Midnight Whispers
QAF Brian and Justin Fanfiction
Author's Chapter Notes:

Justin is discharged from the hospital, facing an awkward reunion with Gus.  A confrontation between Gus and his mother ensues regarding custody.  Kayla receives an unexpected invitation, while Justin gets several, thoughtful surprises from Brian.  Gus and Tristan prepare for their first, 'real' date.

 

 

 

Later that night...


Brian walked back into Justin's hospital room after talking with Gus, relieved to see that Justin was asleep and resting comfortably now; as he sat down on the edge of the bed, however, and lightly caressed Justin's face with the back of his hand, his lover's eyelids fluttered open in response.  Brian couldn't help smiling down into the beautiful face and silently thinking how grateful he was that the younger man was going to fully recover. 

 

"Hey.... is Gus ok?" Justin asked sleepily as he let out a yawn.



Brian nodded. "Yeah, he's more than okay, actually... I found him over at Kayla's and he's back home now.."



Justin smiled in relief, realizing that was Brian's way of telling him that things were okay again between father and son.  "Brian, you don't need to take me back to your place," he offered, thinking that might be for the best, only to have Brian reach out quickly and place his fingers against his mouth. 

 

"That's not open for discussion," he told him firmly.  "You need someone to take care of you while you recuperate, and unless you've won the lottery, you can't take care of yourself back at your place. He'll be fine with it, you'll see.  Really." 

 

"It's still going to be fucking awkward, Brian, under the circumstances," Justin insisted, still not convinced it would be the best solution.

 

"Justin, trust me.  He realizes now that he never had a chance with you and how we feel about each other."  He teased, "After all, I AM his father." 

 

"Brian, try to be serious here..."

 

Brian's face dissolved into something more serious.  "It's not going to be a problem," he told him softly.  "Gus and I had a long talk, and he realized he was being - in his words, not mine - a 'brat.'  And if it makes you feel any better, I think he's finally beginning to shift his attention toward Kayla's brother, which is just fine with me."  He didn't think it was a good time to tell him about what had happened with Owen, though; Justin had enough on his mind right now and needed to recover first.

 

"Really?" Justin's face lit up with relief.  "I think that's great!  Although, it would be a poor substitute for me." 

 

Brian rolled his eyes as Justin grinned back at him.  "Arrogant much?" he asked.  "You're obviously feeling better now."  He stared into Justin's eyes as he reached over to grasp his hand and squeeze it before moving to let it go; Justin, however, merely held on tighter.  "Get some rest, Sunshine. And I'll break you out of this joint tomorrow." 

 

"You know...I think this bed is actually way too big for just me."  That was obviously a bold-faced lie, however; even with Justin's slender frame, the bed was a typical, narrow hospital bed. 

 

"Really?" Brian asked dryly as Justin nodded with a sly grin.  "Maybe you'd better scoot over, then..."



Rather than sitting beside him, however, Brian helped Justin rise to a seating position so he could slide in behind him on the bed, placing his longer legs on either side of his lover.  Justin promptly lay back against Brian's chest as Brian hugged him close.  The space would be considered tight and very constrictive for anyone else, but for the two lovers it was more like heaven after what they had been through. 



Justin sighed, loving the feel of Brian's arms around him. "Good night, Romeo," he murmured sleepily as his eyes fluttered closed, feeling totally safe in Brian's embrace.



Brian smiled, finally feeling like the world was beginning to turn right again.  "Good night, Juliet," he whispered before he, too, closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.

 


Back at the loft...

 

Gus tossed and turned in his bed, unable to sleep after everything that had happened.  What an eventful night!  And tomorrow promised to be even more eventful.  His father had texted him to let him know he would be staying by Justin's side tonight until it was time for him to bring Justin back here to the loft to help take care of him.  He flopped over onto his back in defeat after noticing an hour had gone by, knowing he wouldn't be going to sleep anytime soon.  His mind was racing too much.  He realized that he had overreacted when he had first seen his father and Justin together, and he understood now just how much his father loved the young man he had developed such an attraction to.  It had been obvious in the way that his father looked at him, and the anguish evident in his voice when it was feared he might lose Justin after the accident.  He was glad to see his father so happy now, and Justin obviously felt just as deeply for him.

 

But still...This was the guy who had haunted his dreams for weeks. Could he really handle seeing his dad and Justin together as a couple?  It was no doubt going to feel both strange and awkward when he and Justin saw each other again for the first time since their unexpected encounter.  How would Justin react? What would he even say to him?  How would he feel?  How would Justin feel? 

 

And then his mind wandered to his best friend, who was still in a fair amount of pain after her assault. He felt so sorry for Kayla.  He would do anything to make sure that Owen paid for what he did to her.  Tomorrow he would accompany her to the police station to find out what was going on with him.  If Owen got out and tried to wreak some sort of revenge on Kayla, he would see that the boy didn't sit down again for a week - or worse. 

 

He sighed as he then considered the most important task of all he had to undertake.  After seeing Kayla and Tristan's mom, Charlene, again, and seeing how trivially she treated both of her children, he again recognized just how special his father was, and how lucky he was to have him for a dad.  Despite what had happened recently, he always felt so loved around his father.  He knew his Dad was worried sick about what his mom might do - and that she might somehow manage to take him away from him.  But he couldn't let that happen, he wouldn't let that happen, he vowed.  Tomorrow he would have a talk with the woman himself and straighten her out. 

 

And if that wasn't enough to occupy his thoughts, later tomorrow night he was going on his first date with Tristan.  He smiled.  He couldn't believe that he hadn't realized sooner how Tristan felt about him. He was so sure at first that the other boy was simply playing games with him, and that Justin was the man for him.  How wrong he had been on both counts!  His heart began to quicken as he thought about tomorrow night, and he found himself looking forward nervously to what would happen.  This time it felt right...and he couldn't wait. 

 


 

The Next Morning...



Justin rolled his eyes in exasperation as Brian helped him out of his wheelchair and into the passenger seat of the Jeep, feeling like some helpless child.  "I can do this by myself, you know," he told his lover stiffly.

 

"I don't think so, Sunshine," was the unnerving response.  "For the next two weeks you are doing nothing by yourself; doctor's orders."

 

He helped Justin slide into the passenger before putting his seatbelt on him.

 

Justin huffed in annoyance as Brian closed the door and walked around to sit behind the wheel.  "Are you going to piss for me, too?" 

 

"If I can figure out a way," he teased him as he glanced over at him.  "Remember, you are not to do anything on your own until your next checkup with the doctor." 

 

"Not even shower?" Justin asked coyly.



Brian smirked back at him.  "Especially not shower...We wouldn't want you to slip and fall..."

 

"You are so transparent, Kinney!" Justin replied, laughing, as Brian curled his lips under impishly. 



"Ready to go?" he asked softly as Justin nodded. 



"Ready as I'll ever be."

 

Brian frowned as he recognized a hint of hesitance in his lover's voice.  "Justin?  You feeling okay?  You did take your pain medication earlier?"

 

"Yes, Dr. Kinney," he retorted dutifully.  He sighed.  "I'm still pretty sore," he admitted.  "But it's not that." 

 

"Then what?" 

 

"Nothing.  I'm fine, Brian."  But Brian continued to stare over at him until he knew he would have to explain.  "I'm just a little worried about seeing Gus again since, you know..."  He stared out the front window.  "Are you sure he's okay with me coming back to the loft to stay with you? That's got to be uncomfortable to him."  He raked his hand through his hair restlessly.  "It feels weird enough to me; I can't imagine how HE feels right now." 

 

"Justin,  I thought we had already settled this. It's not open to discussion, because it will NOT be an issue with him."  If it makes you feel better, he told me that he and Tristan are going out on their first date tonight." 

 

Justin's eyes widened.  "Really?"

 

Brian nodded.  "So, see? He's already forgotten about you," he teased him. When he didn't get a smile in return, however, his face sobered.  "Look.  It's bound to be a little odd at first. But he really is okay with us.  He wants both of us to be happy.  Okay?" 

 

Justin nodded as Brian reached over to squeeze his hand in reassurance.  "Now...time to take you home," he told him as he started up the Jeep, slowly pulling out into traffic to head toward the loft.

 


After a short ride home...



Gus glanced up from his place at the kitchen counter, glass juice in hand as he heard the loft door being slid open.  He watched as his father walked in with Justin leaning heavily against him.  His father's arm was around Justin's waist as he leaned into his side for support. 

 

Licking his lips nervously, Gus placed the glass down and slid off his stool to stand near them.  "Hey," he said to Justin, suddenly feeling distinctly like a third party.

 

Justin smiled wistfully at the other boy, feeling extremely weird as well.  He still found it hard to believe that the boy whom he had become friends with at school and who had developed such a fixation on him wound up being his lover's son...and now he was going to live with both of them for the next two weeks.  No, Brian, he thought wryly as he considered their situation, this won't be strange at all...

 

Brian glanced from his son to his lover, noticing the tension between them.  He realized he had been somewhat naïve earlier in thinking this would be a smooth transition.  While he knew both Justin and Gus wanted this to work out, he also began to understand it was still going to take some time. 

 

"How are you feeling?" Gus asked softly at last as he lifted his eyes to stare over at the boy he now knew had never been his and never would be. 

 

"Like someone hit me with a Mack truck," he told him with a half-smile.  "They sent me home with plenty of the good stuff, though.  Only bad part is, I can't take most of it because I'm allergic to it."  He sighed.  "I'm pretty sore and stiff," he admitted.  "But I'm getting a little better every day." 

 

Gus nodded.  "I'm glad." 



Brian cleared his throat. "Sonny Boy, would you hold the door open to my bedroom, please?" He asked, hoping that might move things along a little and knowing that Justin needed to get off his feet and rest.

 

 

"Yeah, sure, Dad" Gus told him as he walked ahead of his father and Justin so he could hold the door open for them.  He watched as Justin slowly shuffled toward the bedroom, his face contorted in pain. 

 

Brian's face furrowed with concern as he heard Justin hiss in discomfort.  Damn, stubborn boy.  "Screw this," he growled. "I know you want to be your own man, Sunshine, and your pride won't like this, but..."  He abruptly stopped in his tracks so he could bodily scoop Justin up into his arms.  "...this is taking too long and you need to get off your feet.  I'll get you into bed, and then you can be as 'independent' as you want." 

 

Justin must have been in more pain than he let on, because to Brian's surprise he didn't protest being carried; quite the opposite.  Instead, he wound his arms around Brian's neck and kissed him on the cheek.  "My hero," he deadpanned as Brian grinned back at him.  "And you didn't even have to climb a trellis or anything." 

 

Gus averted his eyes as he watched the tender looks on both his father and Justin's faces, not sure what the 'trellis' reference was all about.   The whole scene was surreal,  like he was on another planet.  He had never seen his father act this way with any man before, and to know that it was because of Justin; well, it threatened to totally freak him out.  He truly wanted both of them to be happy, and for once he was optimistic that something promising and long lasting would come out of his and Tristan's date tonight. But it was still fucking weird.  He stole another peek over at his father and Justin, watching his father gently place Justin down onto the bed like he was fine china before he kissed him on the forehead.  He had to avert his eyes.  Hopefully he would get used to them being together, and in time it would be easier for him to handle.  He would certainly do his best.  But for now, it was damn odd.

 

He heard the soft beeping of his father's cellphone alarm go off then as he heard him say, "Time for another pill, Sunshine." 

 

"No... It makes me so sleepy!" Justin protested like a little child.



Brian chuckled, unaffected by his lover's antics.  "Well, then, lucky for you you're already in bed."



Justin grimaced in disgust, making a face like a two-year-old who knew he was not going to get his way.

 

"Great," he muttered.  "Can't wait." 

 

Brian grinned, knowing he had won this battle...for now. Something told him a certain blond could wind up being a very stubborn patient.  Well, he could be even MORE stubborn...when he needed to be.

 

"I'll be right back with a pill and some juice," he told him, taking a moment to lightly cover Justin up with a thin sheet to make sure he didn't get cold before he turned and walked back to the door, placing a hand on Gus's shoulder as the two of them walked down the hall toward the kitchen together. 



"I'm glad you're back home, Gus," he told his son.  "Did you sleep well last night?" 

 

Gus looked away.  "Yeah... Okay, I guess," he finally responded.

 

"That didn't sound very convincing," Brian pressed.  "Gus?  You are okay with Justin being here, aren't you?"

 

Gus sighed.  "Yeah...Really, Dad," he added, trying to keep his voice down low so Justin wouldn't overhear.  "It IS odd, though, you have to admit it."

 

"I know," Brian told him softly as he walked over to the refrigerator to locate the half-gallon of orange juice.  He poured some into a glass as he counseled his son, "It'll take some time, I realize that." He placed the carton back into the fridge as he turned to face his only child.  "Gus...I never thought I would ever say this. But I love him.  I really do love him.  You already know that I love you, too," he hastened to add as Gus nodded.

 

"I know you do," he assured him.  "And I love you, too, Dad," he told him softly.  "I'm just going to need some time to get used to it, though.  But I'm glad you're here to take care of him."  He brushed his hand through his dark hair. 

 

 

Brian nodded.  "Thanks."  He picked up the glass off the counter as he asked his son, "So what do you have planned for today?  Looks like you're heading out," he observed as he noticed his son dressed as if he were getting ready to leave. 

 

Gus nodded.  "Well, um...I'm going to the police station with Kayla.  I want to find out what's going on with Owen."

 

Brian felt a twinge of concern over that.  "I wish I could go with you..."

 

Gus shook his head.  "We'll be fine," he assured him.  "You remember Kayla's friend, Amber? The one that Owen stole the phone from?"

 

Brian nodded.

 

"Well, she's supposed to meet us there so they can take down all our statements about what happened."

 

Brian's lips pressed into a firm line, a muscle in his jaw twitching as he growled, "I hope they throw the book at that fucker.  He's trouble from head to toe, and he deserves to go to jail for what he did to Kayla." 

 

"I couldn't agree with you more, Dad."

 

"Well, be careful, Gus. And if you need me for anything, call me, okay?"

 

Gus nodded as he scooped up his car keys.  "Oh, and Dad?"  He father arched an eyebrow at him in question.  "Never mind," Gus hastily added.

 

"No...What?" 

 

Gus bit his lip.  "Would you help me with my date tonight?" 

 

"You want me to chaperone?" his father asked with a grin as Gus huffed. 

 

"No, of course not!" he protested.  "I just thought you could help me pick out something to wear."

 

Brian smiled.  "You're my son; you'll look good in anything, Sonny Boy," he told him proudly.  "But yeah; I'll be glad to help."

 

Gus nodded as he turned to go, hearing his father telling Justin he would be right there. 

 


 

One Hour Later at the Police Station...

 

Kayla twisted her hair nervously as she and Gus sat in chairs facing the police sergeant.  They had just finished up telling their versions of the events last night as the officer jotted down several notes. 

 

"Anything else either of you want to add?" the same woman from last night asked them.  "Anything I didn't cover?" 

 

Both of them shook their heads as Gus reached over to squeeze his friend's hand.  "Is he locked up?" Kayla asked quietly, still quite shaken up by what happened. 

 

The police sergeant nodded.  "For now," she told her quietly.  "But I should tell you; he'll probably make bail, since it's his first offense."

 

Kayla's eyes widened in dread.  "What if he comes after me?" 

 

"Kayla..."

 

"Well, it could happen!" she insisted to Gus.  "What would stop him?"

 

"Maybe the thought that his ass will be put back into jail while he's awaiting trial if he comes anywhere near you," the woman told her.  "We're requesting a protective order be put into place if he gets out on bail.  If he comes anywhere near you, he'll be arrested and his bail revoked. That should spook him enough to keep him away from you." She smiled as she looked over at Gus.  "And something tells me your friend here - and your brother - can more than take care of themselves.  Your friend Amber has already given us her statement about the boy stealing her cellphone.  Nothing is ever cast in stone, but trust me. We have more than enough to convict this guy," she assured Kayla.  "We've got him dead to rights.  And I know these kinds of bullies; they're all bluster and cockiness until they think their freedom's going to be taken away.  I think a couple nights in jail will do him a world of good."

 

"Thank God," Kayla replied in relief.  "I never thought it would come to this," she told the sergeant sadly. "But I'll be glad when it's all over."

 

She nodded.  "Thank you for coming in today," she told them as the two rose from their chairs.  "We'll keep in touch."

 


A few minutes later, the two of them were heading back to Kayla's house in Gus's Jeep. 

 

"You okay?" Gus asked, noticing how quiet his friend was.  Normally you couldn't shut her up.  "I really think he won't try to bother you," he tried to reassure her, guessing what was on her mind.  "He may be an asshole, but he's not stupid.  He'd be an idiot to come after you now."

 

She nodded.  "I hope so."  She looked over at her friend.  "Gus?"

 

"Yeah?"

 

She smiled finally as she told him, "I just want you to know that I'm happy for you and my brother."  She giggled.  "He was actually humming  in the shower this morning!  I've NEVER heard him do that before!  You must have really made an impression on him last night."

 

Gus blushed.  "We just talked, that's all." 

 

"Uh, huh," she replied skeptically.  "Well, that must have been some 'talk.'  Tristan told me you're going out together tonight."

 

Gus stared straight ahead, his heart accelerating at the thought of finally going out on a date with Tristan; a REAL date.  "Uh...yeah.  But I'm not sure where.  I asked him to decide."

 

She grinned.  "Well, I want all the details afterward," she told him.  "And if YOU won't tell me, I'll pry them out of my brother.  I have my ways."

 

Gus rolled his eyes as he felt his face warm.  "I'm sure you do," he told her as glanced over at her wryly.  "He didn't by chance say where he was taking me, did he?"  He felt kind of odd being the 'girl' part of the date, but Tristan was very firm about wanting to treat him tonight and pick him up.  He still had no idea where they were going, though. 

 

"No, sorry," she told him.  "He was about as tight-lipped about it as you are. But it's obvious he's all pumped up about it."

 

Gus smiled as he admitted at last, "So am I."

 

Kayla beamed in pleasure. "Finally!" she said in jubilation.

 


 

Same Time - Loft

 

"Justin, quit being such a drama princess!" Brian muttered in exasperation as he tried to plump up his lover's pillows for the third time so he could recline against the headboard.  "For the last time, the doctor said you had to stay in bed for at least the first few days. Then if you're a good little patient you can graduate to the couch."

 

"Gee, thanks," Justin replied as he plopped down in defeat onto the bed.  "I'm going to go stir crazy in here, Brian!  I can't sleep 24/7." 

 

Brian sat down on the edge of the bed.  "Well, there ARE 'other activities' that can be done in bed," he told him with a grin as he brushed the back of his hand against Justin's cheek, gratified to see the color back in his face.  The fact that he was getting back to his feisty self, too, meant that he must be healing, albeit slowly.  He sighed as Justin glared over at him.  "Sunshine, do I have to remind you how seriously you were injured?  You.."  He found his voice choking as he cleared his throat.  "You could have died, Justin."  He let out a deep breath, not wanting to even think about that.  "Please...For once, will you just let me take care of you?  Huh?"  He continued to slowly stroke the slightly stubbled skin, noticing a change of expression gradually appearing.  It was then that he knew he had gotten the upper hand.

 

Justin sighed, offering his lover a slight smile of acquiescence.  "Okay," he agreed.  "But I'm going to go nuts if I have to just lie here, Brian!"

 

Brian nodded.  "That's why I got you these," he told him as he got up and walked over to the dresser to retrieve something from the top drawer.  He pulled out a new sketchpad and some graphic pencils, along with a large, coffee-table style book.  "This should keep you occupied for a while," he told him as he laid them down on the bed next to Justin's body.

 

Justin reached over eagerly to grab the book and open it, flipping through a few pages to admire the colorful landscape photographs and candid shots of people taken on the streets of New York City, Paris, London, and other major cities.  "Where did you get all this?" he marveled, his face lighting up with a delighted smile.

 

Brian couldn't help returning the smile, pleased that Justin was happy.  "I had Cynthia, my assistant, pick them up for me and she had them delivered here while you were asleep," he explained. 

 

Justin's mouth hung open in amazement as he looked at Brian, his eyes glistening over his thoughtfulness.  "You are really something," he murmured, a little ashamed now by how he had been complaining earlier.  "I...I don't know what to say, Brian.  No, actually I do.  Just when I think I can't love you any more, you go and do something like this," he whispered. He patted the mattress next to him in silent invitation as he pushed the art materials and book aside enough for Brian to sit down beside him.  "Thank you," he told him softly.  "Thank you for everything.  You are amazing." 

 

Brian smiled at him as the two lovers shared a kiss, Brian careful not to place too much pressure against Justin's chest where he had sustained much of his injury.  They parted only when the buzzer sounded, signaling that someone was trying to come up.  He rested his forehead against Justin's for a moment before he pulled back to tell him, "I'll be right back, okay?  In the meantime, draw me something majestic," he told him as he reluctantly pulled back and stood up beside the bed.  "Maybe my cock," he joked as Justin rolled his eyes back at him. 

 

Walking over to the intercom next to the door a minute later, he flicked on the speaker button.   "Yeah?"

 

"Mr. Kinney?" A older-sounding, female voice filtered through; one that Brian suspected was the visitor he was expecting. 

 

"Mrs. Gillman?" 

 

"Yes.   We're both here."

 

Brian smiled as he glanced over at the bedroom, satisfied that Justin couldn't hear his conversation.  "Good.  Stay right there," he told the woman.  "I'll be right down to help you."

 

"Okay; thank you."

 

He flipped the button off as he called out, "Uh...Justin?"

 

Justin looked up from his sketching to answer him.  "Yeah?"

 

"I  have to run downstairs for just a minute to pick up a delivery.  Will you be okay?"

 

"I'm sitting in bed sketching a range of mountains, Brian, not climbing them," was the snappy comeback as Brian shook his head in amusement.  "I'll be fine."

 

"Okay, I'll be right back."  Grinning in anticipation, he opened the door and walked out into the hallway, descending the steps eagerly to retrieve his 'package.'

 


 

A few minutes later, Justin heard the loft's door being opened and then closed; he frowned as he thought he heard whispered voices and a repetitive, thumping noise, along with what sounded like footsteps.  "Brian?" he called out.  "Is everything okay?"

 

A few seconds later, Brian appeared in the bedroom doorway, wearing what seemed like a smug sort of grin on his face.

 

"What?" Justin pressed suspiciously, wondering what he was up to.

 

"You have a visitor, Sunshine," he unexpectedly announced as he twisted around to look at someone.

 

"A visitor? Who?" He heard the same thumping nose he had heard earlier then, much louder this time, before he noticed someone else appearing in the doorway beside Brian and his eyes widened in astonishment.  "Grandma?!"

 

Nancy Taylor's eyes widened in concern.  "Justin!" she exclaimed, staring intently at her grandson sitting up in the bed, part of his hair missing and bruises all over his body.  "Oh, my God!  Mr. Kinney told me you were in an accident. Are you all right?"

 

Justin glanced over at Brian, still in shock over his grandmother's appearance. She was the last person he would have expected to see here.  "Grandma, you said Brian told you?"

 

She nodded.  "This nice young man here called and told me," she explained as she slowly wheeled her walker further into the room; Justin recognized Mrs. Gillman from the assisted living home following along closely behind her.

 

"Hi, Justin," Mrs. Gillman greeted him with an affectionate smile. 

 

"Hi, Mrs. Gillman," Justin replied politely as he looked over at Brian again. Brian merely shrugged as he gave him a look that said the whole thing was no big deal. 

 

Brian walked into the room and gently but firmly grasped Mrs. Taylor's upper arm to lead her over to a nearby, overstuffed chair so she could relax and get off her feet.

 

"Thank you," she told him gratefully as Mrs. Gillman took another seat close by. 

 

Justin shook his head.  "I can't believe you're really here, Grandma," he murmured. He looked over at Brian in amazement.  "How did you even know where to find her?"

 

"Remember our date at the park?" he asked, uncaring about the implications of what he had just said.  Justin nodded.  "Well, you told me you had a relative living here in the Pitts who was your father's mother.  It took a little digging, but it wasn't too hard to trace your family tree online and figure out who she was."  He explained softly, "I thought she should know.  And I thought you might want to see her."

 

Justin's eyes filled with tears over Brian's thoughtfulness.  He did need to see his grandmother; things had gone by in such a blur lately that he really hadn't even thought to contact her.

 

"I did," he told Brian at last as he smiled over at the older woman, who reached over to lay her hand over her grandson's.  "Thank you."

 

 

Brian smiled, pleased that he had been right.  "You're welcome."  He turned to the other woman to ask, "Mrs. Gillman, would you like to join me for some coffee?"

 

The woman nodded, seeming to understand that her charge and her grandson might want a little time alone.  "That would be nice," she told him as she stood up.  "I'll be in the other room if you need me," she told Nancy, who nodded. 

 


 

Twenty Minutes Later...

 

"I'm so glad you're going to be okay, Honey," Justin's grandmother told him with a sigh.  "I was so worried when Mr. Kinney called me and explained what had happened.  They don't know who hit you?"

 

Justin shook his head.  "No...It's like the vehicle just disappeared into thin air.  One of the policemen came to see me in the hospital and said they've checked out all the body shops in town. So far no vehicle has turned up that matched the description of who hit me."  Justin shifted slightly in the bed as he let out a groan, causing his grandmother's face to cloud over in concern.  "I'm okay," he assured her, noticing how worried she looked.  "I'm still pretty stiff, but really not in that much pain.  It's just going to take some time. Brian's here to take care of me, though, so you don't need to worry."

 

She nodded thoughtfully.  "He seems to care a great deal about you, Justin.  Would this be the young man you told me about before?"

 

Justin nodded as he blushed in response.  "Yes," he admitted, unable to hold back a slight smile. 

 

She studied his face, noting the radiance there despite his present condition.  "You must have resolved your differences, then.  I'm so glad to hear that, Sweetheart.  You deserve some happiness in your life."

 

 

Justin gently squeezed her hand.  "Thanks, Grandma.  He does make me happy," he confirmed softly.  "He...he told me that he does love me. And I love him."

 

"But he hurt you so badly before," she had to point out, remembering how he had cried in her arms that one day.  "It was a thoughtful thing he did, contacting me and letting me know what happened.  And it's very generous of him to bring you back to his home to take care of you while you're recovering."

 

"But?" Justin gently prodded, knowing there was more coming.

 

Mrs. Taylor stared into his eyes, so much like his mother's, as she explained, "Honey, I don't mean to pry, but are you sure about this?  And what about his child you told me about?  Are you prepared at your age to take on that responsibility?" 

 

Justin had to bite back a laugh.  If only she knew...He really didn't think he was prepared just yet to explain about Gus; he was still trying to wrap his head around the idea himself.  He decided, instead, to tell her only part of the story, not wanting to worry her needlessly.  Besides, there wouldn't be anything she could change about what had happened, and he only wanted to move forward now.

 

"He's actually an older child," he finally told her, "so he really wouldn't be that big a responsibility.  And yes, we've met and we've established a bond of sorts.  I don't think it will be a problem."  He paused for a second.  "Brian and I have worked through the issues we had, and there was a reason why he acted the way he did. He explained it really had nothing to do with me, and he apologized for it soon afterward.  I trust him, Grandma. I know his feelings for me are genuine and that he really, truly loves me.  And I love him.  More than I ever thought possible.  Please be happy for me."

 

She smiled warmly at him, her fears somewhat alleviated by the fervent conviction in her grandson's voice.  "I am happy for you, Honey.  If he makes you happy and treats you with the respect and love that you deserve, then that's all I ask."

 

Justin nodded with a smile.  "He does.  And I'm so glad you came to see me!  I'll have to do better to come and see you more often, now that I'm a little more settled here in Pittsburgh."

 

 

She bestowed a mock look of indignation on him.  "You'd better, young man," she scolded him affectionately.  "I'll be expecting regular visits from now on. From you AND your beau."  She turned her head as she heard a quiet noise nearby, noticing Brian standing in the doorway, silently watching them.  She turned back to her grandson to add, "If he's going to be occupying so much of your time from now on, I want to get to know him better."

 

Justin chuckled at the 'deer-in-the-headlights' look Brian flashed at him.  "I'll make sure of it," he told her as he gently pulled her closer to give her a kiss on the cheek. 

 

"I think we'd better be going, Mrs. Taylor," Mrs. Gillman informed her from beside Brian.  "We need to get back before the traffic gets bad."

 

Nancy Taylor reluctantly nodded; she had had a marvelous time catching up with her grandson, and felt much less worried now that she had had a chance to visit with him.  "Promise me now," she insisted as Brian walked in to help her stand, reaching over with his other hand to snag her walker nearby and help put it in place for her to grasp it.

 

"I will," Justin promised her. 

 

She nodded as she turned to go.  "And you!  Promise me you'll take good care of him.  He's very special to me," she told Brian.

 

Brian smiled as he locked his gaze on Justin.  "Me, too," he told her softly as she nodded, satisfied, noticing the loving look exchanged between them.

 


 

A few minutes later...

 

"You look tired," Brian observed as he walked back in with a tall glass of water and another pain pill; he could tell by the way Justin was contorting his face when his grandmother wasn't looking that his last pain pill was wearing off.  He sat down on the edge of the bed.  "Here, take this. It'll help you sleep.  And no arguments!" he gently reprimanded his lover when he noticed Justin's mouth opening in protest.  "You need to get some rest, whether you like it or not."

 

Justin sighed but nodded in resignation as he took the glass and pill from Brian; taking a couple of gulps to swallow the medicine, he placed the glass onto the nightstand before slowly sliding down the mattress to lie flat on his back. 

 

Brian nodded, pleased that Justin had listened to reason for once, before he turned to move from the bed.

 

Justin reached his hand out to grasp his wrist, causing Brian to look back at him. 

 

"You needed something else?"

 

Justin shook his head.  "No...I...I just wanted to thank you for what you did for me.  I mean, letting my grandmother come and visit.  And for all this; for taking care of me.  You didn't have to do all this."

 

Brian leaned down to cup Justin's cheek.  "Yes, I did," he murmured softly.  "I would do anything for you."  He smiled at his lover tenderly before leaning in further to give him a brief kiss on the lips.  He thought he heard a whimper of disappointment as he pulled back and observed a distinctive pout on Justin's face.

 

Sure enough, he laughed as Justin lamented, "That's all?  My grandmother gave me a better kiss than that."

 

"Later," he told Justin.  "I promise I'll more than make it up to you then.  Now you get some sleep.  Gus should be home soon, and I promised to help him pick out something to wear to impress his date."  He grinned.  "I figure anything to push him toward Tristan and away from you is definitely a worthy cause."

 

"Brian, don't even joke about that," Justin groaned. 

 

Brian smiled.  "Duly noted. Now close your eyes and get some sleep, Sunshine.  I'll be right in the other room."

 

A few minutes later, despite Justin's protest, he was sound asleep. 

 


 

Same time -  Residence Inn, downtown Pittsburgh

 

Gus took a deep breath before he looked at the number on the hotel room door, making sure it was the room number his mother had given him earlier on the phone.  He had called her on her cellphone - finding the phone number written on a post-it note attached to the legal documents she had left at the loft - and he had called her, telling her that he needed to see her.  He suspected, however, as he knocked on the door that she would be more glad to see him than he would be to see her.

 

He heard the bolt being slid back before the door opened and he came face to face with the woman who had previously wanted nothing to do with him.  Her face transformed into a delighted smile.  "Gus!  My goodness, look how tall you've gotten!" she exclaimed, expecting a much shorter version of her son.  She had seen several, fairly recent photos of him by virtue of the PI's reports, but this was still a big shock to see him practically as a young adult. She impulsively pulled him into her arms to hug him; Gus hesitated for a few seconds before he finally, tentatively slid his arms around her to return the gesture.

 

"Hello, mother," he told her quietly, the title feeling foreign on his tongue. After all, he had never really had any use for it before. 

 

"Come in!" she invited him as she turned to head back into the room.  She turned around to look at him again in astonishment as he faced her from a few feet away in the living room area of the suite.  "I can't get over how mature you look," she told him.  "And so handsome," she added with a smile.  "Have a seat. Would you like something to drink?" 

 

He shook his head as he walked over and sat down on the end of the couch, his lips pressed together into a tight line.  "No, I'm fine," he told her tersely. 

 

She nodded as she wiped her hands nervously on her linen pants, sitting down on the opposite end of the couch from Gus.  "I'm so glad you called me, Gus!" she exclaimed.  "I was hoping you would want to see me." 

 

"This isn't a social call," he told her brusquely.  "You and I have some things to discuss, and I thought it was best that we do it in person."

 

Lindsay quickly wiped the flicker of worry from her face as she plastered on a polite smile before replying, "Yes, we do.  I take it your father explained why I'm in town?"

 

He nodded, his face set hard.  "Yeah, he told me.  You want to fight him for custody of me."

 

She grimaced.  "Fight is such a negative-sounding word, Gus.  I merely think you would be better off with me and my family."  She smiled as she rubbed her protruding belly.  "You're going to be a big brother again!  Did your father tell you?  We would be one, big, happy family, Gus.  You, me, your stepfather, your little sister, and now this little one. You would such have a wonderful life with us!  We will give you so much love and stability."

 

Gus shook his head in disgust.  "I already HAVE love and stability, Mother. With my dad.  Why do you think I would want to give that up?"

 

Lindsay appeared a little uncomfortable as she stated, "I'm not sure your father has told you the whole story, Gus." 

 

"He told me enough," Gus replied flatly.  "He told me you want to take me away from him."

 

"It's not that simple..."

 

"Oh, yes it is!" he cried.  "Why would you want to do that, Mother?  My dad is the best father anyone could ever hope for.  He loves me and treats me with respect, and has always been there for me. That's a lot more than I can say about you. Where were YOU when I was five years old and in the hospital with pneumonia, or when I broke my leg after falling off my bike, or was bullied in middle school? Where were YOU when I played soccer and won the MVP award in junior high, or when I won the playoff game in basketball for St. James?" 

 

"Gus, I didn't even live here..."

 

Gus ignored that defense as he explained, "No, you didn't.  And whose choice was that?  Yours!  Well, I can tell you where my DAD was!  He was here for all of those things!  The good and the bad!  He's been the best dad I could ever have...and now you want to take that away from me?  You can get that idea out of your head right now, because I will never agree to that!"

 

"Gus...listen to me..." Lindsay pleaded, astounded by the vehemence in her son's voice. Brian had apparently done a terrific job of brainwashing their son. 

 

"No, you listen to ME!" Gus demanded, his eyes flashing.  "I will never agree to come live with you and your happy, little, hetero family! Because that's what this is really about, isn't it?  You don't approve of Dad's lifestyle!"

 

Lindsay brushed back some hair from her forehead.  "Well, if you must know the truth, Gus, no, I don't.  I think he's dragging you down into his depraved lifestyle along with him. It's immoral and disgusting, and full of drugs and sex.  It's no environment for my child to be raised in." She smiled nervously.  "But it's not too late, Gus..."

 

Gus laughed derisively.  "Not too late?  Not too late for what?  To pull me out of the muck? To cleanse me and make me pure again? Well, guess again, Mother! Because I'm just as gay as dear, old Dad!" 

 

Lindsay looked at him in horror; it was one thing for Brian to say such vile things, but she had held out hope that Gus was merely a malleable pawn in Brian's decadent lifestyle.  "You don't mean that, Gus.  You're only 15..."

 

"I'm 16!"  Gus shook his head in disgust as he corrected her.  "Of course, I wouldn't really expect YOU to remember that, though, because you've never been here for ANY of my birthdays!"

 

Lindsay held up her hands in surrender.  "Okay, so you're 16. The point is that you're way too young to really know what you want or to even be sure of your....your sexual orientation."  She whispered the last couple of words as if they were too private or dirty to even say aloud.

 

Gus looked at her aghast.  "Oh...okay. So you think just because I'm 16 that I don't really know I'm a queer?"

 

"Gus, please!  Don't call it that..."

 

Gus laughed.  "Why not?  I am what I am, and I hate to break it to you - but I'm a fag! And I'll always BE a fag! This has nothing to do with Dad!  I would have been a queer whether he had been one or not!"

 

Lindsay covered her ears as if that would drown out what her son was saying.  "No...You don't mean that, Gus.  It's not too late...with the proper, nurturing environment, you can still lead a productive, upstanding life..."

 

Gus rose instantly to his feet in fury as he whirled to face her, his eyes blazing.  "You are incredible!" he yelled.  "You need to get something straight, Mother!" he said, unable to avoid laughing at his choice of words.  "I am happy where I am, and I have no intention of going anywhere else. And if you think you can take me back with you and...convert me...you are sadly mistaken!  I like boys! Everything about them; the way they look, the way they smell, the way they have sex..."

 

"Oh, my God, Gus!  I can't believe you're talking this way!"  Lindsay looked up at him, her mouth open in shock.  "You don't know what you're saying..."

 

Gus looked at her incredulously.  "I know exactly what I'm saying!  I like who I am, and I have nothing to hide or be ashamed of!  YOU should be ashamed for coming here and trying to break me and my father apart after having nothing to do with me before!  Oh, I beg your pardon," he added sarcastically.  "I stand corrected.  You DID hire someone to snoop on me, didn't you?"

 

 

 

"I was merely trying to make sure you were being raised properly," she told him defensively.  "But now I can see that I am way too late to do anything about it."  She sighed sadly.  "I should have intervened long ago."

 

Gus actually felt pity for this woman, this stranger, who had merely been a receptacle for his birth.  She was - nor never had been - his mother.  "You're damn right it's too late.  And if you ever, ever try to take me away from Dad, I will fight you with everything I have. And I'll spend every waking moment flaunting my gay lifestyle in you and your family's face if you do."  He stared daggers into her eyes, seeing a prim, emotionally repressed woman staring apprehensively back at him.  "NOW do you understand...Mother?" 

 

Lindsay stood up slowly to face the boy she realized she didn't know - and never did.  "Yes," she told him with regret; regret that she would not be able to save this child she had brought into the world.  "Congratulate your father for me, because he's managed to corrupt you beyond salvation now."  Gus rolled his eyes at her as she added, "I'll be checking out tomorrow, because I can see I'm wasting my time here."

 

"Well, for once we agree on something," Gus replied curtly.

 

"I wish things could have been different between us, Gus," she told her son softly. 

 

Gus swallowed the lump in his throat. It wasn't as if he didn't WANT a mother; he just didn't want one like this.  "Yeah, me, too," he told her honestly.  "Goodbye, Mother," he whispered.

 

Lindsay's eyes watered.  "Goodbye, Gus."  She watched as he gave her one, final look before he turned and strode purposefully toward the door, closing it firmly behind him.  The tears she then shed matched the ones that her son, too, was shedding now that he was safely outside her suite; tears of regret over what could have been and what would never be.

 

Wiping the tears from his eyes, Gus turned and headed down the hallway.  Flipping open his phone, he quickly texted a message to his father:

 

Dad, I'm on my way home. I love you.

 

A few seconds later, he received a return message.

 

Love you, too, Sonny Boy. Everything ok? 

 

Gus stopped near the elevator to stare down at the display, thinking about how to answer that.  He and his father had a lot to discuss, but he didn't want to do it now.  Finally, he took a deep breath and sent a reply back:

 

Yeah. Ready 2 help me get dressed for my date?

 

He waited a moment for his father to answer as he smiled at his response:

 

U have 2 ask? I'm waiting with Prada, Boss, and Gucci.  Get your ass home.

 

On my way, Gus texted back as the elevator door slid open.  He glanced in the direction of his mother's hotel suite one last time before he turned and entered the elevator car, knowing he was leaving that part of his life behind forever.

 


 

One Hour later...Kayla and Tristan's House

 

Kayla rolled her eyes as Tristan took off yet another shirt and threw it down onto his bed in a heap.  "What was wrong with THAT one?  You looked great in it!"

 

"It hangs all wrong on me," he groaned as he walked over to his closet and furiously began to rifle through the few, remaining shirts left.

 

 

"Sheesh, and you call ME a drama queen!" she groused good-naturedly as she rose a little stiffly from the bed and walked over to her brother's side.  "Let me look," she commanded as she pushed a couple of shirts aside before locating one of her favorite ones.  The color of the material made her sibling's gray eyes pop and complimented his bronze skin tone perfectly.  "This one," she said confidently with a smile as she held it up against his chest.  "You look so handsome when you wear this," she told him sincerely.  

 

She thought she saw her brother blush in response as he said, "Really?"

 

She nodded as she helped him slide on the pewter-colored, short-sleeved, silk shirt. 

tristan shirt

 

"I can do it," Tristan protested as his sister began to button up the shirt. 

 

"I know," she said with a smile as she smoothed out the material against his chest, deliberately leaving the top two buttons undone.  "There," she said.  "Handsome...and if I do say so myself, very sexy."  She winked at her brother, giggling as he turned a deeper shade of red.  "Oh, my God!" she shrieked.  "I can't believe how nervous you are about this!"

 

"I'm not nervous."

 

She grinned widely.  "Oh, yes, you are!  And I think it's sooo adorable!  This is great!"

 

"Wonderful," Tristan muttered as he reached over to grab his wallet and tuck it into his faded pair of jeans.  "I'm glad you're enjoying it."  He turned to walk over to the door but paused to face his sister.  "Kayla?"

 

"Yeah?"

 

"I...really do want this to work out between me and Gus," he told his sister softly.  "Do you think it will?"

 

She beamed at him as she walked over and, placing her hands on his biceps, rose on her tiptoes to peck her brother on the cheek.  "You bet it will," she told him.  "After all, I'm your sister AND his best friend.  It's fate."

 

Tristan snorted as she laughed at him; their mother was gone on yet another business trip again, leaving just the two of them at the house.  "Better get going," she told him with a grin.  "Wouldn't want to keep your date waiting..."

 

"I'm going, I'm going," Tristan retorted, his heart pounding merely at the thought of actually going out with Gus on a date.

 

"Wake me up when you get home!" she shouted as Tristan bounded down the stairs.  "I want a full report!"

 

"In your dreams, Kayla!" he shouted back, hearing his sister's laughter ringing in his ears.  Glancing quickly at himself in the bathroom mirror as he passed it downstairs to make sure one, last time that he looked 'presentable,' he hurried to the side door and out to his car.


 

Kayla grinned, so happy that finally her best friend was beginning to understand how special Tristan was.  They had their share of disagreements just like any siblings did, but she deeply loved him for how he always came to her defense and protected her.  She would have never guessed that her brother and her best friend would eventually hook up, but she was so happy that it was finally happening.  Sighing as she heard her brother's car starting up, she turned to sit down on the bed, wondering what she was going to do that evening all alone. Normally she would be doing something with Gus, but tonight that wasn't an option.  That was ONE down side to Gus and her brother becoming involved. Whether they would feel that way or not, she would feel like a third wheel from now on when they were together. After all, she wouldn't want her brother to come with her on HER dates. 

 

"Yeah, right," she said to herself glumly.  "As if I would ever HAVE any dates."  The recent birthday party had gone so well, and everyone had had such a great time. Why, then, hadn't she gotten as much as one invitation to go out as a result?  She was attractive looking and, if she dared to say so herself, quite fun to be around. So what was wrong with her?  She sighed, reaching over to pick up the remote to Tristan's T.V., just as the phone rang, startling her.

 

Reaching to pick up the cordless phone, she frowned, not recognizing the caller I.D.  She froze, worried that somehow it was Owen calling to terrorize her as she heard it ring once, twice, and then three times before the answering machine picked up the call.  She listened, holding her breath, as her brother's voice came on the phone to deliver the recorded spiel before the familiar beep sounded.  No...please don't let it be him...

 

"Hello?" an unfamiliar male voice said tentatively.  "Uh...I'm trying to reach Kayla.  I'm not sure I have the right number, though..."

 

Kayla frowned; it definitely wasn't Owen, but she didn't recognize who it was. Her curiosity got the better of her as she reached to pick up the handset again that she had placed on the bed.  "Hello?" she broke in.

 

"Kayla?"

 

"Yeah," she said hesitantly.  "Who's this?"

 

"Uh...it's River.  River Shaw."

 

"Huh? What did you say?"

 

She could hear the caller sigh as if heard that a lot.  "River Shaw. I talked to you yesterday at the police station when you came in to make your statement.  I was the one you ran into when you almost knocked me over and my report went flying all over the place." 

 

Kayla's face warmed in embarrassment. She recalled yesterday how, after talking with the female police sergeant, she had been waiting for Gus out in the hall while he went to the men's room and had turned around to find somewhere to sit, only to run smack dab into a young-looking policeman who was carrying a stack of papers. As he reached out to grasp her elbow to steady her, his grip on all the papers slipped and they went flying like a multitude of paper airplanes all over the floor. She had promptly stooped down to help him pick them up, only to knock heads with him as they stood back up. After an effusive apology, she had scurried off in embarrassment when she saw Gus exiting the men's room nearby and hadn't given it much thought since then. 

 

"Oh," she murmured, for once unable to be very glib.  "I remember now.  I never got your name. We didn't exactly exchange a lot of conversation," she told him dryly.  "Is something wrong?" she asked a few seconds later in concern.  "Is it about...about the assault?"

 

"No," he reassured her hastily. She thought he sounded a little nervous for some reason, though.  "I just wanted to talk to you."

 

She frowned.  "How did you even know who I am?"

 

She heard a soft chuckle on the other end.  "Well, I'm in training at the Police Academy," he told her.  "I'd be a pretty poor trainee if I couldn't at least do a little digging around the police precinct to find out who you were." 

 

"So you're not actually a policeman?" she asked.

 

"No," the young man admitted.  "But I hope to be one soon."

 

Kayla giggled.

 

"What's so funny?"

 

"Sorry," she explained.  "I was just thinking about all those ads on TV where the guy always says, "I'm not a doctor...I just play one on TV."

 

She could almost see her caller smiling on the other end of the phone as he laughed.  "Yeah, I guess it did kind of sound that way."

 

"I bet you get a lot of comments about your name," she commented.

 

"Yeah," he admitted. 

 

"How did you ever get named that?  It is kind of...different."

 

"Bad or good different?"

 

Kayla shrugged as she lay back on the bed, the phone nestled in the crook of her shoulder and neck.  "I kind of like it," she decided.  "But how did you ever wind up being named that?  Is that your real name?"

 

"Yes, Ma'am," he told her.  "My parents decided to name me that when I wound up being born on a houseboat in the middle of the Susquehanna River."

 

"You're lying," she challenged him.  "I thought policeman had to tell the truth."

 

He laughed.  "Scout's honor!" he insisted.  "The first time we go out I'll bring my birth certificate with me to prove it."

 

Kayla's eyes grew wide as she bolted up in the bed.  "When we what?" she whispered, her heart pounding.

 

River cleared his throat.  "I said...I'll show it to you on our first date."

 

"F...First date?  You're calling to ask me out on a date?"

 

"Yeah," he acknowledged.  "That is, if you want to.  You're not involved with someone already, are you?"

 

Kayla had to bite back a sarcastic reply of "Are you kidding?" as she responded, "Uh, no...Not at the moment."  She smiled over the thought of a date with him.  She may not have remembered his name, but she did remember how cute the boy was.  She frowned then as a thought occurred to her.  Just what WAS he, though?  A boy...or a man?  "Uh...How old are you...?"

 

"I just turned 18," he told her.  "How old are you?"

 

Kayla's grin grew wider; apparently that was one piece of information he hadn't gleaned from his employer.  The lie slipped easily from her lips as she chirped brightly, "I'm the same age!  When do you want to go out?"

 


 

Same Time - Brian's Loft

 

"Aaargh!" Gus growled as he threw a shirt down onto his bed.

 

"Hey, Sonny Boy! Watch it - that's a $200 shirt you're wadding up!"

 

Gus's eyes widened in shock.  "Two...two hundred dollars?!"  He plopped down onto the bed and sighed, covering his face with his hands briefly before he looked up at his amused father..  "What am I going to wear, Dad?  Nothing looks good on me!"

 

"Oh, come on, Sonny Boy!  You have my genes; it's impossible for you not to look good!"  He grinned.  "That reminds me," he said as he walked over and slid open the top dresser drawer to pull out a new pair of Hugo Boss, dark blue jeans.  "Here, try these on," he told him as he tossed them over to his son.

 

Gus's eyes threatened to bug out of his head as he spied the price tag still stitched to the back of the waist.  "$475?!  Dad, are you trying to make me even more nervous than I already am?" 

 

Brian chuckled.  "And I thought Justin liked to queen out," he quipped.  "Just try them on; I think you'll look great in them." 

 

Gus rose to his feet and stood up, shucking the current pair of jeans he had on and sliding the new pair up his long legs; they seemed to be a perfect fit for his lean body as he zipped them up and buttoned the lone, top button.  He walked over to the full-size mirror as Brian reached back inside the top drawer for a short-sleeved tee shirt that had an abstract art design on the front. 

 

"Here," he told his son.  "Try this on with it.  You can wear my Prada loafers, too; they'll be perfect for it."   

 

Gus reached to take the royal blue t-shirt from his father, feeling the slight stiffness of the fabric as he slid the new shirt over his head.  As he smoothed it out, he noticed how it seemed to emphasize his eye and hair color and went perfectly with the darker-colored jeans.  It draped over his chest perfectly.  "This one isn't bad," he finally agreed as Brian walked over to his son's walk-in closet to retrieve one more item:  a burnt-red, soft leather jacket.  "One more accessory," he told him as he walked over and helped slide the jacket onto his son from behind.

shirt

"I love this!" Gus exclaimed enthusiastically as he slid his hands down over the soft suppleness of the leather.  "It's so cool!"  He beamed over his casual, trendy look as he turned around to peer up at his father, the love for him clearly shining in his eyes.  "Is this yours?" he asked.

 

Brian nodded.  "Yeah," he admitted.  "But tonight it belongs to you.  You look hot in it," he told his son as Gus blushed.  "Oh, and one last thing for good luck; here, help me with this," he asked him.

 

Gus frowned as he realized what his father was doing. "Are you sure?  You never take that off." 

 

Brian smiled tenderly at his son.  "I'm sure," he told him softly.  "It's always brought me good luck; now it's your turn." 

 

Gus swallowed the lump in his throat as he reached out to help untie the cowry-shell bracelet from his father's right wrist; a few seconds later, he draped it over his own wrist as his father returned the favor, tying it on to secure it. 

 

It felt a little weird not having the adornment around his wrist any longer, Brian thought.  But it also felt kind of liberating in a way.  After all, he no longer needed it.  He had Justin now. And thanks to what his son had told him earlier about the end result of his courageous confrontation with Lindsay, he was going to have his son in his life forever now, too. 

 

"Thanks," Gus told him as his father grasped his upper arms and impulsively leaned over to give him a light kiss on the cheek like he was still a four-year-old boy.  "Dad," Gus whined in protest and embarrassment as Brian merely laughed over his reaction.

 

"Sorry, Sonny Boy; old habits die hard," he humored him.  "I promise not to embarrass the shit out of you when Tristan comes.  Oh, that reminds me, though; one more item."  He reached inside his jeans pocket to pluck out a couple of lubricated condom packets.  "I may not be a Scout, but I believe in always being prepared," he snarked as he held them out to his son.

 

Gus's eyes grew wide.  "Dad!  It's our first date! We are not going to have sex!"

 

Brian appeared insulted.  "Okay, you must not be my son by birth, then; you must be adopted..."

 

Gus huffed in indignation.  "Dad, we've barely even kissed yet! Give us a little time, okay?"  He shook his head, but nevertheless took the proffered protection as his father continued to hold it out to him.  "I'm still not using this tonight," he vowed.

 

Brian shrugged.  "Maybe not tonight.  But you will...." He grinned as Gus rolled his eyes, the sound of the intercom buzzer going off.  Brian glanced over at his son's bedside clock.  "Ten minutes early," he observed.  "Someone's eager to get started."

 

Gus turned red as Brian laughed.  "Don't worry, Sonny Boy.  You stay here and I'll let your date in."  He turned with a grin and walked back out into the hall, pressing the button by the door.  "Tristan?"

 

"Yeah, it's me, Mr. Kinney."

 

"Gus is ready; come on up," he said, thoroughly enjoying himself.  It was nice to be on the other end of this ritual for a change. Thank God he wasn't planning on changing partners anytime soon; hopefully never, if he had his way.

 

"Gus!" Brian called out.  "Come and at least sit on the couch; unless you want me to send him directly to your bedroom."

 

"Dad!" was the responding whine as Brian laughed.  A few seconds later, his son came walking out, and Brian found his breath catching in his throat. When had his son grown up so much?  He smiled wistfully over at him.

 

"What?" Gus asked nervously as he tried to look down at what he was wearing.  "Is something wrong?"

 

"No," Brian told him softly.  "I was just thinking how wonderful you look...and how proud I am of you."

 

Gus beamed at the compliment as he nodded, relieved, just as there was a tentative-sounding knock on the door.  "Ready?" he asked his son.

 

Gus let out a deep breath.  "I guess," he said, his heart pounding.  He wasn't sure why he was so anxious; after all, Tristan was Kayla's brother and already a friend.  Of course, this was different, though; he suspected from now on his and Tristan's lives would be forever changed by what they were about to do.  He stood near the couch as his father nodded back at him before walking over to slide the door open.

 

"Hey, Tristan," Gus heard his father greet the other boy as he remained frozen in place, his stomach feeling like a thousand butterflies had just taken off.

 

"Mr. Kinney," Tristan politely greeted him, his hand a little clammy as he shook Brian's hand. 

 

"Come on in," Brian told him as he stepped aside.  "Gus is waiting for you."

 

Tristan nodded, swallowing hard as he walked further into the room.  It just took him a second for his eyes to light upon the tall, gorgeous boy standing by the couch. Gus looked stunning and dangerously sexy with a leather jacket, royal-blue shirt, and dark blue jeans that accentuated his long legs.  His hair was slightly tousled and carefree-looking, and his eyes seemed to sparkle against the soft lighting of the loft.

 

Gus smiled shyly at him as he smiled back.  "Hey, Gus," he greeted the other boy softly as he slowly walked over to him.  "You...you look great," he blurted out appreciatively as he noticed Gus blush in reaction.

 

"Thanks," Gus murmured self-consciously; he couldn't help admiring his date as well; Tristan was wearing a short-sleeved, pewter-colored, shimmering kind of shirt that made his eyes pop and seemed to be custom-made for his lean, toned body.  A tantalizing, brief expanse of bronze skin, exposing just a bit of Tristan's tattoo underneath, poked out from the V of his neck, making Gus's pulse quicken, and he was wearing a tight-fitting pair of worn jeans, showcasing his muscular legs.  Swallowing hard over the visceral reaction he had to merely being close to the other boy, he lifted his eyes to meet Tristan's, and he thought that surely the other boy could hear his heart threatening to leap out of his chest. 

 

"You...you look pretty amazing yourself," he finally managed to say as Tristan beamed, clearly pleased that he had impressed his date. 

 

Brian cleared his throat in amusement.  "Uh...you boys better scamper along so you won't be late for whatever you're doing.  What time do you think you'll be home, Gus?" 

 

"Uh..." Gus looked over at Tristan questioningly, not sure what they were going to do. 

 

Tristan looked over at Brian.  "Well, I thought we'd get something to eat and then see the new sci-fi movie at the mall," he told Gus's father.  "So I'm thinking maybe midnight?" 

 

Brian nodded.  "Make it 1 a.m.; I'm feeling generous tonight," he teased.  "Text me if you are going to be later than that," he told his son, who nodded.  "Have a good time...and drive safely," he told Tristan firmly, still a little spooked over what had happened to Justin recently. 

 

"Yes, Sir," Tristan told him, feeling like he was responsible for some very precious cargo. He briefly felt envious of how much Mr. Kinney loved his son; how he wished he had had a father - or even a mother - like that growing up.  He pushed that sorrowful thought aside, however, as he concentrated instead on finally getting the chance to go out on a date with Gus.  "See you later."

 

"Later," Brian replied as the two boys began to walk by him.  Brian deliberately bumped into his son as he brushed by him and whispered, "Relax; you'll be great, Sonny Boy."

 

Gus smiled gratefully at him and nodded as he followed Tristan to the door; Brian gave them a short wave as they disappeared on the other side and Tristan shut the door behind them.

 


 

Brian grinned as he turned and walked down the hallway back toward his room.  Stopping in the open doorway, he smiled over at his bedmate, as always marveling at Justin's beauty, even if he was not at his best presently.  Justin always looked amazing to him no matter what, though. 

 

Justin smiled back warmly at him.  "Tristan and Gus gone on their date?" he asked, his hand clutching one of the graphite pencils and the sketchpad Brian had given him perched on his lap. He was wearing only a pair of light-fitting boxer shorts, making Brian's mouth water in reaction.

 

"Yeah," he told him as he walked into the room and sat down on the edge of the bed.  "How are you feeling?"

 

"Not bad," Justin told him.  He grinned.  "I guess that's what happens when you're all doped up.  I feel a little loopy, though, kind of like I've belted back a couple of  beers.  Kind of tingly all over."

 

Brian reached over to lightly play with some hair hanging down in Justin's eyes.  "Tingly, huh?" he asked in a sultry voice as Justin nodded. 

 

"Yeah...But I think I know a way you can help me get even more tingly," he responded as he placed his pencil and sketchpad down on the other side of his body. He reached over to tug on Brian's wrist as his lover willingly allowed himself to be pulled closer.  He placed Brian's hand over his crotch, a prominent bulge there.  Brian squeezed the hard cock through Justin's thin boxers, eliciting a groan of appreciation in response.

 

"You mean like that?" Brian whispered hoarsely, completely mesmerized by the dark-blue tint of Justin's eyes in full-fledged arousal. 

 

Justin smiled sexily at him as he nodded.  "You're a quick learner."  He reached up with his free hand to pull Brian closer by the scruff of his neck as they kissed deeply as if they hadn't been together in months instead of a few days. 

 

As they pulled back only to regain some more oxygen, Brian looked at him dubiously.  "You sure about this, Sunshine?  You just got out of the hospital."

 

Justin huffed.  "Yeah...but the 'vital' parts are working just fine... And desperately needing some attention.  How long will Gus and Tristan be gone?" he asked as Brian draped his lower body over his lover's and braced himself by the arms on either side of Justin's upper body, his eyes boring into his.

 

Brian grinned.  "Long enough," was the husky reply as he swooped in to begin kissing Justin anew.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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