Druid


Chapter 1



"Hey, Druid, trying to get rid of the wrinkles?" Angus asked in that supercilious way that pushed Brian's buttons.

"Shut the fuck up!" Brian who was known as Druid within the Quoin replied. "I'm trying to relax. I don't need you fucking babbling at me." Brian lay on his back, a protein masque covering his face. The masseur worked on his legs. He had spent an hour running on the beach below the castle and the massage felt great.

"You've got what, barely a month, before you turn thirty?" Angus pursued with a grin. The annoying Scotsman, who dressed as Rob Roy every night, was getting some unwanted body hair removed in the large spa at the Quoin.

Brian was about to tell him to fuck off when he decided instead to ignore his fellow worker. Angus had red hair and a somewhat burly physique. Some of the customers at the Quoin liked that type of brute strength. Angus could hardly wait for Brian to be forced out and then he could assume the role of the ultimate "top" at the high class brothel. Brian knew Angus was trying to rattle him. He decided that wasn't going to happen. Nobody got to him. He was still the master of his domain, at least for the next month.

"Those masques can only do so much," Angus continued. "When you get to be your age the wrinkles just keep coming."

Brian felt his blood pressure going up. He wanted to punch Angus in his smug twenty-two year old face. But what would that accomplish? Angus was cocky, just like … he used to be. Angus was young, they were all so young. When did he get to be the old one? Brian sighed making it as inaudible as he could. Just shut up, Brian willed the other man.

"Have you figured out what you're going to do when you have to stop tricking here?" Angus asked knowing he was rubbing Brian the wrong way. "You could always be the towel boy here at the spa. I bet you could handle that, couldn't you, Druid?"

Brian seethed. The number one rule at the Quoin was that nobody over thirty could be one of the boys. Somehow at age thirty you stopped being a "boy". Quinn, the owner of the Quoin, had made that very clear to all of them. He prided himself on running the best gay brothel in the world. Everything was first class and elegant, including the boys who worked there. They were all quite beautiful, young, well trained, and courteous to the customers. Quinn wouldn't stand for dissatisfied customers. There would be hell to pay if a customer was unhappy, so the boys made sure that never happened. Quinn felt that his customers were paying for young, energetic, enthusiastic cock, so he had made the rule about no one over thirty. Brian couldn't believe that he was fast approaching that not so magical number.

He closed his eyes and thought back over the … seventeen, yes, over seventeen years he had spent at the Quoin. He had only been twelve when he arrived at the brothel. Quinn had brought him there. The man had taken pity on the scared boy he had found battered and bruised outside of a pub in Dublin.

Brian thought back to that night. He had gone to the pub on his mother's instructions. She wanted her husband, Jack, to come back to his father's house where they were staying. They had gone to Ireland for the funeral of Jack's father, his grandfather. His father drank way too much at the wake. Then he and a bunch of other men in the family had headed down to one of the pubs. Brian's mother, Joan, had pleaded with him not to go but he merely said he would be gone for a few hours and to shut her fucking mouth. Joan had cried and prayed and yelled at the children. Brian and Claire had slunk away trying to be inconspicuous.

Finally Joan had told Brian to go to the pub and bring his father home. Brian had no idea how he could do that, but he set out to follow his mother's instructions. When he had arrived at the pub, he had gotten someone to tell his father that he was there. He waited outside. His father had stormed out to find him. Jack had screamed drunkenly at him about how his fucking family never gave him a minute's peace. Then, as often had happened before, Jack's right hand connected with the side of Brian's face. Brian stood his ground which made Jack madder. The open hand became a fist. When Brian tried to explain that Joan needed him to come back to the house, he hit his son harder than ever. Finally he threw Brian against the brick wall of the pub and stomped back inside.

Brian had crumpled to the sidewalk scraped, beaten and dazed. That was when Quinn O'Donnell had walked into his life. The man had stopped and tried to help Brian up, but Brian had told him to go away and leave him alone. He had moaned in pain as Quinn tried again to help him up. At that point Quinn had knelt down beside him and taken the frightened boy in his arms. Brian had stiffened at Quinn's hold on him, half expecting to be dragged away and beaten some more by this tall stranger.

Instead Quinn had merely held him, gently rubbing his back and whispering words of comfort. After a bit Brian began to relax and then he started to cry. Nobody ever gave him comfort, nobody held him like this, nobody cared if he lived or died. He didn't know how long Quinn had stayed with him, holding him outside the pub. His father never came back out to see what had happened to his son.

Finally Quinn got him to stand up and he looked at the battered face of the boy. He could see the beauty that was there under the bloody nose, the blackening eye and the tear tracks.

"Let me take you home," Quinn had said.

"I don't have a home," Brian had said defiantly.

"But where are your parents?"

"Dead." And as far as Brian was concerned they were. He was never going back to suffer more abuse from his father. He never wanted to see his selfish and uncaring mother again.

"Dead? But how do you live, survive?"

"I can look after myself," Brian had said with as much bravado as he could muster.

"You don't look like you did a very good job of that tonight."

Brian didn't know how to answer that. "I gotta go," he said instead and turned to leave.

"Wait. Come with me and I'll see that you have a safe place to sleep tonight. I don't want you to be alone on the streets."

"I don't need your help," Brian had told him.

"Maybe not, but let me look out for you tonight."

Brian was rather scared at being out on his own, but he knew he could never go back to his so-called family. "Okay, but just for tonight."

Quinn had taken him to his hotel room and cleaned up his bloody nose and scrapes. Brian had slept on the floor on some extra blankets. He tossed and turned all night. He didn't know what he was going to do, but he knew Jack and Joan Kinney had seen the last of him. He wasn't going to be anybody's punching bag from now on.

The next morning Quinn had introduced himself more formally, and bought Brian breakfast. Brian liked sitting in the hotel restaurant and eating with this elegant looking man. He wondered if he could grow up to be just like him some day.

Quinn told Brian he was leaving to go to the castle he had recently bought near Blarney. Brian, on impulse, asked if he could go with him. Quinn had tried to get Brian to tell him about any family that he might have, anyone that could look after him. Brian refused to admit that he had any family. He said his parents had come to Ireland from the U.S. a year ago and then they had died in a car crash. Nobody wanted him and he had run away from child services, refusing to be put in foster homes. Whether Quinn believed the story or not, Brian never knew. He did finally agree to take Brian with him and that was all Brian cared about. He vowed to be just like Quinn when he grew up.

Quinn had driven them to Blarney and then on to the castle. It had been newly renovated and Brian was awed by the luxurious surroundings. Everything seemed to be first class and when Brian said that, Quinn had smiled at him and told him that was the only way to do things. That had been Brian's credo ever since.

Brian wanted to know if he could work at the castle. He said he'd do anything Quinn requested of him. He just wanted to stay. Brian failed to note the strange smile on Quinn's face when he requested this. It was a few days before Brian figured out the real purpose of the castle.

Quinn made Brian the gopher, running requested items up to the suites or carrying trays of food or other exotic items to serve to the guests. He watched unobtrusively the comings and goings of elegant men, some even more elegant than Quinn. He sometimes managed to see what went on in the suites. He'd drop off his tray and pretend to leave. He'd hide and watch what the guests did to the boys who worked at the Quoin, or what the boys did to their clients.

"Hey, Druid," Angus brought Brian back to reality. "That masque probably needs three or four more hours before it makes any difference on that ancient face of yours."

"Fuck off!" Brian yelled at him as the Scotsman left the spa. Angus laughed as he passed by, but Brian realized the truth of his words. He was using the masques more often and for longer periods of time. But nothing could stop the ravages of time. The little crows-feet were still around his eyes and his skin just wasn't as fresh looking as it used to be.

Brian lay back down. He'd leave the masque a little longer. Maybe it would help. Wishful thinking, his brain told him. He tried not to frown. That defeated the purpose of the masque. He closed his eyes pushing away Angus' words and the inevitability of turning thirty.

Brian's mind ran back to the day he had told Quinn he wanted to be one of the boys. Quinn had just about blown a gasket. Brian had been at the Quoin for over a year at that point. He would soon be fourteen. He had spent a lot of time then jerking off and waking from wet dreams that left him panting and wanting more. He knew he was gay quite a long time before, but he never had any real concept of what that meant until he came to the Quoin and saw the boys at work. He had approached a couple of them over the last few months wanting to see if they would do to him some of the things that he saw them do to the clients.

The boys had told him in no uncertain terms that he was a baby, Quinn's baby, and they wouldn't dare touch him. Brian had cried himself to sleep after these episodes feeling ugly and unwanted. Jerking off just wasn't getting him what he needed. He needed to experience real sex with a man. He had decided to talk to Quinn who had treated him like a son all this time. Maybe Quinn would tell one of the boys to do what he wanted.

Brian remembered how scared and awkward he had been trying to explain to Quinn what he needed. Quinn had been livid that Brian had been watching the boys and their clients. He was told he was never to do that again.

"Then I need to do those things myself," Brian had pleaded. "Nobody will help me."

Quinn had laughed then and Brian had been furious. "Fuck you! You keep me locked up in this fucking castle. I can't do anything. I have no life," Brian yelled.

"You're free to go anytime you want, Brian," Quinn had told him.

Quinn had made it clear from the outset that Brian was only there because he wanted to be. He could leave if he wished. Quinn had tried to get Brian to go to school but the boy had steadfastly refused saying that he would read and study and learn on his own. He was secretly afraid that if he went to school somebody would discover that he had run away and send him back to his parents. He told Quinn that he was afraid of bullies like the one who had beat him up that night Quinn had found him in Dublin. That was kind of the truth, only he didn't tell who the bully was.

Brian tried to explain what he wanted again. "I don't want to leave. I just … I just … need … someone to … oh, I don't know."

"I do," Quinn had finally admitted. "You're almost fourteen and you're horny. You need to get laid."

"That's what I was trying to tell you," Brian cried in exasperation.

"But how do you know that you want to do it with a boy? How do you know you're gay?" Quinn asked.

"I … I don't know what you mean. I just want to do what the other boys do."

"What about doing that with a girl?"

"I … I don't think so," Brian said making a face. "Ew," he added with a shudder.

Quinn had looked at him thoughtfully. This was part of the reason he had wanted Brian to go to school, to be with other young people of both sexes and to see what the outside world had to offer. When Brian had refused, Quinn had provided him with books and had set up a home schooling program, later getting him a computer and seeing that he got hooked up to educational sites at various institutions where he could get an equivalency diploma and maybe a college degree, although after high school Quinn had left him pretty much on his own about whether he studied or not.

That same day Quinn had arranged for Brian to meet the daughter of one of his friends. She was a year older than Brian. Quinn felt that she would give Brian the chance to see if he was attracted to girls. She was quite a beautiful young lady named Patricia. She and Brian had become friends that first day, commiserating with each other about the ridiculous plans of their "parents" to put them together. Brian knew immediately that he liked Patricia, or Pats as he took to calling her, but he didn't like her in the way that the boys at the Quoin made him feel.

Brian reported his feelings to Quinn who sighed in frustration. He still wasn't sure that Brian hadn't been tainted by the life he was living and might one day realize that he wasn't gay at all. Brian had begged for Quinn to let him be with one of the boys, preferably Tomas who was older, Portuguese, and endowed with sultry good looks and a large cock. Quinn had refused, saying Brian was too young. Brian had threatened to hitchhike into nearby Cork and find someone on the streets. They had finally agreed after much arguing that Brian could have Tomas for his fourteenth birthday. That seemed like forever to Brian, but it was really only two weeks away.

"Time to get this masque off of you before it becomes permanently affixed to your face," Emile the head of the spa staff told him. Brian got up and allowed the masque to be peeled off. He ran his hands over his face feeling the fresh new skin that was revealed. He would look sensational tonight. "Are we done for today?" Emile asked. "Or do you want some time in the sauna. That would be good for your skin."

"Sauna," Brian said. He loved the heat and steam and it would give him more time to think.

Brian settled onto the wooden shelf in the sauna and stretched his legs out in front of him. He wrapped a towel around his neck and leaned his head back closing his eyes. He allowed his mind to continue with the brief history of one Brian Kinney, runaway, student, fag, whore.

That night with Tomas had opened his eyes to things he had never imagined. They had done everything, fucking, sucking, rimming, kissing. Brian had been a quick and voracious student. He wanted to experience it all and Tomas had done his best to oblige. At first he had been gentle, starting with the fine art of kissing. Then he had brought Brian to his first orgasm caused be something other than his own right hand. The fine points of oral sex had been demonstrated along the way. Next he had rimmed Brian and sucked on his balls. The boy had whimpered and pleaded and screamed for more. Tomas had told him about anal penetration, how it would hurt but he would learn to love it. Brian wanted it all so he had submitted to a man for the first and last time. It was the one thing he didn't enjoy that night. Tomas had certainly got his rocks off taking the young Brian's virginity, but Brian had decided then and there that he was the top. He would be the one getting his rocks off. He would be in control.

When Tomas was finished and sucking in post orgasmic air, Brian had felt used and he didn't like that feeling. He told Tomas that he wanted to do that to him. Tomas had been surprised and a little unsure about letting the boy go that far so soon. Tomas bottomed for clients who wanted him to, so this was nothing new. However, he was quite unprepared for the ride this boy gave him. Usually someone so young would be finished in no time flat, not having enough self control to last much beyond the initial penetration. But Brian wasn't most men. He rode Tomas until sweat dripped off each of them. When he finally climaxed Brian grinned from ear to ear and Tomas took a deep breath and looked at the power top he had just helped to create.

Brian was never sexually with Tomas again, but they had always been friendly. If Brian had questions about anything sexual he went to Tomas. He was much easier to talk to than Quinn who surprisingly got rather uptight when his surrogate son brought up those topics with him.

About three years later when Brian was seventeen Tomas had turned thirty and had to leave the Quoin. Tomas didn't really want to go and Brian knew he was losing his only real friend and mentor at the Quoin. Tomas had taken him aside and told him some facts of life before he left. He told Brian to save at least half of everything he made because he would need it for when he turned thirty. Tomas had managed to save enough to go back to Portugal, buy a small business there and start the rest of his life. He told Brian to make sure he finished his education and planned for his future. Nobody else was going to do it for him. Brian had taken some of his advice. But he wasn't as fortunate as Tomas. He didn't have Portugal to go back to. There was nothing in the United States to draw him back. He hoped his parents were dead. They probably thought he was, as if they would care one way or the other.

Brian threw some more water on the coals and breathed deeply. He should get out, but maybe a few more minutes would refresh his skin even more. He leaned back against the wall.

Shortly after his initial sexual experience with Tomas, Brian approached Quinn about working as one of the boys at the Quoin. The man had told him definitely not. He wanted Brian to grow up as normally as possible. He didn't have to trick like the other boys at the Quoin. He could work and stay there, but he didn't have to sell himself.

Brian didn't see it that way at all. He knew he had a huge sexual appetite. The night with Tomas had initiated him into practices that he wanted more of. Apparently it was common knowledge that he had spent that night with Tomas. Several of the other boys decided they'd like to show Quinn's boy a few things too. One by one Brian had a night with each of them. He learned something new each time. He refused to let any of them top him, but he made sure that they had the pleasure of his nine inch cock up their asses. It had only taken him a little over a week to work his way through all the boys, one night each.

When he had used them all, he had gone to Quinn and requested a place as a boy in the Quoin. He bluntly told the man that he had used all the boys that were there and he wanted fresh meat. Quinn could hardly believe his ears. He had tried to raise the boy properly. Brian wanted to have clients, and make tons of money, have a new trick every night and practise all the things he had learned.

Reluctantly Quinn agreed. He thought of Brian as the son he had never had. He knew the boy was smart and had hoped for better things for him. However, if this was what he wanted, he would grant his wish.

Brian reveled in the knowledge that he was going to get his own clients. He could hardly wait. Quinn lectured him about how to behave with the clients and how he would have to submit to whatever they wanted. Brian, even at fourteen, knew he had some lines that no one was going to cross. He told Quinn in no uncertain terms that he was a top and would not let anyone make him bottom. The clients should know that ahead of time. Quinn was shocked at the audacity of this kid. Apparently he didn't know Brian half as well as he thought he did. Finally he agreed and that stipulation was made clear to any potential clients.

The first night that Brian was to sell himself Quinn had sent him to the spa to be cleaned and pampered and readied for his first client. Quinn had someone in mind that he thought would be gentle with Brian and help him break into this way of life more easily. Quinn had called this man, Brendan Reilly, one of his long standing clients and explained the situation. The man had become very excited about the prospect of fresh new meat and someone so young who declared himself a top. Brendan had been only too pleased to agree to Quinn's wish to come to the Quoin, see if Brian suited him and spend the night with the boy if he liked what he saw.

Each night at the Quoin the boys dressed in their costumes whatever they might be and paraded into the reception area. Unless they had been explicitly booked beforehand they lined up in front of the evening's clients and selections were made.

Brian wanted a costume like the other boys had. The costumes covered the gamut from historical periods to mythical gods to characters from famous movies. Quinn had suggested he dress in a toga like a young god from ancient Rome. Brian tried on the toga but decided it wasn't quite right. He requested that a hood be added and the sleeves lengthened. He wanted to cover his head until the boys lined up, and then he would reveal himself. He liked the mystery that would create. He was sure that would help to sell him to the customers. He had a flair for self promotion even back then.

Brian slowly stood inside the sauna and stretched luxuriously. He felt great, renewed, revitalized. Somebody was in for a treat tonight if they selected him. He was horny as hell.

He headed for the showers. As the warm water flowed over him washing away the sweat and the worries for a few minutes anyway, Brian thought about that first night as a hustler at the Quoin.

He had finally gotten the costume the way he wanted it. It was a long loose white robe with long sleeves and a hood that could completely cover his head and face. He tied the robe with what looked like a rope of spun silver at his waist. He was tall for his age and some would say skinny, but he had used the weights in the spa since he had first arrived at the Quoin. His muscles were taut and well defined. He wasn't all bulges and ripples like Angus. He was much more subtle in his masculinity, back then and now.

Brian had walked into the reception area that night quaking at the knees. His greatest fear was that no one would select him. He didn't know if he could take the humiliation of being left there while all the other boys were claimed and taken away to the suites. His heart pounded in his temples as the boys lined up. He thought he might throw up. That would make a good impression on the customers. That made him smile.

At that moment the line stopped and they turned to face the customers. Brian threw back his hood with that enigmatic smile on his face somewhere between nausea and hysteria. There was a gasp as the clientele got a look at the beautiful face of Brian Kinney. Brian would remember that moment as long as he lived. He heard whispers of "the one who looks like a priest", "the Druid". And that was how he had got his nickname. From that moment on he became Druid. That was how he was known and that was who his clients asked for. He became known far and wide as the greatest power top in the country, in Europe, maybe the world.

Brian smiled to himself as he shut off the shower and started to towel off.

He had never looked back after that night. There were many evenings after that that he didn't have to line up with the other boys because he was booked solid for quite a while after the clients got a look at him that first night. And he lived up to his reputation and beyond. His clients were always satisfied if not downright exhausted by the time they left his bed.

Brian grinned like the predator he was. He wasn't booked for tonight and he hoped whoever chose him was ready for a wild ride, because that was what they were going to get.

Brendan Reilly had claimed him that first night. Brendan told him later that Quinn had arranged it all, but Brian didn't care. Brendan had gotten more than he bargained for. He had tried to be sweet and gentle with the neophyte hustler, but Brian didn't do sweet or gentle. Within minutes he had his dick up Brendan's ass and the man begging for more. The next morning Brendan could hardly walk when he got ready to leave. He kissed Brian heartily and promised he would be back for another round in a week or two. Brian had intended to do a client only once so this made matters difficult. He later found out that he was booked up for weeks so he wouldn't be able to see Brendan again for quite awhile. At the same time he found out that Brendan had left him a tip of a thousand pounds deposited to his account at the Quoin. That made Brian rethink his policy of one time only. Maybe clients like Brendan would be a good thing if they left tips like that every time.

Brian put on his clothes and headed to his apartment. He was glad he didn't have to share this space with another boy like the rest of the hustlers did. It was his space and he had complete privacy there. No one ever got in, not even Quinn.

The only other person to have seen the inside of Brian's home was Maggie, the cleaning lady. Maggie had red hair and a wicked sense of humor. Brian liked her a lot and they often talked while she cleaned. He wished his own mother could have been like Maggie.

When Brian opened the door of his small apartment he saw Maggie working away at dusting the furniture. She turned immediately and smiled at him.

"Top o' the morning to you, Brian," she said with genuine affection. "Make that top o' the afternoon. I'm running a bit late today."

"Hi, Maggie," Brian responded. "How come you're still here?"

Maggie worked each morning and did two rooms a day. She would usually be gone by now.

"That Rob Roy is such a pig. It took me hours to find the floor under all his clothes and crap. Pardon my French," she said with a giggle.

"Is it really that bad?" Maggie nodded. "I don't know how Gladiator puts up with it."

"Gladiator is a neat freak so he usually keeps the common areas tidy, and his room is spotless. It was Angus' bedroom that took me so long." She reverted to his real name even though they always referred to each other by their chosen Quoin names.

"Sorry to hear that. You work way too hard as it is. You shouldn't have to pick up after that bastard, Angus."

"Ah, Brian me lad, you're kind to say so, but it's all part of the job."

"Maggie, you know I'm going to be leaving here soon," Brian said suddenly.

"Yes, dear. I hope you've prepared yourself and saved some money."

"Yes, mother," Brian replied and Maggie beamed at him. She loved it when Brian teasingly called her mother. "The next time you come will probably be the last time I see you."

"Oh my, that's a sad thought."

"Yes, it is. This is really the only home I've ever had."

"So what are you going to do, if you don't mind me asking?"

"I don't know. Quinn has said I can take on some managerial stuff for him. You know I run things when he's away. But that just wouldn't be the same as working here like I do now. I'm not sure I want to stay on in that capacity." Brian looked thoughtful and sad.

"Do you have some other options?" Maggie asked as she wiped off the counters in the small kitchen and rinsed the cloth.

"I've checked out some possibilities, but it's kind of scary starting something new at this point in my life."

"Try it when you're my age," Maggie stated.

"What do you mean?"

"My husband is retiring in a couple of months. He gets a nice bonus and we've been looking at buying a pub near where we live. You may be looking at the new landlady of The Fiddle and Firkin."

"What the hell's a firkin anyway?" Brian said with a chuckle.

"A small keg," Maggie explained. "Anyway I won't be working here much longer after you leave. We can set out on our new adventures together."

"That's kind of a comforting thought," Brian said with a little frown.

Maggie slammed the door of the cupboard as she had put everything away. "All done for today, and don't you be looking all glum. You'll do fine in the big, bad world. You're the smartest young man I know. Remember that and make me proud."

"Thanks, Mom," Brian said with a shy grin. "I needed that pep talk."

"You'll be fine, Brian. I know it," she said running her hand down his cheek.

He reached up and pulled her into a warm hug. "I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you too, sweet thing, but there's nothing to say that you can't stay in touch, maybe become a regular at The Fiddle and Firkin."

"I'll remember that," Brian said and released her.

"Will I see you the next time I'm here, if it's the last?" she asked a little tear in the corner of her eye.

"You better believe it," Brian said firmly.

"Good, until then," she grinned and the door closed behind her.

Brian went over to his computer. He had replaced the one Quinn had first bought for him many times over. He logged on and went to his usual site. He had to check a few things and then make some hard decisions.

Druid


Chapter 2




Brian entered the reception hall of the Quoin in his trademark costume. He kept his head down so no one could see his face. The boys lined up and then he tossed back his hood. There were no gasps as there had been that first night so long ago, but he looked around and could see some approving nods.

A minute or two later a nicely dressed middle aged man approached him. "Druid?" he said softly.

"Yes, sir, that's me," Brian replied.

"I'd like you for the night," the man said with a trace of a French accent.

"You can make the arrangements at the desk," Brian told him.

"I already have. Someone recommended that I choose you, but I wanted to see you before I made the final decision."

"I see," Brian replied. "May I ask who recommended me?"

"Brendan Reilly," the man said with a gentle smile.

"Brendan?" Brian said. "I haven't seen him in a couple of years. I always wondered why he stopped coming here."

"Brendan and I are old business associates and friends. He had a heart attack two years ago. He hasn't been very well ever since. The heart muscle was damaged. He has to be very careful. He hardly ever leaves Dublin anymore."

"I'm sorry to hear that. I always enjoyed Brendan's company. He was very … generous to me over the years."

"He said you were his favorite here."

"I hope you will tell him that I've missed him and hope his health improves," Brian said sincerely.

"I'll tell him, but there's not much hope of that happening."

Brian shook his head, but then he remembered that it wasn't his place to be sad now. He had a client to please. "Shall we go up to the suite?" he asked.

"Please," the man said. "My name is Thierry. I've booked you for the whole night."

"Fine," Brian replied and ushered the man towards the stairs that led to the suites above.

"Do you have any preferences about what we do?" Brian asked as they climbed the stairs.

"I'll let you take the lead," Thierry smiled. "I don't really want gentle though," he added.

Brian smiled that predatory smile that was his trademark. That suited him fine, especially tonight. As soon as the door to the suite closed behind them, Brian pinned Thierry against the door and ravaged his mouth with kisses. His hand reached for the man's cock and felt through the fabric of his pants that it was already hard and straining against his hand. He smiled at the gasping man as his mouth recaptured his in another blazing kiss and his hand squeezed the swollen member.

"My God!" Thierry exclaimed when Brian finally released him. "I've never gotten so hard so fast and from a … kiss," he gasped.

Brian grabbed Thierry by his lapels and pulled the man towards the bed. "You are going to experience many new things tonight," Brian vowed.

"Maybe …" the man began, perhaps having second thoughts about his "gentle" statement.

"No maybes," Brian said forcefully and began taking off the man's clothing.

When he had Thierry naked he dropped to his knees in front of the man and began to work on his dripping cock. The man backed up towards the bed in order to find something to steady himself against. Gratefully he felt something solid and realized it was a four poster bed. He turned slightly to place his back against the post. He was about to sigh with relief when Brian did something with his tongue that absolutely took his breath away. It was all he could do to stop himself from screaming. The feeling was so unbelievable and so … wonderful. He felt almost faint from the sensations this man was causing to course through his body.

Brian reached up and clenched Thierry's breasts in his strong hands. He heard the man gasp and moan. He sucked the throbbing cock into his mouth and rolled his tongue around it. He heard Thierry babbling something about God and ecstasy and dying. He hoped the man wasn't actually going to do that since Brian had him worked up to a fever pitch. Brian thought perhaps he should bring this to an end before the man had a coronary or a stroke. He sucked the cock down his throat and swallowed around it. He felt Thierry jerk above him and grab his hair in a painful clasp. The man yelled out something in French and came in frantic squirts down Brian's chest and face as his fist milked every drop he had to offer.

Thierry leaned against the post behind him. He was afraid to move. He thought he would fall flat on his face. He had no strength or will to do anything except cling to the piece of wood and pray that he could get a normal breath.

Suddenly he felt hands clasping him around the waist and lowering him onto the bed. He was grateful that he no longer had to put so much effort into holding himself upright.

"Are you all right?" he heard Druid ask him.

He opened his mouth but couldn't get anything to come out. He tried again. Nothing. One more try and he managed to blurt, "Oui."

Brian chuckled as he cleaned himself up. Thierry felt the bed sag beside him and assumed that Druid had sat down next to him. He felt fingers run along his shoulders and knead the muscles there. "Relax," Brian told him. "Take some even breaths. I promise not to kill you, at least not yet."

Thierry managed to get his eyes open at those words. He wasn't sure that Druid might not kill him. The smiling face above him told him otherwise. "Feeling better?" Brian asked.

"I … I … what did you do?" Thierry managed to ask him.

"What I'm paid for," Brian said with a smirk.

"Could I have a drink?" Thierry asked.

"Sure, water, liquor, beer?"

"Water will be fine."

Brian opened a bottle of water that sat on a tray beside the bed. Thierry drank most of it.

"Ready for more?" Brian asked.

"My God, no!"

Brian laughed. "We can have a rest for awhile," Brian said.

"Yes, please."

Brian chuckled. "Slide up here and rest on the pillows."

Thierry did so gratefully. His heart had stopped pounding in his chest and he was starting to feel more like himself. Brian still had his clothes on and Thierry studied him.

"What?" Brian asked becoming annoyed with the continued scrutiny.

"Could you undress, please?"

"Of course, I'm here to please you," Brian said a slight edge in his voice.

Thierry wondered just how much Druid believed that. He had learned minutes ago that this man could give him great pleasure, but he had no doubt that Druid was also getting his own pleasure out of this.

Brian stood and slowly began removing his clothes. Thierry watched, licking his lips and finishing off the bottle of water.

As Brian's robe slid to the floor and the man stood naked before him, Thierry drew in a sharp breath. "You have a wonderful body. You truly are beautiful."

"Thank you," Brian replied. He had heard this many times in the past, but he never grew tired of it, especially now as he approached thirty. "You ready to go again?" Brian asked.

"Not just yet," Thierry said shaking his head.

This was the one thing about the rich older men who tended to frequent the Quoin. They were almost always polite, well groomed and well preserved, but they didn't have the stamina of younger men. Brian longed for that sometimes. Occasionally he got a client who was younger and they would have one hell of a night together. This one was going to be a little slow to suit Brian. At least Thierry seemed nice and he talked to him like an equal. He wondered what Brendan had told him about Druid.

"Have you known Brendan for long?" Brian asked to make conversation and to fish for a bit of information.

"Almost twenty years," Thierry said.

"That beats me. I've only known him for fifteen."

"That's a long time," Thierry said, "for this kind of relationship."

Brian snorted. "Yeah, I guess you could say that."

"Brendan told me that he was your first client." Brian nodded. "You must have been a baby." Brian smiled.

"I was fourteen."

"That old?" Thierry said with a laugh in his eyes.

"Yeah."

"He liked you. Correction, he likes you or he wouldn't have sent me here."

"I like him too. We used to talk a lot."

"Like this?"

"Kind of."

"What did you talk about?"

"All kinds of things. He runs an advertising agency, you know. Of course, you know, you said he was a business associate. He got me interested in advertising. I've been taking marketing courses on the internet for years."

"You have?" Thierry was truly surprised.

"Yes, I have," Brian said belligerently. He should never have told anyone about that. He was getting old and senile and stupid. Fuck!

"I'm surprised, but not shocked. You seem like a bright young man."

"Thanks," Brian responded, some of his anger slipping away at the gentle way Thierry accepted what he had been doing. "Want me to blow you again?"

"I understand that you're a master at rimming," Thierry said almost shyly.

Brian nodded and grinned. He liked to rim almost as much as the rimmees liked it. "Roll over," he said huskily.

Thierry had never spent a night like that in his life. He was sure he had experienced every conceivable pleasure at the hands of Druid. He had begged for sleep at some point during the night and they had rested for a couple of hours. The remainder of the time Druid had pleasured him again and again. He had sucked Druid's cock a few times too. The man was insatiable.

As dawn broke Thierry made his way to the shower. His legs were a little wobbly and his ass was sore, but he felt like a twenty year old. Druid watched him from the bed.

"Who says I'm finished?" he asked himself. The night had been great. He was sure he'd get a large tip from Thierry, but it still didn't stop him from turning thirty.

Thierry came out of the bathroom wrapped in a towel. He retrieved his clothes and began dressing. "I'd like to book you for next month when I'm back in Ireland," he told Brian.

"Can't."

"Why? What do you mean? Did I do something wrong?"

"I won't be here," Brian said slowly.

"Are you quitting?" Thierry asked.

Brian snorted. "I'm turning thirty and no one over thirty can work at the Quoin."

"That's a stupid rule."

Brian gave him a funny look, but merely said, "Yeah, I think so too."

"I'm going to speak to Quinn about this," Thierry said.

"Don't, please don't. It will only make trouble and it won't change anything. It's a long standing rule."

"I still think it's wrong."

"There will be lots of beautiful young men to choose from the next time you come here."

"But they won't be you."

"No, they won't."

Thierry marched out of the suite determined to see Quinn anyway. Brian watched him go and knew he shouldn't have told the man his problems. Quinn was going to be furious. Brian got up from the bed. He went into the bathroom to take his shower and contemplate being one day closer to thirty.



-----



Brian sailed along the narrow roads that led out of Blarney. His Honda Gold Wing took the curves with ease in his skilled hands. He had owned the motorcycle for years. He had the money to replace it with a newer model, but he enjoyed working on this one. He spent hours cleaning and polishing the bike, working on the engine, making sure it was in tiptop shape. He loved it like an old friend.

He was on his way to see another old friend. The bike shot into the narrow driveway and screeched to a stop. Brian removed his helmet and stepped off the bike. The front door of the house opened and Brian smiled at the woman who stepped out.

"Hi, Pats," he called as he walked towards the house.

"I heard you roaring up the lane and spewing gravel. Mick's going to kill ya," Patricia replied with a smile. She kissed Brian on the cheek and they entered the house.

"I'm not afraid of Mick," Brian said with a smirk knowing Patricia's husband was a kind, gentle man. "Now, little Mick is a different story. Where is he?"

"I just put him down for a nap," Patricia said. "He'll be up in an hour or so if you're still here. He will be thrilled to see his Uncle Brian."

Brian smiled. He loved his little "nephew" and appreciated the fact that Pats had made him assume that role. He and Pats had been friends from the first day they met over fifteen years ago. He liked Pats' husband almost as much as he did her. Pats had been the sister he wanted in life, nothing like the spoiled and mean bitch that Claire had been.

"So what's new with you?" Pats asked.

Brian knew that she wanted him to tell her what his plans were for leaving the Quoin. He wished he could. If only he knew! "I don't know what I'm going to do," Brian said slowly.

"You still haven't decided?" she asked.

Brian shook his head. "I made one decision though. I don't want to stay on at the Quoin."

"Quinn won't be happy with that. I think he wanted you to take over from him," Pats said.

"I know, but it just feels wrong," Brian sighed.

"So what options does that leave you?"

"I could take the money I've saved and travel the world for as long as it lasts or I could open my own Quoin with me as the only hustler."

Pats made a face. "When are you going to get to the real possibilities?" she asked.

"Those are them," Brian said with a smirk.

"Even you can do better than that."

"Only you would think so."

"Don't sell yourself short, baby brother," Pats said with a gentle smile.

Brian liked it when she called him her brother. "I'm not short. I'm very well endowed," Brian smirked.

"Keep telling me that. Like I'm interested?"

"You know you always wanted me," Brian said teasingly.

"If that makes you feel like a big shot, keep telling youself so."

"I just don't know what path to take," Brian said, all of the teasing having left his voice. He looked young and vulnerable.

"Whatever you choose to do I know you will be a great success," Pats told him putting her arms around him and holding him tight.

"I could never have survived all this time without you," Brian whispered.

"We've always helped each other and that isn't going to change now," she declared. "Now, can you stay for dinner?" she asked releasing him and returning to her matter of fact voice.

"I'm working tonight so I have to get back soon."

"I wanted you to meet my cousin from the United States. He's staying with us for a couple of months. He's been here for two weeks already. I told him all about you and that you were originally from America. He wants to meet you."

"There's only one reason a man wants to meet me," Brian said ruefully.

"Brian, that's not true. You need to meet people … outside of that place."

"I have nothing in common with people outside of that place."

"Stop that, right now!" she ordered him, distressed by all this negative spin.

"Pats," Brian said suddenly, "I'm going to go. I'm in a foul mood and I don't want to fight with you or upset little Mick when he wakes up."

"No, Brian, we need to talk about this."

"I'll come back in a day or two. Maybe I'll have made some decisions by then."

"All right," Pats agreed reluctantly. She could tell that Brian wanted to be alone, and she didn't want to put too much pressure on him. He didn't take kindly to that. She just wished she could convince him that he was so much more than a sex machine. She could feel the sadness and hopelessness that radiated out of him. She had hoped meeting her charming and brilliant cousin would have perked Brian up but he was already donning his leather jacket to leave. "You make sure I see you soon," she said as she kissed him goodbye.

Brian peeled out of the lane and sped down the road. His mind whirled with thoughts. Pats always told him he was so smart and capable. If only he truly believed that. But he knew that there was really only one thing that he was good at and in three weeks he would be forced to give that up. He rounded a bend in the road and saw an outcropping of rock. The urge to drive into it swept through him. He could solve all of this dithering by slamming into the rock and ending it all. Then he wouldn't have to deal with being old and being a failure and letting everyone down. The rock whizzed by and he sighed deep inside. He couldn't even do that right.

He increased his speed hoping a car would suddenly jump out in front of him and make the decision for him. No such luck! He saw the castle up ahead and began to slow down. Who would have thought that a tourist trap like Blarney Castle would be his favorite place to come and think? The secret was to come after five o'clock. The tour buses had all left by then and most of the cars as well. Most people only ever saw the castle from the car park or the main entrance. If you went around behind it, there was a grassy area where you could lie in the late afternoon sun and think in peace. Somehow the ancient timeworn façade of the castle comforted him. Some things did last through time. He could always relax and think there.

Brian walked around the corner of the castle and stopped dead in his tracks. Somebody was sitting on his favorite knoll of grass. And not just any somebody, but a blond hunk of a somebody. Brian felt his cock stir at the mere sight of this man. He wanted to go and speak to him immediately, but the blond was engrossed in a book he had on his lap.

Brian watched for a minute and realized the man was sketching. He would glance up again and again to look at the corner of the castle and the tree that nestled against it. Brian didn't want to disturb his concentration so he found a spot off to the side and flopped down on the grass. His eyes watched the hands of the artist as they moved across the page. He looked at the handsome face with the luscious looking mouth. He squirmed around to relieve some of the pressure in his pants.

For the next half hour Brian continued to watch the blond sketch. Finally he lay back on the grass thinking the man would never finish. He let his mind wander to his own troubles running through the list of possible choices he could make. None of them really made him happy. He just didn't know what to do.

Suddenly he felt eyes on him and sat up. The blond turned away quickly, but Brian knew he had been looking at him. Hm, things were looking up. He quickly stood up and walked over to the blond. The man suddenly shut his sketchbook and looked away as if unable to perceive that Brian was approaching.

Brian grinned to himself. He knew that the blond was interested.

"Done sketching?" Brian asked with a smirk.

"What? Yes. How did you know?"

"I was watching you."

"I thought you were asleep."

"I was thinking."

"I have to go," the blond said glancing at his watch. "Shit! I've missed the last bus."

"Do you have far to go?" Brian asked.

"Not far on the bus, but it's a hell of a long walk. I better get started," the blond said getting up and gathering his pencils and sketchbook which he stuffed into a backpack.

"I could give you a ride," Brian offered. He knew he would probably be late for the Quoin depending on where this guy lived, but he wasn't ready to let him go just yet.

"I don't take rides from strangers," the man replied with a twinkle in his eye.

"We could stop being strangers," Brian said tongue in cheek. "I'm Brian Kinney," he said holding out his hand.

"Justin Taylor," the blond replied taking Brian's hand. They both felt the jolt as their skin touched.

Brian was sure he saw a blush rise on Justin's cheeks and he wasn't so sure there wasn't one on his face too. "Ready to go?" he asked quickly.

Justin nodded and they walked around the end of the castle. The only thing still in the parking lot was Brian's Gold Wing. "Is that yours?" Justin asked.

"Looks that way," Brian smirked. "I only have one helmet so you can take it and hang on tight." They climbed aboard, Brian hoping that Justin would do just that. He felt arms come around his waist and smiled at the close contact. There were some advantages to riding a motorcycle.

Justin told him which direction to go. It was back in the direction he had come from. Brian felt Justin squeeze him tightly and bury his face against his shoulder. He grinned to himself and relished the closeness of this man. As they neared an intersection Justin yelled in his ear where to go. Gradually Brian realized they were heading back towards Pats' place. Justin yelled at him to slow down and turn at the next lane. He did so, skidding to a stop outside of Pats' house. This man must be her cousin. Justin hopped off and handed Brian the helmet. Brian slipped it on and revved the bike as Justin tried to thank him. He saw Pats come out on the porch and he knew he had to get out of there. He gunned the bike and flew down the driveway. He had to get away.

Now he had something more to think about. He wanted that blond, but his blond being Pats' cousin really complicated matters. He needed to figure out how to handle this before he did anything else.

Druid


Chapter 3



Brian knocked on Quinn's office door. He wasn't looking forward to this meeting one little bit.

"Enter," Quinn's voice called from behind the door.

Brian took a deep breath and pushed open the door. "You wanted to see me?" Brian asked knowing that he had been summoned to the inner sanctum for no happy purpose.

"Fucking right, mate!" Quinn responded. "What the fuck is going on with you, Brian?"

"I'm getting old in case you haven't noticed," Brian replied sarcastically.

"Stop that, Brian. Have you been telling all your clients that you are being forced out of the Quoin because you're turning thirty?"

"What?" Brian was truly flabbergasted. He had expected Quinn to ream him out for being late last night after he had dropped Justin off at Pats'. His client had been waiting when he got to the Quoin. He could clearly see the anger in Quinn's eyes when he had finally arrived.

"I asked if you have been complaining to all your clients about having to stop tricking at the Quoin when you turn thirty."

"I haven't complained to any of them," Brian said truthfully.

"Then why did I have Thierry Demarais in my office telling me that I should let you stay?"

"Fuck!" Brian responded.

"Don't like being caught in your own machinations?" Quinn asked angrily.

Brian's temper flared then. "Not that you'll believe me, but I asked Thierry not to speak to you about that."

"Then why did you tell him at all?" Quinn asked sharply.

"He wanted to book me for next month when he was going to be back in Ireland and I told him that wasn't possible."

"Couldn't you just leave it at that?"

"He wanted to know why, so … I told him." Brian gave a shrug.

"He's not the only one who's been to see me," Quinn said suddenly.

"Oh?"

"Three others, so you must have been telling the same sad tale to all your clients," Quinn stated.

"I've only told those who wanted to book me past next month," Brian tried to explain. "I had to tell them something."

"They're all threatening to take their business elsewhere if you're not here."

Brian chuckled. "Shit! I knew I should open my own brothel."

"It's not funny, Brian. I've tried to treat you like a son, and this is the thanks I get. You're ruining my business."

"That was never my intent," Brian said truthfully. "I know the rules."

"I'm … going to … break them for you," Quinn said tentatively.

Brian was stunned. "What do you mean?" he asked wanting Quinn to clarify what he thought he had heard.

"You can stay if you want," Quinn conceded.

"And trick?"

"And trick," Quinn stated.

"God, Quinn, I don't know what to say."

"Say you'll stay, my boy."

"I'm not sure I can," Brian admitted rather hesitantly.

"But isn't that what you wanted?" Quinn asked exasperated.

"I guess it was, but how much longer can I realistically do this?" Brian asked.

"Till you're sixty … at least," Quinn grinned.

"I thought maybe … eighty-five," Brian grinned back.

"So what are you going to do?" Quinn asked now that the tension between them had been broken.

"I have to think about this, but I do appreciate the offer, Quinn."

"Let me know when you make up your mind. Oh, and Brian, don't you ever fucking be late for a client again!"

"Yes, sir," Brian replied with a smile. "Thanks for giving me this option."

"I only want what's best for you, Brian."

Brian nodded and closed the door behind him. Now he had some more thinking to do.



-----



Brian pulled the Gold Wing to a stop in front of Pats'. He was there to see her but he hoped he would also see Justin. It was his day off with no one booked for that night. He wanted to take Justin somewhere and fuck him to within an inch of his life or maybe just talk to him or maybe kiss him all over or maybe tell him all about what was happening in his life. He didn't really know what he wanted from the blond, maybe all of the above. He had never felt anything like this for anyone before.

"Brian," Pats called from the porch. "Is anything wrong?"

Brian realized he had been sitting on his bike thinking about his blond. He stood up and removed his helmet. There was no sign of Justin. He hoped he was there.

"Nothing's wrong," Brian said to her. "I was just thinking."

"You haven't made a decision yet, have you?" Pats asked. Brian shook his head. "Come on in and tell me all about it."

Brian walked up to the house. "Is Justin here?" he asked.

Pats smiled to herself. Justin hadn't been able to talk about anything else except Brian since he had come home on the man's bike. Brian seemed just as interested. Pats had never known Brian to be interested in any man for longer than one night. She had hoped Justin might be that exception. Maybe she had been right. "He's upstairs," she replied. "Primping because I told him you were coming," she thought to herself.

Brian felt suddenly warm. He was going to see his blond again. "Is he going to join us for lunch?" Brian asked hopefully.

"I think we might be able to twist his arm and make him do that," she replied with a grin. She swore she saw Brian blush. "He's got it bad," she thought.

They went inside and Pats finished setting the table and readying things for lunch. She saw Brian glance tentatively at the stairs several times and again she smiled. She wanted Brian to have someone to love, and her cousin was the most kind and loving man she had met in a long time. Suddenly she felt a tension in the room and turned to see Justin come down the stairs carrying little Mick. He was tickling the toddler's belly and making him giggle.

Justin froze when he saw Brian, and they both locked eyes in a smoldering look that raised the temperature of the room several degrees.

"Um, I … he was … um … awake … um … so I … um … brought him down for lunch," Justin stumbled to get any words out, his eyes still locked on Brian's.

Mick was struggling to get down and finally Justin looked at him and set him down on his feet. He was able to walk but not terribly steady on his feet. He tried to run towards Brian calling "Unc Bi, Unc Bi!"

Brian grabbed him just before he lost his footing and scooped him into a big hug and kiss. "Take it easy there, little man."

Mick hung on Brian's neck and kissed him back. Justin smiled at the warmth the tall man showed to the little boy.

Pats watched the interaction and grinned. "Okay, 'Unc Bi', put him in his high chair and let's get this show on the road."

Pats dished up lunch and they began to eat. She couldn't help but notice the furtive looks passing between Brian and Justin. Little Mick pounded on the tray of his high chair wanting his uncle's attention.

"Hey, where are your manners?" Brian teased him and fed him a piece of the fruit he was chewing on. Mick smiled up at him.

"Have you got any plans for the rest of the day?" Pats asked.

Brian looked at her sheepishly. "I was wondering if Justin might like to come into Cork with me. We could look around and maybe have dinner."

Justin blushed and grinned. "I'd love to," he said softly.

Brian felt his dick jump. He loved the sound of his blond's voice. "Let's go," he said quickly standing up.

"You haven't finished lunch," Pats protested as they rushed out the door. She chuckled. "I wonder how long it will take your uncle to get your cousin into bed, little Mick? It looks like it's just you and me for the rest of the day." Mick tried to feed her a piece of his fruit as she leaned in to kiss him.



-----



Brian had brought another helmet for Justin hoping he would agree to go somewhere with him. And he had. Brian could feel Justin's arms wrapped tightly around him and it made him feel warm and happy in a way that he had never experienced.

They sailed along the highway towards Cork each lost in their own thoughts. Brian knew exactly where he wanted to take Justin. There was a little pub that had a terrace overlooking the harbor. They could go there for a beer and a talk. He really did want to talk to this man. They had shared barely more than a few words since they had met, yet Brian knew Justin was special in some primal, visceral way, and he thought Justin felt the same way about him. They needed to get to know each other a bit.

Once they were seated on the terrace and had had a sip of beer, Brian decided he had to begin this process. "Justin," he said and for some reason his hand found the blond's as it lay on the table. He wove his fingers in with the other man's and looked into those blue eyes that seemed to see right into his soul. "I don't know what's happening, but I feel things for you that I never knew I could feel."

Justin's face lit up in a smile that warmed Brian to the core and made the rather gray day seem filled with sunshine. "I've felt something I can't quite explain too," Justin said staring into Brian's hazel eyes. "I've had a few lovers since high school, but nobody has had the effect on me that you have."

"Really?" Brian asked with a sheepish grin. That simple statement meant so much to him. Maybe he wasn't crazy to think that there could be something good between the two of them.

"Really," Justin replied with that same smile.

"I don't know anything about dates or relationships or … love … or any of that shit," Brian said shaking his head.

"Well, I'd say we're on a date right now, and you're doing just fine," Justin smiled.

"I am?"

Justin nodded and squeezed the fingers that were still intertwined with his. "Why did you bring me here?" he asked.

Brian stared into his eyes not really sure what Justin was asking or how to answer that question. "I brought you here because…" Brian hesitated, "because this is one of my favorite places." Brian never revealed anything about what he liked to do to anyone. He could hardly believe that he had said this much to this man.

Justin squeezed his hand again. "Why is it your favorite place?" he asked quietly.

Brian knew he had to tell Justin the rest of it, no, wanted to tell Justin why he loved this place. "I like the sea," he said slowly. "I come here and watch the ships in the harbor and dream about going to faraway places and experiencing new things."

"Why haven't you done that, gone traveling, I mean?"

"I've been … busy," Brian said not sure he should tell Justin what he did with his time. "And I never had anyone to go with. It wouldn't be the same all by myself."

"I understand that," Justin replied. "I don't know if I could have come here if I didn't know anybody. Patricia was nice enough to let me stay with her, but it's lonely without my family and I would have been scared all on my own."

"I don't see you as the scared type," Brian said sincerely.

Justin chuckled. "That's nice of you to say, but I'm a little afraid of crowds and strangers."

"You didn't seem to be afraid of me at Blarney Castle," Brian said. "You came with me without a second thought."

"You're special."

Brian couldn't believe his ears. "I am?"

"Yes, I knew that the minute I laid eyes on you. It was like we were already … friends."

"You felt that too?"

Justin nodded. "We have some kind of special connection. I know we do."

"Why are you afraid of crowds?" Brian asked. It seemed important that he know this.

"I was bashed at my school prom," Justin said softly. Brian could feel the hurt and terror in his words. "I don't usually tell anybody, but … you are special," he added, a little tremor in his voice.

"How could anyone hurt you?" Brian asked running his right hand along the side of Justin's face, his left still linked with Justin's on the table.

Justin clasped Brian's hand as it reached his jaw and pulled the palm over to kiss it. Brian shuddered at the contact of Justin's lips on his skin.

"What's this?" Justin asked looking at Brian's wrist.

"It's a cowry shell bracelet that I bought from a street vendor," Brian said nonchalantly.

"Not the bracelet. This," Justin said pushing the bracelet aside to reveal a tattoo beneath.

Brian started to pull his hand away but Justin hung on and Brian didn't struggle anymore. "It's something from a long time ago."

"Tell me," Justin asked with a look of determination on his face.

"I'm not sure how to explain it," Brian said with a grimace.

"Try. I'll understand."

Brian knew on some inexplicable level that Justin would understand. "Okay," he said slowly. "It's called a triskele. It represents, to me, the three parts of my life."

"So each leg is a part of you?" Justin asked.

Brian nodded. "I saw it in a tattoo shop when I was still a teenager. It appealed to me." He wondered if he should tell Justin about Druid at this point, but decided against it. "It's a Celtic symbol. I'm not really sure what the actual meaning of it is, but when I saw it I thought it could represent my past life, my present life and the life I would like to have."

"And what life would you like to have?" Justin asked.

"You're not going to ask about my past or present?" Brian asked with a raising of his eyebrows.

"Nope. You can tell me that later if you want to. I think what a man wants or dreams says a lot about the kind of man he is, so tell me."

"How old are you?"

"Eighteen, why?"

"You seem older, wiser."

"I'm an ancient soul."

"I believe that," Brian said seriously.

"I was kidding," Justin said embarrassed.

"But there's truth in humor, and I feel that you are an ancient soul."

"Are you avoiding telling me about the life you want?" Justin asked wanting to change the subject.

"Oh, I forgot," Brian joked. "I'm in the middle of deciding what exactly that's going to be. I have to make some big changes in my life in the next few days. I do know that I don't want to be alone anymore. I want someone …"

"Someone what?" Justin asked.

"I don't know, just someone."

"To love?" Justin persisted with those wide knowing eyes.

"Maybe."

"I'm available."

Brian choked on his beer. "What did you say?"

"I said I'm available for love, fucking, and anything else that might go along with it."

"Are you crazy? You don't even know me."

"Yes, I do, and I probably am crazy. But I know what I feel and I want you."

"How … how can you be so sure?"

Justin shrugged. "I just am."

"Let's go," Brian said pulling Justin to his feet.

"Where are we going?" Justin asked as Brian pulled him along out of the pub towards his motorcycle.

"I'm going to take you up on the fucking part," Brian stated bluntly.

"Good! My cock's so hard that I can barely stand it. It has been every time I've seen you."

"Mine too. Get on, before I throw you down in the dirt and ravish you right here."

Justin laughed and climbed on the back of the bike. He knew this was right. This was what they both wanted and needed.

They flew along the roads back towards Blarney. Justin wondered where Brian was taking them. They couldn't go to Patricia's and fuck. He hoped Brian realized that. Maybe they were going to Brian's flat. That would be good because Justin wanted to see where he lived. There were so many things about this man that he didn't know. The only thing he knew for sure was that they were meant to be together. He felt it in his bones, in his heart, in his soul.

They zoomed past the entrance to Patricia's house and Justin relaxed a bit. They were surely going to Brian's. But Justin was totally unprepared for what he saw when the bike screeched to a halt.

"What is this place?" Justin asked taking in the façade of the castle and the sprawling grounds that surrounded it.

"I guess you could call it my home," Brian stated and pulled Justin off the bike. He grabbed his blond's hand and pulled him through the front entrance and up some stairs. They were running by the time they reached a door that Brian unlocked. He shoved Justin inside and slammed the door closed behind him.

Brian ripped at Justin's clothes until the man stood naked before him. He pulled Justin against his body and kissed him so ferociously that Justin thought he might die before Brian let him have a breath. When Brian released him a little bit, he gasped for air and whimpered, "Please."

Brian dropped to his knees and licked Justin's stomach sticking his tongue into Justin's navel and nipping at various spots. Justin could see an aura around Brian when he managed to look down at the man. He radiated power and lust and love. Justin felt the strength of it as he wrapped his fingers in Brian's hair.

When Brian finally took his throbbing cock into his mouth, Justin thought he would pass out. He reached back to find the door mercifully close and he leaned against it as Brian worked his magic. His cock pulsed and leaked under Brian's skilled tongue and lips. Feelings beyond description coursed through his body and he screamed Brian's name as his body ignited and burnt with the intensity of the passion he felt for this man.

Brian grabbed Justin who seemed about to collapse and lifted him up carrying him gently to his bed. He pulled back the covers and laid his blond down. His eyes soaked up every inch of the beautiful body that lay before him. Justin's breaths were still short and raspy but were gradually becoming more normal. Brian quickly got rid of his own clothes and was about to lie down beside Justin, when the blond's eyes fluttered open. "Wait," Justin said. "I want to look at you."

For a few seconds Brian stood still and allowed Justin to study him. "Do I meet with your approval?" he asked as he slid into the bed.

"Most definitely," Justin whispered as his mouth was once again claimed by Brian's.

The kiss lasted so long that Justin lost track of time. He had had a few lovers but no one had ever kissed him like this with such intensity and longing. Brian kissed along his jaw and his neck and his collarbone. His cock was hard already and he needed more. "Please," he begged once again.

Brian rolled him over and used his tongue along Justin's spine. He felt Brian lift up and wondered what was wrong. He turned his head to look questioningly at the man.

"You have a magnificent ass," Brian said with a grin.

"I've been told that it's pretty nice, but it's never been called magnificent before," Justin giggled.

"Well, it is. That is the only possible word to describe it."

"Thank you very much, but what are you planning to do with it other than admire it?"

"I'll show you," Brian said in a husky voice that went straight to Justin's cock.

Brian spread the cheeks of Justin's ass and inserted his tongue. Justin rose up from the bed at the incredible sensation.

"Haven't you been rimmed before?" Brian asked.

"No," Justin gasped.

"Then you're going to love this," Brian declared and got his talented tongue working on Justin's pucker.

Justin had never felt anything like this before. He whimpered and begged and cried out as Brian did incredible things to his ass. When he was a total pile of mush, whimpering and gasping with each stroke of Brian's tongue, Brian suddenly stopped.

"What's wrong?" Justin gasped.

"I want to fuck you. Is that all right?"

"God, yes. Please!"

Brian grinned at him and donned a condom. "Tell me if I hurt you," Brian said seriously. "You're very tight and I do have a big cock."

"I noticed," Justin gasped.

Brian lubed his dick and Justin's hole. As he positioned his cock at the spasming opening, he whispered, "Ready?"

"Yes, now," Justin moaned.

Brian pressed in breaching the first ring of muscle. Justin groaned and Brian stopped. He waited until he felt Justin relax, and then pressed in farther. Justin cried out but reached back to grab Brian's arm to tell him he was all right and wanted more. Brian thrust all the way in and they were joined as one. Brian kissed the back of Justin's neck and waited.

"Please," he heard Justin moan.

He began thrusting and was surprised at how quickly Justin picked up his rhythm and thrust back into each stroke. They pounded against each other until sweat dripped from them and their breathing was ragged and intermittent. Brian felt his orgasm building and reached under Justin to stroke his cock. He wanted his blond to come at the same moment he did.

He felt Justin tense and cry out, "Oh, God, now Brian!"

Brian pulled on Justin's dick and felt it spasm. His own orgasm ripped through him as Justin's hole contracted around his cock. The world exploded in shards of white light and then all was still.

"Are we dead?" Justin managed to ask as he sucked in gasps of air.

"I hope not," Brian groaned. "I want to do that again."

He heard Justin laugh and he rolled off his blond and disposed of the condom. He felt Justin turn over and roll into his body. His arms went around Brian just like they belonged there. And they did.

"I need a little rest first," Justin whispered and closed his eyes.

Brian kissed the top of the blond head and they both drifted off.

Druid


Chapter 4




Brian awoke to the unmistakable signs of dusk. The dying rays of the sun came through his window and across the bed where he lay with Justin. He wondered how long he had been asleep. Justin still lay in his arms sound asleep.

Brian leaned back to get a look at the young man as he slept. He looked like something otherworldly. His pure creamy skin glowed pink in the last rays of sunlight. His mouth was slightly open and it was all Brian could do to refrain from kissing it and waking his golden boy. He wanted to study him a little more.

He threw back the sheet that covered them and ran his hands along the silky skin of Justin's chest. His cock lay flaccid and thick against his thigh. He was very well endowed for one of his size. Brian smiled in anticipation of things to come. His hand brushed along Justin's side and down to his balls. He cupped them and rolled them around weighing them in his hand. He saw Justin's cock beginning to grow and stiffen. He smiled. Now it was time to claim those lips.

The kiss started off gently with Brian's tongue probing softly for entrance. Once it was inside it explored all the nooks and crannies of Justin's warm, wet mouth. Brian felt Justin respond and kiss back. The blond's tongue swept around his and fought for supremacy.

"Wakey, wakey," Brian whispered as he broke the kiss.

Justin groaned and slowly opened his eyes. He stretched luxuriously. "That was a great nap," Justin said with a smile.

"You call that a nap?" Brian asked. "We've been asleep for hours. Daylight's almost gone."

"It's your fault," Justin said with a twinkle in his eye. "If you didn't wear me out so much, we wouldn't need all this sleep."

"I wore you out? You're supposed to be the young one."

"I've never experienced anything like what you did this afternoon," Justin admitted staring into Brian's beautiful eyes.

"It was hot, wasn't it?" Brian asked. Justin nodded. "We were hot together."

"Yeah, we were, but it was a whole lot more than merely hot."

"You felt it too?" Brian asked wonder in his eyes that they could be so in tune.

"It felt like this was meant to be, that we were destined for each other," Justin said with conviction.

"Yeah," Brian responded.

Justin slid closer and ran his palm over one of Brian's tits. He pressed and swirled his palm across the hard little nub, feeling it stand up even more. Brian sighed. "There are so many things I want to do to you," Justin whispered.

Brian smiled. "Go for it."

"Can I fuck you?" Justin whispered into Brian's ear. He felt Brian stiffen and draw away. "What?" he asked. "Did I say something wrong?"

"Yes. No. I … I don't let anybody do that."

"But I let you fuck me," Justin wheedled.

"That's what I do," Brian stated.

"What does that mean?" Justin asked somewhat bewildered at this turn of events. He thought Brian would like it if he could make this beautiful man feel half the things he himself had felt this afternoon.

Brian felt his anger building. He didn't like being put on the spot. He knew he would have to tell Justin about his life at some point, but he had wanted to enjoy this time together without any worries. Now he felt compelled to explain.

"What do you think this place is?" Brian asked suddenly.

"Here? It's your home," Justin said suddenly afraid that he was not going to like what Brian was about to say.

"It's also a high class gay brothel called the Quoin."

"What?" Justin felt his stomach roll over. He fought the urge to throw up. "So…"

"That's right," Brian said coldly. "So that makes me a high class whore." His voice sounded cold and remote to Justin's ears.

A moan escaped the blond's lips. "Brian," he gasped.

"Get out now while you can. I can see that I make you sick. I should have known better."

Justin stood up and gasped for breath. He was afraid he was going to have an asthma attack. "I … I … don't want …" Justin couldn't get any more out as he gasped for air.

"Here's your fucking clothes," Brian yelled throwing pieces of Justin's clothing at him.

Justin grabbed his jacket and took several drags on his puffer. His breathing began to return to normal. "Brian," Justin said once he could get his voice to work.

"Don't! Don't say a fucking word to me. Get your clothes on and I'll arrange to get you home." Brian turned away and went into the other room where Justin could hear him on the phone.

Justin dressed as quickly as he could. He tried to think of something to say to Brian, how to explain his reaction. He had been shocked at what Brian said he did for a living, but he was more shocked at how Brian turned on him so unexpectedly. He had to make him see that he was all right with this.

He stepped into the living room to find Brian downing a glass of liquor.

"Brian," Justin said trying to keep his voice level.

"I told you to shut the fuck up! Get out now. There's a car at the front door. It will take you back to Pats'."

"But I need to explain," Justin tried to tell him.

"Nothing to explain, Blondie. We fucked and that's the end of it. Goodbye. Sayonara. Au revoir. So long. So sad, too bad. Fuck off!"

Justin winced at the anger in Brian's voice. He wanted to explain but he could tell that Brian had no intention of listening. He thought maybe he should leave the man alone for now, and try again later. He quietly opened the door, took one last look at Brian and made his way out of the Quoin. He passed only one person on the stairs, a red-haired man who gave him a funny look. He ignored the man, too dazed by what had happened. He burst through the front doors of the castle once again gasping for air. He thought his heart might explode. A car sat in front of the steps and a man held the door open for him. Justin half climbed, half fell into the back seat and the car took off. He sucked on his puffer again even though he knew he shouldn't be using it so many times.

Gradually he felt the panic begin to subside a bit and he drew some close to normal breaths. His heart still raced and he felt lightheaded. He wanted to lie down somewhere, pull the covers over his head and cry himself to sleep. How could everything have gone so horribly wrong?



-----



Brian drank himself into a stupor. Finally he slid down onto the floor of his living room and passed out.

Sometime later he heard pounding and groaned at the sound. He managed to raise his head off of the floor and looked around. The first few rays of dawn filtered in through his window. It must be really early in the morning.

The pounding started up again and he thought he heard a voice calling his name. He pushed himself up from the floor and staggered unsteadily towards the door.

"Brian," he heard Quinn's voice say from the other side.

"What do you want?" Quinn never came to his apartment.

"Let me in," Quinn demanded.

Brian grabbed the door handle using it to steady himself before he pulled the door open. "Come in," he tried to bow but stumbled instead. Quinn grabbed him and steered him towards the sofa kicking the door closed behind him. He unceremoniously pushed Brian onto the sofa. "To what do I owe the honor of this visit?" Brian slurred.

"What the fuck is happening to you?" Quinn demanded. "You're losing it."

"Yeah," Brian replied blinking at Quinn and trying to focus. "I'm losing everything. Correction, I have lost everything." He could feel the tears welling up and covered his eyes with his hand.

"Brian," Quinn said grabbing his shoulders and shaking him gently to get his attention. "I told you that you could stay here and continue to work with the boys. I thought that would help. But now this! What's going on?"

"My life is over. Just leave me alone."

"Your life is not over. You're only fucking thirty years old."

"Twenty-nine. I have twelve more days before I hit that magic number that comes next. Let's not rush things."

"Who was the blond you had up here last night?" Quinn asked.

"He never lasted till night time," Brian said sadly. "He was just a fuck."

"You know that's not allowed. No tricks are allowed in the apartments."

"He wasn't a trick," Brian stated belligerently.

"You didn't fuck him?"

"I fucked him, but … he wasn't a trick."

"What was he then?" Quinn asked puzzled by all this.

"Fuck if I know," Brian said.

"Brian, you can't keep flaunting the rules here. If you want to stay on, you have to follow the same rules as everyone else."

"I don't want to stay," Brian said seriously.

"Don't make a decision like that while you're drunk."

"I'm not drunk … anymore, and I know now that I can't stay here."

"You can help me run the place. You've done that when I've been away. Where would you go if you left?" Quinn asked. He still cared what happened to Brian.

Brian shrugged. He honestly didn't know, but he had to leave this place. He couldn't stand to be here any longer.

"You know that I care what happens to you. You can always come to me for help or support," Quinn told him.

"I appreciate everything you've done for me over the years. I really do."

"I know. And when you leave we will keep in touch."

"I hope so," Brian replied, but he wasn't so sure that it would happen.

Quinn got up to leave. "Try not to break any more rules in the next two weeks."

"I'll do my best," Brian said, but he didn't really give a fuck about anything. He had found his hope for a different, better life and he had lost him in the blink of an eye. What was the use of caring about anything?



-----



Brian was very busy over the next few days. He had many clients who wanted to squeeze in a last session with Druid before he was gone for good.

The extra work gave Brian an escape from thoughts of Justin. He did his best to push the image of the naked Justin lying in his bed out of his mind. Sometimes though he imagined it was Justin he was fucking when he was with a client. It was even more painful when it was over and he had to look at the trick who could in no way measure up to his blond. He felt like he was going insane. Reality and wish blurred together and Brian felt like his grip on his life was falling away.

On top of that he had only a few days left before he turned thirty. As that day drew closer he became more and more desperate. He took to lying in bed till the afternoon unable to find the will to get up and do anything else.

One morning as he lay staring at the ceiling, he thought he heard the door to his apartment open.

"Who's there?" he called throwing the sheet across his naked body.

"It's me, Maggie. Are you still in bed, lazybones?" his cleaning lady called.

"I forgot that this was your day to come," Brian replied.

"May I come in?" Maggie said. He could tell she was just outside his partially open bedroom door.

"Looking for a little thrill this fine morning?" Brian asked sarcastically.

"Anytime, sweet thing," Maggie replied pushing open the door and coming in. "You look like shite," she told him as she got a good look at him.

"That's just what I needed to hear."

"What's wrong?"

"Everything … nothing." Brian shook his head.

"Is this about you leaving here?" Maggie persisted.

"I am leaving. I just don't know where to go."

"You have a million options out there."

"I have nothing," Brian moaned.

"What's happened that's put you in such a funk?"

"I don't want to talk about it," Brian told her.

Maggie was never one to take no for an answer. She liked Brian and he had always treated her well. She wanted to help him. "Tell me, Brian. Maybe an impartial observer can give you some good advice."

Brian knew he must be really desperate because he actually wanted to tell her. If only she could help him. "I met someone," he said tentatively.

"Someone, as in a man?"

"Yes, a beautiful blond man," Brian admitted.

"So why has that made you take to your bed? You should be dancing on the lawn."

"I … I told him what I do for a living and I thought he was going to throw up all over me. I made him sick to his stomach, so … I threw him out."

"That was a wonderful solution to a sticky situation," she said sarcastically.

"He couldn't stand to look at me and I couldn't stand to look at him. I couldn't bear the loathing that I saw in his eyes."

"Are you sure he felt that way? Did you talk about it?"

"No … no, but I know that's what I saw."

"Don't you think anyone would be taken aback when they first found out about your … profession? Did you give him a chance to digest it?"

"Maybe not," Brian said thoughtfully.

"Well, I think you should get up, get dressed and go find this blond. The two of you need to have a serious discussion."

"Maybe," Brian admitted.

"No maybe about it," Maggie stated. "Move!"

"Yes, ma'am," Brian grinned feeling like he might survive for the first time in days. "You are a lifesaver, Maggie."

"Just one of my many talents," she said as she got up to go start cleaning in the other room.

Brian lay still for a moment thinking about what he was going to do. He needed to call Pats and see what Justin had said to her about what had happened. Maybe he had been hasty. He so hoped that Justin didn't really hate him.

A quick shower and shave and he felt much better. Once he was finished in the bathroom and bedroom, Maggie moved in there to clean, giving him privacy in the living room to make some calls.

He decided to start with Pats. He called her number and thankfully she answered, not Justin.

Once she realized who she was talking to she lit into him. "Brian, you fucking asshole, what did you do to Justin?" she yelled at him.

"Is something wrong with him?" Brian thought maybe he had literally made his blond sick. He had to stop thinking of him as his blond.

"He's been moping around here ever since he came back in that big car. He won't tell me what's wrong, but he was with you before he started acting like this. What did you do to him?"

"I told him what I do for a living."

"How did you tell him?"

Brian sighed. "I…"

"You know you are a fucking idiot! You just hit him between the eyes with it, didn't you? I know your blunt form of so-called honesty. It could also be called cruelty, Brian."

"I couldn't stand the look in his eyes after I told him," Brian whispered.

"Did you give him a chance to think about it and then react?"

That was the same question Maggie had asked him. "No."

"Fuck, Brian, I am so angry with you. For someone so smart you sure are a dumbass!"

"Can't help it," Brian admitted. "I don't know anything about … love."

"You got that right!"

"So what should I do?" Brian asked hoping she could help fix things.

"He went to Blarney Castle. Go find him."

"What … what if he won't talk to me?"

"I wouldn't blame him a bit, but you can be persuasive. Use it and make him listen, that is, only if you truly want to be with him."

"I do," Brian said, suddenly sure that was exactly what he wanted.

"Then don't fuck around. Go get him and talk to him."

"I will, and … thanks Pats."

"Anytime, sweetheart."

Brian set the phone down on the cradle lost in thought. Something caught his eye and he looked at the flashing light on the answering machine beside the phone. He hardly ever got calls. Clients booked him through the front desk and hardly any of them knew his private number. Maybe it was Justin. Pats could have given him the number. His heart raced as he hit the play button.

An unfamiliar voice began, "Druid, Brian," then there was a long pause. Brian didn't recognize the voice but he knew it wasn't Justin. His hopes crashed as quickly as they had been raised. Then the voice continued, "Brian, it's Brendan Reilly. I want to talk to you about something very important. Please call me. Here's the number in case you no longer have it."

Brian shut off the machine. Brendan, what could Brendan want after all this time? Brian tried to figure out what might be the reason for the call, but he was bewildered. Thierry had told him Brendan was ill, so he decided he better call him and find out what was going on. He dialed the number.

"Hello," the voice he had heard on the answering machine responded.

"Brendan, it's me Brian, Druid."

"Brian, I'm so glad you returned my call. I left that message a couple of days ago."

"I'm sorry I didn't get back to you sooner, but things have been a little strange for me lately."

"Your impending retirement?" Brendan asked with a touch of teasing in his voice.

"Something like that. What can I do for you? Want one last fuck before I'm officially out of the business."

"I wish." Brian could hear the wistfulness in his voice.

"I'm sorry, Brendan. Thierry told me how ill you have been."

"Thierry came to visit me a week or so ago. I should have let you know what happened to me, but at first I thought I'd get better and things would return to normal. But they never did."

"So why did you call me now?"

"I have a business proposal for you. Thierry told me you had to retire from the Quoin. He was quite angry about it," Brendan said with a little laugh.

"I bet."

"Anyway, he got me thinking about some things and I want to talk to you about them. Could you come to Dublin for a couple of days?"

"I don't know, Brendan."

"Please, Brian. I think you'll be happy that you did, and I would like to see you again. You can stay here at my house. I have plenty of room." That meant he wasn't expecting Brian to share his bed.

"Tomorrow's my day off, and I guess I could rearrange things for the next day."

"That would make me very happy," Brendan told him.

"Okay, I'll see you tomorrow."

"Great."

"Oh, Brendan," Brian caught him before he hung up. A thought had just crossed his mind. "Would it be all right if I brought a friend with me?"

"A friend?" Brendan asked.

"I'm not sure he will come, but I'd like to ask him to. He'd love to see Dublin, I'm sure."

"That would be fine. I have plenty of bedrooms."

"I'm not sure how many we'll need at the moment."

"I see," Brendan replied. "I hope you get that worked out before you get here. I'll prepare for both of you. See you soon."

"Thanks, Brendan," Brian replied. Now he had to go find Justin and see if he could talk him into going to Dublin with him.

Maggie came out of the bedroom. "Have you fixed things yet?" she asked in that matter-of-fact way of hers.

"I'm trying to."

"Good. Now shouldn't you be going to see someone?"

"I'm on my way," Brian said standing up.

"Brian," Maggie said with a hint of sadness in her voice. "I don't mean to butt in, but this is the first time I've ever heard you be interested in someone. I … want you to be happy."

"I'd like that too," Brian said softly.

"Then be gentle with him. Don't scare him."

"Me?" Brian asked with a grin on his face.

"Yes, you! You big, bad ogre. You can be pretty intimidating when you get your back up."

"Have I done that with you?" Brian asked concerned that he had been mean to Maggie somewhere along the line.

"Once or twice I haven't been too thrilled with your attitude, but mostly I hear about your sharp tongue from the other boys."

Brian snorted. "I never meant to offend you," he said.

"But the other boys don't matter?"

"I … guess not."

"Brian, if you are leaving the Quoin which I'm pretty sure you are, you will find that the rules that apply here, don't always work in the outside world. Being nice to people can get you a lot farther than making enemies."

"Is that your advice for today?" Brian asked with a grin, but he filed it away for future consideration.

"That, and go get that blond."

"Yes, mother," Brian replied and kissed her on the cheek.

He grabbed the keys to his motorcycle and headed for Blarney Castle. He wished he had some fucking idea of what he was going to say and do once he got there.

Druid


Chapter 5




Justin had been staring at the empty page of his sketchbook for God knew how long. He couldn't make his hand draw anything. All he could do was picture the cold, remote face of the man he thought he loved. The words telling him to go away, get the fuck out, kept ringing in his ears. He had fought back tears several times. He swore he wouldn't cry anymore. He had done enough of that over the last couple of days.

Suddenly he felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up. Brian was here. He turned his head to see the tall man standing a little ways away staring at him.

"May I approach, sire?" Brian asked formally bowing.

Justin giggled in spite of himself. "You may, serf."

"I'm very sorry to have caused your highness distress. I beg your forgiveness."

"Not so fast, underling. You have committed a grave sin against me. I do not forgive so easily."

"I throw myself on your tender mercies."

"Hm, I bet you'd like to throw yourself on some other parts of me," Justin chuckled. He couldn't believe they were teasing each other, but it was sure better than what had happened the last time they had been together.

"Why, sire, you have a nasty little mind," Brian said with a smirk. "And I love it."

"Don't be presumptuous, serf," Justin ordered. "I'm not sure I should even acknowledge your presence after the way you treated me."

"Forgive me, sire," Brian replied and made the statement in his most sincere voice. He really did want to be forgiven.

"Since you are a rather tasty tidbit, I'll think about it."

Brian stared into Justin's eyes. "Justin, I really am sorry, but when I saw that look on your face, I knew you loathed me and I couldn't stand it. I just wanted you to go away."

"I admit that was about the last thing I thought you would tell me, but you never gave me a moment to think about it or come to terms with the whole idea."

"And have you come to terms with it?" Brian asked hopefully.

"Not completely." Justin saw Brian's face fall. "But I'm working on it. You need to know that it hurt me more how cold and remote you became. I couldn't bear seeing you like that."

"We have a lot to sort out," Brian said, "if you're willing to give it a try."

Justin nodded. "I am."

"I have to go to Dublin for a couple of days. Would you come with me?"

Justin stared at Brian weighing his options. "Only if you promise to tell me the whole story about how you ended up at the Quoin. Don't shut me out, Brian."

"I'll do my best, sire." Justin chuckled, only to find himself in Brian's arms, a searing kiss planted on his lips.



-----



They arrived in Dublin the afternoon of the next day. Brian had picked up Justin at Pats and had received a lecture about the care and treatment of sensitive cousins. He promised to be kind and gentle. Pats snorted at him, and said she'd have his balls for breakfast if he made Justin that miserable again.

Justin had a change of clothing and his sketchbook stuffed into his backpack which he could wear on the bike. Brian had his clothes taking up all the space in the saddlebags of the motorcycle. Justin shook his head as he looked at all the stuff Brian had crammed in there.

They made good time going up through Kilkenny where they stopped for lunch. Brian told Justin all about how he came to the Quoin as a twelve year old. He could tell Justin was shocked at how young he had been and how long he had been a hustler. When he told Justin about the abuse from his father it all seemed to make more sense to the young man. He couldn't believe any parent would treat their child like that and told Brian so.

Brian shrugged. It was all he had ever known, and then the Quoin. Nobody had ever heard the full story before. Not even Quinn knew about his parents. Brian had told him they were killed and he was an orphan.

"Don't you wonder about them?" Justin had asked.

"No," Brian replied truthfully. "I don't. They ceased to exist for me that night outside the pub."

"That's one hell of a story, Brian, but it explains a lot."

"Does it?" Brian asked looking into Justin's eyes.

Justin took his right hand and shoved the bracelet up a bit to reveal the triskele tattoo. "I see now why you have divided your life into three parts."

"And I'm currently trying to figure out the third part," Brian said with a strange look on his face.

Justin looked back at this handsome troubled man. He wanted to say that he hoped he would be part of the third segment of Brian's life, but he wasn't sure Brian was ready for such a declaration, even if he was. He decided he better take it slow and keep that to himself for now.

They left Kilkenny with Justin knowing a lot more about Brian. Brian decided that before this trip was over he needed to find out much more about Justin Taylor.

When they arrived on the outskirts of Dublin, Brian pulled over to the shoulder and called Brendan on his cell phone. He needed instructions to get to his house. Justin hadn't been aware that they would be staying at someone's house. He wondered who Brendan was.

As soon as Brian finished the call Justin asked him, "Who is Brendan?"

Brian had thought about how he should answer that question. "Brendan is an old friend. I've known him for fifteen years. He was my first client at the Quoin." Brian hoped he had got that last part in without scaring Justin off.

He turned to look at his blond who still sat on the bike behind him. The look on Justin's face shocked him. Justin slid off the bike and walked away.

Brian followed him. "Justin?" he said tentatively. Had he screwed everything up again?

"Will you be fucking him while we're here?" Justin asked coldly.

"No! No … Justin, please. It's not like that. Let me explain."

"So explain," Justin said turning to face him.

"Brendan was my first customer and has been my client many times over the years. He owns an ad agency here in Dublin. We used to talk a lot and he got me interested in advertising. I've taken hundreds of courses over the internet, most of them marketing related thanks to Brendan. I haven't seen him for over two years. I just found out that he had a heart attack and he's not very well. He called me a few days ago and said he wanted to talk to me about something. I don't know what he wants but it may have to do with a job … in advertising."

"Brian, that would be wonderful," Justin told him with a smile.

"I know. I was so surprised when I heard from him. He wouldn't tell me why he wanted to see me, but I think it might be a job. I wouldn't have brought you if I thought he wanted me to fuck him. He really is my friend."

"I understand, Brian. Does he know that I'm coming?"

"I told him I wanted to bring a friend," Brian said with a sheepish grin. "I hoped you'd come with me."

"What about sleeping arrangements?" Justin had to ask.

"I told him to plan on separate rooms for each of us, because I wasn't sure."

"I'm glad you did that. I think we should have separate rooms until we get to know each other better."

Justin could see Brian's face fall. "If that's what you want …" he said.

"It's what I want for now," Justin declared.

They got back on the bike and made their way into Dublin and to Brendan's house which was in a very upscale part of the city. Finally Brian pulled up in front of a white Georgian style townhome.

"Wow!" Justin said as he climbed off the bike.

"It's quite a place," Brian admitted looking around.

"Have you been here before?"

Brian shook his head. "I knew Brendan was well off, but I guess I never expected this."

The door to the townhouse opened and a middle aged woman stepped out onto the porch at the top of the steps. "Are you Brian Kinney?" she asked.

"Yes."

"Mr. Reilly asked me to show you in as soon as you arrived. If you have bags or clothes I'll look after them," she stated.

Justin took off his backpack and Brian pulled his clothes from the saddlebags. He looked at the wrinkled pile in dismay.

"I'll see that they are pressed and placed in your room, Mr. Kinney," she said with a smile.

"Thank you."

"I'll take your bag as well, Mr. …?"

"Justin Taylor," Justin replied.

"Please come in," she said.

They stepped into a large foyer with the mandatory heavily carved table and large urn of flowers.

"Mr. Reilly is in the library, this way."

They followed her to a door which she opened and then stood back for them to enter. Brian went in first. A wingback chair was angled towards a fireplace where a crackling fire burned.

"Brendan?" Brian asked heading towards the chair.

A hand reached out and grasped Brian's arm as he neared the chair.

Brian stopped and Justin heard a voice whisper, "Brian, my boy, I'm so glad you agreed to come."

Justin watched as Brian dropped to his knees and clasped the small body in his arms. "Brendan, oh Brendan, I'm so happy to see you again." Justin wished he could disappear. The intimacy of that gesture made him want to weep. He felt like an outsider, an intruder on their reunion.

Finally they released each other and Brian stood up. "Brendan, I'd like you to meet someone. Justin." Brian held out his hand and Justin moved forward to take it. "Brendan, this is Justin Taylor," Brian said with what Justin could only describe as pride. He felt like his heart would burst with joy at this recognition from Brian.

"Hello, Justin," Brendan said holding out his hand. Justin shook it carefully. The man seemed so frail. "I'm so pleased Brian has found you." Brian and Justin looked at each other and then blushed at Brendan's assumption that they were a couple. Brendan noted the look. "Don't feel uncomfortable. I can see that you belong together. Call it an old man's intuition, but you're the one," he said looking at Justin. "I always wanted my lad here to find the right one, but he never seemed to find anyone."

Brian looked like he wanted to sink into the floor.

"We just have to convince him of that," Justin said with a little laugh.

Brendan chuckled and squeezed Justin's hand which he had yet to release. "I like him, Brian. Don't let him get away," Brendan said.

Brian snorted. "There are no chains keeping him here."

"Maybe there should be, if you were wise," Brendan said giving Brian a knowing look. "I suppose I have embarrassed the two of you enough. Dinner will be served in about an hour. If you would like to go up to your rooms and freshen up and join me for the evening meal, I would be ever so pleased."

"Thank you," they both said.

"Mrs. Hopkins will show you to your rooms. See you in an hour."

They left Brendan by the fire and Mrs. Hopkins led them up to their rooms. They each had a large comfortable room furnished with antiques, but warm and inviting nonetheless.

Justin was about to take a shower when he heard a tap on his door. He opened it to be swept into Brian's arms and kissed heartily.

"What was that for?" Justin asked when he was able to breathe again.

"Brendan's right," Brian said. "I don't want you to get away."

"I'm not going anywhere … at the moment," Justin added as an afterthought, not wanting Brian to feel too secure.

"Are you okay with staying here? You like Brendan all right, don't you?" Brian asked, a look of concern on his face.

"Has he always been so frail?" Justin asked.

"No," Brian said with a grimace. "He really looks ill. I would hardly have recognized him in a crowd. He's lost weight and he seems … old."

"I'm sorry it wasn't a happier reunion for you," Justin said rubbing his palm up and down Brian's arm in a comforting fashion.

"I'm really glad to see him before … something happens."

"Yeah," Justin said. "I was just going to have a shower."

"I could join you," Brian suggested hopefully.

Justin shook his head. "Go have your own shower. I need to think."

"About what?"

"I'll tell you when I figure it out."

Brian gave him a look, but turned and went back to his own room.

Dinner was a congenial affair. Brendan told them stories of people he had known. He was a very charming and entertaining host even in his weakened state. Justin thought he must have been quite dashing when he was younger.

Brian and Justin had quite a bit of wine, but Brendan picked at his food eating and drinking little of anything. When the coffee was served at the end, Brendan looked at them and said, "I highly recommend you two head out to Primavera as soon as dinner is over."

"What's Primavera?" Justin asked.

"It used to be my favorite dance club, and I think it's still going strong." Brian and Justin looked at each other. "It's not an old fogy's place," Brendan said with a laugh. "Trust me."

"If you say so …" Brian agreed.

"I do. Justin," Brendan said turning to the young man, "do you think you could entertain yourself tomorrow in Dublin. I want to talk some business with Brian."

"Sure," Justin agreed.

"There's a bus stop at the end of the street."

"Great."

"Any idea what you might want to do?" Brendan asked.

"I'd like to go see the Book of Kells."

"Good choice. Mrs. Hopkins can tell you which bus to take. You can take a bus to the club or call a taxi," Brendan suggested.

"We'll call a cab," Brian stated.

With that, dinner was over. Mrs. Hopkins came in to help Brendan back to the fire and Brian and Justin went up to their rooms to get ready to go clubbing. Neither of them was sure about going to a club recommended by someone who was … old. But they didn't want to insult Brendan, so they would go and see what it was like.

To their surprise they had quite a good time. It was a pretty cool place and the music was good to dance to. Brian wasn't much into the club scene and Justin still didn't like crowds. However, once they were on the dance floor in close contact with each other, it was like they were the only ones who existed. Everyone else faded away as they stared into each other's eyes and swayed or bumped to the music. By midnight they were both a little tired and a little drunk.

They caught a cab outside the club and were soon back at Brendan's. They had been given a key by Mrs. Hopkins before she left the house for the day. All was in darkness as they made their way to their rooms. They assumed Brendan had long since retired.

When they reached Justin's door, Brian leaned into him and found his mouth in a kiss. "I had a good time dancing with you tonight," Brian said.

"Me too," Justin whispered.

"So, I guess this is good night." Brian turned to go to his own room.

"Brian," Justin said, "come in. I want you."

The huskiness in Justin's voice went straight to Brian's groin. He captured his blond's mouth in a deep luscious kiss. "Open the door," Brian ordered and they more or less fell into the room, clothes disappearing as they went. Somehow they were in the bed and Brian entered Justin with great dispatch. They rode the waves of pleasure they found in each other until they were ready to explode. With a final thrust they did.

A bit later they lay side by side basking in the proverbial afterglow. Justin's hand sought Brian's and linked his fingers into the older man's.

"Why did you ask me to come in here tonight? I thought you wanted to sort some things out first," Brian said.

"That's what I was thinking about in the shower earlier."

"You were."

Justin nodded. "I love you, Brian. I'm completely sure of that. I pictured my life without you while I was in the shower. I didn't like that picture much at all."

"I can't imagine going back to being … lonely … without you either."

"Good, then we're on the same page."

"Does that mean we'll live happily ever after?" Brian asked.

Justin giggled. "There's no such thing as happily ever after."

"God, you're such a cynic for someone so young."

"I told you I'm an old soul. I know that I belong with you, Brian. I don't think it's going to be an easy relationship, but it's exactly where I want to be. That's why I invited you in here tonight. What's the point of wasting time?"

"You're a smart old coot," Brian teased.

Justin leaned over and kissed him. He was ready for round two.



-----



They woke late the next morning having spent the majority of the night fucking and sucking and all kinds of other good stuff.

"Good morning, gorgeous," Justin said as he saw Brian's eyes open.

"How long have you been awake?" Brian asked groggily.

"Just a few minutes."

"Why didn't you wake me?"

"I did. I stared at you until your eyes opened."

"There are more efficient ways of waking a person," Brian teased.

"Like this?" Justin asked as his hand grasped Brian's morning wood.

"Just like that," Brian grinned returning the favor.

They fondled and stroked and kissed until they were both panting and craving release. Reciprocal blowjobs finally finished them off and they lay back each lost in their own thoughts.

"I love you," Justin said suddenly.

"I … I'm not sure how to respond to that, Justin," Brian said uncertainly. "This is all new for me. I'm glad you feel that way. I think I do too but I don't really know anything about love."

"Tell me what you feel about me."

"In words?"

"Yes, in words. How else would you tell me?"

"I thought I just did a few minutes ago," Brian said referring to their fucking or love making or whatever it was.

"Don't you do that with other people?" Justin asked. He saw the look on Brian's face that said he didn't like that question at all.

"It's different with you," Brian stated.

"How?"

"I don't know. It just is."

"Please try to tell me. I need to know."

"When I do that with clients it's work. It's what I'm hired to do. I like it and I certainly get satisfaction from it, and so do my clients. But … when I'm with you we're together, just us. We act and feel as one. I like to touch you and hold you and kiss you. You make me feel very … special. I like that feeling."

Justin's smile put the sun to shame. "That's called love, Brian. That's the special feeling we have between us."

"Is that so?" Brian smiled pleased that his answer was what Justin wanted to hear and also what he really felt. He was surprised that he could get that out, but it seemed he could do anything when he was with his blond.

Justin looked at him with what Brian was sure was love written all over his face. They had had a great night together, except for one moment. Brian blinked and looked away from Justin's face. Justin had asked to fuck him again and he had refused. He knew Justin was upset, but he had given him the blowjob to end all blowjobs and they had not discussed that topic again. Brian knew he was going to have to deal with it sooner or later. He shook his head.

"It's time to get up," Justin said. "Brendan wants to talk to you and I'm off to see the Book of Kells."

"You don't mind, do you, being sent away for the day?"

"Not at all, and I hope it goes well with Brendan. I could get used to dating an ad exec."

"Could you now?"

Justin nodded and grinned. "Come to the shower, Mr. Executive. I think we have time for a little more loving before I go."

"I'm hot on your heels," Brian grinned getting up.

"You could stop at hot," Justin teased and ran to the bathroom, Brian right behind him.

Mrs. Hopkins had some brunch ready for them. Brendan was still resting in bed. She told them he often had breakfast there and then came down to the library later in the morning. He'd meet with Brian there when they had finished eating. She told Justin what buses to take to get to Trinity College and Justin left soon after.

Brian finished up his coffee and walked over to the library. He could see Brendan in his chair beside the fire. It was quite a warm day, but the man seemed to need the warmth of the fire all the time. Brian wished he could do something to help him. He shook his head and knocked gently on the door to let Brendan know he was there.

"Brian, come in," Brendan said. "Join me." He indicated a chair on the other side of the fireplace.

Brian took a deep breath and sat down. He hoped he wasn't reading the situation wrong. He really wanted this option. He would love to work in advertising. For years he had shown Brendan the proposals he had drawn up for his courses. At first Brendan had critiqued them mercilessly, but kindly as well. He always pointed out the good things as well as the bad. Brian learned a lot from those impromptu marketing lessons in between their fucks. Gradually Brendan had had less and less negative to say about Brian's work. In fact he had told Brian to take some of his proposals to the companies he was designing the ads about because they were better than anything out there.

Brian had never done that, but he had appreciated Brendan's faith in him. He hoped he was good enough to work in advertising and earn a living from that. He was beginning to realize that he wanted a fresh start on this third leg of his life, and he wanted it to include advertising and Justin.

"Do you have any idea why I asked you to come see me?" Brendan asked.

Brian shook his head. He'd wait to hear what Brendan had to say. He prayed he wouldn't be disappointed.

Druid


Chapter 6


Overall Justin had a great day out in Dublin. His plane had landed there when he arrived from the U.S., but Patricia and her husband had met him at the airport and they had immediately taken him to their home. All he had seen of Dublin was on the drive through it.

He had planned to make a trip to Dublin himself, but Brian had beat him to it with his invitation. He liked the Book of Kells but you got to see only two pages of it on any given day. The library at the college was interesting, but he was a little disappointed in both of them. However, he was still glad he had made the effort to see them.

He stopped at a pub for some lunch and then walked through the streets of Dublin looking at the shops and pubs and parks. He sat down in St. Stephen's Park and watched the people go by. After a bit he took out his sketchbook and began to draw.

Justin smiled to himself as he thought about last night. He and Brian had had a wonderful time. He knew he had made the right decision to invite Brian in. He knew in his soul that they were meant for each other even though it might not be an easy road ahead of them. He remembered the little blip that had occurred in their love making. He had asked Brian once again if he could fuck him, but Brian had refused. Justin couldn't understand Brian's reluctance to let him do that. It was like the man was holding some part of himself away from Justin, refusing to let him touch that part of him. That was one of the things they needed to sort out.

Justin wondered how Brian's talk with Brendan was going. He knew Brian was counting on Brendan offering him a job. He hoped Brian wouldn't be disappointed. He was sure Brian had decided that he wanted a new direction to his life. He wanted to get away from the Quoin, and Justin wanted that too.

There was one other big consideration. What would happen when Justin's time in Ireland was over? If Brian got a job with Brendan and Justin went back to his second year at Pittsburgh Institute of Fine Art they would have an ocean between them, in more ways than one. He let out a long breath, closed up his sketchbook and got up to go find the bus that would take him back to the townhouse.



-----



Brian paced his bedroom. He wanted to talk to Justin. He wished the young man would come back. He thought about going to look for him, but he was sure he would have left the college long ago, and he had no idea where he might have gone after that.

His talk with Brendan had not gone as he had expected. He had a lot to think about and he had no idea what to do. He needed to talk to Justin. This could change everything and he wasn't sure he wanted it to change so drastically.

Finally he heard the bell ring somewhere in the house. Maybe that was Justin. He raced down the stairs just as Mrs. Hopkins opened the door for Justin. Brian grabbed the young man by the sleeve and pulled him outside. He hauled him along the street to the small park at the end. He plunked Justin down on the only bench there and said, "We need to talk."

"What happened?" Justin asked worried by Brian's actions and the look on his face.

Brian paced back and forth in front of Justin, but he said nothing. Justin was about ready to crawl out of his skin. He could see Brian thinking about what he was going to say. He just wished the man would say it.

"Brian, for God's sake, tell me what Brendan said. Did he offer you a job?"

Brian shook his head. Justin felt his heart skip a beat. They had both been counting on that to happen. No wonder Brian was so strung out. He must be wondering what the hell he was going to do with the rest of his life.

"Why did he bring you here if it wasn't to offer you a job? I'm sorry, Brian."

"Don't be sorry. He offered me the whole company."

"What?"

"He wants me to buy his company."

"Are you kidding?"

"No, that's what he said."

"But why?"

"He's really not well at all. He doesn't know how much longer he'll be around and he would like the company to continue after he's gone."

"Isn't somebody running it now?" Justin asked.

"When he had the heart attack, his top executive took over and has continued running the company ever since. About three months ago one of Brendan's oldest accounts came to him personally to complain about the way their account was being handled. Brendan was starting to feel a little better and he started looking into what was going on at his company."

"And he didn't like what he found?"

"Not one bit. This exec had been screwing things up all over the place. They had lost several accounts and the books didn't balance. Once Brendan had enough proof, he fired this guy, about a month ago. He's been trying to run things from home, but he just isn't up to it."

"What a shame," Justin said.

"It is. Brendan had a good company. He was proud of what he had achieved. He knew he was going to have to sell it and he has been looking around for a buyer. That's when Thierry Desmarais told him I was being forced to retire from the Quoin. He got in touch with me soon after."

"You should be proud that he thinks you should have his company," Justin told Brian.

"I am, but I'm not sure I can do it."

"Is it the money?"

Brian shook his head. "I've saved and invested over the years. Some of my clients gave me some great stock tips. I have almost five hundred thousand pounds that I can put my hands on. Brendan is only asking two hundred thousand for the company. That's cheap, all things considered. I think he really wants me to take it over."

"Then what's the problem?"

"I don't know if I can do it, Justin. I've only ever done advertising in lessons and as practice exercises. How do I know that I can be any good at it?"

"Brendan seems to think you can do it. Doesn't that say something to you?"

"Maybe, but he's a desperate old man if I'm truthful. Two hundred thousand is a lot to invest in something I may fail at."

"Brian you could fail at anything, but you could also succeed, and I'm betting you will succeed."

Brian smiled at him, at his words of confidence and faith. Then the smile faded and Brian looked forlorn. "I just don't know."

"Self doubt makes my dick soft," Justin said bluntly. "You're smart and creative and Brendan thinks you can do this. And so do I. You can do anything you put your mind to, Brian. I know it. This is your big chance to make a start on that third leg of your life. You'll never get another opportunity like this."

Brian stared at him. Justin squirmed wondering if he had been too blunt or cruel or inconsiderate in what he had just told Brian. He wished the man would say something. Brian drew in another deep breath. "Where will this leave us?" Brian asked.

Justin smiled. He was hoping Brian would think about him in these plans. "I don't know. Where do you want it to leave us?"

"Together."

Justin's smile grew even wider. He loved this man. "That's where I'd like to be too."

"Will it be possible if I buy the company? I'll be stuck here and you'll be going home soon."

"I could stay," Justin offered.

"You could? You would? Really?"

"If you want me to."

"I want you to," Brian said taking Justin into his arms and crushing his lips beneath his own.

Finally the kiss ended and Justin looked into Brian's eyes. "I spent most of the afternoon thinking about what would happen if you got a job from Brendan. I wondered where that would leave me. I want to show you something," Justin said. He picked up his backpack from the bench where he had dropped it when Brian sat him down there. He pulled out his sketchbook and flipped to a page. "Sit down," he said to Brian.

They sat on the bench together.

"I was trying to figure out what to do. I drew myself back at PIFA and I was sad." Justin showed Brian a sketch of himself standing in front of a building labeled PIFA. He looked sad and alone.

"What's PIFA?" Brian asked.

"It's the art school where I go in Pittsburgh, but you can see that I wouldn't be happy there." Justin flipped to the next sketch. He and Brian were in bed entwined together and they looked absolutely blissful.

"That's hot! That's … wonderful," Brian said searching for the right word.

"It's the way I want us to be … always. Then we can be happy."

Brian's arms reached around his blond and held him tight. They didn't kiss or do anything else. They just hugged each other and took warmth and strength and comfort from each other.

"But how can we have this?" Brian asked pointing to the sketch.

"I gave that a lot of thought this afternoon. They have good art schools here in Ireland. I could see if I can transfer my credits and get into one in Dublin. I really want to be with you, Brian, if that's what you want too."

"It is. But I have an even better idea. How would you like a job working in an ad agency?"

"You don't have to give me a job."

"I can see how talented you are. You could work your schedule around your schooling. You'd be doing me a favor. Brendan was telling me that one of his main artists is retiring in a week or two. There would be a position available. What do you think?"

"How do you know I can do it?" Justin asked. "I don't have any experience with this sort of thing. I don't want to screw everything up for you."

"Self doubt makes my dick soft. You can do anything you put your mind to. It will be the two of us finding our way … together. What do you say?"

Justin's smile radiated once again as he listened to his own words coming back at him. "I say that we go for it."

"And I say that you are one smart, sexy and talented young man who I … love."

Justin kissed him then, long and hard. They could both feel the effect the kiss had.

Brian moaned as they broke apart. "Let's get back to the bedroom. I have some serious thanking to do to you for helping me sort this all out."

"And I'm going to thank you right back," Justin said as he grabbed his backpack and sketchbook and they ran back to Brendan's. The front door still stood open and they ran up to their rooms hoping no one would stop them. This time they used Brian's room, going in quickly and locking the door behind them.

They tumbled onto the bed once they had managed to get out of their clothes. Brian rolled over on top of Justin. His spread his length along his blond's body rubbing against him at every point of contact. It never ceased to amaze him how they fit together. They were very different physically but they were perfect in bed. Every space between them seemed to be filled as they found continuous contact from head to toe.

"I can’t believe I've found you," Brian whispered.

"We were meant to be together."

"I never want you to go away."

"I won't."

Brian's mouth found Justin's and the kiss had them both gasping. Brian slipped on a condom and Justin spread his legs. Brian smiled down at him, noting the gesture of acceptance and love that it represented. Brian entered him slowly, making his blond pant by the time he was all the way in. His strokes were slow and regular to begin with. He rolled his hips and lifted Justin's ass to get the most depth and contact inside his blond. He had never had a lover like this. No one could match him and still ask for more. No one was so sweet and strong and kind. His thrusts became faster and more erratic as his orgasm built. He poured all of his newfound feelings into this simple act of joining. He wanted Justin to know how special he was.

They came in a blistering orgasm that left them both spent and gasping. After a few minutes Brian rolled away and disposed of the condom. He pulled Justin close and snuggled against him. He had never had someone to snuggle with, and he enjoyed this more and more, especially with his blond.

They lay like that for quite awhile soaking in the scent and feel of each other. Their hands roamed each other's body touching and sensing every part of each other.

"Brian," Justin began. He had decided they needed to get this out in the open. "Why won't you let me be the top once in a while?"

"I…I don't do that," Brian stumbled.

"But why? Tell me what happened. Or have you never tried it?"

"I did … once."

"And wasn't it good?"

Brian shook his head remembering Tomas. "I hated it. I felt used and I vowed never to feel like that again."

"Is that what you think I would do, use you?" Justin asked tears in his eyes. If Brian thought that then he didn't know his blond at all.

"No, I don't think you would use me … intentionally, but … I think that's how I would feel anyway."

"You make me feel like you don't trust me, like there's this part of you that you are keeping sealed off from me," Justin explained a tear escaping his eye and running down his cheek.

Brian thumbed it away and kissed his blond gently. "I don't mean to make you feel like that. I just don't think I can do it."

"What if you let me start and I'll stop if you tell me to, if you don't like it?"

"Is it really that important to you? Don't I satisfy you with what I do?" The worry and uncertainty in Brian's eyes almost broke Justin's heart.

"I love you beyond words and you satisfy me completely. This isn't exactly about … sex, it's about trust and understanding and being equals."

Brian stared into those beautiful blue eyes. He knew he couldn't refuse Justin anything. He nodded.

Justin's sunshine smile lit up the late afternoon gloom of the bedroom. "I love you so much," he declared kissing Brian's face.

"Be gentle," Brian requested.

That was about the last thing he had expected to hear Brian say. "I'm not out to hurt you, Brian."

"I … know."

Justin began kissing all over Brian's face and neck and shoulders and chest. He worked his way down to the stiffening cock and took it in his mouth. He felt Brian moan and arch up into his mouth. He loved this man more and more with each minute that passed and he was going to show him that.

Justin pushed Brian's legs up and out exposing his pucker. He buried his face between his legs, first sucking his balls and then licking along the skin leading to his pucker. He felt Brian moan and whimper. His tongue probed the hole forcing its way in. Brian jumped and cried out. Justin realized that Brian might be a master at rimming, but he knew he had hardly ever had the favor returned. He wanted to make Brian feel all the things that this gorgeous man made him feel.

Once Justin had made Brian's hole relax a bit with his tongue, he slid a condom on his own aching cock. He lubed it generously and used his fingers to work on Brian's pucker. He knew from personal experience that it would hurt, and he wanted to make it as easy and painless for Brian as he could. Brian was writhing and panting beneath him as he inserted a third finger. He whimpered and bucked into Justin's fingers, trying to fuck himself on them. Justin decided he was ready.

He placed his cock against Brian's well worked hole and pushed in. Brian gasped and froze. Justin waited leaning in to kiss the man and reassure him he would take it slow. Gradually he felt Brian relax and pushed in farther. The man cried out and Justin kissed him again waiting till he was ready for more. Finally Brian looked up at him and nodded. Justin thrust again and he was home joined to the hilt to the man he loved. He leaned in and kissed Brian's lips.

"Are you all right?" he asked.

Brian felt so exposed and out of control. He wanted to cry, but he refused to show that weakness to his blond. He merely nodded.

"I love you," Justin whispered.

And somehow that was exactly what Brian needed to hear. Justin loved him and he loved his blond. They were one and it was all right. In fact, it was the way it was supposed to be. Why hadn't he seen that before? He smiled up at this extraordinary creature who had come into his life and helped him to make sense of everything. He would be fine, they would be fine. In fact everything would be great. He knew that for sure.

With that thought clearly locked in his mind he bucked up into Justin signaling that his blond should continue. Justin looked at him, joy written across his beautiful face. He began to pump into Brian slowly and carefully at first. As their passion grew they pounded against each other seeking the ultimate release and fulfillment.

"I love you," Justin repeated as he felt the first tinglings of his orgasm.

"I love you too," Brian gasped.

Justin grabbed Brian's dick and stroked in time with his thrusts. They screamed each other's names as they came almost at the same moment. The room went black and then blindingly white and sparklers burst in front of their eyes. Minutes later they lay still, entwined and joined. Finally Justin pulled himself away from his lover. He felt Brian sigh at the loss and looked at the man carefully.

"Are you all right? I didn't hurt you, did I? You're not angry or upset?"

Brian opened his eyes and looked at the concern on Justin's face. "I love you. You didn't hurt me. All I felt was your love and the most amazing orgasm," Brian grinned.

Justin leaned in and kissed him. "That's exactly what I wanted you to feel. We are perfect together."

"You're perfect," Brian said softly running his hand along Justin's cheek. "I never thought I would have … this," Brian whispered. "I'm scared."

"Scared? Of what?"

"That it will all turn out to be a dream. That I'll do something to screw it up. That I don't deserve you."

"Nothing's going to happen," Justin told him. "I'm right here and that's where I'm going to stay."

Justin's hand caressed the side of Brian's face.

"We should go have a shower," Brian said, "and then I can go tell Brendan about the decision we've made."

"The decision we've made," Justin said stressing the word we and then smiling. "I like the sound of that."



THREE MONTHS LATER

Brian and Justin pulled the Renault into the parking space in front of The Fiddle and Firkin near Cork. Brian turned off the engine and they sat looking at the pub.

"I hope everyone's here," Justin said.

"Yeah," Brian agreed. "I wish Brendan could have been here."

"It's strange how quickly he went, after you bought the company. He helped us a lot the first month, but once we got on our feet he kind of faded away and then died so suddenly."

"His heart wouldn't take any more. He was beyond generous leaving us his town house. I never expected anything like that," Brian said shaking his head.

"He told me one day that despite your physical relationship he felt like you were his son. That was how he thought of you especially after he got sick."

"He was a special person. He'd be proud that we've won back a couple of his old clients and that the company seems to be heading in the right direction."

"He'd be very proud of you," Justin told Brian.

"Proud of both of us. I miss him."

"I do too."

"Too bad your family doesn't approve of you staying over here with me."

"My father never approves of anything I do since I told him I was gay. I think he's glad I'm staying here, then he doesn't have to explain about me to his friends. I do miss Mom and Molly though."

"Why don't we send them airline tickets as a Christmas present, and then they can come visit you?"

"Could we?" Justin beamed. "I knew there was a reason I loved you."

"Just one reason?"

"A million reasons and still finding more every day."

They kissed tenderly and longingly. It was a pleasure that neither of them ever got tired of.

"I guess we should go in," Brian said.

"Get the paintings out of the back," Justin told him.

"I don't know why you wouldn't let me see them."

"It's a surprise."

"But these are gifts for my friends and you did all the work of painting them."

"I wanted to."

"I love you."

"I know you do," Justin said with a smile. "Let's go."

A jovial looking man met them inside the door. "Are you Brian and Justin?" he asked. When they nodded yes, he directed them to the snug saying his wife Maggie and their other friends were waiting for them in there.

"They pushed open the door and were immediately surrounded by Maggie, Pats and her husband Mick, and Quinn. Hugs were exchanged and other pleasantries. Brian and Justin magically had glasses of Guinness in their hands. Finally they all sat down.

Brian stood and proposed a toast to good friends. They all drank to that. Then Brian cleared his throat. "I asked you all here tonight because … I knew Maggie and her husband could use the business." They all laughed and Maggie swatted him. "I asked you here because you are all important to me. You've all made a difference in my life. And I wanted to give you a token of my appreciation for everything you have done for me over the years."

Justin got up and held the first painting out to Brian.

"I want you all to know that Justin painted each one of these especially for you. I haven't seen them yet. He wouldn't let me." Brian smiled at his lover. "But I know first hand what a great artist he is, so hang on to them. They may be worth millions some day."

Everyone laughed and Justin blushed.

"First for Quinn who literally saved my life one night long ago. God knows what would have happened to me without him." Quinn hugged Brian and accepted the painting. He ripped off the thin wrapping paper to reveal a portrait of a naked Brian sprawled on a grassy knoll."

Brian looked at Justin. "Blarney Castle the first time I laid eyes on you. I knew you were watching me." Justin nodded and grinned. "But I had my clothes on?"

"And I have a great imagination. I checked out the goods later on," Justin told him with a wink. "I thought Quinn could hang it in his illustrious alumni section."

"No, it's going in my office in a place of honor over my desk," Quinn said and hugged Brian again, and then Justin.

Justin handed Brian the next painting. "This one's for Maggie who was like a mother to me and set me straight, pardon the pun, many times when I needed it."

Maggie took the painting after giving Brian another hug. "I hope it's a naked one," she said with a giggle. Everyone laughed. Maggie looked at the picture and her eyes filled with tears.

"It's for the pub," Justin said hoping she liked it.

"It's lovely, Justin. Thank you so much. Now I can look at my boy everyday when I'm at work." She turned the picture to reveal Brian seated at a bar holding a glass of Guinness.

"And last but not least for my sister and her husband," Brian said looking lovingly at Pats and Mick.

"It better not be a naked portrait of you," Mick said with a laugh.

"Open it and see," Justin said.

Pats pulled off the paper and gasped. It was a portrait of Brian holding little Mick the way the little boy loved to be held. His little hand caressed Brian's face.

"That's perfect, Justin," Pats said wiping a tear from her eye. "Little Mick wanted to come with us, but he's staying with his grandparents for the night. I didn't dare tell him we were going to see his Unc Bi. Thank you both so much." She kissed and hugged both of them and Mick shook their hands.

"Maggie told me that I should stay in touch when I left the Quoin and that's what Justin and I want to do. I hope that we can meet like this once or twice a year if that is agreeable to you all. Some of you I may see more often, but I don't want to lose the connection."

They all agreed. Brian and Justin sat in the corner watching their friends gush about the paintings. Justin picked up Brian's right hand and pushed the bracelet aside. "It looks like the third leg of you life is going just fine," he said as he rubbed the tattoo on Brian's wrist.

Brian found his lips and they kissed in that familiar and satisfying way of lovers who were happy to be together.