Perfection

Chapter 9

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Brian sat on the couch in Justin's apartment and sipped at the beer he'd been handed. He was trying to think of a clever way to explain what he wanted Justin to do, and why. He wanted to accomplish that without having to explain why twice he had run out on the man.

"I'm waiting," Justin said rather harshly. He was sitting in the chair across from Brian. The rigidity of his back did not bode well for success with what Brian wanted.

"I've been waiting too," Brian retorted. He didn't know why he said that, but sometimes things just came out. He saw Justin flinch and knew he had made a mistake.

"You know, I don't need your shit. If you came here to piss me off, mission accomplished. You can go now."

Justin started to stand and Brian knew it was now or never. He would not get another chance either to stay Justin's friend or to get him to be part of the photo shoot.

"Justin, wait. I'm an idiot," Brian said doing something he never did. Apologize.

"That's a given," Justin snarked glaring at Brian.

"I do have a business proposition for you."

"And what might this mysterious proposition be?"

Brian extended the folder that he had set beside him on the couch. Justin took it and opened it. He studied the picture which had been taken a couple of years before.

"What is this?" Justin frowned. "Why are you showing me this picture? Oh, wait a minute, I get it." Justin sneezed. "You want to make fun of how much older I look now than I did in that photo." Another sneeze, followed by a third.

"Why would you think I would do that?" Brian asked incredulously.

"Because you can," Justin said as he broke into another round of sneezing.

"You look just the same as you did in that picture," Brian said softly. "Maybe better."

Justin managed to stop sneezing and he looked into Brian's eyes trying to gauge if the man was being sincere or sarcastic.

"I mean it," Brian said in an attempt to reassure Justin.

"Yeah, right," Justin said skeptically. "I've seen the picture. You can go now."

"I'm not going anywhere until you look at what's under the picture."

Justin picked up the photo, touching it warily like it might bite him or make him spontaneously combust. Underneath was a photo of the two men already chosen for the High Life Hair Care ads. It was a mock-up for a possible magazine ad, but without the third person.

"We think you might be the perfect person for the third man in these ads," Brian explained relaxing enough to take another sip of his beer.

"Why do you need a third? They look good together."

"The head of High Life wants a red head, a brunet and a blond."

"And what he wants, he gets."

Brian nodded. "I think he wants you."

"Me?"

"He saw your photo on my desk and he really liked your look."

"Why was my picture on your desk?" Justin asked cutting right to the chase.

"Uh, well, I was looking through folios of blond models and I saw yours and pulled it out."

"Pulled it out? Why? Did you intend to rip it up?"

"Christ, Justin, you make it sound like I hate you."

"Well, don't you? You run away from me all the time. Am I too old and ugly to be around you?" That initiated another bout of sneezing.

"You're not old at all. You're … perfect," Brian said hesitantly. "It's me who's not perfect."

"Would you care to explain that statement? You look pretty perfect to me."

"I do?" Brian smiled. He liked hearing that. But then he remembered that it was all a façade.

"Brian, what the fuck is going on? I'm not interested in this ad campaign, but I am interested in why you came here tonight."

"I really need you for this campaign. The CEO told me to get you out of retirement."

"Fuck!"

"It would be really … nice if you would take part in a photo shoot with the two guys in that picture."

"I don't model anymore. I'm a full time student."

"But we could work around that," Brian said hopefully. "It could be written right in the contract that your schooling comes first and if you have to take time for your studies, then you can."

"You sound like I already have the job."

"If you look good at the shoot, then you do," Brian affirmed.

"Fuck! What if I look too old and they turn me down? I thought I had put all that shit behind me."

"It's great money and I know some part of you must miss the limelight," Brian said with a slight smile of encouragement.

"I … I don't know. I'm not sure I can handle another rejection."

"Nobody's going to reject you. Trust me."

"I wish I could." Justin shook his head. "When are you going to explain about running out on me?" Justin asked, his face so open and sweet that Brian felt his heart melt.

"I'm not sure I can."

"So we're right back where we started from," Justin sighed.

"It … it's really complicated."

"Tell me … please. I'm smart, but I can't figure out what's going on if you don't even give me a clue."

"Maybe I don't want you to know," Brian admitted.

Justin frowned. "Brian, what is it? You can tell me, really you can."

"I know I can tell you, but I can't make myself say the words." Brian ran his fingers over his eyes and tried to breathe. Even that was more than he wanted to admit.

"Then let me guess," Justin said. "All you have to do is nod your head." After a minute or so Brian nodded. "Good. Um, let's see. Does it have something to do with that jerk of a guy at Babylon?" Brian's head shot up and Justin knew he had hit the mark.

"How the fuck did you come to that conclusion?" Brian asked.

"He upset you. I could see that. Was he the guy you had the relationship with?"

Brian nodded. "The very same."

"I thought you called him Garnet. Why were you so upset to see him?" Brian merely raised an eyebrow. "Oh, right, I forgot. I have to ask questions that only require a yes or no answer. So, let's see. Did he hurt you?" Justin watched Brian clench his eyes like he was blotting out something terrible. Gradually Brian nodded his head fighting back tears. "Did he dump you?" Justin asked. Brian nodded, finding that question somehow easier to answer than the previous one. "But what the fuck is the matter with the guy? Why would he dump you?"

Brian's eyes opened and he looked at Justin. He could see that the man meant what he said. He couldn't believe that in Justin Taylor's eyes he looked desirable, normal, unblemished. "You must have heard him say that I'm far from perfect. Well, I am."

"I don't see it," Justin replied studying Brian.

"Not all imperfections are on the surface. Some are hidden away like the flaw that diminishes the value of a large diamond."

"How philosophical! Is that what you think? You have a flaw that diminishes your worth?" Justin felt like they were on the verge of something really important between them if he could only keep this going long enough to get the truth out of Brian.

Brian nodded. Justin was so close to finding out his secret, but he doubted that even Justin Taylor, his newfound friend and confidant, would be able to figure out the real problem. And that was just as well.

Justin had been watching the emotions flicker across Brian's face. Something just wasn't right. What could be so imperfect about Brian Kinney? He had a reputation as a sex god. How could that be a bad thing? He was known to be rather ruthless in his business dealings, but this was a domestic issue, although one never really knew what went on with couples, except the couples themselves.

"Do you snore?" Justin asked with a straight face.

"What?" Brian responded, a look of disbelief on his beautiful face.

"Snoring, you know, when you sleep."

"Not that anybody's told me."

"What about ice cold feet that immediately freeze the section of the body to which they are applied?"

"Fuck no!" Brian laughed. Trust Justin Taylor to turn this inquisition into something entertaining.

"What about farts?"

"Jesus Christ!" Brian laughed. "Are you going to go through all the bodily functions and fluids?"

"I was planning to. Let's see there's belching and too much perspiring and bad breath and shit that smells really, really bad."

"Stop, please," Brian begged holding his side as he continued to laugh at the absurdity of it. "You're giving me a stitch."

"It's the least I could do for you," Justin said with a serene smile. He was enjoying Brian's discomfort. He was also glad that he had been able to cheer Brian up a little.

"It's more than enough, believe me," Brian gasped trying to take a deep breath.

"Maybe you could just tell me what the problem was with Garnet and then I wouldn't have to torture you," Justin suggested.

"I'd rather not," Brian said sobering up quickly.

"But, really Brian, I'm sure whatever happened isn't nearly as bad as you think it is."

"You don't know the half of it."

"Maybe I should contact Garnet so I can find out the truth," Justin mused waiting to see Brian's reaction.

"Don't … please," was all that Brian said. His face registered emotions that Justin couldn't describe. He thought he might do well to leave that alone.

"Okay, I won't, but I want something in return."

"You do?" Brian asked.

"I want us to go out on some dates. Maybe you'll decide to tell me what happened between you and Garnet, or maybe I can convince you that whatever it was isn't nearly as important as you think it is."

"You want to go on a date with me?" Brian asked. This Justin Taylor was really something.

"I believe I said dates."

"As in how many?"

"Let's play it by ear."

"If I agree to that, will you come to the photo shoot next Monday afternoon?"

"Hm, it just so happens that I don't have classes on Monday afternoons, so … yes."

"That's good. I better go," Brian said standing up.

"Not so fast, bucko."

"Bucko?" Brian laughed. "Bucko?"

"I want one date this weekend or it's no deal."

Brian thought about it for a moment. If the date turned out to be horrible, which it probably would, then Justin would have to keep his part of the bargain, and they wouldn't have to do anymore dates. "Deal," Brian said extending his hand.

Justin took the proffered hand. He felt an immediate zing as their hands came together. That was such a small area to touch. What would it be like when their bodies were spread out on top of each other and they were kissing and their cocks…

"May I have my hand back, please," Brian was asking.

"Um, sorry. I was thinking."

Brian gave him a quizzical look. "Here's the address for the shoot. 2 p.m."

"You could have told me that on our date," Justin grinned.

"Riiiight, Saturday night?"

"Sounds good. Where are you going to take me?"

"It'll be a surprise."

"It better be a good surprise," Justin warned.

"Trust me."

"You keep saying that."

"That's because you can trust me."

"We'll see, but as a token of good faith, here!" Justin reached up and pulled Brian into what was meant to be a sweet little kiss.

Brian arched back slightly, taken by surprise, but Justin merely took that as a challenge. He deepened the kiss and felt Brian respond. Tongues met with unexpected pleasure. Justin felt Brian's hand cup the back of his head increasing the pressure of the kiss. If he could have, he would have smiled, but his lips were too busy doing other things. His arms wrapped around Brian's neck.

Neither knew how much time had passed before they pulled back. Brian stared into Justin's eyes and then turned abruptly to leave.

"Saturday," he said as he closed the apartment door behind him.

"Saturday," Justin grinned as he watched Brian depart. He definitely needed to find out more about this man that he wanted so much.