Like Oil On My Skin
warnings language
notes Idance is vaguely modeled on various dance companies but that's the only connection to any real organization. This was wrangled into shape by
imshady2 and especially
dameangeprompt Brian and Mia are dance partners(think Dancing with the Stars/Pro dance competition). Dom was always wary around Brian, worried that he would be after Mia, but it was himself he should have been worried about.
The music is blaring from the back room when Dom gets home, which means Mia is practicing. It also probably means Brian is there. It’s been a long day and he’s not really in the mood to watch them crawling all over each other, especially when Mia just rolls her eyes at him when he tells her to be careful with Brian. His feet take him toward the back of the house against his will though and he winds up lurking in the shadows of the door like some weirdo.
They’re both soaked in sweat as they shift and move to the music. Dom’s seen Mia dance a thousand times before and it’s always a joy. He can’t deny that they’re beautiful together, dark and light, bodies sinuous. If he focuses more on Brian -- muscles shifting under slick, golden skin, hips swiveling in ways that should be illegal -- well just because he doesn’t trust him doesn’t mean Dom doesn’t know he’s special on the dance floor.
He tells himself that sharp feeling in his gut as he watches Brian slide his hands down Mia’s back and thighs before he shifts into a lift is just instinct telling him Brian is bad news. Dom’s just being a good big brother, watching out for her, when he gets the urge to yank Brian away from Mia and toss the buster out the door.
Instead he turns around and heads back to the kitchen. He hits speed dial and gets his phone tucked against his ear as he pulls meat from the fridge.
“Vince, we’re grillin’.”
By the time Mia and Brian come out from the back, the house is filling up. He waits for his sister to say something but she just shrugs in his direction and grabs a stack of plates, passing half of them to Brian, who grins and salutes.
“Your wish, my command, my lady.”
“That’s not what you were saying an hour ago.”
Dom grits his teeth and brushes past them, making sure the little bump he gives Brian looks like an accident. Mia glares at him anyway.
“I told you, he hates me.”
“He doesn’t hate you.”
He can hear the whispers as he leaves them behind and heads out into the yard. Dom doesn’t hate Brian. The guy has done nothing to deserve that, but Dom can’t help but be wary. Mia’s last dance partner was also her boyfriend for two years until he took off to New York with one of their training partners. The fucker left Mia heartbroken and almost screwed out of a job, until Mrs. Rossi told them about that ‘nice boy’ that taught dancing down at the senior center once a week.
“Mia, Mia, he is beautiful like the sun and such a good dancer!”
Mia grins, something that’s been rare since that dickwad left her. The only reason he hadn’t sent the guys after him was that Mia would know. She had a sixth sense for him doing stuff he wasn’t supposed to just like their mama had. She’d know and she’d cross her arms and give him Mama’s look until he fixed whatever it was.
“Beautiful like the sun, huh? Sounds like you want him for yourself.”
Mrs. Rossi cackles, patting Mia on the arm. “If I was a little younger.”
And considering Mr. Rossi was husband number five, Dom thinks she’s not kidding. She’s not kidding about Brian’s looks either. He’s the quintessential California golden boy from the sun-bleached curls to the sea blue eyes. He greets them with a wide, puppyish grin that should be goofy but just makes him more attractive. Brian grabs Mia and pulls her into an impromptu dance that leaves the seniors clapping and his sister flushed and laughing in a way she hasn’t in weeks. All Dom can think is ‘fuck, here comes trouble’.
It nags at him the whole night while he watches everybody laughing and having a good time. He finally corners Brian as he’s on his way out, reaches out and grabs his arm. Brian freezes under his hand. “I don’t hate you.”
Brian is still in the doorway, head down, not meeting Dom’s eyes. “Yeah, you sure couldn’t tell.”
Dom sighs in frustration and not a little guilt. He knows Brian doesn’t really have any family. The kid has taken to them like a duck to water and Dom feels bad he’d made him feel unwelcome. That’s not the way he was raised. “I just, I don’t want Mia hurt again.”
His head jerks up, eyes wide. “That’s what? Dom, dude, I love Mia, I’d never hurt her.”
Dom can tell Brian is sincere and he should be glad, but something tightens in his chest. “Yeah, that’s what Rico said too.”
Brian shakes his head, a small, knowing smile on his face. “I promise you, Mia and I? We’re never gonna break each other’s hearts.”
Dom realizes he’s still holding onto Brian and lets him go, face faintly warm. Brian’s smile turns into a full-fledged grin and Dom shoves at him lightly. “Get home.”
He still standing in the door, watching Brian’s lights disappear when Mia walks past him, hands full of plates and empty beer bottles. She shakes her head. “Seriously?”
“What?”
“For the last time, there’s nothing going on with me and Brian, he’s like a brother to me.”
“Come on, you’re usually all over each other and he’s...”
Mia raises a brow. “Gorgeous? Hot?”
Dom runs a hand over his head, cursing little sisters everywhere and his in particular. “Yeah, I guess, I mean if you...”
“Gay?”
“I, what?”
Mia is flat out smirking at him now. “Brian’s last partner? Was his ex-boyfriend, Rome.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah, oh. Now can you please, please stop treating him like he pissed on the church house steps. One of us walking around with a broken heart is enough.”
She’s through the kitchen door before he can ask her what she means, who she means and he’s left frowning back out the door in the direction of Brian’s vanished car.
**********
Things change after that. Now when Dom watches Brian, he can’t tell himself it’s for any reason other than because he wants to. He watches Mia and Brian move in sync when they practice. He watches Brian fold himself into Dom’s crew and realizes he was holding back before. He watches Brian’s smiles to him turn from tentative to warm. Dom watches Brian and he wants.
He knows that just because Brian is gay doesn’t mean he’s interested in Dom, but Dom watches and he catches Brian watching back. Brian smiles and ducks his head, looking up at Dom through his lashes when they talk, he sits next to Dom on the couch, lets their legs bump when they play Xbox, but he never says anything.
Dom takes Brian out driving and lets him behind the wheel. Brian takes to it like he was born to do that instead of dance -- good hands, sharp eyes and no fear -- and when he glances over at Dom, face flushed and a smile like he’s found the secret of life, Dom doesn’t know which is worse, the way his cock throbs or the way his heart does.
Mia rolls her eyes and mumbles ‘dumbass’ under her breath a lot these days, but Dom’s not gonna -- look, he knows what he’s like. He’s heard it enough. People are drawn to him, to the makeshift family he’s built and that’s fine. He loves them, would go to the wire for any of them, but he knows that all of them -- even Letty (though it would involve a lot of bitching and sulking) -- will try and give him what he wants if he asks. He doesn’t want Brian to do that. So he hangs back and he watches and waits and wants.
**********
The dance competition for Idance is held in Vegas and various members of the crew drive up for the different rounds. Dom is there for the whole thing, leaves the store and the garage to Vince and Leon and grabs a room for the duration. Mia and Brian sail through the first rounds, dancing together like they’ve been doing it forever instead of less than a year. They’d make a beautiful couple, make beautiful babies. Maybe Dom should be a little sorry but he’s selfish enough to be fiercely glad that’s not on the table. First time in his life he’s happy to be wrong.
For the final round they dance a short traditional piece and then a long original dance. Brian and Mia choreographed it themselves, combining elements of Mia’s ballet training and Brian’s hip hop style into something wild and beautiful that has the audience on their feet.
They take first place and Dom and the crew are on their feet stomping and cheering. Dom doesn’t for one second let himself think about the fact that first place includes a spot on the tour, leaving next week. He’ll have time to be bitter about his lack of balls later. Now he’s celebrating his sister and Brian, who is a member of his crew, his family, even if it’s not the way Dom wants.
**********
Dom looks up to see Brian leaning against the door, two beers dangling from his fingers.
“You’re missing the party.”
He shrugs, dropping his gaze back to the interior of the car. He concentrates on what he’s doing like he’s performing brain surgery rather than simply tweaking an already perfectly tuned engine. “The party is for you and Mia, nobody is gonna miss me.”
“I missed you.”
Brian is suddenly next to him, setting the beers on the tool tray and bumping him lightly with his hip. “Come back in and dance with me.”
When he looks up this time, soft blue eyes meet his. Brian is grinning that wide open, goofy grin he wears most of the time, but the look in his eyes makes something in Dom’s stomach flip over.
“I think you have the wrong Toretto.” He steps back and slams the hood, leaning against the car, arms folded.
“Nope, I know exactly which Toretto I want.”
“You’re getting ready to leave, you really think this is the time?”
“I’m going to be gone three months. I figure you better stake your claim now.”
“You do, huh?”
“Yeah, I mean I thought you had moves, Toretto.”
“I’ll show you moves, O’Connor.”
Dom had Brian against the car, long legs wrapped around his waist, tongue down his throat when Mia stuck her head into the garage
“Dom have you...”
She trailed off as they both looked over at her with dazed eyes.
She just shook her head “Finally!” And stepped back, pulling the door closed behind her.
Brian grinned, pulling Dom’s mouth back to his. “Yeah, finally.”