Justin was working at the counter when Brian entered the diner. Sitting down, he spoke loudly, "Who do I have to fuck to get something to drink in this place?"

The blond head snapped around. "Me, if I'm lucky." He filled a glass with water and carried it over.

"Okay, I'm here." Brian took a drink. "Why did you call me?"

"Will you go to the bookstore with me?" Justin removed his apron.

"Are you finished working?" Justin nodded. "Why do you want to go to the bookstore?"

Justin walked around and sat on the stool next to his lover. "Debbie said I could leave an hour early. They're having a book signing today and I want to go."

"A book signing? I didn't know Dennis Cooper was in town."

"Not Dennis Cooper - Howard Bellweather. I have something I want to say to him and I want to say it to his face."

"And what if I say no?"

Justin looked down. "Then I'll go by myself." Glancing up, he bit his lip. "Don't make me go by myself."

*****

"Oww!"

Justin loosened his hold on Brian's arm. "Sorry."

"It's okay. Wanna go back?" Brian's voice was full of concern.

"No," Justin squinted up at his lover.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah." He waved his hands in front of him. "Look - no hands." Without warning, he was bumped by someone passing by. "Hey!" he yelled, as he turned. "Fucker!"

Before Justin could say anything else, Brian grabbed him. "It's okay, it's okay, it's okay, it's okay. It's just an accident." Wrapping his arms around the lithe body, Brian tried to give comfort. "Don't let it throw you."

Justin calmed immediately. As they continued their stroll, he wrapped an arm around Brian's waist. Taken by surprise, Brian stared at him for several seconds before they arrived at their destination. The young man paused outside the store and stared in the front window.

*****

Surveying the shop, Justin spotted his prey at the rear of the room, sitting behind a table. Howard Bellweather smiled smugly as he signed, chatting easily with Ted, who was standing before him.
Grabbing a book, Justin pushed his way to the front of the line and dropped it onto the table. "Sign this: to Brian Kinney, please accept my apologies for what I wrote about you. I'm a sucking sack of shit.
Love and luck, Howie."

The author looked up, questioningly. "I take it you are?"

"His teenage lover."

"Well, it's a pleasure to meet such a bright, brave young man," Bellweather spoke quietly. "If anyone deserves an award for heroism, it's you."

"You had no right to say those things."

"On the contrary, it was my obligation."

"He saved my life!" Justin refused to back down.

"He's also stolen part of it. Your innocence. Your youth. One day you'll see he's hurt you as much as your attacker."

Justin had said what he'd come to say, but the author refused to even acknowledge his argument. Shoving the book off the table in disgust, he turned and walked away.

"Come on, Brian!" Justin stomped past Ted and Brian, without looking at either of them.

By the time Brian caught up with him, Justin had exited the building and was standing with his back against the doorjamb. His eyes were closed and he was taking deep breaths in an effort to calm down.
Brian placed a hand gently on his shoulder. "Let's go." He led the young man back down the street.

They were back at the loft before either of them spoke again. "Are you all right?" Brian asked.

"Self-righteous sanctimonious asshole!" Justin fetched a bottle of water and threw himself onto the sofa. "He wouldn't even fucking apologize!"

Brian walked over to sit in the chair across from the young man. "He thinks you're brave."

"Didn't you hear him? He said you'd hurt me more than Chris Hobbs! I can't let him--"

"Justin," Brian moved from the chair to sit next to the young man on the sofa. "You told me once that I can't control everyone, no matter how much I'd like to…"

Sighing theatrically, Justin sat back and crossed his arms. "I'm not trying to control everyone!" Pausing, he smiled. "Okay, maybe I am, but I can't help it. I want them to know how amazing you are…"

"Jesus, don't even joke about something like that!" Brian rolled his eyes in mock horror. "You'll ruin my reputation, and after I worked for years to build it."

Justin laughed in spite of himself. "Why should I care what people think, right?"

Brian nodded. "Fuck `em!" Leaning forward, he covered the small mouth with his own, eliciting a moan of delight. "Now, why don't you forget about Howard Bellweather and show me how much you appreciate me?" He removed Justin's clothes before stripping himself. Pulling the young man over to sit on his lap, he shifted forward so that Justin could wrap his legs around his back.

Both men were breathing heavily by the time Justin slid to the floor and lowered his head over Brian's crotch. The older man laid his head back and moaned as he arched into the teenager's mouth. He was close
to orgasm when Justin raised his head. Brian kissed him hungrily, tasting himself in the young man's mouth.

Brian fished a condom out of a drawer in the coffee table and unrolled it onto his dick. Pulling Justin forward, he invited him to impale himself slowly. Justin movements became frenzied very quickly
and Brian grabbed his ass in an effort to slow him down. Justin was having none of it, however, and Brian gave up, allowing him to move as fast as he wanted to.

Justin moaned into his lover's mouth as their tongues dueled playfully. Brian's hands caressed his skin, encouraging him to fuck himself on the long, hard shaft. Gasping for air, he wasn't sure how much longer he'd be able to last. A quick look at his lover's face showed that Brian was close as well. Justin closed his eyes and thrust once more, twice, three times, then fireworks exploded behind his eyes.

*****

Fifteen minutes later, Brian and Justin were lying together in bed. Despite Justin's protests that it was midafternoon, Brian insisted that he take a nap and Justin wouldn't lie down alone. "Are you asleep?" Justin asked.

"No. What is it?"

"I-I just wanted to thank you."

"You did all the work. Shouldn't I be thanking you?"

"I meant, for taking me to the bookstore, and for not thinking I was stupid for wanting to go."

"Don't ever apologize for how you feel, Justin. Besides…" Brian paused.

"Besides what?"

Brian didn't say anything for another minute; when he finally spoke, his voice sounded subdued. "It was nice that you went down there because of what he said about me…"

"I know you don't care what people think about you but…" Justin raised up and looked at the older man. "I couldn't let him think badly of you, just because no one would stand up to him."

"I don't want you to think you have to fight battles for me," Brian spoke sharply.

"I know," Justin smiled. "I don't." Moving forward, he pillowed his head against Brian's chest and closed his eyes.

"After all, we know who the real hero is, don't we?" Brian whispered, when he was sure his lover was asleep.