Endeavor
Chapter Seven: July

"When people go to work, they shouldn't have to leave their hearts at home.” - Betty Bender

Justin heard the panting from his bedroom. He’d considered not disturbing Brian’s jerk-off session but then he remembered last month when Brian had interrupted him without a second thought. He grinned evilly as he tiptoed down the hall and smiled to himself as he peered around the corner to find Brian….

Not jacking off.

Brian was sleeping.

Confused, Justin knew he had to get a better look and crept close to the sofa bed. The light blanket was thrown to the side, exposing Brian’s sinewy body. Justin zeroed in on Brian’s sweat pants and his mouth watered. He actually had to wipe the drool from his open mouth as he clearly saw Brian’s erection, twitching all on its own inside his navy briefs. He backed away, almost knocking over the piles of work they’d accomplished the night before. He carefully fixed the items on the side table and stepped back slowly, one hand covering his blooming erection.

Brian turned to his side away from Justin and his hand dove into his underwear.

Justin backed up more, making it to the entrance of the dining room when Brian’s soft moans paralyzed him.

“Justin,” Brian whispered unknowingly.

Justin ran as swiftly as he could into his bedroom. He could hardly process what he’d heard. No, maybe he hadn’t heard right, he told himself, stripping off his t-shirt and sweats. Maybe he just wanted to hear Brian say his name and think Brian was dreaming of him.

No. There was no way he would want that! No way in hell because they were friends, they were employee and boss. That’s all. Or so Justin ranted to himself as he got into a nearly cold shower and began to scrub himself down, the dirty thoughts falling down the drain along with the water and soap suds.
 

*****

Brian laughed to himself as he awoke with a raging hard-on. He knew he’d been dreaming about Justin, he remembered distinctly the deliciously devious acts he’d performed in his dream. It wasn’t the first time it happened and it probably wasn’t going to be the last. Brian knew this but it still bothered him, even if he told himself that he wasn’t bothered by it.

Justin and he always had morning wood, no matter how many tricks they’d fucked the night before. It was a given. So he wasn’t embarrassed to walk to Justin’s bedroom with his erection threatening to pop out of the top of his waistband. The bedroom door was wide open and upon entrance Brian didn’t see Justin. A second passed before he heard the sound of the sink being turned on and guessed that Justin was brushing his teeth.

“You almost done primping in that patriotic sweat room?” Brian called.

“Just brushing my teeth and the shower is yours,” Justin yelled back.

Brian walked over to the hideous lockers and grabbed the spare suit he kept at Justin’s as well as one of the spare dress shirts and deposited it on Justin’s bed. There was no way he could dress in the patriotic box Justin called a bathroom. He then went to grab his socks and a pair of underwear which were in the dresser that sectioned off Justin’s studio and office. He didn’t think about how weird it was that he and Justin had drawers at one another’s places, at least not today.

Justin came out of the bathroom and turned away from Brian who was bending down, his ass in the air on perfect display. “Good morning,” he greeted lamely, tightening the towel around his waist.

Brian snorted, threw his briefs and socks at Justin’s face and disappeared into the bathroom. His quick retreat had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that he nearly came like a teenager at the sight of Justin in a towel. Nope.

Justin held Brian’s black briefs a moment too long before placing them on top of the suit.

He and Brian had a system in the mornings that they went to work. Whoever’s place they were staying at, the owner showered first, dressed and made coffee while the other dressed. So Justin had to hustle to get dressed and get the coffee going. Brian’s dream had them behind schedule already. Brian had finished showering before Justin had his pants on and he wasn’t looking forward to a bitchy non-caffeinated Brian when he came out.

Thankfully, it seemed like Brian was taking his time dressing and the pot of coffee was almost done as Justin folded the blanket and stored away the sofa bed. He was just placing the last large pillow on the couch when he heard a loud knock on his front door.

Walking down the hall he hoped that it wasn’t his annoying neighbor who had begged him for a ride to work a few times before. Justin could never tell the girl no so he didn’t get the extra few minutes to read the paper or stop for fast food. Thankfully, Brian was with him today so he could honestly tell the girl that he didn’t have his car and that Brian’s only fit two people. Prepared for the conversation, Justin opened the door with a big smile on his face.

“Hey.” Eric shyly smiled at Justin before stepping into the apartment and taking him into his arms.

In shock, Justin struggled to hug Eric back and had barely kissed him when Eric pulled away. “Why are you back in Pittsburgh already?” Justin asked.

“I tried to call you last night but your phone went to voice mail,” Eric explained. “I take it you haven’t checked your messages yet?”

That wasn’t usually a part of Justin and Brian’s morning routine. “No. Why? Did something happen?”

Eric shut the door behind him and nodded. “I met an old friend of mine there. My best friend from high school, actually. Sacha, do you remember me telling you about him?”

How could Justin forget? He was all Eric talked about for the first two years they dated. “Yeah, I remember him.”

“Get this,” Eric said excitedly. “Ooh coffee can I have a cup?”

“Sure,” Justin said, feeling butterflies fluttering around in his stomach.

“Where are the cups?” Eric asked, opening two cabinets and not finding them.

Justin bent down and pulled out the lazy-Susan drawer. “Right here.” He was about to hand one to Eric when Eric took one for himself. Specifically the large mug Brian usually used. Justin did his best to ignore that. “So, what am I getting?”

Eric poured half the pot into his mug, added a little cream and sat back down before answering Justin. “Sacha was at the rally too. He’s an environmental lawyer now.”

Justin did not roll his eyes like he wanted to. “Cool.”

Eric nodded enthusiastically and gulped down his coffee. “Turns out, Sacha had a U-Haul rented and was moving from D.C. to take a job at a firm here in Pittsburgh!”

“I thought he went to Pace and lived in New York,” Justin said, at a loss as to how else he was supposed to continue the conversation. He was excited for Eric but couldn’t exactly garner that emotion within himself about the turn of events.

“Yeah. He transferred to a school in D.C. and graduated in May. Isn’t it the craziest of coincidences? We meet up eight years after last seeing one another in a sea of thousands of people and a few days later he’s moving back here! So I nixed my plane ticket and drove back with him last night. We’ve been up all night moving him into his apartment and I figured while I was out I’d come and say hi.”

“Hi,” Brian greeted as he walked into the kitchen.

“Hey, Brian,” Eric greeted the man for the first time without any jealousy to his tone. “Do you want a cup of coffee? Justin made some.” He raised the mug in his hand to Brian.

“Yeah, I know,” Brian replied testily. “And that’s my mug.”

Eric looked down at the coffee cup and laughed as he noticed that it actually had Brian’s first name on it. “Sorry.”

Justin quickly grabbed his matching mug from the drawer and handed it to Brian. “Use mine. I don’t want any. Brian always makes us stop and get some at Gloria Jeans anyway.”

“You sure you don’t want any?” Brian asked, pouring the rest into the mug. “I don’t think we’ll have time to stop today.” They did, but he liked fucking with Justin.

“If I want coffee I’ll get some at work.”

“So what are you doing here so early, Arron?” Brian teased, knowing it was probably Eric that should be asking him that.

Eric was too slap happy to notice Brian’s taunt. “I just got back from D.C. and wanted to see Justin.” He pulled Justin’s arm and brought him into a long kiss.

Brian turned away. Because he had to prepare his coffee of course. He poured an insane amount of sugar in the black liquid, stirred it and offered it to Justin who had thankfully decided to stop sucking face. “Share it with me, we’re running late anyway.”

Justin smiled gratefully at Brian and took a long drink before handing it back to him. “Thanks.”

Eric finally grew too uncomfortable and stood up, handing Justin the last of his cup. “You can have the rest of this, I’ve got to go. I promised Sacha I’d help him set everything up so I probably won’t be around tonight or tomorrow because then we’re going to a demonstration at the GLC, but maybe the next day?”

Justin sighed in aggravation. “I guess. I mean, you weren’t supposed to be back until then anyway, right?”

Eric forgot to attempt to kiss Justin once before he left the apartment.

Justin looked inside the mug he’d been handed but couldn’t drink it, his stomach turned at the thought. He placed it on the counter and looked at Brian. “What?”

“You’ll drink after me but not him? You just kissed him!”

“Wipe that shocked expression off your face, Brian,” Justin warned. “Or I will be a bitch to work with all day. Besides, I eat and drink after you but don’t kiss you, so it makes no difference.”

Brian wanted to correct Justin but didn’t, instead he tugged on a lock of Justin’s hair because he’d been wanting to do that since he saw the messy do as soon as he walked into the kitchen. “I was only kidding.” He handed his coffee back to Justin. “Drink the rest; I’m going to get our shit together.”

Justin had no idea why it disgusted him to drink after his boyfriend and not Brian. He knew there obviously had to be a deeper meaning to it. He didn’t want to think about it. Things between him and Eric were already off and he didn’t need anymore shit to think about. Not until he figured out what he was going to do about his dwindling attraction to a man that had held his interest for the last eight years of his life.
 

*****

Justin’s office phone rang and he saw the light blinking telling him it was an office-to-office call. He hoped that it wasn’t Mira, his new hire, telling him that she was having problems with the staff or worse yet, quitting. Daniel had turned down the position for Liaison and Justin had been forced to hire someone new to replace Anna because he didn’t feel anyone else was qualified. Mira was more than qualified for the position, today was her first day and he’d already received calls from Jackie second-guessing her work. Justin loved Mira’s work and didn’t want to lose her as an employee. He promised himself that he wouldn’t let anyone in the art department run her out.

“Justin Taylor,” he answered his phone hesitantly.

“Hey. Guess what?”

“Brian,” Justin said relieved.

“You’re guessing me?”

“No,” Justin snorted. “What? What am I guessing about?”

“I’ve just been informed that Exhibition is going to receive at least one award at this year’s CLIO awards.”

“Oh my god!” Justin yelled. “That’s great.”

“Better yet, Cynthia, Ted myself and you are all up for a bunch of separate awards too.”

“Me?” Justin gasped. “Really?”

“Yes, for three actually.”

“This is amazing!” Justin cheered. “I can’t believe it!”

“You’ve done great work,” Brian praised genuinely. “Cade never got nominated for a damn thing.”

“What are the categories?” Justin asked.

“I’ve got to get going to an appointment, but I’ll tell you while we’re celebrating tonight,” Brian said.

Justin groaned. “Brian, I can’t. I’ve got other plans. I’m…”

“Then I’ll call you later,” Brian interrupted. “Gotta go, I’m pulling up for a late lunch meeting with Brown, now.”

Justin heard the click of the phone and sighed. He had also heard the disappointment in Brian’s voice. Justin wished Brian would have waited for his explanation; he had a very good reason for not being able to go out and celebrate. One he was sure that Brian could appreciate.
 

*****

Justin flipped to a fresh page in his large sketchbook and poised his pencil, ready to draw. “Who now, Gus?”

“You,” Gus said after a moment of thinking.

“Me?” Justin really hated self-portraits.

“And Dad too,” Gus added.

Justin wondered if Gus’ grin was innocent or devious, he knew it was an expression he got from Brian, one which always threw Justin off. “One of me and then I’ll draw one of your dad.”

Gus stuck his bottom lip out. “You said you’d draw anything I wanted if I ate all my peas.”

Justin gave in, “You’re right. I did.” But the last thing he wanted to do was draw a picture of him and Brian together. “How about I draw us at our desks at work?” he suggested.

“But on the same page,” Gus conceded.

“Yeah, on the same page.”

“Then can I hang it up in my room?”

“Sure, Gus.” Justin began to draw their desks first.

“Draw them closer together,” Gus advised sternly.

Justin looked at the child as he erased what he’d drawn. “You really are just like your dad.”

Gus smiled widely at the compliment. “I know,” he spoke proudly.
 

*****

“So this was his plan,” Brian spoke to himself. He pulled his Jeep into Lindsay and Melanie’s driveway behind Justin’s SUV and shut off the engine. He didn’t see Melanie’s car, so he couldn’t be sure if only Lindsay were home or if Justin was there to babysit Gus and Jenny.

Once on the porch, Brian knocked and yelled, “It’s Brian,” as he heard footsteps near the door. Justin opened the door to him a moment later, Jenny and Gus standing on each side of him. “Hey,” he greeted.

“What are you doing here?” Justin asked.

Gus mirrored the question. “Yeah, Dad. What are you doing here? I thought you couldn’t come until this weekend.”

“Well I had some free time,” Brian deadpanned. “So, is anyone going to invite me in?”

Jenny smiled at Brian and ran to him, wrapping her arms around his legs. “Come in!”

Justin laughed at the display. “I don’t think Brian can walk like that, Jenny.”

Gus whispered to Justin, “She has a crush on my dad.” He started giggling, obviously finding it to be hilarious.

Justin bit his tongue. No. He did not almost say, ‘me too’. The words weren’t threatening to spill out of his mouth. They weren’t. Really.

Brian picked Jenny up and carried her inside the house on his hip, following Gus and Justin into the living room. “Can I set you down, munchkin?” he asked Jenny.

Jenny played her part and grasped Brian tightly around the neck. “Noooo.”

“Help me, Gus,” Brian mocked desperation. “I have a munchkin swinging on my shoulders.”

“I’ll get her, Dad,” Gus said in a deep voice. “Come down, Jenny.”

Jenny’s legs slipped from around Brian’s waist and she giggled as they swung in the air. “Help, help, I’m going to fall!”

“I’ll catch you, Jenny,” Gus promised, putting his hands on her waist.

“Hurry, Gus,” Brian called, bending forward. “I can’t hold her….much….longer.”

Jenny released her hands from around Brian’s neck and Gus helped place her on her feet. “I made it!”

Justin watched the whole interaction as though he was seeing a movie in slow motion. Obviously, the play between Brian and the kids was something they’d done many times in greeting. Justin had never seen Brian be so…so… well, the only word for it was sweet. It was. Justin was amazed at the interaction and was further astonished when Brian kissed them and sent them up to get their pajamas on and the kids easily listened to him. Sure, Jenny and Gus were good kids, but he’d never gotten them to do anything that quickly.

Brian noticed Justin staring at him and wondered if he’d done something wrong. “During the summer Gus’ bedtime is usually nine. Did you not want them in bed yet?”

Justin realized that whatever his expression was, it had freaked Brian out. He quickly smiled in approval. “I was just about to send them up right before you got here. It’s just that I’ve never seen them listen so well about bedtime.”

“If Gus is being troublesome when you watch him, I’ll talk to him,” Brian offered. He didn’t exactly have the same ‘authority’ with Jenny, and could only imagine Mel’s reaction if she found out he tried to adjust Jenny’s attitude.

“No, that’s not what I meant,” Justin assured. “They’re both great. I just mean, usually they at least ask for a few more minutes to play, for a drink of water, or something like that. I think they both just want to please you,” he assessed.

Brian shrugged. “Too bad everyone can’t be like that.”

“Like who?” Justin asked. “Isn’t it your prerogative to find people to please you?”

Brian ignored that question; not liking how Justin’s playful remark brought forth regretful confusion inside him. “So when are the munchers going to be back?” he asked.

“They should be home a little after nine.” Justin began to pick up the toys he and the kids had played with and smiled in thanks as Brian started to help him. “There was a meeting at the GLC they had to attend.”

“The same one Arron went to?” Brian guessed.

“No, that was last week. I think. I don’t know; he might’ve gone to tonight’s meeting too. I haven’t talked to him recently.”

Brian grinned. “Really?”

Justin threw one of Jenny’s stuffed Care Bears at Brian’s head. “Shut up.”

“I was just going to say that I think it’s really fucked up that you haven’t seen Eric in weeks, other than that surprise visit from him last week.”

“What part of ‘shut up’ did you not understand?” Justin asked, throwing another stuffed animal at Brian.

“No need to get violent,” Brian teased. “You obviously need a good stiff...oomph!” This time Brian threw the teddy bear back at Justin. “I was going to say drink!”

Justin grabbed for another animal and lobbed it at Brian, hitting him in the face again. “I don’t need a drink. Drinking would imply that I’m upset over not seeing Eric and I’m not.”

Brian threw two stuffed animals at Justin and ducked under the couch as Justin sailed more his way. “Don’t you think you should be upset about not seeing your boyfriend, or partner, whatever the fuck you consider him?”

“There’s nothing to be upset about,” Justin returned. “Oomph.” He nearly fell on his ass as a large stuffed dinosaur hit him in his chest. Brian was going to pay for that.

“You’re sure?” Brian taunted. “You sound really upset.”

Justin launched himself over the couch and landed on top of Brian. “I’m not upset,” he denied. He held Brian’s wrists above his head and roughly pressed himself against Brian’s body.

Brian had the wind knocked out of him so at first he was stunned and that had been the reason he didn’t fight back. But the reason for him lying still under Justin’s heavy weight grew into something else entirely as Justin’s ass rubbed against his groin, awakening his dick to the feel of his bubble butt, urging it to strain upwards in search of it.

“I wanna wrestle too!” Gus hollered, running toward Brian and Justin.

“Me too!” Jenny said, only steps behind her brother.

Justin almost flew into a standing position beside Brian. As Jenny and Gus attacked Brian he wondered why he’d been so quick to get up. They were only wrestling. They were, so why should it matter if the kids had caught them? Justin didn’t feel anything when he was so close to Brian, except annoyance. But if it was with himself or with Brian, he didn’t know.
 

*****

Brian could tell that once they’d put the kids in bed that Justin was irritated. He suggested for Justin to leave, to go home and get some rest. He offered to stay until Melanie and Lindsay arrived home, but Justin insisted on staying. Brian had asked if Justin was going to meet him at Babylon, but Justin grunted a ‘no’ and Brian left.

It was too early for Babylon, so Brian met Ted, Blake, Michael, Ben and Emmett at Woody’s. He and Ted were playing the third game of pool against Michael and Emmett, whom Ted and he usually easily beat. But not tonight.

“I want a new partner for the next round,” Ted declared after Brian sank the cueball for the second time that game.

Brian handed his stick to Blake. “Here, I’m going to get another round.”

“Is something going on at work?” Michael asked Ted.

Ted had his ideas about what at work was bothering Brian, or who, but he kept it to himself. “No, just the usual client stuff.”

“He’s definitely got something on his mind. I’ve never seen him so distracted,” Ben commented and kissed Michael’s cheek. “No offense, but you two winning almost three straight games against him is a miracle.”

Emmett grinned. “No offense taken. So I hope you guys won’t take offense when I say that you all are as dense as my Aunt Lula’s pound cake.” Emmett glanced at Brian to make sure he was still occupied at the bar before he turned back to his friends. “Brian is distracted because someone is missing tonight.”

“Justin,” Michael announced.

“Justin has a partner,” Ben reminded the friends. “Nothing is going on between Brian and him.”

“They’re falling in love,” Emmett whispered. “Michael, you see it too.”

Michael nodded. “Of course I do. Brian’s been acting strangely for months and it all started about the same time that Justin started working for him. They spend soooo much time together and…”

“I’m sure they’re just friends, Michael,” Ben said. “You and Brian used to spend a lot of time together too.”

“Not like they do,” Michael retorted. “I may not be completely sure about Justin’s feelings, but I think Brian’s in love with him. He just doesn’t know its love that he’s feeling.”

“Judging from how he acted tonight,” Emmett replied, “I’d say he’s starting to realize it.”

“I just hope Justin feels the same way about him, otherwise Brian’s going to get hurt,” Michael said.

“What about his boyfriend?” Blake asked, being diplomatic. “If Justin is in love with Brian, then it’s going to be his boyfriend that gets hurt the worst.”

Emmett and Michael stared at Blake as though he’d just told them that Santa Clause didn’t exist.

“Sorry to be a downer,” Blake said nervously.

“You care about everyone; you’re definitely not a downer.” Ted wrapped his arm around Blake and kissed him. “That’s what I love about you.”

Brian placed the tray of drinks on a table. “What’s the matter with all of you?” he bitched. “You all look like you’re the ones that just lost eighty bucks playing pool.” Brian pointed to the array of shots and beers on the tray. “Get your asses over here and drink up.”
 

*****

All Justin could think was that the man in front of him didn’t look at all like a lawyer, not even an environmental lawyer. He had long, tangled sandy hair and wore an old cotton shirt and khaki shorts with holes in the pockets and a pair of flip flops that Justin thought looked like the ones prisoners were given. “It’s nice to meet you, Sacha,” Justin said, offering his hand.

Sacha didn’t take Justin’s hand, choosing to hug him instead. “I’m so glad we were finally able to meet, Justin. Eric has told me all about you.”

“You too.” Justin was on the verge of telling Sacha that he was all Eric talked about since they’d ‘reconnected’, but that would’ve sounded as if he were jealous. He wasn’t. He couldn’t be. Sacha had become Eric’s best friend the way Brian had become his. Justin was happy that Eric finally made a friend that didn’t appear to be a prissy bitch.

Eric was relieved that Justin didn’t seem to immediately hate his friend. “Sacha isn’t as cunty as Lawrence is.”

Sacha laughed. “Yeah, I’m only a little bit cunty. I won’t be harping on your SUV or your smoking.” He lightly punched Eric’s chest before addressing Justin. “Actually, if it weren’t for all the good Lawrence does for the community, I probably wouldn’t have anything to do with him.”

Justin wasn’t sure what friend of Eric’s was named Lawrence; he thought they were all over-the-top environmental freaks, so he just smiled. However, it did piss him off that obviously ‘all about you’ included anything Justin did that wasn’t in the best interest of keeping a greener earth.

“I’ve made a veggie pizza,” Eric said, ushering Justin and Sacha into the kitchen.

“It smells delicious, don’t you think?” Sacha directed the question to Justin.

Justin nodded. It smelled good, but he doubted it would taste that way.

“I used some of the herbs from the community garden.” Eric took the pizza out of the oven. “Justin, will you get the plates?”

“Where are they?” Justin asked. Usually Eric had the table already set whenever they had dinner together.

“I’ll get them,” Sacha spoke, reaching into the top cabinet above the dishwasher.

Justin wasn’t sure if it was a lucky guess, or if in only hanging out with Eric for a month, Sacha already felt more comfortable there than Justin ever had.

Justin’s skin tingled with jealousy as Sacha whispered something into Eric’s ear and then Eric smiled at him in a way that Justin rarely saw him smile. “He saw it today,” Eric said loudly, answering whatever Sacha had asked.

“Who?” Justin asked, unable to stop himself.

Eric paused the slicing of the pizza and answered, “You, silly. He was asking me if I brought you over your surprise.”

“Oh.” Justin thought of the array of plants on his balcony and forced a smile. “It was really sweet.”

Sacha looked at Justin with confusion. “Didn’t you like them? Eric went to a lot of trouble growing them for you, repotting them…”

Eric put his hand over Sacha’s for a moment and gave him a harsh glare. “Justin thinks he doesn’t have a green thumb is all. He’s worried he’ll kill the plants.”

“I just don’t have the time to water them and everything,” Justin defended. “I don’t want my partner’s hard work to go down the drain.”

The tension from Sacha evaporated and he smiled at Justin once more. “I’m sure with as much time as Eric is probably at your place he can remember to water them if you haven’t.”

Justin nodded and chose not to tell Sacha that today’s depositing of plants visit had been the first in over a month that went further than his kitchen. “Eric made me a list about when to water or give compost to them, so I’m sure I can handle it. I’ll make time for it.”
 

*****

“He made you an upkeep list for fucking house plants?” Brian wouldn’t have believed it if he wasn’t holding the laminated thing in his hands.

Justin grabbed the list from Brian and placed it back on the table beside the balcony door. “It’s helpful.”

Brian opened the door and looked down at the array of tiny plants. “There isn’t even any room to walk out here.”

“Oh, stop it,” Justin ordered, though now he was laughing with Brian.

“One of these days I’m going to wake up to hear you screaming as you slip and fall off the balcony because you’ve tripped over one of the plants.” Brian pulled Justin out onto the balcony with him, making them both be pressed against each other. “You see, this is all the room you have.”

Brian’s hazel eyes glittered light blue in the sunshine, Justin hadn’t ever noticed that before. Wrapped in Brian’s arms, their bodies perspiring from the late July heat, Justin shivered. “It’ll be tight.” He second guessed whether he’d said the words aloud or if he’d been able to trap them inside, where they belonged, but then Brian’s eyes turned green again and Justin knew he’d spoken out loud.

Brian cleared his throat and turned Justin toward the door. “Be careful, Sunshine,” he advised as Justin nearly tripped on the small step up. He needed to take his own advice but he couldn’t. Brian realized that he was at the point where he could no longer stop the different ways that each and every part of his body reacted to Justin Taylor.
 

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