Justin was still reeling at how easy it had been to fall for Brian. It wasn’t something he believed in- falling in love as fast as he had with Brian. He felt like a silly kid, already thinking Brian was the only person for him. He knew everyone thought he ignored men trying to get his attention for years, but he knew they weren’t looking for more than just a roll in the hay. Which was something Brian was known for, only it seemed he was looking for more with Justin. And Justin was willing to give him the chance to work at a relationship. Maybe it was that Justin wanted to see the true man behind the myth; it didn’t matter, as long as Brian was willing to try for Justin.

“It must have been some night since your head has been somewhere else since you got here.” Blake joked.

“It definitely was a night I won’t forget, but I feel like it's moving too fast,” Justin told him. 

“In what way?” Blake asked.

“We've only known each other a week, and I already see us living together; helping Mel and Lindsay with Gus; and wanting to say I love him,” Justin told him.

“It happens like that for some people,” Blake commented.

“What about you and Ted? What was it like when you two met?” Justin asked, realizing how little he knew about Blake’s life before.

“I wasn’t looking for anything but a place to stay on the night we met. I saw Ted and in truth figured he’d be grateful I wanted him. It took meeting him again to realize he was more than just some random trick for the night. The second time we met was when I saw what a great guy he really was, but I was still more interested in my next high than in the man I was falling for. He stuck by me and was willing to help me. But at the time, loving him was worth more than my next high, so I took off and made sure he couldn't find me. I didn’t want him to have to deal with my problems when he could be happy.” Blake told him, as Connor and Emmett came through the door.

“Do you regret it now?” Emmett asked, trying not to sound like he was judging Blake.

“Being a drug addict, I regret most of my life Emmett, but I don’t regret what I did to Ted,” Blake answered.

“Why not?” Emmett asked.

“Because Ted didn’t need to have to take care of me. I needed to do that for myself. Ted deserved someone who was his equal, not a guy he had to defend against his friends. And if I’d stayed he would have been dealing with that as you all watched and waited for me to fail again. Which I would have, because when I left Ted, I agree with you, he deserved better than me.” Blake told him.

“No, he didn’t. He deserved better than the path you were going down. It wasn’t like you were trying to take him with you.” Emmett told him.

“I would have tried. That’s how bad I was when he took me to rehab. I kept thinking Ted didn’t understand why I needed crystal, but he would if I could get him to try it. I wasn’t ready to see how my life would be better without it. It didn’t matter that I fell in love with Ted, just that he was getting in the way of my next fix. I left the clinic because that was all that mattered to me. So I definitely was the guy Ted would have to spend his life trying to fix. ” Blake told him.

“You think you’re ready now?” Emmett asked, just wanting to know.

“I did what I had to do for me to be better, and now I feel like Ted and I can start as equals if it’s what he wants,” Blake answered.

“What did Ted say?” Justin asked.

“He wasn’t jumping to start again, but he’s not against it. Which means I need to start looking for a place to stay. Because I want to be with him, even if we don’t end up as anything but friends.” Blake told him.

“What about your life in California?” Emmett asked.

“I worked and hung out with Brett and Connor, who I love for standing by me, but I want more than just to be their third wheel,” Blake told him.

“You know it’s not how either of us ever felt. We love you for the man you became.” Connor told him.

“I miss sex, and the only one I want to have it with is Ted,” Blake told him.

“Speaking of?” Emmett asked, looking at Justin, to give Blake a break.

“Um… You know how you sort of dreamed how your first time would be… well, Brian surpassed all my dreams.” Justin told them, blushing as they stared at him.

“Wait, are you saying you’ve never…” Emmett asked, at a loss for words at the idea.

“Yep, Justin finally ripped off the chastity belt.” Connor joked.

“I just didn’t want to have sex just to do it.” Justin defended himself.

“Now that you have, what do you think?” Blake asked, concerned.

“That I wish I hadn’t invited Mel and Lindsay to dinner tonight because I’d rather see if Brian could go five times instead of four,” Justin said seriously, before laughing with everyone.

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

Brian wasn’t good at gently broaching a subject. He always figured if you want to know, just ask. It was just that he also didn’t believe that anyone should have to explain themselves. So he sat there with Ted, going over projections instead of asking about Blake. He waited for Cynthia to help him, but she seemed to enjoy his discomfort at talking about felling and relationships.

“Everything good with Justin?” Ted asked, giving Brian the opening.

“So far he’s everything I could want. What about you and Blake?” Brian asked.

“Are we really talking about relationships?” Ted joked.

“I seem to have found my way into one, and as we both know, I have no clue what to do,” Brian answered him.

“It’s easy Brian, you get to know each other and hope you like what you find out about the person,” Ted tells him.

“I do. Justin makes everything that seemed important, not. I don’t feel the need to prove anyone wants me. Just him wanting me is enough.” Brian said, cringing at how sappy it sounded.

“For me, it was that I didn’t care about all the shit Blake brought with him. I just loved the guy who listened to Opera because I like it. I could see past the flaws that were there, to the caring guy underneath it all. It’s why all my relationships failed because Blake was it for me.” Ted told him since Brian tried.

“Are you going to see if you and Blake can work?” Cynthia asked since the two men were lost about what to say.

“He left the ball in my court as to where we go from here,” Ted told her, finding it easier to talk to Cynthia than Brian.

“So he wants to try, what’s holding you back?” Brian asked.

“I want to know who he is now, and not let our past get in the way. I want to do it right this time, not just jump into bed and hope the rest sorts itself out.” Ted answered.

“All I can say is blue balls are not fun, but it did give me time to get to know Justin.” Brian conceded.

“And move him in with you.” Ted pointed out.

“He needed a place to stay… Okay, I wanted him with me.” Brian told them when they both didn’t believe him.

“Where do you see it going?” Ted asked, enjoying that Brian was now in the hot seat.

“I don’t have a clue, other than that I want him in my life for a long time. I like his family and friends. I like the way it feels like I’m starting without the baggage that led to me believing a relationship was the last thing I wanted. It’s nice to be just me, and know that’s all Justin wants from me.” Brian told him, hoping to get off the subject.

“Which isn’t what you got from us,” Ted said, feeling like shit about the way Brian was seen.

“If you two wouldn’t mind an outsider’s view since I’ve been with Brian almost as long. I didn’t see you and Emmett as his problem, not even Deb.” Cynthia told them.

“I let Michael do the things he did,” Brian told her.

“Yes, but you also led your own life. Even while Michael tried to do it for you. Michael got away with all the shit he did to not only you, Brian, but Ted and Emmett also. He spent his life playing all of you against each other. When you and Ted started Kinnetik, Michael was telling Ted how lucky he was that he was friends with him and met you. Michael tried to make it sound like it was the only reason Brian asked you to work for him. In a way, it sounded like Ted should owe Michael for you taking a chance on him, Brian.” Cynthia told them.

 “I offered Ted the job because, like you, he’s the best at what he does,” Brian told them.

“I didn’t really listen to Michael. I knew what Brian wanted me for, and nothing Michael said made me think it was about him.” Ted told them.

“I know that. But what I was pointing out is that Michael tries to make sure all of you think you wouldn’t be where you are if it wasn’t for him.” Cynthia told them.

“I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for Deb, not Michael. She’s the one who tried to help. But I wouldn’t let her do more than clean me up. I didn’t protect Michael for Michael, but because Deb is the only real mother I have.” Brian told them.

“Deb doesn’t want you to give your life up for Michael,” Ted told him.

“I’m about to put it to the test because I won’t let Michael think he means more to me than Justin does,” Brian told them.

“How did Emmett handle Blake being back?” Ted asked, knowing how Emmett felt about Blake.

“He was busy tarting Justin up for me, which I have to thank him for.” Brian smiled.

“I’m hoping he’ll give Blake a chance,” Ted told them.

“But?” Cynthia asked.

“No buts. If he can’t, then he needs to understand Blake is going to be in my life.” Ted told them.

“Or we give Emmett a bit of a distraction. If he’s busy trying to figure out his own relationship then you can figure out yours.” Brian told him.

“What did you do?” Cynthia asked, getting excited.

“Nothing. Other than agree to get Drew on an athletics campaign. It’s time for Emmett to deal with what he let go of, instead of fumbling around in hopes of finding someone who can be what Drew is to him.” Brian told them.

“While you're at it, what about Brandon?” Ted joked.

“That one actually has me stumped. Because he needs someone who can look past the reputation and see my brother. Which Justin did. Only he wanted me.” Brian told them smugly.

“Are we actually matchmaking?” Ted asked.

“No. Just helping out the people who stood by us. Deb and Carl don’t need the shit Michael does to them, either.” Brian told him.

“While we’re at it, what about him?” Ted asked, not needing to say Michael’s name.

“In his case, we leave him to deal with his own life. Something he needs to do without us.” Brian tells him.

“I agree, but you know he’s going to keep trying to get rid of Justin,” Ted commented.

“He can do what he wants, while I make sure Justin knows his place in my life. He only has power if we give it to him, which he tried today.” Brian told them.

“By reminding you of all the things he did for you?” Cynthia guessed.

“Michael wants to think Brian didn’t want relationships because Brian wanted him. He won’t believe that it was because Brian hadn’t found anyone he wanted to have one with, because then Michael would have to admit Brian didn’t want him.” Ted told her.

“He just isn’t someone I wanted, it’s that simple. Maybe Brandon was right, I wanted someone who I didn’t have to take care of.” Brian told them.

“Why would you when you spent your life taking care of everyone? It’s why I can see Blake in my future. Because he isn’t excusing what he did, but owning it and learning from it.” Ted told them.

“So now that I’ve practiced talking about my feelings, can we get to work?” Brian asked them.

“Sure thing Boss,” Ted told him.

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

Michael was sitting in his shop trying to forget what Brian said to him. Brian was just being the asshole he always was when it came to talking about how he really felt. Michael wanted to believe the blond shit just had Brian confused. He was sure that Brian would see being with him was what he should have been doing, not wasting time with ‘blondie’. Michael’s glum mood didn’t improve when Deb showed up with lunch since she wasn’t willing to listen to him complaining about Brian and Justin. Instead, she seemed to be cleaning up and talking to everyone who came in but Michael. Michael perked up when one guy walked in. The guy was gorgeous and was interested in knowing more about comics, so Michael let his thoughts on Brian go for now to see what the guy wanted to know.

“You should talk to my son, he knows everything there is to know about comics,” Deb told the guy.

“What did you need to know?” Michael asked, walking up to them.

“I have a class I teach on gay studies and wanted to add how gay themes are hidden in various books, comics, and movies. I was hoping to find comics to use as a fun way to start the discussion. I’m Ben Bruckner by the way.” Ben said, smiling at Michael.

“Michael Novotny,” Michael told him, taking in Ben while comparing him to Brian.

Ben waited for Michael to help him, while it seemed like Michael was sizing him up. Ben thought he was cute but he started to get uncomfortable the longer Michael stared at him.

“So what do you suggest?” Ben asked when nothing came from Michael.

“About?” Michael asked, confused, busy thinking Ben could make Brian jealous.

“Comics and gay themes?” Ben asked, now a little flattered that Michael seemed lost.

Which seemed to get Michael out of his thoughts and going on and on about every comic he read. By the time Michael finished, Ben wished he slipped out with Michael’s mother when he had the chance. But he was the one who asked and Michael gave him what he asked for. Ben bought the comics, feeling bad about his thoughts when he asked for Michael’s opinion. 

“Thanks for helping me, my students love to debate and you’ve given us a lot to use,” Ben told him.

“You should talk to my friends. They love to debate. If you want you could come over to dinner at my mother’s house on Sunday.” Michael told him, thinking of an idea about how to make Brian see that he wasn’t going to sit around while Brian fucked around with the blond.

Michael waited for Ben to answer while thinking this would also make it so everyone would think Michael was moving on. Maybe it would make Brian realize what he would lose if he didn’t do something about it. Michael also didn’t mind people seeing him with Ben, and making them wish they could be too. He looked at Ben again and figured if Brian could date why not have fun with Ben until Brian stopped acting like the blond was what he wanted. 

Ben debated. While he found Michael cute in a nerdy sort of way, he didn’t want to encourage the man into thinking he was interested. Ben wasn’t sure he was ready for a relationship when the last one ended so badly. Although, it would be nice to start meeting people, and have people other than the other professors he worked with to talk to. Maybe Michael would end up appealing to him and give him a reason to move on from what Paul did. Ben was getting ahead of himself but he missed having someone to come home to, and while he was still dealing with what Paul did, it was time to stop acting like all guys would hurt him.

“What time?” Ben asked, smiling as Michael once again got lost in thought.

“What?” Michael asked, wanting to see all his friends reactions to him with Ben on his arm.

“Dinner. What time?” Ben asked.

Michael liked that Ben was eager and figured he could at least convince Emmett and Ted to stop discluding him because they like the blond.

“How about I pick you up and take you?” Michael asked him.

Ben wasn’t really sure if he wanted Michael to know where he lived. Which bothered him, since why would it matter? Only he made that mistake with a student once and really didn’t want to go through dealing with restraining orders again. Not that Michael would do something like that, although he would love to see the officer who helped him again. But it didn’t mean he wanted to deal with that again. Why he was thinking that made him wonder about his decision to go to dinner with Michael.

“I could just meet you here instead,” Ben told him.

“Okay. I can’t wait for my friends to see… I mean meet you.” Michael told him.

“Great. I’ll be here around five.” Ben told him.

“Make sure to wear something for clubbing, since we all go out to Babylon after,” Michael told him.

“Sure,” Ben said, wondering what he was getting himself into.