THE RED HOODY

Chapter 4

The White Tower/The Diner at Seven PM

   It was a few hours later.

   Justin and Molly were still in shock over the recent revelations. They dropped Molly's things off at the hotel. Molly seemed to have grown up a lot since Justin had left home but she was still young enough to warrant looking after. However, she proved herself quite capable with Gus and was extremely glad to get away from Jennifer's unhealthy lifestyle. She no longer seemed spoiled at all and in fact continually looked for ways to share and help look after Gus.

   With a few hours to spare, they went to a fast food place to mull things over and ordered the kids a hot dog each. Brian cut Gus' in half.

   "No whining!" Brian admonished, when Gus predictably started to whine. "We're going to dinner soon and you'll spoil your appetite. You can have a burger then."

   Justin looked all moony.                                                                                                                           

   "Really!? OK Daddy!" Gus started to eat his hot dog.

   Brian caught Justin's look and gave him a look of his own. "What the fu - uh-what's with the look?"

   "Oh....You just sounded so much like a dad right then. It was really hot."

   "Oh shut up, you sentimental tw- uh...you know... what!" But there was no malice in his voice.

   "Brian?"

   "What is it, Molly?"

   "What's going to happen to my mom?"

   "I don't know for sure. I won't sugar coat it hon. She'll probably spend some time in the slammer. But when the trial comes around, Justin and I will try everything in our power for an insanity plea. It was clear she needs some real help."

   "I think so too. I - I just had no idea. She seemed so normal. Well, as could be expected anyway. After you left for Cali - I mean, Ethan took you, she reverted back to her shopaholic ways. We never exactly went without but there was never really any extras either. Nothing fun for me. And she ditched the groceries and went back to the specialty foods and caviar again. I swear, I was on the verge of getting gout from all the organ meats I was eating. This hot dog is divine!" And she took a big bite of the concoction slathered in mustard, relish and ketchup.

   Brian and Justin chuckled at her antics.

   "Molly, I want you to come live with us. We'll be your guardians from now on, if you want. We live in West Virginia in a mansion. Well, It's rather bigger than a mansion really. Kind of a castle."

   "What do you mean...a castle?" Molly asked suspiciously.

   "You'd better show her. She'll never believe you," Brian said, chomping on the other half of Gus' hot dog.

   Justin sighed and handed over his phone.

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   Justin and Brian stepped off the glass elevator. Justin sighed in satisfaction as the doors closed, sealing them off from the outside world at last.

   Justin absentmindedly put the keys on an endtable and wandered over to a window and was again treated to a breathtaking view of the castle, the grounds and the countryside beyond, many miles in the distance.

   "My God," he breathed, "I've never seen anything so beautiful in my entire life."

   "Me neither," replied Brian. He was nowhere near the window.

   "What are you talking about? You're way over there."

   "Where I'm standing, the view is hotter than the middle of August. There's just one thing wrong with it."

   "What do you mean? What's wrong?" Justin turned. His eyes widened.

   "A certain blond boy still isn't naked!" growled Brian, who was completely naked. He must have just stepped out of his clothes it happened so fast. Every huge muscle was on mouthwatering display.

   Justin opened his mouth but he had no idea what he wanted to say and next moment it didn't matter because Brian pounced. His soft tongue was filling his open mouth, his hands were all over him and he was ripping his clothes off. In a few moments, Justin too, was completely nude. Brian picked him up, threw him over his shoulder and carried him triumphantly down the spiral staircase to the Kasbah where he threw him down on the bed and refused to let him get up out of it for several days.

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   They spent those days and nights blissfully happy, kissing, sucking, rimming, and fucking. They slept. They awoke, drowned in each other's eyes and began again.

   They only got up to wash, relieve themselves and eat. They knew now there was definitely magic in the castle now. Whenever they went upstairs there was food served on a silver tray, exactly what they had been craving. And when they had eaten their fill and gone downstairs again the sheets were changed and bed made up and not only that, the bedroom was made up, even changed in a new and drastic way. It was beyond what the Wards had ever done and quite possible beyond what they could have done.

   When they had first come down the bed was an elaborate affair with cushions everywhere and blue silk see through curtains. The round walls were stone. The whole thing was done up to look like an Arabian Kasbah.

   When they next came down, they gasped. The stone walls were gone and were replaced with glass. Behind the glass was a wraparound aquarium with water stretching out into the distance and fish of all kinds and color swimming around. Once they scattered to make way for a shark. And once, the most incredibly (and terrifying) a huge whale swam toward them, growing huger and huger and then somehow disappeared over them.

   "It's gotta be a hologram or something," rationalized Brian.

   "It's not! Brian look! It's glass!" Justin tapped once experimentally.

   Well, whatever the case the bed had also changed. It was now in the shape of a giant clam and it was discovered it was now a water bed. After they had made love that night and were settling down to sleep, the top of the clam lowered down upon then in a somewhat scary way until they realized it wasn't closing all the way and the top was curved and spacious. They were in their own world, a bubble of safety that could not be broken. The whole thing was so wondrous, Brian had to give Justin another deep kiss. Then another. And another. Sometimes kisses are like potato chips. You can't stop with just one. Of course, Brian ended up in Justin's ass one more time before they fell asleep in exhaustion.

   The next night they came down and they were in a jungle. The floor was overgrown and birds and monkeys were overhead. The bed had a covering of mosquito netting and the mattress was spongy and green like moss. It was delightful.

   On the fourth day they got a nasty shock but got over it pretty quickly. The last stair dropped them down on a round, white sponge-y surface. And everywhere else at the edge of the sponge-y, cotton-ey floor was sky. There was nothing. They were in the air and somehow on a cloud. The cloud was like a dream, soft and form fitting and at the same time bouncy like a trampoline.

   They were transported with joy. They bounced and hopped and rolled and jumped and hollered in abandon. They rolled around together and made love on a cloud. And when they were done, they simply lay down and pulled more cloud over them and it was like being rolled up in a cotton ball.

   On and on it went, each night was a different theme with new and different delights and they took advantage of them all.

   Three days in, Justin felt it happen.

   He was on his back. Brian was over him and they were looking deep into each other's eyes. Brian was speeding up and hitting his prostate every time. Justin moaned and writhed on the mossy bed. The sensations were incredible.

   "Oh God, Sunshine! I love you! I love you so fuckin' much!" Brian yelled and kissed him hard.

   They pulled back and Justin wrapped his hands around Brian's neck and urged him deeper. They never broke eye contact.

   "I love you," they said at the same time.

   Brian speeded up. He moved like a jackhammer and then faster and faster still until he was that wonderful blur that only the Beast could do.

   Justin's eyes widened as he watched Brian's eyes begin to glow. They were gold with brown flecks today but as Justin watched the brown flecks faded and the gold brightened into a fantastic light, a flame that reflected his perfect happiness and love. He speeded up if that were possible and both men neared their climax. Justin never looked away from his Beast with the golden eyes, a beast made beautiful.

   It was right then that Justin knew he would never want another lover, could never have another lover. Even if things...changed... tomorrow and he and Brian were separated, that would be it for him. He would never take another lover again. In that moment, Justin married himself, his heart and soul to Brian and he sealed it with a kiss.

   They both came in a flash at the same time. Streams of ropy cum covered Justin's chest. At the same time Brian pumped his seed deep into Justin's sweet, sweet ass.

   And as he did, Justin felt an electric current jolt through him. It shot through him like a second orgasm and he shouted and gripped Brian's shoulders hard. And then there was another, lesser shock. And another. And another. And all the while Brian's eyes were glowing like two shining, golden stars.

   And then it was over. Brian collapsed on top of him. His eyes faded to normal. They cooled.

   But with the cooling, Justin felt different. There was a sated feeling but this time it was different, an extra relaxation as if his very bones were turned to Jello and his soul was satisfied, like when he put the last dab on a canvas and called his painting complete. And he could feel something else too. He felt...him. He could feel that it was not just the two of them anymore. It was an awareness, the kind you get when someone enters the room behind you and you are no longer alone. It could have been creepier but Justin knew where it was coming from and furthermore that the entity was like a tiny fish in a tank so he wasn't worried.

   He looked up and smiled in supreme joy. "Brian," he said, "It's happened."

   "What's happened?" Brian asked densely.

   Justin just smiled and waited for Brian to get it. And then....he did.

   "Really!? He...or she...is there?"

   Justin nodded.

   Brian lowered himself onto Justin full length and hugged him flush against his body. "I love you!" he whispered again. "I love you..." And then his shoulders began to shake.

   "Brian, whatever is the matter?" asked Justin in real distress.

   "I'm...I'm just so happy!" Brian wept.

   Justin laughed then and his laughter was like music.

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Diner: 7:00 PM

   It was with bittersweet feelings that Brian and Justin watched Melanie and Lindsay walk into the Diner and Gus squeal in happiness and rush over to them and jump into Lindsay's arms and start chattering about the great day he had.

   Brian tried to ignore the bitter little ball of pain that squeezed his stomach and mostly succeeded. He looked at the floor and reached out mindlessly for Justin and Justin caught his hand in response. Brian's hand went over his shoulder, lowered down and settled onto Justin's stomach and his fingers splayed out. Justin covered his hand with own and stroked comfortingly. After that, Brian was able to take a shuddering breath and look up again with a wan smile on his face.

   His smile widened when he became aware that Gus was still chattering on about the soccer game and all the fun he'd had with his dad. Then it widened even more when Gus scrambled free and climbed up on his lap and then over so he...shhhtock!!...slid in between him and Justin and squeezed up between both of them. He...they had made an impact.

   Mel and Linds took the seat across from them. Before they could say anything, he pulled something out of his pocket.

   "We left in a pretty big hurry so I never got to give this to you," he said, with his tongue firmly in cheek, handing Mel the obscenely large cheque. "Everything still taken care of?"

   As if on cue, the door slammed open, the bell rang and an angry figure barged in. "Brian! What the hell, man!?"

   "I guess that's a yes," said Brian. "Hello Michael."

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   On their last day, they stepped down and found themselves stepping onto a sandy shore of a deserted beach. The azure waves of the sea crashed down nearby. There were two beach umbrellas with wicker mats underneath them and beside that there was a silken tent with adjustable walls and a raised bed with a memory foam mattress and dozens of pillows. On the mats were a wicker basket each, with sumptuous cold cuts and sandwiches and fruits and granola and water in them. There were two surfboards and snorkels and a host of other water toys.

   They were delighted of course, but I must admit they were not astonished. All that sort of thing had worn off about the third day and now they just went with it. They whooped and jumped and dived into the ocean. They swam and splashed and dived and floated around naked as jaybirds and twice as noisy. They ignored the surfboards since they didn't know how to do that and went snorkelling and inner-tubing since they did know how to do that.

   Afterwards, they lay side by side on the mats and ate their food and just rested and soaked up the sun. The sun was shining on the sea, shining with all its might. It did its very best to make the billows smooth and bright.  And then it was touching down and the sunset was pink and orange and rimmed with gold. And then it was gone and it was night.

   They were blissfully happy.  They held hands and kissed and made out and just rested. And when sunset came, Brian scooped Justin up and carried him over to the tent where they let down the silk walls which were a parody of privacy and began their final fuck fest of the week.

   "So....what do you think? Shall we do this again for our honeymoon?" asked Brian.

   Justin was open mouthed. "But....but...wasn't this...?"

   "What? No! This was just to get the edge off. I haven't gotten you by yourself since we got here. And then there was that whole thing with Stockwell...and then we really weren't alone. As for what this tower has been doing...well...He winked. "That was just a perk!"

   "What do you mean, yu haven't gotten me by myself. You've been pounding my ass every night in the Family Wing!"

   "Meh...Yeah, but there was Tim and Arjax and Theodore and then a host of others who could have been knocking on the door at any time...and sometimes did...and besides we..."

   "Oh that only happened two or three times." Justin protested.

   "And besides....we had to use condoms up till now," Brian finished.

   "Hmmmm...that's true," Justin  agreed.

   "And I mean really alone. Cut off alone. Alone enough so I feel comfortable enough....to do this." And Brian turned over onto his stomach.

   "What are you doing?"

   Brian gave his bum a wiggle and said nothing.

   Justin gasped in joy. "Really!?"

   "Yes."

   Justin whooped and jumped aboard.

   "But Justin..."

   "Yes Brian?"

   Brian spoke in a low voice and Justin lay down on top of him, full length and put his head in the crook of Brian's neck to hear.

   "I've...I've never done this before. Also...if we do this...I feel it will...be special. I will never want to do this with anyone else. I will never want to do....anything...with anyone else. I guess I'll...we'll be...I mean, I'll really feel....as if this is our marriage ceremony...without the priests or the papers, I mean. This will make it real, I mean. Deeper, you know? Ohhh! This is frustrating! I can't explain it! All I know is if you do this and take another lover, I'd probably go Beast on your asses. And Justin...you would not survive."

   "Hush Brian. It is my great joy to tell you that there will never be a need for that. You have explained it perfectly. And I can tell you that I felt exactly the same way four nights ago when you gave me our child."

   "You did?"

   "Mmm-hmm," Justin reached out and took the bottle of lube that was nearby the bed and had been beside all their beds in whatever incarnation it was and slathered it all over his dick and then on Brian's ass. Brian shivered and sucked in a breath.

   "Cold," he wheezed.

   "Not for long," Justin assured him.

   He eased in, backed out, eased in more, backed out sliding farther and farther in with each stroke. There was a flash of pain and Brian tightened in fear.

   "Relax," Justin crooned, "Just relax...the pain will fade. Tell me you want my dick Brian."

   "I...I want it," Brian gasped. Then he gasped again as the pain faded and there was only Justin's length filling him up and then pulling back. "No! Don't pull out! Ohhhh...yeah!" he moaned as Justin pushed in again and then he gave a special hitch of pleasure as he heard Justin speak into his ear quietly.

   "I, Justin Taylor, take you Brian Kinney to be my lawfully wedded husband. Whatever ceremony is to come is just a formality. I, Justin take thee, from this day forward, to have and to hold, to kiss and to rim, to fuck and be fucked, in sickness and in health, in beauty and bestiality, for better or for worse. From sunrise to sunset, in sunshine and gloom, from tonight until forever and a day, I am yours and you are mine. I will have no other. This is my vow. I give you my life. My life is my bond. Forever."

   Brian gasped a little as he spoke as Justin was sllllooooowly stroking in and out of him hitting his prostate every time.

   "I, Brian Kinney,...take you Justin Tay-aaayyy-lor...to be my...law-awwww-fully wedded husband. Whatever ceremony is to....come...is just a formality. I Brian...take thee-yeeeee...from this day forward....to have and hold...to kiss and rim....to fuck and be fucked...oh yeah, just like that!...in sickness and health...beauty and bestiality...for better or for worse. Ohhhh, God! From sunrise to sunset...in sunshine and gloo-oooo-oom...from tonight....until forever and...ohhhhh!...a day. I am yours and....you are mine. I will ha-ahhhh-ve no other! This is my vow....I give you my life...My life is my bond! Forever!

   Justin pulled out, flipped him like a flapjack and then buried himself in to the hilt. He smashed his lips down onto Brian's and Brian threaded his hands in his blond head as their tongues duelled desperately.

   And when they pulled back at last, they never broke eye contact and Justin rode Brian faster and faster, to the edge of agony, ecstasy, and insanity. And when they climaxed, they came together and it was as if they jumped off the edge of the world together and landed on the sun where they burned away together in their passion for each other.

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   "Don't "Hello Michael" me, you asswipe! Like butter wouldn't melt in your mouth! What have you done? The loft went dark! The water off! We couldn't even use the toilet! We had to go back and forth to a gas station like a couple of hobos! And then today we were kicked out like vagrants! We had to spend the day in the park! And then you have the nerve to charge me for it? You sent me a bill? I can't pay this! What the fuck, Brian!?"

   Brian shifted his bulk so that it was wider and deeper than it needed to be. As with everyone who saw the new Brian for the first time, Michael was taken aback and by that I mean he gulped a little and took a step back.

   "First of all, Michael, would you watch your language around my son? He's four." He smiled his thanks as Justin removed his hands from Gus' ears where they had gone from "asswipe" onwards. "And second, I've done what I'm legally entitled to. I took back my loft and I'm selling it. I don't need it anymore."

   "Well, if you don't need it anymore, why do you care if I have it?"

   Brian sighed. After sending Linds and Mel to take Gus to see Nana Deb and get some ice cream, he directed Michael and Ben to take their seat.

   "If you'd actually asked me that, I might have considered it. But you took matters into your own hands, locked yourself in there and tried to steal from me. NO-body steals from me Michael! Especially those who I thought were my friends."

   "You disappeared! I couldn't ask you! I didn't know where you went or even if you were still alive! And your loft is nice Brian! So yeah, of course I wanted it! Of course I kept it!"

   "OK, I'll give you that. I didn't exactly leave a forwarding address. I had my own reasons for that. But I told you one year and I meant it. I told you I'd be back. You should have trusted me. Now I amback and it turns out I don't need it anymore. So I'm going to sell it and move on with my life. Now you have a choice. Continue to hold onto a dream that isn't yours or move on with your life. Better yet, move on with me. I have something wonderful to show you."

   But Mikey was not ready for what he considered surrender yet. "Mel! You're my lawyer! What's going on? What are my options here?"

   Chomping on her juicy burger (Brian had told everyone to order whatever they wanted) and swallowing with difficulty, Mel answered, "Sorry Michael, he declared himself legally alive just before your legally dead papers could file. It's his loft and you have no options and as of now, no lawyer. I quit."

   "You did what?!" screeched a voice. It was Debbie. She hustled herself over and smacked Michael upside the head. "You little shh-snit!! I knew you were obsessed about this loft business but how could you declare your best friend legally dead! That's despicable!"

   "I did what I had to do!"

   "You didn't have to do..." And they were off, the two volatile Italians were screeching and arguing over each other, the end result was that no one could understand anything.

   "ENOUGH!!!" The voice was deep and low but grew in volume until the windows next to the booth fairly vibrated with the low sonic waves. A big meaty fist smashed down on the tabletop for emphasis and there was total silence as a result.

   "Michael Novotny-Bruckner! That is enough! I have had it! And I am ashamed of myself that I let you go on like this and override me and your own common sense. But that's over. You will stop this nonsense immediately or..."

   "But Ben..."

   "NO! SILENCE! I can take no more of this! I have let you run the show for too long, Michael and it's gone to your head or something! Look Mike, we've had a good run, a good thing here. But Brian's right. He let us stay there rent free, utilities paid as housesitters. This crusade you started to acquire what was not yours in unreasonable and wrong and I've had it. It ends now. Before we moved, I subletted our old apartment. We can move back there and we'll be no worse or better off than we were before. We'll have to put up with a roommate until he can find another place but it's nothing we haven't done before."

   "Oh, and by the way, that bill is just a copy of a bill that I've been paying every month to pay the utilities," Brian interjected.

   "You see? We couldn't hope to pay for it ourselves! This stops now Michael! You will let this go once and for all, or...as much as it will pain me....I will leave you!"

   "But....but...I don't understand! Why haven't you said anything before now? I didn't know you felt so strongly about this! And if our old place is available...why did you make us stay in the park today like homeless people?"

   "I have said things before now! You just keep interrupting me and you never listen to me anymore! And so, to a degree I gave up until I could get some support. As for today, I thought it served you right and thought a humbling experience might do you some good. You've become a terrible snob, Michael, and it ends now! You're not rich and you never were. At least...not that rich! Stop pretending you are!"

   Michael just looked around dejectedly. The diner was mostly just them but the one or two other diners who were left and witness to their drama were disgusted. There was no support, no resource, no friendly face. Everyone just looked back with varying degrees of disgust and anger.

   And so, he just bowed his head and said brokenly, "I'm sorry Brian. We'll have the rest of our stuff out of there tomorrow. I just....I just wanted it so badly, so badly I could taste it. I'll never know that kind of luxury. And so, it made me a little crazy I guess. I'm sorry. Ben, please don't leave."

   Brian smiled, really smiled and crooked a finger under Michael's chin and lifted it until Michael was looking into his golden eyes. As with most everybody, Michael was startled and a little frightened since he had never seen Brian smile genuinely before but the gift of beauty entranced him and he could not look away.

   "Michael, listen to me, are you listening?"

   "Yes," Michael answered, hearing his voice as if it were a long way off.

   "You can know that kind of luxury again. As I said, I have something wonderful to show you."

   "What?"

   "Well, first, this is my fiancé , Justin Taylor. We came here to invite you to the wedding."

   "Glad you fit me in there somewhere," Justin quipped.

   "Quiet, you!" Brian said, in his best Mr. Peabody impression.

   "What's that got to do with luxury?" asked Mike.

   "The wedding will be at our new place in West Virginia. You're welcome to visit as long as you want. You're welcome to stay. It's a palatial mansion that we're going to run as a resort, a hospital, and an AIDS hospice."

   "But....but...how? Even the biggest mansion couldn't pull that off. Or wouldn't."

   "You'll have to see it to believe it!" Molly piped up from the counter."

   Justin handed over his phone with a huge smile.

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   When they woke up the next morning they were back in the pillow-y Kasbah bed in the tower room.

   "Good morning husband," said Justin.

   "Good morning...husband," returned Brian trying out the foreign word on his tongue. It wasn't so bad and was easier to say than he'd thought.

   They kissed and hugged and kissed again for just the sheer joy and then decided they'd finally better re-join the human race.

   They got up and went upstairs to the living area and found the wardrobe wide open. Hung onto the inside of each door was a matching suit, each tailored to size. It was a black suit with a white shirt and maroon ties and handkerchiefs. Their shoes were black loafers polished to a high gloss.

   As well, the wardrobe was packed with more suits and casual clothes and two suitcases to carry them all in. They thanked the entity or magic or whatever it was for everything and packed up and washed and dressed in their matching suits. They eye-fucked---uh-admired each other shamelessly when they were fully dressed to the nines. Both of them were obscenely sexy and they knew it.

   They were about to leave when Brian thought of something.

   "Hang on," he told Justin, "Hello!" he addressed the magic, feeling like an idiot talking to thin air, " That is...if you can understand me. This has been a fantastic week and I know I don't have the right to ask for anything...But if you could...if you wanted to help me...it's not for me...I have one more thing to  ask..."And he closed his eyes and wished.

   "Well? Anything?" asked Justin, extremely curious.

   "We'll see!" Brian exclaimed and ran down the stairs. He re-appeared a few minutes later with a large wicker basket over one arm.

   "What is it?" Justin said curiously.

   "Goodies for grandfather," said Brian with his tongue in cheek and winking lazily, "Otherwise, never you mind!"

   "Oh, come on! Tell me!" Justin begged.

   "Nope," Brian refused.

   And darn it if he didn't tell him! Not then, not when they travelled the glass elevator and not even when they arrived back at the castle.

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   They walked together until they reached the maze, looking adorable in their matching suits. It was then Brian turned aside and kissed Justin soundly on the lips and told him to meet him with the bags by the front door. Then he turned aside to Timothy's door and went through the ivy and then the door. And darn it if he didn't leave Justin there with both suitcases!

   Justin struggled with both suitcases a little ways along but soon he had to rest. The day was early but the sun was hot and he hadn't had any breakfast.

   "Why hello Sir! Fancy meeting you in the same place, and me, very nearly in the same spot in the maze!"

   "Oh hello, Mr Wolfe! Yes, nice to see you again! I'm sorry I can't stop but I have to get to the front door and even with short cuts it's going to seem like a long way with these suitcases." And to illustrate his point, Justin heaved and lifted and dragged the bags another short ways before he had to drop them and rest again.

   "Oh, Patron no! You should not have to toil in such a manner! Rest a minute and I will be right there!" And before Justin could protest, Jackson had popped out of sight and was following his rope back to the entrance.

   A few minutes later, he was at Justin's side and lifting both bags with ease. Justin now saw that Jackson had amazingly powerful arms and a deep chest that he hadn't expected on a man his age. Or....what he thought was his age.

   "My goodness, Mr. Wolfe, what big arms you have!"

   "All the better to lift heavy suitcases for my Patron!" declared Jackson Wolfe. "Are you going on a trip?"

   "Yes, we're going back to our hometown to tie up some loose ends. Then we'll be back for good!"

   "Excellent...excellent!" murmured Jackson Wolfe.

   "I'm sorry?" Justin asked.

   "Oh....I just mean, it'll be good to have our Patrons back permanently. To have this place up and running at last! It's good to have a new home with all my...townsfolk, but we can't really earn our keep until the resort and hospitals are up and running."

   "Well, you shall wait no more! Today is Opening Day!"

   The two men talked happily until the castle led them back to the Main Hall.

   "Well, Patron, I must head back to the maze unless you need anything else?"

   "Not now. Thank you so much. So...Jackson...do you like gardening very much?"

   "Oh yes, Patron!"

   "Good. I'll remember you if I can think of anything else I need doing in particular,"

   "Thank you, Patron. Than would be suuu-excellent! Thank you!" Jackson turned and dashed away down a hall and was gone.

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   Meanwhile, Brian made his way along the meandering path with the wicker basket over his arm and soon reached Timothy's cottage.

   He took a deep breath and gathered his courage and put his best face on and his best foot forward. He climbed the porch steps and knocked on the door.

   There was the usual scuffling and then the window in the door opened cautiously. Timothy took one look and slammed the window closed. Then a few seconds later it opened even more slowly, even more cautiously.

   "Yeah?" he growled out the way someone might address an unfriendly or unknown visitor such as a salesperson or an unwanted official.

   "Hi Timothy. It's Brian. Can I come in? I was hoping we could have a little chat."

   "Where's Justin!?" Timothy strained to look around Brian's bulk in vain hoping to see his friend and protector.

   Geez! Justin was right! The old man was scared to death. Had he really been that gruff, that unfriendly to the old man? Brian strained his memory and couldn't really think of any good encounters but he'd always been huddled up to Justin. Brian had thought that was because of their bond from...before but now he wasn't so sure. Had he really been huddling up to him for protection...from him...all this time?

   Brian kept his voice low and calm. "Justin's back at the castle. It's just me, right now. I thought we could have a talk just the two of us. He told me some stuff that was a bit disturbing. I thought maybe we could clear the air."

   "Oh yeah? What kinda things?"

   "That I might have been intimidating you. That you might be...scared of me. Can I come in?"

   "There t'weren't no might about it, and you know it! I know you don't like me young man and I can deal with that! But that doesn't mean I'm going to open the door to the likes of you!"

   "But I do like you Timothy. I just didn't show it. I didn't realize that I was being unkind. Well, constantly anyway. Please can't we talk for a while? It would mean a lot to Justin. And I brought a gift." He showed him the basket.

   Timothy eyed the basket curiously but distrustfully. He eyed Brian who just stood there waiting and didn't make any snide remarks or yell impatiently.

   "Really? Justin told you to come?"

   "Yes. Please Timothy, I'm very sorry."

   Timothy thought very hard. He was still very scared but he was very curious. And no-one had given him a gift in 50 years.

   Finally: "You can come around back! We can talk on the porch! Take it or leave it!" And he slammed the window shut.

   Amused, Brian made his way around. Timothy was waiting on the wraparound porch with a tray with a jug of lemonade and two glasses. He sat in one chair and offered the other to Brian. Brian sat down and the two men looked out over the garden.

   Brian decided to get the ball rolling. "Justin said you might be worried I'm still mad about you burning my grass."

   "Well, aren't you? You're always yelling at me. And you're so big."

   "Oh Timothy, I'm so sorry. I did yell a lot. I didn't realize how gruff I was being until Justin pointed it out. And as for the grass, it grew out the next day. You can't even tell. I don't know how, but it did. So, I'm not mad about that."

   "Well what about then?"

   "Oh, I don't know. We just never got on. I do know, I remember feeling a little jealous of you at the beginning. But that's faded as well."

   "Jealous!? Of me? Why ever for!? I'm just an old man!"

   "Yes, but you knew Justin right off and you knew him from the time when...well, he left because I yelled. It wasn't my finest moment. And then he took to you like cotton and I didn't and so I was a little jealous. I'm sorry. That also ends now. Justin says he wants to think of you as grandfather. I'd like to think that way too. If you'd let me."

   "I dunno. I'll have to think about it."

   "I understand. We'll have to work up to it. Try to find some common ground."

   "I guess." He fiddled with his hands and hunched a little in his chair in obvious misery. "Guess this puts a screw job on my gift," he said miserably.

   And that's when Brian remembered Tim's crap childhood and him getting gifts and then having them broken or taken away again. He kicked himself mentally and said: "Of course not! In fact, this gift should be opened as soon as possible." And he handed over the basket.

   Timothy opened a flap and a brown puppy popped his face out and licked his face. The puppy was brown all over, had a black button nose and flop ears. He had a pink tongue that he was using to lick Timothy's nose vigorously. In wonder, Timothy lifted the puppy out and it was revealed that he had a cute stubby little tail that wagged vigorously. He placed the puppy on his lap whereupon the puppy stretched his legs and then hopped down onto the porch. The puppy sniffed his way this way and that, up and down the porch and then sniffed the hem of Timothy's robe. He stood up and leaned his front paws on Timothy's knees.

   "Arf! Arf!" barked the dog in a high pitched bark. It was so cute it hurt.

   Timothy picked up the puppy and laid him in his lap. The puppy yawned, turned three times and lay down in his lap with his nose touching the tip of his tail.

   Timothy scratched the puppy behind his ears. "Nice puppy. Reminds me...of the other one."

   "This one's yours to keep. You name him, you feed him, you take care of him. And he'll take care of you. And I'm sorry about....the other one. That was despicable. That never should have happened"

   "No. But this...this helps...a little. Thank you very much Brian. Thank Justin too."

   "I will but this is primarily my gift. I thought of it, I got him, and I'm giving him to you. To try and make up for my bad behaviour."

   "Well, thank you Brian."

   "Oh, I forgot. That's not all."

   "But what? The basket is empty.

   "Oh, is it?' Brian quirked an eyebrow, spun it once and opened the other flap. The basket was now full of small bags of doggie treats, 20 in all, a ball, a rubber bone, an alarm clock, a collar, and a leash.

   "Oh my goodness! How'd you fit all that in there?"

   "What? Is that it!? I thought for sure I..." Brian stuck his head in and looked around, "Oh yes! I see it!" His voice echoed strangely. He stuck his hand in and reached in down to the elbow. Then down to the shoulder, definitely past the bottom of the basket. Timothy's eyes were wide.

   "Ah ha! Got it! Come on you sonofa-..." Brian pulled and stretched and then used both hands and somehow out of that basket came a 20 pound bag of Puppy Chow! Then he reached and pulled and hoisted out a second bag.

   "Holy shit! How'd you get all that in there!?"

   Well, you know, you're little duplicating box, you gave us? Well, this one's a bit different. It let's one carry whatever you may need and furthermore supplies what you need at that moment. We'll use it from now on to bring you more dog food and treats for you as well."

   "But...but where'd you get it?"

   "Justin and I were holiday-ing in the White Tower. It's...it's full of a powerful magic, the most powerful we've ever come across so far. When I went down to get your gift, the puppy and the basket were there waiting for me. I put the puppy in the basket and suddenly....I just knew, about everything else too. Great thing is, there's no weight to it either."

   "That's incredible! Well, thank you Brian."

   "Well, as I said, I hope this makes up for a great deal."

   "Oh, it does! I've wanted a pet for...for my whole life! And that's been quite a long time."

   They both chuckled.

   "Are you enjoying the house and garden?" Brian asked.

   "Oh, yes! Very much! I wish I could meet the designer and builder and thank him."

   "You just did!"

   "You!!? You designed this?"

   Brian made a mock bow.

   "But...but...but I thought..."

   "What? Thought I couldn't do it?" Brian winked.

   "More like wouldn't! I just thought....I mean...you were always so mean....and I thought this was Justin's doing."

   "Well, Justin helped as well. He helped the workers a lot and was very hands on. But I used to be an advertising man and designed ads and boards all the time. So I didn't see a whole lot of difference in designing a house. And of course I got a bunch of people from the town to help. So..."

   "So you were the brains and you bossed around everyone else's brawn," Timothy accurately guessed.

   Brian just gave him a lazy wink. They both laughed.

   "Well, thank you, young man. I'm glad you did. You thought of just about everything."

   "Just about?"

   "Oh dear! Well, I didn't mean to...I mean, I didn't hurt your feelings did I?" Timothy unconsciously covered the puppy with both hands. He didn't realize it but Brian saw. The old man was figuring Brian was going to snatch away his gift. His heart broke a little and not for the first time, did Brian inwardly curse the deranged fuckwads who had raised him.

   "Not at all, Timothy. I'm just curious as to what I left out."

   "Oh...Well, I've lived in these woods for many a year and always wild wolves have roamed the deeps of the forest. When I first met Justin, I warned him against them. They normally stay off the paths and populated areas, so I haven't been too worried so far. At night, I keep a lamp on the back porch and bar myself inside but I hear them howling in the forest, coming ever closer."

   "That's terrible! Why didn't you send word with someone? Sam? Jack?"

   "I figured I could handle it myself. And I don't...didn't trust anyone but Justin...and now you...and you never visited until now." he hesitantly patted Brian's hand. He pulled back quickly, shyly and found his puppy fascinating, giving him a few vigorous, yet slow pats.

   "Oh Tim, we're sorry! As I said we were sequestered. We'll visit more often from now on. What can we do to help this?"

   "I have noticed that the wolves in the forest do not like iron. I don't know why, but there you go. I believe an iron fence around my property about...six feet high or so would protect it."

   "As soon as I return to the castle, I shall inform Jack. I'll make sure he employs the builders who already worked on your house. Expect workers this afternoon and we'll have the fence built as soon as possible."

   "Oh, really!? Oh thank you Brian! I - I hardly know what to say!"

   "Say thank you Brian, I accept and you're my hero!" quipped Brian with his tongue in cheek.

   "Well, I'll tell Justin and you can be his hero," returned Timothy, "but thank you very much."

   "You're welcome. And now, I must be off. I have to meet Justin at the limo and then we're off to the airport. But we will be back in a few days and we will visit you again."

   "Oh. You're going...away," Timothy voice was slow and controlled.

   "Yes, we need to return to our hometown to bring back our friends and family for the wedding. You're still walking Justin down the aisle?"

   "Of course," said Timothy tightly. He swallowed past the lump in his throat.

   An old pain sliced through him like a knife. Of course...There was no wedding. Now he understood why Brian was visiting. They were going away. Tim hoped he'd be able to keep the puppy.

   "I'll get to see my son for the first time since he was a baby! He's four now. I'll bring him to visit. Would you like that? I know he's kind of young."

   "Sure. It's been a long time since I saw a wee one," replied Tim, "But...how  do you have a son? I thought you and Justin..."

   Brian explained about being a sperm donor to Mel and Linds.

   "Oh, I see. Well, I'd better not keep you. Sooner you go, sooner you'll be back, right?" Timothy swallowed hard around the now very large and hard lump in his throat. Of course, they wouldn't be back. There probably was no wee one. He swallowed again and petted the puppy so hard it woke up.

   "Tim? Is everything all right?"

   "Of course, hon. Well, you'd better be off and I'd better get all this stuff inside," Timothy suddenly couldn't look up at his burly benefactor anymore. He gently eased the puppy off his lap and stood up quickly, looking at the ground. He pulled unsuccessfully at one of the 20 lbs bag of dog food and managed to drag it a few inches across the porch.

   Brian gently took it from him and heaved both bags over an enormous bicep each. He carried them both inside the back door and then came back for everything else too. Tim saw there was no stopping him and just stood out of the way and let him.

   When he was, done, Timothy saw him to the front door. "Thanks for coming, Brian. I feel a lot better. I do. You have a good trip. Really...You enjoy yourselves." But he could not keep out a slight tremor in his voice this time. He realized he had grown fond of his huge protector and Justin as well. He was going to miss them. He took a deep breath. He mentally shook it off. No. There was no point in missing anyone.

   Sooner or later, everyone always left. It was only him.

   "Tim? Is everything all right?"

   "Of course." A tight voice.

   "You sure? You know we'll be back in two days right?"

   "Two days. Got it." But he was looking at the floor and breathing deeply, carefully. He didn't dare try and swallow now.  He just had to keep in together until he could close the door.

   "Tim? Tim look at me? What's wrong? What's..." And then it hit Brian like a ton of bricks. Those assholes had taken off on him on a regular basis and fucked off for weeks at a time. He was probably used to hearing "We're going away...and...We'll be back...on a regular basis just before they went away for weeks at a time. Or forever.

   "Oh fuck me!" And Brian gathered Timothy into a quick hug and then released him. "Listen Timothy, we're not like those asswipes, OK? We're not going to do that to you! We ARE going to be back in two days and we'll be bringing all our family and friends with us and you can meet them all or none or as many as you like. We will be back!"

   "It's OK Brian. You go on now. I'm sure you'll be back when you're good and ready." Timothy clearly wasn't buying it. "In the meantime, I have my cosy hov - cottage and soon a new fence to protect me against the wolves. And I have my new friend here to keep me company." He took a protective stance and stood in front of the puppy. "I'll be fine. Just...fine."

   "We will be back!" Brian said vehemently. He hugged Timothy again. "We're not like those assholes. Have a session with Sam and have fun playing with your new puppy. He's all yours," Brian re-assured him. We'll be back before you know it!"

   "Course you will. Course you will," Tim said, trying desperately to sound like he believed him and failing miserably. "You go on now. Sooner you go....sooner you'll be back, right?" This was killing him. At least he wasn't taking back the puppy dog.

   "Right," Brian released him and moved off, basket around his forearm. "We will be back! Two days! I'll bring my son to meet you!"

   Tim just waved. He didn't bother smiling as his face was lost under his mounds of hair. And at the moment, he was glad. At that moment it did kill him a little and he felt dead inside. He wasn't coming back. Not for a long time. It was just him. There would be no wee son. No Justin. And this new Brian was probably just being nice to prepare him for the news that they were abandoning him.

   Brian had reached the first curve. "See you soon!" he called.

   Timothy waved back but said nothing. Then he closed the door against the world and the heartache and pain and immediately the feeling of being inside a warm, timeless, safe, silent bubble surrounded him and he felt much better.

   The brown puppy was sitting on the floor in the center of the living area. As soon as he saw he had Timothy's attention he barked: Arf! Arf!...and stood up on his hind legs and turned around in a circle a few times. Then he dropped, rested and then did it again.

   "Ohhh! Now aren't you the cutest thing! Well, you probably are hungry, yes, you are! We'll get you some food! I wonder what I'll call you?" He scratched him under the chin and then scooped him up. "Well, we have a few bags of puppy food for you, yes we do! And at least you're not going to leave me, are you? At least you'll stay with me for always and always, won't you? Yes you will!"

   "Arf! Arf!" barked the puppy.

TBC