Saturday morning Michael, Ben, Ted and Emmett sat in a booth at the Liberty Diner. They were ready for breakfast but were waiting for Brian.

"Where the fuck is he?" Ted griped. "I'm starving."

"He said he'd be here, so just wait," Michael said.

"We could order and then he could catch up," Ben suggested.

"No," Michael insisted. "He'll be here any minute."

"He only has coffee anyway," Emmett said.

"Yeah, he has to keep his girlish figure," Ted sniped.

"My figure's just fine," Brian said smacking Ted in the back of the head as he slid into the booth behind him. "It's your figure that needs some work." Brian planted his tongue firmly in his cheek.

"Why are you sitting back there?" Michael asked. "You can squeeze in here with Ben and me."

"Thanks for the offer but I'm waiting for someone," Brian said smugly.

"Who?" Michael demanded.

"Ah, here he is now," Brian grinned as they all looked at the door. Justin Taylor walked through it. He made his way towards them, his eyes never leaving Brian's.

"Hi, honey," he said giving Justin a big fat kiss.

"Brian, what the fuck are you doing with that six year old?" Michael demanded.

"That's another two years deducted from his age," Emmett observed. "That was very sweet, Brian. I didn't know you could be so romantic."

"There's lots of things you don't know about me," he said enigmatically pulling Justin into the booth with him so that they were facing the door and away from the group behind them.

"Briiiaaannn," Michael whined.

"Whaaaaat?" Brian whined back at him.

"Come sit with us. You don't need him."

"Michael, I'm sitting exactly where I want to sit," Brian said and began intently studying his menu.

"You know you're not going to order anything," Ted told him.

"Fuck you! Hey, Deb, I'll have an order of French toast and Sunshine will have..."

"Make it two, Deb," Justin grinned.

"Well, isn't this cozy," Emmett said turning to observe the twosome behind him.

"Very," Brian said pulling Justin closer.

"Jesus Christ, why don't you two get a room?" Michael chastised them.

"I have a room, a loft actually," Brian said in that condescending manner that he knew irritated the hell out of everybody. "And we just came from there," he added smugly.

Mouths dropped and lungs sucked in air in short gasps. What the fuck had happened to Brian Kinney? He must have let this kid stay all night and he was taking a trick to breakfast. The same thoughts rattled through each brain.

"I think we're about to be struck by lightning or an asteroid," Ted mused. "I'm sure the hand of God will appear out of the ceiling at any moment and smite us all dead."

"Melodramatic as ever, Theodore," Brian said without bothering to turn around and look at the bumbling guy behind him.

"What the fuck are you doing, Brian?" Michael demanded. "You were supposed to have breakfast with your friends and you bring a stranger with you and refuse to sit with us."

"Justin's not a stranger. I've gotten to know him really well," Brian said running his fingers through the short hair at the nape of Justin's neck. "Isn't that right, Sunshine?"

"I just bet you have," Ted threw in.

"Justin, honey," Emmett began, "a word of advice. Watch out for the big, bad wolf."

"And who might that be?" Brian asked with a frown.

"Not mentioning any names," Emmett said holding up his hands.

"I bet," Brian said. "You know, Sunshine, I think I've lost my appetite. Let's go home." He threw some money on the table.

"Sure," Justin said and they got up and walked out of the diner side by side, Brian holding the door for Justin as he passed through.

"What in God's green earth was that?" Ted asked.

"Was that really Brian Kinney that was just in here?" Emmett asked.

"And what is with this kid? Did Brian say 'let's go home'?" Michael asked stressing the word home.

"They seemed awfully tight," Ben offered.

"And since when does Brian fucking Kinney bring his tricks to breakfast?" Ted wanted to know.

"Something weird is going on," Michael observed shaking his head. He decided he should go speak to Brian right after breakfast.

Debbie arrived carrying two plates of French toast. "Where the fuck did they go?" she asked looking around.

"They left," Michael told her.

"I'll take one of those plates of French toast," Emmett said with his silly grin.

Debbie set it down in front of him. "Any takers on the other one?"

"I'll have it," Ted offered and dug in immediately.

"Could I have two eggs over easy and bacon?" Michael asked.

"Wheaties," Ben said.

"Um ... sure," Debbie replied. "Why did Brian and Justin leave?"

"Fuck if we know," Michael said. "I think that kid's a bad influence on Brian."

Ted and Emmett nearly spit out their French toast at that comment.

"According to Justin Brian's a very good influence on him," Debbie said as she went to put in the orders.

"Yeah, I can just see Brian influencing him to suck his cock harder and spread his legs farther," Ted said with a malicious grin.

"Or a million other sexy things," Emmett said with a wistful smile. "Every young gay boy should have such a teacher."

"I don't think the mother of every young gay boy would want that to be the case," Ted said.

"What wouldn't a gay boy's mother want to be the case?" Debbie asked as she returned and filled their coffee cups.

"Brian teaching their sons about sex," Ted supplied.

"They could do worse," Debbie said.

"Ma!" Michael objected.

"Well, it's true. Justin was telling me how kind and gentle Brian had been."

"Ewww," Ted said. "I wonder if the kid has any idea what kind and gentle really is?"

"That kid hasn't had an easy time of it," Debbie said nodding her head in a knowing fashion.

"Yeah, right," Ted griped. "I bet he has to tidy his room before the maid comes in to clean."

"That kid was kicked out by his parents when they found out he was gay, even after they knew he was HIV positive."

"Positive?" came the chorus of voices.

"Justin's positive?" Ben asked.

"That's right," Debbie stated. "I wasn't supposed to say anything, but I'm not going to let you criticize the poor kid."

"How did it happen?" Ben asked.

"He was raped ... the first guy he had sex with," Debbie revealed.

"Oh my God, Brian's with him!" Michael gasped.

"Just like you're with me," Ben said softly.

"No, not like I'm with you, not at all," Michael said. "I have to go talk to Brian." Michael was up and out of his seat before anyone could stop him. Ben went to get up to follow his boyfriend.

"Let him go," Debbie said. "Brian'll straighten him out."

"That'll be the day!" Ted snorted.

"You really should stop running Brian down. The day may come when you need his help." Debbie gave Ted a knowing look.

"Like he'd ever help me," Ted said.

"He didn't pull the plug on you," Emmett said.

"How is Justin coping with the HIV?" Ben asked Debbie.

"He's healthy right now and working to stay that way. He was pretty lonely until Brian took him under his wing." Ted snorted. "Cut that out," Debbie warned him.

"Does Brian know Justin is positive?" Emmett asked.

"Sunshine would never let anything happen without telling him. In fact," Debbie said, "Justin told me that Brian wanted him to tell everybody about his status."

"Is that when he told you?" Ben asked.

"Yeah," Debbie said, "he was upset, but I think it did him good to get it out in the open."

"I agree," Ben said and Debbie glanced at him in surprise. She didn't think there would be anything they'd agree on. "HIV can be very isolating," Ben continued. "It's kind of like being in limbo when people don't know. You wait and wait for them to turn away from you when they find out. Fear is a powerful thing. Once they know, it's like being free again. They can take you or leave you. You don't have that paralyzing fear waiting to find out what they'll do." Ben smiled enigmatically at the end of his little speech. Debbie knew he had been describing his own experiences.

"Did many people turn away, honey?" she asked.

"Yeah," was all he said.

"Well fuck 'em!" She smiled at Ben for the first time.

Ted and Emmett watched the interaction between Michael's mother and Michael's lover. They both remembered their conversation from a few days ago. Ted wondered if he had judged too fast. He was just speaking his concern for Michael's safety. Emmett wondered what Michael was going to say to Brian. They were both in the same boat.

-----~~~~~~~-----~~~~~~~-----~~~~~~~-----~~~~~~~-----~~~~~~~-----

The pounding on the loft door was very annoying. Brian knew it would be Michael and he deliberately made him wait. Finally he moved over to the door and yanked it open.

"Mikey," he said with mock surprise. "To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?"

"Let me in, asshole," Michael stated pushing past Brian.

"Certainly. Where are my manners?"

"Where is he?" Michael demanded.

"Who?" Brian asked not about to give Michael an inch.

"That fucking blond kid!"

"That fucking blond kid is at his apartment gathering up a few things. I'm picking him up in an hour and bringing him back here."

"He's moving in?" Michael asked in disbelief.

"Not in the traditional, conventional, society based definition of moving in, but he'll be here a lot."

"What the fuck does that mean?"

"I ... I like him, Mikey. I want him around ... for a long time."

"But he's just a kid and he has HIV," Michael pleaded.

"Ben has HIV. When are you two moving in together?"

"We've been talking about it," Michael admitted a little sheepishly.

"So, where do you get off telling me to dump Justin?"

"I wasn't telling you to dump him. Christ, you never have any kind of relationship that requires dumping someone."

"Well, this is different. It's not a relationship," Brian stated trying to maintain some of his credos. "I just like having him around."

"He must be one hell of a fuck," Michael tossed out.

"He is," Brian agreed knowing that would give Michael pause, "but that has only a little bit to do with why I want him here."

"You could get any hot guy you want," Michael said. "Why do you want him?"

"I don't know. I just do."

"Well, I don't like it."

"Sorry, Michael, but you don't get a vote."

Michael scowled. He was getting nowhere. "Are you still going to fuck other guys?"

"That's none of your business."

"How many are going to want to be with someone who's fucking a guy that's HIV positive?"

"I don't know and I don't care. Time for you to go, Mikey," Brian said grabbing Michael's arm and ushering him towards the still open door.

"But..."

"I gave you your say, Michael, and now it's over. I don't want to hear any more criticism of Justin. What he and I do is none of your business, and you can tell the others that too."

"But..."

The loft door slid across in front of Michael's face before he could protest anymore. He sighed and started down the stairs.

-----~~~~~~~-----~~~~~~~-----~~~~~~~-----~~~~~~~-----~~~~~~~-----

Brian pulled up in front of Justin's apartment building. He saw the young man standing in the doorway. He was very punctual. Somehow that pleased Brian. He leaned over and opened the door to the Jeep. Justin hopped in.

"You don't have much stuff," Brian observed looking at the gym bag Justin had with his belongings.

"I didn't want to be too presumptuous. I know I'm not moving in. I'm just staying at your place ... sometimes," Justin explained still a little baffled by Brian's proposal that had come so suddenly and went against everything he had been told about the man. He was just happy that Brian wanted him around at all.

"Like tonight?" Brian asked with his tongue in cheek.

"Like tonight," Justin said with a big smile. "Did you have your visitor while I was gone?"

Brian nodded. "Michael."

"You figured it would be him."

"Yeah, and he didn't let me down."

"He told you to get rid of me?" Justin asked with a frown. They had discussed the possible reactions to the bombshell they had dropped in the diner. "And what did you say?" Justin asked holding his breath.

"I told him I couldn't dump you when we didn't have a relationship."

"I see," Justin said frowning. That was what they had agreed, but he knew that he had really hoped that Brian would declare that they loved each other and that they did have a relationship.

Brian watched Justin's reaction out of the corner of his eye. He pretended to be concentrating on his driving.

"So they all know?" Justin asked changing the subject.

"Yeah. I told Michael that I didn't want to hear any more comments about it. If he could be with Ben, then I can be with you."

Justin wasn't sure how he felt about that comment. It sounded like he and Ben were no more than the disease they shared. It also sounded a little bit like a competition between Michael and Brian. He hoped that what he and Brian had was more than that.

They pulled into a parking space near the loft and they both got out. Justin carried his gym bag to the front door. "Here's a key I had made for you. There's one for the loft too," Brian said "Try it and make sure it works."

Justin flashed Brian one of those radiant smiles and Brian knew he had done the right thing having the keys made for ... he had thought boyfriend for a fleeting second ... for Justin. Justin opened the door and they rode the elevator up to the loft.

Brian told Justin to unlock the loft door with his key and they proceeded inside. "I cleaned out a drawer for your things," Brian said showing Justin which one. "There's room in the closet for anything you want to hang up. Take this side," Brian said indicating where Justin could hang his clothes.

"You're very organized," Justin observed.

"Some would say anal," Brian joked.

"Would they?" Justin teased.

"What say we christen the bed now that you're here?"

"We've been in that bed before, Brian," Justin said simply. "What's to christen?"

"I changed the sheets. You haven't slept on these yet."

"Am I going to get to sleep?" Justin asked with a giggle.

"Eventually," Brian replied with a smirk.

"Are you really okay with me being here, with the HIV and everything?"

"I wouldn't have asked you to come here if I didn't want you," Brian said answering Justin's question in a serious manner.

"And your friends?"

"They all know about us and about you being positive. That was the purpose of our visit to the diner this morning."

"How did you know Debbie would tell them? I asked her not to say anything."

"It's a Novotny trait. You better get used to it."

"I should. Why?"

"Now that you're part of our little family you'll be seeing a lot of Debbie and Michael and Ben and Ted and Emmett."

"That's a big family," Justin said thinking that he liked the sound of belonging. He hoped they all would accept him as time went on.

"Oh, and I'll have to introduce you to Melanie and Lindsay and my son, Gus."

"You have a son?" Justin gasped his eyes getting huge.

"I'll tell you all about it later, Sunshine. Right now I want to christen these sheets."

Brian grabbed Justin's hand and pulled him into a warm embrace their lips finding each other and fitting together perfectly.

Justin returned the kiss feeling all the doubt slide out of him. This was exactly where he wanted to be no matter what kind of weird terms they were doing it on. He loved this man with all his heart and he hoped someday Brian would be able to say the same to him. He could wait and he prayed he could make it happen.

Brian tumbled them onto the bed and Justin giggled in pure pleasure. Brian thought that was one of the nicest sounds he had ever heard. He didn't really understand what had possessed him to ask the boy to share his space ... sometimes, but he knew when Justin was in his arms that he had made the right decision.

He claimed the perfect lips and pushed all other thoughts of friends' displeasure, of HIV, of his fucking rules to live by far, far, away. Sunshine was there and he would live in the moment with a view to happier times ahead.