Author's Note: So in between writing chapters for my story (Shameless Plug) Eternity in Thought (/Shameless Plug), I've decided to write this short little one-shot that's been on my mind for quite awhile. Hope you guys enjoy it. And don't be afraid to hit "Submit Review" :)

No Regrets

Seth was in the middle of a crowded room. All the guests stood around him waiting for him to use his gift. His gift that could cause so much trouble, yet still be so much fun. He avoided using it, but today was a special occasion. His older sister had gotten married to her long time boyfriend. It was hard for Seth to imagine that at 22 years old she’d tie herself down… to her high school sweetheart no less, but whatever made her happy, made him happy. They had finally walked the aisle less than a few hours ago and now it was time to celebrate. The gifts and congratulations flowed freely from all the friends and family members in attendance. And now it was Seth’s turn to give them a gift. He would give them the gift of his gift.

“Hurry it up will ya, Seth,” one of the party guests shouted.

“Hold on for a sec,” He said, slowly removing a glove from his pale hand.

“Quit stalling, Sethy” his lovely sister said, “You promised you’d give me one prediction after I got married…and it better be damn good.”

“Of course, sister dearest,” he chuckled. Jen ruffled his hair and Seth reveled in the touch. His sister had always been his best friend; the least he could do was give her a “Damn Good” prediction like she asked. He had always looked up to her…which was kind of hard considering she stood almost a foot shorter than him. Other than the height they were incredibly alike; same sandy blond hair, same bright green eyes…same taste in men.

“Why do you wear those gloves anyway,” Nick’s smooth voice filled the room and Seth suppressed the shudder that threatened to send his body to ecstasy on that sound alone. “If I could do what you could, I’d use it all the time.”

You would think so, he thought to himself. But after the fifth accidental death prediction he didn’t want to take any chances. First, he’s shaking hands with his principle after receiving his diploma, and then he’s suddenly seeing his mangled form in a car wreck. Part of him, thought it was his fault for not warning the man. But he was a strong believer in not trying to change fate.

“I think you should do Nick, first,” Jen said and Seth fought to divert himself from the dirty thoughts about her husband. “Mines gonna be so mind-blowing that I wanna build up the suspense to it,” she joked.

“O-okay,” Seth stuttered as Nick looked at him with expectant blue eyes and broad smile. He reached his hand out across the table, waiting for Seth to take it. Seth felt his heart jump as he slowly reached out his ungloved hand. He felt his cheeks warm, as everyone watched in anticipation. What would he say if it was something bad? What if Nick was going to lose his job? Or what if he was going to die? Or his parents? The answer is that he wouldn’t be able to tell him. He knew it would be bad if he tried to change his fate…until he saw this premonition.

Seth’s hand finally took a hold of Nick’s as he felt an electric jolt that might not have been entirely from his gift. The sights and sounds around him began to fade out as the visions overtook him. They were muddied and jumbled, hard to read. But Seth had gotten used to this feeling and had gained a knack for sorting through the tangled images over the years. The important events of the individual’s life would always glow brighter than the others. He would start at the near future and slowly move out until he would find something of interest then stop there. Seth started with the closest image of interest. It glowed much brighter than all the others by far, and it was in the near future.

Seth briefly wondered if he should tell Nick about an image that would obviously be so important to him; maybe he should find out about it on his own. But curiosity got the better of him. He focused his mind on clearing up the image and untangling it from the web of future memories. It began to turn sharper, more focused and gradually it filled his vision till he found himself in a room. Not just any room; he stood in the master bedroom of Nick and Jen’s apartment…and he heard moaning.

He stood behind the pair as he watched Nick’s ass flex with each inward plunge into the warm body beneath him.

Oh my god!, Seth’s mind raced, I’m watching my sister and her husband have sex.

He knew he shouldn’t be watching this… that he should leave and find a new image, but he couldn’t look away. He had long fantasized about Nick. About how he would look naked. About how good of a lover he would be…if he didn’t like girls. He would imagine how that smooth voice, that sounded like liquid sex, would sound in the midst of intense pleasure. How his blue eyes would burn with lust and his short brown hair would thicken from sweat.

For that he envied his sister…but something was wrong with the scene. The blond hair was right, but the body was too long, and it lacked curves…and that moan definitely wasn’t female. He moved around to get better look and the head threw itself back and let out a moan of pure pleasure. He was face to face…with himself. Seth’s jaw dropped and his eyes almost fell out of his skull. How?! How could this have happened?!

The Nick figure leaned forward. ‘Shhhhhh’ he moaned softly into the Seth figure’s ear. ‘They’ll hear us.’

Seth felt his body quake on Nick’s smooth voice alone; he could only imagine what was happening inside of the Seth figure. The Seth figure tried to stifle his moans as the pair’s fingers intertwined. They moved in a slow, rhythmic motion…as soft and gentle as the ocean in Nick’s eyes.

“I love you,” Nick whispered.

The real Seth found himself losing his breath…losing his focus…losing the vision.

In an instant he found himself back in the living room of the same apartment, hand still in Nick’s, all eyes fixed to him expectantly.

“Well, what did you see?” Nick’s voice moved over him like a blanket made of silk. He smiled at Seth, blue eyes boring in the blonde’s. When he saw the troubled look on Seth’s face, the smile faded.

“What’s wrong?” Nick asked, voice full of concern. Seth pulled his hand from the worried groom. He immediately wiped the distraught look from his face and, with a skill that would have made even the best acting coach proud, he said…

“Nothing. Everything’s going to be great. You guy’s are going to have a happy marriage,” he smiled.

Jen beamed at him. Everyone cheered. Nick didn’t fall for it. His eye’s stared a hole right through Seth.

Screw you, you cheating Bastard!, Seth’s mind screamed. But if Nick was a cheating bastard, what did that make him? The Home-wrecker? The Mistress? The Whore?

He had to get out of there. Had to stop this, screw fate. He wouldn’t be the one responsible for ruining his sister’s marriage… he couldn’t.

“Do me now,” his sister insisted.

“I-I gotta go,” Seth said.

“But you promised,” she whined.

“I’ll give you two tomorrow, promise,” he said in a rush, “I just- I need to go.”

He quickly grabbed his gloves and made his way for the door.

“Seth!” Nick’s silken voice called after him. It didn’t stop him though. If anything, the effect it had on him made him want to run even more.

He made his way down the hall, the stairs and then out the door. At one point he had started crying. And at one point he had started running. Till he finally made it to his car. The air outside was cold and brisk, which helped to cool the fire in his chest.

“Seth!”

He had been followed. Seth fumbled with his keys furiously trying to get it in the lock. His eyes were blinded by tears and his muscles couldn’t seem to stop shaking enough to allow him to accomplish that goal. Seth finally just let out a frustrated shout and threw his keys to the floor in defeat as his sobbing form slid down the car door.

“Seth?” the voice was closer this time. He felt chills, not entirely from the cold wind.

“W-what do you want, Nick?” he choked.

“I want to know what’s wrong with you, Seth.”

“Nothing’s wrong. Everything’s fine.” He repeated, knowing how stupid it must sound coming from him at this moment.

“Everything’s obviously not fine.”

Seth looked up at the tall figure before him. Nick knelt down to bring their eye’s level.

“Talk to me, Seth,” he pleaded. “Is this about the premonition?”

Seth just nodded, feeling too weak in the man’s presence to form clear words.

“Is it really that bad?”

Seth nodded again.

“How soon?”

“Very…” Seth breathed.

“S-seth,” Nick began, suddenly his voice was full of fear. “Am I going to die?”

“…Everyone dies eventually,” Seth said, vaguely. He struggled to avoid Nick’s piercing gaze.

“You know what I mean… actually don’t answer that question,” Nick resolved. “I-I don’t wanna know.”

It was quiet for a long moment. Seth could feel the heat from Nick’s body he was so close.

“If you don’t want the premonition to come true, y-you have to let me leave…”

Nick looked at him curiously. “The premonition is about me and… you?”

Seth nodded once again.

“Are you driving the bus that hits me or something?” Nick joked.

Seth snorted. He contemplated telling Nick. Telling him that his marriage was doomed if he stayed. That the vows that were in place for less than a few hours would be broken. That he would give Seth the one thing he’d wanted since he met the man years ago…his love.

“Not that,” he said, “All I can tell you is that it’s bad and if you don’t want it to happen, you have to let me go.”

There eyes met and stayed fixed for what felt like an eternity.

“Seth, there’s something I need to talk to you about,” Nick said finally. He stood up and held his hand out to Seth. Seth looked up into the man’s eyes. “But not out here. Come with me, Seth.”

Once again, Nick was offering his hand out to the blonde. Seth stared at it, knowing it held his fate. He could stop it right now if he wanted. All he had to do was refuse the hand. Just pick up his keys and leave him behind. This was the point of no return; if he crossed, there was no turning back. He would save their short marriage. His sister would never know that there was ever a danger at all. They would grow old and have kids. And Seth would visit them sometimes…and always wonder what could have been. What would have happened, if he had taken the hand before him? If he hadn’t disobeyed fate?

Could he really be thinking of going through with it? Knowing the consequences it would bring, was he actually still considering taking the hand? All for what? A quickie one-night stand in their bedroom? How could he be so selfish? How could he be so immoral?...How could he love Nick so much?

It was true that he’d loved Nick. Even before the man had chosen his sister. Even before they had become friends…Seth had loved Nick. Seth knew it was wrong then…wanting his sister’s boyfriend. It was even more wrong now.

“Seth, please,” Nick pleaded. “Trust me.”

His voice carried Seth away from his thoughts, till the only thing he could think about, was being with Nick…even if it was just one night. Seth didn’t like ‘What ifs’. Which was why his gift was so appealing. He couldn’t spend the rest of his life wondering ‘what if’. So with an air of determination…he took Nick’s hand.

Even through his gloves, Seth’s gift sparked. And the visions flooded him. Nick and Seth whispering nothings on the beach. Nick and Seth relaxing in front of a warm fire. Nick and Seth making love under the moonlight. Nick and Seth having their first fight…then the make-up sex that followed. Nick and Seth growing old together…

It wouldn’t be a quickie one-nighter. They would be making love in that apartment this cold winter night. They would be starting their life together.

Nick beamed at Seth as he took his hand. And Seth broke out into a smile that would rival the stars in its brilliance. And even though he knew that a few minutes into it, his sister would walk in on the two of them and their bond would never be the same. And even though he knew that they would all blame him for destroying his sister’s marriage. And even though he knew that no one in the family would ever accept their relationship.

He didn’t care…because he had Nick and he had no regrets.

--End--