Cat and Mouse

Part 6

Justin finished watching 'Don Juan de Marco' and switched off the DVD. It was a strange little movie, typical of the rather weird and offbeat type of thing that Johnny Depp tended to make. He wondered why he had even bothered to watch it. Brian had told him to fuck off. He should have just returned the movie to the rental place as soon as Brian walked away. But he had wanted to know what would intrigue Brian about this movie. He hoped it would tell him more about the man.

Now that he had watched it, he was none the wiser about why Brian was interested in it. It was okay, but nothing that spectacular. He liked the way Johnny Depp portrayed Don Juan. He could believe him as the greatest lover of all time. He was supposed to believe that Depp's character really was Don Juan, and in the movie that certainly was how Depp played the part. However, the character was being treated for mental illness. Justin remembered that Brian's question had been about whether Depp really was Don Juan in the movie. Justin thought about that as he snapped the DVD into its case. He wasn't sure he had the answer.

But what difference did it make now? There would be no discussion with Brian about the film. He couldn't win his dinner with the man. He had actually been looking forward to that. But it was all over now.

He dropped the movie into his messenger bag as he heard Daphne unlock the door to their apartment.

"Hey," he called.

"What are you doing home so early? I thought you had some meeting tonight."

"It didn't work out," Justin said cautiously.

"What happened?"

"Um … nothing. It's not important."

"When you say it's not important, it usually is."

"Can we just forget it?"

"I don't think so," Daphne said looking Justin up and down. "Does this have something to do with Brian Kinney?"

"Why … why would you say that?"

"Just a lucky guess, and I can tell I'm right by the look on your face."

Justin scowled. When Daphne got a bee in her bonnet there was no distracting her. He'd either have to admit what had happened or risk her wrath by locking himself in his room.

"Make some popcorn and I'll tell you all about it," Justin said with a sigh.

Sharing a bag of microwave popcorn, the two sat on the sofa. Daphne waited for Justin to spit out what was wrong, but as the minutes wore on, she knew she would have to do some prodding.

"What did he do to scare you this time?" she asked.

"I'm not scared."

Daphne rolled her eyes and sighed. "Tell me what the fuck happened."

"I met Brian in the movie rental store yesterday," Justin began.

"He rents movies?"

"Yes, is that so weird?"

"Well, you have to admit that with his reputation, you would hardly think he had time for anything except fucking."

Justin chuckled. "That's true, but I've been meeting him in the strangest places."

"Oh, like where?"

"In the bookstore. We had a little chat about books."

"He has time to read?"

"He must. He said he was rereading 'Atlas Shrugged'. That's not a book people usually pick out of thin air."

"That's true," Daphne admitted with a frown.

"I even tried to trick him by asking if he thought the author had written homosexual undertones in his story."

"Isn't it written by a woman?" Daphne asked.

"Exactly, and he knew that."

"Fuck me!" she replied with a bit of wonder in her voice.

"I don't think he'll be doing that, but he sure seemed to want to fuck me this evening."

"Justin, I keep telling you that he wants to fuck you every time he sees you."

"I know, and I'd like him to, but it's what comes after, that's the problem."

Daphne let out another long sigh. She understood Justin's fear of being abandoned or cast off. She just wished he could get over it.

"So, dish, tell me about this movie rental tryst."

"I thought I'd like to watch 'Elf'. You know, I told you I was feeling a little homesick."

"You're going to Cape Cod in a couple of days."

"I know, but that's how I felt," Justin said feeling a little defensive about admitting he was homesick.

"So what happened?"

"I bumped into Brian in one of the aisles."

"And…"

"I accused him of stalking me," Justin giggled.

"You didn't? I didn't think you had that in you."

"Neither did I, but he said he couldn't be stalking me when he was there first."

"That is true."

"So what? I was taken by surprise. I had to think of something to say."

"So what happened? Christ, Justin, this is like pulling teeth."

"He was renting 'Don Juan de Marco'. I asked about it and he asked about 'Elf'. One thing led to another and he said we should each watch our movie and meet today to discuss them and switch movies."

"Fuck! Like a date?"

"Kind of," Justin admitted.

"I didn't think he did dates."

"According to everybody, he doesn't, but that's what he said. Then when I met him today, he said he would take me to dinner if I could tell him whether Johnny Depp in the movie was really Don Juan."

"Shit! That sounds easy enough."

"Not so easy. I'll show you the movie and you'll see why."

"But this is good. Why do you look so sad?"

"You haven't heard it all."

"You ran away from him again, didn't you?"

"No, I fucking did not."

"Then what did you do?"

"Why is it always that I have to have done something?"

Daphne rolled her eyes again. "You don't really want me to answer that, do you?"

"All right, all right," Justin gave in. "He wanted me to go back to his loft to watch the movies together."

"And you refused."

"I … I just couldn't, Daph. I need to feel more secure with him before I do something like that."

"I seriously doubt that you will ever feel secure with a man like Brian Kinney. Hell, that's half his attraction."

Justin's eyebrows shot up. "How would you know that?"

"He's a man, he's gorgeous, I know."

Justin shook his head. "I'll never understand women."

"You don't have to; you're gay."

"But I live with you."

"Point taken," Daphne giggled. "So get on with what happened."

"We sat in the park and talked a bit. He … he told me I was attractive."

Daphne smirked. "I told you so."

"And then I told him he was an enigma. I said he scared me."

"You fucking told him that!"

"It's pretty obvious, so why deny it?"

"What did he say?"

"He admitted he was using the movie as a ploy to get me to his loft."

"He didn't!"

"Oh yeah, and you wonder why I'm afraid of him. He's so fucking … brazen. He doesn't care about anyone but himself."

"He seems to care about you," Daphne observed.

"He doesn't care about me," Justin protested.

"Because he doesn't say it, doesn't mean he doesn't feel it."

"And he's so fucking arrogant."

"He has reason to be. Anyone who looks like him, and is successful like he is, and a great fuck to boot. Well…"

"He's just a user. He may want me sexually, but once he's used me, he'll just throw me away."

"You can't be sure of that. I think you're a very special person and maybe he does too. He spent all that time with you this afternoon, and you didn't fuck."

"We kissed." Justin felt himself blush.

"In the park?"

"It was so fucking hot, Daph! I was hard as a rock and so was he. His kisses are like nothing I've ever felt before."

"And you are too timid to go any farther. You're an idiot, Taylor!"

"I know," Justin said shaking his head. "He's so relentless, so stubborn," Justin said returning to the litany of Brian's many faults.

"You might say he knows what he wants and he goes after it, unlike someone I know." She stared pointedly at Justin.

"I can't help it. He keeps me somehow locked on the outside of him. I can't get in. And I can't be with someone that I don't know and don't trust. I think he keeps everything inside. He doesn't let anyone in … except maybe that Michael who has known him so long. I think he's like that with everyone."

"Maybe he has good reason, Justin. Maybe he was hurt somewhere along the line, and he's learned not to reveal too much about himself to people. That gives them power to hurt you."

"And not telling me his intentions gives him power to hurt me when I find out that all he wants is a fuck."

"Sounds like you two are really at an impasse."

"That's exactly what he said, just before he told me to fuck off."

"He said that?"

"After the kiss he started dragging me towards his loft. When I stopped him, he told me we were at an impasse and then … he told me to fuck off."

"What have you done, Justin? You may have blown it with this great looking guy."

"Looks are one thing, but a heart is also important."

"I'm sure Brian has a heart."

"Well, I'm not," Justin declared.

"You're too hard on him. You have faults too."

"Thanks a heap! I thought you were my friend. When did you become the defender of the holy church of Brian Kinney?"

"He's not holy by any stretch of the imagination," Daphne giggled.

"You can say that again."

"He's not holy…"

"Shut up!"

"I'll shut up if you promise to give Brian one more chance."

"Why should I? It'll only end up the same way."

"It could be different, but maybe you need to give a little if he's willing to do the same."

"He'll never change. I'm not sure I'd know what to do if he did."

"I bet he'd know what to do."

Justin blushed. "Yeah, he's had lots of practice."

"What if you take the movie back to him," Daphne suggested. "That could be the icebreaker to get you two talking again."

"I can't just go to his loft and hand him the movie."

"Why not?"

"Fuck, Daph! I just can't."

Daphne let out a long suffering sigh. "Maybe if we keep the movie for a few months and let the late fees build up, Brian will come here to get it back."

"You mean hold the movie for ransom?" Justin chuckled. "You are evil."

"If his credit card bill gets too huge, he'll have to do something about it eventually."

"He has plenty of money. I'll be a hundred and two before he owes enough money to get his attention."

"You are impossible, Justin Taylor! We'll just have to figure out something else to get you two back together."

"We were never together, and it's fucking too late! I'm going to bed."

Daphne watched Justin walk away towards his bedroom. More than anything she wanted him to be happy. He deserved some happiness in his life. She was somehow sure that Brian Kinney could provide that, if only Justin would stop being such a little mouse and Brian would stop coming on to him like the predatory cat he was. She was going to have to take matters into her own hands.

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Brian leaned against the wall in the backroom of Babylon. His dick was in some guy's mouth, but he was thinking about a certain blond and wishing it was Justin's mouth around his cock. He thrust into the willing orifice and finally came with a gasp. He shoved the man away and zipped up.

"Asshole," the guy called as Brian walked away.

The backroom was getting old, the tricks older. He needed something different. His thoughts immediately turned to Justin Taylor.

"I am such a wuss," he mumbled to himself. He was turning into a goddam lesbian.

"Hey, Brian," Michael said following Brian to the bar.

"Hey, Mikey."

Brian signaled for a beer. He got one for Michael as well.

"You don't look too happy," Michael observed. "Unsuccessful in the backroom?"

"I'm successful at everything I do, backroom or boardroom."

"Of course," Michael grinned at his friend. "So what's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong," Brian stated. He couldn't tell his best friend that he was longing or pining or obsessed or … whatever the fuck he was feeling for Justin Taylor. He usually never felt anything and that suited him fine. He hated all this emotional crap. He didn't do emotions. He wished he could figure out why that didn't seem to apply to the blond waiter.

Michael looked at Brian. Something was definitely different. For the last couple of weeks Brian had not been himself. "You can tell me, you know. I can keep a secret."

Brian raised his eyebrows but didn't make the comment that was on the tip of his tongue. Michael could not keep any kind of secret. His mother would usually be the first to know, and then Emmett and now this new professor boyfriend.

"I said it's nothing," Brian repeated using a tone that he knew would shut Michael up.

"Maybe you need a change in your life," Michael said to him. "You're awfully cranky these days."

"I can fucking be cranky if I fucking want to."

"See what I mean. I'm just trying to help."

"Then come dance with me," Brian said taking a bump and offering one to Michael.

He dragged Michael out onto the dance floor. If he couldn't have Justin Taylor, there was always Michael to play with and plenty of willing mouths and asses to fulfill his other needs. He could forget Justin Taylor if he put his mind to it.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Brian pulled up to the loft climbing out of his Jeep and grabbing his briefcase from the back seat. He was fucking tired. Ryder had been all over his ass all day wanting everything done ten seconds after he mentioned it. Brian stretched and moved his head back and forth trying to get the kinks out of his neck. He definitely needed to go to Babylon.

Dusk was falling as he crossed the street to the front door of his building. In the failing light he could see someone standing on the front step. It was a woman and she looked familiar. He searched his brain as he advanced trying to remember who she was or where he had seen her before. As he approached he recognized the mocha skin and shiny dark eyes and curly hair.

"It's the fair damsel, Daphne, I believe."

Daphne giggled and smiled at Brian. "You remember me," she said obviously pleased.

"I never forget a pretty face. What are you doing here?"

"I came to see you. We need to talk."

"We do?" Brian frowned. "What about?"

"I think you know. Do you want to do it here on the street or are you going to invite me up?"

"Maybe we don't need to do this at all," Brian replied realizing that she had to be there about Justin. He didn't want to discuss that with anyone.

"Brian, don't be more of a dickhead than he already thinks you are," Daphne cautioned.

"Charming," Brian snarled.

"You know I'm right and you need to hear this."

"I guess I don't have much of a choice," Brian replied. "Come on up." Brian knew he did have a choice. He could always tell Daphne to get lost and go inside without her. But some part of him wanted to hear what she had to say. There must be something important about Justin or she wouldn't be there.

He unlocked the door and they rode up in the elevator enveloped in silence. Brian pulled the loft door back and waved for Daphne to enter. She looked around the loft, very impressed with the cool sophistication and obvious quality of everything she saw there. Brian pulled the door closed and turned to face his unexpected guest.

"So what do you want to say to me?"

"I'm here to tell you how to get Justin Taylor if you want him. And you will have to do some hard work if that's the case. If it isn't, then I want you to stay the fuck away from him."

Brian opened his mouth to respond, and then shut it abruptly. Maybe he better listen to what she had to say.