Hi! Thank-you so much for my reviews for my last story, here's a new one - I hope you like it :) Radar-rox was my lovely beta.
Vince woke up to light streaming through the curtains, gently catching the mirrorball suit hanging outside of the wardrobe, and reflecting onto a sky-blue feather-boa. The Jagger shrine in the corner was clouded in shadow, but a pendant hanging from the top was swinging gently in the breeze.
This pendant reminded Vince of a good memory, and he sometimes liked to sit on his bed and swing the pendant back and forth, sending himself into a happy daze. A collection of mirrors reflected the opposite wall and the bed, where Vince could be seen, hair tousled and with glitter all over his face.
Outside, he could hear a child beg his mother for an ice-cream and the sound of tinkly music drift by. Vince closed his eyes and tried to fall back to sleep, but something was different; he could feel butterflies in his stomach. As Vince shifted to lie onto his back he screwed up his eyes to think and suddenly sat bolt-upright in bed as last night came back to him.
Oh, he thought, eyes widening. A slow grin appeared on his face and he kicked his legs underneath the duvet with excitement.
Howard woke up 5 minutes later, in a darker room, where the military-esque khaki blinds blocked out most natural sunlight and gave the room a calming feel.
However, a small shard of sunlight was shining through a gap in the blind and fell from the window sill to Howard's feet, which could be seen just poking out from the end of a beige blanket. In the corner was a table with a small gramophone and a record neatly placed next to it. Adjacent to this was a wardrobe, with a green jacket poking out. If anyone had cared to look inside the wardrobe, behind all the clothes was another, smaller green jacket with white writing across the pocket. But no-one looked, so no-one knew.
A man-corset was carefully draped across a chair, and on top of this was a little box with concert tickets inside. Underneath were three cards, two written out carefully with jokes on the front and was one home-made with glitter and sparkly gel pens.
Howard's eyes involuntarily scrunched up at the light and he woke up slowly, making a mental note to close the gap as soon as possible. Standing up, Howard glanced over to the right and saw a note from Naboo pinned to his calendar, telling him to 'get the shopping in', with a little smiley face.
Howard smiled at this and read on, 'take Vince with you'. Howard's chest tightened as he read the P.S and he sank back down on the bed with his mouth gaping. How could he have forgotten? The smile crept back onto his face and he sighed gently, shaking his head.
Both men, unbeknownst to each other, both next did a silly sort of happy dance that would have embarrassed them deeply if anyone had seen. However, no-one did so they both laughed to themselves and moved towards the door.
Vince opened his door first, absentmindedly fluffing his hair. Howard, without realising walked straight out and bumped into Vince.
'Sorry' they both said in unison then fell silent as they grinned shyly at each other.
'Hi' said Vince, leaning in and impulsively giving Howard soft kiss.
'Hi' breathed Howard, rocking back onto his heels and feeling his head swim with happiness.
'I can't believe I get to do that now' laughed Vince, as Howard mentally kicked himself for his years of indecision as he saw the light dance in Vince's beautiful eyes and felt his eyes widen as he saw Vince was just wearing pyjama bottoms, with little, he peered, spaceships.
Smiling fondly he passed Vince the note. As Vince read it, Howard made a decision and took one of his hands and said mock-formally 'I wondered if you would like to accompany me Sir, to the local Tesco'.
Vince beamed and held onto Howard's hand, 'Is that our first date then?' he asked tilting his head, 'I knew you Northerners were cheap…' he trailed off.
Howard pouted and went to tickle him, Vince laughed and moving down the hallway to escape him. As Howard caught up to him, halfway down the stairs, Vince sank down the wall and squealed, giggling and begging Howard not to tickle him. As Howard stopped and pretended to consider it, Vince leapt up and kissed Howard full on the mouth, sighing slightly as he felt Howard's lips smile against his and wrapping his arms around his neck and pulling him against him. Howard forgot all about Tesco, forgot about being halfway on the stairs, he even forgot his own name at one point.
After Vince pulled away and softly kissed his neck Howard managed to breath out 'you little cheat'. Grinning, Vince moved down to find his shoes, and told Howard to bring the shopping list as he had some must-have items to add to it. Rolling his eyes Howard took the list from his pocket and anticipating Vince's choices wrote down Pop Tarts, Cherryade and Golden Grahams.
As they entered the store, after a heated argument about whenever Vince could sit in the trolley, Howard felt Vince clutch at his hand and went pink. Looking out of the corner of his eye, Vince saw this and felt his heart thump. He had made Howard go pink. Squeezing his hand and laughing softly at the gorgeous newness of it all Howard pulled Vince over to the vegetable section and ignored his cries of disgust. As Vince let go to look at the magazines, Howard tried to decipher Naboo's tiny scrawl and moved the note into the light, almost hitting the person next to him, and apologised politely.
Vince at this point was thrilled with his discovery of a CD with a velvet cover and turned to beckon Howard over, frowning as he saw Howard talking to a really good-looking man. The man had on a green tshirt (too tight, thought Vince), brown slouchy trousers (sloppy, thought Vince) tousled brown hair (needs root boost thought Vince) and had little black framed glasses (geeky, thought Vince).
Vince felt an unknown emotion hit him, as the man laughed and smiled at Howard. His Howard. Oh. He was jealous. The man sort of looked like Howard, not properly, but like a version of Howard, with his messy hair and height. Oh god, was that a Jazz magazine in his trolley? With a horrible sickening feeling his heart continued to race, and he felt a bit hot. They fit… he thought, looking away.
Howard saw Vince looking at the magazines and made to move his trolley away to see him, but instead the man leaned closer and moved in front of it casually, 'So' he said smiling, 'Did you manage to read the list? Is it' he paused, 'from your girlfriend…'
'God no' laughed Howard, 'from my flatmate…Nab...Nathan'. The man's green eyes lit up and he leaned over his trolley and continued to chat, 'I see you just picked up the latest issue of the Global explorer, I love camping'.
'Oh yes' said Howard, not understanding why this man was so interested in talking to him, 'I think a man should always be aware of his connection with nature'.
The man then smiled a coy smile and leaned back, resting his arm across his chest, 'Agreed' he said, leaning over to brush a leaf from Howard's jacket.
Vince had just turned back and was in shock, was that man touching Howard. Howard who had always told everyone 'don't touch me' and threatened to come at them like a breezeblock of pain if they did?
Howard then moved back, frowning slightly at the man's closeness. He didn't like anyone touching him, the only person he wanted to ever touch him was Vince. Smiling moonily he looked around for Vince, catching his eye and seeing him look back at him with his eyes narrowed. Mouthing 'Vince?' in confusion, Vince ignored him and moved round the corner.
God, if he wasn't here Howard would probably be getting off with that bloke in the cold meats section by now. He only joined the 'Kingdom of Gay' hours ago and now he was chatting-up strange men. Vince sighed and tried to ignore the dull ache in his chest; he didn't know what to do, he didn't own Howard. But a little voice inside him said, it feels like you do, you feel like you belong to each other. Agreeing with his heart Vince decided that he would tell Howard how he felt, and he went to move towards them.
Howard, now feeling bored, smiled politely and went to move his trolley again. Vince had looked a bit flushed; maybe he was coming down with something. It had been cold on that roof after all. The man, spotting this, said, 'Oh, I wondered if' and paused, searching in his pockets, upon finding a pen smiling and writing something down on Howard's list, 'if you would call me, if you ever' he stopped, grinning 'wanted to do something'.
Howard's jaw fell open and his brow furrowed in disbelief. Was this man…hitting on him? The thought was so ludicrous that he almost laughed in disbelief; clearly the man hadn't seen Vince. Howard froze when the man drew closer without warning and kissed his cheek affectionately. Leaning back, the man smiled again, touched Howard's hip briefly and walked out towards the checkout.
Howard breathed out, went red with embarrassment and looked around for Vince, knowing Vince was going to die laughing at Howard's naivety. Vince would probably beg him to re-create it, Howard being awkwardly oblivious. But Vince was gone.
Doing a funny sort of walk-run, Vince tried to not to cry as he tried to fit his key into the lock of the flat. Stomping up the stairs and throwing himself on the couch he tried to rationalise how he felt. But it just made him feel worse. Some stranger had come onto Howard and Howard had just let him. Maybe he had seen what it was like to be with Vince, even after practically 2 minutes and wanted to move on to someone new, someone into Jazz or someone cleverer. Maybe, despite everything this morning, Howard had found someone who thought he was attractive and had gone for it.
Vince put his head in his hands and willed the tears not to fall. He had always thought Howard was gorgeous. Always. From the first time he noticed how his curls fell into his eyes back at the zoo, to last night when Howard had gently clutched at his sleeve when he had kissed him. The door downstairs slammed and Vince had no time to think or run as Howard came up the stairs and stopped at the top, looking at him anxiously.
'Vince' he started, seeing the hurt in his eyes and not understanding why, 'Why did you go?'
Vince stood up angrily, wanting to fight, wanting to do something, anything. 'Because' he said, flushing, 'you were practically shagging that man.'
Howard moved back and held up his hands 'Whoa there little man' he said, 'I did no such thing, that man came onto me.'
'Yeah he did' said Vince with a horrible sneer rarely seen on his face, 'and you let him.'
'I didn't even realise' protested Howard growing panicked, 'I thought he was just being friendly.'
'I bet' sniffed Vince, 'very friendly, touching you, and besides - he KISSED you.'
'Yes, he did' said Howard, 'but I didn't realise, I didn't want him to.' He moved over towards Vince, 'Vince' he said sadly.
Vince tried to stay angry but the anger was fading as he saw the hurt and confusion in Howard's eyes. That didn't look like a man who would cheat on him. 'Vince' said Howard again, trying to make himself understood, 'I honestly didn't know him, or what he was doing' he kicked his foot against the couch awkwardly, 'it took me years to tell you how I felt, do you think I would just go off with someone else the next day'?
Vince shook his head slowly, wanting to hug Howard but feeling ashamed and weary.
'I mean' continued Howard, 'I didn't even realise what he wanted until he kissed me, and I was in shock. I thought he was going to ask for your number or something, that happens a lot.'
'No it doesn't' said Vince in confusion.
Howard went pink and mumbled something. 'What?' asked Vince, leaning closer.
'Ididn'tgivethemtoyou' said Howard all in a rush, Vince knew he should have been angry at this but instead felt his heart flip and he reached for Howard's hand, smiling gently at Howard's jolt of surprise.
Vince leaned in and kissed Howard, trying to show Howard how he felt. 'I really really like you' said Vince breathing into Howard's ear, 'I'm sorry, I got all jealous.'
Howard smiled and kissed Vince's nose and cheeks. 'It's okay' he said quietly 'I would have been the same, probably worse' he said chuckling, 'and I really really like you too.'
Vince moved back, tugging Howard onto the couch and sliding onto his lap, clutching at his waist, 'So the date went kind of wrong' he said, sighing sadly.
Howard lifted up his head and kissed Vince's neck, feeling a haze of lust as he felt Vince shiver. 'It wasn't so bad' he whispered, kissing his neck again.
'I guess not' replied Vince, shifting slightly. 'But Howard, how could you have not realised, he was leaning in, smiling at you, he even touched your side' Vince laughed, now feeling reassured and able to joke about it.
Howard smiled, 'I only ever used to notice if you touched me' he confessed, 'everyone else just sort of' he paused, feeling embarrassed, 'disappears'.
Vince felt himself melt at that and he fought back the urge to just ravish Howard right there on the couch, with Naboo due back any minute. Placating himself with a long, sweet kiss Vince moved his hands to Howard's neck and twirled his fingers in his hair, resting his weight on Howard's chest.
Howard drew back a few minutes later and said with a cheeky smile, 'Still… maybe you should teach me how to tell when someone is coming onto me'. At this, Vince just stood up, grinned and determinedly dragged Howard down the corridor to their room, turning back at the last minute to stick the latch on the door.
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