Like a Roller on the Ocean

Author's Notes: Wriiten for Small Things Made Large at qaf_challenges. Dear Drabble Author (morgan_is_randy), thank you for sharing this fabulous drabble with us. Hopefully you will like what it inspired. Special thanks to my amazing and supportive beta noteverything! Erasure came up with the title. I just borrowed from their song “Stay With Me.”

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Tie

"No, they're all different shades." Justin spoke adamantly.

Daphne eyed the slightly varying colors of silk. She handed Justin the darkest of the black ties. "This one."

Justin held it up so the light hit the material. "You're genius!"

"If I was a genius, I would never have agreed to go shopping with you, a picky, temperamental artist, to buy anything for Brian."

"Someone else had to share the burden." Justin triumphantly waved the tie in the air as he walked to the register.

 

Brian found the box two weeks after Justin left for New York. It was tied with a simple bow and the note in Justin’s handwriting read, “Something New.” The tie itself was magnificent, the purest silk in a shade of black so dark you could get lost in it. Justin had never been completely happy with the striped tie Brian planned to wear for their wedding. Closing the box, Brian set it in the drawer next to their rings.


Jennifer’s wedding was a quiet elegant affair, or at least as quiet and elegant as it could be with Debbie and three drag queens in attendance. Emmett really outdid himself, Brian thought as he watched Justin waltz his mother around the dance floor.

“This could have been your wedding, you know.” Debbie handed him a glass.

“No, it couldn’t have been.” Brian shook his head and fingered his tie. “Things worked out the way they were meant to. He belongs in New York. Look at what he’s done in just two years.”

“I always forget they don’t allow married couples in New York. Thanks for reminding me.” Debbie’s smile did nothing to lessen the sarcasm in her voice.

“Deb,” Brian warned.

“I’m just saying.” Debbie held up her empty hand in surrender. “His success doesn’t have to come at the price of your happiness.”

“Who says we aren’t happy? Not only does absence make the heart grow fonder, it also makes the dick grow harder.”

“Honey, you’ve never needed any help getting your dick hard,” Debbie snorted. “I just hate to see two people who love each other as much as you and Sunshine do separated so much.”

“Ever the romantic.” Brian finished his champagne and looked around for somewhere to put the glass. “You know, our wedding would have had an open bar.”

“Meet me out back later.” Debbie leaned up to whisper in Brian’s ear. “I have a joint in my purse.”

Brian barely suppressed a bark of laughter. He kissed Debbie on the cheek before wandering off in search of food.

Justin found him arguing with Ted about whether the asparagus tartlets needed more pepper. “Don’t let Emmett hear you,” he admonished. “He’s already freaking out about being a guest instead supervising the kitchen staff. Carl had to stop him from measuring the tablecloths to make sure they’re all the same length.”

“Poor Em.” Ted shook his head.

“Debbie has a joint in her purse if that will help.”

“What?” Startled, Justin stared at him blankly for a moment before blinking. “Never mind, I don’t want to know. Come on, Brian, we need to get back to the table before they start serving. See you later, Ted.”

Brian let himself be led away, and after dinner and a few more glasses of champagne, it was his turn to waltz around the dance floor with Justin. They had been out there for a few minutes dancing and chatting about the ceremony when Justin smiled up at him in a way that brought a flood of memories he worked usually hard to suppress. His steps faltered momentarily while he reminded himself that this was different. The song was different, a simple instrumental with no sentimental lyrics. There were no fancy moves in this dance as they moved together to the music. And no one was watching them; they were just one of many gay couples on the dance floor. There was no one to take this away.

“Hey,” Justin stroked his tie, tugging it gently to get his attention. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” Brian pulled him closer, pressing their faces together as they swayed slowly in time to the music. “Love you,” he whispered, his lips brushing the hair at Justin’s temple. It was more of a breath than speech, and he wondered if Justin even heard him.

Justin’s hand on his cheek told him he had. “Yeah,” Justin said before winking and lightening the mood. “Tonight, I’ll remind you of why.

Brian laughed, and as he leaned down to kiss him, he noticed Daphne standing on the edge of the dance floor with a video camera. He would thank her later.


The Aurala Communications pitch was the biggest and most important of Brian’s career. In comparison, Brown Athletics and Remson Pharmaceuticals looked like child’s play. The importance of this account could not be underestimated; Brian needed to look his best, needed to be his best. He reminded himself of this as he knotted his tie. Looking into the mirror, he smiled, satisfied with his appearance. The deep black of his tie brought out the subtle undertones in his suit, that’s why he chose it. There was nothing sentimental about his choice at all.


Brian asked Justin to meet him at one of New York’s trendiest restaurants. He’d considered showing up at Justin’s apartment and surprising him, but it was more fun knowing Justin had spent the day wondering why Brian was there. Justin met him just inside the entranceway; Brian kissed him deeply, resting his hand just above the swell of Justin’s ass. It was a shade too demonstrative for public, but Brian didn’t care, and despite the flush on his cheeks, he knew Justin didn’t either.

“So what’s going on?” Justin asked as soon as they were seated.

“I had some free time and took advantage of it.” Brian shrugged and tried to look casual.

“Uh huh.” Justin clearly wasn’t buying it, but he let it go.

Brian kept the conversation light until they’d ordered and had their drinks. “So,” he began, again striving for casual. “Do you have any plans for May 17?”

“Not that I know of.” Justin looked puzzled, not that Brian blamed him. The date was months away, and Brian generally wasn’t one for long range plans.

“Well don’t make any. Kinnetik’s New York office is having a grand opening party that night.” Brian leaned back and waited for the words to sink in.

“New York office?” Justin’s eyes widened as the implications of what Brian said finally became clear. His smile was dazzling. “Are you sure?”

Smirking just a little, Brian nodded. “Office space has been secured. Ted and I have worked out a timeline; it’s all set.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Justin smacked his hand before squeezing his fingers.

“There was no point in both of us worrying about something that might not happen. I wanted to be sure, and now I am.”

Justin rolled his eyes. “In other words, you wanted to make a big dramatic announcement.”

Brian didn’t bother trying to deny it. They stayed at the restaurant for a long time, lingering over drinks. Justin wanted to know everything, demanding details on the Aurala contract and the planned move. It was a wonderful evening.

But this, Brian thought as Justin’s come flooded his mouth, was the real celebration. He released Justin’s cock and moved up his body, licking at the sweat that glistened on his chest. Justin reached for him, but stopped abruptly. “Careful,” Brian teased, running his hands along Justin’s arms, stopping when he reached his wrists.

Brian ran his tongue across Justin’s collarbone and over the curve of his neck before biting gently on his earlobe. “I’m rather fond of this tie.” Black silk encircled Justin’s wrists, binding them together; Justin’s burgundy tie had been woven in and secured him to the bed. Tracing the line where silk met skin, Brian admired the way the stark colors contrasted with Justin’s pale skin. As he continued to caress Justin’s wrists, sometimes sliding a finger under the tie, Justin shivered beneath him.

“If you don’t want that tie in shreds,” he ground out, “I suggest you fuck me right now.”

Brian laughed, but moved back to the end of the bed. Not surprised to find Justin hard again, he licked the head of his cock, loving the way Justin moaned as he teased the sensitive skin. When he felt Justin pulling hard at his bonds, he hastily slipped a condom on and pulled Justin’s legs up onto his shoulders. One hard thrust and he was in, pounding Justin’s ass until neither of them could take it anymore and coming was the only relief.

“You know,” Justin said as Brian worked at releasing him from the bed. “Once you move to New York, I expect you to fuck me like that every night.”

“Just try and stop me.”


Asking for the second, technically third, time should have been easier, but it wasn’t. There would be no dramatic gesture this time; Brian wasn’t offering anything but himself. Not, he thought as he looked in the mirror and straightened his tie one last time, that he wasn’t one hell of an offer. But there was also no turning back this time. Once Justin said yes, and Brian knew he would, their fate was sealed.


“So what do you think?” Brian held out his arms as he walked into the sitting room where Michael was waiting.

“I think it’s about damn time. You and Justin have had the world’s longest engagement.”

Brian rolled his eyes. “Keep the commentary to yourself. I meant how do I look?”

“Beautiful,” Michael’s eyes were a little misty. “You’ll always be young and you’ll. . .”

“Always be beautiful,” Brian finished along with him. “Thanks, Mikey.” Brian gave him a quick, hard kiss. “Now let’s hope Justin agrees.”

“I don’t think you have anything to worry about. Oh wait, your tie.” Michael reached for him, but Brian pushed his hands away.

“I got it,” Brian smoothed his tie, smiling as he remembered finding a familiar box waiting for him with his suit. This time the note read, “Something Old.”

“Perfect,” Michael smiled. “You ready?”

“As I’ll ever be.” They walked downstairs where Emmett met them. Justin and Daphne were already waiting with him. Emmett launched into last minute instructions, but Brian ignored him. There was nothing complicated about the ceremony; no aisle to walk down, no procession to follow.

“You look beautiful,” he said as he approached Justin.

“So do you,” Justin’s smile lit his face. He brushed his fingers gently against Brian’s chest. “You wore it.”

Brian rolled his lips into his mouth and nodded, suddenly incapable of speech. Kissing Justin was the most natural thing in the world, he threaded his fingers through Justin’s hair and held him close, letting the feel of his body, the way their mouth and tongues moved together ground him and remind him of why he was there.

Emmett cleared his throat and said something about kissing coming after the vows, but Brian flipped him off without missing a beat. When they finally pulled apart they were alone. Pressing his forward against Justin’s, Brian asked a little breathlessly, “So are we doing this?”

“Absolutely.”

Wrapping his arm around Justin’s waist, Brian walked with him into the living room. They took their places in front of the fire, and as their friends and family watched, finally fulfilled the promises made there years earlier.

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