Title: In Between Times: 1988

Author: Ruth Sadelle Alderson

Fandom: Hard Core Logo/Sports Night

Pairing: Joe/Billy/Dan

Rating: NC-17 for m/m interaction.

Spoilers: Not really.

Prequel: To "In Between Times: 2000"

Disclaimer: They don't exactly belong to me. I'm just playing with them.

Summary: Hard Core Logo plays Dartmouth. Dan is there.

Author's Note: This was inspired by Amy B.'s "Backstage Pass" and Amirin's "Practice." In my mind, if Joe and Billy slept with Krycek, and Krycek slept with Dan, then obviously Joe and Billy had to sleep with Dan.

We're playing at some college in the States. The student TV station assigned some kid who admitted he doesn't know much about punk to interview us. He's holding his own, even up against Joe. He is polite, friendly even, but there's a hurt sadness behind his eyes. It reminds me a little of Joe and a little of myself. The interview is finally over and Joe slips out to smoke, leaving me to say goodbye to the kid. On something of an impulse, I invite him to the show.

He smiles and, "I'll try," he replies.

I can see him later, from the stage. He stands quietly and sips his drink slowly. Most of my attention is, as always, focused on Joe, but I still manage to spare a glance for this boy--Dan, some corner of my mind reminds me--and I watch him gently turn down a very nice looking man.
I'm disappointed, but then he just as gently turns down a very nice looking woman, so perhaps it doesn't mean anything. Our set ends and Joe throws an arm around my shoulders as we grab fresh drinks and wander the crowd. Finally we come to the boy and Joe halts us in front of him.

"Well, well, look who came to see us," Joe says, raking his eyes up and down the boy's body.

"Hello," he says quietly.

"Did you enjoy the show?" I ask him.

"Yeah," he says with a smile. "You put on a good show."

"Want to join us for a little after show party?" Joe asks. The invitation in his voice is unmistakable.

Something flashes in the boy's eyes and I'm afraid for a moment that we've made a mistake, but then his face smoothes out and he smiles. "Yeah, sure."

Joe smiles and pulls him between us. "Good," he purrs.

We take the boy with us through the back room where a flash of pain crosses his face when he smells the permanent haze of pot smoke that can be found in the back rooms of all these clubs. He relaxes once we make it out into the cold night and along the street to our hotel room.

He lets us undress him and stroke him tenderly. He touches back, tentatively at first, but then with more confidence. He watches us undress ourselves. Joe has already set out the lube and condoms and it is easy enough to lie on the bed and pull the boy down on top of me. I can feel it when Joe fingers him gently because the kid thrusts against me suddenly and moans. Joe eventually pushes into him and guides the boy's fingers down into me. Joe puts a condom on the kid and positions him carefully. Joe pushes down and the boy slides easily into me.

Joe knows exactly how hard and how long to make his thrusts to give us all the most pleasure. The boy smiles at me a little sadly when I reach past him to hook my heels over Joe's hips and twist my hands in Joe's hair. It strikes me suddenly that he's just a kid, some fucking child that we picked up, and he is the only thing keeping Joe and I from tearing each other apart.

Joe thrusts again, just a little bit harder. He keeps thrusting into us, and when he rocks back, he presses his head back into my hands. It is on one of these, when he rubs his head on my hands, that I come. The boy gasps and his eyes widen and then he, too, comes, thrusting deep into me. Joe finally follows us with a last thrust and collapses, crushing me into the mattress. He recovers after a few seconds and rolls off of us. He slides over to let the boy roll over as well. We lay panting.

I lean over and kiss the boy fiercely. When I release him, Joe swoops down and steals my kiss from his lips. He looks a little dazed. I feel almost sorry for him. He's some innocent kid and we just *used* him.

I get up and get a towel from the bathroom. I clean myself and then I clean the kid. He takes the towel from me and turns to carefully clean Joe. I guess he's more knowing than I thought. I hand a cigarette to Joe and offer one to the kid--he turns it down--before taking one for myself. I light Joe's, then mine.

We smoke quietly and occasionally stroke the convenient skin of the child, who is still in something of a blissed out state. We finish our cigarettes. By silent accord, Joe turns out the lights and I pull the blankets over the three of us. We each drape an arm and a leg over the kid between us. Our skin brushes lightly. This isn't exactly what I want, but it's enough. For now.

********
The End.
********