Wild Child

Chapter 27

Justin's shoulder leaned against Brian's and he smiled as Brian turned to look into his eyes. He was sitting at a jazz concert with Brian Kinney and they both seemed to be enjoying themselves. This was what he had always wanted - a life with Brian. Wasn't that the title of some old movie? He'd have to look that up and see what it was all about. A little giggle escaped his lips.

"What?" Brian whispered.

"I'm having such a good time," Justin smiled.

"You like the music?"

Justin hesitated. Truthfully he had barely heard any of the music. He was just so happy to be there with Brian, to be close and touching, simply existing in the same space and time, somehow connected in all the important ways. "I've hardly heard the music. I just like being here with you."

Brian smiled. "Me too."

The audience started clapping and the concert was over. They both stood and stretched and watched the people start to make their way out of the park.

"Let's go sit over there and wait till everyone's gone," Justin suggested.

"Good idea," Brian agreed and they made their way over to one side of the concert area. There was a bench that had been vacated and they sat down.

"This was a great idea," Justin stated.

"I'm glad you liked it. I wasn't sure."

"Jazz isn't exactly my favorite thing, but this was pretty tuneful. I enjoyed it."

"Good," Brian replied and gave Justin's hand a squeeze. Somehow it had found its way into Brian's.

"How long do you think it will take for the area to clear out?"

"Does it matter?"

"No," Justin grinned. He was right where he wanted to be.

"What did you do while you were in Europe?" Brian asked suddenly.

"Do?" Justin asked somewhat taken aback.

"You know, paint, go to museums … fuck guys?"

Justin didn't know quite what to make of that. He had already told Brian there had been other men, but none who was very important. "Why are you asking this?"

"I guess I want to know if you found someone better than me. I never found anyone who measured up to you." Brian had decided that it was time to really press his point. He was getting good at this baring-the-soul stuff.

"There's no one better than you," Justin said softly.

Brian looked into Justin's face. He wasn't mocking him. "That's not what you said a few days ago."

"I can change my mind, can't I?"

"You mean that?"

"I … Brian, these last few days have been magical, just the way I always imagined it could be. You have changed. I can see that now."

"Do you think you can trust me again?"

"I'm working on it."

Brian smiled and leaned over for a kiss. The park was pretty well empty and they were in a secluded spot. Justin leaned forward and their lips came together with the usual impact they felt whenever they were near each other. The kiss lingered and continued. Finally as Brian's tongue sought entrance to Justin's mouth, Justin backed away breaking the kiss.

"What's wrong?" Brian frowned.

"I still want to go slow."

"I know, but there's slow and then there's dead stop," Brian protested.

"Let's go to Babylon," Justin said out of the blue.

"Babylon? What the hell for?"

"To dance."

"Dance?"

"Yeah, you stand up and move your hips to the music," Justin giggled.

"I know what dancing is, but why Babylon? I'm getting too old for that place."

"You still own it, don't you?"

"Yeah, but I don't dance there much anymore," Brian responded. About the only thing he did there was use the back room. "Why do you want to go there?"

"I'd like to see if it's how I remember it," Justin said somewhat nostalgically.

"None of the old gang will be there," Brian cautioned.

"I know," Justin sighed. You could never really go back. "What's Emmett doing these days? I lost touch with him."

"His business is doing really well. He still hasn't found anyone permanent in his life, but he seems to be enjoying himself. He doesn't hang out at Babylon like he used to."

"Do you think we'd see Todd up against a wall if we went to the back room?" Justin giggled.

Brian snorted. "Todd lives in that back room. He'll still be there when he's ninety."

"Ew, gross!"

Brian chuckled at Justin's wrinkled nose, and leaned in to kiss it. Justin gasped at the intimate gesture and then leaned forward for a better kiss on the lips. He felt himself grow hard as Brian's arms came around him and this time he opened his mouth to Brian's tongue. No one kissed like Brian Kinney.

When Brian finally ended the kiss, they were both hard and breathless. Brian leaned his forehead against Justin's as they sucked in much needed air.

"I think we better get out of here before we get arrested."

"Stockwell isn't mayor, is he?"

"Bite your tongue," Brian reacted.

"I'd rather have you bite it," Justin giggled.

Brian realized how much he had missed the sound of Justin's laughter, and his lips and his body. "Let's go."

They quickly made their way out of the park since the crowds had really thinned. Once they were back in the car Brian asked, "Do you really want to go to Babylon?"

"Yeah, I think it would be … interesting."

Brian shrugged but headed the car in that direction. They weren't exactly dressed for clubbing, but Brian was hoping that neither one of them was going there to pick up a trick. That was the last thing he wanted at the moment. He glanced over at Justin noting the small satisfied smile that sat on his blond's lips. He hoped Justin was enjoying the evening as much as he was.

When they pulled up in front of Babylon, there was a line of wannabe clubbers along the length of the building.

"Looks like business is booming," Justin observed.

"I'm not complaining," Brian smirked. He slid the Mercedes into his parking spot in the alley beside the building. They got out of the car.

"Do you think they'll let us in?" Justin giggled.

"They fucking better, if they want their jobs."

Justin grabbed Brian's hand and held on tight as they walked around to the front. At the corner Brian stopped and looked at Justin. He could feel the tension in the man's body. He raised an eyebrow looking at Justin quizzically.

"I'm nervous," Justin admitted.

"Nervous?"

"It's been a long time since I was in Babylon. I'm … older."

"Aren't we all," Brian observed with a rueful smile. "But you still look exactly like you did the first time you came to Babylon."

"That's not true but it was nice of you to say it," Justin smiled.  

"We don't have to go in." Brian didn't want Justin to end this evening on a sour note. If Justin was worried about what might happen inside then it might be better not to go in at all.

"I … I want to," Justin said trying to convince himself that it would be just like old times.

"Then let's go. You'll be fine. You're with me."

Justin couldn't wipe the grin off his face at Brian's words. He was with Brian Kinney, owner of the club, stud of Liberty Avenue, handsomest man on the face of the earth. What was he worried about?

The bouncer deferentially admitted them knowing only too well about the wrath of Brian Kinney. Once inside, Justin took a deep breath as they entered the main dance floor. At first nothing happened as they headed towards the bar. No one seemed to notice them. But gradually there was less laughter and talking. Eyes started to follow them. Brian's hand held Justin's as they approached the bar.

"Two Chivas Regal," Brian ordered as he pulled Justin up against the bar and against himself. He wanted everyone to know that he was with Justin and Justin was his.

Brian held up his glass after the bartender set them in front of the two men. Justin picked his up and looked into Brian's eyes. He waited to see if Brian would say anything or simply down the drink like he usually would.

"To time and its healing qualities … and to the future whatever it holds … for us."

Justin smiled. That was just right. He clinked Brian's glass and they downed their drinks.

"Dance with me," Justin asked holding out his hand.

Brian raised an eyebrow, but at this point he could refuse Justin nothing. He held out his hand and they made their way onto the dance floor. For whatever reason, the music changed just then and they began playing "Dancing Queen" by Abba.

"Where did that come from?" Brian asked looking around.

"Remember the night of Pride," Justin said a nostalgic look in his eyes.

"I remember, stud," Brian grinned.

Justin smiled and allowed himself to be pulled into Brian's arms. They swayed to the music, Brian's arms around Justin's waist and Justin's arms resting on Brian's shoulders. The rest of Babylon swirled around them. Their foreheads came together and they held each other letting all the memories of that night flow over them.

"We did have some happy moments, didn't we?" Justin asked pulling his head back so he could look into Brian's eyes.

"Yeah."

"I seem to have forgotten a lot of them until now."

"I'll remind you," Brian said as he swung Justin around.

"I'll count on that."

They both liked the sound of those statements.

"Want to go to the back room?"

"Um … no."

"I thought you might want to say hello to Todd," Brian smirked.

"I can live without doing that," Justin said as their song ended.

"Let's get another drink."

They went back to the bar and ordered another round. They sipped these, as they watched the activity on the dance floor.

"I wish Emmett was here," Justin said. "He was always … entertaining."

Brian snorted. "Haven't you contacted any of the old gang since you've been back?"

Justin shook his head. "I didn't think they'd be too happy to see me."

"Debbie would love to see you."

"You think so?"

Brian nodded. "You were her Sunshine. Of course, she'd want to see you."

"Even after me leaving you?"

"They never knew the whole story."

"They didn't?" Justin asked. But of course Brian wouldn't tell them what was really going on between himself and Justin. They wouldn't know about the visits to New York, or of Justin's return visits to Pittsburgh, even though they were few. They wouldn't know about the offer to go to Europe. They wouldn't know that Brian had stayed in touch until then, and afterwards had cut all contact. They would have thought that Justin just left them all behind. Brian would have kept all that to himself like he did with so many things. He would have suffered in silence.

"If you're planning on staying in Pittsburgh, you may want to reconnect with these people," Brian said smugly.

"I may, may I?" Justin grinned. "Who said I was staying?"

"I was hoping," Brian admitted with his best puppy dog eyes.

Justin laughed. "You need to take lessons from Michael on how to use that pitiful puppy look. You can't carry it off."

"I thought it was worth a try."

"It won't be your puppy dog eyes that will keep me in Pittsburgh," Justin stated.

"And what will keep you here?" Brian asked pushing his semi-hard cock against Justin's groin.

"That certainly is a factor," Justin said somewhat breathlessly. "But it's not the only factor." Justin gently pushed Brian away.

"Any other persuasive items I could promote?" Brian asked putting his lips very close to Justin's.

Justin sucked in a breath and backed up trying to gain his equilibrium. "Um … did I tell you that Sidney wants Lindsay to stop by the gallery tomorrow? He wasn't aware she was here until I mentioned it this afternoon. He really would love to see her."

"Lindsay's going back to Toronto tomorrow evening," Brian said.

"Maybe she could stop by on the way to the airport."

"I don't know," Brian said. "I'll tell her, or you could tell her when you come home with me tonight." Brian raised an eyebrow hopefully.

"You still trying to get me to put out?"

"Not unless you want to."

"I want to."

"You do? You mean you'll come home with me?"

"That's what I mean," Justin grinned.

"Then what the fuck are we doing standing here?"

Brian grabbed Justin's hand and practically ran from Babylon. A lot of heads turned to watch them leave. Most of the patrons knew who Brian Kinney was, but the vast majority was too young to know the Brian and Justin saga. A few of the older dancers stopped and watched them make their hasty exit. They smiled as they remembered the old days. The two would be going home to fuck. In the old days their fucking had been legendary. And they still looked damn hot.

Brian and Justin flew out the door of Babylon without so much as a look at the hordes lined up waiting to get in. They hurried along the street and turned into the alley where the car was parked. Brian pushed Justin against the Mercedes door and spread his body atop the smaller frame. His lips captured Justin's in a scalding kiss that left them both panting and hard.

"I want you," Brian growled.

"God, I want you so much. Get us home," Justin ordered.

"We could go to the loft," Brian said. "It's closer."

Justin nodded.

Within minutes, Brian screeched to a halt in front of the loft. He squeezed the Mercedes into a parking space that was barely big enough and then leapt out of the car. Justin got out of the car more slowly and looked up at the top floor of the building.

"Come on," Brian ordered, the front door already open.

"It hasn't changed much," Justin said as he walked towards the doorway.

"Did you expect it would?" Brian pushed his lover through the door and pressed the button for the elevator.

"What's it like in the loft?" Justin asked as Brian pushed up the gate as soon as the elevator arrived.

"Not much different than the last time you were there."

"Really?"

"You'll see in a minute," Brian said as the elevator made its way to the top. He wanted to grab Justin and ravish him on the spot, but something told him to keep his distance.

Brian shoved up the gate and quickly unlocked the door to the loft. Justin hung back staying inside the elevator.

"Are you coming?" Brian asked as he pushed the heavy loft door back.

"Or going," Justin murmured.

"Or coming and staying," Brian said remembering that first time he had brought Justin to the loft.

"I … I feel like that scared kid the night you first brought me here," Justin admitted taking a step out of the elevator.

"But you're not. You're a grown man with a great career. You make your own decisions."

"Yeah, I do, but this feels too weird. It's like going back."

"Or going forward into new territory."

"What does that mean?"

"We'll be equals this time. You aren't that scared teenager who wanted to lose his virginity."

"But there's still a piece of that scared little virgin deep inside me."

"And that's why I … love you. You'll always have that element of being my young twink no matter how long we're together."

"And how long do you think we might be together … this time?"

"If all goes well … forever," Brian whispered staring into Justin's eyes.

Justin felt his heart twist in his chest. If only he could believe that. It was what he had wanted so desperately all those years ago, and now Brian was saying it, meaning it. But could he trust that that was what would happen? From past experience he knew Brian threw him out at the first problem that arose. How could he believe that things would really be different?

Brian watched the doubt flitter across Justin's face. He had hurt his boy so many times, and Justin wasn't ready to forgive him and accept the new Brian yet. "I'll do my very best to talk to you and not make rash unilateral decisions," Brian promised meaning it from the bottom of his heart.

Justin smiled just a little bit. That, at least, was a promise that Brian could keep. That he would try, Justin did not doubt. It was the carry through that might be the problem.

"I thought we came here to fuck," Justin said.

Brian raised a brow. Obviously Justin didn't want to continue talking about this. "I'm ready if you are."

Justin chuckled. "And when have you ever not been ready?"

"Is that a criticism?"

"Hell no!"

"Then get that fabulous ass of yours inside. I have plans for it."

Justin felt a shiver run through his body. Brian Kinney still had that kind of effect on him. He scurried through the door and heard Brian slam it closed behind him. He heard the lock click into place. His heart was hammering in his chest. There was no going back now. But he didn't want to anyway.