Turning Point

Title: Turning Point

Authors: Rolf and Gayspankee

Couple: Justin and Brad

Warnings: None. No discipline. Angst.

"I don't know, things have just been...strained lately," Justin said uncomfortably.

"Have you talked to Brad about it?" Craig asked.

"Yeah, but those conversations never end well."

**********

Only14u: Like last week, I totally blew off a test, and he didn't even bother to inquire about it.

UpperHand: What do you mean?

Only14u: I had dropped hints all week about the test, then on the day of it, Justin doesn't bother to even ask how my day went.

UpperHand: Communication is key. And what was the point of skipping the test?

Only14u: I don't know...

UpperHand: You want your tail blistered for it, don't you?

Only14u:

UpperHand: Bradley, you could use a paddling that you would remember.

If it were up to me, you wouldn't think of skipping any more tests.

Only14u: How would you do that, Sir?

*******

Justin put away the last dinner dish as Brad settled down in front of the television.

"Homework done?" Justin asked.

"Mostly," Brad replied.

"What do you mean, mostly?"

"Just what I said."

"Brad, either it's done or it's not. Which is it?"

"Mostly done," Brad replied again.

"What do you have left?"

"Nothing much."

"Then I think you need to head upstairs and get it finished," Justin said, snapping the tv off.

"Do you MIND?" Brad said as he tried to turn the tv back on.

"Get upstairs. Right now." Justin said sharply.

"Fine!" Brad said, getting up and going upstairs, just shy of stomping.

Justin sat down on the couch, head in his hands. Everything seemed to be a battle with Brad these days.

Brad made it to his room, and all but slammed his door shut. He made a running leap for the bed and made himself comfy.

"It's tele time, it's NOT homework time. I will do homework when I want to," Brad mumbled to himself, as he leaned back on the bed and stared at the ceiling.

Brad stayed poised on the bed for thirty minutes. At the end of the thirty minutes, he got up and returned downstairs.

"Get whatever you needed done?" Justin asked when he saw Brad emerge from the stairs.

"Yup," Brad replied.

"See that wasn't so bad, was it?"

Brad shrugged and returned to his position on the floor.

**********

UpperHand: And he didn't check it?

Only14u: Nope!

UpperHand: And you never bothered to go back and complete it?

Only14u: Nope.

UpperHand: May I ask something?

Only14u: go ahead.

UpperHand: Are you TRYING to fail that course?

Only14u: I don't know...maybe I am.

***********

"Hey, Craig," Justin said almost guiltily when he saw his friend.

"What are you doing here?" Craig asked, taking a seat across the table from him and waving his companion on to another table.

"I....I needed some time alone," Justin said, looking into his glass.

"And time alone is a good time to drink?" Craig asked pointedly.

Justin flushed and pushed his glass away. "I didn't really want it."

"Things aren't any better at home, are they?"

"No."

Craig saw the hurt pass across Justin's face. "You do still love him, don't you?"

Justin could only nod, tears threatening.

"Then you've GOT to talk to him, try making it work. This isn't good for either of you."

"I....I can't. It's too -"

"Don't give me that Justin. You can do anything you put your mind to. You can try to fool yourself, but you won't fool me. You drive here?"

"Yes."

Craig held out his hand, and Justin quickly took his car keys out and handed them over.

"Get home to your boy. The walk should do you good."

Justin grabbed his jacket and stood up, quickly walking out of the bar. Something about the way Craig spoke to him made him feel guilty and cared about at the same time. He headed towards home, his mind swirling.

*********

Brad sat at the computer, impatiently awaiting his new friend's appearance.

"Come on, where are you?" He asked aloud.

Finally, the Instant Messenger lifted UpperHand to the connected column.

Only14u: Didn't think you were going to show.

UpperHand: I said I would. Justin still hasn't returned?

Only14u: Nope.

UpperHand: Been a while, hasn't it?

Only14u: I don't know. I guess.

UpperHand: It doesn't matter to you where he is?

Only14u: He isn't here with me, so who gives a rat's ass?

UpperHand: Watch your language, or you'll be blowing soap bubbles!

Only14u: Sorry, Sir.

Brad continued to pine away on the computer, being soothed and consoled by a stranger.

Meanwhile, Justin continued his walk. He tried desperately to return home, yet he just couldn't seem to walk in that direction.

After another half hour online, Brad disconnected and headed downstairs. He crashed on the couch and stared blankly at the television.

Justin wound down his walk. He walked through town, around the park, and eventually ended up at home, entering the house quietly.

"Geez you scared me! I didn't hear your car," Brad said.

"I left it on Chaplin Street," Justin replied as he walked through the living room.

"Why would you do that?" Brad asked.

"Because I was drinking and didn't think I should drive."

Brad exhaled with a disgusted expression.

"Problem?" Justin asked.

"I don't know, you tell me!"

"I..." Justin began, before pausing.

"Yes?" Brad replied, reaching.

"I guess not. What's for dinner?"

Brad shrugged, and returned his attention to the television as he bit back a tear that threatened to fall.

Justin turned around and headed back to the kitchen, looking for something to fix. He found some chicken and tossed that in the oven and put some green beans and potatoes on the stove to cook. He stood in the door, looking at his lover.

Taking in the obvious, Justin looked at the dark hair, the startlingly bright, blue eyes. The full, and usually pouty lips. The slender body with just a hint of muscle. He stood, watching, until the potatoes boiled slightly over.

Justin quickly returned to the stove and finished making dinner.

"Brad, dinner's ready!"

Brad got up and headed into the kitchen. He was hungry and Justin did know how to cook. His earlier anger had dissipated, simply leaving him empty.

Dinner was mostly eaten in silence, save for the occassional comment on the meal. After Brad was finished eating, he took his plate into the kitchen, not waiting for Justin to finish. Brad took it upon himself to rinse off his dish. Justin came up behind him.

"You have to use soap to get it clean," Justin said as he reached around Brad, grabbed the soap, and squirted some into the basin.

Brad turned his head, his eyes meeting Justin's. He meant to make a comment, but stopped. Justin's lips never seemed fuller. Brad turned his whole body around and leaned in for a kiss. Their lips met with intensity, something primal. The kiss quickly led to the shedding of clothes. Both young men became lost in the moment. A shirt flung here, a belt there, a pair of briefs ripped in two. Brad laid on his back on the cold linoleum. Justin laid on top of him, kissing every inch. He reached into the drawer above them, searching for a stray condom. He soon found it and slipped it on. The ravashing continued for the next two and a half minutes.

*****

Only14u: I don't know what to make of it, I mean the heat was intense. Something that hasn't been there for a long time.

UpperHand: But?

*****

"But, it was just sex. We got lost in a moment," Justin said quietly.

"Sometimes it only takes a moment to get things back on track," Craig replied.

*****

Justin was watching Brad out of the corner of his eye. They were in the living room, Brad stretched out on the floor, Justin in the easy chair. He was looking at his lover's back. The muscles looked tense, and Brad had been on edge since he'd come home from classes. He'd asked Brad what was wrong but had been rebuffed. Thinking back over the past several months, Justin was saddened. Brad had never been easy work. Justin tried directing Brad in the direction he thought best. Early on, Brad listened more. Now it was if the only thing he could do was constantly defy him, whether it was a simple request to come to bed, or something far more serious. Justin had tried several different ways to punish Brad, but nothing seemed to work. He'd tried talking to him as well, but those talks never ended well. There was a definite rift growing, and Justin felt helpless to stop the split that was growing wider every day. He stood up.

"Sweetheart, want to come to bed? It's getting late."

"No, I'm watching this movie," Brad replied, not looking away.

"You've had a long -"

"I SAID I'm watching this movie. Thirty more minutes, it WILL be over at 11," Brad replied, knowing that was his usual bedtime.

Justin started to reach out, then he turned and headed upstairs, heart heavy.

Brad put his head on his arms, then sat up, punching his pillow in anger. Tears stung his eyes and he angrily wiped them away. Sitting there, he though back to his last class. The professor had asked to speak to him after class, and Brad knew what he was going to say. Finals were in two weeks and Brad was going to need a near perfect score on the final, comprehensive exam in order to pass the class. Since the professor and Brad both knew that wasn't going to happen, the professor had signed a release form so that Brad's already shaky grade point average wouldn't fall farther with a fail in that class.

Brad knew the problem was himself. He'd never enjoyed economics and hadn't been trying in the least to learn it. And Justin hadn't seemed to be there for him either. He'd let himself down, and Justin, and it bothered him a lot. He wanted to tell Justin about failing, wanted him to yell, and punish, and comfort and consult with. But he was afraid that Justin wouldn't care. So instead of telling him, he was just going to sit on that knowledge for now. He headed up to bed when the news came on and slid in next to his sleeping lover, curling up and taking a while to fall to sleep.

*****

Only14u: I just need...

UpperHand: You need your tail blistered. If your Justin isn't willing to do it, perhaps you need to meet someone who IS.

Only14u: Are you suggesting...

UpperHand: I'm just saying I'm here if you need me.

Only14u: When and where?

UpperHand: Burger joint on Main, twenty minutes?

Only14u: See you then, Sir.

Brad quickly disconnected and stared at the screen. His breathing quickened. Was this insane?

"I have to find out," he said to aloud.

"Find out what?" Justin asked as he entered the room.

"Geez, didn't hear you come in."

"Sorry. What do you have to find out?"

"I have to find out...if the new Buffy DVD has arrived at Target," Brad replied as he walked past Justin.

"I think that can wait. We have dinner with my sister tonight, remember?"

Brad stopped walking and turned around.

"Ugh, didn't we JUST see her?"

"That was last week. I think you should go get cleaned up."

"No. I'm not going. I have to go check out that DVD," Brad replied as he continued towards the front door.

"That DVD isn't going to do you a bit of good if you are without a player to watch it on."

Brad turned towards Justin again. "You are SO weak."

Justin replied with a hard smack to Brad's backside.

"I SAID, go get ready."

"And I SAID, kiss my ass."

*****

"How is life?" Craig asked, taking a seat across from Justin at the diner.

Justin just flashed a look and exhaled.

"Ouch, that good? Are you even making an effort?"

"It seems like everytime I try to be assertive...I don't know...Brad turns it on me, and all we do is yell."

"Have you heard of this thing called corporal punishment?" Craig said with a chuckle.

"There was a time when that was a possibility, but I don't know..."

******

Only14u: I'm sorry about yesterday. I got into it with Justin, and it threw me thru a loop.

UpperHand: I understand. I didn't really expect you to show.

Only14u: Anyway, it's done with.

UpperHand: What is? Your relationship?

Only14u: That could be too. But I was referring to economics. I failed with flying colors.

UpperHand: I thought you were given one last chance to pass that.

Only14u: I was...

UpperHand: You didn't tell him, did you?

Only14u: ...

*****

"Brad, I asked for you to finish up the lawn today," Justin said wearily as he set his briefcase down. "It looks like hell out there and we've got people visiting soon."

"Sorry," Brad replied, watching television.

"Sorry?" Justin asked as he stepped through the door into the living

room. "What have you been up to today?" Justin kept his voice civil, hoping there was a good reason for not getting the lawn done.

"Yeah, sorry. It'll look fine for everyone, don't worry about it," Brad said dismissively.

"Is that even the point?"

"Does it really matter?" Brad asked snidely, losing concentration on his television show.

Justin walked over to the tv and turned it off. Brad turned it back on with the remote, so Justin then pulled the plug.

"I was watching that show!" Brad said as he stood up angrily.

"And I'm trying to talk to you," Justin said, voice hardening.

"About the fricken' lawn? I SAID I was sorry!" Brad said loudly.

"Keep your voice down, please," Justin said placatingly. "I'm getting tired of asking you to do things, and then just getting the line that you're sorry."

"Yeah? We'll I'm sorry about THAT too! I'm sorry about a lot of damned stuff! Do you even care?!" Brad yelled, the hurt and anger overpowering.

Justin dropped the plug he was still holding, shocked at how quickly this conversation had gone from bad to worse. He could see Brad shaking with his feelings, and slipped into the only role he thought might diffuse the situation.

"Bradley, that is enough -"

"You don't GIVE a flying fuck what is best! Don't come over all bossy on me now, it just doesn't suit you," Brad spat, barely able to stand in one place.

"Will you PLEASE stop yelling!" Justin yelled back, losing his cool. "I don't know what the hell you're talking about, Brad. I've tried everything I could think of, and you keep throwing shit back in my face! What am I supposed to do?!"

"You're the one that's supposed to know that! You're the one that is supposed to take control! If you had, then maybe I wouldn't have flunked economics!"

"What? How?" Justin asked, shocked.

"Well when you skip the test days and don't turn in the homework, the professor has a tough time grading you."

"I made sure you were doing your homework! How can-"

"You did? Have you ONCE checked ANY of my assignments this semester? Have you fucking ONCE asked to see any of my test papers? Or even ask how the damn things went?"

Justin stared at the floor, his eyes stinging with tears.

"I sought out a discipline relationship to better myself. So I wouldn't have to do live by myself. NOT to be someone's chew toy."

"Bradley, I have NEVER hit you out of anger or abused you in anyway," Justin replied defensively.

"No, you haven't. But you haven't given a damn about me for a long time. All I wanted was you to help me be a better person. I haven't seen any affection from you in months, let alone authority."

"I HAVE tried, and I have been REBUFFED at every corner!!"

"Then you haven't been trying hard enough. Anthony says that-"

"Who's Anthony?" Justin interrupted.

"It doesn't matter. The point is-"

"The point is, if someone thinks they have me down to a peg, and knows what I am doing WRONG, I would like to know who they are!"

"Someone I met online, someone local!" Brad said.

Justin's face fell, his voice began to quiver. "Have you...met him?"

Brad shook his head.

"That's where you were going the other night? Right?"

It was Brad's turn to look at the floor.

"Do you still love me?" Justin asked point blank.

~*~   ~*~   ~*~

1. Justin and Brad break up and go their own ways. This is the end of them.

2. Justin and Brad find a third person to 'ultra-top' them both.

3. Justin and Brad do break up, but we follow with one, or both, of their new loves.

Copyright Rolf and Gayspankee 2010