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

*** Firstly, I want to thank my beta for all the work she provides, not only for me, but also for so many authors on MW. I'm not sure the readers are aware of all the work she does behind the scene, and I wanted to tell her once again how grateful I am for her help. ***

The Past: September / October 2005

** Warning: this chapter contains lots of sex (Bottom Brian) and violence **

 

 

 

September 2005, Thursday night…

 

Justin said goodbye to Jesse and left Woody’s around midnight. He still had a hard time processing what his friend had implied regarding Spencer. In addition, even if it was true, it didn’t excuse Brian’s behavior. But the fact that Spencer might have deliberately used his weakness to provoke a reaction with Brian didn’t sit well with him, either. What kind of man did that, creating troubles in a friend’s relationship? Were they even friends? Or did Spencer’s crush on him hide something else?

 

Whatever the answers, Justin needed to confront Brian. So he caught the first cab he found and headed back home.

 

When he entered the apartment, the place was plunged into darkness. A silhouette was standing by the window, the smell of a cigarette lingering in the air.

 

Justin stood just inside the doorway and stared at Brian’s back for several seconds. He was sure the other man had heard him entering their home, but his lover hadn’t acknowledged him yet. Softly he walked across the room and stopped by Brian’s side, his gaze focused on the light of the street lamp peeking through the window.

 

He felt Brian shifting next to him, but he didn’t move.

 

Brian’s low voice finally broke the silence. “I shouldn’t have destroyed the flash drive.”

 

Justin peered over at him. Brian’s face was illuminated by the dim light emanating from outside. His face reflected a special glow as he kept staring away and into the night.

 

Brian eventually stared back at Justin and blinked. He pinched his lips and swallowed before stating softly, “I don’t want to lose you. Not when I’ve fought so fucking hard for you to stay with me in the first place.”

 

Justin felt a knot forming in his throat, the imperceptible vulnerability he could hear in Brian’s voice making his chest tighten painfully. The brunet rarely confided in anyone regarding how much Justin meant to him. Looking back, he couldn’t remember a time when Brian had ever told him something like this before.

 

Justin closed his eyes, almost wincing for several seconds, to stop the unexpected, conflicted emotions that were rushing through him and filling him with love, but also confusion. He should have been angry, or at least annoyed at Brian right now, but at this instant, Brian’s confession overwhelmed him completely.

 

“Justin…” Brian called out to him, as he turned his body to face the younger man without coming too close to him.

 

Justin blinked and finally looked up at Brian. One could almost feel the invisible, palpable tension as the two men stared intently at each other. Brian stood still, but as he waited for Justin to acknowledge his statement, his eyes were moving restlessly.

 

Justin peered down briefly, before gazing up with a decisive look. He finally found his voice back to affirm, “I’m not going anywhere. But you need to trust me, Brian.”

 

“I do trust you,” Brian replied immediately, the tone of his voice not leaving any doubt as to his sincerity.

 

“Do you? Really?” Justin inquired, his eyebrows rising. From the expression on Brian’s face, he knew his lover meant every word he said; but he still had a hard time accepting what had happened between Brian and Spencer earlier in the evening.

 

“Yes.” Brian responded firmly with a nod. “Yes, I do. But I don’t trust HIM.” A hard gleam appeared in his gaze as he recalled the earlier events.

 

“Brian…” Justin began, ready to defend his point of view, but Brian cut him off before he had a chance to continue.

 

“Justin.” Brian’s voice showed how deadly serious he was. “I know who I am. I have no problem whatsoever with being called an asshole, or a heartless bastard who doesn’t care about hurting people’s feelings when they’re too fucking stupid to think with their own mind, but prefer, instead, to hide between brainless stereotypes, rather than deal with their own shit.” Brian paused, letting his words sink into Justin’s mind, before continuing, “But I’ll be damned if I let a man like him try to take you away from me, when I can feel in my gut that he’s not who you think he is.”

 

“What are you trying to say?” Justin asked with a frown.

 

Brian’s stare didn’t falter. “I don’t want to lose you. I don’t.  But, we’re free, Justin. Free gay men in our twenties, with our life ahead of us; and no one, not you, not me, not anyone can predict what’s going to happen tomorrow. You can’t promise me that you will be there for me forever, and I can’t promise you that, either.”

 

Brian smiled almost sadly, and Justin thought for a short moment that he wasn’t going to elaborate any further, but he was wrong. The brunet took a deep breath as his smile disappeared from his face, “And you know what? It doesn’t matter. Because if you’re there, if I’m here, right here, right now, that’s all that matters. You...me...US. We are where we’re meant to be, and with whom we want to be with,” Brian stated with conviction. “If one day it all goes to shit, then I won’t have any regrets. I can’t have any regrets when it comes to you,” he concluded, unable - or unwilling - to hide the edge, the slight crack in his voice, as he implied that nothing should be taken for granted. There was always a possibility that life could break them apart in some indefinite future; all they could do was fight against the odds and cherish what they shared for as long as possible.

 

Justin was having trouble breathing. It was so unusual for Brian to confide in him like this; and even if most people wouldn’t understand that Brian’s speech was actually the most sincere declaration of love that he could give to another man, Justin knew. Spencer’s attempts at breaking them apart, as subtle as they had been, had actually had an unexpected outcome. Brian had chosen to fight for Justin, instead of letting his fears win.

 

Consequently, Justin’s response was an easy one. “I’m not planning on going anywhere.”

 

Brian stayed immobile for several moments and stared at Justin so intently that it caused his heart to beat furiously as a result. Then, Brian approached him and engulfed him in a tight hug. He leaned in and whispered softly in Justin’s ear, “Neither am I.”

 

Brian’s warm breath against his skin made Justin shiver; he couldn’t stop himself from hugging the brunet tighter, his fingers soon sliding languorously through his hair.

 

Meanwhile, all Brian could think of was that he was addicted to Justin; to his smell, to the feeling of his body in his arms, to his touch. Fuck, would this feeling of possessiveness ever fade?

 

Brian pulled back slightly and placed his right hand on Justin’s face, causing the younger man to stare back at him. The deafening silence - its intensity - contrasted with the overwhelming desire rapidly invading their bodies. They had always craved each other’s touch, and could never ignore it, not since that night on the roof of Emmett’s apartment when they’d finally let their guard down. Brian would have never thought that another man could give him such pleasure, making him want more, always more. In addition, sexual release took on a whole new meaning when you knew another man’s body almost better than your own.

 

As for Justin, no other man’s touch or sexual expertise could ever compare with Brian’s.  Brian was like a decadent indulgence; a hot, burning flame that could never be extinguished. Nor would he want to.

 

Electricity flooded the air as their breathing increased without either of them moving. A few more seconds passed before Brian finally grabbed Justin by the back of his neck to plaster his lips forcefully against his.

 

The touch wasn’t sweet or gentle. The kiss reflected their hunger for one another as they lost all sense of self-control, their tongues invading and probing while their hands fought frantically to remove far too many clothes.

 

Justin’s shirt landed on the floor, soon followed by Brian’s. Hands slid inside pants and underwear, hurriedly exposing warm, naked skin. Brian was consumed by his lust. His tongue was aggressively invading Justin’s mouth while his fingers were gripping as much skin as he could. His dick was trapped, begging to be released. He couldn’t wait anymore, so he grabbed Justin’s hand to put it on his own cock. He moaned as his lover gave it a squeeze in response, a sigh of relief escaping his lips as Justin pulled his pants and underwear down so his cock could spring free from its constraints.

 

Brian moved with a determined purpose now. He grabbed both of Justin’s wrists and removed the blond’s pants with one hand before sliding his other around Justin’s waist to grip his companion’s hard cock. He half-caressed, half-stroked it a few times, and finally - when Justin began to wantonly rub against his palm - he trapped the blond’s shaft against his own.

 

Justin moaned loudly in his mouth. Brian broke the kiss to look at the blissful expression on his lover’s face as both their cocks moved against each other, their desire escalating. Brian’s cock grew harder with each subsequent moan that escaped Justin’s lips, and the rapturous look on his beautiful face caused him to increase his pace.  

 

The sight in front of him, the pleasure he was feeling, all of it was exquisite torture, and Brian could feel the tingling in his balls signaling that his orgasm was drawing closer. He needed to stop if he wanted to have a chance to bury his cock inside Justin, to mark him with his thrusts, to make him remember what they meant to each other.

 

But it was so hard to slow down. Justin’s face was so compelling, and when the blond suddenly freed one of his hands to place it on their dicks, it caused a new rush of pleasure to course through them. Justin peered down, his eyes dark with lust, as he watched the head of their cocks rhythmically appearing and disappearing inside the tight channel as they fucked each other in sync, breathing hard.

 

Justin gazed up, his eyes boring into Brian’s. The look of pleasure on Justin’s face was too much for the brunet, who couldn’t stop himself from thrusting erratically a couple more times before he finally cried out loudly, spurts of come surging from his cock, as he succumbed to the wonderful sensations only an orgasm - and Justin - could provide.

 

Justin felt Brian’s cock pulsing against his own, both their hands soon being covered with warm come, and it was his turn to reach orgasm, his ears full of Brian’s beautiful grunts of pleasure, his eyes feasting on Brian’s blissful expression.

 

Both men fell to the floor, Brian’s head resting on Justin’s shoulder.

 

“Fuck!” Brian eloquently reacted when he felt good enough to form a coherent thought.

 

“Actually, I’m pretty sure we didn’t reach the ‘fuck’ part yet,” Justin responded with a bright grin.

 

Brian looked up mischievously and chuckled. He playfully pushed Justin onto his back, soon half-covering him as he started to caress him again. “That’s a real crime.”

 

“It is. We should remedy that felony, don’t you think?” Justin asked, amused.

 

“Oh yeah… but I need to clean you up first,” Brian drawled, an impish gleam in his eyes, before going down on Justin again.

 


 

Eventually, they moved to the couch a couple of feet away, Justin soon lying once more on his back.

 

Justin had the impression that Brian’s tongue was everywhere at once. Brian was taking his time, licking his way leisurely toward Justin’s cock, erasing the traces of their earlier orgasms from his chest, his stomach and his hips. Anywhere but his dick, causing him to groan in frustration.

 

Justin wanted to grab Brian’s hair. He wanted his lover to take him in his mouth, or he feared he would go crazy. He wanted to move, but Brian had grabbed his wrists on either side of his body and was effectively pinning him down on the couch as he continued to explore every inch of Justin’s skin thoroughly.

 

“Jesus Christ, Brian…” Justin cursed, and then he cursed some more when he felt Brian chuckle, his lips vibrating against his skin just to the side of his neglected cock, which was now hard as a rock. He wanted to whimper, or even worse, to beg Brian to blow him, rim him, fuck him; anything.

 

He knew Brian was enjoying this immensely. It was his way to apologize for the mess he had created earlier. By his touch, he wanted Justin to know that he would make this right.

 

Well, Justin was hearing him loud and clear.

 

Justin arched his back, but Brian stopped his ministrations. He pushed his way up Justin’s body, almost covering him, except for the fact that he purposely didn’t touch Justin, balancing his weight on his elbows and barely brushing against him instead. He leaned closer to Justin’s ear and purred, “Patience, little boy…” before breathing deeply several times in a row, his breath tingling Justin’s neck and turning him on even more.

 

Justin was actually wondering if he would come like this, as waves after waves of pleasure coursed through his body, merely provoked by Brian’s husky voice and breath, as well as his light caresses.

 

“You’re so responsive,” Brian murmured, making Justin’s breath catch in his throat. He finally released one of his hand and Justin immediately grabbed Brian’s neck to force his lips against his. Brian resisted at first, but Justin was on a mission and was determined to not let him escape.

 

“So fucking hot,” Brian breathed out before caving in and responding fully to Justin’s desire, kissing him deeply. Of course, the moment he gave in to Justin’s wishes, the foreplay was over. Brian’s body boldly blanketed his companion’s, and they both relished in the friction created by skin on skin.

 

Justin reached blindly for Brian’s dick, which was trapped between their bodies, and enveloped it with his hand. He stroked it a few times, maneuvering Brian at the same time to make him understand what he wanted. Brian didn’t need any more encouragement, as he, too, headed for Justin’s cock, and positioned his own in front of Justin’s lips, with one foot on the floor while his knee rested on the other side of Justin’s head.

 

They sucked each other’s cocks, both men twisting their hips to increase the blissful sensations a hot, wet mouth could provide. Brian alternated between licking the shaft and sucking Justin’s entire cock, while Justin licked Brian’s tip and massaged his balls with his hands. Hearing Brian moaning and feeling his lips vibrating around his shaft, Justin’s brain shut off as he pushed Brian, making his lover place his other knee on the couch with his ass just above Justin’s head.

 

Justin spread Brian’s cheeks apart and began to slowly lick his balls and the skin just behind them. Brian paused, stopping to blow his lover, but he didn’t discourage Justin, however. On the contrary, he moaned louder when Justin took his silence as a clue to continue, and moved his tongue up Brian’s ass, finally tasting him where he really wanted to.

 

“Do it,” Brian breathed out, as he lashed once again onto Justin’s cock in response to his lover’s ministrations.

 

Fuck, the sensations were incredible. Justin rimmed Brian fervently, controlling the movements of his own hips in order not to come as his cock slid up and down between Brian’s lips. The pleasure he was feeling was almost too much to bear, but still he resisted, because what he wanted most of all was to be inside Brian when he came.

 

Justin topping Brian was a rare occurrence. It happened, though, from time to time, but usually, Justin wanted Brian inside of him, not the other way around. Right now, though, he yearned to be inside his lover.

 

And from Brian’s uncontrolled grunts as Justin began to fuck him with his tongue, the blond could tell that Brian wanted it badly, too. After a few seconds, he was actually pushing against him, nonverbally but eagerly asking for more.

 

To confirm his suspicions, Justin pushed a finger inside along with his tongue, and Brian’s groans grew even louder, and he stopped sucking Justin. The blond was actually grateful, because rimming Brian was a real turn on, and his lover sucking his cock was way too dangerous if he wanted to keep some self-control and do it right.

 

Justin pushed another finger in, preparing Brian as gently as he could. He took his time, willing his own body to cool down so that he wouldn’t come just from fingering his lover.

 

“Justin, I can’t...Ahh, fuck!” Brian called out loudly, the blond being too lost in the pleasure he was giving to realize his lover was actually on the verge of coming himself. Justin paused, allowing Brian to slow his breathing down enough to verbalize his wish coherently. “Fuck me now, or let me come...”

 

Justin withdrew his fingers carefully. “Shhh… Not yet,” he commanded before moving from underneath Brian’s body.

 

“You’re going to be the death of me,” Brian moaned as he collapsed onto the couch. “My cock is as hard as steel, and my balls are ready to explode,”

 

“Not without me inside of you...” Justin purred as he leaned over to grab a condom and some lube lying on top of the coffee table.

 

Brian was gazing sideways at him, his eyes darkened with lust as Justin rolled a condom onto his cock. Their gaze locked then, a silent message of trust passing between them, just before Brian moved his hand to grab a pillow. He was about to put it under his hips when Justin stopped him.

 

“I want to see you,” Justin whispered.

 

Brian stared back at Justin, not moving at first.

 

“Please,” Justin added softly. He grazed the crack of Brian’s ass with his finger, making Brian huff slightly.

 

“Well, since you asked so nicely,” Brian finally replied before turning around onto his back, a small smirk firmly in place.

 

“And it will feel so nice in a few minutes, too,” Justin promised with a grin as he climbed back on the couch and bent Brian’s right leg so his ankle came to rest on his hip.

 

Both their grins disappeared, however, as soon as they felt Justin’s hard cock at Brian’s opening, not trying to gain entry, but just hovering there, enjoying this moment; the one when the connection between the two men - their trust and their love for each other - filled the air.

 

Their eyes didn’t leave one another. Brian gasped when Justin began to push slightly inside, teasing his lover by not quite penetrating him, but trying to make him want him even more. For several seconds, Justin just moved his hips in circle, a little harder every time, but not hard enough.

 

Brian was going crazy; he wanted Justin’s cock so much, that he started pushing against him, forcing his cock inside of him. Justin tried to resist, but he wanted it so much that he finally gave in and decisively pushed inside.

 

Both men gasped loudly when Justin thrust inside. Brian felt the pain, but Justin waited for him to adjust, taking advantage of the pause to will his body to hold on. Brian’s channel was so hot, so tight, that he didn’t know if he would be able to last or not.

 

He was encouraged to keep going when he felt Brian’s hand on his hip, urging him to continue.

 

Once he was fully embedded inside - skin to skin - they stared at each other, and Brian smiled, a real, blissful smile. Justin felt an overwhelming feeling of love consuming him, and he leaned forward to capture his lover’s lips with his own. Brian fervently responded to his kiss as he started to fuck himself slowly on his lover’s cock, silently telling Justin that he was ready for more.  He broke off his kiss as he panted out hoarsely, “Fuck me,” before claiming Justin’s lips again.

 

Justin complied. He couldn’t do anything else. He pulled out and pushed inside again, feeling another wave of bliss running inside him. He did it again. And again, each time harder and more urgent.

 

But truthfully, Brian was the one in control, the one who was pushing against him, gripping Justin’s ass to force his cock back harder inside of him, biting Justin’s neck, licking Justin’s skin. Justin could barely hold on, responding to Brian’s demand by pounding harder inside him, over and over again, Brian’s cock trapped between them.

 

Way too soon, Justin’s thrusts became shorter. He couldn’t last, not when Brian suddenly grabbed the back of his neck to force him to stare intently into his eyes, the obvious pleasure he was experiencing written all over his face. “Look at me, Sunshine...look at...what you do... to me,” he breathed out raggedly.

 

Justin thought he would come right here, right now. It was as if his lover was looking deep into his soul. Justin was about to lose it, but fortunately Brian closed his eyes, his facial features reflecting all the delight Justin was giving him. He was about to come.

 

So Justin changed his angle and kept thrusting harder, deeper, knowing exactly what would follow: the signs, the feel, the sounds of his lover coming untouched. Watching Brian, knowing he was the cause of this, Justin wanted to let go so badly. He was so close.

 

At last, Brian cried out, his face turning into a mask of pure bliss. Justin watched, fascinated, as Brian came without even stimulating his cock, except for the rubbing their joined bodies had previously created.

 

Justin felt his lover ejaculating between them, felt the tight channel constricting around his dick, and he let go with a shout, his orgasm overwhelming him. He thrust one more time and then stilled, feeling his cock pulsing deep inside Brian.  At that moment, the love he felt for Brian was so real, so powerful, that he could almost reach out and touch it.  

 


 

Friday Afternoon, 4:30 p.m, PIFA …

 

Justin walked through the hallways of PIFA towards the media room. Opening the door quietly, he slipped inside so as not to disturb the students already there and spotted Spencer almost immediately. The redhead was working on a computer, wearing a pair of earbuds as he listened to the audio. Taking a deep breath, Justin walked through the room and stopped just behind Spencer. As he peered down over the other man’s shoulder, he immediately noticed what his ‘supposed’ friend was reviewing: it was a copy of their work. The one that had supposedly been destroyed by Brian.  

 

Justin felt an insidious rage build inside of him, but he forced himself to smile as he effectively plopped himself into the vacant chair next to his schoolmate.

 

“Justin?” Spencer greeted him as soon as he noticed his friend sitting next to him, obviously surprised to see him here. He must have spoken too loudly with the earbuds he was still wearing as several students looked over in their direction in reaction. Taking them off, he lowered his voice as he asked, “What are you doing here? I thought you wouldn’t come in today?”

 

“I forgot that I had to come to bring some books back to the library,” Justin replied, the lie escaping his lips easily. Not that it was exactly a lie, but Spencer didn’t need to know that he still had four days before they were due back. “So, I thought I’d stop by,” Justin added, his eyes switching to the screen in front of them. “Is that our project?”

 

A shadow briefly obscured Spencer’s gaze. “Yeah,” he confirmed before asking, “Did you have time to look at it last night? You received the copy I left for you, right?”

 

“I didn’t have the time, no. But I could do it now, maybe. Do you mind if I save the file and look at it from another screen?” Justin replied, trying to avoid answering Spencer’s directly, preferring instead to stay evasive on the matter so he could gauge his reaction.

 

Spencer frowned. “You don’t have the flash drive with you? I gave it to Brian,” he insisted.

 

“No, I don’t have it with me,” Justin replied a little more curtly than he had intended, not wanting to raise Spencer’s suspicion. “Why don’t you copy it on my session? That way, I will be able to access it from anywhere, even if I forget the flash drive at home.”

 

Every student who participated in a program at PIFA, even part-time, could use a personal session and access it via the campus’ intranet. Yet, since Justin had broken his own flash drive, he and Spencer had always used the redhead’s to work on their project, and Justin had never given it a second thought. Now, though, he was really suspicious of Spencer’s motives, especially since he had just realized that Spencer had been there when he had discovered his flash drive was malfunctioning. Spencer had then insisted on using his own, claiming that he didn’t trust the backups PIFA provided. The more Justin thought about all of it, the more he was convinced that Brian was right. It hadn’t been all a coincidence.

 

“You just forgot it at home…” Spencer repeated with a frown.

 

“Yeah. Why is that a problem? Does it bother you to give me another copy?” Justin replied as innocently as he could, trying hard not to betray his true feelings.

 

“No! Of course not!” Spencer answered just a little too hastily. He sighed and rubbed his face with his hand. “Sorry...I’m a little under the weather today, don’t mind me,” he eventually apologized, clicking on the mouse of the computer to go to the PIFA login page. He seemed to hesitate, but he finally pushed the keyboard towards Justin in order to allow the blond to identify himself. Justin made a mental note to change his password.

 

Spencer made a copy of their file and saved it under Justin’s session. Justin stayed silent and logged out as soon as the copy was complete. “Let me review it, and I’ll get back to you in an hour or so,” he promised as he stood up from his chair to go and sit at a place where he was sure Spencer couldn’t spy on him. As soon as he took a seat, he logged in again and changed his password.

 

He spent the following hour reviewing the project. He saved the modified file, and informed Spencer - the man was still sitting at the same place he had left him - that he had made a couple of minor changes. When Spencer didn’t object but invited the blond for a drink, Justin declined, bid his goodbyes, and headed home to Brian.

 




Monday, 11:30 a.m, PIFA ...

 

The presentation went well. Justin hadn’t doubted that their film would be well-received by the four professors from Carnegie and PIFA representing the judging committee, but he had feared that he wouldn’t be able to put up with this masquerade regarding Spencer for three more days. He had been tempted all weekend to take his cellphone to call him and confront him about what he had done. Brian had dissuaded him about doing that, however, reminding him that his degree was more important than spitting his anger directly in the douchebag’s face - even if he certainly understood the feeling.

 

But now that it was over, Justin couldn’t wait to give Spencer a piece of his mind.

 

The two students exited the building soon afterward, the sun shining brightly with a warm breeze filling the air. Spencer was beaming as they headed toward The Art Institute’s main gate, thrilled that their presentation had gone so well, and he probably expected Justin to be as happy as he was. Except the blond didn’t seem ecstatic at all.

 

“You okay?” Spencer asked, as they kept walking. “You seem off, considering how much they loved what we did! Cheer up, man! It’s time for a celebration!”

 

“With you?” Justin snapped. He stopped in the middle of the campus - they were alone, the other students having already joined their classes - and let the mask he had harbored all morning slip. “Are you kidding?”

 

Spencer frowned and turned around, shaking his head. He stared at Justin as he growled, “What the fuck is wrong with you? Did your boyfriend fuck you the wrong way this weekend?  Or didn’t you get any at all?”

 

Justin let out a sarcastic chuckle. “You’re really going to act like you don’t know why I’m pissed?”

 

“What? Justin, I don’t understand…” Spencer responded innocently, a concerned look on his face.

 

Justin huffed, glaring at Spencer, who stared back at him unflinchingly. A few seconds passed before Justin decided to stop playing this game. “Come on! Stop playing dumbass and admit what you’ve done, for fuck’s sake! You tried to manipulate Brian! And me!”

 

Spencer’s stare didn’t falter, not even for a second. However, an amused gleam appeared in his eyes. He shrugged.  “Okay.”

 

Justin looked at him, dumbfounded. “Okay? That’s it? Just like that?  After everything you did to try and break us apart?”

 

Spencer responded with another shrug, his eyes boring into Justin’s. He was almost smiling, but his smile looked...cynical. Cold even. Evil. “You really could do better, Justin. This guy is a whore, and he always will be. You, on the other hand...”

 

“Don’t you fucking dare talk about Brian like that! He is a thousand times the man you will ever be,” Justin cut him off angrily.

 

“How can you be so fucking blind?” Spencer finally cracked, his cool demeanor slowly vanishing. “A guy like him will inevitably fuck you over, Justin; that’s what he does. That’s what he is. He fucks you and discards you like trash as soon as you become an inconvenience!”

 

Justin frowned. If Spencer hated Brian so much… No. No way. Could it be? He didn’t want to believe it...but he had to ask anyway.

 

“He fucked you…” Justin murmured out loud. It was the only thing that made sense. That would explain why Spencer had been unable to hide his dislike ever since the two men had met at their apartment.

 

Spencer snickered coldly, nodding. “Yeah, he did... years ago.  He doesn’t even remember my face.” He looked back at Justin, his gaze taking on a disturbing intensity. “But I don’t fucking care...”

 

Justin felt a sudden, cold shiver running along his spine as the redhead kept staring at him strangely.

 

“What I do care about, however, is the fact that you fell in love with a prick like him. I thought you were smarter than that.” Spencer’s gaze softened. “You deserve so much better than this slut. You deserve to be wooed, to be cherished. You deserve everything he can’t give you. Fidelity. Honesty. Love. If only you’d let me…”

 

“You’re not serious…” Justin reacted as he backed slightly away, astounded. Did Spencer really believe that he could leave Brian for a man like him? A cheater? A liar? A man who didn’t hesitate to manipulate a friend - one that he claimed to care about, no less - just to break a couple apart, because he had decided that they shouldn’t be together?

 

Apparently, he did. Spencer took a step closer and stated fervently, “I am. Deadly serious. I LOVE you, Justin. I don’t care if you don’t believe me. But you have to understand...everything I do, I do it for you. I want you to be happy, to have everything a man like you deserves. I could give you everything you’ve ever dreamed of.”

 

“You really should have your head examined, Spencer.” Justin took a step closer, too, glaring daggers at the other man. “Because it will never happen, do you hear me? NEVER!”

 

“Careful, Justin…Never is a long time,” Spencer warned with deadly calm, seemingly not affected by Justin’s refusal to listen to him. It was as if he didn’t believe for one second that Justin could resist him.

 

Justin understood then that something was definitely off with him. His behavior was borderline crazy. “You’re delusional…”

 

“No…I’m not. I am NOT!” Spencer retorted forcibly with an icy glare. It was the first time since they had begun to argue that Justin detected the cold rage behind the mask, as if it was bubbling right beneath the surface, ready to erupt. Justin’s inner voice told him that he needed to back off, even if all he really wanted was to let his anger out. However, if Chris Hobbs had taught him any valuable lessons, it was to always listen to his gut feeling in such circumstances.

 

So, Justin took a deep breath before stating as calmly as he could, “It won’t work, Spencer. You and me, it’s not meant to happen. So, for your sake...” He paused briefly, before saying softly, “...you should…just forget you ever met me.”

 

Spencer didn’t reply. He didn’t move, either. He just stayed there, and Justin didn’t know what was going on inside his head. Truthfully, he didn’t want to know.

 

He wanted to leave. “I hope you will find someone that will make you happy. I really do. But this…” Justin gestured with his hands back and forth between he and Spencer. “Our friendship… It’s over. Don’t try to contact me again,” He warned him, backing away carefully. When he was satisfied that the redhead wouldn’t come after him and try to change his mind, he nodded, whispering, “Goodbye, Spencer,” before turning around and walking away.

 

He didn’t look back again. He didn’t see Spencer’s silhouette standing still as he stared at Justin moving away. Thus, he also didn’t notice the hard gleam in his eyes, as an overpowering rage began to form inside of him.

 


 

October 2005, Six Weeks Later, Woody’s...

 

That Friday night, the 28th day of October, 2005, Brian entered Woody’s at 8:40 p.m.

 

Justin was enjoying a night out with the ‘girls’ (Daphne and Emmett), catching up on the latest gossip, so Brian had decided to call Mikey and Jesse to meet at Woody’s, but his oldest friend was going on some speed dating event with Ted. The mere thought of that made Brian want to puke.

 

Fortunately, however, Jesse had agreed to join him, and Brian was actually looking forward to spending some time with him. He hadn’t seen him nearly enough since his return almost two months ago, mainly because his friend was really busy, playing hard to get with his former fuckbuddy. If it had been Brian, he would have just fucked Aaron hard and moved on - or not, considering Jesse claimed that he had ‘feelings’, as in ‘in love’ feelings for the other man, puppy dog eyes and everything - but he wasn’t Jesse, and they both lived in a free world. If Jesse wanted to spend his time in a haze of sexual frustration, who was Brian to stop him, right?

 

So, here he was, standing in the doorway of Woody’s. He looked around the place, noticing a few openly appreciative stares being thrown his way, but dismissed them when he spied Jesse sitting on his own at the counter, his back to him.

 

Brian walked in his direction and positioned himself by his friend’s side without looking at him. He pushed him playfully with his shoulder, instead, and took the vacant seat next to him.

 

“Hello to you, too,” Jesse smiled as he raised his hand to signal the bartender’s attention. “One more,” he requested, pointing to his own shot of Beam. Brian didn’t say a word as he nodded at the bald, middle-aged man who appeared to be in his mid-forties, to indicate he wanted the same. A moment later, the bartender plopped identical shots down in front of the two men.

 

Brian looked down at his glass and began to toy with the cowrie bracelet Jesse had gifted him with after his last assignment. Brian loved it, of course. It was sexy. “So, no Aaron tonight?” He eventually asked humorously as he gazed up at Jesse. “You forget your rusty ball-and-chain at home?”

 

“Aaron’s with his father. I told you they had a complicated relationship.” Jesse informed him with a grin. Brian might be more accepting regarding Aaron now, but he always felt the need to make some witty repartee regarding him whenever someone brought his name up. Old habits died hard.

 

“Complicated as in… ‘Oh my god, my son is a fag who likes to take it up the ass! Please help me to turn him back into a soft, straight man’?” Brian asked in a high-pitched voice, grinning goofily and enunciating the word ‘soft’ slowly, before raising his glass to his lips.

 

“No.” Jesse chuckled. “That would be your father-in-law you’re describing there.”

 

Brian gulped his shot in one go. “Ah yes… Craig fucking Taylor. First of all let me set the record straight.” He smirked over his choice of words. “He is not - and never will be - my ‘father-in-law.’ God forbid.” He paused, gazing down at the shot glass before adding, “Well, fathers are useless, anyway, except for the part where they need to fuck in order to spill their seed.” Brian frowned and tilted his head. “In fact, gay men are not so different when you think about it.” He rolled his lips into his mouth, proud of his own joke and earning a laugh from Jesse, before adding, “Except no child can be conceived in this world with two men fucking. There really must be a God in the universe.”

 

“You really know how to lift someone’ spirits, you know that?” Jesse deadpanned, turning on his seat to face Brian and touching his knee briefly. “How could I have left for so long and tolerated being deprived of your marvelous companionship and insight?” He teased playfully, the warmth in his eyes showing how much he had really missed his friend.

 

“I have no idea. It must have been so painful,” Brian responded with a smirk, before eying the bartender and silently asking for two more refills with a sign of his hand. When the man acknowledged his demand and went to prepare their drinks, Brian pursed his lips, and gazed back at Jesse with a soft smile. “But just so you know...I missed you, too,” he stated almost bashfully, causing a bright smile to appear on Jesse’s face.

 

They spent the next couple of hours catching up and playing pool against two hotties, Brian claiming victory afterward by taking one of them to the restroom for a quick blowjob. Then, he tried to convince Jesse to go with him to Babylon, with the pretext that they hadn’t danced together in far too long, causing Jesse to bark out a laugh in response to Brian’s argument. As if dancing with a friend had ever been Brian’s number one priority.

 

Jesse eventually relented and agreed to go.

 

He would never dance at Babylon that night, though. In fact, he wouldn’t dance for a long, long time.

 




They left Woody’s at 11:00 p.m. Brian asked Jesse to follow him to his car, so that he could retrieve his cellphone that he had left on the passenger seat before joining him inside.

 

They ambled down the narrow, presently deserted alley that ran perpendicular to the two main streets, engaging in some lively bantering as any old friends might do and enjoying the ten-minute walk to Brian’s car - Brian having elected to park in a place where his new prized Jeep would be secure, since he would be taking a cab home after leaving Babylon - when a man seemingly appeared out of nowhere amongst the shadows and slammed into them, effectively making Brian lose his balance for a few seconds.

 

“Watch out, asshole!” Brian yelled as he glared back at the man before he and Jesse continued on their way.  But Brian slowed his steps a few moments later, and then came to a complete stop as he realized who the man was.  “Well, if it isn’t Justin’s former admirer,” he sneered, as Spencer turned around and stared at them defiantly.

 

Of all the fucking luck. “Jesse, remember the delusional prick I talked to you about, the one that Justin had to work with for three months on his summer project?” He snarled disdainfully, before addressing Spencer directly. “So how are you, Stephen? Still kidding yourself about your ability to make a man want you?”

 

Spencer actually smirked. “Brian...still getting your dick sucked in a dark, foggy alley?”

 

Brian let out a derisive chuckle before retorting with a raise of his eyebrows. “Oh, so you’re still fantasizing about the privilege I bestowed upon you? I bet you still have wet dreams about me letting you suck my dick, don’t you?” he taunted the other man as Jesse silently listened with rapt attention. “You fucking loved it, admit it!” he added for good measure.  Justin had confided in him about Spencer confessing that they’d had a sexual encounter several years ago, even though Brian honestly didn’t remember anything about it. Spencer had no doubt been one of an untold number of one-time, ‘convenience’ tricks that he had ‘accommodated’ over the years. As Brian stared over at the nondescript redhead, then, he could only deduce that the encounter had occurred at a time when he had been extremely high - it had happened more than once in his life - or that Spencer’s performance had been too mediocre to be worth even remembering.

 

“Brian, let it go,” Jesse warned, concerned. Even if he wasn’t familiar with this stranger, he knew his friend well enough to know that he was deliberately provoking Spencer for the sake of his own satisfaction, and something told him this was not a wise move; besides, Jesse really didn’t want to engage in a fight right now. Knowing how pissed Brian had been over Spencer’s duplicity, and how scared he had been that it would affect his relationship with Justin, he worried that this situation could get ugly if his friend didn’t stop immediately.

 

“You think you’re so smart, don’t you?” Spencer commented with deadly calm as he stood there, facing them; so calmly, in fact, that it confirmed Jesse’s suspicions and he became more and more uneasy with the whole situation. Spencer’s tone of voice seemed nonchalant; but to Jesse, the man’s body language was saying something altogether different.  Unfortunately, Brian continued to ignore his concern.

 

“Well, I’m the one sleeping in Justin’s bed,” Brian replied smugly. “What about you, Stewart? Are you lying in bed at night alone, jacking off with your hand to get off while you dream of the one who got away? Well, I got news for you, pal. You never HAD him in the first place!”  Brian replied contemptuously, his eyes glaring daggers at the other man. He didn’t know if it was the many shots he had consumed at Woody’s previously, the muggy, humid night, the smelly, garbage-strewn alleyway, or the fear and anger that he had felt after having been played so easily by Spencer several weeks ago.  But at that instant, all he wanted to do was  punch the arrogant, shithead bastard in the face for what he had done to him and Justin.

 

“Brian! STOP,” Jesse pleaded in an attempt to intervene before things got out of hand, even if Brian was obviously not listening to him, apparently set on provoking a fight with this weirdo if he continued much longer. “He’s not worth it!” he added, gripping his wrist to try and get his attention to no avail.

 

“You should listen to your friend,” Spencer advised in a low voice as he walked closer to Brian and Jesse, who were standing side-by-side.  He was close enough now that both men could smell his fragrance.

 

“And you stay away from Justin, or I swear…” Brian warned, his voice trailing off as he glared at him with clear hatred in his eyes.    

 

“Yeah? Or what? Please, tell me what you’d do,” Spencer urged him, a disturbing gleam appearing in his eyes as he slightly tilted his head.

 

Brian should have stopped right at that moment. He should have been the better man and left. It was obvious Spencer was playing with him, again. In addition, Brian knew, deep down, that the redhead was disturbed. He might not know his life story, but his reactions weren’t the ones of a sane man. And yet, Brian couldn’t help it. It was as if Spencer had freed the green-eyed monster inside of him, and now he couldn’t do anything to stop the rage against this man from taking hold of him. He didn’t know that he would regret his next words for the rest of his life, though.

 

“If you don’t stay the fuck away from Justin and me...I will find a way to destroy you,” Brian promised with a murderous glare.

 

“Really?” Spencer raised his eyebrows. “You think Justin will allow you to do that? You know he’s too kindhearted and trusting for his own good. I’m sure he blows your mind like no one else can, and that you can’t resist him...right?” Spencer asked, his eyes turning dark.

 

Jesse, meanwhile, felt a cold shiver running through his body. He witnessed the exact moment when Spencer’s mood seemed to shift, almost imperceptibly. The man didn’t seem sane at all; not anymore.

 

As if to validate his thoughts, Spencer rolled his neck and gazed up momentarily. His slow movements accentuated the feeling of insanity that emanated from his entire being.

 

Brian just stayed there, visibly ready to bolt, and Jesse looked at him while gripping his forearm, trying to capture his friend’s attention to make him understand that they needed to back off. Fast.

 

But Spencer chose that exact moment to add one last thing. “I couldn’t, either, you know? Resist Justin, I mean. In fact, I’m sure making love to him must be a thing of beauty. A life-altering experience. Oh yeah, I can’t wait for the day when I will have the privilege to prove my love to him, to be with him, inside of him. To pleasure him and make him come again and again. When you will be gone from his life...permanently.” he boasted with an evil grin playing on his lips. He knew exactly what Brian’s reaction would be. In fact, he was counting on it.

 

Sure enough, as soon as the words were spoken, Brian grabbed him by the collar of his jacket, and slammed him up against the nearest wall. Every fiber of his being wanting to erase the smug grin from his lips, and the next thing he knew, he had punched the man in the face.

 

Spencer kept smiling brightly, seemingly not responding, even when his nose started bleeding.

 


 

It all happened so fast.

 

Brian heard Jesse calling for him. Was there a hint of fear in his voice? Brian frowned, realizing what he’d just done and when he gazed over at Spencer’s face, he realized the redhead was smiling, beaming even.

 

He’s smiling?

 

Spencer laughed, a long, disturbing laugh that flooded the air with a chilling intensity. He looked at Brian, his teeth now tinted with blood, and breathed out almost tenderly, “Thank you,” before stealing a brief kiss from Brian’s lips.

 

And then…

 

Brian lost his balance. He had been suddenly pushed forcibly and had fallen onto the pavement. Disoriented for a few seconds, he eventually looked around and his gaze landed on Jesse, who was standing still in front of Spencer, both their hands gripping onto something.

 

He heard a heart-wrenching scream rip through the deafening silence that had followed afterward, probably coming from a lone passer-by, and his blood ran cold.

 

Only when Spencer escaped and started to run, disappearing into the foggy night, did Brian realize what had just happened. “Brian…” Jesse’s pleading voice called for him before he fell onto his knees, his hands clutching the handle of a knife, covered with blood. His blood.

 

 

“Jesse…” Brian whispered, a feeling of doom descending over him. “No, no, no, no, no... Jesse!” He yelled desperately, rushing to his friend’s side, his voice resonating in the coldness of the dark alley.

 

Chapter End Notes:

 

 

You must login (register) to review.