His day had begun much too early for his comfort and Brian was frustrated. Luckily he was used to functioning on little to no sleep, and being awoken suddenly in order to immediately sort out any crisis, which arose. He’d had practice in these sorts of situations. But never before had he actually something tangible to lose. Yes, in a normal emergency there was a risk of losing friends, acquaintances, abstract concepts such as country and culture to Napoleon but never before had he been a position where what he held dear was held on the sharp blade of a knifepoint. The house had been roused immediately with the sound of the gunshot. Jenkins was all too aware of Brian’s chosen profession and knew what to do in a crisis. The footmen had been told to dress and await instructions, one of the undercooks wakened to prepare hot tea and victuals. Brian had half dressed himself in boots, breeches and a loose shirt - cravat and coat be damned and the long process of investigation begun. The whole house was searched. Brian wasn’t fool enough to believe that the dead man in Gus’s nursery was actually working alone. He had probably planned to lower the basket and babe through the window, down to his accomplice. The street outside and the surrounds of the house had also been searched but it seemed the man’s collaborator had been smart enough to run at the first sound of gunshot. Next on his list of things to do after having secured the building, was to call on the Club. He required men to guard his most prized possessions, men to begin to search for the person culpable for this present threat and Alasdair, so that they could devise a reason for it. Who would try to kidnap his child, his firstborn son? He already had his suspicions and if he were right, his family was just about to get a whole lot smaller. The slamming of the front door had heralded Alasdair’s arrival; Alasdair hadn’t even bothered to wait for Jenkins to open it for him. They hade made a list, hunched over Brian’s desk and trying to absorb some of the heat from the newly-lit fireplaces. The usual suspects had been neatly penned, eternally marked in ink on a piece of paper as enemies to be watched - threats. His cousin was on the top of that list. Men were sent to watch him, break into his house, and steal any information that could possibly be obtained. Brian was up in arms over the night’s event and luckily for him his ‘arms’ were of the lethally skilled variety. Lucky for him... unlucky for whomever got on to his list. They spent an hour discussing how to better distribute their men. Alasdair tried his best to cut the list down by half but there was one man that Brian would not be easing up on. On principle or lack thereof the Earl of Craven deserved it. He’d had the disadvantage of having accosted Justin and for reasons Brian was ill-prepared to face, that was more than enough to suggest guilt. “But he is nothing, less than nothing. What threat does he pose to anyone, Brian?” Alasdair had been trying to appeal to Brian’s better senses for a minute longer than Brian had the patience to tolerate. “He is a risk I am not willing to take. I do not need another enemy living when I could so easily have him obliterated. He has gotten away with murder for far too long. For the mere detail of having been born to a station in life that makes allowances for all failings to their members. And it will not be overlooked any longer.” “Brian?” Alasdair tried to appease the man but Brian turned to him with cool, calm assertion. “You answer to me, Lothian.” He spoke firmly and his eyes glittered dangerously. Alasdair straightened, “My Lord Talbot, think of what you are asking. Why now? He’s already in France just as you demanded?” “You see the same horrors every day and they cease to become horrors. They become a tolerated evil and I will not, I can not allow it to fester and grow any longer.” “That is not your job. Let the constabulary…” “Do not tell me what I can and can not do, Alasdair.” Brian straightened up from his desk to face Alasdair, “I am to protect England and her people. I fulfil my duty; I protect England and her riches but right now I am protecting young boys with no voice against a man of unlimited power. I should have done something a long time ago. It took fresh eyes, morals as yet uncorrupted to show me that to tolerate evil is just as criminal as the evil itself… it will be done. Either you do it or I will give the task to another.” Brian turned and began to make his way to the locked door of his study. He needed to check on Gus. His hand was on the door handle when Alasdair finally spoke to him. “Brian you should not allow him to get to you so.” Brian turned to look at him over his shoulder, “Craven won't be getting to anyone for much longer.” He left swiftly, disappearing into the shadowed depths of his house. Alasdair stared after him as he stood in the entrance and shook his head half mournfully, half amused, “I wasn’t talking about Craven,” he muttered as he went to do as he was told. It was early morning opposed to the pre-dawn to which he had awakened and the sun was beginning to rise. He walked down dark passageways which began to glitter in expanding puddles of light that were slowly beginning to blend into each other as the sun rose over the neighbouring rooftops. Brian ached and his head felt heavy with fatigue but he would not go and rest. It went against his nature to have his men roused and working for him while he took a nap. Though it did not prevent him from wandering upstairs to check on both his boys. He walked into Justin’s room. The curtains were drawn so that the sun would not waken them and it was gloomy and stuffy, with the cloying heat of hot bodies and a strong fire, which Brian had sent Jenkins to light hours ago. He had forgotten to return and open a window and the smell of smouldering coals hung lightly in the air. As his eyes adjusted to the dark and shadowed shapes turned into solid furnishing, it became immediately apparent that he had arrived too late if he was meant to be checking that both his charges were sleeping. For the first thing he noted were small, plump, pale legs waving around in the air, as a one-year-old toddler tried to descend from his high mountainous perch and find the floor with his feet. He was on his belly, his feet dangling down the side of the large four poster and little fists held on to blankets as he tried to get down from his inconvenient incarceration and run away to find something to entertain himself with. Brian smiled to himself, unable to stop the wave of pleasure that pulsed through him at the sight of his son. He walked towards him and wrapping his hands round his very small torso he swung him up into his arms, Gus’s shrieks of delight echoing through the room. Justin’s eyes blinked open and he gave Brian a sleepy smile before turning on to his side, his hand coming to rest on the pillow beside his head and his knees drawing up closer to his chest. Brian walked over to the side of the bed that Justin faced and sat down on its edge. Gus’s strong legs pushed up on his thighs as he stood there playing with Brian’s hair and conversing happily in non-intelligible syllables. Justin inched forward until his legs curled mostly around Brian’s body, his belly warming against the small of Brian’s back. Brian looked down at him and placed a hand on the side of Justin’s head, fingering the soft blond strands of hair. Justin shut his eyes and sighed in absolute contentment. They remained silent for some time - the comfort derived from the simple pleasure of propinquity and the calming, cooing tones of a child. “Did you sleep?” “Yes, although I am grateful for having Gus with me. I’ve gotten used to sleeping with someone beside me and in their absence my sleep is always disruptive.” They spoke in hushed tones, afraid to disturb their ambience. “Ah… well.” Brian bit his lip and decided not to continue with that particular train of thought. Justin tilted his chin up and to look at him, “What?” “Jane has been hovering fretfully around the nursery, waiting for you to call out to her so that she can fuss and check over her lovable charge.” “He’s no trouble. I don’t mind having him with me.” Brian smiled slyly and stuck his tongue in his cheek. He averted his eyes, watching Gus carefully, as he held the baby up with his thumbs, Gus’s tiny fingers wrapped tightly around them. “Yes, but I… I have a need to check over your wounds and all that touching will more likely than not lead to… something more.” Justin smiled and his eyes began to glow with desire, “But the whole house is awake. They could hear us.” “Yes, well I'm sure I'll be able to think of something to do about that.” Brian got up and left, Gus in his arms. Justin began to straighten the bed then stopped when he decided that it was an utter waste of time. It was only going to get messy all over again. He lay back down then sat up a little to pile two pillows up under his head before getting comfortable again. He shut his eyes and his imagination began to run away with his mind. He lifted an arm and began stroking his chest. He was half-hard and was planning to get harder before Brian returned to him. His fingers circled his nipples and he felt them tightening under his thumb. He pulled at them and then let a nail graze over them. He hissed and made himself shiver. He moved on, continuing down his chest, fingertips barely felt as he traced each of his ribs, circled his bellybutton and then travelled down further, along his pleasure trail. His index finger began to make small circles at the base of his cock and it began to rise. He shifted his shoulders and felt himself relax deeper into the mattress. His finger began to inch up, slowly tracing the thick vein on the underside of his cock that always felt so sensitive, until he circled the head, just under the hood of his foreskin. He lost himself for long minutes as he slowly pleasured himself, until two hands wrapped round his ankles and spread his legs open and his heart missed a beat. “I could have been anyone.” Brian threatened smiling, amused at Justin’s rapture. Justin laughed nervously. “But you’re not.” His hand started moving again slowly. Brian allowed it for a minute. “Stop!” Justin’s eyes widened, “What? Why?” “I really meant it when I said I wanted to check you over for marks.” Brian pointed out. “You mark me all the time…. I really like it when you do.” He spoke seductively and one of Brian’s eyebrows rose doubtfully and Justin grinned. “But I hope that when I mark you it is in more pleasurable circumstances than the event was last night. I mark you with my hands and with my mouth not with a blade.” Justin shivered and moaned arching his hips with remembered memories. “Yeah,” he sighed as the palms of Brian’s hands settled down on his abdomen, encasing it in a firm gentle grip and warming his skin. “Little wanton.” Justin’s eyes flew open and he blushed, “Am I really?” “Hmmm,” Brian smiled and his hands began to move, in obvious veneration. Justin sighed and relaxed opening himself to Brian’s attentions. It was soft and languid as Brian’s fingers traced scrapes and skin alike. He was getting too comfortable; the only thing keeping him from dozing of was his still swollen prick. “Turn over, I need to check your back.” Justin flopped on to his belly, “I thought you were trying to seduce me?” He’d actually forgotten the prime purpose of the exercise some time whilst Brian had been thoroughly examining his nipples. “Seduce you? I did that months ago.” Brian’s hand flew swiftly to a deep scab along one of Justin’s ribs. “I think you manage to do it every time we lie together.” Justin’s voice was soft and drowsy. “Well then, this time I'm doing two things at once. Checking over every inch of your skin is such a pleasurable and distracting task.” “Well, since you’re working so hard, how is it?” Justin had known last night that this particular cut had been his worst. “The ones on your back are the deepest. They’ll probably split again and bleed. They could get an infection… actually don’t move a minute I have something.” Justin was too relaxed to move, only noticing the shifting mattress when Brian got off the bed and then again when he returned. Well actually, what he really noticed when Brian returned was him straddling his thighs and placing wet hands on his back. He tried to sit up. “Shhh, stay.” “I'm not a dog, Brian.” He murmured annoyed, but then Brian’s hands began to move as they spread balm over the cuts on his back, massaging it into his skin. “Really, not even a playful, eager, blond puppy? I'm not sure that you aren’t. When I tell you to roll over you usually obey me instantly and without question, actually you just did.” Brian teased and his hands began to wander away from their actual intent. Justin reached behind him and half-heartedly slapped Brian’s thigh but that was all he had the energy to do as Brian kneaded and relaxed his muscles. Brian worked his way up Justin’s spine, fingering his shoulder blades, around his neck and his ass cheeks. He made sure to avoid putting too much pressure on Justin’s broken skin but coated it in a thick layer of healing salve. It was when Brian began to knead his ass that Justin’s desire became too persistent to ignore. “Brian, I want…” Brian’s gaze snapped up and his blood began to boil. His voice was low and husky, “Tell me what you want, Justin. Every detail.” Justin’s breath caught in his chest and he felt his cock harden to a rock, he forgot to blush. He spoke breathlessly, “T-touch me on the inside.” Brian spread Justin’s ass cheeks apart and stared at the pulsing knot of flesh. He brushed a finger over it, from the top of Justin’s crack until just under his balls. “Here?” “Y-yes.” Justin tried to push his hips into Brian’s touch but Brian had him pinned down with his weight and he could only move his upper back and arms. Brian’s thighs framed his ass, his knees reaching just below Justin’s rib cage. Justin wanted to spread his legs but he couldn’t, wanted to touch Brian but that too was not possible for him. He moaned his frustration and Brian laughed at him. This inspired a renewed effort on Justin’s part but Brian pinned his shoulders down and bent over him. Justin could feel his warm breath rustle his hair and brush over his cheek. “You want me to stick something in your hole? Do you?” “Brian.” He begged but did not know what for. “One day I'll find something big and hard to force up your rectum. It’ll split your ass open and you’ll scream your pleasure as you spend yourself in my mouth.” “Brian, please?” He knew exactly what he was begging for now. “Not now. Not here, even with the house asleep I’d make you scream loud enough to wake the dead. Somewhere secluded where no one will hear you sobbing and begging, crying for me.” Justin felt spreading moisture as his cock began to leak onto the sheets under him. “You want something big in there now, don’t you? My cock? I could stick my riding crop inside you. It’s round, long and hard, but it wouldn’t be wide enough. I could have something made special, just for you, just for your tight little hole.” Brian looked down at his rock-hard, leaking cock. He spread the sticky wetness around the head then, keeping Justin’s legs from spreading, he parted Justin’s ass cheeks and placed the head against the tight, unprepared hole. “Justin, bite down on the pillow.” Justin obeyed before he registered the instructions and by then it was too late. Brian pushed into him. He screamed and began to pant, the sounds muffled by the material in his mouth. He eyes began to water as his felt his hole stretch out around the head of Brian’s rigid member. Brian let Justin adjust to the intrusion; he remained frozen and panting as Justin’s much too tight passage opened to him. He reached up and placed his hand on top of Justin’s clenching fist. Justin immediately let go of the bed sheets and clutched desperately at Brian’s fingers as they tangled together. Brian began to forge forward, inching slowly down into Justin’s depths, slowing down and rocking over Justin’s pleasure spot making him cry out in both unbearable pain and pleasure. It was too much, too much, too much, too much, too much, too much, too much, too much. It echoed in Justin’s head, his bones ached and he was too full, so full. And then suddenly he was empty. Brian had slid a knee between his legs to spread them open and ducked down, hot mouth attaching itself to his sore, pulsing flesh. Brian’s tongue began to stroke and tease the ring of tight, yielding muscle and pleasure washed over him in endless waves. It took short minutes for Justin to get up on his knees and elbows, his ass pressing back into Brian’s face and his mouth still buried in the muffling pillow. His cock dripped down in a constant gush of sap, achingly hard and always on the verge of spending. When Brian wrapped his lips round each of his balls and sucked on each with all his might, pulling them away from his body, he began to throb and beg in a noiseless murmur into his muzzle. Brian palmed the soft, white globes of flesh and pulled back once he could feel Justin’s legs begin to tremble. He knelt up and placed the head of his cock back into place and… Justin surprised him by thrusting his hips back and forcing Brian, balls-deep inside of him. He gasped and his hands reached up to grab onto Justin’s shoulders, keeping him from moving, while he tried to recoup. “Please, please, please, please,” Brian could make out Justin’s mindless mantra as he begged. He began to move. Slowly thrusting in and out of Justin over and over. Making sure that each stroke passed over his prostate. Justin’s muscles held him, wrapped around him tightly, a perfect fit which thrilled their responses. It seemed that slow thrusts were not enough to satisfy Justin’s desperate yearning. Brian let Justin begin to push back against him until he sat on his heels and Justin rested against his thighs. Justin’s legs were spread as far as they could, on either side of Brian’s and his hands reached back to cup Brian’s own ass and press him in deeper. Brian rocked into him. Justin never let Brian’s cock leave him. Thrusts were short and deep, utterly intense and seemed to match the cadence of his heartbeat. They were covered in sweat and their breaths left their lungs in wretched gasps. Brian wrapped his arms around Justin’s body. One hand splayed over his heart the other drifting down to lightly fondle, with the barest, teasing touch, up the length of Justin’s prick. Brian spread his legs open a little wider and slid in deeper, Justin sitting lower and opening further to him. The hand weighing the fullness of Justin’s balls remained in the same place, his other stroked up Justin’s neck until it cupped his firm chin and tilted it back until Justin rested his head on Brian’s shoulder. He turned his mouth instinctively towards Brian’s and lips and tongue meshed in messy frenzy. They swallowed each other’s cries as they began to reach for their climaxes. Justin’s nails dug into the flesh of Brian’s ass, trying to drive each thrust up and in, harder and deeper. Every muscle in his body rippled with effort as he neared completion. His lashes fluttered and the whites of his eyes became the only colour visible as Brian suddenly let him go, pushing him forwards, holding his slender hips in his big hands and held him, poised against the head of his engorged cock, never-ending pressure against Justin’s prostate. The second Justin began to ejaculate; Brian pulled his hips down violently and arched up into him. As Justin began to vibrate and convulse, his inner muscles clamping down around Brian’s penis, nothing more required to trigger Brian’s own orgasm. It took a moment for Brian to return to his senses. When he did he pushed Justin gently on to the bed and followed him down so that their bodies could remain together. “We need to bathe.” “Hmmm.” Justin didn’t move, didn’t even open his eyes. Brian began to rouse himself. “Wash off our combined seed and sweat.” Brian continued as if would manage to convince Justin to agree with him. Justin opened his eyes and waited until Brian crossed his line of sight then he followed him as Brian searched for his clothes and began to dress so that he wouldn’t shock a maid accidentally when he had to go downstairs to ask the footmen to bring the hot water. “I like being coated, inside and out by the product of our coupling.” Brian felt his cock give a half-hearted jerk and then obviously resign itself to exhaustion, “But what of the other people who’ll be forced to endure your presence?” “I'll tell them, ‘to mind their tongues for it is their master’s scent they detect on me and it is an inimitable and priceless fragrance.’” Justin sat up, got off the bed and walked towards him. Brian fixated on every movement, his eyes blurring and startled when he felt Justin press against him, his soft, warm mouth pressed against his ear. Justin's hot, breathless words forced themselves past his renewed desire. “I am honoured to be the one chosen to wear you, My Lord.” Brian stayed very still. The he returned to his senses and pushed Justin away. “Minx! Be off with you before you force me to ravish you.” “Again! Forced to ravish me again.” Justin made sure to clarify. Sadly Brian was hard-pressed to deny it, especially when faced with all the proof. Justin’s lips were still red and swollen, his chest caked in the dried white evidence of satiated lust. His voice was soft and drowsy, satisfied and thoroughly loved. Brian crossed his arms over his chest and sucked his bottom lip into his mouth. He cleared his throat and stated again as firmly as he could. “Bathe!” He turned away from his temptation and strolled into his room to unmake his bed and leave through his bedroom door to call for hot water, enough for two baths. “Can we not share?” Brian turned to find Justin still naked, propped up against the doorframe. “You are delusional. If I can hardly keep my hands off you when you’re all the way over there how am I supposed to accomplish it when you are leaning against me in a hot, wet bath?” Justin frowned, “You’re not… supposed to keep your hands off me.” “Well, I must if we are to get anything accomplished today. Alasdair’s returning soon, I'm expecting four reports within the hour, you have to pack and then there’s…” Justin interrupted him. “What do you mean, I need to pack? Where am I going? Actually ignore that question. I'm not going anywhere.” Justin’s posture changed from seductive and inviting to wary and challenging Brian stayed silent realising his mistake a little too late, “Justin.” He began to mollify. “Brian?” Justin crossed his arms over his chest and didn’t back down from Brian’s intimidating, imploring gaze. Both his eyebrows rose as he awaited his reply. Brian cleared his throat and straightened his shoulders, preparing himself for a confrontation. “You are going home.” “I'm doing no such thing.” Justin fired back as soon as the words were out of Brian’s mouth. “Yes, yes you are.” Brian smiled menacingly. Justin stepped towards him, “No, I am not. Why must I leave you?” “In two days there have been two attempts. I can not risk placing you in a perilous situation.” “I can handle myself perfectly. Have I not proved that to you over and over again?” “Yes, but…” “The answer is yes. I don’t need any other reply.” Justin shrugged and made as if to turn away. Brian reached out and grabbed hold of his arm, “Don’t fight with me naked.” “Does it make you hard, make you lose your concentration, forget what’s important? Perfect.” Justin’s tight smile was still not very inviting. “There is a direct risk to my son now.” Brian pulled out the one undisputable argument he had in an attempt to placate him, “A threat that I have never had to face before and I need him in a safe place. He is my child, my firstborn child and my heir. I trust you to keep him safe for me.” “That is a bloody calculated and unscrupulous play on my emotions. You’re taking advantage of my affections in an undeniable attempt to get me out of the way. Screw you.” Justin turned around and slammed the door behind him. Brian watched the space that he had vacated and took a deep breath. There was nothing he could really say in reply to that accusation because Justin was right. But it was a battle he was willing to lose as long as he won the war in the end. He had learned to take his losses hand in hand with all his victories. But these two - he was completely unequipped to deal with the prospective loss of them. He would see if he could try and make his peace after all the details had been sorted and he’d had a bath. It was the first time where he regretted sacrificing the prospect of having to share the large tub. ----- An hour later, Gus was packed. Justin was also packed… Brian had, um given instructions to that purpose and he knew that Justin would not be pleased. And he was searching for his errant lover. The stable was of course, the last place he remembered to go to. “Have you finished commanding and arranging everything to your requirements?” Justin knew he stood behind him without having turned to look. Brian chose to ignore his words instead of attempting to work through what it was that he meant by them. “What is her name?” There was a long moment of silence before Justin finally replied. “Llamrei, she is named for King Arthur’s horse of legends. She is equally as loyal and true.” There was a long silence as Brian processed the words. When he spoke his words were low and gentle, “Justin… men, men can be… loyal.” Justin turned to face him, “And true? Can these men you speak of, will they be true?” “I…” Brian shut his eyes and kept them closed until he felt Justin’s hand settle on his shoulder. “I love you Brian. I don’t want to leave you.” Brian opened his eyes and saw the truth of those words spilling shamelessly from Justin’s gaze. “I… I can't risk having something happen to you.” “I am not helpless, Brian.” “But you… you make me helpless. I give you strength but you… you, I feel weak when I must fear for you and I… I can't. I won't be weak.” “Can you understand that, Justin? I need you to understand that. Please understand it.” Justin battled with pain in an attempt to comprehend. “I make you weak?” “Not… not always.” Brian winced with regret. “Not, most of the time.” “Brian…” “Just do this for me, Justin. Please?” Justin raised his hand and laid it flat against Brian’s cheek. Brian leaned into the gentle pressure, his nose rubbing over Justin’s wrist as he inhaled his scent. “I can't imagine that you are a man who asks for much.” Brian met his gaze and it did not waver, so Justin continued. “If it’s this important to you… I'll go.” “Thank you.” “But I shall miss you.” Justin stated “That’s Okay. I won't mind if you do.” Justin smiled and rolled his eyes before leaning forward to rest his forehead against Brian’s. Brian raised his hand and buried it in Justin’s blond hair, grabbing a fistful and yanking back so that Justin’s chin rose, eyes wide with surprise. He walked Justin back until he crashed into the stable wall and brought his lips down upon his. ‘We seem to make up in the stable a lot’ was Brian’s last thought as their joined mouths obliterated all capacity for thought. Justin groped him desperately, low moans and vibrations coming from deep in his throat. Brian pinned him against the wall, gripping his perfect hips as Justin opened his mouth to him and allowed him to plunder and take. “Will you miss me?” Justin panted out as Brian kissed up his cheeks and sucked on his earlobe. “No!” Brian barely breathed into his ear before he brought their mouths back together in urgent, frenzied hunger. He could feel Justin’s lips quirk into a smile as his tongue swept over his lips before he broached through and forced his tongue into Justin’s mouth again. Justin pulled back from him again, the hand that he had splayed on Brian’s chest pushing the man back to give himself space. “I don’t believe you.” Justin’s eyes flickered to and fro as they studied Brian’s face. Brian met and held the penetrating blue stare. He smiled. “That’s Okay too.”