Justin moaned under the onslaught of Brian's mouth. It was strange how they were relatively so close in age, and yet, Brian's lips moved with such total finesse over his own. He worried that he would come up lacking in the kissing category. However, with the hardness that he felt straining in Brian's pants, and the enthusiasm he was putting into their kisses, Justin was somewhat confident that Brian was enjoying himself just as much as he was. "Brian..." Justin whimpered once Brian removed his mouth long enough to allow words to pass. Justin soon found that it wasn't to engage him in conversation, but merely to slide his mouth down the column of his neck, his hands tugging at the snaps on both of their jeans as his mouth continued to go to work.

"I could kiss you all fucking night, but I have this not-so-little problem that needs taken care of too," Brian rasped, his tongue scorching the skin of Justin's neck. Brian had always enjoyed kissing, but nothing compared to kissing Justin. The boy tasted like an addiction. At this point, Brian was uncertain if he would have his fill. "Let's lose these clothes. I really don't think we need them anymore."

Biting at his lip uncertainly, yet feeling his body quivering under Brian's touch, Justin knew this wasn't right. No matter how much he wanted Brian - in fact, he couldn't deny that he'd always wanted this moment with Brian - there was another factor in the mix now. Brandon. This wasn't fair to the man he had come to think of as his boyfriend. His feelings were so complicated regarding these two brothers. Even though he had probably rushed into a relationship with Brandon, much due to how hopeless he felt regarding anything developing between him and Brian, and Brian's callous treatment of him on a regular basis - Brandon didn't deserve this betrayal. Brian was Brandon's brother. This could never be relegated to a casual fuck. "I'm not sure we should be doing this, Brian."

Pulling his lips away from Justin's heated skin with a needful moan, Brian pierced him sharply with burning, intense eyes. "Are you saying you don't want me, Justin? If that's the case, I'll stop right now."

"No, I'm not saying that." Justin sighed. This was just all so awkward. "You know I want you, Brian."

"Good," Brian growled, his hands moving to push his pants down, his eyes expectantly lifting as he waited for Justin to do the same. "We've been fighting this since day one, Justin. It needs to stop now. The rest will fall into place... but for now, we both need this."

"What about your brother? You do remember him, right?" Justin challenged him, while realizing he was just as much to blame. He could barely keep in his thoughts the reason why he shouldn't be doing this. His desire for Brian completely overruled that glaring reality.

Brian swore as he rolled from the bed. As much as he had thought they were getting somewhere, obviously, they were not. At least - not where he had been trying to go. "Fuck..." he grumbled, pulling his pants up. "I don't get you, Justin. You were with me all the way. Don't tell me you were thinking about my brother when my tongue was halfway down your throat... or when our hard dicks were pushing against the other."

Shakily, Justin stood to his feet, careful to keep his distance from the wild-eyed man, then gave the appearance of a caged tiger ready to pounce. "Of course, I wasn't... and there's no need to be vulgar about it."

"Perhaps not, but that happens when my dick gets this hard, and no relief is in sight!" Brian glared at Justin for a long, silent moment, his eyes moving over his perfect body. "You need to make up your mind what you want, Justin; in particular - which brother. I'm not going to have you throw his name at me every time we get close to this happening."

"I'm not trying to do that, Brian. But just think about it. I'm still seeing your brother. Until I tell him otherwise, this just isn't right. And I think you know it too!"

"I don't know a damned thing. All I know is that my dick should be fucking you right now." Brian's eyes hungrily ate Justin up, his tongue sliding along his lips, mentally savoring the taste of Justin that still clung to his lips. "You want that too. Tell me differently - if you can."

A wistful smile curved Justin's lips. "I can't tell you differently. You know that, Brian. But I have to do what's right, at least what's right for me. I can't let you fuck me until I clear the air with Brandon. I owe him that much."

Brian snorted, his frustration, and anger at his brother spurring him on. "You don't owe him a damned thing."

"Did something happen between you and Brandon? You are usually so protective of him..." Brian's attitude toward his brother confused him most of all.

"I just had a wake-up call. Thankfully, it finally arrived." Brian shook his head, more than anything, he'd wanted to stay out of the middle of this, but it was wrong that Justin felt so guilty about what had nearly happened here tonight. In his mind - what should still be happening. He had seen Justin first... not Brandon. Fuck, he sounded like a teenager - even if only to himself. And yet, despite his anger at his brother, he didn't feel it was his place to tell Justin of his morbid deception. He wasn't so sure he could prevent from doing that now.

"What are you talking about, Brian?" Justin stared attentively at Brian, waiting for an answer that for some reason, he was sure he wouldn't like. Just as Brian was about to answer, harsh pounding began to reverberate on the door. They looked at each other in surprise as the knocking sounded again, this time even louder. It was the knock of someone desperate to be heard.

Brian strode to the door, flinging it open with an irritated look on his face; his eyes became wide and his face pale as he looked at the two officers standing at his door. There was no disguising the looks on their faces. This was bad. He felt the beginning of painful twinges striking like darts into his chest. "Officers? What's this about?"

They looked pointedly at each other before the older of the two, demanded, "Are you, Brian Kinney?"

Justin came to stand behind Brian, fear in his own eyes as he took in the despair in Brian's, along with the officers that were here to clearly do their duty - professionally, yet impersonally.

"I am." Brian's chest pounded even more painfully in his chest. This was the knock on the door he had always feared, but he hadn't expected it now. Brandon was fine. In fact, he was better than he'd ever been. What the fuck was happening? "Is it my brother?"

The younger, and more compassionate of the two officers stepped closer. "I'm sorry, son. There was an accident on I-376. Your brother seemed to have been drinking." The officers sighed remorsefully at the pained gasp that escaped the brunet. "He was in a head-on collision with a semi."

Sobs jerked from Justin's throat. "He's in the hospital, then. Right? Can you take us to him? P-please?"

Brian closed his eyes as the horror began to manifest fully in him. There wouldn't be a hospital visit. He was certain of it. In fact, he could feel it. "I don't think they are here to take us to my brother's bedside, Justin..."

The older officer continued, "I'm sorry, Mr. Kinney. Your brother was killed on impact. It was so instantaneous we don't believe he ever saw it coming, or even suffered as a result."

"Oh my God!" Justin gasped. "It can't be true. It just can't." Justin looked at the cold, emptiness on Brian's face. "Tell them, Brian. It's not possible. Brandon doesn't drink and drive. We were just with him hours ago!"

Ignoring Justin's outburst, the officers looked at Brian inquiringly. "I'm sorry for your loss, Mr. Kinney, but we need you to make a positive ID on the body. You don't have to come with us immediately, but we would like to get this done within the hour."

"How can you ask that of him?" Justin wailed. "You just told him his brother is dead... and you want him to identify the body? It's too much!!"

"Justin!" Brian snapped, his eyes sliding to where Justin stood quivering behind him. He was doing all he could do to hold it together, but he wasn't holding on by much. Brian was certain this shocking reality hadn't sunk in yet. He wasn't sure how long it took for news like this to not only be heard, but felt as well. At that moment, this all felt like a horrific dream. He had to finish it before he could either wake up or face the inevitable. "I'll come with you now."

"Thank you, sir." The officers stood and waited while Brian slipped into his shoes and coat, their eyes collectively on Justin moving to do the same. "We only need one of you for a positive identification."

"I'm doing this alone..." Brian slid an agitated look toward the man that had almost become his lover. That could never happen now. As he looked at Justin now, all he felt was bitter contempt - mostly directed at himself. He should have been more understanding of Brandon's feelings. Now it was too late. He had been in the act of seducing his brother's boyfriend at the precise time he had lost his life. Brian doubted no other realization would ever make him feel this low again.

Justin's lower lip quivered, as he brokenly asked, "Y-you don't want me with you? Not even for moral support?"

Brian laughed coldly. "Moral support? No, Justin. I don't need that. Most especially, I don't need that from you."

Eyes wide with disbelief, Justin watched Brian leaving with the officers, his heart breaking in more ways than one. He hadn't only lost Brandon tonight; Justin realized he had also lost the one man that he had always loved. Justin slid to the floor, and onto his knees, sobs overtaking him as the full loss, and guilt of his actions here tonight completely overwhelmed him. Unbeknownst to him, his uncontrollable sobs reached the man's ears that was just leaving to carry out the hardest task any brother ever had to do.

Justin wasn't thinking about all he had lost tonight. He was sure in future days that would come more to the forefront, but for now, it was about Brian and the torment he now endured. Not only had he lost his terminally ill brother prematurely, but he had also done so during actions he viewed as the ultimate betrayal. What even compounded it, he hadn't had the chance to say goodbye. Justin wasn't certain where they would go from here; however, one thing was for certain - it wouldn't be in the same direction they had been heading a short time ago.

His future days at Pitt University seemed bleak and positively unbearable. Justin didn't see any circumstances that would ever change that reality.

TBC