One Year

December I

 

With his longer legs, Brian was only a few paces behind the blond when he stopped at the railing near a secluded spot on the deck. "Hey, Goldi--"

The younger man whirled around. "Stop calling me that! Just leave me alone!"

Brian frowned and took a step closer.

"What? Why are you following me?" Justin asked, clinging to the railing more tightly as the boat rocked beneath him.

Brian didn’t have a good reason, until he saw the color drain from the blonde’s face. "You don’t look so good," Brian replied, willing to use that as an excuse for his inexplicable behavior. The kid was actually turning green now. Despite Justin’s protest, he reached out and took his arm before he crumpled to the deck.

Justin pursed his lips together, willing Mrs. Pierce’s tea to continue to do its job until the other man left. But it was too late, watching the water churn beside the boat undid him. He squirmed around and leaned over the railing as everything in his stomach came up.

Brian grimaced but held onto the younger man so he didn’t fall overboard. "Christ, did you have to eat half the buffet?" he muttered. Once Justin seemed to be over the worst, Brian pulled him back to a deck chair and set him down. "Don’t move," he ordered as he returned to the buffet and collected some napkins and water. When he returned, Justin’s head was back over the railing. Brian tugged him to the chair again and handed him a napkin to wipe his mouth. Justin thanked him, but pushed the water away.

"You need to drink this or you’re going to have a hell of a hangover," the older man scolded.

"I’m not drunk," Justin moaned.

Brian raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

The blond glared at him. "Really. I’m seasick."

Brian snorted. "What the fuck are you doing here then?"

"I didn’t know. I’ll be so fucking glad to go home tomorrow."

"What for? You seemed fine earlier."

Justin shook his head. "It’s the first time I’ve been out of our cabin since we left port. This nice lady I met brought me some tea earlier which helped for a while until I started to move too fast."

"So get some more tea," Brian retorted. "It’s no reason to ruin your vacation."

Justin blinked at him. "YOU ruined my vac—my HONEYMOON," he reminded the other man.

Brian rolled his eyes. "What’d you expect from the guy when you’ve been puking your guts out while he’s been horny," he reasoned. "Don’t end an expensive vacation-- or your relationship-- over a blow job."

"Excuse me? Aren’t you the guy who doesn’t believe in love? And now you’re telling me to take him back?"

"This isn’t about me, this is about you. Don’t you love him? You must if you went through with the ceremony, so I’m just saying don’t throw it away because of something so trivial. It’s just sex."

Justin was silent for a moment, then shook his head. "That’s not true. I mean, maybe for someone like you that could work, but he promised not to, and he broke his word… again."

Again? When the fuck would they learn? "You’re right. I would never break a promise like that because--"

"You wouldn’t make one like that," Justin finished for him. "I get it." Maybe the guy was right. He seemed a lot happier than Justin felt right now. But that still didn’t make the bitter taste of reality any easier to swallow. The blond sat back in the chair. "Look, thanks for the water and everything, but if you don’t mind, I’d like to get some sleep now." He rolled to his side and closed his eyes, hoping the man would take the hint and leave him alone.

Brian nodded and waited for the kid to get up. He was surprised when he realized the younger man didn’t move. "You’re not going to sleep here," he barked.

Justin opened one eye. "Yes, I am." The eye closed again.

Brian grabbed the back of his collar and jerked him upright. "No, you’re not."

The younger man batted his hand away. "Fuck off. Where else am I going to sleep?"

"Aren’t you paying for a cabin?"

"I’m not going back there," the blond hissed. "I can’t," he added more despairingly.

The older man raked his hands through his hair. He didn’t know why he cared what the fuck the kid did, but he didn’t want him sleeping on the deck in the open. Something about it just didn’t sit right with him. "Fine, you can stay in my room," he conceded.

Justin’s eyes popped open. "Are you out of your fucking mind?! I’m not sleep—I don’t even know your name!"

"Brian Kinney."

"Mr. Kinney," the blond sneered, "I have no desire to--"

"Hold up, Goldilocks," Brian shot back. "No one’s talking about desire, I’m talking about sleep. My friend’s with his new beau for the night so his bed’s empty." When Justin still glared at him he glared back. "If I was going to fuck you, I wouldn’t have told you my name. I don’t bother with tricks."

Justin rolled his eyes. "I’m flattered."

Brian shrugged. "Most guys would rather be acquainted with my cock, but…instead you get the dubious honor of being the first man I’ve ever spent the night with—besides Mikey."

The blond smiled slightly. "Let me guess, you two have never fucked because you know each other, hence your…logic here."

The older man rolled his tongue in his cheek. "That’s right, Mr…"

"Taylor. Justin Taylor."

 

***
 

Brian groaned as he heard the cabin door shut. Michael shuffled across the room in the early morning light and then stopped. He suddenly turned and hit Brian over the head with a pillow. "You shit," he hissed. "Get your fucking trick out of my bed!"

"Shut up," Brian growled back. "It was a long night."

"I don’t want to hear it," Michael seethed. "What the fuck is he doing in my bed?" But before Brian could answer, the man held up his hand. "No, I don’t want to know, I just want him out." Michael turned to shake the lumpy form buried under the covers when Brian reached over and grabbed his wrist.

"Leave him alone."

"Bri--"

"I don’t want him to start puking all over again, alright?"

"Jesus Christ, what did you do? You really will pick up anything that fucking moves," Michael ground out in disgust. "Was he worth it? Shit, was he even conscious?"

"What crawled up your ass?" Brian replied coolly to deflect Michael’s attention. "Or didn’t. Wasn’t the proctologist everything you dreamed of?"

"He’s a chiropractor," his friend huffed.

"Whatever. Why aren’t you basking in the sticky afterglow?"

"His son was coming."

"Kinky," Brian smirked.

Michael snorted. "Asshole. For breakfast. I gotta shower so I can meet them upstairs."

"Wait, he fucked you last night, but kicked you out to hide you from the kid, and now you’re going to go ‘bump’ into them?" Brian rolled off the bed and grabbed his cigarettes. "That’s fucking pathetic, even for you."

"Excuse me?" Michael shrieked. "Your trick was too fucking drunk to even know what was happening last night. That’s a new low for you."

Brian just lit his cigarette and took a deep drag.

"And for your information," Michael continued, "I’m not some dirty secret, he’s going to introduce me, he just didn’t think covered in cum would make the best first impression. Their whole family, including his ex-wife, is on board to celebrate David’s parent’s anniversary so he can’t help it if his attention has to be split. I’m just glad he likes me enough to include me. I really like him too."

"Ah, love at first fuck," Brian drawled. "How sweet." Michael frowned and Brian put his arm around him. "You better get moving. Don’t want to be late to meet the in-laws," he crooned, kissing his friends forehead. He gave Michael a nudge and the other man grudgingly smiled.

"What are you doing today? Are you going ashore?"

Brian shrugged as he took another drag. "I think I’ll just stay here and catch up on my letter writing."

Michael shook his head laughing, "Riiight," as he disappeared into the bathroom.

Brian finished his cigarette and sat back on the bed, rubbing his temples as he contemplated the lump in the other bed. He wasn’t surprised when the other man began to stir. Despite his initial warning, Michael’s voice, as well as his own, had gotten exceeding louder as their conversation progressed. He just hoped the kid wasn’t still feeling sick.

 

***
 

Justin woke to soft voices in the room and burrowed deeper under the covers to drown them out. If he tried really hard he could almost convince himself the previous night had been a bad dream.

"Your trick was too fucking drunk to even know what was happening last night. That’s a new low for you," someone yelled.

Or not.

"What crawled up your ass?" Brian asked. Justin didn’t even consider how he knew the husky drawl was Brian’s after so short a time, he was too stunned that Brian wasn’t denying the other man’s accusations.

They continued to bicker and Brian continued to bait his friend (in the loosest sense of the word by Justin’s standards) in an obvious attempt to avoid talking about last night. The other man seemed to be increasingly agitated until Brian’s mood lightened and they were joking for a few moments before the room was finally silent again.

Justin stretched within his warm haven, once again turning his thoughts back to his own problems. He had stuffed everything he’d need to get home in his coat pocket last night so all he had to do was bide his time until they docked and he could go ashore. He was contemplating the best place to pass the next few hours and avoid Ethan when the blankets covering his head suddenly shifted and a small ray of light shone in his face.

Now he knew he was dreaming because never in his wildest imagination did he think he’d ever wake up with that handsomely chiseled face framed by tousled chestnut hair peering down at him.

 

***
 

Brian wasn’t surprised to see two open eyes blinking at him owlishly, he knew the kid was awake, but he wasn’t prepared for the impish way they suddenly fluttered closed, the long honey-colored lashes sweeping over flushed cheeks. The kid was radiating heat from his snug little cocoon, Brian could see the light sheen on the blond’s upper lip and feel the warmth waft over him.

Like a moth to a flame, the older man was drawn closer.

 

***
 

Justin didn’t let himself think about why they were kissing, he just reveled in the feeling of soft lips pressed against his, the firm pressure coaxing his apart until he gave in and felt a wet lick as the man’s tongue slithered in and back out. Without realizing it, Justin thrust his tongue into the other man’s mouth to feel the contact he’d just been deprived. That’s when Brian bit down and his teeth scraped against the sensitive appendage sending a tremor through the blond. He instinctively withdrew, but Brian was quicker, wrapping his own tongue around Justin’s and seductively gliding over the scratched surface. The new sensation sent a jolt of pleasure through the younger man’s body and he keened as he tried to grind their mouths closer together.

He never wanted to stop.


 

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