"The Sweeter the Rewards"
By Viridian5 
3/15/00 

RATING: NC-17; Berg/Pete.  If m/m interaction bothers you, what 
are you doing here? 
SPOILERS: "Once Again from the Beginning" 
SUMMARY: Pete's upset, but Berg's an expert on distracting him.
ARCHIVAL/ DISTRIBUTION: Anywhere, as long as you ask me 
first.
DISCLAIMERS: All things _Two Guys and a Girl_ are property 
of Infront Productions and Twentieth Century Fox Television. 
Anyone who thinks I'm infringing or making a cent from this is on 
drugs.  If Pete and Berg were mine, Berg wouldn't run around so 
much, and Pete would know who The One is. 
FEEDBACK: can be sent to Viridian5@aol.com
NOTES: Thanks to Kasha for read-through and advice.


=========================== 
"The Sweeter the Rewards" 
By Viridian5 
=========================== 

Smiling in her usual too-bright, insane way, Irene handed Pete's 
cell phone back.  "I'll see if I can get my dad to give you your 
watch and wallet back.  This is so funny....  I still can't believe he's 
a mugger.  He's so crazy!  Hey, do you want the golf clubs back 
too?"

//Yeah, funny.//  "That's okay; keep them," Pete said with a big 
grin, his teeth gritted.  "Those are Ashley's."

"It's so great that you and Ashley and Berg met my dad already.  
It's like we're all part of one big circle of life." Irene took a breath, 
opened her mouth....

"Please don't sing."

"Okay!  You'll have your stuff back by tonight.  Dad's out working 
right now." 

//Wonder who he's holding up at this very second?//  "That's great, 
Irene." He started to herd her out the door.

"Oh, I don't have to leave right now.  Dad won't be back for 
hours."

"I thought I heard Macavity mewing.  He sounded really upset."

"Then I have to get back.  Mommy's coming, fuzzy sugarlump!" 

Once she rushed out the door, Pete closed and locked it behind her, 
then shot a dagger-filled look at Berg.  "You."

Berg backed away and stood so the couch blocked Pete.  "Hey, 
how was I to know?  It's not like he said, 'Oh, yeah, I'm in a career 
slump in *robbing people*.'"

"No, you're just Mr. Helpful.  Mr. Stick-With-It.  Then, after you 
gave him a pep talk so he'd stay with his life of crime, you told him 
to take the subway right after you told me to take the subway!  'Oh, 
those cab drivers will rip you off, Pete.'"

"It's actually really funny when you think about it."

"You even perverted my grandmom's advice, Berg!  'The harder 
the choice, the sweeter the rewards.' Remember that?  He used that 
line on me as he threatened us with a gun!  Where did he hear it?  
From you, who got it from me today!"

Berg laughed. "'Perverted'?  I perverted your grandmom?" When 
Pete started to walk around the couch, Berg dodged and said, "The 
advice really helped him out....  Pete, I couldn't have known."  

"You're not taking me seriously."

"You're just so cute when you're angry."

"Cute this!" Pete growled, then lunged.  Berg squeaked as he went 
down on the couch under the sudden attack.  

They wrestled in a fast flurry of movement, but trying to get a real 
grip on Berg was about as easy as grabbing an eel.  Berg bared his 
teeth in what might have been a smile or a snarl and started to rock 
against Pete, who, to his disgust, realized that he was getting 
aroused and distracted.  //Easily manipulated much?//  Pete tried to 
pull away, but his roommate had him in a deathgrip.  

"Let me make it up to you, Pete." He already had Pete's pants 
unzipped somehow and stroked the hardening cock with knowing, 
clever fingers.

"We're not doing this." 

But Berg was all over Pete, and kissing didn't mean Berg couldn't 
talk at the same time. Pete sometimes thought Berg would explode 
if he couldn't talk.  Berg said against Pete's neck, then cheek, then 
ear, then lips, "He didn't hurt you.  You're probably going to get 
all of your stuff back, and how many people can say that?"

"He had a gun." Pete moaned as the sliding grip on his cock 
tightened.

"But he didn't use it.  You know, it's medical fact that people need 
sex after they feel their lives have been threatened.  It's a way of 
reaffirming that they're alive."  

"You sure you're not the one getting off on the thought of me 
having a gun turned on me?"

"I'm doing you a service here." Berg wiggled part of the way out 
of his pants.

"You're an altruist." 

Under the scent of soap, arousal, and clean sweat lingered blood, 
antiseptic, and the plastic and metal scents of the hospital Berg had 
just come back from.  Pete wondered if it made him sick that he 
found those smells erotic.

"I had a good day today, and your pep talk helped me make it that 
way.  I feel good, and I want to share.  Sharing is a good thing."

"And that's all very good?" Pete gasped as Berg rubbed against 
him harder.  He wouldn't last much longer at this rate.  "Thought I 
was the one who got stupid during sex."

"Who's to say you're not?" 

Berg bit Pete's ear, clutched his ass, and ran a blunt fingernail 
along the underside of his cock all at once.  Pete had only a 
moment to be amazed yet again at Berg's ability to multi-task 
before he came hard.  Berg's hand clenched on Pete's ass as he 
followed.

Berg flashed his lush, after-sex smile.  "Forgive me?"

"I don't know....  No, not yet," Pete gasped.  "I had to busk with 
Ashley to make enough money to get us home."

"Busk?  You made her sing in public?"

"Motown, mostly."

"Then the mugging was worth it, you ingrate.  I'd pay good money 
to see that."

"You can get mugged with her next time."

"With Ashley?" Berg made a disgusted face.

"Thank God!  You're finally kicking the Ashley disease."

"Can we force her to sing some other way?"

Pete smiled. "We can try."

"So, do you forgive me yet?"

"Sure.  You'll do something else to tick me off soon enough 
anyway.  Then you'll have to make it up to me again."


*********************THE END************************