Fic: Line
My contribution for the popslash Awesome August. Brian/Howie, mature, about 2100 words. Also available on AO3.
if you change your mind
-ABBA
Line
The club wasn't all that crowded, so when the song ended, Brian easily spotted AJ leaving the dance floor and making his way back towards the table.
"Hey, beautiful," AJ said when he got there. He slid in next to Brian and wrapped an arm around Brian's waist. "Wanna go home with me tonight?"
Kevin snorted, and Nick giggled. Brian grinned. "Well, considering that we're staying in the same hotel, it's going to be hard to say no."
"Baby, it's always hard to say no to me," AJ declared. Brian laughed and leaned his head on AJ's shoulder. "Well, keep it in mind, huh?" AJ gave Brian's hip a final squeeze and then untangled his arm to reach for his beer. Brian sat up again, smiling.
"C'mon," Nick chanted, his thumbs working furiously at the controller. "C'mon, you fuckers, c'mon, c'mon… ah!" A group of enemy ships burst noisily into green and white flames, and Nick sat back, satisfied. "'kay, you're up, man."
"Okay," Brian said, reaching for the buttons. In the momentary lull before he started his round, he heard Howie laughing in the kitchen.
"Shut up, Jonathan," Howie said. It was his honey voice, high and soft.
Nick poked Brian's shoulder. "You gonna go sometime this year?"
"Yeah, yeah," Brian said. "Just couldn't help hearing," and he nodded towards the back of the bus. Nick grinned.
Brian launched his ship and began scanning for attackers. There, in the bottom quadrant. He swiveled, aimed, and fired.
While he was aiming again, he heard Howie come back into the lounge. "Howie's got a boy-friend!" Nick singsonged. Brian shot and heard scuffling beside him.
"I do not," Howie said. His voice was back to its ordinary register, but there was still a smile behind it. Brian fired rapidly, tracking his target across the screen. More scuffling, and Nick giggling. Then the alien ship finally exploded, and Brian turned around.
"C'mon, Howie, seriously," Kevin was saying. "You like this guy? Is he someone we should know about?"
Howie sighed. "Okay, well. Like, if I knew when I was ever gonna get to see him again. Then, maybe."
"Oh, you like him," Nick said. Howie leaned over the arm of the couch and started tickling him. Brian sat with the console in his hand and watched them wrestle. It was good, he thought, to see Howie so happy.
For their next clubbing trip, Brian put on his new pants, the black ones. He didn't really know what kind of material they were made of, but they were soft, with a faint matte sheen to them, and they fit him very well.
"Hoo-eee!" AJ called when Brian came into the common room of the suite. "Check out the hot stuff, everybody!" He held out his hand and, when Brian took it, spun him around in a twirl. "Remind me why I can't just drag you off to bed right now?"
"Well, there is the whole straight thing," Brian said. AJ shook his head regretfully.
"Still, man? I thought you'd be over that by now."
Brian laughed. "'Fraid not," he said.
"Damn," AJ said. "Can't you even throw a dog a bone?"
"Well." Brian thought for a second. "How about this: I promise I'll never go out with any guy but you."
"Now we're getting somewhere," AJ said. He gave Brian a smack on the ass and let him go.
"All right!" Nick said. "And I'll never date any guy except- um- Howie!"
Howie reached over and ruffled Nick's hair, despite Nick's best efforts to duck away.
"What about me?" Kevin said. "Don't I get a boyfriend?"
"Oh, sure," AJ said. "You can have Carson Daly."
"Yeah, uh, no," Kevin said. "I don't think so."
"Guess you're stuck with Kristin, then."
"What a fate," Kevin said, and he began to shepherd them all towards the door.
AJ danced opposite Brian for a while, laughing and winking, and the music was pretty good. But then Brian had to cut out to go take a leak, and when he came back AJ was nowhere to be seen. Brian caught a glimpse of Nick on the far side of the floor, but Nick was leaning in close to a girl who had her arms wrapped around his neck, so Brian didn't even try to go over there.
He was kind of thirsty, anyway. He got himself a bottle of water and took it back to their booth, where he found Howie sitting sideways on one of the benches.
"Hey," Howie said. He looked a little tired, but he gave Brian a smile. Brian sat down on the other bench, took a long drink, and then tilted the bottle at Howie. "Nah, thanks," Howie said, "I've got a drink," and he did, although the glass in front of him was still so full that it didn't really look like he'd been drinking it.
Brian took another swallow. "How's your mom doing?" he asked after a minute.
"She's good," Howie said. "I just got an email from her yesterday. She's so funny, listen to this." His face smoothed out while he talked, and his words started coming faster. Brian nodded and grinned and swung his feet up onto the bench so he could lean back against the wall like Howie was.
Kevin appeared in front of the booth with both Nick and AJ in tow. AJ looked rumpled, but cheerful. Nick was flushed and grumpy. "Ready to go, guys?" Kevin said.
"Sure," Brian said, though he hadn't been thinking of leaving yet. He was a little startled when he checked his watch.
Howie climbed into the car first, and the others piled in right after him, so that was it for conversation. But when they said good night Howie gave Brian a sleepy grin, nothing like his earlier effortful smile, so Brian counted it as a win.
Brian knocked on Howie's door the next hotel night when they didn't go out.
"Hey," Howie said. "Wanna watch some TV?"
"Sure," Brian said. He went over and joined Howie at the head of the bed. Howie passed him a pillow for his back. Brian settled in comfortably as the news anchor told them all about a restaurant being closed for health code violations.
Howie muted the TV when the commercials came on. "We ever eat there?" he said.
Brian shook his head. "I don't think so."
"Phew," Howie said, smiling. The news came back on with the sports scores. Howie left the sound off.
"Hey," Brian said suddenly, "can I ask you something?"
"Sure," Howie said.
"Did you ever sleep with AJ?"
Howie turned to look at Brian. Brian bit his lip, but then Howie nodded. "Yeah," he said. "Once, about a year ago."
"Just once?"
"Well. That night, and the next morning."
"Oh," Brian said. He could feel his face getting hot.
"But just that one time," Howie said quietly.
"Was it-" Brian's voice faltered, but he pressed on. "Did you, um, like him?"
"It was fun," Howie said. "Me and AJ aren't really each other's type, though, for anything long term. You know?"
"Yeah," Brian said.
He bit his lip again, afraid Howie was going to ask him for an explanation. But Howie just watched him for another minute and then turned the sound back on. Brian leaned his head back and slid farther down against his pillow. A little later he closed his eyes for a bit, and wound up falling asleep right there.
"Hey Brian," AJ said, "my bunk's full of crap. Can I share yours?"
"Sure," Brian said, "just put your stuff down at that end."
Nick made a crash-and-burn whistle. AJ laughed and sat down on the edge of Howie's bunk to unlace his shoes. He propped one foot up on the edge of Brian's bunk and said, "How's Jonathan doing, D?"
"Yeah, how's your boyfriend?" Nick said.
Howie sighed. "He wasn't my boyfriend, Nick."
"Oh, sure," Nick said. "Wait- 'wasn't'?"
Brian lifted his head just in time to see Howie shrug.
"We saw each other three times in four months," Howie said. "That's barely even dating. And anyway, the last time we talked he told me he met someone. So."
AJ laid his hand on Howie's knee. "I'm sorry, man," he said. Howie nodded.
"Sorry," Brian echoed. Howie glanced up and met his eyes for just a second before looking back down.
The next few times Brian went over to watch TV with Howie, he made himself stay awake long enough to get back to his own room before crashing out. Whenever he said he should be going, Howie gave him a hug and opened the door.
"I should let you get some sleep," Brian said. Howie smiled, stood up, and stretched.
"Thanks for keeping me company," he said, and kissed Brian on the cheek.
Brian realized Howie was holding the door for him. "G'night," he mumbled, and went out. Back in his room, he changed into pajamas, washed his face and brushed his teeth, got into bed, and turned out the light. Then he lay for a while looking up at the dark ceiling.
Brian focused on the shows for the next few days, fine-tuning his mix at soundchecks, going over and over his parts, making sure to hit all his entrances spot on. There was a lot to pay attention to. He ducked into his bunk early to make sure he got enough sleep.
AJ wanted to go out, somewhere. Brian hadn't heard and didn't really bother to find out. Kevin pulled Howie aside, and they both frowned and narrowed their eyes, but the end of it was that Kevin nodded and stalked out by himself to follow AJ and Nick. Howie held out a room service menu, and Brian took it.
When the movie was over, Howie said, "Night, Rok," and kissed his cheek. Brian stood still, feeling the touch on his skin.
"Brian?" Howie said.
"Can-" Brian said, his voice shakier than he would have liked, "can I do that, too?"
Howie looked at him for a long moment. "Sure," he said.
Brian stepped forward, set a hand on Howie's arm to anchor himself, and pressed his lips to Howie's cheek. It was warm and dry and left a tiny abrasive sting on his mouth, below the line of Howie's stubble. Brian pulled back and met Howie's eyes, dark and quiet, looking back at him steadily. He leaned forward again, Howie's head tilting opposite him, and kissed Howie on the mouth.
They were kissing and he had both hands on Howie's waist, one over and one under Howie's T-shirt. Howie's skin was smooth under Brian's fingers, and one of Howie's hands was cupped around the back of Brian's neck.
"Howie," he whispered, and they each fell a step back, apart. Brian pressed his knuckles to his own chest, trying to catch his breath. He couldn't stop staring at Howie's eyes. Howie was silent, watching him too.
Then Howie stretched a hand out. "C'mere," he said, "lie down with me."
Brian looked at him, feeling his blood racing. He reached over and took Howie's hand.
At first Howie just wrapped Brian up in his arms, kissing him, stroking broad palms up and down Brian's back. Brian shivered and was briefly grateful. Then, abruptly, he wasn't. He wanted more, wanted skin, wanted pressure, anything and everything he could get, and he rolled over on top of Howie and ground his hips down. Howie growled in his throat and rolled Brian back under him, and then Brian got Howie's full weight on him at last, then he got the bar of Howie's arm across his belly and Howie's mouth on his dick. Then he got the incredible heat of Howie's cock in his hand, and the smell of sweat and come everywhere, and Howie's lips on his once more as he sank into sleep.
He woke up, shocked and groggy, to a relentless hammering on the door. "'m up," he croaked, but his eyes were too heavy and his throat too dry for any sound to carry. He was just beginning to feel the warm body at his back when the door banged open and AJ yelled, "Yo, sweet D! Rise and shine!"
Brian's eyes flew open, and he stared right into AJ's blank face.
The door slammed shut again. Voices started spiraling up in the corridor outside, Marcus's rumble and Kevin's low roll and Nick's excitable whine. Brian let his face drop forward onto the pillow and lay still while Howie rubbed hesitant fingertips over his shoulders and the back of his neck.
if you change your mind
-ABBA
Line
The club wasn't all that crowded, so when the song ended, Brian easily spotted AJ leaving the dance floor and making his way back towards the table.
"Hey, beautiful," AJ said when he got there. He slid in next to Brian and wrapped an arm around Brian's waist. "Wanna go home with me tonight?"
Kevin snorted, and Nick giggled. Brian grinned. "Well, considering that we're staying in the same hotel, it's going to be hard to say no."
"Baby, it's always hard to say no to me," AJ declared. Brian laughed and leaned his head on AJ's shoulder. "Well, keep it in mind, huh?" AJ gave Brian's hip a final squeeze and then untangled his arm to reach for his beer. Brian sat up again, smiling.
"C'mon," Nick chanted, his thumbs working furiously at the controller. "C'mon, you fuckers, c'mon, c'mon… ah!" A group of enemy ships burst noisily into green and white flames, and Nick sat back, satisfied. "'kay, you're up, man."
"Okay," Brian said, reaching for the buttons. In the momentary lull before he started his round, he heard Howie laughing in the kitchen.
"Shut up, Jonathan," Howie said. It was his honey voice, high and soft.
Nick poked Brian's shoulder. "You gonna go sometime this year?"
"Yeah, yeah," Brian said. "Just couldn't help hearing," and he nodded towards the back of the bus. Nick grinned.
Brian launched his ship and began scanning for attackers. There, in the bottom quadrant. He swiveled, aimed, and fired.
While he was aiming again, he heard Howie come back into the lounge. "Howie's got a boy-friend!" Nick singsonged. Brian shot and heard scuffling beside him.
"I do not," Howie said. His voice was back to its ordinary register, but there was still a smile behind it. Brian fired rapidly, tracking his target across the screen. More scuffling, and Nick giggling. Then the alien ship finally exploded, and Brian turned around.
"C'mon, Howie, seriously," Kevin was saying. "You like this guy? Is he someone we should know about?"
Howie sighed. "Okay, well. Like, if I knew when I was ever gonna get to see him again. Then, maybe."
"Oh, you like him," Nick said. Howie leaned over the arm of the couch and started tickling him. Brian sat with the console in his hand and watched them wrestle. It was good, he thought, to see Howie so happy.
For their next clubbing trip, Brian put on his new pants, the black ones. He didn't really know what kind of material they were made of, but they were soft, with a faint matte sheen to them, and they fit him very well.
"Hoo-eee!" AJ called when Brian came into the common room of the suite. "Check out the hot stuff, everybody!" He held out his hand and, when Brian took it, spun him around in a twirl. "Remind me why I can't just drag you off to bed right now?"
"Well, there is the whole straight thing," Brian said. AJ shook his head regretfully.
"Still, man? I thought you'd be over that by now."
Brian laughed. "'Fraid not," he said.
"Damn," AJ said. "Can't you even throw a dog a bone?"
"Well." Brian thought for a second. "How about this: I promise I'll never go out with any guy but you."
"Now we're getting somewhere," AJ said. He gave Brian a smack on the ass and let him go.
"All right!" Nick said. "And I'll never date any guy except- um- Howie!"
Howie reached over and ruffled Nick's hair, despite Nick's best efforts to duck away.
"What about me?" Kevin said. "Don't I get a boyfriend?"
"Oh, sure," AJ said. "You can have Carson Daly."
"Yeah, uh, no," Kevin said. "I don't think so."
"Guess you're stuck with Kristin, then."
"What a fate," Kevin said, and he began to shepherd them all towards the door.
AJ danced opposite Brian for a while, laughing and winking, and the music was pretty good. But then Brian had to cut out to go take a leak, and when he came back AJ was nowhere to be seen. Brian caught a glimpse of Nick on the far side of the floor, but Nick was leaning in close to a girl who had her arms wrapped around his neck, so Brian didn't even try to go over there.
He was kind of thirsty, anyway. He got himself a bottle of water and took it back to their booth, where he found Howie sitting sideways on one of the benches.
"Hey," Howie said. He looked a little tired, but he gave Brian a smile. Brian sat down on the other bench, took a long drink, and then tilted the bottle at Howie. "Nah, thanks," Howie said, "I've got a drink," and he did, although the glass in front of him was still so full that it didn't really look like he'd been drinking it.
Brian took another swallow. "How's your mom doing?" he asked after a minute.
"She's good," Howie said. "I just got an email from her yesterday. She's so funny, listen to this." His face smoothed out while he talked, and his words started coming faster. Brian nodded and grinned and swung his feet up onto the bench so he could lean back against the wall like Howie was.
Kevin appeared in front of the booth with both Nick and AJ in tow. AJ looked rumpled, but cheerful. Nick was flushed and grumpy. "Ready to go, guys?" Kevin said.
"Sure," Brian said, though he hadn't been thinking of leaving yet. He was a little startled when he checked his watch.
Howie climbed into the car first, and the others piled in right after him, so that was it for conversation. But when they said good night Howie gave Brian a sleepy grin, nothing like his earlier effortful smile, so Brian counted it as a win.
Brian knocked on Howie's door the next hotel night when they didn't go out.
"Hey," Howie said. "Wanna watch some TV?"
"Sure," Brian said. He went over and joined Howie at the head of the bed. Howie passed him a pillow for his back. Brian settled in comfortably as the news anchor told them all about a restaurant being closed for health code violations.
Howie muted the TV when the commercials came on. "We ever eat there?" he said.
Brian shook his head. "I don't think so."
"Phew," Howie said, smiling. The news came back on with the sports scores. Howie left the sound off.
"Hey," Brian said suddenly, "can I ask you something?"
"Sure," Howie said.
"Did you ever sleep with AJ?"
Howie turned to look at Brian. Brian bit his lip, but then Howie nodded. "Yeah," he said. "Once, about a year ago."
"Just once?"
"Well. That night, and the next morning."
"Oh," Brian said. He could feel his face getting hot.
"But just that one time," Howie said quietly.
"Was it-" Brian's voice faltered, but he pressed on. "Did you, um, like him?"
"It was fun," Howie said. "Me and AJ aren't really each other's type, though, for anything long term. You know?"
"Yeah," Brian said.
He bit his lip again, afraid Howie was going to ask him for an explanation. But Howie just watched him for another minute and then turned the sound back on. Brian leaned his head back and slid farther down against his pillow. A little later he closed his eyes for a bit, and wound up falling asleep right there.
"Hey Brian," AJ said, "my bunk's full of crap. Can I share yours?"
"Sure," Brian said, "just put your stuff down at that end."
Nick made a crash-and-burn whistle. AJ laughed and sat down on the edge of Howie's bunk to unlace his shoes. He propped one foot up on the edge of Brian's bunk and said, "How's Jonathan doing, D?"
"Yeah, how's your boyfriend?" Nick said.
Howie sighed. "He wasn't my boyfriend, Nick."
"Oh, sure," Nick said. "Wait- 'wasn't'?"
Brian lifted his head just in time to see Howie shrug.
"We saw each other three times in four months," Howie said. "That's barely even dating. And anyway, the last time we talked he told me he met someone. So."
AJ laid his hand on Howie's knee. "I'm sorry, man," he said. Howie nodded.
"Sorry," Brian echoed. Howie glanced up and met his eyes for just a second before looking back down.
The next few times Brian went over to watch TV with Howie, he made himself stay awake long enough to get back to his own room before crashing out. Whenever he said he should be going, Howie gave him a hug and opened the door.
"I should let you get some sleep," Brian said. Howie smiled, stood up, and stretched.
"Thanks for keeping me company," he said, and kissed Brian on the cheek.
Brian realized Howie was holding the door for him. "G'night," he mumbled, and went out. Back in his room, he changed into pajamas, washed his face and brushed his teeth, got into bed, and turned out the light. Then he lay for a while looking up at the dark ceiling.
Brian focused on the shows for the next few days, fine-tuning his mix at soundchecks, going over and over his parts, making sure to hit all his entrances spot on. There was a lot to pay attention to. He ducked into his bunk early to make sure he got enough sleep.
AJ wanted to go out, somewhere. Brian hadn't heard and didn't really bother to find out. Kevin pulled Howie aside, and they both frowned and narrowed their eyes, but the end of it was that Kevin nodded and stalked out by himself to follow AJ and Nick. Howie held out a room service menu, and Brian took it.
When the movie was over, Howie said, "Night, Rok," and kissed his cheek. Brian stood still, feeling the touch on his skin.
"Brian?" Howie said.
"Can-" Brian said, his voice shakier than he would have liked, "can I do that, too?"
Howie looked at him for a long moment. "Sure," he said.
Brian stepped forward, set a hand on Howie's arm to anchor himself, and pressed his lips to Howie's cheek. It was warm and dry and left a tiny abrasive sting on his mouth, below the line of Howie's stubble. Brian pulled back and met Howie's eyes, dark and quiet, looking back at him steadily. He leaned forward again, Howie's head tilting opposite him, and kissed Howie on the mouth.
They were kissing and he had both hands on Howie's waist, one over and one under Howie's T-shirt. Howie's skin was smooth under Brian's fingers, and one of Howie's hands was cupped around the back of Brian's neck.
"Howie," he whispered, and they each fell a step back, apart. Brian pressed his knuckles to his own chest, trying to catch his breath. He couldn't stop staring at Howie's eyes. Howie was silent, watching him too.
Then Howie stretched a hand out. "C'mere," he said, "lie down with me."
Brian looked at him, feeling his blood racing. He reached over and took Howie's hand.
At first Howie just wrapped Brian up in his arms, kissing him, stroking broad palms up and down Brian's back. Brian shivered and was briefly grateful. Then, abruptly, he wasn't. He wanted more, wanted skin, wanted pressure, anything and everything he could get, and he rolled over on top of Howie and ground his hips down. Howie growled in his throat and rolled Brian back under him, and then Brian got Howie's full weight on him at last, then he got the bar of Howie's arm across his belly and Howie's mouth on his dick. Then he got the incredible heat of Howie's cock in his hand, and the smell of sweat and come everywhere, and Howie's lips on his once more as he sank into sleep.
He woke up, shocked and groggy, to a relentless hammering on the door. "'m up," he croaked, but his eyes were too heavy and his throat too dry for any sound to carry. He was just beginning to feel the warm body at his back when the door banged open and AJ yelled, "Yo, sweet D! Rise and shine!"
Brian's eyes flew open, and he stared right into AJ's blank face.
The door slammed shut again. Voices started spiraling up in the corridor outside, Marcus's rumble and Kevin's low roll and Nick's excitable whine. Brian let his face drop forward onto the pillow and lay still while Howie rubbed hesitant fingertips over his shoulders and the back of his neck.