"And you really think this is a good idea?" James asked as he took another can of lager from his co-star.

"It'll be fine," Guy told him with a grin, "Just drink it."

"Because we're bound to get a lot of work done half-pissed!" James replied sarcastically as he opened his can and took a long drink, his objection to the idea of the evenings rehearsal being marred by alcohol passing as he down half the can without pause.

"We are professionals," Guy insisted with only the hint of a drunken slur to his voice, "of course we can get the work done… now where were we?"

James flicked through the pages of the script that was resting on his knee until he landed on the correct page.

"Here we go…"

It wasn't usual for the two actors to take to private rehearsals of their scenes but they both knew the importance of getting the following weeks shooting spot on, and if that meant putting in the extra hours then it was worth it. The rest of their storyline together hinged on the next few episodes and it had to be right, the audience had to believe it, there could be no doubt left as to the feelings of the characters they portrayed, if there was then they had failed.

"Right," James continued as he read through the page of dialogue, "So Craig has walked out of his exam to go and see John Paul... his desire for his stunningly gorgeous friend finally becoming too much for him!"

"It does NOT say that," Guy laughed, snatching the script from James's lap.

"Well it might as well do!" James said, his grin wide and his blue eyes shining with amusement as well as a hint of drunkenness. "Everyone knows Craig was just powerless to resist these good looks!"

"Whatever!"

"Read the script... who is it comes on to who?"

"Momentary insanity!"

"Ahhh admit it," James said, getting to his feet and patting Guy's cheek with amused affection. "Your Craig is just no match for my John Paul... he lurves him!"

"Err I think you will find it was your John Paul who's been spending months making cow eyes at Craig!"

"I do not make cow eyes!"

"Moo!" Guy giggled, draining his can and throwing it into a wastepaper basket that was already filled with the evidence of just how much they had drunk.

"Idiot!"

"Such an intellectual come back!"

"Says the man who just mooed at me! Come on...we'll never get this scene down if we don't get on with it."

"Yes sir!" Said Guy snapping to attention and saluting. "How can I resist those good looks!"

"Anyway..." James said with a shake of his head as he snatched back the script, "Craig has come round... 'got anything to drink'... blah blah... 'you used to fancy me... you're jealous' ... then we get to the heavy bit... So they're in the kitchen... and John Paul is leaning against the side like this..." James moved to lean against the back of the sofa, reading through the dialogue for a moment before putting the script to one side.

Rubbing his hands over his face Guy closed his eyes for a second, the scene running through his mind as he slipped into the mentality of his character, allowing the feelings of confusion wash over him for an instant.

"How can you make yourself stop loving someone? I mean, you said you love me." Guy said, his voice shaking slightly as he took a step forward.

"I did. I..I do." James replied, his hands gripping the back of the sofa in the nervous confusion of the teenage boy he was portraying.

"Do or did?"

"Why.. why you doing this Craig eh? You making fun of me, you teasing me... what I..."

"Have you.. have you and Spike um..."

"What?"

"You know..."

"Yeah."

Guy edged closer, leaving him only a few steps from his co-star, a strange feeling of jealousy bubbling in his chest, but that was Craig's jealousy, not Guys. "Didn't it feel wrong?"

"No. It felt... felt wonderful." James's knuckles had grown white as he held onto the sofa, he felt vulnerable and exposed under Craig's desperate stare, or was it Guy's stare? He had known the beer was a bad move, he should call a halt to things and get back to it in the morning when they were both feeling more refreshed.

"Do you love him?" Guy asked in a hushed almost frightened voice, his rich chocolate eyes wide and pleading.

"Not as much as I love you." Another step forward brought Guy mere inches from James and he reached out his hands to rest against the blonde actors chest. "I think Craig would probably be crying at this point... he's frightened at what he's feeling but..."

"But he can't help it?"

"Yeah... it's like it's come from nowhere and in a flash it's all he can think about... looking at John Paul... touching him..." Guy's hands started to paw desperately at James's chest, both actors hearts were racing as the moment that would change their characters lives forever approached.

"Craig... Craig don't." James breathed as Guy's hands slid up towards his neck, pulling the man forward slightly, their breathing becoming heavy the closer they got.

"I can't stop thinking about you."

"Craig... Craig..."

James didn't know if it was the alcohol or if it was Guy but suddenly the scene felt real, too real, he could smell the lager on Guy's breath, the heat of the man's hands on the back of his neck. It was time to say 'cut' now, the last time they rehearsed a kiss, for the school dance-off episode, they had skipped over practising the actual kiss leaving it to look spontaneous on the day, they should do that now, they really should.

"I want you." Guy swallowed heavily, he could feel his hands trembling, and not just his hands, his whole body suddenly felt like an electric current had passed through it and for an instant he wasn't sure if the words he spoke were Craig's or his own. Why hadn't James said 'cut' yet? Why hadn't he?

"And... and that'll be when they..." James stammered.

"Yeah... yeah that's... erm..." Guy agreed, his hands still holding onto James's neck, suddenly aware of the blonde man's hands on his hips.

James couldn't keep his eyes from Guy's lips, he'd never really looked at them before, well why should he? But now he couldn't stop. He had an inexplicable urge to touch them, they looked so soft and warm, so inviting.

'Stop this now,' James told himself sternly. 'It's just the beer confusing things... the passion in the scene... it's not like I actually want to...'

Guy ran the tip of his tongue over his lips, not that he needed to moisten them for anything, they were just a bit dry that was all. What else could it be? It wasn't like he was wanting to carry on the scene, they would save that for the cameras, it's only acting after all, just acting.

Their lips crashed together without either man being consciously aware of moving. Guy's fingers clawed at James's scalp as his tongue swept over the man's lips, desperate to go deeper, to taste him, to consume him completely.

James's hands slid to Guy's back, pulling the man in close, he needed him to be closer, much closer. There was the soft sound of a moan as their groins rubbed together, James's couldn't tell if the sound came from him or his co-star as their mouths melded together.

Guy's tongue was hot and searching as it invaded the depths of James's mouth, inviting the blonde man to suck against it and he felt powerless to refuse, it felt too good.

FUCK!

The men jumped apart as if they had just been struck by lightening, their hands running over their faces before straightening clothing that was inexplicably dishevelled, unable to look each other in the eye.

"I should be erm..." James said, grabbing his jacket from the back of the sofa and pointing towards the door.

"Yeah... yeah right... I guess it's time for bed... I mean sleep... it's late... time to go to sleep..."

"Yeah I'll erm... I'll get going then and... and see you tomorrow... at the studio... like normal..."

"That's right," Guy agreed, nodding his head ferociously, "Just like normal..."

"Bye then..."

"Yeah bye..."

Fumbling with the door handle James finally managed to let himself out of Guy's flat, leaning against the door breathless and panting as it closed behind him.

What the hell was that?

He wasn't gay, and he was sure as hell Guy wasn't. But damn for a minute there that had felt good.

It was just the emotion of the scene and the beer confusing things James rationalised. It wasn't like he had enjoyed having Guy's tongue in his mouth, or that the feeling of Guy's stubble against his cheek had aroused him. And it certainly wasn't as if he had a stonking great hard-on throbbing in his trousers.

"Oh fuck!"

At the sound of the front door closing Guy threw himself onto the sofa.

What the hell just happened?

That wasn't really Guy told himself with an unconvincing laugh, that was John Paul and Craig, not James and Guy, they just let the moment get away with them that was all. It was Strasberg. The method. Nothing to worry about. Nothing to see here, move along.

It's wasn't like he was wishing James hadn't left, or wondering what might have happened if he had stayed.

Lowering his hand to his groin Guy massaged firmly the painful erection that had been aroused by his co-star.

"Oh fuck!"

"Bloody hell James... you look like crap!"

"Thanks a lot Claire!" James said with a grimace as he approached his onscreen sister and real life flat mate. Oversleeping and rushing to get into work on time had done nothing for his mood and the last thing he needed was for it to be pointed out just how bad he was looking. Unfortunately he knew that she had a point. His skin, while naturally fair, had taken on an almost ashen tone while his hair looked as if he had just fallen out of bed, which of course he had. But the most prominent of all were the dark rings under his eyes, making his normally blue pools look sunken and lifeless.

"Bad night?" Claire asked with a tilt of her head and a sympathetic smile.

"No... what... why? Why would you ask that? Has somebody said something? What? I don't know what you're on about..." James knew he was babbling, his pale cheeks flushing with a hint of colour as he silently cursed himself.

"Jeeze Jim relax," Claire said, stroking her hand through her thick black hair. "It just looks like you didn't sleep so good so I figured you had a bad night..."

"Right yeah, yeah that was it... couldn't settle! Good job you stayed over at Kevin's... probably would have disturbed you."

Couldn't settle was the understatement of the decade. By the time James had got home the previous night his head had been in a turmoil, his lips still tingling from the heat of Guy's kiss and, most frustrating and worryingly, his groin still aching from wanting to take it further.

After an hours pacing had not quietened his thoughts or arousal James had done the only thing he could do. Lying back on his bed the blonde actor had taken matters into his own hands. Closing his eyes he had conjured up countless images of the women he had ever found attractive, mentally undressing them and touching them as he drove himself towards release. Then, at that moment of physical pleasure, the second when all conscious thought left and the body's desires were all that existed James had seen not the sexy semi-clad women of his fantasies but rather the chocolate eyed, stubble cheeked man who was rapidly becoming his nightmare. Pressing his free hand over his mouth James stifled the name that he started to cry out in climax but still it rang out in his own mind. "Guy... oh fuck Guy!"

"Well you'd better get yourself to makeup," Claire said kindly, "They've got their work cut out today, no way you look like a fresh faced teen at the moment!"

"I'll be fine once they work their magic," James replied as Claire turned to go, his heart leaping suddenly as she moved from his eye line allowing him direct sight across the studio floor to where Guy was standing going through his lines with Loui.

James froze for a moment. Should he acknowledge the man and go over, should he turn away and pretend not to notice him? What was the etiquette the morning after getting hot and horny with your co-star?

"James hey!" Loui called out, raising one hand in greeting.

Guy silently cursed his on-screen girlfriend as she beckoned James over, the last thing he needed was to be around that man at the moment. It felt too... odd... and the way his heart jumped when he had first seen James arrive was a sign of how odd things were, that's all it meant... nothing else it could be.

As soon as James had left his flat the previous evening Guy had attempted to wash away the memory of what had happened, had nearly happened, with another can of lager and when that didn't work he had told himself a nice hot shower would do the trick.

It had done the trick all right, but not the one Guy had intended. As the hot water drenched his body and his hands lathered up the shower gel Guy's arousal became too much to bear, it had to be dealt with and fast.

Within only a few minutes Guy found himself leaning against the cool tiled wall of his shower cubicle, panting and breathless as the shower washed away the evidence of his excitement. So what if he had imagined two beautiful blue eyes as he came? Lots of people had blue eyes, lots of girls Guy corrected himself, but at that moment he could only think of one man who did. Oh fuck!

"You look awful!" Loui continued, oblivious to the discomfort around her.

"So I've been told," James replied with a smile, trying to look more casual than he felt. "Just off to let makeup sort me out!"

"What were you two drinking last night? This one looked like death when he got here," Loui motioned to Guy teasingly as she spoke.

"Ahh you know!" James shrugged, he smiled softly at Loui while his feet itched for him to get away, far away. He was just glad that most of his scenes that day were with Tom Vaughn and didn't involve Guy.

"Oh and did you see the postings on the schedule change around?" Loui asked, seemingly unaware of the way her two co-stars were blatantly avoiding looking at each other.

"Schedule change?" James asked.

"Yeah, Tom's really sick... food poisoning or something... no way he can do the scene in the Dog today, so they've bumped up the big John Paul and Craig snog fest! Bet you'll finally be glad to get that one out of the way eh?"

"Yeah," James agreed, not really hearing the brunettes words, his eyes suddenly falling to Guy's face, almost of their own accord, and for a moment their gaze locked. Both men had assumed, as they stumbled from their beds and hauled themselves into work that morning, that they would at least have a day's grace before having to work closely together but fate had other plans and the look in their eyes said it all.

'Oh fuck!'

The morning's filming went, if not easily at least more easily than James and Guy had anticipated. The constant presence of the crew proved a much needed distraction stopping either man from dwelling on the previous evening too much, allowing them to concentrate on their scenes and wring every drop of emotion from a script that was already emotionally charged.

As they broke for lunch Guy felt exhausted. A night's poor sleep was bad enough but coupled with filming and re-filming the scenes of Craig's angst and realisation had drained him completely, but he knew that the worst was still to come. Looking across the canteen he caught slight of two bright-blue, but equally exhausted, eyes looking back at him. Both actors knew what was coming. After lunch they were due to film "that" scene and neither man was entirely sure how they felt about it.

The first time they had kissed on screen it had been handled light-heartedly, something they joked about, teasing each other about being such bad kissers, but this time was different. So different. The previous evening had made sure of that.

Looking down at his plate James pushed an unappetising looking piece of pie around in a circle. He had no appetite, feeling that the food would stick in his throat. He had never felt so nervous about filming before in his life, not even on the very first day he stood in front of a camera. But this wasn't just any scene he was due to shoot, this was the scene where he had to passionately kiss the man who had so aroused him only half a day before. Oh fuck!

Guy's hands pawed uncertainly at James's chest, the actions of Craig played to perfection before the camera, his cheeks were sodden with tears and the trembling in his voice was not entirely the fear of the character.

The scene had been going well, far better than either actor could have hoped. Strangely enough their inner turmoil and confusion seemed to add to the electricity between them, the passion of the characters illuminating every shot, much to the director's unending glee.

This was the scene that would have the fans falling at their feet and James and Guy would deserve every ounce of praise that was sure to be heaped upon them.

"Craig... Craig don't..." James stammered. He could feel Guy's breath on his face, the man's hands were hot, almost burning his skin through his clothes.

"I can't stop thinking about you," Guy said, his eyes burning with a longing that, just for an instant, made James wonder if his co-star was really THAT good an actor.

"Craig... Craig..."

"I want you..."

That was the moment, an instant's hesitation and all would have been lost, the chances of recapturing the magic for a second take was all but impossible, but as the two men's lips met again it wasn't the scene, the show or even the characters that the actors were thinking about.

Guy's hands were shaking as they pressed against James's face, the man's cheeks soft and warm to his touch and as their bodies came together each man could feel the others heartbeat, thudding in time with his own, strong and fierce and frighteningly passionate.

Kisses on the show were usually choreographed, the actors counting in the heads the exact length of time needed for the shot, with a few seconds over to allow for any necessary editing.

Guy wasn't counting as he felt James's tongue brushing over his lips.

A tongue that wasn't actually necessary.

James wasn't counting as Guy's lips parted to allow, no to encourage, James's tongue inside.

A tongue that wasn't actually necessary.

The crew wasn't counting as, for a moment, they felt as if they were spying on a private moment rather than capturing a scene for television.

"OK and cut."

The voice seemed intrusive and unwelcome as it suddenly, mercilessly, brought the actors back to reality, making them almost leap apart, flushed and breathless as they realised that once again their kiss had been little acting and too much genuine desire. And this time they couldn't even blame the drink.

"Bloody hell Guy," James said with a forced laugh. "What did you have for lunch? You could have at least cleaned your teeth!"

The crew laughed, breaking the heightened emotional tension that seemed to have enveloped everyone, Guy laughing along with them as he gave James a manly slap on the back before heading back to his dressing room.

Looking at his reflection in the dressing room mirror Guy sighed. He was a bloke, he fancied women, end of story. Sure James was good looking, but most of the actors on the show were good looking, it didn't make Guy want to stick his tongue down their throat... or anywhere else.

It was just the story line messing with his head, it wasn't unheard of for the emotions of a character to spill over into the actor's real life, and leading actors were always falling for each other in Hollywood! Falling for? What the hell was he thinking? Guy wasn't falling for James, he wasn't gay... he was straight... as straight as... as...

As straight as Craig?

Resting his chin on his hands James stared closely at his reflection. He had been sat in his dressing room for the past twenty minutes just looking and he still couldn't understand what was going on, what he was feeling or why. Yes of course Guy was an attractive man, he was handsome and yes even sexy, James was secure enough in his own sexuality to be able to admit he could recognise another man's attractiveness. Women were always throwing themselves at Guy. Women were!

It's not like James had ever wanted to touch Guy like they did. He didn't wonder what the actor would look like naked, he didn't think about what it would be like to hear Guy moaning his name or look into his eyes as he came. This was insanity. James didn't want any of those things, he just didn't!

The beeping of his mobile pulled James from his thoughts, his hand shaking slightly as he saw Guy's name on the phones screen, a text message waiting to be read.

"Everything OK?" Guy's message asked.

"Yeah. Course." James replied, his words a blatant but necessary lie, it wasn't like Guy could ever know or understand what he had been thinking and feeling.

"Good. It's just that things seemed a little strained. Wanted to check we were cool."

"Yeah nothing to worry about..."

"And last night was?"

"Just the beer."

"Good that's what I thought too."

"Good."

In separate dressing rooms the two young actors stared at their own reflections. It was better this way. A momentary aberration of feelings that would soon pass, no need to make life complicated.

"Look me and Chris are off out tonight. Wanna come?"

"Oh dunno."

"Come on. We can see who'll pull first. And that'll be me of course."

"In your dreams!" James let out a small laugh as his fingers keyed in his response.

"You'll have to come out to prove me wrong."

Looking into his own eyes for a moment James smiled. Of course that was just what he needed, a little female company would soon push all those crazy thoughts from his mind.

"You're on." His text replied. "Then we'll see who's wrong!"

"Hey Jim, that bird by the bar is seriously checking you out!" Chris Fountain's words slurred slightly as he nodded towards the large circular bar that dominated the centre of the somewhat exclusive club the three actors had chosen to spend their evening. The large quantity of empty pint and shot glasses a testament to just why Chris's diction was less than perfect.

Straining his neck to peer over the back of the plush sofa he was half sprawled on James eyed the object of his co-stars comments.

The young woman blushed and looked away briefly as the actor she had been staring at for the past hour caught her eye, her coyness partly embarrassment at being caught and partly the knowledge that she would be far more successful if she at least pretended not to be too easy. Unfortunately this did not extend to her wardrobe, dressed as she was in a skirt that barely covered her underwear, flaring out slightly to promise a glimpse of what was hidden beneath each time she moved, and a shimmering silver top whose neckline plummeted almost to her navel.

Running her hand through her midnight black locks the woman raised her eyes once again, giggling as she saw that James was still looking in her direction.

"Well she is only human!" James said with a grin, his voice slurring almost as much as his companions. "She can obviously tell who's the real talent at this table!"

"You gonna go and put her out of her misery then?" Chris asked, his face flushed slightly with alcohol as he grinned.

"Be impolite not to," James replied, grabbing a shot glass and empting it of its contents before getting to his feet. "See you losers later..."

Guy watched as James walked confidently towards the bar, the young woman's giggles increasing for a moment as the actor moved close to whisper in her ear, his fingers brushing her cheek briefly before sliding slowly down the length of her bare arm.

Looking away Guy grabbed his pint and downed three quarters of the liquid before taking a breath, not because he felt that uncomfortable pang of jealously, no he was just thirsty, very thirsty.

"Earth to Guy!" Guy snapped from his thoughts at the sound of his name, totally unaware that Chris had been talking to him. "You still in there mate?"

"Yeah, yeah sorry," Guy replied with a sheepish grin, "Miles away for a minute!"

"Well like I was saying," Chris continued with a laugh, "It ain't just Jimbo who's caught the eye of a lady tonight... well I say 'lady' but you know..." Chris's laugh grew deeper as he directed Guy's attention towards a young blonde woman leaning casually against the wall to the men's left. Her shiny black trousers looked as if they had been spray painted on and her corset styled top emphasised her assets to their fullest.

"Ahh dunno if I can be arsed..." Guy said with a shrug and another swallow from his pint, his eyes quickly flicking over to the bar where he could see James and his brunette companion becoming better acquainted by the second. In fact James appeared to be getting to know the young woman's tonsils very well indeed.

"What's the matter?" Chris laughed, "Coming down with a case of the Craig Dean's?"

"Fuck off!" Guy snapped, the words stinging as they were a little to close to home. Downing the last of his pint Guy got to his feet. "I'll show you who's a fucking Craig Dean!" Vaulting over the back of the sofa Guy walked over to the woman who's eyes had never left him, a swagger in his steps as he approached her, grabbing the woman around her waist without a word and crashing his mouth against hers in an angry, passionate kiss, that the woman returned with gusto.

"You're nothing like your character," the brunette woman, who James has yet to ask the name of, breathed as the actor nibbled the curve of her neck while his thighs massaged the inside of her soft thighs. "All my friends said they bet you two really were gay..."

"Well I guess now you can tell them otherwise," James replied, his hand brushing briefly over the heat of the woman's crotch.

"Maybe you could convince me a little more," the woman suggested, pulling James closer to her, moaning softly as his fingers teased at the edge of her underwear.

James was not normally one for such blatant displays in public but this time it didn't seem to matter if anyone was watching, if Guy was watching. At the thought of his co-stars name James let his eyes flicker back to the sofa where they had been sitting, the area now vacant as Chris had also found himself a companion for the evening.

His eyes scoured the bar for a moment before landing on Guy's familiar figure, pressed up close against a blonde woman, her arms were wrapped tightly around him and her head was leaning back against the wall, her mouth slightly open. Despite the tightness of her trousers it was obvious that Guy had managed to gain access, the woman obviously very enthusiastic about the situation.

Returning his attention to his companion James stepped back, a moment of disappointment flickering over the woman's face, instantly quelled by the actor's words.

"Why don't we get out of here?" James asked with a smile. "We could grab a taxi back to my place... then I'll show you just exactly how straight I really am..."

"My flat's just around the corner," the woman replied, "We could be there in two minutes..."

"Even better... let's go..."

His eyes flicking back to Guy for a second James sighed to himself before grabbing the woman's hand and half lead half dragged her from the bar. He didn't care what Guy got up to with that slapper, it was no business of his... Guy could shag half the bar... James didn't care... he didn't...

"Oh god!" the young blonde woman gasped as Guy's fingers slid in and out of her, skilfully bringing her so close to climax that her whole body shook, she knew that her friends would be watching from the other side of the bar and that thought just excited her even more, she told them she was going to pull someone famous tonight! "Oh god yes!"

Guy grinned to himself as the woman trembled against him, god he was good.

"You like that don't you?"

"Yes," the woman's breath shook as she gasped, trying to steady herself against the wall.

"You like being fingered in public..." Guy wondered what else he could get away with doing to her in public. Did it really matter if anyone saw, if James saw? Why would he even care if James saw? He was busy with that slapper he pulled.

Guy couldn't help himself from looking over towards the bar for his co-star, causing him to swallow heavily as he caught a glimpse of James's back exiting the room, brunette woman in tow, there was no mistaking what their plans were for the rest of the evening.

"Come on," Guy said as he extracted his hand from the woman's impossibly tight trousers. "We're going back to mine."

"Are we?"

"Any objections to that?"

"No."

"Come on then!"