A/N: I know, I know – another story. If you're thinking I have no life, you're probably right, but when your other half is at work for twelve hours of the day, the new uni term is two months away and you're the only one of your friends who doesn't have a job, what else is a girl to do?
This is fluff of the highest order, and the ending is quite sickening. Sorry.
Disclaimer: Seriously? No. Not mine at all.
xxxx
"Okay, okay. Um... that one sort of looks like a sheep."
"A sheep! That's not very original, is it? It's a bit obvious, considering. Look, give me ya hand."
"Gerroff!"
"All right! You jazzy spanner. I weren't gonna hold it and pretend to be your boyfriend. Although, you know, it might do somethin' for your street cred."
"My street cred doesn't need anything doing to it, thank you very much sir. It's fine as it is."
"Whatever. Look, just follow my finger... see? It's Santa Claus."
"Santa Claus! You've gone wrong. It's just a white puffy ball with wispy bits coming off it."
"No, look! See? That's obviously a belt, and look there... boots. And that bit on the top looks like a hat!"
"Is that all you think about? Accessories? All right, how about... that one. Looks like a monkey."
"Yeah, I'll give you that. Ooh, look! That one looks like Naboo!"
Howard burst out laughing. The boys were lazing about on Hampstead Heath in the sunshine, a few bottles of drink between them and some sandwiches, pulling shapes from the clouds and chatting idly. Naboo had given them some extra time off after Vince moaned that it always seemed to rain on their scheduled days off. Howard had been extremely pleased that Vince had chosen to spend the day with him rather than go gallivanting about town looking for the next 'in' thing.
"God, it's hot," Vince said, rolling onto his front and picking up his bottle of pineapple Bacardi Breezer. He put it to his lips and drained the last couple of inches, pouting when he could get no more out of it. Howard smiled at him and the took the bottle from his hands.
"That's it little man, all gone."
"There's no more bottles?"
"I didn't bring that many. I want to enjoy the day, not stumble around drunk."
"But it's soooo hot."
"Water?"
Vince sighed. "Yeah, okay."
Howard handed Vince the bottle and he drank from it thirstily. Howard grabbed it off of him before he downed the entire lot.
"Easy. Save some for the rest of us."
Vince grinned. "You can always buy more."
"Can I now? Maybe you should put your hand in your pocket for once."
"Yeah, yeah, all right. Ice cream?"
"Go on, then."
They stumbled up onto their feet, the sun doing its best to zap them of all energy, and made their way down Parliament Hill towards the ice cream van.
"Howard?"
"Yeah?"
"This is nice, isn't it?"
Howard smiled at Vince, pushing his sunglasses up his nose as they walked. "Yeah," he replied. And it was. He liked spending time alone with his best friend, when he wasn't distracted by clothes or his hair or his shallow mates. It didn't happen as often as he'd like anymore, so he was getting what he could from this impromptu day out.
"Hey, Howard, is that Leroy?" Vince asked, pointing towards the bathing lake at a man getting reading to jump off the diving board. He bounded round the fence towards the gate, running through before Howard even had time to finish rolling his eyes.
Leroy. Fantastic.
As it turned out though, it wasn't Leroy at all. Sensing Howard's pleasure at this, Vince poked him in the ribs as they stood near the edge of the lake.
"Oi, no need to look so pleased. I wasn't gonna run off with him or anythin'. Just wanted to remind him that he still owes me fifty euros. This is our day," he finished; rather sweetly, Howard thought. He didn't have much time to dwell on this though, because Vince yelped and started flapping his hands about his face, trying to wave off a bee. In doing so, this sparked off a chain of events which didn't end well at all. The bee changed direction and flew at Howard. Howard flapped it away. The bee went back towards Vince. Vince jumped out the way blindly, bashing into Howard. Howard unbalanced, and landed in the lake with a big splash.
"Howard!" Vince cried, peering over the edge. Seconds later Howard broke the surface, coughing and gasping and wiping at his eyes.
"Vince, you idiot!"
"I'm sorry!" Vince was laughing though, and Howard glared at him, grabbing his shades, which were floating next to him, and swimming towards the edge, clambering ungracefully back up onto the deck. He stuffed the glasses into his pocket and advanced on Vince menacingly.
"You are so gonna pay for that."
Vince, still giggling, backed away. "What?"
"Come 'ere." Howard lunged at him and Vince shrieked and, much to the amusement of the other swimmers, was chased by Howard away from the lake and back into the park.
"At least you've cooled off now!" Vince shouted over his shoulder, laughing hysterically and trying to breath at the same time. He ran from the path and over the grass towards the trees, shrieking again when he felt Howard try and grab at him. Howard was bigger and faster though, and he finally managed to clamp onto Vince's arm, pulling the smaller man into him and enveloping him in a big, wet hug.
"Urgh! Get off!"
Vince tripped over Howard's foot as he attempted to push him away, and they both tumbled to the ground, giggling as they tried to sit up and breathe same time. Howard put an arm around Vince's shoulders and pulled him back into him. Vince tried to squirm away, but in the end grew too tired and conceded, resting his face against Howard's shoulder and enjoying the cold wetness against his hot skin.
"I'm gonna get you back for that," he panted, looking up at Howard and being met with a big grin. He didn't look too bad actually, all sopping wet, his shirt clinging to him and his hair sticking up in all directions, drops of water running down his flushed face and his neck, down towards his chest. Vince was so busy staring, that he didn't notice Howard had removed his shirt until it was being wrung out over his head.
"Watch it, you freak! My hair!" He brought his hands up in a vain attempt to protect his raven locks, Howard chuckling at him as he dropped the shirt back down next to him.
"Serves you right." Howard flopped backwards and ran his hands over his face. Vince leant over him, arms resting on his friend's chest, a cheeky grin plastered over his impish features. Howard, understandably, looked worried. "What do you want, trouble?" The affection made Vince grin even wider, but it didn't distract him from his cause.
"Pay-back."
Howard realised that he should have stayed sitting up, where it was easier for him to defend himself. He eyed Vince cautiously, trying to work out what his next move was going to be.
"Touch me, little man, and I'll come atcha like a whirlpool. You'll get more than just your hair wet."
Vince raised a curious eyebrow. "Yeah?"
Howard felt himself blush involuntarily. "What you gonna do?"
Vince's eyes flashed with something Howard didn't particularly trust, and the smaller man suddenly moved, straddling Howard and pinning his arms above his head.
"Hey!"
"Kiss me."
"W-what?"
"Kiss me."
Howard laughed a little in disbelief. "No! Why?"
"I told you – pay-back. I've kissed you before, anyway. What's the problem? It's just for fun."
"Vince, I – no!"
"I'll do something much worse."
"I'm not kissing you!" Howard used his strength advantage to push his arms up, which in turn sent Vince toppling over. Howard quickly scooted upright, laughing in victory. Vince, however, launched himself at him again, and Howard twisted away, the two of them giggling like children. Vince tried to climb onto Howard's lap, gasping for breath as he cried out;
"Kiss me kiss me kiss me kiss me kiss me kiss me kiss me kiss me -"
"Vince!" Howard shoved at him playfully, but Vince continued his attack, poking at Howard's bare chest and grabbing at his waist.
"- kiss me kiss me kiss me kiss me kiss me -"
Howard tried to grab his hands.
"- kiss me kiss me kiss me kiss me kiss me -"
"Sod off!" he laughed, but he moved the wrong way, and Vince, seeing his chance, flung his arms around Howard's neck.
"- kiss me kiss me... kiss me... kiss me..." Vince was getting so breathless that his words were becoming panted, but he was unrelenting, his eyes still sparkling. "Kiss me... kiss me..."
Howard was beginning to slow, not squirming anymore, just leaning back as far as he could, vaguely aware that as he was, he was pulling Vince with him. He looked at his face, cheeks flushed pink, enormous sapphire eyes shining, sun in his hair, looking far prettier than was normal for a man, and wondered just how long Vince was going to continue with this for.
"kiss me kiss me kiss me kiss me... kiss me... kiss me... kiss me ki- oh!"
Howard cut Vince off, grabbing his face in one swift movement and pressing a searing kiss against his mouth, making the smaller man gasp against him. He held him there for a few seconds, then pulled away. "Happy now?"
Vince just stared at him, mouth opened, looking all dazed. "You kissed me."
Howard stared back at him. "Yeah – you asked me too, about a thousand times, remember?"
Vince sat up on his knees and leaned forward slightly, tracing a finger gently down Howard's cheek, an unreadable expression on his face. "Could you just... do it again?"
"Again?"
"Please."
Howard was confused. He didn't know what was going on, but before he knew it he was tilting Vince's face towards his and capturing his lips again – softly, slowly, before pulling away, Vince moaning slightly at the loss. That alone made Howard realise something, and he was almost too afraid to ask in case he got laughed all the way to kingdom come, especially since, to further add to his confusion, he found that he'd rather enjoyed it, and was now missing the feeling of Vince's soft, warm lips against his own. He looked at Vince, who was blushing beautifully, and threw caution to the wind.
"Vince, did you want me to kiss you? I mean, properly, not with any games."
Vince smiled slightly, looking embarrassed – a rare occurrence for someone like him - and that was when Howard knew for sure.
"If you wanted me to kiss you, you only had to ask. You know, in the normal way." He smiled gently at him and reached out to run a hand through Vince's hair. Vince leant into the touch, looking unnaturally shy.
"Really? But, you freaked out earlier when I tried to grab your hand -"
"Only because I wouldn't have wanted to let it go."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah. Come here, you idiot," Howard said, fondly, and he kissed him again, deeper this time, his hands sliding over Vince's back. Vince pushed him backward until he was lying on top of him, kissing him back languorously and savouring every bit of him, his fingers twisting their way into Howard's damp hair. When he felt Howard smile against him he pulled away.
"What?"
Howard grinned. "You still owe me an ice-cream."
Vince laughed, and pressed his mouth back to his, relishing the feeling of their tongues sliding together.
Later, when they were looking at the clouds again, Vince spotted one that was shaped like a heart. Howard was inclined to agree.