A Ripple In The Glass

I've never actually written a Placebo story before, so I hope this comes off well. Please review, thank you.

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Brian let the smoke curl around his hand, the dark room matching his mood. The air was stale, he'd been chain smoking for hours locked in his room, the curtains blotting out the daylight outside. The doorknob rattled, but Brian didn't pay it any mind. It wasn't until the door was jimmied open that Brian responded. Stefan stood there, rolling his eyes. "Enough Brian." Brian rolled his eyes, still smoking his cigarette. "Bugger off."

Stefan walked over to the window, ripping the curtains open. Brian hissed at the sudden bright light, yelling, "FUCK! Stef are you trying to kill me?!" "Oh stop it Brian, you're not a vampire! Enough moping, if you miss him go out there and get him." Stefan said, sighing. "You should talk, I don't see you chasing after that stick boy!" Brian snapped. "That's because Johnny, not a stick at all by the way, is going to come for a visit in a few weeks. And Darren lives around the corner, is it so hard to go and see him?"

Brian nodded and Stefan groaned. He grabbed Brian by the arm, the smaller man yelping and shoved him out of the room. "Out out out! Go find him and talk to him!" "He said he never wants to see me again!" "Talk anyway for fuck's sake, anything beats you sitting around here pretending to be the oh so tragic queen!" Stefan shoved and shoved until Brian was out the door with only his cigarettes, lighter, and wallet on him. Stefan locked the door so Brian couldn't get back in. Brian cursed at the top of his lungs and pounded on the door. Finally, he gave up and left the building, his thoughts traveling to a few weeks ago.

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The club was crowded, not to mention noisy. Stefan had dragged him out in a vain attempt to rekindle their relationship. They both knew it wouldn't work, and they'd simply end up shagging on tour and leave it at that. But it was good to get out every once in a while. Brian was enjoying a cigarette and a vodka straight up, when he heard a soft voice at the bar say, "Red wine, Merlot please?" He looked over and laughed. "Why, Darren Hayes! What are you doing out and about?" Brian asked, grinning.

The Australian blinked, then grinned. He ran a hand through his auburn hair and said, "Oh I'm fine. How're you Brian?" "Can't complain." Brian said, turning around on his stool to look at the other singer. He was still quite muscled for such a small man, and Brian mused that he looked better and better all the time. "So, like I asked, what're you doing out? Shouldn't you be at home with the old ball and chain?" Darren blushed, then said, "Well, Richard and I are having a bit of a spat right now, I thought it best to leave the house until he calmed down."

Brian smiled, then said, "Happens to the best of couples, here I've got that." Brian paid for Darren's drink, and Darren thanked him, sipping the wine. "Oh, by the way, heard about the Projekt Revolution tour, and, um, Steve leaving. So, congratulations, and sorry." Darren looked a bit sheepish as he finished. "You're a little behind on your news Darren, we're working on our new album now." Brian said, smirking and Darren chuckled. "And you... I've heard you started your own label and put out a two CD album, good job."

"Thanks. I mean, that tour of the States fell through, that was disappointing. And wow were my US fans mad. I kind of deserve it though, since the club tour and Borders tour in 2007, that was the first time I'd been back in like 6 or 7 years." Darren stopped, then said, "I'm rambling." "No, go on. I like hearing it." Brian told him. Darren smiled, then added, "I'm lucky I still have fans all over the world, I don't tour much outside of England and Australia."

"Fans are funny that way, they'll put up with alot. Like, I remember on the tour when Mindless Self Indulgence would go on. Jimmy would insult the fans and abuse them and they'd just eat it up." Said Brian, laughing. Darren raised an eyebrow and asked, "Mindless Self Indulgence?" "Crazy punk band on the tour. You probably wouldn't like their music so much but they're a great bunch of characters." Brian told him, then smiled, "Your drink's running low, let me get you another." "I really shouldn't but... Okay."

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At the end of the night, Stefan had found himself a lovely dark skinned teenager named Johnny. He was legal but just barely. Stefan smiled and told Brian, "You'll have the place to yourself, have fun." Brian however, had to deal with Darren. He'd ended up getting the singer very drunk, which hadn't taken much since he hardly ever drank. They'd talked the entire time, laughing and playing around like school boys until the bar closed. As it was, Darren was giggling like mad and unable to form a coherent sentence.

"C'mon Darren, let's go back to my place for a bit huh?" Brian said, and Darren nodded. "Okeedokee." They walked back to Brian and Stef's flat, only a block from the bar. By the time they got there Darren had sobered a little more, but not by much. Brian deposited Darren on the couch, then went to get himself some more vodka from the kitchen. When he returned to the living room he saw Darren was trying to get his shoes off.

"You need some help?" "All I can get." Darren replied and Brian sat down, assisting Darren in getting his shoes and socks off. "You want to crash here tonight?" Asked Brian. "I'll probably have to, since I'm sure Richard is still mad at me." Darren told him. Brian shrugged, then said, "Well, Stef's not coming back tonight, you can have his bed or the couch." Darren looked at Brian and suddenly looked very vulnerable. Brian thought for sure he was going to cry.

"What's the matter?" Brian asked and Darren sniffed. "I'm just... I'm so used to sleeping next to Richard, and waking up with him, this is going to be our first night apart that wasn't caused by a tour." Brian hugged Darren, saying, "Sh sh, there there Darren. You can bunk down with me, okay?" Darren sat back, looking at Brian. "You mean it?" Brian smiled, then said, "Of course I mean it, come on."

Brian lead Darren to his room, the vodka forgotten on the coffee table. "I don't have anything that'll fit you." Brian said and Darren shrugged. "It's okay, you don't mind me sleeping in the nude?" "Not at all." Brian would never have minded, Darren had a gorgeous body and any chance to see it was not going to be passed up. He stripped down and climbed in bed. "I'll be there in a minute." Brian told him, going into the bathroom.

He washed his face and brushed his teeth, then changed into an over sized shirt he usually slept in. Something that Steve had gotten for him right before he'd split. He came back into the room to see Darren hogging most of the bed. Brian rolled his eyes and said, "Budge over." Darren groaned and rolled, allowing Brian to slip in beside him. Darren then rolled back, wrapping his arms around the other singer. Brian was a bit annoyed, but when he saw the childish smile on Darren's face he wasn't anymore.

But, he got a sudden shock when Darren kissed him, and not in a 'just friends' capacity. Brian moaned as Darren's tongue sought entrance to his mouth, and he opened for the Australian, kissing him back. When Darren pulled away Brian blinked, then asked, "Darren, what the fuck?" Darren blinked, then said, "I just don't want to be alone, please Brian don't leave me alone." He couldn't resist that face, that voice, or how hot his kisses were.

Darren rolled so he was on top of Brian, kissing his neck as Brian asked, "Darren... Ooo! Haha, er, Darren are you sure you want to do this?" "I'm sure." Darren replied, sliding his hands under Brian's shirt. Brian sat up, nearly knocking Darren off the bed in his rush to get the shirt off. Darren giggled and Brian simply smiled. Darren kissed him again, pinning Brian back against the bed, then asked, "So how do you want it nancy boy?" "Pff, like you should talk about being a nancy boy."

Darren grinned and put his hand between Brian's legs, stroking his very obvious arousal. Brian moaned, his head falling back hard against the pillow. "Oh Darren." Brian whispered, the other singer smiling and kissing Brian again. "Do you have lube?" He muttered against Brian's lips. "In the first draw of the night stand... Condoms." He told Darren. The Australian leaned over and dug through the drawer, picking out what he needed.

Brian opened the package with shaky hands as Darren opened the lube. There was more urgency in them now, as though they'd die if this wasn't finished quickly. Brian rolled the condom up Darren's length, giving him a small squeeze as he did which made Darren jolt. "Oh fuck." Darren groaned and Brian grinned. "Hey, you're supposed to be the sweet little pop star, no fucking cursing on your end." Brian told him and Darren rolled his eyes. "Fuck you, I'm a grown man, I can curse all I want."

Brian pulled Darren down for a kiss this time, his tongue hungrily exploring the other singer's mouth. Darren moaned, then pulled back as he lubed his fingers. Darren slipped one inside of Brian, wriggling it about as the Brit cried out. Darren hastily slipped another finger inside, but Brian wasn't feeling any pain, only pleasure. He scissored his fingers, loosening Brian more. "I'm ready." Brian told him.

Darren nodded, taking the lube and making his cock slick with it. Darren gently parted Brian's legs, and leaned over to kiss him before thrusting inside. Brian seized up, his breath caught in his throat. Darren finished pushing into Brian, kissing his neck tenderly. Brian put his hands to Darren's chest, running his thumbs over the other singer's nipples, making him pause, moaning.

Darren started moving, thrusting hard into Brian and making him cry out. Brian bucked his hips up, meeting Darren's thrusts with a rhythm of his own. Darren's hand blindly grabbed Brian's cock, stroking him roughly as he moaned, "Come, come Brian." Brian whined, his fingers tangling in the sheets. "Fuck... Gonna come Darren." He told him, gasping. Finally, Brian screamed, his seed spilling onto Darren's hand. Darren let out a cry himself and shuddered as he came inside of Brian.

They lay there, panting, and Brian chuckled. "God, you're good." Brian told him, then heard a sound. He realized that Darren had fallen asleep. "You asshole." Brian said, shoving Darren off himself. He got up, going to get himself cleaned up.

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Brian was nearly to Darren's door, and he wasn't sure what to say. The morning after he and Darren had fought, Darren saying that Brian had taken advantage of his drunken state and Brian countering that it was just the opposite. They'd still been fighting when Stefan had come home, and was very surprised to see Darren still there. "Oh, Darren, um... Can I get you something?" Stefan had asked. "A restraining order, this man is insane!" Darren replied and had stormed out the door, yelling, "I never want to see you again Brian Molko!"

Brian let out a breath, then knocked on the door to Darren's flat. He stood there, not really expecting an answer, but the door swung open. Darren stood there, his eyes puffy from crying. "Darren, what is it?" Brian asked, surprised. Darren shook his head and waved for Brian to come inside. The singer frowned, sitting in an armchair as Darren sat across from him.

"I owe you an apology Brian. I didn't mean to blow up at you like that. I realized that morning that it was final, that Richard and I were over. It's been coming on for a long time, and I didn't want to believe it. But when I woke up the next day and I knew what we'd done... I knew it was over, and I yelled at you. I was looking to blame anyone but myself." Darren said, holding back sobs.

"Then why are you crying?" Brian asked, frowning. "Because I've just felt so guilty about how I treated you, I was awful to you and you're a friend of mine." Darren told him, looking up. Brian stood, walking over to the couch and sitting down next to Darren. He put his arms around the other singer, saying, "I'm sorry Darren, I wasn't really nice either, I should've realized what you were going through." Darren looked at him, and surprised Brian once again with another kiss.

Brian smiled slightly and kissed him back, keeping Darren close. When they finally broke the kiss, they stared at each other, surprised. "Brian, do you... Do you want this, like I do?" Darren asked him. "The prince of vice hooking up with the prince of clean? Why wouldn't I?" Brian teased, then said, "Seriously, I do, I've been trying to think of how to tell you but I was too afraid that you hated me." Darren kissed him again, then said, "I don't hate you." "Well, I don't hate you either." They laughed, then embraced, each content with their lives.

THE END

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Alright, so, like I said review!