This is the forty-eighth story in the RH series, and it follows Better Walk It Back Down.

I know this series is winding down, and it makes me sad. It also makes me drag my feet writing its ending. :) But I'm also happy because I know the sequel will continue this storyline, and that means a lot to me. :)

Warnings: m/m, angst, AU, occasional bad language, mush, and song lyrics. (Yes, I am now officially obsessed with finding the right songs for all four of these guys. Well, at least, they are doing a concert. So it's appropriate. ;) )

The two songs in question both belong to David Bowie. The first one is Prisoner of Love. The second one is Absolute Beginners.

~Silk

*****

Two Heartbeats


By Silk



Jack was the first one onstage. Flanked by his beloved Arthur, who was never far from his side, Jack grasped the microphone and waited for the applause and the raucous cheering to subside.

"Welcome to the Renaissance Tour."

The name of the tour was Curt's idea, in honor of Brian's rebirth, and something in the nature of an in-joke amongst the four of them. The night before they left, Curt told Brian, "It should be named for you, babe," and he enlisted the aid of the other two to override Brian's faltering objections.

"Think of it this way, dear one. You've been given a second chance. So few of us ever get that." Jack's inimitable way of getting to the heart of things, coupled with Arthur's ingenuous hero worship of him, won Brian over.

Jack turned his head. He wasn't sure that Arthur had actually taken a breath since they came out. Covering the microphone with one hand, Jack whispered, "Pet, perhaps you should sit down."

So he did. Right at Jack's feet. He spent the rest of the concert there with a slightly dazed expression on his face.

Arthur would have been content to pass the time watching from the wings, but Jack wouldn't hear of it. He wanted Arthur to be part of the tour, albeit in his own, non-singing way.

So he was. Even if he did do a fairly good impression of being Jack's lapdog.

When the fans clamored to know who Arthur was, Jack paused for dramatic effect, then intoned, "This is Arthur. He's made a new man of me."

Arthur looked up at Jack, his face wreathed in a patently goofy grin, and Jack fell in love with him all over again. "Be nice to him," Jack told the audience, "I don't want to scare him away."

*****

Curt craned his head to get a better view of what was going on out there, and Brian leaned on him, it being second nature now to find one excuse or another to touch him. "Jack's doing great. Maybe we should just stay here. What do you think?" Curt asked playfully, taking a moment to nuzzle Brian's ear.

"Stop that. We're done for the night."

"We are? I think Mr. Happy might have something to say about that."

"Whether you know it or not, Curt, that was a cry for help," Brian quipped. "Naming your dick is one thing. Naming it Mr. Happy is just sad."

Curt pulled Brian against his chest and kissed him. "There's nothing sad about the two of us finally getting here, baby."

"You're getting awfully sentimental in your old age," Brian teased. But his eyes shone with a clarity and an intensity that would have been impossible back in the day. "I think I like it."

"I like you," Curt whispered against his mouth. After another fervent kiss, Curt murmured, "I love you."

*****

Jack looked truly resplendent in his bright red sequined gown. It was floor-length and tapered its way down his slender body to his ankles. It didn't seem to matter that glitter and Glam Rock were no longer in their heyday. Jack was a law unto himself.

And just when everyone thought they knew where he was coming from...he took a sharp detour.

"Just like its name, Renaissance, this tour will embrace a little of the old..." Jack indicated himself and swept a long, elegantly manicured hand across his equally divine evening dress. "And a little of the new..." Jack grabbed the hem of his frock and tugged. Hard.

Suddenly he was standing there, his legs clad in stunning burgundy velvet trousers, which had been cunningly concealed beneath his dress, his gown transformed into a waist-length tunic of the same shimmering material.

No one could say that Jack didn't have style.

Anyone else with red hair would clash if he wore bright red and burgundy. But no one else was Jack.

Jack replaced the microphone and announced, "As you know, Curt Wild..." Jack was forced to pause due to the overwhelming response of the audience to Curt's name. Luckily, Jack simply appeared vain. Inside his chest beat a heart of gold, and every single minute of applause was proof that he had been right about Curt. Jack might be half of the duo behind the Berlin record, but he was gratified that Curt was finally receiving his due.

"...and I met in Berlin. The rest, as they say, is history..."

"This...is a little something I wrote...for someone who thinks I can't remember his name. Arthur."

" Prisoner of Love."

Don't look back
Whatever it takes to save your life
I've believed I belonged to you, for a long time
And my heart says no, no one but you

Like a rescue on a darkened street
Love walked into town
I, I, I was a victim of my own self-persecution
I'm a prisoner of love - but I'm coming up for air

CHORUS

Now don't be fooled by fools who promise you
The world and all that glitters more fool you

I'm such a hungry man that I beg you over and over and over and over
I mi-mi-mi, I might take any highway to be there with you
Even the best men shiver in their beds
I'm loving you above everything I have
I'm a prisoner of love
I'm a prisoner of love - just stay square

Like a sermon on blues guitar
Love walked into town
I was drowning so slowly
Wouldn't step in front of your shadow
I'm a prisoner of love - but I'm coming up for air

CHORUS
Now don't be fooled by fools who promise you
The world and all that glitters more fool you

I smell the sickness sown in this city
It drives me to hide you, yea, even deceive you
I'm so afraid for you that
I'll break any thug who maps out your passage to ruin
Even the best men shiver in their beds
I'm loving you above everything I have
I'm a prisoner of love
I'm a prisoner of love - just stay square

Take care, take care
I'm a prisoner of love - just stay square

Just stay square
Stay out of the school and get 'em
Just stay square
I've seen the best man of my generation
Lie down insanity - incriminatory
Just stay square
Just stay square
Just stay square
Don't look back - beautiful soul
Don't look back - beautiful soul


When the last notes of the song faded away, Jack looked at Arthur and said softly, "Come here, my beautiful soul."

Arthur slowly rose to his feet as though he were in a dream. Jack gathered him into his arms and kissed him. While the resulting hue and cry from the audience faintly registered, the press went crazy.

It might not be the story of the century, but it came close.

When Jack released him, Arthur swayed back and forth on unsteady feet for a few moments. He felt dizzy and light-headed and quite alarmingly giddy. Jack had just proved his love for him. In front of a few thousand people.

Still watching from the wings, Curt pressed a kiss to Brian's forehead. "Better them than us, babe."

Brian smiled. "Jack's used to this sort of thing, but I bet Arthur is ready to pass out."

"Yeahhh," Curt drawled, stroking the side of Brian's face, "but I bet Jack'll find a way to make it up to him."

*****

"Would you all mind very much if I dedicated one more song?" Jack asked coyly. He was totally in his element tonight, and it showed.

Arthur was so dazzled, he couldn't speak, but then, he and Jack were no longer communicating with words. He could understand why Curt and Brian didn't want this for themselves, he truly could, but somehow, standing under the hot lights, it felt like everyone in the world wanted to know him, and he couldn't, for the life of him, see why that was a bad thing.

Brian whispered to Curt, "Look at him. Arthur's starstruck."

Curt followed the direction of Brian's gaze. "Yeah, the kid's diggin' it."

*****

Jack cupped Arthur's chin and sang to him. It was all Arthur could do to remain still. He wanted to move, restlessly, erratically, any which way he could, but he was transfixed by Jack's eyes.


I've nothing much to offer
There's nothing much to take
I'm an absolute beginner
And I'm absolutely sane
As long as we're together
The rest can go to hell
I absolutely love you
But we're absolute beginners
With eyes completely open
But nervous all the same

CHORUS

If our love song
Could fly over mountains
Could laugh at the ocean/sail over heartaches (second time)
Just like the films
There's no reason
To feel all the hard times
To lay down the hard lines
It's absolutely true

Nothing much could happen
Nothing we can't shake
Oh we're absolute beginners
With nothing much at stake
As long as you're still smiling
There's nothing more I need
I absolutely love you
But we're absolute beginners
But if my love is your love
We're certain to succeed


When Jack was done, he stared intently into Arthur's dark eyes.

"Jack..." Arthur said wonderingly.

"Yes."

"Yes, what?" Arthur blurted out.

"Yes is the answer to every question you could ever ask me."

"No way," Arthur whispered, a bemused smile twitching at his lips. He was the sweetest, dearest boy, and Jack abandoned all hope of maintaining any kind of elegant reserve anymore. Suddenly it didn't much matter that everyone knew how much he loved Arthur.

Jack pressed his face to Arthur's chest and realized that he could hear his heartbeat. That's when he knew...if he tried, really, really hard...he could hear his own as well. And maybe it was just his imagination, but...they seemed to beat in unison.

Two hearts beating as one.

Two heartbeats.

Then one.

End