A/N: This chapter contains lots of fluff. I thought it would make a nice change, before the angst starts up again! I mentioned a few chapters ago about Vince doing comedy, and so I've mentioned it in this chapter, although I'm still not sure yet if I have the courage to actually write him doing it! Once again, thanks for your reviews – they really make me smile!"
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Sunlight broke through the clouds and streamed through the gap in the curtains, illuminating the face of Vince Noir and awakening him from his peaceful slumber. He moaned softly as he came to, rubbing at his eyes and stretching his arms out. One of them connected with something soft and warm next to him, and he smiled sleepily, rolling over, bringing him face to face with the sleeping form of Howard Moon. He propped himself up on his elbow and studied Howard's face intently, drinking in his now relaxed features, the worry and the stress having seemingly slipped away – for now, at least. A sudden stab of guilt in his chest told him that he shouldn't be so happy, that there was a woman on the other side of the Atlantic with a broken heart, but he couldn't help it. He'd wanted this for so long, dreamed of it... ached for it.
Howard stirred, snuffling slightly. Vince grinned, and kissed him softly to wake him fully. He soon felt Howard smiling under his lips.
"Morning," he said happily, rubbing his nose against the one of the man below him.
"Morning, little man." He reached up to touch Vince's cheek, and the smaller man pushed into his hand, savouring the feel of the warm skin against his. "Sleep well?"
Vince smiled cheekily, and traced a finger over Howard's lips, making him shiver. "Mmm, for some reason, I was..." he gave him a small kiss, "completely," kiss, "utterly," kiss, "exhausted." When he kissed him again, Howard held him down, deepening it and making him moan. He pushed him back down into the bed, moving over the top of him. Vince sighed happily, arms going round Howard's back, fingers tracing circles on his bare skin, enjoying the feel of goose-bumps rising on the surface.
Howard nudged Vince's thighs apart with his leg and settled himself between them as he broke the kiss, trailing his lips down his neck, over his collar bone and down his chest. Vince squirmed under his ministrations, emitting little gasps of pleasure the further Howard went, down, down, down, until...
"Vince?!"
Both men let out a groan of frustration as Naboo's lisping voice came wafting through the bedroom door. Howard rested his head on Vince's stomach before looking up at him.
"I suppose we'd better go and tell him."
Vince pouted as his hands went to Howard's hair, idly playing with the soft strands. "Can't we just hide here for the rest of the day and do it later?"
"Vince!"
Howard sat up, pulling Vince with him. "The sooner we get this over with, the sooner we can..."
Vince looked at him wickedly. "The sooner we can what?"
Howard grinned, a mischievous glint in his eye. "The sooner we can..." he grabbed Vince and tickled him, making the smaller man cry out with laughter.
"No, no... stop!" he squealed, trying to grab at Howard's hands. He finally managed to escape by flinging himself off of the bed, landing on the floor with a thump, still giggling breathlessly.
"Vince?"
"I'm okay," he said, pushing himself up and crawling back onto the bed, watching Howard warily in case he went for him again. "You stay right there," he commanded, as he saw Howard's face twitch slightly.
"What?" he asked innocently.
"You know very well what."
Howard grinned and stood up, looking round for his clothes.
"Vince! Look, I don't care who you've got in there, just get out here, you ball-bag!"
"I'm coming!" Vince shouted back, earning himself a sly smile from the jazz maverick standing at the side of the bed. He shook his head with mock disappointment. "Howard Moon - I never knew you could be so filthy." Without warning, he launched himself off the bed, flying at Howard, wrapping his arms and legs around him.
Howard stumbled slightly before getting his balance, arms going around Vince's back.
"You're not the only one who can fly at people," Vince said, laughing slightly, and he placed a kiss to his new lover's forehead.
"God, you weigh a ton."
"Oi!" Vince couldn't help but smile though, and he reluctantly slid out of Howard's arms, feet landing lightly on the floor. "Suppose we'd better get dressed before Naboo has a fit. Don't want him bursting in here while we're still starkers."
Howard shuddered at the thought.
xxxx
Naboo looked at them both with an unreadable expression on his face. "Well, I'm happy for the both of you," he said, "but you've got a lot to sort out, Howard – you've been a bit of muppet, haven't you?"
"Yeah, thanks Naboo," Howard said, frowning at him. The tiny blue shaman still amazed him. He'd barely batted an eyelid when Howard had followed Vince into the living room, although Bollo had given him his trademark grunt of disapproval – no doubt because of how upset Vince had been.
"Right, we're off to Shamansbury's," Naboo announced, standing up. "Come on Bollo."
Vince and Howard watched them leave, breathing sigh of relief as soon as they were out of earshot.
"Welcome home," Vince said, squeezing his partners hand gently.
Howard smiled and gave him a quick kiss. "You hungry?"
"Starving," Vince said, somewhat over-dramatically.
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Vince locked the front door and stood on the pavement beside Howard. "Where we going, then?"
Howard shrugged. "Let's just walk and see where we end up, shall we?" He held out his hand.
Vince grinned. He'd grabbed hold of Howard's hands loads of times, but not like this. This was different, not a fleeting moment as they had been before. Not because they we're running from danger or were upset or scared, not for comfort... this would be proper, two people in love, hand holding. Vince took hold of it – it fit perfectly in his, and sent a little, pleasant spark of electricity up his arm.
Howard cupped his cheek. "Okay?"
"Perfect."
They set off down the street, Vince swinging their arms as they walked in the sunshine, feeling on top of the world. He smiled at everyone who passed them – he couldn't help it. Howard laughed at him affectionately.
"What?"
"Nothing, little man. Come on, let's go in here." He pulled them into a pizzeria, choosing a table by the window. A waitress came over and took their order, all the while smiling flirtatiously at Vince. Vince, however, only gave her a brief, polite smile before moving his gaze back to Howard. The girl's face fell, and she waltzed off to get their drinks.
"You know, with everything that's been going on, I never even asked – what have you been doing with yourself?"
Vince looked at him coyly, and then glanced out the window. Howard's eyes widened in surprise.
"Have you gone all shy?"
Vince was, indeed, blushing.
"What? It can't be that bad, unless... you're not a porn star now, are you?" he smirked, making Vince laugh.
"I... I don't want to say."
'Why not?" Howard asked, reaching over the table and taking his hand, rubbing small circles over it with his thumb.
Vince sighed. He knew he wasn't going to get out of it. "Okay, but don't laugh," he warned. "I've been working the circuit."
Howard's eyebrows shot up. "You're making yourself sound very much like a prostitute. Oh, God, you haven't -"
"No!" Vince cried, a little too loudly. He lowered his voice. "I meant the 'comedy' circuit." He looked out of the window again, suddenly finding a pigeon eating bread off the pavement very interesting.
Howard gave him a nudge with his leg under the table. "Hey – Vince, look at me." He waited for his partner to turn his head before continuing. "That's brilliant," he smiled, looking at him in awe. "How did you get into that?"
Vince shrugged. "It was Naboo's idea really." The waitress came over with their drinks then, and he paused, waiting for her to leave before continuing. "What you said, about conforming to fit in with everyone else – you were right. It wasn't stable, I was just going from group of shallow people and idiots to the next. But I still wanted to entertain, and Naboo said why don't I try comedy – he said my unique take on things was quite amusing, although I'm still not sure whether that was meant to be an insult or not. Anyway, I gave it a go, and the first time it was terrifying because what I was doing was so different to everyone elses that I was sure I'd get booed off stage – but I didn't. I actually ended up really enjoying it."
Howard beamed at him proudly. "Vince – that's amazing! I always knew you were worth so much more. You really deserve it. Do you get a lot of work?"
Vince, still blushing slightly, nodded. "Yeah, it's going really well."
"You know I'm going to have to come and see you now."
"What? No, Howard..."
"What's wrong?"
"It's, it's just... well, you might think it's really awful, and if I know you're there watching... I don't want to mess up in front of you."
"You won't," Howard said, looking at him so sincerely that Vince found he couldn't argue with him anymore.
Their pizza was brought over then, and they both tucked into it hungrily, smiling at each other occasionally, revelling in being in each other's company again.
In two days time, Howard had to go back to New York, and they were both trying hard not think of what would happen there. It certainly wasn't going to be a pleasant experience.
