-Pittsburgh

While Brian and Justin were stranded on their island, life continued on back home in America. School life at St. James Academy continued as normal. Kids still had classes, got homework, tests, assignments and detentions if they messed around. People talked and gossiped about Justin’s disappearance often, many believing that he was dead. Some were cruel and joked about it, saying that they’d seen his ghost. Both Daphne and Hunter had earned themselves detentions on more than one occasion for ‘losing their cool’ when their fellow students were cruel about Justin. The friends still clung to the hope that their friend was alive and that he was with Brian. From what they’d been told, if Justin was with Brian, he’d have a much higher chance of still being alive. Despite all their hope and friendly support they got off each other, both teenagers missed their friend immensely. They missed his nerdy facts, his PSAs, his nagging, his jokes. There truly was no friend like Justin Taylor.

One thing that had changed was that Molly Taylor was no longer invisible at her school. People treated her entirely differently and not in a way that she liked. Teachers looked at her with pity when they spoke to her, the other kids all stared at her in the hallway and the cafeteria. She felt like she was in a fish tank at the aquarium.  

Classes at The University of Pittsburgh carried on as usual as well. People sometimes spoke about Brian’s disappearance, but it was no where near as big a topic as Justin was at his school, as college students didn’t care as much and it had so many more students. All of Brian’s friends had gotten closer together, being able to bond in missing him. They missed his humour, his discreet acts of kindness and thoughtfulness, his truthfulness, and even how he could be an uptight jerk at times. Meanwhile, Michael’s relationship grew with Ben, as did Emmett’s with Ted.

Brian’s family looked out for information on him, but his parents never made a real move to try to actually do something. Claire, on the other hand, kept in regular contact with Debbie and Michael.

Jennifer still refused to believe that her son was dead, despite some people trying to convince her that he was. She was constantly on her phone, computer or television, looking at Trinidad news and weather patterns for anything that might help decipher where her boy was. Craig supported her every step of the way, never question her obsessive behaviour.

One particular evening, Michael had gotten drunk while he and the gang were all at his mother’s for dinner. “Here’s to Brian”, Michael said, toasting his umpteenth beer to the ceiling. “Who will probably never get to drink alcohol again.”

“Michael”, Lindsay chided, instantly catching on to what Michael was implying.

“Oh, have I offended poor little Lindsay’s sensibilities?” Michael mocked drunkenly. “We should all just face it that Brian is gone forever. We’re never gonna see him again.”

Debbie snatched the beer out of Michael’s hand and gave him a smack on the back of the head.

“Ouch, Ma!” Michael complained, reaching for the spot she hit.

“Oh, did I hurt you, darling?” Debbie said in a too-nice of a tone. “I was trying to knock some sense into you, so idiot!”

“What for?” Michael asked, plopping down onto his seat at the dinner table. He hiccuped and burped.

The red haired woman set a glass of water in front of her son. “Don’t you dare give up hope, you hear me”, she said to him. “You have always been so strong and you shouldn’t change now. Right now, you need to be stronger than ever. For everyone. You aren’t the person that’s allowed to lose it.”

Michael sipped the water that had been place in front of him, feeling ashamed and embarrassed of his actions that night. He was disappointed in himself. He knew he shouldn’t be thinking or speaking the way he was. He was just so worried for his friend, and Michael + worry + over thinking + alcohol = douche bag. “Sorry”, he said. “I’m sorry guys. I’m an idiot. I dunno what I’m on about.”

“Its fine, sweetie”, Mel said to her friend kindly. “We all know how stressed you’ve been. We know you don’t mean it.”

“I think it is about time to get you home and tucked in bed”, Emmett said, getting up with his car keys in hand.

“That’s a good idea”, Debbie said. Moving to help her drunken son up from his seat.

With some effort; Michael was very, very drunk, Debbie managed to get the man out of the chair and in the hallway. “Thanks mom, you’re the best. You know that? You’re the best”, Michael rambled.

This made his uncle Vic laugh. “You’re damn right I’m the best”, Debbie said back to her wobbling boy.

“Buh-bye everybody!” Michael called to all his friends, waving enthusiastically. “I’ll miss you guys! See you soon!”

“Okay, let’s get you out of here”, Emmett said, grabbing Michael’s shoulders and pushing him out the front door. “Thanks, Deb. I can take it from here”, he told his hostess. All the while, the dark haired man waved at his friends and proclaimed his love for them, which amused everyone. After some shuffling around, Emmett managed to get his friend in his car and home safely.

“He’s worked so hard”, Vic said once his nephew had gone. “It seems he’s overworked himself. He spends just about every waking minute worrying about Brian or trying to figure out a way to find him and bring him home.”

Melanie nodded in agreement. “He never stops. He’s always doing something.” 

“Brian’s family might not care all that much, but one thing’s for sure and that is; no cares more than Michael. He’s a true friend to that boy”, Vic continued.

“What can I say”, Debbie spoke up, her hands in the air expressively. “I raised him right. And I did my best with Brian.”

This made all of the people in the room laugh. They spent the rest of the night sharing their funniest and fondest stories of Brian until it was time for everyone to return home.

*****

Michael and Emmett’s apartment

“Honey, you’re gonna have to help me out here”, Emmett said to his friend as he fiddled about. He was trying to undress Michael so he could put him to bed properly but drunk-Michael was not making it easy for him.

Michael tried as hard as he could to stop fidgeting and lifted his arms above his head to allow Emmett to take off his shirt. As soon as it was off, Michael snatched the shirt from Emmett’s hands and threw it on the floor of his bedroom. Emmett looked at him in question, but Michael just laughed cheekily so that his friend would be suspicious. It was oh so much fun to trick Emmett. “Emmett, has anyone ever told you that you are the absolute best. The person in the world!”

Emmett could not help but laugh, half in true amusement, and half in frustration at his friend’s difficult behaviour as a drunk. “I might have been told that once or twice.”

Michael surprised Emmett by grabbing his face and giving him a big kiss. “That’s for you. Because you’re the best.”

“Alright, honey”, Emmett said, chuckling. “Time for bed, now.” He pulled back Michael’s duvet and sheets and pushed the man’s legs so that he’d put them under the covers. Thankfully, Michael did so without any fuss. Much unlike how he’d carried on in the car earlier. Emmett tucked his friend in and said, “There we go! All nice and cosy! Nighty-night.”

The Novotony boy spoke up just as Emmett started leaving his room. “Emmett, do you think Brian will come home?” he asked. Emmett stopped walking and turned to look at his vulnerable friend. “Cause I’d really miss him if he didn’t.”

Emmett’s heart melted a little at Michael’s childlike behaviour. “I would too”, he admitted. Michael held Emmett’s gaze, still hoping for an answer to his question. “Yeah, sweetie”, Emmett told him. “Brian’s always telling us he’s invincible. I think he just might be.”

That seemed to make Michael happy enough and he settled back into his bed. “Goodnight, Em”, he said, closing his eyes. Emmett returned the sentiment and switched off Michael’s light as he left his room.

After he’d closed Michael’s door, Emmett grabbed his phone. It was late, but he felt like talking to Ted. Michael’s words had struck something in Emmett. He really did miss having Brian around.

The island

Over the next several weeks spent on the island, the boys continued to grow closer and closer as they survived. Together they repaired and rebuilt their ever faltering shelter. One day, the roof of it collapsed on top of the boys while they were mid-fuck. Needless to say, neither of the boys were happy when that had happened. They improved their fishing and cooking skills, using their self-made spears and open fire. Brian joked that he felt like a true boy scout. Justin continued keeping count of each day on the island while he and Brian somehow managed to have as much fun as they could. Mostly by lots and lots of love-making. Doing it raw made them feel even closer to each other. Justin’s tree climbing skills got better and better with each passing day, so much so that he taught Brian how to climb and together they picked fruit from great heights. Each evening they watched the sun set as the day turned into night.

One afternoon, the hundredth day on the island, the boys chuckled and teased each other while they played about in the lagoon. Justin splashed water in Brian’s face and squealed when the brunet took the teenager in his arms and dunked him under water. “Brian!” he complained through his laughter after they surfaced. Brian smirked and kissed Justin tenderly. Both boys wrapped their arms around each other as they had a passionate make out session.

As always, the kissing progressed into hot sex in the lagoon. Justin moaned into Brian’s mouth while they kissed. “Ohhh Brian!” He wrapped his legs tighter around Brian’s waist and moved with the man as they fucked from their standing up position. “Brian, it’s so good!”

“Yesssss!” Brian moaned in response to Justin’s sexy talk. “Your tight ass feels so good!” Several minutes of pure bliss went past before the boys reached climax. When they were done, Justin unwrapped his legs from Brian’s torso and his lover helped lower him to the lagoon floor. “Oh how I love lazy Wednesday afternoons”, Brian said.

“When they are packed with great sex like that, so do I”, Justin agreed with a smile. Brian gave him a smile back and the two lovers made their way over to where they had left their clothes. They dried off as best as they could and began dressing. “You know, I don’t think I ever properly thanked you”, Justin said after a moment.

Brian stopped putting his shirt on to look at his lover. “For what?” he asked with genuine curiosity.

“For saving me”, Justin replied. Brian’s expression told Justin that he needed more answers than that. “Back when we were on that dinghy and I almost fell off. You saved me and I want to thank you.”

“You did thank me for that”, Brian pointed out, putting his shirt on his shoulders.

Justin nodded. “Sure, but I didn’t thank you properly”, he told the brunet. Before Brian could asked him what he meant, Justin grabbed the man’s face and planted a big kiss on him, tongue and all. Brian responded enthusiastically and only broke away when the need for air became more immediate than their need for each other.

“That is about the best ‘thank you’ I’ve ever gotten”, Brian said, catching his breath.

Justin smiled and said, “I also want to thank you just for being there. I would have died here without you.”

Brian spoke up, “Then I’ve got to thank you too.” It was Justin’s turn to look at him in question. “Without you, I wouldn’t of had anything to keep me going for this long”, he confessed. “I would have given up.”

The boys shared a tender look that was broken by a familiar sound in the distance. It was getting closer and closer. This was the sound of a helicopter! “Oh my God”, Justin said, taking off towards the beach, Brian running along behind him at top speed.

“Go Sunshine, go”, Brian called as they ran like their lives depended on it. Because their lives really did depend on it this time. They reached the beach in record time and Justin dove for his satchel while Brian stood on the beach waving his arms about and calling up to the helicopter that was in sight now. It looked like a tourist helicopter. Justin ran out onto the beach next to Brian, loading the flare gun. “Fire away, Sunshine”, Brian said with excitement in his voice. This was it; their ticket out of here. Justin pointed the gun to the sky and fired, sending a flare into the sky where the helicopter could see it. “Heeeeeeeyyyyy!” Brian and Justin shouted as they jumped and waved to the helicopter above them. “Over here!”

The aircraft got closer and closer and the boys were live with excitement. “Oh my God!” Justin said again, feeling the wind from the helicopter as it began to land on the beach. It was far enough away from him and Brian so that they were not in any danger. The craft stopped, having landed safely and the castaways bolted towards it.

A chocolate skinned man stepped out of the helicopter as the boys approached. “You two fellas alright?” the man asked. He had an Australian accent and a booming voice.

“Holy heck, Sir”, Justin puffed once he and Brian reached the man. “You found us!”

“Our names are Brian Kinney and Justin Taylor, and we’ve been marooned here for 100 days”, Brian told the curious and stunned man, who would forever be their saviour.

A look of recognition registered on the man’s face. “Brian Kinney and Justin Taylor, eh? You’re the kids that got lost off of that party boat, aren’t ya?” he asked.

“That’s us”, Brian confirmed, smiling. A beaming Justin took his hand.

The man smiled at both boys and said, “Well bloody hell, let’s get you two home then. You can call me Tim.” He stuck his hand out and each boy shook it gratefully.

Brian and Justin dashed off to their shelter to collect their shoes, jackets and Justin’s satchel after telling Tim they needed a minute. The whole time, the boys were laughing with excitement and euphoria. Neither man could quite believe it; they were saved! Brian reached over to give his lover a quick kiss. Having collected their things, the lovers shared a smile and ran back to the helicopter where Tim was waiting for them. Once they reached the craft, they noticed two people already sitting in it. “This is Elle and Brae”, Tim told them. “I was taking them on an over the sea tour. None of us expected to find what we did!” The two girls sitting in the helicopter gave the boys friendly smiles and exchanged greetings. Tim helped the two of them into the craft, climbed in himself and told them the safety protocols. “I sure am glad there’s enough room in here”, he commented once he’d finished. Justin laughed in relief.

Minutes later, Tim turned the helicopter on, closed the door and lifted them off of the ground. Brian grabbed Justin’s hand and gave it a squeeze, interlacing their fingers. Both boys looked out the window of the aircraft as it lifted higher and higher away from the island. “Bye bye”, Justin whispered to the place that had been their home and their prison for the last hundred days. He looked over at Brian and they shared a look of fondness. They knew that it was time to get back to the real world…

TO BE CONTINUED…