Bitter Tonic

~There are days when solitude is a heady wine that intoxicates you with freedom, others when it is a bitter tonic and still others when it is a poison that makes you beat your head against the wall.~

 

Brian ducked under the hood of the Charger, trying not to think of the first time he’d seen this particular car.  He had no idea why he’d decided to come back for it. He’d thrown it in storage the minute he’d left California and never looked back.  But it had been time, even though every moment he worked on the damned car it brought back memories he’d worked hard to bury – toss away – in Miami.  So much so that when familiar footsteps rang inside the largely empty garage as he reached for another wrench, he decided it must be in his head.

“Brian.”

He froze, unbelieving, heat welling up at the thought as memories flooded him.

~ * ~

“He owns you now.”  Those words slid along his spine and twisted hard, warmth that Brian didn’t want to identify and ignored.  His eyes automatically following the Torettos as they walked out of the garage together.  Mia was so beautiful – tall and willowy, contrasting with Dom in so much but both reflecting such amazing strength.  He couldn’t believe how much.

Months of hanging around with the team, of getting to know this family magnified his need to belong, his guilt for his betrayal.  Vince’s rocky reception was actually somewhat of a relief to the undercover cop – a punishment for the unknown and coming hurt that he would cause.  It was inevitable, but it was his job.  And God, how he’d wanted to impress his boss, to maybe even get a shot at his gold shield.

Boring days of work at the shop punctuated by late nights of work at the garage with the team and watching Dom and the others race occupied months as he settled into his new life.  It was those nights at the garage he loved most – learning from Dom and Leon, being blown away by Jesse’s brain and how it cultivated every minute detail of a car from inception to reality, getting the evil eye from Vince and being ignored by Letty.  Not to mention Mia whenever she stopped by smelling of something sweet and teasing, standing out against the sour musk of sweat, motor oil and gas.

Some nights, it was just him and Dom, and those were the nights he craved even though he told himself he must be really hard-up for friends if this felt more real – more present – than his own life as a cop.  Brian ignored the heat that bruised him every time the bigger man stood near him, leaned over him, trying to show him something, teaching in the low rumble and the expectant silence.

He remembered laying on his back, trying to reach into a tight corner with his wrench and cussing in exasperation only to hear Dom’s thick, deep laughter.  Dragged out by his foot and the wrench seized by the larger man, Brian watched him complete the task effortlessly, exclaiming in disbelief.  “No fucking way you got up in there when I couldn’t!”

Dom had deliberately risen to his feet and stepped in front of the blond, offering the wrench back.  “You believe what you want.”   His fingers slid against Brian’s and the younger man’s breath caught before he looked away from that possessive gaze.  Dom brushed by him, body coming into full, singularly wonderful and terrifying contact for a moment that held before him, the air stilling before time restarted and Dom headed over to his own car and popped the hood.  Brian had stood there for several moments just staring, unsure of what had happened, if it have even happened at all.

~ * ~

It was those small moments that he took out and puzzled over in the dark or whenever he had a moment to himself for the past couple of years.  The thoughts crept up on him from nowhere and tackled him from behind.   But this wasn’t in his head.  He could feel the heat of the older man’s regard on his neck and he stared down at his oil smudged hands, fingers clutched until they were white around the wrench.

Straightening slowly, he turned his head, Dom’s shadow on the concrete floor the first thing to greet him before he finally looked up.  He couldn’t breathe as those dark eyes slammed into him; feeling as if he’d just been gutted open, he stood there, helpless.

“Brian.”  He watched each movement made, the sound pulling him out of his daze, and blinked hard.

“D-Dom.  What are you doing here?”  he asked, not even noticing the hitch in his own breath, the way his hand shook slightly as he faced the older man.

Dom didn’t answer, just stood silently, eyes appraising and Brian was hard-pressed not to squirm.  Not even three paces away, and the intensity of it stole every ounce of oxygen from the room.  At least, Brian couldn’t seem to find any.

He stared up at his former mark – friend, glad for the Charger behind him, warm from the heat of the day, offering silent support as his knees weakened with the fear and uncertainty made flesh in front of him. His mouth opened and closed as he tried to find something to say, something to make the intensity less even as he shivered.

“You know,” Dom growled softly, “I was angry. But…” He shrugged and stepped closer, ignoring the cornered look in blue eyes as the blond in front of him cursed the car that trapped him as the larger man slowly closed the distance until he stood a hairbreadth away. “I had too much time to think in Mexico.”

“I -” Any words he might have said lodged in Brian’s throat, breath catching somewhere near his pounding heart. Blue eyes stared up at the embodiment of his professional failure, and he shook his head.

“And you know, thinking about this so much has made me realize something…” Dom’s voice filled the scarce space between them, vibrating against his skin causing goosebumps. He waited, knowing that eventually the older man would get to the reason he’d tracked down the former cop, but he couldn’t help the shiver along his spine, his thoughts concentrating on the t-shirt sticking to his back, the warmth of the day, anything but what Dom might be trying to tell him.

“Brian -” There was a long pause where he looked everywhere but at the other man before he heard a rumble, “Fuck it.”

Blinking, head tilted up for a startled glance, breath once again escaped him when he felt weight pressing him against warm metal, and just as he’d opened his mouth to protest, to ask what the hell was going on, hard lips claimed his – searing and almost painful with the intensity of the kiss. Surprise rammed through him, hands clenching at his sides even as the wrench in his right hand clattered loudly to the concrete.

He didn’t remember how or when, but the invasion of slick warmth made Brian moan, fists coming up to press at Dom’s chest ineffectually as he sucked on the older man’s tongue. When large, callused fingers slid under his t-shirt to grip at slender hips, a helpless whimper escaped him, broken thoughts scrambling to catch up with what had just – was happening.

Finally, pulling back for breath, he panted, eyes still closed, fists loosened so hands were splayed wide on Dom’s chest, heat blooming under his skin, tugging it too tight. It only took him a few more seconds to realize he was half-hard, groin snugged against the larger man.

“Dom?” he finally managed, eyes cracking open a sliver to watch him through slitted eyes.

“Brian,” Dom purred, head dipping down for lips and teeth to tease along smooth, tan skin of his neck, making the blond gasp and squirm until fingers tightened their grip on his hips.

“What… why… I don’t -”

“I decided to finally claim what’s mine,” he interrupted softly, rocking his body teasingly against Brian’s until the younger man moaned.

“Yes…please…”

Brian barely saw the upturn of Dom’s lips before he lost himself in every sensation provoked with rough hands skimming off clothes and dizzying kisses, bites nipped along bared skin until he knew that the next day he’d be covered in bruises shaped by the older man. Smooth metal and chrome dug into his back as he scrabbled to get at warm skin, jeans and t-shirt falling away until the startling touch of skin on skin made him groan softly.

“Are you mine?” a low voice growled in his ear as fingers slid down his spine, teasing along until they reached his ass.

“God, yes,” Brian managed, hitting the other man when he laughed. “Shut up and fuck me already, Dom!”

“Sure thing, Brian,” Dom answered, his thumb pressing against the younger man’s hole, dry and rough and burning as it dipped just inside, a wounded whine making him even harder, and he flipped the blond until he was bent over the hood of the Charger, legs kicked wide, thumb still pressing farther in.

“Dom,” came the wanton gasp, Brian no longer caring how desperate he sounded as his hands tried to find some kind of purchase on the hood of the car, hips raised so far his feet barely touched the ground, cock sliding against the smooth side, painting it with precome. He couldn’t do anything but wait, totally vulnerable to anything the other man wanted to take. A sharp bite at his shoulder blade made him moan and he didn’t even realize until one slick finger joined the thumb that Dom had any lube, the burn of the insistent intrusion pushing out a cry as his hips tried to squirm without success.

He couldn’t think of anything besides those fingers impaling him, the almost painful slide of flesh against metal, the heat of Dom’s gaze on him, watching him writhe for him. It didn’t take long to beg and he was pushed even farther until Brian almost screamed when he felt Dom’s cock inch its way inside, teasing away all breath. Excruciatingly, his – Dom kept the pace agonizing, pulling slow whimpers and sounds that he’d rather not categorize from him until everything blurred into heat and need.

Everything paused almost interminably and Brian tried to cant his hips back, but Dom adjusted the angle and slammed in, lightning tearing along his spine and shimmering through every muscle until he trembled. Each thrust made him call out and body spasm with need as they slowly sped up, every sense caught up in getting more, trembling with the need, breath gasping before his orgasm was ripped from him almost painfully. Body arching up, freezing in place as Dom thrust relentlessly until shudders tore him apart, whimpering.

With a grunt and a soft moan, Brian felt heat spread into him, body tensing and milking the cock inside him. “God, Dom…” he panted, still shaking as Dom collapsed on top of him, his weight holding them against the car.

A slow, broken chuckle vibrated along his back and he smiled, a hand reaching back to pet along one strong hip.

“Yeah.”

They stayed like that for a few minutes before necessity dictated they move slowly, Brian unsteady on his feet with what he was sure was a fucked out smile. Cleaning them both with a clean cloth from a stack on the workbench, he swiped at his come on the car as well.

“You stayin’ for dinner?” the blond finally asked, watching Dom, both unconcerned with their nudity even as eyes studied each other when they thought the other wasn’t paying attention.

“Sure. You cooking?”

“Nah. Takeout. Chinese sound good?”

“God, yes. Do you know how hard it is to find real Chinese in Mexico?”

Brian laughed softly, reaching out and slapping Dom on the shoulder. “I bet.”

Tilting his head, he gathered up his clothes and led the older man up the stairs to his apartment above the garage, pulling on the pair of shorts before reaching for the phone and ordering quickly. When he turned back around, he saw Dom, jeans pulled back on, unbuttoned, studying the place he’d called home since Miami. Pictures and commendations were thrown haphazardly on the mantle of a gas fireplace, books littered the coffee table and last night’s dishes were still sitting on the counter that separated the living area from the kitchen. Ducking his head slightly, he grabbed them both a beer.

“Any beer you want,” he joked softly, looking up at the other man uncertainly even as he relished in the soreness of his body.

“For how long?”

Brian paused for a moment, breath catching at that question and the seriousness that suddenly dampened the air. “How long you got?”

Dom smirked and snagged one of the beers from Brian and settled on the couch as if he’d always been there. Brian stared, eyes unblinking before he grinned back, true and bright, and didn’t answer.