JUSTIN

Emmett of course, insisted on coming with Michael and me when we told him what we were doing. Ted sacrificed himself to keep Brian occupied while we staked out the loft. To keep my mind off what I did the day before, Michael and I debated reasons the robbery happened, and then didn’t. One of the things Michael mentioned was that Brian was the only one robbed in the building. It was why Michael thought the thief had to be someone targeting Brian specifically. We came up with some odd theories for why the items were never recovered, one being the person wanted things that belonged to Brian for their shrine. Michael swore it wasn’t him, jokingly, saying he only ever had photos, and never once covered his walls with anything but Captain Astro. 

We weren’t even sure if anything would happen this time. But I think after what I did, even Michael thought we needed to find something we could do now to feel like we’d accomplished something. Michael didn’t ask what happened in the alley, but eventually I would tell him. Because even changed, Michael still would do just as much as I would to protect Brian. Only, I didn’t know if Michael’s power or whatever it was, worked the same way. I thought a lot about what Metatron said, that the only time I seemed to do what I did, I wanted to decimate someone. Which sounded less light and more dark to me.  

We waited around the side of the building, not seeing anybody go in the building after Brian left. It was already after my sister’s party. But I hadn’t come back immediately, so if it was going to happen there was still time. A guy walked to the building, then went in as if he lived there. It was no one either of us recognized. We waited long enough for him to get in and watched as a van drove up, idling at the curb. The engine cut off as the first guy came out with a computer monitor. Michael called the cops, reporting it, while I studied the first guy to make sure they would have a description. It wasn’t until the driver got out that I knew I didn’t need anything to help with his description. 

“It make sense now.” I tell Emmett and Michael.

“What?” Emmett asks, looking away from the thieves.

“Hotlanta was at the loft a few days before the robbery.” I said, wishing I could go back and tell the Justin that left upset, what this trick did for Brian.

“Michael was right, he kept saying Brian should have expected it with all the people he let in and out of the loft.” Emmett tells us.

We waited around, hiding until the police and Brian arrived, before going to the diner. Emmett made sure not to discuss anything until Ted and Brian showed up a couple of hours later. It was slow enough that no one cared that we hung out there. While we waited, Michael asked about the alley.

“Both times, it was like everything that pissed me off was burning to get out of me. I was thinking I wanted Lindsay to pay for everything Brian and I dealt with, to make her scream with pain. I didn’t hear or see anything else around me, all my focus was on her.” I tell him.

“What you did was different than at my place, because the closer we got to you, the more it felt my insides were being stabbed. The other night none of that happened.” Michael tells me.

“The sun came out, let’s not forget that.” Emmett tells us.

“You felt pain?” I ask, remembering thinking Brian felt what I was doing.

“Only when we got closer to the tornado of shit swirling around you.” Michael tells me.

“According to Metatron, he felt me, and worried I was wiping sinners from the earth.” I remind Michael. 

People started coming in and sitting near us, so we just talked about the things like would would in the past. Brian and Ted came in, sitting with us. I waited to see what Brian would say, because in essence he was tricked by his own trick. Which only I would know, since none of the other guys met Hotlanta. 

“Brian almost got robbed.” Ted tells us, and we all managed to convincingly act surprised.

“Fuckers even tried to take my suits.” Brian growls.

“Did you set your alarm?” I ask, because it felt good to ask him what he accused me of.

“I always set it.” He says, sarcastically.

“Not true. There were a few times we had to go back because you forgot.” Michael tells him.

“I called the alarm company and it was set.” Brian tells him, pissing me off. Something I would have to ask my Brian when I saw him next.

“So the alarm got them caught?” I ask, just not willing to let this go.

“No, the guy managed to bypass it. Since he had the code.” Ted tells us, enjoying outing Brian.

“Did he say how he knew it?” Emmett asks.

“Yep. Apparently Brian punched it in right in front of him as he was kicking the guy out the other night. I really love this part, Brian gave him the tour of all the things the guy was planning to steal.” Ted says, ignoring Brian’s glare.

“Was he taking it back to Atlanta?” I ask, avoiding seeing if Brian picking up on something I wouldn’t know.

“Apparently he and his partner work up and down the coast, selling the stuff to people who fence it for them. They’ve been doing this for a while. One goes home with the owner and scopes out the place. One of the guys involved got away, but since he was at the gym hitting on Brian, they got him too.” Ted tells us, having way too much fun with this.

“I guess you got fucked and tricked, how does it feel?” I ask, leaving him to deal with it.

Michael started to get up but I shook my head. As much as if felt good to know, and as pissed as I am about it, Brian still had a right to be pissed that someone invaded his home. I had a priest to see anyway, and the way Brian seems to constantly find me, meant Michael needed to keep Brian with him.

I walked into the church, watching as Tom knelt in prayer. I didn’t get it, why choose the Catholic Church? Especially when the collar didn’t stop him from what his religion condemned. I sat in the second row, letting him have his moment in front of the altar. My reason for being here wasn’t him, but he was the son Joan wished for. Hard not to see the hilarity in that one.

Tom (I just couldn’t call someone I once fucked, Father)  got up from his prayers, turning to see me. He tried to hide the interest when he sat in front of me.

“If you need to talk, I’m available.” He said, not sounding suggestive, even though the ending could be.

“I was thinking about sin.” I tell him.

“The Devil's playground.” He says, still checking me out. 

“Yes it is, but it's more of a phrase that I doubt Lucifer coined. Hate the sin and not the sinner. To me, they’re one and the same. It sounds like a way to excuse yourself for your deeds.” I tell him. 

“Another way to look at it would be that the person the sin affected needs to see a way to forgive the sinner in order to ascend to Heaven with a pure soul.” He tells me. 

“Yet the sinner sins, believing the door will still welcome them as long as they keep the faith while sinning. Trust me, it doesn’t work that way.” I tell him.

“Why do you say that?” He asks.

“I guess I’m worried about your flock, and hope your leadership doesn’t land them in purgatory.” I tell him, since Joan was still there.

“I lead as written in the bible. Even with guidance, I can’t always save everyone.” He tells me.

“No, not if they don’t see what they did as wrong.” I tell him.

“Hopefully their faith will see them through Heaven’s Gate.” He tells me.

“Faith will only get them to the Gate. Understanding why it won’t open means they stand outside because they were never absolved of the sin they don’t believe they committed.” I tell him.

“Which is why we give them a way to do that here. The Confessional allows them the privacy and anonymity they sometimes need in order to face what they did.” He tells me.

“Thank-you.” I tell him, getting an idea of how to deal with Joan.

“If you ever need to debate theology, I’m here.” He tells me.

“How do you deal with your hypocrisy?” I ask, as I start towards the door.

“I don’t understand what you mean.” He says, confused at the question.

“According to the Catholic Church, being gay means you shouldn’t be standing in front of the pulpit, and I shouldn’t worship here unless I repent. Is there something I missed in the Bible that says you get a day off for the baths? Let me know where you find it in your Bible, I’d love to debate that.” I tell him, walking out the door.

Uriel was standing outside the door laughing his ass off. “How do you plan to get in the confessional with Joan?” He asks, not making me happy that he could read my mind.

“Well Dad, I guess I need you, and hopefully Joan’s sherry soaked brain will listen.” I tell him.