"J, I really think you should go get some sleep."
Aj looked at Howie before nodding.
"Maybe you're right. Maybe this will all turn out to be a nightmare." Aj said sadly.
Aj walked out of the entertainment room and over to his bunk. He looked at the closed curtain of Brian's bunk for a long moment sadly.
"I love you, Brian." Aj whispered before climbing into his bunk and fell asleep quickly.
*********************
Brian walked down the beach toward someone. He had no idea who. All he knew was he was happy to see the person.
Once Brian got within 5 feet of the person, they turned around he saw AJ.
Brian felt his heart jump for joy at seeing the beautiful man before him.
"Took you long enough." Aj joked.
"I'm sorry it took me so long to get here. I got lost." Brian said softly.
AJ smiled and took Brian into his arms.
"It’s okay. As long as you're here now, it’s all good." AJ said.
"Where else would I want to be?" Brian asked softly wrapping his arms around AJ's neck.
"I love you so much, Brian. I always have and I always will." AJ said holding the older man closer.
"I love you so much more, Alex. More than you or I know." Brian said.
AJ smiled as he leaned down to kiss Brian.
Brian's eyes snapped open as he gasped. He looked around confused not seeing anything in the darkness.
'Where's AJ? Where's the beach?' Brian thought to himself his thoughts cloudy.
It was then he realized it was all a dream.
He remembered the fight between him, Kevin and Nick and finding out AJ was in love with him.
'In the dream, I told AJ I loved him. Do I love him?' Brian thought. He got out of his bunk and walked to the entertainment
room to see Howie sitting on the couch.
"Where's AJ?" Brian asked.
Howie looked up and saw Brian.
"He's in his bunk laying down. How are you?" Howie asked concerned.
"I need AJ." Brian said.
"Go to him. He needs you too." Howie said smiling.
Brian walked out of the room and over to AJ's bunk. He saw AJ laying there sleeping.
'I do love this beautiful man. I always have loved him and I always will.' Brian thought. He carefully climbed into the bunk
and laid down with AJ. He quickly closed the curtain behind him. He looked at the sleeping man in front of him.
"I love you so much, Alex." Brian whispered, leaning forward placing a gentle kiss on AJ's forhead.
Brian felt AJ's arms wrap around him and pull him close while still asleep. He wrapped his arms around AJ and let himself fall asleep in his love's arms.
******************
Nick was laying on his back with Kevin's arm around his waist and his head on Nick's chest sleeping. He had one arm wrapped around the older man's shoulders and the other running his fingers through Kevin's soft hair.
'How could I never realize how I felt about Kevin? I know I had a crush on him when I was younger. I know I'll never hear Kevin say he loves me. I'm not okay with that, but, this is probably the only time I will ever be this close to Kevin again. I
will take what I can get.' Nick thought.
He yawned and closed his eyes holding Kevin closer, slowly falling asleep.
********************
Howie sat there in the entertainment room enjoying the peace and quiet. He knew that once they were all on the same bus, some things were going to come out. That was the beauty of being the odd man out. He saw everything. He knew who felt what about who and all that jazz.
'I am so glad Brian finally realized he loves AJ. I just hope the same for Kevin about Nick. That might be a little harder, but it could happen.' Howie thought.
He got up and walked out of the room. He stopped at Kevin's bunk and slowly opened the curtain to see his friends sleeping in each other's arms. He smiled closing the curtain.
'Yeah. Kevin loves Nick.' Howie thought climbing into his bunk. 'It will be interesting how everything plays out.'