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"More new help, I see."
Brian looked up at the familiar voice and grinned broadly, automatically extending a hand across the counter. "Hector. Long time, man."
"Yeah, no shit." After slapping Brian's hand, Hector hitched up his Dickies and leaned one elbow on the counter, tilting his head with a grin. "You whiter than ever, homes. Mexico wasn't good to you?"
Brian's smile faded as he shrugged. "Whaddya need?"
Hector dug in his pocket for a moment and produced a piece of paper with a list on it. He passed it over to Brian and shifted his weight, tapping his fingertips on the counter in his usual impatient manner. "Goin' for a new exhaust system this time."
Brian took the computer off its screen saver and started into the parts database. "Don't you use Magnaflow?"
"This is for my kid brother's car. He got him a ninety-four 'tegra."
"Aw, that's sweet."
Hector scowled at Brian's sugary tone, but the expression changed into a laugh at the last second. His cell rang and he gave Brian an apologetic look before turning away to answer it. Harry came up and shook Hector's hand in greeting, cast a watchful eye at Brian, then departed to talk to a few other customers.
Hector and his crew were handled smoothly, just the way Harry liked to treat his high rollers. As soon as they left, Brian tore open the receipt machine and pulled out the spool of tape. He hated giving customers the shit at the end of the roll, all curly and streaky with the red warning stripe, preferring instead to switch out the roll before it got that bad. Of course Ashley hadn't been keeping the supplies under the counter organized, so he had to duck down to dig through a couple of boxes before he could find a new roll. The door chime sounded but he ignored it, knowing there were few customers and enough employees for someone else to handle it. It was the end of the day, anyway. Harry was always anxious to get people dealt with quickly, so he often took the front of the store himself.
"Hey, hermano, you gotta see this." Hector's voice again. Brian glanced at the pool of strong sunlight falling behind the desk, checking out the silhouettes. He could see Hector's shaved head there, crisply outlined by the setting sun.
"Sure, gimme a sec."
The head turned. The profile looked nothing like Hector. The jaw was stronger, the nose a little more bulbous, the underside of the chin thick with muscle. Brian stood, trying not to fall over.
Dom.
Hector was grinning furiously, almost bouncing in place. "The bad is back, dawg. Check this shit out."
Brian forced a smile and looked at Dom, squinting as the sun hit his face. "Yeah, there's something I never thought I'd see again."
One of Hector's crew called for him, and he started making his excuses. "Hey Dom, come on down to El Gato tonight, we'll light it up." Dom ducked his head and tore his eyes away from Brian to nod at Hector, promising to call. The store cleared.
Harry then walked up and greeted Dom warmly, with a firm handshake, trying to take him on a tour to look at new merchandise, but he declined. "I was wondering if I could get a minute with Brian here."
Harry nodded, though he glanced at Brian. He looked like he was wondering what the cop and the mark had found in common. "Sure, as long as you want. I'll be closing up in a minute, but as long as Brian's here you can stick around." Dom waited until Harry had walked into his office, then turned to Brian.
"You got somewhere we can talk?"
Brian nodded. He could hardly believe Dom was standing in front of him, larger than life, so close it was frightening. He answered automatically, mouth working for a brain that couldn't keep up. "Go on in the back. I'll be done in," he checked the time, "fifteen minutes."
****
When he was finished with his shift, he found Dom pacing in the tiny back room, where the bed Brian had used during his undercover operation shared space with office supplies and industrial cleaners. Brian shoved his hands in his pockets and waited as Dom turned, having heard the door swing shut. They stared at each other for a second before Dom sat carefully on the stockroom footstool.
"You shouldn't be here." Brian had found his voice and all the mixed-up intense emotions that came with it. "Dammit, Dom, they'll lock you up and throw away the key if they catch a whiff of you. What the hell are you thinking?"
Dom rubbed his mouth and glanced up, eyebrows raised. "Look, I don't want to argue. Seeing you is worth the risk."
Brian sat on his bed and stared at Dom. After the stress and pain of being back in LA for the last six weeks, Dom just waltzed in like nothing had happened... "So why are you here?"
Dom straightened on the stool, evidently a bit more at ease when Brian's voice was lowered. "Vince saw you coming out of here a few days ago, and he called me."
"Is he here?" Brian got up to look out the window.
"He dropped me off. I'll call him if I need a ride."
When Brian turned around, Dom was standing. Brian backed up and braced himself against the doorjamb. "You didn't answer my question. What do you want?"
Instead of answering, Dom pulled out a folded and yellowed piece of paper. He handed it over.
It was a crayon drawing of something that was trying to be a car, basically a boxy shape in profile with two circles for wheels. In childish lettering across the top: When I grow up I want too be a rasecar drivr.
He remembered it, barely, from a second grade project on life goals. His mom had kept everything, and when he'd moved into the duplex she'd given him a box of mementos. He'd never looked through it, but apparently Mia had delivered it to Dom. Pulling himself away from the memory, he stared at Dom.
"I want to be with that Brian." Dom pointed at the drawing, holding himself still and straight. "Not the one who stresses out about jobs and money and friends. Somewhere Mia has stuff my mom kept, with a collection of drawings just like that one. I always had cars on the brain. I figure if we started out the same, we can find something to keep us together."
He pressed his lips together and went still, watching Brian for a reaction. After a moment Brian shook his head and tossed the paper onto the bed.
"I don't think it would work out."
Dom shoved his hands in his pockets and scrunched up his shoulders, a surprisingly childish pose of hurt and defensiveness that Brian would never have expected. Dom's shoulder muscles expanded with the gesture, an odd dichotomy of strength and weakness. "What about all the stuff we talked about? You're not making any sense."
He didn't know how to respond to this Dom who suddenly felt everything and showed it on his sleeve. Crossing his arms over his chest, Brian shook his head again. Dom pulled his hands out of his pockets and stepped forward. Brian quickly retreated. "I'm serious, Dom. You'd better get out of here."
Dom reached out with his hands low, as if trying to calm a skittish animal. He curled his hands around Brian's wrists and held them as he stepped in closer, eyebrows twisted with distress and confusion. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"They'll use me to get to you." Brian stepped back again but the doorjamb stopped him.
"Who's they?" Dom released Brian's wrists.
Brian found himself relieved at losing the contact. Too much too soon. "Who do you think? LAPD. My old boss himself."
Dom ducked his head in an effort to meet Brian's eyes, but didn't move away. He wanted him to know that he wasn't going anywhere without a damn good reason. His voice was gruff and quiet when he asked, "What did they do to you?"
Brian crossed his arms again. He directed his answers to the floor, but the fact that he was finally giving them was enough for Dom.
"Barton went to IAD. I tried to call Tanner as soon as I got into town, but he just told me to meet him in his office. I didn't even get that far. They pulled me in as soon as I walked in the front door. Barton may have lied to us about how much the feds had on you, but IAD wanted to talk to me. They wanted to know where I'd been in Mexico, what I'd been doing there, why I'd lied to people. I wouldn't tell them anything."
"There's more," Dom guessed, prodding.
Brian nodded. "They made me take a drug test. When they had the results, Tanner had me escorted out of the precinct. But I didn't have any place to go, so..." He cut himself off.
Dom rubbed his forehead, then his mouth. "Lemme get this straight. You've been under internal investigation for the last six weeks? And what, living in your car?" Brian felt his face flush, and Dom looked chagrined.
"I was in a motel for about a month. None of my old friends would call me back. I went to see a couple of them and they wouldn't answer the door. I fucked up too many times, even for Tanner. I doubt he'll ever speak to me again. So, I came back here. Harry let me have this room again-last time was when I was...undercover."
****
He shifted uncomfortably and Dom let him move away, watching him step over to the bed and sit down. Dom took the stool again, pulling it close.
"So why don't you want to come with me? What happened to all those plans you were makin', about the two of us?"
Brian braced his elbows on his knees and ran a hand through his curls, shaking his head. He picked up the crayon drawing and gestured with it. "You pissed on my ideas pretty thoroughly. Only took you six weeks to forget that, huh?"
Dom jerked a shoulder. He looked away. "You know me; act first, think later." Brian stood up and paced back to the door, his back stiff with anger. Dom cleared his throat unnecessarily and went on. "I was spooked at how fast things were moving along, and I kept finding things to be angry about. I wanted to blame Mia's arrest on you. That was wrong, I know it, but that really shook me up. You were so big on everything, in such a hurry to throw everything away...that's not how I wanted it to happen." He choked out a laugh at the irony of what came next: "Too fast."
Brian snorted humorlessly. "It happened anyway, without me even trying." He looked at Dom for the first time in several minutes. Dom noticed then the strain around his eyes, the haunted look in them. "When I couldn't get a new place fast enough, my landlord tossed or sold the stuff that Mia didn't take. I'm almost broke. I had to sell my car a few days ago. This," he said as he sat down, meaning the room and the job, "is what I have left."
It wasn't in Dom's nature to be a lemonade-out-of-lemons kind of guy, but he attempted the attitude anyway. He wasn't about to encourage Brian's depression any more than he already had. "That just means you have nothing to lose." From Brian's expression, that wasn't the right thing to say. "I'm sorry, Bri," he added. "Shitty deal."
"You got that right." Brian's voice was bitter, but finally, there was something they agreed on.
Dom couldn't figure out what else to say, so he went with what he knew best how to do: show, rather than tell. Easing off the stool, he stole a spot of mattress next to Brian and put his arm around his shoulders, combing a hand up through the mess of blond curls. Brian didn't pull away but didn't react, either.
Dom tried to lighten the mood. "So you brought my sister here? Kind of a shit hole for a date." He traced a fingertip over the curve of an ear.
"Seems good enough for you."
That was a dig. Dom rested his hand lightly on Brian's neck and paused, watching his profile. "I'm trying to be real clear about what I want." Brian looked over again, wary as a kicked dog.
"And that is?"
"You, with me. I'm sure of it now. I'm ready. I thought it was over between us, after you left and I couldn't get in touch with you. You weren't answering your phone, Mia said your house was empty."
Brian interrupted. "I tossed it," he said. "As soon as I got over the border."
Dom's mouth twisted in an alarmingly emotional way. "Do you know how scared I was?' he asked gruffly. "I didn't know if you were alive or dead. After what I did...to you..." He looked away. "I hate myself. I don't want forgiveness, I just want to make it right with you."
Brian just stared at him.
Dom cleared his throat and went on. "Vince saw you, and I hoped..." He paused and let that go. "If we can make this work, I'll do whatever you want; go wherever you want. Though you're right: I probably shouldn't stay in the states. I just want to make up for the way I treated you." He softened his voice further, stroking the back of Brian's neck. "I've fucked up too many times in my life; it's time I try to fix something before I lose it completely."
Brian sneered as he pushed off the bed and paced over to the door. "As much as I may have let you push me around, I'm not some bitch you can stroke and sweet-talk back into bed. None of this rubbing my neck crap is going to influence that."
Dom contemplated this for a minute, then nodded and stood. "You're right. But I'm asking you to just give me another chance, and think about this. Maybe we can talk again in a few days."
Brian crossed his arms, his jaw firm. "Maybe."
Dom let out a breath; Brian echoed it. Despite all the ridiculously extreme shit they'd been through, they'd just finished the most exhausting and uncomfortable conversation they'd ever had.
Dom fished for a cell phone in his pocket. "I'll stay with Vince. Mia can put you up at the house." Brian opened his mouth, but Dom cut him off while he waited for Vince to pick up. "It's better than a cot in a store room, Brian. Free meals, too. You gonna turn that down?"
Vince's voice came faintly through the phone, but Dom didn't say anything for a moment. He was watching Brian, waiting for an agreement. Finally Brian nodded again, and went to fill his duffle bag as Dom arranged a pick-up from Vince.
****
Dom had Brian wait in the car while he went into the house and talked to Mia, making Brian feel even more like a fucked-up nuisance. He slumped down in the back seat of Vince's Maxima, fingers digging into the stitching of the leather cushion while he watched a few pedestrians walk dogs one last time for the night. After a few minutes Vince cleared his throat.
"Me and Dom talked about you."
Brian looked around and met Vince's gaze in the rearview mirror.
"And...." Vince shifted in his seat and cleared his throat again. "Dom's my brother, y'know? Whatever makes him happy is cool by me, so long as it's good for him and everything. He wants this, I can tell. So...this whole thing with you and him. I'm okay with it."
Brian blinked. "You sure?"
Vince nodded and shifted his eyes away, unused to being on the spot in such a serious conversation. "I'll be okay with it."
Brian wanted to tell Vince not to let his issues go too quickly, but just then Dom tapped on Brian's window. Brian cracked the door open. "She's making up a bed for you. C'mon."
****
The conversation that had taken place inside the Toretto house had, apparently, been that Brian needed a place and didn't need questions asked. Mia greeted him and took him right upstairs, to what she said had been Dom's room. As soon as Brian set down his bag and thanked her, she nodded and left. Brian appreciated the lack of fanfare but didn't feel like staying in the room like a banished child, so he followed her back downstairs. Dom was already getting ready to head out with Vince, and paused only to say goodbye to Brian and Mia, and that he would be back soon.
It was after seven o'clock and Brian hadn't eaten, so Mia directed him to leftovers in the fridge and said that the house, with the exception of Mia's room, was open for exploring. "Mi casa," she said and tilted her head to finish. Brian smiled, a genuine expression. He ate and went back up to the room, poked around some of Dom's old things for an hour or so, then curled up on the bed to fall asleep.
The next night Dom and Vince came by for dinner, then broke out the Playstation afterwards. Mia went up to do homework after one round of four-person racing, leaving the uneven competition of three. Brian had always gotten bored easily with video games, so he gave up after an hour or so. The fun seemed to go out of it then, or at least Dom lost interest around the same time Brian did. Vince continued playing solo against the computer while Dom joined Brian on the couch.
"How's working at Harry's again?"
Brian shrugged. "Not as exciting as people think."
Dom nodded, giving Brian his full attention. "I used to get the same thing about being a mechanic for the racers around here. Jobs are jobs."
Brian nodded slowly, chewing on his lower lip. Just what was Dom's point?
But Dom stopped talking and watched Vince for a little while, then kicked out a foot and connected with Vince's leg. "Wanna get goin'?"
"Sure." He put a stop to the game and stood, stretching his arms over his head. Brian's eye was automatically drawn to the flash of skin under his t-shirt, but glanced away guiltily when Vince saw him looking. "I'll be outside," he told Dom with a pained expression.
Dom stood and waited until Vince had left, then looked down at Brian. He was smiling, playful. "I'd love to see you make a pass at him. He would die."
Brian snorted. "I like my ass un-kicked, thanks."
Dom laughed, a full and genuine sound Brian had missed hearing. He shifted his weight around, still grinning, then reached out toward Brian's head. Brian jerked back automatically but Dom just waited, then brushed the tips of his hair when Brian's skittishness had passed. "See you tomorrow."
****
A trend quickly developed. Dom came to dinner nightly, sometimes bringing Vince along. Afterward they would hang out in the living room doing something or other, and Dom would start up a conversation with Brian. They never talked about the relationship that had ended, only about mundane things. Dom wanted to know about his past, which Brian was reluctant to share. He always tried a small touch before he left, too. After about a week Brian grew comfortable enough to grant Dom a quick hug before he left.
That first time, Dom had been tentative until he'd gotten his arms all the way around Brian's ribs, then squeezed tightly. Brian had felt Dom's head rubbing against his, mouth brushing his ear, and had pulled away abruptly. The next night Brian still allowed the hug, but Dom had been more respectful and had kept it appropriately loose and brief.
Brian couldn't decide whether he was amused or annoyed by Dom's courtship behavior, but he had to respect the effort.
One night Dom had finally followed through on his promise to visit Hector, and wanted to take Brian with him to El Gato Negro. Despite the warm reception he'd gotten from Hector at The Racer's Edge, he begged off. Everybody knew that something weird had happened with him. Whether they knew it was that he'd been an undercover cop, or had been in a relationship with Dom, or that Dom was trying to get him back...he didn't know, but he didn't want to find out, either. Dom wheedled for a little while before giving in and respecting Brian's decision to stay home. The next night he showed up and said that Hector had asked about him; he would definitely have to go the next time they were invited, or Brian would just seem rude.
In the meantime Brian continued to work, cashing his paychecks and giving as much to Mia as she would take for rent and bills. The rest he diligently saved. Harry found out what a persuasive sweet-talker Brian could be and gave him commissions on sales, which helped his bank account immensely. Trying to reestablish his life from nothing felt odd, but he was determined to work back up to having his own place. Dom didn't say anything about them living together. It was too soon for that.
He was keeping his own low profile, anyway; taking over all the business work from Mia so she could concentrate on school. Mia had been worried about Dom messing up the books, but he dismissed her concerns, saying it was about time he pulled the business owner's weight with the store and garage.
A month passed, and Dom finally broke the trend of the casual nightly visits. He proposed a block party, which Vince and Mia happily agreed to. Brian still didn't feel quite in the same game as these three, who had known each other for their entire lives, and kept his distance from the planning. Mia politely asked him if he would attend the party, a question that was part joke considering he was living at the house, but he appreciated the gesture and said that yes, of course he would.
When the date for the party rolled around, all four were busy for most of the day with preparations. Dom fired up the big half-drum grill and started cooking the food supplied by the neighbors, while Vince took the money from a previously-made collection and got a huge tub of ice and Corona. Mia nudged Brian into a chair on the porch and stuck a beer in his hand, then went in to change her clothes.
With steaks and veggies grilling, Dom wandered through the house and leaned against the doorway behind the screen, looking out at the street, where a game of catch football was in progress. "You don't strike me as a football man."
Brian nodded and sipped. "Basketball was the sport of choice on my street."
"You've got the form for it."
Dom had started in on that, too; quiet comments about what he thought of Brian's body and looks. Brian had been uncomfortable with it, as with everything else, at first. After a month he was acclimated.
"Who'd you play with?"
"This guy...I was friends with him all the way through high school. Roman Pearce."
"Not friends anymore?"
Brian stood and finished off his beer, then opened the screen door and stepped into Dom's space. "Not exactly."
Dom respected the obviously touchy subject and took Brian's empty, then handed him a fresh Corona. "I gotta check on the meat."
It didn't escape Brian that Dom was trying to get him drunk, but he was fine with the plan. He had the next day off, and it had been years since he'd been able to drink at a party without having to drive home later. He sipped and followed Dom back through the house, taking up position next to him at the grill. Dom used a steak knife to slice off a slab of flank and held it up for Brian to take. He watched with interest when Brian accepted it without the use of his hands. Dom brought his fingers back to his mouth and licked them.
"It's good." Brian finished the bite and wandered down the driveway, purposely putting a swing in his ass for Dom's benefit.
****
Hector, Edwin, and their crews showed, as well as a few other small groups from the racing world. Leon made an appearance; he'd gone down to San Diego after the last hijacking and wasn't much for making trips back to Echo Park. No one knew what had happened to Letty after they'd dropped her off at her mother's house in Echo Park that last day. But with so many other familiar faces from the racing scene at the party, it almost felt like the old days.
The backyard rapidly filled and spilled over into the front. At times Dom had a hard time keeping track of Brian, but he would regularly pop into the backyard for another drink or a handful of chips and make eye contact before disappearing again. Mia noticed this a couple of times and commented to Dom, "You're being watched." He just grinned, not caring how stupidly happy he looked.
Around dusk a few new kids took over the street from the football players, and they brought a scuffed basketball. Brian finished off another beer and offered to make the teams even, two against two. Although he'd gotten his drink on pretty thoroughly by that point, Dom watched his consistent and regular arcing of the ball into the old hoop set on the garage door. He finally shut down the grill and sat on the front porch with his own plate, listening to Mia laugh with some of her college friends on the front lawn, watching the crowd. God, he'd missed this, this relaxed enjoyment of friends and family.
Suddenly he heard Mia shout, "Dom?" and jerk her head toward the end of the street. A cop's cruiser had turned onto their block. He got to his feet and calmly opened the screen door, nodding at his sister before slipping into the dimness of the house. Brian appeared in the driveway, having come see what Mia was yelling about.
But the cop did nothing except roll down the street. When he'd passed and turned onto the next cross street, Brian bounced the basketball back to its owner. "'Night, guys." He spent the rest of the night in some proximity to Dom, as if protecting him.
By eleven o'clock the party had been reduced to the racers, while the parents and kids had drifted back to their respective homes. Dom made the rounds and dropped hints that they should shut things down entirely, just to keep a low profile. It was a Friday night, anyway; there were strips to drag. He didn't have to ask twice, and by midnight they were back to a household of four.
Vince dropped onto the couch and turned on the TV, but he was snoring within fifteen minutes. Mia turned the set off and dimmed the living room lights, kissed her brother and hugged Brian, and begged off to finish a paper. Brian turned to Dom in the kitchen and raised an eyebrow. "You plan this?" His voice was slightly slurred.
Dom shook his head. "You want to go up to my room, anyway? There's not many other choices."
Brian nodded and headed for the stairs, relying heavily on the banister. His toe caught on one step and Dom touched his hip to steady him, then kept the contact as they continued up to his room. He turned on a dim desk lamp and took the straight-backed chair, slouching comfortably in it as Brian dropped onto the bed. It was a queen, and pushed up against one wall. He lay across the width of it with his shoulders to the wall, facing Dom.
"Have a good time?"
Brian nodded, overcome by a yawn. Dom smiled and started playing with a matchbox car on his desktop.
"This whole thing was for you, y'know."
"I figured that."
Dom tapped the car with a fingertip. "Sort of to welcome you back to the family, if you want us."
Brian pushed up on the bed and crossed his legs. " Welcome back'? What, I was a part of it before?"
Dom thought of Vince and shrugged. "Not so much with everyone's agreement."
Brian snorted. "Yeah, I was wondering if Vince was just pulling the older brother routine."
Dom smiled tentatively. "Anyway...this time everybody's in on it. So, whaddya think?"
It was an odd question. "Ah. Sure. I appreciate it."
Dom moved over to the bed. He asked, "Can I?" and waited until Brian nodded and scooted around, then lay down next to him. They both removed their shoes and Dom propped his head on his hand before continuing. "What about me?" At Brian's blank look, he added, "You think we could make a go of it again?"
Brian's expression shifted to one of discomfort. He shrugged uneasily and rolled onto his back, looking at the ceiling. "I never stopped wanting to be with you. That's not possible. But..." He shrugged again.
Dom put his free hand on Brian's stomach, hesitating before moving up and covering Brian's fingers. "Please." Brian looked over. "Please," Dom whispered again, leaning closer, Brian's gaze sighting on his mouth. Brian lifted his head from the pillow and closed the distance.
Brian only let Dom kiss him for a few seconds before he pulled away with a chuckle. "This how you'd make up with Letty?"
Dom let out a frustrated breath and relaxed down onto his pillow. "No. I never tried this hard."
Brian's eyes were warm from his smile, and slightly unfocused from drinking. "I guess I could cut you some slack." He leaned over Dom and lowered his mouth again, this time quickly deepening the kiss. Dom lifted a hand and pushed his fingers through Brian's hair, tugging it gently between his knuckles while he returned the kiss. His mouth felt wonderful, a slick heat that Dom had been sorely missing for months. But Brian broke off after a few minutes, breathing softly. "I'm not drunk enough that I don't know what I'm doing. I want to do this."
He nodded. "That's what I thought."
When he kissed Brian again, he put one hand at Brian's waist and crept under his shirt. Brian twitched with ticklishness but then arched encouragingly. While Dom explored Brian's mouth with his tongue, he pushed his hand up the warm expanse of chest under the shirt and tweaked his nipples into prominence. Brian writhed again and moaned softly, his own hands moving over Dom's back, pulling at his shirt. Dom let up long enough to strip Brian down to the waist, then rolled to his knees between Brian's legs and leaned over him. He started by just touching and tasting, his mouth making a slick trail across Brian's collarbones and down to his nipples. Brian moved like liquid underneath him, squirming and moaning softly. Dom left off with a gentle bite and slid his tongue lower. He plucked open the button of Brian's jeans and slid the zipper down, then went no further, just rubbed his hand against the growing bulge of Brian's dick and bit his hip gently.
"Dom," Brian whispered, the whine in his voice so quiet it almost wasn't there. His dick was starting to feel hot and hard under Dom's hand, a pleasant contrast to his mouth.
Instead of giving in, Dom backed off. "You know I can make you say yes, if I keep doing that," he said when Brian lifted his head. "So I'll give you a chance: if you don't want this, tell me before I go too far. It's not your last chance," he added when Brian frowned. "But it may be for tonight."
Brian plucked at Dom's shirt. "I wouldn't have let you get me drunk, otherwise." Dom's nostrils flared as he braced himself above Brian. "Just, y'know...inhibitions."
"Pride?" Dom's voice was rumbling with desire. He touched Brian's face, traced his lower lip with a thumb. Brian shook his head.
"Uncertainty. Fear."
A pained look crossed Dom's face. He leaned closer and kissed Brian on the forehead, then a cheekbone, then his mouth. "I'm sorry."
Brian kissed him back and started working on his shirt buttons. "I know. I think I just needed time, to back off and think about what I really wanted. To get shit sorted out here first."
"To figure out if you wanted to ever see my ugly ass again?"
Brian frowned, this time out of disapproval at Dom's choice of words. "I wouldn't put it like that, but..."
Dom's lips quirked in a self-deprecating smile. "I take it the outlook is good, then." He glanced down at his own opened shirt. Brian nodded, lifting his head.
With that assurance, Dom resumed the kiss and went back to stroking that smooth expanse of chest like he was checking for imperfections. Brian bit Dom's jaw and grabbed his shirt, pushing it roughly over his shoulders and trapping his arms against his body. "Let me look at you," he breathed against Dom's throat, shifting underneath him.
Dom's face flushed with the attention, but he nevertheless shed the shirt and rolled onto his back, gripping Brian's hips when Brian straddled him. Brian began returning the same treatment he'd gotten, running his fingers over Dom's torso. He rubbed a nipple with his thumb and leaned down to bite it. "Do you know how much I love your body?"
Dom slipped a hand up to feel his jaw working as he sucked. "Gimme a break. But don't stop doing that." Brian pulled particularly hard with his lips and made the entire side of Dom's chest ache sweetly.
"I'm serious." He switched to the other nipple and pressed his palm against Dom's tensed stomach. "You're all golden. And ripped. If we were the types I'd take you out to clubs and show you off."
"Over my dead body." Brian had stretched out to chew on his shoulder, so Dom took the opportunity to knead his back and ass. Their hips ground together, erections smothered by clothing.
Brian hummed a noncommittal sound and sucked one of Dom's earlobes in his mouth. A current of lust shot straight through his groin, making him swear softly. He reached up and grabbed Brian's shoulder. "Tease."
"Uh huh," he responded happily. He swiped his tongue over Dom's temple and rubbed his scalp. "I like it when you're stubbly, too. And then there's these big brown eyes, and that thing you can do with your eyebrows—that," he said when Dom looked at him like he was nuts. "And I swear I've had wet dreams about your mouth."
That mouth curved in a smile. "You're not dreaming now, but we'll see about the wet part." He pushed Brian up onto his hands and knees, sliding down the bed underneath him, stopping when he could press his face against Brian's groin, listening to the groan in response. His breath warmed the fabric of Brian's boxers for a few seconds before he tugged them down and licked the length of his cock. When he got to the head, he licked it clear of pre-come and wrapped his hand around the base to guide the shaft into his mouth. He stopped his lips just behind the crown, sealing them to form a vacuum and rub the flat of his tongue all over the weeping tip.
"Oh, fuck," Brian said from somewhere above his head, dropping to his forearms. His pelvis trembled, possibly from trying to hold back from thrusting wildly into Dom's mouth. Dom used his free hand to stroke over Brian's hip and to his ass, fingers teasing the sensitive skin of his cleft. Brian swore again and pulled away suddenly. "Want to get this stuff off before I pop." He tugged at his jeans.
While he was still struggling with the tangle of fabric, Dom slid off the bed and helped him pull everything off. Socks quickly followed, and then Brian was naked. Dom paused, kneeling on the floor, admiring the view. Brian smiled self-consciously and pushed himself back up the mattress, pulling the bedclothes open and sliding his legs under the sheets. He flipped back the blankets in invitation.
Dom stood and opened his fly. He watched Brian watch his hands, stroking himself through the gap of his opened zipper, and saw Brian reach down and grab himself with a firm grip. "Having a little problem?" he asked with a grin.
Brian scowled. "Little? Maybe I have changed my mind."
"All right, all right." Dom stripped off the rest of his clothing, then climbed into bed and leaned over Brian. Their mouths met eagerly, the kisses deep and hot. Dom moved closer until his dick was pressed against Brian's hip, insistent that they get on with things. He ground against him in slow, small circles. Heat bloomed everywhere they touched. "I want to be in you," he whispered. He felt a little stupid saying it, but Brian's groan was worth the weirdness. "I want the longest, slowest fuck possible. I want to hear you yell when you come." Brian groaned again but the sound was muffled against Dom's mouth. They parted with bared teeth and panting breaths.
"Get something." Brian licked his own lips, then Dom's.
Brian laughed when Dom merely reached over, pulled open the drawer, and flourished a bottle of lube. He leaned back and put it on Brian's chest. Brian opened his mouth to protest, but Dom interrupted.
"You do it. I saw the blood," he said gravely. "Last time I really screwed things up. Tonight is about fixing them."
"Your ass is mine?" Brian clarified with a disbelieving grin, but Dom nodded seriously. "Oh. Um, okay."
His offer seemed to have made Brian uncomfortable, so Dom knocked the bottle off his chest and rolled Brian onto his side, tangling their legs together so he could get in close. "No pressure, O'Conner." Brian nodded and cupped Dom's neck, rubbing his jaw with a thumb while he leaned in for a kiss. They tangled tongues for a while longer, letting themselves cool off a bit, then warm back up. Brian got grabby with Dom's shoulders and neck, using him as an anchor and rubbing up against him with increasing frenzy. Finally Dom rolled flat and pulled Brian with him, tearing his mouth away to ask, "Back or front?"
Brian interpreted that fragment correctly, something Dom hadn't realized he'd enjoyed until he was missing it. He murmured, "Back," and pushed himself onto his knees, hands falling to Dom's thighs to steady himself before he reached for the lube. "I want to see you."
Dom let out a slow breath at that. Brian was busy measuring out a stream of the slick stuff into his palm, an endearing look of concentration on his face. He jacked himself a couple of times, then poured a few more drops out and lowered his hand. Dom brought his legs up until his feet were flat on the bed, spreading himself open. Brian spread the slick fluid along Dom's cleft and pressed gently at his entrance. Dom inhaled sharply and shifted, yearning for that first overwhelming sense of fullness from being breached. "C'mon," he whispered.
"Patience," Brian whispered back. A grin crossed his face, and while Dom was looking up at him, he chose that moment to push inside. A tremble ran through Dom's body, a mix of mild discomfort and overriding desire. He reached down and grabbed Brian's wrist, then ran his fingers down until he could feel where his body was tight around Brian's fingers. Brian breathed out unsteadily and withdrew his fingers, only to push them in again, moving through the circle of Dom's touch. For some reason Dom feeling Brian's movements with his hands as well as his body was hotter than anything they'd done before.
Then Dom upped the ante, reaching down with his free hand and wrapping it around his dick. He stroked himself leisurely, showing off. Brian moaned as he watched, caught up in the spectacle Dom was making. Dom's smirk said he knew the exact effect he was having on Brian.
Brian pushed deeper and found Dom's prostate, watching him jerk when he pressed against it. Finally he pulled his hand free and moved in closer, asking "Ready?" in a hoarse voice while he took himself in hand. Dom nodded, and Brian pushed in again.
He stretched out over Dom, bracing himself on his hands. Dom ran his touch down Brian's back to his ass, then up again, long encouraging strokes while Brian's hips pumped. Brian wasn't going to last long; the desk lamp's yellow light gleamed on the slick sheen of sweat that covered him, and he was breathing unsteadily. He hadn't been seeing to himself since leaving Mexico. Dom hadn't jerked himself off either, not much, but his desire to do things right was overruling his libido.
Still, for both their sakes, he didn't wait long before teasing Brian. Brian's thrusts started to get jerky, so Dom reached down and grabbed his ass with both hands, feeling the muscles moving powerfully under his grip. As he'd suspected, Dom's touch sent Brian to the edge, and within a few seconds he gasped and shuddered to a halt. Dom closed his eyes, concentrating on the feeling of Brian's dick jerking softly inside him.
"Sorry." Brian was breathless, a little shaky. "I'll take care of you."
Dom just lifted his head and brushed a kiss against his mouth. "Don't worry about me. Lay back for a minute." He rolled them over, watching him settle contentedly and draw the sheet up.
He could hardly bear to take his eyes away from Brian, but he did so long enough to go into the connecting master bath and wet a washcloth. After Dom had finished with the cloth and tossed it into a hamper, Brian immediately rolled over and twined around him, replete with orgasm hormones. Dom felt a series of biting kisses start down his neck and groaned softly. "Bri."
"Hmm?"
"'Member what I said earlier, about what I wanted to do with you?"
Brian bit extra firmly and pushed his face against Dom's neck. Oh yeah, he remembered.
"I still want to do that," Dom continued softly. In reply, Brian lifted his head and kissed Dom soundly, biting and sucking his lower lip before thrusting his tongue deep. Dom's cock jerked in reaction as a surge of need went through him. He pulled his mouth free. "Roll over."
Brian gave him a look that said, What are you planning? but obeyed. Dom pressed close, his arm resting on Brian's back, nuzzling around his neck. He started by licking the shell of his ear, just the outside, light enough that Brian shivered all over and muttered his name into the pillow. Dom chuckled and bit the lobe gently, then moved over to the back of his neck. Brian tilted his head, stretching out to allow access. Dom paused to enjoy the smell of his hair at the nape, sucking on a patch of skin, then bit down to his shoulders. He worked his way down the long, lean back and stopped at the base, rubbing his cheek against the downy hair above where Brian's boxers usually were.
"When we were in Mexico..." He waited until Brian hummed muzzily for him to continue. "When I said I love you. I meant it. Still do." The sound of Brian's breath hitching told him everything he needed to know. "Lift up."
Brian pushed up onto his forearms and knees. Dom spent a long time bringing him back to full arousal, igniting all those sensitive nerve endings in his cleft with his tongue and lips. By the time Dom was done licking and sucking, Brian was fully hard again. Tremors of anticipation ran through his body as Dom pulled away, moaning when a broad palm came up to cup his dick. But Dom only stroked him a couple of times, then grabbed onto the curve of his hip. "Roll over."
Dom sat back on his heels and looked his fill when Brian flopped onto his back. A flush darkened his chest and face, and his curls were damp with sweat. He watched Dom in return, breathing quickening the movement of his ribs. "I want you to."
Dom nodded. He was apprehensive about getting down to it, but leaned over and pressed a kiss to Brian's forehead, then his neck. As Brian tilted his head back, Dom spread his knees, mirroring their previous position. In a few minutes Dom had made use of the lube and eased himself inside Brian. He knelt, Brian's hips pulled up onto his lap, thrusting as slowly as he could manage, watching Brian writhe. At the end of the first stroke, Brian grabbed his neck and pulled Dom's mouth to his.
The kisses were like drugs to an addict. Dom pulled his mouth away before he got distracted and rushed things: he had a plan and he wanted to stick to it. Brian seemed to get that; he didn't try to pull Dom back. Instead he started moving his hands over Dom's chest and arms, toying with his nipples until they peaked and ached. Dom allowed the exquisite torture and continued at his pace, watching Brian's reactions intently in the low light. Brian eventually reached down and grabbed Dom's wrists where they held his hips, anchoring himself while he pushed up. Dom could almost see Brian's dick throbbing. He gasped as his climax came upon him quickly, making his thrusts hasty and uncoordinated. He fell back and pulled out of Brian, sprawling on the bed.
In a second Brian rolled over and spooned up against Dom's side, leaning in for a kiss. Dom felt the weight of his cock on his hip, grinding earnestly. Knowing what Brian was after, he wrapped an arm around him in a tight hug and sucked Brian's lip between his, biting gently. A warm rush spread over his stomach and chest while Brian moaned. His head fell back onto Dom's shoulder. Panting breaths tickled Dom's neck.
"You'd think we hadn't done this in a while," Brian mumbled.
Dom could see his point. They had both come and everything, but it was too fast for his liking and he hadn't wanted Brian to have to hump him to get off. He tightened the hug for a moment. "Guess we need practice." He closed his eyes, anxiety filling him. "If you want to."
Brian leaned over Dom, fixing him with an earnest look. "I wouldn't be here if I didn't." He got to his feet and got a fresh washcloth.
As he cleaned them both up, Dom asked, "So what do you want to do?"
He gestured at the rumpled covers. "Sleep."
****
When Brian woke the following morning, Dom was gone from the room. He showered quickly and dressed in the last of his clean clothes, then went downstairs.
Dom was just coming up out of the basement with a couple of boxes in his arms, and, after giving Brian a warm look as he passed, he added them to a stack in the living room. He followed him in there and nodded at Vince, who was sitting on the couch with a bowl of cereal, watching TV.
"Sleep okay?" Dom's low voice distracted him. He nodded and turned back to look at Dom. To his surprise, Dom hooked a finger in his belt loop and pulled them together, leaning in for a brief kiss. "Good morning."
"Morning," Brian replied, both pleased and self-conscious. Vince huffed behind them. Dom gave him a look over Brian's shoulder and turned back toward the kitchen.
"How about pancakes?"
Brian wasn't sure who he was talking to, but Vince immediately called back, "Fuck, yeah!" He passed by Brian, giving him a small nod that was the closest thing to friendly Brian had ever seen from him.
Brian followed Vince into the kitchen. "What's with the boxes?" he asked Dom.
Dom plopped a jug of milk on the counter and searched for pancake mix in one of the cabinets. "After breakfast. Sit down and have some coffee. Ah, if you want." Vince was at the sink, washing out his bowl. He snorted derisively at Dom's careful tone. Dom nudged him in the soft flesh of his side with his fingertips, making him twitch. "Knock it off, fucker."
"Blow me. Aw shit," Vince continued with an eye on the clock, "I got to get home anyway. Later."
Dom watched him leave, nodding in goodbye as he passed the kitchen window outside. "I think he's going to be doing that for a while," he murmured to Brian. "Reestablishing hierarchy or something."
Brian feigned disinterest. "Not like it was anything unusual." He poured himself a cup of coffee and sat at the table, watching Dom attack a mixing bowl. "Need any help?"
Dom shook his head and turned on the stove. "Could use some more coffee, though."
Brian got up to pour a fresh cup, then leaned against the counter next to Dom and tilted it for him to sip while he worked. Dom's eyebrows quirked, and then he pulled away. "I could get used to you being around."
Brian put the cup down. "You could." He almost made it a question, but changed his mind at the last second.
Dom poured batter into the pan and then, with his hands free, cupped Brian's right wrist and thumbed the frayed bracelet. "I want to."
Brian didn't pull away, but Dom could tell he wanted to. All Brian said was, "We'll see." Dom let it drop for the moment and turned his attention back to the stove. He scrambled some eggs to go with the pancakes, then sat down with Brian to eat in near silence.
After Brian finished washing the dishes, he went out to the living room where Dom was restacking the boxes. He pointed to a small grouping. "You'll probably want to take those upstairs."
"What's in 'em?" At Dom's nod, Brian pulled the flaps open on the top one. T-shirts, his, were neatly folded and piled inside. The next box revealed stacks of jeans and a few sweatshirts.
"Don't know why I didn't do this before," Dom muttered. He pulled open another box and took out a handful of books, then went over to a bookshelf and arranged them. Brian followed him and touched his hand to get him to stop fussing.
"Better hold off on that until we figure out what we're going to do."
Dom leaned against the bookcase, like he wasn't able to support his own weight. "We?"
"Yeah."
Dom gathered up the books and handed them to Brian. "Okay."
Brian did put his clothes and other necessities in Dom's room. Dom followed him up with the last of the boxes and watched as he unpacked them. "So what are we going to do? No rush," he added innocently when Brian gave him a warning look.
"I don't know about me, but you shouldn't spend much more time stateside. You could get a ticket for jaywalking and end up doing eight to fifteen."
Dom nodded, but his body language was assertive. He planted his feet in the doorway and pushed his hands in his pockets. "But I'm not going anywhere without you, so if you don't want to leave here...the choice is made."
Brian sat on the bed and ran his hand through his hair, frustration mounting quickly. His tone came out unintentionally aggressive. "Don't pull the martyr bullshit, okay? And don't put this on me."
When he looked up, he could actually see the changes cross Dom's face: irritation, a fight for control, careful thought. "I'm not trying to do any of that. Look, I'm not going to fight with you about something I don't want to do, just because you think it's for my own good." With that, he turned and left the room.
Brian spent the next half hour trying to calm himself by putting his clothes in Dom's dresser. When he wandered back downstairs again, he discovered with surprise that Dom was not in the house. Nor was he outside.
Unnerved by Dom's decision to actually leave without saying anything, Brian absently took the rest of his boxes back down to the basement. He puttered around the house when he was finished, munching on snacks he wasn't hungry for and checking the clock while he cleaned the kitchen. He watched some TV, played a video game for a while, poked through the books in the living room. For once he had a day off and not much to do, and the combination of boredom, frustration, and concern over where Dom had gone was making him restless.
Finally he decided to try Dom's cell. As the phone rang in his ear, though, he heard a ringing echo in a nearby room. Following the sound into the living room, he spotted Dom's cell lighting up on the coffee table.
****
When Mia returned from her weekend lab class, she found Brian in the driveway, shirtless, furiously shooting hoops. His intense concentration and Dom's lack of presence told her not to say anything. She went inside and started dinner.
Dom did return for the meal, but Brian was in the shower when he arrived. He greeted his sister with a kiss on the cheek, then got himself a beer and started helping her with stir frying some vegetables. He only looked up briefly when Brian came downstairs and stopped in the kitchen doorway.
"You guys have a fight or something?" Mia asked casually. She cut up the last of the steak left over from the night before and threw it into the pan.
"Difference of opinion," Dom replied, looking at Brian. Brian gazed back stonily.
"Over what?"
"It's okay, Mia," Brian answered. "We'll work it out." Dom didn't say anything more while Brian pulled open the silverware drawer and started setting the table.
The dinner was as quiet as the preparations had been. Mia glanced back and forth between her brother and Brian for a few minutes, then sighed and settled in to eat a lonely meal.
Then, out of the blue, Dom swallowed a mouthful of beer and said to Brian, "Is it that you don't want to be with me? ‘Cause I can handle that if you just tell me."
"No," Brian said, slightly alarmed.
"Don't lead me on, is all I'm sayin'," Dom continued, trying to feel out the strength of Brian's answer.
"I'm not. Don't put words in my mouth."
Mia raised her eyebrows and took her plate into the kitchen.
Dom leaned across the table toward Brian and put his hand down, palm flat, as if symbolically laying out what he wanted to say. "Compromise?"
"How?" Brian dropped his fork onto his plate and leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms.
"I don't know, but fighting's not going to get us any answers."
Brian had to admit that; he nodded grudgingly.
"We could go back to the way things were before," Dom offered. "Me being in Mexico, you here."
Brian picked up his fork and toyed with his food. "I don't know. Let me think about it."
Nodding, Dom let it drop and went back to eating. They finished the meal with some small measure of peace, and talked about Brian's upcoming work schedule to keep the awkward silences at bay. When they cleared the table, Mia took their dishes to wash with hers and shooed them out of the kitchen, muttering something like, "Gotta decide sometime."
Dom jerked his head toward the upper floor and led the way to his old room. While Dom sat on the bed, Brian closed the door behind himself and shoved his hands in his pockets.
Dom flicked his eyes between Brian and a towel lying in the doorway of the master bath. "Forget something?"
Brian looked. "Shit, I was gonna clean that up."
"Didn't you take a shower this morning?" Dom asked, watching Brian bend to pick it up.
"Got all gross shooting hoops. I figured Mia would kill me if I stunk up the kitchen making dinner."
Dom kicked off his shoes and stretched out. "More hoops, huh? Didn't think you were such a jock."
Brian took the desk chair. "Just blowing off some steam." Dom raised an eyebrow, prompting him to continue. "I was pissed, about what you said before you left, and then you leaving. Without your phone."
Dom smirked and pulled a hand out from under his head, wagging a finger at Brian. "Now you know how it feels, Mister fucking throw my phone on the side of the road O'Conner."
"Hey—" When Dom directed a half-serious glare at him, Brian gave up making a fuss. "All right, I get it."
Dom sat up and swung his legs over the side of the bed, curling a hand. "C'mere." As soon as Brian moved over in front of him, Dom reached up and slipped his hands under Brian's shirt, pushing it up so he could press his cheek against the flat stomach and hold him. "Probably better that I left, huh? Less yelling an' shit."
Brian cupped the back of Dom's head, rubbing the warm stubbly scalp with his thumb. "I'm just tired of never getting along on anything."
Dom smiled against Brian's skin. "Me, too." He looked up. "So why don't we just agree on something?"
That seemed to make Brian nervous; he dropped his hand from Dom's head and slipped away. "What do you mean?"
"You stay here, I'll get out of California. The way it was while you were still at LAPD." Dom gripped the edge of the bed. His voice made it sound as though the idea was perfectly reasonable, but his body was tense.
Brian dropped into the desk chair, sighing. "I don't really like that idea, either."
"Why not?" Dom's voice was now tense, too.
"Because I don't want to be anywhere without you." He said it in a rush, the confession harassed out of him. When he looked, he saw a flare of triumph in Dom's eyes.
"So what's keeping you at Harry's? Come with me."
"I don't want to just leave—"
"You think he doesn't have a thousand high school boys begging for your job? Shit, you were riding register, Brian. It's not like you're irreplaceable."
It took Brian a moment, but Dom watched it happen. He looked around the room, rubbing his mouth. Nervous, quick. Legless arguments being pushed out of his mind. Then: "Okay."
Dom was off the bed and across the room in a second, pushing Brian's chair back against the desk. He lowered his head and kissed Brian fiercely, teeth biting for permission, tongue entering when Brian opened. Brian gasped for a breath and started kissing back, then pushed Dom away after a second. "You're killing my back."
Dom hauled him up, pushing up his shirt again, hands crawling and clawing over Brian's skin. Brian stripped the shirt off and kissed Dom, pushing him back toward the bed. The backs of Dom's knees hit and he sat, Brian overbalancing and catching himself with his hands before he fell completely. Dom put his hands on him, stroking over rib and spine, scratching his nipples just hard enough to make Brian suck in air through his nose. Dom bit Brian's tongue and pulled free to speak. "Want you."
Brian's breath was fast and heavy. "Yeah."
They were hanging half off the bed, so Dom let him go long enough for them both to readjust and stretch out. Neither got up to undress; Dom just started pulling at Brian's clothes, his mouth working over Brian's throat and shoulder while he fought with his jeans. He pushed them halfway down Brian's hips and tangled briefly with the boxers, then wrapped his hand around his dick and started stroking. The frenzied quickness passed; he slowed his hand, petting with his fingertips, watching and feeling Brian pump his hips eagerly.
After a minute Brian opened his eyes and reached for Dom's shirt. Dom let Brian strip him to the waist, but then didn't give him the chance to go any farther. He pushed Brian onto his back and pinned his hips down, trailing his lips and tongue along Brian's chest to his cock.
Brian sighed and arched when Dom took him into his mouth. Only then did Dom bother with Brian's clothes, pulling the jeans and boxers away while his mouth moved up and down his shaft. He felt Brian kick briefly, then the clothes were gone, and he could run his hands up and down the strong thighs, lightly furred. Brian's breath hitched and grew shallow, his pelvis pumping his dick into Dom's mouth. As his lips and tongue slid over the smooth shaft, Dom let up some of the pressure, letting him move more freely. He put a hand between Brian's legs, stroking the sensitive skin behind his dick, testing the taut heaviness of his balls, teasing his hole with a fingertip. Brian's breath sobbed once, his hips jerking before he struggled for control.
But Dom wanted to make him lose it. Pulling back up to the head of Brian's cock, he stroked it with his tongue, then moved down again, picking out the swell of vein and texture of skin with his lips. He inhaled through his nose and forced himself to relax, bracing himself on both hands, then stretched his neck and went down farther than he ever had. Brian's cock slid across his palate to the back of his throat, pre-come warm and salty.
Brian's voice was breathless and weak. "God, Dom...Dom, DomDomDom—"
He got the warning, pulling up just enough that he didn't choke in surprise when Brian came. He swallowed what he could and let the rest run out of his mouth, not releasing Brian until he was finished and bonelessly limp on the bed. Dom lifted his head and backed off, trying not to jostle the mattress while he went to get something to clean them up.
Brian opened his eyes when he felt the tissue on his skin. He reached up and touched Dom's arm, waiting while Dom threw the tissue away, then tugging on him. "Come here." After Dom sank onto the bed and stretched out on his side, Brian wrapped an arm around his waist and pulled them together. "Why are your pants still on?"
Dom smiled, his eyes moving over Brian's face, fingers following to touch his cheekbone and mouth. "It's okay."
Brian rolled his eyes. "What if I want to make you come?" His voice, already sex-roughened, lowered to a purr. "What was that stuff you said last night? Be in you...long, slow...yelling involved." He reached between them and deftly unfastened Dom's fly, rubbing the hard swell of his erection. "It's too early for sleep."
Dom, already sliding toward orgasm from Brian's hand alone, caught his wrist and put another inch between them. "Keep that up and I won't last another minute."
"Shit, can't have that." Brian sat up, nudging Dom onto his back so he could divest him of his clothes. He spread himself over Dom, his softening cock pressed against Dom's hardness, legs and arms tangled. Dom hugged him and lifted his head to kiss.
Dom was willing to just have a hand or a pelvis to rub against, but Brian was insistent and found the lube bottle where it had rolled under the bed. He was relaxed enough after orgasm, anyway, that he eased himself down onto Dom without a flinch. Dom's nostrils flared as he was tightly enveloped. He reached up with shaky hands and started touching Brian again, distracting himself from the heady pleasure of being ridden. But Brian was, as always, intent on being noticed. He found his balance sitting upright and started doing all the work, his thighs flexing powerfully as he lifted himself and sank down again. The position enabled Dom to go deep and hit the right angle to clip Brian's prostate, if they tried, and after a few minutes Brian's dick was half-hard. Dom noticed and wrapped his hand around it, watching the arousal flicker over Brian's face as he stroked it. "Look so damn hot," he muttered, "fucking yourself on me."
Brian gasped and fell forward, bracing himself while his hips snapped down. "Goddammit," he laughed shakily. "Did that on purpose."
Dom put his hands on Brian's hips and pulled him down for the next thrust, pushing up his own hips to drive deep. Brian moaned. "Maybe." He turned his face enough to be able to kiss Brian's mouth, his lips wet with sweat. Dom felt his climax come over him and pulled Brian's hips down again, then again and again, groaning against Brian's mouth, then stopped, finished. Brian pillowed his head on Dom's shoulder.
"Wasn't quite yelling," Dom mumbled when he could feel his legs again.
"Well, I tried." Brian smiled and sat up, all languid movements. He swiped a couple of fingers through a small puddle he'd unknowingly left on Dom's stomach. "Wow."
Dom looked, and managed a grin. "Enjoy yourself?"
"Always." But a wince crossed Brian's face as he lifted himself off Dom. Dom wasn't worried; neither of them were in porn-star shape, so the sex positions tended to leave one stiff in the joints. Besides, they'd only fucked twice in the last ten weeks.
He thought about that as Brian cleaned up in the bathroom. Ever since he'd started dating Letty, he'd never had more than a two-week dry spell. They'd have their fights and make up quickly. Not to mention, he'd cheated on Letty more than once. Brian was one of a few people Dom had fucked in recent years, but he was the only person he'd cared enough about to chase after a breakup. That's pretty much what it had been; he'd finally allowed himself to admit it.
The touch of a hot cloth on his stomach brought him back to the present. Brian was looking at his face. "You with me?"
Dom pulled him onto the bed, rolling on top of him for a slow kiss. "I hope so."
****
Two weeks later, and they were once again putting boxes into a trailer. Brian had insisted on waiting that long to give Harry notice, and in fact he was finishing up his last shift at The Racer's Edge while Dom packed. Mia was inside cooking up one last big dinner, and thanks to her, snacks and drinks for the drive would be going into a cooler. Vince would be by after work as well for the drive down to Ensenada. They were going to stop at Luis's and spend a day or two, talk about getting work and a place to stay, and then try to settle.
Everything had come together. When he'd first gone to ground in Mexico, Dom hadn't wanted to buy another house, not anywhere, fugitive instincts telling him to live simply and travel light. But since that Spring Break weekend had ended so disastrously, he found himself wanting to find a nice little street, some bungalow with a back yard, a track within decent driving distance. It didn't matter where. It did matter who he'd be with.
Vince had gotten used to the sight of Dom kissing Brian, or at least had trained himself to stay silent when it happened, so there wasn't as much tension in the kitchen when Brian got home and Dom greeted him appropriately. They sat down to manicotti and one of Mia's big, leafy salads, going back for seconds and thirds until the most they could manage to swallow was some gourmet coffee Brian had brought home. Afterward they went into the living room and watched a movie while the food coma wore off. Around nine o'clock Dom nodded to Brian and got his leather jacket out of the closet.
Mia immediately started tearing up. "Call me when you get there, okay?" Dom hugged her tightly and kissed her forehead, then wiped her cheeks with his thumbs.
"It won't be forever, Bella; just until it's safe for me to come back. Come down and visit when you get some time off of school. If you get good grades."
"If," Mia scoffed. She sniffled and grinned, pushing Dom away, then went over to Brian and wrapped her arms around him. "I'm glad for you," she whispered, but not low enough that Dom couldn't hear. "But if you hurt him like that again, I'll kill you."
Brian kissed her cheek with a hug, then nodded when she pulled back. "Take care."
The goodbyes were similar in Ensenada, though Vince was perhaps cooler than Mia had been to Brian. But Dom's hug with his oldest friend was long and tight, and they both parted clearing their throats. Brian accepted a lifted chin and bumped fists, and then Vince got back in the car.
"I'll call Mia for you," he said as he started the car. He revved the engine a couple of times and grinned, then popped the Maxima into gear and peeled out. Dom chuckled, knowing the neighbors couldn't have appreciated that in the early morning hours. He waited until the car had turned off the street and disappeared, then turned to Brian.
"One," Brian said. Dawn was on its way, and his face look ethereal in the bluish light.
"One what?"
"Two," he continued. Dom frowned. "Ten seconds at a time, right?"
Dom shook his head and started walking toward the little bungalow behind Luis's house, Brian falling into step next to him. "Guess you never got the message. A quarter mile's too short."