A New Year

Title: A New Year

Genre: Slash yes, sex hinted at

Couple: William & Austin no discipline between these guys, Johnny is the one to get his butt toasted.

Summary: Not being alone is taking it’s toll on Austin and Will’s relationship, but will they let Johnny go when the chance comes?

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Johnny, the Neighbours’ Punk – Part 4

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A New Year

By: Dice

“You’ll go fat if you keep eating that much.” Austin put down the fork and gave Johnny a malevolent scowl.

“And you’ll go out the door if you don’t shut up,” he countered.

I stayed out of it; they began every day with a tiff and I could see no reason to meddle as that would only lend my in trouble. I fried another egg for Austin and popped two slices of bread in the toaster – stepping over Timmy, my cocker spaniel, who was having a black slipper for desert. Johnny got up and headed for the front door.

“I’ll get the paper!” he called and Austin rose with a tense look on his face.

“You don’t have to do that! I’ll get it for pity’s sake.” Austin’s obsession with reading the paper first was something Johnny had caught on to very quickly and he exploited it mercilessly.

“That’s all right.”

They looked at each other with the eyes of athletes sizing up the competition and then as if on a given cue they raced to the door. Timmy swirled around with a yelp and with his tail moving at a furious pace he joined in what to him was a fun game, but which seemed a matter of life and death to Johnny and Austin. There was a racket and curses and I slammed the frying pan down on the table, muttering under my breath about which of them was my lover and which the noisy brat.

In the last few days I’d seen a side of my boyfriend I had never glimpsed before; he had always been rather boyish and something of a flirt, but when faced with any type of conflict he had always reacted almost chilly, sometimes to the point of frightening me – this bickering and nagging between him and Johnny was new and rather unsettling.

Austin came back carrying the newspaper and Johnny came after him looking sullen.

“You cheated!” he proclaimed with the hostility of a sore loser.

“Did not!” Austin sat down and grabbed the egg from the pan.

“Did too!”

“Did not!”

“Did too!”

“Oh, give it a rest. Austin what’s the matter with you?” I complained as I sipped my coffee. He shook the newspaper in protest, but hid behind it; Johnny smirked over his piece of toast.

“Fine, why don’t you have a go at me?” Austin muttered.

“Please, Austin?”

“What?” he looked up, smiling, “Oh, Will, do I always have to be serious? Honestly, you’re turning into an old nag,” Johnny thought that was immensely funny and I tried to smack his thigh, but he moved away before I could reach him.

“Oh, go play with that stupid game of yours!” Austin muttered at him and Johnny put a tongue out as he got up to leave, grabbing a piece of toast on his way.

It was three days into the new year and Johnny was quite settled in, I didn’t know exactly what Austin thought about it, but he wasn’t complaining too much; the only discontentment he showed was in his quarrels with the boy over this and that – but half the time I didn’t even know whether they were quarrels or not.

I’d bought Johnny that computer game for Christmas, it was some adventure game where you were supposed to find red notes and blue notes – something like that, he talked about it a lot, but I didn’t understand much of it. Austin’s only comment to my buying him a Christmas gift had been: ‘So he’s staying? So much for our first Christmas alone.’ Well, I’d felt guilty to say the least, but I liked Johnny and couldn’t help it.

He’d come down on Christmas morning – wearing Austin’s robe, which resulted in a brief exchange of protests – and sat down in front of the telly. I’d quickly objected that we didn’t watch telly on Christmas Mornings in our house and he’d given me an odd look, but turned it off, drawing his legs up under him and Timmy onto his lap. He watched as I handed Austin his presents and then looked aghast at me when I handed him his.

The sweater looked good on him too, he seemed to like it.

“While he’s out of our way…” Austin blew in my ear.

“I have to clean up in here, there’s dog hairs all over the place. Could use a hand, though,” I said.

“Sure, when I’ve showered,” he muttered with a somewhat sarcastic tone and left me alone with the dishes.

“What am I? The maid?” I grumbled to myself while getting up.

An hour later Austin still hadn’t showed up and I was done hoovering the kitchen, dining room and hallway and the little areas in between which Austin made into tiny museums of various objects of art. Timmy was woken out of his morning nap under the piano stool – in front of the piano nobody ever used – and decided that the hoover was invading his privacy and needed to be taught a lesson; only he didn’t quite dare to bite it since I’d instilled in him that doing foolhardy things like that meant a trip out in the backyard.

There was something he liked about the hoover though. I removed the mouth piece and knelt on the floor, Timmy watched me suspiciously, but then he caught on, the clever mutt, and bounced into my lap.

“Getting to the source of the problem, are you?” Austin walked in as I did another sweep over my ecstatic dog with the hoover.

“You were going to help me,” I said.

“You’re already done, so what do you want help with?” he smiled pleasantly while bending over to scratch Timmy behind the ear, then trying to steal a kiss on his way up. I rejected it sourly and got up, disappointing Timmy.

We looked at each other and I saw a storm gathering in Austin’s eyes.

“I’ve had enough of this! I used to be able to kiss my boyfriend in our own house without being brushed aside like some fly! What the hell is wrong with you?”

“Well you could help out when you promise to!” I began angrily, but he cut me off with a fierce kiss and I lost my breath for a moment. I shoved him away. “Don’t!”

Austin took a step away gritting his teeth. Timmy whimpered at us from under the couch – my poor boy hated when people shouted. Deciding that fighting wasn’t the answer I tried to backtrack and get Austin back in a good mood, but I was never given that opportunity.

“You’ll make that boy go, understood?” Austin hissed fettering me with one of his coldest glares and I winced, shocked speechless.

“What?” I whispered finally.

“That’s the problem, isn’t it? With him around we’re never going to be alone, you’ll always have him on your mind!”

“I don’t have…”

“You know I’m right!” he took a hold my arm. “Just admit it, Will.”

I snatched my arm out of his grip and pushed past him, heading for the door while tears of anger made my eyes sting.

“William!” I heard the anger in Austin’s voice clearly, but my jacket was in my hand and the door was opening before me.

I very nearly kicked Timmy, when he ran under my feet delighted to be going out and not understanding that I wasn’t going to take him for a walk. He refused to accept and I was reduced to yelling at him so that he slunk into the kitchen with his tail between his legs, looking at me from the threshold  with a paw over his nose like I was the cruellest person alive and I felt just as if I was.

“I’m sorry!” Austin stopped the door as I tried to shut it. My anger just floated out of me and I looked at him, breathing freely again. “All right? I’m sorry, I don’t know what made me say that, I’m a bastard.” I shook my head.

“I’m acting like him, aren’t I though? Rushing out like that?” I said and smiled faintly and he smiled back.

As I was about to go back inside a red Ford Mondeo stopped outside the Binns’ house. The back door opened first and the girl, Annie, came scampering out, followed by her little brother who had tremendous difficulty climbing off the seat it seemed, as he was still buckled in. I felt quite uncomfortable when I saw Adam Binns exiting the car and glaring over at us.

I looked at Austin, who gestured we should go inside, Mr. Binns looked as if he were on the verge of saying something to his wife, but she was looking up at the house, as it appeared trying to peer through the windows.

I tried not to look as if I was looking out the kitchen window while giving Timmy food – he was still suspicious of me and who’d blame him? He waited patiently until I backed away from the bowl, something he never did otherwise; I bent down and patted his soft head and pulled on his ears a little, turning him into a suddenly very forgiving puppy licking my face where he reached it. Then I looked out the window again as I rose.

“Austin!” I called – I was watching Mrs. Firth-Binns making her way up towards our house.

I opened the door the moment she knocked making sure Austin was on his way downstairs. The woman looked pale and the weak smile was as put on as the lipstick; it wasn’t a condescending smile, though, but an almost nervous one.

“Yes?”

“Hello,” she said in a strained voice, I nodded. “I hope I’m not intruding, I hoped that perhaps you’d seen my son hereabouts while we’ve been gone.” It was said quickly and in a way to make it sound as if this was something she would ask anyone anytime – it didn’t quite succeed due to the tremble in her voice.

“Well, yes,” I said glancing at Austin, rather unsure of whether or not I should tell her where Johnny was.

“You have?” she let her anxiety slip a little. “Where? D-did you? Was he? Has been in the house? Did he, did he stay there? When it was so cold? Did you see him then? Do you know, whether he was…” I spoke up then, quickly and calmly, not able or wishing to be cruel. Such pure distress could have hardly been put on; she was positively shaking.

“He’s here, he’s been here, there’s no need to worry, Mrs. Binns, Johnny’s all right.”

“Oh, my God,” tears welled up in her eyes and she looked nearly ready to keel over, pressing a hand against her mouth half laughing and half crying, her voice hardly more than a whisper as she continued. “Oh, my God! Oh. May I see him, please, where is he?”

I shrugged and took a step back, looking at Austin who gave me a look that seemed to ask me a million questions and accuse me of something I didn’t know I’d done. I gestured for Mrs. Binns to step inside and as she did Austin made his way upstairs. There was an awkward pause before I showed her into the kitchen.

Timmy twirled around to examine the visitor, then he turned back sniffing his remaining food and making a sneezing sound, and again looking back up at her, clearly torn between the idea of greeting the new person and finishing eating. Curiosity won out and he scurried over to her attempting to take in all of her in one excited survey.

“Timmy!” I reproved sharply, but she wasn’t backing away form him, instead she bent down and patted him with hands that seemed to have done it before.

“Johnny love dogs,” she smiled weakly at me. “We had one… when he was little. Adam doesn’t like dogs.”

“I see,” I said, confused but not showing it.

She sat down, looking toward the kitchen door and then out the window, her whole composure revealed a distinct uncertainty as if she was waiting for something or someone. I leaned against the sink clearing my throat now and then.

“You…” she grinned uncomfortably, “you say Johnny’s been staying here?” I nodded. “Do you, er… do you get on with him? He can be somewhat…” she hesitated and I realised I must be glaring at her. To cover it up I turned around and reached for the teapot asking over my shoulder if she cared for a cup.

“Johnny’s been fine, I get on just fine with him,” I said I turned back and found her regarding me with a steady but doubtful look. “He’s a boy. He’s a nasty temper and a mind to say what comes into his head, but he’s not been to any trouble of that’s what you’re asking. He’s rather friendly if not stirred up.”

At first it seemed she wouldn’t answer but then she looked down, giving a small sigh and looking up again now smiling much more benevolently and openly than a moment ago.

“You’re the first to say that, to see that,” she mumbled, but then becoming sad again. “I only wish…”

“I don’t fucking need her! Fuck off, Austin, I don’t need any o’ya!”

Not quite knowing what I was up against I dashed out in the hall to catch Johnny who came bolting down the stairs. He nearly knocked me down at the speed he was going, but I managed to get a hold of him. The look in his eyes was both startled and angry.

“Let go o’me,” he struggled.

“Grow up!” Austin hissed as he made his way downstairs and I was as surprised as Johnny looked.

“Johnny, love?” Mrs. Binns appeared behind me and I felt Johnny go lax, but his eyes turned a hostile dark shade I’d seen before and knew by now meant he wanted to run but didn’t quite dare. “Johnny, please, I’m so sorry…”

“Oh, now you’re sorry!? What about when that bastard you’re married to kicked me out? You weren’t sorry then, were you? Were you?” Johnny shouted at her and tried turning away and would’ve if it hadn’t been for me holding him back.

There was something so lost in his eyes when he looked at me, but he refused to let it shine through and ripped his arm from my hold.

“What do you want? I don’t need you!” he screamed at her and then he pushed me aside advancing on her with a scowling face. “You can just go to hell, fuck off!” he turned, making for the door.

“Johnny! Stop this, you’re not thinking!” I grabbed him again, but this time he aimed a hard kick at my shin and a fist at my face, which I ducked staggering backwards.

“Go fuck your boyfriend and leave me the hell alone, you bastard! I don’t give a shit about you!” as the words left his mouth and my face turned pale his too lost much of its colour and he seemed almost in pain as he turned to open the door.

The sudden banging on the door caught him unaware and we all stared at it as if it had come alive; it was flung open with a loud crash and Adam Binns stormed in. Johnny stumbled backwards, fear clear in his pallid face. Too shocked for words I gaped at the red faced irate man on my doorstep.

“Sorry?” Austin said coldly.

“Susan?” he barked menacingly. “What the hell do you think you’re on about?” his gruff voice bore traces of a few drinks I noticed and it showed in his large glaring eyes too. “What do you want with the bloody queers?”

“They’ve kept Johnny safe,” Susan Binns whispered. “I just wanted… Adam, love, please?”

It was beyond me how she could bring herself to plead with the offensive man, who trudged into the hall until he was standing in between her and me, turned so he could glare at her but speak to me.

“Kept him safe huh? In exchange for what? Fucking queer…” he pulled a face and looked disgusted. “Like having a little boy to play with, eh? Right?” I met his laugh with a blushing face and pure hatred. If this was anything of what Johnny was forced to face from this man I didn’t blame him for rebelling.

“Shut up!” Johnny suddenly exploded. Adam was deviously quick despite his looks and he had smacked Johnny hard before anyone could intervene.

“Shut your bloody mouth you little twat and you might get to keep it when we get home!” Johnny rubbed his cheek working earnestly to make his anger flare up again, but it seemed he wouldn’t be able to. He wouldn’t look at anyone.

“Fuck you, Adam!” he managed to choke out quite vehemently after awhile.

This time I was prepared for it and stepped in grasping Mr. Binns’ thick arm before it could hit. There was no reason to hide the aversion I felt so our eyes met with mutual loathing and he jerked his wrist free as if my hand was poisonous.

“You don’t have to go anywhere, Johnny, especially not to that,” I heard Austin state in that quiet sincere voice I was used to hearing when he was angry. I glanced behind me and found him with a hand on Johnny’s shoulder and the boy searching his face with distrust.

There was a subtle change in the atmosphere then and I felt as if I could breathe more easily. Adam Binns seethed with anger, but he didn’t voice an complaints, undoubtedly because he didn’t care to have his stepson home if truth be told; his wife was apparently less sure of the arrangement. Her face was pallid, a greyish green tone bordering on white, her mouth a thin line quivering with withheld emotions. Binns walked out the door growling her name over his shoulder. She closed her eyes a brief moment.

“I… I know you’re alive, love, I won’t ask for more, but…” she trailed off shaking her head and sighing. “You’ll look after him, won’t you?” I only nodded, somehow I knew that to be enough.

Austin switched the channel the moment the end credits came up.

“No! I was watching that!” Johnny whined. He was curled up with his head on my thigh and Timmy in his arms and had been half asleep the last ten minutes of the film.

“I’d like to watch the news.”

“You’re always hogging the TV!”

“And you’re hogging my boyfriend!” Austin retorted dryly.

Johnny sat up quickly and threw a cushion at him; Timmy looked up and then he yawned putting his head back on his paws. His dark, sad eyes gazed up at me seeming to pronounce weariness. The boy settled back down at my side and put his tongue out at Austin. I’d been aware of how he had stayed close to us – especially me – all day; it was almost as if he needed to be sure we were around.

“It’s late, son,” I began, but was immediately cut off by a loud groan from Johnny followed by some muttering noises. “Oh, none of that, you’re tired.”

Austin turned the telly off and covered his mouth as a yawn escaped him.

“Will,” the small voice appeared strained and awfully cautious. I glanced down at the head of light brown hair – finally his natural hair colour, strange how it had never occurred to me to ask him why he had stopped forming it into spikes. Johnny was busy stroking Timmy’s ears.

“Hm?” I tried.

“I acted pretty horrid today, didn’t I?” he concentrated intensely on Timmy’s ears.

“I suppose.”

“And, I shouldn’t have said that stuff to you, right?”

“What are you after, Johnny?” Austin asked suddenly with an amused tone. “A spanking?”

“Yeah,” Johnny shrunk into the sofa and I stared at Austin utterly bewildered.

“You’ve been punished enough for today with all that mess earlier. Don’t worry about what you said, apologise if that’ll make you feel better,” I ruffled his hair. “And then get off to bed!”

He remained quiet sitting very still – that was enough to tell something wasn’t right. Then his head shot up and his eyes pierced mine, but he didn’t say anything just kept my gaze fixed. I began shaking my head trying to say something soothing, but then he spoke.

“I want you to!”

“Don’t be silly,” I mumbled.

“I’m not! You did it before for stupid stuff like that dumb vase!”

“That was different!” I was beginning to feel angry, this was a very awkward situation and it wasn’t better for Austin sitting there grinning behind a hand.

“Fine! I’ll throw some other fucking vase on the floor!” Johnny got up, tipping Timmy on the floor and plunging into the hall.

Austin turned pale and we were both running after him before even looking at each other. There was a loud crash and my boyfriend turned a hundred years old in a heartbeat – he was on the verge of tears.

We walked slowly  into the alcove where most of the antiques were and there crouched down was Johnny, picking porcelain out of the carpet and refusing to look towards the door.

“Oh, thank god!” Austin drew a sigh of relief and laughed even – the thing, it seemed, that Johnny had smashed was nothing but a cheap plate from a pile forgotten on a table on their way into the dining room. I didn’t find it in the least amusing, though.

“Of all the stupid things…” I walked up and pulled him up dragging him out of the room, he shook in my grip. “You wanted this? Then that’s what you’ll get!”

I forgot all the usual little details, like telling him to drop his trousers and all of that and simply put a foot up on the second step of the stairs and hauled him over getting his trousers down with one hand. He wasn’t fighting me – at least not at first. But as I let my hand slap down with as much precision and force as ever, there was a distinct sound of bitten back pleas coming from him and I decided to set him down.

He wiped his nose and pulled the trousers up at the same time so they ended up looking very dishevelled. There were no tears I’d been much too lenient for that.

“Bed!” I pointed upstairs and he went, turning only to whisper ‘thanks’ so softly I wondered if that was really what he’d said.

I closed the door after checking on Johnny and stepped nearly into Austin. He slipped his arms around me, leaning in for a kiss and I didn’t back off or turn him away. There was no stress, no worries. Life was good and I was really hard.

“Even if that’s only for spanking that brat, it’s far better than you never being willing when I am,” Austin whispered in my ear. I huffed feigning outrage.

“So are we parents now?” I asked.

“Oh no, please don’t say that!” he groaned, his hands straying – or not exactly straying – in under my shirt. “I don’t want to be a dad!”

“Well I can be the dad, you’ll be the mum!”

He let me go and spun me around, swatting me playfully, yet hard enough for me to gasp. I glared at him while he met my eyes with an mocking look of his own.

“Oh, now you’ve done it…” I murmured under my breath and his eyes widened slightly. As I took a step forward he turned and made for our bedroom.

I smacked whatever part of him I could reach while we eagerly attempted to get each others clothes off, fumbling and wrestling as much as kissing and touching.

“You locked the door?” he mumbled when I finally had him stripped and pinned underneath me.

“Don’t move!” I growled and went to lock the door. Johnny might’ve become our punk and not the neighbours’, but I was far from wanting him in our bedroom.