Mechanical Michelangelo part 46
Happy 2006 to everyone! hope you all had a fabulous new year:-)
Thanks to Mary for agreeing to be my beta, you're the best!
CHAPTER FOURTY SIX A Friend Indeed
Justin followed Brian into Babylon, outwardly calm, no one would notice his stiff spine and the way he dodged away from groping hands. He donned the façade he used to wear when hustling became too much, a blank mask that hid his feelings from the customers he was meant to please. It was a relief to reach the bar and spot Mikey.
“Guys, you made it!”
Brian rolled his eyes and leaned over, kissing his best friend quickly on the cheek. “We said we would didn’t we?”
“So, what are you both drinking?” Mikey turned and half leaned over the bar, trying to get the barman’s attention.
“I’d love a beer,” Justin said, snorting as Brian raised an eyebrow at him, “but I’ll settle for a water, damn pills.”
Justin took his time in surveying the people around him, making sure they didn’t come too close before letting the music seep under his skin. The steady rhythm loosened his tense muscles and he let out a slow breath.
The cloying heat and stench of sweat, beer and cigarettes made him feel nauseous at first, until somewhere in his subconscious remembered he used to like this kind of thing. It went hand in hand with the music, and that he enjoyed.
Someone pushed past him to get the bar and he tensed, eyes widening and breath sticking in his throat. Brian pulled him away quickly, settling him in the crook of his arm while shouting obscenities at the guy who had touched him.
“I’m OK,” he shouted over the music to Brian, he didn’t want to ruin this night, he wanted to go home and know it had been a success, that he could be around people again without totally freaking out.
Mikey handed him a bottle of water as he unscrewed the lid, glad to have something else to concentrate on. Fleetingly he wished it was something stronger, something to give him Dutch courage.
He glanced at the man who barged past him and realised he was nobody special, not particularly gorgeous, not muscular, just a regular guy. He was used to being up close and personal with men like this, he used to get paid to fuck, and now he had trouble even touching them. He took a swig of water, swilling it around his dry mouth before swallowing.
Mikey leaned in front of Brian and clinked his beer with Justin’s water, “Here’s to Rage, partner. I’ve got some ideas for storylines.”
“Mikey, Babylon isn’t the place to talk business. It’s about fun.” Brian said in an exasperated voice.
“Rage is fun, I’ll have you know! But I’ll refrain from tainting your ears with my wonderful ideas. We’ll get together tomorrow, yeah?”
“Sure, Mikey.”
A man dressed in goth attire walked past, and both he and Justin did a double take at each other. He took a step backwards until he was face to face with Justin again. “Justin, it is you!” He grinned and pushed a stray lock of hair out of his eyes.
Justin smiled back. “Hi Alex, it’s good to see you, man.”
“You too, how the fuck are you? I heard about what happened,” he frowned and shrugged his shoulders sheepishly, “I wanted to get in touch, but I didn’t want to intrude, or for you to think I was only getting in touch because of everything, you know?”
“I understand, it was a messy time, probably best to stay away.”
“Hey, I remember you, from the tattoo convention. Justin tattooed The Crow on your back.”
Al nodded and grinned proudly. “Yeah, best tattoo I ever had.” He suddenly looked up at Justin, guiltily. “I’m sorry, man, I didn’t mean to rub it in or anything.”
Justin shrugged, it was still a very sore subject with him, but he didn’t want anyone else feeling sorry for him. “It’s OK to mention it. I’m gaining my strength back slowly.”
“Yeah, he sure is. We’re even writing a comic book together.”
“That’s great! I love comics-obviously.”
Brian sighed irritably, feeling somewhat left out. “More shop talk. No work talk at the dinner table, boys.”
“Fine, fine.” Mikey snorted in annoyance, but couldn’t stop himself grinning like a school kid.
“This is Alex, by the way, and Al, this is Brian.”
They looked each other up and down, Al not backing away from Brian’s hostile stare. Justin wasn’t even sure his new friend realised Brian was sending him such evil glares.
“Nice to meet you, Bri.”
“Yeah, you too.” Brian didn’t sound too enthusiastic, and when Mikey dragged him off to the dance floor, Justin was too relieved that no argument was started. He started to feel panicked about being left alone.
“I really am sorry I didn’t call.” Al said, totally serious now.
“It’s really OK, It was a bad time, not only with the physical problems, but with the media and getting all my shit stirred up. It was probably best you stayed away.”
“Not anymore though, I promise to give you a call this time.”
Justin smiled, feeling better. It would be nice to have a friend or two that had nothing to do with Brian, he didn’t want to become dependant on the older man for everything.
“Or I could call you.”
Brian chose that moment to strand Mikey on the dance floor and wind his way back to Justin. “Well, Mikey sucks.”
“I hope you asked the nice professor and didn’t go at it on the dance floor.” Justin smirked unable to resist the slight taunt.
“You’re such a kidder. Want to go to the back room and see what else sucks?” He lifted an eyebrow and ignored Mikey as he joined them.
A cold shiver ran down Justin’s spine and he shook his head. “I think my sucking in public days are over. You go though.” Justin wiped a bead of sweat from Brian’s forehead.
“You sure?” Brian asked, suddenly serious, as if he was waiting for Justin to put up a fight and accuse him of something.
“Yes, I’m sure. I’ll catch you later on, yeah?”
Brian clanked his forehead against Justin’s and pressed a quick, grateful kiss to his lips. “Yeah.”
Mikey stared at Brian’s back, watching him disappear into the back room before turning back to Justin. “And that doesn’t bother you?”
“Not really.”
“The fact that we’re meant to be celebrating Rage, and he’s gone looking for a trick?”
“Mikey, if I’d wanted to fuck in public, we’d both be there, I don’t, so I’m not, and he does want to fuck in public, so that’s what he’s doing.”
“Doesn’t it get to you though, the fact that he’s fucking another guy, probably getting his dick sucked right now?”
Justin lit up a cigarette, Mikey’s questions bringing on a headache. “Sex is just sex, I think I know that better than most.”
“I don’t think I could be like that with Ben.”
“It’s different for everyone though, I have a regular fuck buddy, we have fun, but we also have fun with others,” Al added.
“It’s different with me and Bri, I know he wants variety, he likes the chase and excitement of sex with different men. I’ve had enough men in the past, most with no emotional attachment involved, to feel threatened by it.”
“You’re a better man than me then, I’d never be able to put up with Brian if I were you.” Mikey frowned, looking towards the back room, and Justin saw the realisation of his words as they finally sank in. Maybe Mikey would now realise why he was the best friend and not the lover.
Thanks to Mary for agreeing to be my beta, you're the best!
CHAPTER FOURTY SIX A Friend Indeed
Justin followed Brian into Babylon, outwardly calm, no one would notice his stiff spine and the way he dodged away from groping hands. He donned the façade he used to wear when hustling became too much, a blank mask that hid his feelings from the customers he was meant to please. It was a relief to reach the bar and spot Mikey.
“Guys, you made it!”
Brian rolled his eyes and leaned over, kissing his best friend quickly on the cheek. “We said we would didn’t we?”
“So, what are you both drinking?” Mikey turned and half leaned over the bar, trying to get the barman’s attention.
“I’d love a beer,” Justin said, snorting as Brian raised an eyebrow at him, “but I’ll settle for a water, damn pills.”
Justin took his time in surveying the people around him, making sure they didn’t come too close before letting the music seep under his skin. The steady rhythm loosened his tense muscles and he let out a slow breath.
The cloying heat and stench of sweat, beer and cigarettes made him feel nauseous at first, until somewhere in his subconscious remembered he used to like this kind of thing. It went hand in hand with the music, and that he enjoyed.
Someone pushed past him to get the bar and he tensed, eyes widening and breath sticking in his throat. Brian pulled him away quickly, settling him in the crook of his arm while shouting obscenities at the guy who had touched him.
“I’m OK,” he shouted over the music to Brian, he didn’t want to ruin this night, he wanted to go home and know it had been a success, that he could be around people again without totally freaking out.
Mikey handed him a bottle of water as he unscrewed the lid, glad to have something else to concentrate on. Fleetingly he wished it was something stronger, something to give him Dutch courage.
He glanced at the man who barged past him and realised he was nobody special, not particularly gorgeous, not muscular, just a regular guy. He was used to being up close and personal with men like this, he used to get paid to fuck, and now he had trouble even touching them. He took a swig of water, swilling it around his dry mouth before swallowing.
Mikey leaned in front of Brian and clinked his beer with Justin’s water, “Here’s to Rage, partner. I’ve got some ideas for storylines.”
“Mikey, Babylon isn’t the place to talk business. It’s about fun.” Brian said in an exasperated voice.
“Rage is fun, I’ll have you know! But I’ll refrain from tainting your ears with my wonderful ideas. We’ll get together tomorrow, yeah?”
“Sure, Mikey.”
A man dressed in goth attire walked past, and both he and Justin did a double take at each other. He took a step backwards until he was face to face with Justin again. “Justin, it is you!” He grinned and pushed a stray lock of hair out of his eyes.
Justin smiled back. “Hi Alex, it’s good to see you, man.”
“You too, how the fuck are you? I heard about what happened,” he frowned and shrugged his shoulders sheepishly, “I wanted to get in touch, but I didn’t want to intrude, or for you to think I was only getting in touch because of everything, you know?”
“I understand, it was a messy time, probably best to stay away.”
“Hey, I remember you, from the tattoo convention. Justin tattooed The Crow on your back.”
Al nodded and grinned proudly. “Yeah, best tattoo I ever had.” He suddenly looked up at Justin, guiltily. “I’m sorry, man, I didn’t mean to rub it in or anything.”
Justin shrugged, it was still a very sore subject with him, but he didn’t want anyone else feeling sorry for him. “It’s OK to mention it. I’m gaining my strength back slowly.”
“Yeah, he sure is. We’re even writing a comic book together.”
“That’s great! I love comics-obviously.”
Brian sighed irritably, feeling somewhat left out. “More shop talk. No work talk at the dinner table, boys.”
“Fine, fine.” Mikey snorted in annoyance, but couldn’t stop himself grinning like a school kid.
“This is Alex, by the way, and Al, this is Brian.”
They looked each other up and down, Al not backing away from Brian’s hostile stare. Justin wasn’t even sure his new friend realised Brian was sending him such evil glares.
“Nice to meet you, Bri.”
“Yeah, you too.” Brian didn’t sound too enthusiastic, and when Mikey dragged him off to the dance floor, Justin was too relieved that no argument was started. He started to feel panicked about being left alone.
“I really am sorry I didn’t call.” Al said, totally serious now.
“It’s really OK, It was a bad time, not only with the physical problems, but with the media and getting all my shit stirred up. It was probably best you stayed away.”
“Not anymore though, I promise to give you a call this time.”
Justin smiled, feeling better. It would be nice to have a friend or two that had nothing to do with Brian, he didn’t want to become dependant on the older man for everything.
“Or I could call you.”
Brian chose that moment to strand Mikey on the dance floor and wind his way back to Justin. “Well, Mikey sucks.”
“I hope you asked the nice professor and didn’t go at it on the dance floor.” Justin smirked unable to resist the slight taunt.
“You’re such a kidder. Want to go to the back room and see what else sucks?” He lifted an eyebrow and ignored Mikey as he joined them.
A cold shiver ran down Justin’s spine and he shook his head. “I think my sucking in public days are over. You go though.” Justin wiped a bead of sweat from Brian’s forehead.
“You sure?” Brian asked, suddenly serious, as if he was waiting for Justin to put up a fight and accuse him of something.
“Yes, I’m sure. I’ll catch you later on, yeah?”
Brian clanked his forehead against Justin’s and pressed a quick, grateful kiss to his lips. “Yeah.”
Mikey stared at Brian’s back, watching him disappear into the back room before turning back to Justin. “And that doesn’t bother you?”
“Not really.”
“The fact that we’re meant to be celebrating Rage, and he’s gone looking for a trick?”
“Mikey, if I’d wanted to fuck in public, we’d both be there, I don’t, so I’m not, and he does want to fuck in public, so that’s what he’s doing.”
“Doesn’t it get to you though, the fact that he’s fucking another guy, probably getting his dick sucked right now?”
Justin lit up a cigarette, Mikey’s questions bringing on a headache. “Sex is just sex, I think I know that better than most.”
“I don’t think I could be like that with Ben.”
“It’s different for everyone though, I have a regular fuck buddy, we have fun, but we also have fun with others,” Al added.
“It’s different with me and Bri, I know he wants variety, he likes the chase and excitement of sex with different men. I’ve had enough men in the past, most with no emotional attachment involved, to feel threatened by it.”
“You’re a better man than me then, I’d never be able to put up with Brian if I were you.” Mikey frowned, looking towards the back room, and Justin saw the realisation of his words as they finally sank in. Maybe Mikey would now realise why he was the best friend and not the lover.