Title: Elusive (Part 2 of 2)
Author: Poetically Incorrect (LoveJimmyWilly)
Rating: K-K+ (PG-PG-13)
Fandom: Drake and Josh
Characters: Drake Parker, Josh Nichols
Pairing: Drake and Josh Pre-Slash/Slash
Warnings: Slashy Stepbrothers, Language.
Disclaimer: I do not own anything, if the boys we’re mine, there would be no need for Mindy Crenshaw.
Summary: Josh Nichols always had everything he ever wanted within his grasp, everything that is except love. For that, he fully blamed Drake Parker for always being so damn hard to reach.
Authors Notes: One week. A measley week. Big Thanks to all you lovelies that sent me cookies via feedback. I truly love you guys.

It happened three days before Josh left for Yale. Drake found the note tucked in the farthest corner of Josh's sock drawer, and stuffed the crumpled mess into his back pocket to read later-when Josh wasn't standing across the room from him, fretting over his stack of Oprah Magazines as if his life depended on their safety in the move.

Peace wasn't something easily found in the Parker-Nichols household, but Drake finally stole a few minutes alone with his sock-drawer treasure while changing into his pajamas that night. He read with bated breath, held far too long, for fear that exhalation would blow away the safety he had known in his relationship with Josh. Fear because he knew that with his next breath, everything would change.

"Josh" It was barely a whisper, uttered from just inside their bedroom door, but it was enough to stop his stepbrother dead in his tracks. Josh tentively put away his book, and took an uneasy step towards where Drake stood.

"Yeah, Brotha?" He couldn't tell if the shaking in his voice was from the sudden chill in the room, or from nervousness, but when Drake held the note out towards him, between two fingers, he was sure that the chill around his heart had turned to a deadly cold, freezing him from the inside out.

"Wha.. whats that?"

"Josh" Drake leveled him with one look, and all attempts Josh may have made at rebuke fell with Drake's eyes, as they made their way swiftly back to the floor.

'Drake I--"

"Two years Josh, this was written TWO YEARS ago. I've been killing you for two years, and I--I never knew." Drake’s voice faltered slightly, then slipped back into silence, as he waited for Josh to speak.

He spoke finally, in tones indicative of heartbreak and loss. "You were never meant to see that, Drake. I, I was dealing with it, you know? You had your music, and… and girls, and Drake, you were happy. How could I ruin that for you? Call me a masochist, but your happiness has always meant more to me than mine.”

There was a tinge of anger in drakes voice as he replied. “Would you quit using words I don’t understand Josh? Knowing big words doesn’t matter much right now, all that matters is that, for two years you let me hurt when…” He broke off, his words causing a tremor of an emotion he couldn’t quite describe to rock through Josh.

“When...when what Drake, what are you trying to say? That... maybe if I’d just have said something to you two years ago, we would have been together and everything would have been perfect? We both know better.”

Drake took a step closer to Josh, his eyes locking on his stepbrothers in the night-time stillness. “Not perfect, nothings perfect Josh, but maybe things would be different, better somehow. “

“Drake”, Josh started flustered, “I…can’t I don’t know…I don’t want to do this without you. I mean, sharing a room with someone that’s not you, not having you there, Drake.” His voice broke, giving way to a whimper as he stared back at his entire world, just steps in front of him.

“Josh don’t, please.” Drake found the gap that had once been between them, narrowed to mere inches. He could feel Josh’s breath sweeping across his bangs as he too, exhaled. Then, with another swift move, their lips softly met in a kiss, that, was so soft and so light and gentle that it was barely a kiss at all.

“Drake—but” Josh mumbled against the shorter boys lips. “Mindy, Carly”

“Mmmm”, Drake responded pulling him closer, deepening their kisses with a sigh, “Forget them.”

“Yale?” Josh was breathless, the strength in his knees slipping away as he continued to kiss Drake. He knew that all conscious thought would soon go with it leaving nothing behind but him and Drake, and this moment.

“Josh”, Drake pulled away and pressed his forehead against Josh’s, looking the curly haired boy in the eyes. “Your killing this whole kissing concept with all your worrying. You’ll go off and read books, and take over the world, or whatever it is you smart people do, and I’ll go to LA and work on my music. We’ll be okay. We’ll call and write and visit, and we’ve got this now.” He smiled before returning his lips to Josh’s lazily. “see? We’re gonna be fine brotha.”

They had broken apart again when the door slammed open, and Megan walked languidly in with a smirk etched on her face that made both boys cringe.

“Boobs in love, how cute. It’s about time you found that note Drake, Id been waiting on this since the day I watched Josh put it there. Josh- you really should quit talking to yourself by the way, I didn’t want to know all the disgusting details.”

“But…”, Both boys stammered in unison, “how did you know?”

“I see everything, boob. Remember that. “, she answered with a arch of her brows, “Like I said, id been waiting on this for a long time. There’s no blackmail in the world like this. But maybe, if you don’t make out where I can see I’ll be nice, and keep your little secret from mom and dad. Maybe.” With that she was gone again, leaving the boys to stare at each other in amazement.

“How does she do that?” Josh asked, with a bemused expression.

“I don’t know” Drake shrugged, placing his arms around Josh’s waist and tugging him gently, against his own tiny frame. He reached up and kissed Josh softly, eliciting a whimper from somewhere within the other boys throat, as he pulled away once more.

“Do you think Megan saw that?”

Josh smiled, pulling Drake into yet another kiss. “We’ll worry about that later, right now, I have other things I want to do.”

Drake responded with a sly smile, and captured Josh’s lips with his own, whispering a soft “Yeah later” against the taller boy’s moving lips.

Josh sighed allowing himself to drift away with Drake, and for once in quite some time, all of his fears and doubts and worries seemed to be completely and totally

Elusive.

a.n- end. feedback is love.