Fic: Scent Memory, BSB RPF, gen, rated G
So, there's this popfic writer's workshop community called sky_pie, right? And the prompt this month was to write from the pov of someone you don't normally write from, plus use a randomly chosen sense. I went with Brian and randomly ended up with scent, which somehow popped this idea into my head:
One of Brian's strongest memories from his childhood was the hospital where he spent two months waiting to die. Antiseptic and ammonia had clogged his nostrils and clung to the back of his throat until he thought he'd never be able to smell anything else; even as an adult, he sometimes caught that odor even though nothing around him smelled anything like it. He was in the hospital so long that he forgot what his own house smelled like, and even when he was finally able to go home, everything that had been in the hospital had that same stench of antiseptic and ammonia. It was a smell that left him irrationally afraid, one that sent him hunting for better scents, better memories, to overlay it.
**
Nick went through a period where he always smelled like sweat--not that they all didn't, from time to time, but Nick was rebelling against basic hygiene or something to make Kevin crazy, and they all suffered for it. Brian sent up a prayer of thanksgiving when Nick got over that phase, although the "drowning in aftershave" phase wasn't much better. But underneath it all, Nick had a smell like sunshine and a fresh breeze on a warm summer afternoon, and Brian loved it when that scent wrapped around him and told him that his best friend was right there.
**
When he was a teenager, one of AJ's favorite ways to annoy people was to walk up to them after eating something pungent and say, "Hiiiii!" with lots of air in the "H". Onions, jalepenos, peanut butter, garlic--Brian had been subjected to all of them at one time or another, often early in the morning when he was barely awake and any weird smells made him gag. But at least that was better than the time period where AJ wouldn't let anyone close enough to smell his breath for fear they'd catch a whiff of the alcohol on it. Or worse, when he quit caring if they smelled anything at all. Brian would take onions over that any day.
When he got sober, AJ took to chewing gum. Spearmint, slightly sharp but with a hint of sweetness underneath--a smell Brian thought was perfect for AJ. It was a smell Brian came to love, because it wasn't a strong scent at all. No way was AJ trying to hide anything by chewing that gum, and sometimes he'd even share a piece.
**
Howie had a signature cologne. Brian could never remember the name of it, even though he'd borrowed it enough times. It was an odd combination of spice and citrus that on Howie was warm and comforting. Somehow even when they were all in their own busses, the faint traces of Howie's cologne clung to the cushions on Brian's couch. When Leighanne wasn't with him and he couldn't sleep, he'd curl up on the couch with his head on one of those cushions and not feel as lonely.
**
Whenever he smelled soy sauce, Brian couldn't help but think of Kevin. There had been that period when all Kevin would eat was Chinese food. Brian had shared a room with Kevin and enough take-out boxes to feed a small nation or Nick during a growth spurt, and he'd sworn that he would never touch another egg roll again. But doing the promo circuit for the first album without Kevin, he found himself ordering Szechwan Chicken with extra soy sauce on the side.
**
Thanksgiving had always been a time for family in the Littrell house. Relatives from all over joined them. The savory scent of turkey mixed with warm, yeasty bread and the spice of the pumpkin pie. Brian gave Kristen a hug and leaned over to kiss baby Mason's head, inhaling the sweet baby scent that he remembered from Baylee. A second later, he was tackled from behind by a short figure and a giant one, both with the odor of fall leaves clinging to their jackets. He swooped his giggling son into his arms and grinned at Nick, who was giggling just as hard.
Across the room, Kevin was talking to Brian's dad, while Howie pretended to be interested in Leigh and Denise's wedding talk. AJ strolled by, a handful of Brian's mom's chocolate chip cookies in his hand and one stuffed in his mouth. Brian's stomach growled as the combination of chocolate and cinnamon that was part of his mom's secret recipe wafted toward him.
This, he thought. This was what he wanted to remember always, what he wanted Baylee and Mason to think of when they remembered their childhood: their family, all together, healthy, and happy. This would always be their scent of home.
One of Brian's strongest memories from his childhood was the hospital where he spent two months waiting to die. Antiseptic and ammonia had clogged his nostrils and clung to the back of his throat until he thought he'd never be able to smell anything else; even as an adult, he sometimes caught that odor even though nothing around him smelled anything like it. He was in the hospital so long that he forgot what his own house smelled like, and even when he was finally able to go home, everything that had been in the hospital had that same stench of antiseptic and ammonia. It was a smell that left him irrationally afraid, one that sent him hunting for better scents, better memories, to overlay it.
**
Nick went through a period where he always smelled like sweat--not that they all didn't, from time to time, but Nick was rebelling against basic hygiene or something to make Kevin crazy, and they all suffered for it. Brian sent up a prayer of thanksgiving when Nick got over that phase, although the "drowning in aftershave" phase wasn't much better. But underneath it all, Nick had a smell like sunshine and a fresh breeze on a warm summer afternoon, and Brian loved it when that scent wrapped around him and told him that his best friend was right there.
**
When he was a teenager, one of AJ's favorite ways to annoy people was to walk up to them after eating something pungent and say, "Hiiiii!" with lots of air in the "H". Onions, jalepenos, peanut butter, garlic--Brian had been subjected to all of them at one time or another, often early in the morning when he was barely awake and any weird smells made him gag. But at least that was better than the time period where AJ wouldn't let anyone close enough to smell his breath for fear they'd catch a whiff of the alcohol on it. Or worse, when he quit caring if they smelled anything at all. Brian would take onions over that any day.
When he got sober, AJ took to chewing gum. Spearmint, slightly sharp but with a hint of sweetness underneath--a smell Brian thought was perfect for AJ. It was a smell Brian came to love, because it wasn't a strong scent at all. No way was AJ trying to hide anything by chewing that gum, and sometimes he'd even share a piece.
**
Howie had a signature cologne. Brian could never remember the name of it, even though he'd borrowed it enough times. It was an odd combination of spice and citrus that on Howie was warm and comforting. Somehow even when they were all in their own busses, the faint traces of Howie's cologne clung to the cushions on Brian's couch. When Leighanne wasn't with him and he couldn't sleep, he'd curl up on the couch with his head on one of those cushions and not feel as lonely.
**
Whenever he smelled soy sauce, Brian couldn't help but think of Kevin. There had been that period when all Kevin would eat was Chinese food. Brian had shared a room with Kevin and enough take-out boxes to feed a small nation or Nick during a growth spurt, and he'd sworn that he would never touch another egg roll again. But doing the promo circuit for the first album without Kevin, he found himself ordering Szechwan Chicken with extra soy sauce on the side.
**
Thanksgiving had always been a time for family in the Littrell house. Relatives from all over joined them. The savory scent of turkey mixed with warm, yeasty bread and the spice of the pumpkin pie. Brian gave Kristen a hug and leaned over to kiss baby Mason's head, inhaling the sweet baby scent that he remembered from Baylee. A second later, he was tackled from behind by a short figure and a giant one, both with the odor of fall leaves clinging to their jackets. He swooped his giggling son into his arms and grinned at Nick, who was giggling just as hard.
Across the room, Kevin was talking to Brian's dad, while Howie pretended to be interested in Leigh and Denise's wedding talk. AJ strolled by, a handful of Brian's mom's chocolate chip cookies in his hand and one stuffed in his mouth. Brian's stomach growled as the combination of chocolate and cinnamon that was part of his mom's secret recipe wafted toward him.
This, he thought. This was what he wanted to remember always, what he wanted Baylee and Mason to think of when they remembered their childhood: their family, all together, healthy, and happy. This would always be their scent of home.