JUSTIN

I got up after Brian left, I told him that I wanted to go to work and see if I could find out why Marty thinks Cynthia has a secret. Hunter was in the kitchen cooking eggs and had the table set. I sat down, not sure what to think of this change in my normally rude and sarcastic roommate.

“Is there a reason you’re cooking?” I asked.

“I just wanted you to see I can pull my weight.” He tells me.

“You think the only reason I let you stay is because you clean my house?” I asked. He shrugged and started cleaning again. Brian was right, I just don’t have it in me to be an asshole or not care about people. I couldn’t play the sarcastic asshole, I stupidly thought would be fun. “Hunter you have a place in my life as long as you want it, and we need to talk about school eventually, you need an education, cleaning my house can’t be what you want to do with the rest of your life.” I tell him.

“Your new man might not be happy that you bring me into your relationship.” He tells me.

“If he doesn’t, than he isn’t worth my time.” I tell him.

“You’d give up someone for me?” He asked, looking like a kid for once.

“You're as close to a brother as I’ll ever have.” I tell him, eating the food he made for me. “The shells make it extra crunchy.” I managed, after spitting it in my napkin.

“Is that why my mom’s eggs tasted different?” He asks, seriously.

“We can pick up something on the way.” I tell him.

“One of the other kids wanted to know if there were any jobs she could do?” Hunter asks getting in the car.

“How old?” I ask.

“About my age, she has a home. It’s just, well, her mother lost her job and she wanted to help. Not all my friends are street kids.” He tells me.

“What did the mom do?” I ask.

“She worked with for the husband, who decided he wanted the plastic barbie instead of the wife. She was the receptionist at his dental practice. He kicked them out, and isn’t supporting them.” He tells me.

“I’ll see if Brian might need help at the gallery for the mom, not the daughter.” I tell him.

Hunter got out and went in to get everyone’s order. I came in and took the coffee Marty had in his hand. “My office.” I tell him.

Marty followed me past Cynthia, who held out my messages as I passed. Marty came in and put his feet on my desk. “I still employee your ass.” I tell him, moving his feet.

“What’s the plan?” He asks me.

“That’s right, you don’t know it all this time.” I snicker.

“You and Brian are just loving this aren’t you?” He asks me.

“Why do you think Cynthia is here as more than my PA?” I ask.

“When she first started here with us she asked a lot of questions about you. She figured out if she wanted to keep her job, she should stop. You broadcast ‘Fuck Off’, when anyone asked about your past.” He tells me.

“She could have just been curious.” I tell him.

“She asked if anyone knew your foster parents, not parents. Which is how I found out that you didn’t have parents this time.” He tells me.

“If you figure anything out, let me know. Do you know anything about what’s up with Ben? This was really supposed to be simple; get Ted and Blake to see they were meant for each other. I have other things I want to do, not deal with Ben.” I tell him.

“The thing you and Emmett were saying makes more sense.” He tells me.

“Brian thinks it’s crazy, but when you start looking at the things in our past; Ben got what Michael never did, but then dealt with Brian’s usual brush off the next day. That had to fuck with Ben’s ego.” I tell him.

“Or he really thought he and Brian made a better partnership. They’re both professionals and could carry themselves well in social functions. In essence, a power couple that even Eli and Monty would approve of.” He tells me.

“Only Brian never wanted the kind of life Ben made with Michael. He also didn’t want a repeat with Ben. Ben had to get a clue when in each life, Brian and I are together, it never changes.” I tell him.

“That would hit a nerve, when you think about it.” He tells me.

“Only if Ben had feelings for Brian the whole time.” I tell him.

“I'll see if I can get him to tell me why he's doing this.” He tells me.

“Brian wants to concentrate on getting Ted and Blake together. He’s going to be adopting Gus and we have to figure out how Kira is possible. He doesn’t care about Ben.” I tell him.

“But you do?” He asks me.

“I spent two lives dealing with Lindsay and Michael’s wishful thinking. I don’t need Ben taking their place. He knows that you know, but he has no idea I know anything. I want to keep it that way.” I tell him.

“Why?” He tells me.

“He’s here, knows, and once again he’s hanging out with Michael, not even checking on the son he wanted, or that Hunter could end up HIV positive. Let’s just say, I think as far as priorities go, Ben’s seem to constantly be chasing after all the wrong things.” I tell him.

“What do you want to do about this piece of trash?” He asks, pointing at the book.

“Why Marty, we are going to publish his first book.” I smirk.

“Why?” He asks puzzled.

“Ben forgot one thing as he wrote this book.” I tell him.

“The reader.” He smiles.

“Who would pick Zen when they could have the bad boy with the heart of gold?” I ask him.

BRIAN

Emmett and I got up early so I could get Justin’s car back to him. Kitty called to tell us that she arrived and wanted breakfast with her baby. Emmett acts like she can be a pain in the ass, but he loves what he didn’t have with his family in the last life. I kissed Justin before letting him sink back into the blankets, complaining that he didn’t open his office till nine for a reason. Hunter was waiting at the front door, happy to slam it when we walked out.

“I think he likes us.” I joke.

“He’ll like me, everyone does. You on the other hand will have him making sure you don’t treat Justin like shit.” Emmett laughs.

“I’ll never get how the two of them went from fighting over me in one life, to joining forces against me in the next two.” I tell him.

I dropped Emmett off and went to see Gus. I got there and found the social worker, Patty, there. Linda was smiling at me when Gus ran to me.

“Gus took to Brian the first time they met.” Linda tells her.

“I have an appointment to speak to your parents. We received your background checks which came back clean, when I finish speaking to everyone then we get to meet and hopefully Gus will be going home with you until the adoption is final.” Patty tells me.

“My parents are home and all the people you need to talk to are available when you want to talk to them.” I tell her.

“Linda mentioned you brought your boyfriend to see Gus.” Patty tells me.

“We both want to adopt Gus, but I didn’t want our relationship to be a reason I couldn’t adopt him.” I tell her.

“All I care about is that Gus will have a home and be loved. If you and your partner want to share that responsibility, good for Gus. I’ll call you in the next day or two.” She tells me, before getting up to leave.

Gus and I left to go see Justin with the good news. Cynthia looked up from her computer and smiled, asking if she could help me.

“Cyn, Dada.” Gus tells me excited.

“Brian, Justin’s on a call. Cynthia, this is Justin’s boyfriend Brian Kinney. Justin’s assistant, Cynthia.” Marty smiles as he introduces us.

“Justin’s dating?” Cynthia asks.

Justin opened his door, bending down when Gus ran to him. Cynthia looked confused at Justin and Gus. Hunter came in, rolling his eyes when he saw me. “Now you bring a kid to replace me.” He says, not really concerned. “I got everyone lunch, it’s in the break room.” He announces.

“I was hoping to take us out to celebrate, the social worker told me Gus is only an interview away from coming home to us.” I tell Justin.

“Let me grab my phone and we can go. That means you too Hunter.” Justin tells us.

“We could invite Marty and Cynthia too.” I tell him.

“Oh… I … already got lunch.” Cynthia stumbled through.

“Maybe another time, I’ll be around a lot to see Justin.” I tell her.

“That’s great, well you guys need to go right?” She tells me.

“I really wanted the sandwich I got, so have fun.” Marty tells us.

Justin and Gus come, dragging Hunter with us. “I don’t like food people have to explain.” Hunter tells me.

“By the way, Blake is coming home tomorrow.” Justin tells me.

“I still think we should lock them up together, so Blake can see what happens when Ted doesn’t have him in his life.” I tell him.