Id love to hear what everyone thinks about this one.. It might encourage me to write the next chapter and stop fiddling and polishing off the first couple of chapters of my next AU.. ~*~*~*~*~*~ Justin slammed into the house and instead of heading directly upstairs to bed, the direction in which Brian was hoping to follow him, he turned and entered the small ante-room where the men were supposed to smoke cigars after formal dinners. “I need a drink.” “A drink?” Brian repeated, rather taken aback and deciding it would be best to follow him. “Now! Then take me somewhere where I can drown my anger before it tears out of me and leaves me broken.” Brian studied him in careful deliberation. He couldn’t imagine that Justin knew very much about drinking. He walked over to the cabinet where he kept his decanters and poured him a measure of whiskey. He handed it to him and Justin tipped it into the back of his throat easily then held his hand out for another. Brian was left with an open mouth and his eyebrows trying to reach his hairline. “Another.” Justin demanded and then seemed to rethink his tone and smiled sadly, “Please?” Brian did as he was bid and tentatively filled the glass as if hoping that if he took longer than he should to fill it, it would give Justin time to change his mind. It didn’t. Taking him out to the usual drinking places where the rich drowned their troubles would be idiotic. He couldn’t imagine that Justin would be capable of not touching him if his inhibitions and awareness were very low. It seemed that Brian would be heading towards the Swan after all. “Take me to that place that you said we might go.” “Justin, no.” Brian tried to convince him. Maybe Justin would be tempted to seduce him. Then the Swan would be replaced by much pleasanter prospects. “Please?” Justin placed his glass on a nearby table and headed towards him, pressing his body up against Brian’s unyielding frame and licking over Brian’s lips. It seemed seduction was in the cards but with a different aim in mind. “I want to touch you and have men envy what’s mine. I want you to kiss me and have them sighing with want and craving what you have. I want…” Brian put his hands on his slim shoulders and pushed him away from him, nostrils flaring and eyes darkening with desire. “There are better ways to manage and relieve yourself of any anger you may have.” “And I plan to indulge in them too.” Justin reached forward his palm rested in the centre of Brian’s chest and stayed still as if he were waiting for permission to make his next move. Brian didn’t react so Justin gave him a sly smile and a half shrug and began to undo the buttons of Brian’s waistcoat, one-handed. When Brian didn’t stop him his other arm rose and they both pushed jacket and waistcoat off his shoulders. He tugged up the linen shirt so that his fingers could stroke the skin of Brian’s waist as he circled round the object of his desire. When Justin again stood facing him, he lifted the material over Brian’s head. Brian let him. Justin undid the fastenings of Brian’s breeches with easy dexterity, pulling them until they were half way down his thighs before pushing him back onto the reclining chaise-longue. Stepping back Justin began to undress. Slowly taking off each item of clothing, taunting Brian with it making him want to reach out, to touch. He stayed still allowing Justin to command him, to lead. Naked, Justin crawled up the length of Brian’s body and straddled his waist. Leaning down he brushed Brian’s hair back from his face before ducking his head and taking Brian in an urgent kiss as if he would never have enough of the flavour of him. He sat back breathless, eyes dark with lust and lifted Brian’s hand to his own mouth. He pressed two of Brian’s fingers against his own lips but didn’t let them in, just licked softly over the tips, until Brian forced them into his mouth, patience going straight to Hell. Once they were good and wet Justin pulled his head back then, wrapping his own fingers round Brian’s wrist he pulled the hand down and behind him. He pulled his ass cheeks apart and then pressed Brian’s fingers against his hole. “Touch me! Penetrate me!” Justin gasped as Brian obeyed. Two of Brian’s fingers forcing through the tight ring of muscle that guarded Justin’s entrance to the hilt making Justin moan and his hands come up to clutch at Brian’s shoulders in support. He threw his head back and groaned before shifting his hips and reaching under himself to get hold of Brian’s cock to place it against his hole. He pushed down and Brian entered him, groaning, his free hand grabbed hold of Justin’s hip to stop him. Justin fought his grip but it was only momentary as Brian removed his fingers from inside that tight cavity to give his cock the room it needed to enter him. The second Brian’s hold loosened Justin forced himself down, both of them throwing their heads back in pleasure. “Tight Justin. So tight.” Brian groaned as he felt Justin take him in and his muscles clench around him. He tried to relax, tried not to begin thrusting before Justin gave him permission, he even tried to open his eyes but he was blinded by light and the beauty of his… Justin sitting atop him, pale and stretched up as his arms reached over his head to pull at his own blond hair leaving it messy and beautiful and making Brian want to reach up and touch. But then Justin began to move above him and he had to close his eyes again. He loved, God how he loved the feeling when Brian first broached into his body, the slight pain of it, which seemed to claim him every time. Brian looked stunning underneath him, so dark against the off-white material he had laid him out on. Brian laid down for him, open to him, letting him control and set the rhythm, letting him take. He took. Took hard and fast and deep. Felt Brian’s hard prick hammer into him, bruise his insides and when he felt himself tire Brian took back the reigns smoothly thrusting up, meeting him in the middle. Justin wanted to feel the man pour into him before he shattered. Had to, needed it, wanted to feel the essence of him spill into him, coat him on the inside. Brian felt Justin slow down. Could hear him panting, feel his hot sticky body tiring and immediately began to support him, meeting him thrust for thrust. He watched him through the slits of his eyelids as Justin swayed and rocked onto him, watched his mouth open in a soundless gasp, his tongue sweep over dried lips, his dark cock, darker still against the creamy skin of his abdomen, bob with every movement of his body. It glistened with the thick viscous cream that slowly spilled out of the very tip of his sex. Brian raised a hand and laid it flat on Justin’s chest, felt his frantic heartbeat, his chest rising and falling with every gasping breath he took. Watched as Justin placed his own hand over his and his eyes opened slightly to look down at him, into him. Justin seemed to slow his pace. Brian thought he saw him slow down as they stared at each other, though he did not feel it. The world stopped spinning and disappeared. He turned the hand, which had kept track of Justin’s heartbeat palm up and threaded his fingers through Justin’s, clutched them and pulled forward sharply. Justin fell onto his chest and Brian wrapped his arms round him. One hand stroking over and over down his spine, feeling strong muscle and hard bone and soft skin under the palm of his hand. His other, found itself buried in blond hair, pulling back and manoeuvring until their mouths met. It was vicious and desperate. Justin gripped at Brian’s shoulders as he rutted down onto Brian’s cock, their mouths locked together messy and uncaring, teeth and moans, tongues and thrusts in seemingly independent unity. Brian kept thrusting inside, his pelvis tilting up to meet Justin’s every plunge, his own cock wet with what Justin’s ass milked out of him, hard as rock and close to breaking forth, letting loose. Brian came first and Justin, feeling the sudden warmth and wetness paint his insides came immediately after. But it only slowed them down - their bodies slowly decreasing the speed and urgency of their movements but still shuddering and stimulating. Their mouths stayed together, kisses still hot and never-ending. Hands couldn’t stop stroking, wouldn’t stop touching. Justin settled first. Arms tightened round Brian’s neck and hips stopped moving, eyes opened slowly and carefully and lips became softer, teeth weren’t as brutal. They lay a long time joined in two places, Justin’s seed between them and content to remain that way for as long as they could. ------- Justin got dressed, glancing over his shoulder to look at Brian every once in a while and throw him a satisfied smile. Brian lounged back, languidly, watching Justin’s hazy form move around the small dark room and hoping that they’d managed to pleasure Justin’s dark mood out of him. But Justin seemed anxious, his movement not as fluid as usual, his eyes a little wild, a little lost as if he had just misplaced a part of himself and didn’t know what to do. “I… I want to go now. I’ll call for the carriage.” Justin hovered uncertainly by the door and Brian gestured for him to come towards him. He did and once he was within reach Brian pulled him down and kissed him. Justin kept their bodies from touching, tried to keep himself distant and Brian let him go and sighed. “It's not that simple. You, go upstairs and put on some old clothes, tight clothes,” Brian eyes glinted, “I shall go and organise our transport… after I get dressed that is.” Justin smiled, kissed him one more time quickly and turned and walked towards the door. “Justin,” Justin turned around to face him, his hand already resting on the door handle. “Wear those really tight, really pale tan ones.” Justin huffed and shook his head then smiled so brightly before leaving the room that it left Brian surprised - his heart beating a little ineptly as if for a moment it forgot it was something it was supposed to be doing - the beating, the pumping blood, as if for a second Brian hadn’t been depending on it to stay alive. He wondered why Justin had pulled away from him. Maybe Sebastian… but no… it couldn’t be, it wasn’t. Brian knew, knew with every fibre of his being that it wasn’t anything… else. It had been too… God it had been good. Good, deep in his gut good. In a place at the very centre of him that had come to life at the same time that Justin had first become… his. He shook his head and rubbed his palm over his face, tired and slightly anxious. Time to take his boy into another circle of Hell. He began to look for his clothes. ------ The carriage had dropped them both about a fifteen or twenty minute walk away from their destination. Even so Brian had been careful to use the worst carriage, it had no emblem, and made sure that his driver knew that they were not to be followed by anyone. It was cold and both men were grateful for their large overcoats. Brian took the opportunity to ask Justin about his father. “He taught you how to fence?” “The bare basics.” Justin replied, unwilling to give the man too much credit. “It was his idea of father/son bonding, to teach me how to hold a sword then use all of his adult skills to win, then scold me like the child of ten that I was for being weak and stupid and useless. I learnt everything from books and from my great-uncles’ old Swordmaster. Then when I was fifteen I stopped pretending to lose and I won every match we played. He was furious with me. For entirely different reasons.” Brian glanced at him and felt his heart go out to the fifteen-year-old who had done everything to please his father and had been set up to fail. But suddenly, Justin’s pain was not what he was concerned about. His nostrils flared and his eyes widened, he never missed a step but he did make an unexpectedly sharp turn immediately. Justin was silent for a moment studying his surroundings, curiously for the few strides they shared in that silence. “Justin?” Brian could barely be heard, “Are you wearing your pretty decoration at the moment?” Justin’s brow furrowed in confusion and he glanced up at Brian’s face. His eyes were dark and alert and Justin felt his heart rate drop he made a move towards his hip but Brian hissed. “Don’t touch it.” Justin calmed his stance and pretended to be as light-hearted as always. He began to speak again as if he’d never stopped. “So then… after my so-called father realised that he was a useless swordsman he almost stopped coming home all together.” He babbled, “My great-uncle was dead by then. I had already taken on the running of the estate… so it was no great loss on my part. Though sometimes I worry for my little sister, she’s only twelve and she hasn’t had a father for most of her life… well not a good one and then there’s my mother, she must get lonely. Though she is respected in the village, especially now that the new Lord, my cousin is so rarely at home. He likes wasting his time in town, going to balls, society dinners and such. Though one of his sons is rather nice - spends a lot of time riding the horses in the stables and organising hun…ts.” They were surrounded and Brian and Justin had swords in their hands faster than any of the seven men had expected. Brian raised an eye brow “He doesn’t stop talking, I know it's rather annoying but men shouldn’t kill each other over such a trifling thing.” Justin snorted The largest man in the group, spat to his side, his crude, old sword raised ready to attack. “You knew we was ‘ere?” “It wasn’t very difficult when big foot over theres’ footsteps echoed louder than a shotgun. Not to mention you in the red shirt, should know better than to stalk a man wearing colours brighter than his surroundings. Then there’s the lad behind me, he began sharpening his knives long before the meat was cooked to perfection.” “Well it don mat’r, theres two o yous an sevens of uz.” “Although if your grammar is anything to go by I still think those are still rather good odds.” Justin’s voice sounded, prettily. “This is much better than going out drinking. No harm comes to me and I get my aggression out anyways, though I won't get to touch you inappro…” “Justin!” Brian warned quickly and rolled his eyes. He couldn’t believe that Justin was acting so asinine. He sounded like he’d been touched by more whiskey than he could handle. But that was impossible, he’d sounded sober and intelligent not five minutes earlier. “Whoops!” It wasn’t a drunk voice that said those words though, Brian wondered. It was a voice with darkness and anger and had an underlying tone of excitement and menace. He sounded young and foolish, so immortal and Brian began to feel fear. The man who seemed to take the position of leader smirked scornfully. “Any of those fancy words you be wanting ter make your last?” “Actually now that you mention it I had been meaning to ask you something Justin.” He mentioned with false levity. “So who is Sebastian… to you?” he asked casually and Justin’s eyes widened and his sword raised as the men that surrounded them lost patience with their banter and attacked. Two held back whilst four headed straight for Brian, obviously assuming him to be the bigger threat. The youngest whelp headed for Justin, confidently grinning at his preconceived success. He wasn’t grinning for very long. Justin wounded him quickly and the two men that had held back were quick to come to support their mostly fallen comrade. The man was still standing but his fighting arm was out of commission and he stepped back rather useless. One of Brian’s attackers fell almost immediately to Brian’s sword. The other three became immediately wary and took much longer as Brian’s attention was constantly divided between the three men that surrounded him and the two that faced Justin. He should have known better than to allow himself to be so severely distracted but he had never been in this position before. He had lost men and friends who had all fought bravely at his side. He had been wounded, narrowly missed escaping death, saved men and been saved in turn… but never had he felt this fear for another. He had good reason to fear. For all of Justin’s bravado he would not make a killing blow. Twice one of the men he faced had given him his neck and for a swordsman like Justin it would have been easy to take that advantage but he would not. Brian could not believe that Justin was being so careful with the lives of these men who were trying so very hard to kill him. “Justin, if it’s them or you I'd rather it not be you, you fool.” Brian finally called out with barely contained anger, which he managed to take out on the red-shirted man who fell to his feet with a howl. “But…” Justin’s voice was hesitant “Do it. There is no ‘but’ in this world that would ever justify your being harmed. There are too many, so when they go down make sure they are down for the count so that they can not continue to try to kill you while they very, very slowly bleed to death.” Seeing Justin nod his head out of the corner of his eye Brian felt comfortable enough to turn his attention to the two men he now faced. Too soon, it seemed. Brian heard Justin cry out and quickly glanced towards him, distracted once again. He saw the fingers of Justin’s left hand curled around his bicep pressing against a wound, the right arm that held his blade hung limply by his side. The man who had wounded him had taken advantage of a momentary gap as Justin had taken his second man out and now stood in front of Justin and grinned in delight, smelling a victory. “Justin?” Brian suddenly had to duck as one of the two swordsmen he now faced swung his blade down towards his unguarded head. Brian ducked under. His throwing knife leaping into his hand as he stabbed upwards towards the man’s unprotected side. He held on to the knife pulling it out as he heard the man scream and fall away from him clutching his side. It had been scarce seconds since he’d looked away from Justin and seen him so vulnerable. As he stood up, his left arm already bending up to throw the knife at whomever threatened the boy, his whole body paused in mid-movement as he watched a sly grin spread across Justin’s angelic face and his blade switched suddenly from his weak right hand over to his left hand. His left hand rose steadily, unwavering. The man facing Justin sniggered in disbelief utterly unimpressed unbelieving that Justin could fight him with his left hand. Few swordsmen could so he attacked confident of his victory. He never stood a chance against Justin’s perfect studied grace. Such untutored skill was no match against Justin’s blade. Even though he was fighting left-handed his dexterity did not lessen in any way. They crossed blades, the crashing sound echoing in the gloomy night as Justin forced the man back. There was a brief moment of silence and Justin’s voice sounded loud and fearless though the dark street, “You shouldn’t have doubted me.” he said with near amusement. He cocked his head and his blade began a complex series of engagements. The man he faced stared at him in horrified fascination, the prospect of being killed suddenly more immediate. “En Garde,” Justin smiled, his eyes dark with killing lust and dancing with his own success. Realising this, the man shuffled back, his body low and crouched in defence as he watched Justin’s sword warily for the briefest flicker of movement. “You shouldn’t have counted your chickens before they were hatched. I'm ambidextrous.” He shrugged simply. “You’s is what?” the man asked nervously “I don’t think improving your vocabulary at this present time will make much difference to your life… what very little is left of it.” the man flickered over to where Brian was keeping his one and a half men occupied and obviously still getting the better of them. He turned and fled. Justin stood still and breathless for a moment staring down at his hands and looking in that unseeing sort of way at his surroundings. Then he turned suddenly towards Brian as if only just remembering that he could have been in danger. He relaxed when he realised that Brian wasn’t about to be beaten and went to lean against the wall of a building, untying his cravat one-handed to wipe the sweat off his face. “Do you need any help Brian?” he asked irrelevantly. “I have a feeling I can manage it, thank you.” Brian’s voice was calm and heavy with sarcasm. In the next momentary pause he spoke in the direction of his opponents, “Are either of you interested in making your escapes now? Neither one of you have a hope of living through this night if you choose to stay.” Brian uttered matter-of-factly. They took stock, their fallen comrades scattered at their feet, wounded and moaning. Only one stood without having been harmed, the second was gasping and barely standing. They dropped their weapons and started to walk back slowly. Brian didn’t take his eyes off the moving figures until they disappeared. Then he studied his surroundings, looking and listening before turning to Justin, grabbing his wrist and taking off quickly, to lose themselves in the dark alleys, which made up most of London. They walked for ten minutes, Justin utterly lost and bewildered, following silently as Brian threaded his way confidently through a maze, which Justin didn’t believe they’d ever break out of. When Brian stopped it was for no reason that Justin could understand. He couldn’t recognise his surroundings, couldn’t hear any noise but still Brian stopped still, hardly breathing for long seconds. Justin waited for him. Then when Brian suddenly turned towards him and pushed him into a short, dark, dead-end alley Justin’s heart jumped in surprise and it's’ increased as Brian pushed him against the dirty wall. “You are hurt. Let me see. Quickly, there is no one about.” Brian began to fiddle at his front, urgently undoing the buttons of his coat. “It's just a scratch Brian. We’ll have to clean it when we get home and I'll be fine.” Justin tried to calm him, good arm rising to brush over a shadowed jaw as if to memorise hard lines that he hadn’t touched for so many long minutes and missed. But Brian shrugged him off and forced his coat down his arms. His fingers travelled immediately to his right arm and felt their way towards the wet tear that would indicate the place where Justin’s skin was torn. “No, no. I don’t believe you. If it was just a scratch you would have been able to continue fighting with that arm. But you switched, you switched arms… so beautifully Justin, you looked beautiful.” He brought his mouth down on top of Justin’s and breathed him in desperately. Their lips pressed together, mouths open as tongues tangling desperately. Justin pressed his hips forward against Brian, in demonstration of his hardening sex. In reaction Brian pushed him back harder against the wall, one hand forcing its’ way down the front of Justin’s breeches, cupping his sex, making Justin moan. His fingers clenched round his length and Justin arched his head back as Brian bit Justin’s lower lip pulling it back as he opened his eyes and watched Justin from under his lashes. Justin gasped and curled his good arm round Brian’s neck pulling him back to him, needing the contact, the shared breath, to feel Brian’s heartbeat against his chest. “Brian, Brian… I need you, want you.” Justin moaned low as his eyes fluttered open and hips began to grind up against Brian’s grip. Brian held him tighter and… Justin hissed and jerked away from him as Brian’s other hand had closed round his arm unconsciously. Brian quickly pulled back and his hand out of Justin’s trousers, “I hurt you?” he asked rhetorically, a frown hidden in the dark. Justin tried pulling him back with the arm that he had round his neck, “No, no I just wasn’t expecting. I am well, Brian. Come to me.” “This is not the place.” Brian turned his face away and ducked his head closer to Justin’s wound. His fingers dipped in and came away wet with blood. He had no way of knowing how much blood Justin had lost, how deep or severe the injury was. He tugged Justin’s shirt out of his breeches and tore a few inches off of the bottom. Justin’s hands fell to his sides and he stayed silent as Brian tied the length of linen firmly around his arm in an attempt to stop the bleeding. “Let us go and find the carriage.” Brian brushed his lips over Justin’s, quickly wrapped his fingers round his wrist and started to pull him away. Justin held back, “But Brian, I'm still…” Brian studied his outline in the dark and smiled. He didn’t know whether Justin was resisting because he was hard and someone might see him, or because he was hard and was demanding his release. “When we get home, Justin.” Brian started walking and Justin followed. “But I need you so desperately.” Justin insisted as Brian re-orientated himself. “Justin… Shush.” Brian tightened his grip as a shiver went down his spine. They reached their carriage. It sat unmoving in a dark corner, its’ driver a vague, barely visible lump. The lamps had been covered and everything was dark. Brian pushed Justin inside then reached up and detached the lamp from its frame. He asked the driver for a light then handed it through the carriage door to Justin who held it while he climbed in. “High.” Brian commanded as the carriage began moving. Justin raised his good arm, the glow of light making Brian’s face shadowed as he knelt before him. Brian undid the bandage. “It's not so very deep. It is long but shallow” Brian pointed out and Justin rolled his eyes. “I told you so. Next time heed me. If you had we would be doing something much more interesting at the moment.” “The night is not yet over and your blood flows rather freely yet. How was I to know you have such delicate skin?” Justin looked down at Brian’s bowed head as he re-tied the material over his the slice in his bicep and smiled softly. “You’ve touched, stroked and sucked on nearly every inch of it… you should know.” Justin pointed out and Brian glanced up at him. Their eyes met and held. Without breaking the connection Justin set the lamp down and then placed both his palms on the sides of Brian’s face. Brian didn’t fight his firm hold as Justin stroked his fingers over every angle of his features. “Come.” Justin pulled him up and their mouths met once again. None of their earlier need seemed to have dissipated. Arriving home, they hurried up to bed. Jenkins wasn’t even there to greet them, having been expecting them back much later. Brian pushed Justin through the door and Justin started to undo the clasps of his clothing as he inched his way towards their bed. But Brian pulled him back and pushed him against the closed door. Justin grunted then lost his breath as Brian’s mouth covered his. Hands pulled at clothing. Brian lost his coat and waistcoat. His shirt, Justin pulled off over his head as their mouths parted for barely a second before joining again in frantic need. Brian knelt, pulled Justin’s boots off then yanked his breeches down over his slim hips. Justin’s cock jumped out of its confinement hard and dark, curving up towards his belly. Brian lowered his mouth over it, taking it into his throat as he tugged Justin’s breeches off from round his ankles. Justin’s hands threaded through his hair and tried to guide his movements but Brian pulled away and stood too quickly, Justin’s cock falling from the warm cavity of his mouth with an anxious moan. Brian pulled his own breeches half-way down his thighs. Justin watched through slitted eyelids and lent back against the bedroom door, listless and waiting. Brian moved forward and pressed his body up against Justin’s naked length. Justin wound his arms round his shoulders and held him tight as their mouths met again. Brian curved the palms of his hands under the high swell of Justin’s ass and jerked his thighs up. Justin fell back against the wall with a gasp, eyes flying open in shock and his arms tightening their grip round Brian’s neck. He moaned as he instinctively allowed Brian to manoeuvre his legs round his waist. Brian pressed him back against the door so that something would help him support Justin’s weight. Justin crossed his ankles at the small of Brian’s back. He felt the hard hot length of Brian’s cock against his crack and he constricted his legs, pulling Brian nearer. “Open yourself.” Brian muttered as he pulled his mouth away from Justin’s for a brief second before pressing back unwilling to let their mouths part for any longer. Justin quickly lowered one of his arms and pressed two of his fingers into their mouths, they sucked around them and then he rushed downwards, forced his hand between their hips, pressed so tightly against the one another. His fingers found his entrance and he forced two in all at once, gasping and his head flying back and hitting himself on the door. Brian mauled his neck, sucking and biting down and up its’ length as Justin moved his fingers apart to open himself to Brian’s cock. He could feel the heat of Brian under him and he pulled his fingers away and his arm rose to wrap round Brian’s neck again. “Now… Brian now. Please now.” He begged and Brian tilted his pelvis and Justin felt the wet head nudge up and in between his cheeks. He tried to relax but he felt tense with anticipation. Brian pushed forwards, mouth swallowing Justin’s cry as he forced his hard length in deep. “Oh God… it hurts so good.” Justin whimpered and Brian wrapped his hands firmly round Justin’s hips, pressing him against the door as he began to thrust. Slowly at first, allowing Justin to adjust and his cock to weep with pleasure, lubricating Justin’s hot, tight passage. Justin panted, open mouthed and helpless as his eyes fluttered feebly, the weight of his body seemed to lower him deeper onto Brian’s organ. He was inside of him, so profoundly buried in his depths he could feel him in his chest. He moaned with every thrust as Brian’s hips pivoted in to him nailing his insides against the wall that supported him. His back rubbed up against the wooden door, Brian’s teeth tore at his lips, his fingers bruised the flesh of his hips and his cock tore him open, inside out as pleasure and emotions spilled out of him in waves. Brian could feel Justin’s body start to shudder in his grip, his hands curled under Justin’s ass and pulled him in, closer, making Justin cry out. He was tiring already. He took a half step back and lent forward. Justin’s body lowered an inch and suddenly Brian was hammering into him, hips flashing forwards rapidly and as hard as he could and touching him in a place that made his body scream out in inconsolable pleasure. It was desperate mating, animal rutting as Justin felt Brian’s hard shaft bury itself over and over inside of him. His eyes rolled back into his head and his arms tightened reflexively so that he wouldn’t fall. He felt a burn deep in the pit of his body begin to vibrate through every nerve and organ. His skin hummed painfully as his balls rose, his cock stiffened and his ass clenched and then he came. Brian felt Justin’s muscles pulsing frenziedly over his sex, nails gouged into his back and Justin whimpered helplessly as the force of his orgasm was ripped out of him. Justin’s orgasm triggered Brian’s own. Brian kept thrusting in as Justin’s body tried to expel him, his muscles tightening in waves as Brian spent, his cock jerking and spurting his seed deep into Justin’s channel. Brian’s knees gave way and they both slid onto the floor. Brian knelt, still buried deep inside Justin, felt his own cum run out from inside his lover and over his balls. Justin rested on his thighs, arms and legs still wrapped tightly round him as they breathed together, panting heavily. As Justin’s grip relaxed, his head fell back against the door, eyes blinking open as his hand reached out for Brian. Brian lent forward and rested his forehead against Justin’s collar. Justin patted his shoulder absent-mindedly as he tried to recover. “We should get to bed.” Brian mentioned vaguely without moving an inch. “Hmmm.” Justin agreed with him and his legs tightened round Brian’s waist. He yawned sleepily and laid his head against Brian’s shoulder. When Brian began to feel his legs begin tingling from being bent for so long he finally sat up, “Come now.” As Brian pulled out of him, Justin gasped and his eyes watered, “My body does not like being parted from you.” he mentioned as if only just coming to that realisation. Brian stared down at him, a baffled smile veiled with affection as he held his hand out and helped Justin stand. “I’ll tuck you into bed, so that you can recover easier.” Brian nudged him towards the large four-poster. The bed was turned down, waiting and Brian pushed Justin in before removing his boots and the rest of his clothes then climbed over him and slipped under the covers. Justin immediately turned to face him, shifting his body close and throwing his leg over Brian’s thighs. His head rested on Brian’s right breast and his right arm curved over his chest and buried its fingers in his thick hair. Justin slept almost instantly but Brian stayed awake. Staring down at his blond blanket and stroking down his back. Soft skin and willing body, Brian thought. The arm across his chest, pale and perfect but for a dark bloody gash that carved up the length of his bicep. ---- Justin felt himself waken and he moved his hand in search of Brian’s warm, hard body. It comforted him through his nights and made sleeping a dark pleasure, which he kept to himself. But he found nothing. The sheets were cool and empty he sat up and began to look for shadows. He found him, naked and once again leaning against the window and looking out into dark, empty streets as if there, he would find the answers to all the mysteries he sought to solve, “Come to bed Brian.” He spoke softly, beseechingly. It took some time for Brian to acknowledge him. “You were right, you know?” he never moved from his position. “Was I? That doesn’t surprise me as much as it seems to surprise you.” Justin soothed, amused. “You were right. It was foolish of me to ask you to give yourself to me, unknowing of the risks you were taking.” “You told me the risks Brian. I know what will happen if anyone finds out about us.” Justin replied slightly puzzled. “No, not that. The risk of being with me, me. I should never have put you in such danger. Never!” He ran his hand through his hair, frustrated and continued almost as if he were alone, “So selfish of me to have you with me, want you with me. I should have made sure you knew… I should have protected you from it, from them, from…” “You, Brian? Protected me from you?” Justin sat up and curled his legs under him, deciding to get comfortable for Brian’s guilt letting. “Yes!” Brian replied his voice scarcely a hushed whisper. Justin’s shoulders straightened and he willed Brian to turn around and face him… which he did not so he tried to provoke him, “You are a fool Brian. Utterly brainless, if you can even allow yourself to consider that I would ever have let you go, once I had you.” “No one has me Justin. I give myself to no-one.” That wasn’t the reply he had expected. He had not thought that Brian would easily allow anyone to call him a fool. He started to get off the bed and spoke fervently as he did so, as he tentatively approached him, “I… I have you, Brian.” Justin stated emphatically, “I know it. I do, with every grain that makes me who I am, I know.” “You can not know.” “But I do.” “How?” Brian turned to him then. Questions troubling his gaze, “I don’t know, so how can you?” “Because.” Brian smiled wearily, remembering when he had replied in just this way a scarce few months ago. “That is not an answer.” “I was sure I just used it as one.” Justin smiled back with the same memory at the forefront of his mind. Brian turned away from him again but made no move to leave him. Justin reached out and his hand hovered just within reach of Brian’s long, dark, beautiful back. His fingers pressed into the skin, making small dents until his palm followed, warm pressure, reassurance and Brian’s head fell back as he sighed and leaned in to the touch. Justin stepped closer and pressed his own naked body to Brian’s. He pressed his lips against the strong shoulder and rested his head against him, letting him absorb some of the warmth he had brought with him from their bed. “Tell me.” he insisted softly He felt Brian shrug, muscles rippling at the simple gesture. “Why? You already know.” “I am all-knowing, you are right. But tell me anyway.” Justin replied, teasing and trying to ease at the same time. There were long moments when Justin did not know if Brian would heed him or not. He sighed with Brian’s first words and listened silently. “I work for the government. An inherited position, one I was trained for since… since I was chosen, retrieved out of the Irish slums that were otherwise known as home. Picked out from all my brothers because I was pretty, and defiant. A distant cousin came for me, Robert. He needed an heir so he adopted me and brought me to England where I was educated and groomed for the position I now hold.” Brian began his voice level and distant as if he were a school boy, reciting memorised poetry. “Do you know that the country I risk my life for everyday, trying to defend her, keep her safe, keep her strong… she would have me killed in mere seconds for who I am, for who I… I am with,” bitter amusement hardly a catch in his tone. “The country I fight against, the man, Napoleon… he made sure when he passed his laws… sodomy isn’t illegal in his empire. In their law courts it matters not who you fuck, male or female, as long as they are consenting adults, there is no crime.” “Brian.” Justin tried to appease “I'd be safer living in my enemies’ backyard than I am in my own.” “Then we can go. Ask me to go and I will.” Justin tried to give him everything he was but Brian was oblivious, lost in his memories. “Ahh… there is a slight problem with that suggestion. Though the French would not have me killed for sharing my bed with you… they would kill me all the faster since I am the one to blame for their last defeat, partially culpable for the one before that and most definitely responsible for evicting every French spy from British soil since. There were more of them than you would think, still are.” Brian mentioned absently, “No, the French would not have us. The French hate me. The Irish… well if they knew they wouldn’t like me any better. Then there’s the English who could never bring themselves to trust an Irishman.” Brian huffed at the irony of it, “It doesn’t really bother me. I've never trusted any of them in turn. Never trusted anyone.” Justin’s hand froze in his mindless petting and he shut his eyes for a moment before continuing as if nothing had made his heart ache. “They are hunting me now. Revenge for all that French blood, which would have never been shed if they hadn’t set their overly ambitious sights across the Channel. They pray for one last victory to bring an end to their defeat.” Justin’s grip tightened nervously at those words, “…and the life of the British spymaster would be a victory indeed.” “But a great loss, Brian. An enormous loss to many others.” Justin tried to make Brian understand. “To whom? The war is almost over.” Brian replied, Justin’s hard grip bringing him back to the here and now. “No! No, Brian… to me, for your son it would be a loss that would… would break us.” Justin turned Brian away from the window, from reflected memories to face him, his now, his to be. “You would survive.” Brian said lightly, trying to alleviate the sudden dark mood that had crept upon them. “I'd survive broken.” Justin’s voice echoed with husky horror and bleak fear, his eyes wide and vacant. Brian looked at him and realised that Justin was slightly lost to him. He raised his arms and circled round Justin’s frame. “Hey? Look at me.” Justin jerked back and raised his face up and his lips parted, begging desperately without words. Brian bowed his lips and took from them. Their mouths opened in easy comfort. Each taking from the other what they needed - comfort, solace, veracity and dependency. They tried to feed a craving that would not be slaked but instead made that craving more desperate, immediate and frantic as they both walked back, stumbling towards their bed. Brian pushed Justin back and Justin fell into indulgent comfort. He stared at him while Justin lay still and waiting. “You are so perfect.” Brian’s brow furrowed in hushed, confused wonder. Justin studied him with a soft, bemused smile on his face, “Well, you are not. You are hopelessly flawed, and very, very wicked. But I… I like you just as you are.” “Do you now?” “Hmmm! Not perfect but… mine!” Justin nodded satisfied. “Yours?” Brian asked stupidly slightly taken aback “Of course.” Justin replied as if it had never occurred to him to question it. Brian changed the subject. “You should only ever be seen naked and bathed in moonlight, in my bed. Tá tú go h-álainn (you are beautiful)” Brian’s fingers fluttered over ever-changing moonlight shadows and Justin smiled and raised his arms, laying them behind his head, giving his body in offering. Brian shook his head in an attempt to deny the gift but already his body had accepted it. His sex stiffening and begging, cautious, fluttering fingertips flattening and taking palm-fulls of skin, “Tá mo chroí istigh ionat, a ghrá geal, a amhain (My heart is within you, my bright love, my only)” He bent and lips joined his gentle exploration of Justin’s body. They would not be sleeping long this night.