Disclaimer: I do not own the gentlemen of Good Charlotte, they belong to Epic and their moms. No infringement is intended. This is purely a work of fiction, and it NEVER happened. I wrote this story on a challenge, so forgive the quick foray into slight boy-on-boy action.

Joel hung out in his and Benji�s apartment, sucking at PS2, Paul whuppin� up on him on a regular basis. There was a break in touring for two weeks and they had spent the first couple days doing absolutely nothing. Why they played that game system into the wee hours of the morning was a mystery to any female that came over to the apartment, including their new drummer CJ. She had short twisted hair, milk chocolate colored skin and deep brown eyes. She was a short girl, hard to see behind her trap set when she was at work, and had a style mixed between punk, rock, and plain alternative. She had her tongue and middle of her lip pierced, and she had passed out on the couch behind the guys almost two hours ago. Billy had opted to go out prowling for fun with Benji. The knocking on the door made CJ stir, but not wake. Paul and Joel didn�t move from the floor, continued playing their game, not blinking. �CJ,� Paul said. She groaned and curled into a tighter ball. �CJ!� he repeated, louder this time. She rolled over.

�What?� She asked, exasperation tingeing her voice.

�Get the door.�

�You fuckin� woke me for that?�

The knocking began again, not ceasing this time. �Oh, man, Benj is drunk,� Joel said. Benji always knocked continuously until someone opened the door when he was under the influence of anything, even anger or just an annoying mood. CJ dragged herself off of the couch and looked through the peek hole to see Benji and Billy�s distorted faces. She opened the door and Billy stumbled through, hauling most of Benji�s weight with him.

�Wow, train wreck,� CJ commented as Billy sat Benji on the couch.

�Hey, you guys, how was� being inside all night?� Benji asked, his words slurring a bit, but always coming out more clearly than they should considering what he had imbibed.

At long last the guys put the game on pause. �It was good, Benj,� Paul said.

Benji struggled out of his jacket and leaned forward, looking down at Joel. He smelled like smoke, sweat, and like he�d had a couple beers dumped on him. �Oh, man, you woulda� loved tonight. We went to this party-� he shook his head, smiling, reliving the night, but not sharing with the rest of the room.

�After a couple bars some college girls invited us to a party,� Billy said, clearing up the ambiguity. �Benj had about five, six shots before we even left the bar. Then at the party�� he sighed, running a hand through his hair and looking over at his obviously smashed friend. �I lost track of his ass. Jesus Christ.�

�There were these girls there, Joel. So many of them� they woulda loved you. You should have been there, dude.� He looked around at the good number of Pabst cans strewn about the carpet. �You guys mighta had a little party of your own.�

�Massive orgy, Benj,� CJ said, standing behind Paul.

He grinned and laughed, leaning over more, so his head nearly touched the floor. �Aww, I missed it?� He sat back up, his cheeks deep red, partly from the alcohol flush and part from the head rush. He put a hand to his head and groaned. �Okay, I moved too fast.� He sat back in the couch and tried focusing on a crack in the ceiling to quell the spinning.

�You all right, there, buddy?� Billy asked. Benji didn�t answer.

�Dude?� Paul asked, leaning forward on all fours on the floor and tugging at the cuff of Benji�s pants.

Billy got up on his knees and looked down on him. �He passed out.� Billy took his face in his hands. �Wake up!�

Benji�s eyes fluttered open. �Bed,� was all he mustered.

Joel stood up. �I�ll put him down.�

�Make him drink a lot of water first,� CJ said.

�He won�t want to.�

�I said make him,� CJ repeated.

�Come on, Benj,� Joel said holding out his hand to him the way one coaxes a child to follow them. Benji squinted his way, then stretched out his hand to meet his brother�s. Joel hauled him off the couch and into a stabilizing embrace.

In Benji�s room Joel put him on the bed and went into his bathroom to get a glass of water. �You have to drink at least three of these before I let you go to sleep.�

Benji laughed. �These girls woulda loved you.�

Joel knelt in front of him and put the glass in Benji�s hand. �Oh yeah?�

�Cuz you�re so� sweet and nice. And you�re�� He closed his eyes and furrowed his brow. �You�re different from me.� He put the glass down on the hardwood floor as Joel started untying his shoes.

�Uh huh.�

�You�re so�� his voice trailed off into a mumble and Joel could feel his breath on the back of his neck as he slumped forward, looking down at his feet and at his brother. Joel didn�t know he was crying until he looked up after tossing Benji�s boots in the corner. His head was hung low so Joel had to dip his head down to see up into his face. He reached up and touched a tear from the tip of Benji�s nose. �C�mon, man. What�s wrong?�

�You�re so different from me,� he repeated. �I- I can�t� why can�t I find somebody?� He asked, looking down at Joel. �I don�t know what to do. What can I do?�

Joel picked up the glass of water and put it back in Benji�s hand. �You could quit drinking. That might make you a bit more attractive.�

�Hey, fuck you, man.� He rubbed his eyes.

�It�s not like I�ve found the love of my life, Benj. There�s all sorts of time for that.�

He turned a bleary gaze on Joel for a prolonged moment while the tears continued to well of their own accord. �I hate being alone,� he murmured through clenched teeth as he tried to stop the tears, bending over again to ease the churning in his belly. Joel reached up to give him a hug around the shoulders, putting his chin on his shoulder and pressing his cheek to his brothers. His skin felt tepid and clammy.

�Benj, drink water and purge. I�m gonna get you something to eat,� Joel said as he let him go and left the room after putting a hand gently on Benji�s head.

�How�s he doing?� CJ asked, Billy and Paul having left for the night. She was picking up the beer cans and putting them in a kitchen trashbag.

�Where�d Billy and Paul go?�

�Billy wasn�t in awesome shape either, so Paul took him home. How�s Benji?�

He shrugged and shook his head. �Fucked up. I need to get him something to eat,� he said as he went through the cabinets, looking for anything to give to his brother. Since they had been touring for the past few months there wasn�t much of anything in the house outside of cheap beer and non-perishables like macaroni and cheese.

�Should I go in and talk to him?� CJ asked.

He thought for a minute about it, not really considering the question right away, as he was preoccupied. �Yeah, sure.�

CJ put the bag of cans down next to the trashcan and walked into Benji�s room. He was still sitting on the edge of the bed, head down, murmuring to himself. �Hey Benj, what�s up?� She sat down next to him.

�I was telling Jo-el,� he pronounced it in two syllables, a diaphragm spasm separating the name. �I- I can�t find anyone.�

CJ put a hand on his back and rubbed gently, doing the only thing she knew always comforted her. She figured either her or Joel would be doing this while he was embracing the toilet pretty soon. �Maybe you need glasses,� she laughed.

�No, n-no, I can�t find anyone to be� with me.�

�Oh, come on, you got all the ladies.�

Benji broke down again, holding his head up with his hands. �No. No, n-not the kind I want. Not ones I can�� he covered his face and grunted in frustration. �I dunno.� CJ lifted the glass of water to him and he grudgingly took a couple gulps.

�Maybe you�re not looking in the right places, Benj. You�ll find that perfect somebody, I swear it.�

�I hate being alone.�

�Aww,� CJ hugged him, �you�ll never be alone. You�ll always have the guys and me.� He shook his head, not believing her at all. She leaned her head towards his and started singing that Michael Jackson song as seriously as possible. �You are not alone/I am here with you�� Benji lifted his head and watched her sing as he leaned against her. She could feel his breath on her mouth as he studied her face, watched her mouth. �There�s a reason you guys are the singers in the group,� she laughed softly. Benji smiled slightly a moment, then touched his lips softly to hers, their oral jewelry somehow avoiding contact. He had always been attracted by her glowing smile, and was curious about the tongue ring, how it would feel, and she was curious about the mouthful of metal that attempted to make him seem impervious, but served only to make his mouth more appealing to her. Reveling only a few glorious moments, she broke off the kiss but kept him in the embrace. She lifted the water to him again.

�Got you some Tostitos, Benj,� Joel said as he strode back into the room and sat on the other side of Benji. �Start eating.� Benji sniffed, running a hand under his nose, and nodded. �CJ, you can go. Y�don�t need to hang out if you don�t want. He�s gonna be up puking all night anyway.�

�151 is baaad,� Benji said locking his arms over his abdomen.

�No doubt.�

�Can she stay?� Benji asked looking at his brother with red, eyeliner-smeared eyes. Joel looked past Benji at CJ, who looked at the two of them, eyes wide, questioning. �She smells good. I mean, she, uh, she makes me feel better.� She put her nose inside her orange t-shirt a moment and shrugged. Both she and Joel knew Benji often used lines like that as a joke or as a pick-up line. Like he might say �hey, you wanna have some sex later? I meant, hi, my name�s Benji, you want some chips?�

A smirk pulled at the edges of Joel�s mouth as he refocused on Benji. �Uh, sure, Benj. She�ll stay.�

�Right here with us.� CJ looked back at the king sized bed that Benji usually slept in and thought about how it could accommodate three people. Joel looked at him critically.

�With us?�

�Yes.�

�Right here?�

Benji looked at his brother with a clarity not seen any other time that night. �Yes.�

Joel absently ran his hand back from Benji�s hairline, wiping away the sweat that had recently popped out there, studying Benji�s gaze. �All right,� he said finally, reluctantly. �Cool.�

For the next couple hours Joel and CJ took care of Benji, making sure he drank water and keeping his head over the toilet or in the sink when it was necessary. When at long last he could walk between the bed and bathroom on his own without running into the doorframe or tripping over the commode and the last two glasses of water he had drunk stayed put, he brushed his teeth. CJ had climbed into the bed, having shed her shoes, pants and shorts and traded in her t-shirt for one of Joel�s wife beaters. Now she looked like a Noxzema ad in white underwear and white beater. Joel stepped out of his shoes and pulled off his shirt. �Aww, I just got blinded by your whiteness,� CJ said and covered her eyes.

Joel shed his pants and jumped on the bed in just his boxers to mess with CJ. �Hey, some of us have to lose our tan in the winter.�

CJ pushed him up and off of her and shook her head while she laughed. �Tan,� she said with finger quotes.

�You wish you were as hot as me.�

�Dunno, might melt the sheets to the bed.� Her smile faded and seriousness creased her brow. �Does Benji do this a lot?�

Joel settled on the bed next to her, propping himself up on his elbow to look down on her. �Usually not this bad. Something has to set him off for it to get like this.� The two of them looked down beyond the end of the bed as Benji turned off the light in the bathroom.

Benji had been in just his boxers for the last hour, and he crawled up from the foot of the bed. �Can you-� he looked at Joel and motioned him to the other side of the bed. �Now I got you on one side,� he looked at CJ, �and you on the other, so I don�t fall out.� He got comfortable under the covers, and Joel got the lights. The only light that came in was orange streetlamp light from the windows.

�You feel better now, Benj?� Joel asked.

�Yeah,� he answered softly, the softest CJ had ever heard him speak. �Tired.�

�I bet.� The kid had to be wrung out.

�Thanks for, um, helping me out, you guys. I feel like a jackass.� Benji�s hand found one of CJ�s and gave it a squeeze.

�Don�t. It happens to everyone sometimes,� CJ answered.

There was a brief silence. �What, uh� how�d you get this wrecked?� Joel asked.

He looked over at Joel and blinked. They both felt him shrug. �Usual.� Joel hummed his understanding. Listening to the silence in the apartment was almost unnerving after the constant noise of touring. Always the sound of your band mates snoring (yeah, Billy) or other people talking outside. Now, being up four floors cut the street noise significantly, and at the end of the hall in the apartment building cut back on noisy passers-by. CJ had drifted into a light sleep and had turned onto her side, her arm unconsciously snaking across Benji�s bare torso. Her fingers tickled his and Joel�s side slightly when she moved them involuntarily. Benji snickered and Joel looked over at him, his pale skin glowing in the orange light. �You feel that?�

�Yeah.�

�Good kisser,� Benji whispered.

He caught the mischievous glint in his brother�s eye. �No shit,� Joel whispered back, grinning, his breath tickling Benji�s ear. He leaned across Benji, reaching out and touching her cheek just enough to make her pull back, taking her arm from across Benji to touch her face, trying to rid herself of the sensation. Joel put his chin down on Benji�s shoulder and replaced his arm for that CJ had just moved. �I miss this,� he said.

�What? Corrupting innocent youth?�

�Don�t call me innocent,� CJ mumbled, not quite awake, but not really asleep. �You don�t know.�

After giving her a few moments to settle back into silence Benji whispered, �That was freakin� cute,� to Joel. �Cuter than you.�

Joel rolled his cheek onto Benji�s skin as he looked up into his face. �Really?�

�Don�t make the puppy face,� Benji whispered as he attempted to tame Joel�s hair as static electricity made it stand on end, much like the hairs on the back of his neck when Joel gave him that doe-eyed look of his. �Aww, dude. That�s not fair.� Joel leaned towards Benji, his studs catching a glint from the window before he kissed those rosy lips, tugging on the ring with his teeth before pulling away. He looked up to see CJ propped up on an elbow, watching them. Both of them froze, waiting for a reaction. Neither of them knew what to say.

�What?� CJ asked. �You guys are hot, go ahead.�

Benji laughed out loud and pulled her closer to him. �You�re a freak!�

�I told you you don�t know me all like that.� Benji laughed again and pulled her in for another kiss. He�d enjoyed the last one, but was disappointed that it had gotten cut off. At first it was an exploratory exercise, better now they were both a bit more sober, but it escalated into a fierce kiss, involving teeth as well as lips and tongue. The studs provided an interesting stimulus and they only quit when they both tasted blood, neither of them sure who it�d come from. Joel had disappeared beneath the sheets and came up with two pairs of boxers in hand, dropping them on the floor next to the bed. Joel leaned across Benji, putting a hand on his stomach as he did so, and kissed CJ�s shoulder and neck. She turned her face towards him and they engaged in a much less fevered kiss. Joel�s style was slower, gentler, every bit as good as Benji but in a completely different way. Now Benji disappeared beneath the covers and lifted the edge of Joel�s beater from CJ�s skin and trailed kisses over her well toned midsection. The mix of Joel�s scent from his shirt, and hers wrapped warmly around him and was almost too much to deal with at once.

�Jesus, Ceej, work out much?� Benji joked, just to hear her voice, to bring him back to his senses.

She broke the kiss for a moment. �Born with a six-pack,� she said. �And be careful down there, sir-studs-a-lot.� He laughed against her body and took the opportunity to nip her skin, just above the edge of her Hanes Her Way, playing with the elastic band with his teeth. Next they both knew, they were on the floor next to the twins� boxers.