Blond Enigma – Outtake 2 – Note: A bit of fun - Just a little peak into the lives of the boys in this AU – For Jaye Marie to keep her occupied for a minute or two (grin) ___________________________________________________________________________________________ Justin sat across Brian’s lap facing him. His legs were on either side effectively trapping him in the chaise lounge. Brian reached up and put his hand behind the blond’s head, his fingers cupping Justin’s head as he pulled his lips closer for a deep kiss that had them both gasping for air as their bodies demanded release. It had been a long hot afternoon filled with leisurely swimming and passion filled moments. Brian pulled Justin back to admire his lover’s porcelain skin that was now sun kissed all over thanks to hours on the beach and a generous SPF factor in the imported French sunscreen that Brian had coated him with frequently. He admired the gold chain that traveled between the sapphire navel piercing to the matching gold ring in Justin’s nipple. Brian tugged gently on the chain, loving the way it rippled and savoring the sensation of the matching waist chain that he’d given his blond beauty on their first night on this island paradise. There was something sensual and arousing as the gold he covered Justin in, on his wrist, in his ear lobes, his ankle, glinted in the tropical sun. “Fuck I love to look at you Sunshine.” Brian’s voice was husky with lust and once again he began to taste the smooth sun warmed skin of his lover, allowing the heady musky fragrance of clean sweat to fill his senses. They only had two days of heaven before the reality of a Pittsburgh fall would return and Justin would have to put his gold chains away until the next time they could escape to Fantasy Island. Later, as the two lay satiated in each other’s arms Brian wondered,. “Do you think Mikey took it ok when Ben told him about Fang and Thor?” “No” Justin grinned; it would have been cool to hear the argument though. “I can’t understand why I wasn’t able to get in touch with him; he usually has his cell phone turned on.” Brian let his fingers comb through Justin’s long blond hair releasing the fragrance of jasmine from the shampoo they’d used earlier. “Maybe he forgot it was turned off” Justin volunteered. ‘or maybe I accidentally turned it off when I was in the comic book store yesterday’ he thought “I’m sure Ben was able to calm him down.” Justin volunteered. “I can’t help it if Fang has fallen in love with Michael ever since he slept on his chest that night. Maybe Fang is hoping some of that chest fur will rub off on him or something.” “It is kind of funny to see Fang leap up onto Mikey’s shoulder every chance he gets.” Brian admitted. “Yeah, if Michael would stay still instead of jumping around, Fang’s claws wouldn’t rake him so bad.” Justin gave a small laugh. “It’s actually a trait of the Sphinx cat. They are very affectionate and do have a tendency to focus on one person. “We should call later.” Brian began only to have his words lost in the depths of Justin’s kiss. In seconds all thought of Michael, Ben, Hunter and the kitties had fled Brian’s mind as he gave himself up to the seduction of his young partner and lover. ___________________________________________________________________________________________ “Why can’t we just stay at Justin’s house?” Hunter asked. “They can destroy his place instead of ours.” Hunter sat on the sofa, a pillow over his head protecting him from the two cats that were in the middle of the twice-daily bout of ‘cat crazies’ and were chasing each other over, under and through the rather full apartment. “Better yet ask Ben why the damn things are even here. I mean they eat dry food. A bowl of food, the toilet seat up so they have water, two litter boxes and they’d be set for the weekend.” Michael was trying to be reasonable. “I think it’s kind of cute the way the one with the dental problem always wants to sit on your chest.” Ben smiled and pulled Michael to him, kissing his cheek, his nose and then his mouth. “Impressionable young teen here.” Hunter said and he tried once again to find something to watch on television. “Impressionable my ass.” Michael began. “As if – “No kissing allowed - that’s the hustler rule.” Hunter said without looking at Michael and Ben. It was an old argument and one that all three really didn’t have the heart for once again. Michael got up off of Ben’s knee and bent over the back of the sofa. He turned Hunter’s face to his and kissed him soundly. “No hustler lives here – we love you kid – so kissing’s allowed.” He watched Hunter brush the kiss away, but not before he saw the shy smile that flitted across the teen’s face. “Fuck” he yelled out loud as the two cats raced up the back of the sofa using Michael’s back as a spring board to launch themselves at the dining room table where they skidded across, the traction in Ben’s papers being not the best – falling in an ungraceful heap, papers and all onto the floor. Where they proceeded to wash the base of their tails in a typical cat response to an embarrassing situation. “Okay, that’s it.” Michael said as he stood up and gathered up both cats in his arms. “You guys are grounded.” He shoved them unceremoniously into his bedroom. “Uh, Michael, Gus is in there napping.” Ben reminded him. On top of cat sitting, Melanie had dropped Gus off for the afternoon. The child had come down with a headache – probably from the sun – they had been out shopping on Liberty – Melanie and Lindsay both had hair appointments and since Michael and Ben were home, they’d asked if Gus could have a bit of quiet time after he’d taken some children’s Tylenol for his headache. “They won’t bother him. A nice warm body – hell nothing those two like better than having a cat nap snuggled up to somebody.” Michael sat back on Ben’s knee. “I like it too.” “Well, help me pick up these papers and if you’re a good boy we can have a nap after Gus leaves.” Ben laughed at the look of horror on Hunter’s face. Michael catching the look couldn’t help but laugh as well. ___________________________________________________________________________________________ “The Food Stealer didn’t have to throw us in here.” Complained Thor to his brother. “Stop calling him that. I like him, he’s soft.” Muttered Fang as he jumped up on the bed. “Oh, the littlest one is in here and he’s sleeping.” Thor jumped up beside his brother and looked at Gus, who was sleeping peacefully. “He looks dirty; I think we should bathe him.” Thor walked over to Gus and sat by his head, a rough pink tongue began to groom Gus’ eyebrows, occasionally making that spitting sound as he brought more saliva forth to groom the errant brows further. Fang joined him and soon they were happily grooming Gus, moving on to his hair. Gus woke up, brushing his fists against his eyes. He was a little light headed yet, but the pain had disappeared. He smiled at the two pairs of blue eyes that sat on either side of his head. “Hi kitties.” He sat up. “Do you want to play?” “Sure kid” Thor said though it sounded more like ‘purrrrtpurtmeow’ to Gus. Thor jumped onto the window ledge to look outside on the long balcony that was part of the fire escape system. “Hey Fang, come and see this – stairs that go up to the sky.” “We aren’t allowed to go outside. Our fathers aren’t here to put the smelly stuff on us.” He hated the sunscreen Justin or Brian would put on him and Thor whenever they went outside. “You stay inside, I’m exploring, a cat has to do, what a cat is meant to do.” Thor slipped through the window opening and proceeded to walk carefully up the stairs. He was frightened now, but he wouldn’t tell his brother. These stairs were scary, they had holes in them that could break a cat’s leg and it was a long way to the ground. He let out a sad meow involuntarily and Fang rushed to the window in time to see his brother disappear inside the open window of the apartment above them. “Oh for heaven sakes” muttered Fang. “I can’t believe he would risk one of his lives just to be outside.” He jumped through the window and quickly moved up the stairs after his brother. “Kitties, come back here.” Gus called. He stuck his head out the window at the same time as Fang jumped up on the apartment window ledge following his brother on the next floor. “Kitties, daddy will be mad at you. I’m going to tell.” He looked around the strange room. He barely remembered his mom bringing him here to stay with Uncle Mikey. Mikey was mad at the kitties, so he didn’t want to tell him what they were doing. Gus sighed heavily. He didn’t know what to do, but he didn’t want the kitties to get yelled at either. Maybe if he went up the funny stairs and through the other window, he could make them come home with him. Gus climbed through the window and fell to the floor of the fire escape balcony; he wasn’t as agile as two Sphinx cats. He scrambled to his feet, the holes in the metal floor made him feel funny when he looked down and his head was starting to ache again. He wanted his mommies and he wanted his daddy and Jus. Gus heard a crash that seemed to come from above him. The kitties, they were in trouble. Without a thought he scrambled up the fire escape steps until he was on the next level. He poked his head inside the window and whispered as loud as he could. “Kitties, kitties, come home with Gus.” When his eyes became used to the gloom of the closed up apartment, Gus could see the two cats sitting on top of a very large fish tank. Fang had one foot in, trying to hook a pretty blue fish. Thor’s tail dangled in the water on the other side and a dozen tiny gold fish were nibbling on it causing the slightly strange cat to purr loudly. He loved the feel of fish lips on his tail. “Hey Fang, do you think our human will get us one of these?” Thor asked his eyes mere slits of pleasure. “We could ask him when we get taken shopping again.” Fang said as his open claws tore a tiny piece off the high filmy fin that graced the back of the blue fish and the fish turned back pissed. “Fuck off cat” the fish bubbled and he fled inside his pile of rocks in a flurry of debris that washed up from the bottom of the tank. The sudden movement of the large blue fish startled both cats. Fang fell backwards off the fish tank knocking a vase full of flowers to the floor. Fang ran as fast as he could for the window not even touching the edge as he sailed through heading back to Michael’s apartment. Thor fell backwards into the fish tank in a splash of water and a high-pitched scream of misery. He managed to hook his front paws onto the lip of the fish tank, his back feet scrambling for a purchase. Gus looked on horrified; he threw himself in through the narrow opening of the window his foot accidentally dislodging the stick that held the window open just as Fang cleared the window. Fang was propelled down the terrifying stairs and back into Michael’s bedroom where he burrowed in between the blankets to wait for his brother to join him. Unfortunately the heavy thud he’d heard overhead was the window upstairs slamming shut, the swing lock engaging with the force of the window slamming shut. Gus looked at the window and back at Thor who was imploring him to help, his rear feet still scrambling for a purchase on the glass tank. He didn’t want a stupid fish tank in his house ever. Resigned, Gus went over to where Thor was. He pushed a chair over and climbed up, luckily he was tall for his age, because even with his height he had a hard time helping the soggy cat out of the fish tank. “Stupid cat” muttered the fish to each other as they swam up to the glass wall to watch what was happening. Thor snuggled as close as he could to Gus shivering badly. “Oh kitty, you need to get dry, you’re all shivery.” Gus climbed down from the chair, Thor clutched in his arms. He knew he couldn’t get the window open, so instead he did the next best thing; he went looking for a towel to dry Thor. ___________________________________________________________________________________________ Michael, Ben and Hunter were watching the last of the movie when the door buzzer rang announcing Melanie and Lindsays return. “You get the door Michael, I’ll wake up Gus.” Ben volunteered. The two men got up from the sofa each heading in different directions. “Hi Mel, Linds, Ben is waking Gus up.” Michael said as he opened the door to his friends. “Michael” Ben’s voice was panicked. “Come here, now.” Michael looked at the girls. “I put Justin’s cats in with Gus, they probably made a mess. I’ll be right back, make yourself at home.” He tried to sound upbeat, but Ben had sounded freaked and he wanted to find out why. “Michael, where is Gus?” Ben hissed at him as soon as the bedroom door closed. “In bed” Michael said. He pulled back the duvet only to reveal a cowering Fang who seeing his favorite human immediately jumped up on Michael’s shoulder holding on for dear life when Michael tried to throw him off. “Get this fucking cat off of me, I’m bleeding again.” Michael tried to keep his voice low, but the pain of new scratches on top of old ones – was pretty bad. “Where the fuck is Gus and where is the other cat?” Ben opened up the closet doors, he looked under the bed. It was a small room. There wasn’t any place to hide. A breeze from the open window made him look over. “Michael, was the window open when you left Gus and the cats in here?” Ben asked as he looked out onto the fire escape. “It’s been open for days, you know that.” Comprehension dawned on Michael. “Brian is going to kill me. I’ve lost his kid and one of Justin’s damn cats.” As he spoke the words, the bedroom door opened and Melanie and Lindsay stood there glaring at him. “Where’s Gus?” Melanie asked, her voice deadly calm. “Ladies, there seems to be a bit of a problem here.” Ben began in his quiet understated way. “Gus and Thor aren’t here.” He watched as Fang slunk out of the room, his belly low to the ground. As soon as the cat cleared the room, he straightened up and made a bee line for Hunter. Hunter recognizing a fugitive when he saw one, opened his jacket and let Fang hide himself inside. “What happened you ugly cat?” Hunter asked with affection in his voice. “I wanted to go outside, and I did and I found water and a blue thing to play with in the water and it was fun then there was a scary thing and I fell down and brother is all wet and I came back to the soft man’s bed and got warm and there was a loud bang” Fang’s voice trailed off as two warm arms hugged him close. “Wow that sure is a big story cat.” Hunter said, impressed as hell, he’d never heard a cat with as big a vocal range as this one had; it was almost like he was trying to talk. “Why don’t we go into my room until things calm down? I have a feeling that there could be screaming in here any moment.” He picked the quivering cat up and walked him into his room. He found an old tee shirt and wrapped it around the cat, swaddling him like a baby. Together they lay on Hunter’s bed and did what cats and teenage boys do naturally when faced with an unpleasant situation. They both slept. ___________________________________________________________________________________________ “Kitty, I’m hungry.” Gus still held Thor close to his body, somehow, holding the cat made him feel safer. “The window is stuck and I can’t open the door because there are big locks on it.” Gus, along with Thor had toured the apartment. He looked at the phone that sat on a table beside the sofa. “I could call 911, but mommy says that is for emergencies only. I’m not hurt and you aren’t hurt, we’re just stuck in a stuffy old ‘partment.” He looked at Thor. “Is that a ‘mergency kitty?” he asked. “It sure as fuck is kid.” Thor said, but Gus only heard a series of purrrt’s. “I guess not.” Gus sighed. “I can phone my mommies.” Gus was proud of himself, he’d learned his phone number before he was three, but he’d never had to use it before. He set the cat down on the sofa and took the phone onto his lap, carefully he punched in his phone number then listened to it ring – and ring – and ring. Lindsay had unplugged the answering machine when she’d been vacuuming earlier and had forgotten to plug it in again. Only that week, the two women had been discussing getting call display, but they hadn’t gotten around to it yet. “Mommy and momma are still getting their hair fixed.” Gus decided. He sighed, “Kitty, I’m hungry, do you think this ‘partment has cookies?” “I’ll take that blue fucker, gobble him right down kid, scoop him out and throw him my way.” Thor glared at the blue fish that glared back at him, its beautiful top fin now in two shreds. “Okay, kitty, I’ll look in the fridge.” Gus opened the heavy fridge door only to have disappointment stare at him as he saw a piece of cheese covered in green fur, an apple, so wizened and brown it was hardly recognizable and two bottles of water. On the door of the refrigerator were a few tiny brown bottles that Gus recognized as drugs. His daddy had told him never to touch drugs, so reluctantly he closed the door. He sank to the floor, a puddle of misery (AS)two fat tears ran down both cheeks. Thor reached out his pink tongue and licked first one and then the other. “Hmmmm salty.” He said with a purr. Gus giggled, slightly cheered up. He patted his lap for Thor to jump on and when he did he felt the wallet his daddy and Jus had given him. It was his very first wallet and had a picture of Mickey Mouse on it. Inside was the best thing of all. His daddy had given him a card with his telephone number on it. Gus scooted over to the telephone, his back pressed against the sofa; he pulled the telephone down on his lap. Seated where he was, he couldn’t be seen from the window when a frantic Melanie and Lindsay scaled the fire escape to the roof top looking for him. ___________________________________________________________________________________________ Brian hung up his phone. Cynthia had called with a minor crises that he’d had to fix. “Now where were we?” he asked and he tugged playfully at the gold chain around Justin’s waist. “Too bad I couldn’t keep you like this back in Pittsburgh” he laughed. “I’d love to keep you naked and in chains of gold, ready to service me at a moments notice.” “Turn off your damn phone first and then maybe I’ll consider servicing you.” Justin teased. He reached down and nipped the sensitive end of Brian’s cock before swallowing it whole. He felt the bulbous head at the back of his throat when the phone rang again. Justin sat up and grabbed Brian’s phone, he was about to switch it off when a feeling of immense dread washed over him. “Brian, answer this.” He said and passed the phone to his lover. “But you said” Brian began. The look on Justin’s face scared him and he hit the open line button. “Kinney.” He barked. “Daddy” Gus began and then started to cry. It was hard to be brave when your daddy talked loud to you. “Gus” Brian’s voice was gentle. “Don’t cry Sonny Boy, daddy didn’t mean to have his mad voice on. Brian felt his heart crack at the thought of his son being frightened of him. “Daddy,” Gus hiccupped, “Me and the kitty are stuck.” Brian heard a confirming meow from one of the cats. “Gus, where are your mommies?” Brian was trying to keep his voice low and moderate. “Getting their hair fixed -- I had a headache and momma and mommy let me stay with Uncle Mikey.” “Can I talk to Uncle Mikey.” Brian’s voice was calm but he was worried. “I can’t find him. Me and the kitty are stuck.” Gus repeated. “Daddy, I want to go home.” He started to cry. “Gus, why don’t you talk to Justin for a minute. I’m going to telephone Uncle Mikey on another phone and see if we can’t get you unstuck.” Brian handed the phone to Justin. “I don’t know what the fuck is going on, but I have to call Michael.” He whispered. Justin took the phone and said into it softly. “Hey Gus, are you all by yourself?” “No, I got a kitty.” Gus sobbed again. “Is it Thor or Fang?” Justin asked. “I don’t know – Jus they look the same.” “No, remember, Fang has a funny tooth that sticks out of his mouth.” “Oh, he’s the one that jumps on Uncle Mikey all the time.” Gus smiled. “Thor is with me. He fell into the water with the fishes and got all wet. I saved him from drownin’.” “You are sooooo lucky you have Thor with you.” Justin began. “Did you know that he was a super cat?” “He is?” “Yes, he hides it very well; he doesn’t want his brother to feel bad, because of his funny tooth and all. You understand don’t you?” “’Cause he’s the pretty kitty and a super kitty and Fang would feel bad because he’s just a regular kitty?” “Something like that, though Fang has super powers too, just different ones. His are hidden so good that it’s hard to find them at all.” “Do they rescue people?” Gus asked intrigued. The super heroes on TV rescued people all the time. “Mostly they investigate things.” “Oh – I bet that’s what happened when they went out of Uncle Mikey’s window. Did you know that there are stairs with holes in them outside the window?” “Yes, Gus, that’s called a fire escape. Did you and the kitties go up or down the stairs?” “First Fang went up and then Thor chased after him and they went inside a window and there was a big crash. So I got scared. I was just going to bring them back so Uncle Mikey wouldn’t yell at them anymore. I climbed in the window, but my foot slipped and the window crashed down and now it won’t open.” “How far up did you go?” Justin asked hoping to get a location. “Way far up to the sky.” ___________________________________________________________________________________________ Meanwhile Brian dialed Michael and Ben’s phone number. “Hey” Michael answered his voice stressed even more when he recognized Justin’s cell number. “Where the fuck is my kid?” Brian yelled over Justin’s phone, completely losing it when he heard his friend’s voice. Lindsay turned at the sound. Brian was so loud that everyone in the room heard his roar. She grabbed the phone from Michael and began to sob into it. “Brian, Gus is missing.” “And one of Justin’s cats” Michael tried to yell into the phone that Lindsay held just out of his reach. “Gus is on the phone talking to Justin right now. He’s alright, but he’s stuck somewhere.” Brian once again was trying to talk calmly to a crying person. “He can’t be far; he’s a little kid for fuck’s sake. Go and find him.” Justin tugged on Brian’s sleeve. “Tell them to let Fang out, he’ll look for Thor.” “Justin -- this isn’t an episode of Lassie – and Fang sure as fuck isn’t Lassie or Rin Tin Tin or the Littlest Hobo. – You notice a theme going here. There are no television shows about a cat rescuing anyone. You want to know why – because the buggers only think of themselves.” “Just ask them where Fang is.” Justin was trying to be patient with Brian while also trying to stay upbeat and calm with Gus on the other phone. Brian rolled his eyes. “Where is Justin’s other cat, Mikey’s stalker cat?” Brian listened for a moment and then said to Justin. “Hunter and the cat are holed up in Hunter’s room.” Justin felt in his pants that were lying on the floor for his wallet. He continued to talk to Gus while he looked for Hunter’s cell phone number. He hoped the kid had it turned on. “Here Brian, talk to Gus for a minute. I need to make a call.” Justin handed Brian the phone and grabbed his own cell phone. Retreating into the bathroom of their hotel room he dialed Hunter’s number. He was about to hang up when a groggy Hunter answered the phone. “Hey Hunter, do you have Fang there with you?” he asked. “Sure, I’ve got the one with the dental problem.” Hunter scratched Fang’s ears. “He’s kind of a homely guy, but grows on you.” “Yeah,” Justin knew what Hunter meant, homely as the boy was, he did kind of ‘grow on you’ “Look Hunter, Fang will find his brother and Gus is with him. Take him back to the fire escape and follow his lead.” “No shit, like a super cat?” “Something like that, do you think you can get him out there?” Justin knew that with Fang, he’d soon forget that he even had a brother, let along look for him, unless they acted fast. “No problem Justin. Nobody pays any attention to me much anyway. And now the cops are here, they definitely won’t be.” Hunter hung up the phone and together with Fang, made his way to Michael’s bedroom that was full to overflowing with cops and Michael, Ben and Lindsay and Melanie. He went to the window and started to climb out with Fang. “Hey kid – get back here.” Shouted a cop. “You want to find Gus?” Hunter said with a smirk “What do you know about it kid?” the cop eyed him suspiciously. “Don’t I know you from someplace?” “Nope, you aren’t my type.” Hunter finished climbing out the window. He placed Fang on the bottom step and said. “Go find Gus and Thor big guy.” “What a crock of shit.” Fang thought. “I can’t believe this kid wants me to walk up these stairs again. A cat could fall through.” Just then he could hear the faint cries of his brother, they sounded triumphant. “I got him, I got the blue one.” Was what he heard. “Hey that wiggly is mine.” Fang shouted and he ran up the stairs not caring that they were open to the ground far below. He reached the closed window and began to frantically scratch at the glass. His brother looked up and grinned, the last of a blue fin disappearing down his throat. “The kid and the cat are up on the next floor” Hunter said and he crawled back inside to find his ‘Game Boy’. “But we checked there already.” Michael began. “Well check again” Lindsey screamed. “I want my baby back NOW” “I’m sorry ma’m” the polite young police constable said. “The window is closed and appears to be locked.” He looked down at the ugly cat with no fur that was continuing to scratch at the window. “This cat got some kind of disease?” he asked. “Because I’m not touching it.” “Oh for fuck sake” Michael said with exasperation. “My cat says the kid is in there so that’s where he is.” Michael raised his foot and booted in the window, the glass making a satisfying shattering sound. “That’s breaking and entering” the cop began “Uncle Mikey, mommy, momma” Gus ran to the window. “I got stuck and Thor ate the blue fish. He’s a bad cat.” ___________________________________________________________________________________________ Justin and Brian could hear from both of their phones that Gus and Thor had been found. As one they turned the phones off and tossed them away. “Another crises averted.” Brian began. “I expect a big time apology for doubting the investigative techniques of Fang.” Justin smirked. He turned his naked back on Brian and gave his ass a suggestive wiggle before disappearing into the quiet of the bedroom where they had been in the middle of something, not all that long ago.