Bilkins looked across the safe house and took the scene in. Those three men he was told to let in and review the case were over in the living room surrounding Brian. For a guy who'd just been in a scrap, Brian had already put it behind him and was charming the guests better than Rome ever did. Charming? Or just better instincts for people, maybe. Brian was ready for a detective's badge; his investigation instinct far outweighed Rome's, anyway. Bilkins', too, if the guy wound up finding out why the three were there. Bilkins could have asked, too. Could have asked the Deputy Director at least, but that wasn't something Bilkins did: question authority. These three opened up to Brian, chatted but about what Bilkins was too far away to hear. He didn't know when it began, but the oldest of the men who wore a leather jacket and Brian were standing in front of the other two with big grins on their faces practicing the tango solo, side by side. The tango.
"The fuck?" Rome muttered, catching sight of that.
Bilkins shot Rome a deafening glare. "Don't get distracted, Pierce. I need the rest of your statement right now."
Rome was at Bilkin's table going over the real truth of the events that led up to the raid. Brian had figured that out right off the bat, seeming to know Roman Pierce better than Bilkins did. Ted hadn't gone to him, wasn't in tight with him, he just said that to get the raid going, believing it was enough. Rome believed the guns Johnny Tran's guys carried would be found, too. Bilkins already knew Johnny ran around leading those Asian punks, that the shot up cars around town were their doing. Brian O'Conner's GT-R wasn't even the most pricy vehicle found in that state. Johnny was staying on top of the street racing scene in his part of town, making wads of cash off the kids who didn't know they were beaten no matter what. And now that they pulled off that raid one of two things would happen.
One, Tran will be looking for Rome.
Or two, Tran will be looking for Rome and Brian. Vis-à-vis. Like these FBI associates.
Once again Bilkins wondered if they wouldn't be in this scrap if he'd just chosen Brian instead of Rome. But all the signs pointed to Rome being the right fit at that time. Why was it that things had changed so suddenly?
Bilkins' phone rang, taking him away from his thoughts. It was Tanner.
Sergeant Tanner had gone back to the office after dropping Brian off and getting the skinny that he'd have to stay with the guests for awhile. They were only in for the day. Tanner had already told Bilkins that Brian had to be done by five.
The clock read 5:31.
"Is he out of there?" Tanner's first words.
Bilkins glowered. He was Tanner's superior so why was he feeling like he was being walked all over today?
"No, Tanner," he said gruffly. "You want me to call a Deputy Director of the FBI and tell him I cut short the little interview he set up for O'Conner, just so he could make it to a barbecue?"
Tanner's voice grew firmer. "For the hijacking case, yes! Brian's still in this!"
Didn't Bilkins know it.
"Look, Tanner," he looked over at Brian who now was pulling up the man in the suit and working a tango move on him to make a man blush. This fucking part of the interview?! Bilkins lost his train of thought and called at to the four of them, "What are you doing?!"
Brian let the suit go, but it didn't look like the guy was all that grateful for the interruption. The other two guests had looks on their faces of being caught. Clearly, the lot of them were a bunch of hoodlums like Brian. Bilkins was a massive misjudge of character on this case! Who the hell were these guys?!
"Sorry, Agent," said Brian, not sounding all that sorry with that grin still pasted on his face. He and his two tango partners took their seats again.
Bilkins signed into the phone and told Tanner, "I'll remind him about the barbecue, but he's not one to forget things like that. You know he likes making the Toretto's wait on him."
Tanner had no idea what was going on around there, and that was probably a good thing.
"See that he's not too late to this thing," were his parting words.
Bilkins put his phone back in his pocket. Rome turned away from him and faced his paperwork again, probably so he wouldn't catch the reign of ticked-off and pent-up-anger that was seething out of him right now. Over by the others, they were all leaning into Brian avidly nodding along to a story he was telling them. Words like chrome wheels and fuel injection floated over. The trio were fascinated.*
Here he was, a lifetime into a relationship with Dom, Letty and Mia and he was suddenly on his own side making the decisions for them all. An unusual nine-to-five worker, his specialties included robbery, high stakes thrills, and hard drinking. A top man of metal and gun smoke, but he was finding a place for a cop to fit into their ranks? A six-foot tall blonde cop had no place standing next to him in any lifetime, but when Vince proposed the barbecue idea when he'd come back from dropping off Brian, he solidified his stance where Brian was concerned. The cop could join them. Or he could not. His decision. The point was…Vince was willing.
He had no idea the reception it would receive, and how excited it had made Mia most of all. After they closed the garage an hour early, with Letty and Leon heading back to the house to start getting the place ready even an hour before that, Vince went straight to the supermarket with Mia. Last minute plans sort of made people have to rush. Not one of them minded. Not the two racking up glass in the high sun, not Mia keeping her eye on the clock while she was in class, canceling a study session with some classmates, and not Dom, Vince and Jesse, left with the shop for the last hour alone to settle the last customer vehicle.
Dom and Jesse joined the other two at the house then, to see that they'd made some good progress. The yard wasn't high on anyone's list of priorities. There was trash from previous parties, broken glass, upturned plastic furniture. Mia was the only one who ever went out there to pick up anything, but she couldn't deal with all that mess alone.
"Do you think a dozen corn will be enough?" Mia asked him in the produce section.
"Yes, it's enough. What about cabbage for coleslaw? Just one or two?"
She stepped up to him, right by his side, checking out the size of the heads. "One, if it's that big one," she said with confidence.
Vince plucked it and added it to their growing cart.
At the fresh meat section while they waited their turn, Mia stood by his side again. Close by his side again, he noted. Vince kept looking down at her, finding her presence around him relaxed and happy. The whole day turned around from being just another one to being this: preparing for a barbecue with family. Getting the house ready. Getting the shopping done.
"I asked Brian to join us," Vince said, laying it out there for the first time.
Mia flooded him with a surprised look. "You really did?"
Vince nodded. He laid out a bit more. "I guess he's alright, you know?" And he knew she thought so already. "He makes Dom laugh. Can't say he's not doing it because he's into Dom, but Letty's keeping him in line."
She waited, but he didn't add anything else. No curses, no backtracking his statement. No changing his mind.
Mia smiled.
"Never thought I'd hear you say that. And you see that, too? Dom enjoys the attention, I think because he's never had a guy go after him? I'd be worried Brian would try something, too, but Letty's watching. She spends more time with him now, and I know Dom likes that."
"Dom has had guys go after him before. Just never appreciated it like this."
Their number got called, silencing anything Mia might have said. Pretty soon they were loading up ten bags of groceries and two cases of Corona into Vince's Maxima.
"This going to be enough?" Vince joked.
Mia stepped up and wrapped him in a tight hug suddenly. Vince was rushed with her scent, her body, her warmth. He took a ragged breath and hugged her back.
"What's up?" He wondered.
"I'm so glad you did this. Inviting Brian, too. Making that step. Being there for Dom… It's perfect timing. Dom's been like his old self, hasn't he?"
She had noticed how the years of shitty company had compiled only to have this happen to them now. Officer Brian O'Conner could have come into their lives on one of his SWAT missions, picking them up as the bad guys. Instead, he was fucking over some other criminals and they were out shopping for groceries. Maybe Brian would come tonight, but maybe he'd be taken out by three more bullets…and maybe his vest wouldn't stop them this time.
Vince squeezed her tighter.
"You're not afraid, are you?" Vince wondered, his lower jaw feeling the silkiness of her hair as he spoke against it.
She shook her head. "Of what?"
"That cop's out there suiting up in bullet proof armor and loading his weapons. He said he couldn't talk about it in the car, but it's SWAT forces."
She pulled back and Vince realized that she hadn't put it together quite like he had.
Vince shut his trunk. He wrapped her in his arms again - such a rare opportunity - and kissed her forehead.
"Don't worry, he'll be fine. They wear like thirty pounds of Kevlar. And you've seen how hyper aware he is of his surroundings. Guy's like a radar tower."
He let her go before she pushed him away, going around to the driver's side. She got in, too, looking funny at him.
"You've been paying attention to him."
Accusation.
Vince shrugged and started the engine.
"Keep your enemies close."
"He's not an enemy."
Vince knew that. Mia smiled the whole way home.
The setup was coming together, beer started flowing before five. The coals were going strong with Dom tending them. The music beat with rhythm. By the skin of his teeth Vince took the post of being Dom's wingman, securing a spot by the grill without any of the hassle of cooking. He just had to make sure Dom had a beer in hand and his job was done.
Dom didn't seem at all concerned about anything right now. He was just content, smiling, nodding his head from time to time with his vision off in some other land. Vince kept a glancing eye on him for signs of change. Nothing on Dom's end.
Something on his, though. Something Vince needed to clarify with Dom, even though it concerned them all, really.
"If the buster is sticking around, we're going to have to make a decision about those trucks, Dom."
Dom kept his cool for so long Vince wondered if Dom was thinking he'd gone soft, looking for a way out and taking this one, but Dom eased his mind soon enough.
"I know, brother. Hector might not like us ditching him during Race Wars, though."
Looking past Vince to the house where the others were, he had a look on his face that said he knew it was his and Vince's show if they were real about it. Vince jumping off the top of the Civics firing the tranquilizer into the drivers and taking over the semi trucks to pull them over and out of sight so they could call the off-load team, Hector's guys. Leon and Letty just running interference. Leon was always ready to stop when they'd had enough and Letty was good for the ride but wouldn't say a single word against stopping while the money was flowing.
It wasn't them who would ever stop this race. It was Dom. Or…it was Vince.
"I can clean up this mess if we get caught by him, D. But we said no one dies."
Dom didn't quite get that at first, but then he did. He looked right at him, rage kindling like the fire he tended over the barbecue.
"What are you saying?" Dom's voice rumbled deep.
Vince could feel the start of an earthquake bouncing around Dom's head. He knew Dom was not a man to get into a fight with. Despite jail time being the punishment for throwing a punch, all Dom had to do was not get caught. And even Vince was the sort of guy to sign the affidavit stating he punched himself while in this back yard if the neighbors called the cops on them.
"What do you think I'm saying? He's a cop and he's looking to stay one. You said it yourself he wants to be FBI. You think if he found out about us he'd be able to do something other than turn us in? And you don't want to go back to prison, so what else could I do to clean it up if something happens?"
Dom wanted to believe he hadn't just heard that. But no. Loud and clear.
"You're not a murderer," he said, still just containing his emotions about this.
"Don't be as stupid as you look," Vince teased, keeping the mood light with the verbal jab. "I jump off a high speed car onto semi trucks just so we can do the job you promised Hector. I could do it for us, brother. He's just a stupid blonde chasing your ass."
What Vince meant to do was test Dom. Test all those words out on his brother and see exactly who Brian was to him.
Dom wiped a hand down his face, thought it over for all of ten second, then the strike: he had Vince by the throat, thumb pressed tight right there where he could stop Vince's breath, fingers bruising around the back. Vince sorta saw it coming. He gripped Dom's wrist but his other hand stayed by his side. He saw the darkness in Dom and knew it was that same look he gave anyone who threatened his family.
Answer to the question: Brian was already family.
"Don't make me clean up this mess," Vince said with what little sound he could produce. "I don't want to. That cop has no idea what we are and if he ever finds out nothing good can come of it. For us, going to prison. For him, associating with us and not knowing what we are he'd never get that detective badge he told you about. You'd be ruining his life, Dom…" and Vince saw the look in the other man start to soften, start to think. Vince kept on, "So don't be stupid. Being friends with him always meant one of these could be the outcome."
Dom pulled Vince in closer anyway, loosening his grip, though. Worry laced his expression now.
"Doesn't have to be either of those things. We'll stop after the next one. Get Hector to sell the cars. Brush it all under the rug."
He let Vince go.
"Dom?" Letty called from the doorway with worry in her tone.
They both looked over. She stood there, poised and tight with Leon behind her. In the window, Mia and Jesse watched. Dom shook his head.
"Nothing's wrong," Vince called to them. "Go back in. We're just talking."
Took her a second to believe him, but then she left. There was someone watching by the window after that.
For a few minutes the two of them stood by the grill sipping their cold beers. Then Vince went to the bench out there and laid down on the top of it, loving the heat soaking into his back. Not a minute later Dom came by and sat in a place that blocked the sun on Vince's face. Vince opened his eyes and saw Dom's back. The sweat that swelled along the material.
"I don't hate him. I'm not trying to fight you about that. I invited him to this thing today. Mia tell you that yet?"
Dom looked back at him, the movement hitting Vince with a flash of the sun before Dom corrected for that. It was a bit of an awkward angle so Vince couldn't make out Dom's face.
"No, she didn't say that," he said at length and a bit pensive.
"We like the way you are when he's around," that was easier to say than the truth, which was that he liked the way Dom was when Brian was around.
"Everyone can bring a date," Dom said with a smile. It was an old rule.
Vince swatted Dom's back for the remark, but let the silence linger between them. For his part Dom was finally getting that moment he needing to think: a moment that Vince was willing to give him. Take what he knows and Dom could guess Brian was here for Mia first, but Dom had no doubt he stayed for the rest of them, too. He'd been coming around for two weeks getting that Supra put back together. The lot of them had put so much work into it.
Letty was a different issue. She helped out especially when Dom was close to Brian. Dom had less than a clear plan about what he was doing with Brian. Staying away and observing was smart, but after that morning, after the clear feeling of wanting something more…Dom couldn't say that Brian being in the family was going to be without trouble.
His face glowed with the memory of it. He tried to believe it was just the sun on his face.
"What do you think of him sticking around?" Dom asked Vince quietly, unable to look back at him.
He felt Vince's knuckles press into his back. Contact was something they often did and weren't afraid of. It was comforting to know he had a friend this close.
"Be interesting to get him to open up about those SWAT missions. Maybe take him to the gun range and see how good he is."
"You'll finally have someone to go with you."
Dom took a deep breath. What he wanted to say was that Brian being a cop was a big deal but not a deal breaker. They were pulling off heists getting them big payouts, which was the big deal that was a breaker. Dom knew there was every real chance of something going wrong, but he couldn't have said that before. What could go wrong that was out of their control anyway? They had remarkable machines driving them. He had reliable people helping him pull things off. But now…now Dom was closer to the finish line than the starting point and he had more to lose.
"You like him more than you're letting on," Vince said real, real quietly so Dom almost didn't hear.
But Dom did hear. It made him tense up.
Vince sat up, hand moving up to grip Dom in that muscle group that still tingled from way back when Brian went at it. Vince leaned in, staring at him, daring Dom to prove him right or wrong.
"You trust him, that's why you like him so much, isn't it? You told me he said he'd do anything else before taking you in, and you believe him. Or is it because of what's in his pants that has you so smitten?"
Dom jabbed out with his elbow getting Vince hard on his ribs. It only knocked a brief laugh out of Vince. He chuckled at his friend, knowing he was finding the truth. He saw now how red Dom's face was.
Vince felt some sort of sickness inside of him as he spoke to Dom. It wasn't like it was disgust…it was like witnessing a tragedy. A death. A death of one Dom and the birth of another. Dom was his friend and he accepted him as a changed man out of Lompoc, accepted the bullshit that Dom put them all through and he'd accept this, too. It's what Dom was trying for this whole time: get Vince to get on board. Except, it appeared that Vince accepted the real truth before Dom had, as clearly that was what was happening right now. Vince saw how undone at the seams Dom was and knew it was because accepting any truth that began with 'falling for a man' meant that he'd have backlash from all of them. Especially Letty.
Dom had one night stands - ten minute stands, even - but choosing the buster meant changing some default setting. Dom was having issue with that.
"You've always got me in your corner, Dom." Vince finished with, "One more heist? Yeah, brother, I'm in. Want to take that cop to your bed? I won't even call you a faggot."
"Vince!" Dom declared, snapping his head around and looking mortified. Not pissed off. Spoke volumes that he wasn't pissed off.
Vince shrugged off again the intensity of his friend. Vince pushed it, pressed it, getting it all out there so he wouldn't have to speak of it again.
"I don't care if you want him like I know you do, Dom. I can see it in your face…you're just denying it. You already know Mia's been wanting to sit you down and ask you these questions, but she's still making excuses just like you. Leon wants to talk about it, too. Jesse doesn't care, would rather talk about cars. Letty's trying to stop you before you start, but what's she gonna do? Grow a dick and sign up to be a cop, too? Why are you so bothered, anyway? Gay dudes are all over the place. Look at Hector's cousins."
Hector had about forty cousins so it was easy that there'd be some variety there. They hated Vince because they got such slack from him for being gay, but honestly they drove prissy cars and weren't into guns, music, or tattoos so it was really more that.
Dom had this deep rumble that just wouldn't stop. Vibrating the whole table while he ran his hand over his face and head. Did he think he'd become like one of them? Did he think his desires for the cop would add him to some bad category? That was one thing to rumble about and the other was knowing he had a best friend who didn't think things through, who was hot tempered and a real dick most of the time, but Vince was acting in that rare way right now. This side of Vince had thought things through and he was making his loyalty clear.
Vince put the nail in the coffin. "You love him yet?"
Dom ended with his hand pressed over his eyes.
All Dom could do was repeat the question with a melancholic ache, "Do I love him yet?"
That was Vince's cue. He wrapped his arm around and pressed his head against the back of him. Dom needed this so Vince was willing.
"I'm not going anywhere if you do have feelings like that for him. But if you're jumping into this without knowing if the buster's feelings reciprocate your own, then you're only gonna hurt yourself. And then I will have to kill the guy for not realizing what a catch he's got."
Dom burst out laughing, like, manic and confused and twitchy laughter. Because yeah, did Brian feel anything for Dom? Was he just a friendly guy and Dom was reading him all wrong?
Vince stayed with Dom another full minute until he was sure Dom had not only come to his senses but had wiped those tears out of his eyes that he was probably telling himself was just sweat.
"You invited him over to this thing?" Dom said at last.
Vince moved away, standing up and going back over to mess with the coals.
"Yeah. Don't know if he can make it. He said SWAT stuff could last twelve hours plus overtime if it turned bad."
Dom stayed on the bench watching Vince, looking for a tell that his friend wasn't taken over by alien life and was just posing as human now. Strange that Brian talked with Vince about that stuff. He told Dom he couldn't and Dom had gone along with that. Brian was anything if not transparent when he was pushed, though. He talked about his childhood some, mentioning his mom did drugs and had endless boyfriends, but he resisted to say just how many were ones that took an interest in him. So far, as far as Dom knew, just the one had really gone too far and needed to be called into the police about.
But the SWAT thing - the cop thing in general - that was something Dom didn't look too closely at. Guns were Vince's thing. Honestly, that comment about having someone go to the gun range with him was probably spot on.
Dom eventually went inside to see how the others were getting along with the rest of the food. He wasn't asked to explain what Vince's and his fight was about and he was glad. Dom also didn't bring up that Vince told him Brian was coming. Mia didn't mention it, not at six when the food was nearly ready, not as six-fifteen when they all sat down, not at six-thirty when Dom started eating a little slower, and not at seven, when he heard the sound of a Mustang's engine parking in front of the house.
"What's the buster doing here?" Leon asked when Brian opened the side gate that led into the back yard. He'd followed the sound of the music knowing a knock on the front door was going to go unanswered.
Mia smiled at him, Dom looked over with a fair amount of concern, but it was only Leon, Letty, and Jesse who were surprised.
"I told him to," Vince said, reaching under the bench and opening the icebox they'd put under there to keep it out of the sun, grabbing a Corona and then getting up to go meet him.
Brian had stopped at the gate entrance watching Vince come over with a fresh beer in his hand. Honestly Brian looked nervous having Vince acting all buddy-buddy. Vince pressed the beer into his hand and stood in front of him looking him over.
"The shiner is new," Vince stated.
Brian had it glowing under his left eye, not making it swell so it wasn't a hard hit, but his pupil looked larger on that side and there was this darker, redder shadow under it. Blood vessels had burst. He didn't comment back, but shrugged it off. Clearly not proud of the story, then.
"Come on," Vince said turning back. Brian followed, taking the seat Vince pulled out for him right between Jesse and himself, middle of the table and across from Letty.
"Hey guys," Brian greeted them all.
There'd been an extra plate under Vince's. It had so far gone unnoticed by the others but Vince slipped it out and plopped it in front of Brian, then grabbed the tongs and dropped two of the cooled chicken legs on his plate. He lifted his eyes then, glaring at all the sarcastic remarks going through everyone's heads as they were clearly thinking them from the looks on their faces.
"Thanks man," Brian said, chin lifted looking like he was barely containing just how thankful he was for all this.
From the head of the table Dom was taking a few calming breaths. The conversation from before hitting Dom like a weight again. He met Vince's eyes and saw it there again. Acceptance.
There was the sound of a kick under the table and Brian winced as his eyes went to Letty.
Letty was smirking and opened with, "Do we gotta check you for more bruises than the one on your face?"
Brian shook his head. "Naw. Just this one."
"No shots fired?" Leon asked.
"Not from my team."
Then he was taking a bite of the food and looking really pleased by the flavor.
"Why the shiner?" She asked curiously.
He shook his head, mouth full. Mouth staying full. He couldn't talk about Rome and used the excuse of keeping work at work to cover for the eye. The others talked about cars and about the paint job. Vince told them he'd told Brian what color the car was going to be and they all started in about how fun the week had been messing with him. He finally got to see the print that Dom still had in his pocket. By then his plate was as empty as the rest of theirs and he was on his second beer.
Seeing the picture was better than hearing the words. The neon orange fading into the platinum just over the rear tires, which Mia said was to commemorate his last ride. Then the decals just as Vince described but better. It had more platinum surrounding the lower frame that Vince hadn't mentioned, the fading effect making it look like it was floating.
He stood up and went around the table to Mia's side and wrapped her in a hug, pulled her up to give her a spin around. "Thank you, Mia! It's perfect!"
She was grinning.
"Someone's happy!" She said, laughing.
Brian put Mia down and she was flushed.
"I love it. Love it!" He said if that wasn't clear.
"Well, I figured I'd give you a ride good enough to make you feel sorry to lose, so that you won't go racing my brother again. He'll beat you every time."
Her joke got the rest of them to join in laughing. Dom also looked pleased. He'd been keeping quiet and just watching everyone mostly. Brian had other things on his mind, but this distraction was what he needed to brush off the day's work. He looked around at all of them, thinking how lucky he was to be a part of this and how wrong most of the assumptions in those FBI files on the lot of them were.
Mia wrapped an arm around him and he reached up and pushed her hair behind her ears.
"How do I thank you for this? All of you?"
"Give her a striptease!" Joked Leon, pulling the idea out of his remembrance of Brian being known as a stripper to Jesse's one night stand.
And that got more laughter but the challenge was made. There was music, not the sort with a great beat but Brian could work with it.
He started with just a small bounce around his hips, smirking at Mia. Mia knew instantly what he was doing and laughed, tried to escape but not really. His tempo was picking up.
He took her by only the hand, standing a foot away and was all broad planes and slick movement as he lowered himself until his face was around her hips. The tempo really picked up. He brought himself back up her body from behind, hands on her waist and then along her arms. Somehow in it all his shirt had come off and his jeans had popped a button. Everyone but Vince was roaring in laughter and support, hands clapping.
Brian moved around the table. Leon had been at the head of it, but dove off onto the grass. Brian was aiming for him, but swung his hips around, making the move look easy and coming up right behind Vince.
Vince slammed a hand onto the table and pointed a venomous finger at Brian. "Don't you dare - !"
"Don't want some of this?" Brian asked coyly.
And Brian did it anyway. He put his center of gravity lower and did a not-so-sexy tackle that lifted Vince like he didn't weigh two-hundred pounds, plopping his ass on the table, knocking over two beers that others quickly righted. And Brian got everyone booming with laughter again as he bunched a fist of Vince's double layer net shirt getup, eyes intently locked on him, swaying his hips up and down until Vince was spitting anger trying to struggle out of it without touching the guy, getting stopped whenever Brian almost pressed his naked torso against him.
"Get him, buster! Rock his world!" Roared Leon.
"I'll only see this once in a lifetime!" Jesse said, right there at the other corner of the table
Brian looked over at Jesse and moved on to him, freeing Vince to run to Leon's side for safety. Jesse saw him coming and bolted around the table passing Dom, who was automatically next to be served.
Dom was grinning, blushing at it all, shaking his head.
"Do you dare?" he asked cunningly, grinning, not budging his elbows from where they were planted on the table, everyone catcalling now to see this.
Whatever tempo was in Brian's head slowed down to a seductive level, leaving his hips swaying in this way and that, accentuating the muscles on his chest and stomach to make them resemble gentle waves on the shore. He put one hand on Dom's shoulder and pushed him back in his seat. Dom went without complaint, elbows now settling on the arms of his seat. His sun kissed skin shown with sweat, his cheeks already flush from beer, but there was something else starting to glow about him, too.
"This is the first time I've ever wanted to read you your rights," Brian said in a deep and sultry voice and that made Dom finally burst out in a loud laugh. The giggles started up among Letty and Mia, with the guys moaning and looking away.
Brian ginned, too, but his eyes weren't laughing much. He turned seductive. He never was one to often give mercy so why give it to Dom or his crew? Or the husbands and wives who were looking out their back windows at the Toretto yard where he slid his hands tantalizingly up his own body, over his own shoulders, and then forward to slide over his own arms. He landed them on Dom, firmly planting his fingers in Dom's rigid trapezius, sweeping his back forward and lifting a leg to press his knee atop Dom's thigh, sliding forward even more so he was looking down on Dom. All the while his hips swayed with a flexible bend about the lower spine. Brian's body was all fluid, his heat sending ice and fire trails through Dom.
"Alright, buster," Letty said firmly, unable to stop her grin even as her tone was a bit strict.
"I thought you'd pay to see this?" Dom asked her effortlessly, referring to one of the first comments she made about Brian. So sue him for not taking his eyes off Brian's when he said this.
"A guy who can striptease like this? Why are you still single?" Letty asked, coming over and causing interference.
Brian didn't stop his tease. He turned his attention on her, lifting his hands from Dom, taking Letty smoothly by her hips and pulling her against his body to move with him. He nuzzled her cheek, kissed her neck slowly and with a loud smooch, then maneuvered her down into Dom's lap. His knee was still on Dom's other thigh and now Letty was caged between them. He took her hands and pressed them to his shining bare torso. She laughed, playing along, rubbing her hands up Brian's abs in clear view of Dom's eyes. Brian's eyes faded, one hand moving to each of their faces, trailing down to their necks. Brian's hips still circling to the slow tempo he set.
Mia called out to them, "This is starting to get a little out of hand!"
"Don't be a kill-joy!" Snapped Letty, wrapping her hands around Brian's waist and shoving his jeans down to expose the hem of his plaid boxers and more of the golden love trail.
Brian had eyes glued on Dom, but now he turned to her. Her lips were puffy and wet where she'd been biting, her eyes lidded, her cheeks flushed. He leaned down and bid her hither with his locked-gaze, lifting her chin with his palm consuming and she came damn eagerly to his lips. When they locked, Brian's hand clenched on Dom's neck, on soft flesh where his neck met his shoulder, thumb held in that cavity by the base where he felt first Dom's growl.
Dom had the weight of both of them in his lap but rose like it was nothing. Fierce, hot resentment blazed in his face and he had Brian pinned between the table and his hips in a flash, with Letty bounced away to her feat and pushed out of the fray.
That was the first moment Dom could feel the hardness in his pants against his own thigh. Brian supported his weight back on one hand on the table, his other held out protectively in between him and Dom. His eyes were spiked with alertness whereas before it was missing. Dom gripped his arm, nails leaving marks, and used the other for a similar block position. What Dom had to defend against…he wasn't sure.
"What was that?!" Dom demanded.
Was it a real kiss for Letty? Was it a game? Was it to rile up Dom?
Brian's breath was fast, deep. His words were breathless. "Too far. I know…I just realize that now."
Dom felt Brian move his hips. It was infinitesimal, not noticed by the others, but Dom felt their lengths slide against each other.
Questions raged in Dom, the most prominent being: what does this mean?
He pushed, making Brian's hand slip further back and his body arch more. It shoved them together where it counted. Dom didn't know why he did it. To prove a point? To power over Brian and make him see what he did? A good show, yeah, Brian had done that.
He spun his head around to find Letty looking guilty. Needing the security of her though, Dom was getting into Letty's space. She shook her head, a lost look in her eyes.
"Dunno what came over me. Love a good striptease, Dom. You know that."
And with the power of her voice she saved the moment. Because Letty had done something bad so she was playing it off and knew he'd let her.
She kept their eyes locked and hers passionate, but her hands went to Dom's shoulders and then her own body started dancing to the rhythm of the music on the stereo. She was already turned on anyway. No use coming down again so quickly. She spun, pressing the curve of her ass into Dom's crotch, arms over her head and holding onto his, her body dancing into his as she felt his response to her.
Everyone saw Dom give in and they breathed a sigh of relief. Brian had kissed Letty right in Dom's lap. How on earth fists weren't flying was beyond any of them.
Brian stayed leaning against the table, looked over and smiled at the crowd. They looked mortified, frozen. Clearly he'd played it really too far for their comfort. Mia reached down and grabbed his t-shirt and tossed it at him. Brian took his time getting the white cotton garment over his head, getting his arms in and pulling it down his chest.
He shook his head, to himself saying, "Now I really want to go on a date. Look how much fun dancing is."
He watched Letty and she was grinning back at him, swaying her hips a little extra just for him for a moment. Dom was gripping her waist, holding her tight to him, his eyes closed, head tucked in. Dom was freaking out and going into shut-down mode. His mind raced with the tactile feel and memory of familiar skin. But the memory of Brian's skin mixed with Letty's making him dizzy. Hiding it, afraid if he looked up he'd give too much away, Dom buried his face in her hair.
"I don't think I quite understand how Dom didn't lay you out, buster," Vince said, coming up once again and taking a seat at the table.
Secretly, Vince had an idea where Dom's mind was.
Brian shook his head, looking at the lot of them with a mingled expression of exhaustion and exuberance. "Can't believe none of you guys laid me out."
Leon followed suit with Vince, landing in a chair, looking like he was very glad the food was free to grab at again. He pulled another roll out of the basket and reached for the butter knife, saying, "You're a bucket of fun, goldie! Never in my wildest!"
Jesse and Mia sat, too. Brian landed in the nearest chair that wasn't Dom's and had a satisfied look on his face. Grinning from ear to ear, he was looking all around like he couldn't be happier.
Mia gave her brother and Letty a halfhearted once over, then looked away, back at Brian. "A strip teasing cop… What really is stopping you from going out and finding someone? You don't have people like Dom and Vince in your life to stop you. I have that excuse, but not you. And you clearly have a lot to offer."
Little did Mia know that her words irked Vince. He supposed it wasn't fair that he do one thing for Mia and the freaking opposite for Brian. He was telling Dom it was alright to swoop in on the buster, ditch Letty. But Dom had some mythos about that, about betrayal, like he hadn't gone out behind her back a dozen times before. Just the thought of doing it with a dude - with Brian - slowed Dom down enough to think. And maybe that's why he was hanging on Letty like she was his lifeline? Maybe Dom was considering what he'd lose if he tried at all to go for the thing he was lusting for?
"Not even," Brian shook his head. "You saw my place, Mia."
She didn't think that counted. "You're a workaholic. So what?"
"I'm also a cop. You all know better than most, but people don't really go in for a guy with a badge. And call a guy crazy for wanting a relationship to have a little love and respect in it. And Mia, are you saying these two are stopping you from going on a date? What gives?"
Brian landed Vince with a look that brought him out of his reverie. Vince had missed most of that last bit and looked around. Mia had a narrow glare for him and Vince wondered what he'd done. Brian also had a funny look for him, a challenge against Vince.
What had he missed while he was locked in his head thinking about Dom's personal life?
Brian asked Mia, "Want to go on a date, Mia?"
"What?!" Vince snapped, surprised.
Mia looked sympathetic, both for Brian and Vince.
"I don't think a date with me is what you really want, Brian." And then she shut her mouth, realizing what she'd just said could be taken as thinking something she shouldn't be thinking. She quickly threw in her next words, hoping they would cover this blunder, "I mean, I'm not exactly your type!"
Brian looked like he hadn't found anything wrong with what she said. Everyone let her get away with the cover, but many sets of eyes went over to Dom who was watching them, but also enjoying a slow dance against Letty's body. His hands were resting on her hips keeping her close.
"Cops don't date Mia," Vince said sternly, "even gay ones like you. You'll snake charm her like you just did Letty and then Dom and I would have to put you down."
Speaking his name brought his and Letty's show to a close.
"You break her heart and I'd break your neck," Dom said evenly.
Brian met the challenge. "But I was thinking more along the lines of setting her up on a date," and he looked at Mia with a grin. "A police detective isn't just any beat cop. And it's not fair that these two have kept you locked up in a tower like Rapunzel all these years!" Brian looked at Letty. "Either you take her out to find some meat tonight or I'm gonna get a guy I know with a detective badge involved here!"
Vince stood up and said indignantly, "No more cops! Nuh-uh! Not happening!"
"Some meat?!" Roared Leon again, barking a laugh at them all.
Letty laughed, too. "Buster's right, girl. There's a club I've been dying to go to without Dom on my hip. We'd get another striptease and this time no one will stop it!"
"Hey!" Dom exclaimed.
Mia stood up and took Letty's hand, pulling her away with a mean look at Dom. "Not sure what I'll find there, but let's go get ready. I need you to pick me out an outfit."
Letty grinned behind at Dom the whole way into the house.
"His name is Thaddeus!" Brian called out behind their retreating backs.
Dom and Vince got laughed at by Leon and Jesse.
"First time you never put up a fight seeing her go out with Letty," Leon said to Vince, patting him on the shoulder. Vince was glaring daggers at Brian who couldn't look more smug.
It was Leon also who grabbed his beer from the other side of the table and raised it in a toast. All hands reached around, finding their beers and clinking glasses against his. Dom had cooled down after the cold drink. He sat nearer to Brian, looking at him without that rage anywhere in sight. If anything, it was curiosity.
Dom asked, "You want to fall in love?"
He was referring to Brian's earlier declaration that he wanted to date and have that on the table. A dreamy expression settled over Brian.
"I haven't ever really been. Sorta want to try it."
"What are you expecting?"
Brian looked right at him, over him, through him, maybe even. Made Dom keep his beer close so he could quench his dry throat.
"Bit like before a race?" Brian asked.
Dom knew what he meant. "Car revving up. Getting deep in your head."
Brian nodded. "Touching all those valves and keys. Making sure the levels are right."
Maybe the intensity between the two of them was back, like it had been when Brian was leaning over Dom. Vince pulled his beer back to his mouth and looked away. Leon watched in Technicolor for any clear sign that they had feelings for each other. But Jesse grinned and chuckled.
"That's so hot," Jesse said in awe. "That's exactly what love should be. A smooth, turbo charged ride down the highway. You two have it right."
Leon feigned stress. "I'm starting to think dirty thoughts. Bri, brother, you can't stay single, you'll mess with my head pretty soon."
More laughter except not from Vince who was watching Dom, looking at the position he was in, looking at the game Dom was playing with Letty and Brian. And he had to push it a bit. "A gay cop strip teasing is not what I pictured happening at this barbecue."
"You have no problem when girls are stripping," Dom pointed out.
"Girls!" Vince stressed.
Dom rolled his eyes. Brian was looking at him, still checking that he was all good. Dom let a smile settle on his lips, but he had some words to say about Brian's dating life.
"It won't be a date, but what do you want to do?" Dom asked him. "We'll all go with. Not a date. Just going out."
Brian perked up. "Like, you guys will go out with me? Do whatever I want to do?"
"Whatever you want to do!" Dom confirmed.
"NOT WHATEVER you want to do!" Clarified Vince, like it was very important he know that.
Brian knew instantly what to say and offered, "There's a police unit baseball game tomorrow - "
"NO!" Vince bellowed, standing up and saying it again. "NO!"
Letty had chosen for Mia to wear a short shirt, a tight skirt, heals and had demanded a black leather jacket go atop it, as if it hadn't been triple digits all day until just half an hour ago. She wanted the two of them to make it into the club without having to wait in line. The clothes weren't to pick anyone up even if Brian had demanded they go to find Mia a date. Letty knew Mia was probably going to come home with some college boy before someone off the street like the rest of the team were prone to doing.
The two women heard everyone come into the house downstairs while they were getting ready. They went loudly into the kitchen talking and laughing but the words not making it up the stairs. Leon and Jesse were the loudest, but then something set Brian off and he put them to shame with how loud his laugh got.
"What are they doing?" Mia wondered looking out into the hall and down the stairs. Dom came into view taking the stairs up, grinning and shaking his head. She asked easily, "What's going on?"
"Just getting ready to go. Brian's taking us somewhere. Won't say where. Jesse's excited as shit."
"It's not a cop place?" Letty asked
Dom leaned against the door jamb into Mia's room, getting a look at Letty in front of Mia's mirror putting makeup around her eyes.
"He'll give me directions and I'll know later. Text you if it is."
Dom of course knew it wasn't going to be. But overall it wasn't like Dominic Toretto to follow along like this. It peaked Mia's interest enough to point this fact out.
"You've never let anyone else pull something like that."
Dom looked fondly over at her. "He was your friend first. Figured I'd give him a shot."
"You always take my things."
In their relationship that was often how it did go. If Mia had too much attention Dom wanted a part of it. Vice versa. With their mom, their dad, anything like that. Vince for awhile, too. Back before Mia was old enough for Vince to even consider dating her that's when Mia would try like crazy to get his attention. Long time later when Vince could see her as something else besides an annoying little girl she had already grown tired of him. It had been ages since either sibling recalled this battle; there just hadn't been any change in their lives in so long. Brian was a welcome reminder of their old relationship.
While both Dom and Mia were thinking these thoughts with nostalgic recollection, Letty carried on the conversation.
"Took him ages enough to let loose. Needed us to settle down around him first."
Dom caught onto that.
"What are you saying?"
"He was still nervous around us, afraid to make any mistakes. But then he played into Leon's dare to striptease - that was the first time I'd seen him really ease up. See the look on his face while he did it? Didn't give a shit what anyone thought. Ballsy, risking it like that. Went all the way, too."
"You mean kissing you?" Mia asked.
Letty nodded with a smirk. "He clammed up after Dom's outburst. I would have expected him to make some excuse to go home right after, let us all cool off for a few days, too. Wasn't him who suggest he take you somewhere, was it? Who kept him around by suggesting he take you somewhere?"
Dom cocked his head, observing her but not answering.
She smiled, finally coming forward and pressing one newly painted finger to his cheek, lightly trailing it onto his lips so close he could smell the nail lacquer.
"It was you? No wonder he stayed, then. Want some fair advice from someone with as many issues relating to new people?"
He looked bemused by her.
"Sure. You've been insightful so far. What advice do you have?"
"He's not telling you where you're going because he thinks you'll judge it and bail. He's clammed up because that's what he does. And if you make fun of him he'll never go back there with you."
"Didn't clam up outside and that was pretty risky of our disapproval," Dom accused, defending Brian or trying to prove her wrong; or maybe neither.
"Duh. Mia was there. He's only himself around her. She's the only one he'd try new things for. I'm the same when you're with me."
At the garage he was always accepting of conversation but never the one to start it. He was easy to be with. Not apparently a cop by any of his reactions…or lack thereof when he was around them. He was not really cagy just careful to not show judgment. Dom was wonder-struck by Letty's observations more than anything.
Mia, too.
"Letty's in tune with him."
Letty smirked at them both. "You Toretto's. You don't know what you look like to people who didn't have any good family. Little golden cop down there is treating you like porcelain because he's use to people breaking."
Dom had to admit that he liked that about him, that he was careful of what he said knowing it could hurt someone's feelings. Dom hadn't got any negative vibes from any of the team until now when he had gone and stared Brian down for kissing Letty.
"Going in for a psychology major?" Dom teased.
She shrugged to herself and stretched her arms out. "But pretend I didn't say anything if you don't want to hear it. Easier for me if he gets scared and runs; I wouldn't have to defend you from that racebunny anymore."
"Racebunny?!"
Mia winced, too. "Oh, yeah…I'm not the only one who noticed?"
Letty stepped out of the room with a graze of her body against Dom's.
"Racebunny, yeah, Toretto. You noticed today how he hops? All close-like?" She leaned up and snapped her teeth at Dom in a feral move, but she'd just done her lipstick so left it at that. A glint in her eye as she moved on. "I'm ready to go when you are, Mia. Going to go downstairs and warm up some more with the bunny."
Dom watched the sway of her hips as she left, knowing that was a real threat, as was her getting a lap dance tonight. They were generally on good terms these days so long as they made it clear when they were going to stretch the bounds of their relationship, keeping it honest even when they could have easily hidden their exploits out of sight of the other. It was a recent agreement that brought up some issues with Dom concerning the numb feeling that still lingered in his stomach for Brian.
Mia's sigh brought Dom back to the present.
"She's right."
"About what?" Dom really needed clarification.
"All of it probably. Brian gives everyone space. I wouldn't say he's cagy, just…he doesn't want to be in the way. He knows his job is not ideal for us. Race Wars is just this weekend, and…the trucks…" Mia trailed off.
Dom knew. One soft look at her and she knew he knew, too.
"Race Wars is this week, and the thing with the trucks is being sorted out."
She smiled tightly and said neither here nor there, "Is it being sorted out? You're going to do one last run anyway?"
Dom didn't like it when Mia hit him with words like this, but she was right.
He'd not come up here to talk about this, though. While he still could, before Letty got too close to the bunny downstairs, he asked his sister, "You're okay going out tonight? You always say you're too busy."
"Brian's right. Dancing with someone else is fun. If it doesn't go well maybe I should hear more about Detective Thaddeus?"
Dom cast her now with an overly big-brother-the-protector look. "Another cop in the family?"
She grinned but didn't push the family comment. "He is a good judge of character."
Dom let her have her fun. "He picked up on you, so yeah. He is."
Dom decided then to duck out of there before she said anything else. Before he told himself anything else, too. He got downstairs and was relieved to find Letty's hands weren't all over him.
They all headed out. There was a blazing orange sunset during their drive over, taking the heat down with it. Brian was sat next to him, all smiles while tucked into Dom's Rotary Experiment #7 instead of his Grand Tourer. His RX-7 had a lot on Brian's GT, but one thing Brian liked about his commuter convertible was the cop heads it didn't turn. The four street racing cars driving bunched up down Sunset Boulevard were a beacon.
"You're not even going to guess?" Brian wondered, smirking.
Dom knew what he meant. Guess at where they were going. There was the excitement of not knowing, but Dom was wondering if it even mattered, because after talking with Letty, Dom wouldn't do anything but show Brian he wanted to be there. Even if it was a shooting range with cammo wearing white boys, Dom swore he'd be supportive.
He didn't really think he had to worry about that, though. Brian probably would be trashing his plans at promotions hanging out openly with their lot, so Dom didn't really expect a usual cop hangout. Even if they were planning on ending their own criminal career plans, the lot of them weren't squeaky clean like normal friend's of cops probably were. They weren't going to get rid of their cars for instance. And Vince's parking tickets and Leon's habit of catching the photo-end of a red-light were more bible verses than sins. He wondered if keeping it to minor offenses like these would make them permissible friends for a wannabe FBI agent?
"I'm into whatever you want to do," Dom said, enjoying how hyped up Brian still was.
"It's pole dancing."
Dom laughed. "Liar!"
Brian laughed, too. "No, really! I'm only thinking about Letty, man. She sounded like she needed more of that. You're laid back, but more the watch-a-show than put-one-on sort. A few lessons might help."
Once again Dom liked him like this: not accommodating for him, not asking if it was okay to play like this. Just being open and himself. Brian's mischievous smile hadn't worn off.
"I got a free lesson from you after dinner. I'm a fast learner; that's all the classes I'll need."
"Really? You don't want private tutoring? I'll have to test you then, see if you really can pass."
"What's the criteria?"
"If you can get my dick as swollen as yours when it pressed against my crotch thirty minutes ago," and Brian really enjoyed the glare Dom shot him.
And after this, what conversation was off the table anymore?
If nothing else, having a new guy around was sort of like culture shock. But Brian was a weird mix of law and lewd. He'd given Dom a feel of what it was like to be back in an-enemy's camp, but without the bars. He wasn't even surprised Brian had looked again down his frame, checking Dom out from shoulders to legs. Muscles were at the heart of everything Dom created. Sleek, natural.
"Coming up past the children's hospital," Brian said, pointing on the right.
"Not exactly the two best sentences to say one after the other!" Dom pointed out firmly.
They made a turn past the next Seven Eleven.
"Pull in here."
"We there?"
"You ready for it?" A challenging look.
Dom's gaze didn't waver even as he made the last turn and saw with his own eyes where Brian had taken him.