MICHAEL

Emmett left, saying he was hungry, and took Ted with him when I refused to go. I wanted to talk to Brian and secretly hoped to see Ben. After waiting for over an hour I left, but Emmett and Ted had already left the diner and Ma wasn’t there working either. I felt like everyone was abandoning me lately. Normally I could depend on Brian to tell me I’m not alone, but lately our friendship has been strained. I thought he’d be happy that I was willing to start seeing people, and that for once I’d listened and understood that friendship was all he could give me. I liked Ben, he didn’t act like my interest in comics was childish, and listened to me in a way my friends really didn’t. Only, I was stuck waiting around for him to show up, since he didn’t offer me a way to get a hold of him. Hell, I didn’t even know where he lived. I didn’t really know anything other than he didn’t have any family or friends in the area. 

I went into the diner, figuring I could distract myself from Ben, Brian, and everything else going on lately. I thought maybe I should go home, but since I didn’t have to work I stayed, hoping Brian might show up. Only the person who sat across from me wasn’t anyone I’d ever seen here before. He looked around like he’d rather be anywhere but here. He wasn’t really likely to have anyone pounce on him, since he looked like he would kick someones ass for looking at him the wrong way. It called to mind the word troll, in that the guy reminded me of a troll doll, on steroids. Only he stood next to my booth as if waiting for me to invite him to sit down.

“Can I help you?” I ask.

“I’m not really sure, I was wondering if you’d seen a… friend of mine around.” He asks, pushing his phone at me.

“Is he missing?” I ask.

“No. I heard he was around and hoped to catch up to him, but I heard he disappeared with your best friend.” He tells me.

“Brian normally takes guys to the loft.” I shrugged.

“I tried there, anywhere else he’d take Justin?” The guy asks.

“No… but if your worried about your friend, call him.” I say, not really liking the guy.

“It would just be easier if you could just point me in the right direction.” He tells me.

“Or I could call Brian and see if your friend is with him and let you talk to him.” I said, not planning to do it.

“It’s fine, I’m sure he’ll call me.” The guy says, getting up.

“Great, then let Brian know I said hi, or if I manage to find them first why not give me your name and I’ll mention it.” I tell him, as he left without answering. Strange?

I got up to go when my Ma came in, she kissed my cheek as usual but didn’t stop me when I left, planning to follow the guy. Only when I got out the door he’d disappeared. This was getting to be a theme in my life. I circled the block, planning on checking up on Ma, but stopped when I saw my Ben with the guy in the picture. What was it lately with blonds taking the guys in my life? I waited until they went into the diner and looked through the window, watching Ben treat the guy like he was special, and felt like an idiot once again for thinking Ben was different. I didn’t go in and cause a scene like I felt like doing, I just decided to go home. 

JUSTIN

Ben was waiting outside Brian’s loft when I left. I thought he would stay when he showed up with my laptop, but he handed it to me and left. He walked with me when I didn’t seem to want to go home, and for the first time I didn’t mind having someone around. I just didn’t want to talk about what was going on in my head. He stopped me when we reached the diner and my stomach growled. For the first time, even with everything going on in my head, I didn’t let it stop me from normal things like eating and wanting to go to sleep when we were done. For once I thought about how what I was doing to myself could affect someone else. I followed Ben to a booth and smiled at the waitress. I was starting to wonder if she ever went home. Something that in my past wouldn’t have registered to me. It was what Ben said, I was waking up. I couldn’t help but smile up at the woman who was perky at three in the morning.

“I wondered where you’ve been, but maybe you’ve just been busy.” She says, smiling at me and Ben.

“We’re not… um... he’s just... “ Ben seems at a loss.

“He’s my very older brother.” I say jokingly, kind of enjoying Ben at a loss for words, usually it’s me.

“Okay, so what can I get you?” She says, shrugging.

“He’ll have…” Ben doesn’t get to finish.

“Eggs, toast, bacon, hashbrowns with everything?” She asks me.

“Um, sure?” I say, wondering how she seemed to remember the one time I did order.

“Oatmeal and wheat toast?” She asks Ben.

“Do you remember everything?” I ask.

“I remember everyone who comes through the door, Sweetie. You I remember because I was worried about you.” She tells me.

“Why?” Ben asks when I don’t.

“It just seemed like he attracted attention when he didn’t really want any. Which, as cute as he is, would be normal.” She says, smiling at me.

“What wasn’t normal?” I ask.

“Honey, when you been serving in this joint for as many years as I have you know when people aren’t here because they came for the food or the colorful clientele. Of course it could be the questions they asked, not only about you, but about my boys. They learned fast how little anyone would tell them.” She smiled.

“Why?” I asked.

“Because no one messes with my boys, and Brian understood I wanted him to watch out for you. Which makes you one of my boys.” She says, walking off.

“How many times did you come here?” Ben asks.

“Twice.” I tell him, as she showed back up with orange juice for both of us.

“I’d get you coffee, but Sweetheart, you need to sleep. I don’t like the bags under your eyes.” She says, running her hand down my cheek. 

“I’ll sleep after we leave.” I tell her, wondering if this was what having a mother felt like.

She sat next to me, looking at me for a minute. “I’m here if you need help.” She says, before getting up and getting our food.

I sat there not understanding why she would care about me.

“There’s a world full of assholes, Justin. Sometimes you’re lucky when you meet the ones that aren’t. Don’t overthink it.” Ben tells me.

BRIAN

Michael showed up first thing in the morning, looking like someone killed Captain Astro again. I didn’t want to ask, instead I offered to take him to breakfast. He was so quiet I started to worry about him. Mikey was many things but quiet wasn’t one of them. Ted and Emmett were waiting around for us. Deb shook her head at me, when I wanted to tell her to go home.

“Brian, my friend said you need to stop by today.” Emmett tells me.

“Tell him I will after I talk to Ryder.” I tell him.

“Michael, what’s up with you?” Deb asks, as Michael has stayed silent the whole time.

“Nothing.” Was all he would say.

“Ted, you busy today?” I ask, ignoring Mikey.

“Not really.” Ted says, looking between Mikey and me. Probably wondering why I wasn’t trying to make Mikey spill about what was bothering him.

“I need your opinion on an investment, can you take the day off?” I ask.

“I doubt anyone would notice I was missing anyway.” Ted shrugs, which meant they were idiots for not seeing what they had in Ted.

“Is anyone going to ask me what’s wrong?” Mikey asks, when Deb was the only one who bothered.

“I did son.” Deb answers, rolling her eyes.

“They’re all talking about something else.” Mikey points out.

“Michael, what’s wrong?” Emmett says sarcastically.

“Nothing.” Mikey says, plowing into his breakfast.

“Great. How about we head out Ted.” I say, not planning to prod Mikey when I have other, more important things to do.

“I saw Ben with another guy this morning.” Mikey blurts out.

“Where?” I ask.

“Here. Which reminds me, there was some guy looking for the guy you took off with, which was the same guy Ben showed up here with.” Mikey seems to want to announce this to the whole diner.

“They were brothers. Jesus Michael, stop trying to make everything into something.” Deb says, irritated.

“They couldn’t be, since Ben said he didn’t have any family around here. Brian should know since he was with the guy last night too.” Mikey argues.

“Brian was just looking out for him because I asked him to, Michael.” Deb tells him.

“What’s so fucking important that everyone is running around asking about him?” Mikey mumbles.

“Who?” I ask.

“Just a couple of guys, they all think he’s up for grabs when your through with him.” Emmett tells me.

“This guy didn’t act like he was looking to screw the guy, but he was really interested in where he went.” Mikey tells me.

“Did he tell you who he was?” I ask.

“No, he took off when I suggested calling you so he could talk to the guy. I tried to follow him but ended up stopping when I couldn’t find him, only to see Ben with the man of the hour.” Mikey tells me.

“What did he look like?” I asked.

“Reminded me of a troll doll, only built. Which has me worried about what the guy Justin is into. I know you told me to stay out of it, but this Justin sounds like trouble.” Mikey says, worried.

It wasn’t Julian, since the picture I saw would have had Mikey describing him differently. I needed to make sure Mikey didn’t accidently get his ass involved in this. I cared about him, just not the way I cared about Justin.

“He’s important to me, and I know what I’m involved in. If anyone you don’t know asks anything, don’t give them any information.” I tell him.

“I make sure the rest know to close ranks.” Deb tells me, leaning down to whisper in my ear. “I like him, don’t screw it up.” She said, kissing me on the cheek.

“Ready to go Theodore?” I ask.

TED

I woke up this morning dreading going to work. And now stood in the lobby of Ryder as Brian apparently quit his job, and wasn’t even worried that he was now unemployed. He went into his office with Cynthia, when they came out minutes later, whatever he said to her had her skipping to her desk.

“I’ll take care of my resignation after you call me.” She says, smiling.

Once again I was following Brian, who should have been freaking out but was calm and ignored Ryder, who practically ran after Brian, saying he’d lose the deal if Brian did this. Brian didn’t even stop until we were standing in the elevator with Ryder practically pleading with Brian not to quit.

“Brian, Gardner will walk away. He specified you had to be part of the deal.” Ryder tells him, holding the door.

“I’m not yours to bargain with. Although I should thank you, since you didn’t bother to do what you should have and make me a partner. It made it easier to walk away and show you why you should have.” Brian tells him. Which had Ryder letting go of the door and looking worried.

“What are you planning?” I ask when we were in the car.

“Good question Theodore. How would you like to tell your boss where to go?” Brian says, as if I had hundreds of better job offers.

“I’d love to, but then I’d be unemployed.” I tell Brian, starting to worry about him.

“No, you’d be CFO of our new venture. Time to get out of the rut you live in. So what do you say, want to see what we can do?” Brian asks me.

“Only if you tell me what you’re talking about.” I tell him. Hating the idea that I couldn’t get out of the bullshit job I boxed myself into because I’m not willing to take risks.

“I was offered backing to open my own business. I’m offering you a chance to come play with me.” Brian tells me.

I was standing on a cliff, knowing if I jumped off with Brian I’d finally get what it was like to risk everything. Safety was suddenly overrated when Brian Kinney was holding his hand out to offer an adventure I’d likely never get if I didn’t leap with him.

“Can we stop by my office so I can get my stuff?” Was my answer.

BEN

Julian sat at his desk, looking ready to commit murder. Something I only noticed because he was gripping his pen hard enough to snap it as he seemed to get more news that said he wouldn’t get what he wanted. I sat outside his office as he questioned the guy, Ames, who normally followed Justin and found out Justin seemed to vanish in thin air last night.  

When I went in I had to pretend like I didn’t care the guy ran into Michael. But it was easier when the guy said Michael was clueless about Justin. Julian looked to me, and I shrugged since the plan was that Brian didn’t know anything about my time with Michael. 

“Where were you all night?” Julian asks.

“I saw Michael with Brian and went home.” I tell him.

“You could have stayed and found out where Brian and Justin went.” Ames says, trying to shift the blame on me for him losing Justin last night.

“My job is to watch him when he’s home, and it’s more time than I want to have to spend chasing the little shit around.” I tell him, as Julian answers his phone.

“Ames, don’t fuck up again.” Julian tells him, waving him out and putting the phone on speaker.

“Brian Kinney just quit this morning.” The guy tells Julian. 

“What do you mean he quit? Gardner, you had one job and it was to get him to take the deal.” Julian says, not even concealing his anger.

“Julian, I offered him everything you told me to offer. It’s not my fault you were wrong about Brian Kinney.” Gardner says, sounding scared as shit on the speaker.

“Apparently you and your buddy Ryder were wrong thinking he’d jump at the chance Ryder didn’t offer him years ago. Which means Ryder’s at fault for screwing this up, do you understand me? Let Ryder know what he’ll lose by Brian walking away. I’ll make sure he loses the rest for being wrong.” Julian warns.

“I agree, and feel I did my part when you asked.” Gardner says, sounding more confident.

“Really? You obviously didn’t sell what I asked you to, which means saying good-bye to the life you sold yourself for. Since you failed, hopefully your wife can overlook the bastard you failed to protect yourself from.” Julian says, hanging up the phone.

“Why the hell are you doing all this over Justin?” I ask.

“That’s really none of your business.” He says, looking annoyed at me.

“You have a whole department that does what he does. I’m asking because you’ve never acted like this about anyone.” I tell him, trying to sound jealous.

“Are you worried about your place in my life, or your job?” He asks.

“I’m worried because you’re acting like this thing with Brian is a big deal. Brian is likely just having fun, because it’s what he does. I spent time with his friend, and the general word on the street is that Justin hasn’t put out yet, so Brian is still interested. So I don’t get why you’re acting like it will screw up something for you.” I tell him, praying I didn’t overplay it for Julian.

“Lucky for me Justin doesn’t know what it is.” Julian says, and for the first time he sounded worried.

“I’ll go see if I can get him to say more than two words.” I tell Julian, knowing Justin was in more trouble than we knew about.