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Title: Graphic Arts 1
Part 1
"They've had eighteen years to make this decision for themselves. I don't think they need us to go messing around in their lives. "
Justin closed his eyes sighing in frustration. They’d been over and over this.
"Ben, since you and Michael broke up and Brian and I... did whatever it is that two people do when they stop seeing each other when they were never technically dating to begin with, they've been inseparable. They're out all night almost every night and sometimes into the next morning. Face it, they are together, they just don’t know it yet. If anything, we'll be doing them a favor. Trust me."
Ben shook his head still unconvinced.
"It's what Michael wants, what he's always wanted, Ben. He's been ready to take that next step since they first laid eyes on each other."
Justin winced at the twinge of sadness that flickered in the professor's eyes, but it still didn't change the facts. Brian and Michael belonged together.
“Hey, Brian was taken at fourteen, too. He’s just in denial." He empathized. "I just wasn't prepared to face up to it until we broke up.”
“Until you met Tomas,” Ben smiled.
“Yeah, well I’ve seen your most recent piece of ass too, Professor Bruckner. Not too shabby if I do say so myself. A teacher’s assistant or something like that, right? Tell me again how old he is?”
Ben chuckled. “Okay, okay, point well taken.”
“Look, the way I see it, Brian just needs a push to get him headed in the right direction. And Ben…you and I are going to be that push."
"All right, say I do go along with this. What exactly is it that you need me to do?"
The look Ben received from Justin was almost enough to make him regret asking. The young blonde must have picked up THAT particular expression from Brian.
"Don't worry," Justin grinned. "You're gonna' love this."
****************Two Days Later************
"Okay, just remember it's for the next issue of Rage. He knows he's been neglecting the comic and I've been picking up the slack, so I don't think he's really going to question it."
"But what if he does? I should know the storyline just in case he asks, don’t you think?"
By the way Justin uncomfortably picked at the edge of his sketchpad, Ben knew he was in for something.
“Justin… Spill.”
"Actually, Michael wrote it… Shit.” He paused. “It was months ago, before...Um...you know...before the two of you broke up. It was to tie up the Juice Pig story line, have the character make good before he..."
"Before he made his exit?" Ben helpfully filled in for an abashed Justin. "It's okay, go on," Ben encouraged with sincere interest.
He'd always thought that Rage was, in concept and context, an ingenious endeavor regardless of the fact that he had been sharing a bed with the creator. Ever since he'd read the very first draft of the comic, he honestly found himself looking forward to hearing about what social and political ramifications Rage would be stirring up in "Gayopolis" each month. Not to mention, that having a character created in his image was flattering to say the least, even if it wasn't one of his finer moments. Inescapably, ‘ Juice Pig’ would always be a part of him.
"Well," Justin smirked deviously, "when we last left Juice Pig he had finally broken the spell that was turning him into a violent criminal thanks to Zephyr's intervention, right? But we never took their storyline further. There was never really any closure for them." Justin grinned at the puzzled expression that remained on Ben's face.
"As I recall, Juice Pig is currently teaching Zen healing techniques to underprivileged youth in drug ridden neighborhoods. That's a pretty noble place for anyone to end up, as far as I'm concerned. What else is there?"
"Zephyr..." Justin prompted.
Rolling his eyes when Ben continued to give him the same questioning gaze, Justin sighed dramatically. " He still hasn't gotten any. You'd be surprised at the amount of fan mail we get complaining about Zephyr's social life…or lack there of should I say."
"Ahh, now I get it. You want to get Zephyr laid." Ben smiled. "It's about time. So what do you need from me?"
"Well, seeing as how 'Zeph’ doesn't have a new love interest in his life..."
Similar sympathetic expressions graced both men's faces, verifying that they were both thinking the same thing. 'Life imitates art'. Poor Michael had been single for far too long. "I was thinking that perhaps he and the Juice Pig could...you know..."
Ben smirked. "Fuck…for old times sake?" "Well, why should Rage be the only one that gets to have all of the deliciously sorted trysts?"
“As strange as it sounds even to my own ears, lets say I’m with you so far.” Ben's gaze narrowed. "You think Michael is going to be okay with this?"
"Well..." Time for a bit of brutal honesty on the teen’s part. "Jesus Ben, Michael hasn't had sex since the two of you broke up. That's gotta' be like what, six months? He's like a sexual camel for Christ sakes. It's unhealthy! At the rate he's going, Zephyr's never going to get laid and let's face it, without our intervention, neither is Michael.”
“On the more practical side, don’t you think that people are eventually going to get sick of every issue of Rage ending with Rage and JT playing mattress tag while Zeph stands stoically in front of a picture window staring off into the darkened city of Gayopolis? Waiting alone until the next villain makes an appearance, so he can take out his sexual frustration on them...Truthfully, I'd rather have Michael a bit pissed at me for a few weeks for going behind his back with this, than see the entire the comic go under because of his lack of a social life. We've worked too hard for this to just let it go."
“You make it sound not only harmless, but necessary.”
Seeing that Ben seemed to agree with him so far, Justin eagerly continued. "So, we tell Michael that I have to draw up the story boards and needed some sketches of you…"
“Naked.” Ben deadpanned.
“Oh,” Justin sighed dramatically, not even attempting to hide his smirk. “The injustices I must suffer for my art… Of course naked.”
Ben raised an eyebrow in a mixture of amused amazement. "Brian's had quite an influence on you, young man. It's actually a bit scary."
"Just think of what this will mean to Michael in the long run. Not only will this be the most talked about issue of Rage to date, but if we play our cards right, Michael and Brian will finally be together. So what do you say, Professor? How 'bout it? For Zephyr."
Ben nodded. “Okay Justin, you win. You plead a pretty good case.”
“And to think, debate wasn’t even my strong suit in school.” A brief smile flickered across Justin’s face before becoming serious. “Strip.”
****************
Michael went to toss his house keys and mail onto the dining room table but missed. Distracted by the scene that greeted him when he walked into his apartment, he stared incredulously, open mouthed, gaping at the site of his ex-boyfriend standing bare-assed naked in the middle of their living room.
"Uh, am I interrupting something?"
The question wasn't being directed to Ben, however, but to the young blonde sitting decidedly too close to said ex-boyfriend, sketching furiously on a pad in between what Michael perceived as overtly invasive glances.
He and the Professor may have broken up, but it should have gone without saying that there were some things that you just didn't do. It SHOULD have gone without saying. As Michael watched Justin's eyes travel across Ben's exposed flesh, he was seriously beginning to wish he had said something.
"What are you doing?"
"Hey Michael. I wasn't expecting you home so early," Ben casually greeted his ex-lover and current roommate. He quickly glanced over his shoulder when he heard the huffed "obviously," from behind.
"Michael." Ben nervously turned a desperate eye toward the smaller man hoping he hadn’t jumped the gun in agreeing to this hair-brained scheme. The last thing he wanted to do was rock the boat of their new-albeit strange-symbiotic relationship.
"Wait, don't move. I'm not done!" Justin snapped, as he tried to finish defining an already well-defined calf muscle before Ben shifted his weight any further. The ensuing tension of having the 'make or break' moment of his plans at his finger tips caused Justin to press down too hard against his pad, breaking the point off of his favorite pencil. "Aw fuck! That was my last one!" Briefly he panicked.
"Don't worry, Justin. I think I have a few Ticonderoga #2's laying around somewhere." Ben motioned towards Emmett’s old room. "Try my bedroom, nightstand, top drawer." he smiled before returning his attention to Michael.
"I hope this isn't a problem Michael." Ben began once Justin had left the room. "My room was just too small for Justin to get all of the angles he needed, and some of these poses are..."
"Wait! Stop right there, angles for what? What's going on?" Michael practically growled.
Although he knew he shouldn't be, Ben grinned, inwardly pleased with the knowledge that he could still spark that kind of jealousy in his ex-lover.
However mature he and Michael had felt about their decision to continue living together after their amicable split over six months ago, it was still nice to know that Michael still cared. Ben had finally admitted to both himself and Michael that finding an HIV positive life mate was something he needed to do. There was too much strain being put on their mental and physical health to continue as a couple. Both of them were going to end up hurt in the end. He would never truly stop desiring the raven-haired man, though. Kissing the ample pout off of Michael's plump, pink lips or snuggling that compact little frame into submission during one of their rare disagreements. It was definitely something he missed.
It seemed though, if Michael's body language was any indication, that Ben was currently being given one of those rare opportunities right now, as that temptingly fleshy pout was once again being aimed in his direction.
Unsurprisingly, as with most people who knew the fiery tempered Italian, Ben found himself unable to resist the opportunity for a little teasing at Michael's expense. Hopefully it would result in drawing that lithe body a little bit closer to his own.
"What do you mean, Michael?"
Ben feigned innocence, knowing full well that even if they hadn't made the agreement that neither of them were to bring potential lovers and or tricks back to the apartment-which was actually the very first rule they'd made-cohabitating any space with a certain blonde-haired, blue-eyed art student, sans clothing, would definitely not be permitted under any circumstances. Ben knew better than anyone else, about the turbulent relationship that existed between Justin and Michael from the beginning.
Speechless, Michael's jaw hit the floor. Ben couldn't help but laugh at the expression painting his face.
"Wh...I...Justin...you... naked!"
"Take it easy, Michael." Bringing Michael into his arms, Ben caressed and soothed his ex-lover with one of the many patented bear hug embraces that always seemed to relax the excitable man in the past.
Though, mentally they knew they weren't meant to be, the breakup hadn't dulled the ever flowing current of electricity that had drawn them to each other. It was that attraction that Ben and Justin were counting on. The fact that Michael didn't even think to pull away was a solid example of that deep-rooted bond that still remained between the two of them.
"Justin just needed me to do a little modeling for him." Ben's voice resonated thickly against Michael's senses, drawing the younger man closer. And without thinking about it, a sex-starved Michael found himself instantly responding to the warm, familiar flesh being pressed flush against him. Unconsciously, Michael began rubbing his cloth-covered erection against Ben's thick, sparsely hair sprinkled thighs.
Falling back into the easy symmetry of the past, Michael pursed his lips, smirking playfully. "Oh, and being the fine upstanding citizen that you are, you immediately dropped everything to lend a hand...including your drawers?" He didn't even attempt to fight the heat beginning to course throughout his body,
"You know me, " Ben murmured huskily, taking advantage of the all too rare freedom Michael was giving him with his body. "Ever the humanitarian."
Their surroundings dropped away as Ben's large hands inched Michael's tight, blue T-shirt up around his small waist. Slowly revealing the lithe frame that set Ben's nerve endings on fire. Michael was an addiction, and it had been far too long since he'd imbibed, touching that soft, creamy skin and silken hair.
With a gentle shiver, Michael succumbed to the ministrations. Almost instantly, he melted into each touch, entranced by Ben's hypnotic blue eyes.
As Ben reached his ribcage, their bellies brushed together for the first time in months, a sharp voice rang out freezing them in place.
"Wait! Don't move. Don't. Move."
Justin came rushing over, his eyes running over every inch of the thoroughly entwined couple. “Perfect,” he muttered.
He hadn't expected it to happen this quickly, but he wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth. In his own mind, this only helped to further justify his decision to take such an unorthodox course of action.
"Justin..." Michael choked haltingly, and tried to pull away from Ben's strengthening embrace.
"You're insane if you think I'm not capturing this on paper, Michael."
With an artist's eye, Justin proceeded to hook one of Ben's fingers loosely through a resistant Michael's belt loop. The other, he arranged bunching up the rest of Michael's tee just enough to slightly expose one tiny nipple.
"God, you're fuckin' beautiful; the two of you."
Momentarily taken aback by Justin’s blatant appreciation of his body, Michael turned three shades of red.
Justin smirked at the bright pink flush that tinted Michael's cheeks. It only worsened when Michael noticed Justin's eyes lingering on him and him alone.
Once again speechless, and now feeling awkward and exposed, Michael tried to avoid Justin's gaze by keeping his eyes downcast from both Justin and Ben's smiling faces.
"You are, you know." Ben breathed in agreement, certain that Michael didn't. Nudging at Michael's chin with his own, Ben took Michael’s mouth in a deep, probing kiss.
Justin and the room vanished. Michael was lost. It was a heady feeling to once again be held and cradled lovingly in someone's arms, especially someone so familiar. As his senses swam drunkenly within Ben's embrace, Michael let himself go allowing himself to feel cherished and wanted.
It was a feeling he had denied himself for too long. So many lonely nights he searched for a true love that never appeared. Well, at least for one night he wouldn't feel so alone.