Intrepid Traveler - Part 17
Justin had to look away to hide his wide grin at the sight before him – Michael at nineteen. He on more than one occasion had seen pictures of Michael when he was younger. Hell, Justin had lived in Michael’s room for months. But seeing it first hand – how geeky his business partner was in his teen years was just…Justin had no words for it. So he covered his mouth with his hand and watched the magnificent duo’s reunion.
“Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?” Michael asked, finally letting go of Brian.
“We didn’t have much time,” the taller teen responded. “We left right after classes.”
“We?” Michael inquired, finally noticing Justin. “Who the hell is he?”
“Jesus, Deb, didn’t you teach him any manners?” Brian turned to the waitress. “Michael – Taylor, Taylor – Michael,” he made the quick introduction.
Michael glared at him and Justin just smiled in return, the memories of the first few months after he met Brian and Michael came rushing back. The jealousy that he knew Michael was feeling, wishing Justin gone every second of the day. Justin knew about it. Not that it ever bothered him. If Brian wanted Michael, he would have fucked him a long time ago and that was all Justin needed to know.
“It’s nice to meet you,” Justin offered his hand. The brunet however just continued to glare back at him.
“Ok, I hate to break up the love fest, but I am starving,” Brian broke the silence.
“Well, you two go sit,” Debbie instructed, nudging Justin and Brian toward an empty booth. “Michael, go get the boys a couple of Cokes.”
“I hope he doesn’t spit in mine,” Justin mumbled under his breath as he slid into the booth across from Brian after watching Michael stomp off into the back.
“What?” Brian asked.
“Nothing,” Justin shook his head, wiping the silly smile away. Not only was Michael a geek, but it turned out he also worked at the diner when he was younger. This information could definitely come in handy the next time Michael became his annoying, obsessive self.
“You should go talk to him,” Debbie told Brian as she sat down next to Justin.
“He’ll get over it,” Brian countered.
Cocking her head to the side, the woman shook he heard. “Honey, I think we both know that’s not the case.”
Gnawing on his lower lip, Brian considered her words for a moment. Breathing out a puff of air, he rose from the table. “Excuse me.” He shot a glance at Justin before walking the way his friend had left moments before.
“If it makes you feel any better, this isn’t about you,” Debbie said, turning her full attention to Justin.
The blond smiled gratefully. “I know.”
“You do, huh?”
“Yeah,” Justin replied. It was the eternal circle. Brian and Michael. Michael and Brian. Stuck in their childhood. While they grew up and moved on, their friendship never did. It was still the same thing as it was thirteen years in the past – or present – on that Justin wasn’t entirely sure. But since he had given up on trying to figure out the correct way to speak grammatically while he was stuck in the 1990s, he decided to explain himself to the woman. “Michael loves Brian. Always has. Always will.”
Debbie nodded. “I guess it’s pretty obvious.”
Justin shrugged. “Apparently not to Michael. ‘Cause Brian’s never going to fuck him. No matter what.”
Debbie reached out and ruffled his hair. “You’re a smart cookie, aren’t you.”
The artist laughed softly. “Surprising, I know. It’s the hair.”
The woman patted his cheek gently. “Well, how about some dinner, honey?”
~~~***~~~***~~~
“Michael,” Brian said once again, more than a little annoyed with his friend’s antics. “Would you stop acting like a fucking princess?”
“I’m not acting like anything. I don’t see you or hear from you in weeks, hell, months. And then you show up here with…him.”
“He has a name,” Brian pointed out.
“Who cares?” Crossing his hands on his chest, Michael leaned against the wall, pouting.
Sighing exasperatedly, Brian took a step toward his friend. “Look, I’m sorry I didn’t call you. But I had midterms and classes. I’ve been busy…with things.” Elaborating on ‘things’ was not a good idea, Brian decided. At least not now.
“You’re busy, I get it,” Michael replied. “Too fucking busy for your best friend who barely even finished one semester at the community college. Right? You’re too good for that. Off to do bigger and better things. Like that fucking guy over there.”
“Hey,” Brian warned him, shaking his head. “Don’t go there.”
Michael turned away. “Fine. I won’t go there. I won’t go anywhere. Thanks for stopping by.”
Brian opened his mouth to say something, but changed his mind at the last moment. There was no point. He knew Michael. He’d pout and whine for a little while and then get over it. All would be forgiven and forgotten as soon as tomorrow morning. And tonight Brian honestly didn’t feel like dealing with any more drama.
“Fine,” he said quietly as he turned around to go back inside.
“Can I ask you something?” he heard behind him.
Turning around, he waited for Michael to continue.
“What is he?”
“He’s…” Brian knew what Michael was asking. He wanted to know what Taylor meant to him. The answer to that, as scary as it was, was ‘everything’. Taylor was his lover, his friend, his ally. “…mine,” Brian answered.
Brian watched Michael process what he had just told him and, turning around, walked back inside.
He found Debbie at the counter and his boyfriend nowhere to be seen. “Where’s Taylor?” he asked when he neared the counter.
“Bathroom,” the waitress replied.
Brian nodded. “We’re gonna get going.”
Debbie put the pot of coffee in her hands down on the counter and eyed him wearily. “What about food?”
“It’s fine. We’ll grab something at home,” he replied, avoiding the woman’s intense gaze.
“Alright, what’s going on?” she demanded.
Brian sighed loudly. He never could hide anything from her. Even when Michael first introduced Brian to his crazy mother she always knew that something was going on, something that he was hiding. Not that he minded. Usually. Because Michael’s house was his escape when things at home got really bad. But now…the woman knowing all his deepest secrets without him as much as opening his mouth really wasn’t what he needed.
“Nothing,” he replied lamely, shifting uncomfortably.
“This kid – he means a great deal to you, doesn’t he?”
Brian lowered his head, staring down at the floor for a few beats, then looked up.
“You wouldn’t have brought him here if he didn’t.”
The brunet nodded slightly.
“Then you should tell him,” Debbie said.
Brian raised his gaze to meet hers.
“Michael,” she clarified. “He needs to know.”
“He knows.”
The woman shook her head, a sad smile playing on her lips. “Honey, ‘knowing’ and ‘understanding’ are two different things.”
“What do you want me to do about it?” He hated these lectures the woman thought she had the right to give him. He hated even more the fact that she was usually right. Not that he’d actually tell her that.
Debbie sighed and walked around the counter to stand closer to him. “Brian, it’s no secret that Michael’s been in love with you since you two met.”
Brian tried to look away, but she grabbed his face in her hand and turned it toward her.
“I thought, well, Brian will go away to college, break his heart, and things will go back to normal. But they haven’t. He’s still holding on.”
“He’s my best friend,” Brian argued. “I can’t just…”
“You have to tell him that nothing will ever happen. Make it clear to him. Or he’ll just keep following you around like…”
“What’s up?” Taylor asked, coming up behind them.
Pulling away from Debbie’s grasp, Brian shook his head. “Let’s get out of here.”
Taylor’s eyebrows rose, then fell back in place, understanding written on his face, for which Brian was extremely grateful. Shooting a ‘see you later’ to Debbie, Brian stalked off toward the door.
“So, you wanna tell me what this was all about or should I just guess?” he heard Taylor behind him.
“Nothing,” Brian responded, wincing at how unconvincing he sounded.
Taylor finally caught up with him, walking now step in step. “So, how did Michael take the news?”
Fuck. Of course he should have known that Taylor would see right through it all. He had told him enough about his and Michael’s friendship to warrant that much. Not having an answer, Brian just shrugged his shoulders.
“I guess I should buy some anti-voodoo protection shit. He’s probably putting some evil curse on me right now.”
Brian stopped and looked at Taylor, his expression turning to surprise when he was greeted by his lover’s bright smile. Laughing softly, he pulled Taylor in his arms, placing a soft kiss on his boyfriend’s lips.
“So, what do you wanna do now?” Taylor asked when they pulled apart.
“We should probably head home. I have that interview in the morning.”
“Right,” Taylor nodded. Taking Brian’s hand in his, he took a step backwards, still facing Brian. “You know,” he said, a sly smile spreading on his lips. “Whenever I had a big test or an important project due, I’d always go out dancing the night before. Relieve stress and unwind.”
Brian hmm’ed in response, wondering where Taylor was going with that. He allowed his boyfriend pull him down the street, the blond still walking backwards while gracing him with a bright Taylor-patented smile Brian became accustomed to.
“So what do you think?” Taylor stopped and looked at Brian expectantly.
“About what?” Brian asked, confused.
The blond looked up. Following Taylor’s gaze, Brian’s eyes settled on the big sign on the building. “Babylon?”
“You up for it?”
It didn’t take long for Brian to respond. Nodding, he followed his lover down the alley toward the entrance.
Once inside, he was assaulted by the sound of loud music and hundreds of sweaty bodies on the dance floor and catwalks. Brian stood frozen for a moment, taking in the surroundings. This wasn’t his first time here, but not having been here in months, Brian had forgotten how big this place was.
“Come on,” he heard right before being pulled once again, this time toward the middle of the dance floor.
Taylor finally stopped and turned to him, immediately wrapping his arms around Brian’s shoulders. Drawing Brian’s head down, Taylor covered his lips with his own. Pulling away, the blond smiled. “Welcome home,” he said breathlessly.
Go to Part 18