Brian was the first to awaken. Curt was dozing close to him and he studied his sleeping face for a long moment. Gently he ran his fingers over his closed eyelids, cheek and lips. Carefully Brian pulled away from him and sat on the edge of the bed. He stretched his arms high above his head and waited for his eyes to come into focus. The room was quite a mess after their heated enterprise. Their clothes were thrown all over the floor along with the several boxes of dye. Brian stood and reached for his white pants, languidly slipping them on. It was then that he noticed what looked like a small case halfway sticking out of the breast pocket of Curt's leather jacket.
Curious, Brian walked over and picked the jacket up. The small plastic case fell out and Brian's heart instantly sank. He picked up the container and looked inside. Safe inside the clear plastic were two small syringes, two needles and two small packets of a yellowish brown subsistence. Brian wanted to cry. Curt has sworn to him that he was off heroin. Anger and betrayal was flowing through his veins like rip current. He walked over to Curt's still sleeping form and violently shoved him.
"Curt," he yelled.
Curt instantly stirred and groggily opened his eyes.
"Wh-What?"
"What the fuck is this?!" Brian screamed at him.
He could see Curt's face pale as he looked at the small container Brian was holding in this slender hand.
"Brian . . ." he began to explain.
"No," Brian interrupted. "I sick of hearing this shit from you. You told me you were off it!"
"You don't understand," Curt said getting out of the bed. "I have been off it."
"Then what the hell are you doing with this?!" Brian shouted.
"Would you lower your fuckin' voice," Curt asked roughly as he picked up and slid on his pants. "And let me talk."
Brian was too fuming at the moment to think of anything else to say so he waited to hear Curt's explanation.
"I swear I have been off the stuff for almost a month now," Curt said. "I just brought a little along for a small hit."
"Like what?" Brian asked. "Like a reward? You're willing to throw a month of being clear down the fuckin' toilet just for another hit? And that doesn't look like a fuckin' small amount to me!"
"It's not all for me," Curt defended. "I. . . I brought some for you."
Brian was speechless.
"I thought you could do it with me," he added.
"Have you lost your bloody mind?" Curt said loudly. "What the hell makes you think I would want any of that shit anyway?"
"I don't know man," Curt said. "I just wanted to share some of this with you. It's not like this little amount is gonna hurt you. . . have you ever tried it?"
Brian shook his head.
"No."
"It's like nothing you've ever had before man," he said. "It's amazing."
"I don't care."
"Listen to me," Curt began softly. "I wouldn't have brought if I knew you were gonna react this way. I brought it for you, for us, so that you could try it. It's only a little amount Brian, it's not gonna hurt you."
"No Curt, I don't want to become dependent."
"You won't."
"How do you know?" Brian questioned. "How do you know that this won't trigger my past addiction?"
Brian looked away. He had confided in Curt a while ago that when he was in high school he'd had a problem with cocaine but he'd managed to kick it after a painstakingly long process. He'd had a horrible trip where he saw himself older in a rundown motel room with a nameless lover at his side surrounded by piles of cocaine. Everyone was angry with him, even people he'd never known. He did not want to end up like that.
"I won't let that happen Brain," Curt said. "I swear."
Brain looked back up at him. As much as he wanted to deny it, there was no point. He wanted to try it, he'd wanted to try it for as long as he could remember. Curt was looking at him with gentle and trusting eyes now. I won't let that happen. He wanted to yell back at him, "How can you swear Curt? You're not God you know." However his lips formed much different words.
"All right."
The words were a sigh.
Curt's green eyes were smiling, but his mouth remained placid. Brain watched as Curt carefully took the small case from Brain's limp grip. Curt walked over to where his thin leather belt had been discarded and picked it up.
"Come here," Curt said as he sat down on the plush carpet of the bedroom and folded his legs. Brain slowly went and sat at his side. Curt reached back and pulled a small silver lighter out of his jacket which was lying beside him. Curt cursed suddenly and went into the tiny kitchen in the room. Brain watched as he rummaged around and eventually returned to him with a small spoon.
With eyes wide like an innocent youth, Brain watched as Curt went to work. He opened the packet and shook its brownish contents into the spoon along with what looked like water. Using the blunt end of a pin he stirred its contents until it was a smooth liquid. Curt willed a tiny flame from his lighter and held it under the metal, watching like a mother watches her child as the precious liquid began to bubble and turn light brown. It only took a few moments before he used his free hand to place the needle on the syringe a greedily suck the drug up into it.
Curt looked closely at Brain.
"You want it first?"
Brain swallowed. He couldn't believe this was happening. He could not fathom that he was going to do this, especially when he knew full and well how dangerous this could become. But it was only one hit right? What harm could one hit really do?
"Yeah."
"You're sure?"
Brain was a little taken back. It seemed Curt really did want him to do this willingly.
"Yeah," he whispered again.
Curt nodded slightly and slid closer to Brian on the floor. He reached forward and wrapped his belt around Brain's thin arm several times and then gave it one harsh pull until it was good and tight. Brain's eyes never wavered from Curt as he quickly slapped his arm forcing Brain's veins to make their presence known to him. Curt looked deep into Brain's eyes searching for a sign of rejection and, upon finding none, put the needle through Brain's skin and into his prominent vein.
Brain winced as he felt the sharp intrusion. Slowly, Curt began to empty the drug into him and Brain almost immediately began to feel himself sway back and forth with the new feeling swimming inside him. Brain thought he heard Curt's voice asking him if he was okay but he was unable to make any type of intelligent response.
Curt smiled slightly and removed the belt from his arm. Brain drowsily watched as Curt repeated the entire process for himself. It wasn't long before Curt had his belt wrapped around his own arm and soon he injected that same intoxicating drug into his own system. Almost before it truly happened, Curt lapsed back into the familiar swoon.
Curt closed his eyes but after what seemed like only a few seconds, reopened them when he felt Brain trying to crawl into his lap. Without saying anything Curt locked his arm around Brain's back and leaned back onto the thick floor. Once Curt felt his back come into contact with the loving carpet Brain snaked his arm around to rest on his neck and snuggled into his chest, listening to the sound of his heart as it kept its rhythm.
The two of them remained silent cuddled together on the floor and let the euphoria flow through their bodies in languid waves. Every now and then Brain would moan softly and Curt's arms would lock around him a little tighter. They lay on the floor and fell into a near dream-like state, but after about a half an hour, Curt could feel himself coming down from his plateau.
Brain's body was not used to the drug, thus his pleasure lasted longer than did Curt's. However, Curt waited patiently for him, idly stroking his soft hair and watching as his eyes twitched and struggled between opening or remaining closed. He leaned down and kissed him on his smooth lips and he felt the mindless response.
Around two hours later, everything had been modified. Their hair had been cleaned and changed drastically. Curt's hair was now a harsh blond, which gave him an almost feline-like appearance. Brain's was a deep blue which made his lovely eyes seem all the more exquisite. Curt had put his loose shirt on again but Brain was still only clad in his white pants.
"Oh," Brain suddenly said. "I almost forgot. I've got something I want you to have."
Curt regarded him as he reached for his suitcase that he opened after placing it on the bed. After looking around for a little he found what he was looking for. He opened a small velvet box, removed a tiny object and walked back over to his paramour. Curt followed Brain's thin fingers as they placed a small green pin on his oversized shirt.
"Curt, a man's life is his image."
Curt looked down and examined the pin before he looked back up at Brain. His hand reached out and gently touched the side of his face, drawing him in so that he could kiss him chastely on the cheek. Concurrently their arms went out and embraced the other warmly, hearts pressed together, as time stood still.
The End.