Brandon followed a giggling Justin and Emmett into Babylon, praying that Brian didn’t kill anyone. He probably would have had a chance if Emmett hadn’t offered shots of courage when Justin backed away from Emmett’s club wear. Brandon vetoed a few, since while enjoying the view of Emmett and Justin in shorts that didn’t leave a lot to be guessed at, he didn’t plan on doing riot control tonight. Which the outfit they picked might still have him doing for both of them. Emmett put skin tight hip hugger black leather pants on Justin, then topped it with a half tee that Emmett got a friend to write ‘I’d fuck me’ across as a joke, since he’d heard Brian say it in the past. Emmett threw glitter on both of them after applying liner on Justin which made it hard to not stare at Justin’s eyes. 

Brandon wanted to laugh as each text from Brian wanted to know if Emmett and Brandon planned to bring Justin back or keep him. Brandon sat wondering how Michael was going to take all his plans and little games backfiring, since he doubted Michael understood what he set in motion in the end by trying to get something out of Brian he never wanted from Michael. Tonight, either Michael would get it or he’d find out what it was like to be on the outside of everyone. As far as Bradon was concerned no one deserved it more than Michael did. It wasn’t like Brandon wanted to hate Michael, it was just that he didn’t see why everyone thought there was more there than a jealous little boy who didn’t like anyone near his most prized collectable. Michael was jealous of anyone having a bigger connection to Brian than him. When Brandon showed up to tell Brian about their connection, Michael started small, pointing out anything about Brandon that would make him seem more like Jack Kinney to Brian.

What Michael didn’t understand was that Brandon only told Brian because he wanted closure after Jack died. Brandon would have been happy not to have gotten any attention from Jack, or the visits to the hospital his mother and he went on after Jack went home to his real family. It got to the point that his mother would send him to one of her friend’s apartments when she knew Jack was coming over. Brandon never understood what Jack had that neither Brian’s mother or his mother could resist, something both he and Brian agreed on. Brandon liked that Brian understood why he didn’t want to talk about it. It wasn’t that Jack didn’t screw them both up, but it didn’t mean talking about it would change anything. 

Lindsay seemed to get that and only offered a shoulder if Brandon needed one. It was how they became friends. She and Mel actually got to know him as Brandon, not as Brian’s brother. Funny that Michael saw his biggest rivals for Brian as Lindsay, Brandon, and Gus. What Michael wanted wasn’t what any of them wanted from Brian, although tonight if Michael showed up he’d find his biggest rival in Justin, who had managed to get Brian’s attention covered in muck and garbage.

Brian stood on the catwalk watching for Justin to show up. In the back of his mind he wondered how it was going for Ted, but tonight was for Justin so he let those thoughts go. He saw Emmett first and then Justin right behind him, looking like he’d enjoyed his time with Emmett. Conner and Brett were in the middle of the dance floor dancing together as Emmett dragged Justin in a trench coat through the crowd. Emmett looked up and saw Brian, then bumped Justin to look up. Justin watched Brian as he came down to get to him. When Emmett took off Justin’s coat, Brian started walking faster, as guys started staring and closing in on Justin. Justin didn’t even notice anyone but Brian. There was whispering around the club trying to find out who the new meat was and when one person who’d been at the diner told everyone, they all stopped to see if there would be anything to gossip about in the morning.

Michael couldn’t find Ted or Emmett anywhere. He’d looked at the diner, Woody's, and planned to go to Babylon now that he’d exhausted everywhere they were usually waiting for him. He’d even tried the loft, but when his key didn’t work and the landlord told him he didn’t answer to Michael before hanging up, he left, planning to let Brian know what happened when he finally found him. Michael was getting tired of everyone treating him like he did something wrong, he was also tired of having to go home and clean up every time he went to Brian’s loft. Michael didn’t get why they were still acting like he did something they hadn’t forgiven him for before. He needed them now more than ever to show Brian that he was who should be chosen if he wanted to settle down. Michael wanted to believe Brian was only sowing his last oats with the blond twink, since he knew Michael wanted monogamy and marriage. Michael already had a house picked out in a classy neighborhood and dreams of the parties he planned to throw, showing off to everyone that he landed Brian Kinney. He planned to keep Brian’s focus on what he wanted, which meant Lindsay and Mel would be at Michael’s mercy when they expected anything from Brian. Michael smiled at thoughts of slamming the door in their faces, since he would be the most important person in Brian’s life soon.

Michael was sitting in the diner, waiting around again when he heard someone saying they saw Brian going into Babylon. Excited that Brian was home, although annoyed he hadn’t called and told him, Michael ran to the club. He made it without anyone hitting him with paintballs and into the club without anyone stopping him. He looked up on the catwalk, to the bar, then rolled his eyes before going into the backroom, ignoring how everyone was watching the dance floor. As Michael wandered the backroom, not finding Brian but pissing off a few guys when he interrupted them, thinking in the dark room it was Brian being serviced.

“He isn’t back here tonight.” Todd yelled when Michael was about to cause a brawl in the backroom.

“Where is he?!” Michael screamed.

“Proving to everyone that Ted was telling the truth, Brian Kinney is settling down. Now will you get out of here before we all end up needing a blue pill because of you.” Todd told him.

Michael backed away from the backroom when all the men, not caring they were naked or half dressed picked him up and carried him out of the backroom, dumping him outside the door. Looking around he ended up having to go up to the catwalk, since everyone was circling the dance floor and blocking his view. Michael looked down and saw Connor and Brett dancing with Emmett and Brandon, and figured they were just all excited to have a celebrity in the club, but then realized that was not what everyone was looking at. Then Michael saw Brian, only he was plastered to the blond who was featured in all of Michael’s nightmares. Brian didn’t notice anyone trying to get his attention, instead all his attention was on the man in his arms. Michael wanted this to be another bad dream, but it just got worse as people talked around him. The gossip which he usually laughed at was predicting the end to all of Michael’s dreams. Michael started walking out, dejected, but as he walked out the door, once again he saw a way of turning this around. 

*************************************

Ted agreed to meet with Blake at his hotel, not wanting to risk anyone showing up at his place as he and Blake talked. It was weird, now that he was in the elevator all the thoughts confusing him were quiet. Instead of being worried this was closure for Blake, he was just hoping that Blake was better and happy with his life. It didn’t matter anymore if this meant the end or the beginning for them. Ted just wanted to see the Blake he always thought was under the drugged up club kid he met. He got to the door, blew out a breath, then before he could knock Blake opened the door. Ted always thought Blake was beautiful even when he was a mess, but he was wrong. Blake, cleaned up took Ted’s breath away.

“I figured one of us had to make the first move.” Blake told him nervously.

“Once again it was you.” Ted told him, walking in.

“I ordered a late dinner, figuring it would be easier to talk if we were relaxed.” Blake told him, as they sat at the table. “I wasn’t sure what you’d like, so I stuck with steak and salad.” Blake rattled on, nervous as hell. “If not, I can call down an order if you don’t like it.”

“I’m pretty easy as long as it’s edible.” Ted told him, smiling at Blake who seem to want to jump up and run.

“I kept picturing how this would go… I mean, I don’t expect you to be happy with me after the way I took off,  but I didn’t want to see you disappointed in me anymore. So I took the easy way out; but now I look at you and wish I’d been able to clean up my life and stay here with you.” Blake told him.

“Why couldn’t you do it here?” Ted asked, not upset but curious.

“The first thing I did when I walked out of the rehab was go back to the friends who helped me get there in the first place. I was probably worse than I was when you met me by the time Justin and Conner found me. I’d finally hit rock bottom, but this time I stopped caring if I managed to make it to another day.” Blake told him.

“I would have wanted to help you.” Ted told him.

“You tried, and I wasn’t going to put you through that again. I wanted to do it for me, and no one else. Which isn’t what I was thinking when you were trying to help me. I only wanted to get clean to make you happy, not me. Which doesn’t mean it was wrong to want to make the man I loved happy, but I needed to do it for me.” Blake told him.

“So Conner took you with him?” Ted asked.

“At first he and Justin were just going to call the police, but instead they took me to Justin’s mother’s house and cleaned me up. Then Connor offered me a deal when I tried to run away at the suggestion of another rehab in Pittsburgh that he and Justin would pay for. Brett had to know who I really was, since the only name I gave them was Finn, which isn’t my real name in anyway. Brett contacted a friend who stuck with me in rehab, and when I was released he stayed on as a life coach. I got back into school and got a degree, and Brett’s only condition was that I pay it forward. Which I’ve been doing, helping others get their lives straightened out and on a better path.” Blake told him.

“I can honestly say I’m happy it all worked out for you.” Ted told him.

“But?” Blake asked.

“I feel like I failed you.” Ted told him.

“You didn’t, it was all on me. I wasn’t ready, and until you are, no one can help you. If you’d found me maybe it would have been different, but there were still the friends who fed my addiction. In California I had no one but Connor and Brett. The friends I made were cleaning up their lives and it encouraged me to do the same thing.” Blake told him.

“What are you plans now?” Ted asked.

“I want us to be friends if you feel like it’s all you want from me. I think I’m strong enough to come back now, but I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable, so I will understand if you’d rather I stay away after everything.” Blake answered.

“What about your life in California?” Ted asked, not answering.

“I live in a rental house, my career as a counselor can be done anywhere, and I honestly would like to see if what we started can be more than the things I dreamed up in rehab. California doesn’t have you, so I’d rather be here and see if this time we could make it.” Blake told him.

“I thought maybe this was closure for you.” Ted answered.

“I need to close that chapter of my life, but not the part you’re in.” Blake told him.

“I’m just not sure if I’m ready to trust it will work this time.” Ted told him, honestly.

“If it doesn’t, I still want you in my life any way I can have you.” Blake told him.

“I’d like that, and hope for more.” Ted told him.

“Good. Can we eat now, I’ve been so nervous about seeing you and now I’m starving?” Blake told him, looking Ted up and down.

************************************************

Justin was actually having fun dancing with Brian and everyone. But seeing Brian naked was the goal of this evening, not watching other guys wish they could see Brian naked. Plus he was getting tired of guys brushing their hands on his ass and the comments congratulating Brian as they seemed to think Justin’s ass was one of the seven wonders of the world. Brian was talking to the manager, and told Justin to meet him at the door so they could leave. Justin ran off to the restroom first since Brian had been pouring water down his throat since they’d danced most of the night away. A few guys either eyed Justin or smirked at him, a few others looked at Justin as if, like Emmett seemed to think, he had some magical power they all didn’t. It was Michael glaring at him that Justin chose to ignore.

“Brian wants me, not you.” Michael warned.

“Why are you telling me?” Justin asked.

“Because you’re turning his head, when he was ready to settle down finally.” Michael told him.

“I’m assuming with you?” Justin asked.

“Of course with me. We’ve been together for  fourteen years, who else would he want to be with… you? Someone he’s know barely a week?” Michael scoffed.

“You and Brian have BEEN together for fourteen years?” Justin asked.

“As friends. But eventually he’ll see it should be me that he builds a life with.” Michael told him.

“If it was me I’d be asking why he hasn’t opened his eyes after all these years.” Emmett commented, walking into the bathroom and putting himself between Michael and Justin.

“Yep, me too.” Justin whispered.

“You don’t know what you’re talking about.” Michael protested.

“I know Brian didn’t have to think twice about moving Justin in with him after knowing him for a week.” Emmett told Michael. “Big Bad is ready to go home.” He said, turning to Justin.

“What, does Brian have to drive him home to Mommy?” Michael said sarcastically, purposely ignoring what Emmett had just said about Brian moving Justin in with him.

Emmett waited for Justin to leave, before turning to Michael. “It took Justin one week to do what you couldn’t do in fourteen years. He isn’t settling for you, and he isn’t going to protect you when you fuck up anymore, and he won’t let you fuck with Justin. Enjoy the wicked little games you play.”