Justin had just dropped Molly off with his mom, it was the last night she would get to spend with her. His mom’s eyes were red and puffy, he hoped she didn’t hate him. He was to meet Daphne at a club on the ship but once he got there, he found out it was twenty-one and up and he could see Daphne inside making eyes at the bartender, she apparently didn’t need to be twenty-one. He got her attention to let her know he didn’t stand her up and waved her off when she tried to join him outside. He wanted her to have a good time.

He saw Brian walking his way as he made his way to his room the long way.

“Didn’t expect you out after earlier,” Brian said, Justin could tell he was angry but doing his best to conceal it.

“Why because my dad would rather kill me than have a gay son?”

“Ah, so you’re a drama queen.”

“I am not. I have a reason to be upset.”

Brian cocked an eyebrow. “We all have reasons to be upset, it doesn’t help to be a self-pitying fuck though.”

“You know what, fuck you.”

“Just what I was thinking.”

“What?”

“Want to go back to my cabin?”

“Uh-umm…yes.”

This was a mistake, just like earlier but he couldn’t say no to save his life.

They were barely through the door when he was shoved onto the bed. Unlike before, this was different, it wasn’t gentle and patient. It was rough and hard, not that he was complaining, anything but. Still, it felt like something was bothering the older man but as Brian so plainly put it earlier, this was just sex. His heart was already half in love with the enigmatic man but knew there was nothing to come from it. Maybe he would meet Mr. Right on this trip, but until then, he would take Mr. Right Now.

“Where were you?” Michael asked David as he came through the door of their cabin.

“Enjoying the fireworks show, I asked you to come.”

“I told you, I didn’t feel like it. We were supposed to spend time together on this trip, that’s what you said.”

“You’re always not up for anything. I can’t just sit around and watch television. So read your comic books and sit here and fall apart, don’t expect me to do it with you.”

Michael’s heart ached at the words his boyfriend was saying. “I thought you understood.”

“God, Michael, do you hear yourself? You act like you have some deadly disease; you are aren’t dying. Everything that is wrong with you is caused by you. Sometimes I can’t even look at you without feeling disgusted and sick to my stomach.”

That churning in his stomach that always came when David was like this returned. He hated it, all he ever wanted in life was to be happy. He was always on the outside of his own family. He wasn’t smart like Brian and Claire; both were pretty damn fearless to boot. He knew his mom and Uncle Vic always thought they could do anything, and they did. With him, they would say, “Michael tries.” Tries, keyword for fails.

It was the reason he always fought with them, they were perfect, and he was not. Claire may not be the beauty Brian was, but she had a sharp mind and wicked sense of humor. That wasn’t to say she wasn’t pretty; she just didn’t seem to make her looks and intelligence a package deal like Brian.

Brian, he had a love/hate kind of relationship with him. He was his cousin, so he loved him but oh how he hated Mr. Popularity. Brian in school never had time to acknowledge they were family let alone be friends. That left him alone and to be bully fodder. So, he found other ways of coping with the self-hate and pain he was feeling. Maybe that’s why he really hated him, Brian had been secure in his body and self a long time before he ever was. Brian didn’t wait for people to like him, just being himself made others want to be near him. Even after everyone found out he was gay. He wondered if Brian wasn’t with Uncle Vic if that would have happened. Probably, he was Brian Kinney after all. It used to bother him that Brian and Claire didn’t have the Grassi last name but then when Claire took it, it bothered him more. Maybe David was right, he was stupid and never going to amount to anything. He went to find his bag; he needed his razor.

Emmett was waiting for Ted to get shot down for the tenth time that night. He wondered if this guy was even gay, who knows, he didn’t even look like Ted’s type. Ted seemed to be grasping at straws right now.

“Buy you a drink?”

Emmett looked over and held back the gasp.

“Hi!” he said, hoping to cover his surprise.

“Hello, so about that drink?”

“Zach O’Toole is sitting here asking to buy me a drink. I would be an idiot to say no.”

“Call me Luke, please.” His face was so earnest, it was telling Emmett he was tired of the Zach O’Toole persona.

“Luke, it’s nice to meet you. I’m Emmett.”

They shook hands and Luke’s lingered on his for a few more moments than was needed. Emmett looked over to see where Ted was, but he was gone. Emmett guessed he got lucky, he just wished he could get over this feeling something was going to happen. His grandmother said it was someone walking over his grave…or someone else’s grave.

“Is everything alright?”

“I don’t know. I was here with my friend, but he’s gone now.”

“Maybe he got lucky.”

“You don’t know my friend.”

“There’s not much trouble he can get into on the ship.”

Emmett looked at the Adonis in front of him and had to agree. He was making this out of nothing. Ted would be fine.

“What’s your name?” Ted fought against the dizziness in his head, but it wasn’t helping. Why was the man asking him his name? Why couldn’t he make his mind and body to work together?

“Who are you?” he asked but that’s not what came out of his mouth. It was just slurred nonsense.

“Come on, we’re almost back to my cabin,” the man said, pulling on him.

His body was moving without his permission, he wanted to go back to Emmett, wanted to go back to his room. The guy really wasn’t his type, but he was nice and easy to chat with, he knew Emmett was watching him get shot down again and again. But this guy seemed to really like him, so when he got him the drink, he was happy. Now he felt like he would pass out. Something was in the drink; he knew it now. Why had he been so desperate to be with someone tonight. Now he was going to be a bit piece on the ten o’clock news.

What was this man going to do to him? Oh God, was he going to eat him? Cannibalized on a Caribbean Cruise, sounds like a TV movie of the week, Brian was so going to laugh his ass off about this.

He tripped but the man pulled him back up.

“Ted? Ted, what’s wrong, is he alright?” a new voice asked, a familiar voice.

“Yeah, I was just taking him back to his cabin,” the cannibal said.

“His cabin is nowhere near here. If you don’t mind, I’ll take him,” Claire sounded mad, but he couldn’t tell why.

“Hey, I was just trying to help.”

“I’m sure, well, you are no longer needed. I can help him to his room.”

Suddenly the man wasn’t supporting him anymore and he almost fell but Claire wrapped her arm around him, keeping him propped up. She wasn’t a track and field star in high school for nothing, she had some serious upper body strength.  

“He’s gone now. I don’t know if you’re going to be happy with me or pissed but since it doesn’t look like you can consent to anything, I don’t care. Just keep walking with me, the closest room to here is Brian’s. Let’s hope he’s in a better mood than earlier, I just don’t think you’ll be standing in another five minutes.”

They were about to start round two when someone started banging on his door. He ignored it until it started to slow down the show. He got up and answered the door, again without clothes.

“Jesus, Brian, no one wants to see that,” Claire said. She probably would have shielded her eyes, but she was doing her best to keep an almost unconscious Ted upright.

“What the fuck?”

“I found some creep taking Ted somewhere not even close to his room. Ted hasn’t been lucid enough to tell me what was going on.”

“Fuck. Who was it?”

“Just some creep. We can ask Ted tomorrow if he remembers anything. Should we take him medical and have him tested?”

“Here? I doubt they have the technology to fix a scrapped knee. He wouldn’t want to do that anyway, you know Ted.” He noticed Claire looking behind him, she shook her head. “You have no room to talk…for eternity,” he snarled at her. He was still pissed, not as much because a good hard fuck solves a lot.

“Is he even legal?”

“Of course,” he said before turning back to Justin. “Right?”

“Yep, eighteen.”

“See there, legal.”

“Barely.”

“Did you want help getting Theodore back to his room or the door slammed in your face.”

She glared at him and then wrinkled her nose. “Just put some damn pants on.”  

“I knew there was something wrong, I could feel it. Aunt Lula always said I had the gift.”

“You should have given it back since if you did know something was wrong you still let some creep take him. And Ted, only you can get almost murdered on a cruise ship,” Brian said, drinking his half decent coffee.

They were at breakfast, though Ted still looked a little green.

“Actually, quite a few people are killed on cruise ships.”

“Who brought Mary Fucking Sunshine?” Debbie asked.

“It would be rude to send him back to his room without nourishing him after last night,” Brian said. After seeing his sister’s reaction to Justin last night, he had to see it on the rest of the family this morning. He was pleasantly surprised although no one had spoken to Justin yet.

“Wait a minute, you’re the boy from last night. The one with the psycho dad,” Debbie said, really looking at Justin now.

“Yeah, he’s being kicked off this morning, my mom is going with him. My friend Daphne and I will be taking care of my sister. She was so looking forward to this trip and I think my mom and dad don’t need a nine-year old there to watch them fight.”

“Well, you’re welcome to join us anytime,” Debbie said causing Brian to glare at her. His plan to piss people off was backfiring and if he didn’t stop this the trick would be around all trip.

“He’ll be wanting to spend time the friend and his sister, not two old goats and the people that have to put up with them.”

He smiled at his dad because he knew the man knew he was joking. “You always were a brat,” his dad said, as he tried to ruffle Brian’s hair, but he moved in time.

Before anything more could be said Michael joined them. He was wearing long sleeves, but Michael always did dress like that, since they were teens. Brian would have to talk to him later about David.

“Uncle Mikey, Uncle David was kissing another man that wasn’t you last night,” Polly blurted out.

“Shit,” he said quietly.

The table got real quiet which was saying something this early with these people.

Michael turned hurt eyes towards David. “Why? All I asked was this trip. I know I’m not exciting but why here, why now?” Michael got up and left the table. Most of the table was glaring at David, who got up and followed Michael.

“Who wants to house Michael for the remainder of the trip?” his dad asked, his face sad.

“Umm…Daphne and I are moving into my parent’s suite to take care of my sister today; he can use our cabin.”

“Looky there, you really a Sunshine,” Debbie said, patting Justin’s cheek. He guessed he wasn’t getting rid of the twink now.