Standing Up and Backing Down

 

Pittsburgh – Brian's Loft

 

Brian thrust into Justin's willing body relishing each sensation that it produced.  He had been happy and relieved to see Justin when he appeared at his door about an hour after Craig Taylor left.  They had talked briefly about what had happened with Justin's father at Jennifer's condo and at Brian's loft.  Justin had been deeply hurt once again, but he refused to dwell on that.  He declared his father to be the biggest asshole of all time and said that was the end of it.  Brian knew better, but he didn’t see any point in arguing with Justin while the wounds were so fresh.

 

Justin had been amazed that his father had actually come to the loft to confront Brian.  He was more amazed that he had left without a physical confrontation.  He would have expected both of them to be covered in battle scars after such an incident.

 

Brian felt his balls draw up and he stroked Justin's cock in time with his rapid thrusts.  The boy was close, as his incoherent mewlings and cries indicated.  Brian gave a strong thrust and felt his semen fill the condom.  One more tug on Justin's cock and the boy cried out in pleasure, coming almost at the same time as his lover.

 

Brian rolled over and disposed of the condom.  He could hear Justin's labored breathing and smiled over at his boy.  Justin turned on his side to face Brian and felt the man's strong arms wrap around him.  This was where he wanted to be.  This was where he felt most like himself.  His father couldn't hurt him here.  He caressed the side of Brian's face with his fingers.

 

"I'm ready to move back in here, if you want me to?"  There was a definite question in Justin's voice.

 

"I want you to," Brian said simply.

 

Justin smiled.  He had tried to please his father by not moving in with Brian, but that had been a waste of effort.  His father had disowned him once more.  Brian was the one he could count on and he was going to live here with the man he loved and be happy for as long as that lasted.  He didn't want to think about the distant future.  He was happy now and that was all he cared about.

 

The phone rang interrupting their tender moment.

 

"The machine will get it," Brian said.

 

They waited for the machine to kick in.  Suddenly Justin heard his mother's voice.  "Justin!  Justin, I know you're there.  Please pick up, honey.  I have something important to tell you."

Justin reached for the cordless beside the bed.  "Mom, what is it?"

"Honey, your father's here and he wants to talk to you."

"Well, I don't want to talk to him.  I'm sick of listening to him tell me what a failure I am and how I've disappointed him."

"I don't think that's what he wants to say."

"What does he want?"

"Can you come over here and listen to him, please?  I think it's important."

"I'm not coming without Brian, so you can tell him that."

Brian gave Justin a questioning look, as Justin waited for his mother to pass on that message.

 

"He says that will be all right," Jennifer told her son.

"Are you kidding?  What's this all about?"

"Just come over and talk to him."

 

"Give me a half hour or so," Justin sighed, not sure why he was agreeing to this.

 

"I'll tell him," and the line went dead.

 

Justin stared at the receiver.  He looked at Brian.

 

"Where are you not going without me?" Brian asked.

 

"To see my father at Mom's."

"No fucking way I'm having another round with him tonight!"

"Please, Brian, apparently he really wants to talk, and I can't face him alone."

Brian sighed.  "Is this another thing you have to do if you love someone?"

Justin smiled.  Brian had just admitted that he loved him by that statement.  "Yes, it is.  You have to take the family along with the one you love.  Sorry about that."

"Don't be sorry.  At least you have a mother and sister who give a shit about what happens to you."

 

"And a father who wants to make me miserable.  I don't know why I said I'd go.  He'll just yell at me some more and rant about how disgusting I am."

"Then why did you say you'd do it?"

"Mom sounded like it was important."

"Then you should trust her judgment.  She does have your best interests at heart."

"I guess.  I better take a shower.  Dad wouldn't like me to walk in smelling of cum."

Brian chuckled evilly.  "Maybe that's what we should do.  It would give him proof positive of our heinous acts."

"Come shower with me.  I need moral support, and another fuck to give me strength for this meeting."

"Happy to oblige," Brian said getting up to follow Justin into the bathroom.  

 

Pittsburgh – Jennifer's Condo

 

It was closer to an hour later that Jennifer admitted the two men to her home.  They went up the stairs to find Craig Taylor and Molly sitting in the living room.

 

"Hi, Justin," Molly said smiling.  "Hi, Brian."

They smiled at her and said hi.

 

"What's this all about?" Justin asked rather testily.

 

"Why don't you and Brian sit down first?" Jennifer asked.

 

They sat on the sofa across from Molly and Craig.  Nobody said anything for a minute or two.  Finally Justin couldn't stand it anymore.  "What do you want, Dad?" he asked trying not to sound too bitchy.

 

"I…I'm not really sure.  I just knew that I couldn't leave things the way they were."

 

Justin saw Molly squeeze her father's hand, as if to give him reassurance and strength.  He couldn't figure out what was going on.  "Should Molly be here?" Justin asked.  "Maybe you should go up to your room, Mollusk."  Justin looked at her sadly not wanting to expose her to the unpleasantness he was sure was coming.

 

"I'm staying here," she said firmly.  "Daddy needs me.  He knows what he has to do."

Justin was puzzled by her statement.  He didn't know why his father would want Molly there, if he was going to give him more ultimatums.

 

"Molly … and Brian … and Jennifer made me realize something tonight," Craig said.

 

"They did?"  Justin studied his father's demeanor puzzled by the seemingly calm and quiet appearance of the man.

 

"I want you to know that I thought I was doing the best thing for you when I got you into Dartmouth.  I thought you were doing well there," Craig began trying to defend his actions.

 

"I asked for your help, Dad.  I don't blame you for taking me to Dartmouth.  I just couldn't stand it when I realized how lonely and empty my life was there."

"Was it really that bad?" Craig asked.

 

"Yes," Justin admitted.  "I was so unhappy."

"But when I talked to you, you always said things were fine," Craig said wanting to justify what he had done.

"I was trying to please you, Dad.  I had nowhere else to go.  I was trying to fulfill your expectations."

"But you hated it?"

 

"Yes."

"I…I'm sorry.  I didn't realize."

"I tried to tell you that this afternoon, but you told me again what a failure I am and that you didn't want anything more to do with me, so why are we here?" Justin asked bluntly.

 

"Brian … asked me if I wanted you to be unhappy because I was unhappy myself.  I didn't want to admit that there might have been some truth in that statement.  Then Molly asked me if I would send her away if she did something that I didn't like.  I started to realize that I have lost all the most important things from my life because I turned against you and refused to accept you for who you are.  I never meant things to turn out like this.  I thought if I stuck by my guns I could make you bend to what I wanted.  I guess I've finally realized that that is never going to happen.  I do want you to be happy, Justin, whatever that means to you."

Justin stared at his father.  The man actually sounded sincere.  He couldn't believe he was hearing these things coming from his father's mouth.  "Do you mean that, Dad?" Justin asked, almost afraid to hear the answer.

 

"Yes, I do," Craig replied.  "I don't want you out of my life.  I want you in it on whatever terms that takes."

 

"Are you sure?" Justin had to ask.

 

"Yes."

"What about Brian?"  Justin wanted to know if his father would still try to forbid him from seeing the man.

"What about him?  I…I don't think we'll ever be best buds," Craig said ruefully, "but if he is what you want, I won't stand in your way."

 

"I…I can't believe you're saying this," Justin said gaping at his father in amazement.

 

"Neither can I," Craig admitted.

 

"See, Daddy.  It wasn't so hard," Molly said giving her father a hug.

 

Craig wiped at his eyes, hearing more words of wisdom from his little girl.  "I love you, Molly, and I love you too, Justin," he added looking at his son.

 

Justin stood up and moved across the room.  His father stood and they hugged tentatively for a moment.

 

"I'm sorry," Craig whispered to his son.

 

"Does this mean that we can have some kind of a relationship?" Justin asked.

 

"That's what I want."

 

"Me too, Dad.  Me too."

Brian had been watching all this from the sofa.  He didn't know what to make of Craig Taylor's change of heart, but he could see how it had affected Justin.  He hoped it was for real, not to be taken back tomorrow when reality dawned.

 

Justin released his father from the hug and turned to Brian with his sunshine smile.

 

"Do you believe this?" Justin asked Brian.

 

"Un-fucking-believable!" Brian replied.  He heard Molly giggle and regretted his choice of words.

 

"Would everybody like some coffee?" Jennifer asked, ever the good hostess.

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