ONE MORE DANCE
Title: One More Dance
Written By: the_minx_17
Timeline: Early S2
Author's Notes: Thanks to leela_cat for the beta. Boys and all their baggage belong to Queer as Folk and are the property of Russell T. Davies, CowLip Productions, Tony Jonas Productions, Showtime Networks Inc. and others. No copyright infringement is intended.



Guilt, they say, is a powerful motivator.

Brian agrees. Without a doubt, guilt will lead a man to do things he's never contemplated before. Things like making popcorn and watching some stupid reality show, or going home early instead of hitting Babylon's backroom one last time, or – and, really, Brian just loves this one – pushing a majority of the alcohol and drugs away because Sunshine might need him during the night.

Not that any of them are truly terrible, except maybe the reality show thing. Because really, who the fuck cares who the sole survivor is?

Apparently Justin does. And, if actions can be taken at face value, so does Brian. All because he feels guilty, is guilty. Guilty of giving in to Justin, of giving in to himself, and going to the prom. Even if it was only for one dance.

One dance was more than enough. Should have been enough.

Except that in the blue haze of bedroom lights, with Justin curled into his side, Brian admits – only to himself – that one dance could never be enough. And guilt really isn't the case anymore. Some of it, most of it is simply because he wants to see Justin smile again. He wants that cocky little imp who plagued his life for eight months back.

Doing what Justin asks at least gets him a small curl of lips, a hint of the boy Justin used to be. And that reason surpasses the guilt tenfold.

But this, this thing Justin has conned Brian into doing today… this is completely over the top. It's not like they're five or something. Then Brian looks and sees Justin.

And Justin is smiling that really big smile and for the first time since taking a bat to the head, the happiness is reaching his eyes. He isn't cradling his hand, doesn't look wounded. In fact, he's spinning with his arms flung out and his head tilted back like he doesn't have a care in the world.

So maybe jumping in the puddles, running through the rain, making out with lightning streaking across the sky and thunder shaking the ground… well, seeing Justin smile again is worth the cold ache forming in Brian's knees and the cost of dry cleaning in his future.

When Justin slows down, starts looking toward the loft, Brian pulls him in close and hums a familiar song, unwilling to give up the smile so soon. "Dance with me?"

Justin blushes and nods, curling into Brian's arms.

Their movements are nowhere near as smooth as the first time, their dance nowhere near as exotic. They're pressed together in jeans and t-shirts, barefoot and soaking wet, rocking slowly to Brian's off-beat hum. It's the complete antithesis of the infamous prom night.

And, for Brian, it's a hundred times better.

"I don't remember it, you know?" The words are soft, almost lost beneath the rain.

"Doesn't matter." It really doesn't. As long as Justin doesn't remember the dance, he's less likely to remember the bashing. A win in Brian's opinion.

Brian lifts Justin off his feet, twirls them through the rain, ending this dance the same way he did the last one.

Pressing their foreheads together, he whispers, "Bet you don't forget this one."

Justin is smiling and giggling and so obviously happy it hurts.

"Come on, Sunshine," and Brian starts rocking his hips again. "Let's just dance in the rain."

…end…