AJ didn’t get any sleep that night. His brain went back and forth, over the details of everything. He thought about what had been done, what had been said. He thought about everything that Brian had told him in the phone messages. About the time that dawn rolled around he was restless. This wasn’t like him, to hide out in a hotel room and sulk. That wasn’t who he was. He was the type to fight for his man.
Pain was a small excuse for running away like this. Sure, at first it was excusable. What he had done had showed Brian what was right in front of his face. But now? Now it was just plain stubbornness and self-pity.
So AJ gathered up his bag and went downstairs to check out of the hotel. Then, bundled up in a black hoodie, slightly tight blue jeans, and with his umbrella open, he slung his bag over his shoulder and set off down the sidewalk. He needed some time to walk and think. But most of all, he needed to go home.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Worry gnawed at Brian like a dog on a bone. AJ hadn’t returned his calls, and now his phone was going straight to voicemail. All that did was make Brian worry more. He was terrified that AJ was going to drink himself stupid and ruin his sobriety. Anything could have happened to him with him being by himself. What if a crazy fan had found him? Or some mugger on the street? AJ wasn’t exactly a bulky guy. He’d gained some size, sure, but still. He was on the slightly smaller side.
It had been in the back of his mind all night. All those little fears that come out at one in the morning when a person doesn’t know where their loved one is.
So this morning, though it had taken an hour to do it, Brian had convinced Howie to go check on him, only with the solemn promise that Brian wasn’t using this as a way to follow him out there and get AJ. Honestly, the idea had never occurred to Brian. Dishonesty wasn’t really something he was good at.
But then Howie had called and said that AJ had checked out of his hotel. Still, Brian had held on to some control. He’d kept the panic at bay. But Howie had searched the morning and afternoon away at all the places that Brian told him AJ loved, and still no sign. AJ’s phone was still off, and no one was getting through to him. That was when the panic started.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The sun had just set as AJ made his way up the driveway to their house. Night was coming on, the darkness making it hard to see this section of the driveway. AJ’s legs were tired by then, but his mind was clear again. He’d walked all day long, around downtown for a while, then toward home.
He’d made peace with so many things in his mind. The walking had helped him. Given him a physical outlet to keep his emotions from building too strongly. With that he had finally been able to think clearly.
Leaving had been the right thing to do. It had forced Brian to open his eyes and look around at what was there. Not that it had been a ploy on AJ’s part. He had been serious when he’d said he was done. If things had stayed the same then AJ would have left completely. It would have hurt; God, it would have killed him! But he would have done it rather than stay and let the respect and love they had be eaten away.
But he couldn’t stay away when Brian was obviously hurt, and willing to do anything to fix this. If Brian had realized what was going on, and even sent his dad away, then what kind of person would AJ be if he didn’t give their relationship another chance? There was no one else in the world for him but Brian. As he’d been doing all day, he absently touched the ring tattoo on his finger. Getting those had been a promise to one another. A commitment. In their eyes, it had been a marriage of sorts.
Well, a married couple didn’t just give up on one another. Now that he knew there was a chance for things to work, AJ’s strength was coming back to him. The fighter in him was coming back to life. No matter what it took, he was going to fight for this relationship. He wasn’t going to run anymore.
He rounded the bend that brought the house into view and instantly found himself smiling. Brian stood on the front porch, arms wrapped around his waist. AJ followed the driveway up further. He was just about by the tree near the front of the house when Brian caught sight of him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The night was cold. That was all Brian could think as he stood on the porch and stared. It was so cold. Out there, somewhere was AJ. What if he’d been hurt? What if he was lying in a gutter somewhere, freezing in this cold? God, dear God. Please let him be ok. That was all he wanted. AJ to be ok.
A rustling sound caught Brian’s attention. He didn’t pause to think, but reached inside the door and into the case that held his shotgun, another gift from his dad. They’d had problems with coyotes coming onto the property. One had almost got Nina one night. So now they kept a gun at both the front and the back door.
With one hand he pumped it as he brought it over. He lifted it and braced it, staring out into the dark. He heard another rustle before what was making the noise came into view. Brian almost dropped the gun. AJ. It was AJ. “Don’t shoot, Bri! It’s me!” Relief filled Brian for an instant. AJ was ok. He wasn’t dead somewhere. He was ok!
Then the anger kicked in. Here AJ was, perfectly fine, perfectly healthy. They’d been worrying about him all the God damn day long, and here he was, just fine, smiling like there was nothing in the world that was wrong.
Using the light from the bedroom windows that shone onto the driveway, Brian took aim at the ground to the right of AJ and fired.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AJ kept his hands up in the air, grinning at his lover. “Don’t shoot, Bri! It’s me!” He’d called out. Something that looked like relief had filled Brian’s face, and AJ had made to continue forward. But then something took over there, making AJ hesitate. He recognized fury when he saw it. Shit.
The gun shifted slightly right before the sound of a gunshot filled the air. AJ almost screamed when the ground to his right exploded from the impact. He dodged to his left, behind a tree that was there. “What the fuck? Brian! It’s me!”
He poked his head out, trying to look at his lover. What the hell was going on here? He saw Brian pump it again and take aim. AJ ducked back behind the tree right as another gunshot took off a branch that had been above his head. “Dammit, Brian, knock it off before you hit me! What the fuck is your problem?” Probably not the smartest thing, to yell at a person with a shotgun.
“Do you have any idea how worried we’ve all been?” Brian shouted to him. “How worried I’ve been?” Another shot, another branch hitting the ground. AJ stared at it with wide eyes. He counted how many shots that was to how many he knew were in the gun. There should only be two left. “Where the fuck were you, AJ? You disappeared from the hotel, turned your damn phone off, and had me worried sick! What if something had happened to you? What if you’d been mugged and left in a gutter? We would have had no idea where you were!”
“I was walking all day.” AJ called out from his hiding spot. He wasn’t stupid enough to come out. “I needed time to think and clear my head.”
Another shot went off, this time tearing through the side of the tree. AJ stared with wide eyes at the place where the bullet went past. Well, shit. He’d never seen Brian this pissed before. After a quick prayer heavenward AJ stepped out from behind the tree. Like in the movies he held his hands up, showing they were empty, before he stepped into the light.
The barrel of the gun was pointed directly at him this time, and boy, the man behind it looked fit to be tied. A small part of AJ thrilled at seeing Brian. The other part knew he wasn’t out of trouble yet. He was going to have to do some smooth talking.
“Brian, I swear to God, I never thought you’d worry about me. Hell, I didn’t think you’d even know I left the hotel. I’d told Howie to leave me alone to think.”
“I sent him to check on you when you wouldn’t answer my calls. I thought you were hurt somewhere, AJ! Do you know how that feels, to worry all fucking day long?”
“I do.” AJ said quietly. His mind went to the day of Brian’s open heart surgery. “I do.” He repeated. Carefully he took another step forward. “Why don’t you put that down and we’ll talk, Bri. That’s why I came up here. To talk with you.”
“Maybe I don’t want to talk anymore.”
“Brian, please. Put it down.” Up in the window AJ could see Nick and Howie watching them, muffling their laughter. Oh, he’d get them later. Right now he had one pissed off southern boy, and one who was armed to boot, that he needed to deal with. “Please.”
Slowly the gun went down. Brian flicked the safety on before leaning in the door and putting it back in its case. He looked over his shoulder at AJ. “Get in here.” Was all he said before he disappeared into the house.
AJ pulled his bag back up on his shoulder, took a deep breath, and stepped right into the lions den.