The first thing that caught Justin's attention when he walked back into his apartment was the small in the air. Closing the door, he followed the unmistakable aroma of pizza inside until he found Ethan standing in the kitchen.

"Hey!" The young musician exclaimed upon seeing him. "I was starting to wonder where you were."

"I had some stuff to do after class," Justin explained as he walked towards him. "What's this for?"

"Well, I know it's not much at all," he began. "Especially in light of everything you're doing for me, but it's something at least."

"Ethan, you shouldn't have," Justin said, smiling softly. "Not with the way things are right now."

"I couldn't help it," Ethan insisted. "I had to do something for you, to show my eternal gratitude."

Justin lowered his work onto the floor and placed his hands on the counter.

"Well come eat, before it gets cold."

The artist moved to sit across from Ethan, taking note that his stomach began to grumble as he inhaled the smell more closely.

"I knew you were hungry," Ethan said as he sliced the pizza. "You've got the metabolism of a freakin' gerbil."

Justin laughed as he took a piece and pulled it up to his mouth.

"Oh my God," Justin proclaimed. "It's really, really good."

"Jesus, you're acting like you haven't eaten all day," Ethan smirked.

"Yeah, it's strange. I went to - "

Justin stopped mid-sentence as he realized that he and Brian had never ordered anything. They had been so engrossed with one another that they had seemingly forgotten their hunger.

"What?"

Justin focused his eyes.

"Nothing," he lied. "I guess I'm just kinda out of it."

"Rough day?"

"You could say that."

Justin finished his sentence and took a large gulp of the soda Ethan had poured for him in a nearby glass.

"Are you going to go back to school?"

Ethan waited a moment before he shrugged his shoulders.

"I hope so," he said earnestly. "I talked to my instructor when I got back and I'm due in class in about two weeks. Finding a place to stay is really my top priority though. I've been playing on the streets since I got home. Made about 250 bucks so far, and I've sill got my scholarship so I don't need to worry about that."

"That's good," Justin responded with honest eyes. "You got too much talent for it to go to waste. Did you have any luck finding a place to rent today?"

"One," he answered. "Just a little ways up the road from here. That may be the only place I can get so I'm going to keep my eye on it but continue looking. It's really, really not that great of a place."

"That's OK," Justin immediately assured him. "I told you, you can stay here as long as you need."

Ethan smiled again and suddenly motioned to the corner of his mouth with his hand.

"You've got a little . . ."

When Justin attempted to wipe away the wayward sauce near his mouth, Ethan moved from his stool and softly brushed it away with a napkin. Justin flinched slightly at the sudden contact but held still when the dark eyed boy clasped the side of his face and stoked his cheek with a gentle movement of his thumb.

"I really am grateful for this Justin," he breathed.

The blonde's eyes widened slightly and he felt his heart rate increase.

"I've missed being around you," he softly continued. "I've missed you."

As he whispered the last word, Ethan moved in and pressed his lips to Justin's cheek. Justin closed his eyes against the contact and when Ethan slowly kissed his way to his mouth, he sighed. He knew it was wrong. He didn't have these feelings towards him anymore, as Ethan obviously still had towards him. But he couldn't pull away. It seemed like an eternity had passed since someone had last touched him like this, and the mishap with Brian had only made it worse. He kept telling himself to push him away, to tell Ethan that there was no chance of them ever getting back together, but he felt so devoid of human contact, so vulnerable.

When Ethan found his lips, he opened his mouth.

Justin slid his hands up to Ethan's shoulders and pushed him back.

"Ethan . . ."

"What is it?"

In his mind Justin screamed at him to stop. This will never work. He didn't want this. But instead, his eyes filled with tears and Ethan moved to kiss away the salty drops.

"Shhh," he soothed. "It's all right, don't cry . . . I'm here."

Justin swallowed and slid his arms around his neck. Ethan's hands went to the small of his back and the two men moved across the room until Justin felt the mattress under his back. Their bodies were pressed together as if glued and their hair gave off a magnificent contrast. Justin felt himself fall apart under his fingers as Ethan's slid his hands under his shirt and caressed the smooth skin beneath, keeping their lips connected as Justin ran his right hand into his hair.

When the musician moved to remove his shirt, Justin raised his arms and then pulled him back almost in desperation. The cloth of Ethan's shirt tickled his bare chest and with a quick nudge he urged him out of his own clothes. Looking back up into his eyes, he was startled to see the familiar hazel instead of black. Skin against skin he felt Brian.

Tasted him on his mouth.

Sighed under his touch.

Fingers locked he pulled him close, wanting every fraction of the long, slender body against him, inside him. Brian's breath on his neck, lips at his back, arms pressed against his. When he came he felt himself caught between screaming and crying. Everything felt so right, so wondrously normal.

Lying back, he rested his ear against Brian's chest and closed his eyes, listening to the frantic beat of his heart. Brian's arms were around him; holding him; keeping him.

"Are you OK?"

Justin opened his eyes. It wasn't Brian's voice.

Not Brian's voice.

He lacked the ability to meet the midnight. He wanted the desert sand.

Justin slid his arm tight around Ethan's waist and hoped that he would take that for an answer, regardless of its true meaning. Justin closed his eyes again and concentrated.

Teasing lips.

Seductive eyes.

Tapered fingers.

Elegant neck.

He closed his eyes and felt Brian nuzzle into his hair to sleep.

To be continued.