Don't Want You Back
The shriek was unmistakeable. While they all admired the way that Howie could hit notes that should not be possible for any man to hit, it was only AJ who when shocked or scared could hit piercing tones Kevin was convinced were audible in space. It had come in handy more than once while they were in Europe and some girl had managed to hide in their rooms or some guys were riffling through their luggage. It also helped that AJ was a bit on the high strung side and thus could be counted on let out a piercing yell at the slightest provocation. For the most part they were good and didn't scare him on purpose since he tended to be both angry and embarrassed about the girliness of the shrieking. But it was unmistakeable. And when they heard it and AJ wasn't around, they all went running.
"What the fuck," AJ yelled again just as Kevin yanked open the door, Howie tumbling in after him with Nick hot on his heels. Brian for once was taking up the rear which meant that he was confronted with the sight with the rest of them staring wide eyed at both AJ and the blonde in his bed and with AJ waving his arms, face redder than Brian could ever remember seeing him. "Katherine, what the hell are you doing in my bed?"
Brian crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the wall, an eyebrow raised. "You know, I think that's what I should be asking." He tapped his foot as she spun to face him, eyes going wide. "You can put your shirt on first if you'd like."
She narrowed her eyes, mind obvivously racing for some explanation as she slowly picked her shirt up off the floor.
"Right, well," Kevin spun Nick around, shoving him out the door, Nick fighting in vain to turn back around. "I think that we'll just be. Yeah, we're gonna go."
Howie nodded vigorously as he helped Kevin shove Nick out the door. "We'll be. Somewhere else. For awhile." Brian nodded as they went past and then turned back to AJ who was still waving his arms around, mouth opening and closing though no words were coming out.
"AJ, if you'd give us a moment." AJ spun to face Brian and suddenly found his voice again.
"Rok, seriously, I swear to God that I had no idea she was in here, you have to believe me, I came out of the shower and there she was and, I swear, Brian, I didn't do anything, you have to believe me, I wouldn't do that, I mean," AJ gulped as Brian sighed.
"We'll talk about this later, right now, I want to hear what she has to say." Brian kept his eyes locked on his girlfriend's as AJ all but sprinted for the door. He yanked it shut behind him but not before he heard her say to Brian "This is all your fault you know." It took everything in him not to slam the door back open and start screaming but he didn't. Brian could take care of himself. He could.
At least that's what Kevin kept telling him while he was curled up miserably on a couch, Kevin's arm around his shoulders. Brian could take care of himself and it wasn't his fault and no one thought it was and they knew he'd never make a move on someone else's girlfriend and no, Brian wouldn't be mad at him and no, Brian wouldn't hate him and stop worrying and other such things over and over until AJ tuned Kevin out. Kevin could try all he wanted to make him feel better, but AJ wasn't having it. This was his fault somehow, though he was kind of fuzzy on how that could be, but it was. And Brian would hate him and Brian would stop talking to him and yeah. AJ scrunched deeper into the corner of the couch. Yeah. Overall, things just sucked.
AJ was dozing when Brian finally slipped into the room, dropping down next to AJ and leaning his head against AJ's shoulder. AJ stirred at the contact, blinking slowly as his eyes readjusted to the light. "Brian?" He shifted so that he could look at Brian, eyes raking over his face. "Are you okay?"
Brian shrugged slightly. "I've been better." He nestled in a bit deeper into AJ's side and AJ inwardly let out a sigh of relief. Damn Kevin was right again. Brian clearly didn't hate him. "It seems that my girlfriend thought I was too boring for words and that she wanted a real man."
AJ winced. "Then it's pretty damn obvious she's too stupid to be with you." Brian snorted and AJ smiled slightly. "Seriously, that's bullshit and you know it."
"Oh, yeah." Brian nodded and AJ nodded along with him. "Trust me, she really wasn't in much of a position to be too persuasive. I threw her out and told her not to bother showing up anywhere or trying to write or anything and she did some crying and all that but, hey, I may be boring but I'm not dumb." AJ reached up and ran his fingers through Brian's hair as Brian closed his eyes. "Why do I always end up with the cheaters?"
"I don't know." AJ continued playing with Brian's hair as Brian's breath slowly evened out. "I still can't figure out why she was in my room."
Brian smiled lazily. "Actually, she thought she was in Kevin's." AJ let out a groan as Brian laughed.
AJ kept a close eye on Brian over the next few weeks, but Brian, other than being a bit quieter than usual, didn't seem to be that upset. AJ found this curious since if it had been his girlfriend naked in one of their beds he would have been happily railing against her for days, no, weeks, no, months. But nope. Brian wouldn't say a word about it other than "good riddance to bad trash" and that it seemed was that. Brian continued to be his normal, goofy self and continued to conspire with Nick to find ever new and more inventive ways to make that vein on Kevin's forehead throb and really it was only the fact that every now and then Brian would get this far away look in his eyes that let AJ know things weren't fine. AJ still felt vaguely guilty for what had happened though everyone told in, in various degrees of annoyance, that it wasn't his fault. Still. He was the one whose room she was in, no matter how accidentaly, and as a result he felt that it was his obligation to make sure that Brian got back on that horse. So to speak.
AJ's plan was brilliant, if he thought so himself. Simple was always best so he figured that he couldn't miss by dragging Brian out with him to some clubs, pointing him towards the nearest pretty girl and letting nature take its course. After all, Brian was Brian. Funny and sweet and sexy as hell and yeah. AJ pointed at his reflectin in the mirror. "Stop that. You know he's off limits." His reflection stared back at him and AJ groaned. "He is. Stop looking at me like that." He scrunched his nose and finished getting ready to go out. If nothing else he would get to watch Brian dance and that would be worth it.
After the eighth club in as many days, AJ was beginning to consider that it was possible there was a flaw to his plan. Obviously, European women were either blind or stupid or both since while Brian always ended up talking to a group of lovely girls, he never so much as got groped on the dance floor. AJ simply couldn't understand what the problem could be. Brian always looked hot and always was nice and always smelled good and he felt so nice and warm all snugged into AJ's side as they rode back to the hotel in the taxi and how the hell he didn't have girls all over him was an utter mystery. AJ shifted a bit so that Brian's neck wasn't at such a bad angle. He'd give anything to have Brian all to himself, all that sweetness directed at him and yeah. AJ played with the hair at the back of Brian's neck. Yeah. It'd be great to be able to take Brian out and have him all to himself. But this, this was okay. Because Brian was smiling all the time now and those weird little pauses were gone and he actually was coming to get AJ now to go out so yeah. His plan would work, he'd just have to give it more time.
"Bri? Brian, come on, wake up." AJ shook Brian gently as they pulled up to the hotel. "Time to go upstairs and sleep." Brian blinked up at him, faces inches apart and AJ had to dig his fingers into his leg to keep for tipping forward.
"Yeah, okay," Brian stretched then handed over some money to help pay the fare and AJ tried not to watch as Brian's shirt settled back down over his stomach. They stumbled out of the cab, AJ's arm around Brian's waist as they headed back to their rooms. Brian yawned and stretched again and AJ bit his lower lip hard.
"So, um," AJ cleared his throat when they came to a stop in front of his door. "You want to go out again tomorrow?" AJ turned away and fiddled with his door, trying to get it open, trying harder to ignore the heat of Brian's body against his back.
"Actually," Brian's breath was warm against the side of his face and AJ shuddered, desperately hoping that he could get into the room before Brian asked why. "Actually, I was hoping we could stay in."
"Oh." AJ turned the handle and took a step into the room, the darkness hopefully hiding the disappointment on his face. "If you don't want to go out, I don't want to drag you, I mean, I thought you were having a good time."
Brian's fingers were firm on his wrist as he pulled AJ around to face him. "I do have a good time. I'm with you." Now Brian's fingers were skimming up his arm and AJ felt his eyes go wide as Brian stepped right in close. "Do you know how hard it is to be out with you and to pretend that I'd rather be with whatever girl thinks she's caught my eye?" AJ blinked as Brian cupped his cheek. "I know you like going out but really, I'd rather stay in." AJ kept his eyes open as Brian leaned in and then Brian was kissing him, kissing him slow and deep and AJ's eyes closed and his hands went to Brian's waist and he frantically tried to remember how to breathe. Brian finally pulled back, grinning. "If that's okay with you."
"Um, yeah, yeah, that's, yeah," AJ grinned back. "Whatever you want."
Brian arched a brow then kicked the door shut, shoving AJ back towards the bed. "Careful what you wish for." AJ laughed as Brian fell on top of him then their mouths met again and AJ wasn't laughing any more.