Chapter Text
Six months, two weeks and four days of hell.
He’d marked the sixth month anniversary by getting pissed out of his mind on Corona. He’d drunk so much that he’d had to have his stomach pumped at the local hospital. With no insurance, it had been a costly misadventure. But Brian was already living hand to mouth with no savings, so it didn’t really matter. Nothing really mattered to him anymore.
Six months ago he’d lost all meaning and direction in his life. The day he’d handed Dom those keys, was the turning point. That was the day he walked away from everything. They didn’t need to fire him because he quit. Walked right into his boss’s office and told him to fuck off. He withdrew his saving, bought a cheap ass used truck and filled it with gas and a few of his possessions. He had every intention to keep driving until he either ran out of money or the truck died. Both happened somewhere on highway between Phoenix and the state border in the middle of fucking nowhere.
So that’s how he’d ended up where he was now. Bob’s Garage and Hubcap-o-rama. He’d never even bothered to get that damn truck fixed. Instead he’d managed to talk his way into a job with Bob. Now he was selling fucking hubcaps. Not even the sweet ass rims on the ten-second cars, but plain old, ugly hubcaps. Bob had a collection just stacked behind the garage. He said the desert was the best place to store them, Brian just thought he was too lazy to haul them to the scrap yard. Hicks from hundreds miles around came here to replace the hubcap on their crappy pick up trucks, station wagons and minivans. Brian hated it, but he didn’t have enough ambition to do anything else. He slept in the bed of his old pick up and showered in the garage.
That’s how he’d spent the last sixth months: in a dead end job, in a dead end town.
This particular morning he was stacking the latest shipment of hubcaps from an auto body wrecker in Phoenix. It was pretty much like any other day in the past six month. It was hot despite the early hour and he’d taken off his shirt in the morning sun. He hadn’t bothered to shave for the past few days, but that wasn’t much of a surprise. He hadn’t even bothered to get a haircut in the last six months either and to keep pushing hair out of his eyes.
“Ya look like shit,” a deep voice boomed out.
Brian froze. He’d know that voice anywhere. “Dom?” he breathed, still frozen in place.
“The one and only. You’re a hard man to find Brian O’Connor.”
Brian lowered his head. He couldn’t bring himself face Dom. “Why are you here Dom? Did you come here to kill me? Because if you did, hurry up and put me out of my misery.”
Brian winced when he heard Dom’s deep laugh. “No, I’m not here ta kill ya.”
Brian finally managed the courage to turn, but his shoulders were slumped and his gaze rested on Dom’s wide chest instead of meeting his eyes. “Then why are you here?”
“To collect what’s mine.”
The concept seemed simple enough, but it’s true meaning seemed to slip Brian. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. If it’s Mia you’re after, then she’s not here. I tried to talk to her that day… after you left. I wanted to take care of her, but…”
“But she said some pretty nasty things to ya,” Dom said, stopping Brian’s ramble. “I already know that. She told me everything. I already stopped in L.A. to collect her. She’s on a plane to Buenos Aries.”
“Oh, Argentina. I thought you would have ended up in Mexico,” Brian commented stupidly.
“Too obvious,” Dom grunted and crossed his arms in front of his chest. His eyes drifted over Brian’s too slender form. “You haven’t been taking care of yourself.”
Brian shrugged and for the first time looked up to meet concerned brown eyes. He’d expected to see hate, anger and rage. Not concern. “Why are you here, Dom?” Brian repeated, but it didn’t sound like a demand, rather more like a sad plea.
“Like I said, I’m here to collect what’s mine, but all in one trip. Packed Mia off and even managed to arrange a buyer for my Charger from that fucking police auction. By the time it gets home on that cargo ship, I’ll have all the parts waiting for her. And Vince, now that was really stupid of them to keep him in a low security hospital.”
“I… I thought he was on the mend?” Brian asked suddenly.
Dom smiled evilly. “He was. But looks like he suddenly got a nasty attack of the runs and puking that the prison Doc didn’t want to handle… you know how messy Vince can be. I told that asshole to stop drinking dish washing soap…”
Brian snorted and laughed weakly. “So I image Vince is also on his way to Buenos Aries.”
“Yep, with Leon.”
“And Letty?”
“She’s in Mexico City. That’s why I’m not.”
“Sounds like everything’s working out for you…” Brian faltered. “Not about Letty, I mean. But, I’m glad you’re safe… and free, Dom.”
“I’m free because of you. Even if you were a lying, conniving pig…”
“Ex-pig,” Brian corrected without thought.
“Uh huh. I heard about what ya did. You might have been able to salvage your career, all ya would have to do was say I took those keys away from you by force.”
“It would have been a lie.” Brian lowered his eyes again, shuffling in place. “I’ve done enough lying. And I didn’t want to salvage my career.”
“Ya never did fit in, did ya?” Dom always had a way for cutting to the through the truth. “No matter how much you tried, ya never fit in with your family or work. Never found a place ta belong.”
“I tried,” Brian offered lamely. The only place he’d ever felt he belonged was with Dom’s rag tag team.
“And now you’ve stopped trying?” Dom asked, waving his hand at the piles of hubcaps.
“Yeah.” Brian nodded. He picked his shirt from his back pocket and mopped his forehead.
Brian felt Dom move forward and grasp his chin, forcing his head up until their gaze met. “You belonged with us, didn’t ya?”
“Yes…” the whispered response escaped Brian’s lips before he could stop himself. The shirt slipped from his hands and he just stood there, transfixed by Dom.
Dom’s grip tightened on Brian’s chin painfully. “I told ya if you broke her heart, that I’d break your neck.”
“Yes…” Again the same whispered reply. Brian couldn’t tear his eyes away from Dom’s intense gaze.
“I’m not a college man like you,” Dom started, his voice a deep steady rhythm. “But I can see a lot of stuff. I can tell stuff about people. That first day before you and Vince went at it. I remember how you looked at me, how ya looked right past Mia. I also remember Vince called ya a faggot. Is that true, Brian? You’re a pretty boy, but are ya a fag?”
Brian’s breath caught. Dom could easily snap his neck like this. He’d destroyed this man’s life. He’d broke his sister’s heart. He’d lied to the man who’d easily become his best friend in those few short weeks. And without his presence, Brian’s life was empty. “Yes…”
Brian expected a violent rage, but instead Dom’s grasp stayed the same, holding Brian steady in Dom’s gaze. “That’s what I thought,” Dom said, his voice still calm and monotone. “And so you used Mia in more ways than one.”
“Yes, but… but I really loved her, Dom. Just not the way I supposed to. I swear, I didn’t mean to hurt her. They sent me in undercover and I thought it was Tran doing the jobs. Because you weren’t like your file, you were a person. You took care of people and I thought I could just give them Tran and tell them to fuck off. Then I could be…”
“Be what, Brian Spindler?” Dom’s voice was tinged with anger.
“Not the name, the name was a lie, but the way I acted, the things I felt… they were the first time I could just be me,” Brian babbled, trying to explain.
“You said you were a fag, Brian,” Dom’s smooth voice questioned. “How can ya be true to yourself, if you were going to live like that?”
“I… I just needed…” Brian faltered, sheer panic starting to set in.
“What did you need?” Dom prompted.
“To be close to you…” Brian admitted, his eyes snapping shut in shame.
He heard Dom laugh and cringed at the disgust the other man must be feeling. The hand on his chin let go and he waited for a fist to crash into his face. But then he felt Dom’s large hand settle on his shoulder, the thumb stoking lightly on his neck.
“Open your eyes,” Dom’s voice urged. Brian shook his head in denial. “C’mon, Pretty, open your eyes.”
“Pretty?” Brian croaked, his eyes opening and flashing in ire. He met Dom’s patented grin.
“Figure it suits you.” Dom continued to grin like the Cheshire cat. “Ya always were a pretty boy, still are, even under all this filth. Even prettier when you get pissy.”
“Bastard,” Brain hissed in anger. He might owe Dom a lot, but he couldn’t bring himself to put up with his taunting.
“Now’s that’s more like the Brian I know.”
Brian shook his head and the anger drained from him, replaced by defeat. “What do you want, Dom?”
“My team,” Dom answered. “Letty and Jesse are gone.”
“I can’t bring them back to you,” Brian said sadly.
“No, but you can replace them,” Dom countered.
“Huh?” Brian stared a Dom stupidly.
“Like it or not, you’re part of my team, Brian. Nothing you do can take that away unless I say so. And I don’t say so.”
“So…”
“So I’ve come to collect what’s mine. Mia. Vince. The Charger. You. You’re coming back to Buenos Aries with me.”
“I am?”
“You are.”
“Okay.”
“That was easy,” Dom grinned at him.
“Would you have taken no for an answer?” Brian asked, still frozen in place, but still conscious that Dom hadn’t stopped touching him.
“No wasn’t an option.”
“Alright, so I’m going to South America,” Brian said, trying to make it sound real. “With you.”
“And the others will be there. Ya don’t have to worry about anything. I have two one way tickets out of Phoenix.”
“The others won’t like it. Especially Mia,” Brian argued half-heartedly. His head was spinning and not from the heat.
“Mia doesn’t have a say in the matter,” Dom said simply. “She belongs to me. And so do you.”
Mia had said as much in the beginning. // He owns you now. // Dom was like the stereotypical head of a traditional family. He was to be unquestioned and would be tolerant if you followed his wishes. Except his family was anything but traditional. People were drawn to him, but very few were allowed close and those that were, were put through test after test of loyalty.
“I haven’t proven myself,” Brian croaked, realizing his statement wouldn’t make sense to normal person.
But oh, it did make sense to Dom and he chuckled lightly that Brian didn’t even deny he belonged to Dom. “Oh, but I think you’ve proven yourself worthy, Pretty. I’ve been keeping tabs on you for the last six months. You walked away from everything. Turned your back on the cops. I know you tried to help Mia and I know what she said to you. She told you that you were responsible for what had happened to us and that if you hung around, you’d lead the feds to me. You ran to protect me.”
“Maybe…” Brian narrowed his eyes, not wanting to admit that Dom could read him that well. “And don’t call me Pretty.”
Dom patted his cheek affectionately. “I’ll call you whatever I want. And I want you to shower and shave before we leave. I won’t sit next to ya on the plane smelling like that.”
“Now?”
“Now.” Dom nodded, and then his hand moved up to card through Brian’s greasy hair. “You let your hair grow out.”
Brian shrugged, resisting the urge to lean into the touch. Dom had always been a toucher, but not like this. “Couldn’t be bothered to cut it. We can stop some place in Phoenix.”
“Leave it,” Dom said and tugged on the light curls gently. With his luck, Dom would have a hair fetish. “It suits you.”
“What do I need to bring?” Brian asked quickly, hoping to distract Dom.
“Nothing. Change into a clean pair of clothes and that’ll be all. I got ya a fake passport and ID. As of this moment, Brian O’Connor is MIA. Just in case your name rings any fed bells.”
“I need to phone my mother,” Brian said. He’d left L.A. suddenly, but he’d made sure to call her.
“You can send her a postcard.”
“As long as she knows I’m alive. I just have to go back to my truck to get a change of clothes.”
“Wear something inconspicuous.”
“Big word,” Brian half laughed. “Won’t it be pretty inconspicuous of me to show up to the airport with no luggage?”
“Already taken care of,” Dom said. “Mia packed a bag for you in LA. She knows what size ya are.”
“Should I expect something nasty in that bag? Pink boxers or a scorpion?”
“C’mon. I wanna get outta here before anyone comes looking for you.” Dom took his hands out of Brian’s hair and patted his cheek again. Brian had a feeling there would never be a thing as personal space between him and Dom. He wondered if this was all another test. Tease Brian the Fag to see if he’d break. Well, Brian could play that game. He’d be “just one of the guys” despite the fact that Dom made him harder than a diamond with one look or touch.
“No one buys a hubcap this early in the morning and Bob, my boss, probably isn’t out of his normal morning stupor yet.”
“I’ll be waiting,” was Dom’s response as he pulled away from Brian and sauntered towards the front of the building.
Brian stood there for a minute breathing heavily and then he did just what Dom told him to. He went to his truck and pulled out his favourite pair of well-worn jeans and a faded blue t-shirt. It was hot here and hot in Buenos Aries, but he grabbed a jean jacket on second thought. Normal travellers were supposed to plan for different climates, not look like they’ve just abandoned all their worldly possessions. He walked back to the shop and showered quickly in the dingy bathroom. Brian’s hands were shaking so badly that he cut himself while he was shaving.
He walked out of the front of the shop to see Dom leaning against a bright red, classic Mustang. “Real inconspicuous.”
“I’m just supposed to walk in and rent a car?” Dom snorted.
“Point taken. I don’t want to know where it came from, do I?”
“Don’t worry, it’s not stolen.”
“I didn’t ask,” Brian countered and ran his hand over the lipstick red hood. “And who cares if she is or not, she’s beautiful.”
“You in love, Brian?” Brian froze, his eyes meeting Dom’s. “With the car.”
“Ahhh, yeah, the car… the car’s beautiful,” Brian stuttered, wanting to smack himself. Smooth, O’Connor. Real smooth.
Dom chuckled. Dom laughing at him seemed to becoming a habit. “We’ll set you up with something nice there, now get in the car, lover boy.” Dom slipped into the driver’s seat with ease and revved the V8 engine.
Brian got into the passengers seat and barely got his seatbelt on before Dom threw the Mustang into reverse and did a doughnut in the gravel parking lot. He left a cloud of dust behind them as he tore down the road and onto the highway.
Dom wasn’t much of talker. They’d gone maybe fifteen miles before Brian got the nerve to ask. “Everything’s okay with you Dom?”
“Like what?” Dom kept his eyes on the road and continued to tap the wheel lightly.
“You looked pretty beat up after that crash.”
“I was fit enough to drive. Got a dislocated shoulder, a few broken ribs and a stitches on my thick scalp.”
Brian’s eyes flickered to the faint scar on Dom’s forehead. He still remembered the blood. “Good to hear.”
The awkward silence continued, or at least it was awkward for Brian. Dom seemed as cool as ever. After a few minutes, Dom said. “Go ahead and ask.”
“Ask what?” Brian asked defensively.
“Whatever it is that’s eating at you.”
Brian sighed. “I just can’t help but wondering about what you went through the last few months.”
“A lot of running. We hid out in L.A. for a few days and crossed over to Mexico from there,” Dom started to recount his exploits. “There was a few close calls, but we got there. Still think it’s ironic that it was a truck driver who got us across the border, but that’s another story for when I’m far too drunk. From there we went to Mexico City. Letty and I got in a fight. She stayed there when Leon and me moved onto South America. We started in Rio, but ended up in Buenos Aries. We’ve been planning and laying low until now.”
“Sooo…” Brian hedged. God help him, but he couldn’t help but ask. “Is there anyone special waiting for you I should know about? Or are you hoping to make up with Letty?”
Dom cracked a smile. “Nope, no one’s waiting for me. And Letty and me are quits for good. She didn’t want to be part of the team anymore.”
Brian nodded in silent understanding. Letty must have wanted Dom to leave behind his friends and sister. Brian understood that would be unacceptable in Dom’s book. Letty always struck Brian as the type who didn’t like to share.
“Ya been seeing anyone in this hellhole?” Dom asked seemingly out of the blue.
Brian hadn’t been seeing anyone. He was barely fit company for the customers, let alone a date. But that wasn’t the point. He wondered how much Dom would always be subtlety taunting him about being a “fag”. “Nope, didn’t want to.”
The car began to slow and Dom pulled over to the highway shoulder and shut off the car.
“Is there something wrong with the car?” Brian asked nervously.
“Na huh.” Dom continued to lightly tap the wheel.
“Then why did we stop?”
“Thought I’d sample the merchandise. See what I was getting,” Dom growled, turning to Brian, he adjusted the obvious bulge in his pants.
“Dom?” Brian all but squeaked.
Dom reached out and ran his fingers through Brian’s hair. “Letty’s gone.”
Simple words. Dom always left things unspoken, wanting the people around him to read his mind. And now Dom’s earlier words about replacing Letty in the team had a whole new meaning. Mia had told him what kind of man Dom was. He wasn’t the kind of man who dated or chased after women. They were drawn to him, but he had a tendency to fuck and run. But he always had to have someone special around, just for a sort of security. For last few years, that had been Letty.
He needed someone who needed him. Someone who was loyal, but could fit into the team and change to fit into his world. Letty had been that at sixteen years old. She had been all of those things. She’d needed Dom to protect and teach her. But Dom also needed someone who could turn a blind eye. Mia had said Dom would never get married because he’d never be absolutely faithful. Sure he’d love that one special girl fiercely, but that wouldn’t stop him from fucking around. The problem was Letty had grown up and obviously grown too independent for Dom’s taste.
“I can’t be her,” Brian whispered.
“I’d hope not,” Dom snorted. “She was too much of a bitch. Thought I’d try for someone softer now.”
Dom wasn’t talking about curves. “I’m not some little swish you can push around,” Brian warned in a low, shaky voice.
“Why would ya fight something ya want?” Dom asked, his left hand unbuttoning his pants.
“I never said I wanted you,” Brian croaked, trying to pull away.
Dom’s hand tightened in his hair, not enough to be painful, but enough to keep him still. “Ya didn’t need to.”
“Dom…” Brian breathed the name reverently. “I don’t think I can pass this test. Please, don’t do this to me…”
“This isn’t a test,” Dom assured his friend, drawing his head down. “I want this.”
Brian licked his lips and didn’t bother to resist the persistent tug of Dom’s hand on his head, pushing him down to Dom’s groin. Dom wanted this. Wanted him. How could he resist that? It sounded like crappy poetry, but Dom was his sun and his moon, drawing him into his gravitational pull. It had been years since Brian had done this. Not since college, but even then it had only been drunk fumbling. Now he was stone cold sober.
There was no power struggle in this act. Not like Dom had encountered in prison. No, Brian laid his head willing in Dom’s lap and without hesitation licked the pre-cum from his cock. Without prompting he soon took the rest of the hard cock into his mouth and began to suck.
Dom played with the blonde curls, fascinated as he watched Brian’s head bop up and down. Soon Dom’s hips were lifting up, driving his cock deeper into Brian’s mouth and Brian didn’t protest, just opened wider.
It had been too long and it ended sooner than Dom would have liked. He shuddered and groaned deeply as he spilt his cum into Brian’s mouth. It wasn’t the best blowjob he’d ever gotten, but it was by far the most exciting.
“Fuck…” Dom gasped, his cock twitching as Brian continued to suck gently.
Brian pulled away just enough so that his forehead rested on Dom’s bulky thigh.
“Always thought ya had a cocksucker’s mouth,” Dom teased affectionately, tracing Brian’s now swollen lips with his thumb. Brian bit the thumb in question and smiled when he heard Dom yelp. “Better watch those teeth!”
Brian shifted and moved until his head was rest against Dom’s stomach. He moved Dom’s shirt away and began to rub the pronounced abs. Slowly, he began to kiss and suck just above Dom’s hip. He was only stopped when he’d left a bright purple hickey.
“Satisfied?” Dom growled.
“Very,” Brian mumbled back.
“Ya still hard, Bri?”
“Uh huh.” Brian kissed the mark again.
“Good,” Dom grunted and pushed Brian’s head away gently. He lifted his hips off the seat and did his pants up.
Brian was looking out the passenger’s window, his face a mask of pain. “So that’s how it’s gonna be, Dom?”
“No,” Dom said quickly. He’d been on the receiving end of Letty’s temper tantrums to know when someone was about to explode. It usually happened over a misunderstanding and he didn’t want that with Brian. Oh he was sure they’d have some spectacular fights, but not now. “I just want ya to take care of it while I’m driving. It’ll pass the time quicker and maybe give some trucker an eyeful.” Dom leered at Brian and made a kissy noise.
Brian burst out laughing and turned back to Dom, his eyes shining. “Kinky, Dom. Real kinky.”
“You have no idea,” Dom chuckled and started the engine.
Dom pulled back onto the highway and Brian knew he’d give Dom what he wanted. Dom wanted a show and so he’d get one. Brian had little doubt that from this point on that there was nothing he wouldn’t give Dom. He’d be everything the man needed. And sometime soon, he just hoped Dom would let him get at least one kiss.
END.