Sunday Mornings

Richie

Richie

Nikki had made good time in getting them to the airport, as he got out from behind the wheel and perched himself against the car, releasing the trunk catch beforehand.

Richie stood in front of Nikki, both men taking their final looks at each other.

"Well...," he said, "I guess this is goodbye. Thanks for the ride, Nikki."

"Take care, babe," Nikki said to Richie after enveloping him in a long hug goodbye, "You know I love you and I'll always be here for you. You're my little street-rat, after all."

"Thanks, Nik," Richie said softly, burying his nose in amongst all the dark hair, "I'm sorry about earlier, too."

Nikki was his first real love and he would always hold a special place in his heart too, but Jon was his forever love. Unless I've royally screwed that up tonight, he thought.

"My loss, Tommy's gain," he replied with a chuckle and kissed his cheek.

Richie tapped Nikki on the chest and went to get the bags out of the car as Nikki and Jon said their goodbyes.

"I guess I need to thank you," Jon shrugged, "for, you know, looking out for Richie and...calling me, when you didn't have to."

"I don't wanna have to chase you down again, ya hear me? You look after him!"

Jon nodded, "I will." He held out his hand to shake Nikki's.

Nikki looked down at Jon's hand and pushed off the car, wrapping him into a hug instead, "Call me when...well, you know...." With a final clap on the back, Nikki released Jon and stepped back around the car to the driver's seat without looking back. With the roar of the engine, he took off.

It could have been the lack of traffic at that time of the morning or Nikki's driving but they found out after collecting their tickets and checking their bags, that they had a good hour or more to wait.

"Coffee...I need coffee," Jon groaned, "Sleep seems such a long time ago."

"Let's go find you some then," Richie said with a small smile.

He wanted to talk to Jon before he crashed, which was going to be as soon as they were in the air by the way Jon was acting. He, himself, should be dead on his feet. He'd slept off some of the coke and booze; that small amount of sleep was keeping him going at the moment. That, and the apprehension of what he was going to face when he got home.

They found a coffee shop near their departure gate and Richie directed Jon into finding a seat while he ordered coffees and some food at the counter, finding him tucked away in a booth at the back when he was done.

"I've ordered some bacon and eggs," Richie said as he sat down beside Jon, "to go with our coffee."

"Hmm thanks, Mookie," Jon sighed as his head rested on his hand. "How are you still upright?"

"Ha...hanging on by the fingernails, baby," he replied as he mirrored Jon's relaxed pose, legs brushing, as they waited for their order, "I'm working on a different body clock from the road at the moment. The coke's still buzzing through me and a little...anxiety or whatever, but I'll probably crash when we're in the air. Just like you will."

Jon grunted softly. "Poor choice of words. Crash and in the air should never go together. Especially when we have to be in a flying tin can for hours."

"True. I didn't think of that," he nodded.

"But you gotta stay awake for just a little while longer for me, Cowboy," Richie continued, "I wanna talk-."