This story is a work of fiction and is not intended to imply anything about the sexuality of any actual person or persons.This story should only be read by those of legal age who do not have an objection to homosexual relations between consenting adults. Please direct any commentary to coryj51@bellsouth.net
Kevin was sitting in the kitchen, going over the details of the upcoming tour. Though the group was still technically enjoying some down time prior to the tour, the place was a lot quieter now. It had been two weeks since Alex had left for New York, and only a couple of days less than that since Aaron had left to rejoin his parents. Since then, Howie had spent less and less time at the house. The rest of the guys were all worried about him, but it was hard to know what to do. A.J. was the closest to him, but the recent blowup between the two of them had left some distance that clearly was still there. Still, Howie didn't seem to be angry at any of them or anything like that. He was his old self when he was around, he just seemed to be going out a lot and sleeping in late. He had not said a word about the night that he and Alex had spent together before he left, and no one wanted to press the matter. Kevin hoped that Howie knew that he and the other guys would be there for him if Howie needed to talk. Brian and Nick both made efforts to hang with everyone, but they spend more and more time alone together. It was a little awkward at times, but everyone understood. With the tour coming up, they wouldn't get many chances to spend a lot of time together. Kevin admitted to himself that he wasn't much more in evidence. Getting more absorbed in the details of the business had resulted in him spending even more time on the phone or staring at a computer screen lately. All of this had left A.J. largely on his own for a lot of the time. He went out a lot as well, and it seemed that he returned with more clothes and jewelry every day. Kevin had long admired A.J. for his strength and it was fascinating to see how much of a chameleon he really could be when he wanted. Kevin valued his friendships with all the guys, but he felt that A.J. more than anyone was a mature and stable person. Even though he and Brian were family, Kevin was as likely to lean on A.J. in a time of serious need.
"That screen will fry your brain." Nick said.
Kevin jumped slightly - he had been so lost in thought that he hadn't noticed Nick walking over to the table.
"Don't do that - geez." Kevin said. "Some of us have to take care of business, you know. We can't all spend the day chasing boyfriends around the house ."
"Hey, if you get a boyfriend, you can chase him all you want." Nick said.
"No thanks, I'm a proud member of the straight minority in this group." Kevin said. "So, what's up?"
"Nothing much." Nick said. "Brian and A.J. were thinking about some b-ball - interested in some two on two?"
"Sure, why not?" Kevin said. "I need to give this stuff a rest anyway."
They went out to the back of the house where Nick had a half court set up. Kevin and Nick did their best, but Brian and A.J. were on top of the game and wiped the court with them. They played for a while and were hanging out around the pool when Kevin's cell phone rang. He retrieved it from the table where he had set it down and answered it.
"Hello?" Kevin said.
"Hiya, Kevin - it's Alex."
"Hey, Alex, how's it going?" Kevin said. The other guys perked up, hearing this.
They talked for a while, Kevin passing the phone around to each of the guys in turn. Alex reported that the Walters interview was finished and had gone very well. He had flown out to L.A. to work on recording his new album and to set up in the new home he was having built there. He also filled the guys in on some of his upcoming business deals and told them when the interview would be on the air. After several long conversations, they finally all got off the phone.
The guys spend the next week or so getting more and more into rehearsals for the upcoming tour. Howie slowly reemerged from his nightlife and started spending more time around the house again. Things were more or less back to normal when the day of the interview came. The guys all made a point of being together at the house in the evening to see it, including Howie. Brian and Nick decided to tape it as well. They were all in the living room watching when it came on.
The interview opened with a voice over of Barbara Walters talking about Alex's parents and his early life. Clips were shown from her interview with Alex's mother 10 years earlier. The guys all laughed when they saw the 10 year-old Alex running around on camera and sneaking a hug from his mother while she was being interviewed.
Nick and Brian looked at each other in surprise.
"It's amazing, he looks so much like Aaron." Nick said.
Brian nodded. "Actually, I was thinking that he looked a lot like pictures of you that I've seen, but it amounts to the same thing."
The other guys agreed. The young Alex had Aaron's dazzling smile and open innocence. At one point he even sneaked a hug from Barbara, which she permitted with a bemused smile. Like all boys, Alex was a hound for attention, walking around on his hands and doing tumbles for anyone who would watch. Barbara then moved on to talk about Alex's education from many private tutors, and his interests in language and athetics.
After showing numerous scenes from family home movies of Alex and his parents in various exotic locations, Barbara went on to talk about the tragic airplane accident that claimed them. Alex's lengthy battle with depression and his quest to find out what had caused the accident. A few scenes from their funeral, in mind-numbing splendor and sorrow. Then, footage from Alex's triumphant sweeping of the Atlanta Olympic games, him standing on top of the platform, nearly covered in medals. A breathless and teary-eyed Alex talking with a journalist at the games after one of his many perfect-scoring gymnastic events, dedicating his efforts to the memory of his parents.
The scenes and voice over ended, opening into a scene of Alex and Barbara sitting in a richly-furnished living room as the actual interview began. Barbara was dressed in a typically conservative light blue outfit. Alex was wearing a deep blue sweater and dark gray slacks.
"Alexander, I'd like to start by thanking you for welcoming me into your place here in New York." Barbara said.
"You're very welcome, Barbara, and please call me Alex." Alex said. "I know that my parents led a very reclusive life, at least as far as the press was concerned. Mother always spoke very fondly of you and of the interview that you did with her. So, when I decided that it was time to talk with someone publicly, you were the first person I thought of contacting. I should be thanking you, for agreeing to come here on such short notice."
"It's a pleasure, believe me." Barbara said. "Perhaps the best way to begin would be to talk about some of the recent events in your life."
Alex nodded. "That sounds good to me."
"You were raised, some would say, almost like royalty." Barbara said. "Your parents were two of the wealthiest people in the world. You've travelled extensively, been very well-educated . Do you think that you've missed out on anything, growing up like that? I think the usual perception, the usual expectation of someone who was raised with privilege such as yourself is that perhaps the kind of closeness that one would expect in a less unusual family might be absent or diminished in some way."
Alex smiled, and looked around the room for a moment. "That's a difficult question to answer. It's true that my parents had numerous obligations that kept them traveling most of the time. When I was very young, I wasn't permitted to travel with them as much. That and not having any siblings - I guess you could say that my early childhood was lonely by some standards. I guess I would have to say that it had its ups and downs. But, then, doesn't everyone's childhood? As far as being raised like royalty, I can't agree with that. I've heard enough stories from Prince William to think that it doesn't compare. Sure, I'm inheriting lots of money and perks, but it's not the same. I don't have a whole nation having expectations for me. Constitutional or not, I think that a crown must be an awful responsibility and obligation to live up to - I'm glad that I'm not in that boat."
"Your family was among the very few relative outsiders to be permitted at Princess Diana's private funeral." Barbara said.
"Yes, Mother met her during the course of some mutual charity work, and they became close friends as I understand it." Alex said. "I only met her a few times myself, but she was the kind of person that was very special. Just meeting her you could tell, she had a very warm and generous way about her. It was a terrible loss."
"Yes, it was, for all of us. Though it didn't get as much international attention, I recall clearly that the whole country was shocked when your parents were killed." Barbara said. "Many people said that the nation hadn't been so stunned since JFK's death."
"I've heard a lot of people say that, yes." Alex said. "I've also heard several comparisons between the funerals."
Barbara nodded. "I remember thinking that at the time, yes. Many people were also surprised when you sang at the funeral. It was a remarkable performance, I recall noticing how many of the guests were very moved. What made you decide to do that?"
Alex looked thoughtful and sad for a moment. "My mother and I used to sing together a lot. She had a real gift for music, and for language, and I was fortunate enough to get some of it from her. It was my way I guess of saying goodbye. Father didn't sing, but he enjoyed listening to us. Mother was just amazing. In addition to all the languages that she could speak, she was incredibly good at doing any kind of accent. She was Irish through and through, she loved her heritage. Though her English was perfect when it needed to be, she would sometimes slip back into an Irish accent when she got upset, or when she was teasing. Father loved her more than anything. He called her his 'little leprechaun' - she pretended to be annoyed by it, but he could always make her laugh. Her laughter was, well, it was something else." He looked down at the floor for a few seconds. "I still miss them both, every day."
Barbara was quiet for a moment. "Despite their great wealth and influence, your parents didn't seek the limelight. In fact, they seemed to do everything possible to minimize their appearance in the public eye. It was only as a personal favor to me that your Mother agreed to the interview that she gave me those years ago."
Alex nodded. "Very true. I think that my parents, especially Father, distrusted the media. No, that's not quite right. It's more like they realized that it could be a real wildcard, and that a certain price was frequently attached to media prominence. Growing up, I followed their example."
"It certainly seemed that way. Even after your incredible success at the Atlanta Olympics, you faded from the public eye quickly." Barbara said. "Has that changed now?"
Alex smiled and nodded. "Yes. I've always believed that the media is an important part of our culture. While I agree with my father that it can have its negative consequences, I think that the good that can come from responsible journalism is worth taking the risk. I've involved myself in a number of projects that will make it very difficult for me to stay out of the public eye, so I've decided to go ahead and meet things head on."
Barbara checked her index cards briefly. "That certainly seems likely. In the last few weeks, there has been an extraordinary level of activity in the business community connected with The Imperial Corporation, your parents' company. Acquisitions of major corporations such as Viacom, in various industrial fields. The community is littered with rumors of various other companies that are allegedly targetted for buyouts, and everyone who's talking seems to think that you are behind it all."
Alex raised his hand. "Guilty as charged." They both laughed. "Seriously, though, I am behind it, yes. I've received a lot of very useful advice from numerous business and industrial experts, but the ideas have been mine. I've had a lot of time to think about how to invest my inheritance, and I've made up my mind for the most part."
"A lot of questions are being asked about your inheritance." Barbara said. "The estimated value of your parents' personal estates is supposedly enough to make you the richest individual in history, but no one seems to know exactly how much is involved. Is that something you might shed some light on?"
"That's a tough one. I'm probably less in the know about the bottom line than a lot of the people speculating about it." Alex said. "Even when they were alive, my parents didn't personally manage the fortunes. They had interests across the world and in many industries - no one could hope to personally manage so many things. My parents were very smart in that they picked experts who they could trust and then let them do their jobs. I'm very much of that mentality. What isn't being talked about as much in the media is that the buyouts have been for the most part non-hostile, and the operating structures of the acquisitions are being left intact. I don't believe in hiring someone for their expertise and then standing over their shoulder. There is generally an internal review of a companies policies and so forth after we acquire them, but people aren't being dismissed or moved around alot. A lot of research has gone into these buyouts in advance, so we mostly know what's going on before we buy. It's more important to avoid disrupting the operations of the company than it is to go through everyone's desk drawers, if you know what I mean."
"Can you share anything about your future plans along these lines?" Barbara said.
"Well, I'm afraid I can't talk about future acquisitions, except to say that there will be more coming." Alex said. "The lawyers would have my head if I started talking out of turn." They both laughed at that.
"I get the impression that you have more than just buyouts in the works." Barbara said. "Tell me about some of your other projects."
"You're quite right, Barbara." Alex said. "I've got a lot of things that having been getting started in the last few months besides business. For one thing, I am in the final stages of recording my first album, which I'm hoping to release in the next month or two. My mother and I actually released a couple of albums several years back, singing mostly folk music from various cultures. We didn't make any effort to promote them, and they weren't a success in terms of sales. I think it amounted to a hobby for her, and it was a good excuse for us to sing together. This album will be a double - one cd of songs from various American music genres, and the other a collection of folk music from a number of countries, in the native languages. It's been a lot of fun to put together, but I've had to stretch myself and refresh some languages that I haven't used much lately."
Alex shook his head and laughed. "I'm sorry, this is starting to sound like me trying to sell merchandise on a talk show. I'll summarize the rest. In addition to the music, I've written a biography of myself and my parents. My inheritance comes through on my 21st birthday in July of this year. I'm using the occasion to launch another important effort. In my parents' name, I am creating the Imperial Foundation, a non-profit organization which will donate funds to worthwhile causes and try to support the efforts of charity and good will on a international scale. In a way, it is the culmination of my mother's decades of charity work. Once again, rather than going out there and trying to figure out where the needs lie directly, the Foundation will support existing worthwhile organizations with money and other resources. All the proceeds from my musical and literary efforts will go directly to the Foundation, as will generous contributions from Imperial and its subsidiaries. The Foundation will begin with a chunk of money from my trust funds and go from there. Also, there will be a large fund raiser on my birthday to kick it off. So far I've gotten some very promising responses out of several musicians about possibly performing for the benefit. I'm looking forward to it, it will be something special."
"It sounds like it." Barbara said. "So, I understand that you have a new job, now?"
Alex looked confused for a moment, then smiled. "Oh, yes. That was certainly unexpected. I've been brought in as the new physical trainer for the Backstreet Boys, and I'll be travelling with them to Europe and back soon on their Millenium tour."
"How in the world did that happen, it doesn't seem like a likely thing." Barbara said.
Alex spoke briefly and generally about meeting the guys and how discussion of their respective careers had led up to the whole physical trainer situation, and how Alex was looking forward to finding out what it was like to be on tour.
"Well, you are certainly have the athletic background." Barbara said. "Are you prepared for all of the screaming girls?"
Alex blushed and laughed briefly. "I'm not worried about them at all, Barbara - I'm gay."
Barbara chuckled for a moment, and then stopped. "Are you serious?"
Alex nodded. "Very serious. I am a homosexual." He smiled gently. "It was one of the things I was going to bring up a little later, but that was just too good an opening to miss."
Barbara looked slightly flustered for a moment, before decades of journalistic experience kicked in. "I respect your candor, of course. However, with all the public ventures you are involving yourself in, aren't you worried about the reaction that coming out so openly might have?"
"Well, yes, I am, to be honest. There's no way to avoid it, though. I am going to be very visible in many ways. This kind of secret would eventually come out no matter how much I tried to conceal it, so better to just come out at the start and face things head on. Maybe something positive will come of it - I hope so."
They went on to discuss Alex's plans a bit more. Alex didn't offer any details, but mentioned that there might be television and even movie appearances in his future. After discussing the planned role of the Imperial Foundation in relation to existing charitable organizations. Then Barbara thanked him for giving the interview, and things came to a close.
The guys sat back and looked at each other for a minute.
"Wow, I didn't expect him to be so blunt about it." Nick said.
"Me neither, but maybe it's for the best." Brian said. "This way, it wasn't presented like it was a big deal to him, and I think that is how he wanted it."
"Yeah." Howie said quietly. "Alex has it all planned out."
"I think that he handled Walters very well." Kevin said. "I bet the tour gets a healthy dose of press out of this too."
A.J. nodded. "He was very sharp, I think it went very well."
"I wonder how much his inheritance really is." Howie said.
"You aren't the only one wondering, D." Kevin said. "I've already seen several articles speculating about it."
"It must be huge." Nick said. "Alex mentioned the Foundation to me and said that it would be starting with about 100 billion at first."
A.J whistled, and Kevin just shook his head. Howie stared at Nick for a moment.
"Who is this guy?" Howie said. "Nobody has that kind of money to spare."
Brian looked at Howie for a moment. "He's our friend, Howie, isn't that all that matters?" The others looked at Howie expectantly.
Howie looked embarrassed. "Yeah, of course it is. I'm sorry, it's just the whole scale of it, I can't get my head around it."
"I heard that, D." A.J. said. "That kind of money is way out of anything I've ever thought about. Millionaires are like middle class compared to Alex."
They were still discussing the interview when Kevin's cell phone rang. It was Alex, calling to see if they had seen the interview. They all talked with him briefly about it. Alex seemed pleased by the interview and was happy that each of the guys came away with a good impression as well. Howie was the last to speak with him. Though Howie didn't say very much, he smiled a little nervously and turned bright red before the conversation was over.
After getting off the phone, Kevin and A.J headed to the kitchen to get something to eat, leaving Nick and Brian alone in the room with Howie.
"So, Howie, what was that about with you on the phone with Alex?" Brian said.
"Huh? It was nothing, just saying hi." Howie said, folding his arms.
"Yeah, right." Nick said. "We saw the look on your face - was Alex talking dirty to you or something?"
"Yeah, Howie, give us details, dude." Brian said. "How was the golden boy in the sack?"
"Geez, guys, I can't believe you're asking me this stuff." Howie said, looking very flustered. "I don't ask about you two, do I?"
"That's different." Brian said dismissively.
They continued to pester and wheedle until finally Howie gave in, giving them a general account of his night in the hotel room with Alex.
"Wow, he actually - I mean, you actually let him...?" Brian said. Nick elbowed him. "Geez, like you don't want to know."
Howie flushed again. "Yeah, he did. More than once."
Nick whistled. "We both saw him naked before, remember? I'm surprised you were able to walk."
"Yeah, maybe you should change your name to 'Owie'." Brian said
Howie swatted at Brian and they grappled briefly before falling into laughter. "No kidding there. It was unbelievable - he just couldn't get enough. I've never known anyone with such a huge appetite." Howie fell quiet for a moment and then grinned at the guys. "He was great."
They all laughed at that.
"Well, I think that's about all I want to hear about that." Nick said. "There's something I need to take care of right now."
Brian and Howie looked questioningly at him.
"I need to make sure that Brian isn't tempted to trade me in for another blond." Nick said. "C'mon, you."
He took Brian by the hand and the two of them said goodnight to Howie and headed upstairs.
Howie managed to delay the tears until they were up the stairs and out of sight.
When Kevin and A.J. came back out to the living room, a bleary-eyed Howie announced that he was going out for the evening and left.
"What do you think that was about?" Kevin said.
"I don't know." A.J. said. "I don't think it's good, though."
Kevin sighed. "Keep an eye on him, A.J. Let me know if there's anything I can do for him."
A.J. nodded and they sat down on the couch and watched tv for a while.
Brian sat on the edge of the bed that he and Nick shared as Nick pulled the bedroom door shut behind him and locked it.
"So, what's this nonsense about me trading you in?" Brian said. "You don't really think that, do you?"
Nick came over and sat next to him on the bed. He just smiled and took Brian's hand in his own.
"No, not really, I was just teasing." Nick said. "Though if anyone had a chance it would be Alex, huh?"
Brian carressed Nick's cheek with his free hand. "Nope. No one has any chance." He leaned forward to softly kiss Nick's lips.
"You're the reason why I'm still alive." Brian said. "You're my husband, Nick."
Nick touched Brian's face with trembling hands, blinking as his own eyes were suddenly wet.
Brian wiped the tears from Nick's face. "None of that, now. Come here."
He guided Nick to lay with him on the bed and soon they were lost in one another.
Six weeks later, Howie sat on the couch in the living room, looking somewhat nervously at the door. He glanced at his watch for the hundredth time in the last half hour. Alex was due to arrive back at the house today, and Howie had been waiting all afternoon to make sure that he was there when Alex showed. He was really looking forward to being able to spend time with Alex again. It wasn't just the sex, though Alex had actually begun to appear in his dreams almost as much as Nick lately. Howie had to ask himself if it was the money, the power that Alex had. He didn't like to think of himself as being that kind of person, but he had been called by the other guys on his choice of words on the subject several times. Sure, as a member of BSB, Howie had plenty of fame and the money was finally getting there too. However, the last several weeks had been a clear reminder that these things were a matter of degree. Following the interview with Barbara Walters, Alex had begun to appear everywhere. His biography of his parents, "In Loving Memory" had begun to climb the bestseller list immediately upon its release. His premiere solo album, "One Nation ...One World" was well-received, though it's multi-cultural mix made it difficult for the industry to classify. His appearances on tv ranged from appearing as a special guest reporter on ABC News to several appearances on MTV and walkons on several sitcoms. Less of a surprise where the various talk show appearances, though Alex managed to make a definite impression on each - most notably on Leno when he appeared in a speedo with a towel draped around his shoulders. He missed but heard about the spectacle which Alex had caused by a surprise appearance as a model for Armani during a New York fashion show.
Howie glanced at the coffee table, which was covered with magazines that Alex had appeared in. Once again, the range of magazine types was large. Alex was dressed in a suit for the Newsweek cover, grinning with a thumbs up, the caption reading "Trillionaire?". He also appeared on the covers of various sports magazines, in the relevant athletic gear. There was the expected cover of The Advocate, and prominent appearance in the usual gay-oriented publications. Less expected was the cover of People, Alex dressed in classical period armor with a caption reading "Alexander The Great?". The image was more comical than serious, Alex clearly just having lost his grip on the prop sword and having the look of being caught in a goof.
Howie shook his head. He had some experience with publicity campaigns himself, of course, but this was incredible. Alex seemed to be everywhere, and things were picking up every day.
No, he thought, it wasn't the money or power. He didn't really understand it - maybe the tour would give them time to sort it out.
Howie shifted his legs restlessly, flushes of heat flowing through them. Thoughts of Alex's return had been making Howie painfully hard frequently while he had been away, and today was no different. He had tried to convince himself that it was the blond's tasty ass that he craved, but his dreams and waking thoughts didn't agree. Howie squirmed on the couch slightly, remembering the primal sensations of Alex taking him. Alex could come through the door at any moment. Howie shivered at the sudden thought of Alex bursting stark naked into the room. Tearing Howie's clothing to shreds, Alex would drag him out the door and into the front yard. Once there, Alex would hold him down and fuck him like a crazed animal in heat. Alex wouldn't care that Howie's screams would draw the neighbors' attention. Their appalled stares and finger pointing would only drive him to plow Howie harder, holding him down as he made Howie empty his nuts in front of the crowd.
Howie shuddered as he snapped out of his daydream. He was leaned back on the couch, his legs spread wide. He gasped as his spasming cock blew a large wad into his briefs. He fell back panting for several minutes. His shaven parts slipped around, lubricated by his load as his cock slowly softened.
"Shit," Howie said. "What is taking him so long?" He got some tissues and tried to wipe most of his cooling juices from between his legs, without much success.
He looked up at his watch and got up from the couch to pace back and forth in frustration.
"Hey, don't wear out the carpet." Brian said as he entered from the kitchen. "He'll be here soon."
Howie sighed and sat back down, Brian joining him on the couch.
Kevin and A.J. walked in from the back of the house a minute later. "Nick just called. Alex just arrived at airport and they are on their way back." Kevin said.
"I still say we should have all gone to meet him, instead of just Nick." Howie said. He was still a bit sullen about it.
"C'mon, D, no sense in all of us going, we don't want to drawn any more attention, with the tour being so close." Kevin said.
"Gimme a break, Kev." Howie said. "Nick's by far the most visible of us."
"Not really, Howie." Brian said. "If he covers his hair, he blends in pretty well. I'd say that A.J. is probably the easiest to spot, and we are all more recognizable if we are together."
"Yeah, and with Alex's profile being so high and him being associated with us too." A.J. said. "I wonder if he'll have any trouble getting through the airport without being recognized?"
"I don't think so." Kevin said. "He's not really that flashy in normal clothes, and he'll be smart enough to avoid having a large entourage. If he comes through the airport by himself or with one or two others, he'll be fine."
Alex sat in the passenger seat of Nick's car, smiling quietly. Nick was very animated as he drove, the all-important hair-concealing cap still in place. He very quickly brought Alex up to speed on the happenings with the guys in the time that he had been away.
"So, how are things with you and Brian?" Alex said, during one of Nick's rare pauses.
Nick's answering smile said it all. "It's like it's new every day. Couldn't be better - I just love that guy, ya know?"
Alex found his own smile on his face - Nick had that effect on a person. "I know. I'm so happy for you guys."
They both fell quiet for a moment. Nick knew that Alex envied what he and Brian had, knew it was hard for him to be around them sometimes.
"Howie really misses you." Nick said.
"I miss him, too." Alex said.
"How are things between you?" Nick said. He cleared his throat lightly. "We, umm, kind of asked him what was going on." Nick reddened a bit.
Alex found himself growing a bit red as well. "Well, I think we've got the physical part down pretty well at this point. I do like him and I think he likes me too. I don't know what's going to happen, though."
"Well, that makes sense, of course." Nick said. "Brian and I took a while to figure things out." He smiled in memory. "Of course, we didn't sleep together so soon." He paused, noticing that Alex had paled slightly. Nick placed a hand on Alex's arm. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean anything by that."
"No, no, it's ok." Alex said. "I guess I was just having those thoughts myself sometimes - wondering if maybe Howie and I are moving too quickly. The sex is great, but I hope that there's more there."
"Well, it's not like you guys jumped in the bed immediately - you did spent some time getting to know each other first." Nick said. Mentally he cursed himself for having brought it up.
"Yeah, that's true." Alex said. He made an effort to cheer up. "I'm sure things will work out fine. I'm really looking forward to the tour."
The conversation turned to the sudden large public presence that Alex had developed while away and they were still discussing the various interviews and articles when they pulled to a stop in front of the house.
Hearing the car pull up, Brian moved over to the door and looked out.
"Hey, there here." Brian said. He stepped aside to let Nick and Alex inside, closing the door behind them.
The guys gathered around, welcoming Alex back. Howie couldn't help but stare at the blond. Alex was wearing his white tank and sweats again - obviously he was partial to them. Or maybe he just realized how hot they were, just snug enough to show every outline of his smoothly muscled body. Howie realized with some excitement that Alex wasn't wearing any underwear, the outline of his full basket very obvious. Even as he watched, Howie saw the package shift as Alex became slowly aroused. Looking up, he saw Alex grinning at him and blushed hotly.
Alex looked around and noticed the pile of magazines on the coffee table, smiling as he recognized them.
"So, you guys have been keeping up with my antics, huh?" Alex said.
"How could we not?" Kevin said.
"Yeah, man, you're on everything in sight." A.J. said. "How did you swing all that so fast?"
Alex shook his head with a grimace. "Not me - I've got the best support staff money can buy. I just tell them what I want and they make it happen. It's spooky sometimes. There's more to come, too, a lot more."
"So, are you all set for the tour?" Kevin said.
Alex nodded. "I think so. As the saying goes, my people have talked with your people. I've arranged for backups on transportation and such all along the tour, in case there are any problems. There is one detail, though."
"Oh? What might that be?" A.J. said.
"Well, people arranging the transportation felt pretty strongly that I should avoid travelling commercially." Alex said. "The truth is that I almost never do anyway, unless there isn't something corporate handy. Anyway, I was thinking if maybe we couldn't all just use the same private aircraft and such? That way we could travel together and everyone would be cool with it."
The guys looked around for a minute at each other and shrugged.
"I don't see a problem with that, Alex." Brian said.
"Yeah, besides it will be cool not to have to worry about getting mobbed or anything." A.J said.
Howie spoke up suddenly. "What are you going to do once we are there? I mean, are you going to travel in the bus with us?"
"Nah, I've arranged for a nice RV of my own to go along in." Alex said. He smiled slightly, noticing Howie's downcast expression. "Yep, it has everything, full bathroom, kitchen, tv, stereo - the works." He walked over toward Howie, trying to be casual. "It even comes with a nice bed, big enough for two." Alex drew the startled Howie into a deep kiss which went on and on, until Kevin cleared his throat. Alex pulled back slightly. "That is, of course, if you think you'd like to join me."
Howie reeled from the kiss for a moment or two before he could speak. "Umm, yeah, I'd like that."
"Hey, what gives?" A.J. said. "We all have to get stuffed into the smelly old bus and D here gets to ride in the lap of luxury?"
"It's my lap, and I decide who gets to ride." Alex said. He and A.J. both failed miserably to keep straight faces, and laughed themselves silly. "Besides, I've seen the bus - you guys travel pretty well yourselves."
"Guys, it isn't going to bother you if I travel with Alex, is it?" Howie said. His own face was rather red.
"Nope, not at all." Nick said. "I say go for it."
"Yeah, I mean the vehicles are going to be travelling together, right?" Brian said.
Alex nodded. "I may have to head off for a day or two if something urgent comes up, but the RV will stay will the tour group. I'm hoping to avoid having to leave at all. The RV will be fully equipped with all kinds of overpriced electronic gadgetry, so I should be able to get most things done there."
"You better not be gone too long." A.J. said.
"Yeah, or D will trash your place." Nick said.
"Right, this from the group's head slob." Howie said.
"I gotta go with Howie on that one." Brian said. "Nick can mess a room up just by sitting still."
"Hey!" Nick said. "You are supposed to be on my side, traitor!" Nick playfully tackled Brian, spilling them both onto the couch.
The rest of the guys managed between laughs to pull the two off each other.
"You're gonna pay for this, boy!" Nick said. "I'm gonna have to punish you!"
"Mmm, yes, please." Brian said. "I've been a bad boy."
Nick scooped his laughing man up and put him over a shoulder. "Guys, we'll catch you later. I have to show this dude who's boss around here." Brian squirmed playfully as the laughing pair made their way up the stairs and out of sight.
The other guys just stared after them for a moment, and then sat down in the living room to talk. Alex and Howie sat on the couch together, and Kevin and A.J. found chairs. Alex sighed and smiled at his friends.
"What is it?" A.J. said. "Having some last minute doubts about the tour?"
Howie turned to look at Alex, who smiled and put an arm around his shoulder.
"No, not that." Alex said. "I guess I'm just feeling a little run down from everything that has been happening lately. I think I am starting to get a feeling for what it must be like for you guys. Being in the public eye all the time and all - and things are just getting started."
"Well, I don't know if it's the same or not." Kevin said. "We are in the public eye, yes, but not cutting across as many different places as you have."
"He's right." A.J. said. "Hey, I hope that BSB is a success for a long time to come, but it's also the truth that most entertainers don't have much longevity. Especially these days, and with the kind of audience that we made ourselves on."
"Yeah, what with N'Sync, 98 degrees, LFO, and more popping up every day." Howie said. "Everyone who can put a look and sound together wants to cash in on the teen market."
"I guess that's true." Alex said. "But isn't that why you are changing your music - going for a more mature crowd?"
Kevin nodded. "Exactly. I've been pushing for that for a while now. I don't want us to fizzle and die just because we aren't fresh-faced teens anymore. All those screaming girls are what put us on the map, but they are fickle."
Alex sighed. "I'm afraid the screaming boys probably aren't any different. It's all about fantasy for a lot of fans I guess."
"Seems to be, yeah." A.J. said. "Maybe having you along will help us move forward, you know?"
"A.J. has a point, Alex." Kevin said. "You've got the look and talent to be a hit, plus your sound is very different. We should work together and see what we can come up with."
"I'm game for that." Alex said. "I assume though, that you mean after the tour. I would think that the material and routines are fixed at this point."
"We'll see." Kevin said. "We do have a set routine that we've rehearsed for the tour, yes. Sometimes, though, it's nice to spice it up and do something a bit different."
They eventually moved to the kitchen for dinner, continuing to talk for a while about the tour. It had already been agreed that of course all appropriate precautions would be taken to conceal Nick & Brian's relationship, as well as Alex & Howie's. They reviewed the tour schedule and compared notes to make sure nothing had been missed. Both sides had been very thorough and there were no surprises.
"We are all set, then." Alex said. "I've got a small corporate jet ready to take us to Atlanta tomorrow, and a larger plane standing by to get us across the Atlantic to the first leg of the tour. Once there we will rendezvous with the buses. I've arranged for the band to go on another plane, they should be there already and getting started on things." He looked up from his laptop. "I hope you guys don't mind the band travelling separately. I was easier to send them on ahead rather than have them waiting on our plane. They are travelling on private aircraft too, first class all the way, I promise."
"That's fine, Alex." Kevin said. "It hasn't always been possible to book flights together in the past anyway."
"Just don't spoil 'em too much." Howie said. "Or they'll expect star treatment from now on."
Alex gave Howie's shoulder a friendly whack. "Don't give me that. I've done my homework, and I know that you guys always treat your people well."
"Well, yeah." Kevin said. "They are friends at this point, after all. A couple of them actually know about Nick & Brian, and have helped us keep the secret."
"Besides, the last thing you need on stage is a pissed off band." A.J. said.
"No doubt." Alex said. "I'm looking forward to getting to know them - maybe it will be a chance for me to polish up my own playing skills."
Howie shook his head. "Geez, is there anything you can't do?"
Alex winked. "Well, I can't write songs to save my life - how about that? Also, I seem to have been cheated out of the traditional gay man's senses of fashion and decorating."
"Gee, Alex, that's too bad." A.J. said.
"Yeah, I'm sure you've had to work hard to overcome those handicaps." Kevin said.
"Hey, don't give me any crap." Alex said. "I'm in charge of your physical training and therapy, remember? You are all in my hands, heh." Alex rubbed his fingers together in mock glee. "That's an extra hundred push-ups for you, A.J. - ooh, Kevin, crunches till you puke."
"Hey, what do I get?" Howie said, scooting closer on the couch.
Alex looked at him for a moment and smiled. "Well, guys, I guess I'd better figure that one out. Hmm, this worked for Nick." Alex rose and swung Howie across his shoulders. "The plane leaves at 8 am tomorrow, I'll make sure everyone gets up in time, don't worry." Howie was curiously docile and quiet as Alex carried him up the stairs.
Kevin and A.J. sat quietly for a moment, looking at each other. Eventually, they both rose from their chairs.
"Well, I guess they're set for the evening. How about a little one-on-one?" Kevin said.
"I'll assume that you mean basketball when you say that." A.J. said.
"Yeah, unless you have a surprise revelation for me?" Kevin said.
"Nope, I'll get the ball." A.J. said.
Alex carried Howie down the hall and to the room that he had stayed in before. Howie's breath whooshed out as Alex tossed him like a sack of potatoes onto the bed. Alex then tackled him and kissed him deeply. After what seemed a long and very pleasant time, Howie found his tongue finally free as Alex finally came up for air.
Alex rubbed Howie's clean shaven jaw. "I see that you've kept up with it while I was away."
Howie unceremoniously slipped both his hands down the front of Alex's sweats. "So have you."
Alex groaned as Howie fondled him roughly. "Yeah, once I got used to it the feeling was pretty cool." He gasped as Howie slipped a hand past the large ballsack to push against his pulsing hole. It opened readily and soon his finger was pushed all the way inside. After several seconds of teasing Alex's clenching insides, Howie withdrew his finger and used both hands to tear open the front of Alex's sweats.
"Geez, sailor, been out at sea for a while?" Alex said, between groans.
"Just shut up and give me what I want." Howie said. Then he startled Alex by kneeling in front of him and leaning down to lick Alex's smooth sack. Alex winced as Howie's teeth grazed him repeatedly. Howie made a valiant effort to work Alex's cock into his mouth, but could not get more than the head without gagging. However, he made up for it with rapid tongue action and strong hands stroking the shaft. As a result, Alex built up very quickly and shot a large sticky mess over Howie's face in record time, the latter barely pulling off the cock in time to avoid choking on the steamy load.
Alex fell back gasping and exhausted from the intensity of the release. As he lay there, Howie pulled the remains of the sweats off him, and lowered his own pants. Alex noted the large mess of dried cum covering Howie's own shaved privates.
"Shit, I need to clean this off." Howie said. "Just stay there - don't move." He pulled his pants back up and headed out the door. Howie went quickly down the hall to the bathroom where he stripped and quickly cleaned himself off in the shower. His impatience grew as he emerged dripping, pulled his pants back on and all but sprinted back down the hall. Upon entering, he saw that Alex had removed the rest of his own clothes and lay back on the bed, apparently dozing. He eyes were closed, and his naked body relaxed, his slightly softened cock pressed acrossed the sharp outlines of his abs. Howie paused to drink the sight in for a moment, and then tore his own clothes off. Marching quickly over to the dresser, Howie retrieved a condom from the top drawer, unwrapped it and rolled it down his own pulsing cock. Moving back over to the bed, he slipped his hands under Alex's thighs and spread the blond's muscular legs and lifted them to rest on his own shoulders. Alex stirred slightly, but seemingly did not awaken. Howie found the notion of plundering the sleeping jock intensely arousing. He leaned forward purposely toward Alex's exposed crack, but was unable to pass up his ballsack. It was larger than any he had ever seen, even in porn. Licking firmly at one of the swollen nuts, Howie realized that Alex must have shaved recently. The warm skin was as smooth as silk. Faint moans issued steadily from above, but Howie ignored them. He did notice that Alex's cock was slowly rising back to full mast from the attention his nuts were getting. Howie shuddered as his asshole twitched at the thought of implaing himself on that hardening pole. Releasing Alex's sack from his mouth, Howie pushed the blonds legs up higher and worked his condom-encased cock into Alex's crack. Spreading the muscular cheeks with his hands, Howie pressed his boner forward until the head nudged against Alex's tight little pink rosebud. Ignoring the increasing groans from above, Howie pushed his cock in firmly, not stopping until his entire length was buried. He was spurred on by his own spasming tail as he banged Alex with rapid full-length strokes, ignoring all else until he finally threw his head back and filled the condom with his warm juice. Howie kept banging away until he felt himself going soft. He then pulled out of Alex, disposed of the condom in a nearby trashcan, and rolled over next to Alex on the bed. Drained to exhaustion, Howie dropped off to sleep almost immediately.
Alex looked over at Howie and sighed. After a few minutes he got up, slipped on a robe, and headed for the bathroom. A long shower and quick jacking off later, he returned to the room and sat down in a chair. After watching Howie sleep for several minutes, he sighed again and pulled out a paperback book from one of his bags and started to read.
After carrying Brian up the stairs, Nick carried him into the room that they shared and set him down on the bed.
"So, I'm going to be punished?" Brian asked.
Nick blushed slightly and sat next to Brian on the bed, taking his hand lightly.
"Nah, I just wanted an excuse to be alone with you." Nick said.
Brian smiled. "You are really sweet sometimes, you know."
"Yeah, I know. I've been practicing that." Nick said. He moved to sit on the head of the bed and Brian curled up next to him. Brian rested his head on Nick's chest and Nick put his arms around Brian and held him lightly.
"So, are you ready?" Nick said.
"For the tour?" Brian said. "As ready as I can be, I guess." He sighed quietly. "We've talked about this before - it's going to be difficult in some ways. I think we can handle it, though. Besides, it will be fun in some ways, especially with Alex coming along. It will be a new experience for all of us."
"You're right, of course." Nick said. "Do you think Alex will have a good time on the tour? What about him and Howie - think that will work out?"
"I think he will, yeah. Besides, he can leave the tour at any time if he wants or needs to - it's not like he's obligated to be at every show or anything. As far as him and Howie - I have no idea at all. I do think that they like each other, and there's clearly a physical connection."
They both glanced at the wall, beyond which the sounds of Howie's pleasure could be heard faintly.
"Hey, how come you never make noise like that?" Nick said.
Brian made a show of thinking for a moment. "Well, I guess it boils down to the fact that Howie is having sex with Alex, while I am...."
"Hey!" Nick gave Brian a playful shake. "So, the truth is out, yes? I'm not man enough to make you yell, huh?"
Brian tried to catch his breath between laughing and being shaken around. "Oh yeah, better get out the baseball bat, baby."
They both laughed for a minute, and then Brian climbed to his feet and began to undress. Nick joined him and soon they were both in their boxer briefs. They silently climbed under the covers, Nick spooning in behind Brian. Brian turned to share a soft kiss with Nick and then settled back down. Soon a delicious pool of warmth flowed through them. The contact between them was delightful and soothing, and together they slipped away into a deep sleep.
Kevin and A.J. in time finished their game, got cleaned up and said goodnight. Kevin lingered downstairs to check locks and turn off lights as he tended to do. When he came up the stairs and headed for his own bedroom, he got a big dose of the sounds of Alex & Howie's intercourse. He shook his head with a smile, and headed on to his own room and went to bed.