A/N: Brian and Justin find a unique way to entertain Gus at the loft before his father is confronted with revealing his true feelings for his favorite blond.
Two Months Later – Mid-August
Justin glanced up from his place on the curved, cement bench near the courtyard's fountain to see a familiar face rushing up to him; his face broke out into a delighted smile as Maria Barton promptly fell into his open arms and wrapped her cocoa-skinned arms around his neck. "Justin!" she cried out as the blond returned the embrace and laughed in joy at the look of happiness on her face.
The two broke off after a few seconds as Justin gazed down into her sparkling brown eyes; her black hair, which was always her shining glory, was pulled back into a loose, care-free braid behind her head and she had two glittery lime-green barrettes on either side of her head to match her yellow and green sun dress.
"Maria, you look so beautiful!" he complimented her as she beamed a bright smile at him. "How are you feeling?" He gently grasped her upper arms as she looked into his face; Justin was overwhelmed by how healthy and robust she seemed. It was quite a departure from the pale, wan face he had seen right after her previous heart surgery. He didn't need to be a physician or have any medical expertise to know that the radical, experimental surgery that had been performed on her had obviously done the trick. She looked wonderful and just like any other healthy 10-year-old should look.
"I'm doing great, Justin!" she said, her face lit up. "I'm starting fourth grade next month!"
Justin grinned back at her. "That's wonderful, Honey! You caught up already?" He knew she had been having problems keeping up with her school work around the time she had needed the surgery; he wasn't surprised, though, with how smart Maria was that she had managed to catch up sufficiently with the rest of her classmates to enter the proper grade in the fall. "I knew you could do it!"
"Thanks largely to you," he heard a male voice say behind her. He glanced up to see her father, Daniel Barton, walking up to join them. He smiled at Justin warmly, explaining, "She was so excited at the chance to see you again that she got away from me out in the lobby."
Justin let Maria go as he stood up and shook Barton's outstretched hand. "It's good to see you again, Sir," he said politely. "How did you know where I was?" Justin was glad to see Maria's father again; he knew how instrumental this man had been in setting up the new art therapy program, a fact that he would be eternally grateful for, and he had been wanting to thank him personally; in the last two months since the program had begun, he had never felt so fulfilled and happy about his work than he did now. Word had quickly spread throughout the hospital and doctor office affiliates about the program and how much success they were having with quicker recuperative periods as well as improved patient morale; in short order, every spot in the program had been presently filled. In fact, Dr. McKenzie was so pleased with the results and positive PR that had been generated that he was looking to hire a second art therapy assistant to help part-time when Justin had to return to school in about a month. He had assured him, however, that the program would still be under his auspices and he would still be meeting regularly each week with all the committee members to keep the program flourishing. He had already received his 60-day provisional evaluation last week and had been delighted as well as flattered that McKenzie was so happy with the program's progress that he had given him a $1.00/hour raise already. Plus, there was the added bonus of having the frequent company of a sexy brunet now; he and Brian spent most evenings together, whether it was staying in at the loft watching a movie, playing pool at Woody's with Brian's friends, visiting the diner or some other restaurant for meals, or going clubbing. They even occasionally took Gus out with them to the amusement park, ball games, or the zoo, and Justin found himself falling in love with the precocious, full-of-life miniature version of the man that he also loved.
Yes, Justin realized by now that he did love Brian. He had never really had a lot of experience with actually being in love; in fact, he figured he had never really been in love before at all. He didn't have to have had prior experience with it to know that this was the real deal, though. Of course, they had been enormously physically attracted to each other from the start – after all, Brian was one sexy, gorgeous male specimen and knew exactly what to do to provide him with the utmost in pleasure. (In fact, he could feel his face heating up just at the thought of exactly what the man could do to him and how he could make him feel). But he knew this was much more than just an exquisite physical draw. He knew it each time Brian looked at him so tenderly with that soft smile of his. He knew it each time Brian texted him at least once each day to tell him he was thinking about him (in between the messages about what he wanted to do with him later; those remained firmly out of sight of anyone else). He knew it each time Brian made love to him, in the way he touched him and kissed him, in the way he feathered his fingers through his hair or moaned out his name in the heights of ecstasy. He knew it each time Brian picked him up from work (even though he had never asked him to), finding a bag of just-baked, still-warm chocolate-chip cookies from his favorite bakery on the passenger seat, despite Brian insisting he could gain weight just from smelling them. No, he had to admit, Brian had never come out and actually told him that he loved him, but he really didn't feel he had to; he just knew. And he knew he felt the same exact way, because his heart actually physically ached when they were apart and he couldn't imagine his life without Brian in it now.
He forced his attention back to his guests as Barton explained, "I went upstairs to your office and when I noticed it was locked with a note you'd be back in an hour, I called Dr. McKenzie on my cell and he told me you frequently came out here for your lunch hour. Fortunately, you didn't divert from your normal schedule today, or Maria would have been vastly disappointed to have missed you."
Justin nodded with a smile as he saw Maria's father reach out and place a loving hand around her slim shoulders. Justin had been given the opportunity when Maria was in the hospital before to engage in some conversations with her father while she was battling complications regarding her heart defect, enough to know that this was his only child and he loved her dearly; he and his wife hadn't been able to conceive a child and they had ultimately adopted Maria from Guatemala when she was just a newborn, not realizing that she suffered from a congenital heart defect until later – after they had fallen hopelessly in love with her bright, chocolate-colored button eyes and sleek, shiny dark hair. As he looked over at her, he couldn't get over how great she looked – her skin glowed with rosiness and her eyes were shining with joy; it made his own heart leap in response.
"I really enjoy sitting by the fountain when the weather's nice," he explained to his visitors as he glanced over at his open sketchbook. "It's very peaceful out here and I normally get some inspiration for some of my drawings."
Barton nodded. "Mind if we join you for a few minutes?"
"Not at all," He instantly responded, walking over and sitting back down on the bench as Barton and his daughter joined him on the adjoining one. "Actually, I'm glad to see you." He licked his lips a little, suddenly nervous at facing the man who had helped provide him with the means for a job that he truly treasured. How do you express in words exactly how much that means to you? Not very many people could say that they loved what they did for a living and looked forward to coming to work each day, but he did; every day he had the chance to work with the children that he loved and to actually make a difference in their lives. That, along with finding a man who he loved along the way, was the ultimate definition of happiness and Justin was one very happy man indeed. "I wanted to thank you for your help in getting the art therapy program implemented. Dr. McKenzie told me what you did; I'm sure without your support, none of this would have been possible, and it's already having such a positive effect on the patients here." He couldn't help the enthusiasm from arising in his voice as he added sincerely, "And I love what I do, Mr. Barton. I really do. And it would have been impossible without your help."
"First of all, it's Daniel, Justin. And second of all, I was more than happy to help when Dr. McKenzie told me what he had in mind. You were the perfect person for the job; McKenzie agreed with me when I spoke to him earlier today. He is so impressed with what you've accomplished so far, and was justifiably effusive in his praise for both your work ethic and compassion." Justin blushed at the compliments as he added, "Of course, that wasn't a surprise to me. I already saw that in action when you helped take care of Maria." Barton squeezed his daughter's shoulder and planted a brief kiss on her forehead as the little girl smiled lovingly back at him. "Your willingness to help her feel better and keep her mind off her troubles, as well as going above and beyond what your duties called for meant more to me than I can ever say. That was worth everything to me."
Justin smiled, touched by the other man's words of praise. "I'm just glad that she's doing so well now," he told the other man humbly. "That's payment enough." He grinned. "But I'd be lying if I told you I didn't love the new job that I have as a result. Thanks again."
Barton nodded. "You're welcome." He felt a slight tug on his maroon-colored golf shirt as Maria strove to get his attention. "Yeah, Honey?"
"Can I give Justin his present now?"
Her father nodded as Justin eyed them curiously. Present?
"You sure can," he told her as she unzipped a small, pink backpack that she had slung across one shoulder and reached inside to retrieve a narrow, black cardboard box. "This is for you," she said a little shyly.
Justin's eyes lit up with pleasure. "For me?" he asked. "How thoughtful of you! But you didn't have to get me anything." He looked over at her father. "You already got me much more than I ever thought possible."
"It's just a little congratulatory gift for your new job," Barton explained as Justin accepted the box and held it in his hands. "Maria wanted to get you something to say thanks for what you did for her, and I came up with a suggestion that you might be able to use."
Justin smiled as he slowly lifted the box to reveal a silver name holder for his desk with his name written in flowing script across the front. His eyes teared over slightly as he ran the fingers of his left hand lightly over the embossed letters. "It's beautiful, Maria," he whispered as he gazed over at the little girl, who beamed at the praise. "This will look great on my desk. Thank you, Sweetheart." He lightly grasped her upper arm and leaned over to plant a brief kiss on her cheek as she smiled back at him shyly.
"I'm glad you like it," Barton told him with a nod. "You ready to go, Honey? I imagine Justin needs to get back to his office soon."
"Yeah," Justin told them regretfully. "I need to get back – my next patient session is in fifteen minutes." He stood up to go as his visitors joined him. Reaching out his hand to shake the other man's, he said, "Thank you again for all the support, Daniel. I'm very grateful."
"Just keep doing what you're doing, Justin, and don't lose those special qualities you have that make you stand out from all the others. No amount of money infused into a hospital or even medical expertise can replace that; that is what will continue to make this hospital – and the new art therapy department – such a great success. I hope, by the way, that you will consider making your job here permanent once you graduate from PIFA."
Justin smiled. "I'd like that," he said. "I can't think of a more perfect job that blends two things that I love so well together. I'm hoping Dr. McKenzie will suggest that when the time comes."
"Well, if he doesn't, I will," the other man told him adamantly. "But the Chief of Staff is not a fool; he'll figure it out," he said with a smile. "Give Justin a hug, Honey, and let's go."
"Bye, Justin," Maria said against the blond's chest as he gathered her up in his arms for another hug. "Can I come and see you again?"
Justin grunted a little as he gave her a firm squeeze before letting her go. He smiled at her as he said, "You sure can. Let me know the next time you're coming and I'll go out for some more ice cream down the street." Just like with Gus, Justin had made a special trip down the street on his own time when Maria had been hospitalized to find some peppermint ice cream that she especially loved. It had taken him two ice cream stores before he had found any, not exactly being plentiful out of season, but he hadn't stopped looking until he had a pint of it in his hands. The look of surprised pleasure on her face later when he had surprised her with it had bonded them together permanently as friends forever and had made his extra effort totally worthwhile.
As if right on cue, Maria's eyes lit up as she asked, "Peppermint?" Justin nodded as she let out a whoop. "Can we come back next week, Daddy?"
Barton and Justin laughed. "Let's give Justin a little more time on his job before we do that," Barton told her as his daughter's face fell just a bit. "But when we DO come back, I'll take all three of us out for both ice cream AND pizza." He didn't spoil his daughter too frequently with fast food, he and his wife normally choosing for her to eat healthier, cooked-at-home meals. But occasionally when the event warranted it, he did allow her to imbibe in some good, old-fashioned fattening foods that she loved, including two of her favorites, ice cream and pizza. He figured this would definitely merit one of those times.
His daughter's face lit up with anticipation as she jumped lightly up and down. "Yay! Okay, Daddy. Don't forget, though!"
He laughed as Justin grinned. "I won't, Honey, I won't." Taking her hand, he turned to go. "Take care, Justin, and keep up the great work."
Justin nodded with a grateful smile as the two slowly walked back toward the hospital's rear entrance, their hands swinging companionably between them. Scooping up his sketchpad and his new name holder, he followed along behind them, mentally preparing himself for the rest of the afternoon's therapy patients.
Six O'clock – Brian's Loft
Justin swung the door to Brian's loft open and was immediately assaulted by a wonderful aroma, along with the sounds of pots and pans clanging. If he didn't know better, he would swear it smelled just like Debbie's homemade spaghetti sauce, one of his favorite foods; he could detect the wonderful scent of freshly baked garlic bread, too, that much he was sure of. He knew there was no way that Brian had actually cooked something; in the short time he had known him, the man had proven without a doubt that he could not cook anything more complex than toasting wheat bread; the two times that Justin had asked Brian to simply heat up some leftovers in the oven from meals he occasionally cooked for them, Brian had managed somehow to burn them both times. He had claimed the first time that the oven was somehow faulty, but after the second go-round, Justin had to face the truth that Brian simply couldn't be trusted around any heating devices except for the warming massage oils they sometimes used during their foreplay. It was best, then, that his – dare he say it? – boyfriend not attempt any more cooking. "Brian?" he called out tentatively, not quite sure what he was walking into.
His face lit up as a blur of brown hair and long legs came running out of the kitchen to greet him. "Jus'n!" Gus screamed in glee as he crashed into his thighs; it was all Justin could do to keep in place and upright as he placed one hand on the top of Gus's head to steady himself.
"Hey, Buddy!" he exclaimed as he looked down into the animated face of Brian's son. "What a great surprise! What are you doing here?" He tousled Gus's hair affectionately as he placed his portfolio down next to the door and scooped the child up into his arms. He walked into the kitchen in search of the boy's father, hearing the clattering of pans becoming louder as he did so.
His eyes locked onto the hazel ones of his lover as Brian smiled over his shoulder at him; he was wearing a form-fitting, black sleeveless collared shirt and a favorite pair of designer jeans as he stood there in his bare feet, slowing stirring something on the stove with a wooden fork; another pan containing spaghetti sauce was being warmed nearby on a back burner. "I was about to fake an illness and summon an ambulance to go fetch you, Florence," he told Justin. "I thought you said Daphne was going to bring you home."
Gus didn't even blink an eye at Brian's unusual name for Justin; his father had used it so often by now that he figured it was his middle name or a title by now. It still confused him, though; first his name was Orly, then Justin, and now Florence? He shrugged his shoulders as Justin gently lowered him to the ground and he scampered off toward the living room where his toy trucks were currently resting in front of his father's massive, floor-to-ceiling windows on top of a green-colored, portable vinyl mat that had roads drawn on them to resemble a highway. A tub resting nearby that was typically used to hold kitty litter was filled with play sand for him to scoop into his favorite truck, a yellow, Tonka front loader. Brian had reluctantly permitted Justin to set it up for Gus to play with when he came to visit, provided that: A) it was lying on top of two jumbo-sized, plastic garbage bags at all times, and B) the truck remained inside the 'loading pit' when in use. So far to Gus's credit, he had managed to adhere to those rules, but Brian still kept a wary eye on the sand pile just the same, not wanting to entertain the dreadful notion of trying to remove sand from the cracks between his hardwood floor planks.
Not to Justin's surprise, before he had a chance to explain why he was late Brian yelled out to Gus, "No playing with the sand until after dinner, Sonny Boy!" Justin smiled as his lover's command was met with several seconds of silence. "Gus?"
"Just for a little while, Daddy?"
"NO, Buddy! You can play with your other trucks until after dinner! I don't want any sand on the floor, okay? You'll either have to wait or I'll have to put it away." Brian was actually the big softie when it came to his son and issuing discipline; Mel was the one with the iron fist in the family, with Lindsay somewhere in between. Brian fucking hated to be stern with Gus, but when the occasion warranted it, he forced himself. He waited for a couple of seconds until he finally heard a resigned voice say grumpily, "Okay, Daddy. I'll wait."
"Good boy," Brian called out. "Dinner will be ready in about ten minutes, as soon as the spaghetti is done." He turned to Justin to answer his unspoken question. "Give me a break, Florence – I can fucking handle cooking spaghetti," he told him indignantly. "I'm heating Debbie's leftover sauce I got out of the freezer."
Justin held up his hands as if in surrender before he walked up to Brian next to the stove and wrapped his arms around the other man's chest from behind. "I'm sure you can handle it," he told him soothingly over his shoulder, although silently he still wasn't convinced. "Daphne got called away on an emergency," he told him in explanation. "I had to wait for the bus to show up."
Brian put the wooden fork down and turned around in Justin's arms to wrap his own around the slender waist. He gazed into the soft blue eyes for a moment before chiding him, "Why didn't you call me then? I would have picked you up on the way home." Kinnetik was fortunately fairly close to the hospital, so as his schedule permits Brian secretly enjoyed the times when he and Justin's schedule meshed enough so he could pick him up; his lover's typical, excited, nonstop chatter about his job and what had happened during his day oddly helped to relax him after he had had a stressful day himself – that and a few passionate kisses in the car when Justin first climbed into the passenger seat helped, too; he liked to think of it as a whispered prelude of what was to come later.
"I didn't find out until you would have already left," he told him. "It wasn't a big deal."
Brian looked lovingly into his eyes for a moment before he couldn't resist leaning down to touch the soft, full lips with his. Only the rapid bubbling of the spaghetti Brian was cooking on the stove caused Justin to break off their kiss. "Brian," he said breathlessly as he placed his hands against the firm chest; a pair of sensuous lips roaming all over his neck was making it had to formulate actual words. "The stove… Something sounds like it's about to overflow," he finally managed to utter.
"I know the feeling," Brian murmured as he continued to nuzzle the soft flesh of Justin's collarbone, relishing the unique sweet/salty taste that could only belong to one very special man. Eventually his lover's words sunk in, though, as he realized what Justin was saying and he quickly turned around to grab the saucepan by the handle and place it on an inactive burner. "Ow!" he snarled as his hand came up against the metal side of the pan and he snatched his burned finger back, shaking it as if that would somehow take the sting away.
"Poor baby," Justin cooed as he took Brian's hand in his and brought the wounded index finger up to his mouth; he rounded his lips and promptly clamped them around the damaged flesh, sucking on it and swirling his tongue around it as Brian's eyes darkened in response, the sharp pain quickly forgotten in place of a much more pleasurable sensation.
"All better?" Justin whispered huskily as he continued to hold onto Brian's hand; the brunet smirked as he curled his fingers around Justin's palm.
"Yeah," he drawled. "You still have that healing touch, Florence."
Justin grinned. "Good to know," he said as Brian curled his lips under in amusement. "Just in case I ever need to fall back on my old day job."
"I think I might have burned other parts of my body, too," Brian informed him helpfully. He took Justin's hand and placed it over his cock as Justin laughed. "This part is on fire, in fact."
"Oh, we can't have that," Justin purred. Thinking he was getting somewhere, Brian's eyes widened in surprise and disappointment when he found his arms suddenly devoid of a warm, blond body as Justin broke off their embrace and walked over to the cupboard above the sink, reaching for a tall drinking glass.
"What are you doing?" Brian asked, puzzled, as he watched his lover filling up the glass with water from the tap.
Justin walked back over to stand next to him with the glass in his left hand. "Just doing my civic duty; I'm helping to put out your fire." He grinned back at Brian with a playful smile as the brunet rolled his eyes.
"Smart-ass," he groused. He reached out to grab Justin's wrist as they grappled over the glass; Brian reached out with his other hand to tickle the side of his lover's waist where he knew it was especially sensitive, only to be rewarded with a sloshing of the water as Justin's hand was jostled and the contents spilled all over Brian's shirt, promptly drenching it all over his chest area.
Justin stood there, the now empty glass in his hand as he burst out laughing before thinking better of his action and clapping his hand over his mouth, but the damage had been done.
Brian continued to hold firmly onto Justin's wrist as Justin pursed his lips tightly together in an attempt to regain some semblance of seriousness. "You think this is funny, Florence?" Brian growled; he couldn't see Justin's mouth behind his slender fingers, but he could tell by the twinkling of his eyes that he definitely did.
Despite his annoyance, Brian couldn't help thinking God, I love this man before he narrowed his eyes at Justin and contemplated his next move. While he wanted nothing more than to kiss away what he knew had to be an impertinent smirk hiding behind that pale hand, something else came over him as he kept hold of Justin with one hand and turned slightly to reach into the now lukewarm pan of spaghetti.
Justin's face sobered in disbelief as Brian reached in with his bare hand and grabbed a few strands of the pasta. He stared apprehensively at Brian's face as his lover's lips twisted into an evil sort of devilish smile.
A flash of dread hit him as Justin replied quietly, "You wouldn't dare…" His pulse sped up, though, as Brian waggled his eyebrows back at him in response; a few seconds later, Brian scored a direct hit as four, wet, slimy strands of whole-wheat spaghetti hit him direct in the face and he heard Brian actually chortle.
"This is my new shirt!" Justin sputtered out in disgust as he hurriedly flung the slimy spaghetti out of his face as it landed on the laminate floor. No sooner had he done so, however, than another round hit him square in the chest; he found his previously crisp, light-blue dress shirt promptly redecorated in swirls of wetness where the thin rods of cooked spaghetti had made their mark.
"See? I'm an abstract painter now, too," Brian proudly announced as he laughed at the priceless look of dismay on Justin's beautiful face. "That was a freebie," he told him helpfully. "No charge for you."
"I can't believe you DID that!" Justin growled as he broke free from Brian and tried unsuccessfully to wipe the stains off his shirt; holding his wet hands up in front of him, he looked for a dishtowel to dry them on before his eyes settled on a nearby object and a mischievous gleam appeared in his eyes as he smiled back brightly at Brian, who narrowed his eyes in suspicion.
"Justin…" He watched intently like a stalled car stopped on a train track without anywhere to go as his lover reached over to remove a towel keeping the pieces of Parmesan garlic bread warm on a white dinner plate. Before Brian could utter so much as a "Don't even try it," Justin had wound his left arm back like a professional league pitcher and flung one of the buttery pieces directly at Brian, landing with a distinct thud as it hit Brian square in the face, right between his eyes.
"You little shit!" Brian snarled as Justin giggled in delight at his lover's reaction. The offending piece of bread landed with a thud at Brian's feet; fortunately for Justin, the bread had merely hit Brian's skin and not his designer shirt or the brunet's face would have been even more red and angry.
"It's the new Justin Taylor original," Justin announced with a French accent as he waved his hand in the air like he was wielding a baton. "Brian Kinney – pièce de résistance." Before he met an untimely end, he reached over to pick up a couple of red, seedless grapes from a white, pottery fruit bowl and flung them in Brian's direction for good measure; unfortunately, his aim wasn't quite as precise this time as they wound up in the spaghetti sauce; he watched as they plopped into the pan and some large, fat drops of the thick, red liquid sloshed over the edge and onto the smooth cook top. As he peered over somewhat nervously for Brian's reaction, he couldn't help adding, "Oops! It's the dreaded Grapes of Wrath!"
Brian was trying hard to keep a straight face, but inside he had to admit – the whole thing was funny as hell. He didn't know, though, whether to lecture Justin sternly over fucking up the kitchen that he had just paid his cleaning lady an outrageous amount to clean, or just saying to hell with it and demonstrating his own, accurate pitching skills. He finally made his mind up as he smiled back sweetly at Justin and reached over to grab a green apple from the fruit bowl.
"Now wait just a min…" Justin didn't quite get the words out before he had to quickly sidestep the object that was aimed directly at his crotch. "Hey!" he said as he barely managed to avoid being hit. "That's off limits, asshole!"
Brian laughed heartily at Justin's expression of annoyance. "No, that's located around back," he helpfully told Justin as the blond scowled. "Not so funny when you're in the line of fire, is it, Florence?" Justin backed up a few steps like he was retreating from Brian's assault as he neared the refrigerator. Keeping a sharp eye on the brunet, he slowly opened up the right door of the appliance and reached in to grab an object from the side bin, hiding it behind his back while he kept the door open to use as a defensive shield.
Brian slowly began to approach Justin, grabbing a lemon this time from the fruit bowl for self-defense. "What have you got in your hand, Taylor?" he warily asked the blond, who scraped his lower lip with his teeth silently and shrugged his shoulders in response. "Show it to me!"
"Just a little protein," Justin finally volunteered. "You always tell me that protein's good for you," he reported. "Makes your skin glow and your bones strong. Calcium's good for that, too." He began to hide behind the refrigerator door as Brian kept creeping nearer and nearer.
"Don't come any closer!" Justin warned him. "I'm armed!"
"Ooh, I'm scared," Brian retorted in a childlike voice as he kept approaching.
Justin waited as long as he could until Brian was approximately four feet away before he darted out from behind the door and promptly lobbed a raw egg in the brunet's direction like a softball; the fragile shell promptly broke into tiny pieces all over Brian's face and began to slowly run down his neck, oozing underneath the V of his shirt.
"Well, you egged me on," Justin told him as he burst out laughing over his joke, thoroughly enjoying himself now.
"That's it!" Brian announced as he rushed over and pounced on the now empty-handed blond who shrieked as Brian grabbed him and promptly mashed him against his chest and slammed their bodies against the now-closed refrigerator so they could both 'enjoy' his runny predicament.
All the commotion coming from nearby was too much for a curious little boy to ignore as Gus came rushing over to the kitchen to see what all the hoopla was about. He took one look at the mess on the floor and on his father and Justin before clapping his hands in excitement and jumping up and down in instant recognition; he had seen this same type of event before at school and I always looked like a lot of fun. "Food fight, food fight!" he chanted boisterously as he giggled and bounced lightly up and down on his feet. "Get him, Daddy!"
Brian smiled at his son's encouragement; he was such a smart kid. "Gus, you don't remember where we put the chocolate syrup the last time you were here, do you?"
"Brian!" Justin sputtered as Gus nodded his head and proceeded to walk over to a nearby cupboard to try and help. "Corrupting your own son?" He scrunched up his nose in distaste at the thought of sticky chocolate syrup running down his hair, his face and the rest of his body, although… he wouldn't mind licking it all up if Brian were wearing it…
Unfortunately – or fortunately, depending upon how you looked at it – the potential weapon was located in an overhead cupboard above the coffee maker far above the little boy's reach, much to Gus's disappointment; he wanted to get in on the action, too. "I can't get it, Daddy," the little boy said in disappointment as he reached his hands up futilely, the treasure way out of his grasp. "I need my stool."
"Don't you dare!" Justin shouted at Brian before he could open his mouth. "We are NOT getting your son in the middle of this. At least one of us can go home clean."
"Sorry, little man," Brian told his son as he continued to gaze into Justin's captivating blue eyes that were holding a mixture of vexation and resolution. "I think we'll have to keep that off the table until some other time."
"But, Daddy, I wanted to have a food fight, too," Gus told him, his lower lip sticking out in disappointment. "Can I throw an egg like Jus'n did, then?" he suggested hopefully. He began to walk over to the refrigerator and attempted to open the door, but it was sealed too well and was much too heavy for him to successfully carry out his wish.
Brian curled his lips under, almost tempted to take him up on it and let him have a go at Justin but finally deciding it wasn't worth Hurricane Mel's wrath when Lindsay arrived in a couple of hours to pick him up after dinner; at least, what was left of dinner. The spaghetti was cold and clumpy now, and the sauce, while still warm, wouldn't be much good over clammy, chewy pasta. And the bread? Since a certain blond had decided to uncover it, the bread was cold now, too, and he hated cold Garlic bread, almost as much as reheated, cold Garlic bread.
"Some other time, Gus," he told his son as he glanced over at him. As he heard him sigh in disappointment, he attempted to mollify him somewhat by adding, "Looks like we'll have to order some pizza for dinner now, Buddy. Someone who shall remain nameless has pretty much ruined my spaghetti." Justin looked over at him in astonishment at that statement. He chose to studiously ignore the insinuation as to whom was to blame as he asked, "How about a pan pizza from Antonio's and some Mozzarella dipping sticks instead?"
"Yay!" Gus said, quickly forgetting his idea to be part of the food fight. "Pizza! Pizza!"
Brian shook his head; he was definitely being pulverized tonight on all fronts. First he's assaulted with high-carb bread by a blond with a wicked left hook, now he has to endure eating pizza for dinner, also? This was the last time he even considered trying to cook, even if it only involved heating things up. Besides, things were going to be heating up later, all right, especially after what this little shit he was currently holding firmly in his arms had started.
He gazed down into the said 'little shit's' beautiful face, mesmerized by the flashes of silver in the wide, expressive blue eyes gazing back at him. "As for YOU," he murmured as Justin stared back at him silently. "YOU are going to go start the hot water in the shower so we can get all this shit off our bodies." He lowered his voice so only Justin would hear the rest of what he had to say; he could see Gus gazing over at him curiously. "And then you are going to get that tight little ass all primed up for some major pumping action later… Over and over and over again – as penance for the mess you've made in my kitchen."
He could feel Justin shiver a little in anticipation as he leaned down and bestowed a brief but firm kiss on the soft lips. "This is your definition of punishment?" he asked Brian for clarification's sake, just to make sure he should be dreading it.
"You'll find out soon enough!" Brian growled, promptly releasing Justin enough to spin him around and smack him on the ass.
"Ow!" Justin cried out as he rubbed the offended ass cheek. "Watch it! That's worth a lot more, now that I'm a bigwig at the hospital now."
"You've been bad, Jus'n!" Gus reported, waggling his finger at the blond as he watched the two men tussle. He didn't get too many smacks on the butt himself – normally only on the rare times when he had done something he had been told not to do but he did it anyway – but he knew enough to realize that spanks on the butt were reserved for boys who misbehaved.
"You got that right, Sonny Boy!" Brian called over to him. "Now get going, Hot Shot!" Brian commanded as he gave Justin a slight shove toward the bathroom. Justin batted his golden eyelashes at Brian and smiled coquettishly before turning to move toward the shower, emphasizing his hot ass as he wiggled it for show as he went.
Brian felt his cock twitch in response, wanting nothing better than to eat a certain ass rather than some pizza, before he realized he had to take care of his son's needs first. Sighing, he walked over to pick up his cell phone lying near the front door, taking care not to step in any gooey, slimy, buttery shit on the floor. "Why don't you go back to the living room, Gus, while I call in our order?" He suggested to his son, not wanting to risk the child spreading any goop into the other part of the loft. As he called in their order and hung up the phone, he thought about how much he desperately needed to wash off all the gunk from his body; between the garlic bread, grapes, and egg now drying all over his skin and clothes that a certain southpaw had thrown at him, he thought he smelled like some Mediterranean culinary dish and not a very tasty one at that. And he wasn't even going to hazard a guess as to whether his expensive linen shirt was even salvageable. Thinking he had probably lost his mind, but desperately needing to not only take a shower but also imbibe in a little pre-dinner appetizer, he called out to his son, "Gus? If you want, and you're really, really careful, you can go ahead and use your top loader until the pizza gets here." He heard his son's whoops of delight as he added, "But do NOT take the truck out of the sandbox, okay?"
He waited for his son's excited "Okay, Daddy" before beginning to unbutton his shirt, wrinkling up his nose as he noticed how it stuck to his skin. He didn't even bother to worry about where it landed once he had it completely unbuttoned, throwing it in a heap near the bed as he walked into the bedroom. The jeans and briefs were a little easier to remove, seeing as how they had been miraculously spared most of the impact earlier; they joined the crumpled shirt on the floor as he finished undressing and walked toward the bathroom, hearing the running of water clearly now. He glanced behind his shoulder to make sure Gus was preoccupied before he walked inside the room, smirking as he noticed Justin's clothes in a heap by the shower stall; remnants of spaghetti sauce were easily noticeable on his light-blue shirt. He winced a little, actually feeling a little guilty over damaging one of his lover's only good dress shirts; he had had to practically force Justin to go out and indulge in a few 'power' clothes for work, knowing that in his increasingly responsible position it was important he try to look more polished, but he also knew Justin could ill afford to throw his money away so cavalierly. It was a sure bet that this shirt would not be reusable. He silently vowed to take a certain someone out soon for a shopping expedition, whether his proud little blond spitfire was in agreement or not. He could afford to be a little more generous with his money; Justin could not, at least not yet. As he took a few moments to admire the rear view of Justin slowly lathering his lithe body with a loofah sponge, he couldn't help thinking that once the blond eventually graduated from PIFA, no doubt he would be successful in whatever he did, and if McKenzie was as smart as he appeared to be, he'll scoop him up before the competition did.
Justin's heartbeat sped up as he heard the shower door opening; turning around, he smiled at Brian a little anxiously, biting his lip a little as if he were trying to make sure Brian wasn't mad at him. He hadn't appeared to be angry earlier, but then again, Gus was nearby. He could have been controlling his ire merely because he didn't want to upset his son. Now that they were alone, though, his earlier antics were bothering him. He knew how fastidious Brian was about his loft, and the man had actually been trying to be considerate by preparing a meal for him and Gus. He had returned the kindness by engaging in food warfare, instead, turning Brian's neat, orderly kitchen into a mess-hall-style refugee camp.
He watched with a little apprehension as Brian closed the door behind him and walked over to his side. He raised his eyebrows in question as Brian quietly studied him. "You realize you made a fucking mess out of my kitchen, don't you?" the brunet asked, eyeing him intently.
Justin stared back at him sheepishly. "I know," he said contritely, his voice soft with regret. "I'm sorry. I'll clean it up."
Brian smirked. "That's what I have a cleaning lady for," he retorted. He tongue flicked out to wet his lips as he walked closer. He admired the shiny, alabaster skin on Justin's chest as he reached with one hand and lightly trailed one long index finger down the breastbone, watching as the blond's skin quivered in response. "But you can pay me back in some other way."
Justin smiled in relief; he would be more than happy to serve that sentence. "What did you have in mind?" he asked innocently as he batted his eyes at Brian, whose lips twisted up in one corner. He reached out with the loofah and began to slowly trail it over Brian's left shoulder and down his arm, the soapy water slowly trickling down the bronzed, muscular skin before it dripped onto the floor below. "I'm very experienced in giving sponge baths," he purred seductively as he took the loofah and moved it over to Brian's chest, slowly dragging it downward from just below his neck and then over to the left nipple and then the right, taking his time as the rough texture caused Brian's dusky-colored nubs to wrinkle and harden in response. He smiled, confident in the knowledge by now of how he was able to affect this gorgeous man, as he lowered his body along with the sponge while it slowly traveled down Brian's flat stomach toward the thatch of curly, wiry hair just above his cock. He squatted down to get a better look at his lover's most impressive feature as he held onto Brian's left thigh for support and gently started to stroke the hardened shaft in an up and down stroke, over and over again, until he heard Brian growl above him. He stopped long enough to lift his gaze to stare at Brian through feathery eyelashes, his breathing ragged as he swallowed hard. God, he wanted this man so badly…
He heard Brian growl, "Get your ass back up here," as a pair of strong hands grasped his upper arms and firmly pulled him up, the loofah promptly forgotten as it fell to the floor; Brian roughly pulled his body flush with his as their lips smashed together. He felt Brian's tongue probing, demanding entry as he parted his lips and wound his arms around Brian's waist. He could feel their cocks trapped between them; it was exquisite torture as Brian deliberately twisted his body just enough to heighten the friction and Justin gasped as Brian's tongue swabbed and ravaged the inside of his mouth. The brunet came up for air just long enough to emit some sort of territorial growl before he dove back in, roughly grasping the back of Justin's neck and angling his head to deepen their kiss as Justin's pulse pounded in his ears like primitive beats of attraction.
The soap all over Brian's body served to help Justin's hands glide all over his back and buttocks in a smooth, sensual exploration as they continued to kiss; emboldened, he slid his fingers between the crack of Brian's ass and tentatively poked a couple of them inside the puckered hole, hearing a echoing gasp of surprise as well as pleasure from his lover as they finally broke off their kiss and Brian stared darkly into his eyes.
"Fuck, I want you so bad," Brian growled in admission as he began to rain kisses all over his lover's neck; Justin sighed in pleasure as he curved his neck away from Brian obligingly to expose the creamy-colored flesh and his hands roamed all over Brian's chiseled shoulders before grabbing onto his upper arms for balance. He started in shock as he felt Brian bite down on his neck before he felt his lover's tongue slowly washing over it in a soothing motion; that was something new. Brian had never done that before, but he trusted Brian and knew what his lover was doing – he was telling the world that 'you belong to me and ONLY me,' and it filled him with a sense of pride as well as amazement that this incredible man wanted him, Justin Taylor, an art student turned hospital therapist. A man who, unlike Brian, was just beginning to find a way in the world and really didn't know where he would wind up yet. But as Brian continued to nuzzle and lick his way around his neck and chest, holding onto his upper arms supportively, he couldn't envision being anywhere else and his heart threatened to explore from sheer joy. The words furiously trying to erupt out of his mouth leaped out before he could stop them, even though he knew they might scare the living daylights out of his lover.
"I love you," he whispered, his eyes closed in bliss. His heart stopped for a brief second, though, as he felt Brian stiffen slightly under his touch and stop kissing him. Fearing he had made a huge mistake and had misjudged the intensity and depth of Brian's feelings for him somehow, he dared to risk opening his eyes to stare up into the darkened orbs of the other man as their gazes locked together. "Brian?" he whispered anxiously.
"Turn around," Brian commanded softly at last in response as he gently prodded him to face the shower wall. Justin bit his lip as he complied, worried that he had made a big mistake in confessing his feelings to him. But he was somewhat reassured by the tender tone of Brian's voice, and he wanted him so badly that at that moment he chose to silently do as Brian asked.
He heard the telltale ripping of a condom wrapper a few moments later as Brian released his grip on him briefly; soon afterward, he could feel Brian's soapy hands preparing him and he closed his eyes as a mixture of emotions washed over him – anticipation, desire, and love combined with worry over what he had done. As he felt the tip of Brian's cock probing for entrance, and the warmth of his lover's hands around his waist as he pulled their bodies together, however, his concerns were temporarily forgotten as he got lost in the wondrous emotions flooding through him, their bodies rocking together in perfect synchrony until at last as if they had choreographed it, they came together almost at the exact same time in a shuddering heap of heated sensations.
An Hour and a Half Later
"Did you have fun with your Dad, Sweetheart?" Lindsay asked her son at the front door as she helped him put on his lightweight jacket. The day, which had started out quite warm, had quickly cooled off with the sun setting and a strong, pre-storm wind blowing in from the north.
Gus nodded his head excitedly. "Jus'n and Daddy were throwing food!" he promptly reported, his eyes alit with excitement; apparently that had been the highlight of his evening with his father.
"Throwing food?" Lindsay peered over at Brian, who was leaning against the front door, and then Justin who was standing nearby next to Brian's computer desk. Justin appeared embarrassed at Gus's enthusiastic declaration as he averted his eyes downward; Brian, on the other hand, gazed back at her indifferently. "It was more like artistic expression," he told her vaguely as she furrowed her brow in confusion.
She shook her head slightly, not even attempting to hazard a guess as to what her friend meant; she had learned long ago that Brian had a unique talent for putting his own spin on things. As she gazed at her son's happy face, though, she decided it didn't matter; her son had obviously had a grand time, and that was all that was important to her. It hadn't been too long ago that they had taken such moments as these for granted, believing that a robust, happy-go-lucky child such as Gus would never have to worry about grown-up matters or being physically fragile, at least not for a long time. His recent brush with death, though, had changed all that. She – and Melanie and Brian – would never take any precious time with their son for granted ever again.
"Well, it's getting late, Sweetie, we'd better go," she told her son as she zipped up his coat. "Give your Daddy and Justin a hug and kiss goodbye, okay?" She watched as Gus walked over to his father, who stooped down to wrap his son up in a fierce hug as the little boy bestowed a wet kiss on his cheek.
"Bye, Daddy," he said softly. "I love you."
Brian pulled back to look his son in the eyes and respond tenderly with no hint of awkwardness, "I love you, too, Buddy."
Her heart warmed as Gus repeated the same action with Justin, who bent down to hold him close to his chest tenderly, brushing one hand briefly through the back of her son's hair affectionately. She wasn't surprised when Gus repeated the same declaration of love to Justin – in the past few months her son had grown quite close to his former hospital orderly. It seemed like lately, especially, Justin was constantly around when Gus came to visit his father, and she knew from what her son had told her after his visits that Justin often accompanied them on their outings. She was grateful to the talented young man for all he had done for their son while he had been ill, and she personally liked Justin, but she confessed to being a little worried that Gus might get his fragile heart broken if for some reason Brian and Justin had a parting of the ways eventually. Brian seemed to care deeply for Justin – at least as much as he was capable of – but was it enough? She didn't want Justin to get his heart broken, either.
"I'll see you soon, Buddy," she heard Justin whisper to her son as he gave him a kiss on the cheek. She frowned a little, noticing that Justin seemed a little quieter and more subdued than normal. She didn't really know him that well, but she sensed that something was bothering him.
"Justin?" She called over to him as Gus scampered up to her, remembering that his apartment was on the way back to her and Melanie's house. "Would you like a lift home?"
Before Justin could open his mouth to respond Brian replied firmly, "No, he's not ready to leave yet. I'll take him home myself."
"If you're sure," she said, glancing over at Justin, who lifted his eyes to peer over at her and finally nodded silently, his face an unreadable mask of emotion. "Okay," she answered finally, still not convinced, as Brian swung the door back to let them exit; she knew something was going on, but she apparently wasn't going to find out tonight. "I'll see you guys later." Brian watched them walk over to the elevator and waited until they were onboard and it was descending downward before he swung the door back to close it, shrouding the loft in an eerie silence.
He gazed over at Justin, who was nervously playing with the cord of his landline phone, his eyes cast downward. "Want something to drink?" he asked quietly as he walked over toward the kitchen, leaving Justin standing there by the door.
"No," was the soft response. "I'm not thirsty." Justin found himself feeling terribly awkward, now that he had allowed his innermost feelings to be revealed. Ever since he had said those momentous three words in the shower, Brian had seemed uncomfortable around him. Oh, they had went ahead and fucked, and they had made polite conversation around his son while munching on pizza slices as they watched a Disney movie in the living room (he frankly couldn't even remember which one it was now…). But it was like a two-ton gorilla was in the room now, oppressive and ominous. He had actually been ready to jump at the chance to leave with Lindsay and Gus – feeling like Brian wanted some space – but his lover had quickly squashed that idea. Why? Was it because he wanted to hash things out with him, once and for all? Tell him that while he found his company entertaining and the sex mind-blowing and he did care about him, that was as far as it went and it would ever go? He cursed himself silently, knowing that a proud, assertive and confident man such as Brian Kinney would be either highly amused by his emotional declaration of love or would merely belittle it as some twink fantasy come to life. He was trying to present himself to Brian as a mature, responsible man; what had he been thinking? That was the problem, though; he hadn't thought about his earnest words of love before he had said them; it hadn't been his brain speaking then, though – it had been his heart. He wouldn't take them back, however, no matter what happened; damn it, he loved this man. Let the chips fall where they may, then.
He watched as Brian walked over to the refrigerator, gingerly side-stepping the now-sticky floors of the kitchen as he retrieved a bottle of water and walked back over toward him, stopping a few feet away to study him intently while he took a swig from the bottle. Justin felt his face warm at the intense scrutiny as he slowly lifted his eyes tentatively to stare into Brian's, wondering what was going through his mind; even in his state of anxiety, he couldn't help being fascinated as Brian's Adam's apple bobbed up and down while he swallowed the water down his throat. He let out a heavy breath before asking, "Why didn't you let Lindsay drive me home?" Isn't that what you wanted? To get rid of me before I made an even BIGGER fool of myself?
Brian set the bottle of water down on his computer table. "Because we need to talk, and we couldn't do that privately until Gus and Lindsay left."
Justin dragged his teeth across his upper lip and nodded, letting out his breath with a sigh. He restlessly brushed one hand through his slightly shaggy hair. "I know what this is about," he told Brian honestly. "I should have never said what I said to you earlier."
To his surprise, Brian walked closer to him and placed one hand under his chin, forcing him to meet his gaze directly. "Why, Justin?" he asked the blond softly. "Are you wanting to take it back?"
Justin swallowed hard, but he wasn't going to lie to him. "No," he admitted. "I… I meant what I said."
To his shock, he watched as the slightest hint of a smile appeared on Brian's face as he heard him say one word: "Good."
Justin stared at him in disbelief for a few seconds, wondering if he had heard him right; that was not the response he had anticipated. "Good?"
Brian's lips twisted upward in the corner. "That's what I said, Mr. Taylor. Do I need to repeat it?"
Justin licked his lips, trying to force the right words to come out. "No, I heard you," he said a little stiffly. "But I don't understand. You like the fact that I told you I loved you?" He tried to look away, suddenly feeling like he was being unmasked, but Brian's hand on his chin wouldn't allow it. The look he was receiving was so intense it almost felt like Brian was seeing right through him, straight to his innermost soul; it was both exhilarating and scary as hell.
Brian leaned in to rest his forehead against his as he whispered, "Of course I do, you twat. It's so much less complicated when both people feel the same way about each other."
Justin pulled back in shock, unable to process what he had just heard. Was Brian saying…? Was it possible…? Did he feel the same as he did? "Brian?"
A smirk appeared on the handsome man's face as he noticed the confused look. "Yes, Florence?"
"No joking around, Brian!" the blond reprimanded him sternly, not wanting to make any mistake about this; this was far too important. "Are you telling me that you…?"
Brian sighed; this was still so fucking hard for him; he wasn't used to baring his soul or his heart to anyone; in fact, he had never done this before with any man. Hadn't he already told Justin before that he was special? Wasn't that enough to tell Justin how he truly felt? No… He knew it wasn't for this man, because despite everything that Justin had accomplished in such a short time, he still was the type of person who wore his heart on his sleeve and needed things expressed in the way that Brian felt the most uncomfortable with; he supposed that was what made Justin such a perfect person for the job he was doing at the hospital. It made him feel vulnerable as hell, yes, but for Justin, he would try to push through his awkwardness and discomfiture to express to him what was in his heart, had been in his heart for some time now. "That I love you?" he managed at last to whisper back, finding it not quite as scary to say as he thought it would be. He watched Justin silently nod back at him, almost as if he were afraid to make any sudden moves for fear of freaking him out, which was a distinct possibility. He plunged ahead, though, before he chickened out. "Yes," he breathed out, placing his hands on Justin's upper arms firmly but gently to make sure he had his full attention, because he knew it would be a long time before he had the guts to say this again. "Yes, God help me, damn it, but I fucking love you, Justin Taylor." There… I said it now; are you happy? He didn't really need to actually ask Justin the question aloud, though, because the answer was written all over his face, which seemed to instantly transform itself into a thousand-watt illumination as his eyes began to shine even brighter with unshed tears and his mouth broke out into an almost blinding smile.
Brian rolled his eyes. "Does that answer your question? Because I am NOT going to repeat it – maybe ever."
Justin beamed, apparently indicating he could live with that condition, his smile making Brian's heart skip a beat as he replied, "I think that might work."
Brian couldn't help smiling back at him in relief as he shook his head; he was feeling downright exposed (and not in a typically good way), but he knew there was no turning back from this road now. He was in it for the long haul, but surprisingly it didn't scare the shit out of him quite like he thought it would. "Good," he answered, feeling a need to lighten the mood somewhat after his atypical confession of devotion. "I'm glad we've got that settled, because I'm planning on owning your ass for the next several hours."
Justin stared into the mesmerizing eyes of his lover; his lips twisted up into a tender smile as he asked tentatively, "Only for the next several hours?"
Little twat. Brian knew exactly what he was asking; didn't they just cover this subject? He growled, "You know what I mean, Mr. Taylor. I have to give that hot little ass some rest in between fucking sessions. After all, you DO spend a lot of time sitting down at work now." He leaned in to whisper in Justin's ear, his hot breath washing over him like a sensual blanket, "But don't think you're getting away from me that easily; consider us fucking joined at the hip now. I think my son would never speak to me again if I let his favorite orderly get away."
Justin reached up to cup his hands on either side of Brian's face; his beautiful, expressive, yes, loving face; his eyes were shining back at him, so open and gentle now, his lips turned up into a tender smile that told him so much. "I'm not planning on going anywhere," he whispered.
Brian's hands slid around the slender waist to pull Justin in closer. "Neither am I, Orly. Neither am I."
This is the end! (Whew!) I hope you've enjoyed it. Thanks for all the comments and for reading along - I am very appreciative.:)