Oh!Darling

A week passed by after Mandi's departure from the two.Slowly but surely,Hamburg came and they were off with they're instruments to the Top Ten once again.

Sitting on the stage looking down at his guitar,John pondered quietly to himself.The guitar never sounded out of tune before now and the strings grew weary and thin; threatening to pop off.He sighed lowly and peeled his gaze from his love to hear another guitar being played just a couple steps from him.

His gaze dropped to Paul who was trying to perfect a chord he had learn just four hours ago.John chuckled and stood from his spot to walk over to him.Upon nearing the younger man,a smile spread onto John's face.He never thought of Paul as something more then just a mate,but he had fantasies and yernings for the lad.If he was in love with him,he didn't know.

He tapped him on the shoulder,"Paul.You're doin' it wrong,son."

Paul tossed him a look over his shoulder.He groaned,"I can't do it.It's murder."

"Fuck off,Paul.You can,just get George to show ye."John spat taking his guitar off and placing it on the stage.Paul sighed and chewed on his lower lip,watching John hop off the stage and head to the bar.

"John?"

John turned on his heel to look at Paul curiously,"Whaddya want Paul?"

He hesitated to speak,"Can you.Y'know,teach me a bit?"

John smirked and bit his tongue, "I think thats the first time you actually asked me for somethin' like that." Paul blushed and hid his face in his shoulder.John chuckled, "But yeh.C'm'ead.Sit down."

John returned to sit next to Paul on the stage.He grabbed his guitar once again and threw it over his shoulder.Paul swallowed down and moved a tad closer to John,blushing every so often when John's fingers would brush against his.John wouldn't realize it until he'd start playing his own guitar,noticing the patches of pink on Paul's cheeks.

The others were seated at a table in the corner watching the two of them curiously.Paul cleared his throat and turned to John,"Thanks."

"No problem."John muttered standing and putting his guitar back on the stage.Paul sighed and followed behind him quickly,turning him around.

"Look John.I was wonderin'.Since Stu is most likely not to show up--If I could play bass tonight?"Paul asked.

John paused and scanned Paul closely before stopping at the set of lips in front of him.He opened his mouth,but didn't expect the words to seep onto his lips,"I donno Paul.You don't seem like the type of lad to handle bass.."

Paul pierced his lips together and stepped away from him.His brow quirked up into a curious fashion and eyed his mate,"Well then.What 'type' of lad do you think I am?"

John noticed the smirk tugging on Paul's lips and didn't fail to sense the hint of flirtation that came out of his words.His senses perked up but he didn't reply to Paul's question.John just looked at him and nodded,"Yeah,sure.You can play bass."

Paul's lips exploded into a smile across his face and he inwardly cheered.He let out a breath taking sigh,watching John walk away from him.His insides twisted and grinded together while talking to John and seeing that mischievous glint in his eye,sent sparks in Paul's stomach.

Paul reminisced quietly as he sat on the stage; the week that had went by too quickly.The departure of Mandi and the entire week spent with the other lads getting ready for Hamburg.He sniffed the air,the smell of cigarettes and ale being passed around in the pub.It was like old times,but Mandi was there amongst them.

He sighed and put his guitar down."I've got to do this on me own now."

Heartbeats pounded to the rhythm as feet stomped the stage.People surrounded the stage as the they screamed into the microphones.Sweat,exhaustion quickly set in but was gone with a quick swallow of a pill.Musty smells of beer and cigarettes consumed the air,fighting with every last innocent patch of breath each member took.

It took eight hours,sets combined until all four men stumbled off the stage.The crowd didn't bother cheering but took notice to the lack of talented individuals who'd had taken they're place,and retire to they're seats.

John leaned back in his chair and took a drink of his pint.His cotton mouth welcomed the warm liquid that tasted satisfying and fed his need.He licked his lips,savoring the taste and scanned the table eying the other men.Everyone but his best mate,Stu was present.

It was obvious to him and to the others,that Stu had moved on.He wasn't dumb and neither was Paul,George or Pete."Maybe Pete."He thought to himself.He just didn't understand why a talent lad such as Stu,would get himself tangled up with a bird.He was an attractive man,John could admit that.He even learned that he had feelings for Stu once,or still did.Maybe thats why he doesn't want to see him go.Seeing Paul take his place on stage was the hardest it's ever gotten.But he knew Paul was perfect for the position and he'd give it to him.

John looked to Paul,whom sat on the other side of the table.He studied the younger man closely,inching every detail of his boyish face to the loose thread coming from his leather jacket.His eyes were large and dough like,mostly from the pill they had token previous hours before.But the point was,John couldn't pull himself to look away from him.The feeling plunged deep into his stomach and he finally wanted his best mate to know exactly how he felt.

Not here with the others.But somewhere private.

John stood to his feet and walked around the table.Paul was in the midst of talking to George when he turned and noticed John staring down at him.He swallowed and licked his lips,"Wanna go outside for a ciggy?"

Paul stayed silent and nodded slowly.He beckoned the others and slipped away from the table,following John out of the pub.John lit up the cigarette that was dangling between his lips.He took a long drag of it and stepped into the cool air.He tensed feeling Paul walk up behind him,then next to him.

He took another drag and passed it off to Paul,who willingly took it.He set the ciggy butt between his lips and quietly rocked on the balls of his feet.

"You did a good job tonight,Macca."John muttered.

Paul took the cigarette away from his lips,"Whats this.John actually giving me a compliment?"

"Oh sod off,son.It's true.Want me to bloody fuckin' lie and say Stu's a better bassist?"He snapped,"Wouldn't that fuckin' hurt ye if I did."

Paul smiled shyly and took another drag,"I knew you had it in you to be nice."

John rolled his eyes and fidgeted with the hemming of his jacket.The sweat began to gather in the palms of his hands and all of a sudden he became nervous standing next to Paul.His eyes quickly scanned the streets to see a couple men walking about aswell some hookers.John swallowed down and averted his gaze to the cement.

"John.."

John drew a deep breath,like a loose chord had been pulled.His eyes snapped upwards and quickly left Paul's side.John quickly strided down the street as Paul called back for him.Paul grunted and began running after him.John ignored Paul's calls until he came to a complete stop.All these thoughts and emotions were plaguing him,poking and stabbing at his gut.Even Mandi's words haunted him like a ghost and it wasn't fair to bring this type of thing on him.Not towards his best mate.

"JOHN!"Paul gasped as he finally caught up to him.He clamped his hand on John's shoulder and slowly turned him around to face Paul.He breathed heavy and tried to look at John's face normally without it being lopsided,"John.S'wrong?"

John licked his lips and eyed Paul's aswell.His long lashes fluttered up to look Paul in the eyes and for one moment,he never thought that it could've ever worked.He slowly leaned in and brushed his lips against Paul's.

Paul's eyes grew wider then they actually were.After a moment,he fluttered his eyes closed and began moving his mouth in the rhythm of John's.John planted a firm hold on Paul's neck,pushing into him until they secured themselves against a wall.

Paul moaned lowly when John pulled his lips from his.He looked at John through half closed eyes,his lips swollen and perked.His head spun in circles and stomach twisted.

John licked his lips and savored the taste of Paul.He shivered,feeling his breath linger across his lips once again.He hesitated to pull away; it took all his strength too.

Paul didn't say anything.He just watched shocked and amazed as John steadied himself in front of him.He shot Paul a smile,"Never tell me I don't do nuttin' nice for yeh."

"Wait!"Paul called as John began to walk away.He was pulled back towards Paul by a grip on his collar.

"Woah,Mac.."

Paul's hand gripped his jaw and forced his lips onto his.He moaned satisfyingly and continued.The buds of his tongue danced in circles as he stretched forcefully into John's open mouth.They swapped saliva,hands running fiercely down each others sides,breath becoming rigid and hearts pounding in both of they're chests.

Paul slowly pulled away and took a long awaited shaky breath.John smiled nervously and rubbed his nose with Paul's.He closed his eyes,feeling the sudden skin contact from John and sighed.

"Does this mean.."

"You think I did that for shits and giggles?"John muttered.