After the Fall

Chapter 1





“Hey baby cakes! Ya miss me?” a familiar voice asked.

Gus jumped up from the bench when he realized it was Cole standing in front of him wearing a wide grin. Gus grabbed the shorter boy, swung him around, leaning him against the arbor. With a ferocity worthy of the Brian Kinney, Gus kissed Cole hard. The boys, taken over by their hormones began to rut up against each other.

“I guess you did,” Cole managed to say when Gus let him come up for air. “We gotta find some place,” Cole whispered.

“I know a place,” Gus said with confidence. Gus shoved his dad’s camera in his messenger bag, grabbed Cole’s hand then took off running down the street.



*****



“Isn’t that Gus?” Danny asked Joan as Cole and Gus sprinted past the Book Store. Before Joan could step up to the window, the boys had vanished.

“I don’t know, maybe,” Joan commented then went back to sorting out their latest shipment of books. She filed away the episode to ask Brian about it later.



*****



“Hey, Johnny-Boy, is that Brian or your nephew?” Gordon asked John. He pointed to Gus as the boys ran by. They were sitting at a table at the Village diner having coffee before calling it a day. The opening of Drew’s sports boutique was a hit and the partners in business were relaxing before heading home.

“Can’t be Brian, I saw him drive off back to Kinnetik, must be Gus,” John said.

“They look like they’re in an awful hurry,” Gordon said as he sipped his coffee.

“Hmm,” John grunted then made a mental note to speak with Brian later.



*****



With Gus leading, the boys ran onto Liberty Avenue but took a couple of side streets to get past the Bloom Gallery to avoid Lindsay and then back onto Liberty. They ducked into the alley which led to the main door of Babylon. The alley was quiet and relatively dark even in the light of the summer afternoon. Gus pushed Cole back against a wall to kiss and grope. While they were preoccupied trying to examine each other’s tonsils with their tongues, they didn't notice they were being observed.



*****



“If that’s Brian, he’s going to be in big trouble when Justin finds out,” Carl said to Ted as the two of them stopped at the steps that led into the club. Ted and Carl had gone to Drew’s launch and then to the club to review the books and to have a staff meeting.

“That’s not Brian,” Ted stated as he squinted to get a better look. “But the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree,” he quipped. Carl nodded as they entered the club.

The boys stepped out from the shadows to continue their journey.



*****



“Whoa!” Ben called out as he was nearly run down by Gus and Cole in front of the Comic Book store. “Slow down!” Ben yelled as the boys kept on running.

“Sorry, Uncle Ben!” Gus shouted as he did a 360 but kept on running. Cole was laughing and both boys were smiling broadly.

“Be careful,” Ben shouted to their backs. Gus waved as he ran.



*****



“You hungry?” Gus asked Cole, as Gus slowed when they approached the Liberty diner.

“Yeah, but not for food,” Cole purred. He kissed Gus in full view of the diner then they took off again in full run with Gus leading the way.

“Who the fuck was that?!” Debbie screeched to no one in particular. Lacy looked up just in time to see the boys run by.

“Must be new around here,” Lacy said casually.

“He can’t be that new; he certainly knew Gus. I wonder if Brian knows,” Debbie mumbled then they both went back to their customers.



*****



“Where are we?” Cole asked as the boys stopped on the corner of Fuller and Tremont.

“Some place where we can be alone and comfortable,” Gus said with a slight tremble of nervousness in his voice. He had a set of keys to his dad’s loft. After Brian’s little health scare just before Christmas and the dressing down Gus had given him, Brian thought it only right Gus should have a set of keys to the Tremont building and loft just in case there was ever an emergency. ‘This is an emergency, sort of,’ Gus thought to himself. ‘A real hard emergency,’ Gus thought as he adjusted himself when they got onto the elevator.

“Holy shit!” Cole exclaimed when Gus slid back the loft door. “Is this yours?” Cole started to look around. The loft was a little barren with just the bare minimum of appliances and decoration but that only enhanced the slick, lean elegance of the place.

“Sort of,” Gus fibbed. “It’s really my Pop’s but he lets me use it sometimes.”

Cole could tell that Gus was lying but he didn’t give a shit. It all fell into Cole's plans of getting whatever he could from the Kinney men.

“Let’s go to bed,” Cole murmured as he moved close to Gus. Gus started to walk them toward the bedroom but then couldn’t do it.

“I’ve got something better,” Gus said as he took Cole to the alcove and to the futon cushions. As they began kissing and rolling around on the cushions, Cole suddenly stopped. “What’s wrong?” Gus asked, panting hard.

“I’m not fucking under that!” Cole scowled.

“Under what?” Gus had no idea what Cole was talking about.

“That!” Cole growled then turned Gus’ face toward the painting of Bree running in the Coney Island surf. Gus sighed then stood up. He reached out his hand to Cole to help him up. Then he took a corner of the cushion and dragged it out toward the dining area.

“Better?” Gus said with hands on his hips.

“Much,” Cole stated as he walked over then dropped onto the cushion. “Come here,” Cole said seductively, holding out a hand to Gus. Gus laid down next to him then Cole rolled over to lay on top of Gus. “Much better,” Cole purred once again as the boys began to rub against each other, losing clothing along the way.

“Wanna go all the way?” Cole asked as he nipped at Gus’ ear. Gus wanted to say yes, but he wasn’t ready just yet.

“Not yet,” Gus said honestly getting a slight frown from Cole. “Soon, maybe, but not now.”

“Okay, baby cakes, but you better do one hell of a job sucking me off,” Cole demanded.

Gus did just that given the sweet satisfied noises Cole made. When Cole recovered, he reciprocated in kind.

As Gus slept, Cole had a good look around the loft.

He wandered up the steps into the bedroom. The huge platform bed dominated the whole area. Cole could just imagine Brian Kinney in that bed, lying there looking beautiful. Better yet, he could picture Kinney fucking … him. Cole gave his head a shake to remove that tempting image, but he couldn’t help the feral grin that came to his lips.

He walked over to the bathroom and peered in. The huge shower would be perfect for fucking too. Cole’s cousin, Lex, had told him some stories about the legendary Stud of Liberty Avenue. Lex was a little older than Cole and had arrived on the scene at Babylon some time after the end of Kinney’s stint as the gay stud of Pittsburgh. However, the stories about Kinney had still been rampant. Kinney had been with his blond twink for a few years by that time, but the two appeared at Babylon every now and then and the stories continued. Kinney’s backroom prowess was supposed to have been legendary. Cole would have enjoyed witnessing that.

Glancing around the bathroom, Cole realized that everything in the loft was quality. Obviously, Gus’ father liked the finer things in life, just as Cole would enjoy them when all of this would be his. He still hadn’t worked out how he was going to get everything he desired, but he was prepared to start small. He could totally imagine himself living in a loft like this and fucking everything that moved.

He came out of the bathroom, looking down at Gus to make sure he was still asleep. Satisfied that the boy was sleeping soundly on the futon, Cole decided to look for some money or something that he might be able to hawk. He pulled open the nightstand beside the bed. He grinned when he noted the stash of condoms and lube. Old man Kinney must still be pretty active. Somehow Cole had known he would be. He rifled around and pulled out a signet ring. It didn’t look overly valuable, but he might be able to get a few bucks for it. Hidden away in the back of the drawer, he doubted that it would be missed for some time.

Cole closed the drawer and left it as he had found it. He approached the narrow black chest that stood on the other side of the bed. He opened the top drawer. He found a roll of bills lying right on top. His heart rate quickened as he pulled them out. There had to be at least a few hundred dollars. He peeled off a few bills and stuffed them in his pocket. That would tide him over for a few days, but not make it obvious that any of the money was missing.

As he was about to replace the roll of money, he noticed a small black box in the back of the drawer. He pulled it out and opened it. It was empty except for what looked like dried bits of tobacco. He sniffed wondering if it might have been pot. His nose told him that it probably was, but there wasn’t enough there to do anything with and the pungent scent was negligible. The older Kinney had certainly enjoyed his drugs back in his stud days, if Lex had told him the truth about Kinney’s reputation. However, Kinney was a family man now, and this tiny bit of pot was really old. Cole replaced the box in the drawer.

He was about to check out the other dresser when he heard a sound from down below. He deked back into the bathroom and flushed the toilet. When he emerged, Gus was sitting up on the futon smiling up at him.

“Where did you go?” Gus asked with a yawn.

“Nature called,” Cole replied, chuckling to himself at all the meanings that simple statement could have.

“I missed you.”

“Ready for another round?”

Gus glanced at his watch. “Shit! I better get home or my mother will chew me a new one.”

“I could wait for you here,” Cole said taking a better look at the rest of the loft. He liked what he saw.

“Um … I thought you were staying with your cousin.”

“I am, but I could get used to this place.”

“I … I never know when my Pop or Justin will decide to stay here. I need to lock up,” Gus said hastily as he pulled on his clothes and shoes.

Cole shrugged. “Is there anything to eat?”

“Um … probably not.”

Cole walked to the refrigerator and pulled open the door. The interior was very bare. “Got any money?” he asked.

“Yeah, a few bucks,” Gus admitted as he pulled the futon back into position in the alcove.

“I used all my money getting here,” Cole stated. “I could use a few bucks for dinner.”

Gus sighed. This seemed to be a familiar theme where Cole was concerned. Gus pulled his wallet out of his pocket. “I got about eighteen dollars,” Gus said as he flipped through the bills. “But I need to take the bus home.”

“Give me fifteen. The rest should get you home,” Cole informed his young lover.

Gus was reluctant to give Cole almost all his money, but the guy had come all the way to Pittsburgh just to be with him. He pulled fifteen dollars out of his wallet and handed it to Cole.

“Thanks, this will come in real handy.”

“Are you going to look for a job?” Gus asked. “Or do you have to go back right away?”

Cole debated how to answer that question. He wanted Gus to think he was there for a while, and that he had made great sacrifices to come see him. “I’ll probably start looking for a job. I’ll have to earn enough to get back to New York … eventually. I had to quit my job to come see you.” Cole waited for Gus’ reaction to that statement.

“You quit your job? To see me?” Gus’ face was full of wonder that Cole had done that for him.

Cole enjoyed the reaction. “Yeah, it wasn’t much of a job anyway.” At least that part was sure fucking true.

“I can’t believe you did that … for me?”

“I really wanted to see you, baby cakes.”

“I’m so glad you’re here,” Gus said walking over to Cole and hugging him warmly. “I was miserable without you.”

“That’s what I like to hear,” Cole smirked. “You’re sure I can’t stay here? It’s a great place.”

“It’s too risky,” Gus countered. “Besides, you’re staying with your cousin.”

“Yeah, but he has this dinky little shit place. I have to sleep on the floor.”

“I’m sorry you have to do all these things to be with me … but I’m so happy to see you,” Gus gushed.

Cole pulled Gus in closer and kissed him … hard. “Can you feel how much I want you?” Cole asked as he pressed his dick into Gus.

“Yeah,” Gus said breathlessly. “But I really have to go.”

“Sure, baby cakes. What about tomorrow?”

“I … I’ll call you,” Gus promised as he headed to the loft door.

“Maybe we could test out that bed tomorrow,” Cole suggested looking back into the bedroom.

“Um … that’s my Pop’s and Justin’s bed. I’d feel really funny doing … stuff in there,” Gus admitted.

“That’s okay then,” Cole said quickly. “The futon was fine.”

“Better than fine,” Gus said with a smiled as he locked the loft door. The two ran down the stairs.



*****



“Dr. Raph?”

“Yes, Curtis,” Raph replied. He was sitting at his desk in the clinic writing up the papers on Mrs. Rotondo’s very obese dog. The poor animal had kidney stones, but there seemed no limit to the amount of money that Mrs. Rotondo was prepared to spend on her dog. They would be zapping the stones with a laser later that night.

“You remember when we went to the park?” Curtis asked.

“Sure, I enjoyed that day. I hope you did too,” Raph said as he finished what he was writing and set down the file. He was ready to give Curtis his undivided attention.

“Do you think we could do that again sometime?”

“I don’t see why not,” Raph said with a smile.

“Like maybe this weekend?”

“I think that could be arranged. It’s supposed to be hotter than Hades.”

”Hades?”

“You know … the underworld … Hell.”

“Yeah,” Curtis giggled. “I just never heard anybody say it like that before.”

“I use that expression every once in a while.”

“I like your expressions,” Curtis said with a smile. He continued to stand in the doorway, showing no signs of heading off to water the animals or go play with Matty.

“Is there something else?” Raph asked.

“I … um … I…”

“Curtis you know that you can tell me anything,” Raph said gently.

“I know,” Curtis replied. “I … um … When we went to the park last time you said youmightteachmehowtoswim,” Curtis mumbled.

“You want to learn how to swim?” Raph’s eyes had lit up. He’d like nothing better than to teach Curtis.

“Yeah, if you wouldn’t mind.”

“I wouldn’t mind at all,” Raph told him.

Curtis smiled. “You mean it?”

“I most definitely do mean it. I will be happy to instruct you in the fine arts of the water.”

Curtis frowned. “Is … is it hard?”

“Hard?”

“Hard to learn.”

“No, not really. I think you’ll do just fine.”

“I hope so,” Curtis said uncertainly.

“I know so.”

Raph smiled to himself as Curtis left the room. Maybe the boy was finally learning to trust him. He’d have to make sure that the swimming was a positive experience for the boy.