Church | Hymns | Psalms | Testify
This site is not intended for those under 18 years of age.
Brother's Keeper
by Vamphile
Sixteen
Justin was listening to Zoë whine, about Jared, again, and he was bored. He mindlessly sketched something on his napkin and tried not to laugh when Matt rolled his eyes at Zoë’s little mope fest.
Matt pulled the napkin out from Justin’s fingers.
“Him again?”
Justin shrugged. “Just habit. Been drawing him for a long time.”
“You really should find someone local.”
“You really should shut the fuck up.”
“Pissy today.”
“Just today?”
Matt laughed. “Oh, hey, good news. That thing I wrote got accepted. And they say they might use me again.”
“Which thing you wrote?”
“The fictional account of an artist and his gay half brother.”
“Oh shit. Someone’s publishing that bullshit.”
“It’s apparently quite the intriguing story.”
“Where are they publishing it?”
“Relax, no place anyone will ever see it. Some obscure gay lit short story collection.”
“Just what the world needs. More bullshit about gay drama.”
“Hey, beats that fucking gay as blazes show that was about as queer as Zoë here.”
“You um didn’t…”
“All names have been changed to protect the innocent…and not so innocent.”
“Good.”
“You’ll be unrecognizable, I gave you brown eyes.”
Justin laughed. “Yeah, cause that’s what defines me, my fucking eyes.”
“No, I think it’s your ass.”
“You two should just do the deed and get it over with.” Zoë interrupted.
“You don’t fuck your friends.” They replied in unison… they’d had this conversation before.
“Gay etiquette is beyond me. Random dick sucking…fine, fucking someone you like…bad bad bad.”
“Right because you and Jared that’s working out so brilliantly.”
“Matt, fuck you. We’re going through and off again stage.”
“So what about you Zoë? Any professional events on the horizon.” Justin would even listen to her talk about her fucking sculptures and annoying studio mate if it meant not having to listen to more bullshit about Jared.
“Actually someone bought ‘tall 720’”
“Really? That rocks.”
”I know…I might actually be able to pay rent AND eat this month.”
“Well here’s to eating.” Justin raised his latte in toast.
“Speaking of which…” Matt said. What the fuck have you been eating? You’ve dropped like ten pounds.
Justin shrugged. “The show’s coming up fast. I’ve got three companies throwing some freelance work my way. Mostly it’s cold pizza if I remember to eat.”
“Christ. Wish I had your discipline…and your connections.”
“Yeah because tipping the scales at 145 makes you such a fucking fat ass.”
Matt glared at him and then threw the wadded up napkin in his face. “Your connections WOULD be useful though.”
“Um, I don’t have connections.”
“You’re telling me…um, what do you call him now, sugardaddyclubfreakchildmolester has nothing to do with the graphics work thrown your way.”
“Not that I know of. And if I knew of it I’d kick his ass.”
“More reason for him not to tell you.” Zoë wiggled her eyebrows trying to communicate some sort of intrigue.
“He’d tell me. Trust me, he has NO issues with telling me when he’s providing stuff.”
“If you say so.”
“So, what did Jared say when you told him to fuck off if he wasn’t gonna support your work?”
Matt looked at Justin with a knowing smirk. If he’d changed the subject BACK to Zoë and Jared, they’d hit a nerve.
Justin listened a little longer. Made some excuses about work to be done and headed back to his apartment. The phone rang on the way back. It was almost three am.
“Shouldn’t you be asleep?”
“Shouldn’t you?”
“Just got the little half-breed-in-law home safely.”
“Fuck. Brian, again?”
“Justin he’s actually handy. Did I tell you he fixed my computer?”
“Yeah.”
“And he’s staying out of trouble in school. So he deserves a little fun.”
“Very little.”
“That’s what I’m doing there.”
“You’re not his fucking babysitter.”
“Don’t worry, he has a good time. And I’m not babysitting the WHOLE time.”
“Anyone interesting?”
“No one worth mentioning. No one as good as you.”
“You’d say anything not to hear me bitch about the half-breed.”
“But I still wouldn’t lie.”
“Hey.”
“What?”
“Do you recommend me to graphics places?”
“Depends on what they want.”
“So you do.”
“If they’re looking for your kind of work. If I think you can give them what they need.”
“Do you recommend anyone else?”
“Not freelancers. Usually graphics houses, but some of my lower end clients, the ones with a budget and an edge…they get your card.”
“I have a card?”
“Um… yeah?”
“You had cards made up?”
“Did I forget to tell you that?”
“I think you might have.”
“Whoops.”
“Brian.”
“This isn’t worth yelling about.”
“It is to me.”
“It looked unprofessional to just write the name down on a slip of paper.”
“You’ll let me know before you have me incorporated right?”
“Absolutely, you’d want to name your own corporation…. You named mine.”
“How’s Babylon coming?”
“It’s not even breathing hard.”
“What now?”
“The bathroom set up you had. Plumbing nightmare.”
“Send me the schematics, I’ll fix it.”
“Already sent. But I can get Paul to rearrange something.”
“Paul is a fuckwit looking to do it cheap and easy. You want style or cheap and easy?”
“Depends on my mood.”
“Well, if you want cheap and easy, do Paul.”
“You’ve always had style… even when you dressed like a fucking ad for old navy queer.”
“Yeah, well, If I recall, you couldn’t get those cargo pants off me fast enough.”
“That’s cause they were so fucking ugly.”
“Got the job done.”
“What are you wearing now?”
“Very little. I was just gonna pull on one of your old shirts to paint.”
“Have I ever told you how much I hate that you use my Armani as a smock?”
“You were throwing it out.”
“I was giving it a dignified end to a long fruitful life.”
“I like it. It still smells like you.”
“Bullshit, it smells like paint. Everything in that place smells like paint.”
“Um, Brian. I’m kind of a painter.”
“More than kind of.”
“So what are you wearing?”
“Nothing at the moment.”
“Wow, we match.”
“We always did end up on the same page when we were in bed.”
“You should go to sleep, what time does your plane leave tomorrow?”
“Not 'til ten. I’ll be at Mel and Lindsay’s in time to have lunch with Gus.”
“You’re touching yourself.”
“You’re voice does that to me.”
“You’re drunk.”
“You’re being away does that to me.”
“Bullshit, you’re just as drunk when I’m home.”
“Oh right, sorry, alcohol does that to me.”
Justin laughed. “What are you thinking about?”
“You. Being buried deep in your ass. Those little sounds you make when you try not to let me know you’re about to come. When you think I’m gonna stop you.”
Justin was stroking himself and thinking about the times that Brian drove him to the edge only to continually pull him back. He was making those sounds now. And heard Brian grunt.
“Those sounds?” he breathed?
“Christ you’re hot.”
“So are you. I wish you were buried inside me now. I want you. I want to be on my knees, my head pushed into the mattress and you fucking me like you can’t get enough.”
“I can’t”
“I want you inside me.”
“I am. I am, do you feel me there.”
“Oh god Brian I do.”
“So hot, so tight. Just you and me and some tangled sheets.”
“So close Brian.”
“Do it, I want to hear you come.”
Justin increased the speed and pressure and he heard Brian’s breathing change. They both came almost simultaneously.”
There was nothing for a few moments but the heavy breathing on both ends of the phone.
“I really do have to get back to work.”
“And I haven’t packed yet.”
“Call me from Toronto, I’d like to talk to Gus, if he remembers me.”
“He does…well, I think he does. Let’s hope he remembers me.”
“Love you.”
“You too.”
Justin hung up and used the paint stained Armani to clean himself off. He grabbed another one. He had several, and began working. He tried not to be too angry with Brian about the business card thing but if he was gonna be a freelance graphic designer. Shouldn’t he get to design his own cards?
The sun was up by the time he crawled into bed too exhausted to be angry.
~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**
Brian rented a car at the airport. He really wasn’t in any mood to be at the mercy of Mel and Lindsay for transportation and he wanted some alone time with Gus…if the kid remembered who he was. It had been months since he’d seen them.
Their house was nice. So damn similar to their old one that you almost didn’t notice you were in fucking Canada. He opened the gate, his bag slung over his shoulder and realized he needn’t have worried. Gus hurled himself at him full speed.
“DADDY!”
Brian picked him up…he’d gotten bigger. “Hey sonny-boy”
“Hi! Did you bring me sumpin?”
“Maybe.”
Gus pouted and Brian nodded. “I knew you would.”
“Who else is gonna spoil you like daddy?”
Gus almost choked him hugging his neck and Brian saw Mel and Lindsay watching the scene from the doorway. He nodded to them both and carried Gus inside.
Lindsay kissed Brian on the cheek. Melanie even smiled a little. “Good to see you Brian, you look great.”
“Don’t I always?”
Lindsay just kissed him again. “Gus missed you.”
Brian said nothing. Wasn’t his fucking decision to move the kid to Toronto. Don’t fucking pour the guilt on now. “That’s why I’m here.”
“You should have brought Justin.”
“He’s busy in new York.”
“That’s good right?”
“Where’s Jussin daddy?”
Brian put Gus down and pulled a wrapped box out of his bag. “Justin sent you this.”
Gus seemed to forget about asking for him for the moment. “Brian, really…”
Brian shut Lindsay up with a glance. “He’s my son, he gets a present. And it really is from Justin.”
Gus loved it; Brian had no idea what it was. Justin had picked it out online and sent Brian the link. It was green, and purple, and had some sort of truck theme, but there were crayons attached so that when you drove it over paper it made designs. He shook his head. How the fuck did Justin do that. Gus was enamored of his new present and moved himself to a spot on the floor with more room.
“So what’s new?”
Brian leaned back and took the beer Lindsay offered. “Nothing. Everything. Babylon’s reopening on New Years Eve… love for you to be there. Both of you.”
“I hope we can make it. But with Gus and Jenny.”
“I know, two kids, lots of logistics, just think about it. Kind of a fuck you to the assholes who tried to destroy it.”
“They weren’t trying to destroy your club asshole. They were…”
Brian looked at Melanie. She stopped mid sentence. “I know what they were trying to do. I’m taking a small step not running for fucking president. Oh wait, prime minister or whatever the fuck you have up here in cowardville.”
Melanie looked like she was going to launch at him but Lindsay held her back with a hand. “Both of you. Be civil for a single weekend or I’m taking Gus and JR and locking the two of you in here, and before you ask…no I don’t care which one, if either of you survive.”
Brian was surprised. Lindsay was never that forceful about breaking up the sniping between them.
Lindsay sat on the sofa next to Brian and Melanie conveniently heard JR crying and went to her.
“What the fuck was that.”
“Brian. Language.”
“Well, what the…heck was that?”
“That was me having seen enough violence and enough of the two of you at each others throats. Eleven goddamned years Brian…get used to her. She’s staying.”
“Does she get the same speech?”
“Not that it’s any of your business but yes. You’re Gus’ father. You're one of my best friends. And she’s my wife. So the two of you just… neutral fucking corners for the weekend. Okay?”
“Lindsay language.”
“Fuck off Brian.”
“Fuck off daddy.”
They both looked at Gus and started laughing. Unable to stop. They knew they should scold him. Or at least not reward the behavior but it was just too fucking much.
The rest of the weekend went by without incident. Melanie kept her temper in check. Brian allowed himself to be amused by Gus rather than dwelling on how much he missed him. And they did get in a call to Justin.
~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**
Aaron was glad he wasn’t on the wrestling team anymore. He wasn’t happy about the reason. There were still kids in school who were intent on proving what a faggot he was. And still a bunch of assholes who were sure that hurting him would prove they weren’t faggots. He managed to duck out of school unharmed most days.
Today wasn’t too bad. A couple of nasty names, a few “unintentional” bumps in the hallway and Jon Callahan had jerked him off in the bathroom so the scales were tipped on the plus side…until he walked out after the last bell and saw Craig.
He turned. Trying to ignore him and head home without having to speak to him. Craig wasn’t buying it. He took a couple of long strides and was at his side. “Aaron.”
“Fuck off dad.”
“Aaron we need to talk.”
“No we don’t.”
“Aaron… this has to stop.”
“What does?”
Aaron turned and faced him. They were by the flagpole in the quad, and Aaron wondered what his father was going to say with so much activity and so many students, teachers, and parents in the vicinity.
Craig seemed to become aware of their surroundings once Aaron stopped. “Get in the car.”
“Pfft. Not fucking likely”
“Aaron. Don’t talk to me like that. I’m your father.”
“You know, after seeing how you treat your other son…that doesn’t make me feel better about getting in a car with you.”
Craig's temper was flaring. The vein on his forehead was becoming pronounced. Aaron wondered if he’d lose it and hit him right here, in front of the school. He almost hoped he would…
Yeah things would be a little tougher for him at school, but they’d be a LOT tougher for Craig. Zero tolerance on violence policy and all that.
Craig turned and walked back into his car but as Aaron headed home he realized Craig was following him.
He took the back way but Craig was in front of the house when he came around towards the back door.
He hoped his father didn’t see him as he sprinted to the nearest bus station and caught the first one. He didn’t think about where he was going until he was there.
~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**
It was after three and he needed to be back at the office by four but this fucking inspector was taking forever. If he took much longer he’d have to either have Ted cover for him at the meeting or haul his ass over here. He was debating options when Aaron came barreling into the construction site and almost tripped over an extension cord.
“Graceful.”
“Fuck you.”
“What are you doing here?”
“Nothing.”
“Mmm hmmm.”
“My dad was waiting for me at school today.”
Every muscle in Brian’s body tensed. Fucking Craig. “You okay?” He tried to remain casual.
“Yeah, fucker thinks I’m gonna get in a car with him?”
“Probably just wanted to talk.”
“I’ve seen him talk. Not interested in ’talking’ to him thanks.
“I’ve gotta make a phone call. Don’t move.”
“Ted. Cover for me at the meeting I’m stuck at Babylon.”
He hung up the phone. “Okay, so go to the loft and don’t…”
Craig did trip on the extension cord that Aaron so narrowly missed. He fell and both Aaron and Brian did their best not to laugh at the man. Brian did a better job of hiding his amusement, but just barely.
“Hi Craig.”
“I knew somehow you were mixed up in all this.”
Brian looked at him coldly. “All what exactly?”
Craig waved his hand in Aaron’s general direction and then indicated the club in general, which was actually starting to look like a place someone might want to buy a drink.
“My name is on all the permits, which is a matter of public record asshole, it’s not some large conspiracy.” Brian purposely left the Aaron issue out of it for the moment.
“Why is he here?”
“I was just asking him the same question. Seems some creepy old man with no rights tried to lure him into a car. He came where he felt safe.”
“Safe, with you? I somehow doubt it.”
“I’m sorry. Which one of us is known for hitting their kids cause they’re gay. Hmmm…right…not fucking me asshole. Now get out. This is my place of business and you’re trespassing.”
Aaron took a step forward to say something and Brian held out his arm stopping him. “Aaron will be home, with his mother in time for dinner.”
Craig obviously wanted to say more but apparently had not completely lost his mind or his memory of just how much a punch in the jaw and extensive reparative dental work hurt. He walked away.
“My mom’s not home 'til midnight tonight. It’s Monday.”
Brian pinched the bridge of his nose and indicated a chair. “Sit there, don’t touch anything and once I’m done with this permit guy, I’ll buy you a pizza.”
“Can we go out tonight?”
Brian ignored the question and debated calling Justin. He decided he’d call him later. Once he’d had a chance to calm down and he’d figured out what he was gonna do. Anything before that would just be disturbing his work for no reason.
He smiled and shmoozed the permit guy. Shook his hand, took the citation that they always fucking wrote for something and saw him out.
Aaron was not where he’d left him. He was currently doing his best to catch the attention of one of the carpenters. Brian took a longer look. Tall, lean, hot, young. Aaron had good taste. He went to retrieve him anyway.
“What the fuck, I’m just working the flirting thing.”
“Not on my dime, those guys are working.”
“But we know him.”
“We do?”
“He’s the guy who was with Emmett. I think they’re still together.”
As if summoned by the mere thought of him Emmett arrived and practically skipped over to the man/boy. He kissed him and then kissed him again and Brian laughed. Apparently Emmett’s chicken was a somewhat long-term thing. This would make it at least a month, a possible record for Emmett recently.
Emmett turned his attention to Brian and let the guy…Gordon, get back to work.
“Brian the place is looking positively elegant.”
Brian looked up at the exposed electrical work and ductwork. He looked down at the concrete floors covered in sawdust and then looked around at the crew of admittedly pretty buff guys creating the mess. He smiled. “Yeah, it’s shaping up, what are you doing here?”
“Came to see the space so I could get a better idea about the event.”
“We’re no where near that stage yet. But if it’s an excuse for you to see your pretty little boy, hey, it’s not a bad one.”
“You’re going to talk to me about pretty little boys. He’s 20.”
“And you’re not.”
“I forgot. You did finally settle down with a man your own age. Does Justin know about him?”
“Fuck you.”
“Nope, I’ve got mine over there.” Brian actually laughed. Emmett had his purposes…speaking of which… “What are you two doing for dinner?”
“Us two?” Emmett looked wary.
“You and Gordon was it?”
“No idea, probably something fabulous.”
“Well how bout we ignore fabulous and you meet us at the diner at six.”
“Us? Is Justin in town?”
“No but half-breed here is gonna be with me for a couple of hours.”
Emmett turned his attention to Aaron. “Well isn’t he just a cutie and a half.”
“And a two handfuls…and not in a good way.”
“You’re pawning him off on me?”
“No I figured you and I could discus the event… and they could talk about a fucking Disney movie or something.”
Emmett gave a large and relatively over bright grin for the occasion. “I have so many ideas Brian you’re going to love them.”
“Doubt it.”
“Okay you’re going to shoot them down as too queer for words but you’ll give in eventually.”
“More likely.”
“See you at the diner at six.”
“Leave now Honeycutt he can’t work while he’s staring at your ass.”
“Don’t call me Honeycutt, and he does some of his best work staring at my ass.”
Brian bit back a laugh. He really shouldn’t encourage Emmett. “Take him with you.” he gestured toward Aaron.
“Can’t. Meeting. Have fun kiddies.”
Brian cursed him as he flitted his way out the door and glanced at Aaron. Great…what the fuck did he do with the half breed for two and half hours?”
He motioned for Aaron not to follow him and found Paul. They compared notes, checked a few things and once he was sure that everything was in good hands he pulled Aaron away from Gordon, who looked more amused than anything, and dragged him out of the building.
“Why are you always dragging me around?"
“Because you’re never where you’re supposed to be.”
“Where exactly am I supposed to be?”
“At home.”
“He followed me there. That’s when I took off.”
“Well, he’s gone now. C’mon… you did something weird to my computer… now you’re gonna fix it.”
“I didn’t do anything weird to it. I defragged it, and ran some sorely needed maintenance.”
“Yeah well it’s doing something weird now.”
“What?”
They were in the ‘vette and heading towards the loft. “It turns off if I walk away from it.”
Aaron started to laugh. “No it doesn’t”
“Yes it does. You made my computer a petulant twink.”
Aaron was laughing harder now. “Is that what happens when you walk away from Justin? He turns off?”
Brian glared at him. “Fix it.”
He was pushing Aaron out of the elevator and into the loft now.
Aaron booted up the machine. “See, I set standby to fifteen minutes.”
“So if I don’t touch it for fifteen minutes it shuts down.”
“But if you click the keyboard, or move the mouse it’s back.”
“Well how the fuck was I supposed to know that?”
“Just a thought, move the mouse.”
“Bite me, get rid of the standby thing, we don’t all have the attention span of a chipmunk raised on fifteen second ad spots. Sometimes I need to stare at it.”
“You stare at your computer?”
“Fix. It.” Aaron clicked a few mouse buttons. “It’s fixed. But if the machine’s idle for more than two hours the monitor will go into power saver. It’s just stupid not to.”
“Whatever.”
Aaron got up and pulled two bottles of beer out of the fridge. He handed one to Brian who raised an eyebrow at him but decided to say nothing. A beer. Really not the end of the world considering how many tequila shooters he’d plied him with over the past few weeks.
Brian lit a cigarette and Aaron took out his own and lit one. “I’m bored.”
“You’re always bored.”
“You don’t have any cool games on your computer. You need an X box.”
“I’ll ask Santa for one at Christmas.”
“Seriously this place is boring.”
“It’s not meant for children.”
“I’m not a child.”
“Then amuse yourself… and wipe up when you’re done.”
“You’re gross you know that right?”
Brian glowered and Aaron logged online to find something to amuse himself. He heard Brian start talking and looked up but realized he was on the phone. Justin.
“Hey, how’d it go today?”
“Fine, how’s Gus?”
“Same as yesterday when I called you and told you all about the trip.”
“You did?”
“You were pretty fucking tweaked.”
“I don’t know where Matt gets his shit but it’s good.”
“How was Matt?”
“What?”
“How was Matt?”
“Don’t know he went home with some ugly guy. Red hair…gross.”
“You never did like the redheads.”
“Nope always went for the tall dark and annoying.”
“You’ve got a weakness for annoying men.” Just then Aaron called to Brian to come look at something.
“Speaking of annoying men.” Justin said.
“Yeah, he’s here. Long story.”
“Brian.”
“Craig's on a bit of a mission to get the kid alone to talk to him. May have to talk to Carl or a lawyer.”
“Fuck.”
“It’s okay. And the last I heard your court date isn’t until December now.”
“They keep pushing it back.”
“Well one less thing to worry about while you’re getting ready for the show.”
“So how is Gus?”
“Christ, what do you remember from last night?”
“Not much. Kicking four guys out of my bed this morning, hoping to god we used condoms.”
“Justin.” Brian’s tone was warning.
“I’m fucking with you…not four guys, and not when I’m too tweaked to know what I’m doing. Christ. You really don’t trust me.”
“I trust you. I’m not crazy about Matt.”
“You’ve never met him, he’s harmless. How is Gus?”
Brian recounted the weekend to Justin, grinning like an idiot while talking about Gus and some of the cute things he did or said.
“How’s JR?”
“Sadly, looking more like a cross between Mel and Michael every day.”
“Well, you know, maybe she’ll get Mel’s brains and Michaels nose.”
“Be nice.”
“Sorry.”
”So I’m meeting Emmett and his new boy toy at the diner for dinner.”
“With Aaron?”
“Monday night… mom’s not home 'til midnight and dad’s on a rampage.”
“Don’t take him out.”
“Why not?”
“Because he’s gonna get used to you buying him drinks and that’s my job.”
“It’s your job to buy him drinks?”
“It’s your job to buy ME drinks.”
“I thought you wanted to be financially independent.”
“Right, while you’re throwing business at me and probably set up the whole art show too. The day I’m independent from you the world tilts on it’s axis.”
“Justin.”
“What?”
“Nothing. Fine. Think that. You can do the work. You need the money. I give them your card. I have nothing to do with your upcoming show.”
“Whatever.”
“You don’t believe me?”
“You don’t lie so I have to.”
“Right.”
“Sorry.”
“Stop it. But what the fuck?”
“Can we talk about it later.”
“Count on it.”
“I’m gonna go back to what I was working on.”
“I’m going to go find out what the half-breed-in-law wants me to buy him.”
“You’re too soft a touch.”
“I didn’t say I was gonna buy it.”
“But you are.”
“Really depends on what it is.”
“Later?”
“Later.”
Brian put his phone on the charger and changed out of his suite and into jeans and a sweater. He grabbed one of the chairs from the dining area and moved it to the computer desk. “What do you want me to buy now?”
He looked and Aaron had managed to load his amazon.com shopping cart full of video games and an X box.
“No.”
“C’mon. It’ll be fun.”
“I don’t have time to literally sit around and play games.”
“But if you had it here, then when I was here I wouldn’t bug you or use your computer or anything.”
Brian said nothing. He hit the speedy check out button and chose rush delivery. Aaron was smiling what some might call a close proximity of a sunshine smile. And Brian realized that the kid was actually not so bad.
Send feedback to vamphile @ gmail.com