For the duration of the bus ride the two men simply settled in the media room and watched movies. At one point Brian pulled out his game system and they played a racing game, one of the only ones that AJ would ever really play. It was just hitting night time when they arrived in their next city. While checking in to the hotel, AJ realized that he didn’t even know what city they were in. The thought amused him. He never kept track of where they were going. At each new place he always ended up asking someone which city they were in.
There wasn’t a show that night, so all the guys ended up checking into their rooms and passing out. The next morning started bright and early with a radio show, followed by a interview for an early morning talk show. AJ played his part, pretending there was nothing wrong between him and the others. No one outside of their circle would have ever guessed that there was any kind of tension.
But to AJ it was so obvious that he wondered how others didn’t seem to notice it. Howie and Kevin talked normally with everyone, but they avoided direct physical contact with AJ if it was possible. There wasn’t the usual touching and hugging that others saw with them. Nick stayed as far from AJ as possible, which was really a good plan. But he put on the chipper face that the public was used to seeing.
Brian was the one that amazed him the most of all. How could people not see that there was something going on with him? His eyes didn’t have their usual sparkle. They were dull. Sure, he smiled, and he laughed and told his usual jokes, but there wasn’t really much emotion behind it.
When they were alone, though, the real Brian was starting to come out, pain and all. It humbled AJ to realize that he was the only one that Brian gave these random bits of insight to.
A week went by of all of them just going about their business, and of AJ and Brian hanging out more and more in their private time. Sometimes they didn’t really talk with one another. Brian would read a book and AJ would fiddle on his laptop. But they spent the time together. Once Brian had even been the one to come knock on AJ’s door.
From behind his shades AJ looked around Kevin’s hotel room. At the moment they were all sitting in there with a few people from the press, ready to give out some small interviews. Discuss the tour and answer some of their questions. Cameras were set up here and there, ready to film what they would need. Kevin sat at the table in the dining room area with Howie. Nick was at the couch, and Brian was in the kitchen making coffee and talking to one of the interviewers.
AJ had snuck out to the balcony for a cigarette. He was perched in one of the patio chairs, smoking and watching everyone through the window, fiddling with his cellphone. A grin curved his lips as he watched Brian bend over to pick something up off the floor. Mm, even from a distance the man had a nice ass. Especially in those nice black slacks he was wearing.
God, he had never met anyone who could pull off the slacks and dress shirt look quite like Brian could. Every time AJ saw him dressed like that for interviews he wanted to lean over and start nibbling. Add on that he was, yet again, wearing the hat that AJ had bought him and, well, he was drool worthy. Another reason he was out here smoking. He was supposed to be getting his thoughts under control so he didn’t embarrass himself in front of their interviewers.
The cellphone in his hand buzzed, startling him enough that he almost dropped his cigarette. After shaking his head at his own stupidity, AJ flipped it open. There was a message from Brian. His eyes darted up, catching as Brian leaned against the kitchen counter, sipping at his coffee and smiling lightly to himself. The woman he’d been speaking to had moved away.
‘U know that shits bad for ur health, right?’
Oh God, leave it to Brian to lecture him via text messaging. AJ deliberately took a drag, looking right at Brian as he blew the smoke out. Then he typed his response. ‘U know u can shove it up your ass, right?’
He watched as Brian discreetly opened his cellphone, and then as he muffled a chuckle. A minute later his reply came in. AJ flicked his ashes and opened up the new message. ‘Don’t you wish, boy.’
Holy shit. Brian was flirting with him! AJ resisted looking up, resisted moving in any way but casual. Brian was flirting with him! That was a huge step for them. A huge step on Brian’s part. How AJ responded to it would be important. It could set the tone for how things would go later on.
Part of AJ thrilled at the idea of Brian flirting with him. The other part knew that Brian could just be testing himself, trying to find a way out of the darkness and pain and felt safe doing it with AJ. It didn’t necessarily mean that he was serious. But a guy could hope.
He put his smoke in his mouth and typed back to him. ‘Like I’ll tell you my fantasies! Those are private, u know!’
Watching as he was, AJ saw the grin that flickered over Brian’s lips when he read his newest message. Then he saw Kevin walk over and strike up conversation. Feeling particularly impish, AJ set off another text message, wondering if Brian would read it. ‘Tell your cousin that he needs to take the weed whacker to his eyebrows again, they’re getting outta control!’
To AJ’s surprise he saw Brian open his phone and read his message even as he was talking to Kevin. A startled laugh interrupted whatever Brian was saying. Since he couldn’t hear them, AJ was just watching the show. So he watched as Brian waved at Kevin, probably telling him not to worry about why he’d laughed. A minute later AJ’s phone buzzed.
‘I always thought they looked more like caterpillars when I was little.’
Laughing out loud, AJ set to make a response, but someone stepped onto the patio and snagged him. It was his turn for his part of the interview.
All morning, though, he couldn’t get out of his mind that Brian had flirted with him. That was an important step. Did that mean that it was time to start stepping up his own game? To up the ante just a little? So far he’d played the friend, and worked on rebuilding their friendship. But his plan was to court Brian. That took more than some video games and a few movie nights.
On that note, AJ started to plan.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
That night everyone was exhausted when they came back to the hotel. Brian found himself yawning on his way up the elevator. He was by himself, as the others were still outside signing autographs. Usually he stayed out with them all, but he’d been fighting to keep his eyes open for quite a while and he just couldn’t win anymore. The night before had been a long one, and he hadn’t slept for most of it. Add on the interviews and the show from the day and he just didn’t have much energy left to do more than head to his room.
He yawned again as the doors opened. Walking down the hallway he fished his keycard from his pocket. He barely paid any attention as he opened the door and went inside. Not even bothering to flick a light on, he stumbled back toward the bedroom after locking his door behind him. In there he turned on the small lamp and then turned to toss his keys on the dresser.
It was then he caught sight of it. Just barely lit from the open door, Brian saw something sitting on the coffee table in the living area. Curiosity had him heading out and flicking the light on. What on earth? The smell surrounded him even as his brain registered what he saw. Without realizing it, Brian found himself smiling widely.
There, on the coffee table, was a large vase of flowers. Their smell was filling the hotel room. He walked over and squatted down to get a better view. All of the flowers were the kind you would find down south. Camellias, magnolias, jasmine, gardenias, crepe myrtle, and hibiscus. It was like a little taste of home right there in his hotel room.
A card sat propped up against the vase. Without looking at it Brian knew who had sent these to him. His heart knew it the instant he had seen them.
Picking up the card with shaking fingers, Brian turned it over to read the message.
Just to see you smile, I’d do anything, that you wanted me to. When all is said and done, I’ll never count the cost, it’s worth all that’s lost, just to see you smile.
Hope this made you smile, Brian. I love you. – Alex
The first part was a lyric from a Tim McGraw song, one that Brian loved. The fact that AJ remembered that, and that he had thought to do this, had tears in Brian’s eyes.
Squatting there in the living area of his hotel room, Brian buried his face in the flowers and inhaled their scent as tears poured from his eyes and a smile lit up his face.