JUSTIN

Brian and I went to Babylon, because I wanted to see it. Emmett and Ted agreed to meet us. Brian and I danced until they arrived, it was different than before, because anytime someone tried to break in, they got the Kinney ‘fuck off’.  After the fifth one, I suggested we get a drink, because it seem to be pissing him off, even when it was him they were trying for. Brian told me to order while he talked to the manager. Emmett came over when Ted followed Brian up the stairs. We were looking around at the guys, not really ready to dance yet.

“You're here five minutes and already have guys eyeing you.” Emmett tells me, nodding at a guy across the dance floor.

“Not anyone I want.” I tell him.

“Are you and Brian still open?” He asks.

“It's not something we’ve said was closed. I like variety sometimes, but not right now. “ I tell him.

“Do you think Brian is ready for it to be just you and him?” He asks.

“It's his decision. My only stipulations are not in my face or our bed.” I tell him.

“How does it not bother you?” He asks.

“I know they mean nothing to him. If he wants to stop he will, but it's something he has to decide that he wants.” I tell him.

“It might be decided sooner than you think.” Emmett tells me, looking up.

I look up to see Brian standing on the catwalk with Ted, scowling at the guy staring at me. I laughed when a hot number tried to get Brian’s attention, which had him looking annoyed that I didn’t run up there. Brian looked at the one who rubbed himself against him, trying to run his hands down Brian's chest. Brian shook his head and pushed the guy at another guy standing behind him, then glared at the one staring in my direction.

“This guy must be part of the new crowd. It's the first time I've seen anyone challenge Brian’s glare.” Emmett tells me.

The guy walks straight to me, not caring when his friends were shaking their heads to get him to stop. He had preppy playboy written all over him as he eyed me up and down.

“Want to dance?” He leered.

“I'm sure he does, but not with you.” Brian tells him, grabbing my hand and taking me out to dance again.

“Is there something bothering you?” I ask, kissing his chin.

“How hard is it for these assholes to see you came with me?” He asks.

“It's no different than when we used to come here.” I remind him.

“It's different now, Justin.” He stares at me.

“Why?” I ask.

“I never wanted to kill the fuckers who think you're available.” He growls.

“I'm not.” I tell him, making him smile.

“Neither am I.” He tells me.

“What are you saying?” I ask.

“Unless we agree we want to play together, it's only us.” He tells me.

“If it happens when we're not together then we tell each other, no harm or foul. I would love to be monogamous, but it was never a requirement.” I tell him.

“For now just assume it's what we are, because I'm not sharing you.” He tells me, glaring at someone behind me.

“Are you jealous? Because no one will ever be you, for me.” I tell him.

“Here's a secret, with you, I do jealousy.” He whispers in my ear.

“Here's a better secret, I only love you.” I whisper, kissing him.

EMMETT

“I think Justin needs to re-evaluate the Kinney Operating Manual.” I tell Teddy.

“Apparently there are new amendment he needs Justin to insert in the old one.” Teddy tells me.

“I think they were there, but Justin didn’t know.” I tell him.

“Hey guys, I heard you were packing up Boy Wonder.” Michael says, standing next to us.

“Michael, leave Justin alone.” Teddy warns him.

“What?” Michael asks, distractedly looking across to the other bar.

“Do everyone a favor and let Brian decide his life without your opinion.” I tell him.

“What the fuck is he doing?” Michael asks, and I realized he wasn't even looking at Justin or Brian. They were walking towards us, lost in their own world.

Michael took off into the crowd, and all of us watched as he argued with the guy who hit on Justin. Which apparently Michael didn’t see.

“What’s wrong with Michael?” Justin asks, when Michael and the guy started arguing louder.

“Not sure, but we don't need a fight, and the guy to the left looks like he's waiting for a reason to start one.” Sean, the bartender said, handing Brian and Justin drinks.

“Who is that?” I ask.

“Byron William, he comes in occasionally to trick, but in the last week Michael’s been following him around.” Sean tells us.

“If they start a fight, call it in.” Brian tells Sean. “Justin’s stomach is going off, time to feed him.” Brian tells us.

We followed them out, seeing new pages that seem to leave Michael to handle his own problems. At the diner, Deb pointed to a booth, while running like a crazy woman. Justin kissed Brian and went to help her, and told us he’d place our orders. Brian watched as Justin started serving everyone, almost getting up when a guy tried to grab Justin.

“He learned the art of evade when he worked here.” Teddy tells Brian.

“They need to learn to stop thinking he's part of the menu.” Brian tells us, not taking his eyes off Justin.

Deb sits down next to Brian, laughing at him when we all heard the growl when a guy tried to slip a number in Justin’s pocket. “Brian, let it go, they can't help it when they see Sunshine.” Deb tells him. “Any of you talk to Michael lately?” She asks us.

“We all just got back, so we haven't seen him. Which now that I think about it, is odd.” I tell her.

“He's been a bit busy, finding out that maybe what Justin was dealing with wasn’t a cakewalk.” She tells us.

Brian moved Deb to go get Justin when someone got a little to frisky with the blond.

“What's up? I need a little gossip.” I tell her.

“He thinks some guy he's been chasing is the one. Only I don't think the guy is interested in more than a good time. Michael brought this guy Byron in with him the other night, fawning all over him, then chased the guy out the door when he left with another guy. All I know is, he hasn’t asked about Brian for days.” She tells us.

“That would make it easier on Justin and Brian. Since it seems Mr Kinney doesn’t plan to play the field now that Justin’s back.” I tell her.

“I guess he figured out he loved Justin.” Teddy tells us.

“He's known for quite a while, he just couldn't say when he had the chance the first time.” Deb tells us.

“Why do you say that?” I ask.

“When I told him one night that he loved Justin, he didn’t deny it.” She tells me, getting up to get the order for another table.

“He isn’t denying it now.” I smiled when Brian kissed Justin in front of everyone.

Michael came in looking upset, but passed Brian and Justin, not even noticing them, and sat down pouting. Teddy looked at me, silently asking if we really want to know. I shrugged because we will sooner or later, Michael doesn’t suffer alone. Michael looked at Brian and Justin, rolling his eyes at Brian following Justin around. Brian got Justin’s food while Justin was bringing ours, shoving Michael over and sitting down, before pulling Justin in.

“Do I want to know?” Brian asks him.

“I'm tired of ‘Mr Best Friend’ telling me I'm just a trick when I know it's more.” Michael tells him, causing Justin to choke on his drink.

Brian ignored Michael, checking on Justin before asking what Michael was talking about.

“I went to the place David used to take me to meet up with his friends, and bumped into Byron William, an old friend of David's. We’ve been sort of seeing each other, but his friend Jeff seems to think he has a say in everything Byron does. He keeps warning me off and telling me Byron isn’t interested in me, like he owns Byron. Byron treats me like crap when Jeff makes comments about me always being around. What’s worse is Byron takes off anytime Jeff calls, like it’s some emergency. ” Michael complains.

“Sounds familiar.” Justin whispered, then got up. “I need to get stuff done. Later.” Justin tells us, getting up to leave, with Brian trying to follow.

“Brian, help me out. This is bullshit but then all his friends are siding with that asshole Jeff.” Michael tells him, grabbing his arm, Justin snorted and walked out, leaving Brian to decide where he wanted to be.

It really wasn’t much of choice for Brian, listening to Michael or being with Justin. “Later Mikey, Justin and I had plans.” Brian tells him, pulling Michael’s hand off him and stopping long enough to grab the bag Deb held out for him. “Thanks, Ma.” Brian kissed her cheek when he looked in the bag.

Ted and I got up, deciding Michael could learn something about what it was like to be Justin. We already had front row seats to the original of that show, and Michael just couldn’t do the part of Justin any justice.

“Where is everyone going?” Michael asks.

I didn’t have time to answer, because Ted took off after looking out the window. I followed him to see where he was going. I got out in time to see Ted catch up to a guy and let myself feel a moment of jealousy, but overall happiness, when Blake looked just as happy to see Ted standing in front of him. I looked up to the sky and said a little prayer to Judy that it would work for Teddy this time, adding could she maybe see her way clear to helping her fairy godson out too.

BRIAN

I got back to the loft to find Justin putting things up in the bedroom before a box fell off the shelf he was putting some things on. I wanted to snatch the box, but didn’t because Justin needed to see he wasn’t a forgotten memory in my world. He pulled out the scarf, holding it on his lap, then looked through pictures he didn’t know I kept of us. He held my ticket to Vermont in his hand, staring into the box.

“I think back sometimes on things that could have changed the things I did. Weirdly enough, it wasn’t Vermont that upset me the most. It was the picnic you dismissed, but I never really connected that it was also when Ben got sick. I kept seeing it as more proof that Michael had parts of you I didn’t. I believed you cared, never doubt that, but Michael had a bigger hold on your heart.” He tells me.

“What do you think now?” I ask.

“That you were having to juggle a fourteen year friendship against a kid you barely knew.” He tells me.

“You didn’t need me the way Michael did, you were always one step ahead of me. It’s wasn’t easy thinking one day you were going to figure out I wasn’t the man everyone thought I was. I never wanted to see you look at me and be puzzled by why you ever wanted me in the first place. There were so many things I did that should have had you walking away, but you didn’t. The night you finally did, it wasn’t a mistake that you saw me. I wanted you to go and get the relationship you wanted.” I tell him.

“You’ve been the one person I always saw being with for the rest of my life.” He tells me, as he reached up, kissing me.

“Then, be my Partner, in everything.” I tell him.