First Year Residence - Dartmouth

Justin walked towards the front door of his residence at Dartmouth. He had been in Hanover for four days and had started classes almost immediately. He strode purposefully through the snow. He smiled slightly, realizing that he was enjoying his few days of university life. Dartmouth was different from PIFA, but some things were always the same.

He had to get up and go to classes. He was taking an economics course, a math, an English and a Psychology course as well as an elective art. His father had even suggested the art course, much to his surprise. They had had a long and interesting talk on the ride to Hanover.

His father had pulled in all the favors an old alumnus could muster to get him into the second semester at Dartmouth. He had only missed a couple of weeks of classes, but he still had quite a bit of catching up to do. But he was doing it, acing most of his classes even if he didn't like them all that much. Studying had never been that difficult for him.

And then there was the art. He had found the Hood Museum and had enjoyed looking at the artwork it contained. His studio course in drawing was pretty basic considering what he had been doing at PIFA, but still it was art and it gave him a chance to create. It was better than nothing.

Justin and Craig had talked about the years Craig had spent at Dartmouth. They even talked a bit about sports. As long as they didn't talk about Brian Kinney or Justin's perverted lifestyle, they actually got along pretty well. It was almost the way it used to be … except that it wasn't … and never would be again.

Craig had also pulled some strings to get Justin into a private room in the residence. Justin wasn't sure how he had done it, but he suspected that his father's bank account would be a lot lighter and Dartmouth would be a little richer. He didn't care. He liked having his privacy. His father probably thought that if he had a male roommate, he would jump the poor guy and cause more scandal for the family. Justin shuddered at the thought as he went into the building and up the stairs to his room.

He dumped his books on the desk and kicked off his runners. The snow wasn't too deep, but he thought he was going to need some boots in case there was a lot of snow one day soon. His father would pay. He had made it clear to Justin that he would provide everything Justin needed as long as Justin kept his nose clean and studied hard. And of course, there would be no mention of, or contact with, Brian Kinney.

Justin dropped down on the bed and stared up at the ceiling. He had a paper to hand in to his Economics class the following Monday. It was mostly finished. He had it on the laptop that his father had brought with him when they headed for Dartmouth. Justin grabbed the computer and booted it up. He read through what he had written, decided it wasn't bad and sent it to the printer. That would be one more thing off his plate.

He laid back on the bed and closed his eyes. Why was it always Brian that he saw when he did that? Maybe it was because he still loved Brian, loved him as he always had. Ethan had been a very wrong turn in his life, and it had cost him dearly. But he could make this work. He could live without Brian. He could survive at Dartmouth.

Brian's Loft

Brian threw his toiletry kit into his bag and zipped it up. It was just after noon and he was heading for Hanover, New Hampshire. He had managed to clear his schedule and leave work early. Vance could go fuck himself.

Brian had decided that he needed to see Justin one more time. He wanted to find out what had possessed the blond to pack in his studies at PIFA. He couldn't comprehend why Justin would go to his father and not to him. Justin must have made some kind of deal with his father, but Brian knew that Dartmouth was not for Justin. Justin was an artist and he needed to go to PIFA. He needed to study art and become the artist that Brian knew was inside him.

Brian gathered up the few things he wanted to take with him before he started the long trek towards Dartmouth. He couldn't believe that no one else seemed concerned about Justin except him. Justin's so-called friends, Brian's friends, or whatever the fuck they were, acted like nothing had happened. Michael wanted nothing more to do with the kid, but that wasn't so unusual. Any affront to Brian Michael always took as a personal affront to himself. And Justin cheating with Ethan was a pretty big affront, at least in Michael's eyes.

Emmett didn't know what had happened to Justin, and he didn't seem in the least worried. Ted and the Munchers knew nothing and didn't seem to want to know. Daphne was concerned but she had her own studies to worry about and seemed to think Justin could look after himself.

Debbie was the one who really surprised Brian. Brian would have thought she would be all upset that Justin hadn't come back to her place. Actually that's what Brian had expected Justin to do, that was, if he didn't come back to the loft. Brian had to admit that that was what he had been hoping for.

Brian had felt that the thing with Ethan wouldn't last. Ethan was too young and too self-centered to really be what Justin wanted. He knew that Ethan had somehow sweet talked Justin, and Brian also knew that he could have done the same thing. Justin would still be here in the loft if Brian had only agreed to say those pretty words that Justin so desperately wanted to hear. But Brian knew that if he ever said them, they would be forever. He could never take them back, would never want to. And at the same time he knew that he wasn't ready to say them, didn't think that Justin was really ready for what they would mean. Neither one of them was ready. And so he didn't say the words … and Justin chose to go with Ethan with a little shove from Brian at the Rage party.

That had been a big mistake as things had turned out. Justin had gone with Ethan as was the intent, but Brian had expected the infatuation to last longer than a couple of nights. Brian shoving Justin away had obviously had much larger repercussions. It had given Justin few choices. Justin had decided to give up his life in Pittsburgh, give up his art, and give up Brian. He had chosen to try to be what his father wanted, rather than what he wanted for himself. He would be at Dartmouth trying to fit in right now.

Brian grabbed his bag and headed out the door. He had a long drive ahead of him with plenty of time to think. He would try to figure out how to handle Justin when he got there. And he wanted some answers.

First Year Residence - Dartmouth

Justin had returned from dinner and was lying on his bed in his room. He was trying to read an economics book. It had to be the most boring thing he had ever read.

His mind kept wandering to the fact that it was Friday night. If he was back in Pittsburgh, back with Brian, the two of them would have had takeout and would be getting ready to go to Woody's and then Babylon. Justin sighed remembering how he had wanted to do something more romantic than that. Well, he had for a couple of weeks, and now look where he was in the romance department … alone in his dorm room at Dartmouth with a boring book and his right hand. He groaned and closed the book letting it drop to the floor.

He closed his eyes and saw Brian's face once again. He couldn't help but smile. Brian looked hot in a black wifebeater and black jeans that covered his slim body just right. Justin mentally added Brian's black leather jacket. He sniffed, smelling the scent of the leather and of Brian. He felt his cock start to harden and he slid his hand inside his jeans.

He had just started to stroke himself when someone pounded on his door … hard. Justin jumped and pulled his hand out of his pants. "Fuck!" he muttered as he tried to get his breath. Who could be at the door?

Justin adjusted himself as he stood up. He reached for the door knob and opened the door. A young man and two girls stood outside his door.

"Hi," the young man said. "I'm Ric and this is Sandy and Dolores."

"Hi," Justin replied.

"We're just down the hall," Ric continued. "Would you like to come for a beer and pizza with us?"

"Um…" Justin began. He didn't want to be part of this heterosexual group, although something about Ric told him that he might not be so very heterosexual.

"Come on, you look like you could use some company," Ric smiled.

"Yeah, come with us," Sandy said.

"Um, okay, I'm Justin," Justin stammered.

"Nice to meet you, Justin," Dolores smiled at him.

Justin wondered what Dolores was after. If she was looking at him as a potential date, she was sure barking up the wrong tree. "Let me get my shoes on and my jacket."

The trio stood in the door waiting as Justin put on his runners and his jacket. He grabbed his keys and wallet and joined them in the hall.

"You're new, aren't you?" Dolores asked as she linked her arm through Justin's.

"Yeah, I just started this week."

"What were you doing before? We don't get many people coming in at this time of year."

"I … I was at PIFA."

"What's PIFA?"

"Pittsburgh Institute of Fine Art."

"Are you an artist?" Dolores asked with a big smile. "I love art."

"I was an artist, but now I'm a business major," Justin said unable to keep the sadness out of his voice.

"Is that such a bad thing?" Dolores asked as they exited the building.

"Maybe not," Justin said hoping that these new friends might help him fit in at Dartmouth. Although he liked being alone, he was beginning to find the campus so far away from home a big, lonely place.

Dartmouth

It was dark and cold by the time Brian pulled the Jeep onto the campus of Dartmouth. He had used his cell phone on the drive to try to find out where Justin might be at the university. He was refused information when he called the Student Records Department. They had transferred him several times and each successive person he spoke to made him feel like he had made a big mistake in undertaking this trip. No one would give him any information about Justin.

The last person he had talked to was some woman who said that if Justin was in first year, he would probably be in the First Year Residence. She sounded like she was talking to some blithering idiot who didn't know how to find his way out of a wet paper bag. The exasperation in the woman's voice made Brian want to tell her where she could fucking go, but he bit his tongue and asked politely how he might find that building. The woman had informed him that any student on the campus could direct him. Brian had hung up feeling a little better.

He edged the Jeep over to the side of the street where he saw a couple of what looked like students walking. He stopped under a streetlamp and rolled down the passenger window.

"Excuse me," Brian called. "Can you tell me where I can find the First Year Residence?"

One of the young men walked over to the Jeep and leaned in the window. He gave Brian a big grin and Brian felt his gaydar pinging. "I'd be happy to help. Want me to ride with you over there?"

"No thanks," Brian said with a little shake of his head. "I'd appreciate some directions though."

"Your loss," the guy said. "See that tall building over there? That's the one you want."

"Thanks," Brian said. He started to roll up the window.

"You sure you don't want me to come with you?"

"I'm sure."

The young man shrugged and turned away.

"Ah, university life," Brian said to himself as he put the Jeep in gear and headed in the direction of the building that had been indicated.

He pulled into the parking lot of what was clearly labeled First Year Residence. He looked at the building wondering if Justin was inside and what he might be doing. After a minute he got out of the Jeep and headed to the front door of the building.

As soon as he stepped inside he saw the guard sitting at a desk. The man looked up.

"Can I help you, sir?"

"Um, I'm here to see my brother, Justin Taylor. How do I find out if he's in?" Brian asked.

"I'll call his room," the guard said and punched in some numbers after looking down a list of what Brian assumed were all the residents of the building. "There's no answer," the guard told him.

"Could I wait in his room?" Brian asked.

"That's not allowed. You'll have to wait until he returns."

"Okay," Brian said with a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. He walked back outside and climbed into the Jeep.

He would wait.

Outside the First Year Residence

Brian had just turned off the Jeep. He was running it every few minutes to keep warm. He wondered what the fuck he was doing sitting in his car freezing his nuts off waiting for a blond who probably didn't want to see him. Brian glanced up as he saw a group of students approaching. He recognized the blond head immediately.

The man and two girls with Justin were laughing and obviously joking with each other. One of the girls had her arm linked through Justin's. She leaned against Justin at every opportunity and was obviously hanging on his every word.

Brian felt his stomach do a flip. Justin seemed happy, not at all lost or distraught like Brian had thought he would be. Brian stared at the group realizing that Justin had made the decision to leave Pittsburgh and come to Dartmouth. He had chosen to be there. Maybe that was what he really wanted. It looked like Justin was happy with that decision. He was fitting right in.

At that moment Brian knew he had made a big mistake in coming there. He reached for the key to start the Jeep. Before he turned it, he looked back at Justin one last time. Their eyes met for a fraction of a second.

"Guys, I see a friend of mine. I need to go speak to him," Justin said to his new friends. He ran across the lot towards the Jeep.

Brian saw him coming, saw the smile on his face and so he stepped out of the Jeep.

"Brian," Justin called as he ran towards him. "What are you doing here?"

"Waiting for you."

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