Brian made good on his promise once the interview was over. For the rest of that day and night they stayed in the room, barely leaving their bed. It was a wonderful time for the both of them, exploring one another. Learning those little things about one another. They didn’t just make love, but talked as well. Now that the damn had been opened for Brian, he found himself capable of talking about so many things. He told AJ more things that evening than he had ever told anyone. AJ shared things with him, too, that he didn’t tell just anyone.
It was just what they needed. It took the bond they had built as friends and brought it up to a whole other level. By the time the next morning rolled around, they had both found a peace in each other and in life that had them smiling.
Looking back, AJ wished it could have lasted longer.
But that morning had reality intruding on them. The two men had barely been awake, and were contemplating what they wanted for breakfast, when a knock sounded on their door. AJ had just been heading out for a smoke, so Brian smiled and said that he’d get it.
He opened the door to find Howie on the other side, smiling at him. In that smile was the knowledge of what they’d been doing in there. Brian found himself blushing. In the heat of the moment neither man had really paid much attention to being quiet. “Hey, D.”
“Morning, Brian.” Howie’s grin grew at the sight of Brian’s blush. “Is J around? I was hoping to chat with him for a minute.” The smile wiped off of Howie’s face. That worried Brian a little, but he was too respectful to comment on it. Whatever was going on it was obviously between the two of them.
“Yeah, he’s out smoking. I’ll give you guys some privacy. Just let Alex know I ran down to grab a paper and some food, ok? I’ll be back in like, ten or fifteen?” He phrased the last part of it as a question to make sure that was long enough for Howie.
Howie’s smile briefly came back. “Thanks, Bri. That’s perfect.”
The two switched places, Brian sliding on shoes and heading out and Howie heading in to go after AJ.
Brian grabbed a coat too, to try and hide himself a little. Not that he was going out of the hotel, but he still didn’t want to get caught by too many people in the hallways. He caught the elevator down to the main floor where it was surprisingly empty except for regular staff and security. The gift shop and coffee shop, which were in the same room, were both open so he headed inside.
For a while he cruised the shelves, killing time by looking at the little things there. He found a comfortable, simple black ball cap and bought it for himself, as well as a paper. He put the hat on his head as he moved over to order two coffees and two cinnamon rolls from the coffee shop. While he waited for those to be made, he took a seat on the tall stools there and opened his paper.
He hadn’t paid any attention when he’d grabbed it and paid for it, but a tagline on the front caught his attention and had his blood running cold. “Backstreet Boys – the truth behind the lies.” Underneath it was a small picture of him, and next to it a picture of AJ.
Trembles overtook his fingers as he opened the paper to the right page and started to read. He was so engrossed in the words that he never heard the person come over and set his order in front of him. Nothing else existed in the world except for the article he was reading.
Pain and numbness filled him the further he read. Then, steadily, anger took its place. By the time he was finished reading he was furious.
Hands shaking, he rolled the paper, grabbed the tray with the coffees and rolls and stormed from the coffee shop. He paid no attention to anything else has he rushed to get back upstairs.
If what he’d read was true, he was going to kill AJ.
~~~~~~~~~~~
“He what?” AJ exclaimed. He stared at his best friend in shock. The cigarette in his mouth almost fell out as he gaped slightly.
Howie sat in one of the patio chairs, running a hand through his hair. “He told me everything. I questioned him about it enough, because now that we all know about you and Brian, certain things weren’t adding up. So Nick confessed finally about why he’d said those things to you, and the bet he’d tried to get you to make so he could get you and Brian together. I can’t believe you’d take that kind of bet, Alex!”
“I didn’t!”
“What?” Now Howie looked confused instead of annoyed.
AJ paced away, one hand absently going down to worry at the hem of the shirt he was wearing. Brian’s shirt, actually. “I told him it was cold to bet on a friend’s feelings, and that it was a bullshit thing to do. I told him I wouldn’t. He tried to trick me into agreeing to it by calling me a chicken. Then more so by calling me a fag. He thought if he got me pissed enough it would make me do it just to spite him. But I never agreed, D, and I never gave it another thought since then.”
“Well you need to talk to Brian about this.” Howie leaned back and crossed his ankles. He didn’t question what AJ said, which was nice. He took what his friend said at face value and trusted him. There was no one that knew AJ better than Howie. Except for, maybe now, Brian.
AJ flicked his ashes before putting his cigarette back in his mouth. He let it dangle from his lips as he paced and rolled his shirt between his fingers. “No shit? Fancy fucking time for Nick to suddenly open his mouth and spill shit. He could get me royally fucked with this one. Brian will kill me if he finds this out through the grapevine.”
“Oh I think it’s a little late for that.”
The furious voice drew the attention of the two men, bringing them around to look at the open patio door where Brian stood. There was no denying the living fury in his eyes. AJ felt his stomach drop down to his toes and his heart rise up in his throat. “fuck.” He whispered to himself. Stepping forward, he paid no attention to Howie. His eyes were on Brian as he set his tray down on the patio table and moved toward Brian. “Bri, honey, it’s not what you think.”
“Oh, really, AJ?” The sarcasm in Brian’s tone had AJ flinching. He stared at the paper that Brian suddenly threw at him. It landed between them, in front of Howie. “What’s this, then?”
A feeling of dread coiled inside of AJ. He couldn’t force himself to move. It was Howie who bent down and picked the paper up, smoothing it out so that he could see what was there. His face lost all color. With a shaking voice, he started to read it.
“Backstreet Boys – the truth behind the lies.
Last night this write was privileged to be called and asked to write a story about the truth – a story about the real Backstreet Boys. I’ll admit that I was skeptical at first but I agreed to the meeting. My source wishes to remain anonymous for fear of repercussions, but they felt that the truth needed to be told. He believed that the fans needed to know what was really going on behind the scenes, and the lies that had been told to them for far too long.
In this candid interview I have learned some startling facts about our fresh faced boy band. They are not all as sweet and innocent as they portray themselves to be. In fact, they’re hiding some secrets that, if it was known in the mainstream, could potentially destroy their career. But I feel that the lies must be revealed and that the fans deserve to know the truth. So I wrote my article and rushed to get it in for submission.
The very first fact we uncovered concerns the rebel of the group, the famous womanizer, who is known for the ladies he woos and the charm he exudes. AJ Mclean, the ‘bad boy’ of the Backstreet Boys, has been keeping a secret from his fans for years. A secret about his sexuality. It seems that the man who is known for running through women like water is using that to cover up the truth. That he is gay. Not only gay, but in love with someone.
Which leads us into our next secret. Recently, my source says, AJ got into it with one of the members of the band. An all-out fist fight. The result of this being that a bet was made. For years AJ has been in love with another member of the band, and apparently the youngest member of the group knew about it. So, my source says, a bet was made between the two that AJ could get their other member to open up to him. Not only that, but could woo him.
My source says that AJ emerged victorious. Who, you ask, is his ‘boyfriend’ now? Who was this bet in concern of? Well, this may be the biggest shocker of all! It is none other than our resident country boy, the back home Brian Littrell!
This begs the question of whether or not Mr. Littrell is even aware of the bet that was made. My source says no. “It was a cold, calculating bet that was made, and I don’t feel it’s right that Brian is unaware of it.” He said to me. “Nor is it right that the public has no idea about what’s really going on behind the scenes. How many parents would want their children listening to love songs sung by homosexuals? It puts their music into a whole new light.”
This reporter agrees with these statements and asks one final question. If they’re keeping secrets like this, what else are they keeping from us?”
Brian’s eyes stayed locked on AJ the entire time that Howie was reading. There was so much hurt and anger in there that AJ felt his heart breaking underneath it. Oh God. How was he going to get Brian to listen to him? To understand what had really happened?
“Bri, that wasn’t what really happened.” AJ tried to say. His voice broke slightly on the words.
“Oh, really? You mean you two didn’t make a bet? If I go and ask Nick right now he won’t admit to me that you two had a bet running?”
There was no denying the truth of that. In Nick’s eyes, AJ had accepted the bet. But there was so much more to it than that. “Nick tried to make a bet, but..”
“How on earth could you do that to me, AJ?” Brian cut in, his anger and hurt blending into one.
AJ reached a hand out in a pleading gesture. “I didn’t do anything to you! I didn’t accept his stupid bet!”
“Is that what your fight was about that day? Was it really about him calling you a fag or was that a lie? Just like everything else.”
Temper started to override some of AJ’s own hurt and worry. “I never lied to you, Brian Littrell. Not once! If you would just stop and listen to me for one fucking minute you’d understand!”
“I shouldn’t have to be listening to you right now! You should have told me about this by now! You should have let me know, even if you didn’t accept his stupid bet, what had happened! Keeping it from me is the same as lying. After everything I told you and all the shit I went through with Stephen how could you think that I wouldn’t need to know about this?”
“I didn’t deliberately keep it from you! God, you’re looking at this in the worst light possible. I didn’t tell you because I didn’t think about it. I didn’t agree to the stupid bet so I didn’t think about it beyond then. Give me some damn credit why don’t you?”
“Obviously it was remembered somewhere or else how the hell did it get out into the paper?” Brian’s voice was suddenly quiet. “No matter what, AJ, you should have been the one to tell me. The fact that you didn’t makes me question everything that’s happened since then. How can I know if I can trust you? That you’re not just using me, just like everyone else. Just like him.”
Those last words cut AJ straight to the heart. He stepped backward slightly as hurt coursed inside of him. A part of his brain knew that Brian was only lashing out. He’d been through so much pain lately that it wasn’t surprising that he reacted this way to what he saw as a lack of trust on AJ’s part. But the heart and the brain don’t always work the same. His heart felt that, after the last while of time together, Brian should have known better.
“If that’s how you feel, what the hell are you doing here then?”
“That’s a good question.” Brian answered him. After one last long look, he turned on his heel and left. AJ stared at him as he retreated through the hotel room and out the front door, taking a part of AJ’s heart with him.