“Justin! You’re going to be late!” Jennifer yelled from the bottom of the stairs.

“Just give me a second!” Justin squinted in the mirror and sighed. His hair was plain. It was always going to be plain. There was a knock at the door and a wide-eyed Daphne entered. She looked in the mirror and started touching up her eye shadow, immediately starting a ramble about how Suzie Jenkins told her that Carrie Smith got caught fucking Jacob Davis in her grandparents pool on Saturday and by the end of this afternoon she was just sure everyone was going to know about it.

Justin turned to her and sighed, “My mom has a date tonight.”

“Oh holy fuck! Really? With who?”

“Some guy she’s trying to help find a house for. She didn’t tell me much. He’s older. His name is Jake…or Jack. Or something.” Justin smoothed the hair at the nape of his neck and then pushed Daphne out the bathroom door. He grabbed his bag off of the floor and ran down the stairs, tickling Daphne’s sides relentlessly.

Jennifer greeted them at the bottom and Daphne spoke between giggles, “Good luck with your date tonight Miss Taylor!”

Jennifer blushed, replied with a “Thank you”, kissed Justin’s cheek and sent them scurrying out the front door. She pressed her back against the closed door and closed her eyes. Butterflies filling her stomach.

~~

Justin said goodbye to Daphne and entered Geometry. He made his way to a desk in the back and settled down in the cold seat. He was the only Sophomore in a class of Seniors and keeping to himself seemed like the best way to get through the 50 minutes a day he spent in that room. The teacher mumbled something about “Coffee and running off copies” before rushing out of the room. The door didn’t have a chance to shut as a hand pushed it open, and in came Brian Kinney.

His gray shirt clung tightly to his body, almost drawing the attention away from his worn jeans. Sarah Craig and Tiffany True let out a giggle and Justin dropped his pencil down onto the sketchbook in front of him. It rolled to the floor, landing with a unheard clank.

Justin Taylor had had his eye on Brian Kinney since his first week in Freshmen year when he’d been lucky enough to have his locker a couple rows down from Brian’s. Daphne and Justin had spent the last two years following the boy’s every move. His soccer games, who he sat with in lunch, and of course his class schedule. Justin had gotten lucky this year. A couple weeks into the semester Brian had gotten switched to Mr. Miller’s first period Geometry class. Daphne was still complaining about Justin being so damn lucky.

Justin stared blankly in front of him, his vision unfocused, just enjoying his tingles.

“This yours?”

Justin blinked a couple of times and looked up to see gorgeous hazel eyes staring down at him, a half-smile and a raised eyebrow. Brian was holding Justin’s pencil out to him, waiting for him to take it.

Justin nodded and reached for it, his fingers brushed against Brian’s and he looked up at Brian’s face, trying to read if he was the only one feeling the tingles. Brian just pursed his lips and Justin pulled the pencil from his hand, scrunching down in his desk a bit embarrassed.

Brian took the seat in front of him and Justin put his pencil to paper.

~~

“Oh honey. Come here.” Jennifer pulled Justin in for a hug, wrapping her arms around him tight. It was 10 minutes until eight and her date would be there any minute. They were waiting in the kitchen, Jennifer skittering anytime she thought she heard sounds on the front porch.

“Um Mom. Yeah. Oxygen becoming an issue.”

Jennifer sighed and pulled back, smoothing out the blonde bangs on his forehead. She cupped his rosy cheek in her hand, “Things have gotten really good haven’t they?”

Justin leaned back against the kitchen counter and smiled, “Yeah, they really have. Oh, is Molly coming up on Friday?” The door bell rang and Jennifer clutched her purse to her chest. “She’s staying with Craig this weekend. She says she’s having a pool party.”

Justin nodded and motioned for his mom to stay in the kitchen as he went to the door, there was another buzz of the door bell and he opened the door swiftly. His first impression of Jack Kinney was basically “My mom’s dating the crypt keeper”. Jack smiled and shook Justin’s hand as he entered the foyer and Justin calmed down a bit. Hey, who was he to judge?

Jennifer suddenly joined them and Justin watched as the man leaned down and placed a kiss on her cheek. When they left and the door was closed, Justin ran to the phone, jumping over the couch and ignoring the now searing pain coming from his shin.

“Daph. She’s gone. Pick me up.”

Wait, what did he look like?

“It doesn’t matter. Just get your ass over here.”

~~

Justin rolled his window down. “Christ Daphne, can’t you get a damn car where you don’t have to churn butter to get the window down?”

“Quit watching Ellen.”

“I didn’t get that from Ellen.”

“Justin.”

“I didn’t.”

“Justin.”

“But she’s funny.”

Daphne turned the radio on, an old Journey song filled the car and Justin leaned back in his seat. “Do you think he will be there?” he asked, scratching at his cheek.

“Not sure. Was he talking about meeting anyone there during class today?”

“I don’t know.”

“But you said you sat behind him.”

“Daph. I don’t know.”

They sat in silence for the rest of the drive, silently bopping their heads to the music. When a Britney Spears song came on neither of them took time out of their thoughts of Brian Kinney to change the station. They just hit their babies one more time and stayed quiet.

Daphne parked and grabbed her purse from the backseat. They got out of the car and entered the school gymnasium, bodies pressed close together for comfort…and possibly protection. St. James Academy could be brutal. The sports teams were all sitting on the bottom row of the bleachers on the right, Justin spotted Brian immediately, even though he was on the other side of the gym Justin could make out the bored expression on the gorgeous face.

Justin and Daphne took a seat at the edge of the first row on the left bleachers, giving them a perfect view of Brian. The gym was abuzz with sports talk. This was after all the awards ceremony. A knee started digging into Justin’s back which he found quite annoying. Coach Ray came up to the podium and started yelling through the microphone. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Brian slip away from the bench and make his way towards the bathroom. Justin excused himself from Daphne and followed.

~~

Justin’s feet slipped a bit on the slick floor as he entered the bathroom. He grabbed onto the door for leverage and looked around. Brian was standing against the back wall, one leg lifted, knee out, foot against the wall behind him. A cigarette was held to his mouth and he eyed Justin, eyebrow raised. Justin quickly made his way over to the urinals and unzipped his pants, the sound bouncing off of the walls.

The bathroom was quiet. Coach Ray's booming voice was muffled by the door. Justin heard Brian exhale on his left and when he finally got himself to calm down long enough to start pissing, he cringed at how loud it sounded in the empty room. When he finished he started to make his way to the door.

"Shouldn't you wash your hands first?"

Justin froze and turned around slowly. He smiled weakly and quickly went over to the sink. Brian flicked his cigarette bud in the floor and joined Justin at the sinks. He pushed his hands under the water, pushing Justin's out.

Their eyes connected in the mirror. Before Justin could say anything, Brian had left.

~~

"Where's your mom?"

Justin threw the apple up in the air and caught it as it came back down, "She's out with Jack."

"Again?!"

Justin nodded and took a bite of his apple. The Saturday sunlight lit up the kitchen as Daphne and Justin worked on weekend homework assignments. Justin doodle on the corner of his paper and thought about his mom. Since her first date three weeks ago, she'd been gone almost every weekend. Justin had had to babysit Molly for the last two weekends.

"We're having dinner here tonight. Mom's cooking this chicken thing and Jack's bringing one of his kids over."

"He's ancient. His kids must be full grown."

Justin shrugged, "His daughter is but Mom says he's got a son who's closer to my age."

Daphne scrunched her nose and looked up from her English book. "You don't think...she's serious about him do you? Has she mentioned marriage?"

"Christ, Daphne. She's only been dating the guy for three weeks!"

"Hey. You never can tell about these things. You know how impulsive your mom can be sometimes. I mean look at her divorce. One minute Craig is calling you a faggott and the next your in this new home with a whole new homophobia free life."

Justin picked up his pencil and threw it across the room. It hit the wall with a light tap and fell to the kitchen floor.

~~

"Justin! Honey, they're here!"

Justin pushed his head under his pillow and listened as two car doors opened and closed out front. He groaned and rolled out of bed. He could hear his mother downstairs. She was cooing over Jack's kid and asking them to take their coats off.

Justin patted down his hair and adjusted the belt on his pants. Wow, he didn't look too bad. The one night in his life he could possibly pass for hot he was having dinner with his mom's new beau. Justin padded down the stairs quietly and rested his back against the wall at the foot of the stairs. He took a moment, the calm before the storm. Jennifer laughed in the dining room and Justin closed his eyes.

"You ok?"

His eyes shot open and he squinted at the figure in front of him. Brian Kinney stood with his arms crossed and a smirk on his face. Justin didn't say anything.

"Well? What the fuck is wrong with you?"

Jennifer appeared then, smiling at the two boys. "Oh honey, This is Jack's son Brian."

Justin swallowed and looked from his mom to Brian.

~~

Jennifer and Jack sat at each end of the table while Brian and Justin sat across from each other on each side. Justin stuffed his hands under his thighs and watched as everyone filled their plates. His cheeks were burning and he knew they were probably a deep shade of red. Brian scooped up a spoonful of mashed potatoes out of a bowl and dropped them onto his plate. He watched Justin, eyebrow raised.

"So Justin, tell me, you play any sports in school?"

Justin turned to Jack, just looking at him. Jennifer cleared her throat and picked up her fork, "Um, Justin's in the art club."

Jack nodded and frowned at his plate, "Oh."

Brian groaned and leaned up in his chair, not about to let his father start, "Justin and I have math class together Miss Taylor. You're son is a very gifted artist."

Jennifer smiled gratefully and Justin's cheeks turned an ever deeper shade of red. The rest of the dinner was spent listening to Jack reliving his own high school days. Football story after football story.

During dessert Justin excused himself from the table and went outside for fresh air. He leaned up against one of the posts and smiled at Brian as he joined him.

"Hey," Justin said, his first time speaking in Brian's general direction that night. Brian didn't say anything, just leaned over the porch railing, elbows propped on the hard wood.

"How do you know anything about my art?" Justin asked quietly, not wanting to throw the chirping crickets off balance. He stuffed his hands in the pockets of his tight sweatshirt and tried not to lick his lips in the cold air when his eyes trailed over Brian's ass.

Brian shrugged and looked out over the yard, "I've just seen you drawing in class."

There was a minute or two of silence. Justin watched Brian until Brian glanced over at him and Justin had to turn away quickly. A loud laugh from the kitchen floated outside and Brian nodded in that direction, "How fucked up are those two?"

Justin laughed and relaxed against the pole behind him. "Hey, we did good. We made it through dinner without a fight. We might work as a family after all."

Brian frowned when Justin said the word 'family'. "Sorry if it fucked up your plans with your girlfriend tonight."

"Girlfriend?"

"Yeah. Bubbly brunette you're always with?"

"Oh! That's Daphne. She's not my girlfriend," Justin made a disgusted face.

Brian nodded, "She's just your fag hag."

"Right. Wait. I mean..." Justin froze against the pole. "How did you..."

Brian sauntered over slowly and smiled, "Takes one to know one."

~~

"He's gay!" Justin squeaked, grabbing ahold of Daphne's shoulders at her locker on Monday morning. They were in the main hall. All heads were turned towards the two, puzzled at Justin's declaration.

Daphne pushed Justin's hands away and started digging in her bag for her geography notebook. Justin was bouncing in front of her. She looked up at him between putting each book in her locker, "I'm gone all weekend. I've spent two whole days listening to my parents bitch about having to go see their own parents." She paused and waited for Justin to show any interest in her life.

"Right. So, who's gay?"

"Brian Kinney," Justin whispered.

Daphne dropped her books dramatically and threw up her hands, waving them around. Justin ducked. "I just can't fucking win for losing can I?"

The bell rang and Justin groaned. "Daph, let's skip. I have so much to tell you."

"I have a test. Just give me the abridged version real quick."

Justin tightened his backpack on his shoulder and whispered excitedly, "My mom's dating Jack KINNEY and Brian's gay and could be my new stepbrother if everthing goes right." He started to walk towards first period, "Oh, and I do want to hear all about your weekend. You can give me a ride home and we can talk. I'll meet you at your car after sixth."

Daphne leaned against the locker, "Well, fuck me."

Cassie Peters was walking by. She turned and stared at Daphne, "What?"

Daphne patted the girls arm, "Oh, not you sweetheart. I'm flattered though. Really."

~~

Justin sat in first period much as he did at the dinner on Saturday. His hands were stuffed tightly under his legs and he swayed in his chair in anticipation. Waiting for Brian.

He never came.

~~

Brian sat on the Novotny’s front doorstep and waited patiently. God, what he would kill for a cigarette right now. He pulled his jacket tighter around himself and leaned back against the frame of the porch railing, squinting up at the sun. Brian was used to this thirty minute wait. When his parents divorced about four years back Brian had gone to live with his father, choosing the asshole over his cunt sister and mother.

The big downside, one of many, was that the move had put him another district and another school. His best friend had been left behind at his old school. Mikey appeared then, huffing and puffing, backpack slung over his shoulder.

“You need to get a fucking car,” Michael spat. Brian nodded, he was working on it. He reached out and took the bag from his friend and moved out of his way so Michael could unlock the door. Inside the house was an array of bright, tacky oranges and browns. It was home though. And each time Brian entered the house he felt satisfied…comfortable. He stretched out on the couch as Michael sat down in the chair at his feet. Michael leaned back in the chair and sighed, “Jessica Bivens is pregnant.”

“No fucking way! That dyke?”

“Yeah. I couldn’t believe it either.”

“Who’s the father?”

“Kyle Kilgore!”

“Pssh. That fucking figures. I feel sorry for the child. Poor thing is getting some terrible genes.”

Michael nodded and kicked Brian’s foot at the end of the couch, “So what’s the latest at St. James Academy? Or just, the latest? How’s your dad’s girlfriend?”

Brian smiled a bit and scratched lazily at the side of his head. “Jack and Jennifer. Christ Mikey they’re obsessed with each other. They’re always out together, leaving Justin and I stuck at our houses with no car--”

“Justin?”

“Oh yeah. Jennifer’s kid.”

“Oh shit. Do you have to babysit?!” Michael was grinning wide.

“No, I do not have to babysit. He’s 16.”

“Oh,” Michael paused, “OH!”

Brian smiled and threw a pillow across the room. It caught Michael square in the jaw and he threw it back at Brian lightly.

“Is he hot?”

“He’s…I don’t know. He’s that one kid in my geometry class. You know, the one who is always drawing pictures of me?”

“Oh holy shit! Your new step-brother is the stalker? That’s totally fucked!”

“I know. I know. I mean, he’s going to be sneaking into my room at night…and then I’ll have to let him give me a blowjob because I’ll feel sorry for him--”

“BRIAN!”

“What?” Brian chuckled, his eyes closing his smile was so big. He’d been thinking about the boy all week, since dinner last Saturday. He’d managed to sit on the other side of the room during geometry class so he hadn’t really talked to Justin since the dinner.

“You cannot fuck your father’s girlfriend’s son. That’s like incest.”

“Incest is best.”

“Brian.”

“Mikey.”

“Brian.”

Brian decided to just shut his mouth. If he knew his best friend then he knew that this discussion could go on for quite some time. They sat in silence for a minute and then Brian thought of something. “She has a daughter too. Molly. She’s like 6. Maybe I could arrange something between you and her--”

He was cut off by a pillow being flung violently at his head.

~~

As with most middle-aged divorced couples with children, there had to be a family test run. Just a Sunday spent together, out doing something. This family test was a bit like sticking your toe in the lake before you dive in. You need to know if it’s cold or not…if it’s safe to keep going. Claire, who was away at college anyway, skipped out on some bullshit excuse about an exam she had to study for. Jack pulled into the driveway and beeped the horn of the jeep. Jennifer grabbed her purse and Molly’s hand and began pushing Justin out the door.

The back seat was quite uncomfortable for Justin. There were several reasons really. Molly was on his right, already leaning her head against the window and closing her eyes for sleep, her little but jutting into his side. Brian was on his left, arms crossed, stretched out comfortably, completely indifferent to whatever was going on at the moment.

Justin pulled his back up onto his lap and fingered the zipper. He had his necessities. Sketchpad, pencils, erasers, cell phone with Daphne’s number on speed dial if he needed rescuing…he had his bases covered.

Jennifer hopped in the car and kissed Jack’s cheek, turning to the kids in the back, “You boys ready?”

Brian managed a twitch of the corner of his mouth and Justin just smiled weakly. Jack pulled out of the driveway and turned the radio on country. Justin cringed. “Where are we going?” he asked.

Jennifer turned to Jack questioningly. Jack took a moment out of his loud singing screaming to answer Justin’s question, “I thought maybe we’d drive out to New York for the day. Let your mom do a little shopping. Maybe you’d like to pick up some art supplies or something?”

Brian went wide eyed. Was his father actually…being nice? Oh shit. He really was serious about this woman.

Justin perked up a bit. New York. Art supplies. Brian Kinney by his side. This day was shaping up to be…Brian’s arms uncrossed and his right arm rested against his and Justin’s thighs. Justin tensed a bit, loosing all train of thought. His bag was still on his lap, now hiding the bulge appearing in his pants. Brian looked down at his hand and realized how uncomfortably close it was to Justin’s lower body. He started to move it and then thought better of it.

Brian bit his bottom lip, trying not to smile. He could sense Justin’s tension. He licked his lips and turned his head, staring out the window as they changed from a country road to a highway. His hand slowly moved over to Justin’s thigh. When Justin’s breath hitched in his throat, Brian decided to take it slow…very slow. Brian’s hand was on Justin’s thigh for a good ten minutes, rubbing small circles over the soft material of his jeans.

Finally, Brian had had enough and his hand started moving up slowly, his palm rubbing over the lean leg. He looked away from the spot he had been staring at out the window to see what Jennifer and Jack were doing. He could see their hands in the middle of the seats, Jack rubbing his thumb across the back of her hand. Brian smiled. Both Kinney’s were catching some rubbing action. A new song came on the radio and he turned his attention back to the window as Jennifer and Jack started singing to each other.

Brian’s hand pushed under the bag on Justin’s lap and he finally caught Justin’s dick under his hand. Justin leaned his head back on the seat and closed his eyes, trying so hard to just act normal, act like this wasn’t happening. Brian Kinney, the hottest guy in school, did not have his hand on his dick right now. He just didn’t--oh yes, like that.

Brian pressed his thumb against the hard bulge and ran it across the length. He continued to stare out the window. He had to turn in his seat a bit, his own erection becoming uncomfortable. His fingers caught the zipper and tried to pull it down without anyone hearing. He could see Molly asleep on Justin’s right, and the heteros were still having their sing-a-long.

Justin squeezed his eyes even tighter shut and Brian had to turn to look at his face. He’d never really paid much attention to Justin in class. He’d seen the drawings of himself and had just written Justin off as another admirer. But watching him now, seeing the red rush onto his cheeks. Justin didn’t look like the geeky kid he’d seen around school for the last few years. Justin looked…beautiful.

The zipper finally down, he spent a good deal of time working on the button. He got a bit frustrated at first. He’d unbuttoned another guy’s pants before with one hand. Finally when he felt the button give, he found the elastic of Justin’s underwear, and pushed his hand underneath. Justin’s head shot up and he gasped, quickly turning it into a laugh.

Jennifer turned around and smiled, “Are you laughing at your mother’s singing voice?”

Justin nodded and was grateful when she just smiled and turned back around. The radio switched songs again and she bounced in her seat, “Oh I love this one!”.

Brian’s hand had stopped all movement when Jennifer had turned and spoke, but now that she was completely involved in the latest song, Brian grasped Justin’s dick in his hand. He was pleased at what his hand felt. He smiled and finally, for the first time, connected eyes with Justin. Justin’s eyes were glazed over with lust but Brian could tell he was apprehensive. Brian had forgotten that Justin was younger and probably more inexperienced. Really inexperienced.

Brian smiled encouragingly wanting so bad to whisper in the boys ear. Tell him things that would drive him crazy. He refrained though and just concentrated at the task at um, hand.

He didn’t have much room to move around, Justin’s jeans were tight and Brian hadn’t been complaining. The boy had a great ass that he should show off. Brian tried a slow pace, every now and then running a finger over the slit and a thumb at the sensitive underneath.

The car went over a speed bump causing Brian to squeeze Justin’s dick hard. Justin let out a small, satisfied cry. Luckily Jack and Jennifer had been singing too loud to hear it. Brian looked down at the bag in Justin’s lap when he felt hot come cover his hand. Brian was no unbelievably hard. He looked up at Justin’s face, Justin’s eyes were fluttering open and closed, the long lashes fluttering on his skin.

Justin opened his eyes and looked at Brian, wetting his lips. Brian wanted so badly to reach over and kiss him, to press his lips to Justin’s. He blinked a couple times and then pulled his hand away. He pushed it down between the two seat cushions, trying to clean it off. He could smell the sweat, the sex. He just knew his father was going to too. He turned away as Justin adjusted himself and reached underneath his bag to re-do his zipper and button.

Brian turned as Molly sat up in her seat and looked from Justin to her mother. “Mom! Justin’s face is red. Is he sick?”

~~

Jack handed Brian the credit card and patted him on the back. “Use it wisely boy.” He squeezed Brian’s shoulder painfully and Brian pulled away quickly.

The Kinneys’ and Taylors’ were standing on a corner of a New York street. The wind was blowing lightly, Brian kept looking at Justin’s fresh, rosy cheeks and then turning away. Jennifer held Molly’s hand tightly and Jack looked down at the little girl and back up at Jennifer.

“Jen. Isn’t Molly going with the boys?” Jack blinked a couple of times and then put his hand on the woman’s lower back, rubbing lightly. Jennifer caved for a moment and started to hand Molly over to Justin. She pulled back, “I’d rather Molly stay with us. This is a big place and she could easily get lost.” She turned to Justin who was watching Jack’s eyes flash with anger, “Honey, you two be careful and be back at the jeep in two hours ok? We’ll go get some lunch then.”

Molly looked up at her mother, “Can we get ice cream?”.

Jennifer looked at Jack with questioning eyes. Jack nodded and then started on down the street. Brian and Justin stood on the street with their hands in their pockets. Justin squinted against the sun. His eyes suddenly went wide as two men walked between him and Brian holding hands. Justin watched as they gave each other a brief kiss.

Brian wrapped his arm around Justin’s shoulders, “Come on. Let’s hurry and get your art supplies. I have some shopping of my own to do.”

~~

Justin swung his heavy plastic bag back and forth and sighed. Brian pulled a black dress shirt off the rack and held it up to his chest. Justin would have been complaining of boredom right now but he felt that would make him seem selfish and snobby. Brian had bought him a shit load of art supplies with the credit card. Finally, about three shirt racks ago he’d quit bouncing with excitement. He still couldn’t wait to get home and try them out, but the last hour of Brian clothes shopping had put a damper on his mood.

Brian reviewed the clothes he had draped over his arm and started pushing Justin to the dressing room. Brian threw the clothes on the seat in the extra big hand-cap dressing room and held the door open. “Queens first,” he smiled at Justin.

Justin rolled his eyes and sat down in the chair, hanging the clothes on a wall hook. Brian closed the door and lifted his shirt over his head. Justin looked up and dropped his art bag to the floor, some of the contents spilling out.

Brian smiled as Justin blushed. He grabbed a shirt off of a hanger and put it on, buttoning it up. He turned his back to Justin but connected eyes with the boy in the mirror in front of him. “Your mom know?”

Justin bent down to put his pencils back in his bag, he asked distractedly, “Know what?”

“That you’re queer.”

Justin pulled the bag to his chest and leaned back in his seat. “Oh, yeah. She’s known for about a year now. She’s great about it. She thinks it’s just a phase and all but she respects my privacy. Doesn’t ask me if I have any boyfriends or anything like that.”

“Do you?”

“Have a boyfriend?”

Brian nodded and tried on another shirt.

Justin laughed, “God no. I’m like the only gay kid at St. James.”

Brian turned to the blonde, “What the fuck do you think I am?”

Justin shrugged, “Just some horny soccer player who wants his dick sucked.”

“Right,” Brian frowned, “Now was this just me or did I just give you a hand job in my father’s jeep?”

Justin’s face turned red yet again and Brian shrugged a shirt off of his shoulders. He threw it in the floor, not giving it a second look. Brian’s expression changed from annoyance to something else as he stood looking at Justin. Justin smiled and played with the handle on his bag nervously. He was having a hard time digesting everything. Ok. Brian Kinney’s father is dating his mother. Brian Kinney gave him a hand job in his father’s jeep. Brian Kinney is standing in front of him shirtless.

Every second that Justin had spent watching Brian from afar for the last two years came rushing into his mind. Watching Brian at soccer games. Watching Brian at lunch, in class. Justin was so lost in his train of thought he didn’t even notice when Brian started pulling him out of the chair. Justin snapped back to reality and before he could say anything his back was pressed roughly up against the cold mirror, sending a shiver down his spine.

Brian’s face got real close to his and he felt a hand rub against his dick through his jeans. He closed his eyes and whimpered when Brian’s lips hit his. The fact that this was his first kiss with another boy wasn’t even an issue. When Brian’s tongue brushed over his bottom lip he knew this was what he was meant to be. Justin Taylor was gay and there was no turning back now.

Brian’s tongue pressed into Justin’s mouth and Justin let out a small cry from the back of his throat. The kiss was hard and Justin whimpered a bit when Brian bit at the corner of Justin’s mouth. The kiss was over as quickly as it had begun because now Brian was pulling back and Justin was opening his eyes, his vision trying to readjust. Brian put his own shirt on and left the discarded clothes on the floor, yelling a “come on” back at Justin as he left the dressing room.

~~

“A month.”

“No. Surely you guys have talked since that road trip.” Daphne stared up at Justin’s ceiling. They were laying on Justin’s bed, both were sprawled out in twisted positions just relaxing from a long day at school. Justin slapped his forehead and turned to look at Daphne.

“We haven’t! He won’t talk to me in class or even when we have dinner here as a…Jesus Christ…a FAMILY!”

Daphne scrunched her nose in that familiar way and laughed, “Justin do you guys ever go to their house? I mean, they are always over here.”

“Jack’s living in an apartment right now. There isn’t exactly enough room for--”

There was a knock at the door and Justin and Daphne sat up quickly. Jennifer smiled from the door frame. “Daphne, your mother called. She wants you home in ten minutes or she’s going to bust your butt.”

Daphne’s eyes went wide and Jennifer smiled and raised her hands up in innocence, “I’m just quoting.”

Daphne slapped Justin’s thigh, grabbed her backpack, and hurried out the door. She yelled something about picking Justin up in the morning if she could even sit down in the car seat. Justin would never figure out why Daphne actually believed her parents would give her a spanking. She’s fucking sixteen years old.

Jennifer entered the room and sat down beside Justin, her hands fumbling nervously in her lap.

“Mom?” Justin whispered quietly. She had her serious face on which Justin had learned over the years was not a good thing.

Jennifer sighed and finally looked over at Justin. “Honey, you and I need to talk.”

“Ok,” Justin leaned back against his pillows, “So talk.”

“Well. You know. I never thought I’d find someone else after what happened with your father.” She paused and Justin nodded. “And…Jack is just…I mean he cares about me. Oh and you. He adores you. He told me just last week that you were like a son to him already.”

“Yeah. I bet.”

“Justin…Jack’s asked me to marry him.”

“Oh.”

“Oh?” Jennifer looked at her son expectantly.

“Is that all?”

“Well, no. I mean, the marriage thing…there’s going to be changes. Jack and Brian would move in here with us. I mean that’s only practical since our house is so big and Jack’s apartment lease is expiring in a couple months. I mean, Justin we could have a family again. Molly might even want to come over here more on the weekends now. With to incomes we could probably get our own pool!”

Justin smiled at how excited his mother looked, “But?”

Jennifer blinked a couple times and then reached out to put her hand over one of Justin’s, “But…I haven’t told Jack about your…about how you…that you’re…”

“That I’m queer?”

“Well, yes. Right.”

“And you think it’d be best if I just not say anything since I’ve only got two years left here anyway? Just keep it to myself. It’s a phase anyway right?”

“Justin no. You know I love you and I support you. I gave up my husband and my home so that you didn’t have to hide who you are. I just want you to know that I haven’t told him. And I won’t. That’s your call. I gave up one family so that you could be free to be who you are. And I’ll give up another if I have to.”

Justin felt bad for assuming what he had. Jennifer leaned over and hugged him tight and Justin wanted to cry with relief. It felt so good to know that he didn’t have to hide if he didn’t want to. That she was always there. That she supported him.

Jennifer pulled back and ruffled Justin’s bangs. She stood up to leave and then turned around at the doorway. “Oh. Jack was going to tell Brian tonight. So if you’d like to call him and discuss your new brotherhood you can.”

Justin watched his mother leave wide-eyed. Brotherhood?

~~

Monday morning came and Justin was a bundle of nerves. Daphne had called early and announced she was taking a personal day. Justin had pitched a fit about having to hurry getting ready. His mom left for work early so Justin would end up spending thirty minutes at school before first period even began. Jennifer dropped him off. He’d sulked all the way to the art hall.

By lunch things were looking up. He’d finished a sketch before school, made a ninety-nine on a math test, and managed to get a smile from Brian across the room with he’d stuck his tongue out at him playfully.

Justin sat down on a corner of an empty table in the cafeteria and pulled out his sketch pad and English book. He often felt conflicted during lunch. Homework or sketching. Sketching or homework. Justin’s tummy let out a small whimper and he got up reluctantly.

“Hey Kinney. How’d you do on that geometry test?”

Brian smiled at Chris Hobbs and pulled the paper out of his backpack as he sat down at the lunch table, his tray hitting the wood with a loud thump. Chris grabbed the paper from him and stared at it with wide eyes, “93! How the fuck do you do it man?”

Brian smiled and pulled at the tab on his coke can. He stretched back in his seat, letting his long, lean legs fall. Chris mumbled something about Jessica Higgins and started off towards the girl in the lunch line. The rest of Brian’s table followed and he sat alone, eating slowly, people watching.

He watched as Justin sat down a couple tables in front of him. The boy was a mystery to Brian. He was some what of a loner yet he looked perfectly content sitting alone at his own table. Brian looked down at the mashed potatoes in his plate. The night before he’d gotten a rough knock on his door and Jack had spat out a gruff “I just thought you should know Jen and I are getting married and we’ll be moving in with her soon.” Brian hadn’t said anything, just nodded at his father.

He’d been staring at the potatoes so long his vision had become un-focused. He looked up, blinking a couple times. The first thing that he saw was an orange popsicle entering an eager mouth. It took him only a second to see that it was Justin’s mouth. Justin picked up his pencil and started in on his sketchbook as the Popsicle pushed in and out of his mouth. Justin looked up suddenly and connected eyes with Brian’s. Justin’s mouth stopped all movement and he smiled around the orange stick. The little shit’s tongue darted out and licked teasingly at the tip.

Brian grabbed a hold of the sides of his chair and squeezed until his knuckles went white. Brian hadn’t had his hands on Justin since the dressing room incident almost a month ago. He’d spent the time venting out his sexual frustrations on Mikey. Brian’s attention was brought back to the popsicle and his dick twitched in his pants. Justin smiled sweetly and then bit down hard. Brian jumped a bit in his seat. Before he could give Justin a glare, Hobbs sat down in front of him, blocking Brian’s view.

Brian had a feeling if he’d leaned over to peer around Hobbs he’d probably see a blonde with a smug and satisfied smile on his face.

~~

Jack and Brian began in around the end of that week. Justin entered the house and was greeted with big, brown boxes piled up in high towers. Daphne and he had went out for a Friday night movie. He’d been very surprised when they’d arrived and met up with Knox Williams. Daphne had been sure that she’d told Justin that Knox and she had been dating for a few weeks now and that he was joining them on their weekly movie visit.

Justin kicked one of the boxes and watched it shake a bit. He willed the fucker to topple over but of course it didn’t. He heard some scruffling and yelling from upstairs.

“Jen just let me do it!” Jack yelled.

Justin took the steps two at a time and followed the sounds into the spare room that lies directly across the hall from his own room. He stood in the doorway of the room and watched as his mom and Jack dropped a mattress on a bed frame. Jennifer laughed in victory and put her arms around Jack’s waist. Jack smiled and kissed the top of her head. “You seem proud.”

Jen laid her head on his shoulder, “I am. I just want him to like it here. To have a nice bed and room.”

Justin cleared his throat and they both turned and smiled at him. “Honey!” Jennifer chirped and came over, putting her arm around his shoulders, “All of Jack and Brian’s stuff has been moved!”

“I saw,” Justin smiled weakly. Jack slapped a heavy hand on his shoulder.

“I um, I know you’re practically grown already and you already have a father. Your mom talks about what a great kid you are all the time and from what I’ve seen you are.”

Justin smiled a bit wider and nodded. He looked around at all of the boxes in the room. Brian’s stuff. “Where’s Brian?”

“Oh he’s at his friend Michael’s for dinner. He eats dinner there a lot. I’ve always been the TV dinner type.” Jack winked at Jen, “But he won’t be spending as much time there now.”

Jennifer covered her heart with her hand, “Oh. I’m just so happy.” She kissed Justin’s head and made her way out into the hall. Jack and Justin followed.

“Molly is coming home tomorrow instead of on Sunday Justin. Jack and I have a tad more to do at his apartment and Brian has soccer practice. You think you could watch your sister for me?”

Justin nodded and watched his mother and soon to be stepfather enter his mother’s bedroom at the far end of the hall. Justin padded into his room and closed his door behind him. He heard a car door and quickly peeked out his window.

He watched as Brian got out of a small car and go around to the drivers side. A fiery red head kissed his cheek and waved as Brian made his way to the porch. There was a boy in the passenger seat and Justin watched as the car backed out and drove away. He heard the door shut and lock downstairs.

Justin sat down on his bed, his hands lying in his lap.

Brian Kinney’s bedroom was three steps out his door.

Brian Kinney would be sharing his shower and bathroom.

Brian Kinney--

Is knocking on Justin Taylor’s bedroom door.

~~

“C-come in!”

Brian opened the door and stood in the doorway. Justin’s eyes ran the length of his body. Over a tight black shirt. Over worn jeans. He looked down at his hands and picked at the thread on his bed sheet.

“Did you have a nice dinner?” Justin really had no idea what he was supposed to say. Brian entered the room and slowly closed the door behind him. The click of the lock was loud in Justin’s ears, somehow making its way through the his loud heartbeat. Brain sat down on the bed beside Justin and bent down, untying his shoelaces. As Brian kicked his shoes off he looked over into Justin’s eyes.

“I just want you to know. This little arrangement here isn’t going to last long. Your mom is going to see my father for the abusive fuck that he is and you’ll have your happy little home back in no time.”

Justin kicked his Birkenstocks off for no reason at all. He just felt it was the thing to do. Brian crawled over the bed, straddling Justin’s hips, pushing the boy back into the pillows. Justin smiled up at him.

“If I know my mother, and trust me, I do. She has a knack for being oblivious to things she doesn’t want to know or see.”

Brian shrugged and pulled his shirt up over his head, “Doesn’t matter anyway. A few more months of school and I’m outta this shit hole town. I’m up for a soccer scholarship in Indiana.”

Justin’s eyes traveled over the hard chest in front of him. “So I guess you and I won’t um, get a chance for brotherly bonding huh?”

Brian paused above him and reached his hands up under Justin’s shirt, running the pads of his fingers over soft skin. “Oh there’s enough time for bonding.” Brian pulled the boy’s shirt up over his head. “There’s going to be plenty of bonding.”

He bent down and pressed his lips to Justin’s. His tongue darted out wetting Justin’s bottom lip. Brian started to think about the cons of fucking his future step-brother just as a tentative hand reached between the two warm bodies and rubbed softly at his dick through the fabric of his jeans. He smiled into the kiss and plunged his tongue in deeper, wanting to taste more. It was hard for him to admit that he’d wanted this. Wanted it from the second he’d seen Justin pressed against the stair wall, flushed cheeks and confused look.

The kiss deepened and Brian’s chest rubbed up against Justin’s causing them both to gasp into the kiss. Brian mumbled something about “so fucking soft” and pulled the pillows out from under Justin, lying him flat back. Justin looked up at him with scared eyes. Brian smirked and moved his hips against Justin’s, pressing their hard dicks together and creating a slight friction through the fabric of their jeans. Justin’s eyes quickly glazed over with lust.

Justin’s head dropped back and his eyes closed. Brian took the advantage and lowered his head, pressing soft lips to the sensitive skin in front of him. He sucked on the skin pulling warm blood up to the surface. Justin’s hands reached up to hold Brian’s head there, his fingers tangling in the brown strands. Brian’s tongue trailed a line from the other boy’s collar bone to behind his ear. He nipped at Justin’s lobe and Justin bucked his hips up into Brian’s.

Justin felt a burn everywhere Brian’s lips touched him. His body was tingling with heat as he grabbed at Brian’s hips, trying to pull them closer to his. He couldn’t get enough. He wanted to Brian to touch him everywhere. Justin couldn’t get close enough. His heart was beating fast and if his dick hadn’t been so hard then he probably would have stopped to think about what was happening.

He was about to have sex with his step-brother. Just as Justin’s mind started to wonder Brian brought him right back as his hands started in on the button of Justin’s pants. He pulled them open in a snap and pulled the zipper down. Justin lifted his hips without saying anything and watched as Brian pulled his pants off, throwing them in the floor. Brian leaned back on his knees and undid the button and zipper of his own pants. He bent down and kissed Justin hard, holding the boy’s chin with his hand.

Justin pushed Brian’s pants off of his hips. Brian wiggled out of them, his body pressing hard down on top of Justin’s. Justin had to close his eyes tight to keep from loosing control. When he opened them he was staring up into Brian’s dark eyes.

Brian looked down between them and Justin looked too. Brian’s naked body, his hard dick was pressing against Justin’s underwear. The sight sent a shiver through Justin and he had to close his eyes again, swallowing hard.

Brian slowly made his way down Justin’s body. His tongue swirled around each hard nipple, teeth grazing over the sensitive nubs lightly. He pressed soft kisses against Justin’s lower belly and then pressed his tongue into the boy’s belly button. Justin let out a loud groan and Brian’s head shot up. He pressed a finger over his mouth as if to say “Shhh”.

Justin nodded quickly, afraid Brian was going to change his mind. That this was all a dream and Justin would be waking up any moment in wet sheets. It wasn’t a dream though. Brian lowered his head again and smiled as he pulled Justin’s thin underwear off, sliding the fabric down pale legs and then discarding the material in the floor with the rest of their clothes. Brian moved down fast before Justin could even register what was happening. One minute Brian was sitting above him and the next a hot mouth was covering the head of his dick. Justin’s hand flew up to his mouth and he bit down hard, his whole body going numb except for the feeling of Brian’s tongue swirling over his slit.

Justin reached down and grabbed Brian’s shoulder, pulling him up. “Stop,” was all he said.

Brian laughed. Justin frowned a bit at the sound. Justin had never really heard him laugh like that. Brian seemed at ease…like he’d let go of something and was just now relaxing for the first time in his life.

Brian licked at Justin’s cheek and breathed hot breath into his ear, “Do you have a condom?”

Justin slapped his forehead, “Fuck!”. This was it. All of this foreplay and Justin didn’t even have a fucking condom. Justin set up on his elbows and felt like he was going to cry. “I usually have one--I--Daphne. Fucking bitch. She took it from my wallet. Her boyfriend Steve--”

Justin was cut off by Brian pressing a finger to his lips. Brian bit his bottom lip and leaned over, pulling his wallet out of the back pocket of his jeans. He presented a condom packet to Justin and Justin was ashamed that he felt tears of relief coming on.

Brian rubbed Justin’s cheek softly and handed the condom to him. “Put it on me.”

Justin’s shaking hands ripped the condom open and pulled the tender material out. Brian leaned back allowing Justin to put the condom on. It was the first time Justin had gotten a really good look at Brian’s dick and as his fingers slid the flexible plastic on, his eyes went wide at how big that damn thing was.

Justin smiled up at Brian, “You’re going to kill me.”

Brian adjusted himself between Justin’s legs. Justin spread his legs wide as Brian pressed leaned in over him. Justin felt violated. Secret places were being touched and stroked. Brian opened the drawer beside the bed and pulled out some lotion. Justin swallowed and asked, “How’d you know that was there?”

“You’re queer and you’re a boy. You need some kind of lubricant beside your bed.” Brian squirted a good sized amount onto his hand and made a fist, trying to warm the liquid up. His first time he hadn’t gotten this treatment. He’d been fucked hard by a stranger in the alley beside the diner. Brian hadn’t told anyone about it. Mikey thought he was just late for their usual Friday night dinner at the diner with Debbie.

Brian covered his dick with some of the lotion and the smeared a bit on Justin’s ass. Justin felt like he wasn’t getting enough air. He wanted this. He did. But Brian’s hand reaching rubbing softly at places no one else had ever touched made him apprehensive…and really turned on.

Brian watched Justin’s face, trying to read the many expressions that were coming across it. He pressed a finger into Justin’s sensitive folds. Justin winced and Brian’s hand froze. A few seconds passed and then Justin pushed moved his hips a bit, pushed back into the mattress and then forward into Brian’s hand. Brian leaned over and kissed Justin softly as his fingers prepared Justin.

When Justin was practically fucking his hand, Brian removed it and pressed his dick at Justin’s throbbing hole. Justin reached up and held onto Brian’s shoulders as Brian entered him slowly, passing each ring of skin until he was buried all the way in. They both held onto each other tightly and let the wave of pleasure wash over them. Brian wanted to look at Justin, he wanted to see the pleasure on the other boy’s face.

Justin angled his hips, his legs wrapping around Brian’s back and then sliding down as the sweat on Brian’s back mixed with the sweat on Justin’s legs.

Brian and Justin looked into each other’s eyes as Brian started a slow pace, his thrusts soft and unhurried. It took a minute for Justin to feel the full pleasure of it and then Brian’s dick ran over his prostrate. The sound Justin made Brian giggle. Justin was letting out a loud moan but tried to stop it turning it into a squeak that Brian found fucking adorable.

Brian dipped down and plunged his tongue into Justin’s mouth, moaning softly. Their bodies were on fire and Brian’s thrusts became quicker and more focused. Brian ran a hand over the side of Justin’s face and through strands of his buttery hair. Their lips were swollen and red from heavy kissing and Justin breathed a “close” into Brian’s lips. Justin’s hands reached up and he dug his fingers into Brian’s shoulders. Brian bit into Justin’s neck and reached between them to stroke Justin’s dick slowly. Only a few moments later Justin was yelling out Brian’s name.

Brian quickly covered his mouth with a hard kiss and milked Justin’s dick as he came. Justin’s body clenched down hard and Brian let out a small moan into the kiss as he came hard, his whole body shaking as he did so. Brian put in a couple more thrusts as Justin keened into him, arching his back. Brian’s mouth broke away from Justin’s and Justin’s legs dropped down to Brian’s sides.

Hours later Brian stared at a tie dye poster on Justin’s wall. Justin’s face was buried in Brian’s inviting neck and he was asleep, breathing slow and steady. Brian tried to make sense of all the thoughts running through his head. When thoughts of his father hurting Justin or Jennifer entered his head Brian clenched his jaw down and slowly pulled away from Justin. Justin mumbled a bit in protest and then curled up, pressing his face into one of his pillows.

Brian grabbed his clothes off of the floor and opened the door, he made sure no one was in the hall and turned to look back at Justin one more time before turning the light out and closing the door.

~~

The first thing Justin was aware of when he started to wake was the throbbing that ran from his ass to his upper back.. He presses his face further into his pillow and breathed deep. His nostrils caught the scent of Brian’s cologne and his head shot up.

He’d had sex last night.

He’d had sex last night with Brian Kinney.

He groaned and rubbed at his eyes. Fuck. His whole body was experiencing a dull ache. He fell back against his pillows and squeaked as his arms and legs stretched out. He felt his thigh muscles pull and retract. Oh yes. Justin Taylor had had sex last night. He jumped out of bed with a smile on his face and did a little twirl. His foot got caught in his discarded pants on the floor and he fell back against the bed giggling.

He was ecstatic. The phone rang and Justin grabbed it off of his bed stand, laughing into it. “Hello?”

“Hi. Brian? Is Brian there?”

Justin frowned and grabbed his robe out of his closet. “Yeah he’s here. May I ask who’s calling?”

“It’s Michael.” The boy sounded nervous yet oddly comfortable. Justin shrugged and told him to hold on. He tied his robe around his waist and opened his bedroom door. He stepped on a piece of paper and picked it up.

Justin,

Love Mom

Justin crumpled the slip of paper in his hand and tapped lightly at Brian’s door across the hall. He heard a light groan and opened the door slowly. The room looked trashed but really it was just the opened boxes that gave it that look. Brian must have unpacked a bit after…

Justin slowly made his way over to Brian’s bed and looked down at him. Brian was sprawled out on his back, his long body covered lightly by a thin bed sheet. Justin poked at his shoulder and laughed when he jerked awake.

“Michael is on the phone for you,” Justin paused, “Who’s Michael?”

Brian blinked up at him for a second. His first thought was “What the fuck are you doing here?”. And then he realized oh yeah, this was Justin’s home. Brian grabbed the phone from Justin’s grip and put it to his ear.

“Mikey I told you I’d call you after practice.”

A few moments.

“Yeah. Well I’ll meet you there then. Bye.”

Brian dropped the phone beside him on the bed and pulled the cover up over his face dramatically. Justin stood quiet for a moment and then pulled the cover down, showing a pissed off Brian Kinney.

“What?” was all he asked.

Justin bit his bottom lip, “Well, my mother and your father are gone for the day. I thought maybe you’d want some breakfast or something. You know. For energy.” Justin started to smile then and Brian sighed and crawled out of bed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

“Just show me where the shower is ok?”

Justin tilted his head. Why was Brian being such an asshole? After last night…

Brian licked his lips and looked at the blonde with annoyance. “Well? You just going to stand there?”

Justin pulled his robe tighter around his body and brushed past Brian mumbling a “This way”. Brian followed Justin through Justin’s room into his bathroom. Justin bent over and reached under the sink for a towel. His ass shot up into the air and his robe was pulled up, exposing the bottom of his ass. Just as he was leaning back up strong arms encircled his waist and a heavy hand rubbed at his dick through the soft material of his bathrobe. He leaned back into Brian’s chest, his head resting lightly against the soft place where Brian’s neck and shoulder met.

His mouth opened a bit and he closed his eye. Brian’s hard dick pressed into his lower back and strong fingers rubbed him softly. “Brian…” he moaned lightly.

Brian’s mouth dipped down and found his neck, licking and sucking hard. Justin was whirled around swiftly and pressed up against the sink counter. Justin smiled big up at Brian just before Brian’s lips pressed violently against his, each boy giving just as hard as they got. Justin’s hands roamed over Brian’s bare back and down into his tight underwear, Justin’s palms cupping plump globes.

Justin gasped into the kiss as Brian’s hard dick rubbed against his own. Brian suddenly lifted Justin up from underneath the boys arms and sat him down roughly on the sink. He pushed himself between the boys legs and pulled him to him. Justin leaned back against the cold mirror and looked down. He watched as Brian untied his bathrobe and pushed each side apart, exposing Justin’s milky hard dick. Brian covered the throbbing member with his mouth and swirled his tongue around it from the base to the head.

Justin’s fingers intertwined in Brian’s hair and he moaned his name just as he heard a loud car honk right outside his bedroom window. “Shit!” He gasped, pulling Brian away and jumping down off of the counter. He quickly tied his robe back. “That’s my dad. He’s here with Molly. He must be early.”

Brian smiled and leaned over, turning the shower on. “Later then.”

Justin’s eyes went wide. “Really?”

Brian looked Justin up and down and the pulled him close, kissing him softly. He pulled back and nodded. Justin grinned wide and backed out of the room. He closed the door and listened as Brian pulled the curtain back and entered the shower. The door bell rang and Justin blinked a couple times in disbelief before going downstairs.

~~

“Molly just shut up.”

“Make me.”

“I will.” Justin jumped back from the stove when the bacon popped at him. He glared at his little sister. “I’m trying to make you breakfast. Just shut up for a minute ok?”

Molly shrugged and went back to her coloring book, her tongue poked out in concentration.

Justin smoothed out his shirt and put up a brave front, slowly making his way back to the oven. He’d always been scared of the popping grease and Brian would be downstairs any minute anyway. He didn’t want grease stains all over his shirt. How unattractive.

He heard footsteps on the stairs and almost dumped his eggs out of his pan in nervousness. Brian entered the kitchen and set his gym bag down beside the table. He ruffled Molly’s hair and went over to the fridge. Molly smiled over at Brian but didn’t stop her humming.

She’d taken to Brian right from the start but right now her coloring and singing proved to be more important.

Justin turned the stove off and started putting some of the food on plates. He nodded at Brian, “You like bacon and eggs?”

Brian pulled his head out of the fridge and eyed the food, “You guys make breakfast around here?”

Justin nodded and picked up a plate, handing it to Brian. Brian looked down at the plate with a slightly confused look and looked over at the table where Molly was patiently waiting for her own plate. Brian frowned and then handed the plate back to Justin.

“I better get going or I’m going to be late.” Brian grabbed his bag and ruffled Molly’s hair again as he passed her.

Justin yelled after him, “But you could just eat a bit!”

The door closed and Justin looked down at the floor disappointed. Molly jumped up off of her chair and padded over to Justin. She pulled Brian’s plate out of his hand and went back to her seat at the table.

Justin ran his hands through his hair and sighed.

~~

Justin started drifting off around his third episode of Spongebob. Molly was curled up at his chest on the couch, her eyes wide. Her body shook with giggles and Justin put his arm around her. The dull ache that had been ripping through his body earlier had now subsided. A few hours later Justin opened his eyes to a dark living room.

Behind him he could hear pots and pans clanking and his mother laughing loudly. The front door opened and Justin listened as Brian announced his arrival and quickly went up the stairs. Jack came out of the kitchen and yelled that dinner would be ready in a few minutes.

Justin blinked the sleep out of his eyes and looked at the clock on the mantle as he sat up.

7:00

He jumped up and ran into the kitchen. “Is Molly ok? I fell asleep! I didn’t mean to!”

Jennifer pulled some glasses out of the cabinet and handed them to Justin. “She’s fine. She was asleep with you when we came home. I fed her earlier and sent her on up to bed. Now. Set those on the table and wash your hands. Tell Brian dinner is ready.”

Justin nodded at Jennifer and Jack and set the glasses on the table on his way to the stairs. After washing his hands he gave a brisk knock at Brian’s door and then went back downstairs.

~~

Justin’s fork twirled around in the chicken casserole. Jennifer listened intently as Jack talked about a possible promotion. District manager.

Justin sighed quietly and adjusted in his seat. His sock covered foot brushed against Brian’s ankle under the table. This got Brian’s attention. He looked across the table at Justin. Justin’s face lightened a bit and Brian was glad. The boy had been sulking all night. It’d pissed Brian off. He hated when people expected things from him. His attention. Christ, just because he hadn’t had breakfast with him this morning.

Justin’s small foot pushed up under Brian’s sweat pants and stroked lightly at his shin, little toes curling. Brian looked down at his plate trying to hide his smile. He’d spent the better part of practice trying to get Justin’s bright smile out of his head. The way he looked with his eyes closed, his face expressing his pleasure. Two hours and lots of sweat later Brian had convinced himself that this little “fling” had to end.

Brian had a lot to deal with and encouraging his stalker was just not a good idea. As Justin leaned down in his seat and pulled his foot out of Brian’s pants, Michael’s crying face flashed before his eyes. When Michael had picked him up for practice he’d been a mess. Brian asked why he had his mom’s car and he just burst into tears.

Michael’s uncle Vic was in town and Debbie had taken some time off to visit with her brother. Michael told Brian through choky tears that he had caught Vic taking his meds and his uncle and mother had been forced to tell him the truth. Vic had AIDS.

Brian was suddenly jarred from his thoughts when Justin’s determined foot started rubbing softly at his dick. The soft material of Brian’s pants and the slow strokes took over him and he looked over at Justin. They both shared a slight smile and Brian cleared his throat, interrupting his father’s rant on the rental industry.

“Um. Justin, I was wondering if you could help me with that math sheet from Friday…”

Justin nodded and plopped some food into his mouth. “Of course. Anytime you want.”

“Is now ok?”

Justin looked at his mom and then Jack. Jack nodded and smiled at Jennifer. It was leering and Brian didn’t want to see any of that so he got up and made his way upstairs.

When Justin came wandering into Brian’s room with a satisfied strut. Brian, who had been standing behind the door, slammed the door shut and locked it as Justin entered. Justin turned quickly and stared at him. “A little dramatic don’t you think?”

Brian shrugged and pulled him to him, his fingers grabbing hard at the supple waist. He pressed his forehead to Justin’s and rubbed their hips together. They both moaned in pleasure. Justin grabbed at Brian’s neck and tried to pull him down for a kiss. Brian resisted at first, not wanting to let Justin control him like that. He relented after a few seconds and his mouth came crashing down on Justin’s. Skilled lips pressing against eager ones.

Brian’s thinly covered dick rubbed up against the rough material of Justin’s jeans. They made their way to the floor, dropping to their knees. Somehow it was Justin who fell on top of Brian. It was Justin who pushed his hand eagerly into Brian’s pants and grasped his dick in his hand. Brian closed his eyes and relaxed into the nervous touch. Justin watched Brian’s face as he kneaded Brian’s dick in his hand. He looked down and watched as a deep, wet spot of pre-cum soaked through the gray pants. Justin adjusted himself over Brian and watched Brian’s face as he pulled his hand out and pulled Brian’s pants and underwear all the way down his legs, pulling them off.

Brian opened his eyes and leaned up a bit as Justin pulled the shirt off also. Brian fell back against the floor and looked up into Justin’s determined eyes. Justin, fully dressed, spread Brian’s legs apart and pushed himself between them.

Brian’s head fell back against the hard floor and he bit his bottom lip. He was so hard he wanted to scream and fuck he didn’t care if Justin didn’t know how to suck cock. He just needed his dick to be inside something.

Justin wrapped slow fingers around the base and laid down on his stomach, not caring that his hard-on was pressing against the hard floor very uncomfortably. He leaned in slowly, his mouth enclosing around the head of Brian’s dick so slowly and carefully. Brian closed his eyes tight. Images of the first time he’d had his dick sucked. He saw Coach kneeling before him in his office. It’d been good yeah, he’d seen tiny fireworks behind his eyelids…but this…it was different.

Brian’s hand reached down and trailed softly over Justin’s head, not wanting to push too hard, or push Justin too fast into something. He just let Justin take control.

Justin closed his eyes and breathed in Brian’s scent as his tongue swirled around the head, he ran it over the top, dipping into the slit and then back out. His head bopped up and down slowly as he tried to find a good rhythm. Brian’s hips bucked up and his head thrashed from side to side. His whole body felt numb…the only thing he felt was Justin’s hot mouth enclosing his dick.

Justin pulled back and looked up at Brian. Brian opened his eyes and looked down at him. “What?” he asked tentatively.

Justin stayed quiet for a moment and then shook his head, a hand reached between Brian’s legs and stroked underneath his heavy balls, pressing fingers into hidden areas. When he bent back down to suck Brian’s cock into his mouth, his hands trailed slowly over Brian’s lower belly and then to his inner thighs.

Brian’s hips bucked up again, his back arching, his whole body pushing towards Justin. Justin smiled around the hot flesh and slowly ran his tongue up the underside all the way up until his deep, red lips sucked hard around the tip of Brian’s dick. Brian’s hand tightened on Justin’s silky hair and he arched his back one last time, shooting into Justin’s mouth. Justin licked and nipped, his hand milking Brian’s dick at the base. Brian’s hips fell back to the ground as he came down from his climax.

Justin swallowed and Brian groaned gently. Justin rolled out from between Brian’s legs and laid beside him. He didn’t touch Brian, he just waited for Brian to open his eyes. Brian eventually did, he turned his head on the floor and looked at Justin with soft eyes.

Justin’s reached out and ran the pads of his fingers over Brian’s chest tentatively. Brian sat up and looked Justin over. Justin sat up too, his jeans bunching against his still hard dick. The two boys looked at each other for a long moment and Brian frowned. He reached up and ran a finger over Justin’s chin.

Images of his father throwing his mother against the kitchen counter and hitting her flashed in front of him. He looked deep into Justin’s blue eyes and saw the same thing happening with Jennifer. Maybe even to Justin. Brian stared blankly at Justin as he saw Jack hitting Justin. Justin’s head snapping back.

Brian stood up. “Get out.”

Justin blinked. “What?”

“Get the fuck out.”

Justin shook his head as he got up off of the floor quickly. “I don’t understand. What did I do?”

Brian turned his back on him and Justin wanted to scream. He thought better of it though. He could hear his mom clearing the table downstairs. He just kicked a post on Brian’s bed and left, slamming the door behind him.

Brian kept his back turned.

~~

“My ass is numb.”

Justin squinted against the harsh sun light and frowned at Daphne. “Would you just shut up and watch the game?”

Daphne pursed her lips together and turned back to the game, a bored expression on her face. Justin shook his head. Ever since she’d found out Brian Kinney was gay she’d lost her interest in the soccer games. She didn’t even participate in “Let’s Watch Kinney Eat Lunch 2004”. Justin didn’t have the heart to tell her it didn’t matter anyway. She was irreversibly a dyke and sooner or later she’d realize it.

There was a loud whistle out on the field and some players were changed. Brian ran out onto the field and there was a bit of an applaud from the student section. Justin thought he saw Brian look in his and Daphne’s direction but he didn’t want to get his hopes up.

Daphne sighed and put her hand on Justin’s thigh. “Still not talking to you?”

Justin shook his head. “I just don’t get it. What could I have done wrong?”

Daphne raised an eyebrow.

“Oh God. No. That was…fine…it was good. I did good.”

“Uh huh.”

“I did!” Justin crossed his arms, his eyes following Brian’s movement across the field. “He just has all these issues. He’s so damn moody. Like a girl.” Justin nodded.

Daphne looked around the bleachers. “Where’s your mom? Where’s Jack?”

“They aren’t here.”

“It’s the last game of the season!”

“I know, Daph. I know. Mom had some work to do at the office and Jack decided Sunday football was more important.”

“That’s horrible.”

“Well Jesus, the butt hole was out on a date with my mom when Brian won his award for MVP.”

“You just said butt hole.”

“Daphne. Please. Act your age.”

Daphne stuck a finger into Justin’s cheek, pressing at the plump skin. “You’re so cute! You said butt hole!”

Justin pulled away laughing. The crowd cheered as number 17 scored a goal. Justin pointed at the field. “Look! Brian scored!” Justin’s view was blocked and his eyes focused on several boys in front of him.

“Hey queer,” Chris Hobbs sneered, two of his friends behind him. “Why aren’t you out being butt fucked by your faggot boyfriend?”

Justin shrugged and looked up at him, “Don’t know. I think he said something about going shopping with your boyfriend and he won’t be back for another--” Justin was cut off as a heavy hand connected with his jaw. Justin spit blood in his hand and looked down at the red substance covering his fingers. He looked up at Chris’s angry face and yelled, “You fucker!”

He lunged but was pulled back Mr. Stevens, thick hands wrapping around his forearms. Mr. Stevens nodded at Chris and his friends to leave and they did, chuckling loudly. Justin pulled himself out of Mr. Stevens’ hands and turned to look at him, setting him with a glare.

“You’re just going to let them get away with that?” Daphne screeched, standing up. They had caused a big scene now and people were craning their necks to see what was going on. Mr. Stevens muttered something about Justin provoking him and started walking away.

“Chris provoked Justin!” Daphne started after him. Justin grabbed her arm and stopped her. He shook his head and grabbed his jacket.

“Let’s just go ok?” His eyes were pleading with her and she nodded silently. Brian looked up from his huddle with the other players and watched as the two made their way down the bleachers and to Daphne’s car.

~~

Brian knocked on Justin’s door that night. Justin crossed his arms and kept his mouth shut. He was seething mad. At Brian. At Chris. At his father for giving his mother the sperm to produce such a pussy offspring.

Brian knocked a little bit louder, his palm rested on the other side of the door as he waited. Justin’s jaw tightened and he glared at the back of his door. Brian kicked it and walked across the hall back to his room. Jennifer watched this from her bedroom doorway and shook her head, confused.

~~

Jennifer covered Justin’s hand with hers and turned in the driver’s seat. “Please. Let me talk to your principal.”

Justin shook his head and listened as Brian got out of the backseat. Jennifer frowned when Brian slammed the door and started towards the school. “What’s going on with you two? You have a fight or something?”

“It’s nothing,” Justin said, grabbing the strap of his bag. He leaned over and kissed his mother’s cheek, trying not to wince from the pressure applied to his open cut.

~~

In first period Justin caught Brian staring at his busted lip during their quiz. Justin looked up from his paper to work out a problem in his head. He felt a tingle in his lower back and turned to look at Brian. Brian blinked a few times and then looked down at his desk.

With Daphne on a Spanish club field trip Justin had no one to vent to in between classes. When Mrs. Miller asked Justin to run a note to Coach Ray he eagerly agreed. A quick breath of fresh air and a trip to the field house sounded exactly like what he needed. His foot found a rock on the concrete path and kicked it along lazily.

He tried to decide what bothered him most. Was it Brian? Chris? Maybe it was his mom. Every time Justin tried to ask about the wedding date she just changed the subject. He just wanted to know what was going on. This whole situation still seemed surreal to him. There was no way Brian Kinney was really going to be his stepbrother.

Brian would be permanently in his life now. He was going off to college soon and leaving Justin with two more years of high school. Would Brian meet someone at college? Come home with a boyfriend? Justin laughed as he neared his destination. Jack would just love that. Justin had concluded that Brian wasn’t exactly out to his father.

Jack asked every weekend if Brian had a date. Lots of times Brian lied and said yes just so Jack would give him the car keys. Justin figured he was going to his friend Michael’s.

Justin wrapped his fingers around the door knob and opened the door. The field house was a safe haven for jocks. During the day the weight room was used for weight training classes and any of the academically declined boys who some how escaped from the main building.

Justin ignored all the tightly clothed, sweaty boys and started to the back for Coach Ray’s office. A heavy hand grabbed his shoulder and whirled him around. Justin looked up into the face of Chris Hobbs and glared.

“How’s your lip faggot?”

Justin clenched his jaw and didn’t say anything. He really had no idea what the fuck Chris’ problem was. He’d hardly ever noticed Justin until a couple months ago when he started in with the queer slurs. Justin knew he was a friend of Brian’s and that was pretty much it.

A couple of Chris’ friends appeared behind his back.

“Hobbs. Get the fuck away from him.”

Justin turned to see Brian coming out of the coach’s office. His cheeks were flushed and his eyes were dark. The usual smells of sex wafted to Justin’s nostrils but he didn’t say anything. Brian came up beside Justin. Justin looked up to see anger written across his face.

“Hey Kinney,” Chris whispered. The two boys shared a long look. Justin could see that they were having a conversation with their eyes. Chris’ whole body language changed. Brian raised an eyebrow and stepped forward a bit.

He said very matter-of-factly, “Just because you can’t deal with the fact that you like cock doesn’t mean you have to take it out on Justin.”

Chris’ nostrils flared and he lunged at Brian. Brian caught both of his wrists in his hands and held him in front of him. Chris was practically on his tip toes. Brian pressed his face really close to the blonde’s and whispered, “Touch him again and I’ll kill you.”

Brian let go of Chris and started towards the field house door. He turned to Justin and nodded for the boy to join him. Justin grinned sheepishly at the audience of boys all watching the scene and quickly went over to Brian. Justin opened the door and turned questioningly when he felt Brian’s hand on his other wrist. Brian was staring down at him and Justin suddenly felt jealous of the extra inch or say the fucker had over him.

All thought of height left when Brian leaned down and pulled him in for a rough kiss right there in the weight room. Justin felt hard hands on his back and rough lips rubbing over his sensitive cut. He moaned. When Brian pulled back Justin’s eyes stayed closed. He didn’t see the jealous glare on Chris’ face directed towards them both.

Brian smiled and saluted the group of boys, pushing Justin out the door.

~~

Brian had walked Justin back at the main building and mumbled something about seeing him later before going on down the hall. Justin watched him walk away and then entered his class. Mrs. Miller smiled at him and thanked him for delivering the note. Justin looked down at the clutched post-it in his hand and stuffed it in his pocket. It couldn’t have been that important.

Daphne had met Justin at her car after school and Justin had relayed the days events to her before they could even pull out of the parking lot. Daphne just shook her head and clucked her tongue. She then beeped the horn loudly and yelled ‘fucker’ at Suzie Johnson.

“Bitch just pulled right out in front of me. I can’t stand her. She’s always popping her gum during Psych class. If you turn around and give her an evil look she just smiles at you sweetly and stops. Ten seconds later after you’ve turned back around and gotten comfortable in the damn desk what does she do? She pops her fucking gum. Stupid bitch!” Daphne honked the horn again and rode the girl’s tail until they pulled out of the school parking lot.

Justin looked at her with wide eyes and said, “Ok. No more caffeine for you.”

“I can’t help it. I met someone today at the mall.”

Justin snorted, “I thought you were going on a Spanish trip?”

“I did. It was a play. It got out early and we went to the mall for lunch.”

Justin started poking his finger at the space between his eyes, above the bridge of his nose. If he was going to have to listen to Daphne’s dyke crush he’d have to poke his inner eye a couple twenty-one times. “So who is she?” he asked.

Daphne swerved on the rode a bit and looked in her mirror, praying there wasn’t a cop anywhere near. “What makes you think it was a girl? Why a girl? I’ve never said anything about girls.”

Justin stayed quiet for a moment and then started poking his inner eye again, “Right. So. Who is she?”

Daphne thought long and hard about that question. “Now wait. Brian kissed you where?”

Justin sat up straighter in his seat and took a big breath.

~~

Justin closed the door behind him and set his bag down behind the couch. After grabbing some cookies from the kitchen he trudged up the stairs and entered his room. He froze in the door way and smiled around the chocolate in his mouth. “How’d you get home so early? I thought you had plans with Michael.” He wondered if Brian had understood a single word of that. His mouth was stuffed completely.

Brian shifted to his side on the bed and shrugged, “Coach was leaving around lunch today and he brought me home early.”

Justin’s smile left his face. “Oh,” he said, setting the cookie box down on his dresser, kicking his shoes off. He unzipped his sweater and started to undo his belt.

“What are you doing?” Brian asked, eyeing him from behind. Justin turned and gave him a look that said ‘duh’.

“This is my room. I change in my room. You’re in my room. I’m changing. Do you want me to repeat that? I could go slower…emphasis vowel sounds.”

“What the fuck is your problem?” Brian asked, sitting up.

Justin pulled his shirt over his head and opened a drawer, pulling out a big sweater that would likely swallow his little body whole. “I don’t know Brian. I got fucking punched yesterday. I acted like a fucking pussy boy. And Jesus, you and Coach Ray? That is sick Brian. He’s like…forty.”

Brian started laughing really loud and Justin squinted at him. “Fuck you Brian!”

Brian got up off of the bed and waded through the dirty clothes covering Justin’s floor, coming over to him. He put his hands on the smaller boy’s shoulders and smiled down at him. “Firstly I think you didn’t get a chance yesterday. If Mr. Stevens wasn’t a first class prick you’d have pummeled Chris’ ass. Secondly, Ray and I are none of your business. You really shouldn’t get worked up about it anyway.”

Justin sighed and dropped his sweater to the floor. He looked down at the weeks over clothes covering his room. “I should clean,” he acknowledged.

Brian nodded, “Yeah you should.” He ran a thumb over Justin’s cut, his other hand running down Justin’s bare side. “But maybe later.”

~~

“Ow. You’re on my arm.”

Brian leaned up allowing Justin to pull his arm out from under him. Brian pulled a pair of Justin’s dirty jeans out from under his shoulder and threw them across the room. They’d fucked right there. Justin’s bare back pressing hard into the rough floor, Brian’s body pressing down on him.

Justin’s breathing had slowed and his body had quit tingling. Now it was time to complain. He pressed his lips against Brian’s neck and whined, “I’m sticky.”

“Go shower.”

Justin shook his head and pressed his face further into Brian’s neck. “No. No, this is fine. I can deal with the sticky.” He ran his fingers over Brian’s chest slowly, his fingers playing with Brian’s nipples. He pinched down hard and Brian yelped and swatted him away.

“You fucker.”

“Fuckee,” Justin corrected. Brian didn’t say anything, his arm flew up to cover his eyes from the afternoon sun shining through Justin’s bedroom window. Justin groaned and sat up. He looked around his room and scratched at his ear.

“What are you doing?” Brian peeked out from under his elbow.

“Just thinking. I’ve got a Biology test tomorrow and I was thinking of having Daphne come over tonight and help me review.”

Brian rolled his eyes and grabbed at Justin’s bicep. Justin smiled and rolled on top of him, straddling his hips. Their dicks pressed together comfortably and Justin’s hands resumed their stroking of Brian’s chest. Brian closed his eyes and rested his hands on Justin’s soft hips. He opened his eyes suddenly when he felt his arms being pinned above his head. Remarkably strong hands held his wrists in place above him.

“I ask again. What are you doing?”

Justin’s tongue pressed against the inside of his cheek. “You’re not always the one in control you know.”

Brian tried not to laugh at the naïve little thing. Brian could easily pull his wrists out of Justin’s grasp but as he looked at the cut on Justin’s plump bottom lip he realized giving the younger boy a minute or two of control couldn’t hurt anything. Justin wiggled his hips lightly and then leaned down, pressing his chest against Brian’s. Their hard nipples rubbed against each other’s tight chests. Brian’s mouth opened in a silent moan and Justin’s smile widened.

They both heard the footsteps hitting the top step at the same time. Their eyes widened but before they could do anything the door was opening and Jennifer was bouncing in sticking her hand out.

She looked down at the floor where the two boys were staring up at her. Justin was still leaned in close to Brian’s face, his naked body pressing down onto Brian’s.

Jennifer’s outstretched hand showed an engagement ring that Justin had already seen. There was something new though. A wedding band.

Jennifer’s hand flew to her heart and her eyes roamed over the scene in front of her. “What--you--why?” She couldn’t breathe and Justin knew she was having an attack. She’d started having them right after the divorce.

Justin leaned up off of Brian and started to untangle himself from him. “Mom. Calm down. It’s not what it looks like. I mean it is…but it isn’t.”

Jack yelled from the bottom of the steps, “Jennifer. Are they home? Get them down here.”

Jennifer backed into the doorway and held herself steady by the doorknob. Her lip curled up in disgust. She looked from Brian’s raised eyebrow to Justin’s scared look. “We got married. At the court house. We’re going out for dinner…to celebrate.”

She turned and then quickly came back into the room and fixed Justin with a glare, “Get off your brother and get dressed.”

~~

When Brian and Justin showed up in the living room ten minutes later, Jack asked his son if he'd had soccer practice, his face was flushed. Jennifer paled and blinked rapidly, staring off into space.

When Justin started to crawl in the backseat of the jeep beside Brian, Jack joked about the two boys having to cuddle to warm up (his heating had gone out earlier that day). Jennifer grabbed Justin's upper arm and thrust him to the front passenger seat. He crawled in slowly. Jennifer plopped down beside Brian. Again. She stared off into space.

When they went to take their seats in the booth at the restaurant Jennifer yelped a "No" as Brian slid in beside Justin. Jack squinted at her and told her to sit down, she was causing a scene. She reluctantly slid in beside her husband and laid her purse in her lap.

Jack smiled and looked across the small table at Justin, "You like Chinese food son?"

Son. Justin blinked and smiled, "Yeah. It's the best."

Jack returned the smile and opened up the plastic menu, his face covered behind it. Jennifer looked from Brian to Justin. Brian stared at her unblinking, not really caring what was going on. Justin fidgeted, pulling on the tail of his shirt until Brian discreetly reached under the table and put his hand on his, trying to calm him down.

Justin closed his eyes for a split second, trying to soak in the touch. He went through the motions of dinner. Ordering. Eating the soup, then the main course. Brian excused himself to the bathroom. Justin watched him walk away and then mumbled something about pissing and washing his hands. Jennifer flinched as she watched the boys disappear behind the big bathroom door.

Jennifer had been to this restaurant before. She knew that that was a single bathroom. One room. One door. One lock.

~~

Brian picked at his part, fingers running through his hair. He pointed to the door that Justin had just shut. "You might want to lock that."

"You're a little late," Justin spat, crossing his arms and leaning against it. His hand snaked out and locked it quickly and then he was crossing his arms and breathing heavy.

"Christ. Don't hyperventilate."

"My mother knows Brian!"

Brian turned the knob and pushed his hands under the running sink water. He thought back to the night of his father's first date with Jennifer. He'd talked to Justin for the first time really that night. He'd seen the kid around but never really gotten to know him.

He glanced over at Justin who was closing his eyes and banging his head back against the steel door at a slow pace. Brian didn't know then what he knew now. Now...he knows what Justin looks like when he's ecstatic about new art supplies. What his face looks like when he's writhing beneath you in pleasure. Even what he looks like when he sleeps.

Brian didn't know then what he knew now. He turned the water off and went over to Justin, grabbing the boy's upper arms. Justin's eyes opened and stared up into Brian's.

"Your hands are getting my shirt wet," Justin whispered. Brian looked down and sure enough, little wet stains were forming. Brian wanted to slap Justin really hard for some reason but he refrained.

"That's really not the problem at hand."

Justin tilted his head, his arms uncrossed and one soft hand reached between them and cupped Brian's dick. "This is the problem at hand."

Brian nodded a bit and pursed his lips. "Don't be so dramatic Justin. I'm leaving in less then three months anyway if I get this scholarship. I'll be gone, leaving your mother here with her happy family that she always wanted."

Justin teared up, his hand withdrew from Brian's groin. "I don't want you to be gone."

Brian shook his head and pulled away from Justin. "Let me go."

Justin pressed himself harder against the door. "No."

Brian had just meant that he wanted to go back to the booth but Justin was using it as some big metaphor. "Justin. Move."

"No."

Brian unlocked the door and took ahold of Justin's wrist, pulling him forward. Justin resisted and Brian pulled harder, suddenly Justin was launched into Brian's arms, his face burried in Brian's neck.

Brian took a deep breath. His hand immidietely started rubbing small circles in Justin's lower back and he hated himself for it.

~~

Brian’s feelings for Justin quickly changed from slight interest to desperate need when Jennifer put a damper on their usual twenty-four hour fuck fest. Usually the boys would have a chance to grope in Justin’s bathroom in the morning, take care of their morning woodys.

Not anymore.

The weekend and three days had passed since the boys had been caught and Jennifer was everywhere Brian went in the house. She’d quickly redirected her anger from her own son to the boy who had taken advantage of the young, confused Justin. Sunday night Brian had went downstairs for a glass of water. Turns out Justin had had the same idea. They were on fucking opposite sides of the room yet when Jennifer walked in from putting Molly to bed she flipped out and spanked at Justin, ushering him back upstairs.

The boy’s couldn’t talk to each other at school either. They’d missed each other in first period all week. Monday Brian had had to get sized for his graduation gown. Tuesday Justin had had an art club trip to a local museum. Wednesday first period Geometry had been separated in two classes to take a practice final for the real one coming up in a little over a month.

Mid-Wednesday Justin took his regular fourth period bathroom break. He’d been trying to lie low in the halls. There were rumors flying all over the place about the field house kiss and right now that was the last bullshit that he needed. He pulled his hands away from the sink and turned to grab a towel to wash his hands, he stared up into Brian’s surprised eyes. They both stood there frozen for a moment and then they smiled.

They both ran to the far left stall, Brian pushing Justin in. The door closed and latched. Brian leaned back against it and grabbed Justin’s arm. They felt all that was built up released as Justin’s tongue tangled with Brian’s. Justin wanted to moan but he knew better. Brian’s hands were already opening Justin’s pants and he was working on Brian’s as well.

When their hands entered each other’s pants and grasped at hard, throbbing skin they let their lips just press and rub together. Not exactly kissing. They breathed hot breath into each other’s mouths. Brian’s tongue poked out and ran across Justin’s bottom lip. The blonde let out a tiny whimper as their hands fumbled, stroking each other.

Justin leaned his head on Brian’s shoulder and looked down at their dicks rubbing together, their hands milking each other quickly. Brian's face rested in soft hair and he closed his eyes tight. Their heads both fell back when their pre-cum started mixing and their strokes became wet and slick. Justin pressed his cheek against Brian's jaw.

Brian's mouth couldn't resist Justin's ear. He sucked on the tip lightly and whispered, "Missed this."

Justin bit the neck in front of him determined not to cry out as he came all over his and Brian's hands, over Brian's dick. Brian followed moments laters. Somehow their slow strokes stopped and now their hands were laced together.

When they got into Jennifer's car that afternoon after school Jennifer asked what had stained Justin's new Lee's.

He looked down and smiled, "Oh you know. Few strokes of the art brush missed the page and someone tried to get it out with paint thinner--"

"Can you drop me off at the Diner on Liberty Avenue?" Brian interrupted, asking Jennifer.

"Sure," she said calmly. Her jaw flinched.

Justin turned to the window and didn't say anything more.

~~

Jack’s promotion at work was all Justin heard about all afternoon. He sat on his mother’s bed and watched her float around the room getting ready. He cringed when her perfume wafted up his nostrils. Vile stuff woman smell is. She didn’t say anything as she rubbed her under eyes flattening out the small bags there.

Justin could hear Jack singing joyfully downstairs in the kitchen. No doubt rummaging around for something to eat. ’Fat bastard…’ Justin thought to himself, sighing. Brian had been dropped off at the diner earlier and was still there. A small boy had been waiting outside for him. Justin had eyed the boy, squinting. He guessed it was Mikey. The best friend.

“He’s leaving soon you know.”

Justin was pulled from his thoughts by his mother’s voice. She was staring at him through the mirror in front of her. He shifted on the bed, fidgeting with the tail of his shirt. “Who?”

She tucked her hair behind her ear and took her eyes off of him to concentrate on putting her earring in. “Brian. He got that scholarship in Chicago. The letter came today. He’ll be graduating in a couple months.”

Justin watched his mother turn and set him with an expressionless gaze.

“I want it stopped. Whatever you two…are doing. Stop it. He’s using you anyway. For…for your…oh god.” Her hand flew to her mouth.

“For ass,” Justin whispered.

Jennifer nodded and stood up a bit straighter. “Stop it Justin. If Jack were to find out--”

“He’s not going to!” Justin interrupted her, “And you think I don’t know Brian’s using me? I’m not stupid, Mother. We’re using each other. We have needs. He’s a humping post for me. That’s all.”

Jennifer shook her head, her face turning into a grimace. “I have to go.”

She brushed past Justin, grabbing her purse off of the bed. The door shut softly behind her and Justin closed his eyes, the perfume covering him.

~~

Justin opened his eyes, headlights flooded into the living room and he sat up slowly to look out the window. He watched Brian get out of the car and make his way to the front porch. The car drove off and the door opened. The only light was coming from the kitchen, pouring into the living room over Justin’s face.

Brian’s bag was dropped by the door where he stood looking intently into Justin’s eyes from across the room.

“Where are they?” he asked.

“At a party thrown for your father. For his promotion.”

Brian nodded and crossed over to the stairs. Justin whispered to his back, “That was it.”

Brian turned and tilted his head, “What?”

“Today. At school. In the bathroom. That was it. No more,” he paused, “Am I just ass to you? Is it convenient having fresh dick across the hall from you?”

Brian shook his head. “I’ve got shit to deal with and my little stepbrother wanting to argue about him being a booty call isn’t very high on my list of problems.” His ascent up the stairs was loud and Justin cringed with every loud footstep.

Twenty minutes later Justin felt a warm hand on his cheek. He blinked his eyes open slowly and squinted in the darkness. “Brian?”

“Hey.” Brian’s hip pressed against Justin’s side on the couch where he was sitting. Justin’s bare toes curled as he stretched, a small content purr coming from his throat. Fuck. The new couch was comfortable.

“You’ve got shit to deal with, Brian. Your little stepbrother doesn’t want to interfere with any of that.”

Long fingers ran slowly over Justin’s throat to his collarbone, the pads pressing into his skin. He swallowed hard and blinked through the soft light still flowing from the kitchen.

“Lean up,” Brian’s deep voice whispered. Justin slowly leaned up into him, his left shoulder hitting Brian’s chest. Brian’s hands dropped to the boy’s side slowly curling around the tail of his shirt. Justin took the hint and lifted his arms. Brian pulled the shirt off, letting it fall to the floor beside his feet. He ran a steady hand down Justin’s chest, over hardening nipples and tightening abs.

“Brian…” Justin’s eyes fluttered open and closed.

“Shhh. Just lay back down.”

Justin nodded, falling on back to the plump cushions. Brian dipped down and pressed a single kiss to the bare shoulder. His lips made a soft smacking noise against the baby soft skin and he smiled a bit. When he pulled back Justin’s eyes were closed and his brow was furrowed.

Brian’s hands found Justin’s pants and he unbuttoned and unzipped them quickly. Justin raised his hips and allowed his pants and underwear to be slid off. Brian’s eyes grew wider with each bit of skin that was exposed from underneath the jeans until they were off and joining the shirt on the floor.

Justin opened his eyes and watched as Brian ran a hand up a calf and then over a thigh. His spread Justin’s legs apart and kneaded the tender insides of his thighs. His eyes found Justin’s as his hand found the boy’s throbbing dick. Justin’s eyes closed in pleasure and he opened them, holding Brian’s stare.

A good half hour later, Justin’s juices covering his stomach and Brian’s side, Brian bent over Justin’s body and pressed their cheeks together. Justin’s hand found the back of Brian’s head and he tangled his fingers in the dark locks.

He closed his eyes as a sloppy kiss was placed against his ear and smiled softly at Brian’s words being whispered there.

“Not just ass.”

~~

Thursday morning’s Geometry class was possibly the best hour Justin had ever spent in school. That morning Brian had opted to ride with Justin and Daphne to school. Daphne just rolled her eyes when Justin took the backseat with Brian instead of the front with her. She turned her radio up loud and tried to forget they were back there. Except for the one time at the red light when she had stolen a peek in her mirror.

She’d never seen two boys making out before. She tilted her head and made a mental note to ask Justin what he had done that made Brian whimper softly. She squinted in the mirror when she heard the nose but Justin’s floppy blonde hair was blocking her view and she couldn’t see what had caused the noise.

She’d felt a little left out when Brian threw an arm around Justin’s shoulders and started into the school. She just brushed pass them quickly, knocking Brian with her backpack. Justin elbowed him in the ribs and gestured to Daphne in front of them. Brian groaned and reached out for Daphne’s backpack strap, pulling her back to them. She smiled a bit when his arm went around her shoulders.

They’d walked that way down the hall. Brian in the middle, each arm draped out over two small bodies. And now Justin and Brian were in class. Brian was on the opposite side of the room, straight across from Justin in the back seat of his row. Justin stole a glance at him when he felt eyes on the side of his face. Their eyes connected and Brian stuck his tongue out. Justin shook his head smiling.

Justin tried to concentrate on his worksheet. He looked up and watched Brian walk up to the teacher’s desk and ask him a question. Mr. Miller pointed over at Justin and then went back to frowning down at his grade book. Justin quickly looked back down at his paper as if he hadn’t seen anything. A few seconds later Brian was on his knees beside Justin’s desk. He slapped his worksheet down on Justin’s and smiled up at the boy.

“I’m having trouble with this one,” he whispered, pointing at number six. Justin licked his lips and took his eyes off of Brian’s to look at the paper. He nodded and started scratching down the formula.

“I see what you did wrong. Look here. You can’t divide that. Having a cosine is just like having a variable, you can’t…” Justin trailed off and looked down. Brian’s hand had subtly found his thigh and was inching towards Justin’s dick. Brian stared at the paper in full concentration.

“Oh continue Taylor. I think I’m getting this.”

Justin took a deep breath. “Well you need to subtract the 320 and then inverse your cosine like this.” He did the steps slowly, his pencil making small scratching noises on the paper. His body temperature rose as Brian ran a thumb over the bulge in Justin’s pants slowly. Justin swallowed hard and then set his pencil down, his eyes connecting with Brian’s.

“Evil,” Justin whispered.

Brian smiled big and nodded, removing his hand and grabbing his paper. He stood up. “Thanks Taylor. That was a big help.”

“Yeah,” Justin mumbled as he watched Brian cross the room. Justin’s eyes were glued to his ass.

~~

That afternoon Daphne and Justin lay on their stomachs on his bed and absent-mindedly doodled on their homework worksheets and notes.

“You’re so gay, Justin.”

“I know,” Justin slapped his forehead smiling, he rolled over onto his back, crumpling up his papers beneath him. “It’s great, Daph.”

She rolled her eyes. “Do you love him?”

“I don’t know. Maybe.”

“Does he love you?”

Justin snorted. “I don’t know, Daph? Alright?”

“Ok ok. It’s just…man. You’ve spent two years crushing on this boy and then all of a sudden you get him? It’s too good to be true.”

Justin turned his head and frowned at her. He kicked her ankle with his foot. “Let me enjoy this! Stop over analyzing.”

“Fine,” she holds up her hands in defeat. “But tell me this. What was that thing you did in the car today that made him whimper like that?”

Justin smiled but before he could answer her Brian said matter-of-factly from the door way, “I did not fucking whimper.”

Justin and Daphne giggled as Brian entered the room.

“I heard it Kinney. You whimpered. Now what did he do?” Daphne’s eyes were wide with excitement. Brian shook his head and crawled atop Justin.

“Is this what you two do every afternoon? Sit in here and talk about me?”

Justin nodded and smiled brightly up at his brother, “Yes. Of course. Now what was it that I did in the car this morning that you liked so much?”

Brian rolled his eyes, “I’ll show you.”

Justin smiled big in excitement and Brian reached over, his fingers wrapping around Daphne’s neck. He pulled her over and pressed his lips against hers. She closed her eyes, surprised. Justin’s smile went away as he watched.

Brian kissed her plainly for a long minute and then tapped Justin’s shoulder beneath him to say that he was fixing to show him. He licked the corner of her mouth and then bit her bottom lip slow. He ran his teeth over the length of it, his tongue following after each graze of his teeth. She whimpered and he smiled against her lips.

It was Justin’s turn to roll his eyes. He reached up and started pushing at their chests to move apart. “Ok ok. She gets the point.”

Brian pulled back and Daphne blushed. Justin shrugged, “That’s no big deal.”

“Oh quit pouting because I just kissed Daphne,” Brian poked Justin’s chest. Justin crossed his arms and pushed himself further into the mattress.

“I’m not,” he said.

“You are too. I know you Justin. Now stop it. Just come here.” Brian dipped down and kissed Justin, his hand snaking under the boy’s neck and lifting it up a bit. They kissed each other hard. Daphne had to turn away. That kiss was too personal and she could tell.

When Brian pulled back he looked down at Justin’s face and watched as Justin’s eyes slowly opened. Brian wanted to stay like that for awhile longer, just sitting on the boy and looking down at him. He felt a small tingle on his back that wasn’t from Justin’s hips pressing up into his.

He looked up and across the room at the doorway.

Into the eyes of his father.

~~

Brian’s whole body throbbed with fear. He could hear Daphne’s breath hitch in her throat. Justin wiggled underneath him to crane his neck and see what the two were staring at. Jack’s eyes left Brian’s and connected with Justin’s. Justin wiggled harder, wanting Brian off of him. Brian was frozen.

Jack turned to Brian, “Go to your room, Son.”

“What?”

“I want you to go to your room. I need to talk to your brother.”

Brian shook his head. He threw a leg over and stood up, his hand brushing Justin’s stomach softly, reassuringly. What was his father playing at?

Justin sat up and pushed his floppy bangs out of his face. Brian watched as he touched Daphne’s arm lightly. “Daph, I think maybe you should go.” They shared a look that Brian couldn’t understand and then she nodded and stood up. As she brushed pass Jack she turned to Brian and mouthed one simple, silent word.

Car.

She was gone and now it was just the father and sons. Jack’s expressionless face quickly turned to one of contempt and anger as his eyes fell on Justin. Justin fought the urge to reach over for Brian’s hand.

Jack spoke.

“What were you doing, Son?” He stared un-blinking into Justin’s light blue eyes.

“I was just--”

“We. We were just kissing, Dad.” Brian knew where his father was going with this. He was going to blame Justin. ‘Like hell,’ Brian thought.

Jack turned to Brian and shook his head, confused. “I don’t understand, Son. Now I know you’re not some fucking fairy. Whatever this little,” he gestured to Justin with his hands, “bastard manipulated you into thinking, it’s ok. You’re a smart kid. You can get out of this.”

Brian’s cheek flinched and Justin stood up abruptly.

“Don’t you ever call me that again!” His body shook with anger. Brian kept his sweaty hands at his side instead of reaching out for the boy beside him like he wanted to.

Jack was suddenly over come with a disgusted look on his face as he looked Justin’s small frame up and down. “You’ve been seducing my son haven’t you? You little piece of trash. Brian’s better then that. I knew,” he shook his head, “I knew you were a faggot. When Jennifer would tell me about her divorce. It always came back to you and I never knew why. Well I do now. You drove him away. He was ashamed. And he had every right to be.”

Brian waited for the tears to come. Of all the things he’d learned about Justin the one that had stuck with him was Justin’s over-emotional state. The poor kid had to stop his Moulin Rouge tape right after the ending musical number. He had to have a happy ending. That’s what worried Brian most about the kid.

Happy endings were few.

The tears didn’t come though. Just an angry snort. Brian turned to look at him with furrowed eyebrows.

“What bothers you most? That Brian’s dick was up my ass or that he liked it?”

Brian rolled his eyes, his hands flying up in frustration. Let’s make it worse, Taylor. Brian had been so preoccupied with thinking about what Justin had just said he was taken aback when suddenly his father had crossed the room. Jack’s hands were wrapped around Justin’s biceps, shaking the boy hard.

Brian’s vision clouded with anger but he couldn’t move. His body was frozen again.

Jack’s voice was loud in his ears. “You little shit. How dare you say something like that to me!”

Brian only caught small phrases after that. “Bastard faggot”. “Ungrateful prick.” Finally when Justin’s eyes fell on him, Brian moved. Justin was thrown back against the bed and Brian’s fist was on it’s way towards Jack’s cheek. Jack was bigger and stronger and his hand caught Brian’s wrist before contact.

For a moment they stood staring at each other. Brian had never raised a hand to his father before and from the look he was getting, he knew what was coming next. His head snapped back from the heavy fist connecting with his chin and cheek. He stumbled and was caught against the bed in Justin’s arms.

For a moment he was dizzy and then he was jumping out of Justin’s arms and pummeling at his father’s chest. Just swinging at anything. In his mind he could see every bruise his father had ever given him. He fell to his knees and Jack kicked his side hard. Brian let out a deep grunt and then Jack was backing towards the door.

He pointed at Justin. “You keep your mouth shut you hear? If you know what’s good for you or Brian you’ll keep that mouth shut.”

Justin ignored him and fell to his knees by Brian’s side. His hand started rubbing Brian’s lower back and then he looked up and yelled to Jack’s back, “You’re an animal. And you’re lucky there isn’t a mark on me you stupid fuck.”

Jack turned, his eyes wide.

Justin continued. “Brian can lie if he wants about his bruises. But if you ever put a hand on me my mother would kick you out in a second. You think about that Jack. Now get out of my room.”

Justin knew Jack would leave. And he did.

Brian leaned back against the bed. The boys sat in silence for a long while. Just staring at each other. Brian’s hand was lying in Justin’s lap and Justin rubbed small circles on his palm.

He stopped to reach up and wipe a trickle of blood from Brian’s lip. Their eyes never left each others. They sat and stared at each other until Jennifer called them for dinner.

Justin looked down and watched his fingers trailing over Brian’s palm and then looked back up at Brian.

Brian whispered, “Is Daphne still in the driveway?”

Justin shook his head. “No. I tugged on the curtain. It’s our signal that everything is alright.”

Brian nodded.

They looked down as their fingers tangled together.

~~

Neither Brian or Justin came down for dinner. Jennifer’s yells up the stairs became more frequent and Brian slowly stood up. Justin watched the hand slip from his and then listened as Brian crossed the hall to his own room. His door shutting with a soft click. Moments later small feet were making their way up the stairs. His mother sighed as she leaned against his door frame. She smiled.

“Justin. I’ve been calling for you. We’re having one of your favorites. Chicken casserole.”

The tears came then. In floods. They just rolled down Justin’s cheeks as he sat listless on the floor. Jennifer frowned and came over to him, kneeling down. When she reached over to touch his cheek he turned from her. He didn’t know why he was crying. Jack’s hurtful words came rushing back at full force. His life was so completely fucked up.

Justin quickly wiped his eyes as Jack suddenly appeared in the doorway for the second time that night. Justin stared up at him, his teeth grinding together. Jennifer looked over at her husband.

“Jennifer. Dinner’s getting cold.”

Jennifer nodded and patted Justin’s cheek gently. “I’ll put yours in the microwave ok? Do you want to talk later Justin?”

He shrugged. There was a time when his mother would have sat down that second and demanded he tell her what was wrong. She’d pull him in her arms and let him be a kid again.

‘I guess things change,’ he thought. His door closed behind her. He heard her give a brisk knock at Brian’s door as a request to come to dinner before following Jack down the stairs.

Justin spent the rest of the evening in his room. On her way to bed Jen had knocked on his door. She’d tried the door knob when he didn’t answer but it was locked. After he heard her door close he got up off of the bed and went into his bathroom. He stared at himself in the mirror for a long minute and then pulled his shirt over his head. He turned around slowly and frowned at a purple bruise forming on his back. He’d hit the edge of the bed hard but not that hard. He hated that he had thin skin.

He hated that he was so weak.

He moved over to the shower and wedged himself between the shower and toilet, pressing his ear against the cold wall. He’d discovered the other day that he could hear Brian’s every movement from this spot. Something about the way the walls were across the hall. He pressed his palms flat against the surface and listened.

All he heard was his own deep wheezing. Fucking allergies.

A few hours later Justin woke up suddenly. His back was throbbing a bit and he was sweating under the heavy comforter. He slowly pulled the sheet back and sat up, his feet hitting the cold, wooden floor. His floorboards screeched as he stood up but as he walked to the door he was careful where to step.

He’d memorized over the years which spots on the boards were silent. Back then it was so he could go on midnight cookie runs. For the last couple months he’d been using it for something else.

He slowly opened the door, closing his eyes tight. He concentrated very hard on not letting the door creak. He was successful. He left it open behind him and crossed the hall quickly, silently. Brian’s door was perfectly silent as always. He closed it behind him and padded over to the far side of the bed. He pulled the cover back but stopped when he saw that Brian was staring up at him.

It wasn’t exactly a “Yes Justin. Please wake me up in the middle of the night to cuddle” look. Brian blinked a few times and then pulled the cover farther back. Justin smiled lightly, relieved.

His body fell into the familiar mold of the mattress. Brian pulled the cover up over them both as they laid silently and stared at each other. Justin usually hated that Brian hardly ever spoke. But he’d come to like it during nights like these.

His hands were cold and he pushed them under Brian’s side. Brian’s mouth opened in a surprised ‘O’ and Justin tried not to laugh at him. He felt the laugh deep in his belly and was having trouble keeping it in. Brian reached up and put a finger to Justin’s lips but the boy was about to explode. Brian rolled his eyes and pulled the boy closer. He pressed their lips together. Justin suddenly didn’t feeling like laughing anymore.

They kissed slowly and silently. The tiniest smacking sound was too much. The kiss lasted for a long while. Their lips were swollen and moist when Brian finally pulled back. Justin closed his eyes. It was only supposed to be momentarily but they stayed that way. Brian laid beside him and watched as he drifted off slowly into sleep.

Brian’s cell phone vibrated on the nightstand and he swallowed. Mikey was still having a hard time dealing with the news about his uncle Vic. Brian was having a hard time dealing with Mikey. Michael just didn’t get that it wasn’t a death sentence. Vic could live for a long time still.

What bothered Brian the most right now in his life was that no one really cared what bothered Brian the most. Michael was so wrapped up in his own problems that the issue of Brian fucking his little step-brother had completely slipped Michael’s mind. And really, Michael was the only one who cared anyway.

Brian’s friends at school were mere acquaintances. There was one who wasn’t so bad. Hobbs. But even then that wasn’t a friendship. The brief locker room affair the two had shared was over before it began and since then things had been strained between the two. Chris was closeted. And Brian hadn’t helped the situation by kissing Justin like that in the locker room.

He often wondered how someone could be a fag and still be homophobic.

Hhm.

Self-hate.

Brian closed his eyes for a moment.

It was only a moment.

When he opened them again it was past three o’clock. His moment had turned out to be about four hours. His eyes focused as he stared at the wall. Justin’s head was under his chin, against his shoulder. He patted the other boy’s side. Justin pulled back and blinked at him with sleepy eyes and nodded.

He knew he had to leave.

Brian walked him to the door. Justin opened it swiftly and entered the hall. He turned back to Brian and just reached over and touched his bare chest. Brian leaned against the door frame and gave Justin a lop-sided grin. They both turned when a flashlight hit the side of Justin’s face.

Jack stared out from behind the beaming light, he was leaning against his own door.

“What are you doing, Sonnyboy?”

Both Brian and Justin wondered which one of them he was talking to. Justin’s hand fell to his side.

~~

They stood there. All three of them. The only sounds were Justin’s heavy wheezing and the heater clicking on. Jack reached around and turned the door knob. He opened the door behind him and turned on the light in the bedroom. Jen stirred in the bed.

“Jennifer. Get up. Come here. I want you to see this.”

Justin turned and looked at Brian pleadingly. Brian was staring intently at a spot on the wall behind Justin’s head. He didn’t respond. Jennifer rubbed her eyes sleepily and appeared in the doorway. She scratched at the side of her head and shook her head at her husband, “Jack. It’s late. What is it?”.

He grabbed her around her waist and turned her around towards the boys. Her eyes fell on Brian’s busted lip and then on Justin’s worried eyes.

“What’s going on?” she asked. Jack pulled her to him. His arms around her waist, the light streaming in from their bedroom.

“What’s going on is that Justin here has disobeyed me. Not only has he seduced my son with his sick and twisted lifestyle but he’s also refused to listen to his step-fathers orders. What do you think we should do about that?”

Jennifer swallowed and turned away from the boys, trying to look at Jack. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. Let’s just calm down. Talk about it.”

Jack pushed her out of his arms. She fell back against the wall and stared up into his angry face. “How could you keep something like this from me, Jen? Are you fucking crazy?”.

It was Craig. All Justin saw and heard was Craig. He knew he’d ruined his mother’s life once…but he never thought he’d do it again. Brian suddenly barreled pass Justin and walked straight up to his father.

“You’ve been drinking.” It was a simple statement.

Jack then did the oddest thing. Justin watched as Jack looked down to the front of Brian’s soccer shorts. There was an obvious bulge. Jack grabbed his son by the throat and pushed him against the wall. His face pressed close to Brian’s as he growled, “Does he get you hard, Sonnyboy? Do you take him to your room and shove it up his ass? Answer me!”

Brian flinched. “Get your hand off of me.”

Jack squeezed harder. “You’re sick. You both are. You’re going to hell. You can take your little boyfriend with you. But I want you out of my house. And this time Brian I’m not taking you back in.

‘This time?’ Justin wondered. Brian made a gasping noise in his throat and Justin realized Jack was really choking him. He had crossed the hall in seconds, wedging himself between them. Jack shook Brian harder, banging his head back and forth against the wall. Justin was between them, his eyes connected with his mother’s on the other side of the scuffle.

“Mom. Help. Please.” His plea was unheard as glass shattered all around him. Later he’d see that Brian’s head had been slammed against a picture frame. Later he’d watch as the ambulance closed the doors on Brian’s limp body.

But all Justin could do now was shrug Brian’s fallen body off of him and look down at the massive shard of glass sticking out of the deep brown hair.

~~

As the ambulance pulled off Justin ran up to the porch where Jack and Jen stood silently. He screamed through his tears, “Mom please. Please take me to the hospital!”. His mother swallowed.

“We’ll go in the morning Justin. Right now you and I need to have a talk.”

Jack gave him a look of contempt and slowly went inside. He told Jennifer they’d have to get their story straight for the hospital and possibly the police. Jennifer should make sure Justin understands. She nodded and Justin fell to his knees on the pavement of the walkway, sobbing. He looked down at his blood covered hands.

“Please. God, please.”

Jennifer’s eyes moistened and she told Justin to come in. She made her way to him, pulling on his arms. He stood up and slumped against her. His whole body swayed back and forth with each wave of fear. When he entered the house he ran to the phone on the kitchen wall. Jack’s arm caught him around his waist as Justin dialed Daphne’s number.

“No. You’re not going anywhere until we straighten this shit out,” Jack’s breath was hot in his ear and he cried out, Jack’s touch making him feel dirty. His bloody hands slid on the plastic phone and he screamed out, “You mother fucker! Get off of me!”.

Daphne picked up in time to hear this. The phone went dead before she could say anything. Jack had pulled the phone cord out of the wall.

When she arrived about ten minutes later she didn’t even have to get out of the car. Justin came running out. Jack behind him. Jennifer stood in the doorway screaming something Daphne couldn’t make out behind the woman’s sobs. She started driving off before Justin was even fully in the car. Jack’s fist slammed onto the windshield. It cracked.

On the way to the hospital Daphne sat up very straight and tried to make out what Justin was saying between cries. All she could gather was that Brian was severely hurt and Justin felt it was all his own doing. Daphne didn’t ask what happened. She assumed they were caught in Brian’s bed.

As they pulled up to the emergency room entrance she could hear Justin whispering in her ear from a couple days ago.

They sat in the waiting room for well over an hour. Justin stood at the window and watched the cars driving by. Finally the nurse said he was allow to go back. When Daphne tried to follow the woman’s hand fell on her shoulder.

Immediate family only.

The nurse didn’t ask where Brian’s parents were. Just pointed towards room 233 and clicked her tongue.

Justin tried the door several times but his hands were crusted in blood and covered in sweat and tears. Finally it gave away and the door fell open. Brian’s body was a long heap under the white blanket. His head was covered in bandages. Justin walked over slowly, not breathing. Upon closer look he could see that Brian’s eyes were moving rapidly under his eyelids.

“He’s fine. He’s in REM.”

Justin turned to see an older doctor standing in the doorway.

“Is-is he ok?”

“Yes. And no. There’s been significant damage to a couple of his motor functions. Specifically his mouth and chin area. But we suspect other then that he’ll wake up normal.”

“I-I don’t understand.” Justin fought not to reach out for Brian’s hand.

“Well he’s lucky. He could have been permanently damaged. He could have woken up a vegetable. But mostly we just think he’s going to have speech difficulties. He’ll learn how again of course. We have therapy classes here at the hospital to help him learn it all back again.”

Justin turned and stared down at Brian’s solid face. His eyes unfocused through his tears. “He has to learn how to speak again? He’s like, forgotten?”

There was a long pause. “The muscles in his jaw are basically…dead. Within months we usually see progress in these kinds of patients.”

Justin mouthed the word silently.

Months.

The doctor stood up a bit straighter. “Son. What exactly happened tonight?”

Justin shook his head and the doctor understood. “It’s ok. You’ve had a rough night. You can stay with him as long as you’d like. Until your parents get here.”

Justin heard the door close softly behind him. Only a few hours ago it had been Brian watching Justin sleep. This time it was Justin watching Brian.

~~

The cold air against his cheek is what woke him. He opened his eyes slowly and smacked his mouth to get the dryness out. He looked up towards the air vent and frowned.

Cold.

All of a sudden he realized where he was and turned towards the bed in front of him. Brian stared at him with the eyebrow raised. Justin threw the blanket off and went over to him. A hand rested on the soft spot where his elbow met his upper arm.

“How you feeling?” he whispered, afraid to speak any louder. He wasn’t sure if he could keep his voice steady.

Brian didn’t do anything for a long moment and then finally gave a very small nod. Justin reached up and ran his palm over Brian’s bandage. He traced a line all the way to Brian’s throat. His hand rested there as he asked, “Has the doctor talked to you? Do you know what’s going on?”

Again Brian gave a strained nod. Justin guessed the muscles and nerves controlling his neck were a bit damaged also. Brian suddenly reached up and pressed his fingers to Justin’s lips. Justin smiled and leaned down. His lips brushed over Brian’s but Brian didn’t kiss back. Justin stayed there for a moment and closed his eyes, just feeling Brian’s lips against his was enough. Even if Brian wasn’t able to kiss him back.

“Did you feel that?” he asked.

Justin tilted his head and studied Brian’s eyes. He suddenly understood what the expression “you could see it in his eyes” meant. Even if Brian wasn’t able to smile…Justin could still see it. “You’ll be good as new in a couple months. In time for graduation probably.”

Brian reached over and scratched Justin’s wrist a bit and looked away.

Justin pushed back his tears, “Is there anything you want me to do? Can I do anything?”.

Brian adjusted so he could stare up at the ceiling. Justin reached out to grab his hand but pulled back when the door opened and his mother came walking in.

“Mom? What are you doing here?”

She shook her head. “I’m here to bring Brian’s insurance card and then take you to school.”

“I’m not going to school, Mom.”

“Oh yes you are. You’re going to go to school and then you’re going to come home and we’re going to talk about all of this.”

Brian turned a bit in his bed, suddenly listening.

Justin was disgusted as he pointed over at Brian. “Do you even fucking care? Look at him. He’s lost his fucking ability to talk for Christ’s sake. Are you crazy?”

Jennifer withdrew a bit. “Don’t talk to me like that. I’m your mother. And Justin I’ve already lost one family. I’ll be damned if I let another one slip out of my hands this easily.”

“You monster!” Justin backed away towards Brian.

Jennifer’s face softened. “Justin what happened last night was an accident.” She looked over at Brian. “Honey I’m sorry. Your father feels terrible. He’s coming over here right after work today. He keeps blaming himself--”

“Well he should!” Justin yelled. “He did it!”

Brian suddenly reached out and tugged on Justin’s shirt tail. Justin fell back against the bed and stared down at Brian. “Christ don’t tell me you’re siding with them? You’re the one with your jaw completely jacked up!” Justin was slowly becoming hysterical.

Jennifer started to cry softly. “Justin I can’t lose another one. Can’t we make this work? Please?”.

Justin pulled his eyes away from Brian and looked over at his mother. “No, Mother. We cannot make this work. He’s an abusive bastard and what if it had been me? You wouldn’t be so nonchalant now would you?”

Jennifer’s tears increased, her body shaking with her sobs. “Why does this happen to me?”

Justin snorted. “You. How could you be thinking about you?”

Her eyes widened and she suddenly realized how insensitive she’d been. She walked over to the boys and placed a shaky hand on Justin’s shoulder, another one on Brian’s. “I’m so sorry.” She looked at Brian. “For everything. I didn’t know things would go that far…Justin I…I’m trying to accept you. I’m trying to understand you.”

Jennifer’s hand fell to the bed and Brian reached over for Justin’s. He placed it on top of Jennifer’s and stared up into Justin’s eyes. They were silent for a moment and then Justin nodded.

~~

For the next couple weeks Justin’s life passed by in slow motion. It took almost a week for the full restraining order on Jack to push through. Jennifer went to talk to Brian’s mom and found out she had sole custody of both kids. Joan gave legal guardianship to Jennifer until Brian was better and able to graduate.

Jack was taken in for several different charges of abuse and battery. He had a good lawyer and was able to avoid jail-time. Surprisingly he caused no trouble for Justin or Jennifer. He sank away like the ashamed rat that he was. He wanted everything to be low key. He couldn’t afford to lose his new promotion at work.

Justin was put on home-bound and was sent his work from school. He was tutored for 5 hours on Fridays. It’d been two weeks since Brian had been hospitalized and he was finally coming home. It was a rainy Saturday night and Daphne and Justin picked him up from the hospital.

He’d done a bit of physical therapy and was now able to move his neck and head fully. The only “dead spots” as the doctors liked to put it where his jaw and mouth. Amazingly his tongue worked. A couple days before Brian had written Justin a little note explaining how to open Brian’s mouth without hurting him. Justin had rolled his eyes and done so.

The instructions then called for Justin to kiss him so he did. Yes. Brian’s tongue worked perfectly. He was in good spirits which surprised both Justin and Brian’s mom. The woman had visited the hospital a bit and spent countless hours telling Justin about Brian’s childhood. Brian laid helpless on the bed, not able to defend himself.

Yes.

Brian Kinney had problems with wetting the bed.

Daphne spent the entire drive from the hospital to the Taylor residence explaining why she thought this was the funniest thing since America’s Funniest Home Videos first premiered. Justin had opted for the backseat with Brian and once again Daphne used each red light to spy on the two in her mirror. She rolled her eyes at them. They just sat on opposite sides of the car staring at each other.

It was so very gay.

Brian was greeted with the smell of Jennifer’s delicious potato soup and a small, tentative hug from her. He patted her shoulder and let Justin push him towards the stairs. Jennifer called after them, “Justin. Remember what we talked about. Not yet.”. Brian raised an eyebrow and Justin explained as they made their way upstairs.

“She needs more time to get used to the idea of you and I.”

Brian snorted. You and I?

Justin opened Brian’s bedroom door and set his bag down on the floor. “Don’t give me that.”

Justin frowned as he watched Brian go through his usual struggle to swallow. He was getting better at it. When he’d mastered it he’d gotten a sucker. This wasn’t very much incentive seeing as he couldn’t actually eat it. He’d mastered opening his mouth wide enough for a spoon. He was so fucking tired of soup and pudding.

Therapy was good though. Nurse Shanks had told him to think up a goal word and write it down. After they’d re-trained his jaw muscles they’d use that word first to practice with. He wrote it down slowly.

Nurse Shanks had made him choose another word.

Justin crossed his arms and smiled over at Brian sitting on the bed. Brian looked over at him.

“Ok.” Justin crossed the room and stood in front of Brian. Brian spread his legs and pulled Justin down in his lap. Justin sighed and played with the fine hairs at the nape of Brian’s neck for awhile.

Finally Jennifer called for them to come down to dinner and they stood up slowly. Brian grabbed Justin’s side as he stood up and Justin looked up at him, smiling.

“What?”

Brian fell back against the bed, his body convulsing. Justin cried out for his mother as Brian’s eyes rolled back in his head.

~~

At the hospital that night the doctor explained that the seizures were harmless. He’d be put on a small dosage of medicine for epilepsy and that would be that. They’d go away within a couple months.

Something changed in Brian that night. Justin noticed it in Brian’s walk as they made their way to Jennifer’s car. A couple hours ago he’d been so happy to be out of the hospital and now he just seemed listless as he crawled into the backseat. Justin started to crawl in with him but was stopped by Brian’s hand on his wrist and his head shaking.

Justin frowned, not understanding why. Brian, of course, couldn’t open his mouth to explain it so Justin slumped against the front seat and slowly pulled his hand away from his mother’s when she tried to pat it.

That night Justin had gotten out of bed slowly and taken the familiar route to Brian’s room. He turned the handle and heard a click. The door was locked. Justin closed his eyes and whispered lightly, “Brian. It’s me. You’ve accidentally locked your door. I can’t get in.”

He stood there for a good ten minutes before he crossed the hall again and crawled back into bed. The next morning he came downstairs fully dressed, his backpack pulled over his shoulder. Jennifer looked up from the kitchen table. She set her coffee down.

“Justin, where are you going?”

“School,” he replied, going to the fridge for a yogurt.

“You can’t. You have to stay home and watch Brian this morning. Nurse Shanks won’t be here until early afternoon.”

Justin turned, “I have to go back to school. Remember? You told me so just last week.”

Jennifer stood up and grabbed her purse, “Tomorrow. You can go back tomorrow.” She went over to him and kissed the top of his head before going to the door. She called over her shoulder, “Give him a little bit of slack, Justin. This isn’t easy for him.”

Justin nodded and shrugged his backpack off. After his mother left he sat down on the couch and munched on a bag of chips. The cartoon network had a Powerpuff Girls marathon that he figured could keep him occupied for most of the day. A couple hours in, Brian sat down beside him on the couch, moving Justin’s feet out of the way and then placing them in his lap.

Justin didn’t even look over as he offered the bag of chips to Brian. Brian pinched Justin’s ankle, causing him to yelp and laugh.

“Oh yeah. I forgot. There’s some yogurt in there if you’re hungry,” Justin laughed before turning back to his TV program.

Brian settled in on the couch and started rubbing Justin’s ankle lightly. He pulled off the sock and massaged over the arch of Justin’s foot. Justin closed his eyes, his breathing shallowing out. Brian’s mouth tried to twitch into a satisfied smile. He got about half-way before his muscles gave out. He reached over and pulled the remote control off of Justin’s chest, flipping around through the channels until he found the pay per view channels. He glanced over to make sure Justin’s eyes were still shut.

What did Justin say the porn channels were? 526? He punched in the number. His eyes widened and Justin’s opened.

“Oh God, Brian!” Justin leaned up and pulled the remote out of his hand. Brian tried to turn away from the lesbians on screen.

Justin turned the TV off and tilted his head at Brian. “If you wanted to change the channel so you could watch lesbian porn I would have let you. You didn’t have to seduce my feet you sick fuck.”

Brian turned on the couch and gave Justin a bored stare. Justin licked his lips and pushed his bangs off of his face as he pulled his feet out of Brian’s lap and sat up beside him. He patted Brian’s thigh and stood up. Brian’s hand grabbed Justin’s wrist and Justin turned to stare down at him.

“Hungry?”

Brian nodded and pulled Justin down onto his lap. Justin patted his shoulder. “I’m sorry but you’re going to have to eat something else. I’m not letting Nurse Shanks find your dick in my mouth. Incest isn’t always best, Brian.”

Justin stared down at Brian, his knees on either side of the older boy. Justin’s hand slipped from Brian’s shoulder. He ran his fingers over the tight bicep and strong forearm, his hand finally resting on top of Brian’s at Brian’s side.

Justin swallowed. Just a few months ago Brian was the boy he stared at in class and in the halls. Now not only was he his stepbrother but he was also turning into Justin’s first love. He dipped his head down and pressed soft lips against Brian’s neck as Brian tilted his head to give him access.

Justin whispered against the now wet skin. “Are you still planning on leaving me for Chicago?”

Brian reached around, his hands pushing Justin’s shirt up.

Justin continued. “Are you still planning on leaving me behind?”

Brian’s fingers rubbed up under the shirt, over Justin’s forming muscles at his shoulder blades.

Justin placed a soft kiss on Brian’s neck. “Are you still planning on trying to forget me?” He leaned back and looked down at Brian. “Because it’s not going to work. You’re just going to be wasting your time.”

The doorbell rang and Justin patted Brian’s shoulder again before crawling off of his lap to go let Nurse Shanks in.

~~

The next day Justin returned to school with a big smile on his face. He ran up behind Daphne and slapped her butt playfully. She slammed her locker door and turned around glaring. Her face softened when she saw Justin’s smiling face and then she glared again.

“Don’t do that! I was about to tear you up!”

Justin nodded and said sarcastically, “Oh I’m sure. Now, guess what?”

Daphne rolled her eyes and sighed, “What?”

“Brian said his first word last night!”

“Holy shit that’s great!” They started walking towards Daphne’s first period. “What was it?”

Justin frowned. “Well. We’re not altogether sure. I wasn’t there when he first said it but later when he tried to repeat it for me it kind of sounded like Fu grass. I think he was trying to say You ass because I’d pinched his cheek and told him in a cute baby voice to say his first word again.”

“It could have been fu grass. You never know.” Daphne squeezed Justin’s arm and opened her classroom door. “You need a ride home today?”

Justin nodded, “That’d be great, Daph. Thanks.”

~~

“Cynthia can you send Justin in?” Brian leaned back in his chair and set his phone down. He waited patiently until there was a small knock at his door and Justin came in with a worried look on his face. Before he had the door fully closed he started rambling.

“I know what you’re going to say. Getting those boards done for the Jones account should come before that extra class I’ve picked up but if I do well in this class I’ll be able to graduate early and then I can focus all of my attention on the Jones account and any other account you have me working on--”

“What the fuck are you talking about?” Brian frowned, standing up and coming around his desk to lean against it.

Justin shook his head, “Isn’t that why you wanted me? Gardner said you were in a pissy mood this morning and you left before I woke up so I thought--”

“Well you thought wrong.”

“Then what the fuck do you want, Brian? I have work to do.”

Brian smiled, “Come here.”

Justin rolled his eyes and pushed a chair out of his way as he crossed the room. Brian wrapped his arms around the smaller man’s lower back and squeezed tightly.

“Mom called this morning. Wanted to thank you for helping me get this job.” Justin smiled softly and shook his bangs out of his eyes.

Brian laughed, “Did you tell her how far you’d let your hair grown out? That it’s at your shoulders now?”

“Nah. She already hates that we’re in New York anyway. If she knew about my hair she’d probably come up here and pull her sons home by their ears.”

Brian continued to smile softly as he dipped down and pressed his lips against Justin’s. They’d kissed many times in this office, kissed and done more, even before Justin had started working in the art department. Brian’s hands ran over Justin’s soft sweater and he let his tongue slide into Justin’s mouth.

Justin pulled back suddenly, “Oh! Shit, I left the glue gun on.”

“Fuck it,” Brian tried to lean in again.

Justin pushed at his chest, “No, Brian. Remember what happened last time?”

Brian pretended to be in deep thought as he stared up at the ceiling. “Yeah I remember. I had two orgasms.”

Justin slapped his chest. “And John was rushed to the hospital! Someone could get hurt--mmm.”

Brian’s lips slid against his and Justin smiled into the kiss, whimpering lightly as he felt his sweater being pushed up, inch by inch.

“Brian! Do you want me to pack that black sweater that Mom got you last Christmas?” Justin holds the sweater up to the sunlight from the bedroom window and tilts his head.

Brian walks in, munching on an apple. He sneers. “I hate that sweater. It’s itchy.”

Justin nods. “I know but come on. If you wear it while we’re down there she’ll think you wear it all the time. It will make her happy.”

Brian shrugs and doesn’t say anything when Justin folds it neatly into their suitcase. Justin’s hair falls out from behind his ear. He’s let it grow long and flat over his shoulders. The first time he’d pulled it into a ponytail Brian felt something inside himself die. It took him months to get used to it and now he finally was. Seeing Justin’s elastic hair bands on the bathroom sink no longer freaked him out.

Brian had challenged it many times though. Often trying to make bets. If I make you come five times tonight you have to cut your hair.

So far nothing had worked and by now Brian has given up. He sits down on the bed and reaches over for Justin’s wrist, pulling him down beside him. He nudges his nose at Justin’s.

“Hey.”

Justin smiles and takes the apple out of Brian’s hand, taking a small bite of it. “Hey yourself,” he says with his mouth full. A bit of juice slips down the side of his mouth and Brian leans over, licking at it.

Things are good.

Really good.

Justin pushes Brian back towards the bed, letting some of his weight fall on Brian’s chest as he dips back down to press their lips together. They kiss for awhile, their lips swelling and reddening. Finally Justin pulls back and sighs, rolling over onto his back beside Brian on the bed.

“Did you tell Michael you were going to be in town for the weekend?” Justin asks, staring up at the ceiling.

“Yeah. I called him last night.”

The refrigerator kicks in downstairs and they can hear the light buzz. Justin sighs in contentment. He loves this house. They’d bought it a few months back. It’s right outside of the city and perfect really.

Things are good.

Really good.

But really…they kind of aren’t.

~~

On the ride down Justin is quiet and Brian’s full concentration is on the road. Justin doesn’t really know how they got this way. Every morning they have the same ritual. They shower, have coffee, eat a bagel, go to work. Every evening they have the same ritual. Come home from work, eat dinner, watch some tv, fuck, go to sleep.

They’re bored.

But they’re happy. With each other anyway.

Justin cranes his neck and looks over at Brian in the driver’s seat. He reaches over and takes Brian’s hand.

“You remember what we were talking about the other night?”

Brian nods.

Justin pauses and then continues. “I think we should see other people.”

Pause.

Brian raises his eyebrow but doesn’t take his eyes off of the road.

“I mean…we should…have some time to ourselves…go out again…clubbing…and stuff. We’re just in our early twenties and we’re acting like an old married couple.”

Brian laughs and looks over at Justin smiling, “It’s just these last few months that we’ve gotten this way. Been so busy with work.”

Justin nods. “Yeah. But it’s been months since we’ve been to the clubs and--”

Brian’s cell phone rings.

It’s work.

~~

When they arrive at Jennifer’s they don’t say much as they get out of the car and grab their bags. Jennifer opens the door before they can even get to the porch. She covers her heart with her hand and she’s beaming.

“My boys!” She hugs Brian first, kissing his cheek and leaving a light pink lipstick stain. He smiles and hugs her tightly back.

She sloppily kisses Justin’s ear and then pulls back, her hand tugging a bit on Justin’s ponytail.

“What is this?” she asks.

Justin looks at Brian with pleading eyes and Brian smiles softly before going on inside. He can hear Justin trying to explain how he needed a change to his mother. He looks around the foyer and he crosses his arms after setting his bags down.

They come home a couple weekends a year and for Christmas. But each time Brian is kind of amazed at how much the house hasn’t changed. It always brings back a lot of memories. Good. And bad.

~~

Justin comes out of his bathroom and sits down on his bed, looking around his room. The familiar oldies are turned on downstairs and Brian sits down on his bed across the hall in his room. They stare at each other and they both smile softly. Jennifer used to crank up her music while she cooked dinner and it’s kind of nice that that hasn’t changed.

Brian hollers across the hall from his room, “Come here!”.

“You come here!” Justin shakes his head.

They both shrug and settle in further to their pillows. There’s a long pause.

“I’m really tired,” Justin says.

Brian nods, “Me too.”

Brian falls asleep first. He’s snoring lightly when Jennifer comes upstairs and watches him for a moment before entering Justin’s room and sitting down on the bed beside him. She reaches out and pulls his pony tail out, running her fingers lightly through the soft hair.

“You two seem to be doing really good,” she whispers.

Justin nods and looks up at her with sleepy eyes. “We are.”

She leans down and kisses his forehead. “I’ll put your dinner in the fridge. Tell Brian when he wakes up he can come down and get it when he wants to.”

She leaves and he listens as she goes to her room.

A few minutes later Justin gets up slowly and pads over to Brian’s room. Instinctively he takes the familiar route on the boards, knowing which ones squeak and which ones don’t. This time he doesn’t close Brian’s door behind him. There’s really nothing left to hide anymore.

He crawls in behind Brian and presses a small kiss to Brian’s neck before closing his eyes.

It started happening a few years after the “fight”. Brian would go to open his mouth and say something and the words wouldn’t come. His jaw would lock as if the muscles he’d spent months retraining had forgotten what they’d learned. Justin had grown not to regret the actual act of it, but what happened afterwards. With each time came the memories of why. Brian was reminded of the father who’d bashed his head in. The father who’d never called. The father who was never there.

“Mom’s cooking just gets better with each visit doesn’t it?” Justin asked, his long hair falling across Brian’s bare chest as his cheek rested against the warm skin above Brian’s belly button. A single syllable escaped Brian’s mouth before the room was completely silent. Justin frowned and set up in bed. Brian’s jaw was locked with his lips parted ever so slightly. Justin looked away with tears in his eyes. Brian grunted and then reached over to turn out Justin’s old lamp. The ancient bed squeaked beneath his movements and when he turned back to Justin he was thankful he couldn’t see the tears in Justin’s eyes in the dark.

Justin leaned over and placed a small kiss on Brian’s stiff mouth. And then on his chin, his warm cheek, the tip of his nose. Justin rolled onto his side and pressed his back against Brian’s chest. Brian’s hand slid down Justin’s stomach and found Justin’s small hand. Their fingers laced together and Brian pressed his nose into Justin’s long, buttery locks.

Downstairs Jennifer was pulling pots and pans out of the dish washer and throwing them in the cabinet. It was a familiar sound to both of them. A few minutes later Brian’s jaw unlocked and he licked his lips. Justin’s breathing had slowed as he’d fallen asleep so Brian tried not to wake him as he placed small kiss on his shoulder and neck. A bit of Justin’s hair got caught in his mouth and he just spit it out as he was used to doing.

The hope was that Jennifer would make him cut it during this trip. No such luck. After Jennifer had complained for the entire first day it had started to grow on her and now she was playing with it and combing her fingers through it every time Justin walked into the room.

The next morning Brian didn’t say anything as they packed. He didn’t say anything during the shower. Or the blowjob. Or even when they left. His goodbye was a kiss on Jennifer’s cheek and a squeeze around her waist. Finally about two hours into their drive home Brian asked Justin if he wanted to stop for breakfast. Justin sighed with relief and then reached over for Brian’s hand.

“That would be great, Brian.”