Together As One Chapter 4 The sunlight filtered in through a part in the curtain that had been blown open by the gentle breezes coming through the open window. The warm rays of the morning sun softly caressed the smoothness of his cheeks. The constant beeping of his clock reminded Justin that it was time to get up; it was a school day. Reaching out to turn off his alarm, he groaned when he realized what time it was. Sleep had been elusive and it felt like he’d been asleep only moments before being awakened by the annoying sound of his alarm. He snuggled deep into his comforter, hoping to get a few more minutes before he had to get up. His grandmother came by his room to make sure he was out of bed and he reluctantly dragged his body to the bathroom to get ready for the day ahead. When he reached the school grounds, he was greeted by the smiling face of his friend, Daphne. Her smile quickly vanished when she noticed the dark circles that rimmed his eyes and the unhappy look on his face. “God, Justin you look like shit.” “Good morning to you too, Daph,” he said unenthusiastically. “Oh sorry, I just figured with you disappearing with Brian on Saturday, you’d be all happy or something. What happened? Did something go wrong?” “Uh…” Interrupted by the morning bell ringing, Justin heaved a sigh of relief. At least he didn’t have to go into things now. “Look, we’ll talk about it at lunch, okay?” “Sure, but I want to hear details…so don’t forget it.” She nudged Justin in the arm as they headed off to their classes. Throughout the morning, Justin had difficulty focusing. Listening to the droning voice of his teacher as he discussed Shakespeare or Mr. Robinson going over some AP calculus problem were the last things he wanted to hear. His mind kept straying back to his night with Brian. His gentleness and patience; knowing that it was Justin’s first time and the fact that he shouted “I love you,” when they had climaxed had to have meant something. He didn’t understand what had happened the following morning…why the sudden change? The noon bell finally rang and Justin anxiously walked out of the classroom seeking out his favorite place under the tree. Inhaling the fresh air and feeling the soft breezes blowing against his skin felt rejuvenating. Sometimes he disliked being cooped up in a classroom; he missed the open air. Actually what he missed was being outdoors looking out at the vista and seeing the pristine beauty of the mountains that surrounded his home. “Oh Jusssssstin,” Daphne waved her hand in front of her friend bringing him out of his daydreaming. “Huh, oh hi Daph. I didn’t realize you were here.” “No kidding…you looked like you were a million miles away,” she giggled. “What were you thinking of…Brian?” “Actually I was thinking of home. How days like this reminded me of being there,” he said sadly. “You miss home don’t you?” “Yeah, I do; a lot.” “Well you’ll get back there someday.” “I hope you’re right.” Grabbing Justin’s arm Daphne shook it slightly, “Well, are you going to tell me what happened after you left with Brian? I’ve been dying to hear the details.” Laughing at his friend’s excitement Justin said, “You’re such a freak.” “Yeah I know, but you like me anyway,” she let out a loud laugh. “Well…I’m waiting.” “Gosh, Daph, it was amazing, I mean he was amazing. He was so gentle. He took his time. It started to hurt really bad, and I wanted him to stop, but he was so patient. He told me just to relax and breath, and then he waited until the pain abated after that it felt amazing and I wanted more,” Justin said as he relived each moment. Daphne smiled at her friend. She noticed he had this far away dreamy look in his eyes as he reflected on the night. “So what are you guys now, boyfriends?” she interrupted. “I doubt it, we just met. “ “Do you love him?” “I don’t know. I think I love him but…I’m not sure he feels the same way.” “What do you mean?” “It’s kind of hard to explain. He said he loved me right before he was about to climax, but the next morning it was like he couldn’t get rid of me fast enough. I don’t know what I did wrong,” he sighed his eyes welling with unshed tears. Daphne could see the hurt reflected in her friend’s eyes as he told her how Brian had cast him off the next day. She wanted to get a hold of the tall burnet by his balls and chew him a new asshole for hurting her friend. “Tell me what happened.” Daph sat patiently waiting for him to pull himself together. “I want all the details.” “Brian has this huge loft, and at first I was kind of nervous and scared. I didn’t know what to do, and I kind of acted like a dork. Next thing I know he removes his clothes; God you should see how gorgeous he is. I couldn’t take my eyes off of him; and I kind of just stood there staring. He walks up to me and starts to remove my clothes and before I realized it he takes…” Justin suddenly paused, blushing. “Don’t stop now, what did he do?” she asked, giving Justin a questioning glance. “Ah…well he kind of took me in his mouth,” he stammered a bit embarrassed at trying to describe what Brian did. “Ewwww…okay…TMI,” she squeaked. Justin laughed at his friend’s expression, “Well you asked.” “Yeah I did. Okay, then what happened, and Jus, this time give me only the basics I don’t think I want the full details.” she chuckled. “Well after that he led me to the bedroom and we made love. God, Daph once I got used to it, it was amazing. I never imagined it could feel that way; after that we fell asleep. It was nice waking up next to him. He looked so hot and sexy the next morning that I wanted him to fuck me again.” A sudden sadness washed over his fine features as he recalled the way Brian had treated him the next morning. A soft sigh escaped his lips and a despondent looked settled on his face as he looked down at his hands, his fingers idly picking at the crust of his partially eaten sandwich. “Daph, do you think I did something wrong?” Justin looked over at his friend hoping she might have a clue. Gently placing her hand on Justin’s arm, waiting for him to look up at her, she replied, “I don’t think you did anything wrong, Justin. Maybe he has doubts, or maybe he’s scared…who knows what he may be thinking, but you can’t go on second guessing things. It’s going to just make you feel worse than you already do. I know you’re hurt right now, but you have to move past this. Brian was just the first guy you ever had sex with. It will always be special, but there are a lot of guys who would love to be with you.” “But Daph, he’s the one I want. “ “Look Justin, I don’t want to hurt your feelings or make you feel any worse, but I don’t think Brian wants you. You’re a hot guy yourself and there is someone out there for you and if he doesn’t see that it’s his loss,” she stated adamantly. “You deserve to be treated better and if I were you I’d move on. You had one great night with a sexy and gorgeous guy but I think you need to consider it a memory.” Daphne knew she was being harsh but she didn’t feel Justin should pine away for a guy who had just tossed him aside after he had possessed him. Afternoon classes seemed to drag, and Justin’s mind kept going over the conversation he had with Daphne during lunch. The more he thought about it the more he felt she was right. He was fortunate enough to have had one night with a man who was gentle and patient, and who had made his first time very special and for that he would always be grateful to Brian. It could have been a lot worse; he could have found someone who didn’t give a shit about him and could have made the experience a very bad one. The long day finally came to an end and he caught up with Daphne after their classes. His heart felt a little lighter and things seemed clearer; he had come to a decision. “How’d your classes go?” Daphne inquired. “They were long and boring, and I thought they’d never end,” he groaned. “How about you come over and we could do some studying. Heaven knows I probably missed a lot in my classes today since I had a hard time concentrating. Maybe you could let me go over your notes to see what I missed.” “Sure, I love to study at your grandparents. Your grandma makes the best cookies,” Daphne laughed, looping her hand through Justin’s arm as they made their way to her car. “Say Justin, you seem a little better since we had lunch.” “Yeah, I feel a little better. I did a lot of thinking in class about what you said during lunch. I’ve come to the conclusion that you’re right. As much as I would like Brian and I to be together, I might as well face the cold, hard reality that it isn’t going to happen and just move forward. After all, like you said, there are a lot of other guys out there. Why should I sit around wasting my time hoping that Brian will come around. Even his friends said he doesn’t do boyfriends or believe in relationships, “ Justin stated with great resolve. Finally admitting that he had to move on, he felt a weight lift off his shoulders. “That’s great Justin. You’ve made the right decision. Why waste your time wanting someone who doesn’t want you. Go out have fun and meet other guys. There were a lot of hotties at Babylon that night we went,” she smiled and winked at Justin, making his cheeks turn a bright red. Justin couldn’t wait for the weekend to roll around. After his shift at the diner he planned on going to Babylon, having fun and experiencing it all. Things had worked out perfectly, he worked the early shift at the diner on Saturday, and that gave him time to go home and clean up before heading to Babylon. But first he had to get past seeing Brian. He knew it wasn’t going to be easy, but sooner or later he knew he would have to face him. After all Liberty Avenue wasn’t that big a place and they would probably be running into each frequently. Hearing the whoosh of the door and the jingling of the bell, Justin turned just in time to see Brian walk in. His breath caught in his throat as he watched the hazel -eyed beauty manage to catch the attention of just about everyone in the tiny establishment. Taking a deep calming breath and pulling out all his resolve, he plastered on his famous sunshine smile and greeted him. “Hey, Brian,” Justin said as the sexy paragon strode past him to grab the booth at the back of the diner. “Hey, yourself,” Brian replied as he eyed Justin. As he sat there waiting for the rest of the gang to show up, he casually observed the blond’s movements as he went from table to table. He noticed how easily Justin flirted with the customers and how they seemed to eat it up; it appeared that he had a way with people. Finally the rest of the gang showed up and the conversation turned to their plans for the evening. They decided to meet at Woody’s first to shoot some pool and then head over to Babylon as was their normal routine on most Saturday nights. Every so often, Brian would steal a glance at Justin especially when he heard gleeful laughter coming from his direction. It didn’t go unnoticed by Emmett, as he caught his friend looking at the young blond every now and then. He knew Justin hadn’t been just another trick to Brian; that he had, in fact, meant much more. But he also knew Brian’s rules and that he was too stubborn to admit that Justin could be someone special. Shaking his head and sighing to himself, he hoped that one day he would come to his senses but he didn’t see that happening anytime soon. No siree; not with pig-headed Mr. Kinney. The gang finally exited the diner and Justin heaved a sigh of relief when he saw them leave. His face was beginning to hurt from all the smiling he was doing as he tried to keep a happy façade going. He knew it would get easier as time went on but his feelings were still fairly fresh and right now it still hurt to see Brian. His shift came to an end and it had been a fairly successful day. He had made a large amount of tips, maybe it did payoff flirting a little with the customers. They seemed to like it and when he did they tipped him better. As he entered the house, he could tell his grandmother was in the kitchen and he called out to let her that he had arrived home. “Hi, I’m home.” “Hi Justin, how did work go today,” came the response from the kitchen. “It went fine. I’m going to head for the shower and then I’ll be right out to help you in the kitchen,” he responded. For the longest time, Justin simply stood under the fine spray and the let the warm water cascade over his tired body before lathering himself with soap and washing his hair with herbal shampoo. It felt good to wash away the smell of grease that seemed to permeate his clothing, hair and every pore of his body. After rinsing himself off, he stood there a while longer letting the warmth of the water wash away the tenseness in his muscles until he felt relaxed. Drying off, he put on his sweats and headed for the kitchen. “Mmmmm something smells good. What are we having for dinner, Grams?” “Lasagna, garlic bread and salad.” “That sounds great, I can’t wait. What can I do to help.” “Why don’t you pull out the veggies for the salad,” she instructed. “Sure. Say Grams, do you think I could borrow your car tonight?” “Where are you going?” “Well…I just thought I meet some friends from the diner downtown.” He felt a little guilty for not telling the truth but yet in a way he wasn’t lying. He knew the gang was going to be there. “Well, alright, just be careful.” “I will,” he reassured the older woman and leaned over and kissed her cheek. “Thanks, Gram.” After helping his grandmother clear the table and do the dishes Justin headed to his room to dress for his evening out. He stood in front of his closet mulling over his choice of attire; he wanted to look hot for his night at Babylon. Deciding on a sapphire blue shirt, which hugged his slender form and emphasized his blue eyes, and a pair of jeans that molded his tight well-shaped ass, he slipped on his selection and glanced in the mirror. Satisfied with what he saw, retrieved his keys and wallet off the dresser, took one last appraising look and headed out the door, calling out to his grandparents to let them know he was leaving. Reaching the entrance to Babylon, the bouncer recognized the blond and let him walk right in. Flashing his sunshine smile at the man, Justin entered the world of gorgeous, hot, sweaty men and loud music. Smiling with an air of confidence he didn’t feel, but felt was necessary so that others wouldn’t see how nervous and scared he was. Slowly he made his way through the sea of bodies, garnering many appreciative looks as he strolled up to the bar. He ordered a beer to give him time to steady his nerves. Heading up the stairs, he leaned over the railing of the catwalk and scanned the dance floor. His eyes caught a flash of magenta and orange and he chuckled to himself as he recognized Emmett who had just walked in followed by Ted and Michael. Only Emmett could pull off wearing those colors and anyone standing next to him just seemed to fade into the background. As he observed the floor, Justin noticed how heads were turning in the same direction, some with a lustful gleam in their eyes. Others were licking their lips in appreciation while more were downright obvious by the bulges in their pants as the one Brian Kinney strutted through the crowd that parted like he was Moses and Babylon was the Red Sea. Justin’s heart began to beat faster as his eyes landed on the tall brunet with hazel eyes. There might be a thousand men down there, but he knew he could always pick Brian out if he was anywhere nearby. Justin took a step back from the railing so that he could unobtrusively observe him. He knew that he would have to ignore the fact that Brian was there and likely to be looking for someone to take to the backroom. He also had to ignore the fact that he wasn’t the one he was likely to be picked up. With a sigh, he noticed him make his first choice for the evening and head for the infamous backroom. Justin knew he wasn’t ready for that, but in the meantime he thought he could have some fun dancing and left the catwalk to join the crowd of frenzied dancers. As he pushed his way to the middle of the dance floor, he let the tempo of the music take over his body. Raising his arms above his head, he closed his eyes and began swaying in time to the beat. Within seconds a tall redhead moved in behind him, grasped his hips, pulled him close, and shadowed his movements. His eyes sprang open as he was sandwiched by a beefy blond who positioned himself in the front of Justin; grinding his hips against him. The blond was trembling inside, but, not wanting to appear nervous, he placed his hands on the blond’s shoulder, gave him a small smile, and prayed that the man would not do anything to him. This guy was definitely not his type, but looked like he could do some serious damage if provoked. Thinking he had to do something, he turned around quickly to face the redhead. The blond didn’t like being ignored and left to find another partner, leaving Justin to sigh in relief as he watched him go. Song after song played and Justin was never without a partner; a fact that didn’t go unnoticed. As Emmett, Ted, and Michael stood in their usual spot at the bar, Emmett noticed a blond head bobbing up and down in the middle of dance floor, but at first didn’t recognize who it was. He also observed that the blond did not lack for dance partners, and when the blond head finally turned around, Emmett was surprised to see who it was. Shaking Ted’s shoulder to get his attention, Emmett squealed, “Oh my God Teddy, look who’s dancing in the middle of the floor,” he pointed with his index finger toward the crowd. Following the direction of Emmett’s finger Ted and Michael looked to see who he was pointing at. “Shit,” Michael grumbled, “What the hell is he doing here? Is he stalking us now?” “Oh Mikey, I don’t think he’s stalking anyone,” laughed Emmett. “Looks to me like he’s the one being stalked. I’ve been watching him dance and he sure as hell doesn’t lack for partners.” “Maybe he’ll overthrow Brian and become the newest stud of Liberty Avenue,” Ted remarked dryly. “No one can ever replace Brian,” Michael defended. “Where is he by the way?” “Probably on round two or three of getting his dick sucked in the backroom,” Ted commented. “Mikey isn’t that Brian up there on the catwalk,” Emmett pointed out. “I wonder how long he’s been standing there?” Looks like he’s watching Justin and he’s not happy with what he sees, he thought to himself. “I’m going to go see him,” Michael stated as he moved toward the catwalk stairs. After his unsatisfactory blowjob, Brian had decided to take a break and headed up to the catwalk in the hopes of finding someone else to amuse him for the evening. As he stood there, his eyes fell on the blond who seemed to be caught up in the music, his eyes closed, head slightly tilted back, and body swaying sensuously from side to side. His breath caught in his throat and he balled his fists as he saw Justin being sandwich between the redhead and the beefy blond. Something akin to jealousy gnawed in the pit of his stomach as he stared at the sight before him. It was a new feeling for him; after all Brian Kinney didn’t do jealousy. Shaking his head, he tried to rid himself of the image of Justin being with someone else. “Hey Bri what’s up? ” Michael called as he moved to stand beside his best friend. Getting no response he nudged Brian in the arm to get his attention. “What the fuck…” Brian turned to see who had nudged him. “Oh, hey Mikey, what’s up?” “You tell me. You didn’t seem to even notice me.” Michael followed Brian’s line of sight and it seemed to be focused on the twink. “What the fuck does that mean?” “You didn’t even hear me when I first came up to you.” “I was just thinking about a new campaign I’m trying to come up with.” “Yeah, the campaign on the blond.” “What the fuck are you talking about Mikey. I’ve already fucked him, so why would I want him. You know my rules… no repeats,” Brian reminded his friend. “That’s what I thought,” Michael stated unconvinced of Brian’s statement. Deep down Brian felt that Justin was different, but he would never tell his Mikey that. Seeing Emmett and Ted standing near the bar Justin decided to take a break from dancing and go over and talk to them. “Hi guys,” Justin called out as he neared the couple. “Hey Baby, having fun? Looks to me like you’re going to wear out your dancing shoes tonight. Your card seems pretty full,” Emmett proclaimed. “Yeah, it looks like there are a few guys interested in you,” Ted stated “I just came here to dance and have fun.” “Sure looks like you’re doing that, Sweetie,” Emmett commented. Leaning close to Justin so that only he could hear he whispered, “Are you trying to make someone jealous?” Justin pulled back, looked Emmett in the eyes and shook his head, “No,” he stated quietly. “I listened to what everyone was saying about Brian not having boyfriends or believing in relationships, and as much as I am interested in him I decided not to waste my time going after someone who only thinks of me as trick and doesn’t want me. I want to find someone who cares for me and wants a relationship,” he replied firmly. Emmett was taken aback by Justin’s declaration as he had thought for sure Justin would try to go after Brian. “I’m kind of surprised at your comment, Baby. I thought you really liked him.” “That’s not it Emmett, I do like him. In fact, I could even fall in love with him, but I’m not going to go after him. Like Daphne said, there are a lot of guys out there.” “Well Baby, I hope you find your Prince Charming sometime soon,” Emmett chuckled. “Come on Sweetie, let’s you and I go out there, dance, and show those guys what we can do.” Grabbing Justin by the arm, he pulled the blond onto the floor and raised his arm in his infamous “Praise Jesus” dance and began moving to the music. Justin smiled at his dance partner’s antics and felt that he had developed a friendship with the outlandishly dressed man; one who had a style all onto himself; a style that only Emmett could pull off. Standing on the catwalk with a grim look on his face, Brian stood observing Justin on the dance floor having a good time. He noticed that he appeared to be caught up in the music and never lacked for partners. As he watched Justin, his irritation grew until he decided that what he needed was another distraction to take his mind off what was happening on the dance floor. Scanning the area, he honed in on his next conquest; a tall, nicely-toned, dark-haired trick much like him in appearance and totally opposite from the blond he’d been watching. Brian approached the man from behind and wrapping his arm lightly around his waist, he pulled the trick toward him until his warm breath excited the man. Brian whispered seductively, enticing the dark-haired beauty to follow him into the backroom. As they entered the backroom, Brian immediately pushed the trick to his knees and quickly undid his own jeans. Leaning against the wall his eyes closed, he entangled his fingers in the man’s hair and pulled him forward. He thrust his hips forward as he felt the warm mouth eagerly devour his hard shaft. As he felt the trick move his mouth along his erection, his tongue licking and swirling around his leaking slit, Brian tried to focus on the sensation the man was creating, but his mind kept pulling up images of the blond’s face that had been distracting his thoughts all evening. Unable to concentrate on the trick’s performance, Brian wanted to end it quickly. Arching his back and thrusting his hips until his shaft hit the back of the man’s throat, Brian came hard, spilling his creamy liquid and filling the tricks mouth. Shoving the man away, Brian pulled himself together and walked out of the backroom leaving an angry man spewing expletives at the shabby way he had been treated. Returning to the dance floor, Brian headed straight for the bar, ordered a double Beam and threw it back in one swallow, relishing in the feel of the amber liquid as it burned his throat on the way down. He wanted to erase the disgust he felt at himself for letting his thoughts of Justin spoil his evening. As he stood leaning against the end of bar, another drink in hand, Brian watched as Justin approached and ordered himself a beer. Before he could make a move he noticed someone looking Justin over and attempting to engage him in conversation. “Hey, can I buy you a drink?” the man with the black wavy hair and soul patch offered smiling. “Ah…sure, thanks,” Justin replied “By the way my name is Ethan, Ethan Gold,” he stated offering his hand. Taking the proffered hand and shaking it, Justin replied, “Nice to meet you Ethan, I’m Justin Taylor. I haven’t seen you here before; do you come to Babylon often?” “No, normally I don’t frequent clubs; it’s not my scene,” Ethan replied. “I’m here tonight only because a friend of mine wanted someone to keep him company, so he dragged me along. But now I’m glad I came,” he said as he flirted with the blond. Blushing deeply, Justin smiled broadly at the man and decided to change the subject. “So, Ethan, what do you do?’ “I’m a student at the Pittsburgh Institute of Fine Arts. “ “Oh, what do you major in?” Justin was fascinated, for he had heard PIFA was one of the finest schools for the arts and it was one of the schools he had applied for provided he could find a way to pay for the education. “I’m a music major; I play the violin. It’s been my obsession so to speak ever since I can remember,” Ethan spoke with such passion and enthusiasm in his voice. “What about you?” he questioned Justin. “Well…I’m a senior St. James Academy and I work over at the Liberty Diner on the weekends,” Justin blushed, hating to have to admit he was still in high school. “You’re still in high school? I wouldn’t have thought so, you being here tonight.” “Well, there are ways to get in if you really want to,” Justin smirked. “Does it bother you that I’m still in high school?” “No not really, as long as you’re of legal age,” Ethan raised a brow and smiled. “Not to worry, I’ll be 18 in a few months,” Justin reassured. They became engrossed in conversation as Justin found himself wanting to learn all he could about campus life at PIFA; they thoroughly enjoyed getting to know one another. Grabbing a hold of his hand, Justin pulled Ethan onto the dance floor, but the PIFA student wasn’t comfortable dancing. He had been enjoying just being with Justin and getting to know him far more. Taking a breather, they stepped off the dance floor and made their way back to the bar. They stood there talking until Ethan’s friend, Tim, came up to let Ethan know it was getting late and was time leave. “Well, I guess I have to be going,” Ethan stated. “We have to be at school kind of early tomorrow for practice and if I’m not performing at my best, the professor could very well throw me out of the recital.” “I wouldn’t want that to happen,” Justin responded even though he was disappointed that Ethan had to leave. “It was nice meeting you Justin Taylor, I will look forward to seeing you again,” Ethan smiled and gave Justin a chaste kiss on the cheek. Feeling the heat creep up his neck and color his face, Justin smiled back, “Yeah, it was nice meeting you too and I hope to see you again...soon” Turning back around after he watched Ethan leave, Justin rejoined the trio, but not before noticing pair of flashing hazel eyes glaring at him. Distracted by the Brian’s stare, Justin heard Emmett trying to get his attention until he felt an elbow nudge his shoulder. “Hey Sweetie, you seem like you’re a long way from here.” “Huh…oh…yeah. Sorry I didn’t hear what you were saying Em.” “Well Sweetie, I was commenting on the guy you were talking with; the one who seemed really interested in you.” “Oh, his name is Ethan Gold, and he’s a music major at PIFA,” Justin replied. “Think you’ll be hearing from him?” Ted joined in. “Oh of course he will Teddy; Ethan seemed very enamored with our Justin.” Laughing, Justin replied, “Oh Emmett, that’s a bit of an exaggeration, to say he was enamored with me. He never asked for my number or said he would call.” “Did you tell him where you went to school or where you work?” “Uh…yeah.” “Well, Sweetie, he knows where to find you if he’s interested. There was also someone else who seemed to be observing you and Ethan. “ “Oh?” Justin said, giving Emmett a questioning look. “Oh my yes, and if I do say so myself he seemed a tad jealous,” Emmett laughed at the possibility of the great Brian Kinney being jealous. A couple weeks went by since Justin had met Ethan at Babylon, and he began to wonder if he would ever see the violinist again. Lost in thought, Justin didn’t hear the bell ringing over the door. He was working behind the counter filling sugar containers and thinking of Ethan. Hearing someone behind him clearing his throat, Justin turned around, a smile gracing his features as he saw the man who kept invading his thoughts. “Ethan! What a surprise. How did you know I worked here?” “You mentioned you worked at the Liberty Diner and knowing there is only one, I figured this is where I could find you. You don’t mind me dropping in do you?” “No, not at all,” Justin stated enthusiastically. He was thrilled to see his new friend. “Can I get you something to eat or drink?” “I’ll have a cup of coffee, and a piece of you,” Ethan responded. Laughing shyly at Ethan’s remark Justin said, “I’ll get your coffee.” “Thanks. Can you take a break and sit with me for a few minutes?” “Sure, let me tell Debbie.” After notifying Debbie, he and Ethan moved over to one of the open booths. “So what brings you here, Ethan?” “You.” “Oh,” was all Justin could think of to say. Not one of his wittier moments. Seeing that he made Justin uncomfortable, Ethan smiled at the young man and said, “Well actually, I wanted to invite you to my recital. It’s going to be next Saturday on campus. Will you come?” he asked hopefully. “I’d love to,” Justin smiled, his eyes twinkling with a hint of laughter. “Great! The recital starts at 8 o’clock in the evening.” “Okay, I’ll be there. Oh, I can tell by the evil eye that I’m getting that my break is over so I’d better get back to work.“ Justin got up and walked Ethan to the door and said goodbye, by letting him know that he would see him next week. With a final wave, Ethan exited the diner and went on his way. He was thrilled that Justin had agreed to attend his recital, and was looking forward to performing for the young blond. As the week slowly passed, Justin was looking forward to seeing Ethan perform but more than that he was looking forward to just seeing him. He hoped that something more could come of their relationship, as it seemed that they had a few things in common; both were the artistic type, and previous conversations had let Justin know that Ethan was also interested in having a relationship with someone special. He wasn’t into having one-night stands and that was something Justin didn’t want either. It was unfortunate Brian didn’t feel the same way. It still hurt Justin to think that he had been just a trick but he hoped, in time, they could at least become friends. He knew there was more to Brian and if he would just let his defenses down one would discover the enigma that was Brian Kinney. Justin didn’t believe for a second that he was what he professed to be; deep down he wanted more than he was willing to admit. Hopefully one day things will be different. The night of the recital, Daphne came over to help Justin choose the outfit he would wear. He wanted to look his best when he saw Ethan, so she suggested he wear his Cashmere blue sweater that brought out the color of his eyes and a pair of gray dress slacks. Putting on his clothes, he spun around, “So how do I look?” he asked his friend. “You look faaabulous,” Daphne giggled as she did her best to imitate Emmett. “You’re really excited about going to this recital aren’t you Justin?” Nodding slightly, he gave her one of his sunshine smiles, “Yes I am.” “Is he hot looking like Brian?” “No one is as hot looking as Brian,” he remarked his voice tinged with a bit of sadness. “But Ethan is nice, and unlike Brian he’s not interested in just one night stands.” “That’s great Justin. Well I better be going; have a good time and don’t forget I want details when I seen you at school Monday,” she laughed as she headed out the door. “Thanks for your help Daph,” Justin responded, giving her a hug. “Anytime.” Justin entered the auditorium where the recital was being held, located his seat and sat down taking time to look over the program of the night’s performances. As the lights dimmed, a hushed silence descended the audience. Slowly the spotlights came up illuminating the stage and the lone performer who stood before them poised with instrument in hand. The strains of Scherzo Tarantelle Opus 16 filled the air, and Justin was at the edge of his seat mesmerized by the incredibly talented artist. He closed his eyes and let the music envelop him, feeling as if his soul was being transported to a different time and place. The piece ended to a burst of applause and a standing ovation for the artist; Ethan Gold. Standing there confidently to take his bows, he scanned the audience in search of the blond, and was rewarded by seeing the pride that shone in his blue orbs. Taking one last bow he excited the stage. The recital completed, Justin went backstage in search of the musician. Spotting him amongst a crowd of well -wishers, he stood off to the side until Ethan was alone. At lone at last, Justin walked over to Ethan, softly embracing him in a congratulatory hug. “You were amazing,” Justin whispered tenderly. “Thanks, but my fingering was for shit on parts of the piece,” Ethan quietly contradicted, as he gazed into admiring blue eyes. “Well you could have fooled me and everyone else in the audience; they all seemed to be captivated by your music.” Seeing the truth his words, the musician took a step closer to the blond, and looked deeply into his eyes and with the tips of his fingers gently stroked the softness of his cheek. “I only wanted to captivate one person. You were my muse tonight; I was playing just for you,” he whispered as he tenderly brushed a kiss on his lips. Justin felt his breath catch when he felt Ethan’s warm lips against his, and he responded with a soft moan as he let the kiss deepen. When they stepped apart, their eyes were glazed over with desire, and for a moment they forgot that they weren’t alone. Flushed with embarrassment, the two men laughed and decided to take their leave and go somewhere more private. The next time Daphne saw Justin she couldn’t wait to grill him on the events of his weekend. During lunch and after school all Justin could talk about was Ethan; Ethan this, and Ethan that. He told her all about the recital and the time they spent together afterwards. It appeared that Justin had found someone he enjoyed being with. on to # 5