bTitle/b

Title: Just for
Summary: Set in 1996. Shawn's been getting creepy letters and phone calls from an ex. It all comes to a head one night in a club.
Warnings: Slash. Language, drug abuse
Notes/Spoilers: Kinda dark I guess. Angsty most definitely.
Characters/Pairings(if any): Shawn/Kevin , Hunter, Scott, Kid

I want to take his eyes out
Just for looking at you
Yes I do
I want to take his hands off
Just for touching you
Yes I do
And I want to rip his heart out
Just for hurting you
Just for by Nickelback

The club was hot and humid; Kevin could feel his shirt sticking to his back with sweat as he fought his way through the throng of people in desperate search of a stiff drink.

He stood waiting to be served impatiently, his eyes scanning the crowd for any sign of his close knit group. Hunter and Scott were manning the table but Kid had disappeared somewhere with Shawn in tow.

His brow creased with concern, he was worried about Shawn. He hadn't been himself since stepping foot in the nightclub. He'd seemed preoccupied, kept glancing into the shadows, his blue eyes tainted with unease. When pressed for answers Kid had yanked him away shouting about bathrooms and pick me ups.

Kevin clasped his hand around the cold glass, felt the sting of condensation against his palm and sighed.

If Shawn came back totally pilled out of his mind he was holding Kid personally responsible.

"What are you doing?" hissed Shawn yanking himself free from Kid's grasp as they left the rest of the Kliq blanketed in shadows.

"You wanna tell Kevin?"

Shawn sought the floor with his eyes, all protests muted.

"Didn't think so" snapped Kid pushing his way through the mass of people outside the bathroom, he glanced over his shoulder to where Shawn stood pressed against the wall intently toying with the clasp on his watch.

"Come on" he called impatiently

Shawn shook his head vehemently; he wasn't going into the bathroom to watch Kid snort coke. He'd rather stay out here and become insignificant.

"Fine suit yourself, stay out here, I hope he finds you"

"Oh fuck off kid" spat Shawn heatedly, the panic wavering fast in his raspy tone.

Kid shrugged nonchalantly as he turned; he pushed the bathroom door savagely but faltered when a hand brushed his shoulder. He turned to see Shawn poised fearfully behind him.

"I, I think –"

The explanation died on trembling lips as Shawn glanced around him, his expression one of bewilderment and loss. His eyes screamed out for solace and protection leaving Kid with a sickening feeling at the pit of his stomach.

"Maybe you should tell Kev-"

"No!" barked Shawn harshly, "No, Kev would, Kevin would kill him"

"Oh ok then so what? You're gonna hide in the men's room for the rest of your life? Great plan" mocked Kid

"Maybe he won't show up" whispered Shawn nervously

"Or maybe he will" retorted Kid lining up the white powder. Shawn glanced down happy to avert his gaze from the haze of memories and paranoid musings that were flickering around him

"Want some?"

The Texan shook his head viciously. Pain pills were bad enough.

"If you'd just tell Kev you could quit worrying" said Kid brushing his shirt down.

"I can't tell him" mumbled Shawn

"You mean won't"

"Look Kid I told you in the hotel I'm not seeing the guy, he's a fucking nut case" spat Shawn angrily, " I went out with him one time when I was about seventeen and recently he tuned into Raw. He's been bugging me ever since"

"So tell Kevin!" replied Kid enunciating each word slowly as if Shawn was an idiot.

"And then what?" yelled Shawn, "Then what huh? Either Kev's gonna go mental on him or, or he's gonna go mental on –"

"On you" finished Kid softly

" He keeps sending me letters, calling me, I think he was at the show yesterday" said Shawn breathlessly his voice hitching in the back of his throat, " He thinks I love him Kid, what if Kev, I mean what do I do if Kev belie-"

"He won't believe some psycho over you Shawn" Kid broke in swiftly, could see Shawn's bravado beginning to crack and splinter, this guy whoever he might be, was cutting Shawn deep.

"How do you know?" whimpered Shawn softly, "I mean you suspected right?"

Kid nibbled on his lip guiltily.

"You thought I was cheating on Kevin, why should he think anything different?"

"Because he knows you better?" snapped Kid exasperatedly, "Because, f Shawn I don't know, just tell your boyfriend you're being harassed would you?! Stop leaving it to me to sort out"

"I'm not leaving it to you!" snarled Shawn furiously, "I never asked you to get involved did I? I fucking told you to leave the phone when it rang at the hotel but no you had to go and answer it, you had to talk to him and start asking him questions so he got pissed off. You even mentioned Kev and I swear to God if he comes near Kevin I will fucking kill you. Do you hear me?! I will kill you!"

His rage echoed around the cubicles, his sapphire eyes wet with tears as bleak images flashed before him, his imagination needed no prompting to conjure up the dark deeds his stalker was capable of.

He needed to find Kevin; Kev was safe, secure and warm. Kev wouldn't let anything happen to him.

Kid stared at him, licked his lips anxiously. Shawn had a temper but the vehemence and hatred spilling in his direction was new. The angry young man normally had better control of his derision.

He watched as Shawn pushed past him

" Where are you going?"

Shawn turned his face pale

"I need to find Kev"

The door swung shut behind him with a bang leaving an intoxicated Kid to slump and deteriorate in his own inflicted high all unease for Shawn misted and lessened by the drug abuse.

Shawn ploughed his way through the crowd his heart hammering frantically as he did so, his mind taunted him with the heavy voice. The whispered threats and promises shredded through him rendering him scared and vulnerable.

The cards and letters were obscene; the scratchy penmanship skittered and danced across the ragged paper detailing just exactly what lay in store for Shawn upon their second meeting.

Shawn heaved slightly, his stomach churned and knotted with fear as he recollected the letters he still had buried deep in his sock drawer. The first few gushed and glowed with loving admiration but as time had passed and supposed love remained unrequited the letters and cards had become darker and much more sinister.

The phone calls were even creepier, hushed and heavy tones crawling in his ear promised pain and heartache should he keep refuting these advances. If Shawn refused to follow destiny then fate would intervene.

Riddles and rhymes that made his head ache would be spouted, intimidation was the name of the game and Shawn was playing for his life.

His breath escaped on a trembling cloud of fear as he felt the cold clammy hand snatch at his wrist. When his attention had drifted the vulture had pounced.

He stared in terror as his azure eyes locked on grey slits of frustration and hollow madness.

" I've been waiting for you" he hissed, " You haven't been answering my calls, that's not nice now is it Shawnie? Hmmm, you used to be such a lovely little thing, so considerate – what happened? Did you fall in with the wrong crowd?"

" You leave my friends alone Aaron" said Shawn the bile rising in his throat

"You don't have any friends" spat Aaron pushing him against the wall, taken by surprise Shawn offered no resistance as the heftier man's arm sought his throat, pinning him there.

" I do" choked Shawn his eyes watering, " Hunter, kid, Kev-"

He spluttered as Aaron increased the pressure on his windpipe. Squirmed ferociously in his grasp.

"Ah yes the wonderful Kevin" Aaron spat bitingly, "Kevin's your little fuck buddy isn't he? The reason you refuse to answer any of my letters or calls you little whore"
Shawn felt his eyes widen as his heart pulsated rapidly in his chest; if Aaron knew about Kev then he'd been watching him. He felt a shiver run up his spine, his eyes watered with the effort of breathing and the terror of being secluded in the shadows with a mad ex lover.

"I went out with you once, I haven't seen you in over a decade" whimpered Shawn, "You're sick Aaron, you need help, you –"

He emitted a low groan of pain as Aaron balled his fist and sent it hurtling savagely into the younger man's guts, powerless to defend himself Shawn felt the agony wash over his broken form.

"I don't need help" he growled heatedly, "You're the one who needs help"

Shawn felt the pressure on his neck increase, the club began to fade at the edges as colour was stripped and dampened; he felt his oxygen levels decrease but through the blurred flashing lights and spinning room he caught snatches of his saviour, of Kevin before the world exploded into splintered wood and shattered glass. He felt the pressure lessen and gratefully slumped to the ground wheezing and coughing.

Gulping air greedily he glanced up, saw Aaron pinned to the floor by strangers whilst Hunter tried his best to restrain Kevin from causing anymore damage to the bloodied man flailing in the grasp of so many.

He felt the beads of sorrow and relief break through as Kevin crouched over him running a soothing palm across his shivering body. He clutched at his lover in the same way a drowning man would cling to a raft.

He stumbled in Kevin's embrace as he pulled the smaller man to his feet; Kevin shot Aaron a look of black hatred before spitting on his broken outline, the saliva stinging against the beaten cheek intermingling with tears and blood as he wailed incoherently. Shawn shrank backwards, staggered into Kevin as he fought to be free. The elder man guided him gently from the club shielding him from prying eyes. Hunter followed several steps behind noting their need for privacy.

"I'm sorry" sobbed Shawn the dam of sorrow cracking as soon as they were out in the cold night air.

"For what?" asked Kevin quietly as he propped the shaking figure up against him, he ached inside, torn between comforting Shawn and going back inside to finish the job he'd started.

" Not, n-n –" Shawn dissolved into more sobs, the tears intensifying racking his body with pain.

" It's not your fault" whispered Kevin comfortingly, " You weren't to know"

"I should have told you" wept Shawn his face a mess of snot and tears, "If I'd have told you then, then he, he-"

"It's not you're fault he's a fucking psychopath" snapped Kevin his blood boiling, if Hunter hadn't stopped him the filthy fucker would have been dead by now.

He remembered the red haze that had claimed him when he'd glanced Shawn so terrified and helpless, the dimming light in his eyes had launched him into action. The thought that someone else was touching his lover, causing him pain had been more than he could bear.

It was as if he'd watched the fight in slow motion. He saw himself launch himself at the unfamiliar man, ripped him from Shawn, fists flailing as his lover crumpled to the ground he had pummelled the other man to the floor oblivious to the blood smearing his knuckles or the table they had crashed through.

It was only when he felt Hunter's incessant tug and heard Shawn's muffled whimper that he realised what was happening, that he wasn't watching some terrible movie that it was in fact he who had caused so much turmoil upon seeing the man he loved in such danger.

" Kevin?"

The tremor in Shawn's normally so confident voice cut through the memory swiftly

" He said I loved him, you, you don't –"

" I don't believe him" snapped Kevin swiftly, " God, Shawn how could you think for one second I would believe him over you?!"

" I thought you'd get so mad at me" whispered Shawn shivering, " He kept calling me and writing, he, he wouldn't leave me alone"

" Why didn't you tell me?" asked Kev the anguish seeping from his tone

" I didn't want anyone to get hurt" stammered Shawn his voice betraying his heartbreak, " I didn't want you to get hurt"

" It'd take more than some scrawny bastard like that to hurt me" scoffed Kevin giving Shawn a reassuring squeeze, " You tell me stuff ok Shawnie? I couldn't cope if you got hurt"

Shawn sniffed burying his face into Kevin's shoulder, the warmth providing little solace to his quivering form.

He flinched as Kevin ran a gentle finger over his burning neck, his throat bruised mauve from Aaron's suffocating grasp, he spluttered against him, his Adam's apple trembling under the tender touch.

"If anyone so much as looks at you the wrong way you tell me ok?" whispered Kevin pulling him closer

Shawn nodded dutifully, tried his best to bury himself further against Kevin wanting nothing more than to merge into his protection in the hope that life and comfort would seep and filter back into his battered and broken body.

" You know if Hunter hadn't been there I would have killed him" hissed Kevin the rage radiating from every pore

Shawn nodded slowly.

"A crazy son of a bitch like that deserves to die" spat Kevin his hold on Shawn tightening; the smaller man fidgeted around him and stood on tiptoe so that their mouths met.

The soft kiss calmed him slightly; Kevin felt a small fraction of fury fade as Shawn's trembling lessened a little.

He glanced upwards, the black sky claiming his fear and anger as the stars twinkled down, the scream of police sirens split the air and he felt Shawn's grip dig into his arm.

He stroked his back soothingly in the darkness; continued his quest to gain solace for both their souls.

.