Untitled Letterboys
I've been unusually productive this week. A few days ago I answered ephemera_pop's longstanding request at fic_requests for Letterboys with regards to the smoking ban in the UK that came into effect on 1st July this year. So here it is, slightly edited.
AJ was chewing at a nail when JC came back with their drinks.
"One beer for me, and one coke with a lime wedge," JC said, handing the drink over to AJ.
"Are you sure no one recognised us?" They were in a tiny jazz bar in a little known part of central London, squished against a corner with a table full of half-drunk glasses. AJ was there to do album promo with the other three, and JC said he'd come along to check on the songs he'd recorded with some British producers a few months ago. AJ just thought that he made up the excuse so that they could spend time together.
"Don't worry, cat. This place is so pretentious, recognising two ageing pop stars is tantamount to artistic suicide." JC quirked a smile before taking a swig of his drink.
AJ snorted. "Ageing? You're one to talk."
"Don't make me talk about your hairline, McLean."
AJ rolled his eyes in response and dug in his pockets for his cigarettes and lighter. He was about to light up when JC pushed his hands away, shaking his head. "What was that for?"
"Can't smoke in bars or clubs anymore."
"Since when?" AJ challenged. He really needed a smoke.
"Since like, July this year. Eric almost got thrown out when we came a few months ago." JC shrugged. "Sorry."
AJ scowled. "You could've told me earlier." He rose out of his seat, trying to edge past JC. "I'm going out. I need a fucking smoke."
Which was exactly how AJ found himself puffing away at his cigarette in the back alley of the bar, shivering in the nippy October air. "Jesus, how the hell did it get so cold?"
"It's London, man. You know what it's like," was JC's reply. Unlike AJ, who was wearing a thin button down over a tshirt, JC had a thick jacket on. "And I told you we could go out to the front. That's where everyone else was smoking, so there'd be like, more body heat and stuff."
"I told you, I don't want to get recognised." AJ took a deep drag and attempted to blow a smoke ring, but just then the wind picked up, scattering the tendrils of smoke every which way. "When was the last time you got harrassed by a pack of British photographers? Those people are crazy."
"The ones in LA are the worst." The wind didn't let up, and after five more minutes of watching AJ shiver uncontrollably, JC sighed and moved closer. "You're a stubborn fuck, you know that? C'mere." He wormed himself between AJ and the wall, unbuttoning his coat and hugging AJ from behind.
"What the hell? Hey!" AJ twisted out of JC's arms, but JC was bigger and stronger and somehow managed to regain his hold on him. "What the fuck? Seriously, man. Let go. What if someone comes along and sees us?"
"Then you'll just have to hurry up with your damn smoke," JC said in exasperation. He ducked his head, pressing his cheek against the side of AJ's neck.
AJ's free hand reached back and wrapped around JC's waist, holding himself closer to his human heater. "You sure? I know how much you hate trying to get the smell out of your hair."
"I came to grips with it years ago when I realised you weren't going to quit." JC turned his face towards AJ, snuffling against his neck. "'Sides, I don't really mind it if it's you."
Despite himself, AJ couldn't helping smiling. "Really?"
"Yes, but that doesn't mean you can take your own sweet time. The gig's about to start, and dude, you have to see this guy. He's a genius on the guitar."
"I'll be the judge of that." AJ threw the remainder of his cigarette onto the floor and stomped on it, joining a multitude of other cigarette butts in the allery corner. "C'mon." He laced his fingers with JC's and walked back into the bar.
AJ was chewing at a nail when JC came back with their drinks.
"One beer for me, and one coke with a lime wedge," JC said, handing the drink over to AJ.
"Are you sure no one recognised us?" They were in a tiny jazz bar in a little known part of central London, squished against a corner with a table full of half-drunk glasses. AJ was there to do album promo with the other three, and JC said he'd come along to check on the songs he'd recorded with some British producers a few months ago. AJ just thought that he made up the excuse so that they could spend time together.
"Don't worry, cat. This place is so pretentious, recognising two ageing pop stars is tantamount to artistic suicide." JC quirked a smile before taking a swig of his drink.
AJ snorted. "Ageing? You're one to talk."
"Don't make me talk about your hairline, McLean."
AJ rolled his eyes in response and dug in his pockets for his cigarettes and lighter. He was about to light up when JC pushed his hands away, shaking his head. "What was that for?"
"Can't smoke in bars or clubs anymore."
"Since when?" AJ challenged. He really needed a smoke.
"Since like, July this year. Eric almost got thrown out when we came a few months ago." JC shrugged. "Sorry."
AJ scowled. "You could've told me earlier." He rose out of his seat, trying to edge past JC. "I'm going out. I need a fucking smoke."
Which was exactly how AJ found himself puffing away at his cigarette in the back alley of the bar, shivering in the nippy October air. "Jesus, how the hell did it get so cold?"
"It's London, man. You know what it's like," was JC's reply. Unlike AJ, who was wearing a thin button down over a tshirt, JC had a thick jacket on. "And I told you we could go out to the front. That's where everyone else was smoking, so there'd be like, more body heat and stuff."
"I told you, I don't want to get recognised." AJ took a deep drag and attempted to blow a smoke ring, but just then the wind picked up, scattering the tendrils of smoke every which way. "When was the last time you got harrassed by a pack of British photographers? Those people are crazy."
"The ones in LA are the worst." The wind didn't let up, and after five more minutes of watching AJ shiver uncontrollably, JC sighed and moved closer. "You're a stubborn fuck, you know that? C'mere." He wormed himself between AJ and the wall, unbuttoning his coat and hugging AJ from behind.
"What the hell? Hey!" AJ twisted out of JC's arms, but JC was bigger and stronger and somehow managed to regain his hold on him. "What the fuck? Seriously, man. Let go. What if someone comes along and sees us?"
"Then you'll just have to hurry up with your damn smoke," JC said in exasperation. He ducked his head, pressing his cheek against the side of AJ's neck.
AJ's free hand reached back and wrapped around JC's waist, holding himself closer to his human heater. "You sure? I know how much you hate trying to get the smell out of your hair."
"I came to grips with it years ago when I realised you weren't going to quit." JC turned his face towards AJ, snuffling against his neck. "'Sides, I don't really mind it if it's you."
Despite himself, AJ couldn't helping smiling. "Really?"
"Yes, but that doesn't mean you can take your own sweet time. The gig's about to start, and dude, you have to see this guy. He's a genius on the guitar."
"I'll be the judge of that." AJ threw the remainder of his cigarette onto the floor and stomped on it, joining a multitude of other cigarette butts in the allery corner. "C'mon." He laced his fingers with JC's and walked back into the bar.