CHAPTER 32 - USING DETERMINATION...CRAZY, UGLY AND BEAUTIFUL

BRIAN’S LOFT

BEDROOM

BRIAN

He...no we cried so much last night...for each other. I sigh and feel a lump on my foot, which means that Gus is up. And despite what I have said, I see the glowing eyes of Nikita looking at me.

“Sorry Dad. She scooted out when I went to feed Moon.”

I nod and he carries her back down. I smile as I hear the tip-tap of Moon’s claws on the floor and then the sheets start to slide as he scrambles up the bed. “Hey Moon, you coming to give us some loving?” I ask as he makes his way up the bed, grinning goofily.

“We’ve gotta get up and hit the shower.” Justin’s sleepy voice mumbles from under my chin.

“Hmm. How you feeling?”

“Very warm and toasty, thank you. If it wasn’t for the awareness meet, I wouldn’t get up at all. Well I would, but only to make some comfort food and then come back to bed…”

“What would you make?”

“Baked duck eggs for breakfast. If it was nearer lunch then...um bone marrow butter burger and if it was dinner mushroom and asiago chicken, but with thighs instead of breast as…”

“I am definitely a thigh man.” I mutter into his hair and stroke his for emphasis and get a sleepy giggle.

“No touching the tenderloin.” He berates me, giving my cock a quick squeeze. “As I was saying, but it if was a midnight snack to keep it healthy-ish, it would be apple crisp bites...was that your stomach or Moon’s?”

“Definitely mine. Thank goodness Emmy is catering this thing. Can we stay at yours tonight?”

“Sure.” He replies, following me still somewhat sleepily to the bathroom. “What about Gus? And why?”

“He’ll go back with Norm for the night. But the reason I want to stay at yours apart from the Nook is because you have a bath…a very big bath. So pack some toiletries too...starting with that.” He hands me the body oil we never got to use last night with a smirk before loading up my toothbrush and handing it to me.

ALBERT’S APARTMENT - SAME TIME

MICHAEL’S ROOM

I can’t quite fathom what he has just said to me. How did I not see this? Oh I know how since he never invited us around. I kept smiling and nodding while he explained his optional mode dishabille to me:

Start of flashback

ALBERT

“Now don’t worry my Captain, my casa is your casa. You do not have to be free and balls out like me, just wear whatever makes you comfortable.”

“What would make me comfortable is if you had clothes on.” I will my eyes not to drift!

“But as I said, this is my home and I am comfortable this way. But…” I cringe as he leans against the chest of drawers, his legs akimbo. “...let me explain the furnishings to you.”

“The furnishings?” I repeat.

“Yes. You should not use very hot plates, especially on the table you admired earlier. I don’t want the glass to be marked and my other friends don’t like too much heat.”

“Other friends?” I sit down on the bed, but that makes me almost level with his junk so I stand up again!

“Yes, my entire home…” He spreads his arms and does a pirouette, if only he was wearing tights at least! “...is a Sanctum exterminati sunt!” He declares proudly and then frowns in the face of my confusion. “Sanctuary for Insects. All kinds of insects; ants, beetles, crickets, roaches, you name it I have them safe and well in their homes.”

“Homes?” I start to feel my skin crawl.

“Yes if you look closely at the walls and the tables they are bug farms. Isn’t it cool?! Oh and the windows, the windows must not be opened and the blinds…” He strides over to the window. “Closed because of the winged devils! They watch, they plot, they plan and they eat...so I must shield them from them.”

“From who?” I ask, starting to really regret this!

“My doctor says that my ornithophobia is manageable, but I am not so sure. Luckily, I am not under a tree.”

But you should be in a padded cell!

“Would you like me to help you unpack?” He asks, bending down to open the bottom drawer...I quickly look away.

“No, I’ll be fine. Thanks. So, uh, before you go, where do you keep the food?”

“Food, I have but my sprouts and vegetation. You are welcome to bring your own food, but they must be kept separate.”

“But you ate at LAFF…” I point out.

“Yes, but Heathan always made me a veggie burger, but said it was meat so that I didn’t draw attention to my vegetarian ways. I wanted to be seen as normal like you. I mean I am normal, just a slightly different kind of normal. Like you are normal for your love of Captain Astro and all the superheroes, I am normal for the love of all insect life.”

“I…”

“Well I’ll leave you to get settled. But word of advice…” He puts on a shower cap. “If you are going to go full balls out...shave every part of your body, so that way you can see them as well as feel them. You’ll need the shower cap anyway. The giant stag beetles are due a walk soon.”

“Gi…”

As he closes the door behind him, I look around at what my life has become and begin to laugh somewhat hysterically. I stifle it when the door opens again and he pops, mercifully, just his head in!

“Oh by the way, you also live rent free.”

“Rent free?” I gape at him. “Why?”

“You’re my friend and I don’t charge friends, like I don’t charge my insect friends. They pay me by keeping all my secrets. See you later! Oh and you need to buy earplugs. I never share my earplugs!”

“I can do insects, as long as the boxes are tightly sealed. I can do insects…” I try to convince myself as I unpack.

End of Flashback.

“Albert, are you…” My voice dies in my throat as I find Albert and friends on the sofa. “...I-I am sorry to have disturbed you.”

“You haven’t. Like I said, they were due a walk.”

“I didn’t think you meant on you, especially the praying mantis on your dick!” I mutter to myself. “I’ll see you later then!” I call out and head to the comic book store, scratching and shuddering so much that people avoid me on the street!

JOINT AWARENESS EVENT, CITY HALL

TANNIS

The full board of the GLC are here, admittedly to make sure she doesn’t slip in under the radar. Annalise has made sure the press know who to interview and who not to.

“My late husband would’ve loved this.” Melinda smiles.

“Has it been long?” I ask kindly.

“Three years. I have many friends, but I do miss the companionship. She is adorable, you know?” I look where she is looking and spot Effy, Amy, Annalise, Leda and Odette talking together.

“Define adorable. There are different levels over there!” I smile at her and she giggles. “Ah, you are talking about the double threat that is Liberty Avenue Princess and Princess Jnr?”

“Liberty Avenue Princess and Princess Jnr?” She repeats.

“Yes Effy, which is Lindsay’s daughter, and Amy is the daughter of Ted and Blake, respectively. Cross her at your peril, especially if you hurt her Daddio.” I then spend ten minutes recounting the two slapdowns I have heard about Effy giving to Lindsay.

“What did her Daddio say when she said, um, the second thing?”

“Trust me, it was deserved.” I grin and turn to face Norman as he interrupts.

“Really?” She raises an eyebrow. “And how would you know?”

“I’m Daddio, also called Norm or Norman, depending on how friendly we get. And you are?”

“Melinda Banks. I…”

“Oh you took over from Lindsay after she resigned in a fit of pique and thought they would beg her to stay.”

I have to turn away as Melinda looks astonished at his candor. But in doing so, I spot a familiar figure wearing a familiar expression. “Excuse me a moment.” I look across the room and spot Catherine and get her attention by jerking my head to the door. I can actually feel her eyes rolling as she spots Lindsay, glaring piously through the door. I check to see where Annalise and Leda are. They are being interviewed with the rest of the YEP and the Christian Women’s Boards.

CATHERINE

Oh for the love of heaven, this woman is a rampant narcissist! Sighing, I head to the door to explain yet again how this is not about her! I stop and stare...that is my fucking dress, which is supposed to be in goodwill!

“Lindsay, what are you doing here?”

“I am attending here as a member of the public. Is that a problem for you?” She snipes.

“Yes, actually it is. Especially since you are wearing two things you should not be; one is my dress and two the board pin! Now, take off the pin and you can enter…”

“Your dress? What do you mean your dress? I bought this from the mall.”

“You did not. That is my old Gucci dress that I put into goodwill, which you were supposed to have taken up there! This will be discussed at the next board meeting.”

Her eyes narrow and she shakes her head. “Harry good afternoon, how lovely to see you. I was just explaining to your wife why I was late. Shall we go in?”

I pause to see where she is going with her inflection. “Let me in or I will tell your husband where your tongue has been.” She whispers harshly with a fixed grin. “I won’t say anything to the press, but I will be recognised as a board member.”

“Why are you whispering about something I already know about?” Henry looks confusedly at her.

“Already…” She stammers.

“Yes. She has her fun and I have mine. As long as there is no emotional commitment, we are free to do what we want with whomever we want. So if you are thinking about besmirching my wife’s character with that, I would not! And she’s right. That is her dress, which I should know since I bought it for her!”

“I see. Well, regardless, I am the co-Chairwoman and…”

“Former.” I interrupt her.

“Annalise is coming this way! Be right back!” Henry tells me and I want to throttle this wannabe society dame. “Lindsay, go now. You are now not even getting in here as a civilian either…”

“I am not a former anything!” She hisses. “Yours is not the only tongue in town and I will remain on the…” She trails off going pale. “...Norman.”

I turn around and close my eyes in mortification. “Norman, I am so sorry. My husband…”

“I heard.” He replies quietly. “Well that explains why you were so closed mouthed recently, Lindsay. Shame you weren’t closed legged as well.”

“Norman, I…”

“Have fucked me over one time too many. We’re done! I will explain to the children. You do remember them, don’t you?”

NORMAN

I turn back towards the hall and find myself facing Melinda and flush. “How much of that did you hear?”

“As much as you.” She replies quietly. “Henry and I cleared the area so nobody else did. Can I ask the world’s most stupid question?”

“Sure.”

“Do you want to go for a coffee and talk?”

“We have to finish off here first. But if you were to swap the coffee for whisky and the talk for rant and vent, then yes I would love to.”

“Then that is what we will do.” She smiles at me. “I know this great bar across town that does the meanest whisky sours and has booths and...ah crap!” She cries and I hear the sound of something metal, bouncing against marble.

“What is it that fell?”

“I knew I shouldn’t have worn these damn earrings!” She looks around to see where it bounced to.

“I think it went over there. It hit something so it’s either by the pillar or under the table. You take the pillar...actually no, I take the pillar; that table is a little small for me!”

“A little too small? What are you talking about?” She asks as she crawls under the table to check if it is under there.

“Well um...I am a little corpulent as Lindsay would say.”

“Just because she says it, doesn’t make it nice or right. You are not corpulent; you are generously proport...got you, you little bastard!” She crows and then gasps. “No, no, no!”

“What’s wrong?!” I demand, hunkering down under the table next to her.

“It’s in the grate and I am just about holding it…” She starts to tear up. “...my late husband gave…”

“Norm, what are you doing?” Emmy demands, joining us.

“Trying to save Melinda’s earring. Her late husband gave it to her and it’s going down the grate. Can you get Effy and Amy for me quickly?!”

“Sure.” He scurries backwards and is back with them. And unfortunately, half the people from the awareness meet as well. But that doesn’t matter, right now.

“Daddio?” Effy demands, crawling next to me.

“Stay there, Miss Nimble Fingers. Can someone move this table?!” I order and it is lifted off us. “Gus!” I bellow and he’s by my side, instantly. “Go to the car and get my screwdriver tool kit, quickly! Keys are in my jacket pocket. In the meantime, I need a couple of straws!”

“A straw?” Melinda echoes.

“Here!” Someone hands me one.

“Give it to Effy and Amy. Sweetheart, get her to chew it flat and you do the same.” She nods and Ben rapidly signs to Amy and they go at it like they’re eating corn.

“That okay?” She asks and I nod. “Now what?”

“Do you have it still?” I ask Melinda and she nods, her eyes shimmering with tears. “It’s not going to fall, trust me.”

“Okay.” She sniffs.

“Ben, can you bend the end of the straw? Effy, you do the same and someone find Gus!”

“I’m here! I’m here!” He calls, running up with the box.

“Can you thread it through, sweetheart?” I ask Effy and she nods and carefully threads the straw through the slit, next to Melinda’s fingers. “Now do your thing. Ben, you take the other end but don’t jiggle the grates as you take them up.” I order as we set about unscrewing them.

“I need the other straw.” The room goes quiet as she threads the straw through the other side of Melinda’s fingers. “I need light!” She calls out and several phones are whipped out and shone down. “Can anyone see when the straws cross?”

“I’ll spot you, Princess!” Brian tells her and gets down next to her. “Okay, left hand a bit more, now the right. No right hand, Princess. Okay, the right hand is set but the left is off. Come a little towards your knees. Literally, it is only a couple of milimeters, then she can let go…”

The only sound is of us unscrewing the grates, breathing and I do believe, blinking.

“Now, very slowly Melinda, let go.” Brian orders her and you can hear a fairy hiccup as Effy says when it gets super quiet. “It’s on. Now Effy, keep absolutely still. Ted.”

“Amy.” Ted signs when I nod. “I need you to put your hand under there. There is an earring that you need to be a super heroine for. So can you do that for Daddy?” She nods and even though she looks unsure, she puts her hand under the grate when we get the ones on either side up. “Is she in the right spot?”

“Hold on.” He slides her a little further up. “Justin, does that look right?”

“Yep. Definitely right. Let go, Effy.”

There is a tense few minutes as Brian, slowly pulls Amy back and clutched in her little chubby hand is the earring! And the room explodes with applause and cheering.

“Forget the drink Mister, you are getting dinner!” Melinda throws her arms around me. “Thank you so much. Oh...how do I say that to her?” She asks Ted and he signs it to her.

“The Liberty Avenue Princesses are heroines of the day. Saviours of Daddios and earrings everywhere!” Brian signs and the cameras flash.

THE OLD CHURCH HOUSE

JUSTIN’S BEDROOM

BRIAN

He sets the bath like he cooks...perfectly. Right now, we are kissing very slowly and deeply. He is on top of me, nestled between my legs. I know my skin is soft but his is even softer. In fact, it is like butter. I protest when he stops kissing me. “Hey.”

“Sssh.” He murmurs and kisses a soft trail to my chest. He looks up at me through his lashes and I smile. “You were a hero today, helping Effy and Amy like that. And heroes deserve to be rewarded.”

“They do?” I mumble and arch as his mouth latches onto a nipple and licks, sucks and nibbles and my toes lock up!

“Hmmm. So quiet please.” I do as I am bid and mewl as his tongue, mouth and hands do wonderful things to my chest and stomach. My nipples are hard and aching, my belly button has been tongue fucked and my cock is being ghosted on and then he does something unexpected and I immediately go to stop him. “Quiet please.” He waits and it takes an effort, but I let him push my legs further apart. “God, you have a beautiful cock, but your knot is prettier. Such a lovely dusky pink and that smell...so rich and earthy and mine.”

“Jus…” I groan as his words start to get to me.

“Put your legs over my shoulders.” His voice is gentle and I am too turned on to do anything but what he says. “Let’s play with these pretty balls first…” I am about to object to the use of the word pretty when he sucks one of said pretty balls into the hot cavern that is his mouth. I grip the pillows on either side of my head and almost scream. It feels so good and I feel bereft when he lets it out of his mouth. “Shall I?”

“You’d better.” I gasp in response and then bite my lip, almost drawing blood as he very slowly sucks my other ball into his mouth. “Oh fuck! Oh yes! Uh! Hah!” I can almost see my brain as he sucks and then his fingers work themselves gently into my hole. “Jus...Justin, what are you...oh! No, I can’t…” I try to lift my legs off his shoulders, but he tightens his hold until I stop. Then slowly and softly, he releases my ball and without a word slides up my body. “Justin?”

“I trusted you with my body, now trust me with yours?” He whispers.

“I need a wor…”

“No, you don’t. This is not about that, and we aren’t doing that here. This is about you trusting me as your boyfriend to make you feel good. Please let me.”

I look into his eyes and give a slightly nervous nod then follow his hand as he reaches for the lube and condoms. There is silence as he sheaths himself and rubs my stomach at the same time. Amazingly enough, this act of gentleness makes me harder than a diamond. And when he slides effortlessly into me, I open my mouth and nothing comes out but air.

For the first few thrusts, he doesn’t quite hit it... and then he does. I let out a whoosh of air and adjust my position and he sinks deeper into me, much to his surprise!

“Bri...oh my...oh!” He stammers. “No...no…let me, let me!” He pants and I lower my legs a bit. “So tight, so hot, so tight…” He chants and continues to thrust. I can feel something immense about to happen. Yes I have cum before; I am the Stud of Liberty Avenue, after all. But this is different. This is hotter, and deeper... and I still can’t make a sound!

“Brian! Oh Brian! Cum for me! Cum for me!” He begs as his hips pump and I arch as much as I can to stop whatever is happening from happening, because it feels too good. And then it begins...I feel goosebumps blooming all over, my hair stands on end and I feel hot and cold at the same time.

“I LOVE YOU!” I scream at the top of my lungs as the pleasure rockets through me.

“HOLY SHIT EGGS!” He bellows as I know I have clamped down like a vice on him.

And then there is nothing...nothing but the beating of our hearts and the panting of our breath. Until, I start to giggle and then that sets him off until we have tears running down our faces. “I love you too.” He replies when he composes himself.

“I’m glad. But holy shit eggs, what was that about?”

“Quiet or I will never do that again.”

“Definitely being quiet.” I murmur.

Breakfast: http://www.houseandgarden.co.uk/recipes/breakfast-brunch/baked-duck-eggs

Lunch: http://www.greatbritishchefs.com/recipes/burger-recipe-bone-marrow

Dinner: http://everydaydishes.com/simple-food-recipes/mushroom-asiago-chicken/

Midnight snack: http://www.bakeorbreak.com/2015/10/apple-crisp-bites/