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Chapter Fourteen:  BROKEN ANGEL


“Love is about seeing an imperfect person perfectly.”


WITH A QUAINT expression and trying to keep his worried-as-shit look in his inner self, Brian yanks open the door and walks inside the well-known bar. He ignores the prostitutes, dealers, and ‘stoned out-of-their-minds’ guys. 

He discreetly tries to look for a blond, blue-eyed boy but only sees tall, repulsive guys with white powder on their noses. He walks by a dancing pole where a girl’s stripping. Brian immediately looks the opposite direction; with that quick movement, he sees the blond he was looking for. Justin is sitting in a booth, laying his crossed legs along the bench. His head is tilting forward and his eyes are half-closed. 

Sitting on the bench across from him, there’s a guy, leaning his face two inches from the table to sniff his powder. The guy quickly shoots his head back and shakes it uncontrollably. He presses his thumb against his nostril and deeply inhales. Just then another guy comes over to them. He nudges Justin’s feet to move over, Justin weakly bends his knees up to his chest and leans his head backwards. The guy says something rude to Justin, but Justin doesn’t react. He nudges his knee, handing him something he has in his hand, Justin ignores it and turns his head away. And he slaps Justin hard in the face. Justin’s head jerks to the side, he stays like this for a while before tilting his head forward once more. 

Brian walks closer; he grabs Justin’s hand forcefully and pulls him to his feet, wrapping one arm around his waist. Without saying a word to Justin, he glances at the guy, giving his familiar death-glare. Not wanting to bother with this type of person, he walks away with Justin safely under his arm.

Justin drops in the passenger seat of Brian’s jeep and leans his head backwards. Brian gets in and drives in direction of his mansion. He takes a good look at Justin and notices his eyes are red and his skin looks dry. He looks terribly exhausted and he’s trembling.  
 
“Justin…” Brian says.

“Justin?” Brian looks at him, slightly panicking. 

“Thanks for taking me…” Justin’s voice is weak.

“What the fuck happened?” Brian snaps at Justin.

“He made me okay, I didn’t want it…” Justin says.

“Made you do what?’ Brian’s tone softens.

 Justin gently lifts his left sleeve to expose his bruised arm, showing certain reddened places with small cuts and bumps. 

“What did he give you?” Brian asks concerned. 

“Uh… Cocaine, E… not sure.” Justin stammers, as he takes short gulps. He reaches over to Brian and grabs the back of his hand. Brian turns his palm up and holds Justin’s hand tightly. 

Brian pulls over in the street and gets out the car, locking it. Justin attempts to get out but stumbles. Brian quickly his steps towards him and holds him still. He gently helps him stand and they get inside the mansion. 

He brings him to the couch. Justin awkwardly falls back, closing his eyes and takes sharp breathes. 

Brian sits by his side, he gently touches Justin’s face with his palm and tries to catch Justin’s attention.

“Stay with me.” Brian carefully taps on his thigh. 

“Justin, you need a doctor.”

“No, no fucking doctors.” Justin breathes heavily.

“Jus, look at yourself you’re o.d’ing.” Brian utters.

“No.” Justin violently yells.

“Why’s that?” Brian asks quietly.

“Some bad ‘incident’ at my prom. Don’t wanna talk about it.” Justin tells him, his breathing quickens, and Brian can feel the pulse in his neck beating faster.

“Bri, I feel hot…” Justin starts to panic, his visions blurs and his skin feels like it’s melting off.

Brian pats his neck and his back, feeling Justin’s temperature rise and his skin become seriously dry. He wraps his arms around him and carefully lifts him up. He drags him onto the bathroom floor. Justin leans against the sink, the cold tiles against his bare skin. Brian reaches up and turns the water on in the shower, turning the temperature to mild. A quick rush of water falls from the showerhead. Brian turns back to Justin and delicately takes his shirt off. He undresses him, undoing his jeans and pulling them off, leaving on his black briefs. Justin wraps one arm around Brian as he lifts him up and places him onto the shower floor. Justin leans against the glass. He lets the not-too-hot water run over his body. 

He kneels close to Justin, with on hand on his awkwardly positioned hips and the other on his thigh. His white shirt and worn-out jeans are soaked as the water hits his body. He touches Justin’s cheek to check his temperature but it’s hardly changed. He caresses his wet blond hair and Justin sinks down onto the shower’s tiled floor. The level of the water rises slowly as Justin’s body blocks the water drain. 

Brian’s clothes are drenched, hugging his skin uncomfortably. His longish hair falls in his eyes and he brushes the strands away impatiently. He waits for Justin’s reaction but there’s nothing, he places both hands at the back of Justin’s neck.

“Justin, are you still with me?” Brian asks worriedly.

Justin barely opens his eyes and closes them again. He gulps deeply several times. He opens his lips slightly and coughs. He hyperventilates slightly, water drops falling onto his lips.

“Breathe, Justin,” Brian tells him,“Come on, slowly just breathe.”

Justin unwillingly does as Brian orders.

After a long moment Justin reluctantly opens his eyes, looking blankly into Brian’s hazel ones. He watches Brian through wet locks of hair which are hiding his own dizzy blue eyes. He feels slightly confused and frightened.  

Brian softly smirks when he sees the blond open his eyes. Gently, Justin propels himself into Brian’s arms and clutches him tightly. Brian holds him closely. He presses his face against Brian’s chest, parting his lips as he breathes more easily. With a soft strokes on the blond’s hair, Brian kisses Justin’s forehead and pulls him even closer. He places a hand behind his neck and kisses his cheek.

“Feeling better?” Brian nicely asks smiling.

Justin nods against his chest, rubbing his cheek against Brian’s wet shirt.

“You’re staying with me now.” Brian whispers.

“Brian, you barely know me.” Justin’s voice is still weak and his head feels heavy on his neck.

“Well, this way I’ll get to know you.” 

Justin doesn’t answer and only smiles against Brian’s skin, and pecks a tender kiss onto Brian’s arm. 

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