Plunkett Civic Center - Downtown Pittsburgh - 7:15 p.m.
Debbie pulled back the heavy, maroon velour curtain at the side of the backstage area to peer out at the packed audience sitting in their seats that encircled the dancing arena; the entire room was abuzz with a hum of excitement as everyone waited impatiently for the start of the benefit. Some were fanning themselves with their programs in the surprising humidity, others were scooting sideways toward the mid-row seats to take a seat, while others were murmuring animatedly to themselves. It was a varied patchwork of culture - some dressed in fancy duds, some in casual wear; others obvious drag queens adorned in their glittering spandex and outrageously high, curly wigs and heavy makeup. She was elated at the turnout, however; she knew the packed auditorium would mean a lot of money being funneled into Vic's House, a fact that made her extremely pleased.
"How's it looking, Debbie?" Ben, the emcee, asked her; as a gay male with HIV, as well as her son's partner, he seemed the perfect choice to be the host for the evening's activities. "Good crowd?"
Debbie nodded as she closed the curtain back and turned to face him with a huge smile on her face. "Good? It's fucking incredible!" she raved as Ben nodded back at her. "Not a vacant seat in the place!"
"That's great!" he exclaimed, happy for her and for Michael; he knew how much this event meant to both of them. "I'm sure Michael wished he could be here tonight."
Debbie nodded. "I know. But I always taught him to be responsible to his obligations, and he couldn't have known it would turn out to be the same day as the fantasy and sci fi convention."
Ben nodded; Michael would have moved heaven and earth to be here; but the convention, being held in Cleveland, was the Midwest's premier event, and it had cost him hundreds of dollars in exhibition fees to be a part of it. With his mother's and Ben's reassurance that Vic would understand, he had finally decided to honor his obligation and attend the weekend event, but only after promising to commit 25% of his total profits toward the Vic Grassi House.
"Well, I'll make sure to tell him what a big success it was when I talk to him later tonight," Ben informed her as he walked up to her. "Are all the contestants here now?"
Debbie nodded; she had done a count herself about fifteen minutes ago, and had determined that all twelve participants were here and quickly getting into costume for the first number - the quick step. "Yeah. The first pair is dressed and ready to go. I'm about to go check on all the others, though." Her eyes lit up with excitement. "It's going to mean so much to Vic's House, Ben! Isn't it wonderful?" For once, she didn't feel that heavy weight in her stomach, that guilt she had been carrying around for so long about not being here when Vic died. Tonight, she felt nothing but satisfaction over the fact that she could do so much good for the men currently residing there.
"Yes, Debbie, it's great," Ben agreed as he clamped his hand on her shoulder. "It truly is."
She nodded. "You look great yourself, Honey," she complimented him on his dapper appearance in traditional black tux, white shirt and black tie. "Thanks for doing this tonight."
Ben smiled at her affectionately. "Anytime, Deb; I was happy to do it. Now if you'll excuse me, I'd better get ready for the show."
She nodded before rushing off to check on everyone participating. It was going to be a magical night.
"Brian, come and help me get this damn outfit zipped up," Justin groused from inside the closed door of the bathroom; Brian had found it quite amusing a few minutes ago when Justin had modestly decided to get dressed in the adjacent bathroom, away from his prying eyes. He had found it both charming as well as incredibly nerve-wracking to think about a naked Justin just a few feet away, but never one to go back on his word he had gritted his teeth and remained in the other room as Justin had shimmied into his tight-fitting outfit.
"I'm coming," Brian called out; smirking at the irony. If only...He knocked on the door a couple of times, getting a 'come on in' reply from Justin as he turned the doorknob to enter.
Justin turned around as Brian entered and his mouth fell open as he observed Brian only half-dressed in his costume; thankfully, though, the man's lower region was covered. It didn't hide the prominent bulge, however, that was hidden beneath the tight fabric as he gazed at Justin appreciatively and whistled. "Very hot," he raved, his voice husky with desire as Justin blushed.
"I...I thought you were already dressed," he sputtered out, unable to take his eyes away from the bare, bronze-colored skin of Brian's toned chest. Brian had to be the most glorious man he had ever seen, including even Drew Boyd. Oh, Boyd was handsome, rugged, and very muscular - that much was certain - but he didn't convey the same confidence, swagger, and just outright sex appeal that Brian did. And the more they were together, the more Justin was learning about this complex man who was not exactly as he appeared. In fact, he was coming to the realization that he was falling in love with Brian. The thought both terrified and excited him, because after tonight he had no idea where they would stand. Would Brian expect him to put out now that the dance was over? And once he did - and God knows it was all he could think about anymore - would he just dump him and move onto the next conquest? Only time would tell. For now, however, all he could think about was getting through the next several hours and hopefully winning the competition so he would be able to start attending PIFA. He had to concentrate on that. After it was over, though, he and Brian needed to have an important talk.
"I'm dressed enough," Brian replied in a velvety tone of voice as he smirked at Justin's reaction. "Let me see what I can do with the zipper," he implored softly as Justin nodded and turned his back to him. He flinched slightly at Brian's warm fingers whispering over his skin as he felt the other man trying to pull the zipper up near the small of his back. He shivered even more, however, as Brian began to slowly pull the zipper upward and whispered hotly in his ear, "This isn't exactly the direction I would have preferred to take this. You look incredible, but I can't wait to see you out of this outfit." His job done, he pressed his back against Justin's and, wrapping his arms tightly around to link them at the other man's waist, he nuzzled the tender flesh of his partner's neck as Justin groaned softly.
"Brian..." he whispered pleadingly as he reached back to brush the back of his hand against his dancing partner's cheek. "You need to finish getting dressed, too; we go on right after Drew and Kenny." God, yes, Justin thought desperately as his heart pounded in reaction, hurry. The sooner, the better.
He could feel Brian's hard-on pressing against his ass as he closed his eyes with desire. He decided the man was deliberately torturing him, and it was definitely working. If Brian could get him to react this way with both of them dressed - well, almost dressed in Brian's case - he could only imagine what it would feel like to have bare skin on bare skin in the throes of passion. Shit. He HAD to get his emotions under control, or he would humiliate himself on the dance floor; not to mention that he wouldn't be able to concentrate at all.
Finally finding the courage, then, to pull away from his partner, he turned to face him, glaring at the all-knowing expression on Brian's face. "PLEASE finish getting dressed, Brian!" he urged as Brian grinned back at him evilly. "You are incorrigible!" he retorted as he stepped backwards to clear some space between them.
Brian's grin only became wider as he finally turned around and advised, "I need help with MY zipper, too, Sunshine."
"I'll go get Debbie, then," Justin replied, only half kidding as he hurried toward the door; he didn't quite get there, however, as a muscular hand wrapped itself around Justin's wrist and yanked him over to his side. "I think you can handle it just fine," he said innocently as he quirked one eyebrow up.
Justin sighed in resignation. "Turn around," he ordered him. "And NO funny stuff."
"Wouldn't think of it," Brian quipped as he felt Justin's fingers at the cleft of his back; how he wished at that moment that somehow the zipper would stick, but the damn thing rebelled as Justin easily slid it up his back and stopped at his neckline. Turning around, he pulled Justin closer by holding onto his upper arms.
"Brian, the music's starting..."
"You don't expect me to go out there in this spandex nightmare without a good luck kiss first?" he asked. "It's common practice before a dance competition."
Justin huffed. "It IS not."
Brian grinned as he pulled him even closer so their bodies were flush against each other. "It is now," he told him huskily, his smile fading into something more intense as his lips gently pressed against his instructor's. It didn't take long for the old familiarity to encompass them as Brian's tongue swept inside and deepened the kiss and Justin's arms wound around his neck to bring them even closer.
Only a loud knocking on their door a minute later caused them to break off the kiss as Debbie yelled, "You're up in five minutes! Shake a leg, boys!"
"We're coming, Deb!" Justin called out as Brian gave him one additional, quick peck on the lips before releasing him.
"You look fabulous, Justin," he whispered to his teacher with a smile. Reaching to take his hand, he told him, "Now let's go knock them dead."
Justin nodded with a smile of his own as the two of them strode hand-in-hand toward the door.