Intrepid Traveler - Part 20

Justin heard the door open and turned, his mouth spreading into a wide grin when he saw his lover walking through the door. 

“It’s almost done,” he informed Brian, the smile on his face faltering when he noticed the brunet’s obvious frown.  When Brian left him less than ten minutes earlier to check his mail box while the two waited for their clothes to dry, the teen was just as cheerful as Justin.  Now, the silly grin was gone.  “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” Brian replied, aimlessly picking up a shirt that Justin had just folded, then placing it back on the folding table. 

Justin put down a pair of jeans that he had just taken out of the dryer and walked over to the other man.  He knew what was wrong.  There was only one thing that could cause Brian’s mood to change so drastically.  “You’ll get it,” Justin said, leaning into Brian’s chest.  “I promise you, you’ll get it.”

“It’s been almost three weeks,” Brian argued.

“It’s the holiday season.  Things are slower now.  A lot of people are on vacation.  It’s normal,” the blond rationalized.  “And I know for a fact that you will get this internship.”

“Really?” Brian cocked an eyebrow, smirking at him.

“That’s right.”  Justin was relieved to finally see a smile form on his boyfriend’s lips.  “They’ll be damn lucky to have you work for them.”

“How would you know?  Just because I’m good at sucking cock, doesn’t mean I’m good at advertising.”

“You’re great at advertising, Brian,” Justin insisted.  “And just for the record,” he pulled out of Brian’s embrace, “There is nobody better at sucking cock than me.”  Shooting his lover a sly, seductive smile, Justin returned to the open dryer and resumed removing clothes out of it and placing them in a laundry basket.

A few moments later he felt two hands go around his waist and snake down to rub at his cock through his sweatpants.  “I think I’m going to need proof, Mr. Weiss.”

Dropping the laundry basket back on the floor, Justin turned, his mouth immediately under attack of a persistent tongue. 

“You know,” Justin said breathlessly when he finally pulled away, “This isn’t the safest place to do this.”

“Fuck ‘em,” Brian murmured, kissing Justin hard once again.

He wrapped his arms around Justin’s torso, moving them both against the wall of the dryers, his tongue desperately searching for any part of Justin’s skin that wasn’t covered by a piece of clothing while his hands rummaged under Justin’s t-shirt as the artist desperately clung to the last piece of coherent thought left in his head.

“Maybe…we…” he moaned, “We should go upstairs…” He bit back another moan as Brian’s fingers gripped his rock hard cock.  “We don’t even have anything here.”

Justin was both relieved and disappointed when Brian stopped, pulling away from him.  But they had to be careful.  That was a lesson Justin did not need a repeat in. 

“You’re right,” Brian replied, disappointment written all over his face.  Sighing heavily, he turned to the pile of clothes.  “Ok, let’s get this the hell over with.”

Nodding, Justin returned to his previous task while Brian started putting away the already folded clothes.

It was about twenty minutes later that the pair finally made their way upstairs to their room, dumping the contents in their hands and laundry baskets on the bed.  The moment his hands were free, Brian immediately went to work on Justin’s clothes – trying to beat his own record at removing them.

And Justin happily let him.  He was down to his underwear and socks when he remembered something.  “Oh, shit,” he pulled away with a start.

“What?” Brian asked, breathlessly, not too happy to be interrupted.

“We forgot the detergent downstairs.”

“Fuck it,” the brunet said, trying to maneuver the blond over to the bed.

“Brian,” Justin pulled away again.  Unfortunately leaving things unattended in the laundry room was not a good idea at Penn State.  Things tended to get “lost” that way.  “Somebody will take it.  Besides, we have nowhere to fuck anyway.”  He pointed at the clothes-covered bed.  “It’s otherwise occupied.”

“There’s always another bed,” Brian argued, pointing to the empty bed they rarely ever used.

Already in the process of pulling his sweatpants back on, Justin shook his head.  “Just put the clothes away and I’ll be back in a couple of minutes.”  Picking up his t-shirt, he quickly put it on and, ignoring the dissatisfied look on his lover’s face, headed out the door.  He, more than anything, wanted to feel Brian’s cock inside him, but living on his own taught him to be rational and logical – at least, in dealing with things concerning money. 

Justin hurried down the stairs and toward the laundry room.  Once inside, he immediately spotted the detergent box they had left behind.  Walking over to the table, he picked it up, stopping cold in his tracks when he noticed another person in the room.

“What?” Justin asked in a shaky voice, not sure of what to make of the expression on the other man’s face.

Nathan took a step forward and let out a loud sigh.  “It’s time to go home, Justin.”

Justin wasn’t sure how long he just stood there, staring back at Nathan.  Finally, he slowly put the box of detergent down and took a step backwards.  “No,” he shook his head.  “No, it’s not.”

“Justin…” Nathan moved toward him again. 

“No,” the blond refused to believe him.  “Not now.  I can’t.”

“You have to.”

“I can’t,” Justin responded, more forcefully.  “For the first time in my life I feel this way and you’re telling me I have to…” He shook his head.

“Feel what way?”

Justin breathed out a puff of air, looking for the right words, searching for the way to explain, to make Nathan understand.  “I’ve always loved Brian.  From the very beginning.  But…it’s just…for the first time since I met him I know that he feels the same.  For the first time, we’re on the same page.  We’re…happy.”  He looked away, then back at Nathan.  “You can’t ask me to give it up.”

“I’m not asking you,” the angel said, his voice quiet but strong. 

Justin swallowed hard, his eyes widening in realization that this really was happening.

“It’s time to go back.”

“Back?” Justin shouted.  “Back to what?  To a life where Brian’s closed off, cold, and unresponsive?  To a life where I’m not even with him?  Back to that?”  Running his hands through his hair, Justin took a deep breath in, trying to calm down.  “I have never been this close to him, never had him open up like this to me.  These last three weeks…it’s just…I want to stay.”

“You can’t.”

“Please,” Justin begged.  “Just please let me stay here.”

“You knew from the beginning that this was temporary.  You knew that,” Nathan took another step toward him. 

“But…”

“You don’t belong here, Justin.  This isn’t your life.”

Justin’s chin quivered as his eyes filled with tears.  He had to try.  Just one last time.  “Nathan, please.  At least give me some time,” he pleaded, his voice cracking.

The timekeeper’s face remained unaffected.  “You have until midnight tonight.”

Justin watched with a sinking feeling in his stomach as the man disappeared before his very eyes.

~~~***~~~***~~~

He wasn’t sure how much time had passed since Nathan left.  Finally, Justin made himself move toward the door and up the stairs, walking slowly and heavily.  When he reached their room, he had to force himself to put his hand on the doorknob and turn it, opening the door.

“Where the fuck were you?” he heard his lover’s voice as he walked through the door.  “I was almost ready to start color-coding socks.”

Justin tried to smile, but all that came out was a grimace, as he watched the brunet close the drawer and turn to him.

Brian looked him over, noticing the obvious frown on Justin’s face.  “What?  Did somebody swipe the detergent?”

Only then did Justin realize that he had forgotten the box downstairs once again.

“No, I…” he heard his voice break and looked away. 

“Fuck it,” Brian said, moving toward him.  “I know it might come as a shock to you, but it’s not the end of the world.”  He put his arms around Justin’s waist, pulling him close.

Justin raised his head, his eyes meeting Brian’s for the first time since he had come back to the room.  How could he go on pretending that everything was fine?  That everything was normal?  When in less than twelve hours he would be gone.  In less than twelve hours he would be back to square one and Brian – this Brian wouldn’t even a have a clue, would never know the truth.

Justin couldn’t leave it at that. 

He swallowed hard, his mouth suddenly going as dry as the desert.  “Brian…” he started, his voice barely audible.  Justin cleared his throat and tried again.  “There’s something I have to tell you.”

Brian narrowed his eyes, studying his face for a moment.  “I already told you, fuck the detergent.”

“No,” Justin shook his head.  “I need…this is important.”  He must have sounded as desperate as he felt because Brian unwrapped his arms from around his waist and nodded, silently telling him to go on.

“I think you should sit,” Justin said.

“Taylor,” Brian laughed softly.  When he met Justin’s eyes, though, Brian’s smile dissipated, the man realizing that Justin was serious about this.  “Ok.”  He retreated, sitting down on the edge of the bed and looking expectantly at Justin.

Justin took a deep breath in.  Now that he had Brian’s attention he had no idea what to say.  How to make Brian understand.  Any way he put it, the truth would sound insane.  The only thing he would accomplish by telling Brian the truth would be getting himself committed.  Still, he had to try.

“I know this is going to sound crazy,” he began.  “And I have absolutely no idea how to say this…”

“You’re not gonna tell me you’re really a woman, are you?” Brian smirked.  “Because, I’d rather not know.  I already feel like a lesbian half the…”

“Brian.”  Justin winced at the sound of sheer anguish in his voice.  Brian heard it too, because he immediately shut up, his face now mirroring worry and apprehension.

Justin walked over to the vacant bed and sat down, running his fingers through his hair while trying to figure out how to explain this…thing.  “I don’t know…I…Fuck…sometimes I don’t even know if it’s real.  Or maybe I just imagined it.”

“Imagined what?”

Justin closed his eyes, then opened them.  There wasn’t any other way to say this, except for the direct approach.  He sat up, his eyes meeting Brian’s.  “My name is not Taylor,” he finally said.  “It’s Justin.  Justin Taylor.”

Brian’s eyebrows furrowed as he stared at Justin in confusion.  “What?”

“And I’m not from around here.”

“You’re not,” Brian asked, incredulously.  It was obvious he wasn’t buying it.

Justin shook his head.  “I’m from the future.”

Brian held his gaze for a moment before bursting into a fit of laughter.  “Fuck.  You almost had me there.”  He stood up and moved toward Justin.

“No, Brian,” Justin tried to get him to listen.  “I know how it sounds.  I do.  And if somebody else told me this, I would react the same way you are,” he said, rising from the bed.  “But it’s true.  I’m from 2003, thirteen years into the future.”

“Did you have a time machine?” Brian snarled.

“No.  This guy – Nathan – he’s a timekeeper.”

“A timekeeper?  Taylor…” Brian made a move toward him, but Justin stepped backwards.

“He’s a timekeeper.  It’s like an angel.  An angel of time,” Justin explained.  “He brought me here.”

“Look, I know you’re a big Michael J. Fox fan, but this is pushing it a little, don’t you think?” Brian quipped, taking a step closer.

“This isn’t a joke, Brian,” Justin replied.  “I’m from the future.  I mean, think about it?  How would I know all the things I know if I wasn’t?  How did I know that you would get the interview?  That you will get this internship?”

“I didn’t get it.”

“You will,” Justin replied insistently.  “You’ll get it.  And then they’ll offer a full-time job to you.  And by the time you’re thirty you’ll be a partner there.  You’ll have a son with Lindsay and you’ll have money, and a great loft, and friends, and…” He paused.  Me, he wanted to say.  But the truth was, Brian didn’t have him in the future.  Or rather, he didn’t have Brian.  “We were together.  In the future, we were together.

Brian backed away, dropping his gaze to the floor.

“Look, I know it sounds crazy, but it’s not.  I’m telling you the truth.” 

Brian still refused to look at him. 

“Brian,” Justin pleaded.  “I swear to you, I’m telling the truth.  I know this.  I know that you will get that internship.  And the thing with Cole was never supposed to happen.  And I’m sorry for that.  And…” he searched for something – anything that could prove to Brian that he wasn’t crazy.  “Lindsay…she’ll have a new girlfriend.  Rebecca Ducci.  How would I know that if I wasn’t who I say I am?”

“You’re crazy,” Brian said, finally raising his gaze to meet Justin’s.

“No, Brian, please!” Justin watched in complete agony as Brian moved away from him and toward the door.  Suddenly a thought occurred to him.  “I can prove it,” he called, taking his wallet out of the pocket of his pants.  “Here,” he opened the wallet and took out the card.  “This is a driver’s license.  My driver’s license.  It has the issued date of 2000.  And my birthday is in 1983.  I’m supposed to be seven right now, Brian.”

Brian’s eyes locked on the small rectangular piece of plastic.  “No,” he shook his head, trying to get away from Justin who was desperately clinging to him.  “This is crazy.  You’re crazy”

“Brian…”

“I…I gotta go.”

The brunet hurried out the door before Justin could say anything else, leaving the artist to stand in the middle of the empty room, his whole world crumbling around him.

~~~***~~~***~~~

He wasn’t sure how long he sat there, watching the students pass him by – going to classes or to their dorms.  And Brian just sat – even though it was cold and was already getting dark, he couldn’t make himself move from the bench in front of the Redifer Commons.

“Brian?”

Brian cursed silently at the sound of his friend’s voice. 

“What are you doing here?” Lindsay asked, walking up to him.  “It’s freezing.  How long have you been sitting here?”

He shrugged, raising yet another cigarette to his lips. 

“What’s wrong?  Did something happen?  Where’s Taylor?”

Brian slowly exhaled the smoke.  “You can never really know anybody, can you?”

“What are you talking about?” Lindsay asked.

But Brian barely heard her.  “Serves me right.  What the fuck was I thinking?  I mean, me?  In a fucking relationship?” he laughed bitterly.  “What a fucking joke.”

“Brian…”

“There’s a reason why I made that rule.  Why I never let anybody…” he shook his head.  He broke his own fucking rules.  And now he was being punished for it.  “Fuck it.”  He tossed the cigarette on the ground, stomping it with his boot.  He stood up and started walking toward the Commons building, with Lindsay behind him, hurrying to catch up.

“Did you and Taylor?  Did you guys have a fight?” she asked as the two of them walked inside. 

The brunet didn’t respond.  Instead he quickly made his way toward the mailboxes. 

“Brian, what happened?” Lindsay asked again.

Brian took out his key and put it into the lock, opening the box and taking out a pile of white envelopes.  “Let’s just say that my brief lapse in sanity is finally over.”

He flipped through the envelopes in his hands, pausing when his eyes fell on the return address of one – Ryder and Associates.  He held his breath for a moment, trying to figure out if he just imagined it.

“Oh, hi, Becky,” he heard next to him.  Looking up, his eyes fell on a red-haired woman next to Lindsay.  His friend turned to him, her face flushed.  “Brian, this is Rebecca,” she made the introduction.  “Rebecca, this is my friend Brian.”

“Hi, it’s nice to meet you,” the other woman said, extending her hand.  Brian shook it and quickly returned his attention to the yet to be opened envelope in his hand.  Out of the corner of his eye he saw the woman leave while he, with shaky fingers, finally opened the envelope.  Taking out the piece of paper, Brian read the letter, his heart beating faster and faster with each word.  When he was done reading it, he read it over again, the words sinking in. 

He got it.  He got the internship.  Taylor was right.  All along he was right.  Brian’s eyes widened, the realization of what that meant washing over him like a tsunami.  He turned to his friend.  “What did you say her name was?”

“Rebecca.  Rebecca Ducci,” Lindsay replied. 

Fuck.  Fuck.  Fuck!  Brian squeezed his eyes shut, trying to comprehend how all of this was possible.  He opened them and looked at the blonde again.  “And you and she…”

He saw Lindsay blush again.  “How did you know?”

Brian raked his fingers through his hair.  “Did…did Taylor ever meet her?  I mean, have you introduced them?”

“No,” Lindsay shook her head.  “I haven’t told anybody yet.”

Before she even finished the sentence, Brian was already moving toward the exit.

“Brian, what’s going on?” Lindsay called, but he didn’t stop.  He hurried out the door, sprinting toward the dorm, not stopping once until he got to their room. 

Swinging the door open wide, Brian was greeted with an empty silence.  He walked in and looked around the room, breathing heavily while trying to catch his breath, hoping and wishing that if he looked hard enough, the other man would appear before him.

But it didn’t happen.  The room remained empty and he was still alone. 

Brian walked over to the desk and tossed the letter with the offer for the internship on it, leaning on the hard surface of the old desk, trying to figure out what he should do next.  He had to find him.  The only problem was, he had no idea where the other man was. 

There was only one place he knew to look. 

~~~***~~~***~~~

Brian slowly made his way down the pathway toward their usual hideout.  He paused and sighed in relief when he spotted a lone figure on the bench.  The man’s back was turned to him, his head hung low. 

Taking careful steps toward the bench, Brian stopped a few feet away.  He took a slow breath in, then just as slowly exhaled, trying to suppress the pounding in his ears. 

“Justin?”

The blond head spun around, blue eyes meeting his own.

Go to Part 21

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