A Little Relief
Part 20
AJ reached the shore, and walked out of the water, before dropping face down onto the sand, his head laying on his arms. He hadn't heard Howie come after him, and so was unprepared for the feeling of Howie's warm hands caressing his shoulders, intent on rubbing out the tension he could feel building there.
"I love you Alex. With everything I am." Howie leaned down and whispered in AJ's ear as he continued to massage his back.
AJ squeezed his eyes shut when he heard Howie's whispered words, although a few tears managed to squeeze out anyway. Howie's hands worked their magic though, and he felt his muscles relaxing as Howie worked on his back.
Howie could sense AJ's emotions and had a pretty good idea what he was thinking, so he decided to keep talking to him, and tell him what he was thinking.
"Do you remember how things were before we got together? We were letting our friendship fall apart because we were to scared to be honest with each other. Somewhere along the way I fell in love with you. I don't know the when's, why's or how's of it, only that I felt something for you that I shouldn't. And it scared me."
As he talked, Howie stopped massaging AJ's back as his fingers instead began to trace random patterns on AJ's skin. AJ could feel his skin beginning to tingle, as Howie's soft touch seemed to excite every nerve ending. Howie continued.
"I began pushing you away, because I was scared to be near you. My feelings were so strong that I didn't think I could be alone in a room with you because I thought I would kiss you." He sighed.
"And I wanted to kiss you so bad." Howie shook his head, his hands stilling.
"But I thought it would ruin our friendship if I did that. I never once considered that you could ever feel anything for me too. Why would you? I'm just Howie."
AJ heard the emotion in his friend's soft tone, and finally moved. He rolled over on his back, taking Howie's hands in his own and pulling him down to him.
"But that's why I love you. Because of who you are. You've never been JUST Howie to me. You've been my bandmate, my best friend, my confidante, the bright light in my life, and now you're my lover and my soulmate. The one person who completes me, who makes me whole. Don't ever think of yourself as JUST Howie, because to me you're everything."
AJ pulled Howie nearer, before sliding a hand around the back of Howie's neck and pulling him down until their foreheads touched.
"That's why I love you."
Howie smiled, and closed the final distance between them, pressing their lips together in a soft kiss.
"I love you, and only you." Howie whispered as the kiss broke. "As much as I love Nick and Brian, and what we just did, at the end of the day the only person I want is you."
"Me too." AJ replied.
"Good." Howie smiled at him.
The two stayed in close contact, staring into each other's eyes, allowing their eyes to express their emotions.
"How do you do that?" AJ asked.
"Do what?"
"Know what I'm thinking, and what to say to make it right again."
"It's simple really."
"Yeah?"
"Uh huh. You've already said it. You and I are soulmates. That's why we are so in tune with each other. Maybe you don't realise it, but you do the same to me all the time. You always know just what I want, what I need."
"Do I?"
"Yeah. You always know just what to say to make it better. You did it less than 5 minutes ago. I was getting lost in memories and feeling insecure again, and you just rolled over and told me exactly what I needed to hear to make it go away again."
AJ smiled. "I guess I did, didn't I."
"Yep. See, another reason why I love you."
"I'm so good!" AJ exclaimed.
Howie laughed. "Yeah, and you're ego's so big."
"Hey!" AJ replied, indignant. He rolled them over so that he was pinning Howie down into the soft sand. "Love me, love my ego."
Howie rolled his eyes before breaking out in laughter again. "Yeah right. Whatever you say Bone."
AJ smirked, before placing his mouth next to Howie's ear. "Whatever I say huh? What if I were to say I've always had this little fantasy I want to try out?"
Howie moaned softly as AJ licked the shell of his ear. He loved how AJ could go from playful to pure sex in 5 seconds flat. "Ohhh. What kind of fantasy?" He managed to squeak out, as AJ began to rock their hips together.
"You... Me... and a deserted beach somewhere... soft waves lapping at the shore... nobody to see us... no cameras... no fans... just us...sound good?" AJ punctuated the sentence with nibbles and licks to Howie's sensitive neck.
"Sounds wonderful." Howie moaned.
"I'm glad you agree." AJ whispered as he brought his mouth down to meet Howie's in a fiery kiss.