Twelve

 

“Daddy…Daddy!”  Melody whispered loudly, shaking Chris’ shoulder. “Daddy…I want candy.”

Chris opened one eye. They had gotten in at about one-thirty the morning before.  Joey and Melody had both been fast asleep on the couch.  Justin had picked Melody up and settled her in her cot, while Chris wakened Joey enough to thank him and get him on his way out the door.  And then they had made love, slow and intense and beautiful.  God, but he loved Justin.

He would love Justin even MORE if he would wake up and get Melody out of the room, but Justin was snoring blissfully.  Chris sighed.  “You can’t have candy for breakfast, baby.” Chris wiggled into a pair of sweatpants under the sheets, then got up and led Melody from the room.  “You can’t eat all your candy in one day!  How about eggs?”

“Don’t want eggs,” Melody said stubbornly.

“Then how about…pancakes? Maybe we can try to make them into pumpkins for Daddy Justin.”

“Yeah!”  Melody exclaimed. “Punkins…I do the face?”

“Of course.”  Chris dug into a jar.  “We’ll use M&Ms for the face, how’s that?”

“Yay!”  Melody cheered.

 

“Daddy Jussin!”  Melody said. She tiptoed to the bed, carefully carrying the bottle of syrup.  “Daddy Jussin…”

“I remember when YOU used to come to bed with the syrup,” Justin said groggily, sitting up and smiling at Chris.  “Hey…what’s all this?”  Justin took the bottle from Melody.

“Pancakes…punkins!” Melody pointed. “I did the eyes and the nose and the teeth and the mouth.”

“They are the most BEAUTIFUL pancakes I’ve ever seen,” Justin told her.

“NO, Daddy Jussin!  They’re SCARY!”

“Oh. Sorry.”  Justin looked up at Chris. “What IS all this?”

“Because I love you.  That’s why.”  Chris took the plate from Justin. “Do you want to eat in here or in the kitchen?”

“I’ll come in there.”  Justin kissed Melody’s head. “Go back in with Daddy. I’ll be out in just a minute.”

Justin appeared a few moments later in a pair of jeans and no shirt.  Chris sighed happily as he looked at Justin’s long body.  He was so sexy.  “I love you,” Chris said again, kissing Justin’s shoulder as he sat down.

Justin swallowed deeply, guilt forming a lump in his throat. Suddenly he knew he wouldn’t be able to force one bite down. “Uh, Chris?”

“Eat, Daddy Jussin!”  Melody ordered.

Justin cut a bite and made himself chew it.  “Chris…I…I need to tell you something.”

“Sure, babe, what is it?” Chris sat across from Justin at the table.  Melody went to find a stuffed animal to play with.

“I…well…I love you. Very much. But…but there was that one night when you didn’t come to my show, I got drunk.”

“So?  You can drink if you want. You’re legal now,” Chris said. He couldn’t smile though. Not when Justin was looking so miserable.

“Yeah, well, I brought someone back to my apartment and…well, we made out a bit. But I didn’t bring them back for that, and it didn’t go anywhere.  I’m sorry, Chris, but I was lonely, and he…”

“Don’t tell me this.”  Chris put his hands over his ears.  “Justin, don’t.  I have enough on my plate without…”

“Nothing happened!”  Justin insisted.  “Especially after Josh called looking for him.”  Justin looked at Chris in horror.  Chris slowly stood up, his hand gripping the back of the chair.

“Lance?  You fucked Lance?”

“Daddy, bad word!” Melody scolded.  Chris ignored her.

“NO, I didn’t.  Like I said, we kissed a bit. We were both drunk off our asses, and we were lonely, and then Josh called, and we both fell asleep. Him on the sofa and me in my bed.” Justin began to cry silently. “I’m sorry, Chris, but I had to tell you. You’ve been so…”

“Quiet!” Chris snapped.  “You WOULD have fucked him, though, if Josh hadn’t called.”  Chris turned and went to the door.  “That little two-timing bitch.”

“Chris!” Justin yelled, running after Chris as he headed down the hall.

 

“You would have loved this party, Joey,” Josh said as he scrambled more eggs.  Joey had come over for breakfast, since he had crashed early with Melody the night before.  “Lance’s friends are fun.”

“Especially the stalkers, right?” Joey said, laughing.

“Please. He’s a nice guy,” Lance said. “Just…misdirected.”

The apartment door flew open and Chris came barreling in.  “Hey, Chris!  Have some eggs,” Josh said.

“You little fucking faggot.”  Chris drew back his hand and let the punch fly.  Lance fell back against the counter.

“Chris!” Justin screamed.

“You have a boyfriend. Isn’t his ass good enough that you have to go after Justin’s?”  Chris got Lance in the stomach this time, and Lance didn’t try to fight it.

“Jesus, Chris!”  Joey caught Chris around the waist and pulled him back.

“Just because you’re lonely, you try to fuck MY boyfriend?” Chris snarled.

“What’s he talking about, Lance?” Josh asked quietly.  Lance stood, blood flowing from his nose. 

“That night I got drunk with Justin…we fooled around a bit.”  Lance looked at the floor.

“You what?” Josh looked from Lance to Justin.  “My boyfriend…and my best friend?”

“Joshy, it wasn’t like that!” Justin insisted.

“They were about to fuck on Justin’s sofa…but your call stopped them, apparently.”  Chris pulled away from Joey and went for Lance again.

“Chris, stop!  It wasn’t all Lance’s fault,” Justin said, stepping between them. “If you want to hit someone, hit me.”

“Can I ask one question in the middle of all this drama?” Joey said. Everyone looked at him. “Where’s Melody?”

 

Thirteen