Fandom/Series: Eddie And The Cruisers
Title: Initial Impressions
Author/Pseudo: Joanne Collins
Rating: NC-17
Pairing/s: Eddie Wilson (Michael Pare)/Frank Ridgeway (Tom Berenger) 
Archive: Yes to Rareslash & WWOMB (already at CKOS)
Series/Sequel: First in a series of stories based on the 
movie Eddie And The Cruisers
Other Webpages: http://www.geocities.com/Paris/Metro/4859/Joanne.html
Author Email: M7traxlady@yahoo.com

Warnings: If you haven't seen the movie, I do pretty much 
give away the plot throughout the series. I take scenes from 
the movie and expand on them, giving them a longer, 
usually slashy, spin.

This is a slash story, and it deals with a sexual relationship 
between consenting adults, who both happen to be male. If 
this is a problem for you, please don't read any further. 

Story Summary for Archiving Purposes: When Eddie 
Wilson walks into Frank Ridgeway's life, a bond that cannot 
be broken, even by death, is formed. 

Disclaimer: These lovely men do not, alas, belong to me, but 
to Lorimar Productions and other people. I will return them 
when I am finished with them (that should be about five 
years, give or take).

Note on characters' ages: For the purposes of this story, I 
presume that in 1962, Eddie Wilson is 28 years old, Joann 
Carlino is 25, and Frank Ridgeway is 22. In 1982, add 
twenty years. The rest of the band members are presumed 
to be in the same age group as Eddie and Joann, with 
Wendell Newton being in his mid thirties. This is to make it 
credible that Frank has just graduated from Benton College 
and is working at a summer job on the Jersey shore at Tony 
Mart's for this story. It also explains why Eddie feels that 
Frank is a 'kid', and calls him that. I also presume that the 
band, Eddie And The Cruisers has existed for a while, at 
least four or five years before the story/movie begins, and 
the rest of the band members are aware of the fact that 
Eddie is a closeted homosexual, although they don't talk 
about it. Eddie's 'girlfriend' in the movie, Joann, is a cover. 
It is deemed more acceptable for publicity reasons to have 
him in a relationship than to have him uncommitted. A 
good-looking guy like Eddie being unattached? Not likely.

This story is told from Frank Ridgeway's point of view.

************************************************


Oh, god, the memories.

They've been clamouring to be let out since I heard Wild 
Summer Nights on the radio driving in this morning.

Now would be a good time, though. Everyone's left. 

And most of them are good memories.

****

June, 1962

I remember the song playing on Tony Mart's jukebox as I 
cleaned up. It was Del Shannon's Runaway. I was singing 
along to the refrain, sweeping the floor in tune to the song, 
as I worked. The only reason the place was still open was 
that we were expecting a rock group. Eddie And The 
Cruisers. I hadn't heard of them before, but apparently I 
wasn't the only one. Tony Mart's was a kind of interim 
place. Lots of big names had played there before they 
became big, and lots of small names didn't get any further. I 
had no idea which of the two this group would turn out to be, 
but I suspected it would be the latter, for no other reason 
than sheer numbers. There were a lot more of the second 
type of group than the first. But it was exciting in a 
non-threatening way for a kid just out of college, wanting a 
bit of freedom, to spend his summer. At least that was what 
my dad had said when I wanted to get a job for the summer, 
before starting on the round of social engagements 
expected of me in the fall. 

The music played on, and I realised a car had pulled up out 
the front. Then I realised someone was walking in.

She was the most beautiful, exotic woman I had ever seen. 
It was as if Sophia Loren or Brigitte Bardot had walked into 
Tony Mart's. I tried to speak, but all I could do was stare.

Then...

Then *he* walked in and put his arm around her. 

I was already staring at her, so when he came to stand 
beside her, I stared at him. And I thought, then, that the 
feelings of desire and faint jealousy shooting through me 
were for her. How could I think anything else? I'd never 
been attracted to anyone who wasn't a woman in my life. 
Why *would* I think anything else?

Yet, even then, there was something in the way he looked at 
me. Then an older, black man came in, followed by an 
Italian guy, a good-looking hustler type, and a non-descript 
blonde guy.

We stood there holding a staring contest for a couple of 
minutes, and I finally found the voice to ask, "Can I help you 
guys?"

*He* looked at the Italian guy, who answered.

"Yeah. Tell Tony Eddie And The Cruisers are here." 

I hadn't allowed myself to hope that they were the band. I 
thought they were just passing through, saw us open, and 
stopped. But they were the band. They were going to be 
here a lot longer than it took to have a beer and something 
to eat. 

I told Tony they were here, and said that I'd leave as soon 
as I finished the cleaning up. It was a white lie, I'd actually 
finished, but I wanted to see her again.

I watched them set up, and listened to their version of Dion's 
Runaround Sue, which I thought sounded better than the 
original. It was hipper, a bit more upbeat.

Then the hustler type, who turned out to be the group's 
manager, Doc Robbins, left, and a new song was played.

Eddie and the Italian guy, Sal, got into an argument over the 
arrangement. I knew that Eddie was right, I didn't take all 
those piano lessons as a kid for nothing.

So when Eddie asked me what I thought, I told him that I 
thought he was right. Sal didn't like that much. We never 
really did become friends, as it turned out. We got along, for 
Eddie's sake, but we were never close. I wondered later if 
maybe it was partly jealousy on Sal's part, but of course I 
didn't consider it then.

I explained what the song needed, and Eddie said, "I like 
you, kid. You can stay."

I smiled and didn't think any more of it than that he liked the 
fact that I agreed with him. 

But he did rest his hand on my shoulder for a moment, and I 
won't deny that it felt good.

I was reading some of Arthur Rimbaud's poetry, I was an 
English major in college. I've always loved words, and how 
the poets put them together. I still read poetry on my own 
time. I also found Rimbaud fascinating because he had a 
colourful life. In other words, he was a homosexual.

Eddie stayed after the others left, and Joann asked if she 
should stay too.

Eddie said no, he wanted to talk to me alone.

I didn't realise why then, but Joann told him to be careful.

"Want a beer?" I asked as I turned the lights down low. 
There were only the two of us, why waste electricity? 

"Thanks, kid."

"Frank."

"I like calling you kid. Got a problem with it?"

"No, not really. I just...don't feel like you're talking to me. If 
you used my name..."

"I don't call anyone else kid. I haven't in...a long time."

"Okay," I didn't think it was worth arguing about. To be 
honest, I kind of liked it.

"So, kid, where are you staying for the summer?" I'd already 
told him about working for Tony for the next couple of 
months, although I didn't mention anything about my family's 
expectations.

"Tony's letting me stay in the back room. That means he 
gets someone here 24/7 and I get a place to stay, plus 
wages. Good arrangement for both of us."

"You do get time off, don't you, kid?"

"Sure. I like to go to the beach. But I spend a lot of my off 
time here, too. Just reading, or playing piano. I learned as 
a kid."

"Sounds cool. What do you read?"

"Poetry, mostly. Rimbaud at the moment," I told him about 
the poet's colourful life.

We talked a little longer, and I mentioned my reaction to 
Joann, apologising, as I'd realised that they were together.

"We're not together. Not like that. Joann and I grew up 
together in the neighbourhood. We and Sally formed the 
band about eight years ago, and a couple of people 
assumed Joann and I were together. We decided that it 
was as good a cover as any. Joann has her own life, and I 
have mine, but in public, we're together. So if you want to 
go after her, don't stop on my account."

I didn't understand, "What do you need a cover for?" 

Eddie looked at the surface of the bar, looked at me, then 
looked at the bar again.

"Because I don't like girls. Not in the way that most people 
think I'm supposed to like girls. I mean, I love Joann, I'd do 
anything for her, but I don't want to make love with any 
woman."

"Why not?" I asked, still puzzled. Yeah, I was naive then.

"I like men. Not boys, I'm not like that, I like an equal in a 
relationship. But I like men, not women."

I wasn't shocked. Was it the discussion of Rimbaud? I 
don't know. But I wasn't shocked. Then he said it.

"I like you, kid. I could more than like you, I don't know you 
well enough yet, but I do like you."

"What?" I couldn't believe he was saying this. 

"You're not totally repulsed, are you?"

That was when I realised that I wasn't. 

"No, I'm not. I don't know what else I'm feeling, but I'm not 
totally repulsed."

"I didn't mean to say anything. Hell, I didn't mean to walk in 
here tonight and fall in lust with you, but I did."

I was still in shock, even though I wasn't repulsed, it *was* 
the first time anything like this had happened to me. 

Eddie got up and poured us both a scotch.

"I don't know if this'll help, but it can't hurt," he said as he 
handed one to me. I began to relax as I sipped the liquor, 
the alcohol burning as I swallowed. I had the courage to ask 
Eddie the question that had been burning in my mind since 
he'd said that he found me attractive.

"Why me?" 

"Hell if I know, kid. The look on your face when I first saw 
you? Those eyes of yours, that seem to burn into mine? It's 
you. That's all I know. And you want Joann. You can 
probably *get* her, too," he looked so unhappy, that I took 
his hand in mine, not realising that I was going to until I'd 
done it. And I didn't let it go.

"If Joann was here, right now," I began, hesitantly, "I might 
be saying this to her. But...she's not. And you are. Eddie, I 
don't know if I feel more than curiosity about being with you, 
no one's ever asked me to do anything like this before. 
But...I would like to try. I don't know if it is more than that, if 
it will be more than trying something I've never done before, 
but I would like to see what it is like. Can you accept that it 
might just be one night?"

"Yes. If you can be open to the possibility of it being more, I 
can be open to it being one night."

"How *much* more could it be?"

"I don't know. I've never had a relationship last longer than 
a month. Maybe we can learn about it together. Or not, as 
the case may be."

"Sounds good to me. So...what do we do now?"

"This," he whispered as he closed the distance between us 
with his lips. It felt incredible. I'd never been kissed like that 
before. I moaned as he parted my lips with his tongue, 
delving into my mouth, the liquid heat almost searing.

"Like that?" he whispered as he reluctantly separated from 
me.

"Oh, yes," I replied, stroking his hair. I liked the feel of his 
thick, dark locks in my fingers.

"Can we move this somewhere a little more comfortable?" 
he asked as I shifted awkwardly to move nearer to him. 

"Good idea," I answered, knowing there was no turning back 
now, leading him to my room.

Eddie kissed me again as I closed the door. I shivered as 
his hot breath blew into my ear, then he slowly undressed 
me, taking off the check shirt and chinos I wore, leaving me 
naked except for the boxers. He kissed my neck, biting 
gently, then moved to my chest, taking a nipple into his 
mouth. He licked and sucked at it, making the nipple into a 
tight point, and I was writhing in pleasure, no one had ever 
done that to me before. I held him to me, not wanting him to 
stop, and he slowly traced a path to the other nipple, giving it 
the same gentle attention. I was almost incoherent by now, 
only just able to articulate wordless pleas for more. He 
didn't disappoint. Just before my nipples started to hurt, he 
began exploring the territory lower down, across my 
stomach, dipping into my navel, causing more writhes of 
pleasure, then lower, first blowing across the tip of my 
heated erection, almost setting me off then, then he took 
me in his mouth. I damn near screamed at that, and I 
began thrusting into his mouth, gently at first, then, as he 
took me deeper into his throat, I began to thrust a little more 
urgently. His tongue traced the veins, dancing lightly across 
my heated flesh, then flicked across the crown. That was all 
it took, and I only just managed to scream a warning that 
allowed Eddie to replace his mouth with his hands, and I 
was coming, screaming in ecstasy, calling Eddie's name.

Then I blacked out. 

It must have been only a moment later that I came back to 
myself, because Eddie didn't look too concerned when I 
looked into his almost black eyes, so much darker than my 
own brown.

"What now?" I asked, shakily.

"Did you like that?"

"I loved it, but I was a little surprised that you didn't swallow. 
The only time I did that before, she swallowed."

"There was a reason that I didn't. Kid, I want to be inside 
you. Will you let me? I needed the come to make it easier."

I didn't understand, but I wanted to give him what he wanted. 
He had given me so much pleasure, I couldn't deny him 
anything.

"How can you be inside me?" 

He told me. I was a little shocked, like with everything else 
this night, but I had to admit, it sounded exciting. He told 
me that he'd take it slowly and carefully, and if I didn't like 
anything, he'd stop. I knew that he would, and that took any 
lingering doubts from me.

"Let's try it," I managed to say, looking into his eyes, seeing 
the trust and affection there. Not love. I couldn't say it was 
love yet, or if it ever would be, but I knew there was a bond 
there, deeper than mere friendship, and it was more than 
what we'd just shared, although that was a part of it.

He gently moved me onto my back, moving between my 
legs. I shuddered at the first touch of his fingers against the 
entrance to my body. It was alien, yet so familiar. He 
lubricated his fingers with my fluid, and moved the first one 
inside. He added more fluid, and a second finger, then a 
third, with a little more fluid. He finally stroked the rest of the 
fluid down his raging erection, then moved his fingers a little 
more deeply. He hit a spot that made me see stars, and he 
gave me a smile that had an edge to it. My erection had 
returned with the manipulation of his fingers over the spot 
inside my body that caused such pleasure, and I thrust onto 
those fingers, gasping and moaning. Eddie gave a last 
thrust, then positioned himself over me. Kissing me deeply, 
he began entering me. At first the muscles resisted, but the 
lubrication made the path easier, and he was able to enter 
with shallow thrusts, and I felt the blunt tip of his hardness 
hit the spot that he had found earlier. 

"Yeeesssssssssssss," I moaned as he was finally sheathed 
inside me. It felt incredible. I still can't describe how it felt, it 
would pale beside the actuality of it. Then he began moving. 
Oh, god, the sensations piled on top of each other, and then 
he grasped my erection, moving on it in the same way he 
was moving inside me. It didn't take much longer before I 
was screaming once more in release, and Eddie followed 
me with a roar. The almost mutual climax exhausted us 
both, but we knew we had more to discuss.

"This wasn't a one time thing," I began.

"That's good," he smiled.

"I want to get to know you, Eddie. I don't know how long 
term this can be, but I want to be with you."

"Me too. We'll have to find a way to keep you around, kid."

"Thanks, Eddie," I murmured as I fell asleep, wrapped in his 
strong arms.

****

I was interrupted in my memories. There's a woman here, 
she wants to talk to me. Her name is Maggie Foley, and 
she's a reporter for the television show Media Magazine. It 
won't hurt to find out what she wants from me.

FINIS
*****************************************************
Feedback, please? I need to know what people think of the 
series before I commit to writing any more.