's, and he stepped back. He took Nick's hand and rubbed his thumb across his knuckles, then led him out of the library into the afternoon sunlight.

The End