Into The Echo

Hollywood Ending

Saturday Nights - Chapter 6/7

Jon's 18th birthday - Nikki leaves NJ

This one goes out to WestHamBabe

Nikki was cruising the streets in a borrowed car. Borrowed, stolen, same thing, right?! Regardless, it was a piece of shit anyway but it would serve his purpose for the night.

It was 2am on a chilly, early-March morning. The rain that had passed over earlier in the evening had washed the dirty streets clean, leaving the city looking as though it was dressed in fairy lights the way the street and building lights were reflecting in the puddles. It was a night reserved for the drunkards, the workers and their johns or the foolhardy that just happened to be out and about like Nikki was.

He was searching for something or more correctly, someone. That person with the long legs that he liked to feel wrapped around him and that mouth...oh, that mouth, with its quick smile and talented tongue. Nikki didn't normally seek Richie out while he was working, but he needed to be with him tonight. He wasn't quite sure why.

Actually, that was a lie. He had a feeling that this might be the last time he and Richie would be together.

Nikki had observed the way Richie was becoming enamoured of his little house guest and if there was one thing that Nikki wasn't, it was dumb.

He thought it was only a matter of time before Richie would succumb to lil Jonny-boy's charms.

Nikki knew Richie had an eighteenth birthday party planned for his houseguest later that night at the diner because he had let himself be coerced into attendance.

"Please, Nik," Richie had cajoled as his hand expertly stroked him into full thickness. "Jon has never had a birthday party and doesn't have too many friends yet. He knows you and feels safe around you because we're dating."

He'd said yes just to get to the fucking. That's what he was going to miss the most...Richie's expertise and willingness to do anything in bed. Ahh, there were some plus sides to dating a prostitute.

That was a couple of weeks ago and now it was becoming more and more apparent that it was time to bow out gracefully, with his heart still somewhat intact. Nikki kinda knew he wasn't going to be completely heartbroken, though. Richie was more a lifelong friend with a shit-ton of benefits. When Nikki had come back East, after running scared from Tommy's level of commitment to him, it was more out of an old habit that they'd hooked up again.

Tommy was holding his heart on a string, hoping for Nikki to see the light and come back to him and just like a train in a tunnel, that light was getting closer and closer every second for Nikki.

He cruised slowly down Richie's regular streets, sharing his turf with only a few trusted co-workers, eventually spying him a couple of blocks away. He had his back turned to oncoming traffic to show off his splendidly tight ass. He could tell it was Richie by the way he stood, right leg slightly cocked to one side to accommodate the tightness of his jeans and his hands stuffed into the pockets of his waist-length jacket and his hair flowing down his back.

Nikki ran his tongue over his sharp, white teeth and idled the car against the curb for a while, watching Richie and his companion approach a similarly coasting car. Both men tried their luck in securing the customer with their wiles, but it was Richie's friend that ended up in the car, leaving Richie watching the taillights pull away from him.

Nikki felt the familiar curl of pure want slither its way through him, sending out tendrils of lust into the most hidden places within him. He put the car into gear and slowly edged down the block, hoping to keep his face in the shadows as much as possible. He had some cash to flash, just to lure Richie to the car. He followed Richie, as he walked slowly down the street smoking a cigarette, with enough distance between them to signify his intent but also close enough to keep any further johns away from claiming him.

Richie checked over his shoulder and flicked his cigarette away, exhaling the fumes toward the inky sky, before he stopped, facing the street in a pose that showed off his best assets. Nikki salivated at the sight of Richie's semi-chub laying down the front of his pants, against his thigh. It was perfectly highlighted by the streetlights and framed by the car window so that as Richie moved slowly towards the car, Nikki's view was limited to Richie's lower ribs to the middle of his thighs.

"How much?" Nikki asked in a gruff voice, hopeful that Richie didn't recognise him sitting in the shadows.

Richie rested his arms on the open window and peered into the gloom, his long hair framing his face. "What?! No hi handsome, are you free right now?" he asked, smiling so that his dimple was on full show.

When Nikki didn't answer, Richie chewed on that delicious bottom lip of his and sighed, "Listen...I'm feeling generous tonight so $20 for a hand job, $50 for a blow. A cool hundred will get you a fuck. Your choice on who tops. Anything else is price on application, sweet thing. Also, no condom, no fun...understand me?!"

Jesus, Nikki thought, no wonder he's still in that shitty apartment! "Get in," he grumbled and waited until Richie had just closed the door before squealing the tyres on the wet street and peeled out of there. "Babe," Nikki said in his normal voice, "you're undercharging for that fine ass."

"Nikki!?" Richie gasped. "Who's car is this?" he asked in surprise as Nikki drove away quickly, shrugging.

"Don't know, don't care," he grinned over at Richie. "I borrowed it for the night. I needed to see you. Don't worry, Street Rat, I'll get you back to your spot for check-in time."

"You know Al will want to know why I'm short in his payment, right?!" Richie said, bracing himself against the seat as Nikki careened the car around corners to wherever he was driving to.

"Thought of that too," Nikki replied, fishing a wad of bills from his jacket and slipping them between Richie's legs, blatantly getting a feel at the same time. Nikki bit back a groan as the appendage shifted beneath his palm. "There's $300 there. Put what you don't need into your shoe until you get home, baby."

"Nikki! You don't have to pay me!" Richie groused but Nikki was pleased to see streetwise practicality come to the fore when Richie separated the bills as suggested and tucked Al's portion inside his jacket pocket.

"I know I don't, but I want to. That piece of scum you call your boss gets his cut and you get to keep a little aside for a rainy day."

"I don't know what to say, Nik," Richie said. "How can you afford this kind of cash, anyway?"

"Just say thank you and don't worry your pretty head about how I got it," Nikki said, giving Richie a side-eyed glance. "How about we find somewhere quiet where we can be alone?"

A few minutes later, Nikki drove along the riverfront, close to a semi-industrial area. Most of the streets were deserted except for one. There was an old, run-down bar spilling patrons out into the night. Nikki watched Richie's head turn as they drove past.

Nikki pulled into a deserted car park a few moments later and they exited from the vehicle into the damp air. Nikki lit two cigarettes and handed one to Richie before perching himself on the hood of the car, propping his feet on the loose bumper.

Richie wandered toward the water after accepting the smoke, standing on the periphery of Nikki's vision. Manhattan's lights twinkled softly on the expanse of water that separated it from New Jersey.

"Whatcha thinking, Street Rat?" Nikki asked. Richie had been silent since they pulled up which was very unlike him.

"Life...the future," Richie replied, turning back to Nikki but not moving any closer. "That bar back there. That's what I want one day. A place to call my own, somewhere to play my music...a place that will provide some security one day."

"Deep thinking there, baby," he said. "Why the sense of mortality tonight? Did something go wrong out there?"

"No, not at all," Richie answered with a shake of his head, walking back toward Nikki as he spoke. "It's just that...doing what I do, there's limited shelf life. You know what I'm saying?"

He drew on his cigarette, silently, before dropping his head back, releasing the plume of smoke. "The word on the streets lately is all about this gay plague, you know? It scares the shit outta me, Nik," he said, quietly.

"Also...these looks and this ass ain't gonna last forever, either," Richie shrugged, pragmatically.

"What about that bad boy?" Nikki asked, pointing to Richie's still semi-erect cock.

"It's filled with Duracell batteries," Richie chortled, cupping himself shamelessly, causing his cock to swell further. "It can go all night long. You want to try to wear them out, Nik?"

Nikki cocked his eyebrow and crooked his finger at him, beckoning him over. Richie dropped his cigarette butt on the ground and toed it out before sashaying his way over slowly.

He stood just between Nikki's legs, resting his hands on Nikki's knees and looked at the older man with an almost coy, coquettish look. "Hey, handsome...what can I do for you tonight?" Richie asked. "You want that hand job?" Richie ran his hands up Nikki's legs to the juncture.

Nikki let Richie palm him through the heavy fabric, letting the talented hand work its magic. Richie ran one hand up under his shirt, stopping in the centre of his chest and pushed him back onto his elbows as his other hand started to pluck open the fastenings of his jeans.

"Or would you prefer a blow job?" Richie purred as he drew the zip down slowly. "Or how about that...fuck?"

Richie looked directly at Nikki and exaggerated the final word so that the usually rather commonplace term, took on a deeply dirty and dark connotation. His Street Rat then had the audacity to look so sweetly innocent as he chewed on his bottom lip, waiting for his answer.

Nikki snarled silently, letting out a little huff of breath as the cool air hit his heated flesh. Dear God, he was going to miss Richie's inherent sexuality.

"I want it all, my little Street Rat," he replied just as Richie took his first swipe with his tongue at the same time as his other hand pinched Nikki's nipple, sending a full-body shiver coursing through him. If he wasn't hard a moment ago, he was granite-hard now.

"As you wish," Richie smirked with the devil dancing in his dark eyes.

Holding Nikki by the base of his cock, his thumb manipulating the spot at the root between it and his balls, Richie let a dollop of spit trickle from his mouth down Nikki's shaft. It sparkled in what little light was around, connecting them momentarily before it was smeared over the taut skin.

Nikki grunted softly, dropping his head back, his jaw slack as Richie's lips and tongue proceeded to scramble his mind.

Little flicks of Richie's tongue around his glans and up into the eye had Nikki seeing stars and not just the ones in the heavens above him. Strokes of Richie's hand coexisted seamlessly with suckles, nips and licks from his Street Rat's mouth as he worked his way down.

Richie's hands were never still either; the one under his shirt was playing a symphony over his chest, alternating between nipples as he pinched and plucked them into tight, sensitive nubs, as the other worked his jeans down further, taking advantage of Nikki's hips rocking to pull them out from under his ass.

Feeling Richie's soft tendrils brush over his now bare hips, Nikki reached out and scooped the long strands into his fist, holding them out of the way so he could get a better view. The moonlight and the street lights from a block away gave very little light but Nikki could clearly see as Richie swallowed him whole. "Yeah, baby...just like that," Nikki moaned. The warm, wet mouth and questing fingers had his heart thumping against his rib cage, threatening to burst out at a moment's notice.

"Fuck," he cursed as he felt the back of Richie's throat close around him mid-swallow. He heard himself make noises that would never normally come from him as Richie seemed to eat him alive. His balls were dripping with saliva that seeped from the brunette's mouth and down his shaft with each suck and slurp. "Jesus Christ," Nikki breathed. "Wait...wait, babe."

"Huh?" Richie looked up in confusion, his face awash with saliva, his eyes watering and his lips swollen. "What's...wrong?" he asked, laying kisses over Nikki's belly as he moved up over him. "Need me to slow down, baby?" he cooed before rimming Nikki's belly button with his tongue, dipping in and back out again.

"I want your ass, Street Rat," Nikki snarled, pulling Richie up by the hair as he shifted off the car hood, his ass sliding easily over the snail-trail of spit. When Nikki was standing with two feet on the ground and his jeans falling to his ankles, he licked the side of Richie's face, smelling his own scent over the younger man before brutally claiming his mouth with his own. Richie's hands never left Nikki's body as they wandered over Nikki, stroking and sliding the looser flesh over the rock-hard muscle beneath. "Have you been fucked tonight, babe? Any bareback?" Nikki panted as he popped each button open on the brunette's angel-soft jeans.

"Yes, three times," Richie panted as Nikki pushed the fabric down Richie's long legs. "I'm so open right now, Nik. No bareback but rubber up, just in case."

Nikki gripped Richie by the lapels of his short denim jacket and pushed him back against the warmth of the car, taking Richie's mouth in a desperate kiss, grinding their hips together. He pushed the jacket off Richie's shoulders and almost tore his shirt to get to the warm skin of his collar-bone. "Condom," he breathed into Richie's ear. "Condom and lube...then turn over."

"Jeans. Top pocket," Richie gasped and turned into a pitiful whine as a particularly vicious roll of Nikki's hips had them both seeing stars.

Nikki blindly located a stash of condoms and small packets of lube in the pocket of Richie's jeans, he found an appropriate size, allowing Richie to maneuver himself into position, his arms braced on the hood and his delicious ass beckoning Nikki to fuck it. Nikki tore the wrapper with his teeth, spitting the fragment to the ground as his free hand kneaded at the globes of flesh in front of him. Richie was right, he'd been fucked wide open tonight and Nikki wasn't even sure if lube was going to be needed.

"Hurry, Nikki," Richie pleaded. "Give me that fucking cock, baby. No one can match you, Nikki."

Quickly rolling the condom down his sensitive shaft, baring his teeth with each new touch, he ripped the lube sachet open and spread it around over himself and that sweet, greedy hole in front of him. He lined himself up to Richie and sank himself with ease, into the molten heat. "Ah...fuck!" Nikki breathed, holding himself in check so that he didn't waste any precious moments.

He needed to sear this moment into his memories. That something within him kept reminding Nikki that this was probably going to be the final time he would ever fuck his little Street Rat.

Nikki rested his head on Richie's back, taking slow, deep breaths until Richie clenched down around him.

"Give. It. To. Me. Nikki," Richie said, punctuating each word.

"Jesus...fuck!" Nikki swore softly. He pulled almost all the way out before slamming his hips brutally against the ones beneath him. Nikki subjected Richie to a volley of hard and fast thrusts, making the younger man cry out in a mix of lust, pain and exhilaration. "Is this what you wanted, Street Rat?" he asked, his fingers digging painfully into the flesh on Richie's hips, back and stomach.

"Yes...fuck! Fuck me, Nik," Richie pleaded as he was almost lifted from the ground with the force and drive from behind.

"Can any of your johns get you as hot and needy as I can, my little Street Rat?" Nikki growled, pulling Richie upright with a rough hand at his collar, snagging his hair painfully and causing the younger man to cry out.

"N-no," Richie panted, reaching back to hold Nikki's wrist trying to stop the pain.

"Can they reach so far up inside you and touch that place that you hide so well? Do their cocks," Nikki breathed against Richie's ear, feeling him tremble in his arms, "fill you as much as mine does?"

"Only...ngh...only you, Nik," the brunette cried.

Nikki, still holding Richie upright by the jacket, slid his other hand around and over his soft belly. He held his hand there for a moment, feeling the muscles tense, replying to each of his thrusts.

"Are you sure about that?" he replied. He put a little distance between their bodies and watched himself pull out completely before sinking back in slowly. "I mean, you said yourself...you're wide open tonight."

"Me...I did that before I left home...and...drugs help," Richie explained, breathlessly.

"You fucked yourself for work?" Nikki moaned. "Fingers or toys? At home, huh? Was Jonny-boy there when you did it? Did he hear you? Watch you?"

"N-no. Touch me...please...," Richie gasped, mindless now. "I love you, Nik."

"No, you don't!" Nikki replied as his hand finally gripped Richie's length firmly. Richie sighed harshly and seemingly melted a little in his arms, his head falling back onto Nikki's shoulder. He relaxed his grip on the jacket, confident that Richie would stay where he was, now that they were both so close to that point of no return.

"What we have is fleeting," Nikki crooned into Richie's ear as he caused havoc with his hands, mouth and body. "Just a shooting star in the night sky, babe. An explosion of white heat, leaving a trail of sparkling memories...but that energy will eat itself and it will expire with one last bang."

"Nikki...," Richie whined, piteously. "No...no...."

"You, my darling little Street Rat," Nikki breathed against Richie's neck, "are destined to meet your celestial match and become bigger and brighter than you are now. Do you know what that's called?"

Richie shook his head, unable to speak from the force of gritting his teeth as he held himself in check. Nikki could see how close his lover was; he knew Richie's tell signs quite well by now.

"They're called Blue Stragglers," he said. Talking in a low and nonchalant way, even though his body was racing toward its release, was taking every ounce of his control. He shifted his stance slightly and was rewarded with a mewl from Richie, his body trembling violently.

Bingo!

"Bigger...," thrust, "brighter...," thrust, "bluer than all the stars around it!" The last roll of Nikki's hips had Richie crying out and clenching down around him as his climax hit him in wave after wave. Nikki loosened his self-control and followed the younger man into that white-hot supernova of his orgasm. They both fell against the hood of the car in sheer exhaustion; a panting, heaving, sweating tangle of limbs, damp hair and dirty clothes.

Nikki's only regret was that he was filling a condom with his seed, instead of Richie's body. He did so like to watch it expel itself afterwards before licking his lover clean but considering Richie was still working tonight, he wasn't going to take that chance and Richie wouldn't let him anyway.

He heard Richie sniffle a little, his shoulders shook. Nikki frowned as he extricated himself from Richie and carefully took the well-used condom off, tying it and throwing it away into the night. "You okay, baby?" Nikki asked, standing to pull his pants back up. He cast a glance around the area to make sure they were still alone as he did the fastening again.

Richie pushed himself slowly from the hood, righting his clothes, tucking himself back in, without looking at Nikki.

"Hey...Street Rat, are you okay? Did I hurt you?" Nikki asked again, stilling Richie's hands and turning him around so that he could see Richie's face.

He looked...confused. That's all Nikki could put it down to. Maybe with a little hurt in there as well. Richie swiped his hand beneath his nose and looked away from the scrutiny, shaking his head. "You didn't hurt me, Nik," he said softly, gazing over the water to the city. "I...I don't know what you meant about how I'm meant for someone else."

Shit! Nikki thought. "Listen, baby...don't take it to heart, okay?!" Nikki enveloped Richie in his arms, holding him tightly. "It was the heat-of-the-moment stuff. I don't even know what I was saying."

Richie looked at him and Nikki could tell he was weighing up Nikki's words. Eventually, he nodded and something in Nikki's chest released. Nikki didn't want to hurt him just yet...it would come soon enough.

He put his fingers under Richie's chin, forcing him to look at him and kissed him sweetly, lovingly, before pulling away slowly. "Always...always remember, Richie," Nikki could see the surprise in his lover's eyes at his given name being used, "that you'll always be my little Street Rat. I will always be your safe place. No matter what happens, you got me!"

Richie nodded and Nikki wrapped his arms around Richie, kissing him deeply and committing to memory as much as he possibly could. They stood in the early morning, the darkest moments before dawn, as a mist rolled in off the water, holding each other tightly and taking comfort in each other.

Nikki kissed Richie's cheek and pulled away. "C'mon, let's get you back for your check-in with Al. Then I gotta return the car...or dump it," he smirked.

"I guess," Richie sighed, letting Nikki go reluctantly. "But if you're gonna dump it, don't forget to wipe your prints off it. I don't wanna be visiting you in jail."

"You forget who you're talking to, Street Rat," Nikki grinned, relieved that the hardest moments were done...until tonight that is. They both got in the car and Nikki fired up the engine. "I'd be more worried about the amount of cum on the paintwork. That'll eat right through it," he chuckled and pulled out into the night.

He returned Richie to his street, passing Al's car a few blocks from the destination, as he made his collection from one of his other workers. Richie almost climbed into Nikki's lap to kiss him goodbye, knowing they had a little time up their sleeves.

"I'll see you tonight, yeah? Jon's birthday?" Richie asked earnestly, unfurling his long limbs out of the driver's door.

"Yeah, baby," Nikki forced himself to smile. "I wouldn't miss it."

He put the car into gear and pulled away from the curb with a sigh, watching Richie in the rear-view mirror, watching him.

Nikki saw how Richie's face lit up when he mentioned Jon's name. Richie may not be aware of the depth of his feelings for the runaway but Nikki could see it plainly. He wasn't sad that the relationship had come to its natural end, more pragmatic. He had a feeling that his little Street Rat and the runaway would become that shining star; burning brighter than anyone else could ever imagine.

He made a mental note to look into a flight back to LA in the next day or so. He smiled to himself and thought of Tommy, hoping that they still had that ability to burn bright. He just needed to make Tommy forgive him for leaving.

A few hours later, Nikki finally fell face-first into his bed, only just managing to shrug out of his jacket and toe off his boots.

He'd disposed of the car, making sure to wipe all prints and biological matter from it before leaving it in an abandoned service station. It was a few miles from home but self-preservation came first over convenience.

~~*~~

Nikki had slept most of the day away, waking to find that it was late afternoon and the sun was starting to make its way down behind the buildings around his. He stretched hard with a jaw-cracking yawn as he forced himself to move, feeling every step of the walk home earlier that morning. He grinned to himself when he remembered the mind-blowing orgasm that he'd had, scratching at his balls and a very interested, waking erection.

He looked around his shitty little apartment and decided that apart from his clothes and few odds and ends, everything else he could walk away from. It had only been his own lack of courage to commit to Tommy and his lingering feelings for his Street Rat that were keeping him here.

Now that he knew Richie would be taken care of, literally and figuratively, it was time to show Tommy that he could and would commit himself wholly to their relationship. He hadn't not been in touch with his dark-haired soul-twin over the months he'd been out here, but their phone conversations usually either ended unsatisfyingly with no firm decisions made or in a fight over whether or not Nikki was ever coming home.

It was time. Time to go back home to Tommy and to his club, Sixxty9. It was time to go home and become an almost fully functional adult.

He wasn't going to completely go down that white-picket-fence road just yet without a little fuss, but he was more than ready to make the necessary compromises if it meant that Tommy would forgive him his wayward ways.

He pushed from the bed and stripped out of his clothes, leaving them like a trail of breadcrumbs as he headed into the bathroom. He turned the shower on and stepped under when it had reached the temperature he liked. He let the water wash over him, through his hair but before he reached for the shampoo, he decided to rid himself of his persistent hard-on.

Working quickly, Nikki let his mind recall the events of earlier that morning, picturing his Street Rat spread across the still-warm car hood as he pounded the willing ass. His excitement increasing Nikki allowed himself to imagine leaning over that muscular back to meet the waiting eager lips.

His lover slowly turned his head towards him, murmuring words of love. Nikki was about to reply in his imagination when he was slightly startled to see Tommy's features appearing in place of Richie's.

Knowing that his subconscious was making the decision easy for him, he called out Tommy's name as he spent himself into the warm water.

He felt a weight lift from somewhere in him at the realisation that he was going back to the only person he really wanted to spend the rest of his life with. He smiled as he towelled down and wandered around his apartment naked, gathering his clothes together in a carry-all.

He hadn't needed to stay in such a shitty place, but it was convenient and when he'd first arrived back here, he didn't have much cash to spare. However, in one of the phone calls that had Tommy begging Nikki to come home, Tommy had insisted that he draw an income from Sixxty9 considering it was his club.

"I need to know you have a roof over your head and you're eating right," Tommy had said at the time. "Also...then you don't have to sink back into dealing out there. At least here, I can bail you out if necessary." Nikki had scoffed at the time but he had been grateful for the money. Booze and blow don't come cheap these days.

When he was satisfied that he'd collected everything that he wanted to keep he placed the bag just inside the door for an easy grab. Dressing into his jeans from last night, not caring that they still carried the funk of sex, found a half-decent button-up shirt and blow-dried his hair into a curtain of black silk.

He pulled on his biker boots and checked his watch. Earlier than he was expecting but he wanted to stop at a liquor store and buy lil Jonny a bottle of Jack Daniels as a birthday present. He didn't really care what he bought but thought he'd put in the effort for Richie's sake.

His stomach growled loudly again as he was putting on his leather jacket, "Yeah, yeah...I'm goin', I'm goin'," he spoke to the offending organ, slamming the door behind him for the walk to the diner.

He walked through the still-busy streets; daylighters scurrying home after work and the nightcrawlers, like himself, were just emerging. Similar to the veil between the spiritual world on Halloween, early evening was the time where two disparate worlds blended into one; the only time Nikki felt truly comfortable amongst polite society.

He called into the closest liquor store, the guy behind the counter watched him nervously as Nikki, leaning over the glass-topped counter deliberately, picked out his selection from behind him. The attendant relaxed visibly when Nikki pulled out the cash to pay. Nikki smirked as he left, knowing full well that he had purposely intimidated the guy. He tucked the bottle inside his jacket and zipped it closed for the short walk to the diner.

"Nikki!" Rosie exclaimed, looking up as he pushed through the door, the bell tinkling over his head. "You're early, darlin'. No one else is here yet."

"Hey, Dollface," Nikki smiled genuinely, kissing the older woman on the cheek when she stepped out from behind the counter. Rosie had become a friendly face while he'd been in town. She always seemed to have an aura of sunshine and warmth around her.

"I know I'm early," he continued, "but I thought I'd come and spend some time with my favourite waitress and grab a burger and a slice of pie."

"Flattery will get you a free slice of apple pie, young man," Rosie smiled, blushing prettily. "Go on...go take a seat around the corner. I'm keeping everyone away from the front windows for the surprise for Jon. The usual burger?"

"Yeah...thanks, Rosie," he replied, giving her a small smile.

She looked at Nikki quizzically before he wandered off to a booth around the corner. Sliding across the vinyl seat, Nikki propped himself in the corner to wait for his meal. He picked up the menu and looked at it, not really reading it but just for something to do. Moments later he tossed it back down with a sigh.

"Here ya go, one burger and fries and a mug of coffee," Rosie said, placing the meal in front of him. "I'll be right back with your pie...then you and I are going to talk."

Nikki groaned to himself but was too hungry to stop himself from picking up the fragrant burger. He bit into it and sighed with pleasure just as Rosie returned, placing the pie very deliberately on the table before sitting opposite him.

"Hungry, child?" she asked, rhetorically. "Didn't your mama ever teach you to chew your food carefully?"

"My mama never taught me anything," Nikki said around a mouthful of food. "More interested in her boyfriends than her son." Nikki looked at Rosie as he slurped on his coffee, wondering how she would take that comment.

"Well, that's a damn shame then," the older woman replied. "She's the one missing out on a fine young man."

Nikki shrugged but continued to eat.

"So...tell me what's going, Nikki? You came in here looking like a wet week."

"Nothing's wrong," he said.

"I'm calling BS on that one, child." She pinned him with a look that brooked no argument.

He sighed and wiped his mouth on the napkin. "I'm leaving to go back to Tommy. My time with Richie has come to its natural conclusion."

"Oh." There was no surprise in Rosie's voice or her face. "I was wondering how long you were going to string him along for. Have you told him yet?"

"Strin- I wasn't stringing anyone along," Nikki replied, a little anger tinging his words. "I will always care for Richie. But...."

"But what?" the older woman prompted.

Nikki sipped his coffee before answering. "But I've got Tommy waiting for me back in LA and...and Richie's in love with Jonny-boy."

"I know," she said, simply, causing Nikki to look at her in surprise.

"You knew?!" he asked.

"Sweetheart...you don't do this kind of job for almost three decades without learning how to read body language," Rosie said, patting Nikki's hand.

"You love Richie in your own way...but it's not the same as the way those two young boys love each other," she said. "They just haven't had the guts to admit it yet...to themselves or each other. But I guarantee that it won't be long before it happens. Probably sooner, now that you're stepping out of the picture."

"So...you think I'm doing the right thing?"

"Look at me and tell me about this Tommy boy...and then I'll tell you if you're doing the right thing," Rosie smiled kindly at Nikki.

Nikki spent the next ten minutes or more telling Rosie about Tommy; how they met, what his likes and dislikes were, what they fought over but how much Tommy looked after Nikki even from the other side of the country. He left out Sixxty9 for now, not wanting to give away his or Tommy's financial position. He found it easy to talk to Rosie, especially about Tommy. He hadn't even noticed that he'd finished his burgers, fries and pie.

When Nikki finally fell silent, staring at his empty plate with a wistful smile and a faraway look in eyes, Rosie made a little humming noise and patted his hand again. "You're doing the right thing, sweetheart."

"Can I ask a favour, Dollface?" Nikki asked. He reached out and held Rosie's hands in his.

"Of course."

"Look after him for me? I'd feel a lot better about leaving knowing someone is looking out for him," he asked quietly. "Make sure that Jonny-boy doesn't break his heart."

"Of course, sweetheart," she replied. "Richie means a great deal to me also. He's a sweet child that has had a rough couple of years."

Nikki nodded in acknowledgement before surreptitiously brushing away a tear. The bell over the door tinkled and Rosie looked in the convex mirror in the corner.

"Well, here's more of the party guests," she murmured, still holding Nikki's hand. "Promise me you'll talk to Richie tonight. Make the break clean."

"I will," he replied and brought her hand up to his lips and kissed them. "Thank you, Rosie. For everything. I will miss your sweet smile...not to mention the free pie."

"Take care, Nikki. Promise you'll come visit when you're in town next," Rosie smiled softly and slipped from the booth, taking Nikki's empty dishes with her, to go back to her station at the front counter.

Nikki cleared his throat and brushed at his eyes again. Damn tears. He wished he had something stronger than coffee and was sorely tempted to break open the bottle sitting beside him.

He shook himself, ridding himself of the emotional mantle that had settled on his shoulders. Shifting into the corner of the booth, he propped a leg up on the seat beside him and grabbed a complimentary toothpick, chewing on the end, giving off the aura of nonchalance to the rest of the world even though inside, mentally, he was saying his goodbyes.

~~*~~


"SURPRISE!" Nikki couldn't help smiling as the loud shouts brought Jon to a dead stop and caused Richie to run into his back. It was quite clear that this really was a total surprise to Richie's little runaway, who appeared rather shocked for a moment.

"Happy birthday, Jonny," Richie said, planting a quick kiss on his temple. Putting a brightly coloured party hat on Jon's head, Richie gently pushed Jon toward the small gathering. Nikki watched as Jon was pulled into the middle of the group, and David and his parents expressed their birthday greetings.

Nikki and a couple of other friends in attendance stood off to the side waiting to give presents and birthday wishes.

"Happy birthday, dude," Nikki said when it was his turn to speak to the birthday boy. He held out his right hand and shook the younger man's hand before offering the brown paper bag he held in his left. "Thought this might be welcome after the party is over."

Jon took the bag and looked inside to see the distinctive top of a bottle of JD.

"Thanks, Nikki," he smiled. "You didn't need to get me anything...but thanks."

Nikki nodded in acknowledgement and gave a quick grin, but he was rather relieved when he was saved from further small talk by Jon moving on to speak to the next guest. Leaning back against the wall he scanned the small area and noticed Richie was still standing in the doorway speaking to Rosie. As he watched, she gave Richie a hug, bussed his cheek and whispered something in his ear.

"Now, what can I get for you all," Rosie asked as she moved into the middle of the group. For the next minute or two, all attention was on getting the orders placed.

Once Rosie left, Nikki saw Jon turn and look for Richie, smiling and beckoning when he saw him. What startled Nikki was the look on Jon's face as his eyes met Richie's dark orbs. He had seen that self-same look on another face directed at him before he left California. That was exactly how Tommy's face softened when he looked at Nikki. It was almost as if he was being shown one more confirmation that his time in New Jersey was coming to an end.

The party, such as it was, was noisy and full of laughter. The older Rashbaum's chatted with Rosie when she had spare moments in her shift. Nikki joined the younger guests as they told raucous stories and laughed loudly. Despite feeling a little uncomfortable Nikki managed to laugh along with the rest and even threw in a couple of the heavily filtered tales from his rather chequered past.

"Hey!" Richie called after the meals had been eaten, "Who's ready to hit the dance floor?"

"Absolutely! But first..." Jon said standing and holding his hands up to quiet the chatter around him. "I...I just want to say thank you to you all. You have no idea how much this means to me. I've made some good friends since I moved here and for that, I'm grateful."

"You need to thank Richie, Jon," Rosie said from where she stood behind Richie. "He organised everything."

A chorus of 'Hear, hear's' were offered by everyone. Nikki watched as a definite blush rose up Richie's neck whilst Jon smiled and raised his glass of coke, mouthing a thank you.

"Yeah... well," Richie shrugged, clearly embarrassed. "Everyone should have at least one birthday party in their lives. Fuck it... I need a drink. Can we get outta here already?"

"I'm ready!" Jon said excitedly and he turned to say his goodbyes to the Rashbaums.

Nikki took the opportunity and wandered toward Richie, slipping his arms around his waist. Richie relaxed into his grip, smiling up at him and snaking his arms around his neck.

"Thanks for coming, Nik. Now it's time for some serious fun at Tracks," he spoke happily. For a moment Nikki almost felt bad about disappointing Richie, but having seen him and Jon together and his earlier talk with Rosie, he knew he would be doing the right thing.

"I came tonight for you, baby," Nikki said softly as he brushed some hair from Richie's face, "but it seems as though it might be time for me to bow out of the picture here."

"What?! No!" Richie frowned, studying Nikki's face. "You only just came back. Where are you going to go?" He tightened his hold on Nikki, clearly not wanting to let go.

Nikki looked over his shoulder and Richie's eyes followed. Jon was still talking to the Rashbaums so he continued to explain.

"I'm heading back out to California next week." Nikki smiled sadly as he watched Richie closely. It was obvious to Nikki that Richie wasn't truly aware of how deep his feelings for his little runaway ran, or that it was clearly mutual. "Judging by the looks you're sending Jon-boy over there, it's time for me to move on."

"No, I-" Richie started to protest but Nikki silenced him with a bittersweet, almost chaste, kiss before pulling back to look him in the eyes again. Richie looked ready to start denying everything.

"Rich... it's okay. It was fun while it lasted, baby," Nikki said, forcing another smile onto his face. "But it seems as though our timing sucks. I'm glad you found me again, though."

"Nikki..." Richie sighed sadly, shaking his head in denial. "I'm sorry. I... I didn't mean for this to happen."

"Don't be sorry. You and I... we just weren't meant to be," Nikki reasoned with Richie as they walked arm in arm to the door. He took a deep breath and dropped his other bombshell on his still shaken lover. "Actually...there's someone, a guy out in LA that I'd started seeing before I came back here."

They stopped just outside the door, standing in a soft puddle of light from the diner windows. Richie moved to face Nikki again studying him closely, looking for any trace of falsehood. Nikki met the searching looks steadily.

"Was it serious?" Richie asked, seeing nothing but the truth in Nikki's steady gaze. His hand went to Nikki's jacket lapels, unconsciously adjusting them, then letting go slowly.

"With Tommy?" Nikki asked rhetorically. "As serious as it could be. I kinda got cold feet, that's why I came back here for a while. Then you saw me that day..." Nikki shrugged as he trailed off.

"And I was a willing fuck," Richie supplied pragmatically. Nikki shrugged again and felt an embarrassed blush colour his pale features slightly.

"Now," Nikki said, tugging gently on Richie's hair at his nape, "put on one of those pretty smiles that I love so much."

"I wish you well, Nik," Richie said sadly, stepping out of Nikki's embrace just outside the door of the diner. "Keep in touch this time, though...please?" Nikki couldn't miss the almost desperate plea in Richie's tone as he leant in and kissed him one last time.

"Smile, baby," he whispered. He gave Richie's cheek a final caress and stepped away, walking backwards down the street just as Jon came out of the door. With a last sad smile Nikki spun around whilst behind him he heard Jon's questioning voice.

"There you are! Thought you two had left without us."

Nikki didn't hear any reply as he continued to walk away from his old life and towards his new one. About half a block away Nikki stopped and turned back to face the others.

"Hey Jonny," he yelled, bowing low as if he were addressing royalty. "Happy Birthday, dude. You take good fucking care of the present I left for you!"

He threw up his arms, howling into the night, his fingers curling into the devil horns and turned around to continue his journey into the night.

Fifteen minutes later and just a couple of blocks from his apartment Nikki passed a late opening travel agency and almost on a whim he walked in.

"How may I assist you?" the obviously bored staff member asked.

"I need a seat on the first available flight to LA tomorrow."

"There's no availability before 4 pm I'm afraid," the agent replied after accessing the new computer booking system. He gave Nikki's attire a rather disparaging look, "and that is first class."

"So when is the next available coach seat?" Nikki asked calmly, choosing to ignore the attitude.

"Not until 7 pm, unless...if you can be at Newark in 90 minutes there are a couple of open seats on the last flight tonight. It doesn't arrive until 1am local time though." The salesman gave Nikki a doubtful look.

Thinking quickly Nikki decided that if he hurried it was possible. "I'll take it," he replied.

"And how will you be paying for that?" the agent asked haughtily.

Nikki took a roll of $20 bills out of his pocket as he leaned forward, put his elbows on the countertop and allowed an evil smile to cross his features. "Will cash be acceptable?"

From that point onwards things went a lot smoother and with the ticket in hand, Nikki returned to his apartment. After writing a note giving notice, Nikki put a month's rent into an envelope and pushed it under his landlord's door. Grabbing the carry-all he'd left by the door he ran down the stairs and out into the street to hail a cab.

Less than an hour later Nikki was safely aboard his flight. The plane taxied away from the gate and Nikki stared out of the window taking a last look at the lights of his home city. He found his mind wandering back to the party he had left so precipitously and he briefly wondered if his Street Rat and his little runaway were enjoying their night.

As the engine note rose and the plane started its take-off run a final few regrets surfaced. Nikki allowed each to come to the front of his mind where he looked at each before allowing them to slip away. Somewhere six hours flying time and nearly three thousand miles away, his future with Tommy was waiting.

~~*~~

The wheels hit the tarmac and Nikki could feel the nervous excitement crank up another notch yet again. He'd managed to sleep a little in the first part of the flight but had been on tenterhooks for the past hour; the closer he got, the more nervous he was. His leg was bouncing from the pent up energy much to his seat-mates' disgust. He offered them a small smile in apology.

He checked his watch; almost 1am. He scraped around in his mind, searching for remnants of Tommy's usual schedule on a Friday night. Scratch that. Saturday morning. He came up blank.

He needed to be able to find Tommy as soon as possible and decided that the only course of action would be to head to Sixxty9 first and see if he'd been there yet or not.

Since he'd been a late ticket purchase, his seat was toward the back of the plane and he was like a caged animal as he waited to disembark; he literally snarled at the ever-pleasant flight attendants that wished him a good evening.

Luckily he didn't have to wait for any baggage collection so Nikki headed straight out to find a cab. He gave the driver the address of Sixxty9 and settled back into the seat, fishing out his cigarettes and lighter.

"You can't smoke in here," the driver said over his shoulder.

"Suck it," Nikki mumbled and wound down his window, blowing the first lungful of acrid fumes out of the window. That was his attempt at compromise at this time of the morning. The driver sighed, shooting Nikki daggers in the rearview mirror. Nikki was grateful that he didn't have a driver that thought that banal chitchat was required on every trip.

When the driver turned onto the Strip, Nikki imagined he could almost taste Tommy on his tongue. He was so close now. He saw the sign for his club and couldn't stop the smile or the sense of ownership flooding through him.

The driver pulled over and Nikki threw some cash at him, including a generous tip for his surly attitude. "Sorry for the smoke, dude," he mumbled as he dragged himself out of the cab, his carry-all held firmly in his hand.

Nikki stood for a moment and breathed, soaking in all the glitz and false-glamour of the Sunset Strip, both in human form and its environment. With a smile, Nikki turned toward the entrance of his club and was pleasantly surprised to see a familiar face on the door.

"Welcome back, Mr Sixx," the burly man said, holding his hand out to Nikki.

"Greg! Good to see you, man," Nikki replied, shaking the hand that was almost twice the size of Nikki's. "Been keeping well?"

"Yes, sir," he grinned. "The wife just had our first baby."

"Congrats, man!" Nikki smiled. "Hey, do you know if Tommy's been here yet?"

"I'm sorry, no," Greg shook his head. "I just started my shift not long ago. Why don't you go on in and ask the bar staff. He usually checks in with them...you know, to see if you've been around."

"He does?" Nikki asked, a little bloom of warmth flooded through him, somewhere in the region of his heart, at the thought of Tommy still searching for him.

"Yes, Sir. Every night when he's doing his rounds," Greg nodded as he opened up the velvet rope for Nikki much to the annoyance of the queue of people waiting to get in.

"Thanks, man," Nikki said, patting the big guy on the shoulder as he walked past him and into the darkness of the club. He looked around at the crowd, a good mix of patrons and a passable band playing. His mind started formulating a plan of how to make things better; new decor or furnishings, better sound system for the acts...definitely better acts, he thought. He huffed a small breath at how easily he slipped back into business mode after being free and easy for the past several months.

He pushed his way through to the bar and was greeted by new faces.

"Hey, what can I get you?" the younger attendant asked. She was pretty, in a typical Strip way, big hair, big teeth and big tits. Nikki looked to the older guy at the other end of the bar; a more familiar face but he wasn't completely sure. That was one thing about LA; everyone tended to look the same.

"Yeah, do you know if Tommy has been here tonight?" Nikki asked.

The girl looked at him, a faint look of recognition flitted over her face. "Umm...just let me check," she replied before walking over to the other bar attendant.

Nikki watched the exchange as the two conversed over the music. The guy looked at Nikki and acknowledged him with a raise of his chin. He spoke again to the woman before she walked back down to Nikki.

"Brian says he was in here earlier. He said he's gone to The Jade Budda and that he'll phone them to let them know you're on your way," she yelled over the music.

"Thanks...but don't bother about the phone call. I want to surprise Tommy," Nikki replied. "But before I go, can I get a JD, neat, thanks?" Nikki threw down a $20 on the bar as she poured the amber liquid. "Keep the change, dollface."

He took the glass and stepped away from the bar to drink but not far enough away not to hear their conversation about him, "Do you know who that was?"

"No...but I thought he looked like the guy in that photo behind the bar."

"Yeah, that's him alright. That's Nikki Sixx. He's the owner of this place and the guy Tommy's been searching for all this time."

Nikki smiled to himself and swallowed the drink in one gulp, leaving it on the closest tabletop as he walked to the door. The need to see Tommy for himself was building within him, threatening to break free the moment he laid eyes on him.

It felt like a slow-motion film as he walked back through his club and pushed out the main doors. He clapped Greg on the back but kept walking toward The Jade Budda, toward his future. Ignoring all those around him, being jostled and stared at as he walked, he broke into a run the closer he got.

He arrived, a short while later, breathless and a little sweaty in the warm California night. For a few moments he stood outside to catch his breath and calm himself before approaching the doorman.

"Can I help you?"

"Yeah, I'm here to see Tommy...is he inside?"

"And you are?"

"Nikki...his partner," Nikki replied. He smiled brightly as the warmth of that declaration spread through him.

"Go on through, Mr Sixx," the doorman said, holding it open for him. "Mr Lee will be happy to see you."

"Thanks!"

The Jade Budda was different to Sixxty9 insofar as it was more of a dance club than live music. The neon lights dazzled Nikki's eyes and the moving, seething mass of people buffeted him as he looked for Tommy.

Then he saw Tommy's familiar shock of long dark hair over the surging crowd and just like the proverbial parting of the seas, the dance floor emptied enough for Nikki to confirm that it was his lover. He dropped his bag beside him, staring at Tommy, who was talking with a small group. His heart hammered loudly in his ears.

Tommy must have sensed that he was being watched, and the slow-motion effect that Nikki had been experiencing all night happened again when Tommy turned his head to see where the uncomfortable feeling was coming from. Shock registered on his face first before he handed his drink to one of the people he was talking with, his eyes never breaking from Nikki's as he pushed his way through the patrons.

Nikki was rooted to the spot as Tommy drew closer. He couldn't gauge Tommy's mood either. Tommy stopped within reaching distance and said, "You're here."

"Yeah," Nikki croaked, his mouth painfully dry.

"I didn't think you'd ever come home."

"I-I got scared. I wasn't ready like you were...to commit to us, that is." Nikki dared not reach out for him just yet, even though he wanted to hold Tommy and never let him go but he needed to say everything he'd planned on the plane home first. "But I am now. I'm so sorry I hurt you, baby. I was wrong to run away from you...from us. Please tell me you forgive me. I love you, Tommy, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you." He was blabbering, he knew that but he couldn't help himself.

"Nikki?!" Tommy held up his hand to stop him talking.

"Yeah?"

Tommy took that final step to Nikki, close enough to feel Tommy's warmth but not touching as yet. "Shut the fuck up and kiss me already," Tommy said.

Nikki huffed out a relieved breath and, with trembling fingers, reached out and caressed Tommy's face tenderly as he drew their heads together to allow their lips to finally touch.

Nikki's heart soared and he clung onto Tommy with all his strength. He was home.

People around them started clapping the longer their kiss went on. Nikki wanted to crawl inside Tommy and become one with him to show him how much he was committed to making their life together. The need for air was the only thing that drew them apart. They stood, foreheads touching, and gasping for breath as Tommy held Nikki tightly.

"Tommy?"

"Hmm," he hummed, brushing a lock of hair behind Nikki's ear.

"Take me home, baby," Nikki said.

Tommy smiled, and dropped a kiss to Nikki's lips before Nikki reached down to pick up his bag. Linking their fingers together, Tommy led Nikki through the club to the back entrance and, ultimately, his car for the drive home.

~~**~~