Daphne’s Apartment - March 8

“Get up!”

Justin was rudely jolted out of his thoughts when Daphne threw his leather jacket at his head.

“Huh?”

“I said, get your ass off the couch. We’re going out.”

Justin looked at the clock on the mantle above the corner fireplace. 9:30. “Where?”

“Babylon. I want to go somewhere I can dance without being hit on, and you need to get laid.”

“What’s gotten into you?”

“Nothing, it’s just you’re freaking me out. You’ve been strung as tight as a bow all week.”

“I think that we can do without the violin references, thank you.” Justin retorted.

“Fine!” Daphne agreed, “then how about you’re wound as tight as a spring. For god’s sake Justin, it’s like you’re about to explode. At first I thought it was about the closing on your place on Wednesday - but that came and went without a hitch. Then I thought maybe it was the renovation - but you said Julio’s and Miguel’s crew were working well and might even be done early. Whatever it is that’s got you so tense, you need to let it out. Or I’m going to end up spontaneously combusting for the both of us. I figure we can go to Babylon - I hear the music mixes there are really hot. You can find a guy and take advantage of whatever they do in the back room there.”

“How do you know about the music at Babylon - and what the fuck do you know about what goes on in the back room?”

Daphne rolled her eyes to as if to say ‘pu-leeze’. “Justin, how long have we known each other? Who has been - god I hate this term - your hag for the last 10 years? Do you think I don’t have brain cells? As to the music, some of the other residents at work were talking about going there dancing.”

“Just how many of the residents you work with are gay?”

“I don’t know, maybe a couple - I am doing my rotation in infectious diseases. But it wasn’t the gay ones talking about Babylon, it was the straight ones.”

“What?! The happy heteros are crashing Babylon now. What am I supposed to do? pick up a straight trick and teach him the ropes?” Justin gave a disgusted sigh. That’s all he needed.

“Look, I don’t think Babylon has changed that much. Now, if you would get your ass off my couch and put on your coat we can get a couple of hours of dancing in before I have to be back here for my webcam date with Cole at 12:30.”

“I’m coming.” Justin groused. “But I have to change first - I can’t go looking like this.”

Daphne rolled her eyes, but smiled. She was glad that she had been able to evict Justin from the couch, he was starting to put down roots.

~~~~~~

On the security monitor in his office on the gallery level at Babylon, Brian watched the young man and woman cross from the from the dance floor to the bar to get something to drink.

Brian had come by the club to drop off some paperwork, after spending much of the day at Kinnetik. The shortened work weeks due to his NY commitments were cutting in to his time to handle local management issues. Ted had been after him to hire a COO* but Brian had been holding back. Perhaps now was the time to promote Cynthia. She certainly was more than qualified. But, god, how would he be able to get along without her as his assistant? Worse yet, who was he going to be able to find to train that would put up with his shit?

Brian’s gaze was brought back to the monitor he had been watching for the past hour. He shifted the joy stick and the camera on the floor followed the couple. Justin handed a beer bottle to Daphne and then proceeded to roll his own bottle over his head and down his torso exposed by his unbuttoned shirt. Unconsciously, Brian licked his lips; his hand lowered to rub the ache in his crotch. Justin stood by, hardly moving except the roll of the bottle as Daphne looked to be talking a mile a minute and gesturing wildly with her hands - for a brief moment Brian mused that with the outfit she was wearing she might be Emmett’s twin separated at birth. Not for the first time that night Brian wished he had the audio to go with what was on the screen.

~~~~~~

Justin had been having a great time. Daphne was right, it was good to get out. Dancing always cleared his mind and freed his thoughts. He handed Daphne her beer and rolled his bottle over his chest.

“You were right,” he said - knowing he would regret the statement. “I really needed this.”

“Of course I was right - just what the doctor ordered!” Daphne leaned back on the bar surveying the hot sweaty male bodies gyrating to the music and grinned. “Definitely! So now that you’ve worked off some of your tension, mind telling me what’s been going on?”

“I’ve just been preoccupied. That’s all. Just some guy.”

“I knew it!” Daphne seemed to grow two inches, pleased with herself for diagnosing Justin's problem correctly. “You should just walk up to him, grab him by the shirt, haul him off and have sex with him.”

“I tried that, it didn’t help,” Justin muttered and then flinched when he realized he had spoken his thoughts aloud. “Shit!”

Daphne pounced. “You had sex?! You had sex this week and I didn’t know about it?! How is that possible? Is it someone serious? Do I know him?” Daphne pondered how she could have missed it. After all, they were living together and she pretty much knew everything that went on in Justin’s life.

In for a penny... Justin figured he should just spill it. If he didn’t he knew she’d be badgering him all night. “You don’t know about it because it happened in NY. And yeah, you kind of know him.”

“Dish!” Daphne demanded.

“Well, Brett took me out to dinner Monday night...”

“You did it with Brett?” Daphne’s voice sounded disappointed. “I thought you didn’t do it with friends - well, with that exception of me that one time. Also, isn’t that kind of - I don’t know - ewwww. I mean he’s like your boss.”

“I didn’t do it with Brett.” Justin tried to steer the conversation back on track. “Brett took me out to dinner and told me Connor James...”

“Ohmigawd! You did it with Connor James?! Wait, I thought you already did it with him and said he wasn’t very good. Besides didn’t you say he was so far back in the closet he wouldn’t come out for spring cleaning?”

Justin sighed. “No, I did not do it with Connor James. And if you don’t stop interrupting me and keep your voice down, I’m not going to tell you who I did it with.” Daphne bit her lips and Justin eyed her.

“Anyway, I had dinner and went to a club and let a trick, well relieve some tension, but it didn’t do the job. I was still a bit tense when I arrived at the airport for the flight home when I met up with him.”

“No,” Daphne said in a hushed whisper, “you didn’t do the mile high club thing, did you?”

“Are you going to keep interrupting?”

“Sorry, I couldn’t help myself.”

“Anyway, I was still tense, when he asked me to join him for a drink in one of those airport clubs. We had a drink and he went off to the men’s room.” Daphne pulled a face, but kept her lips shut. “Anyway, I was trying to figure out if that was an invitation or he just had to go, ya know? And all I could think about was family vacations and my mother asking me if I had gone before we started our trip.” Daphne giggled at the image. “Yeah, well that might not relieve tension, but it sure did quiet things down temporarily. Anyway when I went into the bathroom, he grabbed me and pulled me into a stall.”

Daphne was hanging on Justin’s every word. But Justin didn’t continue. Finally, knowing she wouldn’t be interrupting this time, she spoke “That’s it?! What about details? Was it hot? Was he hot?”

“What can I say?” Justin grinned knowing that Daphne was about to blow a gasket waiting for him to give her more.

“Are you going to see him again?”

“Only every Monday and Tuesday.” Shit! Justin wished he could call back the words.

“Every Monday and Tuesday?”

Justin sighed. “He’s on the same flight that I’m on to and from NY. It’s like my own personal hell.”

“Wait. Weren’t you saying that that guy who was at Debbie’s was on your fli...” Daphne broke off suddenly realizing what Justin was telling her. “Brian Kinney?!” she squeaked. Several heads around them turned at the mention of the name.

“Good going, Daph.” Justin winced.

“Sorry.”

“I haven’t been able to stop thinking about him, about us. He’s driving me crazy.”

“Forget about him, let’s just dance.” Daphne pulled Justin out on the floor where they lost themselves in the thumpa-thumpa of the music.

~~~~~~

A knock on the door pulled Brian’s attention from the security monitors.

“Brian?” Ted popped his head inside the door, then entered, shutting the noise of the club out behind him. “I was surprised when Manny said you were up here. We haven’t seen you here on a Saturday night in ages.”

While Brian had once prowled Babylon as if it was his own personal hunting ground. He now rarely made and appearance on the weekend, preferring to spend time with Gus at his estate in West Virginia.

“Yeah, well, I had to drop off some things from the office. Spending the beginning of the week in NY is taking time from other things.”

“Well, I’d be happy to help out if you need it over the remainder of the semester. You know you can count on me.”

“Thanks, Ted, I may take you up on it.”

“Would you like to join Blake and I for a drink? We’re supposed to meet up with Emmett, Drew, Michael and Ben around eleven.”

Brian almost told Ted no, but it had been quite a while since he had been out with the boys. Michael and Ben didn’t go out as often, and Brian missed spending time with his friends. Though he’d never admit to it. “Sure,” Brian looked down at the work in front of him and missed Ted’s look of surprise. “Let me wrap things up here - I should be done by 11:30. Where are you going to be, Woody’s?”

Ted looked at Brian confused. “No, we’re meeting here. We decided it might be nice to go dancing.”

“oh,” Brian was distracted by the security monitor once more where the man with the golden hair was dancing with Daphne. “Sure thing then, I’ll be down in a few.”

Ted nodded and closing the door behind him headed down to the bar to meet up with Blake. Not for the first time this week, Ted wondered what was up with Brian.

~~~~~~

“Hey Mikey,” Brian whispered in Michael’s ear.

“Brian!” Michael grinned at Brian. Brian hadn’t been out with Michael in ages.

The gang was assembled at the bar, nursing drinks and watching the dancers. The music changed from the throbbing techno beat to eighties disco.

Emmett clapped his hands and said “Oooo! I just love the classics! C’mon Drew honey, let’s show the boys how you shake that tailfeather!”

Blake pulled Ted out to join Emmett and Drew on the dance floor.

“Mind if I borrow your husband, professor?” Brian asked Ben.

Ben shook his head and said, “Go ahead.” He saw the euphoria on Michael’s face and couldn’t deny him. Ben knew that Brian would always have a special place in Michael’s heart. And though their life together was full and satisfying, Michael missed seeing his friend as often as he used to before their wedding.

Michael glowed in happiness. “Come and join us!”

“Maybe in a few,” Ben responded. He’d wait a couple of dances before joining the rest of them out on the dance floor.

Michael kept up a steady stream of conversation, and Brian made sure to nod and comment in appropriate places. But Brian eyes were watching Justin as he danced with more and more abandon on the other side of the club. Justin was dancing with no one in particular, just out there enjoying the freedom and rhythm of the beat. Daphne was by his side dancing and chatting. Brian brought his attention back to Mikey.

“... and Ben suggested that we might go there for our anniversary. What do you think?”

In the old days, Brian would have asked him why Michael should give a damn what he thought. But knowing that it was important to his friend, Brian responded. “I think that it sounds like an excellent idea.” Of course he had no idea what was an excellent idea. But Mikey nodded and quickly went on about the anniversary trip.

~~~~~~

“I think I’m going to head out,” Daphne shouted over the music to Justin.

He looked at his watch, nearly midnight. Justin nodded. “I’ll get our coats.”

“No!” Daphne responded. “You stay, have a drink, get rid of... some tension. I’ll take the car - I only had one beer and that was over an hour ago. You stay, have fun and I’ll see you later.”

“You trying to get rid of me?” Justin grinned.

“Well, let’s just say it’s a bit inhibiting having you in the apartment during my webcam dates with Cole.”

“Did you really have to say that?”

“What? I listen to you about your love life.”

“You beg me to tell you about my love life,” Justin corrected. He laughed, “Go home and have fun with your webcam show and tell. You know that anyone with half a brain and the right equipment can capture that video feed.”

“That’s why we do it over a secure channel.” Daphne responded, sticking her tongue out at Justin. And she headed for the coat check and door.

“It ain’t that secure...” Justin called back after her. Then he closed his eyes and lost himself in the music.

~~~~~~

Ben joined the gang on the dance floor and claimed Mikey from Brian. Brian smiled and nodded, not offended. He danced with the group for a while all the time working his way to the outer edges. His hazel eyes intent as he stared across the dance floor at Justin.

Justin looked free. Dancing with abandon, not mindful of the many admiring glances. His blue eyes closed, Justin was blissfully unaware of the golden green eyes made contact with each of Justin’s admirers. One by one, with a glare and a frown, Brian dismissed each one from the blond man’s space.

Justin had been dancing alone for about five minutes when he felt someone come up behind him. At first it was just a feeling. Not touching, exactly, just close enough to feel the man’s presence. After a few minutes the body behind him brushed up against Justin’s back and strong arms encircled his waist. Still loose enough and swaying with the beat, Justin allowed himself to enjoy the contact. Nothing was going to happen to him here on the dance floor. The music shifted, a little slower, a bit more sensuous, what Daphne would call “humping” music. The warm body, even in the warmth of the dance floor, felt good and Justin leaned back as the two bodies danced as one.

Mr. Warmbody leaned closer, his breath now in Justin’s ear. Justin felt on fire. Daphne was right, he needed to get laid, and he was pretty sure he was going to let Mr. Warmbody be the one to warm his bed tonight.

Brian could feel the change in Justin’s body as he relaxed and became liquid in his arms. Brian was pretty sure Justin could feel his arousal as his crotch made contact with the younger man’s incredible ass. From where his head grazed Justin’s shoulder, Brian could see that Justin was getting aroused as well. “C’mon, time to go, I don’t allow activity of this sort on my dance floor.” Brian’s words echoed in Justin’s ears.

It took a few moments for Justin to realize that it was Brian who held him in his arms. It made Justin smile. Then it was Brian who was all but dragging him off the dance floor and up the stairs to the gallery. The disconnect of their bodies as Brian pulled Justin up the steps behind him gave Justin time to clear his head. They were at the top of the stairs when Brian felt the younger man pull back.

“Where are we going?” Justin asked.

“To my office, for some privacy.” Brian responded moving forward tugging Justin along.

“Why do we need privacy?” Justin was oblivious to the fact that they had nearly been fucking on the dance floor.

“Well, my days of performing for an audience are over. I prefer comfort and no interruptions.” As Justin wasn’t moving, but merely standing staring at Brian, Brian did the only thing he could think of - since his cock seemed to be doing the thinking for him - he grabbed the back of Justin’s neck and hauled him in for soul-searing kiss.

A bit stunned and back in a fog, Justin didn’t put up any resistance as Brian opened his office door with his key and slammed the door shut behind them. Brian deftly turned the lock as he pushed Justin up against the door and kissed him.

God! he loved Justin’s mouth. It was warm, and soft and oh so yielding. Brian dipped his head and brushed his tongue against Justin’s in a slow caress. Justin moaned in response and burrowed into Brian’s warmth.

A knock on the door interrupted and Brian wrenched his mouth from Justin’s.

“What?!” Brian demanded to the closed door.

“Brian, we’re heading over to the diner to grab a bite.” Mikey whined from the other side of the door. “Ted said he saw you head up here, what are you doing?”

Brian closed is eyes. This wasn’t happening. He should have taken Justin to the loft. He looked down at Justin.

“Actually, I’m kind of hungry. I could go for a burger.” Justin smiled up at Brian with a twinkle in his eyes.

Brian sighed, “Yeah, well that wasn’t the type of meat I had in mind for a midnight snack.”

Michael banged on the door again and whined, “Brian!”

“Mikey, we’ll meet you at the diner.”

“Okay.” Michael went back to the gang and reported that Brian would meet them at the diner.

“Shit!” Brian swore. He looked down at Justin. “Does this mean I have to feed you every time before I fuck you?”

Justin grinned, “I guess so.”

------

* COO = Chief Operations Officer