Sweeter than You

Justin was rummaging his bag for his CDs when he found a strange CD. The cover was dark blue but there was no picture on it. Justin opened the CD case but there was no information inside either. 'I guess they can't fit a bomb inside a CD,' Justin thought and took the CD out and put it into the CD player and hit play. A male voice started singing.

I could never be loved by anyone sweeter than you

And I could never belong to anyone sweeter than you

With you to stand beside me I'll never be alone

And what more could I long for than to have you for my own

Justin's lips curled upwards. He knew where the CD had come from. Or more like *who* from.

My only desire is loving you eternally

For no, no other love could ever mean so much to me

So if you say you love me forever I'll be true

And what more could I long for than to live my life with you

I could never be loved by anyone sweeter than you

And I could never belong to anyone sweeter than you

Justin had tears in his eyes by the end of the song but those were happy tears. 'Good thing Brian isn't here to see me,' Justin thought. 'Not that he isn't used to my allergies by now.' Justin listened but there was nothing else on the CD so he hit play again and took the CD case to give it a closer look. Justin studied the cover and suddenly saw something. There were letters 'B & J' on it but they were visible only in a certain light. Justin grinned and listened to the song again.

Just when Justin was about to hit play once again, his cell started ringing. When Justin looked at it, he saw Brian's name flashing on the screen. Justin felt his heart swell but tried to answer like nothing out of the ordinary had happened.

"Hey."

"Hey. How are you?"

"Fine."

Justin didn't sound like his normal lively self and it made Brian feel a bit uneasy.

"What about your meeting with the gallery owner; how did it go?" Brian asked.

"Oh, it went great; I'm gonna have a little show here in October."

"That's great!"

Brian was relieved that Justin sounded more like himself but he still had an odd feeling. "So you're coming home tomorrow?"

"Yeah," Justin said and sniffed a little.

Brian didn't miss that. "Justin?"

"Yeah?"

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Justin."

"Everything's fine, I swear."

"Justin, I know there's something, I can hear it in your voice."

Justin didn't want to go too romantic about this 'cause he knew Brian might withdraw into his shell and Justin didn't want that. Brian hated all romance. Or so he told everybody, including Justin. Well, Justin knew better: Brian did romance. Flowers? No, Brian didn't bring him flowers 'cause that would've caused a double allergic reaction. Picnics on the floor? No, way too lesbionic. Chocolate? No, there was always the risk that Justin would've managed to feed some of it to Brian too. No, Brian's romantic gestures weren't the traditional ones. He would get Justin a new easel, a new set of brushes or some new software for his computer. Sometimes a new sweater 'cause he 'didn't want to be seen anywhere with Justin in his G.A.P. sweater'. Some people might say it was just stuff but Justin saw beneath the surface. Maybe Brian didn't say the three magical words but he showed his love; not with things but what laid behind. He made Justin happy. Justin didn't need to hear the words. He had learned the hard way that words were only words. Person's true feelings came with his actions. You just needed to see behind them. And living with a communication challenged man for years, it had become easier and easier for Justin.

"I was just..."

"Yeah?" Brian asked worry evident in his voice.

"I was just listening something."

Then it hit Brian: the CD. "Oh."

There was a brief pause.

"Brian?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you."

Brian tried hard to think something to say but nothing came to his mind. "Justin, I..."

"I know Brian. I know."

Brian closed his eyes and gave a deep sigh. He was so glad Justin didn't go all fairy taley and romantic about this.

Justin was smiling on the other end of the line. "I'll see you tomorrow, okay? I'll be there about five."

"Okay."

"Sweet dreams."

Brian couldn't help but smile. "You too."

"Night Brian."

"Night Justin."

(The song: Ricky Nelson's "Sweeter Than You")

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