-Justin pushed his way past the crowd of dancing bodies, hurrying to get as far away from the backroom as possible. Brian had set him up. He had planned for Justin to see him fucking Rage into oblivion against the backroom wall. He wanted to teach Justin a lesson for his secret romance with his 'dreamy-eyed school boy', as Brian had labelled him. He wanted to humilitate him. To show everybody that he was still 'Top-Dog.'

Because everything was always about Brian. Brian this, Brian that. Brian Brian Brian.

Well, Justin was having no part of it anymore. He was so over it. Over feeling unwanted. Over Brian denying their relationship. Over him being apparently indifferent to his feelings. If that's the way you want to play it, Kinney, then go ahead, Justin thought as he continued to make his way through the array of moving bodies. But you'll be playing the game with yourself, because I.am.done. If Brian wanted to teach Justin a lesson, then Justin wanted to teach Brian one too. Because he wasn't Brian's property to use as he saw fit.

Ethan entered the thumpa thumpa that was Babylon determindly. He had one goal and one goal only; convince Justin to stay in with him tonight, and every night after that. He wanted Justin in his home, in his bed. For it to become their home, and their bed.

He had made a mistake in telling Justin to leave the previous night. If he was honest, all he wanted was to have his muse back in his loving arms, forever. He just hoped he hadn't fucked it up completely between them. Hoped he wasn't too late.

Standing near the entrance, clutching in his hand the Rage mask he had been given upon entrance, Ethan scaned the room alive with glitter and lights for his Justin. At least, he hoped he would be his.

And. There. He. Was. Ethan felt his heart stop as his eyes met their target. Pushing his was through the mass of party-goers was his beautufil, wonderful Justin.

Justin's anger mellowed when he spotted a familiar, yet unexpected face. Ethan. Justin felt a smile instantly form across his face as he approached the romantic violinist. Ethan held a Rage mask up to his face, smirking at the blonde.

Ethan confessed to Justin that he couldn't practice as his mind had become completely engulfed with thoughts of him. He apologized for being an 'ass' the night before to which Justin rebuffed, shaking his head." I'm the ass", he admitted.

"You're not an ass", Ethan said seriously, placing his hand on Justin's pale face. "You're perfect." Justin gave him a small smile before their lips crashed together in a passionate kiss.

Brian exited the backroom immediately after he came. He didn't even wait for 'Rage' to turn around before he rushed out. Well aware that Justin had stormed out after seeing him fucking the trick's pretty great ass against the wall, Brian wanted to find him.

Not to apologize. He had meant for Justin to witness what he had. He had meant for him to get hurt by it, they way that he himself had been hurt. Even though he would never admit it. He wanted to show Justin that he didn't need him. Even if it wasn't true.

He wasn't really interested in the trick, despite his fairly hot ass. He was merely a device used to control Justin. Fucking him infront of Justin was only the first step in the plan. Finding Justin and getting him to dance with him like nothing happened was the second part. It was a way of saying, "you're mine."

But he hadn't been expecting Ian to show up and ruin his big plan. Spotting the jerk-off chatting to his sunshine, making him giggle, Brian froze. It didn't look like Justin was blowing him off. It looked like they were flirting. And man, was Brian jealous. And. Then. They. Kissed.

The fiddler opened his eyes and spotted Brian watching them. Justin turned his head to see what he was looking at, and his eyes met Brian's. He gave him a small, sad look that said 'goodbye', turned around and made his way to the exit with his arms around his new boyfriend.

Brian felt his heart rip apart at the last look Justin gave him as he left. Fuck. He had left him. He had really left him. Brian couldn't ever remember feeling the way he did now. A mix of horrible emotions. Heart ache. Abandonment. And remorse. Brian suddenly felt himself regretting his little stunt in the backroom. It wasn't fair to Justin. What did he expect him to do? Brian knew Justin was better than to just sit back and take shit from anyone. He just hadn't expected Justin to walk out on him infront of everybody.

Brian thought back to before he met the little twat. All that pointless, emotionless fucking, resulting in him sleeping alone anyway. Before Justin, he didn't know that there was anything else. He didn't know he was capable of having actual affection for someone he was fucking.

Justin was unlike anything he'd ever experienced. He was the best fuck he'd ever had, with his full lips, tight, bubble butt and impressive cock. But it wasn't just that. Justin had shown him what real hapiness was. A happiness He didn't even know existed.

Going back to the emptiness he knew before actually frightened Brian. He didn't want to go back to that. He couldn't go back to that. Especially not after he now knew something so much better. And he refused to loose it.

I am not about to become a fucking sad sack of shit, he decided, already heading towards the exit. Time to grow some balls, Kinney, he thought, making his way out into the night.

The young artist's with their arms around each other came into his sight immediately. The thought of giving up and returning to the party alone crossed his mind, but he quickly ignored it. Giving up now was not an option. Not for Brian. 

Taking a deep breath, Brian called out his one and only shot of happiness, "Justin!" 

Justin was glad to be going with Ethan. He was like a breath of fresh air. He had always felt so safe and wanted and loved with Ethan. He would love him and be uncomplicated. Everything would be simple. Everything would be easy.

Yet, his heart ached at the look he saw on Brian's face as he watched him leave. It was a look of...agony? Justin couldn't be sure, but he knew that Brian was hit with a pang of sadness when he walked out of Babylon and out of his life.

He hadn't managed to wrap his mind around the fact that after all this time, he and Brian were really over.

And then he heard his voice. Thinking he'd imagined it, Justin continued to walk away from the club in Ethan's arms, stopping when he heard Brian call his name a second time. It was real. Ethan looked at him with something he couldn't quite figure out as they slowly turned around to face the man that started it all.

Justin turned around after Brian had called out to him a second time. Then the fiddler and his sunshine just stood there and stared at him awkardly. Waiting for him to say something. Shit.

It was then that Brian realised that he had no idea what he wanted say. He was just going to make it up as he went, because there was no going back now.

Taking a couple steps towards the couple, Brian sighed. He lifted his eyes to meet Justin's. "Justin, Look...I-I...Shit. I know I've been a complete asshole lately-", he started, only to be rudely interupted by Ian.

"That was never a question", Ethan said flatly.

Brian returned the sentiment with a glare. Who did this guy think he was? But the look of distain dissolved from his face when his eyes met Justin's. With another sigh, Brian began speaking again, "Ah, Fuck...Justin, I-uh, I'm sorry. I'm sorry about being a complete and total ass face lately. I just...shit. I really am. I'm sorry", he confessed.

Justin shook his head ever so slightly. He could barely believe what he was hearing. Sorry was not Brian Kinney's style. But he seemed genuine.

"Justin", Brain continued, "I don't want to go back to the way I was before. I can't..."

Justin was stunned.  He didn't know what to make of that. Brian never opened up about anything. Never. "What can't you go back to Brian?", he asked surprising both Brian and Ethan. "Tell me", he urged.

Brian looked to the floor before he answered Justin's question. He took a deep breath and returned his gaze to search Justin's eyes for something. Anything. But what he saw, he couldn't decode. He didn't know what it was hiding in Justin's eyes. So he just answered him and hoped against hope that whatever he said would come out right.

"I can't go back... to the emptiness..." he said finally, looking down shyly. He almost blushed as he looked up again, seeing Justin's wide eyes watching him. Fuck it, he thought. All or nothing. "Look, Justin, I know you've become unhappy with me. I don't know when that started, but it did. And...I'm sorry for that. I am. All I want is for you to be happy. And if...if yo-you think that this penniless dreamy-eyed school kid do that for you, then...go. If you honestly believe that he can make you happy, the go home with him. I won't stop you. Because I'm not gonna stand in the way of your happiness. I don't want that", he admitted, stuttering slightly as he spoke.

Ethan's eyes grew wide as saucers. Wow. Where had that come from? Ethan would almost feel sorry for him, if Kinney wasn't such a shit. He eyed Justin carefully. What was he thinking? Kinney seemed serious. Was Justin buying into it?

Justin wanted to hug Brian. Tell him he didn't make him unhappy. But what would ethan think of that? He would definantly get the wrong idea. He knew Ethan could make him happy. Maybe. But he also knew that Brian could make him happy. Maybe. Because...because he already had made him happy. So what was he doing now? "Brian...", Justin began. But Brian wouldn't let him finish.

"But, if you let me, Justin, I-I think I could make you happy too. Way happier than he ever could...", Brian admitted. Ethan let out a little huff at that, which was ignored. "I thought you already knew that I...", he started, regretting beginning the sentence at all.

"I do know, Brian... I-I did.", Justin interjected. "Everything you do tells me how you feel about me. But that's become the problem. Because you've been a total shit. And that's made me feel like shit", he finished, making guilt rise up in Brian's body. Suddenly, Ethan felt like an incredible third wheel. He stood by uncomfortably, unsure of where exactly this was going.  

"It's really ha-hard for me to-to admit that I even have feelings. Even to my God damn self. Because I just can't...I just can't say it. I want to say it, but I..." Brian sputtered out.

"You don't have to say it, Brian", Justin said, taking Brian's struggle onboard. "I know you can't. And I know you never will", he finished, giving the handsome brunet a sad look. Justin looked just about ready to leave, when Brian grabbed onto his upper arm.

"I want to say it", he declared, peering into the beautiful blue eyes he had become to admire so much. Justin froze, his heart racing. Was this seriously happening? Time seemed to stop as silence took over.

Brian took in a deep breath. It was time. Time to really grow some balls.

"I... I love you Justin Taylor. In way way I didn't even know was possible", he said so quietly, it was only just audible. Justin's heart nearly leaped right out of his chest. Holy shit, he thought. Holy shit!

Ethan, in meantime, felt his heart sink. Looking at Justin and Brian gaze into each other's eyes, he knew that they had something incredible. Ethan wished he could have that with Justin. But he knew that his heart was already taken. That was the very reason that it could never work out between the two of them.

Silently, the young musician slipped away from the electric pair. But they were too enthralled in each other to notice. Taking one last, sad look at the magnificent that had managed to capture his heart in such a short time, Ethan turned the corner and didn't look back. It was time for hime to return to his music.

Justin stared at Brian, tears springing to his eyes. And then he flung himself into Brian's arms, frantically kissing his lips, face and jaw. Anywhere his lips could reach. Brian simply held onto his lover tightly.

"I love you, I love you, I love you", Justin chanted inbetween kisses, making Brian chuckle. After a couple of heavenly minutes, the two men pulled apart. It was only then that Brian noticed they were now alone.

"Where's your boyfriend?", he asked, looking around. Justin turned in Brian's arms. "Ethan! Shit!", he said, feeling a pit of guilt in his stomach as he looked around with Brian.

But feeling Brian's arms around him made the guilt easy to ignore. Justin looked up at his lover and said, "My boyfriend is standing right next to me." Brian laughed in response, rolling his eyes and gave Justin a peck on the lips. He looked at him with seriousness as he told him, "I'll be better. I'll prove it to you. I can make you happy."

Justin felt tears spring to his eyes once more at the unexpected, un-Brian-like sentiment. "I know", he said. And with that, the reconciled pair walked back into the party in each other's arms.

There was no going back now. Brian had said the three words no one even knew he was ever capable of. And he had meant every word.