I Have Seen The Face Of God

 

Author: NA11

Fandom: X-Files and Queer As Folk

Pairing(s): Alex Krycek, Brian Kinney, Justin Taylor

Warnings: BDSM, Drama, Daddy Kink, WIP

Spoilers: None - AU

Summary: Brian Kinney meets Justin Taylor, and then meets Justin's "Daddy" Alex Krycek. He can't stay away and becomes involved.

Admin Note - A Series of individual fics in the same crossover universe.

 

Nominated Category:

Cleverest Crossover

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Daddy's Twink Daddy's Twink2 In Sickness And In Health Justin's Birthday Innapropriate Games Alex and Justin Meet I've Got Friends That Do!

Daddy's Twink

 

Brian Kinney had prowled Babylon until he found exactly what he wanted. Or rather until what he wanted found him. The twink had to be the youngest person in the club, not that that bothered Brian. He'd gotten in, the bouncers thought he was old enough, so Brian would assume he was old enough. All he cared about was the firm body, the silky blonde hair and the inviting blue eyes. They were soon together in the front seat of his jeep, headed for the loft.

 

Once there, Brian did not bother with preliminaries. The kissing on the dance floor of Babylon would have to suffice as getting-to-know you. He stripped off his shirt and threw it on a chair and, grinning, the twink followed suit. His shoes had already been toed off, and now his scrap of a baby blue tee was removed and he stood, innocently showing off his smooth, hairless chest. Brian smiled a hungry, predatory smile. "Well, come on, uh, Justin, is it? Keep going." Happy to be the center of Brian's attention, Justin stepped out of the strategically torn jeans, let them join the shirt and waited while Brian, his eyes never leaving Justin's face, finished undressing. Justin couldn't stop looking at the older man's body. It was perfect - smooth and unblemished - and he reached out to touch. Brian stepped away, teasing.

 

"Let's shower first," he said.

 

Justin, hard-on slapping his belly, followed Brian into the bathroom.

 

The shower was large and glass enclosed. Brian adjusted the water before they got in and then pulled Justin close so the spray hit them both in a glorious cascade of water and steam. There was a new bar of soap in the soap dish and Brian soaped Justin's back, working up a good lather and slathering it across his chest, down his belly and over his round backside.

 

He eschewed a washcloth or sponge and used his fingers to wash in all the creases and crevices. When he was satisfied that Justin was pristine, he began on himself. Usually he didn't go to all this trouble, but he had a feeling this might be more than a quick fuck, and in that case he could indulge his fastidiousness.

 

"Do you want to check my teeth, too?" Justin joked when Brian had run a soapy finger in his ass for the third time.

 

Brian swatted him hard, leaving a bright red mark on his wet bottom. "I spank for impertinence," he warned and pulled a smooth earlobe into his mouth to suck.

 

"I wasn't impertinent," Justin protested. "It's not like I asked you how old you are."

 

Brian swatted him again on the same spot and admired the mark it left. "Let's get dry."

 

He grabbed two large fluffy bath sheets and wrapped the blue one around Justin. He mopped himself off with the gold one, then led his prize over to the bed.

 

Laying Justin down, he unwrapped him slowly, like a present. Using just enough pressure, he began to rub him down with the rich terry, and in minutes Justin was purring like a mesmerized cat. The friction on his warm pink skin woke all his nerve endings, including the ones in his cock, until his whole body was tingling and he was arching up into the towel.

 

Brian rolled him over and continued, drying his back and buttocks, dragging the wonderfully rough material down the crack of his ass, rubbing repeatedly over his anus until Justin was wriggling shamelessly against the sheet. Abruptly, then, he stopped, not wanting him to come too soon.

 

Brian bunched the thick towel to the side and spread the plump cheeks, exposing the very clean, very rosy bud between them. He gave it a tentative lick and Justin squealed, a delightful, uninhibited, twink-like sound that Brian would not have dreamed of making, but that he enjoyed hearing. Enjoyed so much, as a matter of fact, that he licked him again. And again. Soon they were both giggling and Brian caught a chunk of flesh from the underside of his ass in between his teeth.

 

"Don't leave a mark!" Justin said quickly.

 

Brian was instantly suspicious. "Why?" He tried to keep his voice light. He was hard and ready and didn't want to spoil the mood and have to start all over. "Will Mommy see it and get curious?"

 

"I haven't seen my mother in months."

 

"Daddy will get mad?"

 

"He's the reason I haven't seen her. He threw me out when he found out I was gay."

 

"So who will get mad about a mark on your ass?" Brian didn't like to be told 'no'.

 

"Nobody." Justin thrust his ass up, trying to get the rimming started again. "But I have gym on Monday."

 

"Holy shit." Brian considered sending him on his way, but his cock protested, so he went back to licking the pliant little hole. Justin was soon relaxed again, writhing on his stomach.

 

Brian flipped him over. "Put your legs on my shoulders," he instructed.

 

"We need a condom," Justin said hastily.

 

"I'm ready with it," Brian assured him. "I'm going to lube you first."

 

Justin's level of excitement grew as Brian inserted one slick finger, then two, then scissored them, easing the tight resistance one bit at a time. Finally he decided it was time, picked up the condom he'd had sitting on the nightstand and tore it open with his teeth. "Roll it on me," he whispered urgently, and Justin did.

 

He checked that there was shooting room in the tip, rubbed lube over the latex, and touched his hardness to Justin's inviting opening. That's when he heard the gun cock near his left ear.

 

"If that dick goes in him, this bullet goes in you," a husky voice threatened.

 

Not much chance of that. Brian's hard-on faded into nothing as his balls drew up inside his body, desperately seeking shelter. Justin, on the other hand, merely looked exasperated.

 

"Alex, it's not even two o'clock. You said you'd be gone 'till morning."

 

"I got done early." He poked Brian with the gun barrel. "Get off him."

 

Brian moved away carefully, not taking his eyes off the leather clad intruder, and Justin, his hard-on still somewhat interested, sat up, scowling. "You spoiled everything," he complained.

 

"You know him?" Brian asked incredulously.

 

"Yeah," Justin sighed in dejected frustration.

 

"Well, how'd you get in here?" Brian demanded, bravado returning a little now that he knew this wasn't a home invasion. "I have a security system."

 

"Woefully inadequate." Alex holstered his gun and folded his arms, glaring at Justin. He sat down on the bed, propped himself against the headboard, heedless of the clean sheets and his dirty jeans, and gestured with a black leather clad hand at the naked teen.

 

"I have no clothes on," Justin protested. "I'll stick to your jacket."

 

"Good. At least you'll have to stay put."

 

Rolling his eyes, Justin straddled his lap and leaned against his chest, waiting. He was used to this. This was 'discussion'.

 

"Where did you go tonight?" Alex asked with the impervious air of one who expects the truth and usually gets it.

 

"Babylon," Justin replied, putting his head on Alex's shoulder and fluttering his eyelashes. Arrogance never helped his cause, cute sometimes did.

 

"Without me?" Alex continued.

 

"Obviously."

 

Alex looked at him sharply. "Let's cut the insolence, shall we?"

 

"Sorry," Justin muttered.

 

"Now, what did I say before I left?" Alex ran his hand down the smooth back and cupped one round buttock, the dark glove in deep contrast to the white skin.

 

"To stay in the apartment, that you'd be back. But so late!" Justin felt he had to defend himself.

 

"What's the rule about gay bars? Any bars, for that matter?" Alex asked, ignoring him.

 

"I can't go alone." Justin replied, sighing.

 

"And what did you do?"

 

Brian couldn't stand it anymore. "He went alone! So what? What are you? His daddy?!"

 

Alex turned and fixed him with a bone-chilling stare. "As a matter of fact, I am. And when you pick up trouble, you should expect more trouble to follow. Don't you see how young he is? And what are you, thirty? What were you thinking?"

 

Brian was thinking that Alex looked older than thirty, but he wisely kept that to himself. He looked from Justin to Alex and back again. "You said your father threw you out," he said slowly. He really didn't need this.

 

"He did," Justin said. "I met Alex at the Meathook. You know, he's my Daddy. I'm his boy." He looked at Brian as though he was a very slow fifth grader.

 

"You were in the Meathook?" Brian was so stunned by this news that it canceled out any astonishment he may have felt over the Daddy/boy admission. "You?" Even Brian, an experienced player, steered clear of that S&M playground.

 

"He was," Alex answered for him. "And I took him away from this big ape named Jake who has no business playing with anyone, much less a green baby twink. Little fool gave me an argument, too. Justin, not Jake. Jake knew better. Not this one. You have to spell everything out for him. Where angels fear to tread..."

 

"I jump in with both feet!" Justin finished for him, grinning.

 

Alex gave him a withering look. "Laugh while you still can," he advised. "You are a reckless, willful, little boy as far as I'm concerned."

 

Justin did his best to mold his expression into one that displayed more penitence than glee.

 

"Now, where were we?" Alex resumed. "Oh, yes. Now. You went to Babylon alone?"

 

"Yes, but only Babylon."

 

"And who are you supposed to be with at Babylon? At any club?" Alex was not going to be sidetracked again.

 

"I'm supposed to be with you." Justin was looking away from Alex, yellow mop of hair in his eyes.

 

"And if you want to play with somebody we don't know, who has to be with you?"

 

"You do." Justin's voice indicated he was resigned to his fate.

 

"And what happens when you disobey me?" Alex went on calmly.

 

Justin said something barely audible.

 

"Excuse me? I missed that."

 

"You spank me," Justin admitted reluctantly. "Way too hard," he added sadly.

 

"Not hard enough, it seems, since it's not changing your behavior," Alex said. "I'll have to remedy that today." Justin winced.

 

Brian looked from Alex to Justin and back. "I didn't know," he offered, although no one had suggested that he should have.

 

"Why do I spank you?" Alex went on as though Brian hadn't spoken.

 

"Because you love me and want to keep me safe." Justin turned to bestow an angelic smile on his protector. Alex smiled back.

 

"Very good. But you're still going to get it. Now, peel yourself off me, get your clothes, and let's go."

 

"I'm sorry," Justin said, belatedly.

 

"You will be," Alex assured him.

 

Suddenly Brian came to life. With the realization that he wasn't going to die, his erection was returning. And now they were leaving?

 

"Hey!" he protested. "You're just going to leave me here like this?" He waved his reblooming hard-on at them. "That sucks."

 

Alex raised one eyebrow. "Well, you're not fucking him," he said bluntly. "And you're not fucking me." He smiled, a sinister gleam in his eye. "But I'll fuck you," he offered.

 

Brian considered it. Maybe Alex had meant to discourage him, but the dark haired man was handsome in a dangerous way and it was certainly a better prospect than going back out to get someone else, or worse, not getting off at all.

 

"Okay," he agreed, trying to maintain his swagger.

 

"Can I watch?" Justin asked eagerly.

 

"If I can watch you get spanked," Brian said quickly.

 

Justin frowned. "No." Without realizing it he backed up until he was pressed against Alex.

 

"Well, then," Brian said loftily, "Go and shut yourself in the bathroom until we're done. We'll call you." Brian turned to Alex and held out his hand in invitation.

 

"Oh, alright." Justin placed himself between them. "But don't you dare laugh at me."

 

"I won't laugh," Brian said seriously.

 

"I don't remember agreeing to put on a show for anybody," Alex said, pointedly ignoring Brian's hand and folding his arms. "And I am certainly not in the habit of spanking him publicly for someone else's entertainment."

 

"Come on," Brian said. "He said it's okay and I love to watch. And I love to be watched. This isn't public, it's my bedroom."

 

Alex looked at Justin, tilted his chin so he had to look back. "You don't have to. I don't have to stay either. It was just a thought. But I can take you home, spank you and put you to bed."

 

Justin peeked up from under his lashes. "How about take me home, suck me off, and put me to bed?" he wheedled.

 

Alex shook his head. "You know what we agreed."

 

"Don't want to now," Justin sulked.

 

"That's why we agree before you've been bad. Now decide which you want to do. It's up to you."

 

"Don't I get a say?" Brian demanded.

 

"Quite frankly, no. Justin?"

 

"Fine, spank me now," Justin said irritably. "But then I get to stay and watch you. No backing out."

 

Brian sat cross-legged on the bed, palming his cock which was stiffening in anticipation.

 

"Come on, then." Alex moved to a chair, removing two pieces of clothing from it. "Is this what you wore to Babylon?" he asked severely, looking at the holey jeans and the scrap of a shirt. "No underwear?"

 

"You don't wear underwear," Justin pointed out.

 

"You are not helping yourself," Alex said. "I told you to get rid of those pants. You are advertising something you're in no position to deliver."

 

Justin flashed a sheepish grin that Alex did not return. He sat down and patted his lap.

 

"Come on then, be a good boy and put yourself over my knee."

 

The handprint Brian had applied in the shower still showed a clear pale pink on Justin's backside as he arranged himself across the strong thighs.

 

"What's this?" Alex snapped.

 

Justin smelled sympathy and a possible reprieve. "Brian swatted me," he reported with a calculated sniffle. "Twice."

 

Alex looked up at Brian, his gaze intense. "Well, I guess I owe you ."

 

"Owe me?" Brian repeated stupidly.

 

"Yes." With no further explanation, Alex turned deliberately back to the brat across his knees. "Now, Justin, let's review. What do I expect?"

 

Realizing there was no reprieve coming, Justin recited dutifully, "I stay when you tell me to stay. I only go clubbing and cruising with you."

 

"And?" Alex prompted.

 

Justin turned and looked over his shoulder with a quizzical look. "And what?"

 

Alex waited, hand poised in the air over Justin's bottom. After a minute he remarked causally, "If my hand gets too tired waiting like this, I may have to look around for something else to use. I guess that kitchen should have a good sized wooden spoon in it." He looked at Brian. "Can you get me..."

 

"And I don't dress like a little slut," Justin cried hurriedly, anxious to forestall such a disaster.

 

"That's better," Alex approved. He brought his hand down hard, and the loud crack of leather on flesh made Brian jump.

 

Justin's eyes opened wide in surprise at the first swat, he yelped at the second, and the third convinced him that cooperation had been a big mistake. Alex meant business. Without warning he pushed off Alex's leg and out of his hold and headed for the door. Astonished, Alex chased him, grabbed him and marched him back to the chair. "Where did you think you were going stark naked?" he demanded angrily, shaking him a little.

 

Justin hadn't thought that far. His goal was to get his backside away from that merciless hand. Past that he was clueless. "I dunno," he shrugged. "It hurt. I just wanted it to stop."

 

Alex slapped his ass hard, striking from underneath for maximum sting and noise. "Ow!" Justin turned tear filled eyes to him, but Alex was unmoved. He picked Brian's wooden hairbrush off the dresser and tested its heavy oval back against his hand.

 

"At the end of your punishment, you'll get two with this for running from me," he told Justin. "You know better than that."

 

The tears began to flow freely at that pronouncement. "What was that one for, then?" the boy demanded, hiccuping.

 

"Making me get up to get you."

 

Alex had already wasted enough time, Brian thought. He had a raging hard-on, and watching him rearrange the kid over his knee only made it worse. He wished he'd get on with it.

 

Finally satisfied with Justin's position, Alex vigorously spanked the bubble butt until it was bouncing, rosy pink, on his lap. It was not harsh but Alex was clearly communicating his displeasure and Justin was soon crying noisily and frantically begging him to stop. When his delectable target was a uniform bright hue, Alex reached for the hairbrush. "Two with this and we're done, Justin," Alex said and Justin's struggles renewed themselves.

 

"No! No fair!" Justin sobbed.

 

"What would be fair?" Alex asked coolly, and Justin was taken aback. He was still not used to the fact that, while Alex could be relentlessly stern, he always stopped to listen, and he wasn't ready with an answer. He wiped his nose with the back of his hand and tried to think.

 

"What would be fair?" Alex repeated. "I deny you nothing except that which would endanger you. I explain myself thoroughly on every point. And still the minute I turn my back to perform a completely necessary task for my employers, and you are without my constant and complete attention, you go and do what you are expressly forbidden to do for your own safety. And when I try to administer a reasonable but memorable correction for this lapse, you run from me like a naughty child. So, tell me, Justin. What would be fair?"

 

Justin considered for a minute, then said miserably, swiping at his eyes, "I guess the two is fair. I'm sorry."

 

Alex's expression softened. "That's my good boy." He raised the brush and brought it down in two swift, hard thwacks across Justin's sit-spots. Justin bucked and yelled. Brian was surprised and looked it.

 

"I thought that tearful contrition might change your mind," he said to Alex, looking at the man wide-eyed. "Couldn't you give him a break?"

 

Alex's stare was piercing. "That would teach him nothing," he said. "Except that charm will get him out of a difficult situation. It will not work on someone intent on putting HGB in his drink. Or using him till he bleeds. Punishment is meant to hurt, but not as much as what I'm trying to protect him from." Brian blinked but didn't answer. Why did it sound like Alex was speaking from personal experience?

 

Alex helped Justin sit up, and let him straddle his lap again and cry into his shirt, carefully keeping his sore cheeks free of pressure. He rubbed his back and crooned soothingly to him until finally Justin lifted his head.

 

"We were using a condom," he offered, voice trembling, as if this definitive statement changed everything.

 

Alex smiled indulgently. "It's the only reason I warned him before I shot him," he replied.

 

Brian silently thanked the gods of safe sex.

 

"Now." Alex got up, gently placing Justin on his side, and unzipped his jacket. "On to more pleasant things."

 

Brian watched him remove the gloves and shrug out of the leather jacket. He had leather jackets, too, but somehow he never managed to look that deliciously evil in his. Alex toed off his boots and unbuttoned his jeans, using his right hand. Justin came up behind him and pulled them down.

 

"I can do it," Alex said, smiling. "Go sit over there and watch." He motioned to the chair he'd just vacated.

 

"I can't sit anywhere," Justin groused. "And I love to help you."

 

Brian frowned. Help him? Why would he need help? Well, he, himself, was pretty efficient at stripping lovers. "I could..." he began but Justin cut him off.

 

"I can do it." With practiced grace he slid off the black jeans, revealing that Alex, indeed, wore no underwear. His thick, un-circumcised cock was already showing interest as he gazed lustfully at Brian's naked body.

 

Justin pulled the black turtleneck carefully over Alex's head, then the tee shirt underneath. Then to Brian's surprise he unbuckled Alex's left arm and removed that, too. Brian stared at the irregular stump that was revealed while Alex stood and let him, and Justin gently rubbed the mottled red spots where the straps had attached the prosthesis to his torso. "Well," Alex said finally. "Shall I get dressed and go?"

 

In answer Brian took two steps forward, pressed their groins together and kissed him. "Don't you dare," he said, releasing Alex's mouth briefly, then recapturing it so he could explore it with his tongue.

 

Alex pulled away. "Are you sure?" he asked, not sounding as though he cared one way or the other. "I prefer to have sex without it. It's cumbersome when I'm naked. Seeing me without it bothers some people. It's okay if you're one of them."

 

"I'm not," Brian said insistently. He'd take the stump for a chance at that cock. "Now, come on, let's get started. This is more pillow talk than I have in a month." He put his arms around Alex's neck.

 

"Just a minute." Alex held him at arm's length. "I may need some extra consideration, matters of balance and so forth."

 

"Fine, I'll cooperate however you need me to." Of course he'd play nice with the handicapped. Brian made another try for Alex's mouth but Alex turned his head.

 

"Good, I'm glad to hear it. Because we have some unfinished business."

 

"We do?" Now what?

 

"Yes, we do." Alex sat down on the bed and patted his lap.

 

Suddenly understanding, Brian drew up indignantly. "When I play like that, I give the spanking," he said haughtily.

 

Alex didn't change expression. "I'm not playing."

 

That was not what Brian had expected to hear. "What did I do?" he finally asked in confusion.

 

"You spanked my boy without my permission. I told you I owed you, and you said you would cooperate however I need you too. I need you to go over my knee and stay put, since I can't hold you. I could chase you down, but that would just delay the entertainment portion of the evening. And I could have Justin hold you, but I think you can keep still by yourself and set a good example for him. He could use a role model when it comes to accepting punishment properly." He frowned at Justin, who scowled back. "Now, come on." Alex patted his lap again.

 

Justin looked smugly at Brian.

 

Brian looked at Alex uncertainly.

 

"I didn't hurt him," he said slowly.

 

"You marked him," Alex returned. "That's not allowed. Now come here." He picked up the brush.

 

"You're not using that," Brian declared, although with less certainty than he meant to.

 

"Are you asking me not to use the brush or telling me not to?" Alex inquired, without a trace of impatience.

 

Justin smirked as though he were hoping Brian would pick the wrong answer.

 

"Asking you," Brian ventured.

 

Alex tossed it back on the dresser. He waited.

 

Brian licked his lips. There was a thin film of sweat on his forehead and belly as he weighed the options. Then, his mind made up, he strode purposely forward and laid himself over Alex's lap, arranging himself so as to show off his body to best advantage. He couldn't see Alex's smile of approval, but he felt the long stroke down his back and arched into it.

 

Alex rearranged him so his position was less visually appealing but allowed better access to his bottom. "What is this punishment for?"

 

Brian hesitated and his cheeks clenched involuntarily. "Don't hit Justin," he said uncertainly. It felt strange to be this vulnerable. "I-I mean, I hit Justin and I shouldn't have."

 

"Very good," Alex approved and swatted him twice across both luscious cheeks. Brian grunted. They were not love taps.

 

"Now get up so I can kiss you."

 

Brian got up, visibly relieved but confused. "All that for two swats?" he said. "It took longer to make me get in position."

 

"Because that was the hard part for you. But you did it. And now we're okay."

 

Alex stood up and backed Brian up to the bed. "Besides," he said, pulling him close with his strong right arm. "I'm not interested in hearing you scream. Not yet, anyway." He eased him down onto the bed and lay on top of him. "Soon," he promised and possessed his mouth. Brian molded himself to the man, trying to rub his cock against the one he felt filling rapidly against his own groin, but Alex stilled him. "Patience." He ran kisses along his jaw and up to his ear, exploring with the tip of his tongue. Then he traveled south, nuzzling the hollow of Brian's neck, along his collarbone, zeroing in on one nipple and suckling softly.

 

Brian was trembling uncontrollably and had yet to have his cock touched. He reached around to stroke the dark head and let go a startled moan when Alex switched to the other hard nub. He alternated tongue, teeth and lips in a maddening dance until Brian writhed underneath him, cock straining against his flat belly, pearly drops oozing from its tip. And all from nipple play.

 

Gentle pressure on his hip showed him what Alex wanted next. His first instinct was to turn the tables and flip Alex over, as he would anyone else so presumptuous, but Alex was a cripple and he had promised to cooperate.

 

As though reading his mind and not liking what he saw there, Alex rose up on his knees and turned Brian in one graceful but none too gentle movement. Before Brian could react, Alex was between his legs pushing them apart effortlessly with his own knees. Then he slipped his arm underneath and pulled him up a little so his ass pooched up. Alex stuffed a pillow underneath Brian to hold him like that.

 

"Open your cheeks for me," he ordered.

 

Brian hesitated, mindful of Justin there, staring.

 

"Come on," Alex urged, "you said you like to be watched."

 

"That wasn't really what I had in mind," Brian said and was annoyed to feel himself blush at the thought of opening himself so intimately and offering himself like that.

 

Alex leaned down to whisper gruffly in his ear. "I can't hold you open and balance myself in the right position to rim you. You have to help me." He kissed one soft buttock."You said you'd cooperate. Come on. Justin does it for me, don't you, Justin?"

 

Justin nodded eagerly.

 

"What's it like when I lick your hole, Justin?" Alex went on, addressing the teen but still speaking where Brian could feel his hot breath on his neck and shudder at each word.

 

"Like I never want it to stop," Justin admitted.

 

"See?" Alex blew into his ear and Brian just caught himself before he moaned aloud again. Undiscouraged, infinitely patient, Alex traced a path with his tongue to the back of Brian's neck and down his spine, stopping just above the cleft, giving it one teasing swipe, then waiting.

 

When he blew warm moist breath down his crack, Brian surrendered, reached behind himself and spread himself wide, arching his back, balancing on his chest. Alex buried his face between the plump mounds and, from the corner of his eye, saw Justin take his cock in hand.

 

He paused long enough to say, "If you show some self-control, I'll take care of that when I'm done here."

 

"I won't come," Justin said. "I'm just playing."

 

"You're playing with me," Brian growled and wiggled his ass, furious at even that brief interruption. "So pay attention here."

 

Alex smiled and gave the tight pink ring a long loving lick, then sucked it as though it was a nipple, too. Brian squealed before he could stop himself.

 

Oh God, he thought, I'm making twink noises. For a guy with one arm.

 

"I guess I'm doing it right," Alex snickered and then began to rim Brian in earnest. When he had reduced him to whimpering incoherently, Alex gave the softened anus a loud kiss and kneeled up. "Go on your back," he said, removing the pillow.

 

"More," Brian croaked, not moving except to thrust his ass up, looking for Alex's tongue.

 

"If you want me to fuck you, you need to do as I say. You are delicious, but I want to come with my dick in you, not all over your three hundred dollar sheets." Alex put a hand under him and urged him on his back, rewarding Brian with a gentle kiss and quick lick under the cockhead.

 

Brian sprawled there, blinking up at Alex, who looked at him from above like a king about to do a favored concubine. Regally, he addressed the handmaid.

 

"Justin, pass me a condom."

 

Justin let go of his hard-on and grabbed a condom and lube from the nightstand. He approached and Alex beamed imperially at him. "Do you want to play, too, sweetheart?" he asked. Brian's last pre-orgasmic coherent thought was how strange it was to hear that endearment from a man who an hour ago had held him at gunpoint. Yet Justin registered no surprise, so it had to be a common occurrence.

 

And then he heard Alex say, "Okay, baby, you lube him for Daddy, okay, sweetheart?" And his legs were lifted to Alex's shoulders and his ass was prepared with a twiddling little twink finger.

 

A twink finger that he squirmed shamelessly on, desperately trying for more stimulation.

 

And finally there was nothing left to do but plead. "Fuck me. Alex, please, put it in, please..."

 

Alex leaned back and Justin rolled the condom on him. Then, finally, finally, Brian felt the thick throbbing cock at his ass. In his mind's eye it didn't wear latex but a sheath of black leather, and totally lost and more than willing to risk death and hell for the ride, he used his legs to pull Alex in deep. The cock bottomed out and Brian screamed at the burn and the ecstasy of at last being filled. When Alex's balls hit the warm spots that still tingled on his ass where he had been swatted, he remembered the glorious hot shame of submitting to him, of willingly positioning himself bare-bottomed over his knee for a child's punishment. And the juxtaposition of the words 'Alex' and 'cripple' were gone forever from his thoughts as he raced toward climax under the man's command.

 

"Come for me," Alex demanded and he came hard, aware of Alex's hand stroking him and a rough little hand playing with one sensitive nipple. Semen splattered everywhere and he was dimly aware that it wasn't all his. His was mainly on Alex and the sheets. Alex's was safely inside the condom. The twink had come on Brian's belly. Brian realized he didn't care. He couldn't have moved if it was radioactive.

 

Alex withdrew and, still panting, Justin took the condom and tied it and got up to dispose of it. Brian couldn't resist teasing. "What would you do if Goldilocks wasn't here?" he asked breathlessly.

 

"Make you tie it." Alex lay beside him and smiled. "That's one of the few things I haven't mastered yet, tying a condom one handed. But I will, eventually."

 

"That's not a birth defect then?" Brian asked. He was so relaxed, the question popped out without him realizing. He looked at Alex nervously and tried to remember where he'd seen him put the gun. But Alex was not offended.

 

"Some Russian peasants cut it off to save me from being experimented on by aliens."

 

"Fine." Brian had been about to roll over to hug the man, but the flippant answer stopped him. "If you don't want to say, just tell me. You don't have to make fun of me."

 

Alex raised up on his right arm and kissed him lightly. The truth always worked. They stopped asking after that. "I'm sorry. Let's not talk about it, OK?"

 

"Okay." Brian was too well fucked to argue.

 

Justin came back to lay beside Alex, pushing him to the middle.

 

"I thought I told you not to come?" Alex remarked casually.

 

"I didn't really come," Justin said. "I just took the edge off. "

 

"I told you I'd take care of it," Alex went on.

 

"It wasn't my fault. When you said 'come for me' you didn't specify who, and my cock just did it by force of habit." Justin's pout was adorable and Alex stroked his cheek tenderly.

 

"At least your cock remembers to be obedient."

 

"Well, for somebody who didn't really come, you sure covered a lot of ground with your spunk," Brian added, feeling some trickle into his navel.

 

"I'll be ready again in five minutes," Justin promised.

 

"That's right," Alex said. "I forgot, you're seventeen. You're always ready."

 

"Seventeen? You're only seventeen?" Brian asked.

 

"Yeah. So?" Justin stuck his lip out.

 

"So, how'd you get into Babylon?"

 

"Fake ID, how do you think?" Justin rolled his eyes at Brian, then suddenly remembered what had happened the last time he'd been caught with fake ID. He smiled ingratiatingly at Alex.

 

Alex said meaningfully, "I trust that ID will be in my hand before we leave here. You know you don't need it when you're with me."

 

Justin leaned forward and kissed Alex's spent cock. "I love you, Daddy," he said.

 

"I love you, too," Alex replied, "but I'm not seventeen. So kiss it all you want but don't get your hopes up."

 

"No fair. I hardly got to play." Justin was indeed making a quick recovery and was humping against Alex's leg.

 

"I'll do him," Brian offered. He reached for the drawer to get another condom.

 

"You won't need that," Alex said and Brian looked surprised.

 

"You want me to do him bareback?"

 

Alex sat up. "You won't need it because I told you you're not fucking him."

 

Brian tossed his head, pissed off. "Nobody fucks him but you, huh? I'd be as gentle as you would be." But Alex was shaking his head.

 

"I don't fuck him either."

 

"You don't?"

 

"He's only seventeen!" Alex said as though no other explanation were necessary.

 

"That sucks," Justin said sourly.

 

Alex raised a single eyebrow. "There's no law that says I can't spank you twice in one night, you know," he said mildly.

 

Justin rolled his eyes.

 

Brian looked at Alex incredulously. "You mean to say you think it's alright to hold a gun to my head in my own house, but you won't fuck an underage twink?"

 

"You have to draw the line somewhere."

 

"I want to," Justin said. "But he won't."

 

Alex stood up. "Bathroom?" Brian pointed. "I told you, Justin, you've only just come out to yourself," he said as he walked, unselfconsciously naked, to use the toilet. "Give it a little time." He left the door open and they could hear him pissing loudly. "When you're sure, if you want it then, I'll be happy to be your first," he called out over the splashing.

 

"You've got your whole life to fuck," he went on when he came back out. "There's no rush." He went to the fridge, helping himself to a bottle of water. "Besides, don't you like what we do now?"

 

Justin proudly displayed a fair sized hard-on. "Yes, so come back to bed and let's do it."

 

"What do I do, watch?" Brian asked sourly.

 

"Want to help me eat a Justin sandwich?" Alex invited.

 

Brian smiled, mood immediately improved. "That sounds delicious."

 

"Do you need to wash, baby?" Alex tugged a lock of Justin's hair.

 

"No, he already scrubbed me," Justin replied and rolled to the middle of the bed, wantonly displaying himself. Alex smiled fondly at him, then looked at Brian. "Which side do you want?"

 

"What's tastiest?" he asked back.

 

"Hard to say," Alex replied. "I must tell you though, that rump is especially good when it's roasted." He gave Justin's glowing bottom a sharp smack.

 

"Hey, what was that for?" Justin sulked, rubbing the spot.

 

"Any number of things, I'm sure." Alex told him. "Then again, if you have a sugar craving, this all day sucker," he grasped Justin's cock, leering, "is unsurpassed for its sweetness." He kissed the head and licked it, and Justin reached for him.

 

"You suck me, Daddy," he begged. He looked over his shoulder at Brian. "And you lick my hole."

 

"The Prince has spoken," Alex said. Decision made, he got in the bed beside the young sovereign so he could lean his stump on a pillow and leave his right hand free to manipulate the waking cock before him, and Justin turned on his side and put his legs over Alex's shoulders.

 

That left Brian to maneuver behind the boy until he was in good position to spread the pinkened cheeks and nuzzle in the clean warm crevice.

 

His tongue snaked out to tease the little hole just as Alex ran his tongue over the slit that still held the salty remnants of Justin 'taking off the edge'.

 

The dual sensations dragged a lusty, uninhibited groan of pleasure from the boy and this in turn spurred the men on to outdo each other in bringing about more such noises.

 

Alex fellated him expertly, first letting the pulsing column fill while he held it motionless in his mouth, then finding the vein underneath that throbbed against his tongue. He sucked each silken ball into his mouth, bathing it thoroughly, and tugged gently at the sac with his lips. Brian, meanwhile, licked the virgin hole until it relaxed enough to re-admit his finger and Justin, ass humming happily, bounced on it a little.

 

"Umm, poor little tushie," Brian murmured, putting tiny kisses all over the warm, flushed cheeks. He licked around his finger to keep it wet as he pushed it further in.

 

"Another finger," Justin begged and Brian met Alex's eyes questioningly.

 

Alex responded by taking a little of Justin's own pre-come on his thumb and dabbing it around his opening to ease the penetration.

 

"Go ahead. You can get up to three if you take your time. You'll need more regular lube." He turned back to the cock that was twitching impatiently inches from his nose, kissed the down covered inner thighs lovingly and resumed sucking.

 

Justin was soon rocking his narrow hips back and forth, first pushing his cock down Alex's throat, then rearing back to impale himself on Brian's fingers and feel those fingers curl to tweak his sweet spot. Faster and faster he rocked until finally he screamed and came in a torrent, his ass clutching Brian's fingers convulsively, his knees squeezing Alex's head. Alex swallowed his come without effort, then eased him on his back and licked his penis clean as though he were grooming a kitten.

 

Brian allowed the last contractions of the tight passage to push his fingers out, and the hole that had easily allowed the careful breach popped tightly shut. Justin sprawled shamelessly, heedless even when Brian washed the last bits of sticky evidence from his body with a soft warm cloth.

 

"Soinyshko moyo," Alex said, softly kissing his forehead, and a ghost of a smile crossed Justin's lips, although he did not open his eyes.

 

"Cold, Daddy," he murmured, and Alex and Brian each pulled at a corner of the comforter and covered him. Over his head, the two men kissed, exchanging tastes of Justin, then collapsed on either side of him. In five minutes the only sounds in the room were three soft snores.

 

~~~

 

It was light out when Brian awoke. Alex was dressing, rather dextrously, all things considered, Brian thought. Justin was still asleep, snuggled under the covers.

 

"Remember what it was like to sleep like that?" Brian said ruefully. "Like you haven't got a care in the world?"

 

"Not really," Alex replied. He tugged on his boots one-handed.

 

"Do you have to run off?" Brian heard himself say. God, who said that? He rarely let anybody stay the night, never mind protest their leaving in the morning.

 

"I need to get him home."

 

"Will I see you again?" Brian felt as though he were possessed, asking questions like these, but he didn't want to think about never being with them again.

 

"I'm around usually," Alex said in a non-committal tone. "And if I'm around I usually have Sunshine here with me." He looked at Brian, brooding dejectedly, and leaned over to kiss him. "Look, I'll give you my pager, Ok? I can't promise to answer right away, sometimes I'm not in a position to, but I'll try to get back to you." Brian handed him a pad and pen and Alex wrote down the number with no name and handed it back. "Keep it to yourself, alright?"

 

"Sure." Brian held it awkwardly, not knowing what else to say.

 

"One thing you could do for me..."

 

Brian looked up. "What?"

 

"You hang out a lot. If you ever see my boy here out by himself, call me. Put '911J' after the page so I know it's an emergency with Justin. And stick with him till you hear from me. The majority of gay men are just out for fun, but there's always an asshole who can't control himself, and this kid can't protect himself. He hasn't got a clue. It's like putting a hamster in the middle of a highway. I'd feel much better if I knew there were another pair of eyes on him."

 

"Sure." Brian grinned evilly. "But I get to stay while you, uh, reprimand him."

 

"You got it."

 

"I don't need another daddy," Justin bitched from under the blanket.

 

"Were you eavesdropping, Sunshine?" Alex chided.

 

"You woke me, you talk so loud." Justin rubbed his eyes. "And I repeat, the last thing I need is another daddy."

 

"You could use a dozen," Alex told him. "Anyway, he's not old enough to be your daddy. Maybe a youthful uncle."

 

"Shit. You treat me like a baby." Justin got up and headed for the bathroom.

 

"You are a baby," Alex told him.

 

"Shit," Justin repeated. "I'm hungry."

 

"We're going home," Alex said.

 

"I'm hungry now," Justin said petulantly.

 

"Let me take you to breakfast," Brian offered.

 

"He's not going anywhere in that slutty outfit," Alex declared. "I don't care if he's starving."

 

"I'll loan him a sweatshirt. It will cover a multitude of sins."

 

"Please?" Justin came back and plopped in Alex's lap.

 

"Bad boy, you don't deserve any treat." He kissed him and looked down and laughed. "Look who has beard burn between his legs."

 

"Back here, too," Brian said, opening the round cheeks a little.

 

"See? You owe me," Justin complained. "You both roughed me up."

 

Alex gave up. "Oh, alright, but keep that sweatshirt on, you hear? I'm embarrassed to be seen with you, you little shavala."

 

"Never mind, my Daddy, you sound like somebody's immigrant grandpa spouting your Russian that way," Justin said and ducked out of reach before Alex could swat him.

 

Brian pulled a gray sweatshirt out of a drawer and passed it to Justin, who posed, proudly naked, as he reached for it. Their fingers touched and Justin smiled fetchingly into Brian's eyes.

 

He was such a pretty boy.

 

With a rapidly filling cock.

 

Brian watched it grow and licked his lips. Grinning, Justin took an almost imperceptible step toward him, his cock bobbing.

 

Before Brian could react, Alex was behind Justin, circling his waist with his prosthetic arm so he couldn't move, removing the glove from his right hand with his teeth so he could firmly grasp his cock. Fearlessly, Justin put his head back, exposing his white throat to Alex's mouth. Sucking carefully, Alex marked him, all the while watching Brian watching them. Then he stroked him expertly, using a slow careful rhythm. Just as Justin's knees were beginning to tremble, Alex whispered, "Come for me," and immediately Justin came in his hand. Patiently, Alex supported his sagging frame until he was back on earth. Then, with a satisfied look at Brian, he wiped the come from his hand with the gray sweatshirt.

 

"He'll need a clean one," he said matter-of-factly and tossed the soiled one on the bed. "Say thank you to Grandpa, Justin."

 

"Thank you," Justin said dutifully, picking up his pants.

 

Smiling ruefully, Brian rummaged until he found a navy blue sweatshirt, one size larger than the gray. Alex took it and held it up to Justin, nodding approvingly when he saw it would cover all the holes in the boy's club clothes.

 

He patted Justin's ass. "Get dressed."

 

Sated and triumphant, Justin obeyed. Brian meanwhile was dressed and waiting. He'd take them to the diner, he decided.

 

He knew Debbie would love to meet them.

 

---

Daddy's Twink2

 

Brian saw Alex twice more in the next three weeks, once at Babylon and once at the diner. Both times Alex had Justin with him and both times the three of them ended up at Brian's loft. Alex took Brian vigorously, allowed him to play nice with Justin and then departed without promises, his still virgin boy in tow.

 

Debbie liked Alex and Justin the first time she met them, but Brian had figured she would. She had a thing for gay waifs and their protectors. And Alex, amazingly enough, liked her back. That she was kind and motherly to Justin and that she just happened to call him Sunshine didn't hurt a bit.

 

Justin basked in her attentions and Alex tolerated them with surprising good grace, although he revealed no more of himself to her than he did to Brian. He made sure Justin ate his fill, politely sidestepped her questions and otherwise lent a faint air of chic danger to the otherwise quiet diner.

 

Alex and Justin had eaten there several times, Debbie confided to Brian. Alex was good for Justin, she said, although maybe a little overprotective. She always offered her Sunshine a donut if she guessed by his pouting that he'd been scolded recently, she confessed, and Brian grinned, guessing that more than a scolding had probably been the cause of the pouting. But he kept Justin's confidence.

 

But Brian never saw Justin alone again.

 

Until one Saturday night at Babylon.

 

He arrived after eleven to find Justin there dancing shirtless to an enticing beat. Brian was surprised; he'd gotten the impression that Alex usually didn't allow that degree of public exhibitionism. But when Brian looked around for Justin's brooding Daddy, he saw no sign of him. Brian made his way across the dance floor and Justin startled at his approach.

 

"Where's Alex?" Brian asked.

 

Justin didn't make eye contact. "He got called away while we were dancing. He said I could stay."

 

That didn't sound like Alex, Brian thought. Alex kept a careful eye on his boy even in the sheltered haven of the diner. It was extremely out of character for him to allow Justin free run in a gay bar.

 

"Who are you with?"

 

"Daphne." His little beard from school. That time at the diner she'd stopped at the table to say hello and Justin had introduced her. Cute little thing. A real little yenta though. And hardly someone Alex would entrust his boy to in his absence.

 

"I can't believe he left the two of you here alone." At the very least he would have put them in a cab.

 

"Well, he did," Justin insisted.

 

Brian raised his eyebrows skeptically. "Did he say you could take your shirt off, too?"

 

Justin raised his sweaty arms over his head and flexed his glistening chest. "Yes," he said belligerently. Then he thought again. "I mean," he amended, "I can take my shirt off if I want to."

 

Daphne was suddenly under his nose. "Hi, Brian. Justin, Cody's waiting for you."

 

"Gotta go," Justin said loftily and danced off.

 

Brian watched him go and saw him sidle up and shake his ass at Cody Bell, a regular at Babylon. He was a handsome boy. Older than Justin. Short cropped dark hair. Nice face. Snotty attitude.

 

Alex would not approve. Brian was certain of that.

 

Cody was a trouble maker in the guise of a gay activist. He had an enormous chip on his shoulder and was always spoiling for a fight. Even Brian didn't care for the company he kept, and that was saying something.

 

No, Alex would not like this one bit.

 

Remembering his promise, he took out his cell phone and punched in Alex's beeper, then left his number with J911 after it.

 

~~~

 

Brian had to step out when his phone rang back, due to the noise. It was cool on the sidewalk outside the club and he breathed deeply before punching 'answer' and saying "Hello?"

 

No preamble. "What's wrong?" Alex asked.

 

Brian found himself imitating Alex's shorthand way of speaking. "Did you give him permission to be at Babylon without you?"

 

"No. He's there?"

 

"Yes."

 

"I'm on my way. Twenty minutes. Meet me in the bar." The line went dead.

 

The bar was a good choice. It was less crowded than the dance floor but within sight of the door. Brian quickly checked that Justin was still shaking his booty for the masses and asked Mikey to keep an eye out and let him know if Justin and posse seemed about to leave. Then Brian ordered a beer and sat down to wait.

 

~~~

 

Brian saw Alex approach and knew it was him long before he saw his face. The sturdy body encased in denim and black leather, the sure way he carried himself and parted the crowd with ease, the menacing air that came off him like smoke off of dry ice were all familiar, and Brian watched with rapt attention as he entered the bar.

 

As he got closer, Alex scanned for Brian and was at his side in three strides. Despite the noise, Brian could have sworn he heard the thump of his boots.

 

"Where is he?" Alex asked without preamble. "You didn't let him leave?"

 

"I don't think he left. He was dancing on a table last time I saw him." There was a bruise under Alex's right eye. Brian reached up to touch it and Alex impatiently pushed him away.

 

"Not now," he said. He turned to walk away and, as an afterthought, said over his shoulder, "Come walk with me. I saw a side door."

 

Brian abandoned the remainder of his beer and followed him.

 

They walked through the twisting crowd inside and Alex glared at the sight of his boy gyrating half naked on a table while Cody and Daphne egged him on. Brian was prepared for a scene but Alex turned from Justin's impromptu performance and headed for the side door he'd mentioned. Brian started to follow, then turned back briefly to see if Justin had seen them, but Justin was oblivious, bending over to show off the strategic holes in his jeans.

 

What was that Russian word Alex had used before?

 

*Shavala*. That was it. Justin was behaving like a real little *shavala*.

 

Well, no doubt he would pay for it.

 

Brian had to run to catch up with Alex.

 

Under the streetlight outside Alex looked even more haggard.

 

"When did you sleep last?" Brian asked but Alex ignored him and took out his cell phone, pushing 1 and *send*.

 

"Justin? Where are you, sweetheart?" Alex's honeyed voice betrayed nothing.

 

Brian silently prayed Justin wasn't stupid enough to lie.

 

Alex listened, his expression unchanged. "Really? Studying with Daphne? Well, that's great. Such diligence deserves a reward. I just finished my assignment. Can you meet me in front of Babylon? We'll dance a little and then I'll take you to breakfast at the diner. I'll sleep better if I unwind some." He listened again. "Twenty minutes? Well, okay, you don't have to rush but that sounds good. I'll meet you in front of the club." He clicked the phone shut.

 

Finally Brian had to speak to break the tension.

 

"Shouldn't we go to the front?"

 

"No." Alex shook his head. "Justin isn't stupid. He won't come out the front. He'll come out here so he can go to the front as though he'd just arrived. You have to think like a brat if you want to keep up with one. We'll wait for him here."

 

"We could have just gone and got him while he was dancing," Brian pointed out.

 

"I didn't trust myself to do that," Alex said shortly.

 

It was a very long twenty minutes. Alex made no small talk. He made one brief call, saying only, "Done. By the way, the back-up was useless. I'm better off alone." Then he ended the call without saying goodbye.

 

Brian spoke once. "I could get some ice for your eye."

 

Alex shook his head. "I'm fine."

 

"You could let me take care of you once," Brain said irritably.

 

Alex shot him an odd look. "I don't want to get used to that," he said shortly.

 

And then there was only the waiting. Twice the door opened and strange couples came out, annoyed that they weren't alone in the alley. Alex ignored them and wore such a sinister air that they left rather than endure his surly presence.

 

At last the door opened and Justin poked his head out. As he did, Alex stepped back into the shadows so only Brian was visible.

 

"Brian?" Justin hissed. "You've got to help me. Alex is coming. I need you to cover for me."

 

Brian tried to convey with his eyes that Alex was already there, but Justin didn't catch on. Cody and Daphne tumbled out behind him, giggling, and Cody mimicked Justin in a high pitched voice.

 

"Help me, Brian, help me! Alex is coming!" Then in his own voice, "So what? What's your Daddy going to do?"

 

Alex stepped out to where he could be seen. "That's none of your business," he said in a voice that made Brian's testicles head for his belly. "You're just lucky I'm not *your* Daddy."

 

Cody opened his mouth to make a smart remark but it died on his lips as he met Alex's stare. Then, without a backward glance at either Daphne or Justin, he took off into the night.

 

Alex looked at the two remaining revelers, both struck dumb at the sight of him.

 

Then Justin glared at Brian. "Tattletale," he spat. Brian said nothing. He hadn't expected Justin to be pleased, but he'd get over it.

 

"What were you studying?" Alex asked pleasantly.

 

Too late Justin realized his shirt was still hanging open, and he pulled it hastily closed over his bare chest. "We were studying earlier," he said carefully. "History. Then we finished and we came here."

 

"I see." Alex walked closer until he was next to Justin. "Daffy, could you excuse us for a minute?"

 

"It's Daphne," she said sourly.

 

"Whatever."

 

Daphne stepped away, closer to Brian, but the exchange between Alex and Justin could still be heard.

 

"So you were studying history?"

 

"Yes."

 

"Good. Well, I have a history question for you. Very recent history, as a matter of fact." Alex looked him up and down, reached out and began to button the shirt as he spoke. "Justin, historically, what's the punishment for lying to me?"

 

Justin didn't answer and didn't look at Alex.

 

"Justin? Did you hear the question?" Alex did up the final button and took a step back.

 

Justin nodded.

 

"Well, then tell me what you understand to be the punishment for lying to me."

 

Justin looked at the ground. "Two licks with the belt," he whispered.

 

"At least," Alex amended.

 

Justin gaped at him. "It was two licks last time!"

 

"And you did it again, so I may have to modify it. But let's say for the sake of argument that it's two. Considering that you have already lied once to me tonight, I would be very careful not to have any more untruths come out of your mouth. Do you understand?"

 

"Yes."

 

Alex looked at Brian. "Do you have the jeep?"

 

Brian nodded.

 

"Good? Could we bum a ride?"

 

"Sure. I'm in the lot."

 

Alex looked at Daphne. "How did you get here?"

 

"With Justin and Cody. Cody drove."

 

"Come on then, we'll drop you on the way."

 

They walked to the car in silence.

 

Brian got behind the wheel and Alex opened the back door and motioned Justin inside.

 

"You, too," Alex said to Daphne.

 

"He can go out, you know," she said defiantly, her hands on her hips. "He's old enough. You can't expect him to just sit around while you're gone.You're not the boss of him."

 

Alex studied her carefully for a second, looking perplexed, as though she was a mosquito who had suddenly threatened him with a paperclip. "Daffy..."he began.

 

"Daphne," she corrected irritably.

 

"Daphne," he amended. "As it happens I am the boss of him. Now put your ass in the car ."

 

"Or what? You'll give me two licks, too?" she demanded.

 

Alex's eyebrows shot up at the impudence. "Will that help you to cooperate?" he asked mildly.

 

Her eyes widened in outrage and she stamped her foot once. "You wouldn't dare! Anyway, you're gay, you don't spank women!"

 

A hand reached out from inside the car and pulled her into the backseat.

 

"Don't count on that," Justin warned. "Please be quiet."

 

Alex got in the front seat. "That's good advice," he said. Brian prudently said nothing and started the car.

 

Daphne gave them directions and when Brian pulled up in front of her door Alex got out with her.

 

"I'm okay," she said.

 

"I'll see that you get inside," Alex told her.

 

"I'll go," Brian offered quickly. Limiting Alex and Daphne's exposure to each other right now would probably be a good idea.

 

"I'll do it," Alex said shortly. Daphne wisely resigned herself to the escort and walked with Alex to the entrance of her house.

 

"Why did you have to tell on me?" Justin demanded as soon as Alex was out of earshot. "Do you like seeing me get a spanking that much?"

 

"Of course not," Brian said indignantly. Although he wouldn't mind watching again.

 

"Because it's not a joke," Justin went on. "Alex's spankings hurt. He has a hard hand and he means business."

 

"I know," Brian replied. "I was on the receiving end last time, remember?"

 

"Two whacks, big deal. That's nothing. And I'm going to get the belt for lying, too."

 

"Well, if you knew that then why did you lie?" Brian asked reasonably.

 

"Oh, fuck you." Justin went back to sulking. "You just want to watch."

 

"That's not true," Brian protested.

 

"Asshole."

 

Alex came back and they both shut up. Alex got in the backseat next to Justin, kissed him thoroughly, gave Brian directions, then leaned back and closed his eyes. Justin babbled to Alex the rest of the way home, oblivious to his fatigue. Most of the conversation consisted of Very Good Explanations of why he should be allowed to go out alone and why it was unfair to punish him.

 

Alex did not argue. He let Justin talk. Brian, glancing in the rear view mirror, could tell Alex was not impressed in the least and he figured Justin was in for a very bad quarter of an hour once he got them home.

 

"No. Park and come up," Alex said as Brian stopped at the curb to let them out.

 

"See, you sold me out for a free show," Justin sneered at him. "Come on up and watch me get my ass tanned."

 

"Justin," Alex said wearily, "You are in enough trouble. Silence would be a smart choice. And I have my own reasons for inviting him up. Not everything is about you." No one said another word until they had climbed the stairs to the second floor.

 

Brian looked around as he entered the snug studio. A king sized bed dominated the room, a solid looking wooden nightstand flanking the side closest to the door. A couch, a recliner, a well stocked entertainment center and a small round table with three chairs completed the furnishings. The kitchenette was small, with school books and mail scattered on the counter. Off to the right was a bathroom, the light left on.

 

Alex shrugged off his jacket, put his gun on the nightstand and glanced through the mail. "Did you go to school while I was gone, Justin?" he asked.

 

Justin had dumped his jacket on the counter with the rest of his stuff and seemed fixated on the floor, but he looked up in annoyance at the question. "Yes, of course," he said, making a face.

 

Brian wondered idly what the punishment was for missing school.

 

Alex frowned and examined two of his notebooks, then put them aside.

 

"You had to check?" Justin was clearly not pleased at not being believed.

 

"You lied to me once tonight," Alex said matter-of-factly. "What's to say you're not making it a habit, now?"

 

Justin pursed his lips and said nothing, but his eyes looked pained.

 

"Do you have anything to say for yourself?" Alex asked after a long minute.

 

"No, not really," Justin said quietly.

 

Brian put his coat on the back of a chair and went to stand by the window.

 

"Well, I have something to say. You are deceitful and disobedient," Alex stated flatly. "You went where you didn't belong, dressed like a rent boy and flaunted your ass like you were ready to exchange it for a hot meal. I'm ashamed of you." His green eyes were angry, but more than that, disappointed.

 

Justin's eyes filled with tears at the last statement. "I was just dancing. Cody and Daphne called for me," he said defensively.

 

"I don't care if Lennon-McCartney called for you."

 

"John Lennon died before I was born," Justin pointed out.

 

"Fine." Alex sat on the couch. "I can see there is no point in discussion. It's just bringing out the smart-ass in you. Come here, please."

 

Justin didn't move.

 

Alex sat and waited, impassive.

 

Finally, Justin dragged his way over to him and began to lower himself over Alex's knees.

 

Alex cleared his throat sharply. "While admittedly there's hardly enough material in the seat of those jeans to make a difference and I don't see any underwear at all, I prefer the old traditions. Take your pants down."

 

Justin, with a great show of exasperation despite the tears beginning to make their way down his cheeks, pulled down his pants and threw himself back across Alex's lap again.

 

"What lesson will this teach you?" Alex asked patiently, resting his hand on Justin's rear.

 

"Not to trust Brian, because he's a fucking tattletale," Justin spat out and Brian huffed indignantly.

 

Alex didn't raise his voice, but his anger came through clearly as he said, "You know, I thought a good spanking with the palm of my hand would be sufficient for this, but obviously you don't have the first clue to what you did wrong and you don't care." As he spoke, he was purposefully undoing his belt and Justin hastened to amend his answer.

 

"I lied to you and I should always tell the truth! I went out and I should have waited for you, even if it's for two goddamn days!" Justin said quickly, his voice cracking. "Is that good enough for you?"

 

Alex looked even more tired than when he was on his feet, yet he paused to explain his point. "Justin, there was food in the apartment. I left money for any extras you might need and for you to get to school. You had studying to do and when that's through you have every conceivable electronic toy here, to say nothing of books. You couldn't manage two days alone without breaking the rules?"

 

"You didn't even call me," Justin said sadly.

 

"I was out of range. You knew that might happen."

 

"What if you don't come back?" Justin asked, and his voice broke. "That might happen, too."

 

"Damn, baby, I'll always come back." Alex rubbed the small of his back.

 

Justin didn't answer.

 

"Am I spanking you unfairly?" Alex persisted.

 

"I guess not." There was a pause while Justin shifted to take pressure off his hip bone. "I knew I shouldn't." The admission was reluctant, but it was made and Alex nodded, satisfied.

 

"Then let's get this over with," Alex said and brought the flat of his hand down hard across Justin's bottom.

 

"Yow! I'm sorry!" Justin added quickly. "You don't have to start out like that! Jesus!"

 

"I start the way I intend to go on," Alex said and continued.

 

"I'm really, really sorry," Justin tried one last time.

 

"You will be even sorrier, I assure you," Alex replied, not breaking his rhythm.

 

Brian knew from witnessing Justin's last spanking that all the sorry's in the world would not prevent Alex from meting out the justice he felt was warranted. And Justin's loud weeping would not reduce his sentence at all. He watched without comment as Justin paid dearly for his illicit night out, but he enjoyed it a lot less than he'd thought he would. It seemed like an awfully harsh punishment just because the kid wanted to be with his friends. He was beginning to regret his hasty phone call.

 

Once Justin's backside was well and evenly heated, Alex removed his belt.

 

Justin looked over his shoulder and watched him do it, eyes swimming. "Can't we skip that?" he asked tearfully." Please? I took that good, didn't I? It hurt so bad but I held still and I didn't try to run!"

 

"It was meant to hurt and you know better than to run from me," Alex replied firmly. "And no, we can't skip it. You lied. We don't do that to each other. That was our first rule."

 

Defiantly, Justin stood and yanked the torn jeans back up, remorse forgotten. "Well, I don't care! It's too much! You're too tight-assed! I can't take this! Why should I do what you want when you aren't even here half the time?" He scrubbed at his face with the back of his hand, and Brian thought he looked very endearing. Not that that was going to help him.

 

Alex didn't budge. "I can't take this either," he said evenly. "Worrying every time I have to go away whether or not you're safe. I have one part of my brain on you and one on what I have to do."

 

Justin looked at him forlornly. "You can't leave me..." he said, his voice trailing off to a hiccup.

 

Alex shook his head. "I'm not going to leave you, baby. But if my mind is clear to do what I have to do, I can get back to you faster. You aren't being very fair to me either, Justin."

 

Alex's words cut him and Justin wiped away fresh tears. "I'm sorry, Daddy, I didn't think of it that way." His lower lip trembled as he pointed to the belt. "Don't fold it. I'll take it if you don't fold it, okay?"

 

Alex carefully palmed the buckle and wrapped the belt around his hand until he showed a single length of leather about a foot and a half long, holding it out for Justin's inspection. Only then did Justin lower his pants again and lay back across his lap.

 

"Just two?" he pleaded, looking over his shoulder again. "I'll remember with just two."

 

"Just two," Alex said gently. "But they're going to count."

 

Brian understood why Alex felt this to be necessary, but he turned away, unable to bear seeing the strap fall across that already tender backside. There was a sharp slap of leather, and Justin yelped like a puppy whose tail had been stepped on. Brian winced in sympathy and then again when the sounds were repeated. Alex had not spared his arm.

 

"Alright, that's all," Alex said and threw the belt down. He pulled Justin up and into a hug. "No more lies," he scolded. "I have to be able to trust you."

 

"Okay," Justin sniffled.

 

"Next time it will be four licks for each lie."

 

Justin sniffed louder.

 

"And if I ever go into a club again and find you there without permission, standing on a table shaking your half naked ass like a hula dancer on crack, I will climb on the table with you and give those patrons a show they'll never forget. Got it?"

 

Justin gulped. "Yes."

 

"And stay away from that kid that ran off. You don't need friends like him. He got you in trouble and then saved his own ass. Don't ever let me see you with him again."

 

"Okay."

 

Alex brushed a kiss across the top of the blond head. "I missed you," Alex said simply.

 

"I missed you, too," Justin agreed.

 

"Spanking you right off the bat is not my idea of a pleasant reunion."

 

Justin fixed him with a wounded stare. "You think it's mine?" he asked incredulously as he stepped out of his pants to avoid scraping them back up over his sore rear a second time.

 

Alex raised one eyebrow. "Behave yourself then so it's not necessary." Justin buried his face in Alex's chest. Alex let him cry a minute, then lifted his chin and kissed him. "My sunshine," he said.

 

"I'm sorry. Please don't be ashamed of me. I'll be good," Justin said, beginning still another bout of weeping. He threw his arms around Alex's neck. "I want to sit in your lap."

 

"I know. But I'm filthy and stiff and I need a shower. Can you lie down by yourself a minute for Daddy?" Reluctantly Justin released his hold and lay face down on the king sized bed where he appropriated Alex's pillow and continued to cry dramatically into it.

 

Brian moved beside him to put a gentle hand on the brightly blushing bottom and he felt Justin flinch. Looking more closely, he saw minute blisters on the undercurve of his ass, exactly where the belt had slapped. He touched one of the tiny raised bumps and frowned when Justin flinched a second time.

 

"What are you doing? You're hurting me!" Justin whined.

 

"I'm sorry. But you've got marks..."

 

"He's thin skinned," Alex said, sitting down to take off his boots. "You land a lick just right on the fleshy part and you raise a couple of blisters. It won't kill him. It will just remind him every time he sits down for the next two days." He leaned down and loudly bussed each sore cheek. "That's why I only ever use my hand unless I need to make a particularly firm statement. I save the lasting reminders for when it counts." He stood up and was soon naked. "I'll be in and out," he said, heading for the shower. He looked at Brian. "Get undressed."

 

Nobody ordered Brian Kinney around that way, Brian thought irritably.

 

Then he sighed. Except Alex.

 

He began to obediently unbutton his shirt. Justin, furious at Alex's lack of sympathy, got up on his knees, his ass gingerly resting on the back of his legs, and glared at Brian. "You see those marks on my butt?" he said, his eyes red and swollen. He poked Brian in the chest. "They're your fault."

 

"My fault?" Brian laid the shirt down and began on his pants. "I asked you to let me take you home."

 

"And when I said no, did you tell me that you were calling him? No. You wanted this to happen so it's your fault. All I wanted was a little company."

 

"If you didn't want to be alone, why didn't you call me?" Brian asked. "You could have stayed with me."

 

"You don't want me without Alex."

 

"That's not true," Brian protested.

 

"Yes, it is," Justin retorted. "You can't take your eyes off him."

 

"You're crazy."

 

Justin poked him again. "Well, you better never tell on me again or you'll be sorry."

 

"What are you going to do?" Brian didn't know whether to be angry or amused at the brat's presumption.

 

"I'll make sure you never see Alex again."

 

Brian looked skeptical. "How will you do that?" he asked.

 

"Never mind. You'll be sorry," Justin repeated, which told Brian he had no plan, but was making threats out of angry bravado. He ignored him and shed the rest of his clothing.

 

~~~

 

Alex stepped out of the bathroom damp, naked and without his prosthesis. He crossed the room to cup Brian's head with his one hand and kiss him urgently. Justin stared jealously. "Hey, no fair! Me first!"

 

Alex had been without sexual release for several days. "Just let Daddy get off quick and then I'll take care of you," he said over Brian's shoulder. Alex had an adrenalin hard-on that was straining against his belly. He always came home from his assignments like that.

 

"I can take care of you," Justin insisted.

 

"Not the way I need today. Sorry, sweetheart. Just let me do this." He turned Brian toward the bed. "Bend over for me, Brian," he said, without a trace of doubt that he would be obeyed. Brian bent over immediately, bracing himself with both hands flat on the mattress, astonished at his own complacency.

 

With Brian in position, Alex addressed Justin. "Pass me a condom, baby."

 

Justin tore one open and threw it at Alex. Then he thought better of it and crawled over to roll it onto Alex's erection. He squirted lube in Alex's hand and Alex, pleased, kissed his nose gratefully.

 

Brian held steady as Alex slapped the cold lube sloppily between his cheeks and then consciously relaxed and arched upward to ease Alex's entry.

 

Fingers checked him briefly before Brian felt the tip of Alex's sheathed cock positioning itself and then a single hand steadied itself on his shoulder. Brian braced for a quick bottoming out, but instead Alex opted for a slow slide in as he drew a hissing breath between his teeth. Then he pumped, vigorously enough to rock the bed and thump it against the wall with each thrust, despite Justin still adding his weight to it..

 

Soon an unappreciative neighbor from the other side of the wall began a furious hammering. Envy forgotten for the moment, Justin giggled and held on. Alex ignored it all, and when he came he gave a last final push that rammed the bed one more time, crashing it into the wall.

 

"Shut the fuck up!" the neighbor yelled.

 

"Asshole," Alex muttered. "How can people sleep with all that noise?" He pulled out carefully and Justin took and tied off the condom.

 

"You have a gorgeous ass," Alex said to Brian with an admiring caress down one smooth cheek. He reached for Brian's cock, which needed just a few pulls to give him release. "Come for me," he said as he stroked it, and to his own surprise, Brian felt himself blush like a maiden at Alex's compliment and at the way he came in his hand on command.

 

Alex wiped himself clean on the tee shirt he'd removed, tossing it to Brian to use when he'd finished. He was too exhausted from his orgasm to bask in the afterglow, but he turned to Justin, not forgetting his promise.

 

"Come on, baby, Daddy will suck you."

 

For the first time, Justin really looked at Alex.

 

He clambered across the bed and knelt up to study Alex's face. "What happened to your eye?" The bruise was getting darker.

 

"My so-called partner opened a door into me. Spastic prick."

 

Justin got up. "I'll get an ice pack."

 

"I'm alright," Alex insisted. "Come on, I told you I would..."

 

"Later," Justin broke in.

 

When the ice pack was in place, Justin went back to the kitchen. "You didn't eat, did you, Alex?" Without waiting for an answer, he took a covered dish out of the fridge and put it in the microwave, pushing buttons.

 

"Yes, I did." Alex smiled at his boy fussing over him. "I ate the power bars you put in my jacket."

 

"A power bar is no substitute for a hot meal. You said that." He went back in the fridge for a bottle of cranapple juice and stuck a straw in it.

 

"I say a lot of things that apply to you and not to me."

 

Justin ignored that and brought the heated plate and the bottle to the bed, taking the ice pack and handing Alex a fork. "Here. Eat."

 

Justin sat cross-legged on the bed, carefully holding the dish steady so Alex could eat without bothering to put on his arm. The food he had prepared was precut in bite-sized pieces to make it more convenient. At intervals he held up the juice so Alex could sip it. Alex was perfectly at ease, comfortable eating from his boy's hand, although it was hard to imagine him allowing anyone else to smother him with that much care.

 

Brian watched them enviously and thought how foolish Justin was to be jealous of him. What Alex had gotten from Brian was a fast and needed physical release. Alex was allowing Justin to love him.

 

Despite his earlier denial, Alex must have been hungry because he emptied the plate. "That was good, Sunshine. Now put the stuff in the sink and come here." He grinned and pointed to Justin's hard-on, which wouldn't quite disappear. "Dinner has one more course."

 

"That's okay, you're tired," Justin said.

 

"Now don't go getting all selfless on me," Alex teased, "or I won't know you."

 

"I'd rather sit in your lap," Justin confessed.

 

"You missed your cuddling more than your coming?"

 

"Yes," Justin admitted.

 

Alex sat in the recliner and Justin straddled his legs and put his arms around Alex, resting his head on his shoulder. He positioned himself so his sore bottom carefully cleared the hard thighs beneath him and sighed contentedly, finally exactly where he wanted to be.

 

For a short while they did just cuddle. Then Justin lifted his head and pressed his lips to Alex's mouth, his tongue demanding entry. Tired as he was, Alex didn't want to refuse his advances again and he returned the kiss, pushing his tongue against Justin's, battling for supremacy, finally letting Justin win.

 

Justin bounced, triumphant, and then squealed a little as his flaming rear slapped down on Alex's lap. Brian followed the path of the boy's pretty flailing bottom with his eyes and then looked up, conscious of Alex's gaze on him.

 

Alex motioned for him to come beside the chair and as hopeful as a serf invited closer to the throne, Brian approached. Alex sent him to his knees with a gesture.

 

From that position Brian had a perfect view of Justin's backside and the blisters the belt had left. Although Justin seemed in no great distress, Brian felt oddly sympathetic when he looked at this evidence of his chastisement. It had not been nearly so much fun to watch Justin's spanking as he'd thought it would be. If only he'd told Justin of his intention to call Alex. He was sure he wouldn't have bothered to lie then. Not if he already knew that Alex was on to him.

 

Brian leaned forward to lick the tiny red marks that stood out in stark relief on the smooth pink bottom. Gently he tongued each one, then followed it up with a puff of air to cool the tiny wounds. Then he kissed each spot in benediction.

 

Justin turned to look at him. "Lick my hole," he demanded petulantly. It was the voice of a spoiled child who wasn't used to hearing 'no', at least in the bedroom.

 

Brian was irritated now. "You presumptuous little brat," he said. "I was feeling sorry for you but I'm beginning to think I should have just taken you home and paddled you myself."

 

Justin looked up anxiously. "Alex?"

 

Alex frowned in disapproval at Brian before reassuring Justin. "I'm the only one who spanks you. Brian knows that and he knows the penalty for overstepping his bounds. I have asked him to be my eyes when I'm gone, not my hands."

 

Justin turned and stuck his tongue out at Brian.

 

"Mind your manners," Alex admonished him. "If you want to be rimmed, politeness counts."

 

"I don't want that now," Justin said. "I want your finger."

 

"Well, maybe Brian will soften you up a little for me," Alex suggested.

 

It was a subtle request stated in such a way that it became a command. Mindful of the sore cheeks, Brian used his thumbs to gently spread Justin's plump buttocks. He deliberately kept his tongue dry so there would be more friction over the crinkled pucker as he swiped at it. Justin moaned dreamily and thrust his ass higher, urging him to continue. His toes curled as he braced his feet against the carpet.

 

Brian licked, wetting him gradually, poking at the opening with the tip of his tongue. "He's so tight," he said almost to himself.

 

"Take your time," Alex said. "But use only your mouth." He spoke softly, rubbing Justin's bare back in long smooth strokes as he did.

 

Brian obeyed, kissing and licking and sucking the stubborn opening until he felt it give under his tongue. Justin was making delighted little twink squeals into Alex's ear and his half-hard cock was now fully interested. "Daddy, put the glove on and do me, please?" he begged.

 

Indulgently Alex motioned for Brian to fetch him one of his black leather gloves. Desperate to redeem himself after falling into disfavor, Brian rose gracefully, made sure he had the right glove and knelt again to put it on Alex.

 

Alex nodded approvingly and wet his middle finger with spit. "Shift," he said to Justin, who changed position so he was on his side facing away from Alex. "Knee up," Alex went on and Justin draped one leg over Brian's shoulder so he was open and Alex could comfortably circle his little hole with the wet leather .

 

"Come closer," Alex said to Brian, who obeyed. With great hope he saw Alex reach down to his reanimated penis with the gloved hand. He braced for Alex's grip but Alex merely swiped the head with his middle finger, capturing a generous glob of precome which he transferred to Justin's anus to use as lube. "Thank you," he said to Brian and began a slow maddening stroke between Justin's cheeks with his sheathed middle finger.

 

Justin squirmed in Alex's arms as the stroking continued, and when Alex dipped the leather covered tip of his finger into the tiny ring, Justin thrust back, trying to impale himself. Alex swatted him sharply, the sound of leather on flesh loud in the room, that last spanking too recent for it not to make an impression. "Be still," Alex said. "And keep your hands off your cock until I say you can touch it. Both of you." That last order elicited twin groans, but neither one dared risk defiance.

 

Alex looked impassively at Brian. "Hands behind your back."

 

Brian was indignant. "Don't you trust me not to touch myself?" he asked.

 

Concentrating carefully, Alex pushed his finger into Justin past the second knuckle."That's not the point. I'm going to ask you to help me make my boy come in a minute and I'm going to ask you to use your mouth exclusively again. The 'hands behind your back' order is to help you obey me." As he spoke he stroked his finger in and out of Justin's hole, drawing it out to the very tip before sliding it all the way back in, eliciting moan after moan from him. He leaned down to whisper in Justin's ear, "Daddy's fucking your ass with his finger, Baby. Are you pretending it's my cock in your tight little hole?"

 

Justin answered, but it was an unintelligible whimper and he rocked gently on the digit. Alex seemed satisfied by this.

 

"Suck him," he said to Brian. "Let him finish, now."

 

Brian bent to the task, his hands carefully clasped behind him. Alex was right, it was easier to remember not to use them this way. He took the smooth rock-hard shaft in his mouth and in seconds Justin exploded down his throat, thrusting as he shot. Brian kept up, swallowing with small experienced gulps to keep from choking, and he held the limp penis protectively between his lips until Alex signaled him to release it. Then he straightened up, stretching, and hoped that made his unsatisfied cock more obvious. It was all he could do not to grab it.

 

Alex held Justin until he had enjoyed every resultant wave of pleasure. "Good, Daddy," Justin finally whispered and Alex removed his finger. Justin sat up.

 

"Was he good?" Alex asked, smiling.

 

"Yeah, pretty good," Justin replied. "Not as good as you." He said it with a happy grin, payback for the tattling.

 

"How about you show him how good you are?" Alex suggested. It was not lost on Brian that while Alex told him what to do, he asked Justin. But he wasn't about to protest now, not with his erection weeping onto the carpet.

 

"Okay," Justin said agreeably. "Sit on the couch, Brian." Brian got shakily to his feet, legs unsure after being on his knees for so long. Justin pushed him down on the sofa and knelt between his spread thighs, as lovely as a marble statue.Tentatively the pink tongue poked out and Justin tilted his head as if trying to decide the best way to approach his task. Brian longed to thrust forward, to cup the silken head and push it down, hold it there. He longed to fuck the sweet mouth until Justin gagged.

 

But that would probably end this game rather quickly.

 

So Brian stayed still, waiting.

 

"Go on, baby, it's okay," Alex said as though he were encouraging an infant taking his first step in new shoes. Then, pointedly to Brian, "Don't come down his throat, he'll choke. Pull out a little ways when you're ready and come in his mouth, he likes that."

 

Justin bent his head, his blond bangs tickling Brian's taut stomach, and then his rose petal mouth engulfed Brian's cock and Brian gasped and threw back his head. He felt a tiny suck, then another and another, and at the same time, the feather light touch of a tongue tip on the underside of his cock. Brian's hips rose off the couch involuntarily, trying for more stimulation, but Justin pushed him back down, his hands rough on Brian's smooth white thighs. Justin's nails were short, bitten down, not manicured, and there were calluses where brushes rubbed and pencils left indentations after being gripped too tightly. An urchin's hands. An artist's hands. He ran them up and down Brian's legs as he sucked. Brian put his own hands over Justin's lightly, so he could ride their backs as he did this. They seemed impossibly small and childlike although one was now dipping between his legs to grip his balls in a very adult way.

 

Brian picked up his head to look at the boy and found Justin watching him as he fellated, gauging his reaction, as if he needed this visual cue to tell him he was doing well. Brian managed to find enough presence of mind to smile reassuringly at him. Delighted, Justin sucked harder, his baby cheeks hollowing out, his blue eyes wide, holding the cock in both hands now as though it might fly down his throat without warning.

 

And then Brian shot, surprising even himself with the suddenness of his orgasm, barely able to follow Alex's instructions to pull back and come shallow. Justin gamely held on, swallowing the huge load. When Brian could finally sit up, Justin was still kneeling between his legs, smiling brightly. He licked his lips as though he had just been given a mouthful of ice cream instead of hot come and wiped his chin with his fist. "How was that?" he asked innocently, and it occurred to Brian that he was probably the only one beside Alex to have enjoyed that delectable mouth. Suddenly Brian understood Alex's fierce protectiveness. At that minute Brian would have decked anyone who touched this beautiful boy.

 

"It was wonderful," he heard himself say and leaned in to kiss him.

 

Justin glowed under the praise.

 

Alex's weary voice reached them. "Well then, if everybody's happy, can we go to bed?"

 

With a start, Brian realized he was included in the invitation.

 

He had a king sized bed waiting for him at home. Here he would be crammed into a queen with two other bodies. These sheets were not 300 count Egyptian cotton, surely, more likely bargain basement. There was a single comforter they would share.

 

Of course he would stay.

 

~~~

 

So, things went along splendidly for awhile. Brian occasionally saw Alex and Justin at Babylon and if it wasn't a school night, they stayed late, played late and slept until early afternoon, bunched together in Alex's and Justin's bed, or sprawled luxuriously in Brian's.

 

If they were out on a school night, which didn't happen often, Alex hauled Justin away promptly at quarter to eleven, tapping his watch and saying sternly, "Bedtime." Justin would plead but Alex was adamant. "You need to get up early tomorrow."

 

"I bet you're cute in your school uniform," Brian teased him the second time it happened.

 

"I'll wear it for you next time you're over," Justin promised.

 

"You can roleplay a schoolboy scenario for me."

 

"What roleplay?" Alex interrupted. "He is a schoolboy. Now let's go, Justin. Say goodnight."

 

~~~

 

Then one Thursday night Brian was surprised to see Justin at Babylon at midnight, sitting at a table, sipping drinks with Cody.

 

He went over to them. "What do you think you're doing?"

 

"What does it look like?" Cody asked.

 

Brian ignored him. "Justin, what are you doing here?"

 

"Hanging out."

 

"It's midnight. Shouldn't you be home by now?"

 

"The cat's away till lunchtime tomorrow," Cody said. "So the mice are enjoying a night out."

 

Brian looked at Justin. "Oh, you'll be squeaking tomorrow, that's for sure."

 

"I feel great," he assured him, smiling at Cody as though they shared a private joke.

 

Brian leaned in close. "The only thing you're going to feel is a hard hand on the seat of your pants, Justin."

 

"That's not going to happen," Justin said loftily.

 

"Let's see what Alex says about that when I call him on his cell." Surely if he knew Brian was prepared to rat him out, Justin would go home.

 

Justin took a sip of his drink. "I'm staying."

 

"Is that liquor?" Brian asked suspiciously. He took Justin's glass and sniffed it.

 

Justin snatched it back. "Mind your own business, Kinney," he said. "You tell Alex anything and I'll fix it so you'll never get to hang with him and me again."

 

Brian was taken aback at the threat. "What do you mean by that?"

 

"I mean I'll tell him you tried to fuck me even though I said 'no'."

 

Brian looked at him. "You wouldn't dare."

 

"Want to bet?" They locked eyes for a minute, then Justin blinked. "I just want to be with my friends," he said. "Is that a crime? My homework is done."

 

"Why do you have to explain that to him?" Cody asked.

 

Both Justin and Brian ignored him.

 

"I won't call him this time," Brian said finally. "But you better behave yourself. And if that's alcohol, get rid of it."

 

"It's just 7-Up," Justin said in disgust. "Alcohol rots your brain."

 

There was really nothing he could do, Brian thought. He couldn't risk Justin going through with his threat. And after all, Justin was right under his nose here at Babylon. He could keep an eye on him. Cody seemed to want to do nothing but dance, and Daphne, for all her kvetching, was a stabilizing influence. Brian backed off.

 

And nothing bad did happen. At one o'clock Justin and party left and at one thirty Justin rang Brian's cell phone to tell him he was in bed wearing Alex's socks because his feet were cold.

 

Brian drove by the next morning to take him to school and aside from a little yawning, Justin seemed none the worse for wear.

 

So from there it was easy to justify turning a blind eye every time Brian saw Justin with Cody at Babylon. They weren't drinking, they weren't going in the back room, so what harm could it do?

 

~~~

 

One morning Brian was driving Justin to school as had become customary when Alex was away and Justin confessed to having witnessed Cody nearly get in a fight the night before. "We went out for a walk, the three of us, to cool off and some guy started yelling shit at Cody. Cody went after the guy but he ran."

 

So Cody was starting to show his true colors. "Don't get sucked into his shit. Alex wouldn't want you fighting."

 

"He wouldn't want anybody calling me faggot, either," Justin pointed out.

 

"Stay inside Babylon then and don't go looking for trouble. If somebody bothers you tell Alex, he won't let it happen twice."

 

"Alex isn't always here," Justin said primly.

 

"Then tell me," Brian said.

 

Justin laughed. "You're a bigger chicken than I am."

 

"Is that so?" Brian returned, insulted.

 

"Yes, that's so. You strut around like a bastard but you never defend your gayness."

 

"What's the point? Anybody who thinks I need to defend my lifestyle has already made up their mind. Do you think anything I have to say will help change their opinion?"

 

"Cody says you have to stick up for yourself."

 

"Cody's going to get his ass kicked," Brian predicted.

 

He was right.

 

~~~

 

It was a week or so later Brian saw the unholy trio at Babylon again. Cody sported a shiner that he'd gotten the night before at another bar, Justin reported, and then Michael came to ask Brian to dance and he lost track of them. Well after eleven o'clock Daphne came looking for Brian.

 

"I'm worried," she said, her brown eyes wide. "Justin and Cody have been gone over an hour and they said they'd be right back. They only went up the street."

 

"Where did they go?" Brian leaned down to hear her answer.

 

"To find the guy that smacked Cody. They were going to scare him."

 

"With what?"

 

Daphne bit her lip.

 

Brian grabbed her arm. "Tell me," he said sternly.

 

"Cody has a gun. I don't think it's loaded. He said he's just going to show it to the guy to scare him." She was almost in tears which was the only reason Brian didn't shake her in frustration.

 

"Oh my god," he said. "Show me which way they went." He was already dialing Alex's number which bounced to voice mail. His voice shaking, he outlined the situation and then followed Daphne out.

 

~~~

 

The next half hour was a blur. They caught up to Justin and Cody in an alley a block away. A half drunken preppy thug was shouting at Cody and before Brian could say a word, Cody had whipped a pistol from under his jacket. Unfortunately he was totally inept at handling a weapon and dropped it as he drew it. The thug pounced on it happily and picked it up, fumbling as he pointed it from Justin to Cody and then back to Justin. "Yeah! Who's smart now, assholes?!" he shouted as he waved it around.

 

Brian ran towards him, hoping to knock him off-balance, when a shot rang out. Horrified he waited for Justin or Cody to fall and was surprised to see the thug drop the gun and clutch his hand.

 

"Shit, I'm shot!" he cried.

 

"You're grazed," Alex's blessedly familiar voice said. "If you want to be shot, keep standing there." There was no mistaking the deadly threat in his voice. Holding his bleeding hand against his chest, the guy took off.

 

Alex looked at Brian. "I got your message," he said. He turned his angry gaze to Justin. "I was already on my way here because you forgot to erase Cody's message about picking you up to go to Babylon from the answering machine."

 

Nobody said a thing.

 

Then Alex walked over and picked up the gun from where it had fallen on the sidewalk.There was an awful black void of silence and then he turned to look at Justin. "Justin," he asked, his voice dark and terrible, "is this mine?"

 

Frightened tears rolling down his cheeks, Justin nodded. "Cody asked if you kept an extra gun at home. I was going to put it back."

 

Alex stood up and came nose to nose with Cody. "Get out of here. If I see you near him again, I'll kill you."

 

Cody took off without a word.

 

"Get the car," Alex said shortly to Brian.

 

~~~

 

The ride home was unbearable. Even Daphne was almost speechless, except for fretting over Justin. Alex walked her silently to her door and said nothing the rest of the way home. Justin leaned against him quietly. He had never felt the icy fury of Alex's pure anger before, and nothing in his experience told him how to deal with it. It was Justin who asked Brian to come upstairs with them and Brian, feeling sorry for him, agreed.

 

There was no light conversation, nothing until Alex took off his jacket and looked at Justin seriously. "Justin," he asked, "how many licks for a lie?"

 

Two tears slid out of Justin's eyes as he realized where this conversation was headed. "Four," he said, his voice barely a whisper.

 

"And how many lies did you tell me altogether?" Alex went on and unbuckled his belt, his intent unmistakable.

 

"N-none," Justin stammered. "None really, please." He closed his eyes to try to hold the tears back but two more escaped anyway.

 

"Well, let me make the question clearer," Alex went on without a trace of sympathy. "How many times did you go out with Cody and make me think you were home studying? And don't make your answer another lie."

 

Justin surrendered hopelessly. "Six," he said. More tears followed in a slow trickle down his cheeks and Justin's voice was shaking now. He had never seen Alex so enraged.

 

Brian stepped behind him and felt Justin's whole body quiver. He pressed against him to give him some support and the boy leaned back into him gratefully.

 

"So four licks times six lies is...?" Alex said.

 

Justin did the math and burst into tears. Brian put an arm around his waist.

 

"Alex, please, he's just a kid who made a mistake."

 

"A mistake?" Alex turned his unfathomable gaze on Brian. "He was almost killed and could have taken you or Daphne along with him. You call that a mistake?"

 

"Yes," Brian said firmly, although his heart was beating faster. "A mistake of poor judgement. But he's not a bad boy." He pulled Justin closer.

 

"Well, I don't know how you define bad boy, but that's what I would call someone who, out of sheer defiance, takes your gun and goes where he's not supposed to be with someone he's not supposed to be with. And this particular bad boy is going to get a whipping for it. I refuse to contemplate the idea of coming home from my assignment to identify his body. Justin, get your pants off and bend over the arm of the couch."

 

Justin trembled uncontrollably and made no move to obey or acknowledge the order.

 

Alex doubled the belt. "Justin, if I have to put you in position, you'll get twice as many," he said.

 

Justin shook harder and leaned against Brian. "Please, Daddy, you'll blister my whole butt," he pleaded.

 

Brian felt the slight body quaking, then looked at the man who had once held him at gunpoint and who could still turn his knees to jelly, and made a decision. He stepped forward and put Justin behind him.

 

"No, Alex, you don't want to do this. I won't let you."

 

Alex looked at him blankly. "You won't let me do this?" he repeated incredulously. "You forget yourself." His eyes were feral but Brian stood his ground.

 

Impatiently, Alex pushed Brian out of the way and reached for Justin, who backed away.

 

"No, Alex!" Brian said, scrambling to get between them again. "This is not how you do things! Look at him, he's terrified!"

 

"He was almost shot, he should be terrified!" Alex flung back.

 

"He's terrified of you!" Brian cried in frustration. Couldn't he see the difference? "He's not terrified of what happened. He's terrified of you."

 

That stopped Alex dead in his tracks and, for the first time since they'd gotten home, he really looked at Justin.

 

What he saw was a frightened boy, pale and shaking violently, who could not stop crying. And who, instead of being held and calmed by his beloved daddy, was being further upset and forced to find shelter behind another.

 

Alex threw down the belt. "Come here, Justin," he said and opened his arms. Almost at the point of collapse, Justin rushed into them.

 

"Oh, my God," Alex said as he held him, and it was prayerful, not blasphemous. "Oh, my God."

 

Justin clutched at him, sobbing.

 

"Let's get you to bed, Sunshine," he said, tenderness replacing anger. "We... Let's talk about this is the morning." He stroked Justin's hair.

 

Brian sighed in relief.

 

Alex looked up at him, dazed and exhausted. The adrenaline of his anger had been all that was sustaining him and now that it had dissipated he could hardly conceal a yawn. He looked as though he could barely remember why Brian was there.

 

"If you want to sleep here..." Alex offered vaguely, but Brian shook his head.

 

"You're tired. Take care of him."

 

Alex blinked at Brian, finding words difficult. "Thank you," he said finally. "You saved me from a big mistake. If I punished him when I was that angry..." he shook his head regretfully. "You are brave. You are a good friend. To him and to me."

 

Brian put on his coat. "I better go," he said.

 

"Wait!" Keeping one arm around Justin, Alex dug in the pocket of his jeans. "I had that made for you," he said, placing a small object in the palm of his hand.

 

A key. A key to their apartment.

 

Brian didn't know what to say.

 

~~~

 

Brian stood outside on the sidewalk for a long time, feeling terrible. Alex had thanked him. Thanked him for being a friend to them both and then handed him a key as though he was trusted family. And yet his neglect of his promise to look after Justin in Alex's absence had led to all this. How could he let Justin take all the blame and say nothing? A true friend wouldn't do that. A true friend would own up.

 

Finally, his head spinning, Brian turned and resolutely started back towards Alex's apartment.

 

Assuming correctly that they were asleep, he let himself in with his key, only to find himself face to face with the barrel of Alex's Sig Sauer. In one fluid motion, Alex had propped himself on his stump, scooped up his gun from the nightstand, and aimed for whoever was coming in, shielding Justin with his own body. When he realized it was Brian, he lowered the weapon quickly, annoyance evident in his face.

 

"Are you crazy coming in here like that? I could have killed you."

 

"You do it," Brian said, white-faced, remembering his first meeting with Alex, when he had broken into his apartment to retrieve Justin.

 

"When I do it, I?m holding the gun," Alex told him flatly.

 

"Who is it?" Justin raised a tousled yellow head.

 

"It's just Brian," Alex said soothingly, and kissed the part in his hair. "Don't worry, Solnyshko. Ti zhe znaesh, ya vbsegda ryadom. Brian vbsegda ryadom."

 

Justin lay back down, watching Brian carefully.

 

"Well," Alex said impatiently. "What is it? I'm too tired for sex now, but I told you you could spend the night..."

 

"That's not why I'm here," Brian interrupted.

 

His serious tone made Alex more alert. "What then? You didn't see that Cody lurking around, did you?"

 

"No. No one." Brian couldn't even look at him, remembering how he had thanked him for his loyalty.

 

"Well, come in. Make sure you lock the door. Now that I'm awake I need to piss." Alex carefully tucked the covers back around Justin before getting up and heading for the bathroom.

 

Brian sat down heavily on the bed. "What did he say to you?"

 

"What?" Justin turned on his back, and squinted at Brian.

 

"The Russian? What'd he say?"

 

"Oh, he always says that if I wake up. 'Don't worry, I'm here.' Something like that. Only this time he said you were here, too."

 

As though that was any help. Brian felt a fresh wash of guilt. Alex thought that Brian's eyes were on Justin the way his were. In truth Brian second guessing his judgement could have gotten Justin killed. When Alex came back, Brian stood, determined to confess even if he was thrown out on his ear. Anything was better than this gnawing feeling of failure. Brian looked down at the rumpled sheets, not at Justin.

 

"What?" Alex asked, scratching absently at his bare stomach.

 

"I..." Brian couldn't bring himself to use the word 'lie'. "I misled you."

 

"Misled me?" Alex frowned. "When? About what?"

 

"About Justin."

 

"Go on," Alex said impatiently. In the bed, Justin turned restlessly and looked from one to the other but said nothing.

 

Brian took a deep breath. "I knew about him going to Babylon without you."

 

Alex relaxed visibly. "Well, obviously. You called me, didn't you?"

 

Brian forced himself to go on while every instinct he possessed told him to run while he had the chance. "I knew about the other times," he said. "And I knew he was hanging around Cody when you'd forbidden it. I just thought there was no harm. I was there and you're so strict, I just thought a night out when he was lonely couldn't hurt anything." Brian's voice trailed off lamely and he hung his head as he saw Alex's angry unbelieving stare. How could anyone look so intimidating when they were naked?

 

"You knew all this but you kept it to yourself because you thought you knew better than me?" It was a bad sign, Brian knew already, when Alex recited your sins back at you. That meant he was talleying them in his mind to decide what to do about them.

 

He nodded miserably.

 

"You knew he was hanging with this Cody, too?"

 

Another nod. Brian was wretched. Alex had trusted him. Alex, who seemed to trust no one, had trusted Brian and he had failed him. And the worst part was that Alex didn't look surprised. He looked disappointed but resigned, as though he had expected to be betrayed. As though disloyalty was inevitable.

 

Brian couldn't stand to see that look. He took a couple of steps toward the couch, then bent and picked up the belt from where it still lay discarded from before. Unable to meet the tired green eyes, he held it out to him with his head bowed. "I'll take Justin's whipping," he said hoarsely. "It's my fault. I should have known better. I knew what you expected of him and I let him get away with it anyway. For all I know, I encouraged it. I'm sorry." He pressed the belt into Alex's hand. "Please, do it and forgive me." Without being told to, Brian placed himself across the arm of the couch, positioned for punishment.

 

Alex threw the belt onto the couch and tugged at Brian's shoulder. "Stand up."

 

Brian came upright, shaking his head. "No, Alex, I mean it, I deserve it."

 

"I agree," Alex said. "But you take it my way, not your way." He popped the button on Brian's slacks.

 

Brian was mortified but didn't resist.

 

Justin had been listening quietly from the bed but suddenly he was in between them. "No, Alex, you can't."

 

Alex did not release Brian. "I am getting a little tired of being told what I can and cannot do," he snapped.

 

"But it's not his fault," Justin persisted. He made Alex look at him. "He couldn't tell you. I fixed it so he couldn't."

 

That got Alex's attention. "You fixed it? How?" he asked, frowning.

 

"Shut up, Justin," Brian said quickly.

 

Alex silenced him with a look.

 

"How did you fix it, Justin?" Alex repeated.

 

Justin hung his head. "I told him if he told on me, I'd tell you he tried to fuck me even though I said no."

 

Fully awake now, Alex stared at him, not wanting to believe what he'd just heard. "Say it again?" he requested finally.

 

Without looking up, Justin repeated, "I said I'd tell you he tried to fuck me when I didn't want it."

 

Alex contemplated for a long time. At last he said, "So without prettying it up with the fancy prep school language, you said you'd cry rape."

 

Justin couldn't look at him, much less answer.

 

Alex turned to Brian. "And you bought this crap?"

 

Brian shrugged, unable to meet his eyes. "At first that's why I kept quiet. But then, when he went out a few times and nothing bad happened and you didn't find out, I just figured what was the harm?"

 

Alex looked from one to the other in shocked disbelief, then threw down the belt. "I can't deal with either of you now," he said and went back to the bed and lay down. "Come to bed and go to sleep," he said and turned on his side.

 

Justin and Brian exchanged dismayed looks at the way Alex had dismissed them. Justin was used to being dealt with and forgiven and didn't like being put off twice in one night. Brian had never felt the full force of Alex's cold wrath directed at him before. It unnerved him to wait when he knew Alex was still angry.

 

So Brian went with what he knew to fix the situation.

 

He stripped and slid into bed beside Alex.

 

Justin got in on the other side.

 

Alex ignored Brian as he rubbed up against him from behind, and when Brian reached around for his cock, he shoved his hand away.

 

"I said, go to sleep," he said firmly.

 

Brian backed away and huddled up, miserable.

 

But Justin didn't discourage that easily. He kissed Alex humbly on the cheek and snuggled up to him, then made his way down to his chest, taking a flat brown nipple into his mouth. Alex had never refused Justin's touch and could not bring himself to do it now, so he let him suckle softly, hoping he'd fall asleep. Justin often dozed off this way and Alex found it very endearing. That wasn't happening this time, though, and soon Justin was sliding his hand over Alex's stomach, following the trail of coarse dark hair until his fingers took gentle hold of his penis. The adrenaline that was still coursing through Alex's body from both his assignment and the firing of his gun found an outlet. To his chagrin, his cock insisted on filling and he hardened in Justin's hand.

 

That was what Justin had been hoping for. He made sure Alex was irreversibly rigid and then began to kiss his way down the muscled torso.

 

"Justin..." Alex said warningly.

 

"I just want to suck you, Daddy," Justin pleaded. "Don't you love me anymore?"

 

Alex had to hide his smile. Had Justin been using these wiles to get out of punishment, Alex would have been fuming. But he felt the genuine repentance behind the attentions of his brat and so he lay quietly, allowing the kisses. He knew he was being played but would not hurt his boy by rejecting him. Alex lay passive while Justin dipped his head towards Alex's groin like a graceful bird bending its neck to drink. Worshipfully he unsheathed Alex's cock and began to lick.

 

Brian watched for a minute, annoyed, and then tried again, kissing along Alex's shoulder and up the smooth line of his neck. Alex could hardly be rough with him when he was allowing Justin to have his way, but he would not acknowledge either of them except in the involuntary physical way that he could not help. Careful not to seem as though he were trying to dislodge either of them, he eased onto his back.

 

This was better, allowing them both equal access, although Justin had stubbornly kept his mouth clamped on Alex's penis as he turned. Brian head butted him gently, trying to displace him, and they fought for dominance for a minute. Alex grinned at their antics as they tussled like a pair of kittens, both trying to claim the privilege of sucking him off. Justin finally won and Brian moved resignedly to Alex's chest, working his already sensitive nipples into points with his lips and tongue.

 

Justin glared at his rival nursing on Alex. "Mine," he said firmly, reaching for the nipple that wasn't in Brian's mouth.

 

Brian, just a bit quicker, covered it with his hand and met Justin stare for stare. "Trade you," he offered. For a minute it seemed as though they were going to hiss at each other.

 

Then, with a great huff of indignation, Justin returned to Alex's cock. Brian resumed working on Alex's nipples.

 

Determined to be the one to give Alex more pleasure, Justin now alternated sucks with swipes of his wet little tongue under Alex's foreskin and kisses on the underside of the shaft. He pushed the tip of his tongue into the slit, and Alex let a moan escape. Justin knew every one of his touchpoints.

 

Furious at being bested, Brian wet his finger and slid it between Alex's cheeks. He breached the arousal-relaxed hole before Alex could tighten down and went straight for his prostate with a practiced aim. Taken by surprise, Alex came with a shout and Justin gulped frantically to keep up with the sudden eruption. When Alex's cock finally stopped pulsing, Justin raised his head, come dripping off his chin. Brian, anxious to share the wealth, leaned in, licked up the excess and then kissed Justin deeply. Even in his post-orgasmic haze Alex admired what a beautiful picture they made, their lips locked together, their cheeks smeared shiny with his essence.

 

With that pretty tableaux in his mind, he finally fell into exhausted sleep.

 

The two sinners looked at each other and sighed. They really didn't deserve to come; they knew that. Then suddenly passion won out over guilt and they grabbed each other's cocks, stroking frantically, their orgasms occurring almost simultaneously. Sated, they cleaned up quickly and then settled down on either side of Alex to fall immediately to sleep.

 

~~~

 

The next morning Brian woke up to find Justin huddled up against him. Alex was no longer between them. Brian had a moment of panic until he heard the shower running.

 

At the same moment, Justin opened his eyes, confused. "Where's Alex?"

 

"Shower."

 

"I'm cold," Justin complained.

 

Brian held out his arms. "Come here, then."

 

Body contact warmed Justin quickly, and remembering the intimacy of the night before, they exchanged a few shy kisses.

 

Then Alex came out of the bathroom, toweling himself.

 

They froze, not because of the kissing, that was allowed, but because they remembered that nothing about the misadventure with the gun had been resolved.

 

Alex took out clean clothes and began to dress. He hadn't spoken, but then again he wasn't a chatty morning person.

 

So Justin spoke first. "Morning, Daddy."

 

"Good morning, Justin. Brian." His voice revealed nothing.

 

"Good morning," Brian said, hoping it would be.

 

"Are you two getting up or aren't you finished necking?" Alex asked.

 

Brian blushed but Justin had no shame. "I'm hungry."

 

Alex stamped into his heavy shoes. "Well, there's not much here, but we can go to the diner."

 

They got up to dress, marvelling at their luck. Maybe he really wasn't going to mention the incident again. By the time they were ready, they almost had themselves convinced they were off the hook.

 

Then Justin picked up his jacket.

 

"Just a minute," Alex said then. "Before we go, there's the small matter of your punishment." He sat down on the couch and looked at Justin expectantly.

 

Justin's face fell. "I thought we were going to forget about that," he said sadly.

 

"You thought wrong. We postponed it until I could be sure I was in control. I am now in control." He beckoned with his right hand. "You disobeyed me, you touched my weapon and you lied to me. We were never going to just forget about it."

 

Justin didn't move. He wheedled. "I didn't know Cody was going to take it out. I know he wasn't going to shoot it. We were just going to scare the creep."

 

Alex's expression grew even more grim. "That proves to me you don't know clue one about gun safety. You never take a firearm out of the house unless you intend to use it. You never draw it unless you are willing to shoot it. And you never fire a gun at someone unless you're willing to kill them. A gun is not a toy and it's not a trophy. You don't use it to scare people, you use it to kill people. Before today is over, I guarantee you will remember this." He patted his lap. "Now come here and take your pants down for Daddy."

 

"Aw, Daddy, please, I won't do it again," Justin begged even as he dragged himself over to Alex. As many times as he'd been warned not to lay a finger on Alex's weapons, he knew this was going to be bad. He smiled crookedly, his eyes full of innocent hope. "I won't, honest," he repeated sincerely.

 

"We're going to make sure," Alex said sternly. "Pants down."

 

Hands reluctant and trembling with awful anticipation, Justin slowly unbuttoned his jeans and pushed them down his legs. He hung back, looking at Brian, hoping for another intervention.

 

Brian, seeing that Alex was calm and Justin no longer as afraid as he had been, crossed his arms and shook his head. Justin should be spanked just as hard as Alex could manage to do it, he thought, and with Alex going all paternal and longwinded, Brian knew Justin was safe, and he wouldn't lift a finger to stop it this time.

 

Deserted by his champion of the previous night, Justin hung his head and sighed.

 

"Underwear, too," Alex instructed.

 

He sighed again. "Why do I have to take my pants down?" he complained irritably. "It's embarrassing."

 

"You should be embarrassed," Alex told him. "You did a very stupid thing. And baring your bottom for me will put you in the right frame of mind to be punished for it. "

 

"I don't think so," Justin said petulantly.

 

"I do," Alex replied. "And we are not going to have this argument every time you're spanked. Take them down or I will. "

 

Biting his lip, Justin pushed down his white briefs and lay across Alex's lap, fidgeting to get comfortable. Alex settled him carefully across his knees, placed his prosthetic hand in the middle of Justin's back to steady him and, without preamble, brought the other hand down in a wide arc to collide with the round backside.The resulting thwack echoed off the walls and Justin began to cry.

 

"Don't go getting yourself worked up right off the bat," Alex said mildly. "We've got a long way to go." He swatted him again.

 

Justin cried louder and kicked, the toes of his sneakers thumping against the floor in a panicked staccato.

 

Unimpressed, Alex continued.

 

The spanking Alex delivered was long and hard. He spanked without passion, but also without mercy. In Alex's opinion the transgressions in question did not deserve mercy. These were lessons that had to be learned and he administered the necessary punishment much as he would have delivered a dose of penicillin if Justin had had strep throat.

 

Justin, never the stoic, wept heart-brokenly throughout the ordeal, but made no attempt to get away, although he wriggled frantically over Alex's knee as his bottom changed color from a blotchy pink to a bright even peony. Any other spankings he'd received paled beside this one. He wished with all his heart that he had never laid eyes on Cody Bell and in between sobs, he expressed this with great feeling.

 

Brian watched with no real enjoyment, but little sympathy, still seeing the raised barrel of the gun pointed in Justin's direction. The kid had no sense. It needed to be paddled into him, he thought approvingly.

 

Alex was apparently of the same opinion, because as he spanked, he lectured, making sure to repeat each important point twice and emphasize it with several hearty wallops.

 

"Never touch my gun. Never ever touch my gun."

 

"Never touch anybody's gun. Never ever touch anybody's gun."

 

"Never go near anybody but me who has a gun. Anybody with a gun is not someone you need to hang around with."

 

"Guns can hurt you. Are you hurting right now? Well, that's because of a gun. And trust me, it can hurt a lot worse."

 

"Never, ever, touch my gun."

 

Desperate, Justin swore perfect behavior for the rest of his life. "Please, Daddy, that's enough! It'll never happen again! I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!"

 

"Never try to blackmail anyone, particularly with an accusation of rape." Alex began the new topic with special attention to the tender undersides of the rounded cheeks.

 

"I didn't mean to!" Justin wept.

 

"If you had made the accusation and I had believed you, I might have shot him. Did you ever think of that?" Alex briskly reddened the tops of his thighs.

 

"No! No, I didn't! I'm sorry! Oh, please, not so hard!" Justin pushed off with his hands, his back arching, and Alex pushed him firmly back in place.

 

"Don't ever let me catch you in such a lie again."

 

"I told you the truth last night," Justin cried, clasping his hands in front of him prayerfully to keep himself from reaching back to protect his hapless backside and ending up with his hands pinned to the small of his back."That's something, isn't it?"

 

"That's the only reason you're feeling my hand right now and not my belt," Alex told him, never so much as slowing down.

 

Finally Alex was satisfied he had made his position clear and he gave one sharp concluding spank across the bright scarlet cheeks before releasing him. Justin stood awkwardly, rubbing tears away with the back of his hands, bouncing up on his toes as the pain in his bottom flared again with the change in position.

 

Brian wordlessly held out his arms, but though Justin gave him a wet appreciative glance, it was Alex he clung to for comfort, and Brian sighed but took no offense.

 

"Sorry," Justin said once more, his face buried in Alex's neck. Alex patted his back and helped him to pull his pants up over his screaming rear. 'Washcloth' he mouthed to Brian.

 

Brian found clean washclothes on a shelf above the bathroom sink and rinsed one in cool water. Alex took it from him without taking his eyes off Justin and gently cleaned the tears from his boy's face.

 

"Don't ever lie to me again," he warned as he folded the cloth to a clean spot and wiped Justin's nose.

 

"I won't," Justin gasped between hitching breaths.

 

"If you do I'll strap you and nothing and no one will stop me."

 

"Okay," Justin gulped. God, if a strapping hurt worse than this, he would never even think of lying again.

 

"If I ever catch you again with a gun or anybody who has a gun, I will put you over the hood of the nearest car and take my belt to you right there."

 

"I got it," Justin insisted.

 

"Remember," Alex said, and the ominous tone spoke volumes.

 

"I will," Justin promised, furiously rubbing his stinging behind.

 

Alex gathered him into a hug. "You have to understand, Solnyshko. Without you, there is no sunshine for me." He stroked the fresh pink cheek tenderly. "Now go hang this up." He handed him the cloth. "And do up your fly. I can't do fly buttons on anyone but myself."

 

Justin left for the bathroom and Alex looked at Brian.

 

"Next."

 

Brian looked at him stupidly.

 

Alex patted his lap. "Next," he repeated.

 

Brian looked over his shoulder as though he expected him to be talking to someone else.

 

"No, I mean you," Alex assured him. "Your turn."

 

"My turn?" Jesus, why did this man always reduce him to an idiot? He looked at Alex doubtfully.

 

"Yes, your turn. Don't look as though you couldn't possibly be guilty of anything. You second guessed me and you lied to me. You endangered my boy with your neglect. Come here and take your punishment like Justin did so we can go and eat."

 

Brian didn't budge. "Last night you said..."

 

"That I couldn't. Yes, I know. Last night I was tired and angry. But now in the light of day I'm calm and rested and you still deserve it. You said so yourself. So come here and let's get this taken care of. I'm hungry."

 

"But..."

 

"But what?" Alex was getting impatient.

 

"But Justin is only a child," Brian said haughtily. How dare Alex think to categorize them together?

 

Alex's eyes darkened. "You may consider Justin a child," he said, equally offended, "but he took his punishment like a man. He didn't try to pretend he was innocent and he spoke up last night and selflessly condemned himself to save your sorry ass, so I would watch who I was calling a child."

 

Brian could have bitten his tongue out.

 

"Besides," Alex went on, "when you collaborated with him to deceive me, what were you if not a child as well?" He looked at him intently. "I can spank a naughty child and forgive his mistake. But if you tell me your actions were the well thought out plan of an adult, then I can only conclude that you thought that, by undermining me, you could take that child from me."

 

Brian hastily shook his head. "No, I wasn't trying to do that. But he told me..."

 

"That he would tell me lies about you if you told on him.Yes, I know. And did you trust me to realize that, if he told me such a thing, I would talk to you about it?"

 

"No," Brian admitted. "But you just told Justin you might have shot me if he said I tried to fuck him." He licked his lips nervously. "And you have pulled a gun on me for that very thing."

 

Alex thought about it. "Well, I suppose that's true, I might have. But then you should have come and told me about the accusation he was threatening to make before he went through with it.Then I surely would have believed you."

 

Brian's shoulders drooped. He hadn't thought of that.

 

"Wouldn't that have been better than letting a brat play you for a fool? You would have been keeping him safe. Instead you put both of you in the line of fire."

 

"Yes, I see your point, I guess," Brian said reluctantly.

 

"Good, then come here and pay for what you did wrong."

 

Not at all enthused, Brian went to Alex's side. Last night he had regretted what he'd done, but he'd come here fueled by guilt and fear. Right now confessing his transgression seemed like a really dumb move and he had to force himself to obey. He couldn't believe he'd actually asked for this. He stood for a moment, breathing deeply, dreading the punishment, but dreading appearing cowardly much more. Resolutely he began to lower himself across Alex's knees. Alex held up his hand.

 

"Now you know that's not how I do things," he chided.

 

Brian's eyes widened when he realized what he meant. "Oh, no."

 

"Come on, take down your pants," Alex said gently.

 

"No." Brian shook his head adamantly. That was too much to expect.

 

Alex frowned. "Oh, I see. You'll accept punishment, but only on your terms, is that it? Well, you can't be really sorry, then."

 

Brian looked despairingly at Alex, then at Justin, who had come out of the bathroom and was staring at them.

 

Understanding, Alex said, "Justin, face the wall."

 

"Why?" Justin demanded. If Brian was going to get it too, he felt he had viewing rights.

 

"Because I asked you to." Alex's voice took on just enough edge that Justin turned obediently to the corner of the room.

 

"This isn't fair," Justin said, sniffling. "He watched me."

 

"I could make it even more unfair and give you his spanking, too, since it's because of you he's getting one."

 

Justin shut up.

 

Alex turned back to Brian. "Alright now. You have privacy, or at least as much as I can provide. Come on."

 

Moving slowly, hoping that if he took long enough Alex would change his mind, Brian unzipped his slacks and pushed them halfway to his knees.

 

Alex waited.

 

Brian blushed hotly, but finally slipped his thumbs into the waistband of his black briefs and let them join his slacks. He didn't understand how it could be so easy for him to strip for sex and so difficult to disrobe for a punishment.

 

Alex smiled his approval and took his arm, guiding him over his knee.

 

He leaned down to say quietly, "I know that was hard for you and I'm proud of you for doing it without an argument."

 

"This is awful, I feel like a little kid," Brian said, ducking his head in shame.

 

"Good. Maybe next time you'll learn to think like an adult instead of a lovesick teenager." Alex settled him the way he wanted him. "Can I assume you know what this is for?"

 

Brian covered his burning face with his hands. "Lying to you and making you think I was looking out for Justin when I wasn't," he replied hoarsely.

 

"That's right. You have every right to not want to do this for me, to have a relationship with Justin on his level. But it was wrong of you to make me think you were going to keep me informed of his activities when you weren't because that left me thinking he was safe when he wasn't. Your judgment where Justin is concerned never supersedes mine. If you would rather be his peer, fine. Then tell me so I can ask someone else to watch out for him. You can't play both sides of the coin."

 

"I'm sorry," Brian said and touched his fingertips to the floor for balance. It was so humbling to be partially exposed and over Alex's knee like this while he was lectured. The last time Alex had spanked him, he had already been naked, which was somehow much better than just having your pants down. Not to mention that he'd only gotten two quick whacks, hard though they might have been. The pants bunched around his knees now only emphasized that his bottom was bared for a spanking that would surely be far worse than the previous one, and the anticipation made him shiver with both fear and embarrassment. He knew he wouldn't be getting up again anytime soon. "So sorry," he repeated.

 

"I know you're sorry and I wish this wasn't necessary, but it is," Alex replied and let the first smack fall.

 

Brian's spanking was no shorter than Justin's, and every bit as hard. Alex had solely favored his right arm for years now and it was tireless. The blows rained down, painful and relentless, and Brian had to concentrate to keep in position and not yell. He understood that he was the adult figure in this fiasco, that he should have known better and used better judgement, and he was determined now to accept the punishment without resisting, especially with Justin listening. For the most part he succeeded except for one breathless 'please' during a particularly wicked volley directed at the tops of his thighs.Tears ran in a thick stream down his face, but he kept still, wondering, in his misery, just who he was trying to impress.

 

But when Alex was finished and released him with the quiet praise, "You took that very well," he knew who it was. And he was glad he had cooperated despite his sore ass. To have struggled and have still been spanked to tears would have been too humiliating. Perhaps he had gained back a tiny portion of the man's respect.

 

"Good boy," Alex said and let him refasten his own clothing. He looked at Brian fondly. "I'm going to offer to hold you, but I'll understand if you'd rather not."

 

"I want to," Brian choked out and went into Alex's forgiving embrace.

 

They had a precious minute of comfort before Justin broke the silence. "Can I come out of the corner now?" he asked, his voice heavy with sarcasm. "Or do you two need to be alone?"

 

"You know, brat, you'd think that somebody who'd been sufficiently punished would have a more respectful attitude," Alex said thoughtfully. "Unless, of course, it was not sufficient."

 

"May I please come out of the corner now, oh great one?" Justin snorted. "And I think it was overly sufficient," he added, rubbing his butt.

 

Alex frowned indulgently at him. "Little boy, your ass couldn't take what would be sufficient. You're lucky I'm a soft touch." He shook his hand ruefully. "As a matter of fact, if you two have the intention of being partners in crime, I think I'm going to invest in a good sturdy paddle." He smiled at their exchanged look of horror. "And I'll make whoever is going to get whacked fetch it for me," he went on with a smile.

 

Justin made a face. "What is that, some old Russian pervert game?"

 

Alex ruffled the blond hair fondly. "Don't knock things you don't understand, Sunshine," he replied cheerfully. "Now who's hungry?"

 

"I don't think I can sit comfortably in those booths," Brian said uncertainly, breathing rhythmically to calm himself. "Maybe I should just go home." He wiped at his face with his handkerchief.

 

"Sit on your jacket," Justin advised. "That's what I'm going to do." He put an arm around Brian and kissed him softly on the lips. "I'm sorry I made you get in trouble."

 

Brian kissed him back. "I'm sorry I didn't take better care of you, Justin." He was more grateful than he could express that Justin wasn't making fun of his crying. He picked up his jacket. "Do you think Debbie will notice?"

 

"She won't," Justin said confidently. "Not if you wash your face in cold water. You look kind of teary-dearie." He patted Brian's cheek sympathetically. "It's OK," he whispered. "It only hurts real bad like that for a few minutes."

 

"I'm sure she'll notice," Alex put in. "She always seems to know when Justin's been spanked."

 

"She does not," Justin protested indignantly.

 

"Keep telling yourself that. Let them wonder. Then sit on your jacket and remove all doubt."

 

Justin scowled.

 

"But play your sympathy cards right," Alex went on with a grin, "and you'll both come out of this with an extra donut."

 

Brian raised his eyes to heaven as he headed for the bathroom. His dignity for a donut. Not what he'd had planned for today.

 

~~~

 

Alex and Justin were kissing when he returned.

 

"Can I warm up the Jeep?" Justin asked when he saw Brian. His cheeks were bright with stubble burn.

 

Brian tossed him the keys.

 

"Can I drive us there?"

 

Remembering what Alex had said about superseding his judgement, Brian glanced at him for approval before nodding his assent.

 

"You know, maybe I could go out with Brian next time you're gone for awhile," Justin suggested to Alex hopefully.

 

"His crowd is a little old for you," Alex replied.

 

"You're a little old for me," Justin pointed out.

 

Alex shook his head. "If there is a more insolent child than you on the face of the earth, I've yet to meet him. Why don't you go start the car and I'll think about it."

 

"You're not going to fool around up here and keep me waiting, are you?" Justin asked suspiciously.

 

"We'll be right down," Alex assured him, and Justin grinned happily and raced off.

 

Alex turned to Brian, fixing him with a smoldering gaze. "You know," he said thoughtfully, "there are games I like to play sometimes. Games that would be inappropriate for me to play with Justin. But I'd like to play them with you.That is, if you're interested."

 

Brian felt a spike of interest directly in his cock, which twitched at the very thought of playing inappropriate games with Alex.

 

"Maybe while Sunshine's in school," Alex went on.

 

"Al-alright," Brian said, unable to prevent the small stutter.

 

"You have a gorgeous ass," Alex went on. "Especially when the color's been tweaked."

 

Brian felt light-headed and smiled shyly when he realized he must be blushing a second time.

 

"Soon," Alex promised and leaned in to kiss him on the lips. Brian's cock twitched again.

 

Alex took his hand, and together they went out to the jeep.

 

 

---

 

In Sickness And In Health

 

The message had been brief. "Come over right away. Use your key."

 

Brian had barely had time to acknowledge the hurried words before he heard a click. He hastily pulled on clothes and grabbed his car keys. Alex didn't send out distress calls for nothing. Especially not at eight AM on a Saturday morning.

 

His hand fumbled as he fitted the key in the lock. With Alex, who knew what could be wrong? Brian knew little about the life Alex led away from Justin, but Justin had whispered that sometimes he came home with blood on his clothes, blood that wasn't his. And Brian had seen the cuts and bruises he often sported upon his return. There could be anything behind this door. Smuggled weapons, a body to be buried...

 

He swung open the door to reveal Alex in rumpled sweats sitting in the recliner, Justin on his lap, wrapped in a blanket.

 

Alex looked up, a totally uncharacteristic expression of worry on his face. "He's sick," he said, as though the world had come to an end. "He feels so hot."

 

Brian relaxed visibly. "Is that all? I thought someone was holding you hostage."

 

Alex looked at him skeptically. "And for that you think I'd call you?"

 

Brian didn't react to the remark or Alex's aggravated tone. At least that sounded more like him than the panicked voice on the phone. He walked over and felt Justin's forehead with his hand. "How high is his temp?"

 

"I don't know. I don't have a thermometer."

 

Justin opened fever reddened eyes. "I threw up," he croaked.

 

"Thanks for sharing," Brian replied. He looked back at Alex. "Did you give him Tylenol?" he asked.

 

"That's when I threw up," Justin said. His face, when Brian touched it again, was hot and dry.

 

"I think he's getting dehydrated," Brian said. "He needs to drink."

 

"I'll throw up again," the patient rasped and closed his eyes. "And my throat hurts when I swallow."

 

"What do I do?" Alex asked. "He's been sick all night. The only doctor I know is in DC and I don't think she'd come here to help me. As a matter of fact, I don't think she'd cross the street to help me."

 

"This is Pittsburgh, not the Outback. I'm sure we can get a doctor for him closer than DC. But why are you panicking? Just do for him what you do for yourself when you're sick."

 

"I take Tylenol and keep going. I can't do that with him. Besides, he told you he threw it up. And I have no experience with sick children."

 

"I'm not a child," came an indignant little voice from his shoulder. Alex patted his back but didn't answer, just rocked nervously, staring down at his burden.

 

"What do I do next?" he asked without taking his eyes off Justin.

 

Brian considered. "Well, for starters, I wouldn't rock him. He already threw up."

 

Alex immediately stilled the recliner.

 

"And he definitely needs fluids, that much I know."

 

"I won't drink anything else," Justin said stubbornly. "I hate puking. And I ache all over."

 

Alex, totally out of his realm, clutched him tighter.

 

Brian turned to leave.

 

"Where are you going?" Brian didn't ever remember hearing such urgency in Alex's voice before.

 

"There's a drugstore on the corner. I'll get a thermometer and something to settle his stomach," Brian explained. "I'll be right back."

 

"You know what to do?" Alex asked in surprise.

 

"Why did you call me if you didn't think I knew what to do?"

 

"I was going to ask you to go get Debbie."

 

Brian rolled his eyes. "Let's save that horror scene for when things really go to hell. I have a basic idea what to do. I've been there when my son was sick and I saw what his mother did for him."

 

"You have a son?"

 

"He's two years old. Gus."

 

"You were married?"

 

Brian made a face. "Get real."

 

"It's a turkey baster baby," Justin said helpfully. "She's a lesbian."

 

"Gee," Brian said. "For a minute there I thought you might be too sick to be a brat. That was a fleeting hope."

 

"Well, more importantly, Justin's not two," Alex pointed out.

 

"The general premise of what he needs should be the same. I'll be right back."

 

As Brian stepped out, he heard Justin say fretfully, "Unwrap me. I'm hot."

 

"Don't let him get chilled!" he called over his shoulder and closed the door. Oh, Lord, he thought.

 

~~~

 

He was back shortly with a plastic Rite-Aid bag. Justin was trying to wriggle out of the blanket and Alex was trying to soothe him, without much success.

 

"Cut the crap, Justin," Brian said.

 

"I'm sick," Justin whined. "You can't be mean to me."

 

"I'm not being mean to you. But you need to stay warm so stop throwing off the blanket. Let me see what your temperature is." Brian set the bag on the table and rummaged in it.

 

"No." Justin buried his face in Alex's neck.

 

Alex stroked the sweaty head. "Come out, sweetheart," he coaxed. "Open your mouth."

 

"I don't need his mouth," Brian countered. "Not with the thermometer I bought."

 

Wide-eyed, Justin clutched at Alex, frantically shaking his head.

 

"Relax, brat. I just need your ear." Brian displayed a sleek white aural thermometer. Reluctantly, knowing the alternative was worse, Justin allowed the disposable tip to be inserted in his left ear.

 

"It hurts. You're pushing it in too hard," he complained.

 

"I have to make a seal. Besides, I'm done already," Brian reported. "It's 102."

 

Alex looked horrified. "Isn't he going to seize or something?"

 

"I think that's just little babies." Brian took a bottle of ginger ale out of the bag, fetched a glass and offered Justin some soda.

 

"I told you I can't drink," Justin said petulantly. "My throat hurts."

 

Alex took the glass. "Just a sip?" he coaxed. "If your throat is dry, it will hurt worse."

 

"No, I'll puke."

 

"Please, for Daddy?" Alex tried again. Justin burrowed back into Alex's neck.

 

Brian took out his cell phone.

 

"Are you calling an ambulance?" Alex asked.

 

Brian rolled his eyes again, although he was careful to do it out of Alex's sight. "I'm calling Lindsay, to get the number of Gus' pediatrician."

 

"I'm seventeen, I don't need a pediatrician," Justin said, his voice muffled because he would not lift his head.

 

Brian ignored him and had a short conversation with Lindsay. "She'll call me back," he said.

 

Alex was still urging the ginger ale to Justin's lips. Justin shoved away his hand, sloshing the soda over them both. Alex sighed. "Brian, could you get a towel?"

 

Brian got one from the bathroom and watched with pursed lips as Alex patiently mopped them off.

 

"Why do you look that way?" Justin asked him sulkily.

 

"Because you're being a brat."

 

Justin stuck out a parched tongue. Before Brian could say anything else, his cell phone sounded. There was another brief exchange, then Brian reported, "The pediatrician will be right over. She lives nearby."

 

"And she'll jump for you at this hour just like that?" Alex asked suspiciously.

 

"Not for me. Lindsay. They're ex-lovers. Dykes are very loyal."

 

Justin sat straight up. "I'm not having a woman doctor!"

 

"Now, Justin..." Alex began, but Justin leaped to his feet, wobbling unsteadily.

 

"I won't, and you can't make me!" Alex reached to steady him but Justin evaded him.

 

"Justin, that's silly, she's going to look in your throat, not up your ass." Brian's tone was not harsh but it was totally no-nonsense. "I can't believe she's willing to run over here on the strength of remembering the taste of Lindsay's twat, but apparently she is, and it will save you the trouble of getting dressed and going out to the clinic..."

 

"I don't want to see anybody!" Justin announced and flung off the blanket he'd been wrapped in. Clad in nothing but his white Fruit of the Looms briefs, he eluded Alex's arms and flounced into the bathroom. They heard the click as he turned the lock.

 

Alex put his ear to the door. "Justin? Sweetheart, please come out..."

 

"No!"

 

"Justin, it's cold in that bathroom, come on."

 

"No!"

 

"You aren't wearing socks and the floor is freezing..."

 

Brian watched Alex pleading outside the door for as long as he could stand it. Then he went over to him and said quietly, "Alex? What the fuck is wrong with you?"

 

Alex frowned at him. "What?"

 

"What's wrong with you? What are you doing?"

 

"What does it look like I'm doing? I'm trying to get Justin to come out of the bathroom."

 

"But look at how he's behaving! He's a total brat!"

 

"A sick child deserves to be indulged a little," Alex said stiffly.

 

"A little, maybe, but look at him! Would you let him get away with this shit under any other circumstances? What would you have done if he locked himself in the bathroom and refused to go to school, for example?"

 

"I'd have picked the lock and paddled his butt," Alex replied without hesitation. "But what's the relevance here? He's sick and upset."

 

"It's totally relevant. He needs you to be consistent. Lindsay doesn't let Gus carry on like this when he's sick. It confuses him. Extra love and attention, sure. But this little drama queen act shouldn't be allowed."

 

"He's miserable and I can't fix it." Alex looked away. "Last night he asked for his mother."

 

"So, to remedy that you take away his Daddy? He's making this worse than it has to be, and you're letting him do it."

 

Alex looked at Brian in surprise. His serious attitude, the concern on his face; he was someone's father giving advice and not just Brian, jealous of Justin and pointing out his shortcomings to make himself look better.

 

"All children think of their mothers first when they're sick, if they've been any kind of mother, that is," Brian went on. "A lot of grown ups do, too. It's instinct, not because he's rejecting you." Brian looked at Alex closely. "Are you trying to be motherly? Is that why you're tolerating this shit?" he asked.

 

Alex flushed. It was the first time Brian had ever seen him discomfited. "I don't know. I tried calling his house last night to see if I could get his mother to come over for a while. His old man wouldn't put her on. He called me a dirty old faggot and said he wouldn't allow his wife to speak to me even on the phone. I told him I wouldn't, I just wanted Justin to be able to speak to her, but the bastard hung up on me. I wanted to go over there and shove the receiver down his throat."

 

Brian made a mental note not to ever hang up on Alex.

 

"I feel awful that I can't give him what he needs," Alex concluded. It was typical of the man that the biggest upset to him was not the insult to himself but that he had failed Justin.

 

Brian put a hand on Alex's shoulder. "The way I see you take care of him, you're both mother and father to him. You're loving but firm. You're affectionate but strong. You're the one unwavering thing in his world. He needs you to be that, especially now. That's his security blanket."

 

Alex considered what Brian had said. He was far too savvy not to listen when someone talked sense. It was why he had survived as long as he had. He stood for several minutes, processing it all, and apparently came to a decision. Shaking off his uncertainty, he turned back to the locked door.

 

"Justin, listen to me. Open this door right now."

 

"Call that bitch and tell her not to come," Justin demanded.

 

"She is coming and she is going to examine you if I have to strip you naked and hold you on my lap for her. Now open the door."

 

"No way."

 

Alex went to the nightstand and got his lock pick kit. The door was open in seconds. Justin was too surprised to bolt.

 

Alex draped the blanket around him again. "That was your last freebie. Do something like that again and Daddy's going to have to swat you to make you mind." There was no vehemence in the statement, only regret.

 

"But I'm sick!" Justin wailed.

 

"You've had fair warning. Don't make me have to do it. Be good for me."

 

Justin was too Justin not to test. He folded his arms and dug in his heels. "No. If she comes here I'll, I'll..." he groped around for something awful enough. "I'll spit at her," he said finally.

 

Alex refused to be provoked. "I don't think you would. My Sunshine has better manners than that." He patted his bottom gently. "Now go lie on the couch."

 

The couch was covered with a sheet and there was a pillow already there. It looked as though Alex had tried to get him to rest in a variety of places without much success. Brian couldn't help noticing the dark circles they both sported under their eyes. He guided Justin over to the couch and covered him neatly.

 

"Be a good boy," he urged, taking the same patient tone Alex had used and further infuriating the patient .

 

"I don't need you bossing me, too," Justin snapped. "Why don't you go home? We don't need you."

 

"He doesn't mean it," Alex explained hastily. "He's just tired."

 

"I do so mean it," Justin insisted.

 

Whatever Brian was going to say in reply was cut off by the doorbell.

 

"That's Doralee," Brian said.

 

"What kind of a stupid name is that?" Justin asked.

 

"Now, that's enough of your insolence," Alex told him sharply and Justin sat back, bottom lip out. Alex checked the peephole. "She's blonde, not too tall?"

 

"That's her."

 

Alex opened the door.

 

She looked in, saw Brian and smiled. "Hi."

 

"Hi, Doralee," Brian said. "Thanks for coming out on a Saturday like this."

 

"No problem." She looked over at Justin and smiled. "You must be the patient."

 

"I'm not," Justin replied.

 

"He is," Alex said.

 

"That's Justin. This is Alex." Brian made the introductions without explanation of who was what to whom. Doralee was a woman of the world. What she couldn't figure out, she would ignore.

 

Doralee made no comment but held out her hand to Justin. "I'm Dr. Lindstrom. You can call me Doralee." He shook it without enthusiasm.

 

She was also used to moody teenagers. "I know you feel lousy and I'll just check you quick and be out of here, okay?"

 

"Okay," Justin said grudgingly. He looked at Alex. "Sit by me?" Alex pulled up a chair and sat down beside him, holding one hot little hand in his large one.

 

Doralee was efficient and matter-of-fact. "Throat and ears are infected, chest is clear," she reported after her examination. "I'll give him a broad spectrum antibiotic, and if the culture shows anything else I can call you." She held up a long swab. "Open, please," she said to Justin.

 

A fearful frown on his face, Justin kept his mouth clamped tight.

 

Alex touched a familiar ticklish spot on his ribcage and Justin's mouth flew open reflexively. Doralee quickly steadied his chin with one hand and got her throat culture.

 

"No fair," Justin sulked when he was through gagging. Alex petted his head.

 

"What about the fever? He can't keep anything in his stomach." Alex was visibly relaxing since the problem didn't sound exotic or fatal.

 

Doralee was rummaging in her bag. "Clear fluids. Use these until he can take the regular Tylenol." She passed him a small package. "A little Pepto-Bismol will help his stomach. A warm bath will take some of the heat off him. Don't let him sit till the water's cold though, or he'll shiver and drive his temp back up. Lots of rest. He'll be fine in a few days." She started filling a syringe from a clear glass bottle.

 

"I can't thank you enough, doctor." His relief made Alex sound almost friendly.

 

"What's that?" Justin asked suspiciously, pointing at the syringe.

 

"Any allergies?" she asked.

 

"Penicillin," he replied, frowning. "Why?"

 

"This should be no problem, then."

 

Justin was off the couch like a shot.

 

Only Alex's quick reflexes prevented him from locking himself in the bathroom again.

 

"No, no, NO!" he said, shaking his head and trying to pull away.

 

"Justin, this will get you better faster, you know how hard it is to make up schooltime." Alex had him firmly pinned around the waist.

 

"No!"

 

"You are not afraid of needles, I know that. We got tested together and you had no problem. You can't afford to vomit up this medicine, too. You've picked the wrong thing to be stubborn about."

 

"Let go!"

 

"I realize you're feverish and not thinking straight so I feel I need to make this decision for you."

 

"Well, I feel you need to fuck off!" Justin punched at his arm but couldn't make him let go.

 

Alex, taken aback, stared at him without releasing him.

 

Justin, appalled at what he had just said and done, stood there panting harshly from his efforts, unable to say anything else.

 

Finally Alex spoke. "Excuse us a moment, Dr. Lindstrom, but Justin needs to use the bathroom." He opened the bathroom door and motioned Justin inside. His options clearly limited, Justin went and Alex followed and shut them in.

 

"Are they OK?" Doralee asked.

 

"They will be," Brian replied. "Just give them a minute."

 

Sure enough, when the door opened again Justin was subdued and cooperative. He lay on the couch and rolled over obediently when Doralee approached, holding his hand out for Alex's. Alex sat down and took it, clasping it this time between real and prosthetic palms.

 

"Thank you," Justin whispered to the doctor when the injection was over.

 

"You're very welcome," she replied. "I didn't hurt you, did I?"

 

"No," he replied softly. All the fuss seemed to have gone out of him, and he looked exhausted.

 

Doralee packed up her things.

 

"How did you get here?" Brian asked her. "I could run you home."

 

"You can't go, Brian," Justin protested weakly.

 

"I seem to remember someone saying he didn't need me," Brian pointed out.

 

"I want you to stay."

 

"Amy drove me over and she's waiting in the car," Doralee explained. "We have errands to run. But thank you."

 

"See, you're staying," Justin said.

 

"What do I owe you?" Alex stood.

 

Doralee held up her hand. "It was a favor for Lindsay," she said. "No charge."

 

"Well, I owe her a thank you, too, then," he said. "I do appreciate your help."

 

When the door shut behind her, Alex headed for the bathroom. Soon they heard water running in the tub. Brian squatted next to Justin. "Are you okay?"

 

Justin rubbed his itchy eyes fretfully and nodded.

 

"You're lucky he didn't wash your mouth out with soap," Brian marveled. He had never heard Justin swear at Alex before and certainly he had never seen him punch him.

 

"I know. Shut up. I don't want to talk about it anymore." Justin was clearly ashamed of himself.

 

Alex came out of the bathroom and stood over Justin. "I'm running you a bath."

 

"I'd rather have a shower."

 

"The doctor said bath and that's what you're having." There was still a touch of ice in Alex's voice.

 

Miserable, Justin hung his head. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it." He peeked up through his bangs to try to see Alex's reaction. "Thank you for not scolding me in front of her. Please don't be mad." His eyes filled, the bright blue irises glittering behind the tears. "If you're going to spank me, please don't do it too hard, okay? Because I just had a shot in my butt."

 

Melting like a snowflake in hell, Alex kissed his forehead. "I'm not mad. And I had no desire to embarrass you even though you embarrassed me with your behavior."

 

Justin cringed.

 

"I understand you're not feeling well so the apology will suffice - this time," Alex went on. "But never, ever speak to me that way again. Do I make myself clear?"

 

"B-but I hit you." Justin had shocked even himself.

 

"That doesn't mean I hit you back. It won't solve anything."

 

Justin nodded, well aware he'd gotten off easy. "Thank you," he said again.

 

"Jesus, he plays you like a violin," Brian said to Alex, shaking his head.

 

Pointedly ignoring him, Alex held out a hand to Justin. "Come on, let's get you cleaned up and cooled down."

 

"I don't like sitting in that hard tub. The bottom's rubbly," Justin complained as he allowed himself to be led across the room. The apartment was old, with the original bathroom, which included an ancient clawfooted tub. It was roomy, but the porcelain could have used refinishing.

 

"I'll put a towel down for you to sit on," Alex offered.

 

"No, put you down for me to sit on." Justin took off his underwear and dropped it in the hamper, looking at Alex hopefully.

 

Brian came up behind him and handed him a medicine cup of thick pink liquid.

 

"What's this?" Justin asked.

 

"Pepto-Bismol. Great minds think alike. I'd bought that before she ever mentioned it."

 

"No chance." Justin handed it back in disgust.

 

"Take it and I'll be your bath pillow," Alex bribed.

 

Justin sighed, not up to another bout of arguing. "Okay, but I want ginger ale to wash it down."

 

Brian fetched it and Justin quickly swallowed the medicine and, with a great show of horror at the taste, gargled with the ginger ale, spat into the sink, then took a small swallow of the soda. He handed over the empty medicine cup and the soda glass with a dramatic flourish. Then he pointed at Alex's sweats. "Come on. You promised."

 

Alex stripped down and took off his arm, assisted by Justin, who nudged away Brian with a preemptive sniff. Then Alex stepped into the water and sat down and Justin got in between his spread legs, leaning familiarly against his chest and stretching out, his own legs propped atop Alex's to keep his thin skinned ass clear of the rough tub surface.

 

Justin tipped his head back to look at Alex. "Doesn't the tub bottom bother your butt?" he asked.

 

"My ass has seen worse," Alex assured him.

 

Brian knelt, felt the temperature of the water and turned on more hot.

 

"Put bubbles in," Justin demanded.

 

"What, am I back to playing handmaiden to your little prince?" Brian asked Alex. Alex shrugged and took the bathsponge from the side of the tub.

 

"Just put his bubbles in."

 

Brian picked up the tall white ribbed container. "Avon?"

 

"Debbie was selling it for somebody."

 

"It's just hard to picture you liking bubble baths, Alex."

 

"Everybody likes bubble baths." Alex filled the sponge with warm water and drizzled it over Justin's chest. "Justin, keep your foot away from the running water, it's hot," he cautioned.

 

The tub filled with fragrant sandalwood bubbles and Brian turned off the faucet, but he remained sitting beside the tub, watching Alex run the sponge over Justin's hot torso, wait a bit for the heat to evaporate with the beads of water he'd left, then repeat the gentle stroke on another spot. He let water trickle down the back of Justin's neck, wiped meticulously under his chin and finally, when the water began to cool, made sure his armpits and all the other private, sweaty creases and crevices were clean. His touch was light and sure in deference to the fever sensitive skin, and no one would have guessed what an inexperienced nurse he was. He tossed the sponge into the sink and motioned for Brian to bring a towel as he carefully got Justin to his feet.

 

Brian wrapped the boy up and patted him dry, remembering the doctor's admonition not to let him shiver.

 

Justin accepted both their attentions as his due.

 

Alex dried himself quickly and pulled on fresh sweats, then took clean briefs and a tee shirt out for Justin and helped him into them. Justin's skin felt cooler, and though he was still glassy eyed, Alex was now convinced he would live.

 

There was only one more ordeal to be gotten through.

 

Alex sat in the recliner and pulled Justin toward him so they ended up facing each other with Justin straddling his lap.

 

"Just one other thing and then I'll rock you to sleep, okay?"

 

"What?" Justin asked drowsily.

 

"Let Brian give you one of the Tylenol suppositories the doctor left."

 

That gave the patient new life. He struggled to get up but Alex had anticipated this reaction and held him firmly, urging him closer, so he was not only straddling his lap but lying face down across his chest. "You need this medicine, Justin."

 

"You're not putting pills up my ass!" Justin insisted.

 

"One tiny pill, just this once, until you can keep them in your stomach. We can't leave you with a fever like that and it will help the pain in your throat."

 

Justin looked over his shoulder at the foil package in Brian's hand.

 

"That's not tiny!"

 

"It's soft," Brian assured him. He pulled on a disposable rubber glove.

 

"You'll hurt me with that rubber!"

 

"The suppositories are lubed and I'll put some on the glove," Brian promised. "Pretend it's a condom."

 

Justin glared at him.

 

"Sorry," Brian smiled.

 

Justin appealed to Alex. "No, Daddy, please, I hate a rubber finger in there!"

 

"How many rubber fingers have you had in there?" Alex asked in surprise.

 

"None, but I don't want any now either. That's gross." His voice betrayed that he was close to overwrought tears.

 

Alex hated to upset him further for something so minor. "Can't you do it without the gloves?" he asked Brian.

 

Brian sighed. "I'm surprised you don't want me to push it up there with my tongue," he said ruefully. "Can't you see he can't protest it being done so now he's protesting the method?"

 

"I am not!" Justin cried.

 

"You ask Alex to play with you there while he has his leather glove on, why is the rubber so different?"

 

"It just is!" Justin cried. Overtired and irrational, Justin started to get up.

 

"Just do it his way," Alex instructed Brian as he held onto Justin. "Easy, baby." His grip secure, he pulled Justin back down and raised one knee so he was tilted upward, his backside in the air. When Justin stopped squirming, Alex took down his underwear and patted the tense bottom. "Don't clench, baby, it's okay," he soothed. Lovingly, he spread Justin's cheeks with one practiced hand, massaging the puckered hole with a spit lubed finger to soften it.

 

"Jesus, what a production," Brian said, stripping off the glove. He tore open one of the silver bullets, lubing the tip of the soft white insert. Alex allowed Brian's finger to replace his and when Justin tensed, Brian continued the gentle rubbing. When he felt the hole wink open, he placed the suppository at the entrance, pushed it up as far as he could reach with the same careful finger and held it there.

 

"It hurts, it hurts!" Justin whimpered.

 

"Then stop trying to push it out," Brian said mildly. "I'm just holding it a minute till it melts."

 

"Don't force it," Alex warned.

 

Brian was indignant. "How many times have I had my fingers in his ass? I know my way around."

 

Justin's body heat melted the Tylenol quickly and Brian gently withdrew his finger and then rearranged Alex's hand so it was now holding Justin's cheeks together. "Don't bear down," he told Justin. "If you try to expel it now you'll make a mess and I'll have to start over."

 

"I don't make messes." Justin turned his head away haughtily. "He hurt me and you told him to," he said sadly to Alex.

 

"He didn't hurt you," Alex told him firmly. "I don't know what we would have done without him today." He nuzzled his stubbly chin against Justin's cheek as he spoke.

 

"Brian had his finger up my ass and my dick didn't even twitch. It's broken," Justin mourned, finding a fresh misery.

 

"It's just resting," Alex assured him. "Little Justin will get his strength back, I promise.You behave, and when you wake up I'll watch Yellow Submarine with you."

 

"Will you sing along?" Justin asked hopefully.

 

"Every chorus," Alex promised.

 

Brian held a straw to Justin's lips. "Drink," he said firmly. "No more nonsense."

 

Justin looked at Brian and saw Authority. He took a token sip from the straw to pacify him and the cold ginger ale was so refreshing to his swollen throat that he took another and then another until the glass was half empty.

 

"Good boy," Brian said and set the glass down within easy reach. He tapped Alex's hand to indicate he could release his grip on Justin's buttocks.

 

"I'm all sticky," Justin complained.

 

Resigned to his role, Brian took a handful of tissues and wiped him clean, put a gentle kiss on one smooth cheek, then pulled the underwear back in place and put the blanket over the boy. Despite himself, Justin was settling now and was calmer. The two people he trusted most in the world were there and taking care of him, and exhaustion overtook him once again. His body grew heavier in Alex's arms as the tension dissipated and Alex began a slow soothing rocking motion. Before Brian had finished washing and drying his hands, Justin was asleep.

 

Brian stood over them, watching Justin's rhythmic breathing.

 

"I was sure you'd swatted him in that bathroom," he said finally.

 

"How do you know I didn't?"

 

"I know what his freshly spanked tush looks like by now, especially when it's inches from my face," Brian said. "There wasn't a mark on him."

 

"I just said either he could cooperate and take the shot or I'd put a handprint on his ass that she could aim for. All it took was the threat of discipline, not the delivery."

 

"Who knew the hard ass could be such a pushover?" Brian smirked.

 

Alex shrugged. "Who would bully a sick child ? Discipline is to set limits and teach. He was in no condition to learn anything just then. I just wanted him to cooperate for his own good."

 

Brian gazed fondly at Justin, features angelic as he slept. Did he even understand how lucky he was to have someone like Alex?

 

Alex looked up at Brian. "I meant what I said, you know," Alex told him. "I don't know what I would have done without you." He brushed his lips over the top of his sleeping boy's head.

 

Brian felt a surge of pleasure go through him, almost better than the pleasure from sex. He had pleased Alex. He had been necessary to the man. He wasn't sure why that thrilled him so, but it did.

 

"Maybe we should try to get him into bed," Brian suggested, still heady with the praise.

 

"I don't think I can lift him with one arm, especially from a sitting position."

 

"I'll take him from your arms and put him in the bed after you get in. You look like you could use some sleep, too."

 

"You think you can?" Alex was skeptical.

 

"I work out," Brian told him proudly.

 

And so Brian lifted the sleeping Justin and held him while Alex straightened the bedclothes and got in bed. Justin never stirred, and when Brian placed him beside Alex, he immediately burrowed into the crook of his arm.

 

"I can't have him like this," Alex said regretfully. "I can't have him pinning my arm. If there's an intruder I'd never reach my gun in time."

 

Brian tried not to let the shock show on his face. "An intruder?" he asked tentatively.

 

Alex did not elaborate. He tried to pull his arm free and Justin sprawled across him.

 

"Let him stay like that," Brian said. "I'll stay and watch that you're okay."

 

"And what will you do if you think something is wrong?" Alex challenged.

 

Brian took a stab at it. "Wake you?"

 

"Good answer. Do not touch my gun. You could kill us all."

 

"I'm not an idiot."

 

"I know you're not." Alex pulled him down for a kiss. "Tovarich." The word was a caress.

 

"I would do anything for you," Brian whispered and realized he meant it. He went and sat in the recliner, its seat still warm from Alex.

 

After a while, Alex fell asleep, too, but Brian remained where he was. In a little while he'd call Mikey to pick up some soup at the diner and bring it over for when Justin woke. But for the moment he just sat while they slept peacefully under his watch, hearing the precious word tovarich echo in his head.

 

Friend.

 

---

 

Justin's Birthday

 

"Don't you want to know what I want for my birthday?" Justin asked as the three of them lay on the verge of sleep.

 

Brian opened one lazy eye. "When is your birthday?"

 

"Next Friday. I'll be eighteen. Don't you want to know what I want?"

 

Alex didn't move from the pillow where he was burrowed, but he knew Justin wouldn't drop the subject either. "What do you want, baby?"

 

"I want to have sex."

 

Brian smiled at him and brushed a lock of damp yellow hair out of his eyes. "We just had sex," he said. "For over three quarters of an hour, I might add."

 

"I want real sex," Justin amended, sitting up. "I want to get laid. I want to get fucked like everybody else my age. I want to stop being the last virgin in North America over the age of thirteen."

 

"Where did you get those statistics?" Brian asked.

 

"You know it's true. And I'm sure I'm gay, Alex, and I know all about safe sex and I'm out to everybody I know, so I think I'm ready now. I think I meet all your criteria. I'm not going to suddenly squeal 'oh no, what have I done?'!"

 

Brian smiled, remembering fondly the last time Justin had squealed. "Are you sure you're gay?" Brian asked. "Sing 'Over the Rainbow'."

 

"You weren't questioning me when I went down on you before," Justin told him haughtily.

 

"Decorate something," Brian went on. "Coordinate my clothes for tomorrow."

 

"Asshole. It's what I want." Justin folded his arms and sat back against the headboard, expecting an argument from Alex next.

 

Instead, Alex said, "Okay. Friday it is."

 

It took a minute for the statement to register with Justin. Then he flung himself on Alex with a joyful whoop.

 

Brian, having been neither consulted nor invited, said nothing.

 

But more than anything he had wanted to be first in that beautiful pristine ass.

 

Fat chance.

 

~~~

 

 

Justin was a gorgeous boy. And smart. And sweet when he was ready. Plus, he gave a hell of a blowjob. Brian wasn't sure when he started liking Justin just for Justin and not because it got him close to Alex. He had always had a soft spot for him. After all, he had picked him up at Babylon by himself that first time.There had been something special that he saw even then. It was just that Alex tended to overshadow everyone else when he was in the room and he guarded the boy like a dragon, so Brian and Justin's relationship was progressing slowly, at least according to Brian's usual timetable. But Justin was interesting all for himself once you got to know him. He was a gifted artist, a good cook and as friendly as the boldest puppy in the litter. And he had the bluest eyes in Pittsburgh.

 

But Alex would have him first. It was only right. Alex had insisted Justin keep his virginity until he was completely comfortable with his sexuality, and now that the time was right, it should be him to take Justin through that important experience. Brian pictured Justin naked, on his hands and knees, raising that smooth virgin ass in the air, and imagined himself grasping those plump buttocks, parting them and taking him, slowly, wonderfully, unforgettably. He would make him moan with ecstasy and beg for release before he would let him come. And then he would hold him close, feeling the aftershudders, looking at Justin's ecstatic expression, reassuring him if there was any discomfort after the orgasm subsided. He would be the face Justin saw in his mind whenever he had sex again. Because your first is always with you, no matter who else you're with after that.

 

Brian wanted to be that one.

 

But it was only fair that it should be Alex.

 

~~~

 

 

Brian bought Justin a watch for his birthday. Not the present he wanted to give, but one he thought would be welcome. An eighteen year old man deserved a watch that hadn't been bought out of a case in Rite-Aid.

 

They met at the diner after Justin was through with school on Friday and Debbie served cake to the gang, including Alex, who had a surprising sweet tooth. Daphne gave Justin a jersey pullover the color of his eyes and Brian, not wanting an ooh and ahh scene, pulled him aside to give him the watch.

 

Justin's eyes shone as he tried it on. "Thank you, Brian! I've never had a watch from a jewelry store before!" he exclaimed.

 

Pleased that he was pleased, Brian kissed him. "Well, now you do. Happy Birthday, Justin."

 

"You're coming to Babylon tonight for my party, right?"

 

"I'll be there," Brian promised.

 

~~~

 

 

Babylon was crowded by eleven o'clock, but Brian had given one of the waiters a sizable tip to hold a table for them. Everybody had arrived and there was still no sign of Alex and Justin. At last Brian spotted them, making their way across the dance floor. Justin was tugging Alex along and Alex was allowing himself to be led. They collapsed into chairs, Justin beside Brian.

 

"Made it! And it's still my birthday!" He was wearing his new pullover and the watch and a face splitting grin.

 

"Barely. What took you so long?" Daphne handed him a Sprite. "That color is so good on you. I knew it would be."

 

"Thanks, Daph. Did you see the pastels Mike and Debbie got me? I sketched Alex before we came, that's why we're late."

 

"Didn't you already do a charcoal of him?" Brian asked.

 

"Yeah, but that was in the leather jacket. This was a nude." At the raucous appreciative laughter, Alex rolled his eyes and stood up.

 

"On that note, I'm getting myself a vodka." He kissed Justin possessively before he left, slipping a hand inside the loose neck of the blue pullover to tweak a nipple. Justin's eyes followed him to the bar.

 

Brian poked him. "So, you were late because you were drawing?" he asked.

 

Justin's grin widened and he lowered his voice so Brian had to lean down to hear him over the music. "No, we were late because we were doing it!"

 

Brian's heart sank. Up until now he had found refuge in denial, but now there was no going back. Justin's cherry was popped, and not by him.

 

"Congratulations," he said gruffly, trying to be gracious.

 

"Thanks. I would have brought the drawing to show you but the sealent wasn't dry yet. You'll have to come over and see it."

 

"Sure." Brian looked at him carefully. "Are you okay?"

 

Alex sat down on the other side of Justin. "Why wouldn't he be?"

 

"He said you did the deed," Brian said.

 

"So?" Alex sipped his drink.

 

"Well, I thought he might be a little sore, that's all," Brian explained irritably. Did he have to spell it out for them?

 

Justin leaned close to Brian's ear, his breath warm on his neck. "I did him, he didn't do me," he whispered proudly.

 

Brian's eyes widened in shock. He looked at Alex who seemed amused.

 

"What's wrong?" he asked and drained his vodka. He signaled a waiter for another.

 

"Nothing. I just thought..."

 

"That I always topped?"

 

"Well, yeah."

 

Alex traded his empty glass to the waiter for the full one. "Well, you're half right," he said. "I always top you."

 

 

~~~

 

Brian couldn't get the picture out of his mind. He was dying to ask for details but was quite sure he wouldn't get them.

 

Justin topping Alex.

 

He envisioned it like a kitten mounting a lion.

 

Was Alex on his back, his legs over Justin's shoulders?

 

Or had he presented himself to Justin on his knees, ass in the air?

 

The ass Brian had never been in. Had no hope of being in.

 

Brian's head was spinning with the image.

 

He was hard as a rock.

 

~~~

 

 

Finally, when Justin got up to have a birthday dance with Daphne, Brian moved over next to Alex. He chose his words carefully. "When you said you'd have sex with him, I didn't know you meant that."

 

Alex shrugged. "It's more important to know how to fuck than to know how to be fucked. How to be fucked is sort of a no-brainer, as long as you're with someone you trust. Fucking takes practice."

 

"And you don't mind him practicing on you?"

 

"Do you know anybody who could teach him more?" Alex smiled.

 

Brian didn't answer. He sipped his drink.

 

"What are you doing later?" Alex asked after a minute.

 

"Nothing special." He watched Justin and Daphne on the dance floor, gyrating.

 

"Good, because he wants to get fucked too, and I want you to do it."

 

Brian spilled his drink on himself.

 

"What's wrong with you tonight?" Alex asked.

 

 

~~~

 

"Why me?" Brian said when he came back from mopping himself off in the bathroom.

 

"I trust you," Alex said simply. He turned as Justin returned from his dance and claimed his mouth once again. Brian had a million questions but Alex was already getting up, coaxed by his boy onto the dance floor.

 

Brian watched them move in rhythm, never taking their eyes off each other, Alex's hand possessively on Justin's hip. Why would he ask Brian to initiate him? Why not do it himself?

 

Why look a gift horse in the mouth?

 

He watched Justin grind himself against Alex in lustful abandon. A sexual equal now, Justin held Alex's ass in both hands as they danced, and Alex allowed it.

 

He was going to do this, Brian decided. He was being invited in. He wasn't going to turn down the invitation.

 

~~~

 

 

"What are the terms?" he asked when Alex came back from the dance floor, leaving Justin between Emmett and Ted.

 

"What makes you think there are terms?" Alex smiled.

 

"With you there are always terms."

 

Alex was not in the least apologetic. "First and foremost, you use a condom."

 

"I always do," Brian said.

 

"Good. I knew you were smart. Second, you seduce him. I'm pretty sure he wants you but I want you to make him feel good about it. Make him feel desirable." He looked up from under his lush lashes. "Court him."

 

It was a charming image, courting Justin. "Okay."

 

"Third, I'm there."

 

"Aren't you always there?" Brian smiled.

 

"I don't necessarily have to participate, but you're not popping his cherry out of my sight either."

 

"You going to hold a gun to my head?" Brian joked.

 

"If you need that to enhance the experience."

 

"Seriously, I would never hurt him."

 

"If I thought you would, you wouldn't be at his party, let alone his bed."

 

Brian nodded. "Is that it?"

 

"I guess so. I'll let you know if I think of something else."

 

"Well, I'll go start courting then, I guess." Brian stood up.

 

"And don't get him drunk."

 

"Yes, dad," Brian said, although not until he was out of Alex's hearing.

 

~~~

 

 

He walked up to Justin and gave him his megawatt Brian Kinney smile. "May I have this dance?" he said.

 

Justin's eyes lit up. "Sure!" He looked at Emmett and Ted. "Sorry."

 

"Not to worry," Emmett said. "If you're both here that means that hunk of a daddy of yours is all alone at the table." He clapped his hands in delight. "I'm sure he'd love some company."

 

"I'm sure," Brian said dryly and led Justin away.

 

Brian pulled Justin close and began to move with the music. Justin settled into the rhythm and smiled up at him, and Brian marveled again at the lovely blue of his eyes. They were shining with the wonderous joy of sexual discovery.

 

"How was it?" Brian asked.

 

Justin knew immediately what he meant. "It was great," he said softly into Brian's ear, although there was no chance of being overheard. "But I think I came too fast."

 

"That's part of being seventeen," Brian told him.

 

"Eighteen," Justin corrected.

 

"Eighteen," Brian smiled. "But what goes along with that is being able to get it up again in record time."

 

Justin grinned. "Yeah."

 

"You're still a virgin, though, you know," Brian told him.

 

Justin blushed, his high color adding to his beauty at that moment. "I know."

 

"There are some things I could teach you, too," Brian went on.

 

"I know what to do. Alex taught me how to get ready and protection and all that."

 

"I could teach you to love it," Brian said.

 

Justin looked at him, his hips undulating, and Brian slipped a hand around to cup his ass and pull him close so their denim-covered cocks ground together and hardened. "I--I know I'd love it with you, but Alex..."

 

"Could be there," Brian finished for him. "I wouldn't mind. He's there when we do everything else." He leaned in so his breath tickled Justin's ear. "I'd love to take your cherry." He took Justin's earlobe in his mouth and sucked briefly. "What do you say?"

 

"When?" was all Justin could manage. His uncertainty was evaporating as his arousal grew.

 

Brian put a hand under his chin and tilted his head back. "I'll go home with you guys tonight, how's that?"

 

Justin nodded, pressing his crotch closer to Brian's. Brian gathered him in for a kiss.

 

They went back to the table hand in hand.

 

"Ready to go?" Alex asked.

 

Justin nodded, his eyes aglow with lust.

 

~~~

 

 

Alex drove home, allowing Brian and Justin the luxury of necking in the backseat. Daphne had declined a ride, saying she'd get one with Michael and whispering to Justin, "Promise to tell me on Monday." He nodded and smiled at her; they had very few secrets and she could read him like a book. She could see the sexual electricity between Brian and Justin was crackling visibly, and she was thrilled for them.

 

Once in the apartment, Brian turned predator, stripping off one garment at a time until he was naked, his eyes never leaving Justin's as he described the delights they would experience together. Justin dropped his clothes and backed toward the bathroom.

 

"I have to get ready..." he explained, a little nervously.

 

Brian followed him. "What are you going to do?" he asked.

 

"Wash up," Justin said, "and get the lube and a condom..."

 

"Fine," Brian said. He'd backed the boy into the bathroom. "But I have my own condom. Wash up, but bring me the lube. Don't lube or stretch yourself. I'll do it."

 

"But..." Justin began.

 

"I'll do it," repeated Brian. He kissed the soft pink lips again. "Trust me."

 

Justin nodded and closed the door.

 

Brian turned back to look inquiringly at Alex. He was pretty sure his seduction was satisfactory, and he was equally sure that if Alex didn't like it, he would not hesitate to say so. Alex smiled. "You're doing good, I like you're style." He thought a minute. "For him," he amended. "Get bossy with me and you'll be sorry."

 

"No kidding," Brian smiled. "Are you joining us?"

 

"I think I'll watch," he said. "His first time shouldn't be a gang bang." Alex pulled the recliner a little closer to the bed.

 

Justin opened the bathroom door and came out, looking from one to the other uncertainly. Alex held out his arms and Justin went gratefully into his embrace. "Is it okay, Daddy?" he asked anxiously.

 

"It's more than okay," Alex replied and kissed him on the mouth. "Go, enjoy," he said and guided him over to Brian.

 

"Stay here," Justin said, grabbing Alex's arm as he turned to go.

 

"It's okay if you want me to go sit and look out the window," Alex teased. "It's okay to want to be alone with a lover."

 

Brian smiled, secretly flattered. A lover.

 

"I'm used to you being here, Daddy," Justin faltered, not wanting to offend Brian, but not wanting Alex out of reach.

 

"It's fine if he sits here," Brian assured him. "Give me the lube." He held out his hand and Justin put a plastic bottle in it. "Now go lie on the bed, on your stomach."

 

"But first, there's something we forgot," Alex said. His voice was serious but his smile was wide.

 

"What?" they both asked.

 

"The birthday spanking, of course."

 

Justin looked at Alex uncertainly. He was too excited to be scared, but too familiar with the concept of spanking to find it something to anticipate with anything other than trepidation.

 

"I thought I'd ask Brian to give it to you," Alex went on, stroking Justin's hair.

 

Brian felt warmth spreading through his groin at the very idea. "Really?" he asked.

 

"Didn't you once tell me that when you played, you gave the spanking?"

 

Brian looked at Justin, his gaze lustful. "Yes."

 

Alex guided Justin forward. "Well, why don't you show me?" he suggested. "It is tradition."

 

Brian was dumbfounded. "You trust me to do this?" he asked in disbelief, reaching for the boy.

 

"Well, if I trust you to fuck him, I guess I should trust you to spank him," Alex said lightly. "Okay by you, Sunshine?"

 

"I trust him, too," Justin said and put his arms around Brian's waist. The head came up and the blue eyes held a tiny doubt. "Just your hand, right?" he said wistfully to Brian.

 

"A birthday spanking is just with a hand," Brian nodded. "And its sole purpose is to work up a nice soft glow on that beautiful ass before I fuck it." Brian kissed the tip of Justin's nose.

 

Justin's hard cock twitched against his leg and Brian looked down, watching a couple of drops of precome ooze from the head.

 

He could see Justin wanted this, and that made Brian wild with desire.

 

"Come on," he whispered. "I want you over my knee." He could barely keep his voice steady.

 

He sat down on the bed and Justin draped himself over his lap. Brian rearranged him, positioning his cock so it was tucked carefully out of the way and sure to get plenty of friction from Brian's strong thighs.He fit perfectly and by raising his right foot just a fraction to angle the youngster, Brian had the ideal target in Justin's luminous round butt.

 

With a last glance at Alex, checking for any signs of disapproval, Brian landed the first swat.

 

It wasn't anything like being spanked as a punishment, Justin realized in surprise. A spanking for a misdeed started hard and got harder, leaving him in a flood of tears and with a hot sore backside.These swats started with surging warmth and built to a heated crescendo and a pleasant sting that immediately dissipated, leaving only arousal behind. He found himself wiggling with pleasure as the heat spread easily into his groin and filled his cock. He absorbed the blows happily and whimpered with disappointment when he heard Brian say "Eighteen" in conclusion.

 

"One to grow on," Justin said and thrust his bottom up fetchingly.

 

Alex smiled to himself. Brian was obviously doing this right.

 

Brian skimmed his hand over the pinkened cheeks. "Ready?"

 

"Yes," Justin panted, braced to thrust.

 

Brian gave him one swat, harder than the rest and at the same time separated his legs so Justin thrust uselessly into air.

 

Justin howled in frustration.

 

"Not yet," Brian scolded. "Don't be in such a rush. Go lie on the bed so I can admire that pretty spanked tush." He bent to place a kiss on it.

 

Justin stretched out on his belly, the beautiful mounds shining pale pink in the light of the bedside lamp, which was the only illumination in the room. Brian switched the lamp off, and that left just the shreds of moonlight that made it through the window for him to see by.

 

"I know what you like," Brian told him and got on the bed.

 

Justin was relaxing at the familiarity of their play, and that remark made him wriggle his ass.

 

Gently Brian parted his buttocks and slipped his tongue between them. He circled the tight rose of Justin's anus with the tip.

 

Justin squealed happily and fisted the pillow. His artless responses made Brian immediately harder and Alex reached for his boy's hand, thrilling at the convulsive clutch of the little fingers. Justin humped at the mattress until Brian quelled him with a warm hand on his back and stopped the rimming long enough to say, "Don't. Don't come that way and I guarantee you'll love coming with my cock in your ass. Be still. You're a man now. Show some self control."

 

Justin obeyed but Brian knew not to prolong the rim job. The boy was only eighteen, after all.

 

"On your back," Brian whispered and Justin lay quiet for a second, then went up on his knees, ass in the air. It was a lovely picture, and Brian was tempted, but he had promised to make this memorable and romantic. "No, Sunshine," he said. "Turn over so I can look in those blue eyes while I fuck you. Go on your back."

 

Justin turned over carefully, so as not to bang his erection on the mattress. Brian knelt gracefully between his legs and draped one long peach-fuzzed limb over each shoulder.

 

Smiling, he squirted the unwarmed lube deliberately between Justin's cheeks, knowing this would lessen the boy's erection enough that he wouldn't come while he was being prepped.

 

"Hey, that's cold!" Justin gasped.

 

"It will heat up fast, you'll see," Brian said confidently. "Just relax."

 

Justin was already loose from Brian's mouth, and now Brian worked his fingers in slowly, allowing the tight young hole to accommodate him gradually, feeling the untried ring of muscle grip his fingers, letting the growing pleasure build until finally Justin released Alex's hand and rubbed circles on Brian's chest, chanting "fuck me, fuck me, fuck me" as he arched onto the fingers.

 

Brian gave him the condom and told him to roll it on him.

 

And then Brian fucked him. The first penetration caused Justin to gasp and panic a little. "It burns..." he said, his eyes tracing a worried path from Brian to Alex and back to Brian again.

 

"It will pass, Sunshine," Alex said before Brian could speak. "Breathe through your nose."

 

And it did pass. And though Brian moved slowly and carefully, the pleasure mounted quickly for them both. Justin's ass bounced in time to Brian's rhythm, and soon there was no burn, only an ecstasy never equaled by penetration by just a finger or a tongue. Brian's cock reached him in wonderful places, every thrust sending sparks of excitement through him, all the way to the tips of his fingers. Justin's erection swelled and throbbed, and when he felt the heat of Brian's semen through the condom he came himself in a great arcing geyser, repeating "Oh, oh, oh!" in time to the creamy spurts. Then he sprawled, arms outstretched, and smiled at Brian as he carefully lowered his legs.

 

"I did it," Justin said happily.

 

"I did it," Brian told him. "You had it done."

 

Justin stuck his tongue out.

 

"Are you okay?" Alex spoke finally. His eyes were uncharacteristically tender as he looked at his boy.

 

"I'm fine," Justin said.

 

"Roll over and let me check you," Alex said.

 

Justin blushed. "I said I was fine."

 

"Do it," Brian advised. "You knew it was coming, so just let him check that I didn't rip you a new one and then we won't have to hear any more about it."

 

Grudgingly, Justin went on his stomach. Alex parted his cheeks gently, then, satisfied that there was no damage, kissed him smack in the middle of his left buttock. "Congratulations, Sunshine," he said. "Now you are a man."

 

"Who still has his Daddy checking his asshole," Justin muttered.

 

"That's right." Alex was unapologetic. "Live with it." He got in the bed next to Justin so the boy was sandwiched between them. "I'd say you had an eventful birthday, Sunshine."

 

"I want you, too, Daddy," Justin said, holding out his arms.

 

"And you'll have me, certainly, but once tonight is enough for a virgin ass." Alex hugged him tightly. "How about you get some sleep now? You have the rest of your life to enjoy this."

 

"Brian didn't see my pastel of you," Justin protested, even as he yawned.

 

Brian had gotten up to discard the condom. "Is this it?" he asked, pointing to a drawing on the counter.

 

"Yes, do you like it?"

 

It was magnificent, Brian thought. Alex was on his right side, one leg up, with his foot flat on the floor. His cock rested sheathed and heavy against his leg, and the missing arm was drawn realistically, but it in no way made the figure unattractive. The expression was that of a weary warrior, scarred but still ready to fight. It was a portrait of someone's hero.

 

"I love it," Brian said and Justin grinned, because Brian was not free with praise.

 

"I'll get it framed for your birthday," Justin promised, his eyes drifting shut.

 

Alex and Brian both kissed him goodnight.

 

 

~~~

 

Brian woke during the night, Justin sprawled on top of him.

 

Alex was gone.

 

The familiar tickle of fear at his absence was replaced by relief when he saw him sitting naked on the window ledge, looking out at nothing. He slipped from Justin's embrace and went to Alex's side.

 

"You okay?"

 

"Sure."

 

Brian felt suddenly unsure of himself. "You don't regret-- I mean, you're not sorry that I...that you let me..."

 

"Deflower my boy?" Alex asked, smiling a little.

 

The smile reassured Brian a little. "Yes."

 

"No, I don't regret it. I wanted it that way."

 

"Why?" As possessive as Alex was, Brian couldn't imagine him giving this privilege away.

 

Alex studied him for a long minute before answering. "Because," he said finally, "your first is always with you, whoever else you're with. Whoever else you take as a lover, you look for something in that person that reminds you of your first. There's nothing in me that I want him to look for in someone else. There is so much in you that would be good for him." Alex made this incredible statement without bitterness, stating it as a fact he believed and was willing to accept for the sake of his boy.

 

Brian stared at him. "I never had anyone think I was good for someone. Some people think the worst thing that could happen to someone is falling in love with me."

 

"Then they are looking for goodness in the wrong place. You're honest, you're smart, you fit in well anywhere. I have found you to be a loyal and devoted friend. You're stable, you own a home, you are responsible, a good citizen. You have no criminal record and you belong to no other person. My Sunshine could do worse than emulate you."

 

Brian looked from the sleeping Justin to Alex, so selfless in his love for the boy that he gave something precious and irretrievable to Brian for the sake of Justin's future.

 

"You are his hero," Brian said softly. "I've never seen anyone love someone like you do, completely without thought for yourself. He couldn't do better than to emulate you."

 

Alex pulled Brian closer and kissed him gratefully.

 

"Do you want something?" Brian reached tentatively for Alex's cock.

 

"No. Thanks, but I'm okay," Alex assured him. "Let's go back to Justin. He shouldn't wake up alone today. After his first time, he should wake up in the arms of a lover."

 

Alex kissed Brian again and they held each other silently for a minute before getting back in bed on either side of Justin. Then reaching across him, the two men joined hands.

 

---

 

Innapropriate Games

 

"You need to hurry, Justin," Alex said from the kitchen table where he sat in his boxers sipping a second cup of coffee.

 

"Brian is driving me," Justin bellowed from the shower. "I have time."

 

"Brian is here," Brian said, "and he wants to get going, brat."

 

"Maybe I won't go to school today," Justin said, yelling over the water. The water pressure wasn't much, so it wasn't hard to be heard anyway.

 

"You know," Alex called back as he tucked lunch money into Justin's backpack, "I read somewhere that a swat on a wet backside hurts three times as much as on a dry one..."

 

"Where did you get that statistic?" Justin asked. "That sounds made up."

 

Alex smiled. "Want to do a little research?"

 

"No," Justin said, although the water stopped a few seconds later.

 

He came out, drying himself, and began to put on his school uniform. "I wish I could stay here and fool around some more," he said wistfully, buttoning his shirt.

 

Alex shook his head. "Exactly how many morning blowjobs does it take to get you off to school without a hard-on?" he asked.

 

"Maybe we could go for a record." Justin threw on his blazer.

 

"I'll give you one in the car if you get a move on," Brian offered.

 

"Keep your seat belt on if you do, Sunshine," Alex said, ruffling his hair. "And don't forget your tie."

 

"How very June Cleaver," Brian remarked. "Don't worry, I won't let the Beave fly through the windshield."

 

Justin put his tie around his neck. "I'll do it up on the way," he said and grabbed his backpack.

 

Alex went to the door to get his kiss goodbye.

 

When he was done, he turned to Brian. "Well, where's my kiss, Wally?" he said.

 

Unexpectedly pleased to be included in their little morning ritual, Brian leaned in and pressed his lips to Alex's. Alex opened his mouth and Brian realized suddenly that it was Justin he was tasting on Alex's tongue.

 

It sent a flush through his whole body.

 

"New cologne?" Alex asked.

 

"Yes. Eternity. Calvin Klein," Brian replied, a little breathlessly.

 

"Nice."

 

"You smell great," Justin said impatiently. "Let's go."

 

Alex smiled. "Better get on the ball." He went back to the kitchen table, flexing the muscles in his broad back.

 

If Justin hadn't shoved Brian out the door, he might not have left at all.

 

~~~

 

 

Brian picked up the phone. "Kinney."

 

"Krycek." Brian felt his heart quicken. It was 3 days since Alex had told him privately that he liked to play inappropriate games. Games that he couldn't play with Justin. Brian had been waiting for this call, and devastated at the thought that the invitation to play along might not have been genuine. That morning's teasing had only made it worse.

 

"What are you doing?" Alex asked, as though he had called up to pass the time.

 

"Working," Brian sighed. Talk about an uninspired answer.

 

"Well, that's good. You are at work."

 

"Yeah." What was wrong with him? He was the king of witty banter and yet he couldn't think of a single intelligent thing to say to Alex.

 

"Sunshine get to school okay?"

 

"Yes."

 

"Is your fly zipped?" Alex asked in the same level tone.

 

Brian paused awkwardly. "What?"

 

"Your fly. Is it zipped?"

 

Nervously, Brian picked up a pencil. He had indulged in sex talk over the phone before, to be sure, but it had never left him light headed and stupid this way. "Well, of course."

 

"Check for me."

 

"Check for you?"

 

"Check for me. With your hand." Alex's voice was deep and resonant.

 

"With my hand?" Brian repeated dumbly.

 

"Yes. Now." Not a request, a command.

 

Brian looked around his office. He was alone, he knew, but he made sure first anyway. And then he lightly touched the front of his pants.

 

"It's zipped."

 

"Good. Are you hard?"

 

Brian almost dropped the phone. "No," he stammered.

 

Alex waited exactly thirty seconds. "Are you hard now?" he asked.

 

Was he ever.

 

"Yes," Brian replied. He could swear he could hear his own heart beating.

 

"Can you meet me at your lunch hour at the Meathook?"

 

"I don't know, I have a meeting at twelve."

 

Alex hung up.

 

Brian buzzed his secretary. "Cancel my twelve o'clock, move it to three. I have a lunch meeting."

 

~~~

 

 

Alex was not there at twelve and Brian had a moment of panic. What if he thought lunch was at one, or worse, at eleven? Brian had just assumed he meant twelve. He paced, looking anxiously up and down the street for Alex.

 

He had his cell out, about to check for messages, when there was a tap on his shoulder. Brian spun around, almost dropping his phone. Alex stood there smiling.

 

"Kind of jumpy, aren't you?" he asked.

 

"I thought I had the time wrong," Brian said, embarrassed.

 

"No, you're good." Alex nodded toward the club. "Ever been here?"

 

"Of course." Brian was smug.

 

"Upstairs?"

 

Brian's face fell. "There's an upstairs?"

 

Now Alex looked smug. "That's what I thought. Come on."

 

~~~

 

 

There certainly was an upstairs, and after a conversation between Alex and one of the bouncers, they were ushered to one of the four rooms above the club. The Meathook was open, there were activities all day and night until 4 AM, but the upstairs was deserted. Brian had felt very sophisticated being able to say he played at the Meathook, but looking around the immaculate playroom, he felt like a novice. While he was enthusiastically spanking a twink and thinking he was something, elaborate scenes had been playing out one floor above.

 

Alex took off his jacket and put it aside. There was a chest of drawers against one wall, a bed against another. He opened a drawer and began taking out plastic packages to examine their contents.

 

"How much experience do you have?" Alex asked as he sorted his choices.

 

"Plenty, as the doer," Brian said. He tried uneasily to see what Alex had picked. "None as the done to."

 

Alex smiled. "Except what I've done to you."

 

After a minute, Brian said, "Yes."

 

"Any triggers? Things you don't like?"

 

"Pain," Brian replied. "Not getting off. Anything that musses my clothes."

 

"Well, we'll make sure that last doesn't happen," Alex said. "Undress."

 

Brian sighed. "I walked right into that one." He loosened his tie and unbuttoned his jacket. "What about the other two?"

 

"You have a safeword, don't you?" Alex looked at him. "And if you don't, pick one."

 

"Bonanza," Brian said.

 

"Bonanza?"

 

Brian shrugged. "I had a thing for Hoss." He folded his clothes neatly and put them on the only chair. "And what about getting off?" he asked.

 

"Well, we'll see how good you are today," Alex said. He looked him over with an appraising eye. "I think today I mostly want to look at you. And touch you. You are a very beautiful man."

 

Brian smiled. Piece of cake.

 

~~~

 

 

Or maybe not.

 

The first thing Brian discovered was that he was the only one who was going to be naked. Alex removed his jacket and nothing else.

 

When he protested, he found that he was also expected to be silent.

 

"Why can't I talk?" he asked.

 

"Because I want to hear your little moans and gasps when I touch you, and I can't if you are running your mouth," Alex told him.

 

"What am I going to be gasping about?" Brian asked.

 

"Kneel down on the bed and be quiet and you might find out."

 

"On the bed?"

 

"We'll give your knees a break. My back, too," Alex smiled. "Here, in the middle." He patted the bed.

 

Brian looked at the implements on the dresser. He could make out a paddle, a short leather strap and a school cane, all sealed in plastic to show they were clean. "What are they for?" he asked nervously. Maybe he'd bitten off more than he could chew.

 

"I was just looking at what was here," Alex replied.

 

"Are you going to use any of those today?"

 

"Not if you're a good boy," Alex smiled. "And I think you want to be good for me, don't you?"

 

"Yes," Brian admitted, and it was true. More than anything right now, he wanted to please Alex. He just wasn't sure how to do it.

 

Brian knelt up where Alex indicated, licking his lips nervously.

 

Alex looked at him from every angle, ran his hands down his back and over his ass.

 

Brian squirmed. "Hey, that tickles."

 

"Just two rules today," Alex said. "No talking and be still. For every three minutes you can do that, I'll rim you for a minute and a half." He put his watch on the bed where he could see it.

 

Brian perked up. That sounded easy. He'd get off in no time.

 

 

~~~

 

Twenty minutes later, Alex's tongue still had been nowhere near Brian's ass.

 

"This is ridiculous!" Brian cried. "I don't see the point in this, I can't even get hard."

 

"Nobody says you have to see the point in this," Alex told him levelly. "This is for my pleasure and I'm hard."

 

"Great. You're not even undressed." Being naked while Alex was completely clothed made Brian terribly self-conscious about his nudity, and that was not a feeling he was used to.

 

"How I take my pleasure is no concern of yours," Alex went on. "You have only two things you need to do. Be still and be quiet. I can help you with both if you need me to."

 

"I don't need any fucking help," Brian replied. He shifted restlessly.

 

"Perhaps you would be better on the floor," Alex suggested.

 

"No." Brian looked at him sullenly. He loathed the idea of kneeling on the floor.

 

"Well, then let's try again." Alex stood behind Brian and appraised the lovely line his back made before it bloomed into the glorious curve of his ass.

 

Brian tolerated this almost two minutes before he burst out, "You said you were hard, why don't you fuck me? You're back there and I don't know what you're doing, god damn it."

 

"You have to trust me," Alex said quietly.

 

"I do trust you but I want to see you, too."

 

"You have forgotten the silence rule," Alex prompted.

 

"Fuck the silence rule!" Brian wanted something to happen. This quiet appraisal unnerved him.

 

Alex crossed over to the dresser.

 

"No!" Brian cried in a panic and went after him. "Don't! I'm sorry! I'll get it right! Give me another chance! Please don't hit me."

 

Alex stopped and looked at him in surprise.

 

Brian shrank back from his expression. "Are you going to use one of those things on me?" Damn his voice for shaking like that.

 

Alex touched his cheek gently. "Of course not. What do you think, that I'm going to paddle you because you can't hold still? Spank you for not trusting me? Cane you for speaking?"

 

"I don't know..." Brian felt like a fool but he actually didn't know what to expect.

 

"I'm just going to help you," Alex said and took out a set of restraints.

 

Brian's eyes grew wide. "You think you're going to tie me up?"

 

"I know I'm going to tie you up," Alex corrected. "Unless you safeword. This will help you keep still. Now kneel back on the bed."

 

Slowly, Brian got back on the mattress on his knees. He looked at Alex uncertainly. "I don't know about this..."

 

"The no talking rule is still in effect," Alex reminded him, "except for your safeword." He took one pair of restraints, two padded leather cuffs attached by a short piece of braided leather, and showed them to Brian.

 

After a moment, Brian held his wrists out in front of him.

 

Alex shook his head. "Hands at your sides," he said.

 

"It won't reach," Brian protested.

 

"This is the last time I'm going to remind you that you are to be silent."

 

Brian blushed at the reproving tone.

 

"Hands at your sides," Alex repeated. "Let me worry about what will reach and what won't."

 

Brian put his arms at his sides.

 

Alex clamped one cuff on Brian's left wrist then quickly fastened the other to his left ankle. Brian stared in disbelief. His left side was immobile.

 

When Alex took out a second identical pair to put on the right side, Brian went crazy.

 

"Are you nuts? I won't be able to move!" he cried, kneeling up off balance and almost falling off the bed.

 

Alex caught him and slapped his ass hard. The sound was a loud sharp crack and Brian stopped his fit immediately, tears of shame filling his eyes. Such a simple thing as being quiet and still and he couldn't manage it without being restrained, and even then he rebelled so much he was punished. His head drooped. He wouldn't be surprised if Alex left him there in disgrace. He just couldn't do this. Why had he even tried?

 

Alex helped him back into position.

 

"I'm sorry," Brian whispered, head hanging. "But it's not fair. You said you wouldn't hit me for not being able to keep still."

 

"I didn't," Alex replied. "I did not hit you, first of all. I gave you one swat and it was not for your failure, but for making such a fuss. Now, if you want to stop, safeword. But if you want to continue, realize that I won't tolerate another performance like that. If it happens again you will get a spanking, and then I'll send you home." He fastened the other cuffs. "Now, I have a ball gag if you think you need it. But I would hate to muffle your sounds of pleasure if you do manage to earn a rimming at some point. Shall I put it on you or will you try to do better?"

 

Brian looked at him sadly and shook his head.

 

"Good boy. You got that right. You didn't speak. I'm proud of you." Alex smiled, and Brian's cock twitched a little at the praise.

 

Alex stroked his back and Brian moved a fraction, felt the tug of the cuffs and stopped. Alex continued to stroke, starting at Brian's neck, bringing his hand down his back, skimming his backside and cupping his balls. Brian breathed deeply, grunting occasionally when Alex found a sensitive spot.

 

"Okay," Alex said finally. "Lean over, shoulders on the mattress. Put your bottom in the air."

 

Brian almost asked why, but the tug of the restraints reminded him this was not allowed. He looked at Alex imploringly. How could he have earned more punishment, he wondered; he had barely moved and he hadn't spoken. It had taken everything he had but he knew he hadn't fucked up yet.

 

"It's okay, baby," Alex said reassuringly. "You made it to three minutes. I'm proud of you. I just want to give you your first reward. Now bend over for me."

 

Sighing in relief, Brian gracefully raised his butt in the air. Alex still wore his prosthesis, so he had no trouble spreading the enticing cheeks to expose Brian's hole, which visibly dilated in anticipation. Brian moaned at the first touch of Alex's tongue on that sensitive spot, and keened as it continued. Ripples from the contact ran up his spine and outward into every nerve. He whimpered when the licking stopped and wiggled his bottom, mutely begging for more.

 

"First you be good for me for another three minutes," Alex said and raised him back up. "Then I'll do it again." This time he came around in front of Brian and took one nipple between his thumb and forefinger, tugging gently.

 

Brian held position while his nipples were rolled and pinched in turn. He breaths became gasps as they became hard and red. Then Alex patted Brian's cheek.

 

"Excellent. Now you get more tongue. Like this game now?"

 

Brian nodded. He liked this game now. Oh yes.

 

They continued, Alex exploring and playing, Brian bending over at regular intervals for his reward. Brian's cock stiffened and dripped onto the sheet, and it was hard not to beg for relief or thrust into Alex's hand when he wrapped it around the shaft of his penis and rubbed the head with his thumb. But Brian managed it, finding a self control within himself that he didn't realize he possessed. His shoulders and chest glistened with sweat, and his body quivered with the effort, but when Alex leaned over and licked the precum from the purpling head of his cock, he held steady, a long protracted moan the only indication of his suffering. His eyes looked into Alex's with desperate need and Alex ran one hand lovingly over his belly.

 

"Bend over. You've done well. I'm so pleased with you." He released the cuffs with a practiced flick of a finger. "Brace yourself on the bed with your hands. Do not touch your cock. And see that it doesn't touch the bed."

 

Before Brian could forget and utter a single disobedient word of protest at this order, the probing tongue was at his hole, delving inside with a new urgency. Brian groaned loudly as it continued, thrusting his ass up in supplication. Suddenly Alex stood and Brian heard his zipper come down, freeing the cock that had strained in its denim prison all this time. There was a ripping sound, a condom foil was tossed on the bed, then the sheathed cockhead touched Brian's hole and then impaled him. He screamed out in ecstasy as he was finally, finally filled and clutched handfuls of the bedspread. Alex's hand came around and gripped Brian's penis with a sparsely lubed palm, stroking firmly, and Brian shot his load with an intensity that left him limp, unaware of Alex's climax, unable even to get his legs out from underneath himself.

 

Alex helped Brian lie down, massaging his limbs, which had grown stiff in the position he'd been asked to maintain. Alex discarded the condom he'd worn and brought Brian a bottle of water to sip. "You did so well," Alex said, rubbing his back and keeping a supporting hand behind him as he drank. "You can be proud of yourself."

 

Brian beamed at him. The radiance of his smile made him look almost as young as Justin.

 

When Brian had finished the water, Alex lay down beside him. "Rest with me for a minute," he invited, and kissed him.

 

Brian closed his eyes and settled into Alex's arms. He couldn't ever remember feeling such a sense of accomplishment. He dozed off, utterly happy and satisfied.

 

 

~~~

 

They woke up several hours later.

 

"I have to get home," Alex said.

 

"I better call the office." Brian had uncharacteristically turned off his cell phone while they were playing and there were several frantic messages from his secretary. He'd missed his meeting but didn't care.

 

He grabbed Alex's arm as he rose from the bed.

 

"Can we do this again sometime?" he asked.

 

Alex leaned over and kissed him. "Of course."

 

 

~~~

 

Justin was home when Alex got there, food ready on the stove.

 

"Where were you?" Justin asked. "I thought we were eating early so we could go to the movies tonight."

 

"We can still make it," Alex said. "Is your homework done?"

 

"Yes." Justin sniffed cautiously. Cologne. Alex didn't wear cologne, never did. He often had to cloak himself from all the senses, and wearing cologne was an amateur's mistake.

 

But Brian wore cologne all the time. Wasn't that the scent Alex had commented on this morning?

 

"Did you see Brian today?" Justin asked carefully.

 

"Yes, at lunch." Alex went in the bathroom. "I'll be right out. Just going to wash up. Put out the food if you want. I'm hungry."

 

His answer had been straightforward, not evasive, yet Justin was left feeling bereft.

 

Why had he seen Brian at lunch? Brian hadn't mentioned planning to meet him in the car that morning.

 

They must have made their plans after he was in school.

 

So he wouldn't know.

 

That could mean only one thing.

 

His Daddy was playing without him.

 

 

~~~

 

He confided this tragedy to Daphne.

 

"Brian is gorgeous," she pointed out objectively. "You can hardly blame Alex."

 

"I know," Justin said. "But Brian can come over anytime and fool around. Why does he need Alex all to himself?"

 

"I don't know," Daphne said. "But maybe somebody else knows. Mikey or Emmett or..."

 

"Debbie!" Justin cried. "Debbie knows everything!"

 

 

~~~

 

He had to force out tears to get her to talk, but Debbie finally told him she'd heard they'd been seen at the Meathook.

 

"That's a rough place, Sunshine. They probably didn't want to expose you to that crowd. Don't be upset. It was only once, I think. Maybe they were just feeling nostalgic."

 

Debbie offered tissues, donuts and reassurances, but nothing alleviated Justin's horror at Alex's betrayal.

 

He was too much of a baby to satisfy his daddy. It had happened before, when Alex wanted a hard ride and he took Brian instead of Justin because he had no qualms about using Brian that way. Justin had learned to accept that and Alex always made it up to him later. But this was different. They'd gone out of their way to go behind his back. And that pissed him off big time.

 

He'd show them who was a baby.

 

 

~~~

 

When Brian arrived to go to dinner that night, Justin was standing slumped in the corner, bottom lip out.

 

"Misbehaving again, Sunshine?" he asked. He kissed Alex hello and went to do the same to Justin.

 

"Fuck you, don't call me Sunshine," Justin growled, pulling away.

 

"Justin, that's the same attitude that put you there in the first place," Alex said sternly.

 

Justin made a face but closed his mouth. He loathed standing in the corner and did not want to prolong his sentence.

 

"What's wrong with him?" Brian asked.

 

"I don't know, he's been in an evil mood since he got home from school. But don't tease him and make it worse," Alex admonished.

 

"Are we still going to the diner?"

 

"That depends on Justin." Alex addressed the reluctant penitent. "Do you think you can behave yourself now?"

 

"Yes," Justin replied sullenly, mainly because any other answer would leave him there.

 

"If I hear that language directed at me again," Alex warned, "I will brush your teeth with the bath soap."

 

Justin didn't make any promises, but didn't protest either. No sense begging for it.

 

"Now go get ready for dinner. You're lucky I don't leave you at home."

 

That's getting to be a habit, Justin thought and headed for the bathroom to wash up. He left the door slightly ajar and was rewarded by hearing a brief exchange.

 

"Tomorrow one o'clock still good for you?"

 

"Yes, I cleared the afternoon."

 

Tomorrow, thought Justin. Well, I'll show them.

 

 

~~~

 

Justin cut his last three classes and was at the Meathook a little after one. He got in easily - his fake ID was accepted without a problem and his school uniform was thought to be a fetish costume, and a clever one at that. He took a seat at the bar and ordered a coke.

 

Suddenly the manager, a nervous fussy fellow, came in and flung his daily planner on the bar. "That bitch Charles canceled at the last minute again. I swear, he thinks he's too cute to fire, but he's wrong!"

 

The bartender, used to the manager's dramatics, merely nodded in sympathy.

 

"Now who will I get?" The manager threw his hands in the air. "He should have gone on in ten minutes."

 

Justin had intended to sit there and wait for Alex and Brian to show themselves That would prove to them they couldn't sneak around on him! But listening to this conversation gave him an even better idea.

 

If they came in and saw Justin dancing on the stage, that should cut short their little tryst rather quickly. Surely Alex would consider him a priority and take him home immediately. Of course there would be consequences when they got there, but at least he would have Alex, and Brian wouldn't.

 

"I'll do it," Justin said to the manager.

 

The man looked at him disdainfully. "Do you have any experience dancing for an audience?"

 

"I'm blond and I have a great ass. What more do you need from a last minute replacement?"

 

It was all the persuasion the desperate man needed.

 

The bartender was uncomfortable though. The kid looked too young and, more than that, he looked familiar.

 

 

~~~

 

Upstairs, oblivious to the scene unfolding in the main room, Alex had Brian restrained again, in the same position as the previous time they'd played. Brian's backside was slightly pink from the brief paddling he had received when he tried to refuse the restraints. Alex had made it perfectly clear that Brian would either safeword or obey or the lesson would be repeated.

 

So now Alex was pushing a small plug into Brian's hole and Brian was trying very hard to receive it, but it was a job in itself not to tense up at the invasion. The restraints were actually helping, he realized, because he could not move or fight, so all he needed to do was concentrate on relaxing his internal muscles. He breathed deeply, relieved. It was so much easier to cooperate when there was no other choice.

 

"Do you need more lube?" Alex asked.

 

Brian shook his head and then smiled proudly. He had remembered not to speak.

 

"Good boy," Alex praised him. "You take just a little more and I'll let you suck me."

 

~~~

 

 

Downstairs, Justin mounted the stage to a smattering of whistles and applause. There was a fair crowd there for the middle of the day, but it was Friday and some of the patrons were starting their weekend early.

 

Justin had undressed on the side of the stage, a chair for his clothes the only concession to the need for a dressing area. His white briefs were not especially sexy, but they were what he had on, so they would have to do. The music started and he went out on stage and started to dance, rotating his hips, hoping it looked good. As he got used to the bright lights and could see the men looking at him, he closed his eyes and pretended he was at Babylon, dancing between Brian and Alex. His gyrating was nothing special, but that was not what most of the audience was there for. The cheers grew louder.

 

About the time someone tossed a chair on stage and told Justin to "Get where we can see you!" the bartender suddenly remembered where he'd seen the boy before.

 

He was the kid Alex Krycek had hauled out of the place almost a year ago.

 

Rumor had it that the kid was living with him now. Alex was real protective of him, too. Never let him go anywhere alone.

 

Yet here he was.

 

And Alex was upstairs.

 

Oh, this wasn't good. Somebody had to get that kid out of there. There'd be hell to pay.

 

The bartender tucked a corner of his apron into his waistband, signaling that he was off duty, and headed for the performance. The crowd had pushed forward, so it took a few minutes, but at last the man reached the stage.

 

"Hey you! Kid!" he shouted. "Get lost! Get out now!"

 

Justin ignored him.

 

Well, maybe he hadn't heard.

 

With great difficulty the man inched his way around and got backstage.

 

"Kid!" he bellowed, and this time he knew he'd been heard because the boy looked right at him. "You've got to get out of here!" he said. "Your Daddy's upstairs."

 

Justin stuck his nose in the air defiantly.

 

"Kid, did you hear me? Your daddy's going to have a fit!"

 

"Who cares?" Justin said loftily. "He shouldn't have come here without me."

 

The bartender stood thinking for a minute and then reluctantly made his way to the stairs.

 

 

~~~

 

Alex was tending to Brian when the knock came on the door. He was dressed except for his boots and jacket while Brian was naked, his ass still singing from the recently removed butt plug. He had given Alex an expert blowjob though and been given one in return as a reward for retaining the plug until Alex came. Since Alex's mouth was a treat usually reserved for Justin, Brian was doubly pleased with himself.

 

Then they heard the knock. Alex picked up his gun which was never out of his reach.

 

"Alex? It's Bob. I just thought you should know, your kid is here, that blond one."

 

"Justin is here?" Alex asked incredulously.

 

"He's downstairs puttin' on a show for the patrons. Thought you'd want to know."

 

Alex stuck the gun in the holster in the small of his back and reached for his boots.

 

Panicking at the expression on Alex's face, Brian made it down to the floor before Alex by simply dragging on his pants and running ahead. Whether this broke any rules, he had no idea. By rights he supposed he should have allowed Alex to precede him, but if he could just get Justin off the stage it might be possible to keep the earth from falling in on him.

 

The second Brian spotted him, he realized it was a futile hope. Justin was shaking his ass in the middle of the stage, clad in his white boy's department briefs and nothing else. The outline of his cock was clearly visible and his sac peeked out of the leg openings as he moved. He was standing on a chair, the better to be seen by the patrons in the back, bumping and grinding with his arms held aloft.

 

He didn't hear Brian screaming his name until the third try.

 

By that time it was too late; Alex had made his way through the crowd none too gently. Brian, seeing the fire in his eyes, backed away without realizing it, but he was not the target. Without breaking stride as he got nearer the stage, Alex vaulted onto it and headed straight for Justin.

 

Justin, in mid-grind, smiled a triumphant greeting and jumped off the chair to throw his arms around his lover, then thought twice about it when he saw the expression on his daddy's face. When he saw Alex reposition the chair and sit down in it, he suddenly recalled something Alex had once threatened: "And if I ever go into a club again and find you there without permission, shaking your half naked ass like a hula dancer on crack, I will give those patrons a show they'll never forget."

 

Showtime.

 

A split second too late, Justin turned to run, but Alex caught him by the elastic of his underpants and snatched him off his feet like a naughty kitten who'd ignored the litter box. Justin did all but scratch and spit, but there was no escape and he landed across Alex's lap with a thud that knocked the wind out of him for a minute. Alex took advantage of that minute to pull the inelegant white briefs up tightly so the material bunched into the cleft of his ass. This effectively bared his bottom for punishment while not exposing any of his more private parts.

 

"What are you doing?" Justin cried in a panic, when he could talk. "Don't do that!" He grabbed for his underwear and Alex slapped his hand away.

 

"Nothing doing, Sunshine. You want to display this cute little ass, fine. Let's pretty it up a little, OK?" Alex whacked him smartly. "Yes, pink is your color, I think." He whacked him again, harder.

 

Justin was mortified. He had expected punishment, certainly, and was willing, though reluctant, to trade that for Alex's undivided attention. He had not expected to be spanked at the scene of his crime. No one but Brian had ever been present when he was punished, and this crowd, thinking they were witnessing a planned brat scene, cried out for his blood. One helpful member of the audience went so far as to offer a small paddle to Alex with the admonishment to do the job right.

 

"I don't need anything except my hand to do this job right," Alex said grimly.

 

He was correct. The spanking was quick, hard, and very effective. Alex concentrated his attention on a single spot smack in the middle of Justin's right cheek. His aim was unerring, and the heat built up in this palm-sized area until Justin thought it would ignite into flames. He yelled, he kicked, he tried to push off Alex's lap with his elbows, but he was pinned securely and couldn't even shift to make the blows land on a different place, so finally he just went limp and cried into his hands, hoping that would move Alex to take pity on him.

 

"Alex, that's enough," Brian pleaded as the spanked spot neared the deeper end of the red spectrum. He was about to climb on stage to stop him when Alex glanced up, giving him a look that had frozen many an enemy far better armed than Brian.

 

"Right there," he said sternly. "You stay right there. Come nearer with that nonsense and you'll get the same."

 

Before Brian could decide whether it was worth it to defy Alex in order to be a hero to Justin, Alex stopped abruptly and adjusted Justin's underwear. He'd had enough of these strangers oogling his boy's ass, he decided. This could be continued in private. He helped Justin to his feet. "Where are your clothes?"

 

"B-backstage. R-right on the s-side. On a ch-chair." The spanked spot on Justin's behind burned as though he'd backed into a hot stove, and he clutched at it. His face was wet with tears, his nose was streaming, and he didn't even have a sleeve to use to wipe it on.

 

Alex dragged him into the relative privacy of the tiny stage wing, took his handkerchief from his back pocket and dabbed under Justin's eyes. Then he folded it and held it to his nose. "Blow." Justin blew hard, twice.

 

When he had his boy cleaned up, Alex turned to the crumbled pile of clothing lying on the only chair. Recognizing Justin's school uniform, he picked up the blazer and stared at it for a minute before asking, "Justin, did you cut school to come here and display yourself?"

 

Justin weighed the relative danger of lying versus admitting to cutting classes and wisely decided on the truth. "Only the last three periods."

 

Furious, Alex picked up the tee shirt and jerked it over Justin's head as though he were dressing a recalcitrant toddler.

 

"I'll dress myself!" Justin said rebelliously.

 

"You'll keep still while I dress you," Alex shot back and jammed Justin's arm into his white dress shirt.

 

Justin pulled it out again. "Give me my shirt!" he demanded.

 

Alex popped him smartly on the rear. "Be still, I said."

 

Justin's eyes flooded as the pain in his backside awakened. "You embarrassed me out there," he said tearfully.

 

"Really? Watching you dance, I didn't think it was possible to embarrass you." He held out the shirt. "Put it on."

 

He was holding out the uniform slacks for Justin to step into when Brian reached them. Alex spoke without looking at him.

 

"Go back to our room and dress."

 

"I just wanted to get him off the stage..." Brian started to explain.

 

"I know what you wanted to do. The fact remains you dashed out here shirtless and barefoot and thereby announced to the room you were playing sub games. Now go back and dress before more people see you."

 

"I just wanted to help..."

 

"I am the Master and I don't need your help here," Alex told him.

 

Silenced, Brian turned to go.

 

"And bring that cane back with you," Alex added.

 

Brian hesitated. "The short cane?"

 

"Yes."

 

"The one you left in the package?" Brian was stalling for time and Alex knew it.

 

"Yes, the one I left in the package. Now. Go."

 

"Who is it for?" Brian asked. His feet felt frozen to the floor.

 

"You, if you don't move it, now go." Alex spun Justin around and pulled up his pants, holding him around the waist with his prosthetic arm and zipping his fly with his right hand.

 

"I can do it," Justin protested, trying to squirm away.

 

Alex released him. "Finish then and be quick about it." He looked at Brian. "Get moving before I come and dress you, too." Brian took off.

 

"Are...are you going to cane me?" Justin asked nervously as he pulled on his socks and toed into his shoes.

 

"There's a good possibility," Alex told him. "But not here, I'm not giving tutorials. Put on your blazer. You can put the tie in your pocket."

 

He led him off the stage by the hand amidst catcalls and creative ideas for further correction. Most patrons seemed supremely satisfied to see the arrogant young stripper reduced to a crying schoolboy with his shirttail hanging out, and applauded Alex's actions.

 

"Show's over," Alex said shortly to the well wishers. "Your suggestions have been filed."

 

Brian caught up to them at the front desk with the cane under his arm. The manager, thinking the whole thing had been part of the show, stopped them.

 

"I owe the boy money for the entertainment," he said.

 

Alex glared at him. "Will it cover the cost of the cane I'm taking?" he asked.

 

The man looked uncertain. "Well, I don't know, that's good quality, my toys are the best..."

 

"Really?" Suddenly the man was pinned to the wall, Alex's arm across his throat. "Well, your hiring practices suck. This boy is eighteen. There is no way he should be in here, let alone on that stage." Alex's voice had deepened and his gaze was steady now. "Now I asked you, does it cover it?" The manager decided it would be a good thing to hasten Alex's departure.

 

"Sure, no problem," he agreed hoarsely. "Sorry about the mix-up."

 

"Hey, I earned that money!" Justin protested unwisely.

 

"The only thing you might earn is a second trip over my knee," Alex told him. "And if that becomes the case I think it only fitting that you pay for the implement you're punished with."

 

Anticipating a ride home trying to balance on one butt cheek made Justin ornery. "That sucks!" he declared.

 

"Keep it up," Alex invited darkly. "It can get worse." He turned back to the manager. "He comes in here again, you throw him out, understand? Because if I ever see him on that stage again, the entertainment for the day will be you."

 

Taking advantage of the commotion between Alex and the unfortunate employer of barely legal exotic dancers, Brian leaned in to whisper in Justin's ear. "Don't worry, I won't let him cane you."

 

To his surprise Justin turned on him with a snarl. "Don't do me any favors. I got what I want, I got him back. I don't care what else happens."

 

The car ride back was completely silent.

 

 

~~~

 

The silence continued until they were all in the apartment. Brian and Justin stood waiting while Alex threw the cane on the table and looked from one to the other. Finally he spoke.

 

"Face the wall," he said to Justin

 

Justin looked at him. Alex wasn't one for formal punishment rituals like corner time or lines. He had no patience for these methods, usually. He was a man of action. Now twice in as many days he had doled out this penalty. "Why do I have to stand in the corner?" Justin asked sulkily.

 

"I want to talk to Brian privately."

 

Justin made a face. "You better make sure you stick his face in the corner when you talk to me," he grumbled as he positioned himself.

 

Alex was at his side in three strides. "What was that?"

 

Justin cautiously put his hands behind him. "Nothing."

 

"Move your hands."

 

Sighing dejectedly, Justin folded his hands in front of him, very conscious that this left his sore bottom vulnerable.

 

Mollified by his quick obedience, Alex left him there and returned to Brian.

 

Realizing how close he'd come to a second spanking, Justin put his forehead against the wall and said nothing else.

 

"Come here," Alex said to Brian, and Brian came immediately to stand before him. He was nervous, but he knew for certain that disobeying would not help him.

 

Alex looked at him seriously before he spoke. "When you are subbing, your Master is responsible for you. It was not your place to run off to fix the situation."

 

"I was just worried about Justin," Brian said honestly, seriously upset by his failure. "I couldn't believe he was there, I didn't know what you would do. I didn't mean to do anything wrong."

 

"I know that, but you need to trust me when we play, and that means waiting for my instructions, trusting me to keep you safe. When you're subbing you may be naked, restrained, vulnerable. And I will always take care of you first. But I need to know you will accept that and believe that, or I can't trust you."

 

Brian nodded in mute acceptance.

 

"I also take exception to the idea that you fear for Justin's safety at my hands."

 

Brian flushed, but honesty made him point out, "There was the time with the gun when you lost your temper..."

 

Alex considered this a moment. "I can see how that influenced what you did," he said finally. "But in the future, you need to be less impulsive."

 

"Okay," Brian agreed.

 

"Alright, that's all."

 

"That's it?" Brian couldn't believe it.

 

"That's it."

 

Brian retreated, astonished at his luck.

 

Alex walked over to Justin. "As for you..."

 

Justin turned to look at him.

 

"What were you doing there? What was that for? Did you need money for something?"

 

"No."

 

"Were you meeting someone?"

 

Justin shook his head.

 

"Well, what then?" Alex asked, exasperated.

 

Justin shrugged.

 

"I am disturbed by how little regard you have for your own safety."

 

Justin frowned. "I was safe."

 

Alex looked skeptical. "What if one of the patrons decided he liked what he saw and tried to help himself?"

 

"I can take care of myself," Justin said. "Besides, if there was a problem I couldn't handle, all I would have had to do was run upstairs to you."

 

The statement hung in the air for a tense second. Then, "What was that?" Alex asked sharply.

 

"What?" Justin was confused by the change in tone.

 

"What did you just say?"

 

Justin had to think before he could repeat. "If there was a problem I couldn't handle, all I had to do was run upstairs to you..." Justin stopped, realizing his mistake too late. His suddenly flushed face sealed his guilt.

 

"So you knew I was there?" Alex said flatly. Justin didn't answer right away. When he finally opened his mouth, Alex held up a warning hand. "Be careful, Justin."

 

Justin knew he was being cautioned not to lie. "Yes," he said finally, unable to meet Alex's eyes. "I knew."

 

"And so this...performance of yours... This was for attention," Alex went on quietly.

 

"Yes," Justin repeated quietly.

 

"To force my attention on you instead of Brian."

 

"Yes." The word was barely audible.

 

"Well, then. I would hate to disappoint you. You will have my attention." He stood, his face controlled but angry. "Bring me that cane. I can see that I was wrong to spare you when you deserve a hard punishment. It has made you spoiled and self centered and willing to do anything to get your way."

 

Justin looked up, his eyes widened in horror. "Daddy, please...not that..."

 

"Now, Justin." Alex's tone left no room for argument.

 

Justin winced in anticipation, his hand straying instinctively to protect his backside. As slowly as he could he went and picked up the cane. He looked pleadingly at Brian who opened his mouth and quickly shut it when Alex glared at him. Brian sat down on the couch, poised uncertainly, not sure if his intervention would make things worse. Besides, he thought, Justin had told him he didn't care if he was caned or not, as long as he achieved his goal of stopping Alex from playing with Brian. And he'd done that.

 

Alex held out his hand and Justin came and reluctantly placed the cane in it. He put his arms around Alex's waist and snuggled in tight. "I love you, Daddy," he said.

 

"And I love you," Alex said simply, rubbing his back. "It gives me great pain to punish you this way."

 

"Then you don't have to," Justin said, his face pushed into Alex's chest, his voice muffled. "Please, Daddy, you don't have to. I'm sorry. Please don't spank me with that cane. I'll get your belt..."

 

Alex pried Justin off. "Enough now," he said, making his features stern again. "No more useless begging. Bend over for me." Alex pointed to the recliner, then tapped the cane against his palm expectantly.

 

Justin's eyes filled and he tried one last time for sympathy. "I'm afraid it's going to hurt a lot," he said, his voice barely a whisper.

 

Alex was impassive. "Well, let me put your mind at rest then. It will."

 

Forsaking all hope, Justin put his hand on the top button of his pants and looked at Alex questioningly through tear-stained lashes.

 

"You may keep them up. I am quite certain I can make this memorable without baring you," Alex said.

 

That was hardly reassuring. Shaking, Justin bent over the arm of the recliner and closed his eyes. Brian forced himself to watch as Alex brought the cane whistling down to connect sharply with Justin's bottom.

 

"Ow," Justin wailed miserably and stood up to clutch his backside. Without hesitation, Alex bent him back over, holding him down firmly. "Don't move. Hands out of the way." Reluctantly, Justin obeyed.

 

Again the cane whistled and Justin smothered a second cry into his palms, his body trembling with the effort to hold position.

 

Brian stood up, no longer uncertain. "He's had enough," he said. "Let him up."

 

Alex looked at him as though he'd forgotten he was there. "It is not your decision," he replied coldly.

 

For a minute he and Alex glared at each other.

 

Then Brian came over to the recliner, hoping he didn't look as afraid as he felt.

 

At the same time Alex released Justin. His point had been made and nothing more would be achieved by a confrontation. Brian looked determined and Alex did not want to hurt him.

 

Justin stood up carefully and looked back and forth between them, not sure what he was expected or allowed to do. Not taking his eyes off Alex, Brian pulled Justin close and rubbed his backside, and Justin leaned against him gratefully, resentment forgotten. "You're too harsh," Brian said to Alex with a trace of disgusted scorn. "So he wiggled his baby ball sac at a few people, what's the big deal?"

 

"And you showed them my butt," Justin accused Alex indignantly. "I wasn't going to take my underpants off. That was as far as I was going to go."

 

Brian quickly moved him out of Alex's reach. "Be quiet," he said. One of them lipping off at a time was enough.

 

Alex hesitated before he spoke. "I am appalled at both of you," he said finally. "I am shocked at your... immodesty."

 

They both stared at him. "Immodesty?" Justin said finally, trying unsuccessfully to suppress a grin.

 

"What's so funny?" Alex demanded.

 

"Immodesty." Justin repeated. "You sound like my grandmother. Like I forgot to put on a petticoat or something. It's worse than when you say that Russian shit."

 

Alex, furious with himself, turned away to hide the blush that suffused his face. Despite years of using English, despite how carefully it had been cultivated into him until even a careful observer would swear it was his native tongue, he occasionally had trouble expressing a thought exactly the way he wanted to. He had wanted to say he was shocked at their whorish behavior, but could not bring himself to use the word 'whore' with respect to his boy. The Russian equivalent, shavala, was a joke to Justin, who had once suggested Alex have it printed on a tee shirt for him to wear to save him the trouble of saying it. And so he had searched his mind for an acceptable substitute and unfortunately settled on the archaic term immodesty. A term not even remotely appropriate for scolding a eighteen year old boy. At least in this context the mistake was just embarrassing and nothing more, but it annoyed Alex that he'd made a mistake at all. His English should have been flawless. He had to stop this. He could not let a child's indiscretion unnerve him so.

 

He got control of himself and turned back to them. "You will never behave like that again," he said firmly.

 

"But you..." Justin began and stopped when Brian pinched his rear.

 

"I what?" Alex demanded. "Walk around here comfortably without any clothes? Well, I should hope so. I live here. I'm safe here. You may both be naked here any time you like. But I don't show myself naked to anyone but my lovers. That makes me modest, by my definition. In contrast to you." He glared at Justin. "You seem to think your body is for the enjoyment of anyone who cares to look at it." He turned on Brian. "And you, you think nothing of pulling out your cock in an alley and offering it to a stranger's mouth." Brian's eyes widened in shock. "That's right," Alex went on. "Don't think I haven't seen you. Disgraceful," he spat out. "Nedostojnoe povedenie. Any wonder why I still insist you wear a condom? And why I will not touch you without one?"

 

Brian's head drooped. It was the first time he could remember being ashamed of his indiscriminate sexual behavior. That it was Alex who he had disappointed made it even worse.

 

"Neither of you knows the value, the privilege of keeping your body private, of giving it only to a chosen few. You take this for granted. I am embarrassed to look at you." Alex stormed away, rummaged in the cabinet and brought out a glass and the bottle of vodka.

 

"What, is he going to get drunk now?" Brian asked.

 

Justin shook his head. "He never gets drunk."

 

Brian watched Alex throw back a shot and pour another.

 

"There's always a first time," he said dryly. "Well, come here." Brian sat down and pulled Justin toward him by one of his belt loops.

 

Justin stood passive until Brian started unzipping his pants. "What are you doing?" he asked plaintively.

 

"Checking you. Hold still."

 

Surprisingly Justin didn't fuss as Brian drew his clothing down and inspected his bottom.

 

There were two pale stripes where the cane had struck, the skin raised ever so slightly.

 

There was also a bluish mark forming on the spot where Alex had concentrated his efforts at the Meathook.

 

"Take these things off the rest of the way and go lie down," Brian instructed.

 

Justin grabbed his sleeve. "Don't leave."

 

"Well, there's a change in attitude," Brian marveled. "No, Sunshine, I'm not going anywhere, I'm just going to see if you have some first aid cream."

 

Justin kicked off his pants. "Don't call me that. And we do. Middle shelf."

 

"Why can't I call you Sunshine?"

 

"Because you're sarcastic about it." Justin threw himself face down on the bed.

 

"Me, sarcastic? I'm hurt," Brian said. He went into the bathroom. When he came out with the cream and a towel wrung out in cold water, Alex was watching him. Brian supposed by rights he should ask permission to treat Justin's sore ass, but he'd gotten this far on sheer nerve, so he didn't bother. If Alex didn't like it he could say so.

 

"Don't hurt me," Justin cautioned nervously. "'Watch the welts."

 

"I'll be careful," Brian promised. He sat on the bed and put the compress over the bruise and stripes. "But they aren't really welts," he pointed out. "The marks will probably be gone by morning. The bruise maybe not, but there's nothing that will show in gym class." He smiled and patted Justin's leg.

 

"I'm gonna cut gym class Monday if they're still there," Justin said huffily.

 

The bedsprings creaked as Alex added his weight to them.

 

Neither Brian nor Justin had heard him approach. They both froze and waited to see who was going to get the first scolding.

 

Instead Alex lifted the compress and solemnly inspected the damage. After a minute he put the towel on the nightstand and gently kissed the mark he'd left. He held out his right hand palm up.

 

It took Brian a minute to realize what he wanted. Then he squeezed some of the cream into Alex's hand.

 

Gently, Alex began to rub it into Justin's bruised cheek. Brian watched for a minute and then took some cream into his own hand and worked on the other.

 

Justin sighed, the duel sensations soothing, the attention just what he'd wanted in the first place.

 

Alex was the first to break the silence. "Forgive me, Sunshine. I was too harsh."

 

Justin was not a young man to let an opportunity escape him. "You spanked me in front of everybody," he sniffed. "You never do that."

 

"That was wrong," Alex conceded.

 

"And you hit me with that cane for lying and it was ever so much worse than the belt. For lying it's supposed to be licks with the belt. You changed it around without telling me." He looked at Alex briefly before turning away, offended. "No fair."

 

And his eyes had shone so clear and blue that Alex couldn't even argue.

 

"I am so sorry," he said. "The lover in me overpowered the daddy. When I saw you on that stage showing everyone what was mine, I was so jealous, I was beside myself and I lost it." His hand continued the gentle massage. "I am so sorry, sweetheart," he repeated.

 

Justin looked over his shoulder at the soft endearment, and in one graceful movement rose to his knees and fell into Alex's hug.

 

"You were jealous?" he said in wonderment. "Of me?"

 

"Yes," Alex admitted.

 

"I was jealous of you, too," Justin said and hugged Alex hard.

 

Brian continued to rub the cream into Justin's squirming bottom. "I'm getting goosebumps," he said.

 

Justin pulled away from the embrace to kiss Alex on the lips. "You were bad," he pointed out. "More than me."

 

"Yes," Alex agreed.

 

"You said you don't spank me for anybody's entertainment, and you did," Justin went on sadly.

 

"Not entirely correct. I spanked you for your correction. That there were observers was unavoidable."

 

"You could have taken me off the stage."

 

"Which is why I apologized," Alex said. He was under no delusions that it had been unnecessary to embarrass Justin.

 

"I can never show my face in there again."

 

"That was my intention," Alex admitted. "I suppose my method lacked finesse."

 

"So?" Justin said.

 

"So what?" Alex asked.

 

"So what happens to you when you're bad?" Justin asked, grinning a little.

 

Alex grinned back indulgently. "You want to spank me, Justin?" Alex asked.

 

"No." Justin shook his head hastily. "I don't. That's weird, I can't even imagine it. But I want you to get rid of the cane."

 

Without hesitation Alex got up, crossed to the couch where the discarded cane lay on the floor, and picked it up. He snapped it in half, then tossed it into the garbage.

 

"I want to sit in your lap," Justin demanded next.

 

Obligingly, Alex sat down on the couch and held out his arms.

 

Justin ran to him and straddled his legs, fitting neatly against his chest. Alex pulled Justin's tee shirt over his head so he could nestle there naked.

 

"Anything else?" Alex asked.

 

"Yes. I want to play, too. Next time you and Brian play, I want to join in."

 

Alex lost his grin. "Out of the question," he said.

 

"Why?" Justin demanded.

 

"Because of the nature of the games."

 

"I know what kind of games you were playing."

 

"It would be inappropriate for me to play BDSM games with you, Justin."

 

"Why?"

 

"Because I can't be your Daddy and your Dom."

 

"Why?"

 

Alex sighed. "It's difficult to explain."

 

"Try."

 

Alex tried to put his thoughts into words. "The attitude is different."

 

"How?"

 

"Well, for one thing a Dom wouldn't allow all these questions. You would just be expected to obey. As your Daddy I feel obligated to explain myself so you learn. A Dom would expect you to already have some experience and to have chosen the lifestyle."

 

"How would a sub know to choose the lifestyle if a Dom doesn't teach him what it is?"

 

"Well, I guess some Doms do that kind of thing," Alex said.

 

"You don't?"

 

"No," he said firmly. "I play with experienced people, not novices."

 

"So Brian already knows everything there is to know?"

 

"Well, no..."

 

"Do you let him ask questions when he doesn't understand?"

 

"Well, certainly."

 

"Do you punish him for not knowing something?"

 

"Of course not."

 

"You explain what you want?"

 

"Yes, it wouldn't be fair not to. He's not a mind reader."

 

"So you're teaching him," Justin concluded happily.

 

"In a way, I guess," Alex admitted.

 

"So why can't you teach me, too?"

 

"I told you, Justin, I don't want you to duplicate my young manhood. Save the kink for after you've established a normal sexual pattern and stuck with it awhile."

 

"Yeah. This is normal," Justin nodded. "I come home from high school and sleep with the Liberty Avenue stud and a one armed man who carries a gun everywhere and spanks me when my behavior doesn't meet his finishing school standards. No kink here."

 

Alex wasn't going there. "These are your developing years, Justin. I'm trying to make them as normal as possible."

 

Justin rolled his eyes. This was such an old argument. "Did you have a daddy when you were my age?"

 

"No."

 

"Ever?"

 

"Well, there was one person who may have wanted the job," Alex conceded.

 

"Did he spank you when you were bad?"

 

Alex hesitated. "No, but I'm sure he wanted to a couple of times. Not that it would have done any good by that time. I was already irredeemable."

 

"But I'm not?"

 

"Of course not. You're a good boy. A little reckless and naive, but that's no sin."

 

"So I'm not like you?"

 

"No, you're ever so much better. You had a normal upbringing, you went to school, stayed in one place. You are exactly what everyone calls you - a ray of sunshine."

 

"Then how could I duplicate your young manhood if I'm nothing like you and I have you to take care of me? You're worrying for nothing. You just don't want me to have fun." Justin let his lower lip tremble. "You love Brian more than me."

 

Alex was helpless before this assault. Even if Justin was playing the sympathy card, Alex couldn't bear for him to think that. He clasped him warmly and rubbed his face with his stubbled chin, making him squeal.

 

"Please?" Justin persisted.

 

Alex sighed and Brian ventured an opinion. "If he wasn't wired for these games, I doubt he would stay here under the restrictions you set down."

 

"What do you mean?" Alex asked gruffly.

 

"I mean he was seeking out an Alpha male before he ever met you, otherwise he would have run out of the Meathook screaming. I think he's just wired that way. You didn't force him into it, he manipulated you to give him what he needs and wants. It's possible he needs a little more sometimes, and wouldn't it be safer to make a game of it?"

 

Alex stared at Brian.

 

Brian shrugged. "Just thinking out loud."

 

"I suppose you could be right," Alex said begrudgingly.

 

Justin, already sure he would cave, was grinning broadly.

 

"Alright, baby." Alex said. "I can't resist you. But no Meathook. I don't want you setting foot in there again. We'll play right here."

 

"We don't have any equipment here," Justin pointed out.

 

"Tomorrow we'll go and buy you your first pair of suede wrist restraints," Alex promised.

 

"And a little baby buttplug," Brian added with a smirk.

 

Justin, still grinning, looked from one to the other, eyes dancing. "I don't think you understand," he said.

 

"Understand what, sweetheart?"

 

"I don't want to learn to be the sub. I want you to teach me to be the Top."

 

They both stared at him in astonishment for a second. Then Alex burst out laughing and couldn't stop.

 

Justin looked hurt. "What so funny?"

 

"Not you." Alex looked at Brian. "It's just you're going to be a busy little sub."

 

---

 

Alex and Justin Meet

 

Alex was on his second vodka when he saw the twink. Small, blond and way too young for the Meathook. Attractive, but not fair game, at least not according to the rules Alex followed. Alex motioned to a bouncer, pointed out the twink, and said twink was removed when he failed to provide a valid ID. The boy managed to put up a struggle and turn the air blue before he was put out on the sidewalk but Alex was satisfied. He didn't like to see children where he played. They could get hurt.

 

So he was doubly disturbed a week later when he saw the same twink sitting on the lap of a brutish would-be Dom named Jake. Alex had heard rumors that this man was not safe, that he did not get off on dominating his partners so much as he enjoyed causing them pain. To see that smiling young colt enthroned on the man's lap gave him pause, and something would not let him leave the boy in such obvious danger.

 

He put his drink aside, brushed off the hopeful sub who had been sitting at his feet like an eager puppy, and made his way over to Jake's table.

 

He interrupted a whispered conversation between Jake and the twink by tapping the boy on the shoulder. "Didn't I put you out once already?" he asked.

 

The boy turned, startled. "What?"

 

"Didn't I put you out last week?" Alex repeated.

 

"I don't remember you," the boy said, wide blue eyes looking Alex over, from his heavy boots to his leather jacket.

 

"I didn't do it myself but I pointed you out to the person who did." Alex folded his arms and frowned.

 

"Well, you're a fucking nosy prick, then. Mind your own business." The boy turned back to Jake, snub nose in the air.

 

Alex was taken aback for a second. Most of the young subs in this club treated him deferentially, with good reason. Alex did not indulge smart-ass masochists and was not used to getting answers like that one. He paused, and when he was sure he could speak calmly, he took the boy's arm. "I guess I'll just do it myself this time, save a step."

 

"Hey! Lay off!" the kid yelled and tried to wrench out of his grasp.

 

"Let go, pretty boy!" Jake cried, and grabbed the kid's other arm.

 

Alex stopped. "What did you call me?"

 

"Pretty boy," Jake sneered. "You think you're a Top? You're just a twink got too old to be a sub. Put on all the leather you want, you're too cute to dom anyone."

 

Alex bristled but kept his face impassive. "That's interesting. I've never been called cute before," he said thoughtfully. "Especially not by anyone so ugly."

 

"See, that kind of attitude needs correction," Jake laughed. "Now let go of my boy before I correct you."

 

"He's mine," Alex said quietly. "You let go."

 

"Both of you let go, I'm not a fucking wishbone!" the boy cried in frustration.

 

The older men both stared at his boldness.

 

"I am not," the kid repeated and yanked out of both their grasps, "a fucking wishbone." Then he settled down on Jake's lap again. "I'm staying here," he told Alex loftily.

 

Alex ignored him. "He's mine," he said to Jake again.

 

Jake started to look worried but he had an audience. He couldn't back down. "Prove it, what's his name?"

 

"You don't know his name?" Alex asked.

 

"No, not yet. But if he's yours, you must know it. So what is it?"

 

Alex stepped closer and leaned down. He said in the boy's ear, "What's your name?"

 

"Fuck you," was the reply.

 

Alex got even closer. "Tell me your name, boy, or I'll forget the club rule of 'safe, sane and consensual' and spank you till the seat of those skin tight jeans splits like a ripe peach."

 

A moment's hesitation, then, "Justin. Justin Taylor."

 

"His name is Justin," Alex said to Jake. "And he is mine."

 

"He just told you his name!" Jake protested. "I heard you."

 

"You heard wrong. That's easy to do, with all the noise in here."

 

There were rumors that Alex never went anywhere unarmed. Jake had heard those rumors. He decided the twink wasn't quite worth dying for.

 

"Take him," he said and relinquished his hold.

 

"Let's go," Alex said to Justin. He turned back to Jake. "And for the record? Nobody corrects me."

 

Justin was surprised enough by the turn of events to allow himself to be hauled through the club and out a side door.

 

Once there, though, he pulled away. "Go fuck yourself," he said.

 

"You know, I've had about enough of that foul mouth," Alex told him. "Now you go on home and don't come back here. This is a club for grown-ups." He gave the boy a little push toward the street which made Justin even more mulish.

 

"You have no right to manhandle me," he said indignantly.

 

"That's pretty funny considering that you've gone out of your way to get into a club where manhandling is the general idea," Alex pointed out.

 

"Well, I'm glad I amused you," Justin snapped.

 

Enough was enough. "Do you need cab fare?" Alex asked, reaching into his jacket.

 

"What do I have to do for it?" Justin asked suspiciously and backed away a step.

 

Alex fixed him with a steely glare. "Nobody's soliciting you, boy. In fact, I'm two minutes from taking you to the nearest cop and telling them you're a stray. And if you knew how out of character that was for me, you would get your ass out of here immediately. Now, go home. It's easy enough to see you don't belong here."

 

Justin looked up and his eyes filled. "I don't belong anywhere. And I can't go home."

 

Alex sighed. This should have been simple. Shoo the kid out, see him into a cab, go back inside and find a playtoy.

 

"Talk to me," Alex commanded.

 

"I came out to my folks last weekend. My dad threw me out."

 

"Where have you been staying if you can't go home?"

 

"With a friend. I sneak in her window at night. But her folks went on vacation and she had to go and the house is locked up. The burglar alarm will go off if I try to get in."

 

"So your plan for the night was to go home with Jake?"

 

"He seemed ok. He liked me."

 

Alex had no answer. The boy's innocence was maddening.

 

"You've been out for what, less than two weeks, and you come to the Meathook to pick up someone?"

 

"The other clubs could tell my ID was fake."

 

Alex held out his hand for it and Justin placed it in his hand.

 

Alex tore it in half.

 

"Hey! I thought you just wanted to see it!" Justin couldn't believe his eyes.

 

"I saw it," Alex said.

 

"That was my only option!"

 

"No, your only option is to take this cab fare and take your ass home. There's worse things to face here than a fight with your daddy." Alex pressed a few bills in Justin's hand. "There should be a cab along soon, they cruise Liberty Ave every few minutes. Go home. He's had time to think about it, things may be different."

 

Justin dejectedly pushed the money in his pocket. "Fine," he snapped.

 

Alex watched him walk to the corner, then went back into the Meathook.

 

~~~

 

 

Forty minutes later the bouncer approached Alex. "You didn't throw that twink far enough," he reported. "He's outside soliciting. The boss is ready to call the cops."

 

Resigned Alex stood up, leaving behind yet another disappointed young man who had been hoping to serve him in some way. He passed the bouncer a bill in return for the heads up, slung on his jacket and went back outside.

 

Justin was leaning against the lamp post across the street, his shirt open, showing off his bare chest by thrusting it at every passerby. Alex caught a glimpse of fresh pink nipple and then crossed the street.

 

He grabbed the boy. "What do you think you're doing?"

 

Justin thought fast. "I was hailing a cab," he said.

 

"With what? Your left tit? Button that shirt!"

 

"I don't have to." Justin looked at him haughtily.

 

"I gave you money for a cab!"

 

Justin frowned. "I knew I shouldn't have taken it. I knew you'd be back to collect." He took the money out of his pocket and threw it back in Alex's face. "If you were paying for services, at least you could have been honest!"

 

"You're out two weeks, exactly what do you know from services?" Alex hissed.

 

"I know enough."

 

"Really? What do you charge for a rimjob?"

 

Justin looked baffled.

 

"That's what I thought," Alex said. "Do yourself a favor and go home."

 

Justin's lower lip came out and he didn't answer right away. "It's too late," he said finally, his voice trembling. "I'll wake up my little sister. I don't want a scene in front of her. I can't go home."

 

"All right, I give up. I'll take you back to my place for the night and in the morning I'll see you home." Alex grabbed Justin's arm. "But button that shirt."

 

Justin did up the shirt.

 

"Do you have a bag?" Alex asked.

 

"I left my stuff at Daphne's, I didn't want it to be stolen."

 

"You have a girlfriend? I thought you said you were gay?"

 

"She's my friend. She's been my friend like forever. But I don't like her that way," Justin said, annoyed.

 

Alex sighed. "So essentially you have nothing?"

 

"Pretty much."

 

"Come on," Alex said resigned. "Let's go."

 

He hailed a cab.

 

~~~

 

 

Alex's apartment was sparse: a bed, couch, recliner, a table and two straight backed chairs. A radio he used, a TV he didn't. A Pullman kitchen that was surprisingly clean. Justin looked around, unimpressed, as he took off his jacket.

 

"You don't have much room. And it's cold."

 

"Cab fare is still available," Alex said shortly.

 

"No, no, it's fine," Justin said hastily.

 

"You can sleep on the couch. Take a pillow and blanket from my bed. The bathroom is there." Alex pointed.

 

Justin put his jacket on the back of a chair and went to the bathroom. When he came out, Alex had stripped to his boxers and a long sleeve thermal shirt and thrown a pillow and blanket on the table.

 

"I don't have much here, I didn't think to pick up something to eat," Alex said. "I have milk if you want. There's some apples on the counter."

 

"I'm not hungry."

 

"I'll take you for breakfast before I take you home tomorrow," Alex promised.

 

Justin didn't answer. He made up the couch, then took off his clothes and lay down in his underwear.

 

Alex got in bed and put out the light.

 

Justin tried to get comfortable but couldn't. "Can't you put the heat on?"

 

"This isn't a private house, it's an apartment building and it gets cold at night. The building is old, it lets the heat escape."

 

"I'm shivering."

 

"Put your clothes back on."

 

"I can't sleep in my clothes."

 

Alex didn't answer.

 

"Can't I sleep with you?" Justin asked.

 

"No."

 

"Why not?"

 

"I like to sleep alone."

 

Dejected, Justin quieted down. Alex was relieved and soon dozed. He had been awake far too many hours.

 

He wasn't sure how long he'd been out when he felt two cold feet on the back of his legs.

 

"Get out of my bed," he said.

 

"But I can't sleep over there."

 

"Would you like to try the sidewalk?"

 

"You won't throw me out," Justin said confidently.

 

"What makes you so sure?"

 

"You don't want me out there alone and defenseless."

 

"I don't want you here with me in your underpants either."

 

"I'm not."

 

"Not what?"

 

"In my underpants. I took them off. I can't sleep all wrapped up that way."

 

"You're pretty nervy."

 

Justin huddled against him. "My teeth are chattering."

 

Well, he couldn't let the child freeze. "All right, but no nonsense. You're a baby and I don't do babies."

 

"I'm not a baby." Justin moved closer, anxious to soak up some body heat.

 

"Don't be rubbing that little thing on my ass," Alex warned.

 

Justin was offended. "It's not little!" he said indignantly.

 

"Keep it to yourself, regardless."

 

A hand came around Alex's waist and the palm was pressed to Alex's belly.

 

"Did you hear me?" Alex said.

 

"I'm just trying to get warm."

 

"Keep your hand out of my pants," Alex told him.

 

"You're so uptight," Justin complained. He rubbed his hand over Alex's stomach. "Don't you like me?"

 

"Liking you has nothing to do with it. You're too young to be picking up strangers and going home with them. You are entirely too bold. You have no clue what could happen."

 

"I do so have a clue," Justin said irritably. "Anyway, I'm not with a stranger, I'm with you. We could like do it and then I'll know what it's all about."

 

"I am not about to 'like do it' with a child. I am not that hard up." Alex took Justin's hand and moved it aside. "Go to sleep."

 

Justin sulked for awhile but it did not impress Alex who had fallen asleep under far more bizarre conditions. As soon as the older man's breathing was regular again, Justin slid his hand down the front of Alex's shorts.

 

Alex was used to waking and being immediately alert, and he startled Justin by sitting up and removing the offending hand with no warning.

 

"That's it," Alex said. "I've been as patient as I can be." He pulled the boy over his lap and shoved the blankets off him, allowing him good access to Justin's bare bottom. "Go to sleep!" he said, bringing his hand down hard with each word. "Do not touch me, little boy!"

 

"Wait, wait, wait!" Justin cried. "No fair!"

 

"What is not fair is you continuing to tempt me when I told you no!" Alex shot back and whacked him again.

 

Then he paused, listening.

 

"Are you...crying?" he asked in amazement.

 

"No!" Justin sobbed.

 

Alex pulled him up so he could look at Justin's face. "You are crying," he said. He couldn't believe it. "How old are you?"

 

Justin, mortified, scrubbed at his cheeks with both hands. "I told you I'm seventeen," he choked out.

 

"And less than ten good cracks on the ass makes you cry? Dammit, boy, haven't you ever been spanked before?"

 

Justin was calming down a little. "No," he said sullenly. "My mother doesn't believe in corporal punishment. And that wasn't fair."

 

"Really?" Alex knew he hadn't hit him very hard so he was more amused than upset, but he did pull Justin closer and wrap his arms around him. Couldn't let the boy freeze. "So, tell me, what's not fair about it?"

 

"You tell that other guy, that Jake, about consent and all, but I didn't consent to that!"

 

Alex reached for the blanket and wrapped it around them. "Sometimes consent has to be assumed."

 

"Assumed?" Justin sniffed.

 

"Yes, as in, 'I assume if you had any brains, you would cut it out when I tell you to, but since you don't, I'll spank you till you do'," Alex explained, and Justin made a face.

 

"No fair."

 

"Life isn't fair," Alex agreed. "Now, are you going to lie down and behave?"

 

"Well, can you face this way instead of turning your back on me, at least?"

 

"Fine." Alex turned so they were looking at each other. Justin got in close and Alex put his arm over the boy.

 

After a minute, Justin spoke. "You said I tempted you. So you want to, right?"

 

Alex groaned. "Go to sleep. You are going home in the morning."

 

No, I'm not, Justin thought.

 

~~~

 

 

Late the next morning Alex woke with the boy's face pressed into his neck, warm breath blowing across his collarbone. One slender peach fuzzed leg was thrown over his. The blond hair that tickled his nose was still fragrant with some pricey smelling shampoo, so Justin couldn't have been on the street very long. It was simply unfathomable that the parents of such a boy would allow him to suffer this fate because he had admitted to a sexual preference for men. He had to be exaggerating their reaction, getting himself worked up over nothing as teenagers often did. Alex would take him home, and Justin and his parents would work it out. There was simply nothing else to do.

 

Satisfied with his chosen course of action, Alex woke his stray.

 

"Come on, time to get up."

 

"Why?" Justin didn't open his eyes and made no move to get up or even to untangle his legs from Alex's.

 

"If you want to eat before I take you home, we need to get moving."

 

Justin's expression when he slept was angelic. With Alex's statement, it quickly turned belligerent. "I told you I'm not going home."

 

"Well, that's not up for discussion. The only choice you have this morning is eggs or pancakes."

 

Justin got up and went into the bathroom, slamming the door.

 

"If you shower, leave some hot water!" Alex called in.

 

"Come in with me!" Justin yelled back. "We could share."

 

Alex shook his head. "Never mind that. Just hurry. Towels are under the sink."

 

When Justin came out, a towel around his waist, Alex took his clothes and went in. Justin made a face. "Afraid you'd be too tempted if you stayed out here and watched me dress?"

 

Alex ignored him. "When I come out, we'll go to the coffee shop downstairs. The owner, Ron, is a friend. I'll borrow his car and drive you home."

 

Justin turned his back and picked up his clothes.

 

Alex was not one to linger under the shower. His had been a life on the move ever since he could remember and he did everything efficiently. When he came out of the bathroom a short ten minutes later, Justin was just closing the door behind him as he left.

 

Alex was on him so fast he didn't know what hit him. The boy scrambled to get a lead on him, but Alex scooped him under one arm and took him back into the apartment, kicking and screaming.

 

Furious, Justin leaned down and bit the arm that held him.

 

Alex's left arm.

 

He nearly chipped a tooth.

 

Alex saw what he'd done rather than felt it and set him on his feet.

 

"Where do you think you're going?" he demanded.

 

Justin was holding his jaw. "What...what's wrong with your arm?" he asked, wide eyed.

 

"Answer me first."

 

Justin stamped his foot in frustration. "I'm leaving! I don't want to go home, and I won't!" He turned again to bolt, but Alex grabbed him by the collar and swatted him hard.

 

"Settle down, you're not going anywhere."

 

"No fair," Justin said and put a hand back to rub the spanked spot. "I'm telling."

 

"Telling who?" Alex asked.

 

Justin thought about that for a minute, a stubborn set to his jaw. Then his face crumbled and he started to cry.

 

"Oh, come on, I know I didn't hit you hard this time," Alex said reprovingly.

 

"It's not that," Justin said through his tears. "It's..."

 

"It's what?" Alex said impatiently.

 

"It's that I don't have anyone to tell!" Justin put his face in his hands and cried heartbrokenly, all his shock and fear at being rejected by his family suddenly terribly real.

 

Alex knew how to deal with anger and defiance but this meltdown threw him off. "What do you mean, you have no one to tell?"

 

Justin tried to explain through his tears. "My dad doesn't care what happens to me anymore, I'm gay, I'm nothing to him. If I told him you'd hit me he'd say, 'so what? that's what you deserve'."

 

Alex hesitated. That was an awful thing for the boy to think. He considered several statements before saying, "Well, I don't believe that, I bet he'd come looking for me and that's the last thing I need."

 

Justin continued to cry while Alex watched helplessly.

 

"If I was your daddy, I would love you no matter what," Alex said finally and pulled the boy into a hug. "I'm sure he does, too. Everything will be all right."

 

"I wish I could stay here," Justin sobbed. He clung to Alex desperately.

 

"I'm sorry, but that can't happen. The life I lead makes it impossible." He rubbed the boy's back. "But I'll go with you to make sure it's ok, how's that?"

 

"You'll come inside with me?" Justin looked up with his face full of trust.

 

Alex was taken aback, he had meant he would sit in the car until he was sure things were ok, but something in those blue eyes made him say, "If you want me to."

 

The promise seemed to calm the boy and Justin willingly washed his face and took the elevator downstairs to the coffee shop. They sat at a booth for two and ordered breakfast.

 

Justin's appetite seemed unaffected by his troubles; Alex forked up eggs while his young guest put away a stack of pancakes and a double order of sausage. Justin chattered while he ate, about school and Daphne and what he had seen on Liberty Avenue. Alex listened to him, marvelling in his innocence.

 

"You never told me what was wrong with your arm," Justin said at one point. "That's a false arm, right? Like a peg leg?"

 

Alex frowned. "Well, I like to think it's a little more sophisticated than that," he said. "It's not like I have a hook."

 

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean anything by it. What happened?"

 

"An accident back in Russia."

 

"You lived in Russia?"

 

"I was born there."

 

"Why'd you come here?"

 

"Why does anyone come to America? For a better life."

 

"You sleep in it?"

 

"In what?" Alex drained his tea.

 

"Your arm."

 

"Not usually. But I didn't want to upset you so I left it on last night."

 

"The next time we sleep together you can take it off. I won't mind." Justin finished his milk and grinned.

 

"There isn't going to be a next time," Alex told him firmly. "Let's get going. We'll pick up that bag you left at your friend's house first."

 

As they walked out to the borrowed car, Alex put a hand on the back of Justin's neck.

 

~~~

 

 

Alex knew Pittsburgh and its surroundings well. Justin lived in a nice neighborhood, on a quiet street. Alex, in his black leather jacket, didn't look like he belonged but such things never concerned him very much. He got out of the car with Justin and stood on the stoop while Justin rang the bell.

 

"Don't you have a key?" Alex asked.

 

"They don't know I'm coming," Justin said. He didn't want to say what he was thinking; that if he walked in with Alex with no warning, they might think it was a home invasion. Alex gave off a quiet air of danger.

 

Justin's mother opened the door and gave a little scream of joy. She snatched her son into a hug, and Alex relaxed. He knew this boy would be welcomed home. He was sweet and attractive and smart; who wouldn't want him?

 

"Come in," his mother was saying. She looked uncertainly at Alex."I appreciate you bringing him home."

 

"He gave me a place to stay, too," Justin said eagerly. He took Alex's hand. "Come on in."

 

"Maybe your mother would rather see you alone," Alex suggested, touched by the boy's affection but wary nonetheless.

 

"You promised," Justin accused.

 

Yes, he had. Resigned, Alex followed him in.

 

As warmly as he had been greeted by his mother, that's how cool a reception Justin got from his father, who was in the living room.

 

"Who are you?" he asked Alex bluntly.

 

Alex bristled. No hug for Justin, no 'glad you're back'. His heart ached for the young man beside him who had entered the room with such hope - and then, nothing. "My name is Krycek," Alex said coldly, "and I've been doing your job."

 

"My job?"

 

"Taking care of the boy. That's your job. Or should be. How can you justify dumping a child in the street like that?" Alex demanded. He hadn't come here to challenge the man, but he gave off such a nasty superior air that he couldn't help it. It made his blood boil to think of how the man had treated Justin.

 

"The issue between my son and me is none of your business, Mr. Krycek."

 

"It became my business when I had to take him home with me or leave him to human predators."

 

"I think you're exaggerating, Mr. Krycek. I just wanted my son to see how privileged his life is and how it is much to his advantage to give up this decadent lifestyle he chose."

 

"He didn't choose it, he believes himself to be gay."

 

Justin's father looked from Alex to Justin and back to Alex. "Are you gay?"

 

"Why?"

 

"Did you lure my son into this disgusting lifestyle?"

 

"I've been doing my best to discourage him."

 

"Well, I can take it from here." It was clearly a dismissal.

 

Justin clung to Alex's hand as though he was drowning.

 

After a minute, Alex said, "Well, I'd like to hear what you have to say."

 

Justin's father frowned. "This is a family matter."

 

"Pretend I'm an uncle," Alex suggested.

 

Justin's father glared at Alex as though this would discourage him.

 

It didn't.

 

When it finally became apparent to him that Alex wasn't going to leave, he looked at Justin. "Fine. I'll say what I have to say, it's short enough. Justin, I want you to come home. You can come back and we'll act like this never happened. But you need to forget about this gay nonsense. I don't want to hear about it ever again. You go to school and study hard and soon you'll be past this ridiculous phase and find a nice girl. But no son of mine is going to mince around with another boy."

 

Alex felt the boy tremble beside him and was inwardly enraged. This man was a pompous asshole. Why were such people allowed to breed? And this mother was standing there saying nothing in defense of her son. The pair of them were a disgrace.

 

Alex was used to making quick decisions. He made one now. "Justin, go pack a bag and get whatever it is you want from here. I'll help you take it out to the car."

 

Justin looked up at him, and his eyes were wet. "Where are we going?"

 

"Back home. Go on."

 

"I won't allow it," Justin's father said.

 

"Try to stop it," Alex replied.

 

"I'll call the police," he threatened.

 

"Oh, I don't think you will. Then all the neighbors will know you raised a sissy boy and that would bother you more than losing him. So do yourself a favor and stay out of my way. We'll be out of here in a half hour and you can get back to your regularly scheduled life unencumbered by your faggot son."

 

"How dare you call my son a faggot?" the man said indignantly.

 

"You did. You just prettied it up. But you said it." He gave Justin a little push. "Go on, get what you need, we're not coming back here," he said.

 

Justin took off to his room, his mother following, wringing her hands.

 

Alex sat on the couch and smiled. "I'll wait here. I suggest you let him take what he wants."

 

"This is an outrage!" the man said.

 

"I agree." Alex said solemnly.

 

Justin was soon back with a box and a suitcase. His mother was behind him with a double armload of clothes. Alex got up and took them from her.

 

"Thank you, I'll put these in the car."

 

"There are some CD's and some books, too. I'll get them." She was tearful but at least she wasn't giving him a hard time.

 

Justin's father sat, silent and furious.

 

Alex and Justin packed his things in the trunk. His mother came outside with the CD's in a bag and several books under her arm. "You better go back and get your winter coat," she said. "It will be cold soon."

 

Justin went back inside.

 

She looked at Alex. "You're taking advantage of an innocent boy."

 

"I'm trying not to," Alex said truthfully.

 

"All he has to do is give up this lifestyle and his father will let him come home."

 

"It's not a lifestyle, he feels it's who he is. It's not fair to do that to him." Alex winced as he heard Justin's battle cry 'no fair' echo in his head.

 

"He's going to drop out of school, I know it," she fretted.

 

"I'll see that he doesn't. That I can promise you."

 

"He needs to hang up his uniform. It wrinkles so easy." She wiped her eyes and walked away quickly.

 

Alex tried to feel sorry for her but was of the private opinion that she could have done more than cry. He got into the car to wait for Justin.

 

Justin came back and stuffed his coat into the backseat. "Almost forgot my Yellow Submarine tape." He held it up. "Ever see it?"

 

"Yes, of course, who hasn't?"

 

"Great art work." He looked at it a minute and said then, "My sister is on a playdate. I didn't even get to say goodbye."

 

"It's not like you're moving across the country," Alex soothed. "You'll see her again soon."

 

"Where are we going?" Justin asked softly.

 

"Back to my place, I told you."

 

"You're going to be my daddy now?" The boy brightened visibly.

 

"Until I find you a better place to stay."

 

Justin moved closer and took Alex's arm. ''I knew you liked me."

 

"And just put that idea out of your mind. We are living together. I will take care of you and you will do as I say. But we are not going to have sex."

 

Justin rested his head on Alex's shoulder. Yes, we are, he thought.

 

~~~

 

 

They got back to Alex's apartment and Alex made room in the closet for Justin's things. Alex had thought to just put everything in a pile, since he didn't intend for Justin to be there long, but Justin busied himself hanging up his clothes, scattering toiletries in the bathroom, and carefully rearranging the bookshelf so his books would fit. After his father's treatment, Alex didn't have the heart to upset him further by discouraging him. The things could always be packed again when they found him a permanent spot to move. For now he needed to feel like he belonged somewhere.

 

"Have you been going to school?" Alex asked when Justin was finished nesting.

 

"Yes."

 

"Alright, good. You keep that up. Can you get there from here on public transportation?"

 

"There's a bus on the corner goes there."

 

"Okay. I expect you to keep up your school work. I promised your mother."

 

"Well, I like school, I'll go, no problem."

 

"And you do your homework, no point in going if you aren't going to do what's expected of you."

 

'Fine." Justin rolled his eyes. "You don't need to worry about it."

 

Alex frowned. "And you don't need to be insolent. I took you on as a responsibility and I'm just trying to make my expectations clear."

 

"I just need a place to stay. You don't have to be responsible for me, or have expectations," Justin assured him.

 

"I beg to differ. You went from your father's house to here. You have no discernable income and no prospect of one for now since the majority of your time must be taken up with your education. For all practical purposes I am your daddy and I expect you to listen to me, do what I tell you and show me some respect."

 

"Okay." Justin agreed more to end the discussion than anything else. He had already seen that Alex could get pompous when he lectured, and so he partially tuned him out.

 

"And let's get something straight right now. I didn't bring you here so you can cruise Liberty Avenue and turn slut. There'll be none of that while you're here."

 

Justin's lip came out in a pout. "Why not?"

 

"It's not safe. You haven't got the street smarts of a newborn kitten."

 

Now Justin was not just annoyed but insulted. "How can you say that about me?"

 

"How about your repeated attempts to pick up someone you don't know at a leather bar? Your blatant cruising when you're still a virgin? Your embracing the gay lifestyle without giving any real thought as to how to assimilate it practically? Burning your bridges at home before you can support yourself?"

 

Justin couldn't counter any of those charges so he got belligerent instead. "You don't own me. You can't tell me what to do." He felt his new found independence slipping away.

 

"Excuse me, little boy, but I own you lock, stock and butthole. And until you are grown or I find you a better place to stay I most certainly can tell you what to do. And if you don't listen, I'll tan your little backside."

 

"Is that the only song in your repertoire?" Justin asked coldly. "Smacking somebody's ass?"

 

"It's the one that will work on you because it's the one you're not used to and so it will make an impression on you."

 

"No fair. That's abuse."

 

Alex was unmoved by the accusation. "I can always take you home if you like your father's methods better. There is nothing I'm asking of you that you are not perfectly capable of. Go to school and don't roam the streets looking for trouble. That's hardly a short leash." He stood up. "I have some work to do on the computer. Can you entertain yourself for awhile?"

 

"Can I watch TV?"

 

"Be my guest."

 

Justin tried to maintain a sulk but he was basically a sunny child by nature and so soon he was laughing at the TV show and chatting with Alex again. He wished things had gone better at home but he had a place to stay now at least and he was intrigued by this stern handsome man whose entire face lit up on those rare instances that he smiled. At seventeen hope springs eternal for a happy ending.

 

When it got dark Justin remembered he was hungry. Alex tossed a couple of takeout menus at him. "See what you like and order something. I'm almost through."

 

Justin ordered some chinese food and set the table while they waited for it. Strangely enough, Alex wouldn't let Justin answer the door when it arrived. He got up himself at the knock, one hand thrust into the back of his jeans, until he checked the peephole and verified the identity of the delivery person.

 

"Who did you think it was going to be?" Justin asked.

 

"You never know," Alex replied.

 

"Who are you, The Man from Uncle?" Justin giggled.

 

Alex smiled and didn't answer. "The only thing you need to know is to not touch my gun."

 

"You have a gun?" Justin was impressed.

 

Alex showed him the handgun that he had in a small of the back holster. "I didn't notice that before," Justin said wide eyed.

 

"Good. It's not supposed to be noticed. Now, here's another rule. Never touch my gun. Not for any reason."

 

"I won't," Justin said. "I'm not into shooting anybody."

 

"Good. Guns can kill you if you don't know what you're doing. I need mine available, I can't be locking it away from you as though you were a small child."

 

"I won't bother it," Justin assured him. He was much more interested in eating right then.

 

For awhile they forked up lo mein and dumplings in silence. "This is good," Justin said finally. "But I could make dinner for us every night, seeing as I have no discernable income."

 

Alex heard the wounded tone and ruffled his hair. "I didn't mean you had to become the scullery maid to earn your keep. I am solvent."

 

"Well, take out isn't the healthiest way to eat. If you had some groceries I could try to make something. I used to cook with my mother."

 

"Well, that would be nice," Alex agreed. He didn't want to stomp the boy's ego when he was trying to be helpful. "Maybe later in the week."

 

"Okay," Justin said agreeably.

 

~~~

 

 

When it came time to go to bed, Alex tried to ignore Justin's little hints and sad looks, but finally the boy asked outright. "Can't I sleep with you? At least we'd have body heat. I mean, the couch was okay when this was temporary, but now... I mean, you can take off your arm, it won't gross me out or anything."

 

Alex refrained from reminding Justin that the arrangement was still temporary. "Fine," he said in resignation. "But I'm warning you, no funny stuff. This is platonic, got me?"

 

"Okay," Justin said eagerly. He stripped down to his underwear. Alex undressed, leaving his boxers on, and sat on the bed. He unstrapped his arm efficiently and laid it aside. He was uncomfortable without it in front of the boy, but Justin was not squeamish, and the only distress he showed was at the red irritation the straps had left in Alex's flesh. He rubbed gently at the marks, and Alex was touched at his tenderness.

 

"Do you put anything on the places where it rubs to help it heal?" Justin asked.

 

"No, it's fine." Alex stood abruptly and pulled the blankets down. No sense getting used to that kind of thing.

 

Justin didn't push. He didn't want to be put out of bed before he ever got in.

 

"What time do you have to be in school tomorrow?" Alex asked as he lay down. "There's an alarm clock on your side, better set it. We should have bought something for you to have for breakfast."

 

"I can get something in the coffee shop to eat on the way," Justin said, fussing with the clock.

 

"I'm sorry, I'm not used to being domestic. You're right, we'll get some basics tomorrow, some cereal or something."

 

"It's fine." Justin got under the covers and huddled against Alex.

 

"Now go to sleep," Alex warned. "No funny stuff."

 

Justin sighed. He draped himself over Alex, who lay on his back, and when he wasn't rebuffed he settled down contentedly.

 

But he couldn't sleep.

 

So he tossed and turned trying to get comfortable. Alex turned on his side, ignoring him, hoping he would drop off finally in exhaustion, but it simply didn't happen. And a restless teenager wasn't easy to ignore.

 

"What's wrong?" Alex asked finally.

 

"Nothing, I'm just not tired."

 

"How can you not be tired?"

 

"I don't know, I guess I'm worried about school. I've been leaving my books in my locker, doing my homework in study halls, but I'm still behind."

 

"Well, see that you bring the books home tomorrow and start to catch up."

 

Justin rolled over onto his stomach. "I wonder what they told my sister about me," he said next.

 

"Make sure you call her and give her your version."

 

"What if they won't let me talk to her?"

 

"I assume you know where she goes to school? Wait for her outside one day."

 

Justin smiled at him. "I didn't think of that. You're smart."

 

Alex grunted and rolled over. "Goodnite."

 

Justin moved in behind him cuddling close. Before long it was obvious to Alex that Justin couldn't sleep because of his raging hardon, which he was pressing urgently against Alex's boxers.

 

"Stop it," Alex said quietly.

 

"I can't help it, I'm not trying to get hard."

 

"Well, move back or go to the couch."

 

"Why do you hate me?" Justin asked plaintively.

 

"I do not hate you!" Alex said. "I am asking you to respect my boundaries."

 

Justin gave a loud sniff.

 

"What is it now?" Alex asked wearily.

 

"You're mad at me for being turned on. No fair." Justin flopped onto his back.

 

Alex sat up and knelt on the bed, facing Justin. Without preamble he hooked his fingers into the waistband of the boy's underpants and pulled them off.

 

Justin stared at him, wide eyed. "What are you doing?"

 

He grabbed Justin by one ankle and pulled him towards himself, putting one leg on either side of himself. "Taking care of this so I can get some rest."

 

"You can't spank someone for being hot for you!" Justin protested. He put both feet flat on the mattress and tried to push away.

 

"I'm not." Alex quickly licked his palm and grasped Justin's cock. "I am dead tired here. And if this is what I have to do to quiet you down, I'm willing to take two minutes and deal with it."

 

"Two minutes!" Justin said, offended. "You think I'll only last two--oh!" Justin flopped back, caught unawares by Alex's expert jerk off abilities.

 

"One minute," Alex amended, and mopped the come off his hand with Justin's discarded underwear.

 

"That wasn't very romantic," Justin sulked, although he willingly lay down in Alex's arms.

 

"And it's not going to be," Alex assured him.

 

Yes, it will, Justin thought as he fell asleep.

 

~~~

 

 

The next week was a period of adjustment. Alex wasn't used to living with anyone and Justin wasn't used to giving an account of his whereabouts "every freaking minute".

 

"Deal with it," Alex said. "When they come to arrest me for statutory rape, I want to be able to say I kept you on the straight and narrow."

 

"If I wanted to stay on the straight and narrow, I would live at home," Justin complained.

 

"Well, let me know what you decide and I'll borrow the car keys and drive you there."

 

Justin soon learned to pick his battles and not push the freedom issue right away. He was sleeping with Alex every night and that was better than the couch. Alex gave him a generous amount for personal spending money and allowed him free rein in the kitchen. The first afternoon when he came home from school, they went out and bought three bags of fresh food and that night Justin made salad and stir fry chicken for dinner.

 

"It's good," Alex said when he tasted it.

 

"Tomorrow I'll make chili."

 

Alex obtained a cell phone for the boy and instructed him sternly. "Carry this with you everywhere. Always have it on. Charge it every night. I need to be able to reach you without fail."

 

"Can I give Daphne the number?"

 

"That's fine. Just don't dish for hours and tie up the line."

 

Justin even brought home some healing cream for the raw spots the prosthetic left on Alex's shoulder. In a scant few days he had quietly taken over the task of helping Alex remove the cumbersome though necessary appendage at night, like a favored squire tending a knight after a long day in battle. He didn't ask if he could apply the cream, because he thought Alex might say no, he simply added it to their bedtime routine one night. His touch was gentle and easy.

 

That was the same night Alex first kissed him goodnight. Justin lay down in his arms, beaming.

 

By the beginning of the second week, Alex stopped mentioning other places Justin could stay and started rearranging drawers and the closet to better accommodate the boy's belongings. He stopped doling out money and showed Justin where he kept his cash in the nightstand, so he could take what he needed.

 

Twice during that same week Justin wrangled a hand job, boldly placing his hardon in Alex's palm and declaring that he couldn't sleep. Alex had to admit that the smooth young body made the request not at all difficult to accommodate, but he still felt uncomfortable enough about the difference in their ages that he refused any reciprocation.

 

This made him a little cranky.

 

So when Justin asked to go to a club on Saturday night, Alex agreed. And once Justin was engrossed in dancing, Alex found a twink to blow him in the backroom. Blessed relief.

 

Relief that was short-lived. When he came out Justin was standing there, tears in his eyes. "I've been offering myself to you all week and you pick up some stranger?"

 

Alex couldn't believe how stricken the boy looked. "Justin, it was nothing, I just needed--"

 

"Don't you talk about what you needed!" Justin declared. "You need to pay attention to me!" Before Alex could say anything, the boy ran out of the club.

 

Alex stood dumbfounded for a minute and then went after him.

 

Justin hadn't gone far. He was sitting outside on the curb, crying.

 

Alex sat beside him.

 

"Don't touch me," Justin sobbed.

 

"Well, make up your mind. First you're mad because I won't touch you...now you push me away."

 

"Don't be funny!" Justin snapped.

 

"Humor is the last thing on my mind." Alex took Justin's hand. "I'm sorry I hurt you," he said simply. "I didn't mean it to seem so cold as it must have. I just don't want to use you like that, I didn't think you'd notice if I slipped away for a moment."

 

"I noticed. How could I not notice? First you're breathing down my neck relentlessly, then suddenly you're nowhere around. Didn't take a genius to figure it out...." Justin wiped at his eyes with his sleeve.

 

Alex shook his head. "Justin, you have to understand, I'm playing this by ear. You snuggle up and call me daddy, then you put your cock in my hand, I've never been in a situation like this, sometimes it feels natural, other times I feel like I'm crazy. You have to give me a chance to assimilate this."

 

"You use big words to say you don't want to be bothered with me, no matter how much I try."

 

"I do want to be bothered with you, I just don't want to ruin your life."

 

Justin looked at him with a belligerence born of hurt. "Well, if you won't show me what to do, maybe I'll pick up somebody who will."

 

Alex didn't like that at all and made no secret of it. "You better not."

 

"You won't know, you'll be in the backroom getting your knob shined."

 

Alex shook his head. "I believe the phrase is getting your knob polished. And I repeat, you better not pick up anybody."

 

"Why? Why can't I if you can?"

 

"You are newly out and a virgin for one thing, you can't just go with anyone off the street."

 

"You shouldn't either."

 

"I need sexual release sometimes, just like you do, Little Mr. 'Play With My Willie Or I'll Toss And Turn All Night'."

 

"So teach me how to release you. Or I'll find someone who will."

 

"Listen, I've had just about enough of your threats. One more and I'll put you across my lap right here on the street. There are good reasons why that's not a safe way for you to find a partner."

 

"Name one."

 

"Ever hear of STD's?"

 

"Like you wore a condom for that blow job?" Justin countered.

 

Alex looked away. This was getting more complicated than he'd counted on. He had out of desperation given a safe haven to a gay teenager, and now this boy thought they were married.

 

"Let me get this straight," Alex said. "I offer you a place to stay and now you've stretched that to include sexual fidelity?"

 

Justin looked at him sadly.

 

"Even though we're not having sex?" Alex persisted.

 

Justin's bottom lip trembled a little but he said nothing.

 

Alex sighed and gave up. "Let's go home."

 

That night Alex gave Justin a blow job, and the boy slept a solid nine hours.

 

The following Monday they went to a nearby clinic and had bloods drawn.

 

"Once we test negative," Alex said, his voice serious, "I want no more threatening to pick somebody up. No playing with anyone in any way unless I'm there. Always use a condom with someone we don't know, not that you're ready for that. But in the future, always use a condom. And no clubbing without me."

 

"I might as well be a nun."

 

"I won't fool around either, but we're not rushing into anything, ok? There's lots of other stuff to do before you should be so bored you have to fuck."

 

"Just going clubbing doesn't mean I would fool around."

 

"You only go out with me," Alex said firmly. "Don't push this point with me. You wrapped me around your little finger on all other counts, I am definite about this one. Disobey me on this and you will not like the consequences."

 

"Okay," Justin said easily. One step at a time.

 

 

~~~

 

Their tests did come back negative and Alex, as he had promised, stopped going to the clubs in search of one night stands. He took Justin out to dance a few times, but that was the extent of it. Sleeping beside that supple young body at night, his loins vibrating with aching need, it was only a matter of time before Alex succumbed to his charms.

 

And Justin was charming.

 

One night he climbed into bed next to Alex and, without preamble, leaned down and kissed the head of Alex's cock. And then looked up into his eyes and smiled invitingly.

 

It was all Alex could do not to grab Justin's head and shove it down onto himself. But no, that wasn't the thing to do. Not with him.

 

The thought plus the sweet baby kiss made him hard though.

 

And Justin looked hungrily at Alex's growing cock and said, "Teach me."

 

So Alex taught him.

 

With more patience than he thought he possessed, Alex taught him. And he found a sweetness in Justin's tentative sucking, the eager way he pulled the foreskin back from the head of Alex's cock as though he was unwrapping a gift, his look of happy accomplishment when Alex came. Justin had a quirk of sneaking peeks at Alex while he fellated him, looking for signs of approval, needing the reassurance that what he was doing was pleasing.

 

And it was pleasing. Alex reveled in Justin's innocent exploration and soon lost interest in prowling.

 

~~~

 

 

One rule he was inflexible about was the one about not going out alone. He had seen first hand how reckless Justin could be. And Justin really didn't have much need to complain, since Alex took him out every weekend.

 

Then Alex was called away on an assignment, an assignment for the mysterious agency that employed him.

 

He left on a Friday morning, kissing Justin goodbye with the instructions, "Go to school, then come home and stay here. You have plenty of food and things to do. I'll be back Sunday morning. Keep your cell with you and I'll try to call."

 

He would offer no explanation about where he was going despite Justin's questions.

 

Justin missed him. But on Friday afternoon he dutifully came home, heated some supper and watched TV. He was tired from a long week of school and he fell asleep early.

 

Saturday was a different story. He was used to spending the day with Alex, and the time dragged with no one to hang with. He did some homework but by evening he was bored and lonely so he got dressed.

 

He'd meant to just go out for awhile, walk around and get some air.

 

Instead he met some people, danced all night and went to breakfast with another group, eating and laughing till past 10 AM.

 

When he finally got home, Alex was waiting for him.

 

"Where were you?" Alex asked.

 

"I was here."

 

The blatant lie flabberghasted Alex. "You were not."

 

"I was," Justin insisted. "I only went out for a minute. For coffee."

 

"I have been here for four hours and you have not been here. And you have not answered the cell phone I gave you."

 

"The battery must be dead."

 

Alex stood and walked over to him. Without hesitation he reached into Justin's jacket and took out the phone. It was off. "I told you that this phone needed to be on all the time in case I needed to reach you."

 

"I forgot."

 

"Did you forget where you were tonight, too?"

 

Justin hung his head. "I went to Liberty Avenue."

 

Alex nodded and unbuckled his belt. "I'm glad to see at least you know enough to quit while you're ahead."

 

Startled, Justin took a step backward, but Alex closed the distance between them in a heartbeat. He bent Justin over and struck him twice across the backside with the belt before Justin could even think about moving further away.

 

"Two licks for a lie," Alex said firmly, releasing him. "Every time you lie to me, you'll get two licks with my belt. I need to know the truth, Justin. It is fundamental to me. If I have to stop to decipher what is a lie and what is the truth before I act on what you say, it slows me down. You will tell me the truth, always, do you understand?"

 

Justin, still stunned by the swift punishment, nodded, one hand gingerly covering the stinging spot on his bottom.

 

"Good. Now come here." Alex took him by the hand and led him over to the couch. When Justin realized Alex meant to put him over his knee, he protested wildly. "You just gave me a spanking for going out!"

 

"No. I just corrected the lie. Now I'm going to give you a spanking for going out alone without permission."

 

"I don't need your permission!" Justin declared and tried to pull away.

 

"I can see this spanking will have to cover a lot of ground," Alex said. He pulled Justin unceremoniously over his knees and pinned him firmly in place across his lap.

 

Justin bucked and yelled. "Let me up!"

 

"That will not help you," Alex told him. "I gave you specific instructions and you disobeyed them."

 

Justin strained mightily against the hand that held him in place. "Fuck you, I'm a man and I can do what I want!"

 

Grimly, Alex held onto him. "You are not a man, you are a boy and you'll do as I say."

 

"I'm a man!" Justin insisted. "And I don't have to answer to anybody!"

 

Alex was furious at the boy's outburst, especially after he had agreed so readily to the conditions before.

 

"By god," he said, "I'll prove you're a boy, starting with how I punish you." He yanked Justin's pants to his knees, and Justin squawked in protest and made a wild grab to prevent their removal.

 

"Settle down or the underwear's next," Alex told him. "You will obey me, Justin, even if I have to shame you to make you do it. I will not have an unruly child under my roof."

 

"You can't do this!" Justin said and pounded his little fist furiously against Alex's thigh. "I'm not a child!"

 

"I warned you," Alex said, and the briefs joined the jeans.

 

Bare now from waist to knees, Justin stilled. He didn't think this could get much worse, but he didn't want to take a chance. He had hardly gotten used to the kiss of cool air on his skin when Alex's hand landed across his bare backside with a loud crack.

 

The second swat started the tears. Justin couldn't believe how hard this man could spank. "I'm sorry," he sobbed, backpedaling furiously. "Please let me up. I'm sorry. I'll do whatever you say, let me up." Time enough to negotiate compromise when he wasn't facedown and bareassed. This had to stop now.

 

"Two swats seems to have improved your manners considerably." Alex said thoughtfully. "But unfortunately for you, tears are not my criteria for ending a punishment. A talented brat can produce tears on a whim. It has nothing to do with repentance."

 

"I repent," Justin assured him, growing frantic as the hard hand landed again.

 

"I think I need to make sure."

 

"Please don't whack me so hard," Justin said pitifully. "You'll hurt me."

 

"I'm not going to hurt you, but you're going to hurt," Alex said and resumed the spanking.

 

Justin alternately begged, cried and demanded that he stop, but Alex delivered a solid punishment, confident that doing it right the first time would eliminate the need for a second. Justin's pale backside was soon a warm rose, and just two swats to his thighs had stopped his kicking. He wept loudly and dramatically, desperately trying to protect his bottom and objecting loudly when his hand was pinned to the small of his back.

 

When he was released, he tried to jump up, became tangled in his lowered clothing and landed on the floor where he sat crying in frustration and embarrassment..

 

"Still feel like a man?" Alex asked.

 

Justin hiccuped and wouldn't answer.

 

Alex let him think about it for awhile, then finally took pity on Justin and helped him up onto the bed and took his clothes off the rest of the way. Fully clothed himself he lay down beside him and held him close.

 

"I just wanted to go out and have fun," Justin sniffed sadly.

 

"Not alone," Alex said firmly. "You could be so easily taken advantage of. I can't allow it."

 

"Why do you get to tell me what to do?"

 

"Because I took responsibility for you and I know better than you."

 

"I was better off on the street," Justin said bitterly.

 

"Were you?" Alex asked.

 

Justin fell silent.

 

"Don't I take good care of you?" Alex asked.

 

"You hit me," Justin sulked.

 

"I spanked you," Alex corrected. "There's a big difference. Besides, that bubble butt can take it."

 

Justin reached behind himself and rubbed. "That's what you say."

 

Alex removed the boy's hand. "Let it hurt for awhile, you'll remember better," he said.

 

"It's not fair, other people my age go out," Justin sulked.

 

"Not to the same places and with the same reckless attitude."

 

"I am not reckless," Justin said indignantly. "And nothing happened last night."

 

"Those are the rules, Justin. I didn't ask for your opinion on them."

 

"And I have to do it or you throw me out, right?"

 

"Wrong. The only place you go from here is home."

 

"I'm not living there," Justin declared.

 

"Then I suggest you learn to deal with my rules."

 

Justin didn't answer right away. He thought perhaps if he waited long enough, Alex would lighten up.

 

Alex thought the problem was solved. After all, he had made his position clear and delivered an impressive penalty for disobedience.

 

By the time either of them realized how wrong they were, they were hopelessly in love.

 

---

 

I've Got Friends That Do!

 

Brian was dressing when Justin arrived at the loft and that put a smile on Justin's face. He watched as Brian carefully adjusted his tie and then said, "Isn't that a little dressed up for Babylon?"

 

Brian turned away from the mirror and frowned. "Babylon? I'm not going to Babylon. I have to work."

 

Justin's face fell. "But it's Friday night!" he protested. "And Alex is gone. You said you would take me out."

 

"Sorry, Sunshine, I have to meet a client." Brian toed into his loafers. "He's picking me up any minute."

 

"No fair," Justin said and flopped down on the sofa. "I can't go alone. I finally got him to say I could go with you and then you bail on me! And don't call me Sunshine!"

 

Brian sighed. "I'm sorry, Justin, this is an important account. And he wants to see me tonight."

 

"Are you going to fuck him?" Justin asked spitefully.

 

Brian paused a minute to give himself time to rein in his temper. "No, that's not on the agenda," he replied finally. "We are having dinner."

 

"And I'm stuck here." Justin kicked his knapsack. "I brought clothes to go to Babylon. You promised."

 

Brian looked at the boy, slumped on the couch in disappointment, and sympathized. "I'll try to make it back early enough to go for awhile, okay?"

 

"And what should I do in the meantime?" Justin said, lip protruding.

 

"Well, why don't you go to Daphne's? Or take a nap here until I get back?"

 

"A nap? I don't need a nap. I'm not an old man." Justin looked at Brian, his whole posture a challenge.

 

Brian sighed and took out his wallet. "Take Daphne for something to eat, you're allowed to do that. You just can't be at a club alone." He laid a few bills on the table. "Then come back here and hang."

 

"I'd rather go home and you pick me up there," Justin said, for no better reason than he felt like being contrary.

 

Brian added enough money for cab fare. "Then wait there and I'll call when I get home and pick you both up, ok?"

 

"You give me money and that makes it all right to break your promise," Justin said sullenly. "I'm everybody's rent boy."

 

"Now, that doesn't even make sense," Brian reproved. "I don't think you even know what a rent boy is." There was a honk from the street. "There's my ride."

 

"Better run," Justin said bitterly.

 

Brian brushed a kiss across the top of his head. "I'll be back as soon as I can." He felt badly because he had promised Alex to look after Justin while he was away on one of his mysterious missions, but this client was too important to blow off. "And I'll take you no matter how late it is," he added.

 

"Yeah," Justin said dejectedly.

 

"Lock up when you leave, ok? Don't forget the alarm." Brian pulled the loft door closed and Justin kicked the coffee table where he had laid the money. Damn, he had money. Alex never left him short. He needed a chaperone. He wanted to go to Babylon and that was strictly forbidden unless Brian went with him.

 

Like he was a little girl, he thought resentfully. Alex didn't understand he was an adult. He was eighteen. He could take care of himself. Why, in a few weeks, when he took his test, he would have his driver's license. And here he was not allowed to party with the big boys because his own personal substitute Daddy had to work.

 

If that's what he was doing...

 

Justin looked at the keys to the jeep, lying where Brian had left them on the kitchen counter. He could drive the jeep; Brian let him practice whenever they went out.

 

He looked at the neat stack of bills, meant to shut him up and make him go away.

 

He looked back at the keys.

 

Then he scooped them up and held them tightly in his fist, thinking.

 

Finally he picked up the phone and dialed Daphne.

 

"I've got wheels," he reported. "Get ready, I'll be there in 30 minutes."

 

~~~

 

 

Brian had the account wrapped up by one o'clock. He had been charming and brilliant, and he and the client had shaken hands on the deal, with written contracts to follow on Monday. The man had graciously dropped him off in front of his building, and by Brian's reckoning, he could get changed and to Justin's before two. Unless Justin had changed his mind and stayed at Brian's. Then they could go straight to Babylon. He was tired but he had promised.

 

He was almost to the door of the building when he had a sudden realization.

 

His car was not where he had left it.

 

He had been lucky enough to get a spot right in front of his place.

 

And now the spot was empty.

 

'Damn,' he thought and pulled out his cell.

 

He dialed the police. "I want to report a stolen car..."

 

~~~

 

Justin and Daphne left Babylon at two and he dropped her off at her door. He had told her the truth about 'borrowing' the jeep, knowing she wouldn't tattle, and the two of them felt very daring and risqué out by themselves in Brian's car.

 

"Won't he find out when he gets home?" she had asked.

 

"He'll roll in at four and I'll be asleep in his bed," Justin had said with great satisfaction. "So unless he checks the gas gauge or the mileage, he'll never know, and he's usually not that observant." Justin was so pleased with his flawless plan that it didn't occur to him that Brian never checked those things because he trusted Justin. He drove along, smiling broadly at his cleverness.

 

That is, he was smiling until he saw the flashing lights in his rear view mirror.

 

And heard the siren. And the order to pull over.

 

He panicked immediately. He couldn't get caught like this. Alex would...

 

He quickly banished the thought about what Alex would do and floored the gas pedal.

 

~~~

 

 

Brian was sitting hunched over at the kitchen counter sipping some juice when Alex pulled open the loft's heavy door and strode in.

 

He looked around the room.

 

"Where's Justin?" he demanded.

 

"Home, I guess," Brian said.

 

"I called there and got no answer. I get voice mail on his cell. I was closer to here so I came over. Did he say where he was going?"

 

"Last time I talked to him, he said he was going home."

 

Alex frowned. "What's wrong with you? You look like shit."

 

Brian glanced up. "My jeep was stolen. I'm sort of bummed about it."

 

"Sorry to hear it."

 

The phone rang.

 

"Maybe that's him," Alex said.

 

Brian picked up. He listened a minute and then went white as a sheet. "All right, don't panic, I'm coming," he said.

 

"Is it Justin?" Alex asked anxiously. "What's is it?"

 

"He's all right," Brian said, "but he needs me to bail him out of jail."

 

"Jail!" Alex repeated, loud enough to make Brian jump.

 

"Yes, apparently my car wasn't stolen, it was borrowed." Brian kept his eyes averted, not daring to look at Alex.

 

"So why didn't he just call you and have you explain?"

 

Brian had difficulty getting the next words out. "Because after he tried to outrun them, the cops weren't real interested in his explanation."

 

Alex stared at Brian. "Outrun them?"

 

"I'll call Mikey," Brian said quickly. "He'll drive us over."

 

 

~~~

 

Mikey was terrified of Alex, so when he saw that he and Brian were together, he dropped them off without any discussion and took off back into the night. That was fine with Alex, who wasn't in a conversational mood, and with Brian, who was utterly miserable. Alex had barely said a word to him and he was sure he knew why: if Brian hadn't been so hasty to report the car stolen, Justin would be safely tucked in bed now, not languishing in county lock-up.

 

Alex didn't even hesitate outside the police station. He went straight to the desk and was about to throw an ID down when Brian stopped him. "Let me."

 

Alex shot him a quizzical look. Brian hesitated, not wanting to voice what he was thinking; that Alex might not want to reveal his identity to law enforcement.

 

But Alex caught on and motioned for Brian to go to the desk. He had false ID, several of them, in fact, but Justin must have given Brian's name to the officers when he made his phone call. Better to be safe and consistent. He just wanted Justin out of this place. Alex stood to the side, trying not to show his impatience, while Brian dealt with details.

 

Necessary paperwork done, they were led to the holding cell. A compassionate and wise female officer had put Justin apart from the general population and remained nearby to be sure there would be no trouble from other inmates. Justin was sitting, quietly talking to her, when Brian came through the door.

 

"Thank god!" Justin said and jumped to his feet. "What's wrong with you, calling the police?" Then he saw Alex and paled. "You son of a bitch tattle tale," he said to Brian. "You fucking prick."

 

He turned to the matron. "Don't open the door. Just leave me here, I want to spend the night." He backed up into the rear of the cell.

 

"He's kidding," Brain said hastily. "Don't worry, it's fine."

 

The matron frowned. "Who are you?" she asked Alex.

 

"You're releasing him to this man," he pointed at Brian, "so what difference does it make?"

 

"I need to know he won't be abused, that's the difference it makes," she said. "So don't work that punk routine on me."

 

"He'll wait outside, everything will be fine," Brian said hastily and Alex, after one last glare at Justin, turned and left.

 

Brian did not appear to be cowed by Alex. Satisfied, the matron released Justin to him.

 

"You are not doing yourself a favor with this attitude," Brian told Justin. "And for the record, I didn't tattle, he was in my apartment looking for you when you called. I had no choice but to tell him where you were."

 

"Yeah, right."

 

"Maybe you haven't noticed, but he doesn't cotton to me lying either."

 

"Big woo." Justin wrinkled his nose.

 

"Don't you get all uppity with me. You stole my jeep."

 

"I borrowed it."

 

"Borrowing implies asking, you didn't ask."

 

"I just wanted to go out."

 

"I told you I would take you. I had every intention of taking you. I came home early specifically to take you."

 

Justin made a face. "Well, can you take me somewhere Alex can't find me for a few days?"

 

Brian put an arm around him. "You'll have to face him sooner or later. I'll stay with you if that's any help."

 

Justin pushed his arm off. "He's going to be mad at you, getting me arrested. I'd worry about my own ass if I were you."

 

As if he wasn't...

 

The matron tapped Brian on the shoulder and handed him the keys to the jeep. "I didn't turn them over to impound yet," she said.

 

"Thank you," Brian said gratefully.

 

"Don't let that other one go off too much," she warned.

 

Easier said than done.

 

 

~~~

 

Alex was outside and said nothing as they headed for the parking lot behind the police station to retrieve the jeep.

 

Being ignored was almost worse than being scolded.

 

Almost.

 

"What were you thinking, trying to outrun the police?" Alex asked Justin finally. "Were you thinking?"

 

Justin shrugged.

 

"What does that mean?" Alex asked. "You don't know? Or you don't care?"

 

"I don't know," Justin said irritably.

 

"Didn't you expect to be punished if I found out?"

 

"I guess."

 

"And don't I always find out things eventually?"

 

"Yes, I guess so."

 

"So, why would you do this?" Alex wanted to shake him.

 

"I guess I was willing to risk it to go clubbing. Daphne thought it was cool I had the jeep."

 

"And if you had been pulled over sooner, she would have been in jail too, you realize that?"

 

"I didn't know he was going to call the cops, I thought he'd figure it out."

 

"And maybe he'd protect you like always and you wouldn't be punished at all."

 

Justin wouldn't look at Alex. "I guess so."

 

"So basically you weighed a spanking against a night out and decided you were willing to pay for your fun if you had to. You figured it was worth it."

 

Justin turned away.

 

"I think that's my car over there," Brian broke in, hoping to redirect the conversation.

 

Alex changed the direction of his walk without changing his thought. "Maybe we ought to up the price so it wasn't worth it. How about this? No driver's test 'till I say so and no practice with the jeep for three months."

 

"What?!" Justin's voice scaled up.

 

"Brian is good enough to teach you to drive and you repay him by stealing his car?"

 

"I borrowed it, I told you!"

 

"Call it what you want, pretty it up all you like. It was a criminal act. And I won't have it."

 

"But I have an appointment for my test!"

 

"Cancel it. I'll let you know when you can make another."

 

"No fair!"

 

"Keep talking. I'll make it six months."

 

"You never do punishments like that!" Justin stamped his foot.

 

"Well, maybe I need to start," Alex said, and his voice was pitched low and furious. "If I've become so predictable that you weigh and measure whether a spanking is worth trading for what you want to do, I need to mix things up a little."

 

"What's predictable is you treating me like a boy when I'm a man!" Justin declared, equally furious.

 

Brian unlocked the jeep. "Time to go," he said hopefully.

 

But Justin and Alex had squared off for real.

 

"You're a man now?" Alex asked. "Oh, that's right, I forgot. You're eighteen. A man."

 

"That's right!" Justin spat out.

 

"Well, I'm glad you told me," Alex said.

 

"You are?" Justin didn't like the way Alex had said it.

 

"Yes, I am," Alex repeated. "Because I've been doing this all wrong and herein lies the problem, I guess. All this time I've been punishing you carefully, as I would a child. But you're not a child. You said so yourself. You're a man. And so I need to punish you like a man."

 

Alex unbuckled his belt.

 

Justin braced for flight, and Brian came around the side of the jeep to get between them.

 

"Run from me now, Justin," Alex said calmly, "and so help me, you will regret the day you ever met me." In one swift movement he sprawled Justin over the hood of the jeep, kicking his legs apart as he did. "And you," he added, pointing at Brian, "keep your place."

 

"I didn't agree to this treatment!" Justin said indignantly, though his voice cracked.

 

"Let's get one thing straight," Alex said. "You belong to me and I don't need your permission to tend to your ass when it needs it."

 

"Someone will hear you," Brian pleaded, desperate to stop this, but sure he was so out of favor that he couldn't.

 

Alex ignored him and addressed the boy bent over before him. "Well, Justin, did you hear that? Brian is concerned that someone might hear us. So unless you want an audience, I suggest you take this quietly, like a man. I doubt that any of these nice policemen that you took for a ride will bother to stop me, but they sure might enjoy the show." He doubled the belt and swung.

 

Justin yelped when it connected, sounding more like a pup than a man.

 

Resolutely Alex swung again. This time Justin pressed his mouth into the back of his hand so he would make no sound.

 

Another lick and Justin kicked out with one leg.

 

"Keep those legs down or you'll be sorry," Alex said.

 

"I'm sure he's already sorry," Brian intervened again. "Alex, he needs to go home. This has been a bad evening for him."

 

"If he was a child, I would agree with you," Alex conceded. "But a man should take this in stride."

 

"I'm a man and I wouldn't," Brian snapped and grabbed Alex's arm before he could bring it down again.

 

Tight lipped, Alex wretched his hand free. "Don't interfere," he said.

 

"Then don't hit him again." Brian had nothing to lose anymore and that made him bold. "I mean it, Alex. I may not be able to take you but that matron in there has a gun and she told me not to let you go off. This isn't doing anybody any good."

 

Alex lowered his arm but did not let Justin up. He leaned over and spoke in his ear.

 

"Are you scared now, little boy?" Alex asked. "Because you should be. You know what happens when you're young and pretty and you end up in prison? A prison full of men? A man like me makes you his bitch. Not his boy, his bitch. That means I take you when I want, how I want. No courting, no careful stretching, spit for lube if you're lucky. A condom? Maybe if they're cheap that week. And if I'm out of cigarettes, you may have to blow my supplier. And if you refuse, I'll whip your ass raw and you'll still do it. I will use you like the spare change in my pocket and there's no way for you to stop me. And if you do manage to kill me or have me killed, there's someone waiting in the wings to take my place. The same damn day. Your ass will see more traffic than I-95. Would you like to have that be your reality? Because I've got friends that do."

 

Justin had been sniffling before, but now he started to cry in earnest.

 

"I'm sorry, I just wanted to go out," he choked out.

 

Alex pulled him up and spun him around. "So tell me now," he said in a hushed whisper. "Are you a man or are you my boy?"

 

Justin buried his face in Alex's shirt. "I'm your boy. Please, Daddy, I'm your boy."

 

"Okay. As long as we're clear on that." Alex clasped him tightly. "Do you have any idea," he asked through clenched teeth, "how much blood I would have to shed if someone had put a hand on you in that jail?"

 

Justin pushed deeper in Alex's chest.

 

"Now let's go home," Alex said.

 

 

~~~

 

Brian had intended to drop them off but Alex said, "Come up."

 

Dutifully Brian parked the jeep and followed them. If Alex said 'follow me', Brian's compulsion was to obey, even though all he wanted to do was go home and block out the events of the evening by drinking himself to sleep.

 

When they got inside the door, Alex motioned impatiently to the bed.

 

"Am I staying?" Brian asked uncertainly. Alex usually did want some fast sex when he came home so that's probably why he was there, Brian thought.

 

Alex nodded. "Lie down. I just want to make sure Justin is clear on a couple of things." He hauled Justin across the room and sat down in the recliner, pulling the boy into his lap where they had a semblance of privacy.

 

Brian undressed quickly, tossing his clothes on a chair and crawling naked between the covers.

 

He had never felt like such a failure. Alex would never trust him again. He lay with one arm over his eyes and waited.

 

For a long time Alex spoke quietly but firmly to Justin, scolding him for his recklessness while hugging him tightly, patiently reviewing the reasons for the rules he'd made and finally accepting his boy's tearful apology. There was nothing in Brian's upbringing that even remotely came close to this loving discipline, and he listened enviously. Did Justin have an inkling how lucky he was?

 

Then Alex gave a whispered instruction and Justin shook his head. "He's mad at me."

 

Another insistent whisper, and Justin sighed loudly and got up from Alex's lap and approached the bed.

 

He lay down beside Brian, snuggling against him. "I'm sorry," he said humbly, his voice muffled. "Please don't be mad. I know I was stupid."

 

It was simple and childlike and sincere, and Brian kissed the top of Justin's head in forgiveness. Then, to his chagrin, he felt tears well up in his eyes. Justin couldn't see them, his head was still down. But Alex could as he came beside the bed, and so he tapped Justin's shoulder.

 

"Go take a shower."

 

"I want to stay here," Justin said, refusing to budge.

 

Alex slapped his ass sharply. "Get going and get that jail taint off you. You stink."

 

"It's not like they deloused me or anything," Justin protested as he got up. Brian rolled over and buried his face in the pillow.

 

"Thanks for reminding me, wash your hair good, too." Alex swatted him again and Justin reluctantly headed for the bathroom.

 

"You make it out like I was in the state pen, it was a county lock-up," he muttered, turning around to make sure Alex saw how put out he was. "Are you gonna fuck Brian while I'm gone?"

 

Alex looked at him blandly. "Why are you still talking?"

 

Justin quickly closed the door to the bathroom.

 

Alex stood there a minute, looking at Brian, and when Brian didn't move he sat down on the bed and tugged gently at his shoulder to make him turn back to him.

 

When Brian resisted, Alex laughed. "Want me to make you turn? Because we both know I can."

 

Slowly Brian rolled over onto his back, drawing his arm across his face to dry it.

 

"What's with the crying? You got the car back."

 

"I wouldn't cry over a car, not even that car," Brian said, annoyed. God, did he seem that shallow to everyone?

 

"Well, what, then? Justin's okay, none the worse for wear."

 

"Can't you see? He went to jail!" Brian blurted. "And it was my fault! Why didn't I think to call him first and see if he took it?"

 

"Because you didn't think he'd steal it?" Alex guessed.

 

"If I'd put him first over that client, this never would have happened." More tears escaped and Brian let them fall. He couldn't go much lower in Alex's estimation, probably, so why hide them?

 

Alex sighed. "Sometimes you do what you have to do. I had to work, too. I don't expect you not to do your job to keep him entertained."

 

Surprisingly, Alex's understanding didn't make him feel better. Brian being told he wasn't at fault wasn't helping. He still felt at fault.

 

Alex thought about just fucking him to cheer him up, but orgasms didn't fix everything and Brian wasn't acting like an injured or neglected lover.

 

He was acting like Justin when he needed his daddy.

 

Resigned to his role, Alex moved the blanket and rubbed Brian's stomach. "Tell me what you did wrong," he said, putting the stern edge in his voice that he used to let Justin know when he was seriously disappointed but still willing to listen. "Or more importantly, what you could have done differently so this wouldn't have happened?"

 

Brian blinked quickly and rubbed at his eyes. After a minute he said, "I could have put off the client to another night, told him I had another engagement. Then I could have taken Justin out when I said I would."

 

"That might have worked," Alex said non-committedly.

 

"I could have come home earlier, although I don't know whether he waited for awhile and got mad when I was late, or left right away."

 

"More than likely he left right away, but go on." Alex was still rubbing, and Brian subconsciously put his hand on Alex's hand, craving the contact.

 

"I should have called him during the evening and maybe he wouldn't have felt so neglected. I would have known where the car was then, too."

 

"That may have helped," Alex agreed.

 

"At the very least I should have called him before I called the police about the jeep."

 

"Or me."

 

"Or you. And I should have called him to make sure he was home to tell him I wasn't going to be over." Brian bit his lip. "I guess I was more worried about the car than him, at least at first. If you hadn't come over looking for him, I don't even know if I'd have remembered to check on him."

 

"You probably would have."

 

"Justin should have come first."

 

Alex didn't argue about that.

 

"And then in the police station parking lot..." Brian gulped. "I guess you didn't like the way I talked to you."

 

"You were on thin ice," Alex conceded. "But you were concerned for Justin so your lack of finesse can be overlooked. However," and Alex frowned as he spoke, "don't ever threaten to go get some bitch with a gun to scare me off. That didn't work last time some fool tried it."

 

"Okay."

 

"And butt out when I'm dealing with Justin."

 

Brian rubbed his eyes again and didn't answer.

 

Alex didn't push that point; Brian was upset enough already and he had to admit he was glad there was someone else devoted to Justin, even if they disagreed sometimes on how strict to be with the object of their devotion. He brushed the hair out of Brian's eyes and said, "Looking at the whole thing, I would say your biggest sin was poor judgement. You didn't mean for this to happen."

 

How could it be that simple? Brian thought. "You wouldn't be so calm if he got manhandled in that jail," he burst out. "Or if he got hurt trying to shake the cops." Brian had a sudden vision of the jeep, mangled and in flames beside the road with Justin still inside, and the tears flowed again without Brian even realizing it. "I could have killed him," Brian said brokenly and went to turn back into the pillow. "Then I'd like to see how forgiving you'd be!"

 

Alex sighed again. "All right, that's enough." He set his feet firmly on the floor and hauled Brian across his lap. "I'm not going to let you go on punishing yourself for this." He put one hand in the middle of Brian's back to hold him in place and raised the other over Brian's perfect ass. "I'll do it for you and then there'll be an end to it."

 

This was completely unexpected. "No, please don't," Brian protested feebly, and tried to get up, but he was too worn out emotionally to fight and when the first spank landed he went limp across Alex's knees.

 

"I don't know how else to make you believe this." Alex brought his palm down again, and spanked the padded curve of Brian's buttocks as he spoke. "It's over. And it's ok."

 

Brian didn't answer.

 

"You are not to blame here," Alex told him, spanking him several more times. The blows were soft and slow, designed not to hurt but to warm the flesh under his palm, to make Brian focus on something besides his own self consuming guilt.

 

Brian listened to Alex, not moving at all, but crying quietly, wiping away the tears as they fell.

 

"Justin owns most of this," Alex said firmly. "There were things you could have done differently but hindsight is easy and I'm not even sure the outcome would have changed."

 

Brian sniffed and rubbed at his nose. He tried to shift on Alex's lap but he was being held securely.

 

He hadn't really wanted to move anyway. "It just seems I pushed him to do it," he said, his voice hoarse. "I left the car keys right there under his nose, for god's sake."

 

"That's ridiculous," Alex scoffed. "You trusted him, I don't blame you for that. You should have been able to trust him. He made his choice and he knew from the start he was wrong. What you have to do is let him pay for that choice. You can't protect him from the consequences like you did. He'll expect that all the time the same way he expects you to cater to him when he wants to go somewhere. He's spoiled as it is, don't make it worse."

 

As he spoke, Alex continued the gentle chastisement. Brian's breathing evened out and he relaxed, despite his awkward position.

 

"And you have to trust me," Alex said simply, and rubbed a soothing hand over Brian's buttocks, evening out the heat. "When I tell you I'm not mad, you have to believe me. I have no trouble telling you when I'm annoyed and I also have no trouble telling you when you did all you could. I never lie to make anyone feel better. Trust me."

 

"I do trust you," Brian choked out.

 

"Alright then." Alex helped him sit up and gathered him into his arms. "No more being miserable. It all came out okay."

 

"No thanks to me."

 

Alex lifted Brian's chin and made him look at him. "Are you asking to be spanked again? 'Cause I'm ready to hug you, but I'll backtrack if I have to."

 

"The hugging part will do fine," Brian said hastily and pressed against Alex again before he changed his mind.

 

Justin came out of the bathroom, drying himself with a towel. "Smell me," he demanded, thrusting his naked torso at Alex.

 

Alex kissed his stomach. "Like a rose," he smiled approvingly.

 

Justin poked Brian. "Don't you want to smell me?" he asked.

 

Brian shook his head.

 

"Let Brian alone now," Alex said. "You caused enough trouble. Lie down and be quiet." He patted Brian's backside gently. "Let me up for a sec, Brian. I just want to get rid of my clothes." Brian clung to him a minute before letting him go.

 

Justin quickly took the spot Alex vacated.

 

"I'll hold you," Justin volunteered and held out his arms to Brian.

 

After a small hesitation Brian moved into the embrace.

 

"Looks like I lost my valet," Alex grinned and began to unbuckle his prosthesis himself.

 

Justin looked at him. "You want help?"

 

Alex held up a hand. "Stay with Brian," he said. "I can manage this once."

 

"I'm sorry again," Justin said penitently to Brian. "I don't know what I was thinking."

 

"You weren't thinking," Alex proclaimed, putting the artificial limb aside. "That's pretty clear."

 

Justin didn't mind admitting his guilt again, but he didn't want another reprimand. He rolled his eyes, although not where Alex could see, then giggled when he saw Brian shaking his head at him.

 

"Get me the lube and be good before you're in trouble again," Brian told him. He knew Alex needed to release his pent up adrenaline or he wouldn't be able to sleep. Time to think of someone besides himself.

 

"You don't need lube," Alex said quickly. "I'm tired."

 

Brian looked stricken.

 

"Now what is it?" Alex asked wearily.

 

"I knew you were still mad. You won't even..." Brian's voice cracked and he was unable to finish, but Alex got the message and sighed loudly.

 

"Give him to me," he said to Justin and reached for Brian. Deftly manhandling him with one arm, he flipped him so Brian was facing away from Alex. "And give me the lube."

 

Brian braced himself for the slap of lube and a rough entry.

 

Instead he felt warm wet fingers slip between his cheeks.

 

"Relax," Alex said into his ear and pushed his middle finger in deep.

 

"What are you doing?" Brian asked.

 

"What does it feel like?" Alex asked. "Am I hurting you? That butt too sore from that pussy spanking?"

 

"No," Brian said uncertainly.

 

"Then what's the problem?"

 

"N-no problem," he replied. The finger coated him thoroughly, and then a second joined it.

 

Alex kissed the back of Brian's neck and Brian froze. "I know I'm being brutal," Alex teased. "But try to deal."

 

When Brian was prepped, Alex entered him with a gentle nudge.

 

Brian closed his eyes dreamily as Alex held him around the waist and rocked inside him.

 

This must be how he made love to Justin.

 

It was heaven.

 

He wanted it to go on forever, wave after wave of pleasure lifting him higher and higher but finally there was no more holding back.

 

Alex stroked his cock and said, "Now. Come for me now."

 

Brian's orgasm seemed to bubble out from deep in his loins. He reached a crest that seemed to light up every cell in his body and then he felt the aftershocks for more than a minute.

 

Finally he went limp and Alex released him.

 

Justin watched, unimpressed.

 

"What about me?" he said sulkily.

 

"What about you?" Alex asked.

 

"I didn't come."

 

"Maybe you don't deserve an orgasm," Alex said, easing carefully out of Brian.

 

"No fair!"

 

"I'll suck him," Brian offered through a blissful haze, though God only knew how he would manage it.

 

"I'll do it," Alex said, leaning over to kiss Brian on the lips. "You've had enough for one day." He motioned to Justin. "Come here, brat."

 

"You come to me," Justin demanded and sprawled flat.

 

Brian was vaguely aware of Alex rolling over him and onto Justin. There was a brief tickling frenzy and then Justin moaned as Alex took him in his mouth.

 

Brian didn't open his eyes. He was tasting Alex's lips on his own. Alex wasn't a kisser, the only exception was Justin.

 

And now Brian.

 

He put one hand on Alex's leg even as Alex went down on Justin.

 

Before Justin even came, Brian was asleep.

 

 

 

THE END. (TBC)