The Candidate

Brian took another hit and leaned back against the couch.  He knew he needed to get up and get on with his life, but it all seemed like too much effort.  Since he had been fired from Vangard, he had holed up in the loft. He hardly saw anyone except Justin and rarely even him.  He had tolerated the odd visit from Debbie or Michael at the beginning, but then had refused to answer the phone or the door.  They had got the message and left him alone. They had done their best to cheer him up and tell him he had done the right thing.  Fuck the right thing! He was unemployed and ostracized from everything and everyone that meant something to him.



He had made the grand gesture of smashing the lock off the backroom at Babylon, but it was back up the next day.  Stockwell had seen to that, but the bastard was paying the ultimate price. Once the events at the GLC had hit the TV news programs, Stockwell's numbers had plummeted.  Brian grinned. At least one good thing had come out of all this. That bastard would never be the mayor of the city. However, they would still be stuck with him as police chief.



He took another draw on the marijuana and let it sift through his system.  He needed to focus, but it still hurt too much. Debbie was right. Money and power were very important to him.  Somehow he had managed to fuck himself out of both of those valuable commodities. He sighed and stared at the ceiling.  He glanced at the shit in his hand and wondered why it wasn't making him feel a whole hell of a lot better.



The buzzer screaming at him brought him back to reality.  Who the fuck had come to console him now? He didn't want their pity or help.  He slowly pushed himself up from the floor, as the buzzer kept up its annoying sound.



"What?" he barked into the intercom.



"Brian Kinney?" a voice said.



"Who wants to know?" Brian asked with annoyance.



"My name is Charles Langdon."



"And who's he when he's at home?" Brian asked with a barely suppressed giggle.  He remembered one of his father's uncles using that expression way back when.



"I represent a group of concerned citizens.  I'd really like to come up and talk to you about something rather important."



"Such as?"  Brian could only imagine what a group of concerned citizens would want with him.  He wondered if tarring and feathering was still popular.



"Could we do this face to face?" the man requested.



"I don't want to be disturbed," Brian replied and walked away from the intercom.  He had taken only a few steps when it started buzzing again. "Fuck!" he shouted at the empty loft.  He retraced his steps and hit the intercom button. "This fucking better be good," he shouted and hit the release button for the front door.  He pulled the loft door back and leaned against it. He heard the elevator engage and begin its rise to his floor. As it came into view he could see a head with salt and pepper gray hair and what looked like a lean body wearing a very nice suit.



"Some middle aged asshole with money!" Brian thought.  "He should be home taking Viagra and fucking his wife."



The gate went up and Brian had to rethink his first impression.  The man was late forties or early fifties, but he was still a very trim and handsome man.  He definitely gave off a gay vibe that Brian could feel as the man held out his hand. Brian shook it reassessing who he was dealing with.



"I appreciate your time," Mr. Langdon said.  "I'll try not to waste it."



"Come in," Brian said wondering what the hell this man could want with him.



Brian suddenly wished that he hadn't left the makings of his toke on the coffee table, but there was nothing he could do about that now.



"Would you like something to drink?" Brian asked.



"No, thank you.  If I may, I'd like to get right to the point."



"Have a seat and let's get started," Brian said.



The man sat down on the couch taking cursory notice of the drug paraphernalia in front of him.  Brian smiled inwardly. He liked this guy. Nothing fazed him. He was getting more and more curious about why this elegant man was here and what he wanted with an unemployed ad exec.



"I'd like to congratulate you for your stand against Stockwell," the man began.



"Stand?  I was his PR man.  What are you talking about?"



"I know you brought his numbers way up when you took over his campaign, but I also know that you brought him down."



"And how would you know that?" Brian asked.  His role in the GLC fiasco was not widely known and he wanted it kept that way.



"I know a lot about what goes on in the gay circles of Pittsburgh."



"I don't think that I've ever seen you around," Brian said puzzled.



"I'm not into the club scene … anymore."



"Does that mean that you once were?"



"Yes, eons ago, but I still have friends who are into that and they keep me informed.  You're pretty famous on Liberty Avenue."



"No shit!"



"No shit.  Although what you're famous for is another story."



Brian snorted.  He knew only too well what he was famous for, and he didn't think he wanted to be discussing that with Charles Langdon.  "So why are you here? A discussion of my infamy hardly seems grounds for a visit."



It was Charles' turn to snort.  He surveyed this man that he had decided to approach.  He still had grave misgivings about what he was going to do.  However, he decided he liked the man, arrogant son of a bitch that he seemed to be.  He obviously did some drugs, but he showed none of the signs of being a chronic user.  He had a blatant honesty that was rather refreshing. He was very good looking, oozing sexuality that he believed would appeal to all people, male or female, gay or straight.



"Mr. Langdon?" Brian said.  "I asked you why you are here."



"Excuse me.  I was lost in thought."



"I could tell."



"As I said to you on the intercom, I represent a group of concerned citizens.  I'm here to make you a proposal."



"I don't believe in marriage, but thanks for the offer."



Charles chuckled.  "Not that kind of proposal."



"Then what kind?" Brian asked truly mystified by what this man was driving at.



"We want you to run for public office."



"Yeah, right!  Is this Mikey's idea of a joke?  Because if it is, it isn't fucking funny!"



"This is no joke.  We think you should be the next mayor of Pittsburgh."



Brian didn't know whether to laugh or cry or slit his wrists.  What the hell was going on? Maybe that shit he had been smoking was stronger than he thought.  Had he somehow slipped into the Twilight Zone without noticing? "Are you on drugs or just fucking insane?" he asked incredulously.



"Neither, I hope."



"But you can't be serious."



"Oh, but I am."



Brian closed his mouth realizing that he had been gaping at this man for the last minute or two.  "I think you better leave now or I'll have to call the police and have you removed."



"Don't do that.  Please, listen to me.  I'm serious about this.  There is a group of influential people who are prepared to back you in this attempt."



"But what about Stockwell and the incumbent mayor?  There's less than a month left before the election."  Brian was stunned, first by the proposition and secondly that this man seemed so serious about it.  It couldn't be for real.



"Actually there will be a full month of campaigning starting the beginning of next week."



"Why?  The scheduled elections are in three weeks."



"Not anymore."



"Are you and your friends overthrowing the current government and setting up your own rules for elections?"



"Where have you been the last two weeks?  Don't you know what's been going on?"



"I've been … busy," Brian replied a little sheepishly.  He had cut himself off from everything including the news.  "What's happened?"



"Stockwell dropped out of the race.  His numbers fell so low and he started getting other dissatisfied voters showing up at his photo ops, asking embarrassing questions and heckling him.  Seems you started a trend."



"Shit!  He quit?"



"Yeah, sent in his request to be taken off the ballot five days ago."



"Sweet!"



"We thought so too.  It meant that Mayor Deakins was in by acclamation and we can live with his limited brand of liberalism.  But then the unthinkable happened."



"What?" Brian asked knowing it must be something big.



"The day after Stockwell resigned Deakins was out jogging, collapsed from a heart attack and died in the hospital."



"Holy shit!  I really have been out of the picture."



"The deputy mayor is running the city for now and plans to try his luck in the mayoralty race.  The only problem is, he isn't nearly as liberal as Deakins. In fact he is a hell of a lot like Stockwell.  We don't want him winning the election. The deadline for entries to run for mayor is day after tomorrow. Then there will be one month of campaigning.  We need a strong candidate to put up against him. We think that candidate is you."



"How in the fuck did you come up with me?"



"As I said, we have our eyes and ears watching the political scene.  We hate the way things have been drifting into a police state since Bush took office.  We don't want that kind of climate here in Pittsburgh."



"Why didn't you try to stop Stockwell?"



"We did, but you were doing such a fine job of promoting him that we weren't making much headway.  Then those posters started popping up. They seemed to rattle Stockwell at first, but then he came out with that "one of my close friends and advisors" speech.  When we realized who this close friend and advisor was, we decided we had to take action. Before we could come up with a plan, the GLC thing happened. We heard rumblings that you were behind it.  Then the incident of opening the backroom at Babylon was reported to us, and finally your dismissal from Vangard. We decided you had switched sides and Stockwell was dead in the water as soon as you did that."



"If I can switch sides so easily, why would you want a fickle son of a bitch like me to be running the city?  I might decide to have every pizza parlor shut down, or every strip joint. You have no idea what I might do."



"You're far too smart for dumb acts like that."



"How do you know?  I could be a crazed killer or a latent Republican for all you know."



"As I said, we've been investigating and watching.  We think you have a certain liberal mentality and laissez-faire attitude that would be good for business and culture in our city."



Brian studied the man.  He was still having a hard time believing that he was serious about all this.  "I don't have the best reputation in these parts, as you alluded to before. Wouldn't that come up in an election?  The straight people would have a fit and my opponent would have a field day with it."



"We considered that.  You have an honesty that can be disarming.  I'm sure you could handle it."



"You have more fucking faith in my abilities than I do."



"I don't think that's true.  You have quite a bit of faith in yourself or you wouldn't have risen as far as you did in the advertising business."



"And now I'm back at the bottom.  So how can that be a plus?"



"You are out of work.  I'm offering you the potential of a great new job where you can have some real influence and shape the future of this city."



Brian scowled.  He hated Pittsburgh, always wanted to get out, but now he was being asked to run the place.  "I just don't see how this could work. Thanks, but no thanks."



"Brian, I'm not taking no for an answer.  I want you to think about this tonight. Maybe talk to some of your friends or family.  See what they think. I'll call you tomorrow for your answer, and I'll respect that answer whichever way it goes."



"Either you've been hallucinating or I am!" Brian said.



Charles chuckled.  "No. I have all my faculties and I still want you."



He rose and held out his hand to shake Brian's.  Brian took it tentatively and felt the firmness and commitment in that simple gesture.  This guy was for real.



"I'll think about what you've said, but I hope you have an alternative lined up because we both know what my answer's going to be."



"Do we?" Charles asked as he walked to the door.  "Don't be too sure. I'll talk to you tomorrow."



"Sure," Brian said as he pulled the door closed behind his guest.



What the fuck had that all been about?

The Candidate

Part 1


Brian hit the speed dial on the phone, and then quickly slammed it back on the base, stopping the call from going through.  He had to do something, but what?



Ever since Charles Langdon had appeared with his outrageous proposal, Brian had been at a loss as to how to proceed.  Something about the offer was very appealing. Maybe it was as simple as the fact that they wanted him. He hadn't felt very wanted for the last couple of weeks.  He had been fired. He had been the object of pity from his friends, even though they congratulated him on what he had done. He had isolated himself from everyone, and even Justin had stopped calling him, giving him some space.  He missed working with the young man, missed seeing him, missed touching him, but he couldn't bring himself to call him. He couldn't bear his pity too.



A long sigh escaped his lips.  He needed to make a decision about this offer.  Langdon had told him to talk to his friends and family about it.  He knew he fully intended to turn it down ……. But! He just couldn't escape that 'but'.



There was one person he thought he could talk to about this, a political animal that would give him the straight goods.  Problem was, he thought he knew what that person would tell him and he wasn't sure he wanted to hear it.



He picked up the phone and hit the number once again.  He was about to cancel the call when he heard a voice say, "Hello?"



"Deb?"



"Brian, is that you?"



"Yeah."



"Thank God.  I've been worrying about you.  Are you all right?"



"Sort of."



"What the fuck does that mean?"



"Could you come over here?  I really need to talk to you."



"Jesus Christ!" Debbie thought.  "Something is really wrong when Brian Kinney calls me and asks me to come over to talk."  She wondered if the Earth had shifted off its orbit. "I'll be right there," she said quickly.



Less than fifteen minutes later she sat on Brian's couch staring at the man she had helped to raise.  She prayed he wasn't sick or in some other really deep shit.



"Would you like a drink?" Brian asked.



"Something fizzy," she requested.  He brought her a Perrier and had the other half of it in a glass for himself.  "He's drinking water," she thought. "Fuck! The Earth has shifted on its axis."



Brian cleared his throat, then said nothing.



"So tell me, for fuck's sake!  I'm going crazy speculating about what's wrong."



"Nothing's wrong."



"Then what am I doing here?"



"I want some … advice."



Debbie swallowed hard, almost choking on her water.  "You want advice from me?" she asked incredulously.



"That's what I said, as bizarre as that sounds."



"Bizarre!  It sounds goddam insane."



"Well, what I'm going to tell you is goddam insane."



Brian began the story with the arrival of Charles Langdon earlier in the day.  He told Debbie about the man and what he had offered. When he finished recounting the events of that afternoon, he looked at Debbie who stared back in apparent amazement.



"She thinks this is ludicrous too." Brian lowered his eyes, shaking his head in resignation.  He would turn down the offer as he had originally planned to do.



"Kiddo!"



Brian looked up at the sound of Debbie's voice.  The smile on her face radiated across the space between them and he could fell its warmth creep into his lonely and decimated soul.  "What?" Brian asked, not quite sure what this look on her face meant.



"Go for it!" she ordered simply.



"You think I should?" Brian asked.  "You reacted like it was a stupid idea just now."



"Christ, it knocked my socks off.  It took me a minute to understand what you had told me.  Mayor! Brian, you have the chance to be mayor!"



"And that would be a good thing?" he asked not at all sure that it would be.



"Of course it would.  Think of all the good you could do for the gay community and … and everyone else.  Jesus, this is a chance of a lifetime."



"You think I could do it?"



"Of course you can.  Is there anything you've ever wanted to do that you didn't do?"



Brian thought of Justin and all the unspoken things that he wanted to say, but never could.  He couldn't discuss that with Debbie. "No, not much," he said by way of answer.



"Then tell them that you'll do it."


"Just like that.  I don't even know who these people are."



"Start asking some questions.  Find out who they are and what their motives are.  Do they want anything in return? Are you expected to kowtow to every wish they have?  You need to know all that going in."



"You're right.  I know next to nothing about them and what they want."



"That's your first step.  If you like the answers you get, then go ahead and do this.  Brian, this could be really big."



"Do you think I have a chance to win?" Brian asked sheepishly.  Saying he would run was one thing, but if he ran, he wanted to win.



"You bet your ass I do!  And I'll work my butt off to see that it happens."



"Thanks, Ma," Brian grinned at her.



Debbie felt the blush beginning at her toes and radiating upwards.  She was so proud of her 'son'. Brian was quite a man. "And you better not screw this up!"


"I won't," he said softly wanting her to know how much her faith in him meant.



"You need to talk to a couple of other people about this first," Debbie informed him.



"I know."



"Lindsay and Gus are going to be put in the spotlight, and then there's Justin."



Brian made a face.  "I hate my private life becoming public."



"It goes with the territory," Debbie stated.



"They're not going to like it."



"Probably not, but I bet they support whatever choice you make."



"And then there's Melanie," Brian said with a grimace.  "She could fuck this up in the blink of an eye."



"She'd never fuck you," Debbie said with a giggle, "in any way, shape or form.  You need to talk to her. She doesn't have to say anything, and that would probably be the best route to take," Debbie added seriously.



"I really appreciate your advice," Brian said.



"Any time, Brian!"



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



Brian stood on the porch at the Munchers.  He smiled as he told himself he would have to stop referring to them as that.  He already had started to gear himself up for the role he would have to play over the next few weeks if he wanted to get elected.  Jesus, was he crazy? He didn't know what the hell he was letting himself in for.



He rang the bell rather reluctantly.  Melanie opened the door.



"What do you want?" she asked with a tinge of rancor in her voice.



"And good evening to you too," Brian replied.  "I'd like to see Gus and talk to the two of you."



"You would?" Mel asked, somewhat mystified by Brian's overly polite statement.  Usually he would brush past her and tell her to fuck off. "Come in then."



Brian sat on the floor and played with Gus and his toys.  His son was walking and talking a little bit. He seemed happy and carefree, the way childhood should be.  After a while Melanie picked up Gus and said it was past his bedtime. She took him upstairs, leaving Lindsay to talk to Brian.



"So what's going on?" Lindsay got right to the point.



"I want to tell you about this with Mel here.  It involves you all."



"You're scaring me, Brian.  What's wrong?"



"Christ, am I always the bearer of bad news?  Why does everyone think something has to be wrong?"



"Because usually there is, when you come for a serious talk."



"Just get Mel down here and I'll tell you."



Lindsay went upstairs to make sure Gus was settled and to tell Melanie to come back down.  Brian mulled over how to broach this subject with them, and finally decided that there was no point in beating around the bush.  He'd flat out tell them and see how they reacted.



A few minutes later he had recounted his meeting with Charles Langdon and sat looking at two mouths hanging open in amazement.



"Oh, my God," Lindsay said.



"Fuck!" was Melanie's reaction.



"Are you going to do it?" Lindsay asked.



"I'm seriously considering it," Brian said.  "But a lot depends on how you feel about it. It will push you and Gus into the limelight.  Do you think you can handle that?"



"I think we can," Lindsay said looking at Melanie for support, "but we won't lie about our relationship or how Gus was conceived."



"You know I'd never ask you to lie," Brian said staring into Lindsay's eyes.  "You, on the other hand…" he added looking towards Mel.



"What?  You want me to lie about you being a selfish, narcissistic prick?" she asked.



"Does that mean I can count on your vote?" Brian asked sarcastically.



"Mel, I'm sure Brian isn't asking you to lie," Lindsay said quickly trying to smooth things over.



"Well, what is he asking me to do?"



"Run my campaign!" Brian added snidely.  "Actually what I want you to do is keep your mouth shut about your feelings and observations where I'm concerned."



"It might surprise you to know that I am prepared to do that," Mel said smugly.



"What?" Brian and Lindsay both blurted out.



"If you're good enough for Charles Langdon, you're good enough for me," she said.



"You know Charles Langdon?" Brian asked.



"Yes, don't you?  He's the head of CLI, Charles Langdon International, a huge conglomerate.  They're into steel and auto parts and real estate and God knows what else. He's also one of the few businessmen in this area that I have any respect for.  He's gay and not afraid to say so. He has close ties with lots of other influential people, both straight and gay. They have a charitable foundation that helps hundreds of people.  Part of it is for legal representation for people who can't afford decent counsel. That's how I first heard about him."



"So he's a good guy?" Brian asked.



"From everything I've heard."



"Thanks, Mel; you just answered some of my questions about this whole scenario."



"Glad to be of service," Mel replied with a tinge of sarcasm.  "I will keep my opinions of you to myself, but if you get elected, I'm going to expect you to do the right thing."


"Whatever the hell that might be," Brian said getting up to leave.



"Are you going to do this?" Lindsay asked as she walked to the door with Brian.



"I'm not sure yet, but I'm leaning that way."



"It could be a wonderful opportunity."



"Against all odds," Brian said with a grimace.



"Have you talked to Justin yet?"



"He's next."


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



Justin pulled back the loft door and looked tentatively in.



"Brian?" he called.



"Up here," Brian responded, the voice coming from the bedroom.



"Not wasting any time with idle chitchat, I see," Justin said as he climbed the steps to the bedroom and saw Brian lying naked on the bed.



"I need you," Brian replied huskily.



"I can see that," Justin said, noting the erect cock. "I thought you would have called sooner," Justin added with a touch of criticism in his voice.



"I haven't been feeling up to snuff."



"You're sure up now!" Justin observed removing the last of his clothes.  He slid on to the bed, but didn't touch Brian.



"Come closer," Brian asked.  Justin scooted over and Brian's arms came around him crushing him to his chest.  Justin was surprised, but he had learned enough about Brian Kinney to just go with the flow.  He wrapped his arms around the man and they both held on for several minutes.



Justin felt Brian let out a breath.  "Want to fuck me or do you want me to do you?" he asked.



By way of answer Brian's mouth captured his boy's.  He pressed Justin's head back into the pillow with the force of his onslaught.  His lips rubbed and bit and sucked and tore at Justin's in the ultimate expression of his need for the young man.  When he finally released the swollen mouth he heard Justin gasp for air.



"Miss me a bit?" Justin managed to force out.



"A tad," Brian snorted.  Then the attack began anew.



Justin felt Brian's cock throb against his groin.  He pulled the man tighter against him and whispered, "I'm yours."



The next sound he heard was the rip of a condom package and Brian's cock was plowing into him.



"Ahhhhhh!' he screamed not having been prepared for such a quick entry.



"Sorry!" Brian gasped and stopped.



Once Justin had grappled with the initial pain, he thrust up into Brian forcing his dick in a little farther.  Brian took that as his signal to continue and he pressed in the rest of the way, being as gentle as he could in his need.  He looked at the boy who took so much shit from him and always gave back unselfishly.



"Ready?" he asked.



Justin nodded.



Brian began his rhythm thrusting hard and deep.  Justin felt the air expel from his lungs as each stroke filled him almost beyond capacity.  He knew Brian needed this in some primal way and he would do his best to meet those needs. Once he was accustomed to Brian's thick cock imbedded in his ass, he rocked his hips into each thrust.  He heard Brian moan in satisfaction and smiled to himself. He knew no one could get to Brian the way he could. That was why the man always came back for more.



The strokes were becoming shallower and faster as they both neared orgasm.  Justin felt Brian's fist around his dick and gave himself over to the absolute pleasure of fucking this man.  Soon they were both coming, finishing lying in each other's arms.



Justin felt Brian roll onto his back and saw him dispose of the condom.  He grabbed a tissue and wiped both their chests. Brian stared into his eyes.



"I need to talk to you," he said suddenly.



"I'm listening," Justin replied.



"I had a visitor today that may change the course of my life … and yours."



He then proceeded to tell once again the story of Charles Langdon's visit.  Justin wanted to know what Deb and Lindsay had said. He didn't seem surprised by Langdon's proposal, no mouth dropping exclamations of disbelief.  That surprised Brian.



"So what do you think?" Brian asked.



"I think the man has good taste, and you should do it."



"Just like that?"


"Just like that."



"No questions, no what ifs?"



"Of course I have questions, but I would still want you to do it.  That is, if you want to do it."



"I think I do," Brian said simply.



"Brian, don't think you do, know absolutely that you do, because this could get ugly.  There are people who will go after you, try to tear you down."



"I'm well aware of that."



"Then you need to be really sure you're prepared to suffer through it."


"Are you?"



"What do I have to do with this?"



"They'll look into my personal life, and they'll find you.  The … bashing will be brought back up and our lifestyle and the fact you're so young.  This will cost you too."



"It's too important to worry about all that."



"Do you mean that?"



"Yes.  But I am concerned how you are going to counteract all the stuff they will bring up about your past.  You haven't always been the fine, upstanding citizen you are now," Justin teased.



"Twat!"



"Seriously, how are you going to deal with it?"



"With the truth."



"Meaning?"



"When they ask me about some of the less than stellar things I have done, I'll tell them that it's true.  I'm not going to be ashamed or dodge the truth. They'll know everything up front, and if they can't stomach it, then they don't need to vote for me."



"I should have known," Justin said giving Brian a kiss.  "Bludgeon them into submission with the truth."



"You got it."


"So what do you have to do next?"


"Meet with Langdon and the other backers.  Get a better handle on what they're after and where they stand.  If I like their answers, I submit my name as a candidate."



"Want me to design some campaign posters for you?" Justin asked with a grin.



Brian laughed.  "Only if I get to see them before they go up in the dead of night."



Justin giggled.  He ran his hand gently down Brian's cheek.  "You can do this. You should do this."



They sealed their unspoken bargain with a kiss.

The Candidate

Part 2

Brian had a call from Charles Langdon early the next morning.  He told Charles he wanted to meet the rest of the 'group of concerned citizens'.  Charles said he understood that and would arrange for as many of them as possible to meet with Brian in the board room of his corporate headquarters.  Brian agreed to be there at one and give them his final decision afterwards.



He rooted through his closet wondering what he should wear.  He wanted to see who these people were, but he also wanted to impress them.  He knew if he thought they were on the up and up he was going to say that he would become their candidate.



He finally decided on his black suit with the red silk shirt and tie.  They knew he was gay and he wasn't going to let them forget it, or believe that he would cover it up.  The outfit wasn't particularly gay, but he knew he looked striking in it, and it wasn't something most straight businessmen would wear.  He wanted to see their reaction.



At quarter to one he arrived at the CLI headquarters on the outskirts of Pittsburgh.  He found a parking space for the Corvette and walked the short distance to the front doors.  He gave his name to the guard at the security desk. He was expected, and was given a visitor's badge and directed to the fifth floor.



When he stepped off the elevator, he saw the board room doors across the hall.  He took a deep breath and pushed open one of the double doors. His eyes swept the room, taking in the ten or so people inside.  He was immediately struck by the number of women, almost half of those present. He had expected the power circle to be mostly, if not all men.  He had to get rid of those chauvinistic thoughts, he cautioned himself. He smiled slightly at that, knowing Lindsay would have him by the balls if she knew that he thought like that.



"Brian," a voice off to his left said.



He turned.  "Charles," he replied extending his hand.



"Let me introduce you to everyone.  Most of our group is here, but a couple are out of town or unavailable."  He began with the closest person, a woman, Dorothy Bainbridge. Brian was sure he had seen her picture in the paper but he couldn't remember in what context.  Charles continued the introductions, but most of them went by so fast he knew he would have trouble remembering them later. Some of them were familiar to him, a couple he had met through various circumstances, and the rest he had never heard of.



When everyone had been introduced, Charles asked them all to be seated.  He turned to Brian. "I imagine you must have some questions for us, so now's your chance to get the answers."



Brian's eyes swept round the table.  "Why me?"



There were some chuckles and looks exchanged amongst the members of this elite committee.



"Strangely enough that is one of the answers to your question," Dorothy Bainbridge replied.  "You are forthright, honest and don't beat around the bush. That's the kind of candidate we have been looking for.  We're sick of people running for office who try to be everything to all people and end up being nothing to anybody."



"So I meet the first criterion," Brian said.  "But surely you know my less than stellar reputation.  What makes you think I could ever get elected?"



"You made Stockwell palatable to a lot of people, including gays and lesbians who he hates and wanted to make invisible," came the reply from an elderly man across the table.  Brian searched for his name and came up with Stephen Winthrop of the Winthrop Foundation. He had met the man once at a fundraiser for Aids Research. "I see you are trying to remember where you met me," he stated.  "I have a gay son who died of Aids three years ago."



"I remember the fundraiser Mr. Winthrop, but I've hardly been philanthropic over the years."



"My point was: if you can make Stockwell palatable, why not yourself?  I think you are very good at promotion and I'm assuming that would include self-promotion."



"Touché, Mr. Winthrop," Brian said with a grin.



"We are prepared to help you in any way we can, but a lot of this will fall on your shoulders," said a thirty-something woman whose name Brian couldn't remember.  "We wouldn't have chosen you if we didn't think you could handle whatever criticism comes your way."



"But how do you want me to handle it?" Brian asked.  "I won't lie or pretend to be something I'm not. If you want me to do that, then this ends right now, Ms…."



"Angela Bezrani," she completed his sentence.  "We've never met. I run a telemarketing company that employs hundreds of women, many of whom would be unemployable otherwise.  We want you to be exactly who you are. It's up to you how you handle yourself. We'll give you no direction in that regard."



Brian looked at them skeptically.  "What do all of you get out of this?" he asked bluntly.



"Hopefully a great candidate who will liberalize the government of this burg," a forty something man who looked like a computer nerd replied.  "Grant Forlani," he filled in for Brian who gave him a questioning look. "I run a computer consulting firm."



"How do you know I would liberalize anything?" Brian shot back.  "If you talked to my former staff, they would describe me as a tyrant."



"We have talked to them," Jackson Washburn stated.  He was the head of a company making telecommunication equipment.  Brian had run an ad campaign for him a year or two ago.



"Were you scouting me out when you hired me, Jackson?" Brian asked with a twisted grin.



"No, Brian, but I was impressed with you.  I brought your name to this group. We've had our eye on you ever since."



"Good job that was a successful campaign I threw together for you."



There were laughs from around the table.



"That's another thing we like about you.  You can use humor and irony to get your point across and deflect criticism," Jackson said.



"Don't you mean sarcasm?" Brian felt compelled to say.



"You certainly know how to wield that sword.  You may need to temper it a bit if you take on this challenge," Charles informed him.



"I'll try," Brian said with a smirk knowing that if they chose him he would do whatever he saw fit.  "One more thing," he added, "what do you expect in return?"



"That you run this city to the best of your ability and with the same level of excellence that you ran your office at Vangard," Jackson said.



"Gentlemen," Brian took a deep breath, "you have yourself a candidate."



There were words of encouragement and general glad-handing following Brian's statement.  After each person shook his hand they began to depart, finally leaving Brian alone with Charles Langdon.



"I'm very glad that you decided to accept, Brian."



"I hope you know what the fuck you're doing, because I hate to lose."



"So do I," Charles replied.  "Sit down and let's go over the preliminaries of entering your name in this race.



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



A couple of hours later Brian walked out to the Corvette.  His head was spinning and he wasn't at all sure that he had made the right decision.  He had been impressed with Charles Langdon. The man certainly knew what he was doing.  But the only person Brian wanted right now was a certain blond ex-intern. He hit the number on his cell phone.


"Brian?" Justin answered almost immediately.  "How did it go?"



"I'm officially a candidate," Brian said trying to sound triumphant but finding that rather difficult.  "I need to see you. Where are you?"



"Finishing my shift at the diner.  I'll be done in fifteen minutes."



"It'll take me a bit longer than that to get there.  Can you wait for me?"



Justin was surprised that Brian was asking.  He usually took it for granted that Justin would wait.  "I'll be here," he replied and clicked off.



"He did it," Justin said to Debbie who had been hanging on every word.



"Yeah!" she yelled raising her arms over head in a gesture of victory.



Half the diner turned to look at her.  She glared back defiantly wanting to tell them all to vote for Brian, but she knew there had to be a formal announcement of his candidacy before she could do that.



"He's coming to get me," Justin explained.  "He sounded a bit … funny."



"Funny?  How?"



"I don't know, just funny."



"I don't think he's as confident about running as he would have everyone believe," Debbie stated.



"I know what you mean.  He's concerned that every detail of his life will be brought up.  He's worried about Gus, and me, and being fired."



"You're up to this, aren't you, sunshine?" she asked with concern in her voice.



"Yes," Justin replied with defiance.



"Good boy."



When Brian arrived to pick up Justin he honked the horn outside the door of the diner, but made no move to come in.  Justin grabbed his jacket and ran out before Deb could make an issue of it. Brian sped off as soon as the boy was safely inside the car.  He turned the corner and screeched to a halt against the curb. He threw the Corvette in neutral and grabbed Justin in a demanding kiss. The boy kissed him back just as hard, knowing instinctively that Brian was asking him for his help and support as he started on this new venture.



"It's going to be fine," Justin said breathlessly when Brian finally released him.  "You're going to win."



"I'm beginning to wonder if I'll even survive the campaign," Brian said shaking his head.



"Since when have you had self-doubt?"



"Since always.  I'm just good at covering it up."



"Then keep doing that.  Nobody will know the difference."


Brian chuckled.  "That's why I need you around.  You're so practical."



"I'll be around.  I'm ready for anything you need me to do."



"Let's go to the loft," Brian said huskily.



Justin beamed his sunshine smile in reply.



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



Once Brian had released some of his pent-up tensions in Justin's willing body, he wanted to talk to the young man whose opinion he had learned to value.



"I have to go to city hall tomorrow morning.  Charles is going to meet me there and we officially submit my entry," Brian explained.



"Oh?" Justin said.  He seemed to be thinking about something.



"What?" Brian asked.



"Is that all that happens when you officially enter the race?"



"I think so."



"Well, as a big deal, which it is, it seems pretty mundane," Justin observed.



"You're right," Brian agreed.  Justin could see the wheels starting to turn.  "I wonder …"



"Wonder what?"



"I wonder if there are any rules about how low key this has to be.  If not, why couldn't we make it a spectacle? We could get the media there, maybe do it at lunchtime when a lot of people are going by, hand out pamphlets."



"Do you even have pamphlets?" Justin asked.



"Not really, but Charles was going to get some pictures printed up today, with my picture and saying that I'm running."



"You could hand those out," Justin suggested.



"I like the way you think, young man.  We make a great team," Brian said. "I need to call Charles and find out exactly how far we can push the envelope at city hall tomorrow.  What do you think about involving Emmett to cater some fundraising events?"



"I think that's a great idea.  He has fantastic concepts that will catch people's attention."



"That's Emmett – fan-fucking-tastic!"



"What else do you think we can do?"



"I should see about booking Q and A's at the cultural clubs around town, so that I can speak and be seen."



"You're starting to sound like you know what you're doing.  You sound like a real candidate."



"I think I am."



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



The following morning Brian met Charles at the city hall offices where official election entries were processed.  They had arranged several things before going in and were expecting the press to meet them when they came out just after noon.



They paid the fee and signed the necessary documents in exemplary fashion.  When they reached the lobby, Charles took Brian's arm and stopped him.



"Before we go out there," he began, "I want you to know that you have my full support.  The press will try to ask a lot of questions, but I want you to limit it to no more than five minutes.  Leave them wanting more. Have you thought out the answers to the sample questions that I gave you yesterday?"



"Yes, sir," Brian said with a salute.  He hope he sounded confident even thought he hardly felt that way.



"Are your friends out there with the brochures?"



"Should be."



"Good.  Then we're ready."



"I sure as shit hope so."



"Language, Brian language!" Charles reminded him with a chuckle.



"I'll be on my best behavior," Brian promised.



"I'll believe that when I see it."



They pushed open the door and walked out to the top of the steps.  There were some flashes as cameras snapped pictures. A small group of people milled around.  Brian could see Justin and Deb, but there were many more he didn't recognize. Charles stepped forward and shouted for attention.  He then introduced himself and Brian saying he was the newest candidate to enter the mayoral race. Brian stepped forward and cleared his throat.



"Ladies and gentlemen," he began, "I hope to be the next mayor of this fair city and I will need your help to do so."  Brian saw people walking by stop and listen. The crowd grew a little bigger. He knew he needed to capture their interest.  "How many times have you heard politicians say that to you? I want to make it clear from the outset that I am not a politician.  I am rarely politically correct. I've been told I'm brutally honest. I will try to do what is best for all citizens of Pittsburgh, but I do need your help, lots of it."



There were chuckles from the crowd at the last statement.  He had them.



"I'm a neophyte at this whole thing," he continued.  "I have been asked to run by Mr. Langdon who introduced me." Brian nodded to his new friend.  "For some unknown reason he and some other people seem to think I might make a good mayor. I won't pretend that I have all the answers, because I don't.  However, I am willing and able to learn and I am very interested in taking a run at this position. I hope a lot of you will come along with me for the ride."



There were some chuckles and scattered applause.



A female voice yelled, "I'd go for a ride with you anywhere, honey!"



There was more laughter.  Brian looked at Charles asking how to handle this, but Charles smiled and shrugged his shoulders.



"We might have a problem, miss," Brian said.  "I'm gay."



Brian heard some groans and a few rumblings.  "Shit!" he thought. Maybe he shouldn't have mentioned that so soon.



The same female voice called.  "That's okay. You're still a hell of a lot better to look at than the last batch of politicians we had to deal with."



"Does that mean I have your vote?" Brian asked.



"Sure, although I might like a little more information."



"Good for you!" Brian responded.  "An informed electorate is a good thing.  However, I'll happily accept all votes from people who just think I'm a pretty face."



There was more laughter.  Brian decided to quit while he was ahead.



"Please take a brochure and consider me when you go to cast your ballot.  Thanks for your attention."



There was a bit more applause.  Brian could see Deb and Vic and Justin handing out the brochures.  Many people were actually taking them. Suddenly he found himself surrounded by the press who wanted interviews and to know his schedule of appearances.  They could smell the charisma of this man and wanted to be the first with a story in their paper or on the 6 o'clock news. Brian referred them to Charles' assistant who had come with them and who could supply all the requested schedules.



Charles directed Brian towards the waiting limo at the bottom of the steps.  They got in and were whisked away.



Brian let out a long breath.  "How did I do?" he asked tentatively.



"Exactly like I thought you'd do.  You handled that very well, and left them wanting more.  Great start!"



Brian smiled slightly and thought, "Maybe I can actually do this."

The Candidate

Part 3

Brian had a day to study up on topics of current public interest.  Charles told him that he needed to develop a position on each one. Brian asked Charles to help him with that, but the man refused, saying he wanted Brian to have his own position, one that he believed in.  He did promise he would discuss any topics that Brian was unsure about and offer some possible positions for him to consider.



Brian still had trouble believing that this group was so willing to stay out of everything.  He had figured they would start pushing their agenda as soon as he declared his candidacy. That had not happened.  They seemed prepared to let him make his own decisions. That both pleased and perplexed Brian. He wasn't sure where these people were coming from.  He wondered if it could really be as simple as what they had stated.



The following day Brian was to hold a press conference, followed by an interview with one of the Pittsburgh newspapers.  He hoped he was ready. He had asked Justin over in the evening, fucked his brains out and then got the boy to quiz him like it was the press conference.  They had both ended up in stitches, but besides having fun, Brian felt better prepared to meet the press.



He stepped up to the microphone in the hall where the conference was being held.  He looked out at the audience. He knew no one there except Charles who had once again accompanied him and had just introduced him to the gathered throng.



"Ladies and gentlemen of the press," Brian began, "I don't have a prepared statement, so I thought we could begin with questions that you lot want to know."  He pointed at the first raised hand that he saw.



"Mr. Kinney, I understand you were an ad executive at Vangard, but you were fired."



"Yes."



"No explanation?" the woman asked.



"You didn't ask for an explanation.  I simply answered your question."



"I'm asking you for an explanation now," said the woman reporter starting to get testy with him.



He smiled his most charming smile.  "I ran Jim Stockwell's campaign for mayor," Brian said.  There were gasps from those who had not done their homework, and therefore didn't know that piece of information.  "His numbers went way up while I was in charge. However, he began to attack and shut down gay establishments on Liberty Avenue.  It became more and more restrictive for the gay community. Finally I couldn't stand it any longer and we parted ways."



"Parted ways?" the same reporter asked.  "You were fired."



"That's correct.  I began to undermine his campaign.  I couldn't stand his politics any longer."



"Is that why you decided to run?"



"Partly."



"What other reasons did you have?"



"Mr. Langdon came to me and suggested that I take this step.  I would never have thought of running for election on my own. I was flattered and decided to give it a try."



Brian pointed at another reporter thinking he had covered that topic as much as he wanted to.



"Mr. Kinney, you said outside city hall that you were gay."  Brian nodded. "Do you think that will be a factor in this campaign?"



"I would like to say that it won't be, but this isn't Fantasy Island."  Brian heard a few chuckles. "In the real world here in Pittsburgh it will be an issue.  There will be those who condemn me for my lifestyle. There will be those who support it.  And there will be the vast majority of people, at least I hope they're a majority, who are more interested in the kind of Pittsburgh that they would have with me in charge."



"And what kind of Pittsburgh will that be?"



Brian hoped his discussion with Justin last night would pay off.  "I want a Pittsburgh that is safe, clean and free for people to live their lives without prejudice or persecution.  I truly believe in life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. I don't believe in repression or attacking any one group."



"That's very noble," the reporter replied, "but how do you intend to accomplish all that?"



"I don't."



"I beg your pardon?" the reporter said.



"I said I don't.  That is an ideal that this country has pursued in one way, shape or form since it was founded.  We have never truly achieved it, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't try. I intend to try and I hope to succeed to some degree, but I don't expect to totally get there."



He pointed at another reporter.  The woman stood and asked the question Brian had been dreading, "Do you have family in Pittsburgh, Mr. Kinney?"



"Yes, I do."



The woman looked slightly exasperated with him.  "Could you tell us about them, please?"



"I have a mother and sister.  My father's dead. And I have a son."



"A son?"



"I was sperm donor for a friend of mine.  My son lives with his mothers. They're lesbians."



"Do you see him?"



"Yes, from time to time."



"Do you support him?"


"I help out when they need it."



The reporter looked like she was going to pursue that, but then sat down.



"She probably wants more facts before she tries to make me look bad," Brian thought to himself.  He pointed to another reporter.



"Are you into the club scene, Mr. Kinney?"



"Here it comes," Brian thought.  "I have been," he said aloud.



"Not anymore?"



"I still go occasionally."


"Until Mr. Stockwell shut down the back rooms of those establishments?"



"I go to dance," Brian said skirting the issue.



"But you have made use of the back rooms in the past?"



"Yes, as do most self-respecting gay men."  Brian was getting ticked. He reminded himself that he had to watch his temper, not let them get to him.



"In fact you have quite a reputation on Liberty Avenue, don't you?"



"Do I?"



"You're known as the stud of Liberty Avenue."



"Is that right?  I didn't know my reputation would precede me."



"Did I use the correct terminology?"



"Very correct."



"What do you have to say about that?" the man pursued.



"I don't have anything to say about it.  I do have that reputation. There are many out there who would give their eye teeth to be called the same thing."



The audience laughed, but Brian saw a few disapproving faces.



"So, Mr. Kinney, you think that kind of reputation qualifies you for public office?"



"As much as Stockwell who was a homophobic bastard!" Brian retorted.  "Shit!" Brian thought. That comment was sure to be in the papers. "I don't really see what my sex life has to do with being mayor of Pittsburgh."



"It shows your moral character."



"Does it?  Does it show that I'm truthful, that I don't back down from a challenge, that I say what I mean, and unlike someone else who ran for this office, I will say it in such a way that there is no doubt about my meaning.  Where I stick my dick has nothing to do with it."



There was a collective gasp at the last statement.  The reporter sat down, seeing that he was not going to get anything better out of this guy.  He had some controversial quotes for his next article and he was happy.



"I think I'll wrap this up for today, ladies and gentlemen.  I know you think you have some real skinny to print, but please remember where you got this information.  From me! I practice what I preach. Good morning."


Brian walked down from the dais and Charles whisked him out to the car.  He leaned his head against the headrest. "Fuck!" he sighed.



"You did fine, Brian," Charles said.



"Fine?  Are you fucking nuts?  They roasted me alive in there.  I knew it was coming and there was nothing I could do about it."  Brian shook his head feeling defeated. "Maybe we should cut our losses and quit right now."



"I said you did fine.  You stood up to them. You didn't let them rattle you … too much.  You told the truth. At least I hope that was the truth?"



"It was."



"Is there more to come?" Charles asked.



"Probably," Brian replied, thinking that no one had mentioned Justin yet.



"You'll be surprised at the reaction to what you did in there."



"Really?  Will I be surprised when they come to drag me away and beat my brains in for fucking men in back rooms?"



"That's not going to happen.  Wait and see what the truth will do."



"Sure.  The truth shall set me free."  Brian grimaced.



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



Brian was dropped off at the loft where he tried to call Justin.  He hoped the boy was not in class, but he got voicemail and left a message.  He wanted a drink, but knew that some reporter would be there around one o'clock for an interview.  He could hardly wait for that.



"I must have been fucking delusional when I said I'd do this," Brian muttered.



He wanted to get drunk or stoned, but he knew he couldn't.



"Although," he thought, "that would make for an interesting interview."  He snorted. "I could fuck this right now and I'd never have to answer another question."  But, he had committed himself to this venture and he would see it through.



Suddenly the phone rang.



"Justin?" he said without looking at the caller ID.



"Yeah, it's me.  How did it go?"



"I fucking hated every minute!"



"Wasn't there anything good about it?"



"Only the part where I told them that it was none of their business where I stick my dick."



"You didn't?"


"I did."



"Brian?"



"I know, I know.  I kept my cool for most of the time, but then they asked about the club scene and if I used the back rooms."


"Did you admit it?"


"I was brutally honest about everything, about myself.  I didn't much like it. It made me sound like a not very nice person."



"When have you ever had the reputation of being nice?" Justin asked.



"Thanks," Brian replied, not liking Justin's response.



"Brian, I just mean that you are never going to be Mr. Nice no matter what you say or do at this point.  You are what you are and I thought we agreed that you would win or lose based on that."



"You're right," Brian said slowly.  "We did."



"So what's next?"



"I have some reporter coming here for an interview in about an hour."



"Take a shower, wear something smashing and be honest.  You'll be fine."



"You think so?"


Justin could remember few times when Brian had sounded so unsure of himself.  "I know so," he said, hoping to show the man his confidence in him.



"Thanks," Brian said and hung up.



He went to the bedroom to look for something great to wear.



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



A little after one o'clock the buzzer indicated that the reporter had arrived.  Brian buzzed him up, wondering what parts of his life he would have to lay bare this time.  He had managed to refrain from drink or drugs and had found some leftover salad for lunch. He looked at himself in the mirror, thinking that he looked smart and relaxed in his gray pants and soft, blue sweater.  He wished he felt that way.



The reporter knocked on the door and Brian let him in.  The man looked around assessing Brian's home.



"Just like one of my tricks," Brian thought and that made him smile.  Maybe he could do this after all.



"Great place," the reporter said.



"Thanks, there are tours on the hour," he said treating the man like a trick.



The reporter chuckled.  "I'm Greg Harris," he said extending his hand.  "But call me Greg."



Brian shook his hand and asked if he would like some coffee or a beer.  Greg said some water would be good, so Brian split a Perrier with him. They sat down in the living room.



"So Mr. Kinney, why are you running for mayor?"



"I thought I answered that one this morning.  Weren't you there?"



"Yes, I was.  I thought maybe there was a longer version, like rubbing Stockwell's face in it."



Brian chuckled.  "That would be sweet, after he cost me my job."



"But that isn't your motivation?"



"Actually I never thought about him at all.  I'm just glad he's out of the race."



"Why did you represent him if you were so against his politics?"



"He wouldn't have been my first choice, but he came to me.  At first things were pretty innocuous. He didn't know I was gay.  Gradually he started targeting Liberty Avenue until I couldn't stand it anymore."



"So how did you come to the parting of the ways?"



"I sent him into an ambush, and he figured it out."



"Why didn't you just tell him that you quit?"



"The firm had too much resting on him and the campaign.  I naively thought I could get away with it."



"Do you live here alone?" Greg asked changing the subject.



"Yes," Brian replied.



"No live-in lover?"



"Not at the moment."



"Has there been one?"



"One, and only one."



"But he's not here now?"



"We're working some things out."



"Care to supply me with a name?"



"Not really."



"Okaaaaay."  He drew the word out.  "Then let's get to your positions on some issues."



"Sure," Brian replied, glad that they seemed to be done with the personal stuff.



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



Justin called around four o'clock to see how the interview had gone.  Brian told him it could have been worse and asked if he was coming over.  Justin said he had about an hour of work to do in his space at the Institute, and then he would pick up dinner and come to Brian's.  This would be one of the few free evenings Brian would have for the next while.



When Justin arrived at the loft he found Brian stretched out on the couch staring at the ceiling.



"Hey," he said coming through the door.



"Hey yourself."



"Are you hungry?" Justin asked.  "I brought take-out."



"I could eat.  I had a little bit of salad for lunch."



Once they were settled on the couch with their dinner, Justin asked again how the interview went.  Brian was sort of non-committal.



"Did they ask about me?" Justin wanted to know, thinking that might be the reason for Brian's lack of information.



"He asked if I live here alone and I told him I do.  We skirted the issue of you. I didn't give him your name."



"Why not?"



"I was trying to keep you out of it."



"That's not going to work.  People around here know our history.  All they have to do is ask."



"I know, but I don't know what to say about you.  We don't technically live together, but most nights you're here, like now."



"You could say I'm your lover, your boyfriend, your significant other or your fuck de jour.  Take your pick," Justin dared staring straight at Brian.



"How about all of the above?"



"What?  You think I'm all of the above?"



"Yes, I do."



"Jesus, Brian, you pick a hell of a time to tell me this."



"Oops!" Brian said with a shrug and a silly little grin.  "Would you be okay if I said you were any or all of those things?"



"Yes."



"Even the fuck de jour."



"Even that."



"What about fuck de every jour?" Brian asked with a smile.  "Once I mention you they'll come after you."



"So?"



"What will you say?"



"I could say that I have a pretty big cock and I give great head.  That would explain why you keep me around."



"There's lots of other reasons I keep you around."



"Such as?" Justin asked wanting some answers especially before they appeared in the newspaper.



"We make a great team," Brian offered.



Justin grinned.  "Yeah, we do."



"I couldn't go through this without you."



"Yes, you could."



"But it wouldn't be half as much fun," Brian teased.



"Sweet talker," Justin replied setting down his plate and moving closer to Brian.  His hand reached for Brian's cock and he could feel that his words had already had an effect.  "Are we done with dinner?"



"I think so," Brian said getting rid of his own plate.  He took Justin in his arms and kissed him with such tenderness and need that the boy was taken aback.



"This will be all right, Brian.  I'll be all right. We'll be all right."



"Promise?"



"Yes."

The Candidate

Part 4

The next few days went by in a fog. Brian had round after round of interviews and question and answer sessions and local TV appearances. He answered the same questions over and over again.

Was he gay? How did that impact his campaign?

Was he in a relationship? He said sort of and surprisingly no one really pursued it. He thought they must surely know about Justin and the bashing at the prom by now, but no one took it any farther. He wondered if they were afraid to bring up the bashing with him. He wasn't sure himself how he would react to that question.

Another surprise was how little he was actually asked about policies that he would implement if he became mayor. He could hardly believe that his personal life was more important than issues.

Brian was scheduled to appear at the Hispanic center for a meet and greet this evening. Justin had arrived for dinner and kissed him goodbye, wishing him luck as he headed off with Charles.

Brian had answered most of the usual questions when he caught a glimpse of someone arriving who looked very familiar. The man sat down in an empty aisle seat near the back.

"Shit!" Brian thought. "I wonder what he's doing here." The word ambush rolled around inside his head.

"Mr. Kinney? Mr. Kinney?" a voice called him back to the reality of his situation. "I asked you if you would favor greater accountability by public officials."

"I don't know about greater accountability, but I certainly favor officials taking responsibility for things they do and for the programs under their care."

"Is that so?" Jim Stockwell stood and asked.

"Yes!" Brian retorted, now knowing for sure what Stockwell had planned.

"So are you accountable for sabotaging my campaign?"

"Yes, Mr. Stockwell," Brian replied making sure everyone knew who he was talking to, "I am."

"So Mr. High and Mighty here thinks that it is all right to use whatever underhanded and dirty tactics he can to achieve his ends. Is that the kind of mayor you want?" Stockwell demanded looking around the auditorium.

There were whispers and rumblings. Brian knew he had to nip this in the bud. "I can't speak for the kind of mayor these people want, but I can speak for myself." Brian waited till a pin drop could be heard. Stockwell stood fuming, waiting to hear how Brian was going to get out of this one. "I ran a campaign to bring you down," Brian admitted.

"Behind my back and while I was paying you to promote me!" Stockwell said triumphantly.

"Correct. I promoted you until your views became so anathema to me that I couldn't stand it any longer. Then I had to take action."

"So you went behind my back. You and your faggot lover made those disgusting posters!" Brian could see Stockwell's blood pressure rising. He hoped he didn't have a stroke in front of him. On second thought maybe he hoped he would have a stroke.

Brian noticed some raised eyebrows and gasps at Stockwell's choice of words. If he goaded him a bit, he might really self destruct. "My faggot lover and I certainly did. Your homophobic tendencies, as you just demonstrated, needed to be brought up short."

"How dare you call me a homophobe, you sick bastard. You disgust me! You lousy fag!"

Some people had moved toward Stockwell to try to shut him up and restore order. He allowed himself to be steered toward the exit. Suddenly he turned and yelled, "Fag!" one more time. Then he stomped out and those ushering him closed the door behind him.

Brian knew everyone was waiting for his reaction. He took a deep breath. "Calling me a fag is of little consequence, ladies and gentlemen. I am a fag. I have embraced that word since I was a teenager. I'm also a queer and a fairy and a pansy. There's a much longer list that I won't force you to listen to. I wear the badge proudly. That's what I am."

With that Brian stepped down and he and Charles went to get some refreshments. As Brian sipped the sickly sweet punch they had on the refreshment table, he received a lot of positive feedback about how he had handled Stockwell's tirade. He was rather surprised that in this macho Hispanic world so many people were indicating that they might vote for him. He began to realize the value of the truth and its effect on people. Maybe Charles was right.

After an hour people began to leave and Brian was at the limit of his handshaking tolerance. He asked Charles to get them out of there. Several people wished him luck in the campaign as he left the building.

By the time he reached the loft he was exhausted. He hadn't realized how much gearing up for these things took out of him. He said good night to Charles and the car drove off. He turned towards his building in time to see Jim Stockwell step out of his doorway.

"Been waiting long, Jim?" Brian said sarcastically.

"You think you're such hot stuff. I haven't even got started on you yet. You'll never get elected to anything, including dog catcher."

"I thought that was what you were going to run for next," Brian retorted.

He thought for a split second that Stockwell was going to hit him.

"You are fucked!" Stockwell yelled.

"Calm down, Jim, and learn a few things. Tonight I showed you how to handle an ambush. I hope you aren't going to waste any more of my time."

"You haven't seen the last of me!" Stockwell declared and stomped off down the street.

"Somehow I fucking knew that would be the case," Brian said to himself as he unlocked the front door.

Moments later as he slid back the loft door, he actually prayed that Justin would be there. He needed his lover badly!

Suddenly arms were around his neck and a slim, warm body pressed itself against his. His mouth was covered by soft, insistent lips.

"Umm," he groaned, senses reeling from the fulfillment of his prayer. "I'm so glad you're here."

"Right thing to say," Justin whispered and pulled Brian inside.

The next thing either knew they were naked on the bed and Justin's condom-covered cock was pressed against Brian's spasming hole. Justin kissed the back and side of Brian's neck.

"It's all right," he whispered.

He felt Brian shiver a little bit and pressed forward with his hips. The tip of his cock forced its way through the first ring of muscle. He felt Brian gasp and tense up. He waited for the man to relax and be ready to accept more.

"We'll be all right," he continued.

His hips thrust forward and he was farther inside. He waited briefly before his next thrust impaled Brian fully.

"You'll be all right," he repeated like some weird mantra.

The man looked back at his lover and Justin leaned against him finding the lips he wanted, caressing and licking.

"All right?" he asked as some strange ending to the litany of promises he had been making.

Brian moaned slightly and exhaled. "All right," he agreed.

The dance began, Justin taking full control, allowing Brian to relinquish all responsibility. Somehow he knew this was the best thing he could do for his man.

Justin's strokes were firm and deep, trying to convey to Brian the strength of his belief in him, and in them. He bit at the back of Brian's neck and licked the spot. He nipped at his shoulder blade and licked there. "I want to devour you," he whispered by Brian's ear.

He heard and felt a rumbling growl escape Brian's throat. "Fuck me! Hard!" Brian begged and Justin did.

When they were finished they lay in each other's arms, not speaking for awhile. Brian stared into Justin's blue eyes, seeing the trust and love there. He wondered if Justin ever saw the same thing in his eyes, because he felt love and trust for the boy, but he was so good at covering his feelings with that veneer of nonchalance and smartass wit that kept his true feelings secret from the rest of the world.

Justin stared into hazel eyes that seemed better now, more relaxed and together. He had seen fear there when Brian first arrived, and that was so unlike the man. He wondered what had happened tonight, but knew he needed to let Brian tell him. Questions would get him a quick retort and Brian would shut him out. He wished Brian would tell him in words the love he saw in those hazel eyes.

Brian sighed.

"Are you all right?" Justin asked.

"I had no idea that things would be this fucking hard when I agreed to run for mayor," Brian admitted, shaking his head.

"Yes you did," Justin replied, showing no sympathy at all.

"What?" Brian stared angrily at the young man.

"You knew it was going to be hard. You knew they were going to dig into your life. You just thought that it would happen and then all go away, but they keep bringing up the same things over and over again."

"Yeah," Brian said ruefully.

"So, get used to it."

"I don't think I can."

"You can do anything you want to do," Justin declared.

"Stockwell," Brian said out of the blue.

"What about Stockwell?"

"He was at the center tonight. He tried to ambush me."

"No shit?"

"He tried to make out that I tricked him and lied to him."

"What did you say?"

"I accepted everything he accused me of, but I also made it clear that I'm not sorry. He deserved what he got."

"Good for you," Justin said.

"He was here, waiting for me at the door, when I got home."

"Here? No!"

"Yes, down on the front steps. He's not through with me yet."

"He can't hurt you. If you stick to the truth, he has nothing to accuse you of."

"He thinks he's the injured party. He's out to get me."

"Brian, you're smarter and quicker and have more integrity than he has in his little finger. Don't worry about him."

"Remember when you confronted Chris Hobbs on Liberty Avenue?" Brian saw Justin flinch at the mention of that name. "He said you were fucked. That's what Stockwell said to me tonight. Do you remember what I told you?"

"That I had made a real enemy."

Brian nodded. "Look what he did to you. I wonder what Stockwell is planning for me?"

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

The next day Brian did another round of interviews and meetings. He began to wonder how politicians did this day after day, always on, always nice to people. It was quickly wearing thin, but he held it together and Charles told him he was doing very well.

By dinner time he was tired, but sat through a rubber chicken candidates dinner at the Lebanese club. There was to be a question and answer session afterwards. This was the first time he would be pitted against his opponents in this race. He hoped he was ready.

Once the tables had been cleared and the candidates introduced, the floor was open for questions. Brian noticed that the deputy mayor, Allan Billings, handled himself very well. He was pure white bread, church going, Bible thumping, holier-than-thou. Brian detested him immediately, but couldn't fault the way he handled himself. He reminded him slightly of Stockwell and began to see why Charles or any other liberal would not want him running the city.

There was a woman, Janet Ferrino, also running. She was rather timid and had not too much to say. He thought she would probably try to do the right thing as mayor, but her lack of fortitude for the task meant she would never be elected.

The other candidate in the session was Jamal Jefferson. He was a young black businessman who campaigned on freer and easier protocols for business. That was his one agenda. He seemed to know a lot about that, but not much about some of the other topics. He had a wicked sense of humor and didn't back down from any question, even if he had no idea how to answer it. Brian liked him. He began to think that he could really do something with Jefferson's campaign. With a bit of polish and coaching, Brian thought even he would vote for him.

"Mr. Kinney, where do you stand on less regulation for business?" Brian was asked.

Brian was forced to take his mind off how he would direct Mr. Jefferson's campaign and try to figure out what to say in answer to this question. He made a mental note to try not to let his mind wander.

"I think simplifying business regulations would probably be a good thing, as long as it doesn't decrease the safety and benefits of the workers."

That drew him a round of applause. Christ, he was good.

Suddenly he caught movement out of the corner of his eye. Stockwell was back and he had brought someone with him. Fuck! Brian's stomach did a flip. It couldn't be! But it was. Brian thought the rubber chicken was going to come up.

Brian's mind was racing. He didn't hear the next question or the answers. Someone said his name and he glanced up. "Could you repeat the question?" he asked.

"Is lifestyle an issue in this mayoralty race?"

"I've answered that question many times already," Brian sighed. "I don't suppose it is for my opponents." He looked tellingly at each one. Mr. Jefferson grinned back. "But, I suppose it will be, for me, as long as this campaign lasts."

"What about for the rest of your life and the afterlife?" a female voice asked.

Brian cringed. Shit! He knew she was there but he never expected her to actually get up and speak. "I try not to make it an issue, mother," Brian said with ice in his voice.

"Oh, but darling, it will be when you burn in Hell." The audience gasped.

"We'll let God or whatever afterlife there is take care of that."

"See, he is a non-believer," Joanie continued. "The Bible says he is doomed and he refuses to repent."

Brian felt his blood boiling. How dare she come here and pull this shit in front of all these people. He took a deep breath. "Mother," he began, keeping his voice level and with as little venom as possible, "this is hardly the place or the time for this discussion."

"I think it's exactly the place and time. People need to know what kind of person you are."

"Well, why don't you tell them?" Brian baited her, knowing what he would hear, and that she was going to say it anyway.

"You sleep with men," she said with a sour look on her face. "You have a teenage lover. You never come to visit me."

"Why would I?" Brian retorted. He heard another gasp from the audience at his seemingly callous statement to his mother. If only they knew.

"Of course, no one's good enough for you, darling."

"Now, mother, be truthful. You don't want me visiting. You don't think I'm good enough to spend time with you."

Joanie stared at her son. "After what you did to your nephew, I don't."

People were waiting to hear what he had done to his nephew. Brian had had enough. "My nephew accused me of molesting him, after I caught him stealing money from my wallet. I was brought in for questioning by the police. My mother and sister believed every word the little monster said, never even talked to me about it before they called the cops. Eventually my nephew admitted that he had lied and nothing had happened. All charges were dropped, but you can see how forgiving my loving family is. Maybe that gives you some inkling as to why I keep my distance."

Brian saw the look of hate on his mother's face. She turned on her heel and marched out of the room, Stockwell close on her heels. There was an uncomfortable silence in the hall. Brian knew he needed to get out of there. He stood up and realized that his knees were a little weak. He grabbed the table for support.

Finally he said, "I think I'm finished for tonight." He found the strength in his legs to walk down from the platform and out the door, his back like a ramrod. Charles caught up to him outside and they quickly drove off.

"Were the charges dropped, Brian?" Charles asked with a worried look on his face.

"Yes," Brian sighed, his head pounding. "Do you want me to quit now?"

"No, absolutely not. You handled that as well as could be expected. What the fuck kind of family do you have?" he had to ask.

"Damned if I know! I wish I didn't have one at all."

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

When Brian got to the loft he took a long drink of Jim Beam. He so much wanted to get drunk, but he had promised himself not to do that as long as he was running for mayor. He wanted, no he needed, something … someone. He wanted Justin, but he had told the boy not to come over tonight, knowing that he wouldn't be home till late.

He picked up the phone and stared at it for a minute. He pushed Justin's number.

"Hello?" There was no reply. "Hello? Brian? Are you there? You know I have caller ID. Brian, what is it?"

"My mother, she was there tonight."

"I'll be right there. Wait for me."

Brian cut the connection. When had he become so dependent on Justin? He was the only one he ever needed for comfort. He was the one he wanted when he felt miserable like now. He was the one he could depend on to rush to his side. He was the one who mattered.

Brian's head was pounding, but he made sure he didn't take another drink. He sat on the couch, his head thrown back and his eyes closed. "Hurry!" he prayed.

Justin slid back the loft door and saw Brian. He was at the couch in a second and had Brian cradled in his arms. The man moaned and whimpered.

"What's wrong?" Justin asked.

"Headache! Bad!" was all Brian could get out.

Justin gently pulled him up and began taking off Brian's clothes and dragging him towards the bedroom. When he had the man naked, he pushed him gently down onto the bed and pulled the duvet up over him. He went into the bathroom and got the headache pills and a glass of water. He forced Brian to open his eyes and take the pills. That done he threw off his own clothes and climbed in beside Brian. He cradled the man on his chest, rubbing his back and whispering softly to him that it would pass.

After a few minutes he felt Brian relax a little bit. The pills were beginning to work. He could tell that Brian was drifting off. Sleep was the best thing for him now.

While he waited to be sure Brian was asleep, he thought about what he was going to do tomorrow. She had to be stopped.

The Candidate

Part 5

Justin rode the bus, his mind a million miles away. He had left Brian asleep at the loft. The pills he had given Brian for the headache were good for at least twelve hours of sleep, if not more. He had slipped out of bed, making sure Brian was breathing and comfortable before he left.

He had called Charles Langdon, whose number he had found next to the computer, to tell him that Brian was not feeling well and would miss his appointments for the morning and maybe all day. Charles had told him they were to attend a craft fair at a local center that morning, but they could do that in the afternoon just as well. He promised to rearrange a few things and call back around lunch time to see if Brian was up to doing some more campaigning.

Justin drank some juice and had a piece of toast before leaving the loft and catching this bus. He had debated taking the Corvette, but Brian might wake up and want it, and Justin had never driven it alone. He had left him a note explaining that he had called Charles and cancelled for the morning. He had merely said that he was out running an errand. It was sure to be an unpleasant one.

He watched the street names as the bus passed them by. He was pretty sure he knew how to get to his destination, but he didn't want to get lost. He saw the name he was looking for and pushed the bar to stop the bus. He got off at the next stop. He turned down the street, walking slowly; trying to decide how to handle this and what he was going to say.

As he approached the house he slowed even more. He hated this woman with a passion. What she had put Brian through over the years was beyond belief, but her actions last night had been the last straw.

He walked up the front steps and tentatively pressed the bell. He waited, his heart pounding and his stomach rolling. Suddenly the door opened and there she was.

"Mrs. Kinney," he said softly.

"You!" she replied. "What are you doing here?"

"So you recognize me?"

"You're his teenage lover," she spat the word lover out like it burnt her tongue.

"I'm Brian's friend," Justin said carefully.

"Don't play coy with me, young man. I know what you are."

"Be that as it may, I need to talk to you. May I come in?"

"I don't think I want you in my house," she said in her most superior manner.

Justin wanted to punch her in the face. He could not think of another time he had ever felt like doing that to a woman, especially an older woman. He shook his head at the effect she could have on him, and obviously had on Brian. "I have some things to say to you, and I'm going to say them, either in the privacy of your home or right here for the whole neighborhood to witness," Justin stated firmly.

Joanie blanched visibly. "Come in," she said quickly.

"Ever the one to maintain appearances," Justin thought as she ushered him into the living room.

"Whatever it is that you want to say, be quick about it and then get out," she ordered.

Justin sat on the couch, more to annoy her than from the fact that he wanted to sit down. "I know you went to Brian's candidates meeting last night and caused a scene."

"So what if I did? It's a free country. I have my opinions and I can express them whenever and wherever I want," she said in her most supercilious tone.

"You're absolutely right about that, but I want to know why you feel you have to hurt Brian every chance you get?"

"Hurt him! Hurt him!" she shrieked. "You can't hurt that man. He has no heart, no conscience, no soul."

"He has all of those things, even after you and your husband did your best to beat them out of him."

"We did no such thing! How dare you say that? You don't know what you're talking about."

"You hurt him last night," Justin stated.

"He seemed fine when I left."

"He's home right now trying to sleep off a migraine. You caused it."

Joanie stared at Justin, not sure how to refute what he had just said. Finally she said, "The truth hurts, doesn't it."

Justin sighed audibly. It seemed impossible to make any headway with this woman. He wondered how Brian had stood it all these years. He decided to get to the point. "I came here today to ask you to leave him alone."

"I have no intention of leaving him alone. I can't believe that he has the audacity to run for public office. What kind of an example is he for anyone?"

"He's one of the frontrunners," Justin said.

"Brian? He … he can't be."

"He is."

"Mr. Stockwell said I would be sure to end his slim chances if I told what kind of person he is. He never told me that Brian had a chance to win," Joanie said, apparently stunned about the possibility that Brian might actually be mayor.

"Stockwell has his own reasons for hating Brian. Why did you go along with him?" Justin wanted to know.

"I … I thought people should know what he had done to his nephew and what a horrid lifestyle he lives."

"He never did anything to his nephew. I caught the kid in his lie. Brian was blameless, but you and his sister almost got him arrested."

"I thought he had done it," Joanie said self-righteously.

"Don't you have any faith in him at all?"

"No."

"Christ," Justin thought, "she really is a bitch." He needed to get out of there, away from her, before he did or said something he would really regret. "I know I can't change your feelings about Brian, but I'm telling you that he is a good man, and I'm asking you to stay out of this. If you can't support him, at least don't tear him down."

"Are you done now?" Joanie asked coldly.

"I'm done, but I'd like an answer to what I just asked you."

"I'll do as I see fit," she said rising from her chair.

Justin knew he had been dismissed and he quickly left the house. As he walked back to the main street to catch another bus, he wondered if he had made things better or worse. He knew from what Brian had said how difficult she was to deal with, but now he understood a little better why Brian was so closed off and rigid about some things. He had learned from an expert.

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

When Justin finally arrived back at the loft he found Brian in the shower. He decided to join him. Brian wrapped his arms around the slight frame and kissed his lips.

"You seem better," Justin said softly.

"I think I slept long enough that I don't have that drugged feeling that those pills sometimes give me. Thanks for coming to my rescue last night."

"Any time."

"Where have you been?"

"I …" Justin began, trying to think of a good errand he could have been out doing. "I went to see your mother," he said finally.

"Fuck! You didn't?"

"I did. Now I know why you never want to visit her."

"What did she do?" Brian asked with a worried look on his face.

"She didn't really do anything except be terribly obnoxious and supercilious."

"Are you still practicing your vocabulary for your SAT's?" Brian asked with a grimace.

"I wanted to punch her lights out," Justin said. "I actually thought about punching her in the face." He was still amazed at how she had brought out those feelings in him.

"I'm amazed you were able to restrain yourself."

"Has she always been like that?"

"Pretty much."

"How did you stand it?"

"I don't know. Did I stand it? She still fucking drives me insane."

"I asked her to stay away from you, if she couldn't be supportive."

"And I bet she agreed to that immediately," Brian said sarcastically.

"No, she didn't, but she was very surprised that you are one of the frontrunners in the mayoralty race."

"I am?"

"Jesus, Brian, don't you ever look at the papers?"

"I've been kind of busy lately," Brian said lamely.

"Come on out of the shower and I'll show you," Justin said.

"I want to fuck you."

"Later."

Justin turned off the water and pulled Brian out of the enclosure. They dried off and Justin went to the kitchen to make them a sandwich. When he had finished that task, they sat on the couch surrounded by the week's papers. Justin grabbed one and showed Brian the headline. It read, "New Candidate a Breath of Fresh Air".

"That's you," Justin said proudly, pointing to the headline.

Brian stared at it. He thought he had handled himself pretty well at the events he had attended, but he never really expected approval. He took the paper and read some of the accompanying article. It told how Mr. Kinney had been very forthright about his sexuality and his firing from his last job. It described how he had chosen to work against Stockwell whose beliefs and intolerance he could not stand.

Brian read on like he was learning about a third person to whom he was just being introduced. He wondered if that was how people who read the article would feel, that this was a person they were getting to know. This person sounded pretty damn good, even though he could barely get his mind around the idea that it was him they were describing.

"Nice article," Justin said.

"Yeah," Brian had to admit. "Did you give me the only good one?"

"No, you goof, they're almost all like that."

"No shit?"

"No shit."

"You said almost all?"

"There's one from the paper that was supporting Stockwell. They aren't too thrilled with you."

"I can imagine. Let me see."

Brian read a less than flattering article about how he had sabotaged Stockwell's campaign and how he was considered a promiscuous and decadent member of the Liberty Avenue clubs that Mr. Stockwell had been trying to close down.

"This is more what I expected, although even they took it easy on me, all things considered."

"It's only one opinion of four. The other three papers are mostly flattering," Justin told him. "Even the paper that is against you has to be careful what they say about your homosexuality in this politically correct climate."

Brian snorted. "Whoever would have thought that political correctness would work in my favor?" Brian said.

Just then the phone rang. It was Charles wanting to know how Brian was and if he was up to going to the fair. Brian asked Charles if he realized how well he seemed to be doing according to the papers.

"Of course I do, Brian. I only back winners," Charles said with a laugh.

"Then I'm glad you're supporting me," Brian said, "I think."

"What do you mean, you think?"

"I don't know that I ever really expected that I had a chance to win this thing. I knew I would do my darnedest, but I thought I had too many things going against me. Now it seems like I could actually win."

"You could."

"I understand now why Stockwell told me that he was scared … of winning. How do I know I can do it? What if I really screw things up?"

"You won't, Brian. You will make an excellent mayor. Otherwise, I wouldn't be helping you," Charles said confidently.

"Thank you," Brian said sincerely, "for having faith in me."

"I'll pick you up in an hour," Charles said and hung up.

Brian looked at Justin who smiled his sunshine smile, proud of his man and what he was achieving.

"Charles will be here to pick me up in an hour. Want a quick one?" Brian asked.

"I've been saving something especially for you," Justin said.

"You have? What?"

"Lean back and I'll show you."

When Charles arrived an hour later Brian had a relaxed and self-satisfied grin on his face. Justin did have something special for him. It was just about the best blowjob Brian had ever had. He grinned at the memory and could feel his cock stiffen.

"Shit!" he thought. He could hardly go to this fair with a prominent boner poking through his pants. He willed his cock to behave. He looked at Justin who glanced at his crotch and grinned.

"Later," Justin said as he brushed past Brian on his way out of the loft. He had a shift at the diner.

"Later," Brian called after him. Later couldn't come soon enough as far as he was concerned.

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

Charles had arranged to have a booth set up at the fair from which they could hand out their brochure about Brian. When they arrived, Charles checked with the two people manning the booth and found out that there had been a lot of people stopping by and asking questions. It seemed that the race was heating up. They pointed out Allan Billings' booth down the way and said it had been busy too.

Several people approached when they saw Brian, wanting to shake his hand and wish him well. He chatted briefly with each, not liking this small talk, but knowing that he needed to be nice to any potential voters.

Brian had been going through the motions for about a half hour when he turned and saw her out of the corner of his eye. He shivered involuntarily not feeling like going another round with his mother. He whispered to Charles who glanced at Joanie and nodded to Brian.

Brian stepped away from the booth and approached his mother. He linked his arm through hers and steered her towards the entrance.

"Are you here to create another scene, mother?" Brian said through clenched teeth.

"If I was, it would have already happened," his mother replied coldly.

"Then what do you want?"

"I came to tell you something."

"And what might that be?"

"I had a visit from that teenager you live with."

"I don't live with him, mother. We're friends, and I fuck him occasionally."

His mother cringed at his words. "Brian, do you have to be so crude?"

"When the circumstances warrant, yes."

"He asked me to stay out of this, if I couldn't be supportive," Joanie said.

"So are you here to demonstrate that you won't be doing that?" Brian asked sarcastically.

"No, darling, I'm not."

"What do you mean?" Brian asked, puzzled.

"I decided that blood is thicker than water."

"And when did this revelation hit you?"

"Don't be sarcastic! I came to tell you that Mr. Stockwell lied to me."

"He did? How?"

"He told me you didn't have a chance to win and that all you were going to do was drag our family business into the spotlight."

"Of course that would be my motivation, to punish you!" Brian replied sarcastically.

Joanie gave him a disapproving look. So what else was new? "He told me that if I spoke at that meeting, I could stop you right there. It would be the last nail in the coffin of your campaign."

"How descriptive, mother! Did you come up with that analogy or was it Stockwell?"

"He told me that, but as I said, he lied. That young man, Justin?" she asked.

"Yes, Justin."

"He told me that you were one of the frontrunners, that you could actually be mayor."

"There's a possibility that could happen."

"Brian, I don't want to ruin your chances. I just don't want our dirty linen laundered in public."

"That's impossible to guarantee when I'm running for public office. People will ask me anything they want, and I will answer honestly."

"If you will try not to disgrace the family, I'll keep my mouth shut," Joanie offered.

"Are you serious?" Brian asked her.

"Yes, I am."

"I don't want the family disgraced anymore than it already is."

Joanie grimaced at that statement.

"I'll try, mother, if you will too," Brian declared.

She nodded, turned on her heel and was gone before he really knew what had happened.

The Candidate

Part 6

Justin rocked back into Brian's strokes.  They had been at it for over two hours. He couldn't remember how many times he had come.  Brian had seemed almost happy when he came home from the fair. His mother had paid him an impromptu visit there and they had reached some kind of an agreement about her staying out of the campaign.  Brian seemed to think that Justin's visit had facilitated this happening. This was his reward.



"Aaaahhhh!" Justin screamed and came with mighty force.  Shit! After all the times he had come already, he hadn't expected another one of such intensity.  "Jesus, Brian, I think you've thanked me enough," Justin gasped.



"No I haven't."



"I need a rest or you're going to kill me with gratitude."



"Okaaaaaay," Brian said slowly, "if you're sure."



"I'm sure.  But you can thank me again later," Justin grinned, rolling over and scrunching closer to Brian.



"You can be sure I will."



"What did she say to you?" Justin asked.  He had posed that question several times already, but had yet to receive a satisfactory answer.



"She just said that Stockwell had lied to her and that she didn't want family business brought out into public view.  We agreed to try to minimize that."



"Did she say she was sorry for what she did at the Hispanic Center?"



"Hell no!  This is my mother we're talking about.  She's always right, always in control. What would she have to apologize about?" Brian asked sarcastically.



Justin shook his head.  That would have been too much to hope for, but he was glad that there was some kind of truce between them, and less likelihood of her screwing things up for Brian.



"Brian," Justin said leaning against him, "do you think Stockwell will try something else?"



"Probably."



"What do you think he will do?"



"I don't know, but I doubt that he's ready to give up yet."



"So what can you do about it?"


"I can't do anything except prepare for the worst."



"How do you do that?"



"Damned if I know!"



Justin cuddled against Brian wanting him to know that he was there to back him regardless of what happened.  He still wished that Brian's mother could be more supportive of her son. He thought of his own father and could almost imagine him doing something like Joanie had, if he was in the same position.  Justin made a face wondering why parents were so cruel to their children. Why did they have them in the first place if they couldn't accept them for what they were?



"I have a strange meeting coming up tomorrow night," Brian said out of the blue.



"Strange … how?"



"It's at the GLC."



Justin snorted.  "So what's strange about that?"



"Well, for starters, Tannis and Phillip!"



Justin chuckled.  "Besides that?"



"I don't know what sort of reaction I'll get there," Brian said, the uncertainty clearly expressed in his voice.



"What do you mean?"



"They know me.  They know my reputation … the truth about me."



"So?"



"So, when people are strangers, I can wear my usual façade with no problem.  At the GLC they will know when I'm shitting them."



"Then don't shit them," Justin replied simply.



"But isn't this whole election crap just universal bullshit?" Brian asked cynically.



"Brian, you don't believe that, do you?" Justin asked a worried look on his face.



"I … I don't know.  Sometimes I think I'm being sincere and that I could make a difference, and other times I think I'm practising crap control.  The whole process is so fucked up. There's so many variables."



"You don't like being the one not in control, do you?" Justin asked with a grin.



"You think?"



"I think you are doing just fine.  I think you will make a great mayor.  I think you'll handle yourself in your usual inimitable style at the GLC."



"God, you're gullible!" Brian chuckled, secretly pleased that Justin thought so much of him and his abilities.



"I'm truthful," Justin replied staring into Brian's hazel eyes.



That earned him a delicious kiss.  God, he loved Brian's lips, and his tongue and his ass and his hands and his cock.  He was rapidly losing his train of thought when he heard Brian's voice asking him something.



"What did you say?" he asked coming out of his lust-filled haze.



"I asked if you were ready for your next round of gratitude, but I can tell that you are," Brian said squeezing Justin's already hard cock.



"Always ready," Justin whispered and they were off to the races.



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



Brian took a deep breath.  Tannis had just introduced him to the assembled throng at the GLC.  He could see Deb and Vic and Justin sitting together. He wondered who else was there.  Probably some of his old tricks were. He must be crazy to be doing this.



"Bad Moon Rising" flashed through his head.  He felt like he was trapped in some horror flick.  He wondered which old monster would rise up to bite his ass.



Following his introduction there was a polite round of applause and a few whistles which he was sure were coming out of Debbie's mouth.  He didn't dare look at her.



Tannis opened the floor to questions.



"What do you plan to do about the back rooms on Liberty Avenue, the ones that Stockwell shut down?" someone asked.



"I don't plan to do anything about them," Brian responded.



"Does that mean that you will let them reopen?"



"Yes," Brian said flatly.



"Don't you think they are a blight on our community?" the man pursued.



Brian glanced at Tannis who nodded her head in agreement with the asshole from the audience.  He should have known this would happen. None of his tricks would come to a political meeting.  They didn't give a fuck. It was only self-righteous assholes like this guy who would bother to attend.



Brian remembered Justin's words about not trying to shit the people who already knew the truth.  "I don't think they are a blight. I think they serve a very useful function. When the back rooms were shut down, people were forced onto the streets and into places where they shouldn't be.  We all know that sexual acts are going to take place. Why not keep them off the streets and in the back rooms where they belong?"


"Why not keep them in the privacy of people's homes?" the same man demanded.



"That's fine for the people who want to do it there, but there are other attitudes about sex."



"Like your own promiscuity?" the man asked.  The audience gasped.



Who the fuck was this guy and why wouldn't he shut up?  Brian glanced around and saw Stockwell in a back corner of the room.  He had a smirk all over his self-satisfied face. "A plant," Brian thought.  Stockwell had sent this man here to do his dirty work for him.



"Sure, I've been promiscuous," Brian stated honestly.  "In fact, at one point, I smashed the lock off the door of the back room at Babylon.  Some of you may have witnessed that."



There was a smattering of laughs and applause.  "Some of my people are here," Brian thought to himself.



"And you're proud of that?" the same man shouted.  "I'd think you would be ashamed of yourself."



"Well, you'd be wrong!" Brian declared.  "I'm not ashamed of anything I've done. My motto has always been 'No apologies, no regrets'."



Brian saw the man look back toward Stockwell and then sit down.  Apparently he had run the gamut of his criticisms, at least for now.



There were some more questions from the audience about his views on various topics.  Brian had answered most of them many times already. Someone asked why he thought he was qualified to be mayor.



"I don't know that I am," Brian replied.  "How does one get qualified for the job other than by doing it?  So, I guess that's makes me just about as qualified as all the rest of you."



That earned him a round of applause.



He was beginning to think that he was going to get through the rest of the evening relatively unscathed when he saw Stockwell step forward.



"Justin Taylor," Stockwell stated.



"What?" Brian said staring at him and wishing the floor would open up and swallow this ass.  He had a horrible feeling he knew where this was going.



"I said 'Justin Taylor'," Stockwell repeated, "you know, your young lover, your accomplice in destroying my campaign, your underage student that you corrupted."



Brian glared at Stockwell, unsure what he could say in response.  He had done his best to keep Justin's name out of this so far. Suddenly he heard another voice.



"I'm here, Mr. Stockwell, and Brian didn't corrupt me.  I make my own decisions and I'm not underage. I was the one who started the poster campaign against you.  Brian actually told me to stop. I wouldn't. As you became more and more punitive in your attitude towards the gay community, Brian decided to join me in our bid to oust you.  So, if you want to blame someone, blame me." Justin finished his statement and sat down. Debbie patted his arm to show her support.



Stockwell glared in the direction of Justin and Debbie, remembering them both from the ambush in this very building a few weeks ago.  He wasn't going to let Kinney outdo him this time.



"This child may think that you haven't corrupted him, but he was still a child when you started abusing him," Stockwell stated.



"I have never abused him!" Brian said, his teeth gritted, his heart pounding and his blood pressure soaring to new heights.



"You abuse everyone and everything that comes in contact with you.  I bet there are lots of men in this room who have felt your cold and callous abuse after you have used them and thrown them away."


"Christ," Brian thought, "where is he getting his information?"


The auditorium was dead silent waiting for Brian's reply.



"I don't abuse people," Brian began, all too familiar with abuse himself.  "Anyone I have been with has been there voluntarily, and most have been very satisfied customers."



There were scattered laughs in the audience.  Brian was tempted to ask anyone he had been with to rise and give a testimonial, but he thought better of that, wondering how many men might actually stand up.


"You are the worst and most disgusting example of gay men that I have ever seen," Stockwell continued.  "The law abiding and moral segment of gay society condemns you and everything you stand for."



"And how the fuck would you know what gay society thinks or feels?" Brian exploded.  "Who gave you the right to speak for any homosexual?"



"Yeah!" someone yelled.



"Who do you think you are?"



"You tried to shut down Liberty Avenue!" another voice called out.



"You hate us all!  You want us all dead!"  Brian was sure that was Justin's voice.



"We have no place in your family friendly Pittsburgh," another person yelled.



"Get out of here, Stockwell!  You don't speak for any of us."



Stockwell glared at Brian, naked hatred apparent on his face.  He slowly turned, his eyes roving across the audience and coming to rest on Justin.  He gave the young man a withering look and then abruptly left the auditorium. Immediately applause broke out, signifying victory over Stockwell and his hate-filled words.



Tannis was trying to regain control.  Nobody was paying much attention. Finally she announced to any who would listen that refreshments were being served at the back of the hall.  She quickly left the stage and made her way back there.



Brian stepped down as well and was immediately surrounded by Justin, Deb and Vic, as well as many others.



"Are you all right?" Justin asked.



Brian nodded, but he didn't look too good.  He was rather pale and lacked that cocky attitude he usually portrayed.



"Hey, Kinney, I'm a satisfied customer, and I'm going to vote for you!" a good looking young man called out.



Brian turned and smiled at him.  "Thanks," he said. "If I can get everyone else I've fucked to vote for me, I'm a shoe-in."



Everyone within earshot burst out laughing.  Justin had told him not to shit them, and Brian meant every word of that statement.  He felt better when he heard them laugh at his little joke. He could still control a crowd.



People milled around Brian telling him that they were glad he had taken Stockwell on.  They largely indicated their support for his candidacy. Brian was surprised. He had expected more disapproving looks after the exchange with the police chief.  Tannis and Phillip didn't look too thrilled with him. He wouldn't be counting on their votes in the near future.



The reporter who had interviewed him at the loft came over.  He was obviously there doing a piece for his paper.



"Mr. Kinney?" he said.



"Yes," Brian replied.  "Greg Harris, isn't it?"



"That's right.  You have a good memory."



"It helps in this game."



Greg snorted.  "Seriously, I want to ask your permission to run a story."



"My permission?  I thought you just published whatever the fuck you wanted."



"This is a bit different."



"How so?"



"I covered the bashing of Justin Taylor when it happened.  I didn't know you two were back together."



"Technically we're not."



"But for all intents and purposes, you are?"



"Kind of."



"I remember the whole story of what happened to Justin and how the perpetrator got off with a slap on the wrist.  I'd like to update the story and tie it in with your campaign. I think it would make interesting reading, the whole homophobia thing raising its head again, with Stockwell this time."



"You're talking to the wrong person," Brian said.  "It's Justin's permission that you need."



"Could you introduce me to him?  He would never speak to reporters after the bashing.  He might let me do the piece if he knew that you were in favor of it."



"I'm not in favor of it.  I'd rather keep Justin out of this altogether."



"But that isn't going to happen, especially after tonight.  There were other reporters here. They'll put the pieces together.  I'd like to do a sympathetic yet truthful piece. I think Justin got a raw deal out of that whole thing."


Brian stared at Greg.  He was right. Justin had gotten a raw deal.  He had suffered so much and still come out proud and strong.



"It's still Justin's decision, but come on, I'll introduce you."



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



When Brian finally arrived at the loft after the session at the GLC, Justin was there waiting for him.  He scooped the boy against his body and kissed him long and hard.



"Did you have a nice chat with our new friend Greg?" Brian asked.



"Yes, I did.  He seems … okay."



"Why the hesitation?"



"I don't really trust reporters."



"That makes two of us, but he did seem sincere.  What do you want to do about the article?"



"I'd rather not relive the bashing, but I guess Greg is right that after Stockwell's tirade tonight, it's all going to come up again.  I'd like to have the chance to tell the real story, and maybe even get that story printed. What do you think?"



"I agree."



"So you think I should do the interview with him and let him write the story?"



Brian nodded.



"Do you want me to go back to Daph's and stay away from you for awhile?  We can keep our distance, since we're technically not together."



Brian looked at Justin and noted his choice of words.  "Why did you say that?"



"Greg used those words.  I assumed you said them to him."



"Justin, I don't want you to go to Daph's.  I want you here. I said that because I'm still not sure where we stand in this whole thing, and I was trying to keep you out of it as much as possible."



"If I do the interview with Greg, I'm not going to lie," Justin said firmly.



"Meaning?"



"Meaning that I'm going to say that I … love you, always have, always will."



Justin found himself crushed against Brian.  His clothes were being torn off and he was being dragged towards the bedroom.  He was shoved unceremoniously onto the bed and a warm, soft mouth engulfed his swollen cock.



He moaned in ecstasy as Brian gave him one of his patented blowjobs.  The sensations that coursed through his body left him breathless and mindless and totally on fire.



Some incomprehensible time later when Brian let him come up for air, Justin sighed in complete satisfaction.



"Good?" Brian asked.



"The best!  Did that mean that you love me too?" Justin asked.



Brian stared at him but didn't answer.



Justin regretted the words as soon as they were out of his mouth.  Brian didn't say he loved anyone, except Michael and Gus. He should have known better.  Why was he always so stupid? It was just that Brian took his breath away and left him in such a state that anything seemed possible, even a declaration of love from this complicated man.



"Isn't that what I just told you?" Brian asked with a grimace and got up and went into the bathroom.



Justin heard the shower go on.  Had Brian just said what he thought he had said?

The Candidate

Part 7

Justin straightened up Daphne's apartment trying to make some of the clutter less obvious.  He was expecting Greg Harris, the reporter, in a few minutes. He had decided to hold the meeting there rather than at the loft.  He wanted to make it clear to Harris that he lived somewhere other than with Brian.



He still had real misgivings about this article that Harris wanted to write.  He wasn't sure how much he could trust the man. The last thing he wanted was another bad report about Brian, and his role in the bashing could be construed that way, if Harris wanted to do so.



Finally he was finished.  The place still looked crowded and cramped, but at least it was relatively presentable.  He checked the fridge for beer and soft drinks, so that he could offer one to the reporter.



He heard a knock on the door, took a deep breath and pulled it open.



"Hello, Mr. Taylor," Greg said, extending his hand.



Justin took it and shook briefly.  "Call me Justin," he said. "Mr. Taylor is my father."  He made a slight face at the mention of that man, but thankfully Greg didn't notice or chose to ignore the reaction.



Justin gestured to the futon and Greg sat down.



"Would you like a beer or a soft drink?" Justin asked.



"A Coke would be great," Greg replied.  "I've been on the run all day. That would hit the spot."



Justin got out a can of Coke and a glass for his guest.  Greg popped the tab and drank straight from the can. Justin set the glass back in the tiny kitchen and grabbed a Coke for himself.  He too took a drink from the can.



"I really appreciate that you agreed to do this interview and help me get the facts straight for my article."



"I hope the facts will be correct when the article actually appears in the newspaper," Justin replied, eyeing Greg warily.



"You don't like or trust reporters, do you?"

"No."

Greg chuckled.



"What?" Justin asked.



"You sounded so much like Mr. Kinney when you answered that question.  He never explains himself unless he's pushed to."



Justin stared at him for a moment.  "And do you know why that is?"



"I'm sure you're going to tell me."



"Because the more you say, the more there is to use against you.  It's all too easy to take words and make them appear to be something they're not."



"Is that what you think I'm going to do?"



"If I believed that, we wouldn't be doing this at all," Justin said bluntly.



"So why are we?"



"The interview you did with Brian was one of the best I've seen in the local papers.  You stuck to the facts and didn't try to paint him as something he isn't. I'm hoping you'll do the same with me."



"That's exactly what I want to do," Greg said as sincerely as he could make his voice sound.



"So what exactly do you need to know?" Justin asked.



"I want the focus of this article to be homophobia," Greg explained.  "That was the cause of your bashing, wasn't it?"



"Yes," Justin said softly, not relishing the prospect of going through those events again.



Greg saw the change in the young man and softened his stance.  "It must be very painful for you to recall," he said.



"It is."



"Are you going to be all right with this?  I could come back another time," Greg offered.



"Another time won't make it any easier," Justin said, unconsciously rubbing the spot on his temple.



They spent the next two hours going over the story of Brian and Justin and the bashing.  Justin was careful what he revealed about his relationship with the older man. He knew some of what had happened between them needed to stay between only them.  However, he also wanted the true story of Chris Hobbs to come out.



"Why did you ask Brian to come to your prom?" Greg asked.  "Didn't you know it would cause trouble?"


"I suppose I did," Justin admitted.  "My friend Daphne had said that people's heads would explode if I arrived with Brian.  I would have liked to have seen that. I hated most of my time at St. James, especially that last year.  After I came out, I was taunted and pushed around by Hobbs and some of the other jocks. They got their jollies picking on me, hip-checking me into lockers, setting my belongings on fire.  A little payback seemed like a good thing."



"But Brian refused to go with you."



"Yeah," Justin admitted.  "He thought I was nuts for even asking him."



"So why do you think he showed up?"



"We've never really discussed that.  Sometimes it's very difficult to understand Brian's motivation, and he rarely explains, as you've already found out."


"That's for sure," Greg chuckled.  "But you must have some idea why he ultimately decided to attend."



"I like to think he did it for me," Justin said wistfully.  "When I asked him he said he was recapturing his lost youth, but I think it was much more than that.  He was making some kind of statement to me, to St. James, to the powers that be … to himself."



"Statement?" Greg pursued, wanting more clarification.



"Brian's a very private person in a lot of ways.  Appearing at that prom was a big deal. I can't remember any of it, but Daph says that his eyes were as big as saucers when he walked in.  She said he looked a bit like a deer caught in the headlights. It was a major gesture on his part."



"And it turned out so badly."



"Yeah."



"Did you ever discuss this with him?"



"Only in little bits and pieces here and there.  It's a pretty painful subject for both of us."



"I can imagine."



Justin thought about the look on Brian's face the few times they had tried to discuss the prom and what happened there.  It was more painful for Brian because he could remember it all. Justin only knew what people had told him about that night.  And he knew the aftermath, the coma, the rehab, the loneliness, the fear."



"So what do you think about Chris Hobbs' sentence?"



"I think it was a fucking travesty!  Where's the justice in giving him community service in an AIDS hospice, so he can be miserable to the sick people who are spending their last days there?"



"Is that where they sent him?" Greg asked in disbelief.



"Yeah, I ran into him there once," Justin said making a face.



"You did?  That must have been interesting."



"Interesting doesn't begin to describe it.  He asked if I had AIDS as soon as he saw me.  When I told him I didn't, he said I'd get it eventually.  All us fags ended up that way."


"Do you think that helped motivate you to work against Stockwell?"



"Not on a conscious level, but I'm sure it molded my beliefs and the need to work against intolerance."



"Well, I think we've covered most of the things I want to include in my article.  Do you have any statement that you would like to make?"



Justin thought for a minute.  "I guess I would say that I'm not so different from anyone else.  I've had problems and difficulties just like everyone. All we can do is stand up for ourselves and what we believe in, and not let the persecutors beat us down."



"I hope you will like the article I'm going to write.  I'll try to do justice to your story."



"Thanks," Justin said as he closed the door behind the reporter.



The interview had brought up a lot of unpleasant memories, but it had also reminded Justin that there were some things he would like answers to.  Maybe it was time he talked to Brian.



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



Hours later Justin lay in bed with Brian.  They were sufficiently fucked to be pleasantly tired and calm.  Brian had called him needing to relieve some of the tension that being on public display all the time caused.



"That was nice," Justin said as they shifted around getting comfortable.



"Just nice?" Brian asked.



"Nice, in a mind-blowing, earth-shattering, heart-pounding kind of way."



Brian chuckled.  "Oh?"



"I had my interview with Greg today," Justin stated.



"How did it go?"



"All right."



"Is that all?  You're not very talkative tonight."



"He raised some issues that I think we should discuss."



Justin saw a look of concern, maybe even fear, wash across Brian's face.



"What sort of things?" Brian asked warily.



"He asked me why you came to my prom."



"What did you tell him?"



"That you were making a statement."



"And what statement might that be?"



"The one telling everybody 'Go fuck yourself'."



"There was certainly an element of that to it," Brian admitted with a smirk.



"Why did you come?" Justin asked softly, and Brian knew he wanted the truth.  He wasn't sure he could admit it though.



"You asked me."



"And you turned me down."



Brian sighed.  "I had just turned thirty.  I wanted to recapture my lost youth.  Don't you remember?"



"You know I don't remember any of it," Justin stated.



Brian grimaced and his hand touched Justin's forehead gently letting his fingers brush over the scar.



"Well, that's why I came, to pretend that I was eighteen again."



"Don't shit me, Brian."



Brian sucked in his lips in that way that said he was thinking, and either going to make some outrageous, asshole statement or tell the truth.  Justin prayed for the truth.



"I was trying to tell you something," Brian admitted.



"Tell me what?"



"It doesn't matter now.  You forgot it all anyway," Brian said remembering the sight of Justin lying on that cold concrete floor.



"I didn't forget, Brian.  Chris Hobbs beat it out of my skull."



Justin saw Brian shiver at his words.  The man still couldn't face the reality of that night without it shaking him to the core.



"Our timing is really the shits, you know," Brian said.



"What do you mean?"



"Remember when we were supposed to go to Vermont together?"



"Yes," Justin said slowly.  He wondered why Brian was bringing up that less than stellar event in both their lives.



"That was bad timing too."



"I don't understand what one has to do with the other," Justin admitted.



"I really wanted to go with you," Brian said.



"Did you?"



"Yes, but then Vance gave me a week to prove my worth to the company or he would fire me.  That trip to Chicago was the only hope of saving my job."


"Why couldn't you have told me that instead of packing and leaving without telling me anything?"



"Why couldn't you have told me that you were going to Vermont … alone?"



"At that point I didn't think you cared."



"I … cared."



"So we had bad timing.  We also had bad communication.  I was hoping things had improved."



Brian looked into Justin's blue eyes.  He contemplated fucking Justin again and making him forget all about this conversation, but that wouldn't really improve their communication skills.  It would merely delay the inevitable.



"You went to Vermont and I went to Chicago," Brian continued.  "I got the contract with Brown Athletics and I made partner as a result."



"I went to Vermont alone and had a pretty miserable time without you.  I came back to find you fucking a trick in our bed."



"And that was the beginning of the end."



"Yeah, I guess it was," Justin admitted.  "That hurt me … a lot."



Brian leaned in and kissed Justin's lips briefly.



"You hurt me too," he said.



"I did?  How?"



"After I made Vance accept me as partner, I came to the loft looking for you.  I had a bottle of champagne to celebrate." Brian stopped, wondering if he could tell Justin everything that had happened that night.



"But I wasn't there," Justin supplied.



"I opened the loft door," Brian said reliving that night in his head.  "I called out to you. I said, 'Hey Sunshine, your partner just made partner!'  But the place was empty."



Justin stared at Brian allowing the import of his words to wash over him.  If he had only been there that night he would have heard Brian say those words to him.  He would have been so happy.



"You said that?" Justin asked.



"I said it to the empty air, another grand gesture gone to waste.  See what I mean about timing. Ours sucks!"



"Yeah, it does."



"What did you do when I wasn't there, run out and find a trick?"



"Believe it or not, I went looking for you.  I went to Woody's and Babylon. The guys were going into Babylon when I found them.  I asked if they knew where you were. I told them I had big news."



"You thought I was still in Pittsburgh?"



"I never thought you'd go without me.  They told me where you were. I felt like such a fool.  I even asked them if you went alone."



"Who did you think I would go with?"

"I don't know, a trick, somebody you found at the last minute.  I thought you were trying to punish me for letting you down."



"I'd never do that," Justin said.



"I would, and I guess I based what I thought you would do on how I would have reacted."


"So were you punishing me when I came back to find you fucking that guy?"



"Not directly.  I was making another statement, that I didn't need you, that I could always find a convenient replacement."



Brian saw Justin wince at those words.



"Do you still feel that way?" Justin asked.



"I've tried several replacements since you went off with Ethan, but they just weren't the same."  Brian thought about the hustler with the blond hair and shook his head.



"Why didn't you ever tell me all this?"



"Timing," was Brian's only answer.



"Why are you admitting it now?"



"You asked me and I decided to be honest.  I want you in my life. If I get elected mayor, you're going to be in a very funny position."



"What … first lady?" Justin giggled.



Brian snorted.  "I wish to Christ I knew!  I don't think this situation has really come up before.  I'm not sure what we will do about it. Can we go to events together?  Do I have to keep you as my dirty little secret?"



"I refuse to be a dirty, little secret," Justin stated, "although that could be kind of kinky.  We could have clandestine rendezvous. I could sneak in and out of city hall. We could fuck in your office with city officials on the other side of the door."


"That sounds pretty much like a dirty, little secret to me," Brian whispered at Justin's ear.



Brian's warm breath went straight to Justin's cock.  He could feel it stiffen and he groaned.



"Kinky," Brian said and began licking Justin's nipples.



"You are so bad!" Justin gasped.  Brian's tongue and fingers were having predictable effects on his body.  "Stop for a minute!" he commanded, pushing Brian away from him.

"Are you telling me that you were saying the same thing at the prom that you said when you came to the loft and said we were partners?"



"Yes," Brian said.



"OH … MY … GOD!!!!  We really do have pathetic timing."



"Except when we fuck.  We always manage to come together." Brian grinned.



"Be serious!" Justin ordered.



"Enough talk for now," Brian responded.



"But…"



"Enough!"



Justin allowed Brian's mouth and hands to begin working their magic once again.  He had lots to think about … later.


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



Greg Harris' article appeared a couple of days later.  It was very fair and was a scathing indictment of the judicial system that let Chris Hobbs get away with a hate crime with next to no punishment.



Justin was quite pleased with the whole thing.  He was also pleased that the article had caused Brian to open up a little bit and tell him some things he needed to hear.  He hoped that boded well for their future together.

The Candidate

Part 8

Brian stared at Justin.  They were eating dinner in the loft, one of the few nights lately that they had been able to do that.  Brian was usually at some function or other, having the standard rubber chicken or speaking and having refreshments afterwards.



Things had been a little strained between them since the article about the bashing and Brian's revelations about their bad timing.  Neither of them was sure where they stood now. Brian had indicated that he wanted Justin to be part of his life, even if and when he got elected mayor.  They couldn't quite decide how that would work, so there were long, rather uncomfortable silences between them.



"Fuck it!" Brian said, noisily dropping his fork onto the mostly full plate in front of him.



"Fuck what?" Justin asked.



"I'm sick of this … I don't even know what to call it … between us."

"I think that's the problem," Justin responded.  "If we knew what to call it, we might know what to do about it."



"What do you think we should call it?" Brian asked staring into Justin's eyes, daring him to commit to something.

"Brian, that's for you to say.  You know … you've always known … what I want."



"But can we do that now?"



Justin was stunned.  Was Brian saying that he wanted them to be an official couple?  If so, it was in the usual Brian doublespeak. He wished Brian could be straightforward about their relationship … for once.



Justin sighed.  He wasn't willing to back himself into a corner.  If he said the words and Brian rejected him, or made some smartass comment, or wouldn't admit the same, he wasn't sure he could stand it again.



The silence was deafening.



Finally Justin gave a bit.  "Brian, I'm not going to say that I expect anything from you.  I don't. I have to admit that you blew me away when you revealed some of those things the other night.  Our relationship could have been so different if I had known that before. However, it doesn't really change anything now, because you're still unwilling to say them to my face."



There he had done it.  Now Brian knew that he wasn't going to leave all the unspoken things unspoken … not this time.



"What if I did say them to you … now?"



Justin blinked.  "I … I don't know.  Why don't you say them, and find out?" Justin demanded boldly.



Brian cringed.  He didn't know if he had the nerve.  Justin wasn't indicating that his pronouncements would be well received.  Maybe it would be better to leave things the way they were. Except that things had been dicey the last couple of days.  They danced around each other, still fucking and sharing a bed, but not really talking or enjoying their time together as they had before.



If he was truthful with himself, Brian had to admit that he liked talking to Justin and laughing with him and sharing their common views on the absurdity of the world, almost as much as he liked fucking the boy.  He knew that if he didn't say something soon, he might lose everything, or at the very least, the best parts.



Justin waited.  He had laid down his version of an ultimatum and he could see Brian considering his options.  He wondered what Brian would do. Some wisecrack was the likely response.



The silence continued and Justin began to worry.  Maybe Brian was going to tell him to fuck off. He didn't do ultimatums.



Justin shoved back his chair and stood up.  If this was so fucking hard, then he was leaving.  He didn't need to be put through the wringer like this.



He started toward the door not saying a word.  Suddenly a hand grasped his wrist and stopped him.



"Don't go," Brian said softly.



"Would it matter if I did?"



Brian was about to say that it was Justin's choice whether he stayed or went, but he remembered where that statement had gotten him before.  "Yes, it would matter," he whispered.



Justin turned around and looked into sad hazel eyes.



"Brian, I know this is hard for you, but I'm not prepared to have you take me to the brink of some kind of declaration and then leave me hanging.  My heart can't stand it, and I won't stand for it. Not this time. Not ever again. Either tell me that I'm just a fuck to you or grow some balls and tell me what you really feel."



"I've never had complaints about my balls before," Brian said with a smirk.



Justin sighed loudly.  He turned to leave. Brian would never change.



"I want you to appear with me at the fundraiser that Emmett is catering for me tomorrow night," Brian stated.



"What?"  Justin turned around.  "Are you asking me to go public about our relationship?"



"It's not exactly a secret that we spend time together."



"But this would mean something more.  You'd be stating publicly that we are together."



"That's right," Brian agreed with his funny little smile.



Christ, Justin loved that face!  "Are you sure?" he asked.



"Yes.  You know I always mean what I say."


"But what exactly are you saying?"



It was Brian's turn to sigh.  Justin was going to make him say it out loud.  "It means that I want the public to meet my partner tomorrow night, if that's what you're willing to be."



"Fuck!" Justin reacted, his mouth hanging open in amazement.  Brian's face fell. "Holy fuck!!!" Justin screeched and threw himself at Brian.



He kissed all over Brian's face and held him tightly around the neck, afraid that it was all a mirage, afraid that if he let go he'd wake up and find it was all a dream.



"Justin."  He heard his name being called.  "Justin!"



Brian gasped, trying to breathe with Justin hanging on his neck.  He pushed Justin away so that he could look at his face.



"Does that mean that you accept?" Brian asked.



"Oh Brian," Justin breathed.  He could feel the tears rolling down his cheeks.



"Sunshine, please," Brian begged.  "Don't cry. It's supposed to be a good thing.  I thought it would make you happy."



"It does, you idiot.  I just can't believe that you actually said it.  You want me to be your partner?"



"That's right.  You have been my partner for a long time now, but I never had the nerve … no, I never had the balls to say it … until now."



"I love you," Justin said kissing him some more.


"You better stop that or things are going to get out of hand," Brian said trying to be nonchalant.



"Things are just fine," Justin gulped.  "I love you so much."



Brian pulled him impossibly closer.  They pressed against one another as kiss followed kiss until they could barely breathe.  Somehow clothes magically disappeared and they found themselves naked on the bed. As Brian was about to enter him, Justin looked into the lovely hazel eyes that hovered above him.



"This will be the first time as true and acknowledged partners," Justin breathed.



Brian smiled that funny little smile.  "Partners," he said and pressed the tip of his cock against Justin's hole.



"Partners," Justin gasped as he was filled and spread wide open by Brian's cock.  It did feel different somehow, warmer and safer and better.



Brian pressed further in and Justin took it all, moaning his approval.  Nobody could fill him like Brian did, nobody made him feel the things Brian did, nobody else was Brian.  This was what he needed, all he had ever wanted. Justin thought his heart would surely burst.



Brian began his thrusts, slow and deep, rotating his hips, making sure he hit Justin's prostate.  He wanted this to be different. He wanted it to be better than it had ever been between them, because he had made a commitment that he would never back away from.  He hoped Justin understood that. Things would never be easy. He was sure of that. But once he made the promise, it was forever. That was why it was so hard to say.  There was no turning back now.



Brian's heart was so full.  He could feel the tears trying to escape his eyes.  He shut them, hoping to trap the tears behind his lids.  He could hear Justin gasping and moaning beneath him. There was another sound, air being pulled in and out in what seemed like sobs.  He realized that was him. He was sobbing with each stroke as he neared his orgasm, but he was helpless to stop, helpless to do anything but pound into this man he loved and needed so much.  He could feel the tears escape as his balls pulled up and he screamed Justin's name. His release left him spent and exhausted.



He lay on top of the younger man trying to collect himself, his face buried in Justin's neck.  He was afraid to shift and reveal to Justin the telltale signs of the powerful emotions that had coursed through him.  He felt Justin's arms come up around him and cradle him against his slim body.



Brian wiped at his eyes.  Justin released him and one of his fingers sloughed a tear from Brian's cheek.



"He knows," Brian thought ashamed of revealing this weakness.



"Brian," Justin whispered, "it's all right."



Brian rolled over and turned away from the young man.  He wiped the remaining tears away.



"Look at me, Brian," Justin ordered.



Brian kept his back to the young man, sure that this deluge of unwanted emotions would still be visible on his face, tears or no tears.  How could he have let this happen?



Justin grabbed his shoulder and forced Brian to turn toward him.  Brian gasped. Tears covered Justin's cheeks and he wore such raw emotion on his beautiful face that Brian felt more tears well up in his own eyes and begin to fall.  Involuntarily his hand touched Justin's face and thumbed away his tears.



"What happened?" Brian asked in a whisper.



"I think it's called love … pure, uncensored, total love," Justin said softly.



Brian leaned toward him and their arms wrapped around each other.  They held on tightly as they kissed and caressed each other. Some time later they both fell asleep.



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



Brian and Justin stood outside the door to the hall where the fundraiser was being held.  Each person in attendance had paid fifty dollars to meet the candidate, listen to him speak and have some lovely finger foods prepared by the ultimate party planner, Emmett Honeycutt.  Brian could hardly believe that he was the one they had paid to come and see.



Charles had already gone in and he would be introducing Brian in a minute or two.  He and Justin were going to go in together and Justin had a seat reserved in the front row.  At some point in the speech Brian would introduce him. Justin's heart was pounding and he felt like he was in the twilight zone.  Everything seemed strange and unreal.



He and Brian had discussed how they would do this, and this was what they had decided on.  Now he wasn't at all sure it was a good idea. Some of their friends would be there, and a lot of strangers.  Justin wasn't sure what the reaction to their announcement would be.



Brian straightened Justin's tie and brushed off the shoulders of his jacket.



"You look good enough to eat," Brian said giving Justin's lips a brush with his own.



"Are you sure about this?" Justin asked fear written all over his face.



"I'm sure.  And I thought you were too?"



"What if people hate me and hate that you're with me?  I could ruin the campaign for you."



"If it wasn't too undignified for the front running candidate, I'd start making clucking noises."



Justin swatted him and had to giggle.  "I'm not a chicken," he protested.



"If it walks like one and talks like one …"



"Stop it!" Justin ordered.



"You'll be fine.  They will all love you just as much as I do."



Justin gulped.  Had he heard that right?



Just then Brian opened the door and they started into the hall.  Charles had finished the introduction and there was loud applause and whistles and cheers.  Justin followed Brian trying to look like he knew what the hell he was doing there. He saw Vic and Deb and Emmett in the front row as they neared the stage.  He saw an empty seat beside them and headed for it. Brian went up the steps to the stage where Charles was waiting for him.



Debbie gave Justin a squeeze and they sat as the applause died down.  Justin looked up and saw Brian standing at the microphone. He looked magnificent.  He wore a navy blue suit with a tiny pinstripe and a pale blue shirt. His tie was navy and the same blue as the shirt.  He looked like a million dollars.



Brian always looked great, even in his blue jeans and T-shirt or in nothing at all, especially in nothing at all.  But he looked extra special tonight. He seemed to glow from within, and he was staring right into Justin's eyes. Justin could feel himself blush and grin from ear to ear.



"Good evening, Ladies and Gentlemen," Brian began.  "I'm so pleased you are able to be here tonight, and especially pleased that you were willing to pay to be here tonight."



That earned him laughs and applause.  Brian was getting really good at charming an audience.  What the audience didn't know was that he really meant that he was glad they were paying.  The Kinney honesty had become famous since the beginning of the campaign, but people really had no idea how honest Brian actually was.  They often thought he was kidding. Justin knew better.



Justin let his mind wander to this morning.  He had woken up in Brian's arms, the man kissing up and down his throat.  He still couldn't get his mind around what Brian had finally said last night, and what he was about to say to the people here tonight.  They had discussed their plans for this evening and agreed how to handle it. Justin still didn't know exactly what Brian was going to say.  Nobody else knew what was going to happen, except Charles.



Brian had felt he needed to run this by his backer before he did it.  Charles had said that it was Brian's call. There would probably be some fallout when people were forced to face the fact that Brian had a male lover.  Some people would have supported him, knowing that he was gay, but not making an issue of it. This would be in their face. It would probably cost them some votes, but it might win them others.



Brian had decided he was going to be honest about his relationship with Justin, come what may.  If it cost him the election, that was too bad. If he won, he wanted Justin there with him, and everyone was going to know that from now on.  They would have to deal with it one way or the other.



Justin felt Debbie nudge him in the ribs.  He blinked and looked at Brian. He had missed a whole section of the speech.  He had no idea where Brian was or if he would be introduced soon. Debbie smiled at him and beamed proudly up at Brian.



"The fact that I'm gay has been an issue since I entered this race," Justin heard Brian say.  "I have to admit that I have kind of skirted the issue from time to time. I like to keep my private life private."



There were some chuckles and Brian looked at Justin.  Justin felt his stomach flip over. He knew what was coming.



"For the last two years I've had an on again off again relationship with a young man.  Until recently it was off, but we have finally got together, and I hope it's for good this time.  I'd like to introduce him to you tonight, because he's going to be with me from now on. I'd like you to meet my life partner, Justin Taylor."



Justin heard Debbie gasp beside him and push him to his feet.  He prayed his legs would support him as he climbed the steps to the stage.  He saw Brian walk toward him and hold out his hand. He placed his hand in it and Brian led them to the microphone.



"This is Justin," he said simply.



Suddenly people were on their feet and clapping.  Justin could see Emmett jumping up and down, tears in his eyes.  Deb and Vic were hugging and screaming. There were many other people in the audience applauding and yelling their approval.



Justin looked at Brian who smiled back at him.  They looked out at the audience and smiled. Justin felt much better.



"They seem to like me," Justin whispered to Brian.



"Of course they do!  What's not to like, Sunshine?"


Brian gave the audience a moment to settle down and absorb the news he had just given them.  "Refreshments will be served at the back and I'll be happy to talk to you individually there," Brian said.



He was still holding Justin's hand and he led him down the steps, never letting go.



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



The next day there was a picture of Brian and Justin holding hands on the front page of one of the papers.  Justin brought the paper up first thing in the morning to show Brian.



"I didn't notice anybody taking this picture," Justin said.  "Did you?"


"They're always there," Brian said with a grimace.



"I hope it doesn't cost you."



"I should have kissed you.  That would have been on the front page of all the papers."



"Brian!  I think we need to be careful."



"Careful isn't part of my vocabulary."



"I know, but I want you to win."



"You do?  It would be much easier if I lost.  Then I could go back to unemployment and anonymity."



"Don't say that.  I'm proud of what you're doing."



Brian smiled.  He liked it when Justin was proud of him.



"I think we should take it slow.  I don't want people to think that we're flaunting our relationship."



"I'm in front in the polls.  Everything will be fine."



"Let's hold that pronouncement until the next poll comes out."



"You really think me introducing you and having you attend events with me is going to hurt my campaign?"



"I do, sadly enough."



"But other candidates have their wife there, hanging on their fucking arm all the time."



"You're not other candidates.  We're breaking new ground here."



"I suppose you're right, but I've said from the outset that I would tell the electorate what they were getting and they could take it or leave it.  Now that includes me and you together."



Justin beamed at his partner.

The Candidate

Part 9

The phone rang continuously the day the picture of Brian and Justin appeared in the paper.  The first call came from Michael.



Brian answered early in the morning just after he and Justin had finished reading through the write-up with the picture.  The reporter had been fair in his statements. He said that most people applauded this revelation from Mr. Kinney, but there had been a few dissenting voices that thought that Mr. Kinney was taking things too far, rubbing people's noses in the fact that he was gay.



"Hey, Mikey," Brian said.



"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" Michael demanded.



"What's eating your ass?"



"I saw the picture in the paper.  Since when are you and Justin 'life partners'?"



"Since I announced it last night.  What the fuck is your problem?"



"You could have told us first."



"I didn't see the need."



"Well thanks a heap, best friend!"



Brian could tell that Michael was really ticked at him.  "I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings by not telling you first," Brian said somewhat sarcastically.



"Thanks a lot, asshole!"



"What is your problem, Mikey?  Jealous!"



"No, I'm not jealous," Michael pouted.  "I think you're making a big mistake going public like this.  Look what happened when you went to Justin's prom."



Brian winced.  "Shit, Michael!  Why are you bringing that up?"



"Do you remember what that judge said at Chris Hobbs' trial?  He said you and Justin were flaunting yourselves. This could be construed the same way."



"This is very fucking different!" Brian declared.



"I don't see it that way, and I think a lot of other people will agree with me."



"Well, fuck you!  I haven't exactly seen you out in the front lines supporting me.  In fact I don’t think I've seen you at even one of my appearances."



"I've been busy," Michael said sheepishly.



"Then keep your opinions to yourself."



"Ben and I have been looking after Hunter.  We'll try to get to your next appearance. Where is it?"



"If you had finished the article with the goddam picture, you would know that it's tonight at an all-candidates meeting at the Italian Club."



"I'll try to be there," Michael said sincerely.



"Well, don't waste any sleep over it.  Bye, Mikey."



Brian hung up. He couldn't believe that his best friend would say that he was flaunting himself.  He shook his head in disbelief.



Justin had left for school while he was talking to Michael, but the phone rang again as soon as he hung up.  Call display revealed that it was Lindsay. Brian wondered what words of wisdom he would get from her.



"Linds," he said into the phone in his sickly sweet voice.



"Bri," she replied in the same tone.



"What can I do for you this fine morning?"



"I saw the picture in the paper."



"What picture would that be?" he asked in his most innocent voice.



"Don't play games," she commanded.  "It's about time you gave Justin some credit, and made an honest man out of him."



"We're not married!  We'll never be married," Brian declared horrified.



"I didn't say you were married.  I'm really pleased that you finally told him that you love him."



There was a long dead silence on the line.



"You did tell him that, didn't you?" Lindsay asked.



"It's none of your business."



Lindsay knew by the reaction that he hadn't told Justin that he loved him, but she also knew that to push Brian on it was asking for trouble.



"Well," Lindsay continued, "I'm glad you made it public that you two are together, that he's your partner."



"You mean you didn't call to tell me that I'm flaunting my relationship?" Brian asked sarcastically.



"No, I didn't, but … Mel did say something like that when she saw the picture."



"Fuck!" Brian reacted.  "Why can't people mind their own fucking business?"


"Brian, when it's on the front page of the newspaper, it becomes everyone's business."



He had no answer for that.



"I hope it doesn't damage your chances."



"If it does, then they don't deserve me as their mayor," Brian stated.



Lindsay giggled.  "Glad to see your ego is still intact."



"Bye, Linds," Brian said and hung up.



He heard from Emmett who was still weepy and from Deb who was over the moon about what he had done.  There were several calls from reporters wanting a statement from him or another interview. He referred all of them to Charles' assistant who was still coordinating all that for him.  Charles called a little later in the day and was mostly supportive of Brian's move. He did say that they needed to wait for the next batch of polls to see if there was any fallout from the announcement.



Brian was perplexed.  He believed he had done the right thing in presenting Justin as his partner.  He wanted the young man to attend functions with him. He relied on Justin's integrity and honesty to keep him on track.  He found it hard to stomach the negativity he was receiving and the concern about losing votes that went along with it.



Wasn't the world ready for a faggot mayor?  Christ, it wasn't like he was running for governor or the President of the fucking U.S. of A.  He knew there were gay congressmen and maybe even a senator or two, but when he thought about it, he was hard pressed to think of seeing one picture of them with their partners.  That never made the papers. Did they live alone or in celibacy? Jesus fucking H. Christ, is that what they expected of him?



Maybe he had made a big mistake.  Maybe the world wasn't ready for Justin and him as a couple.  Then fuck the world! He was what he was.



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



Brian had the day to himself to prepare for the candidates meeting that night.  He read over the information Charles had given him. He thought he had already stated his views on most of these topics.  Nothing was going to change between now and then.



He found his mind wandering to the night before last when he had asked Justin to stay and be his partner.  He had trouble believing that he had actually said those things. That kid could make him do anything. Only he knew in his heart that Justin hadn't made him do anything he didn't want to do.  If he had been brave enough, he would have told Justin a long time ago.



He was such a coward about anything involving emotions.  He thought about their fuck after Justin had agreed to stick by him from now on.  He shouldn't call it a fuck, however. Justin had been right. It was love, making love, not fucking.



Brian shook his head.  Talk about timing! He probably couldn't have picked a worse time to ask Justin to be his partner.  He would have liked to have private time, weeks or months, when nobody knew about it. Then they could get their feet under them, know what the fuck they were doing.  Instead it was all over the media and everybody knew their business.


Brian sighed.  Justin would be home soon.  They had to get ready for the all-candidates meeting.  He knew there would be questions about their relationship.  He hoped the press confined their questions to him and left Justin alone.  He realized that probably wouldn't happen. He hoped Justin was ready for the barrage of reporters and flashbulbs that were sure to greet them at the Italian Club tonight.



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



At ten minutes to eight Brian and Justin entered the Italian Club ballroom where the all-candidates meeting was being held.  Immediately flash bulbs went off and they were surrounded by a horde of reporters. There were actually three, but it seemed like a horde to Brian and Justin.



Charles caught Brian's arm and rushed him up to the stage to take his seat.  The other three candidates looked at him somewhat sympathetically. Brian wondered if they too thought he had screwed himself by what he had done last night.



The moderator made the introductions and explained the format.  He would ask the first series of questions, giving each candidate a chance to express their views on that topic.  The audience would be able to compare what each candidate said.



The questions began and Brian thought he was doing pretty well.  His answers drew some laughs and generally he thought he gave reasonable, responsible ideas about each issue.  Several times he heard rumblings and an occasional derisive remark after he had spoken.



He listened to the other candidates.  Janet Ferrino actually had some good ideas, but she was too timid to really get them across, especially to a large group like this.  Jamal Jefferson was still funny and interesting, but not really ready to run a city as far as Brian could tell. Allan Billings was his main competition.  The man was self-assured and spoke very well. He had selected a few topics that he focused on every chance he got. He wanted more law and order, stricter schools, tighter regulations on just about everything.  Brian got the theme of his campaign loud and clear.



Once the moderator had finished with his questions he asked those in attendance with questions for the candidates to line up at the microphones on the floor and they would be given their chance to speak.  There was quite a rush as many people headed for the three microphones situated around the hall.



"First question … over here," the moderator said pointing to one of the mikes.



A man looked up at the stage and stared straight at Brian.  "What kind of lesson are you teaching our children, Mr. Kinney, by bringing your male lover to a political assembly and allowing your pictures to appear in the newspaper?" the man asked, scorn clearly evident in his tone of voice.



Brian was shocked.  He hadn't expected this tack.  "Justin is not just my lover, he's my partner.  We have a life together, like the other candidates have lives with their wives or husbands," Brian said.



"Not at all like their lives, Mr. Kinney," the same man continued.  "You disgust me."


"I'm sorry you feel that way," Brian said and was silent.



He looked at the other candidates.  Janet Ferrino looked shocked and Jamal Jefferson shook his head.  Allan Billings stared straight ahead trying not to smirk.



"Next question … mike two," the moderator said.



"Mr. Kinney, I am an example the law abiding, church-going citizens of Pittsburgh, and I agree with the last gentleman.  You disgust me."



"How Christian of you!" Brian retorted.  He looked around desperately for Justin but couldn't see him anywhere.  Once Charles had whisked Brian to the stage Justin had been lost somewhere in the crowd.



"Microphone three," the moderator said hoping for a different line of questioning.



A woman stared up at Brian and he knew it was going to be another attack.  "Shit!" he thought. "What had he done?"



"I don't have a question.  I merely want to state my total disbelief that someone with such a prurient lifestyle can even be sitting up there trying to get decent citizens to vote for him."



Brian groaned inwardly.  The moderator looked at him silently asking if he wanted to respond.  Brian shook his head. He really didn't know what to say.



"I think this line of questioning has been covered quite well," the moderator stated.  "Is there anyone who has a different question they would like to pose, perhaps to one of the other candidates?"



Brian let out a breath.  He hoped someone would ask something intelligent.



Someone called out from microphone one, "We're not going to let this pervert get off so easily!"



"That's right," other people shouted.



"We don't want you as mayor."



"Drop out, Kinney!"



"Nobody's going to vote for you now!"



"Ladies and gentlemen," the moderator shouted trying to regain control.  "We cannot allow these outbursts. Please follow the rules I set out."



There were more shouts and general disorder.  The moderator had lost control and shrugged his shoulders.  Brian glanced around nervously. This was taking on all the aspects of a mob.  He wished he could see Justin. He hoped he was all right.



"Ladies and gentlemen!" the moderator shouted to no avail.



Brian had had enough.  He grabbed the mike in front of him and whistled into it.  Three quarters of the people in the hall covered their ears in pain and suddenly there was silence.



"Now that I have your attention," Brian said.  "This has to stop. The moderator has control, not you."



"Get off the stage, you fag!" someone shouted.



"Shut the fuck up, Asshole!" Brian yelled.



There was a collective gasp from those present.



"If that's the kind of language you understand, then that's what you'll hear.  I don't intend to be part of a mob scene, so if you refuse to follow the rules laid out for this meeting, I'm leaving."



Brian slammed down the microphone and started for the steps.  He saw Charles waiting for him at the bottom, and he was quickly whisked towards the doors at the back of the hall.



He heard some shouts of anger and words of derision as they passed by.  He wanted to shout out what a pack of bigoted shitheads they were, but decided that would just cause more trouble.  It was best to get out of there.



Finally they slipped through the doors and heard them bang shut behind them.  No one seemed to be following them, thank God! Charles gently shoved Brian towards his waiting limo.  Suddenly Brian stopped dead.



"Justin," he said.  "Oh my God, Justin!" he yelled.  "Where's Justin?"



"Calm down, Brian.  He must be around here somewhere."



"What if he's still in there?  I have to go back." Brian turned and started towards the hall.  Charles grabbed his arm.



"I don't think it's wise for you to go back in there.  Stay here! Get in the car. I'll go."



Brian started to protest, but Charles was already almost at the doors.  He knew the man was right. His appearance inside would probably rile everybody up all over again.  He stared as Charles disappeared through the doors. The driver opened the limo door. Brian shook his head and started pacing back and forth.



Where the fuck could Justin be?  Brian hadn't seen him since they stepped into the hall.  Please let Charles find him. He has to be all right. These thoughts and many more poured through Brian's brain as he paced around the parking lot.



He couldn't stand it any longer.  He didn't know how long it was since Charles went back inside, but it seemed like forever.  Brian decided he had to go in there and see where Justin was. He started towards the entrance when he thought he heard his name.



He turned and looked between two cars as he passed.  A large black lump lay on the ground. He heard it whisper, "Brian."


"Justin?" Brian called and ran to the body lying on the ground.



The man struggled to get up but slumped back to the ground.  Brian was at his side immediately and gently turned the boy over.  "Justin," he whispered afraid of what he was going to find.



"Brian," the boy moaned.



"What happened?  Are you hurt? Justin, please talk to me."



"My head," Justin moaned.



"Shit!  Did you hit your head?"



"Fell down," Justin managed to get out.



Brian saw Charles come out of the hall looking around in desperation.



"Charles, over here," Brian shouted.



"What happened?" Charles asked arriving at Brian's side.



"We need to get him to the hospital," Brian said.  "Help me get him to the car."



Charles and Brian carefully lifted Justin from the pavement.  They half dragged the boy who tried his best to walk to the limo.  The driver helped them get in the car and Charles ordered him to get them to the hospital as quickly as possible.



An hour or two later Brian had finished speaking with the doctor who had examined Justin.  He told Brian they wanted to keep Justin overnight for observation. They thought he had a slight concussion, and in light of his past history of brain trauma they didn't want to take any chances.  They were moving him to a room in a few minutes and Brian would be able to stay with him if he wished.



Brian told Charles to go home.  He said they would talk in the morning once Justin came home.  Both of them knew they were going to have some reevaluating to do.  Maybe this was the end of Brian's campaign for mayor.



Charles left and Brian slumped in a chair in the waiting room.  Someone would let him know when Justin was in his room.



Brian didn't know what had happened to Justin, but he knew it was his fault.  He should never have made their relationship public. Shit! Michael and Melanie had been right.  Look at the disaster that he had created tonight. Maybe he actually had flaunted his homosexuality and now he was going to pay for it.  But it was one thing for him to pay, and quite another for Justin to have to pay.



Finally a nurse appeared and told him what room Justin had been moved to.  Brian took the elevator up and quietly pushed open the door to Justin's room.  He lay in a bed, pale and ethereal, like he was hardly there. Brian felt tears well up as he looked at his partner.



"Justin," he said softly.



Blue eyes fluttered open and a wan smile turned up the corners of Justin's mouth.



"Hey," he replied barely audible.



"Are you all right?" Brian asked.



"They say I am."



"How's your head?"



"They gave me something for it.  Instead of cannons going off it's merely muskets now."



"I shouldn't have taken you there tonight."



"We agreed that we were going to do this together."



"But it got out of hand."



"Did it?" Justin asked.



"What do you mean, did it?  Don't you know what happened?  How long were you laying in that parking lot?"



Justin winced as the volume of Brian's voice rose.  "I don't know how long I was there. I had to use the restroom part way through your Q and A with the moderator."



"Glad I can help your regularity," Brian said sarcastically.



Justin made a face at him.  "So I went out to look for the washrooms."



"How did you end up in the parking lot?"



"I had finished going to the toilet and stepped outside for a breath of fresh air," Justin said and then he started to shake.



"Justin," Brian said taking the trembling boy in his arms.  "What the fuck happened?"



"I was at the edge of the parking lot when I heard someone say, 'Taylor!'"



"Who was it?" Brian asked concern written all over his face.



"Chris Hobbs."

The Candidate

Part 10

"Hobbs! Chris Hobbs?" Brian repeated. He couldn't believe his ears. "What the fuck was Chris Hobbs doing there?"

"Looking for me."

"For you? Why? I'm going to kill that motherfucker!"

"Calm down, Brian. He saw the article on the bashing and then this morning there was the picture of the two of us." Justin's words were slow and hesitant. He yawned and closed his eyes.

"Do you need to sleep now?" Brian asked watching Justin and realizing the boy wasn't really up to talking about this.

"I think whatever they gave me is finally kicking in," Justin mumbled.

Brian wanted to hear the rest of the story, but Justin needed to rest. He kissed the forehead of his partner and pulled the covers up a little further. He looked at the impossibly uncomfortable hospital chair and knew that was his bed for the night.

Brian had been awakened several times during the night as nurses came to rouse Justin and make sure he was all right. The boy would answer and then drop right off again. Brian knew that sleep was good for him, but he wanted to know what had happened last night. What had Chris Hobbs done to Justin? It was like reliving the bashing all over again.

About 6 a.m. Brian jumped and woke up. He had been sleeping sitting in the awful chair with his head and arms resting on the edge of Justin's bed. He could feel fingers running through his hair. He looked up into blue eyes that smiled back at him.

"You look better," Brian said softly.

"I feel better, but then I don't think I could have felt any worse. That was one mother fucker of a headache."

"Language, Justin," Brian grinned. "We're in a fine medical establishment. We don't want to scare your caregivers away."

Brian sat up and groaned. His back and neck felt like they had been tied in knots by some world champion knot practitioner.

"You're going to pay for sleeping like that," Justin told him.

"I already am," Brian said trying to stretch his back and shoulders.

"You should have gone home and got a decent night's sleep. What do you and Charles have planned for today?"

"Nothing," Brian said.

Justin was about to question that when Brian said, "I want to know what happened with Chris Hobbs last night. Did he attack you?"

"No, he didn't physically hit me, but he scared the shit out of me."

"Tell me what happened."

"Well, I came out of the Italian Club, after I'd relieved myself. Did I tell you that part?"

"Yes, twat."

Justin grinned and Brian was happy to see that he felt well enough to tease and smile.

"He called my name," Justin said softly, his grin changing to a clenched jaw, and some of the color draining out of his face. "I knew it was him as soon as I heard him say, 'Taylor', just the way he had done so many times at St. James."

"Did he threaten you?" Brian asked.

"Not at first. He said he'd been looking for me and I asked why. I couldn't think why he'd want to see me any more than I would want to see him."

"So what did he want?"

"He'd seen the piece in the paper about the bashing. I never thought about how it might affect him. I just wanted the world to know what he had gotten away with."

"Tell me what happened," said Brian rapidly losing patience.

"He said he had tried to forget about the bashing and about losing his football scholarship after you cracked him in the knee. When he finished his community service at the hospice, he started looking for some place to go to school. He goes to Robert Morris University just outside of Pittsburgh. According to him it's costing his parents a mint."

"And you were duly sympathetic?"

"Of course not! I asked if I should cue the violins."

"Good for you, Sunshine, but couldn't you have picked a different instrument? Fucking asshole!"

Justin wasn't exactly sure which fucking asshole Brian was referring to. "Brian, let me finish." When Brian didn't say anything more, Justin continued, "Apparently he has been doing all right academically and nobody made any connection to the bashing. He said it began to seem like it never happened. And then the article appeared."

"Tough shit!"

"Chris never even knew about it until one of his classmates came up to him in the lecture hall, threw the article down in front of him and asked, 'Are you going to bash me too? I'm gay.' Most of the class heard what was said and apparently he got royally roasted all day."

"Too fucking bad! Get a taste of his own medicine," Brian muttered.

"Yeah, just a small piece of what he deserves," Justin agreed. "So I asked him what he wanted me to do about it. He said he wanted me to keep myself and his name out of the papers. Then he said he'd seen the picture of the two of us flaunting ourselves just like we did at the prom."

"Fuck!" Brian reacted. Michael had been right. "How did you get hurt?"

"The more he told me what had happened the louder and more agitated he got. He was screaming at me by the end of it, yelling that I had ruined his life. He started coming towards me and I backed away. He must have gained thirty pounds since the last time I saw him. I was really scared. He was screaming and saying he wished he had finished me off. I … backed up some more and … my foot slipped off the edge of the curb. He yelled that he never wanted to hear my fucking name again, and I lost my balance and went backwards. I grabbed at the cars on each side of me but I couldn't stop myself. I guess I hit my head and blacked out for awhile. The next thing I remember is you beside me."

Justin looked worn out from describing the events of last night.

Brian looked ready to kill. "That son of a bitch! I'm going to find him and wring his nasty little neck."

"Brian, I think we should let it go," Justin said.

"Let it go? He threatened you! He assaulted you! We're calling the police."

"No."

"What do you mean no?"

"He didn't hit me or hurt me. He scared me."

"And you're in the hospital as a result."

Justin realized that Brian wanted to punish Chris for hurting him, but he hadn't really touched him. Justin felt he had fallen not been knocked down. He didn't want to cause more trouble. "Brian, I don't think we should go after Chris. I fell. He didn't push me, and it will just make things worse for your campaign."

"Fuck the campaign! It's over anyway."

"Over? What do you mean?"

"You missed the best part of the candidates' meeting. The audience was stacked with fine upstanding anti-gay citizens. They wanted to know why a pervert like me was running for office. They told me that I was setting a bad example for their children. That picture of you and me really brought them out of the woodwork." Brian said in his most sarcastic tone and shook his head still not believing what had happened.

"Shit, Brian! I had no idea that was going on. Is that what you meant when you said you and Charles didn't have anything planned for today? What are you going to do?"

"I'm quitting. I don't need this shit, and I sure as fuck don't need you getting hurt again because of me."

"Because of you? How do you figure that?"

"Going public about our relationship was my idea. Our picture would never have been in the paper if I wasn't running for fucking mayor and you wouldn't be in the hospital as a result."

"And you probably wouldn't have asked me to be your partner either," Justin said staring at Brian.

Brian stared back. He knew on some level that Justin was right. Being in the limelight in this campaign magnified and intensified everything. Brian had felt he had to take a stand and show the world what kind of gay man he was. He would have dragged his feet about their relationship under different circumstances. Unfortunately it was too late to change anything now. The best he could do was to take them out of the spotlight.

"I don't know," Brian said quickly. "Anyway I'm quitting."

"Have you talked to Charles about this?"

"What's to talk about? It's over."

"Brian," Justin sighed, "do you remember when I ran into Chris Hobbs at the hospice and I refused to go to the Pride Parade. You made me go so Chris Hobbs wouldn't win, and … and I'm glad you did. After that everything got better."

"So?" Brian asked not willing to back down from his decision to quit.

"So, if you quit now, Chris Hobbs wins again, and so do all the assholes who attacked you at the meeting. Is that what you want? For Allan Billings and all the other Stockwell wannabes to win, to force you out?"

Brian didn't know how to answer that. Of course he didn't want them to win, but he didn't want to put Justin in danger, and he doubted he had a snowball's chance in the election after last night.

"Brian," Justin said, "at least talk to Charles before you decide. Get his point of view. And know that if you decide to continue I'm behind you one hundred percent."

Brian looked into those blue eyes, so clear and so sure. He wished he had half the faith Justin did. This was exactly why he needed Justin so much. The boy gave him strength and perspective and hope.

Brian leaned over the bed and kissed the sweet lips. He held Justin tentatively not wanting to hurt him, but he felt Justin mold himself up into his body and press himself against him. The kiss deepened and grew more intense. He understood that Justin was telling him that he was all right, that they were all right and that he would never abandon him.

"Umm hmmm," a voice cleared its throat. The nurse stood in the doorway watching them.

Brian stood up.

"Try to leave a little air in his lungs," the smiling black woman said to him.

Brian cleared his own throat. "Can he go home soon?" Brian asked.

"I think you better get him out of here right now before I bring in my sex-ed group for a little refresher course."

Justin giggled and Brian looked startled.

"Yes, ma'am!" Brian saluted.

The nurse's grin broadened even farther. "His papers are ready. He had a decent night, but he needs to take it easy for a few days. No stress and not too much strenuous sex," she cautioned trying to look serious.

"I'll do my best," Brian grinned back.

"I just bet you will," she said. "Seriously he needs to be a little careful for the next week or so."

"I'll see that he is," Brian promised.

Justin was already getting out of bed. "I'll be back with a wheelchair in a few minutes. You can gather everything together while you wait," the nurse said as she walked through the door.

"I need to use the toilet," Justin said and headed to the open door of the bathroom. He heard Brian groan. "What's wrong? Your neck bothering you?" he asked.

"Pull your gown over your ass or we'll be having that sex-ed group in here in a hurry."

Justin giggled and wiggled his butt as he closed the bathroom door behind him.

An hour later they were back at the loft and Brian insisted that Justin get into bed. The boy wanted Brian to come with him, but Brian knew what that would lead to and refused. He wanted Justin to get some sleep, knowing that he had been awakened every couple of hours all night. Justin gave in after Brian promised to call Charles. Brian sat on the bed gently rubbing Justin's arm. The boy was asleep in a few minutes.

Brian slowly got up from the bed after gently kissing Justin's forehead. He looked so peaceful and so beautiful when he slept. Brian sighed and walked down to the computer desk. He knew he needed to call Charles and he knew what he was going to tell him. He hit the number.

"Charles," Brian said when the man picked up. "It's Brian. We need to talk."

"We certainly do. How's Justin?"

"I brought him home a little while ago. He's sleeping. They think he'll be all right, but he has to take it easy for a few days."

"Glad to hear that he's okay. What happened?"

"It's a long story, but basically it was an accident," Brian said following what Justin had told him as his version of events.

"Can you come over here?" Charles asked.

"I don't want to leave Justin alone. Could you come here?"

"Yes, but won't we disturb the young man?" Charles knew the set-up of Brian's loft.

"He sleeps like a log," Brian said. "Nothing will wake him."

"I'll be there in an hour," Charles said.

"Just so you're not wasting your time, I'm going to withdraw my candidacy."

"I was afraid you were going to say that, but hear me out first," Charles asked.

"All right, but it won't change my mind."

"Just listen."

"Okay."

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

A little over an hour later Charles and Brian sat in the living room of the loft. Justin slept on up in the bedroom. Brian had related the events of Justin's 'accident'. The two men kept their voices low.

"I'm serious, Charles," Brian said. "I'm not going to put Justin through this. He had enough trouble recovering from his first round with Chris Hobbs and now this. It's too much."

"I know you're worried about him, but what does he say about this?"

"I've told him what I'm going to do."

"You didn't answer my question."

"He doesn't want me to quit. He thinks that would be letting people like Stockwell and Hobbs win."

"Well, wouldn't it?"

"After last night, seeing and feeling the hatred directed towards me, I don't know why the fuck I ever tried to do this," Brian said defeat clear in his voice.

"Yes you do," Charles stated. "You got into this because you thought you could make a difference. You thought you could stand against the bigots like Stockwell and Allan Billings. You thought Pittsburgh might be ready for a gay mayor. You thought you could win. And you know what?"

"What?"

"You can."

"After what happened last night?"

"Yes, even after that. What do you think happened last night?"

"You were there. You saw what happened."

"I want to hear your take on it."

"The place was packed with homophobes who had seen our picture in the paper. They were laying in wait to attack me."

"Correct. That wasn't your normal audience at these affairs. I was surprised by the number of people in attendance when we first walked in, but I thought it was due to the picture and publicity in the papers."

"Well, wasn't it?" Brian asked eyeing Charles suspiciously.

"No, it wasn't. After I left you at the hospital, I put out some feelers. I get the distinct impression that the whole thing was orchestrated. There were several fundamentalist church groups there. We never had any hope of getting their votes in the first place. There were also clusters of ultra-conservatives, anti-abortionists, anti-feminists, anti-anything."

"What are you getting at?"

"If someone hadn't got all these groups to attend, there would have been a smattering of questions about you and Justin and some disapproval, but there would also have been support. You attract a liberal audience. They were totally drowned out last night. I think there were many there, but they were afraid to speak up in that mob scene."

"So you're saying I still may have some support out there."

"Right, and that's who we need to appeal to."

"But how do we stop another hijacking like last night?" Brian asked.

"We don't attend any public hearings like that for at least three or four days."

"But the other candidates will be there."

"Yes, but we send a letter to be read at the beginning of the proceedings stating what we think happened and encouraging liberal voters to take a stand."

"Will that be enough?"

"No, I want you to go on the local talk shows and give interviews for the newspapers stating what you think happened last night. Let everyone know that you have been targeted by hate groups and you're not going to let them force you out. We're just going to take a different tack for the next few days."

"Do you really think that could work, that I still have a chance?" Brian asked.

"I certainly do."

"I don't know," Brian said shaking his head.

"Yes you do," Justin said from the top of the steps. "You can do anything you set your mind to."

"But what about you? I don't want you involved in any more incidents like last night."

"Sometimes you have to be willing to risk everything for what you believe in. I believe you should do this, and I believe in you," Justin said with his trademark smile.

"Are you sure?" Brian asked him.

Justin nodded. Brian grinned back, still a little unsure about the whole thing, but loving Justin for his confidence in him. "Come here," Brian ordered.

Justin came down the steps and Brian pulled him into a delicious kiss that had them both forgetting that Charles was still sitting on the couch.

"Umm hmmm," the man cleared his throat.

Brian released Justin's lips long enough to glance at Charles.

"Sorry," Charles said, "I know I should just fade away and leave you two to it, but we have work to do."

Brian groaned. "That's the second time today we've been interrupted by someone clearing their throat. I'm sensing a trend here."

Justin giggled. "Get back to work. I want you to win. I'm going to get some water and lie down again, so that I can be well rested for when you and Charles are finished and we are finally alone."

"Deal," Brian said giving Justin's butt a gentle slap as the boy headed to the fridge.

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

Hours later Brian and Justin lay together on the bed. They had made love slowly and gently. It wasn't their usual method, but it had been sweet and Brian didn't want to overtax his lover.

"I hope I'm doing the right thing by staying in this," Brian said.

"You are. Do you think Stockwell had something to do with sending all those groups after you last night?" Justin asked.

"I'd bet my last dollar on it."

"Then the best way to show him up is to win."

Brian kissed Justin and they forgot all about Stockwell and elections and ambushes and bashings and bigotry. They had better things to do.

The Candidate

Part 11

Charles spent the next day arranging appearances on talk shows and the news at noon. He wanted every channel covered, every person who watched any of these shows to hear Brian's side of the story. He booked interviews with the local reporters, especially Greg Harris who he knew would be sympathetic to their plight, and outraged by what had happened at the Italian Club. Brian sat back and let him arrange these things. He needed a break from the campaign, even if it was a forced break, and even if it was only for one day.

Justin was still sleeping quite a bit which was good. He needed rest to fully recover. He also needed his rest to keep up with the demands of Brian's body. Brian treated him like a porcelain doll, like he would break if he squeezed too hard. However, the flip side of this was long excruciating sessions of lovemaking. Excruciating in a mind-blowing, life-affirming, ball-rattling way! Justin was never treated so tenderly and lovingly. It was like Brian had almost lost him again and had to make up for it over and over again.

Brian always thought the best thing he had to offer was sex, and it certainly was one of the good things. But try as he might Justin couldn't convince Brian that simply talking and being together was enough. Brian would come up to the bedroom to check that Justin was breathing and before either of them knew what had happened they were into each other in some way, shape or form. Justin would fall asleep after, storing up strength for the next time Brian came to check on him.

After one rather vigorous session Brian decided that Justin would sleep for awhile and he had an errand he wanted to run. He threw on some jeans and a T-shirt, grabbed his leather jacket and keys and went down to the Corvette. He carried some papers he had retrieved off the internet.

He drove out of Pittsburgh following the directions on the internet map. It took him not quite an hour to find Robert Morris University and the student union building. He wasn't sure how he would find Chris Hobbs, but he knew he had to.

The person at the desk at the Student Union said she couldn't give out any information on a student unless Brian could prove he was a family member. Brian raised his voice, but got nowhere. He finally gave up and walked outside thinking he would cruise the campus in the Corvette and hope to see Hobbs somewhere.

"Hey!" someone said behind him.

"Yeah?" Brian said turning around.

"You looking for Hobbs?"

"That's right. You know where he is?"

"Maybe. What do you want him for?"

"We … have some business," Brian said. He wanted to say he was going to chew the little fucker a new asshole, but he didn't think that would help his cause.

"Aren't you the gay guy running for mayor of Pittsburgh?" the kid asked eyeing him up and down.

"That's right."

"Hobbs is a homophobe. What do you want with him?"

"He owes me something."

"Yeah? What?"

"At the very least an apology," Brian stated.

The young man looked at his watch. "He should be back from his last class soon. I'll show you where his dorm is."

Brian followed the student toward a building wondering why the kid was helping him. When they got to the entrance the kid said that they might have to wait awhile. There was no guarantee that Hobbs would come there right after class.

Brian wondered if he should give it up and go back home to make sure Justin was all right. "Thanks for your help," Brian said and turned to go back to his car.

"Aren't you going to wait?" the young man asked.

"I need to be somewhere else."

"And here I thought Hobbs might finally get what he deserves," the kid said shaking his head.

"What do you mean?" Brian asked.

"I saw your picture in the paper with that blond who got bashed. I know Hobbs did it. He fucking got away with it without anything happening to him. I thought maybe you were going to make him pay … at last."

"Why would you care?"

"I'm gay. There's a bunch of us would like to cut off his balls for what he did. I thought you might do it for us."

Brian snorted. "I'd like nothing better, but I'm not exactly into violence."

"It got pretty violent at that candidates meeting the other night," the kid continued.

"You know about that?" Brian asked surprised that someone so young was paying any attention to local politics, or politics at all.

"I'm a political science major," the boy said, "and I intend to vote for you."

"Are you old enough?"

The kid made a face. "Of course I am. All of us in the poly-sci club who are from Pittsburgh are going to vote for you."

"Really?" Brian was surprised. "Is the whole club gay?"

"Noooooo," the kid drew out the word to show his disgust that Brian even thought that.

"So why would they vote for me?" Brian asked curiosity getting the better of him.

"Because you're young and pretty hip." Brian liked the sound of that. "You have some good ideas about education and business. You're a liberal and don't want to lock all of us fags away."

"You have been paying attention," Brian said impressed.

"Thanks," he replied. "We have a good group. We've been following your campaign carefully. It will be interesting to see if conservative, blue-collar Pittsburgh will elect its first gay mayor."

"First openly gay mayor," Brian corrected.

They both laughed.

"I'm betting they will," the boy said.

"Thanks, I hope you're right."

"Nice talking to you, but now I have to meet someone," the kid said looking at his watch again. He started away. "Give it to Hobbs when you see him."

"Thanks for your help," Brian called after him, meaning as much for his political analysis as for his directions to Chris Hobbs' dorm.

The kid waved off his thanks with a backward look and continued to walk away. Brian turned back to look at the building wondering if he should just leave. He glanced down the sidewalk and saw Hobbs heading towards the dorm. As he spotted Hobbs, the young man looked up and saw him. He stopped dead in his tracks. He looked nervously around like he was deciding if he should run.

"Hobbs!" Brian called. "He's still alive."

He saw a look of relief pass over the kid's face and he took a few steps towards Brian. "Is he all right?"

"If he wasn't it would be the police standing here, not me."

"I'm glad he's okay," Hobbs said lamely.

"Is that right?" Brian asked with all the sarcasm he could muster. "Is that why you left him lying on the fucking pavement and ran away? Is that why you told him that you wished you'd finished him off the first time?"

Brian's voice had risen to a shout and people were stopping and staring at the exchange.

"Please," Hobbs begged glancing nervously around.

"Please? Please what? Please don't embarrass you? Please don't tell the sordid little tale of you threatening someone half your size? Please don't make it clear to all assembled that you're a fucking little coward unless you have a baseball bat in your hands?"

Chris Hobbs seemed to shrink in size in front of Brian's eyes. But Brian wasn't through yet. "If you ever come near Justin again, I will personally hunt you down and take a baseball bat to both your legs and then to your balls! Do. I. Make. Myself. Clear?" Brian punctuated each word with all the hate and fear he felt inside when he thought of what this piece of shit had done to Justin.

"Do I?" Brian yelled when Chris didn't reply.

"Yes."

Brian turned abruptly refraining from spitting on the lowlife piece of crap standing all too close to him. He stomped off in the direction of the Corvette.

He thought he heard some cheers from people behind him, but he refused to look back. He slid into the seat of the Corvette and gunned it out of the parking lot. He wanted to place as much distance between himself and Chris Hobbs as he could. He was seriously afraid that he might go back and strangle him with his bare hands.

By the time Brian got back to the loft Justin was awake and sitting in the living room. He looked almost as good as new. Brian kissed him deeply so glad that he had not been seriously hurt.

"Where have you been?" Justin asked.

"I had an errand to do."

"What errand?" Justin pursued.

"Just some trash to clean up," was all Brian would say before he pulled Justin up to the bedroom for the next round. He needed the comfort of Justin's body after what he had just done.

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

Brian sat in the makeup chair at Good Morning Pittsburgh. This would be his first appearance since the fiasco at the Italian Club. He had chosen to wear his navy suit with a red silk shirt and tie. He wanted to look conservative, but not too. Justin had declared him to be smashing as he sent him off at five-thirty in the morning. His appearance on television would be just after six-thirty. He wasn't sure who the fuck would be watching at that time of the morning.

He had reluctantly agreed to continue in the mayoral race, but he felt if things went badly today he could still pack it in. He grinned inwardly and sucked in his lips. Who was he kidding? He hated to lose. He wouldn't quit now. He was going to fight it out to the bitter end.

He still worried a bit about Justin, but the boy had been so sure and so firm in his declaration that Brian continue that the man could do little else. He hoped he had made the right decision in going on with this. He didn't want anything else to happen to Justin, and he hoped his little visit to Chris Hobbs would put an end to that source of trouble.

The makeup woman finished her work and said he looked fabulous. Brian snorted at her use of that word. He knew she was flirting with him. Obviously she didn't follow politics very closely, or even look at the front page of the fucking local papers, or she would know he was gay.

The show took its commercial break and the assistant seated Brian in his chair across from Sandra Dietrich, the co-host of this mickey mouse production. Brian told himself not to be so hard on the show. Sandra was actually one of the better interviewers on local TV. That's why they had picked this show to start their new campaign.

"Ready?" Sandra asked him.

He nodded and heard the director or someone counting them down to air. He took a deep breath.

"Welcome back to Good Morning Pittsburgh," Sandra said cheerfully.

Brian wondered how anyone could possibly be cheerful every morning from five a.m. to seven a.m. He vaguely heard Sandra introducing him as her next guest.

"So, Mr. Kinney," she said, "I understand you had a rough night at an all-candidates meeting a couple of days ago?"

"That's the understatement of the year," Brian replied.

"Could you explain what happened?"

"I'm not sure I know exactly what happened other than I was attacked and vilified for my sexuality."

"But people have known you were gay from the outset. I remember you announcing that right at the start of the campaign."

"That's correct," Brian said firmly. "I was gratified that it seemed to be less and less of an issue as the campaign went along."

"In fact the last polls indicated you were the frontrunner."

"Right."

"So what could have precipitated this attack?" Sandra asked already knowing what the answer was.

"All I can assume is that there are certain elements of Pittsburgh society that don't want a gay man elected mayor. When I gained the lead, at least according to the polls, they had to take action to stop me."

"Are we talking homophobia here?" Sandra asked.

"I'd say so. My backers have done some investigating and discovered that the hall was stacked with fundamentalist church groups and other right-wing organizations. Somebody had to have coordinated all that and arranged for them to be there."

"Care to speculate on who might be behind this?"

"I have no proof, so I won't say anything, but I certainly have a very good idea of who it was."

"Would it have anything to do with your sudden departure from someone else's campaign, namely Jim Stockwell?"

"Smart girl," Brian thought. He had been hoping she would pick up on that. It was okay for her to say it. "I can't answer that, because I have no proof one way or the other."

"So what do you plan to do now?"

"I was shaken by what happened the other night. It was like a mob scene, getting more and more out of control. I seriously considered withdrawing my candidacy. I don't like violence. But then my partner reminded me that sometimes you have to be willing to stand up for what you believe in and accept the consequences that may bring."

"Your partner, Justin Taylor?"

"That's the one," Brian agreed with a little smile. It wasn't lost on Sandra.

"He convinced you to stay in the race? He must be a remarkable young man."

"He is."

"And you're in for the long haul now?"

"That's right."

"Do you think there will be any more incidents like the one a couple of nights ago?"

"I certainly hope not. I know most of the citizens of Pittsburgh are tolerant, law-abiding people who merely want to live their lives as best they can. And that's what I would like to be able to do too. I don't see why I don't have the right to run for mayor just because I'm gay, and that's what the people who hijacked that meeting were trying to do, force me out."

"So how can scenes like that be prevented?"

"They can't be, but I want to thank you for allowing me to present my side of what happened. I want to appeal to the people of Pittsburgh not to put up with this kind of bigotry. If you don't like gays, then don't vote for me, vote for someone else, but don't deny people their basic rights and freedoms."

"Well said, Mr. Kinney. On that note we'll take a break and I'll be back in a couple of minutes with Jeff Backus, telling us how to train our dogs in a new and easy way."

"And we're out!" someone called.

Sandra stood up. She reached out her hand and Brian shook it warmly.

"Thanks, Sandra," he said.

"For what?" she asked innocently.

"For getting Stockwell's name into it. I couldn't have said it."

"I know, that's why I did. By the way, you have my vote. I hope you trample the rest of the competition." She walked away with a little smile flung over her shoulder as she prepared to learn how to train her dog in the next segment.

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

Brian spent the rest of the day making the rounds of the other local shows and news broadcasts. He did three interviews, one for each of the local papers. Once people heard the story and the way Brian was treated, the response was always positive. Brian wondered where these people had been on that night at the Italian Club. He hoped the general public would react the same way once they got the whole story.

Charles kept telling him that there would be a backlash against the intimidation tactics and homophobic views that had come out that night. By the end of the day Brian was beginning to believe him. He started to feel hopeful that he could still win the election.

The last event of the day was an appearance on the six o'clock Channel 5 news. He would be interviewed by somebody named Kelly for a total of two minutes thirty seconds. He was sure he'd be able to get all of his points across in that great span of time.

When they arrived at the studio, Brian was introduced to Kelly while the other anchor did a different story. Brian recognized her as the one who had talked to Stockwell several times when he was still running. She had always seemed sympathetic to Stockwell's ideas. Brian mentioned this to Charles but he seemed to think that nothing untoward would happen in such a short interview.

Kelly stood beside Brian as they were counted into their segment. Brian got a funny feeling from her, but couldn't put his finger on it. She began by describing the events at the Italian Club a couple of nights ago and introducing her guest as the gay man who was running for mayor. Brian didn't like that very much.

"Excuse me, Kelly," Brian said, "but I'd really prefer if you referred to me as one of the candidates for mayor, not the gay man who's running for mayor."

"But that's what you are though?"

"Yes, I am, but you don't need to preface my introduction that way."

"Whatever," she said, and Brian tried to keep his mouth from dropping open. "I want to tell you that I've seen you on all the local programs today telling the same story over and over."

Brian looked at her, not believing his ears. "That would be correct," Brian shot back. "I think it's very important that the public knows what happened and has …"

"But aren't you just using this to further your campaign," she interrupted smugly.

"I certainly hope these appearances will further my campaign, but I didn't start the trouble in the first place."

"But you're milking it for all it's worth," she stated.

"I beg your pardon, but revealing homophobia and probable conspiracy is hardly milking the situation."

"Well, I guess we'll find out how the public feels about this on Election Day," she said smugly. "Thank you for your time, Mr. Kinney. Now back to the main desk."

"What the fuck was that?" Brian said to her once he was sure they were off the air.

"It's called an interview, a truthful one."

"In case you didn't know, Stockwell is out of the race," Brian said sarcastically.

"But Allan Billings isn't," she said and walked away with a little smirk playing across her lips.

The Candidate

Part 12

Brian lay in bed staring at the ceiling. He was exhausted after spending the day making the rounds of the talk and news shows. Overall it had gone well except for the last interview with that Kelly cunt. He knew there was something he didn't like about her as soon as he met her.

He needed to always remember that there were people out there who believed the same things that Stockwell did. They could be anywhere, in any position. He had to be prepared and not get taken by surprise as he had with that bitch. He could never let his guard down.

Except with Justin. He turned his head to look at the beautiful young man who slept beside him. They had fucked like rabbits when he came home. He needed Justin's faith and security and he had found all that and more. This was the first time since Justin had been in the hospital that they had got down and dirty. Justin, maybe sensing that Brian needed him in some primal way, had urged the man on to take him hard and fast. The next time was hard and long. After that it was hard and … fill in any appropriate adjective. They had done it every which way to Sunday as long as it was prefaced by hard.

He should be asleep, but he couldn't seem to manage that. Something was rattling around in his brain. He wished he could figure out what it was that was nagging at him. There was something that he just couldn't put his finger on. He knew it was important, but he couldn't quite grasp it.

Brian sighed and turned on his side. His arm automatically went across Justin's hip and he snuggled against his back. He wondered when he had learned to like snuggling. A little grin played across his lips. Justin had taught him so much, including how comforting snuggling could be.

He felt Justin scrunch back against him and his cock got hard just from that involuntary act. The boy was sound asleep, but even in that state he gave himself to Brian, totally and unselfishly. Brian wondered how he had been lucky enough to find this delicious creature. His life would be so different without him, so lonely.

He kissed along Justin's neck, not really wanting to wake the boy, but needing the contact. He felt Justin stir and a hand went round his semi-erect penis. Brian smiled.

"You up, little boy?" Brian asked.

"No, but you are," Justin whispered sleepily.

"It's your fault."

"Why's that?"

"I brush up against your ass and I'm immediately hard."

"I could tell you not to brush up against it, but neither of us would like that," Justin giggled.

He rolled over and into a deep, penetrating kiss from his partner. "Don't you ever get enough?" he mumbled between kisses.

"There's no such thing as enough."

"I think you've proven that point over and over again tonight," Justin moaned as Brian's lips sucked his hard little nipples. "Aren't you tired?"

"Yes, but I can't sleep."

"Therefore, neither can I," Justin stated.

"I'll stop if you want me to," Brian said straightening up from the trail he had been blazing down Justin's chest and stomach.

"Are you insane, man?" Justin asked flinging back the covers to reveal his hard, leaking cock.

"As insane as you are."

"That's why we're so perfectly suited," Justin whispered and then gasped as he felt Brian's lips suck on the tip of his cock. "Ooohhhh," he moaned.

Brian's tongue slid through the slit pushing the precum along and into his mouth. "Umm," Brian moaned. "You taste so good."

Justin arched up off the bed as Brian circled his tongue around the cap and then sucked hard. He took the throbbing shaft in his hand and licked up and down the sides. He sucked along the prominent vein drawing gasps of pleasure from Justin. He blew over the tip and suddenly engulfed most of the shaft with his mouth. He hummed causing Justin to scream out his name. He felt the boy grab his hair and pull, looking for anything to prevent himself from coming.

He eased up wanting to prolong Justin's pleasure. The boy opened his eyes and gave a little smile of gratitude. Brian attacked again sucking the cock all the way in and burying his face in Justin's pubes. He blew out through his nose, forcing warm air over that sensitive area. Justin arched up again shoving his cock impossibly farther down Brian's throat. Brian swallowed around it and was rewarded with a roar of pleasure from Justin and waves of cum shooting down his throat. He swallowed it all and sucked the tip dry. He rewarded his little boy with a kiss and a deposit of his own essence.

"Whew!" Justin gasped. "That was some way to wake up."

"You don't even have to be awake," Brian teased. "You get off so easily."

"So do you," Justin retorted.

"I have much more control than you do."

"Want to bet?" Justin asked.

"What? Are we playing 'I Can Top That' now?"

"Who's playing?" Justin demanded and had Brian's cock in his mouth before the man could say another word.

Justin plied his trade with learned and instinctive expertise. He had Brian coming in a few short minutes. He kissed the man returning the favor that Brian had done for him a few minutes earlier. Justin rolled onto his back and glanced over at his partner.

"I win," Justin said.

"Who cares," Brian said still trying to get his breath back. "But really, I won."

"Asshole!" Justin gave him a gentle swat.

"Twat!" Brian grinned back at him.

"I love you, Brian. Do you think you can sleep now?"

"I'll try. I promise to leave you alone."

"Don't ever do that," Justin replied, only half kidding.

They looked at each other in the moonlight that filtered through the curtains. Unspoken love flowed between them as Justin turned on his side and easily dozed off. Brian wished he could do the same, but that incomplete thought was still buzzing in his brain. It would be a long, sleepless night.

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

Brian looked a little the worse for wear the next morning. He really hadn't slept at all, only dozing fitfully. He wished he could figure out what was bothering him.

Justin on the other hand looked wonderful. He had managed to get a good night's sleep despite the strenuous sex and being awakened in the wee small hours of the morning.

"Somebody looks well fucked," Brian said with a smirk.

"I have no complaints," Justin grinned.

Brian grinned back.

"I have something to show you," Justin said.

"Oh, what?"

"I've been thinking about this ever since you announced you were going to run for mayor, but I couldn't get it just right. Yesterday while you were gone I finished it," Justin said proudly.

He walked over to the desk and lifted up a poster board with a serious-looking picture of Brian on one side and part of the American flag on the other. It said Brian Kinney – Mayor, like he had already won. The words Honesty and Integrity were placed beneath that. Down near the bottom it said "The Candidate" with the stress on "The".

"Do you think you can use it in your campaign?" Justin asked.

"It looks great," Brian had to admit, "But don't you think the flag thing is a bit over the top?"

"No, or I wouldn't have put it in there. Every candidate appeals to the patriotism of the electorate, that is, every smart candidate," Justin said giving Brian a knowing grin.

"Point taken. I'll get them printed up today."

"You do like it, don't you?"

"It's great! Your work is always great. Hey, should we don our gay apparel and go forth into the darkness tonight to plaster them all over town?"

"Just like old times?" Justin grinned.

"Just like old times."

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

It was just after one a.m. and Brian and Justin were almost back to the loft. They had been out for a couple of hours slapping up Justin's poster all around Liberty Avenue and surrounding areas.

Charles had made a rush order to get the posters printed and had sent them off with some of Brian's supporters to stick up in other parts of the city. Brian and Justin had asked for a supply and said they would take care of their part of town. Charles had tried to discourage them, but they wanted to do this in remembrance of what they had done to Stockwell. It had been fun working together then and now.

Charles had loved Justin's poster as soon as he saw it. He said it would appeal to everyone which a good campaign poster should do. He agreed with Justin that the flag was always good to include. He especially liked the use of the words Honesty and Integrity, saying they were the hallmark of Brian's campaign.

Brian climbed the steps to the front door of the building housing the loft. He knew Justin was tired. He had been foolish letting the boy talk him into this, and keeping him out so late. Justin should be in bed asleep.

He had just inserted his key in the lock when he heard someone yell, "Hey."

Justin grabbed Brian's arm in a viselike grip. As Brian turned to see who had yelled, he saw the look of panic on his partner's face. "Hobbs," Brian thought as he pulled Justin close and looked around to see who had spoken. "It better not be that fucking asshole," Brian cursed to himself. "I'll kill him."

A figure stepped out of the shadows across the street. Someone had obviously been waiting for them. As the man stepped further into the light, Brian could see that it was Stockwell. He was almost glad that it was him and not Hobbs.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing lurking around my building?" Brian asked with his teeth clenched. He still held on to Justin wanting to protect the boy at all costs.

"Something wrong with your little friend?" Stockwell asked venom in his words.

Brian didn't like the tone of voice or the strange way the question came out. Did Stockwell have something to do with Justin's "accident"? Not many people knew what had happened to Justin at the Italian Club that night. One of them was Chris Hobbs and Brian had filled him in on the aftermath when he had paid Hobbs that little visit.

"I was hoping you would get the message the other night. There are a lot of people who want you out of this race," Stockwell stated.

"Well they're not about to get their wish," Brian stated flatly.

"I think they will eventually."

"Well, you'd be wrong. You have no idea how stubborn an Irishman can be."

"And what about your trembling friend?"

"What about him?" Brian asked suddenly worried.

"Didn't he get hurt the other night?"

"How the fuck do you know about that … unless you had something to do with it?"

"I'm still the chief of police. I have ways of finding out anything I want to know."

Something was sparking in Brian's brain. He almost had the answer, but not quite.

"I don't give a shit who you are! You better stay the fuck away from both of us."

"Things are only going to get worse, Kinney. Why don't you cut your losses and drop out?"

"I don't think so," Brian said not half as sure as he had been a few minutes ago.

"You may live to regret that decision," Stockwell stated and started to walk away.

"Is that a threat?" Brian called after him.

"Could be," Stockwell shot back. "But try to prove it."

Brian looked down at Justin who still clung to his arm and decided that the best thing he could do was get Justin inside and to bed.

"Are you all right?" Brian asked.

Justin nodded but didn't release his grip on Brian's arm. Brian finished opening the door and they rode the elevator up to their floor. By the time they were inside the loft Justin had lost the look of panic, but he was still pale.

"Go get into bed. I'll bring you some water," Brian told him. He went to the fridge and took out a bottle of water. He went up to the bathroom and got some headache pills for Justin. "Take these," he said, "and drink plenty of water. They'll keep you from getting one of your headaches."

Justin nodded and downed the pills and most of the bottle of water. He lay back on the pillows and looked up at Brian.

"I'll quit if you want me to," Brian said as he removed his clothes and climbed in beside Justin.

"I don't want you to quit. We have to stop people like Stockwell. We can't let them win. If you drop out, Allan Billings will win the election, and he's about as close to Stockwell in beliefs as you can get."

"But look at how this upset you, and after what happened the other night …" Brian let his voice trail away.

"I'm all right. When I heard that voice yell at us, it was too much like the other night, too much like what Hobbs did. It scared me."

"Bingo!" Brian said.

"What?"

"I think I just made the connection that has been roaming around in my brain, but I couldn't piece it together."

"What are you talking about?"

"Remember when I couldn't sleep the other night." Justin nodded. "I kept thinking there was something that I was missing, something important."

"So what have you figured out?" Justin asked with a yawn. The headache medicine was starting to kick in.

"We can talk about this in the morning. You need your sleep," Brian said not wanting to have to explain to Justin about his visit to Hobbs. He knew the boy wouldn't be happy with him.

"No, tell me. I'm not asleep yet, and now you've got me curious."

Brian groaned. "The afternoon that you were asleep and I went out to do an errand?" It was a question.

"I remember."

"I went to … Robert Morris University."

"You didn't?" Justin said sitting up and staring into Brian's eyes. "I told you to let it go."

"I know but I couldn't let the little fucker get away with what he had done. He's gotten away with things too many times already."

"You didn't beat him up, did you?"

"No, I didn't beat him up, but I wanted to. When I saw him, I yelled that you were still alive. I wanted him to know that you would always survive whatever he tried to do."

Justin ran his hand along Brian's arm. He could hear Brian defiantly telling Hobbs that he hadn't won. He smiled at Brian.

"His response kind of took me by surprise. He said, 'Is he all right?', like he was really concerned about you. When I said you were, he said that he was glad. I was so busy yelling at him that if he ever came near you I was going to take a baseball bat to both his legs and then his balls, that it didn't really register what a strange response that was."

"You told him you were going to take a baseball bat to his balls?" Justin asked with a giggle. "Ouch!"

"Will you listen to the important part?" Brian demanded. Justin wiped the smile off his face. "Don't you think it's strange that he was glad that you were all right? Didn't he tell you that he wished he had finished you off?"

"Yeah, that's what he yelled at me. So why wouldn't he have wanted me to be lying dead on the pavement?"

"Precisely. Unless he only meant to scare you and your getting hurt really was an accident. I think he was worried that the police were going to be involved again."

"But why come after me at all? Why not just stay away from me?" Justin asked.

"Unless someone put him up to it, to scare you and therefore me, and cause me to drop out of the race."

"But who …? Stockwell!" Justin said.

"Right, Stockwell."

"But why would Chris risk everything to help Stockwell. I don't think he cares much about politics."

"But he cares about paying for his schooling. Didn't you say that he mentioned it was costing his parents a fortune to send him to university?"

"You think Stockwell paid him?"

"The story of the bashing was recently in the paper and Chris Hobbs' name was all over the article. Stockwell could easily track him down. You heard him say that as police chief he could get any information he wanted. If he propositioned Hobbs, but made it clear he didn't have to hurt you in return for money, it was a win/win situation for both of them."

"But I did get hurt."

"So Chris was worried that he was in trouble all over again. That's why he was relieved that you were all right, and that it was me and not the police that had come looking for him at the university."

"Holy shit!" Justin replied. "I can't believe they would go to all those lengths."

"Doesn't it seem strange that you got attacked outside at the very time that I was being attacked verbally inside? What better way to get their point across that we're both vulnerable, and I should drop out!"

"That's … sinister," Justin said slowly.

"Yes, it is, and it's a true corruption of the electoral system."

"But we can't prove any of it."

"Not yet, but I'm going to talk to Melanie in the morning and see what she says about it. I'll get Charles working on it from his end too."

Justin gave him a kiss and then yawned again.

"Go to sleep," Brian ordered.

"After what you just told me, I don't expect to get much sleep. I'm going to be rolling this around in my brain all night."

"Sorry about that," Brian said giving him a kiss.

"Hell, fuck me, and maybe I'll be tired enough to crash!"

"Certainly, sir."

Justin giggled in that way that went straight to Brian's cock.

The Candidate

Part 13

The next few days of the campaign went along without incident. Brian again began attending candidates meetings. He was asked some questions about his relationship with Justin, but there were no more attacks or stacked assemblies that tried to vilify him. It was decided that Justin would not appear at any of these functions until after the week he was to take it easy. They would evaluate his situation then.

Brian talked with Melanie about Stockwell's role in Justin's accident, but she said he had no proof of anything so there was really little that could be done. If Hobbs was willing to admit that Stockwell had paid him or encouraged him to attack Justin, then they could pursue it. Both Brian and Justin were sure they would never get Chris to do that.

Charles had his people looking into the incident, but since they were dealing with the chief of police, it was unlikely he would make some kind of slip-up that they could catch him on.

Brian was frustrated at not being able to prove what he was sure was true. Justin tried to get him to forget it and concentrate on the campaign. There was less than two weeks left before the election.

The latest polls showed that Brian had suffered from the newspaper picture of him and Justin, and probably somewhat from the attack at the Italian Club. Even though they had fought back, Billings was now in front. These incidents seemed to have polarized the community. There were significantly fewer undecided voters. People were choosing one side or the other, and they seemed to have chosen Billings' stand in much greater numbers.

Brian was disturbed by that. He did not want to be seen as merely the homosexual candidate. He did not want the main focus of the campaign to be homophobia. He also hated the idea that he was a divisive force, causing people to stand opposed to each other instead of working together for solutions. Brian felt there were many other issues that were, in his opinion, much more important. He had learned a lot since this campaign had started.

Brian told Charles that he wanted to find an issue that was important to the people of Pittsburgh and that would galvanize attention, thus taking it away from the whole homosexual thing. Allan Billings was squeaky clean as far as their investigations could discover, not that Brian really wanted to get into personal attacks such as he had suffered himself. They decided to stay away from the police and law issues, since that would only look like sour grapes and infuriate Stockwell more. Brian was all in favor of infuriating Stockwell, but Charles talked him out of it.

They were stumped. There were many topics that deserved to be discussed and would have to be dealt with if Brian was elected, but nothing that really stood out. After a long and frustrating afternoon where Charles and Brian had gone around and around all the issues and accomplished nothing, Brian was ready to scream.

Justin came in from school at that point. He could tell immediately that something was wrong.

"What's up?" he asked.

"We've been trying to think of some issue that would grab public attention and take it off the fact I'm gay. And that you and I are partners," Brian added giving Justin a kiss as the boy came over to him.

"So what have you come up with?" Justin asked.

"That's the problem," Charles said. "We can't think of anything."

"Oh?" Justin replied and Brian could see the wheels turning.

"What are you thinking about?" Brian asked.

"I'm not sure you would have jurisdiction over it," Justin qualified.

"Tell us and we can decide that," Charles said.

"I was talking to one of the girls in my drawing class today," Justin explained. "She's really talented. Anyway, she had a baby a couple of years ago. Not planned, of course, but she's trying to keep it and still complete her schooling. She is having an awful time finding suitable daycare that she can afford for her little boy. Thank God, her parents can help her out most of the time, but there are lots of people who don't have that safety net. What if you made daycare and education the issue?"

Justin waited, relieved that they didn't blow off his idea immediately.

"That's an issue that most people have to deal with, either through their own children or grandchildren or neighbors," Charles said.

"But isn't a lot of that under the state's control?" Brian asked.

"Yeah, but the city has say over licensing of daycares and we could offer incentives to businesses and schools to provide daycare on their premises," Charles said.

"And we could make it clear that we are going to go after the state government to improve education in general," Brian added.

"This could be it," Charles said. "You have one smart partner there, Brian."

"I always knew he wasn't just a pretty face," Brian said squeezing Justin's butt.

Justin squirmed away, his megawatt smile lighting up the loft, but he wanted to hide his sudden hard-on from Charles' view.

Charles stood up. "I'm going to go," he said. "I'll check out exactly what aspects of education we can influence and try to get some points drawn up for tomorrow night's Q and A."

"That would be great. Thanks Charles," Brian said.

"Bye, Justin," Charles said with a grin as the boy stood facing away from him, his hands clasped in front of him.

"Yeah, bye," he replied relieved that Charles was leaving.

When the loft door closed behind the man Justin wheeled on Brian. "Fuck!" he yelled. "Why did you do that?"

"Do what?" Brian asked innocently.

"Say nice things about me and squeeze my butt in front of him!"

"You don't want me to say nice things about you?" Brian asked pretending innocence again.

"Of course I do, just not in combination with you touching my butt," the frustrated boy responded.

"Why not?" Brian asked staring straight at Justin's crotch.

"Brian!" Justin groaned. "You know!"

"Come here and I'll help you fix it."

"Shit!" Justin said. "Don't you ever have remorse for anything you do?"

"Remorse is a waste of time."

Justin realized he was getting nowhere. He walked over to Brian. "I should punish you for being such a shithead."

Brian grasped his hips and pulled him close. "And how would you punish me, little boy?" Brian asked with a smirk. His hands shoved Justin's shirt out of the way and Brian began nibbling on his belly. He could see the tent in Justin's pants growing ever larger.

"Fuck!" Justin moaned as Brian shoved his pants to his knees allowing his cock to spring free.

"Double fuck!" Justin gasped as Brian's mouth engulfed his shaft and began to work it up and down.

"Triple fuck!" Justin breathed as Brian's hand clasped his balls and rolled them around. His knees were feeling very unsteady.

"Uh … uh," Justin gasped as Brian sucked the tip of his cock and rolled his tongue around the cap.

"Don't you mean quadruple fuck?" Brian asked with a grin before he started licking the purple shaft with his talented tongue.

"Yeah," Justin agreed. "What comes next?" he asked losing his thought processes with each swipe of Brian's tongue.

"Quintuple fuck." He sucked the pulsing rod down his throat. He pulled Justin's hips forward and back effectively fucking his own face with the boy's cock.

Brian stopped. "Sextuple fuck," he said with a grin, "and I don't know what comes after that…" Brian's mouth engulfed him once more. Justin knew he was going to explode any second, the delicious friction of Brian's lips more than he could bear.

"Ahhh!" he let loose, and sank against Brian who wrapped his arms around him and held him until the effects of his orgasm passed.

Brian pulled him onto his knee, Justin's head resting against Brian's cheek.

"You are so bad!" Justin whispered.

"That's why you love me," Brian grinned.

"You really liked my idea, didn't you?" the boy asked.

"You have the very best ideas."

Justin gave him his patented sunshine smile. He loved being praised by Brian. There was no point in trying to be mad at him.

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

Brian sat on the stage at the community center. He shifted his tie and smoothed his pant legs. He knew he looked striking in his gray suit and black shirt. He hoped the audience would find his ideas about daycare and education as striking.

Each candidate had been asked to submit a question that would be asked of all the candidates. That meant that each candidate could prepare his own answer and hope to trip up the opponents who wouldn't know the question ahead of time. Brian had submitted a question about daycare, prepared to launch this and education as the new focus of his campaign.

They had drawn lots to get the order of answering and had already dealt with the questions from Janet Ferrino and Jamal Jefferson. Brian thought he handled those answers well, and so had Billings. Brian's question was next.

The moderator began, "How would you deal with the need for more and better daycare for the youngest citizens of Pittsburgh?"

Brian got to answer first. He quickly related all the things he had discussed with Charles and Justin and expanded the question to include improvements in education at all levels. He got a resounding response from the audience when he was finished. He smiled slightly, pleased that he seemed to have struck a chord with the public.

Ferrino and Jefferson gave some rather bland answers to this question, and Allan Billings dismissed the whole idea saying it was not the mayor's prerogative to mess with education. Brian glared at him, determined later in the evening to refute this claim.

Next was Billings' question. The moderator asked, "How would you promote family values in Pittsburgh?"

"Shit!" Brian thought. That was almost the same as Stockwell's mantra of "Family Friendly Pittsburgh". Billings began talking about making the streets safe for families to walk with their children, about having concerts and picnics in the parks, about helping families afford their homes.

Again Jefferson and Ferrino gave adequate but uninspired answers. When it was Brian's turn he knew what he was going to say.

He started by relating the concept of family values to families having access to all the necessities of life including daycare and a good education. He stressed how the mayor could influence these things. Then he began talking about the family as a concept, that nowadays the definition of a family had changed, that it had become more inclusive and expanded beyond the nuclear family. He said there were many kinds of families in this world and wanted to see them all given the same regard as the traditional family. He received strong applause at the end of his answer, and an evil look from Allan Billings.

That was the end of the prepared part of the evening and the floor was open for questions from the audience. Brian held his breath. Every time they got to this point he half expected another attack.

"Mr. Kinney, how do you know about the need for education and daycare?" a woman asked. "Do you have any children?"

Brian knew that he had to be honest. He had said that he had a son early in the campaign, but Mel and Lindsay had managed to effectively stay out of the spotlight.

"I have a son as I have stated earlier. His mothers are lesbians and they had considerable trouble getting him into daycare even when they had money to pay for it. Some daycares didn't want the child of same sex couples. That's what I meant about equal opportunity for all, even those who don't fit the traditional definition of a family. I also know from my partner that there are students with children who can't afford the daycare that is out there. That's why I'd like to see businesses and institutions offer subsidized daycare so that these people can work and study in close proximity to their children. I think that cheaper and better daycare can be encouraged through the mayor's office."

There was strong applause.

Allan Billings cleared his throat and spoke up, "Easily said, but daycare and education are not under the auspices of the mayor's office as I said earlier."

"But the mayor can do a great deal to influence what happens with them. That is, if he or she wants to improve things," Brian responded staring straight at Billings.

The snide aspect of that comment was not lost on Billings. "And you know about education because 'your partner' is still a child in school," Billings said with a sneer.

"Justin is a student at PIFA."

"What's that?" Billings asked. "Pittsburgh Infant Facility?" he added with a humorless laugh.

"No, Mr. Billings, it stands for Pittsburgh Institute of Fine Art. My partner is a very talented artist."

"And many years your junior."

"Twelve, actually. Do you have a problem with that? I understand your wife is eight years younger than you."

Billings sputtered taken aback that Brian knew that and would have it ready to throw back at him. "That's beside the point," Billings said quickly.

"So is Justin's age."

"Gentlemen," the moderator interrupted feeling it was time to put a stop to this exchange. "I think we need to get on to other questions."

The next half hour was full of questions on many topics. Several more people asked about daycare and education and Brian began to think they had really hit on an issue that interested many of the voting public. Billings tried to pooh-pooh Brian's ideas without presenting any concrete ideas of his own on education. Brian was growing to detest his sneering comments.

Once the Q and A was completed the candidates and guests were offered coffee at the reception area at the back. This was the chance for people to speak one on one with the candidates. This was where Brian often felt he got the most important feedback. People who weren't comfortable speaking in front of a large group or who didn't have another agenda would give honest comment and/or criticism of topics that interested them.

Brian found himself surrounded by many of the younger people in the audience. Many wanted daycare at their work. They sincerely hoped that Brian could make this happen. They loved the idea that their child could be in the same building where they worked, and one of the women said that she had tried to work out a shared daycare at her place of employment but the red tape had defeated her. Brian said that shared daycare was a great idea and he would look into what could be done to facilitate such a plan.

Brian noticed Allan Billings giving him some sideways glances and wondered what his problem was, other than that he had only half as many people talking to him as Brian had.

When they finally left the hall Charles told Brian that he was very pleased with the way things had gone. The daycare and education issue had really grasped people's attention. He was optimistic that this subject could be the one to turn their campaign around.

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

Brian arrived back at the loft a little after ten. He found Justin sketching on the couch.

"Hey," Brian said as he closed the door.

"Hey," Justin replied setting his sketchbook on the coffee table. "How did it go?"

"There were very positive responses to the daycare/education theme. All thanks to you," Brian said.

Justin beamed. "I'm glad that idea is working for you, plus it really is something that needs to be improved."

"Allan Billings is one fucking asshole," Brian said.

"Why?"

"He just is."

"I understand that, but he must have done something that made you say that."

"He tried to say that as mayor I wouldn't be able to do anything about education or daycare."

"You didn't let him away with that, did you?"

Brian gave him a look of disdain.

"Of course you didn't," Justin said with a sheepish grin.

"He said you went to the Pittsburgh Infant Facility," Brian added waiting for the reaction.

"You're fucking with me. Right?" Justin asked in horror.

Brian shook his head. "I said you were a student at PIFA and he used the letters to mean that."

"Fuck!"

"I told you he's a fucking asshole."

"Did you get him back?" Justin asked knowing Brian all to well.

Brian smirked. "He asked about you being so much younger and I told him twelve years. Then I asked if that was a problem since his wife is eight years younger than him. I thought he was going to swallow himself."

Justin giggled. "They should know better than to mess with your razor wit."

"Guess what his question was," Brian said.

"Um … what's your favorite position for fucking your blond boy toy?"

"Close," Brian said with a straight face.

Justin's mouth dropped before he realized that Brian was teasing him. "I don't know. What?"

"He wanted to know how we would promote family values in our fair city."

"How did they find a Stockwell clone so fast? What did you say?" Justin asked genuinely interested in how Brian would answer that question.

"How would you answer it?"

"I'd … say that the traditional definition of family is much too narrow for the reality of today. I'd tell them that we need a new definition that includes all kinds of families."

Brian grinned from ear to ear. Christ this kid was smart.

"What?" Justin asked.

"That's just about what I said. I also added that all these new kinds of families needed and were entitled to decent daycare and a good education."

"You did?" Justin asked with his own grin.

"Great minds, you know."

"Were Mel and Linds there?"

"No, why?"

"They'd go nuts hearing Brian Kinney saying things like that."

"I said those things and I meant them," Brian said seriously.

Justin grabbed Brian's hand and pulled him down onto the couch with him. "You're going to be the best mayor that Pittsburgh has ever had," he declared.

"From your mouth to the electorate's ears," Brian said before kissing his wise little mentor.

The Candidate

Part 14

With one week left in the campaign Brian and Allan Billings were running neck in neck.  Some polls put Billings slightly ahead and others favored Brian, but all were too close to call.  Charles felt they had gained some significant support on their daycare and education stand, but Billings was milking his family values platform for all it was worth.  He seemed to have gained as much of the undecided vote as Brian had.



Charles, Justin and Brian sat around the table in the loft.  It was a war council. They needed to come up with a plan to put them over the top.  None of them liked the idea that it was a toss-up between the two candidates. They hoped to find something that would swing the electorate in their favor.



Debbie had been out campaigning on Liberty Avenue, trying to coerce all her people to vote for Brian.  Most of them gave lip service that they would, but Debbie felt there was another service that they would rather be using their lips for where Brian was concerned.  She didn't think she could produce a sure percentage of voters for Brian.



The last couple of days Justin had worked the campus at PIFA and had gone to some of the political clubs at the surrounding universities and colleges.  He had spoken to them to ask them for their support to try to bolster Brian's campaign. He thought most of them seemed inclined to vote in favor of Brian, but again how much would translate into actual votes remained to be seen.



Charles had all of his contacts, helpers and finances working overtime to promote Brian.  He had an idea about something that might put Brian on top, but he didn't think Brian would go for it.  He listened to the discussion at the table trying to decide how to broach the subject.



"I don't know what else we can do," Justin said.  "If only we could get proof of Stockwell's activities and his connection to Billings, then we could destroy their credibility."



"That's not likely to happen," Brian said.  "You know when I was at Robert Morris University I met a kid from the politics club and he was really informative."



Justin gave Brian a look indicating his displeasure with Brian being there at all, but then he said, "You know, we may be missing a golden opportunity here.  I found the political clubs very informative too. Maybe if I went back and enlisted some of them to campaign door to door for us, we could cover more of the city.  There were at least three or four people in every club that seemed really keen about your campaign."



"That's a great idea, Justin," Charles said.  "Would you mind going back and setting that up for us.  Maybe a blitz for the last three days of the campaign. I'll get you a list of what areas of the city need some coverage."



Justin nodded, happy to have something useful that he could add to the campaign.   



Brian was at a loss as to what else they could do to improve their share of the electorate.



Both Brian and Justin looked at Charles who looked like he wanted to say something, but still remained silent.



"Say it," Brian ordered after a long silence.



"You won't like it," Charles replied.



"Let me be the judge of that."



"Okay, here goes," Charles began.  "You know that we have been keeping Justin out of the mix lately.  I think it's time to bring him in and really show the public what you stand for and who you are, Brian."  Charles saw the look on Brian's face and quickly added, "Hear me out before you tell me no." Brian kept his mouth shut and Charles continued, "Part of the reason you came into this race so strong at the beginning was that you were brutally honest about yourself, your homosexuality, your firing from Vangard.  After Justin's encounter with Hobbs you backed away from that. We deliberately tried to find a topic that deflected attention from who you are and what you stand for. I think that's why we've lost ground."



Brian stared at Charles.  "I will not have Justin put in danger again," Brian declared.  "He stays out of this."



"Brian," Justin said.



"No," Brian commanded.  "I'm not taking any chances.  You do not get involved."



"It's my life, Brian.  You can't stop me."



"But you have to be careful…"



"I have to be true to myself and so do you.  What good is it otherwise, even if you win?"



"I don't think we should 'flaunt' ourselves," Brian said with a sour look on his face.



"See," Justin said defiantly, "you can't even say that without making a face.  You know that we weren't flaunting ourselves or our relationship when I appeared with you.  We were merely showing the world who we are. I say we continue to do that. The voting public will either accept it or vote against you.  We take the consequences either way, knowing that we stood up for what we believe in."



"You are a remarkable young man, Justin," Charles said.



"Live by the sword, die by the sword," Brian muttered.



"What's that supposed to mean?" Justin asked.



"It just passed through my head.  It scares me what could happen to you."



"It scares me what could happen to you if you don't stand up for yourself, and I want to be standing right beside you," Justin declared.



Brian reached for Justin's hand and squeezed it.  Justin knew he had got through to the man. Even if he was still worried about what might happen to Justin, they would go it together from this point on.  Justin smiled at Brian promising anything and everything.



"I take it then that you will be appearing tomorrow night at the Polish community centre?" Charles said making it more a statement than a real question.



Justin nodded and Brian shrugged his shoulders knowing that Justin would be there regardless of Brian's protestations.



"There's one other thing," Charles said hesitantly.  He knew Brian would really hate this one.



"Yeeessss," Brian drew it out knowing it was probably something he would like even less than the idea of Justin appearing with him.



"We have been campaigning on daycare and education and Billings has been flogging family values.  Why not combine the two, and beat him at his own game?"



"What are you driving at?" Brian asked afraid that he already knew.



"Gus," Charles said.



"No way!" Brian retorted.  "My son is not being dragged into this."



"But he could be the difference," Charles protested.  "He shows that you do have a family and a need for daycare, that you actually are dealing with the issues of this campaign, that you're not just pontificating about them."



"Since when do I pontificate?" Brian asked with a grimace.



Charles and Justin looked at each other and grinned.



"If either of you say that I am pontificating, you can shove your campaign up your asses.  I'm out of it," Brian stated not seeing any humor in this at all.



"Brian," Justin said, "Charles means that it would prove to everyone that these are real problems for you, not just talk.  Besides, Gus is so cute that he would probably sway eighty percent of the electorate in your favor."



"Only eighty?"



"Maybe ninety," Justin agreed.  "Who can resist a tiny carbon copy of you?"



"My own Mini-me?"



Charles and Justin chuckled.



"Will you talk to his mothers?" Charles asked.  "At least find out if they'd be willing to go along with this, because they would be in the public eye too.  You would be showing the public the kind of alternative family that you have been talking about at the candidate meetings."



"I don't know," Brian said still reluctant to involve his son and the munchers.



"Think about it, Brian," Justin said.  "Go talk to Lindsay and Melanie and see how they feel."



"All right," Brian gave in, "but I'm not promising anything."



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



A couple of hours later Brian rang the bell at the munchers.  He still wasn't convinced that this was a good idea, but he had agreed to talk to them, so here he was.  Lindsay answered the door.



"Hi," she said.  "We haven't seen much of you lately."  She held back the door and allowed Brian through.



"I've been busy.  May I see Gus? Is Melanie home yet?"



"Yes and yes," Lindsay replied.  "Melanie's upstairs getting Gus cleaned up for dinner.  He was out playing in the yard for awhile. We probably won't get too many more nice days before it's officially winter."



"Daddy!" Brian heard and Gus ran over to him.  He pulled the little boy up into his lap and was rewarded with a smacking good kiss.  He returned the favor.



"What have you been up to, Sonny Boy?" Brian asked hugging his son.



"Play," Gus replied.



"That's exactly what you should be doing," Brian agreed.



Gus smiled up at him liking his spot in his father's lap.  "Love you, Daddy," Gus cooed.



"I love you too, Gus," Brian replied kissing the top of his head.  That simple statement made Brian realize how innocent and precious his son was.  He was not going to drag him into politics in any way, shape or form.



"So what's up with the campaign?" Melanie asked.



"It's pretty tight," Brian said seriously.



"Is there anything we can do to help?" Lindsay asked.



For a second Brian considered asking them, but then he simply replied, "No.  I…want to thank you, Melanie, for keeping your feelings about me out of it."



"You're welcome.  It hasn't been too hard.  We simply refuse to grant any interviews."



"You mean they've been asking you for interviews?" Brian asked.



"At least one or two times a day," Melanie said.



"Shit!  I had no idea they were bothering you."



"They haven't really pestered us too much.  We just keep saying no," Lindsay added.



"That's good.  Keep saying that."



"So what are you going to do, if the race is so close?"



"Pray."



"You?" Melanie asked with a chuckle.



"Maybe not," Brian replied.  "Justin's going to start appearing with me again, and he's going to recruit some of the college types to go door to door for me the last three days of the campaign."



"That sounds like a good idea," Lindsay agreed.



"I'm appearing at the Polish Center tonight.  I think it's very conservative, so it should be interesting."



"The Poles are very much pro education so that may be to your advantage," Melanie said.



"If they can get past the fact that I'm gay."



"Yeah," Mel agreed. "By the way the things you have been saying about alternative families and daycare are right on.  I'm glad you're bringing that to the public's attention."



"Thanks," Brian replied.  "Well, I better get going.  I have to look stunning for the Polish citizens of Pittsburgh in a couple of hours."



"Good luck," Lindsay told him.



Brian kissed Gus who still sat on his lap and handed him to his mother.  "I hope I'll have more time soon to spend with Gus," Brian said a little sadly.



"Only if you lose," Mel said.



Brian gave her a look, but didn't say anything more.



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



Brian and Charles arrived at the Polish Center just before eight.  The other candidates were already there. He saw Allan Billings and his wife schmoozing with some people.  The other two candidates had already taken their seats on the stage.



Brian looked around for Justin but didn't see him anywhere.  The boy had gone off to visit a couple of the local universities as soon as their meeting with Charles was over.  He was supposed to meet them there.



The moderator came over saying they were ready to start.  Charles said he would keep an eye out for Justin and found a seat towards the back.  Brian wondered why Justin wasn't there yet, but went up on stage. He saw Allan Billings' wife take her seat in the front row.



This meeting was to be informal with questions from the audience and/or moderator as the situation dictated.  The meeting started off well with several people lined up at the mikes in the hall, most asking the standard questions that all the candidates had answered over and over again.  For a good hour things went along smoothly.



A distinguished looking man was next to ask a question.  He began to speak with quite a pronounced Polish accent. "I want to know why my granddaughter who has a little girl, two years old, can't find daycare that she can afford," he said.



"Who is your question directed to?" the moderator asked.



"Anyone who can answer it," he said.  The audience laughed.



"I'll take that on," Allan Billings said before Brian could open his mouth.  Brian gave him a withering look, but Billings merely looked smugly back at him.  "I think the reason your granddaughter is having trouble is because too many people in power talk about fixing the system, but nothing ever happens.  They don't really mean to do anything about it. It's just talk to get your support." He stared directly at Brian.



"That may be true," Brian said quickly.  "But since you're the only one here who's had the opportunity to make it any better, you must be talking about yourself."



Several people laughed and Billings looked like he wanted to strangle Brian.



"To further answer your question, sir," Brian continued directing his attention to the gentleman in the audience, "I'd like to see cultural centers like this one set up daycares for people in their communities.  If I'm elected that would be one of the things that I'd promote. I'd like to talk to you later about your granddaughter's situation."



The distinguished man nodded and even bowed slightly as he went to sit down.



"One for me," Brian thought looking triumphantly over at Billings.



"I have a question for any of the candidates who care to answer," a woman said.  "I'm interested in the family values that many of you have been talking about. How can we help young people have safer, gentler, better families in which to live?"



Billings picked that up immediately and Brian wondered if the woman had been planted to ask that question.  "I think we need to get back to the old fashioned values that religion has taught," Billings said with a superior view over the audience.



"And which religion would that be?" Brian asked.



"What do you mean?" Billings shot back.



"There are many religions.  Are you saying there is only one to follow?"



"Of course not, but most religions have good Christian values as part of them," Billings said.



"Did you hear what you just said?" Brian asked sarcastically.  "Most religions have nothing to do with Christianity."


"But…but…but you know what I mean," Billings said appealing to the audience.  "Why the Pope is Catholic and Polish!"



Brian almost burst out laughing at that statement.  He really had Billings flustered. Who would have guessed how easy that could be?



"I think we need to help young people a lot more than we are," Brian continued.  "Like the previous gentleman said there are many who can't get or can't afford proper daycare.  It limits their lives and leads to frustrations that put strains on the family and can lead to violence."



"How could you possibly fix that?" Billings asked regaining some of his bravado.



"I can't … alone, but case by case we can make a difference.  It's up to all of us." Brian saw many heads nodding in agreement.



"You who have no true family or responsibility beyond yourself are going to tell us who do how to fix our lives?  I don't think so," Billings said in his most superior tone.



"I do have a family, Mr. Billings, and I'm not trying to tell anyone how to do anything.  I'm merely saying that we all can aid in change for the better."



"I have my wife with me tonight.  Other than one time I've never seen your so-called partner.  As for this fictitious son of yours, where's he?"



Brian was about to snap back at Billings when he heard, "Daddy!  Daddy!" and saw Gus running up the aisle towards the stage.



"Sonny Boy!" Brian responded standing and quickly jumping down from the stage to catch the toddler and hoist him up into his arms.  "What are you doing here?"



"Mama, Mommy," Gus replied pointing to Mel and Lindsay who had been seated in the back.  They smiled and shrugged their shoulders.



Brian gave Gus a kiss and the boy said, "Love you, Daddy!" much to the appreciation of the people who heard the exchange.



"This is my fictitious son, Mr. Billings," Brian said looking up at the stunned looking man.  "Those are his mothers back there and I see my partner has just arrived," Brian concluded seeing Justin entering the hall.  "Justin, would you come get Gus?"



Justin walked up to the front, took Gus from Brian, gave the baby a kiss and then a little peck on Brian's cheek, before he really thought about what he was doing.  Brian saw him blush and rush away to give Gus back to his mothers.



The moderator said that this was a good opportunity to end the question part of the evening and invited the people to help themselves to coffee at the back.



Brian immediately went to find out what Gus was doing there.



"What the fuck are you two doing here?" Brian said between clenched teeth.



"After your visit today we decided maybe you could use some moral support," Lindsay said.  "We were about to leave and take Gus home to bed, when that asshole started talking about your fictitious son.  Gus wanted to go see you, so we just let him go."



"Well, thanks, I think."  Brian took Gus from his mother and held him.  "Did you not want to see me lose, Mel? I might have too much time to spend at your place if I did."



"I'll take my chances," Mel chuckled good-naturedly.  "We just got sick of listening to that holier-than-thou asshole."



"That makes two of us," Brian said.



"Mr. Kinney," a voice from behind Brian said, "you have a beautiful family."



"Thank you," Brian said handing Gus back to Lindsay.



"He looks just like you," the woman continued gesturing towards Gus.



"He's going home to bed now," Brian said.



The woman smiled at him and moved away.  Brian felt Justin's arm slip through his.



"Sorry I kissed you in front of everyone," Justin whispered.



"I'm not," Brian said and gave him a quick and rather chaste kiss in front of any who chose to notice.



"Aren't you flaunting yourself?" Justin asked.



"Fuck 'em!  I'm sick of being politically correct.  I don't even know when that became part of the plan, but no more!"



"I like the sound of that," Justin replied.  "Sounds like the Brian Kinney I know and love."



Brian looked into that wonderful face.  "I want to fuck you, but I have to go find the gentleman with the granddaughter who needs daycare."



"Go ahead," Justin said with a groan.  He wanted Brian so badly at that very moment.  "Later."



"Later," Brian promised as he moved away.

The Candidate

Part 15

The following day there was a picture in the paper that neither Brian nor Justin was prepared for.  It was the moment where Justin took Gus from Brian at the Polish Center and gave his partner a kiss on the cheek.  Whoever took the picture had managed to capture the exact moment of the kiss with Gus trapped between them.



"Fuck!" Brian said when he saw the newspaper.  "I didn't see any flashbulbs go off, did you?"



"No, but with digital cameras it isn't always necessary to use a flash," Justin said as he ate his cereal.



"I wonder what the reaction to that will be."



"You mean you wonder what the fallout will be," Justin clarified.



"That too."



"Why did Lindsay and Melanie bring Gus there?"



"They felt sorry for me when I told them that the mayoral race was neck and neck."



"You never asked them to let Gus be part of your campaign, did you?"



Brian looked away.



"Brian?"



"No, I couldn't.  He's so little and so innocent.  I didn't want to use him like that."



Justin leaned across the table and kissed Brian.  "What's that for?" Brian asked.



"For being so sweet."



"Me?  Sweet?"



"Of course.  You always have been."



"You are either a pathetic liar or you really are delusional," Brian stated.



"Both," Justin joked.  "Brian, you never realize how sweet you really are.  Most politicians would have had Gus out there front and center from the get-go."



"Christ, I hope I'm not like most politicians," Brian gasped.



"I just said you weren't and you better not turn out like so many of them."



"You know," Brian said thoughtfully, "I think about that.  Look how it changed me after you got hurt. I tried to downplay who I really am, tried to fit into a more acceptable mold and not make waves.  That's not me."



"That's for sure.  Most of the time you're a tidal wave looking for some place to crash ashore."



Brian snorted.  "I do wonder if I get elected how everything will change."



"I have to admit that it is a scary thought.  You will have so much responsibility and so many things to take care of.  Where will I fit in all of that, or will I?" Justin asked, his eyes suddenly filled with worry.



"You will be right there beside me," Brian stated.



Justin beamed his sunshine smile in reply, and then said, "But don't I have to walk a couple of steps behind you?



"Only when they make me queen," Brian replied with a twinkle in his eye.



"You already are," Justin giggled.



"Come here, you," Brian said his voice suddenly husky.



"I'd like to, but I have to get to class and then I'm going to a couple more colleges this afternoon."



"Justin, I appreciate you doing this," Brian said sincerely.  "But be careful. Don't overdo it and don't take any chances."



"You worry too much.  I'm fine and I'll be fine."  Justin kissed Brian longingly, and then forced himself upright, grabbed his coat and ran out the door.



Brian groaned and adjusted his jeans.



The phone rang almost instantly.  "Yeah," Brian answered.



"Brian, it's Lindsay.  Could you come over here right away?"


"I guess.  What's wrong?"



"There are reporters at the front door.  We had to take the phone off the hook and I'll do that again as soon as I end this call."  Lindsay sounded close to tears.



"Reporters?  What the fuck is going on?"



"That picture in the paper this morning.  It seems like somehow we, and particularly Gus, have become fair game all of a sudden."



"I'll be right there," Brian said grabbing his coat.



When he pulled up to Lindsay's a few minutes later, it looked like a house under siege.  There were vans from the local TV stations and cameramen and people walking around with tape recorders and pads of paper.



"Fuck!" Brian mumbled to himself as he slid out of the Corvette.



"Mr. Kinney!" someone yelled.  "Mr. Kinney!" Suddenly he was surrounded.  People shouted questions at him, no one allowing him to answer.



Brian shoved his way through and finally made it to the front door of the house.  Melanie opened the door and Brian scooted in before she slammed it shut and locked it.



"Go out there and tell them to go away," the woman commanded.



"I would if I could.  I couldn't get a word in edgewise."



Melanie grimaced.  "You've got to do something."



"What do they want?  What have they said to you?" Brian asked.



"They want Gus."



"Gus?  He's two!  How can he hold a press conference?"  Brian couldn't believe his ears.



"They want pictures … of him, of you and him, of us."



"But why now?  They left you alone before."



"I know, but I think they feel we brought Gus into the campaign last night, and now they want more."



"Shit!  That's why I didn't want him at any of those meetings.  Why did you bring him?"



"We were trying to be supportive, Brian," Melanie said ruefully.  "I'm sorry if we upset your neat little campaign."



Brian snorted.  "What neat little Campaign?  It's a fucking nightmare. I was supposed to ask you to let me bring Gus into the campaign yesterday, but I just couldn't involve him," Brian said with a grimace.



"Oh!" Melanie responded.  She was a bit surprised at Brian's admission, but only a bit.  She realized more than ever that Brian loved Gus and wanted only the best for him.  He had managed to keep him and them out of it until they took matters into their own hands by going to the meeting last night.



Brian had been thinking too, while Mel was silent.  He was wondering how he could fix this for them. Then it hit him.  "Listen, Mel. What if I go out there and make a deal with them?"



"What kind of deal?" Mel asked warily.



"I'll tell them that all of us will come out to the porch together for a three minute photo-op.  Then you guys can go inside and I'll answer questions."



"How does that solve the problem?" Mel asked.



"We don't come out unless they agree to go away and leave you alone afterwards."



"Oh," Mel said again.  "Let me talk to Lindsay first."



"I'm going out to see if they'll agree," Brian stated.



Melanie went upstairs to find her wife and son.  Brian took a deep breath and stepped out on the porch.



"Ladies and gentlemen of the press," Brian called.  People stopped and turned to face him. "I have a proposition for you.  I will bring my son and his mothers out on the porch for three minutes for you to take pictures, if you will then pack up and leave.  Leave them alone from now on."



There were rumblings and shaking heads from many areas of the assembled throng.  "Why should we?" someone shouted.



"This is a two year old child we're talking about here," Brian stated.  "I don't want him to be scared, and afraid to come out of his own house."



"He's right," someone said.  "The kid's still a baby."



"Give us five minutes of photo time and get the ladies to say something," another person called out.



"I don't think so," Brian responded.



"How about five minutes for photos and questions to all of you?"



"I … I don't know," Brian said not sure the women would agree.



"That's the best offer we have," the same man yelled out.  He seemed to have appointed himself the main spokesperson for all assembled.



Brian stepped back in the house.  Lindsay stood holding Gus with Melanie beside her.  Gus looked bewildered and Lindsay wasn't much better off.  Mel looked mad.



"Did you hear that?" Brian asked.



Lindsay nodded.



"Want to do it if they say they'll leave?"



Lindsay looked at Mel and they both nodded.



Brian opened the door.  "We have a deal as long as I have your word that you'll disappear from here afterwards."



There was a chorus of "okay" and "yeah" and "all right".



Brian nodded.  "Just a minute," he said.  He disappeared into the house.  When he reappeared he was carrying Gus and Lindsay was on his left and Melanie on the right.  Brian noticed there were some microphones taped to the railing.



"Okay," Brian shouted.  Gus covered his ears. "Sorry, Sonny Boy.  Please try to be orderly about this. I don't want Gus frightened."



"Can you get Gus to wave?" someone asked.



Brian whispered in Gus' ear and the little boy looked out at the crowd and made his fist open and close in a sort of wave.



"Good boy," Brian whispered to him and gave him a kiss on the cheek.  Flashbulbs had been going off continuously all this time. Gus turned his back to all the light.



"Who's the kid's mother?" someone asked.



"We both are," Melanie retorted.



"Who gave birth to him?" the same person pursued.



"I did," Lindsay said standing up straight and regaining her poise.



Gus continued to cling to Brian's neck facing away from the reporters.



"How was he conceived?" someone else asked.



"I was a sperm donor," Brian said quickly.



"Could Gus say something?"



Brian glared in the direction that the request had come from.  He whispered to Gus. Gus turned around and looked at the assembled masses.  "Go 'way," he said firmly and hid his face against his father's shoulder.



"I think that just about sums it up.  Now please leave," Brian declared and turned, ushering the women back into the house.  Little did he know that the last look the press got of Gus was his head over his father's shoulder sticking his tongue out at them all.



Brian and Gus' mothers waited for the press to gather up their paraphernalia and hit the road.  True to their bargain they did. Within twenty minutes the street was back to normal. Brian had been sitting on the floor playing with Gus when Melanie reported that the last van had just pulled away.



"Do you think they will really stay away?" Lindsay asked.



"They fucking better!" Brian replied.  "We kept our part of the deal, so they better do the same."



"Thanks for coming over and helping us deal with them," Mel said.



"You're welcome, but don't bring Gus to any more political get-togethers," Brian requested.



"Not even your victory party?" Lindsay asked.



Brian made a face.  "I wouldn't be too sure that there'll be one," he said.  "The polls show that it could go either way."



"So that means you could win," Lindsay said trying to be positive.



"Yeah, right.  Well, I better go," Brian said giving Gus a kiss on the top of his head.  "Keep your mothers in line, Sonny Boy."



Gus giggled.  "Bye, Daddy."


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



Brian didn't see Justin again until he got in from another meeting with the other candidates at another cultural center somewhere in the city.  All these meetings had begun to run together. This meeting was pretty tame compared to some of the others.



Brian had been asked about the kiss between Justin and him that had been captured in the photo in the paper.  He had answered that by saying they were a couple and they did show affection from time to time. That had earned him a laugh from the audience.  He had really wanted to tell them that he and Justin had a healthy, even extraordinary, sex life and that little kiss was nothing to what they could show the public.  However, he dutifully restrained himself and played the role of a sensible candidate.



He had had a message from Justin on his voicemail when he finished at the center.  It merely said that he was running late, wouldn't be able to make it to the meeting and would see Brian back at the loft.



When Brian arrived home Justin was sitting on the couch staring out the window.



"Hey," Brian greeted him.



"Hey," he responded but didn't get up.  "Everything go okay at the meeting tonight?"



"Pretty much.  I had a request for us to demonstrate the art of kissing."



"What?" Justin asked taken by surprise.



"I'm kidding.  Are you all right?  You seem distracted."



"I am a bit.  I have something to tell you."



"Oh, what?"



"I went to Robert Morris University and spoke to Terry, the guy you talked to there.  He's really keen to help you. I think you have another conquest," Justin said, rushing to get it all in before Brian reacted.



"What the fuck did you go there for?" Brian demanded.  "That's where Hobbs is."



"I know, but you talked about this kid who was very informative, so I thought I'd try to find him and get him to help."



"How did you find him?" Brian asked.



"I went to the student union building and he found me.  He recognized me from the article in the paper."


"That kid must live there.  That's where I ran into him too.  So he's going to help?"



"Yeah, he said he'd round up a team and do that end of the city starting tomorrow."


"Great, but I'm still not happy about you going there."



"I saw him," Justin said staring at the darkness through the windows.



"Hobbs?  Fuck!"



"He came up to me and apologized for the incident when I got hurt.  He said he just wanted to scare me, not hurt me."



"He didn't do anything to you, did he?" Brian asked coming to sit beside Justin and putting his arm around his shoulder.



"No, it was all very civil.  I … I actually didn't feel afraid," Justin said shaking his head.



"That's good, I guess, but I wish you hadn't gone there."



"I asked him if Stockwell put him up to it," Justin said quietly.



"You didn't?  Fuck, Justin, he could have hurt you again."



"He seemed genuinely sorry.  He wouldn't admit that Stockwell gave him money, but I'm even surer now that he did.  I think he even wanted to tell me that."



"But he didn't."



"No."



"Justin, I asked you to be careful."



"I know, but I felt like I needed to talk to him.  I don't think he'll be a problem again."


"How can you know that?"



"I just feel like it's finally finished."



Brian pulled Justin against him and kissed him hard.  "I'm glad nothing bad happened," Brian whispered.



"Me too," Justin admitted holding onto Brian.



"How was your day otherwise?" Justin asked.



"Peachy!  I had to go to Gus' press conference."



"What?"



"The press had Linds' house under siege this morning.  She called just after you left. I made a deal with the press that Gus would come out for five minutes if they would go away after."



"Did they?"



"Surprisingly yes."



"Wow, you are getting to be such a politician," Justin said in awe.



"Fuck you!" Brian retorted.  "I don't like being called that."



Justin chuckled.  "Brian, what the fuck do you think you are?  You've been in politics for almost a month now.  That makes you a politician."



"Don't I have to get elected to be a politician?"



"Maybe," Justin admitted.



"Wanna fuck a politician?"



"Sure," said Justin, "but you just told me you weren't one yet."



Brian groaned.  "Close enough." His mouth closed over Justin's and his hands began removing clothes.



"You politicians are a crafty lot," Justin gasped as Brian let him up for air.



"Do tell."



"You can kiss and undress and win an election all at the same time."



Brian grinned at him, took his hand and pulled him up to the bedroom.

The Candidate

Part 16

The next day the newspapers were full of the picture of Gus sticking his tongue out at the press.  The television news had shown tape of the same incident, but it hadn't been very noticeable as it was a long distance shot.  Several papers had been using telephoto lenses and had gotten a good shot of the tongue.



Justin ran up to the loft after he picked up the paper and showed it to Brian.  Brian chuckled when he saw it.



"Like father, like son," Justin observed.



"I have a very talented tongue too," Brian said sticking it out and flicking it suggestively at Justin.



"Don't I know it!" Justin agreed.  "They say that Gus told the press to 'go way'.  Did he say that?"



"Yeah," Brian chuckled.  "They asked if he could say something.  I think they thought he was incapable of speech.  I asked him to turn around and say something. That's what he said."



"You didn't tell him to say that, did you?"



"How could you think such a thing?" Brian asked taking mock offence.



"As I said, like father…," Justin grinned.  "I could almost hear you saying 'Go 'way!' too."



"I tried that but they wouldn't go."



"I wonder if they'll leave Gus and the munchers alone now."



"I haven't had a call from them this morning, so maybe."



"There's only three days left.  What's scheduled for today?"



"Door to door all day."



"Sounds like fun," Justin said.



Brian made a face.  This was one of his least favorite parts of the campaign.  He never knew what kind of response they would get when the door opened.  Half the time he expected someone to tell him to fuck off or throw a bucket of water at him.  That's what he would have done a few months ago to anyone who had the nerve to campaign on his doorstep.



"I have one more university political group to see this afternoon," Justin said.



"Not at Robert Morris University, I hope," Brian said.



Justin made a face at him.  "No, not again. According to Charles, if I get this group organized we should have the city pretty well covered for the blitz this weekend.  Then we vote on Monday."



"I'm ready for it to be over," Brian said seriously.



"Really?  Are you feeling all right?"



"Yeah, I'm just tired of always being on, always on my best behavior, always wondering what the next thing coming at me will be."



"It's not much longer now, so stick it out, Mr. Mayor."



Brian grimaced.  "I'm not sure I could ever get used to hearing that."



"Sure you can, and you better, because you're going to win."



Justin dropped into Brian's lap and gave him a long sensuous kiss.



"What was that for?" Brian asked when they finally broke apart.



"You said you had been on your best behavior, so that was a promise that you can be as bad as you want tonight."



"Sounds good," Brian said with an evil grin.



"Do we have a date?" Justin asked.



"I'll be home early.  There's no meeting tonight."



"See you for dinner then," Justin said getting up and grabbing his coat.



"Later," Brian replied, already gearing himself up for the long day of knocking on doors that lay ahead.



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



Around five o'clock Brian let himself into the loft.  It was starting to get dark and he was exhausted. It felt like they had knocked on a million doors today.  His face ached from the plastered on smile he had used at each one. His voice and throat felt raspy, probably from all the talking, but he hoped he wasn't getting a cold.  His feet were like blocks of ice. He had worn regular shoes to do all the walking, but he should have worn sneakers with nice warm socks underneath.



He glanced around noting that Justin wasn't home yet.  Every chance he had got all day long he had been playing in his mind all the really bad things he was going to do to the boy tonight, and wondering what bad things Justin had in store for him.  It was the only way he had kept sane the last hour or two.



He went up the steps to the bedroom shucking clothes as he went.  In the bathroom he turned the shower on extra hot and let the steam fill the cubicle.  He slid off his underwear and stepped inside letting the almost scalding water cascade over him and run down onto his frozen feet.



He let out a long sigh.  He hoped this whole exercise was worth it.  At the beginning he had felt honored that people wanted him to run for mayor, that they had faith in him and felt he could make a difference.  Somewhere along the line he began running just for the sake of running. He needed to talk to Justin about what he could accomplish as mayor. He needed to focus on what was really important, because there was a chance, maybe more than a chance, that three nights from now he could be the newly elected mayor of Pittsburgh.



Another long sigh escaped his lips.  He wished he was more prepared if that was the outcome.  Often he felt so incompetent, so inexperienced. He thought he could do this job, but sometimes it seemed so overwhelming.



He turned off the shower and stepped out grabbing a nice warm towel.  At least he felt more human now, not a walking talking ice cube. He dried himself off and slipped on some sweats.  They felt warm and cozy against his skin made tender by the heat of the shower.



He wished Justin would come home.  He wanted to lie in his lap on the couch and have him comb his fingers through his hair.  Justin would talk about all the good things Brian could do as mayor and Brian would be convinced that anything was possible as long as he had that wonderful boy to believe in him.



Brian decided to order dinner for them.  He didn't want to waste his time with Justin while the boy cooked for them, although nothing he ever did with Justin was a waste.  He actually enjoyed sitting on a stool watching the young man whip up a pasta dish or bake something in the oven. Sometimes Justin asked him to cut up vegetables or stir something on the stove.  He liked doing that too. Christ, he really had become domesticated!



He poured himself a shot of Beam while he waited for the dinner to arrive.  After he downed the drink he rested his head on the back of the couch and closed his eyes.  He was tired.



Suddenly he heard the loft door roll back.  He jumped and sat up.



"Sorry," Justin said.  "Did I wake you?"



"Um, s'all right," Brian mumbled.  "I shouldn't be sleeping but I think I walked a billion miles today."



"What galaxy did you end up in?" Justin teased.



"Alpha Queerauri," Brian said.



"Jesus, how do you come up with stuff like that when you're half asleep?" Justin chuckled.



"I'm good with fag jokes," Brian said with a yawn.  "I ordered dinner. It should be here any minute."



"It's here now," Justin said holding up a large take-out bag.  "I met the delivery guy at the front door and paid him for it."



"Good, I'm hungry," Brian said forcing himself up from the sofa.



They unpacked the bag and dished up some plates of food.  They carried it to the sofa and ate off the coffee table. The Thai food was tasty and still nice and hot.  Both of them felt better when they had cleaned their plate.



"That was a good choice for dinner.  I didn't feel much like cooking," Justin said.



"How did you make out at the last university?"



"I met some really great people and they rounded up at least eight volunteers to cover their end of the city.  They'll be out all day Saturday and most of Sunday. I think these kids could really put you over the top."



Brian groaned.



"What's that for?" Justin asked.



"I … I was thinking in the shower how I needed to talk to you because you always make me feel like I know what the fuck I'm doing."



Justin smiled a smile of pure joy.  He loved to hear Brian say that it was him who could bolster his confidence, that he was the one that Brian needed.  "Come over here," Justin said.



Brian turned around and laid his head in Justin's lap.  He felt Justin's fingers sift through his hair just like he had wished for.  He sighed contentedly. He felt Justin lean over him and the boy's soft lips caressed his own.  He purred his approval.



"You are going to be the best mayor this city has ever had," Justin whispered.



"I just hope I'm semi-competent.  I'd be satisfied with that."



"No you won't," Justin said.  "You're always the best at anything you do."



"You think so?"



"I know so."



Brian looked thoughtful and Justin stayed quiet waiting for his words to sink in.  "I'm not sure," Brian said slowly. "I knew what I was doing in advertising. I never doubted that I could pull anything off, but I'm not so sure that I can swing this."



"Being mayor isn't so different from being in advertising," Justin said.



"How do you figure that?"



"You have a problem, you find a solution, you convince the public that it's the right answer."



"That's all there is to it?"



"I think so."



"I can do that."



"Sure you can.  That's what I've been telling you."



"Smart little fucker, aren't you?"



"Yes."



Brian chuckled.  He shifted up on the couch so that he could get a better grip on Justin and a deeper more penetrating kiss.  When he ended the kiss, he stared into Justin's eyes.



"Are you telling me to drop my pants?" Justin giggled.  "I bet you're ready to be bad."



"I thought about all the things I was going to do to you tonight all day long.  It was the only thing that got me through."



"Glad I could be of help," Justin chuckled.  "So what did you come up with?"



"I … want to make love to you," Brian stated.



"Oh?"



"Are you disappointed?" Brian asked.



"No … no … just surprised."



"So am I."



"Let's go to the bed," Justin said.  "It's more comfortable." He took Brian's hand and they walked up the steps.



By the side of the bed they undressed each other.  Naked they lay down facing each other staring into each other's eyes.  Brian leaned in and kissed his boy. He ran his hand along Justin's side from his shoulder to his thigh.  His flat palm ran across Justin's chest, pressing on his nipples and squeezing as they passed over. Justin sighed in satisfaction.



Kisses followed, long and delving, soft and sweet, forceful and crushing, hard and demanding.  When Brian finally stopped Justin felt all warm and light headed. He looked up into Brian's hazel eyes.



"I think you've given me the vapors," Justin whispered.



Brian snorted pleased that he could have that affect on his young lover.  "I have much more to come."



Brian began to use his mouth on various parts of Justin's body.  He licked and sucked and kissed every spot he knew got to his partner.  Finally he took Justin's erect cock into his mouth and the boy cried out in pleasure.  He licked and sucked some more until he had it coated with saliva and precum. When he took the whole thing down his throat Justin gasped and moaned.  Brian swallowed and was rewarded with spurts of Justin's cum flowing down his throat. The boy gasped for air and shuddered as the orgasm swept through him.  Brian sucked him dry, and then cradled the smaller body against him waiting for the effects to pass.



"Good?" Brian asked, kissing Justin's eyelids.



"Awesome."



They lay like that for awhile, neither wanting to break contact.



"Brian," Justin asked softly, "What's the most memorable fuck you've ever had?"  He hoped he was part of it, but he really wanted to know.



"Are you trying to get into a fight with me?"



"What do you mean?" Justin asked bewildered by this reaction.



"What if it's not you?"



"I … I can take it," Justin stated jutting out his chin.



"Okay, but you asked for it," Brian warned.  He thought about all the men he had been with, some with enormous penises, some with techniques that years of practice had perfected, some with holes that would take a cannon, some with mouths and tongues that could coax an orgasm out of a parsnip.



Justin watched Brian's face knowing that he was going over all the dicks he had known and used.  "We only have a few hours for you to mull this over," Justin said getting slightly exasperated.



"Be patient.  I'm thinking. I want to be fair to them all."



"Christ, I'm sorry I asked," Justin replied knowing that Brian was going to pick someone else.



"I have it!" Brian said triumphantly.



"So tell me," Justin demanded half-heartedly, not really wanting to hear about Brian being with someone else.



"This was the first thing I thought of, but I had to go over some other good ones to be sure this was the best."



"All right, already, tell me!"



"Are you sure?  I think you're already mad and sorry that you asked."



"So what?  Just spit it out and be done with it."



"Okay, if you're sure," Brian said.  He was sure Justin wanted to strangle him.  "It involves someone we both know."



"It does?"



"Yes."



"Who?"



"Guess."



Justin thought for a moment.  "Ben?" he said finally knowing the two men had been together at the White Party.



"No."



"Emmett?" Justin said thinking that Emmett had always seemed special to Brian.



"No."



"Michael?" Justin ventured praying it wasn't true.



"God no!" Brian reacted.



"Then who?  Ted?"



"Jesus, Justin!"



"I don't know.  Vic, Hunter, Lindsay?"



"Are you nuts?  If you fucking say Melanie or Debbie, I'm going to strangle you!"



"Then who else is there?" Justin asked with a hint of impending tears in his voice.



"You, you twat!"



"Me?  But why didn't you say so?  I was hoping …" Justin let his voice trail off.



"I said it's you.  Can't you at least be happy about that?" Brian asked exasperated.



"Why did you let me think it was someone else?"



"I was teasing you.  I said this would make you mad."



"I'm not mad," Justin said snuggling up against Brian once again.  "But which fuck is the most memorable?"



"There have been a few," Brian agreed.



"The first time?" Justin asked.



"That was good, but you were too scared."



"Was not!"



"Were too!"



"Okay, I was," Justin gave in.  "But tell me which time."



"I'm not sure I want to."



"Please, Brian, you have to tell me now."



"Okaaaaay," Brian drew it out.  "Remember when you came to live with me after the bashing?"  Justin's eyes got very big. "You wouldn't let me touch you at first.  Then that night you said you wanted me inside you. I thought my heart would break.  You sounded so fragile and so scared, but at least you were going to let me in. You took the scarf from around my neck and we made love so carefully.  I was afraid I'd hurt you or you'd tell me to stop. I think that would have killed me, but you went for it, and I think it was good for both of us," Brian ended with a sigh.



"Everything got better after that.  You were so kind and tender that night.  I'm surprised though that you would pick that time."



Brian shrugged.  "I knew that night how much you trusted me.  It was … special."



"Yeah, it was," Justin admitted feeling the love that he should have always known was there between them, spoken or not.



"Okay, then what's your most memorable one?" Brian asked.



"Guess."



"Shit, are we going to do this again?"



"Take one guess and then I'll tell you."



"The first time," Brian said sure that had to be it.



Justin shook his head.  "No, not even close." Brian raised his eyebrows in surprise.  "It was that night after all the trouble with the Sap that you let me top you."


"Fuck!" Brian reacted.



"I felt like you really trusted me that night, that I could depend on you.  Somehow you knew that was what I needed and you gave it to me. I'll never forget that."



"All the glorious fucks that we've experienced and those are the two we pick.  We are a couple of wusses!"



"They were times of trust and sharing and love.  That makes them special. That's why we remember them," Justin said softly.



Brian stared into those beautiful blue eyes.  He sucked in a breath. "I think I'm ready to be bad now," he stated.



Justin chuckled.  Too much emotional crap was more than Brian could bear, but Justin was glad to hear what Brian had to say about their times together.  He wasn't really so surprised. Brian was an old softie at heart. "I'm ready too," Justin said with an evil wink.