High School Reunion

Chapter 1


* * *

Brian slit the end of the envelope with his letter opener. He gave a cursory glance to the piece of heavy stock paper that he pulled out of the envelope. Before crumpling it and throwing it in the wastebasket beside the computer table, he let out a soft snort.

Justin looked up from his drawing as he heard the sounds of the paper being crushed in Brian’s fist, and the snort from Brian.  He caught sight of the piece of paper as it dropped into the wastebasket.  He had been surreptitiously watching Brian, sketching him idly in one of his multitudinous sketchbooks that were strategically scattered about the loft.

“What was that?” Justin asked nodding towards the paper that had disappeared into the steel mesh can beside Brian. He was slightly curious about the dark blue paper that now lay in the circular file.

“Nothing,” Brian said quickly. Perhaps a bit too quickly.

“They don’t usually send nothing announcements on heavy dark blue stock,” Justin observed.

“Who said it was an announcement? And the color of the paper means nothing,” Brian informed him.

“The color may mean nothing, but the quality of the paper tells me it was something.”

Brian raised an eyebrow. “Since when did you become a paper connoisseur?”

“Since I’ve been buying paper for myself in New York. That weight of paper is not cheap,” Justin observed. He gave a definitive look at the wastebasket as he made this statement.

“I need a shower,” Brian said sniffing at his armpit. “Care to join me?”

“Maybe in a minute,” Justin replied. “I want to add a few more touches to this sketch.”

“My dick is still a source of endless fascination for you,” Brian smirked standing up and stretching. “Don’t be too long.”

“Or your dick will be lonely?” Justin teased.

“Precisely.”

Brian disappeared up the steps and Justin heard the shower come on. He waited until he heard the shower door click closed and then he walked over to the computer table. He reached into the wastebasket and fished out the heavy blue paper Brian had thrown in there. He spread it open pressing the wrinkles out with his hand on top of the desk.

He picked up the rumpled paper and read what it said. With a frown he dropped it back into the wastebasket. He made his way up to the bathroom shedding his clothes as he went.

He opened the door to the shower and stepped inside. Brian looked at him but said nothing.

“Need your back scrubbed?” Justin asked.

Brian shrugged, but he turned around so Justin could run the soap across his back. Justin lathered Brian’s skin and then rubbed gently with his palms. He heard Brian sigh and that made him smile. He continued to caress Brian’s soapy back, running hands across the taut muscles and down Brian’s arms.

After a minute Brian turned around and picked up the soap from the tray. He turned Justin away from him and repeated the process on Justin’s back.

“I didn’t think you were going to join me. Did you find out what you wanted to know?” Brian asked, when he was done and the soap had all washed away. The look on his face said he was onto Justin’s actions in regards to the wastebasket.

“I came to wash your back,” Justin replied simply.

“Don’t play games with me.”

“Okay, I saw the invitation.”

“Garbage picker,” Brian retorted, not looking pleased.

“Sometimes you make it necessary.”

“Sometimes when I throw things in the trash, that’s where they should stay.”

Justin frowned. Brian seemed to be mad at him. It was just a stupid invitation that he had read. He couldn’t understand why it would make any difference to Brian. “I was curious,” Justin said honestly.

“Because it was on such fine quality paper?” Brian asked sarcastically.

“Because you snorted when you read it. I wanted to know what made you do that.”

“So, now you know. Is that the end of it?”

Justin shrugged. “Are you going to go?”

“The fact that I threw the invitation in the wastebasket might provide you with the answer you require.”

“Why not go?”

“Why the fuck would I want to spend time with those fuckers who tried to make my life a living hell?”

“Is that what they did?” Justin asked, studying Brian’s face for the truth.

“You’ve heard my stories about the jocks in high school.”

“That’s more reason to show them what a success you’ve become.”

“I’ll still be that fucking homo in their eyes.”

Justin blinked. “Is that how they made you feel? That the only thing you were was gay?”

Brian shook his head but didn’t answer. That was too close to the truth. No matter how good his grades were or how well he played soccer or the fact that he could dunk a basketball or drink any of them under the table, none of that mattered. He was just a fucking queer, a pansy, a non-entity in their eyes, gum on the bottom of their shoes. “I can’t think of anyone from high school that I’d ever want to see again,” Brian said firmly.

“What about Michael?”

“I see him almost every day,” Brian snapped.

“Don’t you want to show them what you’ve become?”

“And what have I become? I’m still gay,” Brian said bitterly.

“But … you’re proud of who you are, aren’t you?”

Brian shrugged. “I don’t need to prove anything to those assholes.”

“But wouldn’t it be fun to gloat?”

“The water’s getting cool. Time to get out,” Brian said. He reached behind Justin and turned off the tap. He pushed open the shower door and stepped out.

“I thought you’d want to fuck me in there,” Justin told him with a touch of sadness to his voice, as he followed Brian out of the enclosure.

“There are other places to fuck.”

“But…”

“Justin, I don’t like it when people butt into my business.”

“I … I thought I was part of your life,” Justin said softly, wrapping a fluffy towel around his hips. “I like to know about your life. I didn’t think it was butting in.”

Brian heaved a sigh. “It’s a fucking high school reunion! Why are we letting it get in the way of fucking?”

“Fuck if I know,” Justin replied, right before Brian grabbed him, ripped off the towel, and backed him up against the counter of the bathroom.

“I’m going to fuck you into the middle of next week,” Brian whispered, his breath warm and moist against Justin’s ear. Then he took a rather substantial nip at Justin’s shoulder.

Justin gasped and let out a moan. Brian’s hands held Justin’s hips in place. Justin could feel Brian’s hard cock pressing against his own. “That’s what I’ve been waiting for,” Justin moaned as he initiated a passionate kiss.

“Why didn’t you say so?” Brian asked, his finger probing Justin’s pucker. “We wasted perfectly good shower time talking about unimportant drivel.”

“Sorry,” Justin blurted out as Brian’s finger reached inside him. He felt himself being hoisted up to the edge of the counter. Brian released him long enough to slide on a condom and then he was filled as only Brian could fill him. He gasped and clung to Brian’s shoulders as the onslaught began. He had no idea how he stayed on the edge of the counter other than that was where Brian wanted him. He gave himself over to the sensations that only Brian truly aroused in him. There was no time to think about high school reunions or any other such drivel.

High School Reunion

Chapter 2



* * *



“Hey, Michael,” Justin said as he entered the comic book store. He and Michael had arranged to meet there and hash over some ideas for the next issue of Rage. The store was open but not usually busy until later in the day. It was empty except for Michael, as Justin walked in.

“Hey, Boy Wonder, I’m surprised you made it here so early,” Michael said with a grin.

“It’s after ten,” Justin said looking at his watch. “Hardly early.”

“I thought Brian would be fucking you into the mattress until at least noon.”

“I do have other things to do when I come to Pittsburgh, you know,” Justin laughed.

“But nothing nearly as important,” Michael reminded him.

Justin smiled. He had to admit that nothing was more important than Brian and the time they could spend together when he came to Pittsburgh. Sure they fucked … a lot, but they also talked and planned for the future. Things were going all right for Justin in New York, but he hated being away for such long stretches. He wasn’t at all sure that the results were worth the time he and Brian had to spend apart. However, he had promised to try it for a year and see how it went. So far they had gotten through the first six months with frequent weekend visits from Brian, and a few weeks spent in Pittsburgh by Justin. They could weather the rest of the time Justin had promised to stay in New York, but at the end of that time Justin knew he was coming home one way or another.

“Earth to Boy Wonder,” Michael was saying.

“Oh, sorry, I zoned out,” Justin said.

“Yeah, where did you go?”

“Just thinking,” Justin hedged.

“Should we throw around some ideas for the next issue?” Michael asked, getting a clear vibe that Justin didn’t want to talk about whatever had caused him to drift away.

“Yeah, let’s get started.”

Michael got them each a coffee from the back and they sat down on the sofa.

“Have you got any ideas about what this issue should include?” Justin asked as he pulled out his sketchbook and Michael organized his pad and pencil.

“No, I was kind of hoping you might,” Michael admitted.

“Um … well, something did occur to me.”

“What’s that?”

“Rage and Zephyr going to their high school reunion.”

“What? Are you serious?” Michael asked incredulously.

“They do have alter egos who live in the real world,” Justin explained. “If they met up with some of the homophobes they had to deal with in high school, Rage could use his mind powers to help them see the error of their ways.”

“Where is this coming from, Justin?” Michael asked with a frown.

“Brian got an invitation to his high school reunion. Did you get one?”

“Yeah.”

“Are you going?”

“Why the fuck would I want to go back there?” Michael was clearly not amused.

“You sound just like Brian.”

“Are you surprised?”

“I thought he would want to show those bigots what a success he is. You too. You could take Ben.”

Michael snorted not unlike Brian had. “Neither Brian or I had a very good time in high school. Being gay wasn’t much fun back then. But it would have been a lot worse for me if Brian wasn’t there.”

“He … looked after you?” Justin asked.

“As much as he could. I was always smaller and less assertive, so they picked on me more. But Brian got his fair share of persecution too.”

“Persecution?”

“That’s what it seemed like at the time,” Michael said sadly.

“I guess it’s always the same. That’s pretty much how I felt at St. James once they knew I was gay.”

“You mean after that morning you arrived in the Jeep with “Faggot” painted on the side?” Michael smiled ruefully at the memory.

Justin laughed humorlessly. “Yeah, that would be the day they knew for sure, not that they didn’t suspect it before.”

“Would you want to go back to a reunion at St. James?” Michael asked.

Justin looked thoughtful for a moment as he mulled over his answer. “Yeah, I would go to a reunion … if only to prove to them that I’m alive and doing just fine,” he declared.

“That’s a great attitude,” Michael said with a genuine smile of admiration for Justin and what he had lived through. His life was such a testament to fighting back.

“Thanks … but I would want Brian to go with me,” Justin added.

“So they could remember that dance at your prom?”

“Yeah, I’d like them to remember that. I’d like to remember it too.”

“I always forget that you have no memory of that night. It seems such a part of our lives.”

“I know. I always feel funny when people talk about it and I have nothing to contribute to the conversation. It seemed like such a … defining moment. But I don’t remember any of it.”

“Someday…”

“Yeah, maybe someday.”

“Anyway,” Michael said deciding they better leave that line of discussion for another time. “You really think a high school reunion for Rage is a good idea?”

“I do, and I think that Brian … and you, should go to your own reunion. It could be like research for the comic.”

Michael laughed. “I don’t think Brian will buy that excuse for going. Hell, I don’t even buy it.”

“Come on, Michael, I think it would be good for both of you to go to the reunion and face your … persecutors.”

“So they can give me a wedgie or tie me to the flagpole in front of the fucking school?” Michael asked incredulously.

“Take Ben and nobody would dare touch you,” Justin suggested.

“Hm, that’s true. Nobody would want to mess with Ben,”

“The gentle giant, but we don’t have to tell them how gentle he really is.”

“And you’ll be protecting Brian of course,” Michael chuckled.

“Hey, I can scratch eyes out with the best of them,” Justin declared with a laugh.

“I just bet you can.”

“So you’ll go?” Justin asked.

“I … I don’t know. You make it sound … interesting.”

“It would be. I want Brian to face those assholes. They’ll be green with envy when they see him … and you.”

“You think so?” Michael asked screwing up his face.

“I do. So, how about it?”

“I’ll have to ask Ben.”

“Then ask him, no, convince him to go,” Justin pleaded.

“Why is this so important to you?” Michael wanted to know.

“I don’t know,” Justin admitted. “Ever since I saw that invitation I’ve felt like it was something that Brian was meant to do.”

Michael shrugged. “How are you going to talk him into it?”

“I don’t know that either, but I want your support. If he knows you’re going, that will give me something to build on.”

“Okay, I’ll clear it with Ben.”

“Great, and I’ll start some sketches for our high school reunion edition of Rage.”

Michael shook his head. “I guess I better get to work on the details of the story.”

“Thanks, Michael,” Justin said as he gathered up his belongings and stuffed them in his messenger bag.

“Don’t thank me till this is all over. I have a queasy feeling in the pit of my stomach where this is concerned.”

“It’ll be fine,” Justin assured him as he pulled open the door of the comic shop. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow and see how you made out with Ben.”

“I always make out with Ben,” Michael grinned mischievously.

“I just bet you do,” Justin said happily as he walked out the door.

High School Reunion

Chapter 3



* * *



Two days passed, and Justin carefully avoided any further mention of the high school reunion. However, he did rescue the invitation and the envelope that came with it from the wastebasket beside Brian’s computer table. He knew he would have to do something soon, as he would be heading back to New York Sunday evening. That only left Saturday and Sunday to convince Brian to go to the reunion.

When Brian came home from work early on Friday afternoon, he found Justin naked and aroused on his bed. It was a pleasant if rather disconcerting thing to find as he walked up the steps to the bedroom.

“What brought this on, Sunshine?” Brian asked with a smirk.

“I thought we should have a wild, debauched weekend, and I got an early start.” Justin grinned at Brian.

“You remind me of someone,” Brian said thoughtfully as he loosened his tie.

“Somebody hot! Patrick Swayze in his heyday? Justin Timberlake?”

“The Cheshire Cat.”

Justin frowned. “Why would you say that?”

“What are you up to?”

“I just thought you’d be happy that I was up,” Justin laughed.

“I am,” Brian replied getting out of his suit.

“That’s good,” Justin grinned, continuing to stroke himself.

“But I also know you’re up to something.”

“Later,” Justin moaned as Brian fitted himself over top of his lover. “Much later.”



* * *



When they came up for air some time later, they decided to order Thai and fool around some more until the food arrived. That led to a little more action, and then they were definitely ready for food.

They sat on the floor at the coffee table and ate with chopsticks. The food was delicious and they had worked up quite an appetite. Justin decided Brian was in a good frame of mind for his proposal.

“Want to go to Babylon later?” Justin asked.

“To meet Mikey and the professor?”

“How? How did you know?”

“You should realize by now that Michael cannot keep a secret.”

Justin shook his head. He thought back on some of his own secrets that Michael had spilled to Brian, not least among them the one involving a certain violin player. He wondered what Michael had told Brian about the proposed night at Babylon.

“So, what are you two bottoms cooking up?” Brian asked snapping up a shrimp with his chopsticks and depositing it expertly in his mouth.

“We’re not cooking up anything,” Justin declared. “When we were working on Rage the other day, we decided that a night at Babylon might be fun.”

“But you chose not to tell me about it until now.”

“Well…”

“Justin,” Brian said ominously.

“Okay, so I also talked to Michael about the high school reunion.”

“What the fuck for?” Brian demanded setting down his plate.

“Because I think you should go. Michael and Ben are going,” Justin said hopefully.

“And how the fuck did you talk Mikey into that? He had an even worse time in high school than I did.”

“I told him he should take Ben. Nobody will mess with him if Ben is at his side.”

Brian thought about that for a minute. “Big Ben would be a major deterrent to bullies,” he admitted.

“That’s what I thought,” Justin said smugly. He waited for Brian to say something about going. When nothing was forthcoming, he said, “So, what do you think? Are you going to go?”

“I already told you that I have absolutely no desire to see any of my former classmates ever again.”

“But if Michael goes…”

“I hope he and Ben have a lovely time,” Brian said, standing up and carrying his plate over to the counter.

“Brian?”

“I’m not going.”

“But…”

“Which part of ‘not going’ don’t you understand?”

“Okay, okay,” Justin said quickly. He didn’t want to fight about this. “Can we still go to Babylon?”

Brian turned and looked at Justin. The raised eyebrow spoke volumes about the lack of trust in what Justin was proposing. “If this is a trip to Babylon … and nothing else,” Brian stated.

“It is,” Justin replied quickly.

“Good … shower … now.”

After a refreshing and rather strenuous shower, they dressed for Babylon. Brian was sleek and dangerous looking all in black. Justin shone like the sun, or maybe more like the moon, in a glittering silver shirt. They made a striking couple as they set out for the dance club.

Michael and Ben were waiting by the bar when they came in.

“Beam,” Brian said immediately.

“Make it two,” Justin quickly added.

“Mikey, Professor,” Brian said acknowledging the two men once he’d had a sip of his drink.

Justin took a drink of his Beam and tried to give Michael the high sign to keep his mouth shut about the reunion. No such luck, however.

“So Brian, did the Boy Wonder talk you into going to our high school reunion?” Michael asked.

Justin groaned inwardly.

Brian screwed up his face in displeasure. “No, Mikey. Just because you’re fool enough to agree to go doesn’t mean I am.”

“Hey?” Michael protested.

“Watch your language where my husband is concerned,” Ben warned.

“You don’t need to practice defending poor wittle Mikey to me, Professor. You’ll get plenty of chances to do that at the fucking high school reunion. Let’s dance, Sunshine,” Brian said finishing his drink and dragging Justin onto the dance floor.

“Asshole!” Michael shouted after him.

“Brian,” Justin tried to start his explanation. “I tried to stop him…”

“Don’t bother. I knew you two were plotting something. I don’t want to go to the fucking reunion, so that’s that.”

“If you say so.”

“I say so.”

Brian started grinding against his young lover. Everyone at Babylon watched blatantly or surreptitiously. It didn’t matter. They hadn’t seen the Brian and Justin show very often since Justin had gone to work on his art in New York City. Some of the new denizens of Babylon had never seen them before, at least not together. The old timers were more than familiar with their interaction. It still created a sensation. The restrooms and the backroom always got quite a workout when they put on their show. Men were creaming their pants, jerking off or getting fucked all over the dance club as a result of the exhibition by the two men.

“Brian,” Justin gasped as he felt his hard dick rubbing against Brian’s leg. “You have to stop or I’m going to come.”

“Pussy!” Brian reacted, and headed for the bar. He needed another drink. He ordered a double and threw it back.

Justin trailed along behind Brian. “Maybe we should leave,” he said when he got another drink for himself.

“Haven’t you and Mikey got a back-up plan for convincing me to go to that fucking reunion?” Brian snarked.

“I’ll never mention it again. I promise,” Justin swore, hand on his heart. “I don’t want to fight with you. I came here from New York to spend time with you. I love you, Brian. I thought it would be good for you to go to your reunion, and show them that at least one fag was successful and happy and … fabulous.”

Brian raised an eyebrow. “You think I’m successful, happy and fabulous?” Brian asked.

“Of course I do.” Brian snorted. “You are!”

“Flattery does not become you,” Brian said sarcastically.

“It’s not flattery. I mean every word. I just thought that it would be kind of like my prom.” Justin saw Brian flinch. “I still don’t remember that night, but you’ve told me what it was like. Daphne says I was so happy and proud that you had decided to come to my prom. You said I called it the best night of my life.”

“Yeah, and look how it ended,” Brian said bitterly.

“I can’t change what happened, but I thought maybe we could go to the reunion, and you could be as proud and happy to be there with me, as I was the night you came to my prom.”

Brian stared into the blue eyes. “That was what you thought, was it?” Brian whispered loud enough for Justin to hear him over the music.

“Yeah.”

“Let’s go home,” Brian said softly, his breath warm against Justin’s ear.

“Okay.”

Brian took Justin’s hand and dragged him towards the entrance of Babylon.

“Am I forgiven?” Justin asked.

“Nothing to forgive,” Brian said as they left the building. When they reached the car, he backed Justin up against it and kissed him so hard and so sweet and so hot that Justin thought he was going to melt into a puddle of goo.

“What was that for?” Justin gasped when Brian released him.

“It’s for being the person that you are,” Brian said getting into the car. He started the engine. “Let’s go home and fuck.”

“I like the way you think,” Justin laughed as he was driven back against the seat of the car as Brian peeled the Corvette away from the curb, leaving Babylon and its denizens behind.

High School Reunion

Chapter 4



* * *



Brian thrust into Justin. They were both on their knees, a good position from which to worship the feelings they could create in each other as they fucked with abandon.

Justin chuckled as that thought shot across his mind.

“What?” Brian demanded.

“I’ll tell you later,” Justin moaned as Brian hit his sweet spot. He could feel Brian’s breath in his hair, hot and desperate, yet safe. He felt Brian’s fingers link into his own where he propped himself up on the bed.

Brian drove home again and again as his orgasm built. He tried to tell Justin all the things that Justin’s words at Babylon had inspired in him. He loved his man so much and he knew he should tell him more often. And now he was, in the way that he felt expressed that emotion best.

“Gonna come,” Justin gasped.

Brian drove in forcefully and groaned, “I love you so much, Sunshine.” He shot his load into the condom and dropped unceremoniously onto Justin’s back, flattening his lover who had just come with his own mind blowing orgasm.

Minutes passed as they stayed immobile, unable to make brain cells work or synapses fire or muscles follow instructions. Too exhausted and too sated to care.

Finally Brian rolled to the side and turned onto his back.

“That was one of our top ten,” Justin said with a happy sigh. He turned onto his side so he could look at Brian.

“Definitely in my top … ten,” Brian replied, but he was thinking of another time when Justin hadn’t been with him. He quickly pushed that thought away. He knew he didn’t want Justin to go back to New York, but he had to keep pretending that he was fine with it. Justin needed this chance for his big break.

A frown wrinkled Justin’s brow as he saw the cloudy look on Brian’s face. “Is something wrong?” he asked.

Brian sighed. “No, that was great. It’s just that sometimes I really am an asshole.”

“No you’re not!”

“Yes, I am.”

“What brought this on?” Justin had to ask.

“I should probably go to that fucking reunion,” Brian admitted.

“You should?” Justin asked in surprise. “And what caused this about face?” Justin couldn’t figure out how the adamantly-against-going-to-the-high-school-reunion-Brian Kinney had suddenly turned into this maybe-I-should-go-Brian Kinney.

“What you said…”

“What did I say?” Justin asked in bewilderment.

“About your prom.”

Justin frowned. “I hope you don’t think I was trying to guilt you into going.”

“It would take a lot more than that to guilt me into doing anything. I don’t do guilt.”

Justin smiled. “Yes, you do … from time to time.”

Brian raised an eyebrow, but he didn’t want to argue about that. “I guess I saw that you were trying to do something good for me and I was shitting all over it.”

“True,” Justin grinned.

“Twat! You really think it would be a good thing to go?”

“I do.”

“I suppose you’ll tell me it’s closure or some other psycho-babble shit.”

Justin merely nodded.

“Fuck! Okay, I’ll go.”

“And just think, once you do that, you’ll never have to go to a reunion again,” Justin promised.

“How do you figure that?”

“You can say ‘been there, done that’ and it will all be finished.”

“That’s the best reason for going you’ve given so far,” Brian chuckled.

“Good, then it’s settled.”

“Settled,” Brian replied as he pulled Justin against him. He was ready for another round.



* * *



Justin rolled over and felt the empty spot in the bed where Brian should be. He opened his eyes. Light was pouring in through the curtains. He wondered what time it was. He could hear rustling from the main part of the loft, like papers being moved around. Then he heard a gentle, “Fuck!”

“Brian?” he called out, after glancing at the clock and noting that it was already afternoon. They had fucked most of the night away before falling asleep.

“Yeah,” came the terse reply.

“What are you doing?”

“Nothing.”

“Sounds like something.”

“I can’t find the fucking invitation to that fucking high school reunion. I was sure I threw it in the wastebasket, but it’s not there and it’s not on my desk. Did you empty the wastebasket?”

“Is this what you’re looking for?” Justin asked holding out the dark blue cover stock and the envelope it had come in.

“How did you get that?” Brian asked knowing very well what Justin had done.

“I rescued it,” Justin said with a guilty laugh.

“Rescued, huh?”

“Yep.”

“Your toga is very fetching, by the way,” Brian observed. Justin was wearing the top sheet from the bed wrapped around him in the Roman manner.

“Thanks,” Justin grinned as he came down the steps.

“Give me that fucking thing so I can respond and get it over with,” Brian griped snatching the paper out of Justin’s hand.

“Brian, you don’t have to go if you don’t want to,” Justin said quickly. He was beginning to regret ever making this an issue.

“A deal’s a deal. I said I’d go, so I’m going.”

“But I don’t want you to be miserable.”

“I thought we were going to have some fun, and show all those homophobic assholes just how fabulous we are … and always were.”

Justin smiled. “That’s what I wanted to do.”

“But you’re having some second thoughts?’

“I don’t know these people. You do.”

“That’s right. And that’s why I never wanted to see them again.”

“Then maybe we should just forget the whole thing,” Justin said slowly. He was beginning to see Brian’s side of the argument. They didn’t need trouble from Brian’s old schoolmates.

Brian had been looking at the invitation trying to decide where one was supposed to reply about attending. “They have a website,” he said.

“Wonder what it looks like,” Justin said as Brian went to the computer and booted it up.

“We’ll find out soon.”

“I need food … and coffee.”

“Bagels on the counter and the coffee’s ready to be turned on.”

“You cooked,” Justin joked.

“And don’t say I never do anything for you,” Brian warned but with a hint of humor in his voice.

“I’d never say that, because we do lots of things for each other … like caring about what the other one thinks and feels,” Justin said as he started the coffee dripping.

Brian raised an eyebrow. He wasn’t exactly fond of it when Justin saw right through him, and then at other times it was the best thing that could happen to them. He gave his head a shake before typing in the address for the reunion site.

“Fuck!” Brian reacted as the main page of the site appeared on the screen in front of him.

“What?”

“Bring me a coffee. I think I’m going to need it,” Brian said.

Justin tied his toga around himself so he could have two hands free to work in the kitchen, and then carry the coffee mugs to the computer desk. He sliced a bagel in half and held it out towards Brian who shook his head. He dropped the two halves of the bagel in the toaster. Then Justin found some cream cheese in the fridge, gave it a sniff and decided he’d chance using it on his bagel. It smelled okay.

“What the fuck are you doing over there?” Brian asked in an irritated voice. “I thought you wanted to see this.”

“I do, but coffee does not magically stream out of my ass. I’m waiting for it to finish brewing.”

Brian heaved a sigh and leaned back in his chair. He couldn’t stop looking at the screen, but he so wanted to smash his fist through it. How could this have happened?

After a couple of minutes Justin carried the two mugs of coffee in one hand and a plate with his cream cheese covered bagel in the other. His years working at the diner had trained him to carry bigger loads than this.

“Here,” he said as he approached the desk.

Brian took one mug of coffee and sipped it warily. It was perfect. He sighed at the heavenly brew with the correct amount of sugar already added. All the years that he and Justin had lived together hadn’t been for naught. Thinking about his history with Justin made Brian forget about the screen of the computer … for a moment anyway.

“Oh my God, is that you?” Justin asked peering at the computer screen over Brian’s shoulder.

“Yeah, ain’t it lovely?” Brian said sarcastically. “How did you know it was me? Please tell me that I don’t still look like that.”

“You do … a bit,” Justin added hastily. “But I saw a picture of you and Michael when I lived in his old room. You were around that age.”

“I look like a fucking dork,” Brian griped.

“But an adorable dork,” Justin chuckled.

“Hey, I thought you were supposed to defend me, like Ben’s gonna defend Mikey.”

“Oops, you don’t look dorky at all. You were very … studious.”

“You are so full of shit!”

“I know,” Justin admitted, “but you have so improved with age.”

“You think so?”

“One hundred percent. You’ll blow them all away when they see you.”

“You really want to go to this thing, don’t you?”

“It’s not my decision, Brian,” Justin said quickly. “If you don’t want to go, that’s fine.”

“But you’d rather that we go.”

“Especially if it’s ‘we’ who are going.”

“You don’t expect me to face them alone?” Brian asked in horror.

“I want to be there with you,” Justin replied, “but only if you want me there.”

“Of course I want you there,” Brian said turning his chair. He grabbed Justin around the waist and pulled him into his lap. “You have cream cheese on your lips.”

“What are you going to do about it?” Justin asked suggestively.

“This,” Brian said flicking his tongue along Justin’s lips, then capturing them in a passionate kiss. He pressed his lips to Justin’s tasting the cream cheese … and Justin. His tongue probed for entry and Justin obliged. The small piece of bagel that Justin hadn’t devoured fell to the floor along with the plate it was on. Brian quickly yanked the makeshift toga off his partner. They hadn’t had chair sex for a long time, and now seemed like the perfect moment to rectify that oversight.

High School Reunion

Chapter 5



* * *




“Fuck, Brian!” Justin gasped as his orgasm ripped through him.

“Yeah,” Brian agreed hoping his dick was still in one piece and the top of his head hadn’t blown off. Their chair sex was the absolute definition of mind blowing.

Justin clung to Brian, his arms coiled around Brian’s neck and his legs wrapped around Brian and the computer chair. His head lolled on Brian’s shoulder as he fought for clarity. He moaned as he felt Brian’s cock slip out of him. It always left such a void.

“I know,” Brian whispered in Justin’s ear. He felt the same way when they separated, and he also knew that Justin would be returning to New York in only one more day. The thought made him hold on tight to his lover.

“How am I going to get through the next weeks without you?” Justin asked breathlessly.

“You will. You’re a survivor.”

“Will you miss me?”

“Maybe a smidge,” Brian said, not wanting to get too maudlin.

“Asshole,” Justin cooed, his mouth against Brian’s ear. “You know you love me and you’ll miss me like crazy.”

“I’ll see you next weekend,” Brian said smugly.

“What? You’re coming to New York?”

Brian nodded. “I couldn’t have you pining away for me all by your widdle self in the big, bad city.”

“I love you, I love you, I love you,” Justin gushed kissing all over Brian’s face.

“Okay, okay,” Brian laughed. “I get it. You love me.”

“Yes I do.”

“Now can we get this fucking reunion crap organized?” Brian demanded.

“Sure, but why is your picture on the website?” Justin asked turning his attention back to the computer screen.

“Check underneath the picture,” Brian advised.

“Every day since this site was created we have featured different graduates on the homepage,” Justin read. “We have spaced them out over the available time so that everyone will get their fifteen minutes of fame.”

“And the portrait of yours truly just happened to be up there when I logged on,” Brian stated.

“What are the odds of that?”

“About a hundred and twenty to one based on the size of my graduating class fifteen years ago,” Brian surmised.

“Wow! You are lucky.”

“Lucky? You call it lucky being faced with that.” Brian gestured to the geeky picture from his high school yearbook.

Justin burst out laughing. “It’s not that bad.”

“Yes it is.”

“Okay, it’s bad,” Justin admitted. He still sat on Brian’s lap, naked, as he scrolled down the page. He found the link for registering and clicked on it. “They have a form they want you to fill out.”

“What the fuck for?” Brian asked peering around Justin to look at what was on the screen.

“I think it’s just background information. They want to know what you’re doing now and how you turned out.”

“I thought that’s why we were going to this fucking reunion, so they could find out how I turned out,” Brian snarked.

“Come on, let’s fill it out together,” Justin said leaning into Brian and rubbing his cheek against Brian’s, and his other cheek against Brian’s groin.

“You don’t play fair.”

“I didn’t think there was a rule that said I had to,” Justin laughed.

“Twat! If we’re going to fill this out, I need a drink of something stronger than coffee,” Brian said, giving Justin a gentle shove to get him off his lap. Brian strolled across the loft, naked.

Justin’s eyes followed him hungrily. “It’s not even five o’clock,” Justin ventured.

“As the saying goes, I’m sure it’s five o’clock somewhere in the world. And who the fuck cares anyway?”

“Then bring me some too,” Justin replied, as he sat in Brian’s computer chair waiting for his lover to return.

Brian grabbed two glasses off the bar cart and a fresh bottle of Beam. He carried them back to the computer desk. “Should I get you a chair?” he said when Justin showed no sign of moving.

“I like where I was sitting before,” Justin grinned.

“Up!” Brian ordered, before Justin vacated his spot. Brian sat down and Justin deposited his butt on Brian’s lap, giving a wiggle for good measure. Brian groaned, “Stop that or we’ll never get this fucking thing done.”

“There’s no rule about having to fill it out in one sitting, is there?” Justin asked as he slid his ass over Brian’s lap in a most suggestive manner.

“What’s with you and rules today?”

“I’m anti rules in case you haven’t figured that out,” Justin corrected.

Brian’s eyebrow arched, but he didn’t comment. “Okay, what the fuck do we have to do with this thing?”

“Full name,” Justin read.

“They know my full name and address,” Brian bellowed. “They sent me the fucking invitation, didn’t they?”

“Yes, I know,” Justin replied in his most soothing voice. “I’ll type; you dictate.” Justin shifted around so he could use the keyboard more efficiently. “Okay, start dictating.”

“Brian A. Kinney,” Brian mumbled.

“Say again.”

“Brian A. Kinney,” Brian repeated more forcefully.

Justin typed it in the required space. “Shouldn’t you use your whole middle name instead of just the initial?”

“No, I shouldn’t.”

“I don’t think you ever told me what the “A” stands for,” Justin said innocently, or as innocently as he could make it sound.

“I never have,” Brian replied. “And that’s the way I like it.” He took a big drink of his Beam, polishing off the glass. He promptly poured himself another.

“Come on, Brian. Tell me what it stands for,” Justin wheedled.

Brian sighed dramatically. “If I have to…”

“You have to,” Justin said quickly.

“Asshole.”

“I’m not an asshole.”

“No, it stands for asshole.”

“It does not!”

“Why did you ask me what it stands for, if you refuse to believe me when I tell you?”

“Because I know that’s not what it stands for,” Justin said adamantly. “Even your mother wouldn’t do that to a child.”

“Aren’t you the knowledgeable one!” Brian said sarcastically.

“This should be the easy part to fill out,” Justin griped. “What’s going to happen when we get to the difficult questions like ‘Hobbies’?”

“Hobbies? Fucking hobbies?”

“Yes, hobbies.”

“The ‘A’ is just an ‘A’,” Brian stated changing the subject.

“Huh?”

“It’s just ‘A’. It doesn’t stand for anything.”

“But…”

“’A’ like the ‘J’ in Michael J. Fox.”

“You’re shitting me, right?” Justin asked.

“Do I look like I’m shitting you?” Brian asked with a cloud of anger clearly reflected in his eyes.

“Okaaay! Moving right along. Address.”

“Surely you can fill that in. You live here.”

“Sporadically.”

Brian glared at Justin who typed away. pretending to be oblivious to Brian’s comment. Brian finished his glass of Beam and poured another. He also topped up Justin’s.

“Job?” Justin asked.

“Yes.”

Justin laughed. “What job do you have?”

“I don’t have a job. I have a career,” Brian corrected.

“What do you want me to put in here?”

“Fucking best advertising executive in the world.”

“I can’t put that,” Justin protested.

“Why not?” Brian asked smugly.

Justin frowned but he typed it in anyway, fully intending to change it later. “Married?” Justin asked wondering how Brian would answer that.

“Yes, I have a ball and chain.”

“Is … is that what you consider me to be?”

“Who said I was referring to you?”

Justin turned with a sharp intake of breath and looked into Brian’s eyes. Brian could see the hurt in the blue ones that stared at him.

“Okay,” Brian backtracked. “It is you, and I don’t think you’re a ball and chain. I just said that to be funny.”

“Is that an apology?”

“As close as you’re going to get,” Brian admitted before taking a nip at Justin’s shoulder.

“Stop that,” Justin laughed. “We have more to do.” He took a big drink of his Beam.

Brian promptly refilled Justin’s glass and his own. “Put in ball and chain. They can figure out what it means when we get there,” Brian ordered.

Justin typed obediently wondering if this would ever get sent, and how much editing he would have to do before they could possibly send it off.

“Kids,” Justin read next.

“One,” Brian said and Justin typed. He noted there was no joke about Gus.

“What have you been doing since high school?” Justin read.

“Screwing around, university, screwing around, advertising, screwing around,” Brian rhymed off.

“Does it need to be in that order?” Justin giggled as he typed. He took another drink of the Beam when he was finished.

“Of course.”

“Interests and Hobbies?”

“Fucking, clubbing, fucking, drinking, fucking, the baths, fucking.”

Justin laughed as he typed. “I see a trend developing here. What about photography?”

“Right, add it and another fucking, and pornography and another fucking after that.”

“Got it,” Justin chuckled. He took another drink and Brian refilled his glass.

“Furthest you’ve travelled?” Justin read.

“Ibiza,” Brian said flatly.

“But…”

“Ibiza,” Brian repeated in a voice that clearly said that was what he wanted in that space, so Justin typed it. “Are we done yet?” Brian asked as he drank some more Beam.

“Not quite,” Justin replied. “Fondest memory from high school?” Justin read from the screen.

Brian opened his mouth and then closed it abruptly.

“You don’t have one, do you?” Justin asked. “I don’t either. My prom might have been, but I … don’t remember it.”

Brian gave Justin a little squeeze when he said that, and he felt Justin sigh. So much had been stolen from them that night.

“Slamming Buck Hansen’s hand in his locker door,” Brian stated.

“What?”

“That’s my favorite memory.”

“But you don’t want to put that, do you?”

“Yes, I do,” Brian said again, and forcefully.

“Okay,” Justin whispered and he typed it in.

“Done?”

“One more thing,” Justin informed him.

“What’s that?”

“They want to know your favorite saying or mantra to live by.”

“No apologies, no regrets,” Brian replied without a second thought.

Justin smiled. “Now, that one’s true.” He typed eagerly. “You can pay for all the events with a credit card,” Justin added as he looked at the bottom of the screen.

“Use the one in the desk drawer,” Brian said.

“What do you want to go to? The luncheon, the dinner?”

“Just pay for it all … for two,” Brian stated.

Justin smiled and typed in the information. “We’re done, but I should check it over.” He knew he wanted to change some of the answers so that Brian didn’t sound so much like the asshole he had claimed for his middle name.

“Why bother?” Brian asked reaching around Justin and hitting “send”.

“Brian!”

“Sh, it’s time to fuck,” Brian said setting down his glass. “Reward for spewing all that bullshit for the edification of homophobic bigots who won’t give a shit about it anyway.”

“’Kay,” Justin grinned as he stood up.

They headed for the bedroom.

High School Reunion

Chapter 6



* * *




“I don’t want to leave you,” Justin moaned.

It was late Sunday afternoon and he was going to be getting on a plane in about three hours. He was going back to New York, to his supposedly dazzling career and bright future. He was leaving Brian behind. He was leaving everything behind, everything that mattered.

“We had a deal,” Brian said softly holding Justin against him in the big bed. That’s where they had spent the whole day, only getting up long enough to answer nature’s call for booze, food or toilet.

“I want to re-negotiate that deal,” Justin declared.

“Un unh.”

“Please?”

“Nope, a deal’s a deal. You stay till the agreed upon time six months from now.”

“And if I break that deal?”

“I’ll have to shoot you.”

“You couldn’t do that, could you?” Justin asked batting his lashes at Brian.

“I could try.”

Justin flung himself out of Brian’s arms and onto his back. He stared at the ceiling. “You’re so mean sometimes.”

“Mean? You sound like you’re two years old.”

“That’s how I feel when you send me away.”

“I’m not sending you away. You decided New York was the place to be for your career. I’m merely assisting you in accomplishing your goals.”

Justin heaved a huge sigh. “Why do you have to sound so logical?”

“Because it’s what you need to do.”

“Why does everyone else think they know what’s good for me more than I do?”

“Why do you think you know what’s good for me more than I do?” Brian shot back at Justin.

“Wh…what do you mean?”

“Didn’t you decide it would be good for me to go to this high school reunion, even though I clearly told you I didn’t want to go?”

“Yeah, but…”

“Yeah, but, nothing! You decided I should go so I’m going, and according to you, it will be fucking wonderful.”

“Brian, I told you you didn’t have to go if you don’t want to.”

“After the fact.”

“I … I’m sorry if I pushed you into this, and you really might hate it.”

“The hate part remains to be seen, but I expect you to be there with me. Deal?”

“Of course, that goes without saying.”

“We’re pretty damn good together, aren’t we?” Brian whispered carding his fingers through Justin’s hair.

“Fabulous!”

Brian laughed. “We’ll show them just how fabulous when we arrive at that reunion.”

“You’re looking forward to it, aren’t you?” Justin asked with a little grin.

“Maybe just a teensy bit.”

“I knew it,” Justin gloated. “You’re going to blow their socks off when we walk in. You’ll look fabulous, and you’ll have me on your arm.”

“The little woman,” Brian said tongue in cheek.

“Your handsome and debonair partner,” Justin said confidently.

“Debonair?” Brian snorted. “If you wear your cargo pants and soccer shirt, no one will mistake you for debonair.”

“Okay, asshole, what if I let you dress me?”

“Let me dress you? You couldn’t do it without me.”

“I have … some fashion sense,” Justin defended himself.

Brian snorted. “Yes, you do. But it’s not a very good fashion sense.” He watched Justin’s face fall at his words and regretted being so harsh. “I know you don’t have the money to spend or the interest in fashion that I do, so why don’t you let me select a new outfit for you to wear to the reunion. I promise we’ll both look fabulous.”

“Usually I don’t want you buying me things, but this is a very special circumstance, so I’m going to say okay. Just don’t go overboard,” Justin warned.

“Me, go overboard? When have I ever done that?”

“Let’s see … Michael’s birthday party, the Rage bash, the…”

“Okay, okay, I get the point. But those were very special circumstances,” Brian said tongue in cheek, throwing Justin’s own words back at him.

“Well, don’t do anything like that.”

“You mean you won’t wear the purple suit with the fuchsia shirt I have hanging in the closet for you?”

Justin glared at Brian, seeing the humor in his eyes. He knew Brian was baiting him. “And when did you select these lovely garments? We haven’t left the loft since you decided to go to the reunion.”

“I’ve been holding it in reserve for a very special circumstance.”

Justin had to laugh. The whole thing was so ludicrous. Brian would never choose a purple suit, and certainly would not pair it with a fuchsia shirt. Emmett might, but not Brian. “You are so full of shit,” Justin laughed smacking Brian in the chest.

“You just figuring that out now?”

“Yeah, you’ve had me bamboozled all these years,” Justin told him.

“Poor innocent little you,” Brian cooed.

“Yes, taken advantage of by the big, bad Kinney.”

“Pulleease. You’ll have me weeping in sympathy.”

“Crocodile tears.”

“I don’t do tears … of any type,” Brian stated.

Justin opened his mouth to contradict that statement, but thought better of it. “Why are we talking when we could be fucking?”

“Damned if I know,” Brian said. He rolled over onto his lover and proceeded to make them both forget why they had stopped fucking to talk. Bodies could say so much more than words.

When they came up for air some time later, they headed for the shower. Justin needed to start getting his shit together to go back to New York. While he was packing, Brian went to check his email. There was a response from the high school reunion committee by the looks of the email address.

Before opening it, he felt compelled to open another window and click on the reunion site. With a sigh of relief he noted that his yearbook picture was no longer on the screen. Some other poor schmuck had taken his place. Brian studied the face for a minute, and finally realized that it was Bobby Facelli, the guy who had been killed in a car accident a few years before.

“Shit,” Brian muttered.

“Did you say something?” Justin asked from the bedroom.

“No,” Brian replied. He didn’t think he wanted to tell Justin about his dead schoolmate. It would be a real downer, even though Brian hardly knew the guy. He wanted Justin’s week in Pittsburgh to end on a high note, not thinking about someone hardly any older than Justin who had died far too young.

Brian shut the window and went back to his email. He wondered what the committee in its infinite wisdom would have to say. “Welcome to the reunion from Hell,” popped into Brian’s brain.

He clicked on the email to open it.

“Fuck!” he reacted as he read it.

“What is it?” Justin asked coming down the steps from the bedroom with his stuffed duffel bag over his shoulder.

“I got a reply from the reunion committee,” Brian said keeping the emotion out of his voice as much as possible.

“That’s a good thing, isn’t it?” Justin asked.

“Not in this case. Guess who’s the head of the reunion committee?” Brian asked.

“How the fuck should I know? I don’t know any of the people you went to high school with, except for Michael.”

“You heard his name today?”

“Who are you talking about?” Justin asked with a frown.

“Buck Hansen, the guy whose hand I slammed in the locker door. He’s the head of the fucking reunion committee.”

“Shit!” was Justin’s response. “What did he say?”

“He said he’s looking forward to seeing me again, and so are the other members of the football team.”

“Double shit and a fuck thrown in!”

“Yeah, this reunion will be a blast, if it doesn’t kill me.” Brian logged off and stood up. “Let’s get you to the airport.”

“Brian, we don’t have to go to the reunion,” Justin reminded him.

“I’m going. No one’s intimidating me. And you’ll be by my side. Right?”

“Absolutely.”

“Then let’s get you to the plane, so you can come back here in a month to accompany me to this goddam soiree.”

“You got a deal, big guy,” Justin said as they headed out the door.

High School Reunion

Chapter 7



* * *



The month leading up to the high school reunion went by quite quickly. Justin was back in New York working hard on his art. Brian’s company landed a couple of new clients and he was extremely busy, so he was able to put thoughts of the reunion out of his mind. He could almost pretend that he wasn’t going to it.

Brian spent a weekend in New York with his lover and Justin carefully avoided all mention of the reunion. That was, until Brian insisted upon taking him to his favorite New York tailor. Justin had agreed to let Brian dress him for the reunion, and Brian had decided to take full advantage of that. Justin was getting a deep blue suit that was custom made for him. It would accentuate all the positives of Justin’s body and be a perfect complement to his dark blue eyes. Brian told Justin the suit was the color of lust, the color his eyes turned when he wanted Brian more than life itself.

Justin had laughed and indulged his silly lover. He had to admit that he looked pretty swell in the new suit when he tried it on at the first fitting. Brian ordered a new suit for himself as well. He wanted to look dazzling for the reunion too. Justin could hardly wait to see what they both would look like when the suits were completely finished.

As the weekend of the reunion approached, Justin had booked his flight from New York. He would arrive Friday evening and then after a due amount of fucking, he would accompany Brian to the festivities of the reunion starting with a buffet lunch on Saturday afternoon.

Thursday evening Brian called Justin to make sure everything was ready for the following day. Brian wanted to know that Justin had picked up his suit, and Brian’s, and would bring them with him when he came the next day. Justin assured his lover that he had the suits and everything was as it should be.

“I’ll pick you up at the airport at quarter after ten,” Brian said into the phone.

“It’s a date.”

“It better be,” Brian groused. “I’m not doing this reunion alone.”

“Nobody’s expecting you to,” Justin replied quickly. “Besides, Michael and Ben will be there too.”

“Yeah, keep telling me that, because I don’t fucking remember why I’m going.”

“So you can show them all how fabulous your life is, and because it will be good to face the past, and because … you love me.”

“One out of three isn’t bad,” Brian said with a smile on his face.

“I hope I know which one of those is true.”

“I’m sure you do, Sunshine. See you tomorrow night.”

“Later,” Justin said as he cut the connection.

Brian set the phone down wondering what he was doing going to this reunion with people he never thought he would ever see again, people he never wanted to see again.

At least Justin would be there with him. That was the good part.



*****



The following evening Brian was pocketing his keys from the counter in the loft. He was about to leave for the airport to pick up Justin, when his phone rang. He debated not answering it, letting the machine get it, but he decided he had time.

“Yeah,” he said into the phone.

“It’s me, Brian,” Justin’s voice came back to him.

“Have you landed already?” Brian asked looking at the clock on the stove.

“No, I haven’t even taken off.”

“But … you’re supposed to be here in a half an hour.”

“I would be if New York wasn’t fogged in.”

“Fog?”

“Yeah, you know that stuff that’s really thick and won’t let you see very far ahead. Well, it won’t let the plane take off either.”

“Fuck!”

“My sentiments exactly.”

“Have they given you any indication of when it might clear?”

“It’s not looking good.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means they’re not even guessing at a takeoff time.”

“Shit!”

“I’m sorry, Brian, but I may not get there until tomorrow.”

“I know,” Brian sighed. “Keep me informed.”

“I will.”

Brian set the phone down and looked around the loft. It seemed so empty when Justin wasn’t there. More so when Justin was supposed to be there and wasn’t. Brian walked over to the bar cart and poured himself a drink, not a big one, like he really would have enjoyed, but a small one that would still mean he could drive to the airport in the unlikely event that Justin would be home that night.

“Fuck,” Brian spat out.

The phone took that moment to ring, and Brian rushed over to answer it. Maybe the fog had lifted.

“Yeah,” Brian said into it.

“It’s Michael, Brian. Justin had mentioned that you might want to go to the reunion lunch with Ben and me.”

“I may not be going to anything,” Brian stated flatly.

“But why?”

“Justin’s stuck at the airport in New York, fogged in.”

“Shit! But you can still go. Come with Ben and me.”

“No thanks.”

“Brian, you should come. You’re half the reason we’re all doing this.”

“Just half?”

“Okay, ninety percent,” Michael said hoping that would cheer Brian up. “It won’t be any good if you’re not there.”

“That goes without saying, but I’m not attending if Justin isn’t with me.”

“He’ll get here eventually,” Michael wheedled.

“I’m not going without him,” Brian restated forcefully.

“Okay, okay,” Michael gave in. “Is he going to get here tonight?”

“Do I look like the fucking weather service? How the fuck should I know?”

“You don’t need to bite my head off. I was just asking.”

“You know I never wanted to go to this thing in the first place,” Brian sighed. He didn’t mean to take his frustration out on Michael.

“I know. I’m amazed that you said you’d go at all.”

“So am I.”

Michael laughed. “Ben and I will go to the luncheon, and we’ll tell them you’ll be there when you get there.”

“Thanks, Mikey.”

“No problem, and I hope Justin gets here soon.”

“That makes two of us.” Brian cut the connection and took another sip of his drink. It was going to be a long night until Justin arrived.



*****



The loft door slid back quietly. Tiptoeing inside the dark expanse of space, the intruder did his best to close the door silently. But the very nature of the loft door made that difficult.

Justin dropped his duffel bag and hung his other bag on the stand near the computer. He crossed the loft and halted at the bottom of the steps. He wondered if he should try to join Brian in bed or go sleep on the sofa and let his lover have his rest.

“What are you waiting for?” Brian asked throwing back the covers in invitation.

“You’re awake.”

“Yes.”

“I didn’t want to disturb you,” Justin said coming up the steps and taking off clothes as he did so.

“You were supposed to call me before you took off.”

“It was late.”

“What? You didn’t think I could be up at this hour?”

Justin chuckled. “You’re always up.” Brian nodded in agreement. “I thought you might be asleep … or otherwise occupied, so I didn’t call.”

“I wasn’t asleep … and I wasn’t at Babylon.”

“The baths?” Justin asked as he toed off his runners and slid his jeans and underwear down his legs.

“Neither,” Brian replied.

“That’s nice,” Justin said as he joined Brian under the covers.

“Just … nice?”

“Very nice,” Justin grinned.

“Why didn’t you call me? I would have picked you up.”

“I know. But I’m here now. Are you going to waste our time with questions?”

Brian shook his head. He felt Justin’s hand slide across his groin and his fingers wrap around his cock.

“Shouldn’t you be getting your beauty sleep?” Brian asked with his tongue stuck in his cheek.

“Oh, okay, if you think I need to have some more sleep so that I can look my best for your old classmates.” Justin released Brian’s dick and turned onto his back, waiting.

“You look … okay,” Brian said slowly.

“Hm.”

“You don’t really need to sleep, do you?”

Justin smiled and turned towards Brian. “I didn’t actually come home to sleep,” he said with a big grin.

“No shit!”

“No shit!” Justin laughed.

Brian rolled towards Justin and trapped his body beneath his own. “I … thought you weren’t going to make it.”

“I told you I’d be here.”

“But you can’t control the weather.”

“You mean there’s something Brian Kinney can’t control?” Justin asked with his eyes wide in mock disbelief.

“I said there was something you couldn’t control, not me,” Brian smirked.

“You are so full of shit,” Justin laughed.

“I know, and you know, but nobody else has to know,” Brian said smugly.

“You think they don’t know?”

“Well, I have most of them bamboozled.”

“Is that so?" Justin laughed. "So, what were you going to do if I couldn’t get back to Pittsburgh?” he asked staring up into Brian’s beautiful eyes.

“Jerk off alone.”

“Hm, that’s good to know, but I meant about the reunion.”

“Jerk off alone,” Brian repeated with humor in his eyes.

“Will you be serious?” Justin asked.

“Do I have to?”

“Yes, I want to know.”

“I told Mikey that he and Ben should go to the luncheon without me. I wasn’t going anywhere without you.”

“Really?” Justin asked with one of his beautiful smiles.

Brian nodded. “And I meant it.”

“Well, I’m here now, so you can go to all the events.”

“Nope.”

“Huh?”

“I told Mikey that I’m not going to the luncheon, and I don’t intend to go. We’ve missed out on hours of fucking with you being delayed. I intend to make up for lost time, and then I will need my own beauty sleep. We might, and I repeat might, make it to the dinner.”

“You think we’ll be done by then?” Justin laughed.

“Remains to be seen.” And Brian got right to work on the fucking, without another thought about the high school reunion.

High School Reunion

Chapter 8



* * *



“Justin.”

“Mmm…”

“Oh, Justin,” Brian singsonged.

“Huh? What’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong. Are you in there?”

“I’m not sure,” Justin replied sleepily. His eyes fluttered open and then closed immediately. “What time is it?”

“Five p.m.”

“Fi…five p.m.? You’re kidding, right?” Justin asked, his eyes now open.

“Nope, them’s the facts.”

“Where did the day go?”

“We fucked it away … literally,” Brian chuckled.

“Yeah, my ass is never going to be the same.”

“Bite your tongue,” Brian reacted immediately. “Or I’ll have to.” Brian grinned at his hapless lover. “I like your ass the way it is.”

“Then you should give said ass a little respite,” Justin chided.

“Just wondered if you still wanted to go to this shindig tonight.”

“What shindig?” Justin asked with a yawn.

“The reunion?”

“Oh, fuck, we missed the luncheon.”

“I had no intention of going to it. We had more important things to do,” Brian smirked.

Justin stretched and yawned. “Much better things.”

“Question is, are you up to going to the dinner? If so, we need to get cracking.”

“I’m not sure I can move,” Justin groaned. “And it’s highly doubtful that I can walk.”

Brian chuckled. “So, we’ll stay home.”

“No, no, I didn’t mean that.”

“Sure you did.”

“Briiaan.”

“Okay, okay, if we’re going then let’s get the fuck ready.”

“Help me up … gently.”

“I expect you to walk in a suitable fashion when we get there. None of this pussy limping and wingeing,” Brian instructed as he gently got Justin vertical.

“I’ll do my best,” Justin said as he limped towards the bathroom fingering his sore ass.

“You’re making me hard doing that,” Brian rumbled warningly.

“Shit!”

“I’m right behind you.”

“I know. Take it easy,” Justin pleaded as he opened the door to the shower.

Brian shoved him in and proceeded to have his way with the much abused and cherished younger man.

It was twenty to seven when they finally managed to leave the loft. Brian drove through the streets of Pittsburgh towards his old high school.

“Are you nervous?” Justin asked.

“Why would I be nervous?’

“You haven’t seen these people in fifteen years.”

“Thank the gods.”

“Are there any that I should know about?” Justin asked wondering what kind of a hornet’s nest they might be walking into. “I’m sure I won’t recognize anyone except Michael and Ben.”

“I’d be extremely surprised if you did.”

“So tell me about some of them.

Brian thought about that for a moment. “There’s Buck Hansen who’s running this thing. You know about him.”

“What does he look like?”

“He used to be okay looking, tall and athletic, dark brown hair.”

“I wonder what he looks like now?” Justin mused.

“Short, fat and bald,” Brian prognosticated.

Justin laughed. “He could be fat and bald, but I don’t think he would get short.”

“You never know,” Brian replied, his tongue firmly in his cheek.

“Who else?”

“Hm, Buck’s best friend, Joel Dalrymple. He was another of the jock contingent. He helped Buck hold my head in the toilet.”

“Asshole! What was he like?”

“The fact that he held my head in that unseemly place should tell you something.”

“I meant what did he look like?” Justin corrected.

“He was rather … okay looking,” Brian mused.

“Meaning he was good looking.”

“I guess you could call him that. I always got a gay vibe from him, but he was fighting it so hard that he’d rather attack me because I was gay than deal with his own issues.”

“I wonder if he’s out of the closet,” Justin suggested.

“I seriously doubt that.”

“You never know.”

“Are you happy now that you’ve heard about the homophobic bitches I went to school with?”

“Speaking of bitches, you didn’t mention any girls.”

Brian chuckled. “I guess I could introduce you to my girlfriend.”

“Your…your girlfriend?” Justin asked in bewilderment.

“Yeah, good old Jack was getting on my case about not having a girlfriend, so I got one.”

“Who was she?” Justin asked wrinkling up his nose.

“Mary Beth Braunsweiger.”

“Huh?”

“You heard me,” Brian chuckled. “She was actually a pretty nice girl.”

“Did…did she know that you were gay?”

“Probably. Everyone in the school knew, but Mary Beth and I never really discussed it.”

“You didn’t? Why?”

“We were using each other.”

“Using each other? How?”

“She was dating Joel Dalrymple, and he was fucking around on her. Everybody knew. She wanted to pay him back and make him jealous. So we started going out.”

“Worked for each of you?”

“For a while.”

“What happened?”

“She got Joel to promise he’d be true to her. You know, all that romantic bullshit that girls want.”

“That you don’t believe in.”

“Correct.”

Justin smiled to himself. Brian was so full of shit. “Did you two, you know, sleep together?”

“You had to ask, didn’t you?”

“Yes.”

“No, we didn’t. We made out a few times, and … got close, but neither of us really wanted that.”

Justin nodded. “Do you think Mary Beth will be there tonight?”

“We’re about to find out,” Brian replied as he pulled the Corvette into the parking lot of his old high school. They both got out. “Looks like they’ve got a good turnout,” Brian observed glancing around the parking lot that was mostly full of cars.

“You ready?” Justin asked.

“Absolutely,” Brian said trying to sound more confident than he felt. He straightened Justin’s tie, and took his hand, as they made their way through the front doors of the school.

In the hall outside of the gymnasium where the reunion dinner and dance was being held was a table with some blond bimbo sitting at it.

“You need to check in,” she said cracking the gum she was chewing.

“No shit!”

“Do I know you?” the woman asked screwing up her face and staring into Brian’s.

“I doubt it.”

“Yes, I do, you’re Brian Kinney.”

“And you are…”

“Oh, come on, sweetie. I’m Janet Thompson. You know me!”

“Janet?” Brian repeated in surprise.

“Surely you recognize me.”

“You had brown hair.”

“Well, it was a little darker back then, but hair gets lighter as you get older,” she said with a little giggle, patting the amazing coiffure that she was wearing.

“I suppose,” Brian said looking at her more closely. “Justin, this is Janet Thompson, my lab partner for biology.”

“Hello,” Justin said with a winning smile. “I’m Justin Taylor.” He shook Janet’s hand when she extended it.

“Is this your … partner, and I don’t mean for biology?” Janet asked, studying Justin curiously.

“There are some … biological things that we do together,” Brian smirked. “But you would be correct in assuming that Justin’s my partner.” Justin beamed at him.

“Okay,” she said, seeming to decide that this was all right. “Fill out a name tag, please.”

Brian sighed. He hated wearing those fucking stick-on name tags. They always detracted from the look of his suit. He picked up a marker and was about to write his name, when another thought occurred to him. On the small rectangle he printed “Rage”. Then he grabbed another one and printed JT on it. He handed it to Justin, who smiled and started to peel the backing off the paper.

Brian stuck his name tag to the lapel of his suit. He watched as Justin did the same.

Janet opened her mouth to tell them they should be using their real names, but then decided that they could do whatever they wanted. Brian Kinney still looked mighty fine. Most people would recognize him anyway. She had recognized him almost as soon as he walked through the door of the school. He could introduce his partner when he was asked, and if the guy’s name was Justin Taylor, JT could be his nickname. She followed them with her eyes as they walked towards the door to the gym.

Brian took Justin’s hand as they neared the open door. Janet smiled at the sight.

High School Reunion

Chapter 9



* * *



Brian took a deep breath, squeezed Justin’s hand a little tighter and stepped into the gymnasium. His eyes flicked around the room wondering where he was supposed to sit. It seemed that dinner was already in progress. He saw Michael stand up and wave from a table across the room. He started in that direction, but before he could take one full stride, a hand on his arm stopped him. He turned to see who was responsible.

“Brian?” a tall man with dark hair and a slim athletic looking body said.

“Buck?” Brian responded.

The man laughed. “It’s nice to know I’m still recognizable.”

“You haven’t changed … much,” Brian replied. And Brian had to admit that Buck did look pretty good, probably better than he had during high school. “You’ve taken good care of yourself.”

“So have you.”

“Now that these obligatory pleasantries have been exchanged, I see Michael over there. I’m going to join him,” Brian stated. He was not in the mood for innocuous chatter with Buck Hansen of all people.

“Sure,” Buck said quickly. “I’m really glad you decided to come tonight. I want to talk to you before the evening’s over.” He turned and walked away before Brian could reply.

“What do you suppose he wants to talk about?” Justin asked.

“Fuck if I know! And why is he glad I came? I hope he doesn’t think I want to reminisce about my head being in that fucking toilet.”

“Let’s join Ben and Michael,” Justin said quickly. He could tell Brian was getting upset and he didn’t want to add to that. They made their way across the gym feeling everyone’s eyes following them.

“Hey,” Michael said with a big smile as Brian and Justin approached the table he was sitting at with Ben. “You’re late as usual.”

“Something came up,” Brian replied with a smirk.

“Again and again,” Justin added.

“TMI,” Ben laughed. “Sit down. They just served the salad.”

Brian sat down at the table with them, and Justin checked the chair to make sure it had a soft seat. It did.

“They must have rented the chairs,” Brian said with a snicker.

Justin gave him a look and sat down rather gingerly. The waitress plunked down salad plates in front of them.

Brian looked at the salad which seemed crisp and decent enough. “How the fuck did they get food brought to the high school gym?” Brian wanted to know.

“And good food,” Justin supplied as he stuffed his face with the crispy salad.

“Caterers,” Michael said as he dug into his own.

“Not Emmett?” Brian asked in horror. The last thing he wanted was Honeycutt watching these proceedings from the background.

Ben laughed. “No, it’s some other firm. We checked that out.”

“Emmett would have been sure to tell us if he was catering your high school reunion,” Justin supplied.

“I need a drink,” Brian said.

“They have tea and coffee and soft drinks,” Michael said quickly.

“No alcohol?” Brian asked in disbelief. “What the fuck kind of party is this?”

“They can’t have liquor on school property,” Ben explained.

“I should have brought my flask,” Brian whined.

“I think a lot of people did,” Ben observed. “I’ve seen some coming out of pockets and purses.”

“How did they know to bring it?”

“It said on the website that no alcohol would be served,” Michael replied.

“Why didn’t we see that?” Brian asked.

“Guess we were more interested in other things when we were looking at the site,” Justin said with a satisfied grin at the memory of filling out the reunion form.

“And what’s with the cheesy decorations?” Brian asked looking around the gym.

“Don’t you remember? It’s what senior prom was decorated like,” Michael reminded Brian.

“I never went to senior prom,” Brian replied smugly.

“Oh yeah, I forgot. You were supposed to go with Agnes Dallard.”

“But she got mono a couple of weeks before the prom.” Brian smiled at the memory.

“And you let your parents think you were still going to the prom anyway,” Michael said.

“Yeah, I was a big hit at the baths with my rented tux.”

“You didn’t!” Michael gasped. “You never told me that’s where you went.”

“Contrary to popular belief, I do not reveal everything to you or to anyone.” Brian saw Michael’s face fall and then he glanced at Justin who didn’t look too happy either. “I didn’t want to upset your delicate sensibilities with my tales of debauchery from that night,” Brian said quickly, hoping to gloss over what he had kept to himself all these years.

“I came with Dianne Gerardi,” Michael remembered.

“A carefully negotiated deal between your mother and Dianne’s,” Brian added.

“Yeah, well.”

“Dianne needed a date and your mother wanted you to go,” Ben supplied.

Michael smiled at his husband. “Pretty much.”

“So prom was a tropical paradise that night?” Brian mused as he looked around the gym.

“Tropical in a tacky, fake sort of way. Paradise – not so much,” Michael replied.

Brian snorted. “Nailed it on the first try.”

“Thanks, as always,” Michael smiled.

They finished up their salads. Even Brian ate his, saying that he’d chance the salad but he was holding judgment on the main course.

While the salad plates were being removed Buck Hansen made his way to the microphone set up in front of the stage. He blew into it to make sure it was on.

“Good evening, ladies and gentlemen,” Buck began. “I’m happy to see such a good turnout tonight, including some people I never expected to be here.” He looked over at Brian.

Brian cringed. What the fuck was Buck getting at? Did he have something planned for Brian for later in the evening? Brian swallowed and continued to listen.

“We thought it would be more traditional to have our dinner here in the gym of Allegheny High, rather than a hotel ballroom that had no history with us. We chose the theme of the senior prom of our graduating year. I trust that most of you remember that wonderful night.” There were a few laughs and some people called out their agreement.

Brian shook his head and looked at Michael. “Did you have a wonderful night, Michael?” Brian asked sarcastically.

“I might have if you had been there,” Michael replied.

Ben squeezed Michael’s arm and Brian looked over at Justin. Justin’s face had gone rather white and he looked like he had lost track of where he was. His breaths were coming in heaving sighs.

“Justin,” Brian said grabbing Justin’s arm. “Justin!”

Justin blinked and tried to focus on Brian’s voice and face. “Huh?” was all he could get out.

“Justin, we’re at my high school reunion, not your prom,” Brian said gently. “Fuck! I should have never come here.” He slid his chair closer to Justin’s and wrapped his arm around Justin’s shoulder. He felt Justin lean against him.

“Need some air,” Justin whispered.

“Can you stand?” Brian asked. Justin nodded and Brian helped him get to his feet. He walked Justin towards the door of the gymnasium, his arm firmly around Justin’s waist. Buck Hansen was still blathering on about the good old days. Most people were focused on him and not paying attention to Justin’s condition.

Brian got them through the door of the gym and across the foyer to the entrance. He pushed open the front door of the school and they stepped outside onto the top area of the concrete steps that led up to the school.

“You okay?” Brian asked as he pulled Justin into his arms.

“Much better now.”

“What happened?”

“I … I don’t know. I was listening to Buck’s speech, and suddenly I was at my prom. I saw you coming towards me across the room. The people parted as you walked through.”

“Just like Moses and the Red Sea,” Brian joked, but he held Justin tight.

“I … I felt so happy for a second, and then this awful feeling swamped me,” Justin tried to explain.

“It’s okay. Nothing’s going to happen to you.”

“I know, but the feeling was so intense … and then I heard you calling my name, and it was … okay.”

“Let’s get the fuck out of here,” Brian said taking Justin’s hand and pulling him towards the parking lot.

“No, Brian, wait!” Justin said leaning back and resisting being drawn along.

“What? Surely you don’t want to stay here.”

“I do.”

“But what the fuck for?”

“Brian, I talked you into coming to this thing, and I want to see it through.”

“Even if it makes you … sick?”

“I’m not sick, and whatever happened in there is over. I’m fine. Really!”

Brian stared into the blue eyes. “Are you sure?”

Justin nodded. “Let’s go back inside.”

Brian heaved a sigh and nodded in agreement. His better judgment told him to get the fuck out of there, but he would do what Justin wanted. He hoped it wasn’t the worst mistake they had ever made.

Brian held onto Justin’s hand as they made their way back inside.

High School Reunion

Chapter 10



* * *



Curious eyes followed Brian Kinney and the man whose hand he held, as they walked back across the gymnasium to their table.

“Are you all right, Justin?” Ben asked with concern in his eyes.

“Yeah,” Justin replied. “I think it was a flashback to my prom.”

“Fuck!” Michael whispered. “I remember that night.”

“I wish I did,” Justin said, meaning every word of that. He always wished the memory of his dance with Brian would come back to him one day. It had to be such a wonderful moment, and he was not really a part of it. He was sick of hearing other people talk about that night, or not talk about it for fear of hurting him. He wasn’t sure which was worse.

“No, you don’t,” Brian replied solemnly looking into Justin’s eyes.

“I meant the dance.”

“I know.”

“I’m sorry it’s so painful for you, Brian.”

“I’ll never forget…”

Justin stared at Brian. He did want to remember, regardless of the fact that Brian wanted to forget what had happened at the end of that night.

Taking a breath, Justin said, “Whatever happened it’s over now, so let’s enjoy this evening.” He dug into the food that had been placed on the table at his seat while they were outside.

Just then there was a noisy exchange at a table across the gym.

“What’s going on?” Michael asked craning his neck to try to see.

“I’d say Joel Dalrymple has had a little too much to drink,” Brian observed with a sneer.

“That’s Joel Dalrymple?” Justin asked looking over at the rather pudgy, somewhat unkempt man who was trying to push Buck Hansen away. “I thought you said he was good looking.” Justin chuckled as he watched the man.

“He used to be, but time and the bottle have not been kind,” Brian stated, as he watched Buck Hansen trying to reason with the drunken Joel.

“Who’s Joel Dalrymple?” Ben asked.

“He’s one of the jocks who stuck Brian’s head in the toilet in our senior year,” Michael explained.

“It took two of them,” Brian said sarcastically.

“I bet,” Ben chuckled.

“I should have had you around then,” Brian laughed. “We could have wiped the floor with them all.”

“What did you do after they stuck your head in the toilet?” Ben asked with interest. He suspected it would be something inventive.

“He slammed Buck’s fingers in his locker door,” Michael said with evident pride. “Ended Buck’s football season for that year.”

The voices grew louder and closer. Joel was staggering across the gym towards their table. Buck Hansen was trying to block Joel’s progress but without much success. It looked like he would have to flatten Joel to stop him. A woman was tugging on Joel’s arm begging him to sit back down.

“I’m not going to sit over there and watch this table of homos laughing at us!” Joel declared as he drew near. “Fucking Kinney and Novotny! Fucking homos!” he practically yelled slurring his words.

“That would be me,” Brian said standing up. He didn’t want a fight, but he was pretty sure one good shove would send Joel Dalrymple onto his fat ass.

“You’ve got backup, Brian,” Ben declared pushing back his chair and standing just behind Brian.

“Thanks,” Brian mumbled, but he didn’t take his eyes off Joel.

“Fucking pansy piece of shit!” Joel blathered on while Buck and the woman tried to hold him back.

“You better get him out of here, Buck,” Brian warned.

“I’m trying to.” Buck nodded at someone a couple of tables away.

Suddenly two huge men grabbed Joel by the arms and practically lifted him off the floor. They half carried, half dragged him from the gym. All the way out Joel was yelling shit about homos and butt fuckers and traitorous friends.

“I’m sorry, Brian,” Buck said as he hurried out after them to deal with the situation.

“I bet,” Brian said with a grimace. This was exactly the kind of bullshit he had been afraid would happen.

“Brian,” said the woman who had been tugging on Joel’s arm.

“Yeah?” Brian said with a sigh as he turned around.

“Brian, I want to apologize for Joel. He brought a flask with him tonight and he’s been hitting it pretty hard since we got here, to say nothing about all the beer he had this afternoon.”

“He always was piss poor at everything he did, Mary Beth. Don’t tell me you’re still with the fucker?”

“Yeah,” the woman said shaking her head. “But this may be the last straw.”

“Did you marry him?”

Mary Beth nodded her head. “Right after graduation. I was pregnant.”

Brian shook his head. “Sorry to hear that.”

“I should have married you,” Mary Beth said with a crooked smile, and a swipe at a lone tear that had trickled from one eye.

“That wouldn’t have worked for either of us,” Brian said ruefully.

“It couldn’t have been much worse than what I have now,” Mary Beth replied, looking at Justin who had remained seated at the table. With a sad tinge to her voice she said, “I hope you’re happy, Brian.”

“I am, and I wish you were too.”

“Thanks,” Mary Beth sighed. “I guess I better go see what that asshole is up to.” She hustled away, exiting the gym as quickly as she could.

Brian watched her leave wondering why Mary Beth deserved such a miserable life. She was a nice enough girl, and he suspected she had grown into a nice enough woman, if Joel Dalrymple hadn’t warped her world too much. It should have been Brian who was the miserable one in a just world, but the world was hardly just, as Brian knew all too well. He looked down at Justin and reached out his hand to squeeze Justin’s shoulder. Justin smiled up at him with the sparkle of tears in his eyes. He placed his hand on top of Brian’s and held it there, conveying that he understood.

“What a fucking asshole!” Michael said breaking the moment.

“Yeah,” Brian agreed as they all sat down. He reluctantly removed his hand from Justin’s shoulder after a final tender squeeze. “I think we should leave.”

“We haven’t even finished dinner yet,” Michael protested.

“I’ve lost my appetite.”

“I’ll do whatever you want, Brian,” Justin spoke up. “Leave or stay, it doesn’t matter to me.” Joel Dalrymple had taken away any possible enjoyment they might have got out of the reunion.

“Let’s go,” Brian said pushing back his chair.

“Brian, I’m really sorry about that scene,” Buck Hansen said as he rushed over to Brian’s table. “Joel is a very unhappy man.”

“He’s a drunken, homophobic asshole, just like he was in high school,” Brian retorted.

“You’re probably right, but we’re giving him coffee and we’ve confiscated his flask. There won’t be any more trouble.”

“I don’t see how you can guarantee that,” Brian said sharply. “We’re leaving.”

“Don’t go, please. I’m really sorry about all this, and I promise the evening will get better. We’re going to have a DJ set up in about an hour. There’ll be dancing.”

“Fabulous!” Brian replied sarcastically. “And when I dance with Justin, some other homophobe in the crowd will blow a gasket and pull out a Glock or an AK40.”

“We’re not all like Joel,” Buck said sadly.

“Wanna bet?” Brian practically shouted.

“Seriously, Brian, I don’t want you to leave.”

“What the fuck does it matter to you anyway?”

“I told you I wanted to talk to you later, and I still do.”

“Let’s have coffee sometime … in the next millennium,” Brian added derisively as he moved to step around Buck.

“Please, Brian…” Buck continued, placing a hand on Brian’s arm to stop him.

“I seriously suggest you get your fucking hands off me,” Brian warned with his Rage death glare radiating from his eyes.

Buck removed his hand immediately and held up both hands in surrender, and to show Brian that he wouldn’t touch him again.

“Brian,” Justin said softly as he stood in Brian’s way. “Maybe we should stay.”

“You just said…”

“I know what I said,” Justin conceded. “But we don’t want to ruin this for everyone else, and Buck really wants you to stay … and I haven’t eaten my dinner.” He batted his eyelashes at Brian.

“Fuck!” Brian reacted, rubbing his hand across his face. “All right, we’ll stay, but there better not be any more incidents like that one.”

“I promise,” Buck said quickly. “Thank you, JT,” he added reading Justin’s name tag.

“It’s Justin actually, Justin Taylor.”

“Nice to meet you, Justin,” Buck said with a smile as he extended his hand.

Justin shook it. He then said to Buck, “I hope I haven’t made a mistake encouraging Brian to stay.”

“Brian is one of our most successful alumni,” Buck said with apparent sincerity. “It would be a shame for him to be driven away by a loser like Joel Dalrymple.”

“Joel used to be your best bud,” Brian reminded the man.

“I know, but that hasn’t been the case for many years. Our lives went in very different directions.”

Brian drew in a deep breath. “Okay, we’ll stay.” He looked from Michael to Ben to Justin and each nodded in agreement. “I hope I don’t regret this.”

“You won’t,” Buck declared, reaching for Brian’s hand to shake it too. Brian reluctantly allowed that to happen. “I better go get things moving again,” Buck said. He hurried off to the microphone to tell the guests that dinner would continue to be served and that the upsetting incident had been dealt with.

Brian sat down when Justin did. “You sure about this?” he asked his lover.

“N…no,’” Justin admitted with a little grin, “but it seemed right to stay.”

“I hope your intuition isn’t going to lead us astray.”

“Never,” Justin chuckled as he dug into his food.

High School Reunion

Chapter 11



* * *



Dinner in the high school gymnasium ended with somewhat of a whimper. Cheesecake was the dessert, but it was less than rich and creamy. It was rather grainy and dry, as Brian immediately pointed out to all concerned.

“They should have had Emmett provide the desserts, even if he didn’t cater the whole affair. His desserts would have at least been palatable,” Brian said with disgust as he pushed the uneaten concoction away from in front of him.

“Says the great dessert expert,” Michael laughed, as he shoveled his own cheesecake into his mouth. Michael was not noted for his discriminating palate, and he always enjoyed cheesecake.

“It’s not too bad,” Ben said taking a bite and then pushing his own plate aside.

“I’ve had worse,” Justin observed with his mouth full.

“I don’t know when that would be,” Brian snarked. “Must have been before you met me.”

“Undoubtedly,” Justin replied with a snicker.

Brian, Justin, Michael and Ben were still sitting at their table, eating the rather lackluster dessert and sipping their coffee. Nothing untoward had happened since Joel Dalrymple’s outburst and subsequent removal from the room. He had not returned.

“All things considered this was a pretty good meal,” Michael stated as he ate the last bite of his cheesecake.

“Considering that it was held in a high school gym catered by someone that we don’t know and there’s no alcohol being served, they did okay,” Brian mused.

“The no alcohol part bugs you, doesn’t it?” Michael asked.

“Not a bit. I’m not swilling it all the time like Joel fucking Dalrymple.”

“That guy seems to be a real mess,” Ben mused.

“He was always a mess. But he was even more of a blowhard and bully in the good old days,” Brian said wryly. “I know he’s the biggest closet case in the whole place.”

“You think so?” Justin asked.

“I know so.”

“Boy, that Mary Beth, she sure could pick ‘em,” Michael observed. “Dating you and Joel Dalrymple both. Poor girl!”

“At least she knew where she stood with me. I still think Joel is the closet case to end all closet cases,” Brian added. “But she chose to marry the fucker.”

“Maybe she didn’t know,” Justin suggested.

“I think she didn’t want to know. She had this picture of a vine covered mansion and little kiddies running around. She wanted Joel to give her that.”

“At least she got the kid,” Michael said.

Brian shook his head. “For all the good that did her. She also got that drunken asshole Joel to go along with it.”

Just then the DJ started the music. He began with an ABBA song, Chiquitita. Justin looked at Brian and they smiled.

“Hey, stud, wanna dance?” Brian asked.

Justin’s smile grew into one of the blazing one’s that had earned him the nickname Sunshine. “I’d love to … if you don’t think it will cause problems.” He didn’t want another unpleasant incident to mar the evening for Brian.

“To quote Emmett, ‘Fuck ‘em all’,” Brian replied. “I want to dance, so let’s dance.”

“If you’re sure.”

“I’m sure,” Brian said standing up and taking Justin’s hand.

“Brian, could we talk?” Buck Hansen asked before Brian and Justin could make their way to the dance floor at the center of the gym.

“’Fraid not, Buck. I have a date for a dance.”

Justin smiled. “It’s okay if you want to talk. I can wait,” Justin said graciously.

“No you can’t, and neither can I,” Brian contradicted. “I’m busy, Buck.” He turned his back on Buck Hansen who could do little other than to watch them walk away.

Brian walked Justin out to the center of the gym where some people were already dancing to the sound of ABBA. Brian placed his hands on Justin’s shoulders and they started to sway to the music.

“Remember that night on Liberty?” Justin asked.

“Yeah, fucking PRIDE!” Brian quipped, but there was no malice in his voice.

“That was a great day,” Justin whispered in Brian’s ear.

“And the night was even better, if my memory serves.”

“One of the best,” Justin smiled.

They continued to dance oblivious to the looks they were getting from some in attendance. The only people who mattered were the two of them, and they had eyes for no one else.

When the song ended they made their way back to the table where Michael and Ben still sat.

“That was a pretty tame dance for you two,” Ben laughed.

“Yeah, where were the bumps and grinds?” Michael teased.

“This doesn’t look like Babylon to me,” Brian said sarcastically. “I do know what’s appropriate in social circles.”

“Well, paaardon me,” Michael giggled.

Brian gave him a look. “I don’t see you and Ben out their doing your usual Babylon stuff either. Strip off your shirt, Ben, and give them all a thrill.”

Ben shook his head. “I know what’s appropriate too,” he said.

They sat and watched other couples who were dancing for a while. When they played a slow cha-cha type song, Brian asked Justin to dance again. He hoped the dance might trigger Justin’s memory of the prom dance, but it didn’t matter if it did. They could still enjoy the dance and show the other dancers how it should be done.

“Relax,” Brian ordered as he assumed the position with Justin. He remembered how badly they had moved together when they had tried to re-enact this dance at the loft after Justin’s bashing.

“I don’t know if I can,” Justin said nervously. He didn’t want to look like a fool in front of Brian’s old classmates.

“Close your eyes and feel the music. Place yourself in my capable hands.”

“I always do,” Justin said as he closed his eyes and felt Brian pull him closer.

“I love you, and I won’t let anything happen.”

“Okay.”

They began to move and Justin felt himself shift as he sensed Brian’s movements. He felt Brian raise his hand above his head, and Justin spun around beneath it. They were gliding along with no hesitancy, no missteps. Everything was fluid and free. Justin opened his eyes and looked at Brian. His smile was beautiful, as he gazed into Brian’s eyes.

“Is this what it was like that night?” Justin had to ask.

“Kind of.”

“I see why it was so memorable,” Justin responded as Brian guided him back and forth and across the floor.

When the song ended, there was a smattering of applause for the two men as they left the dance area.

“I think we’re a hit,” Brian smirked.

“That was awesome,” Justin gushed as he held onto Brian’s hand.

“You guys were great,” someone called from a table they passed by.

Brian and Justin were both beaming as they returned to their table.

“Is that what it was like at the prom?” Michael asked Brian.

“Pretty much.”

“I … I didn’t know you could dance like that,” Michael stammered.

“Neither did I … until I found my one true partner.”

Justin’s smile brightened the whole gymnasium. “Where did you learn to dance like that, Brian?”

“We had to take dance in gym classes for one semester,” Brian replied.

“I didn’t,” Michael protested.

“You did to, but you managed to get Debbie to write you note after note to be excused from most of the classes.”

“Oh yeah,” Michael said sheepishly.

“You mean that could have been us out there cutting a rug?” Ben laughed. “If only you had gone to those classes.”

Michael giggled and Ben hugged him affectionately.

“Wanna dance?” Michael asked.

Ben nodded and the two men made their way out to the dance area.

“Brian,” a female voice said.

Brian turned his head to see Mary Beth standing just beside him. “What can I do for you, Mary Beth?”

“Could we talk … privately?” she asked.

Brian glanced at Justin. “I don’t think we have much to talk about,” he replied.

“I have a couple of questions I think you can answer for me,” Mary Beth persisted. Brian could see tears in her eyes.

“Why don’t you take Mary Beth outside for a breath of fresh air,” Justin suggested. He smiled carefully at Brian. “I’ll be fine.”

“You sure?” Brian asked with a frown.

Justin nodded as Brian stood up. Brian took Mary Beth’s arm and led her to the front steps of the school. Once outside they sat on the stone railing at the top of the steps.

“So, what happened to Joel?” Brian asked when Mary Beth did not start the conversation.

“He’s sleeping it off in that room by the main office. You know, the one they used to send us to if we were not feeling well … or pretending to not feel well,” she added with a chuckle.

“Did that a few times,” Brian said wryly.

“Me too.”

“What are these questions you want to ask?” Brian asked. He wanted to get to the point so he could get back to Justin. He didn’t like leaving him all alone in the gym.

“I think Joel’s gay,” Mary Beth whispered.

Brian snorted. “I’ve known that for years. What took you so long to come to that realization?”

“You knew? Did you two…?”

“Fuck, no!”

“But … how…?”

“Gay men have this sense of other gay men,” Brian explained trying to keep it simple. “I always got a gay vibe from Joel.”

“But he was so … horrible to you. He always said the worst things.”

“He also did the worst things to me that he could get away with.”

“Like what?” Mary Beth asked.

“You mean you never heard the infamous story of my head in the toilet?” Brian asked derisively.

“Yeah, I heard that someone had done that. Did Joel really…?”

“He and Buck Hansen.”

“Shit! That’s awful,” Mary Beth replied. “Is that why…?”

“Yeah, the hand in the locker door was retaliation,” Brian admitted.

“He fucking deserved it. You should have done the same thing to Joel.”

“You were going out with him again, so…”

“So, you didn’t hurt him? You did that for me?”

Brian looked at the cement beneath his feet, but he gave a slight nod with his head.

“Why did you have to be gay?” Mary Beth lamented. “I could have really fallen for you.”

“Naw, you only had eyes for Joel back then.”

“And look how well that turned out,” Mary Beth replied shaking her head. “What am I going to do?”

“What do you want to do?” Brian asked, knowing they were finally getting to the crux of the problem.

“I … I think I want a divorce. I’ve been told by a couple of people that they’ve seen Joel picking up hustlers on Liberty Avenue,” Mary Beth whispered.

“Then you need to dump him. And you should get tested. You don’t know what he might have brought home to you.”

“Shit! I never thought of that.”

“It’s time to think of yourself. Joel isn’t going to do it for you.”

“You’re right, Brian. Thanks.”

“Don’t thank me. You have a hard road ahead.”

“I know, but I finally have an idea of what I need to do.”

“Then go do it,” Brian said authoritatively. He stood up and started to go inside. When he reached the door, he turned back and looked at Mary Beth who still sat on the railing. “Good luck,” he told her as he pulled the door open. She merely nodded and sat there thinking about what she would have to do.

“Brian, can we talk now?” Buck Hansen asked as Brian stepped back into the foyer.

“Not now, Buck. I have to check on Justin.” He brushed past Buck and heard the man mutter, “Goddam!” He kept on going, looking into the gym to spot Justin. He saw the familiar blond head dancing with Michael and Ben. He let out a sigh of relief as he headed in their direction.

High School Reunion

Chapter 12



* * *



“Having fun?” Brian asked as he slid up against Justin. He let Justin’s swaying bottom brush against his groin.

“Behave yourself,” Justin laughed as he leaned back against Brian.

“You’re not helping me to do that,” Brian groaned. “That ass of yours will be the death of me.”

“But what a sweet way to go,” Justin grinned.

Brian laughed, and Justin relished the sound. The whole reunion thing had been a strain on Brian. He realized that now, but maybe Brian’s talk with Mary Beth had gone well. Justin hoped so. That would make Brian feel better. He did want Brian to enjoy himself.

“Buy a guy a drink?” Justin asked.

“Soda?” Brian laughed.

“Yummy.”

“Let’s go, stud.” Brian took Justin’s arm and guided him over to the makeshift bar they had set up in one corner.

“What’ll it be?” the bartender asked.

“I guess it’s too much to hope for a glass of Beam,” Brian snarked.

“No alcohol,” the guy replied sounding almost as disappointed as Brian was.

“Punch?” Justin asked.

“Yeah, we have a really good fruit punch if you’d like some.” The bartender eyed the two men suggestively.

“Okay,” Justin replied giving Brian a look.

“How appropriate – fruit,” Brian snickered. He stuck his tongue in his cheek as he asked for Perrier.

Justin sipped his fruit punch. “Try some, Brian. It’s really good.”

“I could still use a Beam,” Brian retorted taking a drink of his sparkling water.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” a voice boomed from the microphone. “Everyone please take your seats.”

All eyes in the gym turned and looked towards the stage. Buck Hansen was standing there with the microphone in his hand.

“The reunion committee decided it might be … cute.” That got some laughter from the crowd. “To have the prom king and queen from our graduating class be acknowledged once again. Would Janet Thompson and Keith Archenko please join me up here?” Buck requested.

“Isn’t that the … woman from the sign-in table?” Justin asked, as he and Brian made their way back to their table to join Michael and Ben.

Brian chuckled. “That would be correct. None other than my old lab partner.”

They both watched a very buxom Janet in a skintight skirt swish her way to the front of the gym. A slightly balding man came from another part of the gym to join her.

“They don’t look so … good,” Michael observed.

“Neither one of them has aged particularly well,” Brian agreed.

“Were they really your king and queen?” Justin asked.

“Not my king and queen,” Brian declared. “But Janet did look a lot better back then.”

“I think Michael should have been the queen,” Justin said with a twinkle in his eye.

“Huh?” Ben asked with a frown.

“Didn’t Michael ever tell you about the PRIDE Parade, and the lovely ensemble he wore to it?” Justin grinned.

Michael gave Justin a dirty look before turning to Ben. “I was still…”

“In the closet,” Brian supplied.

“People from my work were there and I…”

“Was scared shitless that they’d find out you were gay,” Brian continued.

“And Emmett had this dress that was supposed to be worn by Godiva, but Godiva died the day before the parade.”

“Who was Godiva?” Ben asked.

“She was a drag queen who helped Emmett when he first came to Pittsburgh,” Justin explained. He remembered back to that day he had gone to the hospice to assist Emmett in packing up Godiva’s meager belongings. They had found the dress that Godiva was going to wear to the parade. And Justin had run into Chris Hobbs. Justin gave an involuntary shudder.

“So Emmett had Godiva’s dress,” Michael continued.

“And he talked Mikey into wearing it to the parade, so that his mommy wouldn’t be disappointed once again when her widdle Mikey didn’t march with her PFLAG group,” Brian told them.

“Emmett helped me get dressed and did my makeup,” Michael said blushing.

“You made one bitchin’ broad,” Brian said tongue in cheek.

“Michael looked really good,” Justin said sincerely. “He marched with Debbie, and Deb was really thrilled.”

“I wish I could have seen that,” Ben laughed.

“I even kissed that fucking Andrew,” Michael said with an exaggerated shudder.

“Who’s Andrew?” Ben asked.

“He was this asshole that I worked with. For a while he was my boss. I shocked the shit out of him when I kissed him,” Michael laughed. “He didn’t know if I was a girl or a guy.”

“Good for you, Mikey,” Brian said. “Maybe you brought out his feminine side.”

“Or maybe not,” Michael chuckled. “I hope to never see Andrew again.”

“Is he still at the Big Q?” Justin asked.

“I think so, but I never shop there anymore.”

“Enough of this trip down fucking memory lane,” Brian stated. “They’re crowning Janet and Keith.”

All four of them watched as the old crowns from prom were once again placed on the heads of the two people who had worn them fifteen years earlier.

“They … don’t look anything like they did back then,” Michael observed, “not even with their crowns.”

“I guess you can’t go home again,” Brian said philosophically. “Or back to your glory days. You can only go forward.”

Justin squeezed Brian’s shoulder and Brian turned to look into his eyes. “We’ve gone forward,” Justin whispered.

Brian nodded but didn’t say anything. They all looked somewhat thoughtful as the crowning of the king and queen continued.

“Since we now have our king and queen from days gone by, we thought it might be fun to vote for a present day king and queen,” Buck Hansen explained. “In the basket on your table you will find some ballots and pencils. Please write down the name of someone you think would make the best present day king or queen. You can use whatever criteria you like for making your choice. You might want to jot down why you’re voting for this person. They could be the best looking or the best preserved.” Buck got some appreciative chuckles when he said that. “Or you could select someone who has become very successful. Just choose someone representative of our class, and I do mean class.”

Amid laughter and some catcalls of various names, Buck set the microphone back in the holder and walked over to the table where he had been sitting. He made a great show of taking the ballot from the basket and writing a name on it. One of his minions appeared with a ballot box. Buck stuffed his ballot into the box and then gestured for everyone else to do the same.

“I’m voting for Mikey for queen,” Justin giggled.

“Asshole,” Michael reacted. “Don’t you dare!”

“I’m voting for Michael for king,” Ben said, earning a kiss on the cheek from his husband.

“Who are you voting for?” Justin asked Brian.

“I don’t believe in popularity contests,” Brian said with a superior look on his face.

Justin snorted. “If you did, who would you vote for?” Justin persisted.

“Myself, of course,” Brian replied as he stood up. “Hafta pee.” He headed off out of the gym.

“Let’s put Brian’s name down,” Michael said.

“He’ll be pissed,” Justin replied.

“You don’t actually think he’s going to win, do you?” Ben asked.

“He might,” Justin said carefully. “He’s the best looking guy here.”

“I think Michael’s pretty damn cute,” Ben declared giving his husband a squeeze.

“You already voted,” Michael said with a smile.

“You should vote for the adorably cute Michael too,” Ben instructed his husband.

“I’m voting for Brian,” Michael said.

“Okay, me too,” Justin agreed as he wrote Brian’s name down on the ballot. “But he better not win. He’ll kill us.”

“No need to worry,” Michael laughed.

Just then the man with the ballot box came by and they all stuffed their ballots inside.

“Hey,” Michael said as the man moved away. “Brian’s not going to use his ballot, so I’ll write his name on this ballot as well.”

“Michael,” Ben protested.

“It’s just for fun.” Michael scribbled Brian’s name down on the remaining ballot and then ran after the person with the ballot box.

“I hope he knows what he’s doing,” Ben said.

“He never does,” Justin laughed.



*****



Brian was zipping up in front of the urinal when he heard the restroom door open. He turned to see Buck Hansen standing there. Behind him were the two large men who had practically carried Joel Dalrymple out of the gym, after he made that scene. Brian was sure they had been on the football team with Buck back in the olden days.

“I want to talk to you, Kinney,” Buck stated. He wasn’t going to be put off this time.

“Do you need these goons to help you form the words?” Brian asked sarcastically.

The two men started forward at Brian’s derisive comment, but Buck stuck out his arms to stop them.

“I’ve been trying to talk to you all evening, but you keep avoiding me,” Buck said.

“Maybe I don’t want to talk to you,” Brian replied as he ran some water over his hands. He hoped Buck wouldnÂ’t notice the slight shaking that had suddenly appeared in them. Brian glanced at Buck’s henchmen. They did not look happy, and they were fucking huge. “What do you want, Buck?” Brian said wearily, hoping he wasn’t going to get his ass kicked. Where was fucking Ben when you needed him?

“Remember when Joel and I stuck your head in the toilet?” Buck asked. The two men with Buck grinned.

“How could I forget such a memorable occurrence?” Brian asked sarcastically as he ripped off a piece of paper towel and started to dry his hands.

“And do you remember what happened after that?”

“You mean what happened to your hand?”

“Yes, I mean what you did to my hand.”

“I remember,” Brian said slowly, tossing the used paper towel into the trash can.

“Good, then we can talk.”

High School Reunion

Chapter 13



* * *



Brian looked at the two men who accompanied Buck. “Do they need to be here for this discussion?” Brian asked. He would rather not have them part of what seemed about to happen.

Buck shook his head. “Wait outside, and don’t let anyone else in,” Buck ordered the two men.

The bruisers shrugged and stepped outside. Brian watched them leave. He breathed a sigh of relief. He wasn’t sure what Buck wanted with him this time, but he hoped it didn’t involve a head and a toilet. If Buck wanted to take him on, Brian felt he had a much better chance with Buck on his own, rather than with three men to face.

“So what’s this talk that we need to have?” Brian asked when Buck didn’t say anything.

“It’s kind of about my hand, as I said.”

“You want an apology, you got an apology,” Brian replied. He hoped the quick apology might diffuse whatever Buck had planned for him. “However, you do know that you deserved what you got?”

To Brian’s amazement, Buck nodded. “I know,” he said.

Brian started in surprise and then stared into Buck’s eyes. “I didn’t expect to hear you say that.”

“What did you expect?”

“I thought you wanted to dunk my head in the toilet again or … kick the crap out of me. Especially when you came in with those two goons.”

Buck laughed. It sounded genuine and not threatening at all. Brian felt himself relax a little bit. “They’re just here to make sure you don’t brush me off again.”

“What do you intend to do?” Brian asked.

“I merely want to talk to you.”

“You’ve said that several times.”

“And you’ve managed to elude me every time I tried.”

“I … I guess I wasn’t ready for what I thought you were going to do.”

Buck looked Brian up and down. “Slamming my hand in the locker door was your most memorable high school moment?” he asked out of the blue.

Brian remembered the form he and Justin had filled out and sent to the organizing committee of the reunion. “Um … yeah, it was all I could think of.”

“It was pretty memorable for me too.”

“I bet,” Brian replied feeling a drop of fear form in his stomach once again.

Then Buck smiled. “I had a good laugh reading your answers to that questionnaire.”

“You did?”

“Yes, and you have nothing to fear from me, Brian. I want to thank you.”

“Th…thank me!” Brian blurted out. That was not what he was expecting at all. “What the fuck for?”

Buck laughed again. “You thought I was out to get you, didn’t you? Payback!”

“Yeah, something like that.”

“I harbor no grudge about what happened, although at the time I would have killed you if I’d had two good hands to strangle you.”

“Why this change in attitude?” Brian asked.

“I’ve had fifteen years to come to terms with what happened.”

“And what did you decide?” Brian wanted to know. He was curious.

“I thought I was going to be a hotshot football star before you broke my fingers. I had actually had a couple of scouts come and look at me.”

“I … didn’t know that,” Brian said softly. He must have ruined Buck’s chance to get a scholarship or even to play pro ball. So why was the guy thanking him. Brian frowned as he tried to figure out where Buck was coming from.

“Nobody knew,” Buck explained. “We kept the scouting thing on the QT. I didn’t want to brag and then look like a fool if nothing happened.”

“Makes sense,” Brian agreed. He would have done the same thing. In fact he did, only he had soccer scouts looking at him. “So what happened?”

“I was a lousy student back then,” Buck admitted. “I thought I was hot shit and didn’t need to worry about schoolwork at all. The scouts told me that I was a pretty good quarterback, but they made it clear they had seen better. My grades pretty much dropped me out of the running for scholarships. I just couldn’t compete.”

“And then I broke your fingers,” Brian supplied.

“Yeah, and I had some hard choices to make. I knew I wasn’t getting a football scholarship, and my parents had already told me they wouldn’t pay for my education if I screwed around.”

“I thought you went to university?”

“My clients certainly hope that I did,” Buck laughed. “I’m a lawyer.”

“A lawyer?” Brian asked his eyebrows going up in surprise.

“I see you didn’t know. After you broke my fingers, I did some real soul searching. I knew I needed a career. I wanted to be a success, and obviously that wasn’t going to be in football. I talked to my parents, and good Catholic people that they are, they agreed to send me to Cabrini College in Philadelphia. I got my academic act together, and then went to Duquesne for law.”

“Good for you, Buck,” Brian said.

“I thanked you before, because I would not be a lawyer now, if you hadn’t broken those fingers.”

“And I wouldn’t have broken your fingers, if you hadn’t shoved my head in a toilet.”

“Touché,” Buck laughed. “I would have probably been a drunken failure like Joel, if I had gone on the way I was going. I really thought I was going to be a football star. That happens to such a small percentage of the guys who even get a football scholarship. Those broken fingers made me reassess my whole life. And I’m pretty happy with how things turned out. So, thank you. That’s all that I wanted to say.”

Brian shook his head. “I’m … astounded. But, you’re welcome.”

“Good,” Buck grinned. “I’d like you to meet my wife. We have two great kids.”

“I have a son,” Brian said proudly.”

“I know. I read it on that very informative form you filled in.”

“Of course,” Brian smirked.

“Tell me, what does Rage stand for,” Buck asked pointing at Brian’s name tag.

Brian chuckled, but before he could answer, there was a disturbance outside the washroom door.

“You can’t go in,” a harsh voice said.

“I’m going in. Get out of my way.” There were sounds of a scuffle. “Brian, are you in there?” It was Ben’s voice.

“He has to be in there,” Justin said. “Maybe he’s hurt. We’ve looked everywhere else.”

“You can’t go in,” the first voice repeated.

“I’m in here, Justin. I’m fine,” Brian called out.

“Thank God,” Justin’s voice came back to him through the door.

“Guys, let them in. You can go back to the party,” Buck called as he strode to the door and pulled it open.

Justin, Ben and Michael rushed in.

“What’s going on?” Michael asked.

Justin made his way to Brian and wrapped his arms around his partner. He looked into Brian’s eyes to be sure everything was all right. Brian nodded and smiled, feeling Justin relax against him.

“I’m sorry if I worried you,” Buck said. “I just really needed to talk to Brian in private.”

“But we’re done now,” Brian said.

Buck nodded before exiting the washroom.

“What the hell happened in here?” Ben demanded. “Those hulking brutes wouldn’t let us in.”

Brian had to chuckle at Ben’s description. “Nothing happened,” Brian said calmly.

“Then why were they outside keeping us out?” Michael asked.

“We needed some privacy,” was all Brian said.

“He didn’t try to…?” Michael pointed to the toilets.

Brian shook his head. “No.”

“Which one was it?” Michael asked looking into the stalls. “I always wondered.”

“It was upstairs in another washroom,” Brian said brusquely. He didn’t want to think about his head being stuck in a fucking toilet. “Let’s get out of here.” He kept his arm around Justin’s waist as they walked out of the washroom.

“Do you want to go home?” Justin asked.

“Naw, I’m waiting with bated breath to see the crowning of the new king and queen,” Brian snarked.

“Um, maybe we should go home now,” Justin replied, remembering what he and Michael had done with the ballots.

“Stay, Brian,” Michael wheedled as he and Ben came up behind them. “It’s more fun when you’re here.”

“That’s me,” Brian said tongue in cheek, “more fun than a barrel of monkeys.”

They made their way back inside to their table. Ben and Michael went to get some punch. Brian was waiting for the third degree from Justin when Buck Hansen walked over, accompanied by a striking woman with black hair.

“Brian, this is my wife, Nadia. Nadia, I’d like you to meet the man who had a lot to do with me becoming a lawyer.”

Brian stood up, and shook Nadia’s hand. “Yeah, he wants to sue me.”

Nadia and Buck smiled. Justin looked back and forth between them. He so wanted to know what was going on, but he knew Brian would clam up if he asked.

“Nice to meet you, Nadia,” Brian was saying. “This is my partner, Justin Taylor.”

Nadia shook Justin’s hand and then she smiled. “JT and Rage she said, glancing at the name tags. “That’s perfect! Are you the one who created Rage?” she asked.

“Yes,” Justin smiled. “Along with Michael Novotny, Zephyr. He’s over there,” Justin added pointing to Michael.

“I have a younger brother who’s gay. He loves your comic,” Nadia said. “He has shown me several issues. It’s quite … something.”

“That it is,” Justin laughed. “I hope it didn’t shock you too much.”

“No, and it helped Jason tell me that he was gay,” Nadia added.

“That’s great,” Justin said with a big smile.

“I see Jerry waving at me,” Buck said. “I think they want to announce the new king and queen.” Buck hustled off.

“It was nice meeting you both,” Nadia said, before she turned and went back to her table.

“Ladies and gentlemen!” Buck said loudly into the microphone. “If I may have your attention.” There was a murmur and rustle as people returned to their tables and settled down to listen. “We are ready to announce the results of the new king and queen of the prom.” There was a smattering of applause. “If Janet and Keith would come up here, we’ll get them to crown their new counterparts.”

Janet and Keith made their way over to Buck. Each wore their crown.

“Apparently there were as many nominations tonight as there were for the original king and queen. I hold in my hand the long awaited results.”

“He should have been a sideshow barker,” Brian mumbled.

Justin held his breath, wondering if Brian had won, and what Brian would do if he had.

“The new queen of our high school reunion is … Mary Beth Braunsweiger, now Mary Beth Dalrymple.”

A stunned Mary Beth made her way to the front where Janet placed the crown on her head. She kept mumbling thank you and how unexpected this was, but everyone could see how pleased she was to have been selected for prom queen.

“The comments that accompanied your nomination were quite interesting, Mary Beth,” Buck said. “Most had to do with what a fine looking woman you are, but many wanted you to know that Joel’s foolish actions did not reflect on you.”

“Thank you all so much,” Mary Beth said sincerely. There was a big round of applause for her.

“And now,” Buck continued, “our new king is … Brian Kinney.”

Brian looked at Justin who refused to meet his gaze. Michael was grinning like a Cheshire cat. Ben looked sympathetically at Brian.

“Brian Kinney, please come forward,” Buck requested.

Brian stood up and with a glare at the people at his table he went to the front of the gym. Keith took off his crown and moved to place it on Brian’s head. Brian leaned back just out reach of Keith’s hand that held the crown. He seemed determined not to let Keith set the crown on his head. Justin cringed, hoping there wouldn’t be another incident involving Brian.

“Don’t muss the hair,” Brian said with a smirk. “You have no idea how long it takes to get this carefully rumpled look.”

Everyone laughed and Buck slapped Brian on the back. Then Brian allowed Keith to carefully place the crown on his head.

“Would you like to hear why you were chosen king?” Buck asked Brian.

“I can hardly wait. I can’t imagine why I’ve been selected for this … honor.”

Laughter once again followed his comment.

Buck smiled at Brian. “The comments ranged from ‘he’s hot’ to ‘he’s so successful’ to ‘he has a wicked sense of humor’.”

“Please, I’m going to get a swollen head,” Brian smirked. “Even if all those remarks happen to be true.”

“You already have a huge ego,” Michael called out, earning an appreciative round of laughter.

“Would the king and queen please select their partners for the first dance of their reign?” Buck said.

Brian glanced at Mary Beth who looked thoroughly frightened at the prospect of having no one to dance with or even worse, having Joel suddenly appear once again.

“Shall we?” Brian asked taking Mary Beth’s hand.

She smiled at him and took his hand. Brian proceeded to waltz her around the floor. After a minute other people joined them.

“Thanks, Brian,” Mary Beth said. “I thought I was going to be humiliated when I didn’t have anyone to dance with.”

“You’re welcome. I couldn’t leave you standing there by yourself.”

Mary Beth chuckled. “Will Justin be jealous?”

“Justin’s always jealous, but he pretends not to be.”

Mary Beth laughed as the song came to an end. “Thanks again,” she said as another man claimed her for the next dance. Brian watched them move away.

“May I have this dance, your highness?”

Brian turned and looked at Justin. “I think that can be arranged.” He pulled Justin against him and they started to move together.

“That was nice of you to dance with Mary Beth,” Justin whispered.

“I couldn’t leave her without a partner. Are you mad I didn’t come get you?”

“No, I like what you did.”

“Jealous?”

“Me, never!” Justin laughed.

“You are so full of shit.”

“So are you,” Justin chuckled.

“I know … but they don’t,” Brian said gesturing to the rest of the gym.

“It’ll be our secret,” Justin replied and Brian nodded knowingly. “Have you enjoyed your high school reunion?”

“It’s been … all right,” Brian said tongue in cheek.

“Just all right? Even since you’ve been crowned king?”

“The crown did muss my hair.”

Justin laughed. “You look beautiful. You always look beautiful.”

“At least in your eyes.”

“Always in my eyes,” Justin said sincerely. Brian leaned in and gently kissed Justin’s lips. They continued to dance until Justin had to ask, “Are you going to tell me what went on in that washroom?”

“When we get home.”

“Home,” Justin thought. He could wait till then. His smile was brilliant as Brian led him in their dance.