After Brian and Justin had christened the new bed, they took a nap. Now they were awake again, and Justin was trying to write. He lamented, "I promised my readers a smutty update of Innocence, but I need more time to frame the prison sequence if I'm going to include it."

Brian paced as he contemplated. He was still naked, which Justin wasn't sure how to take. It excited him, but it also made him feel a little embarrassed and shy. Brian's naked form was much, much different from Ethan's. Justin never even noticed when Ethan was naked, but he was having trouble focusing on anything else now that Brian was walking around in the buff. Several times, Brian had caught the blond staring at his cock or his ass. Justin had quickly looked away and blushed deeply each time.

Suddenly, Brian piped up, jolting Justin out of his haze (he had been staring at Brian's naked ass again) and nearly sending him tumbling out of his chair, suggesting, "How about doing a day dream sequence. James could use it as fodder for his work."

Justin nodded slowly. Brian really was an idea man. A few moments later, Justin cried out eagerly, "How about a different first meeting, when they are still teenagers."

"I like where this is going."

Justin pondered for a moment before he started to type. Brian read over his shoulder.

Aidan and I met in our junior year, when I transferred to his high school. My parents were divorcing, so they'd sold the house. My first day, Aidan and I had history class together, and, as luck would have it, I was only one row over and one seat up. The teacher introduced me, so I stood and said hello. The moment I caught sight of Aidan's wavy chestnut brown hair and enigmatic hazel eyes, I was smitten. After I sat back down, I thought I could feel his eyes on me. I looked back, and our eyes met. Discomfort was evident in his tight face and rigid posture, but he didn't turn away. His eyes wore a look of surprise. I wondered what that could mean. I felt the heat of his gaze on me a couple more times during class, but I dared not look back to confirm that he was in fact staring at me.

I didn't see Aidan again until gym class. I detested sports and didn't play all that well. Because I was an artist, and ambidextrous, I could catch a ball, but we were playing outdoor soccer that day; I always managed to trip over my own feet when I played soccer, more so today, since I knew that he could be watching, and probably was, if the chills I was experiencing were any indication. I was so busy making sure that I didn't make an ass out of myself that I avoided looking at him like the plague. But when the ball came hurtling straight toward my face, I couldn't help but gaze at him, for he jumped in front of me to deflect the ball with his head, probably saving me from a broken nose. Unfortunately, in doing so, he'd thrown me off balance, and I fell over, like the graceless freak I was. But I wasn't sorry. A moment later, he took me by the hand and pulled me up (His skin was surprisingly soft). Then he laid a hand on my shoulder to steady me, as the feel of his skin on mine had made me a little dizzy, and I was wobbly.

Despite everything, Aidan smiled at me, and his eyes lit up when I smiled back.

Later, I saw him in the showers. He walked past me, and I swear, for a few seconds, his eyes darkened with a lust that both scared and thrilled me. I turned around quickly to hide my growing erection, but no thought, no matter how unpleasant, could banish the image of his naked form and the animal lust I'd seen in his beautiful eyes. In the end, I pressed my body up against the red and white tile. The cold did what my willpower could not.

Brian broke Justin's train of thought with a giggle. He stated playfully, "I may need to try that."

Justin turned to look at Brian and burst out laughing when his nose nearly grazed Brian's fully erect cock.

Justin responded with a bright smile. "That's a good sign my readers will like it."

My next gym class was cancelled due to an assembly. So for the next few days, Aidan and I didn't speak, but, whenever I saw him in between classes, which was pretty often, he always seemed to be looking at me. Looking at me with the same mixture of discomfort and surprise, maybe fascination, that he'd exhibited in class that first day.

If I thought his behavior was puzzling during the week, his behavior on Saturday was even more puzzling. It was 3:00 pm. I was in my room drawing, drawing a certain hazel-eyed Adonis in fact (as I remembered him in the shower; that image had been haunting my dreams), when who should suddenly appear at my bedroom door but the object of my affection in the flesh.

My mother, a beautiful blond woman with shoulder-length blond hair a few shades darker than my own, a warm tan, and a bright smile, ushered him in and then glided down the hall, smiling and humming. I was always so shy that I made few friends, and I almost never had visitors. She must have taken Aidan's visit as a sign that I was thriving in my new school.

Aidan stood in the doorway and actually looked nervous as he explained his presence. He stammered…

Brian interrupted the narrative with a not-so-subtle cough.

Justin turned and smiled. He raised an eyebrow and asked, "Do you have an objection?"

Brian's reply was short, just one word, and it was more of a question. He inquired incredulously, "Stammered?"

Justin responded in a mock indignant tone, "What's wrong with stammered?"

Brian just tilted his head and smiled. Justin chuckled and said, "Ok, stammered is out. How about this?"

He stated, a bit too quickly…

Brian kissed Justin on the cheek and replied softly, "Much better."

The gentleness of Brian's kiss and the softness in his voice gave Justin a delicious chill. Once it had passed, he started typing again.

Aidan stood in the doorway and actually looked nervous as he explained his presence. He stated, a bit too quickly, "I was on my way to John's house, when one of my tires blew out. I managed to change it, but, then, I realized I was just a few doors down from your house, so I thought I'd say hello."

He must have been telling truth, about the tire anyway, because his hands were black with dirt and oil. I couldn't believe he'd made a point to find out where I lived. I was so flattered and surprised that I was floating as I showed him to the bathroom so that he could wash up. When he returned, I asked him to join me on the floor. By then, I had switched sketchbooks. I wasn't sure whether he was gay; but even if he was, I didn't want him to know how much I was already crushing on him.

Aidan flopped down so that he was leaning on a pillow I had placed next to me. He did so in one graceful movement. I was amazed. I could never be that graceful, that cool. I was way too self-conscious.

Aidan asked nonchalantly, "So what do you have here?"

"My sketchbook."

He asked softly, "You draw?" I was so flattered by the awe in his voice that I blushed. I couldn't even manage a verbal response. I just nodded.

"May I see?"

I pushed it toward him and, then, tried to appear as though I were not studying his facial expression nervously, although, of course, I was. I wanted him to be impressed, but I'd only started drawing the year before.

Suddenly, Brian pushed Justin's hands away from the keyboard, though gently, and typed as he leaned over him. Justin could feel Brian's breath on his neck and hear the dull thud of his heart beating.

Aidan's eyes widened as he flipped the pages, staring at each drawing intently for a few long moments before turning to the next. After he'd examined each one, he whispered, "These are fucking incredible. You should go to art school."

Blushing, I replied, "I was actually thinking of applying to the art institute here."

Suddenly, Aidan exclaimed, "You should put something in the school art show!"

My eyes widened in both surprise and terror. I asked, "What?"

"The school art show is coming up, but I don't think the deadline has passed. You'd win for sure."

Blushing a deeper pink, I shook my head. "I don't think I'd be comfortable. I'm still new at drawing, and I'm not very good."

Aidan disagreed, "I meant what I said. Your drawings are incredible. It'd be a shame if you didn't enter."

Brian moved his hands away from the keyboard, and Justin smiled up at him before starting to type once more.

I was saved by my mother's entrance, though it wasn't much of a save. She'd brought sodas and cookies. Cookies? She might as well have brought us juice boxes instead of sodas. I was mortified. I quickly shooed her out of the room, but my fears seemed to be warranted, for Aidan stood up and said, "I should go. Changing that tire took a while, and John is expecting me."

I was so disappointed that I didn't trust my voice. I just nodded and smiled, though I couldn't manage more than a country club smile. But I smiled for real when Aidan asked, "Are you doing anything later? A bunch of my friends and I are having a party tonight. Do you want to go with me? I could pick you up. Say 8?"

Before I could temper my response, I replied excitedly, "I'd love to!"

Aidan chuckled. "8 it is."

Then, he was gone.

Aidan picked me up at 8 on the dot. On the ride over, I was in heaven. Unfortunately, I was in for a rude awakening. This rude awakening had a name. Susie. She was the head cheerleader and Aidan's girlfriend, which shouldn't have been too surprising, as I'd learned on the way over that Aidan was the star soccer player and that the soccer team was the school's pride and joy.

When Susie, a petite, but busty brunette, ran up to Aidan, he looked shocked and none too pleased. But that was precious little comfort when she stuck her tongue into his mouth and started grinding against him. I felt ill. I couldn't even watch, so I turned away.

Brian laughed at the name Susie, but said nothing else.

But my attention was drawn back when I heard Aidan ask sharply, "Weren't you supposed to be camping with your family?"

Susie smiled and bounced a couple of times as she replied excitedly, "Yes, but I got out of it at the last minute. I knew you wouldn't want to be away from me for so long."

I was happy to hear that Aidan was as surprised by her presence as I was, but that didn't help much. He had a girlfriend, and she was at the party, hanging all over him. This wasn't a date after all.

When Susie wandered over to chat with her girlfriends and Aidan and I were alone again, well, a short distance away from everyone else, I said, "I'm not feeling too good. I should probably go home. But don't worry about taking me. I can call for a ride."

Aidan looked over at Susie and then back at me. His face was flushed. Suddenly, he pulled me outside by my arm and then took my hand (my heart was beating so hard, I thought it might burst out of my chest) as he led me to the garage. It was actually kind of nice. It had carpet and furniture.

Aidan sat on the couch and pulled me onto his lap, arranging me so that I was straddling him. As we sat in the dark, he whispered in my ear, a little breathlessly, "Look, I…I've never been attracted to another guy before…"

I asked in a tiny voice, "You're attracted to me?"

Aidan responded helplessly, "Yes."

Then, his whisper became a soft growl. "I don't even know what the fuck I'm doing, but it's in my nature to pursue what I want, and…I want you."

My breath hitched in my throat. Before I could recover, Aidan caught my lips up in his roughly and thrust his tongue into my mouth. This was my first kiss, so I wasn't sure what to do. I pushed my tongue into Aidan's mouth and tried to follow his lead. My cock hardened immediately, and a wave of heat washed over me, leaving me a little dizzy. The world seemed to recede. All that existed were Aidan's strong arms around my body and his delicious mouth devouring mine. Before I even realized what I was doing, I started grinding my cock against his, which was in a similar condition as my own. Aidan squeezed my ass, causing me to moan softly in his mouth.

Suddenly, we heard a high-pitched voice calling Aidan's name. Susie. Aidan broke our kiss and growled, "Fuck!"

Then more softly, he said, "Wait on the other side of the room. It's so dark in here that she won't see you. I'll get rid of her as quickly as I can."

I was so stunned by Susie's impending arrival and still so dizzy from the kissing that I didn't move or say a word. Aidan seemed thrown by my silence. He asked, a little hesitantly, "Do you mind?"

His question pulled me out of my haze. I took a deep breath and said firmly, "No." I wanted him liked I'd wanted nothing before. I wouldn't, couldn't, pull away.

I quickly moved to the other side of the room and hid behind another couch.

I was trying not to listen, but when the words "Fuck me, Aidan!" came out of Susie's mouth, they seemed so loud that they resounded in my head like a struck bell.

I don't know what came over me or what I thought I was doing. All I knew was that I had to stop this. I stood up and moved until I was in Aidan's line of sight. Despite the fact that Susie was on her knees frantically unbuttoning and unzipping his jeans, his eyes followed me. Where I got the courage, I don't know, but as I held Aidan's gaze, I unzipped my pants and pulled my cock out of my briefs. It was still as hard as steel from our earlier encounter. I ran my fingers lightly over my erection and smiled when I saw him lick his lips. Encouraged, I grabbed my shaft and started stroking myself slowly, never allowing my eyes to close, not even to blink, and never allowing my eyes to wander.

For a moment, Aidan's expression was like that of a predator. He pushed Susie away, but not roughly, and said, in a firm voice, "Susie, I pulled a muscle at practice yesterday. It still hurts."

She cried, "Oh, poor baby! Let me make it all better. Where does it hurt?"

Aidan snapped, "You just don't get it!" But then he added playfully, "I'm in no condition to fuck you properly."

She nodded and said in a very serious tone, "Oh…ok. I'm sorry, baby."

"It's okay. Just…go back in. I'm going to get more beer. I'll be back in no time."

Susie sighed despondently, but left.

Seconds later, Aidan's body was pressed against mine. He pushed my back against the nearest wall, kissing me, his tongue exploring my mouth, his hands on my ass, pulling me closer, grinding our cocks together. He growled, "What was that little show for? Do you want me to fuck you? Is that it? Do you want my cock pounding into your ass?"

Softly, I moaned, "Yes. Yes. Yes."

I heard his breath hitch in his throat. A few seconds later, a bit recovered, he yanked my still-unzipped pants (and my briefs) down and then his. Then he spun me around so that my chest was pressed against the wall. He caressed my ass, now roughly, now softly.

Soon, I felt his naked cock entering me. It hurt so much I thought I might die, but I bit back my tears. This is what I'd wanted, what I still wanted, pain and all; I wanted to be as close to him as was humanly possible.

Brian exclaimed, "Fucking Christ, that's hot!"

Justin laughed, but the story was having no small effect on him. His breath was ragged, and his cock, painfully erect.

Brian bent down and whispered in Justin's ear, "You did that for me, Buttercup. You boldly, brazenly, exposed yourself and your desire, even going so far as to admit that you jerked off to thoughts of me, not once, but many times. Like James does with Aidan, you awoke the predator in me, teasing me until I could do nothing but discard the familiar and take you, possess you in every sense of the word. That first morning, when you said that you needed to leave, I suspected that you meant to return to someone else's bed, however reluctantly, and I lost control. I pushed you up against a pillar and, despite my intention to fuck you slow, pounded your luscious ass…holding you so tight and biting you so hard that I left marks on your hips and neck. You were mine, and I needed that someone else to know it."

The sound of Brian's voice, now a low growl, set Justin's body on fire. He breathed, "You marked me much sooner than that, Enigma. The moment I knew you existed, I was yours, all yours.

Brian spun the chair around so that they were facing each other and then bent down in front of Justin. He quirked an eyebrow and inquired, "Were you?"

Justin stated firmly, almost indignantly ("How could Brian dare ask that question? How could he not know?"), "Yes. You set me aflame, every part of me, first my imagination, then my body, and finally, my heart. All my dreams, all my experiences, paled in comparison to what we shared in just a week."

Brian wanted to look away, to hide the vulnerability and that other feeling (as he had coined it), the feeling he'd first experienced in the jeep as they'd ma—, er fucked. He was sure these things were evident in his eyes, which made him incredibly uncomfortable. But he was mesmerized by what he saw in Justin's, what he heard in Justin's voice. He thought, "Oh God" and swallowed hard. When he finally managed to speak, he asked, somewhat timidly, "Are you still?"

Justin seemed to be mesmerized, too, though by what Brian was uncertain. The blond simply nodded, all the while gazing at Brian.

Observing Justin's flushed cheeks, his plump lips, parted slightly, his entranced, almost fearful expression, and his obvious erection, Brian was suddenly struck by a desire stronger than any he'd yet known. His voice husky, he challenged Justin. "Prove it."

Justin froze for a minute, unsure how he could satisfy Brian's request. Then, he had an idea, a couple of them actually. He surprised Brian by standing up and softly padding into the bedroom. A moment later, he returned with a sketchpad in his hand. He stood in front of Brian and said, "There are only three things that I never gave Ethan. This is one of them."

Justin handed Brian the sketchpad. Brian was confused for a moment. But then he looked at the drawings inside. He saw pages and pages of men that all bore a striking resemblance to him. When he looked up, Justin was blushing, but he held Brian's gaze, determined to overcome his shyness and the insecurity stemming from his diminished drawing ability.

Resolute, Justin explained, though both his voice and his body were trembling, "In the three years I was with Ethan, I never drew him. Not once. But the night you first emailed, I tried to imagine what you looked like and drew what I imagined. I've done that every day since, well, except for today."

Brian's eyes widened, and he exclaimed, "That's fucking amazing! How could you come so close without seeing me?"

Justin shook his head and smiled. He replied, "I'm not sure, but…I…"

Brian nudged Justin with the sketchpad and asked, "You what?"

Justin looked directly at Brian as he answered, "I feel as though Aidan was based on you. As though, somehow, I knew you before we met."

Then he shook his head again and turned a brighter red. He muttered, "I know it sounds crazy…"

Brian laughed. He admitted, "You're right. It does sound crazy. But who am I to talk? I asked you to be my boyfriend and agreed to stop tricking to get you to say yes. Then I asked you to move in with me. My best friend, Mikey, would have had me committed had he been here to see it. Or taken me to a priest for an exorcism."

Justin laughed. Loudly. When Justin recovered from his laughing fit and fell silent, Brian asked, amusement infused in his voice, "So…what are the other two things?"

Justin looked down for a moment but then lifted his head slowly until his eyes met Brian's. He took a deep breath and said, "You're probably going to laugh…but…"

Suddenly, the amusement in Brian's eyes disappeared, and he stated very seriously, "I won't laugh." After a long pause, he added, in a softer voice, "I promise." Brian's inner Mikey popped up to ask, in his high-pitched drama queen voice, hands on his hips, "Since when does Brian Kinney make promises?" Brian simply ignored him.

Justin cleared his throat and then said softly, "I never gave Ethan my courage."

Brian stared at Justin in confusion. He said helplessly, "I don't understand."

Justin nodded and smiled weakly. He explained, "With Ethan, I never took the initiative in any way. I never initiated sex…I never went searching for concerts to attend and then asked him to go. I would accompany him, but he was always the one to ask, and he had to pressure me into going. Every time."

He blushed and then added, "But I…I would happily go anywhere with you..."

He approached Brian, took his hand, and pulled him to a standing position. Then he whispered, "and I…"

He paused for a moment as he gently caressed Brian's face, but, then, he continued, "I want to be less timid when it comes to sex with you, and not just when we're role playing."

Justin's words, spoken so softly, combined with the fire in his eyes and the slight trembling of his hands as he continued to caress Brian's face sent a delicious shiver through Brian's body, and, for a moment, he felt as though he were falling and then floating, a sensation very like the sensation people experience on an airplane when it begins its descent.

Justin swallowed hard and then said, in a tremulous voice, "That actually brings me to number 3. I…I never fucked Ethan. I told you before that he never wanted me to penetrate him with any part of my body, and that's true, but what I didn't say was that even if he had wanted me to, I wouldn't have done it."

Brian's eyes widened in surprise. He asked, "Why not?"

Justin let his hands fall to Brian's shoulders and took a deep breath, but held his gaze as he replied, "Ethan almost never looked at me when we had sex, and…I preferred it that way. I'd had so many bad experiences with people before I met Ethan that I didn't feel comfortable allowing myself to become vulnerable. To show much of myself or my feelings. It was enough that Ethan didn't leave or recoil in horror. That he wanted to touch me."

Brian stiffened. He couldn't imagine anyone not wanting to touch Justin. Of course, three years ago, Justin would have been 17 or 18, Brian guessed. That was probably when he came out. If the people he was talking about were homophobic, they probably would find him repugnant. The thought made Brian furious.

Justin continued, "Of course, I liked Ethan at first, and, later, I thought I loved him, but I didn't feel the fire, the urgent need to connect, the desire for complete understanding, and the ridiculous happiness I feel with you. And I certainly never felt like I'd known him before, like our meeting was fate. So…I didn't want the kind of intimacy that would have been required had I fucked him. But I want to look into your eyes when we have sex, I want to be inside you, and I desperately want you to want me inside you."

Brian teased, "Are you saying that you want to fuck me, right here and now?"

Justin swallowed hard and replied as evenly as he could manage, "Yes. I want to coax you into bed (or onto some flat surface) by kissing you, touching you, and making naughty propositions and then…fuck you senseless.

The falling-floating sensation was back, this time threatening to overwhelm Brian.

Brian breathed, "Fucking Christ, Justin! Do you have any idea what you do to me? It's taking everything in me to stop myself…"

Justin's eyes widened in concern. He asked, "From what?"

Brian laughed, but then replied, "From ripping your clothes off, burying my cock inside you in one thrust, and then pounding your prostate until you're moaning so loud they can hear you in China and begging for release."

Justin's breath hitched in his throat.

Brian looked down at the floor and then peeked at him coquettishly, whispering, "But I do want you inside me…and the thought that you want to take control, to fuck me, in part because you are so shy, is bringing me near the edge all on its own."

Justin's face flushed, and he started to tremble again.

Brian couldn't help but smile. Making Justin so nervous, knowing that he had such a profound effect on the blond, gave him a thrill…and turned him on even more. He felt an even greater thrill when he rubbed his cheek gently against Justin's and whispered in his ear, "Justin, I want, no, I need you inside me. Fuck me. Please."

In response, Justin moaned softly.

Brian pulled away and stated matter-of-factly, "So I'm going to take a cold shower and put some clothes on."

Justin smiled and tilted his head. He asked in confusion, "What?"

Brian threw Justin a tongue-in-cheek expression and explained, "Well, I want the whole Justin Taylor experience."

Justin blushed, but smiled, too. He replied softly, "Sounds good."