~ ¤ ~

Michael: "Can you believe the nerve of that little twat showing up here with his new boyfriend? I told him to stay the fuck out of our lives."

Brian: "Why'd you do that?"

Michael: "After what he did?"

Brian: "He didn't do anything. We were never happily married. He was always free to go; so was I."

Michael: "You're just saying that. He's a selfish little shit."

Brian: "Be quiet, Michael."

Michael: "He used you and took from you and never gave back a thing!"

Brian: "I said be quiet!"

Michael: "And this is the thanks you get for saving his life! If you ask me, it wasn't worth it. You might as well have just left him lying there."

AND THERE YOU HAVE IT, FOLKS! THE SURPRISE PUNCH THAT LANDED MICHAEL NOVOTNY ON HIS ASS! 

Lindsay: "Michael!"

Debbie: "Shit - Shit!

Ben: "Brian!"

Debbie: "You fucking animal! You hit my kid!"

Lindsay: "Are you alright?"

Michael: "Ben. NO!"

Brian: "Come ~ on."

Party Goer: "Do men always do that?"

Michael: "I'm alright."

Debbie: "Let me see, sweetheart."

Lindsay: "Brian, I think you need to leave."

Melanie: "Just leave. NOW! Asshole."

~ ¤ ~

JUSTIN:

I decided to go to the diner this morning for my coffee, as I'm still upset with Ethan. Last night I was trying to rationalize why Brian had hit Michael at the party, and Ethan just kept telling me to shut up and not talk about it. He kept saying I was with him now and he didn't appreciate me talking about Brian. Well, I'm sorry if he saw it that way, but I can't get it out of my mind.

When I get to the diner, it's with relief I see that Debbie isn't working today. I don't need her innate wisdom. I know it would involve her running Brian down and telling me how I was better off without that animal in my life.

As I'm standing at the counter waiting for my coffee, I hear, "Hello, baby. On your way to school?"

I turn and see Emmett sitting alone in one of the booths. "Uh... yeah. Just stopped by for coffee before I go in."

"You don't look too hot this morning."

"That might be from lack of sleep. I certainly didn't get much last night."

"Problem? Come sit and talk for a little bit."

"Not sure I have time, or I'll be late."

"Please? I certainly don't see much of you these days."

I huff at his statement. I'm not sure what prompted me to say anything more, but I find myself sitting down and saying, "That's probably because Michael told me to leave everyone alone, now that Brian and I aren't together anymore."

"He actually said that?"

"Yep. The little cowardly lion met me out back when I was taking the garbage out. He certainly didn't mince any words, either."

"Well, I hope you know that doesn't mean the rest of us feel that way."

"I guess I thought it did. I wasn't going to go to the party yesterday, but Mel and Lindz insisted on it."

"So, what has you looking so down this morning?"

"Oh, Emmett! I can't get the picture out of my head of Brian hitting Michael. I've been up almost all night trying to come to grips with it and trying to figure out a valid reason as to why he did it. You know he's not abusive that way, and especially towards Michael. He'd never willingly hit him. So, why?"

"Well, sweetie. Teddy and I talked about it when he took me home from the party yesterday. We couldn't come up with anything, either. Whatever transpired between the two of them had to be something really bad. I may have problems with some of the things Brian does, but I have to agree with you. Brian would never hit someone like that without being really provoked."

I nodded at him. "Well, I'd better get going, Emmett. Thanks for the talk. We might not have solved it, but it does help to know I'm not the only one who feels this way."

"Well, baby, keep in touch. And don't listen to what Michael said. I don't feel that way and I know Teddy doesn't, either."

"Okay, Em. See you around."

~ ¤ ~

After I leave the diner, I realize I'm already quite late for school and I really have no desire to go today. I make my way back to Ethan's apartment and look forward to a good nap. Maybe I will be able to sleep while Ethan is gone.

As soon as I open the door, I realize my thoughts of a nap aren't going to happen. For there is Ethan, fucking someone on our bed. All I can think to say is, "Hi, boys. Don't let me interrupt. I'll just get my things and be going."

Ethan pulls out so quickly and jumps up that I involuntarily wince at the abruptness of it. That had to hurt. But imagine my surprise when it's none other than that pretentious prick from the party I attended with Ethan. He still has that long, curly hair that I loathe. I remember the only time I was in his presence. I almost chuckle, recalling how I had told him I had a big cock and give a pretty good blowjob.

I'm brought back to the present when I realize Ethan is talking to me or, should I say, AT me. He's saying something about Brian.

"Whatever you're thinking of saying, Ethan, just stop. I don't want to hear your excuses. As I said, ‘I'll pack my stuff and be out of your way.' You apparently like musicians better than artists. At least with a fellow musician, it appears you both enjoy stroking each other's bows. That's not something you can have in common with an artist and a musician. So, pretend I'm not here and just continue your escapades. Or better yet, put on some clothes, both of you, and wait until I'm gone. It's nauseating to see your..." OMG! "...condomless, flagging dicks, and I don't appreciate your ugly-asses hanging out."

"I get so tired of you, Justin! I have the right to get my needs met. You keep your coveted ass under lock and key. And last night, when I tried to tell you I needed you in bed, you went on and on about Brian punching Michael. You have no right to talk about Brian as if he's more important to you than me. You're with me now."

"Really? Because all your pretty words about monogamy and me being your muse just don't seem to cut it anymore. As I said, I'm leaving."

"Justin, come on! It was one little slip! I was angry and hurting about last night, so when I saw Collier this morning, I decided to take him up on what he has offered me before. Besides, Brian always cheated on you and you always forgave him."

"That's a load of crap, Ethan. Brian never cheated on me. He didn't promise me anything. You did."

EMMETT:

I stayed in the diner for a while after Justin left and thought about our conversation. I couldn't think of anything else. I had seen a lot of punching when I was a young tyke back home in Hazlehurst, had even been on the receiving end, but I've never seen anyone display the rage that Brian did. It just didn't add up. As my Aunt Lulu used to tell me, Child, if you want the truth, go to the horse's mouth.

So, I decided to do just that. When I got to Vangard, I told Brian's receptionist that I really needed to talk to him. That it was of utmost importance and to please not announce me. She must have seen how desperate I was, because she let me go in.

Brian looked up from his computer when I walked in the door. "Honeycutt. To what do I owe the pleasure of this interruption? I'm trying to work here. If you came to read me the riot act about punching Michael yesterday, you can turn around and leave. I think I heard enough opinions yesterday."

"Don't call me Honeycutt. I've actually come for the opposite of that statement. I want to know why you did it. You don't hit people, and especially not Michael. I've thought about it, and I can't see you doing it. You're not that type of person. So, care to tell this southern queen what happened yesterday? I want to know what Michael said to warrant that punch."

"Christ, Emmett! You don't know what you're asking of me! And believe me, you don't want to know."

"I wouldn't be here if I didn't want to know. Now come on. Tell me."

Brian let out a long breath, looked at me, and said, "You sure? Because Michael is your friend and you're not going to like what you hear."

"I'm sure."

"Alright, just remember you insisted. Michael was mad that Justin showed up at the party with Ethan. He didn't think he should be there. He kept going on and on about how Justin was an ungrateful little shit. I tried to warn him to shut up, but he just kept going."

"Don't stop now, Brian. Finish it. What did he say that had you actually hit him?"

"He said... he said... that Justin didn't deserve to live. That I should have left him lying there the night of the prom."

I gasped and held my hand over my mouth, while clenching my chest with the other one. "Lord have mercy! Oh, my God, oh, my God! He said that? He should be grateful that all he got was a punch to the eye!"

"Emmett. Calm down. Don't work yourself up over this. I thought it over and figured I'd apologize after work."

"DON'T. YOU. DARE, Brian Kinney! There is no way you should apologize for doing something like that, when he said what he did. Do you have any idea why Justin quit at the diner?"

"Nope. Just figured he was spending his time with his new boyfriend."

"Well, that would imply he had an old boyfriend first, but I will let that slide for now."

"You better. I don't appreciate the old remark, at all. So, enlighten me, then."

"Remember when Debbie asked us at the diner that day why Justin had up and left? And all of us said we didn't have a clue? Debbie said he didn't say anything, just told Kiki to tell her goodbye? Well, Michael followed him outside that day and told him that since he was no longer with you, he should get lost."

"HE WHAT!?  He actually said that to him? That little wannabe shit! Doesn't he realize Justin needed that job? He's going to school, for fuck's sake. He needs money for food and living expenses! Who does he think he is, and where does he get off thinking he can say something like that to Justin? I've got a good mind to go over there and blacken the other eye!"

"Okay, Rocky. It's your turn to calm down. I talked to Justin this morning and told him that Michael was the only one that felt that way."

"Good. Thank you, Emmett. I don't know how everything has gotten so out of hand.  All this crap started when Michael came to me and told me he saw Justin and Ethan kissing. I just wish I would have talked to Justin, instead of doing what I did."

"Are you going to elaborate on that?"

"No. Just do me a favor and keep this between the two of us. I don't need anybody else barging through my door and then having to have this discussion again. It was painful enough retelling it to you."

"I'll go now and let you get back to work. Thank you for telling me, Brian. I know Michael will try and get us all to see you as the bad guy. At least I won't fall for his bullshit spiel."

"See ya, Honeycutt. It's not been a pleasure."

With one last, "Don't call me Honeycutt," I breezed out the door.

As I made my way out of Vangard, I took out my phone and punched speed dial one.

"Hey, Teddy. Are you busy after work? I really need to talk to you."

"I can do that, Em. Can you come by my condo at seven tonight?"

"See you then, Teddy."

~ ¤ ~

Teddy and I talked last night for over an hour. He agreed with me that we should confront Michael and ask him what happened that the Big, Bad Brian hit him, playing it up that we thought Brian was in the wrong. As I walk to Red Cape to invite Michael out to Woody's with Teddy and me tonight, a light bulb goes off in my head. I take out my phone.

"Hello? Justin? It's Emmett."

JUSTIN:

The minute we walk through the door at Woody's, I see Michael is there, a beer in front of him. We make our way over to his table and each climb on a stool. Michael scowls the minute he sees me.

"What the fuck are YOU doing here? I thought I told you to get lost, Boy Wonder."

"Michael, why would you say something like that? Justin is our friend," Emmett, my staunch supporter, chastises Michael.

"He's nothing but a trick that outstayed his welcome. Brian should be grateful he's gone."

"Speaking of Brian, what happened yesterday? Why did Big, Bad Brian hit you?"

"I don't want to talk about it. What I do want to know is why this little shit is here in my presence."

"Emmett called me and asked me to have a drink with him and Ted tonight. I had no idea that you would be here. Believe me, if I had known, I probably wouldn't have agreed to come with them," I said, all the while glaring at Emmett.

"Well, I AM here. So, do me and everybody in here a favor and fucking leave!"

"That's not gonna happen, Michael. He's with us, so he's staying."  That was good ole Ted this time.

Emmett continues with the conversation. "So, about yesterday, what happened? I'm not sure I can be around Brian anymore if he acts like that. So, care to explain it to us?"

"It's nothing, really. Just a misunderstanding. A difference of opinion."

"Well, we'd all like to hear it."

As Michael sat there giving us bullshit explanations, it finally hit me and I blurted out, "Michael, what did you say about me that had Brian hitting you?"

"What makes you think it has anything to do with YOU? You're nothing! Why would we talk about you?"

"There's nothing else you could say that would provoke a reaction out of Brian that way, unless it was about Gus, which I don't see happening. I mean, why would you? So that leaves me."

"Why are you here again? Where's your boyfriend tonight?"

"Boyfriend? Unless you're talking about Brian, I don't have a boyfriend."

Michael scoffs at that and says, "Brian doesn't do boyfriends. Besides, you left him. I was referring to the fiddler."

"Ethan? The last I saw of that lying, cheating sack of shit, he was running naked down the stairs after I threw his violin down it."

Emmett laughs, but it just seemed to infuriate Michael further. He suddenly stood up and got in my face and screamed, "You want to know why Brian hit me? I told him that you should leave us alone, that you were a user, taking everything Brian would give and never giving anything back! Why did you have to show up at the party, anyway, and with Ethan, no less? I TOLD BRIAN HE SHOULD HAVE LEFT YOU LYING THERE. I TOLD HIM WE ALL WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER OFF WITHOUT YOU IN OUR LIVES! I WISH YOU HAD DIED! WHY AREN'T YOU DEAD!?"

It took me only a second to recover from the vileness that came out of his mouth. I stood and grabbed him by the collar before I, too, hauled off and slugged him with everything I had in me, making sure I hit the other eye. Let that son-of-a-bitch have a matching pair! He went down with a thud. I jumped on top of him, ready to hit him again, when I heard him.

"JUSTIN!"

I paused and raised my eyes. There stood Brian and I hadn't a clue as to what he was going to do or say.

"He's not worth it, Sunshine. Come on, get up."

As I reached my hand out for him to help me up, I just couldn't help myself. I reached up and clasped my hand behind his neck and brought his mouth down to mine. After a very heated kiss, Brian pulled back, looking at me with an expression I couldn't read.

I wasn't sure if it was the soft-spoken way that Brian had said ‘Sunshine,' but I decided to take the plunge and said, "Is it still three o'clock? Will you be home by then? Because I'll be waiting."

Brian gave me that tongue-in-cheek smirk that I love so much. "No need to wait until three. If you're ready to get out of here..."

"Let's go, Loverboy."

As we start to leave, Brian turned toward Michael, saying, "I don't want to hear from you or speak to you, Michael. I don't want you anywhere near Justin, not even to apologize. As far as I'm concerned, our friendship is over. Things may change, but right now I don't think I'll ever be able to forgive you."

MICHAEL:

I can't believe everybody left while I still lay on the floor.

"Hey, loser! Why don't you take your pansy-ass and get out of here? We don't need people like you in our bar. Now get out, and DON'T. COME. BACK!"

I hauled myself up off the floor. I didn't really want to go home. Ben was certain to ask questions, but I figured he'd be the lesser of two evils, between him and ma.

Ben was sitting at the table, still grading papers, when I walked in the door. I saw the moment he realized I had a new black eye.

"What the hell happened NOW, Michael? Are you alright?  You said you were going for a drink with Emmett and Ted. I don't see how that warrants coming home with another black eye. Was Brian there? I should go over there right now and punch that sucker myself!"

"Ben, Ben, calm down. It wasn't Brian. It was that stupid twink, Justin. I ought to go down to the police station and file assault charges on the little shit."

"Michael, I can see Brian hitting you, but not Justin. He's just a kid. He wouldn't hurt you for no reason. Tell me what happened tonight. And tell the truth. I'll know if you lie to me."

Well, he asked for the truth. After I relayed everything from the party, ending up with how everyone deserted me in Woody's, Ben was livid.

"Get the hell out, Michael! How could you be so cruel? That's the most vindictive thing I've ever heard anyone say! Do you realize I was ready to go against everything I believe in and hit Brian back at that party? Now leave, before I join ranks!"

~ ¤ ~

I guess I have to go to ma's after all. Maybe I can just tell her I fell at the shop and I'm not feeling well and go upstairs to bed. I'm overtired anyway.

She looks up from watching TV when I come in the door. "Hi, Honey. What are you doing out tonight? Where's Ben?"

"Can I stay here tonight? Ben and I had a fight. Emmett's not home, so I can't go over there. I'm just really tired. I'll stay out of your way."

"HOLD IT!!! What's going on?"

Ma stands up and walks over to me and gasps. "Michael, how the hell did you get another black eye? Did Brian hit you again? I'm going over there and find out what's wrong with him."

"Ma, stop! It wasn't Brian. I fell at the shop and hit my face on one of the racks."

"That's bullshit! You don't get a perfect shiner like that hitting a comic rack. Tell me the truth, right now!"

"Fine, I said something about Justin and Brian hit me. When I said the same thing to Justin, he hit me."

"What the hell, Michael?"

So I laid out the conversions for her. No surprise she didn't take it too well.

"Michael Charles Novotny! I have never been so ashamed of you in my life. After the party at David's for Senator Baxter, I forgave you without really getting an apology from you. You not only embarrassed yourself that day, but me too. But now I'm ashamed to call you my son. How could you say that about Sunshine, Michael? What has he ever done to you that would warrant you saying something like that?" 

"Christ Ma, he's taking my best friend away from me!" 

"Michael, you don't deserve a friendship with Brian after saying something like that! Didn't you see how destroyed he was while sitting in that hospital waiting to see if Justin would live or die? I can't believe MY son, who I raised to be kind and compassionate about others' misfortunes, could actually say something so awful! And to think I blamed Brian and called him an animal for hitting you. I really owe him an apology. Michael, I'm not asking you, I'm telling you to leave right now; I can't stand the sight of you!"

 ~ ¤ ~

I head for the comic shop. I don't really know where else I can stay tonight. I just hope by tomorrow, Ben has calmed down enough and lets me come home.

JUSTIN:

I'm waiting for Brian to get back in bed. He got up to use the restroom and get a couple of bottles of water after our third round of sex. I'm not foolish enough to believe all is forgiven. I'm sure I'll have some groveling to do. But tonight has turned out better than I had hoped.

"Penny for your thoughts, Sunshine," Brian said as he crawled back into bed.

"Just thinking how I might have to grovel for your forgiveness."

"Don't be foolish. Nobody needs to grovel. We both made some mistakes. I can only hope we learned from them. Now give me your hand; I brought an ice pack for it. You do realize when you punched Michael, that you should have used your left hand, don't you?"

"Yeah, but I didn't have time to think about that. It was a knee-jerk reaction."

"I can relate."

"I'm sorry for all this crap, Brian. Michael kept feeding me bullshit about how you would never truly want me, that I was damaged goods. I suppose I was looking for something or someone who did want me. I should have talked to you instead of doing what I did."

"I'm not innocent in this whole thing, either."

We lay in silence after that before Brian finally spoke again.

"Did you really throw Ian's violin down the stairs?"

"What? You heard that? How long were you there?"

"I'm thinking about five minutes after you guys arrived."

"Yeah, I threw it down the stairs. I decided against class this morning and went back to Ethan's after having coffee in the diner. He was fucking this guy on the bed, then tried to tell me it was your fault."

"My fault?"

"Yeah. Stupid prick thought he should be able to fuck around because I wouldn't let him in my ass. He called it Private Stock of Kinney's. So, I picked up his violin and went out in the hallway and threw the violin down the stairs."

"Sunshine, that's the nicest thing you could have told me."

"Huh?"

"Never mind."

We fall into a lapse in the conversation again. It took about two minutes before Brian spoke again.

"Sunshine, apparently your ass belongs to me now. So how much is it going to cost me for a new violin?"

~ THE END ~