Like Brothers
by saabira
For Tallories' "Backstreet Boys Gallery FanFics Challenge"
Thanks to Ian for beta goodness.
The funny thing, Howie thought to himself as he poured hot water from the kettle over the tea bag in his mug, was that he couldn't even remember what the fight was about. He remembered when it had started, but when he tried to pin down why it had started, he kept coming up blank.
He dripped a dollop of honey into the mug, and moved to the couch. When he sat down, AJ jumped up and moved to the buffet table, careful not to acknowledge Howie's presence as he sipped his coffee and began picking the top off a muffin.
Howie scoffed to himself. He was sure, from past experiences of these strained silences, and thinly veiled glares, that AJ couldn't possibly remember what they were fighting about either. They were both just so damn stubborn; Howie even recognized that failing in himself. The second he'd realized AJ was the only one in the common room when he'd come in looking for breakfast, he’d started to return to his room, and order from room service. Then he'd realized that if he didn't want to be alone in a room with AJ, then AJ surely wasn't exploding with happiness at Howie's arrival. So he stayed. Out of spite.
It became a moot point anyway when Brian and Nick tumbled into the room, already laughing and joking entirely too loudly for Howie's taste this early in the morning.
Kevin showed up next, trailed by his assistant and three PR reps from The Firm, men whose names Howie hadn't learned yet. Howie forgot about AJ for the moment, as the conversation in the room turned to the five interviews they had scheduled for the day, followed by an in-store that night and the concert the next evening.
~
After the interviews, they were shuffled back to the hotel to eat and change before the record-store appearance. As usual, Howie was the first one ready, and he wandered over to Nick's room to hang out while everyone finished up. Normally, he would have gone to bug AJ, but that wasn't happening.
They still hadn't spoken. Despite the many opportunities they'd had that morning alone. Howie pretended he wasn't thinking about it.
Nick was a messy person by nature, and now that they had their own rooms, no one was there to bug him into picking his things up. Howie was used to avoiding the piles of clothes and other junk littering the floor. He perched on the bed near Nick's open suitcase.
"Howie, help me out, man," Nick said holding up two shirts, one red, the other blue.
"Wear the blue one. With, uh, that jacket," Howie answered and pointed to a denim coat draped over the desk.
Nick shrugged, and began pulling the shirt over his head. He was headed into the bathroom when he asked, "You been feeling okay, D?"
Howie was a little surprised at the question, but then he'd never been especially talented at concealing his emotions. "Pretty good, actually. Considering my best friend and I aren't speaking."
Nick nodded knowingly. "Don't you usually just apologize to get these fights over with?"
"Yeah, but I don't think I should this time. I can't even remember what we're fighting about, but it ended with him being a brat. I definitely remember that. I'm not letting him off the hook."
Nick turned off the faucet and returned to the bedroom, running his damp fingers through his hair. "You know he'll never do it, he's more stubborn than Kev."
"I'm not holding my breath," Howie smirked. "Are you all set?"
"Let's go," Nick responded as he shrugged into his jacket and grabbed his wallet and phone from the table by the door. "And hey, me and Brian can be your best friends until you and AJ kiss and make-up." Howie smiled as he followed Nick's insane giggling into the hall.
~
Howie was well aware that AJ tended to fight dirty, but he'd never imagined he say something so horrible in public. Up until now he'd been annoyed with AJ. Now he'd sailed past annoyed and right into pissed off.
He wasn't the only one. The second their van was headed away from the record store in the direction of the hotel, Kevin began speaking. His tone was low and even, a clear sign that he was practically homicidal. Even Brian and Nick, who tended to steer clear of any argument that they weren't intimately involved in, had been quieter than normal to this point and when Kevin started, they fell silent immediately.
"All right. You know we don't get involved in personal disputes when they don't affect the group. As long as the music and the fans don't suffer." Howie could see Kevin's eyes focused on AJ, who was staring pointedly out the window. "You and D need to work this out. And Alex?" He waited until AJ returned his stare.
"That comment you made there was especially childish. I can't believe you'd say something like that with all those reporters listening. I don't know what this fight was about, but it ends tonight."
AJ’s response was to wordlessly return his sullen gaze to the passing scenery and Kevin looked to Howie. Howie nodded, his face hot with embarrassment.
The rest of the ride passed painfully slowly.
~
AJ beelined for his room the second they were off the elevator, so Howie assumed AJ hadn't taken Kevin's "advice" to heart. His own stubborn streak flared, and he certainly wasn't going to make the first move now.
He'd been in his room, listening to his show tape in preparation for the next night when someone knocked on his door. AJ stood on the other side with a surprisingly sheepish expression on his face. In his hand was a plain white handkerchief, which he waved slightly for Howie to see.
Howie couldn't stop the smile that spread across his face. "Come in. We need to talk."
“I’m sorry,” AJ said as soon as they’d moved into the room. “Kevin was completely right about everything. For once." he added with a smirk. "To be honest, I don't even remember what we're arguing about."
"Oh, thank god. I thought it was just me," Howie confessed.
"We're pretty stupid."
"We didn't used to be this stupid. What's wrong?"
The smile slipped from AJ's face, and he turned from Howie, choosing instead to stare at something on the wall behind Howie's head.
"AJ," Howie said. He was so sick of AJ shutting down like this, and it dawned on him that it would probably be better if he <i>told</i> AJ that. "I'm so sick of this shit with you, Alex."
"What..." AJ started.
"Don't," Howie said, holding up his hand. "Be honest with me."
"I've been acting like a dick," AJ admitted as he sat heavily on Howie's bed.
Howie laughed, and felt the tension in his body loosen. "That's one way to put it,” he said, before letting silence fall for a minute. “You wanna tell me what's wrong?" he asked again.
AJ pulled his gaze from the carpet to look Howie in the eye. "I've been stressed."
"The lawsuit."
AJ nodded. "And my grandma's been sick."
"Alex, I'm sorry," Howie exhaled. He sat down next to AJ and draped his arm around AJ's thin shoulders. "You should tell us these things. We can go through them together; you don't have to pull away and hide things."
"I know. I got mean, when I should have asked for help. I knew all that and I did it anyway."
"Yeah, well, I shouldn't have let you get to me."
"I've never seen you stay mad for that long. I was startin' to get worried."
Howie smiled. "I was trying to teach you a lesson," he confessed sheepishly.
"Listen, D. I promise to be less of a dick, if you promise to tell me when I'm bein' one."
"Deal," Howie said holding his hand out for AJ to shake. AJ grasped it firmly. "It was bad not talking to you for a week. Let's not do that anymore."
"Yeah," AJ said.
"So, tell me how your grandma's doing," Howie said, changing the subject.
AJ started talking, and they sat up together until the sun was rising.
~
"How we doing, Munich?!" Howie yelled, looking out at a sea of faces and glow sticks. He was answered with a wave of screams and whistles and he felt that familiar shiver race up his spine, raising the hair on the back of his neck.
"All right. It’s good to be back in Germany; it’s like a second home to us.” He paused until he could hear himself again. “We've got a great show for you tonight! Are you ready to dance?" And the screams sounded louder this time. All the fans in the first two rows were pointing at him. In his peripheral vision he caught a glimpse of movement.
AJ.
Howie smiled to the crowd. "I can't hear you!!" As the screams flooded the arena, he turned quickly enough to catch AJ pulling faces behind him and he reached out and grabbed AJ around the waist. Howie heard AJ yelling as he dug his wriggling fingers into AJ's sides. Things were blurry for a second as they fell unexpectedly to the stage, Howie landing victoriously on top. AJ was howling like a hyena, and Howie could see Nick and Brian moving in from both sides to either help or attack. He started laughing then, too, forgetting, momentarily about the audience of ever-screaming girls and focusing on tickling AJ to death.
AJ had tears in his eyes when he cried uncle. He was still chuckling breathlessly, and Howie couldn't help but laugh along.
~Fin 6.13.03 ~
AN: This gen thing was a lot of fun. I'll have to try it again sometime.