Reunion ... of Sorts  

First Year Residence - Dartmouth

Justin looked at Brian dressed in a black wifebeater and black jeans with his leather jacket on top. It was just like the vision he had seen in his head. He took a tentative step forward and he was in Brian's arms and they were kissing in the way that only they could.

When their lips finally parted Justin was hanging on Brian's neck. He looked up into the hazel eyes flecked with gold. He could see the desire there even in the dim light of the parking lot. He buried his face in Brian's chest smelling the leather and cigarettes … and Brian. He felt like he could die happy now that he had had this moment of intense memory.

"Hey," Brian said giving Justin a little shake. "Are you okay?"

"Um, yeah, yeah, fine. What are you doing here?" Justin asked as he reluctantly stepped back and released Brian from the hold he had had him in.

"I came for that kiss, and it was worth the trip," Brian said sticking his tongue in his cheek.

"Um, do you want to come up to my room?"

"That would be nice," Brian smirked.

"Let's go," Justin said grabbing Brian's hand. He turned to see Ric, Dolores and Sandy watching them and grinning. "I know him," Justin called to them and then laughed at how silly that sounded.

"We figured that out," Ric called back before they disappeared inside.

Brian grabbed his bag from the Jeep and locked the door. "I told the guard I was your brother," Brian said as they started for the door of the residence.

Justin dropped Brian's hand. "Then I guess we better act like brothers, not like…" Justin didn't finish that statement, because he had no idea what they were or if they were anything at all.

Brian signed in at the desk and they made their way up to Justin's room. Once inside with the door closed, Justin kicked off his shoes and threw his jacket on the chair. He turned to face Brian.

"Why did you come here? I never thought I would see you again," Justin said softly. He had never planned to have contact with Brian, but now that the man was here, he couldn't take his eyes off him. His hands longed to touch Brian and his lips burned with the memory of the kiss in the parking lot. "How did you find me?"

"I phoned your mother when nobody seemed to know where you were … after you took your things from the loft," Brian said gently.

"I don't think my mother was supposed to tell you where I am."

"I caught her off guard. When I called, she said you were en route to Dartmouth as we spoke."

"You called that soon?" Justin asked. He couldn't help the little smile that curled his lips. Brian had been thinking about him.

"I want you to tell me why you went to your father and … made some kind of deal with him," Brian said.

"What choice did I have? I knew as soon as I went with Ethan that it was the wrong move. Where else could I go? I have no skills," Justin said sadly.

"You could have gone to Debbie."

Justin felt his heart sink. Obviously Brian wasn't offering to take him back. And he didn't want to be taken in again like a child that needed to be fed and clothed and schooled. That was his father's job, and he was going to let his father do that from now on. "I couldn't go to Debbie's, not with the way things are between me and Michael. I wouldn't put her in the middle of that."

"Why didn't you come to me?" Brian whispered. It was almost more than he was willing to say, but he had to know.

"You would have felt sorry for me or guilty and taken me back, but neither of us would have been happy. We would have gone back to what we were doing before … and look how that turned out. I couldn't live like that anymore with following you around to the baths and Babylon … and all the tricks." Justin shook his head.

"I thought you were all right with that. I thought you liked it," Brian said defensively.

"I tried to. I really did, but it's not for me. I thought Ethan offered what I was longing for, but I quickly realized that he wasn't what I wanted either. I wanted you, but I wanted more from you than you were prepared to give me. More than you would ever give me, as you so eloquently told me."

"Eloquently?" Brian asked with that funny little grin.

"Maybe not so eloquently, but you made it crystal clear that you didn't love me the way I love you … and that you never would. I couldn't stand seeing you fuck guys in our bed and flaunt your trips to the backroom. It hurt too much and I didn't like what I was becoming. So now I'm trying this." Justin tried to smile and look positive.

"You don't have to stay here. You can come back and go to PIFA again," Brian said.

"No, I can't. I made a promise to my father that I would stay at Dartmouth. I'm breaking part of my promise by talking to you right now."

"Just what does this promise entail?"

"The usual - don't flaunt my disgusting lifestyle, do well at Dartmouth and…"

"Never see me again."

Justin nodded. "Same stuff he said that day you tried to take me back home."

"Nothing changes," Brian muttered.

"Well, I've changed. I know what I have to do. I may not like it, but I'll live with it."

Brian didn't like the sound of resignation in Justin's voice. He was giving up who he was both as an artist and a man to try to conform to his father's wishes. "It's a big mistake to deny who you are."

"It'll just be another mistake in the long list of mistakes I've made. Who cares?" Justin said and let his shoulders sag.

Brian didn't like the sound of this Justin, no, not at all. "Where's the strong and tenacious Justin Taylor?" Brian asked. "Where's the man who stalked me, the man who stood up to Chris Hobbs?"

"He got hit in the head with a baseball bat. That should have knocked some sense into me. It should have shown me that I was on the wrong path. I was fooling myself thinking that we were going to live happily ever after. I was a naïve little faggot and I refuse to be that anymore. Nobody cared when I was alone. Nobody cared that I was out on the street with nowhere to go. Nobody is going to take care of me, so I have to do that for myself. That's why I'm here. I know now what I have to do."

Justin felt the tears well up as he realized the truth of his words. Nobody really did care about him. He buried his face in his hands as he slumped to the bed.

"It's not your fault. I pushed you away. I never meant for things to get so out of hand. I thought I was doing what was best." Brian sat down beside Justin and pulled the young man against him. He kissed the blond head as he held the young man.

Justin leaned into Brian. There was no place better to be than in those strong arms. He let himself savor the feel of it knowing it would be the last time it would happen.

After a minute or two Justin raised his head to find Brian looking down at him. Justin arched up and captured Brian's lips. That was all it took. The kiss went on and on as they yanked at each others clothes, feeling a need that could not be denied. When they were both naked they slid back onto the bed with Brian sprawled atop his young lover.

"Justin," he whispered.

"I want you," Justin replied as he levered his hips up and forced their hard cocks together.

Brian reached down for his jeans and found a condom. "Put it on me," he whispered and Justin smiled at the memory of their first time as he rolled it along Brian's length.

Brian hiked Justin's legs up onto his shoulders and positioned his cock at Justin's hole. He leaned in and kissed the young student using his tongue to taste every part of the willing mouth. Then he pushed his way inside the velvet heat that was Justin Taylor.

Once embedded, Brian held back watching Justin's face. He saw the pain of his entry and then the pleasure of being filled and now a look of impatience as he waited for Brian to begin.

"Ah, youth," Brian said as he leaned in for another kiss. Then he started thrusting as they quickly found the familiar rhythm that worked so well for them. Justin savored each stroke as he pushed his hips up to meet the thrust. Nobody could fuck him like Brian. He wondered for a fleeting second why he had even considered going with Ethan Gold. He had been such a fool.

"Brian," Justin moaned as the heat between them grew exponentially. Justin felt like his body was on fire and he might burst into flame at any moment.

"Hang on a bit longer," Brian demanded as his thrusts took on new speed. And then the world around them exploded in broken shards of light and everything spun out of control.

Some moments later Brian rolled away and disposed of the condom. As he turned back Justin pulled him against his body. They held each other until sleep took them. There was no further need for talk, at least not that night.

First Year Residence - Security Desk

Andy MacPherson watched his nighttime counterpart walk out the door of the residence. He sat down at the security desk and idly looked over the list of people who had signed in during the night. Immediately his eye went to Justin Taylor's name and the name listed beside it - Brian Kinney.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a business card. He picked up the phone and dialed the number on the card.

"Craig Taylor," a voice replied.

"This is Andy MacPherson, the security guard at Dartmouth. You left your card with me."

"Yes, I remember," Craig replied. "Do you have some information for me?"

"I just came on duty and noticed that your son signed in Brian Kinney last night."

"Fuck!" Craig reacted. "Thanks for letting me know. I'll see that you get the bonus we discussed."

"Any time, Mr. Taylor," Andy said before hanging up the phone. A little extra money always came in handy.

First Year Residence - Justin's Room

Justin awoke with a start. He looked around his room now filled with light. The alarm clock said it was just after eight a.m. He let his focus drift to Brian's sleeping face.

They had fucked all night with little bouts of sleep thrown in. But every time one of them woke, they would start all over again. Justin shifted a bit. His ass was sore and he wasn't sure he would be able to sit down without a pillow, but it had been worth it.

Justin studied Brian's face. He wondered why Brian had never been able to tell him that he loved him. The obvious answer was because Brian didn't love him. Justin swallowed the lump in his throat and continued to stare at Brian. He was the handsomest man, and a great lover, and he had a really big heart when he wasn't being an absolute asshole.

And there was the rub. Brian's big heart had been what had made the man take Justin in after the bashing. He had felt sorry for Justin and had wanted to help. But that wasn't love. That was something else entirely. Justin realized that he should have been smart enough to have figured that out, but he had always hoped that Brian would learn to love him. That had been his delusion. Brian obviously had another agenda entirely. It didn't include love and relationships … and love.

Brian pretended to sleep but he was thinking about what he had done to Justin, forcing him to go with Ethan by the actions that he had taken. He wondered how he could have misjudged things so badly. He should have known better.

Justin thought of all the things he had promised himself and Brian since they had first met. And then it had been Justin who had broken all the rules. That seemed to be the only thing he was really good at anymore - breaking rules and promises. He had been the one who cheated and fucked someone else, and kissed him and stayed out past the curfew. Brian had not done anything that he had said he would not do. Justin sighed as he realized that lying in this bed with Brian, he was breaking his promises to his father too. He was such a fuck-up.

Brian turned and opened his eyes. He looked into the troubled blue ones of Justin. "Are you ready to come home with me?" he asked and held his breath waiting for the answer.