Chapter 17 - Gus in Toyland.

Gus woke up from his rather short nap determined to find Winston. He crawled out of bed and tottered out to the main room, not really interested in the least to find his father and Justin curled around each other and apparently trying to eat each other’s faces off. All Gus wanted was to find his kitty. Brian managed to tuck himself away and pull up his pants before Gus turned to demand that he help find the missing feline. Justin scurried away to his room to change his pants while Brian allowed himself to be dragged around the room looking in every corner, nook and crannie for the missing Winston. Justin saw two worried looking big green eyes staring out from behind the boots in the back of his closet but didn’t say a word to the three year old that might give away Winston’s hiding place.

The stubborn toddler didn’t give up on his search for the cat for more than a half hour. At that point Brian had to quell an incipient tantrum by distracting Gus with a Disney video and promises of more fun activities later that night. Gus eventually relented with bad grace and allowed himself to be seated in front of the television while Brian scrambled to figure out what to do for the rest of the night. Justin watched Brian floundering for a while. It was fun to see how upset the indulgent father was getting when he was unable to humor his little boy. After a few minutes of discrete laughter, Justin stepped up and offered a possible suggestion.

“Hey, Gus,” Justin piped up when it looked like ‘Winnie the Pooh’ was no longer going to hold the boy’s attention. “Have your mommies taken you to see Santa yet this year? Because, if not, I happen to know he’s visiting here in New York this weekend and we could probably go see him and you could give him your Christmas List.”

Gus looked up in awe at this statement. He shook his head ‘no’ without saying anything and just stared at Justin. The boy’s mouth was hanging open slightly and he seemed befuddled by the very idea of going to actually SEE Santa.

“One of Gus’ mommies is Jewish,” Brian murmured in an aside to Justin, trying to deflect the avid young blond from this perilous course of action. “They don’t really emphasize Christmas. They usually celebrate Hanukkah instead.”

“But, I thought you said they were going to be celebrating Christmas in Pittsburgh with your family,” Justin pointed out, anxious that he’d put his foot in his mouth big time.

“Yeah, but only because Deb insists every year. I don’t think Gus has ever been to see Santa before,” Brian admitted.

“Well! This is a perfect time to tackle that problem,” Justin declared, undeterred by Brian’s clearly uncomfortable poise at the very mention of Santa. “You, Mr. Kinney, are now living in New York City and you’re entertaining your three year old son for the weekend before Christmas. That means that you are virtually obliged to take your son to F.A.O. Schwarz to see Santa. Sorry, but it’s basically a parenting requirement.”

“Justin. . . .” Brian tried to dissuade the insistent youth without making a big deal about it.

“Daddy? Is it true? Is Santa here in N’York?” Gus was standing next to Brian and tugging at the leg of his jeans. “Mamma said that Santa only ever came to Gramma Debbie's house. He didn't ever come to our house in 'Pissburg'.”

“Um. . . I don’t know, Gus. . .  I. . . I really don’t . . . .” Brian was trying to be hard and resist the sad puppy-dog eyes looking up at him with clear longing, but he wasn’t nearly that tough. “Fine. We’ll go to see Santa. Go get your coat and shoes. Oh, and Sunshine . . . You’re coming too - you can stand in the fucking line while Gus and I play with the toys until it’s time.”

<><><><><><><><><>

More than two hours later Justin was still standing in line at ‘Santa’s Village’ while Brian and Gus rampaged through the many floors of F.A.O. Schwarz, playing with every toy they could find and checking every fifteen minutes or so to see where Justin was in the line. It wasn’t entirely clear who was having more fun playing with all the toys - Brian or Gus - they both seemed fascinated with everything they saw, each new thing somehow topping the last even though every single toy they came across was pronounced ‘awesome’ by one of the two.

When Justin was only five people back from the head of the line, Brian and Gus magically appeared and insinuated themselves back into the queue. Brian seemed almost as nervous about meeting Santa for the first time as Gus. The tall, well-dressed executive was bouncing on his toes and fidgeting. Justin tried to calm him discretely by reaching out and grasping Brian’s hand. Brian looked over at him with wonder at the simple gesture but he did stop joggling around and squeezed Justin’s hand back.

Finally, after all the hoopla, it was Gus’ turn to be escorted by an ‘Elf’ towards the older man with the beard sitting on the throne-like chair amid five-foot high fake candy canes and elaborate two-foot tall snowflakes. Gus looked back at his father apprehensively. Brian tried to smile bravely at the boy, but Justin could tell from the tension in his grip that the man wasn’t all that comfortable with the situation either. Justin didn’t know what to make of Brian’s strange reaction to a visit with Santa, but he saw that Gus at least was enthralled.

“Hello there, young man,” Santa said with a deep baritone voice. “You look familiar but Santa’s getting old so you’ll have to remind me of your name, little man.”

“ . . . . . .” Gus’ mouth opened to respond but nothing came out.

“His name is Gus,” Justin offered from the sidelines. “This is his first time visiting New York and his first time visiting Santa. He might be a bit shy.”

“That’s quite all right!” Santa asserted and laughed jovially as he gave Gus a little squeeze. “So, little man, how are you enjoying your visit to New York?”

“. . . . My Daddy got me a cat. His name is Winston,” Gus finally managed to find his words and he launched wholeheartedly into a complete explanation for the big guy in the red suit. “He’s grey with stripes. I couldn’t find him today when I got up from my nap but Daddy said we’d find him again when we got back home. I live in 'Pissburg'. My Momma is Jewish so I get lots of gifts at Hanukkah but this is the first year I’m gonna get to have Christmas. After I’m done visiting Daddy, my Mommy and Momma are going to take me to visit Gramma Debbie. Gramma Debbie always has Christmas, she says. She said I’m gonna get lots of presents. I don’t really need lots of presents, though. I’d really only like one present - to have my Daddy come visit me more - but he’s really busy and he just moved here to N’York and he can’t come to 'Pissburg' this year but I get to spend the whole weekend with him and Jus’n. That’s them standing over there - Hi Daddy! Hi Jus’n!” - So, I really just want to get to do lots of fun stuff with my Daddy while I’m here. But, if you do make it to 'Pissburg', I saw this really cool Lego set downstairs. It was a castle and it had a drawbridge that my Daddy showed me how to work and there was a cannon that shot out real little balls and it had a moat and . . . . .”

It wasn’t until the next little kid in line started getting antsy that Santa managed to quiet Gus’ enthusiastic tirade. He promised, with a wink towards where Brian and Justin were waiting on the side, that Gus would get that Lego set he wanted and told him he would make sure to mark on his map where Gus would be on Christmas night even though he would be at Gramma’s in Pittsburgh. Then, the officious elf took control and hustled Gus off so the next little child could come and talk to Santa. Gus didn’t stop talking even when he was ousted from Santa’s lap - he kept shouting additional ideas over his shoulder at the man who was trying to concentrate on the next child. Justin hurried off to purchase the official Santa Visit photo from the nearby elf as Brian distracted Gus and let him babble on about his Christmas list. Then, as soon as Justin returned, the two men exchanged a short silent communication that involved heads tilting and eyebrows being lifted, fingers pointing and words being silently mouthed, and eventually ended up with Justin taking Gus off to look at some display or other while Brian surreptitiously snuck back down to the floor where the Lego’s were located. When the man returned a little while later, Brian was toting a rather large shopping bag and seemed to be highly pleased with himself.

Justin and Gus both conspired, with much whining and begging, to make Brian take them out for dinner as soon as they left the toy store. Justin recommended John’s Pizzeria which was just a couple blocks away from where they were and offered great NYC slices. Brian agreed, with only a minimal amount of grumbling. The two boys had huge slices of pepperoni - Justin showed Gus how to fold his slice in half like all New Yorker’s - and Brian picked at a mostly wilted salad. But, everyone was in a good mood when they left so it wasn’t a total wash. Gus and Justin had the best time looking at the decorative Christmas lights and the display windows of the Midtown department stores as they headed back towards home. As the grand finale to the night, Justin talked Brian into treating everyone to Frozen Hot Chocolates at Serendipity. Then, the sated, wind-kissed group loaded into a cab and was whisked away back to the apartment in SoHo.

As soon as they got home, Gus was insistent that Winston finally be found so he could be forcibly loved. The little boy refused to take his bath, get ready for bed, or do anything else other than stand in the middle of the living room floor, his feet set wide and his arms crossed with a relentlessly stubborn look on his sweet little face. He looked so utterly determined that Justin finally gave in and went to roust Winston from his hidey hole in the back of the closet. Gus squealed with joy as soon as the cat was brought out.

Justin insisted that Gus sit quietly on the couch before he would bring Winston to him. Gus, who would do anything to get his hands on his new pet again, scaled the couch cushions and sat himself down with both hands held out. Justin sat down next to Gus and gently put Winston in Gus’ lap.

"Okay, Gus. If you want to be one of Winston's people, you need to learn some rules about cats," Justin started to explain, guiding Gus' little hands so they would be stroking the animal’s fur in the correct direction. "First of all, cats aren't like dogs. Cats are stubborn and intelligent and independent. You don't really own a cat - the cat chooses to stay with you if he likes you. That's why you always have to be respectful towards your cat."

"Like how Mommy says I got to respect grown ups and not interrupt them when they talk too much?"

"Exactly. Only, the way you show a cat respect is by always making sure the cat is comfortable and not scared. Winston hates to be carried around - he'd rather walk on his own. He also likes it when you sit down quietly so he can get into your lap and get comfy. Here, I'll show you how Winston likes to be petted. . ." Justin spent the next twenty minutes explaining to the curious boy everything about being owned by a cat. Brian sat nearby and beamed at the two, amazed at how intently Gus was listening to Justin’s instructions. The longer that Gus sat still and didn’t make any loud noises or startling movements, the calmer the cat became until he relaxed enough to stretch out his paws across Gus’ knees. Justin knew his intervention was a success when Winston made his kitty sentiments known by settling into a loud, rumbling, contented purr.

“I think that’s enough cat education for one night, boys,” Brian finally announced and picked up his son from the couch, throwing him over one shoulder with a ear-splitting eruption of giggles from the little boy that resembled him so much. “You, my dear offspring, need a bath and then it’s off to bed with you. I’m sure Justin has a full day of fun planned for us tomorrow - complete with uncounted sugary treats and lots of fried foods - which I will have to punish him for later. So, you better get plenty of sleep, Sonnyboy.”

Justin and Winston stayed put on the couch and watched with amazement as Brian Kinney went into full-out father mode. Brian cajoled Gus into the bathtub, helping him wash his hair amid splashing and tickling and other un-Kinney-like expressions of hilarity. Then, rolling the little boy up in a giant, fluffy bath sheet, he hoisted the little boy off towards his room and assisted with the finding and donning of pajamas. When he was dressed in a zippered fleece sleeper, there was the ritual of brushing teeth and getting a glass of water, and then Gus had to give both Justin and Winston goodnight hugs. Finally, Brian told the boy to go jump in bed, to which Gus agreed provided that his Daddy would be there in a minute to read him a story. Brian plopped down onto the couch next to Justin and let out an exhausted sigh. The man looked tuckered out but in a happy, fulfilled way that was so charming. Justin couldn’t help himself - he leaned over and gave the half-smiling, full raspberry red lips a very light little kiss that easily conveyed his approval at Brian’s devotion to his son.

“You’re adorable with Gus,” Justin whispered into the available ear, nibbling a little on the sensitive lobe to make his point.

“Brian Kinney is NEVER adorable,” the man replied indignantly, flipping Justin over and pinning him on his back on the couch in mock anger. “I’m sexy, hot, sometimes an asshole, but I refuse to be called adorable. You take that back, Sunshine, or I’ll have to add that to the list of things you’re getting punished for.”

“Nope. I won’t take it back,” Justin giggled while trying to squirm out from Brian’s grip. “I can’t because it’s true.”

“I’ll show you how adorable I am,” Brian practically growled as he manhandled Justin over his knee and started swatting him on the ass playfully, pretending to be outraged while he barely held back a giggle or two of his own.

Justin eventually managed to wriggle free and crawled away from the couch to the far side of the coffee table. Brian was going to follow when all the fun was interrupted by Gus’ yell of “Daddy, I’m ready for my book”. Brian looked across the small table they’d been circling around and smiled bashfully.

“On my way, Sonnyboy,” Brian yelled back, winking at his still-giggling blond playmate. “I’ll be back for you later, Sunshine.”

“Promises, promises. . . .” Justin teased, sticking out his tongue and laughing even harder at the exasperated look which that got him from the tall, usually reserved older man.

“Daddy!”

Brian shook his head at the impish blond and backed away down the hall towards his bedroom.

“Gus? Where are you, Sonnyboy?” Brian yelled when he got to his bedroom but didn’t see his son in the bed.

“I’m in my bed, Daddy,” Gus’ voice rang out of Justin’s room.

By the time Brian got to the other bedroom, Justin was right behind him, curious about what Gus was up to now. Gus was already under the covers in Justin’s big queen-sized bed and had obviously made himself at home in the room with all his clothing laid out on the top of the dresser and his toys and books on the bedside table. Apparently, Gus had decided this was his room now.

“Sonnyboy, this is Justin’s room. I thought you would sleep with me while you visited,” Brian said, pulling back the blankets and already determined that Gus would be moving.

“No, Daddy. I want this room. I’m a big boy and I don’t need to sleep with you. I like having my own room. You and Justin can sleep in your big bed together,” Gus declared as if it was settled. “Now, you can read to me. I want ‘Where the Wild Things Are’. And, you have to do the voices like Momma.”

“Sunshine?” Brian turned to look over his shoulder at the blond who was getting kicked out of his own room by an insistent three-year-old. “Are you okay with adjusting the room assignments? I promise not to hog all the covers.” Brian smiled saucily and waggled his eyebrows suggestively at Justin who didn’t really know what to think about this development - who would have guessed that Gus was such an inveterate matchmaker?

“I don’t know, Brian . . .” Justin felt like he was being put on the spot and it immediately got his dander up.  

“It’s okay, Jus’n,” Gus added, his tone indicating that he thought Justin was being illogical and just plain difficult. “Daddy never hogs the covers when I’m sleeping with him. You’ll be okay. Plus, he’s big and keeps you warm. You won’t even need covers.”

“I promise, Sunshine, that your virtue is safe - if you want it to be. . . .” Brian offered, rather insincerely, Justin thought. “Although, Gus is right that I do know some things we could do to keep you warm enough that you won’t need the covers.”

“Briannnn,” Justin tried to caution the unrepentant man, not really comfortable discussing those types of activities in front of a three year old.

“Daddy, read now!” Gus demanded, assuming in his own mind that the discussion had been resolved and that his Daddy and Jus’n would be sharing one bed just like his mommies always did.

“Okay, okay, Gus. I’ll read. And, Sunshine, we can finish talking about this after the Wild Things ‘show their terrible claws and gnash their terrible teeth’,” Brian succumbed to Gus’ persistence, grabbed the book off the nightstand, sat down on the edge of the bed and started in on the story. “The night that Max. . . “

Justin hovered in the doorway, listening to Brian reading the story. The book had been one of his favorites as a child too and he had almost all the lines memorized. Gus seemed to have it pretty much memorized too. He insisted that Brian use ‘Monster’ voices when the ‘Wild Things’ were speaking. Brian tried only halfheartedly to get out of it and then playfully launched into his best growly monster voice. When Brian came to the quintessential passage, ‘We’ll eat you up, we love you so’, he made the book interactive by growling even louder and pretending to bite and tickle at Gus’ tummy. Justin was awed by the endearing scene and the way that Brian seemed like a completely different person with his son. When he was with Gus, Brian was adorable, sweet, playful, funny, easygoing. . .  and so fucking hot. Justin was already rethinking his resolution to avoid Brian’s bed.

“All right, Sonnyboy,” Brian declared when he’d reached the end of the story and Max had woken up to find that his mother had brought the naughty boy dinner after all. “Time for you to get some sleep. We have all day tomorrow and Sunday to fill with adventures.”

“Night, Daddy. I love you.”

“I love you too, Sonnyboy,” Brian whispered and left a soft little kiss on the dark auburn hair of the child. “I’m really glad you’re here visiting me. Good night.”

Brian stood up and turned off the light beside the bed. He had the most flirtatious little smile on his face as he walked away from the bed towards where Justin was waiting. There was still a certain amount of predator in his demeanor - that was inherent to Brian Kinney's nature. However, Justin now saw that beneath that sexy, prowling lothario exterior, there was so much more. There was a softer, more vulnerable side to this man that he obviously tried to hide. Justin wasn't exactly sure why he even tried to hide it since that little glimpse of humanity just made the man even more irresistible. That line of Sendak's - ‘we'll eat you up, we love you so’, was still echoing in Justin's ears and he couldn't help thinking that right at this moment Brian looked absolutely, deliciously, edible. He could definitely eat Brian up.

Justin moved away from the door so that Brian could exit and pull the door almost all the way closed. He left it slightly ajar in case the child cried out or needed him in the night. But, as soon as Brian had moved a few inches away from the door, Justin could no longer hold back. That urge to eat Brian up whole was too overpowering. The young blond jumped at the unsuspecting older man and pinned him to the wall with a solid thump, pressing his body against the taller frame and sealing his lips onto Brian’s.

Brian’s warm crushed cranberry lips were totally unresisting. As soon as he overcame his initial surprise at Justin’s precipitate actions, he let himself acquiesce completely. Justin seemed like he was on fire with desire. He was nipping and licking at Brian’s lips, leaving sloppy wet kisses everywhere he could reach and his hands, all eight of them from what Brian could feel, were ravening over Brian’s body trying desperately to reach bare skin anywhere they could. This was NOT the demure, prudish, little angel that Brian had been expecting, especially after Justin’s show of trepidation about sharing a bed for the night, but who was he to complain when he was being ravaged by a delightful blond with the perfect bubble butt. Brian let Justin’s lips and hands roam at will and just went with the flow, more turned on than he would have thought he could be at the prospect of giving up control to this little demon who seemed intent on devouring him.

Justin was too busy climbing all over the tasty morsel of man he was intent on ravishing to notice that Brian was slowly edging them along the wall towards his own bedroom. When they reached the open doorway, they actually fell through, Justin landing on top of Brian and forcing out a curse from the man who’d served as the landing pad. However, not even this seemed to quell Justin’s lust. He simply kept kissing and biting and licking and nipping away at the man that had been such a provocation.

“Eat you up,” Justin muttered, in the few moments his mouth wasn’t occupied doing other more sensual things to Brian’s body. “So fucking sexy. . .”

Brian was astounded at the speed with which his clothing seemed to disappear after that. He didn’t mind, but this was definitely a change from the Justin he was used to. Before his pants were thrown halfway across the room, Brian managed to snag the spare condom he always kept handy out of the rear pocket. A blond dervish snatched the little foil packet out of his hand imperiously and had it open and rolled down Brian’s ready dick before Brian could blink. A crazy, lustful, insatiable Justin was just fine with Brian Kinney. He decided to lie back and let the youth do whatever he wanted, just so long as it involved Brian’s cock in some fashion.

Justin somehow managed to get his own clothes off without breaking contact between Brian’s body and his mouth for more than a millisecond. With Brian’s shirt miraculously disappearing, Justin now had access to yards and yards of tantalizing, tasty, Kinney skin, and his tongue was no longer focused on Brian’s lips. Justin’s slippery tongue glided over the slightly salty skin of Brian’s chest and lapped briefly at the little nubs of his hard nipples but didn’t tarry for long. He was a man on a mission and that mission involved getting to Brian’s cock in the shortest amount of time possible. Brian arched his back up as Justin’s wet mouth moved southward, trying to help out on the quest to find the real treasure. Justin groaned in victory when he finally reached the end of Brian’s treasure trail and ran his salivating tongue all over the prize he’d found, intent on supplying his own very special lubrication to the mix.

But, as soon as Brian was nice and slick, Justin - that libidinous little devil - was rearing up and ready to impale himself completely unprepared onto that lovely hard rod that was now sheathed and slippery and just waiting for someone to use it hard and well. Brian wasn’t really sure at this point whether or not he was really needed for the rest of this encounter, since Justin seemed to be doing pretty well on his own with Brian acting as a mere prop. Not that Brian was really going to complain, seeing as his dick was usually more than happy to prop up any ass that needed a little attention, especially a lovely full one like Justin’s. He did harbor a fleeting worry about the poor blond’s rather unready hole, but then, as soon as Justin had lined himself up and then sank down hard on that hot throbbing member, Brian completely forgot what he was about to object to.

It was a fast and furious ride. Justin was raring to go right out of the chute. Brian felt like a bucking bronco at the rodeo who only got his short eight seconds in which to show his style. Justin’s heels were firmly planted into Brian’s hide and raking down his sides in expert bareback rider form. Brian tried to give a spectacular buck or two, but there was no way he was going to throw this avid competitor. They were both more than ready for the culmination of this event - it had been a week since their last full go-round - and it only took ten or twelve thrusts before both the rider and his steed were screaming in climax. Brian figured that the judges would probably give them an excellent score based on their combined energy, agility, stamina and the heights to which Justin’s cum shot into the air as he came.

The intrepid rider collapsed as soon as his time ran out, dropping with a huge exhale of released passion onto Brian’s sticky chest. “That was a mighty nice ride there, Cowboy. But how about you give it another go, and this time, maybe you could try for more than eight seconds?”

“Yeeee Hawww!” the little cowboy mumbled as he panted and tried to regroup from his prior ride.