Before There Was You, There Was You

Chapter 61

“When, according to habit, I was contemplating the stars in a clear sky, I noticed a new and unusual star, surpassing the other stars in brilliancy. There had never before been any star in that place in the sky.” ~ Tycho Brahe


***


 

“That was one hell of a Wedd….”

“Celebration,” Ted corrected Emmett.

Emmett looked over at Ted who was sitting beside him in the booth at the diner. “Whateevveerr…” Emmett drawled then winced at the sound of his own voice. “Jesus, I have GOT to stop partying with Kinney. I’m too old for this shit. How does he do it?” Emmett took a piece of ice out from his water glass and ran it over his forehead.

“When was the last time you partied with Brian?”

“The night before Thanksgiving, when I found out James took off without saying goodbye.” Emmett’s voice sounded very raspy.

“Still hasn’t called you yet, huh?” Ted asked, sympathetically.

“Fuck him,” Emmett snapped.

Ted just nodded his head and changed the subject. “Speaking of ‘fuck hims… I couldn’t believe Justin last night!” Ted said, bringing the conversation back to the “Celebration” last night.

That perked Emmett up. “I KNOW! Well, he was pretty wasted. Who wasn’t?” Emmett smiled at the memory.

“I wasn’t,” Ben said as he and Michael slipped into the booth opposite the two boys.

“Well someone had to keep an eye on little Mikey here.”

Michael blushed. “Shut up, Em, I’m already in deep shit.”

Ben threw him a stern look. “I shouldn’t have let you drink so much. You were totally out of control.”

“It was all Justin’s fault!” Michael whined.

“Justin didn’t make you drink as much as you did,” Ben reminded Michael.

“Yes, I admit I drank a bit too much. But for good reason! Brian’s my best friend! Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I’d be attending his Wedd…”

“Celebration,” Ted again corrected.

Emmett and Ben laughed.

“Yeah, 'Celebration',” Michael conceded.

“So that’s why you and Justin dragged that waiter into the bathroom,” Emmett said cattily.

Ben shook his head. Michael lowered his.

“It sure pissed Brian off,” Ted said.

“We were only fooling around!”

“Uh hum… And therein lies the problem,” Emmett quipped.

Michael shot him a menacing look. He was still pissed at Justin for talking him into dragging that hot waiter into the bathroom. It was supposed to be a joke, but the waiter was hot for them, and somehow, clothes were being torn off. Their clothes! The waiter was having his way with the both of them and they were too drunk to stop him.

When Brian and Ben found them, they were half naked on the floor of the bathroom, laughing hysterically, trying very unsuccessfully to fend off the over-amorous waiter. It was a scene. A scene that nearly everyone there witnessed.

They must have created quite a commotion, because they drew a crowd. Everyone was amused by their antics. Everyone but Brian and Ben, that is.

Ben was sober, so he handled it better. Brian, however, was pretty drunk himself, and he flipped out. It was a total Jerry Springer moment.

Michael had to hand it to Justin though. While he felt shame at being caught in such an embarrassing position, Justin tried talking Brian into joining them.

That really pissed Brian off.

“Your little prank started a major fight between Justin and Brian and on their Wedd...”

“Celebration.”

Ben shot Ted a look. “Ok, on their 'Celebration”' day.”

Emmett laughed. “I thought there was going to be a divorce before the Wedd…”

“Celebration.”

“FINE, God, Teddy, you’re getting annoying.” Emmett reached into the water glass and threw a piece of ice at Ted.

Ted ducked.

“Before their 'Celebration' even began,” Emmett finished his thought.

“Come on, it all turned out fine in the end. Brian and Justin were all over each other by the time they left. I don’t see the big deal. It was just a prank gone wrong,” Michael defended.

“Point is, it could have gotten very ugly, if not for Nana intervening. That woman has major balls,” Ben said.

They had all gained major respect for the older woman last night.

Brian and Justin got into a major brawl over Justin and Michael’s prank. It wasn’t that Brian objected to Justin celebrating last night with a piece of hot waiter, in fact, it was revealed during their very public argument that they had intended to take one home.

Ben smiled at the memory of shocked faces. It was after all, a Kinney/Taylor affair. There was never anything conventional about their relationship, why should they expect it to be now?

However, that was not why Brian was pissed. He was pissed because not only did Justin not consult with him first about the waiter of choice, but he dragged Michael into it, or so he claimed. That was why he was mad. Ben had his suspicions though, as did everyone else.

Brian was acting very much like the jealous ‘husband’ at that point.

“It was pretty comical when you think about it,” Emmett said.

The four men looked at each other warily then all started to laugh.

“Am I the only one with a hangover?” Rena said approaching the table. “Move,” she ordered abruptly and slid her ass down next to Michael.

“Jesus, Rena, I can’t believe you’re up! You were nearly passed out last night! Ben had to put you AND John into a cab. Speaking of John, where is he?” Michael asked.

“Still home sleeping.” She smiled wickedly at him through swollen slits where her eyes were hiding. “Wimp.”

They all laughed.

“Rena you look like shit. What are you doing here?” Michael asked.

“Shane is at Adam’s, John is passed out, James is still on assignment, and Viv, Tom and Margot never came home last night. God knows what happened to them. I was in desperate need of painkillers. Mind you I HAD some, but Margot cleaned me out,” Rena complained then flopped her head down on the table onto her folded arms.

Michael rubbed her back. “Poor baby. Come on, I’ll take you home.”

“I have a cab waiting outside. I just came in for coffee. Got my aspirin.” She lifted her head as she put her hand in her coat pocket and pulled out a bottle and waved it at him.

“I gather, then, you haven’t heard form the newlyweds yet?” Michael said.

Ted huffed. “I give up!”

“Actually I did. I rolled over and called Bean this morning and asked him if he would bring me some aspirin. He told me to fuck off he was getting laid and hung up. Nice brother, huh?” It was obvious she was still feeling the effects of last night's over indulgence.

“I can’t believe you called him this morning, of ALL mornings, and asked him to run an errand for you!” Emmett said laughing. “You are a devious woman.”

Rena smiled at him.

“Well it was as good an excuse as any to call. I wanted to make sure they were all right. They were both pretty fucked up last night.”

“We all were,” Emmett said.

“Some more than others,” Ben said throwing Michael a reproachful look.

Rena laughed, and then grimaced. “Don’t make me laugh, Ben. I’m in too much pain. Besides, it was truly harmless. The whole night was very emotional for everyone, but especially for Brian and Justin. They were just blowing off steam. You can’t blame Mikey. Justin is a force to be reckoned with when he gets his mind to something. He planned that little scene and he needed Mikey to help him execute it. He was purposely provoking Brian.”

Everyone looked at her in shock.

“Wait, you mean he USED me to provoke Brian?” Michael sounded quite indignant. He thought the idea of dragging the waiter into the bathroom was totally impromptu.

Rena sighed. “Sorry, Mikey, but yeah. Justin has his way of dealing with Brian. You see, Brian had suggested they bring a waiter home last night.”

“Yeah, we heard. But Justin didn’t seem pissed. He seemed like he was all for it,” Ted said confused.

“Justin wasn’t pissed. And if Brian really wanted to take a waiter home, Justin would have been more than happy to. But he didn’t want Brian to do something just because he felt he had to prove something to himself, or anyone. So he staged that scene with the waiter. It could have gone either one of two ways. Brian was either going to throw Mikey out of the bathroom so he and Justin could fuck the waiter or Brian was going to realize he really didn’t want to take that waiter home, and get angry. As we all witnessed, Brian chose the latter.”

Everyone at the booth was stunned. Those two truly had the weirdest relationship.

“Actually, now that I think of it, Justin did seem a little overly pleased with himself,” Ben said.

“Pleased? The boy was downright jubilant! The more Brian yelled at him, the more Justin goaded him! It was like he was getting off on Brian’s anger,” Emmett stated.

“He was,” Rena said yawning.

“You know, you’re right!” Ted chimed in. “I thought for sure Justin was going to flip out when Brian asked him if he was going to continue being a cheating prick the rest of his life,” Ted recalled.

“Oh, ohhh. Do you remember Justin’s reply to that?” Emmett said excitedly.

Michael groaned. He remembered and repeated Justin’s words. “He said, ‘How else am I going to keep up with a whore like you?’.”

“Well thank God for Nana. It was getting out of hand. Justin was too drunk to be playing that kind of game with Brian and Brian wasn’t in any better condition,” Ben said.

“I’m afraid you’re right. Jesus, that woman has grit! She’s got Viv beat,” Rena said.

“Margot nearly peed herself when she heard that little old lady tell those two, and I quote, “I didn’t come all the way from Boston to watch a couple of queens debase themselves in a drunken brawl! You are men of ‘serious natures’. ACT IT!”

Emmett tried to imitate Nana’s Boston accent.

Everyone laughed.

“It worked. Both Justin and Brian looked ashamed. It seemed to sober them up a bit,” Ben said.

“Not nearly enough for Brian not to smash Vic’s beautiful cake into Justin’s face,” Emmett said.

They all laughed again.

“Though you have to admit it was hot watching Brian lick the cake off Justin’s face,” Emmett said with a sly look.

Everyone paused for a moment, remembering the scene. Brian had playfully smashed his cake onto Justin’s face, then very seductively licked it all off. It was very erotic. Margot blurted out something to the effect, “God they’re not going to fuck are they?”

“Uncle Vic out did himself, that cake was delicious!” Michael said, breaking the spell.

“It was the perfect Wedd…”

Ted started to correct Emmett but Emmett put his hand up. “Before you say anything, even you can’t deny that cake had wedding written all over it.”

Ted frowned and sank back into his seat.

The cake was an elegant sheet cake with a simple mark on it.

A capital B with a capital J woven through it. Connected, interwoven. It did scream union.

“Fine, you can tell Brian how much you enjoyed his WEDDING then.” Ted smirked at Emmett.

Emmett cringed and sank back against the booth. “I may be many things, but stupid isn’t one of them.”

Rena got up to leave. “Smart man, Em. By the way, do you know where Tom, Viv and Margot went?”

“I believe Tom drove them to New York. Viv and Margot got it in their heads to visit a friend of theirs who lives there.”

Rena sighed. “She could have at least called. Wait, maybe she did. I haven’t checked my messages,” Rena said out loud, though she was talking to herself.

“I’m sure she left a message, sweetie. You go home and rest. Don’t come out of the house looking like that again, unless it’s Halloween,” Emmett teased.

Rena made a face at him and left.

“Well boys, I’m going to the gym for a nice steam. Anyone care to join me?” Emmett said.

“Steam? Or Ream?” Ted teased.

“I’ll have you know that I am dedicated to the health of my body first. It’s not always about sex, Theodore.”

“Really? So it was all about your body’s health last night when that waiter took you home as consolation prize, right?” Ted teased.

“Well he did serve up a healthy side of beef…” Emmett said saucily.

“You should be watching your red meat intake,” Ben said tongue in cheek.

They all laughed and followed Emmett out of the diner.

Kiki, the waitress on duty, watched as the foursome walked out of the diner.

Did she hear correctly? The stud of Liberty Avenue and Sunshine got hitched last night? She shook her head sadly. There were going to be a lot of broken hearts around Liberty Avenue once this news got out.

And broken hearted queers meant lousy tips.

 

***

Sadie, Sadie, Married Lady, That’s me.
Oh, sit me in the softest seat,
Quick, a cushion for my feet.
Do for me, buy for me, lift me, carry me,

Finally got a guy to marry me!

I do my nails,
Read up on sales,
All day the records play.
Then he comes home, I tell him
Oy--what a day I had today!
I swear I'll do my wifely job,
Just sit at home--become a slob!
I'm Sadie, Sadie, married lady, that's me!


Brian groaned and pulled the pillow over his head. ‘Lord please give me the strength to kill that boy,’ he silently prayed.

Justin was being impossible. All morning he was playing that fucking song. He had no idea how he even got it. It was from the musical Funny Girl, and as far a Brian knew, they didn’t own that soundtrack. What the fuck did he do? Run out this morning and buy a copy?

And how could he be up already? They came home last night very drunk and very horny. They literally fucked until they each passed out.

He peeked out from under his pillow at the alarm clock. Ten a.m. Hell they were still fucking when Rena had called. And that was at seven this morning! Oh, she was sooo going to pay for that little stunt. Seemed she and Justin had the same bad habit of pulling unappreciated pranks on him.

It was barely two hours later and Justin was up and about. And apparently in annoyingly good humor.

Where the fuck did he get the energy, he thought. Youth…

‘Lord, please give me the strength to kill myself,’ he amended his early prayer.

“Hey, Mr. Corporation… Get up.” Justin bounced into their bedroom and onto their bed.

Brian peaked up at him, smiling. Seems like someone has been reading the contents of the envelope Adam handed him last night.

“We’re a Corporation now. Mr. & Mr. Corporation,” Justin announced proudly.

He couldn’t believe what Brian had done. His partner was simply brilliant. That was all he could say. Brian had both their names incorporated, then merged. Every personal and professional asset of theirs was now under the Kinney-Taylor Corporation. They were in essence, legally protected under the Corporate Veil, which, even Justin knew, was nearly impossible to pierce. Also included in that envelope were living wills and health proxies.

Yep, his man was brilliant. He thought of everything. Those papers bonded them together more securely than any marriage license could.

“I’m so glad you’re happy,” Brian said grumpily. His head was pounding.

“It’s simply perfect, Bri! And it’s fate. Have you been listening to the song I’ve been playing this morning?” Justin said smiling evilly at Brian.

Brian buried his head back under the pillow and groaned.

Justin leaned over and sang into his ear a verse from Sadie, Sadie…

“I'm Sadie, Sadie, married lady, bow when I go by. I’m a corporation now, not me, myself and I.”

Justin laughed at Brian’s attempt to disappear underneath the pillow.

“Justin, I am warning you…If you don’t stop playing that fucking song, I’m going to wring your fucking neck. When I get my strength back that is,” Brian mumbled.

Justin sat up. “Here.”

Brian pulled the pillow off of his head to see what Justin was offering him.

It was Grandma’s special tonic. Nana’s tonic. God he loved that woman. She came in handy, in more ways than one.

Brian gingerly sat up and took the drink from Justin. He swallowed it down, not pausing to register its taste. It was best to consume Nana’s tonic quickly. It worked, but it tasted like shit.

Once drained, he passed the glass back to Justin.

“Better?” Justin asked.

Brian flopped back onto the bed. “Give me a minute.”

“Well don’t take too long. We’re having brunch with Nana, Mom and Molly,” he said as he got up and headed for the kitchen.

Fuck, Brian forgot about that. Nana was leaving later this evening. They had planned this ‘celebration’ brunch before she left. He couldn’t be too upset though, he was grateful to the old dodger. Brian smiled remembering her spunk the night before. She was certainly a woman of many surprises, he thought. He made a mental note to buy her matching pearl earrings to go with that necklace.

The smell of fresh coffee brewing wafted into the bedroom.

Brian grudgingly threw his legs over the bed and headed for the shower. His whole body ached. He’d been cutting back on his drinking for a while now. He wasn’t in ‘drinking shape’, and last night he pushed himself too hard.

This morning his body was rebelling, much like he had last night.

He heard the shower door open. A warm body press up against him. He leaned his head back and let the water run down his chest. Justin brought his hands up to his shoulders and started massaging them.

“Sore?” he asked, concern in his voice.

“Hmmm…”

“I’m sorry about last night. And don’t say sorry’s bullshit,” Justin interrupted Brian who was about to say just that. “It was an amazing night, you were amazing. I love that you’d do anything for me,” Justin whispered into the back of Brian’s neck where he proceeded to place little kisses. “I’ll always remember last night as a symbol of how much you love me, and how much you’re willing to do for me.” Justin picked up the soap and started washing Brian’s back. Brian remained silent, enjoying Justin’s ministrations. “The fact that you went through all that trouble for ME. God, Brian, I don’t deserve you.” Justin said and sighed heavily.

Brian choked out a laugh. “What you deserve is a spanking for tormenting me this morning.”

“Or for tormenting you last night?” Justin asked bravely.

Brian stiffened beneath his hands. Justin held his shoulders firmly.

“I shouldn’t have pushed you like that. It was selfish of me. If I were a decent fucking partner, I would have just let it go. I know you had no real intentions of taking that waiter home with us last night. I was trying to make a point, one that I really didn’t need to make. I should have trusted you.”

“Yes, you should have.”

“I was being silly, and thoughtless. And I’m very, very sorry…” Justin kissed Brian’s back and laid his cheek against it.

Brian sighed and leaned back into Justin. “You were playing a dangerous game, Sunshine. If it weren’t for Nana, I would have brought two waiters home just to teach you a lesson. Kind of like the lesson you were trying to teach me.”

Justin had pushed all his buttons last night and he was too fucking stoned himself to be thinking rationally. His emotions took over. They were, and have always been very volatile in their relationship.

“I know. I was too fucked up to think straight. But it’s pretty funny when you think about it. I don’t think Mikey and I ever had such fun together.” Justin laughed.

Brian huffed.

“You know how hot you are when you’re angry?” Justin cooed seductively into Brian’s ear.

“Hmmm… no tell me…” Brian said turning around to take Justin into his arms. He let the hot water run over them, soothing them.

“Very…” Justin said and licked the side of Brian’s neck. “I love when you get jealous,” he whispered against his hot skin.

“I don’t do jealousy,” Brian protested then turned Justin around and slammed him against the shower stall.

Justin’s mood changed immediately. He hissed and reached behind him to pull Brian to him.

Brian growled and bit Justin’s ear.

“Don’t EVER let me catch you fucking around without me,” Brian rasped out and reached over to grab a condom from the basket that hung over the showerhead.

“I won’t, I promise,” Justin said and pushed back against Brian, desperate for his entry.

Brian sheathed himself and drove into Justin in one powerful stroke, burying himself deep inside his boy. He then held still.

Justin gasped, and tried to move.

“I’m not fucking around, Justin. You’re mine. I hated seeing that man pawing at you, and you laughing, enjoying it.” Brian said the words through clenched teeth.

“I know…I knew it last night.”

Brian pulled out and slammed back into him, hard.

Justin whimpered, half pleasure, half pain.

“Then why? And don’t give me that shit about you proving a point to me!”

Justin just wanted Brian to fuck him, he didn’t want to have this conversation, but once again, his impulsive nature got the best of him.

“Because I hate that you still trick!” Justin lashed out, half out of his mind with anger and lust.

Justin’s words hung between them, suspending the moment.

Brian rested his hands against the shower stall walls, one on each side of Justin’s head.

“I was jealous.” Brian made his own confession quietly, not knowing how to respond to Justin’s confession.

“Now you know how I feel.”

Brian cringed inwardly. “Justin, you know I’ve not tricked in a while,” Brian said honestly.

Justin nodded, grateful his suspicions were right.

Brian buried his face in the crook of Justin’s neck. His breathing was shallow. “But I can’t promise I’ll never trick again.”

Justin’s heart dropped.

One step forward…

Justin wanted to cry. He didn’t want to have this conversation, not today.

“Brian, just fuck me, please.”

Brian lifted his head up and looked down at Justin. He abruptly pulled out of him.

Justin growled out his frustration and whirled on Brian. “You’re fucking pulling out now!” he said panting, his eyes burned with his fury.

“I’m not going to fuck you until we get this straight between us,” Brian said, using every inch of will power he had not to attack Justin and fuck him. He was rock hard.

“Fine!” Justin sputtered and pushed past Brian and out of the shower.

Brian cursed.

“Justin! Don’t fucking walk out on me.”

Justin was already drying himself off and getting dressed.

Great fucking honeymoon this was turning out to be, he thought peevishly.

Brian pulled a towel around him and reached for Justin’s arm.

Justin pulled away from him.

“Fuck you, Brian,” he said and pulled one of his Henley’s over his head.

“No fucking,” Brian said, tongue in cheek, a sly smile on his face.

Justin did not appreciate his humor. He turned on him, on tiptoes, and looked him dead in the eyes.

“You do what you want, Kinney. But know this. You trick… I TRICK!” Justin said, fed up with Brian’s refusal to admit the truth to himself.

Brian snorted. “You hate tricking.”

“SO DO YOU!” Justin yelled into his face.

Brian stepped back. Stunned. And there it was. The ugly truth he didn’t want to face. He DID hate tricking anymore. Oh, he loved the game, the chase, like he did the last time he and Mikey were at Babylon. He pulled that trick right in, but once he had him in his clutches, the desire left. He released him. Much like the fisherman releases his catch once caught. The thrill was in the hunt.

Brian was, and would always be a sexual predator. It was his nature. But much like the fisherman, once conquered, he had no desire to partake of his prey anymore.

The last few times he did trick, he was bored to death. He hated how the tricks smelled, how they sucked cock, how they clung on afterwards. He hated it all. The only thing that kept him tricking at this point was habit.

Reluctant to admit this to Justin though, Brian did what he does best. He shut down. He went to the closet and pulled some clothes out and started getting dressed.

FUCK, Justin thought. So fucking close. He saw it though, the acceptance in Brian’s eyes that Justin was right. It was there, and Justin would hold onto that.

For now.

Justin went to the nightstand, and picked up his cowry bracelet. He fastened it to his wrist in silence.

Once fully dressed, he went to leave the bedroom. He got to the door when the sound of Brian’s voice stopped him.

“We have the rest of our lives ahead of us. There will be times when we’ll be apart, maybe for long periods of time. We can’t expect each other to be celibate during those times,” Brian said quietly.

Justin turned back around. Brian was sitting on their bed, his back to him.

“Of course not. In that situation, I wouldn’t expect either of us to be celibate.”

Silence fell.

“Until such time…” Brian stood up and turned around to face Justin, “I won’t trick.”

Justin nodded his head. He wasn’t going to make a big deal out of this. He knew how hard this decision was for Brian. Old habits were very hard to break. It was a huge step for Brian, giving up pretty much that which had defined him for the past seventeen years or so.

“I’m doing this for me, Justin. Not that I wouldn’t do it for you. You know I would. But this, I’m doing for me. It’s time I let go of some nasty habits. And that’s one of them.”

Justin couldn’t help himself. He broke down and started crying.

Brian went to him and held him. “And here I thought this would make you happy,” Brian said, sighing.

Justin laughed. He wiped his eyes and stepped back from Brian.

“I’m very happy,” he said through shining eyes.

Then just as quickly, that happy look turned into one of alarm. Justin’s jaw dropped as if something just hit him.

Brian watched the transformation confused. “What?” he asked nervously.

“Does this mean we can’t trick together occasionally?”

Brian threw his head back and laughed.

Justin smacked his arm.

“You know it doesn’t happen often, but sometimes, I like when we trick together. It’s so fucking hot.” Justin’s face was getting redder with each attempt he was making to justify him wanting to trick with Brian.

Brian looked at his lover and thought he’d never seen him more adorable.

He pulled him to him and grinded against him.

“Sunshine, you know how giving and selfless I am when it comes to your pleasure,” he said in mock modesty.

Justin laughed and hugged him tight. “Good. Cause you know what a selfish prick I can be at times”

They worked their way back to the bed where they proceeded to continue their honeymoon morning.

 

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