Lois, thank you for the beta...you are the greatest!
Chapter 15 – There’s More A Few Moments Later…(Day 18) Brian’s thoughts were interrupted as Justin whispered, “Gus fell asleep.” “Well, I would say that he’s had quite a day…quite a week in fact,” Brian responded with a quiet laugh. “I guess I should carry him up to bed.” “I’ll give you a hand,” Justin offered. “That isn’t necessary. I want you to stay down here until I come back.” “Brian?” “Humor me, Sunshine?” Gus grumbled a bit as he was lifted into Brian’s strong arms, but he quickly wrapped his arms about Brian’s neck and nestled into Brian’s chest. Brian easily carried Gus to his bedroom and placed him in his bed. Brian covered him up and turned on the night-light. As he was about to leave the room, Brian noticed the monitor and smiled. Once again Justin had thought of everything. The monitor was so that they could hear if Gus called out or got scared. Since the house was so much larger than the loft, Justin wanted to be sure Gus would be ok if he needed them during the night. Brian made sure the monitor was on. Brian then walked into their bedroom and saw the corresponding unit. He made the checks to insure that everything was working properly. *** Brian set about preparing something that he had been thinking about for some time. He had thought about this whenever he would make occasional trips to the house. This is something he definitely wanted to do. Meanwhile in the media room, Justin noticed that Brian had been gone for a long time. He wondered what was going on, but he obeyed Brian’s instructions and waited downstairs for his to return. Justin decided to use the time to tidy things up and return the DVD to its location on one of the shelves. He returned the dishes to the kitchen and settled back in the media room to once again wait. *** “I have something for you,” Brian said to Justin with a sheepish grin, upon his return to the media room. “What is it?” Justin asked suspiciously. “After the stunts you’ve pulled over the last couple of days, you expect me to just tell you. It’s not going to be that easy, Sunshine. It’s payback time,” Brian said, sliding the blindfold over Justin’s eyes. “Brian?” “Yes Sunshine?” “I can’t see.” “That IS the general idea of a blindfold.” “Brian?” “Now, I need you to stand up and come along with me,” Brian said, gently nudging Justin to a standing position and gently tugging him along. “Where to?” “You ask too many questions. Just do it!” Brian said sternly, and then he started to laugh. Brian led Justin to the steps leading to the upper level. Then sliding his arm around Justin’s waist, Brian gently nudged Justin up the stairs. Upon reaching the upper level, Brian maneuvered Justin into the master bedroom and closed the door. Brian turned on the fireplace and turned off all the other lights. The light from the fireplace gave the large room a yellow glow. Brian kissed Justin passionately and removed his blindfold. When the kiss was broken, Brian gently pushed Justin on the bed. “So you’re going to ravish me by the light of the fireplace. I can get used to that,” Justin commented. “Maybe later,” Brian teased. “But for right now you’re wearing too many clothes.” “And why is that?” Justin asked with a slight laugh. Brian walked Justin over to the door leading to their bath area. At the door, Brian stopped and said, “Join me?” “Brian, I can’t believe you did this.” Two piles of clothes suddenly were dropped at the doorway, as Brian and Justin headed for the two-person hot tub, which was already filled with water. Rows of lit candles had been strategically placed throughout the bathroom for a special effect. “Shall we?” Brian said, stepping into the hot tub and extending a hand to Justin. They both lowered themselves into the churning, steamy water without once breaking contact, and each groaned with pleasure as they spooned together enjoying the feel of the other’s skin. “I love this,” Justin said, still trying to recover from the surprise. “I’m glad. You and I have pretty much lived in the shower since Gus arrived. I thought it was time for something a little more…” “Romantic?” Justin asked. “I wouldn’t go that far. Let’s just say, I knew that you would look beautiful in candlelight,” Brian corrected. Justin smiled his trademark smile and leaned up to give Brian a kiss. Brian pulled him close and deepened the kiss, allowing it once again to turn passionate. “I still can’t believe you did this,” Justin said again, when they finally broke apart. “I just wanted to spend some time with you before I lose you to your studio. This week has been so hectic, and you’ve been doing special things for Gus and me. I wanted to do THIS for you.” They lingered together in silence for a moment just enjoying the water, the candlelight and being together. And, for a moment neither of them said anything. Then Justin asked quietly, “So what’s on your mind?” “Why are you so suspicious?” Brian asked. “Brian.” “You know, I finally read my letter.” “Oh….” “I loved the legend of the talisman of time.” Brian said, leaning down to kiss Justin. “You did?” “And the painting with all its symbolism…” “I didn’t mean for all the symbolism to be there.” “The time on the watch, the placement of the rings, the lovers embrace, the slide of the jacket…it’s all there.” “You figured all that out?” “The painting and the letter, I guess, said it all.” “Oh good! With every other painting that’s been received, you’ve asked me to tell you the back-story. You’ve asked me to tell you what I was thinking. You’ve asked me to tell you what it all meant. At least we don’t have to go through that exercise this time,” Justin said with a smirk. “Thank goodness!” “So I guess that means I have to table my questions about what you were REALLY thinking when you did the painting. Huh?” Brian teased. “I think that should be obvious.” “The painting is so personal. I can understand why you didn’t want to sell it.” “Your painting…was never intended to be sold,” Justin explained, shaking his head. “I was willing to show it because of the technique I was experimenting with. I really liked the painting. If you didn’t like the painting, I would have simply destroyed it or maybe reused the canvas.” “What!” “But, the reaction of everyone at the show indicated that the technique was worth pursuing. So I got to experiment with the technique even further as I did more paintings. Your painting was originally just an experiment in technique…or so I thought. But my thoughts and feelings are always worked out on canvas. You’ve always been able to see through everything.” “The painting told me everything I needed to know. What made you include the letter too?” “I wanted to be sure you understood what I was trying to tell you. I wanted there to be no room for any misunderstandings between us.” “So you pushed me off the fucking cliff?” Brian asked with a laugh. “How could you do that, Sunshine?” “I learned from the best!” Justin retorted with a laugh. “I hope you know how much I’ve missed you. My life is so boring when you’re not around. Just look at how much upheaval you’ve created so far.” Brian teased. “Ok, I know that with you around I’ll never have another peaceful moment. I can accept that. But, ever since I saw the painting, I keep thinking we could have done things differently.” “Maybe we could have. Maybe we could have done things differently. Maybe we still can. But, that isn’t what’s important right now. I just want to be close enough …” “To turn my world upside down?” “That wasn’t what I was going to say!” “Just trying to help you out here. What were you going to say?” “Don’t help! Ok…I thought you hate it when couples finish each other’s sentences?” “I’ve changed my mind,” Brian said as if this fact should have now been obvious. “Go on, you were making a point.” “I learned so much being in New York. I’ve met artists and made contacts that I wouldn’t have made if I had simply stayed here. And I know, we have made our relationship stronger. We know that we’re together as partners even if we are in two different cities. So maybe it was right for me to go. But now, it’s time for us to be together. It’s time for me to come home.” “So what are you planning?” “I haven’t worked that out yet. You know details take some time. I just wanted to plant the idea. I won’t do anything without talking to you about it first…you know that.” “Justin, that’s just it. You don’t talk to me about anything. I have to discover everything,” Brian carefully pointed out. “How can you say that?” Justin responded with mock surprise. “Melanie’s painting. Michael’s painting. My painting. Need I go on?” “So you’re going to let a few little random incidents be considered a pattern?” “Justin, when were you planning to mention to me that one of the websites you created was nominated for a Bronze Quill award?” “Fuck!” “Ah yes! This would be the usual ‘fuck’ that you exclaim every time I discover something else you neglected to mention.” “Fuck!” “So when were you planning to tell me about your nomination?” There was a long silence. Brian continued, “I gather by your silence you weren’t planning to mention that either.” “Brian, it was only a first round nomination. There were like a zillion other people nominated. I was waiting to see what would happen. How did you find out?” “You’re right, there hasn’t been a lot of mention about the nominees, but their websites have been featured in the trade publications. When I was looking at YOUR website, I recognized that one of the websites you created was a nominee. It was child’s play from there.” “I’m sorry. I just didn’t think there was anything to mention.” “So what, you WERE going to ask me to escort you the awards ceremony? Was that about the time you were planning to tell me, your loving partner, about your nomination? Huh, Sunshine?” Brian teased. “Or maybe you were just planning on winning the award, placing it on our mantel over the fireplace, and letting me find it accidentally one day? I just don’t want you keep things from me.” “I never intended to. It’s just that so much has been happening…I just didn’t get around to telling you. Then, I also thought you might be a bit upset.” “Why would I be upset?” “Because I wasn’t painting. It wasn’t the solo exhibit. The award was for doing graphic design. That wasn’t what I was supposed to do in New York. I thought you would be disappointed somehow. So I was trying to find a way to tell you.” “Justin, the nomination was a acknowledgement of your talent and innovation and creativity. You liked what you were doing, and it showed. You have achieved so much being in New York. I’m really proud of you. But Justin, I support you doing whatever you want to do with your art.” “I tried to explain that to Lindsay today at lunch. She doesn’t understand it yet. I went to New York to kick my career up a notch, just as everyone thought that I should. I did that. I’ve opened up new vistas for myself by being there. But now, I only need to fly into the city from time to time so that everyone remembers my name. I still need to go there and everything, but with an agent, I just don’t have to live there. No longer is there anything that I can do in New York that I can’t do from here. But most of all, I want us to be together.” “All I want is for you to be satisfied with your achievements in New York before you come back here. Only you will know when you’ve reached that point. I want us to be together too. But we’re ok, and I’m not going anywhere.” Justin leaned back and kissed Brian. “So how do you like our hot tub?” Brian asked. “Well, we seem to have enough hot water here.” “Yes, but your skin is starting to wrinkle. I think we should move this discussion to the bedroom.” “I like the moving to the bedroom part, but I wasn’t planning on continuing the discussion there,” Justin said softly, leaning back to kiss Brian gently. “Oh, I see! You had something else in mind?” Brian asked, tightening his arms around Justin. “Most definitely.” Justin confirmed quietly. “Well, that could probably be arranged,” Brian quickly agreed. “But we’re going to have to continue this talk, at some point, you know?” “I know.” “We’ll make it soon?” “Promise,” Justin agreed. They helped each other from the hot tub and wrapped each other in the oversized towels, which were warm from the heated towel racks. “This house is full of surprises, isn’t it?” Brian mentioned, sinking into the warmth of the towel. “You have no idea.” Justin said, pulling Brian fully into the bedroom. They collapsed with a laugh onto the bed. Completely relaxed from their time in the hot tub, they looked into each other’s eyes. As Brian and Justin saw their love and trust for the other, their lips met in the gentlest of kisses. And, by the light of the fireplace, Brian and Justin made love for the first time in their bedroom at Bri-tin.