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JUSTIN


It was hard to think when the banging continued at the door. I wasn’t sure what kept Michael from just barging in like usual. Brian shook his keyring at me and separated two keys, both to the loft.


“I took away his way of just opening the door.” He tells me.


“Why?” I ask.


“You keep saying everything was predictable, I decided to show you things could and would change.” He tells me.


“Which would be more believable if he didn’t still manage to get into the building so he can still bang on the door. You don’t want me to answer the door, but really, how do you expect to get rid of him?” I ask him, as Michael added yelling to the banging.


“Will you trust me to deal with it?” He asks.


“He isn’t going to be happy I’m here, and I won’t stay quiet if he pulls the shit he did tonight. He didn’t have a reason to say anything, but still did.” I tell him.


I went over to the couch and turned on the TV. I wasn’t going to hide in the bathroom or anywhere else because Michael didn’t want me around. My phone went off and it was Wes asking about why Ted called him for a job. I told him to call, because I didn’t want to even listen to what Michael was talking about.


“Ted was pissed about something that happened tonight.” I tell Wes, ignoring Michael when he walked in.


“If the situation is still the same, you're wasting your time. I know you love Brian, but there is just a point where you need to think about yourself and know he’s never going to want the same things.” He tells me.


“Why were you acting like you didn’t know what happened?” I ask, realizing Ted filled him in on what happened at Deb’s. “I’m going to take this outside.” I tell Brian, who nodded.


“I wanted you to assure me you weren’t going to fall into the same situation with Brian. It happens to the best of us, but the trick is to remember why it wasn’t something you wanted the first time around. If Brian is still acting like Michael is more important, than the relationship you have stays the same.” He tells me, as Michael starts getting louder.


“Brian actually told me if I let Michael into the loft tonight we were through.” I tell him.


“Then why do I hear the guy in the background?” He asks.


“How do you know?” I ask.


“Every time Ted called I would hear the guy bitching and moaning in a nasally voice, so I asked Ted who the fuck it was.” He tells me.


“Michael followed us here. When he couldn’t get in he just kept banging on the door. Brian knows, just like I do, that he would keep going until he got an answer.” I tell him.


“How is that different than before, other than he could just let himself in?” He asks me.


“Brian took the key that Michael had. It’s different because I told Brian what I wanted and he didn’t immediately act like it wasn’t possible. Which, when we were together, he would have started telling me it wasn’t something he’d ever want. I think it helps that I wasn’t saying it had to be him.” I tell him.


“Ted mentioned that it bothers Brian you aren’t upset about the past anymore.” He tells me.


“I couldn’t see coming here if I was still the kid that left. Adding hysterics would have been showing everyone nothing had changed with me.” I tell him.


“As long as you do what’s right for you, I’ll support you. Tell Ted if he wants the job, it’s his.” Wes tells me hanging up.


I stayed outside, because to me the real proof that anything has changed is if Brian doesn’t take off, after Michael tries to use the same things that worked to set Brian off about me in the past. I could deal with Michael, but not Brian out to prove that no one tied him down.


BRIAN


I was getting a front row seat to what Justin had been dealing with, because unlike before, I no longer saw a future like Justin described as only for straight people. I had a son who I was helping to raise, spending time with him just like any father, gay or straight would. I even purchased the loft below me, because Gus needed his own room when he visits for the night. I didn’t want my son growing up to believe that love was a myth, but a fact that he sees everyday with his mothers and me. Justin was showing me that there was truth to it by still loving me, when anyone else would have left and never looked back. I have to believe there was something more to my relationship with Justin than the guy who slept in my bed. It was the void left when he was no longer there, it stayed until he showed up again.


“He should have just left for good, he’s still trying to cause trouble around here.” Michael tells me.


“How, by breathing? He has a right to come here, everyone he loves is here.” I tell him.


“Then he should be with them, not here trying to mess with your head. You already gave up things you wanted because you had to take care of him. When he left, you no longer had to feel responsible for him. Yet when I needed you, you acted like you couldn’t be bothered. I lost more than Justin ever did, but even now you’re saying it’s my fault Ben left me.” He tells me.


“Your comparing losing a relationship that was lucky to last as long as it did, to Justin almost dying, what the fuck is wrong with you? You want to know why Ben really left? He got tired of watching the man he loved prove over and over that he would never be enough for you. I doubt what you said about Justin was why he left.” I tell him.


“Like you would know anything about a relationship.” He tells me.


“Neither do you, or you wouldn’t constantly fail at them. David had a kid who needed him, but you were upset because he didn’t ignore his responsibility to his son for you. Ben spent the whole relationship wondering what he meant to you. Neither of them realized you still thought there was a chance that if you waited, we’d be together. It’s something that keeps coming up lately, and I really had time to think about it, and no, it’s not going to happen. I never wanted you in the way that I want Justin. When you left it was nothing like what I felt when Justin did.” I tell him.


“Of course you didn’t, because I didn’t leave you behind like you didn’t matter to me. Shit Brian, look who he stayed in touch with, Ted. It’s not like Ted ever gave two shits about Justin, but that’s who Justin kept in his life. Maybe you should be asking why Ted was more important than you were to your precious Justin. I mean, he says he was staying with a cousin, but where was the guy when Justin was hurt, maybe the guy is just someone who paid for Justin the way you did. Maybe he just likes having older men with money. He had you footing the bill for college and apparently so was this other guy.” Michael tells me.


The doubts started, but one thing Michael never knew was the only way Justin would allow me to pay for his college. Michael never seems to remember all the jobs Justin had in addition to school, but then it would mean Justin wasn’t using me. “Go home Michael, find a way to fill the void in your life, mine came home.” I tell him.


“Brian…”


“It was only ever going to be Justin.” I tell him.


Michael walked out, shoulders slumped. I followed him down, not allowing  Michael to say something to Justin. Justin was standing next to the building, texting on his phone when we came down.


“Go home Michael, he doesn’t really care what you think. Justin and I need to talk about how we see our relationship working when he’s in Australia.” I tell Michael, when he glared at Justin.


“It’s called planes, Brian.” Justin smiles at me.


EMMETT


I went to talk to Teddy, because he's been pissed before, but never to the point he quit on Brian. I wanted to give him time to calm down, and decided to try to get Brian to help me. Deb and Carl both told me it really sounded like the last straw, not only for Teddy, but for Justin. Which had me texting Justin to see if we could talk and maybe keep Brian from having to find a new accountant. He let me know he was at Brian’s loft, but apparently Michael was there, pissed that Deb read him the riot act for involving himself in Justin and Brian’s life.


I got there in time to see Justin pretty much tell Brian there was a place in his life for Brian. Michael was standing across the street, once again watching Brian giving Justin the things Michael couldn’t get from Brian. I walked over to Michael, thinking maybe it was time to give Brian the chance to show Justin he was ready for the things Justin wanted, which wouldn’t happen with Michael being around.


“It won’t matter what you try, nothing will change that the two of them can’t seem to be without each other.” I tell Michael.


“I don’t get why Brian doesn’t care what Justin did before he left.” Michael tells me.


“It’s the same reason Justin doesn’t care what Brian did the whole time they knew each other. They both know they made mistakes, and are willing to leave them in the past and start anew. It’s one of the things you can’t seem to stop doing, and why the men in your life walk away. Would you rather live the rest of your life waiting for Brian, or looking for someone who can give you the things that you want in life.” I tell him.


“He acted like he didn’t care about Justin anymore. Things were going back to what it used to be like for Brian and me, until HE came along.” Michael says, walking away.


“If it wasn’t Justin, it still wasn’t going to be you.” I tell him.


Michael stiffened, then kept walking away. Justin and Brian came over when Michael was out of sight, and once again Brian proved he really likes Teddy.


“Since you're here, help me convince my CFO that he loves the company he helped me start.” Brian tells me.




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