All I Need – Is a Little More Time – 3

“Geeze Justin, this place is enough to make your eyes cross.” Brian griped when he stepped into his old loft. Justin had played with color in the open spaces so that blocks of deep hued color highlighted the various spaces. Because Jacob’s bed was going where the wall unit had formerly covered the wall, it was the only white wall in the place. The walnut bed had been placed against the white. 

“Lucky for you, it’s all mine and not yours any longer.” Justin looked around. Emmett had done a great job. He could smell something cooking in the oven and went over to see what his friend had started. “Wow, we’re having roast chicken for dinner.” He grinned at Jacob. “I happen to know a boy who loves roast chicken.” 

Jacob took Gus by the hand. “Help me make my bed.” He asked, dragging the bag that held his bedding. 

“Okay, I never made a bed before.” Gus looked a bit worried. “I might fall off.”

“I’ll do the outside edges.” Jacob said, climbing up the ladder quickly. He began to rip open the bags when Brian snagged them. 

“Hold on there Sonny Boy, I’ll open the bags and help you do the outside edges.” 

“Thank you.” 

Justin began to peel vegetables. It was easy and something he knew he could do without making a mess. “Brian, are you and Gus staying for dinner?” he asked. 

“Gus, it’s up to you.” 

“Of course.” Gus smiled. “I love Auntie Em’s chicken. I’m going to have a leg.” 

“Me too, I’m going to have a leg.” Jacob chimed in. 

“I guess it’s a good thing this chicken has two legs.” Brian said tongue in cheek as he unpacked the bedding. “We’re staying.” 

“Do you like my sheets?” Jacob asked Brian. “They look like storm clouds, all silvery grey.” 

“They do have that color.” Brian admitted. “Good choice Jake.” Between Brian and the boys the bed was quickly made, the final touch being the two pillows on top of a down filled duvet covered in the same grey.

“It’s just perfect.” Jacob declared lying down on the softness, joined by Gus who also pronounced it perfect. 

“Not quite, we have one more thing to add.” Brian walked back to the door where a box was sitting. “This is a special bear for a special boy.”

Justin walked over and read the side of the box. “Build a Bear, you went to Build a Bear, I soooo wish I could have gone with you.”

“This is between a bear person and another bear person.” Brian said, his voice solemn. He took out a brown bear dressed in fatigues. On the bear’s pocket was the word <i> daddy</i> But what was different about this bear was that he had wings. 

“It’s a daddy angel bear.” Jacob whispered. “My very own daddy angel bear.” 

“That’s right. Your daddy didn’t ever meet you in person, but I bet he watches over you all the time. This way you can hold on to him at night and tell him your secrets.” Brian handed Jacob his bear with a kiss on top of both of their heads.

“My daddy made my leather bear too.” Gus confided. “He said that he put a heart right inside my bear that whispers <i> I love you </i> all night and day, only really, really quiet. Did you put a heart in Jacob’s bear too?” 

“Of course I did, he is a guardian bear after all. He is filled with love, just like the leather bear.” 

Justin turned away to brush the tears that threatened to fall. He walked back to the kitchen in awe of the man he’d come to know through the intense vibes he’d left on the loft. There was more to learn about him than he’d thought.

Emmett arrived shortly and took over in the kitchen, leaving Brian and Justin to sit on his sofa and talk while Gus and Jacob played with the games on the new computer. Justin made a note to thank Emmett who had brought over two desk chairs, so both boys had a place to sit at the desk. 

Brian leaned back trying to get comfortable on the down filled sofa. “Damn Justin, this is an awkward sofa to sit on.” He said finally, after adjusting himself half a dozen times. “Where in hell is the support? It’s like sitting on a marshmallow.”

“It’s not meant for sitting upright with a pickle up your ass.” Justin lay in his favorite position. “It’s meant for lounging on, hanging out, watching television, contemplating life, dreaming up projects and fantasies.” 

“Oh.” Brian sighed and then lay on his side. Now each man, one at one end and one at the other faced each other. “I feel like an idiot.” Brian grumbled. 

“But you have to admit it’s comfy.” Justin smiled as he sat back up. “Actually, if you put these pillows behind your back you sit quite nice and proper. I just wanted to see what you’d look like lying down.” 

Brian sat up shaking his head. “How old are you, three?” He pulled two of the brightly colored pillows over and placed them behind him.

“Nope, twenty one.” He reached over and picked up a control, flicking on a sound system and then adjusting the sound so it was background noise. “Twenty one year old man who enjoys color, feels color, smells color.” He grinned at Brian. “If you know my work in Retail Design, you know what I can do with color. How I can manipulate it, shape it, twist it with form and design into something that demands to be seen and felt and touched. In doing that, the customers come into the store I’ve designed and once in there, color commands and demands they take a little bit of something home with them. So that when they’re home in their neutral environment, they can think back to where they bought the skirt, or dog food, or ate breakfast and smile with pleasure.” 

Brian thought for a moment, he’d toured the three stores Justin had designed. In the first one he’d bought Debbie a scarf, for some reason the display it was on had spoken to him. At the second place he’d bought Mikey a dog bowl that had the name Mikey on it. And at the restaurant, despite the fact that he’d just eaten lunch, he’d ordered a slice of apple pie with his coffee, unable to resist the colourful display of pies. “Damn, you’re good.” He whispered almost like a prayer. He’d been well and truly played by the talent of one Justin Taylor. Brian playfully threw a silk pillow at Justin. “Damn, I can’t believe it.” 

“You bought something didn’t you?” Justin giggled grabbing the pillow. “Something you didn’t even need.” He stood up and did a Snoopy happy dance. “I’m good, I’m good.” 

Brian rolled his eyes and this time when he lay on the curved sofa, it seemed natural to curl his body into the soft down cushions. “Turn on the television brat. I’m not talking to you.” 

Justin flipped on the television and threw the remote to Brian. He couldn’t stop giggling. 

“So, your use of color here in the loft, what’s that supposed to do?” Brian finally asked after flicking through the channels for a minute. 

“It’s supposed to make stiff old men curl up on my sofa. It makes children happy, it wraps its arms around you and makes you smile. It takes away the loneliness and fills it with love.” Justin walked past Brian who was staring at him intently, not sure what to say. Justin let his fingers trail through Brian’s hair in a rough caress as he headed toward Emmett who was singing and dancing in the kitchen. 

“Hey Em, can I help?” Justin called out. Emmett was still dancing to the music he heard on his Ipod as he chopped and diced.

“No way Baby, you know you can’t cook worth shit.” Emmett bopped over to Justin who joined him in the silent dance. Emmett plugged one ear bud into Justin’s ear and together they danced in the kitchen. 

Soon Gus and Jacob saw them and giggling, ran over to join. Brian looked over to see what the commotion was all about. He burst out laughing as he watched Justin, Emmett and the two kids dancing in the kitchen. He lay back on the soft pillows and smiled. He looked around his old loft and all the memories of lonely nights began to fade, replaced by color and light and laughter and dancing.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Justin walked through the loft making sure everything was in place. He was still smiling from the evening spent with Brian, Gus and Emmett. Jacob slept curled up in center of his high bed, his Marine Angel bear clutched tightly in his arms. Justin pulled the duvet up over his nephew’s shoulders before heading to his own bedroom. He sat cross legged in the middle of his bed, his lap top open in front of him. 

Opening his journal Justin began to type.

<i> It was an interesting day. I met the great Brian Kinney in person. He is the one whose vibes I’m picking up. I could tell the minute he touched my hand in the diner. It was something almost electrical that passed between us. Not that he’d ever admit anything. The man would make a great poker player. He hinted at a job with his company. I’m not sure I’d want to be tied to any one employer. I kind of like working when I want to.

He totally got the thing I do with color. Jacob is here now. I could fucking wring Molly’s neck, not to mention my mother’s. I’m going to see if I can get him into the preschool that Gus, that’s Brian’s son goes to. 

I try to keep myself from caring too much, but shit, Jake is like my own kid. Brian did something really sweet. He actually went to Build a Bear and made Jacob a bear. I don’t know why I didn’t think of that. Well other than his stupid fucking mother would never let him have one. I guess she thinks he’d turn into a queer like his Uncle. Never let it be said there aren’t any homophobes in the Taylor family.

Anyway, I have this small spot of Jacob – meaning deep silvery grey and walnut wood, in one corner. And while it isn’t my usual splash, it somehow makes me smile, it’s so like the boy who is now sleeping peacefully with his bear. </i>

Justin closed the laptop after saving the entry. He placed the computer on the table beside the bed and crawled under the covers. As he rolled over, he could almost see blue lights making shadows on the wall. He sighed, this time he’d allow the dreams to come. The dreams where Brian, it had to be Brian, touched him all over with his fingertips as he slowly made love to him. He drifted off to sleep wondering if what he dreamed was a fantasy of what could happen, or remembrances of someone in Brian’s past. 
As Justin was drifting off to sleep, a few blocks away, Brian paced the floors of his new loft home. Gus had long ago fallen asleep after chattering to Brian about all the fun he’d had with his new friend Jacob. 

While his son had chatted, Brian reviewed his own memories of Justin dancing, laughing, enjoying life in the loft that had previously been filled with so often with despair and self-loathing. Justin was nothing like the men he’d always preferred to let into his life. In fact he was the exact opposite. And yet there was some kind of attraction. An attraction he couldn’t explain. 

Brian reached for the bottle of Jim Beam and then pulled his hand back. The whole evening at Justin’s no one had drank anything stronger than Corona beer. And yet he’d had a good time. He didn’t need a drink, it was more habit than anything else.  He walked around the large room that was his living room and noticed the contrast to Justin’s place, his was cold and hard. All white walls, angular furniture, hard surfaces.

“Daddy.” Brian turned at the sound of his son’s voice.

“Gus, I thought you were in bed.” Brian lifted him up. “Do you want some water?”

“I’m not thirsty. I just wanted to cuddle.” Gus snuggled into Brian’s shoulder. “I don’t want you to go away and die like Jacob’s daddy.” 

“I’m not planning on it any time soon.” Brian said, holding his son tight in his arms. “It’s late, do you want to sleep in my bed tonight?”

“Can leather bear come too?” Gus asked, his voice filled with sleep.

“Of course he can.” Brian smiled, his one hand rubbing comforting circles on Gus’ back. He breathed in the smell of sleep warmed boy as he carried him and the bear to his room.  

As he lay in his bed, Gus curled around his bear, Brian watched his son sleep, breathing with him. He’d never planned on being a father. But it had happened and it didn’t suck. He had determined the minute he’d held Gus in his arms, that he’d do his best to make sure Gus had a life that was full and happy. 

His eyes shut but still, he could see laughing blue eyes filled with kindness.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Sunday morning Brian and Gus were about to head to the diner for breakfast when he took a chance and called Justin’s number. 

“Hey.” Justin answered, having seen through call display that it was Brian on the phone. “You’re calling early.  I might have been in Church. It is Sunday after all.” 

“Somehow I didn’t get that impression of you.” Brian laughed. “I’m calling to see if you and Jacob would like to go out for breakfast. We could go to the diner or some other spot.”

“The diner is nice.” Justin admitted. “I like Deb and love the colors.” 

“What about the food?” Brian laughed.

“The food won’t kill you.” Justin said. “Well it might if you ate there all the time.” He laughed. “Jacob is in the shower. When do you want to go?” 

“We can be there in ten minutes. I’ll bring the jeep, after breakfast we can take the boys to the park. That is if you don’t have other plans.”

Fifteen minutes later Justin and Jacob ran down the stairs. Jacob clutched his bear in one hand and Justin’s hand in the other. 

Brian got out of the jeep when the front door opened. “Good morning boys.” He looked at Jacob. “I had a seat just like Gus’ put in, but I didn’t have enough room for one for the bears.”

“That’s okay daddy, I’ll hold my bear.” Jacob said as he climbed in. “Hey Gus, you brought your bear too.” The boys laughed as they introduced their bears. They were almost four, but bears don’t really know anything about human ages.

Brian made sure Jacob was secure remove and then he turned to Justin. “Your carriage awaits sir.” He said with a grin, holding the door open for the blond.”

“Why hon, if I didn’t know better, I’d swear you were a southern gentleman.” Justin said with a southern drawl as he settled himself in the passenger seat.

“I’m Irish, we’re more gentlemanly than the average northern boy.” Brian joked. 

“That’s not what I heard, but I’ll go with your version.” Justin laughed as he waited for Brian to get behind the wheel. 

When Brian climbed in, his hair was swept back off of his forehead showing a ragged raised scar on the left temple. Justin reached over and touched it. “What happened?” he asked. 

“An accident when I was younger. I was caught by a right hook.” Brian shrugged; he didn’t want to discuss his father or his abuse. 

“It looks like it was bad.” 

“I was in a coma for a few days.” Brian shrugged. “I have to be careful not to fall on my head, and avoid right hooks. But other than that I’m okay.”

“I’ll try to remember that.” Justin said, as he leaned over and kissed Brian’s temple before sitting back in his seat. 

Brian touched the spot Justin had kissed. He was surprised at the warmth of his lips as a little bit of his heart melted. Not sure what to say, he decided to say nothing; instead he drove toward the diner. 

Michael was at the counter when Brian, Justin and the two boys walked in. “Hey Miss Debbie.” Jacob said, giving Debbie a hug. 

“Hi Grandma Deb.” Gus said, hugging her as well. 

“Hi there cuties. Here for breakfast are you? I have just the thing. Joe made his special blueberry pancakes today.” Debbie smiled at the two boys as they scrambled up on the counter stools. “Here let me get a booster seat for those handsome bears you have. I think they can share, what do you think?” 

“They’re bear friends, they can share.” Gus smiled at Jacob who nodded his head in agreement. 

Soon the boys were settled on the stools with the bears sitting between them. Brian and Justin took the back booth. 

Michael couldn’t believe that Brian was so wrapped up in a conversation with the blond he was with that he hadn’t even said hello. 

“Brian, you didn’t say hi.” Michael whined as he walked over to their booth. He pushed into the seat next to his old friend. 

“Sorry Mikey, I didn’t see you there.” Brian smiled. “You remember Justin.” 

“Yah.” He looked at Brian, barely acknowledging Justin. “Are you coming to Babylon tonight? I mean you’ll be giving Gus back to his mothers’ today, won’t you.”

“I do have to work tomorrow Mikey.” Brian sighed. “Justin, have you decided whether you’ll come over to Kinnetik tomorrow?” 

“I’m going to take Jacob to register for preschool first. We’ll see how that goes.”

“Maybe I should see if Linds will let me keep Gus overnight. We could go with you. Jake might like to have a friend with him.” Brian smiled at the boys who were busy chattering to Deb.

“If you don’t mind, I’m sure Jake will like that.” Justin smiled at Brian, inwardly laughing at the face Brian’s friend was making. 

“Hey daddy Brian.” Jake said. “Miss Debbie is going to put whipped cream on our pancakes.” 

“Yea daddy, whipped cream. Uncle Jus, do you want some too, we’ll share.” Gus twirled around on his stool making Jacob laugh. 

“What’s that black kid doing, calling you daddy?” Michael demanded with a glare at Justin. 

“Pardon me?” Brian asked, his teeth clenched in anger. “What the fuck did you say?” he hissed, turning Michael roughly to face him. 

“Well he’s obviously not white. I mean look at him.” Michael looked from Jacob to Brian. 

Justin’s face was red with rage. It wasn’t so much the words Michael had used, but the tone in his voice spoke volumes. 

“Get the fuck away from me Mikey. I’m too pissed to have you anywhere within arms reach. If you’ve hurt that little boy with your words, so help me God, you’ll fucking pay.” He looked over at Jacob who was talking to Gus, oblivious to what had been going on. 

“But..” Michael looked from Brian to Justin and then to Jacob. “It’s all your fault.” He said to Justin. “Things were fine before you and that kid came along.” 

Brian put his foot up on the bench seat and gave Michael a push, sending him on his ass to the floor. 

“HEY” Michael said standing up. Everyone in the diner was looking at him, including Debbie who was glaring at Brian. Michael rubbed his backside, started to say something and changed his mind when he saw the look in Brian’s eyes.

“Brian, it’s okay.” Justin put his hand on Brian’s arm. 

“Mikey, I never thought I’d ever say this, but I’m getting tired of you speaking before you think. You aren’t fourteen any longer, but an adult. I can tolerate a lot of things, more than you can imagine. But hear this and suck it back Mikey. NEVER LET ME HEAR YOU DO ANYTHING TO HURT A CHILD BY USING CARELESS WORDS.” 

Silence fell on the diner. No one had ever heard Brian raise his voice in anger to his friend. Gus leaned over and took his bear in his arms. Then Jacob did the same thing. Both boys ran to Brian and Justin. 

“Daddy B, are you mad at me?” Jacob asked, his bottom lip quivering. 

“Never.” Brian lifted him up in his arms and kissed him on the forehead. He pulled Gus close to his leg, his hand stroking the back of his son’s neck. “There is nothing that either one of you could possibly do to make me not love you both. This is just something between Uncle Mikey and me. I’m sorry that I upset you.” He sat down in the booth after putting Jacob beside Justin. He picked Gus up and placed him on the seat. “Now I understand we’re having pancakes this morning.” 

“Daddy, you don’t eat pancakes.” Gus laughed. “They’ve got carbs.” 

Justin grinned at the words. “Maybe today your daddy could use a couple of carbs.” He was proud of Brian and understood what it must have taken to chastise his friend. 

“What are carbs?” Jacob asked. “Miss Debbie said the pancakes have blueberries and whipped cream.” 

The four of them began to discuss their breakfast, ignoring Michael who was being dragged back to the kitchen by his mother. Brian wondered if his old friend would tell his mother what he’d said. 

Breakfast was over more quickly than it might have been. Neither Brian nor Justin wanted to linger in the diner. Michael had left by the rear door, they’d heard it slam. Debbie had said nothing, but they could see concern for Jacob in her eyes as she served them their breakfast. 

“That was more than I’ve eaten in a week.” Brian groaned as he stood up and stretched.

“Your daddy is silly.” Jacob said to Gus in a whisper. “He didn’t eat hardly anything, just the blueberries. Uncle Jus ate the pancake part.”

“I like whipped cream. When I’m a grown up I’m having it on everything.” Gus declared. “Even on spaghetti.” 

“Brian, are you and Gus coming to dinner tonight?” Debbie asked. “Justin, you and Jacob are certainly welcome to come.” 

“I don’t think so Deb.” Brian shrugged and put his arm over Justin’s shoulder. “I think maybe Gus and I will call it an early night. Tomorrow is a school day.”

“But Brian, you never stay late.” Debbie protested. 

“Not this week Deb.” He smiled as he steered Justin and the kids out the door. “Into the jeep kids and bears.” 

“Where are we going?” Gus asked.

“I thought maybe we’d go to the park by the river.” 

“Can we feed the ducks?” Gus looked at Jacob. “There’s lots and lots of ducks in the river.” 

“I like ducks.” Jacob looked at Brian. “Can we Daddy B, can we feed the ducks?” 

“I think that can be arranged.” Brian drawled. “I happen to have a loaf of stale bread tucked under the seat.”

“You think of everything.” Justin laughed. “What if we didn’t feed the ducks?” 

“I would have later.” Brian laughed. “I find it relaxing down by the river and there’s lots of things for the kids to do.” 

“I should have brought my camera.” 

“I have one in the glove compartment.”

“You must have been a boy scout.” Justin giggled. 

“No, but I always wanted to be. My father thought it was stupid.” Brian shrugged. “I joined my own private troop of one. Got myself a handbook at the used bookstore and worked at earning all my badges on the sly.”

“I didn’t want to join, but my father insisted it would butch me up.” Justin sighed. “It was four years of hell other than the part where I got to see lots of naked boys. That part was fun.” 

“What didn’t you like about it?” Brian asked. Everyone had been buckled in and he was now driving to his favorite spot by the river. 

“I didn’t like the dirt and mess of the campouts. I didn’t like being ordered about by great hulks of red necked assholes in short pants. I didn’t like the jocks. I got enough of them during school hours, I didn’t need to deal with them after school and on weekends. I fucking hated the uniform. I mean come on green and khaki with knee socks.” 

Brian burst out laughing. “You are such a queer.” 

“What can I say; I’m a delicate gay boi.” Justin smiled. “Besides, I had other things I wanted to do. Like renovate my room, read fashion magazines, dream about escaping the southern softness in favour of the harsh north. Oh, and dance. I love to dance. That’s my favorite thing about the loft, lots of space to dance my problems away and neighbors who don’t seem to mind my music when I do. No doubt they were used to hearing other noises when you lived there. They’re probably relieve I only dance.”

“No tricking?” Brian asked, eyebrows raised. 

“Not at home. That’s what back rooms are for.” Justin laughed. “It’s not like I actually want to have to <i> talk </i> to a trick other than say bend over.” He glanced in the back to make sure the boys weren’t listening. “My private space is just that, private for family and friends. I like it that way.”

“You are certainly a different kind of guy.” Brian mused. He pulled into the parking lot. “Boys, since there could be water involved, why don’t you leave your bears in the jeep. I’m sure they could use the quiet time, you guys never stop chattering.” 

His answer was a backseat filled with giggles before they undid their seat belts and then buckled the bears in their place. “The bears can keep our seats warm. We have to keep them separated, ‘cause they might fight when they’re bored.” Gus said, leaning over his father’s shoulder. 

“Good plan. I wondered about the mess your room gets into when you’re gone. I bet it’s leather bear kicking up a storm.” Brian laughed. 

His words set the boys off again. They tumbled out of the jeep giggling madly. “Hold on there, don’t go into the water.” 

“Yes daddy.” They chorused, running across the grass to the swings. 

“Hey, there’s one adult swing left.” Justin said, his voice filled with glee. He started to run only to have Brian run faster and sit on it just as he reached it. “No fair, you’ve got longer legs.”

“Uncle Jus, push please.” Jacob said. 

“Me too, Uncle Jus.” Gus demanded.

“Me too, Uncle Jus.” Brian mimicked.  

Justin laughed and started to push them one at a time until finally exhausted, he threw himself on the grass. “That’s it boys, you’re on your own.” 

“Tickle Uncle Jus.” Jacob jumped off the swing and onto Justin, soon followed by Gus. Brian watched for a moment and then feeling sorry for Justin, pulled the boys off of him. 

“I thought we were going to feed ducks.” He said. 

“DUCKS.” They shouted and ran around in circles. 

“Okay, who gave them all the fucking sugar?” Brian muttered. 

Justin, still laughing, pulled himself up off of the ground with the help of Brian’s hand. “I’ll get the bread.” 

“Keep an eye on them, I’ll get the bread. And I swear to the gods, I’m not fishing any of you out of the fucking river.” 

When Brian returned, he found Justin and the boys laying on their bellies on the river bank staring into the shallows. “What in hell are you doing?” 

“Looking at fishies daddy B.” Jacob answered. “Look how pretty they are. They all have green stripes on their side.” 

“Where are the mommy fishes?” Gus asked.

“In the deeper water.” Justin suggested. 

“Playing with the daddy fish.” Brian offered. He lay down beside Justin. “I’ve never done this before.”

“I like to see the colors. I use things like this in my designs.” Justin sighed. “These fish are amazing.” 

“You’re amazing.” Brian whispered more to himself than to be heard by Justin. But Justin did hear and he smiled to himself.

They spent half an hour feeding the ducks, Brian manned the camera, snapping picture after picture of the two boys and Justin. A stop at the ice cream stand was next while they contemplated whether they should go to the zoo or not. Finally, Gus convinced them to see the latest Disney movie.

Armed with popcorn and bottles of water, they took their seats in the darkened theatre. Gus and Jacob wanted to sit together, leaving Brian to take a seat beside Justin. In the flickering lights of the theatre, Justin’s eyes became heavy until he slowly fell asleep, his head on Brian’s shoulder. Brian pulled the blond closer, his arm around him, one hand rubbing up and down Justin’s arm as he continued to watch the meaningless movements of the animated characters on the screen. 

The rustle of the crowded theatre combined with the silence from the speakers, woke Justin. “Shit. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to fall asleep.” He was flushed from a combination of sleep and embarrassment. 

“We’re hungry.” Gus announced. “Is it dinner time yet?” 

Brian laughed. “You’re always hungry.” 

“If you want to come to my place, I can make us all an omelette.” Justin looked at them.

“Okay.” Jacob shrugged. He liked his Uncle Jus’s omelette’s. 

“You have to go there anyway Buddy.” Justin laughed and ruffled the boy’s hair.

Brian had taken some time to call Lindsay who agreed to let him keep Gus one more night. She was more intrigued by the fact he was putting himself out for this new man in his life, but she kept the questions to herself. Brian wasn’t one to be pushed. 

At the loft, Brian and Justin worked side by side to construct dinner, while the boys played on the computer. “It’s strange,” Brian began as they worked. “I feel more at home here than I do at my own place. And yet when I left, I couldn’t get out of here fast enough.” 

“That’s because you’re happy.” Justin said with satisfaction. “You were miserable here before. I could feel it in the air.” 

“Sure you could.” Brian laughed. But he knew Justin was right. He had been miserable, not to mention lonely. 

Dinner was finished by seven and reluctantly Brian gathered Gus up to leave. “It’s a school day tomorrow.” He said to Gus’ pleas to stay. “You’ll see Jacob tomorrow.” 

Justin walked Brian and Gus to the door. “Thanks for the terrific day.” Justin said. “I had a lot of fun and I know Jacob did as well.” 

“Thank you for sharing your day with us.” Brian smiled. He put his hand out and traced the outline of Justin’s face, stopping to touch his lips gently before he leaned forward and kissed him.

Justin shut the door behind Brian, locked it and set the alarm, before leaning against the metal and smiling as he sank to the floor. Jacob was busy getting himself ready for bed and paying no attention to his Uncle. For that Justin was grateful. He wanted to savor the touch of Brian’s lips on his.