Copyright October 31, 2000 by Matthew Haldeman-Time

Rating: NC-17 for graphic male-male sex

Pairing: Brian Littrell/AJ McLean

Disclaimer: The young men who comprise the Backstreet Boys are their own people.  The author has not met anyone here described, nor does the author mean to suggest that these people act this way in real life.  This writing is a work of fiction.  I make no money from this venture.

Dedication: This slashfic is for Ewan McGregor and the Savage Garden slashers.  It's also for the many lovely people who've been supporting me and encouraging me.  Thank you to everyone who sent feedback.

Wherein Brian sees, Nick sees, and AJ...well, AJ comes.

Notice: This slashfic is the ninth part of a series.

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Erica

        Brian's fingers closed around the key that Nick had tossed to him.  He stood, reaching for his luggage, turning off lights.  Turning away from locking the door, he walked into AJ's room without warning.

        AJ was caught off guard in one rare moment, dropping his suitcase reflexively.  "Brian."

        He let his own luggage fall and reached for AJ, one hand wrapping around AJ's nape, the other on the small of AJ's back pulling AJ in for his kiss.  AJ was startled and tasted like Colgate and clutched at his biceps, pressed up against him, rubbed against him in that slinky sexy AJ way that always made him want to feel skin against skin.  His right hand released AJ, and after he distractedly kicked the door shut he groped for the deadbolt.

        "We have to go," AJ said breathlessly, breaking away from their kiss.

        "I'll make it quick," Brian promised, and turned them, pushing AJ up against the door, dropping to his knees.  Quick, confident hands pushed up AJ's shirt a little, and he licked at AJ's navel while he opened AJ's pants.  AJ's fingers were in his hair, which he liked - - except for that one time when AJ'd gotten too excited and pulled too hard.  This morning, he took it as a sign of what AJ wanted.  He took a moment to get adjusted, working AJ's cock into his mouth, getting it full and hard and ready, licking at the spot under the head that made AJ spit pre-cum.  But they were running late, they had to speed things along; so he relaxed his throat and took AJ in, and then AJ took over for him, as he'd expected.  AJ held onto his hair, held onto his ears, and rocked into him, fucked his mouth, thrust down his throat.  Each snap and roll of AJ's hips sent him down the path of glory, thick throbbing cock burning across his tongue and past his lips, in and out of him, and he felt an echoing response in his ass, his own hips rocking slightly.  He held still and breathed through his nose and let AJ fuck him, listened to AJ's harsh panting breaths.

        Hot bitter jism down his throat.  The muscles in AJ's thighs trembled under his fingers when he reached for support.  AJ's cock slipped from between his lips and he couldn't help but lean in for more, licking up AJ's thigh, tasting skin and then coarse black hair.  AJ pushed him away gently; he sat back on his heels and breathed through parted lips.  Normally nimble, now unsteady fingers closed AJ's pants and AJ knelt before him.

        "Hey."

        "Hey."

        And they kissed, and then Howie knocked on the door, and they went to the bus and kissed some more.

        "So you guys are okay now?" Nick asked that night, as they were in the hotel hallway.

        "Yeah," Brian said.  "Thanks."  Thanks for giving him a clue, finally.  Thanks for showing him what he'd been too blind to notice.  He saw it all, now.  He understood, maybe for the first time.

        Understood that he was in love with AJ.  That he wanted AJ, and they were strong together.

        That he loved Nick.  That he wanted Nick.  That it was okay to want Nick because Nick wasn't thirteen anymore.

        That he was in love with two very different young men.  That he had to pick one of them or neglect them both.  That no one could make the decision but himself.

        He'd made his decision.

        He messed up his hotel room a little, then went across the hall to AJ's, where he learned that make-up sex really was a very good thing.  And he slept in AJ's bed, twined with AJ's body.

        Brian had been in pain.  When Brian had come to him in the night from AJ's rejection, he'd been Brian's friend.  Warm, familiar, grounding.  No matter what, he was Brian's friend; he would not turn Brian's heartache to his own advantage.

        And Brian had, in the morning, seen fit to try again with AJ.  And AJ, no doubt lonely and jealous and afraid and hoarding a million regrets, had seen fit to take Brian back.

        Brian thought that he'd come to a realization?  Brian thought that he'd had an epiphany?  Brian still thought that he belonged with someone other than Nick.  Brian was blind.

        Nick wasn't blind.  He could see it all.  The writing on the wall, the secrets of Brian's heart, and the invisible, indelible tattoo on Brian's ass: Nick's Property.

        Nick was going to claim what was his.

        It wasn't over by a long shot.