Summary: The band in the aftermath of kicking Nikko out. Amy struts, Niles worries and Eric freaks the hell out. Niles/Eric. Slash. One-shot.

Warnings: For serious, serious potty mouth - they're teenage boys. So it's not-so-nice language. A lot worse than a few 'damn's and 'shit's. So if that bothers, please to be stepping off, pleases and thank yous. Also, slash. Boy kissing.

AN: Yeah, so, um. Probably going to end up slashing some more characters from this movie. It's almost too easy. Enjoyed the movie and music, characters were very cute. I dunno, I just really liked these guys. Plus, Amy's such an uber bitch, she's way too fun to write.

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keep on, keepin' on

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"Dude," Niles broke the silence. "We weren't like, too harsh or anything, right?" He didn't take his eyes from the road, but Eric could tell he was trying not to fidget and look back for Nikko. He frowned.

"Nah man, Nikko deserved what he got," he said, more firmly than he actually felt. "It's for the good of the group, you know that." Niles gave a short nod, but he looked as uncertain as Eric felt. Eric wished he had better words to assure Niles of their decision, but Niles was the creative, talented one. His lyrics spoke to everyone, half the reason they had any fans at all - Eric was just the drums. They glanced at each other in the rearview mirror, Eric offering a half smile and a shrug. Niles returned it briefly before returning his concentration to the road.

Eric just hoped they had done the right thing. Amy had called the meeting, but maybe they should've given him another chance. Or at least talked to him. Maybe making Nikko work to pay off the amp would have shown him that they were serious. Maybe…

Amy snorted and all eyes fell to her - just like she wanted it. "Yeah, don't be such a pussy Ni, Nikko's old news anyway." She flipped her hair. "I'll sing for the group until we can find a new vocalist." Niles' eyes shot to the rearview mirror, immediately meeting Eric's gaze, which was both horrified and disgusted.

"…You'll sing?" Niles said, trying not to sound too incredulous. You piss off Amy, your ass was grass - she was one cold hearted bitch. Just look what she'd done to Nikko not ten minutes ago.

Eric was less polite.

"Amy, you suck," he said bluntly, sticking his head over the front seat to stare at her on the passenger side. "Niles will sing until we find someone new."

Amy's eyes narrowed and she opened her mouth, undoubtedly to release a string of words so nasty and offensive, Eric almost ducked in reflex. "You would say that, standing up for your faggy little boyfriend. Fucking f-"

"We're here," Niles said, his voice cool enough to cut steel. "We'll talk Flux tomorrow." He spoke with command, something he did rarely - only when Amy or Nikko got so far out of line they were walking in figure eights. Listening to him, you could almost believe he'd started the band and kept them on track for nearly a year, through Nikko's posturing and Amy's bitching.

"Yeah, yeah," Amy sneered. "Until tomorrow boys." She said boys with the same venom she'd say 'fag', so Eric knew that's what she meant. Niles only waited till she'd slammed the door behind her before peeling away from the curb. That's when Eric knew he was pissed - Niles always waited till everyone got into their house, especially Amy. It was part manners, part protective instinct. Keeping what was important to him safe.

They hurtled down the streets of the suburb with a little more reckless abandon than usual. Waiting until they were on a long, straight stretch of road, Eric flipped himself over the front seat to settle on the passenger side. Niles swore good naturedly under his breath - he hated when Eric did that. So fucking irresponsible. The silence settled in the car again, almost overwhelming. Eric waited for Niles to speak - he was better at it anyway. "Now I'm doubting our decision," Niles admitted, taking a wide turn back onto the parkway; Eric lived across town. "Listening to her always seems like a great idea until…" he trailed off, scowling.

"Until you actually listen to her," Eric finished, smirking slightly. Niles snorted slightly and Eric felt some of the tension relax out of his shoulders.

"She's right about one thing though," Niles muttered, "We're gonna need a new vocalist, and soon." He sighed. "Maybe we should just let her sing until we find someone. I almost think it's not worth the bullshit that we're gonna have to deal with twenty-four/seven until we get someone."

Eric was shaking his head even before Niles finished. "No way, no how Niles, she may be an incredible bitch, but she's a fucking banshee with a mic. We'll lose half our gigs the second she starts singing."

"Yeah, but I'm not much better-" Niles stated, but Eric scoffed and interrupted, refusing to let him finish that.

"You're a trillion times better than her Ni, you know that."

There was a long pause, where Eric stared meaningfully at Niles, daring him to disagree on pain of death. "Y-Yeah, I guess," Niles allowed, frowning. "But not as good as Nikko."

Eric couldn't argue with that. No one was as good as Nikko, the arrogant little shit. Though, he'd been a talented, arrogant little shit, and their talented arrogant little shit - Eric meant that with the most affection possible. Maybe in a couple weeks, they'd manage to be friends again.

His gaze settled on Niles and he grinned automatically. "Yeah, but I love you anyway." He tried to smirk and sound casual, humorous, flippant - just trying to lighten the mood, didn't care a bit about Niles' response, not one bit. Unfortunately, it'd come out rather more sincere and heartfelt than he'd wanted it to, though. Fuck, he was such a twat. He tried not to die completely of humiliation and briefly considered suicide by drumsticks.

Niles' glance flicked over to him for a second and Eric tried not to flush. It was a long moment before a small, shy smile crossed Niles' face. "Yeah, you'd better," he'd said quietly, just as awkwardly as Eric had, but smiling still, studiously not looking over into the passenger seat.

Eric tried to keep from smiling like a complete fucktard, but he failed. Miserably.

They sat in pleased, if awkward silence for the next couple minutes before Niles drew up beside his house. Eric glanced at it before his gaze traveled back to Niles.

"Home sweet dump," he murmured, smiling slightly. Niles returned the expression awkwardly and slightly more reluctantly.

"I'll pick you up tomorrow for practice?" he asked after a long moment of silence, mostly rhetorically, because it was a given that Eric needed a ride everywhere. Eric nodded quickly, feeling uncomfortable in his own skin and slightly stupid around Niles

"Yeah," he said, as if the spastic nodding hadn't clued Niles into his answer. "So, um, tomorrow then, I guess, yeah?" Niles nodded jerkily back, fingers clenching and unclenching around the steering wheel. They stared at each other for one long, awkward second before Eric forced himself to lean forward and press a kiss to Niles' lips. They were cool, and slightly chapped, but the breath Niles' huffed out in surprise was hot against his mouth. Eric pulled away a second later, trying not to look as terrified as he felt.

They'd only been doing this for about a week and a half. This…thing, whatever it was. This thing where they became retards around each other and kissed occasionally when no one was near by and sort of acted like idiots whenever the other person came up in conversation.

Eric was pretty sure they were dating, but being around Niles freaked him the fuck out, so he could never be entirely certain.

Niles' looked both stricken and thrilled. There was a long moment before Eric decided it was way past time to escape and fumbled with the door handle. A hand caught his arm just as he slid out of the van. He turned and this time it was Niles' lips that met his, though a lot less hesitantly.

"Fuck," he managed to get out, before lips that were growing steadily more and more familiar sealed over his own and fuck this was the kiss he'd been waiting for. The one that wasn't awkward and hurried and constantly tasting of fear and freaking the fuck out. This one said hey, i want to get to know your tonsils a lot better, mind if i stop by for a sec?

When Niles finally broke away, Eric was greeted with a hesitant but definite smile. "So, um, tomorrow?" he said hoarsely, sounding more hopeful than he'd really wanted, but there was no taking it back now.

It was official, he was a twelve year old girl.

"Tomorrow," Niles said, just as gruffly, which made Eric relax a little. At least he wasn't the only one affected.

There was a very long pause in which neither of them moved. "You realize this makes us the fags Amy accuses us of being?" Eric smirked, sounding like he cared not at all.

"Well I guess that's better in the long run," Niles said thoughtfully, smirking down at his friend. "You know how she loves being right and all." Eric snorted and finally forced himself to step away from the van and close the door. "So… tomorrow," Niles said, looking a little awkward again.

"Said that already," Eric reminded him, smirking.

"Shut the fuck up," Niles muttered, blushing a little.

"Yeah, yeah, go fuck yourself," Eric replied, laughing a little. With that, he turned his back on the van and headed up the walk, feeling a hell of a lot better than he had for weeks.

Fuck, c'mon, he had tomorrow to look forward to.

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AN: Please review! Let me know if it sucked or not. :D

Oh, and a note. Amy uses the word 'faggy' - definitely not something I'd ever say, or ever think was appropriate to say. So basically this is my 'I do not necessarily share the opinions of all of the characters in this piece just because I wrote 'em' disclaimer.

Other than that, hope you enjoyed. ^_^

-B