ABSOLUTE BEGINNERS - CHAPTER THREE

[Seven months later]

Same concert, same bar, same nostalgic afterglow.

Arthur was tired.

He didn't regularly attend rock concerts, but since his run-in with Tommy Stone, he had been
trying to get back into the "scene." In preperation for his book. His book. What a laugh. After
transcribing the interviews he had conducted, and adding his own supplimentary material, he
had barely over one hundred pages. He needed more. And not secondary sources, either. He
needed the man himself. He needed Brian Slade.

Which was quite ironic, considering his odd relationship with Tommy Stone.

Tommy and his management had been so pleased with his first concert review that he had
immediately been assigned to cover Tommy's next big show in New York. Arthur smiled to
himself, recalling the huge gift basket that had mysteriously appeared at work. "Cheers! Love
Tommy." Of course it was Arthur's nagging worry that one day the inevitable would happen --
they would meet -- and Tommy would recognize his accuser, but for now he was safe, content
to sip lightly at a watered-down beer.

The place was a total dive. Utterly devoid of any charm or warmth, the bar's only saving grace
was the apathetic anonymity it offered its patrons. Arthur half expected Curt Wild to saunter in,
heading for the corner.

Not that it would matter; Arthur had taken his seat, preferring detachment from the
clostrophobic hubbub of the adrenaline-powered teens swarming in from the Stone show. He
tried to remember what it felt like to care about music, tried to imagine the blood pumping
through his veins, heart and head and body throbbing, unbelieving and exhilirated and barely
breathing. But he just couldn't.

Maybe he was getting old. It was highly possible that he didn't care about music any more. That
sort of music, anyway. Or maybe the music just wasn't right kind. After all, Tommy Stone
wasn't special in any way. He didn't mean anything, didn't stand for something original like Brian
had. He didn't make you want to be different, or even try new things. Yet Tommy managed to
capture his attention, hooking and drawing him in. He knew what it was, too. Brian had been
something ...

The feeling of incomplete deja vu in Arthur's mind was suddenly sated, as Curt Wild humbly
strolled into the bar. Arthur watched him for a few seconds, seeking any sign of recognition,
and, satisfied that no forced pleasantries would have to be exchanged, returned to his solitary
reverie.

It didn't surprise him that Curt had been at the concert. He held the same sick fascination with
Tommy that Arthur had. Anyone from that time would. To them, he couldn't have been more
obvious, more desperate to change himself into something, anything, that wasn't Brian Slade.

"Why, if it isn't Mr. Stuart from the Herald. Fancy meeting you here." Curt Wild smiled down at
him lazily.

Arthur froze, startled at first, and then shrugged. He wasn't in the mood for company. Putting on
a waxen grin, he looked up.

"Hello to you, Curt Wild. What brings you to this hole at such an hour?"

"Misery loves company." Arthur frowned, but Curt didn't notice, slumping down in the seat
across from him. "I saw your piece on Tommy's last number. Lovely little thing."

"Mm. Yeah." he smiled wearily. "Just Arthur."

"Well then, Arthur it is. And may I ask, Arthur," Curt stopped smiling, eyes narrowing. "why I
should be interviewed for a review of a Tommy Stone gig? We're not ... contemporaries ... if
you get my meaning."

Shit. He had phoned Curt. But that was a long time ago. Why did it matter? Were they still
friends? Shit.

"I'm not trying to start anything. Really." he looked to Curt for acknowledgement before
continuing. "I was supposed to write an article. About the anniversary. My boss ... he asked me
to find out what happened to Brian Slade." Arthur took a thick swig from his glass, swishing the
liquid around gently. "So I did."

"And?"

"Well, naturally I wanted to shout it to the heavens. I raced to the office just in time to find out
that the piece had been scrapped. I went to the concert. And it sucked. It just ... I felt so
betrayed."

"I know." Curt took a long time to reply. "So all that work for nothing?" he joked, looking
slightly off.

"Not really." Curt raised an eyebrow, and Arthur smiled broadly. "I'm writing a book."

"On Brian? You must be kidding."

"Nope."

"Why? What for?"

"I'm not sure. But ... I have to."

"Who've you talked to?" Curt eyed him warily. "No one wants to remember."

"I've met with a few people ... I don't have much. It's coming along."

"Let's see it."

"I don't have it with me!" Arthur was starting to feel trapped. He wanted to be alone again.

"A picture book, more like. Look, why don't you give me a hear, then?"

"An interview?" Arthur blinked. "Right now?"

"Sure, why the fuck not? But not here though. Too many of them. Fans." Arthur nodded, trying
to comprehend the situation. "Why don't you let me read your little snippets, and then I'll give
you some good quotes to sort through."

"It's at my apartment ..."

"Fine. Let's go."

Curt stood up. Arthur followed suit, thoroughly confused.

* * *

It just felt so wrong. Too calm and cozy. He felt the impending awkwardness driving him into a
panic, a cold sweat. This was just too weird. Arthur wanted to scream.

"Jesus, how'd you get these people to talk?" Curt was rifling through a messy stack of papers
on a badly lit desk. Arthur was nowhere to be found.

"Flattery gets you everywhere." Arthur replied, muffled by distance. He couldn't let Curt look
around the apartment. He couldn't. So he had to close and lock every drawer, arrange every
closet, and turn off every light before facing him again.

"Fucking hell it will. I didn't even know Mandy was still alive."

"Yeah ... she's a right yank now." It was odd, talking familiarly about these people he'd only
heard rumors about before. He hadn't ever known them, before. But Curt had.

"Is she? Can't see it, myself."

Arthur switched off the last lamp, and threaded his way through the darkness back towards his
desk.

Curt had known them all. Curt had been there, through everything. He had seen the worst. And
he had survived.

"Neither could I." Arthur whispered. Now he was starting to feel weird too.

"What's that?" Curt smiled at him as he tripped into a side table. "D'ya have anything to eat
around here, Mr. Reporter?"

"Yeah." answered Arthur, straightening up. "Here ..." he led Curt into the kitchen, and stood by
as the former rockstar inspected his fridge. After a moment of fidgeting, he saw Curt snort and
reach for a bottle of beer, kicking the door closed as he uncapped his prize. After taking a sip,
he laughed. Arthur regarded him quizzically.

"You're such a man." Curt smirked, nodding towards the fridge. "Such a guy."

"I know." Propelled by something unbeknownst to his person, Arthur took a step forward.

And kissed Curt.

Without giving him a chance to respond, Arthur snaked his arms around the other man's
shoulders, tilting his head in to a more productive position, delving his tongue into Curt's inviting
mouth. Curt began similar motions after regaining his composure, and moved slightly so that he
became trapped between Arthur's body and the cold refrigerator.

Similarly, the cold beer bottle was sending shivers down Arthur's spine, as the rest of his body
became intensely heated. But it didn't matter, and they kept going, faster, deeper, almost
violent, until Arthur couldn't breathe. He pulled his head back, still leaning his full body weight
against Curt, revelling in the painful friction as he tried to calmly catch his breath.

"Any more surprises?" Curt was deadpan, staring Arthur down with startlingly inquisitive eyes.
Arthur nodded feebly.

He couldn't remember later how or why Curt Wild was fucking him in his own bed.

But he didn't care either.

Notes: Theeeeeeeeeeere we go. Although it's still a PG-13 story. Gesh Dern. I'm just not sure
about the putting of gratuitous sex in my first fan fic for this genre. I don't know the audience
yet. (But if you want the sex, by all means, say so, and I'll add it in. There's more in the next
chapter ...) I'm trying to have Arthur and Curt behave like Adults, which I hope is showing.
And though I did have to get them back to someone's apartment (they couldn't just fuck on the
table at the bar, no matter how kinky that might be), hopefully it wasn't too cheesy.