Starlust Lover/Ho Yay

Rather surprisingly, Starlust Lover is not a shipping fic. That's right. All the blatant male-on-male action isn't the main focus. Given that there are only about two female characters, though, this was to be expected. Now where do you begin with all the Ho Yay and occasional Les Yay?

Garrick
The most important pairing in here. "Gary: You're ... you're so hot!
 * Gary and Merrick Meet Cute: Gary wanders into the studio, all dizzy and stuff, so he falls and accidentally gropes Merrick. Notice that Merrick doesn't say anything.
 * Gary's sort of a newcomer to the band and doesn't understand why the others are so scared of Merrick, which leads to this exchange.

Merrick: Why, thank you."

"Gary: I ... I just figured. You're a really nice person, so you deserve it. Aren't you happy?"
 * There's this one chapter where Gary says that he's only truly happy when he's around Merrick.
 * These guys really love sleeping together. Even before Merrick softens up, Gary sneaks into his room and snuggles up next to him. This wakes him up, but he doesn't complain.
 * Their talk in the ninth chapter tells the reader where this story is going.
 * Hey, the following chapter is pretty subtext-heavy as well. Gary pinches Merrick's cheeks, hugs him while they're both shirtless, and even kisses him a few times. Sure, those were all probably just jokes, but dude ...
 * Unfortunately, Merrick goes back to being The Stoic once chapter nine is over with. He stays this way until chapter fourteen, when he gets the stuffing knocked right out of him. Gary comes to visit him while he's recovering and gets mad at him since he thinks that Merrick was just lying to him.. Merrick clears up the misunderstanding, but this makes Gary cry and ... well, there is only one bed.
 * The Valentine's Day extra has this in spades. Come on, there has to be something up if Gary's the only one giving Merrick a card.

"Gary: I told you already! She's not my girlfriend! Hell, I don't even like her!
 * Also: Merrick's so unused to these signs of affection that he tears up when he gets that card.
 * Gary gets in a lot of those She's Not My Girlfriend arguments with the other arguments. One of them really stands out.

Adam: That makes sense.

Gary: Huh?

Adam: You have Merrick ... and you look so cute together!

Gary: *blushes* We're nothing alike!

Adam: Oh come on, I bet you'll turn him into Mr. Right. He never even smiled before you came along, and now look at him!"


 * The freaking CHRISTMAS CHAPTER. To be more specific:
 * That song they sing to each other. Gary calls Merrick his "baby" on more than one occasion.
 * Merrick only fights the huge monster that pops up because its presence was making Gary sad.
 * After this I've-gotta-kill-this-monster-because-it's-making-my-lover-sad business, the two have some quality time on the grass together. You know, they hold hands and just stare up at the sky together 'cause that's what FRIENDS DO, and these guys are trying to avoid falling in love.