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Title: The Offer Still Stands…
Story Type: AU
Word Count: 5276
Rating: R, Porn…
Warnings: Anti-Michael, Passion and Lust…
Beta Queen: bigj52
Summary: Brian and Justin have a blast in Chicago while Michael learns to accept the changes he’s going through…
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, plot, etc. are property of their respective owners, including, but not limited to Russell T. Davies, Cowlip, and Showtime. The author of this story is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended…
The Offer Still Stands…
Chapter 4 ~ Sweet Home Chicago…
Justin looks beautiful in his new light grey suit that has just the slightest hint of blue running through it, with a soft baby blue dress shirt that brings out the color of his eyes. It literally took my breath away when I looked at him, and if we had time I would have peeled it off him and made a meal out of him on the spot. But as it was I was running late, and only had time to change into my navy blue Armani suit with matching shirt and tie, looking stunning in my monochromatic ensemble.
Upon spotting us Leo gave us one of his genuine smiles and offered his hand to Justin, telling him what a pleasure it was finally meeting Brian’s partner. Justin couldn’t help blushing as he was surprised that Brian had even mentioned him. Leo escorted them to his table as it was clear he was a regular there. Being a true gentleman Brian even pulled out Justin’s seat for him. Justin couldn’t help but be taken back by their impeccable manners as he became aware that this was how Brian usually entertained his clients; no wonder he was such a successful businessman.
When we entered the restaurant, it was elegantly designed with rich cherry wood paneling and plush leather seating. There was an air about the place that made you feel like you were stepping back in time, so it seemed appropriate that we were drinking dry martinis. If I didn’t know better I’d think Al Capone was sitting at one of the back tables.
Mrs. Brown was a striking beauty who was well rehearsed about her husband’s business associates. She asked Justin about his artwork and what museums he planned on visiting. Sara couldn’t help but insisting that he must see ‘The Frank Lloyd Wright Preservation Trust’, the ‘Smart Museum of Art’ and the ‘Museum of Science and Industry’.
Justin was thrilled to talk about the local art scene and was going to make sure he visited some of the museums that she mentioned. He was surprised that he was having such a good time; he was so sure that this business dinner was going to be dry and boring. When dessert was finally served he was grateful that he had ordered the chocolate soufflé as Sara suggested; it was probably the best dessert he had ever had. While Sara and Justin drank cappuccinos, Brian and Leo enjoyed sipping cognac while finalizing Kinnetik’s plans for Brown’s new line of sportswear for women.
By the time they made it back to their suite both were slightly buzzed and a bit exhausted from the long day. Once inside Brian pushed Justin up against the closed door, kissing him passionately, telling him how proud he was of him for keeping up his conversation with Mrs. Brown. Justin smiled back at Brian, saying that it was no problem, that he actually had a great time talking with her and finding out all about Chicago.
Brian leaned his forehead against Justin’s as he started unbuttoning his suit jacket, slipping it off his shoulders, his dress shirt following soon after. He ran his hands down Justin’s chest and hooked his thumbs into Justin’s waistband, finally tugging at his zipper until his pants slid down and Justin stepped out of them. Brian stood back and admired Justin wearing nothing but his birthday suit.
Brian gathered Justin’s clothes and left them lying across the sofa in the outer suite while he pulled Justin into the bedroom. Being up in the penthouse they had a great view looking down over Lake Michigan as the waves crashed on the beach. Brian grinned back at Justin as he loosened his tie and emptied his pockets, looking down and checking his messages. He had about a hundred calls from Michael and several from Deb. But he already knew what they were all about because he had talked with Ted earlier that afternoon and decided to turn his phone off.
He simply hit the delete button, deleting all the messages without listening to any of them. He wasn’t sure what he was going to do, but he figured he had the weekend to formulate a plan of action. He knew that Justin wouldn’t be happy with him. But how could he not help his best friend when he was in need? He set his wallet and phone down on the nightstand and slipped out of his suit, going into the bathroom to relieve himself. He glanced at Justin as they brushed their teeth; Brian pressed his fingers to his lips, saying, “We’ll talk about it in the morning.”
Justin had no idea of the extent of Michael’s problems, just that he was in over his head at the comic book store and business was slow. He had joked with Deb earlier in the week about how Michael could pick up his shifts at the diner now that Brian had insisted that he focus completely on finishing his education. At first Justin was hesitant to let Brian support him, but then he realized that this was what Brian wanted and he would have more time to work on his school assignments and build up his portfolio.
The moon was shining brightly into their suite, illuminating the room and casting a bluish glow on Justin’s skin. It made him seem even more angelic, like a porcelain cherub. Brian loved seeing Justin look so completely happy and his smile captured the moment as Brian pulled him down on top of him. Brian lay back against the stack of pillows as Justin crawled up his body until he was sitting on Brian’s abdomen. Brian whispered to him, “I want you to ride me. I want to watch you bring yourself to climax as you take more and more of me inside you.”
Justin couldn’t help but blush as he was still a little buzzed and he got off on the way Brian was watching his every move. Brian reached forward, running his hands down his chest, telling him how beautiful and lithe he was; how he couldn’t wait to see him succumb to his desire. Justin ran kisses up Brian’s chest until he was lying across his torso. Brian reached back and grasped Justin’s ample bottom in his hands, spreading his cheeks apart and delving his lubed fingers into him.
Justin is so turned on as he ruts against Brian’s stomach, enjoying the sensations quaking through him. Brian pushes in deeper adding another finger as Justin’s moans escape him. Justin sits back up, swallowing more of Brian’s hand, stretching himself even more open. Justin’s eyes roll back into his head as he rides Brian’s fingers a little, preparing himself for Brian’s hard cock.
Justin lifts up as Brian slides his dick between his slippery cheeks and aligns himself with Justin. He starts to lower himself back down onto Brian’s shaft with his eyes closed and his mouth slightly open. He pants loudly as he’s filled with Brian’s cock, balancing himself by holding onto Brian’s waist as he adjusts to the girth of Brian’s dick. After several minutes Justin throws his head back as he starts to lift himself up and down, each time taking more and more of Brian’s cock.
It isn’t long before he sets a steady pace riding out his passion, pulling himself closer to ecstasy with each downward stroke. Justin’s moaning Brian’s name repeatedly as his breathing hitches just before his slick walls clamp down on Brian’s cock. Brian senses Justin is close as he tells him to open his eyes; that he wants to see him as he achieves climax. Justin looks down at Brian with sweat rolling down his face just as his orgasm rips through him, leaving him shaking as he collapses down onto Brian’s chest, resting his head on Brian’s shoulder.
Brian pumps upward a couple of more times before his own orgasm takes hold, sending waves of pleasure spiraling through his limbs. Justin’s breathing is still erratic as Brian runs his hands down Justin’s back, holding him close as they both ride out their final waves of bliss. Justin’s exhausted as he’s not usually the one doing all the work; he can’t help thinking no wonder Brian’s so fit.
They both slowly drift off to sleep. Justin’s completely out and is soon snoring gently while drooling on Brian’s chest. Brian, on the other hand, is restless and his mind keeps racing, waking him up every so often. He must have looked at the clock on the nightstand every half hour for the last few hours. Finally he decides to get up, slipping out from under Justin. He finds himself pacing on the balcony of their suite, smoking a cigarette, stopping every so often to look at the view as the wind sweeps across waters below.
The last time he talked with Ted, he filled him in on Michael’s dilemma. He just can’t believe things have gotten so bad, so fast. He’s angry with him and disappointed at the same time. What could he have been thinking, letting his rent get so far behind? As much as he might want to come to Michael’s rescue he knows that would only encourage him to continue with this same reckless behavior.
He can just imagine how devastated he must be because Michael probably never thought that he was at risk of losing his business this way. Even if he had to close the shop, he never thought that he’d have to give up all his vintage toys. Brian could never really understand the fascination Michael had towards them, once they became teenagers. He also knows that Debbie is expecting him to come up with some solution to fix Michael’s problems.
He knows that even if Michael tries he won’t last long at the diner. He just doesn’t have the patience for that kind of work and probably has no idea how hard being on his feet all day is. Hell, Justin is young and he would sometimes come home completely exhausted with minimum tips to boot. As hard as he tries to brainstorm he can’t think of anything Michael could do to make a decent living; everything is so specialized these days. So he continues chain smoking his cigarettes, staring out into space.
~~~
It’s early Saturday morning at Deb’s house. Carl’s just leaving for work, Emmett is reviewing his list of errands he has to run before he has to set up for the wedding he’s catering this afternoon. Debbie’s making everyone breakfast when she calls up to Michael’s room telling him to get his butt in gear. He slowly makes his way downstairs and asks what the hurry is, it’s not like he has to open the comic book store today.
“No, but I’ve decided that you’re going to work the early shift with me this morning.”
“Ma, I told you I can’t work at the diner.”
“Yes, you can and you will and I don’t want to hear another word about it.”
“But, Ma… It’s too humiliating.”
“We’ve already had this conversation yesterday. So get your ass in gear. We’re leaving in a half hour and that’s final.”
“No… I won’t go.”
Michael digs in his heels, and folds his arms across his chest. Debbie’s so mad you can practically see steam coming out of her ears.
“You hear me, Michael. If you want a place to live and dinner on the table then you’ll do as I say or you can move out while I’m at work today. Is that clear?”
Michael’s shocked at his mother’s threat, but he does as he’s told and goes upstairs and takes a shower. When he comes back down Debbie has scrambled eggs and toast waiting for him then they walk to the diner without saying a word to each other.
The first hour is relatively slow and Michael was okay pouring coffee and clearing tables but as the morning progressed he moved on to taking orders and he just couldn’t seem to get it right. He’d put the ticket in for the wrong type of eggs or get the tables mixed up and serve the wrong order. He’d keep forgetting to refill everyone’s coffee and then it started. It was late enough in the morning that some of the regulars from Babylon started coming in for breakfast. They couldn’t help but razz Michael about wearing an apron and being a server. They kept changing their orders and making special requests.
He was getting so frustrated he can’t help but start snapping back at people and needless to say his tips started going downhill from there. By the time that Ted met Emmett for lunch at eleven o’clock, Michael stormed into the kitchen and threw a hissy fit, refusing to leave the kitchen because he just couldn’t wait on Emmett and Ted. Debbie told him to take a break and when he comes back he can just bus tables and refill coffees so he won’t be under so much pressure. But there was no way she was letting him quit; she told him that it just takes time to get in the swing of it. By the time his shift was over he had gained a bit of respect for Justin, having worked there for so long, not to mention Debbie.
~~~
Brian and Justin started the day early having breakfast at the Cornerstone café. Justin enjoyed the hefty omelets and hash browns while Brian simply had scrambled egg whites and fruit with fresh squeezed orange juice and very strong coffee. That give them lots of energy for all the walking they would be doing. They started out at the Field Museum which is a trip through time from the dinosaurs, ancient civilizations through modern times. Justin was fascinated by all of it and Brian couldn’t help thinking about how much Gus would love it.
Next they found themselves at the Shedd Aquarium which is the largest indoor aquarium in the world. Justin found that he sometimes had to stop and sketch some of the more exotic animals. He ended up buying a large picture book for Gus but Brian knew that it was just as much for Justin as Gus.
They had lunch at Navy Pier, a local landmark and of course Justin insisted that they ride on the huge ferris wheel and check out some of the large ships. Justin loved it and he couldn’t stop joking around about pirates, and then of course Johnny Depp, who’s one of his heartthrobs.
In the afternoon they took Sara up on her suggestion and went to the Frank Lloyd Wright Preservation Trust and ended up joining a walking tour of homes designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. Justin was in awe of the modern design and architecture and Brian didn’t even have to ask Justin; he had already picked out a huge book of his designs to take home.
They were completely exhausted by the time they made it back to their suite late that afternoon, so Brian ordered them something from room service as they started to unwind from their day. Brian couldn’t believe how much they squeezed into their day and he still wanted to check out “Wishbones.” He had heard that they had really great Southern cuisine. They lay across the sofa, feeding each other fresh fruit and shrimp cocktail while sipping wine, letting their sore muscles relax. Brian never got tired of watching Justin’s beautiful lips as he bit into the juicy fresh pineapple, licking the juice off; it was driving him a little mad. He had plans for those lips as soon as Justin had his fill.
Soon enough Justin had changed his focus to Brian, running his hands underneath Brian’s shirt and pulling it up. He placed kisses down his chest, stopping to lick and suck his nipples on the way down to his destination. By the time he made it to Brian’s waistband Brian’s jeans were tenting, longing for release. Justin cupped his cock through his jeans and gently squeezed. He leaned back up and gave Brian a big sloppy kiss and then resumed his task of undoing Brian’s pants.
Brian moaned as Justin took hold of his member, and licked around his crown, making him even harder than he already was. His tongue flicked out, caressing his slit then he blew on him, driving Brian crazy, wishing Justin would get on with the show. Justin chuckled as he grazed his teeth gently across his head and the engulfed him completely with his wet mouth, taking him down his throat. He wrapped his fist around the base, pumping up and down. He sucked on his head, letting Brain feel all the warm wet tissue as he slipped back against his throat. Justin was a master at giving head so it wasn’t long before Brian was fisting Justin’s long blond locks, directing the speed and angle of the blow job he was experiencing. Shortly thereafter Brian lost all control and flooded Justin’s beautiful mouth with his sweet cream, watching him swallow every last drop.
~~~
It was Saturday night and Emmett was pestering Michael about going out to Babylon, trying to convince him that nobody was really paying that much attention to him working today at the diner. But Michael continued to pout, sitting on Debbie’s couch with his arms crossed over his chest. This was fast become Michael’s standard pose as he complained about how embarrassed he was, and how much his feet and back hurt from standing up all day clearing tables. Emmett tried to cheer him up, saying that he just needed to relax; after all he had been off the market for some time now.
Emmett tried to persuade him that working at the diner had its perks. “Think about all those phone numbers you’ll be collecting and everyone will be able to check out your ass.”
This wasn’t helping as Michael just kept getting angrier. And if things weren’t bad enough, he was pissed that Brian hadn’t even returned any of his many phone calls he had left over the last couple of days. He was convinced that Brian and Justin were holed up at the loft getting stoned, and making mad passionate love which was another thing that just pissed him off. Why couldn’t Brian give him a chance? After all, they were best friends and they already knew everything about each other; it just seemed so natural to him that they would eventually end up together. Even if Brian couldn’t see it now, he was sure that Justin would leave him again just the way he had left him so many times before.
Emmett was at his wit’s end trying to think of things to say to Michael. He brought the dishpan and filled it with Epsom salts to soak Michael’s weary feet, claiming it would make him feel better and he’d be ready to dance the night away. Finally Michael resigned himself to the fact that he needed to get out of the house or else he’d find himself sitting at home listening to his mother and Carl go at it through the paper-thin walls, and that would just be mortifying.
~~~
After a long nap Justin and Brian found themselves at ‘Wishbones’. It was popular with locals and had a young hip crowd. Justin ordered the jambalaya while Brian had the catfish. They shared an order of crawdads for an appetizer and finished off the meal with southern pecan pie and Brian even had his own piece, indulging his secret desire for sweets.
After dinner they asked the waiter if he knew a good nightclub he could recommend. He smiled down at them knowingly and suggested ‘Hydrate’. It’s known as one of the best gay clubs in town with hazy blue lights and great ambience with some of the best DJ’s in town. The boys caught a cab over there and smiled to themselves some things never change.
Brian and Justin cruised the scene, scoping out all the hot guys then Brian pulled Justin onto the dance floor and the two of them became the night’s entertainment. They were so beautiful together and no one could keep their eyes off them with the way they moved in sync. The two of them were practically grinding each other - Brian with his head thrown back and Justin running kisses down his neck. They couldn’t help but get hit on regularly, but the two of them weren’t interested in having a threesome or foursome that night.
Brian didn’t even search out a back room to indulge themselves in; he didn’t want to put on any more of a show than they already were. They took a break from dancing and enjoyed a few drinks, watching the crowd and comparing it to Babylon. After a few more dances they caught a cab back to the Four Seasons, knowing that they still wanted to check out a few more museums in the morning before flying back to Pittsburgh in the afternoon.
~~~
Back at Babylon Michael finally cheered up and drank a few too many Cosmos as he became the Belle of the ball. Maybe all he really needed was to loosen up and let himself go. It seemed that once he stopped being insecure about himself he was being asked to dance more than he ever remembered. Maybe it was because, before he was always sizing up all the guys Brian was hitting on. Or maybe he never really allowed himself to relax, always waiting and wondering if tonight he’d get his chance with Brian.
Everything was going really well for him, that is until he saw Ben there dancing with someone new. He couldn’t help the feelings that were crashing down on him. It was only natural that he’d be jealous but he didn’t realize just how close to the surface his feelings were when he felt the knot tighten in his gut. He panicked and ran out of Babylon, not wanting anyone to see him cry; he couldn’t help thinking he was totally pathetic. Emmett came after him, trying to help but he just wanted to be alone so he walked back to Debbie’s in the dark.
~~~
It’s was nice to finally sleep in that lazy Sunday morning. They had a late start after luxuriating in the Jacuzzi and ordering room service complete with champagne. Brian was feeling like indulging Justin today, after all he’d just landed a new athletic line with Leo Brown. They decided to walk around the shopping district on Michigan Avenue and Oak Street. Their first stops, of course, were Armani and Prada where they both picked out some new designer jeans and cashmere sweaters. Brian ended up buying two new suits and then they spent a fortune on new shoes and boots at Prada, and Brian insisted on buying Justin a decent wallet.
Justin spotted the Hershey’s candy store; Brian just rolled his eyes but humored him as he ended up spending a small fortune on confections of every kind for everybody as gifts, as well as an ample stock for Justin. Brian thought he would spoil his lunch with all the samples he was indulging in, but he forgot that Justin truly is a bottomless pit.
Their final stop on their shopping spree was to Tiffany and Co. which totally took Justin by surprise when Brian insisted on buying him what he called ‘a decent watch’. Justin couldn’t believe his eyes when Brian cruised through display after display before he settled on a platinum and black onyx face watch with a black leather wristband. Justin loved the way it looked on his wrist; it made him feel like a million dollars and he was almost sure that’s how much it cost. Brian just smiled and made him promise to take it off when he painted; Justin joked that he was afraid to wear it outside the loft.
Justin was feeling a little lightheaded. Brian wasn’t sure if it was from all the shopping they had done or if he had overdosed on sugar. He quickly hailed a cab and had them do a quick stop at their hotel to drop off all of their purchases. Then he took Justin out to lunch at the trendy restaurant, ‘Blackbird’ where they had a fabulous meal. Afterwards they decided to squeeze in one more stop and went to the Mexican-American Museum that featured the works and history of Diego Rivera. Of course Justin was enthralled by his work and his interpretation of Mexican culture in his paintings and murals.
They flew back that afternoon and landed in Pittsburgh in the early evening; it felt like they had been gone for the last week, not just a long weekend. Justin fell asleep on the flight back and was still pretty groggy when the car service dropped them off at the loft. Brian carried all their luggage and packages into the elevator and propped Justin up against the back wall, holding his body against Justin’s as they rode up to the top floor. When they finally got the door open and everything lugged into the loft, Justin immediately laid down on the sofa and was out again.
Brian noticed the answering machine was full of messages and wasn’t the least bit surprised when it was Michael pulling back the loft door, glaring at him.
“Where the fuck have you been, and why didn’t you return any of my calls?”
“Sssh Michael, can’t you see Justin is sleeping?”
“I don’t give a fuck what he’s doing. Why haven’t you called me?”
“I just got home, Michael. I had to go to Chicago for business. I just assumed that Ted told you where I was.”
“Yeah, he did. Finally. That still doesn’t explain why you haven’t called me.”
“Because I had other things on my mind. I wasn’t here and there wasn’t anything I could do for you.”
“You could have called me. I would think you would be concerned about me knowing that I lost the store and everything I owned. Don’t you care about me?”
“Mikey, I assumed you needed the weekend to get your head together.”
“I need to get my life together, not just my head.”
“So, what have you come up with?”
“I don’t know. I don’t have anything, anymore. My Mom made me work the last two days at the diner. Do you know how humiliating that is?”
“At least it’s a job.”
“I can’t stand it, it’s really hard work. I don’t know how Justin could do it and sometimes pull a double shift at that. No, thank you. I won’t do it.”
Brian looked at him as he stood there with his arms crossed over his chest, angry at the world. He felt so sorry for him as he looked so broken, even if this was all his own making.
“So why didn’t you pay your rent when Ben gave you the money?”
“Well… I was going to but there was this auction on eBay and I just had to have the vintage Aqua-man action figure.”
“Michael, you’re a grown man. You have to stop playing with toys, especially toys you can’t afford.”
“But I haven’t seen one of them on auction in like forever. I just had to have it.”
“You can’t afford it… Don’t you get it? How could you be so irresponsible? What did you think was going to happen?”
“I didn’t really think the landlord would take me to court. I figured that you would help me before things got that bad.”
“Michael, the bank of Brian is closed…”
“Why? You’re always helping Justin out. You’re paying for his college and he lives here for free.”
“That’s different and you know it. Besides Justin has been working all this time while attending school.”
“Yeah, well, Ma said he quit working at the diner.”
“That’s between him and me. I asked him to quit and focus completely on his studies.”
“So you are supporting him.”
Now Michael’s really angry; he looks like he could burn holes right through Justin if he wasn’t sleeping. Brian just shakes his head and says, “It isn’t any of your business what our arrangement is. You need to worry about yourself.”
“Well, So… Will you help me?”
“I’m more than willing to help you try and figure something out but I won’t give you any money. I just can’t keep bailing you out all the time.”
Now Michael’s crying, just looking at Brian with his sad puppy-dog eyes. There was a time when that would have worked on him but things have changed and he now realizes that bailing him out all the time isn’t healthy. He needs to learn to stand on his own two feet.
“Please, Brian, I need your help. I don’t know what to do.”
He hates that Michael thinks he can play him and get what he wants. He just wishes he had the answer.
“Well, what do you want to do with your life?”
“Maybe I could work for you at Kinnetik. There must be something I can do? After all you gave Ted a job when he was a tweaked-out crystal queen.”
“No, I didn’t. He was already out of rehab and he had a skill that I needed. I don’t need anyone to blow money on vintage toys or even new ones.”
He knew that was a low blow but Michael has to understand that Brian doesn’t trust him. That he’s disappointed in him. He doesn’t understand his behavior.
“Come on, Brian. Isn’t there anything I could do?”
“Michael, I’m sorry but even if there was, I wouldn’t hire you. You have to learn to take responsibility for your actions.”
“Fine. Just be a back stabber. Don’t help your best friend, see if I care.”
“Michael, please stop with all the drama, for Christ sake. I’ll tell you what I’ll do. I’ll pay for your education as long as you keep up your grades. If you fail a class I’m through and you can work at the diner while you go to school. If it was good enough for Justin, it’s good enough for you.”
“You know I’ve never been good in school. It’s going to be really hard.”
“I’m serious, Michael. I won’t even expect you to pay me back for your education but you have to graduate. You have to really try. If you put your mind to it I know you can do it. This is all I’m willing to do. Now take some time, get the course schedules, meet with the career counselor and when you decide what you want to study, I’ll pay for it. That’s the best I can do.”
“Brian, I don’t want to go to school.”
“Then don’t. Do whatever you want to do. Just don’t ever come to me asking for money again. Like I said, the bank of Brian is closed.”
“I can’t believe you won’t help me?”
“Go home, Michael, and think long and hard about what I said. It’s the best offer you’re going to get.”
With that he walked Michael to the door and locked it behind him. Then he went over to the liquor cart and poured himself a drink but he took the bottle with him as he went to sit down across from Justin.
He took a deep breath and said, “I know you’re awake, Justin. I can always tell by the way you breathe, so talk to me. Did I do the right thing?”
TBC…
