Listen to Your Heart

Part 15

*****************************

Brian stood still allowing Justin to dry him. They had both emerged from a much-needed shower having just returned to their hotel from the hospital. Justin gently used the thirsty towel to dab droplets of water off Brian’s injured ribcage. His lips followed the towel placing soft kisses on Brian’s angry bruises. Brian ran his good hand gently through Justin’s hair. Justin reached for Brian’s swollen cock preparing to give him the second blow job since they had entered the bathroom.

“Brian! Brian!” Michael’s voice cut through the bathroom door.

“What Mikey?” Brian ground out through clenched teeth, happy for once that Justin was unable to hear.

“Which credit card do you want me to use for your plane ticket?” Michael called through the door again.

“What the fuck are you talking about Mikey?” Brian called back barely containing a gasp as Justin chose that moment to deep throat him.

“We’re putting you on a plane back to Pittsburgh tomorrow,” was Mikey’s reply.

“What? Justin...oh fuck...” he reached down and reluctantly pulled Justin off his dick.

“Brian what?”

Brian pulled Justin to his feet; <“just a minute,”> he signaled to the young man.

He turned and opened the door striding into the room, “Mikey what the fuck is going on? You know Justin can’t fly!”

Ben and Michael stared at a completely nude Brian wincing at the painful looking bruises on his rib cage. Justin appeared behind him in a hastily donned hotel robe and quickly wrapped a towel around Brian’s waist. <Thank you,> he signed as he gave Justin a small smile then returned his glare back to his best friend and his best friend’s husband.

“Brian we know Justin can’t fly. We already talked about this with him...”

<“Sign it Mikey,”> Brian interrupted doing his best to sign with his one good hand as he spoke, <“don’t leave him out.”>

“Oh,” <“sorry, Justin,”> he quickly corrected himself. <“Anyway,”> he continued, <“we all talked about this yesterday while you were still asleep. You are flying home tomorrow where you can recover in the comfort of your own bed and we will drive the rest of the way home with Justin.”>

<“The hell I am!”> Exclaimed Brian. <“I’m staying with Justin and that’s final!”>

<“Brian, quit being a...”> Michael trailed off as he searched for the right word.

<Asshole?> Justin signed silently from behind Brian’s back.

<“Yeah thanks,”> Michael replied, <“I should have remembered that one, it’s Ma’s favorite.”>

<Brian learned ‘fuck’ first,> Justin signed silently as he smiled at Michael.

<“That figures,“> Michael returned Justin’s smile then turned his attention back to Brian, <“quit being an asshole and do what’s best for you just this once.”>

<“Hey!”> Brian exclaimed turning on Justin, <“you stay out of this and quit teaching him that stuff!”>

Justin just shrugged and rolled his eyes as he spoke, “you quit being impossible then and just go home tomorrow. We’ll be right behind you. I’ll be fine, I‘m not a fucking baby. Ben and Michael will take good care of me.”

Brian threw up his good arm in disgust turned and slammed himself back into the bathroom. A moment later a loud and painful sounding ‘Fuck!’ rang out from behind the door.

Michael threw a look at Ben; “I’ll talk to him,” then followed his friend to the bathroom as Ben distracted Justin with the room service menu.

Michael found Brian trying to struggle into a white t-shirt, “here, let me help,” he said gently as maneuvered the shirt over Brian’s bad arm, “so what the fuck is your problem?” He asked after a moment. “Why won’t you just let us drive him home? It’s only a few more days.”

Brian blew out a deep breath and let Michael finish putting his shirt on. They struggled for a moment with the sling next and he finally spoke when they got it into place securing his arm. “He had a nightmare last night,” Brian searched his friend’s eyes, “how are you going to deal with that Mikey?” He questioned softly.

“Fuck,” Michael exclaimed softly letting his mind wander back to the last time he had dealt with one of Justin’s nightmares.

*****************************

It had been not long after Justin had moved in with Brian after the bashing. He hadn’t started back to work at the diner yet and Deb had insisted on bringing him dinner one night after her shift. Michael had offered to bring her over and Brian said he would meet them both there after work. Brian had been delayed and no one had answered when Michael and Debbie knocked. Michael had used his key and they found Justin napping on the bed.

Debbie began to bustle around the kitchen getting the food ready to serve while Michael started to set the table. He dropped a plate and broke it when they heard an unearthly, blood-curdling scream come from the bedroom area of the loft. When they went to Justin they found him in the grips of a nightmare like nothing they had ever seen before. He was sitting straight up with his eyes wide open screaming and crying for Brian. All attempts to touch him were warded off with flailing arms and more terrified screams.

Brian had walked into his loft to find a hysterical Debbie in the arms of a very frightened looking Michael with Justin on the bed sobbing and cowering in fear. He took one look at the situation, walked calmly into the kitchen removing his Armani jacket and loosening his tie on the way. He then grabbed a bottle of water out of the fridge. He returned to the bedroom and removed his designer pants, shirt and tie handing them off to Michael.

Michael and Debbie could only watch in complete wonder as Brian took the bottle of cold water and dumped it on Justin’s head. Justin sat in shock for a moment then his eyes registered where he was; “Brian?” He looked at Debbie and Michael puzzled, “what’s going on? What happened?” Justin began to tremble.

Brian sat on the bed and pulled his young lover, still soaking wet, into his arms, “come here Sunshine, it was just a dream. I’m here, I’m here.” Brian continued to rock Justin gently while he motioned for Debbie and Michael to finish getting dinner ready and give them a few moments.

Twenty minutes later both men walked out of the bedroom and sat down to dinner, the incident was not mentioned again.

*****************************

“That’s why I can’t fly home tomorrow Mike,” Brian jerked his friend out of his reverie, “this whole thing has brought all that shit from the bashing up again. He needs to process it and it’s going to take time. I can’t leave him.”

Michael nodded; “you’re right,” Justin’s screams echoed through his mind, “you need to come with us,” he agreed.

*****************************

Later that night as Ben and Michael lay in their bed after making love they were startled by a loud scream coming from Brian and Justin’s room next door.

“What the fuck was that?” Ben exclaimed as he began to climb out of bed to investigate, “it sounded like Justin.”

Michael pulled on Ben’s arm and coaxed him back down to the bed, “it’s OK,” he said softly, “Brian’ got it.” When Ben laid back down Michael moved to rest his head on his husband’s chest. “That’s the reason Brian’s not getting on a plane tomorrow.”

Ben said nothing as he sighed and gently kissed Michael‘s head. They laid and listened to muffled sobs through the shared wall until silence finally fell and both men were able to go to sleep.

Return to Listen to Your Heart