They settled on grabbing some curly fries and chicken on sticks and settled at one of the picnic tables that were against a stone retaining wall. Brian had attempted to pay for his own food, but AJ had stopped him with a smile. “Today’s my treat, Rok.”
There was no talking over the live band that was playing, but that was ok. They didn’t need to talk. Instead they listened to the music and ate their food side by side. At one point Brian actually scooted closer, feeling brave, and let his hand rest on AJ’s knee. After a moment AJ’s hand dropped down as well to rest on Brian’s knee.
Once the food was gone the two decided to cruise all the little stands that were set up to entice people to buy things. Brian had known that AJ wouldn’t be able to resist shopping in them. So they hit each little one, laughing at the things they came across. AJ bought five new pairs of sunglasses at one little stand. At another Brian found a beautiful cross necklace that he had to buy for himself.
They were passing by a stand of hats, which Brian had thought for sure that AJ would hit, when he saw AJ jump up and point. Then he was pulling him along until they hit one of those stands that airbrush pictures onto t-shirts. “Pick one, Rok!”
For a while the two deliberated amongst the shirts. Finally AJ picked theater masks with the words Laugh Now over the top and Cry Later underneath them. On the front of the shirt the guy airbrushed Alexander where a pocket usually sat. Brian picked out a shirt that was covered in basketballs on the back and they airbrushed B-Rok on the front where the pocket sat.
Then, because neither of them could resist, and the guy didn’t know who they were, they got two tank shirts with the hearts done in dark blues and light blues and had their names put inside. Both men laughed as they left the stand, and AJ ducked alongside the bar and stripped his hat and shirt off before pulling his new ones out of the bag. First he pulled on the tank, and then his other one to cover it up. With a grin of his own Brian stopped and did the same.
Once his B-Rok shirt was on overtop his new tank shit, he stuck his hat on his head and gave AJ a wide grin. “We look like dorks.”
“True.” AJ admitted, putting on his own hat. “But, we’re awesome dorks. There’s a difference. Now come on, let’s have a blast!”
Brian could only laugh as AJ took his free hand, the one that wasn’t holding his bag of stuff, and they shot off through the crowd.
~~~~~~~~~~~
The rest of the afternoon was more fun than AJ could remember having in a long time. They went through the barns and saw all the animals. They hit the arts and crafts and admired the things that they saw there. Then they went through another round on the rides.
For a while they stopped and played the games. Brian went to the shooting game and handed over the tokens so he could play. With careful aim he shot down all the targets. AJ whistled appreciatively beside him.
“You want a try?” Brian offered, holding it out to AJ. But AJ just shook his head. “Are you kidding me, Bri? Like I know how to shoot!”
Brian tossed more tokens on the counter even as he chuckled. Then he moved close to AJ, handing him the gun. “It’s easy. Put this hand here, and this hand here.” He got AJ’s hands wrapped around the gun, and then moved behind him, wrapping his arms around AJ’s smaller frame to help him get the gun in position.
Every thought of shooting the gun slid out of AJ’s mind. All he could focus on was the warmth of Brian’s body pressed up against his backside, and those strong arms around him. Every brain cell in his head kind of fizzled and died while all his nerve endings came to life. Brian’s voice was at his ear, directing him as he helped lift the gun right, helped him aim.
Pulling the trigger when told to, AJ couldn’t have said if he hit the targets or not. He didn’t really care, either. Vaguely he heard Brian congratulate him, and the guy at the stand was asking them both what they wanted. Since they’d each one, they each got a small prize. Brian moved away from AJ to take his pick, which left AJ feeling as if he was floundering for a moment, the loss of the sensations actually taking his breath away.
Then Brian put a hand on the small of his back, not even looking in his direction, just letting it sit there while he picked a prize for both of them. They got stuffed monkeys that their hands Velcro together so they could hang from something. Brian hooked his around the brim of his hat, and then did the same with AJ’s.
AJ’s grin was a mile wide.
For a while longer they played the games, but the sky was starting to darken. Both were reluctant to leave, not wanting to give up they day. It had been beautiful, and more fun than they’d had in a long time. A step away from being AJ Mclean and Brian Littrell. For the day they had simply been Brian and Alex, friends who were starting something more, enjoying a date at the carnival like anyone else in the world.
Finally though they knew they had to head back. First they each bought a snow cone from the stand on their way out. Since the evening was nice they decided to take the carnivals trolley down to main street and then walk the two blocks from there to the hotel.
With the shield of darkness and the privacy of the mostly empty trolley, the two sat at the very back and watched the street go past their feet. Discreetly they held hands, joined between them where no one would see. But it was nice.
AJ glanced at Brian out of the corner of his eye, pleased to see the relaxed, happy look still on his face. There was nothing he wanted more than to make Brian happy. He never smiled enough anymore. If there was one good thing that came from all the shit lately, it was that he and Brian were getting the chance to test this out between them. In a way he did owe Nick for that. Not that he’d ever tell him, the little fucker. He’d had no right to do what he did. Even if it did work in getting him and Brian closer.
“What? Do I have something on my face?” Brian asked, pausing in licking his snow cone.
Realizing that he’d been caught staring, AJ tipped his head enough that the shadows of his hat hid his blush. “No, nothing. Just, looking.”
Silence surrounded them for a moment. Then AJ felt surprise when Brian tipped his hat up. With lip red form his cherry snow cone, Brian smiled and leaned in, giving AJ a light kiss. “Thank you for a wonderful day, Alex. I can’t remember the last time I enjoyed myself so much.”
“You’re welcome.” AJ managed to stammer out. Damn, but Brian’s kisses fried his brain. Well, hell, everything about this man fried his brain. Just a side effect of being around him.
Once the trolley dropped them off they maintained their hand holding and walked silently until they were almost at the hotel. Neither one of them wanted to break the spell. But once they were close enough to chance being seen they had to let go of one another.
Still riding the high of the day, the two started giggling as they snuck past the crowd that always sat at the hotel and managed to get inside without being seen. Once they were in the elevators they laughed at their cunning. “It’s like I told Howie earlier!” AJ insisted, grinning at Brian. “I’m a freaking ninja!”
“For now, I concede your point. But I reserve the right to contest it later.” Brian stated seriously. This just had them both laughing again.
They tumbled off the elevator, still laughing, bumping one another with their arms. A door at the end of the hallway opened and Kevin poked his head out, grinning when he caught sight of them. “There you two are! About time!”
“Looking for us, Kev?” Brian asked, managing to straighten up a little.
AJ resisted the urge to sigh at the way that Kevin’s gaze slid across him, and the slight shudder he gave when he did. A small pang of hurt echoed down low, but he didn’t let it grow. There was no point. To his surprise, Brian put a hand on the small of his back, rubbing lightly, as if he sensed that without even having to look over at him. That feeling of hurt disappeared under a wave of love.
“There’s a surprise in here for you, Bri. Why don’t you come see what it is? We’ve been waiting for you to get here.”
When AJ would have stepped away, Brian used the hand at the small of his back to lead him along. There was no reason why not, so AJ just shrugged and smiled and followed him. They stepped into Kevin’s room, coming across Howie first, who chuckled when he saw their shirts and monkey covered hats. “Nice duds, guys.” He teased.
AJ grinned at him and started to respond, but another voice cut through the room.
“Hello, Brian.”
AJ was angled just right that he saw the pain that quickly leapt into Brian’s eyes. He felt the tremor that ran through his frame, making the hand on AJ’s back tremble. It was all quickly locked away, but AJ hadn’t missed it. He looked over to the sound of the voice to where a man stood by Kevin’s side.
The man was tall, had to be around six foot, with blond hair and green eyes. His hair was cut short, buzzed almost like they do in the military. He wasn’t extremely muscular, but he had a good solid build. His mouth was quirked up in a smile that set AJ’s teeth on edge, and his eyes carried a look that AJ sure as hell didn’t like seeing directed at Brian.
Something in him clicked, and he turned to Brian, looking at him as Kevin started to talk, explaining something about the man coming to visit them. The gist of it being that the guy was an old friend of theirs that they’d both known for years.
All AJ had eyes for was Brian. Under the cover of the others talking he managed to snag Brian’s gaze and ask him one simple question. “He’s the one?” No more was needed to be said. He knew that Brian would understand exactly what he meant, what he was asking. He would know that AJ was asking if this was the one who had hurt Brian so bad; who had put that look in his eyes and shattered his heart.
Pain flashed in Brian’s gaze again, answer enough even without words. But still he nodded lightly, croaking out a quiet “Yes.”
This time it was AJ who put a hand on the small of Brian’s back, rubbing lightly in an effort to offer support. His own body was locked down with rage, and he wanted nothing more than to hurt this person who hurt Brian. But he knew he couldn’t do that. Right at that moment it would hurt Brian if AJ stepped in and did something stupid. All he could do was offer support as Brian took a deep breath and finally lifted his head.
Leaning into AJ’s hand for comfort, Brian forced himself to look across the room into those green eyes that he had once thought to lose himself in. Eyes that had, at one time, filled with love at the mere sight of him. Now there was coldness there, and a calculating that he wondered how he had never seen before. “Hello, Stephen.”