CHAPTER 2: FAINT

BRIAN

I look down at the remnants of his meal dripping down my cashmere sweater and pooling round my Prada shoes.

“You have got to be kidding me?”  I say quietly before looking up at him.  “You’re going to pay for the clean-up of my car and the replacement of my shoes and clothes do you understand me?”

The puker is too busy groaning with his head down, so I shake him.  He nods and then sways slightly.

“It might take him a while Uncle Brian.”  I turn to the familiar voice of Hunter.  “He’s one of the residents of…”

As I turn to Hunter, the puker decides that this would be a good time to run away but before he gets two steps his feet get tangled in the strap of his bag and he starts to fall, but I reach out to grab him, it’s then I’m hit by the smell on him- like soft almonds- and how thin he is.

“Aw fuck!”  He yells out.  “Stop it, you’re hurting me!”

“Brian let him go!”  Debs shouts, smacking me on my arm but I don’t let go.

“No, he’s going nowhere.”  I pull him back into my chest, which was a bad idea as that smears stuff over the back of his shirt and makes my stomach roll.

“Stop fucking squirming!”  I shout and he immediately stills.  “We are going to go and sort this puke out.” 

“Uncle Brian!  Come on…he’s homeless stop being an asshole!”  Hunter declares angrily.

This stops me cold and I look at the defeated person in my arms and feel like a shit!  It’s just a car and he most probably went into the competition just so he could eat.

“Debs, can you get some buckets of water or a hose so that we can get this stuff off my bonnet?  And maybe something for him to wear?”  She nods and quickly goes inside.

“C-could you just let me go? You know where I’m going to be; I just want to leave.”  He mumbles.

“No,” I say firmly and he sags in my arms in resignation.

“Here, managed to find these.”  Debs hands me some clothes and I turn us away from them washing the vomit off my car and dial a number.  “Slick, it’s me. Look I need a favour… got some puke on the car and I think it’s in the paint… yeah, I know you said to put a base on it but can I bring it in now?   Thanks Slick.” I hang up and sigh.  “Ma, is there somewhere he can change?”  She nods and leads us back into the centre. 

In silence he changes his top and she bags it up for him.  I just take off my jumper and give it to her, thankful for the shirt underneath and the jacket in my car and rinse my shoes. Silently he comes to stand next to me, eyes firmly planted on the ground.

“Come on let’s go.”  I order and he follows, firmly clutching onto his bag.

“I’ll wash these and find a way to give them back to you.”  Debs tells him. He just nods but doesn’t look up.  “By the way, asshole, his name is Justin and he won fair and square, so you make sure he gets his winnings!”

I say nothing but do nod and open the passenger door and he slowly gets in. We head to Slick’s in silence.

SLICK’S CAR EMPORIUM

SLICK

I told him not to take the car without a base but no Mr ‘show off’ Brian Kinney had to have it now!  I adore the man but sometimes he needs a kick in the nuts to reboot his brain.  I see the familiar shape come down the road and turn in and head down to meet him. He slams the car door hard.  Ah the Drama Queen is definitely here.

“Okay so Mr. Drama Queen how…whoa.”  I blanch as I look at the bonnet.  “What did they do, puke battery acid?  Tell me you didn’t pour water on top of that?”

“I just wanted it off my car.”  He grumbles.

“Idiot!  Without a base it goes straight down and will most likely cause rust.  And…uh Brian who’s that and why’s he shaking?”

“Justin, the puker and I think he might be cold.”

BRIAN

I knew I shouldn’t have said that. Slick is, despite having a mouth like a razor and a mind to match, one of the kindest hearted people I’ve ever met apart from Debs.  She’s early 40s, lived in Brooklyn while being raised by her Jamaican grandmother. She came to Pittsburgh when she was 20 and now owns the car best emporium in the burgh.  You want your car detailed you come to Slick.  She takes absolutely no shit whatsoever and has gone toe to toe with Debs and won more than once. 

Which is why Michael doesn’t like her. He says she has no decorum so needless to say everyone else thinks she’s wonderful.  Especially me. I like her because amongst other things she lets me escape and do my tinkering without letting a soul know.

“Does he have a name?”

“Yeah meet the winner of the competition!”  I remark sourly and open the door.  “Justin, this is Slick; Slick, this is Justin.”

SLICK

The first thing that hits me is the smell this car needs to be aired but then I see how thin he is.

“Okay… Justin is it? Come with me.”  I wait for him to get out of the car and notice that the shaking has eased a bit.  “You need water or something?”

“Water or…no water’s fine.”

“Or?”  I prompt.

“A peppermint tea.  I know that I…”

“Sure, that we can do. It will help settle your stomach.”

He follows me slowly not looking back once at Brian, who has cocked his head to one side and is looking appreciatively and I know it ain’t at me.  So I slow down and wait for him to pass and yep that’s a great ass. 

“Okay Justin.”  I’ve guided him into the building and I watch him relax as the warmth hits him.  “Now you see that corridor down there second door on your left…that’s the bathroom.  Want to grab yourself a hot shower or would you like to brush your teeth first so you have the tea and then shower?  Makes no odds to me.  It’s gonna happen but how it does is up to you.  I’ve got clothes you can change into since the Drama Queen is going to make you work…”

“Work?”  He looks at me properly and he clutches firmly onto his bag.  “Do you mean on his car?”  

“Yep.”  I smile at him.  “Don’t worry, you’re in good hands. I’ve got a few of his babies and you’ll be fine.”

“C-can I have a shower first?”  The trembling is back and his teeth are beginning to chatter.  “Actually, do you have a glass of--” Before he can finish the sentence he slumps to the floor.

“Fuck!”  I gasp and quickly turn him on his side, then grab a blanket and cover him.  Dashing down the corridor, I put the shower on as hot as I can get it and then run to the window.

“Brian… ass in here now!”  I yell and within minutes he’s in the room and looking puzzled.

“What the fuck did you do to him?”  He barks.

“I didn’t do anything! You need to help me warm him up. He’s like ice!  Overalls in the locker.  Come on!” 

Between the two of us we carry him into the bathroom and get his clothes off and Brian is in an overall.

“Eyes up Kinney!”  I order.  “Warm now, drool later!”

“I wasn’t…never mind!  Wait that’s too hot look at his skin; it will burn him. Dial it down a bit.” 

I watch as he gets under the shower with Justin in his arms and sits down in the cubicle. Slowly but surely his colour starts to come back and then he starts to splutter and then wriggle, not once did Brian take his eyes off of him…time for me to go.

BRIAN

It seems our puker is coming around.  I pull him tighter to my body and that stops the wriggling.

“Let go of me! Why am I naked?”  He manages to sound imperious in this situation.

“You were cold and fainted. We’re trying to warm you up and it’s customary to have a shower without clothes.” 

I smirk down at him.  He lifts his head from my chest and for the first time I get a good look at him and yeah he’s beautiful but then he opens his eyes.  They are as blue as a summer sky, though a little hazy. His mouth is the colour of cherries and I find myself wondering what it would be like to lick his top lip…

JUSTIN

Please, please, please don’t let me have a hard on now!  I’m looking at the most beautiful man I’ve ever seen and I have no clothes on.  He has a mouth I could kiss until I come…okay not helping yourself Taylor.

“Can you stand up?”  He asks.

I nod my head and start to think of rotting garbage, festering warts and straight people sex and thank God it seems to be working. “I think I can stand.”  I mumble.  “You can leave now.” 

“Nope I’m not having you fall and hurt yourself. Slick would kill me and besides you owe me a paint job, cashmere sweater and Prada…I repeat Prada shoes.”

Slowly he slides up the shower wall and gently drops my legs. I turn into the warm water with happiness.  I haven’t had a hot shower in weeks and it feels so good.  I start to wash my face with my back to him and then squeal when I feel his hands in my hair.

“W-What are you doing?”  I mumble, hoping he doesn’t stop as his fingers in my hair feel so good. I’m fighting not to lean back into him.

He doesn’t say a word just washes my hair quietly and then I feel it when his fingers hit my scar, but still he doesn’t say a word, just keeps washing my hair.

“I’ll let you do the rest but I’ll be outside if you need me.”  He tells me slipping out of the shower.

Twenty minutes later, I step out and brush my teeth and that feels amazing.  People don’t realise how good a clean mouth feels.  I spot the overalls Slick was telling me about and then the lotions she’s left and I want to cry, because I know I won’t be able to use them again…ever.  I take my time applying them and then sniffing hard, I head back to the main room.

It’s only him in there and he’s pacing and muttering.

“Are you okay? Where’s Slick?”  I sniff and try not to pounce on him.

“Why are you crying?”  He comes to stand in front of me.  “Oh God you smell good. Why do you smell so good?  Shit!  Fuck!  Where the hell did that come from?”

“Because I have to go back to St Peter’s and I just had a shower. As for the last question I don’t…”

We stare at each other for a few minutes and then he tilts my head up and brushes his thumb along my bottom lip. Oh God, please let him kiss me. Please just kiss me. I send up a silent prayer or at least I thought I did…

“With pleasure,” he murmurs and covers my mouth with his. It’s so warm and gentle. He lets my bottom lip out of his mouth with a soft pop. I immediately wind my hands back into his hair and pull him back down and his arms come round my waist. God, how I want to crawl up his body as our tongues duel gently and we alternate sucking on each other’s lips and tongues. I’m not sure how or when we got to the couch but we did and I finally lift my head. Looking down at him, I giggle.

“Shut up puker.”  He brushes the hair off my face.

“Ahem.  Can I look?” I turn my head and see Slick in the doorway with her eyes closed and a tray in her hand.

“Yes you can look.”  He scoffs at her.

“So as kapows go, that was amazing, but tell me something?”  She swats at our legs so that we sit up and I take my tea first.  “How the fuck are we going to keep this from Michael?”