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Author's Chapter Notes:

Brian and Justin go on a date.

Wednesday morning

 

Brian went into the diner for breakfast.  He didn't go as often as he used to but still managed to do so a few times a week.  While he did not specifically avoid places where Michael hung out, he found the diner was the place he ran into him most often.  Usually, he met Ted or Emmett for a quick meal, but their conversations were about sharing their respective lives rather than which actor would be preferable to have sex with or what the nightly entertainment was going to be at Babylon.  Brian typically found the previous conversations lacking merit and a waste of his time since he had never had any difficulty finding a willing sex partner.  Looking back, he wondered why he spent so much time talking about sex and he had never bothered to get to know other things about the two men.  Now, he was happy to call them his friends and they had definitely lived up to the label.  Since he did not attend the Sunday dinners at Debbie's, he had few conversations with her as she was typically busy at the diner when he came in.  Brian found that he did not miss the weekly event since seeing  Gus was the main reason he attended and he now saw him every weekend.  Both Ted and Emmett had proved to be great supporters of his sobriety and had proven to be very helpful in bouncing ideas off.  

 

When he walked in, Debbie looked toward the entrance to see who came in.  

 

"What's this I hear that you are going on a date?"  Debbie yelled across the room of the diner.  

 

Brian's first instinct was to turn around and walk out.  He glanced around the diner and felt a number of eyes on him and heard the soft whispers that accompanied Debbie's outburst.  

 

"Shit!" he said quietly to himself. There was a time that her comment would have him denying the statement as the "Stud of Liberty Avenue" did not do anything as mundane as dating.  But it was true, he was going on a date and evidently, that was newsworthy.  It amused him that his personal life was still of interest to people, especially since he had not been a part of the Liberty Avenue social scene for over 8 months, a lifetime for a gay man.  

 

He spotted Ted and Emmett sitting at the back booth and made his way there, choosing not to respond to Debbie.

 

"Hey Boss," Ted said.  

 

"Brian," Emmett said as he handed Brian a menu, knowing he already knew what he would order, but still doing so out of courtesy.

 

"I guess I need to have a talk with Sonny boy about oversharing,"  Brian said, shaking his head.  "Everybody seems to have an opinion."

 

"Oh," Emmett said, raising his eyebrow in question.  

 

"I got a call from Lindsay Sunday night, trying to tell me that I shouldn't date when Gus is with me.  She felt it necessary to provide her opinion like she has a right to tell me what to do."

 

Emmett shook his head and said, "So what did you tell her?"

 

"I told her that people with children date all the time and I told her that I didn't tell her how to live her life and since I wasn't putting Gus in jeopardy, she didn't have a say in what I did,"  Brian told his table mates.  

 

Debbie came over and hit Brian over the head with a menu.  "I knew there was something with you and the blond.  You could pick up the phone and tell me, you know.   You should bring him by for dinner one night since you don't come over for Sunday dinner.  I'd like to get to know the man who tamed you,"  Debbie said as she took out her pad and ever-ready pencil to take their order.

 

"What'll it be boys?"  She asked, not waiting for a response from Brian.

 

Brian thought about speaking up and telling her he was not an animal and didn't need taming, but didn't want to engage her in any more conversation than necessary. 

 

They gave her their orders and Emmett said, "So where are you going for your date?  I'm excited for you.  I've been watching the two of you for months and I'm glad to hear that you are exploring things."  Emmett stirred cream into his coffee while he waited for Brian's answer.

 

"Now that is the question of the hour.  I have no fucking idea what to do on a date and I don't want to screw this up,"  Brian said, running his hand through his hair.  

 

Emmett put his finger to his temple and said, "Hmm.  First, I don't think you will screw it up.  You've been hanging out together for almost 9 months. True, the first six months he was your sponsor, but obviously, there was an attraction there."

 

Brian appreciated that Emmett didn't question him about the change in their relationship; although he was sure that the man was curious and would love to know.  But as he worked through his sobriety, he realized that he wasn't averse to sharing that information.  He wasn't going to share it at the diner, but he realized that Cleo was right.  Sharing parts of your life with friends could enrich it.  

 

Before Brian could respond, the doorbell jangled, announcing a new arrival to the diner.  Brian wasn't facing the door so he did not know who walked in nor did he care to as he no longer used the diner as a place to look for and pick up men.  

 

"Brian,"  Michael yelled from the door as he spotted Brian sitting with Emmett and Ted.  He walked over to the men and said, "Scoot over.  We haven't had breakfast together in so long."  He motioned to Emmett as he waved his hand at him, acting as if none of the disagreements that he and Brian had in the last 9 months had occurred.  

 

"Brian, I'm so glad I caught up to you.  Gus said that you are going on a date with Justin, but he must be wrong. Brian Kinney would never date just like I knew that you were just pretending to stop drinking.  I bet you just said that so you could get your dick sucked. Although, I think that it is a long way to go to get a blow job.  I've never known you to chase a guy,"  Michael said, off-handedly.  

 

"Michael.  No one invited you to join us,"  Brian said, his voice stern and controlled, choosing not to respond to Michael's assumptions.  

 

"But we always eat together when we're at the diner,"  Michael said as he started to sit in the booth, trying to push Emmett to move over.

 

"Brian said you were not invited to join us.  I suggest you find another place to sit,"  Ted said as he pointed toward several other booths in the diner.

 

Michael just stood there looking between the three men and Brian said, "I'll see you, gentlemen, later.  I've lost my appetite."  Brian got up and dropped a $20 bill on the table, despite not receiving his order.  

 

"I just remembered I was supposed to meet a new client for coffee.  I'll walk out with you, Brian,"  Emmett said as he too left money on the table.

 

Ted got out of the booth, walked back to the back of the diner, and told Debbie, she could give their food to the homeless guys that hung out behind the diner.  He handed her a $20 as well and walked out the door.   

 

Debbie nodded in understanding, having overheard the exchange between Brian and Michael.  She boxed up the food and walked out the door to deliver the meals.  The three homeless youth smiled at her when she left the food, having been the recipients of her generosity in the past.  

 

******

 

Brian got to work and breathed in a few deep breaths, using the techniques that Cleo had been teaching him.  He replayed the conversation with Michael at the diner and felt sadness wash over him.  He had always held out hope that perhaps Michael would come around and accept that Brian was an alcoholic.  But today's interactions just solidified that Michael still saw him as the man he was 9 months ago, despite the vast changes he had made in his life.  In many ways, this gave him closure, knowing that Michael was not going to be in his life.  He wondered what Debbie would do.  It had been obvious that she still wanted to be a part of his life as evidenced by the slap on his head with the menu but he wondered if this morning's interactions would change that. 

 

He did a quick mental check and realized that he was okay.  Sure, this morning's interaction would be one he would want to journal about tonight but it did not want to make him pull out the bottle or ignore his feelings.  It actually felt good to know that he could handle conversations that were difficult without derailing him.

 

******

Friday

 

Morning arrived and Brian was excited because it was the day he and Justin would go on their first date.  He had finally decided on what they would do and realized that everybody's advice had been correct; Justin would not care what they did and while it was technically their first date, they had already established that they liked each other and wanted to explore what that might mean.  

 

Brian went to work and diligently set the alarm on his phone to remind him to stop work and leave for his noon AA  meeting.  The topic was relationships.  Brian wondered, as he frequently did if there was a hidden agenda that correlated with his life when it came to meetings.   The speaker discussed that before a person could build a relationship they needed to know what went wrong with previous ones.  Since Brian had no history of romantic relationships that portion of the discussion had little meaning for him.  There was also talk about dating and relationships where one partner drank and the other did not.  Again, this did not apply to him.  However, when the discussion moved to both people being in recovery, his mind perked up.  The gist of the discussion was that it was key for each person to be open about their needs and wants as well as share their feelings.  Since alcohol addiction was similar to other addictions:  they all used their addictive substance to hide and bury their feelings, it was very important to acknowledge feelings as they occurred and not let them get buried.  

 

Brian listened and felt optimistic since he had really started acknowledging his feelings, especially when he was angry or stressed. The techniques that Cleo suggested and that he frequently practiced had also given him insight into his physiological reactions to his feelings and he had found them very helpful.  When he left the meeting, he felt more in control and excited about the evening.

 

Brian picked up Gus in the afternoon and they went shopping for the birthday present.  Gus told Brian that his friend liked art so he and Brian went to Art Mart and got a gift certificate for the gift.  They went to Target to buy a birthday card and put the gift card inside.  Since the party included pizza, Gus didn't have to worry about dinner. 

 

"Dad, thank you for letting me go to the party.  I know this is usually our night together, but he's a good friend and the party is going to be a lot of fun," Gus said as they walked to the car in the Target parking lot.  

 

"Gus, you don't have to thank me.  I still get to spend the rest of the weekend with you.  Besides, it gives me a chance to go on a date. Speaking of, why did you tell everyone at Sunday dinner that we were going on a date?"

 

"Mom was asking me what I did over the weekend and mentioned the birthday party. Uncle Mikey said something about maybe you going to Woody's while I was at the party since you would have a few hours.  I told him you wouldn't go to Woody's since you were going on a date,"  Gus said, wondering why his father asked him.

 

Brian opened the car door and got in the driver's seat, shaking his head as he remembered Michael's comment. He had worked through his anger earlier and accepted that Michael really did not see the important changes in his life.  At least Gus saw the real man that he was becoming.  

 

"Did I do something wrong, Dad?" Gus said as he got in the passenger seat and saw his father shaking his head.

 

"No,"  Brian was quick to respond.  "I just wondered how the subject came up.  I didn't think you would just come out and tell everyone I was going on a date.  It makes more sense now,"  Brian said as he started the car.  

 

"We'll go back to the loft until it's time for the party.  Do you have any homework?  If you do it before the party, we'd have all weekend to do whatever we want."  Brian asked as he drove toward the loft.

 

"Yes.  I have a little reading and some Social Studies homework to finish.  We are studying the US Revolution.  Do you think we could go to Fort Pitt sometime?"

 

"Sure.  I think we went there when I was in elementary school but I don't remember much.  I think the weather is supposed to be nice so maybe we could do it tomorrow.,"  Brian said, happy to have an agenda for the next day.  While he didn't mind trying to figure out activities for the weekend, he was usually happy when Gus suggested something.  

 

"What are you going to do while I'm at my party?"  Gus asked.

 

"I think maybe we'll go back to the Incline.  It's close to where your party is and is something we could do in the time we have,"  Brian said.

 

"Oh, but we did that.  Why would you go back?"

 

"There is nothing wrong with doing things again if you like them.  Sometimes, doing the familiar will give you an opportunity to see something different," Brian said as he thought back to the first outing.   They got out of the car and Gus grabbed his backpack.   

 

Brian worked on his computer as Gus completed his homework.  Gus finished about 15 minutes before they had to leave so they looked up information on Fort Pitt and its operating hours and things to do.  

 

Brian dropped off Gus and met Justin at the commuter parking lot nearby.  He had not told Justin what they would be doing, as he wanted to surprise him.  He saw the blonde man standing under the streetlight looking around for his car. The light shining down on him provided an alluring glow and Brian immediately thought of the sun shining and Justin brightening his world.  As he slowed down, he rolled down the window and asked, "Need a lift?  I can give you a good time?"  

 

Justin laughed at Brian's comment.  "Sure.  I bet you can give me a good time."  He paused and added, "You always do."  He leaned over and gave Brian a quick kiss.  "So where are we going?"

 

"I thought we would go to the Incline. We don't have a long time and we can walk around on top, maybe grab a quick bite, and then pick up Gus."

 

Justin smiled a huge grin.  "That sounds perfect.  The Incline was the first thing we did."

 

"Exactly.  I know it sounds corny, but I was a different person back then. I remember we went the night I was supposed to go to Babylon.  I decided that I really wasn't ready and you suggested we do something.  Do you remember?"  Brian asked as he shared his memory of that night.  

 

"Sure, I do.  That was the same night that I offered to show you the city and its sites,"  Justin said, remembering that night as well.

 

Brian parked the car in the Station Square lot and they walked up to the ticket booth and bought two tickets.  Turning to Justin he said, "You said since I asked you out, I had to pay."  He grinned at Justin and leaned down to give him a quick kiss on the cheek.  

 

Justin laughed.  "You sure know how to wow a date,"  he said but then added. "I think this is a perfect first date or 12th date or 100th date.  The views are still spectacular and I don't ever tire of them."

 

They boarded the Duquesne Incline and they turned toward the windows to enjoy the view.

 

"This is the third time I've been here in 6 months.  That's a record for me.  I mean the only places I used to go to 3 times were the baths and Babylon and now I'm finding myself here for the 3rd time and I like it.  I especially like the company,"  Brian said, leaning over and giving Justin another kiss on the cheek.  (There were other passengers and while Brian did not public displays of affection, he appreciated they were in a place where that type of display would not necessarily be appreciated. ) 

 

The car started going up the incline and both men stared out the window watching their ascent up the mountain.  

 

"When I think about how old these inclines are, I'm impressed with people's ingenuity.  They were built in the late 1800s and they didn't have the engineering and equipment that we have now.  I'm always in awe at the things that were built back then.  I'm more amazed that so many of those buildings and structures survived.  I know a lot of them were torn down through the years, but in many ways, they built things to last, unlike today in our throw-away society,"  Justin said, sharing his thoughts.

 

"I guess you're right but I never really gave it much thought. I'm always looking to purchase the newest model of a gadget and there isn't anything in my closet over a year old,"  Brian said, sharing this idiosyncrasy with Justin.

 

They reached the top of the Incline and walked toward the observation deck.  "So you buy new clothes every year?  Doesn't that get expensive?"  Justin asked. 

 

"I own a boutique advertising agency and I need to portray a certain image.  It wouldn't do to have clothes that are out of fashion.  My customers need to see that I'm successful and I show them that by the office building and my choice of clothing,"  Brian explained.

 

"I guess I can see that but what do you do with your old stuff? Luckily, my career doesn't call for new clothes very often.  The older, the better it is.  Painting in Prada just doesn't work.  Sure I have some nicer stuff for shows and openings, but the public thinks artists are eccentric and look at our wardrobe differently. My agent just asks that I don't smell like turpentine and don't have paint under my fingernails,"  Justin laughed a little as he explained his professional wardrobe.

 

They reached the observation deck and Brian reached for Justin's hand, bringing it up to his mouth, and kissed it. "Thank you."

 

"Thank you?  For what?  I haven't done anything"  Justin asked, slightly confused at Brian's choice of words.

 

"Thank you for offering to be my sponsor.  Thank you for showing me there is more to life than Babylon and Woody's.  Thank you for helping Gus learn photography and introducing him to art.  Thank you for being my friend but mostly thank you for the kiss,"  Brian said as he listed off the things that he wanted to say to Justin.

 

"You're welcome, but you don't have to thank me.  I wanted to do all of those things."  Justin leaned over and gave Brian a kiss on the cheek as well.  "You can't be the only one who is sharing kisses,"  he teased.

 

"The first time we came up here, I wasn't sure if it would be anything of interest.  Obviously, I was impressed as I brought Gus here a little bit later and now I'm back again.  I'm glad you made the suggestion,"  Brian admitted.  "I thought about making a reservation for us at The Grandview Saloon but didn't think we'd have sufficient time to eat.  Next time we come, we'll do it on a weeknight so we have time to really enjoy the view."  

 

Justin's heart soared when he heard Brian talk about a next time.  He wasn't really concerned that there wouldn't be a next time, but he liked that Brian was on board with that option.

 

They were one of three sets of people at the lookout.  There was a man and woman standing on the far corner and a woman with a small child that Justin recognized from their ascent up the mountain.  The wind was blowing a cool breeze and it was pleasant.  "I love the changing colors of the bridge.  Imagine what the builders of the original Incline would make of it,"  Justin commented.

 

"You seem to think about the past.  Is history an interest of yours?"  Brian asked, wanting to get to know Justin better.

 

"I like learning about the area that I'm in.  Pittsburgh has a rich history dating back to 1742.  In about 20 years, it will have been around for 300 years.  Of course, that is nowhere near the amount of time that cities in Europe have been around, but still, it is impressive. Did you know that the Burke building was built in 1836?"

 

"I did not.  What started your interest in history?"

 

"As an artist, old buildings hold a special appeal.  Their interiors are often ornate and the details are works of art, just by themselves. I love looking at the old buildings and thinking about their architects.  It is fascinating,"  Justin explained.

 

"So really, it's almost an extension of your art?" Brian asked, enjoying hearing Justin talk about his work.

 

"Actually, everything is an extension of my art.  Art comes from emotions and what is going on in my life at the time.  I know we've talked about how you can't really control when your creativity will kick in.  I love looking at buildings as much as I enjoy watching people,"  Justin said.   "Looking out at the Pittsburgh skyline I think about the early residents of our city and wonder what their lives were like, wonder how their art was inspired, and sometimes I wonder what they would think about their world if they visited it now."

 

"That is some heavy thinking?  Just what do you do for fun?"  Brian teased as he squeezed Justin's hand.

 

"For fun, I hang out with you and Gus.  I like to read, but I must admit I read a lot about the old masters and their lives. So, yeah, maybe I am a history geek.  I like to hike sometimes.  Being in nature inspires me but also it is really calming. When you are on a walking path, you don't have any phones ringing or radio blasting, or deadlines to meet.  It can be really nice to just be alone with myself and my thoughts.  I think we get so used to being "On" all the time that we forget to listen to our minds."

 

"I can appreciate your interest in old buildings but I don't know about hiking.  It's hot and there are bugs.  It's bad enough that Gus likes to go to the zoo.  At least there are some air-conditioned buildings and I'm sure they spray for mosquitoes.  However, I do understand turning things off and letting your mind wander.  Cleo has me keeping a journal and I've found that writing down my thoughts is really enlightening,"  Brian said as he looked out at the city.   "Up here, everything looks so small, like a miniature city."

 

"You've been keeping a journal.  Is it helpful?"  Justin asked, curious how Brian found the activity.

 

"It's something I wasn't sure about but I find it very helpful.  It really has helped me focus on my feelings.  Actually, I can now start to recognize my feelings or at least some of them," Brian said, sharing some of his insights with Justin. He quickly realized that he wasn't uncomfortable sharing that information with Justin.  "I've come a long way from the man who stood up here six months ago with you and wouldn't have recognized a feeling if it hit him over the head.  I mean I've been sober for almost 9 months, but I think the first three months I was still in denial that sobriety would take more effort than just attending a few meetings,"  Brian joked, smiling at his own expense.

 

"You've always known you loved Gus,"  Justin said, reminding Brian that he did recognize some feelings, even 9 months ago.

 

"True, but other feelings like anger, sadness, and even happiness were foreign.  Anytime I felt anything, I would just drink rather than deal with the feeling.  Even happiness resulted in drinking.  Now I recognize when I have feelings and have learned to react more appropriately. What about you?  Did you have difficulty recognizing your feelings?"  Brian asked Justin, wanting to get to know him better.

 

"My issue wasn't recognizing them but handling them.  I was constantly angry and chose to use alcohol to deal with the anger.  For me, learning to address my anger in a more appropriate way was my biggest hurdle,"  Justin said as he remembered many angry outbursts.

 

"I can't imagine you being angry all the time.  You seem to be happy and are always upbeat,"  Brian said, finding Justin's statement contradictory to his image of him.

 

"I changed a lot.  I was angry at my father for kicking me out.  I was angry at my mom for not supporting me.  I was angry at the galleries for not recognizing my talent.  I was angry because I didn't have money.  Basically, I was angry about everything.  When my agent threatened to drop me, it was a wake-up call and I had to figure out a new life,"  Justin said, remembering that difficult time in his life.

 

"I had a choice.  Be angry or be happy.  Being angry wasn't getting me what I wanted and being angry is hard work.  Did you know that anger takes more brain power and more energy than being happy? I realized that being angry wasn't helping my art. Sure, I was creating stuff but it was crap.  No one wants to hang anger on their walls."

 

"So, how did you change your attitude?  My interactions with Lindsay often leave me angry and I've learned how to diffuse my anger, but I wasn't walking around angry all day,"  Brian asked.

 

"I had to start small.  I kept a gratitude journal.  I know it sounds weird, but I made myself write down one thing that I was grateful for every day.  After a few weeks, I started letting go of my anger.  I came to accept that just like no one can make me happy but myself, I'm also the person who can allow myself to be angry.  Emotions are just our reactions to what is happening.  It's our brain's interpretation of events."

 

"That is really interesting.  I think that my journaling is doing the same thing.  I mean it is helping me see my feelings and helping me take control of my life.  Thanks for sharing,"  Brian said, happy to know more about Justin.

 

"Just so you know, being up here with you makes me happy.  I hope you feel the same way,"  Justin said, hoping Brian felt the same way.

 

"Yes, very happy.  Spending time with you always makes me happy."  They were both quiet for a few minutes as they took in the scenery and the spectacular view.  

 

"However, we have to leave.  I have to pick up Gus from his party.  You're welcome to come back to the loft.  Gus really missed seeing you last weekend.  By the way, he asked to attend your show.  That was an interesting conversation.  I tried explaining how I was Molly's beard."

 

"Molly would have loved to hear that explanation.  I know she enjoys attending my shows with you.  Sure, I'll come by for a bit.  I missed hanging out with you guys too.  It makes me happy to be with you and Gus."  Justin said, reminding Brian of his earlier comment.

 

"Before we leave, I wanted to ask you a quick question,"  Brian hesitated hoping he wasn't out of line asking.

 

"Sure.  You can always ask me anything.  I may not answer, but I probably will. What do you want to know?"  Justin said as they started walking toward the Incline.

 

"How'd I do planning our date?  I mean did I get it right?"  Brian asked.

 

Justin laughed and shook his head.  "It was perfect.  We did something both of us enjoyed, we talked and got to know each other a little better and it was fun.  You did good, Brian,"  Justin said and leaned over and kissed Brian.  "And, since you asked me to come over to your place, I'm hoping we can have a little make-out session after Gus goes to sleep,"  Justin said, letting Brian know that he was interested in extending their time together.

 

"Oh, I think that can be arranged."  Brian showed their tickets and they got on the Incline to take the trolley back down the mountain.  They continued to hold hands the entire way down and only let go when Justin had to get in the car.  

 

"I'll drop you at your car and then get Gus.  We'll meet you back at the loft.  It will probably take me another 30 minutes to get back.  If you want, you can grab some coffee for us at the diner around the corner,"  Brian said, realizing that Justin would be there before he returned with Gus. Brian started the car and drove Justin to the lot where his car was parked.  

 

Justin shook his head in disagreement. "I need to run to the store to pick up some stuff for my apartment. There is a Target on the way.  I'll just do that and meet you at the Loft,"  Justin said, thinking of his chores for the weekend.

 

Brian reached over to hold Justin's hand as they drove to his car.  When they arrived at the lot, Brian reluctantly let go and said,  "I'll see you in a bit. Later,"  He leaned over and kissed Justin quickly on the lips.  Justin returned the kiss.

 

"I'll be quick.  See you in a bit."  Justin got out of the car with a huge smile on his face.  Things were moving along nicely with Brian and he couldn't be happier.

 

Brian picked up Gus from the party and Gus was all hyped up on adrenaline and sugar.  He feared that Gus would be a long time in winding down and he was disappointed that his makeout session would be delayed.

When Brian and Gus got home, Brian told Gus to take a shower as he had been playing hard for the last several hours.  He hoped the warm water would make him a little tired, but he was concerned that the shower might have the opposite effect.  Regardless, Brian knew he needed a shower before he went to bed.

When Gus came out of the shower, Justin was there and Brian and he were in the kitchen making coffee.

 

"Justin,"  Gus yelled when he saw him.  "Are you going to hang out with us this weekend?  I missed you last weekend?"    

 

Turning toward Gus, Justin said, "I missed you too.  My weekend is open.  I'd love to hang out with you and your Dad.  What did you have in mind?"

 

"Dad said something about seeing Fort Pitt.  Have you ever been there?  Do you like history?  Do you know about Fort Pitt? "  Gus asked a string of questions without giving Justin time to answer the first one.

 

Justin laughed and looked between Gus and Brian.  "I love history and your Dad and I was just talking about that tonight.  Fort Pitt is a cool place but not much of the Fort still exists but the museum is pretty neat."

 

"You guys have the strangest conversations.  Dad said I could go to your next show too.  When is it?"  Gus asked.

 

Justin beamed at Gus even though Brian had told him of Gus' interest in attending the show.  "The opening is in two weeks.  You'd probably find the opening boring, but we can see it after it opens.  The art will be on display for a month."

 

"Okay.  Maybe we can go there on a Saturday.  Aunty Emm said he wanted to see it too,"  Gus said, sharing the information from their conversation last weekend.  He tried to stifle his yawn but wasn't successful.

 

Brian noticed and said, "Time for bed, Gus.  You've had a busy day.  You have all day to spend with Justin tomorrow.  I'll be in in a few minutes to tuck you in."

 

Gus turned around and went toward the bathroom to do as his father told him.

"I'll give him a few minutes and then tuck him in.  Make yourself some coffee if you'd like,"  Brian said.

 

Justin took down a coffee mug and prepared his drink, bringing it into the living room.  Brian did the same as he was waiting to tuck Gus in.  

 

Brian tucked Gus in and closed his door, then walked out to the living room to join Justin.

 

Justin asked, "How long do you think it will take him to fall asleep?"

 

Brian grinned at his innuendo-filled question.  "Not long.  He played hard tonight and he had a full day of school too.  Why don't we turn on the TV, that will provide some white noise?" Brian grabbed the remote and clicked on theTV, finding an action movie that had some louder sound effects.

 

He leaned in and whispered into Justin's face.  "I seem to remember you mentioning continuing the date once we got here."

 

Justin's response was to lean in and capture Brian's lips in a kiss.  He opened his mouth in an open invitation to Brian to explore his mouth which Brian did.  They licked each other's lips and their tongues danced on the other's.  

 

Brian scooted close to Justin and he hugged him while running his hands up and down his back.  Justin returned the hug and did the same thing for Brian.  Both men continued their kissing for several minutes and Justin pulled back a little, taking his hands to Brian's shirt.  He started to unbutton the shirt and Brian leaned back allowing Justin to continue.

 

Justin took his mouth and kissed Brian's chest as he undid each button and when his shirt was fully unbuttoned, he ran his hands across the soft skin.  He moved in to kiss Brian's neck and then nuzzle his way down his chest until he reached his nipple.  Gently taking Brian's nipple in his mouth he sucked the nub, running his tongue around the edges and then nipping the edges, bringing Brian to full arousal.  He could hear Brian's heavy breathing and knew Brian was enjoying it.  He inhaled Brian's unique scent and his body reacted to the pheromones that Brian's arousal was releasing.  He moaned, showing his pleasure.

 

Brian enjoyed Justin's exploration but soon wanted to do his own.  He pulled away as he tugged Justin's shirt over his head.  Justin's alabaster skin was beautiful and he found himself saying, "you're a work of art".  He licked his way down Justin's chest, surprised to find a nipple ring through his right nipple.  He let his tongue play with the ring, tugging it gently and then licking around the edges.  He too was reacting to Justin's pheromones. He could feel his cock straining in his jeans.  

 

Justin looked at Brian and laid his hand over Brian's jeans.  "May I?" he asked, knowing Brian would understand the question.

 

Brian's answer was to undo the top button of his jeans.  Justin pulled down the zipper and reached into his underwear to find his cock. He caressed the silky skin, marveling at how big Brian's cock was.  

 

Brian heard a noise that he thought might be coming from Gus' room and pulled back.  "Maybe we should move this to my bedroom?"  He nodded his head toward his bed.

 

Justin removed his hand and said, " Okay."

 

They moved to the bedroom but neither man moved to undress.  Brian moved up to the head of the bed and motioned Justin to join him.  "As you were," he smirked as he tossed his shirt to the floor.  

 

Justin joined him on the bed and reached into Brian's underwear again and caressed the hard cock, playing with the head and the shaft.  He licked his lips thinking of wrapping them around the cockhead and giving Brian a blow job.  "May I?" he asked as he put his hands on either side of Brian's jeans.  

 

Brian's response was to raise his hips and help Justin pull his jeans and underwear down.  Before Justin could lean down Brian did the same to Justin, divesting him of his jeans and underwear.  Now both men were on the bed, Justin naked and Brian wearing only his unbuttoned shirt.

 

Brian positioned Justin on his side and engulfed Justin's engorged cock while Justin did the same to Brian.  Each man licking, sucking, and fondling the other one's cock and balls.  The sexual stimulation and tension between the two men finally being able to follow their natural course.  

 

"Justin, I'm going to come," Brian said, unsure if Justin would want to swallow.

 

"Me too,"  Justin said.  "Give it to me,"

 

Brian said, "Okay." and shot his cum down Justin's throat.  Justin swallowed and licked and caressed Brian's cock as he enjoyed the cum. A few moments later, Justin came down Brian's throat and he repeated the same routine.

 

Each man said nothing as they basked in their orgasm and allowed their bodies to return to their normal breathing pattern.  

 

"That's one helluva date.  Why did I wait so long to ask you?"  Brian said when his breathing had returned to normal.

 

"You weren't ready.  Tonight was fun.  Thank you,"  Justin said, always finding post-coital talk a little awkward.

 

Brian kissed Justin.  "So does this mean we don't have to date anymore and can just go to the sex?"  He asked in a tongue-in-cheek manner.

 

"Nope, we still have to go on dates.  Next time, it will be my turn to plan.  We still have a lot to learn about each other.  Besides, one mutual blow job does not a relationship make."  Justin got up and started to put on his clothes and button his jeans.  "If I'm going to hang out with you and Gus, I better get home and get some sleep."  

 

Brian picked up his clothes and started redressing, feeling a little sad that Justin was leaving.  He found that an interesting feeling and thought he would have to explore that later.  "I guess you're right.  I had fun tonight.  Thanks for agreeing to the date.  We'll see you in the morning."  Brian walked Justin to the door and gave him a quick kiss, not wanting to let him leave without their regular goodbye routine.

 

"I'll be here about 10:00."  Justin leaned over and gave Brian a kiss and walked out the door thinking that he had made the right decision kissing Brian in the mattress store.

 

 

TBC

 

Chapter End Notes:

comments welcome-  I waited for a week to post due to the Independence Day holiday.  Hope everyone had a great holiday and is ready for more of the story.

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