“What the hell was that all about?” Brian said, standing next to Andy at the sink, noticing Kip pick up his cell phone and walk out of the room. “He got another boyfriend kid?” Brian added, laughing.

“He better not have.” Andy said, picking up a plate to dry. “I’ll kick his ass and his little boyfriend’s”

The two continued cleaning up after dinner, talking about everyday things for another few minutes. Kip stood in the doorway to the kitchen watching the two men for a while, not quite knowing what to say. Finally he cleared his throat, catching the two’s attention. “In about an hour I have to go pick up a surprise that Andy got you Brian.” Kip said, boring holes into his boyfriend with his eyes.

“I didn’t get Brian anything.” Andy said, confusion etched on his face.

“Yeah you did, baby.” Kip said, still glaring at Andy. “Don’t you remember? You called and checked on it last night when we got home.”

Andy’s eyes widened, his heart skipped a beat, and his breathing all but stopped. He couldn’t believe that Paul was on his way. He knew that if Brian and Paul sat down and talked that everything would be fine. It was the sitting down and talking part he wasn’t sure about. From what he’d heard there was a lot of unresolved issues between the two, and he was starting to think that this wasn’t the best idea he’d ever had. “It’s my surprise.” Andy said, feeling a need to flee the scene of, what could be, the crime. “I’ll go get it.”

“Oh no.” Kip said, knowing what Andy was trying to do. “The gentleman that called about it said I have to go get it. You stay here and keep Brian company. That way you can be standing right next to him to see his face when he sees it.” Kip said, an evil smile crawling across his face.

“What’d ya get me Andy?” Brian said, an excited tone to his voice. “And why does it have to be picked up so late?”

Andy looked from Brian to Kip several times before he came up with an answer that he liked. “It’ll spoil.” Andy said, practically rushing from the kitchen.

“What the hell did he get me?” Brian said, a more concerned tone in his voice.

“Nope.” Kip said, not wanting to be the one to tell him that Paul was on his way. “It’s Andy’s surprise. If he wants you to know he’ll tell you.”

About an hour later, Kip left the house. Telling them, on the way out the door, that he was on his way to Pensacola. “Pensacola?” Brian said, looking at Andy completely confused.

Andy just shrugged his shoulders, like he didn’t have a clue why Kip had to travel for the surprise. “Alright,” Andy said, settling himself in a chair. “I have to know. What was sex like with Paul? I mean was he really ‘that damn good’?” Andy continued, adding little rabbit gestures to the final comment of that damn good.

Brian sat there for a minute, again letting the memory of Paul invade his mind. “You got balls kid.” He said.

“Well, I have to know.” Andy said, trying to get his mind off of the fact that Paul was on his way, and Kip was mad at him. “Besides, I like hearing about you and Paul. It’s interesting.”

“Sex, huh?” Brian said, letting an infinitesimal smile curl his lips. “In a word. Hot. Paul was hitting the gym like crazy when we first got together. His body was just starting to tone up and bulk up. So he was hot as hell. Not like I haven’t always thought that, but I distinctly remember the way he looked that first night. He looked so good, I didn’t want him to see me.” Brian sat there in silence for a minute, not knowing how much he should tell Andy. “By the end of the night, though, Paul had me feeling like HBK himself. We couldn’t keep our hands off each other that night. And Paul initiated most of it. He made me feel like I was the most attractive man on the face of the earth.”

“Wow.” Andy said, snuggling down in his chair with a throw pillow, still worrying about what was about to happen. “Sounds hot.”

Brian looked at Andy and forced another smile. “Well, it didn’t end up that way.” He said, looking down at his hands that were crossed on his stomach. “The deeper I got into my addiction, the less he wanted to touch me. It was like I repulsed him. He didn’t want anything to do with me. I can’t say that I blame him. I mean, I never had a ripped body, but I really let it go when I got addicted to the pills. Sometimes, I think that’s why he left. Why should he stay with a bloated cow like I became, when he could have his pick of any hot guy in the back?”

“He still wanted you.” Andy said, noticing Brian was starting to feel the pain again, and desperately wanting to cheer him up. “He said he just wanted to be with you.”

“What?” Brian said, feeling anger well up inside him.

Andy quickly replayed what he’d said, and felt the feeling and color leaving his body. “I sorta called Paul last night.” Andy said, in a very timid tone of voice.

“WHAT!” Brian screamed. “WHAT THE HELL GAVE YOU THE RIGHT TO CALL HIM?!”

“You just looked so hurt last night that I wanted to help you.” Andy said, trying to curl himself into the chair he was sitting in, as Brian advanced on him from across the room. “I just wanted him to know how much you’ve been hurting.”

“You had no right you little son of a bitch.” Brian said, reaching out and grabbing Andy by the front of the shirt. “Is that what Kip had to go get? Is he on the way to my house?” Brian added, ripping Andy from his seat.

Andy was more frightened than he’d been in his entire life. Brian had a crazed look in his eyes that told Andy he was about to get the hell beat out of him. “Yeah.” Andy said. That being the only response the fear would let out of him.

“You shouldn’t have called him kid.” Brian said, in a calm tone that was a little scary to Andy.

“He just did what we should have done years ago Brian.” Paul said, standing inside the door of Brian’s house.

Brian let go Andy with force enough to send him to the floor. Kip rushed to Andy’s side, as Brian turned around, looking Paul in the eyes for the first time in six years. He stood there for a minute, not knowing what to say, and then, as the tears came, he walked out of the room. “I was just trying to help.” Andy said, burring his face in Kip’s shoulder, letting his tears come also.