Brian felt a chill run up his spine at Michael’s words. All the old insecurities and doubts plagued his mind. He slowly hung up the phone and lifted his head to face his childhood friend with a bored expression on his face. "What brings you by, Mikey?"

"You knew I was bringing lunch, now answer the damn question."

Brian cocked his head to the side and studied Michael as bits of the conversation he’d had with Master flashed through his mind. It was inevitable that he tell his friends about this. Whatever this was or turned out to be, but he just wasn’t sure he wanted to face that firing squad alone. It would be much better if Master were with him. "Sorry, Mikey, but you don’t get to make demands of me, especially about my personal phone calls."

Michael sat the food down on Brian’s desk, crossed his arms, and stated, "Something is wrong with you, Brian. You aren’t acting right, so tell me what it is."

Brian gave Michael a little smirk. "I’ve never been better." As soon as the words left his lips, Brian felt a sense of serenity envelope him. He’d never felt so at ease with himself and his life.

"Fine, don’t tell me, but you are coming to Ma’s tonight, right?"

"As if I have a choice." Brian rubbed the back of his neck. "Listen, I don’t have time to eat. So, thanks for stopping by."

"Fine, I’ll leave. I’ll see you later." Michael turned and left rather quickly.

Brian was a bit shocked. He expected Michael to argue more. It seemed to be completely out of character for the man to just drop something because he was asked to do it.

Brian got through his meeting and acquired another high profile account. He was feeling really good as he entered his loft to change. It was going to be another long and boring dinner at Deb’s watching his friends fawn all over their significant others. He gently touched the tattoo and his lips curled into a small smile. As strange as it sounded, this was going to be the first one of these dinners he’d ever attended with someone. While Master wouldn’t physically be present, he’d be there in spirit.

Brian made it to Deb’s on time for a change. Not bothering to knock, he opened the door and walked into the familiar house that had been his home away from home when his father was extremely drunk. He noticed that the gang was all already there sitting around the living room. All discussion stopped as he walked in. "I see my presence has rendered everyone speechless again."

"I don’t notice anything different about him. He still seems to be the same snarky asshole he always was." Mel spoke up before anyone else had a chance to say anything.

‘Well thank you, Melanie; it’s nice to know that someone appreciates my brilliance. So tell me, what were all you losers gabbing about?"

It was like a bomb dropped and everyone started talking at once. What was wrong? What was going on with him? Who was the man that kept calling him at the office? Why was he spending his nights at home instead of at Babylon? Was the cancer back?

Brian calmly reached into his pocket and pulled out his cell phone. He hit the speed dial and listened to the ring. He whispered, "Hey," as soon as he heard the blonde’s familiar voice on the line.

Justin smiled and replied, "Hey yourself. I’m glad you called me, cookie." He listened and heard the voices in the background. It sounded liket Brian was being attacked by an angry mob. His first reaction was a gut clenching fear that something was about to happen to his boy, and he wasn’t there to protect him. He glanced at the time and realized that Brian must be at Deb’s dinner. That meant those voices were coming from his friends. The fear that had started coiling inside him quickly turned to anger. How dare these people treat his boy this way? "Are you alright, cookie?"

Brian took a deep breath and realized that he was indeed okay. He was going to be just fine. Even with everything that was happening around him, he smiled and said, "I’m fine."

"Listen, don’t let them get you down. You don’t have to answer to them unless you want to. This is none of their business. Just keep that in mind."

Brian couldn’t keep the grin off his face. Master was defending him and worrying about him. That unexplainable feeling, somewhere in the region of his heart, seemed to grow. This was what he’d been missing his entire life. He could really get used to having someone else think of his best interest. "Don't worry about me; I'm going to be fine."

Justin heard something in his boy’s voice. He wasn’t quite sure what caused the change, but it made him feel better just hearing the new confidence in his boy’s voice. "Don't stay there and take that shit, cookie. Go home."

"I already planned on doing just that. Are you still calling tonight?"

"As long as you still want me to call."

Brian licked his lips before replying, "Then I'll be waiting."

"I like the sound of that. You call me if you have any more problems...promise me, I don't want to worry about you."

Brian whispered, "I promise." He heard the click as Justin disconnected the call, and flipped his phone closed. He started walking toward the door ignoring his friend’s comments completely.

"Hey you little asshole, what the fuck do you think you’re doing?" Debbie called out.

Brian stopped, took a deep breath, and turned to face his friends. "I think for the first time in my life, I’m living instead of just existing." He pointed a finger at Michael and said, "I’m not your gay superhero, Mikey." He turned to Lindsay and stated, "I’m not just your fucking sperm donor, Lindz." He glanced at Melanie, "Do you hate me because I suck cock or because you don’t have one?" Finally he met Debbie’s gaze and said, "I’m not the one keeping little Mikey in comic book land."

Brian regarded all his friends and gave a dramatic wave of his hand. "You think you know me, but you don’t know shit." He unbuttoned his shirt, pulled it off, and turned so that his left bicep and the tattoo were in plain view.

"What the fuck have you done to yourself, Brian?!" Michael demanded.

"Jesus Christ, Brian!" Debbie said in a shocked voice.

Lindsay gasped loudly and covered her mouth as her eyes got really big.

Melanie shook her head, screwed her face into an expression of disgust, and said, "Holy shit!"

Emmett clapped his hands and gushed, "Oh, it’s gorgeous."

Ted looked and whistled, "Damn, Bri, that had to cost a pretty penny."

Brian pointed to the tattoo on his arm and said, "This is who I am." He slid his shirt back on and continued, "Since you all know me so well, I’m sure you won’t have any problems figuring this out. Now, while this has been about as much fun as a fucking toothache, there’s someplace I have to be." He turned and walked out without a backward glance slamming the door behind him.

Brian walked into Babylon with his head held high. He was psyched. He looked around at the dancing bodies until he spotted a very hot trick. He pulled the guy to the backroom, pushed him against the wall, and fucked him hard. He’d always loved the excitement he’d found in the hunt and the thrill of the capture, but something had definitely been missing tonight. As he made his way out of the club, he was accidently pushed by a drunk dancer into the guy he'd just fucked. He straightened and continued toward the exist when he heard another guy ask the trick, "Isn't that the old dude you were with?"

An hour later, after driving around thinking about his life and the words he'd overheard, he let himself into his loft just as his cell phone rang. "Hello, Master."

"You sound better than you did earlier, do I even want to know what happened?"

Brian grinned, "Probably not. I’d say they are still trying to figure out what the hell happened."

Justin chuckled softly, "That’s my boy."

Brian felt those words vibrate through his entire body. He was so proud of his accomplishment and he was so happy that Master was proud of him too. It just seemed to be shadowed. "I fucked a guy at Babylon before I came home." The words just seem to jump right out of his mouth.

"Well, how was it?"

Brian sighed. "I got bored."

"I can’t imagine you picking a boring trick to fuck, cookie. What happened?"

"It just wasn’t…" Brian paused trying to figure out what he wanted to say.

"It just wasn’t what, cookie?"

"It wasn’t as satisfying as I thought it’d be."

"It didn’t give you what you needed?" Justin soft voice sent shivers down Brian’s spine.

"No."

"Was it because I wasn’t there to watch you fucking that guy?"

That brought instant images to Brian’s mind. He imagined how it would have felt to have Master watching him and felt his dick harden. He swallowed hard and whispered, "Yes."

"I’m sorry I missed that. Do you have any idea how hot it would be for me to watch you fucking some guy for my pleasure?"

Brian whimpered softly.

"Are you naked and in bed, cookie?"

"No, Master, I just got home."

"Well go into the bedroom, take off all your clothes, climb on the bed, and I’ll give you what you need."

Brian walked quickly toward his bedroom shucking his clothes hastily. When he was on the bed he whispered, "I’m ready, Master."

"Close you eyes, cookie. I want you to listen to my voice. Move your hand over your chest and gently pinch your nipples."

Brian ran his hand slowly over his chest letting his fingers circles his nipples a few times before gently squeezing and pulling the little nub. His breathing quickened and little gasps escaped his lips as he pinched harder and harder.

Justin had his eyes closed listening to his boy as he stroked his aching hard-on. "I’m so hard right now just imagining you stretched out waiting for me. Knowing that your body is there just for my pleasure. Are you wet, cookie?"

Brian pinched his nipples really hard and groaned, "Yes, I’m so hard and so wet."

Justin stroked his cock a bit faster and bit back a moan of his own, "Do you want me, cookie?"

Brian lifted his hips up thrusting into the air and gasped, "Yes, Master."

"Touch yourself, cookie. I want to hear you."

Brian wrapped his fingers around his leaking erection and kept the blonde’s face in his mind. He slowly pumped his hand and thrust his hips gasping and moaning softly.

"I want to bury my hard cock so deep inside your tight hot ass, cookie."

Brian moaned and stroked himself faster. "I’m so close, Master."

Justin bit back another moan and whispered, "Do you want to cum for me, cookie?"

"Yes, Master."

"Beg me, cookie. Show me how much you need it."

Brian whimpered softly, "I’ve never…"

"I know, but I want to hear it, cookie. I want to hear how much you want me."

"I do want you Master. I want you more than I’ve ever wanted anyone, but I just don’t know if I can…"

"Are you still stroking yourself?"

"Yes."

"Are you hard? Do you need to cum?"

Brian whimpered, "Yes, Master."

"I’m stroking my cock too, cookie. I want to cum so badly."

"I want that too, Master. I want to hear you cum."

"Beg me, cookie."

"Oh fuck, please Master."

"Please what, cookie?"

"Please let me hear you cum. I want to hear you. I want to know I can give you pleasure. Please Master."

Justin groaned loudly and pumped his cock a couple of times before shooting all over his chest. "Cum for me, cookie."

Brian didn’t even wait to hear the entire command before he exploded. His whole body was shaking. He collapsed on the bed gasping for breath.

"I can’t wait to get home, cookie. I miss holding you."

Brian smiled. "I miss that too, Master."

"Are you okay?" Justin asked wanting to know what had happened at Debbie's after their call ended.

"I’m more than okay. Don’t worry, Master." Brian said and gave a little yawn.

"Go to sleep, cookie. I’ll talk to you tomorrow."

"Night Master." Brian closed his cell, cleaned himself off, pulled up his duvet, and snuggled into the bed.

Justin stretched and smiled. He’d finished up his business early, made plans with Jake, and was going to be heading home tomorrow. He’d thought about telling Brian, but decided to surprise his boy. He already knew how he was spending his first night home. Just thinking about it made him smile. Tomorrow was going to be a great day.