Justin entered the soon to be office of Kinney Advertising. He smiled when he saw Brian in what was going to be his office, unpacking the boxes he had brought over from his former employer, and putting them away in the file cabinet that stood in one corner. Justin paused for a moment, just enjoying the view of Brian’s tight blue jeans hugging the ass that Justin had missed while he had been with Ethan.

“So, are you going to stand there all day or come over here and help me with this shit?” Brian asked, not turning around to face Justin.

“Just admiring the view,” the blonde replied, shutting the door behind him and locking it. Brian smirked as he heard the clock click into place. Justin smiled as he walked over towards the older man, who took him in his arms and kissed him. When the two men parted, oxygen becoming an issue, Justin looked up at his lover. “Mmmmmm, now that’s what I call a greeting.”

“With that door locked, I’m sure we could thing of a few other ways of saying hello,” Brian teased, leaning down and flicking his tongue against Justin’s ear at the same time he ground his erection into Justin’s matching one. “And I think you like that idea too.”

“God, yes,” Justin groaned, leaning into Brian’s form, the two men losing themselves in their kiss again. Brian lifted Justin, who quickly wrapped his legs around the other man’s torso, and carried him over to his desk. He swiped off all of the papers that had been lying there, not bothering to notice what they were or where they fell. The only thing that Brian cared about at that moment was the man in front of him. The man that he hadn’t been allowed to touch in so long. While Brian and Justin had been together as often as possible since their reunion, one week before, they had yet to be able to get too much of their lover. It had been too long since they had been together. “I’ve missed you so much, Bri,” Justin groaned.

“Missed you, too, baby,” Brian matched Justin’s groan with one of his own. Brian couldn’t believe he finally had the teen in his arms again. He had thought that was a pleasure he had lost for good. “I hate it when we aren’t together. Especially knowing you’re with him.”

“You think I like it any better,” Justin said, his hands going under Brian’s shirt and gliding against his back. “I hate having to let him touch me. To let him kiss me. I can’t get to a shower fast enough. The only thing that keeps me going is the thought that I can see you. Can be with you.”

“Always baby,” Brian promised. “I’ll always be here for you.” Brian and Justin parted for a minute, both men ripping their shirts up and over their heads before diving back into their fierce kiss.

“Make me forget him,” Justin begged, which Brian did happily.

“Damn, you would think they haven’t seen each other in weeks instead of only a couple of hours,” Daphne grinned as she and Cynthia paused in their organizing at the sounds of pleasure that were coming from Brian’s office. They were sounds that had become a common occurrence in the week that had passed, neither woman saying anything to their friends. Instead they just smiled and went about their business.

“Well, they do have a lot of time to make up for,” Cynthia reminded the younger girl whom she had gotten to know over their time together. The two women had discovered that they had quite a few things in common while they had been alone to set up the day to day operations of the Kinney Agency, not the least being their mutual love for the two men in the adjoining office. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen Brian as happy as he’s been since he and Justin got back together. Hell, I think I knew they were a couple again before he had even said anything to me last week. There was just something about the way he was acting. Different. Not as moody as he had been since the night of Justin’s party.”

“I know,” Daphne agreed, remembering back to the night that Justin had walked out on Brian, in Ethan’s arms. She shivered as she recalled the devastated look that had resided on Brian’s face, and the way that he had attempted to lose himself with the man that he grabbed to dance with. She couldn’t wait to talk to Justin and find out what the hell had been going through his head at that moment. Sure, she had known that things weren’t going nearly as well as Justin had hoped, the conversation the two teens had had in regards to Justin leaving for Vermont on his own going through her mind, but as far as she knew, Justin was still in love with Brian. And she knew that even if he said otherwise, Brian did love Justin. “Justin’s happier than I’ve seen him in a long time. Even before he knew what the deal was with Ethan, that boy could never make Justin as happy as Brian could.”

“You’ve known Ethan longer than I have, obviously,” Cynthia observed, remembering the dark haired boy that had decided to surprise Justin the other day by coming to the office. Luckily Cynthia and Daphne had been able to delay him long enough for Justin and Brian to get presentable and appear to have been working on some important presentation when Ethan finally got in to see him. “What’s he like?” Daphne thought carefully what she wanted to say before finally speaking.

“He was perfect,” she finally explains. “Almost too much so, if you know what I mean.” Cynthia nodded her head. “He always seemed to know exactly what Justin needed to hear. Of course, now we know why. And he was always around. Whenever Justin showed up at the diner, or at my dorm, Ethan was right there with him. It was almost like he didn’t want Justin to be by himself with any of his old friends. I think the only ones Ethan was comfortable leaving Justin alone with were Lindsay and Melanie, even if Gus was Brian’s son too. He credited them with getting him and Justin together, and he knew how much Mel hated Brian, so I guess he figured he was safe.”

“So that’s why they were able to confront Justin there without Ethan interfering,” Cynthia concluded. She looked over at Daphne, assessing what she was being told. “I can understand Ethan’s reluctance to leave Justin alone with the others. They were Brian’s friends first after all. But what problem did he have with you?”

“I don’t think he liked the fact that Justin and I are such good friends,” Daphne stated. “We used to tell each other everything. Maybe he was afraid I would say something about their relationship, like I used to do with Justin and Brian’s. Or it could also be that I was there for the entire Brian/Justin show the first time around. I was there the night of the prom. After the bashing. Everything. Maybe it was just our history that he was worried about. And he was right.”

“Why?”

“Because, I was never supportive of Justin being with him,” Daphne answered. “I mean, other than the fact he was cute, there was just something about him that I didn’t like. That and I knew how much Justin loved Brian. Sure, their relationship had problems, but I also think that if Ethan hadn’t shown up when he did and started offering Justin everything that he thought he wanted, Justin might have been more willing to open up to Brian. That maybe they would have been able to talk things out.”

“So you think that if Ethan hadn’t come along, none of this would have happened?” Daphne nodded as the sounds of pleasure increased until they ended with the shout of two names.

“Brian.”

“Justin.” The two women’s smiles got wider and they laughed.

“You know, I think I actually feel sorry for Ethan and Michael,” Cynthia stated before looking over at Daphne, both shaking their heads. “Nahhhhhhh.”

Part 14

“What the fuck is going on between Brian and Justin?” Michael Novatny shouted as soon as he heard the other man answer the phone. “I thought you were going to make sure that the two of them stayed as far away from each other as possible, unless it was absolutely necessary that they had to see each other.”

“And I was,” Ethan countered, not happy with the older man’s tone of voice. No one spoke to him like that.

“Then how the hell did it come about that Justin is now working with Brian at his new agency?” Michael continued to rant. “Fuck, their spending more quality,” Michael sneered out the word quality, “time together then they did before when they were together. If it wasn’t for the fact that Daphne and Cynthia were always there with them, I would swear that there was something going on between the two of them.”

“Justin wouldn’t dare fuck Kinney,” Ethan growled, his voice becoming similar to that of a dangerous animal and causing shivers to course through Michael’s body. “And I am working on getting Justin to quit that job. Unfortunately the money that Brian is offering him is too much of a lure for him right now, especially since Brian is still paying Justin’s tuition.”

“Well, hopefully, for all of us, we can start making money off of the comic book so we won’t have to worry about that. We’ve already gotten a few good offers for distribution,” Michael commented. “I’m glad that you finally were able to talk him into working with me on that again.”

“It wasn’t easy,” Ethan admitted. “Justin was pretty pissed off at you for telling Brian about us kissing. I should have expected that but still, I didn’t think he would react as badly as he did.”

“Yeah but luckily Brian reacted just like we thought he would,” Michael pointed out. “He did everything I thought he would to push Justin to you because he believed you were what Justin wanted and needed to be happy.”

“True,” Ethan agreed. “The only thing the surprised me with his actions was him calling me ahead of time and telling me to come and get Justin.”

“That’s Brian for you. He’s always been one to go for the extreme,” the store owner observed. “I can still remember how pissed I was at him for what he pulled at the party he threw for my thirtieth birthday. I didn’t talk to him for over a week. I was so hurt by what he had done. In fact, it was Justin who actually got us talking again.”

“You aren’t planning on returning that particular favor are you?”

“Hell no,” Michael answered. “The last thing I was if for Brian and Justin to get back together. It would completely defeat the purpose of us working to break them up in the first place.”

“Out of curiosity,” Ethan purred, “how exactly do you plan on seducing Kinney? If he hasn’t slept with you yet, what makes you think he will now that Justin is no longer in the picture?”

“I plan on being the shoulder that he uses to cry on,” Michael stated simply. “After all, who better should listen to how much better it is that Justin has finally left him and know it for the bullshit that it is…”

“Than his best friend,” Ethan finished.

“Exactly,” Michael confirmed. “And all the while I’ll be making sure to mention how happy Justin is with you. How much he loves spending nights at home with you instead of club hopping and tricking, how much he loves you.”

“And you would know this because?”

“Justin would be confiding in me, of course, as we spend time working on the comic book.”

“Oh, of course, because we both know how close the two of you are,” the violinist said sarcastically. “The two of you are best friends, after all. Why does that not sound believable to me?”

“Because you are a cynic,” the older man answered. “And I know Justin and I aren’t close friends, hell we barely tolerate each other, but we are working together on the comic book. And I was the one that listened to him talk about the bashing. I’m the one that he bitched to when Brian went to Chicago instead of Vermont with him. Hell, I’m the one who encouraged him to go on the trip by himself.”

“And that was a stroke of brilliance,” Ethan complimented.

“Thanks. As I was saying,” Michael continued, “it would make sense that I’m the one for Justin to try and convince about how happy he was now that he’s with you.”

“He is happy with me,” Ethan told him.

“Who are you trying to convince?” Michael asked. “Me or yourself. If he’s so happy with you, why are you so worried about him working with Brian? There better not be trouble in paradise.”

“Fuck you, Michael,” Ethan hissed. “And I’m not worried about Justin working with Kinney. I just don’t like the two of them working together. I don’t trust Kinney and I’m sure he’ll be trying to find some way of taking advantage of Justin.”

“Well, we’ll just have to make sure that the two of them are never alone.”

“Easier said than done,” Ethan admitted. “As much as I’d like it to be otherwise, there is no way I can be with Justin twenty four hours a day, seven days a week, especially if I don’t want him to begin to feel suffocated. We can’t afford to arouse any suspicion yet. I have classes, not to mention rehearsals and concerts that I had to deal with.”

“Not to mention the meetings that the two of them will have to together to brainstorm ideas,” Michael continued. “At least Daphne and Cynthia will there too. Maybe that will keep the two of them apart. I know Daphne has always been off and on when it came to Brian and Justin’s relationship.”

“I don’t know,” Ethan hedged. “There’s something about that girl that I just don’t trust.”

“You don’t trust a lot of people, do you?”

“I find it’s easier to get by life that way,” Ethan informed Michael. “That way you can’t get hurt when others fuck you over.”

“That’s not a healthy outlook on life.”

“Anyway, you’re one to talk about trust,” Ethan countered. “Brian is your best friend, a friend that trusts you implicitly, and here you are purposely fucking his relationship with Justin up just for your own goals. Not to mention your lover Ben. And you want to talk to me about trust. Imagine how pissed both of those men would be if they ever found out about what we were doing.”

“Brian would forgive me,” Michael stated confidently. “He’s my best friend. Sure, he might be pissed at first, but he’ll get over it. He and I were meant to be together. As for Ben, granted, his not going to Tibet fucked up my plans, but I can work around it. Besides having him around prevents Brian from getting suspicious about my plans for him.”

“And what do you plan to do about Ben when you and Brian eventually hook up?”

“I’ll just tell him that things weren’t working out. That it turned out that I wasn’t handling the whole positive thing as well as I thought I was. Especially after this last stint in the hospital,” Michael explained. “He’s a great guy and all but he’s not Brian. Never can be.”

“Who the hell is that?” Ben asked, stunned at what he was hearing. He looked over at the two men who had surprised him by coming to see him.

“That would be my supposed best friend and your lover,” Brian commented.

“Talking to my lover,” Justin finished. “I’m sorry.”

“I can’t believe that that’s my Michael,” Ben said softly. He couldn’t understand how the man that had been sharing his bed for the past months, who had declared his love for him only the night before, could talk about him so callously. Could toss aside his feelings so casually.

“It’s not your Michael,” Brian told Ben. “I have no idea who that is, but that isn’t the Michael that I grew up with. That Michael would never be this much of a prick.”

“But that is Michael?” Brian and Justin nodded their heads. “Shit. No wonder he didn’t seem that happy when I told him I wasn’t going to Tibet this summer. God, I can’t believe I let myself fall for this shit.”

“Is it too late for you to go?” Justin asked, hoping that maybe some good could come out of this. His hopes were dashed when Ben shook his head.

“There isn’t any time. I would have to deal with shots and taking care of my classes and my apartment,” Ben explained.

“Fuck,” Brian shouted, getting up and pacing the small office. “I hate this. I hate what that prick and Mikey are doing. I hate the fact that they almost cost me the most important thing to me. Damn them both.” Ben watched as Justin got up and stood in Brian’s way, instantly stopping the older man. Ben’s heart seized when the two men took each other in their arms and comforted the other. It reminded him of what he had thought he had finally found with Michael.

“What are you going to do about them?” Ben asked, already knowing that Brian and Justin had to have a plan.

“Ben?” Justin asked, not sure why the other man wanted to know.

“Don’t give me that look, Justin,” Ben admonished. “Knowing Brian, I’m sure he has to have come up with something to make the two of them pay for what they did to you both.”

“Are you sure you want to know?” Brian questioned, pretty sure of the answer already.

“Yeah, I want to know. And I want to know how I can help.”

Part 15

“Mikey, what are you doing here?” Brian sighed as he closed the door to his home behind his friend, grateful that Justin had had to finish a project for school so had left the loft just minutes before hand. Michael looked around the loft, taking in the messed up bed and Brian’s disheveled appearance and put two and two together and realizing that Brian must have had a trick there.

“Was he any good?” Michael asked, distaste in his voice. The thought of Brian having a trick in the loft upsetting him, especially when he saw the trademark Kinney grin.

“He wasn’t bad,” Brian told him. ‘More like perfect but you’ll never know that, Mikey.’

“I thought you said you were working today,” Michael reminded Brian. Brian’s grin only got larger.

“I needed a break,” he replied. “And he was a good distraction.” ‘Damn good. I don’t know how either of us is ever going to get any work done while we’re together. Fuck, all Justin has to do is look at me and I’m hard.’

“I bet.” ‘Crap, Brian, why can’t you call me when you need someone like that. Don’t you understand that I want to be the one you turn to for everything?’

“Look, Mikey, as much as I’m enjoying this conversation,” ‘NOT,’ Brian’s mind screamed. “I’m sure you didn’t come here to talk to me about my sex life.” Brian walked over to the refrigerator and grabbed a bottle of water, quickly drinking it down.

“Ben broke up with me,” Michael cried. Brian turned to look over at the other man, fighting to keep his laughter to himself. ‘How does it feel, Mikey when you’re the one being dumped? Not too good I bet, even if you didn’t have the same feelings for Ben that you said you did.’

“What happened?”

“He said he had met someone else,” Michael told Brian, tears falling down his face. Brian was almost ready to believe that Michael was upset over the fact that Ben had left him. In fact, if it wasn’t for the phone call that Melanie’s investigator had recorded three days previously where Michael had so casually pushed aside his feelings for Ben, and the knowledge that Michael still had designs on getting into Brian’s bed, he would have even been willing to believe that his former friend had actually cared about the college professor. As it was, though, Brian knew that Ben was the one that was truly hurting, and that he was the one that his sympathy at the ending of what had seemed to be a good relationship.

Michael waited for the sympathetic shoulder that he knew Brian would be willing to provide. He had made sure he had kept telling Brian how much Ben meant to him. Granted, Michael had been planning on pushing Ben aside one he and Brian got together, he hadn’t expected Ben to be the one that would be doing the breaking up and hearing that Ben had met someone else did bother him a bit. He was more than willing to use it to his advantage of the sympathy that he felt would be coming his way by his best friend because of the action, though. The first thing he had to do, though, was get Brian’s attention again since it appeared that the other man had lost himself in though. ‘Probably thinking about the Boy Wonder leaving with Ethan the night of the party at Babylon. This just gives us one more thing to share. Who better to commiserate about your lover leaving you than someone who is going through the same thing?’

“Brian are you even listening to me?” Michael whined, breaking Brian out of whatever zone he was in.

“I’m listening, Mikey,” Brian assured him, going over and putting his arm over Michael’s shoulder and leading him towards the couch. “You said that Ben had left you and then told you there was someone else. Did I get it right?” Michael nodded his head and allowed Brian to sit him on the couch. Michael then watched, a small smile on his lips, as Brian went back to the refrigerator, this time grabbing a couple of beers, coming over and handing one to Michael. “Here you go. You look like you could use this.” Michael silently thanked Brian and drank the beer.

“So, Mikey, did Ben tell you who it was he was leaving you for?” ‘This ought to be good.’

“He didn’t give me a name,” Michael gulped, as if he was trying to control his emotion. For all intent and purposed, Michael truly did appear to be heartbroken. “All he told me was that it was someone that he had met years ago and that they had recently become reacquainted through a mutual friend of theirs. He said that they had both thought they would only be friends, especially because they were both already involved, but that recently they had begun to have feelings for each other. Then his friend and his lover broke up and Ben and he decided to give in to what they were feeling.”

“I thought Ben was in love with you,” Brian observed. “At least, that’s what we all believed. Was he lying to you about that? Using you until something, or someone, else came along?” Brian allowed the bitterness he had felt when Justin had left him to come through in his voice. He was surprised at how easy it was, even though he and the teen were working on their relationship.

“That’s the worst part,” Michael said. “Ben told me that he still cares about me. That he still loves me.”

“And yet he broke up with you?” Michael nodded. “Just goes to prove what I’ve always said. Love is what straight people made up to get into someone else’s pants. It’s bullshit and not worth the crap you have to deal with when the other person leaves. And they will always leave. That’s why I don’t believe in it.”

“But you loved Justin,” Michael pointed out; ignoring the harsh glare sent his way by the other man. “Even if you refuse to admit it, you did love him. I saw how much it hurt you when he left with Ethan that night. Everyone did.”

“Fine, you want me to admit it,” Brian nearly shouted. “I loved Justin and looked what happened. He left because it wasn’t the right kind of love. The kind of love that he was willing to accept. Well, fuck that. I don’t want it and I sure as hell don’t need love.” Michael flinched at the anger in Brian’s voice.

“Brian…”

“What Mikey?” Brian said tiredly, his anger dissipating as quickly as it came. Michael got up and walked over to his friend, taking the other man in his arms.

“Maybe we’ve just both been looking for love in the wrong places.”

“Fuck, Mikey, now you’re starting to sound like a god damn country western song,” Brian laughed. Michael smiled, pulling back before dropping a quick kiss on Brian’s lips.

“What I meant to say,” Michael continued finally, “was that maybe we have just been overlooking the obvious when it comes to love.”

“And the obvious would be?” ‘Come on, Mikey, say it. It’s what you’ve been leading up to.”

“You know how I feel about you, Brian,” Michael stated. “I love you.”

“And I love you too, Mikey.” ‘Damn, did I really just say that? Shit.’ Michael’s smile grew and he leaned over to kiss Brian again, but instead of the friendly kiss that they had just shared, he tried to make this one deeper. More passionate. Letting his kiss speak for him. That was, before Brian pushed him away, staring at him in shock.

“Shit, Mikey,” Brian exclaimed. “What the fuck are you doing?”

“Come on, Brian,” Michael tried to move closer to Brian again, who only backed away. “You already told me that you love me, and you know I love you. And now that we’re both free, why shouldn’t we be together?”

“How about the fact that you just broke up with your boyfriend?”

“Even Ben knew how I felt about you,” Michael stated. “Brian, we’d be perfect together.”

“Michael, listen to me,” Brian said slowly, as if he was talking to a child. “Yes, I love you, but only as a friend. That’s it. We have never been, now will we ever be, lovers. That’s just not in the cards.” Michael looked at Brian, confusion written all over his face.

“Brian?” Brian walked over to front door of the loft, opening it. Michael followed, not sure what was going on.

“I think it would be best if you leave, Mikey,” Brian informed the other man.

“Brian,” Michael nearly pleaded, again moving to take Brian in his arms, but Brian only shook his head, holding out his hands and pushing Michael out the door. As soon as the store owner realized that Brian was truly turning him away, he became desperate. “Don’t do this Brian. Not after everything that we’ve been through. We were meant to be together.”

“As friends, Mikey. Just as friends. Nothing more. Now why don’t you go home and forget that this ever happened. That’s exactly what I plan on doing.” And with that, Brian shut the door in the stunned man’s face, a smile growing on his face as Michael left his view. ‘And now for step two.’

Part 16

Justin shut the door behind him, watching in stunned amusement as Ethan stormed around his small apartment. It was the first time that Justin had truly witnessed Ethan’s anger, other than the time that the violinist had told him to go back to Brian, and he couldn’t believe how much violence the other boy seemed to contain within himself. It actually scared him and Justin had to fight the instinct he had to run. Instead he stood his ground and hoped that Ethan wouldn’t take his anger out on him.

“Ethan, what’s wrong?” Justin asked, his voice the epitome of the concerned boyfriend. “What happened?”

“What happened?” Ethan parroted, pausing his current course of destruction. “What happened? I’ll tell you what fucking happened. That sniveling bastard Dean of Students Jerry Stockwell finally decided to find his fucking back bone and now I’m out on my ass.”

“What? You lost your scholarship?”

“My scholarship,” Ethan screamed. “I fucking got kicked out of school. Those bastards actually had the nerve to expel me and then have a security guard watch me as I cleared out my studio and escort me off of the campus. Everyone was fucking staring and I could hear them all whispering about it.” Justin flinched as Ethan punched the wall in frustration.

“Because they’re nothing but a bunch of jealous no talents who can’t stand the fact that I’m better than them.” Justin watched, horrified, as Ethan threw another punch at the wall, this time his fist going right through the thin plaster. It took everything he had to not run away, but he made sure that he was near the front door in case he had to make a quick escape.

“I meant, why did they expel you?” Justin elaborated. “What did you mean when you said that Dean Stockwell grew a backbone? What does he have against you?”

“He’s pissed because I slept with him once,” Ethan answered quickly. Justin had to give his soon to be ex credit for his quick thinking. “He wanted it to be more than what it was and I turned him down flat. He didn’t like it and has been hassling me ever since.”

“So that’s why he got you kicked out?” Justin questioned. Ethan nodded his head. “But he can’t do that. It’s illegal. Why didn’t you fight it?”

“Fight it with whom? Who would have believed me over him?

“Well, what’s he accusing you of?” Justin continued to ask. “I mean, he had to have given some reason for wanting you expelled.”

“Oh yeah, he gave them a reason,” Ethan sneered. “He had the balls to tell those bastards that I had blackmailed him into being accepted to that school. Told them that I had threatened him with pictures of us together when I was only seventeen. And those sanctimonious bastards believed him.”

“He had to have some kind of proof of what he was saying,” Justin countered. He moved closer to the door when Ethan’s angry glare was directed towards himself.

“Whose fucking side are you on?” Ethan yelled, his eyes narrowing as he saw Justin move even closer to the door. “You believe them, don’t you? You think I did it.”

“No, Ethan,” Justin said, hoping to calm the other man down. “You know I don’t think that.”

“I don’t know anything of the sort,” Ethan growled, advancing on his lover. “You think they’re right. You think I blackmailed that bastard into letting me into school. Like I needed his fucking help. They should have been damn grateful to have me there.” This time Justin didn’t even try to hide his attempt at escape. He quickly finished the distance between him and the door, opening it before Ethan could stop him.

“Where the fuck do you think you’re going?”

“I think it would be better if maybe I leave. I’ll come back when you’re calmer,” Justin calmly told him, all the while feeling his heart beat skyrocket. Brian and he had figured that Ethan would get extremely upset when he discovered that he was no longer welcome at PIFA, but they never thought he could become violent.

“You’re not going anywhere,” Ethan hissed, grabbing Justin’s arm, his nails digging into the tender flesh.

“Fuck,” Justin said through gritted teeth. He tried to break Ethan’s grip, but the violinist held strong. “What the hell are you doing? Let go of me, Ethan.”

“I don’t think so,” Ethan stated, trying to pull Justin back into the apartment before his neighbors became curious. Justin grabbed at the doorframe with his other hand, stopping the forward movement but he still couldn’t break the powerful grip. “Don’t think I don’t know where you’re going. I’m not that stupid.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Justin cried out. “Ethan, please, let go. You’re hurting me.”

“What is it about him that has you so enthralled with him? Sure he’s gorgeous but that’s all. After everything he did to you. All the tricks that he brought home. His not going to Vermont with you. Getting you a hustler for your birthday. And yet you still go back to him time and time again.” Ethan changed his grip, not holding Justin by both arms. Justin’s eyes went wide as he realized just how much danger he was in. He could see the madness that inhabited Ethan in his eyes.

“I offered you everything you could ever want. Gave you everything you asked for to make you happy.” Ethan was nearly hysterical at the point. “And you still go back to him.”

“No,” Justin kept denying, praying that someone would come to investigate the commotion Ethan’s screams had to be overheard by his neighbors.

“Don’t you fucking lie to me,” Justin,” Ethan raged. “I’ve given you everything I had. I have you my love and how do you repay me. By fucking Kinney behind my damn back.”

“I’m not doing anything with Brian,” Justin tried to explain. “We just work together. That’s all.”

“Bullshit,” Ethan spat. “I know Kinney’s not tricking and there’s no way in hell he would ever go celibate.”

“How do you know that Brian’s not tricking?”

“I’ve got my sources and they make sure I’m kept well informed about Kinney’s activities, or lack thereof.” Ethan pulled a still resisting Justin closer to him. “So the fact that Brian Kinney isn’t picking up tricks means only one thing. That he has someone else to take care of that particular need.”

“I swear it’s not me,” Justin pleaded. “We haven’t been together like that since I left him. He’s found someone else.”

“Yeah right. You expect me to believe that.”

“It’s the truth.” Tears streamed down Justin’s face and Ethan’s hand dug deeper into his arms. He knew there would be finger shaped bruises there come morning. “Brian’s moved on. He’s with someone else now.”

“Who?”

“I don’t know,” Justin cried. “He won’t tell me.”

“You’re lying.”

“No,” Justin shook his head. “It’s the truth. Brian’s with someone.” Just then, the sound of someone coming up the stairs caused Ethan to finally loosen his grip enough that Justin could break free. The artist backed away from Ethan, exiting the apartment but making sure that he kept a wary eye on the other man.

“Where are you going?”

“I’m leaving,” Justin informed him. Ethan nodded his head, suddenly weary and realizing that his anger and jealousy, two things he swore to not show Justin, might have actually pushed his lover away. The violinist knew that he was going to have to work hard at regaining Justin’s trust but he was sure that he would be able to do it. There was no doubt in his mind that he and Justin would be together again. They were meant to be forever.

“Are you coming back?”

“I’m not sure,” Justin admitted, reaching the stairs. “I think it would be better if maybe we spent some time apart.”

“I’m sorry, Justin,” Ethan apologized. “I don’t know what got into me. I’m just upset because of school. You know how much it meant to me to go there.”

“I know, Ethan. I’m sorry you got expelled but you showed me a side of you tonight that I didn’t know existed,” the artist explained. “And I didn’t like it. You have to give me time.” Ethan nodded his acceptance at Justin’s request, not making a move towards him. Once Justin was sure that Ethan wasn’t going to go after him, he turned and fled down the stairs, wanting nothing more than to get to Brian and let his lover hold and comfort him as only Brian could.

Part 17

Brian took one look at Justin’s shivering form and quickly took the teen in his arms, not knowing what was wrong but needing to make it better. He had been surprised at his young lover’s appearance at his home, knowing that Justin had planned on spending the evening with Ethan. While the thought of Justin in Ethan’s arms upset him, Brian knew that it was a necessary evil if they didn’t want to arouse anybody’s suspicion about them being back together. As it was, the circle of people that knew that Justin and Brian were back together was expanding, so that it now included Emmett and Ted. Emmett, because the man had decided to surprise Justin at his new job and take him out to lunch and had walked in on Brian and Justin sharing their idea of a benefit package. Ted, because there was no way Emmett would have been able to keep what he had discovered away from his lover.

After Emmett had walked in on them, Brian and Justin had invited both he and Ted over to the loft, making them swear not to tell anyone what Emmett had witnessed until they had a chance to explain what was going on. They had agreed, reluctantly, and later that night two more people found out about the deviousness of one of their own. Emmett’s eyes had tears in them and even Ted’s seemed to be wet as they realized just how far Michael was willing to sink in order to separate Brian and Justin. They had both thought that Michael had finally accepted that he and Brian would never be anything more than friends, especially after Ben had turned down his chance to go to Tibet. The couple had seemed to be so in love and Michael had every appearance of being happier than he had ever been. It was why they had been so surprised to find out that Ben had broken up with Michael, saying that he had found someone else. Now they understood, all too well, why Ben did it and why Michael didn’t appear to be as upset over the break up as they thought he would have been.

Brian then explained what they were doing to make Michael and Ethan pay for the lives they had tried to destroy. At first, Emmett and Ted had balked at the idea of helping Brian and Justin’s plans but then Ben had shown up and they could tell how hurt he was at Michael’s using him as a pawn in his and Ethan’s plans and decided that maybe the newly reunited lovers were right. Michael and Ethan had been more than willing to do anything and everything possible to separate Brian and Justin, including involving an innocent man, and they needed to be shown that there were consequences that had to be paid. They began to separate themselves from Michael, using the newness of their relationship as a cover. Emmett spent more and more time over at Ted’s condo. And the separation even helped in regards to their plan to get even with Michael because it meant that the store owner was spending more time pouring his heart out to Brian, in the hopes that eventually he would wear Brian down and he would take Michael to his bed. The four friends, five if you counted Ben, seven if you brought in Lindsay and Melanie, hated the fact that they couldn’t’ tell Debbie and Vic, the parental units to their little family, what was going on but they knew that it would break the siblings’ hearts if they discovered what Michael had done. Debbie was Michael’s mother after all.

Brian was brought out of his musings by movement from the boy in his arms, which tightened around Justin. Justin sighed into Brian’s chest, finally feeling safe now that he was with his lover. Once Justin had gotten away from Ethan, the teen hadn’t stopped running until he had reached the loft on Tremont. He had known that Brian hadn’t been expecting him but the only thing he could think of was washing away the memory of Ethan’s anger. As soon as Justin saw Brian, the fear induced shaking that he had been fighting overcame him. He gratefully accepted Brian’s embrace, needing the comfort that the older man offered.

“Shhh, baby,” Brian murmured to Justin, holding him close. “I’ve got you. I’ve got you. It’s okay.”

“Hold me, Brian. Please.”

“I’m holding you, Justin. I’ve got you.”

“Don’t let go.”

“Never, baby,” Brian promised. “Never letting you go.” Justin and Brian continued holding each other for several minutes before the older man felt his lover relax. Brian led Justin over to the sofa, sitting and pulling Justin into his lap, never ceasing in his comforting.

“What happened, Justin? What’s got you so upset?”

“Ethan.” Brian nodded his head. He knew that the violinist had been expelled from PIFA, Jerry having called him and informing him after the board’s decision. If Justin’s behavior was any indication, Ethan’s reaction must have been even worse than they had anticipated.

“What did he do?” When Justin didn’t answer, Brian pushed him away gently and lifted Justin’s chin so that he could look into his lover’s eyes. “Justin?”

“It was bad, Bri,” the blonde finally answered. “Real bad.” There was something in the way that Justin answered that, when put together with the way Justin was clutching onto him, that made Brian afraid of just what might have happened.

“Justin, what did Ethan do? Did he hurt you?” Justin’s eyes looked away. “Justin did that bastard hit you?” Justin shook his head.

“No, he didn’t hit me,” he finally replied. “He just…..he grabbed me when I tried to leave. He wouldn’t let me go. He kept accusing me of lying to him.” Justin’s eyes met Brian’s again. “I’ve never seen him like that. He was completely out of control.” Tears began to form in Justin’s eyes and Brian pulled the teen back to his chest. “I’ve never been so scared Brian. Not even with Hobbs. It was like he was a completely different person. His fingers kept digging into my skin and I couldn’t get away, no matter how hard I tried. If it wasn’t for someone coming up the stairs, I don’t think he would have let go.”

“Son of a bitch,” Brian cursed. “I’m going to kill that bastard with my bare hands. There won’t even be enough left of him for anyone to identify when I’m through with him.”

“No, Brian, “Justin shook his head. “Don’t do anything rash. Please I’m fine now and he’s not worth your getting in trouble for. I don’t want to be responsible for you going to jail. I need you with me.” Brian nodded his head, giving Justin his silent promise to do as his lover wanted. As much as the older man wanted to make Ethan pay for daring to even think of hurting Justin, he didn’t want to cause Justin to worry.

“I don’t want you going back there,” Brian announced. “I don’t want you anywhere near that bastard.”

“What about the plan?”

“Fuck the plan,” Brian swore. “You’re more important than any damn plan.”

“Okay,” Justin agreed, suddenly smiling up at Brian. “Besides, I already told him that we needed to spend some time apart.” Brian allowed himself to answer Justin’s smile with one of his own.

“So, I guess this means that you’ll have a lot more time on your hands now that you don’t have to deal with the boyfriend.” Justin nodded his head.

“Yup.”

“Hmmm, whatever will you do with all that time?”

“Study?” Justin murmured as he felt Brian’s lips caress his ear, his warm breath sending shudders through his body. “Draw?” Justin’s hands ran over Brian’s back as he began to lose himself in what the other man was doing to him. Even at their worst moments, Brian’s body never failed to react to Brian. “Work on some of the presentations at the office?” Brian’s mouth was now just centimeters from Justin’s.

“Or I can just stay here and make love to you.” Brian grinned as he lifted Justin in his arms.

“Sounds like a plan,” Brian finished, his mouth closing the distance between himself and Justin, kissing the teen with all of that love and passion that he felt for him, before carrying him into the bedroom.

Part 18

Michael scanned the dance floor at Babylon, trying to locate his missing best friend and hopeful love interest. It had been a week since Michael had spoken to Brian, despite his numerous attempts. Michael had even stopped by Brian’s new office, which was already doing extremely well, both because of the clients that the advertising exec had taken with him when he had left Vanguard, but also because of the word giving gotten out about the innovative new approach that the Kinney Agency had of advertising. Michael had gone there, hopping to talk to Brian, on the pretense of needing a shoulder to cry on about his break up with Ben, but had been told each time he called or stopped by that Brian was busy in a meeting and couldn’t’ talk to him. Michael had begun to think that he Brian and Justin had gotten back together, but had seen the blonde teen talking to Daphne or one of his assistants instead of in Brian’s office.

Michael knew that there was a good chance that Brian might decide to go after the blonde twink that had never left, especially if the split between Justin and Ethan became permanent. Michael knew that Brian truly did care for Justin, as much as it pained him o admit it, and that Brian might actually consider letting Justin back into his life, his home, and his bed, if the teen decided to pursue him as he had the previous year. The store owner couldn’t believe how much Ethan had screw up, especially considering how precarious their situation was with Brian and Justin working so closely together. As it was, the two former lovers spent more time together now then when they were semi-couple. It was why Michael was so desperate to see Brian and to make sure that he and Justin remained apart.

“Hey, if it isn’t the faithful sidekick,” someone behind Michael quipped, causing him to turn, smiling at the couple that had joined him.

“Hey guys,” Michael greeted Ted and Emmett, taking the drink that they offered him. “Long time no see. What have you two been up to, as if I couldn’t guess?”

“Oh, you know, just the usual, hun,” Emmett answered, glancing quickly over to his lover.

“I’m sure,” Michael teased, giving them a knowing look. “Although I was beginning to get the feeling that you were avoiding me for some reason.”

“Now why would we want to do that?” Emmett said, again looking over at Ted, this time with a little bit of guilt added to the glance. Emmett hated lying to his friend and roommate but he also knew that there was no way he wanted to spend as much time with Michael as he had in the past, knowing what he did about the other man’s part in the separation of Brian and Justin.

“So, have you seen anybody you like tonight?” Ted asked Michael, wanting to take away some of the tension that was beginning to build in his lover.

“Not really,” Michael answered, his attention once again focused on the crowded dance floor. “Actually I’m looking for Brian. Cynthia mentioned that he might be showing up tonight.”

“And that’s supposed to be a shocker?” Ted sarcastically questioned, not even bothering to point out the oddity of Brian’s assistant even knowing, let alone volunteering the information, that Brian would be at Babylon. “I mean, this is Brian Kinney you’re talking about.”

“I know,” Michael admitted. “Seeing Brian at Babylon isn’t exactly a surprise, but even you have to admit that he hasn’t been their best customer lately.”

“Not since Justin walked out,” Ted chimed in. “He probably doesn’t want to show his face here again. I know I wouldn’t after being embarrassed in front of everyone like that.”

“As Brian would say, thank God he isn’t you,” Michael angrily stated. He was so tired of hearing everyone talk about how much Justin’s leaving had affected Brian. Brian had obviously moved past whatever hurt he had been feeling. His offering Justin the job at his new agency a sign of that progress. “Besides, Brian’s over Justin. It’s not like he cared for the Boy Wonder anyway.”

“Mrrreow,” Emmett hissed. “Somebody needs to bring in the claws.”

“Fuck you, Em,” Michael notices Ted’s attention turn to the dance floor, something obviously catching his eye.

“Well, well, well. Seems as if you’re right, Mikey,” Ted drawls. “Seems as if Brian has moved on to greener pastures, although I am surprised at the choice.”

“But what a picture they are, hun,” Emmett added, looking in the direction Ted indicated Brian was in. “Who would have thunk that Brian went for the brainy type?” There was something in the way Emmett and Ted were talking about whomever Brian’s dace partner was that made Michael apprehensive. With a growing feeling of alarm, he turned to see who it was that had gotten Brian’s attention. His eyes opened wide in shock and disbelief. He shook his head, looking away for a minute before returning to the scene in front of him. There he was. Brian Kinney. The man that Michael had given his heart to dancing with someone that he never would have imagined seeing with him. Emmett and Ted looked at Michael, a mixture of curiosity and sorrow on their face, although he never noticed it.

“Ben?” Michael said in disbelief. “Brian is dancing with Ben?’

“You have to admit, they do make a good looking couple,” Ted stated. “I can certainly see why they hooked up at the White Part all those years ago.”

“They are completely edible,” Emmett added. “Everyone is looking at them.”

“Who wouldn’t,” Ted agreed, but Michael never heard them. All that was going through his mind was the conversation between himself and his former lover, when the professor had told him that they were through.

“Why?”

“There’s someone else.”

“Someone new? Where did you meet him?”

“Not new. We met a few years ago. Where isn’t really important. It wasn’t something we planned. We hadn’t expected to see each other again and when we did, we were both involved with other people. I was involved with you and he was in a relationship with someone that I could see was god for him, so we contented ourselves with only being friends.”

“Then what happened? Why are you breaking up with me now? What’s changed?”

His lover left him for someone else. He needed a shoulder to cry on and I volunteered to help him deal with what had happened. We didn’t plan to let anything go any further than friendship, but one thing led to another and we realized that what we had felt before was still there, so we decided to take a chance. I’m sorry Michael.”

“As Brian would say, sorry’s bullshit.”

“It was Brian all along,” Michael finally said, coming out of whatever trance he had fallen into upon seeing the couple on the dance floor. “It was always Brian. Mother fucker.”

“Mikey, what are you talking about?” Emmett asked, not surprised to see the total look of anger on his roommate’s face. Emmett knew that he should feel bad about what Michael should be feeling upon seeing Brian and Ben so obviously together, but he couldn’t. Not now that he knew Michael didn’t truly care for Ben. Had only been using him to mask his intentions towards Brian.

“I’m talking about taking back what’s mine,” Michael hissed, heading down towards the dance floor.

“You can’t force Ben to come back to you,” Ted pointed out.

“I’m not talking about Ben,” Michael yelled before disappearing into the crowd.