It was late on a Friday night, and Brian was in his condo.

Instead of being out at some club, like in his glory days back in Pittsburgh, he was home, Googling pet stores. He decided to question his sanity later, but he was determined to get a cat for Justin. The lad had always begged him to get a pet, mostly hinting at a cat than at a dog, so Brian knew what would be the next gift Justin received.

The flowers would keep coming, but he wanted to give him something special, like the trip to the museum from the previous weekend. He'd gone there as well, and was beyond relieved to see Justin with Daphne, not some other man. Especially not his Art Director, who he came close to detest when he found out Roger had tried to get Justin to go out with him.

Brian was distracted from his murderous thoughts toward his Art Director when his eyes fell on a picture of a small, black kitten with big blue eyes. That particular shade of blue reminded Brian of Justin's eyes when he was excited about one thing or another.

As Brian saved the store's number in his phone, he was startled when it started ringing. It took him a moment to realize he hadn't dialed any number, but an unknown number was calling him.

For a wild second, Brian thought it was Justin's new number, and his boy was calling after discovering it was him sending the flowers.

"Hello," Brian answered quietly, unsure who to expect on the other end of the line.

"Uh, hi. Brian?" A woman's voice asked uncertainly.

Brian turned the volume of the music he was listening to, a few notches lower. "Yes. Who is this?"

"Now, I'm wounded you didn't recognize me," the woman teased.

"Should I?" He had half a mind to hang up, because she didn't sound like Lindsay or Melanie, or even Cynthia.

"You're damn hard to get a hold of. It took a lot of bribing to get Michael to give me your number," she added.

"Daphne?" Brian asked, shocked, finally recognizing her voice.

"Took your sweet time. Here I thought, us, twins separated at birth by years would immediately know who they were talking to."

Brian laughed loudly, pushing his laptop away, lounging on the couch and lighting himself a smoke. "Where do you come up with such shit?"

"That's what Justin used to say when I did or said something that reminded him of you, because we're so freaking similar."

"Well then, my long lost twin, that I didn't even know I had, to what do I owe the pleasure of a late night phone call?"

"You're not busy, right?" She checked.

"Nope. A quiet night at home," Brian admitted.

"Oh, I heard the music and thought you were out."

"That's my new audio system with surround sound. Since I'm miles away from Babylon, I thought I'd bring it to my home." He paused for a few moments. "Besides, I don't feel like going out much."

"It's you, isn't it?" Daphne said after a few breaths.

Brian already knew what she meant. "Yes." He gulped loudly at feeling so naked suddenly. He wasn't used to talk feelings.

"I knew it!" She cried out, just as Brian added quietly, "Does he know?"

"Sorry, what did you say?" She asked.

Brian cleared his throat. "I asked whether… if Justin knows...did he figure it out?"

"Ah, no. He thinks it's some secret admirer. Artists were always insane, and he's at the top of the list. I think he's falling in love with his secret admirer, but it might be his subconscious telling him it's you and it's safe to fall in love with the person sending him flowers and chocolate and tickets to the freaking Dali exhibition!"

"What," Brian gasped. "He doesn't know it's me, but he's falling for an unknown person? I know it's me, but seriously...it could have been some lunatic."

"Don't go there. Both Izzy and I have tried to explain it can be a sociopath, but you know Justin." She laughed. "What's the next step?"

"More flowers?"

"Do you plan to send him flowers for the rest of his life?"

"Well yes, but I'd rather give them to him...when he's back in my life."

"And how, pray tell do you plan to get him back? Seriously, Brian, he's been pretty shaken by everything. As much as I'm mad at you, I'm mad at him too. I hate taking sides, but he's my best friend, and you hurt him quite badly."

"For which I'd fucking grovel at his feet if it meant he forgave me."

Daphne's breath hitched. "I never thought I'd hear you say that. You must love him a lot."

"More than I can understand, but I heard love is irrational...so let's not try finding a reason. I simply love Justin, Daphne. And trust me, I'm hurt too. I'd never forgive me if I were him."

She sighed loudly. "I have no idea if he'll forgive you, Brian. When he finds out it's you...I'm sure you realize it can go both ways—either, he's exhilarated, or he turns his back...forever."

Brian tried not to let panic envelop him. "I'm hoping for the first."

"Me too. So, tell me what do you have in store for him? It has to be awfully romantic."

"The last step is a dinner, but I haven't decided yet when."

"He has quite a big show planned in April, maybe then?"

"That's so soon...a couple weeks away." Brian glanced at his laptop, smiling when he saw the kitten in the picture. "Do you think he'd like a cat?"

"What?"

"I want to buy him a cat," Brian explained.

"Justin told me that you bought him expensive brushes and he returned them."

"This time, he doesn't know it's me," Brian insisted.

"I'll say pass to this idea. Maybe later? When you get him back."

Brian scowled, not liking her idea. He'd stick to his plan.

Silence stretched between them for a few moments, while they were both lost in their thoughts.

"How's the new account going," Daphne finally broke the silence.

"Pretty good. Evan is driving me crazy, but it's nothing new. I've worked with him before."

"Is it a good idea to keep him around?"

"No, but it's what it is. I seriously thought about this...and it makes me a complete shit, but this account is huge. I mean, it's fucking Apple, Daphne. True, I'm working with Evan, he's around most of the time, but I don't give a flying fuck about him. He's only a business partner."

"Justin would have understood and accepted this situation before, but now...I'm not so sure. After what you did, I doubt he'd accept you working with Evan. Especially when I hear he loves to boast about the way you two work together when he's at the bar."

"Fucking jerk," Brian spat. "I fucking told him to stop going there!"

She laughed. "It's his favorite bar. It's like someone would come to you and deny you to go to Babylon or Woody's. I told Justin to quit Raging Bull. He's earning a pretty penny with his paintings now, and he has a few commissions lined up, the new show…"

Brian snorted. "Justin's too proud to quit his job because Evan is there. He'd rather suffer through it, than quit."

"I guess you're right. Anyway, think twice before you take the final step in getting him back. Be sure he knows exactly what to expect from your relationship and that you have some of his trust, before you tell him that Evan is sort of permanent in your life."

"He's definitely not permanent. I plan on keeping this partnership between our companies in case such opportunities for big accounts might arise in the future, but he will never be more than a business partner. There was a time when I thought I could call him a friend, but that ship has long since sailed."

"I wish Justin would be amenable to talk about you. I'd love to tell him some of these things. Of course, in a way that he wouldn't suspect we'd talked."

"You can always try, but I'd rather talk to him about these things...whenever he'd accept me around him, close enough to hear me out...and then if he's willing to listen to me, I'd explain everything, trying not to sound like a pathetic asshole."

"Give him a little more time. I think he already suspects something. You're the only one who knows about his love for Dali. He has to put one and one together. Justin is pretty smart," Daphne said gently, not liking Brian's sad voice. "If I can do anything...let me know."

After a beat, while Brian contemplated his answer, he replied. "Could you give me his new number?"

"Whoa! That's not what I expected."

"You don't have to. I mean...I respect his wish to cut all strings attached to me."

"I'll text it to you once we hang up."

"Really? Thank you so much."

"But you must promise not to call him at midnight, change your voice and make him fall for his secret admirer," she chided him.

Brian laughed loudly. "Don't worry. I won't. I don't plan on calling him yet… I just want his number."

"Okay. I'll give you the number. Uh, I hate to put an end to our call, but it's late and I start early," she said softly.

"Yeah, me too. Thanks for the phone call, Daphne. It was nice hearing from you."

"Now that you have my number, don't be a stranger. Keep me updated on your side of things, because Justin will sure as hell keep me updated with his pretty flowers and delicious chocolates he gets from you."

"What can I say? I know the way to his heart is through his stomach...thus the sweets, and of course the flowers are for the hopeless romantic inside him."

"That was so profound, Kinney!" Daphne laughed. "Talk to you soon."

"Yeah, sure. Good night."

Once they hung up, Daphne sent him Justin's new number, adding the words 'use it wisely', to which Brian replied with a 'thank you' and a smiley face.

He went to bed that night, knowing his plan was shaping up quite nicely. If he could woo Justin the right way, he might give him the dinner date after his show at the gallery, and hopefully have him back in his arms by the end of that night.

The next morning, Brian went to the pet store after a detour to Starbucks.

He walked aimlessly through the cages, searching for the kitten he'd seen on his computer, and when he was about to lose hope, he saw the black furball. He was tiny and coiled up at the far end of his cage, but his big blue eyes stared warily at Brian.

"Can I help you, sir?" The young clerk offered, approaching the potential customer.

Brian smiled at the young girl. "Yes. I'd like this kitten."

She jiggled a bunch of keys, opened the cage, scooped up the frightened cat and deposited it on Brian's free hand.

He jiggled between the kitten and his coffee, managing not to drop either of them. A weak meow escaped the cat as he looked up at Brian, as if begging him to take him away.

"Oh, he likes you. He had a few potential owners, but was always violent when they tried touching him."

Brian smirked. "I guess he was waiting for me. Let's pay for this little guy," he said, nodding to the cash register.

"Do you have supplies for him? Maybe you'd like to look at the cots, the anti-fleas collar, food…" The girl suggested.

"Shit. You sure need a lot of stuff," Brian mumbled, looking down at the kitten. "Sure, lead the way," he told the girl. He might as well buy everything for the cat, and send everything to Justin.

An hour later, Brian had the cat in a carry cage, a big bag with his bed, a sandbox, different types of food, several collars, and a few toys. He'd spent on the cat more than he'd spent on Gus the last time they were out shopping.

At home, Brian installed the box with sand in the downstairs bathroom, before taking the kitten out of the cage.

"You'll piss and poop here until I figure out how to send you to your owner." He pointed to the sand box. "And your bed will be here," he added, as he pulled out the cot out of the bag and arranged it between the stairs and the open kitchen area.

Next, Brian poured some granules in one of the bowls, then water in the other, and went to his laptop.

He was too used to be alone, and jumped every time he heard the small claws and soft pads on the hardwood floors, especially when the cat decided to play with one of his new toys.

Brian looked over the back of the sofa, laughing when he saw the kitten rolling around, tangled up in the small yarn. He tried clawing his way out, hissing.

"Christ. You're a little troublemaker."

He scooped the cat up, slowly untangling the yarn from around the small body. During the complicated process, the intercom rang, making the cat grab with his claws at Brian's shirt.

"Hey! Not my Armani shirt, you asshole." He pressed the button to speak with who was downstairs. "Yeah?"

"Let me up. I got an idea," Evan announced.

Too tired to fight, Brian allowed him in, returning to the task of untangling the cat. When Evan knocked at the door, Brian had managed to free the cat, and was holding him against his chest.

Evan's eyes widened when he noticed something small and furry in Brian's hand. "What's that?"

"Hello to you too," Brian muttered, stepping aside to let him in. He peered at the trembling kitten. "Looks like a cat."

"Yeah, but what are you doing with a cat? I didn't take you as a pet person."

Brian closed the door, heading to his laptop. He sat on the sofa with the kitten on his lap. "It's not mine."

"You're pet sitting?"

"It's for Justin. I just need to figure out a way to send it to him." Brian stroked a finger over the cat's head, making him purr.

Evan laughed loudly. "You want to send him a cat? This is something alive that might not be impressed to be dumped on your desk, like the brushes."

"He won't return the cat."

"Brian, think about it. If the brushes were too much, this is over the top. You should take him back."

"Fuck off. You don't know shit. Now, why are you here?"

Evan showed him a flash drive. "Look what I did last night with Nigel."

"Kinky. Is this a sex tape?" Brian joked.

"It's the rough sketch for the storyboards." Evan rolled his eyes, sitting next to Brian. He glanced at the kitten, curled on Brian's lap, purring quietly as Brian petted him absently.

It was Brian who needed the cat more than Justin. Of what Evan could see, Brian liked the kitten and was surprisingly tolerant of the hair it left on his clothes.