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Dedication: To the qaf-ers at FF who dare to ask...WWBD? And to Jamie and Raye for reading more unfinished stories than they should have. ****** Part 1 The noise in Woody's didn't even register in Brian's mind as he slowly fucked Justin's sweet mouth with his own. Their tongues darted back and forth in a battle of wills and a small moan reverberated from the blond boy's throat. Brian smiled at the sound and draped his arm around Justin's neck pulling him just a bit closer. Emmett sat on the edge of the pool table that they had managed to claim and put his arm around Ted, unconsciously imitating Brian's movement. "Jeez!" Ted exclaimed, obviously shocked by the intensity of the kiss. He felt like a voyeur watching Brian and the Boy Wonder, as if he were intruding on a private moment, even though Brian had never bothered to keep his sex life private. They watched the couple silently for a moment before Ted tipped his beer bottle towards them and glanced at his friend. "How long do you think it will be before they need to come up for air?" "Well Brian's personal best is about five minutes but Justin's a talker so I figure they should average about eight to ten minutes tops." Ted groaned, "If they go any further, we're gonna have to cord them off and charge admission to the onlookers." Emmett laughed before swatting Ted lightly on the shoulder. "Give ‘em a break. They just got back together!" Brian heard the boys and pulled away all too quickly for Justin's taste, leaving him a bit dazed. "We can still hear you, ya know." He raised his eyebrow and glared at them. "Uh-huh." Ted smiled and motioned to the table. "You're up!" Brian moved slowly to the table, always making sure that he did everything in his own time, and began lining up his shot. Emmett moved behind where Justin was seated on a stool and they looked on as the game proceeded. Ted watched as Brian sunk three balls before missing and walked around the table to plan his next action. Finally finding a shot, he continued with the conversation that had begun before Brian and Justin's foray into exhibitionism. "So...as I was saying. My boss comes in and sees it! He actually caught me. And all he can say is ‘I've seen better!'" "I told you about going to Cumquik.com at work!" Emmett shook his head, knowing that his friend must have been mortified to be caught by his evil old cow of a boss. Ted shocked them as he laughed. "Fuck that! Where did a bastard like that see better than Eric the Construction Worker?" Emmett let out an indelicate snort of laughter and Justin giggled. Brian looked on with a light smirk denting the otherwise emotionless mask that had settled on his face. "I know ‘Eric'. His real name is Jeff and he's an out of work actor. He's a lot better on the small screen." "Aren't they always." Emmett sighed, sipping his daiquiri. "Hey, didn't you have some big presentation today?" Ted asked missing yet another shot. Brian smiled smugly. "Hell yes. They actually bought it too! It was the easiest fucking pitch..." He lined up and sunk another solid ball in the far corner pocket. "...of my life." Justin's eyes widened with interest and a small mischievous smile curled his lips. "That means you have the weekend free right?" Brian rolled his eyes and then nodded at the blond who proceeded to clap happily as Gus sometimes did when he was excited. Brian casually wondered if his son had picked that up from the Boy Wonder or the other way around. "Perfect. I know exactly what we're going to do!" Brian clamped down on his anger at having someone try to plan things for him and tried to balance it with his curiosity at what Justin might have in store for them. "And who said I don't already have plans?" He asked arrogantly, knowing that he had nothing. He looked up from where he was leaning over the table, ready to make a difficult shot and confirmed visually what he had known he would see. Justin's face had turned from sunshine to rain in the blink of an eye and even though he hated being the cause of the frown on his face he took it for what it was. Pure and simple pouting. He turned back to the game but quickly found himself glancing back as Emmett wrapped his arms around the boy from behind. "Well if you aren't going to be using him this weekend...mind if I borrow him?" Brian glared at Emmett and shook his head slightly, quickly becoming self-satisfied as he saw his friend loosen his hold on the boy. When he turned away, he heard Justin and Emmett laugh and he seethed, knowing that he had risen to their bate. Em, probably hoping to curb Brian's anger, decided to change the subject. "So how was you're first week of classes," he asked Justin. "Great. I have a feeling that this semester is gonna be a little tougher than the first. But at least I'm getting to take my first human figure class." Brian could almost imagine the boy's impish grin as he studied the wonders of the human body, sketching the posed model from head to toe. Of course, it wasn't as if he hadn't had enough practice in this. He knew for a fact that Justin had an entire sketch pad full of nude drawings of him. Most of them had been done as he slept. Some he had consented to. Those had been done as something of foreplay. He could get off simply watching Justin's nimble fingers slide across the paper as to smear the charcoal into a shadow or his hand gripping a pencil tightly as he struggled to get a line just so. Emmett looked somewhat perplexed. "Not to ask a stupid question..." "Never!" Brian supplied sarcastically. He cut his eyes at Brian as he went on. "...but what exactly do you do in a figure class?" "They stare at naked guys all day for the sake of art." Brian explained, reaching over to twist Justin's nipple ring playfully through his tight shirt. "And women." He added, smacking Brian's hand away from him. "Lucky you." Ted chuckled, finally taking a turn at the table. "Hey! Maybe you could go check it out Ted. See what the real live dicks look like." Brian slapped him on the back causing him to miss the shot completely. "Well it sounds like fun to me." Emmett said encouragingly to Justin and pointedly ignoring Brian. Brian rolled his eyes again at the hopeless queen's enthusiasm on the subject and spotted his best friend approaching them. "What sounds like fun?" Michael smiled at them innocently. If Brian could ever capture his image of Michael on film, it would definitely look something like that. The smile that always made him look twelve years old. The same smile he got when he thought he was being left out and wanted to be let in on the joke. Laughing even before he knew the punchline. "Justin's going to be staring at naked people for school." Ted explained. Michael pursed his lips and nodded, still feeling a bit lost but mostly regretting that he had even bothered to ask. "It's not like we are sitting there ogling them. We have to sketch them. Learn the human form," Justin said in his own defense. "I think you know the human form pretty well. The male any way." Justin laughed at his remark but Brian knew that a deep blush was working it's way up the blond's neck and would keep him quiet for a while. Turning his attention back to Michael, Brian ignored Ted's boasting over a tough shot that he had actually made. "So what are you up to? Aren't you suppose to be somewhere doing something important with the Doc?" He had wanted the question to come out as teasing but even to his own ears it sounded a bit cold. "He had to fly back to Oregon. Lori and Hank are moving back here next week so he's helping them with that. They're staying with us. Just until Lori gets settled into her new job." Michael declared, referring to his lover's ex-wife and son. "So you'll get to be the full time wicked stepmother." Brian jested. Emmett smiled at Michael, reassuring him that he would be fine. "Oh Hank loves him. They're going to be one big happy-" "Albeit dysfunctional!" Ted interjected. "-family!" "So why didn't you go with him?" Justin asked curiously. "Because Boy Wonder. Some of us have to work. We can't all have rich daddies that cover our butts!" Michael snapped, taking his own frustration out on the boy. It was unfair. Justin couldn't possibly have known that he and David were fighting. Justin's face was instantly red, and this time it had nothing to do with blushing. Brian winced as he looked into his lover's eyes. He knew Michael had gone too far this time. "No, I guess not." Justin mumbled and grabbed his empty glass from the table. "Anyone want anything?" Everyone averted their eyes and shook their heads before he turned and made himself walk slowly to the bar. "Why the hell did you go and say something like that Mikey? You know how tough things have been with his dad!" Brian ground out, surprising even himself with the anger and protectiveness he was showing on Justin's behalf. Michael looked away, knowing he had been in the wrong. "I...I don't know why I said it. It just came out." After several very uncomfortable minutes of silence, Ted could stand it no more. "So...what are you doing to celebrate the homecoming?" "Please tell me you're throwing a party! Because if you aren't then I will be forced to!" Emmett added quickly. "Yes. I'm planning a party for Sunday night. You guys are gonna come aren't you?" Ted shrugged. "Short notice." Emmett smiled wryly at him. "Like we really have something better to do?" "True." His friend pretended to actually contemplate this before finally giving in. "Okay. I'm in." "And you know I'd never miss a party!" Emmett grinned, happy that Michael was once again smiling. "Brian?" Michael asked hesitantly. "Sorry. Justin and I have plans." "Oh." Brian nearly cracked at the dejected look on his best friend's face, but he wasn't about to take it back now. Plus, he rationalized, he had only be joking with Justin when he had told him he had other plans. He wanted to see exactly what the young man had up his sleeve. So really he wasn't lying to Michael about that. "So...you two are back together then?" Before he could even respond, Emmett launched into his version of the previous night, which became more overblown every time he told it. "It was so beautiful!" "Oh shit! Not again." Brian swore, on the verge of begging him to shut up. Ignoring him, the man pressed on with his story. "There they were...on either side of Babylon. Suddenly...out of nowhere they play their song!" He nearly squealed as he clutched Michael's sleeve. "Like something out of a fairytale, they meet in the middle of the dance floor..." "They have a-" He started to ask Emmett. Noticing the far-off look that had come into his eyes, he switched tactics quickly to Brian. "-You have a song?" "According to the drama queen we do." He tilted his head towards Emmett, who had grabbed Ted by the arms and was leading him in an impromptu slow dance. "But you are back together?" Michael repeated himself. It was a statement more than a question as if he had to make it sink into his brain. He shrugged off the implications of Michael's statement. "I hate when people say it like that. It makes me feel like we're in some fucking high school melodrama." Brian let his eyes drift to the bar, his eyes landing on the blond's rigid back. He was waiting on the bartender to get to his drink but Brian knew that he was also giving himself time to calm down. He had a feeling that he would have to run a lot of damage control over Michael's remark later. "We're...fucking on a regular basis." "Can't just be fucking, otherwise you would be dating the entire population of Liberty Avenue." Ted quipped. "Aw he's just afraid to use the ‘R' word!" Emmett teased. "R word? You mean Recreational?" Ted asked, playing along with Emmett. "Revolutionary?" Michael joined in, earning him a glare from Brian. "Resuscitation?" "Retribution?" "Would you three shut the fuck up!" Brian counted to ten as the other three choked back their laughter. "So anybody up for Babylon?" Ted asked after a momentary silence. "Of course." Emmett replied. Michael nodded. "Have to get that daily dose of rejection in." Ted added as he grabbed his jacket from their table. "Plus dyke night is tomorrow night. We have to get in our time tonight." Emmett shuddered at the memory of the last dyke night he had been to. He had no plans to relive that night ever again. Brian looked up from where he was now perched on Justin's abandoned chair. Michael was staring down at him expectantly. "Coming?" "Nah. I'm gonna call it a night." He rubbed his eyes with his hand and sighed tiredly. "I have to conference tomorrow morning that will determine my next project. I'm really shooting for the new account out of New York." "Alright. Well see ya later." "Later." Brian nodded and waved them off. Justin, who had finally gotten his drink, passed them and received a hug and kiss from Em. "Bye." He called out before approaching Brian. He towered over the man and their eyes held causing a spark to ignite within each of them. "They going to Babylon?" He asked, receiving a nod from Brian. "You didn't want to go?" Brian thought about all of the other possible scenarios for ending the night and shook his head. "Planning on turning in early?" Brian grinned sexily and nodded. "Planning on turning in...alone?" Brian shook his head slowly. Did he ever turn in alone? ~*~*~*~ Justin was fidgeting. Squirming around as if he had ants in his shorts, which Brian knew wasn't the case as the boy's noticeably naked ass was pressed firmly against his groin. Several times, he had paused and taken a breath as if he were about to say something but then he would simply relax and Brian thought perhaps he was about to get some sleep. Then Justin would start the entire process all over again. He could tell that something important was on his mind, he just wished he would spit it out already so they could both get some rest. "He hates me doesn't he." It wasn't a question. Just a simple statement that came so quietly, Brian thought he had imagined it. Justin turned his head and met his eyes that were faintly glowing in the darkness. "Who?" Brian asked, sincerely confused. After a moment, Justin shifted onto his other side so as to face Brian and propped up on his elbow. "Michael." So that was it. Well he had expected it to come up sooner or later after the earlier episode at Woody's. "Why do you give a shit what Michael thinks about you?" Brian asked, rolling onto his back and throwing his right arm over his eyes, hoping that Justin would take the hint. "He's your best friend." Justin stated, as if that was an obvious enough reason. Lifting his arm, to glance briefly at Justin, Brian sighed. "So?" "After all this time, I figured he would have dealt with being annoyed by my presence but he hasn't. And...if we are both in your life..." His voice drifted off and he looked away, suddenly uncomfortable. "I just... I guess I never want you to be put in the position of him or me. Because I know who'll win." He mumbled. After a moment of silence, Justin looked back at Brian to gauge his reaction. Brian was looking at him blankly yet his eyes held an underlying empathy. "First of all, I won't choose. You aren't even in the same category. He's my best friend. You're my..." For a lack of words, Brian motioned with his hands. Justin rolled his eyes at Brian and nodded, understanding Brian's unspoken acknowledgment. "Secondly, Michael accepts you as part of our fucked up little...family. He cares about you." His words were sincere and Justin looked away in thought. "Just doesn't like me." He said, almost to himself. "Actually I think he does like you." Brian ran his fingers along Justin's cheek and down his neck slowly until he paused at his chest in thought. "I just think he doesn't like the idea of us." With that said, his hand continued dancing and traveling down Justin's torso and ended it's journey by rubbing the boy's stomach soothingly. Giving into Brian's touch, Justin relaxed back onto the pillows and closed his eyes. "Ya think?" he asked sarcastically. "Okay, I KNOW he doesn't like the idea of us." He smiled. Justin looked up at him and he could tell that the young man was wiped out. Almost a year after the ‘incident' and he still tended to tire easily. Especially if something was on his mind. Brian's protective mode kicked in and he pulled the covers back up over the boy's body. "And why the fuck are we talking about Michael right now? Go to sleep!" He said, hoping to sound annoyed. Although, it came out as more of a gentle but firm command. Justin nodded and smiled at Brian softly before placing his head on the man's chest. His fingers circling his left nipple slowly. After a moment, Justin's breathing evened out and Brian knew he was asleep. He put his arms around the boy and nuzzled the top of his head with his nose, inhaling the sweet smell that was Justin's very own before drifting off to sleep himself. ~*~*~*~ As he pulled back, he examined the blond head that poked out from under the duvet. He knew that he could easily wake him and drag him into the shower. Justin would go willingly. Last night was something of a marathon but he knew that the younger man would be up for another round as always. But he seemed to be sleeping so peacefully and Brian didn't have the heart to wake him.
He smiled softly, lovingly and ran his index finger along the boy's jaw line, admiring his beautiful profile. From the soft dreamlike smile that flitted across the boy's features, it seemed that last night had been nightmare free. Brian was thankful for that.
Falling back onto his pillow, he noted that he could afford about five more minutes before he would definitely have to get up and shower. Usually he would have used the time to mentally run through his schedule for the day. Yet, today his mind didn't seem to want to focus on the meetings and contracts and clients. Instead it wandered back to the past couple of months and just how far he and Justin had come.
The news that Brian Kinney had a ‘boyfriend' was huge. But the fact that the alleged ‘boyfriend' was the king of Babylon as well as the new poster boy for victims of hate crimes had been a double whammy. No matter what everyone else seemed to think, they had never ‘broken up'. After a little fight over Justin's affinity for his new school friend, Lee, they had simply decided to take a breather. They hadn't specified how long it would last and their sudden and seemingly complete separation had gay Pittsburgh's gossip mills going crazy. If that had caused a stir, then their make up session on the dance floor at Babylon two nights ago was sure to have made its rounds by now.
Brian kissed Justin's exposed shoulder quickly, suddenly renewed in his happiness to have the boy back in his bed.
~*~*~*~ After a quick shower and shave, Brian emerged from the bedroom, sporting his new suit. He held out his arms to be admired and Justin nodded approvingly. "Very nice. Gucci?" "Good eye." Brian smiled with his own approval. "Well I did learn from the best." At Brian's smug smirk, Justin hastened to add, "My mom." Brian's face fell and Justin laughed. "You think you're a label queen? Try shopping with Jennifer Taylor some time!" "Right. I can see it now. A nice little family outing." He spoke sarcastically but a small teasing smile played on his mouth. Brian took a seat at the table and Justin handed him his newspaper, turning back to the kitchen. Looking down at the paper in front of him, he caught the boy's arm before he could get too far. "Hmmmm. Good boy." He purred. "Now, what other tricks can you do?" Their gazes locked in a challenge. A dare. A question. Justin, never one to back down from such a dare, answered by leaning back on the table and staring down at him. Brian's mouth curled up in a mischievous smile and his hands moved to the tie of Justin's robe. As he pulled one end, the dark satin material unknotted and Justin let it drop from his arms, pooling at his feet softly. Brian moved his eyes to Justin's dick which was already riding high against his belly, willing and wanting. Justin was the only person he knew, other than himself of course, that could go from zero to horny in two seconds flat. Brian placed his hands on the boy's hips and moved them slowly to the backs of his thighs, placing gentle pressure on them to urge him forward in closer proximity to his mouth. Meeting half way, his lips began their frenzied journey up and down, around and over, everywhere but where Justin wanted it. Brian's tongue dipped into his navel and nipped at the pale skin around it gently before kissing his way down. He buried his nose in the soft dense patch of light blonde curls just beside his cock. The heat radiating off of Justin was dizzying. From the way his body tensed, Brian could tell that Justin was holding his breath in anticipation. Brian only looked up at him with wide, teasing eyes and moved outward, directing his attention to the soft skin of Justin's hip. Justin's face was coated with a light sheen of sweat and his hands where clenching and unclenching unconsciously at his sides. He whimpered pitifully and looked at Brian with pleading eyes. "Please Brian!" He managed to groan through his clenched teeth. Brian smiled triumphantly. "So you can beg too." Without giving Justin even a moment to respond, Brian's head moved forward once more and took all of Justin into his mouth, rewarding him. Justin's fingers gripped his lover's dark hair tightly as his head bobbed up and down on his shaft. Expertly, he used just the right pressure as he wrapped his lips tightly around Justin , drawing the blood even closer to the surface. His tongue making light strokes along the underside and head of Justin's cock. The heat of Brian's mouth was so intense, smoldering, that Justin was sure that his dick would come away scalded. So close. So very close to cuming, Justin threw his head back as the sensation began to rock through him in pulsating waves. Just as he opened his mouth to scream, he felt Brian's hot, moist mouth leave him. Lingering for a moment at the tip, his tongue swirled around and over his slit and Justin hissed his want for release. Brian's fist took over. His fingers moved slowly, teasingly along the reddened skin causing Justin to wince. Still reeling from the sensations caused by his lover's mouth, it only took a few strokes before he came. A line of spunk spraying up onto his stomach and the next covering Brian's hand. Brian busied himself with cleaning it off with a paper towel. When he was finished Justin turned towards the table and put his hands on the top to steady himself before smiling over his shoulder. "Let me guess. Roll over?" he asked, predicting what Brian might want him to do next. Brian grinned at the unrestricted view of the gorgeous ass in front of him. Unable to resist, he popped one of the cheeks with his palm. Justin flinched at the contact and Brian used his hand to massage the reddening spot. "Actually...I was thinking more along the lines of...sitting." Brian said breathlessly, his mouth nearly crimson from the extensive work out it had just received. "But I'm thinking it will have to wait. You'll have to be leaving soon." Justin glanced at the nearest clock and swore. "Later." Brian assured him, placing a feather light kiss at the top curve of Justin's buttocks. ~*~*~*~ "What do you want for breakfast?" "Coffee." He was now engrossed in the paper. "You need to eat something." Justin said in his best authoritative tone. Brian always fought not to laugh when Justin started on him in this way. He felt as if he was being mothered by a 19 year old boy. Which basically he was. It all seemed too absurd. Brian folded a corner of his paper down so that he could look at the young man. "Well the way you make coffee, I usually have to chew it. Doesn't that count?" At Justin's exasperated and slightly offended look, Brian broke out his most angelic smile. "I don't care as long as I don't have to fix it." "Oh really? How about if I fix you a nice big bacon and cheese omelet?" Justin asked, smacking his lips together. Brian grimaced. "I would wonder if you were trying to push me towards a nice big coronary." Justin pointed at him, happy that he had proven his point for him. "See. You do care. So just tell me what you want." "Toast! Just give me toast!" Brian cried in defeat. Justin nodded happily and turned to get the bread out of the cabinet. Brian straightened his paper and when he was sure Justin couldn't see him, he smiled in amusement. A few moments later, a knock sounded at the door. The person had the code to the building so it was either Lindsay, Michael or a neighbor. Either way he didn't really care to greet them. After finally realizing that Brian wasn't going to make a move to answer it, Justin sighed. "I'll get it." Blue eyes met brown as Justin and Michael stared at one another awkwardly across the threshold of the door. "Morning," Michael chirped. Finally regaining his senses, Justin moved aside to let the other man in. "Michael's here." Justin announced at a lack of anything else to say. "Thank you captain obvious." Brian dead panned from behind his paper. Michael took a seat across from him. Brian finally folded the paper and set it aside. He took the coffee that Justin offered him and sipped it before responding. "Hmm. How was Babylon? Get anyone into the back room?" "No. Ted ended up going home with a drag queen though. Don't ask." Michael laughed at some memory that was replaying in his head and Brian laughed along at the mental image that the news brought forth. "I'm sure Em was devastated. Since he is used to being the only queen in Ted's life." "I don't think Emmett really cared. He actually managed to get gold thong guy's number." "No shit?" "No shit!" "Probably a wrong number. He's just the type to do that." "Who are you talking about?" Justin asked, feeling only marginally bad for butting into the friends' conversation. He sat Brian's toast in front of him and handed Michael a cup of coffee. Brian knew it was something of a peace offering. Justin had a big heart and he held his breath, hoping that his best friend wouldn't step on it unintentionally. He wasn't just being offered coffee, but forgiveness. Something that Brian knew first hand Justin had a large capacity for. He had been on the receiving end of a lot of it. He slowly exhaled as Michael smiled at Justin and took the cup from him. "He's one of the go-go boys at Babylon. You've seen him. Wears nothing but a gold thong." "Hence the name." Michael supplied. "He never gives anyone the time of day so Em was on cloud nine." After a moment of thought, Justin's face finally registered recognition. "Oh! You mean Greg?" He laughed, gaining the full attention of the other two men. "Nothing great in that thong! Biggest bottom I've ever seen, despite the clues that would suggest otherwise. I'll have to call Em and warn him." Michael stared at the boy with a look of shock, while Brian's expression was one of pure jealousy. Wether he was jealous that Justin had gotten the guy when he hadn't or that Justin had actually HAD him, Brian himself didn't even know. To escape his own thoughts, Brian turned the conversation back onto Michael. "So...ready for the big party?" "No. I was actually hoping you wouldn't mind helping us with the decorating tonight." Michael smiled a hopeful smile, knowing that he was probably wasting his breath. "No can do. I have to work late." Brian explained with a shrug "On what?" Brian instantly regretted telling him that he had just finished a campaign. That usually meant he had about a week of paperwork that he usually tried to get out of anyway and Michael knew this. Justin decided to bail him out. "He's just being a workaholic again. I keep telling him he's gonna go grey if he keeps up this schedule." Brian stuck his tongue out as the boy's obvious ribbing. As soon as Michael and Justin's attention was elsewhere, Brian ran his fingers through his hair discreetly as if it might rub out any incriminating white hairs. They both caught him before he could lower his hand and both of them nearly fell over with laughter. Brian flicked Justin's hand away from where it had rested on his shoulder. Justin giggled and kissed his cheek in response. Killing him with kindness as he would say. "If you must know...I have to fix a little glitch in the last campaign. Some asshole does shitty work and someone else has to come along, catch it and clean it up. That someone would be me." He placed his hand flat on his chest as if in anthem to his own genius. "Uh-huh." Justin shook his head dramatically. "I still don't understand why they don't call it Brian Kinney Advertising Inc!" He declared with mock-disbelief. "Yeah." Michael nodded sympathetically. "I mean, you obviously do all the work there." Brian glared at his betrayal. Suddenly uncomfortable with the tag team of his best friend and his lover taking cheap shots at him, he picked up a piece of toast and waved it at both of them. "Fuck off, the both of you! Justin smiled at him evenly and finally settled down with his own breakfast. A healthy bowl of Cheerios. Although, as Brian glanced at the amount of cereal he thought it might be more like two healthy bowls. Looked like they would have to go grocery shopping again soon. He did a mental double take at his own thoughts. They? Shit! Even his own mind was betraying him when it came to the blond. Not for the first time, he wondered when the young man had become such a permanent fixture in his life. "What time is it?" Justin asked, suddenly pulling himself from his thoughts. Michael consulted his watch. "Quarter ‘til." "Fuck!" The boy was up in a shot and bouncing around the loft like a rubber ball, gaining momentum each time he made another sweep past them all the while mumbling. "Renaissance, don't need the book - he uses slides. Waste of forty fucking bucks but at least I don't have to lug the damn thing around. Um...History of Modern art....bedside table. Graphics book...kitchen counter." In the middle of gathering his books, he looked out of the window and seemed to double his efforts. "I totally forgot that Lee was coming to get me a little earlier today." He grabbed his bag and double checked it before hefting it onto his shoulder. "I'll probably be at Deb's tonight if you need me for any reason. Dinner is in the refrigerator, all you have to do is stick it in the oven for ten minutes to warm it. I think even you can handle that. Have a good day. Don't work too hard. Bye." He leaned down and pecked Brian on the lips. "Bye Michael." "Bye." Michael waved. He glanced at Brian and was amused to see the man staring at the front page that was face up on the table, while calmly sipping his coffee. "Was that normal?" "Pretty much. He's one of those people that can be a morning AND night person. Going full throttle all day long. I've learned to ignore it." "Actually I meant the little house wife on speed routine." Brian knew exactly what Michael had meant. He just didn't want to have to confess to the charges of being in full couple mode. Not just yet. "If he was a housewife...don't you think this place would be a little cleaner?" Michael surveyed the surroundings and nodded. "So you have no problem with...Lee anymore?" Brian grumbled. As much as he didn't want to deal with the topic of his and Justin's domestic situation, the subject of Lee seemed even less desirable. "Justin can do what he wants. We aren't going to make unfair demands on one another." "Uh-huh." Michael said flatly, obviously not believing Brian for a second. "Don't you have to be getting to work?" "Yeah. Guess I should get going. Me and the guys will be at the house tonight until late. Stop by if you want." Michael smiled tightly and made his way to the door. "Later Mikey." After he was finally gone and Brian was left to the silence of the loft, he looked around thoughtfully. Wondering what it must look like through his best friend's eyes. Justin's blue pullover was draped along the back of the sofa. The open case of The Yellow Submarine dvd was sitting beside the television. One of his many sketch pads was on the kitchen counter. The place was lousy with traces of Justin Taylor. Finally he noticed several text books were stacked on the side of his computer desk. He made a mental note to take them by Deb's after work in case Justin needed them tomorrow. A dozen streamers littered the walls of the usually clutter free home and the banner was in the process of being raised. Michael checked off each item, trying to make sure that they had completed everything while his two helpers grunted over the huge paper banner that read ‘Welcome Home!'. "Thanks for helping me out you guys. It was really nice of you to give up your Friday night." "Well it was either this or watch about 200 women rub up against one another." Ted shook his head. "So how is Doctor love doing? Have you talked to him?" Michael stiffened at Emmett's question. "No but I'm sure he's just busy with helping pack. Plus he was planning on doing a little one on one bonding with Hank so..." He hoped he was doing a better job of convincing his friends than he was himself. "So I guess Brian isn't stopping by to help." Sarcasm dripped from Ted's voice. Michael shrugged indifferently, ever defensive of his best friend. "He said that he had work to do." "And I thought I was dedicated to my job." Emmett giggled at his friend. "Yeah but your job is boring and you've never gotten to screw your clientele." "I went over to the loft this morning to talk to him." Michael toyed with the edge of a streamer distractedly. "Justin had spent the night." "And I really hope you aren't surprised by this." Ted tied off his side of the banner and made his way down the ladder before moving it to the other side for Emmett. "No. I've just never seen them so...domestic. It's - I don't know. They're on again, they're off again. One minute they are screaming at one another and then they are all over one another. It's...sick." "I think its sweet." Emmett sighed happily. Ted regarded his friend as if he were nuts. "I think its scary. Brian. In a relationship. I'm waiting for the locusts, frogs, the plague..." "Honey, I think we all are. Even Brian." Emmett nodded in agreement. Even the most romantic soul would have trouble seeing Brian in the role of Prince Charming. Ted's expression was one of over exaggerated sadness. "And just think of all those poor guys that won't get the chance to be fucked by Brian Kinney." "The Man..." Emmett began. Michael giggled. "The Myth..." "The legend!" They all called out together, laughing at themselves. "Yep." Emmett grinned. "Now that he's taken..." Michael quickly shook his head at this. "He's not taken! He's just, well he's... I don't know what he is. I just don't see how it can be about love. I didn't think the word was in Brian's vocabulary." "He loves you." "And Gus." Emmett finished up with his side of the banner and they all stood back to examine the job. "You know what I mean." Michael started. "Looks a little crooked," he said, regarding the banner. He moved to fix it himself, quickly making his way up the ladder's rungs. "How's that?" "Fine," was the consensus. Michael started down the ladder when suddenly his shoelace caught under his other shoe, throwing him off balance. Before he could steady himself, he fell backwards hitting his head on the end table behind the sofa with a loud thud. The pain wasn't instantaneous. It was more of a fading ache that he felt. And warmth. Like his blood was pumping faster than normal. Everything was dark too. A few flashing lights every now and then, but nothing more. Emmett cried out as Michael hit the floor. "Oh shit! Oh...no! Michael?" Michael felt his friend hovering over him, slapping him lightly on the face. Why was he slapping him? Then he said - probably to Ted, "He's out cold. Call 911." Then all was quiet and the light faded away. To Be Continued... |