CHAPTER 16 - THE TRUTH BEGINS TO COME OUT

CSI MOBILE UNIT

JUSTIN

I keep my focus on my breathing, whilst they take my blood. Listening to my breathing is helping me not look ‘over there’.

“Don’t fight it, remember?” Brian whispers. “I don’t want to either, but....”

“It's all too real. Is it weird I feel that?” I search his face, he rests our foreheads together.

“Nope. We never ever thought we would...let alone who it was.”

“Okay, we are all done. Just need your fingerprints, Mr Kinney, then you both can go back inside.” The Officer smiles kindly. He takes his prints in silence, then goes to the table where another officer is waiting. They confer for a few minutes, and a CSI joins him.

“Is that the pipe he hit Novotny with?” I ask surprising myself. 

“Yes, Mr Taylor, and on behalf of the Pittsburgh Police Department, I am sorry you had to wait this long for justice. My name is Jason, Jason Kemp.” I shake his hand, and Brian does the same, but Jason holds on a few seconds longer. “You don’t remember me, do you?” The unit goes quiet. “I was in Babylon about four years ago, and you took me home…” I look at Brian because we most definitely have not discussed that! “...no! Nothing like that! Nobody but him would try to come between the two of you! I meant as in he made sure I got home, to my home where I was living at the time!” 

Brian stares at him before slowly nodding. “Go-go Boy, you remember me telling you about the kid who was being followed by the Pink Posse, right? You know, to make sure he got home safely.”

“Ugh, those creeps!” I blench. “So glad they have been shown to be who they were!” 

“Let us get you safely through the mean streets of Pittsburgh, and then you show us gratitude.” Brian scrubs his face, then looks at me, unblinking. “I am going to kill him!”

DINING ROOM - TWO MINUTES LATER

JUDGE RUSSO

“STOP! MR KINNEY! STOP!” I scream as Brian rushes in and immediately tries to get to Novotny. “What is this about?!” When he lit out of the unit, Kemp followed. Thankfully, he managed to get between him and Novotny. “Someone explain!”

“When did you know?!” Brian roars. “How did you know?!”

“Brian?! What is it?! What did he know?!” Carl demands.

“That we are monogamous! You didn’t even flinch when I said it, so you knew!” 

I watch Novotny’s eyes flash, then briefly rest on his bag. “Give me that!” I yell, pointing at it. “Sit down!” I bellow at Novotny. I put on the proffered-by-Fitson gloves, then tip the bag on the floor, I see nothing, but then feel around and there is something. I turn the bag inside out, and spot a tear in the lining. I find an envelope with two letters addressed to each of them. I read them in silence. “These are second stage results for sexual health, all clear for Mr Kinney and Mr Taylor. They are dated five years ago.”

“Justin, do you remember when the Pink Posse was at the height of their powers?”  Brian growls, he has Novotny pinned to the seat just by looking at him. “Do you?”

“Uh, yeah.” Justin replies, getting in Brian’s eye line. “Look at me. Brian, I said, look at me.” It takes almost a minute for his focus to shift back to Justin. Everyone relaxes a bit when it does. “At first they were seen as the Guardian Angels, and everyone looked up to them, but then word started to get around, especially about Reikert and Bell.”

“Uh huh, and remember that show you had in West Virginia which clashed with the sudden trip to P-Town, which Michael arranged for just us besties as a surprise?”

“Yeah.” Justin frowns.

“Some of them were there.” Brian’s gaze goes back to Novotny. “There was one, oh what was his name? Can't remember now, but he was everywhere. I could not move without seeing this guy watching me like a hawk. Like you said, they were creepy, but he was extra creepy, and Novotny kept bigging him up, saying what a cutie he was, and how he wouldn't tell if I was to bring the Stud out for an evening.”

“What did he look like?” Kemp asks. “The guy you are talking about?”

Brian snorts, then points at Justin. “A fucked up version of him.”

“Dirty blonde and stocky? Acted like Bell’s second in command? Is that who you mean? If so, he is Christopher Hobbs.” Fitson explains and Brian nods. “Can’t reconcile the guy now to the guy back then. He was repugnant and…”

“Jesus, you are one jealous fucker!” Ben explodes. “Judge Russo, what are the dates of those letters, and are they originals?”

I peruse the papers. “15th February for both of them, and no, they are copies.” 

“So the trip was on the 25 February, and Brian, you were home on 1 March, correct?” Ben asks, Brian nods.

“I am not following.” I look around, glad to see that I am not the only one!

“That’s the one day he always messed with. The night we met, which was the 28 February, which was also the year after the leap year.” Justin turns his gaze on Novotny. “The year we decided to be monogamous was the year after the leap year, and this year, the year I finally said yes is the year after the leap year.”

“And…” I press.

“Brian is, to those who really know him, an easy read. My gorgeous creature of habit prefers odd numbers, says even ones are too structured; this from the most structured guy in the world. So, five years after we first met, he sent me off to conquer the art world, five years later I came back for good and asked for a commitment and a promise. When did you tell him?” 

“I didn’t, he must have found them and taken copies. Just why? Why would you want me to do that? I just don’t get you!”

“He wanted you to have sex with this Hobbs person?” I look around the room again.

“He didn’t want Brian to fuck Hobbs.” Ben sighs. “He wanted Brian to kiss Hobbs, then he would casually drop it in a conversation that this is what he did, knowing what a shit...”

“Kiss him?” Mel frowns. “Why would he want him to kiss him, Ben? Surely fucking him would be worse?”

“Fucking is just that it’s fucking. It means nothing. it is basic, primeval, and I know that because we make love every time and have done since the day we met. He can fuck anyone, well almost, but he can’t do that with kissing. Yes like fucking, he has to find someone to kiss, but unlike fucking, where it is find a hole thrust and done, to me kissing is different, and he understands that. He understands that it is too personal, emotional, but more importantly ‘ours’. That is our thing, we only kiss each other, so I asked that he never kiss anyone on the mouth, in that way, but me. He promised he wouldn’t; but then he took it a bit further…”

“And stopped kissing him.” Ben jabs at Novotny. “I remember when it happened in public. We were in the diner, about six months after the P-Town trip, Brian had been away, but he wasn’t alone...”

Start of flashback

DINER - FIVE YEARS PRIOR

BEN

“Michael, you are going to get whiplash.” Lindsay teases, as again he looks up when the bell above the door goes, but it’s not Brian. “Brian said he’ll be here at 1130, it’s not even 1100 yet, so…”

“We haven’t seen him in ages!” Michael sighs. “What with him being the ‘muse’ to Justin, and Kinnetic, he seems to have forgotten that he has friends!”

“Um, haven’t you been away for the last two weeks? With your husband? On your second honeymoon romping through every room.” Mel reminds him. “What is the diff…”

“There is a difference because there is! This is the Stud of Liberty Avenue and…”

“Retired!” Someone shouts out.

“He has not retired, he is on a break!” Michael shouts before glaring our snickering into silence. “Besides it is different. I don’t cut off all communication when I am away from my friends and family! I check in when I can. Never thought I would say this, but he could learn a thing or two about that from Justin. He has at least kept in touch, albeit with a select few.”

“Have you thought it’s because they want to be alone?” Kiki declares as she leans against the booth. “They are both so busy, as you have pointed out, so when they are together, they want to be together with no distractions, and….”

“I am not a distraction! I am his best friend…what do you mean together? I thought that Justin wasn’t in the States.”

“Not at the beginning, no, but he joined him.” I explain for the fourth time, yes the fourth because he really doesn’t want to take it on board...again. “Since they missed out because of your surprise trip, they are on what to them is their...” 

“They are not on their honeymoon! They’re not even married!” Michael snipes.

“I was going to say anniversary, not honey…”

“He does have a point.” Lindsay pipes up, sipping her tea in a way that almost has me wanting to throw it in her face. “Look…” She begins as she checks her watch then her phone. “...I have to go. Say hi to Brian when he gets here.” She gathers her things and is gone. Mel and JR exchange looks, then shrug.

“Oh, maybe that’s what they’re doing!” JR gasps. “It’s the year after leap year after all!”

“Year after leap...what are you talking about, JR? And besides, Brian would not get married without two of his closest and dearest friends being present!” Michael asserts. I hope he doesn’t spot the grimace that briefly crosses Mel’s face...we are dealing with enought right now. “No...no, of course he wouldn’t!” Michael continues. “Well, at least he’s going to be here soon.” I look up as the bell going brings in Justin, who is smiling as he approaches. “You’re back. How was wherever you were?” Michael asks whilst mimicking Lindsey's tea sipping action...if only, on this occasion, he would mimic the leaving action too!

“Hey, Ben, Mel...and JR! I didn’t know you were going to be...oof!” Justin staggers back as JR launches herself into his arms and hugs him tightly. “Unhand me! Mel! Ben, help! Has she been lifting weights?!” Kiki and I get up and unclamp JR from Justin, who gingerly stretches out. “No broken bones, thank goodness! Now shift along.” He orders.

“Sit next to me, Uncle Justin, please!”

“Oh, alright, I suppose so!” He sighs. “Kiki, could you?”

“Of course!” She grins. I follow suit when JR immediately links arms with him, and he pinches a fry from her plate. “You know, only you and Brian get to do that. Anyone else tries, and they get forked.”

“This is very true! Think you still have the marks, don’t you, Michael?” Mel laughs whilst he grimaces.

“I was not amused by her brutishness.” Michael glowers.

“We were! Ihink Brian laughed the hardest!” I snort.

“Did you ever get him to kiss your boo boo better?” Mel taunts him. “So, uh, Justin, how was the show?” Mel swiftly changes the subject when Michael starts to inspect his forked finger.

“Great! Glad it was short, and…”

“I’m fine, thanks for asking.” Michael snipes.

“As am I.” Justin returns before turning to Mel and handing her an envelope. “Can you return this to Lindsay? As we said, it’s our weekend with him, so she can have this back.”

“What’s that, Uncle Justin?” JR asks.

“Spending money for his trip in Maine.” Justin explains. “And despite what we’ve said, I know that Debs and Carl are going to treat him, and…”

“Wait! Wait a second! What’s this about Maine?” Michael puts his cup down slowly as he speaks. “And how come JR isn’t invited?”

“Like he said. It’s his weekend with his fathers coming up, and they’re going to be in Maine as Justin has another small retrospective. As for JR…”

“I never go on their weekends, Dad. Why would I go…”

“That’s when it's his weekend here or in Canada. This is another state, that’s not fair!” Michael bleats.

I shake my head as an exasperated, verging-on-getting-pissed Justin tries not to react. Time to intervene...again. “Michael, what happens on the weekends with his fathers, no matter where those weekends are, is their business. Would you be so insistent if it were the other way around?”

“We don’t have the cash to splash that Brian does and…”

“We could if we dipped into the emergency account.” I interject.

“That is for emergencies and…”

“So you’ve put the money back in that you took out for the Superman action figures then, which was six months ago around the same time you took the money out for P-Town?” He goes red and quiet whilst I pull out my phone, I check the account and glare at him. 

“I am going to put it back, I just keep forgetting.” He protests.

“Well since it’s nice and fresh in your memory you can do it now can't you?” I enjoy his squirming! 

“Actually Michael don’t do that.” Mel smiles then turns to me. “Well, how much is it?”

I do some quick adding up in my head. “$2094 or thereabouts, why?” 

She tears open the envelope and counts out $2K, Jenny and her exchange looks as there is still some in there. “I will wire you the rest Ben, then you, Michael, can add that to the support you pay over the next few months, which I will ensure you do willingly or otherwise.”

“Yes, yes of course. But back to Maine. If Ma and Carl are going, why can’t me and Ben go too?” Michael argues. “I am sure that…”

“Don’t you mean JR should go? Kiki interrupts. “She is the one missing out remember?”

“I...Brian!” He screeches, and almost to a one in the diner we all flinch. “You’re back! Long time no see, how was Newport? Ben, can you move…”

“Oh so very quiet. The only sounds were the wind in the reeds, the sea rushing in and out and hmmm….someone cursing up a storm because he…”

“Brian!” Justin shrieks.

“What? I was merely going to say someone dropped his phone in the sea, then queened for four hours whilst we got it dried out. Thank God for Sherlock and rice! Now let me explain Mikey. In the series Sherlock, think to was the first one, the killer, dried out his waterlogged phone by putting it in a bag of rice. We tried that it worked. You want some coffee, Brat?” Justin nods, then grins when Kiki gets up to get it. “Has extra cream.” He smirks, Justin flicks him the bird. “As you can tell by my tan, it was very sunny, and we spent most of the days outside on our private beach once someone was slathered in cream, sadly only on the outside.”

“Brian!” Justin growls.

“So he was slathered in cream and I take it you weren’t wearing any clothes?” I laugh, having caught sight of his chest as he gave Kiki the coffee. I pinch my nose as Michael starts to force me out of the booth. “You need to go where exactly?”

“Where else, and why else would I want you to move? Now hurry up before I piss myself!” He rushes to the bathroom. Again, Mel and I exchange looks. He’s fooling nobody but himself if he thinks anyone believes that ‘bathroom break’. It is nothing but a ruse to get to Brian. “Oh, that's better!” He exclaims as he returns, but instead of sitting down, leans against the counter, then joins Brian on the other side, just like I knew he would. He taps Brian on the arm. “Aren’t you going to say hello?”

“Sure, hi, Mikey.” Brian responds. I know I shouldn't but I enjoy the falling of Michael’s face when Brian goes for a lemon bar, thereby leaving him stranded. “How was the second honeymoon, Ben? And you are correct not a stitch. Which was fine on the first day, not so much on the second. But like I said, he was covered in cream so that helped...do you want one?”

“Yes, I would like a lemon bar, and stop talking about sunburn!” Justin exclaims, going red. 

“Sunburn?!” Michael dashes up to him and starts tugging on his tee, only for Brian to bat him away. “Did you put on ointment?! Despite appearances, Justin, his skin is very delicate! Come on, Brian, let me check you over!”

“Michael! I am fine! Anyways, it’s not my delicate skin that got sunburnt, and it is definitely not somewhere where anybody but me can check. Isn‘t that right, Sunshine?!”

“Brian, for crying out loud, shut up!” Justin pleads.

“Oh no, Kinney, come on and spill!” Ted calls out as he joins us. “Although I think I can guess what happened, judging by that walk earlier!”

“Earlier?” Michael echoes. “You went to Kinnetic first?”

“No…I went to see Ted. He was at the loft.”

“Ted? You went to see Ted before me?” Michael looks flabbergasted. “And he was in your loft? Why?”

“Because I had to collect the keys from him, and…”

“What keys?”

“The loft keys…”

“Why did he have the loft keys? I don’t and...”

“For fuck sake, you are not my husband and you never will be! Get a hold of yourself and save the questions for when Ben gives you a reason to ask them, not that he ever would! Christ, you sound more jealous than normal! I, like you when you are with Ben, don’t owe you an explanation as to what I do and where I do it when I am with Justin and it was him, not me, getting the inside of his thighs and his bubble butt sunburnt, which meant that I could not pile him into the beach, the sofa, the mattress, and against the shower wall. Although he hasn’t been squirming as much so I am thinking that the ‘cushion is fine for the pushing’?”

“Bri! Behave! Although I think you are right...” Ted laughs as Justin’s face flames. “Anyways, in your haste to test that theory you grabbed our keys. Not that we have a problem with you two using our loft, it wouldn't be the first time after all. But you know, the clean up after...”

“We are leaving now!” Justin declares after watching Brian finger the filling out the lemon bar before slowly licking them clean!

“It is always me eating food with you, don’t get it, but it works every time. Let’s go!” he then vaults over the counter and holds out his hand. Justin scrambles over the booth and they run out giggling.

“I will bring it…oh never mind!” Ted smiles and like most people he starts chuckling as they pause to make out against the window. Soon the diner settles down to its usual hum of chatter and clatter.

“Ted, are you staying?” I ask.

“For a bit. Let them get the first round done. As much as I love them, they tend to forget themselves, and since it’s only them and us in the building, anywhere will do! Also, what with Blake being in Sacramento, I would rather not hear or walk into the live show alone!”

“What are you bringing him? Whatever it is, give it to me and I can drop it off. And since when do you have keys to Brian’s loft?!” Michael rattles out as he retakes his seat. “And what does he mean I am jealous? You see what I mean about Justin saying things about me? I need to speak to…wait, how long have you had a loft in Brian’s building?!”

“You really need to work on the volume and listen when people other than Bri talk.” Ted bites back. “I have his phone. And before you screech, it was Bri’s idea. As for the lofts Blake and I have had them ever since Justin bought the building and gave us first refusal. Now I know why he calls us his last line of defence.”

“Justin bought the building?!” Mel gasps. “And by us you mean Blake, right?” She smirks.

“Speak English!” Michael orders who is as usual in his post Brian-fug and pulling out his keys to his home away from home.

“It means that you can get to the first floor, should someone let you into the building or you use that key, but you would get no further. Justin doesn’t say much, he’s what Blake calls a quiet assassin, and having seen that just now I am delighted to be on Team A.. You have a key to the street door, but not the loft, correct?” Michael nods. “He’s paying you back. For every bit of give and so much take, he’s paying you back, and knowing you the way I do now, I am going to take my post and wait for you to try!” Ted gives a mock salute and stalks out. “And when you call, like you did 287 times over five days, I won’t pick up!”

“Won’t pick up? Why do you have Brian’s phone?! Ted?!” Michael shouts but Ted ignores him. He sits down heavily. “The world has gone mad! First Brian biting my head off, and now Ted acting like some guard in a prison break movie!  And why didn’t you say anything, Ben?”

“About what? You behaving like you are the be all and end all of Brian’s life, and Brian correcting that mistake? He’s only said what everyone knows and can see. Justin is it, and your ‘say hello’ with the upturned face, was disrespectful to both Justin and me! Learn and listen...the no kissing anyone apart from Justin applies to you too! You invest too much in everything he does when it concerns you, but dismiss it when it concerns Justin. But now he’s shown it in the place where you feel safe, apart from Babylon, the place of your childhood, your sanctuary, what you held dear and thought to be yours and his that he honours Justin’s wishes not yours!” I stand up and put on my coat. “I am going home. You remember where that is, right, Michael?!”

End of flashback

JASON KEMP

Nobody isn’t saying anything, time for me to shine a light on the situation. “He was known as H-Man.” I state, and everyone looks at me. “Hobbs, that’s what his nickname was H-Man.”

“So?” Carl sighs. 

“H stood for Herpes, not Hobbs. Six years ago, he contracted herpes, and had it till he got clean three years later.”

“So, he wanted him to kiss him to give...oh, you are kidding?! Fitson gasps.

“All you had to do was kiss me, like you always did, but no, that stupid pathetic promise kicked in, and you stopped! How and why did that rule apply to me?! We have always kissed, since before him, and for you to stop, well it shows who was truly jealous!”

”Justin was never jealous of you!” Ben scoffs. “There’s no need to be. As has become clear over the years, you’re no longer Brian’s best friend. Justin became that as they got to know each other, and through Justin’s other friendships with all of us, well not you obviously, Brian began to see what the difference was. The difference between your idea of friendship and Justin’s. The difference between you getting him to do something and Justin’s. And that difference is that he asked, he asked, then explained his rationale behind it. He was not a bully, was not demanding, didn’t sulk or hark back to how much he owed him. So when Brian said yes, that oft said mantra bit you in the heart, Brian nevert...”

“I know he doesn’t do anything he doesn't want to do!! But I could always get him to change his mind eventually. Until he came along!” Novotny snarls at Ben, before turning to Brian. “Seriously, what is it with him?! Love can’t make you do all of that surely?!” Novotny screeches, pointing at Justin.

“It’s not just love. It’s also respect. He respects him. He wants to be the best that he can be for him. It is as simple as that!” Mel retorts. “And now I come to think of it, you wanted to be equal to Justin, but that would mean that Brian would have to respect you, and he doesn’t. I suspect he went along with what you wanted because he had permission. Think about it, how many times, no matter what it was, did you have to keep going on and on before he was ‘resigned to his fate’. Hundreds no thousands of times, but not before the look…” 

“The look, what are you rambling about?”

“Justin would roll his eyes, then and only then Brian would say yes to whatever it was.” Mel laughs there are knowing nods and smirks, he starts to go red. “And before you even try to enter it, your responsibilities weren’t diminished! The fact that you burnt the invite, but went to the hotel and waited for over three hours to see if he was there, shows pre-meditation, albeit it not for the attack, you went there to stop him being with him. You stole the rings and made efforts to get them changed and to return them, again illegally. The fact that you kept the evidence shows that you were basking in what you did. You held that over them.”

“Of course I did!” Novotny explodes. “It was the only thing I had! They were billing and cooing over how much they loved each other! After all those years of him fucking around, one night and BAM, he was in love! I knew it the moment I saw him in the loft the next day then he dropped him off at school. But I was sure that there was no way, after all this time, that he was going to do that, but he did. Slowly but surely he chipped away at those defences that I had spent years, freaking years, reinforcing and shoring up! He broke them down! Like you said, Mrs Columbo, that little persistent kid got through!” Novotny heaves in some breaths before standing up and pacing a few times. “I have it as a recording, not the actual hit of course, but I smashed the bat around the garage a couple of times, so I have that.”

“Thanks for the confirmation.” Miller smirks whilst Novotny stares at him. “We wondered where the now confirmed dried blood, again thank you, of Mr Taylor on the back door was from and how the bat got broken.” 

“Broken?” Ben echoes.

“Yeah.” Novotny sniggers. “I broke it against the door. I kept imaging it was his stupid little head!”