| As Justin walked into the diner, he wondered just how long it had been since he had been there. Doing the math in his head, he realized that it had been almost 5 years. Everything still looked the same, and it was as if he had never left. The only difference was the people. Justin didn’t know a single face. Back when he and the guys had frequented the eatery they had known everyone. It was like their little “group” had owned Liberty Avenue. Justin looked behind the counter, half expecting to see Debbie standing there but knowing all too well that she was at home with far more to arrange than she should have to handle at a time like this. It had only been three days since she had lost Vic, the last relative she had in Pittsburgh since Michael had moved to Japan with Ben. Justin could only imagine how lost Debbie must have been feeling. Before he got too sentimental, Justin turned and exited the diner making his way down Liberty Avenue, past all his old haunts. It felt so odd to be back in “the Pitt” after all that time. --- When Justin knocked on the door of the Novotny house, a house he had called home for a time when he was in his teens, he took a deep breath. It was strange being back and he was sure it was going to be strange seeing all the people he had left behind. Especially Brian. When he and Brian had parted, it hadn’t been on particularly amicable terms. As a matter of fact, he and Brian had blown up at each other and then walked away. And since then, over five years ago, Brian and Justin hadn’t seen each other. “Hi, Justin.” Michael said solemnly when he opened the door. “Hi, Michael.” Justin replied. “I’m really sorry to hear about Vic.” “Thanks.” Michael was obviously very sad and he looked tired, probably from taking care of Debbie. “Come in, my mom will be happy to see you.” Justin stepped into the house and looked around. Everything was different. Obviously, in the time that he had been gone, Debbie had redecorated. He saw her sitting on the couch, wigless, staring at the window. “Hi, Deb.” He said quietly. “Sunshine.” She said his old nickname with more adoration that he ever remembered her saying it before. “I’m so glad you’re here.” As she stood, Justin noticed that she was moving a little slower. She walked over to him and pulled him into a hug. “You little shit,” she said through her tears, “Why the fuck didn’t you ever visit?” “Been out of the country.” Justin teased with a smile. He really had been. He had been living in Toronto, Canada for almost five years, working his way up in a very prestigious graphic design firm. “Well, come sit with me. You’ll have to catch me up on what’s been going on with you.” Debbie took Justin’s hand and led him to the couch. Michael seemed to disappear and Justin began telling Debbie about his life in Toronto. “Do you have a boyfriend?” Debbie asked. “Not right now.” Justin shrugged. “I’ve had a bunch of boyfriends who last a few months but no one special since… Well, since him.” “He’s in town.” Debbie said, her voice a little quieter than usual. “I figured.” Justin tried to keep his face neutral, but his heart was pounding and he felt like he was going to cry. “Are you going to see him while you’re here?” Debbie asked, holding Justin’s eyes with her own. “I don’t know.” Justin shrugged. “I guess I can’t avoid it.” “No, I guess you can’t, can you?” Debbie decided that it was time to change the subject. “Emmett and Ted are both flying in from LA tonight. I think Ted rented a limousine. Have you seen his new movie?” “Yeah.” Justin chuckled. “Who knew that our very own porn king would go respectable and start producing quality Hollywood blockbusters?” “And Emmett, a real actor.” Debbie laughed again. “That TV show he’s on is hilarious!” Her face became serious and she squeezed Justin’s hand. “All my boys are so successful now.” “You raised us right, Deb.” Justin leaned over and kissed her cheek. He hoped that having all of her family here would help her work through losing Vic. “I guess I did, didn’t I?” Debbie grinned. “Have you been to see your mother yet?” “Yeah.” Justin shook his head. Leave it to Debbie to make sure he visited his mother while she was grieving. “I had lunch with her this afternoon and I’m staying with her while I’m in town.” “Good boy.” Debbie patted Justin’s hand. There was a knock on the front door and suddenly Ben appeared to answer it. On the other side stood Emmett and Ted., both looking tanned and healthy. “Hi, you guys.” Ben said with a small smile. Vic’s death was affecting him almost as much as Debbie because he knew that someday he would go the same way. “Hi, Ben.” Emmett said sadly. He stepped over the threshold and rushed over to Debbie. He swept her into a hug and whispered his condolences. Debbie was starting to feel a lot better having all her “sons” with her. Justin hugged Emmett after Debbie had gone over to hug Ted, who was standing awkwardly at the door. “Hi, Em.” Justin said. Of all the people in Pittsburgh that he missed, the only person that Justin missed more than Emmett was Brian. “Hey, baby.” Emmett kissed Justin’s cheek and they hugged a little longer. Michael stepped into the room and said hello to everyone. “Isn’t this a touching reunion…” A voice that was familiar to everyone said from the still open door. Everyone turned and there he stood. Brian Kinney. He hadn’t aged a day in five years, if anything he was more youthful and attractive. “Hi, Brian.” Michael said breaking the silence. Everyone else had been too stunned by Brian’s presence to speak. “Hey, Novotny.” Brian reached over and hugged his former best friend. It had been as long for them as it had been for Brian and Justin. It seemed like all of them decided to leave in the same week, when realistically it was more like six months. “Well well, if it isn’t Theodore Schmidt.” Brian reached over and shook Ted’s hand. “Hi, Brian.” Ted said. “How are you doing?” “Well, Teddy, I’m back in the Pitt.” Brian thought that was enough of an answer and he moved on to greet Emmett. “Em, it’s good to see you’re looking well.” Brian’s sardonic sweetness was taking the tension in the room to new heights. “You look good too, Brian.” Emmett said stiffly. “That’s what they tell me.” Brian fanned himself theatrically. He walked over to Debbie and hugged her. They saw that he whispered something in her ear, but no one could tell what it was. “I’m glad you came, Brian.” Debbie said quietly once Brian released her from his embrace. “Hi, Justin.” Brian said. He had nothing more to say to Justin. Just hi. Justin felt empty and only nodded in response. A few minutes later, Justin’s eyes caught Brian and they sat, locked in each other’s stares, for long moments before Brian stood and walked out of the house and drove off. --- “Hi, sweetie.” Lindsay said giving Justin a long, hard hug. “Hi, Lindz.” He said with a smile. He turned to Melanie and hugged her too. “Hi, Mel. I missed you guys.” “You should come up to Connecticut to visit.” Lindsay suggested. “We have a ton of room and we’d love to have you.” “I promise to come sometime.” Justin said vaguely. He felt weird being around Lindsay and Gus, they were Brian’s family, so he had been putting off visiting their home. “I wish we could have all come together under different circumstances.” Melanie said. Everyone was really sad about losing Vic, though they had all known it was coming. Vic had taken a turn for the worse a few months earlier and everyone knew it was only a matter of time. “Where’s Gus?” Justin asked, noticing that the women were mysteriously childless. “He’s staying with my sister. We don’t think he’s ready to have to deal with death.” Melanie explained. “Oh.” Justin said. He understood completely. “So, how has Toronto been treating you?” Lindsay asked. “I saw some of your work in a magazine spread I was looking at.” “Oh yeah, that was a pretty big deal.” Justin said with a smile. “Right now, I’m actually taking a leave of absence to work on some of my own stuff for a show that I’m going to be doing.” “You’re doing a show!” Lindsay practically shrieked. “Yeah. I’m doing an opening in New York in a couple of months. Who knows, maybe I’ll be famous after all.” Justin smiled. He was proud of his accomplishments and was happy to share them with Lindsay, one of the people who had helped get him to where he was. “I’m so happy for you, Justin.” Lindsay hugged Justin. --- Brian walked into the hotel, exhausted from his grueling workout. It had become ritual for him to work out for three hours a night and he wasn’t about to miss a night because he was in Pittsburgh. However, tonight he had worked himself twice as hard as normal and knew that he would be sore in the morning. “Brian!” A familiar voice came from behind him. He turned and saw Lindsay sitting on one of the couches waiting for him. She stood and hurried over to him. “Hey, Lindz.” Brian said quickly hugging her and pressing a kiss to her cheek. “What are you doing here?” “Michael told me this is where you were staying.” Lindsay said. She slipped her arm in his and accompanied him to his room. “Gus misses you.” “I miss him, too. Where is he?” “He’s with Mel’s sister.” Lindsay replied. “We were hoping you would come back to Connecticut with us after the funeral.” “I have to get back to L.A.” Brian replied. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to see his son, he was just anxious to get away from Pittsburgh and the people that he didn’t want to see. “Have you talked to him yet?” Lindsay asked. “Who, Gus?” Brian asked with genuine confusion. “Justin.” Lindsay replied. “No.” Brian shook his head. “And I don’t plan on it.” Brian was still bitter about the break up and didn’t want to stir up the feelings he had worked for five years at burying. “Why not?” “Because we’re not a part of each other’s lives anymore.” Brian replied coldly. “And I’m not interested in making him a part of my life.” “He’s doing well. He’s opening his own show in New York.” Lindsay was trying to bait Brian and he knew it. “Good for him. He always was a talented artist. Maybe he’ll get famous and I can make lots of money off his sketches.” Brian chuckled. “I’m sure he’d like to talk to you.” Lindsay kept pushing at Brian and planned on doing it until he pushed back. “Don’t be so sure. You weren’t there when he left.” “As I recall, you made him leave.” “He made me make him leave.” Brian shook his head as the arrived at his room. “This is me. If you’ll excuse me, I’m really tired.” Before Lindsay could object, Brian slipped into his room and slammed the door. --- Justin was walking down the street reading a newspaper when he ran directly into the hard chest of a man. “I’m so sor… Bri.” He said when he looked up and his eyes met his former lover’s hazel orbs. “Hi, Justin.” Brian said stiffly. “You should be more careful. You could get hurt.” Brian’s voice held no mocking, which surprised Justin. “Uhh… I will.” Justin replied. “So, uh, how have you been?” “I’ve been well.” Justin replied, the polite small talk annoying him. “I’m moving to New York to work on opening a show.” “Lindsay mentioned that.” Brian replied. “Congratulations.” “How about you?” “How about me what?” Brian asked, having a hard time paying attention to the actual words, instead watching the movement of Justin’s mouth. “How have you been?” Justin asked, flashing a smile for the first time during the short conversation. “Oh, I’m okay.” Brian replied, wanting to slap himself. “I’m still living out in LA.” “Oh, good.” Justin finally swallowed his pride and asked what he had been dying to know. “Are you seeing anyone?” “No one more than once.” Brian replied predictably. “Oh.” Justin looked away. He wasn’t sure why it bothered him so much to know that Brian had gone back to his old wicked ways. “Are you?” “Am I what?” “Seeing anyone?” “Oh. No, not right now.” Justin replied, still unable to meet Brian’s eyes. “Do you want to grab a drink? Head down to Woody’s like old times?” Brian asked against his better judgments. He knew that he should run from what he was feeling, but there was still something about Justin that demanded that he be with him. “Umm, sure.” Justin replied, sounding more than a little unsure. Brian ignored the intonation that indicated Justin’s hesitance and led Justin to his rental car. --- Several hours, and more drink than they could count on their fingers, later, Brian and Justin stumbled out of Woody’s singing the theme song from the TV show Cheers and started to walk towards the parking lot. “Uh uhn.” Justin groaned. “No drivey.” “How we gunna go then?” Brian slurred before slumping against the wall, unable to stand on his own. “Call a cab?” “Too long.” “Call my mommy?” Justin laughed at his own joke. “Let’s walk…” Brian said slipping an arm around Justin’s waist. “Iss not far.” “Ok.” Justin was fairly agreeable. --- Brian Kinney squinted as the sun splintered through the blinds of his hotel room and burned at his eyes. Brian felt the warm body against him and decided that he wasn’t in the mood to deal with some trick with the hangover he knew he’s be nursing all day. It wasn’t until he looked over at the man next to him that the events of the previous night came rushing back to him. Running into Justin, drinking at Woody’s, walking back to the hotel, fucking like mad for hours. “Hmmm?” Justin groaned and covered his eyes from the sunlight as he began to wake up. Brian was petrified and had no idea what to do or say. When Justin rolled over and Brian saw the recognition on Justin’s face, his heart stopped. “B… B… Bri?” “Morning, Sunshine.” Brian said. “Oh, god…” Justin breathed. “I thought that was all a dream.” “You should go.” Brian stood up and slipped his robe on. “The funeral is this morning.” “Umm… Yeah.” Justin hoped that Brian wasn’t going to make him leave just like that. “Listen, we’ll talk about this later, ok?” “Ok.” Justin nodded. He quickly dressed and went to leave. “Justin.” Brian’s voice stopped the young man in his tracks. Moments later, he felt presence behind him and then a hand on his shoulder gently turning him around. “Last night was amazing.” Brian leaned down and kissed the young man. “Later.” “Later.” Justin replied before slipping out the door. --- After the service, Debbie and Michael were both a mess so the gang was doing their best to hold things together. It wasn’t going as well as they had hoped, but it was as smooth as it was going to get. Justin decided to slip outside for a break from the madness. He grabbed his cigarettes out of his pocket and walked out the back door of the Novotny house. He was about to light a cigarette when he heard the door open and close behind him. “Pretty intense in there.” Brian said lighting up a cigarette of his own. “Debbie’s a wreck.” Justin said. He shook his head. So we’re back to the mindless chitchat again… he thought to himself. “So is Mikey.” Brian turned Justin to him. “Justin, I don’t want to lose you again.” He suddenly admitted, as if it had been burning at him and he just had to let it go. “What?” Justin asked. “I don’t want us to be over again.” Brian said once again. Justin stared at him and tried to work out in his mind how what Brian was suggesting would ever work…. NEXT |
| Part 1 |
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