Waves.
The need to have Vince in his bed comes to him in waves, ebbing and flowing in time to the moments when knows that he can have him and the moments that he actually does. Their whole emotional tug-of-war comes to a head that summer after Medellin when they both seemed determined to lose themselves in very different ways. While Vince was content to drown in sex and tequila in Mexico, Eric was resigned to building his brand in Los Angeles. If it hadn't been for a glimmer of a hope for a great audition for Vince, he probably would have respected his best friend's wish for a summer of freedom.
Colombia had been hell on both of them. When he wasn't smoking too much (a bad habit he'd rediscovered after the long hours of sooth Walsh's ego) or sleeping too little, Eric was worried about making sure that Vince ate enough, that production was on schedule and that the bills were being paid. And while Eric did that, Vince worried about Eric. That was what started the sleeping arrangements in the first place. A late night out with the guys had ended with a very drunk Eric collapsed on Vince's bed. When they woke up in each other's arms, neither of them thought it was that strange.
It stayed like that throughout the shoot, after Sloan called to break up with Eric and Vince quit looking at the pretty extras. They bonded like no other time in their lives, working together on the biggest project of their careers and sleeping together at night in Vince's dingy cabana. Turtle almost caught Eric sneaking out one night, but he successfully lied about some script changes. Eric considered telling Vince that they had to be more careful but when he found himself awake and missing him at 2 a.m., he crept across the property in the dark and crawled into Vince's waiting arms.
However, when things had gone south in the aftermath, it was Eric that took most of the blame in the situation. Though Vince could never come out and say it, E knew that his best friend had counted on him to make this movie work. He had tried his hardest, but it hadn't been good enough. Vince tried to convince him that everything was fine, but his so-called version of fine ended with 1,500 miles and three months between them.
And now, here was – dressed in Armani on a Mexican beach, resembling exactly The Suit that Walsh had long accusing him of being. Vince was sprawled out with a pair of exotic beauties, and Eric hates himself a little for being jealous. And then Turtle and Vince are making their way toward the trio from Hollywood and Eric forgets about being nervous. He just relishes the sight of his best friend after a four-hour ride in a rickety sea plane crushed between a bitching Ari and an obnoxious Drama.
A short walk along the beach later and Eric is chasing Vince like he always has. He finds his best friend with a trio of girls in a hammock and hates himself a little more for having to ask for a minute of his time. However, he knows this Ernst film has great potential for Vince and he needs it. Maybe even more importantly, Eric needs Vince to have it. There is no way that Vince will ever make this career move for himself, but Eric has a secret weapon. He has himself.
"Maybe you can go out like that, but I can't," Eric tells him. He goes on about how he founds this movie and how he can't be responsible for ruining his best friend. Vince sits perched on the edge of the paddle boat and listens to Eric talk about how good he is. Eric knows that he is stroking Vince's ego and seems completely vulnerable. He also knows that it's working. "You've got to do one more thing. You've got to let me help you get back to where you were supposed to be."
They exchange a few more words before Vince looks around and sighs resolutely. "Okay, E, I'll go," he agrees. Though sunglasses block their eyes, they both know that their gazes are fixed on each other. "For you."
They tell the other guys that they're going back, and Turtle runs off to get his goodbye present from Carol. Drama is learning cooking tips from a few of the beautiful natives, and Ari just calls out, "He needs to shave."
That's how they end up in the only completely private room in the cabana, the door locked behind them and Vince more in Eric's space than he's ever been. Ari managed to find a cheap razor and a can of Mexican shaving cream – or at least what E hopes is shaving cream. Vince sets the stuff down on the counter and turns to Eric. E sits in the small wicker chair and leans back, smiling happily just to see him. "You look good, Vin," he praised, admiring the tan and the way his dark hair has grown out to frame his face. Yeah, he could do without the beard but Vince is still beautiful as ever.
"You look stressed," Vince retorts, coming across the small room toward E. He slips his knee between Eric's and half straddles his lap before leaning in for a taste. They kiss for a moment before Eric tugs on his long curls impatiently. "What? Already?"
"Your bony knee is digging into my thigh, moron," Eric mutters before shifting Vince's leg between his and settling his hands in Vince's hair. He threads his fingers through the silky curls, relishing the way Vince almost purrs as he rubs his scalp. "Your hair has gotten long." Vince smiles at him behind dark lashes before leaning in for another brief kiss. "We don't have time."
Vince slides out of Eric's lap and to his knees on the floor in front of him. Eric hisses when Vince's hands find their way to Eric's thigh but he smiles like a lovelorn dope when Vince just lays his head down. Eric buries his hands again in his hair. "I missed you like hell, man," Vince confesses, cuddling closer to Eric as he can in the chair. "Turtle is great company and the girls were hot, but it wasn't the same. When everyone was gone at night and I was alone, you were the only thing I could think about."
"So why didn't you call?"
He had been waiting for that question. "Because I knew you would ask me to come home and I knew that I would," he answers. "I guess I wasn't ready for that yet. I just needed some time."
"Time away from me?" Eric asks. Vince hears the unvoiced Away from us? question that Eric can make himself ask. He shakes his head and pats Eric's hand. "Good."
"The plane will be here in thirty, bro," Drama yells through the door. "Have you seen E?"
"Okay, I'll be ready," Vince shouts back, grinning up conspiratorially at E. "I think E went for a walk. He said something about checking in with Charlie."
Once they hear Johnny pad off, Vince peels himself off the floor and sets to work shaving. Eric had always enjoyed this part, watching Vince get ready. He'd always loved it with women too, but there was something more intimate about watching Vin shave. Vince lathers up and Eric comes over, taking the razor from him to do the job himself. And when Vince's face is smooth again, Eric kisses it dry before capturing Vince's in a kiss so good that both their toes curl.
The kiss gets out of control as it so often does and E gets pressed against the far wall, Vince's hand disappearing down E's ridiculously expensive pants, and they spend the next fifteen minutes getting very reacquainted until Turtle pounds on the door and asks Vince what the fuck is taking so long. Eric laughs into Vince's shoulder as they untangle themselves. His need to have Vince has never been stronger or more certain, but this time is different. There will be no waves of when they will be together, it will just be so from now on.
"We're together now," Vince announces when they are back in L.A., just after he has rubbed his chin and complained that his face feels weird. Turtle curses from the driver's seat as the script falls onto the floor, Drama's jaw drops and Eric laughs as Vince's arms snake around the seat to rub his side. "We have been since Colombia." Turtle mutters under his breath and Johnny can't stop looking at his brother. "And had sex in the bathroom in Mexico. Just so everything is out there." And just like that, it was.
