Justin tossed and turned all night, finally giving up around 7:30 in the morning. He took a shower and went to the restaurant in the hotel for breakfast. He was meeting Sam at the Bloom Gallery at 10:00, and they were going to review his latest pieces. It was 8:30 and he didn't have to leave for another hour. He returned to his room and pulled out his phone.

We've come this far and I'm not giving up. Daphne asked me what I would do if he drank again and I said I didn't know. Well, now I know. I'm going to call him on it and fight to get him back. He is not getting rid of me this time. I screwed up, left the loft a mess, but I never promised to be perfect either. Both of us can screw up.

His heart was pounding so hard he thought it would burst. After taking several deep breaths, he hit the speed dial # 1 on his phone.

"Kinney," Brian answered without looking at the caller ID.

"Hey," Justin answered nonchalantly, glad that Brian had answered.

Brian sat up in bed, his head pounding, despite the aspirin. "Shit. Fuck. Will someone tell the drummer to stop playing in my head," he said as he pushed his thumb and forefinger to the place above the bridge of his nose. "I gotta piss. I'll call you back," Brain directed and hung up.

Justin looked at the phone, wondering if the pod people really existed and had taken over Brian in his sleep. This wasn't the same Brian that he knew and loved. He paced the small hotel room, hoping Brian wouldn't suddenly change his mind and not call back.

Several minutes passed and then Brian returned his call.

"Hey. That's much better. My bladder was going to burst. Shit. My head hurts."

"I wonder why," Justin teased.

Brian was silent for several seconds. "Shit. I got drunk. You called. Shit."

"Yeah," Justin answered quietly. 

"I had a fucking bad day and that prick at Gaim went with those pussies, Haldon and Haldon. And... the loft was a mess." Brian looked around. "It's still a mess. Justin, I swear. We have a cleaning service, but I'm not your fucking butler. Hang up your clothes, for God's sake. Can't you pick up a few things?"

"Like I said last night, I was in a hurry."

"Plan better!" Brian barked. "I can't clean this shit up and I've got to look at it until you come back."

"You want me back?" Justin grinned as he heard Brian talk.

"Of course. You're a slob, but I knew that when you moved in."

"But last night..."

Brian racked his brain for a few minutes and the phone conversation came back to him. "I was drunk," he stated as a matter of fact.

"I know," Justin said, the sadness evident in his voice.

Brian sighed loud enough for Justin to hear on the other end. "I told you I wasn't perfect."

"I know, but..."

"I'm sure this headache will remind me not to do this again. So, how's the trip?"

"We're okay?"

"Yeah. Now, tell me what Sam says about your slides?"

Justin filled Brian in on his discussions with Sam and his upcoming visit to the gallery this morning. 

"Shit. I gotta catch my cab or I'll be late. Talk to you tonight."

"Tonight. Later," Brian said.

"Later," Justin repeated and hung up his phone. He smiled and said out loud, "Brian so loves me."

Justin spent the day with Sam, discussing his work and potential shows. Sam was pleased with the quality and quantity of Justin's work, and agreed that moving to Pittsburgh may not have been a disaster. He reminded Justin that he wanted to see him every month or six weeks, and that next time he came, he should attend an opening of a new artist. It was just as important to be seen as well as to paint. Justin finished up with Sam about 5:30, returning to his hotel. The last plane on Saturday was at 4:00, so he knew he'd have to wait until tomorrow to return. He was very pleased with the meeting, and decided to go clubbing while he was in New York.

He returned to his hotel to take a much needed nap before going out. He woke at 10:00, went to the restaurant to grab a pizza and then took a cab to Therapy, his favorite dance club, where he danced for a few hours and returned to the hotel. He was propositioned by at least half a dozen men, but he turned them all down. Horny when he returned to the hotel, he got out his phone and dialed Brian.

______________________________________

Brian had spent the evening with Gus and Mikey. Still unable to drive, Lindsay had picked him up and brought him to her home for dinner. He spent a few hours playing with Gus, and left with Michael to catch a rerun of Indiana Jones at the old theatre in town. Brian still refused to go to Babylon , so they ended up at Woody's playing pool.

Brian leaned his leg against the table as he set up his shot. The ball made it in the pocket and he readied his cue for another. He felt a tap on his shoulder and turned around to see a beefy, muscular guy giving him the look. Shaking his head in disinterest, he continued setting up his shot and continued until three shots later, when he missed the pocket.

"I swear you're better than you were before your accident. Did you and Justin secretly escape to Woody's while the rest of us worked?" Michael whined.

"No. Now are you going to play or what?" Brian answered in retort. 

Michael shot but missed his next ball. "Your turn."

A light-haired man with leather pants joined them at the edge of the table. He eyed Brian and remarked, "I'll play winner... and I'm not talking pool." He licked his lips as he smiled.

"Not interested," remarked Brian. "Now if you don't mind, you're killing my concentration." He chalked his pool cue and shot another two balls. 

"What's with you, Brian? Justin's not here and you're still turning down tricks?"

"Justin being here has nothing to do with this, Mikey. I told you before, getting a blow job while your leg's in a cast and you can barely stand on your own two feet just isn't appealing. Now will you finish the game? It's been a long day and I'd like to get home."

Michael shook his head, but took his turn. They finished their game in fifteen minutes and Michael took Brian home.

Brian had finished up in the bathroom and was climbing under the duvet when the shrill of his phone caught his attention.

Without looking at the ID, he answered, "Kinney".

"Hey," Justin said.

"You too. Was Therapy fun? Do any hot guys?" Brian sat up in bed, putting his pillows behind his back."

"Therapy was good, but it would have been more fun with you there. The back room isn't nearly as exciting without you there," Justin teased.

"So how many guys did you fuck?" Brian said as he stroked his cock.

"None. I told you I go to clubs to dance, not to fuck," Justin reminded him.

"So how do you know about the back room?" Brian challenged, playfully.

"Just teasing. Knew the mention of the back room would get you excited. I bet you're stroking that hard cock right now even as we speak."

"Twat," Brian laughed at Justin's teasing.

"I bet you're hard and your tip is leaking precum. I wish I was there to lick it off. You always taste so good." Justin lay on his bed stroking himself as he talked.

"What're you wearing?" Brian asked, trying to picture one of Justin's clubbing outfits.

"Nothing. I took a shower when I got back. I stank," Justin said, reminding him of their conversation from a few weeks ago.

"Are you on the bed?" Brian asked.

"Yes. Some awful floral print, probably came from J.C. Penney's," Justin lamented.

"Welcome to life in the hereto world. I bet you're stroking yourself as we talk. You never could resist my voice over the phone," Brian stated as he increased his strokes.

Justin increased the speed of his hand, "Talk dirty to me. I'm horny."

"Duh... You're always horny. Take your hand and play with your nipples. Twirl them tight. I bet they're tight little nubs. Pretend my hot mouth is on top of one, sucking and biting it as you arch up to push yourself into my mouth." Brian heard Justin's increased breathing and he continued. "Now I'm kissing all the way down to your rock, hard cock. Its leaking precum and I lap it up with my tongue. You lift your hips, hoping to stick your dick and your balls in my mouth. First I lick the slit, and then I engulf the whole shaft." Brian visualized Justin's body and he felt his own cock leaking fluid, and he increased his ministrations as well.

Justin heard Brian's increased breathing. "Take your finger and put it in your mouth, suck on it hard. Pretend it's my cock. Is it wet?" Justin directed.

"Yeah," Brian breathed.

"Good. Reach back and play with your hole. Stick your finger inside. Feel the moist, hot heat that your body generates. Imagine that I'm sucking your cock as I play with your hole." Justin directed.

"Justin..." Brian called out, as the cum shot over his fingers.

Justin felt himself tumble over the edge as Brian shouted his name. Grabbing the cloth, he placed by the bed, he wiped himself off. After a few minutes he caught his breath.

"Tomorrow, we'll try the real thing," he promised.

Brian grabbed some tissue, wiping himself. "What time's your flight? Are you taking a cab home?"

Justin smiled at the word home, glad that Brian was expressing his sentiment. "My mom is picking me up. I haven't seen her for a few weeks. She said she'll take me to lunch and then she wanted to see the studio. I can't believe she hasn't seen it since I rented it."

"Better keep Mother Taylor happy. I'll see you in the afternoon. I told Debbie that we couldn't make Sunday dinner since you were out of town. I have you to myself when you get back, but I may just have to punish you for the way you left the loft. Of course, that is after you clean up all your shit." Brian removed the pillows and placed them flat on the bed. Yawning, he said, "Later." 

"Later," Justin replied and shut his phone.
____________________________________________________

They lay in bed one Sunday evening, eight weeks after Brian got out of the hospital. "Tomorrow's the big day. No more cast. Are you excited?" Justin kissed Brian softly on the lips as he sat on top of Brian's chest. 

"I can't wait to get this monstrosity off my leg. The first thing I'm going to do is scratch for at least half an hour." Brian announced. 

"Oh," Justin said somewhat disappointed. 

"Twat. That is, after I race you home and fuck your sweet ass into the mattress," Brian assured Justin.

"That sounds like fun. I bet I won't be able to sit comfortably for days," Justin teased.

"I guess you'll be going to Babylon tomorrow night, find you some hot guys."

"Not tomorrow. I intend to spend the entire day in bed with a certain blond."

"Sounds like a plan. So I guess on Tuesday, you'll be going to Babylon and finding some hot guys," Justin stated.

"Oh, I had planned on hitting Woody's and the pool tables on Tuesday. It will be nice to really lean over the table and hit the ball properly." Brian reached out his hand, gently caressing Justin's face. "I don't plan on picking up any tricks there, either."

"Brian, what are you saying?"

"I'm saying it's been three months since I tricked, and I don't plan on doing it again."

Justin stared at him. "But Brian, you haven't been to Babylon during that whole time, and I remember your conversation with Michael at Woody's that first week. You told him that it would be rather difficult to pick up tricks with your cast. Don't make statements like that until..."

"Justin. I used to trick for all kinds of reasons. I was horny. I was mad. I was frustrated. You name it--it gave me a reason to trick. But you know what? I've been all those things in the last three months, and I haven't tricked once. I could have easily done it in the last few months. Once I got my walking cast, it would have been easy enough, but I didn't."

"Brian, don't make any decisions right now. Wait a few weeks and see if you feel the same. I don't want you to have any regrets."

"Justin, I only do the things I want to do. Don't you know that by now? Have you fucked anyone since you returned, Justin?" 

"No! I told you that you're enough for me."

Brian smiled, and kissed his lover. 

"Enough. All this talking is making my dick soft, and I'm horny. Bring that hard cock over here and let me suck it," Brian demanded.

Justin complied, and after Brian sucked him off, Justin returned the favor.