Photographs and Memories

Brian simply smiled, kissing the top of Roger's head. "I ask myself that everyday."

The song ended, bringing Brian back to reality. The memory of that night, two years ago, when he and Roger had danced to Clapton's Wonderful Tonight, was one of the happiest nights of Brian's life. They had a nice dinner and danced until two in the morning. Just him and Roger. That was all they had ever needed.

Brian reached for his empty shot glass, tipping it back in search of one more drop. Frowning when he discovered it to be dry, he set it down on the bar with a heavy sigh. Brian had expected himself to cry, but he was all out of tears. Every time he heard that song, he was brought back to 1977, before everything turned sour. Before he had torn out Roger's heart and, eventually, his own.

Brian turned to the jukebox, his eyes widening when a hooker went up to it and deposited a coin. He knew that whatever song she chose, it would have a happy memory behind it. Her dark, makeup-clad eyes skimmed the song selection before she punched in the number and returned to her seat in the back. Brian stared mindlessly at the bottles of booze carefully lined up on the shelves behind the bar as he heard the all-too-familiar melody.

Please allow me to introduce myself
I'm a man of wealth and taste
I've been around for a long, long year
Stole many a man's soul and faith

"Mind if I spend the night?"

The sound of Roger's soft voice echoed in Brian's ears as he watched the younger man shivering in his doorway. It was rather late that night and it was also pouring outside. Roger was soaked to the bone, his thin t-shirt clinging to his body while he huddled up to try and keep warm.

"Of course you can, Rog, c'mon in. I'll get you some dry clothes, you must be freezing."

Brian led Roger inside his tiny flat, gesturing for him to sit down at the kitchen table. As soon as the blonde was seated, Brian went into his room and grabbed a fresh change of clothes and a warm blanket for Roger.

"These should fit, but if they don't, I'll get you something different." Brian said with a smile as he handed Roger a pair of pajama pants and a black t-shirt.

"These should be fine, thanks. I'll change in the bathroom." Roger stood, still shivering despite being in the warm flat, and went into Brian's bathroom.

Brian put on a kettle for tea and turned up the heat, even though he was already quite warm. He poured the hot water into two mugs and added a tea bag to each. When Roger emerged from the bathroom, he quickly wrapped himself in the fluffy blanket and curled up on Brian's couch.

Brian picked up the mugs and took them into the living room, pausing to smile at the man buried under a blanket on the sofa. Roger had attempted to towel-dry his hair, but it was still damp and stuck to his forehead. His baby blue eyes looked up and locked on Brian's for a split second before landing on the mugs, a smile crossing his face.

"I'm still a bit chilly, thanks for making some tea."
Roger grinned and accepted mug, bringing it to his lips and taking a small sip.

Brian sat beside his friend, drinking from his own cup before setting it on the coffee table. He turned to speak, but was interrupted by a loud clap of thunder, a bright flash of lightning, and the lights flickering. Raising an eyebrow, Brian leaned back against the couch and once again turned to Roger.

"So, what were you doing out so late?" Brian asked, curious as to why Roger had been walking in the rain at nearly 11 o'clock at night.

Roger simply shrugged, looking down at his cup of tea. "I was bored, so I went for a walk. It started raining, and I was closer to your place than I was to mine, so I just dropped by." Roger turned away and looked out the window, not because he wanted too, but because he didn't want Brian to see him blushing.