Chapter 59 - Loose Ends. (Wednesday, August 31st).

Justin and Brian pulled up outside the Residence in the limo that Ted had provided for the night. For the past two weeks they had been holed up in Brian’s loft, only venturing out for food when needed. Neither was really ready to face the world. In fact, they were even balking at the necessity of wearing clothing again - although one of their infrequent forays outside had included Brian taking Justin to his favorite tailor in order to have a brand new Armani suit fitted for the boy. Which meant that both of them were dressed to kill tonight.

So far the living together thing had been a breeze. Well, that was probably because they’d turned all the phones off and refused to answer the door. Brian had even gone so far as to have the locks on the loft changed the same day they’d left the Residence. The only contact they’d had with the outside world was Brian calling into work to tell them he was quitting, Justin calling PIFA to confirm his enrollment for the fall term which started in September and the occasional delivery boy - a couple of which they’d dined on along with the food that had been delivered. Tonight though marked the beginning of the end. Starting tomorrow it was back to reality and the real world hassles that went along with it.

“You ready for this, Sunshine?” Brian asked before he pulled the handle that would open the door and expose them to the world.

“Fuck no! But it’s not like we have a choice now, is it?” Justin offered, leaning in for one last kiss before Brian opened the door to the world. “We can’t just hide out in your loft forever can we?”

“We could try,” Brian posited, looking nervous.

“Yeah, I’m pretty sure one of those papers we signed with Ted the other day said we had to make this big appearance in order to get our money. So, let’s just get it over with, okay?” Justin squeezed Brian’s knee and then patted the inside of his thigh with a waggled brow that he’d learned from Brian himself. “Come on. It’ll be fun to see all the guys again, right? And if it gets to be too much, I’ll blow you in the bathroom.”

Brian chuckled at his twink and that voracious sexual appetite. If Justin wasn’t the perfect man for him, Brian didn’t know who was. Only his Sunshine would have been able to cajole him out of the nervous funk he’d been in all evening, and have Brian laughing instead.

“Fine, Sunshine. But I’m holding you to that promise. Cause I haven’t had a good blow job in . . .” Brian looked at his watch, “at least two hours now.”

“Ohhhhhh! You poor baby,” Justin teased. “How could I have ever been so neglectful?”

“I have no idea. But things are getting serious, you know,” Brian’s anxious body language was now completely replaced by the easy jocularity and snark that Justin prefered.

“Well, we better hurry then,” Justin crawled over Brian’s lap so he could reach for the door handle himself - leaving yet another kiss on Brian’s raspberry red lips in the process. “Let’s get in there. Say our hellos. And meet in the Master Bath upstairs in say . . . ten minutes? That should give the rest of them plenty of time for their initial fawning over and worshiping of us. Do you think you can hold on that long, Big Guy?”

“Yeah . . . I think I can probably hold out ten minutes, Sunshine,” Brian replied and goosed that perfect bubble butt that was now waving in front of him as Justin prepared to get out of the car.

*Aaaaiiiiiiii* The Twink jumped but didn’t say anything about the goosing. “Good. So, let’s do this thing . . .” Justin winked at Brian and then finally opened the door.

It felt almost like they were movie stars attending a premier or something. The front steps of the Residence had been swathed with a long red carpet that came all the way down to the curb where their limo had pulled up. As soon as Justin and then Brian stepped out of the car there were dozens of cameras that started flashing at them - despite the fact that this was supposed to be a private party and nobody was really supposed to know it’s location, it seemed that they’d garnered a lot of rather zealous fans. Luckily, Ted’s security staff seemed to have things under control and the path from the limo to the door was clear. Brian grabbed Justin’s hand and the two of them bravely trod the red carpeted path up the stairs to the doorway where Ted was waiting for them.

“Brian! Justin! It’s about time. We would have come down and physically rousted you from the limo but we weren’t sure if you were done yet . . .” Ted teased as he slapped Brian on the shoulder and then hugged Justin in greeting.

“Good thing you waited, Theodore,” Brian replied with his characteristic tongue in cheek smile. “You wouldn’t want to catch us NAKED or anything, right?”

“Heaven forbid!” Ted manufactured a ‘shocked’ look and they all chuckled. “But, since we ARE in a mixed crowd tonight, I think we’ll have to leave any reunion sex scenes off camera. Hmmmmm. Although that does give me ideas for a sequel to the Summer of Sin . . .”

“No way, Theodore! Keep your dirty mind out of my pants. Now that I’ve got them back on, I’m not letting YOU get me out of them again for anything. Not even ANOTHER million dollars,” Brian insisted and pulled Justin closer to his side as they turned to follow Ted into the house.

“But what about all your fans, Brian? They already miss you and Justin. You should see the emails I get every day begging to have you back,” Ted was only half teasing at this point - he really would love to find a way to get his two biggest stars back in front of his cameras, but if he knew Brian, that was likely to be a very long shot.

“If my FANS would quit whacking off on the couch and go out and have real sex themselves, they wouldn’t need my dick or Sunshine’s ass to get off,” Brian replied with his usual bluntness.

And Brian might have continued in that vein if they hadn’t been swamped with people greeting them as they finally walked through the entrance door of the Residence and everyone inside saw them. At first it was such chaos that it was difficult to even distinguish between the faces of everyone calling their names, reaching out to touch them or trying to get their attention. Justin instinctively took a step backwards into the protective circle of Brian’s strong arms. Brian grabbed hold of his boy and held on tight, hoping the tide of well wishers would ebb quickly.

“HEY! BACK THE FUCK OFF!” A very loud, and very welcome, familiar voice shouted over the roar of the crowd surrounding them right before a large and brawny arm shouldered its way through the crowd. “Shit, people. Give Brian and Justin some breathing room, why don’t you? Now, everyone take two giant steps backwards. They can’t even see who’s who with you all up in their faces like this.”

“Hey, Campbell. Good to see you,” Brian smiled at the big Dom who thankfully was taking charge of the situation.

“Good to see you too, Kinney. And you, as well, Justin,” the burly man smiled at them indulgently as he nonchalantly shoved back another of the teeming group around Brian and Justin.

Campbell was dressed in all his Dom best for tonight’s event, complete with leather pants, leather gloves, a muir cap and tight leather armbands that showed off his bulging biceps to good effect. Standing right behind Campbell, looking as imperturbable as ever, was a likewise leather-panted Paal. The tall thin Indian man looked happy and healthy, dressed only in his tight leather pants and nothing else except for the sterling silver collar around his neck.

“Paal! Hey there! It’s so great to see you,” Justin gushed and stepped forward to give the man a hug.

Paal quickly looked to Campbell - who nodded with a smile - before he moved forward and embraced Justin in a tight hug. “It is so very good to see you again, Cupcake. I am very happy that you won. You and Brian deserve it.”

“Thanks, Paal. But look at you! You look good. And happy! How is everything going for you and Campbell,” Justin raved, holding Paal at arms length so he could get a better look.

“I am indeed very happy. My master is an incredible man. He has been so good to me. I can not even begin to tell you how wonderful things have been since I left here. And we owe it all to our friend, Brian, for bringing us together.” Paal beamed at the big stud who was trying to look away, come up with some way to change the topic of conversation, or at least find a distraction so he wouldn’t be forced to accept the Indian man's gratitude.

“Just say, ‘You’re welcome’ and ‘I’m glad it worked out’,” Justin directed Brian before his partner could get even more uncomfortable.

“You’re welcome. I’m glad it worked out,” Brian repeated in a bland voice like an automaton. “How was that, Sunshine?” he asked his giggling blond with a snarky grin.

“It needs some work, but for now it’ll do.” Justin replied.

Brian was just about to say something even more snarky to his teasing little toy boy, when Justin glimpsed another familiar face through the crowd, squealed loudly and went barrelling off through the sea of onlookers at a trot.

“MAL!” Justin yelled and launched himself into the air about three feet away from where Malik had been standing. Luckily, Malik had just enough time to brace himself before the human limpet attached himself to Mal’s chest, arms and legs wrapped around the stocky compact body so tightly he could hardly breathe, and lips kissing him all over his face. “Shit, Mal! I’ve missed you so much!” Justin admitted in between kisses.

“Damn, Cupcake! I missed you too, but it’s only been about three weeks. Not decades. You probably should at least let me breathe long enough to say hello back, you know.” Malik was laughing and kissing him right back, though, in spite of his complaints.

“Malik. It’s good to see you,” Brian added, reaching around Justin, hooking his hand around the back of Mal’s neck and pulling the whole Malik/Justin bundle up towards him so he too could claim a nice long kiss from those full, dark, pouty lips that he’d missed as well. “Don’t go running off tonight before we get a chance to talk, Mal. Sunshine and I have a proposal for you,” Brian added, waggling his eyebrows suggestively. “Now, Sunshine, climb down off there. You can’t go glomming on people like that when you’re wearing Armani. It’s just not done. And you’re going to wrinkle both your suit and Mal’s.” Brian ordered as he helped to peel Justin’s death grip off of Mal’s body.

“Sorry,” Justin blushed a bright pink when he finally realized that the whole room had gone silent watching his little spectacle. “I’m just really, really glad to see you, Mal.”

“No biggie! The feeling is mutual, Cupcake,” Malik grinned at the younger man with evident affection and held out his hand so that at least they could still be touching even if they weren’t still hugged up.

“Hey, Mal, stop hogging the Cupcake!” Another familiar voice boomed at them as Justin turned around to find another pair of friends.

“Kerek! Dane! Shit! Come over here and get hugged you guys!” Justin screeched as he pulled Mal after him towards the new couple for hello hugs and kisses.

“Wow, Kerek! Look at you! Nice haircut. You look almost respectable,” Brian added his comment and offered his hand to the tall, svelte black man dressed in a comfortable looking brown pullover and a warm brown leather jacket.

“Fuck you, Kinney,” Kerek shot back, ignoring the hand and instead pulling Brian into a hug.

As soon Brian managed to extricate himself from Kerek’s grip, he was seized from behind by two gigantic arms and lifted off his feet in a tremendous bear hug. “Bet you missed ME, didn’t you, Little Guy!” a giant voice boomed out, almost loud enough to cause Brian some serious hearing loss.

“Fuck, Dane! Put me down, you big oaf!” Brian commanded, but with a big smile on his face nonetheless. “You’re wrinkling the Armani!”  

*HAH* Dane’s big laugh was as large and booming as the rest of him. “Well, fine. Be that way. But I’m sure that our Cupcake won’t care if I wrinkle him a bit!”

Dane dropped Brian - who staggered a little before he managed to regain his balance - and moved around the brunet to the little blond who was holding out his arms in a welcoming gesture. Dane scooped Justin up in one easy motion, holding him about two feet off the ground and kissing him soundly. Justin was eagerly returning the kiss, with just a little too much tongue apparently for Kerek’s comfort.

“Down boy. Down!” Kerek came up and started peeling Justin’s hands off Dane’s back. “He’s taken now, Cupcake. And since I’m officially retired from my former profession, I find I’ve become just a little possessive. So you’ll have to content yourself with just looking and no more touching.”

“Spoilsport!” Justin teased but obediently let go of his grip on the Big Blond Giant. “You both look really great, though! How’s your grandmother, Dane? And your brother?”

“Oma is doing pretty well, thankfully. She’s back in her assisted living place already. And Theo is back to being a little shit. Although he and Kerek seem to get along. In fact, they’ve taken to ganging up on me. I might have to move out and leave them both!” Dane grinned affectionately at Kerek as he said this, obviously still head-over-heels for his man no matter what he said.

“Hey! Theo only likes me because I’m better at playing Grand Theft Auto than you are!” Kerek bumped Dane with his shoulder.

“I’m really glad to hear everything’s back to normal for you, Dane. So, how’s the job hunt going, Ker?” Justin asked curiously.

“Over, thankfully,” Kerek grinned at Justin and then looked up at Brian. “This big heartless Stud over here didn’t tell you what he did?” Justin looked from Kerek to Brian with confusion on his face and shook his head. “Our Big Bad Brian here apparently pulled some strings and got me an interview with the owners of Babylon. You’re now looking at their newest Club Manager!” Kerek huffed on his nails and then pretended to polish them against the hem of his shirt.

“That’s excellent! That’s the perfect job for you, Kerek!” Justin was thrilled with this surprising news. “And, no, Brian didn’t tell me that he’d done that . . . but it doesn’t surprise me.” Justin pulled Kerek in close and added in a stage whisper, “you’d never know it to look at him, but he’s really a big old softie!”

“What have I told you about using the word ‘soft’ in any context involving me, Sunshine,” Brian growled, adding a light swack to Justin’s rear for emphasis.

“That you’d punish me if I ever did it again . . .” Justin looked at Brian with an expectant gleam in his eyes and that heart-stoppingly brilliant smile on his impish face.

“You’re too easy, Sunshine,” Brian was grinning almost as brightly - the two men on the verge of getting lost in each other’s eyes - as if the rest of the room had suddenly disappeared.

“So, Cupcake and the Big Bad! Who’d a thunk you two would be our winners?” Kerek spoke up and interrupted the moment before Brian and Justin got too distracted. “What’s the plan for all your moola, you two?”

“Uh, uh, uh . . .” Ted intervened before Brian could answer, stepping into the throng of former House Boys and pulling the two winners out of the group. “That’s all going to be part of the big announcements coming up. You’ll have to wait just a little while longer to hear the answer to that question. Now, you boys stop monopolizing our guests of honor. Go mingle and let me take Brian and Justin over to say hello to their other guests, okay?”

Ted took a firm grip on Brian’s shoulder and started to tug him towards the far side of the Greatroom. Brian grabbed hold of Justin’s hand and Justin grabbed Malik’s hand in turn - Justin didn’t want to lose Malik just yet and they really hadn’t had any chance to talk. But, as soon as they were clear of the crowd of House Boys, and Brian could see the new group of people Ted was towing him towards, the Stud groaned. Gathered together at the far end of the room were all of Brian’s Liberty Avenue family and friends, just waiting for an opportunity to pounce on him.

“Fuck!” He knew this was coming, but that didn’t mean that Brian was happy about it. “Get ready for the Spanish Inquisition, Sunshine,” Brian whispered to the little blond trailing behind him.

“Brian!” Several voices called his name all at the same time. Brian put on his most obsequious grin, gripped Justin’s hand even tighter and stepped up to greet his family.

“Hey!” Brian didn’t know what to say next so he just stood there and waited, knowing this crew would take care of that minor difficulty.

“Brian! Come over here and give me a big hug, you Asshole! We haven’t seen you in three months and all we get is a ‘hey’” Debbie started in immediately, her large personality and loud voice immediately obscuring the others waiting to greet him, as she zeroed in on him with an enormous bear hug and a red-lipsticky kiss on his cheek. Brian half-hugged her back, never letting go of Justin’s hand, as if he might drown if he relinquished that life-line. “You look good, Brian! Really good! I guess a summer of endless sex is just what you needed - which isn’t to say that you wouldn’t have had just the same even if you hadn’t been in Ted’s game. Am I right? Hah!”

“Hey, Deb,” Brian replied briefly as he wiped the red stain he knew would be there off his cheek with his thumb. “Guys . . .”

Brian was just about to introduce Justin and Malik when he was grabbed around the neck in an almost vicious stranglehold from the side. “Brian! Shit! We all missed you so much! I’m so glad this summer is over and we get you back again!” Michael gushed and then grabbed Brian’s chin, turning the bigger man’s face to his and planting a much-too-possessive kiss on Brian’s lips while everyone else looked on with astonishment.

“Fuck! Get the hell off me, Mikey!” Brian spat as soon as he could get his mouth free, grappling with his free hand to try and dislodge Michael from around his neck.

“But, Brian, I missed you. We haven’t seen each other all summer . . .” Michael whined and held on to Brian’s neck even tighter.

Before Brian could say anything more, Justin had dropped Brian and Malik’s hands, moved around to the other side of his partner and reached up to grab Mikey’s wrist in a strong hold. “You heard him, Michael!” Justin said, infusing the name with so much disdain and venom that it made everyone else around them cringe - except for Michael, himself, who seemed not to have even registered the blond’s presence yet. “You have exactly ten seconds to get your slimy fucking hands and whiney mouth off MY Stud! If you want to keep your hands, that is. Because if you don’t move them, I’ll take care of those touchy-feely hands for you - permanently - and I don’t think you want to try eating without hands, now do you?”  

Michael finally looked around and noticed not only the irate and scowling little blond, but behind Justin was a frowning, stocky young black man and behind him was a towering giant-sized frowning blond guy . . . Michael released his arms from around Brian’s neck and took a step back. He looked around with a bewildered look on his face. He was truly surprised by the level of animosity directed at him from all sides. Michael looked up to Brian, expecting his best friend to rush in and tell these usurpers off - to protect him the way Brian had always done ever since they were kids. But Brian was looking at him with condescending contempt.

Ted, mindful of avoiding a scene and luckily already prepared for just this type of behavior from Michael, moved around behind his long-time friend. “Hey, Michael. Let’s give Brian a chance to say hello to everyone else. I’m sure he’ll have more time to talk to you later,” Ted swiftly and assuredly moved Michael away from Brian and his protective posse of House Boys.

Michael let himself be hustled away, with only one or two lingering glances back at Brian and the odious little blond who was probably the cause of his friend’s lack of concern. He was still smarting that his Yosemite Sam-like reputation-saving tactics from earlier in the summer hadn’t worked and that he was no closer to having Brian disassociate himself from that blond usurper. Michael had been brooding over that prior confrontation for weeks.

Back when he’d first followed Ted to the Residence and crashed the game, Michael had been so confident that Brian would listen to him and immediately take his advice to heart. But he had walked in there with his verbal guns blazing . . . only to be shot down by an outspoken teenager and made to look like a fool. Brian didn’t even seem to care how well-meaning his purpose was. That whole thing had just backfired. And instead of Brian being grateful that his friend had been looking out for him while he’d been gone, Brian had ceased all contact. There had been no phone calls, no emails, no messages or apologies . . . NOTHING! Even Ted was angry at him after his visit to the Residence, and although they had eventually made up, it still wasn’t the same between them - something else he could blame on the interfering blond brat. Ted had subsequently refused to pass messages to Brian for him or intercede on his behalf in any way.

Which was why Michael was so excited when Ted told him that he was going to be allowed to come to this party tonight. Finally, he’d get to see Brian and talk some sense into him. Michael was sure that, as soon as he had a chance to explain things to Brian, his friend would understand and everything would go back to the way it had always been. Hopefully without that cunning little blond fucker in the picture. But Michael figured there was plenty of time for that. The night was just getting started. He would just have to keep his eyes open, bide his time and wait for an opportunity to get to Brian when the blond boy toy wasn’t around.

So, feeling a little neglected but resigned, Michael willingly let Ted pull him away from Brian over towards another group of people. Michael didn’t know most of the people in this little clique. A couple of them looked vaguely familiar, but most of the group seemed to be dressed in leather and that really had never been Michael’s thing. What was funny was that Ted - his boring accountant friend - seemed to feel right at home amongst the Leather Daddies and their slave boys. Ted himself was dressed up tonight in some sort of leather harness contraption he would never have suspected the accountant even owned.

Michael watched as Ted walked over to a tall, masked, muscular man, greeted him as ‘Dale’, gave him a kiss on the cheek and whispered something in his ear. Ted then waved for Michael to come over, and he complied, a little nervously. Ted introduced Michael to the man, presenting him as Dale Wexler or ‘Mr. Leather’ to his friends.

“So, Michael, are you wearing that little party favor I gave you?” Ted bent over and whispered into his friend’s ear, nudging him with an elbow in the side as if they were sharing a joke.

“Yeah . . . but I gotta tell you, Ted, this thing isn’t the most comfortable . . . Are you sure Brian told you to give this to me and have me wear it tonight? I don’t see the point. Especially if he’s not going to even talk to me,” Michael shifted a little uncomfortably, reaching down as inconspicuously as possible to rearrange his cock in his pants and wincing a little as he again noted the way his pants were bulging out at the crotch.

Michael had originally balked when Ted had showed up at his apartment, ostensibly to offer him a ride to the party, and handed him the weird looking, bulky black cock ring gadget. Michael had never really been into cock rings, although he knew that both Emmett and Ted wore them regularly when they’d go out dancing or clubbing, claiming that they enjoyed the added stimulation when they were having sex or even just frotting against someone. And the cock ring that Ted had given him looked stranger than most. He’d asked Ted about the little wire thing at the bottom and why it was so bulky, but Ted had craftily put him off and told him only that it was a present from Brian, who’d asked that he wear it to the party tonight as a sort of ‘party favor’. Ted said that everyone who attended was getting one - something about free samples from a sponsor. When Michael tried to protest further, Ted had simply grabbed at his pants and started unzipping the fly himself. Michael swatted Ted’s hands away, turned his back modestly and put the thing on - it was the only thing he could do if he wanted to keep Ted’s pushy hands out of his pants.

Michael had regretted caving in almost immediately. The cumbersome cock ring was not at all comfortable and it made his pants gape funny. If there had been any time, he would have taken the thing off. But, almost as soon as they arrived at the Residence, his mother had taken him in hand and he hadn’t had a chance yet to get off by himself.

“Trust me. There’s a very IMPORTANT point to you wearing that, tonight of all nights. Isn’t there, Master?” Ted smiled mischievously and turned to look up at Mr. Leather.

“Yes, indeed, there is, Digit!” Mr. Leather replied, patting Ted on the shoulder before moving in close to Michael - closer than Michael would normally feel comfortable with. “Digit tells me that you have a bit of a problem with a run-on mouth, Michael. From what I hear, that mouth of yours has been getting you into a lot of trouble lately too. Which is a shame, because it’s such a pretty mouth. It should be used for more pleasant things than whining and complaining. An adorable, tasty little morsel like you shouldn’t be using your mouth for such nasty things. Don’t you agree, Dumpling?”

Michael was about to protest - he didn’t whine and even if he did who the fuck was this bozo to be telling him off about it . . . When all of a sudden he felt a wicked little zap of electricity shocking his balls as the cock ring he was wearing began to vibrate. Michael yelped and reached down to grab at his pants, intent on getting that thing off him immediately.

“Uh un! Hands off!” Mr. Leather ordered, slapping Michael’s hands downward just as the painful stinging feeling escalated to a crescendo.

“What the fuck!” Michael yelled, causing heads from all over the room to turn in his direction.

“Touch your pants again and I turn it up all the way, Dumpling,” Mr. Leather advised, holding out a small remote control device so that Michael could finally see what it was that was causing him this pain. “If you promise to be good and not touch yourself, I’ll turn it off for the moment. Do I have your promise, Dumpling?”

Michael nodded dumbly and then sighed as both the vibrating and the stinging went away.

“Good Boy, Dumpling. Now, let me explain what’s going to happen here,” Mr. Leather said, putting his arm around Michael’s much smaller shoulders and walking him off towards the side of the room. “For the rest of tonight, Dumpling, I own you. We’re going to play some rather fun games and I’m confident that you’re going to like them. If you please me, you’ll be rewarded, and trust me that you’ll like MY rewards. But if you displease me, you will be punished. The cock ring is there to remind you to behave. You will get a shock every time you do anything that I disapprove of. Do you understand, Dumpling?”

“I’m not going to . . . *Arrggghhhh*” Michael felt a new zap to his genitals that was even stronger than the previous two and would have dropped to his knees if Ted and Mr. Leather hadn’t held him up by his elbows.

“Talking back to me is one of the things that displeases me, Dumpling. From now on you should answer with a simple, ‘Yes, Master’ or ‘No, Master’. Do you understand, Dumpling?”

Michael opened his mouth to protest again but noticed the big leather daddy holding up the remote and waving it in his face so he quickly changed his answer to, “Yes, Master.”

“Very good, Dumpling,” Mr. Leather praised him, and then reached out to caress the side of Michael’s face. “Very good. I think we’re going to get along swimmingly.”