Diffrent Path

Different Path

Chapter 14 ….

The rest of the day was filled with art classes and meetings. Justin got out of his last class around 7:00 in the evening only to meet up with Brian for dinner. They ate at a small restaurant just a block away from the place they were staying. The walk back was made in comfortable silence. They returned to the loft only to make love quietly with the balcony door open, the lights from the street spilling over them.

The rest of the week was pretty much the same, filled with classes and meetings during the day and with nights spent together. The most beautiful thing had happened the night before they were going to leave.

Brian had left a note for Justin to dress in the tux they had bought the day before and meet him in the lobby. Then they had been driven out to a beach far from the city. The lights from the city could be seen as they ate a wonderfully cooked meal in the glow of a roaring fire. They danced to the music of a transistor radio. They swayed together breathing in each others scent.

Brian smiled as he listened to the song on the radio. Josh Groban sang such a beautiful song, and it was just what he wanted Justin to hear. He backed up slightly and looked into Justin’s eyes. When the blond started to open his mouth to speak Brian placed his finger on his lips and said.

“Listen…” Justin’s eyes widen as he starts to focus on the words in the song. He looked up into Brian’s eyes, a question reflected back in his eyes. Brian smiled gently.

The blond felt the breath leave his body as Brian took his hand and they started to sway in a gentle waltz, their eyes still meeting.

When you say you love me
The world goes still
So still inside and
When you say you love me
For a moment I know
why I am alive
When you say you love me
When you say you love me
Do you know how I love you…


As the last notes of the song faded out they came to halt, their lips meeting in a sweet kiss.

They arrived back at the apartment when the sun rose in the sky, grateful that their bags were already packed. Falling into the bed they slept only a few hours before they needed to head to the airport. Luckily they had a few hours sleep on the plane back to New York.


They had just checked into the room in New York. Justin had been a little subdued during the cab ride from the airport and Brian was starting to worry about him. He unpacked the last change of clothing in his case and went in search of his Sunshine.

He found the blond on the balcony looking out over the city. The air around the blond was not sad but it was not happy either. It was resigned. Brian frowned and walked over, winding his arms around Justin. He patiently waited for Justin to speak, having learned during their journey, that the blond never spoke to him about important things without thinking it through.

“What will happen when we get back home, Brian? Its not like you’re planning to stop tricking, I know that. But after this trip, of having you more or less to myself for almost a month, I’ll admit that I’m worried. It will hurt for me, Bri, to see you with someone else but I will not stop you.” The blond never turned while he spoke but he rested his hands on top of Brian’s.

Brian sighed and kissed the blond locks, now a lot longer than they had been a month before.

“I can’t promise that I will stop tricking. That is a promise that was made to be broken but I can promise to leave it at Babylon or the baths. I won’t take tricks to the loft and I can promise you, that I will always go home to you.” Justin voice was thick with feeling as he turned around in Brian’s arms.

“Like the song?”

Brian arched an eyebrow and smiled softly as he nodded at Justin. He sang softly as he started to move them over the balcony, swaying to music only they could hear.

“So don’t forget who’s taking you home, and in whose arms you’re gonna be. So darlin’ save the last dance for me…”

Justin’s eyes were soft as he laid his hand against Brian’s cheek, making the hazel eyes meet his own. His happiness showed in his eyes as the man he loved leaned into his touch. “Can you promise me one more thing, Brian?”

At the older man’s nod Justin continued.

“Can you promise me to not let Mikey get to you? He just doesn’t understand.”

Brian pulled the blond closer. His heart was swelling in his chest with emotion. He silently wondered what he did right to deserve this blond spitfire in his arms. He leaned down and kissed Justin putting all the love he felt into the kiss.

“I can promise to try but you might need to knock some sense into me once in a while - teaching an old dog new tricks, you know…” He smirked down at Justin. Justin slapped Brian on the chest for that comment.

“It’s all I can ask, and what are you taking about? You’re hardly old.” He laid his head on Brian’s shoulder, breathing in the older man’s scent. Brian laughed gently and held the younger man tighter. Justin smiled. The tighter embrace made him feel safe.

“Can we always be like this?” the blond asked wistfully from his haven in Brian’s arms. The brunet chuckled and kissed the blond’s ear.

“We can try to be but it will take some effort, sunshine. Up for it?”

Justin leaned back and gave Brian his sunshine smile, getting a smile in return.

“Always!” They said in one voice. The word was a promise and a vow to each other to try to make this work.

They headed into the room arm in arm to get ready for dinner. The mood was happy and carefree, now that the worst issues were resolved. They were not kidding themselves that everything was fine and dandy but they had made a commitment and they both intended to keep it.

They both silently decided to forget the Pitts, work and school for the next two days. After a very satisfying shower, they got dressed and headed downstairs to hail a cab.

Brian had planned to take Justin to one of his favourite places in New York. The Italian restaurant served the best Italian cuisine but was not as well known as it could be but the owners liked it that way. They attracted enough business to get by. The cab ride was over fairly quickly and they both made an effort to behave.


Stepping out into the street Brian smiled and slung an arm over Justin’s shoulders leading him towards the door marked with a sign that said “Boli.”

“What is this place?” Justin asked, taking in the surroundings. The street was neither uptown or downtown.

“Don’t judge a book by its cover, Sunshine. This place is the best kept New York non-secret there is. I came here with Jilla the first time. Best fucking meal I ever had. It even beats Debbie’s.”

They entered and were met by a small, Italian man with salt and pepper hair and warm, brown eyes.

“Brian, ciao amico bello, it has been too long.” Brian bent to be greeted by the older man, accepting kisses on his cheeks. “Ciao, Benny. True, it’s been too long. How have you been?”

“Very good, yes, very good. But tell me who the beauty on your arm is.” The older man’s brown eyes were sparkling with mirth as his eyes met Justin’s. Brian grinned and pulled Justin a bit closer.

“Benny, meet my partner Justin Taylor. Justin, meet Benvolio Boli the owner of this restaurant. “ The blond laughed as he was embraced and given a proper Italian greeting.

“A pleasure I am sure…” They laughed and joked as Benny led them to a booth in the back of the fairly crowded restaurant.

“Sit, my friends and I will get a bottle of my favourite wine. I think you will like it. We have a very nice batch of seafood today. My supplier has outdone himself.” The little man disappeared before they could say a word and headed towards a small bar.

Brian studied the blond beside him as the younger man took in the restaurant. The ambiance was wonderful with plush, comfortable furniture and a comprehensive menu.

“This place is great.” Justin said, as he turned back to his companion. “It is,” Brian replied before continuing, “and what is even more remarkable is that Benny has managed to keep it open for twenty years and he has never placed a single ad. It has been just word of mouth and food reviews. “

They smiled at each other as Benny returned with the bottle of red wine he had brought especially for them, pouring a little in each glass. Justin tried to tell Benny that he was underage but Benny said one glass would do no harm. And that he could order mineral water as well to drink.

Brian thanked his friend and poured he and Justin more of the wonderful, red wine. After he gave them the menus, Benny went to greet a new arrival, leaving the two lovers in peace.

“So what would you recommend?” Justin asked Brian as they perused the menu.

“Are you allergic to shellfish?” Brian asked Justin, never lifting his eyes from the menu. When Justin answered that he wasn’t Brian continued, “then anything really but I think I am going with Benny’s recommendation. Maybe crab ravioli… “

“Who are you and what have you done with Brian?” Justin jokes, laughing as he gets a playful glare from his dinner companion. “Seafood sounds good. Maybe the seafood pasta… “

After ordering from a passing waiter they sat in silence, leaning on each other. They occasionally took a sip of wine or stole a small kiss. They made a very sweet picture together.

Brian sat up as the waiter came over with their meal. Brian had chosen crab ravioli with a mushroom salad and Justin the seafood pasta. The steam from their food made their mouths water. They dug into their meal with gusto, sharing bites at times. The conversation was almost non-existent. The only sounds from them were sighs of pleasure at the taste of the food.

‘All good meals must be savoured’ according to Benny, that is. And that was just what Brian and Justin did. They were still at that restaurant four hours later talking and laughing enjoying their time together. Before they left they gave the waiter a hefty tip and said goodbye to Benny.