Darry noticed that after the first night, Justin was timid. He didn't like any touching beyond leaning on Darry and quick, frustrating hugs. They were frustrating because the right expression from Justin would give Darry a stiffy and Justin looked scared. Not just startled, Darry had seen that upon his initial displays of more than friendly affection, but frightened. Down to earth scared. Darry could almost understand it since Justin had been through hell and high water and remained amicable for it but he shouldn't be afraid of Darry. Darry was the one person he was supposed to rely on. Darry loved him. Darry didn't want to hurt him. He had but God, he didn't mean for it to hurt that much.

Darry drove to Justin's apartment and knocked. He didn't hear an answer so he went inside.

"Justin?"

Darry surveyed the apartment and realized Justin must be in his room. Probably asleep. Pony had said he'd been having a lot of homework at school. He wondered if that was an excuse or the reason for Justin's sleeping schedule. Justin would fall asleep with his head in Darry's lap. Darry reflected that it might've been a deterrent. He peered in Justin's bedroom and noted his clothes strewn about. An entire outfit minus boxers. Justin's head was buried in a pillow. His knee was still hurting him but his flesh wounds were healing and he'd gotten the stitches removed. He wore an odd metal chain around his neck and he looked more peaceful than Darry had ever seen him. Darry wondered if this was the happy ending they'd been looking for.

"Justin?" Justin opened an eye and hugged the pillow tighter.

"You're supposed to climb in and spoon me before you wake me up. And your tone could use come work." Justin's smirk had returned, unaltered by any stimulants or pain. Darry took his shoes off, tossing his jacket off and stripping to his boxers. It was early to go to sleep but he wondered if Justin's good mood was a feign or a sincere desire for the boxers to be unnecessary shortly.

"You're in a good mood." Darry slid in Justin's bed and hesitated. Justin rolled to face him and gripped his hands, guiding them to rest on his hipbones.

"Can I tell you something that makes me very happy?"

"Of course."

"Promise you won't over react or do anything weird, just listen for a minute."

"Yes." Darry said looking into Justin's eyes. A little timid but still a strange glint of hope and an even stranger euphoria.

"You remember my brother?" Darry's hand immediately tickled Justin's hair. Half blonde half black. Darry was torn between calling it shaggy or a new kind of sexy.

"Yes." Darry implied his distaste and desire for a meeting with said family member in a dark alley through his tone.

"I got a call this morning. He's in the local slammer for armed robbery. They had to use those beater sticks on him." Justin giggled and burrowed into Darry's warm chest.

"Why'd they call you?"

"To see if I'd post bail." Justin laughed.

"What exactly does this mean?" Darry said.

"It means I'm happy and I think I'm beginning to understand who really matters to me."

"I take it that isn't your brother since you aren't posting bail?" Darry said.

"No. You matter. We matter. I'm sorry if I've forgotten that lately."

"You don't have anything to be sorry for. What was going on with you anyway?" Darry asked.

"What are you referring to? The episode of binge drinking or afterwards?"

"Lately. You seemed scared of me." Darry said.

"I wasn't scared of you. I was scared of, being intimate." Justin said. Darry ran his fingers through Justin's hair and sighed.

"But we were intimate that night-"

"I know. I thought I could ignore it but that just made it worse." Justin said.

"Help me understand this since I've never met a guy who was scared like this. What exactly were you of afraid of? We've been intimate plenty of times." Darry said.

"You can't imagine being scared of having sex with me because you've seen how crazy I go without you. I'm assuming most of your experiences with sex have been pleasant. I was scared because I thought we might just be having sex for sex, and that you didn't love me anymore. Oh damn it, I was scared of getting hurt again and you knew it." Justin flushed and wriggled closer. "And I know I've probably been frustrating as hell lately."

"Damn straight." Darry muttered. Justin rolled on top of Darry and smiled, shaking his head.

"I suppose I have to apologize to little Darry too."

"It would be appropriate." Darry said, his breathing doubling at the much-missed sight of his thin paramour smiling down at him.

"The world isn't appropriate when I'm on top of you Superman."

"I don't mind." Darry said.

"You wouldn't."