"Oh Howard let's go in here! Everything's got dolphins and palm trees on, what's with that?" Vince exclaimed to a very reluctant Howard, tugging on their joined hands in the direction of the shop's entrance as he did so.
Everyone's favorite double act - who'd finally pulled their respective heads out of their respective arses and realized their deep, romantic love for each other and 'made it official' - found themselves in the middle of a mildly busy shopping mall in America, of all places. The California coast, more specifically. After a week of excitingly new and unexplored 'couple' territory Howard had made a deal with his Little Man: if he managed to ensnare the heart of Legendary Man of Action Howard T.J. Moon (said with a wink and an affectionate smile) for one year, he would take Vince on a proper holiday, anywhere his heart desires. Soon enough their one year anniversary rolled around, and the pair were just as inseparable and madly in love as they were from day one. Vince, who'd been pouring over American 80's adventure films and experimenting with beach-bum inspired looks, immediately had his heart set on the sunshiny shores of California. The sparkle and shimmer of star-studded Hollywood Boulevard and Beverly Hills had a little something to do with his decision as well, Howard had guessed.
So here they were, Howard content enough to follow Vince into any shop he wanted to visit so long as he kept squeezing his hand and beaming up at him in excitement when he saw something that caught his eye, and Vince being quite pleased with the sheer number of shops and stores that were able to fit into one shopping mall, as well as with the steady warmth of Howard's hand in his.
The shop Vince had pulled him into here at the beginning of our story was clearly angled towards young beach-goers, or at the very least people who want to appear to be young beach-goers. The overwhelming amount of perfume that assaulted them as they entered made Howard's eyes water and his mustache twitch, and he made a spluttering sound.
"Best be quick in this one Vince, my lungs don't agree with this trendy air." Vince chuckled in response and let go of Howard's hand to go inspect a pair of bright tie-dyed shorts, while Howard peered suspiciously at a rack of seemingly normal button-downs. He had the cuff of one of them in his hands, examining the texture of the cloth when Vince bounded up with his arms full of several outfits' worth of clothing and a cheeky grin showing all his teeth.
"Let's go try these on, jazzman." He almost purred the words and looked up at Howard coquettishly through his eyelashes.
Howard's brow scrunched up in confusion. "Vince, I'm not trying anything on. This place isn't really my 'look', I think you'll agree." He used Vince's own terms here.
Vince's bedroom eyes flicked off like a light switch and he huffed in exasperation. "I know, Howard. I meant," his voice lowered his voice as another customer strolled by the board shorts rack, "maybe you could uh, help me?" He winked theatrically for good measure.
Howard, still unsure, was about to remind Vince that he once put on a skin-tight rubber catsuit while sweating profusely when their flat's heater was on the fritz and trying to bake them alive while wearing 8 inch platform boots- when he suddenly understood the implication and turned a bright shade of turnip. "O-Oh, er yes you, you may need some help with that let me go with you and- yes assist you." He continued to blush as words tumbled out of his mouth. While usually very precise in choosing what he says, when Howard Moon gets nervous or excited, he suffers from word vomit.
Vince grinned in victory and shuffled the clothes in his arms so he had one free, and, walking backwards, pulled Howard by the collar of his deep pumpkin roll-neck until they were flush against each other in the small changing booth. They could feel each other's hot breaths on their open mouths, Howard's at first unsure smile growing to match Vince's. Howard was so inexperienced in the whole physical affection department that every time Vince gave it to him readily - and every time he surprisingly had the urge to give it to Vince unprovoked - his body thrummed with a shaky excitement and nervous energy. He'd learned about himself over this past year that he really rather enjoyed physical affection and comfort, just turned out he needed to find the right person to open up to. And find him he did.
Vince quickly dumped the heap of clothing onto the small bench behind them and got so close to Howard that their noses were almost touching. Feeling that familiar tight, coiling heat low in his stomach Howard held Vince by the hips as the younger man cupped his jaw with both hands confidently. There was a moment of charged silence between them, their heavy breathing the only thing to be heard, until they both cracked grins so wide they made their eyes crinkle, and they laughed together in sheer disbelief that they were there, together, with no care in the world aside from where to go and have a romantic dinner later that night.
Vince touched his forehead to Howard's and hooked his arms around his neck, sighing contentedly. "I have something to show you, you'll get a laugh out of this." He untangled himself from Howard's hold (to the older man's dismay) and turned to the clothes pile behind him. "Don't look until I say, alright?" He made Howard turn around as he rummaged and Howard could hear every little tic tic tic of the zip on Vince's skinny jeans as he took them off slowly, purposefully. Howard's own waistband got a tad tighter at the sound and he pretended not to notice.
"Alright, feast your eyes, Mr. Moon. And don't tell anyone about this, yeah, it's only for you." Howard turned back around and immediately clapped his hands to his face to stifle his laughter. Vince was posed in an exaggerated laid-back 'surfer dude' position, wearing a pair of turquoise shorts that went just past his knees which were far too big on him, neon yellow sandals (his hot pink toenail paint showing), large, bug-eyed sunglasses, and an orange dip-dyed tank top which read 'Fun in the Sun' in big, red cursive script. He flashed Howard the 'hang loose' sign with one hand and adopted an exaggerated California accent, "Surf's up duuuuude. Killer." He barely finished the last word before dissolving into hysterics, prompting Howard to let his laughter out as well.
"What am I doin' Howard? Dressin' like a sandy tramp for you!" He smiled wide and shook his head. Looking back up at Howard he had a decidedly mischievous glint in his eyes. "Alright, your turn big man."
Howard's laugh petered off in a very un-fluid way and he creased his brow slightly. "Come again?" Vince's expression remained and he merely gestured to the remaining clothes behind him.
"You're joking."
"Howaaaaard, come on! I dressed myself up a right tit and you know you ain't gonna see that often." With his hands on his hips and an expression on his face reminiscent of a mother commanding her stubborn son to take out the rubbish, his outrageous sunglasses sliding down his nose, he looked ridiculous. Ridiculously adorable, his brain supplied quite unhelpfully.
He was about to say no, no way sir, but something about being closed away in that tiny room, away from the rest of the world, just him and the love of his life in silly clothes on holiday, it just- didn't seem to matter anymore how silly he might look. Vince had seen and loved every possible side of Howard, and of that fact Howard was absolutely certain. His face softened into a sweet smile and he giggled. Actually giggled. "Alright sir, let's see it then!"
Vince grinned almost in disbelief and quickly threw a few carefully selected items at Howard's chest. "I'll turn round, don't you worry." With a saucy wink and kiss blown his way, Vince turned around like Howard had done for him. Looking down at the clothes in his hands, Howard shook his head and smiled to himself.
A few minutes of hesitant rustling later, Howard gave the go ahead for Vince to turn around. Howard was also dressed in hipster beach-bum chic, but it was decidedly different than Vince's look. He had on a blue and white striped tank top with a little anchor-shaped patch sewed onto where the breast pocket would be if it had one, dark blue swimming trunks with little margaritas patterned on it, white foam crocs with ventilation holes, a tie-dyed bandana tied over his hair, and a white sweater tied around his shoulders.
Howard spread his arms wide in an exaggerated welcome gesture and grinned his manic, toothy grin that only Vince ever saw. "Hey there, beautiful sea-tramp, fancy a right on my yacht? It's called the SS Honeydew Scoops For Eyes. " He waggled his eyebrows comically at Vince, this strange back-and-forth feeling like home, like it always had.
Vince deepened his voice and batted his eyelashes, laying a hand across his chest like a delicate maiden. "Oh my yes, take me to the brig, Captain~" He smiled then, so genuinely happy playing silly dress up in a changing stall in a shopping mall in California, that Howard sighed in utter adoration.
Dropping the joke he said, softly, "C'mere, little man." He opened his arms to him, and Vince eagerly stepped the short distance into them, wrapping his arms around Howard's neck like before while Howard's wrapped firmly around Vince's back, never letting him go. Their lips met in the most tender of kisses, the duo just lazily enjoying the taste and feel of each other. When they had to break apart for air, they both took another look at each other and dissolved into giggles.
"Come on, let's get this rubbish off before I start leaking sand out me ears." Vince started to take the ridiculous outfit off, and Howard blushed heatedly, but eagerly doing the same.
After a few more, let's say, passionate kisses in just their pants while they still had the stall to themselves, Howard and Vince emerged, laughing together with hands clasped tight between them.
Glancing back at the discarded pile in the stall, Howard asked Vince jokingly, "What, aren't you going to buy at least one thing? I thought those sunglasses were very 'you'."
Vince leaned in and gave Howard a quick kiss on the cheek. "As if! I wouldn't be caught dead looking like I'd used sea water as conditioner." Howard squeezed Vince's hand and grinned, listening happily to Vince ask about getting ice cream, trying to narrow his favorite flavors down to 20 contenders.
Yes, Vince Noir had stolen the heart of Howard T.J. Moon, and he was never ever asking for it back.