Impending
Separation
ssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss
Brian stood at the window of the
loft. His hand held back the
curtains and he stared into the
darkness. It was 3 am and he
was naked and sleepless and miserable.
In two days Justin was leaving for New York, leaving him
behind. He tried to put a brave
face on it during the day, but at night it was
impossible. He hadnt slept
much in the last couple of weeks.
As the day of Justins departure drew closer, he slept less and
less. The long hours of night
brought all of his pain and fear to the surface, and he couldnt drive
it away.
He glanced back into the darkness of the
bedroom. He could make out
Justins blond head as he slept.
Two more nights and the bed would be
empty. How was he going to stand it?
Reluctantly he forced his eyes away from
Justin, and back to the darkness beyond the
window. It was snowing, big
fluffy flakes that waltzed and sashayed their way to the
ground. They all looked the
same as they passed the window, but each one was unique, according to the
scientists. Unique, like his
Justin, the most amazing one-of-a-kind creature on the face of the
Earth.
Brian bit back a
sob. He would not
cry. He never cried, and he would not start
now. He focused on a snowflake
and tried to follow it on its journey to the street
below. As it descended, it blended
together with all the rest, and he couldnt distinguish it
anymore. He blinked hard and
felt a tear escape his eyes. Was
Justin going to be like that snowflake?
Would he fall away from Brian when he went to New York,
and eventually become indistinguishable from all the other men Brian had
known? He hoped not, but he
feared it might be so. He
didnt believe absence would make the heart grow
fonder. He feared absence would
dull the heart, and they would lose each
other. Things would never be
the same.
He gulped some air, realizing that he had
been holding his breath, as he watched the snowflake
descend. He heard Justin turn
over, and waited to see if the boy would wake
up. When no further sound resulted,
Brian looked back at the snow, and allowed his thoughts to take over
again.
Since the night that Justin announced that
he had been selected for the special art program in New York, Brian had pushed
the boy to go. He truly believed
that Justin owed it to himself to take this
opportunity. Brian knew how
talented Justin was, and wanted him to have every chance to develop his
skills. After all, Justin had
been through so much, and he deserved to go to New York and be a big
success.
Brian swallowed
hard. The flip side of all this
was that they would be apart.
Justin had made Brian promise to come to New York as many weekends
as he could manage. He would
do that, but he also knew he had problems at work, with Vance, and he
didnt know how many weekends he would be able to take
off. Then there were all those
Mondays to Fridays when he would come home to an empty loft and an empty
bed. He clenched his fist wondering
how he was going to survive. He
didnt know.
They had spent the last few weeks being together
as much as they could. Justin had wanted to have a big Christmas party, but Brian
had wanted the young man all to himself.
They had made some necessary holiday visits, but mainly had holed
up in the loft by themselves, made love and savored being
together.
Brian thought about Christmas
Day. He always hated holidays,
but when he awoke with Justin cuddled against him, he knew he wouldnt
hate that day. He kissed Justin
awake and they made love in the morning
light. They had omelets that Justin cooked to perfection, eating
on the couch in front of the Christmas tree that Justin had begged to
have. They had exchanged gifts
with friends and family on Christmas Eve, but had saved their presents for
each other until that morning.
Breakfast finished, Justin pulled out a large
flat package and handed it to Brian.
I hope you like it, he said
shyly.
Brian wondered what it was, but started pulling
off the paper. It looked like
a suit box, as he removed the paper.
He couldnt believe Justin would buy him
clothes. He lifted the lid rather
tentatively. He pushed the tissue
paper aside, and gasped.
Justin, its wonderful!
he said. He leaned over and
gave Justin a soft, lingering kiss.
You mean it? the boy
asked.
Brian lifted the frame carefully out of the
box, and looked at a drawing of his lover, sunshine smile beaming back at
him.
I didnt think you liked drawing
yourself, Brian said, rubbing his hand up and down the side of the
frame, like he was caressing the boy himself.
I dont, but I thought you might
like a reminder of me. I
wouldnt want you to forget me, he said
softly.
No chance thatll happen,
Brian averred. Well
have to find a good spot to hang it.
How about the bedroom? Justin
asked, grinning.
Sounds appropriate, Brian
smiled.
Justin beamed at him.
I love it, Brian said
again. I hope you like
your present. It isnt
nearly so creative.
What is it? Justin asked, wondering
if Brian got him something romantic. He was pretty sure there was no hustler hiding anywhere
in the apartment.
Brian fished out a small package hidden on
the tree. Justin ripped off
the paper and found three Liberty Air
envelopes. He looked at
Brian.
Theyre three open-ended tickets
from New York to Pittsburgh return.
You can use them on any flight where a seat is available, Brian
explained.
Justin hadnt said a word, and Brian
began to worry that he didnt like the
present. Maybe he thought Brian
was trying to control his time in New York.
I ... I thought you could come here
a few times, if I had to stay here for
business. We could still be
together on those weekends ... if you were here, Brian ended
hopefully.
You really do want to be with me,
dont you? Justin broke his silence.
Havent I been telling you
that?
Yes ... but youve also made it
clear that you want me to go, and that you might not be able to see me very
often.
I thought these could be used for times
I cant get away.
This is the best present, Brian, Justin said. It tells me that you really care and want us to be together.
Was it romantic enough? Brian had to ask.
Its better than
romantic. Its real and
tangible. Now we can see each
other even more. Thank
you.
Im glad you like it, Brian
said, touched that Justin realized what Brian was telling him through this
gift.
Justin slid closer and kissed his
man. How about a holiday
fuck? he whispered.
Talking dirty again, little boy?
Brian grinned.
Yes, and you love
it.
How do you
know?
I have my ways, Justin
said. His hand had wandered
to Brians crotch, and he could feel the effect of his words through
the silk of Brians robe.
Brian groaned as Justins hand grasped his
cock.
We should hang your portrait,
Brian said.
Later, Justin
stated.
You taking control? Brian
asked.
Want me to?
Sure.
Then lay back, Justin
said. He began by sliding his
hands up Brians thighs and pushing open his
robe. He buried his face in
Brians crotch, eventually taking Brians stiffening cock into
his mouth. He looked up into
Brians face, as he sucked the tip.
Brian smiled down at him, until his head went back and his eyes closed
in pleasure.
Justin worked his rod up and down and around,
licking and sucking, until Brian shouted his release and pumped his cum into
Justins waiting mouth.
Justin swallowed and licked his lips.
Yum, he said, as he crawled up
Brians body and kissed him deeply.
Brian could taste himself in Justins mouth.
Did you like that? Justin
asked.
Mmm, Brian
answered.
Justin lay on top of Brians magnificent
body. He ran his hands over
Brians torso and licked his ear.
I want to fuck you, Justin whispered, never wanting to
be separated from this body.
You do?
Mm hmm.
Now?
Yes, please.
Brian knew he could refuse Justin nothing
this day.
Okay.
You mean it?
I always say what I
mean.
Justin had begun rubbing against Brians
groin. Their cocks were responding
accordingly. After a few minutes
of kissing and rubbing, they were both ready.
I want to look at you while I make
love to you, Justin said. He
didnt fuck Brian very often, but when he did, it was almost always
from behind. This time he felt
the need to see Brians face and look into his eyes, as he pleasured
his lover.
All right, Brian agreed,
understanding what Justin needed.
Justin smiled at him and gave him another
kiss. He pushed down a cushion
from the back of the couch and pulled Brians ass up on
it. He pushed Brians knees
up and apart which gave him complete access to his lovers
hole.
He buried his face between Brians legs,
licking and sucking his balls, the whole time his hands running up and down
Brians legs. He could
never touch Brian enough. His
tongue licked back and forth across Brians
pucker. He sucked at the pink
hole and heard Brian take in a breath.
He looked and the pucker twitched in
response. His tongue darted
in and Brian grabbed his hair and moaned,
Justin. His tongue
darted in and out, going deeper with each
entry. Brians hips pushed
back, wanting more. His moans
grew louder, as Justins tongue went deeper.
Fuck! Brian
gasped.
Ready? Justin
asked.
Brian grabbed Justin and pulled him on top
of his body, kissing him and sucking his tongue into his
mouth. They were both on fire,
hips gyrating against each other, pace becoming frantic, kisses demanding
and deep.
Finally breathless, Brian released
him. From hooded eyes, full
of lust and longing, he looked at Justin and whispered,
Now.
Justin donned a condom and lubed
it. Kneeling between Brians
legs, he positioned the tip of his cock at the spasming
hole. He pressed into the tightness
of Brians body, loving the feel of warmth and pressure
there. Brian gave a gasp at the first
penetration. Justin waited,
looking into the dark and hazy eyes beneath
him. He could feel the heat
smouldering between them and he burned with love for this
man. He smiled down at Brian
and thrust in the rest of the way.
A breath rushed from Brians lips and his eyes closed for a
moment. Then he opened them,
knowing that Justin wanted them to look at each
other. Justin began his rhythm,
Brian responding by meeting each thrust in
kind. From this position Brian
could feel Justin hit his prostate on most forward
movements. He groaned his pleasure
and saw Justin smile in response.
He loved this boy more than he could ever say or believe or
admit. They burned for each
other. Justins thrusts
were becoming faster and more shallow as his orgasm
built. On one deeper thrust
Justin leaned over and kissed Brian, their eyes locking in understanding
and love.
I love you, Justin
gasped.
Back at you, Brian whispered,
smiling up at him.
Justin grabbed Brians cock and began
tugging on it in rhythm with his
thrusts. He heard Brian take
in gasping breaths and knew they were both almost
there. A few more thrusts and
tugs, and he heard Brian yell, Oh,
God!
Now!!
He felt Brians cum hit his stomach
and he shot his own load inside Brians
hole. He collapsed on top of
the man, breathless and speechless.
They lay together for a few minutes, finding it impossible to do anything
else, and wanting to stay close.
Justins cock was still inside Brian and Brians cum glued
them together, as Justin lay on his lovers chest.
That was intense! Justin gasped
in a while. I never want
to move.
I dont think I can, Brian
whispered.
They stayed joined like that a bit longer,
until Justin finally pulled out and disposed of the
condom. That done, he lay back
down on top of Brian who had not moved.
His head rested against Brians throat.
Can we get
up? This isnt very
comfortable, Brian finally said, his ass still elevated on the cushion
and his head pressed into the arm of the sofa.
Sorry, Justin said, but
I want to be close to you.
Lets be close in the shower,
Brian said, and they were.
ssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss
Brian continued to watch the snow flutter
past the window, the memories of that day so clear and
close. He would always think
of that day whenever he thought of
Christmas. Now he had one good
Christmas memory to replace all of the bad
ones. They had fucked away the
rest of the day, never getting enough of each
other. It was a perfect
day.
Over the holiday period they rarely left
the loft, being too in need of each other to tolerate anyone else being around
them. They did go to Babylon
on New Years Eve and met up with the
gang. They came late, drank a bit, danced a lot, kissed when
the new year arrived, and were gone shortly
after. They raced back to the
loft to fuck and kiss and fuck and sleep and fuck and eat and just
fuck. They didnt reappear
for five days, when Brian had to go back to work and Justin to
school.
Brian heard Justin tossing around in the
bed. He looked over, but the
boy seemed to have settled down again.
He turned back to the snow, once again feeling tears come too close
to falling.
Brian, a voice said
softly. Justin stood there wrapped
in a sheet.
Did I wake
you? I was trying to be
quiet, Brian said, blinking hard to force the tears
away.
I was reaching for you in the bed and
you werent there.
Sorry.
What are you doing standing there
naked? Flashing
Pittsburgh? Arent you
cold?
You could keep me
warm.
Justin moved against him, wrapping them both
in the sheet. Brians arms
went around Justins lithe body, and he felt the warmth of the boy pour
into him, physical warmth, emotional warmth, and the warm glow of his
love.
Why are you out here by yourself?
Justin asked.
Watching the
snow.
Is it snowing? Justin asked,
pushing back the curtain.
Oh, its beautiful.
Look at the size of those flakes.
Yeah. Brian
said.
Whats wrong? Justin
asked.
Nothing.
Couldnt sleep.
Youve been having trouble sleeping
lately, Justin noted.
A bit.
More than a
bit. Are you still worried about
me going to New York? About
us being apart?
A little, Brian answered, not
wanting to admit how devastated Justins absence would make
him. He knew the boy would refuse
to go, if he told him how he felt.
Come back to
bed. You need
sleep.
Do you know that every snowflake is
unique? Brian asked.
Justin gave him a quizzical look, and said,
I think Ive heard that
somewhere.
Why?
I was trying to follow one snowflake to the ground, but they all look the same.
Come to bed, Brian.
Justin tried to pull away.
Brian refused to release
him. I was thinking how
unique you are. You put up with
all my shit, and dont bust my balls too
often.
Well, Im glad you appreciate
me, Justin chuckled.
And I havent busted your balls for
weeks.
Did you hear me say you are
unique?
Yes.
You are, you
know. Youre very special
... to me.
Justin kissed him longingly and lingeringly
and softly. I
know. And youre very special
to me too.
Just so you know, Brian said
and lightly touched his finger to Justins lips.
Come to
bed. We have a big day to get
ready for.
Okay, Brian gave
in. He dropped the sheet from
around him, allowing Justin to pull it back around
himself. He walked naked up the steps to the
bedroom. At the top step he
turned, and extending his hands out from his sides, he said, Are you
coming or going, or coming and staying, or coming and then
going? The last words
had a certain sadness to them.
Justin smiled, remembering their first time
together. How did you
remember that?
I changed it a bit to suit our present
circumstances.
I know. You always shock me with what you know and remember. No one would think youd remember any of it.
Its always better to be smarter than people think you
are.
So you just pretend to be bored and
disinterested?
Not
necessarily. Most of the time
I am, but that doesnt mean I dont see and hear whats going
on.
Pretty
clever.
You dont know the half of it,
Brian said.
Id like
to.
They looked at each other, understanding
all of the implications of that simple statement.
So are you coming? Brian
grinned.
I hope to be soon, Justin grinned
back. But you need some
sleep.
Later, Brian replied, and he
did get a little rest just before dawn.
ssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss
Justin had wanted to have a big Christmas
party like the Thanksgiving dinner that he and Brian had
hosted. They still had the twenty
pound turkey in the freezer. Brian
had been adamant that they have the day to themselves, so instead Justin
had finagled Brian into having the turkey dinner the day before Justin left
for New York. It would be a
send-off party for the boy.
They had carefully calculated how long it
would take to thaw the turkey in the fridge, not wanting another disaster
like they had barely avoided last time.
Justin was going to cook the turkey and potatoes, and everything else
would be brought by the guests.
They had all insisted, each wanting to provide something for
Justins celebration.
Brian had reluctantly agreed to all the
plans. He didnt want to
face all these people. He knew
he would be the object of their sympathy, if not pity, the whole time they
were there. He wasnt sure
he could stand it. However,
Justin really wanted this party, and Brian wanted to make him happy, before
he left. He would have to grin
and bear it, and hope he didnt kill someone or run screaming like a
lunatic from the loft.
They prepared the turkey the night before,
so that it could be in the oven by 2 am.
They had decided to have the party as a lunch at 1
pm. That way they could spend
the afternoon with their friends, but have their last night together to
themselves. Justin finished
preparing the turkey a little after
midnight. Brian had helped get
the stuffing ready, and he sighed in relief when they stuck the big bird
in the oven. They tidied up
the kitchen so they wouldnt have to do it in the
morning. As Justin finished
wiping the counter, Brian came up behind him and put his arms around
Justins chest. He squeezed,
pulling Justins body back against his stirring
cock.
Are you done with the little housewife
shit? Brian asked.
Just about.
I have other wifely duties I want you
to perform, he whispered in Justins ear.
Like what?
I want to fuck
you.
You know, I think we just have time
to do that before I turn on the turkey, Justin said,
smiling.
You can turn me on right now,
Brian said, beginning to hump Justins backside, and at the same time
licking his neck. As his actions
became more demanding, he nipped at Justins neck and sucked on the
spot. Justin
moaned.
Im going to mark you as mine,
before you go away.
You already have, Justin said,
turning his head and kissing Brian.
Brian smiled into the
kiss. Justin could feel the
smile and turned in Brians arms to make the kiss deeper and
harder. He felt Brian suck the
air out of him, and he wished they could blend into each other, never to
be separated. He felt Brian
push down his cargo pants and free his hardening
cock. Sometimes Brian just had
to look at him and he was hard. He
gasped as Brian released him from the kiss, from his embrace, and from the
hold on his dick. His clothes
and Brians were being ripped off, as he stood breathless in the
kitchen. As some modicum of
his wits began to return to him, he realized he still held the dishcloth
he had used to wipe the counter clasped in his hand.
Shit, he heard Brian
say.
What?
I dont have any lube here,
Brian said, donning the ever present condom from his
pocket.
Theres butter on the counter,
Justin said.
Brian
chuckled. Ever
resourceful. He stuck
his hand in the butter and rubbed it on his straining
erection. His arms went around
Justin and lifted him onto the counter. He pulled the boys hips forward to hang over the edge,
and pushed his legs open.
Delicious, Brian said, taking
in the glory of his lover.
Fuck me, Brian, Justin
begged. I cant
wait.
Brian pressed into Justins hole, taking
it easy, since he hadnt had time to prepare the
boy.
Justin gasped and Brian
stopped. In a minute, Justin
said, More, and Brian pushed in a little
further. Again Justin gasped
and Brian stopped. Brian felt
Justins muscles relax and pushed in all the
way. Brian leaned in to kiss
Justin and weld them together.
You know I love you, Brian
whispered.
I know.
Brian withdrew his penis, leaving only the
tip inside, and then rammed back in. Justin moaned.
Brian leaned in and kissed him again.
I dont want you to doubt that
or forget it while youre gone.
I
wont.
Brian pulled back and rammed in
again. He leaned in, rotating
his hips and kissing Justin.
I need you to come back to
me.
I will.
Brian pulled back again, but he was rapidly
losing control. He began to
pound into Justins hole, both of them moaning and gasping their pleasure.
It didnt take long until
they were both coming. Brian
leaned against Justins body as his orgasm
subsided. He kissed Justin and
they clung together for several minutes.
Brian, Justin
said.
Umm.
I love you.
Good.
But ...
But?
Brians head shot up and he looked into Justins
eyes. Justin saw a flicker of
fear pass across Brians beautiful face.
Im sitting in the
butter.
What?
You heard me, Justin
giggled.
Well then, Ill have to call you
lard ass from now on, Brian said, kissing him, and then looking down
at Justins ass.
You better
not. I have enough nicknames,
and I certainly dont want that one.
Lets see, Brian said, lifting
Justin down from the counter, and turning him around to examine his buttered
behind. If butter wasnt
so fattening, Id lick it all off, he said, spreading it more
evenly over Justins delectable butt.
You mean you
wont. I was hoping,
Justin dared him.
Lets see if we can use it another
way. He pushed Justin
up against the counter and slipped on another condom.
God, youre insatiable!" Justin
said, as he felt Brians penis against his well-opened
hole.
Cant pass up a well greased
ass, Brian retorted, shoving his cock in and beginning his
rhythm. As he thrust in, he
rotated his hips which slid easily over Justins buttered
bottom. This is a whole new sensation, he
gasped. I may have to
butter you up more often.
Justin laughed, but just for a
moment. Their passion consumed
them and coherent thought or speech was
impossible. All they were capable of were moans and
thrusts. Finally, they collapsed
spent against the counter.
Ill never think of butter or
the kitchen in the same way again, Brian said, gradually regaining
control of his breathing.
Me either, Justin
agreed. Im going
to have such fantasies when I try to cook in
here. He giggled just
thinking about it.
When you come
home? There was the hint
of a question in Brians voice.
When I come home! Justin
replied. Lets turn
the turkey on and go shower. I
might want to sit down.
Brian looked at his greasy
bottom. I dont
know? Brian questioned.
I kind of like your ass this
way. Maybe we should make use
of it one more time.
Justin looked down to see Brians cock
stirring again. Not only
are you insatiable, youre incorrigible.
Thats what you love about
me.
Among many other things, Justin
said, kissing him warmly.
Brian smiled, knowing Justin really meant
that. They were so perfect for
each other in so many ways.
I see youre getting ready,
Brian observed, noting the effect the kiss and his wandering hands were having
on Justins dick.
Im good to go, Justin
quipped.
How about we christen the big table
I brought from the office for dinner tomorrow?
Brian, we have to eat on that
table.
So, well wash it and cover it
with the tablecloth.
Kay, Justin murmured, already
lost to the sensations of Brians lips and eyes and hands and fingers.
The table was well and truly christened with
butter from Justins ass and other bodily fluids.
ssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss
Brian choked back a
laugh. It was 6 am and he was
standing naked in his kitchen, basting a
turkey. The gods must
be crazy, he thought.
Who else but crazy almighty asshole gods could force the biggest
asshole of them all, Brian Kinney, to do
this? Only one other being -
his Justin. He smiled
and looked into the bedroom.
Justin slept peacefully, and he would crawl back in with him as soon
as he was finished.
Justin had made them set the alarm for 4
am to baste the turkey the first time.
Brian had watched what he did.
Justin said it should be basted every hour and set the alarm for 5
am. Brian had turned it off
as soon as Justin went to sleep.
He knew the boy needed some rest, and Brian spent most of his nights
in sleepless thought and worry anyway.
He had gotten up around 5 am and taken care of the turkey, just like
he had watched Justin do. While
he basted, he had had some rather ingenious ideas about other possible uses
of turkey basters. Now here
he was at six in the morning, basting the big bird again.
He finished and shoved the bird back in the
oven as quietly as he could. He
climbed the steps and slipped in beside his
boy. He lay watching Justins
chest rise and fall for awhile, happy that he was there, but knowing it
wasnt for much longer.
Justin turned onto his side, and Brian spooned
against his back, loving that position.
His arm instinctively went around his lovers chest, holding
him close and protecting him. This was when he felt most at peace and most
contented. He never thought
he could feel contentment. He
always said you could never get enough, but this boy was
enough. He was
everything. He was the loving
family Brian had never had, he was the thoughtful friend and companion Brian
hadnt realized he needed, he was the intellectual equal who challenged
him and kept him on his toes, and he was the insatiable lover who taught
him what love really was. He
sighed his contentment and dozed off.
At 7 am he basted the turkey
again. He had slept for awhile,
mostly dozing fitfully. Justin
slept on and he didnt have the heart to wake him
yet. The turkey was starting
to smell really good, although it wasnt getting brown
yet. He hoped he was doing
everything right. Justin would
kill him if he ruined the turkey.
He decided he better wake Justin up at 8 am to make sure everything
was as it should be. He crawled
back into bed and immediately fell asleep.
Brian! Justin
yelled. What time is
it? Its
daylight. The alarm must not have gone
off!
Brians eyes had snapped open at the
sound of his name, and he looked up into Justins worried
face. He glanced over at the
clock. It was almost
10:30.
Dont
worry! He grabbed
Justins hand. I
got up and basted the turkey several times, he said, letting Justin
think he had done it every hour.
Lets go check on the big guy.
You got up every hour and basted it?
Justin asked in disbelief. He
got up from the bed.
Pretty much, Brian fibbed, feeling
a little miffed at Justins
skepticism. Im not
totally pathetic in the kitchen.
You are so! Justin retorted,
heading naked to the oven, Brian trailing after him.
Im hurt, Brian
said. How can you doubt
me?
Show me what you did, Justin
demanded, pulling the turkey out on the shelf and noting that it was browning
nicely.
Brian did his best Emeril imitation, giving
a dissertation on all the finer points of basting as he went
along. When he was done, he
yelled, Bam! and shoved the bird back into the oven, quickly
shutting the door. He turned
and took an elaborate bow, baster still in hand.
Im
impressed. The turkey looks
and smells wonderful. I guess
making you watch all those cooking shows with me has really paid
off. Youre an A-one
baster!
Thank you for the Good Housekeeping
Seal of Approval, but Ive learned most of it from
you.
Justin
smiled. So you wont
starve to death while Im gone?
Ill try not to, but Im
not planning on doing a lot of cooking.
Didnt think so, Justin
chuckled.
Although... He
rubbed his chin thoughtfully, staring at
Brian. I could picture
you as the star of a nude cooking show, armed with your
baster. A true naked chef!
Brian almost choked at the
image. The naked part
I can handle, but I dont know about the chef
part.
Yeah, that would be a
challenge.
I did come up with some interesting
potential uses for turkey basters, he said, waving his baster around
dramatically.
I just bet you did, Justin
grinned.
Want me to show
you?
Not right now, Justin said
seriously. Its
late. We need to set the table
and peel potatoes. We better
get started.
You chefs are such slave
drivers! Are we going to do
this in the nude or shall we dress for the
occasion?
Get the
robes. Well do our work,
and then we can have a long leisurely shower ...
together.
Have you studied Motivational Techniques
101? Brian asked.
Justin laughed, knowing Brian would do what
he asked. He loved this man
more and more. He had tried
to be positive about his stay in New York, but truthfully he was as worried
as Brian was about their separation.
Five months was such a long time.
But, he was also excited about what awaited him in New
York. He knew he would learn a lot, and New York was such a
dynamic and interesting place. If
only Brian were going with him.
Here, Brian said, handing him
his robe and snapping him out of his
reverie. What were you
thinking about?
Being away from
you.
Lets not do this now, Brian
said, feeling his emotions were too close to the surface to handle a discussion
about their impending separation.
Right, Justin
agreed. Lets set
the table.
They basted the turkey once more and peeled
the potatoes. They knew people
would start arriving just after noon, so they decided at eleven-thirty they
better get in the shower and get
dressed. In the shower they
washed each other and kissed a bit, but that was as far as it
went.
Lets save it for tonight,
Brian said. Then we can
take as much time as we want.
Good
idea. Later, Justin said,
wiggling his bottom at Brian as he stepped from the
shower. He heard Brian groan
and smiled.
They dressed quickly and had just decided
to turn off the turkey, when the buzzer sounded, indicating the first of
their guests had arrived. Brian
buzzed them up.
Deb and Vic bustled in, bearing
food. Debbie brought a pasta
dish, and Vic had a bakery box with a cake he said he had made for the
occasion. He made room for it
in the fridge, leaving it in its box.
They kissed Justin warmly and gave Brian a
peck. Brian got them some wine
and they sat down. Justin joined them.
Are you ready to go, kiddo? Debbie
asked.
Pretty much.
Itll be fine.
Well keep an eye on him for you, said Debbie, glancing
at Brian who was in the kitchen opening a
beer. Make sure he eats
occasionally.
Thanks, Deb, but dont mother
him too much. Hes kind
of raw right now.
Touchy.
Ill take it easy, Deb
agreed.
And Ill make sure she does,
Vic added.
Lindsay, Melanie and Gus arrived just
then. They had a huge bowl of
salad and bags of toddler toys and
equipment. Gus squirmed out of his mothers
arms.
He toddled across the floor, yelling, Dada, Dada.
Brian scooped him up and kissed him
heartily. Hey, sonny
boy! Glad to see
me?
Yeah, Gus said, giving his father
a couple of sloppy kisses.
Brian hugged him and took him to the kitchen
to get some juice. Mel set out
some of his toys for later, and Lindsay took the salad to the
kitchen. She helped Brian fill
Gus sippy cup.
How are you doing? she asked
Brian.
Okay.
Really?
Ill be all right, he
snapped. He carried Gus over
to see Justin. Lindsay watched
him move away and shook her head.
Justin took Gus from Brian and gave him a
big kiss and hug.
Play, Gus
said.
Okay, Justin agreed, wanting
to spend some time with the little boy. He set Gus down and they walked hand in hand to the steps
where Mel had set out Gus toys.
They sat down on the floor.
Brian watched Gus pick out the things he wanted to play with, and
hand them to Justin.
Your two favorite boys? Melanie
asked, coming up beside Brian.
Yeah.
Want a beer?
Sure.
Hell be fine, you know, she said, looking at
Justin.
I
know. He handed her a
beer.
Will you?
Brian looked at her, not sure how to answer
that.
I expect well see a lot more
of you with Justin in New York, Mel added.
Maybe.
Well, youre welcome to come over
anytime.
Are you
kidding? Or are you
possessed? Brian asked.
Melanie choked on her beer. Neither, she said. I imagine youll have more time on your hands, so youre welcome to spend it with your son.
Brian looked at her again.
Thanks, he said.
Just then the buzzer went off and he escaped
to answer it. Jennifer and Molly
arrived. Jennifer had brought
a broccoli casserole which she slipped into the oven to keep
warm. Molly went over to play
with Gus and Justin. They were
immediately followed by Ted and Emmett who brought rolls and cranberry
sauce. Brian got them a
beer. Justin went to the kitchen
and gave his mother a kiss. He
left Molly to play with Gus.
Justin and his mother were going to mash the potatoes and make gravy
as soon as Michael and Ben arrived.
They checked on the turkey, taking it out of the oven to stand a
bit. The potatoes were almost
ready.
Ben and Michael
arrived. Ben had made a roasted
vegetable casserole and he took it to the
kitchen. He helped Justin and Jennifer get the turkey out of the
roasting pan, and put the casseroles in the oven to keep
warm. Brian got them beers and topped up wine
glasses. Michael pulled him
aside as soon as he could.
Are you all right? he asked
Brian.
Ill
survive.
I know you
will. He gave Brian a
kiss. Im here any
time you need to talk or vent or go out, he
offered.
Thanks,
Mikey.
Brian knew his best friend meant well, and
he appreciated the offer, but he didnt really want to do this right
now.
Justin called them to the table, and Brian
was glad to have their conversation
interrupted. Vic volunteered
to carve, and everyone said he did a masterful
job. They enjoyed the meal,
each having made their special dish.
Brian picked at his food, eating very little, but feeding Gus.
When the main course was finished, they all
helped clear the table and serve coffee.
Vic brought his cake box to the table and lifted out a beautifully
decorated cake with a tiny artists easel sitting on
top. Justin looked at it, and
Brian saw tears welling up.
Hell have trouble painting on
that, Vic, Brian said.
Everyone laughed, and Brian saw Justin relax
and compose himself. The boy
smiled gratefully at Brian.
Vic stood by the cake, and said,
Well get you to cut this in a minute, Justin, but we want you
to know well miss you, and we want you back here
soon.
Thanks, Vic, Justin said, giving
him a big hug.
Lindsay came up beside
them. She held one hand behind
her back. Justin, we all
wanted to get you a little gift, kind of a going away
present. We all chipped
in. I hope you like
it.
She handed Justin a
box. You didnt have
to do this, he said. He
opened the box and saw some specialty brushes and palette knives for
painting. Thank you all
so much. I dont know what
to say. He gave Lindsay
a hug.
Use them in good health in your new
art program, she said.
Everybody gave a round of applause and Justin
smiled at them, again full of emotion.
Cut the cake, Justin, Vic said
softly.
Justin was glad of the distraction, and got
to work on the cake. They each
got a piece and moved to more comfortable seats with their
coffee. Brian took his beer
and sat alone on the steps to the
bedroom. He had declined the
cake and gave Gus to Melanie.
He was lost in thought when a voice said,
Brian. He looked
up to see Jennifer standing in front of
him. May I join
you?
He shrugged and she sat down with her plate
of cake.
Brian, she
said.
He looked at her, but said
nothing.
I want to thank you for pushing Justin
to go on this course, she said.
Sure.
No, I mean
it. Any negative comment from
you and he would have turned down this
opportunity. Im glad
hes going. It will be
a good experience for him.
And a chance to get away from
me.
I didnt say that,
Brian.
No, you
didnt. Youre far
too well mannered to do that, but I know how you
feel.
I know he loves you and you love
him. Im not trying to
make trouble. Im just
glad hes going.
Well, Jennifer, so am
I.
What?
You heard me. Im glad hes taking this course. Hes very talented, and this is a big chance for him.
Jennifer looked at him, digesting what he was telling
her. You do really care
what happens to him, dont you?
You still doubt
that?
I guess not, she answered, beginning
to comprehend the depth of Brians feelings for her
son.
Good, he said, and he got up
and walked away from her.
Justin saw Michael sitting at the table,
eating his cake. He was
alone. Ben was talking to Ted
and Emmett. Justin sat down
beside him. Michael gave him
a smile.
Looking forward to your new adventure,
Boy Wonder? he asked.
Kind of.
Just kind
of? It sounds exciting, going
to the big city, studying with famous artists, experiencing new
things.
Leaving
Brian.
Theres always a down
side.
Its a big down
side.
Yeah, Michael
agreed.
Michael, I ... I wanted to tell you
that I appreciate what you said to
Brian. He told me how much I mean to
him. It was very hard for him to tell me, and he never would
have said it, if you hadnt told him to.
I want him to be happy, Justin, and
you make him happy.
Thanks,
Michael.
Just make sure you come
back.
Okay?
I intend to.
Good.
They ate their cake in silence after
that.
The afternoon was wearing
away. Brian was beginning to
feel like he had to get out of there.
He saw Justin talking to Emmett, then Emmett grabbed Ted and they
said they were leaving. He heard
Emmett tell Justin to call and e-mail and hurry back.
Jennifer and Debbie were finishing cleaning
up the kitchen. When Justin
went over to them, they gathered up their casserole dishes, waved to Brian,
and took off with Vic and Molly.
Ben and Michael followed, waving to Brian as they
left. Lindsay and Mel were gathering
up Gus toys. Lindsay brought
Gus to his father for a goodbye kiss and an admonishment to come visit
him. She kissed Brian too, but
said nothing else, just smiling at him somewhat sadly.
Justin closed the loft door behind the last
of their guests. He looked over
to see Brian lying on the black leather recliner, where they had shared ice
cream kisses what seemed like so long ago.
All gone, he said to
Brian.
Did you tell them to
leave?
Justin smiled at
him. I could see your
last nerve was twitching.
You know me so
well.
Yeah, I do, Justin replied, coming
over beside Brian.
Brian took his
hand. He looked up into those
blue eyes that were so precious to him.
I was thinking about ice cream kisses, Brian
said.
So was I, when I saw you laying
here. Want some
now?
No, Brian said, pulling Justin
onto his lap. Lay here
with me.
Justin curled up on top of Brian, his head
against Brians throat. He
wanted to cry, but he knew he
shouldnt. He fought back that urge, and just lay cradled in
Brians arms. He felt Brian
kiss the top of his head, and sighed in
contentment. They stayed that
way for a long time. It was
beginning to get dark, one of the joys of a Pittsburgh winter, darkness at
five oclock. Brian squirmed
beneath Justin who had almost fallen asleep.
Whats wrong? Justin
asked.
My legs gone to sleep,
Brian replied.
Justin got up and pulled Brian into a sitting
position. Its time
we got up anyway, Justin said.
I need to pack the last bits of my stuff, and put it all by
the door for tomorrow morning.
No, Brian
said.
What do you mean no?
Justin asked, confused.
Dont go, Brian said, a
look on his face that nearly broke Justins heart.
Justin looked at him in bewilderment. Brian, its a little late to tell me that now. Youve been telling me to go for weeks.
I know, but I dont think I can bear
it.
Of course you
can. Im only a plane ride
away. Justin tried to
make the separation seem less difficult.
I cant let you
go.
Brian ... I, Justin wanted to
cry, a look of anguish on his face.
Brian saw that look, and knew he was tearing
the boy apart. He had to stop
this. He turned his back to
Justin, trying to regain some
self-control. He felt Justins
hand on his shoulder. He turned
slowly.
I dont know where the fuck that
came from, he said by way of explanation.
From your heart, Justin replied,
wrapping his arms around Brian. He
felt more than heard the sobs that wracked Brians body, and he began
to cry too. They held each other,
tears streaming down their faces.
After several minutes, Justin felt Brian wipe at his tears and take
a deep breath. He did the same,
releasing the older man from his embrace.
They looked at each other, misery written
all over their faces, tear streaks on their
cheeks. Then they smiled and
after a moment started to laugh.
They laughed so hard they had to lean on each other to keep from falling
down.
We are a pair of pathetic faggots!
Brian said.
Drama queens, Justin added, gulping
for air.
I feel better, Brian said
suddenly.
So do I.
Ive been holding that in for weeks, Brian admitted. It feels good to let it all out.
Yeah, Justin agreed.
I guess you really are going to miss me, he
teased.
More than youll ever know,
Brian said seriously.
I could still cancel and stay here,
Justin offered.
No fucking way! Brian
responded. Youd
have to give back your presents, and your mother would rip my balls off and
crush them beneath her dainty heel.
Ouch, Justin
replied. What did she
say to you today?
Nothing
much. I think shes finally
beginning to believe that I love you.
I thought she was okay with
us.
She is, but she still has trouble believing
that I have your best interests at heart, and not my
own.
See what happens when you have a reputation
as a heartless shit?
Yeah, nobody believes that I really
love you. Sometimes I can hardly
believe it myself.
But I believe it, Justin
said.
And thats all that
matters.
Yeah.
Lets get your packing done, and
then I can focus all my attention on you for the rest of the night,
Brian said.
Brian, Justin said with a worried
look on his face.
What? Brian was puzzled by
Justins abrupt change in demeanor.
My mother wants to take me to the airport
tomorrow morning and I agreed.
You
agreed? You dont want
me to take you? Brian
looked hurt.
Justin shook his head.
Why?
Im not sure I could hold it together
saying goodbye to you. I dont
want to be part of a public display ... like what happened a few minutes
ago. Do you
understand? Brian slowly
nodded. I want to say
goodbye here in private.
Brian nodded
again. Youre
right, he admitted. He
took a deep breath and said, Lets
pack.
Justin smiled at him and gave him a quick
kiss. It didnt take long
to pack up the last of Justins
things. He left some clothes,
knowing he would be back a few times.
Everything else fit into two suitcases, plus his portfolio and a little
box of art supplies. Brian convinced him to squeeze the art supplies into one
of the suitcases that would be checked.
He said that post 911 the palette knives could be considered weapons
and would be confiscated. Justin
rearranged some things and made a carry-on that would also hold his toiletries
in the morning.
Done, Justin said, adding the
carry-on to the pile of luggage by the
door. Ill put the
toiletries in in the morning.
Brian looked at
him. So what do you want
to do now? he asked.
Im
hungry.
Hungry?
After that lunch?
Uh
huh. Arent
you? You hardly ate
anything.
I am a bit
actually. All that emotional
crap gives you an appetite.
He smiled.
Yeah.
Turkey sandwich, no mayo, on some of Emmetts rolls? Justin
asked.
Sounds good, but butter the buns,
Brian said, grinning at him.
Justin chuckled, remembering the butter on
his ass from the night before.
I was so glad Ted and Emmett brought butter with their
rolls. I didnt want to
explain why we had no butter for them to use.
Brian
snorted. I was waiting
for someone to ask. I was going
to get the butter with your butt print in it and show
them.
You were
not! Justin looked
aghast. Did you save
it?
Its in the
fridge.
No!
Justin went to look. There
behind some of the leftovers was the butter dish with the indentation of
his butt cheek. He laughed out loud.
Brian! he said, turning to look at
him.
I need as many reminders of you as
I can get, Brian said, sticking his tongue in his
cheek. And this one is
of your most delectable feature.
Brriiiaaan, Justin
groaned. You are
terrible.
Did you note that the first four letters
of butter are butt?
Oh my God! Justin
laughed.
Brian smirked at him.
What am I going to do with you?
Justin asked. You are
so bad.
You wont be here to rein me
in, Brian said with a tinge of sadness.
Well, behave yourself, or Ill
have to sic my mother on you.
Dont,
please. Thats a fate worse
than death. Ill be good,
master, Brian teased.
You better,
slave. Come here, Justin
ordered. Brian came over to
him. He put his arms around
the man and held him close.
Still want that sandwich? Brian
asked after a while.
Sure, if you
do.
Lets eat, Brian said, heading
for the kitchen.
They cut some of the remaining turkey and
made sandwiches on the leftover rolls.
There was a bit of salad left, so they shared
that. They sat at the end of
the big table and ate.
We should take this table down to the
Jeep, if Im not taking you to the airport, Brian
stated.
Youre not mad about that, are
you?
No.
You did the right thing.
Really?
I dont like public emotion anymore than you
do. You know that.
Justin nodded. How come
you havent tried to fuck me since everybody left hours ago?
I ..., Brian began, I cant stand it to be the last
time.
Ill let you do me more than once, Justin
teased.
Brian
grimaced. You know what
I mean.
Dont make it sound so final,
Brian. Well be together
again.
Are you
sure?
Arent you? Justin looked
horrified.
Brian just stared at
him. I wish I was,
he said. Lets get
this table down to the car.
He stood up, waiting for Justin to clear the
dishes.
Justin knew there was no point arguing with
Brian when he got like this. They collapsed the table and took it down to the
Jeep. Another trip and they
had taken care of the extra chairs too.
On the way back up in the elevator, Brian
said, Maybe I should buy a big table of my
own. Its a nuisance dragging
the fucking table back and forth.
Planning more dinner parties?
Justin asked.
No! Brian
snapped.
Then you dont need a big
table.
I guess not, Brian
admitted.
But I could plan a dinner for when
I come home, Justin said.
You could?
Um hmm.
I could go for
that.
Justin smiled, pleased that Brian would want
a dinner party at all, but realizing that Brian saw it as more proof that
he really was coming back. He
leaned against Brian, and said, Kiss me.
Brian grabbed him, pushed him against the
elevator wall and impressed his body on
Justins. He kissed him
with such ferocity that his head hit the
wall. He groaned, but pressed
back against the force of Brians
onslaught. The heat between them was
scalding. Brian grabbed Justins crotch and the boy
screamed.
Fuck me, Brian! he
yelled.
The elevator
stopped. Brian flung up the
gate and practically threw Justin into the
apartment. The boy hit the wall
where the intercom was. He could
feel the buttons jab into his back. Brian was on him again, pressing his hard-on against
Justins groin and devouring him with his
mouth. Justin gasped unable
to breathe.
I need you! Brian
growled.
Hard and dirty! Justin shouted,
as breath finally escaped his lips.
Brian literally tore the shirt off the
boy. He turned and slammed the
loft door shut, while Justin took a few gulps of
air. He turned back and grabbed
Justin again. He pushed him
roughly to the floor, kissing him
frantically. Justins head
hit the hardwood as Brian drove his mouth into the
boys. He reached for
Justins cock and squeezed through the cargo pants.
Ahhhhhhh! Justin
screamed. He was rock hard and
it hurt.
Brian grabbed the waistband of the pants
and hauled them down.
Justins ass bounced on the floor and his cock bounced on his
stomach. Brian attacked it,
sucking and nipping and chewing.
He was like a wild animal.
Justin grabbed Brians hair and gave it a vicious
yank. Brian gasped and looked
up at his lover.
Fuck me now, Brian! he
demanded.
Brian fumbled for a condom and managed to
get it on with shaking fingers.
His jeans were open, but he was still fully
clothed. He couldnt wait
and he knew Justin couldnt either.
He stuck a finger in Justins mouth, and he coated it with
saliva. He rammed it into
Justins hole and worked it around.
Yesss! Justin
shrieked.
Brian slid up and stuck his condom-covered
penis into Justins mouth.
That would have to do for lube.
Brian humped Justins face.
He was like a madman. He
pulled his penis, coated in saliva, from Justins mouth, then shoved
Justins knees up and out.
Justin blinked and then screamed, as Brian
was already inside him. They
rocked together in hard piston
movements. Groans and moans and yells and incoherent shouts were
all that were heard for the next minutes.
All of a sudden Justin screamed,
Brian! and came with such intensity he thought his heart would
explode. That sent Brian over
the edge and he came and came and came.
He collapsed senseless on top of
Justin.
Many minutes
passed. They lay unable to move
on the floor of the loft. Brian
finally lifted his head and looked at
Justin. The blue eyes flickered
open.
Are you all right? Brian
gasped.
I ... I think so, Justin croaked,
his voice hoarse from screaming.
Did I hurt
you?
Yes ... but I wanted you
to. I needed you
to. It had to be
real.
It fucking was that! Brian
groaned.
He pulled his penis out as gently as he
could. He examined Justins
pucker. I dont think
I tore anything, he said.
You should have told me to stop.
I didnt want you to
stop.
Youre as crazy as I
am.
I know.
Here, take my hand, Brian said,
helping Justin up.
Can we do the next one in bed? One of these a night is enough.
Brian groaned. Now that
we got that out of the way, Im going to make love to you all night
long.
Its a good job you let me sleep
last night, Justin chuckled.
I always plan
ahead.
Thats for sure.
Come on, Brian said, taking his hand and leading Justin up to
the bedroom.
They made love many times, and they knew
it was making love, not fucking.
The intensity of emotion was
mind-numbing. Finally they dozed a
bit. As daylight began to filter
into the loft, they lay wrapped in each others arms, having gotten
enough, at least for that night.
Are you awake? Brian
asked.
Yeah.
Me too.
I know. Youre talking
to me.
Smartass!
Justin looked into Brians face.
They kissed and wrapped their legs around each other, not wanting
any space between them.
What time is your mother coming?
Brian asked.
8
am. She wants to leave lots
of time to deal with the extra luggage.
Oh.
Want to fuck
again? We still have
time.
No.
No?
Since when do you turn down sex?
Never.
But what we did last night was way beyond
sex. It was
perfect. Thats what I
want to remember until the next time were
together.
I love you so much, Justin said,
moved by Brians statement.
Lets shower, Brian
said.
They washed each other tenderly, enjoying
the feel of their hands on the others
body. It went no further, as
both remembered Brians words.
They dried each other off and got
dressed. Justin put his toiletry
case in the carry-on. They were
drinking a glass of juice when the buzzer announced that his mother was
there.
Justin answered, Well be right
down.
They gathered up all his stuff and rode the
elevator down. Jennifer met
them at the door. They loaded
Justins bags into the car, and Jennifer got
in. Neither of them had said
a word since they left the loft.
Mom, Im going back up to check
that I have everything.
Okay, honey, she
responded.
Justin took Brians hand and they went
back into the building. Neither
spoke as they rode back up in the
elevator. Justin shut the loft
door behind them, and turned to face Brian.
You have all your stuff, Brian
said, looking forlorn.
I
know. I wanted a few minutes
with you ... alone.
Theres nothing more to say,
Justin. You better
go.
There is more to
say. I love you and Im
coming back.
Sure.
Dont sure
me! I know to you that means
itll never happen, and Im telling you it will
happen.
Brian was silent, but his eyes never left
Justins. Then he said,
When I was going to go to a new life in New York, I told you I would
walk out that door and never look back. He stopped, a catch in his
voice.
I remember.
Im asking you to look back,
Brian said simply.
And I
will. He kissed Brian
softly and opened the loft door.
He started down the stairs.
He heard Brian say, Goodbye, and on the landing he
stopped. He turned to look back
at Brian and gave him his sunshine smile.
Then he was gone.