CHAPTER 18 - THE END AND THE BEN-TWIXING

MICHAEL

“There’s one more camera! It is in here!” I exclaim.

“No there isn’t.” He laughs. “Brian took it with him...Trigger.” 

“There’s a judge outside!” 

“Whatever I am going to do to you, everyone outside wants to happen. The one person that could’ve saved you is on her way to jail. Such a shame.” 

I take some deep breaths, then realise that this is the fat butted twink who I can easily beat. After all, I almost did it before. 

“Hunter is right.”

“About?” I drawl and walk towards him.

“Me being able to take you.” He replies.

“The moment I move you, which I will, suddenly everyone will come in and save you, like they always do!” 

“The only person that saved me is Brian. So come ahead, Trigger, move me.”

“You do realise that by inviting me to approach, that nullifies your plea of self defence?”

“Move me.” He repeats. 

I am about a foot away from him. “Last chance to let me out of here without any harm coming to you.” He just stares. “You can’t say you weren’t warned.” He does nothing as I get within touching distance. 

JUSTIN

“How’d that work out for you?” I ask an on the floor and wheezing Novotny or  should it be Grassi, but to me he will always be Nomatter. Who is wheezing because I punched him in the solar plexus. “I have been taking them…”

“Taking...what?” He croaks.

“Krav maga classes.” I reply as I open the door. “Whoa there!” I snort as Brian almost falls on top of me. ”Upsie!” I chuckle as I right him.

“Daisy!” He finishes like we always do. “Wow, I expected more damage than that.” Brian nods at Kemp who puts the cuffs back on. “You good?”

“All good.” I reply. 

“You just got a lucky punch, you bad for nothing but shit fucking shit!” Nomatter spits as he is hauled to his feet. 

“He is excellent at that! And at eight and half by two and a half, not little!” Brian snorts. “And it was you who got the lucky punch, Trigger, because 13 years of krav maga means that he could, and quite frankly should, have done more than that!” He tucks my hair behind my ears “Why so little?”

“Because I didn't want to be like him, another disappointment to you. He is enough. I want to be someone that you, Gus, and our next child are proud of. Me giving him the kicking he deserves also gives him what he wants, a way out, which is my fault. No matter the circumstances, it would be down to me. I could not do it.”

“You know, I have often wondered about that.” Ted frowns. “You always do it Bri. After our class, yes ours Novotny, we are all doing it. But again it was something you didn’t want to do, because you thought Brian wasn’t, but he was, just a different day from Justin. So we all could break you in half much like that toy but like Bri said, he needed this.”

“And the love making after each class...super hot!” I add. “Why do you think we got a bigger jeep? So we can go at it, quick, deep, down and dirty. Or in the loft, there was one time...”

“Tell me what did you wonder about Ted?!” A crimson faced Judge Russo interrupts.

“Why he tucks his hair behind his ears, he does that after class or when he is really angry. Why?” Ted smiles at the gurning Nomatter is doing.

“It grounds him.” Daph replies. Even I'm surprised by this, as I thought nobody knew but us. “I know you, you twit. When you are angry, you need to ‘come down’, and him tucking your hair behind your ears helps you do that. He is telling you ‘come back, come back to me’, and it works. You switch off, you turn off the hate, the anger, everything negative.”

“Oh how sweet! He has an off switch for his toy!” Novotny sneers. 

“If he can’t get a reaction from me, he gets it from you. So let’s give him the one thing he hates...kiss me.” I tell Brian and he does so, but not where I expect. He lifts my hair and kisses my scar. 

“Your honour.” He points at Nomatter.

“Take him away!” Judge Russo orders, soon it is just us, our true family and friends, sitting in silence. “Well, as evenings go, this was eventful! It reminds me of that Alistair Sims movie about the nurse or someone who killed herself, and they gathered all the people that were pivotal in her decision to take her life...now what was it called? It will come to me. Ah, An Inspector Calls! That was it! You should watch it, a classic.”

I start grinning. "If it was made before 1970, and it's black and white, then Brian will have watched it already." 

Brian looks at me with his adorable tongue-in-cheek-grin. "More than once, to be honest. Where do you think I got the idea for this little gathering from?" 

“I know I should be pissed, but lucky for you, I am not, because this could only be done by you, Asshoe. So now what?” Debs asks.

“You leave it with me, Carl and Mel.” Judge Russo smiles. “They have suffered long enough. Time for this to end.”

BRIAN

“Justin.” I mock grumble as he slithers into my lap. He only does this when he is super happy. I laugh as he wiggles between my legs, then remember our trip to Bora-Bora…

Start of flashback

ST REGIS HOTEL, BORA-BORA - SIX MONTHS PRIOR

SUITE

BRIAN

“It will fade, right?” Justin looks pensively at the henna tattoo, I had spent most of the night trying to stop him from scrubbing it off. “Brian, it will, won’t it?”

“Yes, it will. It will fade naturally. It is organic henna, so it will be fine, and it will be gone in three weeks.” I look out the window. It is so sunny, but I know him. “So if I get it into every nook and cranny, can we sit outside for a couple of hours?” He walks out of my embrace, then rummages in his case before pulling out a cock-sock. “Over here, now.” I order, for twenty minutes he laughs and squeals as I cover him from head to toe. “There you are slathered to perfection!” I declare, then open the balcony door, only for the heavens to take that moment to rain down on us. “You have got to be fucking with me?!”

“So what?! Come on!” Justin laughs heading outside. “Think of it as a natural spring! Come rinse me off, Stud!”

I am incredulous as he dances in the torrential rain. “Get back in here! We have neighbours!” 

“You can fuck in public, but not dance in the rain?” He shouts as he shimmies across the deck. “You really are an oxymoron! Whoo hoo, look at my hips rock in my cock-sock!”

“I can’t believe I am doing this!” I mutter as I peel off my shorts and go join him.

“Take me dancing, naked in the rain…” Justin sings then turns to me smiling...with his phone. 

“You are not recording this?!” I gasp, covering my dick.

“Of course I am!" He says, before starting to sing again." I'm singing in the rain, all naked in the rain...wait, I found the song!  Listen!” 

It's so hot in here, oh

I'm in over my head

Fire fills me, hot and red

Raging like a blood red sun

Fire fueled by deeds undone

Burning and I just can't wait to give a helping hand to fate

Change this crazy world around, first we gotta cool down

Take me dancing naked in the rain

Feel it washing over me, oh oh

Join me dancing naked in the rain

Cover me in ecstasy, oh

Oh oh

Smoke is in my eyes

Drifting from the burning cries

Of those who have no strength to stand

Against the fire in the land

Come and wash away the pain, step into the blessed rain

Cool the fire in your soul, the rain will make you whole

Take me dancing naked in the rain

It’s washing over me, oh oh

Join me dancing naked in the rain

Cover me in ecstasy

Take me dancing naked in the rain

Feel it…

“Can you feel it?” I ask, he nods and I stop his shimmying. "Let me make you whole, cover you in ecstasy and let the rain wash the pain away!" I whisper.

“What pain?” He queries as he rubs his arms.

“Having had to deal with him every day. Two things are going to happen, first since Carl got involved: we will find out who attacked you, and second it’s done. Him and I are done as best friends. How can he not see that it is now you? Even though you know, he needs to be told that I put you before him. After Gus, you my blue eyed beauty are the second most important person in the world to me. You are my very important second...we should get that tattooed...” He stops me with a gentle smooch.

“Thank you, I am honored to be your VIS." He smiles at my frown. “Very important second! It's the best position I have ever been in, which is saying quite a bit!" 

I sigh as he looks at the room and continues to rub his arms. “You’re regretting the rain dance aren’t you?”

“So very much!” He chatters.

“You twat!” I snicker as I carry him back inside. "So the cover-you-in-ecstasy part.."

“Too fucking cold! Seriously, I need a bath and hot chocolate!” He mutters then sneezes.

“I love that only you can get a cold in seconds.”

“Shut up and set the bath!”

TWENTY MINUTES LATER

“Feeling better?” I ask, knowing the answer is yes as we sit in the bath with him having hot chocolate and humming.

He stirs the mug with a finger of Twix. “Want a bite?”

“No thanks. That abomination is for you and you alone.”

“Just a tiny nibble.” He smiles, but there is something in that smile.

“The things I do for you. You know I don’t...” I am stopped by him putting his Twix finger in my mouth. “Why didn’t you tell me this tastes so good?!” I turn his giggling self around.

“Because you get how you get. For example the avocado, egg and sausage muffins or the wings and waffles!” I look around the room. “Which means?” He jabs me gently. 

“I have told Christian not to cook them without me being there.” I hand him the other finger, then am mesmerised as he sucks off the chocolate, my heart skips a beat as he peels and drops the caramel layer down his throat. It is when he bites down on the biscuit that I have had enough of his teasing. “Come here you!”

BRITIN - FOUR DAYS LATER

KITCHEN

BRIAN

“What are you doing, Michael?! Put that back!” I order as he goes to open the Twix.

“I like it, so…”

“Since when?” Ben snorts. “The first and only time you tried it, you said it gave you a…”

“How dare you come into our home and behave like that?” I snap. “It is the last one, and…”

“You don’t eat Twix, he does, so it doesn’t matter!” Michael snickers. My temper abates when Ben takes it off him, puts it in the fridge then stands in front of it. He glowers at him for a few seconds before going back to rummage. “Oooh Marathons! When did you start getting them?!” 

“Michael, pay attention!” Ben snaps as he catches on. “Stop it!”

“Justin did. And he matters immensely to me.” I ball my fists as he just shrugs then takes one out. “Put it back or I'll break off your fingers!” 

“Break off my fingers?” He repeats. “Did you really just say that?! Ben, did you hear him?!”

“Yes I did. And like he said, put it back.” Ben replies. “For God sake show them the same respect they show us. This is theirs, leave it to them. I am sorry, Brian, sometimes he just does not know his place.”

“My place!” Michael shouts. “This is Brian's house, as his best friend I am entitled...” 

"Entitled?! You sure as hell are that, but this is not my house, it is our home, mine and Justin’s. And if you ever do that again, as well as breaking off your fingers, I will shove them so far up your ass you will be able to frot yourself!”

“Frot yourself?” Ben blinks at me. “Did you really just say that? To Michael?”

“Yeah.” I retort ready to square up.

“About fucking time. Once more Michael, put it back!”

“What’s going on?” Justin asks as he comes from back from shopping, then sighs. “Why the hell are you in this box? How did you even find it? Brian, why...”

“Not me! Came in to find him with it!” I fume.

“So you two are taking it to the loft, then nobody but you can have it?” Ben suggests.

“A great idea.” I kiss his forehead, when I catch the look that Michael is giving us, I am about to say something but Ben's head shake stops me. “Fine. Let’s get this shopping unpacked. Oh you have a delivery.” 

“Yeah I saw. Let’s put them in too.” He opens the box from Hotel Chocolat. “I got your favourites. Plus did a double order of the body products.”

“Sounds very fancy and expensive.” Michael snipes. “You sure know how to spend Brian’s money, by masquerading it as something he likes.”

“It’s not his money, it is mine, millionaire here too remember? But if you are extra nice, maybe Ben would be inclined to treat you. But since you are far too parsimonious to treat anyone but yourself, or Brian, at a cost to me and Ben, he most probably won’t.” Justin returns then goes back to unpacking. “Oh and Ben these are for you.” He hands him a huge bag of sour cherries.

“Ugh you know I don’t like those, why did you buy them?!” Michael demands.

“Because you are not Ben and I bought them for him.” Justin continues to unpack, whilst Michael looks stunned.

“Want a chocolate Ben? You can have the Twix if you want. He bought more.” I ask then contain my snort as he and Justin share it whilst I make coffee. Michael just sulks in his chair like a toddler. “Oh for pissing hell sake!” I growl as the toy he gave us topples over again. “I have had enough of this shit!” 

“Brian, what are you doing?!” Michael demands as I head to the bin with it. “I gave you that!”

“And it, like you, is annoying, and we get rid of annoying things!” Justin snarks.

“At least I wouldn’t be so cheap and desperate as to get my ass branded with my fuckbudy’s handprints! Come on, Ben, I want to go home!”

“Then call a cab.” Ben returns. “You want to go home, I don’t.”

“Wait, Brian don’t…” Michael pleads. “What did you do that for?!

“Because you need to hear me, as you have always said actions speak louder than words!” I dump the snapped remains of the toy in the bin then turn to Ben. “What taxi firm do you use?”

“It is fine, Brian.” Christian suddenly appears. “I am going to meet some friends, so will drop him off. And take the box etc to the loft.”

End of flashback

BRIAN

“God there was a camera in the kitchen?!” Ben exclaims. “And it was, like the others, in the toy. I remember Christian almost had to keel haul him away from the bin.” We just look at each other as realisation dawns. “Hang on, who were the henna hand butt prints on?”

“Me. Only Justin can make me do anything. Jesus. He was...wow.” I scrub my face.

“Ass branded? You two have...I eat in there!” Jen exclaims.

“Not one word, from anybody!” Debs declares, there is silence, before she chuckles. “Can make you do anything, huh? So are there any other adornments we need to know about?” She teases.

“We got each other's cocks tattooed on our coccyx.” I smile at their incredulity.

“Kinney and Taylor or as we know and love them better as the Stud and his Sunshine!” Ted chuckles. “Promise to never change?”

“We promise.” We grin, but in our laps our fingers are crossed.

COUNTY JAIL - TWO HOURS LATER

MICHAEL’S CELL

MICHAEL

I check my ribs for bruises, but there is nothing there. As usual, I am left with nothing, but in court, they will understand and see where the fault lies. It lies with Brian for leading me on, with Boy Wonder for leading him away, and with Ben for sleeping with him. By the time I am done weaving my tale of woe, I will be out of here in no time!