"The Best-Laid Schemes"

The Best-Laid Schemes

Rating: PG-13

Pairings: Howie Dorough/Nick Carter, AJ McLean/Brian Littrell

Disclaimer: The young men who comprise the Backstreet Boys are their own people. The author has not met anyone here described, nor does the author mean to suggest that these people act this way in real life. This writing is a work of fiction. I make no money from this venture.

Wherein AJ smells Nick's sweat, Brian smells AJ's breath, and, um, Kevin probably smells like JC but that's another story.

Notice: The best-laid schemes o' mice an' men / Gang aft a-gley (Robert Burns, "To a Mouse," 39-40)

Okay, it's not the most appropriate quotation, but it's 2:30 a.m. Give me a break.

Alla

When AJ had called last night, Howie had told him not to come over, "Not now, man, not tonight." AJ showed up at Howie's house whenever he felt like it, and always was welcome, except when Howie was making a special friend. He wondered whom Howie was hooking up with now.

In the morning, he drove over to Howie's place and let himself in the front door. He got an apple from the kitchen, played some pool, and hung out for a while. Howie must still be in bed. AJ tiptoed to Howie's room and peeked inside.

Nick, in all of his God-given glory, was sprawled over Howie's bed, tangled in a sheet, slumbering beauty. Howie slept pressed up against him.

Holy flying shit balls.

Howie had done it!

Well, fuck AJ. Hunh. He was going to have to get that story from Howie. But for now, he'd let the conqueror sleep. Impressed, shaking his head, AJ left the house with his blessing upon it.

AJ drove from Howie's den of seduction to Brian's house of purity and light. He was going to have to proceed carefully. He couldn't let Brian know that he had any base intentions.

Kevin would be tricky. AJ felt confident that, all things considered, he could handle Brian, long-term. But Kevin? Kevin was going to be a challenge. AJ needed to be careful.

It might even be easier if AJ could bring Kevin into it. The wise-ass part of AJ kept snickering that something was up between Bri-Bri and Kevy-Kev. But those two, of all people AJ knew, would never. It'd be easier to get them to consider ritual cannibalism.

AJ loved Brian and Kevin. He even admired and respected their strong moral standards. But sometimes, his life would be a little easier if they were a little looser.

Now that Nick had crossed to the dark side, AJ was free to prey upon Brian. There had been no chance that Brian would so much as consider being with another man, especially another Backstreet Boy, as long as Nick was innocent and untouched. But now Howie had pretty much touched Nick. If Brian no longer had to protect Nick, no longer had to set a strict example...

AJ grinned, showing his teeth. Licked his lips. The video in his head showed him morphing into a panther, a predator.

Brian welcomed AJ with friendly hospitality, as always. Minutes later, AJ had him out in the car, heading for Howie's.

AJ had to move quickly, to ensure that Nick would still be at Howie's. With luck, not only would Nick be there, but he'd give away what had happened. Nick couldn't keep a secret for shit, especially not from them. Never from them.

The level of understanding, of trust, between the five of them was so strong that AJ could show up at Brian's, then say that he had to stop by Howie's for a second, and Brian would go with him. Just like that.

AJ wasn't sure where Nick's car was. He guessed that Howie had picked Nick up last night, to go out somewhere, and had intended to drop Nick off on his own way home, but had gotten sidetracked. At any rate, when AJ pulled up in Howie's driveway with Brian, there was no sign that Nick occupied the place. That absence of indicators guaranteed Brian's surprise.

Approaching the house, AJ walked in without ringing the bell. It was possible that Howie was still in bed. He wasn't sure whether he wanted to drop the piano on Brian that hard. Then he heard noise coming from the kitchen. Perfect. "Hey, Howie," he said, and headed in that direction. Brian followed.

A thump, a sound of scurrying. Hmm. Inside, AJ was all grins.

"AJ." Howie came to meet them outside the kitchen. Keeping them from progressing? Moving to prevent them from wandering the house on their own? "Brian."

It was obvious that Howie had only recently left his bed. His long hair was in waves and curls; he wore a bathrobe. Dressing gown? AJ wondered whether Howie were naked under there.

He asked.

Brian laughed. "You making breakfast?"

"Let the man answer," AJ said. "D. What you got on under that-"

"AJ, you wish you knew," Howie said. Then the smoke alarm went off. Howie swore and hurried back to the kitchen. AJ laughed and strolled to the front room, finding himself a seat. Brian went to help Howie.

Nick was hiding from them. From him, AJ, specifically. Had Nick heard Howie say Brian's name; did Nick realize that Brian was here, too? Had Howie told Nick to get lost, or had Nick run instinctively? Was Nick planning to hide indefinitely, or was Nick making himself presentable? AJ waited to see how the scene played itself out.

AJ guessed that Howie would be cool. The man had Nick tagged, bagged, and shagged. Any second now, he'd get over the surprise of their intrusion and would ease back into calm confidence. Howie was self-confident anyway; after last night, he'd be untouchable.

AJ was proud of him. He wanted to congratulate Howie, watch Howie preen. Watch Howie smolder and seduce Nick all over again. Oh, that would be a treat. AJ couldn't wait to see it. He knew that he would.

Right now, Howie would be playing it straight, keeping them in the dark (or so he thought, since he couldn't know that AJ had the tip), staying cool, and getting them out of the house as soon as he could while not raising suspicion. Couldn't let them suspect a thing, not yet. Not today, not while it was still new, while Nick's body was still warm. But with Nick safely hidden, Howie had some elbow room. Howie could humor them for a few minutes, safe and secure with his secret.

Too bad AJ knew better. Too bad for Howie, AJ wasn't budging until Brian had seen the light.

Nick hadn't appeared upon hearing the smoke alarm. Then again, everybody knew that Howie's smoke alarm went off if AJ coughed, and AJ had stopped smoking months ago. Either AJ had to think of a way to lure Nick out into the open, or he had to wait for Nick to appear. Or he had to take the mountain to Mohammed.

What excuse could AJ have for going to Howie's room (assuming that that was where Nick was ensconced)? How could he get Brian there? How could he get Howie to let them go near there?

AJ would not let himself be daunted. Not for a moment, not in the slightest. These were opening moves, merely laying the groundwork for the much larger task ahead. If he didn't take care of this part, he'd never get Brian. And the idea of never having Brian...

Yeah. Fuck that. He was going to have Brian.

Today was the first day of the dawning of the glory.

Nick's glory had dawned all over Howie last night. Yeah, Howie would be good and smug for a while. But he deserved it. He'd earned it. Howie had the right to be as smug as he wanted to be.

AJ was about to earn that right, too. And he planned to be insufferable about it. Once he had Brian, he was going to be one impossible motherfucker. The man who had Brian Littrell could do whatever the hell he wanted. And AJ was going to be that man.

AJ stopped lounging and went on the prowl. It was time to play hide-and-seek with Nick.

Speaking of games, he was going to have to remember to play Simon Says with Brian. In the near future, when they were...closer.

In the end, the climax wasn't as dramatic as it could have been. AJ wandered through the house casually, with no clear purpose, although he was as silent as he could be. He didn't want Nick to hear him coming; nor did he want Howie to realize that he wasn't still in the front room. However, if caught, he needed to look innocent.

AJ wandered his way right into Howie's room.

Nick was sitting on the edge of the bed, picking at his fingernails. He was barefoot, but wore a T-shirt and jeans. His hair could have used a comb, maybe some gel. He'd had the presence of mind to get dressed, but he obviously had not just arrived fresh from his own home.

Nick's eyes were wide and surprised at AJ's entrance.

AJ didn't mind playing with Nick a little, but he had no intentions of harming or scaring Nick. He was all in favor of Nick being with Howie; he wanted to cheer for it.

Nick and AJ looked at each other in silence. Nick didn't know what to say; AJ was trying to choose the best words for maximum effect.

Howie ruined the moment by calling AJ's name.

Nick stood.

Instead of answering Howie, AJ walked closer to Nick. He inhaled. Nick, sweat, and sex. Someone hadn't had time to shower. No doubt the bedsheets bore the same lingering scent.

Nick pushed him away a little, not roughly, only to get him out of Nick's face. "What?"

Howie came into the room, saw the two of them, and pulled the door shut. "AJ."

"Howie," AJ returned.

"Can I go get breakfast now?" Nick asked.

Howie was waiting for AJ to explain himself.

"Nothing for me, thanks," AJ said. "I already ate." He crossed to the closet, shuffled hangers, and found his shirt.

"You came to steal clothes?" Nick asked.

"It's my shirt. Someone borrowed it while we were on tour and never gave it back."

"Someone" glared at AJ, refusing to be distracted from the point. "Someone was using the pool table."

"It's there to be used. You got it for decorative purposes?" AJ asked.

"Someone used it between yesterday and this morning."

"Imagine that." AJ refused to give the matter any importance.

"Someone was in my house, playing pool, without my knowledge. The only person who would enter my home like that, who would come in and play pool, who wouldn't bother to notify me of his presence, who wouldn't steal or be destructive, who knows the security codes, is you."

"That's your fault. You didn't have to give me the codes. How do you know it wasn't Kevin or Brian? Or Nick? Or your family?"

"They'd all tell me they were on their way over, or at least tell me they were in my home. You're the only one who walks around like he owns the place."

"AJ does that everywhere he goes," Nick said.

"Were you here this morning?" Howie asked. It wasn't often that Howie pulled rank and used his age against AJ. Which was good, because AJ hated it. Didn't they get enough of that from Kevin?

"I'm here now," AJ said.

Nick seemed to realize what Howie was saying. "You were here?"

AJ shrugged. "I may have dropped by."

"This morning," Howie said.

"It's hard to remember, exactly."

There was a quick knock at the door. "Hey."

AJ was faster than Howie. "Come on in."

Brian opened the door and started to enter the room. "Hey, Nick." He was surprised, maybe puzzled, but neither suspicious nor alarmed.

"Brian." Nick was nervous. Surprised, too. That answered the question of whether Nick had known that Brian was there.

"Got my shirt," AJ told Brian. "Did you save breakfast from the flames? Nick's hungry."

"AJ," Howie said.

At least they all knew each other's names. "As long as we're all here, you want to call and invite Kevin? Make it a little brunch party."

"No, thanks," Nick said. His tone of voice implied that Kevin's presence was the last thing he needed. "I'm going to eat." Nick left the room.

Brian sniffed, frowning. Nick had walked right past him. He must have caught a hint of the distinctive mix of scents. Nick, sweat, sex.

"You knew, you came back on purpose, and you brought Brian with you?" Howie asked. Howie was pissed off. It wasn't often that Howie got mad. Nice of him to wait until Nick was gone.

"I'm here to pick up my shirt," AJ said.

"I had it dry-cleaned," Howie said. "What do you want, AJ?"

"I wanted to peek in on the morning after. You probably want to be alone, so we'll go."

"Yeah, we have to get going," Brian said. AJ glanced at him. Something was up in that corner. AJ wanted a minute alone with Brian to find out what was going on in that pretty little head.

"See you later," AJ said to Howie.

AJ and Brian, with a two-second pause to say good-bye to Nick in the kitchen, were out the front door and in the car.

AJ was driving. Brian was quiet.

"I didn't know Nick was there," Brian said.

"I think he spent the night." It could be innocent. They'd all slept over at each other's home, for one reason or another.

"Did he?" Brian asked.

"Yeah." AJ changed the radio station.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah."

"You were over there earlier?"

"Yeah." He'd better find something more interesting to say in another minute, or commit himself to a monosyllabic life.

"Was anyone else there?"

"Just Howie and Nick." Why would someone else be there? Who else would be there?

Brian bit his fingernail.

"What?" AJ asked. "Rok."

"Nothing." Brian stopped biting his fingernail. They reached his place. Getting out of the car, "I just thought Nick had been... I thought he had sex last night."

"He did." Reaching the front door.

"Didn't he spend the night at Howie's?"

"Yeah." Maybe Brian would assume that Nick had gotten laid first, then crashed at Howie's house. So AJ slipped more information in there. "That's where the sex happened."

"At Howie's?"

"Yeah." AJ made himself comfortable on the sofa in the front room.

"There wasn't anyone at Howie's."

"Howie was there."

"Nick didn't have sex with Howie," Brian said.

AJ made "Twilight Zone" noises.

Brian laughed, startled.

AJ grinned.

Brian sat beside AJ. "I knew... We all knew," he said, looking at AJ for confirmation. "But I didn't... Howie."

"Only took him nine years," AJ said.

"It still seems too fast, too soon," Brian said.

"Nick sure looks okay with it."

Brian laughed again. "Yeah."

"Think we should send them a congratulations card?"

"I have to give Howie credit for waiting. He could have made his move earlier."

"A strong man, our Howard. I hate waiting."

"Patience isn't your strong suit, AJ."

"Damn straight. I want, I want now."

"Wanting something, waiting to get it, you learn to treasure it. If things come too easily, too quickly, you don't value them, AJ. That's why you go through everything so fast."

"What's worth waiting for?"

"Love. It's worth the wait. It's worth the work. It's worth the hurt."

AJ was looking at Brian. The tilt and shape of Brian's eyes. He wanted to kiss Brian, to make love to Brian, to have and keep Brian. And he had to agree. Wholeheartedly. Brian was worth the wait. Would be worth the work. Would be worth the hurt.

Everyone was stopping by Howie's house. Ostensibly, it was for a casual, uneventful get-together. AJ figured that was just the cover story for Howie and Nick's coming-out party. After all, Kevin had no idea; and as far as Howie and Nick knew, Brian wasn't informed, either.

Could be an interesting night.

AJ wondered what Kevin's reaction would be. Kevin's religious background, like Brian's, absolutely forbade Kevin from accepting Howie and Nick as a couple. Yet they were Kevin's brothers. He knew them. He probably could understand their love better than anyone, through knowing them and having been there for each step of their friendship. AJ suspected that Kevin would be cool, in the end. If he wasn't? There would be more trouble for AJ's pursuit of Brian.

AJ managed to get to Howie's house early. He didn't see Kevin's car, or Brian's, in the driveway. He did see Nick's, and suppressed a sinister chuckle.

It was standard operating procedure for AJ to walk in unannounced. Tonight, he didn't walk so much as sneak. He wanted to stake out the place, catch Howie and Nick unaware.

It worked, too.

They were in the kitchen. Nick was backed against the sink, kissing Howie. He had a firm grasp on Howie's ass, too. Howie had kind of a cute ass.

"So should I wait in the other room?" AJ asked.

Howie spun around, cursed, and threw a dishtowel at his head. Nick was too shocked to move.

AJ tossed the towel back to Howie, grinning.

"I'm putting a bell around your neck," Howie said. "A loud one. What do you want, AJ?"

"Wait until I tell Kevin you started the party without him."

"You aren't telling Kevin anything," Howie said. "I don't want to know how you'd bring it up to him. You aren't telling Brian, either."

"Brian and I already had a little talk about the birds and the...birds. No worries."

"What did you say to him?"

"Howie, relax. Brian's fine with it. He seems happy for you. I know I am."

Nick was confused. And blushing. Besides which, he had a hard-on.

"Howie, it's good. I wouldn't mess this up for you, even a little. Not with Kevin, not with Brian, not in a box or while wearing socks." He had a vested interest in this relationship. And vice versa. Which meant that he wouldn't let anything happen to Howie and Nick, and Howie would keep an eye out for him and Brian.

It was good to have an understanding. He'd have Howie's back tonight with Kevin.

One thing that made it easier for Howie was that everybody had known it was only a matter of time before Howie made a move. Kevin wouldn't be surprised that it was happening at all, only that it had happened today instead of tomorrow. But AJ didn't know whether Kevin was waiting for him to move on Brian. There was every possibility that Kevin would be blindsided. And that would not be good.

How could he open Kevin to the possibility of an AJ-Brian connection, without setting off alarms? That was a tightrope AJ could not walk. Kevin would just have to be taken by surprise. AJ sure wasn't going to go to Kevin for permission to court Brian.

By ten, everyone was present. They all hung out around the house, talking, snacking, doing nothing.

Then AJ found Howie and Nick in the back room, in the dark. He flipped on the light, clearing his throat.

Howie pulled his hand out of Nick's pants.

Nick zipped up, tossing his hair, understandably flustered. "AJ."

"Very subtle, Howie," AJ said. He raised his voice. "Hey! Guys!"

"What?" Kevin shouted back.

"Come here!"

"Why?" Kevin and Brian were headed their way. Howie fixed his hair. "What?" Kevin asked, coming into the room with Brian.

"Is there something you'd like to share with the class?" AJ asked Howie and Nick, crossing his arms over his chest.

"No," Nick said, and glared at AJ.

"Nick's going to spend the night here, after you leave," Howie said. "He was here last night, and the night before that. In my bed. With me."

Actually, that was a very mature way to break the news. AJ was impressed.

"What does that mean?" Kevin asked. He stopped any smart comments by giving AJ a quick look. "I mean, are you a couple now? Have you talked about this?"

"We're boyfriends," Nick said.

"We're lovers," Howie corrected.

"Boyfriends," Nick said.

"Lovers," Howie said.

"Good," Kevin said. He caught Howie's eye, gestured, and left the room.

Howie followed Kevin with a wink at Nick.

"That went too well," AJ said.

"Maybe Kevin's mellowing with age," Brian said.

"Like cheese?" Nick asked.

"Like fine wine," Brian said.

Kevin, mellow? For an extended period of time? Not going to happen. He did enjoy brief flashes of mellowness, yes. And those moments were things of beauty. But AJ didn't expect them to last.

No doubt, right now, Kevin was lecturing Howie on how to treat Nick. And later, Kevin would have a little father-son talk with Nick. God, after AJ bagged Brian, Kevin would want to pull him aside for a talk, too. Ah, good, something to look forward to.

Nick and Howie made a pretty good couple. Nick was touchy-affectionate-teasing-cute with Howie twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Howie was winking, flirting, seducing Nick right back. It was the same friendship they'd built for the past nine years, only now the subtext was the text.

There was nothing to keep AJ from working on Brian, now. But it was hard to get started. He'd spent so long wanting and not having, now he was used to it. He wasn't happy where he was, but it was familiar.

Then he realized that he was AJ McLean. Taking solace in the familiar, not going for what he wanted, was not a part of his self-image. He was going to fuck that right there. Okay. Time to get the show on the road.

He wanted a name for it. Operation Fuck Brian. The Seduction Mission. The McLean-Littrell Initiative. Maybe he should make it a ten-step program.

Step one: Get Brian in your bed.

Steps two through ten: Enjoy.

He wanted to fuck Brian on his pool table.

On any pool table.

Hell, on any table.

On any available surface.

But he kept looking at his pool table, the expanse of green felt... It looked like a really good place to screw Brian. There was enough room. He'd just knock aside the balls, get Brian up there, and get his freak on.

The more he thought about it, the more he wanted to climb up there and-

Yeah, well, he was missing one magic ingredient. Brian. Damn it.

There had to be some way to get Brian in his bed. To get Brian at his side. To get Brian, period.

He'd been waiting for Howie to make the Nick Problem null and void. And Howie had done just that. Now it was time for him to make his move, and he was stalling. He didn't understand it. Why didn't he just go to Brian, let his natural sexual aura flow, and make it happen?

What was he afraid of?

It wasn't like Brian was going to turn him down.

Brian liked him. They were best friends. Hell, Brian loved him. And Brian wanted him.

He was sure of it.

Brian wanted him. Enough to be with him. Enough to take risks.

He was sure of it.

He was sure. Positive. Doubtless. Convinced.

AJ went to test the waters.

He went out to lunch with Brian. He flirted. Real flirting, with innuendo and long-lashed looks over his sunglasses.

Brian wore his hat, told him how good he looked, and did not respond in any way, shape, or form, to his flirting. Didn't respond to him sexually. Didn't seem attracted to him in the slighest. Was nothing beyond an oblivious, straight friend.

But Brian was so fucking cute. So freaking friendly. By the end of the meal, AJ wanted him even more.

He had to know that AJ was coming on to him. He had to know. AJ wasn't even trying to be subtle.

What did AJ have to do, stick his tongue down Brian's throat? Down Brian's pants?

Why wasn't Brian responding to him?

Brian wasn't responding. Brian's wasn't picking up his signals. Brian didn't know that he was sending signals. Brian didn't know that he was flirting with intent.

Brian didn't know that AJ wanted him.

Glare and pace. Glare and pace. Scowl. Mutter.

Plan two. The semi-straightforward, accidental-discovery plan. Step one: Kiss Brian. Step two: See what happens.

First, he had to be in a position to kiss Brian. Which meant, first, that they had to be alone.

Okay. He was in Brian's house. They were alone.

Now. He needed a semi-plausible reason to kiss Brian. He wasn't drunk. They weren't rehearsing a scene for their senior class play. He'd reach for something and his mouth would accidentally run into Brian's lips?

This was not working.

AJ spent the day with Nick and Howie. To remind himself that it could be done. Howie had done it. Now it was his turn.

Okay. Flex, shake it off, try again.

In Brian's house. Check. Alone. Check.

Short of coming out and seducing Brian, he didn't know what to do.

Maybe that was what he should do. Go for it. Try to get Brian in bed. What was the worst that could happen?

It wasn't like Brian was going to reject him.

Brian wanted him. He knew it.

Brian wanted him. It was true.

Brian wanted him.

Damn it.

"AJ, are you okay?"

"Yeah, why?" At Brian's house, alone, blah blah blah. AJ dug himself a little deeper into his corner of the couch.

"We see each other every day."

"Every other day."

"More often than that."

"Not every day."

"Almost every day. You know I like to see you, and I'm happy to spend the time with you, but you're never around this much."

AJ shrugged.

Brian's house, alone. Picking through Brian's DVD's. AJ took off his sunglasses.

Brian was in his personal space. "What?" He backed up, turning to look at Brian.

"You have beautiful eyes," Brian said.

Okay. "Thanks."

Brian smiled. "I meant it."

What was going on here?

The phone rang. Brian went to answer it. AJ went back to the DVD's.

He and Brian went to a concert together. Brian crashed at his place afterward.

In the morning, when he decided that it was late enough for him to consider opening his eyes, he found Brian sitting on his bed. He sat up. "What?"

"Your hair's a mess."

AJ was not a morning person, and that didn't help. He lay down again. He closed his eyes. Maybe he'd go back to sleep.

Brian didn't move or speak.

That was maddening. AJ sat up again. "What?"

"It's been weeks. AJ, I've given you every opportunity. I've opened the door for you."

"What?"

"You're not shy, AJ. I know you want me, and you've had chance after chance to make your move."

"You know I want you?" Damn, that took arrogance. Brian had balls. Ooohhh, shouldn't have that thought. AJ subtly draped the bedclothes over his morning erection. "If you think I want you, and you're open to it, why didn't you make your move?" It was a fair question.

"I wanted to know what it was like. I wanted that experience."

"What experience?"

"Having you seduce me."

Well, well, well. Weren't we full of surprises this morning? "And how long have you wanted that?"

Brian smiled and didn't answer.

Brian had known. Brian had been waiting for him. God, that was fucking sexy. "How's my morning breath?"

Brian leaned closer, within sniffing distance. "Not bad."

"Kissable?"

Brian touched AJ's mouth. Brian's thumb caressed his lower lip. Brian's eyes tracked the movement.

He was going to take that as a yes.

matthew@matthewtime.com
Short stories
Boyslash
Home