Breaking Internal Barriers

Chapter 5

Brian had just finished getting ready when he heard a knock at the door. Pushing away the anxiety he was feeling about his day, he opened the door and smiled at the sight before him. Justin was there, looking exceptionally hot in a pair of shorts and a tee shirt spouting words about getting in touch with nature.

"Right on time." Brian greeted.

"I told you I wouldn't be late. You didn't believe me?" Justin asked, walking into the loft with a smile.

"Well, since we were out pretty late, I did wonder." Brian answered as he walked to the couch and grabbed his bag. He had gone to a sporting goods store the morning before and talked to some hot looking breeder about what he would need for his trip.

"Brian, when it comes to hiking, I am always on time. Are you sure you really want to do this? I know I kind of pressured you to go, so I won't be upset if you changed your mind." Justin assured him, trying to ease his guilty conscious.

Brian knew that no matter how unsure he was about the whole hiking thing, there was no way he was going to back out of spending the day with the blond. He had been looking forward to this day all week, although he refused to try to figure out why. "No way… I am all ready to go. I even made sure my life insurance policy was all paid up, just in case." He teased.

"I don't think that was necessary. We are not climbing Mt. Everest. In fact, I decided to go easy on you and take one of the beginner trails. I promise to get you home in one piece." Justin replied with a chuckle.

"Well, lead the way, Nature Boy. I'm right behind you." Brian joked as they walked out of the loft.

Two hours later, Brian found himself enjoying their hike. He could tell that the trail they were on was indeed a beginner's course, and for that he was thankful. Even though he was used to a rigorous work out schedule, hiking was a very active sport. Between the uneven terrain and the incline of the trail, he could feel his muscles groaning from the activity. Now he knew how the blond stayed in shape.

"Are you alright, Brian? Do you need to stop and rest?" Justin asked, concerned that he might be pushing Brian too hard.

As much as he liked the thought of taking a break, there was no way he was going to show any weakness. If Justin could keep going, then so could he. "I'm good, Justin. Let's keep going."

"Okay, just let me know if you want to sit down for a bit." Justin said, looking at Brian for signs of distress. He had the feeling that it was pride that was preventing Brian from wanting the break, but he wasn't about to say anything.

A little further into their hike, they heard someone calling Justin's name. A small group of hiker's were off on the side of the trail where a small resting area was set up.

"Hey, Justin. I haven't seen you around in the last couple of months." The man speaking was about Justin's height, but had dark hair and eyes, and a stocky build.

"Hey, Sean. Work has been pretty hectic lately, so I haven't been able to get up here much. This is Brian. He's a new partner at BTI. Brian, this is Sean. He's a friend of mine. We do a lot of hiking together." Justin explained.

Brian eyed the man before them and got a strange feeling in the pit of his stomach. "Nice to meet you." He said as he shook the man's hand.

"Nice to meet you, too, Brian. So Justin, do you guys want to join me and my friends? We decided to take a break and have some breakfast. It's such a nice day." Sean offered.

Justin didn't have to give the offer a second thought. "No, thanks anyway. We decided to keep going until we reach the clearing. This is Brian's first time hiking, so I want him to see the sights."

"Oh, okay. I guess I'll see you around. Good luck, Brian." Sean said before walking back over to his friends.

Brian and Justin said good bye and continued on their journey. As they walked along, Brian had to admit that hiking wasn't as bad as he thought it was going to be. It seemed so peaceful to be outside away from the city and all the congestion that goes along with city living. The company wasn't so bad either. With Justin leading the way, Brian had a constant view of his well shaped ass, causing his shorts to hug him a little tighter than they did at the loft. It was going to be a long day.

When they finally reached the clearing, Justin turned around to see Brian's reaction to the view. "What do you think?"

Brian looked around and immediately knew why Justin spent his free time hiking. The clearing was a wide open space, surrounded by a wide variety of trees, bushes, and wild flowers. With the sun shining and the blue sky, it was almost like a painting he once saw in a gallery opening he went to during his Ryder days. "Wow, Justin. This place is incredible."

"I know. I love to come up here by myself when things get rough and just leave the world behind. In fact, when my father and I had our falling out, I spent all my free time up here. It was my get away." Justin said without realizing what he was sharing. He pulled a blanket out of his back pack and spread it on the ground so they had a place to sit. He could feel Brian's eyes on him, but couldn't look back. Instead he pulled out the lunch he had packed for them. "Turkey on whole wheat, no mayo." He said as he handed a sandwich to Brian.

Brian could see how uncomfortable Justin was with the small amount of information he accidentally let slip, and chose to let it slide. He sat down on the blanket and unwrapped his sandwich, watching Justin staring up into the clouds. "Are you going to join me, or do I have to eat by myself?"

"What? Oh, sorry. I was just thinking." Justin replied, quietly. He joined Brian on the blanket, unwrapping his own sandwich before speaking again. "Brian? What did your parents say when you told them you were gay?"

"Well, I didn't tell them until recently. My father was dying with cancer when I told him and he told me I should have been the one who was dying. My mother found out about a year later and she has been praying for my soul ever since." Brian admitted with a slight smile.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Brian. I shouldn't have brought it up." Justin said.

"It's okay, Justin. We were never close, so I don't let them get to me. I take it your parents didn't take it well either?"

"My mother has been great. She was shocked at first. She even took me to a therapist, thinking that I was just confused, but once she realized it wasn't just a phase I was going through, she accepted me 100%. My father, on the other hand, disowned me. He wants nothing to do with me and I haven't talked to him in years. I don't usually think about him too much anymore, but coming up here tends to bring it all back." Justin explained, feeling a little silly for allowing his father to interrupt his day.

"If you would rather head back..."

"No, it's okay. I shouldn't have brought it up. In fact, let's change the subject. When can we expect Brown to sign on?" Justin asked, determined to get his mind off of his father.

Brian took the offered subject change and the two men spent the next couple of hours discussing BTI and the accounts they were working on. It was a safe subject and something they both enjoyed. Brian was the first one to notice the time.

"I guess we should start heading back now."

"Yeah, we have a long hike ahead of us." Justin replied, feeling a little sad that their day was coming to an end.

By the time they reached Justin's car, both men were tired, but happy. It was a nice day, and Brian realized that the outdoors wasn't necessarily a bad place to be. They drove back into town in a comfortable silence until they pulled up outside Brian's loft.

"See? I told you that I would get you home in one piece." Justin teased, remembering Brian's comment from the morning.

"That you did. Thank you, Justin. It definitely wasn't as bad as I thought it would be." Brian admitted.

"You mean you enjoyed it?" Justin asked with a smile. "Enough to go with me again?"

"Is that an invitation?"

"Well, we wouldn't want your back pack to sit in a closet and collect dust, would we?" Justin joked.

"No, we can't have that. This stuff cost me a fortune." Brian replied, holding up his gear.

"Well you didn't have to buy the best for your first time out." Justin said with a chuckle.

"I always buy the best, otherwise what's the point? And who are you to talk? I noticed your gear is sporting the same label as mine." Brian pointed out.

"What can I say? I guess we're both label queens. I've been called worse things." Justin laughed.

"Yeah, me too. By those closest to me. I guess I better hit the showers. I'll see you on Monday?" Brian asked.

Justin couldn't help the image that formed in his mind thinking about Brian hitting the showers. "Uh...yeah. I'll see you on Monday. Later,"

"Later."

 

*****************
 

Justin was sitting at his desk on Monday morning before the weekly conference meeting when Daphne buzzed him on the intercom. Justin smiled and pressed the button down. “Yeah Daph?”

“Good morning Justin,” Daphne said sweetly. “You have a visitor this morning.”

“Well, tell them I have a meeting in ten minutes,” Justin said. "I’ll have to see them afterwards.”

“I think he knows,” Daphne said, eyeing the visitor. “It’s Brian.”

“Brian?” Justin asked a little surprised. Clearing his voice to hide the excitement in his voice, he said “Send him in.”

Brian walked through the door as Justin was gathering his things together for the meeting. “Hey.”

“Hey,” Brian replied.

“So, what are you doing on this floor? You’re not trying to make more copies are you?” Justin asked, remembering the disaster that happened last time Brian had tried that task.

“No, I save all that for Cynthia now,” Brian chuckled. “I think I’ve learned my lesson. I guess I lack in certain areas.”

“Well…you certainly make up for it in other ways,” Justin said.

Brian laughed and Justin realized just how much was implied in that statement. Blushing slightly, he said, “Well, you know what I mean.”

“Yeah,” Brian said, tongue in cheek expression in place. “I wanted to come and see how you were after Saturday.”

“I’m doing fine,” Justin said. “I had a great time. How about you? Are you sore or anything? I know we did a lot of walking and it was your first time out.”

“No, I feel fine,” Brian replied. “It felt good to exercise. I was a member of a gym when I lived in Pittsburgh, but I haven’t been able to find one here yet.”

“Oh there are plenty around,” Justin said.

“Do you belong to one?” Brian asked curiously. Just thinking of the blond in his hiking shorts again made him hard.

“No,” Justin chuckled. “I guess I’ve never been the really athletic type. I hike, but that’s the extent of my physical workouts. Well, besides the ones I get in bed.”

Brian smiled. “I can relate to that. It’s great cardiovascular exercise.”

“Indeed,” Justin said, shutting his briefcase. “You ready to head on up?”

“Yeah,” Brian said, looking at his watch. “Let’s go before Alexandra yells at us both.”

Justin smiled and he and Brian walked out the door. Daphne just waved at the two men as they walked by, smiling her head off. She thought they would make the most adorable couple.

As Brian and Justin got off the elevator, they headed down to the conference room. Just as they expected, everyone was already there as the two men took there seats at the head of the table. Alex smiled and began the meeting.

After discussing everything she needed to for the week, Alex dismissed everyone but Brian and Justin, asking them to stay behind.

The two sat back down and waited for everyone to leave. As soon as she had said goodbye to the last person, Alex closed the door to the conference room and sat back down in her seat.

“So, Alexandra…what do we owe this pleasure?” Brian asked his partner.

“I wanted to speak with you guys about a new account I’m trying to land,” Alex said. “I think we have a real shot at it.”

Brian smiled. “Well, do tell.”

Alex continued. “I know this is a little different then what we’re used to marketing for, but I think we can do it.”

Brian chuckled. “Alexandra, I have marketed everything from alcoholic beverages to baby wipes…trust me, I can sell anything.”

“Good, that’s what I wanted to hear,” Alex said, “Because I really would like to acquire GNC.”

“General Nutrition Center?” Justin asked, clarifying to make sure she meant that store and not some other company.

“Yes,” Alex said.

“That’s quite a big account Alex. They must be worth millions,” Brian said.

“They are,” Alex said. “After pulling off Givenchy, I know we can do this though.”

“Wow,” Justin said, “Vitamins and supplements…that’s going to be an interesting slogan you’re going to have to come up with. I’m glad I’m not the ad exec and just an artist.”

Brian rolled his eyes and smiled.

“I need you two to give your full attention to this account until you meet with them on Wednesday,” Alex said.

“You’re giving us two days?” Brian said. “Who do you think we are, Alexandra?”

“The best creative team in all of Florida,” Alex said. “If you pulled off the Givenchy account in one night, you can certainly pull of this account in two.”

“What time on Wednesday?” Brian asked, wondering how much sleep he was going to be able to get in the next two nights.”

“Well, see that’s the thing,” Alex said. “Their company doesn’t have a base here, and they’re not willing to fly all the way to see if they want us. If we want a shot at the account, we have to go to them.”

Brian sighed. “So, where am I off to? L.A, New York, or are you sending me off to some dead city up in Oregon?”

Alex smiled. “Believe it or not, they are stationed up in Pittsburgh.”

Brian smiled. “No shit?”

Justin laughed. “Wow, Brian. You’ll get to go back home for a few days. That’s cool.”

“Well, not only is Brian going,” Alex said, “I’m sending you with him.”

“What?” Justin asked. “Wait a minute Alex…the art director doesn’t go out and make client trips. Why do I need to go?”

“Because, this is a major account and they want to meet with both of you,” Alex said. “You know from experience Justin, that clients always want to meet with you anyway, since you usually are the one to create the designs. They want to be able to grasp the entire concept, and since we need to impress them in one shot, that means you need to accompany Brian.”

Justin sighed. “All right.”

“That’s the spirit,” Alex said, giving Justin a pat on the back. “I knew I could count on you two.”

Brian and Justin smiled at each other.

“And anyway, you two have become such good friends, I seriously doubt it would be that big of strain on either one of you,” Alex said.

“I take it you’re not coming with us?” Brian asked.

“No,” Alex said. “I thought about it, but somebody needs to be here to run the company. Anyway, I thought you might want to hang out and do guy things…you know, show Justin around your hometown. Besides the meeting on Wednesday afternoon and a follow up meeting on Friday, you two are free to do whatever for the few days you’re there.”

Brian nodded. “Sounds cool. I’m sure I’ll have no problem showing Justin around,” he said as he winked over at the man.

“Great, then it’s settled,” Alex said. “Make sure you’re both in Pittsburgh by Wednesday afternoon at 3:00 PM. As long as both of you are back by next Monday, you’re free to stay as long as you like. You two deserve a little vacation anyway.”

Justin laughed nervously and Brian just couldn’t get the grin off his face.

“Well, I’ll leave you guys to start making plans,” Alex said. “I’ll give you the information about where to meet the client a little later. Bye.”

Brian and Justin waved good bye and just stared at each other for a minute, taking it all in. They really were going to be going on a trip together. It was incredible. Brian decided to break the tension.

“Well, why don’t we go back to my office to discuss the details of the trip?” Brian asked, wanting to get out of the conference room.

“Sure,” Justin replied. Both men walked out and went over to Brian’s office. Brian made his way over to his desk while Justin sat across from him.

“Before we get started working, I guess I should have my assistant make the arrangements for the trip. Is it alright with you if she makes the arrangements for us both?”

“Sure,” Justin said. “I’m sure Daph will appreciate not having to do it.”

Brian smiled and paged his assistant.

“Yes?” Cynthia asked.

“Cyn, I need you to make arrangements for Justin and me to fly to Pittsburgh on Wednesday morning,” Brian said and Justin nodded.

“You’re both going to Pittsburgh?” Cynthia asked.

“This isn’t a pleasure trip Cynthia,” Brian said. “We have a client we are meeting there. We need to get there at least by two, since the meeting is at three.”

“All right,” Cynthia said, jotting some notes down. “So, you’ll both need a flight, hotel…do you need me to rent you two cars, or one?”

Brian looked over at Justin. “I think one will be fine,” Justin answered.

“Yeah, one is good,” Brian replied.

“How long are you planning to stay?” Cynthia asked.

“Well, we have to be there at least until Friday,” Brian said, thinking out loud. “How’s Saturday?”

Justin nodded. “Saturday’s good. Nothing too early though,” he said.

“Make it Saturday afternoon Cyn,” Brian said. “Whatever’s available then.”

“Alright,” Cynthia said. “I’ll make the arrangements and give you the info when I’m done. I’ll send the info over to Daphne as well.”

“Thanks Cyn,” Brian said.

“My pleasure,” Cynthia said, as she went back to work.

“She seems very nice,” Justin said.

“Oh yeah, Cynthia is great,” Brian said. “We’ve been working together for years and she’s the only one who can put up with my shit. That’s why I asked her to come with me when I got this job…I can’t imagine having to try to get along with another assistant.”

“I know what you mean,” Justin said. “Daph, even though she can be a pain in the ass sometimes, is the best assistant I could ever have. We have a great working relationship and are best friends. I couldn’t imagine having another assistant either.”

Brian nodded. “Oh, I almost forgot,”

“What?” Justin asked curiously.

“If we’re going to be going to Pittsburgh, I’m going to have to go by and see my son. I haven’t seen him since I moved here.”

“Oh, of course,” Justin said. “I’m sure he’ll be very happy to see you. From what I heard on the phone last week, he sounds like he misses you a lot.”

“He does,” Brian said. “Although I’ve always been busy with my individual life, he had always been able to see me when he wanted to. Now though, he’s no longer just a twenty minute drive away.”

Justin could sense the sadness in Brian’s voice and actually felt sorry for him. To cheer up the man, he said, “Well, you can definitely spend a lot of time with him when we’re there. You’ll have plenty of time to yourself. Why don’t you call them to let them know that you’re coming?”

Brian smiled. “That’s a good idea. Lindsay always likes to know things in advance.”

Justin smiled back. “I can step out while you make the call.”

Brian shook his head as he picked up the phone. “There’s no need to do that. I’ll only be a minute.”

Justin nodded as he sat back down. Brian spoke to the person on the phone.

“Yes hello, could I speak to Lindsay Peterson? Thank you.”

A minute later, Brian continued. “Linds hey, it’s me.”

“Brian, what a surprise!” an excited Lindsay said. “I hope everything’s alright.”

“Everything’s fine,” Brian said. “I just wanted to let you know that I’m going to be in Pittsburgh this week.”

“Brian, that’s wonderful!” Lindsay said. “Gus will be so excited to hear the news. He misses you so much Brian.”

“I know,” Brian said guiltily. “I’m actually coming to the Pitts to try to win an account, so I can’t be with him all the time, but I’ll try to spend plenty of time with him.”

“What day are you coming in?” Lindsay said. “We can all have dinner that night.”

“Sounds good,” Brian said. “We’re coming in on Wednesday night.”

“Oh, who else is coming with you?” Lindsay asked.

“The art director at the firm,” Brian said, looking over at Justin. “In fact, would you mind if he came to dinner with me? I’m sure he would love to meet Gus, since he’s heard so much about him.”

Justin tried to tell Brian he didn’t have to include him, but Brian wouldn’t hear of it.

“Sure Brian…I can set the table for five,” Lindsay said, smiling. Obviously, if this Justin knew about all of them and Gus, he and Brian must be pretty close. Brian never let anyone know about his private life unless they were a very good friend.

“Thanks Linds,” Brian said. “What time should we drop by?”

“Is 5:00 alright?” Lindsay asked.

“Is 5:00 ok?” Brian asked Justin. Justin nodded, knowing he didn’t have any plans.

“5:00 sounds great,” Brian replied. “See you on Wednesday.”

Brian hung up the phone with Lindsay and looked over at Justin.

“Brian, you really didn’t have to invite me over,” Justin said. “I could have found something to do that evening.”

“It was no trouble,” Brian said. “We get to eat and you get to meet my son. I think you’ll like Lindsay too…she’s an artist as well.”

“Really?” Justin asked.

“Yes, so I’m sure you’ll have plenty to talk about,” Brian said.

Justin smiled. “I’m looking forward to it,” he said, really meaning it.

Brian nodded. “Well…I guess we should get started. We have less than forty eight hours to come up with a brilliant campaign.”

“We can do it,” Justin said. “I think we both work well under pressure.”

Both laughed and started working on their newest campaign.

Meanwhile, outside of Brian’s office, Cynthia couldn’t believe the information she had just received. She knew she had to call Daphne and tell her immediately about the boys’ trip.

She dialed the number and Daphne picked up on the first ring.

“Justin Taylor’s office,” she said.

“Hey Daph, it’s Cynthia.”

“Hey, what’s up?”

“Plenty. I just got the most awesome news.”

“What?” Daphne asked curiously.

“Brian and Justin are going on a trip together!” Cynthia exclaimed.

“Oh my God…you’re joking!”

“No, I’m really not. Brian just buzzed me with the information. He wants me to set up the arrangements for him and Justin both.”

“So they’re the only two going?” Daphne asked.

“Apparently so,” Cynthia said. “Guess what else though?”

“What?”

“They’re going to Pittsburgh.”

“Wow…your old hometown!”

“Yeah, which means Brian is going to know his way around pretty well,” Cynthia said. “I’m wondering what places he’ll show Justin…I’m sure he’ll bring him to Babylon.”

“What’s Babylon?” Daph asked.

“It’s a male dance club,” Cynthia said.

“Oh…like the Coliseum,” Daphne replied.

“Yeah…I can’t believe I have to get him a hotel room. I asked, but was kind of joking when I did, thinking he would have just bunked with his friend Michael for the few days. I guess since Justin is going along though, he didn’t want to be rude.”

“Oh, so Brian isn’t rooming with family?” Daphne asked.

“Oh, he would never do that,” Cynthia said. “I don’t know much about his family, but from what I do know, they aren’t supportive of his lifestyle at all and Brian doesn’t communicate with them.”

“That’s terrible,” Daphne said. “I know Justin doesn’t get along with his father, but his mother is very supportive.”

“Well, that’s good that he has someone,” Cynthia said.

“Yeah.”

“So, I guess I should make these arrangements. I just thought I would let you know the details.”

“Thanks…oh, wait a minute…” Daphne said.

“What?” Cynthia asked.

“I just got an idea.”

“What is it?” Cynthia asked excited to hear what her partner in crime had to say.

“What if by chance, Brian and Justin have to share a room?”

“I can make one reservation instead of two, leaving the men to share one room…”

“With two beds,” Daphne added in. “I think if there was only one it might scare them away.”

“Good point,” Cynthia said. “Two beds is a good idea. You’re evil Daphne. But I love it!”

“Thanks,” Daphne said, grinning. “I’ll talk with you later.”

The girls hung up the phone and Cynthia started making Brian and Justin’s plans for Wednesday. Those two men didn’t know what they were getting themselves into, and Cynthia could hardly wait for Wednesday to arrive. The men were in for a real surprise.

 

*****************

On Wednesday morning, Brian and Justin boarded a plane to Pittsburgh. Both men had spent the three hour flight going over their pitch, since they would be heading to their meeting right from the airport. When they got to the meeting, things had gone even better then they had hoped, and by 4:00 they were in their rental car, heading to their hotel, confident that by Friday afternoon they would have a new account.
 

"I think that went really well, don't you?" Justin asked with a smile. Brian's brilliance still amazed him sometimes.

"Well with your artistic talent and my brilliant ideas, how could it have gone any other way?" Brian replied with a chuckle.

Justin could feel himself blush slightly from the praise. He knew he was a genius when it came to his art, but hearing it from Brian always stirred something inside. "That's what makes us such a good team. Our modesty," he teased.

"Hey, I just state the truth," Brian smiled. "Are you hungry? We have to be at Lindsay's for dinner in an hour."

"Are you sure you want me to go with you? I can always stay at the hotel and order room service." Justin suggested once again. He tried to tell Brian that he should spend some time alone with his family, but Brian wouldn't listen to him.

"Oh, look, there's our hotel." Brian said, changing the subject.

Justin could tell Brian didn't want to talk about it anymore, so he dropped the subject, slightly pleased that Brian wanted him to be a part of his family reunion.
 

They let the valet park the car as they made their way to the reservation desk.
 

"Hello. I'm Brian Kinney, and this is Justin Taylor. We have reservations here." Brian told the clerk.

"Yes, sir. Let me just pull you both up on the computer," the man replied. He began typing, obviously not finding what he was looking for, "I have a reservation for a Justin Taylor, but nothing for Brian Kinney. Could the reservation been made under another name?"

"I don't think so. Could you look again? The reservations should have been made at the same time." Brian explained, figuring there had to be a mistake.

The clerk hit a couple more keys, before looking back up at Brian. "I'm sorry, sir. There is nothing here by the name Brian Kinney."

"That's weird," Brian replied. "Well, then I just need to book a room through Saturday."

"I'm sorry, Sir. We are booked solid. There's a convention going on this week and most of the hotels are full." The clerk explained.

"Shit!" Brian exclaimed, his anger evident.

"Does my room have two beds?" Justin asked quietly.

"Yes, Mr. Taylor. Your room comes with two double beds."

"Okay then. Brian you'll just have to stay with me." Justin said, heat coursing through his body at the thought of sharing living space with Brian.

Brian heard Justin's offer and wanted to refuse. The last thing he wanted was to spend his weekend in such close quarters with the blond, but he knew he had no choice. If he were to make a big deal out of it, Justin would wonder what the problem was, and he didn't really know himself. "Thanks. I don't know how this happened. I know I told Cynthia to book two rooms."

Justin was beginning to wonder if maybe there was a certain someone back in Florida who was trying to encourage something between them, but pushed that thought away. Daphne had nothing to do with making the reservations. It was probably just a strange mix up.

The clerk had Justin sign the proper paperwork and handed him his card key. "Room 307. Enjoy your stay, gentlemen, and I'm sorry about the mix up."

Justin watched Brian growl at the clerk and walk away. "Thank you." He said before following his roommate.

The room was definitely big enough for them to share, but neither man could help but notice how close the beds were to each other. They unpacked their clothes and showered, before heading out for dinner at Lindsay's. As soon as Brian raised his hand to knock, the door flew open and his arms were full of his little boy.

"Dada! It's bout time you got here. I been waiting and waiting!" Gus exclaimed, hugging his father tight. "Who's that?"

Brian carried Gus into the house, while Justin followed, closing the door behind him.

"Gus, this is Justin Taylor. I work with him at my new job. Justin, this ball of energy is my son, Gus." Brian said, putting his son down, and noticing Lindsay standing by. "Hey, Linds."

"Hi Brian," Lindsay greeted, giving Brian a hug and kiss. "And you must be Justin."

"Nice to meet you, Lindsay. Thank you for inviting me to your home. I told Brian that I could have stayed at the hotel. He doesn't need to drag me with him just because we are here together on a business trip." Justin said as he shook her hand.

"I'm sure he doesn't think of it as dragging you with him. Besides, meeting you is like getting a glimpse into his new life. You are welcome here anytime. Come on in. Dinner is almost ready."

Brian and Justin settled into the living room with Gus babbling non stop, asking question after question about Florida.

"Slow down, Sonny Boy. We'll be here for awhile. You don't have to ask us every question you have in the first five minutes." Brian laughed at his son's excitement.

Justin smiled at the little boy who looked so much like his father. He looked down and noticed a drawing that Gus must have been doing before they showed up. "Hey Gus, did you do this?"

"Yep. Mommy said I am going to be an artist one day, just like her." Gus beamed proudly.

"Justin's an artist, too." Brian pointed out, watching the boys eyes light up.

"You are? Do you wanna draw with me? I have extra paper." Gus asked Justin.

"Sonny Boy, I don't think Justin wants to draw right now," Brian said before being interrupted by the man in question.

"I would love to draw with you, Gus. Bring out that paper," Justin said, smiling over at Brian to let him know that he didn't mind.

Gus raced upstairs, coming back down with his plastic art case, ready to draw with his new friend. "Dada, do you want to draw with us? I have enough paper for you, too."

"That's okay. I'll go see Mommy in the kitchen while the two artists create," Brian replied, getting up and heading into the kitchen.

"Brian, you're just in time. Could you take the roast out of the oven for me while I make the potatoes?" Lindsay asked, trying to do too many things at one time.

"Where's Melanie? I thought she would be here, too."

"She called a few minutes ago. She's just running late and should be here any minute. So, tell me about Justin," she said, curious about the man Brian brought to meet his son.

"What do you want to know? He's the Art Director at BTI, and very talented," Brian said as he pulled the pan out of the oven.

"And?"

"And, what?"

"And he's cute, too." Lindsay pointed out.

"Really? I haven't noticed. I've been too busy working," Brian replied, making sure to avoid looking Lindsay in the eye.

"Uh, oh. You're in trouble," Lindsay accused.

"What the fuck does that mean?" Brian asked in shock.

"Brian, I saw the way you were looking at him. Now you're trying to tell me that you never noticed how adorable he is? What's going on, and try being honest."

"I'm always honest," Brian replied, trying to avoid the conversation. He should have known better than to bring Justin to Lindsay's. She always had a way of reading his mind.

"Out with it," she demanded, gently.

"Alright, yes, I've noticed how hot he is. Who wouldn't? But that doesn't mean anything. We work together, Linds. End of story," Brian stated.

"But, Brian,"

"Lindsay, Justin and I have to work together everyday. A quick fuck would not be a good idea," Brian said, dryly.

"I wasn't suggesting a quick fuck, Brian," Lindsay said.

"What else is there?" Brian asked, sarcastically.

"Brian..."

"Drop it, Linds." Brian warned. Thankfully, they heard Melanie come home and all conversation about Justin ceased.

Justin watched Brian all through dinner, enjoying the interaction he shared with his family. It was a side of Brian he never got a chance to see. He seemed relaxed and carefree, and it was obvious that his son adored him. After dessert, they sat around the living room, talking about the past and sharing stories about Brian's life. By 9:00, the evening was winding down.

"Okay, Gus. Say goodbye to Daddy. It's time for you to get in bed. It's already past your bedtime." Melanie said.

"But Mama, I don't want to go to bed. I want to stay up and see Dada. Please?" Gus whined.

"Hey, Sonny Boy. How about if I take you up to bed and tuck you in?" Brian suggested.

"Will you tell me a story, too?"

"Another story? What are you going to do when I run out of imagination?" Brian teased.

"Silly, Dada, you can't run out of magination," Gus giggled. He kissed both his mother's good night then hugged Justin.

"Good night, Gus. It was nice to meet you," Justin said as he hugged the boy.

"It was nice meetin you, too, Justin. Can you do me a favor?"

"Sure, Gus. What would you like me to do for you?" Justin asked with a smile.

"Could you take care of my Dada for me in Florda? I don't want him to be sad cause I'm not there with him." Gus explained.

Justin smiled at the way Gus was trying to protect his daddy. "I think I can do that for you. Sleep well."

"Night, everybody." Gus called out, running upstairs.

"I'll be back in a few minutes, Justin. Then we can leave," Brian assured him, before following his son upstairs.

Once they were alone, Lindsay couldn't help but try to find out what she could about Justin. "So Justin, how long have you been at BTI?"

"About five years. I was hired right out of college. Two years later, I was promoted to Art Director." Justin explained.

"Wow, that's amazing for someone your age. You must be very good," Lindsay pointed out, impressed with the man before her.

"I'm not bad." Justin said, modestly. "I hear you're an artist, too."

"Well, I was an art teacher before I had Gus. Now I manage an Art Gallery in town, and I do some painting. I'm not sure if that would classify me as an artist," Lindsay replied.

"Don't listen to her. She's great," Melanie told him, proud of her partner.

"She's also biased," Lindsay laughed, before turning serious once again. "So, do you have someone waiting for you at home? A girlfriend, any kids?"

"Subtle, Linds." Melanie remarked with a smile.

"No, there is no one waiting for me. And for the record, yes, I’m gay." Justin told her, laughing at her casual probing.

"Oh, I didn't mean to..."

"Yes, you did. I saw you watching Brian and I through dinner, and if you are anything like my best friend, I know what you’re thinking. Brian and I are just friends. We work together, and occasionally hang out together, but that's all there is to it," Justin explained, smiling to take the sting out of his words.

"That's all there is to what?" Brian asked as he came back down the stairs.

"Nothing. We were just talking about art. Are you ready to go?" Justin asked, noticing the appreciative look Lindsay sent his way.

"Yeah, Gus is sound asleep. He was exhausted. Lindsay, he asked me if Justin and I could take him out tomorrow. Is that okay?" Brian asked, knowing Lindsay wouldn't mind.

"That's fine, Brian. I am only working half a day tomorrow, so I'll keep him home from school and have him ready by 10:00. Okay?"

"That sounds good to me." Brian replied, before looking over at Justin. "Is that okay with you? Gus specifically asked for you to come. You don't mind, do you?"

"Not at all. Gus is a wonderful boy. I'd love to spend the day with him." Justin assured him, leaving out how much he would like to spend time with Brian too.

"Okay. Well we better get going. I'll see you tomorrow." Brian said, giving Lindsay a kiss before leaving.

"It was nice meeting you both. Thanks again for dinner." Justin said, following Brian out the door.

The drive back to the hotel was pretty silent, both men lost in thought. Brian was thinking back to what Lindsay had said to him. Was it really that easy for her to see that he thought about Justin? He needed to work on that in the future.

Justin was thinking about what Lindsay had said. He could feel her watching him all through dinner. Had she known that he had been feeling...things...for Brian? Was it possible that his feelings were obvious to others? That would be a real problem… one he couldn't afford to have.

Once they got back to their room, there was an uncomfortable silence. Neither man knew what to say to the other. Brian decided to take another shower, thus giving him time to wash away the thoughts he was having about the blond and giving Justin time to get into bed and out of sight.

"I'm going to take a quick shower. Do you want to use the bathroom first?"

"Yeah, I'll just be a minute." Justin replied.

Justin brushed his teeth, washed his face, and then took a deep breath before walking back into the room. When he heard Brian start the shower, he quickly stripped down to his underwear, cursing himself for not bringing a pair of sweats to sleep in. He figured he would be alone, and when he was alone, he didn't bother sleeping in anything at all. He left on a small light by the door and climbed into bed, hoping to fall asleep before the shower was over. He should have known better. When he heard the door open, he stole a quick glance over and saw Brian with a towel wrapped around his waist and water droplets glistening off his chest. The site went straight to his cock, and Justin had to roll away, pretending to be asleep, so that he didn't tent the light blanket he had over him. It was going to be a long night.

Brian looked over at Justin as the man rolled away from him in sleep. He stood there for a moment, wishing he could crawl into bed behind him. Shaking his head to clear away those thoughts, Brian pulled on a pair of underwear, the only thing he had to sleep in, and climbed into his own bed. His cock was too aware of the body in the bed beside his and he know it was going to be a long time before he was able to sleep.

 

*****************
 

Justin woke up first on Thursday morning. He opened his eyes and turned around, grateful that Brian was still asleep, since he didn’t want him to see the monstrous hard on that he was sporting at the moment. Getting up quietly, he went to the bathroom to relieve himself and walked back to his bed as Brian awoke.

“Justin,” Brian said, looking tiredly at the clock. “Good morning.”

“Good morning Brian,” Justin said, looking down at himself. Thankfully, his hard on had gone down, but he was still only in his briefs at the moment.

“Umm…you’re up early,” Justin said, getting back to his bed quickly and going back under the covers.

Brian laughed at Justin’s antics. “Well, I’m used to running on little sleep, considering the life I lead.”

“I know what you mean,” Justin said. “I don’t get much sleep either.”

Brian looked back over at the clock, noticing it was 7:00. “Well, Gus is expecting us at 10:00, so I guess we can take our time getting ready. We can get something to eat as well.”

“Sounds good,” Justin said.

Brian sat up in bed, the covers only covering the lower part of his body. “Should I take a shower first?” he asked.

“Be my guest,” Justin said. Brian quickly got up and headed into the bathroom as Justin laid his head back down on the pillow. He couldn’t believe he had been almost completely naked in front of the other man, and then Brian had gone off and done the same. It was bad enough that he couldn’t get him out of his head, but now he was going to have his almost naked image permanently tattooed in his brain.

Brian showered and dressed into more casual clothes, knowing that he was probably going to have to take his son to the park. He hoped that Justin had brought along something casual to wear as well. When he walked back into the room, he noticed Justin had thrown on the clothes he had on yesterday.

“I’m all finished,” Brian said. Justin looked over at the clock and noticed it was already 8 AM.

“You do take your time,” he said, heading off into the bathroom.

“Of course I do…I’m queer,” Brian laughed. Justin laughed as well as he closed the door.

Close to an hour later, Brian and Justin walked out of the door of the hotel room. Justin handed Brian the car keys.

“I guess you should drive,” Justin said. “This is your hometown.”

“Yeah…glorious Pittsburgh,” Brian replied. “Now, it’s nothing but a distant memory.”

Justin smiled. “You hated it here that much?” he asked.

“You have no idea,” Brian said. “I was trying to get away for years.”

“Well, now you have,” Justin said. “Happy?”

“Very,” Brian said, pulling out a cigarette, offering Justin one as well. The younger man took one and lit up as they got into the car.

“Well, you must know of some good breakfast places,” Justin said.

Brian thought immediately of the diner, but knew he wanted to wait to go there. “I used to go to this diner all the time, but I want to wait until we have Gus to show you that place. He loves it there, and I’m sure he’ll want us to take him there for lunch…that is, if you don’t mind.”

“Not at all,” Justin replied. “We should do whatever he wants today.”

“Alright, then let’s just get something to tide us over until lunch,” Brian said. “Do you like bagels?”

“I love bagels,” Justin replied. Brian nodded and headed off to Einstein’s. Justin smiled when he saw the familiar name.

“We have one of these in Ft. Lauderdale,” he said.

“I figured I would choose somewhere safe,” Brian said. Going inside, the two men quickly got something small to eat and sat down, Brian with his coffee and Justin with his orange juice. While eating, the two talked about Gus, Brian bragging about his precocious four year old.

“He sounds like a wonderful boy,” Justin said. “You must be very proud of him.”

“I am,” Brian said sadly. “He was the only one keeping me here all those years.”

“I know it must have been hard to leave him,” Justin said. Brian nodded and the two men threw away their garbage and walked back out to the car.

“I’m sure you and Lindsay could work something out to where you could see him more often,” Justin said. “She seems like a very understanding woman.”

“She is,” Brian said.

“Then I’m sure it will all work out,” Justin said. Brian turned and gave Justin a brief smile before heading off to Mel and Lind’s house.

The drive was long, but the two chatted about the different sights they passed along the way. Justin realized that he had judged the city prematurely and that Pittsburgh did have a lot to offer. After awhile, they came up on the girls’ house and Brian and Justin walked up to the door. Again, before they could open it, Gus whirled by them, giving both men a hug around their legs.

“Dada! Justin! I so happy that you made it,” the bubbly little boy said.

“Of course we did sonny boy,” Brian said, picking up his son. “A promise is a promise.”

“Yeah, and I got to miss school too!” Gus said. Justin laughed at the little boy’s enthusiasm as Lindsay came to the door.

“Well, it looks like Gus beat you to the door again,” Lindsay said, as she made her way over to the men.

“It’s nice to see you again Lindsay,” Justin said, giving the woman a hug.

“You too Justin,” Lindsay said. “I hope that you three have a good time today. I know Gus has been looking forward to spending time with you boy’s all week.”

“Well, we are going to have a good time,” Brian said. “Aren’t we Sonny Boy?”

“Yay!” Gus said, clapping his hands in delight.

“Well, here is his bag,” Lindsay said, handing Justin the blue knapsack. “There’s some juice and crackers in case he gets hungry, and there’s a first aid kit as well, just in case something should happen.”

“He’ll be fine Mom,” Brian said, rolling his eyes at Lindsay’s over protectiveness.

“I know Dad,” Lindsay said back. Giving her son one last kiss, she said goodbye to the three boys and headed back into the house.

Brian walked over to the car and opened the door, placing his son in the back seat. As soon as he had him all buckled in, he came back to the driver’s side and drove off.

“So Sonny Boy,” Brian said. “Where would you like to go first?”

“Daddy, can we go the park? I weally like it there!” Gus said.

“Sure Sonny Boy. But the word is really…you really like it there,” Brian corrected.

“Really Dada!”

Brian and Justin laughed as Brian drove over to the park. To their surprise, many children were there, as well as their mothers. Brian opened the door for the boy and the little guy ran off to the jungle gym.

“There sure are a lot of kids here for a school day,” Brian said, walking over to a bench.

“Maybe they’re not in school yet,” Justin offered. “Many of them look pretty young.”

“Yeah…you’re right,” Brian said.

“Is Gus in kindergarten?” Justin asked, hoping he wasn’t being too nosy.

“No, he’s in Pre-K,” Brian replied. “He’s only four. He goes to kindergarten next year.”

“Oh,” Justin said.

Brian and Justin sat down on a bench and talked as Gus played with the other children. Soon though, he wanted to swing.

“Dada! Justin! Come help me swing!” Gus shouted.

Brian got up and Justin followed behind him. Brian soon began to push the little boy on one side while Justin made sure the other side was covered as well. After a little while, Brian’s cell phone rang and Justin was left alone with Gus as he answered it.

“Justin, do you have any kids like me?” Gus asked.

“No Gus, I don’t,” Justin said.

“That’s too bad…I thought I could meet them, and then we could be bestest friends!”

Justin laughed. “Well, if I ever do have any children, I’ll let you know.”

“OK,” the boy said, as Justin continued to push him higher and higher in the air.

Brian watched from afar as he spoke on the phone. Gus and Justin seemed to have a good time together, which made the man smile. For some reason, he was glad that his son liked Justin and that the two were getting along so well together.

Gus said he wanted down and Justin stopped the swing and put his arms out to Justin.

“Would you like me to pick you up?” Justin asked, not wanting to displease the little boy.

Gus nodded his head vigorously, and Justin carefully picked Gus up.

“Look over there!” Gus pointed. “There’s Tommy!”

“OK, we’ll go over there,” Justin said as he walked over to where Gus was pointing. He carefully let the little boy down as Tommy’s mother walked over to Justin.

“Hello, it’s so nice to finally meet you,” the woman said, shaking Justin’s hand. “I’m Tommy’s mother, Karen Wickerson. Lindsay has told me so much about you. You and your son look so much alike.”

Justin laughed. “Oh, Gus isn’t my son. His father is…”

“Am I interrupting something?” Brian said, coming over to the group.

“Right here,” Justin finished, as he looked over to Brian. “Not at all, I was just meeting Tommy’s mother.”

“Oh yes,” Brian said, shaking the woman’s hand. “Gus has told me a lot about Tommy…it seems they are becoming good friends. I’m Brian Kinney, Gus’s father.”

“It’s nice to meet you Brian,” Karen said, blushing slightly. She looked over at Justin and said, “I feel a little embarrassed now…I guess the blonde hair made me think you were his father. I’m sorry.”

“It’s not a problem,” Justin said. “I’m Justin Taylor…I work with Brian down in Florida. We’re here on a business trip.”

“Well, it’s nice to meet you Justin,” Karen said.

“Dada, this is Tommy!” Gus said, bringing the other boy over to his father. “He’s the one with all the trucks.”

“Hi Tommy,” Brian said. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“So you’re Gus’s dad. That’s so cool!” Tommy said. “Gus talks about you all the time.”

All the adults laughed.

“Daddy, Tommy and I are going to play for a little while…OK?” Gus asked.

“Sure, Sonny Boy,” Brian said. “You go have fun.”

Gus smiled and ran off with Tommy. The men and Karen went to sit down on one of the benches and watched the children as they played. After a while, Gus motioned for Justin to come over, so he could push the boys’ down the slide. Shortly after that, Brian came over and started playing with the boys as well. About an hour later, Karen told Tommy it was time to leave, and Gus decided he wanted to leave too.

“Dada, I hungry,” Gus said.

“OK, do you want to go to the diner?” Brian asked, confident of Gus’s response.

“Yeah!” Gus said. Brian picked up his son and then walked back over to the car with Justin by his side. As soon as Gus was all buckled in, Brian started the car and made his way to the diner. Less than thirty minutes later, Brian helped Gus out of the car and walked with Justin into the diner.

“Is this the gay area?” Justin asked, noticing all the hand holding of same sex couples and rainbows.

“Yes, this is Liberty Avenue,” Brian said.

Justin nodded as they entered the diner. Just as they did, Debbie came rushing over to them.

“Oh my God!” Debbie said ecstatically. “I can’t believe you’re in town! Get your ass over here and give me a hug!”

Brian laughed and obeyed the woman, carefully giving Gus over to Justin beforehand. Debbie gave Brian one of her bone crunching hugs and a big kiss, leaving Brian with red lipstick on his right cheek.

“Nice to see you too Deb,” Brian said. “But watch your language in front of my kid.”

“I’m sorry honey,” Debbie said. “I got so excited, that I didn’t even realize Gus was with you until after I said it.”

Brian smiled and showed Justin and Gus to a booth.

“Gwamma Deb!” Gus shouted from the booth.

“Hey baby!” Debbie said, lifting the boy out of his seat. “You’re getting to hang with daddy today, huh?”

“Yeah, we just came from the park!” Debbie said. “It was fun.”

“I’m glad sweetie,” Debbie said. Looking over at Justin, she asked, “Who are you? I haven’t seen you around here before.”

Justin smiled but Brian replied before he had time to answer. “Deb, this is Justin Taylor…he’s the art director at the firm I work at now in Ft. Lauderdale. We came here on business.”

“Well, that was lucky…coming to your hometown on business,” Debbie said. “It’s nice to meet you Justin…I hope you enjoy your stay in Pittsburgh.”

“Thank you Debbie,” Justin said. “I’m sure I will. Brian’s supposed to show me the sights later on.”

“Oh,” Debbie said curiously. “Are you…”

“Yes Deb, he’s gay too,” Brian answered. “Did you think I’d bring a breeder to the diner?”

“I wasn’t sure,” Debbie said, looking over at the blonde boy. “You’re pretty cute.”

“Thanks,” Justin said, blushing.

“So, what’ll it be?” Debbie asked, pulling out her pen and notepad, putting the boy back down in his seat.

The boys ordered and Debbie left for a minute to go and put in the order.

“So, is Debbie Lindsay’s mother?” Justin asked.

Brian laughed. “Hell no…what made you think that?”

“Well, Gus called her grandma, and since you called her Deb, I was guessing she wasn’t your mother.”

“Oh, well to Gus, this is the only grandma he has,” Brian said, putting his arm around the little boy in the seat next to him. “Isn’t that right sonny boy?”

Gus nodded his head.

“Deb was my surrogate mother growing up,” Brian explained. “She’s the mother of my best friend, and I always ran to their house when things got bad at mine.”

“I see,” Justin said, not wanting to pry too much into Brian’s personal life.

“Justin, can you dwa an airplane?” Gus asked.

“Sure Gus,” Justin said, as the boy handed him the piece of paper and crayon Deb had given him to keep him occupied. Justin carefully drew a big airplane for Gus and Debbie came over with their food just as he was about to hand it back.

“Wow…you’re good,” Debbie said.

“Thanks,” Justin said. “It’s nice to be able to draw simple things every now and then.”

“Compared to the designs you have to create at work, I’m sure,” Brian said. “That is no easy task.”

“Neither is coming up with slogans,” Justin joked. “I guess we’re both pretty good at what we do.”

Deb smiled at the boys and put their food in front of them. “Eat up boys.”

The boys did begin to eat, Brian helping Gus every now and then with his food. Justin loved to watch the father-son interaction, thinking how adorable it was. He was glad that he got the chance to meet Gus and see him with Brian. It was a special time he knew he would probably never be privy to again.

After they were finished eating, Justin said he wanted to use the restroom before they left and Gus decided he needed to go to. Justin took the little boy’s hand and went off to the restroom while Debbie came and sat across from Brian.

“He’s got a hot ass,” Debbie said, watching the man leave.

“I’m glad you noticed Deb,” Brian laughed.

“As if you haven’t,” Debbie said. “I’ve seen the way you’ve been looking at him all afternoon.”

Brian rolled his eyes. “Right Deb.”

“And although I thought I might never see it happen,” Debbie said. “I think you actually like this guy.”

“Yeah, I like him…Justin and I are good friends,” Brian replied.

“I don’t mean like him as a friend,” Debbie said. “I think you like him more than that.”

“We’ve never fucked if that’s what you mean,” Brian said, staying clear of the real thought Debbie was hinting at. “After the Kip incident, I stay clear of fucking employees.”

“I’m sure,” Debbie said. “I know you Brian…you never tell anyone about Gus, so for you to share him with Justin, you two must be really fucking close. You can deny it all you want, but I’ve known you since you were 14, and I’ve never seen you with that silly grin on your face like you’ve had all afternoon. You like Justin…I think you might even love him.”

Brian snorted. “Yeah, right.”

Justin and Gus came walking back to the booth and Gus tugged on his father’s shirt.

“Dada…let’s take Justin to the museum, like where Mommy and I go,” Gus suggested. “He’s likes to dwa like Mommy, so he like it there!”

“That’s a good idea, Sonny Boy,” Brian said, taking his son by the hand.

“I told him we don’t have to,” Justin said. “He insisted when we were in the restroom, but it’s his day.”

“I’m sure Gus would love to show you around the art museum,” Brian whispered. “He goes there enough with his moms. It will be his way of showing you around the town.”

“Then, that’s where we’ll go,” Justin said. “I would love to see the art Pittsburgh has to offer.”

The men said their goodbyes to Debbie, and headed off towards the car, Debbie winking at Brian on his way out. Brian chose to simply acknowledge the woman’s persistence and smile.

Gus chatted about everything while the boys were in the car and Justin had fun talking with the little boy. Brian pointed out some of the more interesting sights, including the building where he used to work. After a little while, they finally reached the museum and the boys went inside.

Gus showed the men all his favorite art pieces, while Justin critiqued and told Brian what he knew about the paintings. Brian enjoyed listening to Justin’s comments and watching his son interact with the other man.

“You really know a lot about art,” Brian said as he, Justin, and Gus walked around the museum. “I’m impressed.”

“Well, that’s where going to an art school has its advantages,” Justin said. “At Briarcliffe, I was required to take four Art History classes. Most of the paintings here, I have studied at one time or another. It’s nice to be able to see the paintings in person though.”

Brian smiled and continued to walk around. After a couple of hours, the boys had walked through the entire museum and Gus seemed pretty exhausted. Brian noticed his son’s enthusiasm starting to disappear and knew it was time for the boy to rest. He picked up Gus and walked back to the car. The boy fell asleep in his arms before they made it into the parking lot.

“Poor thing…I guess he’s exhausted,” Justin said.

“Yeah, he’s had a busy day,” Brian said. “I think Lindsay told me he usually takes a nap after school, so it’s a few hours past his nap time.”

“I see,” Justin said, as Brian opened the car door and placed Gus in the seat, careful to make sure he was buckled in correctly.

On their way back to Mel and Lindsay’s, the men kept the conversation short, trying to let Gus sleep. When they got close to the house, Brian said quietly, “Gus really likes you.”

Justin smiled. “I’m glad you think so. I was hoping I wouldn’t be a disappointment to him.”

“No, you’re really good with children,” Brian said. “How do you do it?”

Justin laughed. “I have a nephew that’s three. My sister and I are pretty close, so I see him a lot.”

“I see,” Brian said. “So you’re Uncle Justin?”

“To him I am,” Justin chuckled. Brian nodded and continued on down the street until they got to Mel and Lind’s house. Brian undid the seat belt on the still sleeping Gus and picked him up, as Justin gathered Gus’s bag. When they got to the door, Justin knocked lightly and Lindsay came to the door almost immediately.

Brian raised his finger to his mouth. “He fell asleep on the way home,” he said.

“He had a busy day,” Lindsay said, as Brian transferred his sleeping son into his mother’s arms. “I bet he had a great time.”

“We think he did,” Justin said. “He took us to the museum and even showed us around.”

Lindsay laughed. “That’s one of his favorite places to go. He was practically raised there.”

Justin smiled. “You have a great son.”

“Well, thank you,” Lindsay said, smiling. “We do…don’t we Brian?”

“He’s a great kid,” Brian said. “I’ve missed him.”

Lindsay was just about to say something when the little boy woke up.

“Dada, Justin…where we going?” Gus asked sleepily.

“You’re home Sonny Boy,” Brian said, brushing his hand across his little boy’s cheek. “Mommy’s going to tuck you in and let you take a nap now.”

“But, I don’t wanna nap…I want to stay wif you!” Gus said, tears forming in his big blue eyes.

“It’s OK Gus,” Brian said. “We’ll see you later.”

Lindsay interjected. “Why don’t you guys come in and we can all chat while Gus rests a little while? Later on, we can have some dinner and you two can play with Gus. That is, if you don’t have any plans.”

Brian looked over at Justin, knowing it was his decision. “If you want to go back, you can take the car and come back for me later.”

“No, I would like to stay,” Justin said, “if you want me too.”

“Of course,” Brian said. “I just didn’t want to pressure you if you were bored by now.”

“Oh no, I would love to stay,” Justin said.

“Wonderful,” Lindsay said. “Come on in. Gus, you will go take your nap and when you wake up, daddy and Justin will play with you.”

“You pwomise to be here?” Gus asked.

“I promise,” Brian answered, giving Justin a smile. As Lindsay went up to put her son in bed, Brian said, “Thanks for doing this. I think you’re making his day.”

Justin laughed. “It’s no problem. I love spending time with him.”

“Me too,” Brian said. Hesitatingly, he said, “You’re pretty cool to hang out with as well.”

“You’re not bad yourself,” Justin said, hitting Brian playfully on the arm. He really liked spending time with the older man and his son and couldn’t wait for more.

“Thanks,” Brian said, looking over into Justin’s eyes, but quickly averted them when the blond looked at him. He had loved the day so far and was glad that Justin had decided to stay. He didn’t know what was happening, but he knew that he enjoyed Justin’s company a great deal. He tried to tell himself that Justin was simply taking over Mikey’s place in his everyday life, but he knew he couldn’t say that and be honest. There was something about Justin that made him more appealing than anyone Brian had ever been with, and he hoped he would soon figure out why so he could deal with it…however that may be.

*****************

The next afternoon, Brian and Justin walked out of GNC's main office with a smile on their faces.

"That was almost too easy. I would have thought they would have had more to say about our ideas." Justin said, a little surprised that they had won the account so easily.

"I know what you mean. I guess we really are a brilliant team. How about we go out and celebrate?" Brian asked with a smile.

"What did you have in mind?"

"A trip to Babylon? Pittsburgh's version of the Coliseum. I told the guys that I wasn't sure if we would have time to make an appearance, but since we have the rest of the night, I figured we could go get some dancing in." Brian explained.

"Brian, if you want to go see your friends..."

"Let's not go through this again. I am inviting you to come to Babylon with me. Would you like to go?" Brian asked.

Justin looked over at Brian and knew that he wanted him to go. Ignoring the excitement he felt at that knowledge, he smiled as he answered, "Sure, let's do it."

They drove back to the hotel and showered, grabbing some room service before heading out to Babylon. As soon as they entered the club, Justin began to feel a little self conscious, which was unusual for him. He never really worried about what other people thought of him, but knowing that he was going to be meeting Brian's friends, his best friend in particular, made him feel a little uncomfortable. Before he had time to think about it, Brian dragged him over to the bar.

"Don't you losers have anything better to do on a Friday night?" Brian called out to the trio standing by the bar.

"Brian!" Michael yelled, throwing himself into Brian's arms. "I was hoping you were going to show up."

"Hey, Mikey, how's it going? Ted, Emmett," Brian greeted each of them, suddenly realizing how much he missed his friends. "What have you guys been up to?"

"Getting shot down at every turn. You know, the usual," Ted replied with a smile.

"Brian, you look fabulous! Obviously, Florida agrees with you," Emmett said, looking up and noticing a blond God standing behind Brian. "Who is this tasty morsel?"

"Guys, this is Justin Taylor. He's the Art Director at BTI. Justin, this is Ted, Emmett, and Michael," Brian made the introductions, not comfortable with the way Emmett and Ted were leering at Justin.

"Brian has told me so much about all of you. It's nice to finally meet you," Justin replied, offering his hand to Emmett.

"Well, any friend of Brian's is a friend of ours. Come here, sweetie," Emmett pulled a surprised Justin into a hug.

Brian stood by, watching the interaction between the two men, and couldn't help but feel as if Emmett was overstepping his bounds. Appalled by that thought, he ordered two double beams, handing one to Justin before downing his own.

"So, you guys are here on a business trip? Have you had any time to see the sights?" Emmett asked Justin.

"Not too much, although we took Gus to the museum yesterday," Justin explained, noticing a strange look cross Michael's face.

"You met Brian's son?" Michael asked, wondering what was going on between the two men. Brian never let his tricks or employees around his son.

"Yeah, we spent the last two days with him and his mothers’," Justin replied. He noticed the older man seemed upset by the information, and began to wonder what the history was between the two friends.

Emmett could see Michael's attitude change and knew what was going to happen next, so he decided to diffuse the situation. "Hey, Justin, you wanna hit the dance floor?"

Justin really wanted to dance with Brian, but realized that something was going on and figured it would be better to get out of the way. "Sure," he replied, finishing his drink and following Emmett.

"I'll be back. I'm going to go see how many rejections I can get on the way to the bathroom," Ted joked, wanting to leave the two friends alone. He could see Michael's jealousy over Justin meeting Gus and didn't want any part of it.

"Striving to break your record? I'm sure you'll have no trouble at all," Brian called to him with a smile.

"It's good to have you back, asshole!" Ted exclaimed, knowing that he had indeed missed Brian, although he would never admit it to anyone.

"Want another drink, Mikey?" Brian asked as he signaled the bartender.

"Who the fuck is this kid, Brian?" Michael asked the second they were alone.

"Mikey, he's 27 years old, hardly a kid. I told you, he's the Art Director at the agency. We are here on business," Brian explained, taking his drink from the bartender.

"So, now you let your employees meet your son? You told me you thought you were going to be too busy to hang out. Now I find out that you and Justin were with Gus for two days!" Michael whined, sounding younger than Gus.

"Mikey, what the hell is your problem? I was busy working and spending time with my son. What was I supposed to do? Leave Justin sitting alone in our hotel room?" Brian asked, realizing his mistake as soon as it left his mouth.

"You are sharing a hotel room with him?" Michael shouted.

"Not like that… there was a mix up and they only had one room available. There are two beds and we have yet to share them. We are friends, Mikey, that's all." Brian explained, looking over to where Justin and Emmett were dancing. He noticed how lost in the music Justin was and didn't like the closeness in which he and Emmett were dancing, but couldn't do anything about it.

Michael followed Brian's line of vision and saw the two men dancing together. Glancing back at his best friend, he could see how upset the man was with what he was seeing. "Then why are you looking at them like you are ready to beat Emmett into next week?"

Brian heard Michael's question and began wondering the same thing. 'What the hell is wrong with me?' Brian thought to himself, before turning back to his friend. "Let's dance, Mikey,"

They crossed the floor, finding an empty area close to where Emmett and Justin were dancing, and fell back into their old routine. They had been dancing together for years and had always enjoyed it, until now. Now, all Brian could think about was how badly he wanted to be dancing with Justin. At that thought, he looked up to find the blond watching him with interest.

Justin looked up and his eyes met Brian's. He noticed that the man was close by, dancing with Michael. He could see that the men shared a comfortable closeness and resented Michael for it. Although he and Brian had become close since they had met, he couldn't imagine them being as close as he was with his friends in Pittsburgh. Not when he always had to hold back because of the feelings he was having for the man. His thoughts were interrupted when Emmett whispered in his ear.

"You want him, don't you?"

"Who, Brian? Of course not! We are just friends," Justin denied, hoping he sounded sincere.

"Of course you are!" Emmett replied with a knowing smirk.

"Look Emmett..." Justin tried to explain, but Emmett wouldn't listen to him.

"You don't have to explain yourself to me, Justin. I see a lot, but I never gossip...well, not about stuff like this, anyway. Just be careful. Brian doesn't believe in love, he believes in fucking." Emmett said, wanting to warn Justin of the situation.

"I don't believe in love, either, Emmett. That's one of the things that we have in common, and one of the reasons there will never be anything between us. Love is for lesbians and breeders," Justin told him.

"Oh my God! It looks like Brian Kinney has met his match. This is going to be interesting. I almost wish I could be there when you two finally collide. We will probably feel the heat all the way from Florida," Emmett said with a chuckle.

Before Justin got a chance to respond, he felt Emmett pulling him over to where Brian and Michael were dancing.

"Michael, come and get a drink with me," Emmett said, releasing Justin's hand and taking Michael’s, leading him away. Justin looked on in surprise.

Brian looked at Justin and was once again surprised by the thoughts he was constantly having for the blond. "Shall we?" he asked, wanting to dance with his new friend.

"Let's do it!" Justin replied, hoping Brian didn't catch on to the mixed message in his response.

They danced together, just as they had at the Coliseum, neither one aware of the attention they were receiving. They also weren't aware of the buzz that was going through the club. Everyone was trying to figure out who the hot blond was that Brian Kinney showed up with. The one that appeared to have all of Brian's attention. Michael had heard the whispers and was happy to be dragged away.

"What the fuck is going on between them?" he asked no one in particular.

"Nothing, Michael. They are just two friends, dancing at Babylon. Just like you and Brian have always done," Emmett said, knowing that there was more, but vowing to keep his thoughts to himself.

"But I am Brian's best friend. It should be me out there!"

"Grow up, Michael. Brian has a new life now. One that doesn't include you. It's about time you let him go, so he can grow up, too," Emmett replied, before noticing the hurt expression on his face. "I'm sorry, sweetie. I know how important Brian is to you, but he doesn't live here anymore. He needs to have friends in Florida, and that's what he has with Justin. You need to accept it and move on. You and Brian will always be friends, but things are different now. I wouldn't be surprised to find out that Brian is starting to settle down now. It's about time, don't you think?"

"You mean settle down with Justin?" Michael asked with a horrified expression on his face.

"Maybe...maybe not, but either way, you need to let him figure things out for himself. Look at him, Michael. For the first time in his life, Brian looks content. Let him have that without making him feel guilty for it. Who knows? He might just find true happiness one day." Emmett said, hoping he was getting through to the man.

"Whatever… I need a drink!" Michael didn't want to listen to Emmett anymore. He had been worried about losing Brian ever since the man had announced he was moving away. Now, watching the two men dance as if they were the only people in the room, his fears were becoming almost more than he could handle. And there was nothing he could do about it. The next day, Brian was flying home with Justin, and leaving him behind.

Brian was so lost in his dance with Justin, he almost didn't notice the man who approached them.

"Mind if I cut in?" the wanna be trick asked, eyeing Justin.

Justin looked up only to find Brian looking at him, waiting for his reply. "I'm not interested."

Brian waited until the wanna be walked away before responding. "He was hot. Why didn't you fuck him?"

"Because I am very content with my current dance partner. The same reason you haven't made a move on any of the hundreds of men who have been ogling you since we walked in. There is more to life than fucking, you know?" Justin joked.

"There is?" Brian smiled at Justin.

"That's what I've heard," Justin replied, laughing out loud.

Brian just laughed back, knowing that he, too, was content with his dance partner. He motioned for Ted, Emmett, and Michael to join them, feeling a little guilty for spending his time with Justin when he was leaving the next day. The five of them danced together for about another half hour before they decided to end the evening. When Brian and Justin reached the car, Justin spoke first.

"I really like your friends, although I don't think Michael likes me too much. If looks could kill, I would have been dead hours ago."

"Yeah, he tends to be a little jealous when I pay attention to someone other than him. I'm so used to it by now, that I don't even notice it, but I guess you picked up on it. He's harmless, really," Brian explained, as they got in the car and headed back to the hotel.

"I'm sure he is. Did you and he ever..."

"God no… we have been best friends since we were fourteen. You don't fuck your friends." Brian stated, realizing that those feelings were beginning to waver now that he and Justin were friends.

"Yeah, you're right. You should never fuck your friends." Justin replied, saddened by his words. He knew it was true, but it was easier to believe when he didn't have a friend that he wanted to be with. Brian Kinney changed all that.

Silence filled the car and neither of them said anything else until they arrived at the hotel and made their way upstairs. They each pulled down their covers and took turns in the bathroom before shutting off the lights and climbing into their own beds. Darkness filled the room, but light wasn't needed for them to know the other one was there.

"So, what did you think of the Pitts?" Brian asked, breaking the awkward silence.

"It's not as bad as I thought it would be. I guess it's a lot like Fort Lauderdale, just a little colder," Justin replied with a chuckle.

"Yeah, in a couple of months there will be snow all over the ground. I guess I won't be building a snowman with Gus this year," Brian said, almost to himself.
 

"Maybe you can fly back after the first snowfall?" Justin suggested.

"Yeah, maybe I will. Although I might have to drag you with me. I don't know what Gus would say if I show up without his new friend Justin. He told me when I tucked him in last night after dinner that until you have a kid of your own, you were just going to have to be his bestest friend," Brian laughed.

"That's sweet. He really is a great kid, Brian. The one regret that I have about being gay is that I will never be able to be a father. I'm not even sure that I would want to be a full time Dad, but I feel that the option was taken away from me before I even had a chance to decide," Justin admitted for the first time in his life. He usually never even gave his future a thought past his career, but after spending time with Brian and Gus, he realized that he might have liked having a child to call his own.

"I'm gay and I have a son. Maybe one day you can, too." Brian offered, trying to make Justin feel better. He didn't like the regret he heard in the man's voice.

"I wouldn't count on it. I don't have any lesbian friends wanting my sperm. You are a lucky man, Brian Kinney."

Brian thought about Justin's words. Was he lucky? Yeah, he had Gus and he was thankful for that, but how often was he actually going to see him now? "I don't know about that, Justin. Seeing my kid three times a year isn't exactly going to win me the father of the year award."

"You love him, and he knows it. That's all that matters. I sometimes wish my father had loved me enough to accept me for who I am, instead of disowning me when I was seventeen, just because I couldn't be who he wanted me to be." Justin didn't know what had come over him to open up like he was doing. It just seemed so easy to talk to Brian.

"Hey, at least he was there for you when you were young. My father hated me before I was even born. The only time he showed me any attention was after he had a few and was beating the shit out of me. If it wasn't for Michael and his mother, who knows where I would have ended up. They used to patch me up after each beating, no questions asked." Brian said quietly.

"Oh, Brian. I'm sorry. What about your mother? Where was she through all of this?" Justin asked, before realizing he was prying into something that wasn't his business. "Never mind. You don’t have to answer that. It's none of my business."

"It's okay. She was usually too drunk or too scared to say anything. My old man wasn't opposed to beating the shit out of her either, if the opportunity arose. When it came to dysfunctional families, we definitely took first prize." Brian joked, trying to lighten the mood. He couldn't believe he was sharing his past with Justin. Michael, Debbie, and Vic were the only ones who knew the truth until now.

"Well then, I commend you even more for the way you love Gus. I know that no matter what, you will always accept him and be there for him. As long as he knows that, he will love you back, unconditionally." Justin replied, trying to hold back a yawn. It had been a long week and he was exhausted.

"I hope you're right, Justin. I guess we better get some sleep. It's already after three." Brian pointed out, needing some space after opening up to someone.

"Wow! I didn't realize it was so late. Good night, Brian. See you in the morning."

"Good night, Justin." Brian replied, wondering how long it was going to take for him to fall asleep. He dredged up a lot of memories he usually chose to forget, proving once again that Justin was different. He didn't know what it was about Justin that caused him to break all his rules, but he knew that there was one rule left that he couldn't break. The one rule that he wanted to break most of all.

*****************

“Do you have everything?” Brian asked, holding the door open for Justin so he could roll his luggage out.

“I think so,” Justin said, looking back into the room one last time to scan the area. “I think we’re all set.”

“Then let’s get out of here,” Brian said, looking at his watch. Their flight was in a little over two hours, and they still had to stop by to say goodbye to Gus.

Justin checked out of the hotel as Brian brought the car around. The two loaded their luggage into the car and drove off to Mel and Lind’s.

When they got there, Melanie answered the door and the men came quickly inside. Gus was sitting on the sofa, upset that the men were leaving.

“You really haf to go?” Gus asked, a tear falling down his cheek.

“I do Sonny Boy,” Brian said, kneeling down on his knees in front of his son. “I have to go back to Florida, where I live.”

“When am I going see you again?” Gus asked, trying his best not to cry too much.

Brian looked up at Lindsay, not sure how to answer. Lindsay stepped up and said, “We’ll try to come see daddy when you have your next break from school Gus…OK?”

“OK,” Gus said quietly. “Will I get to see you again Justin?”

“Sure Gus,” Justin said. “When you come and visit your dad, I’ll come by and see you.”

“OK,” Gus said, a little happier. “Miss me dada?”

“Of course I’ll miss you Gus,” Brian said, putting his arms around the little boy. “I…love you.”

Lindsay smiled and Melanie looked over at her wife when Brian said those three words. Both were shocked and happy at the same time.

“I love you too dada,” Gus said. “You too Justin.”

Justin hugged the little boy and let Brian give Gus one more hug before leaving. Justin could tell that Brian was trying to keep his emotions in check, so he was silent as the two rode to the rental car place. Once they dropped the car off, they boarded the van that would take them to the airport. Once there, they checked in, got their boarding passes and made their way over to the proper gate to wait for their row to be called. Since they were in first class, they were called first and soon headed off into the plane. The two talked on the way back, but the trip was short and in no time, they were back in good old Ft. Lauderdale. They made their way to baggage claim to collect their luggage, and then walked back to Justin’s jag. As soon as they got the luggage into the trunk, Justin and Brian got into the car and drove off.

“I guess I’ll drop you back at your place,” Justin said.

“Yeah,” Brian replied. “Sounds good.”

“Do you think we should wait to tell Alex that we got the account until Monday?” Justin asked.

“Yeah, let’s wait,” Brian said. “I want to see her face when we tell her.”

“OK,” Justin agreed. He drove to Brian’s loft and stopped the car.

“Here we are,” he said, looking over at Brian. “Want me to help you with your bags?”

“It’s alright…I’ve got it,” Brian said, getting out of the car. Justin popped the trunk and Brian got his three pieces of luggage out and was about to make his way to the door, when he turned around to face Justin.

“Where are you headed?” he asked.

“I don’t know…probably home to rest,” Justin said. “You?”

“The same,” Brian said. “I’m going to give Mel and Linds a call to let them know we got here alright, but then I’m going to try to get some sleep.”

“Alright,” Justin said. “See you later.”

“Later,” Brian said as the man drove off. Brian ran his fingers through his hair and headed inside.

When he got into the loft, he unloaded his luggage in the bedroom and stopped to listen to his messages. Sure enough, there was one from Lindsay, asking if he had gotten back okay, so he called the munchers to tell them he had. When he was through with the phone call, he went over to his bed and just fell down on it. Closing his eyes for a minute, he realized he wasn’t really tired. He opened them and looked over at his alarm clock, noticing it was close to 9:00 PM. He knew the Coliseum was quite busy on Saturday night, and with all the sexual frustration that he had accumulated the last few days, he knew he needed to go out and get laid properly. Putting on some clubbing clothes, he grabbed his keys and headed on out.

When Justin got back to his loft, he brought his luggage in and checked his messages. There was only two, one from his mother and one from Alex, and he wasn’t going to call Alex back, since he and Brian had agreed that they would wait until Monday to tell Alex the good news. He was actually surprised Daphne hadn’t called him, but he was sure he would hear from her on Monday morning anyway.

After he unpacked, he went to make himself something small to eat and sat down at his table. Feeling a little lonely, he turned on the TV, but wasn’t satisfied with it either. All week, he had hung around Brian and his son, and had actually enjoyed the constant company. He never realized how lonely he really was and how much he shut people out until now. Deciding that he didn’t want to spend the night alone, he quickly threw on some clothes to go clubbing in and walked out to his car.

When he got to the Coliseum, he immediately walked through the door and men came at him from all directions, groping him all over his body. Wanting to have his dick sucked badly, he let the men lead him into the back room, where he stood against the wall and let the three men kiss him all over and suck his cock. After he came, he stood there in ecstasy. When he opened his eyes, he couldn’t help but notice who was across from him.

“Brian?” Justin said softly, noticing that the other man was busy fucking a trick. Brian must have heard him though, because he smiled back at the man, as he continued to fuck the dirty blond. Justin couldn’t help but look at Brian’s quite engorged member, and Brian felt his eyes averting over to the blonde’s cock as well. After he came, he pulled up his pants and zipped up.

“And I thought you were staying at home,” Brian laughed.

“Yeah…well, I got bored,” Justin said. “I decided it was better to be here. What’s your excuse?”

“Couldn’t sleep,” Brian said. “I wasn’t as tired as I thought.”

Justin nodded. “Now that we’re satisfied for the moment, you want to go get a drink?”

Brian chuckled. “Sure…you lead the way.”

Justin led Brian over to the central bar where Kevin usually worked, but to his surprise, it looked like the man had a night off. Justin ordered them both a beam, and quickly downed them. Brian then ordered two beers; Justin led Brian over to the catwalk, gazing down at the men below.

“Ahh…this is a great view,” Brian said.

“Yeah, you can see everyone from here,” Justin replied. He was curious as to what Brian’s type was like, so he decided to find out.

“Wow…he’s hot,” Justin said, pointing to a tall brunette dancing in the center of the room.

Brian followed Justin’s finger and found the person he was talking about. “He’s alright. He’s even better.”

Justin followed Brian’s pointing and noticed he was pointing to a young blond. “Yeah, he’s cute,” he responded.

Brian looked over at Justin. “What do you think of him?” he said, pointing to a redhead over in the right corner of the room.

Justin shrugged. “Not my type really…you?”

“If I’m desperate I guess,” Brian said. “But that’s hardly ever the case.”

Justin laughed. “Yeah, me too.”

Brian smiled at Justin. “Are you looking to get some more tonight?”

“Yeah,” Justin said. “That was just a warm up earlier…I need to get laid.”

Brian nodded. “How about him?”

“Too short.”

“Him?”

“Too hairy.”

“Well, you certainly are picky,” Brian teased.

“Why shouldn’t I be when I can have anyone?” Justin said.

Brian let the comment slide and kept looking into the crowd. “Who do you want then?”

Justin kept looking, knowing that what he truly wanted was standing right beside him. However, he knew that was impossible, so he kept looking. “Him.”

Brian looked down and saw the man Justin was talking about: brunette, dark eyes, nice skin tone. It was about the closest to Brian’s image as you could get. Brian found that odd, but tried his best not to laugh.

“You?” Justin asked.

Brian looked down and found the one that would have to do. “Him.”

Justin looked down and saw the taller blond dancing on his own. He had on a flashy blue top and tight black pants, clothes that Justin had been known to wear before.

“I guess you like blonds,” Justin mumbled.

Brian smiled. “I guess you can say I do. Later.”

Brian waved and headed off in search of his trick. Justin watched the man walk down and grab the blond, whisking him off to the backroom. He sighed, and walked down the steps as well, going to grab the man that he told Brian he wanted. In truth though, he wanted Brian more than anything else. Justin was always used to getting who he wanted, but this time was different. They worked together, and they were friends. Anything else would be a disaster for him, and possibly his career. He was just going to have to settle for his anonymous tricks and hope that in time, his desire for Brian would lesson so they could continue with their friendship, and he wouldn't have to walk around with a constant hard on.


End of part 5
01/02/04
 

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