When he left Pratt, at 8:00pm, Justin was walking on air. There were just days that were perfect, where everything just fell into place. The filming this morning had been great, the actors just perfect, getting right away what he described, and just really, really good.
He’d had a great run, only four miles, but he’d felt strong, and after his shower, his whole body had felt cleansed, as if he had sweated away a bunch of noxious toxins.
Anatomy had been, as usual, a cross between fun, gross, and fascinating. They had dissected the female breast today, a part of the body Justin had paid no attention to since his fourteenth month…
The girls had seriously cringed, the guys had made stupid jokes, but it had been really interesting: the fat globules, the milk glands, the nipple and its tiny muscles (nipples, he knew fairly well…). The only thing holding the breasts up was skin. No wonder girls wore bras. And it explained the shape, and the bounciness.
Now he could draw a breast that looked real, a young perky breast, a heavy lactating breast, an aged breast. Half the cadavers they were dissecting were women. The youngest about fifty, he thought. Each of their breasts had been unique, each nipple and aureola different, the nipple of women who had once nursed babies changed forever.
It was amazing what women accepted to do to their bodies for the love of a child. He thought of Brian’s obsession with his perfect body. If men had to carry and nurse the children, he had no doubt the human race would have become extinct long ago…
Finally, he had painted for only two hours, but that is all he had needed to finish his 7X7 canvas. It was a wild thing. He thought of it as pussy willows, because of the grassy, organic look of it, the yellow grass of the field in summer, with pussy willows dancing in the wind. When he’d arrived today, he’d taken one look at it and had started mixing cadmium, zinc oxide white and burnt sienna in varnish and turpentine. He had covered the entire painting with it. It had dried quickly, leaving the entire painting with an out of focus, sepia feel. Using yet more cadmium and white, each pure, he had added touches all over the canvas, like dappled sunlight. The effect was amazing. You could literally feel the trembling heat of summer, the hot wind. Lilah had helped him raise it vertically, and they had leaned it against the wall.
“Oh, my god, Justin. I can hear crickets. I can smell the hay smell of dried grass.”
“How does it feel?”
She stared at it for a long time. “Like pure happiness. Like a summer’s day when you are a child, when summer lasts forever and means total freedom and apricot cobbler, and playing all day with your cousins without an adult in sight, and building a dam in the creek, getting all wet and drying in half an hour... Like the best time of your entire life.”
Justin smiled. “Good.”
Lilah smiled too. “You are really happy, aren’t you? This is now for you. The best time of your entire life?”
“Yes. Yes it is. And it just keeps getting better. I wish everybody in the entire world felt the way I feel right now. Life is so good to me.”
She smiled at him. “You deserve it Justin. You totally deserve it.”
Justin gave her a peck on the cheek, and they put the painting away in his drying cupboard. He would start something new tomorrow and was already excited about it.
He took a cab home. Brian was already there and dressed for the evening, looking hot. He welcomed Justin with a hug and a kiss on the forehead.
“Hurry up and change, we want to be there, waiting when they arrive.”
“I was going to take a shower…”
“Do you need to? Your neck smells so good…”
Justin smiled. He did not need to shower. His hygiene kit made sure he was always ready for Brian and his obsession with Justin’s ass, as well Brian knew.
“I’ll just get dressed.” He put on his undertaker outfit, because he knew it was Brian’s favorite. He needed to go shopping with Daphne again. She knew what looked good.
He could tell his approval in Brian’s eyes and predatory smile, and suddenly felt sexy and attractive. They took the quick cab ride to Gillian’s. It was a quarter of nine when they arrived, which was perfect. They explained to Maximillien, the doorman, that they were waiting for friends, and Brian had him go in to run his credit card for the six guests, so they would not feel self conscious at the exorbitant fee.
Justin loved the way Brian was looking at him, as if he wanted to eat him alive. He himself had been hard since Brian’s remark about the smell of his neck. Brian leaned in to give him a light kiss, and buried his face in his neck. Soon, Justin was leaning with his back to the stone wall, Brian’s thigh between his legs, and Brian’s tongue in his mouth. “Justin, Justin, Justin…I’m never going to be able to play pool. My dick is so hard I could use it as a cue.”
Justin cracked up. “We have ten minutes. I can make you come in three. I’ve never gone down on you in an alley before. Interested?”
“Fuck yes,” said Brian with a grin. “I’ll make it up to you later…”
“I’m not worried. I’m sure you will”
They walked deep into the dark alley next to Gillian’s, past the garbage and toward the back where some kinds of crates were stored. There was a back door with a light above it, but the crates obscured it from the entrance of the alley. Brian leaned against the wall, and Justin kissed him one more time…
“And here we were, trying to figure out a way to lure you down here. We should have known you’d want your little cocksucker to blow you, Kinney. Thanks for making our job so easy…”
Justin turned around. There were four of them. With baseball bats. The one speaking was the man from this morning. This was a little thank you gift from Tuscan. Justin’s palms were clammy, his heart was racing. The baseball bats were scaring the hell out of him. ‘It’s OK to be scared,’ he told himself. ‘Just remember your self-defense classes. You can beat these guys. Brian’s here. You’re not alone…’
He reached into his pocket, opened his phone and pressed 3 and talk. That was Brandon. Then he looked at their assailants and picked the one who was a little out of shape and balding, though he looked only about thirty.
He walked towards him, trying to ignore the conversation between Brian and the other one. Brian was a big boy. He knew how to take care of himself. “You used to play baseball in high school, didn’t you?” Justin asked the guy.
“Yeah, why?”
“There are different ways to hold a bat. You hold yours like a player, not like a head basher. You’ve never used a bat to beat someone's skull in before, have you. Just to play ball…”
“True, but I’m a quick learner,” said baldy with a nasty grin.
“Be that as it may, players do not expect people to try to take the bat away. The grip doesn’t guard against that…” Justin had gotten close enough, and he kicked the bat below the man’s right hand as hard as he could. Just like they showed in the self-defense class, the bat came free of the grip and came up about a foot. Justin snatched it. The training said you had a 50/50 chance that the person with the bat would snatch it first, so he was thrilled when he backed off with the bat in his hand, holding it not like a baseball bat, but like a weapon.
Brian’s back was still safely against the wall. They made eye contact, and Justin threw him the bat. Brian caught it, and his opponent who had been coming a little too close for comfort backed off precipitously. These guys had never done this before. They were talking instead of swinging. Amateurs, thank god.
“So, here we are in the back of the alley next to Gillian’s,” said Brian “There were four of you with bats, and two of us without, but now there are only three of you with bats and one of us without…” Like Justin, he had called someone on his phone, and was giving them a heads up…If they could hear.
Justin continued with his plan. He deliberately turned his back to the man he had disarmed
“Hugh, Grab him!” said the leader, and poor Hugh did. He really should have talked to Phil from Legal, first, about re-education for the broken foot, and life with only one testis… In less than a minute he was out for the count, and not being insensate due to alcohol, he was definitely staying down.
“There was a sound like a home run being hit, and the leader of the pack’s bat hit the ground as if he was punting. Brian rolled it against the wall with his foot.
Justin wished he could have seen how he’d done it. He backed to the wall and picked up the bat.
“So now,” said Brian, “there are three of you, two with bats, and two of us, with bats as well.”
“No. There are four of us, Brian,” said Todd.
The leader turned around, surprised, and Brian’s bat came down on his clavicle. There was a sound like a branch breaking, and the man fell to his knees, crying out in pain, holding his shoulder. Brian calmly removed his scarf and wrapped it carefully around the bat. Then he hit the man on the back of the head, and he fell face first, quiet and unmoving. Todd was facing one of the guys, using a garbage can lid as a shield.
Brandon was facing the other. He did a beautiful jump and landed on the man’s grip on the bat, driving his arms to the ground. There was a crunch sound and Justin held his breath, but Brandon got up, picking up the bat while the man howled, his wrists not having liked the 6’3” dancer landing on top of them. Brian walked to the man with this scarf wrapped bat and put him out of his misery.
Justin had joined Todd. Their opponent was young, strong, definitely had some experience in close combat, and was pretty desperate. He was dodging Justin’s blows easily while still attacking relentlessly. If it hadn’t been for the garbage can lid and Todd’s quick reflexes, both Justin and he would have been injured by now.
Then a jete landed in the middle if his back and he went down with an “Oomf”. He was on the ground and seemed completely unable to get a breath. Brandon walked away, limping a little. He stopped after a few steps, and stood on on foot easily while he cradled his other ankle for a moment. He rotated it, gave it a quick massage, and put it back down, he took a couple of tentative steps, jumped up and down a few times, and walked again, as good as new. He walked to Todd and took him in his arms resting his head on his shoulder.
Justin was already in Brian’s who held him tightly and whispered in his ear. “When you walked toward that guy with his bat ready to hit, I was so fucking scared… I knew you could handle it, Justin, but if anything had happened to you… I love you, Justin. I love you.”
“All I could think of was that I needed to get you one of those bats. I was scared shitless that guy would take a swing at you before I got you one. They didn’t care about me. You’re the one they wanted, and if anything had happened to you… Oh, Brian. I… I just love you so damn much.”
“Shit,” said Todd, “Rob and Alex!”
“Damn. The docs must think we forgot all about them,” said Brian.
All four of them headed to the mouth of the alley, wondering if their friends would still be waiting. They had not needed to worry. They were still waiting, had obviously introduced themselves to each other, and were laughing so hard when the others joined them none of the four could talk, and as soon as they started, they would all break down again.
Finally, Steven calmed down enough to explain, “Medical humor,” which got the other three started again. “So, where have you guys been?
“We were in the alley, having a disagreement with four of Tuscan’s thugs with baseball bats. Could you come check that we didn’t kill any of them? We’re just going to tell the cops where to find them, “ said Brian. “I don’t want to spend the night talking to cops. We have some celebrating to do.”
Four injured, four doctors, it was quick. Broken bones, concussions, but no busted skulls, and normal pupil response. They would all be fine. Justin dialed 911 on the way to Gillian’s door.
“Tenth Precinct, how may I help you?”
“We were just attacked by four thugs with baseball bats.”
“Was the attack motivated by homophobia?”
Well this was the police precinct for Chelsea, after all… “Yes, definitely.”
“Let me connect you to one of our detectives, and we are sending a car right now. Do you need an ambulance?”
“No, but our attackers do. They are in the alley next to Gillian’s.”
“…OK.”
“Tenth precinct detective squad. Who do you need to speak with?”
“Anybody I guess, Four guys attacked my boyfriend and I with baseball bats. They have dispatched an ambulance already. “
“Are you injured?”
“No. But they are. Listen, we just want to report the attack and make sure they get to a hospital. We have guests from out of town and…”
“Justin Taylor?”
“Uh… Yes.”
“This is Detective Hamill. One and a half million people in Manhattan and twenty-four precincts, yet here we are again.”
“But you were an officer. In the Madison area…”
“I passed detective and moved to the tenth precinct three weeks ago.” She sighed. “Go celebrate. Have fun. I expect you and Mr.Kinney tomorrow at eleven for your deposition, all right?”
“Thank you, detective.” Shaking his head at the serendipity, he followed the rest of them in. Once in the Billiard Room, the twins and the doctors started a game right away. Todd, Justin, Brandon and Brian felt the need for a relaxing drink. Todd and Brian ordered J&B, Brandon, who did not have to be on stage for nine days, and Justin, ordered beers.
Brandon and Todd continued a discussion they had obviously started outside. "You could have been seriously injured, Brandon.”
“So could you, so could Brian and Justin.”
“It’s not the same and you know it. Our careers don’t depend on our bodies being in perfect condition. What if they’d busted your knee cap. You would have never danced again. It was insane to risk yourself.”
“You cannot expect me to hang back when the man I love puts his life in danger. You have to understand that, no?”
“You’ve told me yourself the story of how Justin sent that guy who attacked him in the elevator to the hospital. He didn’t need any help.”
“Justin? Of course he … Todd, you dolt, you are the man I love. I meant you cannot expect me to hang back while you, the man I love puts his life in danger!”
“But… you love Justin…”
“Of course I love Justin. Always will. I love Brian too. But I am madly, deeply, crazy in love with you, Todd. Surely you must know that?” Brandon reached across the table and caressed Todd’s face. “Surely you feel it when we make love… We are so perfect together…”
Todd was looking at Brandon, his own face suffused with love and joy. “Brandon, fuck playing pool. Let’s go to that room where we can make love, because that’s all I want to do right now…” They slipped out of the booth and left. Brandon looked back at them and smiled, and he looked so incredibly happy. They both smiled back. He put his arm lovingly around Todd and they made their way to the elevator.
“I feel the same way as Todd,” said Brian, “but it would be rather rude to our guests.”
Justin leaned forward and kissed him before getting up. “We waited three months the first time. I’m sure we can make it through a couple games of pool.”
“We didn’t know yet what it would be like.” The shape of his erection showed plainly since he was going commando. It was an impressive sight. “It was easier to wait before I knew what I was waiting for…” Brian grinned at Justin . “You still want to play for top?”
“No.” Justin pointed to the table where Steve and Scott were playing Rob and Alex. “I want to play the winners. I want you to fuck me tonight, as many times as we can…”
Brian groaned. “I want you so badly, Justin…”
They went and issued their challenge, and Brian held Justin in front of him, rubbing his erection against him while they waited to see who they would play. The teams were pretty close, but Steven and Scott eventually took it.
Scott was about to break for their game when Brian whispered in Justin’s ear, “You are going to have to take first turn. I don’t think I can comfortably bend down.”
“Fuck it,” said Justin. He dropped to his knees, undid Brian’s fly, and took him in.
“Justin…” Brian was leaning against the pool table, and that was the last coherent thing he had to say for the next three minutes. Justin could not believe he was doing this, in the middle of the bar, with most people staring, and Steven and Scott out with them for the first time.
But he had wanted to suck Brian all night, and this was Gillian’s for fuck’s sake. Brian’s cock felt so good, so hard, his precome was so delicious… Brian came with a sigh, his head thrown back, Justin sucking every drop out of him. He got up again, tucking Brian back in his pants and turned to the game.
Scott was still paused to break, his brain apparently on hold. The twins looked really warm, and Steven was cracking up. He asked Scott, “Do you want me to break?”
“Uh… What? Oh. No. Here I go.”
Brian resumed holding Justin in his arms from behind and said to Scott, “It was a plot to break your concentration. You know Justin, so young, yet so evil…” He whispered in Justin’s ear, “So hot, so amazing, so sexy, so about to be fucked into the mattress…”
Justin giggled. He couldn’t wait.
To be continued...
This is the portrait of Florence that hangs in Brian and Justin's kitchen.
